Community – The Durango Herald

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Mancos Days returns with beach party theme for 2024 event

The annual event is celebrating its 66th year

Hesperus resident graduates from University of Tampa

Ivey Hermesman of Hesperus graduated from the University of Tampa. Hermesman received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing BSN. The commencement ceremony honored 1,717 undergraduate and graduate...

DATE: Jul 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Prostate cancer support group to meet online

Man 2 Man Prostate Cancer Support Group of Durango will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 6 via Zoom. The group consists of survivors of prostate cancer and men who have been diagnosed with ...

DATE: Jul 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Botanic Gardens’ Bulb Sale to be held online

The Durango Botanic Gardens’ 13th annual Bulb Sale will once again be conducted online. The Bulb Sale preview is open now, and the online store will be open Aug. 1-14 on the Botanic Gardens’...

DATE: Jul 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Groundbreaking set for senior living, memory care community

A groundbreaking for Mesa Verde Senior Living and Memory Care Community, a new 124-apartment senior living community to be constructed in Durango, will be held at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday at the...

DATE: Jul 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Archaeological society to host presentation

The San Juan Basin Archaeological Society invites the public to a presentation at 7 p.m. Aug. 14 in the Lyceum at the Center of Southwest Studies and on Zoom. Social time will be held at 6:3...

DATE: Jul 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

August Library Events

Durango Public Library 1900 East Third Ave. Contact: 375-3380. Reoccurring events Wednesdays, 11-11:30 a.m.: Preschool Storytime. Stories, songs, rhymes and other fun activities. Perfect...

DATE: Jul 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Senior Center Calendar

Durango/La Plata Senior Center 2424 Main Ave., 382-6445 Monday 9:30 a.m.: Tai-Chi. 10:30 a.m.: Neo Delphi Meeting, Watch Your Step – Marvel. 10:45 a.m.: Seated Yoga. 12:30...

DATE: Jul 25, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Bridge scores

Durango Bridge Club online and in-person play – all pairs received 50+ percent July 19 – Open Pairs First: S. Saunders/D. Saunders Second: K. Davis/S. Zerbe Third: W. C...

DATE: Jul 25, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Durango to hold neighborhood meeting about safety features for West Park Avenue

Speeding and lack of safe crossings have residents of concerned

DATE: Jul 24, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango forming focus group to inform Downtown’s Next Step

Historic Main Avenue, business access common criticisms of pro-pedestrian project

DATE: Jul 20, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Green Drinks to be held Thursday

Green Drinks will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday at 11th Street Station, 1101 Main Ave. The presenting organizations will be Visit Durango, Friends of Dark Sky and La Plata Development Alliance’...

DATE: Jul 19, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Photos: Parade launches 2024 Connie Mack World Series in FarmingtonFans line street as players march on Main Damp, overcast weather cooled off the crowd lining Main Street on Friday morning for the 2024 Connie Mack World Series Parade. The hourlong parade began shortly after 10 a.m. in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Fans line street as players march on Main

Photos: ‘Mini Takes the States’ tour stops in DurangoHundreds of Mini Cooper vehicles occupy Fort Lewis College on Sunday; Participants began the journey in Albuquerque and will finish in Seattle

Hundreds of Mini Cooper vehicles occupy Fort Lewis College on Sunday; Participants began the journey in Albuquerque and will finish in Seattle

Photos: Boxing returns to DurangoAnimus on the Animas: 1st Annual Durango Boxing Classic at the Durango Main Mall on Saturday

Animus on the Animas: 1st Annual Durango Boxing Classic at the Durango Main Mall on Saturday

Photos and video: Going for the gold by devouring piesContestants try their best to win the Oscar’s Pie Eating Contest on Friday in Durango

Contestants try their best to win the Oscar’s Pie Eating Contest on Friday in Durango

Photo: Fireworks light the sky in DurangoDurango celebrates Independence Day on Thursday night

Durango celebrates Independence Day on Thursday night

Photos: Working with woodLocal craftsman uses wood joinery, rather than nails or screws to construct homes and other structures

Local craftsman uses wood joinery, rather than nails or screws to construct homes and other structures

2024 Fourth of July Parade draws crowd Thursday in downtown Durango

Photos: Downtown Durango hosts Fourth of July ParadeDowntown sidewalks were full for Thursday’s celebration

Downtown sidewalks were full for Thursday’s celebration

Durango Rotary Club, Parks and Recreation department host Independence Day events

Law enforcement conducts active threat training at Park Elementary SchoolResidents may see and hear police activity Thursday and Friday

Law enforcement agencies across Southwest Colorado sent officers to participate in active threat training this week at Park Elementary School in Durango. Those in the neighborhood can expect police vehicles parked on the premises, officers in tactical gear conducting exercises inside and outside the school, and signs advising that training is in progress. The sounds of shouting, airsoft weapons and the popping of a starter pistol will also be audible near the school, said Karla Sluis, spokeswoman for Durango School District 9-R.Sluis said that members of the school district’s safety department have gone door-to-door with flyers notifying residents around Park Elementary School about the training.

Hosted by the Durango Police Department and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, this week’s voluntary training invited officers from law enforcement agencies across a five-county region of Southwest Colorado encompassing La Plata, Archuleta, San Juan, Montezuma and Dolores counties.

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office deputy Durango Police Department Deputy Mike Latham, lead instructor for this week's training, said Wednesday and the first half of Thursday were mostly preparatory, teaching officers the school’s layout and devising scenarios, whereas the latter half of Thursday and Friday residents should anticipate some noise as active threat scenarios play out.

Latham said active threat training teaches officers proper protocol during active threat scenarios, especially in densely populated areas where they have become increasingly common.Park Elementary School is not the only Durango School District facility law enforcement has conducted active threat training. Latham said schools lend themselves well to this sort of training because, “It gives us all kinds of doors to work on, different rooms, different scenarios we can run. We can pretend it’s a mall with nice big corridors, we can even pretend it’s an outdoor area in the gymnasium.”Latham has participated in active threat training multiple times in the past and described the drills as exhilarating and nerve-wracking. He said one of the training’s main goals is teaching officers how to manage stress and remain calm with lives on the line.

“I take a pulse oximeter in the morning and get a baseline on their heart rates,” Latham said. “And sometimes, just before they’re about to engage a threat, I say ‘Timeout.’ Put it (the oximeter) on there, and their heart rate’s skyrocketed to 140, 150, 160 just in training.”

Latham said throughout his career active threat training has evolved to become safer for officers and fall in line with increasingly professional police standards.“When I first started we were just running into halls and rooms hoping for the best,” Latham said. “Now the tactic is still to get there, still stop the taking of lives, but tactics are much better than they were 20 years ago.”

Residents may see and hear police activity Thursday and Friday

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