College sports – The Durango Herald

Stevens helps Colorado State advance past Buffalo in NIT

DENTON, Texas – David Roddy had 17 points and eight rebounds, Isaiah Stevens added 14 points with nine assists and top-seeded Colorado State beat Buffalo 75-73 on Friday night in the first r...

DATE: Mar 19, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Fort Lewis College men’s soccer has spring conference title hopes

Skyhawks aim to compete in spring season, not look ahead to fall

DATE: Mar 18, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Durangoâ€™s Fenton named RMAC Defensive Player of the Week

Metro State junior defender awarded for second time in career

DATE: Mar 18, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Women’s teams see inequity in NCAA Tournament experience from men

SAN ANTONIO – The teams had barely landed in Texas when complaints of inequity between the women’s and men’s tournaments roared over social media posts noting the women’s weight training fac...

DATE: Mar 18, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Richard Pitino takes over at New Mexico, looks to revitalize Lobos

ALBUQUERQUE – Richard Pitino is barely taking over at New Mexico and he’s already fielding a challenge for his Lobos. The would-be opponent is Iona, the program coached by Pitino’...

DATE: Mar 18, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Colorado set to face Georgetown in first round of NCAA Tournament

Who: No. 12 seed Georgetown (13-12) vs. No. 5 seed Colorado (22-8) What: NCAA Tournament First Round When: 10:15 a.m. Saturday, CBS Where: Hinkl...

DATE: Mar 18, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Not NCAA Property: Players push for reform on social media

INDIANAPOLIS – Several prominent players at the March Madness basketball tournament took aim at the NCAA on social media Wednesday, demanding changes to how they are allowed to be compensate...

DATE: Mar 18, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Fort Lewis College women’s lacrosse returns to the field with a win

Nelson scores four, Basso stops 11 in road win

DATE: Mar 16, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Gonzaga, Baylor dominate AP All-America teams

Gonzaga and Baylor spent almost the entire season holding down the top two spots in the Top 25. Makes sense they’d hold down a bunch of spots on The Associated Press All-America t...

DATE: Mar 16, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

New Mexico hires Pitino as next men’s basketball coach

Lobos new coach left Minnesota a day earlier

DATE: Mar 16, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Back-up plan: NCAA tourney standbys not expecting a call

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville Cardinals coach Chris Mack isn’t holding his breath waiting for the call for his team to replace another unable to play in the NCAA Tournament because of COVID i...

DATE: Mar 15, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

Gonzaga completes season-long run at No. 1 in AP Top 25

Gonzaga opened the season at No. 1. The Bulldogs never let go of that ranking. Now, after a start-to-finish run atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, coach Mark...

DATE: Mar 15, 2021 | CATEGORY: College Sports

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