Local News https://www.durangoherald.com/feeds/local-news/ 2026-05-20 04:06:36 -0700 en-us https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/after-drowning-witnesses-call-for-greater-safety-measures-at-lake-nighthorse/ Four women who witnessed a man’s drowning Friday at Lake Nighthorse are calling on Durango Parks and Recreation to increase safety measures at the reservoir. Eric Granados-Barcenas, 20, of Dallas, Tex... 2026-05-19 05:20:45 -0700 37869182-478d-4d2a-a162-ac288226e814 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/large-commercial-developments-to-be-more-closely-scrutinized-in-animas-valley/ Developers wanting to build large-scale, commercial developments in the Animas Valley must now go through the major-land use permitting process. La Plata County commissioners officially approved the ... 2026-05-19 03:24:54 -0700 81449afb-5ecf-4af8-859a-50f1d8a42b12 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/the-mysterious-disappearance-of-vallecitos-35-foot-tall-logjam/ A massive logjam left blocking Vallecito Creek after the October floods has seemingly disappeared into thin air. Well not exactly. It was likely burned by an unknown person and carried away in billow... 2026-05-19 05:00:00 -0700 db92cf36-385c-4441-b148-329071bbea80 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/bayfield-school-district-reverses-decision-to-move-wolverine-academy-to-high-school-campus/ Following strong opposition from families, Bayfield School District will not move Wolverine Academy, the district’s project-based alternative high school education program, back into Bayfield High Sch... 2026-05-18 10:38:09 -0700 09955c56-a5d8-4df4-9736-2e1b222fca24 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/bayfield-school-district-names-sole-interim-superintendent-finalist/ Mary Rubadeau, a Durango-based educator and consultant, has been named as the sole finalist for Bayfield School District interim superintendent. Rubadeau was chosen by the Board of Directors out of a ... 2026-05-18 10:29:05 -0700 3a663c1a-4b92-4092-b98e-6897d855d9f6 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/man-dies-while-swimming-at-lake-nighthorse-near-durango/ A 20-year-old man from Dallas, Texas, died Friday afternoon while swimming at Lake Nighthorse, according to the Durango Police Department. edit >>> The man, Eric Granados-Barcenas, was swimming w... 2026-05-18 05:48:31 -0700 173fae12-6bd7-4b8d-a6d7-108200441853 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-therapist-tackles-trickle-down-effect-of-burned-out-bosses/ When bosses are burned out, employees can feel it – and according to Barbara Ferri, a therapist with Durango-based Solum Life Therapy, that can create tension in a workplace that might ultimately lead... 2026-05-18 11:00:00 -0700 0b7e5c52-2182-4040-ae9f-e30c28c0bd06 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-police-chief-says-technology-name-of-game-in-modern-policing/ Artificial intelligence, drone first responders and body cameras that can translate 50 languages aren’t far-flung concepts of some opaque Hollywood future anymore. Even in Durango, they are becoming s... 2026-05-18 05:00:00 -0700 f06e4e17-6ae3-4bdb-a8d6-46043c93c0bb https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/public-meetings-for-the-week-of-may-18-22/ City of Durango Monday, May 18 Councilor Jessika Loyer Office Hours, noon, lobby, Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave. Tuesday, May 19 Community Development Commission Meetin... 2026-05-17 05:00:00 -0700 aceb4024-20ce-48b1-b89f-67edf118b669 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/town-of-silverton-gets-new-entry-signs/ On Tuesday, the town of Silverton Public Works crew and local iron artist Ken Webb installed the new metal entryway sign and removed the old Silverton billboard that was installed in the 1990s. The pr... 2026-05-17 03:00:00 -0700 aa98ffa1-0728-4b46-94a6-795b85debb31 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/lpea-board-of-directors-election-wrapping-up-this-week/ The La Plata Electric Association Board of Directors election is quickly nearing its conclusion. Online voting will close noon Tuesday, and paper ballots are due by 4 p.m. the same day. Results will ... 2026-05-17 11:30:02 -0700 b35af459-8844-4306-9d5c-0b2a9acffe27 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/tentative-durango-teacher-pay-increase-agreement-reached-after-two-negotiation-sessions/ Employees and Durango School District reached a tentative pay increase agreement Tuesday after two negotiation sessions over the course of two days. Durango Education Association and Durango Education... 2026-05-17 05:00:00 -0700 49c340b3-33b0-46a9-833f-227cfcc6aa1e https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/survey-says-economy-remains-major-pain-point-for-durango-residents/ Results from a National Community Survey held earlier this year show residents are even less happy with Durango’s economy than they were during the last survey in 2023. Respondents remain highly satis... 2026-05-16 03:00:00 -0700 1899daee-6baa-4533-852f-5c1d9bbcddfe https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/hantavirus-linked-to-cruise-ship-differs-from-strain-found-in-southwest-colorado/ A hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that had been headed to the Canary Islands has brought renewed international attention to the virus after three of the ship’s passengers died after contracting t... 2026-05-16 11:00:00 -0700 666a81bf-3bc9-4ab5-9972-48f6c7eac2d2 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-anti-mask-initiative-found-ineligible-for-ballot/ A district court judge ruled this week that a proposed citizen initiative ordinance that would prohibit law enforcement officers in Durango from concealing their identities is ineligible for placement... 2026-05-16 05:00:00 -0700 9de469fb-1fcf-4e58-ba2e-da38b30ef771 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-la-plata-county-airport-opens-new-terminal-security-checkpoint/ Travelers flying in and out of Durango-La Plata County Airport will now be greeted by a soaring new terminal, spacious security checkpoints and speedy access to a new baggage claim. About 70 guests – ... 2026-05-16 05:00:00 -0700 568d0261-8018-4d9d-880e-becd5ad3a409 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-police-animal-control-fully-staffed-for-first-time-since-taking-over-services-in-2026/ The Durango Police Department’s second animal control ranger began work last week, marking the first time the department’s animal control division has been fully staffed since it took over services fr... 2026-05-15 05:36:39 -0700 dbdf3d36-c304-4cbf-a06d-ab7b66bebefe https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/photo-no-time-for-spelling-errors/ ... 2026-05-15 04:24:58 -0700 665dc1a6-efad-4526-afd8-dec6a9c3de20 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/southern-utes-estimate-gasoline-spill-south-of-durango-closer-to-200000-gallons/ Nearly two years ago, a 40-year-old gasoline pipeline owned and operated by Enterprise Products ruptured on Southern Ute Indian land in La Plata County, sending tens of thousands of gallons of fuel in... 2026-05-15 03:28:57 -0700 821961ed-9216-49bb-9fb2-87e19ef4136f https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/does-the-code-rights-project-have-a-hidden-agenda-la-plata-county-commissioners-think-so/ La Plata County commissioners say the Code Rights Project, a citizen group examining the county’s planning, building and code enforcement processes, has a hidden agenda. The group’s true objective app... 2026-05-15 11:00:00 -0700 14bad7d6-ce0b-4cb5-8408-18f217ed1fb2 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/gazpacho-restaurant-closes-after-35-years-in-durango/ Gazpacho Restaurant officially closed Sunday after more than three decades in Durango. One of the restaurant’s owners, Brennan McManamon, said the restaurant was unable to pay its rent, and damages c... 2026-05-15 05:00:00 -0700 3ffa5584-5608-40ac-b42e-9dd8e2bece83 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/photos-celebrating-literature-native-american-culture-and-tortillas/ ... 2026-05-14 04:47:54 -0700 a68499ac-fb88-4a97-8802-f1da5e26255c https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-school-district-breaks-ground-on-new-three-springs-elementary/ Durango School District staff, board members, administration and students gathered Wednesday for a groundbreaking ceremony for the future Three Springs Elementary School. “Today we break ground, but ... 2026-05-14 03:12:36 -0700 eaa1bb40-9827-4568-95f7-c1805bc51300 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/invasion-of-privacy-trial-for-former-la-plata-county-jail-commander-postponed/ Former La Plata County Jail Cmdr. Edward Aber was scheduled to stand trial in early August on misconduct and invasion of privacy charges. During a Thursday hearing, the defense and the prosecution agr... 2026-05-14 02:57:39 -0700 4b321d37-e6b6-4c82-bec5-e64769602a02 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-planned-parenthood-is-stabilizing-after-months-of-uncertainty/ Planned Parenthood leaders say financial prospects for the Durango clinic are looking up despite rural health care staffing shortages and battles over abortion medication. Adrienne Mansanares, preside... 2026-05-14 05:00:00 -0700 9fe6ee1f-a3e7-4534-b994-1c3944148232 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-school-board-sounds-alarm-that-other-schools-may-need-to-be-consolidated/ Durango School District Board of Education hit pause this week on deciding whether to consolidate Sunnyside Elementary School with the yet-to-be-built Three Springs Elementary. In doing so, members ra... 2026-05-14 04:15:00 -0700 df3a5824-cb6f-4929-a533-c5dc9943e976 https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-sees-near-record-heat-in-early-may/ The second week of May has brought a heatwave back to Durango, with temperatures Tuesday reaching 86 degrees. If that felt hotter than normal for this time of year, that’s because it was. National We... 2026-05-13 09:35:21 -0700 efdc6036-eaf1-4507-856a-fc08a6ed270b https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/pine-river-shares-raises-600000-in-70-day-fundraising-push-to-buy-school-building/ BAYFIELD – Pine River Shares, a food share program in Bayfield, announced Thursday that it had raised enough money to secure its purchase of the Old Bayfield Primary School. The announcement came afte... 2026-05-13 11:00:00 -0700 3f7af835-2452-4b4c-b5b9-8f883d1bf90e https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-businesses-are-taking-creative-approaches-to-improve-affordability/ International conflicts might occur far away, but they hit close to home for some Durango residents who are mindful of their expenses. The cost of living, including housing, food, gas, health care and... 2026-05-13 05:00:00 -0700 a6f8db09-4600-40c2-9cfe-89bd7460966a https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/barking-at-court-montezuma-county-explores-addressing-prairie-dog-overpopulation/ From bears wandering Dolores streets in daylight to burrowing beavers, officials say some wildlife in Montezuma County is increasingly becoming a burden. The issue is big enough the county commission ... 2026-05-13 05:00:00 -0700 438fb05f-f54f-41af-8bbf-26952fad9084