Regional News – The Durango Herald

Best bets in and around Durango

The Durango premiere of Teton Gravity Research’s new mountain bike movie “Esperanto” is at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Durango Arts Center. The film mixes the rock stars of mountain biking...

DATE: Jul 29, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Conservation groups sue over coal mines in Colorado, Montana

DENVER – Conservation groups filed lawsuits against state environmental agencies in Colorado and Montana this week targeting coal mines in the two states. Two groups sued Montana’s Departmen...

DATE: Jul 28, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Blotter

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday 8:04 a.m. Someone stole tools from a work truck on La Plata Highway (Colorado Highway 140). 8:07 a.m. Someone reported an assault at the La...

DATE: Jul 28, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Rising inflation is on a collision course with Colorado’s TABOR cap

A lag in economic indicators means fast-rising numbers aren’t reflected in calculations

DATE: Jul 28, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Blotter

Durango Police Department Tuesday 10:23 a.m. Someone was sleeping in a portable toilet at the Durango High School tennis courts, 2390 Main Ave. 3:26 p.m. A man left on a bicycle wit...

DATE: Jul 27, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado Republican primary losers file last-minute recount requests

Tina Peters, Ron Hanks among candidates who ask for hand tally

DATE: Jul 27, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Rep. Buck tries to prevent Colorado from expanding health care for undocumented immigrants

Boebert, Lamborn co-sponsor No Federal Tax Dollars for Illegal Aliens Health Insurance Act

DATE: Jul 26, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Blotter

Durango Police Department Monday 5:54 p.m. Two women and a man were fighting in the 3200 block of East Third Avenue. 6:39 p.m. A 22-year-old man was assaulted in the 1200 block of Ca...

DATE: Jul 26, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Rocky Mountain National Park is making a comeback after COVID, fire

Trailheads opening after the East Troublesome Fire, a popular campground gets a makeover, and new employee housing on the way

DATE: Jul 26, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Blotter

Durango Police Department Sunday 12:20 a.m. Teens were fighting in the 2900 block of Mesa Avenue. 10:06 a.m. A woman was bitten by a rattlesnake in the 21800 block of U.S. Highway 1...

DATE: Jul 25, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Steamboat is asking voters to tax Airbnbs to pay for affordable housing

Town wants to build 2,300 housing units over 20 years

DATE: Jul 25, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Judge temporarily blocks Colorado town’s gun control rules

DENVER – A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Colorado town from enforcing parts of a new gun-control ordinance, including a ban on the sale and possession of assault weapons, after it ...

DATE: Jul 25, 2022 | CATEGORY: Regional News

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Photos: Family fun at the La Plata County Fair

La Plata County Fair is off and running

La Plata County Fair schedule of eventsThursday8:30 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA breeding swine, market swine. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.9 a.m.: Judging open class home economics, horticulture, floriculture, creative arts.9 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA and open class fleeces.9 a.m.: 4-H poultry judging followed by open class.1 p.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA goat show, all classes followed by open class goat.5 p.m.: Fair Royalty speeches and modeling.7 p.m.: Talent contest, patio.7 p.m.: Livestock verification swine, poultry, goat, general project cards due.

Friday9 a.m.-8 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.9 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA rabbits.10 a.m.: 4-H/FFA breeding beef, beef showmanship.1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA market beef, grand champion and reserve grand champion market beef, champion selection.2 p.m.: Dairy cattle, all classes.3:15 p.m.: Pee wee showmanship.4 p.m.: 4-H/FFA livestock round robin, all-around showmanship.7 p.m.: Asleep at the Wheel concert.7 p.m.: Livestock sale verification rabbit and beef cards due.

Saturday9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public. 9 a.m.: 4-H dog show.9 a.m.: Judging open class beef all classes.10 a.m.: Rooster crowing contest.10 a.m.: FFA showmanship.11 a.m.: Open class dairy cattle, all classes.12 p.m.: Demolition Derby.12-4 p.m.: Community 4-H barbecue cook off (senior center lawn).2 p.m.: Rabbit costume contest.2 p.m.: Poultry costume contest.5 p.m.: Silver steaks, silver loin and silver chop award presentation.5:45 p.m.: Fair Royalty crowning.6 p.m.: Junior livestock sale pavilion.9 p.m.-midnight: Fair family dance.

Sunday8 a.m.: Cowboy church. 8 a.m.: Carcass animals loaded.9 a.m.- 2 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.1:30 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Catch-It contest.2-3 p.m.: Payment of premiums. 2-3 p.m.: Exhibits released in all departments. 2-5 p.m.: Booths taken down.2-5 p.m.: Poultry and rabbit exhibits released.2 p.m.: Animals released.Beer garden is open Thursday through Saturday.

La Plata County Fair schedule of events Thursday 8:30 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA breeding s...

Patriotic drone show unfolds above Durango’s night skyAbout 1,200 people watched production from city Transit Center

One hundred forty drones took to the skies above Greenmount Cemetery at 10 p.m. sharp Saturday in a glowing and patriotic spectacle featuring vibrant images colored red, white and blue against the black backdrop of night.About 1,200 people gathered Saturday at the Durango Transit Center to watch the city’s premiere drone show produced by Verge Aero after a street dance and band performance by McCurry Trio and Desert Child for Independence Day celebrations.Spectators were treated to drone depictions of the American flag, star patterns, a soaring bald eagle and a homage to the city with drones flying in formation to spell out “Durango” to close out the street dance that started at 6 p.m. Across the valley from Greenmount Cemetery, the headlights of cars shined from Rim Drive near Fort Lewis College where more spectators watched.

Ellen Babers, Durango community events administrator, said the show went well. She heard “Ooh’s” and “ah’s” from the crowd when the drones transitioned from one image to another.She said a segment that consisted of stars rotating at various intervals, shrinking into smaller stars before expanding into the shape of a larger star, appeared to be a crowd favorite.“People really liked the Durango part,” she said. “When it spelled out Durango, people seemed surprised. Like, ‘Oh, this isn’t just a generic show, this is about us.’”Other images included an outline of the continental United States, the letters “USA,” and a spinning globe shape that gave the drone show a 3D feel.

The drones were laid out earlier in the evening in a square grid, with each drone placed 4 feet apart. Peter Smiatek, pilot and designer of the drone show, worked with a crew of about six people, including volunteers. Saturday evening at Greenmount Cemetery where the drones launched and landed, Peter Smiatek, pilot and designer with Verge Aero, and his crew of about six people, including volunteers, had laid all the drones out on the grass in a square grid. Each drone was placed four feet apart. Smiatek synced the drones to a GPS and radio tower in preparation for the evening’s show. Six minutes before takeoff, a deer wandered straight past the drone grid, narrowly avoiding stepping on them.“That could have been a disaster,” Smiatek said as his crew scanned the nearby area with flashlights. No other deer were visible.Two minutes before takeoff, the crew’s portable generator shut off – out of gas.

“We have double secure power,” he said. “The generator fell off two minutes before the show started. It’s like Murphy’s law, anything that could happen will happen. So it’s best to be prepared.”During prep, the crew ran several tests with the drones. The drones shot up 3 to 4 meters, hovered for about one second and then dropped back to their designated grid space on the grass.

Smiatek worked from a makeshift command station where his laptop and transmission tower were perched.“The base station is the heart of the show,” he said. “It’s a computer and it’s a distribution system connected to radios and an antenna. And that’s it, basically. Very flexible and a good system.”Chris Lutts, vice president of sales at Verge Aero, said he thinks Durangoans enjoyed the performance. From Greenmount Cemetery, he could hear the cheers and whistles of the audience at the Durango Transit Center.“The people we’ve been working with have been great,” he said. “Clearly, the city enjoyed it, so that’s awesome. That’s why we do this. It’s no different than any other entertainment, man. You love that feedback. It’s validation that what you’re doing is something that people really like.”cburney@durangoherald.com