What's Up Downtown - The Durango Herald

On Halloween, downtown is for kids of all ages

Children’s Halloween is in downtown Durango from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday. I look forward to this event every year, as does my family. A record 96 businesses will be handing out treat...

DATE: Oct 27, 2015 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Everything you want to know about parking

Downtown parking, or the perceived lack thereof, has been discussed in our community for a long time. Recent topics of discussion I have been included in have ranged from a residential parki...

DATE: Sep 15, 2015 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Panhandling? Support our local charities

What should we do about panhandling in downtown Durango? This is a tricky subject to say the least. Like many communities around the country, Durango has experienced a dramatic in...

DATE: Aug 25, 2015 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Here’s a primer on Durango’s business district

Though the Durango Business Improvement District has been serving the community since 1997, I still meet people who look at me quizzically when I mention my job, and ask, “BID, what is that?...

DATE: Jul 28, 2015 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Summer tourism stats shining brightly

Summer is here in downtown Durango with events happening just about every weekend and the tourists filling our shops. As we get into the busy part of the year, the Durango Business Improveme...

DATE: Jun 2, 2015 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Looking beyond Main is goal

Today, the Durango Business Improvement District takes a next step in planning for the future, continuing to help enhance the economic vitality of our district, which includes both Downtown ...

DATE: Mar 17, 2015 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Another reason to take a step into downtown

The Durango Business Improvement District is busy in early 2015. The next promotion for us is Random Acts of Kindness week. BID and Bank of Colorado are teaming up for the second year in a r...

DATE: Jan 13, 2015 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Doesn’t our downtown look spectacular?

There’s something magical about holiday lights, and now that we appear to be getting some snow, the “wondrous winter” in Durango truly has begun. From one end of downtown to the o...

DATE: Dec 15, 2014 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Holidays are when downtown really shines

I’m sensing it’s a commonality among us – where did the year go? Is it really the middle of October? The good news is we’re moving into the time of year when downtown is “The” pla...

DATE: Oct 21, 2014 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

In Durango, it’s never too early for good beer

Dateline: Munich, Germany – 1810. The country is buzzing about the marriage of Crowned Prince Ludwig I to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. In honor, a 16-day celebration that spann...

DATE: Sep 23, 2014 | CATEGORY: Business

July Fourth: City’s freedomfest full-fledged fun

If you’ve lived around here for the last 10 years, the Fourth of July lineup of events and activities in downtown Durango hasn’t changed much – and that’s exactly the way it should be. ...

DATE: Jun 30, 2014 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Hey, folks, city needs your elbow grease

Look high, look low around downtown and you’ll notice its dirty. Winter weather and colder temperatures tend to make civic housekeeping an exercise in futility. The summertime ma...

DATE: May 5, 2014 | CATEGORY: What's Up Downtown

Photos: People’s MarchAbout 300 people take to the street on Saturday in Durango

About 300 people take to the street on Saturday in Durango

Photos: Fort Lewis College basketballWomen’s and men’s basketball teams take on South Dakota Mines

Women’s and men’s basketball teams take on South Dakota Mines

Photos: Wrestling at Durango High SchoolDurango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Durango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Photos: Where there's smoke there's firefightersDurango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Durango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Photos: Durango plays Montezuma-Cortez in boys, girls high school basketballDurango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Durango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Year in photos: A look back at Southwest Colorado in 2024Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is the people, their emotions, different cultures and varied forms of entertainment that make for impactful images. Add to that Southwest Colorado’s gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife and range of weather events, and you have the makings for stunning photos. We hope you enjoy Photo Editor Jerry McBride’s photos from 2024.

Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is...

Montezuma County DA Christian Hatfield charged with DWICharges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New MexicoMontezuma County District Attorney Christian Hatfield was charged Friday with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs 16 weeks after he crashed his SUV on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield.The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office charged Hatfield, 59, with petty misdemeanor charge of DWI and an open container in connection to the Aug. 30 single-car crash.The charges come after results from a blood test by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory showed alcohol and a drug in Hatfield’s body after the crash.

“The results show that at the time of the blood draw, which was approximately eleven hours after the time of the crash due to medical issues, were 0.05 g/100 ml of Ethanol and 0.04 mg/L of Zolpidem (Ambien). Both Ethanol and Ambien are Central Nervous System Depressants,” the law enforcement report states.Two vials of blood were taken from Hatfield at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 30, which was more than 12 hours after the crash occurred about 1 a.m. Those vials were received by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory at 10:26 a.m. Oct. 11, which was six weeks after the crash, according to records from the lab.An investigation into the blood warrant by The Journal newspaper in Cortez, Colorado, showed that the blood sample sat in a refrigerator at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office until Oct. 3, because paperwork to send it to the state laboratory was not processed.“I think it’s a non-prosecutable case because of all the errors made by law enforcement,” said Arlon Stoker, a high-profile defense attorney secured by Hatfield to fight the charges.

The charges made by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office are “based on the observations made by law enforcement officers on scene and the presence of intoxicating drugs and liquors in Christian's blood,” according to the report that was given to The Journal by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.Amanda Lavin, legal director for NMFOG, assisted The Journal in accessing public records from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in Aztec. The records had been redacted, leaving out Hatfield’s name and information about the blood warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.Public records requests by The Journal and the Tri-City Record went unresolved for 14 weeks.The Journal requested body camera footage and lapel camera video on Sept. 3.The Tri-City Record requested any and all warrants, investigative reports and laboratory reports as well as photos, lapel cam videos and dash cam videos on Oct. 23.On Dec. 9, Lavin made the same requests.

The Journal received access to photos and videos in an email on Dec. 19, and Lavin, after making a legal argument for unredacted information, received the full report Dec. 19 and was advised that charges would be forthcoming.The report detailing the crash states that Hatfield was found “unresponsive and barely able to stand” about 1 a.m. Aug. 30 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and County Road 5099.Investigators and medics noted a “pungent” odor of alcohol coming from Hatfield, and investigators found “an open 12-ounce can of Mexican Lager with residual liquid inside,” an “empty wine glass,” and a “bottle of Ambien prescribed to Christian,” according to the report.The affidavit for search warrant for blood submitted by sheriff’s deputy Avery Killifer states he had an “opinion that the defendant was driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance.” The deputy “placed the defendant under arrest” at the time, but Hatfield was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center, because of “extensive injuries.”A summons was issued for Hatfield, and an arraignment is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Charges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New Mexico

Photos: Wreaths Across America honors fallen veteransDurango residents on Saturday honor those who served their country

Durango residents on Saturday honor those who served their country

Photos: Skyhawks men’s and women’s basketball Fort Lewis College men’s and women’s basketball lost to Regis on Saturday

Fort Lewis College men’s and women’s basketball lost to Regis on Saturday

Demons defeat Bobcats 62-47 on Friday at DHS

On Halloween, downtown is for kids of all ages

Everything you want to know about parking

Panhandling? Support our local charities

Here’s a primer on Durango’s business district

Summer tourism stats shining brightly

Looking beyond Main is goal

Another reason to take a step into downtown

Doesn’t our downtown look spectacular?

Holidays are when downtown really shines

In Durango, it’s never too early for good beer

July Fourth: City’s freedomfest full-fledged fun

Hey, folks, city needs your elbow grease

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