Local News https://www.the-journal.com/feeds/local-news/ 2026-08-09 05:24:10 -0700 en-us https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-makerspace-opens-5000-maker-challenge-for-creatives-in-four-corners-region/ Makers and creators living within 150 miles of the Four Corners are invited to submit original projects in a competition hosted by Fundamental Needs. The Cortez Makerspace Innovation Challenge will ha... 2026-08-09 12:30:00 -0700 ceff25d5-7828-46c9-9d0a-7142dc167cb9 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/addiction-resources-grow-in-cortez/ Ten years ago, those struggling with substance abuse disorders in Cortez faced limited resources from a much smaller recovery community. Now, as Montezuma County’s first sober living center flourishes... 2026-08-09 05:00:00 -0700 656a15ca-579c-4ff1-89d9-1c9aa3bce7b9 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-public-library-hopes-to-expand-digital-collection-with-hoopla/ The Cortez Public Library is implementing a new platform to house and distribute its digital collection this month, looking toward expanded offerings in its ebook and audiobook department and opening ... 2026-08-08 02:45:00 -0700 727cbcb9-9589-4ba3-b00f-fd3d1f500090 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/july-rain-helps-drought-in-cortez-though-this-years-rainfall-still-below-normal/ July delivered Cortez a break from the drought and spring heat wave, with above-average rainfall spanning the month and arriving, as local weather spotter Jim Andrus described it, precisely on time. ... 2026-08-08 09:00:00 -0700 73c6ad03-bac5-43e3-9248-2069ead2f538 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-cortez-school-district-is-using-biblically-infused-reading-curriculum/ Officials in Montezuma-Cortez School District could have chosen a new elementary reading curriculum from more than 20 state-approved options. Instead, with little public discussion this summer, they p... 2026-08-08 05:00:00 -0700 68eaba81-5ac0-4ae5-b278-74dfcab14830 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cigarette-purchases-decline-in-colorado-so-does-funding-for-southwest-hiv-education-program/ A student at Fort Lewis College once asked Bailey Carlson whether HIV could be contracted from a toilet seat. Carlson, the Colorado HIV programs manager for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, ... 2026-08-07 02:00:00 -0700 561abbab-086c-408f-84ab-190a628b3b84 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/stakeholders-weigh-in-on-upper-dolores-wildfire-ready-plan-that-nears-completion/ A workshop hosted by Dolores Watersheds Collaborative gathered residents and representatives across federal agencies, local government, aquatics research and forest management Wednesday to discuss wil... 2026-08-07 05:00:00 -0700 29d77489-dac2-4fa7-82dd-afd94efab407 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-parks-and-recreation-announces-new-annual-summer-send-off-celebration/ The city of Cortez has announced the inaugural celebration of the first Summer Send-off, which will be held at 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday at the Parque de Vida Amphitheater, 425 Roger Smith Ave. in C... 2026-08-06 03:24:10 -0700 cbe56411-ad51-4f8b-a187-fcaf3bb8166b https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-county-sheriff-will-not-issue-eligibility-cards-under-new-colorado-gun-law/ Coloradans who live in Montezuma County and want to buy certain types of guns will not be able to get a newly required eligibility card from their local sheriff, the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office ... 2026-08-06 11:54:51 -0700 0cb10f41-8838-4fc7-817e-cbd50a0b6e37 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/three-projects-to-mark-montelores-coalitions-first-field-season-in-dolores-montezuma-counties/ After roughly two years building partnerships and gathering local input, Montelores Coalition, a sustainable land and recreation coalition, is preparing to initiate field work. The coalition announced... 2026-08-06 05:00:00 -0700 ff13e572-d90a-49b8-b5ce-163bb463a571 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/update-air-quality-advisory-for-western-central-colorado-extended-into-friday-morning/ An air quality advisory warning for large areas of Western and central Colorado, including La Plata, Dolores and Montezuma counties, was issues by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environm... 2026-08-05 04:00:43 -0700 16a577ed-b553-492b-b72e-cc144eab99c7 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/hospice-of-montezuma-nurse-earns-associate-degree-advances-to-registered-nurse-role/ Hospice of Montezuma recently announced that one of its longtime team members has completed her associate degree in nursing and officially stepped into a registered nurse position at the clinic. Cait ... 2026-08-05 10:53:27 -0700 21eea51f-8ec2-4bf1-bb1a-afa2edf4b92b https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-builds-master-plan-for-aging-water-infrastructure/ Western Slope-based engineering firm SGM presented the preliminary 20-year plan for repairs, replacement and funding for Cortez’s aging water infrastructure, which requires further build out to suppor... 2026-08-05 05:00:00 -0700 a7cb6ceb-a456-440a-bb47-eb416f729521 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/mancos-valley-summer-brewfest-set-for-aug-15-event-to-benefit-local-nonprofits/ The Mancos Valley Summer Brewfest returns from 2 to 8 p.m. Aug. 15 at Mancos Brewing Co., offering its trademark staples that include live music, local craft beverages, food and family activities whil... 2026-08-04 09:57:15 -0700 58da33ef-4f9a-4cb7-80ec-4b56f6be6ada https://www.the-journal.com/articles/rio-blanco-fire-south-of-pagosa-springs-reaches-1246-acres/ The Rio Blanco Fire that began south of Pagosa Springs last week had reached 1,246 acres by Tuesday afternoon as several communities remained on evacuation watch, and firefighting personnel rose to 37... 2026-08-04 03:05:41 -0700 6c1b4e9f-c2d1-4049-89e5-3048f2de6c62 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-moves-to-place-lodgers-tax-on-november-ballot-invites-public-comment/ Following debate over its intended purpose, the Cortez City Council approved, on first reading, the ballot language for a proposed 4% increase of the city’s lodgers tax. After its preliminary approval... 2026-08-04 05:00:00 -0700 074e4ddf-0f87-4981-acd0-6230b9cd378e https://www.the-journal.com/articles/man-receives-maximum-sentence-for-child-sexual-assault-in-cortez/ Utah resident Shayne Rowley was sentenced to 24 years to life in prison on July 28 after being convicted in April by a Montezuma County jury for sexual assault of a child. “This maximum sentence under... 2026-08-03 08:49:41 -0700 ff7ee648-8f18-4496-b917-61b8d0be96b4 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-county-fair-celebrates-tradition-and-future/ CORTEZ – Wandering between the barns at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds in the final week of July is like stepping through a living time capsule. The livestock and handiwork on display tell the tale ... 2026-08-02 06:40:11 -0700 9e3989b7-f945-4989-b578-76093f95459d https://www.the-journal.com/articles/splitting-hares-the-life-of-a-montezuma-county-fair-livestock-judge/ CORTEZ – Nearly a dozen cloven animals circle with their handlers around the main barn at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds. In the center of the ring, Bradie Midcap keeps a watchful eye on each, her e... 2026-08-02 06:29:53 -0700 5cd2f92b-79cd-49e4-9874-73c0879c8144 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-middle-schooler-chooses-her-own-path-in-raising-grand-champion-goat/ CORTEZ – When asked what drew her to raising goats, rising seventh-grader Abrie Spruell smiled and said, “I wanted to do something different from my sister (Kaydence).” The Spruells have lined up for ... 2026-08-02 06:21:46 -0700 81b051fc-276c-41bb-bd8f-f05fcc8ca122 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/phil-weiser-points-to-enterprise-gas-spill-as-example-of-states-culture-problem/ The Colorado governorship is just within Phil Weiser’s grasp. When he gets there, the state should expect a “culture change,” he said. After coming out victorious over his opponent, U.S. Sen. Michael ... 2026-08-02 02:00:00 -0700 85331a5e-37e1-40c3-8ac2-e648f9a8de9a https://www.the-journal.com/articles/autopsy-results-released-for-both-drivers-of-tuesday-crash-near-dolores/ The Montezuma County coroner released the cause of death for both drivers in a Tuesday car crash July 28 on Colorado Highway 184 near Dolores. Social media: A heart attack may have been the cause ... 2026-08-01 11:38:42 -0700 c1159e10-4f07-4ad6-a698-8671950711ee https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-county-sheriffs-office-plans-to-join-regional-southwest-drug-task-force/ The Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office is preparing to shift its narcotics enforcement efforts from the former local partnership between it and the Cortez Police Department to a regional High Intensity... 2026-08-01 05:00:00 -0700 095a7f9b-8d6e-4cb9-bc21-419434671b2e https://www.the-journal.com/articles/crash-involving-two-motorcycles-leaves-one-dead-atop-coal-bank-pass-north-of-durango/ A crash involving two motorcycles left one person dead and another with serious injuries Friday on Coal Bank Pass between Durango and Silverton. The crash was reported just before 2 p.m. Friday near m... 2026-07-31 04:09:45 -0700 8e8b8c83-7ba1-4d78-aa5e-f024954969e7 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/motorcyclist-airlifted-with-serious-injuries-after-alleged-hit-and-run-south-of-durango/ The driver of a flatbed truck is suspected of hitting a motorcyclist and leaving the scene of the crash Friday morning on U.S. Highway 550 south of Durango, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The... 2026-07-31 11:34:19 -0700 c73c9e57-4527-4c40-958f-dc71bf29691f https://www.the-journal.com/articles/what-is-being-done-to-address-food-insecurity-in-southwest-colorado/ Food insecurity remains a deeply felt issue among Southwest Colorado’s residents, which is why emerging initiatives like the Pine River Shares Community Food Farm are so important. Social media: ... 2026-07-31 05:00:00 -0700 f4e4d0ef-15dd-49ba-82a5-516d42d2da47 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/a-century-in-cortez-wwii-veteran-richard-lindsay-celebrates-100th-birthday/ At 17 years old, Richard Lindsay felt an impassioned call to serve the country. It was the early 1940s, he said. The plan to enlist involved him and a group of teens from Cortez, then characterized as... 2026-07-31 05:00:00 -0700 941e606a-4a2b-4edd-8dc8-1b5e78e69616 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-city-council-approves-guidelines-for-proclamations/ On Tuesday July 28, Cortez City Council approved a series of guidelines for its proclamations, which have recognized events like Pride Month and the Montezuma County Fair with ceremonial documents sig... 2026-07-30 05:28:24 -0700 a704446f-14b1-422c-9b60-7e63764fc673 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/u-s-highway-550-between-silverton-and-ouray-closed-for-mudslides/ Intense rain triggered mud and rockslides Wednesday along U.S. Highway 550 between Silverton and Ouray, causing that stretch of road to be closed through at least Friday morning. The highway, which in... 2026-07-30 03:41:26 -0700 88ac6890-0d60-4f08-bd43-4416d81ec1bd https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-city-council-appoints-five-members-to-new-airport-advisory-committee/ Cortez City Council appointed five members to the Airport Advisory Committee on Tuesday night July 28, marking the official formation of the new board meant to provide recommendations to council on th... 2026-07-30 05:00:00 -0700 b6c10e65-52bf-4a8d-b7fb-35d2bef92018