The theater community is celebrating Nicholaus Sandner as Colorado’s top drama teacher. Sandner is a Durango local, a Fort Lewis College graduate and a drama teacher at Montezuma Cortez High School. Sandner was recently in Denver to accept his Colorado Theater Teacher of the Year award from the Colorado Thespians organization. Sandner says his students might be as happy as he is for the recognition. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Big-O Tires and Blondie’s Troph room.

The Cortez Cultural Center’s month-long fundraiser and harvest festival, Everybody Eats, begins on Friday, Oct. 4 with exhibits, expos, and events throughout the month. Dolores Public Library’s Friday Fun Day series is getting started with a new topic: “For the Birds.” The Mancos Public Library is screening the film She Rises Up on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6:30 p.m. This month’s event will take place on Friday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. Author, ABC News commentator, and child safety activist Elizabeth Smart is coming to speak in Pagosa Springs and Durango on Tuesday, Oct. 8 as part of the Community Foundation’s Making a Difference Speaker Series. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Choice Building Supply and Hospice of Montezuma.

The Dolores Harvest Festival and Car Show is happening Sat., September 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Joe Rowell Park. Grand Autumn Eve will be taking place in Mancos on Sat., September 28. The event celebrates local businesses in Mancos with music, food, and extended shopping hours. The Mt. Lookout Grange 8th Annual Pig Roast is back on Sat, September 28 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Two City of Cortez community grants are still open for application. The deadline to apply for the City of Cortez Community Support Grant is October 18, and the Beautification Grant deadline has been extended to December 9. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Hospice of Montezuma and Choice Building Supply.

The second annual Rhythm and Roots Harvest Festival is happening at the Mancos Opera House on Friday, Sept. 20 and Saturday, Sept. 21. Cortez Middle School Garden is hosting an open house on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to share about the Montezuma School to Farm Project. Mancos Public Library is participating in National Library Card Sign-Up Month this September with a raffle for new card holders. A newly-published report from the National Park Service shows that Mesa Verde National Park contributed more than 75 million dollars to the local economy. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Keesee Motor Company and Blondie’s Trophy Room

Pueblo Seed & Food Company has started roasting its 2024 chile crop. Owner Dan Hobbs has found an excited chile clientele since moving his company from Pueblo to Cortez in 2021. He’s also found Pueblo chile varieties thrive in Southwest Colorado. Hobbs will roast fresh bushells for customers on Friday and Saturday afternoons through the end of September. By Connor Shreve. This story is sponsored by Choice Building Supply and Big-o tires.

The Dolores Public Library is conducting a writing workshop on Saturday, September 14th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The League of Women Voters of Montezuma County is holding a panel discussion on health insurance at the County Annex on Saturday, September 14th. The City of Cortez has begun implementing a safety action plan as part of the nationwide Safe Streets for All program. Mesa Verde County’s first annual Fall into Gold Treasure Hunt is taking place on Saturday, October 5th. The hunt is in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Mesa Verde and will culminate in a drawing for a one-ounce double-eagle gold coin. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Choice Building Supply and Keesee Motor Company.

Fort Lewis College has partnered with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to establish a new nursing training facility on its campus. U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper toured the facility on Aug. 29, highlighting the importance of local educational opportunities in retaining healthcare professionals in rural areas. $1.3 million in federal funding will support the CU Nursing Fort Lewis College Collaborative, which aims to train students in community-based, rural, and Indigenous healthcare perspectives. By keeping nursing education local, the program seeks to address the challenges smaller communities face in recruiting healthcare workers and enhance the quality of care available in southwest Colorado. By Sadie Smith. This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barrett & Associates and M&R Plumbing.

Colorado State Thespians has named Nicholaus Sander of Montezuma-Cortez High School as 2024’s Colorado Theater Teacher of the Year. Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance is hosting a night of amateur astronomy at the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum on Friday, September 6th, starting at 7:00 p.m. RISE Southwest is hosting its third annual Memorial Walk for those who have been affected by suicide. The walk will take place at Montezuma Park on Saturday, September 7th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The Dolores Mountain Quilters announced the winners and results of its 2024 quilt show in August. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Hospice of Montezuma and Big O Tires.

Recycling services have resumed at the Montezuma County Landfill after being halted over the summer due to equipment failures. Between out-of-stock parts and technological incompatibility, the process of repairing key parts of the recycling process took longer than planned. The recycling backlog will be addressed, and efforts will be made to ensure smooth operations going forward. The county is also focused on reducing contamination in recyclables, which slows down processing and can lead to delays in the recycling process. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Blondie’s Trophy Room and Hospice of Montezuma.

Play Music on the Porch Day, sponsored by the Cortez Retail Enhancement Association and Zu Gallery, is Saturday, August 31st in Cortez. Montezuma County has replaced the landfill baler and is now accepting recycling again as of August 22nd. The Cortez Police Department’s 2024 Fall Citizens Academy is launching on September 4th and will run on Wednesday nights through October 9th. The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles encourages Colorado residents to participate in the KOSI 101.1 Teddy Bear Patrol by donating a new stuffed animals at participating DMV offices through Wednesday, September 4th. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Choice Building Supply and Keesee Motor Company.