Community – The Durango Herald

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Montezuma School District providing free meals for local youths in summer

There is no cost to sign up for the program

DATE: May 29, 2024 | CATEGORY: Education

Animas Museum hosts second part of Home Front series

Animas Museum, 3065 West Second Ave., will hold the second part of the two-part webinar focusing on the Home Front at 1 p.m. June 8. This talk is part of the Second Saturday Seminar Series a...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Library to host bike maintenance class

Pine River Library will host a “Basic Bike Maintenance” class from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 4 as a part of its adventure-themed Summer Reading Program at the library, 395 Bayfield Center Drive in...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Powerhouse hosts weekly concert series

The Powerhouse is holding its summertime Community Concert Series. This weekly music series, presented by Visit Durango, will be held every Wednesday, from early June through mid August. Al...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Scholarship golf outing to be held June 20

The 2024 Rodney Ems Memorial Scholarship golf outing will be held June 20 at Dalton Ranch Golf Club. The event funds scholarships for high school students in the Colorado-Four Corners for wh...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Prostate cancer support group to meet

Man 2 Man Prostate Cancer Support Group of Durango will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. June 4 at Durango Public Library, Room 1, 1900 East Third Ave. This month, the guest speaker will be Dr. C...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Health department announces trial period for proposed lobby hours

The La Plata County Public Health Department will conduct a three-month trial period for proposed lobby hours for in-person service. The trial period will begin Monday and run through Aug. 3...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Durangoan Alivia Lake makes president’s list

Alivia Lake from Durango was named to the Utah Tech University President’s List for the spring 2024 semester. To qualify, students had to attain a semester grade-point average of 3.9 or hig...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Understanding wildfire risk can help us be prepared

Spring is an amazing time in Southwest Colorado. Many of us get excited as the temperatures rise and the snow melts; however, rising temperatures, lower relative humidity and dry fuels can a...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Volunteers needed for gem and mineral show

Volunteers are needed for the 70th annual Gem and Mineral Show. The three-day event will be held July 12-14 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds and Events Center. This event relies on local ...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Grange hosting hamburger fry, garage sale

Mt. Allison Grange is hosting a Hamburger Fry starting at 10:30 a.m. June 8 at the grange hall, 2658 County Road 329. It is also part of the TARA Treasure Trail, so it will have a multifamil...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

June Library Events

Durango Public Library 1900 East Third Ave. Contact: 375-3380. Reoccurring events Wednesdays, 11-11:30 a.m.: Preschool Storytime. Stories, songs, rhymes and other fun activities. Perfect...

DATE: May 24, 2024 | CATEGORY: Community

Photos: ‘Mini Takes the States’ tour stops in DurangoHundreds of Mini Cooper vehicles occupy Fort Lewis College on Sunday; Participants began the journey in Albuquerque and will finish in Seattle

Hundreds of Mini Cooper vehicles occupy Fort Lewis College on Sunday; Participants began the journey in Albuquerque and will finish in Seattle

Photos: Boxing returns to DurangoAnimus on the Animas: 1st Annual Durango Boxing Classic at the Durango Main Mall on Saturday

Animus on the Animas: 1st Annual Durango Boxing Classic at the Durango Main Mall on Saturday

Photos and video: Going for the gold by devouring piesContestants try their best to win the Oscar’s Pie Eating Contest on Friday in Durango

Contestants try their best to win the Oscar’s Pie Eating Contest on Friday in Durango

Photo: Fireworks light the sky in DurangoDurango celebrates Independence Day on Thursday night

Durango celebrates Independence Day on Thursday night

Photos: Working with woodLocal craftsman uses wood joinery, rather than nails or screws to construct homes and other structures

Local craftsman uses wood joinery, rather than nails or screws to construct homes and other structures

2024 Fourth of July Parade draws crowd Thursday in downtown Durango

Photos: Downtown Durango hosts Fourth of July ParadeDowntown sidewalks were full for Thursday’s celebration

Downtown sidewalks were full for Thursday’s celebration

Durango Rotary Club, Parks and Recreation department host Independence Day events

Law enforcement conducts active threat training at Park Elementary SchoolResidents may see and hear police activity Thursday and Friday

Law enforcement agencies across Southwest Colorado sent officers to participate in active threat training this week at Park Elementary School in Durango. Those in the neighborhood can expect police vehicles parked on the premises, officers in tactical gear conducting exercises inside and outside the school, and signs advising that training is in progress. The sounds of shouting, airsoft weapons and the popping of a starter pistol will also be audible near the school, said Karla Sluis, spokeswoman for Durango School District 9-R.Sluis said that members of the school district’s safety department have gone door-to-door with flyers notifying residents around Park Elementary School about the training.

Hosted by the Durango Police Department and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, this week’s voluntary training invited officers from law enforcement agencies across a five-county region of Southwest Colorado encompassing La Plata, Archuleta, San Juan, Montezuma and Dolores counties.

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office deputy Mike Latham, lead instructor for this week's training, said Wednesday and the first half of Thursday were mostly preparatory, teaching officers the school’s layout and devising scenarios, whereas the latter half of Thursday and Friday residents should anticipate some noise as active threat scenarios play out.

Latham said active threat training teaches officers proper protocol during active threat scenarios, especially in densely populated areas where they have become increasingly common.Park Elementary School is not the only Durango School District facility law enforcement has conducted active threat training. Latham said schools lend themselves well to this sort of training because, “It gives us all kinds of doors to work on, different rooms, different scenarios we can run. We can pretend it’s a mall with nice big corridors, we can even pretend it’s an outdoor area in the gymnasium.”Latham has participated in active threat training multiple times in the past and described the drills as exhilarating and nerve-wracking. He said one of the training’s main goals is teaching officers how to manage stress and remain calm with lives on the line.

“I take a pulse oximeter in the morning and get a baseline on their heart rates,” Latham said. “And sometimes, just before they’re about to engage a threat, I say ‘Timeout.’ Put it (the oximeter) on there, and their heart rate’s skyrocketed to 140, 150, 160 just in training.”

Latham said throughout his career active threat training has evolved to become safer for officers and fall in line with increasingly professional police standards.“When I first started we were just running into halls and rooms hoping for the best,” Latham said. “Now the tactic is still to get there, still stop the taking of lives, but tactics are much better than they were 20 years ago.”

Residents may see and hear police activity Thursday and Friday

Photos: Flower powerDurango Botanic Gardens holds 11th annual ‘Gardens on Tour’ on Saturday

Durango Botanic Gardens holds 11th annual ‘Gardens on Tour’ on Saturday

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