Living – The Durango Herald

Seoul street food: A Cortez journalist provides the scoop

South Korean city is known for its rich, varied cuisine

DATE: Jun 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Living

Cortez library will host Navajo painter-illustrator

The Journal The Cortez Public Library will host Dine artist Benton Yazzie, a self-taught Navajo painter and illustrator, for a workshop from 2-4 p.m. Saturday on “Texture Painting...

DATE: Jan 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: Living

Plants, home work can protect against fire

Editor’s note: This is the final of three columns about fire-wise homes.Wildfires are nature’s way of taking care of itself. It clears out old underbrush, dead trees, overly dry wood and...

DATE: Jul 24, 2018 | CATEGORY: Living

Build three zones to guard your home against fire

Editor’s note: This is the second of three columns about fire-wise homes.During the fires of 2002, I spent a day in Durango, at the site of the Missionary Ridge Fire, and as emotionally ...

DATE: Jul 4, 2018 | CATEGORY: Living

City must pay $700K for lawyer fees in Ten Commandments case

Town my use online fundraising

DATE: Feb 18, 2018 | CATEGORY: Faith

A place of eternal torment? Never

I recently had a conversation with a woman that broke my heart. Let’s call her Ann. Ann is intelligent, inquisitive, and has a syndrome that leaves it difficult to tell by her behavior what ...

DATE: Jan 17, 2018 | CATEGORY: Faith

State wineries, cannabis give Telluride event Colorado focus

Telluride wine fest returns with new, diverse events

DATE: Jun 22, 2017 | CATEGORY: Living

Former Cortez priest, Rev. Larry Gallegos, dies at 78

Priest had served in Durango for nearly 30 years

DATE: Jun 13, 2017 | CATEGORY: Faith

Renew offers aid in domestic violence

Safehouse offers shelter for singles, families

DATE: Nov 4, 2015 | CATEGORY: Living

Muralist to display works at Cultural Center

The Cortez Cultural Center will present Mariah Kaminsky’s work in the Gallery, from Oct. 6 to Nov. 2. Join us from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Cultural Center for the opening rece...

DATE: Oct 3, 2013 | CATEGORY: Living

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

Seoul street food: A Cortez journalist provides the scoop

Cortez library will host Navajo painter-illustrator

Plants, home work can protect against fire

Build three zones to guard your home against fire

City must pay $700K for lawyer fees in Ten Commandments case

A place of eternal torment? Never

State wineries, cannabis give Telluride event Colorado focus

Former Cortez priest, Rev. Larry Gallegos, dies at 78

Renew offers aid in domestic violence

Muralist to display works at Cultural Center

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