Montezuma Local News

Daryl Crites, the Republican incumbent for La Plata County surveyor, is running unopposed this November.  By Rachel Hughes Watch this interview and explore more election content at LNN.news/elections

John Hickenlooper , the Democratic incumbent for U.S. Senate, is running for reelection against Mark Baisley, a Republican. By Rachel Hughes Watch this interview and explore more election content at LNN.news/elections

Mark Baisley , a Republican, is running for U.S. Senate against John Hickenlooper, the Democratic incumbent. By Rachel Hughes Watch this interview and explore more elections content at LNN.news/elections

Phil Weiser , a Democrat, is running for governor against Greg Lopez, an unaffiliated candidate, and Victor Marx, a Republican, who was unavailable to interview.  By Rachel Hughes Watch this interview and explore more election content at LNN.news/elections

Our Shared Currents is a 3-part series exploring human relationships along Southwest Colorado’s waterways. These stories of unexpected commonalities go beyond traditional boundaries and competing demands. In this first episode, we learn how water systems and local wildlife connect the Rio Grande and Colorado River basins. The San Juan-Chama Project, a major transmountain diversion originating in t...

James Wiley , a Republican, is running for secretary of state against Amanda Gonzalez, a Democrat.  By Rachel Hughes Watch this interview and explore more elections content at LNN.news/elections

Kevin Grantham , a Republican, is running for state treasurer against Jeff Bridges, a Democrat.  By Rachel Hughes Watch this interview and explore more elections content at LNN.news/elections

Montezuma County ’s general election is approaching. Here are key dates, drop-off locations and things to know before your ballot arrives. By Sadie Smith Watch this story at LNN.news  This story is sponsored by Keesee Motors and Big O Tires of Cortez .

The fourth annual Rhythm and Roots Harvest Festival runs Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26, at Mancos Brewing Co. On Saturday, Sept. 26, the San Juan Mountains Association will host a La Plata Canyon campsite cleanup from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., open to all ages. To register, visit SJMA's Volunteer Opportunities page . The Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance , the Bureau of Land Management and Ospr...

The Amy Goodman documentary, “ Steal This Story, Please! ,” is Friday, September 11, at 7 p.m. at the Sunflower Theatre . The 5th Annual Memorial Walk hosted by RISE Southwest is Saturday, September 12, at 9 a.m. at Montezuma Park. And Montezuma Land Conservancy hosts its Cycling and Salsa Festival Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Fozzie's Farm in Lewis. By Kia Whiteskunk W...

A former Farmington grocery store has become a hub for local youth sports, thanks to the Pennington family. The Penningtons have owned the building since the 1980s and began converting it into practice space for their children's volleyball and baseball teams before opening it up to the wider community. Today, Empire Athletics offers batting cages, volleyball and pickleball courts, a yoga stud...

The Montezuma Heritage Museum in Cortez is marking America's 250th anniversary and Colorado's 150th with two special exhibits. “Moments That Made Us” explores how local Montezuma County history connects to the themes of the Declaration of Independence and runs through December. “Yesterday's Stories” is a collaboration with KSJD Radio that brings historical archives to life through c...

Colorado's "Negligently Luring Bears" law, House Bill 1342 , cracks down on people who attract wild bears. The law lowers the legal standard from "intentional" to "knowing" behavior, removes the automatic warning first-time offenders used to receive, and raises the fine for repeat violations from $2,000 to $5,000. By Sadie Smith  Watch this story at LNN.news This...

Aztec Riverside BMX aims to break ground this October on a two-acre, city-owned lot for a new BMX track, giving local children a home course instead of long drives to Durango or Albuquerque to race. The nonprofit is working with USA BMX to design the track to national standards. Beyond race day, organizers plan a loaner bike fleet, Strider races for the youngest riders and a school partnership tea...

Table to Farm Compost is a Durango based climate activist business that has been turning food scraps into compost since 2016. Co-owner Monique DiGiorgio was recently named the 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year by Southwest Colorado Rocks for her leadership in growing the company to more than 800 subscribers and achieving the highest level of compost certification in Colorado. The company offers curbsi...

Living in southwest Colorado means the risk of fire and flood is never far from home. First responders and firefighters are currently fighting the Rio Blanco Fire, located 12 miles south of Pagosa Springs. The lightning-caused fire started on Tuesday, July 28, and as of Thursday evening, it has grown to 781 acres with 0% containment.  Nearly a year ago, communities just west of town experienced a...

Analyss Benally grew up in Shiprock on the Navajo Nation and went on to play Division I basketball at San Jose State before launching her professional basketball career in Europe. Today, her nonprofit, AB Five Basketball, brings free camps and clinics to Native youth across the Southwest. This summer, AB Five returned to Shiprock with volunteer coaches, including former Los Angeles Lakers guard An...

Lickety-Split Comedy is a comedy and improv group based in Pagosa Springs, founded by veteran performers Karisa Bruin and Scott Morehead. After years of working as improvisers, actors and writers in Chicago and Los Angeles, the two moved to Pagosa Springs and launched Lickety-Split. The group offers classes and workshops in unscripted theater as well as monthly shows on the third Monday of each mo...

Mancos United started in response to tragedies the Mancos community experienced in 2021. From there, the organization worked to identify gaps in support for families and kids. Their flagship program, Summer Hub, provides full-day summer care for working families on a pay-what-you-can model, funded by community donations and business sponsorships. By Sadie Smith Watch this story at LNN.news This st...

The Mancos BurroFest returned for its seventh year and drew in over 2,500 attendees for a day of art, food, music, and burros. What began in 2019 as a small gathering of local artist-ranchers has grown into the Mancos Creative District 's number one fundraiser and the biggest sales day of the year for many local galleries and restaurants.  This year's theme, the Burro Birthday Bash, cele...

The Ute Mountain Roundup returned to Cortez for its 96th year bringing thousands of visitors and top PRCA cowboys and cowgirls to the Montezuma County Fairgrounds. From the board members who organize the event year round to the stock contractor who drives twelve hours from Wyoming to bring the animals, this is a look at what it takes to put on one of the biggest events in Montezuma County. By Sadi...

Dr. Larry Grogin , 71, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019. Rather than let the diagnosis define him, he set out to run 100 marathons in 100 consecutive days from New Jersey to Los Angeles to raise awareness for the Davis Phinney Foundation and prove that movement is medicine. By Sadie Smith Watch this story at LNN.news This story is sponsored by Serious Texas Bar-B-Q and Happy Pap...

Montezuma County has a packed month ahead with the Ute Mountain Roundup PRCA Rodeo , Monster Truck Militia at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, and the Cortez Celtic Fair at Parque de Vida. By Sadie Smith Watch this story at LNN.news This story is sponsored by Big O Tires  and Blondie's Trophy Room .

Music in the Mountains is celebrating its 40th anniversary season this summer, running July 9th through August 2nd across the Four Corners region. What started in 1987 with just 11 musicians has grown into a world-class orchestra featuring performers from around the globe. This year's festival features free community concerts from Durango to Bayfield, Ignacio, Pagosa, and Mancos, along with f...

Skyring Water is a Cold War thriller bestselling author Louis L'Amour wrote around 1960 but never published. After L'Amour's death in 1988, the manuscript sat unfinished for decades until his son Beau L'Amour completed it, describing the book as a partnership across time. Skyring Water releases June 2, 2026. By Sadie Smith Watch this story at LNN.news . This story is sponsored...