Beyond the Headlines

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 recogniti...

Levi Kurlander is leaving his position as Executive Director of Durango Devo after serving for nearly eight years in the role. Under his leadership, Devo’s enrollment numbers have grown by nearly three times. Still, he considers his ability to back up a bike trailer the most important takeaway from his time at Durango Devo. Despite raising numerous Olympians and Pro Tour racers, Kurlander emphasiz...

Clayton Lytle is the new Head Brewer at Animas Brewing Company. He’s worked at breweries across the country, including Stone. Over the course of his career at places like Spice Trade Brewery in Denver and Stone Brewery in San Diego, Lytle has focused on quality beer-making practices.

Jennaye Derge is the Founder of Bike Durango , a non-profit advocacy group for bike commuters and pedestrians. She’s also a journalist whose work can be found in The Durango Telegraph , Adventure Cycling Magazine and Cycling Weekly . Derge is hosting Bike Prom for a second consecutive year this fall at the Powerhouse Science Center. 

Lisa Dierson is the Founder and Director of the EQUUS Film & Arts Film Festival . She’s preparing to bring the equestrian-themed festival to the Four Corners region for the first time in the event's 12-year existence. The gathering will include a Mustang summit, focused on furthering the conversation on managing the local Jicarilla Mustang herd.   Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and Co...

 Darrin Parmenter is Colorado State University Extension ’s Western Regional Director and Co-Host of The Garden Guys radio show on KSUT. He previously served as the La Plata County Extension horticulturist and county director for nearly two decades. His responsibilities include coordinating the efforts of dozens of Extension experts spanning diverse disciplines and spread across 16 counties.  Spon...

Dustin English is the co-founder of Voormi , an outdoor apparel company based in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Since 2011 the company has evolved into more than just a garment company, featuring locally made textiles, technology and development. English developed the company with the goal of providing more performance in fewer pieces of gear, so outdoor guides like himself could be more intentional wi...

Fort Lewis College Philosophy Professor Justin McBrayer has won a Fulbright Scholarship for the second time in his career. As part of the program, McBrayer will spend a term in Italy both conducting research and teaching at the University of Genoa in Italy. The author of “Beyond Fake News, Finding the Truth in a World of Misinformation," McBrayer said the award will allow him to continue expl...

Mark Daley is a Durango snowboarding legend. Known for his effervescent personality and his work building log rides at Purgatory Mountain Resort , Daley has earned nicknames like “The Dale,” and “The Logfather.” Daley is also a multiple-time USASA National Champion. He served as the Master of Ceremonies during the Natural Selection Tour Duels stop in Durango last winter. Sponsored by Sky Ute Casin...

Fenceline Cider aims to revive the once thriving orchard culture in Montezuma County. Fenceline upcycles apples from local growers, no matter their size, in order to make extraordinary cider rooted in local flavors. Fenceline hosts the Montezuma Rising Music Festival on Saturday, May 26th. By Connor Shreve. Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

If you’ve been to a bike race in America, you’ve likely heard the booming voice of Dave Towle calling the action. Having worked events from the Tour of Georgia to Levi’s GranFondo, Towle has become the voice of American cycling. In this edition of Beyond the Headlines, Towle discusses his career, his love for radio, and the Durango cycling scene.  By Connor Shreve. Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Reso...

Emily Hutto is an author, podcaster and craft beer industry storyteller. Her most recent project, the Radcraft Industry Relief podcast documents the pandemic-era Zoom calls she orchestrated with many beer-industry leaders, including two Southwest Colorado brewing institutions Ska Brewing and Dolores River Brewery. By Connor Shreve. Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango

After years of working as a CPA, Michelle Kooi made a career change with the intention of helping others. Kooi uses her experience to help women business owners prioritize getting more done. She now runs Confluence Consulting & Coaching . By Rick O’Block and Connor Shreve. Sponsored by Sky Ute Casino Resort and FASTSIGNS Durango .

Colorado has a special relationship with historic hotels. From Telluride’s New Sheridan to Durango’s Strater Hotel to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park - among other examples. They can serve as the focal point of a town's business district, peeling back a town's history and allowing guests and residents to transport themselves back in time. An ambitious historic hotel renovation is underwa...

Chef Arnold Safari has brought his blend of African Fusion cuisine to Durango for years. The most recent iteration of his culinary creativity is Chef Safari’s African Fusion Food Truck in Durango. The menu draws from Chef Safari’s Kenyan roots as well as his global culinary experience. On this edition of Beyond The Headlines, Chef Safari talks about his cuisine and his journey to the Four Corners....

Climber Rob Javier is an educator at Escalante Middle School in Durango, Colorado. He’s one of only about 21,000 people who have ever summited Mount Denali. On this episode, Javier reflects on his trip to the top of North America’s highest peak. This story is sponsored by Sky Ute Casino and FASTSIGNS Durango .

Author Mark Stevens is the 2023 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year. A two-time winner of the award, Stevens' most recent release, ‘ The Fireballer ’ was named one of the best baseball books of the year by baseball literary magazine Spitball and named Best Baseball Fiction Book 2023 by The Twin Bill . When he’s not crafting award-winning prose, Stevens plays bass in the band Fla...

The Blue Moon Ramblers Americana band are synonymous with The Strater Hotel . In three decades as the Sunday night house band at The Diamond Belle Saloon , the group has performed 1900 times, with more than 50 musicians. In 2023, the Strater Hotel dedicated one of its rooms to the band. Co-founder George Usinowicz reflects on the band's journey. By Connor Shreve This story is sponsored by Sky...

David Yarrow is a world-renowned fine art photographer who took his first globally recognized photo at the age of 20. It was a photo of soccer star Diego Maradona clutching the World Cup Trophy after winning the tournament in Mexico in 1986. After working the World Cup and the Olympics he left his photography career for one in finance. Now, Yarrow is once again a professional photographer, among t...