Program on Trail Canyon
The Montezuma County Historical Society will sponsor a program featuring "Trail Canyon, 6 Miles Long and 10,000 Years Deep," by authors Howard "Bud" Poe and Ann Butler. Within its length, the Canyon has stories to tell of every wave of humanity that passed through Montezuma County.
The presentation will take place on Wednesday, April 17, at 7 p.m., in Hampton Hall of the United Methodist Church, 515 N. Park St., Cortez, and will include a book signing and sale.
For more information about Historical Society and its programs, contact Phil or Vivienne Kenyon, program chairpersons, (970) 565-7714.
'The Island President'
The Mancos Public Library, located at 211 W. First St., will be showing the film "The Island President" on Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. "The Island President" is the story of President Mohamd Nasheed of the Maldives, a man confronting a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced - the literal survival of his country and everyone in it. After bringing democracy to the Maldives following 30 years of despotic rule, Nasheed is now faced with an even greater challenge: For one of the most low-lying countries in the world, a rise of three feet in sea level could submerge the 1,200 islands of the Maldives enough to make them inhabitable. Free! For more information please call the library at 533-7600.
Beekeeping experts to
share expertise in Durango
The Four Corners Beekeepers Assoc, "The Buzz Club" will have their monthly meeting on Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. at the Florida Baptist Church, 30296 Hwy. 160, Durango. Beth Conrey, President of the State Beekeepers Assoc will be our speaker. She always has interesting news about what is going on the wider bee world, and will also talk about how to make money with your bees. We'll learn a lot from her about bees in general since she is a very experienced beekeeper herself. New-comers are welcome. For more info, call Tina at 884-8190.
Support abuse victims and the NEST
The pinwheel is the symbol of child abuse awareness across the nation. The NEST Four Corners Child Advocacy Center will be planting its second annual pinwheel garden to show support to children in the community who have suffered abuse and to demonstrate the agency's commitment to keeping children safe from abuse. The pinwheels are being created by elementary school students in Cortez, Dolores, and Mancos.
The pinwheel garden will be on display at the Cortez Welcome Center on "Go Blue" day, April 19, from noon to 5 p.m.
The NEST invites members of the community to wear blue on April 19 to raise awareness of child abuse, and to send photos of themselves in their blue attire to the NEST to be posted on its "Go Blue" website. For those without blue apparel, the Center is offering its 2013 "Go Blue" shirts for sale.
The NEST served 300 victims in 2012 and early 2013. Although child abuse is still a big problem, it is preventable through education and training. The Child Advocacy Center provides ongoing training to parents and professionals in ways to detect and prevent child abuse. For more information, call (970) 565-8155.
Local opera singer
This area's very own budding opera singer, Curtis Storm, will perform at the Cortez Cultural Center on Friday, April 19, at 7 p.m.
He will perform selections from Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Rachmaninoff and Puccini. Linda Mack, his singing coach, will accompany him.
Joint band concert
On Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20, the Newcomb (N.M.) Middle School and High School bands, along with the jazz ensemble, under the direction of Mark Allen, will be performing in the Four Corners area. The bands will present performances at several schools and nursing homes in Cortez, Dolores and Mancos.
The tour will culminate on Saturday, April 20, with a 3 p.m. concert in the Mancos High School Performance Center. This concert will feature the Mancos High School band, under the direction of Andrew Saletta, and the Four Corners Community Band, under the direction of Dani Long. Admission is free; donations are appreciated.
Free admission at Mesa Verde
Admission to Mesa Verde National Park will be free to the public during National Park week, April 22-26.
The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation join together each year to celebrate National Park Week, and entrance fees are waived to all NPS unites that charge an entrance fee.
Free FireWise presentation
The Four Corners Builders Association invites the public to a free program by Rebecca Samulski of Firewise of Southwest Colorado on Tuesday, April 23, beginning at 7 p.m.. Samulski will provide insight on creating an environment to protect a home from showering embers during wildfires. The program will be an introduction to proper sight design, construction, landscaping and maintenance for homes in wildfire-prone areas.
The event will be held at the First National Bank meeting room, 2258 E. Main, Cortez. For more information, call (970) 565-1771.
Search engine optimization class
Geeks on Grand is offering a new three-session class on search engine optimization (SEO) at the Cortez Chamber of Commerce. The April 25 class will focus on basic SEO for websites; on May 30, a session will focus on content marketing and bloggin, and the June 27 class will be on managing one's online presence and "brand."
Participants can sign up for all three for $115 ($90 for Chamber members), or attend individual classes for $45 each.
To register, call 533-9926.
Affordable Care Act
The League of Women Voters of Montezuma County will host Bob Sermo, policy analyst with the Bell Policy Center in Denver, on Saturday, April 27, at 9 a.m., at the Ponderosa Restaurant, 108 S. Eighth St. in Dolores. Sermo will provide an overview of the Affordable Care Act.
For more information, call Betty Janes at 533-1051 or email ejanes@frontier.net.
Pediatric herbal medicine
The Mancos Public Library, located at 211 W. First Street, will be hosting Dr. Amy Loschert on Saturday, April 27, at 1 p.m. Dr. Loschert will give a talk on pediatric herbal medicine including remedies for ear infections, cuts and scrapes, burns, colic, insomnia, constipation, and eczema. Free! For more information call the library at 533-7600.
Free medication disposal
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration will set up a collection point where consumers can turn in their unused or expired medications will be accepted on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Walgreens parking lot, at the corner of Main and Sligo in Cortez.
Prescription and over-the-counter medications. Some items will not be accepted, including needles and sharps, mercury (thermometers), oxygen containers, chemotherapy drugs and radioactive substances, pressurized canisters, and illicit drugs.
For more information, log on to www.DEA.gov or call (877) 462-2911.
Property taxes due
Montezuma County Treasurer Sherry Dyess reminds property owners that April 30, 2013, is the deadline to pay the 2012 property taxes for those who are paying in full. The new mailing address of the Treasurer's Office is 140 W. Main St., Suite 2, Cortez, CO 81321. Postmarks through April 30 will be accepted.
For more information, call (970) 565-7550.
Changes at Southwest Memorial
The League of Women Voters of Montezuma County will host a program by Kent Helwig, CEO of Southwest Memorial Hospital, on Saturday, May 4, at 9 a.m., at the Ponderosa Restaurant, 108 S. Eighth St. in Dolores. Helwig will discuss the many services offered by the hospital and its clinics, quality improvement initiatives and improvements in access to care as a result of significant efforts to recruit physicians to the community.
For more information, call Betty Janes at 533-1051 or email ejanes@frontier.net.
Babysitting class
Southwest Memorial Hospital will be hosting a certified babysitting class on May 4 at the Hospital Annex community room.
The cost is $25, and successful participants will earn a certificate of completion.
The course is designed for "tweens" and teens who wish to become babysitters, as well as for children who may be left at home without a parent. Topics covered include how to stay safe, feeding and playtime, as well as how to start and safely advertise a babysitting business. Students will learn how to change diapers, what are age-appropriate toys and games, and will receive a basic first aid overview. Choking and what to do in an emergency is also covered.
The class will be a fundraiser for the hospital's relay for life team. To register or for more information, call Robyn Bragg at 564-2243.
Free parent education class
Why does my child do that? Do other children my child's age act like this? Who do I call to ask for help? This and many more questions will be answered on Saturday, May 4, with parent education provided by Lisa Henry, LPC.
The training and support will be held at Beech Street Preschool. Snacks, lunch and childcare will be provided free. Seating is limited, so call Lisa Henry at (970) 529-6326 for reservations and details by April. 30. The event is sponsored by the Montezuma Early Childhood Coalition.
Free programs on estate planning
Erin Johnson will present two free programs on estate planning at the Cortez Welcome Center on Tuesday, May 14.
The first session will cover common errors in estate planning efforts and will be presented at 1:30 p.m. and again at 6 p.m.
The second session will introduce succession planning tools for businesses, farms and ranches. This session will be presented at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
To register online, go to https://www.coloradosbdc.org and click on workshops. For more information, email Asano_L@fortlewis.edu or call (970) 247-7009.
Dairy Goat Information Day
The Four Corners Dairy Goat Breeders will hold a dairy goat information day on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 23161 Rd. G.2 in Cortez.
Ask questions about raising dairy goats. See animals and get advice and demonstrations on care and maintenance. Multiple breeds will be represented. Some will be available for sale. Some equipment may be available for sale.
Movie Mondays
Movie Mondays continue and will begin at 4 p.m. Free! For ages 8 and up. For more information please call MPL at 533-7600.
Kaleidoscope continues activities
Gentle yoga basics with Keneen is at 9 a.m. to 10:15. Yoga all levels with Keneen is at 10:30 a.m. to noon. The first class is free and drop ins are $12 and sign-in is encouraged. Register online at www.YogiKeneenDC.com.
Also, Zumba with "Coco" Chanelle, all levels is $5. The classes are on Wednesdays and Fridays from 5:30 to 6:30 and on Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m.
Indoor flea market ongoing event
The Mancos Flea Market is every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Old Hardware Store, 192 S. Main, across the bridge and just past The Absolute Bakery. Everyone is welcome to come sell, browse and buy. Spaces are available - 12'x12' for $15 for both days. Call 749-9320 for more information. Be sure to leave a message if no answer and your call will be returned.
Teen writing group meets on Wednesdays
Local writer Suzanne Strazza in partnership with the Mancos Public Library, will be leading a writer's group for teens ages 13-19. This group will meet at the Mancos Public Library, located at 211 W. First St., every Wednesday from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. No prior writing experience is needed. There will be no homework or required writing for this class; it is merely to explore ideas and how to get them onto paper. For more information, please call MPL at 533-7600.
Teen Computer Club at Mancos library
The first Wednesday of each month at 5 to 6:30 p.m. teens will meet in the Community Meeting Room at the Mancos Public Library to work on various computer projects. All meetings will have hands-on experience with digital devices, disassemble, build, etc. At times, they will have regional computer geeks visit. They will answer questions on specified topics, such as animation, robotics, game development hacking, etc. Questions? Call for more information at (970) 533-7600.
Mancos Girl Scouts
need yard sale donations
Mancos Girl Scouts are collecting items for a yard sale now through May 17. Yard sale will take place May 18th at 315 S Oak in the parking lot of Valley Repair. If you would like to donate items please drop off at 600 Grand Ave Mancos or call Brandy at 970-759-3105