After over a decade, hot air balloons returned to the Farmington skies for the first annual Four Corners Balloon Rally, September 23rd - 25th. 18 balloons representing the Four Corners states managed mud and wind to jump-start what looks to be a yearly festival in Farmington. From candlestick balloon glows to actual flights, concerts and chilly mornings, the rally was deemed a success by organizers and participants alike. This story is sponsored by Traegers Bar and The Big Idea Makerspace at San Juan College

The Four Corners Freight Rail Study Team held two public meetings about a new feasibility study for a freight rail project through San Juan County, connecting the county to an interstate rail corridor. Childhaven, Inc. will hold classes for new Court Assigned Special Advocates for children in need this October, and don your kilt and dust off your bagpipes for the Aztec Highland Games and Celtic Festival. This story is sponsored by Three Rivers Brewing and Ute Mountain Casino Hotel

Future chefs sharpened their skills in Farmington Municipal School’s first ever Jr. Chef Competition. Students, mostly mid-schoolers, used their own recipes to create a dish that merged with the competition’s theme: New Mexico Proud. Ten teams created one dish to be judged by four professional chefs. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by Northern Edge Casino and Distill Beer, Wine, Spirits

The Four Corners Professional Women’s Summit returns for its fourth year with a new theme: Reinventing Yourself. The Summit, a conference for and by women in the four corners region, is a unique opportunity for professional networking and relationship-building. The theme for this year is purposefully open - allowing every attendee to choose their own definition of what it means to reinvent themselves. This story is sponsored by Ace Hardware of Farmington and Boon's Family Thai Barbecue

The summer’s monsoon season has helped the San Juan Watershed recover some of the losses over the last few years of drought, but is it enough as the summer comes to an end, or will the same worries over the Colorado River Basin continue to permeate the area? And the One Book, One Community Committee has announced Send a Runner: A Navajo Honors the Long Walk as the book for the 2022-2023 year. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by CMIT Solutions and Pop's Truck & RV Center

Fifteen lucky visitors recently toured what’s mostly unexcavated at Aztec Ruins National Monument. Aztec Ruins East normally is off limits because of its fragile archaeological resources. The great kiva is 16 feet high, and has nearly 300 rooms. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by Service Master Restore and Three Rivers Brewing

The fun has only just begun with the return of hot-air balloons to the Four Corners with the Four Corners Balloon Rally. The Aztec Museum and Pioneer Village is participating in the Smithsonian National Museum Day with food trucks and activities galore. It’s property tax time, so make sure your mailing address is up-to-date with the Office of the Treasurer, and stay healthy this flu season. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by This story is sponsored by Distil Beer Wine Spirits and Ute Mountain Casino Hotel

Organic melons and green chili are just some of the many fresh products grown and sold by Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, better known as NAPI, located six miles south of Farmington on 100,000 irrigated acres. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by SunRay Park & Casino and the Big Idea Makerspace

Modern quilts today are like dazzling textile masterpieces. At the San Juan County Fair, 127 quilts were on display. While the San Juan Quilter Guild babysits the quilts, they sell raffle tickets to support quilt donations to the community. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by Northern Edge Casino and Traegers Bar

Events for the 9/11 Day of Service in Farmington have been announced, and there’s something for everyone. San Juan Regional Medical Center has received accreditation for its chest pain center from the American College of Cardiology. And a 25-year-wait for the extension of Piñon Hills Boulevard is a wait no longer with federal aid covering the additional funding. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Three Rivers Brewery and Service Master Restore

A local group of climate change activists is on a mission to educate Four Corners Area residents about the incentives now available to them to play a significant role as individuals in reducing climate change. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy's Pizza and Wings and The Payroll Department

Many scientific studies show the mental and physical benefits of petting a dog or a cat, and many hospitals have created or joined pet therapy programs to offer that service to their patients. San Juan Regional Medical Center works with Pet Partners to provide trained therapy dog volunteers to patients and caregivers alike. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Big Idea Makerspace and Northern Edge Casino Hotel

Students will be living on campus at San Juan College for the first time this fall. A grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted by the San Juan College Foundation. The community had an opportunity to tour the three-level, state-of the art facility, featuring a Great Hall, fancy elevators, and pergola-covered courtyard with a fireplace and a grill. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by CMIT Solutions and Boons Family Thai Barbecue.

“Chili in October-fest” and “Dining with the Dead” return in early October, and ENDWI is setting up sobriety checkpoints in and around San Juan County through the month of September. And while the monsoons are bringing some relief to the drought-stricken southwest, don’t expect it to last for long. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Pop's Truck & RV Center and Ace Hardware of Farmington

Founded in 1999, the DAISY Award honors nurses for the work and care they provide every day for their patients. San Juan Regional Medical Center offers patients and staff the opportunity to nominate nurses for this special award, and celebrates the individuals who have received the award. DAISY recipients at SJRMC are found across the departments, and have been nominated by both patients and peers. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Service Master Restore and CMIT Solutions

The Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, or WESST, was founded with the goals of helping women, people of color, and low-income New Mexicans learn about best business practices, to support new entrepreneurs with financial and business advice, and provide resources within their communities. Farmington’s WESST center in San Juan College’s Quality Center for Business assists local entrepreneurs at every step of their small-business journey. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Ute Mountain Casino Hotel and Service Master Restore

WESST is hosting its 8th annual Silver Soirée event on August 19th, with a variety of fun, unique prizes you can enter to win through a raffle. As of August 1st, the state-wide burn ban has been lifted, but San Juan County Fire and Rescue urges caution, and the Aztec Museum has received additional funding from the City of Aztec to help address several ongoing maintenance issues. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Traegers Bar and Ute Mountain Casino Hotel

Vegas-based Arrow the Airedale played Sandy the dog in a production of Annie at Farmington Civic Center in Farmington. The canine actor received lots of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the audience. The production of Annie marks Four Corners Theatre Company’s first full summer of three musicals. By Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by Distil Beer, Wine, Spirits and SunRay Park & Casino

Keep calm and hold on! The San Juan County Fair’s first event this year was an open rodeo at McGee Park Memorial Coliseum, an event mostly for beginning competitors to get some “rough-stock” time in like facing down a 2,000-pound bull or a bucking bronc. By Donna K. Hewett. Sponsored by Boons Family Thai Barbecue and Ace Hardware of Farmington

At Farmington Sports/Tennis Complex on the LaPlata Highway, hosts Summer/Fall Tennis Camps, ages 4-18. Tennis boosts personal growth. Kids learn things like hard work, determination and grit, while getting a great workout. Coach McGrath’s lessons are exhilarating. Donna K. Hewett. This story is sponsored by Boons Family Thai Barbeque and Three Rivers Brewing