The 2024 Theatre Ensemble Arts season is set to kick off, featuring three plays: "The Murder Room" in February; "Almost, Maine" in April; and "Death of a Salesman" to close the season. Work on the mountain biking park south of San Juan College, including a pump track and restrooms, is expected to start in spring, funded by a bond issue and an Outdoor Recreation Trails+ grant from the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division. Durango's 45th annual Snowdown, themed "Peace, Love, and Snowdown," will take place from January 26th to February 4th, offering various events to shake off the winter blues. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Boons Family Thai BBQ and Ace Hardware of Farmington.

During the holiday season, Northern Edge Casino employees participated in their annual Toys for Tots drive and an Angel Tree initiative, doubling up on donations to support local families in need. The Angel Tree program involved ornaments representing local families with lists of items, ranging from clothes to toys. In addition to these initiatives, Northern Edge Casino, which is celebrating its 12-year anniversary in 2024, also conducts an annual food drop-off in collaboration with its sister, Flowing Water Casino, benefiting affiliated Navajo chapters. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Traeger’s Bar and Ace Hardware of Farmington.

A grant from the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division’s Equity Fund aiming to support the next generation of outdoor leaders was awarded to local nonprofit Farmington Area Single Track (FAST). The grant will enable FAST to purchase bikes and hire more teachers to better support its mission to teach youths outdoor appreciation and mountain biking skills. A grant from the New Mexico Environmental Department will support a new San Juan County initiative to combat illegal dumping and littering in the county, and San Juan Regional Medical Center’s Kevin Rose, DPT, was recognized as the Clinical Instructor of the Year by Rocky Mountain University. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Boons Family Thai BBQ and Northern Edge Casino.

Applications are now open to fill the District 2 City Councilor vacancy. The San Juan County GIS Department will undergo maintenance from January 11th to the 16th, causing an outage affecting various online maps. Business owners are reminded to renew business licenses to avoid $10 late fees starting in March. Additionally, businesses can capitalize on the growing New Mexico film industry by adding products or services to the Product Placement Central Database for free. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Three Rivers Brewery and SunRay Park and Casino.

Every year, 11,000 people suffer injury from snow shoveling alone. With more snow, ice and colder temperatures comes a higher risk for drivers, pedestrians and pets. The Four Corners region has unique conditions that can increase certain risks. The Local News Network with the help of Visit Durango has gathered some tips to keep you safe, from the high desert to the high alpine. By Connor Shreve This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barrett & Associates and Happy Pappy’s Pizza & Wings