Competitive video gaming, known as eSports, is now an officially sanctioned varsity sport in Colorado. Durango High School has fielded three teams who are competing against other schools across the state. With a low barrier to entry, the activity is an easy lift from a budgetary standpoint. Proponents point to teamwork, communication and inclusion as benefits the activity can offer students. This story is sponsored by Pops Truck and RV Center and The Payroll Department

The City of Durango and the Hive are hosting family-friendly, safe, Halloween fun this year. A new Transit bus has joined the fleet thanks to a grant from the Federal Transportation Administration and Colorado Department of Transportation, and the Bureau of Land Management has announced a plan for a prescribed burn on Animas City Mountain this week. This story is sponsored by The Man Cave Barber and Kroegers Ace Hardware

Community groups and school organizations shared the spotlight in a Homecoming parade on Main Ave. It was the first Homecoming parade in Durango in more than a decade. Groups like the Demons Marching Band, youth football and the DHS Black Students Alliance took part. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy’s Pizza & Wings and the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowen, and Foley

One of the ballot measures on this year’s November ballot, Proposition FF, seeks to address the issue of student hunger in schools across the state of Colorado by bring farm-fresh, healthy meals to the school table. The initiative, Healthy School Meals for All, intends to make school meals free regardless of economic income level, raise the wages for school cafeteria workers, and support local farmers by buying fresh produce directly from local farms. This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barrett and Associates and Ute Mountain Casino Hotel

Aztec Adventures, a start-up by Neil Hannum and Will Farmer, wants to help fill the gap with tourism cycling in San Juan County. With all the cycling trails in and around Aztec and Farmington, Hannum and Farmer hope to bring attention to some of the great and unique trails in San Juan County while promoting education and cultural awareness of the area. This story is sponsored by SunRay Park and Casino and Service Master Restore

After a two-year hiatus, the Northern Navajo Fair came roaring back to life. Considered one of the nation’s oldest and most traditional fair gatherings, it celebrates 109 years. Most of the events were back, including a carnival, rodeo, Indian Market, and the traditional song and dance “roll call”. This story is sponsored by Distil Beer Wine Spirits and Traegers Bar

With a cooling of the air comes a cooling of the real estate market, but that’s not all bad as we’ll discuss more in depth in this episode. Interest rates reached the highest they’ve been in 20 years and the month’s supply of homes has more than doubled. This story is sponsored by Alpenglow Properties LLC and the Local News Network

Durango’s Housing Innovation Division is leading a pilot program addressing a shortage of affordable housing for local workers. The City Council has allocated $80,000, which will be paid to ten applicants who build or legalize an A.D.U. on their property and agree to rent it to a local worker for at least two years. This story is sponsored by Pop’s Truck and RV and the Norm Phillips Team at Draper and Kramer

September 24th, 2022 marked 10 years since Chimney Rock received National Monument designation. To acknowledge the occasion, Chimney Rock offered free admission to the monument, offered games, activities, and guided hikes, and invited several different groups to dance and perform on Saturday. The monument, located just south of Pagosa Springs, is part of the Chacoan architectural group and is a sacred site today to tribes descended from the Ancestral Puebloans. This story is sponsored by StoneAge and Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado

Paving of two new northbound lanes on US Highway 550 is completed, and from October 7th drivers will be directed onto the new traffic lanes for the rest of the project, slated to be finished in fall 2023. The Durango Community Recreation Center will be closed for its annual maintenance week from October 16-22, the Aquatics Center will be closed from October 9-31 to accommodate the replacement of pool equipment and resurfacing. This story is sponsored by The Payroll Department and Serious Texas BBQ