Chris Clements

Since 2017, a Mancos resident named Rosa Sabido has been facing the threat of deportation by Immigration Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Sabido – who is originally from Mexico – says she’s lived in the United States since she was 23 years old, but has had to seek sanctuary at a local church while she works to remain in her community. And a bipartisan bill to expand Coloradans’ access to prosthetic devices moved forward at the State Capitol Tuesday.

This summer, Mesa Verde National Park will embark on a mission to bolster the health and resilience of the Mancos River. The park will start implementing restoration efforts in the stretch of the river south of the Mancos Valley. And a bill that would expand child labor protections cleared its vote in the state House of Representatives Friday.

On Thursday morning, a sinkhole opened up on County Road P north of Cortez. Rob Englehart, superintendent of the county’s road and bridge department, says that the sinkhole was created from days of rain and the melting of snowmelt. And a bill to help farmers and ranchers repair their own equipment got final approval by the state Senate Thursday. The bill would require agriculture equipment manufacturers hand over parts, software, instructions, and other tools necessary for owners to make repairs.

The Cortez City Council has unanimously approved a plan to rewrite the city’s land use code. In order to improve affordable housing options available for those looking to move or build homes in Cortez, the city applied for a grant from the Colorado State Department of Local Affairs to fund a land use code project. And state lawmakers want oil and gas companies to conserve more water. A new bill would require companies to report their water use for increased transparency.

Democratic United States Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado reintroduced legislation to protect the Dolores River earlier this month. Colorado’s other senator, Michael Bennet, joined Hickenlooper in sponsoring the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act. And Governor Jared Polis signed four bills into law on Friday. That included one that will make it easier for out-of-state teachers to work in Colorado.

The festival visited the high school as part of its 2023 "Othello" tour, and conducted workshops with theater students on improvisation, performing Shakespearean texts and fight choreography.

In Farmington, retired coal miners suffering from the effects of black lung disease will hold an informational meeting on opportunities for compensation and other benefits through the Department of Labor on Friday, April 7. The meetings are hosted by Orphelia Thomas, a member of the Navajo Nation and community liaison for Positive Nature Homecare, LLC.

In Mancos, a new program is giving students the opportunity to explore entrepreneurial endeavors while earning college credit. The Mancos Career Pathways program is led by Todd Cordrey, superintendent of the Mancos School District, and Jason Armstrong, the town’s community and economic development coordinator and local champion for the program. And a bill advancing at the State Capitol to limit the price of Epinephrine auto-injectors, or EpiPens, passed a preliminary vote in the House Tuesday.

A new report by Todd Cordrey, superintendent of the Mancos School District, shows that there are major issues with teacher retention and recruitment in Mancos. And bills dealing with gun waiting periods, controlled substances and school discipline are getting their first hearings Monday.

On Thursday, the Utah Shakespeare Festival visited Montezuma-Cortez High School to perform and lead acting workshops with students. Festival actors led workshops in improvisation, how to perform Shakespearean texts, and fight choreography. And a bill that would make it easier for out-of-state teachers to work in Colorado is one step away from Governor Jared Polis’ desk.