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Articles by Anna Watson
Montezuma County residents asked to report flood damage
Floodwaters overwhelmed Cottonwood Park in Mancos on Nov. 1. (Anna Watson/The Journal) Montezuma County officials are asking residents impacted by recent flooding to submit a full damage assessment through Crisis Track, an online portal. The county’s portal is available online at bit.ly/4AuO9i5. Officials stated in a news release the reporting will help the Emergency Management Office document and organize the extent of damage resulting from late-October persistent rains and Nov.
Court seals record of Cortez resident Rachel Leonard following dismissal of murder charge
Montezuma County Combined Courts, at 865 N. Park St. Cortez resident Rachel Leonard, whose first-degree murder charge involving the death of her 5-year-old child was dismissed in September, had her record sealed by the court last week. Leonard was indicted in August 2025 by a grand jury for first-degree murder over the death of her 5-year-old child, Annika, that occurred in March 2022.
Lavender thrives at family farm north of Cortez
Jeremy Bryant walks through rows of lavender Monday at Los Miramontes Lavender Farm outside Cortez. Since planting over six years ago, Bryant, his mother and wife have expanded the farm, cultivating several types of lavender products to run their small business. (Anna Watson/The Journal) Recent rains have softened the ground at Los Miramontes Lavender Farm, about 5 miles north of Cortez, but any chill of the fall morning gives way to the hot sun as the day progresses.
Investigation into fatal single-vehicle crash in September on Montezuma County Road 21 is ongoing
FILE – Shown is a Philadelphia police car with flashing lights in Philadelphia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022. Police departments reported a year-over-year increase in sworn officers in 2023 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began and since the 2020 police killing of George Floyd spurred nationwide protests and increased scrutiny of police, according to a survey released by the Police Executive Research Forum.
Webinar: From Tired to Inspired — The Art of an Exceptional Student Housing Furnishings Refresh
Architecture and DesignFurniture, Fixtures & EquipmentUncategorizedWebinars by Anna Watson September 28, 2026 September 28, 2026 2 This webinar took place on September 16th, 2026. New development gets a lot of the attention in student housing, but most of the industry’s inventory has to keep competing year after year. Often, the gap between a property that feels tired and one that feels reenergized isn’t a full renovation.
Law enforcement responds to fatal crash southwest of Cortez
One person was killed and three were injured in a single-vehicle crash Monday in the 2000 block of County Road 21, southwest of Cortez, according to law enforcement. The road was closed in both directions as of Monday afternoon. Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin said the crash possibly involved a tree, but he did not have specific details as of 1 p.m. Colorado State Patrol, sheriff deputies, Cortez Fire Department, and Ute and Southwest Memorial Hospital ambulances responded.
State archaeology conference is coming to Cortez
Former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo will deliver the keynote address Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Colorado Archaeological Society’s annual conference in Cortez. The weekend conference is open to the public. (Courtesy photo) Cortez will be the location of the weekend-long Colorado archaeology conference from Oct. 2-5, which welcomes the public to attend dozens of activities and lectures locally for the first time in years.
Grandmother faces charges of child abuse after 1-year-old dies in Montezuma County
Alaina Joy. A Montezuma County woman faces two felony-level charges of child abuse after investigators allege seven children were left home alone the night a 1-year-old baby became unresponsive and died in February. Alaina Joy is charged with child abuse resulting in death, a class-two felony, and a class-three felony of child abuse resulting in death under sections of Colorado Revised Statute 18-6-401.
New leadership takes Galloping Goose society into busy fall
The Galloping Goose No. 5 at the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot on Sept. 3, where board members of the Galloping Goose Historical Society prepared it for a test run. The Goose traveled to the Rockwood Depot on Sept. 3, ensuring it ran properly ahead of fall excursions in Colorado and New Mexico.
More than 400 butterflies set free in symbolic memorial at Boyle Park in Mancos
Sage Trosclair, 8, watches a butterfly take flight Saturday. During PASCO-Southwest Health Care’s memorial butterfly release at Boyle Park in Mancos, some 480 butterflies were released in honor of loved ones who have died. (Aaron Lewis/Special to the Journal) About 150 people gathered in Mancos’s Boyle Park on Saturday where hundreds of butterflies were released, each intended to honor a loved one who has died.
New office building planned for vacant lot in downtown Cortez
The vacant lot at 127 N. Market St., just south of Montezuma Park in downtown Cortez, is proposed as the site of a one-story office building. Cortez City Council unanimously approved the site development plan Tuesday. (Anna Watson/The Journal) Cortez City Council this week unanimously approved the site development plan for a new office building proposed at 127 N.
Valley Range solar project moves forward, prepares for Montezuma County review
The proposed site of Valley Range Energy Park stretches across land east of Cortez, with Mesa Verde National Park about three miles in the distance. The project would include a 125-megawatt solar facility and 62.5-megawatts battery storage system east of Cortez. (Photo Courtesy of Accelergen) A 125-megawatt solar energy project and battery storage facility is proposed east of Cortez along U.S. Highway 160, with the developer preparing to seek Montezuma County government approval this fall.
Montezuma County voters to decide lodging tax, term limits during Nov. 3 election
A voter hands in a ballot June 30 at the Montezuma County Annex in-person polling center. (Anna Watson/The Journal) Montezuma County commissioners this week approved the ballot language for two measures that will be put forth to voters during the Nov. 3 general election. The first asks voters whether to eliminate term limits for four elected positions: the Montezuma County assessor, clerk and recorder, surveyor and treasurer.
Montezuma commissioner candidates Cox, Busic to meet in first forum Sept. 10
The Baymont hotel in Cortez is the location of a public forum Sept. 10 between Montezuma County commissioner candidates Rodney Cox and Rebecca Busic during a Republican Women of Montezuma County regular monthly meeting. (Anna Watson/The Journal) Republican Rodney Cox and Democrat Rebecca Busic will meet for the first forum of the general election race for Montezuma County commissioner during a luncheon Sept. 10 hosted by the Republican Women of Montezuma County.
Southwest Artists League to showcase work in September
News Exhibition to showcase multimedia, collage pieces, and watercolor, oil and acrylic paintings Wednesday, Aug 26, 2026 10:04 PM MT Updated Monday, Aug 31, 2026 2:26 PM MT Frances Wisner poses with her painting “Macaw,” which was inspired by a bird she saw while on vacation. The piece will be featured in the Southwest Artists League’s September exhibition at the Turquoise Raven Art Gallery. The show runs from Sept. 4-29.
Montezuma commissioners forgo rubbish ordinance proposal
In mid-May, officials hosted cleanup days at the Montezuma County landfill where tipping fees were waived to help address debris and rubbish concerns countywide. (Anna Watson/The Journal) The Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners has decided to abandon a proposed rubbish ordinance altogether after about a year of inquiry due to financial constraints and the cost anticipated to enforce it.
Hail storm displaces Southwest Memorial Hospital departments
Rehab services are being provided by a 12-person team of physical therapists, assistants, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists, said Brenton Wright, Southwest Memorial Hospital director of rehab services. “The gym is our primary area where we treat, so we’re very, very exercise-based. I hope you’re always healthy, but if you’re ever going to see us, you should expect to sweat,” Wright said.
Construction at Mildred and Harrison intersections to finalize this week
A bright orange sign indicates this summer drivers can expect slower traffic heading on U.S. Highway 160 toward Mildred Road and Harrison Street intersections. Colorado Department of Transportation’s U.S. Highway 160 Harrison and Mildred Signals project is expected to be completed sometime this week.
Rachel Leonard murder trial postponed until February 2027
Montezuma County Combined Courts at 865 N. Park St. The murder trial of Rachel Leonard, a Cortez mother accused in the 2022 death of her 5-year-old daughter, has been postponed until next year. The attorneys are continuing to litigate pre-trial motions, such as one attempting to suppress a police search warrant for Leonard’s cellphone. In court Friday, the parties agreed those couple of motions and responses to them couldn’t be adequately addressed within the time frame for an October trial.
Oktoberfest returns to Cortez in Parque de Vida on Sept. 26
News Free, family-friendly festival features regional beer, German food, music and traditional competitions Monday, Sep 7, 2026 1:43 AM MT Updated Monday, Sep 7, 2026 1:26 PM MT Parque de Vida in Cortez will host the second annual Cortez Oktoberfest on Sept. 26. (The Journal file) Local breweries from Cortez, Durango and the Southwest are participating this year in Cortez Oktoberfest, an all-day event akin to the annual, popular celebration from Germany and hosted around the world.
Southwest Artists League to showcase work in September
Frances Wisner poses with her painting “Macaw,” which was inspired by a bird she saw while on vacation. The piece will be featured in the Southwest Artists League’s September exhibition at the Turquoise Raven Art Gallery. The show runs from Sept. 4-29. (Anna Watson/The Journal) The story of Frances Wisner’s “Macaw” begins at South Padre Island, where she was vacationing and spotted the brightly colored, king-sized parrot perched on a cedar block.
Prosecutors remain on Cortez murder case despite defense challenge
A daylong motions hearing in the Rachel Leonard murder case was held Thursday at Montezuma County Combined Courts. Judge Todd Plewe denied a defense request to disqualify the case’s prosecutors, while attorneys also argued over law enforcement’s entry into her parents’ home.
Webinar: Compliance At Scale — Stormwater Risk Across a Growing Portfolio
1 Stormwater compliance gets more complex as a portfolio grows — and the risk isn’t just regulatory. In a recent webinar hosted by France Media and sponsored by AQUALIS, “Compliance At Scale: Stormwater Risk Across a Growing Portfolio,” panelists discussed where compliance gaps most often occur, what they cost when caught late, and how proactive inspections protect both budgets and asset life.
Recovery begins: Ferris Fire crews mitigate hazards of burned area northwest of Dolores
The Ferris Fire burned at different intensities across roughly 64,880 acres, with burn scars showing dark and black spaces that burned intensely. As the road cuts across the burn scar, the fire's impact is visible.
Ferris Fire’s current cost estimated to be $13.4 million
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 7:26 PM Updated Thursday, Jul. 9, 2026 7:26 PM Nineteen percent of the Ferris Fire’s roughly 60,105 acres was contained as of Thursday afternoon. Fire activity remained high Wednesday, especially in the western side of the area. On its northwestern side, east of Dolores River Canyon and north of Glade Canyon, topography makes suppression challenging.
Webinar: Meeting the Tech Expectations of the Next Generation of Seniors Housing Residents
7 Matt Catlin, Head of Sales – Indirect, DISH Business (inset image), and Ryan Kane, VP of Sales, NextGenTV, discuss how communities can modernize the resident entertainment and connectivity experience. Today’s seniors are arriving at communities with Netflix accounts, smartphones, and decades of connected habits — and they expect the same seamless technology experience they had at home.
Fourth of July celebrations to fill Four Corners with parades, music and fireworks
Communities to mark America’s 250th with festivals, family activities Fourth of July events are planned this week in communities across the Four Corners. Independence Day returns this week to communities across the Four Corners as the nation prepares to celebrate its momentous 250th anniversary. Towns and cities will host long-standing traditions unique to their areas.
Reports involve bears lingering in towns, parks, other public spaces, CPW says
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials say bear activity has generated 1,192 agency reports across the state as of June 12. Officials want to remind and urge residents to use caution when camping and to secure trash and other attractants as bears linger in towns in search of food. (Courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife) A bear relocated from Mancos on Wednesday; officers remind public to secure attractants Bear sightings are nothing new this time of year in Southwest Colorado.
Taking on the Tin Range
After two nights of questionable camping sites, the dam at McArthurs Creek felt like a palace. We bathed in the creek and had a leisurely dinner in the level clearing. We had achieved our main objective, to tramp the Tin Range, but we knew the next two days could well prove the most challenging. We had found just one account of a route to Doughboy Bay, and it was hardly encouraging, grimly stating ‘good luck’ to those foolhardy enough to attempt to make their way through 15km of dense bush.
Webinar: Preparing for Turn — What Top Student Housing Operators Do Differently
Industry contentOperationsUncategorizedWebinars by Anna Watson June 12, 2026 June 12, 2026 6 July 15 to August 15 is the most compressed operational window in student housing — and utilities are usually where things unravel first. Missed move-ins, billing errors, and vacant-unit cost leakage rarely stay isolated. They compound fast.
Webinar: The Case for Prevention — How Senior Living Operators Are Reducing Falls by 69%
2 Panelists, top row, left to right: Richard Dahm, Gallagher Insurance; Marisa Strain, SRI Management. Bottom row, left to right: Melissa Gassaway, YourLIFE Senior Living; Valerie Whitman, EyeWatch LIVE (moderator). Seniors Housing Business and EyeWatch LIVE held the webinar, “The Case for Prevention — How Senior Living Operators Are Reducing Falls by 69%,” on April 22.
CDOT still plans wildlife crossing for local hot spot along U.S. 160
In 2022, the U.S. 160 wildlife overpass and underpass project between Bayfield and Pagosa Springs was completed on Southern Ute Tribal land. The project involved several safety and mitigation strategies, including wildlife crossings, fencing and escape ramps.
Plans underway to move 33‑ton rail tracks off Dolores streets
Rail loaded onto a trailer sits along Central Avenue in Dolores. The material, donated to the Galloping Goose Historical Society roughly two decades ago, is slated for relocation. (Anna Watson/The Journal) Steel has sat along Central and Sixth streets for about 18 months After more than a year in place, about 33 tons of railroad materials are expected to be moved from two downtown streets in Dolores.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife briefs commission on statewide beaver plan
The 50-pound male beaver “Quincy” swims in a watering hole near Ellensburg, Washington. (Associated Press file photo) Plan details conservation and harvest framework Once regarded as a nuisance, beavers have been recognized by researchers as critical for healthy watersheds, a role especially relevant to lakes, streams and rivers of the San Juan Mountains. Colorado Parks and Wildlife briefed commissioners on the agency’s draft Beaver Conservation and Management Strategy.
Bond lowered for Cortez woman suspected in daughter’s death
Court says genetic testing is compelling, stresses ruling not a finding on guilt Chief Judge Todd J. Plewe on Friday reduced the bond for Rachel Leonard, a Cortez woman charged with first-degree murder in the 2022 death of her 5-year-old daughter, Annika Sandoval. The judge cited newly disclosed genetic tests that he said the grand jury should have known about.
Colorado Parks director talks wolf program in update to wildlife commissioners
Amid petitions, federal pushback and wolf-cattle conflicts, CPW says it is ‘massive workload’ Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis outlined wolf-restoration efforts and spoke of a growing workload for agency staff during Thursday’s CPW commission meeting.
Nov. 4 ballots went out Friday as election season begins
Tuesday, Oct 14, 2025 5:54 PM Updated Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025 5:54 PM Nov. 4 ballots were mailed to Montezuma County voters starting Friday for the upcoming Colorado coordinated election. Mailed ballots must be returned to the county clerk no later than 7 p.m. Election Day on Nov. 4. (Benjamin Rubin/The Journal) Questions for board seats, local funding and statewide propositions await voters Nov. 4 Ballots for Colorado’s coordinated election Nov.
Ex-Ute Mountain Ute leader Lyndreth Wall faces trial this month in sex-abuse case
Wall, former tribal councilman and school board member, faces 20 felony charges Lyndreth Wall, a Towaoc community fixture who is accused of decadeslong sexual abuse of women and a child, is scheduled to stand trial Oct. 27 in U.S. District Court in Durango. Under the Major Crimes Act, Wall faces 20 felony charges, according to an upgraded indictment filed in April with the district court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Player.
Traffic sparse at Mesa Verde National Park after partial closure
Federal shutdown limits access, but scenic drive still wows at Mesa Verde The rush of visitors who lined up at Mesa Verde National Park on Wednesday morning thinned by Thursday, a day after the park’s partial closure and the federal government shutdown. By midmorning Thursday, traffic at the entrance gate trickled in. Fewer vehicles waited in line as a pair of park attendants greeted arriving cars, RVs and motorcycles.
News from the Education Committee
This week’s topics were tracked on twitter and you can find a collection of excellent articles currently being discussed amongst the twitter savvy crowd. As always, social media provides an amazing resource of current materials and access to specialists in various fields. However, there are also a number of risks in gaining all your opinions from these sources, there is no quality control and often the loudest and most controversial blogger gets all the attention.
Defense seeks mental exam for Steven Strumpf, accused in his father's death
Steven Strumpf's defense attorney is asking for a mental examination for the 31-year-old Columbia man accused of killing his father last year and then burning the body in his family's garage. The motion filed in Boone County Court this month claims Strumpf may be suffering from a mental disease or defect that could make him unfit for trial. Additionally, the motion claims Strumpf may not have been mentally responsible for his conduct during his father's homicide.
Defense seeks mental exam for Steven Strumpf, accused in his father's death
By Anna Watson Steven Strumpf's defense attorney is asking for a mental examination for the 31-year-old Columbia man accused of killing his father last year and then burning the body in his family's garage. The motion filed in Boone County Court this month claims Strumpf may be suffering from a mental disease or defect that could make him unfit for trial. Additionally, the motion claims Strumpf may not have been mentally responsible for his conduct during his father's homicide.
Moresource owner pleads guilty to defrauding dozens of Columbia businesses
By Anna Watson,Finnegan Belleau Columbia business owner Kat Cunningham pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to bank, wire and tax fraud, and she could spend up to 25 years in prison for the crimes. Between 2016 and 2020, Cunningham embezzled more than $1.5 million from 24 of her company's clients, according to the original indictment.
Circus Peanuts - The Provincetown Independent
It’s just that I was missing my father. His guilty-yet-triumphant toddler smile when he finished off a brand-new pack of the Circus Peanuts we both loved and were supposed to share. His rueful laugh when we were dissecting the vicissitudes of being human — as a philosophy prof specializing in ethics, he had a lot to say about those. His hugs, comforting me through so many hard times caused by said vicissitudes.
Former state trooper found guilty of sexual assault, kidnapping
Former state trooper Jeffery Durbin was found guilty Friday of sexually assaulting a fellow officer in a hotel room two years ago during a law enforcement conference in Columbia. Durbin was also convicted of kidnapping the woman after she accused him of holding her in the room against her will. Presiding Circuit Judge Joshua Devine read the verdict to a stone-faced Durbin, declaring him guilty of first-degree sexual assault and third-degree kidnapping.
Former state trooper found guilty of sexual assault and kidnapping
Former state trooper Jeffery Durbin was found guilty Friday of sexually assaulting a fellow officer in a hotel room two years ago during a law enforcement conference in Columbia. Durbin was also convicted of kidnapping the woman after she accused him of holding her in the room against her will. Presiding Circuit Judge Joshua Devine read the verdict to a stone-faced Durbin, declaring him guilty of first-degree sexual assault and third-degree kidnapping.
Former state trooper found guilty of sexual assault and kidnapping
Former state trooper Jeffery Durbin was found guilty Friday of sexually assaulting a fellow officer in a hotel room two years ago during a law enforcement conference in Columbia. Durbin was also convicted of kidnapping the woman after she accused him of holding her in the room against her will.
Both sides spar over details of a sexual encounter in the trial of a former state trooper
The woman in a sexual assault case against a former state trooper testified Thursday that their meeting in a Columbia hotel room was friendly until he began to make unwanted passes before pinning her against a wall, groping and kissing her. "He started kissing me again, and everything was happening fast, but it felt like it lasted forever, and I think I froze," she said on the witness stand during her nearly four-hour testimony in a Boone County courtroom.
Both sides spar over details of a sexual encounter in trial of a former state trooper
By Hannah Schuh/Missourian,Anna Watson The woman in a sexual assault case against a former state trooper testified Thursday that their meeting in a Columbia hotel room was friendly until he began to make unwanted passes before pinning her against a wall, groping and kissing her. "He started kissing me again, and everything was happening fast, but it felt like it lasted forever, and I think I froze," she said on the witness stand during her nearly four-hour testimony in a Boone County courtroom.
Former trooper's trial begins over the issue of consent in a sexual encounter
The issue of consent in a sexual assault case involving a former state trooper is at the heart of a trial that began Wednesday in the 13th Circuit Court. The question before the jury is whether a woman agreed to then-trooper Jeffery Durbin’s advances in a Columbia hotel two years ago, or whether he crossed the line after she refused him.
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