The Cortez Journal encourages people to submit announcements about upcoming events for the Community Calendar. Send announcements to news@cortezjournal.com. Items submitted at least two weeks in advance will have a better chance of getting published; items submitted several days before the event might not get published. For more information, call the Journal at 565-8527.
Class features coupon shopping help
The Montezuma County Public Health Department will hold a Shopping Smart class on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Health Departments office at 106 W. North St., Cortez.
Learning how to shop with coupons and getting the most for our money may not seem like a health department subject, but were all looking for ways to save money, and saving money reduces stress, and reducing stress makes us healthier, right? The class will teach how to shop with coupons, how to get the most savings when using coupons, where to find the best coupons, and will also include a coupon package for each participant. The class is free of charge and open to anyone.
For more information, contact Delilah at 565-3056, ext. 228.
School will lead walk to honor life of Martin Luther King
The Childrens Kiva Montessori School invites you to join us for a peaceful walk to honor the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. We hope that you will join us on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. under the pavilion at Parque de Vida.
We will walk around the park one time, and then gather in the front yard of The Childrens Kiva for a moment of silence to honor King. Involving our children in a peaceful walk and gathering creates dialogue and raises awareness for the children and our community. The power of a large group of people gathering demonstrates to the children that people care about peace, about human rights and about each other.
For more information, call 565-8586.
Resolve is theme of Cortez Chambers Business After Hours
Cortez Chamber of Commerce invites you to Business After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12 at First Southwest Bank, 1510 E. Main St., in Cortez.
The theme this month is Resolve to build your business relationships in 2012. Enjoy free food, fun and friends. If you havent been for a while, come and see what youve been missing. Unwind after a days work the 2nd Thursday of every month at various, exciting locations.
For more information, contact Dena Guttridge at 565-3414.
Pick-up, drop-off locations set for Christmas trees in Cortez
Through Friday, Jan. 13, the city of Cortez will have two areas set up for residents to dispose of their Christmas trees for recycling: the parking lot at the southeast corner of Elm and First Streets; and the BMX parking lot on the south side of Empire Street. The trees will be chipped and taken to the south ball fields to be used as mulch. The Public Works Crews have already picked up Christmas trees at residences.
For questions or additional information, please contact the Public Works Department at the City Service Center, or call 565-7320.
January Storytime is announced for Cortez Library
Winter activities is the January theme of Storytime at the Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St. Storytime is held every Friday at 10:30 a.m. for preschool-aged children. Older children are welcome to join in for the craft at 11:15 a.m.
Crayons Revisited will be discussed on Friday, Jan. 13, and Lets Visit the Library! will be the focal point on Friday, Jan. 20. Storytime will wrap up the month with Exercise With Me! on Friday, Jan. 27. Storytime offers songs, stories, crafts and silliness and uses the Early Childhood Literacy Initiative program.
For more information, contact the library at 565-8117.
Artist reception for SWOS student exhibit
The Cortez Cultural Centers Art Gallery at 25 N. Market St. will feature art from students of the Southwest Open School starting Monday, Jan. 9. Please join us at a reception with the artists on Friday, Jan. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Call 565-1151 for more information.
Combined CPR and First Aid classes
Southwest Memorial Hospital will offer a CPR class with two date options in January. The first will be on Friday, Jan. 13, from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. and there will also be one on Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. Both will take place in the Kiva Room at the hospital, 1311 N. Mildred Road. This class includes infant, child, and adult CPR, as well as AED training. A First Aid class will be offered on Thursday, Jan. 26 from 6 to 10 p.m. in the same location.
The cost is $25 for each class, or $45 for both a CPR and First Aid class. Registration is required.
Call Ronda at 564-2160 for information and to reserve your space in the class or classes.
Three bands perform in Dolores
Three live bands will play at Cheek by Jowl a Sideshow Social beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Sideshow, 411 Central in Dolores.
All ages are welcome. The Holy Smokers play western gothic instrumentals (instrumental lap steel and bass), Mike & Moriah bring their original folk (Martian/Venusian acoustic), and Moe Trio rocks and rolls.
For more information, call Heather at 739-4646.
Presentation on weatherization project for school
The Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency (4CORE) will be conducting an energy audit and weatherization of the Por Dia Preschool, 1515 South Oak St. in Cortez. The public is invited to a presentation on the project that will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16 at the school.
Durango-based nonprofit 4CORE offers training opportunities, provides weatherization services, and shares energy saving information throughout Southwest Colorado because resource conservation saves energy and money by helping individuals, families and businesses.
For more information, contact Sandhya Tillotson at 259-1916 ext. 115.
Fly-tying class offered
A five-week fly-tying class will be offered starting Monday, Jan. 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market St.
Participants aged 11 and up are welcome; this class is taught courtesy of Dolores River Anglers and Trout Unlimited. $5 per student covers the cost of materials. Preregistration is required.
To preregister or for more information, call 565-1151.
Workforce to offer Job Corp program information session
There will be a Job Corps information session open to all interested parties at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 in the conference room at the Workforce Center, 2208 E. Main St., Cortez.
Job Corps is an all expenses paid two-year residential educational and vocational training program for 16 to 24 year olds who meet the eligibility and income guidelines. A student is expected to earn either a high school diploma or GED while at Job Corps if they dont already have one, in addition to learning a vocational trade. Some of the trade choices offered include the building trades, medical field trades, production and mechanics, business and computer technology, culinary arts and natural resources.
For more information, call Babette Kimble, Job Corps Admissions Counselor, at 565-9523.
Writers Open Mike Night
The Cortez Cultural Center will host a Writers Open Mike Night at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20, in the main gallery, 25 N. Market Street.
Bring your poetry or short story to read, or just stop by to enjoy work by our talented local writers.
Call 565-1151 for information.
Family Farming and Ranching webinar
Register now to attend a workshop via Breeze Technology to continue Colorados legacy of family farming and ranching. This workshop will be held on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Montezuma County Courthouse, Room 102, 109 W. Main St. in Cortez. The workshop fee is $25 per person and includes workshop materials and lunch if registration is received (not postmarked) by Tuesday, Jan. 17. If received after this date, there will be a $5 fee added.
Planning to transfer ownership of a family farm or ranch from one generation to the next can be overwhelming. Many issues confront farm and ranch families planning succession such as: What is the process? Who makes the decisions? Can it be fair to everyone involved? This webinar will outline steps for a successful succession plan that is reasonable and doesnt disturb daily farm operations and well share ideas for working through emotional and stressful issues. Dr. Ronald Hanson, professor of agricultural economics at the University of Nebraska Lincoln will be the presenter. Dr. Hanson brings 30 years of experience to share an entertaining and motivational message with audiences on the importance of family and personal relationships when farming/ranching and working together in a family-owned business operation.
To register, send a check for $25 to Montezuma County Extension, c/o Farm and Ranch Webinar, 109 W. Main, Room 102, Cortez, CO 81321. Or contact the Montezuma County Extension Office at 565-3123 to register and learn more about the workshop.
Four Corners Square Dancers invite all to meet and greet, lessons
Four Corners Square Dancers are starting new square dance lessons with a Meet and Greet session on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Kemper Elementary School, 620 E. Montezuma Ave., Cortez. The mainstream lessons will begin on Monday, Jan. 23, and will continue every Monday night until mid-March.
You dont need a partner or dancing skills to square dance.
For more information call Vonnie Robinson at 749-9682, or Don and Judy Morris at 565-9836.
Pinon Project begins free Eating Smart, Being Active class
The Pinon Project will offer an Eating Smart Being Active class beginning on Monday, Jan. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. The class will continue each Monday evening for eight weeks, and will be held at The Pinon Project, 300 N. Elm, Cortez.
These classes are for anyone who wants to learn about preparing healthier meals and living an active lifestyle. Karen Silliman, MS, will lead the group through eight lessons designed to help you shop, cook and exercise your way to a healthier life for you and your family. You will work as a team to develop healthy and tasty recipes. You will create (and devour) delicious snacks and light meals in the class while developing friendships along with new and useful skills. There is no charge for this program.
Class size is limited, so grab a friend to come with you or just sign up yourself by calling Lara at The Pinon Project at 564-1195.
Celtic guitarist Barlow will perform music of British Isles
Jerry Barlow, Celtic fingerstyle guitarist, returns for a concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St.
His repertoire is the traditional music of the British Isles and his own Celtic-inspired compositions. Dont miss this exquisite musician.
For more information, call the library at 565-8117.
Wine tasting will raise funds for Cultural Center
The Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market Street, will host a series of monthly wine tasting fundraisers starting with Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.
This months educational event features five wines presented by Durango Wine Merchant Eric Allen. Admission is $20 per person. The event is limited to 30 participants; preregistration is recommended.
To preregister, or for more information, call 565-1151.
Land Conservancy will host Wild & Scenic Film Festival
The Montezuma Land Conservancy will host the Wild and Scenic Film Festival On Tour at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 27 at the Dolores Community Center, 400 Riverside.
Featured at the festival will be The Greatest Migration, a 20 minute film that explores the migration of the Snake River salmon. The Snake River salmon swim more than 900 miles inland and climb almost 7,000 feet to reach their spawning grounds. These iconic fish travel farther and higher than any other salmon on Earth, but a gauntlet of dams blocks their great migration and is pushing these high-altitude salmon to extinction. Also to be featured is, Bag It, a fascinating film investigating the world of plastic. In this touching and often flat-out-funny film, we follow everyman Jeb Berrier as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. What starts as a film about plastic bags evolves into a wholesale investigation into plastic and its effect on our waterways, oceans, and even our own bodies. We see how our crazy-for-plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Today. Right now. Join us for these and many more world-class films, including the debut of MLCs very own film showcasing our regions rural and ranching heritage and the importance of conserving open space. Tickets are $12 for non-members, $10 for current MLC members, and $5 for kids, age 12 and under. To join MLC, a new membership plus admission to the event is $40 members receive newletters, will be eligible for benefits at MLC events, and enjoy being a part of making a difference in our community.
For more information, call Amber at 565-1664.
Don Kirk to hold free story time
Family Story Teller Don Kirk will be performing Tales to Warm the Winter Doldrums from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market St.
The show is free and appropriate for all ages.
For more information, call Don at 739-4064.
Chamber requests nominations for community awards evening
The Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce will host the Denim and Diamonds Community Awards Evening at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Main Street Brewery, 21 E. Main St., Cortez.
Tickets are $25, or $30 if purchased after Saturday, Jan. 14. To nominate people, organizations or businesses for awards, email nominations with a brief description of why you believe they deserve recognition to cortezchamber@cityofcortez.com or drop off nominations at Cortez Chamber of Commerce, 928 E. Main St., inside the Colorado Welcome Center. Nomination forms are available at cortezchamber.com.
For more information, call Dena Guttridge at 565-3414.
Annual Sweethearts Ball fundraiser
Enjoy dinner, dancing, live music, and a show at the Cortez Cultural Centers Sweetheart Ball at the Cortez Elks Lodge on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Elks Lodge is at 2100 N. Dolores Rd., Cortez.
Tickets are $40 per person; ticket sales and auction proceeds benefit the Cortez Cultural Center, promoting art, culture, education, and science for our community.
Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner is at 6 p.m., and the silent auction and show begins at 7 p.m.
Call 565-1151 for tickets or for more information.