Community photo exhibition announced

The mission of "Sharing the 81328 Perspective" is to display different facets of Mancos Life through a community photography exhibition.

In each of the past 13 years, 20 disposable cameras have been distributed to residents with instructions to shoot their point of view and return the cameras undeveloped. Photos from these cameras will be displayed at the Mancos Visitors Center during Mancos Days and the upcoming year.

This year's theme is "Fifty Shades of Color."

If you would like to participate, please contact Patricia Burk, 533-7841 or Ginny Getts, 533-1861.

Commission plans to stream meetings

The Montezuma County commission will begin live streaming their weekly Monday meetings, including public hearings.

To access the live stream go to http://montezumacounty.org/web/ and click the link below county events. The password is 1234.

"Now people who don't come here for the meeting can watch it on a computer at home or wherever," said IT director Jim McClain. "It gives people access to community news."

The county also plans to post video of public hearings on YouTube as a public archive. Once approved under the minutes, the county website will provide a link to the public hearing.

Mesa Verde to host open house in Cortez

Mesa Verde National Park invites you to its Business Open House. This year the park will partner with the Dolores Public Lands Office. The Open House will be held on Friday, May 8, from 9 to 10 a.m. at the First National Bank, 2258 E. Main St., Cortez. Get information concerning park events, summer schedules, entrance fee information and general information concerning park operations. The Dolores Public Lands Office will also share information about its upcoming programs and services.

Please RSVP to Sue Johnson-Erner at 970-529-4612 or sue_johnson-erner@nps.gov.

Family river trip being offered

Four Corners School of Outdoor Education is offering a family river adventure June 17-20. Families are encouraged to join the Redrock River Run on the San Juan River from Bluff to Mexican Hat a unique learning experience that is fun for children and adults, as they learn from nature, run the river, and share valuable quality time.

The trip begins and ends in Bluff, Utah, at Sand Island Campground. Families will enjoy easy rapids, water play and riverside camping. Children must be at least 6 years old. Dr. Kristin Gunckel and Tish Morris will lead the trip as experts.

Along the 26-mile stretch between Bluff and Mexican Hat, Utah, participants will build a Play-Doh model of the canyon, mark a geologic timeline along the beach, identify fossils, and construct a model of the San Juan River in the sand and fill it with water.

The San Juan River cuts a course through exposed sandstone and limestone layers hundreds of millions of years old. The trip includes hiking to cultural sites, and participants should be able to hike 3 miles over moderate terrain.

Cost of the program is $715 per adult, $690 per child under 12 ($20 off for Museum or FCS Members), which includes all food from dinner on Day 1 through Lunch Day 4, 2 expert staff, river guides, group equipment, transportation from Bluff back to Bluff, and supplies. Tents, sleeping bags and pads are available for rent.

Register at fourcornersschool.org/our-trips.

Mancos library announces programs

Mancos Public Library, 211 West First St., will offer these programs:

"Nepal: Before The Devastation" will be presented at 7 p.m. May 14. This will be a free slideshow presentation of a recent trek to Nepal. Mancos resident Sherry Grazda will be the presenter.

Barbara Grist's slideshow presentation, "Impressions of India," will take place at 7 p.m. May 22. A selection of her photographs of India are on display at the library through May 28.

For more information, visit www.mancoslibrary.org or call 533-7600.

Site-surveying class available at FLC

Assistant State Archaeologist Kevin Black will teach a class on "Basic Site Surveying Techniques" from May 29 to June 1 at the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College.

This 25-hour course is part of the Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification, and it is open to the public. No previous classes are required.

The course will discuss site identification, surveying methods, recording procedures, basic equipment usage, reading topographic maps and field procedures. At least one half-day will be spent in the field putting to use the information discussed in class. This course provides valuable information for any prospective archaeological field worker or a volunteer on a dig.

The cost is $12.

For more information, visit www.historycolorado.org/oahp/basic-site-surveying-techniques. To register, call Tish Varney at 259-4099 or email tishvarney@att.net before May 15.

Free overnight camping available

Sign up for a free overnight trip with other families on May 30 and 31, 2015 at Purgatory Flats. This trip is suitable for kids ages 7 and up with a parent or guardian. Free rental equipment may be available for adults and larger kids.

For more information, contact MK, a certified interpretive with San Juan Mountains Association, at 970-385-1288 or mk@sjma.org.

For more information, visit sjma.org.

Staff