Haynie Site Now Preserved as Conservation Easement

A significant Chacoan archeological site in Montezuma County has been placed in a conservation easement to protect it from future development. You're watching the Local News Round Up, brought to you by the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan and Foley and Keesee Motors. I'm Hannah Robertson. The Haynie site is now under the protection of the La Plata Open Space Conservancy owned by the Archeological Conservancy. The site is a Chacoan outlier that archeologists believe was occupied as early as 500 A.D. through 1200 A.D. Two Chocoan great houses are part of the site, which is part of the larger Lakeview community. A 250 acre area that has the densest concentration of great houses found north of the San Juan river. Great houses are associated with the Chocoan culture headquartered in Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. It flourished from eight 840 to 1140 A.D. and its people migrated throughout the four corners. The Haynie site is the northernmost occupation of Chacoan society. A conservation easement with the La Plata Open Space Conservancy will protect the site from development while allowing research and education projects to continue. To learn more visit lposc.org. The Pinyon Project will offer youth activities from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM on Fridays at Mesa Elementary School through the spring semester. The Montezuma-Cortez School District voted last fall to move to a four day schedule this semester with no Friday classes. Friday Fundays are available for all school children ages five to 17. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided. To pre-register call 970-739-4074. Are you a photographer who likes to shoot the incredible landscapes of Southwest Colorado? The Mancos Conservation District seeks photo entries for a contest that highlights the beauty of the Mancos river and watershed. The contest is open to anyone living within the boundaries of the Mancos Conservation District. The public will vote for the winner who will be announced at the Conservation District's annual meeting in April. To view guidelines and entry procedures, visit montezumacountyconservationdistricts.org/mcd-photo-contest. Montezuma County residents who make the 45-mile trek to Durango to participate in Snowdown every winter should be prepared to show their vaccination or negative COVID status. The Magical Mystical Snowdown will be putting its spell on you in 2022, but some events have already been canceled with the latest Omicron driven surge in COVID cases. Although positive COVID cases in the region are at their highest levels ever during the two year pandemic. The Snowdown Board of Directors has decided to move forward with Snowdown 2022 with some caveats. In a news release issued this week, the Snowdown Board strongly urged all event producers to require proof of full vaccination or a negative test result dated no more than five days before the event date for all participants. However, individual event producers have the option to decide how to operate with several event producers already opting to cancel this year. Events canceled thus far include Fashion Do's And Don'ts, the La Plata Open Space Conservancy's annual Snowdown cocktail party, the balloon rally, human foosball and La Plata Search and Rescue's Pancake Breakfast. The Snowdown Follies will continue as planned, but ticket holders will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test. To assist with vaccination verification, Snowdown will open an office in Downtown Durango where event attendees can show proof of vaccination status or a negative test results and Snowdown will provide attendees with a wristband. Snowdown is an umbrella organization that provides scheduling and publicity for the five-day winter celebration, but events are created and produced independently by individuals and organizations. The 43rd annual winter celebration, a magical mystery Snowdown, we put a spell on you will run from January 26th through the 31st to learn more about cancellations and other Snowdown updates, visit snowtown.org. Thanks for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup brought to you by the law firm of Downs, McDonugh, Cowan and Foley and Keesee Motors. I'm Hannah Robertson.

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