Parking Fees Now in Place at Cortez Municipal Airport

February 18, 2025

You’ll now have to pay a parking fee at the Cortez Municipal Airport. The Cortez Retail Enhancement Association has partnered with the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center to offer a free digital marketing webinar series. Find out how to register. Applications are now open for Southwest Conservation Corps’ 2025 Summer Youth Crews. Learn more about crew descriptions and program dates. The City of Cortez has money available for local businesses to improve their exteriors or to clean up graffiti through the Cortez Business Beautification Grant and new Graffiti Cleanup Grant. Learn how to apply. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Big O Tires and Hospice of Montezuma.

Learn More...

Cortez Municipal Airport - https://www.cortezco.gov/773/Airport

Cortez Retail Enhancement Association - https://shopcortez.com/

Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.cortezchamber.com/

City of Cortez - https://www.cortezco.gov/

Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center - https://sbdcfortlewis.org/

Southwest Conservation Corps - https://sccorps.org/

Cortez Municipal Airport - https://www.cortezco.gov/airport

‍

Big O Tires - https://www.bigotires.com/location/co-cortez-81321/006168

Hospice of Montezuma - https://hospiceofmontezuma.org/

Read the Full Transcript

The City of Cortez approved a new parking fee program at the Cortez Municipal Airport. A new grant program will help cover graffiti cleanup costs. The Cortez Retail Enhancement Association will offer a free digital marketing webinar series, and the Southwest Conservation Core seeks applicants for its summer youth cruise. You're watching the local news Roundup, brought to you by Big O Tires and Hospice of Montezuma. I'm Sadie Smith. You'll now have to pay for parking at the Cortez Municipal Airport. The new fees will fund operating expenses and future maintenance projects that grants won't cover. Future projects may include a parking lot, expansion, fencing, and gate improvements. You can still park for free in the main parking lot for an hour or less after the first hour. Fees range from $1 per hour to $4 per day. It's still a bargain though. Parking at the Durango La Plata Airport costs up to $9 a day for airport drop off and pick up. Drivers are encouraged to use the curbside turnaround. To learn more, visit the Cortez Municipal Airport website. The Cortez Retail Enhancement Association has partnered with the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center to offer a free digital marketing webinar series. Classes are available virtually and in person for moderated viewing at the Cortez City Hall. Webinars are held biweekly on Mondays and last one hour with breakfast provided. Topics include developing your winning marketing strategy on February 24th, making your website your most valuable team member on March 10th and demystifying SEO on March 24th. Pre-registration is required. You can find the registration links on the Cortez area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. Applications are now open for Southwest Conservation Corps's 2025 Summer Youth Crews work sessions are designed for middle and high school students in Montezuma and La Plata counties to learn environmental stewardship, communication, team building and more. Projects may include invasive species removal, trail maintenance, habitat improvement, and community cleanups. Participating high school students earn $14 per hour for their work. For crew descriptions and program dates, visit the Southwest Conservation Corps website. Cortez encourages businesses to improve exterior appearances with assistance from the Cortez Business Beautification Grant and a new graffiti cleanup Grant. Deadline for the first round of grant applications is March 1st with rounds two and three due in May and June respectively. Businesses may apply for one-to-one matching grants to enhance their existing facade or primary entrance. The City Match grant may also be used for landscaping and other exterior enhancements. Businesses also may apply for a new one-to-one match of up to $500 to defray the cost of graffiti removal. City code requires property owners to remove graffiti within 10 days of the incident. Businesses are allowed to apply for reimbursement after the cleanup is complete. To qualify, businesses must apply for the grant within 30 days of filing a police report through the Cortez Police Department. Visit the City of Cortez website for more information. Learn more about these and other stories online at Montezuma Local News. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Sadie Smith.

Immigration Sweeps Unsettle Indigenous Peoples

A lot to unpack in this edition of the Montezuma Roundup. ICE raids spark anxiety among tribal nations. Watch out Mad Hatter! “Burros in Wonderland” coming to Mancos. And, “What Happened to You” conversations shifted to Feb. 22 in Mancos. By Deborah Uroda. This story is sponsored by Hospice of Montezuma and Choice Building Supplies.

Cortez Seeks Community Feedback on Land Use Code

The public draft of the Cortez Land Use Code is AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT before the Planning and Zoning Commission Hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The opening reception for Leigh Waggoner’s Terra Forma Mosaics is 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb.7, at St. Barnabas of the Valley Episcopal Church. Mancos Friends of the Library’s Annual Valentine’s Day Bake Salewill from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb.14 at the Mancos Public Library. Cortez firefighting officials say the area is in a better position to avoid wildfires than Southern California because of the town’s location and emergency management plans. Nevertheless, learn how you can prevent fires and prepare for emergencies. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Big O Tires and Hospice of Montezuma.

Discount Registration Ends Soon for Onward!’s Putt-Putt Tournament

Discounted registration for Onward! A Legacy Foundation’s 8th Annual Putt-Putt Tournament is available through Thursday, Jan., on the Onward! website. The tournament will be Saturday, Feb. 1. In a unanimous vote, the Mancos Creative District Board of Directors approved a fund-raising project to acquire the Mancos Opera House. The Sunflower Theatre and Four Corners Writers present Live Reading from Four Corners Voices at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. at the Sunflower Theater. Tickets are available on the Sunflower website. Print your own Valentine’s Day Cards during one of two Mancos Common Press workshops in February. Learn more at Mancos Common Press website today. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Choice Building Supply and Hospice of Montezuma.

Release Party: Mixed at Mancos Album Available this Month!

Join the League of Women Voters of Montezuma County and Denis Boon at the Cortez Public Library on Saturday, Jan. 18 for the presentation of their informative travelogue. Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Montezuma Leadership Network is partnering with the Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce to hold a lunch and learn about creating accountability within organizations. The Sunflower Theatre is screening the documentary Every Little Thing on Friday, Jan. 24 at 7:00 p.m. The Mancos Creative District is hosting a release party for the Mixed in Mancos 2024 album party on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Mancos Brewing Company. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Big O Tires and Blondie's Trophy Room.

Free Leadership Course Kicks Off January 15

The Cortez Chamber of Commerce is offering a free, six-week course on the fundamentals of leadership and management to begin Jan. 15. The Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners invites residents to share their thoughts and help build a stronger community at the town hall meeting on Monday, Jan. 13. The Mancos Creative District received a Traditional Arts Project Grant from Colorado Creative Industries and seeks four artists to teach an art or craft class. Montezuma County experienced record-breaking involvement in this year’s Community Connections 5th Annual Festival of Wreaths. By Rachel Hughes. This story is sponsored by Choice Building Supply and Keesee Motors.

Christmas Trees for Conservation

San Juan Mountains Association is holding its Christmas Trees for Conservation fundraiser. Come pick up your Christmas tree and support stewardship and conservation education on Southwest Colorado’s public land. By Sadie Smith. This story is sponsored by FLC Center for Innovation and Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.

Winter Arts and Crafts

Looking for a good cozy winter activity? Get your copy of the Historic Cortez Coloring Book, featuring artwork from over 20 local artists. The book, released earlier this year, has multiple designs inspired by Southwest Colorado and Montezuma County and is perfect for coloring enthusiasts and beginners alike. The Town of Dolores has put out a call to artists of all ages for a new logo design. With three age categories available, there’s a chance for everyone to show off their design skills. Submit your design by the end of December, and the winning logo will be announced Jan. 31, 2025. The Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce invites you to the annual community holiday gathering Thursday, Dec. 12 at Moondog Cafe and Bakery. Celebrate the holidays with the awards ceremony for the Person of the Year, Non-Profit of the Year, Business of the Year, and Cowboy/Cowgirl of the Year. By Hannah Robertson. This story is sponsored by Big O Tires and Hospice of Montezuma.