Leaf Composting Pilot Program

The City of Durango and Table To Farm Compost have partnered to create a program to encourage leaf composting this fall. Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles has announced record sales of the commemorative Colorado 150th anniversary plates, and add extra time to your commute this week if you’re driving past the Highway 160 Animas River Bridge. You’re watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by Serious Texas Bar-B-Q and the payroll department. I’m Connor Shreve. This fall, Table to Farm Compost and the city of Durango have launched a pilot program to incorporate leaf collection and composting. City residents with a city utility bill can pick up free certified and branded compostable leaf bags from the recycling center and the tech center during regular business hours. There’s a 10 bag limit per person and supplies are limited, so residents are asked to take only what they need. The branded bags can be set out as part of the annual fall cleanup during the dedicated weeks, or dropped off at the recycling center between October 31st and November 4th. Only the branded leaf bags will be collected for composting. If other bags are used for leaf collection, they will be picked up as part of regular landfill collections. Residents are also encouraged to consider alternative options for using leaves on their own property as mulch for themselves or neighbors, or leaving leaves to decompose naturally on the ground. The leaf collection pilot program is in addition to the annual pumpkin and leaf cleanup, where the branded bags are not necessary as the post-Halloween event will have staff who can help monitor correct collecting. This spring, the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles opened a license plate design contest for Colorado’s 150th anniversary. The two winning designs would be made into commemorative plates and sales began in August. Since then, over 5,000 plates have been ordered. That surpasses the previous fasted selling design, the Broncos Charities. The two plate designs include the U-13 winning design by Calista Bloschke, which features Pike’s Peak, the state bird, and state tree, and the 13 and over designed by Evan Greisheimer, which was inspired by the colors of the state flag, the Rocky Mountains, and the mining history of Colorado. Plates are still available and can be purchased at local DMV offices. They cost $8.06, plus local fees. Celebrate the history of Colorado with one of these unique plates. The Colorado Department of Transportation began work earlier this week on October 15th to repair the US Highway 160 Animas River Bridge. People planning to use this route, both motorists and pedestrians, should plan for lengthy delays due to lane closures and traffic shifts 24/7 through October 21st. Motorists and pedestrians are asked to seek alternative routes when possible, and be aware of heavy equipment. Pedestrians using the Animas River Trail may be escorted by flaggers during periods of heavy construction. The work is to replace the expansion join on the westbound approach to the bridge with materials made to withstand heavy traffic and extreme temperatures. Additional bridge work is planned for Wednesday, October 25th. Traffic on 160 will be reduced to one lane for much of the morning. Follow updates on the project and possible delays on the CDOT website. You can learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the local News Roundup, I’m Connor Shreve.