Express Employment Professionals will participate in Brand It Blue Day through Friday by collecting food donations to be given to the Durango Food Bank.

People can donate nonperishable food items from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday at the Express office, 321 S. Camino del Rio or the Durango Food Bank, 194 Bodo Drive.

For more information, call 403-8780 or visit expresspros.com/branditblueday.

Reading program rewards our youth

The Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave., summer reading programs for children and teens will run through July 28.

The programs will have a hero theme and include prizes and events. Online registration is open at www.durangopubliclibrary.org.

The “Every Hero Has a Story” program is for children 12 and under. Children who sign up and log 10 hours of reading will earn a free book and a chance to win one of two $50 gift cards from Maria’s Bookshop. For every additional 10 hours of reading, kids will earn an additional entry in the grand prize drawing. The program also includes weekly performances throughout June and July.

The “Unmask!” teen reading program is for youth from 12 to 17. Teens who log at least 20 hours of reading will earn a free book and a chance to win one of two $50 Maria’s Bookshop gift cards. Each additional 20 hours of reading earns the reader another chance to win a grand prize. The library also will host special teen events.

Sunnyside and the Fort Lewis Mesa branch libraries also will offer summer reading programs beginning in June.

For more information, visit www.durangopubliclibrary.org or call 375-3380.

County offices close for a few days

The La Plata County Clerk & Recorder’s Office will host the Colorado County Clerk Association’s Summer Conference in Durango Monday through Wednesday.

Representatives from all 64 counties as well as other state agencies will be in attendance. To allow the Clerk and Recorder’s staff to participate in the opening sessions, the following divisions of the Clerk & Recorder’s Office will be closed from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday:

La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 98 Everett St., Suite C.

Durango Auto Registration Office, 98 Everett St., Suite A.

Bayfield Clerk’s Branch, 1199 Bayfield Parkway.

For more information, call 382-6280.

City to upgrade its sidewalk ramps

The city of Durango Street Department, working with All Concrete Solutions, will upgrade sidewalk ramps to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements starting Monday. Some city-owned driveway approaches also will be upgraded to meet current standards.

Minimal impacts to traffic are expected, while some sidewalks will experience short-term closures in the following neighborhoods:

West Park Avenue and West Second Avenue, moving north to West 24th Street.

Arroyo Drive and Pine Ridge, moving west to Hidden Valley Circle and Conejo Place.

East 19th Street and East Third Avenue, moving north to East 20th Street and East Third Avenue.

West Second Avenue and 33rd Street/Earl Street to North Earl Street.

For more information, call Mike Somsen at 375-4839.

City to spray weeds in public spaces

The city of Durango Parks and Recreation Department will commence spraying these areas Monday through June 20:

Sections of the Animas River Trail system.

Santa Rita Park lower parking lot.

Ditch area along Goeglein Gulch Road.

CDOT medians along Camino del Rio (from Farmington Hill to U.S. Highway 160 West intersection).

City trail system at Three Springs.

Three Springs police substation.

Three Springs open space.

Horse Gulch Road from Third Street to Horse Gulch meadow area.

Ninth Street at Roosa Avenue to Greenmount Cemetery.

The city has contracted with Tres Mesa for noxious weed abatement. The herbicides that will be used are called Roundup, Plateau, 2-4-D, Sahara, Perspective and Milestone.

For more information, call 375-7380.

Herald Staff