The Southwest Barrel Racers Association will host the Season Finals Barrel Race on Saturday at Sky Ute Event Center, 200 East Colorado Highway 151 in Ignacio.

The event will include open, youth and senior divisions and a pole bending jackpot. Time- only runs will begin at 10:30 a.m. The race will start at 12:30 p.m.

Quilt, sewing boutique to host event

Stitch, Durango’s newest quilt and sewing boutique, will host its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

The celebration will include batik bundle giveaways every half hour, $50 gift card drawings, gift with purchase and a sewing machine giveaway. Stitch is at 153 E. 15th St.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 247-1085.

FLC to host Sister Helen Prejean

Fort Lewis College will host a talk by Sister Helen Prejean on Tuesday in Whalen Gym.

The doors will open at 6:45 p.m.

Prejean is the author of Dead Man Walking: The Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty that Sparked a National Debate, which is this year’s Common Reading Experience selection at FLC. The book was made famous by the 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking,” in which Susan Sarandon portrayed Prejean. Part of her presentation at FLC will be a question- and-answer session and book signing. The FLC Concert Choir also will perform a special program for Prejean during the evening.

For more information, visit www.fortlewis.edu/common-reading-experience.

CDOT to rehabilitate local culverts

The Colorado Department of Transportation has a project underway to rehabilitate these culverts:

Colorado Highway 145 at Mile Point 5.33, north of Cortez in Montezuma County.

U.S. Highway 160 at Mile Point 147.87, east of Pagosa Springs in Archuleta County.

This project is scheduled for a May 2015 completion, after a winter suspension of work.

The existing culverts will be lined with a new plastic pipe and new head walls at each end. The culvert rehabilitation will maintain the integrity of the roadway, as well as safeguard the roadway and surrounding area from the impacts of flooding. The project work sites will be under construction from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Most work will be completed with only shoulder work with occasional one-lane closures and minor delays.

For more information, call (970) 255-0704.

Public urged to return ballots early

In the coming days, registered voters in Colorado will receive mail-in ballots from local election authorities.

The U.S. Postal Service encourages all ballots be mailed early and with proper postage. According to state law, a postmark doesn’t count. The ballot must be received by the county clerk on or before the election date, which is Nov. 4.

For more information, visit www.usps.com and www.usps.com/postalfacts.

Group offers help to depressed persons

The Blue Persons Group, a free self-help support group for people who are challenged with mild-to-moderate depression, will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. the first and third Thursday of each month in the reception room of Pura Vida, 160 E. 12th St., Suite No. 1 (located between Main and Second avenues).

The group will meet on these dates: today, Nov. 5, Nov. 19, Dec. 2 and Dec. 16.

Drug task force receives award

The Southwest Drug Task Force, consisting of five law-enforcement agencies in La Plata County, recently received the 2014 Regional Vice President’s Award from the Colorado Drug Investigator’s Association.

The association was formed in 2002 with the mission of uniting peace officers and others from local, state and federal entities to reduce the supply and demand of illicit drugs and illegally diverted legal drugs. It consists of five regions in Colorado. The citation recognizes the task force for its work in Operation Cannoli Joe, an investigation spanning southwest Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Florida, Arizona, California and Mexico. The investigation lasted 15 months and resulted in the execution of dozens of search warrants.

Investigators seized 9 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly $20,000 in cash, 35 firearms, vehicles valued at more than $30,000 and made 15 arrests. As a result of the investigation, additional investigations were initiated in other jurisdictions. During the investigation, task force members included Bayfield Marshal’s Office, La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, Durango Police Department and Ignacio Police Department. Within the past few weeks, Southern Ute Police Department joined the task force.

FLC farm stand to be open today

The Old Fort Farm Stand will be on the west side of the Fort Lewis College Student Union Building from 1 to 4 p.m. today and Oct. 23 and then will host monthly farm stands Nov. 13 and Dec. 11.

The stand will offer: garlic, kale, chard, carrots, beets, red, white and yellow onions, zucchini, red, white and specialty potatoes, leeks, tomatillos, poblanos Big Jim (Anaheim), Serrano and jalapeno peppers, pumpkins, delicata squash, butternut squash, banana pepper rings, roasted green chili, roasted poblano peppers, sesame-pickled radishes, garlic pickled radishes, kale chips, garlic scape pesto, arugula pesto, basil pesto, cilantro pesto, pickled garlic scapes, garlic scape powder, grass-fed beef and local pork products.

Herald Staff