Mesa Verde National Park will offer free admittance Saturday for National Public Lands Day.

National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands. Seven federal agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations and state, regional and local governments, participate in the annual day of improving the health of public lands and encouraging shared stewardship through volunteer service. Other federal agencies waiving fees Saturday include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.

Head Start to host birthday celebration

Head Start, the federal child and family-development program, celebrates its 50th year in 2015. The Southern Ute Montessori Head Start and Early Head Start will host a birthday celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.

Head Start was age 2 when the Southern Ute Montessori Head Start and Early Head Start first opened its doors in Ignacio. Join the Head Start children, parents, teachers and staff in celebrating this occasion. Participants can sign the “Head Start Babies Guest Book” and tell their Head Start story. Southern Ute Montessori Head Start and Early Head Start serves members of all racial and ethnic groups in the Ignacio area, plus part of the Bayfield community south of U.S. Highway 160. It is operated by Southern Ute Community Action Programs, with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe as the federal grantee providing oversight.

The program is accepting applications in some age groups.

For more information, call 563-4566.

Getting messages from angels discussed

Freedom to be the unique you! Getting messages from your angels to enhance daily living will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Windom Room of the Durango Community Recreation Center, 2700 Main Ave.

Participants will come to know true spiritual freedom and joy as they Astro Travel to the source and get messages from their angels; realize there is no death and release the fear of the unknown; and understand and experience the reality of reincarnation and their continual process of soul evolution. The cost is $20.

Presented by Jo C Soignier, Judy Katzin, Debbie Guilbeau and Lisamarie Glass, certified spiritual consultants with the Americana Leadership College.

For more information, call Katzin at (702) 338-0336 or email [email protected]. To preregister, visit www.magnitizejoy.com.

Commissioners to discuss dogs

La Plata County commissioners will hold a work session from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the board room, 1101 East Second Ave., to receive a staff report from the county attorney’s office and to accept public comment with respect to the possible consideration of proposed barking-dog regulations and animal-cruelty regulations within the unincorporated areas of La Plata County.

The board will not be making any decisions at this meeting, but members of the public are welcome to share their views about these issues. Written public comment can be submitted by email to [email protected] or by mail to Board of County Commissioners, 1101 E. Second Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Materials for the work session can be found at www.co.laplata.co.us and then by selecting the “Meetings” tab and then scrolling down to Sept. 29, 2015, or directly at http://laplatacountyco.iqm2.com/Citizens/Calendar.aspx.

For more information, call Joanne Spina at 382-6211.

Heritage Days will take place in Bayfield

The 16th annual Bayfield Heritage Days and Sheep Trailing will take place Friday and Saturday.

The Bar D Wranglers will perform at 7 p.m. Friday at the old middle school gym in downtown Bayfield, with a beef brisket dinner and music provided by the Worleys. Final ticket sales will take place Friday at Southwest Ag, the Pine River Valley Heritage Museum on Mill Street, First National Bank of Durango in Bayfield and Pine River Valley Bank for $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and younger.

A 5K fun run and walk will take place at 8 a.m. Saturday. Race registration will take place at 7:30 a.m. on Mill Street in front of Joe Stephenson Park. The sheep herd, owned by the J. Paul Brown family, will travel down County Road 501 and head south on the Buck Highway (County Road 521) at 8:30 or 9 a.m. Participants are asked to stay to the west side of the Buck Highway and are asked not to bring dogs along the parade route.

“Blue Ewe” tickets are available for sale for $5 each or three for $10. One ewe will be colored blue, and the winner’s ticket will match the number of the ewe for a prize of $500. The parade on Mill Street will follow the sheep trailing.

Activities in the park will include live music by Coyote Circus and Callie Young. Contests and activities will wrap up between 2 and 3 p.m.

Vendor registrations are still available. Spaces are $35 for a single space or $40 for a double. Forms for vendors, the 5K run and parade entries are available at www.bayfieldcoheritagedays.org.

Herald Staff