Water Quality in the Animas Valley will be the next topic in a free series of talks at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Animas Valley Grange Hall, 7271 County Road 203.

This topic will be presented by Ann Oliver, who is the coordinator of the Animas Watershed Partnership; and Peter Butler, who serves as a co-coordinator of the Animas River Stakeholders Group. Oliver has more than 20 years of experience collaborating on watershed stewardship in western Colorado. Butler has worked for more than 20 years on abandoned mine water-quality issues and spent nine years on the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. They will provide an overview of water quality in the Animas River, summarize recent findings about nutrients and e.coli, and address the mine-related water-quality concerns.

The grange is sponsoring a series of monthly talks by various local experts. Refreshments will be provided.

For more information, call 385-5298.

Author speaks about autism on Sept. 30

Dr. Temple Grandin, an animal scientist who happens to be autistic, will be the guest author of the Fort Lewis College and Community Common Reading Experience.

Her book, Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism, is the chosen book for the 2015 Common Reading Experience. Gradin has designed one-third of all livestock-handling facilities in the U.S. using special insight from her own experience with autism. She will host a free public talk and book signing at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Whalen Gymnasium at FLC.

There will be a panel discussion with people affected by autism titled “A First Hand Look at Autism” at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave.

There will be multiple college and community events before and after Sept. 30. For a calendar of events, visit www.fortlewis.edu/cre.

Local produce sought for needy

The fifth annual Produce Bounty will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the La Plata County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall, 2500 Main Ave.

Participants may donate any amount of produce from their farm or garden. The goal of the event is to increase produce consumption for people needing help with grocery expenses. Colorado State University Extension and Cooking Matters, along with volunteers, will package the produce and distribute it on Sept. 21 to Durango Food Bank’s Commodity foods participants who live in La Plata County. Recipe cards and sampling also will be offered during the produce distribution.

For more information or to volunteer, call 382-6461 or 529-8085.

FLC seeks comments on reaccreditation

Fort Lewis College is up for reaccreditation with the Higher Learning Commission this fall. Members of the public will have the opportunity to send their comments to the Higher Learning Commission to aid the reaccreditation process.

Representatives from the Higher Learning Commission will conduct a visit in October. Before that, the general public can contribute their comments. This input will be used as part of the evaluation of the college.

People wishing to provide comment may do so by visiting www.ncahlc.org/HLC-Institutions/third-party-comment.html anytime between now and Saturday.

Herald Staff