The Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering is seeking entries for its motorless parade, which will be held Oct. 4.

Entries will be accepted on the morning of the parade but advanced online registration is encouraged and will continue until Friday.

For more information, visit www.durangocowboygathering.org or call (512) 517-5619.

Forest Service offers fall colors website

The U.S. Forest Service’s Fall Colors 2014 website will feature social media tools to help tourists plan trips.

The website offers a map that shows visitors when trees are peaking in their state. The map is shaded in green (not peaking) to bright red (peaking) to brown (past the peak and ready for winter). Another map helps visitors find the national forest nearest them. The Forest Service is asking visitors to the website to send in their favorite picture of what autumn looks like where they live. The agency will post the best of the best photos.

For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/fallcolors/2014/index.shtml.

Help available to pay utility bill

Atmos Energy urges its customers to prepare for winter.

In order to prepare for winter, Atmos Energy advises customers to review their natural gas accounts. New customers or people whose service is currently inactive, can call (888) 286-6700. For emergencies, call (866) 322-8667. People can learn how to save energy at www.atmosenergy.com/wintertips.

People who are having trouble paying their utility bill, visit www.atmosenergy.com to learn more about energy assistance programs. Low-income customers are eligible for federal energy assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps pay energy bills and weatherize homes. For help finding local energy assistance, call Energy Outreach Colorado HeatHelpat (866) 432-8435.

High Noon Rotary Club to meet

The Durango High Noon Rotary Club will meet from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the DoubleTree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio.

The cost is $15 for lunch. Dr. Patrick McLaughlin will discuss “Your Spine & New Treatment Technologies.”

GMO documentary to be be shown

Good Dirt Radio will present “Genetically Modified Foods: Panacea or Poison?,” a documentary film that examines the contentious issues surrounding genetically modified food, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave.

A question-and-answer session about GMOs with local health, education and agriculture professionals will take place at 7:30 p.m. An overview of Proposition 105, Colorado’s mandatory labeling of GMOs initiative by local Right to Know Colorado, will take place at 8 p.m.

Heritage Days planned in Bayfield

The 15th annual Bayfield Heritage Days and Sheep Trailing will take place today, with a herd of sheep coming through Bayfield at 9 a.m. on county roads 501 and 521.

After the sheep trailing, a parade will take place on Mill Street at 10 a.m., followed by festivities in Joe Stephenson Park. New events this year will include a tractor decorating contest, square dancing demonstration, and the return of sheep dog demonstrations at 1 p.m. There will also be live music, vendors and food in Joe Stephenson Park. A riding lawn mower race will take place at 5 p.m., followed by a miniature caber toss, a firefighter chili cookoff, a cast iron pan toss, and a street dance from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.bayfieldheritagedays.org.

Herald Staff