Durango Daily: County leadership, winter biking, and storm recovery

County leadership update

La Plata County’s interim manager, Shawna Legarza, has been tapped to fill the county manager role permanently after an eight‑month search. Commissioners say her background in emergency management and recent work as interim manager give the county continuity at a time of tight budgets and recovery needs. Final action on her contract is expected at Tuesday’s board meeting, with a planned start date of February 21.

For Durango residents, the decision means the person overseeing county departments, major projects and long‑term planning will be someone already familiar with local issues, from wildfire risk to housing and transportation.

Winter Bike to Work Day on the horizon

The City of Durango is inviting people to celebrate Winter Bike to Work Day on Friday, February 13, using a Valentine’s theme to highlight a “love your commute” message. Cyclists and other sustainable commuters can earn points in a weeklong challenge running February 6–13 by logging trips they make by bike, on foot, by transit, carpool, or remote work.

Top participants will be recognized with local coffee prizes and a community celebration. City staff say the event is meant to keep people moving through the winter while drawing attention to safer, more climate‑friendly ways of getting around town.

Storm flooding keeps region on alert

Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Priscilla has caused significant flooding across parts of La Plata and Archuleta counties, forcing evacuations near Vallecito Creek and damaging homes. Local emergency crews report levee breaches and record creek flows north of Vallecito Lake, with high‑water rescues and extended road closures in low‑lying areas.

While many of the hardest‑hit neighborhoods lie outside central Durango, the impacts are being felt countywide as emergency managers monitor river levels, assess infrastructure damage and plan for longer‑term recovery needs.

Culture and youth events coming up

Looking ahead, Animas Museum is preparing a new traveling exhibit on the Old Spanish Trail, along with a local history program that will walk through “yesterday and today” along Main Avenue.

Later in the month, students from around the region will gather at Fort Lewis College for the San Juan Resilience Youth Summit, where they will share environmental projects and explore campus programs focused on sustainability.

Sources

• https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/la-plata-countys-interim-manager-appointed-to-permanent-position/
• https://durangoco.gov/news
• https://durangoco.gov/news
• https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/museum-opens-old-spanish-trail-connecting-a-network-of-paths-exhibit/
• https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/animas-museum-presents-part-two-of-yesterday-and-today/
• https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/san-juan-resilience-youth-summit-to-be-held-at-flc/
• https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/tropical-storm-priscilla-floods-homes-forces-evacuations-across-la-plata-and-archuleta-counties