Posts by Robert L. Ortiz

The Ignacio Elementary and Middle School choirs sang, “Freedom Song,” as the finale to the “A Salute To Our Veterans” performance. Ms. Holly Begay directed the choir.

Fri Nov 15th, 2019

Ignacio High School: Salute to our Veterans

Skaters, Dewayne Hendren, Nate Hendren and Cyrus Naranjo choose various concept ideas from drafts and mack-ups from existing skateparks.

Fri Nov 8th, 2019

Ideas and concerns addressed as skatepark takes shape

The Durango Demons, fourth-grade, football team won the Youth American Football League (YAFL) Super Bowl in Bloomfield, N.M., Saturday, Nov. 2. The Demons defeated the Aztec Apes, 26-12 at the Bloomfield High School Football Stadium. Led by Demon rusher, Malique Rodriguez, the Demons ended the season with a 9-1 record.

Fri Nov 8th, 2019

Repeat YAFL Champs!

Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy lower elementary students sing, “A Song for Peace” at the American Montessori Society Accreditation Team welcome dinner that was held Sunday, Oct. 27. Students: Malikai Taylor, Aydin Baker-Valdez, Keyon Alston, Meskvlwv Wesley, Aeden Richards and Nevaeh Sandoval

Fri Nov 8th, 2019

SUIMA sings at accreditation

Terrance Whyte puts his talents on the boards as he aims for a strike during the Strike Out Cancer Bowling Extravaganza at the Rolling Thunder Lanes of the Sky Ute Casino Resort, Tuesday, Oct. 15. The event brought bowlers of all levels together on the bowling lanes for fun during their lunch hour.

Fri Oct 25th, 2019

Striking out cancer

Durango Demon fifth grader, Peyton Pierre-Louis gets a rare handoff and rumbles for a touchdown against the Bayfield Wolverines on their way to a 48-0 score, Saturday, Oct. 5 in Bayfield, Colo.

Fri Oct 11th, 2019

Winding down the Season

The Ignacio Creative District Steering Committee and members of the Ignacio community were awarded a certificate from the Colorado Office of Economic Development & Colorado Creative Industries for exceptional community development efforts through completion of Rural Technical Assistance Program – Creative Lab. The award was presented by Margaret Hunt, director of Colorado Creative Industries, and signed by Jared Polis, Governor for the State of Colorado. The presentation took place in Inspiration Square at the ELHI Community Center, Friday, Oct. 4.

Fri Oct 11th, 2019

ELHI celebrates Fall Harvest

The Pena family enjoys the food provided by the Southern Ute Wellness Court – hamburgers and hotdogs, grilled by Southern Ute Tribal Judge, Scott Moore and Southern Ute Resource officer, Don Folsom, complete with all the fixins’.

Fri Oct 11th, 2019

Celebrating Recovery

Best Native Regalia – Girls
Crawlers (7 mo.-1 year)
2nd – De'Vra Amaru Richards

Fri Oct 4th, 2019

Southern Ute Tribal Fair: Baby Contest

Metal band, EYE of Albuquerque, N.M. rocked the youth at the Native REZ-olution XI Youth Concert, held in Inspiration Square at the ELHI Community Center, Saturday, Sept. 14.

Fri Sep 27th, 2019

Native REZ-olution XI Youth Concert Rocks ELHI

40 Years Ago: Dallas Brown, Rusty Box, Tim Jefferson and Russel Box Sr. setting up a Tee Pee at the La Plata County Fairgrounds during the La Plata County Fair held in Durango. Sunshine Cloud’s grandchildren, Russell Box Sr. family and Jim Jefferson family participated in the fair by Indian dancing in from of the Tee Pee.
This photo first appeared in the Aug. 31, 1979, edition of The Southern Ute Drum.

Fri Aug 30th, 2019

Many Moons Ago

Keenan Rand (30) a fifth grader for the Durango Demons gets some yardage before a Cortez Panther brings him down short of the end zone at Miller Middle School Saturday, Aug. 24 in Durango, Colo.

Fri Aug 30th, 2019

Set, Hut! Football season begins!

Color Guard are led by Terry Knight, carrying the Eagle Staff, on Saturday evening Grand Entry of the 2019 Ute Mountain Casino Hotel Powwow, Aug. 24 in Towaoc, Colo.

Fri Aug 30th, 2019

Utes host Ute Mountain Casino Powwow

An enormous crowd filled Buckley Park in Durango during the KSUT Party in the Park, an estimated 1000-plus attendees made for a record setting crowd for the annual KSUT event.

Fri Aug 30th, 2019

KSUT Party in the Park draws largest crowd

Ready to rock! Lucky winners of the guitar raffles, Kenneth Richards (center) and Adi Rae Rock proudly hold their new guitars, provided by Main Street Music of Aztec, N.M. Ernestine Maez, Ula Gregory and Kasey Correia, sponsored the Rez Rocks Guitar Jam, calling themselves the “Tres Amiga's.”

Wed Jun 19th, 2019

Rez Rocks Guitar Jam rocks Ute Park