January's Localist Insider Newsletter

Your insider scoop into local happenings, events, news, & more!

Greetings Localist,

We hope 2024 is off to an excellent start! Local First is excited to share some wonderful community events and educational opportunities with you all. Stay tuned to learn more!

First Friday Listening Sessions will be on January 23rd and 24th next week! All are welcome and we encourage you to come share your ideas, meet community members, and help us prepare for First Fridays in 2024!

Grab your Be Local Books!

The 16th Annual Be Local Coupon Book is now available to purchase at your local favorites! With more than 270 La Plata businesses featured, this year’s book reflects our community's vision of what "the future is now" means to all of us.

SHOP, EXPLORE, and LOVE LOCAL with $4000 dollars worth of savings and lots of extra fun along the way! A list of participating Be Local Coupon Book Retailers can be found below!

Affordable Framing
Backcountry Experience
Crows Closet
Durango Natural Foods
Habitat for Humanity
Maria's Bookshop

Pet Haus
Pine Needle Dry Goods
Pine Needle Mountaineering
Rivergate Pharmacy
Sunnyside Market
Wagon Wheel Liquor

Corporate Transparency Act Q&A
February 7th | 12-1PM

Join us for a Q&A with SCAPE Co-Founder and Business Mentor, Gary Masner, to review the new reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act.

Effective January 1, 2024, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) mandates that millions of both newly established and existing businesses (if they are corporations, limited liability companies, or certain other entities) must submit beneficial ownership information (BOI) to the U.S. Department of Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

Let us help breakdown the complexities of the new requirements so you can start off 2024 on the right foot! Register below and we will send you Zoom information and overview white paper.

Bilingual Tax Education Workshop

January 24th | 12-1PM

Are you a new small business owner? Confused about your business taxes? Get free group help with a bilingual local expert. Join this virtual event by registering below and prepare for tax season.

Good Business Colorado Passport Program

Sign up for GBC's exciting new Policy Passport program to help business owners and employers to make the most of their voices in policy, have fun, and win prizes!

Get your passport and learn more.

Brand Sprint: A 3 week Monday series with Claire Attkisson of Live Creative and Durango Sustainable Goods
February 12th, 19th, & 26th | 12:30-1:30PM

Sign up for this Monday lunch hour series. Claire, owner of Durango Sustainable Goods and Marketing & Branding firm Live Creative's Studio, will work with your leadership team to explore your purpose. We start our 3- week series with an " idea-storm" to clarify or discover your purpose and why purpose matters to your business and brand.

Create an On-Brand Square Website

February 13th & 20th | 12:30-1:30PM

This is a hands-on workshop, so bring your laptop and be ready to make every aspect of eCommerce easier for you and your customers. This workshop is perfect for entrepreneurs, small business owners, artists, and square point of sale (POS) users who are ready to create an on-brand website that connects to your Square POS.

Winter Bike to Work Day

February 13th

Winter Bike to Work Day is a day to encourage people to walk, roll (bike, one-wheel, scooter, etc.) to work, school or wherever. This is a state-wide event from the Colorado Department of Transportation. New this year, we are using the Way to Go Durango app for the contests for a chance to win a $25 gift cards. During Winter bike to Work Day, anyone can log on to the app, complete the contest, and be entered to win the prizes

Learn more and get the app

Ignacio Non-Profit Thriving: The Elhi Community Center

Since its inception in 2015, The Elhi Community Center has focused on supporting communities in Southwest Colorado. The organization has a clothing closet and provides space for many small businesses and programs. In 2024, ELHI hopes to broaden its reach and continue serving as a venue for events ranging from concerts to classes and various kinds of parties. Watch the story by the Durango Local News Network...

New state climate report projects continued warming, declining streamflows

A new report by the Climate Change Center at Colorado State University predicts what many in Colorado, and around the globe, have already feared. Colorado’s future spring runoff will likely come earlier; soil moisture will be lower; heat waves, droughts and wildfires will be more frequent and intense; and a thirstier atmosphere will continue to rob rivers of their flows – all changes driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Read more in the Durango Telegraph...

$5 All Day parking

You can now park in the Durango Transit Center parking lot for only $5 per day! Buy a pass inside the Transit Center at 250 West 8th Street. Spread the word to your employees, customers, and friends! Click here for more information.