San Juan County and the Navajo Nation hosted public input meetings to kick off the final months of the Freight Rail Feasibility Study, which will look to extend a spur of the U.S. Freight Rail service to San Juan County. Join Rio Del Sol Kiwanis and the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Juan County for the 8th annual Shoes for Kids Project. And sign-ups are open for the fall Rattlesnake Avoidance clinic, hosted by the Durango Kennel Club. By Hannah Robertson
San Juan County - https://www.sjcounty.net/
Navajo Nation - https://www.navajo-nsn.gov/
Four Corners Freight Rail - https://4cornersfreightrail.com/
Rio Del Sol Kiwanis - https://riodelsolkiwanis.com/
Boys and Girls Clubs of San Juan County - https://bgcfarmington.org/
Boys and Girls Club of Farmington - https://bgcfarmington.org/
Boys and Girls Club of Bloomfield - https://www.bloomfieldkids.org/
Durango Kennel Club - https://durangokennelclub.com/
The final stages of the freight rail feasibility study are starting with three public meetings last month in San Juan County to share updates and proposed plans with county residents and members of the Navajo Nation. Rio Del Sole has partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Juan County again for the 8th annual Shoes for Kids, providing shoes and socks for the new school year. And the Durango Kennel Club invites you to sign up for the Fall Rattlesnake Avoidance Clinic September 14th. You're watching the "Local News Roundup," brought to you by Three River Brewery and Home2 Suites. I'm Connor Shreve. At the end of August, San Juan County and the Navajo Nation hosted three public input meetings as part of the freight rail feasibility study. 145 people attended in Farmington, Newcomb and Crownpoint. During the presentation, four alternative routes were presented to connect San Juan County to the US Freight Rail service. The rail would connect with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Transcontinental line that runs from Chicago to Los Angeles through Gallup. The cited benefits of a freight rail line include reducing congestion on roadways from trucks, less wear and tear on highways, the reduced use of fuels, jobs and economic opportunities among others. Now, the feasibility study team will take the feedback from the meetings and submit the completed project to the Federal Railroad Administration in the next two months. San Juan County and the Navajo Nation with support from the New Mexico Department of Transportation, have applied for a grant to cover preliminary engineering and environmental analysis. If successful, the next phase of the process for the rail line is anticipated to take two years. Hiking in the Southwest means encountering all sorts of wildlife, some less friendly than others. Durango Kennel Club is offering rattlesnake avoidance training this Saturday, September 14th. Led by a professional trainer, dogs will learn how to identify rattlesnakes by scent, sound, and sight, and know to avoid the snakes through exposure to live rattlesnakes under control of an experienced handler. The cost of the training is $100 and is not a regular class offering. So make sure to take advantage to save vet bills of over $300. Sign up September 12th for the clinic. If you miss the clinic, the Durango Kennel Club intends to bring it back next spring. Rio Del Sol Kiwanis and the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Juan County are partnering once again for the 8th annual Shoes for Kids Project. The aim of the project is to provide new athletic shoes and socks for approximately 350 students from the Farmington, Bloomfield and Aztec Boys and Girls Clubs. The clubs will collect the shoe sizes for ordering and volunteers will help fit the students with their new kicks. Rio Del Sol Kiwanis has a goal of $7,000 for the shoes. Donations of any amount are welcome and all funds will go directly to help youth in San Juan County. Learn more about these and other stories online at farmingtonlocal.news. Thanks for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup. I'm Connor Shreve.
