The first official signs of winter this week, with a dusting of snow on the La Platas and Chapman Hill opening for ice Friday night
Last Friday’s presidential proclamation that created Chimney Rock National Monument, preserving the archaeological, natural and cultural treasure
More signs of a brightening economy, with consumer spending increasing 3.3 percent in 2011, the fastest rate since 2006, and U.S. home prices in July posting their largest year-to-date gain in seven years.

Two local suspects leading police on a Bonny and Clyde-esque chase through southern La Plata County after allegedly robbing a Farmington bank
 

The continued decline of the written word, with high school SAT reading scores hitting their lowest point since 1972
 
A disturbingly creepy return to the dark ages, with a Texas high school allowing spankings of female students by male administrators