Faculty and staff at Fort Lewis College plan to implement a new suicide prevention resource in response to the high suicide rate in Durango.

In honor of February being national Black History Month, The Independent asked Black Student Union Members, as well as Kate Smith, a professor in sociology at Fort Lewis, what Black History Month means to them and where they hope it goes in the future.

In between cleaning, doing laundry, and being a handyman in the Student Life Center, 64-year-old Arnulfo Pardo, who goes by Arnie, offers life advice to students.

One of the least expensive ways to travel is as a student, Scott Miller, International Student Advisor said. Fort Lewis College has many programs to get students out of the country, with the help of fundraising, financial aid or scholarships.

With winter in full effect across Southwest Colorado, the San Juan mountain range has become a playground for backcountry snow sports, but also one of the most avalanche -prone mountain ranges in the country.