The Durango Herald

Beyond bags

After a short hiatus, the war of words on single-use plastic bags is once again playing out in The Durango Herald. In question is whether Durango should join the nearly 100 communities across the country that have either banned or put a fee on single-use plastic bags.

Since the City Council election in April and more recently, the LPEA...

Warm congratulations to the 2013 Fort Lewis College graduates! Earning a college degree is a major accomplishment, and I am very proud of you. I also want to thank all of the FLC faculty and staff who have given the personal attention that we are proud to provide. Thanks to you, our graduates leave with good preparation and fond memories.

Stop poisoning us with genetically modified foods

In my high school gym class, the most common subject girls talk about is health; mainly, how much weight they want to lose after getting out of gym. When girls ask me if I know of any diets or have any suggestions on how to lose weight, I always reply: “Stop eating high-fructose corn syrup.”

Recent studies have shown that...

After nearly 10 years, Monday was my last day in education. I took a different kind of job in a different kind of state and will be hitting the road with my understanding and adventurous family any day now.

In the lead up to my departure, my students had a lot of questions about why I chose to leave, which I have always answered with some...

Please join The Durango Herald editorial board for its public session at 3 p.m. Thursday at BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 W. College. Each of these meetings will consider issues relevant to Herald readers.

Topics for Thursday’s session will be:

LPEA election results and implications for members.

Colorado...

My first year in the Legislature was one of the busiest in recent years, and I confirmed my belief that the only way to get things done is through compromise and respecting both sides of the aisle.

Let’s focus on some great progress for Southwest Colorado and other parts of rural Colorado this session.

One of the bills I...

Business landscape

Mercury Payment Systems has been a partner in the Durango community since 2001, and has grown steadily from its founding to be one of the nation’s top five non-bank purchase acquirers. We currently employ nearly 700 people.

Our company chooses to be in Durango for good reason: This region is blessed with amazing scenery, clean air...

Democrats rushed election reform bill before its time

After a secret, monthslong process that occurred without any input from my office, voters, or Republican legislators, Democrats rammed through legislation that fundamentally changes how we run our elections. Unfortunately, this election-law rewrite will lead to disaster.

To begin, the bill forces Colorado into election policy that...

Knowing the ins and outs of how to properly buy real estate

Now that the economy is on a steady ascent, you have a good job, and your 201k has turned back into a 401k, the future is looking bright, so you decide it is time to buy a house, upgrade to a nicer one, or buy that country estate you always wanted. This is how do it right.

You are making a major investment, so plan on being thorough.

My first legislative session, one of the most exciting and productive sessions in recent memory, is ending today.

I am sponsoring Senate Bill 264, the Rural Health Bill with Sens. Irene Aguilar, John Kefalas and Rep. Edward Vigil. The bill encourages the Advisory Commission on Family Medicine to support the development of a rural...

As the clock strikes midnight, the 2013 legislative session comes to a close. There will be a number of efforts seeking to sum up the work that we did and, depending on your political views, you’ll likely be very pleased or extremely dissatisfied, with not much to offer to those identify with the center of the political...

Uganda’s lively media

A few weeks ago, I embarked on a monthlong media exchange program in the United States. My placement at The Durango Herald has been awesome, thanks to the International Centre for Journalism together with the U.S. Department of State. As part of my goal of learning how the U.S. media operates, I have this opportunity to share with Durangoans the...

By July 1898, the United States was at war with Spain. Actually, it was a rather strange way to go to war. In April, Congress resolved that Spain must abandon Cuba where a fight was raging between Spain and Cubans. Meanwhile, the American press demanded war. “Remember the Main, to Hell with Spain.”

Advocates of tighter gun-control legislation were stunned last month by the United States Senate’s rejection of new restrictions on the types of firearms that can be sold and on the expansion of background checks for purchasing weapons. President Obama called it “a shameful day for Washington” and blamed the failure on “the gun lobby and its...