I have always felt at home in Durango. When we first moved here in 1994, I was pleasantly surprised that everyone I passed on the street smiled and waved to me. Folks I didn’t know acknowledged me as I walked downtown.

Everyone seemed grateful to live here and it was a happy, connected community.

Yesterday, a friend asked me if I thought Durango had changed for the worse. I told her "no,“ but then drove to Albertsons. Along the way, I got honked at (twice), heard the tower clock chime and the train whistle, and caught a glimpse of the Toh-Atin chief. I arrived to Albertsons and was greeted by a security guard. There were no carts. No hand baskets.

She told me there were no carts because the homeless had stolen many of them and hand baskets are now distributed from behind the customer service desk because shoppers are taking them home instead of paying the 10-cent bag fee! Who wanted the 10 cent bag fee? Probably, the same people stealing the $10 hand baskets.

The bathrooms are now locked because homeless are using them to bathe, sleep and do drugs. So maybe Durango has changed for the worse. But we can all help to rebuild our community. Let’s stop honking horns and complaining about bells and whistles, pay 10 cents for grocery bags, and smile and wave to each other once in a while.

We can do this Durango!

Donna Gulec

Durango