In 2018, The Durango Herald’s editorial board liked unsuccessful Colorado gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton and posited that a new state sales tax was just what was needed to fund roads. Voters disagreed on both.
On other ballot issues, voters echoed our endorsements: saying no to statewide oil and gas drilling setbacks, turning down Durango’s bid for additional sales tax and mill levy revenues, returning sheriff Sean Smith and saying no to bouncing County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt from office.
This was a year in which we defended public lands under threat by new federal administrators. The state employees’ retirement fund needs to be on better footing, and we said so. We argued for experience and moderation on the La Plata Electric Board while power users wanted a faster move to renewables. We liked fewer dogs rather than more in local restaurants, defended Rose Chilcoat, praised John McCain and the 416 firefighters and faulted the city for not doing enough for the homeless. Its “sit-lie” ordinance had little to do with safety.
Against national chants of “fake news,” we defended the reporting that takes place at almost all newspapers. Feelings about the president were mostly delivered through cartoons selected by our board.
During the first half of the year, we enjoyed conversations with members of the Herald’s first editorial advisory board, well organized and led by former opinion editor Ellen Stein. Christy Zeller, Colton Black, Sheila Nanaeto, Sharina Trujillo Long, Liane Jollon, Joe Lewandowski, Dan Korman, Eben Harrell and Faron Scott provided advice and ideas.
Greg Moore, so knowledgeable about fishing, hunting and athletics, led conversations on those topics before he left us this year. We miss his contributions. Judith Reynolds skillfully continues putting local goings-on into graphic form, now joined by Gary Markstein.
We urged the city to fund improvements at Santa Rita Park, although perhaps today it makes more sense to scrap the park and put a new police building there. We celebrated that Lake Nighthorse was finally open to recreation and that Phil’s World biking trails near Cortez would be expanded.
We liked that Barbara McLachlan, whom we endorsed, had a challenger in her bid for reelection to the state House, an independent from Gunnison. We liked public art, and the local student march to protest gun violence. We praised the athletic successes at Bayfield High, and the discovery of a new variety of trout in a tributary of the Animas.
Sometimes it is worth raising the unexpected, as when we suggested that to create a more predictably livable environment for all residents, city and county governments could be combined. That went nowhere.
Letter writers in 2018 continued to be opinionated and numerous. They made us laugh, nod and wonder, and online, they enjoyed more life. Please keep the letters coming.
Robert Meyerowitz, who became opinion editor mid-year, has contributed persuasive writing on a variety of topics, such as the difficulty of placing blame for the auto-pedestrian accident on North Main Avenue and the significance of Laika, the first dog in space.
Add selected commentary by national columnists and you have our opinion pages. They are well read. Thanks for making that happen.
