Editorials – The Durango Herald

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Our View: The Denver Post right to close comments after trust broken

Section wasn’t productive space for engagement

DATE: Jun 25, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: ICWA ruling based on sovereignty – not race – a win

On June 15, we exhaled relief when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act by a 7-2 vote in a case addressing sovereignty in Native children adopt...

DATE: Jun 23, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Trust lost in former plan to close birthing center

Families or women who have dealt with emergency situations while pregnant understand on a visceral level the fear that came with Southwest Health System’s recent announcement to close – howe...

DATE: Jun 21, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Towers of classified documents just might crash onto Trump

Even when we close our eyes, we see those images of boxes with highly sensitive documents – many critical to national security – stacked high in Donald Trump’s bathroom. The story of how the...

DATE: Jun 18, 2023 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Our View: Stolen election backers take show on the road

In Buena Vista in central Colorado, colorful flyers with artful graphic design hang in shop windows, advertising summer festivals. Alongside, a smaller one promoted an event on Friday to “el...

DATE: Jun 14, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Durango composting success depends on economy of scale

Buy-in from most residents would be needed

DATE: Jun 9, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Debt debacle came too close to losing too much

Thank goodness, the debt ceiling debacle is over with the passing of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. We appreciate the delegates who worked toward compromise to avert this crisis. A s...

DATE: Jun 7, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Proposed civic center would be labor of love

It’s easier to lose history rather than hold onto it. So we’re especially pleased that the city of Durango is willing to realize its vision of a Civic Center Complex for the Durango School D...

DATE: Jun 4, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Need the best minds on ‘malfunction junction’

Conflict point in the world of transportation is defined as one where “intersecting traffic merges, diverges or crosses.” We’ll venture to guess the Durango intersection of 14th Street, Main...

DATE: Jun 2, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Thank you, doctors, who spoke about tubal surgery

There’s risk in speaking out. We journalists knew this when we signed up for this profession. We also have the First Amendment as backup to protect our free speech. But obstetricians, gyneco...

DATE: Jun 2, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Lower basin states’ water reduction agreement a substantial start

Critics quickly dismissed the Colorado River’s lower basin states of California, Arizona and Nevada’s agreement to reduce water consumption by 3 million acre-feet – enough to supply about 6 ...

DATE: May 28, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Our View: Proposed BLM rule conservation timestamp in history

Expect better outcomes with balanced decision-making

DATE: May 25, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Hundreds attend Candlelight vigil for Cortez police Sgt. Michael Moran

Skyhawks score 41 points off turnovers Monday at Whalen Gymnasium

Snowstorm moves through the areaThe season’s first big snowstorm causes problems for drivers and makes for a winter wonderland

The season’s first big snowstorm causes problems for drivers and makes for a winter wonderland

Photos: Singing with SantaSanta Claus makes his first appearance in Durango

Santa Claus makes his first appearance in Durango

Snow descends on DurangoForecasters say storm could dump 6 inches in Durango area

A fall storm that moved into Southwest Colorado Friday morning was expected to dump 6 inches of snow in the Durango area – more than weather forecasters had initially predicted.Snow started falling about 9:15 a.m. Friday and intensified shortly before 11:30 a.m., blanketing parks, vehicles and the hilltops overlooking the city. Roads became slick about 2:30 p.m. As of 4 p.m., the Durango Police Department had responded to six crashes, in addition to a few stranded motorists.U.S. Highway 160 at County Road 44 near Mancos Hill was closed from around 4 p.m. to just after 6 p.m. because a vehicle carrying an “oversized load” had spun out and blocked both the eastbound and westbound lanes, according to Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Lisa Schwantes.“Right now our officers are able to keep up with the crashes that are coming in,” said Cmdr. Nick Stasi, with the Durango Police Department. “As always with winter weather, we remind drivers to slow down and give extra space for the cars in front.”Snow started accumulating very fast as the day went on, making it “challenging for plow operators to keep up,” according to CDOT.

Southwest Colorado’s five major mountain passes were icy and snowpacked Friday afternoon. But all five remained open as of 4:15 p.m.The Pacific storm favored the southern and central Colorado mountains, said Dave Byers, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction.“Durango looks like a 70% chance of getting 6 inches or more of snow by the end of tonight (Friday),” Byers said.He expected a half inch to three-quarters of an inch of moisture from the storm, which is up from the one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch that was predicted earlier this week. Meanwhile, the mountains could receive 1 to 2 feet of snow from the storm, he said.“In the last few days, it has really picked up,” Byers said. “The southern mountains are catching the brunt of it.”The snowy weather didn’t stop Liz Ferrill and her family from stopping by Cream Bean Berry for a Unicorn Sundae. “We thought it might be a festive way to celebrate,” said Ferrill, who was visiting from Snowmass, where the first snow occurred in September.For others, the snow provided the impetus they needed to swap out tires or purchase new snow tires. Andre Payne, a sales person at J/P Tire in Durango, said the phone began ringing shortly after 9 a.m. with people wanting to switch to snow tires.“We’ve been pretty busy,” he said.

It is not unusual for drivers to wait until they see the first snow and then want to swap out tires. The tire shop began advising customers to switch to snow tires about three weeks ago. Some people take the advice, other choose to wait.“We can always tell people what to do, but if you're not ready for it then you have to suffer the consequences of waiting two hours or maybe getting in an accident,” Payne said.Byers said Friday’s storm was the result of a southwest flow pulling moisture from Southern California, Arizona and the Gulf of California.As the moisture-laden atmosphere hits the San Juan Mountains, it wrings out the moisture, he said.Temperatures are expected to cool off as the storm makes its way out of the region this weekend. The highs this weekend will be in the upper 30s, and the lows could dip into the single digits, he said.“There’s still a northerly flow that is pulling cold air down out of Canada,” he said.Byers characterized Friday’s storm as a “shoulder storm” between summer and winter, but he said it is a sure sign that a regular track is settling in for Southwest Colorado.“We’re expecting regular storms … from now on, more into that winter pattern,” Byers said.Residents can expect mostly clear conditions through Wednesday, with clouds moving in the following day ahead of another storm that looks “very similar” to Friday’s storm, Byers said.shane@durangoherald.com; mhollinshead@durangoherald.com

Forecasters say storm could dump 6 inches in Durango area

PHOTOS: Turkey Trot returns to DurangoNearly 600 competitors ran before they gobbled down their Thanksgiving feasts on Thursday

Nearly 600 competitors ran before they gobbled down their Thanksgiving feasts on Thursday

PHOTOS: Durango faces Lutheran in 3A state football quarterfinalsDemons fall to Lions, 39-30, on Saturday

Demons fall to Lions, 39-30, on Saturday

PHOTOS: Fort Lewis basketball teams host doubleheaderThe men’s team beat Western New Mexico 87-68, while the women’s team fell in the final minutes to Northern New Mexico, 67-62