Letters to the Editor – The Durango Herald

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‘Amazed by people who rave about scenery’

I’m constantly amazed by people who move here and rave about the scenery. Have you never been somewhere else? And just went “wow?” I lived in Los Angeles for a while too, and it is a big ci...

DATE: Oct 22, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Herald has liberal/progressive bias’

The opinion page editor really didn’t address the protesters marching in front of The Durango Herald on Sept. 12, or the countless letter writers pointing out the liberal bias of the Herald....

DATE: Oct 15, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Potential losses from mine beyond measure’

Metallic Minerals, a mining company out of Canada, is well on its way to developing a massive copper and silver mine on Gibbs Mountain in the La Plata Mountains. It is currently expanding ex...

DATE: Oct 15, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

In need of ‘collegiality’

Col·le·gi·al·i·ty, noun: collegiality 1. “Companionship and cooperation between colleagues who share responsibility.” 2. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect...

DATE: Oct 15, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Importance of informed voter engagement’

Restore the Balance is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with branches in Mesa, Delta and La Plata counties. The purpose of the organization is to counter the growing division and extrem...

DATE: Oct 15, 2023 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

‘No business taking sides in any conflict’

We (Ignacio, Bayfield and Durango) hold the following truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. That a...

DATE: Oct 11, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Be discerning what feeds minds, hearts’

The implosion of the House of Representatives last week is a mere symptom of the illness our democracy faces. As a nation we can look at our House as we look in the mirror to see how we’re a...

DATE: Oct 11, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Vote for Dolores schools, a vote for town'

Vote “yes” on the Dolores School Bond Measure 4A. Your vote of support for Dolores students will be the first step in helping with the much needed renovations and building of a new secondary...

DATE: Oct 10, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Do well to channel our inner Margaret’

Thank you for publishing the delightful profile on our fellow centenarian, Margaret Edmiston, “100-year-old Durango resident shares secret to living a long, fulfilling life.” Margaret embodi...

DATE: Oct 8, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Allowing construction defects ‘a disaster’

A recent article concerning Gov. Jared Polis' visit to Durango said, “Porter-Norton also called on Polis to push for changes that would limit developers’ liability for construction defects, ...

DATE: Oct 8, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Urge meaningful support for Ukraine’

Individuals not in support of Ukraine in its current conflict with Russia are, at the very least, passively supporting Vladimir Putin. Please, review the historical record. In the late 1930s...

DATE: Oct 8, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Understanding can lead us to heal’

Thank you for publishing the article about the Fort Lewis Indian Boarding School. It makes public the atrocities suffered by the Indigenous children and their families in our country, which ...

DATE: Oct 8, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

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