Columnists - The Durango Herald

The county is rightly taking Battery Energy Storage Systems seriously, regulating amid real safety concerns

Last January, a fire ignited in a California battery energy storage system (BESS), the world’s largest, spewing black billowing clouds of toxic chemicals and, when extinguishment was hampere...

DATE: Aug 31, 2025 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

New REI will impact local outdoor stores and challenge Durango’s independent businesses and spirit

Now that REI has opened its store (Herald , Aug. 24), I wanted to offer a different perspective than what has been represented in the Herald’s coverage of this issue, especially the edito...

DATE: Aug 31, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Donald Trump’s assault on capitalism

Ask an American conservative what makes America great, and at least until about a week ago, he might have said that, among other virtues, it’s a country in which the government stays out of ...

DATE: Aug 31, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Neighbor suddenly a fixture in lives

DEAR ABBY: I have a female friend, “Kylene,” who needs yard work done weekly. My fiance, “Josh,” goes over there to do the work for her. He charges $60. During the last two weeks, she has be...

DATE: Aug 29, 2025 | CATEGORY: Dear Abby

Beyond the bell: Education for a meaningful, purposeful, impactful and fulfilling life

As board members of Animas High School, we are well aware that the world our students are stepping into is nothing like the one we grew up in. With everything from climate change and AI to a...

DATE: Aug 29, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

La Plata County Fair: A celebration of community, talent and 4-H Excellence

The 2025 La Plata County Fair was an incredible success, filled with laughter, learning and a deep sense of community pride. This year’s fair offered a perfect blend of tradition and innovat...

DATE: Aug 27, 2025 | CATEGORY: From the Extension Office

Local First offers free training programs for small businesses across Colorado

At Local First, we believe locally owned independent businesses are the backbone of Southwest Colorado’s economy and the heart of our community. Every day, we see the dedication, creativity ...

DATE: Aug 27, 2025 | CATEGORY: Local First

KNFRMST: Musicians, professors of punk

Punk’s not dead. While some may think otherwise, it’s never been dead. With the rise of “alternative rock” in the 1990s bringing punk rock into the living rooms, resulting in the jock and ch...

DATE: Aug 27, 2025 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Another family torn apart: The human cost of ICE in Southwest Colorado

In our quiet corners of Southwest Colorado, where families work hard, children play, and neighbors care for one another, there is a story that too many in our immigrant community have lived....

DATE: Aug 27, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Wife’s view of herself shrinks

DEAR ABBY: About eight months ago, I stumbled on my husband watching online porn. He admitted to habitual use but said it was just a stress reliever and he would stop viewing it. Meanwhile, ...

DATE: Aug 27, 2025 | CATEGORY: Dear Abby

Let’s be the kind of community that looks out for each other – and for the bears

If you’ve lived in Durango for more than a minute, you know we share our beautiful mountain town with some pretty wild neighbors – black bears. And while they’re majestic to see from a dista...

DATE: Aug 24, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Health insurance affordability is not just policy – it’s a deeply human issue

Colorado’s Western Slope faces a daunting health care affordability crisis as private insurance premiums for 2026 threaten to skyrocket. Preliminary filings with the Colorado Division of Ins...

DATE: Aug 24, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Photos: Local girls high school wrestling at La Plata TriDurango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Durango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Photos: Fort Lewis College women’s and men’s basketball take on Westminster UniversityBoth Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Both Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Photos: An afternoon in 2004 with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell as he works on Capitol HillDurango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Durango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Photos and video: ICE protests return to DurangoAbout a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday