Columnists - The Durango Herald

If Trump loses Cory Gardner, he could lose anyone

Give Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner credit. Not only did he go rogue – shocking in its own right – he went rogue at just the right moment. I mean, Gardner couldn’t have had any idea t...

DATE: Jan 8, 2019 | CATEGORY: Mike Littwin

Our recent snow is ideal for plants, soil

The snow finally fell. My shoulders are sore from shoveling, the downstairs mudroom smells like wet coats and hats and boots, and my gloves have the odor of gasoline from refilli...

DATE: Jan 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: From the Extension Office

Useless knowledge can beget brand new horizons

In October 1939, as Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin were plunging the world into war, an American educational reformer named Abraham Flexner published an essay in Harper’s Magazine under the ma...

DATE: Jan 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

A high drug level is not always the cause of death

During my forensic pathology training, I autopsied a man who had the second-highest cocaine level ever reported. I was a fellow at the medical examiner’s office in Suffolk County,...

DATE: Jan 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: Coroner's Report

In a turn for the worse, cars drive on train tracks

I heard through the grapevine that a car got stuck driving up the railroad tracks downtown. Could you try to (ahem) “track” down this rumor. If true, do we need to erect Do Not Enter signs a...

DATE: Jan 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: Action Line

Homebody would rather skip plans

DEAR ABBY: I’m struggling with a situation with my friends and colleagues. I have a routine I stick to that keeps my priorities in check. I get done with work, go home, ha...

DATE: Jan 7, 2019 | CATEGORY: Dear Abby

Here’s how a Green New Deal could be practical

Let’s be honest with ourselves: The new Democratic majority in the House won’t be able to enact new legislation. I’ll be astonished if there are bipartisan deals on anything impor...

DATE: Jan 6, 2019 | CATEGORY: Paul Krugman

Comparing bloom of adolescence to the elder stage of life

While visiting my family in California in November, we were all stuck inside for much of the time because of the smoke from the Camp Fire. As a result, my 12-year-old granddaught...

DATE: Jan 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: Authentic Aging

Fire, drought and flood defined 2018 for county

Happy New Year to each of you! I hope your holiday season was restful, festive and joyous and that 2019 is off to a great start already. At La Plata County, the year ahead offers ...

DATE: Jan 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: From the Chair

Trump 2019

In this dark time of the year, usually a pretty slow period for politics, I like to write a column cataloging my errors of analysis and prognostication from the previous 365 days (or sometim...

DATE: Jan 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: Ross Douthat

Buying a home without representation is a big mistake

During my many years as an exclusive buyers’ agent, I occasionally spoke with prospective buyers who believed that it was in their interest to deal directly with the owner of a property or t...

DATE: Jan 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: On Real Estate

A practical approach to dating?

DEAR ABBY: I am writing you about dating in these modern times. Lately, I have become perplexed at the vanity and immoral behavior now associated with the task of dating. I’m a single ma...

DATE: Jan 4, 2019 | CATEGORY: Dear Abby