Good Earth - The Durango Herald

Forest Service offers free ponderosa seedlings

In honor of Arbor Day, the San Juan National Forest will offer native ponderosa seedlings from Friday to April 29 on a first-come, first-serve basis. The seedlings are free, thou...

DATE: Apr 20, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Industrial hemp gains traction in Colorado

Huge jump in acres farmed is expected; more processing companies needed

DATE: Apr 20, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Earth Briefs

Cattle Growers group seeking intern The Colorado Independent Cattle Growers Association Board of Directors is accepting applications for a summer intern. The internship will last ...

DATE: Apr 13, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Earth Briefs

Learn to grow food in your backyard The Colorado State University Extension Office in La Plata County will offer its Backyard Food Production Series from 6 to 8 p.m. on various Tuesdays begi...

DATE: Apr 6, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Utes, Navajo seek monument to preserve canyon

Utes, Navajos want monument status to protect 1.9M acres of ancestral lands

DATE: Mar 30, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Study: Juneau Ice Field to shrink if warming continues

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Rhode Island-size ice field in the mountains behind Alaska’s capital could disappear by 2200 if climate-warming trends continue, according to a University of Alaska Fai...

DATE: Mar 25, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Earth Briefs

Backyard food production class will begin in May Colorado State University Extension Office in La Plata County will offer a Backyard Food Production series from 6 to 8 p.m. vario...

DATE: Mar 23, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Ranger reveals how Forest Service evolved

Memoir examines agency’s transition from commerce to conservation

DATE: Mar 16, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Earth Briefs

Nature Studies to hold weeklong camp Durango Nature Studies’ Spring Break Camp will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28 to April 1. The camp is for first- to fourt...

DATE: Mar 16, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Monarch butterflies, manatees are on a big rebound

Two hardship cases in the animal kingdom – manatees and monarch butterflies – are on the rebound. Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that monarch butterfly pop...

DATE: Mar 9, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Earth Briefs

Astronomy program scheduled for Friday Durango Nature Studies and astronomer John Buting will present the Green Laser Star Program from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Old Fort in...

DATE: Mar 9, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

Beetle-kill zones surprisingly rich in biodiversity

The drive over Wolf Creek Pass, scarred by the spruce beetle outbreak, can elicit strong emotions in the nature lover. Several logging sales may be on the way, but new research suggests rava...

DATE: Mar 2, 2016 | CATEGORY: Good Earth

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Photos: People’s MarchAbout 300 people take to the street on Saturday in Durango

About 300 people take to the street on Saturday in Durango

Photos: Fort Lewis College basketballWomen’s and men’s basketball teams take on South Dakota Mines

Women’s and men’s basketball teams take on South Dakota Mines

Photos: Wrestling at Durango High SchoolDurango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Durango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Photos: Where there's smoke there's firefightersDurango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Durango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Photos: Durango plays Montezuma-Cortez in boys, girls high school basketballDurango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Durango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Year in photos: A look back at Southwest Colorado in 2024Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is the people, their emotions, different cultures and varied forms of entertainment that make for impactful images. Add to that Southwest Colorado’s gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife and range of weather events, and you have the makings for stunning photos. We hope you enjoy Photo Editor Jerry McBride’s photos from 2024.

Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is...

Montezuma County DA Christian Hatfield charged with DWICharges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New MexicoMontezuma County District Attorney Christian Hatfield was charged Friday with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs 16 weeks after he crashed his SUV on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield.The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office charged Hatfield, 59, with petty misdemeanor charge of DWI and an open container in connection to the Aug. 30 single-car crash.The charges come after results from a blood test by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory showed alcohol and a drug in Hatfield’s body after the crash.

“The results show that at the time of the blood draw, which was approximately eleven hours after the time of the crash due to medical issues, were 0.05 g/100 ml of Ethanol and 0.04 mg/L of Zolpidem (Ambien). Both Ethanol and Ambien are Central Nervous System Depressants,” the law enforcement report states.Two vials of blood were taken from Hatfield at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 30, which was more than 12 hours after the crash occurred about 1 a.m. Those vials were received by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory at 10:26 a.m. Oct. 11, which was six weeks after the crash, according to records from the lab.An investigation into the blood warrant by The Journal newspaper in Cortez, Colorado, showed that the blood sample sat in a refrigerator at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office until Oct. 3, because paperwork to send it to the state laboratory was not processed.“I think it’s a non-prosecutable case because of all the errors made by law enforcement,” said Arlon Stoker, a high-profile defense attorney secured by Hatfield to fight the charges.

The charges made by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office are “based on the observations made by law enforcement officers on scene and the presence of intoxicating drugs and liquors in Christian's blood,” according to the report that was given to The Journal by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.Amanda Lavin, legal director for NMFOG, assisted The Journal in accessing public records from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in Aztec. The records had been redacted, leaving out Hatfield’s name and information about the blood warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.Public records requests by The Journal and the Tri-City Record went unresolved for 14 weeks.The Journal requested body camera footage and lapel camera video on Sept. 3.The Tri-City Record requested any and all warrants, investigative reports and laboratory reports as well as photos, lapel cam videos and dash cam videos on Oct. 23.On Dec. 9, Lavin made the same requests.

The Journal received access to photos and videos in an email on Dec. 19, and Lavin, after making a legal argument for unredacted information, received the full report Dec. 19 and was advised that charges would be forthcoming.The report detailing the crash states that Hatfield was found “unresponsive and barely able to stand” about 1 a.m. Aug. 30 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and County Road 5099.Investigators and medics noted a “pungent” odor of alcohol coming from Hatfield, and investigators found “an open 12-ounce can of Mexican Lager with residual liquid inside,” an “empty wine glass,” and a “bottle of Ambien prescribed to Christian,” according to the report.The affidavit for search warrant for blood submitted by sheriff’s deputy Avery Killifer states he had an “opinion that the defendant was driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance.” The deputy “placed the defendant under arrest” at the time, but Hatfield was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center, because of “extensive injuries.”A summons was issued for Hatfield, and an arraignment is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Charges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New Mexico

Photos: Wreaths Across America honors fallen veteransDurango residents on Saturday honor those who served their country

Durango residents on Saturday honor those who served their country

Photos: Skyhawks men’s and women’s basketball Fort Lewis College men’s and women’s basketball lost to Regis on Saturday

Fort Lewis College men’s and women’s basketball lost to Regis on Saturday

Demons defeat Bobcats 62-47 on Friday at DHS

Forest Service offers free ponderosa seedlings

Industrial hemp gains traction in Colorado

Earth Briefs

Earth Briefs

Utes, Navajo seek monument to preserve canyon

Study: Juneau Ice Field to shrink if warming continues

Earth Briefs

Ranger reveals how Forest Service evolved

Earth Briefs

Monarch butterflies, manatees are on a big rebound

Earth Briefs

Beetle-kill zones surprisingly rich in biodiversity

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