Opinion Columns – The Durango Herald

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Farewell to wildly different radicals

The West lost two larger-than-life conservationists this year, and while I considered both friends, they couldn’t have been more different. Yet both were radical in their own ways. One was r...

DATE: Nov 8, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Words matter, represent what we stand for’

Offensive place names stain public lands across the nation. In Colorado, we’re changing that narrative. Legislation was recently introduced in Congress to change Mount Evans Wilderness to Mo...

DATE: Nov 5, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Check facts’: Vote ‘yes’ on Prop. II

We all live in a bubble of information of one kind or another. We defend our families, believing they can do no wrong. Our bubble of love prevents us from seeing a possible reality. We belie...

DATE: Nov 1, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Local hunters should come before nonresidents

Hunting may be losing popularity nationally but in the West, the number of hunters is climbing. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2022 there were 10% fewer hunters across t...

DATE: Nov 1, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Welcome back, Nuggets. Something to cheer for again

Finally, some great news. Our NBA-title-defending Nuggets tipped off the basketball season on Tuesday with a 119 to 107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Before the game, NBA hoopla included ...

DATE: Oct 27, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Creative builders get rural housing done

Here’s a statistic to be unhappy about: Colorado and Utah host the fifth and sixth most expensive housing markets in the country, according to Bankrate.com. But here’s the good news: Two rur...

DATE: Oct 25, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘River illustrates paradox well’

Our state Legislature outlined a path for Colorado to take bold moves to address the aridification within our state. The Colorado River Drought Task Force, created by the new law, has been d...

DATE: Oct 24, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Prop HH responsible tax cut, net benefit for Coloradans

Over the past two years, Colorado has witnessed a shocking 40% surge in housing costs, an alarming trend that has left Coloradans grappling with financial strain as their incomes struggle to...

DATE: Oct 24, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

When a skunk goes after your garden

Skunks love autumn as our backyard gardens fill up with ripe vegetables. But in my northern New Mexico corn patch, that meant a determined skunk chowing down on ears of corn every night. Wha...

DATE: Oct 22, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Demolition derby, Fairgrounds ‘difficult decisions years in the making’

La Plata County will celebrate its 150th birthday in 2024 and for 75 of those years, the La Plata County Fair has celebrated the rich agricultural and rural heritage of the county. The fair ...

DATE: Oct 22, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Cheap, easy’ to fix Malfunction Junction

There is an old adage that says for every problem, there is a solution that is simple, easy – and wrong. And there is a lot of truth to that. It does not follow, however, that all valid solu...

DATE: Oct 20, 2023 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Where wild-horse herd management goes right

The sun is low on the horizon, casting soft light on the crimson boulders and cliffs of Spring Creek Basin. Bands of colorful wild horses dot the folded landscape as it gently dips toward th...

DATE: Oct 15, 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