Opinion Columns - The Durango Herald

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Voting ‘yes’ on 1A: For our families, our children and the future of La Plata County

As a third-generation La Plata County native, I’ve always cherished this place. It’s where my family put down roots, where I grew up and where I’ve chosen to raise my own children. But for t...

DATE: Oct 31, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

This November, we must protect election officials

The attorney general of the United States, Merrick Garland, had a reminder for the American people in remarks before a recent meeting of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force:...

DATE: Oct 24, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Mike Elliott at the center of nordic ski achievements and memories on Saturday

On the patio at the Powerhouse on the banks of the Animas River on Saturday afternoon were many of the Nordic skiers who put Durango in the news in the 1960s and 1970s for their cross-countr...

DATE: Oct 22, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Paul Black for county commissioner

In America, we’re often encouraged to think out of the box, look at situations from different points of view and examine a problem not from a standard perspective. Diversity is a positive in...

DATE: Oct 22, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Not opposed to cell service, just tower location

For over eight months our neighborhood group has been working to oppose the proposed location of a cell tower near our homes. In the Herald article (Herald, Oct. 16), there were many mislead...

DATE: Oct 19, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

The seduction of scapegoating

Immigration has risen to the top of the issue list for a clear majority of Americans. For many voters, it is now more important than the economy, inequality, health care, education, housing,...

DATE: Oct 17, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Mountain lions: Truth not myth

When scientists become advocates during an election and tell you “just the facts,” you can be certain they are only telling you part of the facts. As Colorado’s carnivore biologist with Colo...

DATE: Oct 15, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Report estimates more than 18K Coloradans disenfranchised while imprisoned for felonies

A new report from The Sentencing Project estimates more than 18,000 Coloradans serving time for a felony conviction in prison or jail won’t be able to vote in the 2024 election. The Sentenci...

DATE: Oct 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Proposition 127 protects Colorado’s majestic mountain lions and bobcats

We are current and former Colorado Parks and Wildlife commissioners, which is the body that sets wildlife policy, including a former chair, and we encourage a “yes” vote on Proposition 127. ...

DATE: Oct 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Durango School District 9-R: Celebrating progress, addressing urgent needs

As I start my fourth year as superintendent of Durango School District 9-R, I would like to share our recent achievements and outline the critical challenges we face, particularly regarding ...

DATE: Oct 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Marijuana and skunks: There’s a connection

Why does today’s marijuana smell like skunk spray? I am not a user, but I am old enough to know that the odor of marijuana in the 1970s was much more pleasant than today’s. Back then it res...

DATE: Oct 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

‘Yes’ to proposed Montezuma County sales tax

It’s been said that “the only certainties in this life are death and taxes,” and the general consensus is that neither is desirable. Why have people come to hate taxes? Partly because the U....

DATE: Oct 8, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Final phases of project underway at Camino del Rio and Main Avenue

Photos: Marching for women’s rightsDurango Women’s March on Saturday starts at Buckley Park, continues down Main Avenue

Durango Women’s March on Saturday starts at Buckley Park, continues down Main Avenue

Photos: Durango High School football DHS beat Vista Ridge 20-14 at home Friday night

DHS beat Vista Ridge 20-14 at home Friday night

Gallery: Animals, super heroes and other creatures take over Main Avenue

Photos: A fun and spooky day at school

Haunted house northeast of Durango gets bigger every yearCody Petersen’s Halloween hobby is his escape from the daily grind

Durango resident Cody Petersen said when he moved into his home at 15 Edgemont Way several years ago, his house on the corner looked lonely and spooky.Today, it’s a madhouse. Halloween decorations are splayed practically on every inch of his lawn, in the trees and up and down his home.

A group of school-aged kids stop in front of his house every day to pose with a little gothic doll in the lawn, he said. It’s the favorite attraction amongst hundreds of decorations Petersen bought locally and online as early as July in preparation for Oct. 31, Halloween.He said he doesn’t want to think about how much money he’s spent on fog machines, animatronics and Christmas lights, but the bill easily totals several thousands of dollars.

For trick-or-treaters on Halloween, whom he encourages to visit, jumpscares abound at Petersen’s home, featuring animatronic spiders, growling wolves and other monsters, he said.He’s working on his own animatronic coffin, which shakes and rattles, and a pulley system that will push and pull a ghost up and down the yard, but neither will be ready for this year’s Halloween.He said he has fond memories of his parents decorating for the holidays during his upbringing and he’s a huge horror genre fan. So he enjoys going all out on decorations for the spooky season. He justifies his hobby with the logic his kids will only be in high school a few more years, and it isn’t as cool to decorate the lawn for Halloween when one doesn’t have children living at home.But the neighbors enjoy his haunts as much as the rest of the community. He said his Halloween scene has gradually grown larger every year; at least 50 trick-or-treaters turned up at his home last year.“I'm a home inspector, so I do have a lot of tools and no fear of trying things out,” he said.

He said typical Halloween animatronics cost $400 a piece, but they only last one year or so without breaking. That’s frustrating, he said, and he believes he can do better by building his own.He said this year’s display and experience is more organic than past years thanks to his handiwork. Among his myriad decorations, trick-or-treaters can spot easter eggs referencing “Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Pet Sematary.”Among the horror props are real animal bones Petersen said he’s found on hikes across the countryside.“I've got ghosts and spiders and witches and that kind of thing,” he said. “Here in Edgemont, we have giant spiders for real. ... We get these huge wolf spiders that are bigger than my hand. I mean, huge, bigger than tarantulas.”

Petersen said he was motivated to make his first decorations within the first month he and his wife moved into the home on the corner at 15 Edgemont Way.A lone pine tree, a typical Christmas tree that would be strung up with lights and ornaments in December, stood out to Petersen in the yard, he said. He just felt compelled to decorate it and light it up.He said he thoroughly decorated the tree and left it lit year-round. Within a month of moving into the house, his neighbor died. The man was old and suffering from Alzheimer's.

Months later, the man’s wife approached Petersen and told him she and her husband’s last salient moments together were spent looking out at Petersen’s lighted Christmas tree, pretending it was Christmas. In the following hours, the man succumbed to delirium. He died several days later.“I don't know why I had that tree, why I lit it, but that's why that tree, even when Halloween is over, all year round, that Christmas tree always stays lit now,” he said.Petersen is a horror movie fan, and in particular he’s always enjoyed the sinister character Michael Myers of the “Halloween” franchise.

He said every year, after thrilling trick-or-treaters at his home, he takes to downtown and East Third Avenue in his Michael Myers costume, bearing a giant bowl of candy, to continue the fun.The highlight of his yard, the creepy doll neighborhood kids like to pose and take pictures with, is Petersen’s “elf on the shelf,” he said. He likes to move the doll around the house, sometimes propping her up to hold animal bones.“I have a real busy and pretty stressful job,” he said. “I just love the fall so much. And to come home, it's just a good way to wind down and, you know, de-stress, just go out and work in the yard.”cburney@durangoherald.com

Cody Petersen’s Halloween hobby is his escape from the daily grind

Reader-submitted photos of Halloween decorationsLast week, we asked readers to submit photos of their Halloween decorations or a neighbor’s decorations. We received dozens of photo submissions. We have selected some of the most spooky, elaborate and fun photos to share in this gallery. Enjoy!

Photos: FLC volleyball returns homeFort Lewis College volleyball took on Adams State University on Tuesday

Fort Lewis College volleyball took on Adams State University on Tuesday

Photos: Expert leathercrafter and collector estate sale near IgnacioItems belonging to the late Alex Pappas were auctioned for sale on Saturday

Items belonging to the late Alex Pappas were auctioned for sale on Saturday

Photos: Pro boxing in DurangoLegends on the Animas boxing showdown took place on Saturday

Legends on the Animas boxing showdown took place on Saturday

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Voting ‘yes’ on 1A: For our families, our children and the future of La Plata County

This November, we must protect election officials

Mike Elliott at the center of nordic ski achievements and memories on Saturday

Paul Black for county commissioner

Not opposed to cell service, just tower location

The seduction of scapegoating

Mountain lions: Truth not myth

Report estimates more than 18K Coloradans disenfranchised while imprisoned for felonies

Proposition 127 protects Colorado’s majestic mountain lions and bobcats

Durango School District 9-R: Celebrating progress, addressing urgent needs

Marijuana and skunks: There’s a connection

‘Yes’ to proposed Montezuma County sales tax

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