Opinion Columns – The Durango Herald

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Political forces compound climate-change difficulties

The climate emergency featured prominently in Earth Day messages this year, underscored by the recent publication of the third and final section of the massive climate assessment by the Inte...

DATE: May 6, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

County commissioners unite to oppose collective bargaining

Montezuma and La Plata counties share a border, some telecommunications and health services, and a regional economy centered on our beautiful landscapes such as the La Plata Mountains and Me...

DATE: May 2, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Nothing Left to Fear

Across the land, a disease of man, powered by corporate hands, is driving up the prices of once-forgotten sand. They’re grabbing up homes, that they've never seen, and piecing together equit...

DATE: May 1, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Bills address watersheds, forests, natural disasters

We celebrated Earth Day last week, a holiday set aside to show our love for nature, ample water, clean air and a healthy world. The Legislature takes the celebration seriously. Understanding...

DATE: May 1, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Invest in independent meat processing for fair market

As a rancher, I know how much hard work, time and dedication go into raising livestock. I know that these challenges only continue when you try to process your beef, poultry or hogs for meat...

DATE: Apr 27, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Resources address youth mental health

It has been troubling to witness the steep decline in the mental health of Colorado’s youth. It is even more troubling to see the decline intensified by pandemic pressures. Children’s Hospit...

DATE: Apr 24, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Cannot return to time before Roe v. Wade

Before 1965, married couples in the United States did not have the legal right to use birth control. A wife needed her husband’s permission to purchase any kind of contraception. 1965 was al...

DATE: Apr 23, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Liars dominate’ in faux wildlife photography

I’m disgusted with American journalism. It’s boring. I blame editors for assigning uninteresting stories, and people interviewed for being evasive. So, for a modest fee, I provide journalist...

DATE: Apr 20, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Delta County a model for up-and-coming farmers, ranchers

In 1991, when Lee Bradley started farming near Paonia in the North Fork Valley of Colorado, he was hired to manage a fruit farm owned by the coal company, Cyprus Orchard Valley Coal Corp. Mi...

DATE: Apr 18, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Latinas lead abortion-access fight

As we brace for a decision from the Supreme Court, which will likely upend Roe v. Wade and reduce abortion access for half the country, some states are passing copycat bills like the six-wee...

DATE: Apr 15, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Many solutions to combat climate change

We have faced unprecedented threats and disruptions in the past few years. Nothing feels stable or predictable anymore. We’ve learned to be resilient instead. That will help us solve the cha...

DATE: Apr 11, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Bipartisan work in action with co-sponsored bills

We often hear about bipartisan work in government, and although it sounds good, we wonder if it really happens. I cannot guarantee it occurs at the federal level, but in Colorado, it does. I...

DATE: Apr 10, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Fort Lewis College football takes on Arizona ChristianFLC drops first game of 2022, 52-12

FLC drops first game of 2022, 52-12

Pride parade and festival

Photos: Family fun at the La Plata County Fair

La Plata County Fair is off and running

La Plata County Fair schedule of eventsThursday8:30 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA breeding swine, market swine. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.9 a.m.: Judging open class home economics, horticulture, floriculture, creative arts.9 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA and open class fleeces.9 a.m.: 4-H poultry judging followed by open class.1 p.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA goat show, all classes followed by open class goat.5 p.m.: Fair Royalty speeches and modeling.7 p.m.: Talent contest, patio.7 p.m.: Livestock verification swine, poultry, goat, general project cards due.

Friday9 a.m.-8 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.9 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA rabbits.10 a.m.: 4-H/FFA breeding beef, beef showmanship.1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA market beef, grand champion and reserve grand champion market beef, champion selection.2 p.m.: Dairy cattle, all classes.3:15 p.m.: Pee wee showmanship.4 p.m.: 4-H/FFA livestock round robin, all-around showmanship.7 p.m.: Asleep at the Wheel concert.7 p.m.: Livestock sale verification rabbit and beef cards due.

Saturday9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public. 9 a.m.: 4-H dog show.9 a.m.: Judging open class beef all classes.10 a.m.: Rooster crowing contest.10 a.m.: FFA showmanship.11 a.m.: Open class dairy cattle, all classes.12 p.m.: Demolition Derby.12-4 p.m.: Community 4-H barbecue cook off (senior center lawn).2 p.m.: Rabbit costume contest.2 p.m.: Poultry costume contest.5 p.m.: Silver steaks, silver loin and silver chop award presentation.5:45 p.m.: Fair Royalty crowning.6 p.m.: Junior livestock sale pavilion.9 p.m.-midnight: Fair family dance.

Sunday8 a.m.: Cowboy church. 8 a.m.: Carcass animals loaded.9 a.m.- 2 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.1:30 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Catch-It contest.2-3 p.m.: Payment of premiums. 2-3 p.m.: Exhibits released in all departments. 2-5 p.m.: Booths taken down.2-5 p.m.: Poultry and rabbit exhibits released.2 p.m.: Animals released.Beer garden is open Thursday through Saturday.

La Plata County Fair schedule of events Thursday 8:30 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA breeding s...

Patriotic drone show unfolds above Durango’s night skyAbout 1,200 people watched production from city Transit Center

One hundred forty drones took to the skies above Greenmount Cemetery at 10 p.m. sharp Saturday in a glowing and patriotic spectacle featuring vibrant images colored red, white and blue against the black backdrop of night.About 1,200 people gathered Saturday at the Durango Transit Center to watch the city’s premiere drone show produced by Verge Aero after a street dance and band performance by McCurry Trio and Desert Child for Independence Day celebrations.Spectators were treated to drone depictions of the American flag, star patterns, a soaring bald eagle and a homage to the city with drones flying in formation to spell out “Durango” to close out the street dance that started at 6 p.m. Across the valley from Greenmount Cemetery, the headlights of cars shined from Rim Drive near Fort Lewis College where more spectators watched.

Ellen Babers, Durango community events administrator, said the show went well. She heard “Ooh’s” and “ah’s” from the crowd when the drones transitioned from one image to another.She said a segment that consisted of stars rotating at various intervals, shrinking into smaller stars before expanding into the shape of a larger star, appeared to be a crowd favorite.“People really liked the Durango part,” she said. “When it spelled out Durango, people seemed surprised. Like, ‘Oh, this isn’t just a generic show, this is about us.’”Other images included an outline of the continental United States, the letters “USA,” and a spinning globe shape that gave the drone show a 3D feel.

The drones were laid out earlier in the evening in a square grid, with each drone placed 4 feet apart. Peter Smiatek, pilot and designer of the drone show, worked with a crew of about six people, including volunteers. Saturday evening at Greenmount Cemetery where the drones launched and landed, Peter Smiatek, pilot and designer with Verge Aero, and his crew of about six people, including volunteers, had laid all the drones out on the grass in a square grid. Each drone was placed four feet apart. Smiatek synced the drones to a GPS and radio tower in preparation for the evening’s show. Six minutes before takeoff, a deer wandered straight past the drone grid, narrowly avoiding stepping on them.“That could have been a disaster,” Smiatek said as his crew scanned the nearby area with flashlights. No other deer were visible.Two minutes before takeoff, the crew’s portable generator shut off – out of gas.

“We have double secure power,” he said. “The generator fell off two minutes before the show started. It’s like Murphy’s law, anything that could happen will happen. So it’s best to be prepared.”During prep, the crew ran several tests with the drones. The drones shot up 3 to 4 meters, hovered for about one second and then dropped back to their designated grid space on the grass.

Smiatek worked from a makeshift command station where his laptop and transmission tower were perched.“The base station is the heart of the show,” he said. “It’s a computer and it’s a distribution system connected to radios and an antenna. And that’s it, basically. Very flexible and a good system.”Chris Lutts, vice president of sales at Verge Aero, said he thinks Durangoans enjoyed the performance. From Greenmount Cemetery, he could hear the cheers and whistles of the audience at the Durango Transit Center.“The people we’ve been working with have been great,” he said. “Clearly, the city enjoyed it, so that’s awesome. That’s why we do this. It’s no different than any other entertainment, man. You love that feedback. It’s validation that what you’re doing is something that people really like.”cburney@durangoherald.com