Opinion Columns – The Durango Herald

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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

Transgender athletes: Solution balances fairness, inclusion

Perhaps the most controversial issue in sport today is that of the inclusion or exclusion of transgender athletes. Transgender athletes are not new. One of the earliest high-profile transgen...

DATE: Apr 8, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Tax credits mean better health for families

The connection between public health and tax returns may not be obvious at first. In 2021, through the passage of the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration expanded the Child Tax Cr...

DATE: Apr 6, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Rural Colorado needs more livestock support

Many Coloradans will recall November 2020 when just over half of voters approved the reintroduction of gray wolves west of the Continental Divide. While many who voted in favor of this topic...

DATE: Apr 6, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

COVID-19 created multiple tragedies

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated tragedy in at least four ways. The first and most obvious tragedy is the loss of human lives. The confirmed global death toll of 6 million grossly underco...

DATE: Apr 1, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Knowing Ukrainian refugees makes war much more personal

“We believe that widespread, effective and voluntary use of medically sound and individually acceptable birth control is an essential factor in any humane design to raise world living standa...

DATE: Mar 26, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

A tale of two Western counties – Delta, Montrose

Why would rural Delta County say no to a solar farm that would enrich the county by $13 million over 15 years, at about the same time neighboring Montrose County said yes to a solar farm tha...

DATE: Mar 21, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Ute tribes contribute to meaningful legislation

The Southern Utes and Ute Mountain Utes are the only two federally recognized tribes in Colorado. Tribal members have been working with us in the General Assembly this year to craft meaningf...

DATE: Mar 19, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Protect Medicare: Fight plan to code high, treat low

Medicare was enacted in 1965 after a fierce fight with doctors and the health industry. The same fears of socialized medicine and rationed care were shouted in 1965 as they are today. Fifty...

DATE: Mar 16, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Let’s not squander the miracle of Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park turns 150 years old this month – a milestone truly worth celebrating. When Westerners think of Yellowstone, probably what comes to mind are its grizzlies, exploding...

DATE: Mar 13, 2022 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Career polygamy: The new way to work

My daughter recently encountered a disturbing issue at her place of employment that I did not know was out there. She is the vice president of people operations at a tech startup. One of he...

DATE: Mar 11, 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