Opinion & Letters to the Editor

Troupe 1096 forces Durango to face the truth
Letters to the Editor

Troupe 1096 forces Durango to face the truth

March 4, 2026

I recently saw Troupe 1096’s production of “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” at Durango High School. I encourage everyone to go see it – and to hold its heaviness…

Naomi Riess will stand for rural Colorado
Opinion

Naomi Riess will stand for rural Colorado

March 1, 2026

As a lifelong farmer and rancher in Southwest Colorado, and as someone who proudly served as the representative for House District 59, I understand the importance of strong, principled leadership…

Oil leases put profits before people
Letters to the Editor

Oil leases put profits before people

March 1, 2026

The Marshall Fire: $2 billion in losses. Cameron Peak: $127 million suppression. Yet the BLM is proposing the largest Colorado lease sale since 2018 – 103 parcels, 72,848 acres, including…

Rating Trump’s drift toward autocracy
Letters to the Editor

Rating Trump’s drift toward autocracy

March 1, 2026

The New York Times editorial board recently published an index tracking 12 categories of democratic erosion, based on historical patterns and interviews with experts. The index places the United States…

Retaliation is not leadership
Letters to the Editor

Retaliation is not leadership

March 1, 2026

I haven’t written a letter to the editor in a while because my loving wife says I sometimes get carried away. But I can’t just sit back and watch what…

Putin, please kidnap our president
Letters to the Editor

Putin, please kidnap our president

March 1, 2026

In light of the recent kidnapping of a president of a sovereign nation, the murdering of innocent fishing people, the stealing of oil properties and, most of all, the general…

Call to reprimand city attorney
Letters to the Editor

Call to reprimand city attorney

March 1, 2026

An open letter to Mayor Yazzie and members of the Durango City Council: I write to formally request that the City Council issue a written reprimand of City Attorney Mark…

Financial cost of ICE
Letters to the Editor

Financial cost of ICE

February 25, 2026

The cost to U.S. Homeland Security for ICE activities in Minneapolis is conservatively estimated to be about $18 million a week; for 10 weeks, it’s $180 million (from: USAspending.gov.agency). Minneapolis…

What’s not OK for Colorado OK for Minnesota?
Letters to the Editor

What’s not OK for Colorado OK for Minnesota?

February 25, 2026

Rep. Jeff Hurd voted to overturn protections of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota and open them up to potential mining. He has talked about the importance of…

Nuclear power and AI: We need new approach
Letters to the Editor

Nuclear power and AI: We need new approach

February 25, 2026

After the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear disasters, I felt surely we would not favor building more nuclear reactors, but now I see the nuclear industry touting a fleet of small…

Property tax increases are unsustainable
Letters to the Editor

Property tax increases are unsustainable

February 22, 2026

I am watching as New Yorkers are protesting and outraged over a proposed 9.5% property tax increase being pushed by their commie Mayor Mamdani. At the same time here in…

Let judges vote for the attorney general
Letters to the Editor

Let judges vote for the attorney general

February 22, 2026

Over the years, the DOJ has expanded to include the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Prisons and Department of National Security as well as the attorneys for…

A zeitgeist of absurdity
Letters to the Editor

A zeitgeist of absurdity

February 22, 2026

Stephen Colbert and his right to free speech is in the news again, which is appropriate because the best choice for seeing what is happening in our country and the…

Religion revisited
Letters to the Editor

Religion revisited

February 22, 2026

Who better than Donald J. Trump to lead the Christian Revivalist sector of the MAGA movement bent on religionating our government? Who better to infuse our government with a sense…

Huge increase in property taxes
Letters to the Editor

Huge increase in property taxes

February 20, 2026

I am not going to begin this letter by writing all the ways in which I “understand” why things rise in price. But I am going to say that after…

Required curriculum for aspiring politicians
Letters to the Editor

Required curriculum for aspiring politicians

February 20, 2026

The following political teachings are required to all people who desire to enter into politics. They are not listed in any particular order of priority as all are required for…

The ‘chess move’ that sold out Colorado
Opinion

The ‘chess move’ that sold out Colorado

February 20, 2026

This is how freshman Congressman Jeff Hurd’s campaign is trying to explain away his vote to continue Obamacare subsidies for three more years: “This is a chess move … playing…

A fire district’s culture of intimidation
Opinion

A fire district’s culture of intimidation

February 18, 2026

Lt. Ron Bakken, EMS coordinator for the FLMFPD, was one of the most capable and professional leaders this district has ever seen. Ron single-handedly saved the district from losing its…

Honoring the Perrys, supporting local journalism
Letters to the Editor

Honoring the Perrys, supporting local journalism

February 18, 2026

Recently, O.D. Perry celebrated his 90th birthday. His family hosted a party. I was unable to attend. Yet, I would like to celebrate O.D. and Betty Perry. Now retired, they…

Transparency shouldn’t be a luxury
Letters to the Editor

Transparency shouldn’t be a luxury

February 18, 2026

I care about local government working well, openly, accurately and with collaboration between jurisdictions. As someone who served as a Bayfield town trustee and mayor pro tem for seven years…

Practice kindness at Senior Center exit
Letters to the Editor

Practice kindness at Senior Center exit

February 15, 2026

When I read Jim Cross’ opinion column, “Durango’s growing disrespect for seniors: From health care to dark chocolate,” (Herald, Jan. 9) I thought of an additional point worth writing about.…

Trump’s ICE agents cross the line
Letters to the Editor

Trump’s ICE agents cross the line

February 15, 2026

When our president sanctions his ICE agents to murder American citizens in our streets, we know something has gone terribly wrong. We must never surrender to this corrupt administration. We…

Protect mail-in voting and voting rights
Letters to the Editor

Protect mail-in voting and voting rights

February 15, 2026

Rather than focusing on addressing the affordability issues Americans are facing, the Republican majority in Congress has instead decided to focus on dubious claims about election fraud and voting rights.…

Who are the good guys?
Letters to the Editor

Who are the good guys?

February 15, 2026

The only thing that will protect us from bad guys with a gun, are good guys with a gun. A common Second Amendment interpretation encouraging more citizens to carry guns…