Regional News - The Durango Herald

Colorado’s low inflation rate unchanged, still lower than the rest of the U.S.

Prices in Colorado were mostly flat last month as the state’s inflation continues to run lower than in the rest of the United States. Prices in the Denver metro area – which is the Colorado ...

DATE: Oct 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Teenager identified as human remains found in freezer near Grand Junction

Investigators have identified the person whose head and hands were found in a freezer left behind by the previous occupants of a home near Grand Junction. The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office id...

DATE: Oct 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Donald Trump, exaggerating about crime, visits Aurora

Former president used Colorado as a prop to attack Democrats on immigration

DATE: Oct 11, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Donald Trump seizes on one block in Aurora to warn of a migrant crime threat

City’s crime rate has been declining

DATE: Oct 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

12 rescued from former gold mine where elevator mishap killed 1 person

Those trapped were in good spirits, given pizza after being freed

DATE: Oct 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Blotter, Tuesday, Oct. 8

Durango Police Department Tuesday 8:18 a.m. A man passed out and couldn’t be woken in the 600 block of Main Avenue. 1:13 p.m. A man groped an employee as he was walking in south City...

DATE: Oct 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Blotter, Oct. 3-7

Durango Police Department Monday 7:50 a.m. The traffic signal at Main Avenue and 32nd Street appeared to be malfunctioning. 8:45 a.m. Two men were fighting, and at least one of the ...

DATE: Oct 8, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Donald Trump will hold rally in Aurora on Friday

He will speak at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center at 1 p.m.

DATE: Oct 7, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado patient advocates call for action on ‘hidden’ hospital fees after state report’s release

Colorado health care consumers and their insurers paid about $13.4 billion in facility fees between 2017 and 2022, according to a legislatively-required state report released last week. The ...

DATE: Oct 6, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

CPW looking for fifth wolf pup left behind in capture

26 groups want CPW to put off any more wolf releases until they address concerns

DATE: Oct 4, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years behind bars

Judge says ‘prison is the only place’ for former election official, who remained defiant

DATE: Oct 3, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado clerks look to livestreaming for ballot box transparency

El Paso County spent close to $200k on technology last year

DATE: Oct 3, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

‹ Prev
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Next ›

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

Colorado’s low inflation rate unchanged, still lower than the rest of the U.S.

Teenager identified as human remains found in freezer near Grand Junction

Donald Trump, exaggerating about crime, visits Aurora

Donald Trump seizes on one block in Aurora to warn of a migrant crime threat

12 rescued from former gold mine where elevator mishap killed 1 person

The Blotter, Tuesday, Oct. 8

The Blotter, Oct. 3-7

Donald Trump will hold rally in Aurora on Friday

Colorado patient advocates call for action on ‘hidden’ hospital fees after state report’s release

CPW looking for fifth wolf pup left behind in capture

Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years behind bars

Colorado clerks look to livestreaming for ballot box transparency

Videos & Photos

Search Directory Plus

Most Popular

Most Recent

Ballantine Communications, Inc.

Contact Us

Find Us