Columnists - The Durango Herald

Neighbors: Volunteers of America shares it successes

By Ann Butler Neighbors Columnist It would be easy to look at the Durango Community Shelter or the Southwest Safehouse simply as safe roofs over the heads of people in...

DATE: Nov 9, 2016 | CATEGORY: Neighbors

Want to change your habits in 2017? Start now

I love new beginnings. They give me the chance to wipe my personal slate clean and get a fresh start. Sure, I can’t undo my past or my blunders, but understanding where and why I ...

DATE: Nov 8, 2016 | CATEGORY: Money Savvy

Building a foundation of success with character

As a public school district, we hold a great deal of responsibility for ensuring that we adequately prepare our students for success after they leave our pre-K-12 system. While ...

DATE: Nov 8, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

On U.S. Highway 550/160, two mile markers miss by a mile

I go past mileposts 87 and 88 frequently while driving or riding my bike on U.S. Highway 550/160 near Home Depot. One day it occurred to me that they were not a mile apart. In repeated measu...

DATE: Nov 6, 2016 | CATEGORY: Action Line

Fluoridated water integral to everybody’s health

Just when you think you’ve recovered from the sugar crash of Halloween, the parade of pumpkin pies, sweet potato casserole and cranberry dressing show up to prolong your sweetened holiday st...

DATE: Nov 5, 2016 | CATEGORY: Creating Community

It takes all of us to keep high school graduation rates up

Great news – the high school graduation rate in the United States has risen again! It is at an all-time high of 83.2 percent (U.S. Department of Education), and an analysis of pe...

DATE: Nov 5, 2016 | CATEGORY: Creating Community

Fourth term for FDR as war dragged on

One of the big questions of the day was President Roosevelt running for yet another term. He had already passed what had been the understood as the traditional two-term limit. No...

DATE: Nov 5, 2016 | CATEGORY: Duane Smith

A love letter to a long-gone presidential campaign

I arrived in rural, Southwest Colorado in 2008. Straight away, I was thrown into intensive campaign field organizer training. Storytelling was central to training as an organizer. ...

DATE: Nov 5, 2016 | CATEGORY: From the Mayor

Innocence lost: 57 silent years is too many

Pre-election coverage has left me with headaches, a queasy stomach and unexpected jags of tears. I know why: weeks of sexual harassment allegations, accusations, denial and excus...

DATE: Nov 5, 2016 | CATEGORY: From our Congressman

Our empowered community invests in itself

She watched with amazement as the hand opened and closed on its own. It sounds like the beginning of a spooky tale with Halloween near, but in reality, it happened at the incredi...

DATE: Nov 5, 2016 | CATEGORY: From the Mayor

Fort Lewis College offers up feast for ears and eyes

I can’t believe how quickly this semester is flying by and that November is here. Although thoughts of Thanksgiving break are looming at Fort Lewis College, we have a feast of wonderful item...

DATE: Nov 3, 2016 | CATEGORY: View from the Fort

‘Into the Inferno’ Herzog’s cultural, philosophical take on volcanoes

“Into the Inferno,” a new documentary by Werner Herzog, features something that many science-themed documentaries lack – humanity. Don’t get me wrong – series like “Cosmos” do a m...

DATE: Nov 3, 2016 | CATEGORY: Swimming Against the Stream