Election - The Durango Herald

Proponents of 8 proposed Colorado ballot measures fail to turn in signatures

Many of proposals that failed Monday were being pursued by conservative activists

DATE: Aug 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Tina Peters trial Day 3: Man at core of identity theft allegations tells his story

Gerald Wood said a security badge was made in his name

DATE: Aug 2, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

CD-3 candidate Jeff Hurd among ‘Young Guns’ to receive national funding

Colorado Republican’s campaign gears up for final stretch into November

DATE: Aug 2, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Trial begins for former elections clerk accused of tampering with voting machines

Hearings may provide deeper look into efforts by some Trump supporters to investigate stolen election claims

DATE: Jul 31, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado’s Adam Frisch wants to refocus on CD-3, not presidential race shake-up

Democratic candidate for U.S. House sees his independence as a winning ticket

DATE: Jul 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

In Colorado Senate District 6, national party steps in to boost Democratic challenger

Committee views race as one of most competitive in the state, with opportunity for flipping

DATE: Jul 24, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

La Plata County commissioners urge discourse, trust in democratic process

Succinct letter was drafted in response to attempt on Trump’s life

DATE: Jul 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

It’s official: Larry Don Suckla wins GOP primary by 3 votes in District 58 House race

U.S. Postal Service failed to deliver 376 ballots in an area that heavily favored by eventual winner

DATE: Jul 23, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Key Colorado Democrats react to Biden withdrawing from presidential run

Gov. Jared Polis, senators endorse Harris as new nominee

DATE: Jul 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Biden drops out of 2024 race after disastrous debate inflamed age concerns. VP Harris gets his nod

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection following a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised do...

DATE: Jul 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Hundreds of ballots never reached voters in Dolores County; race may be decided by three votes

Colorado election official says county clerk appeared to be aware of problem, but did not report it

DATE: Jul 17, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

City of Durango to pursue 2005 sales tax extension this November

Councilors have until September to approve ballot language

DATE: Jul 17, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

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Photos: Running up an appetite on Thanksgiving

Photos: Durango High School footballDHS football takes a loss in the second round of playoffs

DHS football takes a loss in the second round of playoffs

Photos: Veterans Day Parade on Main Avenue in Durango

Photos: Fort Lewis College football defeats NM HighlandsFLC wins its last home game of the season against New Mexico Highlands on Saturday at FLC

FLC wins its last home game of the season against New Mexico Highlands on Saturday at FLC

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

Proponents of 8 proposed Colorado ballot measures fail to turn in signatures

Tina Peters trial Day 3: Man at core of identity theft allegations tells his story

CD-3 candidate Jeff Hurd among ‘Young Guns’ to receive national funding

Trial begins for former elections clerk accused of tampering with voting machines

Colorado’s Adam Frisch wants to refocus on CD-3, not presidential race shake-up

In Colorado Senate District 6, national party steps in to boost Democratic challenger

La Plata County commissioners urge discourse, trust in democratic process

It’s official: Larry Don Suckla wins GOP primary by 3 votes in District 58 House race

Key Colorado Democrats react to Biden withdrawing from presidential run

Biden drops out of 2024 race after disastrous debate inflamed age concerns. VP Harris gets his nod

Hundreds of ballots never reached voters in Dolores County; race may be decided by three votes

City of Durango to pursue 2005 sales tax extension this November

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