Litigation - The Durango Herald

Second class-action lawsuit filed against former La Plata County Jail commander

18 victims seek damages, changes to strip-search policies

DATE: Sep 5, 2025 | CATEGORY: Local News

Equity and inclusion complaints submitted against Durango School District

Nonprofit alleges discrimination against white students, parents and employees

DATE: Aug 21, 2025 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado AG asks court to dismiss Tina Peters’ habeas corpus petition

The former election clerk is serving a nine-year prison sentence

DATE: Aug 18, 2025 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Victims file class action lawsuit against jail commander accused of viewing strip-search videos

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office also named as defendant

DATE: Aug 15, 2025 | CATEGORY: Local News

Business owner says city of Durango responsible for damage from sewage backup

Councilors discuss potential litigation in executive session

DATE: Aug 12, 2025 | CATEGORY: Local News

Family of inmate who died in La Plata County Jail files lawsuit

Parents say nurses, deputies ignored man’s pleas for 15 hours

DATE: Jul 21, 2025 | CATEGORY: Local News

Settled in silence: How fire departments quietly put out legal fires

In recent years, Durango, Los Pinos and Upper Pine agencies have paid thousands to former employees

DATE: Jun 29, 2025 | CATEGORY: Local News

Judge blocks Polis from ordering certain state workers to hand over employment info to ICE

Court stopped short of prohibiting the governor from finding another way to comply with federal subpoena

DATE: Jun 25, 2025 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado so far wins favorable rulings in most of its lawsuits opposing Trump policies

Attorney General Phil Weiser has joined almost two dozen cases challenging executive actions

DATE: Jun 23, 2025 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Jury finds MyPillow founder defamed former employee for a leading voting equipment company

DENVER – A federal jury in Colorado on Monday found that one of the nation’s most prominent election conspiracy theorists, MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, defamed a former employee for a lead...

DATE: Jun 16, 2025 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Gov. Polis agrees to hold off on complying with ICE subpoena as whistleblower lawsuit plays out

Director of the state Division of Labor Standards and Statistics sued governor last week

DATE: Jun 10, 2025 | CATEGORY: Regional News

Colorado law requiring people buying guns to be 21 or older can stand, federal judge rules

Ruling by a U.S. district judge is a win for gun-control advocates

DATE: Jun 6, 2025 | CATEGORY: Regional News

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Photos: High County Cattle Auction

High Country Cattle Auction brings top-notch stock and country charm to Southwest ColoradoFamily run, generational business dates back to 1940s

BREEN – The family-owned and operated High Country Cattle Auction is “in the bones” of the Cugnini family, said third-generation owner Chris Cugnini. The business was founded by Chris’ grandfather, Pat Cugnini, in the 1940s. Pat then passed the business down to his son, Duane Cugnini, who then turned the business over to daughters, Becky Hawkins and Chris Cugnini, whose daughters plan to take over the family business one day. The auction, which takes place once or twice a month from April to January at 13062 La Plata Highway (Colorado Highway 140) near Breen, attracts ranchers, farmers and those in the cattle industry from far and wide.

Former Durango resident Steve Greenburg has been attending the High Country Cattle auction for more than 40 years, and continues to travel to Breen all the way from Arizona, where he now lives. He attended the September auction last week, where around 1,200 animals were up for sale. Greenburg said effective bidding takes concentration and a practiced hand. “You want to make sure you don’t pay too much,” he said. “And if you do, you want to buy the business.” Amber Belvin, employee of 15 years and Chris’ operations “sidekick,” said bidders are most often looking for signs of good health in an animal, like a plump, filled-out body. If bidding on a herd, a look of uniformity among the animals is key to a good purchase, she said.

Despite Greenburg already having a handful of filled out bidding cards marking the cattle he had won within an hour of the Sept. 23 auction, he said the day was young. One sale day last year culminated in Greenburg taking home 22 semi-trucks worth of cattle, he said. Chris said Greenburg is one of the auction’s longest-term and most generous supporters. “(Greenburg) pays top-dollar,” Chris said. “And (that) makes me feel good, because we’re giving back to (the sellers). I know these people around here, and they’re the hardest working people on the planet. If I can get them 10 or 20 cents more per pound, then that makes us happy.”

Cattle auction prices have gone up in recent years, both at High Country and nationally, Chris said. This year, animals are going for $2,500 to $3,000 a head – double and triple the average prices from last year. The increase, Chris said, is in part because of a screw worm making the rounds in cattle in Mexico, which has lowered the number of cattle coming in from the south, along with people subdividing and selling cattle branches, and local cattle herd numbers diminishing, which has increased demand.

Chris called the price increase “good and bad.” “It’s great if you’re a seller, because there’s prices that you’ve never seen before,” she said. “Older men come in, (and they) can’t believe the prices. Some of them do this for a living, and they count on that, so they’re so happy.” Belvin said some smaller farmers opt to buy less cattle during price surges like this, but echoed Chris’ sentiment about sellers being ecstatic about the unprecedented profit.

Local cattle farmer Lawrence Martinez entered 59 steers and 95 heifers in the auction Tuesday. Martinez has been involved in the High Country Cattle Auction “pretty much forever,” but recent years have been especially fruitful for sales, he said. “These last few years, we’ve been coming here to sell, because this is the place to go,” he said. “I wouldn’t sell anywhere else. (The market here has) been so good.”The auction’s community roots and generational touch doesn’t stop at the Cugnini family: Shane Hatch, the auctioneer, took over the job after his father’s death, Belvin said.

The auction serves as an opportunity for community members to get together and bond, Belvin said. “When we do have an auction, it’s a great place where local farmers and ranchers can get together and talk,” she said. “They come to the cafe, and they talk about the hay, and the drought situation, and I think it’s a good connecting point.” Chris and Belvin both expressed feeling glad the auction can supply so much generational value to the local farming and ranching community. “I mean, what other business can you think of around here that’s the same, right?” Belvin said. “We’re fair, and we’re very meticulous at our jobs. We take it very seriously, because this is (some peoples’) livelihood.”

For the Cugninis – and long-term employees like Belvin, who have become an honorary part of the close-knit High Country Cattle Auction family – the heart of the business aligns with the heart of the local farming and ranching community. “We’re just good, hard working people – Americans – that want to make a good living, and live off this great land,” Belvin said. epond@durangoherald.com

Family run, generational business dates back to 1940s

Photos: Ride with the Champions bike parade

Photos: Changing colors

Photos: Fort Lewis College Volleyball sweeps Black Hills StateSkyhawks off to best start since 2006

Skyhawks off to best start since 2006

Photos: Durango High School football takes on Piedra Vista High SchoolDemons’ defense dominates in 17-0 victory on Friday night

Demons’ defense dominates in 17-0 victory on Friday night

Skyhawks beat Lubbock Christian 2-1 in season opener on Thursday

Photos: Four Corners Motorcycle RallyLots of motorcycles and tattoos were on display on Saturday

Lots of motorcycles and tattoos were on display on Saturday

Photos: Four Corners Motorcycle Rally Rodeo

Photos: Durango High School football opens its seasonDemons lost 35-14 to Montrose at home on Friday night

Demons lost 35-14 to Montrose at home on Friday night

Second class-action lawsuit filed against former La Plata County Jail commander

Equity and inclusion complaints submitted against Durango School District

Colorado AG asks court to dismiss Tina Peters’ habeas corpus petition

Victims file class action lawsuit against jail commander accused of viewing strip-search videos

Business owner says city of Durango responsible for damage from sewage backup

Family of inmate who died in La Plata County Jail files lawsuit

Settled in silence: How fire departments quietly put out legal fires

Judge blocks Polis from ordering certain state workers to hand over employment info to ICE

Colorado so far wins favorable rulings in most of its lawsuits opposing Trump policies

Jury finds MyPillow founder defamed former employee for a leading voting equipment company

Gov. Polis agrees to hold off on complying with ICE subpoena as whistleblower lawsuit plays out

Colorado law requiring people buying guns to be 21 or older can stand, federal judge rules

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