Devine: DACA recipients are our friends and neighbors, not criminals

Mary came to the U.S. with her mother when she was seven. Her mom worked in a ski resort hotel and could make more money as a maid there than at a job in Mexico. Mary has now graduated from ...

James: Here we are, back where we started

Hats, specifically Cowboy hats, been wearin’ ’em all my life. Started out with the little black, flat-crowned, flat-laced brim kids hat with a stampede string. I wore it proudly through my i...

Brown: Access to international trade critical for Colorado ranchers and farmers

If you live in Colorado, or if your business is touched in any way by any aspect of the agricultural industry, the ongoing national discussion about trade agreements and import tariffs shoul...

A gentleman and his fluffy little dog

There is an older gentleman who walks his small, fluffy black-and-white dog down Florida Road daily. Florida Road is part of my morning commute to work and has been for several y...

Article 21: Constitutional provisions governing recall elections must change

Wednesday at 4 p.m. is the deadline for organizers of the effort to recall La Plata County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt to turn in the additional 2,031 valid signatures, of the 7,505 needed, to...

We just want passable, safe sidewalks

The article ( Yes, there were people who spoke on both sides of the issue, but 25 people spoke in favor of the ordinance while only eight spoke against. So while the article quoted both sid...

School week: Day off not a substitute for adequate pay

On Friday, over 3,000 teachers from over a dozen school districts gathered at the Capitol to demand an increase in state funding for public education. One of the outcomes of inade...

Marbury: Another wonderful day in Durango; proud to call it home

Happy Spring! My answering machine says, “It’s another wonderful day in Durango and we’re lucky to live here.” I haven’t changed my opinion since 1974 when I first drove into Dura...

McLachlan: Listening and leading on education

This week has been a good one for schools and teachers. Last year, the governor signed my bill, HB 17-1003, to find solutions to Colorado’s educator shortage. We’re pushing forwa...

Grossman: Losing species to our expanding population

I learned about two sea creatures while vacationing this spring near Puerto Peñasco in Mexico. By coincidence, we were close to the home of these two endangered animals, at the n...

Champagne: Talking to teens about sex

Reality check. Your teens are probably having sex. You (and your teen) probably loathe the idea of having “the talk,” but it’s super important. Here are some things you need to k...

Gibbons: The opposite of supporting liberty

Our county is developing a land use code; it has met significant resistance from many people, including the La Plata Liberty Coalition. As a rancher, I share concern about government overrea...