Editorials - The Durango Herald

Whitewater Park: Additional work on the rapids at Santa Rita improves the home-town river run

One year ago this week, we published an editorial that questioned the wisdom of the city’s work on the Durango Whitewater Park. That project produced a revised and challenging entrance to th...

DATE: May 14, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Chilcoat and Franklin: Prosecute criminal acts, if any, not identity politics

Environmental activist Rose Chilcoat and her husband, Mark Franklin, go to court this month to answer felony charges related to closing a corral gate on a federal grazing lease in San Juan C...

DATE: May 12, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Local music: First Katzin, now Southwest Sound? Throw your support behind Stillwater

To some, 2018 feels like – to paraphrase the refrain from Don McLean’s 1971 classic “American Pie” – the year the music died. Soon after the March news that Katzin Music was clos...

DATE: May 10, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Voting by district: For better government, avoiding further divisiveness, the legislature voted right

La Plata Electric Association members have a few more days to drop off their ballots at a couple of locations in Durango and Bayfield, or at the La Plata County Clerk’s office (do not involv...

DATE: May 9, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Attracting teachers: Rep. Barbara McLachlan has several proposals that are on the right track

There are numerous techniques to increase the number of pre K-12 teachers for Colorado’s schools, and State Rep. Barbara McLachlan (D-Durango) has created some imaginative ones. The Durango ...

DATE: May 7, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

LPEA election: Experience gives incumbents the edge as local utility evolves

Two of the three challengers in this year’s La Plata Electric Association board elections for La Plata County are firm advocates for researching the economics of a major move from fossil fue...

DATE: May 5, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

General Assembly: Funding solutions will likely depend on voters

How to provide long overdue funding to improve the state’s highways has come down to the final few days of the legislative session, with no agreement between the political parties. Republica...

DATE: May 5, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Gettin’ Gordie: One good example of many worthy local crowdfunding appeals

A site search for “Durango, CO” on the crowdfunding site GoFundMe recently returned more than 450 campaigns with Durango connections, most of them directly involving our friends and neighbo...

DATE: May 4, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Energy leases: Let’s hold back some of our last best places

In March, the Bureau of Land Management sold oil and gas leases on parcels totaling 51,400 acres in southeast Utah, including some near Hovenweep National Monument. That’s welcome...

DATE: May 2, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

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...

DATE: Apr 30, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

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...

DATE: Apr 28, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials

LPEA bylaws: Proposed changes bring co-op into the 21st century, improve representation

In addition to four contested seats in the current La Plata Electric Association’s election, there are 10 questions pertaining to the co-op’s bylaws. All were unanimously approved...

DATE: Apr 27, 2018 | CATEGORY: Editorials