Pine River Times Opinion - The Durango Herald

Gardner desperate, support Udall

It is difficult to understand how a man can be seeking to serve us in the highest of public offices and yet tarnish the very same legacy of public service the current officeholder and his fa...

DATE: Oct 9, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Sales tax increase in Bayfield makes economic sense

OK, nobody likes to pay more taxes, but the fact of the matter is the Town of Bayfield's streets are deteriorating, and the town needs money to fix them. So the town is asking for a one-perc...

DATE: Oct 9, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Sean Smith would support the law

Two years ago, much of southern Colorado was on fire. Residents worked with fire departments to save homes and the lives of people and animals. After this, people who live in fear of their r...

DATE: Oct 9, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Farm Bureau urges 'no' vote on Prop 105

From the La Plata County Farm Bureau Colorado's statewide ballot will include Proposition 105. If passed, Proposition 105 will require Colorado foods made with genetically enginee...

DATE: Oct 9, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Earning your GED: why not today?

By Karen Edmonds Pine River Community Learning Center So, you dropped out of high school. Whether it was two months or 20 years ago, you're sure you've sealed your fat...

DATE: Oct 2, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

League of Women Voters holding candidate forum Oct. 9

The League of Women Voters invites all La Plata County residents to a forum for candidates for offices in La Plata County from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9 at the Durango City Council Chambe...

DATE: Oct 2, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

We know where J. Paul Brown stands

We are in support of J. Paul Brown as Colorado State Rep. for District 59. We have known and done business with J. Paul since he moved to Ignacio. Our children attended school together and t...

DATE: Oct 2, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Kansas reader likes her Times

I'm so happy you are still publishing your great little paper! I'm always delighted when it arrives in the mail. Keep up the good work!! If I was local I would love to...

DATE: Sep 25, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Wolves are howling in gratitude

Please accept our heartfelt appreciation for supporting the Wolfwood Refuge third annual Art Auction on Sept. 12. Your community support and generosity helps to manage the veterinary costs a...

DATE: Sep 25, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Today's edition has new look

Dear Readers, I'm sure you've noticed that today's paper has a new look. This is the result of our search for a solution to the rising production costs to newspapers across the na...

DATE: Sep 25, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Come join us this weekend!

Autumn is my favorite time of year. For 15 years, Bayfield Heritage Days and Sheep Trailing has kicked off fall with a fun, family event that welcomes both our locals and visitors...

DATE: Sep 25, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Will the real Duke Schirard please stand up?

For 19 years I had no beef with re-electing Duke Schirard, again and again and again. Quiet, dignified, invisible, all business - just the way I liked my sheriffs. Then last spri...

DATE: Sep 18, 2014 | CATEGORY: Opinion

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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

Reader-submitted photos of Halloween decorationsLast week, we asked readers to submit photos of their Halloween decorations or a neighbor’s decorations. We received dozens of photo submissions. We have selected some of the most spooky, elaborate and fun photos to share in this gallery. Enjoy!

Photos: FLC volleyball returns homeFort Lewis College volleyball took on Adams State University on Tuesday

Fort Lewis College volleyball took on Adams State University on Tuesday

Photos: Expert leathercrafter and collector estate sale near IgnacioItems belonging to the late Alex Pappas were auctioned for sale on Saturday

Items belonging to the late Alex Pappas were auctioned for sale on Saturday

Photos: Pro boxing in DurangoLegends on the Animas boxing showdown took place on Saturday

Legends on the Animas boxing showdown took place on Saturday

Gardner desperate, support Udall

Sales tax increase in Bayfield makes economic sense

Sean Smith would support the law

Farm Bureau urges 'no' vote on Prop 105

Earning your GED: why not today?

League of Women Voters holding candidate forum Oct. 9

We know where J. Paul Brown stands

Kansas reader likes her Times

Wolves are howling in gratitude

Today's edition has new look

Come join us this weekend!

Will the real Duke Schirard please stand up?

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