Religion - The Durango Herald

First Southern Baptist Church of Durango to host Old Testament study

First Southern Baptist Church of Durango will begin a detailed study of the Old Testament book first Samuel at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the church’s Fellowship Hall, 1715 West Second Ave. ...

DATE: Aug 16, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Over 400 sex abuse lawsuits filed as litigation window opens

ALBANY, N.Y. – The Roman Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, schools and hospitals, the late financier Jeffrey Epstein are some of the targets named in a flurry of sex abuse lawsuits filed Wedn...

DATE: Aug 14, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Barbara Barnes of Durango elected as Catholic Daughters state officer

The Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court Saints Peter and Paul No. 2669, in Wheat Ridge, was the host for the 47th Biennial Colorado State Convention in June. New state offi...

DATE: Aug 14, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

First United Methodist Church to host back-to-school dinner

First United Methodist Church of Durango will host a “Back to School” connect barbecue potluck immediately after the 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, service at the church in the Fellowship Hall...

DATE: Aug 12, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

U.S. Christians hold diverse views on climate change

In their second round of debates, Democratic presidential candidates called for aggressive measures to slow climate change. As Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has said, “We are the first generati...

DATE: Aug 10, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Over 2 million Muslims in Mecca for start of hajj pilgrimage

MECCA, Saudi Arabia – More than 2 million pilgrims were gathered in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia on Friday to perform initial rites of the hajj, an Islamic pilgrimage that takes th...

DATE: Aug 9, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Love Out Loud – an interfaith collaborative – serves Durango community

Herald Staff Report Local interfaith group Love Out Loud spent a week serving the community in June. Members took to heart the Dalai Lama’s words: “It is not enough to ...

DATE: Aug 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

New massacres a jolt for clergy who coped with past attacks

As Americans reel from back-to-back massacres in Texas and Ohio, religious leaders who have experienced violence in their houses of worship are venting their anger at the persisting violence...

DATE: Aug 5, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Immigrants taking sanctuary in churches hit with huge fines

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Devotional candles to St. Jude, the Holy Trinity and the Virgin of Guadalupe sit on a bookshelf by the door of a classroom in a United Methodist church. A sewing machi...

DATE: Aug 3, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Clergy across U.S. mobilize to support migrants, asylum seekers

The prospect of a nationwide sweep of immigrants and asylum seekers has prompted legions of pastors, rabbis and their congregations across the United States to stand ready to help vulnerable...

DATE: Jul 28, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

St. Ignatius Church to host celebration Sunday

St. Ignatius Church will celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church, 15449 Highway 172, Ignacio. A Mass celebration at 10:30 a.m. will be fol...

DATE: Jul 26, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Durango Dharma Center to host retreat about cultivating active hope

The Durango Dharma Center will host a daylong retreat about cultivating active hope on Saturday, Aug. 3, at the center, 1800 East Third Ave. Visiting facilitator Della Z. Duncan ...

DATE: Jul 24, 2019 | CATEGORY: Religion

Photos: Wrestling at Durango High SchoolDurango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Durango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Photos: Where there's smoke there's firefightersDurango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Durango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Photos: Durango plays Montezuma-Cortez in boys, girls high school basketballDurango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Durango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Year in photos: A look back at Southwest Colorado in 2024Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is the people, their emotions, different cultures and varied forms of entertainment that make for impactful images. Add to that Southwest Colorado’s gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife and range of weather events, and you have the makings for stunning photos. We hope you enjoy Photo Editor Jerry McBride’s photos from 2024.

Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is...

Montezuma County DA Christian Hatfield charged with DWICharges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New MexicoMontezuma County District Attorney Christian Hatfield was charged Friday with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs 16 weeks after he crashed his SUV on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield.The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office charged Hatfield, 59, with petty misdemeanor charge of DWI and an open container in connection to the Aug. 30 single-car crash.The charges come after results from a blood test by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory showed alcohol and a drug in Hatfield’s body after the crash.

“The results show that at the time of the blood draw, which was approximately eleven hours after the time of the crash due to medical issues, were 0.05 g/100 ml of Ethanol and 0.04 mg/L of Zolpidem (Ambien). Both Ethanol and Ambien are Central Nervous System Depressants,” the law enforcement report states.Two vials of blood were taken from Hatfield at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 30, which was more than 12 hours after the crash occurred about 1 a.m. Those vials were received by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory at 10:26 a.m. Oct. 11, which was six weeks after the crash, according to records from the lab.An investigation into the blood warrant by The Journal newspaper in Cortez, Colorado, showed that the blood sample sat in a refrigerator at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office until Oct. 3, because paperwork to send it to the state laboratory was not processed.“I think it’s a non-prosecutable case because of all the errors made by law enforcement,” said Arlon Stoker, a high-profile defense attorney secured by Hatfield to fight the charges.

The charges made by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office are “based on the observations made by law enforcement officers on scene and the presence of intoxicating drugs and liquors in Christian's blood,” according to the report that was given to The Journal by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.Amanda Lavin, legal director for NMFOG, assisted The Journal in accessing public records from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in Aztec. The records had been redacted, leaving out Hatfield’s name and information about the blood warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.Public records requests by The Journal and the Tri-City Record went unresolved for 14 weeks.The Journal requested body camera footage and lapel camera video on Sept. 3.The Tri-City Record requested any and all warrants, investigative reports and laboratory reports as well as photos, lapel cam videos and dash cam videos on Oct. 23.On Dec. 9, Lavin made the same requests.

The Journal received access to photos and videos in an email on Dec. 19, and Lavin, after making a legal argument for unredacted information, received the full report Dec. 19 and was advised that charges would be forthcoming.The report detailing the crash states that Hatfield was found “unresponsive and barely able to stand” about 1 a.m. Aug. 30 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and County Road 5099.Investigators and medics noted a “pungent” odor of alcohol coming from Hatfield, and investigators found “an open 12-ounce can of Mexican Lager with residual liquid inside,” an “empty wine glass,” and a “bottle of Ambien prescribed to Christian,” according to the report.The affidavit for search warrant for blood submitted by sheriff’s deputy Avery Killifer states he had an “opinion that the defendant was driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance.” The deputy “placed the defendant under arrest” at the time, but Hatfield was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center, because of “extensive injuries.”A summons was issued for Hatfield, and an arraignment is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Charges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New Mexico