Opinion & Letters to the Editor

Results over rhetoric on the Western Slope
Letters to the Editor

Results over rhetoric on the Western Slope

May 27, 2026

As residents of the Roaring Fork Valley, we are fortunate to live in a region defined by an independent spirit. From the banks of the Crystal River to the peaks…

Beware politicians posing as false prophets
Letters to the Editor

Beware politicians posing as false prophets

May 27, 2026

What is a grifter, or a charlatan? Is it a person who professes to have knowledge, intellect or experience that they do not actually possess? In plain speak, a person…

Make the Chapman Hill roundabout safer
Letters to the Editor

Make the Chapman Hill roundabout safer

May 27, 2026

Another “Endurance” cyclist statue bites the dust. Is it a freak occurrence, or is there a problem with the design of the traffic circle? I drive through that circle daily.…

Stream debate is about trespass rights
Opinion

Stream debate is about trespass rights

May 27, 2026

Cody M. Perry’s column, “Colorado lawmakers keep dodging debate over public stream access rights,” is disingenuous at best (Herald, May 15). His references to “right-to-float” laws are a red herring.…

Electric cars make sense for drivers, planet
Letters to the Editor

Electric cars make sense for drivers, planet

May 25, 2026

As communities across the country grapple with rising fuel costs, air pollution, and the growing impacts of global warming, one solution is becoming increasingly clear: the widespread adoption of electric…

School tech policy needs a parent-driven update
Letters to the Editor

School tech policy needs a parent-driven update

May 25, 2026

It takes a fair amount of time to read the “Student internet and Electronic Mail Acceptable Use Policy” before registering kids for school in the Durango School District. That is…

Paint the roundabout, save the sculptures
Letters to the Editor

Paint the roundabout, save the sculptures

May 25, 2026

I’ve been thinking about this suggestion for a couple of weeks, and if I had followed through earlier maybe the latest wreck on the Chapman Hill roundabout wouldn’t have happened.…

Kip Koso has the skills to lead
Letters to the Editor

Kip Koso has the skills to lead

May 25, 2026

I had the honor to work with Kip Koso for years on the Local First Board of Directors. His leadership during my term was exemplary. He has the patience and…

Dog left in hot car, city slow to respond
Letters to the Editor

Dog left in hot car, city slow to respond

May 22, 2026

On May 9, I reported a dog locked in a hot car. I had to leave the scene but trusted that police would promptly respond. Thirty-eight minutes later, I received…

Fossil fuels, solar must coexist for now
Letters to the Editor

Fossil fuels, solar must coexist for now

May 22, 2026

In a recent letter, “Affordable energy requires honest accounting” (Herald, May 6), the author made interesting arguments regarding the debate over fossil fuels vs. solar and wind energy. However, the…

Council’s power play undermines public trust
Letters to the Editor

Council’s power play undermines public trust

May 22, 2026

Honest and transparent communication is essential for public servants. It takes hubris and hypocrisy, then, for city council members to quietly orchestrate behind closed doors the sidelining of a colleague…

Support, don’t shortchange, local nonprofits
Letters to the Editor

Support, don’t shortchange, local nonprofits

May 22, 2026

Thank you, Briggen Wrinkle, for your well-reasoned article about what we think we know about nonprofits (Herald, May 1). Having spent much of the past 40 years creating, leading, supporting…

Who is behind the Code Rights Project?
Letters to the Editor

Who is behind the Code Rights Project?

May 22, 2026

In 1980, I arrived in La Plata County to begin a new chapter as CEO of Burns National Bank (currently Bank of Colorado). Our core lending was in business, construction…

Prison needs better management, not expansion
Letters to the Editor

Prison needs better management, not expansion

May 22, 2026

One April 17, the Herald reported Gov. Jared Polis’ lament for a new prison. He is wrong. What we need is competent management. Over the past two decades, we’ve been…

Taxpayers should not fund Trump’s ballroom
Letters to the Editor

Taxpayers should not fund Trump’s ballroom

May 22, 2026

When President Donald Trump went on his destructive East Wing rampage, he reassured an anxious nation that his ballroom would not be paid for with $400 million in tax dollars…

Dougherty most prepared at AG debate
Letters to the Editor

Dougherty most prepared at AG debate

May 20, 2026

During the May 7 attorney general debate in Denver, I quickly observed that the responsibilities facing the next attorney general will be as serious as a heart attack, but only…

Executive experience matters in governor’s race
Letters to the Editor

Executive experience matters in governor’s race

May 20, 2026

There’s a writer on Substack, David Thielen, who explained the upcoming June primary decision for Colorado governor this way: “This race isn’t about ideology – it’s about competence. … On…

Colorado wolf recovery shows encouraging signs
Letters to the Editor

Colorado wolf recovery shows encouraging signs

May 20, 2026

After a challenging third year in Colorado’s citizen-initiated program to restore the gray wolf, some good news has finally arrived – particularly regarding the high number of pups that have…

Lot F should benefit the broader community
Letters to the Editor

Lot F should benefit the broader community

May 18, 2026

As the new Head Start nears completion, the question is how Lot F, the site of the old Head Start, will be used. This is a city-owned lot, and there…

Jodi Zuber brings trusted leadership experience
Letters to the Editor

Jodi Zuber brings trusted leadership experience

May 18, 2026

Jodi Zuber cares deeply about our community, and that is one of the many reasons I am proud to support her for the LPEA Board of Directors. I have known…