Opinion &#038; Letters to the Editor

Honoring Diné weaving traditions and supporting Southwest Indigenous communities

As a born and raised Durango resident now back in retirement, I’ve long admired Jackson Clark’s dedication to preserving Indigenous…

May 2, 2025

Editorials

Our view: 50 years later

Vietnam still lingers At the end of World War II, the fear was that Communism was becoming a worldwide threat…

April 30, 2025

Appreciate Allen Best, column framing off

Allen Best’s columns are, in my opinion, a rich and trustworthy source of information. I appreciate his work, though I…

April 30, 2025

A founding ancestor and La Plata Electric

My grandfather Alva Short homesteaded on the lower Florida Mesa in 1900. He and my grandmother, Belle, initially lived in…

Tri-State is sinking in debt, better jump now

In choosing the next LPEA directors, we need to agree on some basic facts. First, our long-term power provider, Tri-State,…

Stop the lies, corruption and contempt

Our government is snatching and disappearing people. Our government is cutting people off from their livelihoods and depriving us of…

Trump is establishing a Kingdom

Power grabbing is standard fare for an authoritarian government: – impounding congressionally-appropriated funds at numerous federal agencies, in violation of…

LPEA needs forward thinking board members

The election for the LPEA Board is a chance to move forward. The difference between the candidates’ positions is related…

Take down the racist Chief statue

Let’s be clear: The Chief statue in downtown Durango is racist. It’s not art. It’s a caricature that mocks Native…

Reelect LPEA directors who have delivered results

After years of careful planning, La Plata Electric Association is finally on the verge of delivering the affordable and reliable…

Don’t open the gate for the RV Resort

I’m very aware of the location for the RV resort because I passed that area for 30 years on the…

FLC got it exactly wrong

Concerning the recent controversy involving gallery owner Jackson Clark and Native American activists, Fort Lewis got it exactly wrong and…

Hardly great, Trump and Hurd are hurting America

Trump and Hurd want to make America a third-world economy. Trump and Hurd are severing long time, mutually beneficial economic…

Return to compassion and decency

We are leaders of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango’s ‘Preserve Democracy’ team. We have 30+ members, all deeply disturbed…

Witchel has the skills McKnight seeks

As District 4 members prepare to vote for the LPEA Board of Directors, it’s crucial to consider the candidates’ experience…

April 25, 2025

Vote Barber for leadership, fiscal responsibility

I’ve been an LPEA member for 33 years and think it is important to have directors who know the utility…

April 25, 2025

Be aware, be informed

All citizens should read and watch all variety of news outlets. Do not listen to, or read, one news outlet.…

What happens to LPEA capital credits?

As a member-owner of Tri-State, LPEA receives annual capital credit allocations – a share of Tri-State’s profits based on how…

Metzler, Lewandowski and Witchel for LPEA

Roughly 25 years ago, I attended my first LPEA annual meeting, and the keynote speaker from Tri-State gave a talk…

Missed the mark by a mile

Whether I agree with a Herald editorial or not, there is generally a thoughtful basis for the writer’s point of…

Vallecito, a great source of local power

The Vallecito hydro plant could be providing over 18,000,000 kWHs of clean, reliable power to La Plata Electric Association every…

You calling me a ‘Commie’?

When did Republicans have the “come to Jesus” moment that the American worker needs help? Years of stagnate wages, union…

Keep LPEA strong – Vote Witchel and Lewandowski

Southwest Colorado has never been the easiest place to live, and I can’t say it’s getting easier. Last thing we…

Concerned about La Plata Electric Association spending

As an LPEA member and ratepayer, I’m concerned about where our co-op is headed financially. While LPEA leadership talks about…

Icing over the other part of Chapman

As another winter draws to a close, there has been plenty of talk about the Chapman ski hill improvements this…

Editorials

Our view: Shorter run-ups, please

They’re off to the races. We wish it were not so soon. For term-limited Jared Polis’ seat, we’re aware of…

How to fix our black bear problem

Black bears were here before any of us were. At first, I had problems with them getting into our kitchen…

Leaving Tri-State is smart

LPEA’s decision to exit its contract with Tri-State next year was driven by a desire for more affordable and more…