There’s an analogy that says democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting on what’s for dinner. This is especially true for sin taxes. The public believes it’s a…
As a small-business owner, I’ve seen firsthand how Matt Salka’s leadership has positively impacted our local business community. During his time as the mayor of Bayfield, Matt worked tirelessly to…
The title of Mike Littwin’s Opinion page article in Sept. 8’s paper includes this startling statement: “Too bad your vote doesn’t count.” He raises a question that should finally be…
Amendment K to the Constitution would give election officials an additional week to process issue signature petitions and require publicizing ballot measures 30 days before the election rather than the…
As a water and land lawyer, I have worked closely with Paul Black for many years. Paul is a farmer, rancher, business owner, president of Upper Pine Fire and Conservation…
As an educator who taught preschool through grad school, I implore you to vote for teachers and friends of education in our political races. Term-limited, former teacher, Rep. Barbara McLachlan…
I can sympathize with those who oppose abortion. I do not believe that any woman considers abortion lightly. But what happens when the government intervenes in a decision that should…
Sheri F. Shink All these decades later, I can still remember the outrage I felt the first time I sat in a Colorado courtroom. I watched everyone from the attorney…
The deadline to vote in the La Plata Electric Association election is quickly approaching on Tuesday and is worthy of your attention. One seat in each of LPEA’s four districts…
It’s been nearly 80 years since the first atomic bomb was tested in New Mexico. Communities have been reeling ever since. Aspen Coriz-Romero Anila Lopez Marks For generations, Americans who…
Sept. 17, Constitution Day (and Citizenship Day) is the beginning of Constitution Week, Sept. 17 through 23. This year marks the 237th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution by…
Biden’s greatest achievement was the evacuation of our troops from Afghanistan. Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump all failed to get us out of Afghanistan. Biden got us out with minimum…
Politically, I respect the gifts of conservatism and the gifts of liberalism. They each have useful contributions and ideas for us to hear, measure and blend. Where things go awry…
Cross Those of us who live in Durango West and beyond are not happy (Bayfieldians, too). During the month of August we had to endure the chip sealing road project…
Jason Mietchen’s letter to the editor (Sept. 6) had a number of interesting points ranging from good observations to misinformed facts to snark. Mr. Mietchen is absolutely correct that the…
I want to share my experience with Matt Salka and why he has my full support for reelection as county commissioner. When my son was diagnosed with cancer, our family…
The many policy issues in November’s presidential election pale in relevance compared to the stark difference in character between the presidential candidates. Donald Trump has a long reputation as an…
Colorado’s Legislature has referred to the voters the question of applying a 6.5% excise tax to the purchase of firearms and ammunition to fund multiple mental health prevention and treatment…
In 2019, Colorado voters approved a tax on sports betting for the benefit of water conservation and protection projects, with the ballot language as Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights requires estimating…
As a native son, Jeff Hurd knows our Western Slope of Colorado. He raises his family in Grand Junction, where he is known as a genuine and hardworking leader. He…
I am writing to encourage Colorado voters to vote yes on Initiative 310, open primaries/ranked choice voting. I live in Alaska, where this system was approved by voters in 2020…
I am disheartened to read of the ongoing attacks on Bayfield Town Manager Katie Sickles by Trustees Alexis Hartz, Tom Au and Kat Katsos, et al. As a six-year resident…
I never cease to be amazed at the pass that Donald Trump gets in the mainstream media despite the consistently outrageous things he says, but this one really takes the…
That downtown Durango’s youngest business owners favor exploring the city’s Next Steps proposal for a more pedestrian friendly, walkable city is telling. This fits with the idea of urban design…
According to Lindsey Graham, Don Trump is “Bat (dung) crazy.” But that was then, before the wholesale of souls who made a bargain with the devil that Trump’s fascism is…
The La Plata County Commissioners are proposing to allocate 70% of the lodgers tax collected annually to support tourism related workforce housing and child care, something that is permitted by…
Ellen Stein Ellen Stein, The Durango Herald’s and The Journal’s opinion page writer and editor between 2016 and 2018, is serving as the two newspapers’ Opinion Contributor for the November…
As you may have heard, the upcoming presidential election is the most important in our lifetime. They say that every four years, of course. But this time, it’s probably true.…
In the dystopian novel “1984,” George Orwell depicts a regime that manipulates language to control thought. By eliminating language of dissent and rebellion, this regime replaces plain language with “Newspeak”…
