Durango Herald Opinion

08/15/2025

“AI is not just a tool – it’s a community conversation. By learning together, sharing insights, and asking questions, we can shape how this powerful technology benefits our region while staying true to the values we hold dear.”

As the fastest-adopted technology in recorded history, few sectors are untouched by artificial intelligence. It shows up everywhere in our personal and business lives, transforming sectors from educat...

08/14/2025

“For all of the above, we say ‘well done’ to Anna Knowles, Director of the Durango Farmers Market, Ellen Babers, Community Events Manager with the City of Durango, and Tim Walsworth, Executive Director of the Business Improvement District who thought that the Main Avenue location would be worthy of a test and set the second Saturdays of August, September and October for the experiment.”
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“So much for making America healthy again. As of Sept. 30, all nutrition and SNAP education programs in Colorado – including those run by Manna, the Southwest Area Health Education Center, and Fort Lewis College’s Grub Hub – will be canceled.”

Durango’s first Market on Main last Saturday with the usual vendors from the TBK parking lot plus some additions over three blocks, partially back to back, gave those into exercise an opportunity for ...

08/13/2025

"No matter where you stand on the proper size and role of government, thriving economies have always relied on some level of public investment – roads, schools, hospitals, public safety, clean air and water. These are the foundations of prosperity. "

A yawning gap in the federal budget may sound abstract, but for rural hospitals, tribal radio stations, and food pantries, it’s painfully real. President Trump and Republicans in Congress have passed ...

08/09/2025

“The City of Durango’s Multimodal Transportation Department has historically engaged residents early through Durango Engage, forums, surveys, and other tools. But this time, it failed. They know better. Input from those most affected is essential to a project’s acceptance and success.”

“Hooray” for the majority of Durango city councilors who listened to residents and voted to remove the 7th Street pilot from the Multimodal Transportation Department’s new Speed Management Plan (Heral...

08/06/2025

"We urge Rep. Jeff Hurd to support H.R. 4377, Tribal Access to Clean Water Act, alongside its sponsor Rep. Joe Neguse and others who have championed this cause. And we hope he follows through on his promise to 'strengthen the federal government’s relationship with tribal nations and to ensure that Washington is a better partner – one that respects tribal sovereignty, follows through on commitments, and supports real, lasting progress on the ground.'"

Filling a glass from the kitchen tap. Running a hot shower. Flushing the toilet. These are everyday acts that most Americans take for granted. But for more than 2 million people in the United States, ...

08/05/2025

"A decade on, we see progress – but not enough. We urge Rep. Hurd, Sens Bennet and Hickenlooper, and others to push for meaningful reform. Our waterways – and communities – deserve it."

08/02/2025

"The Herald editorial board recognizes the accomplishments of Simmons and Kuss – and the community that helped raise them. It truly does take a village."

That’s a wrap. The 112th edition of the Tour de France concluded in Paris on July 27, and two of the five American riders in this prestigious 21-stage race hail from our own Durango: Sepp Kuss and Qui...

08/01/2025

"From Montezuma to Archuleta to La Plata, county fairs celebrate our heritage and shape our future."

It’s showtime for local county fairs. Montezuma’s is underway, Archuleta’s kicks off Thursday, and La Plata’s begins next Wednesday. In Montezuma County, the fair has long been a fixture of summer, ce...

07/29/2025

"REI seems to share Durango’s values of community investment and stewardship. Let’s give them a fair opportunity to prove it. The success of our community isn’t up to REI alone. It’s also up to us."

REI quietly opened its doors on Wednesday for a friends and family event, followed by a public opening on Friday (Herald, July 27). When the national retailer announced in 2023 that Durango would be h...

07/25/2025

"Unlike Trump, whom the U.S. Supreme Court recently shielded from criminal liability for official presidential acts, Aber faces real consequences. And now, justice may finally be served for the women harmed by his abuse of power."

Former President Donald Trump may be trying to distract from the ongoing uproar over “Epsteingate,” but the issue isn’t going away. Nor should it. The late convicted s*x offender Jeffrey Epstein was a...

07/23/2025

"Hurd says Congress controls the purse strings, but this vote reveals the opposite: submission to one man, not representation of 730,686 constituents."

“Bending a knee” is old slang for submitting to a king or lord. That’s exactly what 51 senators and 216 representatives – including Rep. Jeff Hurd – did this week by voting for President Donald Trump’...

07/21/2025

"Sen. Susan Collins, the powerful chair of the Appropriations Committee, has already said she won’t support rescissions impacting global health programs. Vice Chair Sen. Patty Murray criticized the administration’s plan to “rip away lifesaving humanitarian aid.” Efforts to fight global hunger deserve the same vigorous defense."

- Dina Esposito and Maany Peyvan

U.S. foreign aid goals have evolved since the creation of the U.S. Agency for International Development in 1961, but investments have historically focused on three things: health, humanitarian aid and...