Rep. Jeff Hurd, who represents Western and southern Colorado, is challenging the president by being one of two Republicans in the House so far to sign onto a bill that asserts Congress’ right to have a say in determining the country’s tariffs (Journal, Apr. 7). That power is in the Constitution, Hurd points out, and it’s not for the executive office alone to decide.
The bill would require Congressional notification within 48 hours of the president’s intention to impose or increase import duties and afford legislators 60 days to approve, or not, any new tariffs.
While the legislative effort has no chance of passing given Donald Trump’s authoritarian control, and pledge to veto, Rep. Hurd deserves great praise for being willing to be visible in doing what all of Congress should be doing.
At some point, Republicans will find their voice. The sooner the better.
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Music makes the world go round. For Montezuma - Cortez Middle Schoolers, their teachers, families, a supportive administration and community, it certainly does.
In an era of reduced funding for education, the Journal’s editorial board is pleased to know that not only is the district’s music program going strong – with 100 students enrolled in band at the middle school and 300 at Montezuma-Cortez High School – but excelling such that it is (Journal, Apr. 9).
Congratulations to Montezuma-Cortez Middle School band members for working hard and taking home superior ratings, top honors, at this year’s Northwest New Mexico band evaluation, to band teacher Andrew Campo, and to the NWNM band directors who invite the students back every year. The opportunity to perform, be evaluated and learn to receive feedback is a critical life lesson.
The earlier its learned the better, whether through art, social studies, history, math or music, studying, learning a language or musical notes, performing and being evaluated is not easy, especially in the 11 to 14 years.
For a chance to come together as a community and across generations, come out for the free all-district band night, a tradition for over 50 years, at 7 p.m. Thursday in the MCHS gymnasium.
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The Montezuma County Board of Commissioners did a wise thing last Tuesday by placing a six-month moratorium on processing any new large-scale solar energy development applications (Journal, Apr. 9). Their rationale seems simply to make sure the county’s land-use code has adequate language to define utility scale solar energy development, something the current code does not do, before any more applications are considered.
In fact, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in a 2024 report identified Montezuma County as one of 10 of Colorado’s 64 counties to have “some solar land use regulations” and one of eight of counties to have “no relevant definitions present” in its land-use code.
This pause will allow time to review the code and remedy that and not affect the JUWI Inc.’s proposed 140-megawatt Canyonland Solar Project that will be considered again at planning and zoning’s May meeting. Kudos to the commissioners for making sure the county has all its T’s crossed and I’s dotted with an important emerging industry.
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Congratulations to Dr. Heather Shotton for, on Friday, April 11, with unanimous support of the Fort Lewis College Board of Trustees, being named FLC’s president (Journal, April 11). Her confirmation is historic, as Shotton, a descendant of the Kiowa and Cheyenne nations and citizen of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, is the college’s first Indigenous president.
She has served in leadership positions at the college for three years, was intimately involved in crafting the new strategic plan, so knows FLC, the community and the challenges of delivering higher education in Colorado.
Now the serious work continues. Demographic changes mean that there are fewer high school students in the state and in parts of the country who’ll be able to become college freshmen, and Colorado’s funding of both pre-K-12 and higher education is lacking. The value of a four-year college education is periodically questioned, and this is one of those times.
For workforce preparation, which some parents and students want, that can mean additional certificate programs that signify accomplishment in more specialized areas, and even more internships and academic related work experiences that the college is already so good at.
It is not an easy undertaking to be a college president. We wish Dr. Shotton well and great success.
