I almost got up and danced with joy when I read the story (Journal, July 10) condemning Cortez as one of the worst places to live in Colorado. Don’t get me wrong, when I first moved to this area 20 years ago from the anthill those fools call the best place to live in Colorado I decided I never wanted to die because heaven couldn’t be so nice. It’s even better now that there are a plethora of great restaurants in town and the surrounding area.

Cortez lies smack dab in the middle between Escalante, Utah and South Fork, which has to be one of the most naturally beautiful places on the planet – and I have been to plenty of places on the planet. My advice to all who took umbrage at this ridiculous survey is to just put on your best grimace, nod and publicly accept the verdict in hopes that it will be a little longer before commerce and tourism brings Cortez to the annoying level of those aforesaid anthills.

Now if we could just discourage some of the selfish local soreheads who want to claim all this natural beauty as their own personal property and promote a little more support for quality education Cortez might become the perfect place to live.

Terry Moores

Mancos