Letters to the Editor https://www.the-journal.com/feeds/letters-to-the-editor/ 2026-05-26 01:33:48 -0700 en-us https://www.the-journal.com/articles/blight-debate-deserves-closer-scrutiny/ What a fine story regarding the Republican Central Committee debate (Journal, May 6). Hugs, kisses and handshakes all around. Very little of substance was said, but candidate Rodney Cox was clear on h... 2026-05-24 05:00:00 -0700 9590e1c6-a503-4266-8b1b-f13b691c932d https://www.the-journal.com/articles/broken-promises-from-the-president/ The topic I will cover is broken promises. So far, our current president has not kept many of his campaign promises. He said he was not going to start a war, he was going to release the Epstein files ... 2026-05-22 05:00:00 -0700 84857067-19d5-41d3-b3ba-34763e270435 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/think-for-yourself-not-slogans/ ICE is the Gestapo. Trump is Hitler. Trans women are women. Israel is the aggressor. Capitalism is the problem. We live on stolen land. No one in the country is illegal. Abortion is good. The homeless... 2026-05-20 05:00:00 -0700 7bb5fc5d-800e-4b98-a835-3b5c210a20d1 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/sustainability-is-blueprint-for-local-prosperity/ Sustainability is a matter of community and economic well-being. You might be rolling your eyes, thinking that sustainability is a bunch of bleeding heart hippie nonsense. Here are some things to cons... 2026-05-10 05:00:00 -0700 d829d696-c273-4fdf-b028-002d6361214f https://www.the-journal.com/articles/use-impact-fees-to-fund-blight-enforcement/ Already during the very early stages of discussing anti-blight enforcement in the county, our commissioners are fretting and wringing their hands over how to fund and staff enforcement. Strange indeed... 2026-05-08 05:00:00 -0700 f2fc8b26-1037-4314-837f-ea6834fb5e12 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/biochar-may-offer-farmers-a-path-forward/ Shortages and increasing fertilizer prices are causing problems for farmers, and use of less fertilizer will result in lower crop yields. At the same time, there may be less crop irrigation water at h... 2026-05-06 05:00:00 -0700 f9b6fc49-9231-4a39-9a34-655e3dc69593 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/legion-riders-honor-fallen-heros-homecoming/ Last week, the family of Willibald Bianchi requested that the American Legion Riders Post 132 escort his remains home to New Ulm. We were part of this escort. To say that this was an experience of a ... 2026-05-03 05:00:00 -0700 507aa9c6-c9b3-4fe8-b3fc-671f31cd7b1f https://www.the-journal.com/articles/southwest-colorado-needs-riess-at-the-capitol/ I am proud to endorse Naomi Riess for Colorado House District 59. I have known Naomi for more than a decade, both as a client and as collaborator on planning projects, and I can say without hesitation... 2026-05-01 05:00:00 -0700 7ce5d210-aac9-4a5e-8586-7ca97443c0ac https://www.the-journal.com/articles/strong-leadership-transforms-s-w-memorial/ I recently attended a presentation by Joe Theine, CEO of Southwest Memorial Hospital, hosted by the Montezuma County League of Women Voters. His thoughtful remarks highlighted not only the challenges ... 2026-04-29 05:00:00 -0700 d890fdec-5e0d-4b2f-8734-f07cf88403cb https://www.the-journal.com/articles/invoke-the-25th-remove-trump-now/ The strain on cherished friendships over the present president of the United States has been so profound in my life that it’s caused a pain and angst I’ve never experienced before. His recent depictio... 2026-04-26 05:00:00 -0700 5bf551cf-ddcf-476c-8471-afb7fbb02b87 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/do-your-job-on-iran/ An open letter to Congressman Hurd: How many glaring signs of madness does a president need to show you before you initiate action to remove him? Your inaction makes you personally deserving of whatev... 2026-04-22 05:00:00 -0700 b41b5b5b-10ed-470a-99e7-41778253e5b3 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/greatness-requires-honesty-about-our-history/ Make America great by being honest, facing the truth and owning our history. Some leaders and citizens want to erase and rewrite history. Many whites think their race is superior and refuse to admit a... 2026-04-19 05:00:00 -0700 8bd41cee-d875-4630-b84f-9a74561cb096 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/why-im-supporting-naomi-riess/ I am proud to support Naomi Riess for House District 59. I have known Naomi for more than 20 years through our shared work in agriculture, the County Fair, horticulture programs and sustainable agricu... 2026-04-17 05:00:00 -0700 4a4765ec-7b71-423c-9e0f-51b2585ed623 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/who-owns-montezuma-countys-blighted-properties/ As reported by KSJD, Commissioner Gerald Koppenhafer said some people are living on properties where there are “generations of stuff” needing to be cleaned up. Which “generations”? The Old Guard that ... 2026-04-15 05:00:00 -0700 35e27014-e922-4f07-9c56-f4a3fd8f0f6e https://www.the-journal.com/articles/trump-promised-much-delivered-the-opposite/ I would like to address this letter to MAGA/Trump supporters. Here are some things Trump said he was going to do: rebalance the scales of justice, bring back peace and prosperity, make MLK’s dream com... 2026-04-12 05:00:00 -0700 f9d7916b-3f56-4894-9a75-841f78466fde https://www.the-journal.com/articles/naomi-riess-is-the-right-choice-for-hd59/ Residents of House District 59 deserve capable, experienced leadership representing Southwest Colorado at the State Capitol. In my view, Naomi Riess is the right person for the job. Naomi has a deep u... 2026-04-08 05:00:00 -0700 643be112-9a2c-49e8-a131-d3fe5c1454b5 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-animal-control-has-its-priorities-backward/ Apparently, there have been recent issues with off-leash dogs in town. Animal Control is patrolling and making sure even elderly, semiblind dogs sitting by their owners – like my mother-in-law’s – are... 2026-04-03 05:00:00 -0700 e84a0353-082c-42d9-bbd4-acdd9d522f19 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/cortez-amenities-are-failing-so-is-city-hall/ Did the people of Cortez decide that the recreation center, the ball fields, the park and other amenities are expendable? That City Hall is doing a great job while these are going deeper and deeper in... 2026-04-01 05:00:00 -0700 aa492792-1dff-4729-a27f-9ba1dc476619 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/when-will-americans-see-whats-happening/ What does it take for Americans to realize that the president of the United States is unwell and needs to be removed from office? Venezuela, Iran, Cuba – the interventions keep coming. From redecorat... 2026-03-27 01:36:10 -0700 df02afe5-37d6-4296-be3c-79acfb16e3e6 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/mr-president-stop-this-war/ I hope and pray for the safety of our troops fighting against Iran on our behalf. I have no sympathy for the Iranian regime – but this war is unwarranted. It is contrary to everything our president st... 2026-03-27 05:00:00 -0700 d408082c-1530-411b-ac5d-5aa32afe8cda https://www.the-journal.com/articles/tax-relief-for-97-of-coloradans/ Initiative 195 calls for a graduated income tax in Colorado. If enough signatures are collected to qualify for the ballot, it will be assigned an amendment number and require a simple majority to pass... 2026-03-25 05:00:00 -0700 a4f3dd5b-ef84-4be2-ac16-8c803a3c5954 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/putin-please-kidnap-our-president/ In light of the recent kidnapping of a president of a sovereign nation, the murdering of innocent fishing people, the stealing of oil properties and, most of all, the general destruction of our democr... 2026-03-22 05:00:00 -0700 b6b0ca44-cc93-4542-87e6-3d6dd9c8b8b0 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/when-leaders-lie-children-learn-it/ Do you remember Ronald Reagan's “Trickle Down Theory?” The concept promised broad economic benefit, but in practice it only benefited the wealthy and never reached the middle class or the poor. That m... 2026-03-20 05:00:00 -0700 57aea39c-7f25-48bf-bced-9700d290313b https://www.the-journal.com/articles/colorado-stands-up-for-our-public-lands/ At a time when our public lands are under greater threat of privatization than ever, I was heartened to see the state legislature pass SJR26-015, for the second year in a row, a bipartisan resolution ... 2026-03-18 05:00:00 -0700 0e441de2-6608-484b-a70c-0ed8244a15ad https://www.the-journal.com/articles/when-cost-overrides-care-animals-die/ On Feb. 21, I brought my 12-week-old Sphynx kitten, Mystic, to Riverview Animal Hospital’s Urgent Care Clinic in Durango in obvious medical crisis. She was severely dehydrated, lethargic and not eatin... 2026-03-15 05:00:00 -0700 97c6a752-e185-4544-aff4-8629d34f820c https://www.the-journal.com/articles/questioning-the-rush-to-war-with-iran/ I woke up, took a shower, stepped outside in the sun for a few minutes with tea, then went upstairs to my office and checked the news. And BAM!, the United States had bombed Iran again. My first react... 2026-03-11 05:00:00 -0700 b276c333-58a2-44ee-8ff6-bcc17f3de269 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/trump-moves-to-control-who-counts-the-votes/ The advantage of democracy is that voting gives the average person a small piece of real power – it is the bedrock of America’s strength. Any decree or law that takes away the vote leaves citizens pow... 2026-03-06 05:00:00 -0700 cbb501b0-79ed-4726-b987-9f618b6d7794 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/standing-firm-for-the-first-amendment/ The American Revolution didn’t end with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 – that is when the fight began. It ended in 1793, eight years later. To prevent “misconstruction ... 2026-03-04 05:00:00 -0700 8b41255d-78bb-406a-8cb8-bb57dd9c6774 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/americas-war-name-game/ We’ve just launched a bombing campaign against Iran and named it “Operation Epic Fury” – this, after Iran allegedly lost its nuclear capabilities for six months in the so-called “Operation Midnight Ha... 2026-03-04 05:00:00 -0700 7e284a83-7a48-49cf-87de-587f085b75c8 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/encouraging-american-citizens-in-cortez-to-be-informed-voters/ Republican women have had several luncheons recently. The last one was well attended. We had plenty of food for twice the number of people. This one was for those running for county commissioner. (Tho... 2026-03-01 05:00:00 -0700 acd5bf67-ca18-453d-895b-c892310decd5