Guest Columns https://www.the-journal.com/feeds/guest-columns/ 2026-04-25 02:06:35 -0700 en-us https://www.the-journal.com/articles/who-is-government-panel-brings-public-service-stories-to-cortez-stage/ Perhaps the most famous quotation from a U.S. inaugural address is John F. Kennedy’s: “And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” It... 2026-04-24 05:00:00 -0700 08bf0a44-8bff-4de8-9860-1a92912c20df https://www.the-journal.com/articles/backcountry-turkey-hunting-and-the-roadless-rule-are-both-worth-protecting/ Twenty years ago, I had the privilege of first crossing paths with Durango resident David “Elkheart” Petersen at a public meeting of the Colorado Roadless Areas Review Task Force in Pueblo. David was ... 2026-04-19 05:00:00 -0700 045cf462-7fa1-4b6a-b649-f0f003b3e233 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/colorado-budget-cuts-will-hit-schools-medicaid-snap-and-rural-hospitals/ As I’m writing this, the House is hearing the “long bill,” which lays out the entire Colorado budget for the coming year. As many of you know, Colorado is facing a more than $1.5 billion budget defici... 2026-04-17 05:00:00 -0700 8b1743f3-f4cb-4dfe-b13f-7bf830e49f06 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/the-farm-bill-should-work-for-the-people-who-actually-produce-our-food/ In Washington, the Farm Bill is often treated like another large piece of legislation to negotiate, debate and delay. In Colorado’s Third District, it is something much more concrete. It is whether a ... 2026-04-10 05:00:00 -0700 206785c2-eb1b-4edb-a81b-6871fdb3a56d https://www.the-journal.com/articles/protect-our-public-lands-protect-the-la-plata-mountains-2/ Our beautiful area in the Southwest is graced with an abundance of public lands – places that are part of our culture and ingrained in the identity of the region. These spaces provide opportunities fo... 2026-04-01 05:00:00 -0700 02d08f51-093d-4efc-af2d-c1518d3d32e2 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/four-charter-questions-five-council-seats-your-cortez-voter-guide/ Cortez residents are voting April 7 to fill five City Council seats and decide four ballot questions that would amend the city charter. Cortez is a home rule city, giving residents significant autonom... 2026-03-29 05:00:00 -0700 810d4e16-f639-4d19-b410-5c9457575d6c https://www.the-journal.com/articles/protect-our-public-lands-protect-the-la-plata-mountains/ Our beautiful area in the Southwest is graced with an abundance of public lands – places that are part of our culture and ingrained in the identity of the region. These spaces provide opportunities fo... 2026-03-22 05:00:00 -0700 778a4f7a-7c5e-47df-b16e-962e8652c679 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/colorado-deserves-better-a-troubling-eight-year-trajectory/ Colorado has historically valued independence, controlled spending, and respect for limits on government. As Senate Minority Leader, let me be clear: Our state is drifting from these principles, and t... 2026-03-20 05:00:00 -0700 6bd9608c-be6a-4e89-b709-8f247b6c06c1 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/protecting-911-funding-and-strengthening-emergency-services-through-bipartisan-work/ We’re one-third of the way through the legislative session, and my bills are making their way through the legislative process. Several have already passed out of the House and are being heard in the S... 2026-03-13 05:00:00 -0700 913478f7-3d9f-4dd6-bf41-da9c6dbc85d0 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/colorado-mine-waste-could-help-meet-americas-critical-mineral-needs/ Now that the United States is energy dominant, mineral independence must be the next step in securing the materials needed for our way of life. Mine waste is an understudied resource that contains cri... 2026-03-08 05:00:00 -0700 66d98285-c029-4c8c-a0f7-165f231b86b8 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/how-colorados-3rd-district-wins-the-next-era-of-manufacturing/ In Colorado’s 3rd District, we do not wait for Washington to save us. We build. We produce. We compete. For too long, federal economic policy has operated in reverse. A plant closes. A mine shuts dow... 2026-03-06 05:00:00 -0700 51b6734e-7669-4df0-9d2e-714db3705b38 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/broken-permits-broken-promise-how-bots-and-bureaucrats-locked-out-river-runners/ In the 1980s and ’90s, river runners in the southwestern United States packed their gear and headed into canyon country. Those trips were the heartbeat of their year – where people connected with natu... 2026-03-01 05:00:00 -0700 c66339ce-cc62-469b-92da-94a720aa3aad https://www.the-journal.com/articles/we-may-pay-dearly-for-the-big-beautiful-bill/ Recently, the Montezuma County Republications hosted a presentation by the Colorado Health Institute. The CHC is a Denver-based nonpartisan nonprofit that uses evidence-based data and provides analysi... 2026-02-27 05:00:00 -0700 d9405d49-12aa-4ad7-b88d-d4fb7d155244 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/montezuma-county-landfill-self-funded-through-user-fees-not-taxes/ The Montezuma County Landfill operates under a financial structure known as an “enterprise” operation, a model designed to ensure the facility pays for itself rather than relying on general tax dollar... 2026-02-20 05:00:00 -0700 280d6644-e14c-4db4-abe4-e1fe2ea8f1bc https://www.the-journal.com/articles/a-busy-month-public-education-bills-and-hard-conversations-about-health-care-and-immigration/ It’s been a very busy start to the legislative session, and I look forward to spending an extra day with my family next weekend for Presidents Day. We’ve had a ton of constituents visit the Capitol th... 2026-02-13 05:00:00 -0700 0af93828-a765-4250-ac72-fb79cbe22ff3 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/colorados-roadless-areas-are-worth-more-than-minerals-and-timber/ Last fall was my nineteenth season of public lands elk hunting in southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. During eight days I hunted for a total of 63.5 hours (or 7.93 hours a day on average) and cov... 2026-02-08 05:00:00 -0700 ee5ddc92-2255-4d3f-9fdd-c90071c5296e https://www.the-journal.com/articles/what-our-mountains-make-possible-colorado-athletes-shaped-by-place/ When the Winter Olympic Games open in Italy later this week, athletes from across the country will compete under the American flag. Among them will be competitors with roots right here in Colorado’s 3... 2026-02-06 05:00:00 -0700 1aecd568-d07d-49a9-9371-de57c1f27675 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/is-our-democracy-in-jeopardy/ Most would agree we are living in turbulent times. Throughout our history, Americans have faced profound challenges, beginning with the American Revolution and the creation of our nation itself. Our f... 2026-01-28 05:00:00 -0700 ce2eadd3-495d-4e0e-876e-ade3f0bb8d3a https://www.the-journal.com/articles/why-a-national-conservation-area-for-the-southern-dolores-river/ I’m writing to address the growing misinformation surrounding the proposed National Conservation Area for the southern Dolores River. As someone who has worked and lived in this area and who participa... 2026-01-25 05:00:00 -0700 8bf84d1c-5963-4fab-9d9d-1241efc02402 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/why-montezuma-county-commissioners-structure-their-meetings-the-way-they-do/ Montezuma County Commissioners often receive questions about the structure of their meetings. Residents who attend have sometimes expressed frustration with not receiving immediate answers during the ... 2026-01-23 05:00:00 -0700 e7ec2293-9997-418f-9c20-a7a9a095023c https://www.the-journal.com/articles/welcoming-the-2026-legislative-session-amid-federal-medicaid-changes-water-funding-challenges/ With the 2026 legislative session starting in just a few days, I’ve been making the most of my time with my family before heading off to Denver. I’ve also had a series of meetings with constituents, i... 2026-01-16 05:00:00 -0700 c12e1b85-e75f-4720-adfd-80f430cd4050 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/my-new-years-resolution-lower-the-volume-raise-the-results/ Every January, people make resolutions they half-expect to break. Exercise more. Eat better. Spend less time staring at their phones. Members of Congress don’t usually make resolutions in public. If w... 2026-01-09 05:00:00 -0700 4ac6f6f3-d390-4549-9049-b6cb4106a419 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/building-cortezs-future-together-progress-made-and-opportunities-ahead/ I want to wish everyone a joyous Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year this holiday season. As I reflect on 2025, I am pleased to share that despite significant cuts in grant funding and ... 2025-12-26 05:00:00 -0700 5b331dc9-1f19-454f-add3-13778e970996 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/stewarts-2026-legislative-priorities-ems-pay-jail-safety-health-care-subsidies/ We have less than six weeks to go before the 2026 legislative session, so I’d like to give an overview of my bills for the coming year. These policy proposals may look different by the time they reach... 2025-12-19 05:00:00 -0700 374902b7-c5ad-4db3-a29b-90e25324ef05 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/congressman-hurd-its-time-to-introduce-the-dolores-river-national-conservation-area-bill/ As County commissioners from Montezuma and La Plata counties with multigenerational histories in the Dolores River Basin, we have spent nearly two decades working together to address the complex chall... 2025-12-14 05:00:00 -0700 3367543a-294a-463f-85c3-15fac9611d04 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/making-life-less-affordable-one-hidden-tax-at-a-time/ You know those streaming services that quietly raise their prices every few months, and suddenly you’re paying $49.99 a month to watch one show? That’s what a lot of Coloradans tell me their budgets f... 2025-12-12 05:00:00 -0700 72a5aa26-9f3c-4116-9930-6316214002f7 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/coming-together-in-a-time-of-need-a-thank-you-to-our-community/ Over the past four weeks, Montezuma and Dolores counties have shown our region – and the state – what true community looks like. When the SNAP funding freeze left many of our neighbors suddenly unsure... 2025-12-05 05:00:00 -0700 1c607d2e-6ac5-47de-8392-2194ab2bec98 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/lawmakers-outline-budget-crisis-snap-impacts-and-immigration-concerns-at-lwv-forums/ In November, the Montezuma County League of Women Voters hosted two programs to update the community about important issues. Sen. Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa) and Rep. Katie Stewart (D-Durango) shared i... 2025-11-28 05:00:00 -0700 857c5e54-cc7a-494b-987e-169b76740440 https://www.the-journal.com/articles/keeping-montezuma-county-clean-begins-with-each-one-of-us/ Montezuma County is known for its stunning landscapes, rural charm and strong sense of community pride. From the open vistas to the quiet country roads, the county’s natural beauty is one of its great... 2025-11-21 05:00:00 -0700 d13b7f6b-4e70-4931-ab56-1a8701f9e84a https://www.the-journal.com/articles/colorado-river-crisis-demands-leadership-before-washington-takes-the-reins/ On Nov. 11, the seven states that share the Colorado River missed a critical deadline. The Department of the Interior asked them to agree on the bones of a post-2026 management plan – the rules that w... 2025-11-16 05:00:00 -0700 0c91cb6e-f63b-494e-b867-6fd9ccaa62e5