Opinion Columns – The Journal

Our View: Abortion and the court

Curtailing women’s rights would be divisive, dangerous and unfair

DATE: Dec 1, 2021 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Masks can curb spread of germs

In reference to the local schools/businesses, municipalities and mask mandates. I’m not a doctor, but I attended a preschool where “say it don’t spray it” was a pretty solid rule, along with...

DATE: Dec 1, 2021 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

The difference between fact and opinion

Responding to (“Fact checkers must look at truth,” Journal, Nov. 17). When communicating, it is often helpful to have a shared definition of language and utilize critical thinking skills to ...

DATE: Dec 1, 2021 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

An open letter to Rep. Lauren Boebert

Congresswoman, you are an embarrassment. Insulting your colleagues in Congress just further poisons the political atmosphere and makes it harder to do anything positive for the 3rd District ...

DATE: Dec 1, 2021 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Check your sources before writing

I am writing regarding a letter purporting to publish “Communist Rules” in the Nov. 17 issue. This pathetic “find” has been disproven over and over again. It is completely manufactured nons...

DATE: Dec 1, 2021 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Our View: Thanksgiving

A national holiday devoted to gratitude is fitting

DATE: Nov 24, 2021 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Political balance, unaffiliated members key to redistricting commission’s success

As a lifelong unaffiliated voter, the chance to participate in an inherently political process on an equal footing with affiliated voters was very appealing. I was thrilled to be the first ...

DATE: Nov 24, 2021 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Editorial Cartoon

DATE: Nov 23, 2021 | CATEGORY: Editorial Cartoons

Fact Checkers must look at truth

In a recent letter to the editor (“Not Entitled to Your Own Facts,” Journal, Nov. 10), the author pulled a Fake News, MSM trick of distorting the truth by pulling out isolated “facts” promot...

DATE: Nov 23, 2021 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Editorial cartoon

DATE: Nov 11, 2021 | CATEGORY: Editorial Cartoons

Our View: Football

The game is basically civilized war, but there is beauty in players’ athleticism

DATE: Nov 10, 2021 | CATEGORY: Editorials

FLC partners with Los Alamos National Laboratory to promote Indigenous women in physicsTwo students selected for an internship with nuclear and particle physicists

Los Alamos National Laboratory has partnered with Fort Lewis College to provide an internship program for undergraduate Indigenous women interested in a career in physics.“Indigenous women are the most underrepresented group in physics degree completion and careers, and we’re in a region where the demographics are heavily Native American,” said co-principal investigator Astrid Morreale, physicist with the Nuclear and Particle Physics and Applications group at Los Alamos National Laboratory in a news release.The new program aims to build a pipeline of talent from the undergraduate level in the Four Corners to get them enrolled in graduate programs and eventual careers in physics, including at national laboratories such as Los Alamos.“It’s a bit of an incoherence, where we’re here doing high-level science and engineering, yet still underrepresented groups are either not coming to us or we’re not bringing them in,” Morreale said. “This program represents an effort to turn that around.”

Two FLC students were selected to be the first participants in the program:

Julie Nelson, an engineering and math major with an emphasis in physics, and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Ariello Platero, also an engineering and math major with an emphasis in physics, and a member of the Navajo Nation.

“This internship and the research I am privileged to participate in will be the first steps I take in pursuit of a career in physics,” Nelson said. “Obtaining the knowledge no longer seems out of reach because of this opportunity. I am thrilled to get hands-on experience at Los Alamos National Laboratory and explore the research side of academia while collaborating with scientists and mentors about the contributions of nuclear and particle physics that can benefit humanity.”The students will receive year-round mentoring from laboratory physicists while attending FLC. Included in the program is a 10-week internship in Los Alamos and a two-week visit to CERN, the European Council for Nuclear Research.“As a Navajo woman in the STEM field, I am very excited to work with the Los Alamos team, because it gives me an opportunity to contribute to and to help pave the way for new and exciting physics discoveries,” Platero said. “I am looking forward to continuing on this path to graduate school and to representing my tribe and showing the younger generation that we can do great things if we apply for these opportunities and put in the work.”Students in the program will also be able to participate in the American Indian Resource Group that promotes access to Native American resources and a sense of community and inclusion while learning about high-energy nuclear physics at the laboratory.Nelson and Platero will work alongside Morreale and co-principal investigator Cesar Luiz da Silva, staff scientist and fellow Nuclear and Particle Physics and Applications group member.While the program aims to help Indigenous women advance in physics, Morreale stresses that the laboratory and the field of physics have much to gain by bolstering participation from underrepresented groups.“We don’t see this program as the laboratory just helping students,” she said. “We need them. They would help us if they came here. We want to have different ideas and different points of view in our discipline. We’re trying to help our field by bringing in new talent and perspectives.”The program began on Nov. 15, and funding has been secured through the U.S. Department of Energy for the next two years.Nelson and Platero will conduct gluon saturation research, seeking to discover a new state of matter in which gluons are densely packed and give rise to properties not unlike ordinary glass. Gluons are fundamental particles that glue all visible matter together and can be studied with detectors being constructed at Los Alamos and then deployed at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.njohnson@durangoherald.com

Two students selected for an internship with nuclear and particle physicists

Photos: Mancos takes on Haxtun in Colorado’s 8-man championship gameBluejays lose to Haxtun in historic season

Bluejays lose to Haxtun in historic season

The Bluejays will face Haxtun for the state title in eight-man football

Polis releases budget proposal focused on crime, homelessness and business recoveryColorado governor unveiled $40 billion plan for 2022-23 fiscal year

Gov. Jared Polis wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars next fiscal year to ease the financial burden of government fees on businesses, reduce homelessness and combat rising crime.The Democrat, who is heading into the final year of his first term and preparing for reelection in 2022, unveiled the wish list Monday as part of his $40 billion budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The plan incorporates state tax revenue and federal coronavirus relief dollars and calls for an 8.5% increase in discretionary spending by the Legislature, which will determine how much of Polis’ plan to pursue.Polis said the budget “doubles down” on his previous initiatives and is “our response to the call of the moment” as Colorado works to recover from the effects of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.“These are proposals that Coloradans will see and feel in their everyday lives,” Polis said.

The governor’s proposal also calls for major investments in efforts in education and to combat climate change and pollution, including the hiring of 50 new staffers for Colorado’s Air Pollution Control Division and spending $150 million to purchase electric school buses to replace their diesel-guzzling counterparts.

One of the largest line items in Polis’ plan is $600 million to address the state’s $1 billion unemployment insurance trust fund deficit. The $1 billion is owed to the federal government, and businesses will have to pay a surcharge to help cover the tab.Half of the $600 million will go toward buying down the debt while the rest will be distributed to lower the employer surcharge.Polis wants $100 million of the $600 million to come from federal coronavirus relief dollars the state received earlier this year. State lawmakers haven’t committed to that spending, though Republicans would like to see as much federal aid money go toward the deficit as possible.Another $50 million would be spent under Polis’ plan to prepay six months of fees businesses will owe to implement Colorado’s new paid family and medical leave program. Voters approved the program in 2020 through the passage of Proposition 118.“It would push (businesses’ payments) out closer to when the benefits kick in,” Polis said.There’s also a $51 million proposal to help businesses hire workers, including through job-training programs and apprenticeship programs. There would also be tens of millions of dollars set aside to increase child care options.The governor wants to spend $113 million on public safety. The dollars would go toward grants to reduce recidivism and boost forensic and investigative resources. Polis also wants to spread initiatives where behavioral health experts respond with police officers, which have been successful in Denver.The spending plan also includes $200 million to reduce homelessness, spread across drug and alcohol treatment investments, intervention strategies and community response efforts.“Homelessness has risen to the level of state priority,” Polis said. “We can no longer just say ‘Denver, you deal with it, it’s your fault. Colorado Springs you deal with it. Aurora you deal with it.’ I think it’s become an issue that affects all of us. ... We can either keep doing the same thing, which is not working, or we can say, ‘You know what, cities can’t do this alone. The state needs to step up.’”Crime and homelessness are two areas that Republicans are already attacking Polis on heading into the 2022 election. The issues haven’t been spending priorities for the governor in prior years.

One new proposed program the governor unveiled Monday would pay local transit agencies to offer free fares on high ozone pollution days. This year was the worst in recent decades when it comes to ozone pollution for the northern Front Range.“It can play a role in changing habits and support long-term increases in ridership,” Polis said of the proposed program.Polis also wants to spend $10 million for an environmental study for the potential buildout of a Front Range passenger train system and direct money to help drive down energy-use in cannabis cultivation.Finally, the governor’s budget proposal calls for setting aside $1.8 billion for future budget obligations, including for schools, transportation and affordable housing, as well as $2 billion as a reserve for future economic downturns.The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to covering Colorado issues. To learn more, go to coloradosun.com.

Colorado governor unveiled $40 billion plan for 2022-23 fiscal year

Southwest Colorado expected to receive moisture from ‘atmospheric river’ moving in from PacificWeather Service says rain needed with dryer-than-normal winter expected

A large amount of moisture from the Pacific Ocean, known as an “atmospheric river,” is headed for Southwest Colorado. “It’s basically this strong plume of moisture that comes off of the Pacific,” said Erin Walter, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. “It’s like this continuous stream, almost like a jet but in the form of moisture.”Over the weekend, the atmospheric river dumped more than 5 inches of rain in the San Francisco area, Walter said. Most of the moisture from the storm system will be dropped in California over the Sierra Nevada’s and the Great Basin, with Southwest Colorado getting the last bit of that precipitation on Tuesday. “We aren’t going to see feet of snow like the Sierra Nevada’s, but we are going to see some precipitation,” Walter said. Southwest Colorado has been experiencing warm conditions, which will be a determining factor in how much precipitation falls in the region, Walter said. “We’re seeing snow amounts higher up Tuesday morning, and then as the system moves through, some colder air will move in behind it,” Walter said.

Towns along U.S. Highway 160 should expect around a quarter of an inch of rain Tuesday, with some areas potentially seeing higher, localized amounts of rainfall around half an inch. “I would expect at least a quarter of an inch for Durango, Cortez and Pagosa Springs,” Walter said. As for snow, Silverton is expected to get about an inch of powder in the city, with around 5 to 8 inches in higher elevations of the San Juan Mountains. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its winter outlook for temperature, precipitation and drought Thursday. NOAA said this will be the second La Niña year in a row. La Niña seasons are caused by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Tropical Pacific.

“The Southwest will certainly remain a region of concern as we anticipate below-normal precipitation where drought conditions continue in most areas,” said Jon Gottschalck, with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.Southwest Colorado is expected to have 40% to 50% higher temperatures than normal, 33% to 40% lower precipitation than normal, and drought conditions expected to worsen. “Any moisture is definitely welcomed,” Walter said. njohnson@durangoherald.com

Weather Service says rain needed with dryer-than-normal winter expected

Snow storm moves through the San Juan Mountains on Tuesday

Drivers distracted by slushy roads, epic fall scenery in Dolores River Valley

Mark Redwine sentenced for the murder of his son

Mark Redwine was sentenced Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, to 48 years in prison after being found guilty ...

Colorado father sentenced to prison for killing 13-year-old son, Dylan RedwineMark Redwine, 60, was found guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death

Mark Redwine, the Vallecito father who was found guilty this summer of killing his 13-year-old son, Dylan, was sentenced Friday to 48 years in prison.“I have trouble remembering a convicted criminal defendant that has shown such an utter lack of remorse for his criminal behavior,” said 6th Judicial District Court Judge Jeffery Wilson, in handing down the maximum penalty.Redwine, wearing an orange, jail-issued jumpsuit, declined to speak; his attorneys said he plans to appeal.

But in a pre-sentence investigation, which looks into the legal and social background of convicted criminals and gives them a chance to weigh in, Redwine wrote a few terse words while maintaining his innocence. Judge Wilson read those comments into the record Friday.“Innocent of all charges. Miscarriage of justice. Fake conviction. Sham trial,” Redwine wrote. “... I take this circumstance very seriously and want to make clear that I too have lost a child I love more than life itself. I will fight for true justice, not for myself but for Dylan. I have always shown remorse for the things that I am guilty of. Stand against fake justice.”

Elaine Hall, Dylan’s mother, said she she is pleased with Friday’s outcome. “It’s justice as far as justice can go,“ she said. “... There will never be enough time for taking Dylan’s life, but at least he hopefully won’t get out. Hopefully he’ll die in prison.”Redwine, 60, was facing 16 to 48 years in prison after a 12-person jury found him guilty July 16 of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death.Prosecutors asked the court to sentence Redwine to the full 48 years, citing several aggravating circumstances, including that Redwine killed his own son, misled law enforcement and has shown no remorse.“He stands before you refusing to accept responsibility, showing no remorse, reflecting that same cold-hearted murderer’s heart that killed Dylan Redwine,” said District Attorney Christian Champagne. “Your honor, that’s the ultimate aggravating factor that you should consider. And that alone will justify imposition of the maximum sentence in this case – 48 years for both counts.”

In addressing Redwine, Wilson said the evidence against him is “overwhelming.” “First of all, you killed your son, a 13-year-old boy. At 13, he’s still a little boy,” Wilson said. “As the father, it’s your obligation to protect your son, keep him from harm. Instead of that, you inflicted enough injury on him to kill him in your living room.“After the passion of whatever caused you to act the way you did subsided, you didn’t think about Dylan. You thought about yourself, you sanitized the crime scene, you hid Dylan’s body and you went so far as to remove his head from the rest of his body.”Wilson said Redwine’s efforts to conceal Dylan’s body and lie about what happened caused suffering for Dylan’s family and the entire community. His actions deprived Dylan the opportunity to grow up, fall in love, get married and have children, the judge said.In handing down the maximum penalty, Wilson said Redwine takes “absolutely no responsibly” for what he did to Dylan and needs to be removed from society for “a long period of time.”

Public defense lawyer John Moran made several legal arguments, some that will likely show up in a future appeal. He also asked that certain statements and findings be stricken from the pre-sentence investigation. “Mr. Redwine loved Dylan with all his heart,” Moran said. “The depth of grief Dylan’s loved ones have experienced may never leave a high-water mark. ... Mr. Redwine is eager for fair and impartial review by a higher court. He is appealing and wishes to make no further record here.”The sentencing hearing caps a nearly nine-year homicide investigation that began in November 2012, when Dylan disappeared while on a court-ordered visit to see his father.Prosecutors surmised that Redwine flew into a fit of rage and murdered his son after the boy confronted him about compromising photos. Defense lawyers said Dylan was alive the morning of Nov. 19, 2012 – the day he went missing. His father ran errands in town, and when he returned he found the boy missing – a bowl of cereal on the table and the television turned to Nickelodeon.They suggested a stranger may have harmed Dylan, or that wildlife attacked him while he was out walking.Text messages sent by Dylan to friends and family indicate the boy didn’t want to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with his father. Their relationship had soured in recent months, especially after Dylan found photos of his father wearing women’s lingerie while eating what appeared to be feces from a diaper, according to testimony presented during the five-week trial.

Dylan’s disappearance set off a massive search in the rugged mountains north of Redwine’s home in Southwest Colorado. In the months that followed, community members and law enforcement organized multiple searches, combing the woods for clues.Law enforcement executed several search warrants on Redwine’s home. Forensic testing found traces of Dylan’s blood in his father’s living room, and a cadaver dog detected the recent presence of a corpse in the living room and in the bed of Redwine’s pickup truck.It wasn’t until June 2013 when the first partial remains of Dylan’s body were found about 8 miles up Middle Mountain Road, only a few miles northeast of Redwine’s home, as the crow flies.In November 2015, a pair of hikers found Dylan’s skull about 1½ miles farther up the road. Forensic experts testified the skull had what appeared to be knife markings, and wildlife experts said no animal inhabiting this area would have transported a skull that far from the other remains.

As the case wore on, it gained national and international attention, including segments on “Nancy Grace,” and “Investigation Discovery.” Elaine, Cory and Mark appeared on a two-part episode of the “Dr. Phil” show, which ended with Redwine refusing to take a lie detector test. (At least five television news channels were in town for Friday’s sentencing hearing.)Law enforcement received numerous “tips” from psychics who claimed to know where Dylan’s remains could be found, and as a matter of due diligence, law enforcement had to follow up on many of them.The case was largely based on circumstantial evidence. As such, prosecutors decided to convene a grand jury to decide whether there was enough evidence to issue an indictment.The La Plata County grand jury issued its indictment in July 2017, and Redwine, a truck driver, was arrested two days later in Bellingham, Washington.

The judicial process was fraught with delays, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused at least three significant delays. Prior to that, one of Redwine’s attorney’s faced his own legal challenges and was taken off the case, which caused delays. No charges were ever filed against the attorney, and he rejoined the case But after a five-week trial, which included dozens of witnesses, hundreds of pieces of evidence and volumes of discovery, jurors found Redwine guilty on both counts outlined in the indictment.shane@durangoherald.com

Mark Redwine, 60, was found guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death

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Editorial Cartoon

Our View: Abortion and the court

Masks can curb spread of germs

The difference between fact and opinion

An open letter to Rep. Lauren Boebert

Check your sources before writing

Our View: Thanksgiving

Political balance, unaffiliated members key to redistricting commission’s success

Editorial Cartoon

Fact Checkers must look at truth

Editorial cartoon

Our View: Football

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