Opinion Columns - The Journal

Our view: Righting historic inequities in water

It has been a decade since Lake Nighthorse filled with about 124,000 acre feet of water, and the two tribes that collectively own almost half of it are asking when they will be able to put i...

DATE: Nov 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Editorial cartoon

DATE: Nov 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Editorial Cartoons

Internet connectivity is unreliable

I’ve lived in Montezuma County for 31 years and I love it here, but one thing that bothers me is the unreliable internet/Wi-Fi service. Where I live on Lebanon Road, we still rely on a burie...

DATE: Nov 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Dr. Schmitt and a measure of trust both a loss to the community

I’d like to add my voice to the outpouring of support for Dr. Schmitt, and to the chorus of concern for the hospital’s ongoing and worsening problem with public trust within the local commun...

DATE: Nov 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

No endorsement in district attorney race

It is amusing to see that The Journal’s Editorial Board has declined to endorse anyone in the 22nd Judicial District race for District Attorney. This in the same issue in which their own her...

DATE: Nov 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Acidic mine drainage haunts Western rivers

It was summer 2015 when the Animas River in southern Colorado turned such a garish orange-gold that it made national news. The metallic color came from the Gold King Mine, near the town of S...

DATE: Nov 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

Editorial cartoon

DATE: Nov 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Editorial Cartoons

The military and Trump

Our son was in the Army in D.C. on 9/11. When the plane flew into the Pentagon, he and some other of his friends went into the Pentagon to remove the bodies and help with cleanup. They were ...

DATE: Nov 2, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Our view: Endorsements for General Election 2024

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for president, vice president Kamala Harris (D) has been in the second most powerful executive seat in Washington for four years, where inflation, immigration, cul...

DATE: Oct 29, 2024 | CATEGORY: Editorials

Editorial cartoon

DATE: Oct 29, 2024 | CATEGORY: Editorial Cartoons

Can you really give this guy your vote?

I am a Vietnam veteran with questions for my fellow Colorado veterans and citizens. Will you vote for a man who called American war dead “losers and suckers?” A man who told his chief of sta...

DATE: Oct 29, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

Ellen Angeles for all kids

Dear Montezuma County residents, I am writing to endorse Ellen Angeles for the District 3 representative to the Colorado State Board of Education. As a former Western Slope teacher and princ...

DATE: Oct 29, 2024 | CATEGORY: Letters to the Editor

CBI to investigate federal agent who slammed Durango protester to groundElected leaders from local, state and federal levels react to ICE’s response

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation said Thursday it will investigate an incident involving a federal agent accused of throwing a protester to the ground Tuesday in Durango.“The CBI will investigate whether there were state criminal law violations during the incident,” according to a news release from the agency. “CBI will provide the investigation to the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office upon its completion.”Any decision to file criminal charges hinges on the discretion of 6th Judicial District Attorney Sean Murray, CBI said.The agency said it will not provide further comment until its investigation is concluded.

Durango Police Chief Brice Current asked CBI to investigate a situation in which a federal agent grabbed Franci Stagi’s phone from her hand and threw her to the ground outside the ICE field office Tuesday morning.Stagi was among dozens of people protesting the arrest of a father and two children who were on their way to school Monday morning in Durango. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the family members are not lawful residents of the U.S.The incident was captured on video and went viral on social media.

Rob Lowe with CBI told The Durango Herald the agency’s investigation concerns only the use of force against Stagi. It is not related to separate reports of abuse of a child and his father under ICE’s custody in the field office.City Council held a special meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday at City Hall where Durango Police Chief Brice Current planned to deliver a presentation about the protest and conflict at the ICE field office in Bodo Industrial Park.The La Plata County Board of County Commissioners said in a joint statement Wednesday that the board is “deeply concerned” about the events that occurred outside the ICE field office and it supports an independent investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.Yazzie said she will wait until after a special meeting to comment further. She hopes to hear ideas from the public at the meeting about how the city should respond to the violence that occurred this week.Mayor Gilda Yazzie said federal agents’ use of force against peaceful demonstrators was “just terrible.”She said she is “disturbed,” yet proud of the way Durango Police Department conducted itself with limited options at its disposal.Durango police attempted a welfare check after receiving a report of abuse of a child who had been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs agents Monday morning. DPD was unsuccessful, having been turned away at the door to the ICE field office in Durango by federal agents.Police also issued parking tickets when protesters parked their cars along both sides of a narrow road near the field office after Durango Fire Protection District asked for assistance in ensuring fire trucks and ambulances had a clear path in the event of an emergency.“The police department has handled themselves (to) the letter of the law and done the best they could with trying to do welfare checks on the children and trying to keep safety at the top of their agenda,” she said.Durango police’s actionable options are restricted by federal authority, Yazzie said, limiting their ability to respond to certain situations at the protestYazzie said hoped to hear ideas from the public about how the city should respond to the violence that occurred this week.Councilor Shirley Gonzales, who went to the protest Tuesday morning and remained well after the protest ended in the afternoon, joined a lawyer and immigrant advocates in attempting a welfare check on the family, only to be turned away by federal agents.Gonzales told the Herald she wants the immediate release of the children and their father and to be allowed to resume the legal asylum process they have already undertaken.“Being the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, it wasn’t always – at different times in our country – so violent,” she said. “Let’s start, at a minimum, with allowing people that are in the process to complete the path that they’re on.”

Elected officials react to ICE arrests, protest and violenceElected officials from the local, state and federal levels reacted this week to the federal arrests of asylum-seekers, the resulting protests and the way in which federal agents responded.Elected officials voiced concerns and consternation, finger-wagging federal agents. But some officials offered more call to action in the interest of accountability than others this week.Local elected officials went the furthest in calling for action.County commissioners said La Plata County had no operational involvement in the incident and urged state and federal elected officials to review their employees’ actions and move to correct them.“The images, videos and accounts from this week have affected many people in our community,” Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton said. “We share the community’s desire for transparency, accountability and respectful and legal exercise of residents’ First Amendment rights. Federal actions must honor the human, civil and legal rights of people and the rule of law.”

Commissioner Elizabeth Philbrick said the violent treatment of peaceful protesters is not good for democracy and not how the community should be treated.“Just because something is legal, doesn’t mean it is moral,” she said. “Our foremost concern is the well-being of all who call La Plata County home.”Commissioner Matt Salka said moments like those experienced Monday and Tuesday test the community’s shared values.“We remain committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for every resident,” he said.Colorado State Patrol assisted in crowd control at the request of local law enforcement, according to the agency. But troopers did not participate in any immigration enforcement actions, according to a CSP news release. “The Patrol’s role was to aid in de-escalation and protection of all parties present, maintain the peace, and address any identified unlawful behavior,” the release said. “Members of the Colorado State Patrol did not use any weapons or chemical munitions.”Still, protesters questioned the State Patrol’s presence and level of involvement.The Herald requested interviews with U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd and state Rep. Katie Stewart.The offices of Bennet and Hickenlooper referred the Herald to the senators’ comments on social media about the violence directed toward protesters and ICE’s arrest of Solano and his children.Hickenlooper called the family’s arrest “another overreach from an agency pulling people off the streets.”

“Instead of going after dangerous criminals, they detained a father and handcuffed his 12 and 15 year old kids on their way to school. No due process, no probable cause. It’s indefensible. ICE’s inhumane treatment needs to stop,” he said.Bennet said the Trump administration is picking up in the president’s second term where it left off in his first with “cruel immigration policies that separate families and traumatize minors.”“I have always said that separating families is inhumane. These immigration efforts undermine our most sacred values as Americans, do nothing to keep the country safe, and result in trauma for the children and families targeted. The Administration must grow a conscience and reverse course now,” he said.Sophie Ulin, press secretary for Bennet’s office, said in an email that Bennet introduced legislation in August that would prohibit law enforcement officers from obscuring their faces and require them to display their agency, name and a unique identifier while conducting immigration enforcement functions.“Situations like this should never happen, and the Senator’s legislation would increase transparency, accountability, and safety,” she said.Hickenlooper joined Bennet and Democratic U.S. Sens. Mark Warner, Tim Kaine and Angus King to introduce the Immigration Enforcement Identification Safety Act.Hickenlooper’s office did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about what actions are being taken to identify and document federal agents.Hurd did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment about the ICE-related activity.He did not appear to make any references to the conflict unfolding in Durango this week. Instead, posts were about a tour of his district, the ongoing government shutdown and a number of other issues.Stewart posted a video to her Katie for Colorado Facebook page on Monday – the day the two children and their father were arrested – in which she said, “This is not going unnoticed.”She said she visited the ICE field office where she checked on the children.She asked ICE agents if the children were being fed and cared for and had proper access to an attorney.“While the conversation was fine, I don’t think I was given the truth. I do believe the kids are being fed. I don’t believe that they’ve had access to their attorney,” she said. “In fact, I’m almost sure their attorney was turned away.”At that point, she said, it was in the hands of the community to stand up for the children.“I’ll continue to work at the state level to see what answers I can get, but in the meantime, just know that we do care. We care and we’re fighting,” she said.ICE did not respond to questions earlier this week about its policies guaranteeing children access to an attorney while in its custody.cburney@durangoherald.com

Elected leaders from local, state and federal levels react to ICE’s response

Federal agents use pepper spray, rubber bullets on Durango protestersImmigration arrests of parent, two children spark demonstrations

More than 24 hours of peaceful protest outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Durango culminated Tuesday with pepper spray and rubber bullets being used against protesters.Protesters gathered at the site Monday morning after a man and his two middle school children were arrested that morning on their way to school. Protesters formed a human chain in front of the field office gates Monday night to block federal agents from removing the family from the facility.The chain held through midday Tuesday until masked ICE agents in military-style desert camouflage attacked protesters after ordering them to disperse. The agents flanked protesters from east Sheppard Drive and broke through the ranks to reach the facility gates, deploying mace, firing rubber bullets and dragging away protesters who were seated on the pavement in front of field office entrance.

After protesters were cleared from one entrance gate, a black van – reportedly transporting the family – appeared from beyond the barbed wire surrounding the field office and left the facility.Protesters, soaked in pepper spray, wailed as others rushed to their aid with milk, water and saline solutions.“They beat the (expletive) out of us,” said Autumn, a protester who declined to share her last name. “They came here and in under three minutes they’re spraying us. They’re hitting us point-blank in the back of the head with rubber bullets, which is a human rights violation.”She said ICE agents are “illegally doing the bidding of the state” and are complicit in disappearing people and “atrocities against American citizens.”

Facilitated release ‘no longer an option’ICE agents told the Durango Police Department that they attempted to release the children to another parent but were unsuccessful, according to a city news release on Tuesday. Durango officers then offered on multiple occasions to help facilitate the release back to the children, “but were informed that it was no longer an option,” according to the city.“On multiple occasions, Durango Police requested to facilitate the release of the children to their mother, but were unsuccessful,” the release said. On Tuesday, police received a report that one of the children may have been in distress and potentially experiencing abuse, the city said. Officers attempted to conduct a welfare check and to bring food to the family.“Unfortunately, federal agents denied officers entry to the facility,” the city wrote in its release.At the request of Durango Fire Protection District, Durango police helped ensure emergency vehicles could safely come and go from Station No. 1 in Bodo Industrial Park, according to the city. Protesters were double-parked on both sides of the road near the ICE field office.Early morning flash pointOrganizers said they planned to remain peaceful while delaying ICE efforts to separate the family. Around 1 a.m. Tuesday, Durango police officers arrived to monitor the situation but left a few hours later.

Just before 6 a.m. Tuesday, a vehicle without license plates arrived to deliver food to the family, according to the vehicle’s driver. Federal agents then emerged from the building, and a confrontation ensured. Agents threw protesters’ belongings across the road.Protester Francy Stagi said an agent took the phone out of her hand as she recorded, then grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground in a choke hold. She was afraid the agent would kick her to death.

Other agents attempted to restrain the officer before they all retreated back into the building. Demonstrators called 911, but Stagi said she was uninjured.Stagi, laughing lightly, said she received a parking ticket from DPD. When she reported her assault by ICE agents to local police, officers told her there was nothing they could do about it.“This is (expletive) Nazi Germany. This is Pinochet in Chile,” she said.She said protesters outside the ICE field office had no way of knowing how the children arrested Monday morning were being treated by agents inside.“Maybe they’re yelling at her. Maybe they're pulling her fingernails out one by one. We don’t know,” she said.

Gov. Polis: Lack of transparency ‘extremely maddening’The city said a video taken about 6 a.m. Tuesday showed “an elderly” woman being shoved to the ground by a federal agent. The city said it asked the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for assistance investigating the incident, but as of 5:15 p.m. CBI had not formally decided to investigate the case. “Because the event occurred on federal property, the FBI is also looking into the incident,” the city said.Durango City Councilor Shirley Gonzales attended the protest Tuesday morning. Trembling, she said she had never witnessed anything like the confrontation that unfolded that afternoon.She said the family whose arrest sparked the protest was going through the legal channels to seek asylum, and she’s disappointed to see them being targeted.The city said it is committed to transparency, compassion and the safety of all residents.“We support every individual’s right to peacefully protest and assemble,” Mayor Gilda Yazzie said in a release. “This is a deeply challenging moment for our community.”An ICE spokesman in Denver declined to respond to questions by phone Tuesday afternoon. He said he would only respond to questions by email, but he provided no response to emailed questions as of 8 p.m. Tuesday.In a statement to The Denver Post, Gov. Jared Polis said he was “deeply concerned” about the family’s detention.“The federal government’s lack of transparency about its immigration actions in Durango and the free state of Colorado remains extremely maddening,” he wrote. “The federal government should prioritize apprehending and prosecuting dangerous criminals, no matter where they come from, and keep our communities safe instead of snatching up children and breaking up families.”All night protest

Throughout the evening Monday, demonstrators vowed to practice nonviolent resistance against the federal agents. “These community members are willing to put their bodies and their criminal records on the line, and the human chain is the hardest thing for them to get through because in order to get through us, they have to escalate to violence,” said Jay, an organizer who declined to give his last name. “We don’t want to do that, and we will sit here and let them escalate if that’s what they choose to do.” Federal agents were attempting to separate a father and two children despite a pending asylum case, according to an employee with Compañeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center, who declined to be identified.

“The official stated they will proceed with processing the family, despite having an open and pending asylum case,” the Compañeros employee said. “I also spoke with the mother, who received a call from one of her children. The children were told they are being moved to Texas, and it appears they will be separated from their father.”The employee also said the family had no pending criminal charges or violations. Demonstrators brought food, coffee, blankets and cardboard signs. They set up a tear gas station stocked with milk, bottled water and saline solution.

“We’re saying we stand with our community members, and we’re willing to risk whatever it is that we have to in order to get them back,” Jay said.By 10:30 p.m., some 70 people remained, seated in front of the two entrances to the facility with linked arms. That number dwindled to roughly 50 through the night, but the protesters wrapped themselves in blankets and waited for a sign from either the agents or the family.At 12:47 a.m., several Durango Police Department vehicles arrived on scene to monitor the situation. According to Sgt. Padraic Ingle, they were there to ensure the rights of all parties involved were upheld and that violence did not break out. “We’re just here to make sure that everybody’s safe,” Ingle said. “We love that they are here to exercise their First Amendment right, and so that’s why we’re here. We uphold the Constitution and we uphold the ordinances of our community. So that’s ultimately what we’re doing.”Because tensions were running high, Ingle said, emotions can get carried away and lead to conflict.

“We want to make sure that if that does happen, people are still doing it in a way that benefits society, versus tears it down totally,” Ingle said. He said DPD is not involved with ICE operations, and that the department has made no plans with the agency. If violence did break out on either side, he said officers would step in to stop it. City spokesman Tom Sluis said DPD was asked by the Durango Fire Protection District to help ensure emergency vehicles had access to the fire station. At that time, a smaller number of protesters were receptive to the requests of a code enforcement officer, he said.

By 5:30 a.m., DPD officers had left the scene. And by 5:50 a.m., an unmarked police vehicle without license plates arrived. ICE agents emerged from the facility and began trying to clear a way for the vehicle to enter. Demonstrators in the human chain remained seated and did not obey the agents’ demands.One agent was throwing chairs and signs across the road and tipped over a propane fire pit demonstrators had set up to keep warm. He also shoved a teenage demonstrator. As he was doing so, demonstrator Anne Stagi began taking video of the agent with her phone. “What would Jesus do?” she repeatedly asked. The agent then took her phone out of her hands and threw it across the road. “I was asking him, ‘what would Jesus do?’ Because they say they're all good Christian nationalists,” Stagi said. Through tears, Stagi said her grandparents lived in Nazi Germany and that the behavior of the Trump administration and ICE reminded her of some of their stories.Brian Rogers, a protester blocking the gate Tuesday, was shot with rubber bullets – once in the neck and again in the back. He lifted his shirt and showed a large welt on his back.He said he was overwhelmed and angry, and ICE didn’t need to take the children in their custody anywhere.“Children being abducted in our community is something I can’t stand,” he said. “I want to try to do what I can to prevent that.”Jay said protesters remained peaceful, despite ICE’s actions. “ICE rolled out of their facility and immediately escalated,” Jay said. “We were sitting here peacefully, blocking their way, and they came out swinging, pushing people around. (They) attacked a person who was exercising their right to film in a public space.”cburney@durangoherald.comsedmondson@durangoherald.com

Immigration arrests of parent, two children spark demonstrations

Residents celebrate solidarity, warn of authoritarianism at No Kings protests in Durango and BayfieldPeaceful gatherings for protection of democracy, immigrants, public lands and institutions

After the Trump administration painted peaceful protesters and Democrats as enemies of the U.S., protesters in La Plata County responded by throwing a dance party in Durango and jamming out to upbeat tunes in Bayfield.

Despite welcoming and sometimes jovial vibes, a government shutdown, threats of selling off public lands and the erosion of democracy were on the minds of Durango and Bayfield residents on Saturday for No Kings Day of Peaceful Protests against the Trump administration.Nearly 7 million Americans had marched and protested in defiance of the Trump administration at more than 2,700 peaceful rallies around the country on Saturday, according to NoKings.org.

The national day of protest is the second nationwide No Kings event, organized by activist groups such as 50501 and Indivisible. The first No Kings Day was held on June 14, President Donald Trump’s birthday.Saturday morning in Bayfield, 200 or more people congregated along both sides of Bayfield Parkway outside Town Hall. That afternoon in Durango, thousands danced in Rotary Park and denounced the Trump administration before marching on north Main Avenue to 32nd Street and back.At least 3,000 people turned out to Rotary Park in Durango, with more in the wings on the Animas River Trail and along north Main Avenue. They carried signs with phrases such as, “Speak truth to power,” “Stop the reign of error” and “When tyranny becomes law rebellion becomes duty.”Many protesters appeared cheery and in good spirits. In Durango, Dan King rallied the crowd and invited the people to dance to music such as Plastic Ono Band’s “Give Peace a Chance.” Vivian SmothermanSome people wore inflatable costumes of pandas, unicorns, velociraptors, Rex from “Toy Story,” and a frog wearing a bandanna.The frog costume may have been a reference to recent protests in Portland where protesters wore vibrant costumes and danced tauntingly in front of immigration officials, presenting a different picture than the White House’s description of Portland as a “war zone.”

Some protesters carried red and black anarchism flags, and two people activated smoke bombs that sprayed thick red clouds into the air as the crowd dispersed, some toward downtown and others to march on north Main Avenue.Bayfield residents speak their mindsIn Bayfield, resident Laurie Robinson played her bagpipes as she walked up and down the sidewalk outside Town Hall. A man standing across the road dipped two long sticks linked by rope into a soapy bucket, lifted the sticks above his head and spread them apart to let the wind blow large, glossy bubbles into the air.Another woman wearing a different frog costume carried portable speakers playing upbeat music, including Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Los Del Río’s “Macarena” and Sublime’s “What I Got.”She carried a sign that read, “United we ribbit, divided we croak.”The woman declined to provide her name, saying she is an employee of the U.S. Forest Service.“They have been waiting to do this,” she said, referring to proposed sales of public lands to private buyers. “They, as the billionaires, can make more and more money off this, and that’s what they’ve been waiting (for). But this is our land. I’m a public landowner. You are a public landowner.”She said letting private industries take unchecked control will lead to public lands being degraded and destroyed. Or, she added, public lands will become an amenity for the wealthy and unaffordable for working Americans.

Public lands contain resources like timber and minerals the country can use – as long as they are extracted wisely, she said.“Our country is falling into authoritarianism,” she said, adding America’s degradation of democracy mirrors what happened to Germany with the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.Influence over the free press, control of free speech and educational institutions, and deploying the military into cities over domestic issues are all similarities she drew between the contemporary U.S. and Nazi Germany.

She said the Holocaust – the state-sponsored and systematic murder of 6 million Jews and millions of other people – was awful and she does not mean to take away from its significance – but she fears the U.S. is heading down a similar path.

She said she recently visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and the similarities were “shocking.”The Holocaust and mass murder did not materialize from nowhere, she said. It started with persecution.

“We’re sending people with no due process to foreign countries and foreign prisons, just like Germany did,” she said. “They started in Poland with their concentration camps, and they didn’t start with camps. They started with these laws to slowly degrade democracy.”Bayfield resident Judy Blaisdell, a member of the Pine River Rising activist group, said she’s been protesting outside Town Hall since March.She is saddened and fearful for the country, she said, because it’s fraught with division.

“People identifying our groups as terrorists, that is very frightening to me,” she said. “Watching our friends and neighbors be dragged away. There have been a lot of people arrested in this area.”She was referencing continued arrests of people suspected to be undocumented immigrants by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as well as statements made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday ahead of the countrywide No Kings demonstrations.

“The Democrat Party’s main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals,” Leavitt said in an interview on Fox News.Leavitt is wrong, Blaisdell said.Blaisdell said Pine River Rising is nonpartisan and aims to build community.“We’re just a group of people that care about what’s going on in the world, and we care about each other, particularly our neighbors,” she said. “ … We’d like to start a conversation with anyone that wants to talk to us.”

Elected officials warn of authoritarianism, encourage ‘community over contempt’In Durango, elected officials and former officials spoke to a crowd in Rotary Park that spilled onto the Animas River Trail and onto the sidewalk along north Main Avenue.Rick Petersen, a Durango School Board member who is seeking reelection, spoke about the importance of preserving education and protecting students. He decried attempts to smear DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).David “It’s not an acronym, it’s not a buzz word, it’s not a dirty word,” he said. “Diversity of community benefits from a diverse population with many experiences. Every human being wants to feel included, wants to feel safe. That’s what this school district is about. Equity for every single person.”School board members Erika Brown and Andrea Parmenter, who are also seeking reelection, stood by Petersen.La Plata County Commissioner Elizabeth Philbrick spoke about the fall of democracy. Without explicitly mentioning the president, she said the Trump administration is following an authoritarian playbook to divide communities, override constitutional protections and take power.She said authoritarian regimes across the world and throughout history have attacked free press and spread disinformation, degraded independent institutions by installing loyalists, scapegoated people to turn them against their neighbors, and expanded their powers while dismantling free and fair elections.

Protesters on the gazebo at Rotary Park held signs with white text against black backdrops that read “Signs of fascism” in underlined text and messages beneath such as “Voter suppression,” Controlling the media“ and “Persecuting minorities.”“You will find a scapegoat, whether it is a minority, an immigrant or a political rival, they are the problem,” Philbrick said, delivering a civics crash course on authoritarianism. “There is no owning any of the mistakes, the leader will not do that. They become the self-proclaimed savior, defending the real people against imagined enemies.”cburney@durangoherald.comA previous version of this article gave an incorrect name for Dan King, who led chants at Rotary Park in Durango, and Rick Peterson, a speaker and Durango School Board member.

Peaceful gatherings for protection of democracy, immigrants, public lands and institutions

A community recovers: Flood cleanup begins at Vallecito Residents return home after record floods

VALLECITO – Residents evacuated from the Vallecito Reservoir area were given the green light to return home Thursday morning. Beginning about 8 a.m., they slowly trickled back into the community they had fled days earlier as floodwaters rose.Many of those checking in at the reentry tent, staffed by La Plata County Search and Rescue, expressed gratitude for being “lucky ones” whose homes avoided the brunt of the damage.The Vallecito area was among the hardest hit by last weekend’s heavy rain, which forced the evacuation of nearly 400 homes as creeks and rivers across La Plata County overflowed.With the worst of the weather over, roads and lawns have dried significantly, and the water level in Vallecito Creek has dropped rapidly. On Thursday, the creek dropped from 6 feet to less than 3 feet. The flow, which peaked at 6,920 cubic feet per second, had fallen to 894 cfs. The area remains under a boil-water advisory, and officials warn floodwaters may have carried E. coli from compromised septic systems. Internet service remains down across much of the area.American Red Cross volunteers arrived early to distribute cleaning kits, personal protective gear, rakes, shovels, prepacked meals, snacks and water – “a lot of water,” one volunteer said. La Plata County delivered 100 water-testing kits to the aid station to help residents assess the safety of their well and tap water.

At the Mountain River 2 Co-op, lower-elevation properties bore the worst of the flooding. One home on a cul-de-sac still sat in ankle-deep water Thursday morning.Shovel in hand, Brandon Faulkenburg waded through the standing water, digging trenches to redirect runoff and slow erosion. The home wasn’t his – Faulkenburg, who lives in Boulder with his wife, owns a property across the street.“I’m trying to be a friendly neighbor, especially since I don’t have any damage to my own property,” he said. “I’d want someone to do the same for me if I was in that position.”

Others shared that sentiment. Trey Sweet, whose home narrowly escaped damage, spent Thursday driving through the neighborhood looking for ways to help.Small groups of neighbors walked the area, assessing damage, taking photos and helping on properties surrounded by water. “Recovery has to be a community effort,” Sweet said.What that will entail, however, remains uncertain. Many of the neighborhoods in the path of the flood are privately owned, meaning damaged roads – many of them pitted and covered in debris – are not the responsibility of the county or the state. “It’s hard to say what the cleanup efforts will take, or what kind of help we’ll be eligible to get right now,” said John Sylvester, another full-time resident. Some steps and the bank on his property were swept away by the water, but other than that there was no significant damage.

La Plata County building assessors in blue safety vests and rubber boots waded through areas, inspecting homes for structural damage. Early assessments suggest most structures are still sound, though many sustained varying levels of water damage.For homeowners who sustained serious damage, the rebuild process will likely be lengthy and costly, Faulkenburg said. One of his neighbors, whose home was one of the two demolished, had been unable to secure flood insurance. “You just can’t get insurance on a lot of these places,” he said. “And insurance agencies these days will drop you for having bad breath.” Despite the lingering aftermath of an event that upended hundreds of lives for days – and for some, likely weeks – Vallecito’s full-time residents aren’t second-guessing where they live.If anything, the flooding seemed to reaffirm their decision to live in this remote, largely undeveloped corner of the county, surrounded by steep, forested hills now glowing with the yellows and oranges of fall colors.“This hasn’t changed my mind at all,” said Sylvester, standing outside his home Thursday morning. “Right now, it looks like I live in a national park.” For him, the natural beauty outweighs the risk.Many others shared the sentiment.

David Kontje, who stayed through the storm with his wife and 2-year-old son, said the experience has only deepened his appreciation for the area – not just for the scenery and the closeness to nature, but also for the people who call Vallecito home.Kontje’s neighborhood had the good luck of high elevation, putting him and many of his neighbors who stayed out of harm’s way. “Our little pocket of the world is fantastic,” he said. “Our neighbors are people we can depend on for anything. It (the flood) just shows the importance of having self-sufficient communities and relying on your neighbors.” jbowman@durangoherald.com

Residents return home after record floods

2 to 4 more inches of rain expected across Southwest ColoradoRivers could reach or exceed peak flows, cause more flooding

After being pummeled by Tropical Storm Priscilla’s remnants over the weekend, Southwest Colorado is in for another round of heavy rain Monday as Tropical Storm Raymond arrives. Weekend rains prompted the evacuation of about 390 homes in northern Vallecito after up to 5.2 inches of rain fell locally within a 2½-day period, according to a Facebook post from the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. That pushed Vallecito Creek to 7,200 cubic feet per second and triggering widespread flooding in the area. Officials are bracing for the next round of heavy rainfall as Tropical Storm Raymond arrives Monday, La Plata County spokeswoman Sarah Jacobson said. “We are right in the bull's-eye again from this new tropical storm,” said La Plata County spokeswoman Sarah Jacobson.

On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency for western Colorado to bolster response and recovery efforts. According to the governor’s release, the declaration activates the State Emergency Operations Plan and authorizes the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to take necessary actions – up to an initial $1 million in costs. “The Governor has been monitoring the situation closely and State public safety leaders have been in close contact with local emergency management about this unprecedented weather event,” the statement said. Jacobson said the flooding in Vallecito damaged many homes that had been evacuated. She said residential propane tanks, septic systems, water supplies, roadways and trees were likely affected – creating a highly hazardous environment. Jacobson said residents will receive reentry kits and bottled water once they are allowed to return home. She also announced that a briefing will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at Bayfield Intermediate School cafeteria, 720 E. Oak Drive, to inform evacuees what to expect during reentry.

La Plata County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Burke urged drivers to remain alert for flooding and debris on roads. With the rainstorm approaching, Burke said the department expects more flash-flooding.“We ask that you don’t try to drive through any debris, standing water or any water flow,” Burke said.Roads that may be experiencing flooding include:

East Animas Road (County Road 250)

County Road 203

La Posta Road (County Road 213)

Buck Highway (County Road 521)

County Road 501

“We have a lot of roads in that evacuated area that are just impassable because the streams have jumped their normal route,” Jacobson said. “Roads that were a road on Friday – now you can't even tell it’s a road. It looks like a stream, with rapids and everything.”According to a Monday news release from La Plata County, these roads include: Ponderosa Homes Road, Ponderosa Homes Drive, West Grimes Road, West Vallecito Creek Road and River Bed Road.

Road and Bridge crews are working to repair county infrastructure, Jacobson said. Major repairs are underway along County Road 501, and culvert work is planned on Grimes Creek.A hole on the County Road 501 bridge over Vallecito Creek – between Tucker Lane and Mushroom Lane – was caused by high-water turbulence behind the headwall wingwall. The scouring from the turbulence created a void beneath the bridge about 8 feet deep and 7 feet wide, extending 16 feet back toward the center line of the road.Repairs on the damaged section of the bridge began Monday morning, and crews hope it will set overnight to allow one-lane traffic to resume Tuesday.

In addition, Road and Bridge crews have completed concrete work on County Road 500, where Grimes Creek began cutting beneath the pavement.County Road 124 is closed as a result of flooding related issues with a cattle guard about 4 miles up the road, Jacobson said. Operations at the Durango-La Plata County Airport have continued largely as normal, with only a few minor delays, said Tony Vicari, director of aviation. The only notable delays have been linked to congestion at Phoenix Sky Harbor, where weather conditions have slowed some flights, he said. Officials expect only minor delays, if any, over the next two days. Rivers rise quickly

According to NWS meteorologist Kate Abbott, 2 inches of rain are expected over much of the region, with some localized areas seeing up to 4 inches. “Over the next 24 hours here, we’re expecting widespread rainfall totals of 2 inches, with local peaks up to 4 inches,” Abbott said. “The southern San Juans is where we’ll see the highest rainfall totals and the biggest impacts from the rain.”

Abbott said weather systems like Priscilla and Raymond are rare in this region and at this time of year. They are both tropical storms that came in warm and carried lots of moisture, producing massive amounts of rain.“Conditions have to be just right in order to get some of that tropical moisture up into the Four Corners,” he said. “A month later, and this could have been mostly snow, but we’ve had warm enough air to have most of this fall as rain here.”The rain falls outside of the typical monsoonal pattern, he said.The incoming wave of precipitation follows a major storm from last weekend that caused river levels to peak and triggered flooding. In addition to Vallecito Creek’s heightened flows, other rivers in the area experienced record water levels, according to National Weather Service flow data. The Animas River surged from 581 cfs at 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 4,820 cfs at 1 a.m. on Sunday. In Pagosa Springs, the San Juan River went from The next precipitation event is expected to exceed those levels, according to Colorado Basin River Forecast Center. The Animas is forecast to top out at 5,450 cfs at 11 a.m. Tuesday while the San Juan River in Pagosa Springs could reach 6,810 cfs.

Vallecito Creek and a section of the Los Pinos River above Vallecito Reservoir could jump to above 3,000 cfs, according to the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center. NWS meteorologist Gillian Felton said the agency is keeping a close eye on those two creeks.“The evacuation area on Saturday was primarily north of the reservoir,” Felton said. “But now it’s expanded so it’s that area to the northeast-ish part of the reservoir.” Abbott said as Tropical Storm Raymond passes over the San Juans on Monday and into Tuesday, residents should watch for flooding, especially if thunderstorms or intense rain develop.The ground throughout the county is already so saturated from recent rains that it is unable to absorb any more water, meaning that flooding is more likely, Abbott said.“All of that heavy rain that fell over Friday, Saturday and into Sunday morning produced flooding because the soils got saturated, and all of the rainfall on top of that saturated soil ended up flowing into the creeks and streams and rivers and culverts,” Abbott said.Abbott said that with this incoming wave of moisture, overnight flooding could become an especially dangerous issue. “The biggest concern is that these streams and rivers are going to rise overnight (Monday night),” Abbott said. “We’re more concerned about nighttime flooding, which can be a little bit more dangerous than daytime flooding because you just can’t see what’s happening at night.”Abbott said if residents are located near low-lying streams or rivers, they should take extra precaution and get themselves to higher ground before nighttime. “Expect those peaks to happen early (Tuesday) morning before the sun comes up,” she said. Pagosa Springs

The town of Pagosa Springs lifted the emergency evacuation orders Sunday for Pagosa Springs residents on Hermosa Street and San Juan Street east of Hot Springs Boulevard on Saturday, according to a news release. U.S. Highway 160 through downtown Pagosa, at the San Juan River bridge, was declared safe and reopened to regular traffic. Town officials declared the flooding a local disaster on Saturday, as swelling of the San Juan River caused widespread damage to roads, bridges, culverts and other public infrastructure. The declaration will remain in place through the rest of the week. Pagosa emergency response officials could not be immediately reached for comment Monday. The number of homes and residents evacuated remain unclear, but according to Jacobson, the Archuleta County emergency shelter was closed to conserve American Red Cross Resources. Two response workers were sent to assist at the Bayfield emergency shelter. This article has been made available free of charge to all readers in the interest of public safety.sedmondson@durangoherald.comjbowman@durangoherald.com

Rivers could reach or exceed peak flows, cause more flooding

Vallecito evacuation orders remain in place Sunday'We may need to find somewhere to stay tonight,’ evacuee says

Unprecedented flooding in northern Vallecito on Saturday forced the evacuation of over 390 homes, damaged an estimated 100 homes, and damaged bridges and evacuation routes.Despite the scale of the flooding, no deaths or serious injuries were reported, according to La Plata County.“Nobody died today,” Upper Pine Fire Protection District posted Saturday evening on Facebook.The county said in a news release Sunday afternoon multiple agencies, including Upper Pine fire, La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, and the county assessor’s and building offices are evaluating the flooded area to find hazards and assess damage to homes before residents are allowed to return.No new updates were available as of Sunday morning, and attempts to reach Upper Pine fire and La Plata County officials were not immediately successful.Upper Pine fire and the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office conducted 11 successful high-water rescues on Saturday, according to a county news release. Most of the rescues were necessary after a levee breach on the east side of Vallecito Creek flooded Tucker Lane.La Plata County Emergency Management issued another evacuation notice Saturday evening for residents of Middle Mountain Road, citing the closures of East Vallecito Creek Bridge on County Road 501 and restricted access to 5 Branches Bridge due to road damage.Three evacuation zones now cover much of northeast Vallecito, including the original zones north of Vallecito Reservoir. An evacuation map is available at ReadyLaPlata.org.

Upper Pine fire announced Saturday that the evacuation route on County Road 501A from Elkhorn to 5 Branches “is now impassable” due to damage that made it unsafe for vehicles.“The only open evacuation route is down County Road 501 and County Road 500 leading to Bayfield High School,” the fire district said.La Plata County advised evacuees to use County Road 501 west of Vallecito Lake and exit south, noting there is no access via the east side of the lake.A number of road and bridge closures are in effect as well, including:

The intersection of County Roads 500 and 501, which is open to exiting traffic only.

County Road 501A.

East of Vallecito Creek Drive.

Tucker Lane.

Mountain View Drive.

Scenic Drive.

West Vallecito Creek Drive.

Ponderosa Drive.

Faith Lane.

The 5 Branches Bridge is closed at 4762 County Road 501 A.

The East County Road 501 Bridge is closed at Vallecito Creek Drive.

The Mountain River Road Bridge is closed.

Abutment work on impacted county bridges and the Vallecito Creek Bridge on County Road 501 is scheduled for Monday.With helicopters scheduled to fly over the impacted area to assess damage, drones are prohibited to fly in the area from Vallecito Lake dam to the north, according to the county.La Plata County issued a local disaster declaration Saturday afternoon to obtain state resources and increased access to funding for response and recovery.The American Red Cross announced Sunday that the overnight shelter established Saturday at Bayfield High School has been relocated to the Bayfield Recreation Center at 110 East South St.

“Anyone who has been affected is welcome to stop by for a hot meal, to charge their phone and get other support. We don’t ask for identification, and you don’t have to stay overnight,” the Red Cross said.Evacuees must have RapidTag credentials to return to evacuation zones once they are deemed safe, according to the county.Credentials can be obtained at the Pine River Shares building at 658 S. East Street in Bayfield. Credentials can be obtained at 110 East South Street in Bayfield from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday.Christy Korinko, who evacuated with her husband from their home near County Road 501 and Vallecito Creek, said that as of 11:48 a.m. Sunday, residents were not being allowed past county roads 500 and 501 to return.“We may need to find somewhere to stay tonight,” she said in a text message.Upper Pine fire described the flooding on Saturday as significantly worse than the 2006 Vallecito flood, which inundated at least 18 homes.

The National Weather Service attributed the flooding to Tropical Storm Priscilla, which tracked north off the Baja California coast in Mexico.Meteorologist Brianna Beato with the NWS Grand Junction office said Priscilla contributed to precipitable moisture values 300% to 400% above normal for mid-October in the Durango area. Rainfall from Thursday through Saturday exceeded double the historical 48-hour record totals in Vallecito, she said.That led to unprecedented flooding along Vallecito and Grimes creeks, which wind through northern Vallecito. A record-breaking 7,200 cubic feet per second was captured for Vallecito Creek on Saturday ‒ more than double a typical spring runoff, said La Plata County Administrative Analyst Sarah Jacobson on Saturday.Although peak water flows subsided Saturday, more rain is forecast Monday and Tuesday, and the emergency flooding event continues, she said.cburney@durangoherald.com

'We may need to find somewhere to stay tonight,’ evacuee says

Vallecito residents seek shelter from floodwaters: ‘We decided it was time to get out’More than 380 homes evacuated; La Plata County declares local disaster

More than 380 homes in northern Vallecito were evacuated Saturday after floodwaters breached the levees along Grimes Creek and the west side of Vallecito Creek.Vallecito received more than double any previous amount of precipitation ever recorded for Oct. 9-11, according to the National Weather Service office in Grand Junction.Meteorologist Brianna Bealo said a Vallecito SNOTEL site recorded 4.8 inches of precipitation from Thursday through Saturday afternoon. Previous records for October showed precipitation up to about 2 inches.The stream gauge for Vallecito Creek showed 6,130 cubic feet per second Saturday afternoon – an apparent record, said Sarah Jacobson, La Plata County administrative analyst.

She said Tucker Lane, Mushroom View Drive and Vallecito Creek Drive had been closed.As of 2:45 p.m. Saturday, 383 homes were evacuated.Upper Pine River Fire Protection District led the evacuation and emergency response, under the direction of Fire Chief Bruce Evans, with assistance from the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.La Plata County Road and Bridge crews were also mobilized to clear debris from bridges and deliver sandbags to Upper Pine fire Station No. 1.A footbridge was lost along Vallecito Creek, Jacobson said. That debris could pile up downstream.

“That’s what gets scary,” she said. “… If they go out, then they’ll start stacking up on the larger bridges that we absolutely need to save.”Jacobson said the county emergency call center was accepting calls for information and assistance at (970) 385-8700.Evacuation zones were located north of Vallecito Reservoir, according to La Plata County’s North Vallecito flood evacuation map on ReadyLaPlata.org.Bayfield High School, located at 800 County Road 501, was serving as a check-in and shelter for evacuees.Jacobson said 57 residents checked in at BHS on Saturday and 12 were staying the night.“We would really like for them to check in so we can give them information and be able to find evacuees if necessary,” she said.

Christy and Joe Korinko, who live in northern Vallecito, said they chose to evacuate shortly after noon after watching Vallecito Creek steadily rise. Their home is about 100 yards from the creek.“The water was rising and we decided it was time to get out,” Christy Korinko said.Joe Korinko said the speed and intensity of the rising waters were “exponential.” They monitored the creek all morning, and around 11 a.m. it “just started shooting up very quickly.”They and their dog were on their way to Bayfield High School to check in before staying with a friend in Bayfield.

Christy Korinko said the creek was “running hard and fast” with “a lot of debris coming down,” and echoed the county’s concerns about debris blocking bridges.“Lots of earth-moving equipment was heading up the mountain while we were coming down,” Joe Korinko said.The Korinkos have owned their Vallecito home since 2002. It is located in a 100-year flood plain, and they said they’ve never seen flooding like this.Flooding along Vallecito Creek in October 2006 prompted evacuations and destroyed flood-control structures. At least 18 houses were inundated, according to Upper Pine fire.The Korinkos’ home, which they owned but did not live in at the time, was unaffected, Joe Korinko said.Christy Korinko said the forecast for additional rain over the next several was enough to convince them to leave.

Joe Korinko said he isn’t worried about the home.“Everything’s insured, but life isn’t,” he said.The National Weather Service was forecasting 1 to 2 more inches of rain from Saturday afternoon through Monday.La Plata County urged motorists to drive slowly and cautiously, as debris and mud could appear on county roads.“Mud is much denser than water, and even small amounts can cause any vehicle to slide or get stuck,” the release said. “Motorists should not drive into areas where the water covers the roadway. The water depth may be too great to allow a safe crossing.”

In a Facebook post published at 6:50 p.m. Friday, Upper Pine fire said Vallecito Creek stream gauges triggered a High Spring Runoff alert detecting 1,040 cfs.“If you are in the North End of Vallecito you need to heighten your situational awareness,” the post said.Upper Pine Fire said stream banks and creeks are highly susceptible to rapid erosion and advised residents to use extreme caution.In an update, Upper Pine fire said residents in northern Vallecito must evacuate, and that the creek’s flow rate was expected to peak by 8 p.m. Saturday.

Vallecito received the most precipitation in the greater Durango area since Thursday, Beato said. But Durango also received about 2½ inches of precipitation from Thursday through Saturday afternoon. The previous highest recorded amount of precipitation for Oct. 11 was just 0.23 inches.“This is definitely a pretty significant, pretty unusual precipitation event for this time of the year,” she said. “October is not typically this wet. Our wettest month is actually September.”She said the region owes its almost unrealistically high moisture since Thursday to Tropical Storm Priscilla.Rains are expected to relent on Sunday, but a pool of moisture is forecast to sneak into Southwestern Colorado from the south on Monday and linger into Tuesday, she said.The second bout of stormy weather will deliver more moisture to the area than normal, but it won’t be directly fueled by a tropical storm and won’t resemble the intensity of rains experienced since Thursday.Bealo said it isn’t clear if more rain means more flooding for Vallecito. That will depend on saturated soils Monday and Tuesday.“Many who refused to evacuate are now in need of rescue,” Upper Pine said Saturday. “Important to get out now to Bayfield High School. This water is fast-moving filled with debris and hazardous materials.” Jacobson said a couple refused to evacuate. After their driveway was flooded, they asked to be rescued.Responders were working to prevent debris from damaging a bridge at Grimes and Vallecito creeks, while crews stacked sandbags at Blue Spruce RV Park & Cabins.Kevin Hall, interim La Plata County manager, issued a declaration of local disaster which allows the county to access state resources and additional funding for response and recovery efforts. cburney@durangoherald.com

More than 380 homes evacuated; La Plata County declares local disaster

Western history celebrated on Main Avenue during Durango Cowboy GatheringSeveral thousand spectators gather to watch motorless parade

Horseback riders on Main Avenue, the scrumptious scent of sizzling bacon and eggs, and the sound of prop pistols firing into the air were telltale signs the Durango Cowboy Gathering was back in town on Saturday.After a night of rain, thunder and lightning, the skies over Durango began to clear just in time for the Horseback Social, a newer feature of the Cowboy Gathering first introduced last year that returned on Saturday.Equestrians on the backs of horses, mules and burros moseyed up and down Main Avenue, which was gated off to motor traffic, offering rides to eager youngsters.The Cowboy Gathering was held Wednesday through Saturday this year.Staples of the Cowboy Gathering such as the chuckwagon breakfast, the Wild West shootout and the Cowboy Parade were held Saturday.Several thousand spectators lined the sidewalks on Main Avenue to watch the Cowboy Parade. The Bayfield Belles, the Victorians and Durango Cowboy Church proceeded up Main Avenue along with groups such as Salt of the Earth Ranch and Bears Ranch.

The parade was completely motorless, in line with old Western themes. Participants walked, rode their horses or were pulled in wagons.“I just love bringing history to life. Like, it’s so cool. There's so much culture and history just in Durango,” Jessica Sugar Wolf, a member of the Victorians, said.Dan Walstad, who played the outlaw in the Wild West shootout on Main Avenue, said he enjoys playing cowboys as seen in old Western films, and he has fun performing shootouts.He performs shootouts at the Georgetown Loop Railroad and reenacts four train robberies per year.“Die every time,” he said of the Durango shootout, which is a reenactment of a real shootout that occurred in Durango in 1906.“And I cry every time,” Sugar Wolf chimed.Chari Perce was brushing her burro Charlie beside her horse trailer on East Second Avenue as the stormy weather cleared. “We’re going to be miners,” she said with a smile.She reached into her trailer and produced a puppet miner that had a gray, long and a bedraggled beard. The miner will ride Charlie, she said.

Perce enjoys entertaining children at the Cowboy Gathering and other events like the Mancos BurroFest.The Cowboy Gathering represents fellowship with family, friends and community, she said. And, of course, Durango’s history.She said she has plans to portray a prominent figure from Durango’s history for next year’s Cowboy Gathering, but the details are a secret.Charlie, she said, is a 7-year-old “BLM” burro – a wild burro that was rescued by the Bureau of Land Management and auctioned off to Perce.

Charlie leaned his head against Perce as she talked. He was nervous and hard to approach at first, she said. But after a lot of time and dedication, he came around. “You’d better have a lot of patience,” she said. “If you don’t have patience, you’re not going to make it. Burros and mules have an amazing memory. They’re different from horses. If you hurt them once, that’s it, they’ll hold a grudge forever.”Charlie is enthusiastic when it comes to giving kids rides, she said. She held a children’s program at Durango Cowboy Church over the summer, and Charlie was having as much fun as the kids.“How cool is that, for a kid to get to experience riding a burro? I never got to do that. This is passing on to the next generation just an understanding of history,” she said.

It’s important Durango’s history and how tough the mining life was is not forgotten, she said.Saturday was packed full of events, including a Western Dance scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Wild Horse Saloon. Poets and musicians were scheduled to perform at Toh-Atin Gallery, where artist Clark Kelley Price will sign posters of his work. Singer Dave Stamey was scheduled to perform at the DoubleTree Hotel at 7:30 p.m.A full event list is available online at durangocowboygathering.org/schedule/cburney@durangoherald.com

Several thousand spectators gather to watch motorless parade

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s the Fort Lewis College Skydiving ClubProgram aims to teach students how to dive safely – while competing

MOAB – Rain turned the sandy flats adjacent to the Canyonlands Field Airport – where die-hard skydivers camp out before jumping with Skydive Moab – to a slick of mud that stuck to the bottoms of shoes and made cars slip and slide as they drove along. The Saturday rains created a slight sense of worry. If the clouds failed to clear by Sunday morning, it would be unlikely that Fort Lewis College students Michaela Ferris, Roman Speegle and Jack Schuba – three members of the reincarnated FLC Skydiving Club – could make their first dives before heading back to school on Monday. Ben Iverson, a licensed skydiver, FLC graduate and the club’s faculty adviser, tried to appear unbothered as he made turkey sandwiches by campfire light for dinner. But he was worried: Skydiving is his passion, and for years his dream had been to share it with other people, which is why he started the club in 2025. This trip was the first realization of that dream, and the rain clouds threatened this outing. But for Speegle, a senior studying accounting and engineering at FLC, the prospect of having to delay his first jump did not seem to bother him that much. He was just excited to be out there and to be in a college club that would help him learn to skydive. More time on the ground meant more time to prepare.

“I’m ready,” he said. “I’ve been trying to run through most of the drills and the whole sequence from plane to ground in my head. I’m kind of glad we have time to try and practice, but hopefully the weather lets us jump. I have really high hopes that it’ll go great.” The cold autumn wind blew in from the La Sal Mountains to the southeast, carrying rain. So, the club members climbed into their sleeping bags, curled up and went to sleep. In the morning, they hoped they would jump out of an airplane.

Return of the Skydiving ClubCollegiate skydiving has been around since the 1960s, according to the U.S. Parachute Association’s website, evolving from a means of transporting soldiers into combat zones in World War II to an organized D1 college sport, with national championships being held in Florida every year. When Iverson learned that fact, he knew he had to start a club at FLC. “What drew me to the sport was the human desire to fly,” he said. “Everybody thinks about it. I just wanted to chase that natural instinct of wanting to fly through the clouds.”This is actually the second incarnation of the FLC Skydiving Club, he said. Back in 2017, the club was started by Taylor Webb, but fell off because they were unable to find enough people with enough interest in skydiving to make the commitment, said FLC graduate Connor Bevel.

“We tried to start it, but people graduated out,” Bevel said. “We had like 150 students come out for some jump courses. Then Ben said that e’re going to do it again. There’s only a handful of collegiate clubs out in the country, so it’s awesome to let them start to get into it.” After being introduced to and falling in love with skydiving at FLC, Bevel went on to become an instructor at Skydive Moab, where he met Iverson. Bevel soon became one of Iverson’s mentors, and told him about the old club.

“It kind of died out because there weren’t any jumpers,” Iverson said. “And now we have a perfect opportunity to restart the club.”So, he got to work. He proposed the club to the school, which enthusiastically agreed to its formation and helped fund it. If he could prove there was interest and get students to get their skydiving licenses, the school would secure him more funding and help empower members to start competing against schools like Georgia Tech and the Air Force Academy. “I got hired up at the college, and I’m a regulated coach under the USPA,” Iverson said.“Fort Lewis is awesome. They empowered me to start this club,” Iverson said. “I feel like a lot of colleges would be quick to say, ‘Nope, that’s too dangerous, it’s not happening.’ But Fort Lewis was like, ‘Let’s make this happen.’ And they gave me the resources to be successful in restarting the club.” Statistically safer than driving a car

The next challenge would be convincing students to invest time and money – 25 jumps and $3,090 to get fully licensed, before buying helmets and parachutes, which can tack on another $5,000. Asking people to jump out of a plane flying 13,000 feet above the ground can be a tall order, Iverson said. “It’s a super-intimidating sport,” he said. “You’re jumping out of an airplane. Enough said.”But, as Iverson pointed out in the club’s first informational meeting on Sept. 8, skydiving is statistically safer than driving a car. According to the USPA, which collects data on skydiving fatalities, there were only nine deaths out of 3.88 million jumps in 2024, averaging out to 0.23 deaths per 100,000 jumps.

While skydiving is in no way completely risk-free, safety standards have improved since it became a widely available sport, and deaths continue to decrease. The USPA is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, and prospective skydivers must pass a series of rigorous written and physical tests to ensure they have what it takes to do it safely. As for cost, Iverson said, becoming a licensed skydiver is quite achievable. Skydive Moab’s certification program is pay-as-you-go, meaning the $3,090 cost can be spread out over time. With Iverson being a licensed coach, students can get qualified instruction without leaving Durango. Additionally, parachutes are available for rent at Skydive Moab. “I was a student, and every paycheck I would put $50 into a savings account,” he said. “When I finally had the funds, I booked my ground school and did my very first solo jump the next day.”Iverson hopes he can offer students not only advice and technical instruction, but also provide them with an encouraging, friendly face to help make the process a little easier. “When I was a student, I spent a lot of weeks camping by myself, doing the entire thing alone,” Iverson said. “It was a there's a little hard sometimes, just dealing with that loneliness. And so I wanted to give them a different experience, and just have friendly, familiar face to go get them excited, to debrief, and support them in any way that I can.”He needed to prove the club was viable by having students make successful jumps. That way, he said, he would get more funding to hire other coaches, buy parachutes for the club, and pay for food, gas and lodging when they eventually went to compete against other schools. The first meeting concluded with notable interest in the club. About 10 students stuck around after Iverson’s presentation. By the second meeting on Sept. 24, when he ran through how a parachute works and how to deploy the it, four students came and signed up for their first jumps the next weekend. to add their name and email to his rosterSkyhawks take flight, and a club is reborn

The morning of Sept. 28 did not bode well for skydiving. Gray clouds hovered over the Utah desert, and it had rained through the night. Speegle, Ferris and Schuba were cheery, and Iverson said a weather window was in the forecast. Bagels and coffee were served over a Coleman stove, camp was broken, and the four hopefuls slipped and slid in their cars over the muddy ground.

The three fell in with a group of other students to go over more safety protocols. To everyone’s relief, the clouds rolled away revealing blue skies and minimal wind.Speegle and Schuba were scheduled to jump on the third flight of the day, followed by Ferris. Each of them had completed their tandem jump – in which they were harnessed to a professional skydiver. This time, they would have two instructors to make sure they safely pulled their chutes, but they were expected to jump, free fall and land on their own volition. “I’m a little nervous” Ferris, a freshman studying business administration and to become a licensed pilot, said. “'But I have two people with me, so it can’t be that bad. I’m studying to be a pilot, and we’re taught to never abandon our planes. So this is a little different, but I’m excited!”

Finally, Speegle and Schuba loaded into the plane with 15 other instructors and students. The engine roared, and as they headed for the clouds, Iverson, smiling with relief that his students were able to do their jumps, drove to the landing zone. The two would jump with their instructors from 18,000 feet in elevation, and in their 55-second free fall, they would accelerate to a terminal velocity of 120 mph. All the while, they would monitor their wrist-worn altimeters, watching for 6,000 feet above the ground, where they would pull their chutes. Iverson shaded his eyes to watch the sky. Seconds went by, and suddenly the first chutes popped open and began making sweeping, graceful arcs through the clouds. Slowly, Speegle and Schuba descended and gracefully landed, grinning from ear to ear.

“It is just absolute sensory overload when you’re free falling,” Schuba said after his jump. “Next thing you know, the canopy goes up and it’s just pure bliss. You actually kind of get a chance to look around.”“I was scared, so I was trying to go fast,” Speegle said. “I just had to relax, and then just let muscle memory take over. We practiced this for almost 24 straight hours, and so much of what I was doing was just based off that. I was doing it to get over my fear.”For Iverson, seeing Speegle and Schuba land was watching a dream come true. Now that their first jumps had been completed successfully, it was on to earning the rest of their licenses.

“All the hard work I’ve been putting in the last few months – planning and marketing and insurance and all the liability – everything fell together perfectly for this weekend,” he said. “It’s heartwarming. I went through this exact same thing three years ago, and so to see them now go through – but supported by the school they attend – is pretty cool.”The clouds returned soon after Speegle’s and Schuba’s jumps, grounding further flights for the day. But, Iverson said, Ferris was joined by Hayes and Kramer on Monday morning, when the three did their first solo jumps. And with that, the Fort Lewis College Skydiving Club rose from the ashes. sedmondson@durangoherald.com

Program aims to teach students how to dive safely – while competing

Photos: High County Cattle Auction

Our view: Righting historic inequities in water

Editorial cartoon

Internet connectivity is unreliable

Dr. Schmitt and a measure of trust both a loss to the community

No endorsement in district attorney race

Acidic mine drainage haunts Western rivers

Editorial cartoon

The military and Trump

Our view: Endorsements for General Election 2024

Editorial cartoon

Can you really give this guy your vote?

Ellen Angeles for all kids

Videos & Photos

Search Directory Plus

Most Popular

Most Recent

Most Popular

Most Recent

Ballantine Communications, Inc.

Contact Us

Find Us

Subscribe