Columnists - The Journal

McCrackin has a close eye on how federal government ‘spent our money’

Curtis McCrackin of Cedaredge, a former general contractor now in real estate, said some guys read the sports page. He prefers economic and political news, particularly how the federal gover...

DATE: Jun 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Webb says U.S. economy being ‘destroyed intentionally’ by government

Lew Webb of Durango calls himself a “common sense patriot” and uses the words of the Founding Fathers, “we the people,” often. Webb, who sold a family auto dealership in California that empl...

DATE: Jun 12, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Study after study, same message: Protect the Dolores’

On Jan. 3, 1975, then President Gerald Ford signed Public Law 93-621 that amended the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to include an accelerated study of 100 rivers across the nation, and make rec...

DATE: Jun 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Beauty lies with people’s capacity to understand need for reform’

“A night in jail should straighten you out. A few nights.” This was the last comment I heard while being placed into the back of a police cruiser, blood dripping from just below my left eye,...

DATE: Jun 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Let’s agree on ‘one rule, learned on the playground’

Since you’re reading this in a newspaper, you don’t need to be reminded that we are living in a particularly polarized time in our nation. Not that long ago, Republicans and Democrats would ...

DATE: Jun 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

BLM’s Public Lands Rule protects ‘quality of life, wildlife, the future’

As an owner of an outdoor small business and a dad who spends as much time as I can with my family outdoors, I know how important our public lands are and how important it is that we do all ...

DATE: Jun 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Let’s agree on ‘one rule learned on the playground’

Since you’re reading this in a newspaper, you don’t need to be reminded that we are living in a particularly polarized time in our nation. Not that long ago, Republicans and Democrats would ...

DATE: Jun 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Always at the mercy of prejudice and bigotry’

Unhoused, transient, vagrant or bum. Pick whichever term feels best for you. It makes no difference, our health and hardships aren’t in question. How we got there and how we’re doing are of ...

DATE: Jun 7, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘More difficult to be Jewish than ever before’

My friends in Durango ask me what it’s like to be Jewish. I explain about growing up in Kansas City, where I didn’t think I was different In kindergarten, a classmate called me a dirty Jew, ...

DATE: Jun 2, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Citizenship Act’s most important aspect – right to vote’ for Native Americans

In 1948, after serving in World War II, Miguel Trujillo from Isleta Pueblo in New Mexico entered the Valencia County Courthouse to register to vote. He was turned down even though he had ser...

DATE: Jun 2, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘Wildlife not private property of lion, bobcat trophy hunters’

Andrew Carpenter (“Hunting, a valuable tool in managing lions” on May 14) believes Coloradans aren’t smart enough to have an opinion about recreational killing of mountain lions or bobcats i...

DATE: May 31, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion

‘When we take the “I” out of legislating, using “we” instead, we proved we can get a lot done’

We. We accomplished a lot this year – our bipartisan success happened because we communicated, compromised and collectively decided how to best address our problems. Affordable and attainabl...

DATE: May 28, 2024 | CATEGORY: Opinion