Guest Columns - The Journal

Getting in good, necessary – and staying out of bad – trouble

July 17 marked the fifth anniversary of the passing of Rep. John Lewis. To honor this legend of the Civil Rights movement, “Good Trouble Lives On” rallies were held across the United States,...

DATE: Jul 27, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Federal cuts and frozen funds threaten Southwest Colorado schools, hospitals, individuals and families

To start off on a positive note, my family and I had a wonderful time celebrating our nation’s Independence Day. We enjoyed the Rotary pancake breakfast in Durango and fireworks in Mancos at...

DATE: Jul 18, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Washington’s budget cuts are hurting real people in our district

When policymakers in Washington talk about “efficiency,” “reforms” or “cost savings,” it’s easy to forget who pays the price. But here in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, the price is ...

DATE: Jul 13, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Fixing mismanagement doesn’t mean selling off our public lands

Public lands should remain public; there’s no question about that. As someone who deeply values our public lands and the opportunities they provide for hiking, ranching and economic developm...

DATE: Jul 11, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Cleanup and community progress nine years since the river turned orange

In August 2015, an unplanned release of acid mine drainage from the Gold King Mine turned the Animas River bright orange. It looked horrible – but thankfully, this orange plume was less dama...

DATE: Jul 6, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

We owe it to ourselves, one another to pursue a different pathway to peace

Every experience of personal trauma comes with a story. Over time, that story becomes a wounded piece of who we are. Much of the mistreatment we experience in the world happens as we stumble...

DATE: Jul 2, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Colorado’s public lands can and must support both conservation and energy

Public lands are essential to Colorado’s identity, including economically, environmentally, and culturally. They support everything from hiking and hunting to grazing and energy production. ...

DATE: Jun 29, 2025 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns

The joy of gathering, coming together, speaking up about negative impacts on Montezuma County

On June 14, Americans again took to the streets to protest. In many communities, it was promoted as “No Kings Day,” but the Montezuma County League of Women Voters and Indivisible, both nonp...

DATE: Jun 25, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Rep. Hurd must stand up for CD3 with a full-throated declaration: Our public lands are not for sale

Right now in Washington, D.C., members of Congress are seriously considering selling our public lands to pay for extending tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. While here in the West, our ...

DATE: Jun 22, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Straight from the experts, Southwest Colorado’s most important projects and pressing issues

Now that the legislative session is over, my weeks have filled up with visits around the district and meetings with constituents. First, I want to give a huge thanks to the League of Women ...

DATE: Jun 18, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Working for public lands that support real people, places and livelihoods

June is Great Outdoors Month – a time when families across the country head outside to enjoy the rivers, mountains and open spaces that define the American West. In Colorado’s 3rd District, ...

DATE: Jun 8, 2025 | CATEGORY: Opinion

Medicaid cuts threaten everyone’s health care in Southwest Colorado

As leaders of rural hospitals, our organizations are lifelines for medical emergencies, medical homes for many and vital economic engines for our region. Proposed Congressional Medicaid cuts...

DATE: Jun 4, 2025 | CATEGORY: Guest Columns