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Category Archives: 2008
Waiting for that special moment
A while back I met up with an old friend at a wedding in Michigan. We hadn’t seen each other in years, and decided to take some extra time and stroll through town to catch up on each other’s lives. … Continue reading
Published in December 2008, janelle holden
Vanishing symbol of the West: A new book shows the mustang’s plight
Carol Walker started photographing Wyoming’s wild horses five years ago after an encounter with a gray stallion on a cold April morning. But the veteran wildlife photographer had no idea where the adventure would take her. “Little did I know … Continue reading
Published in Arts & Entertainment, December 2008
Developer touts proposed village’s green features
Related story ‘Tottenville’ heads to the planning commission Environmentally responsible, pedestrian- friendly, and economically sustainable. That was the picture developer Dean Matthews painted of his proposed 792- lot “Tottenville” subdivision at an informational meeting Nov. 12 before a crowd … Continue reading
Published in December 2008
‘Tottenville’ heads to the planning commission
Related story Developer touts proposed village’s green features The biggest subdivision ever proposed in Montezuma County appears to be headed for a hearing before the planning commission despite a letter from the planning director stating that the zoning application … Continue reading
Published in December 2008
A struggle over wind power in the Navajo Nation
The winds that swirl around Gray Mountain in northern Arizona have generated a cyclone of controversy, a power struggle over who will reap the benefits of their energy-producing potential: the Navajo Nation’s central government, or the tiny community of Gray … Continue reading
Published in December 2008
Saving dogs and cats in Towaoc
It’s a frosty November morning in Towaoc, and a handful of people are hard at work. Dr. Susan Grabbe’s mobile veterinary clinic, housed in a van, is parked outside a small former office building that serves as the Ute Mountain … Continue reading
Published in December 2008
Montezuma County takes the lead in scrutinizing oil and gas taxes
An independent audit of the oil and gas industry in Montezuma County has led to a significant property-tax windfall, and the trend is catching on in other Western Slope counties. As a result of increased property valuations for 16 oil … Continue reading
Published in December 2008
Commissioners face continual land-use questions
Since the November election, when incumbent commissioners Gerald Koppenhafer and Larrie Rule were reelected easily, the county commission has taken pretty much the same stance on land-use decisions that it had before. The board has proven sympathetic to gravel pits … Continue reading
Published in December 2008
Teaching the thrill of discovery
Monticello to house new ‘Canyon Country’ center for outdoor education Who says a small town can’t do great big things? Anyone who believes that rural Western towns and the schools within those towns are limited by resources need only look … Continue reading
Published in November 2008
Conveying a sense of place
The featured artist at the upcoming Bluff Arts Festival, J.R. Lancaster, specializes in tactile paintings and mixedmedia pieces that capture the essence of the high desert. So why will his talk during the festival focus on a series he’s done … Continue reading
Published in November 2008
The people’s voice: Cortez library events tap into a ‘hunger for poetry’
When artist and poet Ramson Lomatewama writes, he draws upon his Hopi background as well as his experience living in urban California for images. “I feel fortunate to have grown up in two worlds,” he says over the phone … Continue reading
Published in Arts & Entertainment, November 2008
Meet the new boss: Election results from around the region
The night of Nov. 4, the weather turned cold suddenly across much of the Four Corners area. Wags quipped that it was hell freezing over — because a black man had actually been elected president of the United States. On … Continue reading
Published in Election, November 2008
Gravel pits: A contentious issue in Montezuma County
Gravel pits and asphalt plants may not be the most contentious issue facing Montezuma County, but they have to be high on the list. Increasingly unpopular with neighbors and people who move to the county for its scenic open spaces, … Continue reading
Published in November 2008
Catching air: The first Dolores Cyclocross is a hit
Nearly 50 cyclists made the trek to ride in the first-ever Dolores Cyclocross Race, held in the town’s Joe Rowell Park on Oct. 18 and 19. Two Dolores-based cycling groups, the U.S. Women’s Cycling Development Program and the Ciclistas del … Continue reading
Published in November 2008
Budget blues: How local governments are coping with the faltering economy
With the national economy teetering on the edge of a deep recession, local governments throughout the Four Corners are feeling the jitters. As a result, budgets for 2009 are set to be lean and mean, even though increased residential growth … Continue reading
Published in November 2008
From fuel to food: As markets change, Dove Creek’s biodiesel plant shifts direction
In late summer, fields of golden sunflowers, heavy heads drooping, line the border of U.S. Highway 491 in Southwest Colorado, near the town of Dove Creek. Farmers in this part of Colorado grow the sunflowers for their oily seeds, which … Continue reading
Published in October 2008
Non-profits, governments struggle to find board members
She looked at her watch impatiently.How long had they been there? It seemed like days. The agenda had looked reasonably short, but after nearly two hours they were only on the second item. She had joined the non-profit’s boardbecause she believed … Continue reading
Published in October 2008
Strands of history: An exhibition celebrates Ute basket-weaving
Lynn Brittner speaks softly into the phone from her office at the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum (SUCCM) in Ignacio. Under her guidance as executive director, SUCCM preserves what is left of Ute culture, revives pieces of the culture … Continue reading
Published in October 2008
Young calls for planning, vision in county
Related stories Hughes concerned about land-use regulations Koppenhafer advocates fair code enforcement Planning – whether it be for land use, oil and gas development, economic development or roads – is the key to a bright future for Montezuma County, … Continue reading
Published in Election, October 2008
Wilson proud of his record as DA
Related story Myers calls for fewer felony plea bargains When Jim Wilson, incumbent candidate for district attorney, talks about crime, his enthusiasm for public service and dedication to enforcing the law are undeniable.After a four-year term as DA, Wilson … Continue reading
Published in Election, October 2008
Myers calls for fewer felony plea bargains
Related stories Wilson proud of his record as DA District attorney candidate Mac Myers has a professional, self-assured manner, a trait earned through years of experience in the courtroom and an obvious love of the law. Between 1996 … Continue reading
Published in Election, October 2008
Koppenhafer advocates fair code enforcement
Related stories Hughes concerned about land-use regulations Young calls for planning, vision in county Gerald Koppenhafer knows there are flaws in Montezuma County’s landuse code. But he doesn’t believe they are fatal ones. “As far as the land-use … Continue reading
Published in Election, October 2008
Hughes concerned about land-use regulations
Related stories Koppenhafer advocates fair code enforcement Young calls for planning, vision in county A few years ago, Alfred Hughes would not have imagined he would be running to be a Montezuma County commissioner. But that was before a … Continue reading
Published in Election, October 2008
Better communication is theme for Blackburn
Related story Rule is proud of board service, hiring choice When Fred Blackburn decided to run for county commissioner, he thought land-use planning would be his main issue. But he changed his mind. “Before you plan, you … Continue reading
Published in Election, October 2008
Non-profits, governments struggle to find board members
She looked at her watch impatiently.How long had they been there? It seemed like days. The agenda had looked reasonably short, but after nearly two hours they were only on the second item. She had joined the non-profit’s boardbecause she believed in … Continue reading
Published in October 2008
700-lot subdivision may be sprouting in Totten Lake area
A subdivision that would dwarf any other built so far in Montezuma County is being planned for a 460-acre parcel east of Cortez near Totten Reservoir. Although the developers have yet to submit a formal application for zoning to the … Continue reading
Published in October 2008
The Wright Stuff
Durango author advises, ‘Want less, do more’ Some people howl that we must give up our modern comforts to save the earth. Durango freelance journalist and Fort Lewis College instructor Ken Wright believes the rescue starts with another idea: Lead … Continue reading
Published in Arts & Entertainment, September 2008
It was politics as usual, except for Obama
” . . . if we set our compass true, we will reach our destination – not merely victory for our party, but renewal for our nation.” – Sen. Edward Kennedy For reasons probably better left unexplored, I have been … Continue reading
Published in Election, September 2008
Action outside the convention proves lively
“What a field day for the heat, a thousand people in the street. Singing songs and carrying signs, mostly say hooray for our side.” – Buffalo Springfield “For What It’s Worth,” the classic ’60s protest song, came to mind during … Continue reading
Published in Election, September 2008
Being there: There’s nothing quite like a national political convention
Do political conventions have any real reason to exist? Probably not, as was demonstrated by the Republicans this month, when they scaled back their convention because Hurricane Gustav was hitting the Gulf Coast. The parties’ candidates are chosen during primaries … Continue reading
Published in Election, September 2008
Yow! Invading wasps carry a painful punch
I was busily weeding in my back yard one August day when I sat on a lawn chair for a short break. A sharp pain in my arm made me wonder if I’d cut myself. Then I realized that, no, … Continue reading
Published in September 2008
Energy logjam?
The Montezuma County commissioners lambaste the BLM for drilling delays Public-lands agencies are impeding the effort to suck oil, natural gas, and carbon dioxide out of the ground, hampering local economic development and America’s quest for energy independence. That was … Continue reading
Published in September 2008
Women’s work: After a career in corrections, Durango’s Tekla Miller tries her hand at writing
Though Durango author Tekla Dennison Miller has written three fulllength books (“A Bowl of Cherries,” “The Warden Wore Pink,” and ‘Life Sentences”) and her next, “Inevitable Sentences,” comes out in January, she never planned to be a writer. She thought … Continue reading
Published in Arts & Entertainment, August 2008
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign: Cardboard clutter they may be, but signs are effective – and protected
Voting takes place in secret, but campaigning is done as publicly as possible. In the past month, political signs have been sprouting throughout the area. And as the signs pop up, so do rumors of vandalism and theft, charges of … Continue reading
Published in August 2008, Election
The next controversy? Plans to site a propane-supply depot in a subdivision concern some neighbors
Another land-use controversy may be in the making in Montezuma County, this time involving a proposal to site a 20,000- to 30,000-gallon Amerigas propane-storage tank on a subdivision lot near the intersection of highways 184 and 145. When a public … Continue reading
Published in August 2008
‘Bling-bling’ reality and the Diné
In 1912, Russian painter Vasily Kandinsky published his classic statement, “Concerning the Spiritual in Art.” He spoke about the content and process simultaneously, saying, “the harmony of color and form must be based solely upon the principle of proper contact … Continue reading
Published in Arts & Entertainment, August 2008
Granath Mesa development proposal sparks lawsuit
The Summerhaven subdivision on Granath Mesa near Dolores has not yet received final approval from the county, but already it has spawned a lawsuit and counterclaims. In April, plaintiffs David Doran, John Hernandez and Don Raney, all landowners on the … Continue reading
Published in August 2008
The laws of the land: Vocal citizens debate a code amendment defining uses on agricultural parcels
Charges and countercharges flew through the air in the packed Montezuma County Commission meeting room the afternoon of July 14. The county commissioners were accused of being power-hungry, of flouting state zoning regulations, and of hampering local economic development. On … Continue reading
Published in August 2008
Tagged land-use code
Tribute to resistance: An exhibition showcases Desert Rock opposition
Thirty-six artists moved out of their personal comfort zone to place work in the current art exhibition, “Connections: Earth + Artist = A Tribute Art Show to Resistance to Desert Rock,” on display at the Center for Southwest Studies at … Continue reading
Published in Arts & Entertainment, July 2008
Rule is proud of board service, hiring choices
Related story Wilkin wants more planning, land-use guidelines If you think Montezuma County needs radical changes, don’t look to Larrie Rule to bring them about. While the incumbent commissioner believes the county has its fair share of problems and … Continue reading