‘Then there are the holidays. Many expectations I won’t meet’

To be honest, I’m feeling lousy-depressed, anxious, I have a poor appetite, I have muscle cramps and no energy. It’s probably at least in part situational. We’re making a double move. One in...

Shoshone Power Plant: ‘Biggest story of water in Colorado’

It is not often in a 24/7 news cycle, that a tiny story on Page 3 can make you sit up and shout out loud, “Well, I’ll be darned, that is the biggest story of water in Colorado in the last 50...

Cheney ‘burns every bridge’ in ‘Oath and Honor’

Driving across Wyoming in the summer of 2022, it was clear U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney’s campaign was roadkill. Billboards and yard signs along the highways screamed, “Ditch Liz” and “F– Liz.” Befo...

Overpopulation, war: ‘More people give Palestinians more strength’

Can high population density lead to war? Recent events suggest that it can. You are probably aware that on Oct. 7, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (also called Hamas) launched a ...

What Westerners cared about in 2023

This past year, Writers on the Range, an independent opinion service based in western Colorado, sent out 52 weekly opinion columns. They were provided free of charge to more than 200 subscri...

‘Remember those who brought people together to find solutions’

After a year of economic hardship, climate disasters and war, few could be blamed for feeling like our leaders have let us down. As we look ahead to a new year, I find it helpful to remember...

This Week in History

The following is a recap of local events for this time period throughout history. 41 years ago (1982) Mary and Steve Neville figured that some day, when their children were grown, they would...

Time for management plan for Cortez’ Carpenter Natural Area

In recent years, our unique Carpenter Natural Area in Cortez has endured various questionable management practices, particularly the cutting of native milkweed, sumac and willows, along the ...

No more whining. Who’s in?

There was one hard and fast rule in my household growing up: No whining. What exactly is whining? Miriam Webster tells us that it is a raised, nasal, unpleasant tone of voice that generally ...

The Hermit Monk of New Mexico’s Organ Mountains

The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in southern New Mexico has unique geology, birds, reptiles, plants, and human history – including a murdered monk. As we approach the Chris...

Conflicts over wolves mostly ‘social, governance issues’

The restoration of wolves to Colorado is an historic conservation effort to return and preserve the integrity of wild ecosystems in the Southern Rocky Mountains. This is why I feel compelled...

‘When, in what areas can we recreate shared experiences’

A chance encounter brought up some of my happiest memories, while at the same time tying into a series of conversations I have been party to about what we are missing as a society. It was a ...