Samuelson: How resilient is the typical American consumer?

WASHINGTON – The American consumer is the great engine of growth for the $19 trillion U.S. economy, representing nearly 70 percent of spending. If the consumer is confident and happy, chance...

Sheek: Libraries change lives and strengthen communities

I am a retired librarian so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of my favorite places in Cortez is our local library. The libraries of today are very different from the ones many of us ...

Living at Big Bend during the 1880s

Editor’s note: Part 2 of Mrs. S.O. Morton recounting of life on the Big Bend will be continued in The Journal on Nov. 3. These excerpts are from article published in “Volume I, Great Sag...

Lopez-Whiteskunk: Washing away gains of Bears Ears

When President Obama designated Bears Ears in Southeastern Utah a national monument last year, it represented a major breakthrough for Native American tribes. A movement and visi...

Who’s got room for hate?

Back when I was a “citizen,” I had some pretty strong opinions about things. As time passed, I started questioning my own opinions. Where did they come from and why? I began to se...

Samuelson: No ‘Shark Tank’ nation - entrepreneurs in decline

WASHINGTON – Maybe we’re not “’Shark Tank’ nation” after all. The incredibly popular cable business program, which features budding entrepreneurs pleading for backing from wealthy investors ...

Our local school district is definitely on the move

Our district is improving every year and we are excited to offer new opportunities for our student to learn, grow and explore their future careers. We only grow better with parti...

Rankin: High stakes testing

During the August board meeting of the State Board of Education, the Colorado Department of Education released the Scholastic Aptitude Scores for 2016-17. The SAT is a standardiz...

Tipton and Westerman: The truth about forest health

As you read this, tens of thousands of acres are going up in flames across the West. Decades of misguided forest management strategies and decisions are coming home to roost. ...

Lopez: Deterioration of playground forced its closure

Fellow community members, and friends of the Ron Kotarski, Jr. Memorial Community Playground: It is with great sadness and regret that we, the Dolores Town Board of Trustees, and staff, had...

James: TV and Mao’s China

When I was a kid, there was a guy named Mao Zedong who was the “big cheese” in China. He ruled with a pretty hard hand, and demanded that everyone dress, speak and think alike. ...

Green chile season is here, but they aren’t the hottest peppers

There are times during the year when your senses get the best of you: the sight of the first snow, the sound of coyotes while camping or the taste of fruit picked right from the tree. ...