AND WE'RE OFF

So you guys are really going through with this, huh?” a friend chuckled a few weeks and what seemed a lifetime ago. Our answer came in the form of two sheepish nods and a pair of stupid grins as we unpacked nearly 10 grand in hardware and prepared to hit the streets and try to sell something that did not exist.

And here, a few weeks and what seems a lifetime later, we are really going through
with this. And yes, we’ve been chuckled at, eyed with suspicion, and we’ve heard
several different versions of impending bankruptcy.

Doubtless, we’ve done a fair amount of upstream swimming since we hatched this idea early this spring. But now that the paper is out of the bag, times seem to be
changing. We’re beginning to hear excited voices up and down Main Avenue. Statements like “That’s just what Durango needs” have started to sound. And
above all, a number of local businesses have put their faith in our vision and helped get this first issue on the streets. For that, we’re especially grateful.

Aside from overcoming the baggage of past Durango weeklies, one of our trickiest charges was selecting an identity for this new animal. Over several late nights and more than a few bottles of beer, we jumped between wild options like The Durango Rag, The Free Radical and, believe it or not, The Durango Nad as well as the more traditional tags like The Durangoan, The Durango Review and The Durango Press.

When The Durango Telegraph finally sounded, it hit like a breath of fresh air. Several people have praised us for being “old-fashionedy,” and a few have actually blasted us for stealing the name of one of London’s blessed publications. However, our decision to select the Telegraph as an identity was partly rooted in reverence to local history, but mainly driven by a passion for the trails of Horse Gulch and the local monument that is our telegraph line. So many of us at this paper and in Durango have been renewed by the Telegraph Trail. My fellow editor/publisher even went so far as to accept a proposal to take the plunge – as in marriage – from her now-spousal unit atop the lung-busting climb. The greater Horse Gulch area is one of
our town’s great assets. We’re hopeful that over time this paper will become another.

We are patient in our understanding that the track record for weekly newspapers in Durango has not been a strong one.

But if there’s anything we’re sure of, it’s that there’s definitely a need in this community. While the Durango Herald’s family of local papers (the Herald, the Frugal Bugle, Inside Outside) has done an admirable job, there’s clearly room for a
new and independent voice. We look forward to a competitive spirit that’s grounded in sportsmanship and mutual respect. We’re not believers in innuendo and conspiracy theory.

As you will see, our take on newspapering goes well beyond the cold, hard facts. However, facts dominate the majority of this publication, and we take the integrity of our news and feature coverage seriously. We also know that it’s okay to crack a smile and that life in towns such as Durango demands a sense of humor.

We’re sorry, but the choice of the word telegraph was not an effort to be “old-fashionedy,” and our content might seem a little contrary to this notion at first.

And we would recommend that those hungry for world news hit up the Cable News Network. Because, above all, we endeavor to provide a weekly snapshot of the life and times of Durango and its community.

So go ahead and turn the page, take a load off, enjoy the read, and we’ll see you bright and early next Thursday.

– Will Sands