Caucus in support of Obama

Dear Editors,

I am writing to urge Democrats to attend their caucus on Feb. 5 and support Sen. Barack Obama. For the first time, Colorado will play a role in deciding who our nominees for president will be. Now more than ever it is time to stand up for change and make your voice heard. As Caroline Kennedy stated in her Jan. 27New York Times editorial endorsing the senator; “Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible. We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough.”

Hillary Clinton is not the visionary leader we need at this time and would be a deeply polarizing figure as the Democratic nominee. We need a president that can inspire us, bring us together and lead this country into the unique challenges of the 21st century, both domestic and global. A president that understands that climate change is one of the great moral challenges of this century and is willing to take the lead on this issue. A president who understands the importance of the quality and availability of education for all and is committed to solving the problems confronting public education today. Most importantly, a president who has the grace, skill and vision to bring resolution to the War in Iraq. For more information about Sen. Obama, stop by the local office at 1221 Main Ave. or go to www.my.barackobama.com To find out more information about the caucus call 382-6294 or 382-6297 or go to http://www.laplatadems.org/ ?February_5th_Caucus

– Jen Prosser, Durango

Help fight animal homelessness

Dear Editors: One of the best things a responsible pet owner can do for a cat or dog is to have her spayed or him neutered. Spaying greatly reduces the chance of breast cancer andprevents various reproductive tract disorders, while neutering eliminates the risk of various testicular diseases. In addition, pets that have been spayed or neuteredare less likely to roam, which means they are less likely to get into fights with other animals, get hit by cars or be abused by cruel people. Finally, pets who are spayed or neutered do not add to the heartbreaking tragedy4of overpopulation, which results in shelter workers having to euthanize 3 to 4 million homeless cats and dogs each year.

Dogster’s Spay and Neuter Program, also known as DSNiP, and AspenTree Animal Caring Center will be promoting low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for the entire month of February, in honor of Spay Day USA, a national campaign of the Doris Day Animal Foundation and The Humane Society of The United States. If you need to have an animal altered, simply call AspenTree Animal Caring Center at 382-0100 for an appointment. Together, we can ensure that every companion animal enjoys a long, happy and healthy life in a loving home. Spaying or neutering is an act of love for our pets, our community and for the millions of helpless, homeless animals who need our help.

Sincerely, Karen S. Zempel, president, Dogster’s Spay and Neuter Program (DSNiP), “Solving pet overpopulation one ‘snip’ at a time!”

– Sincerely, Karen S. Zempel, president, Dogster's Spay and Neuter Program (DSNiP), "Solving pet overpopulation one 'snip' at a time!"

In search of service

Dear Editors,

Poor Durango! You try so hard to be cosmopolitan with your trendy art center and your film festival and don’t forget Snowdown ... what a must do that is.

But, Durango, when it comes to the things that count, you are tried in the balance and found lacking. I’m talking about service or the lack thereof of your businesses and trades. What is the secret to get a roofer or a booting service to show up when they say they will? How do you get a leading repair shop to open up when the sign on the door says they will be open? Durango, why doesn’t your emergency plumbing service make emergency calls after hours? Should residents really wait all weekend with a plugged up drain? So, what is it, Durango ... too close to New Mexico and the “I don’t give a sh—” attitude has worn off on such a beautiful Colorado mountain town?

So, if you really want to be the shaker and mover of the Western Slope, start with professional business traits like honesty, commitment and reliability. We are in the 21st Century and not the 1950s in Alabama. Thanks Durango, for getting your priorities straight.

– Doug Quinones, via e-mail

Stop moaning about the CT

Dear Telegraph:

Hey, what’s all this moaning from theTelegraph and many Durango residents about the proposed closure of a portion of the Colorado Trail to bikers in the new San Juan National Forest plan? This was a compromise alternative that preserves the Hermosa Creek Trail but allows for wilderness designation for one of the largest, roadless areas remaining in the state. The value of preserving this land forever greatly outweighs the recreational fancies of one user group. Durango has more mountain biking opportunities in our back yard than almost all cities in the country.

You can still enjoy the Colorado Trail on foot, and you will see much more beauty than just that front tire. For such a supposedly environmentally friendly community and newspaper, why is everyone taking such a narrow, selfish perspective on this?

– Dave Mehan, Durango

The curtain is ready to rise

Dear Editors,

Opening night of the 2008 Durango Independent Film Festival is just five weeks away. The board, staff and volunteers have been hard at work for nearly a year to bring an incredible festival to the community and attending filmmakers. This year, we have a record 102 films that will be screened over the five days. A third venue has been added to meet the demands of the growing film festival audience.

In early July, our screening committees begin the selection process by watching hundreds of hours of film submitted by filmmakers from around the world. The committees consist of a diverse group of local residents, both male and female, aged 7 to 65, from varied backgrounds. All films that are submitted to DIFF are treated with equal consideration. We welcome and encourage films from local filmmakers. This year, as in past years, we do indeed have films in competition from local filmmakers.

Films are selected for inclusion in the festival based on a variety of criteria. We seek films that are provocative and illuminating, educational and political, entertaining in nature, and films that may also offer diverse points of view.

We are very excited about this year’s festival and look forward to seeing you at the movies!

– The Board of Directors and Staff, Durango Independent Film Festival

The new generation of stewards

Dear Editors,

Colorado Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring Colorado’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds, is now accepting applications from students aged 14 to 18 for its third annual River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp. Applications are available online at www.cotrout.org and must be received by March 30. The camp, scheduled for June 8 – 13 at the Peace Ranch near Basalt, is designed to educate students on the importance of coldwater conservation and provide hands-on fly-fishing instruction.

The River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp is limited to 20 qualified students who will be selected based on their qualifications and a written essay on why they would like to attend the camp.

The goal is to inspire a new generation of conservation advocates, and the program is structured to serve as a foundation for natural resource stewardship. The students will be actively engaged in learning about clean water, healthy watersheds, fish and wildlife. They will meet and interact with people who are professionals in the field. This is an opportunity for these young people to go back to their schools and communities and share what they’ve learned and support river and stream conservation for a lifetime.

Camp classes will include: principles of ecology, hydrogeology, aquatic vertebrate and invertebrate sampling, hydrology, trout behavior, trout stream entomology, the biology of pollution, acid deposition, and politics of conservation and human effects on the Rocky Mountains. In addition, the camp will include hands-on classes such as fly tying; fly casting, streamside ethics, angling literature, streamside botany, wader safety and survival, and the evolution of an angler. Students will also participate in a watershed project to restore habitat in a nearby stream.

The River Conservation and Fly Fishing Youth Camp includes faculty from various environmental fields and state agencies such as the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Department of Environmental Protection and National Forest Service. The cost to attend the six-day camp is $375, but financial assistance is often available. For more information or to download an application, visit www.cotrout.org or contact Mike Nicholson at (303) 987-8425.

– Buck Skillen, Five Rivers Trout Unlimited