Durango community delivers
To the editor,
At sunset on a Saturday, driving two SUVs packed with the stuff of our lives so far, my fiancé and I rolled down Main Avenue of our new hometown. Festivities for Snowdown were in full swing, and people of all ages dressed in marching band uniforms, masking-taped glasses, and “I Heart Nerds” T-shirts laughed in genial frivolity outside bars over jokes we couldn’t hear. Amused and exhausted, we finally turned onto Fifth Avenue – the location of our duplex – stretched out the road-weariness and took a shot of Jameson, completely geeked on the coming days of finding our place in the storied community of Durango, Colorado.

The week flew by as we unpacked, fixed up our bikes, made trips to Home Depot, and strolled downtown for breakfast, the Art Walk and job interviews. The sunny days statistic highlighted in all tourist-related marketing materials for the area was proving true, as was the famed welcoming warmth that drew us here in the first place. But as the weather turned wintry toward the end of the week, the light of community shined even brighter by events surrounding the tragedy that took place on the Saturday we’d moved to town.

 
Though we read about the death of Peter Carver in the paper, we really felt the weight of this loss in an overwhelming pause throughout town as the stack of memorabilia piled up in front of Carver Brewing and especially at Saturday evenings’ memorial celebration. Here we were, a week after arriving in Durango, surrounded by hundreds of people hugging out the grief, smiling through tears, and toasting PBR’s over a monument built to commemorate the life of a kid who we soon learned to be a local legend and testament to living large. This time, the ones donning marching band uniforms actually played instruments creating a most joyful ambiance in the midst of suffering, and I’ll forever remember singing “Happy Birthday” to a kid I’d never met but couldn’t help feeling was family.

And that’s how Peter Carver’s picture ended up on our refrigerator.

Thanks for living up to the hype, Durango.

– Joy Morris, Durango

Lawyer integrity law: start it now     
To the editor,
As state legislatures convene for the 2013 session, and at a time when state attorneys general are being accused of misconduct, it’s time to pass an attorney ethics law. Though others can be charged with criminal perjury and contempt for lying to a judge, attorneys in most states – not “sworn in” in court hearings – can lie with impunity, because there are simply no laws to enforce their honesty.

Attorneys take an oath when admitted to their state bar associations that they will discharge their duties with “honesty, fidelity, professionalism, and civility.” That should equate to being “sworn in,”  but the state bars are peer organizations and very much like a referee having his own team on the playing field. Attorneys look out for other attorneys. Only a miniscule percentage of bar complaints result in strong disciplinary measures, and judges may choose to ignore an attorney’s alleged lies despite the state judicial conduct codes, which mandate that they take action. The judicial conduct codes don’t quibble about semantics, but typically state, “If a normal person would be offended by such disregard of the law and such an abandonment of responsibility, the Judicial Commission can and has a responsibility to act on this information.” Nevertheless, judicial conduct commissions don’t enforce their codes, and staff members admit that the commissions have little disciplinary power.

Twelve states have passed laws making attorney deceit and collusion a criminal act. It should be.  The resulting misdemeanor convictions are legal basis for civil suits with mandatory treble damages.  But most states have been inept or incompetent in demanding accountability of their “officers of the court.” The self-policing system simply doesn’t work. An impartial and equitable court system depends on attorney honesty.

 

Without that, the constitutional rights of every American are at risk. We have a right to expect that court decisions are not based on an attorney’s lies, and that judges will take appropriate action in enforcement of the rules.

It is time for Americans to tell their legislators they demand accountability in the legal profession and the court system. I urge you to contact your senators and representatives and insist on a law for your state that creates criminal consequences for dishonest officers of the court.

– Michael Robinson, Riverton, Utah

Get the ‘Legislative Lowdown’
To the editor,
Are you interested in bills being debated by the Legislature in the state capital? Do you want to ask our local Colorado state legislators about issues important to you? The League of Women Voters of La Plata County will host the 2013 Legislative Lowdown on Sat., Feb. 23, from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m., in the Program Room of the Durango Public Library, 1900 East 3rd Ave.

On hand to answer your questions will be Sen. Ellen Roberts, (R-Durango), and newly elected Rep. Mike McLachlan, (D-Durango). In a slight change of format this year, in order to facilitate asking a broad range of questions, we will be taking written questions from the audience rather than questions from the floor. This format has been effectively used at the many candidate forums conducted throughout the years. Light refreshments will be served. Everyone is welcome to attend. For more information or to check upcoming meetings on our web site www.lwvlaplata.org/VS-2013.html

– Ellen Park, League of Women Voters of La Plata County

Donate a pint of blood for Dylan
To the editor,
As you probably know, teen-ager Dylan Redwine was last seen at his home in Vallecito at Thanksgiving time last year.  Family and friends are not giving up on Dylan and have formed a nonprofit, Hope for Dylan Redwine Reward Fund, to raise money to help find Dylan.

 
On Fri., Feb. 22, from 2-6 p.m. at Bayfield Middle School, United Blood Services is partnering with the Hope for Dylan Redwine Reward Fund to raise money for information leading to his whereabouts. For every unit of blood donated, United Blood Services will give $5 to the fund.

Please call United Blood Services to make an appointment to donate a pint of life-saving blood and also help with efforts to find Dylan: 385-4601, Ext. 1100 or (877) 827-4376. You can also go online at www.bloodhero.com to schedule your own appointment.

We will also be hosting a blood drive for Dylan in Durango on Thurs., March 21, at the Durango Library.  Please schedule an appointment.

– Nancy Cumming, United Blood Services, Durango