Durango City Council - The Durango Herald

City of Durango scraps asking voters to renew 2005 sales tax in November

Councilors, worried about competing ballot measures, eyeing April ballot instead

DATE: Aug 21, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

What’s driving the Durango-La Plata County conflict over jail space?

Police chief and sheriff have sparred in writing – but they don’t seem to understand each other

DATE: Aug 19, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Some Durango utility customers face $150 plumber fees or disconnected water

City seeks to get in compliance with state’s ‘backflow preventer’ testing requirements

DATE: Aug 15, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

City of Durango reveals draft Indigenous land acknowledgment

Statement addresses injustices enacted upon tribes, encourages reconciliation

DATE: Aug 9, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Residents near library ask City Council to apply brakes on Head Start proposal

City officials acknowledge public engagement needs work; next meeting will focus on listening

DATE: Aug 8, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango City Council favors extension of 2005 sales tax without increase for new city hall

High costs of living taking enough of a toll on residents without extra burden, officials say

DATE: Jun 18, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Residents ask why trail realignment was made at Durango city councilor’s request

Parks and Recreation: Project lined up well with fire mitigation

DATE: Jun 11, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Forensic audit to examine Visit Durango finances

Move comes as revelations surface about board chairwoman’s past fraud

DATE: Jun 10, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango considers sales tax measures to fund city hall, police station

One option preserves current tax rate, another proposes slight increase

DATE: Jun 8, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango City Council authorizes purchase of Buckley Park

School district sells green space for $3 million

DATE: Jun 5, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

Conflict escalates between Durango, Southern Utes over annexation

In series of publications, officials from city and tribe have fired shots at one another

DATE: Jun 3, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

City tackles land transfers in next steps for Durango Mesa Park

Updated area plan, preliminary plot receive approval from councilors

DATE: May 26, 2024 | CATEGORY: Local News

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Photos: Wrestling at Durango High SchoolDurango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Durango High School boys wrestling beat Bayfield High School Tuesday night

Photos: Where there's smoke there's firefightersDurango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Durango firefighters take advantage of the old River City Hall building for training

Photos: Durango plays Montezuma-Cortez in boys, girls high school basketballDurango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Durango girls and boys basketball teams defeat Montezuma-Cortez at DHS

Year in photos: A look back at Southwest Colorado in 2024Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is the people, their emotions, different cultures and varied forms of entertainment that make for impactful images. Add to that Southwest Colorado’s gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife and range of weather events, and you have the makings for stunning photos. We hope you enjoy Photo Editor Jerry McBride’s photos from 2024.

Each year brings some of the new and some of the old – breaking news and cherished traditions. It is...

Montezuma County DA Christian Hatfield charged with DWICharges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New MexicoMontezuma County District Attorney Christian Hatfield was charged Friday with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs 16 weeks after he crashed his SUV on U.S. Highway 64 outside Bloomfield.The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office charged Hatfield, 59, with petty misdemeanor charge of DWI and an open container in connection to the Aug. 30 single-car crash.The charges come after results from a blood test by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory showed alcohol and a drug in Hatfield’s body after the crash.

“The results show that at the time of the blood draw, which was approximately eleven hours after the time of the crash due to medical issues, were 0.05 g/100 ml of Ethanol and 0.04 mg/L of Zolpidem (Ambien). Both Ethanol and Ambien are Central Nervous System Depressants,” the law enforcement report states.Two vials of blood were taken from Hatfield at 1:33 p.m. Aug. 30, which was more than 12 hours after the crash occurred about 1 a.m. Those vials were received by the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory at 10:26 a.m. Oct. 11, which was six weeks after the crash, according to records from the lab.An investigation into the blood warrant by The Journal newspaper in Cortez, Colorado, showed that the blood sample sat in a refrigerator at the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office until Oct. 3, because paperwork to send it to the state laboratory was not processed.“I think it’s a non-prosecutable case because of all the errors made by law enforcement,” said Arlon Stoker, a high-profile defense attorney secured by Hatfield to fight the charges.

The charges made by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office are “based on the observations made by law enforcement officers on scene and the presence of intoxicating drugs and liquors in Christian's blood,” according to the report that was given to The Journal by the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government.Amanda Lavin, legal director for NMFOG, assisted The Journal in accessing public records from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office in Aztec. The records had been redacted, leaving out Hatfield’s name and information about the blood warrant filed in San Juan County Magistrate Court.Public records requests by The Journal and the Tri-City Record went unresolved for 14 weeks.The Journal requested body camera footage and lapel camera video on Sept. 3.The Tri-City Record requested any and all warrants, investigative reports and laboratory reports as well as photos, lapel cam videos and dash cam videos on Oct. 23.On Dec. 9, Lavin made the same requests.

The Journal received access to photos and videos in an email on Dec. 19, and Lavin, after making a legal argument for unredacted information, received the full report Dec. 19 and was advised that charges would be forthcoming.The report detailing the crash states that Hatfield was found “unresponsive and barely able to stand” about 1 a.m. Aug. 30 near the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and County Road 5099.Investigators and medics noted a “pungent” odor of alcohol coming from Hatfield, and investigators found “an open 12-ounce can of Mexican Lager with residual liquid inside,” an “empty wine glass,” and a “bottle of Ambien prescribed to Christian,” according to the report.The affidavit for search warrant for blood submitted by sheriff’s deputy Avery Killifer states he had an “opinion that the defendant was driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled substance.” The deputy “placed the defendant under arrest” at the time, but Hatfield was taken to San Juan Regional Medical Center, because of “extensive injuries.”A summons was issued for Hatfield, and an arraignment is set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 8 in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Charges come 16 weeks after crash near Farmington, New Mexico