Aztec Aliens

art entertainment food drink music nightlife Thursday, November 15, 2018

DGO

AZTEC ALIENS

Forget Roswell; Durango’s New Mexico neighbor has one of the most intriguing UFO mysteries of the Southwest

Also: Golden Block Brewing, Beer Belly’s Burgers & BBQ, and a review of Special Ops

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STAFF

What’s inside Volume 4 Number 3 Thursday, November 15, 2018

Editor Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551 Staff writer Amanda Push apush@bcimedia.com Sales Liz Demko 375-4553 Contributors Katie Burford Katie Cahill Bryant Liggett Jon E. Lynch

San Luis space cadets

4

About 80 percent of visitors to the UFO Watchtower have had experiences with UFOs and other lifeforms, according to owner Judy Messoline.

Close encounters of the San Luis Valley kind?

What the Fork

Lindsay Mattison

Judy Messoline

7

Reader Services 375-4570 Chief Executive Officer Douglas Bennett V.P. of Advertising David Habrat

DGO Magazine is published

by Ballantine Communications Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

7

Album Review 8 10 Paranormal

Farmington Armada

UFO Watchtower 11

10

16 Weed

5 Badass burgers at Beer Belly’s The haunting lyrics from the Johnny Cash cover of “Hurt,” an old Nine Inch Nails’ song, bellow out over the speakers as we make our way to the counter at Beer Belly’s Burgers & BBQ, a little dive in Aztec, New Mexico.

11 Close encounters of the San Luis kind

DGO is a free weekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

Sound

Downtown Lowdown

Design/layout Colossal Sanders

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Beer Belly’s Burgers & BBQ 5 Golden Block Brewery 6

Patty Templeton Robert Alan Wendeborn

Eat

The UFO Watchtower isn’t just a good spot for catching a glimpse of extraterrestrials. It’s also where you can talk about your alien encounter without getting laughed out of Colorado.

Tell us what you think!

Got something on your mind? Have a joke or a story idea or just something that the world needs to know?

Send everything to editor@dgomag.com

A SAVVY MAGAZINE FOR A SAVVY CUSTOMER.

18 Wanna Wana vape review? Here you go.

Reviews 16-18

19 Happening

The weekend couldn’t have gotten more chill, thanks to Wana’s vapes. Feeling one with music. Turning my stomach into a vacuum. Turning me into a smiley dope. No regrets here.

20 DGO Deals 22 Horoscope/ puzzles 23 Life Hax

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ON THE COVER A flag for when aliens officially take over New Mexico.

Colossal Sanders for DGO

Call 375-4570 or email info@dgomag.com

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[eat]

What the Fork | Lindsay Mattison

Don’t drink and fry: Ways to stay safe this Turkey Day

T

hanksgiving is right around the corner. I could caution you against overeating, but I’m not even going to try. Breaking our collective diet plans between Thanksgiving and the New Year seems to be an indestructible annual tradition. Instead, I’d like to look at some actually preventable dangers, like not becoming one of the 2,400 people who burn down their house while deep frying turkey, or the 1 in 6 people who get a food-borne illness. Instead of spending Black Friday hugging the porcelain goddess or dealing with fire damage, let’s chat turkey safety.

Before we get into any specifics: I’m sure you already know this, but tur-

key is poultry, so you’ll want to follow all the same rules that apply to chicken. That means washing your hands after touching raw turkey and sanitizing any countertops, cutting boards, and sinks that it comes into contact with. As far as temperatures go, you’ll want the breast meat to reach 165°F and the dark meat to hit 175°F.

Safely thaw that monstrous bird Here’s the deal guys: If you buy a frozen turkey, it won’t just magically defrost on its own. And unlike a frozen dinner you can pop into the microwave, turkeys take some serious time to get ready. If you’re tempted to toss it onto the countertop to give it a last-minute thaw, resist said tempta-

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tion for your own good. That’s a surefire way to get everyone at your party sick.

There are three safe ways to thaw a turkey. The best (and most hands-off) method involves time – 24 hours for every 4 pounds, to be exact. Thawing that 16-pound turkey in the refrigerator might take up all your space for the next four days, and it does require you to plan ahead, but it’s so safe that you could actually re-freeze the turkey if no one showed up for dinner (aww, how sad).

If you’re running short on time, the thaw-in-cold-water method only requires 30 minutes per pound, so that 16-pound turkey would be ready to cook in only eight hours. Here’s the caveat: The turkey needs to be completely covered with water that must be changed every 30 minutes. Not terrible, but not great, either.

The last “safe” method is kind of a terrible option. Yes, you can pop the turkey in the microwave, assuming you have one big enough to fit a gigantic bird. If you’re going this route, you’ll need to cook the unwrapped turkey at the power level and timing stated in the microwave’s instruction manual (because you totally keep those things). Since this method will start to cook portions of the turkey as it thaws, you may as well just cook a frozen turkey. While I’ve never tried it, the Kitchn claims it’s possible in a 325°F oven. They say it’ll turn out fine…but it takes twice as long to cook.

Skipping the stuffing step I love stuffing as much as the next person. In fact, it’s probably my favorite side dish on the table (especially when I drown it in turkey gravy…because Thanksgiving is all about being healthy). Technically you it can only call it stuffing if it’s stuffed inside something, but I simply refuse to call it bread dressing.

If you want to shove seasonings you don’t plan to eat – like lemons, oranges, herbs, or garlic cloves – up your

turkey’s you-know-what, go right ahead. But stuffing the turkey with anything bulky (bread, rice, couscous, etc.) will slow down the rate at which the turkey cooks. Not only that, but the stuffing takes forever to reach a safe, edible temperature of 165°F, overcooking the meat in the process.

That’s not a compromise I’m willing to make. Do yourself a favor and make the stuffing on the side.

Don’t drink and fry If you’re mesmerized by the idea of deep frying your turkey, let me be very clear: Deep frying a turkey is not without risk. Anyone who has been responsible for the fry station in a restaurant can tell you firsthand that oil burns hot, hard, and fast. I don’t want to tell you NOT to fry that turkey (because, the result is totally delightful!), but just be careful and take precautions.

That includes setting up your fryer in a place that’s far from combustible materials. You should also make sure no one will walk in between the propane tank and the burner – because that’s how clumsy people trip and dump out a vat of boiling oil.

Figure out your max fill line so your oil doesn’t overflow by placing the turkey in the pot, filling it with water, and removing the turkey (and then, patting everything super dry because oil and water don’t mix).

Finally, when you’re ready, use the turkey kit’s hanger-hook-thingie to SLOWLY lower the turkey into the oil while wearing oven mitts, pants, and shoes (no, not Chacos – shoes).

There are plenty of resources out there that provide comprehensive Thanksgiving guides, so get your Google on and stay safe this holiday season.

Lindsay D. Mattison is a professional chef and food writer living in Durango. She enjoys long walks in the woods, the simplicity of New York-style cheese pizza, and she’s completely addicted to Chapstick.

Contact her at lindsaymattisonwriter@ gmail.com.

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[eat]

DIVE DINER OF THE WEEK:

BADASS BURGERS AT BEER BELLY’S IN AZTEC too thick and certainly not too thin, and the nacho cheese is actually more of a Mexican queso than a sticky nacho cheese. The viscous cheese and the bright green pops of slightly spicy jalapeños are all the toppings this burger needs. Together, they are perfection.

“I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel, I focus on the pain, the only thing that’s real…”

The haunting lyrics from the brilliant Johnny Cash cover of “Hurt,” an old Nine Inch Nails’ song, bellow out over the restaurant speakers as we make our way to the counter at Beer Belly’s Burgers & BBQ, a little dive right in the heart of Aztec, New Mexico.

We’re in this small New Mexico border town for a different story, and have been looking for an obscure spot marked on a paper map for several hours now. We’re famished, somewhat lost, and we’ve stumbled upon this place with the help of a handful of Internet reviews, which we were lucky to come across with only one bar on our phone.

As we look over the short but well-curated menu on the counter, we notice the cook, who doubles as counter service at this spot, is singing along with Cash to every word. In this moment, we’re sold on Beer Belly’s, no bite of food necessary.

“Hey guys! Give me just a second,” he calls from the kitchen with a huge smile. “I’m slammed.”

And slammed he is, even at 3 p.m. on this Friday afternoon, hardly the high time for lunch visitors. There are people in the small dining room who need more drinks, we’re waiting to order, and there’s a customer waiting at the drive-up window, too.

We’re happy to oblige the wait, though, especially as another Cash song, “You Are My Sunshine,” comes on to entertain us. We could sit in this place for hours with only the soundtrack as entertainment.

Luckily, it isn’t long before our friendly – and rad – cashier is ready to take our order. We take advantage of the carb-loaded menu and go for an order of fried jalapeños and onion slices, and both of us opt for the nacho burger – a burger loaded with nacho cheese and fresh jalapeños – as our main dish.

We settle in a booth toward the side of the restaurant – there are only

And, the fries. Oh, the fries. A hearty pile of thick potato matchsticks sits alongside our burger, and it’s clear from the golden color and crispy texture that they’re expertly crafted. We are uncomfortably full from the burger, fried onions, and jalapeños, but we somehow find room anyway.

Angelica Leicht/DGO Mag

»» Are you jealous of our delicious nacho burger from Beer Belly’s in Aztec? As. You. Should. Be.

about eight tables in this joint – and wait. As we chat, we find ourselves distracted by each song that comes on, each better than the one before it.

It isn’t long before our food arrives.

The onions and jalapeños are scalding, our Cash-loving friend behind the counter warns us, before asking us if we’re up for one side of ranch or two.

We didn’t have any expectations for this place, or even much warning that we’d be stopping here, but it’s clear from the first bite of a jalapeño sliver that it’s not just the music in this place that’s killer. The food is also next level.

We down the entire basket of jalapeños and onions before our food makes an appearance – not because there’s a long wait, but because these onions and jalapeños are impossible to quit. The fried onions are soft and sweet, and topped with the thinnest layer of crunchy, salty batter. We can’t put them down.

We’re no longer famished when our burgers arrive, but they look so perfect – so expertly crafted – that we vow to make room anyway. It’s a smart move.

These burgers taste as good as they look. The patty is the right weight, not

The risk of exploding proves a gamble worth taking. These fries are some of the best we’ve ever had, especially at a burger joint, and the fry sauce we were offered at the counter elevates

them to heavenly status. We’re only able to shove a few in our mouths before throwing in the towel, but it’s not for lack of deliciousness. We’re just too full. Beer Belly’s has won.

As we roll out into the warm afternoon sunshine of Aztec, we smile. Another Cash song has come on, and our new friend at this dive has paused his bellowing long enough to call goodbye to us as we struggle with the door.

We’ve found our burger haven in this place, just a short drive from the chaos of downtown Durango. We’ll be back, Beer Belly’s, and next time, we’ll sing those old Cash lyrics right along with you. Life is too short to do anything otherwise.

—— Angelica Leicht

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[eat/drink]

»» The Silverton beer and pizza joint is a solid spot for brew fans

Golden Block Brewery should be on every beer lover’s list

It’s borderline freezing outside, but the tables in Golden Block Brewery and Restaurant in Silverton are almost full. The bar doesn’t have a single open barstool, either – a bit disappointing, considering we stopped by this Greene Street eatery to drown our sorrows in booze.

We snag a table near the open pizza kitchen, and are immediately drawn to the chaos of the kitchen staff. They’re throwing pizza after pizza into the wood-fired pizza oven, and the smell that emanates from it is simply divine.

There goes our plan to drink our dinner.

We’re greeted by a server who turns our attention to the chalkboard on the wall beside us. That’s where the beer options – all brewed in house – and the drink specials are. We opt for a flight of beer, one of the night’s drink specials – the Sinafire, which is made with Fireball and apple puckers, among other things – and a couple of shots.

Bottoms up to Silverton.

The beer arrives quickly, and it’s clear from the first sip that this brewery, while not on our normal rotation, should be a stop on all beer lovers’ itineraries. The brewery keeps a constant flow of beer

we sample is as tasty as the one prior, and we find ourselves drinking the beer in front of us with entirely too much enthusiasm. The kolsch is light and crisp, and there’s a blackberry sitting at the bottom of our taster, a nice, and unusual, touch.

The Golden Bock has hints of caramel to it, and it quickly begins to warm us up from the inside.

We’d like to try them all, but a couple of the more popular choices are tapped for the night.

After we down our drinks, the tempting wafts of bubbly, cheesy pizza we Angelica Leicht/DGO Mag smell as the servers rush »» The beer tasters we emptied entirely too quickly at by proves too much tempGolden Block Brewery and Restaurant in Silverton. tation to stave off. We order a couple of pies and on tap, from the Arrastra Red Ale, an order of artichoke dip a malt-forward Irish red ale, to the to stave off the hunger that has quickly risen in our bellies. creamy Drill Steel Stout. Each one As with our drinks, the pies arrive quickly, but the artichoke dip doesn’t find its way to our table until well after. We’re fine with the flip of the order – our pizza is so warm, and the crust so light and salty, that we hardly notice the mix-up. It’s only after our dinner partner brings our attention to the missing artichoke dip that it even registers.

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When it arrives a few minutes later, we’re surprised to see it has been spread on a baguette for us, but it comes in handy after the combination of altitude and alcohol kick in. All we have to do is pick it up and shovel it in. No other coordination required.

It isn’t long before we decide we can’t fit a single drop or bite more in our mouths, and we settle up with the server for what seems like a nominal price for such a great meal.

We’re a bit tipsy from the barley, whiskey, and Rumchata, but still warm as we make our way out of this newer addition to Silverton and into the cool, fall night.

Golden Block and their malty, hoppy goodness has proven a good addition to the main drag in this train-loving little town.

—— Angelica Leicht

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[sound]

Downtown Lowdown | Bryant Liggett

The Revelers rep Louisiana without the Big Easy schtick

N

GO! Saturday: The Revelers, 7:30 p.m., $27 to $37, Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive. Information: 247-7657.

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Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.

The Revelers

FRONTAGE ROAD

The Revelers straddle the past and the future, and present a style of music that dates back decades, if not centuries. History is very much a part of the music, but the band still embraces the here and now.

“We’re one band that isn’t afraid of taking the past and dragging it into the future,” said Miller. “Some people are traditionalists. Some people aren’t so concerned about the tradition. We try to keep one foot in both. We love playing traditional music and making sure people know where our music is coming from, but we’re also taking influences from modern music – rock, pop, country. In 2018, in the age of the Internet, everyone is exposed to so much, and to shut that out from your influences wouldn’t be true to ourselves.”

And, when it comes to dance music, The Revelers are ready and willing to provide the soundtrack.

“We cover a lot of genres, and that’s the one limiting factor when we bring a new song to the band – can you dance to it. Would you want to dance to this? I think the result of that is a high energy sound that stirs people physically, and it’s in our DNA. Dancing is important to our humanity, and it’s a little bit sad that we’ve gotten away from that as a society. There are still pockets of it. One of the cool things of southwest Louisiana is that along with the French language and the music, dance is a part of every day life, and young people do go out to a bar and dance to Cajun music. It’s not a folk reenactment. It’s a living tradition,” Miller said.

The Revelers will perform Saturday at Fort Lewis College.

HWY 550 (CAMINO DEL RIO)

ot all bands from Louisiana have ties to New Orleans. Sure, the Big Easy comes to mind when the music of the Pelican State is mentioned, thanks in part to epic musicians like Kermit Ruffins or Dr. John. Get yourself outside of N’awlins, though, and into other parts of the state, and you’ll find yourself submerged in a more obscure scene, one loaded with players who are putting together music laced with their own culture and history.

The Revelers are one of them. The band represents southwest Louisiana without playing into the New Orleans schtick, and manage to deliver Cajun music in its purest form, without the shiny allure of beads, floats and Bourbon Street.

“When we say we’re a band from Louisiana, people will say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve been to New Orleans,’” saxophone player Chris Miller said. “But to our minds, New Orleans couldn’t be further away. It’s a three-hour drive, but culturally it’s different from southwest Louisiana.”

The Revelers were formed around the music of accordion player Blake Miller, a French-Cajun musician whose second language is English.

“We like to call it Louisiana jukebox music. All of these genres – Cajun, zydeco, swamp pop – there aren’t too many distinctions back in Louisiana,” said Miller. “When you walk into a bar and there’s a jukebox, you’re going to hear a variety of music, and we’re drawing on a variety of influences when we write songs and we feature some of our favorite covers... We throw it all in a blender and what comes out is uniquely The Revelers’ sound. Now, there are distinctions between the traditional Cajun and zydeco styles, and we like to demonstrate that for the audiences when we play a concert. But, when it comes to our original music that we’re writing, we’re drawing from a lot of different traditions.”

LIGHT

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Durango Diaries Season 2

[sound]

Tuesday, Nov. 27 • 6 p.m.

Florida Grange - 656 CO 172, Durango Storytellers include: Daniel & Hana Fullmer founded Tierra Vida Farm in 2015 after working on various farms and learning from expert farmers. In 2017, Hana Fullmer began helping run the farm. Prior to farming, she worked as a practicing functional medicine nutritionist.

J. Paul Brown has been a rancher all his life and is know for his sheep that get herded through Bayfield twice a year. He has held numerous public offices, including that of state representative.

What’s new

Kate Greenberg is the Western Program Director for National Young Farmers Coalition where she organizes young farmers, advocates for supportive policy and promotes land, water and climate stewardship.

As the calendar year winds down, music fans, myself included, are being met with the last push of new record releases before the full-on winter months, in a final bid to make those “best of” lists. There are fewer album releases right now, but, as is generally the case, I’d suggest valuing quality over quantity anyway. And, last Friday, (November 9) was chock full of quality.

Thursday, Nov. 29 • 6 p.m.

Marvel Grange 217 Co Rd 133, Hesperus

Dinosaur Jr. frontman and modern guitar virtuoso J. Mascis released his seventh(?) solo effort, “Elastic Days,” on the Sub Pop record label.

Storytellers include:

Daniel & Hana Fullmer & J. Paul Brown See above Davin Montoya was born with agriculture in his blood and a deep conection to the land.

The rancher has spent his career growing his cow herd and ranch.

Sponsored By:

Owned & operated by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Durang

Diaries

TM

Presented By:

Laura Jane Grace, likely best known for her work fronting politico punkers Against Me!, made a major shift, perhaps sonically, by debuting a record for Chicago alt-country and Americana greats Bloodshot Records, with the help of backing band The Devouring Mothers.

Speaking of alt-country and Americana, Rhett Miller of the Old 97’s released another solo record, this time for ATO Records, with positive early press ahead of a couple advanced singles.

And, the preeminent funk and soul Daptone record label released a gut-wrenching posthumous album from soul crooner Charles Bradley.

These are by no means the only albums released last week, but a mere few to check out.

FREE. Kid-friendly. Info at durangoherald.com/durangodiaries

The record that has earned repeated listens from me is the self-released

debut full-length from the The Holy Knives. Brothers Kyle (lead guitar and keys) and Kody (vocals and guitar) Valentine are joined by Julio Mena (drums) and Mauricio Vazquez (bass) on a 10-track album that followed their EP from the summer. Appropriately described by the members as “a band that infuses the sultry sounds of rock ‘n’ roll with a tinge of desert psychedelia,” “Year of the Black Dog” picks up perfectly where the aforementioned EP left off this summer.

Latin Grammy-nominated producer Manuel Calderon recorded the album, adding textures and experimentation with various keys, organs, slide guitars, synth bass, and programming, making for a surrealistic, Western desert-inspired atmosphere and tone. The band sonically blends the roots of the Valentine’s hometown of New Orleans with their current locale, San Antonio, into a pastiche of addictive and effective indie noir.

“Year of the Black Dog” is available now as a CD and digital download, available from the band directly at theholyknives.com, or from their Bandcamp page at theholyknives.bandcamp. com/album/year-of-the-black-dog.

Recommended for fans of Timber Timbre, The Black Heart Proseccion, Spindrift, Morphine, and even moments of The Handsome Family.

—— Jon E. Lynch KDUR_PD@fortlewis.edu

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[Odd Rot, by Patty Templeton]

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Dancing With Myself Patty Templeton once was almost arrested for dancing by herself in a parking lot after midnight. So it goes. Find her over on Twitter at @PattyTempleton.

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Our Flower is a

[paranormal]

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Introducing

Rocky Road With KATIE BURFORD

The mass sighting, later known as the Farmington Armada incident, took place as the young child played outside during recess at Aztec Elementary School. Riggs initially thought the objects were stars, but upon further inspection, he realized something far more strange was happening.

Sixty-five years later in 2015, Riggs, then 73 years old, recalled the story during a lecture by David Marler – a researcher of the Farmington Armada – according to KOAT Action News 7 of Albuquerque.

“All these square-looking formations in the sky. They were made up of dots, and the dots would shift from one formation to another,” Riggs said during a presentation at the New Mexico Chapter of the Mutual UFO Network. “The first day there were a few, the second day there were too many to count and the third day, there were maybe 30 or 40 of them left.”

One of the teachers cried as the discs hovered above, Riggs said. But, as disconcerting as the adults found it, he and the other children didn’t feel threatened.

“I was really disappointed when they went away. A bunch of kids (said), ‘Now what do we have to do? Go play on the slide?’” he said.

Ice Cream shop owner, Katie Burford is answering your life questions.

Have one? Email rockyroad@dgomag.com

According to decades-old information, the story goes like this: For three days in March 1950, hundreds of flying saucer-like objects floated over Farmington. The Farmington Daily Times newspaper was flooded with calls from citizens who witnessed the UFOs. They ran a giant headline, which screamed, “Huge ‘Saucer’ Armada Jolts Farmington,” across the top of the paper in bold, all-caps letters. “Crafts Seen By Hundreds,” another headline read.

“Fully half of this town’s population still is certain today that it saw space ships or some strange aircraft — hundreds of them zooming through the

skies yesterday. Estimates of the number ranged from ‘several’ to more that (sic) 500. Whatever they were, they caused a major sensation in this community, which lies only 110 air miles northwest of the huge Los Alamos Atomic installation.”

The article went on to claim that the objects, which one witness estimated to be about the size of a B-29 airplane, seemed “to play tag high in the air,” and raced across the sky at speeds estimated to be about 1,000 miles an hour.

Unfortunately, witnesses to the Farmington Armada are few and far between these days, and the incident has been dismissed with a number of stories. It was a naval research balloon that ruptured. Fluff produced by cotton trees. <Insert obvious government cover-up here.> This eerie event does, however, beg the question, though, that with the proximity in timing and location to Aztec – only a little more than 15 miles away – was the Farmington Armada sighting related to the UFO crash landing outside of Aztec? It did, after all, occur almost exactly to the day two years before.

“It is interesting, and, you know, coincidental maybe. You know, they were two years and how many days – about eight days apart,” said Scott Ramsey who, along with his wife, Suzanne, and Frank Thayer, has researched the Aztec UFO crash for decades.

In their book, “The Aztec UFO Incident: The Case, Evidence, and Elaborate Cover-up of One of the Most Perplexing Crashes in History,” the authors speculate the Armada may have been a commemoration of the UFO that crashed near Aztec where all the occupants are believed to have died in the impact.

But who knows.

After statements from multiple witnesses, the Farmington Daily Times concluded its report with an assurance to the rest of the world that the residents of their small, northern New Mexico town hadn’t lost their minds due to the possible UFO presence.

“In general, Farmington accepted the phenomenon calmly, although it was reported some women employees of a laundry became somewhat panicky.”

—— Amanda Push

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[paranormal]

Judy Messoline

»» Bigfoot AND bikini-clan aliens await visitors to the UFO Watchtower. About 80 percent of the visitors to the UFO Watchtower have an extraterrestrial story to tell.

WANT TO LOOK FOR ET? HEAD TO THE UFO WATCHTOWER IN HOOPER

By Amanda Push DGO STAFF WRITER

The UFO Watchtower isn’t just a good spot for catching a glimpse of extraterrestrials. It’s also a place where you can talk about your alien or UFO encounter without getting laughed out of Colorado, which, according to owner Judy Messoline, is a conversation that happens regularly at the alien-enthusiast hot spot.

About 80 percent of visitors to the UFO Watchtower have had experiences with UFOs and other lifeforms, she said.

“It’s amazing how many folks are really open to all of this. A lot of people won’t talk about it even if they’ve seen something, because they don’t want to be made fun of. They can come here and be in a comfort zone.

Nobody makes fun of them. We listen.”

Messoline certainly isn’t one to judge. She has spotted plenty of UFO activity since opening the Watchtower, located north of Hooper in the San Luis Valley. After years of “struggling with cows,” she had to sell her herd, and after hearing stories of UFO incidents from locals, she decided to open the tower.

“I’ve had fun but I never realized that it would keep going for 18 years.

It’s been a pretty amazing thing. ... It’s fun, what the heck.”

And what in Star Trek’s name is the UFO Watchtower, you ask? It’s a dome-shaped building with a 10-foottall tower that goes three-quarters of the way around the building. Believers and non-believers alike have a 360-degree view of the valley, and can visit the healing garden, which psychics believe is home to two large vortexes.

Since opening in 2000, people at the Watchtower have experienced 202 sightings. Messoline has gotten to see 28 of them.

In one instance, Messoline was watching what she thought was a shooting star coming down out of the sky. When it got below the peaks, its momentum started to slow.

“Well, that made sense to my weird mind. I thought maybe the downdrafts from the mountains would do that. What didn’t makes sense is it went straight back up.”

Visitors to the Watchtower will see lights that shoot across the sky quickly before stopping. Other times, the lights will be going one direction, and then just change direction without

circling around.

“I can’t figure that one out,” she said.

One of the latest sightings occurred about a month ago, with a copper-colored object spotted in the sky during daylight. It was sitting stationary until it suddenly started making weird movements prior to vanishing.

With as many UFO incidents as this region lays claim to, it does make one curious. Why Hooper? Why this specific area?

“Some say it’s the vastness of the (San Luis Valley). Others say it’s the spirituality of the valley. Native Americans consider the valley floor sacred,” Messoline said.

Other theories are that there’s an extraterrestrial base in the nearby mountains or the hot water wells. In the end, it’s a toss-up. Could be anything.

The UFO Watchtower brought in about 10,000 visitors from all over the world in 2018, doubling last year’s count, Messoline said.

“A lot of people are just really curious, but then we get a lot of really hardcore believers in, too. So, I think by the time folks leave, even though they’ve never seen anything, it gives them something to think about.”

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FOUR CORNERS’

FLYING OBJECTS (More than 30 years later, researchers are still dedicated to the mystery of the Aztec UFO crash) Amanda Push DGO STAFF WRITER

T

he site of the 1948 UFO crash sits just north of Aztec, New Mexico, and it’s not an easy place to find. It’s hidden inside a barren desert landscape and surrounded by rugged dirt roads, eerie rock formations, and arid shrub life along County Road 2770.

The Aztec UFO incident is a tale we hadn’t heard until a couple of months ago. In March 1948, as the story goes, a 100foot saucer is believed to have crashed just north of Aztec.

Unlike the Roswell crash, which took place only eight months prior, the Aztec UFO is believed to have landed on Earth mostly intact, with its occupants killed by the impact. The government is believed to have then descended upon the site to sweep up its contents and place them in a black hole of red-taped secrecy.

It took us two trips to Aztec to search for the crash site, and even then, we were unsuccessful. On our first trip, arrogance prevailed, and we didn’t bother to look up the directions ahead of time. The terrain proved rough and confusing, and out of fear of getting stuck on the mesa, we turned around, defeated.

The second trip we planned more carefully, printing out a map and paying attention to the roads we passed. We found the parking area and the scraggy mountain bike trail, but the rocky route was hard to follow, and we had to guess at what we hoped was the right direction. We kept an eye out for a plaque commemorating the site, but alas, we were once again unsuccessful, and began to worry about getting lost as the sun disappeared behind the mesa. We headed back to the car, disappointed.

As we drove back down the winding dirt roads, we passed a rock formation that could pass as the Sphinx in the oncoming

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darkness, and agreed that of all the places we’ve traveled in the Four Corners region, if we were going to encounter a UFO, it’d be here.

A meeting of the minds The 1948 Aztec UFO crash incident is a controversial topic among those who discuss the extra-terrestrial. There are many a theory, including talks of cover-ups and hoaxes.

But while there are plenty of layman hypotheses, there are only a couple of experts on the subject, and none are more qualified than Scott and Suzanne Ramsey and Frank Thayer, co-researchers and authors of “The Aztec UFO Incident.”

The Ramseys have spent more than 30 years and $500,000 researching this event, and it’s hard to imagine anyone more dedicated to the Aztec UFO crash. In fact, Scott and Suzanne even met through their mutual interest in the event.

Suzanne was a child living in South Dakota when she first heard of Aztec. It was a decade after Variety magazine columnist Frank Scully published his book, “Behind the Flying Saucers,” in 1950, which documented the incident.

“My parents moved to Aztec, New Mexico. ... My mom actually wanted to move there because of the incident and was grossly disappointed when she got there that nobody talked about it.”

Scott later became a guest on Suzanne’s local news talk radio show, For Your Information, and the rest is history.

The trio was drawn to the Aztec story because of the level of documented proof about the incident occurring.

“I guess I was intrigued because I thought, ‘How did something spectacular happen, and all the spotlight was put on Roswell, and this is much more documented?’” Scott said.

“I’ll speak for all of us, but none of us picked it. We did not pick it. It picked us,” Suzanne said. “It isn’t like we sought out Continued on Page 14

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[paranormal]

Amanda Push/DGO Mag

»» We failed in locating the actual UFO crash site but this is about where the saucer would have crashed.

From Page 13

to prove it. Like I said, we’re doing it because it’s something we want to document or prove one way or the other. It’s almost addictive. You talk about thirty years of research, and none of us picked it.

There’s a hook there.”

Decades of research The Ramseys and Thayer, who is a professor emeritus at New Mexico State University, are known to spend years dissecting sources to ensure their credibility. They’re painstakingly scientific in their approach, and are not amused by those who look to sensationalize the Aztec story. It even takes us a phone call and a several emails back and forth to convince them we are not interested in turning their research into a tabloid cover.

“When we get a lead, it sometimes takes us two years to document that one lead. That’s why it takes so long,” Suzanne said. “For one thing, life goes on, you have to work around that. But also, you can’t just take someone’s word for it. There’s all types of documentation. … This is not a passing thing and certainly, we do not just pull it up on the Internet because, you know as well as we do, that anybody can put anything on the Internet and they can falsify it,

and they don’t even have to use their real names.

So, that’s never something that we do. It’s always archival.”

For example, they were trying to identify the group of scientists from which Scully got his information. Scully never revealed their identity, and refers to them collectively as Dr. G. The Ramseys and Thayer spent two or three years researching who these scientists could have been based on Scully’s descriptions. Eventually, they ended up in the archives at the University of Minnesota, and with the help of the university’s archivist, they unsealed boxes with documents relating to a doctor who had died in 1950. Until that point, they had never been opened.

“In there was an amazing collection of stories about how he had been in the Southwest of the United States in March of 1948, and he hated flying, and he drove their station wagon out there because something horrific happened that he needed to get there,” Scott said. “And that’s the kind of thing we do.”

The research team is currently chasing down a lead from a man who claims that while at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, he was privy to information on the Aztec crash in the 1950s and early 1960s.

“And to verify his story, we go and pull the tax records. We pull the school records,” Scott said. “Anybody can tell you anything. But when you have a copy that they paid the real estate tax (on) the dates that he claimed he was living there, well, that kind of moves you on to the next step. So we do a very, very exhausting background check on everybody that tells a story.”

A hoax or a cover-up?

The journey of the Aztec UFO crash incident has not been an easy one.

In 1949, the account was published by Scully in his Variety columns. A year later, he published a book, “Behind the Flying Saucers.” After the book was published, two of the story’s witnesses, Silas Newton and Leo Gebauer, were accused of concocting their accounts to sell fake alien technology in a money-making scheme. The public faith in the incident fell apart after Newton and Gebauer’s stories collapsed.

The Ramseys and Thayer believe that the con man component may be a red herring.

“Gotta remember that from 1952 until about 1986, no one would touch the Aztec incident,” Thayer said. “It was poisoned. No UFO researchers would touch it because it was considered to be a hoax

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hoisted off on the public by con men. This was taken apart in our book. We realized the government engineered that story to sink Aztec, and they were willing to ruin the lives of two, three people, to make sure it got covered up. … You cannot refute the evidence that we have put in this book.”

Wider access to documentation from government sources, like the Hottel memo, from March 22, 1950 – the most viewed document in the FBI Vault – have also bolstered more recent belief in UFO stories.

The memo, written by Guy Hottel, the head of the FBI field office in Washington, D.C. in 1950, states: “An investigator for the Air Force stated that three so-called flying saucers had been recovered in New Mexico. They were described as being circular in shape with raised centers, approximately 50-feet in diameter. Each one was occupied by three bodies of human shape but were 3 feet tall, dressed in metallic cloth of very fine texture. Each body was bandaged in a manner similar to the blackout suite of speed flyers and test pilots.

According to Mr. --------- (redacted) informant, the saucers were found in New Mexico due to the fact that the Government has a very high-powered radar set-up in that area and it is believed the radar interferes with the controlling mechanics of the saucers.

No further evaluation was attempted by SA --------(redacted) concerning the above.”

The memo was addressed to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and indexed in FBI records. While many

people originally believed the memo was referring to Roswell, some believe the document was actually referencing Aztec.

“That is one of many, many, many interesting documents. The only critique it’s had over the years – it doesn’t mention Aztec,” Scott said. “And we have many documents that specifically mention Aztec.”

One such document they’ve unearthed is about a sting operation that took place in downtown Denver between the FBI and the Army Counterintelligence Division. The agencies set up the sting to buy photos of the crash from a man peddling them to an alleged reporter for $2,500.

“Just as the buy was about to go down, the FBI and Army CID – that’s Counter Intelligence Division – stepped in. And they specifically in that FBI report say the gentlemen was trying to sell pictures of the Aztec flying saucer,” Thayer said. “The bottom line on that one is the government took the Aztec saucer very seriously. If there was no Aztec saucer, they would not be been willing to pony up a bunch of money to buy some photos, whether they existed or not.”

Handle the truth Throughout our talk with the Aztec crash researchers, there’s much discussion of government secrecy and cover ups. A question comes to mind.

“Why do you think the government goes so far

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and works so hard to keep these incidents as secretive as possible? Do think that’s helpful in the long run? Do you think that people can even handle the idea that there is other life out there?”

According to Thayer, the tense climate at the time – in the midsts of the Cold War – led the government to believe it was important to keep extraterrestrials a secret, Thayer said. “And they just never let up.”

Scott agreed.

“I honestly think in 1948, this is right after World War II. We’re only three years after World War II. The Cold War was going on,” Scott said. “I think our government was absolutely smart in not letting our enemies know that we had recovered one, two, three, maybe four flying saucers. Why would we let the Russians know that that kind of technology was there? We were better off to make it look like a hoax, ridicule the people that saw it. You know, we had to make them the town drunk. We do that and move on. Take the technology and try to figure it out because if we’ve got it, God bless, it’s a lot better than if they have it.”

Suzanne believes that because the government has had to cover up stories like Aztec for so long, it would be a mess if they came clean with the truth.

“Now, this is my personal opinion. If they were to come out now and say, ‘Yep, we lied all along,’ well that would kind of give an opportunity for people to say, ‘Well, if you lied about that, what else are you lying about?’”

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[weed]

A little Lemonana wax and a lot of cooked chicken Google “Lemonana strain” and you won’t come up with much – the search mainly returns recipes, photos of some fancy lemonade, and a handful of other random stuff. It’s a shame that there isn’t much info out there about the greatness of this stuff, because if you ask me – and unfortunately for you, that’s the point of this column – Lemonana deserves much more than a few photos of (admittedly delicious-looking) sour drank.

But, at least I’m here for you to set the record straight that Lemonana, while apparently a frozen beverage, is ALSO a type of wax extracted by the Newt Brothers, and can be found in fancy little Ziplocs at Prohibition Herb.

So, since you can’t Google it, what is Lemonana wax, you ask? Well. Let me tell you. Lemonana wax is a sativa

hybrid concentrate made primarily from Lemoncello, Banana Kush, and Banana Hood herb. The name is obviously a nod to the banana and lemon notes you get from its parents, both of whom reek (in a mighty good way) of the fruits for which they are named.

I didn’t really notice the lemon terpenes when I initially opened the tiny Ziploc containing Lemonana – I was too intrigued by the process of unwrapping the tiny package inside. This wax arrives not only by zipped baggie, but also wrapped in a stiff paper, which until now, I thought was reserved for shatter and other harder concentrates.

The more you know, I guess.

What I did notice, though, was that this little batch of waxy goodness was so oily that it had stained the paper in which it was held. Thank the gods for those good terpenes, and thank

the Newt Brothers for preserving them in this batch of wax.

I threw a nice chunk of this wax – which is a firmer consistency than a few of the waxes we’ve tried lately – into a vape pen late one weekend evening, and only had to press it once to get a good melt going. This stuff heats right up, so there wasn’t a burnt or chemical taste from overheating it. I inhaled, and then – as is apparently par for the course with waxes lately – promptly choked like I’d attempted to inhale an entire campfire.

It only took a few decent inhalations to get to the point where Details I could notice the effects, Where to find Lemonana wax: Prowhich is pretty badass. I had hibition Herb, 1185 Camino del Rio, 970-385been struggling to get some 8622, prohibitionherb.com writing done, but after a few puffs of this Lemonana THC content: 72 whopping percent biz, I was raring to go. My Extracted by: The Newt Brothers head felt clear, I wasn’t as Caveats: Prohibition didn’t bribe us for a dead set on procrastinating, good review of Lemonana. Our opinions, like our and I blazed through (pun love of Lucero and chicken, are all our own. certainly intended) the rest of the story I was working on without getting snagged stoned – don’t worry; we didn’t drive or distracted by what was – and it seemed like a really great idea going on around me. I love a good to buy waaaaaaaay too much chicken. sativa, especially one that gets the ol’ Someone (ahem, not me) read the increative side of my brain pumping, and that was definitely what happened structions as saying 3-pounds of chickwith this wax. en, but as you may have guessed, t’was not calling for three effing pounds of And, after I’d exhausted my productive side, I threw on some Lucero, chicken. It was 1/3 of a pound. dragged a friend into the kitchen, and So, now I have a LOT of leftover spent the next two hours making a lot cooked chicken just sitting in a plastic of chicken...like, multiple pounds of the container in my fridge, and I’m not stuff. And then I ate half the pan cause, entirely sure what to do with it. But, well, I was stoned.

I have hope. I’m just going to heat up The only problem with this Lemsome more of this wax and let my brain onana-induced cooking plan (aside do the talking. I’m sure Lemonana from the whole “ingesting 18,000 won’t steer me wrong. calories in one sitting” thing) was that we went to the store while slightly —— DGO Pufnstuf

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[weed]

Special Ops, a strain for treating symptoms of PTSD This past Monday was Veteran’s Day, so it’s fitting that the strain we’re reviewing this week from Pagosa Therapeutics is called Special Ops. It’s an indica-dominant hybrid, and the flower from this plant typically contains about 30 percent THC. That’s a lot, I know, and we’re not reviewing the flower. We’re reviewing Special Ops PHO wax, a concentrate that contains over 70 percent THC. We were told by our budtender that this strain was developed specifically for treating post traumatic stress disorder, and given its “Special Ops” moniker, I would assume it was created with military veterans in mind. That’s a great thing, given the high numbers of military veterans suffering from PTSD. Between 11 and 20 percent of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom are affected by PTSD, and about 12 percent of Gulf War veterans are, too, according to studies from the National Centers for PTSD. Among Vietnam War veterans, between 15 and 30 percent of veterans are suffering or have suffered from PTSD. Studies have shown that cannabis may be able to help treat PTSD, especially among veterans, and given the incredibly high rates of mental health issues and suicide among veterans, we think it’s incredibly important to discuss this strain.

Quick caveat before I start my review: I am nowhere near as badass as a military veteran, so please don’t take this review as me comparing myself to someone who selflessly fights for our country and freedom. I just happen to be the person who gets to try these products out for work.

Now, onto our review. I dabbed some of this PHO wax on a Friday night after work while I was sporting a hardcore headache. My brain was wracked with all of the work I needed

a trippy ass ride from there. I was so chill, and mundane things like bright colors were fascinating to me. I was s-t-o-n-e-d stoned, and my brain was amused to high hell with e’rything.

Oh, and then I passed the hell out in an immobile sleep coma, or the pot writer’s version of Sleeping Beauty. I felt my eyes get heavy out of nowhere, and then it felt like massive Looney Tunes anvils were placed upon them. I could not physically pry them open, not with my hands, and not with my own eyelid muscles. They were done for.

Details Where to find Special Ops PHO Wax: Pagosa Therapeutics, 235 Bastille Drive, Pagosa Springs. Find them at 970731-4420 or pagosatherapeutics.com Price: $35 a gram or $25 on Wax Wednesday

And so was I. Things go black from there, and I woke up the next morning after what had to be the best night’s rest in the last decade. What a flipping win, dudes.

This strain, while I can’t attest to its use for PTSD, is baller. Please don’t

shy away from it just because it was developed with veterans in mind. If you think you might be able to find relief from it, you should try it. After all, it’s hardly just veterans suffering from PTSD. It’s a lot of folks. According to sidran.org, of the estimated 70 percent of adults in the United States who have experienced a traumatic event, about 20 percent develop PTSD, and about 13 million Americans are suffering from PTSD at any given point. That’s a massive amount of people.

I’m pretty proud of the cannabis community for trying to develop a strain to help with such a massive problem. Special Ops may be able to provide some relief for folks who desperately need it, and to me, that’s a huge win.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

to finish over the weekend, and I could not bring myself to wind down at all.

The wax tasted a bit like lemon PineSol, which was pretty darn pleasant, but I learned very quickly that this wax is not for the beginner crowd or for the faint of heart. As mellow as it tasted, it still made me choke, badly, every time I inhaled. It wasn’t unpleasant, but I wasn’t able to inhale without choking violently and then laughing at myself afterward. I even tried inhaling a little less deeply, but nope. Still choked. If you smoke Special Ops, you are probably going to choke. Deal with it.

And, shortly after choking, it was clear that I was about to be very high.

I only dabbed a moderate amount – a couple of rice grains worth – but it wasn’t more than five minutes after that I began to feel a full on body relaxation take over. My arms felt heavy, my brain started to slow down – a nice reprieve for a workaholic – and time slowed down drastically, too. I went from worrying about everything to worrying about nothing. Well, nothing other than laying my ass on the couch and chilling, anyway.

Once I’d settled into the human version of a puddle on the couch, it was

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[weed]

PRODUCT REVIEW:

Wana’s new vape pens will make you feel one with the music and the couch The weekend probably couldn’t have gotten more chill, albeit weird, thanks to Wana Brand’s new product line of disposable vapes. Feeling one with music.

Turning my stomach into a senseless vacuum. Turning me into a smiley dope who couldn’t hold a conversation. Yep. No regrets here.

As soon as we caught wind of Wana’s new product line of disposable vapes, we knew we had to get our stoner hands on them, and by the grace of Zuul, we did.

Wana, best known for its edibles line, recently released four disposable vapes. Each pen boasts proprietary terpene distillate blends that combine over 40 organic botanicals for flavor and claims to have consistent effects every time. The concentrates, we are told, are produced from single-source, pesticide-free cannabis using CO2 extraction. On another upside, these vapes don’t contain harmful solvents, fillers, or cutting agents. A win for all! Each of these babies is loaded up with 300 milligrams of concentrate.

In short, the sleek little guys are so easy to use, it’s basically impossible not to get stoned within minutes of opening the package.

This week, we tested two of their new pens – the CBD/THC 1:1 Balanced and the Sativa Diesel – which we picked up from Durango Organics. The other options, if you find yourself interested, include Hybrid Haze and Indica Kush. Here’s what we thought of the two we tried.

extensive enchilada recipe. On top of that, we were blasting everything from Rise Against to Pimp C on our speakers, screeching along to our very diverse music playlist. We were immediately sucked into the music vortex, headbanging away and serenading each other. At one point, in the midst of feeling like I should probably start a band, I think my friend tried explaining something to me. To this day, I could not tell you what they were saying. I know I must have looked like an idiot because as soon as I tried to pretend like I had followed the conversation, they laughed in my face.

CBD/THC 1:1 Balanced Levels: THC – 38.3%; CBD – 38.38% With just a few puffs, I was floating in a cloud of a happy head high. Everything was good. Everything was chill, man. Everything was mellow. There were no problems in the world. No deadlines. No stress. No need to worry about anything.

A fruity tasting inhale with a spicy aftertaste, I was perfectly content smoking this pen alllllll afternoon.

And maybe evening.

After puffing on this vape for a bit, I felt a (probably misplaced) confidence that I could do it all. Except maybe hold an intelligent conversation, judging by the looks I was getting from people. Because my brain felt like it was enveloped in a blanket of fuzz, it was sometimes difficult to make out what people were trying to tell to me. I usually nodded in sympathy/agreement/ whatever emotion they needed me to convey and tried in vain to catch hold of their slippery words before their meaning was lost to me. Alas...

At some point, I made the decision (mistake?) to tag along to the casino. I floated dreamily after my companion, who was determined to get lucky. I, on the other hand, whimsically watched my measly $20 get chipped away at a rapid pace while the game slots

made my head spin like I was chatting it up with the hookah smokin’ caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland.

Sativa Diesel Levels: THC – 70.02%; CBD – 0.31% I solemnly swear never to cook after smoking a few (OK, maybe more than a few) puffs of this. A friend and I decided we were in the mood for chicken enchiladas and thought it would be a good idea to make dinner whilst stoned out of our minds.

This was both a good and bad idea.

Good: We couldn’t stop laughing at the dumb shit we said or forgot to do while trying to follow the very

Bad: I was tasked with the very important role of making the guacamole. Unfortunately, at that point in the game, I had completely lost my ability to taste, which quickly became a stumbling block. In Stonerville, there is no such thing as taste. Only food. Food that needs to be shoveled in your mouth. NOW. And, so it was with the guac. No idea whether it was edible or not.

Eventually, we lost our steam. I looked over from taking a break from jamming chips into my mouth to see my friend had lost all their the willpower and was laying on their very small kitchen table bench. It didn’t take me long to follow suit and wander into the living room, seeking the company of the couch.

—— Sir Blaze Ridcully

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[happening] DGO picks in and around Durango Werk it Whoop, whoop! That’s the sound of the police. And also a sound you’ll (likely) hear mashed into the music happening at Animas City Theatre this fine Friday night, when electronic magicians – err, musicians – Freddy Todd, Kll Smith, The Dancing Arrow, and Kid Konsume take the stage to spin, blast, and blare the funky beats they’re known for, all to make you dance your ever-lovin’ disco pants off. Freddy Todd’s music has been compared to “being abducted by an extra-terrestrial cruise liner where everyone is tripping on space acid.” Uh, what is space acid, and where can we get some? Asking for an alien friend. His name is Kll Smith...or so he says.

Details: Nov. 19, Freddy Todd, Kll Smith, The Dancing Arrow, and Kid Konsume, 9 p.m., $20-25, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, animascitytheatre.com

Give thanks for the Thanksgiving Market Ain’t no party like a Thanksgiving Market party... right? Right. But even if you’re not down to party at the farmer’s market, you should still make your way over to the Thanksgiving Market on Saturday, because you’ll be able to snag your share of locally grown fresh veggies, meats, cheeses, and so on. You can use those farm-to-table goodies to impress your annoying in-laws or holiday guests, as they will undoubtedly be jelly of your market prowess. If you’re all set on cranberries, you can still head out there

Thursday San Juan College Fall Art Student Exhibit, 10 a.m., Hen-

derson Fine Arts Center Art Gallery, 4601 College Blvd.

Luminaries Toastmasters,

noon, La Plata County Building, 1101 E. Second Ave. New Strategies in Defying Aging!, 5 p.m., SRA Pain & Laser

Centers OA, 1401 Main Ave., suite A. 8 Week Mindful Self-Compassion and Inner Resilience, 5:30 p.m., $250 to $450,

reduced payment plan available, Smiley Building, 1309 E. Third Ave., 970-382-9593.

Tame your Inner Critic and Find Peace and Balance: 8 Week Mindful Self-Compassion, 5:45 p.m., $250 to $350,

payment plan available, $90 off for the first three, register by 11/8 and receive a $70 discount, The River Studio, 121 W. Grand Ave. Andrew Gulliford presents ‘Woolly West’, 6 p.m., Durango

Public Library, 1900 E. Third Ave. Happening A Clean Energy Revolution, 6:30 p.m., Vallecito

Room at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive #103.

Yo, brah...yo...ga

ing this foooooine Monday evening. It is, after all, Happy Hour Yoga, which means you’ll put in the work during one hour of yoga, and then put in the play with a pint of Ska beer when you’re done. Just think of it as a beer incentive for the stretching torture. Just a little further...

If you’ve been avoiding that whole yoga class thing, perhaps you should start back up again at Ska Brew-

Details: Nov. 19, Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., $10, Ska Brewing, 225 Girard Street, skabrewing.com

to dig up some unique gifts and treasures. Everyone loves treasures. EVERYONE. Details: Nov. 17, Thanksgiving Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., free, La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 7 p.m.,

$5 to $7, Bayfield Performing Arts Center (Bayfield High School), 800 CR 501.

Durango Photography Club,

7 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, Pine Room (Extension Building), 2500 Main Ave. Laugh Therapy, 8 p.m., The Irish

Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave., 970403-1200.

Friday

iday Bazaar, 8 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 2917 Aspen Drive.

Girl Scout Fall Color Run, 9 a.m., $10-$25, Online $20 for adults, $10 for kids 8 and under, day of the race prices increase to $25 and $15, Mancos Public Library, 211 E. First St., 970-533-7600.

Thanksgiving Farmers Market, 9 a.m., La Plata County

Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave., 970749-5582.

Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair,

San Juan College Fall Art Student Exhibit, 10 a.m., Hen-

10 a.m., Southern Ute Multi Purpose, 256 Ute Road.

derson Fine Arts Center Art Gallery, 4601 College Blvd.

METROPOLITAN OPERA: LIVE IN HD - Saint-SaensSAMSON ET DALILA (new production) - Encore performance, 11 a.m., $23 to $26,

STEAM Lab, 3:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. Third Ave., 970-375-3380.

16th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, 5:30 p.m., $12, Lit-

tle Theatre - San Juan College, 4601 College Blvd., 505-566-3430.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 7 p.m.,

$5 to $7, Bayfield Performing Arts Center (Bayfield High School), 800 CR 501.

Vallecito Room at Fort Lewis College Student Union, 1000 Rim Drive, 970-247-7657.

Cousin Curtiss, 6 p.m., Mancos Brewing Co., 484 E. Frontage Road.

The Revelers - Americana,

7:30 p.m., $27 to $37, Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall, 1000 Rim Drive.

Main Street.

Diabetes Education Series,

Sunday

3:30 p.m., Bonnie Dallas Senior Center, 109 E. La Plata Street.

What is True? An Immersive Community Event, midnight,

by donation, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. Second Ave., 970-259-2606.

Embody Your Heart & Let it Open: A Women’s Yoga Workshop led by Ivy Lau,

11 a.m., $30 to $35, Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Road, Building C #201.

Super Ted’s Super Trivia, 6

p.m., Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave., 970-375-7160.

Wednesday San Juan College Fall Art Student Exhibit, 10 a.m., Hen-

derson Fine Arts Center Art Gallery, 4601 College Blvd.

Monday

Ongoing

San Juan College Fall Art Student Exhibit, 10 a.m., Hen-

Henry Stoy, piano at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday at JeanPierre Bakery and Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave.

derson Fine Arts Center Art Gallery, 4601 College Blvd.

Manhattan Monday, 5 p.m., password - find it on our social media!, The Bookcase & Barber, 601 E. Second Ave.

Tuesday San Juan College Fall Art Student Exhibit, 10 a.m., Hen-

derson Fine Arts Center Art Gallery, 4601 College Blvd.

Saturday

Thom Chacon and special guest Moe Cooley, 7:30 p.m.,

Cortez Chamber Lunch & Listen Local Business Stories, noon, Shiloh Steakhouse, 5 S.

First United Methodist Hol-

$15 to $18, Sunflower Theater, 8 E.

Veach Street.

Old west stage shows, held at 5:30 p.m. nightly throughout the summer at Bar D Chuckwagon, 8080 County Road 250. Cost is $12-$38 and reservations are preferred. To reserve, visit www. bardchuckwagon.com.

Submissions Submit events for the next week online by noon Monday at www.swscene.com.

DGO publishes events online and in print every Thursday.

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ONE WOMAN will be chosen from among all nominees for the outstanding woman award.

This year, the awards ceremony is held in part with the Women’s Resource Center.

NOMINATIONS will be accepted from November 5 to midnight December 10, 2018.

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20 | Thursday, November 15, 2018 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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To advertise in DGO Deals contact us at 970-247-3504 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 21

Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19) For most of this year, you have been aggressive when dealing with groups and friends. As of this week, this aggression will diminish, which is good news for everyone!

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A strong ambition gripped you this year, but now it’s letting go. You will feel better as you throw your energy into friendships and groups.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You will be more ambitious than usual in the next few weeks because there’s something you want to achieve. Because you want it, you just might get it.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Bizarro

What a relief that disputes about inheritances, shared property and in-

surance issues are fading. You didn’t need that. (Whew!)

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22) You will be more physically passionate in the next six weeks. You also might need to defend your best interests regarding shared property, wills and estates.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22) Be patient with partners and close friends in the next month because fiery Mars will be opposite your sign, and this can make you impatient with others. Stay mellow.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22) In the month ahead, you will be keen to work hard to show others what you can do. You will be so gung-ho that you will begin to delegate to others as well.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21)

You will be playful, flirtatious and rather saucy in the next six weeks. That’s because you’re going to do exactly what you want to do. (Oh my.)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Increased activity and chaos on the homefront might take place for many of you in the next six weeks. Perhaps this is because of renovations, visiting guests or residential moves.

ever, you will also shop for major items because the cash will be flowing!

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) Fiery Mars will be in your sign for the next six weeks, boosting your energy and making you more aggressive and direct in all your dealings. Get more physical exercise if you can.

BORN THIS WEEK

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)

You are warmhearted, cheerful and friendly. You are also alert, observant and determined. This year, exciting changes and beginnings await you as you begin a new cycle. Because what you start now will unfold in the future, it’s time to clarify your goals. It’s also time to take the initiative. Good news!

Your physical strength will increase this year.

You will work hard to boost your earnings in the next six weeks. How-

© 2018 King Features Syndicate Inc.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19) You will be forthright in all your communication with others in the coming month. This is good news for those of you in sales, marketing, teaching, acting and writing.

Droppin’ alien knowledge What’s in your wallet?

Apparently, more than 40,000 Americans have taken out insurance against getting abducted by aliens. We’d like to know how to get into this alien insurance business. Also, can one get it instead of life insurance?

Area Fifty-WHAT Area 51 in Nevada may be one of the most well-known alien-related military hotspots, but back in the 1950s, it was the Nevada Test Site, and it hosted hundreds of nuclear weapons tests, almost 100 of which were above ground. Maybe hold your breath while you’re investigating there. And probably don’t eat things off the ground or whatever. FOR SAFETY. Astronomer ass-kicking The brilliant astronomers Margaret Turnbull and Jill Tarter, who work at the Carnegie Institution in Washington, DC, are kinda, sorta alien experts.

The scientists have actually compiled a massive list of 17,129 stars near us that could have complex life on ’em.

Now if they’d just invent star travel, we’d be set.

22 | Thursday, November 15, 2018 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

[advice]

Life Hax | Carolyn Hax

A potential affair and an awkward roommate crush A woman in our set of friends initiates touching and chumminess with my husband, who returns it, but not in a serious way. We know from this woman’s parents that she is in a longterm affair with a married man.

I don’t believe my husband will go beyond public chumminess and flirting with her, but I do believe he is intrigued by the fact that she is interested and available. The last time this happened we were having dinner around a table together so I could not avoid being a witness, and I was definitely uncomfortable and annoyed.

Part of that feeling was the difficulty of deciding if this is random, harmless flirting or did it go beyond. If I find myself in this situation again, should I handle it right then or later in private?

Uncomfortable and Annoyed By “this situation,” you mean your husband’s openness to having an affair, yes?

Because if you believe flirting can be harmless and random and if you’re OK with your husband engaging in that, then the affair potential is the only part of this that’s bothering you.

Of course even the affair isn’t a problem if you’re open to that, too ... and, at the other end of the spectrum, the flirting alone is a problem if you don’t believe it can ever be harmless ... so I guess I need to be more clear here.

Please ask yourself: (1) What behavior do you find problematic in this situation; (2) Why; (3) What, if anything, is within your power to change (handy guide: if you’re doing it, then you can change it; if others are doing it, you can only ask them to change it); (4) What’s the best way to try to make those changes.

So, for example, if you think your husband is crossing a line, explain your concerns to him later in private. Say you’re not angry, or accusing, you’re just uncomfortable and trying to understand

what you’re seeing. Is he interested in Scarlett? Does it intrigue him that Scarlett is interested and available?

Radical honesty isn’t always a gotcha – it can also be an invitation for others to respond in kind.

lease to ask her? What if she loses interest in me because I waited too long to ask her out? Do I take the chance now and, if she does not like me, have a possibly awkward living situation and maybe lose a friendship?

Do I Wait?

If it’s been a REALLY long time since you’ve been in a relationship, and now you have a possibility that you’re feeling pretty ambivalent about, how do you tell if that’s because you’re just not clicking in the right ways with this person – who on paper looks great for you – or if you’re so set in your single ways that you can’t even picture it anymore?

I honestly can’t tell if my lack of enthusiasm is a sign, and a sign of what.

Help, please.

Ambivalent It’s a sign you’re not enthusiastic.

Please take it at face value and don’t push for more of this person. When more is called for, the MORE light will light up. And probably flash and buzz and stuff. Not to scare you or anything.

Four months ago I moved into a new place, and have fallen for one of my roommates. I want to ask her out, but given our yearlong lease I don’t know if this is a good idea. We hang out and really get along and I do not want to jeopardize our friendship.

I was telling her about a road trip I am taking in about seven months for a wedding, and she wants to come with. It would be us two on a 12-hour road trip to the wedding. We would then take five days to go hiking about in the mountains because we both love to do that, and then head back home. This does not seem like something you would do with “just a friend,” but again, we really get along and maybe she is just doing this because she likes to hike and hang out with me.

It’s hard for me to keep on going like this. Do I wait until the end of the

Congratulations on such a nice problem to have.

It sounds like you’re handling it well.

You have way more to lose by rushing in than by biding your time – and I’m not even sure waiting seven-ish months while actively hanging out and travel-planning and suffusing the air with expectant glances like so many dust motes in sunlight even qualifies as romance-snuffing behavior. Seems more like a blueprint to build it.

Also don’t forget she is just as equipped to ask you out as you are to ask her.

So, enjoy the will-we-won’t-we for a while – there’s a reason that tension drives many a TV hit – and GET TO KNOW HER. Up close. Really well.

Including the most important thing: whether she’s mature enough to handle difficult emotions gracefully. Make sure you are, too. Someone you know will break up ugly is a great person not to date.

Our son was briefly married to Sally and produced our grandson. They divorced and Sally had a daughter, Zelda, with another man seven years later. Because Zelda is our grandson’s half-sister, is she any relation to us? We are close with Sally and always treated Zelda as a granddaughter, though not blood-related. Just wondering.

J. Zelda is of no relation to you.

Which makes your embrace of Zelda all the more lovely a gesture. Not that you meant it to be so, and not that you were even asking me about this (ahem), but your choice to be inclusive sets such

an important example for these kids.

It’s not always possible to do this, of course. Sallys aren’t always open to an ex-parent-in-law’s presence in their new families, so yay for her, and even just numbers can get in the way. You have one grandson and one Zelda, but imagine if you had multiple grandkids and recoupling had introduced multiple Zeldas. Not everyone can manage that.

So think role versus relation: Do the best you can.

Emphasis “can,” emphasis “best.”

I’ve been dating someone for a few months and thought things were moving in the right direction. He’s just informed me that he recently ran into an ex, and now he is confused and needs time to figure things out.

I don’t really know what that means – do I wait and see what he figures out and, if so, how do we get back on track? We’re both in our 40s and I’ve been looking for someone like him for a long time. I was starting to have real feelings, and thought this relationship had serious potential.

Taking a Break I’m sorry. It’s surprisingly painful when the simple pleasure of someone’s company becomes complicated.

Your best chance of moving on from this, and of rekindling it should he have the proper epiphany, is to uncomplicate it again: Treat it as a breakup.

Do what you would if he had ended things with you definitively instead of confusedly.

If he decides he’s over the ex and misses you, and if you still care, then date him as you did before – as an open question you’re hoping to answer with time.

Carolyn Hax is a syndicated advice columnist for The Washington Post. She started her advice column in 1997, after five years as a copy editor and news editor in Style and none as a therapist. Email her at tellme@washpost.com.

������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 23