The Durango Telegraph, March 3, 2022

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March 3, 2022 Vol. XXI, No. 9 durangotelegraph.com

inside

T H E

O R I G I N A L

I N D I E

W E E K L Y

L I N E

O N

D U R A N G O

&

B E Y O N D

Shaping Durango

Film frenzy

Help (badly) wanted

How did previous planning for Durango’s growth pan out? p7

Durango Independent Film Festival is back, with new energy p8

Restaurants in Durango have not had it easy the past two years p9

(Advertise in the Telegraph.)

To learn more about our golden advertising opportunties, email: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com or call 970-259-0133

2 n March 3, 2022

telegraph

lineup

4

4 La Vida Local

Sussin’ it out What it means to be a Durango local depends on who you ask

by Micah Susman

4 Thumbin’ It 5 Word on the Street 6 Soapbox

7

7 Land Desk

Bracing for change

Ear to the ground “Sometimes, you have to let a stallion run.”

– A good friend’s advice on what to do after you drop your girlfriend off at the airport.

De-icer

thepole

RegularOccurrences

Thanks to climate change, snow in Durango is now as elusive as the lynx. It’s March, and we’ve had sunny skies with temperatures in the 60s. It is perhaps this infrequency of winter weather that makes us all forget the basics of driving in the ice and snow. And for some, the problem starts before they even leave the driveway.

Over the weekend, Durango Police issued 18 citations, including one for an “obstructed windshield.” In this case, we’re talking about a driver who got behind the wheel without sufficiently clearing the ice from the windshield. “We don’t see this super often, but sometimes someone will

8 Film Frenzy

A look at how planners in Durango readied the town for coming growth

9 Let’s Dig In

by Jonathan Thompson/Land Desk

10 Local Lowdown

8

11 Murder Ink

Ready, set, action!

Durango Independent Film Festival is back, and we’ve got you covered

by Telegraph staff

13 Ask Rachel 14 Free Will Astrology 15 Classifieds

9

15 Haiku Movie Review

Help (badly) wanted

On the cover: A drift boat rows merrily along its way on a recent float/fish trip down the Animas River near Oxbow Park./ Photo by Alex Krebs

Pandemic has caused all kinds of issues for restaurants in Durango

by Sinjin Eberle

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T

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STAR-STUDDED CAST: Micah Susman, Jonathan Thompson, Sinjin Eberle, Jeffrey Mannix, Lainie Maxson, Rob Brezsny, Jesse Anderson and Clint Reid

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telegraph

scrape just barely enough to see out,” Cmdr. Ray Shupe said. “We also see people clean the snow off the car except the roof. You heat up the car, the metal gets warm, and as soon as they hit a stop sign, it all comes down and causes a problem. It’s fortunate that in the last couple years, we haven’t had a lot of snow events, so it’s not a huge issue.”

And no, it’s not just tourists.

Anecdotally, I can say this isn’t a new problem, and we’re not getting smarter about it. Two years ago on North Main, I saw a vehicle serendipitously stopped at a traffic light when a hunk of snow the size of a small boulder slid from the roof and settled across the windshield, which the driver furiously tried to clear with his wipers to no avail before the light turned green. It was a Subaru with Colorado plates, which led me to believe the driver in question should have known better. “What a dumb bastard,” I said to myself smugly, despite the fact that I once managed to sneak my way across town with a queen-sized mattress teetering precariously atop my roof – held in place only by a passenger and myself with one hand on the mattress and the other on the wheel – without DPD catching me. But as Randal Graves in “Clerks” once said, “There’s nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?”

An obstructed windshield carries a $35 fine with an $11 surcharge. I’d say $46 isn’t the heftiest traffic penalty, but this is also a town where the median home price is $650,000, and we all still need drinkin’ money. Drivers should also remember it’s illegal in Colorado to leave a running vehicle unattended, so you’re breaking the law unless you have a remote starter to heat up your car while you’re in the house finishing your coffee and wondering whether it’s cost of living or climate change that will force you to leave town first.

Durango’s finest said it best: “Folks, take the time to de-ice your windshield. Either warm up your vehicle (ensuring it is locked and the keys are not inside it!) or use the old-fashioned scraper and get to scrapin’. Trust us, it’s worth the extra time.”

– Jessica Pace March 3, 2022 n

3

opinion

LaVidaLocal Be here now Before I moved here from The-State-That-Must-Not-Be-Named in 2018, I wanted to pull up to my new life in Durango driving a Subaru – both figuratively and literally.

During my scouting summer visits, I would attempt to hang out with locals, mostly farmers and artists and such, who I met through my spouse at the time. I would do whatever they did with aplomb, as if I had been doing it for years.

I was not trying to be a poser; I was just trying to be a local (we all know defining local is a bit tedious, so I’ll avoid it here). Like my great-grandfather moving to New York City 132 years ago, I wanted to assimilate to my new life. I did it all terribly, but I now have a good perception of the local scene and culture. In addition to this preparation, I devoured The Durango Telegraph like I was studying for a sociology exam.

For the three years it took for me to actually move here after the decision was made (teacher, money), I read the Telegraph when I could. I would try and figure out WTF was going on with the “Ask Rachel” column, wonder the backstory behind each person who answered a “Word on the Street” question and watch with amazement as the dispensary ads popped up.

Occasionally, I would read the hard news, too, but I really just wanted to see the available jobs, what was for sale and what was going on that week for fun.

Since I moved here, I have lived in the middle of town under the thumb of a difficult landlord and built a house on some land out of town. I have worked for two school districts and hustled a few side jobs. I just bought a drum set and already play for a band. I love to eat out and go out. Have I mentioned the guerilla kids’ birthday parties in local parks yet? I am ready to be a local, and I want to earn the title by engaging with Durango to make it a place we can all thrive in for years to come.

Durango is like the Buddha’s take on a river: always the same and forever changing. If we extend this metaphor to the Animas River, from trying to purify from the Gold King Mine spill to offering rides down its rapids, we will see how everything in this town is connected. I have studied our past as an educator and adventurer, but I refuse to simmer in it. I am interested in how the past connects to the present, but let’s be here now. Same same, but different.

There are numerous ways to acclimate yourself to town and, of course, it will de-

pend on who you are and what you want out of life. But there are some things that you should know as a local, and I am going to tell you three of these today, just in case there is a future me reading this from somewhere else, trying to figure out how to move here (tip #1: be rich).

1. Yield to pedestrians.

2. It’s Floreeeeda, not Florida.

3. That thing over there used to be something else.

With the abundance of activities to do in the area, it is no wonder many people who live here don’t really travel abroad much. They do amazing things like go down the Grand Canyon or travel to Moab, or really anything within a three- to fourhour drive. For a new local like me, this can be a bit overwhelming. How can I ever stay at home when I could be doing one of the endless Things to Do in the Southwest? I have a new type of guilt here that is not really FOMO, but more an existential deadlock: what is the best way to spend my day?

Sometimes I choose nothing.

As I acclimate to La Plata County, I constantly take note of all the mountain bike trails, campgrounds, lakes, hikes, rides, climbs, floats, etc. Even though a part of me wants to, there is no way I can do it all.

But I can go to all the breweries and figure out why no one makes a local pilsner. I can crash block parties with drum sets in the intersections. I can go to shows at the Indigo Room and run across the street to a friend’s house for drinks between sets. I can choose the right team for trivia. I can make a new friend at the grocery store. I can find the right guy for just about anything. The experiences are limitless, even when you just stick around.

There is no question of the natural beauty here. But have you wondered if Durango is a place a blind person would move to? What about our town outside of the visual splendor and physical phenomena? I came here once when I was 10 years old with my family, including my blind stepfather. I don’t remember his overall take on the town, but he sure did enjoy riding the train and eating a chicken fried steak at Old Tymer’s. With its ever-growing classic and modern culture, like the life cycle of our beloved and interconnected aspen trees, Durango has something for us all.

– Micah Susman

Thumbin’It

4 n March 3, 2022

Sign of the Downfall:

The Interior Department launching a working group to look at reforming the 1872 hard rock mining law, which is long overdue because it’s, you know, 150 years old.

No surprise here, but Lake Powell could drop below critical level in the next couple weeks, yet another reminder that the West is in the throes of a fullfledged climate emergency.

It wasn’t all good news, but CPW shared its 2021 bear activity report, and there were fewer sightings and incidents than last year thanks to a decent monsoonal summer keeping bears in the wild, feasting on Mother Nature’s bounty.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert suggesting to Fox Nation that the U.S. should “liberate” Canada. With decentralized healthcare, you could say our neighbors to the north are already more “liberated” than us.

A Colorado mountain lion safely relocated after being removed from his hideout beneath the deck of a Boulder family’s home.

The saga of Hank the Tank, a 500pound, severely food-habituated bear burglarizing homes in California. It never ends well for them.

telegraph

Craptocurrency Cho Jae-Weon, a South Korean professor, invented a toilet that turns excrement into electricity that’s sold for crypto that’s deposited into the pooper’s account.

A human creates roughly a pound of waste per day, which Cho can convert using microorganisms into 50ltr of methane, which can generate .5 kWh of electricity. That’s what it takes to power an electric car for a mile, but instead, poopers sell their crap to Cho for a crypto he invented called “honey” that’s accepted everywhere on campus. Cho hasn’t struck it rich though, because unfortunately, there are only three Taco Bells in South Korea.

WordontheStreet The end of Mardi Gras begins fasting (for some), so The Telegraph asked: “What’s the hardest thing you’ve Simone had to give up?” “My social life.”

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“Coffee. It’s a boring answer, but it’s true.”

Carol

“With my new braces, anything that requires chewing.”

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The Alter native Resource telegraph

March 3, 2022 n 5

SoapBox

D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim

Demythologizing the din in memory of Townes Van Zandt The hinges of memory’s door are loosened with the passing of marshaled static and deep inside, the cleverly segregated images sneak out, rallying the freed epiphanies.

Buoyed by the electrification of their history, these images flood the capillaries of old familiarities.

Axons that have been dormant or relegated to the dungeon of “selective relativism,” stretch and extend into a new revolution of truth.

The old formal guardians of the “fears,” once pompous and polished, are now quarantined.

The old magistrate, Ego, mimicking a court stooge, tap dances in and out of Count Libido’s synapses, while fresh legions of recollection drown the “repressives” in an aneurysm of abjured illusions.

And out of this purgatory of flowing unconsciousness, a bireme of new thought is ready to do battle for Id’s long abrogated authenticity.

Electrodes are set again and lightening floods the skull with the blue light. Repeat.

– Burt Baldwin, Ignacio

Trump got played Trump wanted us out of NATO two years ago. It appears that Putin was planning the invasion then. Putin wanted us out so the next country would be Poland.

Trump lost, so Putin said, “Go ahead and invade

Ukraine anyway.”

Trump invited (Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey) Lavrov to the White House and did not tell the American people what was said. Did they talk about getting out of NATO? Hotel in Russia?

Then Trump took classified papers to his home in Florida. Did he sell or give Putin info on the U.S.? If a G.I.

## ) %"

did that, he or she would be arrested, tried, and, if found guilty, put in jail.

Think about it, veterans and all other citizens. Putin played Trump like a fiddle, in my opinion. Pray for the people of Ukraine.

– Bob Battani, Durango

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6 n March 3, 2022

telegraph

LandDesk

Shaping Durango Part II in a look back on how planners envisioned growth

by Jonathan Thompson

I

n 1971, a group of Durango leaders issued what I imagine is the town’s first comprehensive land use plan – aside from the original 1880 plat. They acknowledged the town was changing and would continue to change, perhaps radically, as it transitioned away from a semiindustrial hub for mining, ranching and logging towns toward something new.

They knew they couldn’t control growth but could have a hand in guiding it, and the plan they published as a special supplement to The Durango Herald was a sort of roadmap to follow.

The planners’ goals were ambitious but reasonable: limit sprawl, establish greenbelts along river corridors and open space along the town’s boundaries, further develop the tourism industry, develop a diversified, year-round economy, and provide decent housing for everyone.

More than 50 years have passed, and Durango clearly has changed and grown in ways the planners probably couldn’t have imagined. Yet their efforts and the resulting plan were remarkably prescient, and foresaw much of what would come. But did it work? Have we (i.e. Durango’s residents and leaders of the last half century) successfully followed the map? Or have we gone astray?

Let’s ponder each category of goals.

Limiting suburban sprawl and retaining the community’s environmental character: This one’s a bit of a mixed bag. Google “suburban sprawl” and you’re not likely to come up with an image of Durango. Sprawl’s definition is somewhat squishy and subjective, but when we talk about sprawl, we’re usually referring to lowdensity, single-family, car-oriented development. Durango’s core rates fairly low on the sprawl scale, especially when compared to, say, Farmington or Grand Junction. There is generally a decent mix of single-family and multi-family housing (although it’s not always distributed very well), and most parts of town are fairly pedestrian friendly.

Of course, this breaks down as one ventures away from the early town boundaries.

The Bodo area, which was established as an industrial park in the ’70s but evolved into a mixed-use zone, is a disjointed, sprawling hodgepodge of I don’t-know-what, as is the Walmart/Home Depot area south of there.

So much for retaining “the downtown as the ‘shopping center’” and discouraging “additional strip commercial development.”

Durango’s relative lack of suburban sprawl likely is a result of planning and topography – there’s just not a lot of flat, sprawl-ready ground in the town’s immediate surroundings. That has pushed suburban sprawl out into the former agricultural areas, such as the Animas Valley and out on Florida Mesa (where it takes the form of ranchette-rural sprawl).

I’m giving us a 6 on this one.

Greenbelts and open space: In Durango’s early days, the banks of the Animas River were the designated industrial zone, and the waters were industry’s dumping ground. The mines and mills of the Silverton area sullied the waters with fish-killing acid mine drainage and tailings, then Durango’s slaughterhouses and sawmills and the smelter and, after that, the uranium mill, added to the yellow-gray soup with their own melange of pollution. By the time the river crossed into New Mexico, it was a toxic soup with a current. In 1971, the situation hadn’t improved that much. Tailings spills into the river were fairly common, and in Durango, the leftovers of industry still lined the river’s banks in many places.

So it’s pretty amazing the planners of the time were able to envision something far better, and even more incredible that those visions have been realized and then some.

The Animas River is the town’s green, scoliotic spine as well as its heart and soul, and the River Trail provides a car-free artery from one end of town to the other. That Durangoans have access to so much of the river’s shore almost makes the astronomical housing prices worth it. Nearly as important are the open spaces, like Horse Gulch, Overend Mountain Park, the trails on College Hill and Animas Mountain.

There are a few 1971 greenbelt goals that have yet to be achieved, however. Junction Creek also was supposed to have a greenbelt and trail along it (imagine taking that from town all the way up to the Colorado Trail).

Didn’t happen. The plan calls for converting Turtle Lake and City Reservoir (on College Hill) into public parks. Nope. And the 1971 planners also wanted to make the Animas River north of town into a recreational mecca (with water skiing and ice skating!).

While the extension of the Animas River Trail park and of the greenbelt up through Oxbow Park is a beginning, the grander vision never came to fruition, and the river banks through the Animas Valley are offlimits to public access.

This one gets a solid 9.

Housing: The 1971 plan devotes a lot to the topic of housing, but fails to anticipate the affordability crisis in which the community now finds itself. Back then, the planners in Durango were focused on “blight,” the proliferation of substandard housing, and “urban renewal.” This sort of “renewal” often entailed tearing down historical housing (often in lower-income areas and communities of color) and mixed-use structures and replacing them with parking lots, highways or crappy highrises. A good portion of Denver’s downtown neighborhoods fell victim to the urban renewal wrecking ball in the ’60s, which converted a vibrant, human-friendly, walkable, mixed-use area into a quilt of parking lots (only to see it all built back four decades later into a modern, gentrified replica of the destroyed neighborhoods).

Durango, near Santa Rita Park, not lookin’ so hot in the 1960s./ Courtesy Photo In Durango, it was the entire Santa Rita Infrastructure, streets, public faneighborhood, the residents of which were cilities: These are more specific goals in predominantly Latino, that was scraped to the plan, some of which seem downright make way for a (sorely needed) sewage odd in retrospect. For example, they wanted treatment plant. I see this as a glaring lack to make the Horse Gulch road into a major of foresight on planners’ part. Santa Rita traffic artery, which would have facilitated was a neighborhood in the classic sense, a development in what is now an open space, community, and it was erased virtually recreational gem. They also wanted an arteovernight, taking a significant stock of rial road to link County Road 203 with the housing away from the town forever. And Falls Creek Road near Turtle Lake. though it may have seemed logical to site And, apropos to current debates regardthe treatment plant at what then was the ing the location of the main fire station: In edge of town, planners should have known 1971 Durango’s only fire station – which that the community would grow southhoused 10 firefighters – was located at 10th ward. Hindsight’s 20-20, I know, but a St. and 2nd Ave. Planners wanted two more much more appropriate location would stations, one south of town and one on the have been south of Home Depot. northeast corner of 32nd St. and Main Ave., The planners of yore endeavored to which at the time was owned by the city. “make provisions” to “permit housing for The fire department established its low, medium, and high income groups.” own special district and has grown conWhat they didn’t realize is one day it would siderably since then (and the Durango take a lot more than to simply allow develdepartment merged with surrounding, opers to put up affordable housing. Planrural, volunteer departments), establishners and leaders would have to require it ing stations on the south end of town, and subsidize it. This is one area where on the north end of town – albeit not in planning in Durango and just about everythe planned location – and outside of where has failed: Instead of planning ahead, town. It also moved its main station adand purchasing land and housing for afjacent to the old power plant. Now the fordable units when prices were still somedepartment plans to move into the old what reasonable, most communities are high school and current school district reacting to exorbitant housing prices and administration building in a residential trying to play catch up. That means forking area, but also just down the street from out millions to buy or build a handful of afits 1971 location. This has triggered a fordable units when hundreds are needed. brouhaha of near-epic proportions.

I’m going with a 7.

I’d give this one a 7.

Development of the tourism econA near-future Land Desk dispatch, and omy and increase year-round employ- the third and final episode of the series, ment: Umm, yeah, I’d say we overdid it on will look into the future and lay out a the tourism economy. And like many other new road map pointing at what still communities, Durango appears to have needs to be done. staffing shortages, even in the winter. So, The Land Desk is a newsletter from Jonathan success, I guess?

P. Thompson, longtime journalist and author of This gets a 12 out of 10 for accomplishRiver of Lost Souls, Behind the Slickrock Curtain, ing the goals – no matter how questionable and the newly released Sagebrush Empire. To they may now seem. subscribe, go to: www.landdesk.org

telegraph

March 3, 2022 n 7

FilmFrenzy

Independent festival returns After pandemic hiatus, film fest returns for its 17th year with new energy

by Telegraph staff s divided as a country as we sometimes seem to be, at least we can all agree on one thing: the pandemic year sucked. But maybe, just maybe, we can agree one more thing, too: that losing out on all the fun things that filled our lives gave us newfound appreciation for them.

You know, the whole “absence makes the heart grow fonder” thing.

At least that’s the vibe around the Durango Independent Film Festival this year, which returns after a pandemic-forced hiatus in 2021.

“There’s definitely some fresh energy going into this year,” Greg Weiss, hospitality coordinator for the festival, said. “Everyone is really excited to bring independent film back to Durango and be able to be inperson again.”

About two decades ago, Durango’s previ-

ous film festival ran into some financial trouble and disbanded, Weiss said. But some of that event’s core members still wanted to bring independent films to town, resulting in the creation of the DIFF. “It just kept growing.” Weiss said.

DIFF squeaked out a festival just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in winter 2020. Last year, the event offered some online showings, just to keep the spirit alive. But 2022 marks the festival back in full force, with filmmakers from all over the country set to descend on town for the weekend.

Thursday

Friday

A

Coffee Talk with Filmmakers, 8:30 a.m., R-Space, 734 E. 2nd Ave. Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way, 9 a.m., Gaslight 1 The 8th, 9:30 a.m., Gaslight 2 From the Hood to the Holler, 10:30 a.m., DAC When Claude Got Shot, 11 a.m., ACT Route One North, 11:30 a.m., Gaslight 1 The Berrigans: Devout and Dangerous, 12 p.m., Gaslight 2 Find Your Way Documentary Shorts, 1 p.m., DAC Dark Cloud, 1:30 p.m., ACT #KidsOnTech, 2 p.m., Gaslight 1 OUR almost completely true STORY, 2:30 p.m., Gaslight 2 Being Thunder, 3:30 p.m., DAC Shorts Program #1, 4 p.m., ACT That’s Wild, 4:30 p.m., Gaslight 1 Match Struck, 5 p.m., Gaslight 2 Acid Test, 6 p.m., DAC Skiing shorts, 6:30 p.m., ACT A River Out of Time, 7 p.m., Gaslight 1 Be The Change documentary shorts, 7:30 p.m., Gaslight 2

8 n March 3, 2022

Indeed, Weiss said that close to 50% of the films to be showed over the weekend will have directors and other representatives of the movie along with it. As a result, there are a ton of Q&A sessions planned after showings, as well as workshops and panels.

This year, too, the event will be held solely in downtown Durango, Weiss said, at the Animas City Theatre, the Durango Arts Center and at the two movie theaters in the Gaslight Twin Cinema near the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge depot.

And there’s sure to be something for everyone, Weiss said, including outdoor/adHuman Spirit shorts, 8:30 p.m., DAC

Coffee Talk, 8:30 a.m., 734 E. 2nd Ave.

Match Struck, 8:30 p.m., Gaslight 2

Shorts program #2, 9 a.m., DAC Find Your Way documentary shorts, 9:30 a.m., ACT Marvelous and the Black Hole, 9:30 a.m., Gaslight 1 Strictly for the Birds, 10 a.m., Gaslight 2

Saturday Coffee Talk, 8:30 a.m., 734 E. 2nd Ave. Acid Test, 9 a.m., Gaslight 2 Effecting Change Native Cinema Program, 9:30 a.m., Gaslight 1 #KidsOnTech, 9:30 a.m., ACT

HERE. IS. BETTER., 11:30 a.m., DAC

Family Program, 10 a.m., DAC

Out and About, 12 p.m., ACT Be The Change documentary shorts, 12 p.m., Gaslight 1 Being Thunder, 12:30 p.m., Gaslight 2 George M. Cohan Tonight!, 2 p.m., DAC

To Which We Belong, 12 p.m., Gaslight 1&2 Shorts Program #1, 12 p.m., ACT Reel Learning, 12:30 p.m., DAC Ferryman, 2:30 p.m., Gaslight 1 & 2

Leftover Feelings: A Studio B Revival, 2:30 p.m., ACT Mission: JOY, 3 p.m., Gaslight 1 & 2 Cultural Preservation Native Cinema Program, 5 p.m., ACT Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 5:30 p.m., DAC The Many Faces of Adventure Sports, 5:30 p.m., Gaslight 1 & 2 Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way, 7:30 p.m., ACT From the Hood to the Holler, 8 p.m., Gaslight 1

Buried, 2:30 p.m., ACT Profiles of Independent Film, featuring David Dibble, 3 p.m., DAC Leftover Feelings: A Studio B Revival, 5 p.m., ACT Shorts program #2, 5 p.m., Gaslight 1 &2 Route One North, 5:30 p.m., DAC Human Spirit Adventure Shorts, 7:30 p.m., ACT Dark Cloud, 7:30 p.m., Gaslight 1 Mission: JOY, 8 p.m., DAC

telegraph

venture films, documentaries and shorts as well as movies from local filmmakers.

From Thurs.-Sat. at 8:30 a.m., you can meet filmmakers over coffee and pastries at the R-Space at 734 E. 2nd Ave. On Friday, there’s a special screening of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” with Ferris’ parents, actors Cindy Pickett and Lyman Ward, in attendance. And on Sunday, there are two panels – “Stories from the Front Lines of Filmmaking” and “Documenting Action of Film” – held at Outdoorsy, 934 Main Ave. Weiss also said DIFF is one of the first film festivals to pick back up since the pandemic (the Sundance Film Festival had to cancel in January), which has also raised the energy level for this year’s event.

“People are ready to get back out there,” he said.

For information on tickets, prices and more details on the movies themselves, visit www.durangofilm.org.

The 8th, 8 p.m., Gaslight 2

Sunday The Berrigans: Devout and Dangerous, 9 a.m., ACT Shorts Program #3, DAC Bloody Sunday: Stories from the Front, 11 a.m., Outdoorsy The Many Faces of Adventure shorts, 11:30 a.m., ACT Strictly for the Birds, 11:30 a.m., Gaslight 1 When Claude Got Shot, 12 p.m., DAC Cultural Preservation Native Cinema Program, 12 p.m., Gaslight 2 Documentaries in Action, 12:15 p.m., Outdoorsy That’s Wild, 2 p.m., ACT Family Program, 2 p.m., Gaslight 1 Skiing Adventure Shorts, 2:30 p.m., DAC George M. Cohan Tonight!, 2:30 p.m., Gaslight 2 A River Out of Time, 4 p.m., ACT Out and About (sneak peek), 4:30 p.m., Gaslight 1 OUR almost completely true STORY, 5 p.m., Gaslight 2 HERE. IS. BETTER., 5 p.m., DAC

Let’sDigIn

The Great Resignation Durango’s restaurants hit hard during and after pandemic

by Sinjin Eberle

W

e have all seen the headlines: pandemic-related resignations have devastated the job market across the country, and there are endless examples of restaurants shifting hours or closing certain days strictly because they don’t have enough staff.

While quitting might not be as aggressive as the classic Johnny Paycheck song “Take This Job and Shove It,” it ain’t far off. There are more than 16 million people working in the restaurant industry, and unfortunately for us, many of them are simply fed up. Strict, physically demanding work environments, long and awkward hours, limited benefits, and unruly customers make restaurant work exhausting, even for the most dedicated hospitality professional. Not to mention the sheer exposure to potential infection that restaurant employees have been subjected to over the past 18 months, especially by customers who object to masking up or getting the jab.

According to The Washington Post, millions of restaurant workers have quit to shift their careers into something more stable and supported, especially with more “normal” benefits that so many people in other industries enjoy. Others have taken the opportunity forced upon them by the shutdowns to explore more creative pursuits or chase that dream job they always wanted. Since then, restaurants have struggled to backfill those jobs, even though 84% of restaurants report raising wages, providing signing bonuses and adding other compensation to try to lure workers.

Even with a national unemployment rate sitting right around 4% (nearly full employment), many sectors of the economy, with restaurants maybe more than any other sector, are still struggling to find workers. So what are people doing?

It’s certainly not just sitting at home collecting unemployment as some like to accuse, because most of those programs ran their course a long time ago.

I spoke with Elias Pfeifer, former bartender and front of house server who has been a fixture at El Moro for years.

While he has worked in phases at the restaurant between chunks of international travel, Elias has been deeply dedicated to hospitality in this town. After the shutdowns began, he tried to stay on and support El Moro, but finally resigned back in October to pursue some investing opportunities. He told me, “With the tough schedule and constantly dealing with entitled, disrespectful customers, I was just burned out and called it quits with no real safety net.”

Now, he is working as an executive recruiter for tech firms, making solid commissions. “Now I have regular, Monday through Friday hours with holidays and weekends off,” he said. “And with all the shifting around of people changing companies, there is a lot of demand from firms trying to find good workers, so business is really good for me right now.”

From an owner’s standpoint, the situation has been just as frustrating. While keeping good employees has always been a challenge as people grow and evolve in their careers or go to college, the past two years have taken it to the next level. Layer on the obnoxious behavior of some restaurant guests, many of whom come into the dining room with an attitude of “deserving to be served” or “my tourist dollars pay your rent.” With servers and managers being thrust into a position of having to enforce things like mask mandates and social distancing, along with limited reservations and QR codes, the stress and anger they have had to endure has been a breaking point for many.

Tracy Regan, co-owner of Primi Pasta & Wine Bar with her husband Jarrod, told me about their experience through all this. They had only been open a couple of months (since Jan. 11, 2020) when this whole drama began. Over a glass of Nebbiolo, she told me, “We had many workers who were new to restaurants, and some of them decided that maybe this was not for them. Others, however, stayed on, and are now in management roles in the restaurant.

Now is a great time to be coming into the restaurant scene, as you might be able to work your way up quickly.”

Even with that, it was still tough, and they had a stretch last summer where they had to close on Mondays, because they simply did not have enough staff to

operate the restaurant. Additionally, on their approach to masking and social distancing, Regan told me, “We decided early on to be pretty conservative with our approach and follow the guidance from CDC and San Juan Basin Health pretty strictly,” which some customers, of course, could not get past.

Regan Briggs, Culinary Director at Ore House, put it even more bluntly: “This whole experience has really shined an unexpected light on restaurant management, too. There are some places that treat employees with respect and as an inclusive team, but a lot of others don’t, and some people are just sick of it.” She continued, “This is deep for a lot of us.

It’s really personal and, quite frankly, it hurts. We truly love what we do, but at the end of the day, many people are still struggling to survive.”

Since the first wave of pandemic shutdowns hit, it’s been difficult for the restaurant industry to catch a break.

Though focused relief money came through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, it has since run out and is now in Congress waiting for reauthorization.

According to the Independent Restaurant Coalition, 42% of restaurants that did not receive RRF funds face bankruptcy, and nearly half were forced to lay off staff again this past December alone due to the Omicron surge.

What you can do to help is be a good diner – be a partner in the experience of a restaurant, not merely a consumer.

Kindness and patience go a long way in easing some of the tension that has been thrust upon both restaurants and their workers through no fault of their own.

Our little town thrives on being good to each other, and restaurant staff is no different. Simply put, treat people with respect, and you will have the most amazing dining experience you can imagine.

telegraph

March 3, 2022 n

9

Looking T Toward ow oward the Future through the Localism Lens

A

t Local First, our mission to create an economy that values people, the planet, and prosperity for everyone extends beyond our work with the local, independent business community. While preserving opportunity for independent business remains at the core of our focus, the broader thread of localism must weave through every aspect of development in order to create a community that can foster sustainable long-term business ventures while withstanding the humanitarian, environmental, and economic uncertainties of the future.

Localism is the forward-thinking lens we adopt to ensure we are progressing in a mindful direction that not only accounts for circular economic stability, but equally prioritizes climate action with meeting the physiological and wellness needs of every neighbor. It is a collaborative approach that aims to tackle multiple considerations of the triple bottom line with every action we take.

In 2019, we applied this lens to the issue of affordable healthcare after our business members marked it as a prominent barrier to supporting their employees. After years of convening stakeholders to create a healthcare collaborative, we have enabled four counties to purchase a local healthcare option, driving rates down by 35%. This serves as an example of creative problem-solving to address an issue that seemed too large and convoluted to tackle locally.

Now, our collective attention has turned towards the physical development of our community. We have been grateful for our community partners and elected officials elevating the conversation around solutions that prioritize incentives that address several issues simultaneously - such as subsidies for developers and occupants, meeting higher energy efficiency standards, increasing density by building up rather than sprawling outward, increasing economic vitality in commercial areas, building along public transportation corridors, etc.

Through the lens of localism, we can use these complex opportunities to move forward in ways that prioritize mindful development, preserving the stability and sense of place in our community.

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Whether you’re looking for your new home or your next business space, let us shine light on your greatest investment.

4CORE presents Earth Day 2022, Climate Solutions April 23rd 11am-3pm at Rotary Park, Parade: 10:30am

Animas Trading Trading Company offers a wide array of fun and flirty dresses, sassy tops, flowy skirts and sun hats arriving just in time for Spring. Affordable clothing and gifts for all ages. Animas Trading is a local's favorite, and offers a relaxing and fun shopping atmosphere for everyone in the family.

There will be food, music, kids activities, speakers, EVs on display and organizations showcasing their work that addresses the climate crisis.

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Join the community celebration honoring our big, blue planet showcasing the organizations that are providing Climate Solutions

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Live Creative Studio's Sustainable Business Guide is here to help you spend consciously!

Durango Montessori School is now enrolling for 3 years-5th grade for the 22-23 school year!

The Guide features 32+ local, sustainable business - from architects & builders, zero waste & organic beauty products, fair-trade home goods, used outdoor gear & more - all in one place.

Durango Montessori School is a non-profit, private school with a student-to-teacher ratio of 10:1, a focus on Montessori Method and Philosophy, SEL Education, and experiential learning.

Shop your values. Bookmark the guide.

For more information, please contact Steffanie at director@durangomontessori.com

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10 n March 3, 2022

The Durango Wine Experience is uncorking a fabulous partnership with the Community Foundation!

The popular weekend event April 29 – May 1 includes educational seminars, wine dinners, and unique tastings. All proceeds will go to the Foundation to support the vibrant nonprofit sector that makes Durango a great place to work, play and live.

Learn more and purchase your Weekend Pass at DurangoWine.

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telegraph

MurderInk

Living in the shadows Acclaimed mystery novel not so acclaimed by this reviewer

by Jeffrey Mannix

J

ohn Searles has slipped under my radar since his first novel in 2001, “Boy Still Missing,” and his second novel in 2004, “Strange But True,” and his 2013 novel, “Help for the Haunted.” And I’ve also missed his essays about books in The Washington Post and The New York Times (two papers I read faithfully every day).

And because there has never been a television in my home, I’ve missed his book critiques on NBC’s “Today Show,” CBS’s “The Early Show,” “Live with Regis and Kelly” and his commentaries with Charlie Rose and on CNN. Searles has been working the book racket since being awarded a writing scholarship at New York University and his first job at Redbook magazine reading fiction submissions and then Cosmopolitan magazine in various editing positions. He is a skilled writer and has a new book releasing this month titled “Her Last Affair.”

As Murder Ink readers know, I sift new crime fiction releases to bring the best of the good books and none of the undistinguished to your attention, resulting in a large stack of donations and a small pile of superb books for review. The first page

is the gold standard as far as I’m concerned, then page 15, and if by page 50 I’ve lost the thread or the narrative is still preparing to bloom, it goes in the dead book pile and I’m on to the next audition. “Her Last Affair’’ got off to a good start with a wistful rumination by a lonely and a somewhat delusional Skyla Hull living in upstate New York who had yet or will never come to an emotional settlement with the accidental death of her husband. And, to make matter worse, she lives in the shadow of the giant screen of a drive-in movie they had run and watched for fifty years. Skyla has a cabin for rent adjacent to her identical cabin, and we leave her for a while just when she found an acceptable and handsome British Teddy Cornwell to rent her cabin

and reignite her companionability.

Searles moves on to Linelle Dufort, about to turn 50 years old in Florida and recently fired from her job as an art teacher, bored with domesticity and now sharing salacious photos online with a man she had an affair with 20 years ago, Teddy Cornwell. She will leave her teenaged daughter and husband in his prized 1967 candy-apple-red Camaro convertible to find the Teddy she once worked with and had her first sexual experiences with as teenagers employed for a summer at Disneyland.

And we meet Jeremy Lichanel, first as a high school boy with nearly terminal acne and a worse case of dissociative disorder as a result, who serves as the linchpin tying together Skyla and Linelle and Teddy and Maureen. The narrative cleverly associates

these four people, yet never finishes a clear picture of any of them. Their crazy associations are dreamlike and damaging to the point of casual, unremarkable murder.

Searles treats his readers as if they were seated around a dimly lit living room where he’s telling a fanciful suspense story. I found myself talking back in my heavily annotated margins: No, don’t take the keys; Careful, he’s not who you think he is; Jeez, this is not going to turn out well!

The book is engaging for all the wrong reasons. The plot is nicely fractured between leading characters, but we never really get to know these characters or places they occupy. Or, the reasons why anything happens or why we’re reading this dumb story. Some of the pundits enticed by publicity to write blurbs for the book reference Stephen King, speak of homage to film noir, equate the writing to the clarity of Carson McCullers… blah blah blah.

I read “Her Last Affair” by mistake, lured in by the first page, then the fifteenth and the fiftieth. I surely could have spent my time better, but wow it sure was fun.

And don’t forget to ask Maria’s Bookshop for your fifteen percent Murder Ink discount.

Good luck with this one.

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telegraph

March 3, 2022 n 11

StufftoDo

Thursday03

Saturday05

Tuesday08

Durango Independent Film Festival, runs until March 6, more info at www.durangofilm.org. (or, flip back a few pages for a rundown in the Telegraph)

Seed Exchange, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., bring what you can, take what you need. Master gardeners will be in attendance. Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203.

Great Decisions 2022 presentation, 11:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m., Durango Public Library. Topic is outer space. More info at lwvlaplata.org.

Todd Sheaffer of Railroad Earth & Chris Thompson of Coral Creek play, 3:30 p.m., Telluride Transfer Warehouse, 201 S. Fir St., Telluride.

Uncle Clyde’s Run & Slide tubing relay race, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Columbine Area tubing Hill, Purgatory Resort. www.purgatory.ski/events/

Acoustic Music Jam, 5-7 p.m., all instruments and styles welcome, vaccinated players only, 11th St. Station.

Heartwarming Soup Sale, 5 p.m., proceeds go to local families for financial assistance thru winter. Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Leah Orlikowski plays the Bear Bar, March 5, 2-4:30 p.m., Purgatory Resort.

Bingo night, 5 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Chocolate & Wine Tasting, 5:30-7 p.m., Animas Chocolate Co., 920 Main Ave. Benefit for the Women’s Resource Center.

Live music, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Deadline for “Stuff to Do” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item, email: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Powerhouse Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. Fort Lewis College Music Department’s Jazz Festival, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall.

Geeks who Drink Trivia, 8 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr.

Powder Hounds Kick Off event, 4-6 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St., fundraiser for La Plata County Humane Society. Online auction lasts thru March 12.

More info at lpchumanesociety.org.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Durango Elks Lodge Pub Trivia, 6:30 p.m., Durango Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave. Non-members welcome.

Open mic night, weekly 7:30-9:30 p.m., Moe’s Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Celebration of life for Johnny Bulson, 6-9 p.m., Durango Coffee Company, 730 Main Ave. State 38 plays, 6 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Sunday06 Veterans Benefit Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave. Open to the public, all proceeds support local veterans.

Wednesday09 Planning the Cut Flower Garden presentation, 12 noon. Registration required at https://bit.ly/3pqJbB5 Open Bluegrass Jam, every Wednesday, 5-8 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Open mic, 5 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Friday04 Live music, 4:30-6:30 p.m., James Ranch, 33846 U.S. Highway 550.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

“The Use of Social Control in the Chaco Phenomenon During a Time of Change, virtual presentation, 7 p.m. Log-in info at SJBAS.org

First Friday Art Show, 5 p.m., Create Art and Tea, 1015 Main Ave.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Ongoing

Jack Ellis & Larry Carver play, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5:30 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Ru Paul’s Drag Race watch party, every Friday, 6-8 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave. Alex Westphal and the Blues Connection play, 5:30 p.m., Mancos Brewing Co. Open Fly Tying night, 6 p.m., Outdoorsy Outpost, 934 Main Ave. Free event, open to both beginners and seasoned fly tiers.

Monday07

Chapman Ski Hill is open. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 3:30-8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more info. go to: www.durangogov.org/chapmanhill.

“Ask an EV Owner” virtual event, 5-6 p.m., ask owners of electric vehicles questions, register at bit.ly/AskEVDriver

The Hive Indoor Skate Park is open, offering open skate and skate lessons. Waivers required. For schedule and online waiver, go to www.thehivedgo.org

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

“Connecting through Disconnect,” exhibit by Miki Harder & Bram Jenkins, opening reception, 5-9 p.m. Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave. Show runs thru March 5.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Aikido beginner class, 6-8 p.m., DSBK Aikido, 121 W. 32nd St. #B, free.

Shock Wave Drag Night, first and third Friday of every month, 9 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave. 18+

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AskRachel

Matters of the heart, throwing shade & the age game Interesting fact: Drapes are curtains with a liner to block out more light. Draperies are just drapes for people trying to hit a syllable quota.

Dear Rachel, Why don’t humans have to take heartworm medicine like my cats do? Is there no heartworm that can survive a human being? Or is there simply no heartworm that can kill a human being, so we’re all just walking around with benign heartworms living in our ventricles and doing whatever heartworms do because it’s not worth taking a monthly chewable mixed into our dinner in secret so we don’t spit it out?

– Wormy Worry Dear Heart Attack, Great. Just when I was starting to leave the house again, and readjusting to this whole maskless approach to life, you give me reason to cover everything up and never eat again. Sike! I will never stop eating. Even better, because food is not where heartworms come from.

Thank heavens. Heartworm comes from mosquitos, and that’s as far as I got before I shut that browser tab. If we don’t have to learn about slavery in school anymore because it makes white kids squeamish, then I refuse to learn about heartworms in my chest cavity.

– Getting squirmy, Rachel Dear Rachel, Are shades and blinds the same thing? Or are

Upcoming 61st Annual Student Juried Exhibition, with guest juror Derrick Velasquez, opening reception March 10, 4:30-6 p.m., The Art Gallery at Fort Lewis College. Exhibit runs until April 12.

Open jazz/funk jam, March 10, 6 p.m., 11th St. Station.

“True West” by Sam Shepard, March 11-13, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. More info at durangoarts.org Free legal clinic, March 11, 4-5 p.m., Ignacio Library, 470 Goddard Ave. 12-Year Anniversary Party, March 11, 5-9 p.m. Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave. Artist Heather Freeman presenting “Embracing Life,” March 11, 6 p.m., Studio 3 of the ArtRoom, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. McDonald’s Cardboard Derby, March 12, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Purgatory Resort tubing hill. www.purgatory.ski/events/

these terms interchangeable? I believe that curtains are different… yet I can convince myself that curtains and shades are related. Also, can they all be drawn? Window coverings are fraught with peril, now that it’s me and not a landlord replacing them. I’m preparing myself for a trip to the orange store, and I shutter at the thought.

– Blinds Man Dear Tint Job, You just tapped into my inner [insert famous designer here], which I left blank because my inner designer is nonexistent. I notice, however, that you did not ask about drapes. I do not know what drapes are, only that the curtains are supposed to match them. Which, now that I think about it, is not referring to interior design at all. Because who needs two sets of window coverings, unless you’re walking around with both your curtains and your drapes exposed?

– Throwing shade, Rachel Dear Rachel, I have spent much of my life figuring out the polite ways to reference someone’s age. My personal favorite works around birthday time. You simply exaggerate the person’s age to a ridiculous degree in either direction. If it’s a kid, shoot up (but not with heroin). Telling an 8-year old they must be turning 25 is surefire giggles. I try the opposite with older women, to mixed results. You might be 60? I’ll say happy 40th. But

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com there is no good way to play this game with men. What would you try?

– Dating Game Dear Tree Ring Circus, I wouldn’t try. Mostly because men don’t care. They will not be flattered if you guess them to be younger.

They will not be offended if you guess them to be older.

They would much rather you stroke their ego with things like how shapely their arms are, or how full their beard is, or how much bigger their intelligence is than average. And you have no need to know their age anyway, unless you are a bartender or you need to prescribe the right heartworm medicine.

– Eternally thirty, Rachel

Farmington Hill plays, March 12, 3-6 p.m., Mancos Brewing Company.

Abstract Rude, Def-I, 80HD & DJ PhillipDrummond play, March 12, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 129 E. College Dr. Third Thursday Speaker Series featuring Craig Childs, March 17, 6:30 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Stillhouse Junkies with Pixie & the Partygrass play, March 18, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 129 E. College Dr. Benefit for Uncompahgre River, March 19, 6:30-9 p.m., featuring films about outdoor adventure and conservation through the love of fly fishing. Ouray County 4H Event Center in Ridgway.

Après Ski Science & Social, Sat., March 26, 2 p.m., Andrews Lake parking area, just south of Molas Pass. Snowshoeing 2-4 p.m., Registration at sjma.org/events Durango Green Drinks, March 31, 5-7 p.m., 11th St. Station.

telegraph

March 3, 2022 n 13

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): “I not only bow to the inevitable,” wrote Aries author Thornton Wilder, “I am fortified by it.” Wow. That was a brazen declaration. Did he sincerely mean it? He declared that he grew stronger through surrender, that he derived energy by willingly giving in to the epic trends of his destiny. I don’t think that’s always true for everyone. But I suspect it will be a useful perspective for you in the coming weeks, Aries.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Vive la différence! Hooray for how we are not alike! I am all in favor of cultural diversity, neurodiversity, spiritual diversity and physical diversity. Are you? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to celebrate the bounties and blessings that come your way because of the holy gift of endless variety. The immediate future will also be a perfect phase to be extra appreciative that your companions and allies are not the same as you. I encourage you to tell them why you love how different they are. Now here’s poet Anna Akhmatova to weave it together: “I breathe the moonlight, and you breathe the sunlight, but we live together in the same love.”

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini singer-songwriter Bob Dylan said, “I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.” I think that will be a key theme for you in the coming weeks. Dylan described the type of hero I hope you aspire to be. Be alert! You are on the cusp of an invigorating liberation. To ensure you proceed with maximum grace, take on the increased responsibility that justifies and fortifies your additional freedom.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “I’d rather be seduced than comforted,” wrote author Judith Rossner. What about you, Cancerian? Do you prefer being enticed, invited, drawn out of your shell and led into interesting temptation?

Or are you more inclined to thrive when you’re nurtured, soothed, supported and encouraged to relax and cultivate peace?

I’m not saying one is better than the other, but I urge you to favor the first in the coming weeks: being enticed, invited, drawn out of your shell and led into interesting temptation.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A woman from Cornwall, U.K., Karen Harris, was adopted as a little girl. At age 18, she began trying to track down her biological parents. Thirty-four years later, she was finally reunited with her father. The turning point: He appeared on the “Suggested Friends” feature on her Facebook page. I propose we make Karen Harris your

inspirational role model. Now is a favorable time to find what you lost a while ago; to re-link with a good resource that disappeared from your life; to reclaim a connection that could be meaningful to you again.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Buddhist teacher Chögyam Trungpa told us, “Meditation is not a matter of trying to achieve ecstasy, spiritual bliss or tranquility.” Instead, he said that meditation is how we “expose and undo our neurotic games, our self-deceptions, our hidden fears and hopes.” Excuse me, Mr. Trungpa, but I don’t allow anyone, not even a holy guy like you, to dictate what meditation is and isn’t. Many other spiritual mentors I’ve enjoyed learning from say that meditation can also be a discipline to achieve ecstasy, spiritual bliss and tranquility. And I suspect that’s what Virgo meditators should emphasize in the coming weeks. You people are in a phase when you can cultivate extraordinary encounters with that all fun stuff. If you’re not a meditator, now would be a good time to try it out. I recommend the books “Meditation for Beginners” by Jack Kornfield and “How to Meditate” by Pema Chödrön.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Comedian Fred Allen observed, “It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals.”

That’s an unromantic thing to say, isn’t it?

Or maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s very romantic, even enchanting, to exult in how our allies help us make our dreams come true – and how we help them make their dreams come true. In my astrological opinion, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to focus on the synergies and symbioses that empower you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood!” declare many self-help gurus. “It’s never too early to start channeling the wise elder who is already forming within you,” declare I. Oddly enough, both of these guiding principles will be useful for you to meditate on during the coming weeks. You’re in an unusually good position to resurrect childlike wonder and curiosity. You’re also poised to draw stellar advice from the Future You who has learned many secrets that the Current You doesn’t know yet. Bonus: Your Inner Child and your Inner Elder could collaborate to create a marvelous breakthrough or two.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): “A myriad of modest delights constitute happiness,” wrote poet Charles Baudelaire. That will be a reliable formula for you in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. You may not har-

telegraph

vest any glorious outbreaks of bliss, but you will be regularly visited by small enchantments, generous details and useful tweaks. I hope you won’t miss or ignore some of these nurturing blessings because you’re fixated on the hope of making big leaps. Be grateful for modest delights.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I found out some fun facts about renowned Capricorn poet Robert Duncan (1919–88), who was a bohemian socialist and trailblazing gay activist. He was adopted by Theosophical parents who chose him because of his astrological make-up. They interpreted Robert’s dreams when he was a child. Later in life, he had an affair with actor Robert De Niro’s father, also named Robert, who was a famous abstract expressionist painter. Anyway, Capricorn, this is the kind of quirky and fascinating information I hope you’ll be on the lookout for.

It’s time to seek high entertainment as you expedite your learning; to change your fate for the better as you gather interesting clues; to be voraciously curious as you attract stimulating influences that inspire you to be innovative.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I always strive, when I can, to spread sweetness and light,” said P. G. Wodehouse.

“There have been several complaints about it.” I know what he means. During my own crusade to express crafty, discerning forms of optimism, I have enraged many people. They don’t like to be reminded that thousands of things go right every day. They would rather stew in their disgruntlement and cynicism, delusionally imagining that a dire perspective is the most intelligent and realistic stance. If you’re one of those types, Aquarius, I have bad news for you: The coming weeks will bring you invitations and opportunities to cultivate a more positive outlook. I don’t mean that you should ignore problems or stop trying to fix what needs correction. Simply notice everything that’s working well and providing you with what you need. For inspiration, read my essay: tinyurl.com/HighestGlory PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Pastor and activist Charles Henry Parkhurst (1842–1933) said, “All great discoveries are made by people whose feelings run ahead of their thinking.” The approach worked well for him. In 1892, he discovered and exposed monumental corruption in the New York City government. His actions led to significant reforms of the local police and political organizations. In my astrological opinion, you should incorporate his view as you craft the next chapter of your life story. You may not yet have been able to fully conceive of your future prospects and labors of love, but your feelings can lead you to them.

classifieds

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon. Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $5 minimum. Even better, ads can now be placed online: durangotelegraph.com. Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check.

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

Ads can be submitted via: n www.durangotelegraph.com n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2 Approximate office hours: Mon: 9ish - 5ish Tues: 9ish - 5ish Wed: 9ish - 3ish Thurs: On delivery Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Announcements “Jump for Joy” Art Show Durango Rec Center Gallery Wall presents Nadya/Tron originals and digitals from March 1st through March 31st.

Artist Reception - Sunday, March 6th from 1-3 pm. Five large “Queen of Peace” posters will be won on March 28th drawing. Sign up and be a part of the “Jump for Joy “fun. Questions!? (970) 563-1042 - Veryl ‘Nadya’ Rosenbaum Plant Based Durango New social group forming now! Learn more: https://mealprepmaven.net/plantbased-durango/ The Perfect Gift for your favorite dirtbag. Literature from Durango’s own Benighted Publications. The Desert, The Climbing Zine, The Great American Dirtbags, American Climber, Climbing Out of Bed and Graduating From College Me are available at: Maria’s Bookshop, Pine Needle Mountaineering, the Sky Store, or on the interweb at www.climbingzine.com.

Help Wanted Library Director - Town of Silverton Interested applicants may obtain job information and application at Silverton Town Hall or at townofsilverton.colorado.gov/employment. This is a fulltime position with health, dental, vision, 401k benefits and paid time off. Position starts May 1, 2022, and salary starts at $46,000 and can increase, dependent upon experience. Applications must be delivered to Silverton Town Hall, 1360 Greene St. or via email to Jackie Kerwin at jkerwin@silverton.co.us and Gloria Kaasch-Buerger at gkaasch-buerger@silverton.co.us by 4 p.m. Mon., March 21.

The Town of Silverton is an equal opportunity employer.

Work for SJMA! San Juan Mountains Association is hiring! Seasonal Forest Ambassadors, Weminuche Wilderness Stewardship Crew, and more. Learn more and apply at www.sjma.org.

Best Job Ever!

The Telegraph is hiring an advertising sales guru. Part-time, fairly flexible schedule (Monday & Tuesday availability a must), approx. 20 hours/week. General knowledge of the paper, town and sales highly recommended. Base pay + commission + free lifetime subscription. telegraph@durangotelegraph.com.

Classes/Workshops

ForSale Reruns Home Furnishings New inventory including dressers, side tables, rustic console, Urban Market industrial-style barstools, and rugs …

Come in today! 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

Commercial for Rent Fitness Space Available 1275-sq-ft fitness studio available day/eve. Ideal for yoga, fitness, martial arts, kids activities. Negotiable rates & terms.

Email zanshin@durangoaikido.com

Wanted

Earn Your Master of Social Work (MSW) From the University of Denver (DU) here in Durango – for the two-year program starting in fall 2022. Classes on Fridays and Saturdays. For more info contact Janelle.Doughty@du.edu or www.du.edu/socialwork.

Free Record Sealing Presentation Presented by Colorado Legal Services Tuesday, March 15th from 5:30 pm – 7 pm via Zoom Please call 385-7378, Ext 251 for details on how to attend or visit www.durangovap.org/events Yoga Teacher Training Yoga Alliance Certified 200 hr at Yogadurango, 2/2- 7/10, 8.5 weekends.

Whether you’re ready to deepen your understanding of yoga, or an aspiring yoga teacher, this comprehensive program will lay a strong foundation for an empowered lifelong practice. yogadurango.com West Coast Swing Dance 6-week class starts March 2. Learn the basics of West Coast Swing. Registration is required at www.westslopewesties.com.

Wanted Seeking Studio Space Seeking long term space for commercial sewing studio 150-200 sq’ natural light + ground flr preferred Can view spaces 3/15 - 3/22 720-883-3813 Want to Rent Studio Space North Want room with light as art studio Hermosa, north to Cascade. 970-3758555

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Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

Services Emilio handyman Driveways/sidewalks Replace doors windows, decks, pergolas, etc. Quality work. Call 970-769-3777.

Seeking Hypnosis Volunteers!

Volunteers needed for free hypnosis sessions! Level 2 QHHT Practitioner student needs a certain # of free sessions for next level certification. Safe & relaxing!

970-823-4487, ask for Louise!

Boxing Lessons Get in shape w/ the “Sweet Science.”

Heavybag/punching mitt/ring generalship. Single & couple rates text/call 9704420091.

RSE Handyman Service Home repair - Yard work - Odd Jobs 970-903-0449 Adulting Got You Down?

Therapy can help. Anne Hosey is a licensed professional counselor and therapist with a passion for supporting adults as they navigate adulting and its many challenges. Schedule your free 15 minute phone consultation at junipertreementalhealth.com.

Marketing Small & Local Businesses Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc. for small, local, independ-

HaikuMovieReview ‘Free Guy’ As real life gets more like Grand Theft Auto, this was both fun and scary – Lainie Maxson ent or startup businesses. Visit our website at www.forwardpedal.com or email jnderge@gmail.com Harmony Cleaning and Organizing Residential, offices, commercial and vacation rentals, 970-403-6192.

Lowest Prices on Storage!

Inside/outside storage near Durango and Bayfield. 10-x-20, $130. Outside spots: $65, with discounts available. RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494.

Body Work Sol Sparkle Hair Tinsel Be the Free Spirit in you with beautiful sparkles in your hair! Animas Trading Company 2/26, 1-5pm. txt 970-769-7681 for appt.

Lotus Path Healing Arts Now accepting new clients. Offering a unique, intuitive fusion of Esalen massage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years of experience. To schedule call Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199. massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 18/19/20. Couples, cupping, local CBD. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984

CommunityService Durango Farmers Market Applications Applications now being accepted from local agriculturalists, ranchers, artisans, food vendors, musicians, and nonprofits and groups that promote sustainable, healthy living. Must produce goods within 5-county radius. Application at: www.durangofarmersmarket.com. Deadline March 12. Late applications will be assessed a late fee. Market takes place from May 14 – Oct. 29 in the TBK Bank parking lot.

March 3, 2022 n 15

TSA IS NOW HIRING

Transportation Security Officers

Positions starting at $19.44 per hour*

TSA Virtual

Recruiting Event for Durango – La Plata County Airport Earn a $1,000** sign-on bonus

Tuesday, March 8 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

Text “COL” to 95495 for more information and to RSVP

Learn more at

jobs.tsa.gov/events U.S. citizenship required. Equal opportunity employer. *Pay rate varies by location. **Some conditions apply.

16 n March 3, 2022

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