2 n May 3, 2018
telegraph
lineup
4 La Vida Local
Field of dreams
City narrows in on long-term vision for Durango Mesa Park by Tracy Chamberlin
4 Thumbin’ It 5 Word on the Street
12-13
6 Retooned
South of the border Spicing it up with a weekend getaway to Santa Fe photos by Jennaye Derge
11 Mountain Town News
14
12-13 Day in the Life 15 Murder Ink
Manning up Merely Players puts on stunning ‘Man of La Mancha’ by Stew Mosberg
16 Flash in the Pan
16
17 Top Shelf
Think grain-fed beef is better? Chew on this ... by Ari LeVaux
20 Ask Rachel
18-20 On the Town
Cows on grass
21 Free Will Astrology
17
22-23 Classifieds
Craft-a-rita
boilerplate
ADVERTISING AFICIONADO: Lainie Maxson (lainie@durangotelegraph.com) RESIDENT FORMULA ONE FAN: Tracy Chamberlin (tracy@durangotelegraph.com)
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he Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, beckoning singletrack or monster powder days. We are wholly owned and operated independently by the Durango Telegraph LLC and
Road trip
Fort Lewis College students may have packed their bags for the summer, but the FLC Cycling Team’s got one for last hurrah. This weekend, select skinny-tired Hawks will head to Grand Junction for the grand finale to their season: the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference Nationals. Racing starts this Fri., May 4, with the road race followed by team time trials on Saturday and the criterium on Sunday. The third-place Skyhawks will be battling it against the two top teams, CU Boulder and CSU. FLC Head Coach Dave Hagen is optimistic about the Hawks chances to ride away victorious. “Our season was a bit different this year by attending a couple SWCC Conference races early in the season, some off weekends and a cancelled race because of weather,” he said. “We adapted by doing some inter-squad racing and practiced our team time trial quite a bit. We worked well together as a team and are quite confident that we’ll see some stellar performances in Grand Junction.” The men’s team won the road race last year, and the women are fresh off wins in the road race and time trial at the recent Squawker Classic. “Picking a nationals team out of so many deserving riders is one of the toughest parts of the job but I think we did a great job picking riders best suited to the courses and conditions,” Road Coach Ian Burnett said. “Things have been coming together for the team this spring and if the breaks go our way, we have a good shot at the team title.” Riders for the men include: Dillon Janda; Peter Behm; Matthew Turner; Noah Schlosser; James Hilyer; Skyler Mackey; Emmanuel Gagne; Nik Johnson; Thomas Gauthier; and Andre Bos. The womens team consists of: Emily Abraham; Charlotte Backus; Savannah Adams; Kira Payer; Tristen Musselman; and Sophie Russenberger. To keep up with the team’s standings, check out FLCCyclingTeam on Facebook.
On the cover
23Creeper: Haiku Movie Even the Review vines on walls
The beer-a-rita goes upscale, plus cinco de win-o by Chris Aaland EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com)
6-7 Soapbox
Ear to the ground:
“Does that stand for ‘Research and Drunkenness?’” – One co-worker’s response to another coworker’s suggestion that they conduct some margarita “R&D” at the local bar
thepole
9
RegularOccurrences
are artistic in Santa Fe./ Photo by Jennaye Derge
STAR-STUDDED CAST: Lainie Maxson, Shan Wells, Chris Aaland, Clint Reid, Jennaye Derge, Jesse Anderson, Allen Best, Joy Martin, Zach Hively, Stew Mosberg & Jeffrey Mannix VIRTUAL ADDRESS: www.durangotelegraph.com
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 332 Durango, CO 81302 PHONE: 970.259.0133 E-MAIL: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com
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distributed in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area. We’re only human. If, by chance, we defame someone’s good name or that of their family, neighbor, best
friend or dog, we will accept full responsibility in a public flogging in the following week’s issue. Although “free but not easy,” we can be plied with schwag, booze and flattery.
telegraph
Drunken doughnuts
OK, we know we’re off the back on this, but if you’re looking for lunch – or perhaps more of a brunch? – today (Thurs., May 3) roll on over to Rendezvous Doughnuts. From 1 – 2 p.m., they’ll be offering “Whiskey, Wine and Doughnuts: Go Nuts for Boozy Doughnuts!” As debaucherous as it may sound, it’s actually a legitimate seminar for the Durango Wine Experience (or at least that’s what you can tell the boss.) For a mere $20, you can sample booze-infused deep-fried balls of sugary dough, which we’re pretty sure would be Homer Simpson’s wet dream. (You may want to clear off a few hours for this one, as it seems a mid-afternoon siesta will be in order.) If this sounds like your perfect version of the three-martini lunch (but better) don’t delay. Get your tickets now at www.durangowine.com,
May 3, 2018 n
3
opinion
LaVidaLocal Crossing off the list A lot of you have followed my dog Wally’s story on this page for more than two years now. And since last summer, you’ve kept tabs on his post-cancer-diagnosis Doggie Bucket List adventures, when all our Someday Things became Right Now Things. While he was rocking his chemo treatments, we traveled to the Great Sand Dunes and we attempted going to concerts and we ate way more hot dogs than the Surgeon General recommends. We had a professional photo shoot, we camped so remotely that I had to take my first shave in the woods, and when Wally went into remission (that’s the good one – it’s out of remission you don’t want; this confuses everyone), we celebrated with a ritual at his favorite river spot. That riverside ritual was the last update I wrote to you, because in January, I took Wally to the vet for a tooth issue and he came back out with cancer again. At that point, with Wally out of remission (that’s the bad one), the Doggie Bucket List shifted. The diems we now carped had much more to do with spending time on the couch and taking slower walks than we used to. But there was still one big item on the list: go to the ocean. That entry started off as a joke on this page, that we’d recreate the finest beach-running scenes in Hollywood history if someone would sponsor our adventures on their private beach. That Bucket List entry wasn’t nearly as important to me as enjoying all the daily joys of our life together. I wanted those most of all; I just wanted them, plus beach too. And the window of opportunity actually opened up to have our hot dogs and eat them too. I had the chance this spring to switch day jobs to one that would give me more daily time at home with Wally. And I could also have a gap between jobs in late April. Perfect timing for a road trip to a secluded, pristine stretch of California shoreline. I put it on the calendar several weeks out at the time: Road Trip with Wally. I didn’t figure the trek would heal Wally. But we’d fit it in after his second chemo protocol, which was hitting him so hard that we had to keep skipping treatments. Still, the plan was to have him back in remission (that’s the good one) by then. Maybe he’d even be moving better, and livelier, than he’d been since starting this round of chemo. Not two weeks after putting that on the calendar, Wally started yelping when
I’d pet the side of his face the wrong way. We’d never treated that tooth problem, so I took him back to the vet. It wasn’t the tooth. “We could run tests,” his vet said, “but I think we both know what this is.” Then she said some more things about keeping an eye on him and making him comfortable, and then she told me she’d be out of town that weekend, and inside I was like, why are you telling me your travel schedule, and then I was like, “Oh,” and the room closed in on me and every hope I’d buttressed for 11 months collapsed at once. “You’re saying I could have to let him go this weekend,” I practically accused her. “Worst case, yeah,” she said. That was a Wednesday morning. I didn’t believe her. Wally wasn’t suffering THAT badly. We weren’t done yet. But I left the vet’s office and I immediately cleared every commitment I had through Sunday. I told my work I wouldn’t be coming in. And I didn’t care what anyone said or did or felt about it. This moment right here was the entire Doggie Bucket List, focused down to a pinprick, as tight and narrow as a fainter’s vision. Do it right now. If Wally lived another six weeks, or six months, or six years, according to plan, then I would still cherish this long weekend we had together. And if he died, the last thing I ever wanted to say in retrospect was, “Gee, I wish I’d taken off Thursday to be with him.” We were going to spend every moment together for the next five days. Every moment. And we were going to eat everything we wanted, too. That was almost seven weeks ago, when I listened to all the things that dog taught me and prioritized what was important right now over everything else. And I’m finally writing this to all of you while my calendar says Road Trip with Wally. I didn’t make it to the beach this weekend, but I did make it to the desert, where Wally and I tried to go every spring. I took a long walk up an empty trail, where I didn’t see a single other human being. But I did hear someone’s dog in the junipers. I stopped to listen through the wind, thinking maybe I’d imagined the sound, and I heard the collar one more time. The dog never materialized. But he was there. He’s always there.
Thumbin’It
4 n May 3, 2018
This Week’s Sign of the Downfall:
At least one Colorado municipality taking bold steps to stop the bloodshed, with the Boulder City Council voting unanimously to explore banning the sale of assault weapons
The recent discovery of a leaky pipe from a BP gas well, which had been spewing an indeterminate amount of wastewater into a nearby creek, a tributary of the Pine River
A much-needed reprieve from the Jetstream this week, with rain falling across the Southwest and up to a foot of heavy snow in the mountains
A grisly case of gross animal negligence, with 18 emaciated horses in Montezuma County being seized by county sheriffs and taken to a rehabilitation facility
The City of Durango committing to a timeline for opening a new homeless camp near the Dog Park, which will allow the county camp near the Tech Center to be de-commissioned
– Zach Hively
A scary harkening back to “Footloose,” with a Catholic School in Michigan proposing “modesty ponchos” for inappropriately dressed female prom attendees
telegraph
#Mea-Culpa
Chinese police officers in the Sichuan province have been allowing drivers who get pulled over to avoid a fine if they post a confession on social media – so long as the post gets more than 20 likes. This tactic is purportedly designed to spread awareness about traffic laws, and the exemption only applies to minor offenses, but the fact that “likes” have become more valuable than money has got to be a sign of our downfall.
Q
WordontheStreet With the 144th Kentucky Derby this Saturday, the Telegraph asked, “What would be your race horse name?”
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Janae Hunderman
“Janet Wonder Woman.”
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Paul Eckenrode
“La Esperanza.”
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Tom Morrissey
“Queefabacca.”
Dana Jones
“Dirst Squirt.”
Antonia Clark
“Flash in the Pan.”
it lasts longer. Some of the amazing photos you see in the Telegraph are now available to purchase online, in digital or print. (*for personal enjoyment and use only.) To find out more, go to durangotelegraph.com and click on “buy photos.”
telegraph
May 3, 2018 n 5
SoapBox
ReTooned/by Shan Wells
Back to baseline, and then some To the editor, Thank you for the “Uncharted Waters” article in the April 26 edition describing the efforts of the Citizens Superfund Workgroup. There is however one important correction I’d like to make. The article states that one of the main goals of the group was to attain water quality conditions seen in 1999-2003. The actual goal is to at least attain water quality conditions seen in 1999-2003. This is the floor of what we would like to see. We know it is attainable from the time when Sunnyside Gold Corp. operated a treatment plant in Gladstone. We would like to do better, but how much better is undetermined until EPA finishes a comprehensive feasibility analysis. There is a concern that given the budgetary restrictions of the government agencies involved, there may be attempts to not meet those earlier water quality conditions in order to reduce costs. – Peter Butler, Animas River Stakeholders
Not so fast with the ‘FastFacts’ To the editor, In our community’s evolving conversation about energy, it’s nearly impossible to chase “spin,” especially from a powerful platform. Here’s a try. Recent LPEA “FastFacts” and Facebook postings decry “fake news” by “people… just fabricating numbers” (using terms like “fictitious,” “agenda” and “distort.”) When queried for details, LPEA does not respond to me, the author of the only letter they directly reference. I don’t enjoy being maligned, but I want most to set the record straight. I’m not an expert. But I am aware of important facts that LPEA distracts us from. LPEA is silent about our provider Tri-State being the second worst emitter of CO2 per kWh, of the top 100 American energy producers (a re-
6 n May 3, 2018
flection of its very high-coal fuel mix), and about how poisonous and risky coal is, just for starters. Following are portions of LPEA’s “FastFacts Assertions”
telegraph
(LPEA’s version of my statements); my actual statement and/or LPEA’s commentary (also in quotes); and my response. 4
1. “Assertion: LPEA members pay considerably more than other Colorado communities.” LPEA’s original FastFacts included a chart showing 21 Tri-State member coops’ residential costs (half cheaper than ours); three non-Tri-State rural co-ops (two significantly cheaper); and considerably cheaper municipalities. It inadvertently proved my point, so was removed from LPEA’s website. It is available on my blog, noted below. 2. My letter referenced LPEA’s residential rates (12.6c/kWh), which are higher than Xcel’s (9.6c/kWh). LPEA provides explanations but forgets to mention that LPEA customers pay $180/year more in residential base charges than Xcel customers, and that local generation could significantly offset transmission costs. 3. “Assertion: Xcel received bids for new wind (1.8c/kWh) and solar energy (2c/kWh) that undercut TriState Generation and Transmission pricing (7.5c/kWh).” My actual statement: “Xcel (received bids…) 1.81c/kWh for wind, 2.99c/kWh for solar. Add transmission and other costs (under 2c/kWh), and they decisively undercut Tri-State’s wholesale rate, 7.5c/kWh.” LPEA deletes my “Add transmission and other costs” phrase to obscure my “apples to apples” comparison showing that our costs could be lower. 4. LPEA continues with commentary: “Xcel did receive dynamic pricing for new extremely large-scale projects (700 MegaWatts or greater). For reference LPEA’s peak is approximately 150 MW’s during the winter. Scale matters.” Xcel’s bid spreadsheet lists 75 solar projects totaling 13,435 MW. That averages 180MW per project, not 700MW. Solar on this scale is precisely what we could use locally to bring prices down. Why the misrepresentation? 5. “Assertion: LPEA’s residential rate has increased more than 80 percent over the past 15 years.” My actual statement: “our rising LPEA electricity rates have… increased 87 percent.” LPEA inserts the word “residential,” shifting to a totally different rate question. Was LPEA confused? Actually, no. My quote immediately followed “Tri-State’s
wholesale rate, 7.5c/kWh” and started a paragraph devoted only to wholesale rates. Clearly the topic was wholesale rates. Based on this wordplay, LPEA proclaimed that my figures were “fabricated,” creating a hostile controversy on social media targeted at me. LPEA ignores my multiple requests for corrected figures for LPEA’s wholesale rates from Tri-State in 2002 and 2017. I welcome correction; we need to know the truth. 6. “Assertion: Tri-State is 93 percent coal and 7 percent natural gas…” LPEA follows with a pejorative slight, then commentary: “Fast Fact: ‘Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.’” - Mark Twain. “One must consider the entire report … The graph/stat referenced considers only facilities that are directly owned by the utility and doesn’t consider any other generation purchases.” My actual statement, from an unpublished letter that LPEA acquired: “TSG&T’s production fuel mix is 93 percent coal, 7 percent natural gas. Only by purchasing 10 percent hydropower and 20 percent other renewables can it claim the boasted 30 percent renewable portion.” LPEA deleted my reference to purchased power, then proclaims the need for such context. Why? By so doing, LPEA obscures a crucial fact: Tri-State by ownership is almost entirely coal-invested, which is financially risky. Before election season, LPEA’s CEO himself said “LPEA is also concerned with Tri-State’s concentration in coal. That’s not only an environmental impact concern we have, it’s a risk management issue to be so heavily concentrated in one fuel source.” The pdf source for this quote (CEO Letter 2018) is on my blog. LPEA can lead us toward falsehood, or toward facts. For annotations, see this letter online at www.durango telegraph.com or visit my blog at plus.google.com/101909306953971023249/posts/fSq81cC VUva) includes annotation. – Kirby MacLaurin, Durango
Consider all carbon emissions costs
To the editor, Not enough water for crops. Fires probable. Dead Lawns. Dust everywhere. Decreased tourism. Perhaps we should consider those costs as we vote for LPEA leadership. Tri-State, our LPEA supplier, has the second-worst carbon emissions of the 100 largest power producers in the U.S. Vote! – Kent Ford, Durango
Stop blindly defending Tri-State To the editor, I am writing in response to a letter by Mr. John Beebe, “Progressives’ LPEA plan is self-serving.” In his letter, Beebe makes several misleading claims. First, he claims that “progressive” candidates for the LPEA Board want to exit LPEA’s contract with Tri-State. None of the candidates have voiced this opinion, they are simply in support of considering LPEA’s options. Then, Beebe asserts that a buyout would cost LPEA $400 million – another misleading claim. Regardless of whether or not this number is true (it is unclear how Beebe calculated it when the LPEA Board itself isn’t sure of a number), he neglects to point out that the savings from a buyout could very possibly negate these costs. I would especially like to point to Beebe’s (and TriState’s) claim that Tri-State is “supplying us with 30 percent renewable electricity today, two full years ahead of the state-mandated 20 percent by 2020.” Despite the millions of dollars Tri-State has spent touting this fact, it’s absolutely not true. Two-thirds of Tri-State’s self-calculated renewables portfolio is generated by federal hydropower, which is not considered renewable under Colorado State mandate. Construction of these dams preceded the existence of TriState.
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telegraph
May 3, 2018 n 7
SoapBox from p. 7 We need LPEA directors who will look past the big, inflammatory numbers and find out what they actually mean. We need directors who will work hard for LPEA members, not blindly defend Tri-State. Please, vote for Bassett, Wheeler, Mannix or Skeehan before May 12. – Erika Brown, Durango
Vote against special interests To the editor, The LPEA Board elections have turned into a dirty mess of special interests led by one-sided personal agendas. It started last year when some candidates obtained board seats and then began pushing to get out of a power-purchasing contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission in the name of renewable energy. TSGT, as an electric cooperative, is owned by LPEA and 42 other cooperatives. LPEA and TSGT are national leaders in the renewable energy initiative. While TSGT currently has a generation portfolio that includes coal and natural gas as its baseloading generation, renewable generation of wind, solar and hydro now nears 30 percent of the combined generation. This had been a significant shift for a company of this size. I’ve watched it, and I believe the shift to more renewables will continue for many years to come. If the special interest candidates get voted onto the Board of Directors, there will be a push to leave TSGT at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars to LPEA, affecting member rates. You, as a member, will have no say, as the Board’s vote to leave TSGT (costing millions) will be solely a Board decision. I urge and recommend you to vote for these candidates in your district: District 1 – Bob Formwalt; District 2 – Kohler McInnis; District 4 – Karen Barger; and District 3
– Gene Fisher. I know these candidates are conscientious citizens and concerned for the membership as a whole. – Steve Gregg, retired LPEA Chief Operating Officer
Fixing the rural teacher shortage
To the editor, Last week was a good one for schools and teachers. In 2017, the Governor signed my bill, HB17-1003, to find solutions for Colorado’s educator shortage. We’re pushing forward to address them. Colorado is about 3,000 educators short, including teachers, aides and special services instructors. The Department of Higher Education and Department of Education toured the state last year to determine why educators are leaving the profession early, or not entering it at all. In December, they presented the Education Committees with their results. Recently, the House Education Committee discussed bills generated by the listening tour. The Legislature set aside $2 million for teacher education programs and $8 million for public schools in the budget this year to remedy many of the educator-shortage issues. These bills are working their way through the Legislature. • HB18-1367, will create a professional development program for school principal leadership. The listening tour found many teachers leave the profession because of weak leadership; this bill will use strong mentor principals to help those who need assistance. The goal is to train principals to use distributive and collaborative leader skills and improve educator retention, school climate and culture and student outcomes. • HB18-1309 implements a “grow-your-own” teacher program. Under the bill, education majors at Colorado colleges and universities are paired with school districts or charter schools. With assistance from state grants provided by the bill, the district or school would pay tuition for a student’s last 36 credits. In exchange, the student would commit to work in the same school for three years.
• Another bill, HB18-1412, provides funding for a Retaining Teachers Grant Program to help schools implement initiatives to improve teacher retention, as teacher attrition in Colorado is higher than the national average. Schools will be offered a menu of strategies and can choose the ones that best fit their needs. The menu includes job-sharing, on-site child care, teacher induction programs, incentives for highly effective teachers, and others. • HB18-1189 expands the number of teachers entering a residency expansion program. This helps encourage professionals who want to enter the teaching profession to complete the rigorous alternative teacher licensure program. • HB18-1002 is a rural grow-your-own fellowship program that helps a student pay for the costs of student teaching, with the promise that the district and teacher will work together to ensure employment. • SB18-229 streamlines the background check process for students in a teacher-education program. Some students have paid for the check multiple times as they apply to several districts. This ensures they pay once. • Another one of my bills, SB18-085, will expand an existing program providing stipends to teachers who are pursuing additional certification and agree to teach in rural areas. This will help teachers complete an alternative licensure program, finish additional course work to be certified as a concurrent enrollment teacher or complete classes leading to certification as a special services provider. Teachers who receive this funding must teach in a rural area for three years. This bill may die in the Senate, as they don’t believe funding for special services – psychologists and special needs – is needed in the rural areas. I am so proud to be a legislative leader for education. Listening to educators and addressing their needs has produced some forward-thinking bills that will help our students become well-educated and productive members of society. – Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango
Live Vibrantly and Age Gracefully
Posture, Pain and Injury Rehab ~ Now more classes & workshops Contact me today: 970-305-3239 Smiley Bldg, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., #10 • www.HopeChiroYoga.com
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8 n May 3, 2018
telegraph
LocalNews
Field of dreams Grand vision for Ewing Mesa starts to take shape
Durango Mesa Park sits atop what was once called Ewing Mesa, pictured above, overlooking the Animas River and Bodo Park./File photo by Tracy Chamberlin
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here is nothing else like it – not in the state, not in the country, not even in the world. It might be hard to believe, but the Durango community is on the precipice of creating something found nowhere else on the planet. “It’s one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on in my career,” Pedro Campos, project manager and lead architect with Avon-based Zehren and Associates, said. “This is an opportunity like none other.” Located at the southern end of the city, the area dubbed Durango Mesa Park, formerly known as Ewing Mesa, overlooks the Animas River and Bodo Park. The property spans 1,850 acres, 800 of which would be developed. Not only will this park be home to La Plata County’s future fairgrounds, it could support concerts, festivals, sports fields, a dog park, campgrounds, gardens, community spaces, and a biking and trail system so unique it’s equal can only be found halfway around the world. Campos, who’s been involved with projects all over the world for more than 20 years, called the mesa “Durango’s Central Park” – but even that iconic spot in the heart of New York City could never support as many diverse outdoor experiences. The plans for this one-of-kind vision will be presented at a meeting at 5 p.m. Thurs., May 3, at City Hall. Campos, along with representatives from Durango-based Russell Engineering, Trails 2000 and the city will be on hand to answer questions and, most importantly, get public feedback. “It’s exciting to be working on something this unique,” Campos said. “This doesn’t happen every day.” Layout of the land The first piece of the puzzle was the Multi Event Center, which was spearheaded by the county last year and would be anchored by the new La Plata County Fairgrounds and its related facilities.
JusttheFacts
What: Public meeting for Durango Mesa Park When: 5 p.m. Thurs., May 3 Where: City Hall, 949 E. 2nd Ave. For info.: Visit www.durangomesapark.org, www.durangogov.org or email comments to rec@durangogov.org The center would be located in the middle of the mesa, taking up about 200 acres on an elongated kidney-like section of developable land overlooking Bodo Park. The northern-most portion naturally lends itself to special events, concerts and festivals with designated campgrounds as well as dispersed camping. The idea is to allow this portion to develop organically. As events are hosted, promoters and organizers can create spaces specific to their needs and, essentially, discover the best spot for more permanent structures along the way. Tucked between the festival space and the fairgrounds would be an area dedicated to culture and community. According to those involved, what makes this project so unique and this opportunity so remarkable is that the property can support so many different uses. It’s as vast and varied as the people of La Plata County and Durango. Mary Monroe Brown, executive director for Trails 2000, was tapped by the planning team for Durango Mesa Park. She said this community is not just a biking community, it’s an outdoors community. Whether it’s music, art, agriculture, hiking, biking or any other outdoor pursuit this community craves, there’s a space for it on the mesa, according to Brown. “There’s space for all that to happen,” she added. “Something like this is less than once in a lifetime.” The cultural and community area would celebrate the different users and become a hub where everyone can come together.
telegraph
This idea first came about during the planning process for the Multi Event Center. The vision then was a community barn that could host special events, house a kitchen and other amenities, as well as act like a beacon and guide visitors to the center. Campos said planners expanded on this idea with a cultural park that could include gardens, community art projects and more. “We think it would be a nice way to create an anchor that would be a reason to visit the mesa, even if there’s nothing going on there,” he added. The Southern side of the mesa would have several top uses. The area farthest south, which is also the flattest, would be home to a track and field complex and up to 12 soccer fields capable of hosting large tournaments. The south would also be home to a 5- to 6-acre dog park with open areas, agility courses and more. The majority of the south, however, would be dedicated to a biking and trail system – the only comparison of which is on the other side the world. Trails 2.0 Around the same time word was spreading that Mark Katz, founder of Mercury Payment Systems, and his family had purchased the 1,850 acres south of town, another local happened to be hanging out down under. As a representative for bicycle company Trek, former Olympian and Mountain Bike Hall of Famer Travis Brown was in Canberra, Australia, for an event at Stromlo Forest Park. More than a decade ago, the area had been scorched by a devastating wildfire. When trying to decide what to do with the scarred lands, local leaders came up with the idea to create a park unlike any other. Stromlo has trails dedicated to a wide variety of outdoor pursuits spanning several hundred acres. It has cross country running trails, equestrian trails, a BMX track, a road criterium circuit, equestrian trails, mountain bike trails,4 May 3, 2018 n
9
MesaPark from p. 9 downhill courses and more. Brown, who’s visited plenty of parks throughout his career, was impressed by Stromlo and called it a rare venue. “This one was special in a lot of ways,” he said. “Unlike other venues, this had so many other trail-centered resources.” According to Brown, Durango Mesa Park has a similar landscape with open space, flat areas and existing trail networks. It has the potential to accommodate the same types of trails, as well as others like Nordic skiing. Much like Stromlo, the trail system on the mesa would not only be a place to host events and competitions, but it would serve as a training ground for area athletes. According to Monroe Brown, Durango has more Olympians, and national and world champions per capita than any town in the U.S. The mesa could be the place where the next generation hones their skills. “This would become one of the premier cycling and training facilities in the United States,” Campos said. The long view Development of the Durango Mesa Park would likely take 10-20 years – maybe more. According to city officials, specific construction projects would be built in phases. Other parts would come organically, like the concert and festival portion. Projects involving access and basic infrastructure would likely be part of the initial phases. Any of the uses – like the trail system and bike parks – that require less infrastructure would also likely be part of the initial phases. Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Metz said the city also wants to make sure they come up with a plan they can afford. Metz will be on hand at Thursday’s meeting, along with Campos and others, to present the plan and get feedback. It’s the second one addressing the northern and
10 n May 3, 2018
At the southern end of the city, the area called Durango Mesa Park, formerly known as Ewing Mesa, spans 1,850 acres, 800 of which would be developed into the park, highlighted above./Photo Illustration by Missy Votel southern sections of the mesa. The first, held earlier this month, dealt with the history of the land and the owner’s overall vision. At this meeting, the public will get more details. Campos said there’s lots more work to do, including assessing costs and developing a strategy for development. The next step is to take the plan – after incorporating
telegraph
public feedback – to the Durango City Council on May 22. City officials and the community will get additional opportunities to comment before the Council is expected to approve the official version, which will likely happen by the end of June or early July. “It opens up a door that we’ve just never had open before,” Metz said. n
MountainTownNews Posts to help stop vehicular terrorism PARK CITY, Utah – Municipal officials plan to erect steel posts called bollards along Park City’s Main Street in an effort to prevent vehicles from plowing into pedestrians. The bollards are part of the city’s stepped-up security efforts in recognition of potential threats posed by Park City’s status as an internationally known tourism destination. The 3-foot posts will prevent vehicles from being used as weapons, such as has occurred in many attacks around the world in just the last year. Ten people died and 14 were injured in a car-ramming attack in Toronto last week. In early April, two people died in a ramming attack in Muenster, Germany, and eight died last Halloween in a similar attack in New York City. Before that, 14 died in Barcelona, Spain while one person died last August in an attack in Charlottesville, Va. The posts will also prevent wayward vehicles from unintentionally hurting people too, reports The Park Record. The retractable bollards will be capable of being moved once concerts, farmers’ markets and other events have concluded. Aspen is also installing bollards, which will be permanent, in front of its police station. A number of ski towns have quietly stepped up security of public spaces and buildings in recent years.
Snowmaking helps with climate change ASPEN – Is this what climate change looks like? Ski slopes in Colorado and other parts of the West were slow to turn white, which isn’t terribly unusual. What was eyebrow-raising was the warmth. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a map for December through February showing that much of western Colorado, including Aspen, had “much above average” temperatures. So did portions of Utah, California and other states. That warmth made snowmaking difficult, observed Victor Gerdin, mountain planner for the Aspen Skiing Co. Snowmaking begins at temperatures of 26 degrees F., but the machines can really create more robust amounts at temperatures of 10 degrees F. “Not only did we have very few days of 26 degrees or less, we had practically no days of 10 degrees in November and December,” he told the Aspen Daily News. Aspen plans to upgrade snowmaking this summer at a cost of $5.5 million. The upgrades will also increase the amount of terrain that can be covered at the company’s four ski areas. Because of improved efficiency of snowmaking technology, new machines can crank out the same amount of snow as was produced in the late 1990s, but with one-third to one-half less energy. At Steamboat Ski Area, summer will come a little earlier this year, although not necessarily because of warmer temperatures. That, too, is the trend, but the ski area also has more to offer, including a mountain coaster and other attractions. The amusements get going during Memorial Day weekend and will operate daily beginning in mid-June.
Paradox of deeper drought and deluges DENVER – The paradox of the warming climate is that even as droughts become longer and deeper, the rains will come with greater intensity. That’s what the models have said all along, and many climate scientists believe we are now seeing evidence. In the Colorado River Basin, there’s evidence that warming is already influencing the climate. Brad Udall, a water and climate research scientist at Colorado State University, points out that the years 2000 to 2017 have seen a 20 percent decline overall in precipitation in the basin. This is despite a 5 percent increase in moisture content in the warming atmosphere. “Something very odd and unusual is going on,” Udall said at the Water in the West Symposium last week in Denver. About half the volume of the reservoirs has been lost during this period, about two-thirds of which can be explained by reduced precipitation. Evaporation and transpiration explain about a third. Temperature induced losses in the basin will more than triple by 2050, he said, and increase almost six-fold by the end of the century. The snowpack, however, remains a mystery. “We really don’t know what is going on (with the snowpack),” he said. In California, a new modeling study published last week in Na-
ture Climate Change examines the potential for even sharper pivots between extreme drought and extreme rain and snow. Recent years have brought record multi-year dryness between 2012-16 then extreme wetness in some places of the Sierra Nevada. The new modeling also predicts increased periods of extreme drought and even more frequent deluges comparable to the state’s great flood of 1862. During that year, about 39 inches of rain fell in a 40-day period. The Sacramento Bee describes the flooding as “pure catastrophe.” The study also finds that rain and snow in the warming climate will become more concentrated in narrow windows during the peak of winter – comparable to what happened in 1862 – instead of October to April. “It goes from being something that might happen once every other century, essentially, to happening maybe multiple times over the next 80 years,” Daniel Swain, the lead author, told the Sacramento Bee. The Bee also reports that $2.6 billion in funding has been approved for eight new reservoirs as well as other water storage projects, including a groundwater “bank” near Sacramento. The new reservoirs would be the largest built in the last 40 years in California.
New strategies have tourism booming BANFF, Alberta – Coming off what is described as a blockbuster year in 2017, tourism promoters in the Banff-Lake Louise area think they know how to draw even more visitors. Last year’s success was driven in part by free admission on the 150th anniversary of Canada’s national parks, but also a robust global economy, reports the Rocky Mountain Outlook. More visitors from the United States, Australia and Europe continued to arrive, but direct flights from Mexico and China also delivered more. Tourism promoters think they can induce even more visitors from the United States, Mexico and the United Kingdom, but also China and other parts of Canada, including British Columbia. Part of this plan includes targeting France. “The French are now saying they love Quebec, but they’ve been there and seen that. Now they’re looking for other bilingual experiences, and national parks present that opportunity because of the federal government’s commitment to presenting experiences in French and in English,” David Roberts, chair of the Banff & Lake Louise Tourism, said. The organization also hopes to produce growth in adventure tourism, wellness travelers and food tourism. To attract foodies, the group wants to establish a unique and authentic food identity or “taste of place” for Banff and Lake Louise. Road-kill grizzly anyone?
Online ‘influencers’ changing marketing WHISTLER, B.C. – Instagram, YouTube and Twitter have radically shifted the way tourism destinations and experiences are marketed. Ditto Snapchat, TripAdvisor and other social media platforms. Glossy double-page magazine spreads and slick television ads still sell the sizzle, but the steak is increasingly served up by visitors themselves and the influence they exert over their followers, reports Steven Threndyle, writing in Pique Newsmagazine. Threndyle tells the story about what he calls a “new kind of celebrity in the tourism industry.” One such social-media celebrity is Ally Pintucci, who recently wrapped up a #Staycations series in Whistler, hanging out in a new boutique hotel, “spa-ing” at a property called the Scandinavian, and snowmobiling, capturing all of this on Instagram and racking up “likes.” Social media is what Pintucci does. She makes a living at it. She recently had a one-month job at a new hotel and casino, Parq Vancouver. “Let’s just say that her coverage was overwhelmingly positive,” says Threndyle. Persuasion marketing strategies have shifted to influence, says marketing guru Terry O’Reilly. Before social media, he says, celebrities from sports or Hollywood were used as pitchmen to sell products. “They were the ‘influencers’ of their day. Today’s most successful influencers are regular people who have become massively popular by offering their opinions, tips, recommendations and expertise online,” he says. “They are bloggers, Instragammers, YouTube stars and Snapchatters.”
– Allen Best
telegraph
May 3, 2018 n 11
dayinthelife
Cultural crossroads
E
by Jennaye Derge
ven though it's only four hours away, going to
Santa Fe sometimes feels like a vacation abroad. Inhabited by indigenous peoples for hundreds of
years, the city was settled in 1610 by Spanish colonists. Today, New Mexico's capital swarms with a mix of Old World architecture, Pueblo style adobe buildings and narrow, winding streets. There’s also a world class art and museum scene – not to mention southwestern cuisine to
A friendly busker plays tunes for folks leaving church near Santa Fe’s central plaza on Sunday afternoon.
make diehard foodies swoon. But what really brings the spirit to the city is the buzzing of locals and tourists alike in the central plaza, where there’s always something going on. Whatever it is that brings you to this rustic yet cosmopolitan corner of the Southwest, it’s guaranteed to
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n May 3, 2018
telegraph
A modern, interactive artwork sits in front of an art museum in the railroad district.
A chile ristra outside an adobe building is quintessential New Mexico.
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3
dayinthelife
Cultural crossroads
E
by Jennaye Derge
ven though it's only four hours away, going
to Santa Fe sometimes feels like a vacation abroad. Inhabited by indigenous peoples for
hundreds of years, the city was settled in 1610 by Spanish colonists. Today, New Mexico's capital swarms with a mix of Old World architecture, Pueblo style adobe buildings and narrow, winding streets. There’s also a world class art and museum scene – not to mention southwestern cuisine to make diehard foodies swoon. But what really brings the spirit to the city is the buzzing of locals and tourists alike in the central plaza, where there’s always something going on. Whatever it is that brings you to this rustic yet cosmopolitan corner of the Southwest, it’s guaranteed to be worth the trip.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, built in 1886, stands tall in downtown Santa Fe.
12
n May 3, 2018
tele
A friendly busker plays tunes for folks leaving church near Santa Feâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central plaza on Sunday afternoon.
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A chile ristra outside an adobe building is quintessential New Mexico.
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thesecondsection
OnStage
A quest like no other Merely Players brings Don Quixote to the DAC
by Stew Mosberg
M
iguel de Cervantes’ 1615 masterpiece, Don Quixote, has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible. The story parallels Cervantes’ own life in that he was imprisoned twice, was a soldier maimed in battle, had been a tax collector, was held captive in Algiers and died in poverty. Several films have dramatized the journey of Don Quixote and his trusty man servant, Sancho Panza. But it wasn’t until the 1960s that the musical “Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha,” was first produced, earning a Tony award for Best Musical and later, Oscar nominations for musical score and acting. Happily, Mona Wood-Paterson and Charles Ford’s Merely Players have chosen it for their next production. Opening at the Durango Arts Center on May 4 and running through May 13, it is a special gift to our town. “’Man of La Mancha’ is one of the most famous musicals in American history,” Wood Patterson said. “Although it opened in 1965, it is still beautifully relevant today, as it tackles themes of discrimination, religion, mental issues, sexual assault and persecution.” The play’s roles – 24 in all – have been filled by A-list performers in whose footsteps now stride some of Durango’s most beloved actors. “The open audition resulted in one of the deepest casts Durango has ever seen,” Wood Patterson said. “Nearly everyone in the cast has played a lead before.” With that many players to dress, costuming required enormous effort, and JoAnn Nevils weaved theatrical
Justthefacts
What: “Man of La Mancha” the musical presented by Merely Players When: 7 p.m. May 4-5, 10-12, and 1 p.m. May 5, 12-13. Where: Durango Arts Center, 801 2nd Ave. Tickets: Durango Welcome Center, 802 Main Ave. (Community Concert Hall Ticket Office), www.durango concerts.com or 970-247-7657
magic into every garment. In addition, the inimitable Ford has designed and fabricated one of the most extraordinary sets conjured on the DAC stage. His props and accessories, such as helmets, swords, armor and horse heads, are pure genius. Audiences are in for a real treat even before a word is spoken,
14 n May 3, 2018
Jason Lythgoe as Don Quixote, left, and John Garza, as Sancho, right, in Merely Players’ “Man of La Mancha.” The classic Cervantes story plays at the DAC this weekend and next./Photo by Jennaye Derge a song sung or a note played. Speaking of song, musical director Ivy Walker not only conducts the cast throughout, but also coached and arranged the score with on-point precision. There are, of course, dance numbers in a musical, but as choreographer Suzy DiSanto explained it goes beyond that. “There is more movement and dancing in this show than you would expect,” she said. “Basically, I choreographed horses, Moors, combat, rape; any movement that was needed to tell the story.” The three main characters include Don Quixote, played by Jason Lythgoe; Sancho Panza, portrayed by John Garza; and Quixote’s object of adulation, Alonza, aka Dulcinea, played by Mandy Gardner. Her fifth production with Merely Players, she spoke reverently about the play’s theme. “It’s a story of redemption, a story of hope, a story of social justice, a story of true love; we need that now and always,” she said. Her Dulcinea is feisty, angry, victimized and essential to the storyline, and Gardner sings with a power and emotion worthy of the part.
telegraph
Originally from Texas, this is Garza’s first time with Merely players although he recently portrayed Tevye in Sandstone Production’s “Fiddler on the Roof” in Farmington. An actor and musician since the age of 7, he is an engaging presence and every bit the consummate professional, with a mesmerizing voice and acting talent. Garza reflected on the challenges of playing Sancho Panza and admitted that he sees some of the squire in his own personality. “As the man servant indebted to Quixote for saving his life, the challenge was (melding) the two separate personas,” he said. Meanwhile, playing the lead role is Lythgoe, one of Durango’s more gifted artists. No stranger to singing, Lythgoe was charged with vocalizing one of the most iconic songs in Broadway history: “The Impossible Dream,” which has been performed so many times it is part of cultural history. Daunting as that was, Lythgoe rose to the occasion, his singing as good as you will hear on any stage. “I’ve had the pleasure to be able to sing many well-known songs on stage over the years and felt good with my renditions of them,” he said. “‘Im-
possible Dream’ is the granddaddy of them all.” Combined with Lythgoe’s flawless acting, his Quixote is of award-winning caliber. “What I am enjoying is taking that song (Impossible Dream) everyone knows and showing them what it means to my Don Quixote,” he said. “As the song says ‘No matter how hopeless, no matter how far,’ he will try no matter what stands in his way. Daunting, yes, but I’m thrilled to perform the song as Don Quixote, not Jason Lythgoe.” Adding to the unforgettable songs are some memorable lines that are a reflection of today’s complex world, quotes such as: “Facts are the enemy of truth,” and “He may be the wisest madman or the maddest wise man,” and the prescient “When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?” The cast, often with as many as 20 actors on stage at once, transports the audience to a prison, a tavern, and a 17th century Spanish courtyard. Moreover, the rousing finale will likely have the audience on its feet, dabbing at their eyes and cheering wildly. n
MurderInk
In cold blood
Two thrillers from the masters in the land of fire and ice by Jeffrey Mannix
I
t’s been many years ago now that a friend at New York Review of Books challenged my snobbish dismissal of crime fiction as only worthy of simpletons and sent me Jar City by Icelandic author Arnaldur Indridason. Besides never missing new releases by the great living novelists like Richard Ford, Ian McEwan, Cormac McCarthy, JM Cotzee, etc., I have read nothing but crime fiction since 2006, always ferreting out the wheat from the chaff, finding true literature in the genre, and delighting at seeing truly fine novelists discover and try their hand at this plot-driven convention. Indridason, my first teacher, has yet another gem to add to his collection: The Shadow District, published by Minotaur Books. I feel the need only to say that The Shadow District is as good a place to begin reading Indridason as any of his previous 12 translated novels (exceptions having to be made for his prizewinning Jar City and Silence of the Grave). Think of reading Indridason as akin to a postgraduate degree in character development, place and time, literary tension and unreliable protagonists. He is required reading for anyone favoring crime fiction; the gold standard – and his latest illustrates exactly why. With The Shadow District we have a 90-year-old man found dead on his bed, smothered with his own pillow. Konrad is a former detective now tagging along with investigators to fight the boredom of retirement. He finds
newspaper clippings in the dead man’s home about the WWII strangulation of a young woman in the dangerous section of Reykjavik known as the Shadow District. It was a case he and an American military policeman investigated without solving. Could these two murders more than 60 years apart be connected? Iceland is a Nordic island in the North Atlantic Ocean with a population of 350,000, and the only country in the world with 100 percent literacy. Iceland has produced proportionally more than its share of notable writers, most all in the noir cast, influenced no doubt by the stunning landmass of this starkly inhospitable and beautiful patch of tundra and water. New to the Icelandic literary scene and following respectfully in the steps of Indridason is Ragnar Jónasson. His second book, Nightblind, also published by Minotaur Books, is a remarkable piece of work. Jónasson’s debut novel, Snowblind, published in Iceland in 2010, translated for the U.S. in 2017 and reviewed May 3, 2017, in “Murder Ink,” set Jónasson on the top shelf of international crime writers. Nightblind is set five years after the events of his inau-
telegraph
gural drama and again features policeman Ari Thór. He is trying to fit in and find acceptance among the solitary residents of a small fishing village up-island, who’s stoic residents have little use for newcomers and law enforcement – Ari in particular. Then the unimaginable happens when the police inspector is found murdered in an abandoned house outside of town. Winter is approaching, there’s a menace in the icy air. Nobody dares kill a police inspector, especially execution style at close range. Razor cuts of Arctic winter etching his face, doors and minds closed quick and tight to his prying windburnt eyes, and his commencement from police recruit to duty officer not yet accredited, Ari Thór Arason, as fitting the son of his father, heroically nibbles at the village’s secrets. This is a terrific book, as is Jónasson’s maiden voyage, Snowblind. You’ll want to own these two books. Some industry news: The Mystery Writers of America announced their 2018 Edgar Award winners last Friday at their 72nd annual gala in New York City. Bluebird, bluebird by Attica Locke (reviewed here Oct. 5, 2017) won for best novel. If you haven’t read Bluebird, bluebird, you unfortunately will have to be left back a grade. Mention “Murder Ink” and get 15 percent off these books and other titles reviewed in this column at Maria’s Bookstore. n
May 3, 2018 n 15
Flashinthepan
Hamburger help us by Ari Levaux
T
he hamburger is one of America’s favorite dishes and famous culinary exports. This simple meal illustrates sophisticated gastronomic principles, and thanks to its culinary stature, as well as some other unique attributes, the hamburger is also in a position to teach us something else: how to shrink the carbon footprint of our meals. Beef is increasingly regarded as the most environmentally destructive form of human protein, thanks to the greenhouse gases released by cattle and the production of their food. Some grazing advocates have argued that properly managed cattle can be carbon-neutral, and a newly released study by the University of Michigan and the Union of Concerned Scientists supports that notion. Only about 1 percent of American beef is currently grass-fed, and it’s an open question as to whether beef eaters will stomach this change. That’s because they would have eat grass-fed beef, which is often leaner and tougher than its feedlot finished counterpart. And they would also have to accept eating less, because healthy grazing practices only produce about half the beef per acre, compared to current practices. The price, meanwhile, would likely rise. As I will explain in a moment, hamburger nullifies these concerns, as well as the one nobody is talking about: buying meat frozen, not fresh. The idea that fresh meat is somehow superior to meat that’s spent months in the freezer is a notion as deeply rooted as it is unsupported. Unless that attitude changes, grass-fed beef will never be more than a niche product. Here’s why. Feedlot beef can be supplied year-round, on demand. Whenever meat is required to fulfill an
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order, fat cows are shipped to slaughter, and meat is available, even in the dead of winter. But a grass-fed beef supplier is at a serious disadvantage trying to compete. The rancher’s cattle are standing around eating hay all winter, while those feedlot cows are eating corn and soy. The grass-fed animals weigh less than they did the previous summer, because hay is not as nutritious as green grass. Thanks to their fat reserves from the previous summer, grassfed animals make it through the winter fine, but as those reserves are drained, the meat loses quality. Grass-fed beef is of the highest quality when slaughtered in summer, at peak fattiness. That is when the producer has the most meat per animal to sell, and the consumer gets the richest meat. Hamburger offers a solution to this and every other obstacle to grass-fed beef. Unlike more prestigious cuts, burger can be thawed very quickly. Just drop a frozen pack in a bowl of room temperature water. As a hunter, I do this regularly with my deer and elk burger, and it’s some of the finest eating there is, year round. So it’s perplexing to see Wendy’s making such a big deal of its “100 percent fresh never frozen” burger promise. The only advantage of raw meat is convenience. You can take it home and cook it. But in terms of quality or safety, raw meat might as well be called rotting meat, because this is what happens as soon as it is no longer attached to a living animal. Unless it’s frozen or otherwise preserved. When I walk by the raw meat counter at the supermarket, I give it a wide berth, glancing sideways and wondering “I wonder how long that has been sitting around?” Frozen meat, assuming it was properly packaged, can last
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16 n May 3, 2018
telegraph
more than a year unscathed by the ravages of time. Beyond the frozen meat hurdle, hamburger addresses the fact that grass-fed beef tends to be a little on the tough side. The grinder is a great equalizer, making grassfed as tender as feed finished, while allowing all parts of the animal to contribute to the meal. America’s favorite meal can even be a showcase for the growing number of viable meat-free burgers, like the plant-based Impossible burger, and maybe someday bugburgers or lab-grown meat burgers. Served on a bun with trimmings, the burger succeeds and satisfies thanks to the sophisticated convergence of flavors that are presented to the mouth in just the right proportions. The meat itself tastes good, but the nibble of onion is necessary as well as the munch of pickle, crunch of lettuce, and juicy gush of ripe tomato. The hamburger is a laboratory for exploring how different tastes can come together in your mouth to provide pleasure. Alas, if there is a downside to the classic presentation of the hamburger, it’s that once the first bite is taken, the magnificent structure of the hamburger sandwich begins to break down. With each subsequent violation it appears less attractive to all but the one eating it. Meanwhile, it becomes more difficult to maintain the desired proportions of meat and trimmings in each bite. The good news is this most perfect of meals still leaves room for improvement. I prefer to serve my burgers deconstructed. That way I can arrange each bite properly, without struggling to maintain control of an unstable sandwich. The bites can be delivered by spoon, fingertips on a toasted sesame seed bun, or in lettuce leaves. The burger meat itself I mix with salt and garlic powder and a little bit of olive oil before cooking. Chopped parsley or other herbs are a great addition to ground, grass-fed meat as well. When it’s time to eat, I begin with a bite-sized piece of meat and use a dab of mayo to stick a piece of onion to it. While, chewing I adjust the mouthful by taking nibbles of pickle, tomato, roasted green chile and whatever else I think will help. But that’s just me. There is room for all of us, and all of our different stylings under the big burger tent. n
TopShelf
Craft-tails, walk-abouts, juleps & dandelions by Chris Aaland
B
ack in 2008, Food Network suckered me into a subscription to their magazine. At the time, Shelly and I were fans of the network’s programming (a viewing habit that has since waned). We considered cutting the ties but never succeeded in cancelling our subscription. The recipes range from ridiculously easy quick weeknight cooking to complicated, all-day endeavors. Whether you’re a beginner on a budget or a classically trained chef, there’s something for everyone in each issue. The magazine also serves as essential bathroom reading. Sitting on my throne last Sunday, I turned to a threerecipe section on Tex-Mex cooking by noted Iron Chef Stephanie Izard. Right there on Page 88 was a two-page teaser photo of homemade masa chips, an avocado smash and a “Modus Mandarita.” The locavore in me immediately thought the chef was referencing Modus Mandarina, Ska’s citrusy IPA. Flipping the page, I read that “Stephanie uses Modus Mandarina, an IPA that gives the drink a touch of bitterness and makes it nice and bubbly.” The recipe called for ¾ cup sugar, 1/3 cup strained pineapple juice, 2/3 cup brine from pickled Fresno chiles (plus pickled chiles for serving), coarse salt to rim the glasses, 8 oz. silver tequila, 3 oz. fresh lime juice (plus wedges for serving) and 4 ounces Modus Mandarina IPA. I quickly texted a photo from the magazine to Ska’s overlord, Dave Thibodeau, who was recovering from his 50-mile run on his 50th birthday a week ago. Dave immediately replied, asking, “Was it by Stephanie Izard of The Girl & The Goat in Chicago??” Apparently, she is a Ska junkie. Margaritas are the go-to cocktails in early May, what with Cinco de Mayo and all. Unless you’re stuck in Cuervo margarita mix hell (let’s call those syrupy concoctions what they are – weak adult slurpees), the marg is the canvas to color your soul. My goto Friday evening standard features 2 shots of gold tequila, 1 shot blanco, a half shot Gran Marnier, a splash of orange curacao, juice from half a lime, a shot of Rose’s lime juice and ice in a salted glass garnished with a lime wedge. Another that I occasionally sip simply blends 2 shots of blanco, 1 shot Cointreau and juice from one lime over ice. Margaritas go with lazy days at festivals, too. My bluegrass buddy Dan schooled 5-year-old Otto in making them up on Reservoir Hill at Pagosa Folk’n Bluegrass. Dan recruited Otto to slice and squeeze key limes and grind ice while he made a bubbly tequila spritzer that relied on Fresca soft drinks. Meanwhile, over the pass in Telluride, my hurtin’ Albertan pal Billy Bob blended sweet, tangy, juicy margaritas with 4 parts orange juice, 2 parts tequila and 1 part each lemon juice and triple sec. Salted rim or sugared? Frozen or on the rocks? Patron or Don Julio? There is no wrong answer. The 2018 Durango Wine Experience brings three crazy days of food and wine to town Thursday through Saturday. Highlights include the Walk-About Durango from 4-7 p.m. Friday and the Grand Tasting from 3-6:30 p.m. Saturday, which moves under
the festival tent at the Smiley Building Courtyard this year. The first Ska-B-Q of the season starts at 5 p.m. today (Thurs., May 3), featuring a fully operational outdoor bar and tasty food from The Container. Music will be by Durango bluegrass/Americana act, the StillHouse Junkies, who released their debut CD, “Over the Pass,” at Meltdown a few weeks back. The Powerhouse Science Center hosts its inaugural Durango Derby fundraiser from 2-6 p.m. Saturday. Those of legal drinking age are encouraged to dress in the finest Kentucky Derby attire and enjoy an afternoon of music, gambling and Mint Juleps. There’s also a Best Hat Contest for those who like to play competitive dress-up. A few blocks south, BREW Pub & Kitchen has planned a Saturday afternoon that blends Cinco, the Derby and the Durango Wine Experience, giving you the chance to chase your margarita with a julep and a glass of merlot – or, simply stick with Jesus, whose resurrection was too late for Easter this year. Narrow Gauge Day takes place from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Friday outside the Durango depot. While free hot dogs, chips, sodas and a performance by the Bar D Wranglers is what attracts folks, people should really be excited that the annual celebration signals the start of daily train service to Silverton. (The first train pulls out of the depot at 8:45 a.m. Saturday) which, of course, means the start of tourist season. It’s a first Friday again, which means Steamworks will tap its monthly firkin at 3 p.m. May means Hotpricot, which is a fruity, spicy ale. “The Hotpricot will be similar to a collaboration we did in years past with Dry Dock Brewing Co. when we blended elements of our Prescribed Burn – our popular chile beer – with their very popular Apricot Blonde Ale,” brewmaster Ken Martin explained. “The sweet, caramel maltiness of the Steam should pair nicely with the delicate apricot character and a nice heat from the same chile puree that we use for the Prescribed Burn.” Finally, the Dandelion Festival features live music, organic food, dandelion beer, a healing dome and much more from 1-9 p.m. Sunday in Rotary Park. The 10th solo album from Jesse Dayton, “The Outsider,” is not only the best thing I’ve heard this week, it’s the best thing I’ve heard in years. Dayton plays hardscrabble honky tonk better than anyone. He’s just about the hottest hand around, having played acoustic, electric and slide guitar on albums by outlaws from Cash, Waylon and Willie to Rob Zombie, the Supersuckers, John Doe and X (he fills in for cancer-stricken Billy Zoom on the punk icon’s tours). As a southeast Texas boy, he has the audacity to simultaneously channel George Jones and Waylon. He’s also the blue collar, liberal champion of the Gulf Coast. Politically charged songs like “Belly of the Beast” and “Charlottesville” are among the angriest tunes yet released during Trump’s reign. Dayton has always had a soft spot for a catchy party jingle, and “Tried to Quit (But I Just Quit Tryin)” paints a hilarious picture of a honky-tonker serving the three vices of booze, women and reefer. That Mexican lettuce sure gets you stoned? Email me at chrisa@go brainstorm.net. n
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onthetown
Thursday03 Durango Wine Experience, seminars, tastings, dinners and more. May 3 – 5. www.durangowine.com Yoga Flow, 8 a.m., Pine River Library. Here to Hear: Office Hour with Councilor Dick White, 9-10 a.m., Steaming Bean, downstairs at The Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. Baby Meetup, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Columbine House at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 419 San Juan Dr. Little Readers Storytime, 10 a.m., Pine River Library. Older Adults Coffee Klatch, 10 a.m.-noon, Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.
Submit “On the Town” items by Monday at noon to: calendar@durangotelegraph.com
Toddler Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m., Durango Public Library. “Pray for America – Pray for Unity,” event to celebrate National Day of Prayer, noon-12:45 p.m., Rotary Park. Less Jargon, More eBooks & Audiobooks, 1-5 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.
Powerhouse Pub Trivia, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. www.powsci.org. “Godspell,” musical performed by DHS Theatre Troupe 1096, 7 p.m., show also runs May 4-5, and 2 p.m., May 5, Durango High School. 259-1630 or troupe1096.weebly.com. Open Mic & Stand-Up Comedy, 8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave. Karaoke with Crazy Charlie, 8 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.
Florida Road. “Man of La Mancha,” a musical quest presented by Merely Players, opening night 7 p.m., show also runs May 5, 10-12 and 1 p.m., May 5, 12-13, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. 247-7657 or www.durangoconcerts.com. Teen Game Night, 7-10 p.m., Mancos Public Library. 533-7600. Open Mic Night, 7-11 p.m., Steaming Bean, 900 Main Ave. 403-1200. DJ Noonz, 8 p.m.-close, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.
Thursday Night Funk Jam, for experienced musicians, 9 p.m.-midnight, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.
Versa Vise performs, 8:30 p.m., The Billy Goat Saloon in Gem Village.
Friday04
Saturday05
Durango Early Bird Toastmasters, 7-8:30 a.m., LPEA headquarters, 45 Stewart St. 769-7615. Free yoga, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Lively Boutique, 809 Main. Free education to those with prediabetes, 9-11 a.m., Medical Office at Mercy Regional Medical Center, Suite 140. 764-3415.
10th annual Dandelion Festival, featuring kids activities, vendors, May pole dance, local food and more, 19 p.m., People We Know performs, 6-7:30 p.m., Rotary Park. 247-8395 or turtlelakerefuge.org. Drop-in Tennis, all ages welcome, 9 a.m., Durango High School courts. 769-3772.
Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.
Farm Field Day at the Old Fort, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Old Fort at Hesperus. 385-4574. www.tinyurl.com/oldfortarm fieldday.
Caregiver Cafe, 10 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. 884-2222.
Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Café, 601 Main Ave. 570-650-5982.
Drop-in Tennis, all ages welcome, 4 p.m., Durango High School courts. 769-3772.
Open Art Studio, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.
MakerSpace Skill Sessions, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.
Kidz Klub, after-school activities for elementary school kids, 4-5 p.m., Ignacio Community Library.
Preschool Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m., Durango Public Library.
VFW Indoor Flea Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 1550 Main Ave. 247-0384.
“Doc Swords,” PTSD Social Club for Veterans, 4-6 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.
Narrow Gauge Day, featuring first trains of the season, free picnic lunch, appearance by Snoopy and the Bar D Wranglers, and more, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. www.durangotrain.com.
Four Corners Flip-Off Pinball Competition, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., event also runs May 6, Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard St. DurangoPinball@gmail.com.
Social Responsibility Salon: “Climate Take Back,” featuring keynote by Interface’s Billy Ingram and panel discussion, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Henry Strater Theater, 699 Main Ave. SRsalon.eventbrite.com
Ska-B-Q featuring The Stillhouse Junkies, 5-8 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Firkin Fridays featuring “Hotpricot” on tap, 3 p.m., Steamworks Brewing Co., 801 E. 2nd Ave.
Durango Mesa Area Public Planning Meeting, 5 p.m., project presentation, 5:15 p.m., Q&A to follow, Durango City Hall, 949 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangomesapark.org.
STEAM Lab: Lego Club, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Durango Public Library.
Jason Thies performs, 5 p.m., Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave. 247-3396.
After School Awesome, 3:30 p.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. 884-2222.
Yes You Can! IMT Dance Party, part of the Durango Wine Experinece, 6 – 10 p.m., Animas Brewing Co. www.durangowine.com An Evening with Carl Bernstein, part of the Durango Literary Festival, reception 5:30 p.m., presentation followed by book signing, 7 p.m., Durango Public Library. Sitting Meditation, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave. 764-8070 or durangodharmacenter.org. Open Mic Night, 6-8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave.
Durango Wine Experience Walk-About Wine Tasting, 4 – 7 p.m., downtown Durango. www.durangowine.com “The Wall,” a collaborative gallery installation, artist reception 5-7 p.m., exhibit runs thru May 26, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangoarts.org. “An Affinity With Wildlife,” part of the Spring Gallery Walk, opening reception, 5-9 p.m., exhibit runs May 31, Sorrel Sky Gallery, 828 Main Ave. 247-3555. Blue Lotus Feet Kirtan, 6-8 p.m., Yoga Durango,
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Kid’s Card-Making, supplies provided, 1-3 p.m., The Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave. 259-2402. The Durango Derby Kentucky Derby party, featuring horse races, gambling, hat contest, music, outdoor games, food, mint juleps and more, 2-6 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. durangoderby.com or powsci.org. The Grand Tasting, part of the Durango Wine Experience, 3 – 6:30 p.m., Smiley Buiding Courtyard. www.du rangowine.com Ben Gibson Duo performs, 5:30 p.m., Digs at Three Springs. 259-2344. The Wild Rose Gang performs as part of Cinco de Mayo, 6-9 p.m., Macho’s Restaurant, 1485 Florida Rd. Family Night, featuring a short film by Aiden Hurley “18 Frames,” followed by games hosted by Animas Valley 4-H, Animas Valley Grange, 7271 County Road 203. The Cannondolls and Six Dollar String Band4
perform, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theatre in Cortez. www.sunflow ertheatre.org. Movie Night for Teens, 7-10 p.m., Mancos Public Library. 533-7600. Comedy Cocktail open mic stand up, 8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave. Fellowship of the Strings performs, 8 p.m.-midnight, Mountain Taco, 741 Main Ave. 764-4358. DJ Noonz, 8 p.m.-close, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.
Sunday06 Veterans Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., Elks Club, 901 E. 2nd Ave. 946-4831. Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Café, 601 Main Ave. 570-650-5982. Free books, hosted by Durango Book Rescue, noon-5 p.m., 923 Narrow Gauge Ave. Writers’ Workshop, 2 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. Blue Moon Ramblers, 7 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Monday07 Walk ‘n’ Roll to School Week, celebrating National Bike to School Day, May 7-11, elementary schools around Durango. www.durangogov.org/multimodal or 375-4955. Yogalates, 9 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.
Getting down and derby at the Powerhouse What: The first annual Du-
rango Derby When: Sat., May 5, 2 – 6 p.m. Where: Powerhouse Science Center It’s time to bust out the finery, hot glue gun and seersucker for the most exciting three minutes of the year for horse racing fans. The Kentucky Derby rounds the bend again this Sat., May 5, and to celebrate the Powerhouse Science Center is hosting a to-do to rival that of the in-field. The Powerhouse’s first-ever Durango Derby takes place from 2 – 6 p.m., offering plenty of time to get in the spirit with a few mint juleps prior to the 4:46 p.m. official start time. Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Little Readers Storytime, 10 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. Storytime, 10 a.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave. Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Mancos Public Library. 533-7600.
Help for Health First and CHP+, sponsored by San Juan Basin Health, 9:30 a.m.-noon, Durango Public Library.
“The waning of Pax Americana?”part of Great Decisions Lecture Series, 11:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m., Durango Public Library.
Jammin’ Juniors, 10 a.m., also Wed., Pine River Library in Bayfield.
ICL Knitters, 1-3 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 5639287.
Gentle Yoga, 1 p.m., Durango Senior Center. Sitting Mediation and Talk, 5:30-7 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave. 764-8070 or durangodharmacenter.org. Meet Durango Electric Vehicle Enthusiasts (DEVE) and their cars, 6-8 p.m., 11th Street Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Baby Storytime, 2-2:30 p.m., Durango Public Library. Free Legal Clinic, 2-3:30 p.m., Mancos Public Library. 533-7600. Tuesday Too Cool, gaming and STEAM programming, 3:30 p.m., Pine River Library. 884-2222. Drop-in Tennis, all ages welcome, 4 p.m., Durango High School courts. 769-3772.
Salsa/Bachata/Merengue dance classes 6:30 p.m.; social/practice time 8-9 p.m., VFW Hall, 1550 Main Ave. www.salsadancedurango.com.
Inklings Book Club, 3rd-5th graders, 4-5 p.m., Ignacio Community Library.
Learn to Square Dance, with Wild West Squares, 78:30 p.m., Florida Grange, 656 Hwy 172. 903-6478.
Terry Rickard performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.
Tuesday08
Super Ted’s Trivia Night, 6:12 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.
Connecting for Conservation, two-day partnership and workshop, 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m., event also runs 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m., May 9, Fort Lewis College Student Union. www.mountainstudies.org/c4c. Yoga for All, 9 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.
Rotary Club of Durango, presentation by Buna Dahal, philanthropist and motivational speaker, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel. 385-7899. Knit or Crochet with Kathy Graf, 6-7 p.m., Mancos
And even if you can’t name this year’s odds-on favorite (Justify) you’ll still have plenty to look forward to including food, more mint juleps, live music and gambling. There will also be a hat contest for fashionistas/tos (this is where the hot glue gun comes in.) General admission tickets for the 21+ event are $40 and include a drink ticket and $20 in gambling chips. All proceeds go to the Powerhouse and its STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs, so you can feel good about that second julep. And maybe even the third. To purchase, go to www.durangoderby.com Public Library. 533-7600.
Adult Board Game Night, 6-7 p.m., Durango Public Library. Folk Jam, 6-8 p.m., Steaming Bean, 900 Main Ave. 4031200. DJ Crazy Charlie hosts karaoke, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon in Gem Village. Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Blondies in Cortez. Trivia Night, 7-10 p.m., Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave. Open Mic Night, 8 p.m.-close, Moe’s Lounge, 937 Main.
Wednesday09 Morning Meditation, 8:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. 884-2222. StoryTime, 10-11 a.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287. Fired Up Stories, preschool children and families join fire fighters and EMTs from the DFRA for storytime, 10:3011:15 a.m., Durango Public Library. Pine River Valley Centennial Rotary Club, noon, Tequila’s in Bayfield. Free Trauma Conscious Yoga for Veterans and Families, noon-1 p.m., Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave. MakerSpace, noon-4 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287. Open Knitting Group, 1-3 p.m., Smiley, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.
more “On the Town” p.204
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May 3, 2018 n 19
AskRachel Interesting fact: I actually use vinegar to get rid of ants. It may not work, but the smell sure keeps me far away from the problem, which means it doesn’t exist. Dear Rachel, I’m a pretty philanthropic person. But these birthday fundraisers on Facebook! People post them on the day of their birthday, which means they obviously aren’t targeted to the people who were giving them gifts anyway. I don’t have twenty spare bucks to give to each one of my cousin’s husband’s groomsmen’s preferred causes, but of course I feel guilty for neglecting to contribute to Child Abuse Prevention Month. Should I donate, or should I scroll? – Ebenezer Screwed
various places in my house—the bathroom, the bedroom wall, and of course the kitchen. It’s not a cleanliness problem. Trust me; I’ve been cleaning in triplicate ever since this started. But they’ll show up through the walls or the floor, swarm for a day or two, then vanish. How do you recommend I handle it? – Bugging Out
Dear McDuck, I don’t give to a single one of those fundraisers. Nope. And I don’t feel guilty about it, either. You know what I do to assuage my guilt? I shop on Amazon using their Smile feature, which I can use to donate Amazon’s money that they just made off of me back to the Humane Society, or Devo, or whichever nonprofit I signed up for that one time. They get financial support, I get a discount by subscribing to monthly deliveries of Clif bars, and my brother-in-law on Facebook can stuff it. – My middle name is Generosity, Rachel
Dear Ant Central Station, When I get ants in my rental, the first thing I do is breathe deep and remind myself the ants were here first. Then I get overwhelmed and go spend the night in a hotel. When I come home, if the ants aren’t gone, I call my landlords and tell them the house burned down. Then I burn the house down. So far, that’s worked for me every time. Worth a shot, I say. – I prefer uncles, Rachel Dear Rachel, I’ve lived a lot of places, and I’ve never seen so much hype over an election as small as the LPEA board. You’d think you were electing presidents of the United States to life terms for all the passion going into these contests. Am I missing something important about our power provider? Or is there just nothing better going on in southwestern Colorado? – Let’s Pronounce Enough Already
Dear Rachel, I need some serious help with ant infestations. I keep getting swarms of tiny little buggers in
Dear Independent Voter, If you would read up on the issues, then you would understand just how much is at stake, and why we
Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com MUST elect all the good guys and DENY all the evil villains any say in our electrical future, for the sake of us and all future generations! And then you can tell me what the issues are, and why they’re important. I’m too busy donating to charity on Amazon to follow it all myself. – My chads are hanging, Rachel
from p. 19
Heartbeat Durango, support group for individuals affected by suicide, 6-8 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, look for the Heartbeat sign. 749-1673.
Teen Cafe, 2-5:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Ignacio Library. 563-9287.
Bluegrass Jam, 6-9 p.m., Steaming Bean, 900 Main Ave. 403-1200.
Karaoke, 8 p.m., Thur-Sun, 8th Ave. Tavern, 509 E 8th Ave.
Floor Barre Class, 3-4 p.m., Absolute Physical Therapy, 277 E. 8th Ave. 764-4094.
Meet the Author: Craig Childs, author of Atlas of a Lost World: Travels in Ice Age America, 6:30-8 p.m., Durango Public Library.
Upcoming
OntheTown
Tween Time: Food Lab, 4-5 p.m., Durango Public Library. Interest Meetings on FLC Teacher Education Graduate Program, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Durango Public Library. graduate.fortlewis.edu. Trails 2000 Trailwork Party, 4-6:30 p.m., Durango. www.trails2000.org. The Black Velvet Trio performs, 5-7 p.m., Rochester Hotel, 726 E. 2nd Ave. Advanced Nutrition with Ashley Lucas, 5:15-6 p.m., Rochester Hotel, 726 E. 2nd Ave. phdadvancednutrition.com/about/ Greg Ryder performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave. Wine Release Party, hosted by Wines of the San Juan and 92.9 The Point, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 11th Street Station. Thank the Veterans! potluck, Peter Neds and Glenn Keefe perform, 5:30-8:30 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main. 828-7777. Birds in Ecuador, hosted by the Durango Bird Club, 67:30 p.m., Education Business Hall at Fort Lewis College, Room 055.
20 n May 3, 2018
Terry Rickard performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main. San Juan Basin Archaeological Society meets, presentation on “The Great Inca Road: A Pre-historic Highway Engineering Marvel” with Ken Wright, 7 p.m., Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College. sjbas.org. Yoga en Español, 7:30-8:30 p.m., YogaDurango, 1140 Main Ave. Karaoke, 8 p.m., Blondies in Cortez. Karaoke with Crazy Charlie, 8 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave. Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8:30 p.m., BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 W. College Dr. 259-5959.
Ongoing
Durango Spring Cleanup, through May 4. www.du rangogov.org/cleanup.
“Splendor of the Rockies,” plein air works by Moab artist Carolyn Dailey, thru May 5, Eno, 723 E. 2nd Ave. 3850106. Teen Time, 3:30 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, Pine River Library. 884-2222.
telegraph
Live music, 5:30 p.m., daily, Diamond Belle, 699 Main. Live music, 7 p.m., daily, The Office, 699 Main Ave.
Animas River Days Fundraiser, featuring live music from Carute Roma and silent auction, 5-8 p.m., May 10, Ska Brewing Co., 225 Girard St. www.animasriverdays.com. Open House on planning and design for Cundiff Park and Santa Rita Park, 4:45-6:30 p.m., May 10, Durango City Hall, 949 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangogov.org.
La Plata Quilters Guild meets, 6 p.m., May 10, La Plata County Fairgrounds. 799-1632. Free Legal Clinic, 4-5 p.m., May 11, Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287. “An Affinity with Wildlife,” works by Edward Aldrich, part of the Spring Gallery Walk, opening reception, 5-7 p.m., May 11, show runs thru May, Sorrel Sky Gallery, 828 Main Ave. 247-3555.
Deadline for “On the Town” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item email: calendar@durango telegraph.com
FreeWillAstrology by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): I hate rampant consumerism almost as much as I hate hatred, so I don’t offer the following advice lightly: Buy an experience that could help liberate you from the suffering you’ve had trouble outgrowing. Or buy a toy that can thaw the frozen joy that’s trapped within your out-of-date sadness. Or buy a connection that might inspire you to express a desire you need help in expressing. Or buy an influence that will motivate you to shed a belief or theory that has been cramping your lust for life. Or all of the above! (And if buying these things isn’t possible, consider renting.) TAURUS (April 20-May 20): These days you have an enhanced ability to arouse the appreciation and generosity of your allies, friends and loved ones. The magnetic influence you’re emanating could even start to evoke the interest and inquiries of mere acquaintances and random strangers. Be discerning about how you wield that potent stuff! On the other hand, don’t be shy about using it to attract all the benefits it can bring you. It’s OK to be a bit greedier for goodies than usual as long as you’re also a bit more compassionate than usual. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I bet that a healing influence will arrive from an unexpected direction and begin to work its subtle but intense magic before anyone realizes what’s happening. I predict that the bridge you’re building will lead to a place that’s less flashy but more useful than you imagined. And I’m guessing that although you may initially feel jumbled by unforeseen outcomes, those outcomes will ultimately be redemptive. Hooray for lucky flukes and weird switcheroos! CANCER (June 21-July 22): Born under the astrological sign of Cancer, Franz Kafka is regarded as one of the 20th century’s major literary talents. Alas, he made little money from his writing. Among the day jobs he did to earn a living were stints as a bureaucrat at insurance companies. His superiors there praised his efforts. “Superb administrative talent,” they said about him. Let’s use this as a take-off point to meditate on your destiny, Cancerian. Are you good at skills you’re not passionate about? Are you admired and acknowledged for having qualities that aren’t of central importance to you? If so, the coming weeks and months will be a favorable time to explore this apparent discrepancy. I believe you will have the power to get closer to doing more of what you love to do.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you really wanted to, you could probably break the world’s record for most words typed per minute with the nose (103 characters in 47 seconds). I bet you could also shatter a host of other marks, as well, like eating the most hot chiles in two minutes, or weaving the biggest garland using defunct iPhones, or dancing the longest on a tabletop while listening to a continuous loop of Nirvana’s song “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” But I hope you won’t waste your soaring capacity for excellence on meaningless stunts like those. I’d rather see you break your own personal records for accomplishments like effective communications, high-quality communitybuilding, and smart career moves. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Isaac Newton (1643-1727) was among history’s three most influential scientists. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) has been described as the central figure in modern philosophy. Henry James (1843-1916) is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in English literature. John Ruskin (1819-1900) was a prominent art critic and social thinker. What did these four men have in common? They never had sex with anyone. They were virgins when they died. I view this fact with alarm. What does it mean that Western culture is so influenced by the ideas of men who lacked this fundamental initiation? With that as our context, I make this assertion: If you hope to make good decisions in the coming weeks, you must draw on the wisdom you have gained from being sexually entwined with other humans. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Every so often, a painter has to destroy painting,” 20th-century abstract expressionist painter Willem de Kooning said. “Cézanne did it. Picasso did it with Cubism. Then Pollock did it. He busted our idea of a picture all to hell.” In de Kooning’s view, these “destructive” artists performed a noble service. They demolished entrenched ideas about the nature of painting, thus liberating their colleagues and descendants from stale constraints. Judging from the current astrological omens, Libra, I surmise the near future will be a good time for you to wreak creative destruction in your own field or sphere. What progress and breakthroughs might be possible when you dismantle comfortable limitations? SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Mayflies are aquatic insects with short life spans. Many species live less than 24 hours, even though the eggs they lay may take three years to hatch. I suspect this may be somewhat of an apt metaphor for your future, Scorpio. A transitory or shortduration experience could leave a legacy that will ripen for a long time before it hatches. But that’s where the metaphor
breaks down. When your legacy has fully ripened – when it becomes available as a living presence – I bet it will last a long time. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): When a critic at Rolling Stone magazine reviewed the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” in 1969, he said some of the songs were “so heavily overproduced that they are hard to listen to.” He added, “Surely they must have enough talent and intelligence to do better than this.” Years later, however, Rolling Stone altered its opinion, naming “Abbey Road” the 14th best album of all time. I suspect, Sagittarius, that you’re in a phase with metaphorical resemblances to the earlier assessment. But I’m reasonably sure that this will ultimately evolve into being more like the later valuation – and it won’t take years. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, love should be in full bloom. You should be awash in worthy influences that animate your beautiful passion. So how about it? Are you overflowing with a lush longing to celebrate the miracle of being alive? If your answer is yes, congratulations. May your natural intoxication levels continue to rise. But if my description doesn’t match your current experience, you may be out of sync with cosmic rhythms. And if that’s the case, please take emergency measures. Escape to a sanctuary where you can shed your worries and inhibitions and maybe even your clothes. Get drunk on undulating music as you dance yourself into a dreamy love revelry. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Life never gives you anything that’s all bad or all good.” So proclaimed the smartest Aquarian 6-year-old girl I know as we kicked a big orange ball around a playground. I agreed with her! “Twenty years from now,” I told her, “I’m going to remind you that you told me this heartful truth.” I didn’t tell her the corollary that I’d add to her axiom, but I’ll share it with you: If anything or anyone seems to be all bad or all good, you’re probably not seeing the big picture. There are exceptions, however! For example, I bet you will soon experience a graceful stroke of fate that’s very close to being all good. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Enodation” is an old, nearly obsolete English word that refers to the act of untying a knot or solving a knotty problem. “Enodous” means “free of knots.” Let’s make these your celebratory words of power for the month of May, Pisces. Speak them out loud every now and then. Invoke them as holy chants and potent prayers leading you to discover the precise magic that will untangle the kinks and snarls you most need to untangle.
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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 classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 777 Main Ave., #214 Approximate office hours: Mon., 9ish - 5ish Tues., 9ish - 5ish Wed., 9ish - 3ish Thurs., On delivery Fri., 10:30ish - 2ish please call ahead: 259-0133.
Announcements LPC Democrats Roosevelt Dinner Support the LPC Democrats. Attend our Roosevelts Dinner, Friday May 11th Fort Lewis Ballroom 5:30 pm featuring keynote speaker Bob Baer, author, former CIA operative, CNN commentator. Catered sit down dinner, cash bar, silent and live auction $75 single tickets, $20 students www.laplatadems.org Win 2 Tickets to Vegas Fight Follow me on Instagram and leave a comment for a chance to win 2 tickets to my championship fight this July in Las Vegas! swifteagle_thaddine The Perfect Gift for your favorite dirtbag. Literature from Durango’s own Benighted Publications. 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.
Pets Love Your Dog! At the Durango Dog Wash behind Liquor World in the Albertson’s parking lot. Open every day!
Wanted Turn Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. Into Cash! at RJ Metal Recycle, also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.
HelpWanted Wanted: Front Desk Manager for vibrant chiropractic office. F/T & no exp req. Send resume & answer to “What’s Your Favorite Healthy Activity?” to HealthyDurango@gmail.com
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Arts Center Seeks Interim Exec Dir Arts Center seeks Interim Executive Director to oversee staff, financials & organization. Nonprofit exp. a plus. Temporary, 32 hrs/wk. Apply by May 4. See: durangoarts.org/employment Arts Center Seeking Tech Dir Arts Center hiring p/t Tech Director to oversee theater productions and events. Knowledge of set, sound and lighting design. Must be avail evenings & wknds. 24 hrs/wk. See: www.DurangoArts.org/em ployment.
Now Hiring! Southwest Center for Independence is now hiring for an Employment Specialist. Please visit www.swindependence.org for more details.
Durango Montessori a K-5th grade school is hiring a teaching assistant for the 18/19 school year. Please see Available Positions on our website: www.durangomontessori.com for how to apply and to download our app. Interviews will be scheduled near the end of May. Maria’s Bookshop Community Relations Manager Fast-paced managerial position connecting books, authors, publishers and the community. Promote book sales and cultivate bookshop’s community presence. Responsible for book signings, reading groups, and offsite events. Manage marketing, community donations, store displays, website, digital newsletter, and social media. Active member of bookselling staff. For more information visit mariasbookshop.com. Position open until filled. Horse Care Part time ranch hand, weekends plus two half days. Contact: cell 719-502-7199 call or text.
Axiom Cycling Studio Front Desk Part-time front desk help for the summer. Hours may vary, Monday through Saturday. Duties include checking in customers, scheduling, sanitizing exercise equipment, and maintaining cleanliness & presentation of studio. No cycling experience necessary - must be organized and appreciate fitness! If interested, please email Julie at julie@axiomcyclingstudio.com.
Interested in Psych, Human Services, Corrections Careers or Cooking? Work with at-risk students in a secure detention facility. *Cook, PT *Detention Specialist/Coach Counselor (FT,PT, days, nights) Open interview/tour at DeNier Youth Services, Mondays 9:00 am, Thursdays 3:00 pm or 5:30 pm. Must be 21 yo and pass drug/background tests incl THC. Email resume Karen.Doyle@ROP.com or apply at 720 Turner Dr, Durango
Executive Director Durango Adult Education Center seeks a dynamic and experienced leader with skills in fundraising and finance and has a collaborative and participatory management style. Competitive salary and full benefits. Visit our website for application information: http://durangoadulted.org/ daec-job-opportunities/
Classes/Workshops
We Are Looking to Add a new worker to our team for carpet cleaning and more! Driver’s lic, good record, be friendly, clean & courteous! Daily lifting req’d, no exp nec, $12/hr Contact Noah 970-946-5614.
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Healing Through Yoga 8 wk class for trauma survivors; Starts 5/15; every Tues 7-8:30 pm $40 per sess; sliding scale avail, pre-registration req. see www.thrivingtherapyyoga.com or call 970-946-1383. The Art of Mindfulness Summer Kids’ Camp Prepare for the upcoming school year, as a life skill, and just plain fun! Mindfulness through Art/Nature/Communication/Acting, and more Ages 6-12 August 13-16 on-pointmindfulness.com or call JoAnne at 970-749-4912.
10th Annual Mother’s Day Restorative Saturday, May 12, 2-4:30 pm @ 4 Corners Yoga All Levels Welcome $35 Experience profound relaxation. Providing tools to relieve stress & fatigue. 769-2508 marthaevers.com Medicinal Plant Walk Sat., May 5 at 7500 ft. Cali 970-7599287. Yoga Camp for Teens June 4-25 &/or July 9-July 27 Teaching tools for anxiety & stress from social, emotional & scholastic pressures. Noncompetitive environment at 4 Corners Yoga. Ages 13-18. Scholarships available. Early registration: 769-2508 marthaev ers.com Mommy and Me Dance Class Come join the fun! Now registering for classes. Call 970-749-6456. mommy andmedance.com.
Services May Specials! Qigong & BodyTalk™ Mellow Mondays-book a Qigong energy healing session for any Monday in May (starting 4/30) and pay by donation(any amount). Throwback Thursdaysbook a BodyTalk™ session for any Thursday in May (through 5/24) for my 2008 fee-$75 (normally $125). julie@juliegentry.com Gorgeous Spray Tans at Spa Evo! Get your glow on at Spa Evo with a spray tan color-customized exclusively for you. Expertly applied by Durango’s only Gold-Certified Spray Tan artist. 6 years exp. Read my reviews on Yelp & FB. Text or call 9702590226 to schedule. www.spaevo.com Botanical Hi-Altitude Skin Care A drug free approach to metabolic, hormonal signs of aging, and environmental damage. Private and personal. Monie Schlarb lic. esthetician. 970-7644261, leave message. R & D Landscaping and Masonry Early season deals for all aspects of landscaping, masonry, concrete, excavation, etc. 970-529-3034.
Harmony Organizing and Cleaning Services Create harmony in your space this year by organizing and cleaning your home, vacation home or office. Martee 970-4036192. Advanced Duct Cleaning Air duct cleaning specializing in dryer vents. Improves indoor air quality; reduces dust and allergens, energy bills and fire risk. 970-247-2462 www.advancedductcleaninginc.com Typos Are Your Worst Enema A good editor is your ally. Full-service text editing for websites, businesses, books, papers and tattoo ideas. Write to zach@zachhively.com
BodyWork Ally in Health Mel Higbee, L.M.T. offers nourishing massage, skillful awareness, & respect for the subtle needs of body, mind, and spirit. 11 years of practice. Specializing in advanced myofascial treatment. For scheduling, contact 970-238-0422 or go to melhigbee.fullslate.com Meg Bush, LMT & Emily Coker, LMT Have Moved across the St. to 1075 Main Ave, #215. Great new space, same awesome massages! 30, 60 & 90 minutes.
Edward Coons ~ Massage Therapy Advanced bodywork for athletes and people of all walks and ages for 15 years. (512) 731-1836 massageintervention.life 25 years experience. Couples, sauna, cupping. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-9032984. Massage with Kathryn Downtown location. Introductory rate $65/hr. Offering deep tissue, therapeutic stretching and acutonics. 970-201-3373 for more information.
RealEstate Radon Services Free radon testing and consultation. Call Colorado Radon Abatement and Detection for details. 970-0946-1618.
ForSale 25’ Dufour Sailboat w/ nice trailer @ Navajo, 970-749-5776.
HaikuMovieReview ‘Lady Bird’
Inflatable Kayak Fleet! Like new 50% off - $499+ only used 1-2 times. GravityPlay.com - 970-403-5320 TreeNet Willy Retreat and reconnect with nature with TreeNet Willy’s custom rope plateforms built in the comfort of your own back yard. 970-403-2012 for free estimate.
entryway storage bench, Pier 1 Asian-style dresser. Cool teak, mid-century tea cart, gorgeous carved armoire, antique dressers. & more. Daily markdowns. 572 E. 6th Ave. 385-7336.
CommercialForRent
Hot Tub – New 6HP pump, 50 jets. Cost $8,000. Sell $3,650. 505-270-3104.
Fulton Building 11 X 10 Office Available now, 11 x 10 office downtown in the Fulton building, 842 1/2 Main Avenue, $350/month. Great location!
Reruns Home Furnishings Store full of furniture & décor – Patio sets, vintage bouncy porch chairs, fire pits, plant stands, West Elm rug, Crate and Barrel
Office Suite Available 8th and Main, 2nd floor, 21’ by 14’ Windows, waiting room. Call Robert, 970-7694368 for more info.
Drinking&DiningGuide Himalayan Kitchen 992 Main Ave., 970-259-0956 www.himkitchen.com Bringing you a taste of Nepal, Tibet & India. Try our all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. The dinner menu offers a variety of tempting choices, including yak, lamb, chicken, beef & seafood; extensive veggies; freshly baked bread. Full bar. Get your lunch punch card – 10th lunch free. Hours: Lunch, 11am-2:30 pm & dinner, Sun. - Thurs., 5-9:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. ‘til 10 p.m. Closed 2:30 to 5 daily $$
Excruciating, yet funny portrait of teens in 2003
Crossroads Coffee 1099 Main Ave., 970-903-9051 Crossroads coffee proudly serves locally roasted Fahrenheit coffee and delicious baked goods. Menu includes gluten-free items along with bullet-proof coffee, or bullet-proof chai! Come in for friendly service and the perfect buzz! Hours: Mon.- Fri., 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. $
– Lainie Maxson
The suffering is over ...
11th Street Station 1101 Main Ave., 970-422-8482 www.11thstreetstation.com A culinary collective in the heart of Durango that offers five food trucks, a coffee shop, and a bar. Our food vendors offer everything from sushi to pizza. Come on down - there’s a little something for everyone! Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. – 12 a.m. $$ BREW Pub & Kitchen 117 W. College Drive, 970-259-5959 www.brewpubkitchen.com Experience Durango’s award-winning brewery & restaurant featuring unique, hand-crafted beers, delicious food - made from scratch, wine & cocktails. Happy Hour, Mon.- Fri. 3-6 pm & all day Sunday with $2 off beer, $1 off wines & wells & 25% off appetizers. Watch the sunset behind Smelter Mountain as the train goes by. Hours: Sun.-Thurs.11 a.m. - 9p.m., & Fri. & Sat.11 a.m. to 10 p.m. $$
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