The Durango Telegraph, June 9, 2022

Better late than never

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June 9, 2022 Vol. XXI, No. 28 durangotelegraph.com

inside

T H E

O R I G I N A L

I N D I E

W E E K L Y

L I N E

O N

D U R A N G O

&

B E Y O N D

On a roll

Hungry for space

Sticky fingers

For some solitary mountain girls, all roads lead to a Harley p4

Durango Food Bank seeks bigger digs amid rise in demand p8

Toast combines love of vinyl, baked goods & live shows p11

2 n June 9, 2022

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lineup

4

4 La Vida Local

On a roll How, after a lifetime of active pursuits, all roads lead to a Harley

by Keller Northcutt

4 Thumbin’ It 5 Word on the Street 6-7 Soapbox

8

8 Top Story

Feeling the crunch Durango Food Bank seeks more space as pandemic fuels rise in demand

10 State News

by Jonathan Romeo

11 Between the Beats 12-13 Stuff to Do

10

Ear to the ground: “Stay away from the hotel bar. You’ll find nothing but trouble there.”

– Good business trip advice for us all

la niña forever

thepole

RegularOccurrences

For all of us who have endured the clichéd phrase, “If you don’t like the weather in Colorado, just wait five minutes,” this is going to come as good news and bad news.

Let’s start with the bad: all signs indicate we’re going into the third year in a row of La Niña, which likely means more dry and hot conditions.

The good: you won’t have to hear that annoying phrase anymore and force a polite chuckle.

Recently, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center said there is about a 65% likelihood we will stay in the La Niña weather pattern this upcoming winter. Notably, there’s only one other time on record, in the mid-1970s, when the region endured three years of La Niña in a row.

“It’s not good news,” Peter Goble, a climatologist for CSU’s Colorado Climate Center, said.

“But it’s not damning, either.”

La Niña and its counterpart, El Niño, are opposing weather patterns that can have global impacts on weather. Ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific, which dictate trade wind conditions, usually determine which cycle we’re in. Typically, El Niño brings wetter conditions to the Southwest; La Niña drier.

13 Ask Rachel

Standard of living New rules aim to make mobile homes more energy efficient and affordable

by Sam Brasch / Colorado Public Radio

14 Free Will Astrology 15 Classifieds 15 Haiku Movie Review

11

A new spin

On the cover: Turret Peak has a rosy afterglow during a sunset in early summer. / Photo

by Stephen Eginoire

Toast combines passions with mix of vinyl, baked goods and shows

by Stephen Sellers

boilerplate

EditORiAliStA: Missy Votel missy@durangotelegraph.com AdvERtiSing SAlES: ads@durangotelegraph.com StAFF REpORtER: Jonathan Romeo jonathan@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

StAR-StuddEd cASt: Keller Northcutt, Stephen Sellers, Lainie Maxson, Rob Brezsny, Jesse Anderson and Clint Reid

REAl WORld AddRESS: 679 E. 2nd Ave., Ste E2 Durango, CO 81301 phOnE: 970-259-0133

MAiling AddRESS: P.O. Box 332, Durango, CO 81302 viRtuAl AddRESS: www.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.

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Weather researchers had predicted La Niña was going to pack up this spring, and things would shift toward neutral conditions. Not only did that not pan out, climate models now suggest the weather pattern is sticking around.

“This pushes the jet stream north but also has the effect of blocking the Southwest’s access to Pacific moisture,” Goble said. “This is not a permanent feature during La Niña but does show up with greater regularity during La Niña.”

Indeed, much debate has been had on El Niño/La Niña and their true impact on weather.

Still, it seems the consensus is these cycles simply mean an increased probability of the associated conditions. So, it’s not set in stone we’ll have a dry winter, but the chances are higher than normal.

Plus, we’re kind of in uncharted territory, because there’s only one other example of a La Niña three-peat. During that time, Colorado’s ski slopes were bare and reservoirs were empty.

But we’re optimists, and we like to remember the ’70s as happier times of roller disco and Hamburger Helper.

“It’s a rare thing,” Brianna Vealo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, said. “But honestly, it’s a tossup. La Niña can get really weird in western Colorado.”

Still, it seems like we’re going to have to come up with a new phrase, maybe: “If you don’t like the weather in Colorado, move.”

June 9, 2022 n

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opinion

LaVidaLocal Riding the outskirts I’ve always been a peripheral human. I watch how others do things before deciding if I can do them, too. As a child, I devised a mathematical equation of x (how badly I wanted to do the thing) + y (my odds of succeeding) - z (the consequences of not succeeding). The result = will I, or will I not, do the thing. For example, I grew up in Steamboat Springs, and a few times a winter in elementary school, we would go ice skating. As a 6-year-old, I wasn’t convinced I would enjoy it. So, the first time we hit the rink, I sat in the bleachers and watched my peers go around and around. After observing them laughing and enjoying the experience, my mind changed, and I very badly wanted to try. My calculations included the pain of impact on ice, of not being able to stop and social humiliation of failure. Yet the fun looked irresistible, and moments later I was doing the penguin shuffle.

Fast forward decades. I was a human stuck in the scientific method. Hypotheses, observations, calculations, trials, errors, results. This methodology brought me a positive sum for snowboarding, bouldering and eight years of downhill mountain bike racing. Solitary sports suit a peripheral person – in my mind, the more people involved, the messier the equation. So, it followed that motorcycles were next.

I pictured myself riding a Harley, someday. Cooly clad in a Rambo bandana, studded leather chaps, eternally cruising into the sunset. The problem was, I didn’t know a single person who rode a Harley, nor did I have any experience with motorcycles. But my sister had a dusty old dirtbike in her garage, so I hopped on and figured it out, skipping the observation step and heading right into the experiment. I stalled frequently. I ran out of gas on receptionless county roads. And I rode it faster than it was built to go. I quickly upgraded to a Honda CB500x, a bike perfectly suited for all kinds of mountain adventures. Together we rode the coastline of Oregon and Washington in four days, camped for a week in Valley of the Gods, and bobbed up and over Ophir Pass. Yet the dream of sitting atop an (impractical) Harley Davidson constantly danced in the back of my mind. The power.

The sound. It felt way out of my league, something I’d have to earn. I needed to be cooler, stronger and probably kill a few people before I could own one.

But sometimes life just brings you what you need. And suddenly, out of the relentlessly blue Colorado sky, Joan the Harley rolled into my world at a delicate 683 pounds, black and silver, smooth as a baby’s bottom. I named her after Joan Jett, an icon of ferocious independence. Although she escaped the factory almost 20 years ago now, we met each other during the sad summer of 2020 (the only pandemic relationship I can claim). The Honda moved to a loving home in the San

Luis Valley and is enjoying dirt roads and herding cattle.

Joan and I took our first date on the Million Dollar Highway. We stopped for selfies on Red Mountain Pass, premium gas in Ouray, premium lunch in Telluride, and sat under the shade of the cottonwoods in Dolores. It’s fair to say it was one of the best days of my life.

Here are 10 reasons why riding a Harley is the ultimate hobby: 1) It’s fun alone.

2) It’s fun with friends, because you share an experience but don’t dilute it with conversation.

3) Everything is out to kill you, so you stay 100% in the moment.

4) You see cute baby horses plopped in spring pastures.

5) You rip past slow Texans in the summer.

6) Yellow aspen leaves flutter behind you in the fall.

7) The vibration of a V-twin engine elevates you into a meditative state enviable by even the most ascetic monks.

8) Fuel-efficiency. (50+ mpg!)

9) It’s the only valid reason to rock a leather jacket.

10) You get to throw the two-fingered “Harley wave” at people who would otherwise never, ever, ever speak to you in person. (We will address this another time.)

So now here I am. A petite blonde, a few freckles past 30, riding nearly 700 pounds of steel. Since moving to Durango a month before the epic crisis began, it has yet to feel like home, and I remain on the outskirts.

Even at the well-loved/hated Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, I did not fit in. But I soaked up the custom bikes, the rowdy events and lungfuls of second hand smoke.

I even waved to children while riding in the moto parade down Main.

I recognize that for most people, the calculations for riding a motorcycle result in a not-going-to-happen sum. The potential consequences of error are … consequential. But I suppose I wanted it badly enough, and the rewards continue to outweigh the risks. Riding a Harley quickly became my greatest joy, cheapest therapy and the perfect pastime for a socially inept introvert.

Even though I am still on the hunt for some studded leather chaps, the stories Joan and I have accumulated in our 10,000 miles together are enough to make you laugh, cry and cringe all at once. So stay tuned, there are miles more to go.

– Keller Northcutt Keller Northcutt lives in Durango with her magical mutt Everett Crowdog. She can find (sans app) all 36 Northern Hemisphere constellations, she feels a genuine kinship with hummingbird moths, and she once FaceTimed with Bill Murray. Find more of her writing at kellernorthcutt.com.

SignoftheDownfall:

Thumbin’It

4 n June 9, 2022

Durango canceling its Fourth of July fireworks because of wildfire danger. Yes, it sucks, but it’s necessary. Apparently, the city is looking into alternative options, and you can still drink beer and sing Francis Scott Key all you want.

Reports that there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than at any time in human history. The cause? The Earth’s natural cycles. No, we’re kidding; it’s because we can’t stop burning oil, gas and coal.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife reopening its Durango Wildlife Museum just in time for the agency’s 125-year anniversary. So head on down there from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

June 12, grab a cupcake and look at taxidermied critters.

A new study showing Colorado could lose half its snow by 2080 because of the effects of climate change and will more resemble the landscape of Arizona. No shade on Arizona, but … yuck.

A federal judge ordered the Bureau of Land Management to redo environmental impact studies on the cumulative climate effects of oil and gas on nearly 4 million acres throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.

Gas prices hitting $5 a gallon in Durango. Hey, maybe we could all bike to work and at the same time help address the aforementioned issues. I don’t know, just a thought.

telegraph

Virtuous Reality A researcher for SumOfUs, a global nonprofit that works to hold corporations accountable, claims her avatar was sexually assaulted in “Horizon World,” Facebook’s virtual reality platform.

Apparently, other users asked her to disable a setting that stops other avatars from getting close, which she did, and then some male avatars bumped into her repeatedly and passed around a virtual bottle of alcohol. However, Facebook avatars are fake and cannot actually drink alcohol, and it’s really, really easy to log off, which this “researcher” didn’t do. So yeah … as it turns out, we live in a world with fake assaults and equally fake outrage.

WordontheStreet

Q

With the Colorado Avalanche clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup finals this week, The Telegraph asked: “What were you doing the last time the Avs won the Cup in 2001?”

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"I was 14 and with my mom at the Horse Shoe II in Breckenridge in a stained Sakic jersey."

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Chelsea

"With my mom in California wearing my Patrick Roy jersey."

Caroline

"Fresh out of 8th grade. I will never forget watching Sakic hand the Cup to Bourque."

Bonnie

"I was drinking at Lady Falc’s."

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June 9, 2022

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SoapBox We call BS on guns By now, you may have heard there’ll be a nationwide “March for Our Lives” event on Sat., June 11. For Durango’s event, gather at Durango High School parking lot at 2 p.m. to hear a few speakers, and then march at 2:30 p.m. to the Durango Library in time to attend the 3rd Congressional District Candidate Event at 3 p.m.

You may hear some folks say that demonstrations and marches don’t change anything, and that our calls and letters don’t change anything. I call BS! You may remember that refrain from Emma Gonzalez, a Parkland, Fla., student who brought everyone to tears with her heartfelt pleas in February 2018, three days after she lost 17 friends to a gunman with an AR-15.

Here’s part of what she said: “The people in the government are lying to us, and us kids call BS. Lawmakers who sit in their House and Senate seats, funded by the NRA, telling us nothing could have been done to prevent this. We call BS. They say tougher gun laws do not decrease gun violence. We call BS. They say a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun. We call BS. They say no laws could have prevented the hundreds of senseless tragedies that have occurred. We call BS. They say that us kids don’t know what we’re talking about, that we’re too young to understand how the government works. We call BS. If you agree, register to vote and contact your local congresspeople. Give them a

6 n June 9, 2022

D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim piece of your mind.”

Join us to grieve and to march on June 11. Wear orange if you can.

– Karen Pontius, Durango

Lessons to be learned The shooting in Uvalde, Texas, shows the need to restrict the sale of assault weapons to just the military and police.

The shooting revealed numerous factors contributed to the massacre, including warning signs that were missed on social media, the fact the school was not secured and police showing ineptitude in doing their job.

Somehow, social media posts should be monitored for potential shooter comments, and people should report these warning signs to authorities.

Schools should have entrances reinforced and locked, and only one entrance should be used. Alarm systems should be installed on all entrances except the main entrance. Weaponizing and training a few teachers/administrators should be evaluated. Why wasn’t the Uvalde school police officer in the school at the time of the shooting?

Nineteen Texas police officers stood in a hallway outside the Uvalde school classrooms for about 48 minutes waiting for a tactical police force to arrive. During that time, students made 911 calls while sporadic shots were heard in the classrooms.

These officers should have shot open the door and broken windows to confront the shooter. Local police officers should not be waiting for tactical support but should immediately stop the shooter.

– Donald Moskowitz, Londonderry, N.H.

Enough is enough For many years, I have sent postcards and letters, which are likely never opened,

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to the White House about kitchen table topics. Thankfully, my concerns have been responded to, from Biden in March 2013 about the Sandy Hook School mass murder and Biden in May 2022.

Hopefully, after more than two decades of mass shootings, desperately needed solutions from both sides of the aisle will stop the gun madness in the only nation on Earth that has tragically kicked the can way too long.

My two cents is to have all of our school staff lock doors. Apparently, a side door in the most recent Texas school massacre was unlocked by a teacher. Then, it took law enforcement 77 minutes to finally neutralize the 18-year-old killer. He recently bought assault rifles on his birthday and had enough ammo to kill thousands.

When is enough, enough? Now, now, now.

– Sally Florence, Durango

Get real on guns In other countries, people suffer from mental health issues. Those countries do not have mass murders every week.

Other countries have angry youth bent on social revenge. They don’t have gun outlets where it is permissible to sell assault rifles to troubled 18-year-olds.

Other countries have a gun culture.

Those countries have managed to ban 30round clips and semi-automatic militarystyle weapons.

Why are we the only country in the world where slaughtering school children and murdering shoppers has become commonplace? Why is the U.S. so broken when it comes to regulating guns?

A study tracking public assaults from 1994-2019 in which four or more people died found that the U.S. had nearly three times the number of mass shootings as the next 17 countries combined. If the record is expanded from before 1994 to 2022, the disparity is even more shocking. And yet our political leaders seem paralyzed to enact commonsense regulation.

“... since 1975, more Americans have died from guns – including suicides, murders and accidents – than in all the wars in United States history, going back to the American Revolution,” writes New York Times columnist Nicolas Kristoff. That is an appalling statistic. Is that the freedom the Second Amendment guarantees?

“Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.” Remember that old saw? People who kill people use guns. That’s the bitter reality. Limit the availability of guns, and gun violence decreases. Here’s a thought experiment from Times journalist German Lopez, paraphrased: • If more toasters are available, more people would use toasters.

• If more cars are available, more people would use cars.

Now put guns in that sentence. It’s obvious to the point of banality.

If more guns are available, more people would use guns. But in the U.S., stating the obvious has become a political landmine.

Limit gun availability, and shootings of all types decrease. That is irrefutable. Nobody is calling for a gun-free nation. Yet, gun advocates put more value on the broadest possible interpretation of a minor freedom granted by the Second Amendment than they do blood-soaked classrooms and bodystrewn churches and grocery stores. Such priorities question everything a society based on morality and the rule of law values. Because some nut job was able to buy an assault weapon and 200 rounds of ammo, another dozen families are plunged into grief. Why do we allow such senseless,

preventable tragedy to continue stalking our land?

We’ve tried sending “thoughts and prayers” to victims of gun violence. It hasn’t worked. Let’s try another approach.

We cannot stop gun violence, but we can dramatically decrease it through commonsense regulation, including: 1. Stringent mandatory background checks and a week-long waiting period. Impulse shootings would disappear.

2. Red flag laws – A court-ordered temporary confiscation of guns and ammunition from those threatening themselves or others. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted such laws. Why hasn’t every state?

3. Age restrictions – people must be at least 21 years old to buy any weapon and at least 25 if the buyer has a drug, alcohol or violence conviction. A disproportionate number of mass killings are committed by young men.

4. No sales to anyone with a history of threats or violence.

5. Ban on assault style weapons and multiple round clips. These weapons are designed for use in a military conflict. They have no place in our society.

How do any of these proposals place an unfair burden on law-abiding gun owners?

Politicians claim enacting gun legislation would be “political suicide.” The political suicide of every politician is preferable to the homicide of one more 10-year-old who went to school thinking she was safe.

– john van becay, Aurora

telegraph

Orange is the new...

During “Gun Violence Awareness Days,” many across the country wear orange to signify the public health crisis associated with gun violence; to commemorate the many lives lost to gun violence; to show solidarity with families who have lost loved ones to gun violence; and to remind us of the fact that every year, on average, more than 17,000 children and teens are shot.

Unbelievably, gun violence has become the No. 1 cause of death for children in our country. We don’t need to live with gun violence in this country. We can do better for our community and our children by finding sensible solutions, educating our citizens about safe gun storage and working toward ways to reduce the number of gun deaths, including those from suicides and accidental shootings.

There is a role for all of us in protecting our children from gun violence. Let’s tell our leaders that we want them to pass common sense gun safety legislation to make our communities, homes, schools, places of worship, hospitals, movie theaters, concert halls, grocery stores and every other place where our citizens gather, safe from the horrors of gun violence.

Wear Orange to Commemorate Durango Gun Safety Awareness Days from June 3-11.

– Carol Cure,

June 9, 2022 n 7

TopStory

Durango Food Bank volunteer Jeff Pratt helps put together a food box on Tuesday. With the increased need in the community since the COVID-19 pandemic, the food bank is in need of a larger facility./ Photo by Jonathan Romeo

Banking on a dream Despite what you’ve heard, Durango is still a real town with real problems

by Jonathan Romeo

A

local nonprofit whose mission is to help people is in need of some help itself.

Since 1977, the Durango Food Bank has helped La Plata County residents struggling with food insecurity, distributing to nearly 12,000 people every year through home deliveries, curbside pickup and an on-site self-select pantry.

But the nonprofit’s mission to provide enough food so no one in the community has to face food insecurity has expanded in recent years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Durango Food Bank has always struggled with limited space at its facility in Bodo Park, said Executive Director

Sarah Smith. But once the pandemic thrust the food bank into a larger role, it became clear that location, which is about 2,000 square feet, was not enough.

However, with available space limited – and not cheap – the situation for the food bank is tricky and uncertain. Yet, Smith said the nonprofit is making moves to find a solution.

“Our space has been grossly inadequate for some time, and we’ve known we needed a bigger facility,” Smith said. “But the COVID situation really made it clear this is not working. We need a significant amount of square footage to meet our demand.”

Food to the people The Durango Food Bank serves a niche of working families and seniors in La Plata

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County. Unlike Manna, which provides meals (among other services) to people experiencing homelessness, and federal assistance programs like SNAP, nearly all the food bank’s clients have jobs or are on Social Security. Yet, it’s still not enough as they struggle to pay for rent, bills and food.

Or, Smith said some clients have simply fallen upon hard times, whether they just recently experienced a family emergency, are in debt or have an unexpected expense.

For years, the Durango Food Bank has been a place they can come for a few months until they can get back on their feet.

“We don’t see clients over and over; we bridge that gap for them during a difficult time,” Smith said. “These people are not on corners begging; they’re not at the food stamp office. They’re working along-

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side us, socializing with us, but struggling behind the scenes.”

Many of the people who come to Durango Food Bank have steady jobs and make what should be a livable wage (which also makes them ineligible for food stamps). In fact, Smith said many of the food bank’s clients come from major employers in town. But the sheer cost of living in Durango, plus inflation and soaring housing prices, can make it difficult to get by.

“People are set up for failure, because the expense of living is so great, so even if they work all they can, they still struggle,” Smith said. “Our clients are truly our neighbors who are struggling and don’t necessarily want their struggles to be visible in the community.”

By the numbers Although Durango has the beautiful backdrop of the San Juan Mountains and can feel like Disneyland for outdoor junkies, it is still a real town with real people facing real problems. And food insecurity is high atop the list.

According to San Juan Basin Public Health, not having enough food is a concern for 12% of residents in both Archuleta and La Plata counties.

The health department, which runs the Women, Infants and Children program to help with food insecurity, saw its enrollment numbers double at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With many local residents experiencing job loss, having to care for out-of-school children at home, and facing other constraints posed by the pandemic, accessing enough healthy food has become more challenging,” SJBPH said at the time.

Durango Food Bank saw much of the same increased demand. In 2021, for instance, the food bank served 17,381 people, a 22% increase from 2020. About half were adults, 23% children and 29% seniors. By far, the majority of people served were in Durango, but the food bank also assisted people in parts of the county in Bayfield, Ignacio The Durango Food Bank distributed to more than 17,000 people and Hesperus. up 22% from 2020./ Photo by Jonathan Romeo The Durango Food Bank last summer also converted part of its facility to function as a sort of grocery searching for a long-term solution to its facility needs.

“We really need something long term to assist us and store, where clients can come in twice a week to pick up necessary items. “People love it,” Kirsten Chesney, devel- make sure our clients are being taken care of and we have adequate supplies and resources,” she said. “We don’t just opment coordinator for the food bank, said. want food on our shelves. We need a backstock to prepare Un-real estate In response to increasing demand during the pandemic, for emergencies.” which also included providing assistance to outlier counThe Durango Food Bank is primarily funded – about ties, the Durango Food Bank was able to secure an addi- 90% – by individual donors and community support. The tional 3,000-square-foot facility to store more products and problem is, Smith said, the nonprofit doesn’t have nearly serve as a regional food distribution hub. But that agree- enough funds to be competitive in the Durango real estate ment was only for the short term, and now, as the dust set- market, and to appeal to bigger funders and organizations tles from the pandemic, Smith said the food bank is for help, a project needs to actually be in the works.

“We don’t have cash reserves for the purchase of a multi-million dollar property,” Smith said. “And we need to have something in the works for funders to come in. So we’re in a tricky place.”

The search continues Ideally, the Durango Food Bank needs a 6,000-10,000-square-foot warehouse-type facility, which, of course, is not an easy find in Durango. “Our hands are tied because of the logistics of finding the space and the extreme cost out there,” Smith said. “But the need is here and now.”

The food bank hopes to work with La Plata County on a county-owned facility, the old Pepsi distribution center in Bodo, which is equipped with loading docks and semi-truck access. But County Spokesman Ted Holteen said that property is reserved for future expansion of the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.

Commissioner Matt Salka, however, said the county is aware of the food bank’s predicament. in 2021,

“We do have concerns, because the Durango Food Bank is an important need and asset for our community,” Salka said. “So it’s definitely on our radar; this is not on the backburner.”

In the meantime, the search continues, but the Durango Food Bank is optimistic. Smith said everyone in the community understands how important it is to help people experiencing food insecurity. But one difficulty is getting the message out there that food security can affect anyone, at any time.

“Our clients are struggling but don’t want their names or faces out in the public,” she said. “But these are people we work with, go to church with, see around town, but behind the scenes, they are in need of our help.”

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June 9, 2022 n

9

StateNews

Turning up the heat New federal standards aim to make manufactured homes more energy efficient

by Sam Brasch Colorado Public Radio

A

ngela Maria Ortiz Roa loves almost everything about her single-wide manufactured home in Boulder’s Mapleton Mobile Home Park.

The community offers a rare option for affordable homeownership in the heart of the city. After moving in months before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ortiz Roa now has space for bongos and keyboards she plays with her son. A dog named Poma has joined the family. A corner in the living room is packed with house plants, which she fertilizes with compost from a bin in her kitchen.

Ortiz Roa, who works in communications and climate justice for the City of Boulder, said energy prices are one of the few downsides of her unit. While she tries to keep her thermostat low in the winter, she said her bills often top $100 a month due to drafts and a lack of insulation. Those costs climbed higher this year amid rising energy prices.

“When you walk in bare feet in the winter, you can feel gaps in the lining where the floor gets cold,” Ortiz Roa said.

Many owners of manufactured homes face similar struggles. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows mobile homes use about 35% more energy per square foot than single-family homes. A Colorado study shows the additional energy costs mean mobile home residents – who tend to be lower or middle-income – see a higher proportion of their paychecks go to energy bills.

Last month, the federal government took a long-awaited step to help address the issue.

Angela Maria Ortiz Roa in her home at the Mapleton Mobile Home Park in Boulder in May. While she tries to keep her thermostat low in the winter, she said her bills often top $100 a month due to drafts and a lack of insulation./CPR photo Following a lawsuit from the Sierra Club, the U.S. Department of Energy adopted new energy efficiency rules designed to protect manufactured homebuyers from unnecessary energy costs, marking the first update of the rules in more than 25 years. The agency claims the requirements will slash greenhouse gas emissions and help future manufactured home residents save hundreds of dollars a year on utility bills.

But the move has fueled a debate about affordability amid rising energy prices and a nationwide housing crisis. Manufactured homebuilders warn that tougher rules could increase the cost of homes.

Since manufactured homes often cross state lines on truck beds, the federal government has been the primary authority overseeing their construction standards for decades. The U.S. Department of Housing

Join us June 11th for Clean Commute Week and get a free bike tune up!

TBK Bank parking lot, across from Transit Center Check us out on Facebook or at www.durangofarmersmarket.com

10 n June 9, 2022

telegraph

and Urban Development last set energy efficiency standards in 1994. Congress passed a 2007 law calling on the Department of Energy for an update, but bureaucratic hangups left the issue unsettled until this year.

The final rules create different standards for single- and multi-section homes, setting looser requirements for the smaller units.

U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said this is to ensure the cheapest manufactured units stay affordable.

“We are recognizing the upfront purchase price is important as well, so we wanted to strike a balance,” Granholm said during a recent visit to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado.

However, the final standards disappointed energy efficiency advocates. Lowell Ungar, the director of federal policy for the American Council for an Energy Economy, said the 2022 update is an improvement, but he thinks the government could have gone further without significantly increasing home prices.

“We think that the Biden administration missed an opportunity here,” Ungar said.

“They’ve barely changed the standards for smaller homes, and we fear that the residents of those homes are going to be paying high energy bills for decades to come.”

The new rules also have drawn fire from the manufactured housing industry, which argues they will increase housing costs.

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, has submitted a bill in Congress to give HUD the final review based on an assessment of increased home prices.

For more from Colorado Public Radio, go to: www.cpr.org.

BetweentheBeats

Sticky fingers Toast offers vinyl, live music & baked goods (with a nod to Rob)

by Stephen Sellers

J

ohn Peel, the longest serving DJ on BBC 1, once said, “Somebody was trying to tell me that CDs are better than vinyl, because they don’t have surface noise. I said, ‘Listen mate. Life has surface noise.’’’

Here’s to the surface noise we find in each of our lives, dear readers. Those pops and hisses of grief and change are an invitation to reexamine what makes life worth living and what we want to be doing with our finite time in this life.

For my money, nobody better embodies this spirit of self-reflective, hardworking grit than the husband-and-wife dream team of Josh and Kyra Bensik, visionaries behind Durango’s Toast Records and Bakes at 643A Main Ave. In the ashes of losing Kyra’s mother to cancer and trying to create a sustainable path forward raising a family in Durango, they have invented a unique recipe of record store, bakery and intimate listening room, with performances from some of the hottest rising stars in Americana and folk music to date. All from scratch and made with love.

I recently sat down with Josh and Kyra at their store as music enthusiasts from all walks of life gleefully and reverently dug through Josh’s hand-built crates of exceptionally well-curated vinyl while savoring Kyra’s heavenly pastries to learn more about their story.

How did you two meet?

Josh: We met through mutual friends, a chance encounter. And we went on our first date on New Year’s Eve. Our friends totally set it up. We went to Mama’s Boy (now closed Italian restaurant).

Kyra: And we had a little New Year’s Eve kiss, too!

How did you two make the decision to open Toast?

Josh: We had been thinking about (moving away from Durango) for a while, wanting to go somewhere and have a fresh start. We were looking at places to move, and then Kyra’s mom got stage 4 cancer, and we lost her. It was really, really sad and tragic.

Kyra: We decided we wanted to stick around after all. Things come in perspective when you lose someone.

Josh: Exactly. These lives are finite. So, we took a leap of faith. A lot of it was, we weren’t around each other. I was working mornings, and Kyra was working nights. Trying to figure out how to raise a kid in Durango, and it The Bensiks was hard. So, we started brainstorming ideas and thinking about combining our passions. So, selling records and pastries was the natural fit. Ultimately, it was a matter of of ‘If not now, when?’

And it started to come together?

Josh: The whole idea is to be able to create a life for us to be able to raise our daughter and spend our evenings as a family. We’ve never been able to do that living in Durango, being in the service industry. For us, this is all about quality of life.

Kyra: The idea is to keep it small, y’know, small batch!

What are we going to find in your bins here, Josh?

Josh: I want to curate a collection that is as eclectic as possible given the limitations of the space. I want to offer a safe place where people can come and flip through vinyl and discover or rediscover something. What you’ll find here is representative of my varied tastes. I love music in all of its many forms. I have everything set up alphabetically, because I want people to come in and dig.

What is the value of having a store that focuses specifically on vinyl?

Tone Dog performing at Toast./ Photo by Carrie Phillips Josh: I think there’s an intrinsic value. I really do think it speaks for itself. Seeing the excitement that people have when they walk in and seeing their joy, and of all age groups. There’s an intimacy to playing music on vinyl that you don’t get digitally. A lot of folks, especially younger folks, are ready to slow down and really engage with their music.

Kyra, how do you think about curating your baked goods?

Kyra: I think a lot about Rob (Kabeary) from Bread. I grew up with him as my mentor. He was so generous. He gave me as much leeway as I wanted. So, really I cherry pick things I’ve come across over the years. I’m in here about 5 a.m. each morning, which I really, really love. It all comes back to the whole quality-of-life idea.

There is a community element to Toast. In a town like Durango with limited venues for music, you’ve created a space to share performances from folks like Willie Carlile, Annie Brooks, Esther Rose and so many others.

Josh: We very much want Toast to be a community place. The whole idea behind doing live acoustic shows is that I want to create a real intimacy for musicians and audience, alike. So, we want to continue to do that.

I’ve noticed there’s never a cover charge for the shows.

Josh: There never will be a cover. It’s a way for us to give back.

Not only are we introducing people to artists, but there is something about it that’s so pure when you’re not paying for it or counting on ticket sales. It’s not tied up in money, and I love that. We’re not serving alcohol; it’s not about partying. It’s about the music.

Matt Heckler is up next, correct?

Josh: Yes! We’re excited; it’s gonna be a great show. He’s an amazing fiddle and banjo player, one of the bright new stars of Americana music right now. It’s at 5 p.m. June 19.

Last question. Why did you name it Toast?

Josh: To honor Rob. One thing I can tell you is that there was no single human being more supportive than he was when he found out we were having a baby. I’ll never forget that. He was a special guy. I wish he could have met Evelyn.

telegraph

June 9, 2022 n 11

StufftoDo

Thursday09

Ska-B-Q with the California Cats, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Bingo Night, 5 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Community Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd., C-201. Donations accepted.

Ben Gibson Band plays, 6-9 p.m., Gazpacho Restaurant, 431 E. 2nd Ave.

Ben Gibson Duo plays, 6-9 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave.

Desert Child plays, 6 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Live music, 5 p.m., Fur Trappers Steakhouse, 701 E. 2 Ave.

Zarfha plays, 6 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

nd

Ben Gibson plays, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Free Outdoor Movie Night, featuring “Spirit Untamed,” Three Springs Plaza, movie starts at dusk.

Black Velvet Trio plays, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, Ignacio.

Ryell Carley & Annie Brooks play, 7 p.m., iAM Music, 1315 Main Ave.

Marissa Zechinato plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

McCurry Organ Trio plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Merely Players present “The Children,” 7 p.m., located at Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr. More info at merelyplayers.org

Merely Players present “The Children,” 7 p.m., located at Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr. More info at merelyplayers.org

Peter Kater & R. Carlos Nakai play, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.

Brendan Shafer plays, 6 p.m., James Ranch Grill, 33846 Highway 550.

Liver Down the River plays, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Powerhouse Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio.

Ecstatic Dance with Hooplah, 7:30-9:30 p.m., American Legion Hall, 878 E. 2nd Ave.

The Road Song Project plays, 7-10 p.m., 11 Street Station.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr. Comedy Night, 9:30 p.m., Olde Tymers Café, 1000 Main Ave.

Pagosa Folk ‘N Bluegrass Festival, June 10-12, more info at ksutpresents.org/folknbluegrass Gary Walker plays, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Jean-Pierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave.

Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m.–12 noon, featuring story time from 9-10:30 a.m. and music from Nu Bass Theory, TBK Bank parking lot, across from the Transit Center.

History of La Plata 2022, exhibit at Animas Museum, 10 a.m.-3p.m., 3065 W. 2nd Ave.

Live music, 5 p.m., Fur Trappers Steakhouse, 701 E. 2nd Ave. Adult Game Night, 5:30-8 p.m., Singletrack Coffee & Tea, 100 Jenkins Ranch Road.

Jake McIntosh plays, 5:30 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Tim Sullivan Band plays, 5-8 p.m., River Bend Ranch, 27846 Highway 550. Part of the 8th annual Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering Outdoor Concert & Barn Dance.

3rd Congressional District Democrats Candidate Forum, 3-5 p.m., Durango Library.

Jack Ellis & Larry Carver play, 6-9 p.m., Fur Trappers Steakhouse, 701 E. 2nd Ave.

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

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

Freestyle Friday, weekly, 5:30 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave.

Salamander Collective plays, 6-9 p.m., Mountain Monk Coffee, 558 Main Ave.

Ian Lennox plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Sean O’Brien plays, 6 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

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Nu Bass Theory plays, 6 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center fundraiser, 4-7 p.m., Buckley Park.

Monday13

Paul Wilbert Memorial Passeggiata, 5-7 p.m., Buckley Park. Part of Clean Commute Week.

Multimodal Trivia, 5-7 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Part of Clean Commute Week.

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

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Merely Players present “The Children,” 2 p.m., located at Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr. More info at merelyplayers.org

Andrew Schuhmann plays, 1-4 p.m., 11th Street Station.

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

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Gracie Jay plays, 1-4 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Pete Guiliani & Richard Leavitt play, 2-5 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

March for Our Lives, gather at Durango High School at 1:45 p.m., march to Durango Library to hear speakers talk about common-sense gun laws.

Free legal clinic, 4-5 p.m., Ignacio Library.

VFW Youth Fishing Derby, 10 a.m., register at Durango Fish Hatchery, 151 E. 16th St.

Ben Gibson plays, 12 noon-2:30 p.m., Purgys, Purgatory Resort.

“Celebrating 50 Years of Local History with 50 Treasures of the Animas Museum,” webinar, 1 p.m.

Register at animasmuseum.org/events.html

Women’s Idea Exchange, 12 p.m., Thrive Chiropractic Studio, 202 W. 22nd St.

Voss’s Summer Dance Party, 10 p.m., Moe’s Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Durango Flea Market, 8 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Men Who Grill, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Buckley Park.

Friday10

Gracie Jay plays, 8 p.m., Outdoorsy, 934 Main Ave.

Sunday12 Saturday11

th

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

Ru Paul’s Drag Race Watch Party, every Friday, 68 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

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

Tuesday14

Pedal vs. Metal Challenge, 12 noon-1 p.m., Backcountry Experience, 1205 Camino del Rio. Part of Clean Commute Week.

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AskRachel

Smooth & slobbery, please hold and breaking down Interesting fact: The service life of the Motorola bag phone ended in 2008 when the networks went extinct. Long live the bag phone.

Dear Rachel, I recently started using Aveeno lotion after seeing your product endorsement commercials on TV. I LOVE Aveeno lotion! The only problem is, so do my dogs, and my friends’ dogs, and, well, all dogs for that matter. Whenever I put Aveeno lotion on, even the unscented kind, the dogs instantly rush over and start licking it off. It’s a full-on tongue bath. While many dogs like the taste of lotion (for whatever reason), no other brand I’ve ever used has the addictive power and attraction that Aveeno does.

It’s like doggie dope with my dogs slurping and drooling all over the place. How do I deal with this?

– Silent Lamb Dear Quiet Sheep, Your epidermis brings all the dogs to the yard. At least they don’t want to make skin suits out of you.

Better to be a lollipop than to be, you know, serial murdered. I don’t know that you can alter the course of nature, and dogs clearly evolved into the Earth’s lotion cleanup crew. Without them, the world would be coated in moisturizer like the globe in the Sherwin Williams logo. So perhaps you can just learn to lean back and enjoy the attention.

– Finger lickin’ good, Rachel Bike Repair & Maintenance: Intro to Bike Commuting with Jennaye Derge, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Durango Tool Library, 278 Sawyer Dr. Email librarian@durango toollibrary.com to sign up.

Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Leah Orlikowski plays, 6 p.m., James Ranch Grill, 33846 Highway 550.

Gracie Jay plays, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Durango Elks Lodge Pub Trivia, 6:30 p.m., Durango Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave. Non-members welcome.

Open Mic Night, weekly 7:30-9:30 p.m., Moe’s Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave. Comedy Open Mic, weekly, 8 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Wednesday15

Bike to Work Day, all day. Part of Clean Commute Week. Stop by the stations around Durango for breakfast treats and the Welcome Center or Mercy for a free t-shirt.

Dear Rachel, I have read that you said, “On my smart phone.” So is the picture of you in your younger days, say 1979, with a DUMB phone or are you checking to see if we notice the antenna? Is this the new kind of smart phone for 2022? Please let us know.

– Bag Phone {1990} Dear Relic, If you must know, the phone in the photo is a prop.

I never actually had a phone with an antenna. I skipped right from the rotary phone (that’s like the one in Adam West’s Batman for the old farts out there) to having a Bluetooth hard-wired into my neural circuitry. But I still make the classic “I’m on the phone” hand gesture that could be mistaken for a surfer signal.

– Bag lady {2022}, Rachel Dear Rachel, I’m a serial monogamist of sorts. Meaning whenever I have a breakup, it involves things like divvying up spices and houseplants. I’m in the world of more casual dating for the first time, and looking to end something after a mere couple months. I’m lost on the etiquette here, since most of my breakups lasted longer than this entire relationship. Any guideposts for me?

– Flying Solo Dear Sailing Han, I admire that you are seemingly not considering ye Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Poetry Night, 6 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave. Ian Lennox plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Ongoing

Durango Chamber Music Festival, June 5-10. View a full line-up of events at: DurangoChamberMusic.com Storytelling & Songwriting Night, every second and fourth Thursday, 6-8 p.m., Mountain Monk Coffee, 558 Main Ave. More info at iAMmusic.us The Hive Indoor Skate Park open skate and skate lessons. Waivers required. For schedule and online waiver, go to www.thehivedgo.org Shock Wave Drag Night, first and third Friday of every month, 9 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave. 18+ “Sled Dogs of America” by Veryl Goodnight, runs through June 30, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

telegraph

Email questions to telegraph@durangotelegraph.com olde ghosting strategy. This is to be commended. You have two good options: Sit down and tell your shortterm SO the truth in person – but not the whole truth, just the part where you’re done seeing each other. Or… make them break up with you. Something like, slather yourself in Aveeno and let them catch you getting slobbery with all the neighborhood dogs.

– It’s not you, it’s me, Rachel

Upcoming Bike Parade to Ska Brewing, June 16, 4:30 p.m., meet at Powerhouse Science Center, 1295 Camino del Rio. Part of Clean Commute Week.

Love Your Commute Celebration, June 16, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Part of Clean Commute Week.

Taylor Scott Band , June 16, 5:30 p.m., Buckley Park.

Merely Players present “The Children,” June 16-18 at 7 p.m. and June 19 at 2 p.m. Located at Merely Underground, 789 Tech Center Dr. More info at merelyplayers.org

Deadline for “On the Town” submissions is Monday at noon.

To submit an item email: calendar@durango telegraph.com

June 9, 2022 n 13

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): “It takes a spasm of love to write a poem,” wrote Aries author Erica Jong. I will add that it takes a spasm of love to fix a problem with someone you care about. It also takes a spasm of love to act with kindness when you don’t feel kind. A spasm of love is helpful when you need to act with integrity in a confusing situation and when you want to heal the past so it doesn’t plague the future. All the above advice should be useful for you in the coming weeks, Aries. Are there any other variations you can think of? Fill in the blank in the next sentence: It takes a spasm of love to _____________.

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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “The great epochs of our life come when we gain the courage to rechristen our badness as what is best in us,” wrote philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

When I read that ambitious epigram, I didn’t know what he was referring to. By “badness,” did he mean the ugly, pathological parts of us? That couldn’t be right.

So I read scholars who had studied the great philosopher. Their interpretation: Nietzsche believed the urges that some religions seek to inhibit are actually healthy for us. We should celebrate, not suppress, our inclinations to enjoy sensual delights and lusty living. In fact, we should define them as being the best in us. I encourage you Bulls to do just that in the coming weeks. It’s a favorable time to intensify your devotion to joy, pleasure and revelry.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It’s an excellent time to correct and uplift your self-image. I invite you to speak the following affirmations aloud: “I am not damaged. I am not on the wrong path. I am not inept or ignorant or off-kilter. The truth is, I am learning how to live. I am learning how to be a soulful human, and I am doing a reasonably good job at that task. I do a lot of things really well. I’m getting to know myself better every day. I constantly surprise myself with how skilled I am at adjusting to life’s constant changes. I am amazed at how much progress I have made in learning how to live.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the Tibetan language, the term nyingdu-la means “most honored poison of my heart.”

Many of us know at least one person who fits that description: an enemy we love to hate or a loved one who keeps tweaking our destiny or a paradoxical ally who is both hurtful and helpful.

According to my analysis, it’s time for you to transform your relationship with a certain nyingdu-la in your life. The bond between you might have generated vital lessons for you. But now it’s time for a reevaluation and redefinition.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Don’t pray for the rain to stop,” advises Leo poet Wendell Berry. “Pray for good luck fishing when the river floods.” That’s useful advice for you, my dear. The situation you’re in could turn out to be a case of either weird luck or good luck. And how you interpret the situation may have a big impact on which kind of luck it brings. I urge you to define the potential opportunities that are brewing and concentrate on feeding them.

edging their honor. These speeches often include expressions of gratitude. An analysis revealed that over the years, winners have thanked Sagittarian director Steven Spielberg more often than anyone else – even more than God. Based on my reading of astrological omens, I believe you deserve that level of appreciation in the coming weeks. Please show this horoscope to everyone you know who may be willing to carry out my mandate. Be proactive in collecting tribute, credit and favors.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo writer Julio Cortázar (1914–84) once remarked, “How tiring it gets being the same person all the time.”

That’s surprising. In fact, Cortázar was an innovative and influential author who wrote more than 30 books in four genres and lived for extended periods in five countries. It’s hard to imagine him ever being bored by his multifaceted self. Even if you’re not a superstar like Cortázar, Virgo, I expect you will be highly entertained and amused by your life in the coming weeks. I bet you will be even more interesting than usual. Best of all, you will learn many fresh secrets about your mysterious soul.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the ancient Greek story of Odysseus, the hero leaves his home in Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War. When the conflict is over, he yearns to return to the beloved life he left behind.

But his journey takes 10 years. His tests and travails are many. The 20th-century Greek poet C. P. Cavafy offered advice to Odysseus at the beginning of his quest: “As you set out for Ithaca, hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery ... Keep Ithaca always in your mind. Arriving there is what you’re destined for. But don’t hurry the journey.

Better if it lasts for years, so you’re old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you’ve gained on the way.” As you begin your new phase of returning home, Capricorn, I invite you to keep Cavafy’s thoughts in mind.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The blogger Frogbestfriend says, “One of the biggest problems with society nowadays is that I am so, so sleepy.”

Frogbestfriend is humorously suggesting that his inability to maintain good sleep habits is rooted in civilization’s dysfunctions. He’s right, of course! Many of our seemingly personal problems are at least partially rooted in the pathological ways the whole world operates. Our culture influences us to do things that aren’t always healthy and wise. I bring this to your attention, Libra, because now is a favorable time to meditate on society’s crazy-making effects on you. Now is also a pivotal moment to heal yourself of those crazy-making effects.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Poet Maggie Smith writes, “We talk so much of light. Please let me speak on behalf of the good dark. Let us talk more of how dark the beginning of a day is.” I offer her proposal as a fertile theme for your meditations. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios are most skilled at teasing out the good stuff from shadows and secrets and twilight. And your potency in these matters is even higher than usual right now. Do us all a favor and find the hidden redemptions and potential regenerations.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): When actors and other creative people in film win Oscars at the Academy Awards ceremony, they come on stage and deliver short talks, acknowl-

telegraph

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I have never, ever, EVER met anyone who has regretted following their heart,” writes life coach Marie Forleo. But what exactly does she mean by “following their heart?” Does that mean ignoring cautions offered by your mind? Not necessarily. Does it require you to ignore everyone’s opinions about what you should do? Possibly.

When you follow your heart, must you sacrifice money and status and security?

In some cases, yes. But in other cases, following your heart may ultimately enhance your relationship with money and status and security. Anyway, Aquarius, I hope I’ve inspired you to meditate on what it means to follow your heart – and how you can do that intensely during the coming months.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Actor and author Jenny Slate testifies, “As the image of myself becomes sharper in my brain and more precious, I feel less afraid that someone else will erase me by denying me love.” That is the single best inspirational message I can offer you right now. In the coming months, you will earn the right and the capacity to make the same declaration.

Your self-definition will become progressively clearer and stronger. And this waxing superpower will enable you to conquer at least some of your fear about not getting enough love.

classifieds

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

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

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

Classes/Workshops Divorce & Custody Clinic Free Divorce & Custody Clinic Presented by Colorado Legal Services Tuesday, June 21st from 5:30 pm to 7 pm at the Durango Public Library and via Zoom. Please call 385-7378 ext 251 for details on how to attend or visit our website at www.durangovap.com/events/ Learn to Letter!

Improve your handwriting, learn brush lettering and more! Visit The ArtRoom or bit.ly/letsletterinperson

HelpWanted

bles, trellises, vintage kitchen art, Asian style chest and lots more. Come in today!

572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

sage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years of experience. To schedule call Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

HaikuMovieReview ‘15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot’ Sometimes I let my husband pick the movie, this was one of those times – Lainie Maxson

Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.

Wanted We are in hell!

We’re a young couple who has lived in Durango since 2015, but decided now was the perfect time to buy a home because we’re idiots. But, if you are selling your home and would rather sell to people who have been here long enough to know what the Arc of History is, contact us at San.Juaner1122@gmail.com Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

Services The Higher Self Do you have something you’d like to work on, personally? Ever wondered who you were in previous lifetimes? Would you just like someone to talk to? Join Louise for a Quantum Healing Hypnosis session at her beautiful Durango office to explore all of the above! Informal talk therapy also available. Visit hypnosishost ess.com for more information!

CommunityService Greater Colorado Pitch Series 2022 $50k-$1M in funding for rural Colorado companies. Deadline to apply is June 10. To apply or for more info, go to www.greatercoloradopitchseries.com.

Free Alzheimer’s Webinars Designed to help families better understand the changes that come with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Registration required.

To register, go to tinyurl.com/yc7fay9k or call the Alzheimer’s Helpline at 800-272-3900.

• “10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s” -

12 noon-1:30 p.m. Tues., June 14.

• “Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia” – 4-5:30 p.m. Thurs., June 16.

• Effective Communication Strategies – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tues., June 28.

• “Understanding & Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors” – 5:30-7 p.m. Thur., June 30.

• Legal and Financial Planning for Alzheimer’s – 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Wed., June 15.

• “Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body” – noon - 1:30 p.m. Wed., June 15.

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RSE Handyman Service Home repair - yard work - odd jobs 970-903-0449

Join Our Team at Mercy Hospital!

Join our team at Centura Mercy Hospital! We are currently looking for full, part time and PRN candidates for our RN, Radiology Tech, Echo Tech, Sterile Processing, Medical Assistant, Housekeeping, Food Service and Cook openings. Sign on bonuses available for some roles. Learn more and apply today at our website www.centura.org/careers. EOE.

Marketing Small & Local Businesses Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses. Visit our website at www.forwardpedal.com or email jnderge@gmail.com Harmony Cleaning and Organizing Residential, offices, commercial and vacation rentals, 970-403-6192.

Dental Lab Immediate opening for a full-time entry level dental lab technician. Competitive pay, vacation, sick leave and 401K. 970-749-2256

Lowest Prices on Storage!

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

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BodyWork

Reruns Home Furnishings New inventory including lots of patio treasures, bistro sets, garden pots, patio ta-

Lotus Path Healing Arts Now accepting new clients. Offering a unique, intuitive fusion of Esalen mas-

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A bear face June 9, 2022 n 15

16 n June 9, 2022

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