The Durango Telegraph, March 25, 2021

Putting our snow boots away too early since 2002

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FREE March 25, 2021

Vol. XX, No. 12 durangotelegraph.com

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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

City six-pack

Déjà vu all over again

Passing on the Paas

Council hopefuls tackle the tough questions p10

State lawmakers wrestle with how to handle shootings p13

Going the eggstra mile & dying eggs the natural way p15

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lineup

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4 La Vida Local

The end is near Confessions of an introvert on being #sorrynotsorry about social distancing

4 Thumbin’ It

by Zach Hively

5 Word on the Street

10

6-8 Soapbox

Ballot buster

10 Local News

City Council hopefuls weigh in on the tough questions

15 Flash in the Pan

16-17 Stuff to Do

13

17 Ask Rachel

A new normal?

Colorado lawmakers grapple with options in wake of latest shooting

18 Free Will Astrology

by Bente Birkeland/ Colorado Public Radio

19 Classifieds

15

19 Haiku Movie Review

Eggstra mile

On the cover: Three skiers soak in a fine view of 13,786 Potosi Peak before enjoying some turns en route to the valley floor./ Photo by Stephen Eginoire

The secret to a basket that would make Martha Stewart swoon

by Ari LeVaux

boilerplate

EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com) ADVERTISING AFICIONADO: Lainie Maxson (lainie@durangotelegraph.com) THE GUY WITH THE CAMERA: Stephen Eginoire steve@gulchmag.com

T

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: Lainie Maxson, Clint Reid, Jesse Anderson, Zach Hively, Kayla Shaggy and Ari LeVaux

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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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Ear to the ground: “This really messes up my City Council brackets.”

– Local on City Council candidate Lisa McCorry’s decision to drop out of the race

Mountain rescue

thepole

RegularOccurrences

With public lands seeing record numbers of visitors in 2020, the San Juan Mountains are a little worse for the wear.

But help is on the way in the form of a $260,000 GOCO grant to San Juan County.

County officials announced the news last week, saying the grant – made possible through lottery ticket sales – would go toward outdoor recreation, stewardship and land protection through a “boots-on-the-ground” approach. Also known as the “San Juan County Public Lands Stewardship and Visitor Education Project,” the effort is a collaboration between San Juan County, Mountain Studies Institute, San Juan Mountains Association, Silverton Chamber of Commerce and San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

“The recreation pressure in this area combined with the demonstrated impacts of unmanaged recreation make this a compelling request,” GOCO reviewers wrote in approving the grant.

Last summer, the San Juans experienced a drastic increase in visitation and backcountry use, impacting fragile watersheds, high-alpine tundra and forests already stressed by drought. Of course the poster child for this was Ice Lakes Basin. In past years, up to 200 hikers per day would make the strenuous trek to the turquoise-blue lake and 13,000-foot surrounding peaks. In 2020, however, Ice Lakes averaged an unprecedented 500 to 650 hikers per weekend day. Over Labor Day Weekend, monitors observed 1,947 hikers and 215 overnight backpackers. The overwhelming crowds have damaged the trail, contaminated the watershed with human waste, trash and toilet paper, and are implicated in a fire that required evacuation of 23 hikers.

But Ice Lakes is not alone – over use and abuse has been noted across the San Juans. As such, the Stewardship Project will offer help in many areas, including the Alpine Ranger program, a Visitor Outreach and Education campaign, and Citizen Science water quality monitoring. Typically providing public safety and education on the Alpine Loop and other parts of the backcountry during the summer, the Alpine Ranger program has been cut in recent years due to a lack of funding.

The infusion of GOCO money will pay for several additional rangers as well as vehicle maintenance and fuel.

The grant will also allow the SJMA to continue its “education base camp” at Ice Lakes and expand it to other hot spots including Highland Mary Lakes and Molas Pass. There will also be “forest ambassadors” at trailheads to talk about Leave No Trace principles as well as a wildfire safety education plan and exhibit.

Finally, the Citizen Science water quality monitoring will train community members to take water samples to be tested for E. coli. Results will be included in outreach materials used by alpine rangers and the Visitor Outreach Campaign.

“Outdoor recreation is essential to our local economy, and the San Juan Stewardship Project is our community’s best chance at stemming the tide of recreation-related resource damage,” project participants said in a statement. “The San Juan Stewardship Project will promote our community’s vitality by enhancing our tourism industry and improving conditions on the ground.”

March 25, 2021 n

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opinion

LaVidaLocal The end is near!

The world as we know it is about to come crashing down. People will expose themselves on the streets. Lions will lie with lambs. Restaurants will cease to offer curbside pickup, and we – the meek, the quiet, the introverted who felt that we had finally inherited the earth – will be forced out of our homes by the tyranny of the Militaristically Extroverted Complex. You may think you are safe in your bedroom with your stack of books and your Disney+ and the one succulent you haven’t yet overneglected, but ask not for whom the vaccine tolls – IT TOLLS FOR THEE. Listen, all ye introverts! We have never faced a greater threat to our very way of life than this insidious vaccine – funded by the government and created in a lab, no less. All we want, all we have ever wanted, is to be left alone. When we see people, we want to do it on OUR terms, with a concrete end time and the full, unfettered freedom to back out at the last minute. For generations, our parents and our parents’ parents suffered in an extroverts’ world, where business deals take place over lunch in public dining establishments, where concerts attract swarms of people who require booze to appreciate music, where children run free with their sticky hands and their saliva.

For one year – for one single year – the extroverts were asked to adopt our ways, to stay home and refrain from congregating in loud groups past our bedtime.

And I ask you, could they do it? No! The extroverts could not humble themselves enough to appreciate our long-suppressed traditional ways. Yet still we persisted, and our ways flourished in the sun, even if that sun sometimes stayed behind a black-out curtain. The skies cleared, because we worked from home and didn’t require our cars. Garden centers ran out of seeds, because we returned to the soil. Aquifers and rivers replenished, because we had no need to bathe on a regular basis.

The world sighed, and for the first time, we felt assured in our way of being. We learned the heartiness of staying in without feeling guilty about it. We grew strong without the anxiety of wondering how to turn down social invitations. Our faces, veiled behind masks, could finally mouth all the

biting thoughts we normally have to keep inside because of society’s complex rules of decency. And it was good.

But now! Now, the old dominant dogmas are returning to reclaim us from the bliss we’ve come to cherish. This vaccine should be, could be, a pure step forward. Saving lives, freeing hospital beds, putting an end to Uncle Tommy’s rants that this virus is a hoax. Sure, he will latch on to some other fabricated crisis, but thank God this will be the end of his pride in creating the portmanteau “Fauxvid-19,” which he spells “Fovid” to our unending delight. These are all glorious advances to the credit of science.

But that segment of the population, nearly half of our siblings in the great American experiment, those who cannot wait to knock down the walls we have built around ourselves in the last year, wield 96 percent of the desire to speak up in public. They are louder than they are big, like a poorly socialized terrier. They will manipulate this triumph of inoculation to effectively eliminate our standing and drag us from this world we love into one they call “normal” and we call “torturous.”

To this we say: we cannot stop you! Our social skills are way too rusty after a year of not seeing other human beings. But to this we also say: you can have your normal, though you cannot force us back into it! We cannot be forced any more than Moses could be forced back to Egypt, or George R. R. Martin could be forced to finish another “Game of Thrones” book.

The human landscape is forever changed. We like being home, and we won’t relinquish that gift so easily. What will you do, ye extroverts, when you find that your parties lack wildflowers, and your one-time sidekicks outright decline your invitations instead of pretending their phones died for a while?

The end is nigh for the introverted world. But neither must we succumb to stepping backwards. Let us shape a new post-vaccine era together, one where introverts and extroverts alike respect each other’s needs and admire each other’s strengths! Or at least one where you all stop expecting us to return your phone calls.

Sign of the Downfall:

Thumbin’It Community leaders finding a new option for a homeless camp near Bodo Park in light of the pending closure of the Purple Cliffs camp

A sudden resurgence in mass shootings after a pandemic-induced respite, with 10 killed at the Boulder King Soopers, bringing the state’s total mass shooting death toll to 47 since 1993

Durango Police teaming up with social workers from Axis Health to respond to mental health crises and other noncriminal emergencies

Geologic time intersecting with the Ouray Ice Park, with a large boulder taking out some of the park’s routes as well as a pipeline to a power plant

Chapman Ski Hill seeing record attendance this season, providing a safe recreation outlet for local kids to get out of the house and have fun

4 n March 25, 2021

– Zach Hively

Out-of-control American spring breakers mobbing Miami and Mexico amid the ongoing pandemic, overwhelming law enforcement, businesses and residents

telegraph

Pelvis Presley Finally!

Now you can buy an electronic pelvic floor trainer that lets you play video games with your vagina by doing kegels. The “Perifit” retails for $199 (but you can “squeeze the price” during online checkout this week to $139), and it promises to do all sorts of fancy stuff, like giving you “five-dimensional” analysis of your pelvic floor and allowing you to “reconnect with your partner.” But the best part is that the game you get to play is “Flappy Bird,” and given the slang definition of “bird,” the choice must’ve been intentional.

WordontheScreen With checks hitting most people’s accounts this week, the Telegraph asked, “What are you spending your stimulus money on?”

Q

Stephanie

“Last year’s taxes.

The government should have just written the check to themselves.”

Jonezy

“A new roofmounted A/C unit after I destroyed the old one driving my van into a Walmart awning.”

Michael

“Maybe Dogecoin.

Whatever the f$#* that is!”

Zac

“Bills and a monkey to get me beer from the fridge.”

Emily

“Miscellaneous van adventures.”

Helping make my home, your home.

I will make sure you’re TCO in DGO.

Rebecca Applegate

Taking Car Care e Of Business

970.769.1336 Rebecca@RealEstateDurango.com

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March 25, 2021 n 5

SoapBox City Election 2021 Paying for more than tourism As a local business owner and nonprofit volunteer, I ask you to consider voting “Yes” for the lodger’s tax. One of the goals of the tax is to help reestablish city funding for our beloved cultural nonprofits, which ended in 2008 due to the financial crisis. If the lodgers tax passes, 14 percent of the lodger’s tax will be dedicated to arts and culture.

With this funding, our local cultural nonprofits, facilities and events can do even more to increase our residents’ quality of life. Grantees would include the Powerhouse Science Center, Art Center, Concert Hall, public art, etc., and also cultural events, such as the Taste of Durango, Film Fest and dozens of others. Every town has sidewalks and streets, but the ones you want to live in have a vibrant arts and culture scene.

With 45 percent of the tax going to the city for public uses, the lodger’s tax will also fund transit, which helps alleviate the parking downtown and is vital to many of our community members to get to their jobs and other essential travel needs. The other 55 percent will go to sustainable tourism marketing, targeted to marketing groups for the shoulder/off seasons when so many of our local businesses need more revenue to keep their workforce employed.

– Bill Carver, Durango Creative District board member

Jessika: 100 percent effort It is with whole-hearted enthusiasm that I am casting my vote for Jessika Buell for Durango’s City Council. I have known Jessika both personally and

6 n March 25, 2021

professionally for 15 years, and throughout all this time, she has demonstrated an exceptional ability to accomplish an extraordinary amount. Everything she does is with 100 percent effort as she is committed to this community, her employees and her family. Through her strong entrepreneurial experience as an employer and owner of three local businesses and co-founder of the Women’s Professional Network, she understands these challenges and opportunities. She understands the critical need for housing and the creation of diverse opportunities throughout the community. She is a problem solver, and with every challenge, she works hard to understand differing perspectives in order to move forward to achieve successful outcomes. Jessika’s enthusiasm for learning and supporting her community is strong, as demonstrated most recently with her efforts to help deliver meals to healthcare workers through our Feed the Frontline initiative.

Jessika is a uniter and someone who couldn’t be better to work together with her colleagues on Council to represent our community.

– Christina Rinderle, Durango

Go back to drawing board on tax The lodgers tax increase, if passed, will have no end date, and the allocations will be permanent. Fifty-five percent of the funds will go toward marketing to increase tourism, 20 percent is allocated for transit, 14 percent is for the arts and culture, leaving only 11 percent to address any above shortfalls and other tourism impacts.

Durango has too many unmet and unfunded community needs to justify those allocations. We need funding for workforce housing, a new police and fire station, a new water treatment plant and storm drainage system,

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and funding to manage parks, trails and open space – all services that support our tourism economy. The impacts of a doubling of the tourism office budget to roughly $2.2 million per year has not been studied. And, the approximate $500,000 for transit is far from adequate, despite what the tax proponents suggest.

Transit is a critical city service and a basic public good.

Adequate dedicated funding is central to reducing vehicle congestion and adverse air quality tourism exacerbates.

In 2018, due to a 50 percent reduction in state funding to be phased in over five years, the City’s Transportation Department cut the Crestview-160, Three Springs-Mercy, and portions of the FLC Transit routes. The Three Springs-Mercy route, a critical link between the hospital and Durango, was reinstated this year with COVID grant funding which will expire in December.

The approximate $500k the lodgers tax could generate is entirely insufficient to reinstate and sustain these important bus routes or increase the service frequency our community desires. Furthermore, this allocation does not consider the millions in unfunded projects our community has prioritized in the Multimodal and ADA transition plans.

A properly crafted lodgers tax will provide vital support to transit and many other city services that make Durango a great place to live and an attractive place to visit. Yes, we do need a lodgers tax increase, but not this one. It’s time to go back to the drawing board!

– Ellen Stein, Multimodal Advisory Board Member, Durango

Capability, character: Frank As a former city councilor and mayor and a good friend of Frank Lockwood, I know he has the characteristics needed to be an excellent city councilor. 4

the board of the Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado, and leadership of the (then) Durango Area Tourism Office. And he has a strong ethical character. Capability, commitment and character: Frank for Durango.

– Dick White, Durango

City runs smoothly with Youssef Warren Buffett is quoted saying, “It’s only when the tide goes out that you learn who has been swimming naked.”

Looking back, our community managed better than most through this horrible time in no small part because of the effective and tireless leadership of Melissa Youssef.

You don’t make the national news when the power stays on, the water is clean and flowing, and businesses survive against unprecedented challenges. Melissa Youssef helped keep day-to-day operations of the City running smoothly; Melissa advocated for the policies that made this year bearable. My personal favorite is the bump-outs, but there are many accomplishments supporting both businesses and people through this time. Reading about them at www.melissayoussef.com/ year-in-review/ is a great way to reflect on the positive in our community.

Now is a time to be grateful that we live in such a wonderful place, but also not take it for granted. Extremes in leadership fail, but community-centric leaders make sure we all win. Melissa has kept us going in hard times, let’s see what she can do with the bright future ahead.

– Jessica Wheeler, Durango

Passion, poise and promise Melissa Youssef has the experience we need for City Council in these troubling times. With passion, Melissa has taken on many challenges and has led our community to a promising future. She is resilient and poised under pressure, capable of making tough decisions on many of Durango’s most serious problems. From the be-

ginning of her tenure in City Council, Melissa has set in motion solutions to critical issues: affordable housing, homelessness and small business financial assistance, all while holding city government accountable and being bipartisan during times of controversy.

Durango, like every community in the nation, is faced with enormous challenges. We have endured the hardships of the pandemic and the economic, social and emotional problems that are associated with this disease. Fortunately, we have a community leader who has persevered and worked tirelessly to help us overcome these hardships.

With strong leadership in local government, Durango will emerge to a brighter future. The promise of that future will be a reality when we reelect Melissa Youssef.

– Brent Brown, Durango

Youssef agent for positive change As a member of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission (MYAC), I have had the privilege of working with Melissa Youssef, and I can say that Mrs. Youssef is one of the most caring and supportive people I have had the pleasure to work with. I joined MYAC because I wanted to represent the students’ voice in local government, as well as provide meaningful services for youth. I was skeptical at first if I, as a student, would truly have the power to make a difference. I was proved wrong working with Mrs. Youssef. It was very evident she had the youth’s best intentions at heart. There was never a meeting that she missed. Even with her busy schedule as mayor, she always found time to work with the youth. She always offered assistance in any project we were working on. For example, she helped us kickstart a T-shirt drive in which the shirts were converted into reusable bags. Not only did she help with our projects, she always asked for our perspective on local government issues, allowing for everyone to feel heard. Mrs. Youssef is clearly a leader driven by a desire to allow everyone to make a positive change.

– Thomas Pope, Durango

Chiefgate 2021 Cartoon was a personal attack To the editor, I want to offer a comment on your editorial cartoon of March 11, in which the conversation focuses on the Chief sign, which remains in place in the parking lot at Toh-Atin in spite of the many complaints lodged against it. I am respectful of others’ opinions and all for engaging in “healthy (civic) discourse,” as your letters policy states.

It also says that you will print almost anything, with the exception of “personal attacks.” Granted, the cartoon is not a letter, but in my opinion, it is indeed a personal attack, in that it accuses both the owners and their customers of being racist. But what really annoys me is the total ignorance and tastelessness of the rationale for that accusation, which is that the owners “abuse indigenous culture.” This is absolutely without merit and so far off the truth that when I read this, I actually thought it might be intended as satirical.

I know the owners very well, and I know how incredibly supportive of Native culture they have been over many, many years, including, just this past fall, organizing and promoting a hugely successful clothing drive, and gathering, splitting, loading and hauling a semi-trailer of wood to the reservation. I don’t see other indigenous activists’ work in support of Native culture, so I can’t speak to their support, but to me, it is outrageous to allege that the owners of Toh-Atin are abusing indigenous artists and indigenous culture by keeping the sign, when the practical and plain truth is that they are much more supportive than anyone else I know and have done more for good for Native communities than anti-sign activists give them credit for.

Finally, I’d like to remind people that the sign in question is not a public monument (and therefore not under

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the jurisdiction of the city, county or state). It is locatedon private property, and the property owners have every right to do with it as they choose. No doubt that is why your cartoonist and indigenous activists are so virulent in attacking it – because they have no power or legal recourse to change it. But in the court of public opinion, I want people to be aware of the facts in this case, and the fact is that the Clark family is a tremendous and valuable source of support for indigenous people and Native art and culture.

– Maureen Neal, Durango

Bent on inciting controversy The recent political cartoon of the “Chief” illustrated in the Telegraph with its rhetoric is uncalled for and inappropriate. First, the cartoon doesn’t show the top of the Chief who is smiling and waving a friendly welcoming hand. This is a piece of American folk art that Toh-Atin Gallery purchased and preserved. Antonia Clark, Jackson Clark and their family have for decades showcased fine Native American art in our community and perhaps done even more to preserve Native American art and heritage than anyone else in Durango. The Clarks have supported Native Americans both in the past and during these difficult times. They have reached out to Native Americans to resolve any misgivings about the Chief sign.

If this sign was a “cowboy” rather than a Native American, would it be considered offensive by ranchers?

This one-sided misrepresentation seems more bent on inciting controversy and divisiveness than anything else.

– Tim Wolf, Durango

A breach of integrity I was horrified to see the cartoon in the Telegraph directed at the Toh-Atin Gallery. Political satire is one thing, slander and falsehoods another. Very embarrassing and a breach of integrity for your paper. I hold the Clark family in high esteem for their community contribution and their contribution to the Native American communities.

– Chris DeNier, Durango

... and everything else Remembering the OG Laker Some of my brothers and I had the opportunity to see Elgin Baylor play in person as a member of the Minneapolis Lakers. He was a genuine “super star” and a great role model as an athlete. In the 1959-60 season (I was a senior in high school) Elgin, for the first of two times, set the NBA single-game scoring record with 64 points. This was during the time that Bob Short was a majority owner of the Minneapolis Lakers. Unbelievably, the Lakers were having a tough time filling up the Minneapolis Auditorium and were a candidate for sale. Tick-

ets were readily available. The night that Elgin set the then-record of 64 points was incredible to see. He was absolutely unstoppable. Unfortunately, the auditorium was not even full that night. He broke his own record again the next season 1960-61 with 71 points. The Lakers were gone to Los Angeles within a year or two.

– Terry Votel, St. Paul, MN (Editor’s note: Elgin Baylor, the Lakers’ Hall of Famer and one of the N.B.A.’s greatest players, died Monday in L.A. He was 86.)

Virus cannot be controlled Changing names not minds I recently read the article about the City Council of Durango being concerned about some of the names of the streets and trails in and around Durango. I would like to give a different view of that decision: I lived and worked with Native Americans for years. When something was named using their tribe, heritage or whatever, they considered it to be an honor, not degrading at all. Most of the “stuff” going around is thought up by the “white” population ... bleeding hearts is what they were called in the day.

Most of the other people could care less what the schools, teams, streets, buildings, etc. were named. This

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racism dilemma has grown out of proportion and causing more problems than necessary. There are racists in every culture and nationality, but these proposed changes are not going to change their minds. The change they are considering is going to be costly; the money could be put to better use. I am originally from the South and the majority in our area lived in harmony.

– Phyllis Ludwig, Bayfield

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We need to stop fooling ourselves into thinking that a virus can be controlled. And why should we trust an industry that makes the majority of its money from prolonging the inevitable? There is nothing that prevents death except becoming a borg. People get sick, most of us get better for a time but we all die at some point. Let’s stop this ridiculousness of trying to control what we can’t control. Life is to be lived. A person’s health is their responsibility and we all have choices to make. The medical industry is not the only choice for health. Vaccines, masks, isolation, the whereabouts of a person and who they’ve been around do not prevent sickness or death.

– Daniel Wilson, Durango

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March 25, 2021 n

9

CandidatesForum

Jessika Buell

Melissa Youssef

Seth Furtney

Olivier Bosmans

Frank Lockwood

Harrison Wendt

City six-pack Council candidates sound off on the burning questions du jour

by Missy Votel

I

t’s been a bumper crop of City Council candidates this year, with seven locals throwing their names onto the ballot for the seats of Chris Bettin, Dean Brookie (term-limited) and Melissa Youssef (who is running again.) With candidate Lisa McCorry dropping out last week, the field has dwindled to six vying to serve one of the four-year terms.

Ballots arrived in local mailboxes this week and must be returned no later than 7 p.m. Tues., April 6.

Answers appear in the order they were received (and some were edited for length, clarity and ALL CAPS – our nemesis):

Jessika Buell Day job: Running/owning/managing three businesses and over 50 employees (aka choreographing, juggling and playing dodgeball with all the new daily things thrown at me) My super power is: I am a shape-shifter: Mom, entrepreneur, fitness fanatic, fiercely loyal friend, committed community member that does everything with integrity and passion – every day.

When I’m not working, I am: Raising and running around after my two boys, working out or laughing with my friends.

Favorite thing about Durango: The community. I feel so lucky to be raising my boys and running my businesses in this amazing city. Durango has the best possible combination of features for an outstanding family-oriented community, its character is unparalleled, it is situ-

10 n March 25, 2021

ated in arguably the most beautiful setting in all of the United States, and the support this community gives to each other is astounding.

Least favorite thing about Durango: The potholes in the Walmart parking lot. I feel like I am dodging mines as I drive past Nayarit. All kidding aside, my least favorite thing about Durango right now is seeing the struggles our local small businesses are going through dealing with attempting to get through the pandemic and the rippling effect it is having on our community (jobs lost, vacant buildings, mental health, etc).

Why are you running for City Council: I am what Durango is: a parent, a business owner/work-my-tail-off citizen, and a community member who wants the city I fell in love with 19 years ago to remain and continually get better.

I will bring diversity to the council representing the 30somethings, the parents, the working class, and the business owners. But most importantly, I want to regain trust with our community. Everything I do, I do with integrity. I lead with a listening ear and make sure everyone is heard. I have an undeterred commitment to find solutions and make decisions in the best interest of our community. I believe that values are what shape a community and those values are defined by the people who live, work and play here. I am someone who is reasonable, a great leader, I have a positive outlook on life and can see both sides of things. I bring to the table someone that unites, listens and leads with passion; and I have the desire, energy and collaboration skills to serve you.

This is, by far, the most incredible community that I have ever lived in and I don’t want to see this lost over time. I want my kids and future residents to move, live,

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work and play in Durango for the same reasons I fell in love with this community, built three businesses and am raising two boys here. I will fight for workforce/attainable housing, quality jobs, small businesses and smart growth.

Seth Furtney Day job: Pleasing my wife and our cat My super power is: MacGyver like talent for unconventional problem solving When I’m not working, I am: Planning to survive my wife’s next great adventure Favorite thing about Durango: Going for a hike out my back door Least favorite thing about Durango: Riding up College Mesa after enjoying pizza & beer at Steamworks Brewing Co. Why are you running for City Council: I couldn’t sit quietly by with the city planning to spend $4M for a monstrous bridge over 32nd Street without prioritizing better “bang-for-the-buck” efforts such as: performing fuel mitigation throughout the town’s wildland urban interface; delivering commitments made in our Community Forest Plan; and establishing a safe connection between downtown and the Animas River Trail.

See my platform at www.sethforcouncil.com.

Frank Lockwood Day job: Currently: running for City Council. Past lives: mediator, mediation trainer, lawyer, lecturer, author (one published book and several peer-reviewed articles, thousands of contracts, leases, bylaws and agreements). 4

My super power is: Understanding others, empathizing with others, connecting with others, sense of humor, work ethic, energy, positive outlook, creativity, courage, writing ability, thinking on my feet (or sitting down), know every word to every song that made it into the top 40 in the ’60s.

When I’m not working, I am: Sleeping, making food, eating, watching the news, watching movies, reading, hiking, getting in touch with my inner child, interacting with my wife (ahem!), sitting in my hot tub and watching the stars at night; or meeting friends for drinks (remember the old days?).

Favorite thing about Durango: Friendly people (I have made 500 new friends in the last month); hiking trails; smart, genuinely concerned and caring people; location; hiking trails (did I say that?); the many fabulous nonprofits; and Sarah Syversen.

Least favorite thing about Durango: Despite being smart, caring people, the apparent lack of skill in resolving differences. Or put another way, territoriality and desperate efforts to protect theirs.

Why are you running for City Council: Because I care. And because I believe I can help move our community forward in solving some difficult problems, like: workforce housing; homelessness; efforts to support and stimulate local business and local investment in our community; and protecting our environment like our trails, water sources and fire mitigation. I do have a unique set of skills that have developed from 30 years of conflict resolution and lawyering (reading, writing analysis and communication). None of the other candidates have this combination or depth of skills that are so desperately needed on City Council.

Melissa Youssef Day Job: City councilor My super power is: Being a positive thinker. My live-by mottos, “the glass is half full” and “look on the bright side” have served me well all my life.

When I’m Not Working, I am: I am being active – hiking, biking, skiing, paddle-boarding, exercising – I have always had a lot of energy! I love spending time with my husband, family and friends, and talk often with my extended family. I have held many leadership roles in local nonprofits.

Favorite Things About Durango: Durango residents are active, engaged, informed and care deeply about our community. I have found my heart’s home – Durango offers everything I want in terms of a place to live and there will never be a need for me to look elsewhere. I love the feeling that I belong.

Also, there are many opportunities for of us, to be involved in things that make Durango a better place to live and work and play. More of my favorite things are the Animas River Trail and all the beautiful surrounding mountains. I love the many opportunities to explore arts and culture in our city. I love all the wonderful restaurants and shops. I love how quickly the weather can

change - it is never boring.

What do you like least about Durango? There’s not much I don’t like. I’ve lived here for 23 years and the honeymoon is far from over. Here’s a go for the least liked: how hard our dry climate is on my skin, how not fun the driving can be during the bigger storms, getting lost while snow-shoeing, and how quickly the weather can change. You can leave home in the morning and by afternoon discover you’re wearing all the wrong clothes!

Why are you running for City Council? I thought long and hard before agreeing to seek re-election. As I know from serving on City Council and as Mayor during the past four years, it’s a huge commitment. I’m running again because I want to build on the successes of the past four years, during which our city government became more communicative, transparent, responsive and inclusive. We’ve prioritized applying solutions rather than band-aids to some important issues. We’ve identified priorities and are at a launching point to accomplish some great things. I’m running again because this is such a pivotal time. As an incumbent, I have the knowledge and experience to keep the good momentum going.

The candidates will all agree we have serious issues to address. We all want a healthy and sustainable future.

We’re committed to preserving Durango’s unique character, culture and natural resources. But as Durango comes out of the pandemic, I believe the most immediate pressing issue is revitalizing our economy. I have degrees in finance and economics and have been a successful local business owner. I currently serve on the La Plata County Economic Recovery Task Force for Restaurant and Retail Sectors. I’m a City Council liaison on the Strategy and Longterm Finance Committee and the Creative Economy Commission. I’ve served on the La Plata Economic Development Alliance Board. I’m running again because I believe I am uniquely qualified and positioned to support Durango’s post-pandemic economic recovery and future economic revitalization and development.

Olivier Bosmans Day job: International Project Manager and EHS Consultant My super power is: Optimism.

When I’m not working, I am: Spending quality time with my children, doing sports and recreational activities, gardening.

Favorite thing about Durango: Community and the people. Despite what some imply, we have a great community.

Least favorite thing about Durango: The long commute, just kidding, I feel for people in the big cities.

Why are you running for City Council: We live in a beautiful place, thanks in part to the great people in our community, the various organizations and all the different departments of the City. The new City Manager Jose Madrigal has hit the ground running, and I like the recent organizational changes he made. We have a sharp city attorney Dirk Nelson. And I have heard good things

about Cynthia Sneed regarding city finances. Despite the pandemic, I am actually quite positive with where we are and where we are heading, we just need to make better progress on a broad variety of topics.

I am very committed to Durango, my kids were all born here and this is home. I am an engineer and have an MBA degree, and run my own small business doing project management and environmental health and safety consulting. I successfully collaborate on larger technical projects, financial budgets with many different stakeholders including project developers, local governments, architects, financial experts and attorneys.

When I learned that Mr. Bettin and Mr. Brookie are permanently leaving, and they brought most of the technical and financial skills, I got worried. And after researching about the new candidates running, I noticed that nobody fills those gaps. So I decided to step up. I am the only candidate that brings actual hands-on experience in technical, financial and environmental matters. I enjoy serving on the La Plata County Planning Commission and the Board of Adjustment, and would be honored to continue my service to the community.

Harrison Wendt Day job: Kids’ Camp Site Coordinator, Durango 9-R My superpower is: Staying sober (19 months, baby!)

When I’m not working, I am: Cuddling with my two puppies, Rango and Chewy, scooting around town on my 1987 Honda Elite (sometimes in an elf costume) and being an advocate for marginalized folx.

Favorite thing about Durango: My haters. Follow me on Facebook!

Least favorite thing about Durango: The ugly scenery. I just wish this place had more beauty, ya know?

Why are you running for City Council: I am running to fight for bold structural change, and as a workingclass citizen of Durango, I understand best what surviving Durango looks like. What the “Durango Tango” really is.

Where you spend over 60 percent of your income on rent and some weeks may even struggle to put food on your table. I am running because I believe that we can create a difference in our community regardless of race, gender and socio-economic background. That we can remake racial, economic and environmental justice in our local government. We can make a change that comes from compassion and the voice of Durango and create a bold transformation that is revolutionary for small town local governments, in return spearheading the progressive movement while benefiting the community as a whole.

We can be prosperous in economic advancement and opportunities within our small business and working and middle class people. And within the intersectionality of our public transportation, climate change and unhoused neighbors, we can tackle our affordable and attainable housing crisis. Because our community can only successfully create affordable housing if multiple approaches are attempted simultaneously. I believe it is time we start creating and expanding diversity, equity. n

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March 25, 2021 n 11

Need to light your fire?

The Telegraph stocks old issues to burn on the lower racks at these locations: • Durango Post Office • 10th & Main (in front of the Boarding Haus)

• Peerless Tire • Mayer Building, 679 E. 2nd Ave. • Bayfield Post Office • Star Liquors plaza • N. City Market *Just try not to set the night on fire. And please do not take the current issue or leave a big mess.

It makes Jim sad.

Back in the flow.

Issue 15 is out now!

Wherever you find the Telegraph or at www.gulchmag.com.

To find out about advertising opportunities, email: steve@gulchmag.com

12 n March 25, 2021

telegraph

StateNews

Jess Markt, left, and Lindy Hinman of Boulder pay their respects at the makeshift memorial around the perimeter of the Table Mesa King Soopers parking lot on Tues. March 23./ Photo by Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

Déjà vu all over again State lawmakers wrestle with what to do about mass shootings

by Bente Birkeland Colorado Public Radio

T

he mass shooting this week in Boulder has left Colorado lawmakers grappling with the same feelings of grief, resignation and concern as the rest of the country, wondering what comes next, and what policies or societal changes, if any, could stop this type of gun violence from occurring so frequently.

Democratic state Rep. Judy Amabile represents the district where the shooting occurred and has close ties to that particular King Soopers. She told CPR News her son used to work there, and his girlfriend is a current employee but wasn’t working when the shooting happened.

“I haven’t talked to her. I’ve talked to him and he was pretty stunned by that happening, but also not stunned, also not that surprised,” Amabile said. “And that's kind of how I felt too. Like, ‘Oh my God, it's something that we knew was inevitable.’

We just didn't know what it would look like or where it would happen. It's happening all over our country.”

The Boulder shooting occurred less than a week after eight people, mostly Asian women, were killed in Atlanta. It’s the largest mass killing in the state since the Aurora theater shooting in 2012.

State lawmakers put their legislative

work on pause Tuesday morning to reflect on the Boulder tragedy, and take a moment of silence. But Amabile said she doesn’t want silence, because “the victims won't hear our silence.”

Many details about the accused 21-yearold shooter from Arvada are still unknown, but some who know him have described him as having “anger management issues.”

Amabile said regardless of the man’s motives or mental state, Colorado needs to do more to improve mental health care, including stepping up funding. One of her children has bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and she said getting the right help has been nearly impossible.

“I have a huge amount of compassion for the people who died ... but I would also say I have compassion for the family of the perpetrator, and I hope people won't use this as a reason to shame and blame his family,” she said.

Dealing with the sudden loss of life due to gun violence is all too familiar for Colorado, which has had some of the highest numbers of mass shootings in the country, dating back to the attack on Columbine High School in 1999. These incidents have left deep scars on Coloradans – and lawmakers – who’ve lived through them.

“People say sometimes they think that we've gone kind of numb to this. I don't think that's true at all. I just think we've got-

ten good at it. We have a lot of practice," Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Aurora, whose son Alex was killed in the Aurora theatre shooting in 2012.

Alex’s death motivated Sullivan to run for office to help pass stricter gun laws. He was the main sponsor of a so-called “red flag” gun law in 2019, which allows a family member or law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily remove someone’s guns for up to a year if they’re deemed dangerous to themselves or others.

This session he's sponsoring a measure that would require people to report lost and stolen firearms. Some of his colleagues are also advancing a bill to require safe storage of firearms if there’s a risk they could be accessed by a child or someone who isn’t allowed to own guns. Both measures are making their way through the Democraticcontrolled state House.

Sullivan acknowledges that gun policies alone can’t stop all mass shootings, but he views it as an ongoing issue, like the movement for civil rights, that needs to be addressed and tackled piece by piece. He sees part of his role as raising awareness. That’s one reason he wears his son’s leather jacket when he goes to work at the state Capitol.

“I hope that during the course of my day, that someone else will notice it and they'll see, this is what gun violence looks like. This is a survivor and a victim of a mass shooting.” 4

telegraph

March 25, 2021 n 13

Shootings

from p. 13 Opponents of the Legislature’s efforts to strengthen gun laws say the policies won't stop this type of violence and only hurt law-abiding gun owners. The issue has been a political lightning rod for voters. Two Democratic state senators were recalled in 2013 after they voted to pass a high-capacity magazine ban and universal background checks.

Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, said the only real way to address mass shootings, suicides and other gun crimes is by turning to a higher power.

“I will continue to pray for you,” Sonnenberg told his colleagues on the floor of the state Senate. “I'll continue to pray for those families. And I want us to remember that there is an answer. If we just look for it. I'm sorry to preach, but I think it's a message that needs to be said, that God needs to be back in our lives.”

Republican state Rep. Richard Holtorf, RAkron, said he thinks the state and country have a mental health crisis. He didn’t advocate for specific policies the Legislature should act on, but rather for people to start taking better care of each other.

“We need more love in this world. We need more outreach in our communities.

We need more respect and understanding for our fellow man and our youth. We, as humanity, are so misguided. We have lost our respect for ourselves. We've lost respect for the human spirit. We've lost hope in

very troubled times.”

Some lawmakers said they are still in a state of shock and it was too soon to figure out the next steps. Others were frustrated that just days before the shooting a state district court struck down the City of Boulder’s ban on assault rifles. The court cited a 2003 Colorado law that says cities and counties cannot restrict ownership of guns that are otherwise legal under state or federal law.

Democratic Speaker of the House Rep. Alec Garnett, D-Denver, said he wishes the federal government would pass concrete gun laws, especially measures that have broad support, like extreme risk protection orders and universal background checks.

“When I look at all the things that the state has done, what makes me most angry is the fact that the federal government hasn't taken the same lead,” Garnett said. “The federal government hasn't stepped up and recognized the epidemic the way that we have here in Colorado.”

And like a lot of Colorado lawmakers, Garnett, who grew up in Boulder and at one point lived across the street from the King Soopers where the shooting took place, has been coping with his personal feelings around the enormous loss of life.

He said he was walking down the Capitol steps when a friend texted him about an active shooter at the King Soopers.

“It just kind of stopped me in my tracks.

I immediately reached out to my parents who live in Boulder … but from that point on, I was sort of paralyzed in fear.”

Garnett also remembers where he was

Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Aurora, at the Capitol on March 16. Sullivan’s son Alex was killed in the 2012 Aurora movie theatre shooting, prompting Sullivan to run for office in the hopes of enacting changes to gun laws./ Photo by Hart van Denburg/CPR when he learned about the attack on Columbine High School and the Aurora theater shooting. And now this moment,

too, will stay with him permanently.

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

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14 n March 25, 2021

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FlashinthePan

Dying for something new

by Ari Levaux

T

he egg came first. Let’s just get that out of the way. For millions of years before humans domesticated the feathered lizards known today as “chickens,” countless generations of amphibia and reptiles, including dinosaurs, were laying eggs. The egg is an amazing system for nurturing young beings that’s just plain awe-inspiring when you think about it. It’s also a delicious and beautiful form of animal protein that no animal had to die for.

When Easter comes around, people steam their homes with vinegar in order to recreate the pretty colors that come naturally from a diverse set of hens. We backyard hen keepers, aka flocksters, understand the excitement. There is something deeply captivating about a multicolored basket of eggs. We just don’t care to wait all year to enjoy it.

For the flockster, every day is like Easter, especially if there is a blue egg layer in the flock, like an Araucana or an Ameraucana. Then you can have a mix of white, brown and blue eggs.

In that company, the brown eggs look reddish next to the blues, and you end up with a haul of red, white and blue eggs.

Each protein-packed spheroid is a reminder of how preferable it is to give your food waste to a chicken rather than a compost pile. The girls cluck pleasantly as they convert soggy noodles, meat scraps, old greens and browned bananas into brunch.

They close the loop between your kitchen and garden, and connect your home to the surrounding ecosystem.

There is also something soothing and invigorating about the sound of spring chickens scratching in the dirt.

Young chicks have an intoxicating zest for life that is fun to be around. After a long winter, I let the hens out of their coop and let them run around the entire back yard, including the garden, where they turn over the top layer of soil and get it aerated a little, like scratching the earth’s head after a long sleep, at the beginning of a big day.

Last year my flock had dwindled down to just two golden buff orpington hens both named Annabelle. At least they had each other through the winter, but they needed company. And thanks to a deal that went down in a parking lot near the farmers market the other week, we’ve got some reinforcements.

I bought a cardboard box with six birds stuffed inside from a market vendor whose eggs I buy when my

girls aren’t laying enough. The timing of this transaction was meticulously planned. The new chicks had to be big enough to not get pecked apart by the old hens, and old enough to be discerned from the roosters, which we could not accommodate. But the new chicks could not be not too big, lest they in turn would bully the senior hens.

I set the box of boisterous cargo in the chicken yard and took off the lid. A single feathered head popped up like a periscope. One by one they hopped out. After a polite, deferential period of about 30 seconds, the new chickens quickly made themselves at home. They knew exactly what to do in a chicken yard, and were running around like juvenile delinquents, while the old hens watched from the corner, making concerned squawking sounds in my general direction. But when evening fell, the new girls had all found their way into the coop and were snuggled up on perches alongside the old girls. The flock merger was complete.

The hen party never ends, but if you don’t have the

telegraph

yard space, extra bandwidth or desire to take care of living, eating, pooping beings, you certainly don’t have to. You can buy eggs from local chicken farmers for your dietary needs.

And if you want to make some colored eggs for Easter, buy some cheap white eggs at the store and color them with natural products you can find around the house. Natural dyes give a more “realistic” look to the eggs, with changes in hue and little bumps and flakes that make them look like they came from the nest of a magic bird, rather than eggs with the flawless, airbrushed finish of synthetic dyes.

Many types of household foods, like beets and blueberries, can be used to color anything white. I prefer using dried leaves, spices and flowers, and basically make tea. My favorite materials are turmeric, black tea and blue pea flower, which makes a bright indigo color and is easy to find online.

The eggs in the photo were dyed with black tea (brown), turmeric (yellow) and pea flower (blue). Like making tea, the process is basically the same regardless of which type of leaves are used, but each person has a preference on how strong they like it. The depth of color is dependent on how much material you use, and how long you let the eggs “steep.” Some of the eggs in the photo have lighter shades from less time steeping.

If you want to eat the eggs, go for it. Just keep them refrigerated.

Tea-Dyed Eggs 6 eggs 1 quart water 1 cup vinegar Choice of colorant: 1 cup powdered turmeric ¼ cup pea flower 3 bags black tea Place the water, vinegar and eggs in a pot over medium heat. Add the dye materials and bring to a boil.

Turn down to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn it off and let the eggs steep until they reach the desired hue. For the darkest shades you see on the plate, let them sit overnight (in the fridge, if you plan to eat them).

Remove them very gingerly and set on a rack to dry.

When the coating is still wet it can rub off, leaving a lighter shade below like an old coat of paint. Once completely dry they can be handled more easily. n

March 25, 2021 n

15

StufftoDo

Thursday25 60th annual FLC Student Juried Exhibition, opens today and runs thru April 6, FLC Art Gallery.

Opening reception March 25, 4:30-6 p.m. via Zoom: /fortlewis.zoom.us/j/93838711103. Juried by Arielle Meyers, owner and curator of The Valley, a contemporary art gallery in Taos.

Gary B. Walker plays piano, 11a.m.-1 p.m., JeanPierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave. Heartwarming Soup Sale, 4-6 p.m., featuring Morroccan Lentil (vegan) Dandelion Café, 725 E. 2nd Ave. $10 min donation/quart. All proceeds go to The Hive. thehivedgo.org/upcoming-events “Decorated Walls and Tree-Ring Dates South of the Bears Ears,” free zoom talk, 4 p.m. Register at www.crowcanyon.org Durango Virtual Green Drinks, 5:15 p.m., featuring the Wilderness Society and Conservation Colorado. Hosted by the Sustainability Alliance of SW Colorado. For log in, visit Durango Green Drinks on FB.

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

Animas High School Online Information Session for prospective families, 5:30-6:30 p.m., via Google Meet: meet.google.com/iod-tzkm-scx Adam Swanson plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Grab your facemask and personal-space bubble and head out to Ska Brewing for some indigenous ska/reggae from Innastate this Saturday. Named “Best Reggae Band in Albuquerque,” they play from 36 p.m. for your Logger drinking pleasure.

Jose Villareal plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Monday29

Ongoing

Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30-7 p.m. Online at www.durangodharmacenter.org/

Weekly Activity Kits for Kids and Teens, new kits come out every Tuesday, while supplies last, Durango Public Library. Stop by or arrange a curbside pickup: 970375-3380 or reference@durangogov.org.

“Indigenous Literatures: From Novels and TV to Weaving and Quilting,” zoominar presented by FLC Lifelong Learning Lecture Series, 7-8:30 p.m., featuring Mellon Scholar and FLC Assistant Professor in Native American & Indigenous Studies Brian Twenter. tinyurl.com/2o6ltmsq

Friday26 Freestyle Art Fridays, 2-3:30 p.m., at The Hive with Alex Vick. To register, email kelsie@hivedgo.org.

Saturday27 Henry Stoy plays piano, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Jean-Pierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave. Innastate plays high energy, indigenous, reggae/ska 3-6 p.m. for Ska’s Mexican Logger release week finale, 223 Girard St.

Tuesday30 “Persian Gulf Security Issues,” a virtual talk, 11:45 a.m. with moderator Curt Johnson. Presented by the 2021 Great Decisions International Affairs Discussion Program.

For link, visit www.lwvpaplata.org.

Mexican Logger Release Week through March 27, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Ska Brewing. Featurng a special menu from The Container. Call 970-247-5792 to reserve tables in advance for $20, which includes your first two pints.

Proceeds go to the Community Emergency Relief Fund.

7 Rivers Farmers Market, winter farmers market, 12-3 p.m. featuring local farmers, food vendors and artisans, La Plata County Fairgrounds. Masks and social distancing required.

Episode 6 of the Actor’s Journal now streaming, featuring Judith Guest, Stacy Keach and more. Presented by the Durango Playfest. For tickets, go to: www.durangoplayfest.org/actors-journal

“Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s and Dementia,” 6 p.m. Free zoom talk with Debra AntistaBianchi, regional director of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Presented the Rotary Club of Durango. For log-in, email: Mtnman16@gmail.com.

Wednesday31 Sunday28 Wolf Creek Local Day, tickets adults/$58, seniors/$40, child/$31, must be bought in advance: wolfcreekski.com.

Henry Stoy plays piano, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Jean-Pierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave.

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Wolf Creek Local Day, tickets adults/$58, seniors/$40, child/$31, must be bought in advance: wolfcreekski.com.

“Cooking Through Culture: Northern Africa,” free Zoom presentation, 6-7 p.m. Presented by the Pine River Public Library. For log-in info, email: darcy@prlibrary.org.

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DAC’s Durango’s Got Talent (virtual edition) invites students to submit videos for an online talent show (date TDB) by March 31. Submissions should be no longer than 4 minutes in length and be appropriate for a family audience. Entry fee of $25 to cover production and release costs. Register, go to: www.durangoarts.org.

“High History,” presented by Telluride Theatre, streaming 7 p.m. nightly through March 21. Take a trip back in time as Betty and Chrissy get high and are guided by a ghost back in time to revisit Telluride’s history and its most notable, notorious and wacky characters. Ages 17+.

Tickets available at: www.telluridetheatre.org “Sui Generis: A year of its own” art exhibit, presented by The Phoenix art project, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. 4

AskRachel Crimes against humani-tea, what about Bobcat & Hobbit holiday Interesting fact: March 25 is indeed the date of Frodo’s jewelry return gone awry, but that equates to March 18 on the Gregorian calendar. You nerds are all a week late.

Dear Rachel, Do you know how many times I make myself a cup of tea to unwind at the end of the day, and promptly forget about it until the next morning?

Too many times! It’s such a sad sight to stumble into the living room, spy a mug on the table, and realize that not only did I waste a perfectly good cuppa, but I deprived myself of a moment of zen.

What’s a way for me to remember my tea while it’s still hot? And don’t recommend a piece of string on my finger. Tried it. Didn’t work.

– Crossed by Tea Dear Cold Comfort, I thought it was just me! I’m infamous for this. Honestly, in my younger days, I used to microwave the cup of tea in the morning because why not. Now that I’m old enough, that feels kind of gross, and I don’t mind wasting the 10-cent tea bag, because I’m not yet old enough to splurge on tea that costs more than that. I don’t think I’m allowed to buy tea with more than one ingredient until I learn to be responsible. Until then, it’s green-flavored tea for me.

– Ta, Rachel Dear Rachel, I hereby declare a mission to rename the construction equipment known as a Bobcat. Too “Spring’s Promise” art show, thru March 31, watercolors and digital designs by Nadya/Tron. Durango Rec Center Gallery Wall. Sign up at gallery for five prizes to be drawn March 27.

Upcoming “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” streaming April 1-4, presented by FLC Theatre and based on the bestselling novel by Mark Haddon about a mathematically gifted 15-year-old who sets out to solve the murder of a neighbor’s dog and discovers unexpected truths about himself, his mother and the world. Buy tickets at: fortlewis.edu/theatre Keeping Independent Businesses First, Local First’s annual celebration, April 1, 11 a.m.-12 noon, featuring keynote speaker Stacy Mitchell, co-director of the Institute for Local Self Reliance. Also includes lunch voucher, prizes, and awards ceremony.

Register at: local-first.org/events/ “Prehistoric Irrigation in Central Utah: More Than at First Glance,” free zoominar, Thurs., April 1, 4 p.m. Register at www.crowcanyon.org “Childbearing in the Era of Climate Chaos,” zoominar presented by FLC Lifelong Learning Lecture Series, April 1, 7-8:30 p.m., featuring Catharina Hughey, co-director for Having Kids and director of Operation and Programs at the Village Exchange Center. tinyurl.com/2o6ltmsq

many times in my life, most recently last week, I’ve discussed one and had someone assume I meant the other. “My neighbor got a Bobcat to tear up his yard,” I said last week, and from that point on we had two separate conversations until we finally figured out the misunderstanding. Will you amplify my cause for me?

– Collecting Signatures Dear Petition Mission, Who are you petitioning to, exactly? I think there are a lot more worthy social causes to which you could contribute your admirable combo of ire and passion. Even if you decided to stay in the realm of earth-moving machinery, you should start with Caterpillar. When I think caterpillars, I think little, fuzzy butterflies-in-waiting, not yellow heavy-duty big kid toys. That’s my worldchanging advice for ya.

– The only signature you’ll get, Rachel Dear Rachel, March 25, which is a Thursday and thus a Telegraph publication date, is the anniversary of Frodo casting the One Ring into the fiery cracks of Mt. Doom. We need to celebrate this!

Yeah, so what if it’s made up. Tell me that the mythology of the Fourth of July isn’t a little bit made up, not to mention Easter and Christmas and whatever Arbor Day is. How can we commemorate it? And, could you slip something into the Tele for me?

– A Durangotang Hobbit

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com Dear Four Corners Halfling, I had this roommate in college who took up her half of the room with a Middle Earth map. So I’m going to have to google the specifics, but I hate to tell you that the hobbit calendar doesn’t align with ours. She gave a drunken dissertation on this one night. Besides, big whoop, the little man lost a ring. If we commemorated the anniversary of every time Crossed by Tea forgot their darjeeling and had to cast the cold remains into the calcified hole of Mt. Drain, every day would be a holiday.

– Hail and well met, Rachel

Output Friday with DJ Spark Madden, Fri., April 2, 5 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Spring Cleanup, April 5-May 9, sponsored by the City of Durango, taking yard waste, furniture, large appliances, scrap metal, drywall, fencing, carpeting, tiles and open dried paint cans. For schedule, go to: www.durangogov.org “The End of Globalization,” a virtual talk, Tues., April 6, 11:45 a.m. with moderator Ruth Alminas. Presented by the 2021 Great Decisions International Affairs Discussion Program. For link, visit www.lwvpaplata.org.

Angie Beach, executive director of Music in the Mountains, Tues., April 6, 6 p.m. Free zoom talk presented the Rotary Club of Durango. For log-in, email: Mtnman16@gmail.com.

Looking to get back out there?

“Before Powell? A Descent of the Colorado River Through the Grand Canyon on a Tule Reed Raft,” free Zoom talk, Tues., April 6, 6:30 p.m. Presented by the Colorado Native Plant Society. Register in advance at: tinyurl.com/tumt6jp9

The Telegraph can help you let potential customers know it’s business time.

Deadline to submit items for “Stuff to Do” is Monday at noon.

For more information, email: lainie@durangotelegraph.com or call 970-259-0133

E-mail your stuff to: calendar@durango telegraph.com

telegraph

March 25, 2021n 17

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny

Is your family a royal pain in the arse?

Time to buy your own palace with Tina Miely.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the novel House of Leaves, the hero Johnny Truant describes his friend Lude as wanting “more money, better parties and prettier girls.” But Johnny wants something different. What is it? He says, “I’m not even sure what to call it except I know it feels roomy and it’s drenched in sunlight and it’s weightless and I know it’s not cheap.” In my opinion, that declaration is far too imprecise! He’ll never get what he wants until he gets clearer about it. But his fantasy is a good start. It shows that he knows what the fulfillment of his yearning feels like. I suggest you get inspired by Johnny Truant’s approximation to conjure up one of your own. Gaze ahead a few years, and see if you can imagine what your best possible future feels like. Then describe it to yourself as precisely as possible.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): How distraught I was when I discovered that one of my favorite poets, Pablo Neruda, was an admirer of the murderous dictator Joseph Stalin. It broke my heart to know I could never again read his tender, lyrical poetry with unconditional appreciation. But that’s life: Some of our heroes and teachers disappoint us, and then it’s healthy to re-evaluate our relationships with them. Or maybe our own maturation leads us to realize that oncenurturing influences are no longer nurturing. I recommend that sometime soon, you take a personal inventory with these thoughts in mind. I suspect there may be new sources of inspiration headed your way. Get ready for them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Self-help author Steve Maraboli has useful advice for you to consider in the coming weeks. I hope you’ll meditate on what he says and take decisive action.

He writes, “Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” To get started, Gemini, make a list of three things you do have power over and three things you wish you did but don’t have power over.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): While he was alive, Cancerian author Franz Kafka burned 90 percent of everything he wrote. In a note to a friend before he died, he gave instructions to burn all the writing he would leave behind.

Luckily, his friend disobeyed, and that’s why today we can read Kafka’s last three novels and a lot more of his stuff. Was his attitude toward his creations caused by the self-doubt that so many of us Cancerians are shadowed by? Was he, like a lot of us Crabs, excessively shy about sharing personal details from his life? In accordance

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with astrological omens, I urge you to at least temporarily transcend any Kafka-like tendencies you have. It’s time to shine brightly and boldly as you summon your full powers of self-expression.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): To create your horoscope, I’ve borrowed ideas from Leoborn author Cassiano Ricardo. He speaks of a longing “for all that is tall like pine trees, and all that is long like rivers, and all that is purple like dusk.” I think yearnings like those will be healthy and wise for you to cultivate in the coming weeks. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you need expansive influences that stretch your imagination and push you beyond your limitations. You will benefit from meditations and experiences that inspire you to outgrow overly small expectations.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo actor and director JeanLouis Barrault (1910-94) aspired to “wake up a virgin each morning.” He wanted “to feel hungry for life,” as if he had been reborn once again. In order to encourage that constant renewal, he regarded going to sleep every night as “a small death.” I recommend his approach to you during the coming weeks. In my astrological opinion, the cosmic rhythms will be conspiring to regularly renew your desires: to render them pure, clean, raw and strong. Cooperate with those cosmic rhythms!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Is there anything more gratifying than being listened to, understood and seen for who you really are? I urge you to seek out that pleasure in abundance during the coming weeks. My reading of the astrological omens tells me you need the nurturing jolt that will come from being received and appreciated with extra potency. I hope you have allies who can provide that for you. If you don’t, search for allies who can. And in the meantime, consider engaging the services of a skillful psychotherapist or life coach or some other professional listener.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Blobs, spots, specks, smudges, cracks, defects, mistakes, accidents, exceptions and irregularities are the windows to other worlds,” author Bob Miller writes. I would add that all those things, along with related phenomena like fissures, blemishes, stains, scars, blotches, muck, smears, dents, and imperfections, are often windows to very interesting parts of this seemingly regular old ordinary world – parts that might remain closed off from us without the help of those blobs and defects. I suggest you take full advantage of the opportunities they bring your way in the coming weeks.

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Innovative psychologist Carl Jung had a nuanced understanding of the energies at work in our deep psyche.

He said our unconscious minds are “not only dark but also light; not only bestial, semi-human, and demonic, but also superhuman, spiritual, and, in the classical sense of the word, ‘divine.’” I bring this to your attention, Sagittarius, because now is a favorable time to get better acquainted with and more appreciative of your unconscious mind. For best results, you must not judge it for being so paradoxical.

Don’t be annoyed that it’s so unruly and non-rational. Have fun with its fertility and playfulness and weirdness.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The fantasy drama “Game of Thrones” has appeared on TVs all over the world. But the audience that watched it in China got cheated out of a lot of essential action. Government censorship deleted many scenes that featured nudity and sex, fighting and violence, and appearances by dragons, which play a starring role in the story. As you can imagine, Chinese viewers had trouble following some of the plot points. Telling you about this, Capricorn, is my way of nudging you to make sure you don’t miss any of the developments going on in your own personal drama. Some may be hidden, as in China’s version of “Game of Thrones.” Others might be subtle or disguised or underestimated. Make it your crusade to know about everything.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind,” author Rudyard Kipling wrote. Yes, they are. I agree. They change minds, rouse passions, build identities, incite social change, inspire irrationality, and create worlds. This is always true, but it will be especially important for you to keep in mind during the coming weeks. The ways you use language will be key to your health and success. The language that you hear and read will also be key to your health and success.

For best results, summon extra creativity and craftsmanship as you express yourself.

Cultivate extra discernment as you choose what you absorb.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean linguist Anna Wierzbicka says the Russian expression dusha naraspashku means “unbuttoned soul.” She continues, “The implication is that it is good, indeed wonderful, if a person’s ‘soul,’ which is the seat of emotions, is flung open in a spontaneous, generous, expansive, impetuous gesture, expressing full trust in other people and an innocent readiness for communion with them.” I wouldn’t recommend that you keep your soul unbuttoned 24/7/365, but in the coming weeks, I hope you’ll allocate more time than usual to keeping it unbuttoned.

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.)

Ads can be submitted via: 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: Out on delivery Fri: Gone fishing

Announcements “Spring’s Promise” Show Nadya/Tron Durango Rec Center Gallery Wall, March 1-31. Watercolors and digital designs. Sign up at gallery for 5 prizes to be drawn March 27.

HelpWanted Massage Therapist Wanted Amaya Natural Therapeutics, call Don 970-769-8389.

The Green House Durango is looking for happy, enthusiastic people to join our budding business. We are willing to train the right candidate if you’re committed to being a part of this continually growing industry. Please send a copy of your resume to employment@jandjinc.net along with a copy of your Colorado M.E.D. Badge.

PT Help Wanted Looking for a kind-hearted soul who loves people and art. Sales exp. required. No phone calls please. Bring resume Thurs. or Fri. 1-5 to Karyn Gabaldon Arts, 680 Main.

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

Classes/Workshops Equine Assisted Coaching for Teens If your teen is facing challenges or struggling right now, coaching sessions with the horses will help. Contact Trish @ Joy Rides Coaching 970-946-7835.

Yoga Teacher Training Are you an aspiring yoga teacher or committed practitioner ready to dive in? This yoga alliance 200-hour course starts April 1.

Yogadurango.com or call 585-613-1981.

tan and iron three piece bistro. Vintage bread boxes, glassware and kitchenware.

Awesome sales on winter clothing and shoes. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 3857336.

version kits, helmets and a five-year support plan. To learn more about the program or make a donation, go to: support.allkidsbike.org/the-juniper-school

CommunityService

Services RSE Handyman Service Home repair-yard work-odd jobs 970903-0449.

Tutoring All subjects, grades 5th – 9th. Classroom and homework support, masks will be worn at all times. 3:30-5:30 p.m., Mon. – Thurs., Crossroads Building, 11th & Main. For info, call Jessie Hamilton, 970-903-9051.

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.

The Juniper School Seeks Donations for Bike Program All Kids Bike, a national program on a mission to teach every child in America how to ride a bike, is currently working to bring the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Program to The Juniper School. The program equips schools with teacher training, curriculum, a fleet of Strider bikes, pedal con-

HaikuMovieReview ‘I Care A Lot’ In case you needed another reason not to get old, here you go

– Lainie Maxson

NewspaperOrigami

BodyWork Massage by Meg Bush, LMT 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199. massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 2020.

Couples, cupping, local CBD. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984.

ForSale Womens DPS Skis Time to cull the quiver: two pairs for sale. 1st pair: DPS Zelda Alchemist, 169cm, 106 underfoot. Bought in 2018, skied for 1.5 seasons, great shape, some cosmetic scuffing. Avail. with or w/o brand new Atomic Shift bindings - $400 skis alone (retail $1299) or $900 w/bindings. 2nd pair: DPS Uschi Foundation, 171 cm, 87 underfoot, great all-around frontside rippers, only skied two days, mounted with Look Pivot 14 bindings - $399 skis alone: $675 skis + bindings. Text 970-749-2595 for pictures or more dets.

A tulip

Reruns Home Furnishings New, fun furniture and furnishings to brighten up your space. Nice patio sets. Rat-

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