The Durango Telegraph May 25, 2023

the durango

Watershed moment

Yes, Colorado River deal is big news, but is it enough?

Frightful float

Boaters shot at while rafting

Animas south of town

Dreaming & sleeping

Local artist’s new exhibit explores life’s mysteries

4 Break the cycle

At what point is enough, enough with violence in America

by

Kirbie

Bennett

4 La Vida Local

5 Land Desk

6 Soap Box

7

Hitting the town

Whether escaping the crowds or joining them, musical options abound by Jon E. Lynch

8

Frightful float

Boaters say they were shot at while running the Animas south of town by Jonathan Romeo

7 Kill Yr Idols

8-9 Top Story

10-11 Between the Beats

12-13 Stuff to Do

13 Ask Rachel

14 Free Will Astrology

15 Classifieds

15 Haiku Movie Review

Ear to the Ground

“I know I’m a dumpster fire, but I’m actually a good babysitter.”

– Anything for a date night

Wherefore art cocktail?

What could be better than a night of Shakespeare, regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and the world’s preeminent dramatist?

Drunk Shakespeare, that’s what!

Over the next few weeks, you’ll get a chance to catch “Smashed Shakespeare –Romeo & Juliet,” in which booze is mixed with the teenage tragedy. The production is presented by Doctuh Mistuh Productions, whose parent company is Durango Theatreworks, both spearheaded by Michael E. McKelvey, head of the new FLC Musical Theatre program.

McKelvey said the night will feature a shortened version of “Romeo & Juliet,” with one major twist: one of the six actors on stage will be drinking throughout the evening.

“So one of the actors is going to be inebriated by the end of the night, and you really don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “They could be a loose cannon on stage, and it’s going to be up to other actors to keep the show going.”

Now, we’ve pulled off quite a few incredible feats while drunk – graduating college, pretending to have a good time at the mean aunt’s Thanksgiving, surviving COVID shutdown. But retelling one of the most famous romances between two teens with feuding families? Well, that’s another level.

Asking the big Qs

Local artist’s new exhibits dives into the mystery of beauty and suffering by Stephen Sellers

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On the cover

It doesn’t matter how you look while competing in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic; it just matters that you give it your all./ Illustration by Jonathan Bailey

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tributed in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area.

Turns out, drunk Shakespeare renditions are a thing across the country, with productions in major cities like New York, Boston, Chicago and Austin. But it appears this might be the first go at it in Durango (though, like we just said, our memories may be compromised by the aforementioned drinking).

So who are our brave souls attempting the feat? The cast features Durango Theatreworks company members Matt Bodo, Siena Widen, Kieran Peck, Oliver Kennedy, Maya Mouret and Haley Sandford. Godspeed!

And, there’ll be plenty of crowd participation, too – i.e. drinking games. McKelvey said the event has built-in drinking games for those in the crowd up to the task. Every time someone kisses or dies? Take a sip. Anytime someone says “Romeo” (which McKelvey said amounts to 74), take a sip.

“That last one’s not for the faint of heart,” McKelvey joked. “But it’s a way to keep the audience engaged.”

Your first chance to catch the madness is Tuus., May 30, at 7 p.m. at 11th St. Station. From there, performances will be held at the Durango Arts Center at 7 p.m. on June 6, 17 and 20. Get tickets at www.eventbrite.com

Violence begets violence

Summer was in motion in May 1962. The changing weather inspired Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet to write a poem titled, “I Stepped Out of My Thoughts of Death.” It’s a love poem about the approaching summer. The narrator puts death behind them to embrace “the June leaves of the boulevards.” I cherish that poem because I always welcome the moments when I can step away from my own thoughts of death, especially around this time of year. Yet, it’s hard not to think about death when mass shootings and public lynchings are daily occurrences. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how our culture of death feels inescapable.

Earlier this month in Farmington, three people were murdered in a mass shooting, with six others left wounded. The 18-yearold gunman roamed a residential street, firing indiscriminately at homes and vehicles. Throughout the day, I watched friends who live in the city update their social media, marking themselves as safe. Friends with children expressed worry about the world their kids are growing up in. My heart grew heavy and at the same time, I felt relief, knowing they were safe. But the heaviness lingered. Then I started wondering about what it means to carry so much grief on a daily basis. I asked myself, “Should I start rationing my grief? To leave room for the tragedies waiting for us the next day?”

Another thought came to mind. At a candlelight vigil for the victims, Farmington Mayor Nate Duckett commended the response by law enforcement. “These are well-trained law enforcement agencies,” Duckett said. “That comforts me, knowing that those folks are there and they are ready.”

Last month, Farmington police officers responded to a domestic disturbance call. But they showed up at the wrong house. Bodycam footage shows the police joking about the possibility of being at the wrong address, as they wait for someone to answer the door. The situation resulted in officers firing at the homeowner after he opened the door with a gun pointed toward police. The man, Robert Dotson, died from police gunfire.

In a news conference days after that shooting, Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said police sometimes just end up at the wrong address. Hebbe said, “The results of it are terrible, but I will tell you that we do go to wrong addresses from time to time.”

I’m trying to understand the death drive as a way of life. We have heavily armed police ready to strike against heavily armed individuals. Yet there’s the risk of militarized police one night showing up at the wrong address, knocking

Thumbin’It

Colorado Democrats reintroducing the CORE Act in Congress with the hopes of finally protecting an estimated 420,000 acres of public lands, many of which are located in SW Colorado.

Hey, the Denver Nuggets are in the NBA Finals! Did we just learn that yesterday randomly from someone in the office? Sure, maybe. But still, go Nugs!

Levi Strauss blue jeans turning an impressive 150 years old. Nothing says America quite like blue jeans – except for, well, mass shootings and lack of access to affordable health care.

on a different family’s home and killing one of the parents.

Or if you’re an unhoused person on a subway pleading for help, like Jordan Neely in New York, your cries may result in being choked to death by a Marine veteran. Neely was a 30-year-old unhoused Black man. He was experiencing a breakdown, and the ex-Marine responded by putting Neely in a chokehold for nearly 15 minutes while passengers watched.

In our culture of death, where does the escalation of violence lead us? When the Farmington mayor said law enforcement is around us ready for action, does that apply to the vigilante who murdered an unhoused man begging for help? And if there’s a numbness in people as they witness public lynchings like Jordan Neely’s, isn’t that a death of the soul for the onlookers?

When the Holocaust survivor Primo Levi wrote, “From violence, only violence is born, following a pendular action that as time goes by, rather than dying down, becomes more frenzied,” is this the world he was describing?

In 1915, as World War I was taking shape, the anarchist and feminist Emma Goldman delivered a speech in San Francisco against militarism. She confronted the Preparedness Movement, a campaign to bolster U.S. militarism by joining the war. Goldman titled her speech, “Preparedness, The Road to Universal Slaughter.” In it, she condemned the looming war, which she saw as the escalation of a militarized society. “Preparedness never leads to peace,” Goldman told the public, adding, “but it is indeed the road to universal slaughter.”

The words of Goldman and Levi haunt me as ongoing violence unfolds around us. Perhaps the violence we breathe in is blowback from the decades of global wars we’ve waged. Maybe it can be traced further – to the genocide of colonization and the brutalities of slavery; the unbearable violence inscribed in the borders and monuments of our nation-state.

When I can’t bring my thoughts to step out of death, I think of the advice from the Indian writer Arundhati Roy. She once wrote some words down for a friend in need, about what it means to live in dark times: “To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.”

We live in unspeakable times, but it doesn’t have to be this way. I find power in that reminder. If justice is what love looks like in public, then that’s the world we need to nurture into being.

– Kirbie Bennett

SignoftheDownfall:

The first reported rafting death in Colorado this season after a boat flipped on the Dolores River, downstream of Slickrock. With water levels on the rise, be careful out there!

A new report finding the global loss of wildlife is worse than feared, with humans wiping out huge numbers of species and pushing more to the brink.

The Surgeon General warning social media can put young people’s mental health in danger. Oh, fighting with strangers on the internet every day has a negative impact? What a shock.

Mass Tooter

So… if you have access to the internet and a 3D printer, you can now download the design for a pistol grip that doubles as a mini bong. And of course, the design works with extended, highcapacity magazines, so if you play your cards right, you can break laws in blue and red states with this bad boy. However, unless your 3D printer uses thermoplastic filaments, there’s a chance the gun’s recoil will break the grip and cover you with smelly bong water, which means this thing’s designer completely misunderstood the “troubleshooting” aspect of his job.

Breaking down the ‘breakthrough’

Colorado River deal is big news, but is it enough?

by Jonathan P. Thompson

The News: Arizona, California and Nevada have come up with a landmark agreement to slash their consumption of Colorado River water by 3 million acre-feet in coming years. The Colorado River and its reservoirs are saved!

The Buzzkill: Nope. Not quite.

Yes, the three Lower Basin states came up with an agreement to cut water use substantially. Yes, it’s a breakthrough (as any such agreement would be). But no, it won’t be enough to save the Colorado River if the climatic conditions of the past couple decades persist or worsen. Plus, the proposed cuts are only for the next few years. What then?

The Background: For those who may have forgotten, the 1922 Colorado River Compact divvied up the river between the Upper and Lower Basin states (Mexico was included in the 1940s). The problem: The 16.5 million acre-feet pie they parceled out was  bigger than what actually existed – even back then. They assumed the river carried about 20 million acre-feet each year. In fact, it was more like 14 million acre-feet, so they were already in debt to reality when the Compact was signed. Oof.

In the decades since, the population of all of the states burgeoned, and water consumption also increased. Meanwhile, after the wet and wild 1980s, longterm drought and warmer temperatures diminished the river and the reservoirs that were supposed to carry users over during dry years. Last summer, it looked like Lake Powell might drop below the minimum power pool, or the level needed to allow water to flow through the hydroelectricity-generating turbines, within a couple of years. Losing hydropower is one thing, but losing the ability to release water through the penstocks is another, with its own dire ramifications

That prompted federal water officials to call on the states to cut consumption by 2 million to 4 million acrefeet per year, or else they would implement the cuts themselves. The states blew past deadlines without an agreement until finally, last month, the Bureau of Reclamation presented two alternatives:

Cut Lower Basin use according to the concept of priority (meaning Arizona would take the biggest cuts); or,

Cut a flat percentage of each state’s water use (meaning California would take the biggest cuts).

The prospect apparently was enough to scare the bejeezus out of the states, pushing them back to the negotiating table where they came up with this week’s deal.

Details so far are sketchy, but here’s what we know:

The Agreement: The Lower Basin states together will cut consumption by 3 million acre-feet from 202326, with at least 1.5 million acre-feet in cuts coming by the end of 2024 (there is no indication of how these cuts will be distributed across the states, but the  Washington Post reports California will bear about half the cuts).

Up to 2.3 million acre-feet of those cuts will be federally compensated by about $1.2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds. Most likely this means that farmers will be paid not to irrigate their crops.

So what’s wrong with this deal? I’ll admit that when I first read the stories on this, I was pretty damned impressed: 3 million acre-feet is good! Thing is, all those cuts are spread out over three years, meaning it’s only about 1 million acre-feet per year. That’s only half the minimum amount of cuts the feds say are needed to shore up the river system and its reservoirs. It just won’t cut it, so to speak, if the drying trend continues.

Furthermore, the deal clearly is meant only to be temporary – a stopgap, a band-aid – that runs out in three

years. What happens then? Even if the agreement were to be extended, where would the billions of dollars come from to keep paying the farmers not to irrigate? What if the Republicans’ obstructive ways nix the payments? And what about the additional 700,000 acre-feet of cuts promised? Where will they come from? Or will that require a whole new round of negotiations?

I don’t want to be a party pooper. It’s great that the states came to an agreement and, yes, it is a solution, of sorts. But it’s not the sustainable one that’s necessary. But who knows? Maybe this past wet winter and huge runoff isn’t an anomaly. Maybe it’s the new normal and big rains and snows will come regularly over the next 20 years, filling up the reservoirs, saturating the soil, and swelling the Colorado River into the muddy monster of yore. Maybe we won’t need these cuts after all. But I sure as heck wouldn’t bank on it.

Get the Party Started!

The Land Desk is a newsletter from Jonathan P. Thompson, author of “River of Lost Souls,” “Behind the Slickrock Curtain” and “Sagebrush Empire.” Subscribe at: landdesk.org. ■

The Colorado River and the silt flats left behind by a receding Lake Powell. Note the old Hite Marina boat ramp to the left, which was once at water’s edge./ Photo by Jonathan P. Thompson

Expertise matters

La Plata Electric Association, our local electric cooperative, is an excellently run organization and recognized as a leading co-op nationwide. Over the past few years, under the present board leadership, it lowered electricity costs for us members, established greenhouse gas emission goals, and updated infrastructure and policies, all while working on a 50% buy-out from our costly 50-year Tri-State contract.

This year, District 4 residents (the northeast part of La Plata County) have the opportunity to be represented by David Luschen on the LPEA Board. Luschen has 26 years of experience starting as a front-line engineer and working his way up to management for the nation’s largest municipally owned utility. Electing Luschen brings along valuable experience benefiting us co-op members, while strengthening LPEA’s already outstanding organization.

Forget the all of the divisive and negative comments made about LPEA by his opponent. Please vote for Luschen, the experienced candidate!

– Werner Heiber, Durango

United we stand

As we approach July 4, we may wish to read and reflect on the Declaration of Independence.

We are free to pursue happiness. It’s not guaranteed. Our joy (and displeasure) is our responsibility.

While we’re at it, we may wish to reflect on the energy we put forth in our civic engagement. Open minds and hearts matter. It is not patriotic to be sucked into the distortion of “us” and “them” as this plants the seeds of division and dissent.

Almost every war throughout the millennia has had neighbors fighting neighbors. Such events begin behind the scenes by those rare few whose economic interests are at risk.

Distraction and disinformation manipulates good people. We have more in common than our political affiliations.

It’s worthwhile to look no further than within, so we find the humility and gratitude that binds us.

– Carl Sheeler, Durango

Summertime rolls

Yes, town’s about to get crazy, but with it comes musical options

by Jon E. Lynch

Consider me firmly, resolutely corrected. I suppose I should’ve known better. Ha – that’s rich. That second sentence more than accurately sums up my last few months (years?) A personal mantra, if you will. If I had an arching, poorly executed, over-the-belly button, stomach tattoo in terribly typical Old English lettering, it might read: SHOULD’VE KNOWN BETTER. I have been a comically stubborn, obstinate human. Maybe that’s a topic for another time. Because I am working on that. And more. Forgive the tangent.

Of course, the Telegraph has a fervent, devout readership. Those of you, like me, that do read “The original weekly line on Durango & beyond” do so front to back, possibly even the day it hits the newsstand or your inbox. Last month, I made a self-effacing offhand comment about how many of you read my column. I have since been corrected a dozen or more times – so thank you. Deeply, truly. An extra bit of thanks to those of you who made the trek up to campus for the Black Belt Eagle Scout set at Skyfest. The hundred or so who did come were treated to a set of impassioned originals and better-than-decent weather.

This past weekend, I traveled north to Ouray/Ridgway half-expecting and mostly hoping to miss the masses that usually descend for and after Memorial Day. Apparently, we all had the same idea. For those who’ve just traveled in, reading the Telegraph for the first time, welcome. For the few thousand returning to participate in the 51st annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, welcome back. And finally, for those that unwittingly thought, “Well, let’s maybe head to Durango for the holiday. Could be fun.” – welcome to the mayhem.

I’m sure town will be vibrating with goings on and happenings, so just start on one end or the other and work your way north – or south. You can catch live music pretty much all weekend long on both Main and Second avenues. Stop into Lola’s Place (725 E. 2nd Ave.), 11th St. Station (1101 Main Ave.) or Durango

Craft Spirits (1120 Main Ave.) Thursday through Saturday for a smattering of local acts. Tickets to the rescheduled Slim & Maria Cessna in store at Jimmy’s Music & Supply (1239 Main Ave., Suite 101) on Friday are long gone, but there’s no shortage of choices in and around the area.

If you’re feeling the need to (understandably) flee Durango, there’s music in Dolores on Saturday at both EsoTerra Ciderworks and the Dolores River Brewery.

If you’re living in town proper and would rather hole up and utterly ignore the influx of people, I’d recommend first zipping by our local, independent record store – Toast Records & Bakes (643 A Main Ave.) – for an album or two. Friday is now “New Release Day,” and I imagine Josh and Kyra will have more than a handful of ample choices of both LPs and baked goods for you to choose from. I have it on good authority

Whether you’re looking to dodge the crowds or join them this weekend, downtown Durango should offer a plethora of opportunities. If you’re looking for some down time, stop into Toast Records & Bakes to peruse the wellcurated bins./ Courtesy photo

that they have copies of the latest live Oh Sees (Thee Oh Sees, OCS, The Oh Sees, etc.) record; Tinariwen’s most recent release “Amatssou;” and a few Dinosaur Jr. and De La Soul reissues to boot. I’m guessing you could score the Matador debut from Water From Your Eyes, too.

If none of those do it for you, suggestions from the staff are all but guaranteed. As a matter of fact, if you end up swooping up something, pass on your selection(s) to me. I’ll certainly be dodging the crowds and hiding out listening to things at home – if I’m here at all. So, send your favorite summer albums to spin my way. Along with questions, comments and gripes. Especially the gripes.

Jon E. Lynch is the program director at KDUR. Reach him at kdur_pd@fortlewis .edu ■

Shots fired

Boaters shot at while floating Animas River south of Durango

by Jonathan Romeo

Flipped boats, booty beers, your supposed friends putting rocks in your drag bag – these are only some of the common risks associated with rafting.

What’s not so common, however, is having a semiautomatic rifle shot at you while enjoying a peaceful float. But that’s the situation two local boaters found themselves in this past Sunday.

“It was not your average day on the river,” Stephen Eginoire, one of the boaters, said.

According to Eginoire (who is a regular contributor to The Durango Telegraph), he and his girlfriend launched Sunday just below the Whitewater Park on the Animas River, intending to float about 24 miles down to Tico Time River Resort in New Mexico.

“We were having a great float; that section down

there is amazing,” Eginoire said.

Around 3 p.m., that all changed, to say the least. About a mile upstream of the Weaselskin Bridge (which is about 5 miles south of Home Depot near the intersections of county roads 213 and 214), Eginoire’s girlfriend noticed two men get out of a dark-colored truck on river right.

As the couple floated by, the two men, hidden in vegetation, opened fire.

“They let off probably five or six shots at super close range to our boat,” he said. “It was just pow, pow, pow, pow in super rapid succession. I’ve been around guns my entire life, and it was definitely some kind of semiautomatic rifle.”

Eginoire and his girlfriend got down in the boat to take cover. As his boat turned, Eginoire was about to have a clear line of sight on the two men. It was at that

time they jumped into the truck to get away.

“That’s the part that sketched me out,” he said. “They were totally f***ing with us.”

And the nightmare doesn’t end there. As Eginoire rounded a bend in the river, he heard the truck door open again, as well as another round of rapid gun fire. He said the bullets hit the water about 75-100 feet upstream of their boat.

“It was clearly an act of aggression,” he said. “It was not just careless shooting.”

Now past the shooters, Eginoire and his girlfriend thought about taking out at Weaselskin Bridge (located on Southern Ute Indian Tribe land), but ultimately decided to continue the float to their car parked at Tico Time.

“I’m glad we ended up going down there, but we were rattled the rest of the way,” he said. “But then we

The Animas River in all its glory on the stretch of river south of Durango toward New Mexico. What’s not pictured here, however, is the property from which two men shot at rafters on Sunday./ Photo by Stephen Eginoire

showed up at Tico Time in the middle of a freaking reggae festival happening … We saw an interesting cross section of people that day.”

Eginoire reported the incident to the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, but it was determined the two men shot from SUIT land, putting it in the tribe’s jurisdiction. And here’s where things get… complicated.

Upon submitting a media request, the tribe responded in a formal statement: “The reporting party (Eginoire) stated they did not feel alarmed or threatened as they were unable to provide a description of the subjects, did not believe shots were fired in their direction, and the report was provided solely for informational purposes.”

However, Eginoire begs to differ with that account. “100% BS” was his response.

The Telegraph reached back out to the SUIT for more information. The tribe responded, “The provided statement is accurate.”

Uhh... OK?

Eginoire said he has not personally heard from the SUIT since reporting the incident, but he revisited the site Monday and was able to take a photograph of the truck in question and report it to tribal rangers. He was unable to get an address. Because the property is located on SUIT land, there is no information available on La Plata County’s GIS database.

Because the incident has so far not been investigated, the shooters’ motive remains unclear – whether they were trying to intimidate the rafters for being down there, or just being A-holes.

“Is it someone just f***ing with us?” Eginoire asked.

“Or were they actually sending a message to not come down there? If they were trying to send a message, I wouldn’t go back down there until this whole thing is figured out.”

In the past few years, local groups have been trying to boost recreation on the stretch from the last take out in Durango at Dallabetta Park (behind Home Depot) down into New Mexico.

However, a lack of access to put-ins and take-outs has historically made the run difficult (previously, the closest public access was in Aztec, about 40 miles from Durango, which is a lot of miles to float in just one day). But that’s changed in the past few years. Tico Time now offers a boat ramp just below the state line, and a new boat ramp at Cedar Hill, farther downstream but before Aztec, opened this year.

Also, there’s been a longstanding perception that the river in this section had fences across it (there aren’t any), and there were deadly low-head dams and other hazards. But in recent years, Aztec and Farmington have made great strides in cleaning up the Animas and removing these hazards.

In 2017, for instance, the City of Farmington spent $1.1 million to remove the Penny Lane Dam, which had been responsible for a number of deaths. The spot is now a runnable, small rapid that also is a play feature for kayakers.

It’s all part of a cultural and economic shift in La Plata County’s neighbor to the south, said Mike Stark, San Juan County Manager.

“We’re looking to expand our economic-diversification opportunities, and outdoor recreation is really a no-

brainer for us,” Stark said. “We have a lot to offer down here, and folks are finding us and putting us on the map.”

So, it’s not exactly great to have people shooting at recreationists using the river. As stated, because we don’t know the intentions of the shooters, it’s impossible to point to a motivation. But, it’s not uncommon for tensions to rise when recreationists enter areas that previously did not have a lot of use.

However, according to state law, as long as you stay on your boat in the water, it’s not trespassing. (Eginoire and his girlfriend said they remained on the boat the entire time.)

San Juan Citizens Alliance’s Gary Skiba said, regardless, tensions can rise between boaters and private landowners. The Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, for instance, has a long history of ugly boater-landowner conflicts. In 2020, a private landowner shot at boaters there, too, according to the river-runner forum Mountain Buzz.

“You have landowners who feel like if you cross their property, even when you’re on the water, you’re on their property, and that’s not true,” Skiba said. “No one owns the water; you have a right to use it. Water is a property of the state. It’s not their property.”

For Eginoire, the section of the Animas below Durango is one of his favorites. To top it off, he was excited to bring his girlfriend down for the first time.

“Just before the shooting, we were having a great discussion about how amazing the Animas River is, how it ties so many people of all walks of life together,” he said, “including people who clearly didn’t want us to be there.” ■

Embracing the mystery

Local artist takes on balance between beauty and suffering

by Stephen Sellers

World-class globetrotting film photographer and aspiring filmmaker Jacob Brooks, along with his musician wife, Annie, have called Durango home for almost two decades. In that time, he has worked as a Red Snapper bartender, a private school educator and a wildly successful wedding and fashion photographer. As a filmmaker, his 2017 short, “To the Muse,” which was shot in Havana, Cuba, racked up awards at film festivals in Oaxaca, Denver, Orlando and even Durango.

A book could already be written about this man and the thousands upon thousands of images and art he’s painstakingly created with the utmost integrity and sincerity – and someday most likely will. Until then, enjoy this brief snippet of conversation with Brooks about his latest exhibit, which is on display a few hours north in his home town of Cedaredge.

Tell us about your new exhibition “The Life That Vishnu Dreamed.”

It’s an exhibition of my work in India, spanning seven years. For a long time, I really wanted to go to India, and a client asked if I wanted to come shoot their engagement party in the south of India. On my second day being there in 2016, I was at this temple taking some pictures, and there was this guy, and I wanted to take his portrait. He said, “You can take my portrait if I read your palm.” He grabbed my hand and stuck a pin through a gap in my fingers. He said, “You’ve recently been robbed and lost everything.” And, in fact, Annie and I had just been robbed in Greece of everything. He went on to tell me that

my father had died of cancer, but not to worry because my mom was happy, living out her dream of traveling. All of these things were true. I walked away from that and was so fascinated by that experience and the experiences I continued to have in India. When I got back home to Durango, all I could think about was getting back to India as soon as possible.

Tell us a little bit about the process of weaving such a wide array of content into the exhibit.

That’s been one of the most challenging parts of putting together an exhibition. I’m only hanging 27 pieces. I’ve shot thousands of images and have spent the last couple years going through boxes and boxes trying to decide which to use. I went into this, be-

cause I was curious and drawn to what I was seeing. As time went on and I went back several more times, I started to look at my images, and there was a common thread of exploring beauty juxtaposed against depravity. That’s what makes India feel so human, and why I feel so connected to it as a foreigner who knows basically nothing about the depths of that culture.

Durango photographer and aspiring filmmaker Jacob Brooks has traveled the world for his art and will now host an art opening in his hometown of Cedaredge./ Courtesy photo

What is the significance of the title, “The Life Vishnu Dreamed?”

The universe as we know it is just a single breath in the dream of Vishnu. He’s dreaming, he’s sleeping. Every breath, there’s a new universe created and destroyed.

For me, having spent a lot of time in a religious context, that defined a lot of my youth. So, coming out of that, I’ve always been perplexed at this question of, “If there is a God, why would he dream of a world where people suffer?” It becomes a mystery, and that really is at the heart of this exploration. Just exploring this place where there’s so much beauty and so much pain.

How does shooting on your Contax 645 film camera differ from shooting on a digital camera or an iPhone, even?

You’re limited in so many ways with film. It’s different in almost every possible way except composition. I become dependent on the people that I am shooting, because I need them to participate with me. I’m trying to get the most depth out of them. Shooting film helps me draw that out of them. It brings the best out of myself and brings the best out of others.

Why are you holding the exhibition in Cedaredge?

The exhibition will be at the Grand Mesa Arts Center, which is this old brick building on Main Street. My family used to own that building in the 1930s. It was the first gas station and service station in town.

The space itself is my family’s history. The build-

ing’s history parallels my own. Watching my dad turn wrenches and turning into an artist myself. It feels like the hardest place in the world to have a show. If I can have a show there, I can have a show anywhere.

What is the value of having an actual placed-based exhibition?

It’s bringing people together. It’s creating an environment. I’ve always felt that art is as much about the thing as about the space that it creates. Creating a space where people can come and participate in a thought together. Digesting a body of work and talking about it creates conversations that are important.

Thinking about this moment in the arc of your story as a photographer, where do you want to go from here?

My hope is that I can get that ball rolling more with motion picture film. That’s one arm of what I see growing. Some music videos and short films. The other arm is publishing. The dream of getting my work in books. I think things need to be overlapping, though.

You plant a seed, and you plant another seed. You water the first seed, and it’s a little bit ahead of the other one, and you just try to keep all the plants happy and growing together and in a way that’s harmonious.

“The Life That Vishnu Dreamed” is on exhibit through July 3 at the Grand Mesa Arts Center in Cedaredge. See several images from the exhibition and a whole lot more at Jacob’s website: www.jlambertfilm.com

Thursday25

City of Durango Scavenger Hunt, 8 a.m., durangogov.org

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

JREAM plays, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard Ave.

Durango Green Drinks, 5 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Fiesta Days and Carnival, 5 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Thursday Night Sitting Group, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Author Talk & Book Signing: Susan Kennedy, 6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Bluegrass jam, 6 p.m. weekly, Durango Beer & Ice, 3000 Main Ave. All levels welcome.

The Middlemen play, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Jeff Solon Jazz Duo play, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Jackson Martin plays, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio.

Friday26

City of Durango’s Scavenger Hunt, 8 a.m., durangogov.org

Downtown Clean Day, 8:30 a.m., meet at Keller Williams Realty, 700 Main Ave.

Open Meditation, 12 noon-1 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Manna Garden Plant Sale, 3-6 p.m., Manna Soup Kitchen, 1100 Avenida del Sol.

Terry Rickard plays, 5 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

The One Stan Band plays, 5 p.m., Serious Texas BBQ south, 650 Camino del Rio.

Ben Gibson Band plays, 5 p.m., Balcony Bar & Grill, 600 Main Ave.

Fiesta Days and Carnival, 5 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Pete Giuliani plays, 5:30 p.m., Public House 701, 701 E. 2nd Ave.

Kirk James Band plays, 6-9 p.m., Columbine Roadhouse, Silverton.

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

Wild Country Band plays, 6 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Bob Hemenger plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Ru Paul’s Drag Race Watch Party, 6 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Exploring the Music of Edward Elgar, 7 p.m., FLC’s Community Concert Hall.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 7:30 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

That’s So Durango, variety show, 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Drag Show, 8:30 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Saturday27

Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, 7:30 a.m., downtown Durango.

Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m., TBK Bank parking lot, 259 W. 9th St. Music by Stephanie Walker.

Manna Garden Plant Sale, 9 a.m.-12 noon, Manna Soup Kitchen, 1100 Avenida del Sol.

Fiesta Days and Carnival, 2 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

A special edition of the Smelter Mountain String Band, 5 p.m., The Balcony.

Kirk James Band plays, 6 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

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

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

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

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 7:30 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

That’s So Durango, variety show, 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Crazy Like a Fox plays, 8 p.m., Columbine Roadhouse, Silverton.

Silent Disco, 9-11:30 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Sunday28

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

Devin Scott plays, 12 noon-3 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Vinyl Sundaze, 12 noon, Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Pete Giuliani plays, 12 noon, Hillcrest Golf Club Summer Music Showcase, 2300 Rim Dr.

Fiesta Days and Carnival, 2 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Open Mic, 2 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Feed the People! free mutual aid meal & gear drive for homeless community members, every Sunday, 2 p.m., Buckley Park.

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

“Pterosaurs: Ancient Rulers of the Sky” Kick Off Party, 5-8 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio. Exhibit runs until Sept. 17. Music by Dana Ariel and the Coming Up Roses.

Ben Gibson Band plays, 4 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Sturtz plays, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Sunday Funday, 6 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Going au naturel, angry birds and picking a bone(r)

Interesting fact: Viagra rakes in about $500 million a year. The nursery greenhouse industry? $16 billion. Guess we know how folks really get their rocks off.

Dear Rachel,

After the ruling on us women mostly from old men from Texas, Florida and Idaho, do you think we should outlaw Viagra for men? God said, go natural or abstain.

Dear US Ladyperson,

– American Woman

I’m no religious expert, but it really sounds like, in your understanding of faith, God is a bareback-or-nothin’ kind of guy. Actually, that’s basically my understanding, too. That God sounds like the creepy guy on Craigslist responding to your ad for a $20 petstained couch. Spoiler: he doesn’t want the couch. Don’t outlaw Viagra. The only thing worse than a bunch of raging men with hard-ons is a bunch of raging men who can’t get them. You do not want those guys lurking around your unwanted furniture.

– OBO, Rachel

Then I saw them yet again. Now I’m starting to think those birds are scoping my house. Are they even birds? Could they be surveillance drones? Or if they really are birds, could they want something from a 2bd 1ba within short flying distance from the Animas?

– Ariel Surveillance

Dear Little Mermaid, Were there cloudy lines following those herons? These could be the newest mechanism for releasing chemtrails. It’s probably the result of herons eating fish that survived the Animas spill. Now they fart toxic chemicals, which is why the gubmint stooges made that spill happen. Wake up, sheeple!

– A little bird told me, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I saw two herons fly over my house recently. A real red-letter day. Then I saw them again.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 7:30 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Monday29

Fiesta Days and Carnival, 2 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Dave Mensch plays, 4:30 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Comedy Showcase, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tuesday30

Community Yoga, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.

Slow Bluegrass Jam, 5:30-7:30 p.m., General Palmer, 567 Main Ave.

Author Talk & Book Signing: Melissa Sevigny, 6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Dear Rachel, I can’t decide if plants at the garden center are the biggest rip off or the best steal of all time. I pay $20 for a plant that I have to water and that I can’t eat. $20 buys a lot of edible plants at the grocery store. That said, I buy a living organism that made it this far without dying and could bring me invaluable joy. Which is it? Bargain or scam?

– Flower Girl

Dear Chica de Flores, I was trying to think of something else that costs $20 that we could compare it to. What about Viagra? So I pulled up an incognito browsing window (do NOT want that crap in my algorithm) and found out Viagra is $70 A FREAKING PILL. Generic is something like $4, so let’s split the diff and say you (or someone) can get 2.86 generic hard-ons for the cost of one Jupiter’s Beard. In my experience, flowers ain’t forever, but they sure last a lot longer than… you know.

– Generically, Rachel

Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

“Smashed Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet,” 7 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Firefall plays, 7 p.m., Bar D Chuckwagon, 8080 CR 250.

Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

“Come Fly With Me: Brian De Lorenzo Celebrates Sinatra,” 7:30 p.m., Summit Church, 2917 Aspen Dr.

Wednesday31

Restorative Yoga for Cancer, 9:3010:45 a.m., no cost for cancer patients, post-treatment survivors and caregivers, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Register at cancersupportswco.org/calendar.

Animas River Days Kick Off Party, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8 p.m.,

The Roost, 128 E. College Dr.

Karaoke Roulette, 8 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Ongoing

“Stories We Wear: Recognizing and Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives,” opening reception, Ignacio Public Library, 470 Goddard Ave. Exhibit runs until May 31.

The Hive Indoor Skate Park, open skate and skate lessons. For schedule and waiver, go to www.thehivedgo.org

Upcoming

“Furniture as Art,” fundraiser for KDUR, June 1, 6 p.m., FLC Student Union.

First Friday Art Crawl, June 2, 4-7 p.m., ArtRoom Collective, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Thee Fearless Peasants play, June 2, 5 p.m., Durango Craft Spirits, 1120 Main.

Animas River Days, June 2-4, Santa Rita Park. www.animasriverdays.com.

Mesa Verde National Park Film Premiere, June 2, 6 p.m., FLC’s Student Ballroom.

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): My reading of the astrological omens inspires me to make a series of paradoxical predictions for you. Here are five scenarios I foresee as being quite possible in the coming weeks. 1. An epic journey to a sanctuary close to home. 2. A boundary that doesn’t keep people apart but brings them closer. 3. A rambunctious intervention that calms you down and helps you feel more at peace. 4. A complex process that leads to simple clarity. 5. A visit to the past that empowers you to redesign the future.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do you want a seed to fulfill its destiny? You must bury it in the ground. There, if it’s able to draw on water and the proper nutrients, it will break open and sprout. Its life as a seed will be over. The plant it eventually grows into will look nothing like its source. We take this process for granted, but it’s always a miracle. Now let’s invoke this story as a metaphor for what you are hopefully on the verge of, Taurus. I invite you to do all that’s helpful and necessary to ensure your seed germinates!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your meandering trek through the Unpromised Land wasn’t as demoralizing as you feared. The skirmish with the metaphorical dragon was a bit disruptive, but hey, you are still breathing and walking around and even seem to have been energized by the weird thrill of the adventure. The only other possible downside was the new dent in your sweet dream. But I suspect that in the long run, that imperfection will inspire you to work even harder on behalf of your sweet dream – and this will be a blessing.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Testing time is ahead, but don’t get your nerves in an uproar with fantasy-spawned stress. For the most part, your challenges and trials will be interesting, not unsettling. There will be few if any trick questions. There will be straightforward prods to stretch your capacities and expand your understanding. Bonus! I bet you’ll get the brilliant impulse to shed the ball and chain you’ve been absentmindedly carrying around with you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Biologist Edward O. Wilson said that the most social animals are ants, termites and honeybees. He used the following criteria to define that description: “altruism, instincts devoted to social

life, and the tightness of the bonds that turn colonies into virtual superorganisms.” I’m going to advocate that you regard ants, termites and honeybees as teachers and role models for you. The coming weeks will be a great time to boost your skill at socializing and networking. You will be wise to ruminate about how you could improve your life by enhancing your ability to cooperate with others. And remember to boost your altruism!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Jack Sarfatti is an authentic but maverick physicist born under the sign of Virgo. He suggests that if we make ourselves receptive and alert, we may get help from our future selves. They are trying to communicate good ideas to us back through time. Alas, most of us don’t believe such a thing is feasible, so we aren’t attuned to the potential help. I will encourage you to transcend any natural skepticism you might have about Sarfatti’s theory. As a fun experiment, imagine that the Future You has an important transmission for you – maybe several transmissions. For best results, formulate three specific questions to pose to the Future You.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I have three points for your consideration. 1. You are alive in your mysterious, endlessly interesting life, and you are imbued with the fantastically potent power of awareness. How could you not feel thrilled? 2. You’re on a planet that’s always surprising, and you’re in an era when so many things are changing that you can’t help being fascinated. How could you not feel thrilled? 3. You have some intriguing project to look forward to, or some challenging but engaging work you’re doing, or some mind-bending riddle you’re trying to solve. How could you not feel thrilled?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Trust those that you have helped to help you in their turn,” advises Scorpio author Neil Gaiman. Let’s make that one of your mantras for the coming weeks. In my astrological understanding, you are due to cash in on favors you have bestowed on others. The generosity you have expressed should be streaming back your way in abundance. Be bold about welcoming the bounty. In fact, I hope you will nudge and prompt people, if necessary, to reward you for your past support and blessings.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): So many of us are starved to be listened to with full attention. So many of us yearn to be seen and heard and felt by people who are skilled at receptive empathy. How

many of us? I’d say the figure is about 99.9%. That’s the bad news, Sagittarius. The good news is that in the coming weeks, you will have an exceptional ability to win the attention of good listeners. To boost the potential healing effects of this opportunity, here’s what I recommend: Refine and deepen your own listening skills. Express them with panache.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Because you’re a Capricorn, earthiness is probably one of your strengths. It’s your birthright to be practical and sensible and wellgrounded. Now and then, however, your earthiness devolves into muddiness. You get too sober and earnest. You’re bogged down in excess pragmatism. I suspect you may be susceptible to such a state these days. What to do? It may help if you add elements of air and fire to your constitution, just to balance things out.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I love to use metaphors in my writing, but I hate to mix unrelated metaphors. I thrive on referring to poetry, sometimes even surrealistic poetry, but I try to avoid sounding like a lunatic. However, at this juncture in your hero’s journey, Aquarius, I frankly feel that the most effective way to communicate with you is to offer you mixed metaphors and surrealist poetry that border on sounding lunatic. Why? Because you seem primed to wander around on the edges of reality. I’m guessing you’ll respond best to a message that’s aligned with your unruly mood. So here goes: Get ready to surf the spiritual undertow all the way to the teeming wilderness on the other side of the cracked mirror. Ignore the provocative wasteland on your left and the intriguing chaos on your right. Stay focused on the stars in your eyes and devote yourself to wild joy.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “The gift of patience opens when our body, heart and mind slow enough to move in unison.” So says Piscean poet Mark Nepo. I feel confident you are about to glide into such a grand harmony, dear Pisces. Through a blend of grace and your relaxed efforts to be true to your deepest desires, your body, heart and mind will synchronize and synergize. Patience will be just one of the gifts you will receive. Others include: a clear vision of your most beautiful future; a lucid understanding of what will be most meaningful to you in the next three years; and a profound sense of feeling at home in the world, wherever you go.

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-Wed: 9ish - 5ish

Thurs: On delivery

Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Announcements

Welcome to All Holistic Healers, Vendors, psychic readers, mediums, massage, family friendly activities wanting to share your gifts, talents and products at the Mind Body Spirit Fair, July 22nd at Santa Rita Park!  Go to page fair application on  www.inspire changecj.com for all details, CJ Marten.

Extraordinary Quantum and alchemy healings along with house blessings provided. Contact Diana at 970 560-7858 or lightdimen sions@gmail.com, mountainspiritheal ing.org

Classes/Workshops

West Coast Swing Dance

6-week class starts May 31. Learn the basics of West Coast Swing. Registration required at www.westslopewesties.com

Lost/Found

Found: Gold Necklace

Many years ago on E. 3rd Ave. May have sentimental value: 970-749-0153.

HelpWanted

Interior Design Assistant

Local interior designer looking for a highly motivated, talented person with a flair for decorating. Self directed and motivated is a must. The position is interior design assistant with some personal assistant tasks as needed. Competitive wage and flexible hours! OM Design, oshajustice@gmail.com

Need Part-Time Caregiver

For my mother. $20/hr. 3-4 hrs/day, 2-3 days/week to start. Then occasional 4-5-day periods for vacation cover. 32nd Street and Holly, Durango. Call Marla, 928-707-2047.

HaikuMovieReview

‘Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me’ Yes, I watched this, and yes, I feel ashamed, unlike the people involved

– Lainie Maxson

Work at Lake Nighthorse

This summer. Southwest Foils is hiring PT eFoil instructors for the summer. Great college or high school summer gig. No experience necessary, will train. $15/hr + bonuses. Contact us through www.southwestfoils.com

Amaya is Hiring

Amaya is hiring massage therapist and receptionist. Please contact tricia gourley13@gmail.com or drop off resume.

Wanted:

iAM Music Exec Director!

Seeking FT dynamic leader to manage planning, organizing, and directing operations while supervising staff. Experience in financial management, fundraising, communications, staff relations, program development & administration preferred. $55-65K to start. Email cover letter and resume to: lizpulismora@gmail.com

ForSale

Beautiful Tiny Home for Sale

Beautiful tiny home for sale! 480 sq. ft. custom container home on wheels. Beautiful, reclaimed beetle kill tongue and groove. Off grid perhaps? RV hookups are all you would need to start living in it today! Needs to be towed by a semi-truck to be relocated. $49,000 contact Jesse 970-317-3772

Trek Road Bike for Sale

2013 Trek Madone 7.9 road bike, size 58, Dura Ace Di2 drive train, Zipp 303 Firecrest Carbon Clincher wheelset, new SRM PowerMeter (53/39), Dura Ace cranks 175mm, Dura-Ace 11 speed cassette—11-28, Dura Ace carbon rim brakes, Fizik Aliante Carbon saddle Price= $3200 770-547-4528

Motorized Bedframe

Queen size motorized adjustable bed frame, fits over any bed frame, any type mattress, never used, made by Leggett & Platt, retail $1500, selling for $500, 770-547-4528

Reruns Home Furnishings

Brighten up your outdoor space –lots of yard art, planters and bistro sets. Décor for the inside too with dressers, nightstands, and beautiful lamps. Looking to consign smaller furniture pieces … 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 3857336.

Services

Harmony Cleaning and Organizing Residential, offices, commercial and vacation rentals, 970-403-6192.

Lowest Prices on Storage!

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

BodyWork

Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-7590199.

1991 Infinity Q45

109,780 miles, all maintenance records, excellent condition, $7300

770-547-4528

12’ and 10’ Lake Kayaks

$150/ea or $250/both. 970-903-0876

The Original Hanging Sky Chair

Hand-crafted of canvas treated with paraffin for durability and water repellency. Heavy-duty reinforcements. Black. Includes foot rest. Great cond. Retails $160. Selling $69 OBO. For dets, see on FB marketplace or text 970-7492595.

Medicinal Massage

Deep tissue body work, joint rehab, muscular tension release. Get your body tune-up. 25% off Tuesdays. Located downtown. Call/Text Dennis @ 970.403.5451

In-Home Fitness Training

Convenient. Private. All ages. Diane Brady NSCA-CPT. 970-903-2421

Lotus Path Healing Arts

Unique fusion of Esalen massage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years experience. Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

#1 #2

We are way funner than the other guys

No waiting in the self-checkout line while your twelver gets warm

#6 #7 #8 #9 #10

#3

Our shopping carts have bells

We know a thing or 200 about wine

TOP 10 REASONS TO SHOP AT STAR: #4 #5

On your way to the put-in, take-out, ski hill, BBQ, man cave, book club, big game, etc.

Free ice with purchase

We’ll even help you carry your free ice & purchases to your car (if you don’t let us, our feelings get hurt.)

No-anxiety parking

Bubbles & Bubbles

BEST PRICES AROUND!