The Durango Telegraph, June 17, 2021

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June 17, 2021

Vol. XX, No. 25 durangotelegraph.com

inside

T H E

O R I G I N A L

I N D I E

W E E K L Y

L I N E

O N

D U R A N G O

&

B E Y O N D

Rethinking Bears Ears

Disappearing Dolores

Brave new world

How one public lands lover came to embrace the monument p8

Fish, farmers, boaters come out on losing end of drought p12

Summer festivating returns in varying degrees p15

Enjoy Fun in the Sun! Summer Solstice Weekend

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2 n June 17, 2021

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telegraph

lineup

4 La Vida Local

Revisiting Bears Ears

Why I changed my mind about monument status

4 Thumbin’ It

by Jonathan Thompson

5 Word on the Street

11

6-7 Soapbox

Young pups

8 Land Desk

Colorado has its first wild litter of wolf pups since the 1940s

11 State News

by Sam Brasch/ Colorado Public Radio

12 Local News

12

Ear to the ground: “I just want to lose enough weight so I can fit into my OP shorts again.”

– Aging Gen Xer remarking on his lofty post-pandemic weight loss goals

Burned out

thepole

8

RegularOccurrences

This should go without saying but open fires or flammable activity of any kind is a bad idea right now. Both the San Juan National Forest and La Plata County enacted Stage I fire restrictions this week. Open burning is banned on all lands in unincorporated La Plata County as well as national forest lands. The bans prohibit: • Open burning, burn barrels and building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, coal or wood-burning stove, any type of charcoal-fueled broiler, or open fire in undeveloped areas. (Exception: Charcoal or gas barbecue grills at private residences or small fires inside established fire rings with a grate cover in a developed recreation area or within a designated campground are allowed.)

15 Top Shelf

How low will it go?

17 Flash in the Pan

Fish, farmers, boaters all come out on losing end of drought

by Jonathan Romeo

18-19 Stuff to Do

15

20 Ask Rachel 21 Free Will Astrology

Let the music play Festivating in a brave new world

22 End of the Line

by Chris Aaland

23 Classifieds

17

23 Haiku Movie Review

Taking out the bite

On the Cover

Roasting radishes makes them play nicely with other salad ingredients

Bees pollinate a prickly pear blossom along the Animas City Mountain Trail this week./ Photo by Stephen Eginoire

by Ari LeVaux

boilerplate

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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.

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

E-MAIL: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

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• Igniting, building, maintaining or using fire (includes fires fueled by charcoal or briquettes) outside a permanent fire pit or grate that the Forest Service has installed and maintained at developed recreation sites such as campgrounds and picnic areas. (Exception: The use of a gas stove or grill.)

• Smoking except in an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area with at least a 3-foot diameter area cleared of flammable materials.

• Use of explosive material, i.e., fireworks, blasting caps, exploding targets or incendiary devices. (Exception: construction areas with written authorization from the fire chief.)

• Use of internal combustion engine unless equipped with spark arrester.

• Welding and cutting unless conducted with a 20-foot radius free of vegetation, proper tools on site and a fire watch individual standing by with either an approved fire extinguisher or pressurized water supply.

• Flaring for well production unless approved by designated fire chief.

• The use of floating sky lanterns, fire balloons or acetylene balloons.

A violation of the fire restrictions could result in fines up to $500/per violation. The Stage I fire restrictions will remain in effect until the threat of fire danger has either reduced significantly or an increase in risks leads to stricter Stage II restrictions.

Residents can sign up for CodeRED fire evacuation notices and emergency updates via cell phone or email at: bit.ly/CodeRed_signup.

For additional information, call La Plata County at 970-382-6210. For information on fire restrictions on the San Juan National Forest, call 970-247-4874, visit the www.fs.usda.gov/sanjuan or follow them on Twitter or Facebook.

June 17, 2021 n

3

opinion

LaVidaLocal The name of the gain Welp, it finally happened. After 15 months, I finally had to put on pants.

Technically I did not HAVE to. No one made me drive to Albuquerque for the first really-real not-in-someone’s-kitchen pants-required tango milonga in these parts since about the time the “Woman Yelling at Cat” memes started dropping. And I very nearly did not go at all, because my pants very nearly did not fit.

Now I’d like to think this happened because I spent the greater portion of the pandemic working on getting my quads into Marvel shape. Sadly, though, it happened because I spent the pandemic getting older.

Granted, I am lucky that the lockdowns – both the first, shorter, government-imposed one, and the second, longer, let’s-be-honest-it-was-personally-prescribed one – aged me only a year and change. That cat meme template got a lot older, a lot quicker. And I am lucky that I could still close my pants with some corsage-intensity tightening, and that they stretched throughout the evening to accommodate my legs. Most of all, we are all fortunate that the fasteners held, because I had to choose between tucking my shirt in and wearing underwear.

Inadvertently opening my dog house would have been the least of my social faux pas that night, however. Because my brain aged more than my body, I forgot everyone else’s names.

In my usual daily life, I don’t need to be good with names because I rely on a pneumonic device called “Avoid Interactions With Other Humans at All Costs Except by Email.” Most people’s names are on their email addresses these days. This makes remembering names easier, unless the people are those who share email addresses with their spouse and/or are still using Yahoo! Mail with a self-applied nickname followed by their PIN. Normally one need not remember names in the tango world. It’s much more important to remember who wears enough perfume to share with the class, or who has lifted your toenail with his shoe in the past. But the tango world usually gets together more than once per calendar year. So everyone wanted to hug hello, and they wanted us to greet on a first-name basis, which admittedly took my worry away from the sense that I was camel-toe-

ing it in my once-loose tango pants and invested it heavily in stoking my fear of calling someone in 3-inch heels by the wrong name. Even if they called me Josh first.

So! I have decided I will not see others in person again until these pants fit me as fluidly as ever before. I am not one for fad diets, so I won’t be doing some crash diet or lose-fat-gain-muscle-by-working-out snake-oil quick fix. I want more than a trimmer waist; I want trimmer thighs, too.

Oh, and also a change in lifestyle so I am more resilient the next time I am left home alone with a tray of Oreos.

However long it takes to achieve these goals, I’m in. If you care to join me in my tried-and-true, just-invented regimen, here is the free and easy strategy so far: • Step 1: Take it easy. There is no point in pulling a muscle or embarrassing myself by trying to do too much too quickly. “Rome fell one step at a time,” as the axiom goes, so let’s really linger on this first step. Congratulate yourself for even thinking about working out today. Tomorrow.

Every day, until you feel ready to graduate to …

• Step 2: Imagine exercise – I mean really imagine it. I read once about neuroplasticity, the science of how our brains can change and grow and distort anything we please. This study described how one group learned to play an actual piano, and the other group learned to play a fake piano in their minds just by pretending, and at the end they held a recital where both groups played “Hot Cross Buns” equally painfully. So you can imagine yourself leg-pressing a Kenworth and expect real results. Science!

• Step 3: Be more active. Getting back in shape and back in our own pants is all relative. What does “more active” look like to you? Whatever that is, you do it. Do it with passion. Do it with pride. Do it during commercial breaks, or when Netflix asks you if you’re really still watching and you hit “yes” and then the spinner spins for a moment while your show continues to load. “The road to heaven is paved one step at a time,” so just by making it this far, you are closer to godliness.

There! By the time we complete this regimen, which I intend to name after myself, we will have had time to remember everyone else’s names. Or at least our own.

This Week’s Sign of the Downfall:

Thumbin’It Durango athletes making splashes on the international sports scene: Riley Amos winning the U23 World Cup cross-country race; Christopher Blevins making the U.S. Olympics mountain bike team; and Zachary “Bug” Lokken making the U.S. Olympic team for canoe slalom.

The city of Durango adding 245 acres of open space in the Horse Gulch area, preserving parts of the Meadow and Telegraph trails and paving the way for the Durango Mesa plan.

Wolf pups discovered in Colorado for the first time since the 1940s, less than a year after voters approved the reintroduction of wolves into the western part of the state.

4 n June 17, 2021

– Zach Hively

Inescapable heat in Southwest Colorado that has people in the region panic-buying air conditioners at Home Depot instead of the old favorite, toilet paper.

“Extremely critical” fire warnings issued on the Western Slope for the first time in 15 years along with a blanket of smoke over the area from nearby fires.

The U.S. hitting an estimated 600,000 COVID-19 deaths, more than any other country, according to a John Hopkins University report.

telegraph

Grand Theft Bravado This past January, Crystal Leary, of Beaverton, Ore., left her toddler in her running, unlocked car while she ran into a local meat market. But the thief lurking in the parking lot didn’t notice the kid, so he carjacked Crystal’s Honda Pilot. When the thief saw the child, he turned around, stormed into the meat market and demanded that Crystal remove her child, which she did. He then scolded her loudly, threatened to call the cops and jumped back into his brand-new minivan before driving into the sunset, making him the best bad-guy ever.

WordontheStreet With Father’s Day this Sunday, the Telegraph asked, “Give us your best dad joke?”

Q

Damian

“What’s a soccer player’s favorite tea? A penalty.”

Luigi

“I don’t usually tell dad jokes but when I do he usually laughs.”

David

“What do you call a deer with no eyes? No idear.”

Aaron

“Knock, knock.

Who’s there? I was going to say pizza but that’s too cheesy.”

Terrence

“What makes a dad joke, a dad joke? The punch line is apparent.”

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June 17, 2021 n

5

SoapBox Ethical ways to ‘catch’ wildlife This Sunday is Father’s Day and while most of the country might be celebrating with baseball and burgers, I’m taking a decidedly different approach: I’m going “fishing.” But not the kind of fishing you’re thinking of.

Our planet’s oceans and waterways are being stripped through commercial fishing, and even “recreational fishing” takes its toll on the environment, not to mention the trauma to marine life. At our current rate, we could see fishless oceans by 2048.

This is why, as an ethical vegan and father of two, I have my own unique approach to “fishing.”

Armed with Google image search and fish identification guides, my kids and I go “fishing” in the same way a birder goes birding. We walk the shorelines and countless docks of New York’s Finger Lakes region and “catch” a glimpse of freshwater fish. This past weekend we “caught” a dozen carp, a few bass, several perch, and one very elusive catfish; all logged in our fishing journal.

As stewards of this planet, we have a unique opportunity to share these moments and nature with the next generation and prove there are more ethical ways to “capture” wildlife.

– Eric C. Lindstrom, executive director, Farm Animal Rights Movement

The filibuster must go There’s so much being written about the filibuster these days, but in all the articles I read, I feel like this important point gets lost: The filibuster isn’t mentioned in our Constitution. Not even one time.

Despite what some in the Senate might imply, the filibuster is just a procedural measure that can be changed at any point, like when Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump put Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.

That’s why it’s so ridiculous that the filibuster still stands in the way of almost every single progressive priority on Democrats’ docket. The Biden-Harris administration clearly has its eye on passing necessary reforms, like comprehensive climate legislation and raising the minimum wage, but the threat of the filibuster continues to throw the future of their legislative agenda into question.

Luckily it doesn’t have to be this way. I’m putting my faith in the Senate to get rid of the filibuster as soon as possible. We can’t let a minority of senators continue to block the progress a majority of Americans voted for.

– Echo Gray, Farmington

Independence from the big lie We approach the annual celebration of “liberty and justice for all” mindful that too many Americans don’t share that experience. How can we change that?

Unfortunately, an entire political party is working hard to take us the other way. In states controlled by the anti-democracy GOP, legislators are passing voter-suppression bills and bills to block voter initiatives they don’t like, such as to have state and congressional redistricting done by a bipartisan commission instead of incumbents entrenched in single-party democracy.

They are passing bills threatening the independence of county clerks who administer elections and civic-minded

volunteers who help with vote counts, all because the 80 million legitimate votes for Joe Biden somehow counted for more than the 74 million votes for Donald Trump and were validated by the Electoral College despite GOP efforts. Trump’s base and most GOP legislators perpetuate Trump’s big lie that he won and the election was stolen from him.

Absent any evidence of voter fraud, Trumpublicans say voter suppression laws are needed to repair the perception that voting fraud is rampant – a situation created by Trump’s big lie and perpetuated by the GOP. They’d open the way for partisan judges or Legislatures to overturn election results that don’t go their way.

GOP legislators in Arizona hired a company with no relevant qualifications to re-count votes from Maricopa County, with funding by secret donors. The company got custody of the ballots, so who knows what’s happening to them? The GOP seems to be planning similar “audits” in swing states that went for Biden, never mind all the legitimate audits and recounts that validated Biden wins.

Red state legislatures also are passing laws to sabotage First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful assembly when it comes to racial justice protests. In some versions, everyone at an otherwise peaceful protest could be charged with a serious crime if one person (maybe a white supremacist infiltrator) commits property destruction or violence. The laws have provisions that are so vague that they can mean whatever those in power want. In Oklahoma, it’s now legal for a driver to run over a protester as long as it’s “unintentional.” Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

The GOP is moving us toward the kind of democracy they have in places like Belarus, Syria, Iran, Russia and Hong Kong. 4

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6 n June 17, 2021

telegraph

So those of us who want to protect free and fair elections and expand liberty and justice for all will have to do a lot more than wear our red, white and blue on July 4.

November 2022 will be here before we know it.

– Carole McWilliams, Bayfield

Fit a 10-ton truck in a 5-ton space We visited Durango recently as we always do when we go on our annual fishing trip to the San Juan River.

We got a ticket for “Not wholly in space.” If the purpose for this is for people who block two spaces, no quarrel with this. I fully approve; the fine should be bigger.

This is a crew cab, long-bed work truck with a heavyduty hitch out the back. It is a big vehicle not particularly well suited to delicate maneuvering in congested areas. We do not use the 45-degree nose-in parking, it extends way out in the street. I have had plenty of practice parking this thing; I usually search for my preferred parking place, a curb parallel, end of block, no parking here to corner at the far end of the congested area (it frequently takes some searching to find such a place).

The nose was at the meter (we inserted our money) and within the lines. The back of the truck extended out slightly beyond the lines (no parking here to corner.) It did not (by intent) impinge upon any other parking space. I have never before, ever, gotten a ticket for this.

I am fully aware that this is an extremely unwieldly vehicle in congested areas and do my best to be a considerate citizen and keep it out of crowded areas. I thought I had done a pretty good job of keeping it well out of the way.

If you consider this an offense, please send me how to make a court date.

– James Godwin, Wichita Falls, Texas CC: Mayor Kim Baxter, Durango Chief of Police Brammer and Gov. Polis

# " """ "

Mouse Bites A comfort in loneliness Companion from childhood offering color movement excitement Even mechanical attention warms a little in a world of rushing-about giants Could it be Could the hypnotic electronic window Could the addiction be complete?

Could the watching, watching, watching Nibble away your soul with tiny, little mouse bites?

Till all imagination lulls into dreamy space Till all creative glee is a shadowed recall Till there is no more inner friend?

Could the watching, watching, watching Steal this from you?

Voters have already passed some of these reforms in red, blue and purple states and localities across the nation, often with bipartisan support. Colorado is one of those states.

The FTPA addresses some of the more pressing issues facing our democracy - people are being shut out of the political process through restrictive voting laws and barriers to participation. More concerning is that some legislatures are actively trying to change laws so it’s easier to challenge and overturn election results after the fact. This could allow the party in control of state legislatures to nullify the will of voters.

This legislation will work to eliminate dark money in our elections, end gerrymandering, and build a democracy that is fair and for the people.

Now is the time for Congress to take bold action to pass comprehensive democracy reform to strengthen our elections. Everyone deserves an equal voice in our democracy. The best way to defend democracy is to strengthen democracy. Ask our senators to vote yes on the For the People Act (S1) and thank them for their support.

– Jan Phillips, Durango

– Veryl Nadya Rosenbaum, Ignacio

“We’ll print damned-near anything”

For the People for democracy The House is about to vote in support of HR1, the For the People Act (FTPA), then it moves on to the Senate. This bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our democracy and fair representation. It puts more power in the hands of everyday people by strengthening our voting rights, modernizing voter registration systems, improving election laws, making campaign contributions more transparent, and curbing partisan gerrymandering.

The Telegraph prides itself on a liberal letters policy. We offer this forum to the public to settle differences, air opinions & undertake healthy discourse. We have only three requests: limit letters to 750 words, letters must be signed by the writer; and thank-you lists and libelous, personal attacks are unwelcome. Send your insights by Tuesday at noon to: PO Box 332, Durango, 81302 or e-mail your profundities to: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com. Let the games begin ...

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June 17, 2021n 7

LandDesk

Archaeological sites such as this are among the thousands of culturally significant Native American sites that would be protected under monument status at Bears Ears./ File photo

A new view on Bears Ears … and learning to love (some) national monuments

by Jonathan Thompson

S

ometime in the coming days or weeks, President Joe Biden is expected to wield the authority granted to him by the Antiquities Act – which turned 115 recently – to restore or even enlarge the boundaries of Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in the wake of his predecessor’s shrinking of the same.

I’m not going to try to feign objectivity in this regard. I want to see those boundaries restored and then some.

But I haven’t always felt that way. And I’m sure that there are many others who are really nervous right now, people who care deeply about the landscapes that would be protected, but who worry that an expansion of the Trump-shrunken boundaries will rob the land of something and lure even more people and their attendant impacts. The concerns are legitimate. But in the case of Bears Ears, especially, the benefits of a national monument outweigh the potential pitfalls.

The most recent push to create a national monument in San Juan County, Utah, really got going in 2010, when conservative Utah politicians got their hands on the Obama administration’s “secret list” of places that “may be good candidates for National Monument designation under the Antiquities Act.” On the list was Cedar Mesa, which was how the general area now known as Bears Ears

8 n June 17, 2021

was referred to back then.

The white power base in San Juan County was furious, particularly given that this purported “land grab” was coming on the heels of the 2009 federal raid on Blanding pothunters and antiquities thieves.

They saw it as yet another instance of federal overreach. I, too, was worried about the potential national monument designation, albeit for different reasons.

It’s difficult to express how much the landscape known as “Bears Ears” means to me, personally. My parents first took me camping in the shade of the cottonwoods where Arch Canyon meets Comb Wash five decades ago, when I was still an infant. I don’t remember, of course, but I am certain that the distinctive sound of the big green leaves dancing in the breeze, the glow of last light on Comb Ridge, and the miracle of a gurgling stream flowing through the desert were imprinted upon my impressionable psyche.

That, and “The Potholes,” another camping spot nearby, were where our lowbudget family would spend its vacations throughout my childhood. It’s where we plopped down on our bellies and lapped up stagnant, sandstone-flavored water from desert potholes, where we’d hike up obscure canyons to visit ancient dwellings tucked into stone walls, where I indulged in the cloying sweetness of Fanta orange soda – a luxury reserved for such trips – and where I’d awake to the smell of breakfast cooking over a fire.

telegraph

When I was a too-young-to-drive teenager, my parents would ferry my friends and me to desert trailheads and drop us off for two- or three-day backpacking excursions. Later they lent us their crappy cars to drive ourselves. The first time Wendy and I went camping together we drove up to Muley Point in the dark so that she woke up to her first view of the place and I’m pretty damned sure that’s why she ended up marrying me in an alfalfa field along the banks of the San Juan River next to Bluff. Maybe that’s why we’re still together.

So, when it seems like someone is going to mess with this place, I get my hackles up. And turning a place into a national monument or park certainly could qualify. Under the most-messing-with-it scenario, the National Park Service takes over, builds roads, trails, fences, campgrounds, and invites concessionaires to build lodges and shuttle services and gift shops. Alternative scenarios have played out in Grand Staircase-Escalante and Canyon of the Ancients national monuments, in which the Bureau of Land Management retains control and development is kept at a minimum.

But even that scenario is problematic in that it still draws a line around a boundless landscape and slaps a name on it—or brands it—thereby enhancing the ability to commodify it. It’s tough to market a vaguely defined region. But give it a catchy brand with a built in logo, like4

Bears Ears, and you’ve got something you can sell to the masses. Before long the “secret” places in which I sought solitude would be overrun by adrenaline freaks looking for a slot-canyon rappel or the next viral Instagram shot.

Take Grand Staircase-Escalante. Before Obama’s “secret list” came to light, Wendy and our daughters and I went to the monument for several days of camping and hiking. It was the first time I had visited there since my father and his friend Whitfield and I had gone on a mid-winter backpacking trip there in 1986, a decade before President Bill Clinton designated it a national monument. During that earlier trip we had stopped in Escalante for some snacks and gas, where we got the stink-eye from some crusty old locals. After that we saw no one for an entire week – and I nearly froze to death, but that’s another story.

When I returned a couple decades later, I found the same mind-blowing landscape but, of course, there were changes. Here’s what I wrote shortly thereafter: The unpeopled place I remembered had vanished. We had to fight for spots in campgrounds. The trails were crowded. There were no more sketchy little stores selling expired Fritos; they were fully stocked with organic produce, tofu and Ed Abbey books, instead.

Espresso is readily available, and there’s even a Buddhist restaurant, where the staff catches flies with a little non-harming vacuum cleaner. Instead of grumpy ranchers, there are now grumpy newcomers who, at the end of tourist season, are tired of trying to be nice to busloads of people who speak only French and smoke like chimneys at every stop.

Don’t get me wrong. I like espresso and French folks and Buddhists as much as the next guy. And it was a relief to cross through the piñon-juniper forests without seeing any sign of ATVs racing through the landscape, annihilating the cryptobiotic soil. The streambeds, through which the water ran clear and cool, were not trampled by cows or filled with manure; sage flats were not overgrazed.

Conspicuously absent were herds of the big white gasfield trucks that are ubiquitous in so many parts of the West these days.

Yet, I can’t help but feel a sense of loss.

Gone, thanks to the national monument designation, is the solitude. Gone is the sense of discovery I had on that lonely morning long ago.

Gone is the illusion that one could wander into one of these canyons and simply vanish a la Everett Ruess. In its place, despite the relatively primitive conveniences of this national monument, is the hint of commercialism that comes wherever tourism trumps every other way of making a living. And there are so many people now, intent on adoring the place so thoroughly that they wear it down like water on sandstone.

They stream through relentlessly in cars and buses, their cameras clicking.

The Obama national monument list— and the idea of turning the Cedar Mesa area into a national monument—dropped into the background for the next five years. But they didn’t die. Quite to the contrary. A lot of people were working to build a coalition that was ultimately made up of five tribal nations, each with deep, ancestral roots in the area in question. In 2015, the Inter-Tribal Coalition asked President Obama to designate 1.9 million acres as the Bears Ears National Monu-

ment and to give those tribes a say in how it would be managed.

I have to admit, I was taken aback. My preconceived notions about who pushed for national monuments and why were shattered and I was forced to rethink my long held ideas of what a national monument is and what it means. This rethinking process began when, shortly after the coalition had traveled to Washington, I met in Bluff with Mark Maryboy, a Diné politician and community activist who has been a driving force in the effort to protect the lands of Southeastern Utah.

The lands in question are public, meaning they belong to all Americans. More than that though they belong to the people from whom they were usurped: The very tribes that were pushing for national monument designation. Maybe the tribes wouldn’t get the land back, but maybe a national monument over which they have some control is the next best thing. And even without tribal co-management, a monument is probably the most realistic means of upping protection of the tribes’ homeland and the cultural sites there.

More importantly, a co-managed national monument would provide an opportunity for those tribes to take control over their own history and heritage and to tell their own stories of the landscape.

Who am I, with my desert-induced misanthropy or my fear of losing access to my favorite dispersed campsites, to stand in the way of that?

Maybe the national monument designation has drawn more people. But what’s the alternative? Would leaving it as it is—

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open to oil and gas leasing, uranium mining, or wind or solar energy development—really keep the crowds at bay? And even if it did, at what cost?

Besides, it doesn’t take a national monument designation to draw the masses to a place. They were already there, plying the canyons of Cedar Mesa, scouring ancient homes and dwellings of artifacts, piloting their UTVs along thousands of miles of roads and trails that crisscross the land. A thousand de facto marketing campaigns have been launched on social media to sell the place already, long before the monument was proposed.

Meanwhile, the sheer size of the national monument makes it that much harder to commodify. I realized that, too, after more visits to Grand Staircase-Escalante, where I found that the crowds tended to converge on a small handful of specific places—Lower Calf Creek Falls, for example—yet blew right past millions of other equally remarkable spots.

It was in one of those spots one June that I really saw the light. We were in a national monument, a popular one, surrounded by beauty and stone and light, and we even had the place to ourselves. I suspect that a modern-day Everett Ruess could still disappear in that crumpled sea of stone—whether it is called a national monument or not.

Jonathan Thompson is a fourth-generation Durangoan who runs the Land Desk, a thriceweekly newsletter: visit www.land desk.org. He is also the author of River of Lost Souls, Behind the Slickrock Curtain and the forthcoming Sagebrush Empire.n

June 17, 2021 n

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Colorado biologists say they have recorded multiple sightings of wolf pups born in northern Colorado. Note that, while this is a gray wolf pup, it is not one of the recent pups sighted./ Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

7&+6 & 25* 7&+6 & 25*

It’s official Colorado has its first wild wolf pups since the 1940s

by Sam Brasch Colorado Public Radio

I

t’s the “pup”-date Colorado wolf watchers have been waiting for. Colorado Parks and Wildlife on June 9 confirmed that a litter of gray wolf pups is living in the state. The announcement marks the first evidence of wolf breeding in Colorado since the 1940s, when trappers and hunters eradicated the species with the support of the federal government.

According to an agency news release, a state biologist and district wildlife manager observed multiple pups with a pair of adult wolves, known as M2101 and F1084. Other agency staff members have recorded three separate observations between June 4-8.

In each case, the biologists recorded the two adult wolves with three pups, but the wildlife agency has not ruled out the possibility of more animals. A typical wolf litter consists of four to six pups.

The emergence of the animals comes less than a year after voters narrowly passed a state ballot initiative to reintroduce wolves to western Colorado. Col-

orado Parks and Wildlife has until the end of 2023 to formulate and begin implementing a plan to reintroduce the wolves.

Hunters and ranchers have opposed the effort, in part due to the possibility of wolves returning to the state without human help.

Gov. Jared Polis appeared to anticipate the new pups could bolster the argument.

In a statement, he said reintroduction will help ensure “these pups will have plenty of potential mates when they grow up to start their own families.”

State wildlife officials began to suspect the possibility of a wolf litter months ago.

The first hint came from the location data from collars attached to the two adult wolves. State biologists had assumed both of the animals were male, but the tracking collars suggested one of the wolves had retreated to a den in Jackson County.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman Rebecca Ferrell said biologists contacted their counterparts in Wyoming, who had first collared the wolf after it was born to the Snake River Pack near Yellowstone National Park. Existing genetic information revealed a documentation error.

The wolf was, in fact, female, not male.

Polis dubbed the animals “John” and “Jane” wolf and welcomed the pair to Colorado.

State wildlife biologist Libbie Miller said the agency will continue to monitor the den site at a safe distance. Studies have shown exposure to human activity reduces the chance of survival for the pups.

So far, state biologists said all observations occurred from a distance of 2 miles in lowlight conditions at dusk and dawn.

“Our hope is that we will eventually have photos to document this momentous occasion in Colorado's incredible and diverse wildlife history, but not bothering them remains a paramount concern,” Miller said.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is also working with nearby landowners to minimize any potential conflict. It’s also warning the public of existing protections on gray wolves, which remain an endangered species under state law. Killing one can result in a $100,000 fine and up to a year in prison.

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

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June 17, 2021 n 11

TopStory

The disappearing Dolores River Fish, farmers, boaters all come out on losing end of drought year

by Jonathan Romeo

W

here once a river ran, the Dolores River has all but disappeared in its lower reaches below McPhee Dam this summer, another causality of an intense drought that has gripped Southwest Colorado.

Striking images of dried up streambeds, tepid pools filled with suffocating algae and vegetation encroaching into the historic channel of the Dolores River has incited deep concerns over the ecological collapse of an entire waterway.

“It’s pretty devastating,” Jim White, an aquatic biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said. “It’s going to be a tough year for fish.”

Farmers and ranchers that rely on water from the reservoir, too, are also coming up on the losing end. This year, most irrigators are receiving just 5% to 10% of usual water shares, with valves expected to be shut off by the end of the month, an incredibly early end to the growing season sure to have economic fallouts.

“Absolutely, it’s the worst in the project history,” Ken Curtis, general manager of the Dolores Water Conservancy District, the agency that manages the dam, said of the situation on the Dolores River this year.

Completed in 1985, McPhee Dam bottlenecks the Dolores River in Southwest Colorado, just west of the town that bears its name. At the time, the project was sold as an insurance bank of water for both irrigators and the downstream fishery.

But in the years since, a crippling, 20year drought has exposed intrinsic flaws within the management system put in place. And it all seems to have come to a head this summer after back-to-back poor water years, which has forced a reckoning among water users who rely on the strapped river.

“This is unprecedented,” Mike Preston, who led the DWCD for 12 years, retiring in 2019, said. “And it’s dire for everyone.”

In many ways, the situation on the Dolores River is a microcosm of issues plaguing many communities in the American West where rivers are over-allocated, suffering from diminishing water supply and increased demand.

But the intertwined Dolores River and McPhee Reservoir, which is expected to hit by the end of the year the lowest water level since it was constructed, faces challenges all its own.

Dam it The Dolores River tumbles south out of the high country of the San Juan Mountains, and takes a sharp turn west near the town of Dolores before it heads more than 170 miles north to the Colorado River near Moab.

Near Dolores, the river skirts the edge of

12 n June 17, 2021

The Dolores River below McPhee Dam has been reduced to a trick this summer, a result of drought and demand causing reserves to go dry. This recent photograph was taken upstream of the confluence with the San Miguel River./ Photo by Cody Perry/Rig to Flip the Montezuma Valley, a different drainage basin where water is incredibly scarce. In the 1880s, Western settlers, looking to irrigate these arid fields, constructed a series of tunnels and large diversions to bring water

over from the Dolores River.

This system, known as a transmountain diversion, brought a whole host of its own issues. Some years, flows were so erratic, that after spring runoff, agricultural needs

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reduced the Dolores River to a trickle. On top of concerns for the fishery below the dam, farmers and ranchers further out near Dove Creek also started to eye shares from the river. 4

So, by the mid-1900s, as was custom at the time, a dam was proposed. Much has been written and said about the concept of McPhee; even top-ranking Bureau of Reclamation officials have expressed on record the ill-advised nature of the water project in such an arid environment.

Ranchers and farmers, however, came to hold water reserves in McPhee as an economic lifeline.

But, even a few years after completion, the dam started showing proverbially cracks in its plan after low-water years in the late 1980s.

“It’s just a case study of why trans-basin diversions should never be allowed,” Mike Japhet, a retired CPW aquatic biologist that worked on Dolores issues for more than 30 years, said. “Below McPhee, the Dolores River really doesn’t exist.”

“Deal with the devil” McPhee’s first and foremost priority is to serve agriculture in the Montezuma Valley.

Today, water out of the reservoir irrigates the fields of an estimated 1,500 farms, which range in size from small, three acre tracts to 1,000 acre operations.

Early on in the project’s management, however, low snowpack years in the mountains, which resulted in less available water supply coming into the dam, created tension among the competing interests for agricultural and the health of the river.

“This is where it became a deal with the devil,” Japhet said. “And the ecosystem paid the price.”

Ultimately, a “pool” of water was dedicated for releases out of the dam to support the fishery. But as the region increasingly dried out, shares have had to be reduced, and in some years the water sent down river has not provided enough habitat to sustain fish populations.

This summer, the fishery will receive just 5,000 acre feet of water, far below its 32,000 acre feet allotment. As a result, releases out of McPhee are expected to drop as low as 5 cubic feet per second, the lowest amount ever recorded (for reference, summer flows tend to be between 70 and 90 cfs).

Further downstream, the picture is even bleaker as water is lost to evaporation, sucked up by the soil and even in some cases used for irrigation. As of Wednesday, the stream gauge on the Dolores River at Bedrock, about 100 miles downstream of McPhee, was reading an inconceivable 0.45 cfs, virtually a nonexistent flow.

“When the project was conceived, there were wetter years with a lot more water,” Japhet said. “It didn’t plan for climate change to dry us out the way it is. The Dolores River right now is ceasing to function as a fishery if this situation goes on. It won’t be a river or even a creek at that point.”

Short end of the stick Thousands of fish are expected to die this year on the Dolores River.

For the first 10 miles or so downstream of McPhee Dam, the river boasts a robust trout fishery. Further on, as the river cuts toward the towns of Bedrock and Gateway, the waterway is home to many native fish, like the bluehead sucker and roundtail chub. Survival rates, as expected, are grim.

CPW’s White said that before the construction of the dam, spring runoff would replenish pools for fish to find refuge in.

Top: This year, McPhee Reservoir is projected to hit the lowest water level since construction, at about 40% capacity. That remaining water pool, managers say, is not even accessible./Photo by Alex Krebs Left: Water releases out of McPhee Reservoir are expected to hit a paltry 5 cfs this summer, which is going to cause significant fish kill. Further downstream, the river is showing signs of completely drying up./Photo

by Cody Perry/Rig to Flip

Cutting off the tap

But that’s not the case in the post-dam world, and many fish will likely succumb to high water temperatures and the evaporation of pools in the hot summer months.

And, conditions have set up perfectly for the invasive smallmouth bass to take over.

“Unfortunately, there’s not a lot we can do about it,” said White, referring to the set-in-stone nature of water right allocations. “Fish are tough, but they have a threshold.”

The Dolores River has been so changed and altered by the construction of McPhee

Dam, and compounded by the effects of climate change, that it’s also prompted a multi-year study to understand the ecosystem’s new normal. Gigi Richard, director of the Four Corners Water Center at Fort Lewis College, said vegetation is now growing in the river bed, and the channel is losing the diversification of flow that support so many species.

“It’s a progression common downstream from dams when peak flows are eliminated,” Richard said. “But the Dolores is a pretty extreme example.”

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Explaining water rights is never an easy task for reporters with a word count.

But here we go: the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co., formed in 1920 to consolidate the earliest water users, hold the most senior water rights. The next tiers in the pecking order are those served explicitly because of the construction of McPhee: farmers out near Dove Creek, the downstream fishery and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.

With McPhee receiving just a quarter of normal inflows from the Dolores this year, MVIC irrigators had their allocations slashed 50%, Curtis said. But that’s not the worst: all other users had their water supply cut to 5% to 10% from normal years, the worst project allocation in its history.

(The water supply for the towns of Cortez and Towaoc, which serves about 20,000 people, also comes from McPhee Reservoir and is expected to receive a sufficient amount this year.)

“We are all dependent on the Dolores, there’s not another source,” Curtis said. “So we’re stuck on our own, and all you can do is fallow fields and focus on specific products.

But you can’t sustain yourself on that.” 4 June 17, 2021 n 13

DoloresRiver from p. 13 Most farmers will only get one or two crops this year. There’s a legitimate concern perennial yields, primarily alfalfa to feed livestock, will die and have to be replaced, a costly expense. And, all this under the cloud of not knowing what next year will bring.

Because of shortages, the Ute Mountain Ute Farm & Ranching Enterprise was forced to abandon most of its alfalfa, a profitable yet water-intensive crop, and focus on corn, less water dependent but also less valued.

“With most of our fields fallowed and very little crop income, everything that we have developed is at risk,” Chairman Manuel Heart said in a statement in May. Dustin Goodall, a sixth-generation rancher, said the water shortages on the Dolores stem from years of mismanagement and over-allocating the river, and too much of the blame is placed on the agricultural community. Instead, he said it’s going to take everyone to come together and put aside deep-seeded divisions to find solutions.

“You can see what damage has been done down in the canyon, and it’s not a good sight whether you’re a farmer, rancher or recreating,” he said. “Everyone knows there’s a problem.”

Drying out All predictions show no signs of the drought in the Southwest reversing course, so what’s to become of a reservoir like McPhee that increasingly doesn’t have

enough water to meet its own demands? It’s a question managers at Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which also face record low levels, also are grappling with.

Curtis, for his part, said the water district is consumed with the emergency-response nature of this year’s drought. Montezuma County earlier this month declared a disaster emergency because of the lack of water, and funds are being sought to offset losses for farmers.

This fall, Curtis expects more serious, long-term conversations about the future of McPhee. Even further on the horizon, the dam’s Operating Agreement plan between DWCD and the Bureau of Rec expires in 2025, expected to reinvigorate the conversation. Still, Curtis doesn’t foresee any fundamental changes in the way the reservoir provides water to its customers.

“It’s not going to be fun, I can tell you that,” he said. “Fundamentally, the project didn’t anticipate this amount of shortages, so we’re having to think about what the longer-term implications are. I’m not authorized to make those decisions, no single party really is.”

By the end of the year, McPhee Reservoir is expected to drop to its lowest level since construction, at about 40% capacity. Most of that remaining water, Curtis said, is inaccessible because of topography issues.

Amber Clark, executive director of the Dolores River Boating Advocates, said there’s a long history of diverse user groups trying to find compromises for the available water in McPhee. This year, advocating for recreational releases for rafting and kayak-

Because of water shortages, most farmers and ranchers that rely on McPhee Reservoir will have to let 5% to 10% of their farms go fallow this year, which is sure to have an economic impact./ Photo by Alex Krebs ing on the Dolores, which is known for its revered whitewater, has taken a back seat as the overall life of the river is at risk.

“We can’t just let this stretch of the Dolores go,” she said. “But it’s really tricky on the Dolores because it feels like there’s not

enough water to do all those things, and as we see drought have a bigger impact, it feels like that’s going to get harder, not easier.

Across the West, the bigger question is, how do we move forward? How do we value our rivers and take care of them?” n

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TopShelf

Festival goers at the Four Corners Folk Fest in the Before Times. After a yearlong COVID hiatus, the festival returns to Reservoir Hill in Pagosa Springs over Labor Day./Courtesy photo

Festivating in a brave new world Outdoor music festival season in SWCO returns – to varying degrees

by Chris Aaland

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or better or worse, we’re fully in the throes of festival season. The 48th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival got under way last weekend with a socially distanced, three-day, 2,500-spectator event – just a fourth of capacity for Town Park. It continues today (Thur., June 17) through Sunday. Aside from Sam Bush, this weekend features a new slate of artists and a (mostly) different audience. I’ll be among those in attendance, keeping my 24-year Telluride Bluegrass streak alive; last Saturday, I dropped $34 (the daily fee) for audio and visual through a streaming service called, appropriately enough, Mandolin.

Each day is limited to four bands, with the first starting in the 3 o’clock hour and the last ending shortly after 10. That means Thursday with Sierra Hull, Crooked Still, the Jerry Douglas Band and Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange); Friday with Richie & Rosie, the Del McCoury Band, the Decemberists and Yonder Mountain String Band; Saturday with Edgar & George Meyer, Grace Potter, the Sam Bush Band and Leftover Salmon; and Sunday with Mavis Staples, Peter Rowan & Los Texmaniacs, Emmylou Harris and the Telluride House Band (Sam, Edgar, Jerry, Bela, Bryan & Stuart). Yes, there are a handful of workshops and a few Nightgrass shows … even the occasional special guest (who’d have guessed that the Lovell sisters in the blues duo, Larkin Poe, would be joining Sam Bush for his encore last Saturday?)

Two-hundred-fifty 10-person corrals make up the festi-

Grace Potter plays Telluride’s Town Park stage Saturday for the 48th Telluride Bluegrass festival./Courtesy photo val grounds this year, nearly all of them in front of or parallel with the sound booth. Each corral is distanced from the next. You get the same corral for each day of the weekend, the same group of friends sitting next to you. Everyone is required to purchase tickets, which is why my wife, Shelly,

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chooses to stay home with our brood. $400 per child seemed a bit steep – especially since 7-year-old Rosie has the attention span of, well, a 7-year-old. At 14, Otto is simply too cool to hang with Mom & Dad. Proof of vaccination is strongly suggested, although word on the street has it that nobody was checking. Still, if you plan to attend, bring your card. If you’re not vaccinated, consider whether or not it’s responsible to be in a large crowd. If you think your freedoms trump my health, perhaps you should just stay at home as those of us who are vaccinated don’t want your cooties. Consider heading up to Country Jam in Grand Junction the following weekend with Lauren Boebert and the rest of the flag-waving, gun-toting, red-hat crowd.

It was a combination of Telluride Town Council and Planet Bluegrass that enacted festival restrictions this year. When planning was under way in March and April, the pandemic was still raging. San Miguel County, with its limited medical resources, was understandably cautious. Remember the Spanish Flu of 1918? No town in the U.S. was harder hit per capita than Silverton, just over the hill from Telluride. A walk through of Lone Tree Cemetery in Telluride reveals a rather high number of graves associated with that pandemic.

Had Planet Bluegrass and Telluride Town Council waited until May to make their decisions, the restrictions likely would have been less severe. But promoters can’t wait until the last minute to book their lineups, coordinate staff and volunteers, and otherwise plan for a huge celebration. 4 June 17, 2021 n 15

means Lucinda Williams (yes, despite her stroke last Thanksgiving), Tim O’Brien, Rising Appalachia and a host of others will from p. 15 be joining us on Reservoir Hill. Tickets, camping and vehicle passes are available I know this firsthand because of my day at the KSUT Presents website, although vejob at KSUT. We put on a pair of festivals hicle passes might sell out sooner rather each summer – the Four Corners Folk than later.

Festival over Labor Day and Pagosa Folk’n The Ride didn’t Bluegrass, which is feel comfortable going usually the first weekforward with an outend of June. We were door festival this sumin the same boat as mer given capacity Planet Bluegrass in restrictions. Rather April when we decided than throw in the to postpone the June towel for another year, festival for a year. organizers opted for a Upon consultation two-week event at a vawith state, local and riety of indoor venues tribal officials, we felt like the Sheridan Opera comfortable hosting a House. Regulars like relatively normal festiRival Sons, Warren val over Labor Day, Haynes, Big Something with a full lineup, onand Rose Hill Drive are site camping, and no joined by Yola, Joan social distancing reOsborne, Black Pistol strictions … the whole nine yards. Yes, we’ll Lucinda Williams plays the Four Cor- Fire, Donavon Frankenhave additional wash ners Folk Festival on Labor Day Week- reiter and more from July 2-9. stations and encourage end in Pagosa.

The rest of the sumsafe, sanitary festivatmer’s music and festiing. No, we aren’t reval highlights are pretty much unaffected quiring proof of vaccination. by restrictions. Telluride Jazz (Aug. 13We were lucky. Of our 14 acts booked 15) is small enough with just 2,000-2,500 for 2020’s Four Corners Folk Festival, only spectators on an average day that Town of one – Old Salt Union – will miss out due Telluride size restrictions won’t matter. to childbirth (Wha? Young people spent Jazz’s top-flight lineup includes Galactic, lockdown at home bumping uglies?) FY5, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Hot a regular at our other festival, gladly Sardines, Bonerama, Robert Glasper and agreed to take Old Salt Union’s spot. That

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16 n June 17, 2021

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones play the anniversary Ska-lapalooza this September. If you weren’t among the first to buy tickets, you’ll have to hear about it from your friends; it’s sold out. the Budos Band. I’ve already confirmed my lodging for the weekend, even if I don’t have a dance partner yet.

Blues & Brews? Yep, it’s on from Sept.

17-19 … and nearly sold out. Ska’s 25th and 26th Annivesary Party featuring the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and The Pietasters will happen on Sat., Sept. 4 (tickets went on sale this Tuesday and already sold out). KSUT’s Party in the Park with the Motet and Afrobeatniks takes place not once, but twice in late July (Friday the 30th in Buckley Park, Saturday

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the 31st in Pagosa Springs Town Park).

Then there’s Tico Time, with live music and festivals nearly every weekend through mid-October. Each is a BYOB, smoke ’em if you got ’em, let the dog run wild kind of affair. This weekend, it’s a Father’s Day Reggae Beach Party with Dustin Moore, DJ Jahmek, and Jah Sun & the Rising Tide from 1-6 just a stone’s throw from the state line.

Festivaaaal! Email me at chris@ ksut.org. n

FlashinthePan

Ravishing radishes

by Ari LeVaux

T

his time of year, the radishes stand out like bright bunches of candy. Sometimes at the farmers market I ask the vendors what to do with the pretty orbs, because I am chronically at a loss for ideas. The most common guidance, by far, is to use radishes in salads and stir-fries. In other words, the farmers are just as clueless as I am.

Those sassy, juicy roots are tricky.

Unadulterated, the feisty flavor of a radish is more difficult to appreciate than that of, say, an apple or carrot.

And in mixed company of a gentle bowl of leaves, that blast of mustard fire can stick out awkwardly.

In the case of a stir-fry, the task is to not overcook the radish to a catatonic state with nothing to offer but limp, bland remains. I can think of some great Thai stir-fries that begin with pickled radish, which has a unique and enduring flavor. But I’ve yet to find a stir-fry that was improved by cooking fresh, non-pickled radish.

At least in a stir-fry, the overcooked radish won’t drag the entire dish down. But when it comes to adding radish to salads, the possible downside is greater. A fresh radish in a salad can be like a drunk passenger on a plane to Vegas. Obnoxious, loud and overpowering your bowl of leaves in its delicate vinaigrette, unless it’s applied just so, accompanied by just the right handlers.

The other day, the rowdy radish proved me wrong, by way of a salad from The Camino, a Mexican-esque restaurant in Missoula. The food is unique, well-researched and as authentic as you can get without a green card, down to the house-nixtamalized corn in the tortillas, tamales and posole.

The Camino’s owners, Phil Schaefer and Tad Hilton, were kind enough to share the recipe for their humbly named “Arugula Salad,” created by their sous chef Rob Troiano. “We wanted to do a spring salad,” explained Hilton, “And we wanted to use ingredients that we use in a lot of the dishes like the guajillo vinaigrette, which is mostly lime and guajillo powder with shallots and a little agave.” This citrus chile vinaigrette dresses the arugula

and toppings, which include toasted almonds, shaved onion, diced avocado, roasted radishes and raw chayote squash, a pear-shaped unit with light green, ruddy skin that’s ubiquitous, Hilton says, in Mexico and Mexican food.

The radishes are lightly roasted, which preserves their crunch while taking enough edge off their fiery essence that the chile, lime, arugula and shallots can form a smooth transition, and help the radish blend in rather than stick out. The avocado and chayote squash, meanwhile, serve as refuge – creamy, crunchy and refreshingly bland.

The key, says Hilton, is to not overwork the leaves.

This is not a tossed salad; arugula is fragile. “We build the salad on the arugula base and layer everything on, and drizzle the dressing over it, so it doesn’t wilt the arugula.”

A guajillo pepper is by definition dried (it goes by a different name, mirasol, when fresh), and anything guajillo touches is practically Mexican by definition. If you can’t find guajillo, try your favorite dried chile. It will be delicious, if less autentico. And if you can’t get chayote

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squash, try using daikon radish, which brings similar qualities to the table.

Schaefer recommends pairing it with a chilled L.A. Cetto Chenin Blanc from Baja’s Guadeloupe Valley.

Arugula Salad with Roasted Radishes, a la The Camino Guajillo Lime Vinaigrette Juice of two limes (about 2 ounces) Zest of one lime 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon agave nectar 1 small shallot, minced 2 guajillo peppers (or a tablespoon of guajillo powder) 1 cup oil (they use a neutral canola.

I prefer the bitterness of olive oil here) Gently roast the guajillo peppers in a dry pan until crispy but not burnt. (I use the same pan to simultaneously toast the almonds for the salad.) When cool, remove the stem and seeds from the toasted peppers and pulverize the remains in a blender or mortar and pestle. (Omit this step if you are using guajillo powder) Combine the lime zest and juice in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the salt, agave, shallots and chile powder and stir together. Whisk in the oil.

The Salad 5 radishes, trimmed such that a little stem and the long taproot remain Oil to coat the radishes 3 cups fresh arugula ¼ cup shaved onions 3 tablespoons toasted almond slivers ½ cup diced chayote squash (or daikon radish) ½ cup diced avocado Black pepper and salt to taste ½ cup chopped herb mix of chives, cilantro and epazote – if available.

Toss the radishes in oil, salt and pepper and roast whole at 375 for 16 minutes. When cool, slice them in half along the stem-to-tail axis.

Add arugula to a plate, topped with radish halves, shaved onions, toasted almond slivers, chayote or daikon pieces, and finally the herb mix. Grind black pepper over the whole thing, add a pinch of salt, and drizzle the whole thing with the Guajillo Lime Vinaigrette. n

June 17, 2021 n 17

StufftoDo

Thursday17

Saturday19

Cafe au Play free outdoor baby group, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., 495 Florida Road (behind Christ the King church). 970-749-9607 for info.

Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturdays through October. TBK Parking Lot, 259 W. 9th St. www.durangofarmersmarket.com

Outdoor Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m., Durango Public Library, northeast lawn. All unvaccinated people are asked to wear a mask.

Bear Smart Bird Feeder Exchange, 9 a.m.1 p.m. Bring in your bird feeder and get a hanging flower basket, Pine River Library park.

San Juan Citizens Alliance’s “The Scoop,” virtual talk about wildlife management, 5 p.m., more info at www.sanjuancitizens.org

Father’s Day Bike Show, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio, www.powsci.org.

Explore the Japanese bokken (sword) and jo (staff) 9:30-10:30 a.m., Claire Viles Park (across from St. Columba). www.durangoaikido.com

Ben Gibson Duo plays, 5 p.m., Fur Trappers Steakhouse, Vallecito.

SkaBQ, live music, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Ska Brewing World HQ, 225 Girard St.

2nd annual Juneteenth Celebration, 2-4 p.m., Rotary Park. Presented by Southwest Movement for Black Lives and Durango Peace & Justice. Featuring educational speakers, food vendors, crafts and more. Free and family friendly.

For more information, search “Durango Juneteenth” on Facebook.

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

Adam Swanson, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Jose Villareal, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. The Black Velvet duo with Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver play, 6-8 p.m., Dandelion Café.

The iAM Music Fest: Baracutango & Hello Dollface play, 4:30 p.m., Buckley Park, Clean Commute Week is back, which encourages people to get out of www.iammusicfest.us.

Live music, 6-8:30 p.m. every Thursday, their cars and instead walk, roll, ride the bus or carpool to get around James Ranch, HWY 550, Hermosa.

Leah Orlikowski, 5 p.m., The Nugget, HWY Durango. Spanning the week of June 19-24, events include Bike to Work Day, Love Your Commute Celebration and the Pedal vs. Metal 550 south of Purgatory.

Trivia night 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Challenge. Event schedule can be found at DurangoGov.org/Clean Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio. No groups CommuteWeek.

Adam Swanson, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond larger than eight. $5 suggested team donation.

Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Smelter Mountain Boys play, 7-10 p.m., Ernie’s @ Bar, food trucks.

11th Street Station, corner of 11th & Main.

Matt Rupnow, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, Beam Me Up Starlight Trivia, weekly 7:30-9:30 699 Main Ave. Adam Swanson, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle p.m., drag, trivia, prizes, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave. Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Jack Ellis & Larry Carver play, 6-9 p.m., Fur Jack Ellis, 7 p.m., Ernie’s @ 11th Street Station, corner Trappers Steakhouse, 701 E. 2nd Ave. Dustin Burley, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, of 11th & Main.

699 Main Ave. Disco Night, 6-9 p.m., Chapman Hill Roller Rink.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8-10 p.m., The Roost, 128 Silverton Summer Sounds Concert Series: “An Evening of Close-up Magic” with Mysto the E. College Dr. Policulture plays, 6 p.m., Columbine Park, free.

Magi, 8 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave.

Friday18

Ben Gibson Duo plays, 6 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Friends of the Library Book Sale, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Disco Night, 6-9 p.m., Chapman Hill Roller Rink.

All Ages Summer Learning Program: Rock Painting, 3-6 p.m., Pine River Library park.

Friday Nights at Fox Fire Farms, music, food and wine, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, 5513 CR 321, Ignacio.

iAM Music Fest, featuring Miller and The Other Sinners, 5-9 p.m., The Nugget Bar, south of Purgatory.

Tickets: www.iammusicfest.us

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“Frozen: II,” free Movie in the Park, Durango Rec Center lawn, seating starts at 7:45 p.m.

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iAM Music Fest After Party, 9:30 p.m. Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College.

Peter Rowan and Jerry Douglas play, Sheridan Opera House, Telluride, www.sheridanoperahouse.com

Sunday20 Terry Rickard plays, 12 p.m. Ernie’s @ 11th Street Station, corner of 11th & Main 4

Father’s Day Reggae Beach Party featuring multiple bands, 1-6 p.m., Tico Time River Resort, 1 miles south of the stateline.

The Black Velvet duo with Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver, 4-7 p.m., Wines of the San Juan, 233 NM-511, Blanco, N.M. Blue Moon Ramblers play, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Brendan Shafer plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Monday21 Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30-6:15 p.m. Online at www.durangodharmacenter.org Adam Swanson, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Rob Webster, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Tuesday22 Teen Summer Learning Program: Crafting-Solar Printing, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Pine River Library.

Summer reading program at Durango Public Library, Tuesdays thru July 31. Programs and events for babies, kids, teens and adults. For info, stop by or call 970375-3380.

Reeder and Spencer play, 12-4 p.m., Weminuche Grill, Vallecito.

Twin Buttes Farm Stand, Tuesdays thru October, 3-6 p.m., 165 Tipple Ave., www.twinbuttesfarm.com Bitcoin Study Group, Tuesdays, 5:30-7 p.m., Zia North patio. Meet people and learn about Bitcoin. For info., call 970-426-2464 or email bitcoinstudygroup@protonmail.com Tracy Wiebeck plays, 5 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Wednesday23

June 24, 6:30 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Spanish Conversation Hour, 1-2 p.m., Pine River Library, Bayfield.

Josh Mendrala plays, June 24, 5 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Virtual book club, 2-3 p.m., non-traditional book club to discuss whatever you’re reading or watching. For info., email spenser.snarr@durangogov.org.

Trail Work at Twin Buttes, 4:30-7 p.m. Registration required at www.durangotrails.org

LEGO Club, June 25, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Durango Library.

One-man art show featuring Greg Overton, June 25, Sorrel Sky Gallery, 828 Main Ave. Six Dollar String Band plays, June 25, 5 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Explore the Japanese bokken (sword) and jo (staff) 5:30-6:30 p.m., Claire Viles Park (across from St. Columba). www.durangoaikido.com

Posh Josh & OMEGA play, June 25, 10 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. Tickets and info at: www.animascitytheatre.com

Adam Swanson, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Terry Rickard, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Ride of the Ancients, century or 30-mile gravel grinder loop, June 26, Dolores. www.rideoftheancients.com Super Pride festival, 5 p.m., June 26, Buckley Park.

The Jeff Solon Jazz Duo, 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays thru Sept. 8, Dandelion Café, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Reeder and Spencer play, June 26, 3-7 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, Ignacio.

“Being Bear Aware,” free online lecture, part of Bear Smart Durango’s online speaker series, 6:30-8 p.m. Register at bearsmartdurango.org

Veterans Annual River Float & Picnic, June 27, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., free raft trips for veterans & their families.

Registration 10:30 a.m. For info, contact Info@DurangoRafting.com

Chuck Hank plays, 7 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Spadefoot plays, June 27, 12 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Ongoing

Todd Rossignol speaks to the Rotary Club of Durango about affordable housing issues, June 29, 6 p.m., for more info contact Mtnman16@gmail.com

Art Exhibit for the American Cancer Society, thru June, “window-only” show, Durango Arts Center, featuring the works of Durango Arts Center board president, Mike Scieska. All works are under $400 and all proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Teen Summer Learning Program: Corn Hole and Washers, June 29, 11 a.m.–12 p.m., Pine River Library park.

Conversation with the Authors: Will Vlautin and Jonathon Evison, “Family, Sacrifice and Life in Modern America,” June 29, hosted by Marias Bookshop, live via Zoom or Facebook.

The Pine River Valley Heritage Society Museum, open from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 East Mill St., Bayfield. Free admission. www.pineriverheritage.org

Brendan Shafer plays, June 30, 7 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Acoustic Music Jam, Tuesdays, 6-8 p.m., Rotary Park, all instruments and singers welcome. For info: 970-2593408.

Sunnyside and Fort Lewis Mesa libraries are open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday to Friday through Aug. 20. Summer Reading on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. through July 28. Call 375-3816 for more info.

Adam Swanson, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Upcoming

Leah Orlikowski, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Fresh Air Outdoor Meditation with Erin Treat, June 24, 6:30-7 p.m., Claire Viles Park, hosted by the Durango Dharma Center, durangodharmacenter.org

“The Sandlot,” free Movie in the Park, July 2, Buckley Park, seating starts at 7:45 p.m.

Live music, 6-8:30 p.m. every Thursday, James Ranch, HWY 550, Hermosa.

David Gessner reads and discusses his new book, Quiet Desperation, Savage Delight, about Henry David Thoreau,

Void Where Prohibited plays, July 2, 6 p.m., Gazpacho’s, 431 E. 2nd Ave.

Void Where Prohibited plays, July 1, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Reeder and Spencer play, July 2, Fur Trappers Steakhouse, 701 E. 2nd Ave.

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

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

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AskRachel

Gleek mythology, tongue baths & goth gardening Interesting fact: The AKC says that dog saliva (and human saliva too!) is slightly antibacterial and antimicrobial. Key word: slightly.

Dear Rachel, My body has been going through some noticeable changes lately. I’m certain all my friends have noticed. How could they not? It’s hard to miss the random secretions that squirt out of my control across the table or into someone’s face while we’re talking. Some people can gleek on command, but not me. I wish I could STOP gleeking on command, but so far that’s not working either. It didn’t used to be this way.

What is wrong with me?

– Lips Are Sealed Dear Fire Hydrant, I’ve read so many books and seen so many movies where the weirdo/freak/awkward person turns out to be super cool, or super generous, or super powered, but first they have to learn to love yourself. You can skip the loving-yourself step and go straight for the capitalist solution. How can you monetize your excessive saliva-squirting? Can you dye it different colors? Synchronize it with music? Use it to win bar bets?

– Cha ching, Rachel Dear Rachel, I love my dog. I’m one of those people who lets the dog on the couch, sleep in bed and lie next to me while I’m eating. I totally give her

pizza crusts and salmon skins and all the good stuff I eat. I want to let her lick me to show affection, too, but the problem is, she is obsessive.

Specifically, she obsesses over licking herself clean. She doesn’t get sick from it, and I grew up learning that dog saliva has healing qualities if they lick your booboos. So is it possible that her mouth really is clean too?

– Dr. Dog Dear Doggie Hygienist, I love my dog too. Sometimes, when I’m feeling neglected, I’ll rub lotion on my calves just to let my dog lick it off for a moment. But I have to presume you mean licking on the face, or else the whole cleaning-implement thing wouldn’t be so relevant. If you can’t shower it off, don’t let ’em lick it. I mean, that’s my rule for dating, but it sure transfers to dogs too.

– Lap it up, Rachel Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com Dear Rachel, I have my own lawn to care for for the first time in my life, and I need a straight answer. My mom says I should put down mulch to retain moisture and help my plants grow. My dad says I should put down mulch to suppress weeds and suffocate baby plants. Clearly I should put down mulch. But won’t mulch kill the good baby plants too? Or else won’t it just water the weeds?

– All Mulched Up

Telegraph classified ads can be placed online at www.durangotelegraph.com and cost a mere 10 cents a character.

## ) %"

(We don’t know how to say this, but it’s kind of a big deal.)

To place them the 1990s way: classifieds@durangotelegraph.com To place them the 1970s way: call 970-259-0133

20 n June 17, 2021

Dear Stuck Between Parents, The most morbid thing about gardening is that you surround living plants with pieces of dead plants to help them grow. Can you imagine if we gave tiger cubs the bones of old tigers to chew on? Do cats even chew bones? Irrelevant. Anyway, you need a targeted watering system to water where you want plants to pop up between the mulch. Like a permanent gleeker, installed on your lawn.

– Covering lots of ground, Rachel

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FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries playwright Tennessee Williams was honest about the trickery he engaged in as he composed his entertaining masterpieces. “I don’t want realism,” he exclaimed. “I want magic! Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people.” I fully support you, Aries, if you would like to make that your goal in the next three weeks. In my astrological opinion, you and the people in your life have more than a mild need for magic. Your ability to thrive depends on you all getting big doses of magic.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): On my wall is a poster that says, “Avoid the Tragic Magic Triad: taking things too personally, taking things too seriously and taking things too literally.” This advice doesn’t refer to important matters, like my health or my ongoing fight against our culture’s bigotry. I take those issues very personally, seriously and literally. Rather the motto refers to trivial and transitory issues, like the new dent made in my car by a hitand-run driver in the Whole Foods parking lot, or the bad review of my book on Amazon.com, or the $18 that a certain Etsy seller cheated me out of, or the joke about the size of my nose that some supposed friend made on Twitter. According to my reading of astrological omens, Taurus, you would benefit right now from meditating on things like these that you take too seriously, personally, and literally. Here’s Don Miguel Ruiz: “There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I remember wishing I could be boiled like water and made pure again,” poet Jeffrey McDaniel writes. Judging from the current astrological omens, Gemini, I think you could be made reasonably pure again without having to endure an ordeal like being boiled like water. Do you have ideas about how to proceed? Here are mine: 1. Spend 15 minutes alone. With your eyes closed, sitting in a comfortable chair, forgive everyone who has hurt you.

Do the best you can. Perfection isn’t necessary. 2. Spend another 15 minutes alone, same deal. Forgive yourself of everything you’ve done that you think of as errors.

Perfection isn’t required. 3. Spend another 15 minutes alone. Imagine what it would be like to unconditionally love yourself exactly as you are. 4. Spend another 15 minutes alone. Remember 10 amazing moments that you enjoyed between ages five and 13.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): On June 23, 1940, Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely to a family that already had 19 children. During her childhood, she suffered from pneumonia,

scarlet fever, polio, and infant paralysis.

The latter two diseases damaged her left leg, and she wore a brace until she was 12 years old. Nevertheless, by the time she was in high school, she had become a very good athlete. Eventually she competed in the Olympics, where she won four medals and earned the title “the fastest woman in history.” I propose that we name her your official role model for the rest of 2021.

May she inspire you to overcome and transcend your own personal adversity.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leoborn P. L. Travers wrote the children’s books about Mary Poppins, a nanny with magical powers. She was thoroughly familiar with folklore, ancient myths and the occult. The character of Mary Poppins, Travers said, was a version of the Mother Goddess. But in her writing process, she drew inspiration mainly from what she thought of as the vast dark nothingness. She wrote, “I’ve become convinced that the great treasure to possess is the unknown.” To generate her tales, she listened to silence and emptiness. I recommend you emulate her approach as you create the next chapter of your life story.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo poet Melissa Broder writes, “Romantic obsession is my first language. I live in a world of fantasies, infatuations and love poems.” I wouldn’t normally authorize you to share her perspective, but I will now. The astrological omens suggest you have something important to learn from being more enamored and adoring than usual. If you say YES to the deluge of yearning, you’ll gain access to a type of power that will prove very useful to you in the coming months.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran author Oscar Wilde disproved the misconception that Libras are wishy-washy, overly eager to compromise and inclined to overthink everything. His writing had wit and flair, and his life was vivid and daring. He wrote, “There are moments when one has to choose between living one’s own life, fully, entirely, completely – or dragging out some false, shallow, degrading existence that the world in its hypocrisy demands.” I suspect that one of those pivotal moments will soon be coming up for you. Be Wilde-like!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Philosopher Simone Weil wrote, “Only the light that falls continually from the sky gives a tree the energy to push powerful roots into the earth. The tree is actually rooted in the sky.” As you bolster your foundations in the coming months, as you deepen your roots, I hope you keep Weil’s brilliant observation in mind. Like a tree, the nourishment that will help you grow the stamina and strength and structure you

need will come as you turn to the brightest, warmest, highest sources of inspiration.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): To be in groovy alignment with cosmic rhythms, you won’t merely walk, and you certainly won’t trudge. Rather you will saunter and ramble and promenade. You will strut and rove and prowl. Likewise, you won’t just talk, and you certainly won’t mutter or grumble. Instead you will banter, rhapsodize, improvise, beguile and lyricize. Catch my drift? You won’t simply laugh, but will chortle, cackle, and guffaw. In other words, Sagittarius, you are authorized to imbue everything you do with style, panache, and imagination.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Congratulations on being such a duty-bound, no-nonsense adult. May you continue to ply your dogged persistence and beast-of-burden attitude as long as it gets important tasks done, helps you feel useful and doesn’t make you sick. But if you do get tempted to depart from the sacrificial path anytime soon, please know that you will not offend any gods or demons. Nor will you incur a karmic debt. In fact, I believe you have cosmic clearance to dabble with lightheartedness for a while. You should feel free to experiment with fun and games that appeal to your sense of wonder.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “I can barely conceive of a type of beauty in which there is no melancholy,” poet Charles Baudelaire wrote.

What?! That makes no sense. I’m aware of millions of beautiful things that aren’t tinctured with melancholy. California’s Mount Shasta in the late spring twilight, for example. New York City’s Guggenheim Museum, a gorgeous gleaming building designed by genius architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Marmore waterfalls in central Italy. The gardens of painter Claude Monet in Normandy, France. David Byrne’s gloriously hopeful website, ReasonsToBeCheerful.world. I mention this, Aquarius, because I expect life to bring you a flood of non-melancholic beauty in the coming days. Take advantage of this grace to replenish your trust in life.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean author César Aira praises the value of escaping one’s memories. He writes, “Forgetting is like a great alchemy free of secrets, transforming everything to the present.” I’d love to see you enjoy alchemy like that in the coming weeks. It’s a favorable time to lose at least some of the inhibitions and limitations you think you have to accept because of what happened in the past. As Aira says, forgetting “makes our lives into a visible and tangible thing we hold in our hands, with no folds left hidden in the past.”

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EndoftheLine

Poe and Grip

D

uring my travels, I have made a point of visiting authors’ residences, museums or gravesites. I have visited the homes of Emerson, Poe, Whitman, Lawrence and Thoreau, and I have stood before the graves of Franklin, Hamilton and Grant. As an avid reader and student of literature, I find it fascinating to learn the personal histories of such prominent writers and to discover some of their quirks and oddities.

It was on a hot July afternoon when my sister had asked if I would like to take a trip into the city of Philadelphia to visit the Poe House. I knew that Poe lived in New York, Baltimore and Richmond, but I didn’t know that he lived in Philadelphia for several years in the early 1840s. During the drive into the city, my sister told me how Poe was employed as editor for a Philadelphia Magazine. Apparently, he wrote and published some of his best known works while residing on North 7th Street. They included “The Murders in the Rogue Morgue,” “Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Gold Bug.” On our arrival, it was an odd sight to see park rangers with their all-too-familiar “Smokey Bear” hats escorting us into the house. The Poe House is on the register of National Historic Sites. Entering the home, the rooms were spacious with various displays of Poe memorabilia. We were allowed to go upstairs and visit the bedroom where he did most of his writing. The room was quaint and furnished with a small bed and desk. The house was not air conditioned, but I sensed a coolness in the upstairs room which I found

peculiar. The visit took about an hour.

We left and my sister chauffeured me to her place of employment, The Free Library of Philadelphia. My sister, unbeknownst to me, had arranged for me to view some very special documents that were housed there in The Rare Books Department.

“Would you like to see the original copy of the manuscript of Edgar’s poem ‘The Raven?’” my sister laughed. I thought she was kidding. Out came one of her colleagues who escorted me into a room. She laid the manuscript in

front of me and instructed me not to remove it from the protective covering. She left, locking me in the room. If I wanted to leave, I needed to push the buzzer by the door. I sat there in amazement perusing through the poem, reading the side notes and crossed out phrases. I was flabbergasted! After some time, I rang the buzzer, and the attendant let me out of the room. But before leaving, she asked if I wished to see the actual raven. I was in disbelief. I re-entered the room, and she brought the raven, which was taxidermied and placed in a glass case. It was a little eerie, to say the least!

The raven that Poe modeled his poem after was named Grip, who was a character in the Dickens story, “Barnaby Rudge.” She was a pet owned by Charles Dickens. Grip was quite ornery and had to be relegated to the carriage house on occasion. Dickens visited Poe in Philadelphia in 1842 and the bird came with him. How the bird was obtained by the Free Library is another story.

Poe brought his poem “The Raven” to George Graham, his former employer, but he refused to buy the rights. It was later sold to The American Review for $9. “The Raven” is one of the most beloved poems in the English language and ranks as one of the most famous in American Literature. When I sat in the room alone, I noticed that Grip seemed to be watching me, no matter from which angle I was observing her. I must say, that I pushed that buzzer anxiously!

– Burt Baldwin

The search is over.

Issue 16 of The Gulch is out now!

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

To find out about advertising opportunities or to get a subscription, email: steve@gulchmag.com

22 n June 17, 2021

telegraph

classifieds

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.

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

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

Ads can be submitted via: n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2

GarageSales

Services

Approximate office hours: Mon., 9ish - 5ish Tues., 9ish - 5ish Wed., 9ish - 3ish Thurs., On delivery Fri., gone fishing. Please call ahead: 259-0133.

Downsizing Sale Furniture, tools, household goods, irrigation pumps, teak-hickory patio furniture, snowblower, and much more. Fri-Sat 6/18-6/19. 9-3. 434 CR 202.

Friendly Carpentry and Painting Stucco repair. David Carlson, 707-8063456.

Announcements

Bookseller - Maria's Bookshop Now hiring avid readers for full time position w/ fun, hard-working team.

Must enjoy some evening & weekend shifts. Applications available in store and at mariasbookshop.com. Deadline: June 30.

Want Loose Stones For your unique one-of-a-kind jewelry creation? Lanka Blue Jewelry has large inventory, at 701 Main Ave. Thanks Grace Grace, your kind words touched me deeply. Thank you for being you! Ruby Balloon.

The Perfect Gift for your favorite dirtbag. Literature from Durango's own Benighted Publications. The Desert, The Climbing Zine, The Great American Dirtbags, American Climber, Climbing Out of Bed and Graduating From College Me are available at: Maria's Bookshop, Pine Needle Mountaineering, the Sky Store, or on the interweb at www.climbingzine.com.

Lost/Found Found - Camera Flash Found in Rivergate. Describe in detail to claim. Text 9709462084

Classes/Workshops Senior Yoga Come join us at 10:30 on Wednesdays for Gentle Yoga at La Plata County Senior Center. Preregistration call Bernice 970382-6428. $25.00/5 pass.

Compressed EarthBlock Workshop Learn the process for making CEB building blocks for home construction from local dirt. Call Bicycle Bob at 970769-9955 Summer Spanish Class Now accepting students for beginner thru advanced Spanish starting in June.

Finally, in-person learning is back! Call 970-309-5966 or visit www.espanola hora.net

HelpWanted

At Beautiful Local Campgrounds PT/FT and seasonal help needed at RV campgrounds in Durango and Vallecito Lake. Available positions include retail, front desk, food and beverage, housekeeping and maintenance. Please contact gm@jwdestinationsdurango.com or 970247-4499 for details.

ForSale

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

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

Want Loose Stones For your unique one-of-a-kind jewelry creation? Lanka Blue Jewelry has large inventory, at 701 Main Ave.

HaikuMovieReview ‘The U.S. Vs. Billie Holiday’ The tragic tale of the talented, tortured, first lady of the blues – Lainie Maxson Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199. massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 18/19/20. Couples, cupping, local CBD. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984

CommunityService Durango PlayFest Needs Volunteers Volunteers in a variety of capacities are needed for the festival, which takes place Aug. 3-8. Volunteers receive a T-shirt and a ticket to the play of their choice. If interested, email molly.mollymartin.mar tin@gmail.com.

NewspaperOrigami

99 Silver Honda CRV EX $1000 firm. Runs good, clean interior, mostly highway mileage. Text 970-7691947 for pics, more info.

Reruns Home Furnishings Summer is almost here! Lawn chairs and tables. Yard art and garden pots. Vintage desk, nightstands and side tables.

Lots of cute small furniture. Come in today. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

Wanted Rental House in Durango Wanted Retired couple seeks home for rent.

Ideal property has two bedrooms, two baths and a one car garage. One older, well-behaved cat. Please email lovnfly fishing922@gmail.com with available home info.

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

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An airplane June 17, 2021 n 23

24 n June 17, 2021

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