The Durango Telegraph, June 22, 2023

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elegraph

the durango

Kinder, gentler BLM

Will new rule reform ‘Bureau of Livestock & Mining?’

King for a day Back from the brink

Paying tribute to prolific writer & rocker, the Nord

Playwright shares darkest days to help healing

ORIGINAL
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5

BLM make-over

Can a new rule fix the “Bureau of Livestock and Mining?”

Jonathan Thompson / Land Desk

8

ExtraNordinary

‘Nordfest’ pays tribute to prolific local songwriter & rock ‘n’ roller by Missy Votel

10 Healing words

Playwright shares dive into darkest part of life in hopes of helping others

11

Sounds like summer

Kickass record recs for your warm weather listening pleasure by Jon E. Lynch

EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel missy@durangotelegraph.com

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The Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or mon-

RegularOccurrences

4 La Vida Local

5 Land Desk

6-7 Soap Box

8-9 Top Story

10 On Stage

11 Kill Yr Idols

12-13 Stuff to Do

13 Ask Rachel

14 Free Will Astrology

15 Classifieds

15 Haiku Movie Review

On the cover

Last call for desert adventuring before the heat forces us all up into the high country./ Photo by Andy High

Ear to the ground:

“I think I have La Croixanoia.”

– The fear of running out of bubbly water, which compels a person to stockpile the stuff like a Y2Ker

Goodbye, cowgirl in the sand

There it was, so close you could almost touch it – two, possibly three, nights of Neil Young playing live in Telluride this August. His people had reached out to the town of Telluride to hold the multi-day event Aug. 16-20. It was all supposed to work out.

But then – Telluride Mushroom Festival.

According to a report in the Telluride Daily Planet, after hearing the news of Young’s proposed shows, organizers with the Telluride Mushroom Festival – which is planned for the same weekend – were up in arms, concerned about the crowds the legendary rocker would bring into town.

This year, the Telluride Mushroom Festival is expected to bring in somewhere around 800 to 1,000 attendees. By contrast, Young’s show could have upwards of 8,000 people packing into town, stressing Telluride’s limited infrastructure and lodging.

“We do feel that it’s important for the community to honor not over-doing it with how many events come into town,” an organizer with the mushroom festival told the Planet. “The overlap dilutes the value of each event. Even if each event is valuable in itself, when there is an overlap it creates a disruption and shifts the energy of the event … We think it’s about quality over quantity – more is not better.”

As a result of the pushback, Young’s team decided to cancel the shows. As of Wednesday, it’s not clear whether Young – who splits his time between Malibu and a ranch outside Telluride – will reschedule or not.

STAR-STUDDED CAST: Zach Hively, Jonathan Thompson, Jon E. Lynch, Rob Brezsny, Lainie Maxson, Jesse Anderson & Clint Reid

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It should be noted, too, that the Telluride Mushroom Festival, which has been going on for four decades, had first dibs on that particular weekend. And we get it – Telluride is a sh*t show in the summer, with a festival on nearly every single weekend. For mushroom festival-goers, what would have been a low-key event celebrating the wonders of the fungi would have turned into absolute chaos of stoned dads trying to remember the words of “Cripple Creek Ferry.”

But, at the same time, we can lament not having Young play live for a couple nights so close to Durango (especially because this writer, for reasons that remain unknown to this day, missed the last time he played in Telluride in 2016, and ever since, has had to endure stories of how “absolutely amazing” that show was).

And who knows? Maybe Young will reschedule. In the meantime, keep on rocking at the free box.

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June 22, 2023 n 3
line up
the pole telegraph

Belly up

There are a lot of guys I never thought I would be. One of these, among many, was Fishtank Guy. That changed when I figured out my dislike of mosquitos is greater than my disinterest in becoming Fishtank Guy. So now, lo and behold, this guy has an indoor breeding program for mosquitofish.

Like a great many slopes, this one was slippery. It all started with taking clover for granted.

I could not have been the only kid growing up in America who thought all honey came from clover. That’s what every squeeze bear had written on its belly sign: PURE CLOVER HONEY. It didn’t matter that, growing up in New Mexico, I did not see enough clover to sustain even a single beehive. Somewhere, there grew vast meadows with wide acreage sprouting clover and only clover, because that is the only way to ensure accuracy in advertising.

I never examined this worldview until I encountered a jar – just some regular non-animalshaped jar – labeled “wildflower honey.” My mind exploded like… well, like wildflowers. This sounded much more enticing than honey made merely from clovers and also much easier to enforce among the bee workforce.

Wildflower honey also made honey sound much more accessible to those of us without reputable clover sources. I became Beekeeping Guy with the same gusto and naivete that other people become Homebrewing Guy. Like Homebrewing Guy, I developed an excessive adjective vocabulary to discuss flavors. I also cultivated comparable concerns about my water supply.

Bees, like most living things, require fresh water. But they can also drown in it, because there are too many in a hive to outfit with arm floaties. So in order to give the bees a safe place to land in my water trough, I became Aquatic Plant Guy. I installed a variety of water hyacinths and water lilies and water bottles with just enough rocks in them to hold them steady while they floated.

These ultimately worked, for the bees. But I had a new problem: standing water. Unlike its counterpart, running water, standing water is lazy and prone to developing a thin layer of nacho cheese dust. Standing water is slow enough for mosquitos to catch, and when they do, they lay eggs.

If you think this is how I became Fishtank Guy, you’re only half wrong. You must also account for my ability to mess things up.

Thumbin’It

Joe Biden going full power to the people, saying the rich must “pay their share” in taxes to help lift up lower and middles classes. Heck yeah! Unless, of course, we become rich. Then this is a thumbs down.

The Federal Trade Commission suing Amazon for tricking customers into signing up for Prime subscriptions. As people who definitely, absolutely, never got duped by this, good on the FTC.

A federal judge striking down Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming care for kids. Oh Arkansas, why are you still a thing?

Mosquitofish are hard to mess up. Ranchers put them in horse troughs, where the fish survive on mosquito larvae and horse saliva. But my water lily oasis kept offing them like … well, like fish in a barrel. Sending them to swim with the fishes, as it were.

Maybe this was normal? Maybe I had a bad batch of fish. Maybe bee spit is deadlier than horse drool. Maybe they just kept hiding under lily pads, giggling like toddlers, whenever I went outside to stare into the water. Whatever the cause of their struggles, winter left no doubt and killed whoever survived.

The Guilty Conscience Guy on my shoulder laid it out like a philosopher with his postulates: You want bee water. You want to minimize contributing to skeeter overpopulation. You need mosquitofish. You don’t want to kill them off.

QED: you must spend many dollars on plastic plants and a rock with a tunnel through it for “enrichment purposes” and dedicate an entire portion of surface area in your home to a tank for growing algae and still killing off the mosquitofish you stock it with, mere moments after the return window on all the fish tank apparatus has closed.

I gave up. I had a fish tank, but I was not Fishtank Guy. I was not when I was young and had a fish tank until my dad got tired of keeping it going for me. And I was not now, when I had no one to blame but everyone involved in the water supply chain.

I offered my tank, algae and all, to my brother-inlaw, who is an actual qualified zookeeper. He started asking questions, like how often had I changed the water, or treated the water, or cleaned the tank, or fed my fish, or left them unattended when I skipped town for a week.

He’d take the tank, he said, or – or! – he could show me all the things I needed to do to keep my next poor batch of fish alive, unless they swim up the filter, in which case that’s their own stupid fault.

Being a Guy, I realized, means more than acquiring the right stuff. I could only be Fishtank Guy if I paid attention and cared enough to sustain a minimally functional habitat. Lucky for the algae, I hate admitting I can’t.

So I brought my fish tank up to code. I stocked the outside bee-water trough with mosquitofish, and I kept some inside, most of which are still alive as I write. One is even pregnant, though I suspect she’s willing her little fry to fight the current as long as possible.

Once I prove I can do it, I think I’ll give it all up and take on another challenge. Something more forgiving and less, you know, alive. I’m thinking Standing Guy – complete with nacho cheese dust.

– Zach Hively

SignoftheDownfall:

A wildfire breaking out near Ophir, in an area that should have gotten plenty of snow this winter, showing we’re not out of the drought yet.

TSA reporting a glitch in its new security system that flags only Colorado driver licenses. Well, at least they can still search through our shoes and packed lunches.

Russia apparently using a beluga whale as a spy? (Not a joke). Come on, man, at least leave whales out of this.

Gross Busters

Bill Murray, who was born before superglue was invented and then got famous while we were kids, is reportedly dating the singer Kelis, who was also a kid when Bill Murray got famous. Neither star is commenting publicly about the allegations that first appeared in British tabloid The Sun last week. But, the controversial 29-year age difference has social media awash in rumor and intrigue. Regardless of your opinion, however, it’s now impossible to argue with Kelis: her milkshake really does bring ALL the boys to the yard.

4 n June 22, 2023 telegraph
LaVidaLocal
opinion

Equal footing

Can a new rule fix the ‘Bureau of Livestock and Mining?’

When the Interior Department issued a draft of a new Public Lands Rule, designed to “guide the balanced management of public lands” and put conservation on a par with other uses, like drilling, grazing and mining, I thought I had been transported back in time to 1976. That’s when Congress passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, or FLPMA, which was supposed to elevate conservation and rid the Bureau of Land Management of the well-deserved moniker: Bureau of Livestock and Mining.

FLPMA didn’t always do the job it intended. While the BLM has progressed, many of the agency’s field offices still behave as if it’s the 1950s, prioritizing drilling and grazing above all other uses, regardless of what policies are handed down from Washington, D.C.

Given that history, I wondered whether this proposed rule really amounted to more than merely “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” as the Center for Biological Diversity put it. If it was just reiterating FLPMA policies, how could it make any difference on the ground now?

To sum it up, the rule would elevate conservation by:

• Applying land health standards and guidelines to all BLM-managed public lands and uses; Current BLM policy limits their application to grazing authorizations. The problem is that the agency is doing a piss-poor job applying land health standards to rangelands. So how can we expect them to do any better with other lands?

• Making conservation leases available to entities that seek to restore public lands or provide mitigation for a particular action. A nonprofit could lease a parcel, pay rent and post a reclamation bond to do riparian area restoration, for example, or a solar company might lease a parcel to do some land-healing to offset its impacts to other public land.

• Amending the existing Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) regulations to emphasize protecting important natural, cultural and scenic resources, and contributing to ecosystem resilience by protecting intact landscapes and preserving habitat connectivity. It would also establish a more comprehensive framework for identifying and evaluating these areas.

The biggest change, then, appears to be the conservation leases. But it’s still unclear exactly how they’d work. In theory, someone could lease out a parcel for conservation, thereby precluding grazing or oil and gas leasing during the lease. But what happens when the lease term ends?

Josh Osher, Public Policy Director for the Western Watersheds Project, pointed out that an organization could use the leases to, say, do a regenerative grazing project and cynically use it to lock the land into a grazing lease afterwards. He also noted that even though oil and gas drilling and mining are restricted in ACECs, grazing typically is not.

This only reinforced my skepticism about the rule. But then I started looking at industry’s reactions to the rule, and I have to say, I was a little taken aback.

Sen. John Barrasso, the Wyoming Republican, compared the bureaucrats who wrote the “decree” to the tree-spiking eco-warriors of the 1980s, while the ranching industry feels “betrayed” by what it says is a plan to “eradicate” grazing on public lands. Say what?!

Chris Saeger, an advocate and consultant from Montana, gathered some more responses:

“The rule would make conservation one of the uses on equal footing as grazing, water rights, oil, gas and mining,” rancher Rachel Gabel said.

“When BLM is analyzing projects and uses because they are mandated as a multiple-use public land agency, conservation will now have as much standing as recreation, grazing, mining and other uses as outlined in FLPMA,” according to a Blue Ribbon Coalition Action Alert email, titled “Proposed BLM Rule to Devastate Public Land Access.”

And then there’s the reaction by Rep. Matt Rosendale, a Montana Republican. In a hearing, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said the rule would put conservation on equal footing with other uses. Rosendale responded, rather testily: “Well, they’re not supposed to be on equal footing.”

Wow. Just wow. See, here I thought that conservation already was on an equal footing with drilling, mining, and so forth, as mandated by FLPMA. Obviously I was wrong!

All of these folks are acknowledging that, in fact, the agency has been kowtowing to the oil and gas, drilling and livestock industries all along while shirking their duties as stewards of the public’s land.

In that case, this new rule might actually have some real onthe-ground impacts. That is, if the Biden administration implements it quickly enough to insulate it from future efforts to rescind it. And if they can ensure that the new policies are implemented on a field-office level, rather than sitting around moldering on some Washington, D.C., desk.

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 ■

June 22, 2023 n 5 telegraph LandDesk

Setting it straight

My phone was blowing up before I even read the editorial.

Last week, Dana Johnson, of the group Wilderness Watch, published a syndicated piece titled, “Mountains Don’t Need Hardware.” The column strung together a series of falsehoods to argue that the proposed “Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act” was a way for climbers to show that recreation is more important than preserving wilderness and that bolts are a dire threat to wilderness.

Several climber friends read it and were immediately asking me if I would write a response. My reply was that I didn’t have the time. My writing time is precious these days, and I’ve yet to even start on that book that lies in the back of my consciousness, begging me to start the long and winding road.

Plus, there are professionals to do the job. I’m in the business of climbing storytelling, not policy. My colleagues at the Access Fund and the American Alpine Club get paid to do this work.

But then I kept thinking about it. I made a meme about it, showing the hypocrisy of the piece in a modern way.

Then I got word the Adventure Journal pulled the editorial from their website. I felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing the weak argument Johnson was making was being uncovered.

Now, I could go line by line and examine the piece and present my argument, but I want to go in a different direction. I want to tell a quick story from my time earlier this year in El Potrero Chico, Mexico, a place that could be described as the Yosemite of Mexico.

I had just finished replacing some old bolts on a climb and was hanging out at the base of the cliff. A Mexican guy walked up to me and asked me if I was the person who replaced the bolts. I replied yes, and then he told me he was the person who originally put them in, decades ago. I feared the guy was going to get angry, as I’d rearranged the placement of the bolts to make a better experience. Plus, I am an outsider, a gringo in his homeland. Instead, the opposite happened; he thanked me for improving the route, for improving the hardware.

We had a great conversation and exchanged phone numbers. At the end, he looked me in the eye and said, “We’re all on the same team.”

And, that’s how I’d like to conclude this letter-to-the-editor, by suggesting to

Wilderness Watch that you are on the same team as the Access Fund. Your goals and vision are similar; the nuance of climbing hardware could be best understood if you connected with climbers and maybe came out to one of the many Access Fund stewardship projects that happen every year.

After all, next year is an election year, and our team has some big battles ahead.

Wild claims

I’m writing in response to the biased and misleading op-ed by Dana Johnson regarding climbing in Wildernessdesignated areas. Firstly, she completely mischaracterizes the Protecting America’s Rock Climbing Act. This legislation does not encourage or even allow indiscriminate bolting in Wilderness areas. In fact, it upholds the regulations that dictate the use of protection bolts in Wilderness areas. Wilderness “sport crags” will not be a result.

The bill addresses a centralized policy toward the long-standing use of fixed anchors in Wilderness areas, which predates the Wilderness Act of 1964. These might be slings around a tree,

pitons or even bolts. It is a practice that made most of Yvon Chouinard’s climbing possible and is necessary to descend many technical alpine objectives safely. Here’s what the bill will actually do:

• Require the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to issue national guidance on management of climbing within Wilderness areas;

• Clarify that climbing, including sustainable placement, use and maintenance of fixed anchors, are appropriate uses within Wilderness areas;

• Preserve the existing authority of land management agencies to regulate climbing to ensure it protects Wilderness characteristics, natural resources and cultural values;

• Provide for public participation in decisions affecting climbing in Wilderness areas.

I respectfully urge Johnson to do a bit more research before she condemns user groups and practices she clearly has little understanding of.

I am not affiliated with the Access Fund, but have been an active climber for 50 years and a wilderness lover.

6 n June 22, 2023 telegraph
SoapBox

The biggest ass

Is it possible to get kicked out of a BurroFest for being a jackass? I think that’s what happened to me last weekend in Mancos. I’m really not sure why I got kicked out but prefer to think that it was because I was being a badass of some sort.

I was told I had to leave for liability reasons. It’s a little hard to believe that at 70 years old, and while peacefully sitting on my ass, I was still the greatest liability in town. Pretty good braggin’ rights, even in Mancos, “Where the West Still Lives.” Even during BurroFest, surrounded by unruly asses, I was still the most dangerous hombre in town.

And all of this right when I was starting to feel down on myself for getting old. It’s difficult to maintain a hard-earned wild and rowdy reputation when you can’t stay up after dark. What’s even worse is that as we grow older, we seem to slowly become invisible.

Just as I was about to completely fade out of sight, someone not only saw me but recognized me to be the badass I really am! Suddenly, I went from being a harmless old man to being a dangerous contender!

I never have minded getting kicked out of places. I’ve been kicked out of most of my favorite bars at some time or another, usually in the company of a favorite mule or donkey. The only times it has been a nuisance is when they ask me to leave and invite my mule to stay. That leaves me hanging around outside waiting for my ride home. Other than that, I’ve never taken offense to being told to get my ass out of

town and have always considered it an acceptable cost of my battle against gentrification.

But I usually at least know why I’m being kicked out. In this case, I was initially told I was a liability, and they’d received a complaint. Later, I heard that one of the contestants had diagnosed my burro, Lucky, with pigeon fever. A quick look online and a discussion with my vet completely discounted that possibility. Lucky had a slight rub mark from her bitchen (rump strap for a saddle), but nothing that could reasonably be confused with a large, draining abscess characteristic of pigeon fever.

Having always had some of the nicest burros and

mules around, I’ve often encountered ass-envy in my travels.

While I’ve no doubt that I was out of line riding around with the contestants when I wasn’t entered and such, I can’t help but suspect there was a little ass-envy going on. Even though I wasn’t entered, I had received permission to bring Lucky to town to launch the sales of my new book “Dances with Donkeys” at the perfect venue. Unfortunately, my books arrived too late for the BurroFest, which was probably for the best, as it would have been embarrassing to get kicked out of my own book signing.

But I didn’t think I’d lost my invitation and, after having been a contestant in the past and having volunteered Lucky to pull the vendor wagon for soft drinks last year, I thought I probably had a little burro-cred. Maybe not.

Meanwhile, I’d like to thank the Mancos Creative District for elevating my status, at least in my own mind, from an innocuous old man to the baddest ass left in the Wild West! And this without even trying to be bad! I might still have a bright future as a dark outlaw.

The Creative District members are all my friends, and I hope they will accept this with the same humor with which it’s delivered. And to whomever I might have offended during BurroFest, I’d like to offer my most sincere apologies and an invitation to kiss my burro anytime they want.

June 22, 2023 n 7 telegraph
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King for a day

‘Nordfest’ pays tribute to prolific penner of songs

Chances are, if you’ve been around the Durango music scene long enough, you’ve heard of Erik Nordstrom, the front man for the seminal “western garage” band, the Lawn Chair Kings. And, at the risk of sounding like a Johnny Mathis song, chances are also pretty good if you’ve been around the band, you’ve also got a Nordstrom story or three.

My own personal experiences involve swinging from a tent pole in a wedding dress, an impromptu dance/stage dive with what I think was a hot dog cooker (a prize at one of their early shows) and the now-infamous south side Styrofoam massacre. Alas, all stories for another time.

Besides, this story is about Nordstrom, not just the king of patio furniture, but the king of local storytelling himself. Since launching the Lawn Chair Kings in the late ’90s/early 2000s (no one’s quite sure although most memories point to a Storyville show around 2000), Nordstrom has penned such classics as “Alien Abductee,” “Old Red Car,” “Ice Cream Truck,” “Monster Trucks” and “Food Fight at the Golden Corral.”

In case you can’t tell from the aforementioned titles, Nordstrom, a native of Lawrence, Kans., and fierce Jay Hawks fan, pulls his content from a somewhat twisted perspective of life in the heartland. He’s a mild-mannered, guitar-toting midwestern boy with a wicked sense of humor and appreciation for good-old American kitsch, punk and country classics. Think of him as the love child of Waylon Jennings, Weird Al, Dick Dale and Jello Biafra. On second thought … don’t do that.

Let’s just suffice to say, he’s one of a kind.

And this Sat., June 24, from 3-8 p.m. at the Mancos Brewery, this one-of-a-kind local music juggernaut will be celebrated at “Nordfest.” The day will feature 10 bands (three of which include Nordstrom himself) covering – you guessed it – Nordstrom’s songs.

For those not in the know, Nordstrom was diagnosed

with metastatic prostate cancer late last year. He recently finished chemo treatment, which he handled like a true champion.

“True to form, he’s got the best attitude you could possibly have,” longtime Lawn Chair Kings bandmate

Dan Leek said. “He’s positive and upbeat.”

And that upbeat attitude is why, organizers note, this is not so much about raising funds to help cover medical expenses – although proceeds from the $20 cover will go toward that. It is more about honoring Nordstrom’s

8 n June 22, 2023 telegraph TopStory
Erik Nordstrom, with his band the Lawn Chair Kings, playing an early show at the original Hollywood Bar in Dolores. Unfortunately, the bar met a fiery demise in 2012./ Photo courtesy Bryant Liggett

contributions to local music, both in front of and behind the scenes.

“This mainly arose as a musical tribute,” organizer and former LCK bandmate Jeff Moorehead said. “It should’ve been done a while ago. He’s written so many songs.”

Moorehead, who played dobro, banjo and pedal steel in “the third iteration” of the LCK, said Saturday’s line up includes a wide swath of acts from the area, including Nordstrom and his lovely wife, Shanti, opening as the Snowy Plovers. Other groups include the momentous return of Group Shower; hard-driving, longtime local faves, The Crags; and up-and-coming punk rockers Acid Wrench.

“It’s about as varied as you could expect of the music community,” Moorehead said.

Rounding out the line-up will be Nordstrom’s two main outfits, the punkier Farmington Hill, and of course, the twangier LCK.

To keep things moving along, each band will play just three songs, with the only stipulation that the songs be penned by Nordstrom. It’s sort of like a Nordstrom “cover night,” which is no accident.

“Nordstrom was an early organizer of KDUR Cover Night,” Bryant Liggett, fellow Nordfest organizer, KDUR station manager and all-around Nordstrom fanboy, said. “Without Nordstrom, it never would’ve happened.”

In fact, it may be a little known fact that, in addition to being the man who writes the songs that makes the whole town sing (with apologies for the Barry Manilow reference if you are not a fan), Nordstrom is a tireless champion of local music behind the scenes as well.

“He knows this town has potential for a great music scene and has done his best to support it,” said Liggett.

In addition to promoting, organizing and marketing shows, Liggett said Nord, as he is known to friends and fans alike, also works to foster the inner musician in us all. At festivals, he’s the first one picking in the morning, and the last one to put his instrument away at night.

“He would encourage musicians from all sides to join in,” said Liggett, a dabbling banjo player. “He always encouraged me to bring along my banjo and play it. He just wanted to make sure it wasn’t sitting in a corner.”

Liggett said he first met Nordstrom when Nord took a highly coveted (not) weekly 3-6 a.m. DJ slot on KDUR with his “Attack of the Killer Chickens” show. This was before he headed off to a full day teaching at a local middle school, mind you.

“He came into my office one day and introduced himself and handed me a flyer he had made for a Lawn

Chair Kings show at Storyville,” Liggett recalled.

A few nights later, Liggett was hanging with buddies looking for something to do. That’s when he remembered the flyer, and the three ventured down to Storyville (a former juke joint now home to Tacos Libre) to check out the show.

“They played Black Flag, Velvet Underground and quirky originals that were a cross between country and punk rock,” Liggett said. “We became fast friends after that … and here we are.”

Which, by most accounts, is 20-plus years – a veritable eternity for any band. And although, as Moorehead noted, the line-up has changed over time, one constant has been LCK bassist and Nordstrom’s right-hand man, Leek. The two hooked up via the now-defunct Bandwagon Music, where Nordstrom put out the word he was looking for a bass player, and Leek just so happened to stop in a few minutes later.

“The guy behind the counter said, ‘Hey, there was just a guy in here looking for a bass player,’” recalled Leek, who up until then had just been jamming in friends’ basements for fun. “I thought, ‘This could be cool.’ Who knew this would last for 20 years?”

Leek said perhaps the secret is a sort of yin-yang chemistry; his quiet, laid-back demeanor complementing Nordstrom’s friendly banter with the crowd and incessant attention to detail (some may even say perfectionism – from the song list to his finely curated selection of Western snap shirts). “Erik always did the heavy lifting, he made it kind of easy,” Leek said of the bookings, logistics and marketing. “He’s tireless. He’s always working… He makes it easy for a guy like me who’s not a social butterfly.”

Of course, there’s also the shared love of bands like Splitlip Rayfield, The Strokes and Uncle Tupelo (and “both sides of the Jeff Tweedy/Jay Ferrar fracture,” as Leek put it.) And of course the “gimmicks” – early shows included pink flamingos (currently MIA); prizes, like the aforementioned hot dog cooker; and even an old cathode ray TV that Leek could turn on and off with a remote control.

But above all else, Leek recalls Nordstrom’s song-writing – the constant stream of new songs to keep things interesting and fresh.

“Erik is very prolific,” said Leek. “He would show up to practice and say, ‘I went camping over the weekend and wrote four new songs.’ He just writes and writes.”

Which, for fans of his music – of which there are many – is a good thing.

“He’s awesome,” summed up Liggett. “I love Erik.” And if you do, too – or are just curious about what ever became of that old red car – show up Saturday to the Mancos Brewery (don’t forget to carpool). If you’re lucky, maybe there will even be a pink flamingo or two. ■

June 22, 2023 n 9 telegraph
Nordstrom at an AC/DC Cover Night at the Summit Bar (also gone but not forgotten). Nordstrom was instrumental (no pun intended) at starting Cover Night./ Photo courtesy Bryant Liggett

Back from the brink

Playwright dives into darkest part of her life to find healing

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, causing many people to go into self-imposed isolation, Molly Carden took the newfound time alone to dive into the darkest period of her life, a time she had long buried and distanced herself from.

Carden, 35, a New York actress and playwright, would begin to unpack her life from ages 17-18, when she would make two suicide attempts and subsequently have a series of stays at psychiatric hospitals.

Though bringing up past demons and hardships was no easy task, the effort would eventually lead Carden to write her first-ever play, which was not only crucial to her own healing, but now also may help other people suffering from mental health issues.

Carden will perform her play, “I Came Back for Molly,” as part of this year’s Durango Playfest at 7:30 p.m. June 28 at the Durango Arts Center.

“I never thought I’d write a full-length play, let alone a play about my own mental illness, only performed by me,” Carden said. “But here we are.”

Carden, who grew up in NYC and has struggled with depression and anxiety, said her mental health crisis began her senior year of high school as she was getting ready to graduate and go to college and out into the world for the first time as an adult.

“I was afraid that growing up was something I wasn’t able to do,” she said. “As a result, I became obsessed with childhood and death, because those were ways to stop the process of growing up. That mentality, in different ways, resulted in two suicide attempts when I was 17.”

Afterwards, Carden spent months in different psychiatric hospitals.

“I tried very hard to make it to college and to be OK and not be depressed,” she said. “Because I did have dreams and goals and things I wanted to do. But at the same time, I had this death wish that kept getting bigger and bigger.”

Carden’s turning point, a moment she only identified when writing the play in 2021, came out of a feeling of anger that she wanted to continue her life and at a time when she was told she needed to be in a supervised environment.

“In the final institution I was in, I realized all the things I wanted for myself,” she said.

Carden eventually attended the University of North Carolina School of Arts for acting. As anyone who struggles with mental health conditions, it never goes away, Carden said, yet she was able to fully immerse herself in school and her new career goals.

At the same time, however, she distanced herself from that period in her life. “I tried to push (those memories) down for a long time, because I was afraid of it coming back and ruining my life again,” she said.

Fast forward to 2020, when many people had nothing to do but think. During the pandemic, Carden said it was the first time she revisited her past. It wasn’t easy. But slowly, she started to write down her thoughts, eventually forming them into a play. “I Came Back for Molly”‘ is a one-person, one-act play in which Carden holds a conversation between three different versions of herself through different times in her life.

“Writing it was very difficult; I had to go back to that time in order to write it,” she said. “It was something I needed to do, but it was very painful at times.”

Ultimately, the entire effort was a journey of self-acceptance, she said, especially about the parts of yourself you’re embarrassed, ashamed or disgusted by.

“When Molly first read it to me, it was fascinating to hear her journey and also the way in which she was able to speak about it so candidly and with so much humor, grace and vulnerability,” Abigail Zealey Bess, Carden’s friend and the play’s director, said. “And she’s not alone. (Suicidal thoughts) are very prevalent in those teen years when you’re going through a lot of feelings, and you don’t know what to do about it.”

According to a report recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly three in five –or 57% – of teenage girls reported “feeling persistently sad or hopeless” in 2021. This is up from 36% from 2011 and

the highest levels seen in the past decade. By comparison, teen boys saw a more modest increase, from 21% in 2011 to 29% in 2021.

“America’s teen girls are engulfed in a growing wave of sadness, violence and trauma,” Dr. Debra Houry, the CDC’s chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science, said in a media briefing. “Over the past decade, teens, especially girls, have experienced dramatic increases in experiences of violence and poor mental health and suicide risk.”

These days, Carden hopes she can take her play around the United States, especially to schools, universities and psychiatric hospitals, where people are going through a similar experience.

“At the time, I thought I was the only person who ever thought or felt this way, and in some ways, I think I created my own mental prison over time,” she said. “I went further and further into myself, and away from the world. I think severe anxiety and depression is when the world in your head is a lot louder than the world outside, and that’s very isolating.

“But it’s amazing to take the time in which I felt the most alienated and use it to connect with people. I want them to feel less alone; I certainly feel less alone.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call or text the national Suicide Crisis Lifeline at 988.

10 n June 22, 2023 telegraph
OnStage
Molly Carden performing in New York City

Whether you like it or not

Signs of summer in Durango and some kickass record recs

Welp, it’s officially capital “S” Summer. I know this thanks to a handful of personal signifiers all happening within the past few days. First, after catching the regrettably cut short but still fantastic set by The Monkberries at BurroFest this past weekend, I stepped into the El Río Cantina. I noticed the College World Series was on the television. Spending my first 18 years in Omaha –home to the series – the collegiate baseball tournament marked the start to summer. Couldn’t tell you who was playing or who’s expected to win, but I know it’s happening, and that’s enough.

The second and third signs, respectively, are that Wed., June 21, was both the solstice AND “Go Skateboarding Day.”

The latter is a relatively new (20 years, give or take) official/unofficial holiday that tends to coincide with the longest day of the year. You don’t need to be a “good” skateboarder to celebrate it. You just go. I’ve spent many summer days and many more summer nights being a terrible skateboarder, having an absolute blast. Not sure where to start?

Visit John and his stellar staff at The Boarding Haus (1001 Main Ave.) to get outfitted proper-like, and have a gas.

The fourth sign: town is on the cusp of busy as all get out. Drive times take a little bit longer, regardless of what day it is. Be mindful of meandering families, tourists, visitors, etc., ogling the ridiculous beauty of our unnervingly white bread town. Unless you’re a “NATIVE” Coloradoan (Good for you, by the way. You didn’t choose to be. Remember that.), you likely visited once yourself and decided to move here for whatever reason, so cut them some slack. Be patient. Take a deep breath, and count to 13 for f***s sake. As a guy who contributed to the problem however many years ago, I’m putting this to paper as a reminder to you, but also TO MYSELF. It’s summer. In Colorado. They’ll eventually leave, or they won’t, and either way, it’s out of your control.

Finally: June means we’re six months (that’s halfway!) into the calendar year. Which also means I get to write about a few of my favorite records released to date. College radio stalwarts

Yo La Tengo released their 17th long player, “This Stupid World,” back in February, and it’s the best record they’ve made since 2013’s “Fade.” It’s staggering to think that a band 30 years into its career is still creating at a high sonic level.

La Luz front person Shana Cleveland released “Manzanita” in March, and the collection of downtempo, minor chord psych-folk compositions was well worth the wait. Densely layered, meticulous songs about love and motherhood have lived up to expectations and remained in heavy rotation since the album’s release.

Last month, prolific New York-based hip hop artist Billy Woods (stylized as billy woods) teamed up with producer Kenny Segal to release “Maps.” His sixth release features guest appearances from Elucid, Danny Brown, Aesop Rock, Quelle Chris, ShrapKnel, Benjamin Booker and Samuel T. Herring (of the band Future Islands). Wider exposure is on the horizon as this record stands to land on several

critics’ year-end lists. Reno-based Spitting Image released “Full Sun” and made a caustic, guitar-forward rock record that pummels the listener for nearly 40 minutes. The record taps into “stranger fringes of the ’80s wave – Wipers, Gun Club, Sonic Youth, Television, early Siouxsie – with basement hardcore and hints of krautrock, psych and industrial.”

For those needing a sunset-hazed Laurel Canyon cosmic country vibe, I suggest repeated listening to the Gracie Horse album “L.A. Shit.” Gracie has a voice that’s equal parts gravel and sticky saccharine, and rounds out the sound of her first album for the Wharf Cat label with pedal steel and classic country.

And last but not least, my most recent obsession has been the Matador Records debut from Brooklyn duo Water From Your Eyes. “Everyone’s Crushed” is an experimental pop/art rock album full of chaos and misdirection. Apparently recorded with a “broken $100 interface and a dying computer,” the record is beautiful, tense and builds to a frenzy, and then pulls back from that edge. The moment you think it’s going to devolve into something weirder, it becomes a straightforward, confessional, indie-adjacent record.

What’s soundtracking your summer? Do people even listen to full records anymore, or is it just whatever the algorithm feeds you in fits and bursts? Send any recommendations my way. As the summer gets hotter and you end up a little more peeved and uncomfortable, I’m also game to hear what, exactly, is bothering you. Be sure to send those stray observations 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 ■

June 22, 2023 n 11 telegraph
KillYrIdols

Thursday22

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Depot.

The Originals play, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard Ave.

Chris Daniels & The Kings play, 5:30 p.m., Buckley Park.

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

Matt Rupnow plays, 6 p.m., James Ranch, 33846 Highway 550.

Live music, 6 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

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

Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

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

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.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Friday23

San Juan Nature Hike, 9 a.m., Haviland Lake. Hosted by San Juan Mountains Association.

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Railroad Depot.

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

Buckley Bash, 2-7:30 p.m., Buckley Park.

Shadow Trapp plays, 5-8 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3026 Main Ave.

Leah Orlikowski plays, 6 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, Ignacio.

Mountain Top Pocket Pickers play, 6-9 p.m., Durango Craft Spirits.

Majik Ham plays, 7 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

Wild Roses play, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Mars FM and specials guests play, 7:30 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Saturday24

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

Durango Adult Education Center Fun Run, 8 a.m., Santa Rita Park. Durangoadulted.org

Gardens on Tour, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., info at durangobotanicgardens.org

Naughty School Girl Run – Veterans Benefit, 8 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Depot.

Nordfest! Local bands celebrating the music of Lawn Chair Kings, Farmington Hill and Erik Nordstrom, 3-8 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

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.

Dance Social, 7 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd

Salamander Collective, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Hauntings & History Ghost Tour, 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Silent Disco, 10-11:30 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Sunday25

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

Veterans Raft Trip & Picnic, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., info@durangorafting.com.

Story Time (for kindergarten to 2nd grade), 11:11-12 noon, White Rabbit Garden, 128 W. 14th St.

Randy Crumbaugh plays, 12 noon-3 p.m., 11th St. Station.

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

Jason Thies and Jeff Haspel play, 1 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice, 3000 Main Ave.

Riverside Reset (adult coloring/rock painting), 1-3 p.m., White Rabbit Garden, 128 W. 14th St.

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

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

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

Cha Wa plays, doors at 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Monday26

Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

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

12 n June 22, 2023 telegraph Deadline for “Stuff to Do” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item, email: calendar@durangotelegraph.com
Stuff to Do Dietz Market Café is Open! Open House June 15-30: Buy a coffee, chai or boba and get a FREE cookie! 970-259-5811 • 26345 HWY 160/550 1 mile SE of Durango Mall • www.dietzmarket.com 10% Off Garden Pots GREAT STRAIN SELECTION • HASH & CONCENTRATE • EDIBLES • SEED • CLONES PIPES • SMOKING ACCESSORIES • APPAREL • MJ LITERATURE & CONSULTING • ATM ON SITE Stock Up With June Deals! WYLD - 25% Off BONANZA - 2 full gram carts $70 Concentrates $12.50/g (rec). $80-$90/g & Buy 2 Get 1, 3pm-5pm (med.)

Banana-rama, proud moms and the last straw AskRachel

Interesting fact: One banana contains 3 grams of fiber (roughly 1/10 of the daily need), 100 calories (1/20 of the regular recommended intake) and one banana peel, which, let’s be frank, won’t get stepped on for a laugh near as often as you grew up thinking would happen.

Dear Rachel,

How many bananas is too many bananas for one person to eat? Not in some Cool Hand Luke scenario here. I just want to know how much of a person’s diet can be bananas and that person still be considered of sound body?

– B Anna Nas

fortunate enough to see a Pride Parade simply think, “Finally, a bunch of grownups who are willing to be themselves!” Maybe that’s what scares the anti-crowd … kids growing up to be themselves. Anyway, what I can do to be a better ally this Pride Month?

– Proud Mama

Dear Lil Nanna X,

I’m not finding anything about a toxic threshold for bananas. I suspect your limiting factor is your stomach size, metabolism and personal banana threshold. Also, you have to eat the bananas when they reach personal ideal ripeness, ]n about four hours before they move beyond ] personal ideal ripeness.

– Not a medical provider, Rachel

Dear Mother Figure,

Honestly, I’m shocked I don’t hear more about how Pride is one of the seven deadlies. Of course, not murdering is one of the 10 commandos, and we don’t think of the children enough to do much about that. I think you’re on the right track. Just keep telling all the people you know that you love them for being themselves. And then show them by backing them up every time someone tries to take that away from them.

– Being nearly 40% myself, Rachel

telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

road. I will never do this again, but if ever I have the chance, what’s the best payback?

– Short Straw

Dear Rachel,

Have you noticed how anti-LGBTQ+ people like to clutch the “think of the children” pearl on their outrage necklace? I bet most little kids

Dear Rachel,

I’ve always taken a spin as the DD for intown nights. But I made a big, big mistake. Some friends went to a concert in Taos, and we all decided not to splurge on accommodations and just drive back home. Three drunk friends in a car for four hours is a nightmare. I nearly wished for an elk to jump into the

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

Tuesday27

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

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.

Meditation & Potluck for people in their 20s and 30s, 6 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, durangodharmacenter.org

Live music, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Smelter Mountain Boys play, 6 p.m., James Ranch, 33846 Highway 550.

“Smashed Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet,” 7 p.m., 11th St. Station, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

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

Wednesday28

Durango PlayFest, June 28-July 2, durangoplayfest.org

Restorative Yoga for Cancer, 9:30 a.m., no cost for cancer patients, post-treatment survivors and caregivers, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. cancersupportswco.org/calendar

Dear Chauffeur,

I don’t know about the BEST way, but a GREAT way to is to run into a grocery store with all the drunk friends and buy every banana in the place. Then tell your DD you all are going to test the outer limits of how many bananas one human can eat. Bonus: bananas help with hangovers!

– Always bananas, Rachel

Quick & Dirty Downtown Walking Tour, 10 a.m., Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot.

Youth Rock ‘n’ Roll Show, 6-9 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main.

Open Mic, 6 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

The Climbing Zine Volume 23 release party, 7-9 p.m., Gravity Lab, 732 CR 233.

Trivia, 8 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr.

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

Ongoing

Clean Commute Week, June 24-28, durangogov.org

“Pterosaurs: Ancient Rulers of the Sky,” 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, thru Sept. 17.

Upcoming

Civic Winds Jazz Orchestra presents “Big Band Holiday,” July 2, 6:30 p.m., Rotary Park.

Elder Grown, Ava Swan, Rachel Angel, Nelleke and Forest Thump play, July 8, 5 p.m., Tico Time River Resort.

The Wild Roses play, July 8th 6-9 p.m., Union Social House.

Mindful hike and meditation for people in their 20s and 30s, July 11, 6 p.m., meet at Animas Mountain Trailhead at 32nd and W. 4th Ave., find more info at

telegraph

June 22, 2023 n 13
Tina Miely Broker Associate (970) 946-2902
Stay classy, Durango
tina@BHHSco.com

ARIES (March 21-April 19): When I was still an up-and-coming horoscope columnist, before I got widely syndicated, I supplemented my income with many other jobs. During one stretch, I wrote fortunes for a line of designer fortune cookies that were covered with gourmet chocolate and sold at the luxury department store Bloomingdale’s. The salary I got paid was meager. Part of my compensation came in the form of hundreds of delicious but non-nutritious cookies. If you are offered a comparable deal in the coming weeks and months, Aries, my advice is to do what I didn’t do but should have done: Ask for what’s truly valuable to you instead of accepting a substitute of marginal worth.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My mentor Ann Davies said that of all the signs of the zodiac, you Tauruses are most likely to develop finely honed intuition. At least potentially, you can tune in to the inner teacher better than the rest of us. Here’s even better news: I believe you are entering a phase when your relationship with this stellar faculty may ripen dramatically. Please take advantage of this subtly fabulous opportunity! Each day for the next 14 days, do a relaxing ritual in which you eagerly invite and welcome the guidance of your deepest inner source.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): New College in Oxford, UK has educated students since 1379. Among its old buildings is a dining hall that features beams made of thick oak trees. Unfortunately, most oak wood eventually attracts beetles that eat it and weaken it. Fortunately, the 14th-century founders of New College foresaw that problem. They planted an oak grove whose trees were specifically meant to be used to replace the oak beams at New College. Which they are to this day. I would love you to derive inspiration from this story, Gemini. What practical long-term plans might you be wise to formulate in the coming months?

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the Northern Hemisphere, the astrological month of Cancer begins with the sun in its greatest glory. Our home star is at its highest altitude, shining with maximum brightness. So then why is the sign of the Crab ruled by the moon? Why do the longest days of the year coincide with the ascendancy of the mistress of the night? Ahhh. These are esoteric mysteries beyond the scope of this horoscope. But here’s a hint about what they signify for you personally.

One of your assets can also be a liability: your innocent openness to the wonders of life. This quality is at the heart of your beauty, but can also, on occasion, make you vulnerable to being overwhelmed. That’s why it’s so important that you master the art of setting boundaries, of honing your focus, of quaffing deeply from a few cups instead of sipping from many cups.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The coming weeks will be a delicate time for your spiritual unfoldment. You are primed to recover lost powers, rediscover key truths you have forgotten and reunite with parts of your soul you got cut off from. Will these good possibilities come to pass in their fullness? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how brave you are in seeking your healing. You must ask for what’s hard to ask for. You’ve got to find a way to feel deserving of the blessings that are available.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Whether or not you have been enrolled in a learning institution during the past 12 months, I suspect you have been getting a rigorous education. Among the courses you have almost completed are lessons in intimacy, cooperation, collaboration, symbiosis and togetherness. Have you mastered all the teachings? Probably not. There were too many of them, and they were too voluminous to grasp perfectly and completely. But that’s OK. You have done well. Now you’re ready to graduate, collect your diploma and apply what you have learned.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): History has provided contradictory reports about Isabeau of Bavaria, who served as Queen of France from 1385 to 1422. Was she a corrupt, greedy and indecisive fool who harmed France’s fortunes? Or was she a talented diplomat with great skill in court politics and an effective leader during the many times her husband, King Charles VI, was incapacitated by illness? I bring these facts to your attention, Libra, hoping they will inspire you to refine, adjust and firm up your own reputation. You can’t totally control how people perceive you, but you do have some power to shape their perceptions.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The next four weeks will be an excellent time to create and celebrate your own holidays. I recommend you dream up at least four new festivals, jubilees, anniversaries and other excuses to party. They could be quirky and modest, like Do No Housework Day, Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day. They could be more profound and impact-

ful, like Forgive Your Parents for Everything Day. You should regard playful fun as a top priority.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a god who stole fire from his fellow gods and gave it to humans to help them build civilization. His divine colleagues were not pleased. Why? Maybe they feared that with the power of fire, people would become like gods themselves and have no further need for gods. Anyway, Sagittarius, I hope you’re in a fire-stealing mood. It’s a good time to raise your whole world up to a higher level – to track down and acquire prizes that will lead to major enhancements. And unlike what happened to Prometheus, I think you will get away with your gambits.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Each time you sleep, you slip through magical doorways called dreams. Whether or not you recall those adventures, they offer you interesting mysteries utterly unlike the events of your daily life. A magical doorway opens when an ally or loved one shares intimate knowledge of their inner realms. Becoming absorbed in books, movies or songs is also a way to glide through a magical doorway. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Capricorn, because I suspect the coming weeks will present an extra inviting array of magical doorways.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Psychiatrist Myron Hofer specializes in the mother-infant relationship. Among his findings: The first emotion that a newborn experiences is anxiety. Struggling to get out of the womb can be taxing, and it’s shocking to be separated from the warm, nourishing realm that has been home for months. The bad news is that most of us still carry the imprint of this original unease. The good news, Aquarius, is that the coming months will be one of the best times ever for you to heal. For optimal results, place a high priority on getting an abundance of love, support, comfort and physical touch.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Curious blends and intriguing juxtapositions are in the works – or at least they should be. Improbable alliances might be desirable, because they’re curative. Formulas with seemingly mismatched ingredients might fix a glitch, even if they never succeeded before and won’t again. I encourage you to synergize work and play. Negotiate serious business in casual settings, and make yourself at home in a wild frontier.

14 n June 22, 2023 telegraph FreeWillAstrology 1135 Main Ave. • DGO, CO Feeling the heat? Come in for a cold pop (beer)! Choose from our list of 12 rotating drafts. Open daily @ 11 a.m. • 1135 Main Avenue

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

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Announcements

Dennis, Donald and Lindsey – where’s Melania?

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.

KDUR is Celebrating 50 years in 2025. With that fast approaching, staff is on the hunt for past DJs. Maybe you did a show for one year, maybe you did a show for 10. However long that was, hopefully you have a fond memory, a story or maybe even some recorded material! If you do, please email station manager Bryant Liggett,  Liggett_b@fort lewis.edu or call 970.247.7261

Classes/Workshops

Let’s Letter Together!

Italic, brushlettering, sign writing, chalkboards, and more! In person classes at The ArtRoom. Learn more: bit.ly/letterdurango

HelpWanted

The Town of Silverton is Sseeking to hire a full-time Community Project & Housing Coordinator to work directly with the San Juan Development Association. Key responsibilities would include community project coordination, housing program management, community engagement and outreach, and grant writing/fundraising. The Community Project & Housing Coordinator position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on community development and affordable housing initiatives. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong project management skills, community engagement abilities and a commitment to creating inclusive and sustainable communities. For the full job description, please visit  https://townofsilverton.colorado. gov/employment. Hours per week: 40 hours/week. Hourly rate: $30-40/hr. depending on experience. Benefits include health, vision, dental, paid time off. Contact/application information: Please send a resume and cover letter to bkremer@sanjuandevelopment.com and gkaasch-buerger@silverton.co.us or by mail to SJDA, PO Box 722, Silverton, CO 81433. Position is open until filled. The Town of Silverton is an equal opportunity employer.

Wanted

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

ForSale

HaikuMovieReview

‘A Man Called Otto' Have tissues at hand because this will wreck even folks with tiny hearts

pendent or startup businesses. Visit our website at www.thesaltymedia.com or email jnderge@gmail.com

Harmony Cleaning and Organizing

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

Lowest Prices on Storage!

Custom Made Llama Trailer

Llama trailer fits 2-3 llamas. Suitable for other small livestock. 2005 Heibco brand in excellent shape. $3,200. 970749-0604.

Jackson Antix 1.0 Medium

Gently used Antix. This is a super fun river runner/surfer and can catch eddies like a dream - just a little too big for me. Very good condition - all outfitting intact, no tears or rips, clean cockpit. A few minor cosmetic blems but otherwise in great shape. In hot pink/orange/yellow fade. Message for dets: 970-749-2595.

Reruns Home Furnishings

Brighten up your indoor and outdoor space – bookcases, nightstands, dressers, bistros and bar stools. Looking to consign smaller furniture pieces … 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 3857336.

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

BodyWork

Integrated Massage

Deep tissue therapeutic body work @ Durango Wellness Clinic Call/text 970.403.5451 to book a session with Dennis. Inquire about Telegraph discount.

Massage by Meg Bush

LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-7590199.

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.

Learn to Square Dance

Free four-week intro with Caller Carla Roberts and the Wild West Squares of Durango. Great exercise for the mind as well as the body! No partner needed. Call to register or more info. 970-903-6478

CommercialforRent

Office Co-Share Available

Furnished office, private bathroom, secure entrances and covered parking. Visit  snowhaven.org to reserve the space.

Services Marketing Small/Local Businesses

Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc. for small, local, inde-

CommunityService

Volunteers Needed Alternative Horizons. For more info, call 970-247-4374 or visit our website https://alternativehorizons.org/

June 22, 2023 n 15 telegraph
classifieds
Lainie Maxson

Positive Youth Development Training

Principles & practices to increase youth engagement

THURSDAY, JUNE 29

10:30 A.M. - 2 P.M.

DURANGO REC CENTER

Lunch included SIGN UP

16 n June 22, 2023 telegraph
tinyurl.com/pyddurango FREE

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