The Durango Telegraph, Aug. 3, 2023

Easy come

What wet winter brings, hot summer takes away

Filling the void

Drilling deep into San Juan Basin gas patch post-BP

Bring on the jams

August brings Garrett Young, Satsang, Crags & more

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Easy come

What monster winter brings, a dry summer takes away by Jonathan Thompson / The Land Desk

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Filling the void

Drilling down on BP’s successor in the San Juan Basin, IKAV by Jonathan Romeo

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Last hurrah

Satsang, Garrett Young, Desert Child & Crags round out summer by Stephen Sellers

RegularOccurrences

Ear to the ground:

“You’re doing something right when your net worth can be measured in NRS straps.”

– We may not have a 401k, but hey, we’re rich in straps

TLC for DMP

Help has arrived for the eroded climbing areas in Dalla Mountain Park. Located on the west side of town, Dalla Mountain Park (and the adjacent Animas City Mountain) are popular climbing areas. Really popular, it turns out.

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Decisions, decisions

Talented Israeil author returns with third exhausting drama by Jeffrey Mannix

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“Dalla Mountain Park has the highest concentration of climbing in any park in any city in the state of Colorado,” Amy Schwarzbach, the city’s natural resource manager, said in a statement.

All that use, however, has taken a toll. According to the City of Durango, climbers have created social trails to popular climbing areas that have caused erosion. One area particularly impacted is a climbing spot called Euro Boulder.

“The erosion from Euro Boulder and the socially created access to it has a broader impact not only on wildlife, but other trails and Junction Creek down below,” Schwarzbach said.

Recently, the City of Durango (which owns Dalla Mountain Park) and the Bureau of Land Management (which owns Animas City Mountain) received $48,000 from a GOCO grant to help with trail restoration. The full grant funding includes matches from the city and BLM, as well as $1,437 from the Durango Climbers Coalition. Ultimately, the Southwest Conservation Corps was hired to get the work done.

The SWCC worked seven weeks at Euro Boulder. With the help of Durango Climbers Coalition volunteers, crews restored severe erosion around the base, improved drainage and fortified areas to prevent future soil loss.

“The SWCC crews that worked on this project not only helped provide awesome recreation, but also helped fulfill the city’s obligation to our conservation easement,” Schwarzbach said. “They’re taking care of fish and wildlife habitat, and the vegetation in the area.”

This summer hurts

I keep dreaming about car crashes. Not the kind where I’m in the driver’s seat. But the kind where I’m witnessing it. In some dreams, I’m at an in-door gathering with family and friends, and everything is joyous. But then a car comes crashing through. I wake up before I find out who survived and who didn’t.

In waking life, an actual car crash could happen. Or it could take the shape of a gunman out in public, which seems far more likely nowadays. For me, these dreams are reminders that protecting the people I love can be out of my control. The car crash doesn’t have to be literal and visceral. It can be gradual and emotional. It can feel like a heavy heart, weighed down by trauma that you carry until one day you go missing. You end up unhoused and have no choice but to walk with your heart through the city. By the time your family finds you, it’s too late. We have to identify your body and return you home with unanswered questions.

My aunt Jennifer went through a yearslong struggle like that, with a heartbreaking outcome that my family’s still processing. The day after the Fourth of July, I was a pallbearer for her funeral service. It felt disorienting to walk through a town full of red, white and blue celebrations, knowing the next day I’d have to bury my aunt, whose life was haunted by historical trauma; whose fate became that of many other missing and murdered Indigenous relatives. On July 4, I walked along the Animas River Trail and thought, “America, I’ve given you all and you just keep taking.”

It’s an understatement to say this summer hurts.

As a band-aid of sorts, I’ve been taking comfort in the music of Laura Stevenson. Her songwriting can sound sparkly and whimsical, but the music is only velvet covering barbed wire lyrics about sadness and loss. And there’s a nervous honesty in the way she approaches heavy topics. In Stevenson’s music, the dark and tense human sadness crystallizes into something beautiful and wondrous.

A few years ago, Stevenson wrote a song called “Runner.” In various interviews, she’s talked about how that song is her way of working through a depression that sets in during the summer. It’s a state of mind she has to brace for

Thumbin’It

All sides coming together to keep Durango Fire at its current location at River City Hall, with the City of Durango getting the old 9-R building. Phew, alright, that took a while.

Phoenix finally ending its historic 31day streak of highs at or above 110 degrees by reaching a cool and breezy high temp of only 108 this week.

Trump charged for trying to overturn the 2020 election. Oh hey, turns out you can’t try to push a coup after losing a fair election after all. How about that?

every year. In a Spotify interview about the track, Stevenson said, “I was exploring what’s real and what’s not real, whether there’s a god. I was asking, ‘What’s the thing that makes you want to live?’”

The chorus to “Runner” has one line: “This summer hurts.” It’s a line imprinted in my mind forever now.

For me, dread and anxiety comes with embracing summer. This summer, I’m grieving and begging to not lose anyone else I love for the rest of the year. Along with that, the boiling hot temperatures all around us lately have added another layer of despair. I think to myself, “Is the plural for ‘apocalypse’ pronounced as ‘The New Normal?’”

But sitting with a song like “Runner” is comforting. The song’s comforting because it reminds me that if I can sing with a smile the words, “This summer hurts” or if I can say out loud: “Everything is terrible and maybe we’re all doomed, because actually, we’re all in a tiny submersible led by mindless rich men with death-drive on autopilot, searching for the Titanic’s corpse, and one day this whole thing will implode.” If I can say that, then it means I can also recognize and say, “Things don’t have to be this way.”

With Stevenson’s music, there’s something else about the upbeat tone that subverts the writing. The opening lyrics for “Runner” contain the lines, “To give yourself a little bit of hope’s a lie / We’re just spinning where we stand.” It’s disenchanting, and yet, the guitars and drums are in joyous motion, moving the dejected narrator forward to see the sunrise around the corner. Maybe it’s because of the way her diamond voice constantly shines, but you can hear the smile in Stevenson’s singing when she reaches that chorus of defeat. I hear that smile through speakers, and a smile forms on my own face.

Today clouds are taking over the sky, and I know car crash dreams will continue to haunt me, but I play the song again. The day darkens, and I know these unanswered questions will linger, but my aunt has been returned home and that provides some peace. I play the song again, and I know the flowers on her grave will grow. I play the song one more time, and I know rain is on the way.

– Kirbie Bennett

SignoftheDownfall:

Reports that lab-grown chicken is making its way to restaurants and grocery stores near you. Well there’s no way this could go wrong.

The FDA recalling thousands of birth control pills that may be ineffective. Uhhh... uh oh; we gotta make some calls.

Tiny worms that have infested 30-40% of Colorado’s famed and delicious Olathe sweet corn. Crap, now what’s going to be the side with our lab chicken cacciatore?

Taking a bit out of crime

Make sure to check your horoscope because The Telegraph can tell the future! Five months ago, your Sign of the Downfall was a joke about cocaine sharks. Well, last week, a group of Floridian scientists claimed they might be real given the record amount of coke floating around the Keys. It’s especially plausible since sharks routinely bite floating objects. Strange, crack-like behavior was even been documented thanks to a sideways-swimming hammerhead. And it was proven that most sharks in the area preferred biting dummy coke bails over decoy birds. “That’s great news,” said a local real bird.

In the hot seat

The snow giveth, the heat taketh away

by Jonathan Thompson

Now that July is over, the official meteorological diagnosis of the month is in: It was friggin’ hot! On a global level, it was the hottest month on record, maybe even the hottest in the last 120,000 years. The figures for the West aren’t in yet, but I think we can all agree it was an abnormally warm and dry month for most places.

Phoenix experienced a full month –i.e. 31 consecutive days – of 110+ degrees Fahrenheit (from June 30-July 30; the streak was broken July 31, when the mercury topped out at a chilly 108 F). That included three 119-degree days and a record-breaking overnight low of 97. And the average daily temperature for the month was nearly 103 degrees, shattering the old record and more than seven degrees above “normal.”

Although the monsoon has made it to some parts of southern Arizona, dumping three-fourths of an inch of rain on Tucson and knocking out power to some 50,000 people, it’s missing other parts of the state. Phoenix-proper hasn’t received measurable precipitation since March 22. Ugh.

Sure, that’s Phoenix, which is always a cauldron. But how about these all-time record-breakers?:

• 120 F: Maximum temperature in Ajo, Ariz., on July 20, breaking the previous record of 119 F set in 2021.

• 93 F: Maximum temperature in Del Norte – at nearly 7,900 feet above sea level – on July 26 and 27, breaking the

record set in 2015.

• 85 F: Maximum temperature at Parker Peak, Wyo. – 9,400 feet in elevation – on July 24, breaking the record set a day earlier (previous record: 82 F set in 2002).

• 78 F: Minimum temperature at Bredette, Mont. – in the northeast corner of the state near the Canadian border – on July 23.

The point being: it’s hot everywhere, even in the high country, and even in the coolest part of the night in Montana.

The good news is that all that heat was preceded by a really wet winter and spring, saving us from complete disaster. The bad news is the heat has conspired with a late-arriving monsoon to suck up a lot of that moisture, leaving less for the rivers and vegetation.

The big winter resulted in a big spring runoff, naturally. But the high heat + low spring-summer precipitation melted and evaporated the snow, dashing hopes of an extra-long rafting season on many streams. After running far above median levels even into late July, many rivers – including the Dolores and Animas – are now running below normal for this time of year. That ripples downstream to Lake Powell, where inflows have also dropped rapidly since July 1 and are now even below 2022 levels for this date, causing reservoir levels to drop 4 feet in less than a month. A good, Colorado Plateau monsoon will help fix that – if it materializes – but continued heat will

continue to sap moisture from streams and reservoirs.

This all meshes with a new study on climate change’s effects on the Colorado River. The researchers nicely summarize the key points of the study:

We find that the basin has roughly 10% less water available under present-day conditions due to warming since the 1880s. The majority of water loss has occurred due to a heightened sensitivity to warming in the basin’s regions associated with snowpack, compared to regions without snowpack. We also demonstrate that without this warming, the Colorado Basin would have had significantly larger amounts of water available, equal to the size of Lake Mead, over the duration of the 2000–21 megadrought.

Did you get that? Climate change has stolen a whole Lake Mead from the Colorado River over the past couple decades, and the hydro-thievery will

continue and even accelerate as temperatures rise.

This should provide yet more impetus to stop burning fossil fuels in the hope of slowing warming. But it also should be a reminder that even if drought subsides, the big aridification has not ended. We can’t be lulled into complacency by a good snow year, even a record-breaking one, or some flash-flood-triggering downpours. Lake Powell is still less than 40% full. The Colorado River still carries less water than has been allocated to its users, meaning they collectively must cut consumption by at least 2 million acre-feet per year, likely a lot more. Easing wateruse restrictions is a bad idea. The heat is in it for the long haul, I’m afraid, and we must act accordingly.

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 ■

A retardant drop on the York Fire in the Mojave Desert./ Courtesy of National Park Service

SoapBox

Green thumb

The Durango Telegraph ran an article last month on Siberian elms. I just want to add that the seed pods are edible when they are green and fresh. They are super delicious and quite nutritious and have a sweet flavor. So the elms ain’t all bad!

– Casey Newell, Durango

The anti-feminist

I have seen Trump rallies, and I see women young and old cheer him. Don’t they know he was found liable for sexual abuse? He also paid a porn star $130,000 to cover up a sexual encounter they supposedly had. And, he had a relationship with a Playboy model while his third wife took care of his son, Barron.

What is going on with people in the U.S.? If you had a loved one assaulted by Trump, would you still vote for him? Wake up. What has he done for you? Trump was impeached while president two times. It’s time to get a new GOP candidate. The only thing Trump cares about is himself.

– Bob Battani, Durango

AtasteofItaly inDurango

Working on the line

Time has its effects on everything. Rust comes from time, and brings its own curses.

When rust claims a victim, the victim becomes worthless,

A piece of junk, a pile of old steel that no one will ever use again.

Powerful, beastly machines fall victim to rust over time, and they are seen as nothing but.

Steam engines could tell you that, Lined up on sidings, cold and damp, waiting for the end by the cutters torch.

Mighty, hissing, and clanking giants that all of a sudden went quiet.

Because time has made the new come again,

But the rusty old cannot stay too, And the stories they would share must go with them, And the future stories they would tell will never come.

Another one is ready for scrap. What part will they cut off first?

– Xander Beck, Fort Lewis College

Pudim

Blocked out

Colorado GOP sues to close primaries to unaffiliated voters

by Bente Birkeland Colorado Public Radio

The Colorado Republican Party is suing the state in an attempt to stop unaffiliated voters, the state’s largest voting bloc, from participating in Republican primary elections.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Denver on Monday, alleges that Proposition 108, which voters approved in 2016, is unconstitutional. The initiative required major political parties to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections. It also included an opt-out clause for parties, if three-fourths of a party’s central committee agrees.

If the suit is successful in striking down Prop 108, it could mean unaffiliated voters would not be able to participate in any party primaries – Republican or Democratic.

The State GOP says the law infringes on the constitutional rights of Republicans, including “the right of political parties to choose their nominees for office without interference by those who are not members of the party and have chosen not to affiliate with the party.”

Of Colorado’s major parties, Republicans have the smallest share of registered voters, followed by Democrats. Unaffiliated voters now comprise the largest percentage of the state’s voters. And the lawsuit alleges that unaffiliated voters have an undue and possibly determinative influence on who Republicans nominate, and can potentially work with Democrats to try to get strong GOP contenders ousted

in primary races.

Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s office is named in the suit. “The court dismissed the prior lawsuit, and we continue to believe the new lawsuit has no merit. As Secretary of State, I will always stand up for voters to ensure that their constitutional right to cast a ballot is protected,” she said in a written statement.

The head of the Colorado Democratic Party blasted the effort and said the state Republican party is at odds with the voters.

“The MAGA extremists running the

Colorado GOP don’t need to blame Prop 108 for their historic losses: they simply need to take a look in the mirror,” Chair Shad Murib said. “The Democratic Party is a big-tent, and we welcome participation in our democracy.”

Attorney John Eastman, with the Constitutional Counsel Group, is representing the Colorado GOP. He also represented Colorado GOP candidates in 2020 who sued to close the party primary, but the case was dismissed, because they did not have legal standing. Eastman is facing pos-

sible disbarment proceedings in California over his role in former President Donald Trump’s efforts to try to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

The Colorado GOP also argues that the provision to allow a party to opt out of the primary is too burdensome, because it requires a three-fourths majority of a party’s central committee and even then is only valid for the following year’s primary.

“Proposition 108 further burdens the exercise of the right of Freedom of Association by imposing a specific voting requirement rather than leaving it to the political party to determine the vote required to select a method of candidate selection, as political parties generally do in their bylaws,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit is part of a multi-prong effort to change how the Colorado GOP nominates its candidates.

On Saturday, Republican party members will meet to change the rules to make it easier to opt out of the primary, including counting an absent vote as an automatic “yes” vote for the opt-out.

New state party chair Dave Williams is spearheading the effort. He made it a central part of his campaign as chair. But the party is deeply divided on those potential rule changes and the issue of opting out.

Many Republicans believe including unaffiliated voters in the primary is a good thing, because it gets the GOP candidate’s name before more voters and requires those running for office to appeal to a broader swath of the electorate.

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

Colorado Republicans sue to block unaffiliated voters from primaries./ Hart Van Denburg/CPR News

New kid in the basin

How is BP’s successor, IKAV, fairing in the San Juan Basin natural gas field?

by Jonathan Romeo

BPAmerican Production Co. was once one of the largest oil and gas operators in the San Juan Basin, overseeing more than 3,800 wells in the vast natural gas field that spans southwest Colorado and northwest New Mexico.

So, when BP announced in 2018 it was prepared to sell all of its assets in the downturned basin, it was yet another economic blow to the region – following the exits of other major companies, ConocoPhillips, Williams Partners and Encana Oil & Gas.

After BP’s departure, all eyes turned to the new operator set to take over, a renewable energy company based in Europe – IKAV. At the time, many local officials wondered how the new operator would fill the void of one of the largest economic drivers in the community.

IKAV, which operates locally under the name Simcoe, officially took over BP’s assets in 2020.

For two weeks, The Durango Telegraph sent requests to IKAV for comment on this story. Ultimately, a spokeswoman wrote in an email: “Thanks for your interest in our company but we will not be commenting or participating in a story.”

However, according to local and state officials (both in Colorado and New Mexico), as well as area residents, the transition to IKAV has been successful overall. Based on a number of interviews, it looks as if the company is in compliance with state regulations, responds to resident concerns and is generally a competent operator.

And, taking a deeper look into the company, it appears IKAV is using its assets in aging natural gas fields like the San Juan Basin, as well as in California, to fund and support renewable energy projects around the world.

Pulling up stakes

In 2018, BP announced its intent to pull out of the San Juan Basin as part of a larger strategy to divest up to $6 billion to fund U.S. shale oil and gas purchases in other regions.

From the 1990s to the mid-2000s, the San Juan Basin flourished as one of the leading natural gas producing regions in the country. Around 2008, the gas patch precipitously declined because of falling natural gas prices globally, along with the discovery of other energy fields where it is easier and cheaper to operate, like the Permian Basin.

One by one, the major oil and gas companies started to sell off their assets. ConocoPhillips sold its stake in the San Juan Basin for $3 billion in 2016. In August 2018, Williams Partners sold its assets for $1.125 billion.

Yet BP held out the longest, employing 200 people, maintaining an office by the airport and publicly sharing a message of optimism. An area manager in 2018, for instance, said the basin still had a “robust future” with enough reserves for another 20-30 years, adding that the potential of new technology could open up reserves in new formations.

So, it was a bit of a shock when BP made its departure official in 2018. More questions arose the following year when BP announced it was selling its stake to a renewable energy company with little experience in natural gas fields.

“There was a community wide-concern,” Gwen Lachelt, a La Plata County commissioner at the time who has worked extensively on oil and gas issues, said in an interview this week. “You want to make sure the company is responsible. Are they going to be responsive? Are they going to fix leaks? Are they going to do all the normal things associated with an aging oil and gas field?”

BP did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

A clean record

By all accounts, IKAV has been a responsible and responsive operator (and maintained a team of about 160 employees).

On the Colorado side of the basin, officials with the

Colorado Energy & Carbon Management Commission and La Plata County said IKAV is in compliance with various regulations and is responsive when an issue arises. State data shows IKAV has reported 32 spills since taking over in 2020. However, many of those spills are relatively small and unimpactful. (Spills of produced water are somewhat common for all companies.) IKAV, though, is on the hook for possible violations in two incidents in which the spills came close to the Florida River. And, seven resident complaints were filed, mostly about the noise of operations, noxious weeds and late royalty checks.

Shawna Legarza, La Plata County’s Director of Emergency Management, said IKAV has developed a detailed emergency response plan for spills and is part of a larger emergency management plan for oil and gas operators in the region.

“They’ve been great, to be honest,” Legarza said. “They’ve been pretty dialed in when something happens, and that’s great for the community.”

A pumpjack in the San Juan Basin natural gas field, which is home to an estimated 56,000 wells. Recently, BP sold its assets to IKAV, a renewable energy company./ Courtesy of San Juan Citizens Alliance

David Honea, who has lived on the edge of the San Juan Basin near Bayfield since 1973 and has a well on his property, said IKAV has been accessible when problems surface, namely a quick fix on a bridge that was falling apart, which is the only way in or out of his land.

“There was a concern with a transition from a very large company (BP) whether they (IKAV) would be responsive,” he said. “But I haven’t seen any problems. I’ve been favorably impressed with the interactions I’ve had.”

Judy Christensen, whose family owns property near Oxford, said that in the early days of the transition, IKAV was late on its royalty payments. Now, however, payments arrive on time (though it’s still hard to get ahold of someone at the Durango office, she said, a common complaint heard from people interviewed for this story).

“At the Durango office (1199 Main Ave., Suite 101), the door is locked, and they don’t return calls,” Christensen said. “I didn’t know who to go to; it was crazy. But now I call Houston and get a response, and we got the kinks worked out.”

In New Mexico, Sidney Hill, the public information officer for the state’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, said IKAV is in compliance with state requirements, and the department has not received any recent complaints from the public about their operations.

David Neeley, spokesman for San Juan County, N.M., said IKAV has no code violation cases and is in good standing, according to county records. To his knowledge, Neeley said no complaints have been filed against the company.

But why?

While IKAV has thus far proven to be a competent operator, a question remains: What does a renewable energy company want with an aging natural gas field?

IKAV was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

Since 2011, the company has made more than 50 individual investments, mostly in renewables, with 500 megawatts of solar and 800 megawatts of wind projects, totaling $2.5 billion in energy assets.

Investing in older natural gas fields, though, seems to be a growing trend for the company.

In fall 2022, IKAV entered a deal to acquire more than 23,000 wells in California from Aera Energy, which was created as a joint venture between Shell and ExxonMobil, the state’s second-largest oil and gas producer.

As is the case in the San Juan Basin, IKAV inherited assets with aging infrastructure. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, nearly 9,000 of the acquired wells were idle as of fall 2022, “meaning about 38% of the company’s unplugged inventory isn’t producing oil or gas.”

Still, IKAV sees opportunity. In a news release about the California deal, Constantin von Wasserschleben, IKAV’s chairman, said, “We advocate a co-existence between renewable and conventional energy for decades to come.”

Because IKAV declined an interview, it’s hard to comment on their strategy. However, Michael Umbro, a geothermal developer and energy banker in California (who operates in the same region in California as IKAV but has no connection to the company), said it appears IKAV is taking a holistic approach to transition to renewables.

Umbro said IKAV is on the leading edge of renewable energy development. However, to continue to power the world, as well as fund the transition to renewables, it’s still necessary to use fossil fuels (California, for instance, still relies on natural gas for 50% of its energy, 30% of which comes from the San Juan Basin).

Major companies like BP and Exxon pulling out of the U.S. creates a void in the market for IKAV to snatch up relatively cheap assets that are still in demand. Not only does that bring in money

to invest more in renewables, but these fields can also still be revitalized with new technology.

“I see it as IKAV making a really savvy investment,” Umbro said. “Those traditional oil and gas companies are leaving, and it creates a tremendous opportunity for IKAV to show people how to transition oil fields, because it’s never been done before.”

Indeed, according to the company’s website, IKAV plans to progress the energy transition by reducing emissions in the San Juan Basin “over a 15 year period while building-out a solar power plant on the considerable land available across the asset.”

A renewable future

Over the years, BP had also built a reputation as a major contributor to local causes, donating to charities and even funding community projects like baseball fields. With the switch to IKAV, many wondered if that same community spirit would be upheld.

Though taking a more low-key approach, it does appear IKAV is involved locally.

Michelina Paulek, executive director of the Energy Council, a local oil and gas advocacy group, said IKAV is a participating member in the council. She said the company contributes to local charities and causes, and has taken the council’s “good neighbor pledge,” which aspires to work with neighbors to resolve issues and comply with local regulations.

“BP was very out-front in the community, so I can understand the apprehension (with IKAV coming in),” she said. “But we’re excited to have them as a partner with the Energy Council.”

In the past, when the basin was at its peak, oil and gas operators were able to contribute more, Paulek said. Now, with the downturn, coupled with more regulations on drilling, there’s less discretionary money to give to causes. On top of that, Paulek said there’s a sense La Plata

County is less receptive to oil and gas compared to San Juan County (NM).

“We’re happy to comply with the strictest rules in the nation, but it’s chipping away at our ability to be innovative and supportive of communities,” she said. “There’s a feeling (that La Plata County) doesn’t appreciate us, and it’s hard to build a baseball field when we have people saying ‘stop drilling.’”

What’s more, natural gas production was once the largest contributor to La Plata County’s tax revenues. However, as a result of the wider downturn in the San Juan Basin, the county’s property tax revenue has declined nearly 50%, from $29.4 million in 2010 to $14.9 million in 2018. (These figures account for the county’s entire property tax revenues, though the fall is largely attributed to oil and gas. In 2022, the county’s property tax revenue was reported at $14.6 million.)

Despite all the challenges, it appears production remains stable. IKAV produced an estimated 127 million and 118 million cubic feet of natural gas in La Plata County in 2021 and 2022, respectively. For reference, toward the end of BP’s tenure in the basin, the company was producing around 160 million cubic feet of natural gas a year.

In New Mexico, IKAV produced 65.2 million cubic feet in 2022. (IKAV operates about 1,390 wells in Colorado and another 2,440 wells in New Mexico.)

And the future may be bright for IKAV’s investment. New technology that allows companies to drill horizontally, along with new methods of fracking, could bring another boom. Both factors have helped to release the potential of a previously untapped formation in the San Juan Basin called Mancos Shale.

“(IKAV) hit the market right – the price of natural gas is up and these companies are just raking in profits since COVID,” Lachelt said. “We just hope it leads to a significant level of investment in renewables.” ■

Bring on the jams

August packed with music around town

by Stephen Sellers

Greetings, dear readers! Those sweet monsoons have finally arrived, ushering in what promises to be a beautiful month, full of amazing local music. Here’s just a few of the dozens of great shows happening. As always, be sure to check the Telegraph’s calendar to get the full scoop. If you’re new to the area, consider taking a rain jacket with you for any outdoor shows. The rain doesn’t usually last for long, but it sure ain’t fun dancing with soggy socks and a plunging core temperature. Take care of each other out there, and be sure to buy some merch from your favorite artists if you can. Let’s rock.

• Aug. 5 – Rock Fest at Rotary Park: Calling all shredders: Rock Fest is this Saturday at one of Durango’s most intimate outdoor venues, Rotary Park. The distortion-drenched lineup includes Mommy Milkers, I’m Broken (a Pantera tribute band), Morbid Justice, Crimson Kiss, Leviathan Axe, Skinwalker, PFYT, One Bullet Away, Psyality, Anarchy Hammer and Phantom Lord (a Metallica tribute band.) The show runs from 1-5 p.m. Tickets are available at the gate.

• Aug. 8 – Satsang and Graham Good, Animas City Theatre: Satsang is the roots-driven brainchild of band leader Drew McManus, who currently resides in the hills of Montana. If you’re a fan of Sturgill Simpson, Colter Wall or Tyler Childers, then prepare to encounter the same deeply reflective, country-twinged Americana that has become synonymous with those three musicians over the past several years. Graham Good, the messiah of funk-rock-folk, shares the bill, ensuring a not-to-miss, feel-good night of music. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $23. Find out more at www.animascitytheatre.com

• Aug. 11 – Garrett Young Collective and the Bellamy Brothers, La Plata County Fair: Fresh off their opening duties for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in Gunnison last month, La Plata County’s very own Garrett Young Collective dusts off its Stetsons and telecasters to make way for the Grammy-nominated Bellamy Brothers. Garrett Young is a ripper and a phenom, and his band packs an equally prodigious punch. They won’t be playing honkytonks and bars for much longer as they jettison onto the national scene. You might know the Bellamy Brothers from their hit “Let Your Love Flow” way back in 1976. Or, perhaps you’ve heard one of their collaborations with Dolly Parton, George Jones, Alan Jackson, Buck Owens or Flaco Jiminez. We’re in for a night of boot-scootin’ with this one. General admission tickets are $25, reserved bleacher seating tickets are $45, and the Garrett Young Collective starts things off at 6:45 p.m. Find out more at www.laplatacountyfair.com

• Aug. 25-26 – San Juan Brewfest, Buckley Park: You know it, you love it. The San Juan Brewfest is back. Thanks to Eugene Salaz and the Animas City Theatre, there’s another great lineup of music on tap. Cousin Curtiss will be dispensing his blues-infused bluegrass music on Friday. On Saturday, the Crags – Durango’s psych-rock royalty – will be opening the festival with their desert-tinged cactus rock. All

roads lead to headliners, The Buzz, kicking things into high gear. The Buzz is a five-piece jam band out of Longmont and should be especially interesting if you’re a fan of bands like Goose, STS9 and the Disco Biscuits. The San Juan Brewfest sells out. It always does. So, if you want a ticket, hop over to www.sanjuanbrewfest.com to find out more.

• Sept. 1 – Desert Child, Desiderata, Animas City Theatre: Last month, Desert Child orchestrated a small festival on the banks of the oxbows north of town. Dubbed “Durango City Limits,” the day included a lineup of four bands: Desert Child, Heavy Diamond Ring, Desiderata and Ora (full disclosure: a band I play bass in). Several hundred people materialized over the course of the afternoon, as well as sprinkles of rain and an honest-to-god double rainbow during the last song of Denver’s Heavy Diamond Ring. This much we now know: if there was ever any doubt, Desert Child knows how to throw one hell of a party. Within seconds of their first notes, hundreds of people were dancing, laughing and enthralled with the moment. It takes a special band to pull that kind of wizardry, and Desert Child is such a band.

Expect Durango’s tightest and kindest band to bring the house down at the Animas City Theatre for this one. Opening the show is a band I’m most excited about in our local scene right now, Desiderata. Their early 2000s indie-pop is both psychedelic and playful, rooted in vocalist Autumn Ford’s impeccable vocal delivery. My jaw was on the floor, and yours will be, too. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $20. Find out more at www.animascitytheatre.com ■

Garrett Young

Unintended consequences

Israeli author releases “The Wolf Hunt,” a razor-sharp, exhausting drama

by Jeffrey Mannix

New, young fiction writers are appearing in numbers the past few years at the preeminent New York and London publishers. They are served up by boutique publishers that typically publish 10 or 20 titles a year by mostly unknown but clearly talented writers with genuine product.

In 2018, Little, Brown and Co. published “Waking Lions,” the second novel by Israeli psychologist, playwright and social activist Ayelet Gundar-Goshen. “Waking Lions” is a spectacular novel about Dr. Eitan Green, who, driving home from a stressful day of hospital work on a meandering road, runs over an immigrant man walking on the side of the road. He stops, gets out of his SUV, walks toward the body on the gravel in the silver light of the moon, observes a dead or nearly dead man and gets back in his car and drives home. He was seen by the man’s wife, and a bargain is soon struck by this crafty refugee woman.

“Waking Lions’’ is not about lions, but about compromise of the kind noone can even predict.

Gundar-Goshen’s second book, “The Liar,” is another knife to the heart. This one is about a chunky, unlovely high school girl working in an ice cream store in summer, unhappily despairing of her lowly position in the hierarchy of school favorites. Her job

serving cold, sticky ice cream to unruly children is demeaning, and she is fundamentally distraught over not yet having sex.

This is a narrative stitched together with fine silk thread.

Consequence is Gundar-Goshen’s narrative twine from which she threatens her characters with guilt, fear and ignominy.

You don’t read these first two books at your own peril. And on Aug. 15, Little, Brown and Co. drops GundarGoshen’s third novel, “The Wolf Hunt.’’ You’d be making a mistake not going to Maria’s Bookshop, asking for your 15% Murder Ink discount and ordering “The Wolf Hunt” and the other two books while you’re at it.

“The Wolf Hunt” is not about wolves, just as “Waking Lions” hasn’t anything to do with lions. And this new tale is assembled just as the other Gundar-Goshen novels, with

characters facing the black space of consequences, each choice freighted with backwash that lurks for the unexpected, unlucky or unethical. Crime doesn’t always have to be criminal to punish the offender; it can be unintended and lethal as in an accident or be life-changing from lies everyone tells each day.

In “The Wolf Hunt,” Lilach and Mikhael Schuster relocate from Israel to Silicon Valley for an executive position Mikhael, now Michael, has been given with a prosperous tech company.

Lilach becomes by default Leela, and they have a 16-yearold son, Adam, who Leela wants to see absorb the California panache he has been shy of.

Gundar-Goshen’s writing is easy, and looks and reads like a spoken tale. But again, she trades in the peril of unexpected consequences that etch the

future with foreboding, then, with the clang of a leg snare, there’s no escaping.

Jamal Jones in Adam’s class bullies Adam for being a Jew while Jamal’s pals laugh. Jamal is a big kid the teachers love and nobody would believe is intolerant of another minority. And one day, Jamal dies in gym class, ostensibly from an overdose of drugs. “The Jew Did It” is scrawled in red paint on the school walls.

The police investigate; Adam withdraws; Leela worries; Michael sends Adam to karate class with Uri Ziv, a fellow veteran of the Israeli army. But the bullying continues as Uri insinuates himself into the family to protect Leela and Adam. And now another string of unintended consequences bubbles up as Leela encourages Michael to convince his company to hire Uri. The plot ratchets up with Adam worshiping the skilled Uri and Uri getting a security-clearance job with Michael’s company.

“The Wolf Hunt” is more subtle with a little less teeth-gnashing than Gundar-Goshen’s two other books, and at first I wasn’t as impressed. But it’s razor-sharp writing and exhausting drama that ends with great surprise. Buy “Waking Lions’’ if you haven’t already, then “The Liar” and then “The Wolf Hunt.” Do not miss Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, and don’t forget to ask Maria’s Bookshop for your 15% Murder Ink discount. ■

Thursday03

Share Your Garden, bring extra fruit and veggies, 8:30 a.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203.

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

Frontera Bugalú plays, 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.

“American Hospitals: Healing a Broken System,” film screening, 6-8 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Black Velvet plays, 6-8 p.m., Three Springs Plaza.

Ben Gibson plays, 6 p.m., Public House 701, 701 E. 2nd Ave.

Pete Giuliani Trio plays, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

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

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

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

First Thursdays Songwriter Night, 7 p.m., the iNDIGO Room, 1315 Main Ave.

Narc, Grim Earth and American Businessman play, 8 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave.

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

Friday04

Free Friday Yoga, 8:30 a.m., Lively (a boutique), 809 Main Ave.

Carve Wars, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

San Juan Nature Hikes, 9 a.m., Andrews Lake. Hosted by San Juan Mountains Association.

Gary Walker plays, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Jean-Pierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave.

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

Pino Nuche Art Market, featuring Native American art and artists, 1-5 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio. southernutemuseum.org

Dragon Slayer Beer Release & Knight Fight, 4 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Crystal Hartman Pop Up, 4-8 p.m., Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave. Also featuring Grant Pullman in the Recess Gallery.

First Friday Art Crawl, 4-7 p.m., The ArtRoom Collective, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Ben Gibson and Jim Belcher play, 5 p.m., Serious Texas BBQ south, 650 Camino del Rio.

Juanita Nelson’s “Searching for the Light,” art opening, 5-8 p.m., Create Art and Tea, 1015 Main Ave.

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

Family Affair Band plays, 6 p.m., Fire Fox Farms, Ignacio.

Hip Hop Night, 7 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave.

“The Grunch: A New Children’s Musical,” 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

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

Saturday05

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

Carve Wars, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Arts & Crafts Festival, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Buckley Park.

Pino Nuche Art Market, featuring Native American art and artists, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio. southernutemuseum.org. Silent auction at Southern Ute Cultural Center & Museum from 6-7:30 p.m.

Rock Fest, featuring 11 local and regional bands, 1-10 p.m., Buckley Park. Benefit for The Hive.

“The Grunch: A New Children’s Musical,” showings at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Music in the Garden – Manna Soup Kitchen Fundraiser, 4-7 p.m., Manna Soup Kitchen, 1100 Avenida del Sol.

High Altitude Blues play, 6-9 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Ben Gibson Band plays, 6 p.m., Balcony Bar and Grill, 600 Main Ave.

Durango Roller Girls Bout vs. Ark Valley High Rollers, 7 p.m., Chapman Hill.

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

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

Sunday06

Pino Nuche Art Market, featuring Native American art and artists, Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio. southernutemuseum.org

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

Veterans Benefit Breakfast, 9 a.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.

Carve Wars, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

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

Ben Gibson plays, 12 noon, 11th St. Station.

“The Grunch: A New Children’s Musical,” 2 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

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.

Monday07

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

Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave.

Getting high, X-hausted and high-end Hespie

Interesting fact: There is no formula for determining a hilly city’s elevation. We simply pick a spot and measure it. Durango should have picked the Tele offices, just to refresh the number every so often.

Dear Rachel,

My good friends and I have been trying to answer this question for too long. Can you help? Durango is at 6,512 ft. altitude according to all sources. We’ve wandered, had some pints, wandered some more and we discovered some great people and even better brews, but alas, never discovered the mysterious 6512. There was some google searching involved, but we’ve got little patience for staring at screens after work. Thanks!

– Treasure Seekers

ready? This whole X rebranding thing should not even be taking up room in my brain, yet here I am, wishing he would disappear. I hate that one man’s obsession with a single letter in the alphabet is the top story in my news feed. I don’t wish death on anyone, but I do picture two little Xs where his eyes used to be. Please, give me something else to occupy my brain!

– Exed Out

Dear Pirate Mappers,

What is elevation, anyway? I mean, the sea level constantly changes. And yeah, who decides that some specific point of town is the elevation? Is it the low point? The acme? Some 19th-century best guess? My suspicion is that elevation is a state of mind, and a state of heart. So what if I’m stumping for the next Durango tourism rebrand – we should all carry 6512 within us wherever we go.

– Better reset my combo lock, Rachel

Dear Professor X,

I can’t help you there, but if Tesla bros are going to jump aboard this X-train like they do every other little thing that Elon choo-choos, I think you now have full permission to take the key from your very analog, gas-guzzling ’93 Subaru and decorate Tesla cars with an X on each exterior panel. I’m not condoning this, nor saying you should. I simply say I think everyone involved would be happier.

– xoxox, Rachel

telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Denver news channels on the RV TVs and read the Telegraph in print when waiting for their EV to charge at an EV charging station.

– Dusty Rohdes Dear Off-Rohdes,

Dear Rachel,

Can’t we just put Elon Musk in space al-

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

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

Tuesday08

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 Hotel, 567 Main Ave.

Rotary Club of Durango, featuring speaker Natambu Obelton, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.

Black Velvet plays, 6 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Dear Rachel,

With all the cons on the RV Park at Dalton and the gravel pit, how about starting a new BOOM town in Hesperus? Yeah no solar farm but a high-end RV park. They already have a high-end restaurant, ski area, post office, Jeep rental, gas station and great access. Boom town to the west of Durango, and the housing is cheaper. And fresh air for the folks. Your thoughts on this? Heck they might even get

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

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

Satsang & Graham Good play, 8 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Wednesday09

Restorative Yoga for Cancer, 9:30-10:45 a.m., no cost for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. For more info and to register, visit cancersupportswco.org/calendar

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

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

Have I got the RV park name for you: 6512+. You’ll never know the true elevation, but you’ll know it’s higher than Durango. Plus (see what I did there?) it’s right in line with all the other plus-offerings out there: Disney+, Paramount+, SpaceX (which is just a + that tipped over), the +++++ that some eBay reviewer left on my account back in 2009. So I like your idea, except for all the people, and all the RVs. But if they’ll read the Tele, we’ll let it slide.

– Developmentally, Rachel+

Ben Gibson Band plays, 6 p.m., Balcony Bar and Grill, 600 Main Ave.

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

Open Mic, 6:30 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 558 Main Ave.

Galina Culture Presentation, 7 p.m., FLC’s Lyceum Room. Discussion on northern New Mexico community that thrived from 1100-1130 AD.

Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Bottom Shelf Brewery, Bayfield.

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

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

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Emotions are not inconvenient distractions from reason and logic. They are key to the rigorous functioning of our rational minds. Neurologist Antonio Damasio proved this conclusively in his book, “Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain.” The French philosopher’s famous formula – “I think, therefore I am” – offers an inadequate suggestion about how our intelligence works best. This is always true, but it will be especially crucial for you to keep in mind in the coming weeks. Here’s your mantra, courtesy of French philosopher, Blaise Pascal: “The heart has its reasons, which reason does not know.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The famous Taurus TV star Jay Leno once did a good deed for me. I was driving my Honda Accord on a freeway in Los Angeles when he drove up beside me in his classic Lamborghini. Using hand signals, he conveyed to me the fact that my trunk was open and stuff was flying out. I waved in a gesture of thanks and pulled over onto the shoulder. I found that two books and a sweater were missing, but my laptop and briefcase remained. Hooray for Jay! In that spirit, Taurus, and in accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you to go out of your way to help and support strangers and friends alike.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Did you learn how to think or how to believe?”

When my friend Amelie was nine years old, her father teased her with this query upon her return home from a day at school. It was a pivotal moment in her life. She began to develop an eagerness to question all she was told and taught. She cultivated a rebellious curiosity that kept her in a chronic state of delighted fascination. Being bored became virtually impossible. The whole world was her classroom. Can you guess her sign? Gemini! I invite you to make her your role model in the coming weeks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the coming weeks, I advise you not to wear garments like a transparent Gianfranco Ferre black mesh shirt with a faux-tiger fur vest and a coralsnake jacket that shimmers with bright harlequin hues. Why? Because you will have most success by being down-to-earth, straightforward and in service to the fundamentals. I’m not implying you should be demure and reserved, however. On the contrary: I hope you will be bold and vivid as you present yourself with simple grace and lucid authenticity.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In 1811, Leo scientist Amedeo Avogadro (1776–1856) formulated a previously unknown principle about the properties of molecules. Unfortunately, his revolutionary idea wasn’t acknowledged and implemented until 1911, 100 years later. Today, his well-proven theory is called Avogadro’s law. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Leo, you will experience your equivalent of his 1911 event in the coming months. You will receive your proper due. Your potential contributions will no longer be mere potential.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Israeli poet Yona Wallach mourned the fact that her soul felt far too big for her, as if she were always wearing the clothes of a giant on her small body. I suspect you may be experiencing a comparable feeling right now, Virgo. If so, what can you do about it? The solution is NOT to shrink your soul. Instead, I hope you will expand your sense of who you are so your soul fits better. How might you do that? Here’s a suggestion to get you started: Spend time summoning memories from throughout your past. Watch the story of your life unfurl like a movie.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Nineteenth century Libran physician James Salisbury had strong ideas about the proper ingredients of a healthy diet. Vegetables were toxic, he believed. He created Salisbury steak, a dish made of ground beef and onions, and advised everyone to eat it three times a day. Best to wash it down with copious amounts of hot water and coffee, he said. I bring his kooky ideas to your attention in hopes of inspiring you to purge all bunkum and nonsense from your life –not just in relation to health issues, but everything.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I’m amazed that anyone gets along!” marvels self-help author Sark. She says it’s astonishing that love ever works at all, given our “idiosyncrasies, unconscious projections, re-stimulations from the past, and the relationship history of our partners.” I share her wonderment. On the other hand, I am optimistic about your chances to cultivate interesting intimacy during the coming months. From an astrological perspective, you are primed to be extra wise and lucky about togetherness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Please don’t make any of the following statements in the next three weeks: 1. “I took a shower with my clothes on.” 2. “I prefer to work on solving a trivial little problem rather

than an interesting dilemma that means a lot to me.” On the other hand, Sagittarius, I invite you to make declarations like the following: 1. “I will not run away from the prospect of greater intimacy – even if it’s scary to get closer to a person I care for.” 2. “I will have fun exploring the possibilities of achieving more liberty and justice for myself.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Champions of the capitalist faith celebrate the fact that we consumers have more than 100,000 brand names we can purchase. They say it’s proof of our marvelous freedom of choice. Here’s how I respond: I guess we should be glad we have the privilege of deciding which of 50 kinds of shampoo is best for us. But I also want to suggest that the profusion of these relatively inconsequential options may distract us from the fact that certain of our other choices are more limited. I invite you to ruminate about how you can expand your array of more important choices.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): My best friend in college was an Aquarius, as is my favorite cousin. Two ex-girlfriends are Aquarians, and so was my dad. The talented singer with whom I sang duets for years was an Aquarius. So I have intimate knowledge of the Aquarian nature. And in honor of your unbirthday – the time halfway between your last birthday and your next – I will tell you what I love most about you. No human is totally comfortable with change, but you are more so than others. To my delight, you are inclined to ignore the rule books and think differently. Is anyone better than you at coordinating your energies with a group’s? I don’t think so. And you’re eager to see the big picture, which means you’re less likely to get distracted by minor imperfections and transitory frustrations. Finally, you have a knack for seeing patterns that others find hard to discern. I adore you!

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Is the first sip always the best? Are the first few bites of food the most delectable, and after that your taste buds get diminishing returns? Maybe these descriptions are often accurate, but I believe they will be less so for you in the coming weeks. There’s a good chance that flavors will be best later in the drink or the meal. And that is a good metaphor for other activities, as well. The further you go into every experience, the greater the pleasure and satisfaction will be – and the more interesting the learning.

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

Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check.

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.) Ads can be submitted via: n www.durangotelegraph.com

n classifieds@durango telegraph.com

n 970-259-0133

n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2

Approximate office hours:

Mon-Wed: 9ish - 5ish

Thurs: On delivery

Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Announcements

the same 40-hour week instead of one full-time employee) Salary: $15-$16 per hour https://soundtraxx.com/

Lost/Found

Lost: Backpack

Cherry Creek Road, Wed., July 19. Reward $100. Mike, 505-401-6038.

Wanted

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

ForSale

Reruns Home Furnishings

Brighten up your indoor and outdoor space –patio sets, bistros, cool garden art and décor inside and out. Looking to consign smaller furniture pieces … 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.Sat. 385-7336.

Services

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.

Marketing Small/Local Businesses

HaikuMovieReview

‘Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday’ No more adventures. Arrivederci, to our adorable creep

– Lainie Maxson

artists to take part in the Tour Sept. 2224. Learn more and register at: www.du rangoopenstudiotour.com/

Learn to Square Dance

Wild West Squares invites beginners to our Monday eve classes in August from 5:30 to 7:00 pm every Monday at the Summit Church located at 2917 Aspen Drive. Call 970-903-6478 to register and for more info.

HelpWanted

Production Floor Assembler

SoundTraxx – Durango, CO. Job Description: Assemble product at our local manufacturing facility. This position requires excellent manual dexterity, attention to detail, good or correctable eyesight, and good communication skills. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to KRust@Sound Traxx.com. Qualifications: A hands-on individual who possesses a high level of drive, energy, and integrity. Experience handling small objects in a similar environment or with a detail-oriented hobby is desirable. Any electronics or technical troubleshooting experience is a plus. Benefits: Health insurance for full- time employees. Paid time off. Professional development assistance. Onsite fitness room. Schedule: 8-hour shift, Monday to Friday (two part-time applicants may be considered to cover

Specialized Road Bike $850

2010, excellent condition, 54.8cm, Robaix Elite, carbon, 3 chain rings, upgraded Roval wheels, Shimano gearing. Awesome bike for IHBC or fun and fitness. Jackie-970-799-3761

Hunting Firearms & Archery

Mossberg 22 long laser rifle, $235. Mossberg Magnum 3.5” 12-gauge pump, $190. Matthews bow/arrows, model VXR 31.5, $750. Chest waders, knives. 303-522-6798.

TaoTronics 4k Action Camera

New and in the box. Comes with user guide and all accessories that came with it: waterproof housing, handlebar/pole mount, mounts, battery, tethers, protective back cover, USB cable and lens cleaning cloth. $50.

J.marie.pace@gmail.com

Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses. www.thesaltymedia.com or email jnderge@gmail.com

BodyWork

Massage by Meg Bush

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

Lotus Path Healing Arts

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

CommunityService

Register for free classes this fall!

at the Durango Adult Education Center! We have two class offerings: ESL (English as a Second Language) and GED preparation. Registration runs thru Aug. 16 and classes begin Aug. 21. Call 970-385-4354 or email info@durangoadulted.org to register.

Durango Open Studio Tour

Call for Artists Registration open through Aug. 11. Durango Open Studio Tour invites professional and emerging

Multimodal Volunteers Needed for Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, Sept. 19-21 and 23. Volunteers will count the number of bicyclists and pedestrians that cross an intersection over a two-hour period. There are 11 local intersections with morning and evening time slots, totaling 77 slots. The city conducts counts at intersections every other year to collect accurate data to know how our infrastructure is being used, and it is necessary for grant funding for projects such as sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and transit improvements. Sign up at vol unteersignup.org/EQ9BH

Calling all La Plata County Artists curators and galleries. The First annual Durango Art Week kicks off Sept. 15. Participation is open to anyone in the art field. Durango Art Week’s strives to provide an engaging and memorable experience by uniting the community through art and celebrating diversity and accessibility. If you are interested in learning more or registering, email art week@durango.org.

Alternative Horizons Volunteers

Make a difference in your community and the lives of others. Alternative Horizons is always in need of volunteers to staff our hotline. AH supports and empowers survivors of domestic violence. Training and support provided. Next training is Sept. 15, 16 and 23. For information call 970-2474374 or visit alternativehorizons.org/