The Durango Telegraph, Sept. 10, 2020

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FREE Sept. 10, 2020 Vol. XIX, No. 33 durangotelegraph.com

inside

T H E

O R I G I N A L

I N D I E

W E E K L Y

L I N E

O N

D U R A N G O

&

B E Y O N D

To the moon & back

Don’t ski so close to me

Eat a peach

Astronaut Stuart Roosa’s legacy takes root in Durango p8

A hint at what the 2020-21 COVID ski season may look like p10

Savoring every last, sweet, juicy drop of summer p11

La Plata County commissioners to consider new draft land use code for adoption Sept. 15!

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2 n Sept. 10, 2020

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lineup

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4 La Vida Local

Like an Egyptian What the ancient society can teach us beyond building pyramids

4 Thumbin’ It

Grand Fenn-ale

by David Feela

5 Word on the Street 6-7 Soapbox

8

8 Local News

Shoot for the moon

The legacy of Stuart Roosa takes roots with planting of ‘moon trees’

10 state News

by Kathleen O’Connor

Ear to the ground: “If you have nothing by Tuesday, either shoot me an email or write me an obituary!”

– Regular Telegraph contributor after missing his first deadline in several years

11 Flash in the Pan

thepole

RegularOccurrences

Now, the world may never know. Forrest Fenn, the eccentric Santa Fe artifacts dealer and military veteran who sent the world on a treasure hunt across the Rocky Mountains, died Monday at his home in Santa Fe. He was 90.

Although Fenn was a decorated fighter pilot in the Air Force, ran several art galleries and wrote numerous books, he will remain best known for the treasure hunt he launched in his 2010 memoir, The Thrill of the Chase.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of treasure hunters took to decoding the mysterious poem that held the key to the treasure’s location, with a few dying in pursuit. Earlier this year, he announced the chase was over. The chest, estimated to be worth between $1 million -$5 million, had been found by an East Coast man. Fenn and the finder refused to disclose its location.

Forrest Fenn

10

12-13 Stuff to Do

Skis, boots, poles ...

Vail Resorts among first to announce COVID plan for 2020-21 ski season

13 Ask Rachel

by Stina Sieg, Colorado Public Radio

14 Free Will Astrology 15 Classifieds

11

15 Haiku Movie Review

Eat a peach

On the cover: Summer’s last breath, a small sunflower, sprouts from the scree on the shoulder of Hesperus Mountain recently./ Photo by Missy Votel

Relishing one of the fleeting and sweetest tastes of summer

by Ari LeVaux

boilerplate

EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com) ADVERTISING AFICIONADO: Lainie Maxson (lainie@durangotelegraph.com) STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Eginoire (steve@gulchmag.com)

T

he Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, beckoning singletrack or monster powder days. We are wholly owned and operated independently by the Durango Telegraph LLC and

STAR-STUDDED CAST: Lainie Maxson, Shan Wells, David Feela, Jesse Anderson, Kathleen O’Connor, Ari LeVaux and Clint Reid

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We’re only human. If, by chance, we defame someone’s good name or that of their family, neighbor, best

friend or dog, we will accept full responsibility in a public flogging in the following week’s issue.

Although “free but not easy,” we can be plied with schwag, booze and flattery.

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Fenn lived a life of adventure and wanted others to experience adventures too, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. He found the answer in what became the world’s largest modern-day treasure hunt. Fenn loaded a bronze chest with gold, jewelry and other valuables and hid it somewhere in the Rockies. By his count, 350,000 people went looking for the booty, primarily in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Wyoming.

Fenn never identified the man who found the chest, only later divulging, under intense pressure, that it had been in Wyoming.

While the hunt generated excitement, it also came with a cost. Several people died while searching for the treasure. Many others got lost, prompting dangerous rescues. Some even spent all their savings on the fruitless search.

Fenn urged treasure seekers to take precautions – but he refused to call off the hunt.

The search for his treasure prompted a slew of TV shows, newspaper and magazine articles, and documentaries. The search also spawned an annual gathering at Santa Fe’s Hyde Memorial State Park known as “Fennboree.”

Fenn was a native of Temple, Texas, where his father was the principal at the school he attended. In his memoir, he related a lesson from seventh grade, when he called his Spanish teacher an “old bat” and told her his father also referred to her as an old bat. When his father learned what he had said to the teacher, the man told young Fenn, “What we’ve learned is that you should always tell the truth, but you should not always tell ALL of the truth.”

Sept. 10, 2020 n

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opinion

LaVidaLocal Our 45th dynasty In theory, maybe the ancient Egyptians had it right, that a person would be better off stocking up on supplies for the afterlife. In practice, however, only the superfluously wealthy had the means to erect eternal storage sheds.

Some people believe aliens from other planets assisted as pyramid developers, a task thought to be far beyond the engineering capabilities of such a primitive civilization, or that construction required whips and the brute force of 100,000 slaves. After careful examination of Egyptian skeletal remains, modern archaeologists disagree with such conclusions. Possibly 20,000 farmers is all, a much smaller labor force that performed contract work, probably for minimum wage, about 20 years per tomb, essentially like working a second job each season while the Nile flooded their fields.

Deep pockets? Idle hands? History’s first pyramid scheme? Nobody knows for sure.

We’d assume that 3,000 years later, our dependence on humanity’s labor force has become more fair-minded, but I suspect not as much as we hoped.

Consumers play the role of unwitting servants for the corporate overlords who build monumental online wealth.

Alessandro Acquisti, a behavioral economist who studies how we make decisions about internet use put it this way: “If iron ore was the raw material that enriched the steel baron Andrew Carnegie in the Industrial Age, personal data is what fuels the barons of the Internet Age.” Apparently even while we are idle, we are still called on to serve as the empire’s digital slaves.

Like those early Egyptian farmers, we too must earn a living wage, and in our spare time we provide mega-corporations with a trove of personal information by signing in and logging on. The small print claims our personal data won’t be identified as such, but only collected as a condition for using these services, then supposedly offered up to other companies as a neutered commodity – mere statistics and demographics.

We must agree to this quasi-privacy policy until it is rehashed and redrafted by lawyers, then eternally updated for “our protection.” This personal information will be around long after we’re gone, even if the tomb robbers are temporarily thwarted on their way into the vault.

If information pickpockets are all we have to worry about, I’d say we are no worse off than the Egyptian farmers, but scamming the working class constitutes a way of life, long before the invention of pockets. Digital chicanery manifests itself today as a more sinister approach, targeting users’ browser data, promoting disinformation and pure nonsense in the place of transparency.

George Orwell wrote, “In our age there is no such thing as keeping out of politics. All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia.” Will Rogers said the same thing, though more succinctly: “If you ever injected truth into politics you would have no politics.”

Ancient Egyptian government advanced no illusion about “one farmer, one vote,” a vital distinction between then and now. Pharaohs wielded absolute power, by their explicit commands or by the authority of high officials who were usually appointed family members, or by proxies, whose loyalty to the king was beyond question – a state of affairs that reminds me of today. Egyptian workers paid taxes in the form of produce and handmade goods. The Pharaoh stored these tributes in great warehouses and then doled them out as incentives for public work projects, like building the pyramids, or in times of hardship such as during periods of war or drought, reminiscent of a modest tax return.

By the Ramesside period the legal system deteriorated. Instead of rendering decisions based on evidence, Egyptian judges consulted oracles to hand down verdicts of guilt or innocence.

The priests in charge of the oracles milked the system so judges would rule to suit the priests’ clients’ agendas.

Cambridge Analytica and Wikileaks’s participation in our 2016 election was not so different: a statistical oracle used to shape political outcomes. Social media epitomizes the same trend, busily influencing public opinion. Data crunchers would be considerably poorer without their essential digital slaves.

Eventually even the absolute power of the Pharaohs weakened, so much so they could no longer demand tribute from the wealthy, at least not without making a deal. Here is a legacy that spans all human history, in all classes, in all civilizations: self-interest, the great leveler, the way things get done and undone.

Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted over three millennia. American government has squeaked out a little over 200 years. With transparency and accountability as our longstanding principles, along with the Constitution as a guiding beacon, you’d think a democracy like ours would stand a better chance of surviving.

During the 40th dynasty, the Bangles delivered their first No. 1 hit, “Walk like an Egyptian.” The music video went viral, and the band’s still in the music business today. I swear even if I have to walk like that all the way to the voting booth, I will.

– David Feela

Sign of the Downfall:

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4 n Sept. 10, 2020

A new river put-in option, with the official opening last week of Oxbow Park as well as a new segment of the Animas River Trail North, from East 36th Street to Oxbow

Abnormally early freezing temperatures ruining local gardens as well as leaf-peeping expectations this year, with aspen leaves likely to turn an unsightly brown instead of yellow and orange

This week’s Hail Mary cold front bringing cold temps and widespread precipitation to help quash the relentless drought and numerous fires raging across the West

Negotiations falling through on the City of Durango’s bid to purchase private property crucial to completion of the 32nd Street underpass and bridge crossing project

City and School District officials recognizing the value of Buckley Park as a social gathering and green space, and working on an agreement to keep it undeveloped and in the public domain

The worst fire season in recorded history in California, with more than 2 million acres burned, the closure of national forests, hundreds of stranded campers, warnings about potentially toxic ash fall and smoky skies across the West

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Wake Up More Americans died in the last four months than in any four-month period in American history. There. That’s your sign of our downfall.

WordontheScreen

Q

With summer all but a bad memory, the Telegraph asked, “What should be the theme song for summer 2020?”

Bubba

“‘Hell in a Bucket.’”

Adam

“‘End of the World as We Know It,’ by R.E.M.”

Melissa

“There are so many options: ‘Highway to Hell,’ ‘All by Myself.’

‘Help,’ ‘Idiot Wind.’”

Al

“‘I Wanna be Sedated’ by the Ramones; seems most people I know are following that mantra.”

Erik

“‘Don’t Stand so Close to Me.”

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Sept. 10, 2020 n 5

SoapBox

ReTooned/by Shan Wells

Return the wolf, restore balance To the editor, I am looking forward to hearing a wolf howl in the Weminuche! Not only do we need to restore this missing creature that has been respected and honored by humankind for eons, but we need to reassess outdated values from a dark time in our nation’s history. A time when killing any species, including humans, that were inconveniencing our progress or way of life was fine and culturally accepted. It’s long past time we correct old mistakes of sacrificing balanced ecosystems by killing and exterminating apex predators, a scientifically proven unsound practice.

Still, some folks oppose wolves. This opposition results from repeatedly claiming that wolves will “put ranchers out of business,” “wipe out elk populations” and the extremely hysterical “ eat our children.” However, absolutely no facts or experience support these fears.

Wolves have been living in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana since 1995, and in all three states, elk populations are higher than they were 1995. Hunter success ratios are higher also. No children have been eaten or even attacked by a wolf in those same years.

Wolves have and will occasionally take livestock. However, according to government data from counties in the Northern Rockies hosting both wolves and livestock, 99.95 percent of those cows and sheep do not perish by wolves.

Nevertheless, Colorado’s wolf-restoration measure on the ballot this fall mandates that ranchers be paid fair market value for their losses. That is only fair. Howl on lobo!

– Bob Kuhnert, Durango

Ensure your vote gets counted To the editor, President Trump has threatened to have his supporters

show up at polling places to “monitor” who is voting. He has been trying to block or undermine mail-in voting ballots. For years, the Republicans have tried to cripple the

Post Office. Charles Koch, the government-hating oil billionaire, has spent over $350 million in the last 10 years to get rid of Benjamin Franklin’s post office. Trump has 4

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telegraph

illegally slowed down mail delivery so we will lose faith in our mail delivery.

To protect your vote, here is current voting information: La Plata County ballots will be mailed out to voters on Fri., Oct. 9. The following week, you will have your ballot. To take the pressure off our post office, fill your ballot out right away and hand deliver it to one of the local vote ballot drop boxes: • The La Plata County Clerk’s Office, 679 Turner Drive., Bodo Park • La Plata County Courthouse, 1101 E. 2nd Ave. • Concert Hall Parking Lot, Fort Lewis College • Farmers Fresh Market, 535 Goddard Ave., Ignacio • Bayfield Town Hall, 1199 Bayfield Parkway Questions? Want to make sure you are on the county voting rolls? Call 970-382-6280. If you have any trouble voting, call the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights’ National Election Hotline, 866-687-8683. Someone will answer your call from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Vote early, remember to sign your ballot envelope; and hand deliver your vote! Ballots are due back by 7 p.m., Tues., Nov. 3.

– Susan Troen, Durango

What ‘unaffiliated’ really means

To the editor, While it’s trendy to say you’re “Independent” or “Unaffiliated,” what do those labels really mean? To me it implies you’ll listen to and work with everyone. Great approach! Only one candidate, Marsha Porter-Norton, has spent an entire career listening to and working with diverse viewpoints.

Marsha has spent decades working on county and regional issues as a professional facilitator and collaborator.

She has proven she can bring people together with widely different interests to reach consensus and get results on tough issues from health care to highway intersections.

Probably the most challenging group she led was the Hermosa Creek Working Group with nearly 100 participants representing 45 disparate interests; from trout habitat to ranching, from mountain bikes to grazing rights.

Because of her levelheaded leadership, ability to listen and ability to bridge divides we now have the 100,000acre Hermosa Wilderness. That’s proven collaborative leadership regardless of what letter is beside the name on the ballot.

Having an “I” or “U” after one’s name doesn’t create this style of leadership. Experience does. Vote for Marsha Porter-Norton who has proven she has the skills and temperament to bring people together to get results.

– Laura Godfrey, Durango

Vote now or risk losing the right

To the editor, Hate. Lies. Division.

Young voters, we are better than this. As the new voice of our democracy, we must make our cry to be heard

louder than ever – not despite, but because the current leader of this country is unwilling to listen.

To echo famous words, “It is what it is.” Trump is led not by our nation’s values. He has made it more difficult for the average voter (yes, you) to receive affordable healthcare and education. He has rejected every opportunity to preserve the planet that we will inherit. He hid in a bunker as we bled for peace and held a Bible for a photo op as we rallied in the streets, uttering softly, love thy neighbor. He is the president who cried hoax over the shaking voices of families, friends and lovers whispering goodbye into the phone as loved ones died alone at the hand of a virus he ignored.

This is no longer a matter of sides: Our world is burning. Our nation is crying. Our democracy is vulnerable.

We are all human enough to understand that simple compassion for country and people overwhelm the demanded loyalty for an office and a leader that is meant to serve us.

As of now, we have the power to turn the tide of change with one united, indivisible voice. If Trump succeeds in breaking down the values of democracy and the ability to rightfully choose our next leader, we may no longer have one.

– Jenna Fults, Durango

Matt Salka keeps his word To the editor, As Bayfield mayor, Matt Salka promised to bring in broadband, improve infrastructure for all residents at little to no cost to them, revitalize Mill Street, and build a new water plant. He did. Broadband is on its way!

His opponent for La Plata County commissioner, Charly Minkler, on the other hand, spent years proclaiming his support for the new land use code. As a member of the Planning Commission he was at the table for the past four years crafting the new code. But following a large donation to his campaign by some who were opposed, suddenly, at the 12th hour, he voted against the code.

How can we trust that record? Simple: We can’t. Vote for Matt Salka. When Matt says he’ll do something, you can trust him!

– Corey Westen, Durango

Stop 2016 repeat: yes on Prop 113 To the editor, Imagine this: Two candidates are campaigning to be Colorado’s next governor, but in order to win, one of the candidates must secure the majority vote in at least 33 of Colorado’s 64 counties. One candidate wins 1 million votes but only wins 20 counties. The other candidate earns only half a million votes, but gets the most votes in the other 44 of our smaller counties. Despite getting only one-third of the total votes statewide, that second-place candidate becomes our next governor.

We would be outraged by this situation. Shouldn’t the

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candidate who secures the most votes win the election?

That’s the way it works for every race here in Colorado.

But it’s not the way it works in our presidential elections.

Right now, the candidate that wins the most Electoral College votes wins the office of the presidency, not the person who gets the most Americans to vote for them.

Luckily, we can change that. Proposition 113, the National Popular Vote, would make sure the candidate that wins the most popular votes throughout the country actually wins the election. By voting yes on Proposition 113, voters like you and me will be at the forefront of reforming our democracy and making sure it works for all Americans. Colorado is one of 15 states and the District of Columbia that has already signed on to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact so far.

If you believe that the person with the most votes should win, you should support Proposition 113. If we don’t fix the current system, what happened in 2000 and 2016 will keep happening – and that means that nothing less than our democracy is at stake.

– Matt Cornell, Durango

USPS changes hurt families, health To the editor, This is a call to action for our community, state and country. I’m asking that all of us come together and work toward the benefit of all and to protect our most vulnerable.

The Postal Service has become a vital part of the U.S. health-care system. Disruptions to the U.S. mail will create barriers to health care for those who depend on the Postal Service for their medications.

A recent national survey found that nearly 24 percent of respondents depend on the mail for medications during the pandemic. There is also evidence that Postal Service medication delivery improves adherence and lowers dispensing error rates, both critical to improving patient health results.

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides 80 percent of outpatient prescriptions via mail-order pharmacy. A slowed system deprives the department’s ability to get medications to our nation’s veterans.

Despite the Postmaster General’s recent announcement to suspend the scaling back of USPS services, it doesn’t solve the problem of a system that lacks capacity now. Many elderly patients, as well as our vets, don’t have the luxury of time.

The U.S. Postal Service was not designed to be a profitable business. It was designed to be a “service” for all Americans to rely on. I share an appreciation for building more efficiency into mail delivery, but that’s not what’s happening here, and these changes are harming our families and our health.

Please call members of congress to demand USPS funding now, not later.

– Jan Phillips, Durango

Sept. 10, 2020 n 7

LocalStory

Eighth-grader Alex Gnehm, with one of the second generation “moon trees” to be planted in Durango at the Powerhouse Science Center. A school project on local place names led Alex to Durango astronaut Stuart Roosa. A smokejumper before he became an astronaut, Roosa brought tree seeds with him on his Apollo 14 mission at the request of the Forest Service. Now, descendants of some of those seeds, which went on to become trees, are coming to Durango./ Photo by Kathleen O’Connor

To the moon and back Thanks to work of local student, astronaut Stuart Roosa’s ‘moon trees’ land in Durango

by Kathleen O’Connor

I

t began with an idea for a school project and some youthful curiosity.

In the fall of 2019, then-seventh-grader Alex Gnehm and his school instructor Chris Hughes thought it would be interesting to find out the reasons for the unique monikers of some of the public parks around Durango. After investigating the origin of several park names, including Fassbinder – named after Peter Fassbinder, the pioneer who made his fortune in the late 1800s by buying up land around Durango and selling the spring water on his property – Alex got to Roosa Park. It was then that he discovered both Roosa Park and Roosa Avenue, located west of downtown near the 9th Street Bridge, got their names from Durango-born astronaut and Apollo 14

8 n Sept. 10, 2020

command module pilot, Stuart Roosa.

Along with his fellow astronauts, Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and Edgar Mitchell, Roosa executed NASA’s eighth crewed mission and third mission to land on the moon. For Alex, this discovery led to much excitement. “I thought it was really cool that a person from Durango became an astronaut,” he said.

Further research into Roosa’s life led Alex to discover what are known as the “moon trees.” Long before Roosa’s Apollo 14 mission on Jan. 31, 1971, he was a smokejumper for the U.S. Forest Service. Drawn to the work by his love of nature and adventure, Roosa fought several fires in California and Oregon during his time with the Forest Service in 1953. Because of Roosa’s history with the organization, the Forest Service asked Roosa if he wouldn’t mind taking some tree seeds with him into

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space during his Apollo mission. The idea: to study the effects of space travel on seed germination and subsequent growth. Botanists wondered if the seeds would sprout and grow normally after being in microgravity conditions with high-energy radiation exposure.

Approximately 500 tree seeds, representing five different species, traveled with Roosa in the Kitty Hawk orbiter in a compact tin canister. They circumnavigated the moon 34 times before making their journey back to Earth. Of the 500 space-traveling seeds, around 450 were later grown to sapling size. Most of the saplings were given away in 1975 to various state capitols, schools, museums and space centers for planting during the U.S. bicentennial in 1976. Some made it as far as Brazil, and one was even gifted to the Emperor of Japan. Today, one grows in front of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and another at4

The 1953 Siskiyou smokejumper crew of which Roosa was a member Roosa’s daughte, Rosemary, created the nonprofit Moon Tree Foundation, a nonprofit organization created in honor of her father and his love of space, the natural world and conservation./Photo by Jim Allen, courtesy Rosemary Roosa the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Then, they were mostly forgotten. Of the approximately 450 surviving saplings, the whereabouts of only around 80 of them are currently known.

When Alex stumbled upon the moon trees’ existence and their connection to Stuart Roosa, he remembers thinking, “why isn’t there a moon tree here in Durango?” Hughes agreed. Both he and Alex, diving deeper into the moon tree phenomenon, followed the trail that led them into contact with the Forest Service, NASA and eventually to Roosa’s daughter, Rosemary, living in Biloxi, Miss. Through Rosemary, they learned about The Moon Tree Foundation, a nonprofit organization created in honor of her father and his love of space, the natural world and conservation. The foundation continues the legacy of Roosa and the moon trees through its mission to “educate the world’s society about an important part of our history, the United States Space Program, the United States Forest Service, and to inspire the globe’s population with the living legacy of the moon trees.”

Ms. Roosa performs the work of the foundation through the distribution of second-generation moon trees, which she hopes will serve as ambassadors across the world, emphasizing the importance of unity, education and conservation. “We are diverse, but we are all on the same planet that needs our care,” she said during a phone conversation.

The idea to bring some of these secondgeneration moon trees to Durango was a no-brainer for Alex and Chris, who immediately saw the potential learning opportunities for children of all ages. Hughes’ educational vision includes utilizing the moon trees as a means to galvanize students’ curiosity.

“From an educator’s perspective, there are so many different angles from which this can be approached, whether it’s learning more about space travel and cosmology, the Apollo program specifically, botany and

Roosa suiting up on flight day, Jan. 31, 1971./Photo courtesy Rosemary Roosa silviculture, conservation, forestry or any other angle a student can come up with related to the moon trees,” he said.

As a former board member at The Powerhouse Science Center, Hughes thought the local nonprofit would make the perfect partner for collaboration on bringing the moon trees and Roosa’s legacy to Durango. Upon hearing about the moon trees, Powerhouse Interim Executive Director Jeff Susor was immediately on board. “The anniversary of Commander Roosa’s mission corresponds with such an amazing moment in our country’s space program,” he said.

Not only does it coincide with the return crewed space flight in May but the mission of the Perseverance Rover that is en route to Mars right now as well as the expected

launch of the James Webb Space Telescope next year.

“The local moon tree connection was a great chance to bring local relevance and hopefully inspire our neighbors to join us in dreaming of the stars,” Susor said.

An American sycamore will be the first moon tree (or “half-moon tree,” as these second-generation trees are affectionately called) planted in Durango. The event will be on the Powerhouse grounds at 11 a.m., Sat., Sept. 12. This event will launch (pun intended) a monthly virtual, space-themed lecture series hosted by the Science Center in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 14 Moon mission. For the next nine months, The Powerhouse will host online speakers from all areas of aeronautical expertise and experience. The lecture series begins at 4:30 p.m. Sun., Sept. 13, with speaker Rosemary Roosa and tentative speaker Charlie Duke, a crewmember of the Apollo 16 mission. The Powerhouse is offering all recorded lectures as a resource for teachers who wish to utilize them in their classrooms. “We want to introduce students to astronauts, engineers, astronomers and people who can share personal stories from the golden age of space flight, even if they don’t have a chance to visit The Powerhouse this school year,” Susor said.

A second half-moon tree is scheduled for planting in memory of Stuart Roosa on Earth Day 2021 in Roosa Park. This event will be hosted by Chris and Alex and will be attended by Rosemary Roosa, who remembers clearly the day her father blasted off into space. “Witnessing the Saturn V launch was a feast for the senses,” Roosa, who was 7 at the time, recalled. “We were 2 miles away from a rocket taller than the Statue of Liberty. I remember seeing the flames and the ground shake as if there was an earthquake. It was very exciting knowing my dad was in there.”

The community is invited to view The Powerhouse’s Sept. 12 planting event through the science center’s Facebook page or attend the event “live” in the Carver Brewing Plaza. n

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StateNews

The famed Gore Range towers over the runs at Vail ski area. Vail Resorts announced COVID plans for the 2020-21 season, which applies to all 34 of its North American resorts. Rules include advance reservations and masks in lift lines, on the chair, indoors and, preferably, while skiing. And there will be no apres on-mountain, but you can take a cold one to go./Courtesy photo

No mask, no reservation, no skiing Vail Resorts among first to announce COVID plan for 2020-21 ski season

by Stina Sieg Colorado Public Radio News

S

kiers and snowboarders can expect a lot of changes on the slopes this winter. And one of the world’s largest ski resort companies has shared details on some plans for an upcoming season like none before.

Late last month, Vail Resorts announced safety protocols, including health screenings, face coverings and a new reservation system, for all of its 34 North American resorts.

In addition to its flagship Vail and Beaver Creek, Vail Resorts also owns Breckenridge, Keystone, Whistler-Blackcomb, Utah’s Park City and California’s Heavenly, to name a few.

In a letter sent out Aug. 27, CEO Rob Katz detailed the new safety precautions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to have changes that can be in effect throughout the entire winter, he said.

“We do not want to be caught off guard or find ourselves needing to make reactive changes,” Katz said.

He added “consistency and predictability” for guests will

be important during this fluid situation.

One of the biggest changes is that only pass holders will be able to hit the slopes to start the season. Pass holders will also have to make reservations in advance. Regular lift tickets won’t go on sale until Dec. 8.

Vail Resorts will require face coverings in order to access all of its mountains and inside all buildings. That includes people standing in lift lines, riding chairlifts and gondolas, and taking lessons. The company is also encouraging people to cover their faces while actually skiing or snowboarding but has stopped short of making it mandatory.

Physical distancing measures will be implemented in lines and on lifts and gondolas except for people who traveled to a resort together. Staff will also enforce physical distancing inside all buildings, including at restaurants. All sales will be cashless.

Because of decreased capacity, Katz recommended that guests dine at off-peak hours and carry snacks and water with them to stay fueled on the mountain. While most resorts will still sell pre-packaged beer and wine, Katz said they will not set up traditional bars or pubs where many

people can congregate.

“I ask for your understanding and patience,” Katz said.

“In return, you can count on us to try and do everything we can to help keep you safe and make skiing and riding a reality this entire winter.”

Despite the new restrictions on buying lift tickets, prices for passes are expected to remain the same. Resort officials expect that the majority of days this year will not be affected by capacity restrictions but have added new pass types to make working around reservations and getting to the mountain more affordable.

Vail is offering credits for the 2019/20 Season for Epic Day Pass holders. Customers with remaining days on their Epic Day Pass or other multi-pack passes will get a credit for each unused day, up to 80 percent of the price paid for the pass. The credit can be applied toward a pass of equal or greater value this season.

Keystone will kick off the season for Vail Resorts with an opening planned for Nov. 6.

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

Free Social Security Disability Workshop Presented by Colorado Legal Services

Fri., Sept. 25, 1-3 p.m. via Zoom For more info. or to apply, please call (970) 247-0266 10 n Sept. 10, 2020

telegraph

FlashinthePan

Peachy keen

by Ari LeVaux

available in this world for a short, peachy time.

Lots of people want to eat turmeric these days, as it is thought to reduce inflammation in joints and elsewhere. It’s the main component of curry powder, and accordingly makes this dish taste curry-like. You can substitute curry powder of your choice for the turmeric.

A

tree-ripened peach is like no other fruit, with a complex bouquet of flavors that changes from peach to peach, finetuned by the subtle weather patterns that are different each summer. When allowed to properly ripen on a tree, the flavor of a ripe peach is joyfully explosive, which is why the orchard that grows the world’s best peaches is often the one closest to your house.

Once you’ve gotten used to properly ripened peaches, the storebought alternatives quickly lose their appeal. That disappointment in the available peaches is what inspired Tom and Lynn McCamant, my peach growers here in Montana, to start Forbidden Fruit Orchard, which might literally grow the best peaches in the world. No, really.

I buy their peaches by the boxload, at both Tuesday and Saturday markets in Missoula. Whether I’m enjoying them fresh or preserving them at the peak of freshness for later use, there are few local foods as shockingly special as peaches and decidedly superior to the imported version as peaches, and now is the time to get on it.

For both preserving and cooking, look for free-stone peaches, the flesh of which easily relinquishes the seed. The other category, called clingstone, are fine for eating – you barely notice a difference. It’s impossible to tell from the outside if a peach is free- or clingstone; you have to ask.

I spend the majority of my peach-eating time leaning over the sink to catch the juicy, mess. But when peaches are in season, we can afford to mess around. Tom’s favorite way is diced with heavy cream (40 percent fat).

I used to forever be on the hunt for new ways to preserve my peaches, so as to enjoy their sweet glory through winter. I’d can them in quart jars, spending hours in the steamy kitchen blanching and peeling and sealing bright orange peach halves in syrup or putting away pints of jam, sometimes with blueberries or huckleberries. I finally settled on peach slices in the dehydrator as my go-to peach storage technique. Each slice is like a drop of sunshine, and they are among the most treasured items in my freezer.

During the deliciously long evenings of summer, when the coals are still warm, I’ve been laying peach halves on the grill, fuzzy-sides down. Sometimes I’ll add pieces of chopped ham and pickled peppers to the spot where the pit used to be, and top it with cheese. When the cheese melts, I’ll sometimes drizzle balsamic vinegar or reduction. The blend of fatty, fruity and savory flavors has the wide-ranging complexity of bacon-wrapped cheesestuffed fig.

I asked Tom if he’d ever tried grilling peaches, and he admitted that he had not. But he told me about a dish called peach sambal. By the time Lynn sent me the recipe I had already gotten involved with another peach sambal recipe which I’d met online. It calls for a spicy Indonesian red pepper and garlic paste called sambal oelek, which is available in most Asian grocery aisles. It also has lots of turmeric.

I’ve been making it with chicken, marinating whole quarters in fresh garlic, lemon, turmeric and other flavorings, along with crushed peaches, and then grilling or broiling the chicken. The balance between the turmeric, peach and chile paste is otherworldly. Only

Peach Sambal with Chicken Serves 4 3 pounds chicken pieces or quarters ½ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup sambal oelek (or less, depending on your spice tolerance) ¼ cup oyster or fish sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil ¼ cup olive oil 3 teaspoons turmeric or curry powder 4 extra ripe peaches, cut into 1/8ths (peeled or not) ½ cup heavy cream or coconut milk 2 tablespoons soy sauce Salt and pepper to taste Add lemon juice, sambal oelek, oyster sauce and sesame oil to a small mixing bowl and whisk together.

Rub the chicken with olive oil and add the rest of the oil to the sauce. Rub the chicken pieces with turmeric. Pour the marinade over the chicken in a large mixing bowl.

Squeeze the peaches and add them to the bowl, and mix it all together with your hands, squeezing the juice from the peaches as you mix. Let sit for at least three hours, covered in the fridge; preferably overnight.

Grill the chicken – or broil, if you don’t have a grill available. Let it cook until the skin blackens and blisters.

While it cooks, add the remaining sauce to a pan along with the heavy cream or coconut milk, and bring it to a simmer. Season with soy sauce and black pepper.

When the chicken is done, pour the sauce over the chicken and serve. Enjoy the glorious combination of blackened, blistered skin and sweet, tangy, quietly complex, decidedly peachy sauce.

And if you have room for more, throw a few peach halves on the embers of summer. n

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telegraph

Sept. 10, 2020 n 11

StufftoDo

Thursday10 Gary Walker plays piano, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., JeanPierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave. “Animal House” toga party, party starts at 4 p.m., outdoor movie at 7 p.m. Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave. Jose Villareal plays, 5-8 p.m., 11th Street Station, Main Ave. and 11th St. Sean O’Brien plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Powerhouse Trivia Night on the plaza, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Thursdays through September. Socially distanced tables, masks required for entry. No groups larger than 8. $5 suggested team donations.

Music in the Mountains Virtual Pops Night, free concert and online auction, 7-8 p.m., www.musicinthe mountains.com Durango Drive-In Movie “Mamma Mia,” gates open 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton parking lot, W. College Drive. Get tickets at www.durango drivein.com.

Friday11 Free Virtual Legal Clinic, 4-5 p.m. Contact the Ignacio Library at (970) 563-9287 to be added to the sign-up sheet.

Thee Fearless Peasants, incorrect bluegrass & science fiction review, 6-9 p.m., outside at Gazpachos.

Red Eyed Djinn plays, 4-7 p.m. The Nugget Mountain Bar, south of Purgatory.

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

Matt Rupnow plays, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. You Knew Me When plays folk and indie rock, 6 – 9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, Ignacio.

Expedition kayaker Darcy Gaechter drops into a slot on the S. Yuba River, in Calif. In 2013, Gaecther became the first woman to kayak the world’s largest – and arguably longest – river, the Amazon. The 148day trip travelled 176 miles from source to sea, including 25 straight days of Class V rapids as well as plenty of danger off the water as well. She recently released a new book Amazon Woman on her adventure, and misdventures, which she will be discussing Wednesday night in a Zoom presentation sponsored by 4 Corners River Sports.

Mountain Boys and Dave Mensch, 1-4:30, La Plata Senior Center Parking Lot. $50/vehicles. Benefits La Plata County Humane Society.

Meet/greet with county commissioner candidate Marsha Porter-Norton, 3-4:30 p.m. on the patio of Taco Boy Restaurant, Bayfield. Event is COVID-19 safe. For more information, go to: www.MarshaPorterNor ton.com or email: MarshaPorterNorton@gmail.com

Durango Drive-In Movie “The Karate Kid,” gates open 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton parking lot, W. College Drive. Get tickets at www.durango drivein.com.

Monday14 Meditation and Dharma Talk with Yong Oh, 5:307 p.m. online at www.durangodharmacenter.org/

Farmington Hill plays, 4-7 p.m. The Nugget Mountain Bar, south of Purgatory.

Rob Webster plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Crestone Energy Fair 2020, free livestream event, www.crestoneenergyfair.org

Ed Bolster plays live on the patio, 6-8 p.m., PRIMI Pasta & Wine Bar, 1201 Main Ave.

Saturday12

Terry Rickard plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Durango Farmers Market, Saturdays, 8 a.m.-12 noon, in TBK Parking Lot, across from the Transit Center.

Facemasks required. www.durangofarmersmarket.com.

Tuesday15

Spadefoot plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th Street Station, Main Ave. and 11th St.

Durango Drive-In Movie “Tombstone,” gates open 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., Durango & Silverton parking lot, W. College Drive. Get tickets at www.durango drivein.com.

Free bokken (sword) and jo (staff) lessons, 9-10 a.m., Claire Viles Park. Masks required. www.durango aikido.com Yoga & conservation workshop: “The Intersection of Internal and External Landscapes,” 9-11 a.m., on local conservation easement land near Lighter Creek. Special two-hour class blends education/information, conversation and yoga. $30. Register at: yogadur ango.com/workshops/. Class size limited.

Apollo 14 Moon Tree Planting, join Durango-born astronaut Stuart Roosa in celebrating the 50th anniversary of his mission to the moon, 11 a.m., Powerhouse Science Center. Event will be live-streamed on the Powerhouse’s FB page.

Chad MacCluskey plays, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 11th Street Station, Main Ave. and 11th St. Drive-in Concert Series featuring the San Juan

12 n Sept. 10, 2020

Gary Walker plays jazz accordion, 6-8 p.m., Dandelion Café, 725 E. Second Ave.

Sunday13 Henry Stoy plays piano, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Jean Pierre Wine Bar, College Drive and Main.

Jen Rawling plays, 12-2 p.m., 11th Street Station, Main Ave. and 11th St. Colorado State Budget Virtual Town Hall with Reps. Barbara McLachlan and Julie McCluskie, 4 p.m. Join in with your questions and concerns at www.Facebook .com/Barbaraforthe59th

Sean O’Brien plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Alison and Friends play, 6-8 p.m., Dandelion Café, 725 E. Second Ave. Rotary Club of Durango Zoom meeting, featuring SJBHD’s Brian Devine speaking about the pandemic, 6 p.m. Email: mtnman16@gmail.com.

Wednesday16 Local First Monthly Mixer, 7-9 a.m., Smiley Café.

Featuring free coffee and talks with Grant Andrew of Smiley Café, and Holly and Steve Lee from Affordable Framing Plus.

Blue Moon Ramblers play Americana/bluegrass, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Wednesday Wine Workshop, “The Different Faces of Sangiovese” with sommelier Tracy, 4-5 p.m., PRIMI Pasta & Wine Bar, 1201 Main Ave. Reserve your spot at www.primidurango.com

Joel Racheff plays, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Sean Farley plays, 5-8 p.m., 11th Street Station, Main Ave. and 11th St. 4

telegraph

AskRachel

The Seinfeld theory, postal snub and brewskiing Interesting fact: Nothing starts with N and ends with G. Dear Rachel, I’m tantalized by those deposit prices on cans and bottles. I know how the deposit system works, because I lived in Vermont. It’s not free money. But it could be free money, if only you could get all those containers from a non-deposit state to a deposit state in a cost-efficient way. I’m genuinely consumed with a desire to figure this out. Do you have any snarky suggestions that maybe I haven’t thought of before?

– Nickeled and Dimed Hello Newman, I have this theory that every idea known to man already appeared in a “Seinfeld” episode. Haven’t you seen this episode? It doesn’t work. You overload your inventory and you blow your margins on gasoline. Trust me, it doesn’t work. And an 18-wheeler’s no good. Too much overhead. You got permits, weight stations, tolls. Look, you’re way outta your league, Nickeled. Unless you can get a free truck. That completely changes your cost structure.

– I was in the pool, Rachel Dear Rachel, Every freaking time I get a package delivered in the mail, the mailman leaves one of those yellow delivery slips instead of the actual package.

I even ran after him down the street and told him to please leave my packages at the door. But

MoreStufftoDo from p.12 Terry Rickard plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Backyard fruit harvesting with the Good Food Collective, Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m. Meet at Manna Soup Kitchen.

Bring water bottle, face mask and boxes/bags for any fruit you want to take home. Info at: www.goodfoodcollective .org/get-involved Free bokken (sword) and jo (staff) lessons, 5-6 p.m., Claire Viles Park. Masks required. durangoaikido.com “Darcy Gaechter: Amazon Woman” virtual event on Darcy’s book Amazon Woman and her epic journey being the first woman to kayak the Amazon from source to sea, sponsored by 4 Corners River Sports. Zoom meeting at: https://tinyurl.com/y2lopzyl, meeting ID: Meeting ID: 833 7228 0783

Ongoing 13th annual Durango Fall Blaze and Cycling Celebration, 9 a.m., Sept. 26. Riders of all abilities are invited to choose from road, mountain, gravel, BMX, tandem, e-bike, townie, Peloton, or any other cycling mode on an any-distance ride. Riders can compete for most miles, most vertical gained and most vertical lost. Register at durangofall blaze.com by Sept. 13.

“Public Trust: The Fight for America’s Public Lands,” online screening of the new film from Patagonia, Sept. 12-16, with panel discussion Sept. 17, 6 p.m. Presented by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Register at https://tinyurl.com/y63584xm

he won’t do it. Two-day delivery to Durango is already four or five days, without tacking on this extra one. Plus who wants to stand in line at the post office even without a pandemic? Do I need to bribe him? Or threaten him?

– Signed, Sealed, Re-Delivered Dear Yellow Slipped, You gotta wait for the mailman, like a mountain lion waits for a lost Boy Scout with a backpack full of Meow Mix. Lurk in the tree in the front yard, or at least on the front stoop. Pounce before he strikes your mailbox. Ask him if you have any packages that day. Don’t give him a chance to escape. If he holds his mailbag over his head, he’s just trying to look bigger than he is. Don’t let it fool you.

– Please deliver, Rachel Dear Rachel, The winter storm rolling in amidst all the fires has me wondering if it’s time for some new extreme Colorado sports. Ice paddleboarding? Blazing MTB? Ash-water rafting? We need some new sports anyway. All our usual ones have been discovered by the out-of-staters and there’s nothing I can do anymore without running into families from Wisconsin in rented gear. (Except skijoring. But climate change has taken care of that one.) What are your ideas?

– X-tremely Frustrated Dear Tony Hawk, At this rate, stepping outside is becoming its own ex-

treme sport. I’d just as soon skip the parts of outdooring that require expensive, specialized gear and get right to the beer drinking. If a 7 a.m. brewski is acceptable on the frozen/flaming river, I see zero reason why not to partake in my own kitchen. And hey, maybe all of us participating in this activity can pitch in for a U-Haul for that other guy to get us all some of that big deposit money.

– Party hard, Rachel

After-School Theatre Classes for third- to 12 graders, beginning Sept. 23, Durango Arts Center. Class sizes limited to 10 students. www.durangoarts.org.

nity show on the challenges, resilience and strengths revealed by the pandemic, on display thru Sept. 20, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Art classes for third- to 12 graders, homeschool learners and after-school, Durango Arts Center. Class sizes limited to 10 students. www.durangoarts.org.

Durango Public Library Weekly Activity Kits available for curbside pickup every Tuesday. Kits include supplies for one project for preschool, elementary and teen-age students. A new kit is released every Tuesday while supplies last.

To request, email reference@DurangoGov.org.

Lacey Black/Dale Elliott play ragtime and honky-tonk piano, 12 noon – 2:30ish, daily at the Grand Imperial Hotel’s Lone Spur Cafe in Silverton.

PIVOT: Skateboard Deck Art exhibit, over 100 skateboard decks painted by 30 different Native American artists, on view by appointment through spring 2021, Center of SW Studies, Fort Lewis College. swcenter.fortlewis.edu/ “1918 Durango: The Pandemic, the War and the Peace,” the impact of the Spanish Flu and World War I on SW Colorado, presented by KSUT Four Corners Public Radio. ksut.org/programs for details.

“Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” exhibit on the history of 200 items from the Football Hall of Fame, Farmington Museum. Open Sun., noon-5 p.m.; Mon., Thurs., Fri. and Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For info go to FarmingtonMuseum.org or call (505) 599-1174.

“Inside Out: An Exhibit on Womens Fashion,” outfits from fashion icons throughout American history, Farmington Museum. Sun., noon-5 p.m.; Mon., Thurs., Fri. and Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For info go to FarmingtonMuseum.org.

Adam Swanson plays ragtime piano, Mon.-Sat., 5:308:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main.

Phoenix Art Project Community Exhibit, a commu-

telegraph

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Upcoming: “The Colorado Experience: Southwest Colorado History,” by Rocky Mountain PBS featuring water resources, the restoration of Mancos’ Cranston Press, Ben Nighthorse Campbell and more. Episodes air Sept. 17 & 24 and Oct. 1.

26th annual Autumn Arts Festival, Sept. 19-20, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., E. 2nd Ave. between College and 9th Street.

Masks required; social distancing measures will be observed.

Mining & Reclamation Conference: Adaptive Capacity in Uncertain Times, Sept. 21-24, with local, state, national and international guests, presented by Mountain Studies Institute, Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership, San Miguel Watershed Coalition and Headwaters Alliance. For info. or to register, go to: www.mountainstudies.org/sjmrc SCAPE 2020 online start-up showcase, tune in as regional entrepreneurs pitch for the chance to partner with investors on their start-up venture, Sept. 22, 2 p.m. www.goscape.org/startupshowcase2020

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

E-mail your stuff to: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Sept. 10, 2020 n 13

What Kate & Nate wear on their day off

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): “It’s not that some people have willpower and some don’t,” observes author James S. Gordon.

“Rather, it’s that some people are ready to change and others are not.”

Lucky for you, Aries! Your willpower is even more potent than usual right now, and your willingness to change is growing stronger.

And so very soon now, I expect you will reach the threshold that enables you to act crisply and forcefully. You will become so convinced that it’s wise to instigate transformation that you will just naturally instigate transformation. Adjust, adapt, improvise, improve!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi is an expert on the mental state known as being in the flow. He defines it as what happens when you’re completely absorbed in what you are doing: “immersed in a feeling of energized focus,” with “full involvement and enjoyment in the process.” According to my reading of the astrological omens, you are extra likely to enjoy such interludes in the coming weeks. But I hope you will be discerning about how you use them. I mean, you could get into a flow playing video games or doing sudoku. But God and Life and I would prefer it if you’ll devote those times to working on a sublime labor of love or a highly worthy quest.

... and you can too.

(Even if your name isn’t McKinnon. Or MacKinnon.)

In a variety of sizes for all your exploits on and off the red carpet.

(Also available in muscle T to show off your pipes.)

T-shirts: $15 Tanks: $12 Hats: $20 (plus shipping and handling)

Order yours today at: durangotelegraph.com or email telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

14 n Sept. 10, 2020

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): According to researcher Rosalind Cartwright, “Memory is never a precise duplicate of the original. It is a continuing act of creation.” Neurologist Oliver Sacks agrees: “Memories are not fixed or frozen, but are transformed, disassembled, reassembled and recategorized with every act of recollection.” Reams of additional evidence also suggest that our experience of the past is always being transformed. In accordance with astrological potentials, I invite you to take advantage of this. Reimagine your life story so it is more positive. Re-envision the plot so redemption and rebirth are major features. Engage in a playful reworking of your memories so that the epic myth of your destiny serves your future happiness and success.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): All of us are susceptible to fooling ourselves and lying to ourselves. And all of us are susceptible to the cowardice that such self-sabotage generates. But the good news is that you Cancerians will have an expansive capacity to dissolve and rise above self-deception in the coming weeks – and will therefore be able to call on a great deal of courage. As Cancerian author and Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön says, “The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you like, I will give you the waning crescent moon and the dawn breeze. Do you want them? How about sudden bursts of joy for no apparent reasons and a warm greeting from a person you thought had a problem with you? Would you be interested in having those experiences? And what about an unexpected insight into how to improve your financial situation and a message from the future about how to acquire more stability and security? Are those blessings you might enjoy? Everything I just named will be possible in the coming weeks – especially if you formulate a desire to receive them and ask life to provide them.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo poet Mary Oliver was renowned for giving herself permission. Permission to do what? To become a different person from the self she had been. To shed her familiar beliefs and adopt new ones.

To treat every experience as an opportunity to experiment. To be at peace with uncertainty. I think you’ll be wise to give yourself all those permissions in the coming weeks – as well as others that would enhance your freedom to be and do whatever you want to be and do. Here’s another favorite Mary Oliver permission that I hope you’ll offer yourself: “And I say to my heart: rave on.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “The more unintelligent people are, the less mysterious existence seems to them,” philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer wrote. I agree with that idea, as well as the converse: The more intelligent people are, the more mysterious existence seems to them. Since I expect you to be at the peak of your soulful intelligence in the coming weeks, I am quite sure that life will be exquisitely mysterious to you. It’s true that some of its enigmatic qualities may be murky and frustrating, but I suspect that many of them will be magical and delightful. If you ever wanted your life to resemble a poetic art film, you’re going to get your wish.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Comedian and actor Aubrey Plaza bragged about the deal she made. “I sold my soul to the devil,” she said.

“I’d like to thank the devil.” Plaza is quite popular and successful, so who knows?

Maybe the Prince of Darkness did indeed give her a boost. But I really hope you don’t regard her as a role model in the coming weeks – not even in jest. What worked for Plaza won’t work for you. Diabolical influences that may seem tempting will not, in the long run, serve your interests and may even sabotage them. Besides, more benevolent forces will be available to you, and at a better price.

telegraph

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Many of you Sagittarians specialize in generous breakthroughs and invigorating leaps of truth. Often, you make them look easy and natural – so much so that people may not realize how talented you are in generating them. I hope you adjust for that by giving yourself the proper acknowledgment and credit. If this phenomenon shows up in the coming weeks – and I suspect it might – please take strenuous measures to ensure that you register the fullness of your own accomplishments. To do so will be crucial in enabling those accomplishments to ripen to their highest potential.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel wrote, “When you die and go to heaven, our maker is not going to ask, ‘why didn’t you discover the cure for such and such? why didn’t you become the Messiah?’ The only question we will be asked in that precious moment is ‘why didn’t you become you?’” I hope that serves as a stimulating challenge for you, Capricorn. The fact is that you are in an extended phase when it’s easier than usual to summon the audacity and ingenuity necessary to become more fully yourself than you have ever been before.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Years ago, comedian Lenny Bruce observed, “Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God.” His statement is even truer today than it was then. Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank, has gathered concrete evidence. Church attendance was way down even before the pandemic. Now it’s even lower. What does this have to do with you? In my astrological opinion, the coming months will be prime time for you to build your intimate and unique relationship with God rather than with institutions that have formulaic notions about who and what God is. A similar principle will be active in other ways, as well. You’ll thrive by drawing energy from actual sources and experiences rather than from systems and ideologies that supposedly represent them.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Psychologist Carl Jung wrote, “The function of dreams is to restore our psychological balance by producing dream material that re-establishes the total psychic equilibrium.” According to my reading of the astrological omens, you especially need this kind of action right now. To expedite your healing process, meditate on what aspects of your life might have become too extreme or one-sided. Where could you apply compensatory energy to establish better equipoise? What topheavy or lopsided or wobbly situations could benefit from bold, imaginative strokes of counterbalance?

classifieds

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.

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

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

Ads can be submitted via: n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2 Approximate office hours: Mon: 9ish - 5ish Tues: 9ish - 5ish Wed: 9ish - 3ish Thurs: On delivery Fri: Gone fishing; call first

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

Lost/Found Reward for Return!

Of pair of men's moccasins, rust buff suede with silver concho. Left in vicinity of Memorial Park Phase One by river So. 2nd St. Aug. 20 Kindly call/text 520-2168762 - Thanks!!

Found a Guitar on Lime Creek Road Found a guitar left at a campsite on Lime Creek Rd. If you can describe it to me it's yours. Derrell 970-759-4939

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

and Mysto the Magi provides amazing magic with comedy that keeps everyone entertained at your next gathering. Get a world class magician from Denver right here in Durango while he waits out the current world situation. (970) 759-5015 MystoTheMagi@hotmail.com Landscape Services affordable mowing, trimming and construction services, Jon 970-799-4503.

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 Harmony Organizing and Cleaning Services Home and office 970-403-6192.

Marketing Small and Local Businesses Media, social media, website content, SEO, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses. Email jnderge@ gmail.com

CommunityService Nonprofit Webinar Series The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado has opened registration “Something to Chew On,” a free webinar series discussing COVID-impacted nonprofit financials. Webinars will be offered twice monthly on Tuesdays, 12 noon – 1:30 p.m. The Sept. 22 class will examine budgets and scenario planning and experts from the Community Foundation’s finance committee will be available to answer questions. Participants will have the chance to win a free two-hour consultation with one of the panelists. The webinars will continue twice monthly through the rest of the year and will examine topics

Report bear/trash incidents With bears actively foraging in preparation for hibernation, residents are reminded that local bear and trash laws only work when incidents are reported.

City residents can call City Code at 3754930 to report incidents of trash accessed by bears. County residents should call Animal Protection via Central Dispatch at 385-2900. Contact Bear Smart Durango at bp@frontier.net for more information.

HaikuMovieReview ‘The Croods’ Perhaps the finest Nicolas Cage movie since ‘National Treasure’ – Lainie Maxson

NewspaperOrigami

massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 201819. Couples, cupping, local CBD. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984 Off Grid Cabin Next to national forest, 45 mins. from town. $500/mo. + $500/dep. Possible work exchange. snowdomeranch@proton mail.com

ForSale

Math Tutor Would you like some help passing that online/in-person/hybrid math class? Call or text Brendan at 970-769-4089.

Recording equipment Rode NT1A complete vocal recording kit with Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB interface, headphones, mic. and stand. $500 Contact Luke at 970-376-3116 or lukemehall@gmail.com

How Am I Going to Entertain Everyone?

With a virtual or live/outdoor magic show, of course. Everyone loves magic

Radon Services Free radon testing and consultation.

Call Colorado Radon Abatement and Detection for details. 970- 946-1618.

such as alternative fundraising, human resources, remote working and Southwest Colorado Gives. For info. or to register, visit www.swcommunityfoundation.org

BodyWork

Services

Homeschool Consultant/Tutor With 12 yrs. classroom and 5 yrs. homeschool experience, I can help you develop a homeschool plan or tutor your child in grades K-6. s_5rankin@hotmail.com

RealEstate

Reruns Home Furnishings Lots of items to cozy up dorm rooms and apartments. Midcentury dresser, dining table and chairs, mirrors, lamps, carved wooden room divider, bookcases, barstools, nightstands and more. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

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Sept. 10 2020 n 15

16 n Sept. 10, 2020

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