The Durango Telegraph, Oct. 13, 2022

elegraph

You’ve got (no) mail Post office problems plague rural county

New Tymer’s

face at helm of iconic

Freakish fiddler Alissa Wolf on how being an

nerd’ paid off

line

Postal purgatory

La Plata County residents

spotty, erratic mail service

Jonathan Romeo

4 Backfire

As

A string thing

more fiddling around for Stillhouse Junkies’ Alissa Wolf

Stephen Sellers

New Tymer’s

Avenue burger and beer

gets new owner,

Sinjin Eberle

Hively,

Sellers,

Brezsny

RegularOccurrences

the cover

in the views at Lake

before the season ends on

by Missy Votel

Ear to the ground:

water, beckoning

operated

Alpine assassins

You’ve probably heard by now: President Joe Biden is making a Colorado tour and designating the Pinkerton Hot Spring blob on Highway 550 a national monument. OK, well, not really. But close.

Biden on Wednesday signed a proclamation that created the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, spanning an estimated 53,800 acres, marking the first national monument designation made by Biden. So what exactly is Camp Hale?

For starters, Camp Hale is a former Army base, located between Leadville and Red Cliff, built in the early 1940s where the storied 10th Mountain Division soldiers trained before being shipped out to fight in World War II. So what exactly is the 10th Mountain Division?

will accept full responsibility in a public flogging in the following week’s issue.

The short answer: badasses. The 10th Mountain Division was the first and only division of the U.S. military trained to fight in high mountain terrain. At an elevation of 9,200 feet, the Camp Hale division underwent rigorous training for mountain climbing, Alpine and Nordic skiing, and cold-weather survival – all based on ski warfare tactics of the Finnish army. In all, about 15,000 soldiers passed through Camp Hale.

But it wasn’t all fresh tracks. Conditions in the camp were harsh and extremely isolated. Soldiers endured long marches at high elevations, frequently suffering from altitude sickness, frostbite and low morale, earning the place the nickname “Camp Hell.” But hey, at least they didn’t have to deal with long liftlines and expensive parking at Vail.

In the winter of 1944-45, the 10th Mountain Division shipped off to war, ultimately driving back Axis troops from the mountains of Italy by spring 1945. After the war, many of the soldiers came back to Colorado to help build the state’s ski industry.

“I can think of no better choice for President Biden’s first national monument than Camp Hale-Continental Divide,” Sen. Michael Bennet said in a statement. “With every passing year, there are fewer World War II veterans who trained at Camp Hale left to tell their story, which is why it is so important that we protect this site now.”

wholly

by chance, we defame someone’s good name or that of their family, neighbor,

We’re only human.

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

Biden is also expected to block new mining claims and mineral leases on about 225,000 acres in the Thompson Divide area of western Colorado for the next two years, and possibly longer. Existing permits would not be affected.

So, in the words of Biden himself: This is a big f***ing deal.

“They should make an indica weed strain called ‘Sleepy Joe.’”

– Are you listening, pot growers?

Ban this column!

Young people just don’t read books anymore. This must be truth, because I hear it from plenty of old people who must know exactly what young people do with their spare time. They then proceed to walk away from me without buying any of the books I’m selling.

I cannot promise these old people are the same old people who gape at young people who don’t own TVs. But I can promise they are the same old people who drove the young people off Facebook 15 years ago.

Granted, there are solid cases to be made for the decline of reading. Take me, for instance. Me getting published anywhere at all on a regular basis suggests heavily that no one reads anymore, regardless of age. Unless it’s the birds and gerbils whose cages get lined by my work. The U.S. Census Bureau does not track such things, but if they did, I suspect they would find more people light fires with my work than read any single piece from start to middle.

But I am just one man. I can produce only so much writing – as much as half a man, or perhaps a quarter. There are dozens more people like me out there, each of us struggling to craft the perfect cup of tea. Some of them are actually succeeding in writing back-cover copy for other people’s books well enough to get them banned. Banned, I tell you! And by people you KNOW don’t read.

Now I can’t articulate exactly why it is OK to start a fire with my junk published in a newspaper, but abominable to start a fire with a book. Nor can I explain why burning a book is worse than banning, because it isn’t, other than in a matter of degrees. (Most bannings, for instance, take place at room temperature.)

All I know is that if I can’t stop people from condemning books to the ol’ burn-n-ban, dammit, I want them to condemn my work, too. Because that is the SUREST way to get someone to read it. Or at least to buy it – can’t burn it if you don’t got it.

Frankly, I can’t figure out why I haven’t had more books banned, aside from the fact that I haven’t written very many. I am always game

Thumbin’It

The Durango Police Department stepping up traffic enforcement after an uptick in bad driving and crashes around town. Please, please, please let us be deputized to help out.

The expansion of both the Great Sand Dunes National Park by more than 9,000 acres as well as the Sand Creek Massacre historic site by nearly 3,500 acres.

President Joe Biden pardoning everyone convicted of simple marijuana possession at the federal level. Oh, and for all RAs in college who confiscated weed, we expect to receive a written apology – and our stash – in the mail.

to “punch up,” as comedy experts say – to take a swing at The Man, the powers-that-be, particularly if I think they are unlikely to read it.

Take the old people who think young people don’t read anymore. I’m pretty certain they read only the Wall Street Journal and/or the CNN crawl, neither of which has picked me up for syndication (yet). I can “punch up,” because their horses are so high, and most especially because they don’t know I exist.

But I will refrain from punching anyone, old or young, up or down, because I have faith in humanity. I was recently in attendance at a party for adults, in honor of a kid’s ninth birthday. I hung out with the kid, mostly because they have Legos, but also because I made a day-long commitment when I asked what they’ve been reading.

I learned – in greater detail than the original text – about their favorite book series, which I’m pretty certain involved a kid and most definitely dragons, and the kid had bullies and also sisters (which were maybe the same people), and these other people also had dragons who weren’t allowed in the apartment complex, which was a problem, because CLEARLY you cannot keep your dragons

OUTDOORS, especially on a day like THIS, and you don’t even understand how cool the main character’s clothing is, which she makes herself with the dragon’s keen fashion sense guiding her, but the other dragons don’t appreciate the chic bent to apartment D-3, so they bond together to wipe out both the main character and her dragon, and it’s possible the lines bled between the book series and the Lego village we were touring while enduring the synopsis, but you get the gist, and also I evaded conversations about the stock market, so it was a real win-win.

This is the greatest hope I have for the future. I’m pretty certain we’re all going to die in an overheated, ever-erratic climate, like that time I forgot banana bread was in the oven. But until that happens, kids and other young people will keep reading, and bookstore sales will continue to climb, so long as we have trees to make books and zealots to spike book sales by banning books. I just hope some of them are mine.

– Zach Hively

SignoftheDownfall:

The surprises that keep coming with Lake Mead’s falling water levels, including human remains, sunken boats and old warships. Kinda makes you start to wonder what lies beneath Pastorius…

A report showing as many as 10 million Americans haven’t claimed their COVID-19 stimulus money. I mean, if they don’t want it, we’ll take it.

Harvey Weinstein’s attorney raising concern the film producer who is accused of rape, sexual assault and abuse of more than 80 women is being kept in “almost medieval” cell conditions. Aw, poor guy.

Superdefendant

Jason Thompson, 48, who makes $171K annually as the superintendent of a large school district in New York, went viral this past week for crowd surfing at a homecoming game. It was pretty cool right up until when Thompson failed to use a signal on the way home and got arrested for drunk driving. He blew twice the legal limit, which totally explains the whole “crowd surfing with children at work when you’re 48” thing. The surfing video has been viewed close to 200K times, which is ironic given the $200K “help-wanted” ad that will come from it.

Nano

Olivia

Matt

Jack “Led Zeppelin would be awesome.”

Chemical Romance; I’ve never seen them live.”

“I was gonna say Blink-182! They were a big part of growing up in middle school.”

With Blink-182 reuniting for a world tour, the Telegraph asked: “What band would you like to see get back together?”

Sierra

“System of a Down. They haven’t toured since 2015.”

Revival!”

Up and gone

Deep in the middle of last week’s article on staffing shortages in Durango was what I think is the answer to your question on where did all the workers go.

“(Joe) Lloyd said throughout Durango Joe’s five locations in New Mexico – where housing prices and rent are far lower –staffing is not an issue.”

Maybe some have gone to Indiana, too. ;-)

I’ve lived in places where this has happened, especially in California beach towns. If you can’t afford to live in a certain town, you move to some place less expensive, simple as that. After all, we can’t all afford to buy Porsches, so some of us buy used Toyotas and Hondas.

And good luck going from a job as a barista to a white collar job. Why not just become a CEO and make billions?

I’ve only recently moved to Durango, and while I like it and can afford it, I am worried about the future here. I have found through experience that once most of the infrastructure people leave, the town is just not the same. I’m not sure if I want to live in a town composed of mostly older retirees exhibiting rampant Karenism. The working 30- and 40-something crowd is an essential part of every community.

I’ve met people in town that have moved to Bayfield and other outlying areas. My hunch is that many have left town or perhaps moved in with parents until they can figure out what to do next.

It’s not surprising to see so many standing at intersections holding signs for donations. I’m not sure what kind of income these people make, but it is tax-free and you don’t have to answer to some pushy boss.

I don’t think you’ll hear much from the mystery people (workers who left town), as people love to tell you about the “if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere” stories. But not so much the leaveand-drag-your-tail-between-your-legs-and-l ive-someplace-less-desirable ones.

– Eric Orton, Durango

Feeling the pinch

Editor’s note: The following is a response to last week’s article on staffing shortages asking people who have moved to reach out and tell us where they landed.

I’m one of the former Durango blue collar folks who has moved on. After more than 40 years of contributions to the culture and economy of Durango, I’m out. How many talented and engaged community members have been squeezed out by deep-pocketed newcomers? It sucks.

Market realities determine who can and who can’t live in Durango. I can’t, even though I may have been a familiar face around Durango for years. Affordable housing advocates have been spewing empty words in the local media for decades now without resolution. I have arrived at my answer: Reluctantly… leave, and start over in Aztec.

– Bob Gregorio, Aztec

Boebert’s Cat-astrophe

You might have checked the news recently and seen U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s bogus claims that “they are putting litter boxes in schools for people who identify as cats” and thought to yourself, you gotta be kitten me! But before you start getting too upset about the state of American democracy, let me propose an idea: Boebert and her fellow conspiracy theorist lunatics are secretly geniuses.

Wait, wait! Hear me out! These unhinged people have presented us with the perfect loophole to escape the claws of conservative extremism: become a cat.

Cats aren’t shackled to rules and laws and elections that result in your very own body becoming regulated by QAnon disciples. Hell, cats don’t even abide by the laws of physics. Have you ever tried to tell a cat what to do? Good luck with that.

Perhaps you’re wondering how I intend to become a cat, aside from just using a litter box in public schools, of course. You might even be thinking of ways to steal it for your own personal benefit.

The answer is simple. It all starts with getting one of those fur suits Boebert’s all up in literal arms over. But I’m not talking about the cutesy fur suits that will make me look like I’ve leapt out of an anime. I’m talking ultra-realistic, borderline disturbing fur suits; I’m talking Taylor-Swiftin-Cats-the-Movie-level fur suit.

Phase Two: I start training to run on all fours like that one guy on TikTok. After mastering this skill, I’ll prowl gently and pitifully up to the back door of some un-

suspecting schmuck who is OK with being dominated by a nine-pound animal, pretending that I’m a scraggly yet loveable stray just looking for my furever home. Perhaps I could be blessed with a new, unique name like Tigger? Figaro? Tom?

What’s Phase Three, you ask? Well, from here on out, I settle into my new life, free to come and go as I please, because stray cats like me have more autonomy than you weak, pathetic humans. Especially the ones who can get pregnant.

In fact, last week, I did a little Googling while I still had opposable thumbs. Did you know that abortion is now completely banned in at least 13 states? But do you also know where cats can legally get abortions in the U.S.? That’s right – all 50 states, baby.

If I got pregnant from “unwanted mating” or simply didn’t want to have eight babies at once (humans have it so easy, except for Octomom – she gets it), I could have an abortion. No problemo. Just shove a pill into a gelatinous pile of Friskies, and tell Boebert to stop being such a sourpuss.

Sure, this sounds like a lot of hassle, and the reality that Boebert still has a lead in the polls over her Democratic running mate is making me want to puke up a hairball, but trust me. It’ll all be worth it in the end. Just think of the taxpayerfunded kitty litter AND boxes.

So, my fellow Coloradans, during a time when we’re all having difficulty identifying with the Broncos, make the better choice. Identify as a cat. And be sure to check out my profile on Petfinder!

– Addyson Santese, Durango

Build the garage!

You now have a golden opportunity. Please consider taking advantage of this gift. The city-owned property on the corner of Camino del Rio and College Drive that is now leased to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for parking can either solve the city’s biggest problem or make things much worse.

If you choose to develop a multi-level parking garage on that site, this town will benefit immediately. The railroad could continue to have parking space, and the city would gain the long-needed parking facility that alleviates the drastic shortage of parking in town.

If you choose to sell this parcel to a real estate developer for another retail, hotel or business development, the railroad loses parking (tourists will have to park somewhere else), traffic will increase in that already congested area and the city will continue to suffer with nowhere for anyone – local or tourist – to park.

Please take this gift, and use it to benefit everyone that lives, works or visits Durango. Being a downtown resident, I implore you to make the correct decision.

– Michael Peterson, Durango

Power of the ballot box

Every election cycle we hear that democracy is under threat. This year, it’s really true. The GOP is trying to promote a dangerous fundamental change in our country. We need only to look at what’s been happening in GOP states:

• Criminalization of women’s right to control their own bodies, and Big Brother efforts to enforce that criminalization. The collateral damage is women’s lives at risk.

• People working minimum wage at $7.25/hr., far below what’s needed for economic survival and the rate in other states.

• The most minimal social safety nets for people at the bottom, and not surprisingly, the highest rates of poverty and people with no form of health insurance.

• Efforts to ban books from schools and community libraries. Some people don’t like certain ideas, and they don’t want anyone else to have access to those ideas either.

• Vague laws proscribing what teachers and students can discuss in public school classrooms, such as honest American history, racism or LGBTQ issues.

• Voter suppression measures enacted in GOP states in the bogus guise of protecting election integrity. One of the classic ways of rigging elections is political gerrymandering. Both parties do it, but the GOP has raised it to a fine art. They could take over the House this fall just with gerrymandering, never mind what voters want.

• Then there are the efforts to overturn results of the 2020 presidential election. This fall, the GOP is running candidates in several states who pledge to overturn results where voters prefer the non-GOP candidate. What they’re saying is that elections will only count when they win.

Anyone who supports democracy should vote for Democrats in November. Boycott the GOP.

– Carole McWilliams, Bayfield

You’ve got (no) mail

by Jonathan Romeo

Much has been made about the U.S. Postal Service’s uncertain future in recent years. But rural communities, which particularly rely on mail as a lifeline to the outside world, are already being impacted.

For a textbook example, look no further than the Southwest Colorado towns of Hesperus and Marvel.

“It’s become a nightmare,” Sharon Daniel, a 40-year Hesperus resident, said. “Sometimes you just don’t know what has happened to your mail.”

Hesperus, 12 miles west of Durango, and the more dispersed community of Marvel, about 15 miles on Highway 140, is around 325 square miles with about 1,400 properties.

Among the sprawling mix of piñon-juniper, sagebrush and agricultural lands, there’s not much in these communities aside from homes, a couple granges and fire stations, and the sweet nothingness of the countryside. The only anchors to speak of are the two post office locations.

In recent years, however, budget cuts and staffing shortages at the USPS across the country have caused mail delivery to be spotty in rural areas, where people rely on mail for medications, livelihoods, social security documents and other critical services. What’s more, limited hours and dysfunction at the two post office locations have further exacerbated the issue, residents say.

The situation in western La Plata County has reached such a fever pitch that elected officials are taking note. La Plata County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton said county officials have pleaded for help from Congress, including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper as well as Rep. Lauren Boebert.

“We are extremely concerned about this,” Porter-Norton said. “People out there live an isolated lifestyle, so the mail is really important. Some people in rural areas who have problems with their mail can’t function.”

Hamstrung

Four out of five Americans live in cities, but the USPS has a mandate to deliver to every address, no matter the location. According to a 2020 USPS report, there are 46 million mailboxes in rural areas, with about

30% of all delivery points served by USPS classified as rural.

While the USPS has become a critical and universal service for millions of Americans, it has been plagued with bureaucratic dysfunction and budgetary cuts, leading to higher workloads, chronic turnover rates and crippling staffing shortages. According to the Pew Research Center, from 19992019, USPS lost 30% of its employees, falling from 900,000 to 630,000.

Much more could be said about the USPS’s plight, such as the failure to modernize and

the rise of private companies, such as UPS, FedEx and Amazon. In 2006, a Republican Congress passed a law requiring the USPS to pay retiree health benefits 75 years in advance, amounting to $120 billion, which was an unprecedented move that critics say was an intentional push to privatize the public service. Additionally, former President Donald Trump (who consistently criticized and blocked funding to the USPS), the pandemic (record package levels on top of employee absences) and cost-cutting Postmaster General Louis DeJoy all fed into the USPS’s woes.

The situation at the USPS is far-reaching and complex, but for the purposes of this story, one thing is clear: when all these issues hamstring the agency, it seems rural areas are always the most acutely impacted. Though people living in rural areas account for only 16% of the U.S. population, nearly 60% of post offices are located in rural areas, places often without internet access that are long drives to town centers.

Hostage situation

Years ago, the post office in Marvel was open from about 10 a.m.-4 p.m., six days a

Free Workers Rights Clinic

Recent budget cuts and staffing shortages at the United States Postal Service have hit rural post offices, such as the one in Hesperus, particularly hard. Complaints over the situation at Hesperus and the small enclave of Marvel have reached a fevered pitch, however, with residents complaining of lost and returned mail, no delivery and random fees./ Courtesy photo

week. Now, it’s only open – in theory – an hour a day when the sole post office employee who runs the Hesperus station has time to drive down in the afternoon.

“It’s been cut back and cut back and cut back,” Pam Marshal, who has lived in Marvel for 22 years, said. “The hours are always changing, and I get why people are upset. Now it’s a big, controversial thing out here.”

But the system overall has suffered, including carrier service, and it seems everyone has a horror story.

In April 2021, Chris Anderson, who has lived in the area nearly 30 years, said he couldn’t find his tax documents (mailed by FedEx), only to discover a week later the USPS in Hesperus was holding it. He said he was forced to pay USPS $30 to get them back. “They held my taxes hostage a week before even notifying me,” Anderson said. “But you’re at the mercy of them, because you don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Amy Reid, who runs a poultry farm in Hesperus, said she has had countless pieces of mail returned to the sender without notice. She said she’s incurred random fees with no explanation. In one instance, prescription medication for her birds was returned, resulting in the deaths of 200 chicks. “It goes on and on; I couldn’t even add up my financial losses,” Reid said. “And it’s escalating. We never know if we’re going to get our mail or packages.”

Betsy Lovelace, a resident since 2002, said a couple months ago she filed a for-

mal complaint with the USPS after not receiving any mail for several days with no explanation. When she contacted the Hesperus Post Office, she was told she could not come pick up her mail.

“Something has to give, because this is a federal agency, and they can’t hijack people’s mail and tell you that you can’t come get it,” she said. “My packages weren’t necessarily important that time, but we have people out here who get prescriptions through the mail. I’ve heard of documents never delivered.”

Bailed out by Brown

The Durango Telegraph contacted local and state representatives for USPS last week and this week for an interview. No interview was granted, but in a blanket statement that did not address specific issues, a USPS spokesman wrote: “Unfortunately, our current staffing levels have impacted this area, and we have been unable to serve every customer every day. We apologize and pledge to do better.”

With few options, residents have had to adapt.

Lindsay Walters, a resident in the area since 2013, said she now gets important mail sent to her mother’s house in Durango. “I have to drive all the way to Durango, but at least I get it, and it doesn’t get returned to the sender,” she said. “It’s just frustrating that over 10 years, nothing has been done, and it just gets worse.”

Kimberly Archut now uses UPS for sensitive packages. “I don’t have important things shipped to me by the USPS,” she

said. “(As a former USPS employee), it doesn’t surprise me that my neighbors are being tormented.” Daniel, too, said: “I just finally got to the point where I don’t use USPS anymore.”

Eleven-year resident Chris Conrad said even when the Marvel Post Office is open, services are unreliable. When the internet is down, locals can’t mail a package or use a credit card. Stamps are always out of stock. And she, too, went days without mail.

“I had my own business that required shipping on a regular basis,” Conrad said. “The uncertainty and unreliability of the postal facilities was a factor in me giving up and closing my business.”

(According to multiple residents interviewed for this story, complaints have been filed against the Hesperus Post Office employee for supposed wrongdoing, allegedly charging random fees and acts of retaliation, such as losing mail or returning it to the sender. Porter-Norton said the accusations are extremely concerning, but not proven and need to be looked into.)

Help on the way?

After years of dysfunction, Hesperus and Marvel residents are finally being heard by higher ups.

“Our regional staff has heard concerns about the mail operations and service at the Hesperus and Marvel Post Offices and submitted a formal inquiry with the Colorado/Wyoming District Office asking that they look into the matter,” Bennet’s spokeswoman Olivia Bercow said.

Robert Hedges, a 16-year resident, said

he went three days without mail. In another instance, a mail carrier delivered a water heater and placed it in a mud puddle (captured on camera). Then, he found a package containing awards and certificates he was supposed to give to National Coast Guard auxiliary members on the side of a road in a snowbank. “So I filed a complaint all the way to the Inspector General’s Office against the Hesperus Post Office,” he said.

“But nothing ever happens.”

Brad Blake, a former La Plata County commissioner who is running for reelection, has heard much of the same. “I’ve heard dozens of horror stories,” he said.

“And I feel like it’s a health, safety and welfare issue. It’s just been a disaster out there for quite a while, and now it’s just an urgent cause.”

Some help may be on the way. In a rare display of bipartisanship, Congress in March passed a $50 billion financial relief package, which was signed by President Joe Biden in April. “We need this money to be used and deployed immediately,” Porter-Norton said.

But for residents in western La Plata County, when that money could arrive, if at all, is anyone’s guess. Conrad said she heard through the local grapevine there’s an effort afoot to close the Marvel Post Office. And she questioned whether the poor service at the Hesperus and Marvel post offices is because of issues locally or at the federal level.

“You know, we’ve always been the redhaired stepchild out here getting the crumbs,” she said. “That is, if they even think of us at all.”

Let’sDigIn

Don’t call it a comeback

by Sinjin Eberle

Who doesn’t love a great comeback story? Just when you think the champ might truly be down and out, they somehow pull themselves up and come back swinging – grinding to land every punch and eventually coming out with arms raised. So heartwarming, but in reality so rare, making the victory in the end that much sweeter.

We’ve all heard the stories around the restaurant industry about how truly grueling the past two years have been – places closing early in the pandemic, closing in the middle of the pandemic or just not quite being able to make it through the pandemic. Then the struggles with staffing and cost of living, all layered on top of the sheer fact that running a restaurant is hard in the best of times. Stack all these headwinds against them, and it’s remarkable that any of them have made it through, let alone thrive.

In the summer of 2021, I heard rumors that Olde Tymer’s Café – the classic burgers and beer spot at Main Avenue and 10th Street, was about to go through some big changes. Rumors were swirling and questions were asked, and then suddenly boom, there were signs on the doors about being closed for a while. If you peeked in the windows, the lights were off and chairs were stacked on the tables. Was this the end of yet another cornerstone of downtown Durango – taking after the permanent closure of the Irish Embassy, The Red Snapper and The Palace? Was this going to be the knockout punch for yet another “everyday Joe” restaurant after a nearly 40-year run?

Olde Tymer’s Café was founded in 1981 by Roger Roessler and some partners, who eventually sold the business to Roger’s nephews Keith and Kevin Roessler about 20 years later. Things were going along swimmingly until the pandemic shutdowns hit. While there were plans to do some remodeling and changes to the restaurant to take advantage of the down time, as time went on, the hardships from the pandemic lingered, and it looked less and less likely that they might pull it off.

Enter Mark Cavalli, who started working in the Olde Tymer’s kitchen in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic. At the time, Cavalli was working there part-time to help out a friend who was also a cook while he planned to secure funding to open his own bistro-style restaurant in

town. As pandemic shutdowns continued, his funding was put on hold, so he went to work at Carver Brewing for a while, which offered more hours and pay.

Eventually, he was offered an opportunity to head back over to Olde Tymer’s full time. Cavalli told me, “I already saw the potential for the place at the time, so I took the job and left Carvers and came back here. Over the course of that year, I just fell in love with the building and the blood, sweat and tears and all that good stuff.”

At one point last summer, it looked like the restaurant was truly going to close if a deal couldn’t be made for Cavalli to buy it. So he kept negotiating and working through the process, and then, in August 2021, they were able to close the deal.

More than a year in, he’s hitting his stride. “I’m really getting to know my regulars now, what they like and what they order,” he said.

One thing that is clear from talking with Cavalli is the pride in the restaurant still being a family operation to this day. “We are family-operated as well,” Cavalli said. “My kids work here, my daughter works downstairs doing all the books, and my other daughter works in the kitchen. The grandkids are here all the time. So people see the family here – they really see us as a family place, and I think that’s bringing more support from the community.”

Cavalli, 47, grew up in Phoenix and moved to Durango in spring 2017. For nearly 30 years, he has been a professional cook. “I do food because this is what I love to do,” he said. “I could have made more money doing other things, but I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

One other aspect I had heard about this renewed vision for Olde Tymer’s was a unique ownership model. Cavalli described to me how a handful of employees are participat-

ing in a program where, if they work there for more than two years and commit to staying after that, they get 1% ownership of the business free of charge.

“Hopefully we grow the corporation with more money to make for everybody, and the hope is that people will buy into it more – feel more ownership themselves. We may not be able to compete with some other places on wages, but we can compete in a different way together,” Cavalli explained. “After that, if they do want to leave, they could sell their shares back to the corporation (based on the value of the business), but not sell them out on the street.”

Cycling the investment and loyalty back into Olde Tymer’s is yet one more metaphor for the family business, and it looks like it is working, as retention is better even in the face of all the challenges facing restaurants right now. Like most other establishments, cost of living, rising food costs and secure, reliable workers are the biggest challenges Cavalli – and essentially all other restaurant owners – are grappling with. Some of the bigger places might be able to raise wages to lure workers back in the door, but a scrappy operation like Olde Tymer’s doesn’t have that luxury when there are upgrades to be made and a building to maintain. How any of these operations hold it together is simply amazing and impressive.

We left our discussion thinking about the vibe that defines Olde Tymer’s. I like going in there to enjoy a comfortable setting, maybe just take in a Broncos game with a burger and a beer, and enjoy the positive, upbeat staff and energetic feel of the place. Cavalli described it as being a “Cheers-type of place,” but with good food at a reasonable price. “Where you can come in and just relax and do your thing – not be stressed out – and spend an hour or two,” he said.

Olde Tymer’s Café, the venerable beer and burger joint on 10th & Main, underwent an ownership change recently. The restaurant was bought by Mark Cavalli, who started working in the kitchen in 2020./ Photo by Sinjin Eberle

Cavalli

BetweentheBeats

Playing for the home crowd

Alissa Wolf’s journey from orchestra nerd to freakish fiddler

by Stephen Sellers

Once a self-proclaimed orchestra nerd and aspiring corporate boss, Alissa Wolf has torn off the shackles of musical stereotypes, high heels and pencil skirts to self-actualize into the mighty, badass fiddler (and artist at-large) for the Stillhouse Junkies that she is.

Not all of us have the guts to quit our day jobs and chase the dream – Wolf did –and she’s in it for the long haul. And, I mean long. This year alone has seen month-long tours in Ireland, the U.K. and Netherlands, with more than 78 straight days of touring in the U.S. on top of it.

By the grace of the fiddle gods, I was able to connect with Wolf in between her recent barn-burning performances at the International Bluegrass Music Awards and her sustained campaign of Western Slope fiddle groove on the East Coast. All roads lead back to Durango for Wolf and the Junkies, though, as they set their sights on Durango’s beloved Animas City Theatre for two nights Oct. 27-28.

What were you doing prior to forming Stillhouse Junkies?

I was living in D.C. working a corporate sales job, and I hated it. So, I quit and moved back to Durango. That’s when I met Ashley Edwards and Jesse Ogle of iAM Music. I started out just teaching music lessons, and within a year, I was writing grants and doing other things. I ended up working there as the executive director and was with the organization for about seven years.

When did you start playing violin?

I started Suzuki-based violin when I was 8. I played in orchestra all the way until I was 18.

What kind of orchestra kid are

we talking about here, exactly?

I was a very serious violin kid. I was concertmaster at Durango High School my junior and senior year. It’s so dorky! I did go to college for music, but I dropped my music degree, because I was a little burned out. When I moved back to Durango in 2014, that’s when I started to figure out how to fiddle.

You’ve found a voice that’s very unique as a fiddler. Living in a small town like Durango, what is it that propels you forward as a musician?

I’m always on a journey of trying to get better and better. My bandmates inspire me so much. They’re the biggest part of what pushes me forward as a musician. Cody (Tinnin) getting me into old-time music has helped me understand groove. Fred (Kosak’s) songwriting is so incredible and has pushed me to new levels just through osmosis. Those guys play a huge role.

I’m constantly inspired. I know that the fiddle is a beast and takes a lifetime of playing. I still don’t know if there’s such a thing as mastering it. I feel like no matter what level you’re at, you’re always going to learn from someone. I don’t pass up an opportunity to jam, even when I’m really intimidated and embarrass the hell out of myself. We were in NYC for a couple days recently, so I reached out to Kenny Kosek. He’s played with everybody – Jerry Garcia, even. I emailed him and ended up going to his place on the Upper West Side. Sitting with him for an hour and a half gave me all of this stuff to work on. People want to pass on the knowledge, you just have to ask.

What is touring like? What are the things you’ve discovered along the way?

Touring is really hard, I’ll start with that.

We went full throttle as a band, because all three of us want to do this full time and make a living at it. I really believe the only way to make a living as an artist is to push really, really hard. To get known well enough to get paid well enough to make it work. We have little breakthroughs, we can see we’re on the right trail. But, being on the road, you definitely have days where you’re like, “Whoa, this is hard! Is this worth it?” In my mind, it is.

It’s worth saying that one of the hardest things about touring life is that it’s hard to cultivate a personal life back home. An established partner, a home – it is doable. But, it’s hard when you’re always gone.

The Junkies played the Telluride Band Contests in 2018 and 2019. Tell us, what’s it like stepping on that big stage looking back in the canyon?

It’s thrilling! I don’t know if I’ve ever

experienced that much adrenaline in my body at once, especially that first year. Getting to play the main stage was incredible. That first bass note that Cody played boomed out and echoed off the mountains, and that was a surreal moment for us. That’s a stage I’ve been watching since I was a kid.

Tell us about your hometown shows at the ACT? What’s in store for the Junkie faithful?

Some good energy! We had a huge summer, a huge year, and we’re ready to come home and celebrate the release of this album with our friends and family. It’s thrilling to travel around the country and the world to share our music, but there’s nothing more special than coming home and playing for the people we’re closest to. For us to finish the season with the people we love the most – and with High Country Hustle and Wood Belly – there’s gonna be some epic jams!

Alissa Wolf and her band Stillhouse Junkies will rock two nights at the Animas City Theatre on Oct. 27 & 28./ Photo by Renée Cornue

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

Thursday13

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

USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Bayfield Apple Gleaning, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., meet at 658 S. East Street. Part of Bayfield Area Community Fruit Harvest.

Ska-BQ with Chuck Hank, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

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

Meditation, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

Author/Artist Kayla Shaggy event & signing, 6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Lizard Head Quartet plays, 6 p.m., Durango Hot Springs.

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio.

Clear Spring Jazz Trio plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Lyrics Born with InFluSense plays, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Friday14

Fall Festival, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Jack-A-Lope Acres, 7195 County Road 318.

USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Ride the Train to Cascade, five-hour ride with historic interpreters, 9:30 a.m., animasmuseum.org/events.html

Bayfield Apple Gleaning, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., meet at 658 S. East St. Part of Bayfield Area Community Fruit Harvest.

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

Fashion Show, 4 p.m. & 7 p.m., Lively (a boutique), 809 Main Ave. Benefit for iAM Music.

Artist Shawn Lotz opening reception, 5-9 p.m., Studio &, 1027 Main Ave. Exhibit runs through Oct. 31.

Durango Open Studio Tour – Taster Art Exhibition, 5-8 p.m., Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Downtown Balloon Glow, 6 p.m., 500 block of Main Ave.

A Spooky Night at the Pumpkin Patch, 6 p.m., Falfa Pumpkin Patch, 54 County Road 221.

Jack Ellis & Larry Carver play, 6-9 p.m., Fur Trappers Steakhouse, 701 E. 2nd Ave.

10-Minute Play Festival, 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Basilaris plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

The Burroughs plays, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Free Movie Friday: “Beetlejuice,” 8 p.m., Jack-ALope Acres, 7195 County Road 318.

Saturday15

Mancos Cowboy Half Marathon, 5K & Fun Run, 7 a.m., start at Mancos Public Library.

Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascension, 8 a.m., Hermosa.

Bayfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m., 1328 CR 501.

Homebuyer Education Class, 8:30 a.m., FLC Sitter Family Hall Room 710.

Durango Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-12 noon, TBK Bank parking lot, live music by Jonas Grushkin.

Fall Festival, featuring pumpkin patch, corn maze and other family activities, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Jack-A-Lope Acres, 7195 County Road 318.

USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Durango Open Studio Tour, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Bayfield Community Apple Share & Cook Out, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., meet at 658 S. East Street.

Thierry Multon plays, 1-4 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Dreem Machine plays, 5 p.m., Mancos Brewing Co.

High Altitude Blues play, 5-8 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

iAM Music Fest, 5-9 p.m. at Durango Craft Spirits & late night stage 9:30-11 p.m. at iNDIGO Room.

Balloon Glow, 6 p.m., 500 block of Main Ave.

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

The Matriarchy plays, 6 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Matt Rupnow plays, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main.

10-Minute Play Festival, 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Gothla Belly Dance Show & Dance Party, 7-10 p.m., Durango Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave.

Garrett Young Collective plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Spaghetti Western plays, 7 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Silent Disco w/DJ Squoze, 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m., 11th Street Station.

Sunday16

Hot Air Balloon Mass Ascension, 8 a.m., Hermosa.

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.

Fall Festival, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Jack-A-Lope Acres, 7195 CR 318.

USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Durango Open Studio Tour, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Reeder & Spencer play, 1-4 p.m., 11th Street Station.

10-Minute Play Festival, 2 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Harvest Fest, 2-6 p.m., Rotary Park. Hosted by Durango Natural Foods Co-Op.

Open Mic, 5:30 p.m., Mountain Monk, 558 Main.

Comedy Show, 6:30 p.m., Olde Tymers, 1000 Main.

The Polish Ambassador plays (sold out), 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Monday17

Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109.

“Science and Connections in High Mountain Regions,” 6:30 p.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203. Presentation by FLC professor Heidi Steltzer.

Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Comedy Open Mic, 8 p.m., Starlight, 937 Main.

Tuesday18

The California Honeydrops play (sold out), 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Open Mic Night, weekly 7:30-9:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Comedy Open Mic, weekly, 9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Wednesday19

Rock & Mineral Identification Presentation, 3-6 p.m., Brookside Park, 2351 Main Ave. Hosted by Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club.

AskRachel

Running on empty, hang-xiety and downward dogs

Interesting fact: First result on Google indicates that coffee only helps hangovers by preventing you from having a caffeine headache on top of a hangover headache and a regret headache.

Dear Rachel,

I hate that there’s no good way to know when the propane tank on the grill is about to run out. It burns like a champ for months and months, and then when I finally decide to have guests over for a backyard barbecue, poof! The tank runs dry halfway through cooking some burgers and brats, and one of us has to run to the store, the meat gets chewy and everyone drinks more of my beer to wash down the experience. What’s a life-saving idea to manage the tank?

– Pro Pain

Dear Gaseous, I’m no grillmeister, just a person doing the best she can to get through the day without eating too many Slim Jims. But the best solution I can think of is… get a backup tank? You’ll have a full one at the ready and can top off the empty at your leisure. Then again, I have been around the Durango rental circuit enough times to know that not every bungalow or backyard garage has enough space for both an extra tank AND four seasons of outdoor gear. Maybe you should stick with charcoal.

– Grilled to perfection, Rachel

Trivia Night, 6 p.m., Zia’s north, 2977 Main Ave.

Johnny Johnston plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Standup Comedian Alex Moffat, 7:30 p.m., FLC Community Concert Hall.

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

Ongoing

“Wild Kratts: Ocean Adventure! And Creature Power!” hands-on exhibits with focus on STEM skills for kids, runs until Jan. 7, Farmington Museum, 3041 E. Main St.

The Hive Indoor Skate Park, open skate and skate lessons. Waivers required. thehivedgo.org

Upcoming

Mishka & Of Good Nature play, Oct. 21, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

The Secret Circus Society presents: “Freaks & Treats,” Oct. 22, 8 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

FLC Performing Arts Presents: “Cabaret,” Oct. 21-22, 27-29 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 23 at 2 p.m., Mainstage Theater, durangoconcerts.com

Dear Rachel,

Why is coffee such a standard hangover drink? Why is that all I want in my mouth after a night of too much whiskey? Seems like it would compound the headaches and the thirst and the bad breath. And maybe it does. But it also makes me feel like I can face down the world again. Is there some chemical or mystical component at play? Can you explain it?

–

Dear Cafe Ow Lait,

Dark As My Memory

Look, I like my coffee as much as the next overworked and underslept schmuck. But there’s also this thread of identity around coffee dependence that I lump in with “hump day humor” – the same people whose wittiest weekly remarks have to do with whether it’s Monday or Friday or any other day of the week, usually also have mass-produced swirly-script signs about their need for French-vanilla-drenched caffeine. You may not have signs, but you need to let go of who you think you are. Because you are still you without your fix.

Joe mama, Rachel

Dear Dog Whisper-Shouter,

Dear Rachel,

My dog is doing really well with his training… when I’m home to watch him. Like, stay off the bed. He gets it! But I come home every day to mussed up blankets and a “What? Me?” look. I can’t figure out how the heck I’m supposed to train him when I’m not there. Can you?

– No Cesar Millan

Easy: Get another dog. It’s possible they’ll train each other and check each other’s bad behaviors. Alternately, they’ll get twice as unruly, but at least you’ll never know which one to blame. You could decide to foist it all on the new puppy, and voila! Your original dog is now trained. It’s like the backup gas tank method for house pets.

– Good girl, Rachel

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

“Magic Realism Bot” is a Twitter account that generates ideas for new fairy tales. Since you will benefit from imagining your life as a fairy tale in the coming weeks, I’ll offer you a few possibilities. 1. You marry a rainbow. The two of you have children: a daughter who can sing like a river and a son who is as gleeful as the wind. 2. You make friends with a raven that gives you savvy financial advice. 3. You invent a new kind of dancing; it involves crying and laughing while making holy prayer gestures toward your favorite star. 4. An angel and a lake monster join forces to help you dream up fun new adventures. 5. You discover a field of enchanted dandelions. They have the power to generate algorithms that reveal secrets about where to find wonders and marvels.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

On Feb. 1, 1976, singer Elvis Presley was partying with buddies at his home in Memphis, Tennessee. As the revelry grew, he got an impetuous longing for an 8,000calorie sandwich made with French bread, peanut butter, blueberry preserves and slabs of bacon. Since this delicacy was only available at a certain restaurant in Denver, Colorado, Elvis and his entourage spontaneously hopped onto his private jet and flew 900 miles to get there. In accordance with astrological omens, Taurus, I encourage you to summon an equally keen determination to obtain pleasurable treasures. Hopefully, though, they will be more important than a sandwich. The odds of you procuring necessary luxuries that heal and inspire are much higher than usual.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Gemini writer Nikki Giovanni reminds us, “It cannot be a mistake to have cared. It cannot be an error to have tried. It cannot be incorrect to have loved.” In accordance with astrological omens, I ask you to embody Giovanni’s attitude. Shed any worries that your caring and trying and loving have been blunders. Celebrate them, be proud of them and promise yourself that you will keep caring and trying and loving. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to renew your commitment to your highest goodness.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I was born near Amarillo, Texas, where the U.S. Energy Department stores more than 20,000 plutonium cores from old nuclear warheads. Perhaps that explains some of my brain’s mutant qualities. I’m not normal. I’m odd and iconoclastic. On the other hand, I don’t think my peculiarity makes me better than anyone. It’s just who I am. I love millions of people who aren’t as quirky as me, and I enjoy communicating with unweird people as much

as I do with weirdos. Everything I just said is a preamble for my main message, Cancerian: The coming weeks will be prime time for you to give extra honor and credit to your personal eccentricities, even if they comprise a minor part of your personality.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Author Jennifer Huang testifies,

“Poetry is what helps me remember that even in my fragments, I am whole.” What about you, Leo? What reminds you, even in your fragments, that you are whole? Now is an excellent time to identify the people, animals and influences that help you generate a sense of unity and completeness. Once you’re clear about that, spend quality time doing what you can to nurture those healers. Maybe you can even help them feel more cohesion and harmony in themselves.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

Virgo journalist Sydney J. Harris described “the three hardest tasks in the world.” He said they weren’t “physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts.” Here they are: 1. to return love for hate; 2. to include the excluded; 3. to say “I was wrong.” I believe you will have a special talent for all three of these brave actions in the coming weeks, Virgo. Amazingly, you’re also more likely than usual to be on the receiving end of those brave actions. Congratulations in advance!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

When he was young, Libran poet W. S. Merwin had a teacher who advised him, “Don’t lose your arrogance yet. You can do that when you’re older. Lose it too soon, and you may merely replace it with vanity.” I think that counsel is wise for you to meditate on right now. Here’s how I interpret it: Give honor and respect to your fine abilities. Salute and nurture your ripe talents. Talk to yourself realistically about the success you have accomplished. If you build up your appreciation for what is legitimately great about you, you won’t be tempted to resort to false pride or self-absorbed egotism.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

In his absurdist play “Waiting for Godot,” Samuel Beckett offers us two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, who patiently wait for a white-bearded man named Godot. They’re convinced he will provide them with profound help, perhaps even salvation. Alas, although they wait and wait and wait, Godot never arrives. Near the end, when they have abandoned hope, Vladimir says to Estragon, “We are not saints, but we have kept our appointment.” My sense is that you Scorpios, like Vladimir and Estragon, may be close to giving up your own vigils. Please don’t! I believe your personal equivalent to Godot will ultimately appear. Summon more patience.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Poet Charles Wright has testified, “I admire and revere and am awed by a good many writers. But Emily Dickinson is the only writer I’ve ever read who knows my name, whose work has influenced me at my heart’s core, whose music is the music of songs I’ve listened to and remembered in my very body.” In my astrological reckoning, now is an excellent time for you Sagittarians to identify artists and creators who provide you with similar exaltation. And if there are no Emily Dickinson-type influences in your life, find at least one! You need to be touched and transformed by sublime inspiration.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’ve read and studied poetry for many years, but only recently discovered Capricorn poet Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856-1935). How is it possible I missed her? Her contemporary, journalist H. L. Mencken, described her work as “one of the imperishable glories of American literature.” She received many other accolades while alive. But today, she is virtually unknown, and many of her books are out of print. In bringing her to your attention, I am announcing my prediction about you: Anything in your life that resembles Reese’s reputation will change in the next 12 months. If you have until now not gotten the recognition or gratitude you deserve, at least some of it will arrive.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.

18): Author Sophia Dembling defines a friend as a person who consoles you when you’re feeling desperate and with whom you don’t feel alone. A friend is someone whose life is interesting to you and who is interested in your life. Maybe most importantly, a friend must not be boring. What’s your definition, Aquarius? Now is an excellent time to get clear about the qualities you want in a friend. It’s also a favorable phase to seek out vital new friendships as you deemphasize mediocre and overly demanding alliances.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March

20): Do you or do you not wish to capitalize on the boost that’s available? Are you or are you not going to claim and use the challenging gift that would complicate your life but also expedite your growth? Act soon, Pisces! If you don’t, the potential dispensation may disappear. This is an excellent chance to prove you’re not afraid of achieving more success and wielding more power. I hope you will summon the extra courage necessary to triumph over shyness and timidity. Please claim your rightful upgrade!

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 www.durangotelegraph.com 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

2022 The New Axis of Evil Desantis/Abbott.

The Real Axis of Evil Biden, Harris, Pelosi, Shumer

Classes/Workshops

West Coast Swing Dance

6-week class starts November 2. Learn the basics of West Coast Swing. Registration is required at www.westslopewest ies.com.

HelpWanted

Looking for a sweet job?

Durango Outdoor Exchange is hiring for part-time and full-time positions. Do you have -retail sales experience -gear knowledge -Saturday and holiday season availability  -self motivation -stoke for outdoors? Come join the crew! Applications available on our website or swing by to meet with Bryce. www.durangoout doorexchange.com/pages/who-we-are 3677 Main Ave.

Massage Therapists Needed

Amaya is hiring massage therapist part time positions. Send an email to tricia gourley13@gmail.com or drop off resume to apply.

Free Free Moving Boxes

Free moving boxes including wardrobe boxes, dish boxes, general moving boxes of various sizes and legal file boxes. Must pick up. Text (832) 474-7191

ForSale

Aquaterra; both gently used. Paddles included, $50 each. 970-507-1608

Womens Brown Blundstones 7/7.5

These babies are brand new – never worn. Just in time for fall. In “Rustic Brown,” a distressed/ weathered brown leather. $175 OBO (reg. $240 w/tax) A screaming deal! Text for pics or details: 970-749-2595.

Gordon Smith FibreFlex Longboard

A classic – sweet, smooth ride for cushy cruising. Been around the block but still in great shape. 42” long. $50 Text: 970-749-2595.

Vassago Jabberwocky Singlespeed

17” steel frame, black, hardtail, front Fox 32” fork. Set up for tubeless, decent rubber. Super fun, light and zippy bike –great for in-town rides, Phil’s or more. $700 Text: 970-749-2595.

GoPro Camera

Hero 5. A few years old but only used once or twice and otherwise just sat in a drawer. It is deserving of a more exciting owner! $150 OBO. Text 970-749-2595

Reruns Home Furnishings

Cozy up your home: bistros, dressers, mid-century end tables, rugs, primitive table and industrial Urban Market chair. Lots of cool stuff, ever-changing inventory … Patio blowout continues! 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

Wanted

Seeking Studio or Workspace

Seeking workspace in valley, Florida Rd or 81301. Studio, barn or outbuilding with slab and electric. Would consider helping to rehab or improve. Two responsible sculptors with moderate budget ready to make long-term or short-term commitment. Please contact Tom at pen nthomas24@yahoo.com

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

Services

Need Insight into Your Life

Friendly Carpentry and Painting Stucco repair, 707-806-3456.

Marketing Small and Local Businesses

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

Harmony Cleaning and Organizing

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

Lowest Prices on Storage!

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

BodyWork

Lotus Path Healing Arts

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

Massage by Meg Bush

LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.

CommunityService

Durango PlayFest Seeks

Play Submissions

from area writers by Dec. 1 for its fifth annual festival, June 28-July 2, 2023. Prior playwriting experience not required. Se-

TeleFlashBack2002

HaikuMovieReview

lected playwright will collaborate with a local director and actors to develop the work for a staged reading during the festival. Plays should be 60-90 pages, with up to four characters. Playwrights must reside within daily driving distance to Durango to attend rehearsals in June. Submit plays in a Word document or PDF to durangoplayfest@gmail.com with “play” in the subject line. For more info, visit durangoplayfest.org.

Volunteers Needed

Alternative Horizons is in need of volunteer hotline advocates. AH supports survivors of Domestic Violence. Call 970247-4374 for more details.

Applications for Advanced Standing MSW Program

Students with a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) are eligible for a oneyear Masters of Social Work program through the University of Denver.  The program starts summer 2023 and classes are taught in Durango. Stipends for child welfare, integrated behavioral health care are available.  Native American tuition support to eligible students is also available.  For more info contact Janelle.Doughty@du.edu or visit our website at www.du.edu/socialwork.

This Week’s Tele Time Machine brings you a real estate ad from one of the first Telegraphs ever published. Not only is this 20-year-old ad remarkable for the youthful appearance and luscious locks of Mr. Aronson but the price of the home he was selling. That’s right – a 2-bed, 2-bath “cute” in-town home for a mere $295,000, something even a modest dirtbag could swing. Please don’t call Mike over this house – those days are long gone. Although the hair still looks pretty good.

Recreational Kayaks

And a planet that appears to have gone mad? Call or text for a reading and energy balancing, 970 759 9287.

‘Mr. Harrigan’s Phone’ Stephen King predicts the impending horror of using an iPhone – Lainie Maxson

Re-Elect