Durango Telegraph - July 4, 2019

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July 4, 2019

Vol. XVIII, No. 27 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

Power move

After the storm

How they roll

LPEA formally submits buy-out cost request to Tri-State p8

A glimpse into the aftermath of this winter’s wrath p12

San Juan Trail Riders works for a smoother ride for all p14

c i t p ure a y ...

Bu

it lasts longer.

Some of the amazing photos you see in the Telegraph are now available to purchase online, in digital or print. (*for personal enjoyment and use only.)

To find out more, go to durangotelegraph.com and click on “shop” and “buy photos.”

2 n July 4, 2019

telegraph

lineup

boilerplate

4 La Vida Local

Power play

LPEA submits buy-out cost request

4 Thumbin’ It

by Tracy Chamberlin

5 Word on the Street

11

6-7 Soapbox

Unchained

10 Mountain Town News

Some summer sizzlers to keep you on the edge of your lounge chair

by Jeffrey Mannix

11 Murder Ink

12

12 - 13 Day in the Life

Path of destruction

17 Top Shelf

photos by Stephen Eginoire

14

18 On the Town 20 Ask Rachel

Moto-in’

Next time you’re on buff high-country singletrack, you can thank these folks

by Jennaye Derge

22 Haiku Movie Review

I need a hero

On the cover: A cactus blooms from the rim of the Dolores River Canyon last week./ Photo

by Stephen Eginoire

Why Megan Rapinoe is the new American hero and Fourth festivities

by Chris Aaland

RESIDENT FORMULA ONE FAN: Tracy Chamberlin (tracy@durangotelegraph.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

21 Free Will Astrology 22 Classifieds

17

ADVERTISING AFICIONADO: Lainie Maxson (lainie@durangotelegraph.com)

A wild goose chase

They may be cute and fuzzy as babies, but Denver’s resident goose population has grown into a big, honking problem. Like many cities, the state capital is grappling with how to deal with the large waterfowl’s booming numbers. Across the state, goose populations have soared since the ’70s – multiplying sixfold in some places, according to a story in the Denver Post.

It’s estimated as many as 5,000 geese live yearround in the Mile-High City, living fat on manicured bluegrass, organic bread crumbs, plentiful lakes and few predators. Many thousands more drop in during their annual migration.

But speaking of droppings, all this goosing around isn’t pretty. Canadian geese can produce up to a pound of poop a day, which in turn causes algae blooms and a crapload of complaints.

16 Flash in the Pan

As the snows melt, full extent of winter’s wrath emerges

EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com)

Ear to the ground:

“I think I’m going to start my own rafting company.”

– One entrepreneurial local’s idea for all the paddles found washed up in the Animas

thepole

8

RegularOccurrences

STAR-STUDDED CAST: Lainie Maxson, Chris Aaland, Clint Reid, Stephen Eginoire, Jesse Anderson, Ari LeVaux, Allen Best, Tracy Chamberlin, Jennaye Derge, David Feela, Jeffrey Mannix and Shan Wells

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telegraph

Now, Denver officials are no longer stepping around the issue. This week, Denver Parks staff and USDA officials began rounding up 2,200 geese in an effort to cull the urban flock. The plan is to “humanely” put down the birds and feed them (adult Canada geese can grow to over 10 pounds) to families in need.

Of course, this plan has ruffled feathers of Animal rights advocates who say the killings are cruel and unnecessary, especially at a time when birds are molting and unable to fly. “It’s like a morgue. It’s empty,” one Denver resident told the Post after a goose round-up at City Park this week. “There were all these little families of geese walking through the park. They rounded up all of those, and they killed them.”

Denver Deputy Parks Director Scott Gilmore said the City was left with few viable options.

Over the years, it has been on a wild goose chase of its own, resorting to everything from remotecontrolled “Goosinators” to scare the birds away to rubbing oil on eggs to thwart hatching. The city has even gone so far as to relocate birds to other cities and counties – but now, no one wants them. And meanwhile, the flock grows.

“We’re not trying to get rid of all the geese in the city. We’re just trying to manage to a more healthy population,” Gilmore told the Post.

The operations are taking part in early-morning hours and targeting resident birds, not migratory ones. A few dozen birds will be left at each spot to discourage others from moving in.

Ironically, Canada geese were almost wiped out by white settlers in Colorado until being reintroduced in the 1950s.

Denver is not the first city to kill its golden goose. New York City, Washington, D.C., and Madison, Wisc., have all undergone “goose management” projects.

No word on whether Donald Trump will try to put tariffs on this Canadian import, too.

July 4, 2019 n

3

opinion

LaVidaLocal Things that go beep It happened a week ago, around midnight. I was dreaming of fireworks amid a civil defense siren that kept repeating what sounded like a Cold War era warning: The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! I sat up, still disoriented by sleep, mumbling, What? What? I listened in the dark and heard a shrill chirp coming from some lost corner of the house. I got up to investigate.

I went immediately to inspect my vintage Russian Soviet CCCP Kauahguyckue Maritime Submarine Clock, a leftover from an intact factory churning out the war souvenirs for the world market, but it turned out to be nothing more serious than a little Chinese radio-controlled alarm clock I’d inadvertently set by moving it to a window sill earlier that evening so it might receive a better signal. I located the clock’s toggle switch, shut the alarm off and went back to bed.

As a child, I enjoyed falling asleep in the dark, listening to our family’s antique pendulum clock bong the hours, soothed by its tick-tock, its keywound spring unwinding, that delicate symmetry of precision escape wheel teeth calibrating the night. Even after I’d drifted off, like magic, I often came awake just in time to count the 12 chimes of midnight. If not magic, then my restless nature might have been an odd foretelling of my presentday, more-than-a-passing interest in the instruments of time.

As the keeper of the family clock now that our parents have passed, I keep it in a closet. I don’t mean any disrespect. Before it came to me, my father, bored with winding it every week and dealing with two generations of maladjustments, dismantled the works, dumped all its parts – including the brass winding key – into a shoe box and mounted the old hands onto a cheap quartz movement. The new old clock lost its dignity but it ran without making a sound until I foolishly paid a clock repairman to reassemble the works inside the old oak cabinet. It ran for a month then completely quit.

Still, my house refuses to stay quiet, habitually producing enough peculiar little chirps to be mistaken for an electronic bird chorus. Our new laundry machine trills a tune to let us know when the wash is finished. The toaster oven goes bing, and if I sit in the chair where my after-dark light timer stays plugged into the wall, I hear a tiny ratchet churning like a

bomb, preparing to unload a programmed burst of home-security around sunset. But most irritating of all is the ping when another piece of spam lands on my laptop.

One would expect technology to observe some kind of curfew in the wee hours of the night, but it never sleeps, leaving one red, white or blue eyeball always glowing from across the room like the tip of a lit fuse. A little scary.

What’s even more sinister is a recently invented and celebrated clock I have great affection for that hangs at Corpus Christi College. Referred to as the Corpus Clock, John C Taylor – a 1950s college alum – invested 1.8 million British pounds designing and building this impressive work of art. Its 5-foot diameter dial has no hands that point to the minute or hour. In place of the hands, three concentric and symmetrical circles of slits rotate and an array of blue LED lights appear to flash as the dial approaches the appropriate moment. Honestly, you’d need to study a guide before being able to decipher the correct time.

Perched above the dial an animated insect lurks that could frighten the legs off a grasshopper. This spring I stood on the corner of Trumpington and Benet Streets in Cambridge, England, staring up at the Chronophage (or time-eater) as it devoured minutes like potato chips. Every 60 seconds it slowly opened its mouth, then suddenly snapped it shut. It looked more like a steampunk locust, but the beast has been cleverly engineered as an escapement for the inner-workings of a very traditional mechanical clock, powered by a spring.

The Corpus Clock also toys with the idea of time philosophically, at least as we humans perceive it.

The Chronophage is intentionally horrific in appearance because the passing of time has always represented our inevitable encounter with death. It lacks any sense of compassion. Every hour as it gnashes its teeth, the beast shudders. The clock occasionally seems to halt altogether, or even speed up, a reminder that time cannot be controlled by us. No chimes or pleasant bells announce the hour. Instead, a rattle is heard as a chain gets dragged across a hidden (thankfully not lifesize) coffin and the hour is struck by a little hammer against its wooden lid.

It’s a relief to me that no scale models of the Corpus Clock are being marketed as tourist souvenirs. I’m afraid I’d have bought one for my bedroom wall. But even without one, I say with confidence the Russians can’t hold a candle to what the English have accomplished in disrupting a good night’s sleep.

This Week’s Sign of the Downfall:

Thumbin’It

4 n July 4, 2019

– David Feela

Colorado’s Clean Indoor Air Act being expanded to include a ban on vaping, which may expose bystanders to harmful chemicals and other toxins known to cause cancer

The Dove Creek man who tried, and failed miserably, to drive his Jeep across a swollen Dolores River, leaving the vehicle stranded and leaking gas, oil and assorted flotsam into the river

An EPA assessment released last week that found little risk to human health from mining sites in the Bonita Peak Mining District Superfund Site

Trump’s ridiculous parade of Cold War-era military might and bravado, which is diverting $2.5 million from America’s real treasure, the beleaguered national parks

At last, resolution in the cause of the 416 Fire, with hopes the community can move forward to put the disaster behind it

More alarming and disturbing reports surfacing of squalid and overcrowded conditions at U.S. run migrant detention centers along the U.S.-Mexico border

telegraph

Global Swarming

During a normal winter, the freeze kills all the wasps in a nest except for the queen, who has an “antifreeze compound” in her blood. She has to start from scratch in the spring to build a new colony, according to Charles Ray, an Alabaman entomologist.

However, our warming climate has stopped this from happening, and now, “super nests” the size of cars are forming around Alabama that contain more than 100,000 wasps, each of which can sting multiple times. But the irony is the best part, because many Alabamans still don’t “bee”lieve in global warming.

WordontheStreet

Q

With Independence Day upon us, the Telegraph asked, “How are you celebrating your freedoms?”

Haji Ijadi

"I’ll do whatever I choose to do."

Maddie Roe

"Hanging out and grilling and watching fireworks."

Katie

"Maybe go swimming?"

Sarah Ijadi

Yvonna Graham

"Eating watermelon."

“Visiting the grandkids.”

telegraph

July 4, 2019 n 5

SoapBox

ReTooned/by Shan Wells

Health should be bottom line To the editor, A new Harris Poll found that only 16 percent of U.S. residents believe health insurance corporations put patients before profits. Pharmaceutical companies (9 percent), hospitals (23 percent) and doctors (36 percent) also came up on the wrong end of the patients-first question.

Despite the Affordable Care Act, the cost of health insurance and pharmaceuticals keeps rising as patients are forced to pay more through co-pays and deductibles.

And, still, coverage is often denied.

Dr. Sanjeev Sriram, a pediatrician and health policy advisor, wrote that he once believed the insurance industry would become better partners through the ACA’s reasonable guidelines. Not anymore.

“I have lost faith and accepted the insurance corporations for what they are: machines of unappeasable greed, accountable only to shareholders, never my patients,” he said. Sriram pointed out that, in 2018, as millions of Americans borrowed $88 billion to pay for health care, 62 CEOs of health care companies raked in a combined $1.1 billion in salaries.

“When it comes to our current health-care system’s priorities,” Sriram concluded, “patients are no match for profits.”

In order to restore faith in the system, the “bottom line” needs to be health. If health care is a human right, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights championed by Eleanor Roosevelt and signed in 1948, then it cannot also be a commodity. The two are incompatible.

Improved Medicare for All, a publicly funded system, will be a first step in restoring the trust and health of our people.

– Jan Phillips, Durango4

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telegraph

The Trump way of war To the editor, Notice how similar the Trump administration’s interactions with Iran and North Korea are? The pattern in both cases is dangerous, ill-informed and bound to fail. U.S. adversaries by now understand the pattern; Trump is predictable: • Trump disparages U.S. policy in the Obama administration, determines to reverse it.

• Trump authorizes a program of escalating sanctions designed to destabilize the adversary’s government.

• Trump advisers make demands of the adversary, whom it quickly denounces.

• Trump threatens the adversary with total destruction unless U.S. demands are met, and deploys forces to the conflict area. The adversary responds with threats of its own.

• Trump ignores concerns about war powers expressed by members of Congress. Says he doesn’t want war, (falsely) claiming humanitarian concerns.

• Trump shifts gears, now says he is willing to talk directly with the adversary’s leader. Tells about the prosperous life his country will have if it gives in to U.S. demands.

• Trump plays good cop: positions himself as a dove and his top national security advisers as bad cops whom he must restrain. (“These people want to push us into war, and it’s so disgusting” he recently said, referring to his “inner circle.”) He shifts again and asserts sanctions designed to create pressure for regime change will remain until the adversary yields.

• The adversary declares it will not yield under threat, says negotiations must include easing of sanctions. The two sides trade personal insults.

• Trump, with advisers concurring, escalates sanctions and threats, says he will talk “without preconditions.” In fact, he has a major precondition: the adversary’s agreement to surrender in advance its main bargaining asset

(such as its actual or potential nuclear weapons). The adversary responds with taunts and further acts of defiance.

Thus do crises persist, with Trump alternating between stoking war talk and playing the anti-war leader.

Truth is, he doesn’t want full-out war but doesn’t want to make concessions in negotiations either. He wants to win on the cheap – the same ambition he had in his business life. It’s called brinkmanship: the “art” of getting to the brink without going over. We see it being practiced in the trade war with China, the tariffs on Mexico, the rift with Venezuela and the threat to withdraw from alliances. He plays the same game with the deportation of migrant families and even the payouts to keep women silent.

Brinkmanship, Trump style, is always accompanied by bullying: threats of terrible things to come, punishing sanctions (aka economic warfare) and the coordinated pressure of willing partners. Problem is, what happens when the adversary doesn’t cave and in fact resists even more strongly?

– Mel Gurtov, professor of political science, Portland State University, for PeaceVoice

It’s up to us to protect public lands To the editor, Two recent Telegraph articles about public lands issues (Silverton scoping on travel plan, June 13; and USFS rule change, June 27) bring to attention the ongoing problems with “public input” and federal agencies following (or not) policies/rules coming from congress or the current administration.

On the BLM side of things, Elijah Waters was quoted in the Silverton scoping article as saying; “Roads & trails on public lands are very important to the economy of Silverton and SJ County.” This is the same BLM official who post-Silverton Mountain Guides scoping on expanding/changing the “pods,” or areas where Silverton Mountain could take its helicopters to heli-ski, ignored

the vast majority (85 percent) of public comment on the issue to approve the expansion (perhaps following “economic” benefit analysis?)

Which leads to the other Telegraph article, and whether a Forest Service rule change that would allow “categorical exclusions” would further limit or exclude public input, that then might lead to further “economic or extractive” impacts on our public lands. So as far as I can tell, giving USFS or BLM officials any more leeway in deciding for themselves what is in the best interest of the public is not advisable, as they are already influenced by the whims of Washington politics (just think about the Village at Wolf Creek) and may not even take into account the input the public does give them (think about SMG and heliskiing). We need to keep the public in “public lands” debates as much as we can.

Democracy is messy and not as expedient as less representative forms of governing. It’s a price worth paying to help preserve what’s at stake of being lost (wildlife, quiet, wilderness, roadless areas ...). Speak up and be heard. And call them out when they don’t listen, and act against or try to weaken set policy by supporting those who monitor public lands issues (think local nonprofit environmental orgs.)

– Tim Thomas, Durango

“We’ll print damned-near anything”

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

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July 4, 2019 n 7

TopStory

Power move

Photo by Stephen Eginoire

LPEA asks Tri-State for buyout cost as controversies brew for supplier, customers

by Tracy Chamberlin

I

t’s official. La Plata Electric Association has asked TriState Generation and Transmission exactly how much it would cost to buy out its contract with the power supplier.

After months of research, number-crunching and due diligence, the Durango-based cooperative has concluded it will likely be cheaper to part ways with Tri-State now than stick with the power supplier for the next 30-plus years.

LPEA was in the middle of bringing its findings to the coop’s membership – via a “Future of Power Supply” information series which hits Durango on July 10 – when the Board of Directors decided to pull the trigger on Tuesday.

Tri-State’s official response to LPEA’s request came the same day from the power supplier’s board president Rick Gordon, who also serves on the board for Mountain View Electric Association, which serves 48,000 members east of Colorado Springs.

“When a member requests information on the value of their wholesale power contract with the association, Tri-State has a process in place to provide such information,” he said in a press release. “We believe our membership’s vision for Tri-State is closely aligned with La Plata Electric Association’s laudable goals to be cleaner and lower costs.”

In recent years, other coops under the Tri-State umbrella have considered a contract buyout. Kit Carson Elec-

8 n July 4, 2019

JusttheFacts What: “Future of Power Supply” Information Series When: Wed., July 10, 6:30 p.m.

Where: La Plata Electric Association Headquarters in Bodo Park, 45 Stewart St. For info.: www.lpea.coop *Session also runs at 6:30 p.m. Thurs., July 11, at the Ignacio Community Library

tric Cooperative, based in Taos, N.M., did so in 2016.

Delta-Montrose Electric Association attempted to do the same in 2018.

One of the main drivers for the departures is the limit, or cap, on renewable energy.

The contracts these coops have – or had – with TriState require each to purchase at least 95 percent of its energy from Tri-State, leaving just five percent to come from local renewable sources like solar gardens, methane capture and hydroelectric projects.

LPEA, like the other coops, has hit the five percent cap.

It first asked Tri-State to consider increasing the cap to 10 percent but was unsuccessful. So, LPEA began looking at other ways to increase its local renewable generation.

One of those was a buyout of its contract.

A buyout is, essentially, a fee for cutting the contract short. When Kit Carson ended its contract with Tri-State the cost, or exit fee, was $37 million.

telegraph

LPEA is a different kind of coop than Kit Carson, though. Kit Carson, for example, offers electric, propane and internet services. LPEA only deals with electricity. Kit Carson has about 29,000 members, while LPEA has 33,000 individuals and businesses across the Southwest.

Therefore, knowing the price for Kit Carson’s departure can help to inform LPEA, but the only way to get the bottom line is to ask. And, that’s exactly what LPEA has done.

Who’s in charge?

In early June, just as LPEA was completing its research, Tri-State announced it was looking to be regulated solely by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC. This would completely change how Tri-State, including all 43 of its member cooperatives, are regulated.

Whether it would, ultimately, be a positive or negative change is a complete unknown.

And, that’s part of the problem.

Before Tri-State’s Board of Directors makes a final decision, which was originally slated for this month, several of its members said they want to know more about the consequences of the change.

Along with Delta-Montrose and United Power, which serves about 250,000 customers near Denver, LPEA sent a letter asking Tri-State to slow down. The three coops had lots of questions and few answers – a sentiment echoed by other Tri-State customers.

Why so quick to make the change? Why weren’t members told about it sooner? How much would it cost? Would it increase rates? How would it affect disputes between TriState and its members? 4

Now under pressure, Tri-State has postponed the decision and, instead, is likely to take it up during its August board meeting, according to Ron Meier, LPEA’s manager of engineering and member relations.

And so far, there hasn’t been any response to the long list of questions.

Currently, Tri-State is regulated by several entities because it has customers in four states: Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming. The power supplier is required to deal with each state’s regulating agency, as well as the federal one, FERC. The state agencies, however, have priority over FERC. That makes a total of five regulatory bodies Tri-State answers to – which it states as one of its reasons for wanting the change.

Tri-State claims a single decision-maker would be better for everyone, providing certainty and stability.

The reason the states have priority now is that Tri-State is owned by small cooperatives, like LPEA and Delta-Montrose, which makes it exempt from FERC regulation. If its membership were to change, however, it would be able to slip under the umbrella of FERC. But, Tri-State has not announced or named any new members that would qualify it for FERC regulation. The power supplier only stated it can add these types of members in the future.

“Tri-State can become FERC regulated by adding a new member that is not a ‘small electric cooperative,’” the power supplier’s brief on the issue reads. “Tri-State’s bylaws provide that the board has the authority to establish a new class of membership … then prepare and file all necessary pleadings, applications, tariffs and information with FERC to become FERC regulated.”

In that same brief, the possible price tag of all this was addressed: “There would also be new costs, including an

Soon after, Tri-State filed a lawsuit in an attempt to take the case out of the hands of the commission, but that case was dismissed. It’s likely the commission will move forward with a hearing and decision this summer.

“Tri-State’s sudden announcement only weeks ago is a last-minute effort to undermine the Colorado (Public Utilities Commission) and prevent it from deciding a fair and Clouding the commission In addition to concerns over new unnamed members reasonable exit charge,” Delta Montrose CEO Jasen Bronec and unknown costs, the timing of the announcement said in a press release. “Tri-State’s third attempt to sidestep Colorado law – a rushed, unvetted and secretive proposal also raised red flags.

Delta Montrose Electric, much like LPEA, requested a to add a new member – lacks merit.”

Delta-Montrose filed its own lawsuit Tuesday in an effort buyout from Tri-State last year. When the power supplier to stop Tri-State from moving forward. The coop is asking the courts to keep Tri-State from making any changes until after the Colorado Public Utilities Commission makes a decision on the buyout cost.

LPEA’s Board of Directors and staff attempted to get involved with the state agency’s case earlier this year, knowing the outcome could affect its own negotiations. The request was denied, but the case has remained on the coop’s radar.

So, while the courts and commissions sift through the lawsuits and complaints, LPEA is making its own moves.

The coop announced Tuesday a plan to go to the Colorado Energy Office for help, specifically – Jasen Bronec, Delta Montrose Electric Association CEO with Tri-State’s announcement to move under federal regulation. In addition, of course, LPEA is askcame back with a number, however, it wasn’t even close to what was anticipated by Delta-Montrose, which called ing Tri-State for its own buy-out cost.

“The request for this number is the next step in our exit unreasonable and discriminatory.

In response, the coop turned to the Colorado Public ploration for meeting our members’ needs and LPEA’s Utilities Commission. Delta-Montrose asked the state Strategic Statement of reducing our carbon by 50 percent agency to take a look at the issue and come up with an from 2018 levels (by 2030) while controlling costs to our cooperative,” LPEA CEO Mike Dreyspring said in a stateamount that was reasonable.

Tri-State tried to argue the commission had no jurisdiction ment. “As we have been doing, we’re taking a look at this since the power supplier represents coops across four states – slowly and prudently – doing what is best for our membernot just Colorado. But, the state agency disagreed and de- ship, which includes reliability, cost and environmental responsibility.” n cided to take up the case.

annual fee (approximately $1.3 million), litigation costs and increased staff.”

But, that was it.

Just as LPEA put in the time to research and analyze the possible cost of a buyout with Tri-State, it would like the power supplier to offer more analysis on its new costs.

“Tri-State’s sudden announcement only weeks ago is a last-minute effort to undermine the Colorado (Public Utilities Commission) and prevent it from deciding a fair and reasonable exit charge.”

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July 4, 2019 n

9

MountainTownNews Building greener homes for teachers

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10 n July 4, 2019

BASALT – Thirteen-year old Isabelle “Izzy” Walker was happy to tell several dozen sun-baked listeners gathered outside her new home last Saturday about just how her world had turned around.

Her parents had split up and her mother, a pre-school teacher, told her they were going to move into a new house. It was not a happy thought. “I thought it was the end of my life,” she said.

That was then. “Now I can see it’s the beginning of my life,” she said.

The house is among 27 being built in Basalt Vista, an affordable housing project in Basalt, 18 miles down-valley from Aspen. The developer is Habitat for Humanity, working in partnership with the Roaring Fork School District and others on land above Basalt High School provided by the school district.

The school district has 61 rental units, but 14 houses being built on the hillside above Basalt High School will be available for purchase by teachers and school district employees at well below market costs. Employees can buy small two-bedroom units starting at $250,000 and four-bedroom units at $350,000, each discounted $25,000 for sweat equity.

Another 13 units will be reserved for employees in Pitkin County, who will be determined on a lottery basis. The county waived $3 million in road and other fees. Market prices for comparable units would be northward of $700,000, according to Scott Gilbert, president of Habitat for the Roaring Fork Valley.

Basalt Vista may be even more important as an effort in what is called beneficial electrification. No natural gas pipelines were laid into the subdivision. Homes and water will be heated entirely by air-source heat pumps powered by electricity.

Holy Cross Energy, the electricity provider, has taken steps to dramatically reduce the carbon intensity of its electricity in the coming decade. It’s now at 39 percent renewables but last year adopted a goal of 70 percent by 2030. However, directors of the cooperative think they can exceed that goal far sooner.

The houses at Basalt Vista will still be connected to the grid, but the duplexes and triplexes will produce as much energy in a year as they consume. That will make them net-zero, all-electric units.

Utility bills for the homes are expected to be 85 percent less than houses of comparable size. All homes are well insulated, to minimize heating and cooling needs.

The first four units have lithium-ion batteries that can store electricity generated during the day by rooftop solar panels for use at night. But the storage could also be useful if electrical transmission from outside sources gets disrupted. Last summer, the Lake Christine fire severed three of the four transmission lines that delivered electricity to Basalt, Snowmass and portions of Aspen.

The project received $550,000 in grants and thousands of volunteer hours.

Moroccans recruited for culinary skills WHISTLER, B.C. – Nearly 50 Moroccan chefs have landed in Whistler since last September, the result of a federal program called Culinary Recruitment International.

The firm, headed by Joel Chevalier, a former vice president for Whistler Blackcomb, works with employers across British Columbia and Alberta. These Moroccan immigrants were targeted because of their culinary skills. Each individual qualifies for two separate twoyear work permits.

Adjustments are made for the cultural and religious differences.

The Fairmont hotel, for example, has male and female prayer rooms for its Muslim staff.

But there have been some challenges, says Carole Stretch, program manager of the Whistler Multicultural Network. “I think we work very hard to be welcoming, but I’m not sure that welcoming is the same as being inclusive,” Stretch said at a recent talk covered

by Pique Newsmagazine. “I think being inclusive is recognizing the differences and trying to understand them, and finding ways to work together so we all achieve what we want.”

Teton Valley debates school mascot DRIGGS, Idaho – Idaho’s Teton Valley has become engaged in a debate about whether to change the name of the school mascot, the Redskins. The valley is on the west side of the Teton Range from Jackson Hole.

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A July 8 meeting is scheduled for the auditorium of Teton High School to parse the merits. The Jackson Hole News&Guide says that the debate was triggered in March by a mother of students at the school. The name, said the mother, is inappropriate.

The school no longer has someone dress up as a Native American for sporting events and assemblies, but the mascot remains racist and is grounded in cultural subjugation of indigenous people.

The News& Guide reports five native American speakers recently agreed in their dislike of the mascot’s use by the school. It’s not clear how many Native Americans, if any, attend the school. They said the intention of the mascot may be honorable, but the impact is otherwise, as it perpetuates stereotypes of Native Americans and produces psychological trauma in indigenous children.

A community group called the Save the Redskins had many questions for the five speakers on the panel, including this: Why is it OK for reservations schools to use native iconography for mascots but not Teton High?

Randy‘L He-Dow Teton, a Shoshone-Bannock, said native schools are entitled to use symbols like “chiefs” because the students are descended from chiefs.

Although they opposed use of the Redskins mascot, panelists spoke of the desire to have a healthy dialogue with people of the Teton Valley of ways Native American history could be better integrated into schools.

Talking about a new tobacco tax in C.B. CRESTED BUTTE – Crested Butte has started talking about levying $3 per pack tax on cigarettes and a 40 percent tax on all other nicotine products. The town financial director, Rob Zillioux, estimates the tax could generate $150,000 - $200,000 annually for the town’s coffers.

Aspen, Avon and Basalt have levied similar taxes and produced more revenue than estimated.

The goal is to discourage use of tobacco in Crested Butte while increasing revenue, but the Crested Butte News reports dissent to this socalled “sin tax” by at least one council member. “I’m not sure that doing this in our little town will have the impact we hope. I’m the parent to a child. I’m not interested in being a parent to a neighbor.”

Betty Sue Gurk, of the Gunnison County Substance Abuse Prevention Project, said higher costs discourage teen-agers from starting to smoke or use nicotine products.

Aspen affordable housing pushback BASALT – The Aspen Skiing Co. wants to build 148 bedrooms of affordable housing in Basalt, close to Starbucks, a couple of grocery stories and a block or two away from a bus stop that zips riders the 18 miles to Snowmass and Aspen. What’s not to like?

The Aspen Times reports deep division on the Basalt Town Council, which has tentatively approved the project in a 4-2 vote.

Instead of building affordable housing, why not pay people more some have asked? But Jim Laing, who oversees human resources for the ski company, told council members it’s a tried-andfailed approach.

“Paying people more we know is not the answer,” he said.

“We’ve done that. We also know of doctors, lawyers, town staff, etc.

– everyone struggles with housing. Simply paying people more isn’t the answer. If you do that, you’re just going to drive up rental rates further and landlords are just going to get richer.”

The only way to make a difference in the Roaring Fork Valley, he added, is to “build new housing and charge a reasonable and fair level of rent.”

Laing said the company currently has housing inventory for 723 people, and it charges roughly half the market rate. If the project goes forward, the company will have 871 beds. It has a goal of 1,200 beds.

Why does the company need more housing? It mostly has to do with the aging workforce. Older employees often have their housing secured. Workers who cannot afford to buy housing replace them.

Some in Basalt, where 500 Aspen Skiing Co. employees live, said they thought the company should be required to have community housing, not company housing.

Another argument was that the plan called for too little parking.

Mike Kaplan, the company’s chief executive, dismissed that argument for a parking garage as “stone age thinking and stone age planning.”

– Allen Best

MurderInk

Chain reaction

Three summer reads to keep you on the edge of your lounge chair

by Jeffrey Mannix

A

drian McKinty is one of those rare writers who creates characters and dreams up stories that are consistently real and sizzling. He was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the Troubles, and the viciousness of those times informs his noir procedurals.

He was propelled to the top of the pyramid of noir crime fiction with his Sean Duffy series of five books beginning in 2012, which all won top literary prizes or were shortlisted in the U.S. and abroad. McKinty is a caustic writer, and I have given up on more than a few of his books as too lionhearted and just not my taste. If you’re interested in pursuing McKinty’s Sean Duffy stories, Rain Dogs and Gun Street Girl will not disappoint. And now McKinty has left his payday Sean Duffy to test his mettle on the most challenging narrative he has to this point attempted.

Released this month by Mulholland Books is McKinty’s The Chain, a story so unlike anything out there and with writing so pitch-perfect, McKinty will have to stretch far to ever hit such pure notes again. He will be showered with the prizes for this book that he certainly deserves,

but if he can’t duplicate the pathos and subtle suspense in his next book, McKinty risks being tossed into the dustbin of nearly great crime writers. The Chain is a big risk for McKinty, and I’m sure neither he nor his handlers know just how big of a risk a book this good presents.

Telling you anything about The Chain is telling you too much. Author Don Winslow calls it “Jaws for parents.” It’s the story of Rachael O’Neill, a more than middle-class, divorced mother who gets a call an hour after her 13-year-old daughter, Kylie, walks to the corner to catch her school bus.

“I’m so sorry Rachel, I’ve got some terrible news for you. Have you got pen and paper for instructions – I’ve kidnapped your daughter.”

Nothing unusual in crime fiction about kidnapped children, right? But this is different. This is like a chain letter, that if you don’t pass on your child will be killed: “You have to do it exactly the way I’ve done it,” the electronically distorted female voice instructs. “You must write down all the rules and you cannot deviate from them. If you break the rules or call the police, you will be blamed and I will be blamed. Your daughter will be killed and my son will be killed. So write down everything that I am about to tell you … you’re in The Chain now Rachel. We both are … you have to produce $25,000 and kidnap another child. And The Chain is going to protect itself. If you ever

talk to a cop, they’ll know and they’ll tell me to kill Kylie and pick a different target and I will.” This is all revealed before p. 13, and there are 321 pages in this hardcover book available July 9. Get your order in at Maria’s, and don’t forget to ask for your 15 percent “Murder Ink” discount.

There are two more standout books that you need to know about, both released two weeks ago. Denise Mina is the muse of crime fiction writers, fittingly from Glasgow, Scotland. Her new book is titled Conviction, and it is every bit as insubordinate as we would expect from this recusant novelist. She’s made the varsity with The Red Road, The Long Drop and The Dead Hour. I love her books; she has frequent, remarkable moments that can make a reader swoon.

And another late June release, from William Morrow, is Girl in the Rearview Mirror, a debut novel by Milwaukee aspirant Kelsey Rae Dimberg. Finn Hunt is spotted working at a dull office job by the entrepreneurial son of a senator from Arizona and is hired to be nanny to his precocious 3-year-old daughter. Dimburg’s story is so alive, her characters so real, her writing so chaste that you’ll be reading this at stoplights. If Girl in the Rearview Mirror isn’t shortlisted for big literary prizes, it’s only because Dimburg is the new kid on the block and has a bad agent. Look it over at Maria’s; it’s a subtle, domestic mystery that I’ll look forward to reading again next year.

I’m out of space. Start with the Dimburg book, move on to McKinty’s The Chain, then read Mina’s book quickly. Carpe diem. n

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July 4, 2019 n 13

thesecondsection Heather Hormell, president of the San Juan Trail Riders, a local moto advocacy group, poses with her bike near the Hermosa Creek Trail on Tuesday night. In addition to being a lifelong moto-er, Hormell is also a mountain biker and hiker and is trying to combat misconceptions and bridge the gap between the motorized and nonmotorized trail communities./Photo by Jennaye Derge

Singletrack minds San Juan Trail Riders works to dispel stereotypes, educate and advocate for trail use

by Jennaye Derge

I

f you’ve ever seen “The Fast and the Furious” or happened upon a summer X-Games, then you’re likely familiar with the sight of ripping and roaring moto bikes, racing down the track or performing impossible aerial feats. And while this kind of stuff may look good on TV, it’s the exact opposite impression of motos that Heather Hormell wants you to have.

As president of the San Juan Trial Riders, a local OHV (off-highway vehicle) advocacy group, Hormell wants to clear up common misperceptions of motos and help bring riders and the community together.

“SJTR strictly focuses on singletrack riding,” she said. “We are not a group for ATV’s, not for side-bysides. Our values are in singletrack, to preserve the national forest and maintain the singletrack

environment to get into the woods.”

In Hormell’s two-year reign as president of the 21year-old club, her goal has been to get moto-users honed in on proper trail etiquette in order to maintain integrity and keep public lands pristine and open to everyone. Which is exactly why the group was established in the first place.

San Juan Trail Riders formed in 1998 as the result of a boom in public land recreation that began in the ’60s.

It was the heyday of not only free love, but also recreational discovery (the outdoor kind, not the drug kind). The general sense of liberation caused folks to find their vehicle of choice and take to the great outdoors, whether it be on foot, bike or motorcycle. It was fun, it was free … and then things began to change.

There were a couple of heavy hitters to the moto world between 1970 and the early 2000s. First was the

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National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which gave land-management agencies the ability to oversee environmental impacts on public lands. This paved the way for federal regulations in order to protect those lands. The second was the Forest Service’s 2005 Travel Management Rule, which helped reign in rampant OHV abuse at the behest of public outcry. Basically, the new rule banned motorized vehicles on all trails unless otherwise posted. Up until then it had been the opposite, with all trails open to all users, unless posted.

“NEPA and especially the 2005 Travel Management Rule really put the pressure on our older generation of moto riders who were used to being able to ride on basically any trail they wanted,” said Hormell. “They fueled the start of San Juan Trail Riders because these guys suddenly needed to rally for a voice and fight for their right to use trails.”4

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As in anywhere, the more traffic a place gets, the more damage it sees, which generally means a rule or two needs to be put in place. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing – in fact, it’s good to protect our outdoor playground, and for Hormell, it makes a lot of sense. Her job as president of SJTR is not only to educate and advocate, but also to help preserve public lands so they can remain open to all free-loving land users down the trail – including moto-ers.

Yes, Hormell, who grew up in Durango riding motos, acknowledges her throttling peers can get a bad rap. Poachers, ruts, dust, noise and trail damage are among the list of complaints she’s heard. She, too, finds herself getting frustrated over moto misuse and abuse.

“It’s especially annoying for me because when I’m out mountain biking or hiking on a nonmotorized trail and I see someone on a moto who isn’t supposed to be there.

I know they’re giving us a bad rep,” she said. “But I also know that it’s these people who are giving us a bad name, not the members of the Trail Riders.”

Hormell wants to pass the word that modern, newer bikes don’t throw as much dust or spit out as much exhaust as they once did. She also wants to squash rumors that all motos are causing trail damage and that every rider poaches or goes off trails.

“It’s unfortunate when there are bad apples because we work so hard to keep access open to motorized vehicles,” Hormell said, adding that the group is adamant about adhering to Forest Service rules.

These rules include spark arrestors and

riding bikes that are under the 96-decibel noise limit (99 if the bike is manufactured before 1998). In addition, all bikers must have a Colorado permit and abide by proper trail etiquette, such as yielding to hikers, horses and mountain bikers.

To help further their commitment to helping preserve public lands, members’ annual fees go to the Forest Service to help pay for things such as signage and trailhead kiosks. In addition, SJTR members have an agreement with the Forest Service that requires a certain amount of volunteer hours every year be spent clearing and maintaining trails. Most recently, with the help of other groups such as Trails 2000 and Southwest Conservation Corps, San Juan Trail Riders helped clear downed trees from trails in the 416 Fire burn area. The group cleared more than 400 trees on the Jones Creek Trail alone, in addition to dozens more on the Hermosa, Dutch and Pinkerton/Flagstaff trails.

According to Hormell, motos are a valuable partner in trail upkeep because they can reach areas that could otherwise take hours if not days by foot. They can also carry a heavier load than someone hiking or riding a mountain bike.

“The benefit of the motorized group is having the ability to carry the chainsaws farther back than hiking or mountain biking – not that it couldn’t be done,” she said. “It’s just so much easier on a dirt bike.”

Better yet, everyone on San Juan Trail Riders who operates a chainsaw is a C level sawyer, meaning they’ve been trained, approved and certified by the Forest Service

Hormell on the Hermosa Creek Trail. The San Juan Trail Riders recently worked with other groups to clear more than 400 downed trees from the area as a result of the 416 Fire. The group also works to make sure all members abide by Forest Service regulations and trail etiquette./Photo by Jennaye Derge to remove downed trees. (*Note: these chainsaws are not used in the wilderness.

Motos are not allowed in the wilderness; nor are bikes, for that matter.)

It’s this stewardship and cooperation that Hormell hopes will keep the SJTR in good graces with the Forest Service and the community for generations to come.

“I want the group to continue to be an

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advocate for motorized use in public lands but also an advocate for family recreation – for people to get together and have fun,” she said. “It’s more important now than ever to advocate for the well-being that comes from unplugging from our hectic lives and having that ability to not only recreate, but connect with each other and as a community as well.” n

July 4, 2019 n 15

FlashinthePan

Spicing up Romesco

by Ari LeVaux

R

omesco sauce, one of Catalonia’s finest exports, is famous as a dressing for seafood. But the red, nutty condiment also has a place atop many more savory dishes. Eventually, romesco made its way from the Mediterranean to California, along with the likes of olives, grapes and almonds.

In the 1980s, Napa Valley restaurateur Cindy Pawlcyn hired the brothers Ernest and Pablo Jacinto to run the kitchen at her Mustards Grill. Their South-of-theborder version of the Catalonian sauce was a hit, and a celebrated fixture on the menu for years. The modification from Spanish to Mexican romesco is slight, but significant – only the substitution of dried chile for fresh red bell pepper, which thickens the romesco and adds pungency.

“Everything else in the sauce comes from Spain,” explained my friend Marianne Forest, who learned the recipe from Pawlcyn. A restaurateur herself, now a caterer and teacher, Marianne has firstname-only status in the food community of my small town. I was thrilled when she agreed to come to my house and show me how to make Jacinto-style romesco.

Stately, with silvery blond hair and a bright, sharp gaze, Marianne was at home in a foreign kitchen like mine. When it was time to cut a tomato, she reached smoothly into the jungle of utensils at the edge of my counter and extracted the tomato knife, as if pulling a rabbit from a hat. She used the serrated blade to cut a cross on top of each tomato.

Those cuts would make the skins slip off easily, after the broiled tomatoes cooled. In the meantime, almonds would be roasted, a hunk of sourdough would be griddled, and garlic baked in olive oil. “Everything is roasted or toasted,” Marianne said.

Marianne put the ingredients in the blender, in no particular order – “This isn’t some French classic sauce where one thing depends on the next” – and turned it on.

Every few moments she would inspect the slurry with a spoon, gauging progress by the diminishing diameter of the largest pieces of almond. “You don’t want a thin, emulsified sauce,” Marianne cautioned. “You want rustic saucery. It should not be homogenous, or liquefied.”

16 n July 4, 2019

Before I knew it, we were eating romesco. Delicious off the spoon, with a vibrant mix of strong flavors, the differences in almond chunk size add intrigue, and a feeling that you are eating something from a time before we had machines that could make everything smooth. A time when you actually had to peel the tomatoes.

Per Marianne’s advice, I smeared romesco on a piece of crusty toast soaked in olive oil and was enchanted. Atop

such a piece of sauced bread there is plenty of room for additional morsels of food, like grilled asparagus, roasted cauliflower, or a few leaves of spicy greens. Since then I have noticed a pattern: when bread and romesco sauce are both within reach, I will keep eating until one of them runs out.

In early summer, good garlic heads can be hard to find, but garlic flowers, aka scapes, are abundant. The sauce has even more texture when made with scapes instead of cloves.

The original recipe contains toasted bread. As a glutenfree alternative, Marianne suggested adding extra almonds and skipping the bread. I tried that and preferred that version, especially when gluttonously smeared on a glutenous hunk of toasted sourdough.

Romesco a las Hermanos Jacinto was made with whole dried chile pods, but chile powder makes a decent batch too. If using powder, it can be a mix of spicy and mild varieties, such as paprika and cayenne, to achieve your desired spice level while adding enough chile flavor.

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If you can find whole dried chile with the right balance of heat and flavor for your taste, then by all means use it. Marianne likes New Mexico and Ancho peppers.

Remove the seeds, toast in a pan and soak in water to rehydrate.

Romesco a los Hermanos Jacinto Serves 4 One ¾-lb tomato (or a collection of smaller tomatoes) 2 small heads or one large head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled (or scapes) 1 cup olive oil 1 cup almonds (or half a cup of almonds and a slice of toast) 1 tablespoon cayenne powder 1 tablespoon paprika (adjust ration of cayenne to paprika according to your taste) 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon salt Turn the oven to broil. Cut an X on the top of the tomatoes, with the stem scab right in the middle, and place them six inches below the flame. Leave there until you smell something faintly starting to burn, about 10-15 minutes – start paying close attention after 10. When the peels start to dry and even char, turn the tomatoes over and cook similarly.

While the tomatoes are broiling, pour ½ cup of olive oil into a small baking dish and add garlic cloves. When the tomatoes are charred on both sides, remove them, turn the oven temperature to 300 degrees on bake setting and put the pan of garlic and oil in the oven. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave in the oven to cool.

While that happens, toast the almonds in a dry, thickbottom pan for 15-20 minutes on low heat. Just a couple of almost burnt almonds means the sauce is right on track for a rustic flavor, but the sauce itself should taste smoky but not burnt. If using bread in the sauce, pan-fry it in olive oil to slightly brown.

Add all of the roasted, toasted and baked ingredients – everything but the last ½ cup of olive oil – to the blender or food processor. Blend on low until the almonds are all chopped in half or smaller – about 30 seconds. Add the last ½ cup of oil, blend on high for about four seconds, or until the almond chunks are 3 millimeters or less.

Serve at room temperature with anything savory, like grilled or roasted vegetables, scrambled eggs. Or that crusty, oily piece of bread. n

TopShelf

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by Chris Aaland

I

idolized many people earlier in my life. Most were sports stars like John Elway or Joe Sakic, or musicians like Bruce Springsteen or Guy Clark. While Elway’s execution of The Drive in Cleveland, Sakic’s record eight overtime goals in NHL playoffs or Springsteen and Clark penning one tune after another for the common man are all worthy accomplishments, they don’t quite make these folks my heroes.

Megan Rapinoe is my hero. The feisty midfielder/winger on the U.S. women’s national team is on the verge of winning her second World Cup. Rapinoe scored all four goals in the Americans’ knockout stage wins over Spain and France (both 2-1 wins), which is impressive enough on its own. But when you consider she did so while engaged in a very public spat with President Trump and his rabid base, it’s a Jordanesque display of will. Imagine Babe Ruth pointing to the centerfield bleachers in Wrigley in the 1932 World Series and then blasting a home run to that exact spot, only while feuding with FDR off the field. Then imagine Ruth’s hypothetical protest was to show support for civil rights and you’re in the right ballpark.

Rapinoe has called herself a “walking protest,” and it’s an accurate statement. She came out in 2012 and has worked tirelessly for LGBTQ causes ever since. She was the first prominent white athlete to join in support of Colin Kaepernick when he kneeled during the anthem before NFL games to protest police brutality toward African-Americans. Rapinoe famously knelt during a USWNT international friendly in 2016, causing a furious uproar.

More recently, she and her teammates spearheaded a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation demanding gender equity in payment to professional athletes. Let’s face it: the success of American men’s soccer pales in comparison to our women.

Ah, but that flag-waving base. They see Rapinoe as the same demon as Kaepernick, a un-American heretic who doesn’t care for the anthem, the flag and the men and women who died fighting for freedom. I stood at rapt attention before hundreds of college athletic games at the alma mater, and dozens as a player in high school. I sang along quietly, hand over my heart. But my mind wasn’t ever in a patriotic place. My mind was on the task at hand … winning the game that would start exactly 1:19 after the first note of the anthem.

For the record, Rapinoe stands for the anthem now. Her hand isn’t over her heart, but she stands at rapt attention and has done so through the entire World Cup. I noticed prior to the U.S. men’s Gold Cup quarterfinal game against Curacao earlier this week that several of the men didn’t sing along or place their hands over their hearts. In what’s likely no coincidence, these men were of African-American and Hispanic descent.

The anthem, the flag and patriotic holidays like Independence Day have polarized our nation. If you vote blue, you’re made to feel less American than those on the red side. My old man, a lifelong Democrat, didn’t enlist in the Marines, get shot up in Vietnam and kill for his country to be un-American. (If anything, he

enlisted because his best friend had been drafted.) He remains loyal to The Corps, even if he disagrees with nearly every military conflict we’ve engaged in since. The anthem, flag and holidays are all important to him, as they are to me. But more important to us are the things they represent: our unalienable rights underscored in the Declaration of Independence. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And these rights are certainly more important than rolling tanks through Washington in a military parade better suited for Moscow or Pyongyang.

Was Muhammad Ali the greatest because he won the heavyweight crown four times? Or was he the greatest because of his social stance? Perhaps it was a little bit of both.

Megan Rapinoe is my hero because she stood up for all of our unalienable rights – whether we’re male or female, black or white, straight or gay, young or old, short or tall, fat or skinny, Christian or Muslim, Democrat or Republican. The fact that she can play a little football is the icing on the cake. Kickoff for the World Cup final is 9 a.m. Sunday morning.

We can all celebrate Fourth of July this Megan Rapinoe year with a traditional fireworks display, thanks to a record snowpack and wet spring. Downtown Durango will be painted red, white and blue for a big day that starts at Rotary Park with an All-American breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the Freedom 5k at 9. At 9:15, the Southwest Civic Winds will perform patriotic songs with readings from FLC’s American Voices. Festivities move to Buckley Park from noon ‘til 4 with an Independence Day Party featuring music by the Devin Scott Ukulele Band and the Pete Giuliani Band, food from the Durango Elks Lodge, beer from Ska and Steamworks and kids’ activities. From 6-6:45, the Stars & Stripes Parade moves down Main from College to 13th St. Finally, from 7-9, KSUT hosts the Independence Day Dance at the Transit Center Parking Lot, with music by the High Rollers, Ska beer, wine, food and kids’ activities. It’s the best vantage point around for the fireworks that will start sometime around 9 p.m.

Music in the Mountains kicks off nearly a month of classical, chamber and world music at 6 p.m. Saturday with a concert

by FY5 and StillHouse Junkies at the Bayfield Performing Arts Center. FY5 are Colorado treasures, blending bluegrass instrumentation with folk and country traditions, all powered by Mike Finders’ lyrical excellence. The Junkies? They’re fresh off their runner-up finish at the Telluride Bluegrass band competition.

After a quiet summer, Farmington Hill unveils its powerful new lineup at 7 p.m. Saturday at Fenceline Cider in Mancos. The core trio of Erik Nordstrom (electric guitar), Bubba Iudice (acoustic guitar) and Kelly Rogers (lap steel) is now joined by the rocking, funky rhythm section of Jim Belcher (bass) and David Sachs (drums). Belcher and Sachs are best known locally for their ongoing work in the Ben Gibson Band.

Finally, the local bluegrass act, People We Know, will play Industry Night at the Animas City Theatre at 9:30 p.m. Monday.

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July 4, 2019 n 17

onthetown

Submit “On the Town” items by Monday at noon to: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Thursday04 Fourth of July American Gourmet Breakfast, benefit hosted by the Rotary Club of Durango and serving eggs, sausage, pancakes, gravy, biscuits, coffee and more, 7:30-11:30 a.m., Rotary Park.

Freedom 5K, run/walk along the Animas River Trail, hosted by Durango Parks and Rec, 9 a.m., start at Rotary Park.

Free Concert in the Park, featuring Southwest Civic Winds & Fort Lewis College American Voices, 9:15-10:45 a.m., Rotary Park.

Independence Day Party, hosted by Building Homes for Heroes & City of Durango and featuring BBQ, beer, family activities and live music from the Devin Scott Ukulele Band and Pete Giuliani Band, noon-4:30 p.m., Buckley Park.

Matt Rupnow performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Robby Overfield performs, 6-9 p.m., DJ Hakan, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Independence Day Dance, hosted by KSUT and City of Durango featuring food, kids activities and live music from the High Rollers, 7-9:30 p.m., Transit Parking Lot.

Disco Night, 6:30-9 p.m., Chapman Hill Skating Rink.

375-7395.

Open Mic & Stand-Up, 8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave. Karaoke, 8 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave. Plursday Local Music Showcase featuring DJ Brap the Goat, 9 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave. Fireworks hosted by City of Durango and Durango Fire District, 9:15 p.m.

Friday05 Durango Early Bird Toastmasters, 7-8:30 a.m., LPEA, 45 Stewart St. 769-7615.

Drop-in Tennis, 4 p.m., Durango High School, 2390 Main Ave.

Free yoga, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Lively Boutique, 809 Main Ave.

Free Qigong for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, 4-5 p.m., Smiley Building, Studio 10, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. 403-3711.

Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

Thursday Afternoon Social Club for veterans, their spouses & supporters, 4-6 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. Bayfield Farmers Market, featuring local farmers, bakers, craftsmen and more, 4:30-7 p.m., Joe Stephenson Park in Bayfield. www.bayfielddowntownfarmersmarket.org.

Firkin Fridays featuring “Summer Crush” on tap, 3 p.m., Steamworks Brewing Co., 801 E. 2nd Ave. 259-9200.

“The Biggest Little Farm” documentary, 3 and 5:15 p.m. each day thru July 11, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Dustin Burley performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave. The Assortment performs, 7 p.m., Vallecito Resort.

The Black Velvet Trio performs, 7 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave. Karaoke, 7 p.m.-close, VFW, 1550 Main Ave. The Second Hand Rose Band performs, 8 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Saturday06 Music in the Mountains Festival, July 6-28, around Durango. www.musicinthemountains.com.

Yard Sale Benefit for Blueprints of Hope, 8 a.m., 137 River Oaks Drive.

Durango Farmers Market, featuring music from Victor Andrada, 8 a.m.-noon, TBK Bank parking lot, W. 8th Street. www.durangofarmersmarket.com.

Drop-in Tennis, 9 a.m., Durango High School, 2390 Main Ave. Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Restaurant & Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave.

Spanish Speaking Parents & Littles Fridays, 4-6 p.m., Durango Café au Play, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., Room 201. durangocafeauplay.org.

VFW Indoor Flea Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 1550 Main Ave. 247-0384.

Ignacio Farmers & Artisans Market, 4-8 p.m., runs Fridays thru Oct. 4, ELHI Community Center in Ignacio. 563-4600.

Toh-Atin’s Native American Artist Showcase, featuring jewelers, painters, potters and textile artists, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Toh-Atin Gallery, 145 W. 9th St.

Sitting Meditation, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave.

“Practice,” curated by Maureen May, also opening “Meanderings,” works by Jan Goldman, and “Wild Grace Art,” works by Sarah Sumner, opening reception, 5-7 p.m., July 5, all exhibits run thru Aug. 31, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. 259-2606.

The Great Independent Scavenger Hunt, hosted

by Conundrum Escape Rooms and Local First, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., hunt begins at Conundrum, 736 Main Ave., Suite 100. www.local-first.org.

Open Mic Night, 6 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave.

Terry Hartzel performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Stars & Stripes Parade, hosted by the City of Durango, 6-6:45 p.m., along Main Avenue.

BMX Friday Night Races, 6 p.m., Cundiff Park. 3757331.

Brews & Clues Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. www.powsci.org.

Friday Nights at Fox Fire Farms, featuring music from Leah Orlikowski, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms in Ignacio. foxfirefarms.com.

The Assortment performs, 5 p.m., Chainless Brewing, 3000 North Main Ave. The Great Contention performs, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Terry Hartzel performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Heading to a summer party?

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18 n July 4, 2019

telegraph

Intuitive Tarot with Angela Watkins, noon-3 p.m., White Rabbit Books & Curiosities Garden, 128 W. 14th St. 259-2213.

Summer Brew Festival, featuring live music and more, 1:30-5 p.m., July 6, Purgatory Resort. www.purga toryresort.com.

Void Where Prohibited performs, 3-7 p.m., Rusty Shovel Saloon, Durango.4

Summer Picker’s Circle by the River, musicians of all levels welcome, 3-5 p.m. Saturdays thru August, White Rabbit Books & Curiosities, 128 W. 14th St. 259-2213.

The Smelter Mountain Boys perform, 5-8 p.m., Nugget Mountain Bar, Highway 550 North.

Terry Hartzel performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. The Jeff Solon Jazz Trio performs, 6-10 p.m., Seven Rivers Restaurant at Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio. 563-6235.

Light Show Public Skate, 6:30-9 p.m., Chapman Hill.

375-7395.

Ashley Edwards performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave. Farmington Hill performs, 7-9 p.m., Fenceline Cider in Mancos. www.fencelinecider.com.

Comedy Show: Funny Summer Fun for a Funny Sunny Summer, 8 p.m., Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave. www.henrystratertheatre.com.

Comedy Cocktail Open Mic Stand Up, 8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave. DJ Side Affex, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Sunday07 Durango Flea Market, 8:30 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds.

Veterans Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., Elks Club, 901 E. 2nd Ave. 946-4831.

Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Restaurant & Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave.

Music in the Mountains tunes up for another season What: Music in the Mountains When: July 6 – 28 Where: Durango and surrounding areas Info.: www.musicinthemountains.com

The hills will be alive with the sound of Music in the Mountains as the annual classical (mostly) festival returns for its 33rd season. This year’s festival runs Sat., July 6, through July 28 with a full slate of performances as well as free concerts and lectures at venues throughout the area.

The 2019 season kicks off Saturday night at the Bayfield Performing Arts Center with a concert by Fort Collins band Finders and Youngberg, aka FY5. Local bluegrass favorites Stillhouse Junkies open. Although generally classified under “bluegrass,” FY5 swims in the deep currents of Americana, “playing songs influenced by country and bluegrass traditions, but not bound to them.” The band’s thoughtful arrangements, masterful harmonizing and musicianship connects listeners with stories of everything from common struggles to big ideas.

The Bayfield show will also feature a beer garden with proceeds benefitting the Pine River Arts organization, which supports arts and culture in the Pine River Valley.

The show starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are $20/adults; $10 students.

In addition to this, the festival will include dozens more concerts featuring more than 100 world-renowned musicians under the tutelage of head conductor Guillermo Figueroa.

Other upcoming festival highlights include: • “Chocolate Indulgence,” 7 p.m., Wed., July 10, Cascade Village featuring Boyd Meets Girl, made up of Australian classical guitarist Rupert Boyd and American cellist Laura Metcal, as well as handcrafted cocktails and chocolate deserts. (*This is a benefit performance; tickets are $75)

Traditional Irish Music Jam, 12:30-4 p.m., Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave.

Robby Overfield performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Void Where Prohibited performs, 1-5 p.m., Rusty Shovel Saloon at Vallecito Lake.

Monday08

Writers’ Workshop, 2 p.m., Ignacio Library.

Live Music on the Lawn, featuring Rob Webster, 2-5 p.m., Sundays thru Aug. 4, Trimble Hot Springs, 6475 CR 203. 247-0111.

Adult Coloring, 3-5 p.m., event runs each Sunday thru

Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

Jack Ellis performs for Music in the Shade Summer Series, 4-7 p.m., Wines of the San Juan in Blanco, N.M. Blue Moon Ramblers, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

• “Charlie Chaplin’s Smile,” 7 p.m., Thurs., July 11, Sunflower Theatre in Cortez. Who knew the famous silent film actor was an amazing composer? Hear Chaplin’s enchanting and enduring arrangements performed by Philippe Quint (violin) and Marta Aznavoorian (piano.)

• “The Magical Music of John Williams,” 7 p.m. Sat., July 13, Community Concert Hall. Join guest conductor Richard Kaufman as he leads the orchestra in some of Williams’ most well-known and beloved blockbuster themes including Star Wars, Superman, Harry Potter, Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T. Concert-goers attending Concert Hall shows are also invited to spread out a blanket or picnic an hour prior to the show in the “Maestro’s Courtyard.” The bar will also be open!

For a full schedule of events, go to: www.musicinthe mountains.com.

Rob Webster performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Aug. 25, White Rabbit Books & Curiosities Garden, 128 W. 14th St. 259-2213.

Free Books, hosted by Durango Book Rescue, noon-4 p.m., 923 Narrow Gauge Ave.

FY5

Industry Nights, featuring music and throwback movies each Monday thru summer for those working in restaurants, retail or tourism-related fields, People We Know performs, 10 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Contiki Party with the Aussies, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Yoga Storytime, 9:30-10:45 a.m., Smiley Building Studio 10, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Watch Your Step class, 10:15 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

Tuesday09 Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Guided Nature Tours, 9:45 a.m.-noon, Tues. & Thurs. thru mid-August, meet inside Purgatory Ticket Office. sjma.org.

Terry Hartzel performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

More “On the Town” p. 204

Don’t let a small space stop you from a successful harvest!

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Free Tenants’ Rights Clinic Presented by Colorado Legal Services

Tues., July 16, 5:30 - 7 p.m. • Durango Public Library Topics include best rental practices, evictions, security deposits, etc.

For more info, call (970) 247-0266.

telegraph

July 4, 2019 n 19

AskRachel Interesting fact: Other North and South Americans get irked that we call ourselves “Americans,” like we United Statespeople have some exclusive right to the term. Guess what, world? We have no other natural terms for ourselves. At least not polite ones.

Dear Rachel, Can a town the size of Durango really sustain two coffee shops right next door to one another?

I love caffeine as much as the next sleep deprived person, but really? I don’t wish any ill will on any company, but it just seems crazy that two shops would open next door... maybe they could knock down a wall and combine forces!

– Where’s the Business Plan?

Dear Shark Tank, Have you noticed that gas stations do this ALL THE TIME? They set up on opposite corners, and one will have gas for a penny less, and people will flip complicated U-turns just to save 15 cents on a fillup before going to spend $7 on a latte. I think this neighborly competition will be beneficial for the world of coffee.

It’s how we treat fuel for our cars; why not fuel for our bodies?

– Half fat venti, Rachel Dear Rachel, I’m just not feeling the Fourth of July this year. Rah rah America and all that, but honestly, I’m not proud to be an American right now.

OntheTown from p. 19

Summer Reading Show: Ann Lincoln, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Drop-in Tennis, 4 p.m., Durango High School, 2390 Main Ave.

Terry Hartzel performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Rotary Club of Durango, presentation by the Rotary District Governor, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel. 385-7899.

Kirk James performs, part of the free Summer Sounds Concert Series, 6-8 p.m., Three Springs Plaza, 175 Mercado St. 764-6000.

Trivia Factory, hosted by Ben Bernstein, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr. DJ Crazy Charlie, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon.

Leah Orlikowski performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main.

Latin Social Nights, 8-11 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave. 375-2568.

Open Mic Night, 8 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Wednesday10

Apologies to the song, but I don’t know that I’m free. I’d feel more patriotic busting children out of concentration camps than lighting hot dogs on fire. What are some alternative Independence Day celebration ideas for these marred times?

– Red, White and Especially Blue Dear Stars and Bars, You’re such a rebel. Good for you! Why don’t you burn some flags while you’re at it? (God, my friends tell me I need to work on my sarcasm clarity. That wasn’t sarcasm. I mean it. Go burn some flags. Like swastikas and Confederate ones. In front of an ICE office should do.) By all means, don’t give in to the festive atmosphere if you don’t feel festive. Go build the world you want.

But don’t just do it on the Fourth of July, like those Catholics you only see at Easter. Spread the joy the whole year through.

– Putting the “riot” in patriot, Rachel

Dear Groundhog Mothers Day, Eh, you’d get used to her incessant talking. You obviously survived childhood. You could survive adulthood with the same ailment, especially with easier access to alcohol. If I were you, I’d draw the line at building her a cabin. Tell your siblings that they can pony up for the shack themselves. And that you require a new house while they’re at it. With two coffee shops next to each other, too.

– Kiss your mama with that mouth, Rachel

Rudnick, part of the Summer Lecture Series on “Hispanidad,” 1:30 p.m., Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College, Lyceum Room. 247-7456.

“Fremont Rock Art” with Layne Miller, 7 p.m., presented by San Juan Basin Archaeological Society, Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College. sjbas.org.

Great Garden Series: Creating Rock Art with Melissa Kizior, 2-4 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Kennebec Market, featuring local farms, baked goods, handmade products and more, 2-6 p.m., event runs each Wednesday, Kennebec Café in Hesperus. 759-7345.

Trails 2000 Trailwork Party, 4:30-7 p.m., SkyRaider Trail. www.trails2000.org.

Terry Rickard performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main.

Open Mic Night, 7:30 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

Karaoke with Crazy Charlie, 8 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Ongoing

Community Concerts in the Secret Garden, featuring music from Leah Orlikowski to benefit Housing Solutions of the Southwest, 5-7 p.m., Rochester Hotel, 726 E. 2nd Ave. www.swcommunityfoundation.org.

Karaoke with Crazy Charlie, 8 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Terry Hartzel performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

“Inside Out: Visions from the Artist’s Mind,” thru April 2020, Southern Ute Museum, 503 Ouray Dr. www.southernutemuseum.org.

Thank the Veterans potluck, 5:30 p.m., Peter Neds performs, 7-8:30 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. 828-7777.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., Thur-Sun, 8th Ave. Tavern, 509 E 8th Ave.

Loki Moon – Raw Experiments, 6-8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave.

Upcoming

Jeff Solon Jazz Duo performs, 6-9 p.m., each Wednesday thru Aug. 28, Cyprus Café, 725 E. 2nd Ave. 385-6884.

Pub Quiz, 6:30 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave. 403-1200.

Fired Up Stories! with the Durango Fire and Rescue Authority, 10:30-11:15 a.m., Durango Public Library.

Future of Power Supply Information Series, 6:30 p.m., La Plata Electric Association Headquarters in Bodo Park, 45 Stewart St. www.lpea.coop.

“La Fabulosa Fabiola (Cabeza de Baca): The First Lady of New Mexican Cuisine,” presentation by Lois

True West Rodeo Opening Day, 6:30 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds. www.truewestrodeo.com.

20 n July 4, 2019

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Dear Rachel, My siblings all “joke” with me that I’ll be the one taking care of our mother when she gets old. “Build a cabin on your land,” they say. It’s all fun and games, until I actually have to spend a day with her. Yes, she brought me into this world, but since then she has not stopped talking. By the evening of a single day together, I am irritable and snippy. I can’t imagine all her twilight years with me. How do I get out of this fate?

- Mama Mia

telegraph

Rocky Mountain UkeFest, July 11-14, Fort Lewis College. www.rockymountainukefest.com.

Baby Meetup with Durango Café au Play, 9:30-11:30 a.m., July 11, 2307 Columbine. 749-9607.

Storytime with Melanie Milburn, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., also runs July 11, White Rabbit Books & Curiosities Garden, 128 W. 14th St. 259-2213.

Rocky Mountain UkeFest All-Star Band performs for Concerts @ the Park, 5:30-7:30 p.m., July 11, Buckley Park. www.durangoconcerts.com.

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): When the universe began 13.8 billion years ago, there were only four elements: mostly hydrogen and helium, plus tiny amounts of lithium and beryllium. Now there are 118 elements, including five that are key components of your body: oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus. All of those were created by nuclear reactions blazing on the insides of stars that later died. So it’s literally true to say that much of your flesh and blood and bones and nerves originated at the hearts of stars. I invite you to meditate on that amazing fact. It’s a favorable time to muse on your origins and your ancestry; to ruminate about all the events that led to you being here today – including more recent decades, as well as the past 13.8 billion years.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Most American women couldn’t vote until a hundred years ago. Women in Japan, France and Italy couldn’t vote until the 1940s. Universal suffrage has been a fundamental change in how society is structured. Similarly, same-sex marriage was opposed by vast majorities in most countries until 15 years ago but has since become widely accepted. African American slavery lasted for hundreds of years before being delegitimized all over the Western world in the 19th century. Brazil, which hosted 40 percent of all kidnapped Africans, didn’t free its slaves until 1888.

What would be the equivalent of such revolutionary transformations in your own personal life? According to my reading of the astrological omens, you have the power to make that happen during the next twelve months.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini musician Paul Weller is famous in the UK, though not so much elsewhere. According to the BBC, he is one of Britain’s “most revered music writers and performers.” To which I say: revered, maybe, but mentally healthy? Not so much. He bragged that he broke up his marriage with his wife Dee C. Lee because “things were going too well, we were too happy, too comfortable, everything seemed too nice.” He was afraid that “as a writer and an artist I might lose my edge.”

Don’t you dare allow yourself to get infected with that perverse way of thinking, my dear Gemini. Please capitalize on your current comfort and happiness. Use them to build your strength and resilience for the months and years to come.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian voice actor Tom Kenny has played the roles of over 1,500 cartoon characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Spyro the Dragon, Jake Spidermonkey, Commander Peepers and Doc-

tor Octopus. I propose that we make him your role model in the coming weeks. It will be a favorable time for you to show your versatility; to demonstrate how multifaceted you can be; to express various sides of your soulful personality.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo author Donald Miller reminds us that fear can have two very different purposes. On the one hand, it may be “a guide to keep us safe,” alerting us to situations that could be dangerous or abusive. On the other hand, fear may work as “a manipulative emotion that can trick us into living a boring life.” After studying your astrological indicators for the coming weeks, Leo, I have come to the conclusion that fear may serve both of those functions for you. Your challenge will be to discern between them; to know which situations are genuinely risky and which situations are daunting but promising. Here’s a hint that might help: trust your gut feelings more than your swirling fantasies.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Why do flocks of geese fly in a V-formation? Because to do so enhances the collective efficiency of their travel. Each bird generates a current that supports the bird behind it. Let’s make this phenomenon one of your power metaphors for the coming weeks. What would be the equivalent strategy for you and your tribe or group as you seek to make your collaborative efforts more dynamic and productive?

Unforeseen help will augment any actions you take in this regard.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue,” mused Libra author Truman Capote.

“That’s why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.” That cynical formulation has more than a few grains of truth in it, I must admit. But I’m pleased to tell you that I suspect your experience in the coming weeks will be an exception to Capote’s rule. I think you have the potential to embark on a virtual binge of rich discussion and intriguing interplay with people who stimulate and educate and entertain you. Rise to the challenge!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In accordance with astrological rhythms, you are authorized to make the following declarations in the next two weeks: 1.

“I refuse to participate further in this situation on the grounds that it might impinge on the expansiveness of my imagination.”

2. “I abstain from dealing with your skepticism on the grounds that doing so might discourage the flights of my imagination.”

3. “I reject these ideas, theories and beliefs on the grounds that they might pinch, squash or deflate my imagination.” What I’m trying to tell you, Scorpio, is that it’s

crucial for you to emancipate your imagination and authorize it to play uninhibitedly in the frontiers of possibilities.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Dear Sagittarius: I invite you to make a copy of the testimonial below and give it to anyone who is in a position to support your Noble Experiment. “To Whom It May Concern: I endorse this Soulful Sagittarius for the roles of monster-tamer, fun-locator, boredom-transcender, elation-inciter and mountaintop visionary. This adroit explorer is endowed with charming zeal, disarming candor and abundant generosity. If you need help in sparking your enthusiasm or galvanizing your drive to see the big picture, call on the expansive skills of this jaunty puzzle-solver.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Life will conspire to bring you a surge of love in the coming weeks – if you can handle it. Can you? Will you be able to deal adeptly with rumbling love and icy hot love and mostly sweet but also a bit sour love? Do you possess the resourcefulness and curiosity necessary to have fun with funny spiritual love and runningthrough-the-labyrinth love and unexpectedly catalytic love? Are you open-minded and open-hearted enough to make the most of brilliant shadowy love and unruly sensitive love and toughly graceful love?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I don’t endlessly champion the “no pain, no gain” theory of personal growth.

My philosophy holds that we are at least as likely to learn valuable lessons from pleasurable and joyful experiences as we are from difficult and taxing struggles. Having said that, I also think it’s true that our suffering may lead us to treasure if we know how to work with it.

According to my assessment, the coming weeks will bring one such opening for you. To help you cultivate the proper spirit, keep in mind the teaching of Aquarian theologian and author Henri Nouwen.

He said that life’s gifts may be “hidden in the places that hurt most.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Japanese word “wabi-sabi” refers to an interesting or evocative imperfection in a work of art that makes it more beautiful than if it were merely perfect.

“Duende” is a Spanish word referring to a work of art that gives its viewers the chills because it’s so emotionally rich and unpredictably soulful. In the coming weeks, I think that you yourself will be a work of art with an abundance of these qualities. Your wabi-sabi will give you the power to free yourself from the oppressive pressures of seeking too much precision and purity.

Your duende can give you the courage you need to go further than you’ve ever dared in your quest for the love you really want.

telegraph

July 4, 2019 n 21

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 777 Main Ave., #214 Approximate office hours: Mon., 9ish - 5ish Tues., 9ish - 5ish Wed., 9ish - 3ish Thurs., On delivery Fri., 10:30ish - 2ish please call ahead: 259-0133.

Lost&Found

Wanted Seeking Person to post things for sale online for me.

Leave msg @ 970-759-9655 Turn Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. Into Cash! at RJ Metal Recycle, also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

HelpWanted

Lost My Fav Seaweed River Hat! We were tragically separated on Sunday, June 30 after a great afternoon on the lower Dolores. Last seen hanging around the Dove Creek pumping station take out. Thank you for your help in getting it back home so we can continue to have many more fantastic river trips together! 970-946-6632

Announcements

Himalayan Kitchen 992 Main Ave., 970-259-0956, www.himkitchen.com. Bringing you a taste of Nepal, Tibet & India. Try our allyou-can-eat lunch buffet. The dinner menu offers a variety of tempting choices, including yak, lamb, chicken, beef & seafood; extensive veggies; freshly baked bread. Full bar. Get your lunch punch card – 10th lunch free. Hours: Lunch, 11am-2:30 p.m. & dinner, Sun. Thurs., 5-9:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. ‘til 10 p.m.

Closed 2:30 - 5, daily.

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.

22 n July 4, 2019

only member-owned food cooperative.

Position requires management experience, preferably in a retail grocery environment. The GM reports to the Board of Directors. Learn more at www.durangonaturalfoods.coop/gm-search.

Chief Engineer Elevation Hotel & Spa on Mt. Crested Butte is hiring a Chief Engineer. Benefits include health insurance, paid time off, housing, gym membership, ski pass, and 25% off hotel services. Apply boxerprop erty.com/careers.

Classes/Workshops

Caregivers Needed Hiring bonus! Comfort Keepers offers competitive pay, paid training, recognition programs, holiday pay and PayActiv (access to your pay between paychecks)!

Advance your career and work for the agency voted #1 in home care! Visit https://sites.hireology.com/comfortkeepersnmco/ to apply or call Jennifer at 505608-7054.

HaikuMovieReview ‘Murder Mystery’ I think Sandler and Aniston just wanted a free trip to Europe – Lainie Maxson dent or startup businesses. jnderge@gmail.com

Email

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

Embodied Meditation The Reggie Ray Practice Group facilitated by Elisabeth Peterson meets Saturdays, 10:30 to noon, 1800 E. 3rd Ave, Suite 109. For more info twinfish@bresnan.net

Advanced Duct Cleaning Air duct cleaning specializing in dryer vents. Improves indoor air quality; reduces dust and allergens, energy bills and fire risk. 970-247-2462 www.advanced ductcleaninginc.com

Summer Youth Camps Ranging from Nature Writing, to Woodworking, Girls in Engineering, Archeology, Renewable Energy and more are available at The Powerhouse – Science Center / MakerLab for July and August.

Some scholarships are available. Learn more at: www.powsci.org/camps/

BodyWork

Piano Lessons for the Fall Lessons for all ages and levels. For more info visit duranpianostudio.com or call (970)710-0469 Classes at Namaste Thursday meditation - 8am Thursday classes: Parenting, healing herbs, food as medicine 9:30-10:30 Donations accepted.

RSVP to 970-247-2043. namastehealth center.com

Massage “Special” 1 hr. - $50 / 1.5 hrs. - $75 - foot detox$35/ in town Durango/free parking/call or text Nancy R. @ (970) 799-2202 Massages by Meg Bush, LMT 30, 60 & 90 min. 970-759-0199 massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 2018.

Couples, cupping, local CBD. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984 Massage with Kathryn 20+ years experience offering a fusion of esalen style, deep tissue massage with therapeutic stretching & Acutonics. New clients receive $5 off first session. To schedule appt. call 970-201-3373.

Seasonal Tent Crew Needed!

Durango Party Rental is currently hiring awesome, motivated people to join our tent crew!! Immediate openings available. Full and part time available! Clean driving record a plus. Give us a call at 970.259.6009, or shoot us an e-mail at info@durangopartyrental.com to find out about joining our team!! We look forward to meeting you!!

Mommy and Me Dance Class Come join the fun! Now registering for classes. Call 970-749-6456. mom myandmedance.com.

Low Price on Storage!

Inside/outside near Durango, RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494

Open House This Saturday 7/6 from 10-2 361 E 6th Ave Durango A must see For Sale by Owner. Beautiful move-in ready, custom woodwork, full size lot, mature landscaping/organic gardens 3 BD 2 Bath 970-7494784

DNF Co-op Seeks General Manager The General Manager responsibilities include daily operations, staff management and financial oversight of the area’s

Marketing Small and Local Businesses Media, social media, website content, SEO, etc. for small, local, indepen-

In Town 5BR/2BA For personal use and/or rental. Perfect for ADU or mother-in-law suite. $498K. 970-759-0551

telegraph

Services

RealEstate

Telluride Lodge Condo Live the dream: 4/bedroom, 3.5/bath condo in Telluride Lodge! Beautifully remodeled in 2013 with open floor plan.

Gourmet kitchen; gas fireplace; stainless steel appliances; large master bedroom w/ensuite. Steps from the grocery store, river trail & Lift 7. Live in, rent or both – successful short-term rental history. $1.1M. Mountain Rose Realty, Anne-Britt Ostlund: 970-729-8005. Listing ID 37205.

Radon Services Free radon testing and consultation. Call Colorado Radon Abatement and Detection for details. 970- 946-1618.

RoommateWanted Male Only, In-Town Clean, quiet. No smokers, pets, partiers. $550 including utilities, plus deposit. 970759-0551.

ForRent For Rent 2bd 2ba 14’wide mobile on 5 ac w/easy access w/d wdstv & gas heat recent carpet & paint 900 sf 9 mi north of bayfield $900.p/mth electric 928 273 2598 Cabin Next to Natl Forest E of Bayfield, off grid, work/trade opp. $500/mth, $200/wk, dep. Respond to 970317-5863.

ForSale Westcliffe, CO Bluegrass Festival HighMountainHayFever.org July 11-14.

2 weekend passes $100/offer. Injury forces sale. 970-759-8007

NewspaperOrigami

VW Eurovan RV 2001 with a pop-top, excellent condition. 970-749-7617.

2009 FJ Cruiser Toyota Low miles 85,700 exc cond, $20,500.

719-890-0507 B&W Speakers Cherrywood, 2 model CDM 9NT front speakers; 1 CDM CNT center speakers, $1400/set. 2 Klipsch KHC-6 in-ceiling white speakers, $80/pair. 970-749-3363 Reruns Home Furnishings Storewide sales in both stores! Great summer inventory arriving daily. Cool vintage bench, patio items galore, planters, bistros. New great stuff and daily markdowns. 572 E. 6th Ave. 385-7336.

CommunityService Trails 2000 Needs Survey Volunteers It’s a simple, three-question survey to collect info about trail users as well as trail use data. Volunteers needed for July. Sign up and details at https://www.trails2000.org.

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Get yours today at: www.durangotelegraph.com or stop by our office: 777 Main Ave., Suite 214

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