Issuu

2 n May 17, 2018

telegraph

lineup

4 La Vida Local

Not alone Community key in grappling with SW Colorado’s mental health crisis by Tracy Chamberlin

4 Thumbin’ It 5 Word on the Street

Wolves at the door? Rocky Mtn. Wolf Project re-opens talk on returning wolves to Colorado by Missy Votel

Shimmy mob raises awareness, funds for survivors of sexual assault photos by Jennaye Derge

6-7 Soapbox

16 Flash in the Pan 17 Top Shelf

On the ball

18-20 On the Town

Durango Lacrosse Club renews local interest in one of the oldest sports by Missy Votel

20 Ask Rachel 21 Free Will Astrology

22-23 Classifieds

The good fight

Ute Mtn. member Lopez-Whiteskunk to discuss fight for Bears Ears by Missy Votel

boilerplate

6 Retooned

12-13 Day in the Life

Mob scene

23 Haiku Movie Review STAR-STUDDED CAST: Lainie Maxson, Shan Wells, Chris Aaland, Clint Reid, Jennaye Derge, Jesse Anderson, Allen Best, Missy Votel and Luke Mehall

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distributed in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area. We’re only human. If, by chance, we defame someone’s good name or that of their family, neighbor, best

friend or dog, we will accept full responsibility in a public flogging in the following week’s issue. Although “free but not easy,” we can be plied with schwag, booze and flattery.

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

People get ready

Pedestrians will no longer be able to dosi-do across Main Avenue and College Drive. This Wed., May 16, the “Barnes dance” diagonal crossing (actually named for its inventor Henry Barnes and not a form of Western dance) was officially decommissioned.

11 Mountain Town News

12-13

EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com)

Ear to the ground: “Being with my family always gives me diarrhea.” – Local woman discussing why she doesn’t go home as often as she should

thepole

RegularOccurrences

E-MAIL: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

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Built in 2010 to increase pedestrian safety, a recent study found the unconventional intersection, which gave peds more time to cross, was causing cars to stack up, from E. Second Avenue to the College Drive-160 intersection. The decommissioning was part of the larger “College Drive Improvements Project,” which also involves a new traffic light at E. Second Avenue and College. Construction of the new light is complete but the light will remain covered until Tues., May 22. It will flash yellow for three days, giving folks time to mentally prepare, before going live on Fri., May 25. Other additions to the area include land restriping, new bike boxes and bike lanes, and turn arrows. Crosswalks will also be installed so downtown patrons no longer need to take their lives in their hands when crossing College Drive.

High and dry And now from the Downer Department comes the 2018 economic report from Protect Our Winters, aka POW. “The Economic Contributions of Winter Sports in a Changing Climate” was released in February and takes a sobering look at what we have to lose with shorter, warmer winters. According to the study, in the winter of 2015– 16, more than 20 million people participated in snowsports nationally. In total, skiing and snowboarding generated 191,000 jobs, $6.9 billion in wages and added $11.3 billion to the national economy. In Colorado, skiing and snowboarding added 43,294 jobs and $2.6 billion to the economy. According to the report – which was compiled before the dismal season of 2017-18 – skier visits drop by about 5.5 million from the national average of 55.4 million during low snow years. This spells a loss of about $1 billion and 17,400 jobs. The finger of blame points to human-caused climate change. According to SNOTEL data, which has been tracking snow at remote, high-elevation stations, there has been a 10–20 percent loss in annual snow water equivalent since record-keeping began in the 1960s. And the drop cannot be explained away by natural forces, like volcanoes or solar activity. But there is a silver lining. Modeling shows, best-case scenario – i.e. immediate and drastic reductions in global greenhouse emissions – temperatures will remain unchanged through 2100. Worst case? Break out the mountain bikes. To read the report, go to protectourwinters.org.

May 17, 2018 n

opinion

LaVidaLocal The Desert, guns and lollipops Lately, I’ve been writing a book. It’s about the desert, and I’m going to call it “The Desert.” Really creative, I know. But people judge a book by its cover, not its title. Or maybe both, but they definitely judge a book by its cover. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my first four books, it is that. One of the things I love about writing is the ability to look back into time and analyze something. I think the art of reflection gets lost somewhat in these days of hyper connectivity and massive amounts of screen time. The act of reading and writing is as important as ever, if only for the effect on the brain. Almost all of this new book takes place in what is now (could be) Bears Ears National Monument. While I’ve mostly been writing from the perspective of personal introspection it would be impossible not to write about the politics of Bears Ears. So I am transporting myself back in time to 2016, just before Obama announced the proclamation, and I’ve been contemplating how insane the news cycle has become with Trump, and how quickly we not only learn of news, but how quickly we forget. I mean just a couple years ago, Trump was a conspiracy theorist presidential candidate, spreading the birther theory that Obama was not born in the United States. Since then, the news has been filled with so much corruption, hate, scandal and (gasp! almost the worst) incorrect spelling and grammar from the President of the United States. OK, it’s not the worst, but for those of us who find solace in the order of the world through words, the fact that this guy is so egotistical he can’t even consult a copy editor for his tweets is incompressible. But, it does show the true nature of his intelligence and character. To err is human, but to not spell correctly as the POTUS is just f***ing stupid! Someday, 20 years down the road, when someone asks me just exactly what was so terrible about that internet troll we once called president, the “birther theory” is where I will start. Then I’ll bring up the fact that he once berated the parents of a slain American soldier, and he disrespected John McCain, a U.S. senator and prisoner of war for five years in Vietnam, by saying “I like people who weren’t captured.” And all that was before he was president. In this Trump era when we fly from one crazy story to the next, from Stormy Daniels to the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in our election to Kayne shout-outs wearing that stupid red hat, I feel like I’m looking for someone who can express what I’m feeling. Eminem did that with his BET freestyle a while back – apparently the only celebrity who can diss Trump and not get a reply is the almighty Em – and Michelle Wolf did that with her stand up at the White House Correspondents dinner in late April.

I was checked out of service in the desert when Wolf made her controversial performance, and by the time I got back into town it had already blown up the internet. Instead of reading editorials about comedy, I figured I’d watch it for myself. I thought it was the funniest stand up I’ve seen since Dave Chappelle released his latest Netflix specials. Even Chappelle himself applauded Wolf, and noted, “I respected her gangster.” For plenty of people, Wolf’s style of comedy simply wasn’t their cup of tea, but it was right up my alley. She spoke truth to power and showed a fearlessness I really admire. If Richard Pryor, who could be considered the grandfather of that style of comedy, was alive today I’m sure he’d have similar praises. Or maybe, like Kanye, he’d be supporting Trump. Crack and fame can really change a person. But, of course, that was two weeks ago, and what might happen in the news cycle of the next two weeks will obliterate it. Remember covfefe? Neither does Microsoft Word, as it quickly showed me those red squiggly lines under it. If I can reflect a little more on Wolf’s performance though, I liked how she went after both sides on the political spectrum, pulling no punches for the Democrats, and telling CNN that yes, they broke the news. I know that’s my place in the current political climate, trying to keep centered and detached from the masses; having my own opinion. I’m scared for the future of the world, and I’m angry. I’m also happier than I’ve ever been. It’s a weird mix. I’ve also realized that I’ve been more engaged in politics because of Trump. When Obama was president I felt like he had my back, and the ship of fools that is our country at least had a captain who could steer. That was a mistake, not to engage simply because the president was a man whom I (mostly) agreed with and respected. That’s a mistake a lot of us feel like we made, I think. They say you have to pick your battles. The fight for Bears Ears National Monument seems to be the one I have latched on to. Ultimately that is one that seems like it’s going to be decided by the Supreme Court, and I’m grateful for the tribes, environmental groups and corporations that have sued the federal government on our behalf. The whole Bears Ears issue will likely outlast Trump. Before Trump was elected, I was dreaming up my fifth book. (It was a personal goal to write five books before I turned 40 next December.) Little did I know how my personal writing would intertwine with national politics. Since I’ve felt this outrage at Trump and what he represents, I’ve also realized my smallness, that I am only one person, and in reality my own personal opinion does not mean much. When I write, though, I feel like I’m plugged into something bigger; that hopefully my words will inspire others. So, I’m going to keep doing that, Trump the wannabe dictator has really made me appreciate our First Amendment. And, in closing, with some words from another gangster by the name of 2 Pac, “I’m not going to change the world, but I will inspire the person who does.”

This Week’s Sign of the Downfall:

Thumbin’It

4 n May 17, 2018

– Luke Mehall

The Durango City Council taking a bold stand (no pun intended) by banning sitting and lying on downtown sidewalks in an effort to address recent problems and safety concerns

Colorado lagging behind when it comes to mental health care, ranking 43rd worst in the country for overall state of mental health and ninth-highest in number of suicides

The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project reopening the contentious debate about wolf reintroduction in Colorado and trying to bring all sides together to find compromise

A scary twist on wildfire season, with arson suspected in at least five recent fires in Montezuma County

A change of venue for the trial of Great Old Broad Rose Chilcoat and husband, Mark, after a judge ruled the two, accused of endangering cattle, would not receive a fair shake in San Juan County, Utah

A recent report from Protect Our winters detailing the potential fall-out of human-caused climate change on the snowsports industry, which contributes $72 billion in economic activity and nearly 700,000 jobs

telegraph

Straight Outta Stirrups We didn’t think it could get worse than Snoop Dog hosting game shows, but now, the “hard” rappers from our youth have hit a new low: Dr. Dre lost a fight with a gynecologist in court. Dr. Draion Burch, aka “Dr. Drai,” trademarked his nickname after finding success writing books like 20 Things You May Not Know About The Vagina, but then Dr. Dre sued him – and lost. The reason? Well, the gynecologist was a real doctor, and the other guy was Andre Young using a made-up name.

WordontheStreet

Q With the Taste of Durango on Sunday, the Telegraph asked, “What are you craving?”

Ruby De Kay

“Summer.”

Delilah De Kay

“Thunderstorms and rain.”

Christy McMullan

“Chapstick. It’s quite dry.”

Wesley McMullan

“A drink, because I’m pretty thirsty.”

Owen McMullan

“Orange juice.”

Sustainable solutions for pain, stress, fatigue and sleep loss. ! %

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telegraph

May 17, 2018 n 5

SoapBox

ReTooned/by Shan Wells

Meet Tipton’s challengers June 4 To the editor, Frustrated with the current U.S. Congress? Worried about rising health care costs, long-term U.S. debt and climate change impacts here in Southwest Colorado? Us too. Three Democratic candidates will be on the June primary ballot vying for the Democratic nominee for Congressional District 3 – the U.S. House of Representatives seat currently held by Scott Tipton. For the first time, both Dem and unaffiliated voters will be able to vote in this primary. That winner will then battle Rep. Scott Tipton in November. All three Democrats, Diane Mitsch Bush, Karl Hanlon and Arn Menconi, will be at the Durango Public Library on Mon., June 4, at 6:30 p.m. for a 90-minute debate airing their points of view and priorities for improving constituents’ lives and the U.S. economy. The debate is hosted by Indivisible Durango and the La Plata County Dems. Please join us! – Anne Markward, Indivisible Durango Elections Team

Report crimes for a safer Durango To the editor, At a recent meeting of the Boulevard Neighborhood Association with City Councilor Melissa Youssef, a variety of city issues were discussed. Among the observations made were the increasing numbers of homeless on Durango’s streets. Residents also shared concern about recent crime on the Boulevard and in other Durango neighborhoods. We stressed how our association encourages residents on East 3rd Avenue to report any and all 4

6 n May 17, 2018

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criminal activity to the police. While many residents are reluctant to report crime for a variety of reasons, contacting the police is critical to ensure community safety. Our association applauds our police chief, Kamran Afzal, for his foresight in filling a police crime analyst position (Durango Herald, March 16) and his desire to be more transparent by making crime statistics available to the community. Unless all crime is reported, any data base will lack validity and fail to provide the community and police department with an important tool to ensure our community safety. We are looking forward to the report being made public in the near future. – Boulevard Neighborhood Association Board of Directors: Brieanne Stahnke, Karen Anesi, Tony Rocha, Kathy Gervais and Mike Todt

Schools to hemp, a fruitful session To the editor, The 71st Session of the General Assembly came to a resounding close last Wednesday night after 120 days of crafting, discussing, arguing, reconciling, meeting and contemplating. Fourteen of my bills, all with bipartisan support, will be signed into law, including: • A suicide-prevention bill offering grants for schools to access research-based training programs for all school employees to understand symptoms in students who might want to hurt themselves or others. • Help for student teachers by having every school district require the same background check. Unbeknownst to me, every district had a different rule, making studentteacher certification harder and more expensive than necessary. • Industrial hemp seeds are now considered an agricultural product, helping the industry in Colorado continue to grow. • An Agricultural Workforce Development internship

program was developed, paying farmers and ranchers half the cost of hiring a young and beginning farmer to work the land and learn the craft. • Two broadband bills passed. One gives a company with the right of first refusal the opportunity to implement broadband, as long as it offers the cost and speed a local broadband provider offers. The other allows Colorado to apply for federal broadband funds once they become available. • Another bill will provide a financial incentive for teachers in rural districts to complete coursework that will help them finish a second certification or earn an alternative license. They will need to work in that district for three years. • Lower-income homeowners buying a manufactured home will not have to pay sales tax, though they will still pay the property tax. This should save them about $1,000 each. • An aquifer water storage study will determine how to best use aquifers in Colorado to store our water. • Off-highway vehicle riders will have new safety standards to follow, making this popular recreational activity safer. • CDOT will change its bidding process slightly to help award smaller construction companies more jobs on highway projects. • The Fort Lewis College Hesperus Campus income will go directly into the college’s account instead of to the General Assembly. • The Southwest Water Conservation District will get to choose its own meeting dates; having them set ahead of time made it difficult for members to travel regularly. • A Food Systems bill, which supports the continued communication between food producers and consumers, will not sunset or be killed. • Colorado Highway 84 between Pagosa Springs and the state line will be named the Nolan Olson Memorial Highway in honor of Olson, a longtime CDOT employee who was killed on the job.

I sponsored a resolution for the Outdoor Retailer Show, which celebrates public lands and has brought its conventions to Colorado. And I sponsored another resolution celebrating Colorado’s educators. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together next year. – Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango

Aichele has proven herself worthy

To the editor, It is unfortunate to witness the negative tactics of our national campaigns playing out here in La Plata County. Candidates for public office should tell voters about their strengths for the job, and how they can make the lives of the voters better. Allison Aichele did exactly that four years ago when she ran for county treasurer, and once gain she is running a positive campaign. Allison is telling voters of her relevant working experience with Fortune 100 companies, such as Microsoft (project manager) and Pacific Gas and Electric. She was directly responsible for creating a modernized billing and collection system. Over the past four years, Allison and her supportive staff have produced an efficient computer system to accurately account for the annual $150 million in revenue in our county and all of the thousands of accounts of taxpayer money that balance to the penny every day! Taking a publicly held office from typewriters to a modern computer system has benefitted all of us, and this is only one of many accomplishments Allison has achieved as our treasurer. She earned our vote four years ago. She has definitely earned it again. Vote for Allison! – Susan Trone, Durango

Join orthopedic sur surgeon geon Kim Furry, Furry, M.D., M.D., physician physician assistant assistant Clayton Cla yton LaBaume, and physical physical therapist therapist Phil Rambo for for “Healthy “Healthy ŽŶĞƐ͕ ,ĞĂůƚŚǇ ŽĚǇ͗ zŽƵƌ 'ƵŝĚĞ ƚŽ &ƌĂĐƚƵƌĞ WƌĞǀĞŶƟŽŶ͕͟ Ă &Z ŽŶĞƐ͕ ,ĞĂůƚŚǇ ŽĚǇ͗ zŽƵƌ 'ƵŝĚĞ ƚŽ &ƌĂĐƚƵƌĞ WƌĞǀĞŶƟŽŶ͕͟ Ă &Z ĐĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ͘ DĞƌĐǇ͛Ɛ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚƐ ǁŝůů ĞǆƉůĂŝŶ ĂŐĞͲ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ͘ DĞƌĐǇ ͛Ɛ ƐƉĞĐŝĂůŝƐƚƐ ǁŝůů ĞǆƉůĂŝŶ ĂŐĞͲ ƌƌĞůĂƚĞĚ ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ƚŚĞ ƌŝƐŬ ŽĨ ĨĂůůͲƌĞůĂƚĞĚ ĨƌĂĐƚƵƌĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĞůĂƚĞĚ ĨĂĐƚŽƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ƚŚĞ ƌŝƐŬ ŽĨ ĨĂůůͲƌĞůĂƚĞĚ ĨƌĂĐƚƵƌĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƐƐŝŵƉůĞ ǁĂǇƐ ǇŽƵ ĐĂŶ ŵŝŶŝŵŝǌĞ ǇŽƵƌ ƌŝƐŬ͘ ŝŵƉůĞ ǁĂǇƐ ǇŽƵ ĐĂŶ ŵŝŶŝŵŝǌĞ ǇŽƵƌ ƌŝƐŬ͘

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Centur Centura turaa He Health alth does not discriminate discriminate agains discriminat ag against ainstt an ains anyy pe person rson on the basis of race rrace, ace, ccolor, olor,, na olor national tional origin, disability disability,, ag age age, e, se sex, x, rreligion, eligion, cr cre creed, eed, ance ancestry, str tryy, se sex sexual xual orie orientation, ntation, and marit marital al st sstatus tatus in admission, tr treatment, eatme ea tment, or participation participa tion iin n its progr pr programs, ograms, ogr ams, ser services vices and activities, or in eemployment. mploymen mplo yment.t. FFor ymen or further in information forma ormation tion about this policy ccontact ontact Ce Centura ntur turaa Health’s Of Office fice of the Gene General ral Counsel aatt 1-303-673-8166 (TTY (T (TTY: TY:: 711). Cop TY Copyrigh Copyright yright © ĞŶƚƵƌĂ ,ĞĂůƚŚ͕ ϮϬϭϳ͘ d E /ME͗ ^ŝ ŚĂďůĂ ĞƐƉĂŹŽů͕ ƚŝĞŶĞ Ă ƐƵ ĚŝƐƉŽƐŝĐŝſŶ ƐĞƌǀŝĐŝŽƐ ŐƌĂƚƵŝƚŽƐ ĚĞ ĂƐŝƐƚĞŶĐŝĂ ůŝŶŐƺşƐƚŝĐĂ͘ >ůĂŵĞ Ăů ϭͲϯϬϯͲϲϳϯͲϴϭϲϲ ;ddz͗ ϳϭϭͿ͘ ,j |͗ EұƵ ďҢŶ Ŷſŝ dŝұŶŐ sŝҵƚ͕ Đſ ĐĄĐ ĚҷĐŚ ǀӅ Śҽ ƚƌӄ ŶŐƀŶ ĞŶƚƵƌĂ ,ĞĂůƚŚ͕ ϮϬϭϳ͘ d E /ME͗ ^ŝ ŚĂďůĂ ĞƐƉĂŹŽů͕ ƚŝĞŶĞ Ă ƐƵ ĚŝƐƉŽƐŝĐŝſŶ ƐĞƌǀŝĐŝŽƐ ŐƌĂƚƵŝƚŽƐ ĚĞ ĂƐŝƐƚĞŶĐŝĂ ůŝŶŐƺşƐƚŝĐĂ͘ >ůĂŵĞ Ăů ϭͲϯϬϯͲϲϳϯͲϴϭϲϲ ;ddz͗ ϳϭϭͿ͘ ,j |͗ EұƵ ďҢŶ Ŷſŝ dŝұŶŐ sŝҵƚ͕ Đſ ĐĄĐ ĚҷĐŚ ǀӅ Śҽ ƚƌӄ ŶŐƀŶ ŶŐӋ ŵŝҴŶ ƉŚş ĚăŶŚ ĐŚŽ ďҢŶ͘ 'Ҹŝ ƐҺ ϭͲϯϬϯͲϲϳϯͲϴϭϲϲ ;ddz͗ ϳϭϭͿ͘ Ŷ ŐӋ ŵŝҴŶ ƉŚş ĚăŶŚ ĐŚŽ ďҢŶ͘ 'Ҹŝ ƐҺ ϭͲϯϬϯͲϲϳϯͲϴϭϲϲ ;ddz͗ ϳϭϭͿ͘

telegraph

May 17, 2018 n 7

LocalNews

Come together As Colorado struggles with mental health needs, experts point out it’s people who make the difference Photo Illustration by Jennaye Derge by Tracy Chamberlin

ver have a bad day? A tough time? Or a year you’d rather forget? Guess what, so has everyone else. It doesn’t matter the age, gender, race or religion. It doesn’t matter where someone lives, if they’re married, single, divorced or widowed. Stress, anxiety, depression, emotional disorders, substance abuse and suicide affects every person in some way. “People feel really isolated, like they’re the only ones going through this,” Stephanie Allred, senior clinical director for Axis Health Systems, said. “And they’re not.” Reaching out – whether it’s to lend a hand or take hold of one – can make all the difference when someone is having a bad day. In the midst of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, that’s the message from health care professionals in the Southwest who are trying to tackle the myriad of challenges this area faces when it comes to mental health care. Among all of them, the common thread was community.

The challenges ahead Many people think of Colorado as a healthy state. With plenty of places to hike, bike and simply enjoy the scenery,

8 n May 17, 2018

All you have to do is ask ... 970-247-5245 Axis Health Care’s Crisis hotline Call 844-493-TALK (8255) or text “Talk” to 38255 Colorado Crisis hotline it must rival Disney as the happiest place on Earth. But, it turns out, this state is struggling when it comes to mental health. In a recent report, Colorado ranked 43rd in the United States when it comes to mental health. The report from Mental Health America, a national nonprofit based in Virginia, compiled the numbers for mental illness among adults and youth, suicides, substance abuse and access to care. The low overall ranking for Colorado indicates that mental illness is more prevalent and access to care is more limited than in other states. This is certainly true for the Southwest. In a recent survey from the Colorado Health Institute, a Denver-based nonprofit, residents in this part of the state said

telegraph

they were unable to get help. “People in Southwestern Colorado … report not getting needed mental health services at the highest rates, with more than nine percent of residents saying they did not get needed care,” the survey reads. No one’s been able to nail down exactly why people aren’t getting that care. Some of the likely factors are income levels, cost for care, availability of providers and appointments, insurance coverage, and the stigma of mental health. Laura Warner, director of health promotion services at San Juan Basin Health, said all of these are likely true for the area, at least to some degree. The high cost of living and lack of affordable housing are constant battles for this community. It’s not just something that makes it hard for residents to budget for needed health care, it also makes it challenging to attract and hold onto employees, which makes it harder to find a provider. Some things are looking up, though, particularly when it comes to insurance coverage. Overall access to care has been improving since 2013, when the Colorado Health Institute began collecting data, and a record-high 93.5 percent of Coloradans now have health insurance. Even if residents have coverage and access, however, 4

MentalHealth from p. 8 it doesn’t mean they are ready to ask for the help they need. “One of the biggest challenges is having a willingness to seek out care,” Allred explained.

Changing perspectives At this point, people don’t call up a therapist or another type of mental health professional like they would to schedule a physical. Allred said one study showed many people actually waited 10 years before getting help with depression. “The earlier we can identify and intervene, the better,” she said. With that in mind, health professionals are taking a different approach to mental health care – making it part of a regular doctor’s visit. Anyone who’s been to see a doctor lately has been asked a series of questions about mental health, depression and suicide. It’s called integrative care, and the idea is to combine primary care and mental health. It’s all part of treating the whole person, instead of looking at mental and physical health as different parts. According to the survey from the Colorado Health Institute, mental health and physical health are not exclusive to one another. They are, in fact, strongly linked. “People in poor physical health report poor mental health at four times the rate of those in good physical health (and) the reverse is also true … The connection between the two seems to point both to the stresses that can come along with health challenges and to the toll mental health challenges can take on the physical body,” the report reads. This mind-body connection means there are real, tangible benefits to treating the whole person. Even the courts are trying to take this kind of approach. Special courts have been created in the United States to try and address cases where mental health and criminal activity intersect. They are called Problem Solving Courts. Unlike traditional courts, the idea is to merge treatment and criminal justice. According to the Colorado Judicial Branch, 80 of these courts were operating in the state last year, three of which are in La Plata County: an Adult Drug Court, DUI Court, and Mental Health Court. According to Mental Health America, more than half of all Americans in prison or jail have a mental illness. Researchers are also finding those individuals typically get involved in the criminal justice system by committing low-level offenses like disorderly conduct or trespassing. And, with each offense it becomes harder and harder to

Community tackles suicide prevention Colorado has the ninth-highest rate of suicide in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and La Plata County has a higher rate than both state and national averages. Over the past few years, suicides in La Plata County have gone up dramatically with 16 in 2016; 19 in 2017; and six as of May 1 this year. With these numbers continuing to rise, community leaders and healthcare professionals have been looking for new ways to reach out to residents. Here are some of their efforts: • The CODY Project - Communities Overcoming Depressed Youth, also known as The CODY Project, hosted a Mental Health Mardis Gras earlier this month at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. The event, which focused on raising awareness of mental health issues, was formed in honor of Escalante Middle School student Cody Ledford who died last year from suicide. The event was well attended and considered a success by organizers. For more, check out The CODY Project on Facebook. • SUCAP Gatekeepers - It’s difficult to know what to do when you or someone you know is considering suicide. SUCAP, also known as Southern Ute Community Action Programs, has been working to train “gatekeepers.” These individuals are taught to engage with someone at risk and help connect them with services in the area, like professionals at Axis Health or San Juan Basin Health. SUCAP recently announced it had trained its 400th suicide-prevention gatekeeper. • Let’s Talk - Initiated last summer, the goal of the Let’s break the cycle – unless these individuals can find treatment along the way. Allred agreed that some individuals behind bars need treatment, not incarceration. Trying to address both issues simultaneously is what inspired the creation of the Problem Solving courts. It’s not known at this point how affective these courts really are, but it does indicate a change in the way mental

Talk campaign is to saturate the community with information – resources, phone numbers, websites and other outlets. The idea is to not only make sure someone who needs help can find it, but to make mental health care part of the landscape. New materials are expected to come out this summer. For more, visit letstalkco.org. • La Plata Suicide Prevention Collaborative - Over the past year, area mental health care providers have been working with schools, police, churches, support groups and others to find the gaps – and overlaps – in suicide prevention services and resources. What providers don’t want is to have more than one organization offering the same service, while other needs go unnoticed, said Claire Ninde, communications director for San Juan Basin Health. With funding from the state, workgroups have been created to address specific aspects of suicide prevention including training, community response, youth engagement, awareness and care protocol. The idea is to create an action plan, which should be completed by the end of the year. • Laws - The Colorado legislature recently passed SB18-272, a bill backed by Rep. Barbara McLachlan. The bill sets aside $400,000 for grant funding to train educators in crisis prevention and support suicide-prevention programs. Gov. John Hickenlooper is expected to sign the bill into law when he visits Durango at the end of the month. Laura Warner, director of health promotion services at San Juan Basin Health, said addressing a problem as complex as suicide will take years. “Addressing something like suicide takes everyone,” she explained, “Reach out, be a good neighbor, a good friend … we’re not going to address this issue if we don’t.” health is being addressed in the justice system. Changing the way people see mental health – as a part of someone’s overall well-being, as a necessary part of rehabilitation in the courts, and as a common part of everyday life – seems to be the first step to overcoming obstacles and getting people the care they need. “Don’t look at this as an issue someone else needs to solve,” Warner said. “We all have to do it together.” n

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LocalNews

Shades of gray Representative of Rocky Mountain Wolf Project to discuss wolf reintroduction by Missy Votel

he last wild gray wolf was extirpated from Colorado in the 1940s, somewhere near the New Mexico border. But now, a coalition of environmentalist and wolf advocates would like to restart the conversation about returning the keystone species to its historic habitat. “Colorado is the missing link in gray wolf habitat,” Mike Wilson, a member of the recently formed Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, said. “We’re the only state in the Rocky Mountains that doesn’t have wolves, for various reasons.” Wilson will be in Durango this Sat., May 19, as part of Wolfwood Refuge’s “Meet the Wolves” event. The event takes place from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Three Springs, and Wilson will on hand to talk and answer questions. He will give two presentations, at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. He said the project began forming in 2016, the idea of renowned wildlife biologist Michael Philips, who has been involved in all the wolf reintroductions in the United States. “For the last eight to 10 years, various groups have been trying to restore gray wolves to Colorado,” said Wilson. “The idea was to get all the interested groups working together.” The once plentiful gray wolf was listed on the endangered species list in 1974. In 1995-96, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced three packs of Canadian wolves into Wyoming and Idaho. The reintroduction was deemed a success, with Yellowstone National Park counting 99 wolves in 10 packs as of last December. Likewise, 1,000 wolves were reintroduced in Minnesota

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in the early 1970s, and 100 Mexican gray wolves (a subspecies of gray wolves) were recently released in New Mexico and Arizona. Today, the total population of gray wolves is estimated at 6,000 throughout Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and New Mexico. Despite this, Colorado has been slow to get on board with the wolf reintroduction. In January 2016, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted against a resolution that would have supported wolf reintroduction. But in July that year, CPW did issue a press release acknowledging it is time to prepare for the eventual recolonizing of Colorado by wolves.

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The first known migrant arrived in 2004, a female gray wolf from the Yellowstone pack, who was hit by a car and found dead along I-70 near Idaho Springs. In 2006, what was believed to be a gray wolf was videotaped near the Colorado-Wyoming border, and a few years later, a collaredgray wolf was found dead from a banned poison north of Rifle. Then in 2015, what appeared to be another wolf was videotaped north of Walden, and a hunter in Kremmling accidentally shot a wolf he mistook for a coyote. Nevertheless, biologists and experts say these random crossovers are not enough to sustain a viable population in Colorado. Furthermore, many agree a Colorado population would be vital to ensuring wolves’ genetic diversity. But, of course, not all see it that way – with gray wolves one of the most polarizing and contentious issues in the Centennial State. Wilson, who comes from an agricultural background and spent 13 years working with horses, said he sees both sides of the issue. But rather than draw a line in the sand, he said the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project’s mission is to hear all sides, gather ideas and try to find a compromise. “I don’t think it needs to be one side vs. the other, or pro wolf vs. anti. It’s better when people come up with collaborative solutions,” he said. “Our push is more to engage Coloradans and get them to change the future. More or less, we’re just trying to see the full picture and be a voice for those who want to see wolves back.” For more on the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, go to www.rockymountainwolfproject.org. n

MountainTownNews The pros of attractions at a small ski area JACKSON, Wyo. – In places, ski companies seem to be making lots of money. Consider how the price of Vail Resorts stock has soared from $16 per share to $228 per share in little more than 20 years, with dividends along the way. Alterra Mountain Co., the new giant on the ski industry block, was created last year on the premise that great wealth can be generated to its owners. Then there are the little ski areas like Snow King – the in-town ski area at Jackson, Wyo. Located just six blocks from the town’s famous antler-arched town square, it has respectable numbers: almost 1,600 feet of vertical and an average 150 inches (380 cm) of snow per winter. What it lacks is visitors. Most people flying into the local airport want to ski the much bigger Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Located 10 miles away, it is owned by the billionaire Kemmerer family, scions to a fortune made in coal. This winter Jackson Hole pushed above 600,000 skier days for the first time and is gradually joining the ranks of the continent’s major ski areas. Snow King has barely hung on. A few years ago, some thought it would not survive. The town thought about taking over ski area operations, but walked away. Then new buyers were lined up. By a set of metrics reported by the Jackson Hole News&Guide, Snow King remains a marginal operation. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort had 15 times the number of skiers during the 2016-17 season but gross income 107 times greater than that of Snow King. At Grand Targhee, on the western slopes of the Teton Range, adjusted gross income was 14 times that of Snow King. The relevance of these numbers is Snow King’s proposal to add more attractions. The owners argue that skiing doesn’t pay the bills. In the last two years Snow King has added a mountain coaster, puttputt golf, and a high ropes course. There’s also a new restaurant. Now comes review of a proposed zip line, a mountain bike park, an observatory, a backcountry yurt, and a mountain-top restaurant that would be accessible from a new gondola. Ryan Stanley, the general manager, insists that his company wants economic sustainability, not a financial windfall. “No one is planning to make a lot of money here. If they wanted to, they wouldn’t have bought the ski resort.” Not everybody agrees. Most vocal among critics has been the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, which warns of an “amusement park” and real estate venture.

A raft of suicides in Crested Butte CRESTED BUTTE – A suicide has occurred for the third time in about six weeks in Crested Butte. “This it too many anywhere, but it can feel overwhelming in a small town like Crested Butte,” writes Mark Reaman, editor of the Crested Butte News. A town of 1,600 people, Crested Butte has geography that suggests there should never be any cause for despair. Just outside town is OhBe-Joyful Creek. In the Elk Range to the north lies Paradise Basin. But the suicides have become so concerning that the newspaper editor and the manager of the local radio stations have been talking about what they can do, such as sponsoring a community forum. “We want people to come and ask questions of the experts, maybe share their experience and help all of us,” writes Reaman.

Bejing butterfly wings and Ketchum KETCHUM, Idaho – Thinking globally, commissioners of Blaine County – which includes the ski towns of Ketchum and Sun Valley – have halted the county’s mixed-paper recycling program. For the time being, the paper will be going to a landfill instead of recycling centers, which simply can’t hold any more. “The building is stacked to the rafters,” a recycling center manager told the Idaho Mountain Express. The paper had previously gone to several sources, for multiple purposes: to be created into hydro mulch and cellulose. But a lot of the paper here – and across the United States – was shipped across the Pacific Ocean to China. There, plants and mills converted the paper into pulp and, then, completing the cycle, back to paper. But China has new regulations that sharply limit the contamination levels for mixed paper. Previously contamination of up to 5 percent was acceptable; now it’s only 0.5 percent.

Paper used to be worth $20 a ton. Now, local recyclers must pay somebody $35 a ton to take it off their hands. In Ketchum, they’re not willing to do that. The recycling center in Ketchum-Sun Valley is still taking corrugated cardboard, plastic, aluminum and tin. Those are the things that China still accepts.

Jasper continues to talk about wildfire JASPER, Alberta – With summer fast approaching, wildfire is on the minds of many in Jasper. A recent meeting drew as many as 200 people to hear what the fire chief and others are thinking. Some would like Parks Canada to create a 100-meter tree-less belt around the town within Jasper National Park. A fire expert with the agency said Parks Canada must weigh concerns, including the impacts on wildlife, the soil and water bodies. Residents were urged to hew to the guidelines of FireSmart, the Canadian equivalent to the FireWise program in the United States. Those guidelines advocate removing flammability within a 10meter radius around a house. Jasper has been divided into 10 evacuation zones. As well, five sites in the town have been identified if people need transportation. The goal, officials iterated, is to make sure locals know what to do if a fire occurs when there are 30,000 tourists in town.

Airbnb scam evades Aspen officials ASPEN – It was a pretty sweet deal for the tenant until early February. Then one day three people showed up at the office of the Truscott affordable housing complex in Aspen, wanting to know where the Airbnb unit No. 72 was. That’s a no-no. The tenant of the deed-restricted affordable housing unit had signed a contract saying the unit could not be subleased. She had instead advertised the unit on Airbnb as a “cozy one-bedroom apartment” with room for up to four people as a base camp for “exploring what Aspen has to offer.” The price was very unAspen-like: $135 per night, with a two-night minimum stay on weekends. Learning of the violation, the Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority ordered the tenant to remove the listing from Airbnb within three days. It took her 20 days to get that done. By then, her lease had been revoked. The affordable housing staff occasionally studies vacation rental sites to see if there are any scofflaws. This one had missed their eyes. The tenant had been doing this for almost a year. City officials are now hiring an outside firm to identify how many people are dodging paying sales and lodging taxes when using online rental platforms. Deed-restricted units will be part of the probe.

The high cost of lodging TSA workers ASPEN – Without its busy local airport, Aspen wouldn’t get much business during winter. But where do the airport security workers stay when the town is already crammed to the gills? The Aspen Daily News reports that the Transportation Security Administration spent as much as $324,576 for housing and $95,448 for meals and other expenses for temporary workers at the airport from Dec. 17 - April 13. This is independent of pay and benefits. The local airport in Aspen is served by 20 permanent TSA workers. The additional workers were given rooms at Aspen Meadows Resort, the lodging component of The Aspen Institute, at a rate of $181 per day. A TSA representative told the Daily News that the agency tries not to look beyond a 5-mile vicinity of the airport for its temporary lodging needs.

Some homes get torched & others don’t BANFF, Alberta – Pop quiz here: Homes can catch fire in three ways from nearby wildfires: A) from direct flames of the fire, B) from embers shooting out from the fire, and C) from the radiant heat. Which most commonly causes a house to burn? If you answered B, you’re right. The source for that is Alan Westhaver, a former Banff resident who published a study for the Institute of Catastrophic Loss Reduction, after the fire at Fort McMurray in 2016. The fire destroyed 2,400 homes and killed two people. The community in northern Alberta is the capital for extraction of bitumen, also called tar and oil sands.

– Allen Best

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May 17, 2018 n 11

dayinthelife

Shake it up by Jennaye Derge

f anyone has ever wanted to stop what they're doing and start dancing in the middle of the street, they're not alone. Each year on National Belly Dance Day (totally a real thing – May 12) thousands of women across the country gather in “shimmy mobs” to belly dance and help bring awareness to the problem of sexual abuse. Locally, the Durango Shimmy Mob danced its way around downtown, raising funds for Alternative Horizons, our local sexual-abuse safe haven. The mob hit the Farmer's Market, Father’s Daughters Pizza, Sunshine Gardens and both malls with a flashy, choreographed, toe-tapping show. The event went international this year, with an estimated 169 performances across the globe, from Canada to Chile, Australia to Guam. So no matter where you were, you could stop what you were doing and bust a move for a good cause – or just because.

The day was about bringing awareness to ending sexual assault, but also about having fun.

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Durango’s Shimmy Mob broke out in various spots around Durango, including a stop in front of Father’s Daughters Pizza.

Durango Shimmy Mob’s team leader, Shelley Millsap.

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Finger cymbals, or “zills,” are a part of the belly dance tradition and make a beautiful sound.

More than 20 dancers performed five choreographed pieces for the shimmy mob. May 17, 2018 n 13

thesecondsection Players from the Durango boys U12 lacrosse team practice Tuesday afternoon at the Smith Sports Complex. The newly reinvigorated Durango Lacrosse Club hosts its inaugural Durango Mountain Melee this weekend at Smith fields./Photo by Jennaye Derge

Getting the scoop Durango Lacrosse Club breathes new life into an old sport by Missy Votel

ove over soccer, football and baseball. There’s a new (well, actually very old) team sport in town: lacrosse. OK, so technically, the City of Durango’s Rec Department has been offering kids lacrosse for several years, thanks to Recreation Supervisor John Robinette, also a lacrosse afficionado. And high school and womens lacrosse at FLC has been a thing since 2009 (even longer for the mens FLC team). But now there’s a new (newly resurrected, anyway)

organization in town aimed at getting more stickwielding kids out on the pitch: Durango Lacrosse Club. Officially revived last spring (there was a Durango Lacrosse Club in the past that went dormant), the league is open to kids age 8-15 and offers instruction and competitive spring and more-casual fall leagues. For those who haven’t seen a lacrosse game in action (first, shame on you) think hockey, basketball, soccer and football (minus the head butting) all rolled into one hard, ball of rubber. “It’s a fun, fast game,” DLC president Howard Mulcahey said.

Mulcahey, who also coaches, came from that hotbed of lacrosse activity (no, not Lacrosse, Wisc.), the northeast. He played lacrosse (“lax” for short or those who just like acronyms) at Hobart College, in upstate New York’s Lake Ontario region – the birthplace of the sport. Perhaps then, it’s no surprise that Hobart is a veritable lacrosse powerhouse, taking home more national titles than you can shake a stick at. Although an Olympic sport in the early 1900s, worldwide interest in the sport petered out, with efforts to revive it as an exhibition sport in the 1990s failing to gain traction. However, in the US of A, the sport is 4

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growing by leaps and bounds. Mulcahey said when he graduated college 40 years ago, many of the players went on to spread the love of lacrosse West, starting programs everywhere from California to Texas to sweet home Colorado. According to U.S. Lacrosse, the sport’s national governing body, in 2016, there were more than 825,000 lacrosse players in the country. It is also the fastest-growing team sport among the National Federation of High Schools. There are even womens and mens semi-pro leagues (go, Mammoth!) “It’s still the fastest growing sport among youth and college club teams,” said Mulcahey. Durango mirrors that growth, albeit on a smaller level. “It’s just as not well known in the West,” said Mulcahey. But that’s what the DLC is hoping to change. Since starting last spring, the club’s enrollment has grown 10 to 15 percent, to 85 kids, boys and girls, playing across a range of age levels. To get the word out, the group sends communications to area schools and encourages kids who play to tell their friends. “We just want to let them know lacrosse is an option,” said Mulcahey. With the younger kids, Mulcahey said the mission first and foremost is to break bad habits and teach kids to work together toward a common goal, which just so happens to be goals. “You want to get the kids to gel as a team; it’s a team sport. There’s several links in it,” he said. The club also strives to make players all-around better people by emphasizing things such as academics, sportsmanship, discipline, responsibility, camaraderie and respect. Some of the other benefits of lacrosse over other sports are that it entails a lot less equipment and typically, fewer injuries. “As a 62-year-old, I really never got hurt in lacrosse. I got hurt more in football for sure,” he said. “In lacrosse, you’re not leading with your head and players are wearing helmets.” (Note: high school girls only wear protective eyewear as body checking is illegal.) And speaking of checking, it’s also a great crossover sport for hockey players looking to keep their stick-handling and hand-eye coordination sharp in the off season. Unfortunately, lacrosse can’t promise parents they won’t

Lacrosse for dummies

U12 lacrosse players runs through some drills Tuesday afternoon./ Photo by Jennaye Derge be driving on weekends – (sorry, that just comes with the territory of kids and sports in our remote neck of the woods) – but at least it more than likely won’t be in the snow. According to Mulcahey, local players compete with a variety of regional teams from Santa Fe and Albuquerque to Telluride, Gunnison, Aspen and Grand Junction. This weekend, local sports enthusiasts and curious looky-loos alike will have a chance to check out some lax action when DLC hosts its inaugural Durango Mountain Melee at Smith Field on May 19-20. The event will feature teams from six different areas throughout the region. Durango Lacrosse’s website is currently under construction. For more information, check them out on Facebook. n

• The game’s inventors were the Iroquois and other indigenous peoples in what is now New York, Pennsylvania and the eastern Great Lakes region of Canada. • Lacrosse was originally known as “The Creator’s Game,” part of a ceremonial symbolic warfare • The earliest “games” were played around 1100 consisting of as many as 1,000 men on fields up to 3 miles long for two to three days, from sun-up to sundown. • Jesuit missionaries gave the game its modern name in the 17th century (“la crosse” means “the stick” in French.) • In 1856, William George Beers, a Canadian dentist, founded the Montreal Lacrosse Club and codified the game, shortening the length and reducing the number of players. • By 1900, there were dozens of men’s clubs throughout Canada, the U.S., England, Australia and New Zealand • Women’s lacrosse was introduced in Scotland in 1890. The first women’s club in the U.S. was at Baltimore’s Bryn Mawr School in 1926. • Modern teams consists of 10 players: three attackmen, three midfielders, three defensemen and a goalie. • Games consist of four quarters, 15 minutes each • The sport has four versions: field lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, box lacrosse (indoors) and intercrosse (mixed gender, noncontact). (Thank you, Wikipedia.)

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Flashinthepan

Harnessing the spinach matrix by Ari LeVaux

is a classic thing to include here, as it contributes its wonderful fat. If I can get good stuff I use it. Otherwise, butter and mushrooms and some kind of cheese. I like cheese curds because they fry nicely, as do chunks of semi-hard cheese. Chèvre or similar soft goat cheese is amazing in this dish. If using soft cheese though, it gets added later. Fry the browned bits slowly, never burning, adding oil if necessary. Add chunks of garlic if you wish, and if you like, garlic. It will sweeten if cooked slowly. When the browned bits of goodness are nearly done, consider adding greens here. I had some watercress, gathered in the mountains by a morel picker at the market. (Of course I bought morels too, are you crazy?) The watercress adds a nice spice to the filling. Another time I used baby bok choi from the market. So small they were basically overgrown sprouts. (“Infanticide,” remarked a friend.) While that is going, work on the eggs. The fresher the eggs are the better. Separate the yolks from whites of two eggs, storing them in separate bowls. Don’t let any yolk or water get into the whites. And if you wash your hands after separating the eggs, make sure they are very dry before proceeding. Using an eggbeater or similar tool beat the whites until they are stiff, with no liquid whites in the bowl. Pour cream into the yolks and beat them with a fork until fully combined. Put both egg bowls in the fridge until it’s time for the magic. When the pan goodies are done, add a little soy sauce and garlic powder, and stir it around to mix and absorb. Remove half from the pan and set aside. Spread around the portion that remains in the pan so it’s evenly dispersed. Add butter and/or oil if the pan isn’t very oily, then begin arranging the spinach leaves. All of the stems should be parallel, with about half of the leaf tips facing one direction, and half the other. Those stems will be like

ast week at the first outdoor farmers market, I scored spinach in many forms. A sack of baby spinach at one stand, sturdy and juicy tiny leaves that were painstakingly harvested from young plants. Elsewhere, I acquired a bundle of spinach plants, bunched together like at the supermarket but with no broken stems, ripped leaves or festering pieces of slime stuck between. I also got some beefy leaves from a crop that was seeded last fall and got an early start this spring. Big leaves, crammed into a bag. Every leaf would go in service of an extra-puffy inside-out spinach omelet. This omelet. As I’m writing, I’m literally cooking another one, because it’s impossible to think about it, let alone describe it, and not want it. The spinach is carefully arranged on the pan so that, when the time comes, it will do what nori does to a sushi roll. Eggs, separated, beaten and recombined, are applied to the spinach matrix, along with flavorful toppings. It puffs up like a soufflé while still somehow folded in half. this is how it starts: Inside Out Spinach Omelet 2 eggs Fresh spinach, in bunches or bag Bacon, cheese, garlic, mushrooms, herbs, greens...stuff to fry separately for a stuffin 2 T Butter (at least) 1/4 cup cream (or half-n-half or milk) 2 T olive oil (or more) Salt, garlic powder, pepper, other spices We begin by preparing the stuffing, which doubles as pan crusting, browned bits of goodness that stick to the outside of the omelet. This is the one spot in the recipe where I won’t be micromanaging you, so now is your chance to get creative. Bacon, chopped into little pieces,

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rings around the rolled omelet, holding it together. Atop that matrix you can toss in more leaves haphazardly, filling in any gaps, covering pan and crustings. Set the heat on low-ish and remove the egg bowls. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold the egg yolk into the stiff whites. Don’t mix it completely. Leave areas of pure white, and let the yolks run around and gather at the bottom a little. Carefully spoon the egg mixture onto the spinach, in a line across the middle of the pan, directly perpendicular to the orientation of the stems. The runny yolk will find its way through the cracks between the leaves and grab onto the pan crustings. Carefully arrange the goodies in the middle, letting them sink into the eggs. Now is the time to add chèvre or other soft cheese, also atop the egg foam. As it heats, it will puff and soon will get so big you will wonder how to wrangle it. Two spatulas is the way to go. Let it cook about five minutes, during which the spinach will steam the egg from the bottom, go around the pan with a knife to loosen any egg on the side, and slide a spatula under the omelet to free it from the pan. Grab the other spatula and use them both on the side of the omelet closest to you, folding it in half over the egg. As you try to lift from under with the spatulas, it will try to slide away from you. Keep it up, gently, until it hits the side of the pan and is trapped. Turn off the heat and let it sit there, puffy, and serve. If you suspect the egg is underdone, add 1/4 cup water to the pan and cook with the lid on until the water steams off. Serve it with a nice cup of coffee and some hot sauce. The same basic trick can be used with other greens as well, including wild ones like nettles, or other tender greens that can be cooked, like pea sprouts, baby kale, basil branches and of course those itty-bitty baby bok choi. These alternatives will be good, but they will always pale compared to spinach, which has the strength to hold the omelet together but isn’t tougher than it has to be when it’s time to chew. Spinach also won’t get spicy like a lot of cooking greens and has plenty of water, which steams the soufflé from underneath, adding puffiness and preventing the egg from burning n

TopShelf

Hunger games, Nord & Co., and sweet & sour by Chris Aaland

ummer unofficially arrives on Sunday, as Taste of Durango takes over Main Avenue from 11 a.m. ’til 3 p.m. For the uninitiated, Taste is a four-hour, bacchanalian affair where the whole fandamily heads to Main, plops some coin down at the front gate to buy tickets, then waits in line from one tent to another to sample grub and alcoholic concoctions prepared by many of Durango’s finest dining establishments. There’s also live music and, often, kids’ activities to help you pass the time. If you need further justification for your shenanigans other than good old-fashioned fun, know that proceeds benefit local nonprofits. Taste gets broken down into two halves. When gates open at 11, lines are shorter and there’s more of a family-friendly feel. Once the clock hits high noon, though, make way for the drunks! By 1 p.m., it’s a full-on shit show. All of Durango’s craft breweries – and others, like Bottom Shelf and Breckenridge – will be on hand to pour pints, while many restaurants and bars serve up creative, signature cocktails. It’s not a cheap drunk. You’ll need to purchase tickets at the check-in points. Food items range from 3 to 7 tickets, desserts are about 3 to 5 tickets, and beverages are between 4 and 8 tickets. The event’s home page suggests $20 in tickets per person is enough to have a great time, which probably gets you a beer or two and a couple of food items. Note that serving sizes on food tend to be small, so maybe $30 per adult is more accurate. To bring my entire family, I usually anticipate $60-70. Half the fun of the Taste is people watching. As a true community event, this attracts folks from all lifestyles, occupations and backgrounds. Maybe you should re-think wearing that favorite political slogan T-shirt … no sense pissing off your neighbors. One of my Telegraph colleagues called Taste the first drunken sunburn of the year. She also noted that the worst culprits make the poorest choices in their footwear. Just imagine an armada of young women in ankle-breaking heels stumbling through the downtown business district with a cocktail in one hand and a plate of sushi in the other, and you get the picture. It’s not quite the French Quarter or Miami Beach, but the freaks will certainly be on parade. Johnny Law will also be out in force. We’re fortunate to live in a community that’s fairly liberal about public drinking events, but with this privilege comes responsibility. Use a designated driver, carpool, ride your bike, take the bus, but just don’t drink and drive unless you want a taste of three squares down at the pokey. Once the event ends, sit your ass down at El Rancho Tavern for a Taste Afterparty featuring Farmington Hill from 3-6 p.m. Sunday. Core members Bubba Iudice (vocals, acoustic guitar), Erik Nordstrom (Telecaster, vocals) and Kelly Rogers (lap steel) have driven the band for years, with more recent additions Moe Cooley (bass) and Ted Moore (drums) keeping time. A sure sign of the season: Lawn Chair Kings at the Balcony from 5-9 Friday. The core quartet of the aforementioned Nord (guitar, vocals), Dan Leek (bass), Patrick Dressen (drums, mandolin) and Hap Purcell (banjo, guitar) was augmented by fiddler

extraordinaire Alex Charpentier at last month’s Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, and it appears he’s sitting in at the Balcony gig, too. The Stillwater Music youth bands perform at their annual Party in the Park from noon ‘til 6:30 Saturday in Buckley Park. Thirteen youth bands plus youth ensembles from the BeFRANK Foundation will showcase their talents on two stages. The free event also includes hands-on activities at booths from organizations that offer summer programs for kids. Admission is free. Give Ska Brewing credit: they don’t sit on their laurels for long. The Bodo gang has launched a barrel-aged program and will tap their inaugural release, Whiskey Sour Ale, at 5 p.m. Friday. You’ll need to reserve your souvenir bottle by sending Kira Quirk an email at kira@skabrewing.com, then show up on the second floor at Ska’s World Headquarters Friday afternoon to pick it up. While you’re there, enjoy beer and small-bite pairings featuring three of Ska’s finest, including Whiskey Sour Ale. Cost is just $12.99. Durango Brewing releases its seasonal favorite, Blueberry Wheat, at 3 p.m. Friday at their North Main tasting room. Blueberries will now be available in cans, making them a perfect addition for hiking, camping and river trips. While the Community Concert Hall’s free concerts in the park are still a month away (the first is Thurs., June 14), the venerable hall has announced a couple of appealing indoor summer shows. The Wailin’ Jennys, a popular, NPR-ready women’s folk trio, will perform on Tues., July 24, while Western swing revivalists Asleep at the Wheel return Sun., Aug. 12. Elsewhere: Garrett & Callie Young perform at tonight’s (Thurs., May 17) Ska-B-Q starting at 5 p.m. at the World Headquarters in Bodo Park; Agave grooves the East County from 4-6:30 Friday afternoon at the Bottom Shelf Brewery in Bayfield; the StillHouse Junkies are back at Durango Craft Spirits at 5:30 p.m. Friday; the Black Velvet duo of Larry Carver & Nina Sasaki return to Digs Restaurant in Three Springs at 5:30 p.m. Saturday; and the Blue Moon Ramblers hold court at the Diamond Belle Saloon at 7 p.m. Sunday. The best thing I’ve heard this week is the latest from Lake Street Dive, “Free Yourself Up.” LSD are no strangers to local music fans, having appeared at a KSUT event four years ago and at festivals in Telluride and Pagosa Springs. Loosely based in R&B, LSD’s sound is one that incorporates rock, pop, disco, lounge and blues. From the radio-friendly earworm of “Good Kisser” to the sassy, ’70s disco/pop feel of “Shame Shame Shame,” the group has always appreciated a catchy hook. The band has grown from its classic quartet (singer Rachael Price, bassist Bridget Kearney, guitarist/trumpet player Mike Olson and drummer Mike Calabrese) to a quintet, as keyboard player Akie Bermiss joined in 2017. This allowed Olson, or “McDuck,” as he’s affectionately known, to focus more on his guitar playing. He incorporates some heavier, ’70s arena rock licks on this record. A hungry mob is an angry mob? Email me at chrisa@gobrain storm.net. n

telegraph

Inspiring lifelong learning since 2005

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Smiley Building, 1309 E. Third Ave., Unit 6 www.durangomontessori.com

(970) 769-3590

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May 17, 2018 n 17

onthetown

Thursday17 Durango Kennel Club annual AKC Dog Shows, May 17-20, McGee Park, Farmington. www.durangoken nelclub.com. Yoga Flow, 8 a.m., Pine River Library. Here to Hear: Office Hour with Councilor Dick White, 9-10 a.m., Steaming Bean, downstairs at The Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. Baby Meetup, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Columbine House at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 419 San Juan Dr. Little Readers Storytime, 10 a.m., Pine River Library. Older Adults Coffee Klatch, 10 a.m.-noon, Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.

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

Toddler Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m., Durango Public Library. Read to Rover, ages 5 and up, 3:30-4:45 p.m., Durango Public Library.

“Inside Looking Out @ The Wall,” presented by 20MOONS dance troupe, 7:30 p.m., event also runs 5:30 p.m., May 18; 6:30 p.m., May 19 and 2 p.m., May 20, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. 20moons.com.

Colorado Public Lands Day, May 19. copubliclandsday.com.

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

Durango Farmers Market, featuring live music from Tim Hillwood, 8 a.m.-noon, First National Bank parking lot, 259 W. 9th St. www.durangofarmersmarket.com.

Thursday Night Funk Jam, 9 p.m.-midnight, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.

Friday18 Backcountry Experience Flea Market, May 18-20, Backcountry Experience, 1205 Camino del Rio. Durango Early Bird Toastmasters, 7-8:30 a.m., LPEA headquarters, 45 Stewart St. 769-7615. Free yoga, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Lively Boutique, 809 Main Ave.

Drop-in Tennis, all ages welcome, 4 p.m., Durango High School courts. 769-3772. Kidz Klub, after-school activities, 4-5 p.m., Ignacio Community Library.

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

“Doc Swords,” PTSD Social Club for Veterans, 4-6 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.

Caregiver Cafe, 10 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. 884-2222.

“Engage With Your City” community meeting, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. www.durangogov.org.

Open Art Studio, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.

GaiaGPS Workshop, hosted by San Juan Mountains Association, 5-8 p.m., San Juan Public Lands Center, 15 Burnettt Ct. Register: 385-1310 or kathe@sjma.org. Lacey Black performs, 5-9 p.m., Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave. 247-3396. Sitting Meditation, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave. 764-8070 or durangodharmacenter.org. Bayfield Block Party, sponsored by Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and featuring live music, food, beer garden, family activities and more, 6 p.m., Mill Street. bayfieldgov.org. Open Mic, 6-8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave. The Four Corners Beekeepers Association meets, presentation by FLC professor and bee expert Bill Collins, 6:30 p.m., Florida Baptist Church, 30296 HWY 160. 247-0893 or 4cornersbeekeepers.com. Powerhouse Pub Trivia, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. www.powsci.org.

" 18 n May 17, 2018

Saturday19

Open Mic & Stand-Up Comedy, 8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave.

Hike Vallecito Creek Trail, to celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day, hosted by Seniors Outdoors, meet at Durango Rec Center at 8:30 a.m. Register at waynebedor@yahoo.com.

Ska-B-Q with Garrett and Callie Young, 5-8 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Ben Gibson Band performs, 8:30 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon, Gem Village.

Preschool Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m., Durango Public Library. STEAM Lab: Balance, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Durango Public Library. After School Awesome, 3:30 p.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. 884-2222. Braided Fly Fishing Event: An Evening with Hilary Hutcheson, 6-8 p.m., The Underground at the Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. katherine@braidedflyfish.com. “Equal Means Equal” screening, documentary on the Equal Rights Amendment, 6:30 p.m., May 18, Durango Public Library. Disco Night, 6:30-9 p.m., Chapman Hill Skate Rink. www.durangogov.org. Open Mic Night, 7-11 p.m., Steaming Bean, 900 Main Ave. 403-1200. Rob Webster performs, 7-11 p.m., Blondies in Cortez. 739-4944. 10-Minute Play Staged Readings, 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangoarts.org. DJ Noonz, 8 p.m.-close, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.

telegraph

Free mulch loading, hosted by La Plata County, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Bayfield Convienience Center. 3826376. Ice Lakes Trail Cleanup, to celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., meet at Durango Rec Center right side parking lot at 8 a.m. Register: laplatabroads@gmail.com. Old Growth Ponderosa Pine Hike, sponsored by San Juan Mountains Association and San Juan National Forest, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Jones Creek Trail, Hermosa Creek Special Management Area. Register: gabi@sjma.org or 759-1170. Drop-in Tennis, all ages welcome, 9 a.m., Durango High School courts. 769-3772. Plein Air Drawing Workshop, hosted by Durango Nature Studies to celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day, 911 a.m., Haviland Lake. Register at 816-786-5449. Animas River Cleanup to support Colorado Public Lands Day, 9 a.m.-noon, meet at Duranglers, 923 Main Ave. Trails 2000 Public Lands Day Trailwork & Clean Up, 9 a.m.-noon, Horse Gulch, meet at Meadoow-Horse Gulch Road intersection. www.trails2000.org. McPhee Cleanup, for Colorado Public Lands Day hosted by San Juan Mountains Association and San Juan National Forest, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., McPhee Reservoir, Dolores. Register: kathe@sjma.org. Art workshops on 550/160 median art project, discussion and work with lead artists, Allison Smith and Bryce Pettit, 10 a.m. and noon, Durango Rec Center. Event also runs 10 a.m. and noon, June 9, Durango Public Library. www.durangogov.org. Indivisible Durango meets, presentation on June primaries by La Plata County Clerk Tiffany Parker, followed by talks with progressive candidates for state and local offices, 10 a.m.-noon, Durango Public Library. Pine River Garden Club Plant Swap, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Café, 601 Main Ave. 570-650-5982. MakerSpace Skill Sessions, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287. VFW Indoor Flea Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 1550 Main Ave. 247-0384.4

Come meet the Wolves of Wolfwood, featuring educational talk with Michael Wilson from the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Talks, 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Three Springs Plaza. www.wolfwoodrefuge.org or 9469606. Party in the Park, presented by Stillwater Music, noon6:30 p.m., Buckley Park. 247-5095 or www.stillwatermusic.org. Black Velvet Duo performs, 5:30 p.m., Digs at Three Springs. 259-2344. Kirtan, 6-8 p.m., Studio 10, Smiley Building, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Celebration for Colorado Public Lands Day, featuring live music, food, photo contest and more, 6 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. Light Show Public Skate, 6:30-9 p.m., Chapman Hill Skate Rink. www.durangogov.org. Movie Night for Teens, 7-10 p.m., Mancos Public Library. 533-7600. Comedy Cocktail open mic stand up, 8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave. DJ Noonz, 8 p.m.-close, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.

Sunday20 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 Café, 601 Main Ave. 570-650-5982. Community Kite Day and Picnic, featuring kites, BBQ lunch and more, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Riverview Park, 2900 Mesa Ave. Writers’ Workshop, 2 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. Farmington Hill performs, 3-6 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave. Blue Moon Ramblers, 7 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Monday21 Yogalates, 9 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. Jammin’ Juniors, 10 a.m., also Wed., Pine River Library in Bayfield. Gentle Yoga, 1 p.m., Durango Senior Center. Womenade, annual fundraiser for the Women’s Resource Center, 5:30-7 p.m., Rochester Hotel, 726 E. 2nd Ave. www.wrcdurango.org. Sitting Meditation and Talk, 5:30-7 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave. 764-8070 or durangodharmacenter.org. Salsa/Bachata/Merengue dance classes 6:30 p.m.;

Yosemite to Bears Ears Lopez-Whiteskunk joins Graham for book launch What: Yosemite Fall book launch with guest speaker Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk When: 6:30 p.m., Tues., May 22 Where: Maria’s Bookshop Environmental activist/archaeologist Chuck Bender is back, and this time he’s brought a friend. On Tues., May 22, at Maria’s Bookshop, local author Scott Graham will celebrate the launch of Yosemite Fall, the fourth book in his national park mystery series which centers on his fictional character, Bender. Graham has also invited real-life crusader, Regina LopezWhiteskunk, former coLopez-Whiteskunk chair on the Bears Ears InterTribal Coalition and Ute Mountain Ute tribal member, to speak. “In each of my mysteries, I introduce an environmental or social-justice theme and invite a related activist to speak at each of my book launches,” explained Graham. Graham Yosemite Fall delves into the attacks on indigenous peoples in the wake of the California Gold Rush and the reverberations of those attacks through today, particularly on the lands that now constitute Yosemite National Park. In keeping with that theme, Lopez-Whiteskunk will speak about her work on the InterTribal Coalition, lobbying the Obama Administration for the creation of Bears Ears National Monument. She will also talk about her continued work to keep the monument’s boundaries whole and what others can do to help with that effort. social/practice time 8-9 p.m., VFW Hall, 1550 Main Ave. www.salsadancedurango.com.

Yoga for All, 9 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

Learn to Square Dance, with Wild West Squares, 78:30 p.m., Florida Grange, 656 Hwy 172. 903-6478.

Little Readers Storytime, 10 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. Storytime, 10 a.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Books & Brews, hosted by the Durango Public Library, 8:30 p.m., Animas Brewing Co., 1560 E. 2nd Ave.

Tuesday22

Storytime, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Mancos Public Library. 533-7600.

Patent and Trademark Workshops, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Durango Public Library. Register at 375-3380. Sand Canyon Hike, learn about natural and cultural diversity, hosted by San Juan Mountains Association, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Register: gabi@sjma.org or 759-1170.

telegraph

Five tribes – Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Ute Mountain Ute, and Uintah and Ouray Ute – made up the coalition that lobbied to protect the 1.35 million acres of sacred lands in southeastern Utah. The resulting proclamation of Bears Ears was one of the last things President Obama did before leaving office in 2016, calling the region “unsurpassed in wonders.” The designation also protected more than 100,000 archaeological sites. However, less than a year later, President Trump greatly reduced the monument’s size by more than 1 million acres, setting off a firestorm of controversy and multiple lawsuits. The original monument was seen as a landmark in cooperative public land protections and endorsed by 25 tribal governments, the National Congress of American Indians as well as several local governments. Graham, meanwhile, is the winner of the National Outdoor Book Award. His three previous books in the series include Canyon Sacrifice, Mountain Rampage and Yellowstone Standoff. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys mountaineering, skiing, hunting, rock climbing and rafting with his wife, an emergency physician, and their two sons. For more on the book, go to: www.torreyhouse .org. Yosemite Fall will drop in June and is available for order at Maria’s or scottfranklingraham.com

ICL Knitters, 1-3 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 5639287.

More “On the Town” p.204

May 17, 2018 n 19

AskRachel Interesting fact: Mountain lions were among the smaller big cats in the Ice Age. They got so quiet to avoid being eaten themselves. Now, they’re the top predator left here, and they’re still hush hush.

Dear Rachel, What’s the point of a silent auction? Auctions are all about barkers talking really fast, and the adrenaline rush of deciding in that moment that sure, you can afford to spend an extra thousand dollars to get that thing you suddenly can’t live without. It’s about cheers and disappointment. A silent auction just seems tame and lame by comparison. Wouldn’t real auctions be better fundraisers than silent ones? – Going Once Dear Going Twice, Silence can be absolutely thrilling if you just pay attention. Hitchcock famously used little score for the movie “Rope.” Emma Gonzalez used her podium to stand there silent, and that was more effective than any words. And growing up, I knew nothing better than the quiet at night after attending my little sisters’ middle school band concerts. I don’t know… maybe you’re just missing out on the muted drama of philanthropists hovering around the bid sheets? – Sold, Rachel Dear Rachel, Seems like the way to get ahead in this town is to buy up a bunch of real estate. Either that,

or found a wildly successful payment processing company or dog food chain. Since the latter aren’t in my future, I think it’s time I start acquiring properties. Do you have any advice for a fellow looking to start playing Monopoly without anything in the way of liquid assets, down payments, credit history or other financial resources? – Rich Uncle Pennybags Dear Moneypenny, Absolutely. Start by holding a garage sale and selling off all your worldly possessions. With the $85 in your pocket from the garage sale, you can maybe afford internet for one month while you research properties and determine that they are all out of your range. Once you get evicted, and you have nothing left, only then will you reach enlightenment and realize that you will never own anything ever again. – Om, Rachel

Dear Rachel, What’s the best way to handle those situations where you recognize someone, but they don’t recognize you? I ask because I recently ran into a couple who I used to clean house for. They even took me out to dinner every few months! But then I got a real job and stopped cleaning houses about five years back. Now, they didn’t even have a glimmer of “Wait, you look familiar.” So what’s a guy to do? Push the issue, or back away slowly? – Invisible Man

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com Dear Mr. Cellophane, Ah, you’re running into a case of social elitism. It was fine to be seen with you when you were their project – the up-and-coming young man taken under their wing. But then you didn’t need them, so they didn’t need you, and now you’re dead to them. Either that, or like most of us, you’ve changed, and like most of us, they don’t have very good memories. Either way, next time this happens when you encounter them, silence is golden. – Keep ’em guessing, Rachel

OntheTown

Tequila’s in Bayfield.

from p. 19

Free Trauma Conscious Yoga for Veterans and Families, noon-1 p.m., Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave.

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

MakerSpace, noon-4 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8:30 p.m., BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 W. College Dr. 259-5959.

Open Knitting Group, 1-3 p.m., Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Ongoing

Adult Board Game Night, 6-7 p.m., Durango Public Library. Folk Jam, 6-8 p.m., Steaming Bean, 900 Main Ave. 4031200. Meet the Author event, featuring Scott Graham, author of Yosemite Fall, and speaker Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, 6:30 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave. www.marias bookshop.com. “Old Colorado Apples,” learn about heritage apples with the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project, 6:30 p.m., Animas Valley Grange Hall, 7271 CR 203. 385-5298. DJ Crazy Charlie hosts karaoke, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon in Gem Village. Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

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

Teen Cafe, 2-5:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Ignacio Library. 563-9287. Floor Barre Class, 3-4 p.m., Absolute Physical Therapy, 277 E. 8th Ave. 764-4094.

Mariah Kaminsky oil portrait series, exhibit runs thru June 10, Animas Chocolate Co., 920 Main Ave. 3175761.

Interest Meetings on FLC Teacher Education Graduate Program, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Durango Public Library. graduate.fortlewis.edu.

Teen Time, 3:30 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, Pine River Library. 884-2222.

Greg Ryder performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Open Mic Night, 8 p.m.-close, Moe’s Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Thank the Veterans! potluck, Peter Neds and Glenn Keefe perform, 5:30-8:30 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. 8287777.

Morning Meditation, 8:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield. 884-2222. StoryTime, 10-11 a.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287. Pine River Valley Centennial Rotary Club, noon,

20 n May 17, 2018

“An Affinity With Wildlife,” works by Edward Aldrich, show runs thru May, Sorrel Sky Gallery, 828 Main Ave. 247-3555.

Tween Time: Crafternoon, 4-5 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Trivia Night, 7-10 p.m., Durango Brewing Co., 3000 Main Ave.

Wednesday23

“The Wall,” collaborative art installation, thru May 26, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangoarts.org.

Bluegrass Jam, 6-9 p.m., Steaming Bean, 900 Main Ave. 403-1200. Terry Rickard performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave. Yoga en Español, 7:30-8:30 p.m., YogaDurango, 1140 Main Ave.

telegraph

Live music, 5:30 p.m., daily, Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Deadline for “On the Town” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item email: calendar@durango telegraph.com

FreeWillAstrology by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): According to my assessment of the astrological omens, your duty right now is to be a brave observer and fairminded intermediary and honest storyteller. Your people need you to help them do the right thing. They require your influence in order to make good decisions. So if you encounter lazy communication, dispel it with your clear and concise speech. If you find that foggy thinking has started to infect important discussions, inject your clear and concise insights. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A chemist named Marcellus Gilmore Edson got a patent on peanut butter in 1894. A businessperson named George Bayle started selling peanut butter as a snack in 1894. In 1901, a genius named Julia David Chandler published the first recipe for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In 1922, another pioneer came up with a new process for producing peanut butter that made it taste better and last longer. In 1928, two trailblazers invented loaves of sliced bread, setting the stage for the ascension of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich to its full glory. According to my analysis, Taurus, you’re partway through your own process of generating a very practical marvel. I suspect you’re now at a phase equivalent to Julia David Chandler’s original recipe. Onward! Keep going! GEMINI (May 21-June 20): One of the most popular brands of candy in North America is Milk Duds. They’re irregularly shaped globs of chocolate caramel. When they were first invented in 1926, the manufacturer’s plan was to make them perfect little spheres. But with the rather primitive technology available at that time, this proved impossible. The finished products were blobs, not globes. They tasted good, though. Workers jokingly suggested that the new confection’s name include “dud,” a word meaning “failure” or “flop.” Having sold well now for more than 90 years, Milk Duds have proved that success doesn’t necessarily require perfection. Who knows? Maybe their dud-ness has been an essential part of their charm. I suspect there’s a metaphorical version of Milk Duds in your future, Gemini. CANCER (June 21-July 22): In my vision of your life in the coming weeks, you’re hunting for the intimate power that you lost a while back. After many twists and trials, you find it almost by accident in a seemingly unimportant location, a place you have paid little attention to for a long time. When you recognize it, and realize you can reclaim it, your demeanor transforms. Your eyes brighten, your skin glows, your body language galvanizes. A vivid hope arises in your imagi-

nation: how to make that once-lost, nowrediscovered power come alive again and be of use to you in the present time. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The etymological dictionary says that the English slang word “cool” meant “calmly audacious” as far back as 1825. The term “groovy” was first used by jazz musicians in the 1930s to signify “performing well without grandstanding.” “Hip,” which was originally “hep,” was also popularized by the jazz community. It meant, “informed, aware, up-to-date.” I’m bringing these words to your attention because I regard them as your words of power in the coming weeks. You can be and should be as hip, cool, and groovy as you have been in a long time. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I hope you will seek out influences that give you grinning power over your worries. I hope you’ll be daring enough to risk a breakthrough in service to your most demanding dream. I hope you will make an effort to understand yourself as your best teacher might understand you. I hope you will find out how to summon more faith in yourself – a faith not rooted in lazy wishes but in a rigorous self-assessment. Now here’s my prediction: You will fulfill at least one of my hopes, and probably more. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The Polish pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski once performed for England’s Queen Victoria. Since she possessed that bygone era’s equivalent of a backstage pass, she was able to converse with him after the show. “You’re a genius,” she told him, having been impressed with his artistry. “Perhaps, Your Majesty,” Paderewski said. “But before that I was a drudge.” He meant that he had labored long and hard before reaching the mastery the Queen attributed to him. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you Libras are currently in an extended “drudge” phase of your own. That’s a good thing! Take maximum advantage of this opportunity to slowly and surely improve your skills. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The ancient Greek poet Simonides was among the first of his profession to charge a fee for his services. He made money by composing verses on demand. On one occasion, he was asked to write a stirring tribute to the victor of a mule race. He declined, declaring that his sensibilities were too fine to create art for such a vulgar activity. In response, his potential patron dramatically boosted the proposed price. Soon thereafter, Simonides produced a rousing ode that included the phrase “windswift steeds.” I offer the poet as a role model for you in the coming weeks, Scorpio. Be more flexible than usual about what you’ll do to get the reward you’d like.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Here’s the operative metaphor for you these days: You’re like a painter who has had a vision of an interesting work of art you could create – but who lacks some of the paint colors you would require to actualize this art. You may also need new types of brushes you haven’t used before. So here’s how I suggest you proceed: Be aggressive in tracking down the missing ingredients or tools that will enable you to accomplish your as-yet imaginary masterpiece. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Useful revelations and provocative epiphanies are headed your way. But they probably won’t arrive sheathed in sweetness and light, accompanied by tinkling swells of celestial music. It’s more likely they’ll come barging in with a clatter, bringing bristly marvels and rough hope. In a related matter: At least one breakthrough is in your imminent future. But this blessing is more likely to resemble a wrestle in the mud than a dance on a mountaintop. None of this should be a problem, however! I suggest you enjoy the rugged but interesting fun. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): One of the saddest aspects of our lives as humans is the disparity between love and romance. Real love is hard work. It’s unselfish, unwavering and rooted in generous empathy. Romance, on the other hand, tends to be capricious and inconstant, often dependent on the fluctuations of mood and chemistry. Is there anything you could do about this crazymaking problem, Aquarius? Like could you maybe arrange for your romantic experiences to be more thoroughly suffused with the primal power of unconditional love? I think this is a realistic request, especially in the coming weeks. You will have exceptional potential to bring more compassion and spiritual affection into your practice of intimacy.

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to dream up new rituals. The traditional observances and ceremonies bequeathed to you by your family and culture may satisfy your need for comfort and nostalgia, but not your need for renewal and reinvention. Imagine celebrating homemade rites of passage designed not for who you once were but for the new person you’ve become. You may be delighted to discover how much power they provide you to shape your life’s longterm cycles. Ready to conjure up a new ritual right now? Take a piece of paper and write down two fears that inhibit your drive to create a totally interesting kind of success for yourself. Then burn that paper and those fears in the kitchen sink while chanting “I am a swashbuckling incinerator of fears!”

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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.

Announcements Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Volunteer course marshals needed for the Iron Horse MTB race 5/27/18. Contact volunteer@ironhorsebicycleclassic.com for info and to sign up. The Perfect Gift for your favorite dirtbag. Literature from Durango’s own Benighted Publications. 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.

Free Pine River Garden Club Plant Swap Pine River Garden Club’s annual Plant Exchange Saturday May 19th, 10am-1pm at the Pine River Library in Bayfield. Bring your extra seedlings, plants from your yard or garden or houseplants and trade with others or make a donation and take great plants home!

Pets Love Your Dog! At the Durango Dog Wash behind Liquor World in the Albertson’s parking lot. Open every day!

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

HelpWanted Hiring Director of Education The Powerhouse Science Center is

22 n May 17, 2018

hiring a new Director of Education who is responsible for the overall administration of the organization’s science education grant and non-grant funded programs and services. Visit our website for more information: https://powsci.org/blog/2018/05/14/director-of-education-position-available/

Durango Montessori a K-5th grade school is hiring a teaching assistant for the 18/19 school year. Please see Available Positions on our website: www.durangomontessori.com for how to apply and to download our app. Interviews will be scheduled near the end of May.

CO Teacher for At-Risk Students Must have SPED within 1 yr of hire. Open interview/tour at DeNier Youth Services. Mondays 9:00 am. Thursdays 3:00 pm or 5:30 pm. Email resume Karen.Doyle@rop.com or apply at 720 Turner Dr, Durango

Interested in Psych, Human Services, Corrections Careers or Cooking? Work with at-risk students in a secure detention facility. *Cook, PT *Detention Specialist/Coach Counselor (FT,PT, days, nights) Open interview/tour at DeNier Youth Services, Mondays 9:00 am, Thursdays 3:00 pm or 5:30 pm. Must be 21 yo and pass drug/background tests incl THC. Email resume Karen.Doyle@ROP.com or apply at 720 Turner Dr, Durango

Experienced Carpenters & Framers Immediate openings for experienced carpenters and framers (10+ years of experience in framing, concrete, roofing, timberframe, or log work). Please send resumes to careers@tlcloghomes.com Gum Buster Machine Operator Part-time, summer position. BID is seeking a Gum Buster Machine Operator to clean the sidewalks in downtown Durango. Must be able to work mornings 23 times a week, May to Sept. No experience required. Visit DowntownDurango.org/jobs for more information. Experienced Prep/Line Cook Looking for responsible individual with excellent knife skills to fill fulltime position at BREW Pub & Kitchen. Must be available for the summer. Email resume to brewpubkitchen@gmail.com Earn Extra Money Delivering the new Directory Plus Southwest Colorado 2018 telephone directory. (Delivering in Durango, Pagosa Springs, Cortez, and Silverton) If interested please call: 844-589.6411 ex. 2 or email below and refer: (SWCO18) recruiting@soonercustomdistributionsinc.com Axiom Cycling Studio Front Desk Part-time front desk help for the summer. Hours may vary, Monday through Saturday. Duties include checking in customers, scheduling, sanitizing exercise equipment, and maintaining cleanliness & presentation of studio. No cycling experience necessary - must be organized and appreciate fitness! If interested, please email Julie at julie@axiomcy clingstudio.com.

telegraph

Classes/Workshops Yoga Outside with Lily with live music! @ the Smiley Building Backyard. June 6, 13, 20, 27; July 11, 18, 25. 5:45-7PM, $10 drop in. 847-819 -2039 Nia Classes Ongoing classes at the Smiley Building with Ashley Hill, Nia Black Belt Instructor. Tuesdays noon-1 room 24 and Thursdays 1:30-2:30 room 15. Nia is fusion fitness based in dance, martial arts, and healing arts. Call 970-759-0234 or visit durangonia.com for more info. The Art of Mindfulness Summer Kids’ Camp Prepare for the upcoming school year, as a life skill, and just plain fun! Mindfulness through art/nature/communication/acting, and more Ages 6-12 August 13-16 on-pointmindfulness.com or call JoAnne at 970-749-4912 Mommy and Me Dance Class Come join the fun! Now registering for classes. Call 970-749-6456. mommyandmedance.com.

Services Deb Can Do It! Baby/pet/house sitting and personal assist. 40 yrs in area, w/ref. Flexible, P/T 970-946-6632 Spray Tans! Organic and beautiful! Meg Bush, LMT 970-759-0199.

Gorgeous Spray Tans at Spa Evo! Sundress and festival season has arrived! Get your natural bronzed glow with a color-customized spray tan from Spa Evo. Get a touch of color or go dark as you dare! Durango’s only Gold-Certified spray tan artist. 6 yrs exp. Read my reviews on FB, Google, & Yelp. Text 970259-0226 to schedule an appt or visit www.spaevo.com Botanical Hi-Altitude Skin Care A drug free approach to metabolic, hormonal signs of aging, and environmental damage. Private and personal. Monie Schlarb lic. esthetician. 970-7644261, leave message. Harmony Organizing and Cleaning Services Create harmony in your space this year by organizing and cleaning your home, vacation home or office. Martee 970-403-6192.

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 Typos Are Your Worst Enema A good editor is your ally. Full-service text editing for websites, businesses, books, papers and tattoo ideas. Write to zach@zachhively.com

BodyWork Massage by Meg Bush, LMT 30, 60 & 90 min. 970-759-0199. Edward Coons ~ Massage Therapy Advanced bodywork for athletes and people of all walks and ages for 15 years. 512-731-1836 massageintervention.life 25 years experience. Couples, sauna, cupping. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-9032984. Massage with Kathryn 20+ years experience offering a fusion of esalen style, deep tissue massage with therapeutic stretching & Acutonics. New

clients recieve $5 Off first session. To schedule appt. call 970-201-3373.

floor, 21’ by 13’ windows, waiting room. Call Joanie, 970-759-6606 for more info.

CommunityService

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

ForSale Inflatable Kayak Fleet! Like new 50% off - $499+ only used 1-2 times. GravityPlay.com - 970-403-5320. Hot Tub – New 6HP pump, 50 jets. Cost $8,000. Sell $3,650. 505-270-3104. Reruns Home Furnishings Store full of furniture & décor – bistro & patio sets, vintage bouncy porch chairs, fire pits, plant stands, West Elm rug, Crate and Barrel entryway storage bench. Lots of yard art & more. Daily markdowns. 572 E. 6th Ave. 385-7336.

Durango Youth Soccer Association For the Fall 2018 season, DYSA will make ability-based teams for U13 boys, U13 girls, U14 boys and U14 girls. Tryouts, called Identification Trainings, are May 21 & 23 for boys and girls born in 2006, and May 22 & 24 for boys and girls born in 2005. Also, DYSA registration for the 201819 soccer year is open June 1- July 1. Everyone registered by July 1 will be placed on a team. Anyone registering after will placed on a team depending on availability or wait-listed. For more info go to www.durnangosoccer.com, email dysa@durangosoccer.com, or call 970-247-1177. Advantage PT’s “Odds and Ends” Drive for the Durango Community Shelter. Advantage Physical Therapy will be collecting new and gently uses items thru May 31 in-

HaikuMovieReview

CommercialForRent Large OFC DWTN Quiet, 1st Fl. private room 14 X 14 w/big reception area. Full or PT. 247-9076.

‘Kodachrome’ less a film about film and more a film about love and forgiveness

Office Suite Available Southeast corner, 8th and Main, 2nd

cluding: earbuds, flip flops, twin size comforters, canned tuna and canned chicken. Items can be dropped off at Advantage Physical Therapy located at 3600 Main Ave., Suite A. Kars for Kids A car that has lost its worth still has value to early education in Ignacio. Any model and age car can be donated to make a lasting gift to Kars for Kids, a program to fundraise for The Friends of Ignacio Head Start in Ignacio. The donation supports building a new facility for the families in the tri-ethnic community. Donating is easy and your vehicle will be picked up, free title services will be provided, and a receipt will be mailed for tax purposes. Donate your car

now by calling 1-866-628 -2277. Find more info about Kars for Kids at www.SUCAP.org. PSA: Bear Smart Durango Seeking Steering Committee Members In response to increasing human and bear conflict increasing in our area, Bear Smart Durango is forming a Steering Committee that will be comprised of residents and stakeholders. This committee will help us to develop educational outreach programs, broaden our attractant removal programs, enhance and expand partner relationships, assist with area policy efforts, and create fundraising opportunities and events. Time commitment would be a couple hours a month. If this is a way you can help, please email: bp@frontier.net.

Drinking&DiningGuide Himalayan Kitchen 992 Main Ave., 970-259-0956 www.himkitchen.com Bringing you a taste of Nepal, Tibet & India. Try our all-you-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 pm & dinner, Sun. - Thurs., 5-9:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. ‘til 10 p.m. Closed 2:30 to 5 daily $$ Crossroads Coffee 1099 Main Ave., 970-903-9051 Crossroads coffee proudly serves locally roasted Fahrenheit coffee and delicious baked goods. Menu includes gluten-free items along with bullet-proof coffee, or bullet-proof chai! Come in for friendly service and the perfect buzz! Hours: Mon.- Fri., 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. $

– Lainie Maxson

The suﬀering is over ...

11th Street Station 1101 Main Ave., 970-422-8482 www.11thstreetstation.com A culinary collective in the heart of Durango that offers five food trucks, a coffee shop, and a bar. Our food vendors offer everything from sushi to pizza. Come on down - there’s a little something for everyone! Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. – 12 a.m. $$ BREW Pub & Kitchen 117 W. College Drive, 970-259-5959 www.brewpubkitchen.com Experience Durango’s award-winning brewery & restaurant featuring unique, hand-crafted beers, delicious food - made from scratch, and wonderful wines & cocktails. Happy Hour, Mon.- Fri. 3-6 pm & all day Sunday with $2 off beer, $1 off wines & wells & 25% off appetizers. Watch the sunset behind Smelter Mountain as the train goes by. Hours: Sun.-Thurs.11 a.m. - 9p.m., & Fri. & Sat.11 a.m. to 10 p.m. $$

Get in the Guide! Durango Telegraph Dining Guide listings include a 50-word description of your establishment and your logo for the

Issue 2 is here!

screaming deal of just $20/week.

Wherever you find the Telegraph or at www.gulchmag.com.

For info, email: lainie@durangotelegraph.com

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