The Durango Telegraph - Jan. 22, 2026

the durango

Still in the crosshairs Open concept

Southeast Utah’s radioactive legacy refuses to die

Bringing Europe’s communal table idea to Durango

Snowdown after hours

From The Dead and Buffet to late-night raves

Newspaper POACHERS SUCK

Instead of stealing our hard work or robbing your neighbors of the joy of reading the Telegraph every week, here are a few things other than a brand new stack of Telegraphs you can use to start your fire (courtesy Explore.com):

1. Egg cartons and dryer lint (we’re sure belly button and pocket lint would work just as well)

2. Cotton balls and petroleum jelly (think of the fun you could have!)

3. Hand sanitizer (not just for COVID anymore)

4. Waxed paper and dryer lint (twist both ends of the paper to look like a doobie, we know you know how to do that)

5. Chips (the greasier the better, think Hot & Spicy Pringles, Spicy Nacho Doritos and, of course, Flaming Hot Cheetos.)

6. Duct tape (yet another use for duct tape. We’re not sure if this sounds 100% safe, but hey, if in a pinch ...)

idiocracy by David Feela

Rubbing elbows

Communal table idea allows solo diners chance for connection by Missy Votel

Snowdown after-hours offers it all, from The Dead to late-night raves by Stephen Sellers

Wolf woes State pauses reintroduction amid trouble sourcing new wolves by San Brasch / Colorado Public Radio

EDITORIALISTA: MISSY VOTEL missy@durangotelegraph.com

PIT CREW: JENNAYE DERGE jennaye@durangotelegraph.com

STAFF REPORTER: SCOOPS MCGEE telegraph@durangotelegraph.com STAR-STUDDED CAST: David Feela, Zak Podmore, Stephen Sellers, Sam Brasch, Jesse Anderson, Lainie Maxson, Rob Brezsny & Clint Reid

The Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or monster

Ear to the ground:

“You mean all these years of agitating, and I could’ve been getting paid for it?”

– If anyone knows how we can apply for this job, too, please let us know.

Eyes on the snow

This winter, we’ve all had our eyes on the snow– or lack thereof – but the folks at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center are looking for a few more. The Friends of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (FoCAIC) – the outreach, education, events and fundraising arm of the CAIC – recently launched its annual “Observations Challenge” for the 2025-26 season.

The goal of the program is to get fellow backcountry travelers to submit observations in an effort to better facilitate avalanche forecasting. From November–May, CAIC publishes daily avi reports for various zones in the state, covering approximately 28,000 square miles. However, CAIC’s 28 forecasters can only cover a small portion of that terrain each day, making public observations critical.

“Public observations are essential to our work,” Ethan Greene, director of CAIC, said in a news release. “We depend on information from the backcountry community to help us see the full picture.”

Participants need not be avi professionals or well-versed in avi-geek speak to submit an observation. Simple, timely reports in layperson’s terms are enough to help inform forecasts, influence travel decisions and, in some cases, help prevent accidents.

Folks are encouraged to watch for and submit observations related to:

• Avalanche activity

On the cover

A doodle lets the breeze blow through its hot-pink mohawk during a recent ride in downtown Durango. We have no doubt it was on its way to a Snowdown event./ Photo by Missy Votel

•Cracking or collapsing of the snowpack

• Snowpack structure and conditions

• Heavy snowfall or rapid loading

• Wind transport and drifting snow

• Rapid warming

• Red flags and changing conditions

• Skiing or riding conditions

“Every backcountry day is a chance to learn something and build better habits,” Aaron Carlson, executive director of Friends of CAIC, said. “If you’re paying attention to the snowpack and conditions, and you submit a field report, you are keeping yourself and your partners safer and giving the rest of the backcountry community better information to make smarter decisions.”

In addition to helping to make the backcountry safer for everyone, participants can also win some swag. Each month, a winner will be drawn for gear and prizes from Weston Backcountry and other outdoor brands. There will also be a grand prize winner at the end of the season who will get their choice of skis, a splitboard or a snowboard from Weston.

Learn more or submit observations at: sup port.friendsofcaic.org/pages/observations

LaVidaLocal opinion

We the peeps

A gathering of politically fueled friends at a local brewery engaged in a spirited debate about whether we live in a true democracy. They went back and forth, arguing how terminology makes all the difference. Qualifiers like “direct,” “representative” and “constitutional” were batted back and forth like ping-pong balls. The idea of a republic briefly surfaced only to be slammed into oblivion when the bad boys of socialism, aristocracy, oligarchy, dictatorship and tyranny challenged the lightweights to an arm-wrestling match at the table.

While the fray frazzled, I googled the word freedom, hoping that whatever form of government emerged would include that concept. And, I wanted to be prepared for what freedom really means without listening to “Me and Bobby McGee” again.

Unfortunately, my research proved unsatisfying. They were hardly listening to each other, so I saved what I’d found to mull over and draw a few of my own conclusions. The online dictionary defines “idiocracy” as a form of government based on abstract theory (whatever that means), but I prefer to embrace the second usage: “a society ruled by idiots.” My conclusions serve more like a prognosis, in case an inebriated philosopher muddies the water with an infusion of terminology.

Peep #1:

• Some citizens vote, but nearly half remain silent.

• Mail-in voting, our least burdensome way to vote, is too easily declared a fraud.

ful election math for cashflow politics.

• Wealth multiplies influence, and lavish donations to the winning party result in cushy, unqualified appointments to public office.

Peep #2:

• Criticism of the ruling class prompts reprisal, starting with name-calling to dehumanize, shifting to lies and orders mandating detention/deportation.

• Injustice defends itself with an ultimatum that sounds an awful lot like a slogan: “America, love it or leave it.”

• In order for the status quo to remain in power, dissenters exercising their right to vote must be discouraged, often by claiming they’re ineligible due to race, religion, gender or by simple chicanery.

• Bureaucratic red tape works best when (and if) these voters show; it sends them back home for additional paperwork and then back to the end of the line.

• Entire voting districts are gerrymandered to lean heavily toward an outcome that favors one party, race or class.

• Foreign governments are invited to participate in choosing our leaders, only a step away from having them participate as members of the cabinet.

• Idiocracies operate campaigns that require enormous influxes of cash.

• The concept of “one dollar, one vote” conveniently converts into success-

Thumbin’It

Good news! An actual snowstorm seems likely Friday - Saturday. According to the weather gurus at Open Snow, many mountains could see 5 or more inches, with a few areas even edging into the double-digits. We hope we remember how to ski.

Guess even “Minnesota Nice” has its limits, with throngs of hot-dish agitators coming out in full force in below-zero temps to stand up to the goon squad invading their state. May all the ICEholes get frostbite on their tender parts.

LPEA appears one step closer to installing utility-scale battery storage units in La Plata County, thus improving the reliability of renewables and lessening dependance on fossil fuels.

• Bullets fly like self-righteous flags in an idiocracy, and the gun barrel serves as its mast.

• Freedom of speech and the press are surreptitiously suspended and replaced with the doublespeak of propaganda.

• Phony threats and national emergencies are declared to vindicate the overreach of power.

• Where peaceful protesters gather, troops move in like militarized municipal workers to clear the streets.

• Nostalgia substitutes for science, and the truth is replaced by superstition.

• Idiocratic economic statistics are elastic and can be stretched like bungee cords.

• People who compile the “wrong” data can be erased if the data makes the ruling party look bad.

• Social media is turned into a blunt digital club for spreading disinformation and manipulating the masses.

But back at the brewery – as the beer barrels on – the political discussion morphs into a sporting event. Bystanders cheer for one side, then the other. The future, still sitting in a chair, closes its eyes.

You see, the future knows it doesn’t matter how you define any system of government. Authority does not necessarily mean leadership. It’s all an inescapable swing of a pendulum, back and forth, like an argument with yourself. What can be done for the good of the community will most likely be accomplished by the many passionate individuals who stand together in the shadows. By its actions, the government will earn the name it deserves.

The future is also certain about one more thing: in a true idiocracy, the idiot will occasionally be king.

– David Feela

SignoftheDownfall:

The big kitties are on the prowl in Durango. We know they were here first, but nothing terrifies us more than the idea of running into one of them. Except maybe another Trump term.

So apparently, a petition pusher was outside South City Market last week trying to get people to ban trans kids from Colorado youth sports. Really? Can we not even go to the grocery store anymore without being bombarded by political agendas and culture wars?

More nonsense dominating the news this week about Trump’s takeover of Greenland. It may be close to the Arctic Circle, but we’re pretty sure Epstein can find him there, too.

Astro Not

Last July, an 80-yearold woman in Japan met a man online and fell in love with him, because he said he was an astronaut. Everything was going well, until he claimed to be under attack, and that he’d be stuck in space forever if he didn’t get some money to buy extra oxygen. So, the lady wired him $7,000 and couldn’t understand why her interstellar lover stopped texting, until the police explained it to her. And it’s not the first time this ass-teroid has struck: a different old lady sent almost $30K to an astronaut claiming to need help with his rocket fees. But the good news here is that, on a personal note, after hearing about this, I finally understood why my 80-year-old aunt wears a red hat.

Back in the crosshairs

by Zak Podmore

In the early 1980s, southeast Utah was targeted as a potential dump site for high-level nuclear waste, the kind that comes from nuclear reactors. The Department of Energy considered storing 8,000 tons of this highly radioactive material near Canyonlands National Park, boosting the idea as spurring “nuclear tourism.”

Who wouldn’t want to see Delicate Arch in the morning and casks of plutonium in the afternoon?

Like the radioactive waste itself, some bad ideas won’t disappear. Southeast Utah is in the crosshairs once again, aided by a $2 million Biden-era grant given to two pro-nuclear nonprofits based in California, Mothers for Nuclear and Native Nuclear, along with North Carolina State University.

San Juan County, Utah, where I live, is Utah’s only majority-Indigenous county and the state’s poorest. Last year, the county hosted a number of meetings as part of the Energy Department’s “consent-based siting consortia,” an attempt to get buy-in from residents for accepting radioactive waste. At local meetings, Mothers for Nuclear argued that the nuclear industry is much safer than the public has been told.

It’s true that 40 years ago, some locals eagerly pushed for a nuclear dump. One pro-repository activist in Moab even called it preferable to national parks, because parks attracted “drugs, homosexuals and environmentalists.” Utah’s governor opposed the dump plan, however, and after it was defeated, the town of Moab worked to create a new identity. Now, the Moab area has become an international tourist destination.

Yet, the question of what to do about spent nuclear fuel remains, and the area surrounding Bears Ears National Monument and Canyonlands continues to be targeted as a suitable dumping ground.

Would welcoming radioactive waste lead to an economic revival? Probably not.

Though the Cold War rush for uranium created economic booms for San Juan County and Grand County’s town of Moab, prosperity spawned public health crises. Residents of Monticello, San Juan County’s seat, and the site of a uranium mill from 1942-60, awoke to a fine yellow dust on windowsills during the mill’s heyday. Decades later, rates of lung and stomach cancer in the town were found in one study to be twice the state average.

The Navajo Nation experienced widespread uranium mining in the 20th century, followed by one of the highest incidences of uranium-linked health issues in the United States. In 1979, Tribal land was also the site of the second-largest accidental release of radioactive material in history, after a wastewater pond burst near Church Rock, N.M. Only the Chernobyl meltdown seven years later surpassed that disaster.

Mills for processing uranium are also harmful. After a mill site in Halchita, Utah, was capped in the early 1990s, workers who cleaned it up fell victim to some of the same diseases as uranium miners of the previous generation. Still contaminating air, livestock and humans are more than 500 unreclaimed uranium mines on Navajo land.

The Navajo Nation banned uranium mining in 2005 and uranium transport in 2012. But Energy Fuels, the company that operates the White Mesa uranium mill just outside San Juan County, secured an exemption from the transport ban in early 2025. The mill has been accepting radioactive waste for years, including waste from Japan and Estonia. Recently, it began pro-

cessing ore from a mine the company owns just outside Grand Canyon National Park.

Around 10 trucks leave the Arizona mine each day, crossing unceded Havasupai and Hopi lands, the Navajo Nation, and the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation before reaching the mill – all over the objections of Tribal leaders and members of the tribes along the route.

But that waste and ore is far less radioactive than the spent nuclear fuel that Mothers for Nuclear promotes at San Juan County meetings. There, the group stays away from discussing cancer rates or birth defects, instead showing slides of pregnant, smiling women sitting next to containers of nuclear waste.

It is going to take time and vigilance, but once again my fellow residents of San Juan County intend to fend off the Department of Energy, which has adopted even more pro-nuclear policies under President Trump.

Zak Podmore is a contributor to Writers on the Range, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring conversation about the West. He is the author of ‘Life After Deadpool.’ He lives in Bluff, Utah. ■

SoapBox

Flocking to authoritarianism

Most Durango folks recognize that America is “having seizures,” as armed masked gangs use lethal violence to attack and round up innocent people, with no legal redress or accountability. Some compare them to the Gestapo, but they also replicate a very American institution – slave patrols – exercising complete if illegitimate authority to abduct, try and murder residents and citizens on the spot based on racist and partisan criteria.

Lest you think you are safe, please research NSPM-7, a presidential directive targeting what Trump calls “domestic terrorists.” NSPM-7 uses vague terms to name as enemies of the state anyone who disagrees with this administration, as determined by social media posts and other signs of thought sin. Trump recently directed the DOJ and FBI to develop a list specifically naming this majority of Americans. Why? So he can use the vast powers of government to victimize workers, families and students, fulfilling the racist and Christian nationalist mission of Project 2025.

This is the context in which to consider Durango’s surveillance system. Durango has cameras and software installed by Flock, a corporation documented to share data with the very federal agencies imposing terror on Americans – and Flock did this without informing the law enforcement agencies or communities involved. Flock’s nationwide data-sharing system is (by contract) a known sieve allowing information-passing between agencies with no meaningful oversight and allowing information use for stalking, pregnancy-track-

by Rob Pudim

stalking, pregnancy-tracking and personal vendetta. This is happening in Colorado.

The cameras paid for by Durango residents record every trip we make, providing an on-demand, AIpowered, detailed, hour-by-hour profile of everyone’s work, leisure and shopping habits, with a map of our social networks. This comprehensive data is cloudkept by Flock forever and shared however Flock sees (pro)fit. Flock data equips ICE to lie in wait to abduct any family or commuter heading to their daily obligations, as they did the Jaramillo-Solano family on Oct. 27, 2025. Today, dark-skinned people are being kidnapped; tomorrow it’s anyone with an independent mind or voice, including you, dear reader. All curtsy and give thanks to NSPM-7.

Unfortunately, Durango’s decent leaders seem unaware of the danger Flock creates every day. Though friendly and open to conversation, a local police leader consistently uses reassurances that conceal the risks outlined here, invalidating and obscuring residents’ valid concerns.

A City Council leader has steadfastly refused to even allow the topic of Flock at City Council meetings, while granting an extended platform for an approved, one-sided view by a police leader.

On Dec. 2, 2025, a City Council leader publicly, and a police leader privately suggested that those of us voicing concerns about Flock’s dangers are really motivated by a wish to conceal crimes we committed. This is shocking and unacceptable.

The City Council recently adopted a 2026 agenda that opposes “political narratives that diminish the important contributions of law enforcement.” Narra-

tives? Is our Council policing our thought now? Why place constraints on free discussion of our thoughts and concerns? Will the emerging effort to unmask (and make accountable) law enforcement meet the same disregard?

Durango deserves more than a monologue reassuring us about the benefits of ALPRs (Automated License Plate Readers), more than silencing, invalidating and shaming concerned residents. We need a real, factual, respectful public dialogue about the risks we face and the valid alternatives available.

This conversation needs to fully acknowledge the current upheaval to the rule of law by a federal government boldly proclaiming and exerting its authoritarian agenda. Only in that honest and aware context can we consider how to keep Durango residents safe and imagine the new role required of our dedicated local law enforcement officers and city government.

– Kirby MacLaurin, Durango

Hurd needs to show some spine

Recently, I have received several emails from Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Grand Junction, extolling his accomplishments for our district. In one of them, he commented that he is not a big user of social media and touted his work behind the scenes in Congress. I do want to commend him for his actual vote in favor of extending the Obamacare subsidies, but since he caused the affordability problem in the first place by voting for the budget bill, it seems only fair that he

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should try to fix it.

My broader concern is Rep. Hurd is trying to be an effective congressman in a world that doesn’t exist anymore, where the needs of this political moment don’t have much to do with his attempts at land-use regulations, water rights or helping agriculture. None of that matters if Hurd continues to acquiesce in handing over power to our deranged executive branch.

As an example, he could step up and stop this idiocy over Greenland by refusing to support any legislation until the administration stops threatening their sovereignty. Or he could choose to withhold funding for ICE without some serious reforms. Unfortunately for our congressman, we need him to step up on a larger stage and show some moral leadership. I have seen very little evidence that Hurd is capable of doing that but would be very happy if he proved me wrong.

– Alan Millar, Durango

We’ll print damned near anything

The Telegraph welcomes healthy civil discourse in 750 words or less. Writers must include their (real) name and city/town/state of residence. Personal attacks, hate speech or any other kind of b.s. deemed libelous are not welcome. Please email your profundities to: telegraph@durango telegraph.com

LocalNews

Open concept

Local works with restaurants to bring European communal tables to Durango

by Missy Votel

At a time when people seem more divided than ever, Connie Gordon wants to bring them together. And what better way than to try to do it through our greatest common denominator: food?

For Gordon, a longtime Durango resident, architect and all-around adventurer, building things and having fun comes as second nature. So it’s no surprise she took on her latest goal to build community through the concept of open restaurant tables.

“It’s an experiment,” said Gordon, who had been thinking of bringing the idea of community, or open, tables to Durango restaurants after experiencing them in Europe. “I just thought, ‘why not?’ Especially in this day and age where connection is so important – especially connecting maybe with someone who you don’t know or who has different views from you, but you can still enjoy a meal together.”

Gordon said it was her New Year’s resolution this year to finally follow through on her idea. “I just wanted to get this going and see if, after talking to a couple restau-

rants, they were like, ‘Yeah, we’ll give it a try,’” she said. “I hope it’s beneficial for everybody.”

The good news is, after a few emails and phone calls, Gordon got three restaurants on board (she’s still looking for a fourth): PRIMI Pasta & Wine Bar, Carver Brewing Co. and Union Social House. The idea is simple: once a month on a Tuesday evening starting around 5:30 p.m., each restaurant will offer an open table where single diners or pairs (no family reunions or bachelorette parties, please) can choose to take a seat vs. dining alone. (Although if you would rather dine alone, that is fine, too. No judgment.) Diners pay their own bill and can come and go freely.

The program, if you can call it that, since it’s meant to be a casual type of affair, begins next week with PRIMI hosting on Jan. 27. The following week, Feb. 3, will be hosted by Carver’s and then Feb. 10 will be at the Union. The schedule will then repeat, with PRIMI hosting again Feb. 27 (for up-to-date schedule, please see the Tele’s “Stuff to Do” section.)

“The idea is just to provide a table, a place for people to go,” said Gordon. “Maybe people are visiting from out

of town who don’t know anybody. Or maybe people want to go out, and don’t have anyone to go with, and they just want to go engage with other people.”

Tracy Regan, who owns PRIMI with husband, Jarrod, said the restaurant, which has a decidedly European flair, has been wanting to try the idea out for some time.

“We’ve seen how well this works at our Chef & Somm special event dinners – nearly half of the guests who sign up request seating at the community table,” said Tracy. “We even considered creating something similar when we first opened PRIMI in January 2020, until COVID quickly put that idea on hold.”

She said the next few months will be a trial run to see how the idea flies. “I’m hopeful that Connie’s idea will give people an opportunity to dine out and meet others in an easygoing, non-intimidating way,” she said.

Gordon, who is single, said she was interested in getting the idea started locally, because often she wants to go out to eat but doesn’t necessarily feel like dining alone. “As a single adult, I am always eager to meet new folks out of my social circle and don’t really enjoy eating out by myself,” she said.

However, she noted, the idea behind the communal table is not for a singles hookup – that’s what the bars or dating apps are for. Rather, it’s to share a meal and maybe have some (hopefully) interesting conversation. All while managing not to get spinach in your teeth and resisting the urge to look at your phone.

“It’s a connection for sharing food versus going on a date. Though, if you find a date, that would be fine, too,” Gordon said.

Community tables are big in European pubs, most of which have at least one long table dedicated to sharing with strangers, she said. “When you walk in, they ask if you want to sit at the community table,” she said. “You sit down and people just chat with you. When I was in Scotland, people were telling us what they did for a living, where they lived, and it was just very comfortable. There was no expectation.”

She said the table is open to anyone – local or visitor, introvert or social butterfly – who is brave enough to sit down and strike up a convo with the person next to them. “I’m expecting we’re going to have people of all age groups … it could be anybody who wants to go meet somebody new.”

A communal resurgence

According to a recent story in the Washingtonian magazine, communal tables had a moment in the early 2010s, before the trend faced a backlash and largely faded away, probably due to that pesky pandemic. However, thanks to Gen-Z, they are making a resurgence. A survey by the reservation platform Resy found that 90% of GenZers enjoy dining at communal tables, compared with 60% of boomers. Furthermore, one out of three respondents said they’d made a new friend at a communal

table, and one in seven claimed they’d scored a date.

Washington restaurateur Dante Datta, who has a 20seat communal table at his Indian restaurant, Tapori, told the Washingtonian he noticed that age split when he opened in 2025. Young diners are more open to the idea, he said, recalling an older customer who walked out after accidentally booking the communal table. He then wrote a nasty Google review about being “forced” to sit there.

But Datta said patrons of all ages have become more amenable to the arrangement. Young families like it, because it’s easy to set up high chairs and strollers. And it has created opportunities for kismet. “Two people had served in the Peace Corps at the same time, at the same place, and didn’t know it until they were sitting at the communal table,” Datta told the magazine. “This happens all the time: Neighbors figure out that they live very close to each other. They end up connecting and becoming friends.”

Carol Clark, owner of Union Social House, said her establishment has community tables regularly on its patio in the summer when seating is at a premium. “People share tables all the time outside in the summer, but not so much on the inside in the winter,” she said. “I think it’s cool what Connie wants to do. We’ll see who comes. It’s worth trying.”

Clark said she also experienced the communal table for the first time in Europe. “It was one of my favorite things when I was traveling in Europe – all the people wanted to sit with you and talk with you and sing and dance with you – it’s a little bit of a different feel.”

And while singing and dancing is all good, Gordon envisions Durango’s foray being a little more low-key to start.

“The idea really started from connection. You can connect over sharing food, sharing conversation,” she said. “The only theme on this is just eating, but... who knows? I’m hoping that it’s popular enough that more restaurants will have a table, too.”

Bottomline, she said, if you’re curious, just show up. You might have such a good time that you never glance at your phone even once. ■

BetweentheBeats

Snowdown after-hours

Everything from Buffet and The Dead to late-night raves

by Stephen Sellers

Greetings, dear readers, and happy Snowdown! I thought I’d take a break from planting my garden, working on my tan and other spring-related activities to give you the line on this week’s musical happenings. Yes, that’s right, Durango’s beloved winter ritual returns for its 47th annual celebration, once again transforming what has traditionally been the coldest week of the year into a costumed, music-filled blur of carnival, sweaty dance floors and the reminder that this town knows how to party.

This year’s musical offerings span jam bands and funk freakouts, bass-heavy dance parties, intimate DJ sets, and national acts that highlight Durango’s everevolving creative ecosystem. Whether you’re pacing yourself through the week or diving headfirst into the revelry, here are 10 shows to help guide your Snowdown adventure from opening weekend through Sunday night’s wind-down. As always, see you on the dance floor!

• Andy Frasco & The U.N., Sat., Jan. 24, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre – If Snowdown has an official musical conductor this year, Andy Frasco might be it. Known for chaotic, brass-laced funk rock shows that blur the line between performer and audience, Frasco literally turns every set into a communal celebration. Expect singalongs, crowd surfing, the return of Sam Kelly and an anything-goes atmosphere that sets the tone for Snowdown’s joyful irreverence.

• Easy Jim (playing the music of the Grateful Dead), Tues., Jan. 27, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre – A serendipitous booking given the recent passing of founding Grateful Dead member Bob Weir earlier this month, Easy Jim brings a more relaxed but equally communal energy to Snowdown with a night devoted to the Dead’s expansive catalog. Come celebrate Bob by reconnecting with your favorite Deadhead friends midweek. Expect long jams, familiar melodies and that unmistakable sense of shared musical exploration with just a touch of grey.

• Ecstatic Dance with DJ Codestar, Wed., Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m., American Legion – For those seeking a different rhythm during Snowdown, ecstatic dance offers a substance-free space centered on movement, mindfulness and personal expression. It’s one of my favorite audiences to DJ for in town, personally. The one and only DJ Codestar is slated to guide dancers through a curated musical journey, creating room for release, connection and deliciously embodied bass-music joy before the intensity ramps up.

• FlamingoSOS with DJs Harry and Matteo, Thu., Jan. 29, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre – FlamingoSOS blends live electronic funk with dancefloorforward energy, joined by DJs Harry and Matteo to keep the momentum flowing. This is a prime Thursday

option for colorful costumes, a packed dance floor and two of our region’s greatest DJs on direct support.

• Frnz-n-Lvrs, Thur., Jan. 29, 9 p.m., Black Heron Lounge – Tucked into the late-night Snowdown schedule, the Frnz-n-Lvrs party brings underground house and techno to the Black Heron. Hosted by local favorite Soul Atomic, this party is ideal for those looking to avoid the bigger crowds while leaning into top-notch sound, serious dancing and a stacked lineup of local and international DJs they are bringing with them from their home in Berlin.

• Nu Bass Theory (post-parade party), Fri., Jan. 30, 8 p.m., EsoTerra – Once the Snowdown Parade wraps, the energy funnels straight into EsoTerra for Nu Bass Theory’s bass-forward electronic takeover. Expect masterful and deep low-end from Jesse Ogle and rhythm guitar from Guillaume Metz that would make Nile Rodgers blush.

• Spark Madden and Posh Josh, Fri., Jan. 30, 9 p.m., Black Heron Lounge – This back-to-back DJ pairing delivers high-energy house and tech house grooves with two of our local favorites well into the night. Expect Spark Madden and Posh Josh to keep things moving with polished selections designed for

Snowdown’s late-night crowd.

• Rez Bats, Bad Fix, Treaty, Heart Museum, and Oroku Saki, Sat., Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m., The Hive – A stacked, genre-spanning local lineup takes over The Hive, showcasing punk, experimental rock and DIY energy. This multi-band bill highlights Durango’s grassroots music scene and offers a raw, highimpact alternative to bigger Snowdown stages.

• Raving Railroad: Varsity Crew Productions’ Train to Infinity, Sat., Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m. –Equal parts rave and immersive art experience, Raving Railroad invites attendees to step into a fully realized steampunk fantasy. Costumes encouraged, expectations suspended and dance energy turned all the way up. You know it’s going to be a party anytime Varsity Crew Productions is at the helm. No one is doing more in our community to keep parties popping several times a month.

• Jammy Buffet, Sun., Feb. 1, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre – Snowdown closes this year with Jammy Buffet. Expect everything from the classic singa-longs to deep cuts with some of Colorado’s greatest musicians. I think you’ll be fine to wear your flip-flops and best Panama Jack shirt. ■

A pause on paws

Colorado won’t release wolves this winter after failing to find new source population

by Sam Brasch

Colorado’s wolf reintroduction effort is officially on pause. Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed it won’t release any more gray wolves in the next few months. After failing to find any other state or tribal nation willing to provide wolves, the agency will continue to explore options to release wolves in the upcoming winter of 2026-27, according to a press release published Jan. 21.

The announcement raises further doubts about the future of Colorado’s controversial and groundbreaking restoration effort. Ranchers and sportsmen have long opposed the project, claiming it was greenlit by urban voters far removed from the consequences. The Trump administration is also reviewing whether to revoke an agreement allowing the state to manage the iconic carnivores, potentially blocking any future state-led restoration efforts.

Voters approved the project by narrowly passing a ballot initiative in 2020. Since then, the state has released 25 wolves over the past two winters, which were captured in Oregon and British Columbia. Colorado officials had planned for at least one more year of releases to kickstart a self-sustaining population, something that hasn’t existed within the state since hunters and trappers eradicated the species in the early twentieth century.

The state planned to follow through by capturing additional wolves from British Columbia. That agreement, however, was scrapped after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ordered the state to halt any efforts to import wolves from Canada, claiming it would violate the permit that allows the state to manage wolves under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

In response, Colorado scrambled for a domestic source, but its last-minute wolf shopping came up short. Republican-led states in the northern Rockies – including Idaho, Montana and Wyoming – have rebuffed Colorado's efforts to obtain wolves for years. Washington state entertained the idea, but its wildlife commission rejected the request due to struggles within its own wolf population. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Nation in eastern Washington also opted out due to opposition among tribal nations within Colorado.

It’s unclear how a lack of new releases could impact Colorado’s existing wolf population. Earlier reintroduction efforts have seeded four packs across the state. Each

A young wolf relocated from Oregon takes off after being released by CPW in northern Colorado in the winter of 2023-24. Although more releases were planned for this winter, Colorado has run into roadblocks, including an order from the Trump administration, in supplementing its fledgling wolf population, and the program is on hold./CPW photo

produced a new litter of pups last spring, and state wildlife managers plan to reassess the total population over the upcoming summer.

Meanwhile, at least 13 wolves have died due to a range of causes since reintroduction began in 2023. The most recent mortality was a female wolf originally captured in British Columbia, which was found dead Jan. 16 in northwest Colorado. The cause of death is currently under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Without additional releases, wildlife advocates have promised to fight harder against any plans to remove

wolves with a pattern of preying on livestock. The state appeared to acknowledge the argument in its latest announcement. In the recent press release, Eric Odell, CPW’s wolf program manager, said it’s unlikely the state can achieve a self-sustaining population without protecting its existing wolves.

“When populations are small, the contribution of each individual is especially significant. It is not possible to predict the impact of foregoing a third year of translocations without knowing what may occur in the coming year,” Odell said.

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

Thursday22

Sustainable Goods + Revival Goods One-Year Anniversary Celebration, 4-6 p.m., Sustainable Goods + Revival Goods, 680 Main Ave., Ste. C

Tools for Cancer Patients: Managing Uncertainty & Fear of Recurrence, 4:45-6:45 p.m., Cancer Support Community, 1701 Main Ave., Ste. C

No Secret Police in Durango petition-organizing to discuss legally barring law enforcement from hiding their identity, 5:30 p.m., Durango Recreation Center

Trout Tales and Tying, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Animas Brewing Co., 1560 E. 2nd Ave.

Poetry Open Mic Night, 5:30-8 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., Ste. F

Gary Watkins plays, 5:30-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Dart Tournament, 5:30-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Learn About Plastics, 6­8 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Bluegrass Jam, 6-9 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.

Andrew Schuhmann plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Open Mic Night, 6-9 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.

Trivia Night with Aria PettyOne, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Friday23

Andrew Schuhmann plays, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Barons Creek Vineyards, 901 Main Ave.

Black Velvet Duo with Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver plays, 6 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 669 Main Ave.

Music Trivia, 6 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co.,

3000 Main Ave.

Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Mountain Honey plays, 7:30-10:30 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.

Saturday24

Yarn Swap & Meetup, 1-3 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Adam Swanson plays, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Matt Rupnow plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Karaoke with Kimmy, 6-9 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.

Durango Collective Grand Opening and Community Celebration, 6-10 p.m., 1315 Main Ave.

Durango Contra Dance, 7:30 p.m., La Plata County Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

Civil Disobedience Workshop, 1-4 p.m., Quaker Meeting House, 803 CR 233, RSVP at www.whisper radio.com

Sunday25

NFL Game Day viewing, 11 a.m.-close, Sundays, VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.

Irish Jam, 12 noon-3 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.

Snowdown Kickoff Party, Parade and 2027 Theme Announcement, 12:30-4 p.m., Purgatory

Authentic Relating, free intro, 4:30 p.m., Smiley Building #B-7, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Monday26

Sign Waving peaceful gathering, 4 p.m., corners of Camino del Rio and College Dr.

Death Café, 4-5:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

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

Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave., Ste. 109, or online at www.durangodharmacenter.org

Terry Rickard plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Joel Racheff plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Tuesday27

Weekly Community Open Table, a chance for local singles to meet and share dinner, 5:30 p.m., Primi, 1201 Main Ave.

Easy Jim plays Music of the Grateful Dead, 6 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

“The Sh*tification of Everything: A Civic Look at Systemic Decline,” presented by Mick Souder presents to Rotary Club of Durango, 6-7 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.

Tuesday Trivia, 6-8:30 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.

Jason Thies plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Barbershop Tryouts, every Tues., 6:30 p.m., Christ the King Church, 495 Florida Rd.

Wednesday28

Donny Johnson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Chuck Hank plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium,

AskRachel

No snow no-show, calling in the pup pros and unintelligence

Interesting fact: People have married AI companions in symbolic ceremonies, though as yet none of them are legally recognized.

Dear Rachel,

Loved your boot answer this week. I got all excited in the beginning of December when it snowed 2” and bought new boots and finally just returned them since it’s apparently never going to snow again. Maybe that will make it snow? Even worse, my spouse does not believe in human-caused global warming – an unspoken sore spot in our marriage – so I have no one to vent to, at least about the climate. How do I deal, both with the no-snow and the no-show in my man’s brain?

– Denied

Dear Running Dry,

There are very few things I can say that would absolutely wreck a relationship for me without nuance or context. That’s one of them. It doesn’t matter if we “believe” in human-caused global warming or not, any more than it matters if I “believe” my plumber telling me what’s clogging my pipes: it’s still there, and I still have to deal with it. Kinda like you still have to deal with your fella. All I’ll say is, the ground probably ain’t frozen too deep, if you decide to do something about him.

– Brr, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

We all know (or should) about the perils of

699 Main Ave.

Mr. B’s Vaudeville & Burlesque Show, 6 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., Ste. F

Ongoing

Snowdown 2026 “Uniquely Colorado,” Jan. 23-Feb. 1, various locations

“Annuit Coeptis,” photo exhibit by Paul Pennington, thru January, Studio & The Recess Gallery,1027 Main Ave.

“Cover Your Eyes: An Exhibit of the Human Form,” thru Jan. 31, Turquoise Raven Art Gallery, 104 E. Main St., Cortez

Leonard Davies “The Joys of Painting as a Pastime,” thru Feb. 28, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

“Constellations of Place,” histories and cultures of the Southwest, thru Dec.

leaving dogs in the car in summer. But what about winter? We realized there’s a car parking nearby overnight, and it has a dog in it. I understand some people (and their dogs) don’t have a place to go. But it’s straight up too cold for a dog to be outside, especially a shorthaired one like this one. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble but want to help the dog. What should I do?

– Dog Days of Winter

Dear Puppy Patrol, Hashtag not a legal expert. But this is what animal control is for. Everything I know to tell you won’t be helpful: bust a window? Still cold outside. Steal the dog? Probably not legal. Surround the car with space heaters? Too many extension cords. I would do things for a dog in need that would land me in the slammer. But your best course of action is to call the pros. For the dog!

– Out in the cold, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I’m sick and tired of AI everywhere. Stay out of my inbox. I don’t need you summarizing my note from my grandpa. Stay out of my searches. Some of us actually like to read. Stay out of my music. You don’t actually know how to predict what I want to listen to. And even if you could, I don’t want my entire virtual experience shaped by an algorithm. Rachel, you’ll keep AI out of your column, right?

– Natural Intelligence

Dear Big Brain, I, too, hate the preponderance of AI everywhere. It’s not even “intelligence,” per se. It just bounces back information that looks like what you prompt it to give you. Literally the best case I can think of for its use is to replace your husband who doesn’t “believe” in global warming with one who says he does, even if his sources are hallucinated.

– Your weekly chatbot, Rachel

18, FLC Center of Southwest Studies

Dementia/Alzheimer’s Caregivers

Support Group, 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of each month, 10:30 a.m.12 noon, La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

Upcoming

“It’s Never Too Late to Paint,” discussion with local artist Leonard Davies, Thurs., Jan. 29, 1-3 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Women of 5RTU Women’s Fly

Tying Night, Thurs., Jan. 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m., EsoTerra Ciderworks, 585 Main Ave.

Snowdown Balloon Rally, Fri., Jan. 30, 8:30-10 a.m., Sylvias Air Park, 235 Hermosa Meadows Rd

Red Ball Express, Fri., Jan. 30, 5:30 p.m., 11th St. and 2nd Ave.

Snowdown Light Parade, Fri., Jan.

30, 6 p.m., Main Ave., downtown Durango

After parade Dance Party feat. Nu Bass Theory, Fri., Jan. 30, 7-11 p.m., EsoTerra, 558 Main Ave.

Snowdown Balloon Rally, Sat., Jan. 31, 8:30-10 a.m., Sylvias Air Park, 235 Hermosa Meadows Rd

A Night of Hardcore and Punk featuring Rez Bats, Bad Fix, Treaty, Heart Museum and Oroku Saki, Sat., Jan 31, 6:30 p.m., The Swarm at The Hive, 1175 Camino Del Rio

La Pata County Search and Rescue Pancake Breakfast & Silent Auction, Sun., Feb. 1, 7 a.m.-12 noon, La Plata County Fairgrounds

Snowdown Balloon Rally, Sun., Feb. 1, 8:30-10 a.m., Sylvias Air Park, 235 Hermosa Meadows Rd

Full Moon Howler Snowshoe Hike, Sun., Feb. 1, 6 p.m., Durango Nordic Center, 49786 Hwy 550

Jammy Buffet plays Jimmy Buffet Tribute, Sun., Feb. 1, 6 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

Weekly Community Open Table, a chance for local singles to meet and share dinner, Tues., Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m., Carvers, 1022 Main Ave.

Trivia Night, Thurs., Feb. 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio

Durango First Friday, Fri., Feb. 6, 47 p.m., various locations Durango

Artist Showcase and Mingle with Matt Clark, aka Lil Bud, Fri., Feb. 6, 58 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave.

Opening Reception with artist Kelly Lewis & live music by Wabi Sabi, Fri., Feb. 6, 6-8 p.m., The Light Box at Stillwater Music, 1316 Main Ave., Ste. C Jan. 22, 2026 n 13

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Master astrologer Steven Forrest understands you Aries people well. He says that the riskiest strategy you can pursue is to constantly seek safety. It’s crucial for you to always be on the lookout for adventure. One of your chief assignments is to cultivate courage – especially the kind of brave boldness that arises as you explore unknown territory. To rouse the magic that really matters, you must face your fears regularly. The coming months will be an ideal time for you to dive in and celebrate this approach to life.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are an ambassador from the material world to the realm of spirit – and vice versa. One of your prime assignments is the opposite of what the transcendence-obsessed gurus preach. You’re here to prove that flesh is holy, pleasure is prayer, and the senses are portals to the divine. When you revel in earthly delights, and rich textures, tastes and scents, you’re not being “attached” or “unspiritual.” You’re enacting a radical sacred stance. Being exuberantly immersed in the material world isn’t a mistake to overcome but a blessing to savor. May you redouble your subversive work of treating your body as a cathedral and sensual enjoyments as sacraments.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Everything that’s meant for you is trying to find its way to you. Here’s the problem: It can’t deliver if you’re in constant motion. The boons trying to reach you are circling, waiting for a stable landing spot. If you keep up the restless roaming, life might have to slow you down, even stop you, so you’ll be still enough to embody receptivity. Don’t wait for that. Pause now. Set aside whatever’s feeding your restlessness and tune into the quiet signal of your own center. The moment you do, bounties will start arriving.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Artist Louise Bourgeois said, “I am what I do with my hands.” I will adapt this declaration for your use: You are what you do with your feelings. You are the structures, sanctuaries and nourishment you create from the raw material of your sensitivity. It’s one of your superpowers! Some people mistake emotional depth for passive vulnerability. They assume that feeling everything means doing nothing. But you prove that wrong. You are potentially a master builder. You can convert the flood waters of emotion into resources that hold, protect and feed. I hope you will do this lavishly in coming weeks.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Writers often say that the Balinese people have no traditional word for “art.” Making things beautiful is woven into everyday life, as if everything should be done as beautifully as possible. I aspire to carry out this approach myself: infusing ordinary actions with the same care I’d bring to writing a story or song. Washing dishes, answering emails and walking to the store: All are eligible for beauty treatment. I highly recommend this practice to you in coming weeks. I believe you have an underutilized talent for teasing out glory from mundane situations. Please do that a lot in coming weeks. For starters, make your grocery list a poem.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Some American Indigenous cultures have “potlatch” ceremonies – elaborate gift-giving rituals where hosts gain prestige by generously and freely bestowing their riches on others. Circulating wealth, instead of hoarding it, is honored and celebrated. Is that economically irrational? Only if you believe that the justification for resources is individual accumulation rather than community vitality. Potlatch operates on a different logic: The purpose of having stuff is to make having stuff possible for others. I invite you to make that your specialty in coming months. Assume your own thriving depends on the flourishing of those around you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Sufi poet Rumi wrote about a “treasure in ruins.” He meant that what we’re searching for may be hidden in places where we would rather not look. Your life isn’t in ruins, Libra, but I suspect you may have been exploring exciting locations while shunning mundane ones that actually hold your answers. Just for fun, investigate the neglected, ignored and boring places. Try out the hypothesis that a golden discovery awaits you in some unfinished business or a situation you feel an aversion to.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1839, artist Louis Daguerre perfected the daguerreotype, an early version of photography. The images were so detailed that you could count the threads in a subject’s clothing. They required minutes of perfect stillness to capture. To prevent blurring and distortion, people held their breath. Your power metaphor for the coming weeks, Scorpio, is this: the long exposure. Vivid truths in your life will reveal themselves only if you give them more time. Resist the temptation to leap into action. Be willing to let every process fully develop. Don’t push the pace. Linger on the threshold until all the details sharpen.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): As I have promised you a million times, I will NEVER exaggerate. And though you may wonder if the statements I’m about to make are excessive and overblown, I assure you they are not. The fact is, everything you have always wanted to enhance and upgrade about togetherness is now possible to accomplish and will continue to be for months. If you dare to dismantle your outmoded beliefs about love and deep friendship – every comforting myth, every conditioned response, every inherited instinct – you will discover new dimensions of intimacy that could inspire you forever.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Renaissance painting, “chiaroscuro” refers to the use of strong contrasts between light and dark. It’s a technique that enhances the sense of depth. I believe your life may be in an intense chiaroscuro phase. As your joys grow bright, your doubts appear darker. As your understanding deepens, your perplexity mounts. Is this a problem? I prefer to understand it as an opportunity. For best results, study it closely. Maybe your anxiety is showing you what you care about. Perhaps your sadness is a sign of your growing emotional power. Find a way to benefit from the contrasts. Let shadows teach you how to fully appreciate the illumination.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are a spy from the future. Thank you for your service! I love to see your boldness as you smuggle innovative ideas into a present that may or may not be ready for them. Your feelings of alienation are sometimes uncomfortable, but they are crucial to the treasure you offer us. You see patterns others miss because you refuse to be hypnotized by consensus reality. Keep up the excellent work. May you honor your need to tinker with impossibilities and imagine alternatives to what everyone else imagines is inevitable. You are proof that we don’t have to accept inherited structures.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Your unconscious mind is extra communicative. Take advantage! Pay attention to weird images in dreams and songs that linger in your head. Be alert for seemingly random thoughts as they surface. Bypassing logic, your deep psyche is trying to show you ripe secrets and provocative hints. Your duty is to be receptive. Keep a journal or recording device by your bed. Notice which memories rise up out of nowhere. Be grateful for striking coincidences. These are invitations to tune in to meaningful feelings and truths you’ve been missing.

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.

Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $10 minimum.

Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check. (Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

Ads can be submitted by emailing: classifieds@ durangotelegraph.com

Announcements

Annuit Coeptis

Photo show by Paul Pennington. Studio &, 1027 Main Ave., all of January.

Ready to make a difference close to home? The University of Denver GSSW Four Corners Program is now accepting applications for the 2026–2028 MSW cohort! Classes meet Fridays in Durango, so you can keep working while earning your MSW. Learn more at du.edu/socialwork/fourcorners. Change your community. Change your future. Start with DU!

BodyWork

Massage by Meg Bush

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

Wanted

Books Wanted at White Rabbit

Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213

ForSale

Reruns Home Furnishings

Make your space festive for the holidays. Glassware, dishes, linens, bar ware and more. Plus nightstands, mirrors, lamps, cool artwork and lots more! Also looking to consign smaller furniture pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat.

Services

3-Step Plumbing LLC

Emergency plumbing – same day service (720)-357-2788. Get scheduled today!

Electric Repair

Roof, gutter cleaning, fence, floors, walls, flood damage, mold, heating service.

Chapman Electric

Colorado licensed and insured electrician. Mike 970-403-6670

Boiler Service - Water Heater

Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917

CommunityService

Durango Wine Experience

The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado has opened the nonprofit partner grant application for this year’s Durango Wine Experience, April 24-25. This year’s event will once again highlight the work of 10 area nonprofits and provide each with a $2,500 grant. The nonprofits selected will have the opportunity to share their organization’s mission during the Walkabout in downtown Durango from 4-6:30 p.m., Fri., April 24. In exchange, on Sat., April 25, the nonprofits will help with various needs at the Grand Tasting in Buckley Park from 3-6 p.m. Nonprofits interested in learning more or applying can go to www.swcommunityfoundation.org/dwenonprofit-partners

Free

Tax Preparation Services

VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) will again be preparing tax returns for individuals and families with income

less than $68,000. The service is free, held at the La Plata County Fairgrounds Extension Building on Mondays and Saturdays, Feb. 2 - April 13. Volunteer tax preparers are certified by the IRS. Appointments are required. For more information and to schedule an appointment, go to www.durangovita.org.

SW Community Justice Coalition

Support restorative justice in Southwest Colorado. In 2025, SCJC expanded community-based trainings and launched new pathways to promote healing-centered responses to harm. Learn more at southwestjustice.org or southwestjustice.org.

HaikuMovieReview

‘Roofman’ True story of the clever con who lived the ‘Toys R Us’ theme song dream – Lainie Maxson

Dog Fosters Needed Parker’s Animal Rescue needs foster families to provide temporary homes for rescued dogs. We supply crates, food, leashes, toys and support and vet visits. Apply at: parkersanimalrescue.com.