The Durango Telegraph - March 26, 2026

the durango

A bear of a year

Seeding new soil 2025 was rough for local bears – ’26 may be worse

New ground

Moab opens trails to e-bikes; is Colorado next?

BetweentheBeats

Seeding new soil

Thylan Le’s music rooted in the landscape of the Four Corners

by Stephen Sellers

Greetings, dear readers! This week I sat down with local musician Thylan Le, whose songwriting is deeply rooted in the landscapes of the Four Corners. What began as a move guided by the land has grown into a blossoming musical path now stretching beyond Durango – all the way to Los Angeles. Thylan’s latest single, “Take Me to the Sun,” is available on all streaming platforms and is a must for your spring playlists.

SS: How did you find your way to Durango?

TL: I was doing a lot of outdoor playing in Moab; romping around in the desert, highlining, climbing. I found an opportunity with Southwest Conservation Corps in Durango doing trail work. I fell in love with this landscape and the high desert and those really crazy cliffside red rocks that I’d never seen anywhere before. I knew no one. I didn’t even know there was a scene. I just was purely following the thread of loving this land so much. I was like, “I’m going to jump.”

SS: Were you writing music during this time?

TL: I was in a huge creative block. I started writing when I was 15 or 16, poetry and songs, and then I stopped. When I was in my tech job, I was very focused on making money and making my parents proud. I would always play my ukulele and sing, but I was not writing at all. My parents are immigrants from Vietnam. The American dream is to have a house in California and be rich. My friend bought me a guitar for my 21st birthday. They were like, “you need to get off that little ukulele.” They were my first believers. And when I moved to Durango, I started writing songs again.

SS: How did you integrate into the Durango music scene?

TL: My plug into Durango was the outdoor community. I was spending every weekend outside. There were a lot of musicians in that community, and we would just play around the campfire. And the more I started playing around people, the more people were like, “Why aren’t you doing this more?” Eventually, I played an original at an open mic night.

SS: What happened from there?

TL: I kept getting injured when I was highlining, and then I got shoulder surgery. The intention was to be like, “Hey, I want to do this as a career.” And

really what that surgery did was plummet me into music because I couldn’t do anything except play and write. It was the snowiest winter we had in Durango. And I was really nesting and playing music. And I have never highlined since. I just fully went into music.

SS: Tell us about working with your producer in L.A.

TL: I met him through a friend. He was in a place where he was like, “I’m done working with L.A. people.” We connected as first gen Americans, and over a series of conversations we were

like, “we should work together.” Now I go out to L.A. pretty regularly.

SS: What are you connecting with when you’re writing?

TL: This place is my biggest muse. The Durango and Four Corners area. I write a lot to the land. And I try to write as the land. I think the biggest thing that we do is try to get out of our own way and remove the blockages to let whatever God, mystery, spirit – let us be a channel for that.

SS: You’re also doing vocal coaching now?

TL: People would always be like, “Can you just teach me how to sing?” But I think what they’re actually saying is, “I just want to connect with my voice.” So I started teaching lessons informally. I’m really focusing less on vocal coaching and more on songwriting and how to connect with our soul work and our why. Why are we doing this … why is this of service to the world?

SS: Where do you want this all to go?

TL: I feel like I’ve nurtured this area with my songs and put the songs into the soil of this land. And it’s time to pollinate and leave and let this touch other soils. I played a show in California and had people come up to me saying they were crying, they were going to call their mom. And I was like, “Wow, this is seeding new soil.” The point is, how can these songs be of best service to the wider world? How can I be of best service to this world in my niche?

SS: When do we get to hear the music?

TL: We’re releasing singles monthly, and the first one just came out last week. I’m not listening to the imperfections anymore. I’m just listening to it like a mother swaddling a newborn baby. Like, “Oh, you’re just here now.” ■

Spring pring has as sprung prung!

Great selection of shorts, sandals and swimsuits as well as sundresses for your Easter celebrations

2025 was a horrible year for bears; 2026 is

Missy Votel

by Addyson Santese 12 On a roll

Moab BLM just opened 200 miles to e-bikes; is Colorado next? by Jason Blevins / The Colorado Sun

missy@durangotelegraph.com

Sewing seeds From highliner to recording artist, Thylan Le rooted in local landscape by Stephen Sellers

jennaye@durangotelegraph.com

telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

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

On the cover

“Optical Illusions,” a collage by local artist Matt Clark, aka Lil Bud Designs.

All she wrote

Despite dreams of a March Hail Mary, this weekend will be the end of the 2025-26 season for local ski areas.

“Due to unseasonably warm conditions, Purgatory's closing day will be this Sun, March 29. Our teams have put in the work, but there is no way to delay the inevitable any longer,” read an email from the resort.

To add insult to injury, the annual pond skim has also been cancelled, but Purg has a few other tricks up its sleeve for season-end festivities. The ski area will be closing out its 60th season with a beach party featuring a rail jam, costume contest and a color throw at 3 p.m. (Not to worry, we are assured that the colors are FDA-approved, nontoxic and environmentally friendly, but goggles are recommended.) There will also be tunes from DJ Noonz and Forest Thump, as well as

$2 beers and $4 shots and cocktails (cheaper than gas!)

Reporting a 16” base, the resort reminds skiers to ride with caution and expect variable conditions and unmarked obstacles. Better yet, maybe just stick to the beach.

Up the road, Silverton Mountain has also announced its final day will be this Sunday. “Mother Nature had other plans this year –and we respect it,” they wrote in an email and Instagram post this week.

In addition to a full day of unguided skiing and riding, Silverton will be hosting its annual “Brewski” on Sunday, featuring a commemorative pint glass and tastings from Ska, Fenceline, Steamworks and Carver’s for $20.

Across the pass with a base of 35”, Telluride is still holding out hope for its scheduled closing day of Sun., April 5.

Farther afield, other ski areas are also throwing in the towel, including Ski Cooper, Powderhorn and Sunlight. Monarch will close Sunday.

However, a few holdouts are clinging to their original closing dates, including Vail (April 19); Winter Park/Mary Jane (April 12); Copper (April 26); Aspen Mountain (April 19); Snowmass and Aspen Highlands (April 12); Crested Butte (April 5); and Beaver Creek (April 12).

Breckenridge and A-Basin pledge to stay open as long conditions permit.

LaVidaLocal opinion

Make it rain

If you’ve spent any time outdoors in the past two weeks, you might have had this exact thought: Wow, 70 degrees in March? This is nice! Immediately followed by: We are so screwed this summer.

Not only has this winter been Colorado’s warmest on record, it’s also been one of our driest. Snowpack is at a 40-year low, wildfires are already cropping up, and honestly, I think I know who’s to blame for this weirdly warm weather. Gen Z.

That’s right. You probably thought I was going to say something stupid like global warming, obviously caused by our incessant burning of fossil fuels, or deforestation, or unsustainable agricultural practices, or all the billionaires who needlessly fly their private jets to commute 17 minutes between their half-dozen McMansions, but no. It’s everyone who was born between 1997 and 2012. You guys are the problem. And the problem is that you’re not dancing enough.

For the last millennia, rainmaking rituals have been reported all across the globe, and they often involve some kind of dancing. Is it a coincidence that since the digital native generation came of age to party, nightclubs have seen the greatest decline in attendance, and then we “suddenly” had one of the worst winters on record? I don’t think so.

Gen Z and its aversion to busting a move are singlehandedly ruining weather patterns, but I – a rapidly aging Millennial – have a solution. I’m going to introduce you to 10 tried and true dance moves that will save us from the impending climate crisis:

with that bucket of water.

4. The Macarena: Is this dance interesting? No. Is it fun to do? Not really. Can you do it forever? Yes. And therein lies the appeal of the Macarena. Sometimes it’s not about quality. It’s about how long you can repeat the same four hand motions in perpetuity.

5. Twerking: Throw it back in the name of precipitation, baby! It doesn’t matter what equipment you’re working with; what matters is what’s in your heart! And my rain gauge. Get on your hands and twerk against a wall if you really want to make it rain.

1. The Electric Slide: This move is the Swiss Army knife of dances. It transcends musical genres, ages and ability levels. You can use it at parties! Weddings! Funerals!(?) Whether you’re line dancing to Shania Twain or tearing it up at the family cookout, you’ll want to have this one in your back pocket.

2. The Time Warp: If you’re looking for a dance that conveys heavy sexual overtones in the least sexually appealing way possible, I’ve got you. Nothing is quite as off-putting as a bent-knee pelvic thrust, but we’re not worried about aesthetics when river rafting season is on the line, people.

3. Flashdance Bucket Drop: Anyone who lives in the West will tell you that slow and steady moisture is better than big sexy dumps. Imagine how much hotter it would have been if Jennifer Beals had been drought-conscious

At last, there appears to be an inkling of accountability for social media juggernauts. Meta and YouTube were found negligent in a landmark case, with a jury finding the companies harmed a young user with design features that were addictive and led to mental distress

Despite a valiant effort to keep the stoke going, Purg and Silverton Mountain are calling it on the challenging 2025-26 ski season this Sunday. Which pretty much guarantees it will snow on Monday.

An upside to all this unseasonably warm weather: it’s given us all a headstart on our sock and Chaco tans for the summer.

6. Cha-Cha Slide: Very similar to the Electric Slide, except this one comes with instructions for the rhythmically challenged. Keep in mind, the more you get funky with it, the more snowfall we might get in April. Take it back now, y’all.

7. The Moonwalk: You might end up squealing your shoes across the hardwood like you got floor seat tickets to a Nuggets game when you try this one, but that’s OK. Pretty much no one can do the Moonwalk (even if they swear they can). Same goes for The Worm.

8. The Sprinkler: Place one hand behind your head, extend the other arm, and rotate at the waist. That’s it. It’s so simple your grandma could do it. And she probably did do it back in the ’70s when the world had novelty disco dances and 21% more annual snowpack.

9. The YMCA: Are we sensing a theme here? Clearly, the dances with the most staying power are the ones that tell you exactly how to do them. No ambiguity. No frills. Nothing too complicated. What could be simpler than spelling letters with your arms? Certainly not dying from the water wars! Now get out there and start spelling some acronyms! Seriously. Do it now.

10. The Charleston: Avoid this dance at all costs. The Charleston’s popularity had a measurably negative effect on cumulonimbus cloud formation in the 1920s, directly leading to the Dust Bowl Era of the 1930s. And don’t even think about doing any cheeky finger-waggling.

So there you have it. And listen, I get it. Drinks, Ubers and cover fees are expensive. It’s easier to stay home, doom-scrolling and binge-watching “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” But for the love of God, I beg of you: get low. From the window to the wall. Dance ‘til the sweat drops down your balls. Please. We need the moisture.

– Addyson Santese

SignoftheDownfall:

On the heels of a disastrous 2025 for the local bear population, things do not bode well heading into 2026. So don’t be an a**, secure your trash.

The March heatwave continues, with record or near-record high temperatures forecast across the Southwest and the Rockies this weekend and gusty winds producing critical fire weather. We’re all screwed.

So now were sending untrained ICE thugs to do security at airports while congress hashes out funding for TSA agents. What could possibly go wrong?

The dimes, they are a changing

There’s been a lot of change with our change lately. The penny was discontinued even though prices containing it weren’t, and they’re about to release a 24k gold coin featuring Trump on the front looking much skinnier than he actually is. But the most ominous change is that last year, the eagle on the back of our dimes had an olive branch in one talon representing peace, and 13 arrows in the other representing war. This year, the olive branch has disappeared, which obviously represents the fact that we’re all screwed. What makes it weirder is that the eagle used to be looking at the olive branch to symbolize our preference for peace, but now, it’s looking at nothing, which symbolizes the amount of good this bad change will bring us.

WritersontheRange

Where the buffalo roam

Wild bison deserve better treatment from Montana lawmakers

by Tyson Running Wolf and Tom France

In 1886, the last wild buffalo on the Great Plains was killed among the steep bluffs and badlands of central Montana, the final remnant of the tens of millions of bison that once roamed the nation’s vast prairies.

The slaughter of the buffalo was a tragedy for all Western Indian tribes –including every tribe in Montana – because the animals were everything to Native people. Bison provided food, shelter, clothing and tools. They were central to spiritual practices. Their destruction was also a central part of the federal campaign to subdue and dispossess tribal nations.

But before the last smoke from the buffalo guns had cleared, Native visionaries had acted. A Salish man known as Attice trailed a few surviving bison across the Continental Divide to Montana’s Flathead Valley. That small herd would become critical seedstock for rebuilding bison herds in both the United States and Canada.

Through Attice’s efforts, state and federal agencies across the West were later able to establish small herds on refuges and wildlife management areas. Over the last 50 years, Western tribes have also led determined efforts to restore buffalo on reservation lands.

Tribes have also benefited from partnerships with conservation organizations that share a vision of big, healthy bison herds grazing across large landscapes. Chief among these partners is American Prairie, which for the past 25 years has worked to restore intact grasslands on public and private lands adjacent to Montana’s Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. As part of its work, American Prairie has also provided both technical expertise and buffalo to many tribal nations rebuilding their herds.

action are immediate and profound. Terminating these permits disrupts herd genetics, intertribal gifting traditions, treaty territories and longstanding cooperative relationships. It also establishes a dangerous precedent for other federal agencies engaged in tribal costewardship and wildlife restoration, not only for Montana tribes but for tribes everywhere. If bison being managed for conservation can be categorically excluded from federal lands, decades of collaborative progress are jeopardized.

Perhaps most alarming, this decision amounts to rulemaking by fiat. In order to reach the result demanded by the Gianforte administration, the BLM acted without meaningful consultation with either tribes or the public.

Federal law is clear. Actions and decisions affecting tribes require consultation, yet no meaningful effort has been made by either the BLM or the Gianforte administration to fulfill this binding obligation. If this failure to consult is allowed to stand, tribes across the West will be harmed by the precedent.

Yet even with these initiatives, there are only a few thousand truly wild buffalo today, and they occupy just a tiny fraction of their former range across the American and Canadian prairies. Why?

The persecution of bison continues –nowhere more so than in Montana.

Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration has opposed any expansion of wild buffalo populations and has relentlessly pressured the Bureau of Land Management to reverse earlier, positive bison decisions.

Bowing to this pressure, the BLM has denied a request by American Prairie to convert existing federal grazing permits

from cattle to bison in eastern Montana. What’s worse, the BLM has terminated other bison grazing permits that the organization had lawfully held for years.

Given the stakes, the Coalition of Large Tribes – advocating for more than 50 tribal nations, including the Blackfeet Nation and the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana – has filed a formal protest of the BLM’s unprecedented and unlawful decision. Federal law is clear: statutes affecting tribes must be interpreted in their favor and ambiguities must be resolved to protect tribal rights.

The consequences of the BLM’s illegal

Montana and the federal government face a defining choice: They can cling to outdated policies that ignore history, science and treaty obligations, or they can honor tribal leadership, uphold the law and help restore a species that once defined this land.

The future of Montana’s prairies depends on that choice.

The writers are Montana state legislators and contributors to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. Tyson Running Wolf is a member of the Blackfeet Nation who chairs the Montana Native American Caucus in the Montana Legislature. Tom France represents Missoula in the Montana Legislature and works with the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council on buffalo conservation issues. ■

SoapBox

Is LPEA trading stability for risk?

LPEA members should be paying close attention not just to the shift to Mercuria, but also to how rates are being managed in the meantime.

We are being told that prices will remain stable in 2026. What isn’t being fully explained is how that stability is being achieved.

LPEA is relying on its “rate stabilization fund” (money typically set aside for emergencies like storm damage, major repairs and maintaining system reliability) to hold down rates. This money is meant to protect the system during unexpected events, not to mask the true cost of power. This creates the appearance of stability, but it is temporary.

At the same time, LPEA is transitioning to Mercuria, a for-profit global energy and commodities trading firm. That move exposes members to volatile energy markets influenced by global events, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which is already driving up energy prices.

In other words, we are using one-time money to soften the impact today while

stepping into a future that may be more expensive and less predictable. What happens when that money runs out?

Members deserve transparency about these decisions and the risks involved.

With LPEA elections in May, members should consider whether new board leadership focused on responsible financial decisions, reliable power and longterm stability is needed.

– Patrick Hegarty, Durango

Why ‘No Kings Day?’

I’ll tell you:

1) Because we suffer at the hands of a narcissistic sociopathic pedophilic felon and lunatic charlatan president.

2) Because the lunatic is destroying our way of life, our economy and the moral fiber of America.

3) Because the felon has subjected our fellow human beings to unthinkable and unimaginable tactics reminiscent of Hitler and the gestapo.

4) Because the pedophile’s gestapo goons (yes, the very ones in our community right now! Their mothers must be so proud of them!) are snatching our people off the streets, including

D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim

children, even babies, and throwing them into foul prisons throughout the world. Are those people criminals? Have they perpetrated criminal acts against our country? I don’t know and you don’t either, because the sociopath has taken away their right to a trial.

5) Because the narcissist has led our country into his war of choice, from which there is no discernible goal, no route of escape, no value gained by the American people and no help coming from our onetime allies who this malcontent has so offended they will no longer choose to help us.

6) Because this charlatan president, this ignorant weasel, this deceitful cretin has opened the gates of hell to the world, and America is the hand basket delivering us all to the inferno!

Why “No-Kings Day?”  Because you and I can’t afford and don’t want a king. See you at the rally at 1:30 p.m., Sat., March 28, at Buckley Park.

– John Egan, Durango

Ode to spring

Spring bulbs emerging Snowy blanket gone too soon

Hit the snooze button!

– Karen Carver, Durango

Penalized for going solar

I’ll be upfront: the inner workings of LPEA never really interested me, and even if they had, life is busy. That changed last year when a lack of leadership there cost me $56,000 and created a problem that will

last far beyond my solar warranty.

I bought a property with existing solar panels, and as energy rates climbed, I decided to upgrade the system and add battery storage. The property is zoned both residential and commercial, but for years I had been billed at the residential rate.

When LPEA saw I was planning to expand the solar system, they quietly switched my account to commercial without notifying me.

Months later, after the system had been designed and installed based on residential assumptions, my bill was unchanged. When I contacted LPEA, I was told my account had been switched to commercial. That change increased my base fee, added a demand charge, and eliminated the time-of-day savings that made the solar upgrade worthwhile.

When I asked why I hadn’t been notified, I was first told my account had “no marketing emails” enabled –even though they send my monthly bill without issue. Later, I was told a mass email had been sent but mine somehow “didn’t go through.”

The result is that I tried to invest in cleaner energy, and LPEA made it financially impossible. Had I known about the commercial change, the system could have been designed differently – or not upgraded at all.

Now I’m paying a $450 monthly solar loan while my electric bill remains about the same. Utilities shouldn’t penalize customers for trying to improve their energy systems.

A longtime friend, James Lane, is running for the LPEA board. I trust him to represent members like me.

– Shera Johnson, Durango

Trump’s empty promises

Trump made two promises: to keep us out of “forever” wars and to release the Epstein files.

Now we are in another Middle Eastern war. Why? To distract from the Epstein files? To distract from our faltering economy? Because Netanyahu knows how to flatter Trump to get him to do what he wants? The administration seems to have no explanation for this war.

The war is costing Americans $1 billion/day. Meanwhile, 15 million Americans are losing healthcare because of Trump’s policies. Hospitals are closing. Children are going hungry. Food, gas and most everything else are getting more expensive.

And Trump’s buddy, Putin, is supplying Iran with intelligence to help kill American soldiers.

The Epstein files have still not all been released. Congress members allowed to view the “unredacted” files say that much in them is still redacted. We know from the released files that the woman who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 received a settlement payment from the Epstein estate. If this is what they’re willing to reveal, what could they possibly be concealing?

The elite continue to escape responsibility for their vile acts. Trump has started another war to distract us.

How many more will have to die? Will there ever be justice for Epstein’s victims?

Make your voice heard! Contact your representatives. Take to the streets for “No Kings 3 Rally” on March 28. Vote out Trump’s enablers and put people in office who will hold him and his elitist boot lickers responsible.

– Philip Riffe, Hesperus

LocalNews

A bear of a year

2025 was a very bad year for local bears; 2026 may be even worse

by Missy Votel

The bears are only just emerging from their seasonal slumber, yet local wildlife officials and experts are already worried. The winter, if you could call it that, has been the driest and warmest in decades – with the local snowpack sitting at just 21% of normal – leading to fears over a lack of bears’ natural food sources.

“Unless we get a ton of rain this spring, everyone's thinking this is going to be worse than last year,” Bryan Peterson, director of Bear Smart Durango, said this week.

And for the record, last year was a doozy.

In 2025, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, La Plata County was the statewide leader in total bear reports (1,549); the number of bears relocated (22); and the number of bears euthanized (19.) Another 30 bears were killed by vehicles, two by landowners and two by “other” means.

In contrast, there were 5,298 bear reports throughout the entire state, with 52 relocated and 78 euthanized. This means 24% of bear euthanizations and 42% of relocations occurred in La Plata County, representing increases of 66% and 42%, respectively, over 2024. (For more detailed stats, see the handy dandy Bear Smart graphic on p. 2 in this week’s Telegraph.)

So what gives? Well, as with most things of this nature, it’s complicated.

“Natural food conditions across our area were incredibly poor last year,” John Livingston, CPW Southwest Region Public Information Officer, said. “We saw that reflected in higher levels of conflict and even saw it in female bears abandoning cubs.”

Nevertheless, he said there is still hope that this summer won’t be as bad as the last. “While we know the snowpack this year is historically bad, it is too early to know what production of natural food sources will look like,” he said. “The biggest problem is if we get a freeze now that kills off production of natural food sources, that could lead to a very bad year.”

The southwest corner of Colorado is prime bear habitat, with the omnivores preferring the area’s abundant oak brush, which provides a main source of food. Of course, when these natural food sources falter, the socalled bear problem turns into a human problem. When bears can’t find their typical rations of acorns and berries, they wander into yards looking for an easy meal – usually dining from an unsecured trash can or fruit tree. Once bears become habituated to these quick hits, conflicts with humans arise.

“While natural food conditions do correlate directly to many of Durango's worst recorded years of humanbear conflict, the continuing expansion of human development in areas that are quality bear habitat also play a role,” Livingston said. “All of Durango and its surrounding areas are ideal black bear habitat, some of the best in the state.”

In 2025, there were 756 reports of bears in trash in La

Plata County, with 300 of those in the City of Durango.

“The overwhelming majority of bear-related incidents were tied to trash as an attractant which really underscores that unsecured garbage continues to be the main driver of conflicts in the city,” Amanda Garrison, Public Information Office for the Durango Police Department, said. A majority of the calls within city limits were handled by the city’s Code Enforcement division, which operates under the umbrella of the Police Department.

Under city code, residents who are caught failing to secure their trash from bears will be issued a wildlife-resistant trash container, which includes a one-time delivery fee of $100 and a $4.35 monthly fee for 4½ years (until the can is paid off). They are also required to pick up the scattered trash within 24 hours. A second violation carries a $100 fine and subsequent violations are $200. In the county, fines for failure to secure trash are $200.

However, Garrison said the City rarely issues fines, preferring education over enforcement. In 2025, only one citation was issued, with 25 written warnings, 23 verbal warnings, 41 education/bear-awareness actions,

119 trash can repair orders and 224 “citizen assists.”

“From the city’s standpoint, the approach in 2025 was largely education- and compliance-based, with citations used very sparingly,” said Garrison.

And while residents who experience a temporary lapse in judgement or a faulty locking mechanism on their trash can may be thankful for the leniency, Peterson would like to see the City add more teeth to its ordinance.

“Education without enforcement has little impact in changing human behavior in not feeding bears,” said Peterson.

He points to the Aspen-Snowmass area – another hotbed for bear activity – as an example. In 2024, Aspen and Snowmass Village hired full-time wildlife coordinators and created a bear hotline. As a result, the town saw a 69% increase in compliance with trash containers and a 25% decrease in trash accessed by bears.

“In 2025, CPW had 86 reports of trash accessed by bears in Pitkin County, home to Aspen and Snowmass Village. Officers in both communities conduct proactive evening-before and morning-of bear and trash patrol-

ling,” Peterson said.

La Plata County had a similar bear resource officer position, funded by a $350,000 grant from CPW, in 2024. But, the funding ran out and the job was terminated halfway through 2025. However, in that short year and a half, Peterson said he saw a marked decrease in reports of human-bear conflicts.

“I think a big part of it is, it's really hard to get people to change their behavior when there's no threat of penalty,” he said. “And just having an officer going out doing morning patrols throughout the county definitely helped with awareness and compliance.”

Peterson, who has been working with Bear Smart since its inception 23 years ago, said he first proposed the idea of a dedicated bear trash officer in 2009. He said there was talk when the City ended its agreement with the La Plata County Humane Society last year and took over animal protection duties that the city would hire additional officers to work on bears and trash. “But then they said no,” Peterson said. “What's going to happen is currently unknown.”

Garrison said she was not aware of any plans to reinstate the position. “That was a county position in partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, so I won’t speak for the county on funding or staffing decisions tied to that role,” she said.

For its part, in February, the City passed an ordinance allowing residents to use electric bear mats and fencing, which is a step in the right direction, Peterson said.

And speaking of deterrents, Livingston urges residents not to be shy about scaring bears off. “It is OK to haze a bear away. Don't make them feel comfortable around your homes,” he said. “You can yell, bang pots

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Who you gonna call?

• The La Plata County (LPC) Bear Hotline at (970) 247-BEAR (2327) provides resources to residents and answers to commonly asked questions.

• To report trash violations in the City of Durango, call Code Enforcement at 970-375-4930.

• For general bear sightings or other bear conflicts, call Colorado Parks and Wildlife at 970-2470855.

• For more information on electric fencing and mats, contact City of Durango Community Development at 970-375-4850.

and pans, set off car alarms, use an airhorn or otherwise try to scare a bear away and leave them with a negative correlation with being around human spaces.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Garrison said education and prevention are still the biggest focus for the City. “Public outreach, reducing attractants and getting residents to take those preventive steps early are really the best tools we have for cutting down on conflicts before they escalate,” she said. “Enforcement is part of that picture, but community awareness and cooperation are what make the biggest difference over time.”

In the meantime, Peterson is optimistic that more money will become available to fund a bear resource officer. CPW is holding another round of grant funding for human-bear conflict reduction programs for 2026, with applications due May 29. Time will tell if Durango or La Plata County is a recipient.

“We know what the answers are; we've seen it in

A family of bears sports the telltale blue ear tags in Durango in 2025. Bears are tagged by wildlife officials for many reasons, including population monitoring, research and tracking bears that have been relocated or run into trouble in the past./Photo courtesy Bear Smart Durango

other communities across the West and Canada – Aspen and Snowmass are great examples, with dedicated employees that do bear-in-trash work in the summer,” said Peterson. “We’re a community trying to address growing conflict by not addressing the No. 1 cause of humanbear conflict: trash.”

Bear Smart will host its inaugural “Bear Film Festival” fundraiser at 6 p.m., Thurs., May 7, at the Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. Stay tuned for dets. ■

OutdoorsNews New ground

As Moab opens 200 miles to e-bikes, Colorado BLM also weighs expansion

by Jason Blevins / The Colorado Sun

Brian Martinez recently went out for a mountain bike ride near his home in Moab. He saw a grandfather on an e-bike pedaling alongside his son and grandson.

“They had found that fleeting sweet spot where the grandkids were old enough to rip and grandpa could still hang,” says Martinez, a Grand County, Utah, commissioner who has long advocated for expanding trail access for e-bikes. “It is such a small nexus, and if we can do anything here to extend that time, I’m all for that.”

Martinez added that when it comes to “multiple use” on public lands, we all share a love of place whether we are on a dirt bike or hiking with our dogs. “If we can come back to that commonality, that shared appreciation for our place, we can be better managers,” he said.

A few weeks ago, the Bureau of Land Management in Moab  opened more than 200 miles of singletrack to pedal-assisted ebikes, marking the most significant expansion of e-bike access in the West. The BLM in Colorado is studying a similar expansion for e-bikes, marking a milestone for now-ubiquitous electric mountain bikes.

“I think e-bikes were going to come either way,” Martinez says. “It was more about how are they going to be rolled out and managed? Do we want to open a couple trails and see how it goes, or do we want to embrace e-bikes and say this is happening and let’s make it work?”

The BLM’s Moab Field Office spent more than 18 months studying the expansion of Class 1 e-bikes – which are powered only when the rider is pedaling, top out at 20 mph and do not have a throttle – on its 1.8 million acres. Before March 1, the office allowed e-bikes on fewer than 18 miles of its 230 miles of nonmotorized singletrack.

The BLM’s  approval of expanded Class 1 e-bike access around Moab was published in September and outlined a phased introduction with monitoring to make adjustments, should safety issues or trail impacts arise. The plan revolves around education and outreach, with trail ambassadors championing a new trail etiquette for the powered pedalers.

“We are out there trying to come up

with messages for folks to consider when they come out riding,” says Martinez, who expects signage to convey something along the lines of “yield often” so e-riders give way to human-powered pedalers.

At the same time, the BLM’s Upper Colorado River Valley Field Office is collecting  public comments on a plan to open more than 220 miles of singletrack to Class 1 e-bikes. The district currently allows e-bikes only on 18 miles of trails at the Grand Hogback trail system north of Rifle.

The BLM’s proposal would allow Class 1 bikes on the trails in several “special” and “extensive” recreation management areas in Eagle;  New Castle and around Carbondale. The plan also would expand e-bike access around the Catamount Creek, Dry Rifle Creek, East Glenwood Canyon, Fisher Creek, Horse Mountain, Gypsum Red Hill, Sheep Creek and Windy Point BLM areas.

The expansion follows the  BLM’s 2020 national study on e-bike access that collected 24,000 comments and gave field office managers final say on where the powered bikes could roll. The U.S. Forest Service in 2020 also delivered local land managers more say in opening nonmotorized trails to e-bikes while keeping the definition of an e-bike as “motorized.”

The thorniest issue for bike advocates in 2020 was the potential that land managers would change trail designations from nonmotorized to motorized to accommodate e-bikes, instead of carving out specific permissions for pedal-assisted e-bikes on trails that do not allow motorized travel.

Every two years, the nonprofit Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance surveys its members in the Eagle River Valley. Questions about e-bikes and access on local trails remain “one of the polarizing issues” in the surveys, says Alliance Executive Director Ernest Saeger.

Saeger says that while a vocal group has pushed for access, broad support for e-bikes on singletrack remains limited. More recent surveys reveal that while e-bikes appear to be more established in the system, the issue remains divisive.

In January, the alliance told the town of Eagle it supported e-bikes on nonmotorized trails in the town’s open space areas, where they are currently banned.

“We recognize that whether we prefer it

or not, e-bikes are here, they are not going away, and their use will continue to grow,” reads the alliance’s comments. “Trying to ignore this reality is not a sustainable management approach.”

The alliance noted  research showing Class 1 e-bikes not having an impact on trails and made sure the town recognized the difference between pedal-assist e-bikes and the new generation e-motorbikes.

The BLM in 2025  surveyed visitors to the  Hardscrabble trail network near Eagle and the  Crown recreation area near Carbondale. The Hardscrabble respondents were split, with about 60 visitors wanting e-bikes banned and 52 in favor of allowing them. For the Crown trails, 209 respondents to the online and in-person surveys supported e-bikes and 165 did not.

In 2019, the BLM opened e-bike access in the popular 18 Road area outside Fruita and in 2022 expanded e-bikes to trails in the North Fruita Desert. There were impassioned arguments for and against.

“It was like when snowboards came out,” George Gatseos, owner of Fruita’s Over the Edge bike shop, says. “There were a lot of perceived negatives, with people saying it was lame that there were bikes with motors on our trails and other people saying it was lame to exclude them. It ended up being better for everyone and

nothing really changed. Because, you know, a jerk is going to be a jerk no matter what kind of bike they are pedaling.”

Several years later, more people are riding e-bikes and getting outside and enjoying the singletrack around Fruita.

“It’s kind of a nonissue. It’s just another tool to have fun on,” says Gatseos, who sees older mountain bikers able to stay riding for years longer thanks to e-bikes and younger riders adding e-bikes to their pedaling quiver.

Alan Czepinski, a recreation planner with the BLM’s Colorado River Valley Field Office, has been shepherding the e-bike access plan through public review, hosting meetings this month in Eagle and Silt.

He’s seen the attitudes around e-bikes shift toward management and away from opposition. He’s watched how e-bikes are fitting into the North Fruita Desert. He expects any messaging and education around the new trail riders will mirror campaigns used in Moab.

“Riders who ride in Moab will be riding out here in western Colorado,” Czepinski said. “And the ethics a rider learns out there will be brought here.”

The Colorado Sun is a nonprofit, awardwinning news outlet covering Colorado. Sign up for their newsletters, and follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky. ■ March 26, 2026 n 11 telegraph

Stuff to Do

Thursday26

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

Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

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

Rob Webster plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

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

Durango Green Drinks, 5-7 p.m., 11th Street Station, 1100 Main Ave.

Effective Boundary Setting, free parent and caregiver workshop, 5:30-7:30 p.m., 1911 Main Ave.

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

Trey Parker’s “Cannibal! The Musical,” 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 801 E. 2nd Ave.

Friday27

Veterans Friday Morning Coffee, 8-10:30 a.m., American Legion Post 28, 878 E. 2nd Ave.

“One Watershed: Many Voices” Southwestern Water Conservation District 42nd annual Water Seminar, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio

Ska Summer Kickoff Party: Stop the Presses performs, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Larry Carver and Jack Ellis play, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Durango Celtic Festival, 6 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC

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

Easter Hop & Shop market and Easter egg hunt, 6-9 p.m., ELHI Community Center, 115 Ute St., Ignacio

Durango Choral Society Presents “Stream of Song,” 7-9 p.m., Summit Church, 2917 Aspen Dr.

Trey Parker’s “Cannibal! The Musical,” 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 801 E. 2nd Ave.

“The Old Man and the Old Moon Sets Sail,” 7:30 p.m., FLC Mainstage Theatre

Parkbreezy & TF Marz perform, 8 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

Saturday28

Spring in the Rockies Arts and Crafts Festival, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds

Durango Celtic Festival, 10 a.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC

Puzzle & Board Game Swap, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Easter Egg Drop, 10 a.m.-12 noon, The River Church, 860 Plymouth Dr.

Durango Choral Society Presents “Stream of Song,” 1 p.m., Summit Church, 2917 Aspen Dr.

#NoKings Rally & March, sponsored by Indivisible Durango, 1:30 p.m. meet, Buckley Park

Pints for Patrol fundraiser for Purgatory Ski Patrol, Safety Meeting performs, 4-8 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

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.

Tom Ward’s Downfall plays traditional Irish music, 7 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave.

Trey Parker’s “Cannibal! The Musical,” 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 801 E. 2nd Ave.

“The Old Man and the Old Moon Sets Sail,” 7:30 p.m., FLC Mainstage Theatre

Sunday29

Spring in the Rockies Arts and Crafts Festival, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds

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

Sierra Club “Ducks & Rocks” Nature Walk, 13 p.m., Animas River Trail, meet at the Durango BMX Track

“The Old Man and the Old Moon Sets Sail,” 2 p.m., FLC Mainstage Theatre

Trey Parker’s “Cannibal! The Musical,” 2 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 801 E. 2nd Ave.

Annual Vietnam Veterans Dinner for National Vietnam Veterans Day, 5-9 p.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.

Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond

Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

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

Monday30

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

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: 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.

Tuesday31

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

Nathan Schmidt plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Randy Crumbaugh plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

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

Wednesday01

Word Honey free poetry workshop, 6-7:30 p.m., The Hive, 1175 Camino Del Rio

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

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

Ongoing

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.

Disability Art Show, thru April 3, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

“Stations of the Cross” solo exhibition by Mike Brieger, April 3-12, Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.

AskRachel Eggs in one basket, parting gifts and dirty secrets

Interesting fact: At peak production, Cadbury produces 1.5 million creme eggs a day. Those poor, overworked bunnies.

Dear Rachel,

My grandkids said, “Pa Pa, are chicken eggs more expensive than bunny eggs at Easter?” We want to save money. We need it for college. Help? They see bunny eggs on TV.

– Old Pa Pa

Dear Pappy,

Answers are free, old man. You can give them any old answer you want and still drop your nickel into their college savings account. You know what’s more expensive than either chicken or bunny eggs? Freaking Cadbury mini eggs. I bought a bag the other day. Didn’t realize until I got to the register that sucker was $15. Anyway, maybe monitor more closely what your grandkids are watching?

– Cluck cluck, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I’m doing the comprehensive post-breakup thing, throwing out the mustard he liked and all that. Except this person liked to give me clothes. I have everything from T-shirts to imported European skirts, the kind where none others exist like it because some creative Lux-

Guided Bird Walks every Wednesday morning, April 1-Sept. 30, 8-9:30 a.m., meet by the painted wall in the Botanic Gardens at Durango Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Upcoming

The Climbing Zine Vol. 26 release party, Thurs., April 2, 6-8 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Powerhouse Trivia Night, Thurs., April 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Powerhouse,1333 Camino Del Rio

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2026, Thurs., April 2, Animas City Theater, 128 E. College Dr.

“Outer Range” solo art exhibition by Matt Clark, with music by Oblee, Fri., April 3, 4-9 p.m., 2980 Main Ave.

Veterans Friday Morning Coffee, Fri., April 3, 8 a.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.

Durango First Friday, Fri., April 3, 4-7 p.m., downtown Durango

Artist’s Reception featuring various artists, Fri., April 3, 5-7 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Artist Showcase Meet & Greet With Kylee Firlit, Fri., April 3, 5-8 p.m., The Subterrain and Durango

embourgian woman had one yard of cloth left and made this out of it. I don’t want him anymore, but I kinda want the clothes he gave me. Do I need to toss them for my own wellbeing? Or can I keep them guilt-free?

– Waste Not, Want Not

Dear Spring Cleaning,

Would you pick these things up at a thrift store and think they were pretty great? Then here’s what we’re going to do: pretend you got them for yourself. Go give the Humane Society a couple twenties, as if they’re the ones who provided you with sassy European style. That ought to ease whatever guilt you have lingering in the background. And if you have more mustard left … lemme know.

– Too good for him anyway, Rachel

Dear Rachel, Recently, I had a houseguest, and I planned to clean the morning before she arrived that afternoon. Well, I awoke to a text saying “ETA 9:30, see you soon!” Needless to say, it was not that long before 9:30. She swears she didn’t judge my house for being dirty, but even if she did, isn’t that on her for showing up earlier than planned? I know road trips are hard to estimate, but shouldn’t she have gone and kept herself busy until afternoon?

– Unclean Sweep

Winery, 900 Main Ave.

“Stations of the Cross” solo exhibition by Mike Brieger, opening reception, Fri., April 3, 5-9 p.m., Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.

“Mutualism” by Sloan Gingg, opening reception, Fri., April 3, 5-9 p.m., Studio & The Recess Gallery,1027 Main Ave.

The ArtRoom Collective Paper Flower Making and Artist Social, Fri., April 3, 5:30-7 p.m., Smiley Building 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Carute Roma plays, Fri., April 3, 6:30 p.m., Sunflower Theatre, 8 E Main St., Cortez

Mr. B’s Vaudeville: An Interactive Comedic Variety Show, April 3 & 4, 6:30 p.m. doors, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Charlie Craven’s Fly-Tying Demonstration and Q&A, Fri., April 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Doubletree Hotel

Euchre, Sat., April 4, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sat., April 4, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC

Dear Franticly Untidy,

I think we need to all get over this concept of cleaning our homes for each other. We all know we all have dust bunnies, and that one spot of tomato soup that we haven’t cleaned up yet. And no one should ever have to clean fan blades; shouldn’t running the fan do that for us? I just hope you enjoyed your time together. And if you want to make future guests feel special, leave some Cadbury mini eggs on their pillow. That stuff’s not cheap. – Stuffed under a rug, Rachel

Easter Brunch, Sun., April 5, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.

Pond Skim and Beach Party, Sun., April 5, 12 noon-3 p.m., Purgatory Resort

“Cotton, Intra-regional Specialization, and the Hohokam Northern Periphery” San Juan Basin Archaeological Society presentation, Wed., April 8, 7 p.m., FLC Lyceum Room

Pilobulus: Other Worlds Collection, modern dance performance, Wed., April 8, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC

Fresh Bits Comedy Open Mic, Thurs., April 9, 6:309 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave, Ste. F

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

Please include:

• Date and time of event

• Location of event E-mail your stuff to: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Now is an excellent time to decide your favorite color is amaranth (a vivid red-violet), or sinopia (earthy red-orange), or viridian (cool bluegreen, darker than jade). You might also conclude that your favorite aroma is agarwood (deep, smoky, resin-soaked wood), or heliotrope (cherry-almond vanilla), or petrichor (wet soil after a rain). I’m trying to tell you, Aries, that you’re primed to deeply enhance your detailed delight in smells, colors, tastes, feelings, physical sensations, types of wind, tones of voice, qualities of light – and everything else. Indulge in sensory and sensual pleasures!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My Taurus friend Elena keeps a “gratitude garden” in her back yard. When she feels grateful for a specific joy in her life, she writes it on biodegradable paper and buries it among her flowers, herbs and vegetables. “I feed the earth with appreciation,” she says. “Returning the gift.” She feels this practice ensures that her garden and her life flourish. Her devoted attention to recognizing blessings attracts even more blessings. Her cultivated appreciation for beauty and abundance leads her to discover more beauty and abundance. Elena’s approach is pure Taurean genius. I invite you to create your own rituals for expressing your thankful love. Not just paying dutiful homage in your thoughts, but giving your appreciation weight, texture and presence in the actual world.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Many of us periodically slip into the daydream that everything would finally feel right if only our lives were somehow different. If we’re single, maybe we imagine we ought to be partnered; if we’re partnered, we wish our beloved would change, or we secretly wonder about someone else entirely. That’s the snag. The blessing is this: In the days ahead, you’re likely to discover a surprising ease with your life exactly as it is and feel a genuine, grounded peace. Congratulations in advance!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A cautious voice in your head murmurs: “Proceed carefully. Don’t be overly impressed with your own beauty. Stick with dependable methods. Live up to expectations and avoid explorations into the unknown.” Your bold genius interrupts: “Tell that fussy, boring voice to shut up. The truth is that you have earned the right to be an inquisitive wanderer, an ingenious lover, a fanciful storyteller and a laughing experimenter.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In medieval Europe, there was a tradition of creating “pleasure labyrinths.” They were walking meditations that spiraled inward to a center, then back out again. There were no decisions and no wrong turns, just the relaxing, meditative journey itself. I think you need and deserve a metaphorical pleasure labyrinth right now, Leo. You’ve been treating every choice as a high-stakes dilemma and every path as potentially problematic. But what if the current phase isn’t about making the perfect decision? Maybe it’s about trusting that the path you’re on will take you where you need to go, even if it meanders. By cosmic decree, you are excused from second-guessing every turn.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your eye for imperfection is a gift until it becomes the lens through which you see everything. The critical faculty that drives you to refine and enhance may also shunt you into a dead end, where impossible standards immobilize you. In coming weeks, use your vaunted discernment primarily in the service of growth and pleasure rather than constraint. Be excited by buoyant analysis that empowers constructive change. Homework: For every flaw you identify, identify two things that are working. Don’t ignore what needs attention, instead compensate for the criticism that sometimes grips your inner critic.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You Libras shouldn’t expend excessive effort trying to force the external world to be more tranquil. That’s mostly a futile task that distracts from your more essential work. The secret to your happiness is to cultivate serenity within. How do you do that? One reliable way to shed tension is to continually place yourself in the presence of beauty. Nothing makes you relax better than being surrounded by elegance, grace and loveliness. Now is a good time to recommit yourself to this key practice.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In computer science, there’s a concept called “graceful degradation.” When a system encounters an error, it doesn’t crash completely. It loses some functionality but keeps running. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you’d be wise to acknowledge a graceful degradation. Something isn’t working as you had hoped. A relationship? Project? Adventure? In Scorpio fashion, you’re tempted to burn it down. But I encourage you to practice graceful degradation instead. Keep what still works and release only what’s actually broken. Not everything has to be all-or-nothing. You can lose some functionality and still run. PS: The awkwardness is temporary.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): At your best and brightest, you are a hunter –though not the kind who stalks prey with weapons and trophies in mind. Your hunt is noble: the fervent pursuit of adventures that nourish your curiosity and the brave forays you make into unfamiliar territories where intriguing new truths shimmer. And now, as the world drifts deeper into chaos, you are called to respond with even more exploratory audacity. I invite you to further refine your hunter’s craft. Lift it up to an even higher, more luminous form of seeking.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn meditation teacher Wes Nisker guided his students to relax the relentless mental static that muddled their awareness. But he also understood that excessive striving can sabotage the peace we’re seeking. I invoke his influence now to help you release some of the jittery goal-obsession you’ve been gripped by. Nisker and I offer you permission to temporarily suspend the potentially exhausting drive to constantly be better. Instead, just for now, simply be your authentic self. Loosen your high-strung grip on self-improvement and allow yourself the radical luxury of purposelessness.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Here’s a danger you Aquarians are prey to: spending so much energy fixing the big picture that you neglect what’s up close and personal. You may get so involved in rearranging systems that immediate concerns get less than your best attention. I hope you won’t do that in the coming weeks. Your aptitude for overarching objectivity is a gift because it enables you to recognize patterns others can’t detect. But it may also divert you from the messy, intricate intimacy that gritty transformation requires. Your assignment: Eagerly attend to the details, which I bet will be more interesting than you imagine.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In horticulture, “hardening off” is the process of gradually exposing indoor seedlings to outdoor conditions before transplanting them. Too much exposure too fast will shock them; no exposure will leave them unprepared. Let’s invoke this as a metaphor for you. I believe you are being hardened off. Life is making small, increasing demands on your tender self. Though this may sometimes feel uncomfortable, I assure you that it’s preparation, not cruelty. You’re being readied for a shift from protected space to open ground. My advice is twofold: 1. Don’t retreat back into the ultra-safe greenhouse. 2. Don’t let yourself be thrown into full exposure all at once.

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.

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

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

HelpWanted

Cancer Support Community

Southwest Colorado seeks an Executive Director to lead and champion our mission. This inspiring leadership opportunity calls for a compassionate, strategic, and community-centered professional who will guide the organization’s vision while overseeing daily operations, fundraising, programs, financial stewardship, and staff leadership. Apply today. https://cancersup portswco.org/home/careers/

Announcements

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!

Wanted

Urgently Needed

Affordable, electromagnetically-quiet living space (room, ADU or RV space) to rent close to town for electrosensitive senior and two (quiet, well-behaved, indoor) dogs starting around April 1. Fenced yard for dog use a couple of times a day (or fenced dog park/area nearby) *needed*. Can also help with yardwork, housework, minor repairs, elder care, pet care, etc. Terms negotiable – please call if you'd like to discuss 970-508-0326 and leave a voice message.

Books Wanted at White Rabbit

Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213

ForSale

4 General Alta Max

RP45 225/55 R18 98H all-weather tires. Exc. shape. $200. Call Buz 970-7598095.

Reruns Home Furnishings

Furniture, mirrors, lamps, cool artwork and more! Looking to consign smaller pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat.

ForRent

Studio Tamarron Highpoint

$1200/mo utilities WiFi included, no pets or smoking 505/728/2057

Tiny Home Land Rental in valley. Quiet, close to town. Owneroccupied. Gated. Single-occupant. No pets. Water & electric included. Self-contained toilet required. Long-term lease. Rent negotiable ~ $1000/mo. Email info about your tiny home & living situation: aubrey.volger@gmail.com

RealEstate

2 BR, 2BA Condo at Piñon Heights, Durango $398,000. Upper level, corner unit, walkable to town, in great condition. Open floor plan, great mountain views. (970)749-0075

BodyWork

Massage by Meg Bush

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

Classes/Workshops

Aikido Crash Course

Slow learner? Two left feet? Kind heart? Aikido may be your jam! Try the fast, fun $8 weekly crash course Mondays 5:30-615pm. Must register online: duran goaikido.com

Beginning Meditation Group Thursdays 6:30 - 7:45 p.m. at the Durango Dharma Center. Sign up at durangodharmacenter.org

Services

Child Guidance-Storybook Gardens 970-403-3347

Electric Repair

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

Boiler Service - Water Heater

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

HaikuMovieReview

'Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man' Tom Shelby's haunted by all of the ghosts who died by his Red Right Hand – Lainie Maxson

CommunityService

Dog Fosters Needed

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

Free Tax Preparation Services

VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) will 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, thru April 13. Volunteer tax preparers are certified by the IRS. Appointments are required. For more info. and to schedule, go to www.durangovita.org.