The Durango Telegraph - March 5, 2026

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Brighter days

Longer days and March musical options abound

Inner demons

Putting words to paper is easy, but drawing’s a whole different animal by Zach Hively

Backup plan

Durango bought water 14 years ago but still hasn’t tapped in by Dave Marston / Writers on the Range

21st annual Independent Film Festival has something for everyone by Missy Votel

Brighter days

March brings longer days and multiple musical options by Stephen Sellers

EDITORIALISTA: MISSY VOTEL missy@durangotelegraph.com

PIT CREW: JENNAYE DERGE jennaye@durangotelegraph.com STAFF REPORTER: SCOOPS MCGEE telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

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

On the cover

An old bike finds a creative resting spot in a tree at Fort Lewis College./

Photo by Missy Votel

Ear to the ground:

“I asked ChatGPT a question, and it told me to relax.”

– When the robots are trying to talk you down, you know it’s gotten bad

Chilling out

Former Avs star defenseman Tyson Barrie has moved onto the next chapter of a retired hockey player: beer.

Barrie (or should be say “Beerie”), who retired from the Nashville Predators last August after 16 years in the NHL, recently launched his beer brand “Chilly Ones” in Colorado. (Yes, down here we call them “cold ones,” but apparently up in the great white north, where nose hairs regularly freeze, beers are called “chilly ones.” It’s all relative.)

Barrie, who currently lives near his hometown of Victoria, B.C., launched the beer in January and plans to move back to Denver for the full build-out next fall, according to a story by Max Scheinblum in BusinessDen.

So far, the brand has only one beer: a 3% ABV “less-than-light” offering, which is popular in Australia and parts of Europe. Barrie said he felt the beer would be a good fit with today’s health-conscious, active lifestyles.

But if the thought of a 3% beer gets your breezers in a bunch, not to worry. There’s a higher-octane 4.5-5% offering in the works, as well as a N/A version for those who, God forbid, like to stay somewhat lucid for their beer league games or the drive home.

“It’s pick your own adventure,” Barrie told BusinessDen. “We’re not going to judge you.”

Barrie said the idea came to him one night years ago when he was having more than a few chilly ones with friends. In his phone’s notes app, he jotted down the idea to start a beer brand with his NHL buddies and call it by his colloquial name.

Serendipitously a few years later, in 2024, somebody from the beverage world reached out to see if Barrie was interested in starting a wine or whiskey company. “And I was like, ‘I’d do a beer,’” he recalled.

The now-34-year-old gathered several of his fellow skaters, including Avs star Nathan MacKinnon, and other career connections, like Lumineers frontman Wesley Schultz, and Chilly Ones was born.

Back to the drawing bored

There are times in life when I wish that writing were a lot more like drawing. We all knew those kids who figured out, through some combination of innate talent and a willingness to ignore their teachers, how to touch pencil to paper and bring something to life. Or at least how to doodle something recognizable. Every school had those kids. In my school, they were easy to find: they were every kid who wasn’t me.

I wanted to draw. Well, no. I wanted to be good at drawing, without having to draw much to get there. In this way, for a long time, drawing was precisely like writing.

However, writing was forced upon us kids much more than drawing was. I never had to draw a fiveparagraph analysis of “A Tale of Two Cities” without reading it. In my quest to be good without the drudgery of practice, I wrote the bare minimum in every one of those five-paragraph essays, and I always wrote it with single-digit hours to spare. But I learned very quickly how to make it look like I was a good writer.

Looking like a good writer is simple:

1. Use dialogue tags and quotation marks correctly. This should be easier than it apparently is: “They should be used just like they are in every published book and competently proofed newspaper you’ve ever read,” I say.

2. Use a single format. I remember peering over at my classmates’ papers to see how much better than them I scored, and it struck me that their C grades had something to do with how their papers looked like archaeological excavations – different typefaces from one paragraph to the next, inconsistent spacing, arbitrary sentences in 14-point font. You could tell which strata Vince’s dad typed up on his work laptop, and which Vince pulled off the nascent internet, and it got real suspicious real fast when he started citing sources halfway in.

scotch and marking up the next poor sap’s abomination of an analysis (that, more often than not, didn’t even have paragraphs).

I know no such way to fool anyone, let alone hardened graders, with my drawing, ahem, abilities.

This is how hard it is for me to draw: I sat down and contemplated writing this very piece using entirely with hieroglyphic-inspired images, like the Wingdings fonts, but custom-doodled. You know, just to do something different and give my editor a break from proofreading.

That’s it. That’s all I did to look like a good writer clear into graduate school. Teachers had to be so weary of commas floating outside of quotation marks (when there were commas at all) that they never actually read my papers. They let their eyes go soft, blurry, turning my consistent indentation into an impressionist masterpiece for a blissful moment before pouring two more fingers of

Thumbin’It

Maria’s Bookshop taking a stand for First Amendment rights by refusing to disclose customer purchase records to the Durango Police Department. Score one for the Constitution.

Speaking of Constitutional rights, two petition efforts are afoot locally to ensure locals’ rights are protected, first by requiring police and federal ICE agents to show their faces and wear identification, and the other to end the City’s contract with Flock and its creepy surveillance system.

Hope for Colorado’s beleaguered wolf reintroduction program, with new CPW director Laura Clellan saying the state is going to continue to move forward with its wolf program in 2026, with wolf releases possible next December.

But then the self-judgment squiggle gremlin locked me up, and so I stalled on drawing by writing – the very thing I used to procrastinate from doing!

True, I still procrastinate from writing. I once performed self-surgery on a wart, using my non-dominant hand, to put off writing. I’d rather excavate a blemish from my own body than write, and I’d rather write than draw. That is the severity of my drawer’s block.

If my drawer’s block had a face, it would not look like the image on this page, because I cannot accurately translate any of my thoughts into visual mediums. But if we call this rendering “abstract,” maybe I’ll get a pass.

You will notice the face of my drawer’s block has beady black eyes. This is because eyes convey expression, which I am unable to harness the moment I let my eye-drawings get to be anything more complicated than black beads.

You will notice too that the face lacks hands despite going all the way down to some feet. This is because hands are notoriously difficult to draw well, or at all. This face’s hands are abstractly buried deep in its abstract fur. But I included toes, because those look so weird even on real people that they are valid no matter how they fall out of my pen.

Anyway. My therapist says, if not to me then probably to someone, “You need to spend more time being bored.” That’s the headspace I need more of if I want to learn to draw, even if only for my own enjoyment. It sounds like a good idea, at first – but that’s only because she says it using correct dialogue tags.

– Zach Hively

SignoftheDownfall:

New research finds that sea levels are actually higher than believed, with hundreds of millions of people living in coastal areas closer to peril than previously thought. Anyone wanna buy a beach home?

It appears this “regime change” in the Middle East that was only supposed to last a few weeks has now turned into the entire Middle East blowing up, and there’s a crazy, dawdling old fool at the controls. Help?

Gov. Jared Polis seems poised to commute the sentence of Tina Peters, who was found guilty of: attempting to influence a public servant; conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation; violation of duty; failure to comply with an order of the secretary of state; and allowing some rando surfer dude access to voter rolls.

Get your booty sleep

The “Buttress,” which is a pillow shaped like a butt, was invented in 2018, but it didn’t get popular until now. Apparently, sleeping on a butt boosts serotonin levels, which can also be achieved by sleeping on a fake one. The pillows are made from latex foam, and they come with yoga pant covers so your buttress “doesn’t look naked.” Most sizes sell for around $159, and if you order now, they’ll also throw in three mini butt keychains, a sticker that says “I love booty,” and a user’s manual, because sleeping on a butt requires instructions, I guess. Lastly, sleeping on a fake butt is supposed to cure neck pain, which sounds ridiculous, but I’ll let you know in seven to 10 business days.

WritersontheRange

Uptapped potential

With snowpack at a record low, is Durango heading toward an avoidable water crisis?

by Dave Marston

Denver never stops seeking more water for its burgeoning population. But Durango, a town of 19,000 in the southwest corner of the state, is taking a wait-and-see approach.

You might call this unusual because Durango has access to a backup supply. In 2011, voters approved $6 million to buy 3,800 acre-feet of water storage in Lake Nighthorse reservoir. The rationale was simple: The town could build a pipeline and ship that water into its system whenever dry times occurred.

But since then, not much has happened.

Former city manager Ron LeBlanc tried to move the project forward before retiring in 2019. An engineering study in 2023 concluded that the town should connect Lake Nighthorse to its system using one of three possible pipeline routes. Still, no construction began.

Durango Mayor Gilda Yazzie says the city paid for its share of a pipe at the base of the dam, along with what’s called a manifold – a device that would split water among the four users of Lake Nighthorse. But nothing has been built to connect that manifold to Durango’s water system.

Lake Nighthorse itself is the scaleddown result of the Animas–La Plata Project, authorized by Congress in 1968. That project would have covered the Animas and La Plata river valleys with canals, pumps and pipelines. Instead, the final plan built just one dam and one pumping station, leaving the Animas River free-flowing.

That decision helped protect the area’s natural beauty while also attracting more people to Durango. Some of those new residents have since moved into fire-prone areas. Many Western cities have learned the hard way about not securing enough water to fight wild-

fires. Fires racing through Los Angeles in 2025 wiped out entire neighborhoods. Water storage ran out and hydrants went dry.

Durango water engineer Steve Harris has 52 years of experience in the field and is known for promoting water conservation. He thinks Durango is making a serious mistake by not connecting a pipe to Lake Nighthorse.

“The city has a century of the Animas and Florida Rivers being so good to them with steady year-around flows that they don’t even know they need storage,” he said. “They may only find out during a water crisis.”

Right now, Durango has 10 to 30 days

of water stored in its Terminal Reservoir, which holds 267 acre-feet. That’s annual water consumption for about 600 households; Durango has more than 9,000 households. The city depends mainly on the Florida River, with large draws of summer water from the Animas River. When the two rivers flow normally, the taps run. If both rivers dry up or clog with debris from fires, the city could run out of water within weeks.

Climate change and a 25-year drought highlight this risk. In the last eight years, on 34 days, the Animas River averaged less than 100 cubic feet per second, a low level reached only twice in the previous 120 years. Close

calls have already happened. In 2002, the Missionary Ridge Fire filled both rivers with ash and debris and forced the city to cut back pumping. In 2015, the Gold King Mine spill sent millions of gallons of waste into the Animas River, stopping city pumping for a week.

When Harris spoke at a Durango Neighborhood Coalition meeting last year, residents expressed overwhelming support for more water storage. That message hasn’t reached city leaders. Mayor Yazzie said voters were happy to support a $61 million sales-tax–funded municipal building and popular new recreation projects. But she said raising taxes for a major water project would be difficult.

“We are looking at a potential water and sewer fee increase to keep the toilets flushing,” Mayor Yazzie said. As for building a pipeline to Lake Nighthorse and a much-needed new water treatment plant – an investment water engineer Steve Harris estimates at about $100 million – “it all depends on how much the citizens are willing to pay for water.”

Durango’s reluctance to invest in its water system stands out in the West, where water storage is usually characterized as urgent. Las Vegas, for example, built three separate intake tunnels into Lake Mead to make sure it could keep taking water even as the reservoir dropped.

Durango’s Lake Nighthorse pipeline remains a paper concept. This winter, with snowpack in the San Juan Mountains the lowest recorded in generations, it’s time the town acts to guarantee more water. Fighting flames with empty hoses would be a sorry sight.

Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He writes in Durango. ■

SoapBox

ICE jail opens City up for lawsuits

I am writing to address the alarming lack of transparency regarding the ICE facility at 32 Sheppard Drive. While official records describe it as an administrative hub for six Colorado counties, local GIS filings reveal a “shell game” of ownership involving six different trust companies.

The stakes of this ambiguity are high. In cities like Merrimack, N.H., and Surprise, Ariz., local governments are facing significant litigation and liability over ICE real estate procurement and unauthorized land use. As of February 2026, ICE is mired in more than 20,000 habeas corpus petitions and thousands of documented violations of court orders. Durango cannot afford to be the next legal casualty.

The events of last October proved that “no comment” is no longer an acceptable response from our leadership. I am asking the City Council for three direct answers to the following questions:

Did the City approve an occupancy permit or business license for 32 Sheppard that explicitly allows for the detention of inmates? Has the building been retrofitted for detention, and was that work permitted? Is the City of Durango cooperating – logistically or legally – with the holding of federal detainees?

Our local government must decide: is it protecting its residents or is it quietly facilitating a litigious, highrisk jail in our back yard?

– Jeff Ross,

Durango

Flock and the new world order

In response to Durango Police Chief Brice Current’s Dec. 18, 2025, Telegraph piece, “Why Flock Matters,” I offer counterpoints hoping to clarify resident concerns.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has abducted many law-abiding local persons of color –our friends and co-workers – destroying their lives and damaging our community. Paraphrasing German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller’s poem about the Nazis’ rise to power, “first they came for BIPOC neighbors” but many white people haven’t spoken up, generally feeling secure in their homes.

But white folks, take note – now we are targets, too. The Rule of Law itself is being twisted to follow Project 2025, a Christian Nationalist blueprint for America.

Free-thinking Americans are “domestic terrorists” according to Trump’s memorandum NSPM-7, and last fall he ordered the DOJ and FBI to investigate and prosecute us, using tools like Flock.

Even if DPD did not distribute data to ICE, as Current states, by contract, Flock owns and can share our data covertly. Therefore, DPD’s audit logs cannot reflect Flock actions. In August 2025, News 9 Denver revealed that Flock shared data with Customs and Border Protection without informing affected communities.

That means any statement assuring us that ICE has not used our data (or won’t) is disinformation – we cannot definitively know. And since federal agencies are using sophisticated tools like facial recognition, why wouldn’t they track us “targets” with ALPRs (Automated License Plate Readers, like Durango’s) to determine our patterns? We know they’ve lain in wait to abduct Durango commuters. Flock data, including ours, is clearly for sale.

Are Durango folks at risk? Yes. Recently a Durango resident whistle-blower had their picture and personal data brandished at them – by ICE.

Do you get the overt threat behind this? Because it has vast tools and facial recognition, ICE has all our information at its fingertips. We’re all potential “domestic terrorists” and therefore “targets.” Rümeysa Öztürk was the Tufts grad student whose sin was truthful writing. Her arrest telegraphed that we’re all defenseless prey if we dare speak up.

Even in this dangerous context, city leaders speak about “balancing” our Constitutional right – freedom from warrantless search and seizure – with the benefits of tools like Flock. Rights cannot be traded away, period.

Current says Flock technology only reads “license plates and the exterior of vehicles.” That may describe DPD’s contract limits, but video and still images from all Flock cameras can be used to conduct facial recognition, providing immense data that Flock stores, owns indefinitely and can share. While Flock-allied agencies – Current’s “individuals who harm others” –wreak havoc on our communities, our personal lifestyle details continue to upload to Flock servers.

Nor is it true that Flock allows “search only after suspicion of a crime exists,” though DPD may operate to that standard. Flock’s system has been used for exwife-stalking and abortion-tracking across state lines, no case number or valid reason required. Flock’s loose

security allowed illicit data-handling in Loveland and Mesa County; DPD cannot control partnered agencies. It’s immaterial whether judges have ruled surveillance cameras “legal.” Durango is not litigating cameras, we’re determining whether we accept constant spying and data-collection on our personal lives by a private company that shares data with agencies like ICE.

Clearly a New World Order is being built around us, and it depends on high-tech surveillance and intensive data collection. Grand spying schemes by power-obsessed people depend on Flock data. DOGE, META, Flock and Palantir are thrones for these dangerous new lords.

None of the hundreds of Durango residents I’ve spoken to knew Durango had Flock cameras, partly because we never got to vote whether to waive our 4th Amendment rights. But we residents do have ballot power. We can end warrantless searches and remove Flock from Durango. Join deFlockdgo@proton.me at our next Virtual Flock Town Hall (info available at “deflockdurango” on Instagram). Please share this!

– Kirby MacLaurin, Durango

GlobalPerspectives

Waking to disaster

The pointless and self-serving boondoggle of yet another Middle Eastern war

Iwoke, took a shower and spent a few minutes outside, drinking tea. I went upstairs to my office, got online and BAM! We’d bombed Iran. Again.

My first reaction was anger. I should preface this by saying I didn’t vote for our president, but I didn’t vote for his opponent either. I don’t suffer from TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome). I’ve never been a bitter opponent and actually agree with some of his policies. But I believe our president has lost his mind. Really. I’ll explain.

Keep in mind, I don’t consider myself antisemitic. I’ve been a student of Jewish and Israeli history, and I admire the Jewish people. I believe that all Jews need a homeland, the nation of Israel, which has a right to exist peaceably.

I do not believe Iran represents a threat to American national security. Until we started bombing them, that is. It can’t be Iranian nuclear bombs we fear, since we were told that Iranian nuclear capacity was totally destroyed last June, or at least set back for a long while. So, before this latest war, how close could the Iranians really have been to nuking the world? Not very. The president’s insisted the morning of the attack that core U.S. national security interests were at stake. Yet, the Iranians don’t have a nuclear weapon or the delivery system for a bomb. So, I don’t buy this.

Both the president and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are promising the people of Iran regime change, which does not equal a core national security interest. Haven’t we seen this show before in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya? How did those wars work out?

This is how empires end. The United States is already financially ($37 trillion) and militarily exhausted due, in part, to those failed wars. And we’re doing it again? Insanity is doing the same things over and over and … well, that’s why I think POTUS has lost his mind.

Precisely whose interests are being served by this war? Whose foreign policy is being advanced? It is not our own. We no longer live in a republic with popularly elected leaders but in a system where votes in Congress are often bought and where political survival depends upon going along with certain interests. Some 73% of Americans oppose attacking Iran and getting involved in another war. And yet, here we are.

If you take the statements of Donald Trump on the morning of the attack (“This terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon”), you will hear echoed the statements of Netanyahu over the last 30 years.

Who wants regime change? Netanyahu. He’s up for reelection this fall. Trump promised us all no more disastrous Middle Eastern wars. Yet he renames the DoD the Department of War and does exactly the opposite.

This is not a war for the people of Iran. It is a war against the people of Iran. Let’s not pretend we’re doing this

out of the goodness of our hearts. How have these attacks liberated the Iranian people? What good faith did America show during negotiations? Who will trust us now? We fed the Iranians our red lines, which we knew they’d never accept. We wanted their capitulation and fealty, and that’s not realistic.

As I scrolled the night before the bombing, there were reports of a breakthrough in negotiations. Maybe somebody didn’t want that. Maybe somebody wanted to hang on to their political fortunes just a little longer, because war forestalls their legal reckoning. It’s an old and effective strategy. Problems at home? Start a war abroad.

The demands of the Americans (and Israelis) included weakening the Iranian ballistic missile program and the discontinuation of support of Iranian proxies. These are Israeli demands, but Netanyahu doesn’t have the military hardware, so he got us to do his dirty work.

Will we “obliterate” Iran, as Trump promises? I doubt it. Iran is not Iraq. It

is not Libya. It is not Afghanistan, which was a poor, disorganized nation that, despite its undeveloped status, finally kicked us out.

Iran has 90 million people and covers more than 600,000 square miles. Persians, the dominant ethnic group in Iran, are educated and have been around for thousands years. Iran has a relatively advanced industrial base, a resilient infrastructure and a well-integrated bureaucracy, all of which are more robust than those of the other nations we sought to collapse and rebuild.

To misjudge these capacities, to underestimate them, could lead to longterm, regional war with worldwide economic consequences. Yet, we are trying to lay waste to this vast nation with money we don’t have. We’ve tried to topple regimes with air power before, but without a much greater military commitment, airpower is never enough. How many lives did we have to lose in Iraq and Afghanistan to learn that?

Trump said that we are undertaking a massive and ongoing operation, yet he seems to think it’ll be over in a few weeks. Netanyahu promised we will change the face of the Middle East. We’ll change it – just not in ways we intend or can predict.

“Don’t worry,” our leaders tell us, this will not turn into a wider regional war. But it already has.

– Mike Just, Durango Mike Just has a Bachelor’s Degree in political science from De Paul University, with a concentration in arms, security and war, a Master’s Degree from National Louis University and a law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is an essayist, speech writer and author and has a regular nonfiction post on Substack. He also authored an editorial in the Chicago Sun Times on the eve of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan warning that the invasion would lead to disastrous consequences. He lives in Durango. ■

LocalNews

‘DIFF’-rent strokes

With 83 films spanning multiple genres, this year’s festival offers something for everyone

by Missy Votel

Whether you’re looking for escapism, entertainment or inspiration in these challenging times, the Durango Independent Film Festival likely has what you’re looking for. Now in its 21st year, DIFF runs through Sunday with films at both the Durango Arts Center and Gaslight Cinema, as well as its usual round of Q&As, VIP parties and filmmaker panels.

DIFF champions films you likely won’t see in typical theaters – from dramas and documentaries to shorts, animated films and family friendly fare. This year’s eclectic lineup of 83 films includes genres in adventure, music, comedy, Native cinema and nature films.

One film in particular, “The Only Way Out is Through,” may seem extra familiar to viewers. That’s because it was filmed in and around the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountains. (One of the film’s pivotal scenes was shot on the Sangre’s 14,074-foot Culebra Peak.)

The film, directed by Tempe, Ariz., resident Kieran Thompson, centers on a topic that has come to the forefront in many Western mountain towns in recent years: mental health, particularly among men. The story follows three friends who head into the wilderness to re-

connect. When one vanishes, the journey becomes a test of friendship, trust and what it means to be there for one another. It was inspired by director Thompson’s own personal journey to reconnect with a childhood best friend after nearly losing him in a tragic accident. According to Thompson, it explores themes of friendship, masculinity and the inner struggles that are rarely spoken about openly, especially among men.

“The film revolves around mental health and the

need for men to be more vulnerable with their friends,” Thompson said in an email.

Thompson crafted the story with the help of a writer friend, Kyle Dickinson, whom, he said, helped him process his feelings. “Working together led me to realize how deeply I needed a friend, and just how hard it can be for men to be vulnerable with one another,” said Thompson. “Making this film taught me how to strengthen my friendships, and that’s made a huge difference in my life. We hope our film will inspire others to reach out and connect with their friends.”

In addition to subject matter that hits close to home, the film was edited by former area resident Misty Wilson (Walter.) Born in Durango, she grew up in Bayfield, where her interest in film began by filming her high school sports teams. She now lives in Phoenix, where she moved in 2003 to pursue her motion picture dreams.

This will be the Colorado premier for the film as well as a homecoming for Wilson. She will attend both screenings and said she is excited to share the film with family, friends and the local community.

“There are truly no words that can capture what it feels like to watch a film you’ve poured your heart and soul into with an audience,” she said. “Every screening

feels different … but this homecoming screening means something deeper. To sit among the friends and family who’ve known me my whole life, who’ve believed in me, supported my art and helped shape both who I am and the storyteller I’ve become – it’s overwhelming in the best way.”

Both films will be followed by filmmaker Q&As, which Thompson said have been valuable in their own right. “At prior festival screenings, our Q&As have turned into these beautiful and vulnerable discussions on mental health, friendship and masculinity,” said Thompson. “I’m excited to continue those conversations with audiences in Durango.”

“The Only Way Out is Through” (89 min.) screens at the Gaslight Theatre at 2:30 p.m. Fri., March 6, and 4:30 p.m., Sat., March 7.

The cast includes: Alex MacNicoll (NBC’s “Brilliant Minds,” Amazon’s “Transparent,” Netflix’s “The Society”); Beau Knapp (“The Bikeriders,” Paramount’s “SEAL Team,” Netflix’s “Seven Seconds”); and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Netflix’s “The Society,” HBO’s “I Love LA”).

Other top film picks include:

• “Adapted”  (adventure and outdoor/documentary, 87 min.) - This story follows three paraplegic athletes in their adventurous and inspiring pursuits, while

also reflecting the realities of their day-today lives. One attempts to summit Washington’s Mount Baker; one leads an adaptive raft expedition down the Salmon River in Idaho; and another attempts to hand-cycle 87 miles of the White Rim Trail in Moab. The pursuit of adventure is their shared goal, while each faces their individual, deeper journey of resilience, self-discovery and post-traumatic growth.

• “Lost Wolves of Yellowstone” (documentary, 92 min.) - On Jan. 12, 1995, wolves returned to Yellowstone, 50 years after their extirpation. Mollie Beattie, the first female director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, carried the first Canadianborn wolf, Alpha Female No. 5, into the park’s experimental acclimation enclosure. From that day forward, their lives would be forever connected.

• “The Color of Exile”  (narrative and art films, 97 min.) – Forced to flee his West African village due to persecution linked to albinism, Ousmane – a young man marked by both vulnerability and inner light– embarks on a long, perilous journey with his determined mother Aïcha. As they travel from the vast Sahara to Morocco, exile becomes a profound test of dignity, resilience and identity. The film blends poetic realism with emotional depth, portraying the odyssey of a young

New kid on the block?

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man fighting to exist fully and visibly in a world that fears his difference.

• “Dream Touch Believe”  (Native cinema, 85 min.) – The inspiring story of Santa Clara Pueblo sculptor Michael Naranjo. As a young man, Naranjo lost his eyesight in the Vietnam War, but not his vision. He fought past critics and a war injury to achieve his lifelong dream of becoming an acclaimed artist.

A variety of different pass options are available for the weekend’s festival, which runs through Sunday. Moviegoers are advised to show up 15 minutes before start time, as popular screenings can sell out. Also new this year, DIFF pass holders get 21% off their tab at El Moro Spirits and Tavern in honor of DIFF’s 21st birthday.

For tickets, details and more, visit: durangofilm.org.  ■

For details email: missy@durangotelegraph.com

BetweentheBeats

Masterful March

Lineup includes Keller Williams, Monkberries, Genuine Cowhide and more

by Stephen Sellers

Greetings, dear readers! March is blooming with big musical energy here in our little corner of Colorado. A few highlights caught my radar this month, but I have to confess: take a scroll through the Animas City Theatre website, and you’ll see a truly masterful March lineup taking shape. Genre-spanning, nationally touring talent mixed with deep local love. It’s the kind of programming that reminds you how lucky we are to have this room in our town. There’s too much going on in the world right now to fully put into words, so I’ll just say this: I’ve got a lot of love for you, local reader, and I love our musical ecosystem here. Let’s keep showing up for it. Brighter days, and evenings, are on the way.

• Keller Williams, Thurs., March 5, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre –You know him, you love him. And if you don’t, your jam-band–loving aunt or uncle can probably explain “Kidney in a Cooler” and the days when Keller and The String Cheese Incident reigned as ski bum royalty in the Centennial State. We’re lucky to have Keller grace our stage as he is a true world-class musician. This show is a stop on the “Road to Tico Time Bluegrass” where Keller and his band Keller & The Keels will perform this May.

• The Monkberries, Fri., March 6, 5 p.m., Studio & – I remember seeing the Monkberries shortly after they relocated from Denton, Texas, at a backyard party on the west side of town. I was blown away by the duo’s distinct indie sound in a town swimming in bluegrass and jam bands. They blend sweet, soulful tones that feel straight out of the ’50s or ’60s with a twinge of “Salad Days”-era Mac DeMarco. And yet, there’s something wholly their own in Adam and Marissa Hunt’s creative love child. Catch them at Studio & for a dose of vintage shimmer to welcome in the weekend.

• Marvel Years w/ Louie Letdown, Fri., March 6, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre – En route to Subaru’s Winter Fest in Eldora, the Vermont-based Marvel Years rolls through Durango armed with laptop and guitar, ready to shred over what I describe as

“soul-womp.” Think heavy, Pretty Lights-esque beats laced with soaring guitar solos in every conceivable mode and scale. “Did he just drop that in Lydian?!” It’s downright fun to vibe out to, and musical theory degree or not, the ACT on a Friday night is rarely the wrong move.

• Mixed in Mancos feat. Stillhouse Junkies, Mean Irene, Genuine Cowhide, Sat., March 7, 5

p.m., Mancos Opera House – The Mixed in Mancos series returns, and the resurrection of Genuine Cowhide is nigh. Local road warriors the Stillhouse Junkies are dropping alongside Montezuma County’s very own Sunny Gable with her new band, Mean Irene. You’ve heard it from Chris Aaland over the years, Genuine Cowhide is the real deal. Might be time to dust off (or wash) the Wranglers. Big shout-out to the Mancos

Creative District for hosting this one at the recently renovated Opera House. As always, the show will be recorded and pressed to vinyl, preserving all things local and badass.

• Ragged Oak, Sat., March 7, 8 p.m. iNDIGO Room at iAM Music –Ragged Oak is quietly carrying the local torch for how to do indie rock right. Band leader Josh Mendrala has the full modern toolkit, great design, impeccable socials, a cinematic website and even a Patreon. What’s Patreon? Think of it as like Only Fans but for bands … and less sexy. Expect a night of postrock textures and earnest songwriting at Durango’s favorite intimate listening room from Josh and his band. They just dropped a beautiful new single on all the streaming platforms for your enjoyment and edification.

• Lo-Ca$h Ninjas, Crazy & the Brains, the Last Gang, Hans Gruber and the Die Hards, Sun., March 15, 3 p.m., Anarchy Brewing – One of the raddest punk lineups in recent memory lands at Anarchy, with national act Crazy & the Brains leading the charge. Even radder? This doubles as the official post-wedding celebration for two of Durango’s favorites, Emma and Sully. Where else would it be but Sully’s home away from home? Best of luck to you two lovebirds!

• Durango Celtic Festival feat. RUNA, Cassie & Maggie, Caroline & Tom, Bowmaneers and more, Fri., March 27, 5 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC – Coming back for its 12th year, the Durango Celtic Fest is here to help you connect with lively fiddles, reels, and plenty of foot-stomping. Whether you’re a longtime trad devotee or just looking for something spirited and joyful to carry you into spring, this beloved local festival promises a weekend full of community and music that moves both the heart and the feet.

• Family Reunion and Hotel Draw, Sat., March 28, 8 p.m., iNDIGO Room at iAM Music – Got to give a shout out to Family Reunion, who nailed their cover of “Impossible Germany” at the KDUR Cover night a few weeks ago. They’re joining local indie lords Hotel Draw for an iNDIGO room show, so get your tickets before the limited capacity sells out! ■

MurderInk

Superhero swagger

Adrian McKinty returns with not-to-miss episode in Duffy saga

by Jeffrey Mannix

From our gossamery “Unfit,” by Ariana Harwicz, in “Murder Ink” last month, we’re back to murder and chaos from a veteran crime fiction writer. I am convinced he is the best in police procedurals and from the land of inherited murder and maelstrom: the divided, rivaling island of Ireland.

Adrian McKinty was born and grew up in a working-class housing project in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the worst decades of The Troubles. As most fiction writers, McKinty nibbled his way into writing while working odd jobs before securing a full scholarship to Oxford University to study philosophy. He fell in love in England, followed his betrothed to New York City, worked illegally as a bartender and teamster and married. He later moved to Denver and Boulder where he taught in high schools before moving to Australia where he decided to spin the wheel and write full time.

McKinty struggled as most aspiring fiction writers do. But he had that whisper of genius to draw upon his menacing life growing up in what can be called a war-torn country. He has reanimated his juvenile fears into stories about lawlessness witnessed through the life of fictional detective Sean Duffy. McKinty wrote and wrote, and like the chances of seeing a shooting star in the night sky, he became one of the finest, if not the finest creator of police procedurals in crime fiction.

In “Hang on St. Christopher,” it is the early 1990s, and Duffy elects to call it quits and take an early pension. He moves his wife and daughter “over the water” to civilized Scotland. He is required to come back into Belfast’s Carrickfergus Police Station six days a month to be bored with little to do. But with only a handful of months left before he plans to never see trouble again, he’s walking away from a reputation. Young recruits in the Criminal Investigation Department idolize Duffy for his nerve and savvy, stepping aside on crime scenes or office hallways in deference to his moxie. And superiors hate him but need him for his roguery.

“Hang on St. Christopher” is the name of a song by Tom Waits from one of Duffy’s shelves of LPs. Building the vivid character, McKinty fleshes out a superhero police detective with vignettes of Duffy’s taste in music, his BMW and the selection of weapons and lock picks he has sewn into the sleeve of his leather jacket. He also has a mirror set up to peer under his car for bombs commonly used to eliminate police and enemies of the IRA. Duffy is a star crime fighter without the James Bond attitude – a character developed from McKinty’s image of himself, without the conceit.

To build suspense without the usual tricks, a source of foreboding is instilled right away with Duffy being only a couple months shy of ending his long, esteemed career in law enforcement. His last case should have been handled by his replacement, Sergeant Lawson. But Lawson is on holiday in Italy, and Duffy has been ordered to investigate a murder of a fine arts painter. Not known to be overly deferential to his superiors, Duffy is in his apartment readying for his return ferry to his new home in Scotland when Chief Inspector McArthur comes pounding on his door. Duffy pretends not to be home, but McArthur can hear Steely Dan bouncing off the walls and doubles up his pounding.

The Chief Inspector offers Duffy time and a half to work the case, which is generous considering McArthur can reduce his retirement pension for insubordination. Predictably, Duffy’s last gig is a skosh short of his last dance.

I’ve read and reviewed a number of McKinty’s Sean Duffy books, and each one astounds me with how erudite and what a natural storyteller he is. I’d vote McKinty the best police engagement writer in the business: he’s smart; is a skilled writer and fabulist; and he never drops a thread or swans through sections to set up the action. Every line McKinty writes is pregnant with creative power. Among general and crime fiction writers, he is a big leaguer.

McKinty’s “Police at the Station, and They Don’t Look Friendly,” another stunning Sean Duffy procedural, was reviewed in these pages June 1, 2017. “Hang on St. Christopher” was released in March 2025, so you’ll have to ask Maria’s Bookshop to order it for you. Or try the public library, they’re sure to have it or can easily and quickly order it from interlibrary loan.

Don’t miss this book. Don’t miss any Adrian McKinty book. He’s one of the top fiction writers in the crime genre and will hold his place with any fiction writer of any ilk. ■

Last commercial lot on Camino del Rio – flexible zoning and rare infill opportunity. Tailor-made for retail, dining, services, offices, medical and more. All development subject to approvals and permitting. Ready to explore the vision for this last Camino del Rio commercial site? Reach out for details, concept fit and next steps. $975k. MLS: 830480

Stuff to Do

Thursday05

Durango Independent Film Festival, various times, Durango Arts Center and Gaslight Twin Cinema 802 E. 2nd Ave. and 102 E. 5th

Colorado Women in Agriculture Conference, 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds

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

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

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

Human Factors of Avalanches, presented by Friends of the San Juans, 6-7:30 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.

An Evening with Keller Williams, 7 p.m. doors, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

Friday06

Durango Independent Film Festival, various times, Durango Arts Center and Gaslight Twin Cinema 802 E. 2nd Ave. and 102 E. 5th

Colorado Women in Agriculture Conference, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds

McDonald’s Cardboard Derby, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Purgatory Resort

Songwriting Panel with Fred Kosak, Alissa Wolf, Dale X Allen, Sunny Gable and Paul “Bubba” Iudice, 45:30 p.m., Mancos Commons,135 W. Grand Ave.

Diamond Belle Saloon Belle Girls Room Dedication, 4-6 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.

Disability Art Show Opening, 4-6 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

First Friday, 4-7 p.m., downtown Durango

Celebrate the Year of the Horse with equine art and live music by Jason Thies and Jeff Haspel, 4-7 p.m., Toh-Atin Gallery, 145 W. 9th St.

Powder Hounds Art Auction, to benefit La Plata County Humane Society, 5-7 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino del Rio

“Renderer Wanderer,” artwork by Erin

Currier, opening reception, 5-7 p.m., Blue Rain Gallery, 934 Main Ave., Unit B

Artist Showcase Meet & Greet: Andy Mathews, 5-8 p.m., Durango Winery, 900 Main Ave., Ste. E

“RR06 (Rural Route 6)” artwork by Erik Maxson, opening reception, 5-8 p.m., The Recess Gallery in Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.

The Monkberries play, 5-8 p.m., Studio & Gallery, 1027 Main Ave.

Larry Carver and High Altitude Blues play, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Game Night, 5:30-7 p.m., Sunnyside Library, 75 CR 218

Black Balloon Day, day of remembrance for those lost to opioid use disorder, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College Ballroom

Envisioning a Changing DurangoScape 2026, presented by Durango Botanic Gardens, 5:30-8 p.m., DoubleTree, 501 Camino Del Rio

Banff Mountain Film Festival, a benefit for the San Juan Citizens Alliance, 6:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC

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

Marvel Years with Louie Letdown performs, 7 p.m. doors, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

Saturday07

Durango Independent Film Festival, various times, Durango Arts Center and Gaslight Twin Cinema 802 E. 2nd Ave. and 102 E. 5th

Venture Snowboards Demo Day, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Purgatory Resort

Winter Market, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Four Seasons Green House, 26650 Road P, Cortez

Durango Artisan Craft Fair, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Envisioning a Changing DurangoScape 2026, presented by Durango Botanic Gardens, 12 noon, DoubleTree, 501 Camino Del Rio

Gametime Childcare Open House and Information Session, 12 noon-2 p.m., Durango Recreation Center, 2700 Main Ave.

Show Your Ink Throwdown ,tattoo party and contest, 12 noon-3 p.m., Durango Harley-Davidson, 750 S Camino Del Rio

La Plata Dems Caucus & Assembly, 1-4 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Ska Brewing Après Party & Snowboard Giveaway, 3-5 p.m., Purgatory Resort

Mixed in Mancos featuring Stillhouse Junkies, Genuine Cowhide and Mean Irene, Sat., March 7, 5 p.m., Mancos Opera House, 136 Grand Ave., Mancos

Women’s Hockey Classic, Durango Betties vs. the Durango U19 girls, 5:30 p.m., Chapman Hill Ice Arena. Proceeds benefit girls hockey.

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

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

Banff Mountain Film Festival, a benefit for the San Juan Citizens Alliance, 6:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC

HeART of a Horse silent auction fundraiser and optional film, 6-8 p.m., Mancos Community Center, 130 W. Grand Ave., Mancos

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.

Big A$$ Variety Show, 8 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave.

Ragged Oak plays, 8-10 p.m., The iNDIGO Room, 1315 Main Ave., #207

Sunday08

Veterans Benefit Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.

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

Funk Jam Sessions presented by Jimmy’s Music & Supply, 4-6 p.m., 11th Street Station, 1101 Main Ave.

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

Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Monday09

Durango Bach Festival Lunch Concert, presented by the San Juan Symphony, 12 noon, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave.

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.

AskRachel Tree shagging, spooning leads to forking, and freedoms

Interesting fact: Juniper pollen season is actually, more or less, September - April. Imagine going at it for eight months straight.

Dear Rachel,

It’s that time of year. I’m bracing for juniper allergies. I know trees gotta procreate, but why do they have to do it by dusting their intimate pollen all over the rest of us? Humans would go to jail for doing anything so publicly. I’m stocking up on tissues and Benadryl but any other life-saving advice?

– Ah choo

Dear Gesundheit,

Can you cryogenically freeze yourself until this is over? I know the technology is usually applied to dead people, hoping to come back in the future (as if it will be any better). But maybe you can make a case for thawing yourself back out once tree-mating season has passed. Just make sure you don’t sign up for the headin-a-jar package. Get the full-body one. Or you’ll need someone to wipe your snot when you come back. – My nose runneth over, Rachel

Dear Rachel, I finally move in with my boyfriend. It’s all going great, except for the silverware. It doesn’t make sense to keep two full sets. His came

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.

Tuesday10

Economic Alliance Meeting, 7:30 a.m. doors, FLC Center for Innovation, 835 Main Ave., Ste. 225

Durango Bach Festival, presented by San Juan Symphony, 12 noon, St. Mark’s Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave.

Weekly Community Open Table, a chance for single diners or pairs to meet and share dinner with others, 5:30 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

State of the Animas and local rivers, presented by 5RTU, 5:30 p.m., Hillcrest Golf Club

Rotary Club of Durango presents club member Natambu Obleton discussing “Everyday Uses for AI,” 6-7 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.

“Colorado Wolf Restoration: Status and Issues,” by Gary Skiba and Matt Barnes, 6-7 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds Extension Building

from his grandma when she passed. But mine also came from my grandma when she passed. Neither of us wants to package up our set as they’re sentimental to us. But one silverware drawer can’t contain both. How do we merge?

– Spooning with forks

Dear Silver-worn,

Oof. Sounds like you could cut that tension with your abundance of butter knives. The only solution I see is his-n-hers silverware drawers. Not nearly so dramatic as the his-n-hers beds, but I’m actually liking this idea. No future clashes over how you sort the spoons. No one to blame for the disarray in the drawer. Maybe you need entirely separate kitchens. Heck, maybe one of you should just move across the street.

– Missing some cutlery, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

You probably know the stand for First Amendment rights that Maria’s is making, which is as important as ever right now. But it got me wondering: would you stand up for our First Amendment rights? Or would you hand over all our questions, published and unpublished, to the authorities? I just want to go on record that the questions I send you are not a representative sample of my activities!

– Pleading the Fifth

“Power of Place: Exploring the History and Culture of Southwest Colorado,” 6-7 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Hub Hangout 9.0, 6-8 p.m., Animas River Grille and Lounge, 501 Camino del Rio

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.

Sean O’Brien 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

Wednesday11

Durango Bach Festival Lunch Concert, presented by the San Juan Symphony, 12 noon, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave.

HOA Board Education Series: Reserve Studies & Maintenance Excellence, 4-5:15 p.m., virtual, reliancemanagement.co

Ska Bingo Night, 5-7 p.m., Animas River Lounge at The DoubleTree, 501 Camino del Rio

Dear Legal Scholar,

For the authorities to seize our correspondence, they’d have to find me first! Muahaha! Not that that’s a challenge. Please don’t try to find me. I have nothing to hide; I just don’t have time for any search and seizure operations. Also, yes, duh, I’m a staunch proFirst advocate. If people were not free to say whatever they want to say… can you imagine how dull this advice column would be? We’d have to run it in the Herald

– Amend this, Rachel Email

Ukulele Night, 5-7 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave.

Money Talks, learn about personal finance, 5:30-7 p.m., 11sh St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.

“Mini-Film Fest: Everyday Democracy” presented by RMPBS, 5:30-8 p.m., Vallecito Room, FLC Student Union

Chuck Hank plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Ongoing

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

Upcoming

DJ Brownie (Disco Biscuits) & Friends ft. Adam Deitch (Lettuce/Break Science), Thurs., March 12, 7 p.m. doors, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

Friday Afternoon Club Market, Fri., March 13, 3-6 p.m., Breen Community Building, 15300 Hwy 140

Lower Left Improv Final Curtain Call, Fri., March 13, 7-9 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Songwriter Night, Fri, March 13, 8-10 p.m., The iNDIGO Room, 1315 Main Ave., #207 March 5, 2026 n 13 telegraph

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Many ancient cultures had myths that explained solar eclipses as celestial creatures eating the sun. In China, it was a dragon. A frog did it in Vietnam, wolves in Norse lore, and bears in Indigenous American legends. In some places, people made loud noises during the blackout, banging drums and pots, to drive away the attacker and bring back the sun. I suspect you are now in the midst of a metaphorical eclipse. But don’t worry! Just as was true centuries ago, your sun won’t actually be gobbled up. Instead, you will rouse an appetite for transformation that will consume outdated ideas and situations. Whatever disintegrates will become fuel for new stories. Your vigor will return even stronger.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Maybe you have been enjoying my advice for years but still haven’t become a billionaire, grown into a potent influencer or landed the perfect job. Does that mean I’ve failed you? Should you swap me out for a more results-oriented oracle? If rewards like those are the dreams you treasure, then yes, it may be time to search for a new guide. But if what you want most is to cultivate the steady gratification of feeling real, whole and authentic, then stick with me. PS: The coming days are likely to offer abundant opportunities to feel real, whole and authentic!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 1557, a Welsh mathematician invented the equals sign (=) to avoid repeatedly writing the words “is equal to.” Over the next centuries, this helped make algebra more convenient and efficient. The moral of the story: Some breakthroughs come not from making novel discoveries but from finding better ways to render and use what’s already known. I’m pleased to say that you Geminis are primed to devise your own equals sign. What strengths might you express with greater crispness and efficiency? What familiar complications could you make easier? See if you can find shortcuts that aid productivity without sacrificing precision.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): One benefit of being an astrologer is that when I need a break from being intensely myself, I can take a sabbatical. My familiarity with the zodiac frees me to escape the limits of my personal horoscope and play at being other signs. I always return from my getaway with a renewed appreciation for the unique riddle that is my identity. Now is an excellent time for Cancerians like you and me to enjoy such a vacation. We can have maximum fun and

attract inspiring educational experiences by experimenting. I plan to be like a Sagittarius and may also experiment with embodying Aries qualities.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In Scandinavian folklore, there’s a phenomenon called utiseta. It involves sitting out at night in a charged place in nature, like a crossroads or border. The goal is to make oneself available for visions, wisdom or contact with spirits and ancestors. I suspect you could benefit from the equivalent of a utiseta right now, Leo. Do you dare to refrain from forcing solutions through sheer will? Are you brave enough to let answers wander into your midst instead of hunting them down? I believe your strength is your willingness to be still and wait in a threshold.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You are a devotee of the sacred particular. While others traffic in vague abstractions, you understand that vitality thrives in details. Your attention to nuance and precision is not fussiness but a form of love. I get excited to see you honor life by noticing all of its specific textures and rhythms! Now, more than ever, the world needs this superpower. I hope you will express it even stronger in coming months. May you exult in the knowledge that your refusal to treat the world carelessly or sloppily isn’t about perfectionism but about respect.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Architect Antoni Gaudí spent more than 40 years designing Barcelona’s Sagrada Família cathedral. He knew he wouldn’t live to see it finished. It’s still under construction today, long after his death. When he said, “My client is not in a hurry,” he meant God. I invite you to borrow this perspective, Libra. See how much fun you can have by releasing yourself from the tyranny of urgency. Grant yourself permission to concentrate on a process that might take a long time to unfold. What a generous and ultimately productive luxury it will be for you to align yourself with deep rhythms and relaxing visions! I believe your good work will require resoluteness that transcends conventional timelines.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The ancient Chinese philosophical text known as the Tao Te Ching teaches that “the usefulness of a cup is in its emptiness.” A vessel full of itself can receive nothing. Is it possible that you are currently so crammed with opinions, strategies and righteous certainty that you’ve lost some of your capacity to receive? I suspect there are wonders and marvels trying to reach you, Scorpio: insights, inquiries and invitations. But they can’t get in if you’re

full. Your assignment: Temporarily empty yourself. Create space by releasing cherished positions, a defensive stance or stories about how things must be.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Yoruba concept of ashe refers to the power to make things happen. It’s the life force that flows through all things and can be accumulated, directed and shared. Right now, your ashe is strong but a bit scattered, Sagittarius. You have power, but it’s diffused across too many commitments and half-pursued desires. So your assignment is to consolidate. Choose two things that matter most and fully pour your ashe into them. As you concentrate your vitality, you’ll get more done and become a conduit for blessings larger than yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What’s holding you back? What are you waiting for? A nudge from destiny? A breaking point? A hidden clue that may or may not reveal itself? It’s my duty to tell you this: All that lingering and dallying, all that wishing and hoping, is wasted energy. As long as you’re sitting still, pining for a cosmic deliverance to handle the hard parts, the sweet intervention will keep its distance. The instant you claim the authority to act, you’ll see it clearly: the path forward that doesn’t need a perfect sign, a final push or fate’s permission.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you’re anything like me, you wince as you recall the lazy choices and careless passivity that speckle your past. You may wonder what you were thinking when you treated yourself so cavalierly, pushed away an ally or let a dazzling invitation slip by. At times I feel as if my wrong turns carry more weight than the bright, grace-filled moments. Here’s good news: March is Amnesty Month for all Aquarians willing to own up to and graduate from their missteps. As you work diligently to unwind unhelpful patterns that led you off course, life will release you from the heavy drag of those old failures.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In systems theory, “critical points” are moments when long periods of small changes gradually accumulate and then suddenly erupt into a big shift. Nothing appears to happen for a while, and then everything happens at once. Ice becomes water, for instance. I suspect you’re nearing such a pivot, Pisces. You’ve been gathering strength, clarity and nerve in subtle ways. Soon you will be visited by what we might call a graceful, manageable explosion. The slow, persistent changes you’ve been overseeing will result in a major transition.

Marchihing into sprpring

Check out our selection for warmer days ahead Winter clearance on boots, jackets, sweaters, pants and more

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

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/

Full Time Case Manager

Are you interested in making a meaningful difference in the lives of people with disabilities or related health challenges in our community? Community Connections is looking for a full-time Case Manager to support people who are on Long Term Care Medicaid. This is incredibly rewarding work supported by a compassionate team of case managers and leadership. Flexible hours and the ability to work in the office and from home. BA in related field required, direct experience working with people as a case worker or social worker type job may be substituted. Wage $25.49 with full benefits. Interested candidates should apply at https://www.communityconnectionsco.o rg/careers and upload a resume and cover letter. Accepting submissions until 5 pm on 3/13/2025.

Announcements

Ready to make a difference close to home? The University of Den-

ver 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.

Looking for Living/Property

Caretaking opportunity in Durango area. If interested please call 970-7998950 ask for Charlotte.

Books Wanted at White Rabbit

Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213

ForSale

Reruns Home Furnishings

Time to refresh your indoor space. Furniture, mirrors, lamps, cool artwork and more! Also looking to consign smaller pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat.

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

Services

Yard Work, Ranch Work

General labor, snow removal, basic handyman. Dependable and trustworthy. $30/hour. Contact 970-799-5155

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

CommunityService

Man2Man Prostate Cancer Support

Group of Durango will meet 7-8 p.m., Tues., March 3, via Zoom. Group includes survivors of prostate cancer and men who have been diagnosed with prostate issues including BPH and cancer. Participants discuss experiences, resources, diagnosis and treatments. Anyone is welcome. For more information and/or a Zoom invitation, please email: prostate groupdurango@ gmail.com

'Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of ...' Clunky, wonky and rather pointless, are words that are truly too kind

Applications Now Open for the 2026 Durango Farmers Market. Vendors can apply for the full season or choose to apply for 2nd Saturdays only. Details and applications at: durangofarmers market.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.

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.

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.

Grief Counseling

The Grief Center of SW Colorado is offering free grief counseling services for children, teens and young adults. Please contact us below if interested. griefcenter swco@gmail.com or 970-764-7142