Saddling up since 2002
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FREE Sept. 10, 2026 Vol. XXV, No. 35 durangotelegraph.com
inside
T H E
O R I G I N A L
I N D I E
W E E K L Y
L I N E
O N
D U R A N G O
&
B E Y O N D
Not so fast
Growing pains
A bad romance
Resident sues City to halt building demolition p8
Two more yearlings killed as wolf conflicts rise p9
A dark look at a tarantula’s unrequited mating trek p11
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lineup
4 La Vida Local
Face of the resistance 4 Sign of the Downfall Remembering Indigenous studies scholar and rabblerouser Ward Churchill by Kirbie Bennett
4 Thumbin’ It 5 Writers on the Range
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6-7 Soapbox 8 Local News
The plot thickens
9 State News
Local property owner sues City to halt demolition of former school building
10 More local News
by Missy Votel
11 Daily Yonder
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12-13 Stuff to Do
CPW kills two more yearling wolves amid rise in livestock attacks
14 Free Will Astrology
by Missy Votel
15 Classifieds 15 Haiku Movie Review
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On the cover “Saddle Up,” by local artist Matt Clark, aka lilbuddesigns. It’s prime riding season in Durango, and this Saturday, hundreds of riders will be saddling up for the annual Durango Derby as well as the Devo film festival Friday night at Chapman Hill.
Straight talk Course offers kids safe, inclusive zone to discuss birds, bees and growing up by Missy Votel
boilerplate
PIT CREW: JENNAYE DERGE jennaye@durangotelegraph.com STAR-STUDDED CAST: Kirbie Bennett, Betsy Marston, Jared Ewy, Lainie Maxson, Jesse Anderson, Rob Brezsny & Clint Reid
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he Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or mon-
Falling off
After a rough winter and summer, Colorado’s trees are ready to throw in the towel. According to Dan West, the state Forest Service lead entomologist, leaf peepers can expect this season to be a little more lackluster, and earlier, than typical years. And, much like everything else, we have the drought and high temps to thank. “This year we’re seeing a lot more effects from the drought,” West told Molly Cruse, of Colorado Public Radio. He said aerial surveys show trees across the state are stressed, and that’s causing some to change color and drop their leaves earlier than normal. According to West, fall foliage is running roughly a week ahead of its typical schedule in many places. “It's just hard to be a tree in Colorado,” West said.
13 Ask Rachel
Growing pains
EDITORIALISTA: MISSY VOTEL missy@durangotelegraph.com
Ear to the ground: “I run a fan and just tell myself the motorcycles are the sound of money.” – Downtown resident’s Labor Day coping strategy
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Under normal conditions, trees take their cue to change color from the shortening days of late summer and early fall. As daylight decreases, trees begin forming a separation between their leaves and branches. But drought adds another stressor. As of early September, nearly 89% of Colorado was in drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. When trees don’t have enough water, keeping leaves can become costly. Trees lose water through their leaves during photosynthesis, the process by which they convert sunlight into energy, so a drought-stressed tree can essentially decide it can’t afford to keep them around. “Trees are dropping those leaves early, because they’re like, ‘Well, I'll just shut this down early,” said West. That means some of the yellowing and browning right now isn’t necessarily the beginning of a spectacular fall display. Because of that, West predicts that this leaf peeping season will be a “mixed bag.” He also said it may be the beginning of a “new normal.” For leaf-peepers, that may mean going earlier and choosing locations where trees have had more moisture, like northern Colorado. Sept. 10, 2026 n 3
LaVidaLocal Speaking truth in the teeth of power One afternoon a few years ago in downtown Durango, a tall older man with long grey hair briefly entered the store where I worked and asked for directions to Carver Brewing Company. We told him it was only a block away, then he thanked us and left. There was something familiar about the man’s appearance and deep voice. A few seconds later, I said to my co-worker, “I think that was Ward Churchill.” My co-worker was unfamiliar with Churchill, but he was a figure whose writings had a big impact on my life. I wanted to step outside and track down the guy just to confirm my suspicion. But too much time passed, and the workday picked up again. After my shift ended, I kept thinking about that interaction, wondering if that man was the militant scholar on Indigenous history. If so, that could’ve been my only chance to thank him in person for writing many powerful books on Native American history and resistance. On Aug. 11, it was announced that Ward Churchill died at the age of 78. From 1991 to 2007, Churchill was a tenured professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado. An author of numerous books, his work focused on the treatment of Indigenous people by the U.S. government and state repression of liberation movements. In his writings and public talks on social issues, Churchill was known for having an abrasive tone. He was upfront in his repudiation of imperialism and colonialism. For example, in 1997, he published a hefty tome titled “A Little Matter of Genocide: Holocaust and Denial in the Americas 1492 to the Present.” In 2005, he found himself in the center of national controversy for a 2001 essay he wrote days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The essay, titled “The Ghosts of 9-1-1,” argued that, after centuries of genocide and imperial wars, the attacks were blowback to the American empire. That essay led to a witch hunt and a politically charged university investigation into his academic work, which resulted in the college firing Churchill. Years later, he received vindication when a jury ruled that he was wrongfully dismissed. I came around to Churchill’s work in the early 2000s when I was a kid growing up on the Navajo Nation. In fact, that 9/11 essay was the first thing I read by him. It was a challenging read since much of the message and language went over my 13year-old head, but I was intrigued by the way he connected the attacks to the his-
tory of Euro-American conquest and colonization. After that, I began seeking out his books from the public library. Throughout high school, I’d continue to absorb his arguments. And since he had a habit of using Big Academic Words (as far as a 16-year-old could grasp), I’d have a dictionary in hand to accompany his work. During lunch breaks as a young restaurant server, I’d usually be reading a history book and half the time it was one written by Ward Churchill. Since the scholar’s passing, I’ve been revisiting his books and audio recordings of public talks from the ’90s and early aughts. In his 1998 book, “Fantasies of the Master Race: Literature, Cinema and the Colonization of American Indians,” there’s a great essay on novelist Tony Hillerman, who gained recognition for his detective novels set in the Navajo Nation. The essay, titled “Hi-Ho, Hillerman (Away),” gives a historical overview of “detective fiction” and how the genre has always served to “reinforce the status quo.” After examining some titles from Hillerman’s series, Churchill places Hillerman’s work within the long history of propaganda for state repression. As someone born and raised on the Navajo Nation, I’ve always had a dislike for Hillerman’s novels, especially for their crude distortions of Native life. When I first read Churchill’s in-depth study of Hillerman, my dissenting emotions finally found a language that made sense. The passage of time inevitably brings about the loss of notable celebrities, including beloved artists and iconic troublemakers. Not long after obituaries are published, conversations emerge online examining the legacy of complex public figures. That applies to Ward Churchill, especially his claims of Indigenous identity, which were repeatedly called into question. Personally, I’m not interested in that discourse since it reinforces the blood quantum concept, a colonial tool of eugenics imposed on Indigenous Nations. I think matters of identity should be handled privately. I don’t think that issue should discredit the scholarly work and fierce advocacy Churchill put into addressing uncomfortable truths about this country while calling for radical Indigenous liberation. In various public talks, Churchill often expressed disinterest in the idea of “speaking truth to power.” He would go on to say that, “Power knows everything you’re saying and frankly, power doesn’t care.” At one point, he was quoted as saying he preferred speaking “truth to people in the teeth of power, and that’s the only truth I know.” – Kirbie Bennett
Thumbin’It The City of Durango has joined a growing list of cities and towns across the country, announcing it will end its contract with Flock in 2027. Male cheerleaders in the NFL are here to stay and 2026 proves it, with 68 male cheerleaders in the league. The MAGAverse, of course, is losing its mind because they have nothing better to worry about than men with pom poms. California just passed a first-of-its kind law requiring clothing makers, retailers and fashion brands to pay for textile waste, which amounted to 1.2M tons in the state in 2021. The money will be used for textile recycling and clothing repairs, to keep clothes in use longer, and hopefully be a model for other states.
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SignoftheDownfall: When will it end? A rambling social media tirade on Sunday from Donald Trump suggested renaming New Mexico “New America.” If that’s the case, renaming “Durango” isn’t far off. On the upside, we can’t wait for the new season of “South America.” The “rule of three” became the “rule of four” last week with the passing of feminist icon Gloria Steinem and rural poet and environmentalist Wendell Berry (in addition to Dolly and Tim Curry.) Maybe we can stop taking the good ones for a while? It’s been a tough year for Colorado’s apex predators, with CPW having to euthanize 300 bears so far and kill four young gray wolves implicated in livestock deaths.
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Underage Sinking A recent Gallup poll showed that only 50% of young adults between 18-34 consume alcohol, which is crazy, because 75% of the same demographic reported getting drunk in the early 2000s. But don’t worry, our capitalistic overlords heard about the poll, and they swooped in to save our youth from good decisions by announcing last month that the makers of Pop-Tarts and BuzzBallz were “teaming up” to make drinking young again. And now, they’re selling Frosted S’mores flavored vodka in gas stations, and they went with the same branding used to make kids reach for Pop-Tarts. However, the good news is that the Gallup polls haven’t shown a decrease in elderly drinking, because the last thing we need is a mashup between Raisin Bran and Jack Daniels.
WritersontheRange
Champion of rural life Remembering writer, activist, poet and ‘mad farmer,’ Wendell Berry by Betsy Marston
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hen Wendell Berry, 92, died Mon., Aug. 31, the West lost a writer who focused on the importance of rural land. He studied under the writer Wallace Stegner at Stanford University and wrote nine novels about characters – some like himself – who farmed and cared about the land. What also stood out about him was his public leadership – his readiness to march and commit civil disobedience, protesting against national, state and local government when he found their policies harmful and short-sighted. His targets included both a coal-fired and nuclear power plant, our war in Vietnam and the death penalty. A Christian, he also opposed abortion. However, Berry was also a critic of organized religion for what he said was an abstract notion of compassion. He believed in staying rooted, living a simple life. He wrote, for example, in longhand with a pencil. His wife Tanya then used a manual typewriter to edit and complete his writing. Berry leaves a sizable body of essays and poems, and 16 poems feature a “mad farmer” who rails against agriculture dominated by corporations that push rampant consumerism. “To be sane in a mad time is bad for the brain,” declares the mad farmer, stand-in for the author. He also wrote a poem often quoted for Wendell Berry on the Kentucky River./ Photo by Guy Mendes its moving simplicity, “The Peace of Wild who do not tax their lives with forethought Things.” It was written in 1968 when the country was of grief. I come into the presence of still water. roiled by resistance to the Vietnam War; in particular, And I feel above me the day-blind stars the draft. waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. “The Peace of Wild Things” When despair for the world grows in me Gary Nabhan, one of Berry’s admirers and a fellow and I wake in the night at the least sound writer, reacted quickly to Berry’s death. An ethnobotin fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, anist, Nabhan himself is a towering moral authority, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. speaking out from the Southwest against our government’s 30-foot-tall metal wall that blocks wildlife tryI come into the peace of wild things
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ing to migrate between Mexico and the United States: “Oh, we lost a saint today, as Wendell Berry passed from standing on and standing up for this land to dwell within it. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, no single individual did more to broaden the environmental movement by including working landscapes than did Wendell,” Nabhan wrote. “But for all his influence and contributions, it was simply his eloquence, humor and goodwill that won most of us over. My first year in college, I carried a copy of his little set of poems, ‘Farming: A Handbook,’ in my back pocket as if it was a complement to The Bible. So here’s to the mad farmer who changed American letters, farming and earth-care for the better!” Another admirer and friend is Taylor Brorby, an assistant professor of English at Montana State University in Bozeman, who is also an author and environmentalist. Brorby said he had a complicated relationship with Berry. “I don’t know what there is to say about a man who has so consistently frustrated me and who shaped my own thinking beginning 20 years ago, who’s taken me seriously, who has been my pen pal for a decade, and who has now died. “The last time I saw Wendell, he took me out to the barn to call in the sheep. We stood, overlooking the Kentucky River, and he asked me, both of us staring ahead, if I ever had writer’s block. I was too young to know better and said no. He said for the first time in his life he had it, had been working on essays for years about a book others told him not to publish. And then he turned and asked me, ‘Are you happy?’ “I’ve been thinking about that question ever since. I miss him more than I can say.” Betsy Marston is the editor of Writers on the Range, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. She lives and writes in Western Colorado. ■
Sept. 10, 2026 n 5
SoapBox The slippery slope of Flock The Seventh Generation Principle is based on the wisdom of the Haudenosaunee Iroquois Confederacy. It asks leaders and community members to consider how today’s decisions will affect descendants seven generations into the future, roughly 140 to 175 years. It is a profound reminder that we are temporary caretakers of a world we did not create and will not be here to see in its entirety. That wisdom is urgently needed today. We are entering an age of artificial intelligence, increasingly sophisticated data collection and constant surveillance at a pace few of us could have imagined. Our technology is advancing far faster than our public policies, laws and ability to understand its long-term consequences. That gap is dangerous. This is not about choosing Flock over Axon or another vendor. It is about deciding what kind of future we are building for our children, grandchildren and their descendants. Colorado communities are already wrestling with this question. Fort Collins recently canceled its Flock contract, removed its cameras and chose not to pursue similar technology until it could develop a comprehensive surveillance policy. Other communities have simply changed vendors. Changing the name on the camera does not change the fundamental question before us. We should heed the warning Edward Snowden sacrificed so much to deliver.
D-Toon/by Rob Pudim Snowden warned that each generation could “extend the capabilities of this sort of architecture of oppression.” He envisioned a future in which expanding storage and surveillance could allow authorities to look backward through a person’s history, examining their movements, relationships and decisions even when they had done nothing wrong. He called the potential result “turn-key tyranny.” It is frightening how relevant that warning is today. Think about how dramatically technology has changed in just 20 years. Smartphones, social media, GPS, facial recognition, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and massive data storage have transformed everyday life. Technologies that seemed impossible in 2006 are now commonplace. So why would we assume that today’s surveillance cameras will remain today’s technology? An ALPR camera may appear to be simply a tool for locating stolen vehicles or solving crimes. But the infrastructure being created can collect information about where people travel, when they travel and how their movements may intersect with others. As technology evolves, that information may become capable of being analyzed in ways we cannot yet foresee. So perhaps we should pause before every new camera, database, data center and technological expansion is treated as inevitable. We cannot know what today’s technology will become tomorrow. But we do
Hairstyles come and go, but Tina will always be the right choice.
6 n Sept. 10, 2026
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know that once powerful infrastructure is built, it is much easier to expand than to dismantle. That is why I urge our elected city officials and our community to stop and think seven generations ahead. We are the United States of America, not Communist China. We must be thoughtful about the precedent we set and the systems we normalize today. The path from ALPR cameras to broader surveillance and, potentially, social credit-style systems is a slippery slope. What kind of world are we building for the generations that come after us? Do we want our children, grandchildren and their descendants to inherit a society where ordinary travel is routinely recorded and searchable? Where privacy becomes something people remember rather than something they experience? The Constitution of the United States was established to protect our freedoms and safeguard our rights. Those protections are not outdated, they are the foundation of the America I believe in and the America I want to preserve for future generations. Freedom depends not only on our ability to pursue criminals, but on preserving the space for innocent people to live, move, gather, speak and associate without being continually documented. Technology is moving faster than our laws and our collective understanding of what it may become. We have an opportunity and a responsibility to slow down long enough to ask whether every capability we can build is one we should build. Think seven generations ahead and say NO to re-
placing Flock with another ALPR company. Let us choose privacy, liberty, thoughtful stewardship and a future in which technology serves people, not the other way around. – Kathryn Samaltanos, Durango
Hurd silent on his voting record Like all Congressmen, Jeff Hurd has braggin’ rights about his voting record but evidently is too modest to brag. If you read Hurd’s newsletters, he is doing various things with people and organizations in the district: Smiling, shaking hands, drinking coffee. Seeing that, voters can either say, “goodness, he certainly gets around,” or “la de dah; that’s window dressing.” What matters is how he votes, not how he gads about. His voting record, among other things, includes voting yes on HR 1, which guts Medicaid and SNAP, (rationale: Don’t worry. It won’t go into effect until after the election); voting against the War Powers Act, which limits the president’s ability to engage our military in hostilities without Congressional approval, thereby implicitly supporting Trump’s Iran war; and voting for the SAVE America Act, which takes a huge step toward destroying, not saving, our country’s electoral system. Hurd obviously supports these things. So what are his motivations? Does he cast these votes because he has seen what happens to representatives who do not do as they are told? Or is he voting his conscience: Medicaid/SNAP bad; war good; voting must be stopped? Hurd is voting either out of fear, or because being told how to vote makes voting easy; or he’s voting his beliefs. Fear, sloth or beliefs few support. Those aren’t
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characteristics voters want in a representative. Whatever his motivation, Hurd is definitely not exercising his braggin’ rights. Easy to see why. – Josh Joswick, Bayfield
While we’re talking Harleys After reading Cliff Cash’s take on the bike rally, I would like to “take it farther down the road.” Noise isn’t the only aggravation. Before I get started, let me say I have ridden motorcycles all my life, but always by myself and an occasional passenger. The motorcycle symbol of freedom and independence seems to have been corrupted by wads of riders choking the highway. Is this because they want the additional macho image of the gangs? Or visual safety in numbers? I will go with the latter, but, my god people, three or four is more than enough. To make matters worse, Corvettes, Porsches and assorted sporty cars have been replaced by geezers on Harleys with an old-age crisis (or the new mid-life crisis). These cookie-cutter offenders with their white goatees and earless helmets string themselves out a quarter mile at 10 miles an hour under the speed limit. I was stopped at the light at Camino and College behind one of these mobs. When the light turned green, one of these offenders dropped his Harley on its side. No way he is going to be able to pick it up by himself, so all the other kickstands go down to run over and help. Meanwhile, the people behind me who can’t see what is going down are honking almost as loud as their unmuffled pipes. I still laugh remembering this. – Terry Moores, Mancos
Sept. 10, 2026 n 7
LocalNews
Not so fast Nearby property owner files lawsuit against City to halt demolition of building by Missy Votel
The building in question, most recently home to City planning offices and formerly home of the Big Picture High School. The City plans to doze the building to make way for police parking./ City of Durango photo
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he debate over the City of Durango’s $61M renovation of the old 9-R Administration Building for a new city hall and police station is heating up. This week, local resident Charles Shaw, who owns the nearby Smiley Building property, filed a lawsuit against the City seeking to halt demolition of one of the buildings on the site. Formerly home to the Big Picture High School, the two-story brick building on the east side of the property is scheduled for demolition in October to make way for police vehicle parking. Shaw took issue with the planned demolition, saying it was not in the ballot language or original plans floated by voters when they approved the ballot measure to fund the project in 2025. The original plans proposed renovating the building for a police station and building underground parking on the northwest corner of the lot. In paperwork filed with District Court, Shaw requested emergency restraining orders against the city, alleging that the City’s current plan to demolish the building was not voter-approved. “We have asked the court for an injunction to stop the demolition of the Arts and Science Building, because once it is demolished, there is no remedy,” Shaw said in an email Tuesday. “We have asked the court to require the City to pause long enough to determine whether demolition is legally consistent with what voters approved.” The court has set a hearing on the emergency injunction Thurs., Sept. 10, at 10 a.m. In a press release Tuesday, the City said it is committed to honoring the intent of voters who overwhelmingly approved this project and to maintaining transparency to ensure Durango’s historic assets are preserved and public safety needs met. The City also referred to Shaw as a “disgruntled developer,” noting his previous unsuccessful attempt to purchase the property in 2021. The City acquired the campus in August 2023 under a land swap with the Durango Fire Protection District
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City Attorney Mark Morgan said the City has requested sanctions and attorneys’ fees against Shaw for alleged misrepresentations in court filings. “Shaw has every right to challenge the city’s use of voter-approved funds,” he said. “However, we trust the courts will heavily weigh the voice of the community that overwhelmingly voted for the project over a disgruntled developer who wanted the property for personal gain.” Shaw wrote a lengthy op-ed in last week’s Telegraph (as well as the Durango Herald) about his objections to the evolving project. “The city originally described this project as a ‘civic center.’ That term suggested something more than offices and a police station. It suggested a public place – a project integrated with Buckley Park, downtown, the surrounding neighborhood and the community,” Shaw said on Tuesday. “This project has changed piece by piece … What is emerging looks increasingly like a municipal and police complex dominated by security in-
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frastructure and surface parking.” Since his op-ed last week, others involved with the original plans, including architect Tracy Reynolds and former mayor and council member Christina Rinderle, have come forward to express misgivings over the direction of the project. “I’m surprised that the City has chosen to respond to this lawsuit by attacking me personally rather than addressing the fundamental issue before the court. This case is not about me, nor is it about whether Durango should have a new police facility. This case is about the difference between what voters were told on the ballot and what the City is now proposing,” said Shaw. “The ballot said the City would ‘restore and equip’ the buildings, while the current plan calls for the demolition of one of those structures. At some point, you have to ask whether this is still the project voters agreed to fund.” For more information on the project, check the Sept. 3 Telegraph or visit the City of Durango’s Engage page. ■
StateNews
Two more wolves pay price CPW takes out uncollared yearlings as wolf population, livestock conflicts grow by Missy Votel
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wo more yearling wolves from two different packs were killed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Mon., Sept. 7, for repeated livestock attacks. According to a CPW news release Tuesday, the agency killed one male yearling from the Copper Creek Pack in Pitkin County. The pack was tied to four confirmed attacks on cattle in the county July 29, Aug. 14 and 28, and Sept. 4. CPW also killed an uncollared male yearling from the Three Creeks Pack in Rio Blanco County after the pack was tied to four confirmed attacks on sheep, involving 13 lambs and two ewes. The attacks took place Aug. 21, 29, 31 and Sept. 6. CPW said the attacks occurred despite producers employing non-lethal conflictminimization efforts, including monitoring, range riders and hazing. “CPW’s field staff in Northwest Colorado is working hard to implement conflict minimization tools and techniques to help reduce wolf-livestock conflict in the region,” CPW Director Laura Clellan said in the release. “We remain committed to both Colorado’s livestock producers and efforts to support our growing wolf population. I would like to thank our staff for their efforts and the impacted producers whose trust and collaboration is crucial as we navigate this challenge.” This marks the state’s fourth lethal removal of a gray wolf due to livestock conflict this summer, and the fifth since CPW began reintroduction efforts in December 2023. An uncollared male yearling from the One Ear Pack in Grand County was killed Aug. 4. That pack had been tied to four attacks on calves between June 29 - Aug. 1 in Jackson and Grand counties. Previously, the agency killed a yearling from the Copper Creek Pack in May 2025 in Pitkin County, as well as an un-
This uncollared gray wolf is believed to be the fifth, lone, pup from the Copper Creek Pack who was separated from his pack during relocation in 2025. He was hunted and killed by CPW in June after repeated livestock attacks. / CPW photo collared lone wolf from the same litter in June 2026. That wolf, a male, had been separated from the pack and was tied to at least 22 sheep attacks during an 11month period. Confirmed attacks on livestock have ramped up this summer as Colorado’s wolf population grows, according to the
agency. Between Jan. 24-April 23, the agency confirmed four wolf attacks on livestock. Since June 10, the agency has confirmed 22 attacks. Some of the most effective tools this time of year are range riders and game cameras. The agency’s 15 range riders have covered more than 20,000 miles
since May. “Increased wolf movement in the summertime, in combination with livestock distribution across open allotments, can lead to increased encounters with wolves, and it has,” Clellan said at the agency’s Sept. 2 commission meeting. “These remote open allotments cover tens of thousands of acres and commonly include rough terrain that’s hard to access and traverse.” A wolf is defined as “chronically depredating” if it is implicated in three or more depredation events in 30 days. CPW makes the decision to take out a wolf if ranchers have utilized appropriate nonlethal deterrence methods and lethal removal is likely to change pack behavior – discouraging them from attacking livestock and encouraging them to hunt natural prey instead. CPW said it will be evaluating whether the removal efforts have been successful. In total, nine wolves have died in Colorado this year, including a female who was reportedly mistakenly shot by a hunter in Northwest Colorado on Jan. 16; the male from the King Mountain Pack, who was killed during a collaring operation Feb. 3; and the matriarch of the King Mountain Pack, who was reportedly shot by a ranch hand this spring in Eagle County. Of the 25 wolves CPW originally translocated to the state, 12 are still alive. It is estimated that around half of Colorado’s wolf population is currently uncollared. Some, but not all, of the pups born over the last few years have been collared. The Copper Creek, Three Creek and One Ear packs are three of four breeding packs in Colorado. The King Mountain Pack has no reproducing adults, although the four yearlings, born in 2025, are still traveling as a pack in Routt County. Final reports on these lethal removal efforts will be posted to the CPW website when complete. ■
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Sept. 10, 2026 n 9
LocalNews
Birds, bees and M&Ms Course gives local teens inclusive place to ask questions and get real answers by Missy Votel
C
ue the Salt-N-Pepa, because we’re going to talk about sex, baby. But not the 1991 MTV version, the 2026 version. And in case you’re not all that well-versed in this latest version – let alone the specifics of the human anatomy – fear not. OWL, short for “Our Whole Lives,” is here to guide you, your children, teens and even your aging parents through the sexuality wilderness. It’s a way to ask all those questions you were always afraid to ask and get honest answers from a real, trained human (and not the Internet.) “It’s about providing these spaces for, in this case, young people to learn about sexuality and relationships in a non-judgmental setting, and to get accurate and inclusive information,” local OWL facilitator Lisa McCorry said. McCorry, a mother of three grown children, will be facilitating an upcoming nine-week OWL course for sevenththrough ninth-graders at the Unitarian Universalist Church, in Durango. She will be joined by co-facilitator Mike Trefry, an alum of the program, which has been around for about 25 years. According to McCorry, OWL was codeveloped by the Unitarians and the United Church of Christ, or UCC. Although both faith-based organizations, McCorry said there is no religious component or doctrine included in the course (although there is a separate course for those who do want that.) “It is entirely inclusive with regards to biological sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, cultural and racial background and disability status,” she said. While the program has been around a while, she said the curriculum is continually updated to reflect modern ch’ ch’ ch’ changes. The latest update took place two years ago, which she said takes into account relatively new developments in the teen-o-sphere, such as social media and smart phones. This is in addition to the nuts and bolts, if you will, of sexual health, healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, gender stereotypes, gender expression and body image, and contraception. “That’s part of what this program is doing is dismantling a lot of stereotypes
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Photo courtesy OWL and assumptions about these things, whether it’s the body or ways that people engage in sexual behavior or relationships,” said McCorry. The course is not meant to replace current sex ed programs in school so much as supplement and expand on it, she said. “It goes quite into depth. It’s way more expansive about different topics, like, justice and sexuality, gender, sexual orientation – it’s completely inclusive and expansive,” she said. “I feel like the course itself really increases the participants’ selfesteem and self-acceptance, because all ways of being are presented. There’s really not a lot of space for someone to be ashamed of who they are or what they’re wondering about.” For those who may roll their eyes at the notion of getting a seventh-grader to open up to a room full of strangers about something they themselves hardly know anything about, McCorry said the course is meant to be fun and draw them out of their shells. “First of all, they wouldn’t be forced to talk about anything. Really, though, the activities and workshops are super engaging and fun,” she said, explaining one game involves “passing around” M&Ms, but that’s all we’re going to say. “And what we find is that the courses themselves foster such healthy relationships between the participants, that all of them do end up getting to a more comfortable place of opening up
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and being vulnerable about their own questions.” McCorry said she believes this is the only OWL course being offered publicly to local youth, although the program is regularly taught in public, private and charter schools, youth groups, community centers and youth correctional facilities. She said the goal is to alternate every year between the teen (seventh- to ninth-grade) kids and elementary-age kids, with the program for the younger ones slated for next year. And while the course is about grappling with the transition from childhood to adulthood, at its core, it’s about communication and figuring out one’s personal values, which may or may not align with the person sitting next to you. Which is OK. “I just think this information changes lives,” she said. “And what we find is that for the participants, it improves their decision-making. I think a lot of people fear that by being exposed to all this information, it’s going to create more risky or unhealthy decision-making, and the outcome is the opposite. It actually produces much healthier and safer decisionmaking processes, because the youth are fully informed.” Cost for the OWL program is $99, but scholarships and sliding-scale fees are available. Registration deadline is Sept. 21. For more info. email McCorry at lisa.mccorry@gmail.com. ■
DailyYonder
A bad romance Reluctant arachnophobe finds annual tarantula spectacle is even wilder than imagined by Jared Ewy
“L
et’s go to La Junta, Colorado, for their Tarantula Fest!” is what no sane person should exclaim. But I did, because I’m terrified of spiders. I don’t want to be, but I am. I’d hoped that the inspiring journey of a beast continuing its species would help build a more rational reaction to the eight-legged scourges of scurry. Spoiler: it didn’t. Despite shuddering like a baby man merely thinking about tarantulas, I’ll admit that they’re amazing. Nature is both gruesome and inspiring, and I can’t think of a better example of the horrific splendor that surrounds us than the consummation of spiders on the prairie. I love you spiders. I hate you spiders. Before I get tangled in the silken web of our love story, it should be noted that this year’s Tarantula Fest is Sept. 25-26 in La Junta. It has a parade, festivities, movie screenings, spider experts, informative and patient locals, and, of course, spiders. But let’s be brave and saddle up. We’re going on the miles-long journey a male tarantula takes to play a role in a terrifying love-making ritual. To entice you into my descriptive lair, I’ll let you know one of the craziest animal facts in all of the kingdom: to avoid being killed during the fertilization process, the male spider has developed hooks on his front legs to keep the female’s fangs from impaling him. To say the females are dominant in the spider kingdom is an understate-
A male tarantula looks for a mate near La Junta./ AP Photo/Thomas Peipert ment. They can live up to 35 years (compared to the male’s 10), and they don’t mind killing and eating the father of their children. Honestly, it makes sense. Otherwise, it’s a lifetime of a husband prattling on about how many miles he had to walk uphill, etc. If the male is not eaten, it will die shortly after the tryst from old age and exhaustion. He may also suffer from the little dance he has to do to entice the female. What? You didn’t know that tarantula’s dance? I’m sorry that you’re not as romantic as a spider. After journeying up to 10 miles through the semi-arid loneliness of the Colorado high desert, the male uses his pedipalps (the little arm-like extensions next to their mouths, because appar-
ently they don’t have enough things growing out of them) to drum out a rhythmic beat to get the female to emerge from her silk-covered cave. If the male is bad at this, he will die. Harsh, yes, but again, totally makes sense. Not sure if you’ve ever had a neighbor who thought they could play an instrument. Would you want to have children with them? Have we finished the journey? Nope. Unfortunately, I must tell you about the tarantula hawk. I didn’t forget to tell you about the tarantula hawk. I just didn’t want to. This particular wasp is one of the largest on record (up to 2 inches long), and the female (much like her tarantula sister) is the boss. Her sting has been gauged as
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one of the most painful in the world, and somehow that’s the most palatable part about what I’m going to tell you. She hunts male tarantulas. Some roadtripping arachnid brainstorming the perfect love song gets bitten, and it’s over. The female tarantula hawk has no time for drum solos and paralyzes the dude before laying her eggs (Ha! Who’s left to care for babies now!) inside the dude. It gets worse. The eggs will hatch, and the larvae eat the still-living-but-paralyzed spider, sparing the vital organs to maintain the freshness of the food. It’s the kind of madness I want to shout at passing strangers who might otherwise think things are normal. Assuming the male gets through all that, he then must hope that participants of Tarantula Fest don’t run over him, or capture him, or somehow thoughtlessly impede his journey across Colorado and into our hearts. I shuddered again. I want to like them. I really do. While I may fall short, at least I’ve witnessed greatness and can share the tale of those sturdy kings who make the trek. As a final footnote on female superiority, it should be known that female tarantulas live far longer than the male and can be fertilized and/or fed by multiple suitors. Long live the queen, literally. But don’t linger. If the kids hang out beyond a few weeks, she’ll eat them, too. This article first appeared on The Daily Yonder and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives 4.0 International License. ■
Sept. 10, 2026 n 11
StufftoDo
Thursday10 Thursday Morning Cribbage, 8-10 a.m., Just the Drip Coffee Shop, 1600 Florida Rd. 2026 Economic Alliance Summit, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, Ignacio
Matthew Sievers “Illuminated Expression” Opening Reception, 5-7 p.m., Blue Rain Gallery, 934 Main Ave., Unit B
Elmore’s Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., 306 Florida Grange, 656 CR 172
Durango Devo Film Festival, 5 p.m., Chapman Hill Ice Rink
Durango Pride Queer Bingo, 1-3 p.m., FLC Student Union Plaza
Leah Orlikowski plays, 5-8 p.m., El Rancho, 975 Main Ave.
Mancos Valley Farmer’s Market, 4-6:30 p.m., Boyle Park, Mancos
Southwest Colorado Humanities History Live! Celebration featuring Chautauqua Presentation John Adams with Brian Fox Ellis, 5:30-7 p.m., Sunnyside Library, 75 CR 218
Leah Orlikowski plays, 5-8 p.m., El Rancho, 975 Main Ave.
Submit items for “Stuff to Do” by Monday at noon at: www.durangotelegraph.com/send-us-your-stuff-to-do/
Artist Meet and Greet and Trunk Show with Zuzana Korbelarova, 4-7 p.m., Diane West Jewelry & Art Gallery, 820 Main Ave.
bison in Colorado, 11 a.m.- 12 noon, Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave. Durango Pride Celebration, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Buckley Park Birth, Breastfeeding & Beyond Expo, 11 a.m.3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds Meet Carline Romney: Durango’s First Newspaper Editor, 1-2 p.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave. Then and Now Postcard Challenge Finale, 1-3 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave. Yarn Meetup, 1-3 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave
Charmaine Stewart plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Nordfest, featuring the Moetones, Hotel Draw, Little Brother and more, 3-8 p.m., Mancos Brewery
Community Art Show Reception, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
“Casimiro Barela and Creation of the 38 Star,” living history portrayal, 6-8 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Tibetan Buddhist Practice Group, 4 p.m., Dreams of Tibet, 988 Main Ave.
Dart Tournament, 5:30-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Patrick Crossing plays, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms Winery, 5513 CR 321, Ignacio
Ska Brewing’s 31st Anniversary Party and Brewers Invitational, 4-9 p.m., Ska Brewing HQ, 225 Girard St.
Charmaine Stewart plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Dr. Funkenstein plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Pete Giuliani plays, 5-8 p.m., Barons Creek Vineyards Tasting Room, 901 Main Ave.
Jeff Solon Jazz plays, 6 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Charmaine Stewart plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
“An Octet for All Ages,” presented by San Juan Symphony, 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave.
Nina Sasaki & Dan Carlson play, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Andrew Schuhmann plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Jackson Martin plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Yes, No, Maybe plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Fresh Bits Comedy Open Mic, 6:30-8 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., Ste. F
Dolly Parton Karaoke, 7-10 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Sean Obrien plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio
Pete Giuliani plays, 7-10 p.m., The Oxford Bar, 119 W. 8th St.
Matt Rupnow plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Bluegrass Jam, 6:30-9 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice, 3000 Main Ave.
Durango Pride Karaoke & Dance Party, 8 p.m.-12 midnight, The Black Heron, 726 Main Ave.
“The Slide Show: A Presentation Comedy Show,” 8:30-10:30 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave, Ste. F
Spanish Conversation Hour, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Sunnyside Library, 75 CR 218
Kirtan Chanting with GaiaShakti, 7-8:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church, 419 San Juan Drive Durango Pride Drag Trivia, 7:30 p.m., Tom’s Deli, 1802 Main Ave.
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Saturday12 Lake Nighthorse Triathlons, 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Lake Nighthorse Durango Derby, mountain bike races, 8 a.m., Durango Mesa Park & Horse Gulch
Veterans Friday Morning Coffee, 8-10:30 a.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Durango Farmers Market on Main, 8 a.m.-12 noon, Main Ave.
BID Coffee & Conversation, 8:30-9:30 a.m., TBK Bank Community Room 259 W. 9th St.
Bayfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 noon, Pine Valley Church, 1328 CR 501
Friday Afternoon Club Market, 3-6 p.m., Breen Community Building, 15300 Hwy 140, Hesperus
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Sunday13 Durango Flea Market, 7 a.m.-3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds Sunday Record Brunch Club, 12 noon-3 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave. National Public Lands Day Celebration, 12 noon-4 p.m., REI Durango, 40 Turner Drive Sunday Irish Jams, 12:30-3 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice, 3000 Main Ave.
Durango Pride Parade, 10 a.m., Main Ave. “Rewilding” discussion on wolves, beavers and
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Funk Jam Sessions, 4-6 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
AskRachel
Robo-investor, crummy friends and family baggage Interesting fact: Jell-O may have been an accidental invention, created alongside cough syrups and laxatives, presumably by adding sugar to make them go down. Dear Rachel, I’m concerned about my future inheritance. My father, it turns out, has fired his financial advisor and turned over all his resources to Claude. Sure, maybe AI is just as capable as a human in the big crapshoot of investing. Maybe my dad saves money on worthless advisors. Or maybe he wipes out all his reserves and my sisters and I end up paying for his Jello down the home stretch. Isn’t this incredibly dumb of him? – Heir Unapparent Dear Written Out, I’ve been brushing up on my AI. They’re about to be “watermarked.” Not with literal water, of course. Tech bros have made sure there’s none of that left. But the AI output will plant certain words that (like one of those Magic Eye paintings) will pop out a 3D image that says “A COMPUTER MADE THIS.” That means somewhere in your dad’s financial advice is a word not meant to help him, but to watermark his advisor as a robot. Only he can decide how dumb that is. – Unprompted, Rachel
Dear Rachel, I’m no Rachael Ray. (Are you? What if you’ve been Rachael Ray all along?) The most advanced I get is a batch of no-bake cookies, which is what I make for people on their birthdays because even I can’t mess it up. I had a new friend actually laugh at me though. She says she’s also appreciative, but my feelings are still hurt. Am I too sensitive? Or do I need to grow up and use an oven like a real adult? – Kinder Cooker Dear E-Z Bake, I do heartily recommend learning to use a real oven. There’s a whole world of cookies out there for you to enjoy even when you mess them up. That said, you might need to shove your so-called friends in the oven for laughing at your kind-heartedness. Pretty sure this is the Hansel and Gretel witch’s origin story. A different kind of Kinder Cooker. – Gooey in the center, Rachel Dear Rachel, Pretty sure I’ve hit my “eff it” point with family and other close relations. They have all their subtextual quirks. The “right ways” of handling things. Oh, when mother asks a question about scheduling, you have to handle it this way. You know what? Screw all of that.
iAM Music Jazz Jam, 5-7 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Clinic Defense at Planned Parenthood, 1 p.m., Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, 46 Suttle St.
Dan Carlson and Nina Sasaki play, 5-7:30 p.m., Dalton Ranch, 589 CR 252
CreativiTEA, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Sunnyside Library, 75 CR 218
Matt Lewis plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
ASL Learners Group, 5:30-7 p.m., Sunnyside Library, 75 CR 218
Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
5RTU Trout Unlimited Monthly Meeting, 5:30-7 p.m., Berkshire Hathaway, 842 Main Ave.
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Twin Buttes Tuesday group mountain bike ride, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Main Trailhead Parking Lot
Meditation and Dharma Talk, 5:30 pm, Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave., Ste. 109 or online www.durangodharmacenter.org Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Terry Rickard plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Jazz Church, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Tuesday15 Cowboy Tuesdays, 12 noon-3 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Ben Gibson plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Rotary Club of Durango, Neighbors in Need Alliance, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.
Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com Shouldn’t we as adults get to decide what we will and will not tolerate? Side question: can I join your family after I alienate mine? – Fed Up Dear Black Sheep, Absolutely yes. You get to set your own standards and rules. Actions have consequences, though: your family members also get to decide how they feel about your boundaries. Good! Not all consequences are bad. You might miss out on inheritances, but also, you miss out on some hearty passive-aggressive garbage. You can’t have my family, but I heartily recommend you start building your own, so you have someone to handle your Jell-O when the time comes. – Not gonna take it, Rachel
Wednesday16 “Women’s Collective: Let Your Breath Be Your Compass,” 9-10 a.m., Durango Collective, 1315 Main Ave. Twin Buttes Farm Stand, 3-6:30 p.m., 165 Tipple Ave. Ukulele Night, 5-7 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. Dan Carlson and Nina Sasaki play, 5-7 p.m., Meadow Market, 688 Edgemont Meadows Rd Meditations on Compassion, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 East 3rd Ave., Suite 109 Word Honey Free Poetry Workshop, 6-7:30 p.m., The Hive, 1175 Camino Del Rio
Cookbook Club: Food of the Italian South, 6-7:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
“The Falls Creek Rock Shelters: Reanalysis, Repatriation and Reconciliation, “6-7:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Tuesday Trivia, 6-8:30 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Improv-a-Rama Comedy Night, 6-8 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Randy Crumbaugh plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Matt Lewis plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Community Open House at The Leland House, 58 p.m., 721 E. 2nd Ave.
Devin Scott plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
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Sept. 10, 2026 n 13
FreeWillAstrology by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): Cheetahs are the fastest land animals, but they can maintain top tempo for only about 20-30 seconds before overheating. When they’re hunting, they usually get just one speedy dash to catch their prey. They must spend far more time stalking and positioning than running. The velocity is sensational, but their patient and prolonged strategy is even more essential. In the coming weeks, Aries, I urge you to be like the cheetah as you pursue want you need and want. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov said that true mastery means performing with complete intensity while making the movement appear effortless. Behind the grace lies years of disciplined practice. Is there an aptitude or practice you cultivate that fits this description, Taurus? I hope you’re ready to showcase it, flaunt it and use it to your maximum benefit. It’s time to capitalize bountifully on skills at which you excel. Your well-deserved rewards are more likely to arrive than usual. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Dear Oracle: I have contracted a severe case of too-manytabs-open. My brain has 19 windows running at once, and it’s hard for me to determine which thoughts are the truly important ones. Everything seems equally urgent and equally trifling. Any tips on how I can better figure out what actually matters the most? – Overstimulated Gemini.” Dear Overstimulated: The secret to fixing this is to consult your body. Focus your attention on your gut and ask it to send you clues about which yearnings it resonates with most. Check in with your feet and about which direction they want to lead you. Pat yourself lovingly on the butt a few times and request its loving guidance about what will make you feel most grounded. CANCER (June 21-July 22): For some people, laughter is like a spiritual practice. A lot of them are Leos, Aquarians and Sagittarians. They crack up more often and for longer stretches than most, and they tend to howl at ironies everyone else takes too seriously. I bring this to your attention, dear Cancerian, because you’re in a time when you could and should laugh often in wild, liberating ways. I invite you to explore the weirder areas of your sense of humor and work earnestly to expand what you find funny. PS: There’s credible evidence that laughter can reduce stress physiology, ease anxiety, lift mood, strengthen social connection, and even raise pain tolerance.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The astronomer Johannes Kepler spent years trying to prove that planetary orbits were perfect circles because he believed the universe should behave that way. Once he abandoned his cherished assumption, he discovered the truth: The planets travel in ellipses. That revision transformed astronomy forever. With this in mind, Leo, I will ask you: Is there an elegant belief you have outgrown? A theory that was once fun and interesting but now limits your vision? The coming weeks will favor corrections. Changing your mind will show you that reality is even more interesting than you previously understood. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Master chefs say that diners first taste food with their eyes. The visual presentation is key to the whole experience. But the beauty must arise from craftsmanship rather than empty decoration. I believe you Virgos are in a phase when this is an important metaphor. Your outer style and inner substance are ready to become better collaborators. Some suggestions: Wear clothes that influence you to feel vividly alive. Relax your face and posture. Beautify your workspace. Polish your presentations. And please make sure the dazzling appearances reflect equally nourishing contents. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I just finished a delicate peace mission to the contested inner landscape where your nightmares have been causing a big ruckus. In response to my diplomacy, they have agreed to drop their weapons and release their captives. In exchange, they are asking you to sit with them for a while as they rant and sob and maybe offer them a few kisses and affectionate embraces. Drawing on my long years of coaxing unruly spirits back into semi-sanity, I conclude that a key reason they turned so dramatic and extreme was that they have been starving for your attention. I am very sure that with just a little effort, you can tame their reckless restlessness. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’re poised at a threshold between what’s comfortably familiar and excitingly possible. A certain reliable part of your life has served you well for a long time but is now ripe for evolution. The paradox is that letting go of a serviceable asset can feel more difficult than shedding what’s obviously harmful. So here’s the riddle I hope you will meditate on: What good old thing could you relinquish so as to attract and make room for a great new thing in your life?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Artist Leonardo da Vinci filled his notebooks with sketches of machines that would not become practical until centuries later. Examples are the parachute, a helicopter-like “aerial screw” and an armored tank. Many of his designs were simply too advanced for the materials and engineering of his era. I suspect you may experience comparable moments of visionary thinking in coming weeks and months. To some people and even to yourself, your ideas might seem overly ambitious or ahead of their time. But don’t dismiss them. Write down your inklings and let them cavort in your imagination. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Sofia Kovalevskaya was born under the sign of Capricorn in 1850. Early in her life, she displayed mathematical brilliance. She longed to develop her talent, but women weren’t allowed to attend college in her native Russia. So she devised a workaround: a marriage of convenience with a man who helped her leave the country and gain the freedom to study in Germany. There she eventually became the first woman to earn a doctorate. Inspired by her, I encourage you to consider creative strategies for obstacles that seem immovable. What indirect routes might lead you to your goals? Be willing to zigzag. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Most of us have been cursed. The sources of the bad mojo have rarely been evil sorcerers who cast spells. Rather, they were harsh pronouncements about our worth, spoken by people we loved or trusted. For example, when I was 20, my astrology teacher dropped an alarming verdict: “You will never be seen and appreciated for who you truly are.” That ugly decree became a jinx I spent years struggling to banish. Do you carry a comparable hex? Maybe mommy or daddy proclaimed you would never amount to anything. Maybe an ex declared you would never again find real love. Here’s the good news: You now have the power to partially dissolve that old scourge and glide into the future less burdened by it. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Ravens often cache shiny objects and interesting novelties that seem to possess no immediate practical value. They apparently delight in collecting intriguing possibilities. I recommend you channel your inner raven in coming weeks. Assemble an array of quirky treasures and raw materials without deciding whether or why they might be useful. Like fun ideas, memorable quotations, odd facts, provocative images, curious fragments and fascinating stories. In ways you can’t imagine yet, your playful cluster will inspire imaginative innovations.
Back to schoo ool! Good selection of clothing as well as dorm/apartment decor, including lamps, linens and small furnishings Buy • Sell • Trade • Consign ~ Home Furnishings ~ Clothing ~ Accessories ~ Jewelry Closed July 4 • Open Tues. - Sat., 12 noon - 5 pm • 572 E. 6th Ave. • 970-385-7336
14 n Sept. 10, 2026
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classifieds
Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon. Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $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 Classes/Workshops Yoga for Grief 8-Week Series Learn yogic tools to address grief symptoms and support the grieving process. Thursdays, 6-7:30 pm, Oct. 1 - Nov. 19. Pre-registration required; 8 people max. Details at birdsongyogatherapy .com/events.
Services Values Based Budgeting Personal finances, small business owners, goal support, customized to you. Alyse 910 515 9486
BodyWork Stressed Out?! Treat yourself to a hot stone massage, Kristara Waldron, LMT. 10 years practicing in Durango. Text or book online today! thistleandfrog.com • 716.338.2858 Massage by Meg Bush 30, 60 & 90 min Meg Bush, LMT 970759-0199
Electric Repair Roof, gutter cleaning, fence, floors,. walls, flood damage, mold, heating service
senting staged readings to live audiences. The number of submissions is capped at 200. Visit durangoplayfest.org/submit-aplay for guidelines and information. Dog Fosters Needed Parker’s Animas Rescue urgently needs fosters to provide temporary homes for rescued dogs. We supply all necessary items, including crates, food, leashes, toys and behavioral support, and cover veterinary visits. You provide the love and guidance. parkersanimalrescue.com. Men's Cancer Networking Group
HaikuMovieReview ‘Mermaid’ Imagine “Splash,” but Daryl Hannah looks like a giant anglerfish – Lainie Maxson SWCO Men’s Cancer Advocacy group to inspire men to stay connected and avoid isolation during their cancer journey. Open to all Cancer Warriors and caregivers. hope@cancersupportswco.org or call 970-403-3711.
Tired of Feeling Stuck? Lacking forward momentum in your life? In your health and well being? Offering customized solutions. coherence labdrerin.com
Wanted Books Wanted at White Rabbit Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213
ForSale Blues/Brews 3-day tkt for Sale Telluride Blues and Brews (9/18-9/20) 3-day wristband for sale. $250 - contact 970.769.8098 Firestone HLT 245/70R17 All season tires, $125/set of 4. Like new, 4000 miles. Retail for $128.99 each. 970-403-7765 if interested Reruns Home Furnishings Time to refresh your indoor and outdoor space. Rolling wooden bar, nightstands, mirrors, lamps, cool artwork and lots more! Also looking to consign smaller furniture pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.
Boiler Service - Water Heater Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917
CommunityService
New kid on the block? (Don’t worry – the Telegraph is here for you step by step.)
Durango PlayFest Seeks Submissions Durango PlayFest, a week-long play development festival, is accepting play submissions through Oct. 1 for its 9th annual festival in June 2027. Established and up-and-coming playwrights are encouraged to submit works to be considered for the festival, which takes place June 22-27, 2027. Selected playwrights will workshop their new plays with professional directors and actors before pre-
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50% OFF one month of display ads* *1/8th page or larger • Ads start at just $80/week! Get your business in front of thousands of adoring fans each week to make sure you’r not a one-hit wonder
For details email: missy@durangotelegraph.com Sept. 10, 2026 n 15
16 n Sept. 10, 2026
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