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Gone without a trace

In 2013, a tourist took a left on a quarter-mile hike at Mesa Verde and never came back.

What happened to Mitchell Dale Stehling? dgomag.com

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DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 5 Number 13 Thursday, June 18, 2020 4

Editor

Pride is on the pages (inside!)

Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com

5 Cosplay

375-4551 Staff writer

We can’t venture out to celebrate Pride this year, but we can celebrate it — or at least try to celebrate it — via the pages of this here magazine.

Nick Gonzales ngonzales@durangoherald.com Sales Chandler Sommerfeldt csommerfeldt@bcimedia.com 375-4553 Contributors Erin Brandt Megan Bianco Amanda Push

375-4570

Pagosa Brew

7

8 Eat

MEE Hmong

8

9 Pride

Words: tools & weapons 9

Four Corners Rainbow

10

Get Outta Town

11

16 Weed

Douglas Bennett

5

Cosplay is A-OKAY Pretty much anybody can cosplay — you just assemble a costume based on one of your favorite pop culture characters and, well ... wear it. That’s what Four Corners’ Ichigo Cosplay says, anyway.

7 Drown your summer sorrows at Pagosa Brewing

DGO Magazine is published

by Ballantine Communications Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

Image via Unsplash

Chief Executive Officer

DGO is a free biweekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

7 Drink

Reader Services

Jamie Opalenik

Four Corners Ichigo Cosplay 5

11 Travel

Laraina Hailey

V.P. of Advertising

From the blog

Pagosa Brewing Co. stands out as a place to find both beers with wild flavors and very good examples of traditional brews – and the peach beer,oddly enough, is no exception.

16 Camping during a thunderstorm is tolerable with some Keef Cola Last weekend we went camping in the rain, but it wasn’t a total wash because we were reviewing Keef Cola for Prohibition Herb, which made the chilly rain and lightning tolerable. art en drin tertai nm km usic ent fo nigh od June tlife 18 July 1, 20 20

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In 2 013 , a to uris t to Ver ok a le de a Wh dgo nd nft on a at h mag eve quar app .com r ca ene me ter-mil d to bac Mit k. e hike che at M ll D esa ale Steh ling ?

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E!

ON THE COVER What happened to the missing hiker in Mesa Verde?

Angelica Leicht for DGO Mag

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 3

@dgo_mag dgomag

From the blog

News from our site on the interwebs you may have missed Return of the (temporary) drive-in

of major Hollywood directors like Romanek and David Fincher for “Never Let Me Go” and “The Social Network” (2010).

Culturally and politically, some groups in this country want a return to the way things were in the mid-20th century. This definitely isn’t the forum to talk about that, but there is one thing that I think most of us can agree would make America great again if they were brought back: drive-in movie theaters.

As someone who grew up in Durango, one of the things the town has lost that I’m most nostalgic for was The Rocket Drive-In. Sitting on the lot between Walmart and Home Depot where Rocket Pointe Apartments now exist, the drive-in closed in 2004 after 47 years of service. Perfect for family nights, date nights, or re-enacting scenes from “Grease,” it was an institution that occupied a cultural space independent from the city’s indoor cinemas.

One of the silver linings to the COVID-19 epidemic is that Allen Theaters, which runs cinemas in Durango, Cortez, and throughout New Mexico, is using vacant parking lots to bring driveins back ... in Farmington and Las Cruces.

According to the Allen 8 Facebook page, beginning June 8 and lasting through July or until indoor theaters reopen, the temporary Farmington drive-in will be located at McGee Park at 41 Road 5568.) Gates open at 7:30 p.m. and films start when the sun goes down. There is a 68 car limit and tickets cost $20 per car. Fridays and Saturdays appear to be double features.

Hollywood isn’t releasing new movies, so the theaters are forced to re-show old ones, which is still pretty cool.

Farmington’s Drive-In opening-weekend showings include “Jurassic World” and “Superbad” on Friday, “Grease” and “The Conjuring” on Saturday, and “The Blues Brothers” on Sunday. (Some of those repeat Monday through Wednesday — the schedules will likely continue to be 4 | Thursday, June 18, 2020

been quite a few newcomers to make it or break it in film and TV. Saoirse Ronan, Elle Fanning, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet and Ansel Elgort are a few to have successfully broken through in the past I hope this enterprise turns out very successful — enough for them to branch decade and who still have interesting projects in the work whenever the film out and try this in open spaces in the other communities they serve — because industry ends its hiatus.

One person who was predicted and I can think of quite a few large, open, expected to have great success all the flat spaces (especially parking lots) near way back when the 2010s started is Durango and Cortez. Though if anybody English-American actor Andrew Garfield. else wants to pick up this ball and run Not to discredit his career, as he has with it, that would be fine too – the numdone very well generally, but one has to ber of outdoor movie nights throughwonder where exactly he’s been for the out the region in 2019 would seem to past few years.

While revisiting Mark indicate there’s an interest in alternative Romanek’s “Never Let Me Go” (2010) movie-watching opportunities. this past week, I was reminded of just I didn’t expect to get to say this during how great Garfield can deliver a perforthe pandemic, but: See you at the movies mance. (albeit from one car window to another)!

Garfield found instant acclaim for his —— Nick Gonzales debut lead role in John Crowley’s “Boy A” (2007), a TV movie adaptation of Jonathan Trigell’s 2004 novel on a young A revisit of a rise to stardom criminal released after spending half With every new decade, there is of his childhood in juvenile prison. The usually a shortlist of contenders who drama led the young actor to a Best Lead are shaping up to be the next big thing Actor nomination at the BAFTAs in 2008 in Hollywood. Since 2010, there have which very quickly caught the attention posted on the Facebook page.) There are concessions and bathrooms on site, and New Mexico’s social distancing rules are being enforced throughout.

Both films, while completely different in tone and story — Never, a dystopian sci-fi drama, and Network, a biopic on the birth of Facebook — are the best examples of how much range Garfield has with characters.

Fans and some critics would be disappointed by the lack of Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars for Network, but Sony was impressed enough to hire Garfield for their 2012-14 reboot of “Spider-Man”.

But while Garfield’s and former girlfriend Emma Stone’s Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy were received well, fans also proved they were experiencing Spidey fatigue as “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012) gained a lukewarm response, and the 2014 sequel faired even worse with critics and viewers.

Since leaving the superhero franchise, Garfield did portray the leads in Martin Scorsese’s “Silence” (2016) and Mel Gibson’s “Hacksaw Ridge” (2016), which are arguably two of his best films. Both the movies and his performances were, fortunately, hits with critics and Garfield received his first Oscar nomination. But surprisingly, since 2017, the popular actor has been seemingly laying low and missing from the big and small screens.

Whether it’s for personal reasons or otherwise, once the world goes back to normal again, it might be nice to see him have a semi-comeback in the future.

—— Megan Bianco

[Cosplay]

4 Corners Ichigo Cosplay brings cosplay to Farmington with a volunteer twist Group grew out of former comic book store

Courtesy of 4 Corners Ichigo Cosplay

Courtesy of 4 Corners Ichigo Cosplay

»» Raven (Sarah Alcon), Wolverine, Wonder Woman (April Loughridge), and Batgirl chill at the the Boys & Girls Club

»» A slew of 4 Corners Ichigo’s Star Wars characters pose at the pre-

of Farmington during one of 4 Corners Ichigo’s volunteer appearances.

miere of “Star Wars: The rise of Skywalker” in Farmington.

Pretty much anybody can cosplay — you just assemble a costume based on one of your favorite pop culture characters and, well ... wear it. And perhaps roleplay the character. But it takes another level of enthusiasm to not only cosplay a character, but also do volunteer work in the process.

That’s exactly what 4 Corners Ichigo Cosplay is all about, though — dressing up and helping at events in character.

The group originated at Ichigo Comics, a comic book store that co-creator April Loughridge opened in Farmington in 2015 but has since closed. Loughridge held a small comic festival at the shop, and that’s how some of the cosplayers met.

These days, the group spends a lot of time at Farmington’s Tales of Tomorrow comic book store and its Cosmic Cafe, which cater to the cosplay community of northwestern New Mexico — at least when public gatherings are safe and allowed.

During more normal times, members of the group, including co-founder Sarah Alcon, travel to conventions and discuss

cosplay on panels and the like. This year — before you-know-what settled across the land — they attended both the Albuquerque Comic Con in January and the Kikori Con anime convention in March in Flagstaff.

portray superheroes or Disney characters. Loughridge is most frequently Wonder Woman or Belle (from “Beauty and the Beast”), and Alcon is typically Raven (from “Teen Titans”) or Anna (from “Frozen”).

ever else is interested in hanging out and

“Cosplay has been a really fun outlet for me personally to express myself,” Alcon said. “I’ve also gotten to meet so many amazing people through the cosplay community, so it’s become an important part of my life.”

Other themes pop up from time to time, though, including Star Wars characters whenever a new movie comes out.

costume she had previously started as

When they’re at home (again, assuming a quarantine isn’t in effect), Ichigo’s cosplayers can be seen in the wild at movie premieres, fairs, parties, and the Boys & Girls Club of Farmington on a regular basis, Loughridge said. After all, who doesn’t want to beat Wolverine at Pokemon?

“It makes kids happy and makes them have a better day,” she said. “Cosplay is my escape from everyday life. My friends have shown me the best in humanity, and it brings out the best in myself as well.”

Regardless of how one feels about children, they’re also sometimes the better age group to be around. Alcon said one of the group’s first events was two days at the Shiprock Fair: one with kids, the other around the general public.

Everything went swimmingly the first day, but during the second, the group’s Batman had to play a more bodyguard-like role, separating the cosplayers from some of the fair’s more inebriated guests.

During the pandemic, 4 Corners Ichigo has been regularly hosting Virtual Sketch nights, a continuation of a series of in-person events that the group held Given the younger-skewing demographic at Tales of Tomorrow. Both in-person that they are often summoned to enter- and over the internet, the casual events involve members of the group and whotain, members of the group most often

sketching anime characters and the like.

Presently, they’re also working on new costumes – Loughridge was inspired to dust off a “Xena: Warrior Princess” another member of the group began putting together an outfit for Gabrielle, Xena’s comrade-in-arms.

The volunteer group is always on the lookout for new members. The process involves an interview and two volunteer events, and then you’re part of the group. 4 Corners Ichigo currently has around 20 members, 14 of which are regulars.

Alcon said potential cosplayers shouldn’t “be afraid to cosplay what you want to cosplay. If the character is from a series not well known or a series mash-up, just go for it! As long as you’re having fun cosplaying, that’s all that matters.”

—— Nick Gonzales

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 5

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[beer]

Pagosa Brewing Co. excels at both innovative and traditional beer styles Many of the beers have won state, national, or international awards

Nick Gonzales/DGO

»» Clockwise from left: the Chile Verde Cerveza, Peachy Peach Wheat, Rodeo Rider Red Ale, and Powder Day IPA at Pagosa Brewing Co. (or four very liquidy, alcoholic muffins).

Pagosa Brewing Co. stands out as a place to find both beers with wild flavors and very good examples of traditional brews. As an example of the former, its Salty Caramel Stout — it tastes exactly like what it sounds like — occupies a space in my mind as a perfect dessert beer.

When we dropped by this time, as Pagosa began to reopen its restaurants and breweries for dine-in service, the brewery had conveniently organized all of their beers into four flights of four beers (with three extra unclassified ones). I chose Flight Two, featuring the Peachy Peach Wheat, Rodeo Rider Red Ale, Powder Day IPA, and Chili Verde Cerveza.

I didn’t find out until I looked them up online after the fact, but they’ve all won awards at various beer contests. Then again, so have many of Pagosa Brewing’s Beers. Brewmaster Tony Simmons is a professional beer judge and seems to

know what he’s doing.

Nick Gonzales/DGO

»» Pagosa Brewing’s pub pretzels come with beer fondue cheese and beer mustard.

citrus without being fruity beyond what the hops added.

The fondue cheese was cheesy, obviously, but you could also really taste The Peachy Peach is true to its name, The Chili Verde Cerveza, much like packing a lot of fruity peach flavor into the beer in it. I’m a fan. This is less true the Peachy Peach, is all about the fruit — of the beer mustard, which has more each sip (while still being recognizable after all, green chile is technically a fruit, of a yellow mustard taste than a brown as, well...a beer). It surprised me by not isn’t it? At least locally, this style of beer being particularly sour at all, as many mustard taste – it’d taste better on a hot invites a comparison to Steamworks beers on the fruitier side of the specdog than a bratwurst, I idly speculated as Brewing Co.’s Prescribed Burn. While trum are. It is on the sweet side, but not overwhelmingly so, and if you close your both beers taste of green chile, Pagosa’s I masticated my pretzels. (Here’s a cheat brew better captures the taste of the code I discovered: Take a sip of the Chile eyes, you can pretend the feeling of the carbonation in your mouth is peach fuzz. plant when you ignore the spiciness.

Verde Cerveza and then immediately eat (Don’t worry; it still burns going down, I’m typically reluctant to recommend a cheese-laden bite of the pretzel. The fruit beers to puritans who demand their just not as much as Steamworks’ chile result is an explosion of chile con queso beer.) Have you ever had green chile beer taste like nothing but beer, but I jelly? It has that sort of green chile flavor. in your mouth.) think even they might get a kick out of The brewery was practicing social this.

There’s not much I can say about the distancing rules and advertises the Rodeo Rider Red. It’s a perfectly malty, I’m typically not the world’s biggest easy-to-drink version of an Irish red ale. ability to reserve seats, but it’s worth fan of IPAs, but even I can tell when It finishes very dry. I love red ales, and they’re pulled off perfectly — which is noting that even with the extra spacing this one is great — it’s just hard to stand what the brewery accomplished with inside and out, they’ve got a ton of room out among so many other winners. the Powder Day IPA. The brew has an available, and if you sit outside you can interesting hoppiness that unfolds across Finally, alongside the beers, I got the get a great view of the mountains. the tongue in the aftertaste. It had brewery’s pub pretzels, which come with —— Nick Gonzales fresh-tasting notes of pine and especially beer fondue cheese and beer mustard.

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 7

[eat]

MEE Hmong Cuisine in Pagosa Springs offers a fresh take on Asian fusion Fast-casual restaurant has cool interior, tasty pork

Nick Gonzales/DGO

Nick Gonzales/DGO

Nick Gonzales/DGO

»» The Bangin’ Buns at MEE Hmong Cuisine in Pagosa Springs feature

»» The Lah Mee Chicken at MEE Hmong Cuisine has a strong lime »» MEE Hmong Cuisine’s Hmong Iced Tea

tasty, garlicky pork folded into steamed buns.

flavor.

If you’re looking for fast-casual Asian fusion food in Pagosa Springs, you could do worse than MEE Hmong Cuisine. As Colorado’s restaurants began to reopen when coronavirus restrictions eased, it was one of the first we visited.

According to the restaurant’s website, the Hmong people are an ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. I must regretfully admit that I’m not worldly enough to confirm the authenticity of the Pagosa eatery’s food – but what I had tasted pretty great.

The first thing you notice when you go inside is the cool space the MEE occupies. In addition to some outside tables, the dining area features a decent amount of seating – even under so-

cial-distancing guidelines – and the work of a local artist adorns the walls. The restaurant has a counter-service set-up, where you order and pay for your food and then find a seat.

The highlight of my meal was actually the appetizer – Bangin’ Buns. When it comes to eating meat for the flavor of the meat itself, pork always has been (and likely always shall be) my favorite.

And this pork, served gua bao-style in a steamed bun, was wonderful. Garlickly, salty, savory, and just a bit sweet, these disappeared off my plate extremely fast.

I dipped them in the sauce they came with, which added both a smokiness and some spiciness. The slaw that they were served with was a little bit tangy, and shoveling it into the rolls shifted the tex-

with coconut milk.

ture and taste in that direction, though I mostly just ate it on the side.

– contributed to the sense of freshness of the plate.

For an entree, I got the Lah Mee Chicken, which was thinly-sliced cooled chicken served over a bed of hot, sweet rice, with salad on the side. Upon biting into a scoop of the chicken and rice, the first thing one is hit with is a blast of citrusy lime flavor from the dressing. It was refreshing and, seeing what the cook was going for, I intensified it by squeezing a lime wedge over it. The dish was also a little bit spicy, especially after I poured the sauce (which I’m pretty sure was the same kind as came with the buns) over it. The flavors surrounding the chicken contrasted nicely with the mild sweetness of the rice, and the salad – though not especially noteworthy in and of itself

Finally, for my beverage, I ordered the Hmong Iced Tea. It was very similar to a Thai iced tea, which the menu cites as a source of inspiration, but perhaps a bit more herbal in flavor. I also appreciated that it was made with coconut milk rather than dairy, and as a result, felt a bit lighter than I think it would have otherwise.

Overall, the meal I had at MEE Hmong was a pleasant and refreshing experience, and I’ll be hard-pressed to visit Pagosa, or even pass through, without dropping by in the future. At the very least, having tasted its pork, I must try the Baobao Ribs and the Stir Fry Ginger.

—— Nick Gonzales

[pride]

If you aren’t watching HBO’s “We’re Here,” you’re missing out on a rainbow-colored representation of the Four Corners

If you haven’t been watching the HBO documentary series “We’re Here,” you’ve been missing out on a significant representation of Four Corners-area people and places.

The show follows former “RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestants Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara, and Shangela as they travel across the United States 8 | Thursday, June 18, 2020

recruiting people to participate in onenight-only drag shows.

ceptance to the loss of a family member to suicide.

The fourth episode, of six in the series first season, took place in and around Farmington and Shiprock and originally aired on May 16. In the episode, the stars work with four members of the local LGBTQ community facing challenges ranging from misgendering and nonac-

“We want to try to represent the diversity of America and became aware there’s a strong, if small, presence of LGBTQ Indigenous people, and Farmington was one of the places where that definitely became evident,” showrunner Peter LoGreco told the Farmington Daily

Times.

While telling the story of Nate, a photographer from Shiprock who is working toward making a deeper connection with the Navajo people, viewers also briefly see his friend, resident drag queen and winner of the 2016 Miss New Mexico Pride pageant, Lady Shug.

Continued on Page 19

[pride]

Labels and words are a tool, but also a battle Homework

Words are incredibly powerful. So powerful they can hurt us more decisively than a sword and bring us together with a simple phrase —

First, add your personal pronouns where you can and help to create a safe community. Second, work to remove gendered language from your vocabulary.

Sí, se puede Black Lives Matter Me Too

This second action is hard. You will make mistakes, say the wrong thing, and struggle to not gender every object and being in the world. I’m asking you to try.

When you are talking about someone, refer to them by they/them or their name. Use parents instead of mom or dad. Try inserting lover instead of husband or wife, girlfriend or boyfriend.

When you are reading a book take a page or two to be aware of all the gendered language being used. Rewrite it to be gender-neutral.

Hell, no we won’t go Rise up!

Labels are a tool used to take words and build a community. For people who face oppression, violence, and discrimination, being able to identify who is in your community creates safe spaces — refuges from the daily crap someone who is outside the “norm” (read: hetero, white, cis-gendered) has to battle.

If you are not a safe space for transgender persons because you are still learning what it means to be an ally, do not read further. I’m specifically speaking to TERFs. TERF (also written terf) is an acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist. The term was coined in 2008. It was originally applied to a minority of feminists espousing sentiments that other feminists consider transphobic, such as the rejection of the assertion that trans women are women, the exclusion of trans women from women’s spaces, and opposition to transgender rights legislation. The meaning has since expanded to refer more broadly to people with trans-exclusive views who may have no involvement with radical feminism. (Thank you, Wikipedia!)

In honor of Pride Month, I am going to teach you a simple way you can be an ally to transgender folks.

Inclusion is not an act of siloing or creating smaller communities, it is an act of allyship and growing communities.

We default to the male.

always existed.

He.

Using language to create safe spaces for groups of people who are more likely to be discriminated against or be subjected to violence is the next step beyond clothing and hairstyle choices.

When we use language to be inclusive, we are wielding that mighty pen, amplifying the silenced voice, and building a community.

Him. His. Removing my emotional reaction to this I will calmly explain that this default is an embedded form of sexism. It does not present as overtly sexist. It’s not violent or mean. It is subtle dominance.

It is a compounding message of control and a reminder that male is the accepted superior.

The premise of gender-neutral language is to simply remove gender Pronouns from writing and speaking — to critically I pulled out my handy-dandy dictiolook at how we speak and write about nary because I love it and definitions are life without assigning gender to every nuggets of wisdom in a chaotic world. object. I practice this with my child and Pronouns [pro·​noun] are any of a small my life partner. I practice this in my writing, workshops, and presentations. set of words in a language that are used The majority of the time there is no as substitutes for nouns or noun phrasneed to gender our language. We don’t es and whose referents are named or go around talking about the eye color of understood in the context. every person we know and meet — “My I am focusing on personal pronouns, blue-eyed child likes biking.” So why do and more specifically, the 3rd person we need to identify gender? pronouns: he, she, him, her.

Gender is emphasized because it is a Before we go any further we have clear way to divide people into groups. to take a side journey to learn about Arguably, this doesn’t hold up no matter gender. the decade because there are people Gender Neutral always challenging the norms and expectations of a society from womxn wearing The vast majority of language and writing uses male pronouns (he, him, his) pants in the 1800s to men with long hair in the 1960s. The counter culture has as the default.

-----

Three/Little/Words We have come to the simple act you can take as an ally to transgender folks.

Wherever your name is out in the world...

Signature on your emails Name tag at work Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc etc etc Publications

As a white, able-bodied, cisgender woman I hold a lot of privilege. It is my responsibility to educate myself and my child about racism, accessibility, queer issues, and more. It is my responsibility to work in my community to help build safe spaces for Black and Indigenous peoples, for Queer folks, and disabled bodies. It is my responsibility to amplify Black, Queer, Disabled voices because my privilege affords me the space and freedom to live daily without fear and oppression. I will not do these things perfectly. I will likely not even do them well but I will do them. I ask that you join me in supporting the Movement for Black Lives - m4bl.org.

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” Arundhati Roy

Presentations ...add your pronouns behind your name e.g. Erin, she/her/hers or Sam, they/them/theirs or Bob, he/him/his This identifies you as someone who supports, encourages, and holds safe non-binary and transgendered persons.

I always want you to do more in your allyship and this is an important step you can take right now.

Learn more steps you can take to be an ally at guidetoallyship.com

Erin Brandt (she/her/hers) has been a sexologist for 15 years. When she’s not spreading sexual knowledge, Erin can be found learning from her child, hiking with her partner, cuddling with her pitbull, knitting with her cat, dancing with friends, and searching for the nearest hammock and ocean breeze.

Want more? Visit www.positivesexed.com

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 9

[pride]

Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center is incorporating local LGBTQ youth in Durango’s Digital Pride Center will host movie night, author reading, and speaking/talent event

DHL Garden Supply 178 Bodo Dr. Suite B Durango, CO 81303

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Locally Owned and Established in 2011

Courtesy of Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center

»» A mural painted by local LGBTQ youth hangs inside the Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center.

Jennifer Stucka and Sarah St. John were working as a mental health provider and guidance counselor, respectively, at Durango High School in the 2014-2015 school year when they were approached

by LGBTQ students. The young people brought to their attention that there https://dhlgrows.com/ were no resources for them, so the two joined forces to do something about that.

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On September 15, 2015, they officially opened the doors of the Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center. It is the only organization in Durango serving the LGBTQ youth community, Stucka said.

DURANGO CARES

We are a community.

We are connected.

You are not alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally and thinking of suicide, reach out.

There is help. durangocares.com Brought to you by your friends at 10 | Thursday, June 18, 2020

“We provide programming that addresses any ... challenges or barriers that LGBTQ+ youth may face,” she said. “We help them navigate the different challenges that they may face in a world that sometimes is unaccepting. And we build coping skills, self-care skills, self-advocacy skills, support systems, and get them linked to services that are also necessary.

And we partner with other organizations in town and other nonprofits, to ensure that we’re filling any gaps where we may be needed.”

During a normal year, LGBTQ youth already feel isolated, unaccepted, and like they don’t belong, Stucka said, to the point where 50% of transgender youth attempt suicide before their 24th birthday, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made the situation worse.

is specifically interested in showing films that are (*spoiler alert*) uplifting and end well for the LGBTQ protagonists. The event will begin at 6 p.m.

• On June 27, Durango Pride will have a series of digital events, hosted by drag queen Scarlett Ultra. An hour of them, starting at 7 p.m. will be dedicated to the center. The event will give local LGBTQ youth an opportunity to talk about their experiences and also show off some of their talents.

• Finally, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on June 28, trans and queer multimedia artist and author Lexie Bean will read from her latest book, “The Ship We Built,” followed by a Q&A. According to her Penguin Random House author blurb, Bean’s work revolves around themes of bodies, homes, cyclical violence, and LGBTQ identity.

Stucka emphasizes that the center’s events, much like the center and its programming, aren’t exclusively for local LGBTQ youth. Allies and other members of the community are invited too.

“With stronger allyship comes stronger communities, right?” she said.

In addition to the Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center components, Durango Pride will also host a digital dance party on Zoom featuring DJ Swerve, starting at 8 p.m. on June 26. On the 27th, the Rainbow Youth segment is couched between an hour-long block of speakers including That’s one reason that the center is putting together three events for Duran- Stucka, Trennie and Precious Collins, and go’s Pride weekend – the last weekend in Edward Box III, beginning at 6 p.m., and a drag show that starts at 8 p.m. All of the June.

Saturday events will be hosted on Scarlett • On June 26, the center will host Ultra’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/ a digital movie night featuring “Love, Simon,” “Alex Strangelove,” and potentially scarlettultra. another film or so, Stucka said. The center —— Nick Gonzales

[travel]

Get Outta Town: See Pando, one of the oldest, most massive living organisms on Earth

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»» Pando is a bit like a horror-movie monster; as you investigate it, you discover that the world’s most massive creature doesn’t live in the forest ... it IS the forest.

On the western edge of the Colorado Plateau in south-central Utah sits one of the oldest and most massive living organisms in the world: Pando.

Based on the ominous-sounding name, you’d think it would be some sort of Godzilla-sized panda bear. You’d be wrong, though. It’s ... well, it’s a bunch of trees. Quaking aspens to be precise. But that doesn’t make Pando any less impressive than what you were imagining.

(OK, maybe a little bit less impressive; it neither bellows its name nor shoots flames out of its mouth.)

Consisting of somewhere around 47,000 trees, Pando spreads out over 106 acres of the Fishlake National Forest. In fact, its name is Latin for “I spread.” Instead of just flowering and reproducing sexually like a lot of trees, aspen trees often just branch off from the same root system as their predecessors. In other words, they’re kind of like clones of the other trees in their immediate vicinity, but they’re still a part of the organism they’re cloned from, like one giant, creepy horror-movie monster.

If they continue living and reproducing long enough, you end up with Pando — all 6,600 tons of it.

Pando’s individual trees might not be that old, just a century or two. But the rest of it — the part you don’t see — is

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another story.

You know all those parks with large, old trees like Sequoias, where they often have diagrams in which they point out which tree rings coincide with events from recorded human history? Pando dwarfs those in age. Conservative estimates suggest that it is about 80,000 years old, which means it came to exist at the same time Neanderthals were painting cave walls in southern Europe.

Other studies suggest that it’s maybe even a million years old. Either way, it’s old AF – there were still mammoths wandering around for the majority of its life. A life that may soon end, it turns out.

Before you jump to conclusions, though, it may not be our fault Pando is dying. At least not directly. Researchers believe that over-browsing from deer and elk is preventing young stems from growing into larger trunks. At the same time, diseases and insects are attacking the existing trees. If enough of Pando is weakened or killed, it could shrink and die.

The Forest Service and other organizations are trying to prevent Pando’s demise by trying to stimulate its roots to encourage new sprouting. Whether or not these methods will work remains to Continued on Page 19

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The DISAPPEARANCE of Mitchell Dale Stehling

Seven years later, park rangers still search for the man who vanished in Mesa Verde National Park

By Nick Gonzales DGO STAFF WRITER

At 4:30 p.m. on June 9, 2013 – a Sunday afternoon – Mitchell Dale Stehling left his wife and parents to hike down to Mesa Verde National Park’s Spruce Tree House ruin. That was the last time they ever saw him. Searches have continued over the past seven years, but to date, not a single scrap of evidence hints at what happened to the lost hiker.

Compounding the mystery of what happened to Stehling is the fact that Mesa Verde is not known as a place where it’s easy to disappear. The area and many of its trails are rugged, and it’s not to terribly difficult too injure oneself in its canyons, but it should be — and usually is — impossible to vanish without a trace.

The visit On June 5, the Stehlings packed their gear into a camper trailer and headed out from their home in Goliad, a town in southwestern Texas, for a 21-day adults-only vacation to visit several National Parks. After Mesa Verde, they planned to visit Arches and eventually Glacier national parks, Dale’s wife Denean told The Mancos Times following his disappearance. They had visited Four Corners National Monument the day before Dale’s disappearance.

Mesa Verde, both a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covers about 52,485

12 | Thursday, June 18, 2020

Courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service

»» The Spruce Tree House is the third-largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park and the best preserved. Mitchell Dale Stehling was hiking to the site when he Courtesy of Denean Stehling

»» Denean Stehling and her husband Dale posed for this photo before he left on a hike to Mesa Verde’s Spruce Tree House, from which he never returned.

acres, making it the largest archaeological preserve in the United States. It has more than 5,000 sites, including 600 cliff dwellings left behind when the Ancestral Puebloans abandoned the area in the late 13th century.

The Stehling family had originally planned to stop at just the lookout points and admire views of the ruins from a distance — Dale’s wife and parents were not physically fit enough for a steep hike down to the ruins, regardless of the length of the trail. After watching a video, however, Dale decided to explore the Spruce Tree House, the third largest

and best-preserved ruin in the park. In theory, it wouldn’t take that long for him to hike down to the site and back up to the car, as the trail is only a quarter of a mile long, and the ruins are visible from the museum.

Before Dale left, he took a photo with his wife.

“I snapped his picture and said, ‘I’ll see you in a little while.’ That was the last I saw him,” Denean Stehling said.

He then walked down the trail, wearing a khaki-colored “Mesa Verde Museum Association” baseball cap, sunglasses, a brown t-shirt, khaki

disappeared.

shorts, and brown walking shoes.

The only items in his possession were his cell phone, cigarettes, and his wallet. He left without water on a day when the temperature exceeded a sweltering 100 degrees.

The disappearance Two hours later, Dale still hadn’t returned, and Denean was worried.

She alerted park officials. Dale was not necessarily an avid hiker and had undergone several back surgeries, his wife said, but he was in generally good health and enjoyed the outdoors and camping.

Then again, the Stehlings are from an area not far above sea level, whereas much of Mesa Verde is above 7,000 feet.

Dale had his phone on him, but authorities were unable to get a signal from it after his disappearance.

According to phone records, he tried to access his voicemail at about 7 p.m. on the evening of his disappearance.

Searchers quickly learned Dale had veered off onto the Petroglyph Point Trail, a 2.5-mile loop that branches off of the Spruce Tree

House Trail. The trail he wound up on features a lot of steep switchbacks, narrow stairways, and areas where hikers have to scramble over stones – at least on the lower section of the trail. Shortly after it reaches the panel of petroglyphs for which the trail is named, about two miles into the hike, it ascends to the top of the mesa and becomes a simple gravel trail that circles back to the trailhead.

An unidentified family reportedly saw Dale resting in an alcove, where they asked him how far they

were from the petroglyphs panel.

The family then saw him again at the petroglyphs panel, but he left the site before they did and never saw him again. The family figured he had continued up and around the trail, and only contacted rangers when they heard he was missing.

“They said he seemed fine, and I know Dale would have wanted to try and make it to the panel,” Denean Stehling said. “He has to take a lot of breaks but is the type of guy who is motivated to keep pushing

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 13

Courtesy of the Adam Baker/Wikimedia Commons

»» ABOVE: A panel petroglyph overlooks the Petroglyph Point Trail near its southernmost extent. It is here that witnesses last placed Dale Stehling, and where search dogs showed interest.

a little further. He does not take crazy risks, though.”

Jodi Peterson, a writer and editor for High Country News, wrote that she hiked the trail that day after Dale went missing and heard a man in distress.

“After an hour of walking, I suddenly heard a weary male voice call ‘I need some help.’ I thought of the missing hiker. Perhaps after visiting Spruce Tree House he’d attempted this trail and run into trouble. I called out several times, but got no response. I thought about going off-trail to look but figured I’d become Victim #2 if I tried to scramble down those ledges and cliffs. My cellphone had no signal.”

Peterson hiked back down the trail and told Chief Ranger Jesse Farias what she heard. The ranger, according to Peterson, appeared relieved and said, “We thought we heard a call for help in that 14 | Thursday, June 18, 2020

area yesterday.”

Confident that Dale Stehling would soon be found, Peterson left the park.

The search That evening, after Dale Stehling failed to return from his hike, an intensive two-week search was launched. At its peak, between 60 to 70 people were searching the park for the missing hiker.

A team of scent dogs showed interest in the area beneath the petroglyph panel, which may also be the last place anyone saw him. The dogs were unable to locate any evidence of what happened Courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service

»» RIGHT: Mitchell Dale Stehling went missing in June 2013, sparking an intensive two-week search. Other than early reports of someone calling out for help, no evidence about Dale’s disappearance has been discovered.

“I think he’s still here somewhere — we just haven’t found him. It happens in parks, if he fell in some kind of crevasse or hole somewhere off-trail and where the public or a rescuer couldn’t see him. ... Different people get different opinions, but I tend to believe he’s still there.”

The end Dale’s disappearance was not the last tragedy to strike the Stehling family.

In February 2016 two structures on the Stehling’s Goliad property — their four-bedroom, two-bath manufactured home and a historic one-bedroom cabin constructed in 1898 — burned to the ground. Fortunately, the family was safe; however, Denean’s wedding rings were lost in the fire.

Despite the lack of a conclusion to Dale Stehling’s story, there are lessons that people can learn from it, Farias said.

For one, he advises that people always hike with someone else, regardless of where they are.

“I know a lot of folks like to get out and do these things by themselves. I’ve done it myself. But I really encourage people to hike with partners,” he said.

Courtesy of the U.S. National Park Service

»» The Spruce Tree House is currently closed to visitors after a rockfall in 2015. The National Park Service is working to reinforce the alcove in which site rests.

to Dale or point search teams in a new direction where he might have gone.

Meanwhile, rangers on foot and on horseback scrutinized the area. Rope teams rappelled off the cliff face and into Spruce Canyon to search hidden fissures along the cliffs that would not have been visible from the trail. Helicopters surveilled the area from above, and high-resolution aerial photos were taken and analyzed in a lab, park officials said.

In the days following Dale’s disappearance, his daughter-in-law, Melissa Stehling, told the Victoria Advocate, a newspaper near Goliad, that the family had high hopes of his survival because he came from a military family and had the wits to survive.

“He’s probably already built a treehouse and is waiting for rescuers to find him,” she said.

As the park officials’ search efforts failed to uncover evidence suggesting what happened to Dale, his son James – one of five children and four grandchildren – showed up to conduct his own search.

“They were really close. Dale’s life was his kids and grandkids. James is retracing the tracks of the searchers. He told me, ‘When I see where the rangers turned around, I look further,’” Denean told the Times.

they search for Dale.

Dale is now presumed to have died in the wilderness, but the case remains

“If someone is lost, the time that they’re lost on average is about 45 min-

“

It’s one of the only unsolved mysteries to blemish the modern history of the park.

After all, while the park covers a decent amount of acreage, in comparison to other national parks, Mesa Verde isn’t that big.

I think he’s still here somewhere — we just haven’t found him. It happens in parks, if he fell in some kind of crevasse or hole somewhere off-trail and where the public or a rescuer couldn’t see him. ... Different people get different opinions, but I tend to believe he’s still there.

open.

Even after that initial two-week search, the National Park Service has continued to look for him on a regular basis. Most recently, a team of three searchers and one dog spent a day in November 2019 in the area where rangers think he likely went missing, Farias told DGO. When rangers conduct search and rescue training exercises,

”

utes,” Farias said. “It’s not a huge park compared to, you know, Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, so we’re pretty confident we can find folks. ... As searchers, we value that we can find people, and not being able to do that does develop a sense of frustration.”

Farias hesitates to speculate about the details of what happened to Stehling but acknowledges that accidents happen.

He also suggests that when taking trips, people should be open to reevaluating their plans based on how conditions change. The day that Dale Stehling disappeared was particularly hot, and he was not carrying water with him. As such, some theories suggest that Stehling got dehydrated, and the resulting disorientation contributed to his disappearance.

Farias emphasized that even for short loops, such as the Petroglyph Point Trail, people should not underestimate the potential for something to go wrong.

As of May 24, Mesa Verde was in the process of a limited reopening as restrictions that forced its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic begin to ease.

The Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and the Mesa Verde Research & Visitor Center remain closed while the park’s food locations are currently takeout only. The cliff dwellings themselves are closed and rangers are not conducting any guided tours. Weatherill Mesa, on the west side of the park, is also closed. Many of the other recreational areas and trails, however, remain open.

The Spruce Tree House has been closed since 2015 — after a rockfall alerted park officials to the instability of the alcove in which it sits. The National Park Service is conducting an ongoing geotechnical assessment to find ways to engineer a plan to preserve the Spruce Tree Houses’ immediate surroundings – lest it is lost to history as well.

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 15

[weed]

Camping in the rain with several cans of magical Keef Cola So, last weekend I spent the majority of my time stoned, while camping, as it poured down rain. Oh, and there was some intermittent lightning and thunder thrown in for good measure. It was not how I envisioned spending my Saturday, but it wasn’t a total wash because I was reviewing Keef Cola for Prohibition Herb, and that sweet, sweet soda made the chilly rain and potential of being hit by lightning tolerable. Whoda thunk it?

Before you start rolling your eyes about how I should have known not to go camping when there was rain in the forecast, I’d like to point out that there’s basically always rain in the forecast right now and most of the time it’s a lie. So I figured it would be fine. I’d pack up some camping junk, fill the cooler with four different flavors of Keef Cola – grape, root beer, original cola, and orange crush, all of which have 10 mg of THC in them – and then head out into the wilderness to get stoned.

In hindsight, it was clearly the wrong move, but it felt like the right one at

16 | Thursday, June 18, 2020

while, it might be well worth your time, though, cause anything that can make me slap-happy in the midst of a storm is worth the $9 or so.

Details Where to find Keef Cola: Prohibition Herb, 1185 Camino del Rio, prohibitionherb.com the time. Life is super boring right now (at least if you’re trying to stick to the suggested restrictions), and while I’m not a huge outdoors person, camping seemed like a way to get out of the house, encounter some new scenery, and maybe even find a good head space while chugging some THC-filled soda. Only one of those three things happened: I chugged some THC-filled soda courtesy of Keef Cola.

Luckily, every flavor was delicious, but you likely already know that, as Keef Cola has been around for a minute. If you haven’t picked up a can in a

And it did make me happy, at least temporarily. I’d headed up to Molas Lake late Saturday afternoon with my Keef Cola, and as soon as I got there it started pouring. Not raining – freaking pouring.

Lightning was illuminating the sky every few minutes and thunder was crashing so loudly up at that elevation. The tent wasn’t even pitched at that point, so me and the friend I went with were stuck sitting in the car to wait it out.

Only problem was that we couldn’t wait it out cause the rain would not stop.

So rather than get annoyed at the late departure, we decided to crack open some Keef soda instead. (Don’t worry.

The keys were NOT in the ignition.) It was a smart move – not only were we parched, but we were also stone cold sober, which is not a great feeling when you’re trapped in a car full of camping junk but you can’t even safely step foot

out of the car.

So, rather than drink them in the tent, we chugged them in the car instead. I’m a big ol’ baby about edibles, so I expected to be super high after I downed that drink – which only had a hint of a weed-y taste, by the way – but I was pleasantly surprised to find that while the high kicked in, it was completely tolerable.

Rather than be high out of my gourd, I was pleasantly, mellowly stoned instead.

And so was my camping partner, who is not a regular imbiber at all. He popped open the root beer Keef Cola and chugged it, and I could only tell he was high because of his incessant laughter, which started about 10 minutes after he’d finished his drink. We were both stoned, but not out of control. It was rad.

Well, except for the whole stuck in a car part. That part sucked. But the Keef Cola flavors and high were rad! The only downside was that we knew the tent still needed to go up at some point, but we did manage to tackle it while stoned Continued on Page 23

[weed]

Fun and games (and a serious creeper high) with Guelah OG from The Green House Durango Guys. I know we’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: the peeps at The Green House are definitely trying to kill us with their very potent weed. And we’re all about it!

Confused? Well, let’s start off with a pretty little strain called Guelah OG.

OG is a creeper. One minute I was sitting on my patio smoking and wondering what I was going to eat for dinner, and the next I was sending the weirdest animal gifs I could find to my friends (who did not think they were nearly as hilarious as I did).

It all began very innocently. We were picking up our next strain review at The Green House in Durango and were handed a gram of this little number. I personally had never been introduced to this strain before, so I was eager to learn.

This strain also comes packaged with a hard-hitting body high. Luckily I was sitting right next to my back door when I started smoking Guelah OG because if I’d been sitting any further away I probably would have had to crawl back inside.

This indica-leaning hybrid is the result of pairing 12 Year OG Kush and Afghan Ghost OG. These pretty little frosted buds produce a spicy and earthy aroma that carries over when you light them up in a bowl. Sounds like all fun and games, huh? Well, that’s where you’d be wrong.

Amateur and weathered stoners alike be warned: Guelah OG is hella potent. Anyone who wants to walk away (which is very difficult to do after you’ve smoked a bowl of this) with their brain processes intact should probably avoid

Details Where to find the Guelah OG strain: The Green House, 730 S. Camino del Rio, thegreenhousecolorado. com this strain. If you’re new to the whole pot thing you’ll probably never move again. Hell, even for a big ol’ pothead like me this strain was a lot. And when I say it was a lot, I mean there is very little I remember.

What I do remember is that Guelah

Any cute little plans I’d made with my evening were gone. I was couch-locked with no hope of reprieve anytime in the near future. Even the simple task of locating and operating the TV remote turned into a massive chore. I might as well have been trying to deep clean my oven whilst juggling three butcher knives and learning how to Dougie. Impossible I tell you!

Luckily, I did finally manage to figure out my remote controls and spent the evening watching my fellow stoners,

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When I awoke the next morning, I realized that at some point I’d found the will to get up to find snacks. How did I know that? Because I awoke in bed finding myself surrounded by fruit snack wrappers staring up at me accusingly.

Nice work stoned self!

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The Alternative Resource Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 17

[weird news]

X marks the spot

Forrest Fenn treasure found in the Rocky Mountains This month, however, Fenn is claiming that a man has finally found the treasure

excited to sit back and watch this adult

“The guy who found it does not want his name mentioned. He’s from back East,” he told the Santa Fe New Mexican.

TFenn said the man who found the

To confirm he had found the treasure, Fenn said the man sent him a photo of the chest. Fenn would not show the photo either.

While the hunt has seemingly come to an end, the drama over this very expensive and highly sought after box of baubles is hardly over.

After at least five deaths, hundreds of thousands of hours of manpower, and a few lives ruined, the Forrest Fenn treasure chest was finally found in the Rocky Mountains.

What was so great about the treasure chest that it could inspire the dismal boulevard of broken dreams of hundreds of thousands of people? Apparently, a bronze chest filled with gold and jewels worth more than $1 million was the source of inspiration, according to the

Santa Fe New Mexican.

Let’s back up.

In 2010, Forrest Fenn, a Santa Fe author and artifact dealer, hid a bronze treasure chest in the Rocky Mountains, and for the last decade, more than 350,000 people have scoured the Rocky Mountain wilderness in search of it.

Some of them have gone as far as to give up their jobs and spend their savings in search of the treasure. Some have died.

According to the newspaper, a Chicago attorney, Barbara Andersen, said she is filing an injunction in federal District Court. She alleges that it was actually she who solved the case but a mysterious hacker stole her answers.

Another treasure hunter, Brian Erskine of Prescott, Ariz., filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court claiming that it was HE who solved the mystery. Erskine believed the treasure was located in the San Juan Mountains Colorado, between Silverton and Ouray.

version of “The Goonies” come to life. cache was able to allegedly locate the treasure in the Rockies because of a poem Fenn had written in his 2010 memoir, “The Thrill of the Chase.” The poem apparently held clues as to the treasure’s whereabouts. Fenn wrote the poem to inspire people to go on a good ol’ fashioned adventure, and boy did they take him up on that offer.

In a 2017 newspaper, he told the newspaper the chest weighs 20 pounds and its valuable content weighs another 22 pounds. Fenn said it took him two trips to his hiding spot to get the treasure chest and its wares to the proper location.

And now after a decade’s worth of waiting and wondering?

“I don’t know, I feel halfway kind of

glad, halfway kind of sad because the With all these lawsuits (and we’re sure chase is over,” Fenn said. there are more to come) it’s impossible to know who’s telling the truth, but we’re —— Amanda Push

Vanilla Bean Caramel Chews from Rebel Edibles led to a Goldilocks-like high ... and it was just right Have you ever had that experience when you’re getting stoned and you hit that perfect high? You know, the Goldilocks effect — where you’re not too lit or not lit enough. You’re hanging out in the just-the-right-high zone.

Well, dear readers, this is exactly where Rebel Edibles caramel chews got me this week and I highly enjoyed it.

(Dad joke for the win!)

Several of our good friends at the dispensary recommended we give these adult candies a spin and we’re so glad we listened.

For starters, Rebel Edibles, part of Kind Goods LLC based in Aurora, CO, has all kinds of delectable options for their caramel chews line: apple pie, CBD salted caramel, chocolate, and vanilla bean. Originally, I had planned to go with chocolate, but due to a communication 18 | Thursday, June 18, 2020

mishap, I ended up with vanilla bean.

This ended up being quite a delicious mistake indeed.

Vanilla bean comes with 10 individually wrapped caramel pieces, each with 10 mg of THC. So, if you’re a weenie like me, you’ll probably just stick with one piece for the evening. But man these caramels are so good, you’ll be tempted to eat all of them in one sitting.

First of all, these vanilla caramel chews taste exactly like the kind of caramel your grandpa would pull out of his pocket and offer you. You’re hit first with the creamy caramel and vanilla swirl of flavors before it develops into this sticky dance of salty and sweet.

In between chewing, there’s an entire half-a-second of marijuana flavor and I liked it. No, I LOVED it. Me. My pot-flaContinued on Page 23

[film]

How to deal with the ever-changing movie premiere dates Bill and Ted, Wonder Woman, and a ton of other films have been pushed back due to COVID-19 With the announcement that some movie theaters have now officially been given legal approval to re-open in California, it would appear that this summer may end up having a few new blockbuster releases if we’re lucky. There are still a ton of film premieres that have been pushed back rather than rolling out on “home theater” screens, but we may finally be on track for some new content to watch. Still, there are still a few things to consider with this sudden and surprising news.

blockbusters with the possibility that there can’t, or won’t, be a full house in theaters.

One is that not every state is at the same stage as California, so while there may be movie premieres in CA, businesses and public places aren’t open in other states. That means that if films roll out to theaters in limited areas, there won’t be as much box-office profit potential as there normally would be – but that’s just life in the midst of a pandemic.

One thing I’ve noticed in the past couple of weeks is that studios are still consistently changing release dates in response to the restrictions that are limiting movie premieres, but the delays are getting shorter and shorter – which could signal that a return to normal for the film industry is on the horizon. Nearly every spring release was postponed for monthsback in March, but now new release dates are being reported as one to three weeks out. That’s the case with Derrick Borte’s “Unhinged,” Ric Roman Waugh’s “Greenland,” Dean Parisot’s “Bill & Ted: Face the Music,” and Cary Fukunaga’s “No Time to Die,” anyway.

The WB decided to completely abandon the idea of a summer release for Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman 1984,” and the studio opted to go for an October release date instead. This is a decision I can understand, as the autumn season usually draws in movie viewers – and there’s a slight chance things may be back to normal by that time, or maybe they’ll have stabilized, anyway.

And even if theaters are game to reopen right now, there will be pressure to make some temporary changes to their building’s occupancy plus new sanitary rules, which will vastly limit the amount of people who can watch the films in theaters (and this again further limits profits).

There are also a ton of films that were put on indefinite standstill, as studios likely weren’t expecting things to go back to “normal so quickly – especially after many of them have rescheduled filming hold out as long as it could, and the plan or premieres for the holiday season or to watch and wait may have paid off for next year.

Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” chose to From Page 8

Lady Shug finishes getting ready for “Queens Riot: A Celebration of Queer Resistance” in June 2019 at the Farmington San Juan Center for Independence.

The final episode of the season returns to Farmington, at least in part.

As originally planned, the episode would have focused on Spartanburg, South Carolina — but production on that episode had to stop because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the producers pivoted and dove deeper into the background of three stars and also showed previously unreleased performances captured during the filming of earlier episodes.

the first big summer movie, as it was

only postponed two weeks. Good luck to Warner Bros. — it must be nerve-wrack-

If the film and theater industries pushing forward with premieres and release dates are a sign of what’s to come, it looks like we may be getting back to normal(ish) soon – even if the premiere dates are in constant flux. Whether that’s true or not, though, is anyone’s guess.

ing to deal with the pressure of releasing These performances include one by Lady Shug, filmed Feb. 13 as part of a drag show at Farmington’s Lauter Haus Brewing Co., that ends the San Juan County-centric episode.

“I’m so happy that ‘We’re Here’ did an episode really close to the Navajo Nation, because, like I was telling Bob the Drag Queen, there’s no representation for gay indigenous people in the media,” Lady Shug told The Queer Review.

The show has been renewed for a second season. The entire first season of “We’re Here” is currently streaming on HBO Go, HBO Now, and HBO Max. Nick Gonzales

—— Megan Bianco From Page 11

be seen.

In the meantime, you can totally travel to commune with Pando. Peak Pando-viewing season is during the fall when its leaves turn yellow and orange.

The Fishlake’s Doctor Creek Campground is technically inside of Pando, which means you can sleep surrounded by a creature that is several times older than the entirety of human civilization.

Who knows? The rustling of its leaves in the wind might impart some sort of primordial wisdom to you. Failing that, there are hiking trails in the area and Fish Lake (truth in advertising) is famous for its huge Mackinaw lake trout.

—— Nick Gonzales

Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 19

GIVE NOW: givebutter.com/thedurangoheraldcovidfund tax deductable

Help Wanted/Full Time

Ballantine Communications, Inc. is hiring!

Distribution Agent (Durango, CO) - The Distribution Agent supports the Circulation Department and will be in charge of distributing and collecting publications, accurate reporting, coin collections, and delivery of vacant routes.

Will train the right individual.

Required: must be reliable and have a clean driving record, and mechanically inclined. Apply at: https://ballantinecommunicationsinc.com/careers. BCI offers an excellent benefit package, including vacation, medical, dental, vision, and opportunities to participate in 401(k) plan or ancillary plans. BCI is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Ballantine Communications, Inc. is hiring!

Multimedia Sales Representative (Farmington, NM) - Multi-Media Sales Representative, you will present advertising solutions to clients, consult with them about their business objectives, craft high commercial messages, and choose the appropriate marketing channels to connect to the correct demographic group. The likely candidate will be energetic, have a solid understanding of local markets, and proven ability to generate sales by providing creative solutions to clients that meet their business needs.

Required: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, or similar degree and 4-6 years experience. Apply at: https:// ballantinecommunicationsinc. com/careers.

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Help Wanted/Full Time

L A PL ATA

n

ARC HULETTA

n

MONTEZUMA

Hiring Shift Supervisors & Crew Work at Wendy’s where you can get a portion of your pay the day after working. We offer flexible schedules, free meals, and many benefits, including college scholarships and partnerships and insurance benefits. Apply today by Texting WCS to 242424 or apply online at nowhiring. com/WCS

Service Representative (Durango, CO): BCI is hiring a full-time Customer Service Representative!

Schedule: Tues. - Saturday.

Requirements: Excellent customer services skills, and 1+ year(s) experience in an office setting. Please apply at: https:// ballantinecommunicationsinc. com/careers .

Trucks/Pickups & Vans

OUT NOW

We are OPEN! By appointment only, please call to 970-385-7940.

Guaranteed credit approval!

21698 Hwy 160 West

Rentals Office space 5000 sq.ft. w/ garage at 3206 Main Ave. Customer parking available.

Call 970-259-2034 for more details.

Various rentals available.

Action Property Management (970) 382-0134 durangorealestate rentals.com

FOURCORNERSREALESTATE.COM

WE ARE HERE TO HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES DGO is offering special rates during this difficult time so that you can stay in contact with your customers.

WE ARE IN THIS

TOGETHER! Contact Us: 970-375-4553

sales@dgomag.com

Horoscope ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

to food, gas and entertainment.

This is a tricky time! In one way, you feel that it’s “all systems go”! However, this is a poor time to shop or spend money on anything other than food, gas and entertainment.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22)

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22)

This is a poor time for important decisions, especially regarding inheritances and shared property. Wait until tomorrow.

Relations with partners and close friends are a bit aggressive right now. Keep things light. This is a poor time to shop. Restrict spending to food and gas.

Enjoy team sports or interactions with others right, especially competitive. Avoid important decisions and shopping.

and restrict your spending to food, gas and entertainment. This is a great time to enjoy the entertainment world and music.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21) Be patient with family members right now.

Meanwhile, you might rearrange furniture and be physically active at home. However, no shopping. Restrict spending to food and gas.

to food, gas and entertainment. Be smart.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20) You have tons of energy right now, and you want to make improvements in your everyday surroundings. Great idea; however, restrict spending to food, gas and entertainment.

BORN DURING THESE TWO WEEKS You are practical, sensible and have clear notions about what you want to achieve in this life. In particular, you value warm connections with family. Exciting news! You’re entering a year of new beginnings! This means it’s time to identify future goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years. Be proactive and physically energetic about going after what you want.

Just do it!

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19)

You might see ways to improve your health or your job right now. However, this is a poor time for big decisions. Wait until next time. (No shopping; except for food.)

You are unusually forceful in all your communications with others now. Take it easy right now. This is a poor time to shop. Save your money. Wait until next time.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21)

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18)

You want to do something different right now! You’re hungry for a change of scenery!

Enjoy your day, but restrict your spending

This is a playful, creative time! Enjoy socializing with others, as well as having fun times with kids. However, be smart

You’re working hard to earn money now – no question! Many of you are also spending big. Please note: Restrict spending right now (c) 2020 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)

From Page 18

vor-hating ass LOVED the short peek into Weedflavorville. Much to my surprise, the flavors blended seamlessly together. It was like a polite tap on the shoulder to remind you that you’re still eating an edible.

Caramel chews don’t take long to set in. Once they do, it’s like a calm that hovers over you covering you from head to toe “in a relaxation station,” according to my notes. It was like I’d just meditated for an hour and all that deep thinking expelled every anxious kink in my body and soul. I was at total ease.

I was definitely sleepy, but not so much that I was in danger of passing out anywhere I parked my ass. I was still able to get up, operate an oven, and bake my delicious Pizza Rolls when I got hit with the munchies. This stoned snack lust was insatiable, mind you.

I became a ravenous dark hole that sucked in anything that had the unfortunate luck of being within arms reach.

I have no shame.

Inevitably, my evening came to a pathetic crash while watching “Bob’s Burgers” for the millionth time. It is one of the few things that bring me pure joy.

Here’s the thing: I knew I would like these Rebel Edibles caramel chews,

Bizarro

Your ambition is aroused right now, and you’re gung-ho to do things! However, this is a poor time for important decisions. Do not volunteer for anything. Prepare for tomorrow. (Don’t shop except for food.)

but I didn’t know I’d LOVE them.

They’re a tasty, fun way to switch things up if you’re getting tired of chocolate and gummies. I can personally attest that I ran out of these in a matter of days. They might even be better than the real deal. Trust us.

—— Sir Blaze Ridcully From Page 18

during a brief pause in the rain.

Do I suggest you go camping in the middle of a stupid thunderstorm? No, I do not. That is the same thunderstorm that set fire to Mancos. Do I suggest you pick up some Keef Cola? Hell. Yeah.

This stoner soda made life tolerable while camping in the midst of the rainstorm. That right there is pure canned magic.

—— DGO Pufnstuf Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 23

DAT E CH A NG E

SAT URDAY

•

OC T 3 • 2 0 2 0

This event is open to all over 21 and FREE of charge. event 11am

- 4pm

after party 4pm

- 6pm

Things are pretty unpredictable right now.

COVID-19 has changed the way we live from week to week, and DGO is fully in support of the measures being taken to protect the health and welfare of the area we live, work, and play in. Unfortunately, these measures have once again affected when we can safely hold Cannabis Crawl. We understand that this is a bummer, but please know that the decision to move this year’s crawl to the fall was made in the best interests of all involved. We can’t wait to see you guys at the Cannabis Crawl in October!

D G O M A G . C O M /C R AW L PRIZE SPONSOR

TITLE SPONSOR

A F T E R PA RT Y SPONSOR

DGO does not endorse consuming of products and crawlers must abide by the law of 1-ounce purchase for the day.

R E C R E AT I O N A L D I S P E N S A R Y

ORDER ONLINE through Weedmaps.com and Leafly.com Dabs for Dads & Select Concentrates $20 - Out

Weed love to help you! The Door Pricing

GRANDVIEW AREA MAP

Kinfolk Farms

Three Springs Blvd

Durango Pet Resort

East Owen Road

WIlson Gulch Drive

AJ’s Geenhouse Nursery

Southwest Appliance

160

Davidson Creek Road

160

Every sanitation effort is being made during these hard times. We offer Leafly and Weedmaps online ordering with fast in store pickup. Check our web site and Instagram for updates.

All items include tax · 8am-8pm M-F · kinfolk-farms.com (970) 759-8683 · 83 Davidson Creek Road Durango, CO