Durango Telegraph - February 28, 2019

The white stuff

elegraph the durango

FREE Feb. 28, 2019

Vol. XVIII, No. 9 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

Playing in the dirt

Raising her voice

Red or green?

9-R looks to cut food waste with composting program p8

Singer Sara Illsley delivers Latin jazz for a cause at DAC p14

Turns out, the eternal question is popular all over p16

2 n Feb. 28, 2019

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lineup

8

4 La Vida Local

Good dirt 9-R looks to cut food waste with composting program

4 Thumbin’ It

by Tracy Chamberlin

5 Word on the Street

12-13

6 ReTooned 6-7 Soapbox

Not so bad

A winter trip to Bisti a journey through time for the senses and soul

Ear to the ground: “I feel like in winter, the lines don’t count because you can’t see them.”

– Local skier discussing her winter driving and passing rules

Jerry would ski it

thepole

RegularOccurrences

Chances are, behind every great ski bum, there’s a Deadhead. For some reason, the two cultures just seem to go together, like patchouli and P-tex. And, just as no two Dead shows are the same, nor are two ski lines (or snowflakes for that matter – whoa.)

Now, the marriage of deep tracks is about to be officially consummated. That’s right – Deadicated skiers can soon lay fire to the mountain on their own limited-edition Atomic Grateful Dead skis.

10 Mountain Town News

photos by Stephen Eginoire

12 -13 Day in the Life

14

16 Flash in the Pan 17 Top Shelf

Raising her voice Singer returns to stage to speak up for those who can’t

18-20 On the Town

by Zach Hively

20 Ask Rachel

16

21 Free Will Astrology

Green vs. red Turns out, the eternal debate is just as popular in the Southern Hemisphere

by Ari LeVaux

22 Haiku Movie Review

17

22 End of the Line On the cover: Bryce Bagby lays down some tracks in front of the “Welcome to Durango” sign earlier this week. Because he can./ Photo

by Stephen Eginoire

Son of Bob Classic reggae, Cape Breton Sound and Firkin Car Bombs

by Chris Aaland

boilerplate

EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com)

22 Classifieds

STAR-STUDDED CAST: Lainie Maxson, Chris Aaland, Clint Reid, Stephen Eginoire, Jesse Anderson, Ari LeVaux, Zach Hively and Shan Wells

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 332 Durango, CO 81302 PHONE: 970.259.0133

ADVERTISING AFICIONADO: Lainie Maxson (lainie@durangotelegraph.com)

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RESIDENT FORMULA ONE FAN: Tracy Chamberlin (tracy@durangotelegraph.com)

REAL WORLD ADDRESS: 777 Main Ave., #214 Durango, CO 81301

MAIL DELIVERY AND SUBSCRIPTIONS: $3.50/issue, $150/year

LLC and distributed in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area.

We’re only human. If, by chance, we defame someone’s good name or that of their family, neighbor, best

friend or dog, we will accept full responsibility in a public flogging in the following week’s issue.

Although “free but not easy,” we can be plied with schwa, booze and flattery.

T

he Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, beckoning singletrack or monster powder days. We are wholly owned and operated independently by the Durango Telegraph

E-MAIL: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

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The skis feature artwork by Atomic-sponsored skier Chris Benchetler and are based on the popular Bent Chetler ski. The idea is a collaboration between avowed Deadhead Benchetler and Teton Gravity Research, which has featured Dead tunes in its titles and soundtracks over the last 23 years.

The idea came about when TGR co-founder Todd Jones paid a visit to Benchetler’s abode on a recent trip to Mammoth, Calif. During the visit, Jones couldn’t help but notice Benchetler’s impressive Dead vinyl collection, and the two got to talking about the Dead’s very undying influence in the outdoors community.

“The way we draw lines down a mountain or on a wave is the same improv the Dead have in their music,” Benchetler said on TGR’s website.

Call it a simple twist of fate, but at the same time, TGR’s Director of Apparel Brian Francis was in the process of scheming a Grateful Dead ski collaboration but was looking for a brand to execute it. Jones put the two in touch, and the rest is history. (And almost was history. Apparently, Atomic took some coaxing as the Dead are not so wellknown in Austria, where Atomic is based.)

The artwork of the laser-etched top sheet includes signature dancing bear, skeleton with roses and Benchetler’s van, The Stealthy Marmot. The bottom features more artwork from Benchetler and fellow artist, Skye Walker.

In addition to the skis, Dakine will offer Grateful Dead backpacks and mittens, and TGR will feature the items in its next film, set to come out in September. Benchetler is also planning a short film of his own, all set to Grateful Dead music.

For those who are actually concerned about the specs, the powder-specific skis are 120 under foot and feature Atomic’s “HRZN Tech Rocker,” which adds 10 percent more surface area to tip and tail, making noodle-necking though the trees easier than ever. Alas, the skis are only available in 184 cm, and you might need to be a friend of the devil to land a pair – only 300 will be made. So, if you don’t want to go down the road feeling bad, you better get on it: the skis go on sale Fri., March 1, at shop.tetongravity.com. (Price was not disclosed as of press time, but we would imagine for the average Deadhead ski bum, it might take a miracle.)

Feb. 28, 2019 n

3

opinion

LaVidaLocal Super sucky It’s a 9 o’clock show – just a few beers and home in bed by 11, I told myself. Do it for Eddie. What’s the worst that could happen?

This is the mental jujitsu I used when trying to convince myself to leave the house on a recent Friday night. Horrifyingly lame, I know. But when you get to be a woman of my, ahem, maturity, life begins to become a series of trade-offs. Crowded bar and drunken idiots or warm couch and cuddly dog? Sleep and productive Saturday or semicoma followed by a day of cold sweats and self-loathing?

Anyway, since it was one of my favorite rock ’n’ roll bands, the Supersuckers, and the lead singer, Eddie Spaghetti (pretty sure not his real name) had just recovered from throat cancer, I decided it was the least I could do. After all, if Eddie had just kicked cancer’s ass, the least I could do is get off mine.

So there I was, mid-dance-floor, enjoying Eddie in all his glory, cradling my near-empty PBR and thinking I should probably head back for a refill.

Plus, the “country set” (all two songs of it) had just ended, and I knew things had the propensity to get rowdy. But as of yet, no moshing activity had been detected, and I figured I was far enough from the fray to be safe. I mean, this wasn’t my first trip around the mosh pit, I grew up in the ’80s after all – I saw the Cure live. It’s not like this bar fly was born yesterd … .

And that’s when it hit. What, I’m not exactly sure. The band had just launched into a hard-core number when something – a well-placed elbow?

Shoulder? Brass knuckles? Lead numchucks? – landed squarely in my face.

I tasted the telltale metallic sting of blood and thought, not only what an amazingly precise hit it was, but that it was gonna leave a mark. I immediately did a tongue check to make sure all my teeth were intact – score! – and scanned the crowd for the perpetrator. Not sure what I had planned on doing if I had spied him – bleed on him? But he had been swallowed back up into the dark abyss of pogo-ing bodies.

By now, the shock had worn off enough for me to assess that I had a split lip, and yep, I’m a bleeder. (Believe it or not, it was my first punch in the face, so I was not sure what to expect.) In a scene not unlike a Monty Python skit, blood squirted from the gaping flesh wound and ran down my face, making it appear much worse than it really was. I found my date (my husband, who was pleasantly enjoying himself in the wings up until now) and announced I should probably seek medical attention. Or at least an ice pack.

I made a bloody trek to the bar in search of ice. Unfortunately, the little green cocktail napkin they handed it to me in did little in the way of blotting and just sort of stuck to the coagulating blood on my face. Meanwhile, the melting cubes mixed with the blood, turning the stream into a gruesome red torrent more akin to a scene from “The Shining” (you know, the one with the elevator doors.)

At this point, the hemorrhaging showed no signs of abating, and I got panicky. And yes, a little pissed. It’s one thing to get cold-cocked by some stupid frat boy in the mosh pit during the actual act of moshing. But, it’s another thing to be standing there, innocently minding your own appendages, and be taken out. Whatever happened to the good old days when pit casualties were given a helping hand and hoisted back up?

Heck, just buy me a beer and hold my hair while I bleed.

No such luck. As the blood began to pool at my feet, I hastily threw the futile cocktail cubes down and headed for the door before I bled out on the bar-room floor.

(Sorry, bartender and clean-up crew – but what would they tell my kids? I saw your mommy? Alas I digress, that’s a punk song for another day.)

After a restless night of sleep, the bleeding had stopped for the most part by the following morning. The wound had scabbed over nicely, leaving me with a lisp and a lower lip like the Goodyear Blimp, which made it painfully awkward to eat or drink. I tried to look on the bright side. For example, women pay lots of money to get their lips injected to look like mine. And, I’m pretty sure it worked to my advantage in intimidating the other team when I coached hockey that day (it also looked super badass in the team photos a few days later.)

Plus, the irony that I was sucker punched at a show by the Supersuckers was not lost on me. Even better, black lips turn into blue, purple and red lips in a painfully slow process, meaning I got to retell the story over and over again at the grocery store, gym, hockey rink, work, bank, lift line and post office.

“No, I was not actually moshing.”

“No, it’s not a cold sore.”

“No, I don’t think it was on purpose.”

“Yeah, you should see the other guy.”

Finally, I decided to just post it on social media, since the whole world already seemed to know anyway, to clear any misconceptions. Responses ranged from indignant, “That’s the problem with kids these days, no pit etiquette!” to highly sympathetic, “OMG. I can’t stop laughing.”

In fact, the only one who didn’t seem to get the memo was the teen boy, who emerged from his boy cave a few days later and very tactfully asked – as teen boys are wont to do – “Mom! What happened to your face?”

When I explained that I got hit at a concert, his eyes flew open with a mix of confusion, horror and disbelief. After all, I’m sure it was hard for him to fathom that a total stranger would physically harm a peaceful bystander, let alone his dear mother.

“Wait,” he stammered, no doubt trying to process the shameful deed. I braced for the barrage of questions, perhaps before launching into a lecture on the platitudes of pit etiquette and kids these days. But instead, all I got was another sucker punch, one I admittedly stepped right into.

“You went to a concert?” he asked incredulously.

Like I said, kids these days.

This Week’s Sign of the Downfall:

Thumbin’It The epic and heroic efforts of local snowremoval crews, who’ve been working double-time to keep streets and highways clear and passable The welcome and seldom-seen sight of ski tracks on hillsides all over town, ensuring the winter of 2018-19 will be one for the history books and barroom lore for years to come County Commissioners continuing to push the FCC for Denver TV in Durango, despite radio silence from the federal powers that be

4 n Feb. 28, 2019

– Missy Votel

The U.S. Forest Service granting Texas developer Red McComb’s access to his 288 acres atop Wolf Creek Pass, essentially paving the way for a mini city in a fragile, high-alpine ecosystem Growing concerns that this year’s massive snowpack could wreak havoc on the 416 Fire burn area, leading to more devastating flooding and debris flows this spring The San Juan Generating Station, one of the nation’s dirtiest coal plants, coming back from the dead, with a New York firm announcing plans to buy the facility, which was to be shuttered in 2022

telegraph

Keep your hands up. Please.

The world record for the most nudists to ride a rollercoaster at once (102) was set back in 2010. But don’t worry, we’ll have a chance to see that record destroyed during our lifetimes when a record number of nudists (103) ride the Grand National rollercoaster in England this coming Saturday. However, the choice to ride the Grand National is being questioned by some members of the colony because the ride is notoriously bumpy, which wouldn’t be good for the riders, or for the spectators.

WordontheStreet With Fat Tuesday next week, the Telegraph asked, “What would you do for mardi gras beads?”

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“Jump off a roof into the snow.”

Matt Longwell

“Show my chest.”

Miranda MH

“I would build a snowwoman, and flash her boobs.”

Hailee Dover

“I would just go buy some.”

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Feb. 28, 2019 n 5

SoapBox

ReTooned/by Shan Wells

Make it count for all, not just some To the editor, Have you seen the official “Make it Count” donation box in businesses around downtown Durango? At many counters, you’ll find small, slotted, lucite boxes with tiny padlocks & signs that say, “Make it count & show that Durango cares by giving to nonprofits and not to panhandlers.”

The first time I encountered one of these boxes, I was all smiles until I read that there was not only a specific request to support our many nonprofits but also a suggestion regarding who not to support – panhandlers. There was something odd in that final phrasing, marginalizing a group of people, that left me feeling queasy.

I contacted a leader at the Business Improvement District to voice my unhappiness and concern over the wording. Could they strike the part about panhandlers and keep the message positive? We had some respectful back and forth dialogue via email but the result was that the wording was going to stand.

Here’s where I stand. Yes, let’s support our local nonprofits. That’s wonderful. They do great work and in turn support so many people in need. However, singling out a group of people to not help suggests that these collection boxes may not represent an entirely humanitarian effort.

Is the real agenda in circulating these collection boxes around town an effort to “clean up” downtown Durango?

If that’s not the case, why not just collect for our nonprofits, period? Offering generous and thoughtful people that option is enough. And these same people can also make an assessment when encountering an individual as to whether or not this is someone who looks too cold, too hungry or too tired and could use some immediate help. Each of us is free to do so and intelligent enough to make our own decisions in that regard.

Respect, kindness and compassion are deserved by all

6 n Feb. 28, 2019

people. Intolerance, fear and/or hatred are ineffective in resolving issues. I find the singling out of panhandlers, regardless of one’s philosophical position on that activity, to be mean-spirited at the very least, and I am ashamed

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to have citizens of and visitors to Durango confronted by this language at the same time as they are being asked to open their hearts and their wallets for others.

– Lisa Pedolsky, Durango4

The losing end of energy subsidies To the editor, I recently read Rep. Scott Tipton’s response to the Green New Deal, a proposed package to address issues related to climate change. He stated his concern about it, “The federal government should not be in the business of picking energy winners and losers.” I am in agreement.

That is why I am surprised that a closer look at his actions are inconsistent with his words.

Tipton has voted to keep fossil fuel subsidies strong throughout his time as a representative. A report from Oil Change International found that in 2015-16, federal and state governments provided a combined $35 billion in fossil fuel subsidies. Why are fossil fuel subsidies overlooked in the discussion of “picking winners and losers?”

What about picking the extraction polluting economy of today (temporary winners) to the crushing environmental debt we are saddling young Americans with (the losers) – meaning an unhealthy planet where life is less viable. Current federal government policy and subsidies favors fossil fuel energy over all other energy forms. It would be like giving a monetary subsidy to tobacco companies for damaging our health from cigarette manufacturing. Why are we giving money to coal and oil and gas, encouraging them to emit more greenhouse gasses?

In the end Rep. Tipton, aren’t we all losers from increased climate-related extreme weather events, wildfires, drought and heat waves?

– Jo Ann Kopke, Bayfield

Cleaning up the mining industry To the editor, Growing up, I learned quickly to clean up my room.

Or else. It wasn’t always easy. Or pleasant. But I’d made a promise to my parents, and I begrudgingly kept it.

And that is what I expect from others now. If you make a mess, clean it up, and don’t expect others to do it for you.

That is the premise of the bill I sponsored earlier this

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month with Rep. Dylan Roberts, of Avon, designed to protect our precious water quality from adverse mining activity.

Under HB19-1113, any new mine permit must come with a reclamation plan ensuring pristine water and a cleaned-up surrounding environment. The mine owner will no longer be able to self-bond by submitting the paperwork claiming the owner has the financial ability to tidy up after the mine closes. Instead, the owner must put up the money ahead of time.

Several bond instruments are suggested in the bill.

Most operators obtain a corporate surety bond, which is basically an insurance policy where a reputable insurance company promises to make good on the reclamation costs if the operator does not.

Too many mining companies working in Colorado have promised to restore the mine’s environment when the company leaves, but have gone bankrupt, and taxpayers are on the hook for cleanup. That includes, in some cases, paying for a perpetual water treatment plan, forever.

According to reports, owners of the Summitville Mine, Galactic Resources, declared bankruptcy in 1992 after years of polluting the Alamosa River. More than $150 million was spent to clean the site; the company paid a settlement of $30 million, and treatment costs continue to rise. The EPA, through a Superfund declaration, has paid most of the costs, but in 2022, Colorado taxpayers will start paying $2.2 million per year for water treatment.

That should never happen again.

Mining is important to Southwest Colorado, so we did not want to run a bill putting the industry out of business.

Our water is just as important, so the bill makes sure both can happen: a thriving mining industry and clean water.

This bill would not have stopped what happened at the Gold King Mine. Though the water we saw in the Animas River was an unforgettable shade of yellow, the incident showed what is often inside the abandoned mines.

This bill only affects new permits.

The Ouray Silver Mine has been working on the issue of mining and its relationship with clean water and has been

forward-thinking enough to operate in a manner that is both profitable for them and good for the environment.

Rep. Roberts and I ran this bill last year, but it was blocked in the Senate. We listened to our opponents, and we made some changes. The most important change we made was to make the end date more flexible. Mine owners said it was just too difficult to predict exactly how long it would take to restore the clean water and environment. The date now must be “reasonably foreseeable.”

We also added in more clarification about Good Samaritan participation. If a group wants to re-mine a polluting site while it does a bigger cleanup of a historic mine, then a Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) permit is required. This bill would not change the situation or prevent the cleanup from happening.

With these provisions added, the DRMS did not oppose the bill. We have strong support from Western Slope counties and cities, environmental groups, water districts, water providers and many business and community groups. It passed with strong bipartisan support through the House and is now on its way to the Senate.

Colorado can do it both. We can support the mining industry in Colorado, and we can have clean water. When we encourage our mine owners to clean up after themselves, we all win.

– Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango

“We’ll print damned-near anything” The Telegraph prides itself on a liberal letters policy. We offer this forum to the public to settle differences, air opinions & undertake healthy discourse. We have only three requests: limit letters to 750 words, letters must be signed by the writer; and thank-you lists and libelous, personal attacks are unwelcome. Send your insights by Tuesday at noon to: PO Box 332, Durango, 81302 or e-mail your profundities to: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com. Let the games begin ...

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Feb. 28, 2019 n 7

TopStory

Monique DiGiorgio, left, owner of Table to Farm Compost, and Evan Walters, operations manager for Table to Farm, pose on one of their trucks this week. Table to Farm recently started working with School District 9-R to start a lunchroom composting program at Riverview Elementary. In one year, they saved nearly 1 ton from the landfill. Plans call to expand the program next year. /Photo by Stephen Eginoire

Playin’ in the dirt Composting company, 9-R team up to put lunchroom waste back into the soil

by Tracy Chamberlin

I

t started as a small idea to reduce waste. A couple years ago, Sarah Douglas and another Riverview Elementary parent, Lisa Mastny, realized just how much waste was created during one elementary school party.

The paper plates, plastic silverware and napkins would fill up the trash can fast – and all of it was going straight to the landfill.

So, with the help of Alpine Bank of Durango, the two found a way to outfit the class with reusable dishware.

From there, they were able to get reusable dishware to other classrooms, teachers and school staff.

The quest to tackle the trash moved to the lunchroom during the 2017-18 school year. Douglas and Mastny

Want more dirt?

Find out more about the effort to raise funds for expanding the composting and education campaign at Durango 9-R School District, visit the Go Fund Me Campaign website at: www.gofundme.com/compost To find out more about composting and the curbside services available, visit the Table to Farm Compost website at: www.tabletofarmcompost.com didn’t have the resources to start a composting program, but they were able to work with local farmers to use some of the food scraps as feed for pigs and chickens.

Douglas said that year the students and staff at Riverview kept 96 gallons of lunch waste and 160 gallons

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of food-prep waste – for a total of 256 gallons, or nearly 1 ton – out of the trash can. That’s in addition to the 1,600 unopened milk cartons they donated to Manna Soup Kitchen and the 2,500 markers they recycled.

This year, the small idea to reduce waste has grown even bigger. Durango 9-R School District has teamed up with Monique DiGiorgio, who owns Table to Farm Compost, a curbside composting service.

Together, they started a composting program at Riverview last October – which means the school can collect even more organic waste than they could when it was used as feed – and plan to implement it in all the area’s schools.

“My hope is that it would become a district-wide program,” Ron Reed, supervisor of facilities for Durango 9-R, said. “I think environmental sustainability is important 4

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8 n Feb. 28, 2019

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for everybody. We’ve got to start getting the younger generation involved.”

In an effort to expand the composting program, DiGiorgio started a Go Fund Me Campaign with the goal of raising $8,000.

DiGiorgio said they had to reach out via Go Fund Me because Table to Farm isn’t a nonprofit – at least not yet. She hopes to create a nonprofit branch of her composting venture later this year, so donations to the school program could be tax deductible.

The business would still run as it does today, servicing residential homes across the area.

If the Go Fund Me campaign can make its goal, the school district would be able to help cover the cost of pick up and expand the composting program to other schools – starting with Park Elementary and Escalante Middle School this spring. It would also allow the Table to Farm team to engage with the students, going into the classroom for educational events and taking the students on field trips to Savannah Tree Farm, where all the composting happens.

DiGiorgio and Evan Walters, the operations manager for Table to Farm, said the idea is to allow the students to see the entire process – from scraps to pickup to soil and back to the garden.

“I think it’s important to normalize composting,” DiGiorgio added. “Organic material is not a waste, it’s a resource.”

Keeping the organic waste out of the landfill does more than just limit the need for bigger landfills, it also means less methane.

Organic materials, like food waste and

Going big: Partnership seeks to increase regional composting

About 25 percent of the waste this region sends to the landfill each year is recoverable organic waste, like food scraps and yard clippings

Last year, students and staff at Riverview Elementary

diverted 256 gallons of organic waste from the landfill

This year, hundreds of gallons will, again, be diverted and

transformed into nutrient-rich soil for local gardens

Monique DiGiorgio, owner of Table to Farm Compost, hopes to overcome the challenges inherent in large-scale composting operations with help from the Colorado NextCycle program, a part of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Her idea is to create San Juan Organics, “a public-private partnership of waste-recovery businesses and economic development institutions,” according to her application for the program. As one of nine teams selected this year, she’ll receive assistance refining her business model, have access to grant opportunities and more.

The partnership would include Table to Farm, Fort Lewis College, Durango Compost Company, SCAPE, the Good Food Collective, Savannah Tree Farms, the City of Durango, and Phoenix Recycling.

– TracyChamberlin

Sources: Sarah Douglas and 2015 Southwest Colorado Waste Study

yard clippings, release methane when they decompose. Methane is 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, according to Table to Farm’s website.

“Most people don’t know about the amount of methane leaking out,” DiGiorgio explained.

The Southwest corner of Colorado adds 91,000 tons of trash to landfills every year,

according to a 2015 Southwest Colorado Waste Study. About 25 percent of that is considered recoverable organic waste that could have been reused – maybe to feed livestock, or transformed into a nutrientrich compost for gardens and farms.

Walters said some weeks at Riverview, he’ll pick up four 5-gallon buckets of organic material for composting. With

about 25 weeks of school since the program began in October, it is possible Table to Farm could help keep hundreds of gallons of organic waste out of the landfill.

And, that’s just for one school.

“We could transform the way we view organic materials,” DiGiorgio said. “(Composting) would just be part of the school system. That’s what this project is … the jump off to get this started.” n

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Feb. 28, 2019 n

9

Quick’n’Dirty

City may drop ADU lot size req’s

The City of Durango is considering tweaks to its accessory dwelling unit rules. A meeting to gather public input on adjusting some aspects of the ordinance will take place Mon., March 4, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Durango Public Library.

The City launched its ADU program four and a half years ago after an extensive planning process. Among other things, the ordinance established minimum lot size standards for ADUs. Is also grandfathered in nearly 250 existing ADUs that were, until then, considered noncompliant.

However, since the rules went into place in 2014, only 24 new ADUs have been built, leading some to believe the lot size standards are too restrictive. Earlier this year, city councilors asked planning staff to explore doing away with the lot size requirements.

“If you create a housing opportunity in the community and then the rules associated are so restrictive that nobody can build one, you haven’t really accomplished anything,” Councilor Chris Bettin said at a Council meeting in January.

The minimum lot sizes apply to East Animas City and historic downtown, known as Established Neighborhoods I, II and III. Downtown residences on the grid north of College Drive must have a 5,000-square-foot lot to build an ADU. In East Animas City, lots must be at 7,500 square feet to allow an ADU. The southside is one exception, with no minimum lot size requirement.

All interested citizens are invited to attend the meeting to discuss the potential changes. The ADU program is just one strategy in the City’s recently-adopted Housing Plan. The goals of the Housing Plan are to: increase affordable housing options for all residents; create market-friendly policies and regulatory changes; make 1,000 long-term affordable housing units by 2040; prioritize density and infill; establish a permanent housing trust; and establish a land banking program.

MakingTracks: Local skier Leland Kohere didnt’ have to travel far to get in some powder turns last Saturday morning as he gets after it in a rare Bodo Park run. Nearly unprecedented snowfall in Durango has turned typically dry or scraggly hillsides into an enterprising skiers’ paradise./Photo by Forrest Kohere

– Missy Votel

10 n Feb. 28, 2019

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MountainTownNews Is Ikon ruining local skiers’ experience?

ASPEN – As a business product, the Ikon Pass seems to be working. Too much so?

That’s the sentiment of at least some local skiers at the 28 participating resorts in North America. Locals complain of crowded roads, parking lots, and lift lines. That’s not all, there are also complaints about skiers on the slopes who just aren’t that good.

The Aspen Daily News suggests unprecedented lift lines – at least in recent times – at Aspen and Snowmass.

“We’re on our way to becoming more like Vail,” Ian Long, the owner of a local construction company, said.

Just how many Ikon passes are being used? Jeff Hanle, spokesman for the Aspen Skiing Co., declines to answer. “We’re a privately held company, and we don’t want to tell our competitors what we’re doing or how we’re doing it,” he told Mountain Town News.

Hanle said the Aspen Daily News story – and the perception of some locals – is fundamentally wrong. Aspen’s ski areas are definitely busier than they have been, but for a variety of reasons, he said. One is the good snow, bringing on demand suppressed by last year’s drought.

The Ikon Pass has produced new visitors, he said, but many pass holders had previously purchased other pass products, including the Mountain Collective. The Ikon Pass offers two versions, either five or seven days at Aspen, Snowmass and the other two local ski areas.

As for lift lines? Hanle said other than early morning lines, he saw none Saturday.

At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Ikoneers, the new word to describe pass holders, account for 14 percent of skier days so far this season, reports the Jackson Hole News&Guide.

“I haven’t seen it this busy in 30-plus years of skiing this mountain,” Nick Londy told the newspaper. “There’s no doubt the Ikon Pass is part of that.”

But as with Aspen, these are not necessarily all new skiers, but rather return customers with a new product.

Jackson Hole has set many records in recent years, and this year looks to have yet another all-time high of nearly 700,000 skier days.

Based on current trends for the season, 100,000 will have used the Ikon Pass, while almost 300,000 will come from locals.

The News&Guide points out that the pass, at least to anyone able to afford extended trips to far-flung ski mountains, “is a bargain hunter’s fantasy.” Purchased early, the pass costs $900 and provided unlimited skiing at 14 resorts and up to 7 days at each of the other 14, including both Jackson Hole and Aspen, but also three resorts outside of North America.

Among those getting their money’s worth is Bobby Johnston, of Oakland, Calif. He and his girlfriend were skiing at Jackson Hole after previous stops at Squaw Valley and Utah’s Solitude, Snowbird and Deer Valley. All are Ikon resorts.

After Jackson Hole, they planned to head north: Montana’s Big Sky, the three ski areas near Banff in Alberta, and Revelstoke in British Columbia.

“Jackson is definitely one of the big reasons why we went for it,” he said. “I think seeing that name kind of sealed the deal.”

One idea with some buzz is whether the premier resorts like Aspen and Jackson Hole should start offering a premier pass-plus.

Such a pass would give buyers a full-season pass at the local area or areas but also provide some of the benefits of the Ikon Pass.

The Ikon Pass was launched by the Alterra Mountain Co., which was formed by KSL Capital Partners and the Crown family. The Crown family also owns Aspen Skiing Co., while the key executives of KSL Capital Partners mostly worked for Vail or its predecessor at one time. The Ikon Pass competes head to head with the Vail’s Epic Pass.

A-Basin leaves Vail nest to go it alone DILLON – Twenty-two years ago, when Vail Associates reinvented itself as Vail Resorts and set out to dominate the ski world, its first expansion was from Vail into Summit County. In one fell swoop, Vail and Beaver Creek became joined at the hip with erstwhile competitors Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.

Competitors in Colorado cried foul! The U.S. Justice Department agreed, ruling that in getting three of the four resorts in Summit County, Vail had violated anti-trust regulation. Vail would have to

spin off one of the three resorts. It chose Arapahoe Basin, which was sold to Dundee Realty, a firm based at Beaver Creek.

Competitors were not amused when Vail, as it began crafting the pass program that eventually became the Epic Pass, began selling season passes that included Arapahoe Basin.

At the time, A-Basin was a very different place, little changed since its opening in 1946. No snowmaking, basic food stuff, and adequate lift infrastructure but not a quick-sprint up the mountain.

So much has changed: Snowmaking came first, then came terrain expansion, plus new lifts and high-end food service to match the terrain that reaches 13,000 feet. Altogether, $40 million has been invested in the last 15 years.

A-Basin has been altogether so successful that it is now breaking up with Vail Resorts. The Epic Pass will not include A-Basin next winter. “’We think we’re ready to go this on our own and handle this in a different way than we have the last 22 years,” chief executive Alan Henceroth told the Summit Daily News.

Precipitating the split, he said, was the traffic congestion along Highway 6. There’s just no room to park, nor is there room in the vicinity for another parking lot.

A-Basin now is evaluating its options. The Summit Daily notes many people would like to see the Ikon Pass, although that presents some obvious questions about whether that would mirror the current problem.

Vail Resorts quickly responded by announcing a new pass called Keystone Plus that seems to provide a direct competition to whatever pass A-Basin ends up with. The new pass would be good for Keystone, located just 5 miles from A-Basin, late-spring skiing at Breckenridge, and five days at Crested Butte (except for holidays).

Such a pass would seem to appeal to bargain-hunting skiers from Colorado’s Front Range.

Breckenridge, meanwhile, has set out to compete in the late-season skiing market. It plans to remain open until Memorial Day this year and in years to come.

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Record snowfall in Jackson, flakes in LA JACKSON, Wyo. – What a lot of weird, wonderful, wacky winter weather. Most of all, it’s been snowy across much of the American West.

In Wyoming, Jackson set a February snowfall record with days to spare. The town had 43.3 inches of snowfall for the month as of Sunday. At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, a record 171 inches of snow had fallen this month at Rendezvous Bowl as of Tuesday, with a season total so far of 434 inches.

In California, February snowfall records were also being challenged in the southern Sierra, noted Daniel Swain on his California Weather Blog.

More noteworthy was the snow falling at low elevations. Redding, located 500 feet above sea level in the central valley north of Sacramento, got nearly a foot of snow. Los Angeles got some flakes, and the coastal hills above San Diego even got significant accumulations.

Swain attributed these abnormalities to weather patterns in Alaska and the Arctic. Still, he added, temperatures across much of California since October have been substantially warmer than the long-term average.

Where do real estate buyers come from?

VAIL – A land-title company recently reported that only 1 to 2 percent of buyers of real estate in Eagle County, where Vail and Beaver Creek are located, are from outside the United States.

Too low, say several real estate agents who deal with high-end properties. Double that, they say.

Ron Byrne, who deals with high-end real estate, told the Vail Daily that federal rules governing real estate purchases often cause buyers to work through attorneys in the United States. Others have come from U.S.-based limited liability companies. They do it this way, both for legal purposes but also to protect their privacy.

Local residents were the No.1 purchasers of real estate in the county during 2018, followed by other Colorado residents. Among those from other states, Texas led the list, followed by Florida, California and Illinois.

– Allen Best

telegraph

Feb. 28, 2019 n 11

12

dayinthelife n Feb. 28, 2019

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by Stephen Eginoire

Na-Zin Wilderness desert lovers from nooks and crana veritable timeother once-living

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wonders exist, quite literally, in delicate balance with some of the most unusual erosional features found anywhere on the Colorado Plateau. During winter, the elements of snow and ice certainly add to the remote feel of this special place.

Here’s a look:

Feb. 28, 2019 n 13

thesecondsection Sara Illsley, above, will perform a concert March 2 at the Durango Arts Center. A native of Mexico, she enjoyed a decade-long recording career there before moving to Durango 17 years ago. Illsley returned to the stage last November and will be playing for only the second time to local audiences. The show is a benefit for the Colorado Rapid Response Network, which provides services to immigrants./Photo by Stephen Eginoire

Singing a new song Sara Illsley & Friends deliver Latin jazz for a cause at the DAC

by Zach Hively

W

hile Southwest Colorado is still digging itself out from the snow of a lifetime, singer Sara Illsley is bringing some Latin American warmth to thaw our bones and our hearts. She’s playing with her full band, Sara Illsley and Friends, this Sat., March 2, at the Durango Arts Center. Fifty percent of proceeds benefit the Colorado Rapid Response Network, a nonprofit immigrant service provider and advocacy group.

Illsley, a Durango resident, is a native of Mexico, and she performs in Spanish and Portuguese. Yet the band’s sound, while familiar, is anything but traditional.

“This is my music,” said Illsley. “This is the music that I grew up with. This is the way I can express love and fear.”

Since most of the audience may not be fluent in Spanish, she urges them to listen with their hearts as well as their ears. “Don’t try to understand if I said ‘casa’ or ‘mijo’ or ‘perro,’” she said. “Open your heart and hear what’s going on.”

The band’s members – Elle Rio on bass, Ryan McCurry on piano, Ted Moore on drums, and Clay Lowder on percussion – are not, strictly speaking, Latin musicians. But they are classically trained, and they are well versed in jazz. Their versatility in playing

14 n Feb. 28, 2019

JusttheFacts What: Sara Illsley & Friends When: 7 p.m., Sat., March 2 Where: Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. Tickets: $25 on www.brownpapertickets.com (search Sara Illsley and Friends) and at the door. Fifty percent of proceeds benefit the Colorado Rapid Response Network to help immigrants. with other textures and experiences, all without the standard, expected Latin guitar, opened new doors for Illsley’s vocals.

That Latin jazz sound is new to her, and she’s loving it. She previously enjoyed a decade-long recording and performance career in Mexico, where she performed with much more traditional Latin musicians. Then, 17 years ago, she relocated from Mexico to Durango to help her sister with her now-closed but still fondly remembered restaurant, Cocina Linda. That move effectively closed the book on her performance life.

Until now. Illsley held her first-ever Durango concert – and her first concert in nearly two decades – last November with her current band. Now, she’s back in business.

telegraph

“I got back on stage, and I can’t push it away,” she said. “It’s like seeing your ex-lover, and then you realize that you still love him. That adrenaline, that passion that I feel for singing and being able to share so much of who I am, and of course in this case with the musicians doing the same, I can’t just bypass it.”

Illsley has established a good life in Durango. She owns her own travel business, arranging tours to Cuba and other Latin American destinations. She has a family here, and dogs and cats and friends. But almost no one in Durango knew about her vocal prowess. Even her closest friends heard about it only in the abstract.

“Well, you gotta keep some tricks under your sleeves, you know?” she said, laughing. “Seventeen years ago, nobody knew who I was, and you have to kind of let people know slowly what you do and who you are.”

She began singing as a child, when family members asked her to sing at parties and get-togethers. After the birth of her daughter, she sang children’s music professionally for a few years, then trained as an opera singer for two and a half years. While she performed concerts for grownups on occasion, she continued to make her way by singing for kids.

“It’s a different challenge, to sing for children, because it’s a very honest audience,” she said. “You’re boring, and they’ll start screaming or running around 4

the theater. It was really good training in something that I loved doing.”

It’s also something she never stopped doing, even if Durango never realized it. During her performance hiatus, Illsley was hired multiple times for vocal projects in Mexico.

And she’s done so with notable success – one such project, a DVD on which she sings the songs of Cri Cri (Latin America’s most famous children’s singer, rather like Raffi in the United States), has sold more than half a million copies.

Because of releases like this, Illsley is approaching celebrity status in Mexico. But when she comes home to Durango, practically no one knows what she has accomplished.

That’s part of why stepping into the performance realm north of the border is a growth experience for her.

Going on stage shows who she really is, she says, as much as taking off her clothes and running naked around Walmart (which she claimed she has not actually done – yet). But it also allows her to speak herself with honesty, which is why she still sings primarily in Spanish.

“Of course it had to be Spanish because that is the way that I feel,” she said. “For me, English is a tool, but it’s not an emotional part of who I am. I didn’t grow up completely expressing my emotions in English.”

Illsley also makes a statement by singing en Español, even if that’s not her intent. She doesn’t need her resurgent vocal career to put food on the table, so she decided that every one of her concerts should benefit a social justice or human rights cause she believes in. She’s an immigrant herself, as is her daughter, so this upcoming show at the DAC will support the Colorado Rapid Response Network.

“In some ways, I am lucky enough that I can speak up,” she said. “But there’s many people who cannot. They have to hide because they’re in fear.”

The Denver-based volunteer organization provides verified information, legal guidance and advocacy to people facing deportation or concerned about the possibility. The nonpartisan also reports when there are immigration raids or other immediate concerns for immigrant populations.

Representatives from the organization will be at the concert to share more about their mission. Furthermore, they will be conducting a volunteer training on Fri., March 1.

People interested in learning how they can volunteer and contribute should reach out to the organization through Facebook.

“I’m happy that I’m able to speak for the ones that can’t,” Illsley said.

For many years, Illsley sang for survival.

Now, she’s taken the pressure off by doing it – Singer Sara Illsley for love – love of singing, and love of the causes she wants to support. This newfound approach is about to take her around the country. She is in talks to perform in Chicago and San Antonio later this year, and is looking into concerts in other locations with strong Latin populations.

In other words, Durango audiences better not hope to catch her next time. This will likely be her only local performance this year. Wherever and whenever she performs, though, the music for Illsley is all about connecting.

“It is about building bridges with people to communicate and to connect,” she said. “That’s where I find the beauty and the nourishment to do it with more passion, with more love, with more commitment.”n

“I am lucky enough that I can speak up. But there are many people who cannot. They have to hide because they’re in fear.”

Sara Illsley performs with her band last November in Durango after a 17-year hiatus from public performances./Courtesy photo

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Feb. 28, 2019 n 15

FlashinthePan

A tale of two chile sauces

by Ari LeVaux

S

anta Marta, Colombia. In a plaza near the center of town, I bought some empanadas from a small stand.

The couple selling them were neatly dressed and well groomed, looking more like college kids than refugees from Venezuela, Colombia’s troubled neighbor to the east. The refugees blended in seamlessly with the strolling romancers, lounging elders and Spandex-clad exercisers. I assumed they were locals until I saw the green sauce they served alongside their empanadas.

That sauce, called guasacaca, is a part of the Venezuelan identity that they could not leave behind. And the Colombians surely feel the same thing about their red counterpart, aji picante.

Where there are chile peppers, there is chile sauce. And where there is chile sauce, there is a choice between green and red. Red chile are fully ripened and pack a distinct sweetness along with their heat. Green chile are picked before they ripen, and have a slightly bitter, pungent and more complex flavor.

In New Mexico, where chile lords over the local cuisine, no restaurant order is complete without a response to the official state question: “red or green?” In the northern part of South America, the red vs. green divide follows the boundary between Colombia and Venezuela. Colombians take their chile via the sharp red sauce called aji picante, while Venezuelans, including the refugees in that plaza in Santa Marta, prefer the smooth green chile sauce known as guasacaca.

Where these sauces are consumed, there are as many versions of aji picante and guasacaca as there are

kitchens. In both countries, their respective sauces are applied to savory substrates like beans, meat, plantains, empanadas and even salad. Aji picante contains red chile, and sometimes tomatoes, with cilantro and onion tops being the only green components. In the case of the relatively mild guasacaca, which is sometimes called Venezuelan guacamole, the green color comes from bell peppers, avocado, cilantro and parsley.

The Venezuelan refugees in the Santa Marta plaza, two of about 3 million who’d been welcomed by the Colombian government, served their empanadas with a guasacaca thin enough to be squirted from a squeeze bottle. Instead of avocado, their version was thickened with powdered milk and a shot of mayo – a guasacaca recipe for a tight budget, lean as these entrepreneurial Venezuelans, but strong enough to get the job done.

It added a dose of earthy green plant flavor and creaminess to nicely balance the meat filled pastry.

After discovering guasacaca, I kept my blender busy as I experimented with various formulations of this glorious green condiment. I put it on boiled yucca, pollo asado, fried fish, even leftover ceviche. But I was, after all, in Colombia, and I eventually embraced the fiery red chile sauce of my adopted place.

Here, each restaurant brings a new version of aji picante to be studied, followed by an attempt to recreate it in my kitchen. Unlike guasacaca, aji picante doubles as a marinade, adding spectacular flavor to the local beef, while softening its chewy texture. The large eggs from the red chickens behind my casita, scrambled with soft chunks of local cheese, seem to have been created just for aji picante. To have a batch of aji picante on hand is all the reason one needs to cook anything. This

morning, I turned the tables and put my scrambled eggs into a bowl of aji picante and used them to mop it up.

Although I’m currently smitten by aji picante, the color (and texture and flavor) of one’s chile sauce is a personal thing. So I’ll pass along recipes for both national sauces, assembled from what I’ve learned on my travels.

One could do worse than to set a bowl of each upon the same table. In fact, given the current situation along the border between these red and green nations, and the generosity of the Colombians, there are surely many tables in Colombia set with both sauces.

The proportions are highly subjective, and dependent on your personal taste, but here is a framework to get you started.

Aji Picante ½ cup water ½ cup white vinegar (cider vinegar works too) 1 habanero or other hot red chile, in quantity that gives you heat you can handle and enjoy (I need to make it hot enough that my wife won’t drink it all) 3 green onions, chopped 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 Tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup cilantro leaf ½ cup chopped red bell pepper Optional: ½ cup chopped, seeded tomatoes Add water, vinegar, chile, oil, lime juice, salt and white parts of the onion to a blender and liquefy. Add cilantro, red bell pepper, tomatoes and onion tops. Pulse a few times to blend these final ingredients as finely as you like.

Serve immediately or let sit overnight to develop the flavor. Season with vinegar.

Guasacaca 1 avocado 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic teeth, as they call cloves in these parts 1 green bell pepper 1 bunch cilantro leaves 1 bunch parsley leaves 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 Tablespoon white or cider vinegar ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper Add the avocado, onion, garlic, bell pepper, cilantro and parsley to a food processor, and blend. When smooth, keep blending and drizzle in the oil and then the vinegar, then add the salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasonings as you wish. Serve in a bowl alongside whatever else is on the menu. n

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16 n Feb. 28, 2019

telegraph

TopShelf

Local talent, son of Marley & the Cape Breton sound

by Chris Aaland

lowing the performance, a special meet & greet will be held, with proceeds benefitting the Ghetto Youths Foundation. hese are great times for local music. In recent weeks, new Award-winning Cape Breton fiddlers Natalie MacMaster & records by Afrobeatniks and StillHouse Junkies have Donnell Leahy return to the Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. dropped, and they’re not just keepsakes for friends and This time around, they’ve updated their “Visions from Cape Brefamily members. These are the types of albums that any DJ anyton and Beyond” show. The couple married in 2002 and have where in the world would be proud to spin. Decades ago, bands captivated audiences ever since. MacMaster is a true visionary in honed their talents in such venues as Fahrquarts, the Abbey Thethe Celtic world, having released 14 albums since breaking out atre and the San Juan Room (now known as The Derailed Pour on the international scene in 1989. The two most recent – “One” House, the Animas City Theand a holiday record – were reatre and the Wild Horse Saleased with Leahy. While Cape loon, respectively). On the Breton fiddling falls underbluegrass front, Heart & Soul neath the general Celtic umand the Marmot Mudflaps brella, it’s actually rooted in the gave way to the Badly Bent music brought across the Atand, later, the Broke Mounlantic by Scottish immigrants tain Bluegrass Band. Kirk during the Highland ClearJames was – and remains – a ances. Most of these immipioneer in both acoustic and grants were from electric blues. Today, we get Gaelic-speaking regions in the Liver Down the River, Six DolScottish Highlands and Outer lar String Band, Farmington Hebrides. In recent decades, it’s Hill and, of course, Lawn been influenced by a variety of Chair Kings to lead the pack genres, including folk, rock, in their respective genres of classical, chamber and a host of jam, old-time, alternative world music. MacMaster has country and suburban rock. been at the forefront.

We’re in the final few days Speaking of Celtic music, of the kickstarter campaign for we’re a week away from the a new Lawn Chair Kings Durango Celtic Festival, album. It closes at 11:59 p.m. which takes place from March Stephen Marley brings acoustic reggae to the Concert Hall at 7-10 at the Henry Strater TheSunday. The project is called “Before It All: Sonic Tales From 7:30 p.m., Tues., March 5. atre and Irish Embassy. This the Galaxy, With Banjo.” The core quartet of Erik Nordstrom (voyear’s lineup is spearheaded by The Jeremiahs, Supertrad, Patsy cals, guitar), Dan Leek (vocals, bass), Patrick Dressen (vocals, drums, O’Brien and Dave Curley. mandolin) and Hap Purcell (banjo, guitar) returns. Through the The 14th annual Durango Independent Film Festival years, they’ve played countless local and regional bar gigs, and have takes place through Sunday at a variety of venues. The festival inreleased four albums and an EP, all recorded in The Nord’s spooky cludes an adventure program, documentaries, features, family basement. “We’ve never felt that we were able to keep up with our program, Native cinema, REEL learning and shorts, in addition to original music in recorded fashion,” said Nordstrom. “While these parties, events, panel discussions and more. Visit durangofilm.org basement recordings have had the advantage of being relatively infor passes, schedule, film descriptions and more. expensive, they’ve had the disadvantages of being time intensive Immigration politics are divisive and bitter, but local musician and making do with purchases and borrowed equipment in tight Sara Illsley counters them with a voice that offers sweet conspaces.” The new, 14-song collection will be recorded at Scooter’s nection. Born and raised in Mexico, Illsley assembled a crack Place by local producer Scott Smith. Pledge levels start at $10 and local band to accompany her: Elle Rio (bass), Ryan McCurry continue up to $2,000, with a variety of perks including digital (piano), Ted Moore (drums) and Clay Lowder (percussion). Illsley downloads, signed CDs, stickers, T-shirts, trucker caps, music lessings and entertains in English, Spanish and Portuguese. They’ll sons and house concerts. Just go to kickstarter.com and search for perform a benefit for the Colorado Rapid Response Network at Lawn Chair Kings. LCK also plays at 7 p.m. Friday at the WildEdge the Durango Arts Center from 7-9 p.m. Saturday. CORNN offers a Brewing Collective in Cortez. variety of services to Colorado’s immigrant communities. She Get up, stand up! Stephen Marley brings his acoustic tour to previously performed an acclaimed, sold-out show Nov. 14 at the the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Marley is part Red Scarf Studio Listening Room. of reggae’s first family as the son of Bob and Rita Marley, but he’s The calendar rolls to March this week, which means another also blazed his own path. During his career, Marley has won eight Firkin Friday at Steamworks. Once again, the boys will reprise Grammy Awards, including three Best Reggae Albums and Best their popular Irish Car Bomb firkin, “simul-casking” at both Alternative Hip-Hop Performance, the latter a first for a Jamaican the main brewpub as well as Purgy’s. “We’re to the point we can’t artist. A child prodigy, he was just 6 years old when he joined his consider anything else for the March firkin due to its popularity,” siblings in the Melody Makers, singing, dancing and playing persaid head brewer Ken Martin, referencing the original recipe crecussion. As a teen-ager, he assisted with the production of the ated in 2011 with a nod toward St. Patrick’s Day. “It’s our only Melody Makers’ three records that won Grammys – “Conscious regularly occurring firkin. We haven’t changed the recipe, and Party,” “One Bright Day” and “Fallen Is Babylon.” In 1993, everyone looks forward to it this time of year.” The Irish Car Stephen and Ziggy Marley founded Ghetto Youths International Bomb is based on Steamworks’ award-winning Backside Stout, as a means to control their own music and assist upcoming which features complex malt and oat flavor. The second fermenartists. Their first project was “Chant Down Babylon,” which matation in the firkin includes oak spirals soaked in Jameson Irish nipulated his father’s original vocal outtakes with the Wailers, Whiskey, plus Irish crème syrup and milk sugar. It’s very smooth, spliced them into duets with hip-hop and R&B artists, while upgoes down easy and folks don’t see it coming. dating the Wailers’ music with samples, loops and overdubs. FolLet the moon come shining in? Email me: chrisa@gobrainstorm.net. n

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Feb. 28, 2019 n 17

onthetown

Thursday28

Pub Trivia, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. www.powsci.org.

14th annual Durango Independent Film Festival, through March 3, screenings around Durango. 375-7779 or www.durangofilm.org.

“The Hidden Power of Living Soil,” part of the Life Long Learning Lecture Series, 7 p.m., Noble Hall at Fort Lewis College, Room 130.

Here to Hear: Office Hour with Councilor Dick White, 9-10 a.m., downstairs at Irish Embassy, 900 Main. ​Baby Meetup with Durango Café au Play, 9:30-11:30 a.m., 2307 Columbine. durangocafeauplay.org.

Baby Meetup, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Columbine House at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 419 San Juan Dr. Animas River Community Forum, discussion on preparing for spring runoff in the 416 Fire burn area and more, 10 a.m.-noon, Animas Valley Grange.

Bonita Peak Mining District Community Advisory Group meets, 3-6 p.m., Durango Rec Center. www.bonitapeakcap.org.

Submit “On the Town” items by Monday at noon to: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Meet the Filmmakers Party, part of the Durango Independent Film Festival, 5-8 p.m., Irish Embassy Pub, 900 Main Ave. www.durangofilm.org.

Open Mic & Stand-Up, 8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave.

Tim Sullivan performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Karaoke, 8 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Thee Fearless Peasants perform, 5:30 p.m., Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave.

Plursday featuring live music, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Open Mic 5:30-8 p.m., sign up 3-5 p.m.; Smiley Cafe, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Sign up at 335-8929.

Friday01

Live music, 6-9 p.m., DJ Hakan, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Durango Early Bird Toastmasters, 7-8:30 a.m., LPEA, 45 Stewart St. 769-7615.

“Doc Swords,” PTSD Social Club for Veterans, 4-6 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave.

Coffee Talk with Filmmakers from “The Great Alaskan Race,” part of the Durango Independent Film Festival, 8:30 a.m., R Space, 734 E. 2nd Ave. www.duran gofilm.org.

58th annual Student Juried Exhibition, opening reception, 4:30-6 p.m., exhibit runs thru March 26, Art Gallery at Fort Lewis College. 247-7167.

Free yoga, 8:30-9:30 a.m., Lively Boutique, 809 Main .

Durango Green Drinks, hosted by San Juan Mountains Association and Trails 2000, 5-6:45 p.m., Carver Brewing Co., 1022 Main Ave.

Free education to those with prediabetes, 9-11 a.m., Medical Office Building at Mercy Regional Medical, Three Springs. Register at 764-3415.

The Black Velvet Duo performs, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Tim Sullivan performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Durango Neighborhoods’ City Council Candidate Q&A, meet and greet with potluck, 5:30 p.m., Q&A to follow, First Presbyterian Church, 12 Street and E. 3rd Avenue. karenanesi@gmail.com.

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Lawn Chair Kings perform, 7-10 p.m., WildEdge Brewing Collective, Cortez.

Saturday02

Spanish Speaking Parents & Littles Fridays, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Durango Café au Play, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.,

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Four women in sanctuary in Colorado, film presented by Women of Resolution, 7-9 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 419 San Juan Dr.

Office Hours with La Plata County Commissioner Julie Westendorff, 10-11:30 a.m., Ignacio Community Library. 382-6219.

STEAM Lab: LEGO Club, for ages 5-12, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Durango Public Library.

The 416 Fire and Its Effects on Water and Forest with Mountain Studies Institute and San Juan National Forest, 6:30 p.m., Animas Valley Grange Hall, 7271 CR 203. 385-5298.

“The Martian Chronicles: A Three Episode Live Radio Series,” opening night, 7 p.m., show also runs March 2-3, Sunflower Theatre in Cortez. www.sunflow ertheatre.org.

Blue Lotus Feet Kirtan, 7:30-9:30 p.m., YogaDurango, Florida Road.

Pop Up Winter Art Sale, featuring jewelry, textiles, live music and more, 3-7 p.m., Handcrafted House, 1323 E. 2nd Ave.

Breastfeeding Workshop, 6-8 p.m., Kids Rock, 563 Main Ave.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” opening night, presented by DHS Troupe 1096, 7 p.m., Durango High School theatre. Also runs 7 p.m. March 2, 7-9, and 2 p.m.

March 2 & 9. Tickets: www.troupe1096.weebly.com.

Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

Firkin Fridays featuring “Irish Car Bomb” on tap, 3 p.m., Steamworks, 801 E. 2nd Ave., and Purgy’s at Purgatory Resort.

Sitting Meditation, 5:30-6:15 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave.

Chocolate & Wine Tasting, benefit for the Women’s Resource Center, 5 p.m., Animas Chocolate Co., 920 Main Ave.

KDUR’s 18th annual Furniture as Art Auction, 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

14th annual Durango Independent Film Festival, through March 3, screenings around Durango. 375-7779 or www.durangofilm.org.

Native Cinema Reception, part of the Durango Independent Film Festival, 4-5:30 p.m., Sorrel Sky Gallery, 828 Main Ave. www.durangofilm.org.

Room 201. durangocafeauplay.org.

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telegraph

14th annual Durango Independent Film Festival, through March 3, screenings around Durango. 375-7779 or www.durangofilm.org.

Uncle Clyde’s Run & Slide, tubing hill relay race, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Tubing Hill at Purgatory Resort. www.purgatoryresort.com.

Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Restaurant & Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave. VFW Indoor Flea Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 1550 Main Ave. 247-0384.

“La Fille du Régiment,” presented by the Met: 4

Live in HD, 10:55 a.m., Student Union at FLC. www.durango concerts.com.

Panel Discussion: Truth Be Told, part of the Durango Independent Film Festival, 11 a.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. www.durangofilm.org.

Panel Discussion: Acting Up, The Business and Craft of Make-Believe, part of the Durango Independent Film Festival, 1 p.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. www.durangofilm.org.

“Peter and the Starcatcher,” presented by DHS Troupe 1096, 2 & 7 p.m., Durango High School theatre. Also runs 7 p.m. March 7-9, and 2 p.m. March 9. Tickets: www.troupe1096.weebly.com.

Kendra Lee performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Sara Illsley and Friends in Concert, half of proceeds go to Colorado Rapid Response Network, 7-9 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. Comedy Cocktail open mic stand up, 8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave. DJ Affex, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Sunday03 14th annual Durango Independent Film Festival, through March 3, screenings around Durango. 375-7779 or www.durangofilm.org.

Coffee Talk with Filmmakers from “Grizzly Country,” part of the Durango Independent Film Festival, 8:30 a.m., R Space, 734 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangofilm.org.

Veterans Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., Elks Club, 901 E. 2nd Ave. 946-4831.

Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Restaurant & Wine Bar, 601 Main Ave. Panel Discussion: Bloody Sunday, Stories From the Front Lines of Filmmaking, part of the Durango Independent Film Festival, 11 a.m., Four Leaves Winery, 528 Main Ave. www.durangofilm.org.

Free Books, hosted by Durango Book Rescue, noon-4 p.m., 923 Narrow Gauge Ave. Traditional Irish Music Jam, 12:30-4 p.m., Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. Writers’ Workshop, 2 p.m., Ignacio Community Library.

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A star is born: The back story of Peter Pan What: “Peter and the Starcatcher,” presented by DHS Troupe 1096 Where: Durango High School When: 7 p.m. March 1-2 & 7-9; and 2 p.m. March 2 & 9 Tickets: $15, available at troupe1096.weebly.com How did Peter Pan become Peter Pan? Get your sea legs on and head out on a high seas adventure filled with pirates, mermaids, flying cats and magical stardust to find out as DHS Troupe 1096 presents “Peter and the Starcatcher.” Based on the 2004 book Peter and the Starcatchers, the Tony Award-winning Broadway play follows the humorous and fantastical journey of Peter Pan before he was Peter Pan, as well as his arch-nemesis, Captain Hook, Tinker Bell and the rest of the gang.

“Peter Pan has been an iconic character for children and adults since his creation in the early 20th century. Mostly he’s revered, but sometimes Pan gets a bad rap,” DHS Theatre teacher Ben Mattson wrote in his director’s notes. “To me, Peter Pan is a hero. Especially in the story of ‘Peter and the Starcatcher.’”

The play opens with a poor orphaned child simply called “Boy,” whose sad and lonely world is turned upside down when he meets Molly. The daughter of a famous Starcatcher, Lord Astor, our heroine is on a mission to save the world and protect a treasure trunk filled with magical “starstuff” from getting into the hands of the evil and greedy pirate Black Stache. As they sail aboard the Neverland, headed for a faraway land, Molly and Boy learn about love and friendship, and forge an unbreakable bond. And, of course, along the Blue Moon Ramblers, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy: Visions from Cape Breton and Beyond, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.durangoconcerts.com.

way, Boy becomes Peter – but to find out how this legend is born, you’ll have to show up and see for yourself.

Directed by Mattson, the cast includes 17 students in a variety of roles including Luke Nicholson as “Boy/Peter” and Laura Clark as “Molly.” The show is family friendly, with a compelling and imaginative storyline guaranteed to captivate kids and adults alike.

Aside from the entertainment value, Peter also teaches us deeper lessons about letting go, growing up and saying goodbye. “Change is inevitable, no matter how much ‘starstuff’ we come into contact with,” according to Mattson.

“Perhaps the hardest ‘goodbye’ is to ourselves as we change from innocence into complexity, from dreams to reality, from child to adult,” he writes. “That’s why this story is so important.

“While we suppress our silliness for responsibility, we must remember that we can’t live happily without a balance of both … If anything is a lesson, it’s to not grow up too fast, to love with abandon, and to not take a second of the journey for granted. ‘Nothing is forever.’”

For tickets, go to: www.troupe1096.weebly.com.

Reading, talk, book signing and dessert reception with Mandy Mikulencak, author of Forgiveness Road, 6 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

Rob Webster performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Monday04 Yoga Storytime, 9:30-10:45 a.m., Smiley Building Studio 10, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Contiki Party with the Aussies, 9 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Watch Your Step class, 10:15 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

Tuesday05

Joel Racheff performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

The Club: La Plata Democrats on the Move Luncheon, presentation on “The Durango City Council Race and Ballot Question,” noon-1 p.m., Double Tree Hotel.

Public Meeting on Accessory Dwelling Units, hosted by the City of Durango, 5:30-7 p.m., Durango Public Library.

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Terry Rickard performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle.

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Welcome Film Fest!

Stop by our NEW location at 742 Main Ave. and check out our sale: 20% off ALL clothing including winter wear.

Now located at 742 Main Ave., Durango

telegraph

Feb. 28, 2019 n 19

AskRachel Interesting fact: Why 12 inches in a foot? The Babylonians developed a counting system known as the Sexagesimal system with a base of 60, and maybe I should have paid more attention in algebra.

Dear Rachel, I have a strict 6-inch rule for playing hooky from work on a powder day (although I’ve stooped to 4 inches when desperate). All day last Monday, I watched the Purg snowstake, and it reported only 3 inches. Then, it was cleared at 4 p.m., and the following morning, it was showing only 2 inches. But lo and behold, the resort reported 10 inches on its 24-hour snow report.

What gives? Is there a secret snowstake somewhere that gets double the amount of snow? Or is this a classic case of the lie that’s been predicated upon women for eons?

– Getting the short end of the stick Dear Shafted, Can some people really handle 10 inches? I mean, it sounds impressive and all, but let’s be honest: half that is really all anyone needs. Much more is just gratuitous. Then it gets dangerous. It’s also a turnoff when they rely on a measuring stick to prove (or disprove) how much action I’ll get. Let the accumulation do the talking. And while we’re at it, stop sending me unsolicited snowstake pics.

– I’ll ski you all night long, Rachel

deserve an award? Do they think the rest of us are just sitting at home sipping hot cocoa and painting our nails while magical little elves come and clear our sidewalks, dig out our cars and shovel our roofs? Some years we get no snow and it’s a fun anomaly to discuss. But by now, it’s really not even worth mentioning. Wouldn’t all that time and breath be better spent on the act of shoveling itself?

– Shut Up and Dig Dear Taskmaster, I’ll take your problem over my problem any day of the winter. I have neighbors who really do sit at home sipping cocoa and painting their nails, and no magical elves ever clear their sidewalks. (The worst offender in the ’hood, by the way, is a high-ranking official in the city government.) No elves, but eventually, the grumpy neighbor with the snowblower begrudgingly stabs a path through their yard so he can walk by and shoot nasty looks through the windows.

– Frozen over, Rachel

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com missed in the world? I don’t even know who I am anymore!

- Stranger in my own home

Dear Rachel, I’m one of those annoying quasi-Millennials who doesn’t have a TV, but at least I don’t talk all the time about not having a TV. But I have to talk about not having a TV to explain why I went to a friend’s house to watch the Oscars. It turns out that not having a TV means I don’t know who any actors are these days. Glenn Close was the only one I recognized. What happened to Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep? What else have I

Dear Stranger Danger, I think there’s been a notable shift in the Academy’s standards lately. People actually get nominated for quality acting, rather than simply looking pretty. I mean, Willem Dafoe got nominated. And speaking of standards, how come you didn’t disclose how many inches your friend’s TV is? I feel cheated.

– Always divide it by two, Rachel

OntheTown

Free Trauma Conscious Yoga for Veterans and Families, noon-1 p.m., Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave.

Upcoming

Terry Rickard performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Greg Ryder performs, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

“Peter and the Starcatcher,” presented by DHS Troupe 1096, 7 p.m., March 7-9, and 2 p.m. March 9, Durango High School theatre. Tickets: www.troupe1096.weebly.com.

Rotary Club of Durango, presentation from Cam Hooley with the San Juan National Forest, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel.

385-7899.

Extraordinary Woman Award Dinner, annual benefit and celebration for the Women’s Resource Center, 5:30 p.m., Double Tree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio.

Night Out! Dance Party & Fundraiser for Stillwater Music, 8 p.m.-midnight, March 9, Powerhouse Science Center 1333 Camino del Rio.

Super Ted’s Super Trivia, 6:12 p.m., Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave.

Thank the Veterans potluck, Peter Neds and Glenn Keefe perform, 5:30-8:30 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. 8287777.

Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts perform with special guest the Garrett Young Collective, 9 p.m., March 9, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Dear Rachel, What am I supposed to say to people who go on about how much they are shoveling, like they

The Trivia Factory, hosted by Ben Bernstein, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr. DJ Crazy Charlie, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon, Gem Village.

Tim Sullivan performs, 7 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave. Stephen Marley Acoustic Tour, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.durangocon certs.com.

Latin Social Nights, 8-11 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave. 375-2568.

Open Mic Night, 8 p.m.-close, Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Wednesday06 “Bouncing Back from the 416 Fire: Building a Strong and Diversified Economy,” Local First’s annual member meeting, 8:45-11 a.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

20 n Feb. 28, 2019

Terry Rickard performs, 6 p.m., The Office, 699 Main.

Loki Moon – Raw Experiments, 6-8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave. Karaoke, 8 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

Karaoke with Crazy Charlie, 8 p.m.-close, Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Coke Nordic Race Series, for skiers and snowshoers, 8 a.m., March 10, top of Purgatory Resort.

“The Rise of Populism in Europe,” part of the Great Decisions International Affairs Discussion Program, 11:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m., March 12, Durango Public Library.

The Main Squeeze with special guest Evanoff, 9:15 p.m., March 13, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Ongoing “Riders of the West: Portraits from Indian Rodeo,” exhibit runs thru Feb. 28, Southern Ute Museum, 503 Ouray Drive. www.southernutemuseum.org.

“Sands of Oman” photography by Margy Dudley, thru March 9, DAC Friends of the Arts Gallery, 802 E. 2nd Ave. After-school program, 4:15-5:15 p.m. Wednesdays, Mancos Library.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., Thur-Sun, 8th Ave. Tavern, 509 E 8th Ave.

telegraph

Deadline for “On the Town” submissions is Monday at noon.

To submit an item, email: calendar@durango telegraph.com

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): South Koreans work too hard. Many are on the job for 14 hours a day, six days a week. That’s why a new concept in vacations has emerged there. People take sabbaticals by checking into Prison Inside Me, a facility designed like a jail. For a while, they do without cell phones and Internet and important appointments. Freed of normal stresses and stripped of obsessive concerns, they turn inward and recharge their spiritual batteries. I’d love to see you treat yourself to a getaway like this – minus the incarceration theme, of course. You’d benefit from a quiet, spacious, low-pressure escape.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The astrology column you’re reading is published in periodicals in four countries: the U.S., Canada, Italy and France.

In all of these places, women have had a hard time acquiring political power. Neither the U.S. nor Italy has ever had a female head of government. France has had one, Édith Cresson, who served less than a year as Prime Minister. Canada has had one, Kim Campbell, who was in office for 132 days. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the coming months will be a more favorable time than usual to boost feminine authority and enhance women’s ability to shape our shared reality. And you Tauruses of all genders will be in prime position to foster that outcome.

Homework: Meditate on specific ways you could contribute, even if just through your personal interactions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A 19-year-old guy named Anson Lemmer started a job as a pizza delivery man in Glenwood, Colo. On his second night, he arrived with a hot pizza at a house where an emergency was in progress. A man was lying on the ground in distress. Having been trained in CPR, Lemmer leaped to his rescue and saved his life. I expect that you, too, will perform a heroic act sometime soon, Gemini— maybe not as monumental as Lemmer’s, but nonetheless impressive. And I bet it will have an enduring impact, sending out reverberations that redound to your benefit for quite some time.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Scientist Michael Dillon was shocked when he learned that some bees can buzz around at lofty altitudes where the oxygen is sparse. He and a colleague even found two of them at 29,525 feet, higher than Mount Everest. How could the bees fly in such thin air? They “didn’t beat their wings faster,” according to a report in National Geographic, but rather “swung their wings through a wider arc.” I propose that we regard these high-flying marvels as your soul animals for the coming weeks.

Metaphorically speaking, you will have the power and ingenuity and adaptability to go higher than you’ve been in a long time.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Do you find it a challenge to commit to an entirely plant-based diet? If so, you might appreciate flexitarianism, which is a less-perfectionist approach that focuses on eating vegetables but doesn’t make you feel guilty if you eat a bit of meat now and then.

In general, I recommend you experiment with a similar attitude toward pretty much everything in the coming weeks. Be strongminded, idealistic, willful, and intent on serving your well-being – but without being a maniacal purist.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): If you gorge on sugary treats and soft drinks, you ingest a lot of empty calories. They have a low nutrient density and provide you with a scant amount of minerals, vitamins, protein and other necessities. Since I am committed to helping you treat yourself with utmost respect, I always discourage you from that behavior.

But I’m especially hopeful you will avoid it during the next three weeks, both in the literal and metaphorical senses. Please refrain from absorbing barren, vacant stuff into the sacred temple of your mind and body – including images, stories, sounds and ideas, as well as food and drink.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Charles Grey was the second Earl of Grey, as well as Prime Minister of England from 1830-34. His time in office produced pivotal changes, including the abolition of slavery, reform of child labor laws and more democracy in the nation’s electoral process. But most people today know nothing of those triumphs. Rather he is immortalized for the Earl Grey tea that he made popular. I suspect that in the coming weeks, one of your fine efforts may also get less attention than a more modest success. But don’t worry about it.

Instead, be content with congratulating yourself for your excellent work. I think that’s the key to you ultimately getting proper appreciation for your bigger accomplishment.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): At a young age, budding Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath came to a tough realization: “I can never read all the books I want,” she wrote in her journal. “I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in life.” Judging by current astrological omens, I can imagine you saying something like that right now. I bet your longing for total immersion in life’s pleasures is especially intense and a bit frustrated. But I’m pleased to predict that

in the next four weeks, you’ll be able to live and feel more shades, tones, and variations of experience than you have in a long time.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): When Europeans invaded and occupied North America, they displaced many indigenous people from their ancestral lands. There were a few notable exceptions, including five tribes in what’s now Maine and Eastern Canada. They are known as the Wabanaki confederacy: the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Micmac, Maliseet and Abenaki. Although they had to adjust to and compromise with colonialism, they were never defeated by it. I propose we make them your heroic symbols for the coming weeks. May their resilient determination to remain connected to their roots and origins motivate you to draw ever-fresh power from your own roots and origins.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn javelin thrower Julius Yego won a silver medial at the 2016 Summer Olympics. How did he get so skilled? Not in the typical way. He gained preliminary proficiency while competing for his high school team, but after graduation, he was too poor to keep developing his mastery. So he turned to Youtube, where he studied videos by great javelin throwers to benefit from their training strategies and techniques. Now that you’re in an intense learning phase of your cycle, Capricorn, I suggest that you, too, be ready to draw on sources that may be unexpected or unusual or alternative.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The first edition of Action Comics, which launched the story of the fictional character Superman, cost 10 cents in 1938. Nowadays it’s worth $3 million. I’ll make a bold prediction that you, too, will be worth considerably more on Dec. 31, 2019, than you are right now. The increase won’t be as dramatic as that of the Superman comic, but still: I expect a significant boost. And what you do in the next four weeks could have a lot to do with making my prediction come true.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Until the 16th century in much of Europe and the 18th century in Britain, the new year was celebrated in March.

That made sense given the fact that the weather was growing noticeably warmer and it was time to plant the crops again.

In my astrological opinion, the month of March is still the best time of year for you Pisceans to observe your personal new year. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to start fresh in any area of your life. If you formulate a set of New Year’s resolutions, you’re more likely to remain committed to them than if you had made them on Jan. 1.

telegraph

Enough to make LeBron smile.

A new shipment of Telegraph T’s has arrived (Also available in muscle T if you wanna show off your pipes.)

In a variety of mens & womens sizes for all your exploits on and off the hardwood.

y!

Onl

$

20

Shipping & handling extra.

Order yours today by calling 970-259-0133 or email: telegraph@ durangotelegraph.com

Feb. 28, 2019 n 21

classifieds

Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.

Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $5 minimum. Even better, ads can now be placed online: durangotelegraph.com. Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check.

(Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)

Ads can be submitted via: n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 777 Main Ave., #214 Approximate office hours: Mon., 9ish - 5ish Tues., 9ish - 5ish Wed., 9ish - 3ish Thurs., On delivery Fri., 10:30ish - 2ish please call ahead: 259-0133.

Lost/Found Found: Ring on the River Trail On Sunday, near the White Rabbit bookstore. Call to identify, 505-322-9160.

Announcements The Perfect Gift for your favorite dirtbag. Literature from Durango’s own Benighted Publications. The Climbing Zine, The Great American Dirtbags, American Climber, Climbing Out of Bed and Graduating From College Me are available at: Maria’s Bookshop, Pine Needle Mountaineering, the Sky Store, or on the interweb at www.climbingzine.com.

Wanted Ecopreneurs Home business helping others improve drinking, shower & garden water quality: multipureusa.com/ltallent Turn Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. Into Cash! at RJ Metal Recycle, also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

Coordinator to provide wildfire education, planning, and mitigation support to residents. For full job announcement visit: www.wildfireadapted.org or call 970-385-8909.

Chief Engineer The Elevation Hotel & Spa on Mt. Crested Butte is looking to hire a full time, year round Chief Engineer. Benefits include health insurance, paid time off, a winter ski season pass and 25% off hotel services. Possible onsite housing available for the right candidate. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Apply online at www.boxerproperty.com/careers.

Phlebotomy Certifications (Blood Drawing) $350, Farmington, March 16-17, sw phlebotomy.net 505-410-7889.

Seeking an Art Tutor Durango Academic Coaching is seeking to hire an art teacher who can work one on one with students interested in furthering their art skills and fostering their passion for the arts. sarah@duran goacademiccoaching.com

Classes/Workshops

Montezuma County Coor. Wanted Wildfire Adapted Partnership seeks part time (30 hr/wk) Montezuma County

22 n Feb. 28, 2019

Harmony Organizing and Cleaning Services Home and office 970-403-6192.

HaikuMovieReview ‘The Night Eats the World’ It’s time to shoot a bullet through the brain of the whole zombie genre – Lainie Maxson unique, 22” wide boards, table 8’ x 3.5’, 10 chairs, 3,000. Also 12’ table and 14 chairs 4,000. 920-421-4644.

Advanced Duct Cleaning Air duct cleaning specializing in dryer vents. Improves indoor air quality; reduces dust and allergens, energy bills and fire risk. 970-247-2462 www.advancedductcleaninginc.com

Rossignol Soul 7 Skis 163 cm, 106 cm under foot. Red and black 2014s. Drilled twice but skied minimally. They’re hole-y but will still work for the right person/set up. $50 OBO. Text for pics: 9707492495

BodyWork

Stockli Skis 169 cm. Measurement 103 70 118 Rotor Mrk 12 bindings $100. 375-0676.

Massage by Meg Bush 30, 60 & 90 min. Gift certs. avail. Meg Bush, LMT 970-759-0199. massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 2018.

Couples, sauna, outdoor shower, cupping. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984

Isuzu Trooper 92 Isuzu Trooper LS 4WD 180,000 miles, new battery, new tires, including spare. Needs front axle & brake pads. $900 OBO 970-769-7200

Massage with Kathryn 20+ years experience offering a fusion of esalen style, deep tissue massage with therapeutic stretching & Acutonics. New clients receive $5 off first session. To schedule appt. call 970-201-3373.

Reruns Home Furnishings Winter sales in both stores – Nice rattan chair with cushion. Custom-made midcentury maple sideboard; side tables; lamps & coffee tables; and lots of cool art.

New cool stuff and daily markdowns. 572 E. 6th Ave. 385-7336.

RealEstate

RoommateWanted

Mommy and Me Dance Class Come join the fun! Now registering for classes. Call 970-749-6456. mom myandmedance.com.

Radon Services Free radon testing and consultation.

Call Colorado Radon Abatement and Detection for details. 970- 946-1618.

Services

ForSale

Male Only 1 BR avail. Share great in-town home.

Clean, responsible, quiet. No smkr, pets, partiers. $550 incl. util., plus dep. 970759-0551.

New Session of Classes Starting March 11. Including Yoga for Bone Health, Restorative and Yoga Breathing classes. With Kathy Curran. Drop ins welcome. Smiley Building, Room #32 2594794. www.4cornersyoga.com

HelpWanted Female Live-in Companion Wanted Looking for a female live-in companion for an older woman. Requires a vehicle in good running condition, good humor and references. Can have a daytime job. Need help with some cooking, light cleaning, driving to the store and post office. Includes room and $1,000/month. 970-799-0749

Life Coaching for Women Womanfriend, are you ready to get your goddess on? Gain clarity, reach your dreams in career/business, relationships, parenting, health, life purpose with Tara Frazer, Certified Life Coach. tara@fourtrees.live, www.fourtrees.live.

CommunityService

Wedding Officiant for Hire Life cycle celebrant available to design ceremony for any of life’s rites of passage and to officiate weddings. www.fourtrees.live. tara@fourtrees.live Marketing Small and Local Businesses Media, social media, website content, SEO, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses. Email jnderge@gmail.com

telegraph

Rustic Wide Board Dining Table New rustic contemporary virgin white pine wide board table and chairs, very

College or Trade School Scholarships Available Premier Members Credit Union (PMCU) wants to make paying for college a little easier for high school seniors. Now thru May 10, Colorado students can apply online at pmcu.org to receive one of two $5,000 scholarships that can be applied toward a traditional four-year university, two-year college or trade school.

EndoftheLine

George’s 9/11

I

f you live in the Ignacio area, you would have probably known George. He worked as a mechanic at Ignacio Auto Body for over 30 years. Unfortunately, George passed away from a heart attack while working underneath a truck in late January, almost three years ago. George was a character. He was tiny, had a bushy grey beard and stood no more than five foot. He had a peculiar accent that was not readily distinguishable.

You see, George’s name in Czech was Jiri. He was the son of the famous physician Jaroslav Svec, who helped mastermind the “Great Train Escape” from the former Soviet state of Czechoslovakia. His father, along with some villagers from the town of As (pronounced Aash), wanted to escape the yoke of Stalinist rule, so they devised a plan to run a train through the “Iron Curtain” and escape Soviet tyranny.

Carefully planning such an escape was dangerous. The people involved had to make sure that everything was planned in secret. Weapons had to be concealed from the authorities and smuggled on the cars. Everything had to be timed precisely. George’s father and his compatriots had to make sure that the proper switches were turned and that the train could easily speed toward an unused spur at Selb, in the American Sector of West Germany.

Fortunately, no one tampered or reset the switches, and Express 3717 sped quickly toward freedom. On Sept. 11, 1951, over 100 passengers crashed the border barriers and escaped oppression.

The next day, newspapers around the world headlined the story of Jaroslav and his comrades’ great escape. This famous incident would later be known as the “Freedom

Train” escape. There were, unfortunately, some families on the train who had no idea of this commandeering. As a result, some 71 passengers returned to the Eastern Block, fearing reprisals to their families.

Dr. Svec, his family and fellow planners became instant heroes. The Red Cross helped Jaroslav and his family move from West Germany to England, Ethiopia and eventually to Michigan. George was 11 years old at the time of the escape. He lived awhile in Michigan and also served in the U.S. Army in Germany and Vietnam before moving to Durango, where he became a bus mechanic and driver for Tamarron Resort. He eventually settled in Ignacio.

I, as many, miss George. He had worked on my vehicles for over 30 years. On one occasion, I had come

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down to the shop to see his progress on fixing my carburetor. I was amazed to see that the engine was in pieces everywhere! He just laughed and said, “Come back in an hour or two and everything will be back together.” He was right. When I returned everything was in place and it ran like a charm! He always made sure that things were done right. “Bring it back if you have trouble,” he would chirp.

I found out later that George had a photographic memory, and it served him well. George, in many ways, was a scholar in overalls. He was an amazing fellow whose knowledge transcended the mechanical realm.

He would listen to Beethoven symphonies and tell you the reasoning for each particular movement while lying on his back under a Chevy truck. He scrutinized philosophers such as Descartes and Whitehead. George had a great sense of humor also. He laughed through adversity. He was a kind and gentle soul, and I am a better man for knowing him. As long-time Ignacio resident and business owner Chris May (who provided much of the historical information herein) told me, “I was lucky enough to have been his friend.”

People have a funny way of making changes in our lives. Some are more subtle than others. George taught me about patience, and that one could fix anything in life as long as you did it with care and grace. From escaping tyranny to tuning engines, George made a difference in my life and showed me that it doesn’t matter what you do for a living as long as you do it well and honestly.

– Burt Baldwin

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Feb. 28, 2019 n 23

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