Durango Telegraph - November 1, 2018

Falling behind

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Nov. 1, 2018 Vol. XVII, No. 44 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

Civil service

Room & boards

Getting salty

Local groups look to bring civility back into conversation p9

Red Mtn. Alpine Lodge caters to backcountry enthusiasts p14

Why the most basic of seasoning is having an “it� moment p16

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lineup

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4 La Vida Local

Making peace

Ear to the ground: “I’m gonna open a pho restaurant. It’s gonna be called ‘Pho Oph.’” – Local enterprising restaurateur

Durango spinsters

Local efforts seek to bridge divide in polarizing times

4 Thumbin’ It

by Tracy Chamberlin

5 Word on the Street

12-13

6-8 Soapbox

Fright night

We’re sure it’s just your imagination ... or is it? photos by Stephen Eginoire

12-13 Day in the Life

14

17 Top Shelf

Shralper’s delight Red Mountain Alpine Lodge to cater to backcountry enthusiasts

18-20 On the Town

by Missy Votel

20 Ask Rachel

16

21 Free Will Astrology

The spice of life

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RegularOccurrences

True, cycling season never really ends in Durango. But as winter digs its clutches into the local trails, it’s safe to say it’s winding down. To celebrate the season that was – and wasn’t for a brief time – Mountain Bike Specialist is helping to host a Cycling Celebration this Thurs., Nov. 1, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Animas City Theatre.

Among the two-wheeled accomplishments that will be lauded are FLC Cycling’s recent backto-back National MTB championship as well as last month’s Colorado High School League finals, which, of course, were hosted in Durango. Durango High won its division, followed by Animas High for a one-two Durango punch. In addition, several Durango cyclists competed in the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Cup this last summer in Switzerland.

“Durango is known throughout the world as a cycling mecca because of the synergy of our community,” organizer Patty Zink said.

The event will include several local cycling dignitaries, including road phenom Sepp Kuss, and Christopher Blevins and Howard Grotts, two local forces of natures in the MTB realm. Other guests of honor include FLC Cycling coach Dave Hagan, Iron Horse bicycle Classic Director Gaige Sippy, and Devo coach, Levi Kurlander.

In addition, a certificate of appreciation will be presented to the Katz Family, who hosted the state high school league on Durango Mesa.

Other sponsors include FLC Cycling, Trails 2000 and IHBC.

Basic old salt is having an “it” moment, and here’s why

by Donna Hewett

22 Classifieds

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23 Haiku Movie Review

Of gods and men

Adonis Puentes, Capitol Steps, and Brahms & Bernstein

23 Murder Ink

by Chris Aaland

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EDITORIALISTA: Missy Votel (missy@durangotelegraph.com) ADVERTISING AFICIONADO: Lainie Maxson (lainie@durangotelegraph.com) RESIDENT FORMULA ONE FAN: Tracy Chamberlin (tracy@durangotelegraph.com)

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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

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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 schwag, booze and flattery.

PHONE: 970.259.0133

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A royal flush If you are lucky enough to be going down the Grand Canyon next week, prepare to fasten all objects. From Nov. 5 – 8, the Bureau of Reclamation will be throwing open the spigots at Glen Canyon Dam is another one of its “high flow experiments.” Releases will begin to ratchet up early Monday morning, peaking at 2 p.m. at approximately 38,100 cfs. Flows will stay at this level until Wed., Nov. 7, at which time they will once again be dialed back. As of Oct. 31, flows at Lee’s Ferry were running at 10,000 cfs.

The high flows are meant to mimic a natural flood, which will help move sediment downstream and rebuild sandbars and beaches through Glen and Grand canyons. These sandbars and beaches are important for life in and along the river. Obviously, Reclamation and National Park Service officials advise river users to exercise caution during this time. Flow information will be posted online and at multiple locations in Glen Canyon Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park. Note it will take up to two days for flows from the dam to reach downstream.

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opinion

LaVidaLocal Let me introduce myself I’m about to have my cherry popped – and, I mean that in the nicest way. After seven years at The Telegraph, I’m about to pen my first “La Vida Local.”

It’s not that my boss doesn’t want me to write. It’s not that she doesn’t want to hear what I have to say – at least, I hope not. It’s that I write the news.

For the better part of a decade, it’s been my job to bring our readers the latest, up-to-the-minute musings from the City Council, county commissioners, Forest Service, BLM, EPA and every other acronym that falls into the DBI (dull but important) category.

Only a handful of times have I strayed into the world of personal pieces with our “End of the Line” section. But, those were really just shameless plugs for my favorite sport, Formula One racing (funny thing, though, the openseater, international race scene never quite caught on in Durango.)

Really, the truth is, I’ve got two reasons for not clamoring for a spot in “La Vida.” The first is professional – that’s true. I want our readers to know I’m being straight up with them when I report the news. I don’t want my personal views on anything to cloud the facts.

The second reason, though, is personal. I don’t like putting myself out there. I mean, I really don’t like putting myself out there. In fact, it terrifies me.

Which, if you think about it, is kind of funny. I mean, I’m a writer. And, a writer is nothing without a reader. Sure, I can keep journals and write poems for myself – which I’ve always done – but words really come alive when they’re read.

They also open you up for judgement and ridicule. I understand nobody wants to be judged or ridiculed, but the thought of it can make me break out in hives.

Maybe that’s why sometimes I’m so jealous of other writers, especially the ones who often fill these pages. To me, they are brave in ways I only long to be.

So if I’m just a coward in reporter’s clothing, why do I keep coming back to this profession?

I’m certainly not a glutton for punishment. What I am a glutton for, however, is writing. I love everything about it. I love words. I love stories. I love books. I love libraries. I love pencils, paper and typing. I love plot

twists and round characters. I even love compound modifiers (and, yes, I’m in group counseling for that last one).

I’ll wake up in the middle of the night with another idea for a story. I’ll see the quirks and habits of my characters everywhere I look. I take notes, research incessantly and plaster my walls with plot points on notecards.

I can’t help myself.

So if I have to write, then I have to face my fear. Right? Whenever I’m afraid of something – which is pretty much all the time – my husband says, “Fear is the mind-killer.” It’s a quote from one of his favorite books, Dune,

by Frank Herbert.

Herbert writes: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

Herbert’s right. Fear is “the little-death.”

If I don’t learn to face my fear, write my stories and put myself out there, then I let my dreams die a little death. As if I were the only person at a funeral for someone in an unmarked grave.

I’m doing my best, though, to not let that happen.

It’s one of the reasons I work here, and one of the many invaluable things I’ve gotten from being part of The Telegraph. Every week, come hell or high water, someone has to fill that news hole.

And, if my boss can’t count on me to get the job done, then why exactly would I have this job?

So, for the past seven years, I’ve worked really hard to push past all my fears and get the job done – well, sort of. The truth is, even though I’ve likely sent about 350 news stories out into the world, I’ve always had a bit of cover.

See, those may have been my words, but they were never my stories. They were someone else’s.

Those weren’t my thoughts, opinions, reports or actions, they were always someone else’s.

But, on this page – the “La Vida Local” – I have no choice but to tell you mine.

My story is about being afraid and trying to do it anyway. It’s about learning how to let the fear in, let it pass through me, and come out the other side a little braver than I was the day before. And, I can tell you as I write this, my first La Vida, I have a funny feeling that my story is just beginning.

Thumbin’It A contingency of 500 county residents pledging to get at least 10 percent of their food from local sources in an effort to bolster local food security, health and agriculture A Colorado program to curb opioid addiction by offering alternative painkillers in hospitals being expanded across the nation after showing promising results Banner October precipitation helping area reservoirs rebound after reaching historic lows this year

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– Tracy Chamberlin

This Week’s Sign of the Downfall: The likelihood that bureaucratic gridlock will lead to another winter of closure for the Nordic trails along the beach area at Vallecito Yet another failure of the system, with Robert Bowers legally buying as many as 10 guns, including an AR 15 that was used to carry out mass murder at a Pittsburgh synagogue, without raising a single red flag Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke the latest Trump appointee to come under the microscope, with at least 18 pending federal investigations into ethics and policy violations

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Selfie Restraint A recent study of news reports shows that there were 259 selfie-related deaths from 2011-17, but it’s estimated that the real number is much higher because “selfie” is often omitted from reports (because it’s embarrassing). The problem has become so dire that researchers at the US National Library of Medicine have made an official recommendation for “no selfie zones” in obvious places, like mountain tops and tall buildings. And yes, for the record, male selfie deaths outnumber female casualties three-to-one.

WordontheStreet

Q

With All Saints Day on Nov. 1, the Telegraph asked: “What are you the patron saint of?”

“Helping people.”

Rick Jones

Cecilia Valdes

“Small, good deeds.”

“Tacos.”

“All of the wild things out there.”

Jan

“The patroness of musicians.”

Michael Atkinson

Pat Dommer

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Nov. 1, 2018 n 5

SoapBox

ReTooned/by Shan Wells

A sheriff who will serve rural folk To the editor, We live on a small farm that is around 45 miles from the Sheriff Office. We seldom see deputies in our area, and it was a far safer feeling when BP paid extra to have deputies patrol. Deputies, in addition to deterring crime, have also been helpful with irrigation water disputes, slowing down the fast gas well traffic on the gravel roads, and occasionally chasing stock off the road & preventing accidents. Our Sheriff’s Department cannot continue to lose so many deputies.

All divisive politics aside, it is time for a new Sherriff that will provide new morale and pay more attention to farmers and ranchers in the more rural areas.

– Greg Gummersall, La Plata County

Amendment 74 a lawyers’ dream To the Editor: Voters have 13 statewide ballot issues to decide on in the Nov. 6 election. Did you know that the paragraph you see on the ballot is usually not the actual thing you are voting on?

You need to know the actual wording to make a good decision. It’s in the Blue Book that the state mails out, that you should have already gotten.

Case in point is Amendment 74 that requires compensation to any private property owner, if local government regs de-value said property, meaning interfere with profit maximization. This would affect both townies and rural residents. The paragraph on the ballot sounds nice: get the evil government out of our lives and our property rights.

Beware. The actual wording of Am. 74 will have you scratching your head and thinking, “Huh?? What the heck does this mean??” It was created by oil and gas in-

terests so they could do anything anywhere. Of course the wording doesn’t mention oil and gas interests. That could turn off some voters. So the amendment would apply to anything anyone wants to do anywhere.

Imagine the worst possible use that could go in next door, that could destroy your enjoyment of living on your land & sharply de-value your property. Factory hog farm?

Toxic waste dump? Rural venue for motorcycle rallies,4

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death metal concerts, dirt bike trails & the like? A strip club?

A pot shop? Out of state landowner who could care less about the community impacts? Out of state corporation?

As a constitutional amendment, when glitches or unforeseen consequences arise, it usually takes another statewide vote to fix those. This is a lawyer’s dream. Beware.

– Carole McWilliams, Bayfield

Vote out the nihilistic death party To the editor, The election for State Senate District 6 presents a clear choice. The incumbent, beyond frustrated with his colleagues’ blocking his suicide-prevention bill, blasted them by saying, “If we have enough suicides, we can save costs on education!” He wouldn’t have said this if there were no truth to it – this critique is so devastating it really is a clear choice to take control from such a nihilistic, death party. HE called it a death party!

Guinn Unger is the clear choice for District 6. Guinn retired from the Army Reserve after 28 years’ service with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He’s an electrical engineer whose career was in advanced computer systems. Guinn’s provided leadership throughout our region on addressing our health care crisis and won election to the LPEA Board of Directors. Let’s help the incumbent’s frustration with Republican blocking of suicide prevention plans and education funding by voting for Guinn Unger for Colorado Senate.

– Laurie Roberts, Bayfield

Aichele balances to the penny To the editor, I urge all voters to re-elect Allison Aichele as La Plata County Treasurer. Allison deserves to keep the job to ensure the continued effective operations of the treasurer’s office. She has the experience and knowledge of all the complex systems and has upgraded and improved the operations of the office producing the best possible results.

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She has the professional education and high-level financial management experience that her opponent lacks. It would be a huge mistake to change horses midstream given Allison’s strong leadership and quality performance heading the department. She has been unfairly maligned with trivial and outdated charges, and has proven by all financial audits that she has successfully managed this important department. Financial audits are done on the office annually by the county, as well as other entities’ auditors, such as school districts, cities and towns, etc. Under Allison’s leadership, all La Plata County accounts balance to the penny, confirmed by all the auditors. Please join me in voting to re-elect Allison Aichele for La Plata County Treasurer.

– Daniel Morgenstern, Durango

2A will hurt low-income people To the editor, If you want to make Durango more unaffordable for those on fixed incomes (elderly, disabled) and people making low wages and struggling financially, then vote yes for the proposed city tax increase. If ensuring that all Durangoans can afford to live here for the next few decades is important, reject this excessive and unnecessary tax increase.

The $250-$300 million tax proposal would continue for 25 years. While the council cited the initial property tax increase of $153/year for a $400,000 home, property taxes will increase over 25 years as housing values increase. Increases will be passed on in higher rents and for those on fixed incomes, difficult choices about what to buy. Personal money spent on sales taxes increases as the price of goods increases. While the wealthy can handle these increases, low income folks will struggle. This tax increase is not just about public safety and streets and side walk repair. The council/city manager have numerous capital improvement projects including a new city hall. Ensuring that all people can live in Durango takes

priority over the new buildings the city wants to build and supplementing operating expenses, which now includes significant fat. The city’s responsibility to manage within the current revenue stream by reducing expenses if revenues drop before suggesting new taxes is their moral and civic duty.

Citizens have suggested how the city can live within their budget without this excessive new tax but the council has chosen not to listen. Perhaps the next council will.

– Mike Todt, Durango

Get with the times – yes on 2A To the editor, The notion that the proposed city sales tax increase of a half-cent and the accompanying 5.4 mill levy increase is going to fleece the citizens of Durango is patently absurd. Taxes in Colorado and Durango are extremely low; and even with these increases they’ll still be extremely low.

Does anyone really believe that an extra nickel is going to send everyone to Farmington to buy shoes or groceries? Does anyone remember that 1 million tourists visit annually and that they love to buy stuff which contributes to our city’s well being?

I want to live in a city where the streets are taken care of, where city employees can work efficiently and with the latest technology, and where arts, cultural and recreation programs are valued and funded. If you want a bare-bones town, please, do yourself a favor and move to Delta or Montrose or Aztec.

So-called “Citizens for Durango’s Future” call to vote no proves true this axiom: “It’s easier to burn a bridge than to build a bridge.” They should call themselves “Citizens Stuck in the Past.”

The city has budgeted no money in 2019 to fix any streets. Roads that aren’t maintained only become dan-

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Nov. 1, 2018 n 7

reaching the goal. Doing so would significantly reduce all impacts, from sea level rise to food insecurity. However, it “would require rapid and far-reaching transitions in energy, land, urban and (sic) infrastructure (including transport and buildings), and industrial systems.” The efforts must have “unprecedented” scope, though not necessarily speed, and involve “deep emissions reductions in all sectors.”

The Paris commitments to date are inadequate to achieve the necessary emissions restrictions, so governments must redouble their efforts to limit emissions, and also invest in atmospheric carbon dioxide removal.

With one exception, every nation on earth subscribed to the Paris Accord. Tragically, because the current Administration is withdrawing, the lone holdout is the United States, the second-largest greenhouse gas emitter.

How much we, our children and theirs suffer from the growing impacts of climate change depends on the actions we take now. Some of those actions must be political.

Because dogmatic Republican denial of human-caused climate change blocks U.S. action, the only way to have our country join the world in combatting the clear and present danger of climate change is to remove Republicans from political power.

Vote Democratic!

– Richard White, Durango

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gerous and create ongoing liabilities. That’s unacceptable.

Durango has voted for the future by approving great civic projects: the recreation center, Florida Road, the ice rink, a first-class library, trails and a modern sewage-treatment system. We can do it again.

I’m voting for the future: Yes on 2A. – Joe Lewandowski, Durango

Unger will tackle health care costs

To the editor, When we talk about the cost of health care in America, we need to consider the toll our too-expensive healthcare system places on millions of families. Chances are, each of us has a friend or neighbor who has foregone health insurance in order to pay their mortgage, or who has been unable to send their child to college because someone in their family needs expensive health treatment. Medical bankruptcies are unique to America among the developed world. The strain our broken system is putting on families should be unacceptable to everyone, no matter what our political persuasions.

Unfortunately, one side of the health-care “debate” is not willing to have that conversation. I hear talking points and vague “free market” solutions, but I’ve been hearing that for years, and the problem gets worse! No one seems to want to have the tough conversations necessary to truly solve this problem, and give some relief to struggling families.

Senate candidate Guinn Unger is different. Guinn has an amazing understanding of health care, and I respect his firm convictions about the ultimate need for a national, cheaper and better, Medicare-for-All system. But until we work out the bigger picture on the national level, Guinn is not content to sit idly: he is running in order to find ways to lower costs and improve care for all western Coloradans as soon as possible.

Guinn Unger is the only candidate with the experience and knowledge to tackle this immense issue – he deserves your vote!

– Liza Tregillus, Durango

City can re-allocate parks & rec tax To the editor, Please consider voting no on the City of Durango ballot issue 2A $200 million tax increase. There are other avenues that the city can explore to fund infrastructure and capital improvements that they can bring back to the voters in the April 2019 municipal election. The sky is not falling and this is not a vote against our police department as some would have you believe. This is a vote to reign in city government and require our city officials to be fiscally responsible with our hard-earned money rather than spend it like a drunken sailor!

Durango City Councilor Dick White emailed me recently and stated “I recall infrastructure investments as a campaign issue when I first ran in 2011.” So here we are seven years later, and the city is only now addressing this important problem? Where have city officials been all this time, especially considering that they promoted the ½ cent sales tax for parks and recreation in 2015? During the 2015 election, city officials could have instead promoted using a ¼ cent sales tax for parks and recreation and ¼ cent for infrastructure and capital improvements. They can also ask voters to reallocate the ¼ cent sales tax for open space that passed during the 2005 election.

I have nothing against open space but how much more do we need especially, if Durango taxpayers are paying for it when there are more pressing needs in our community? We already have the 1.7-million-acre San Juan National Forest as well as BLM land like Animas Mountain; Bodo and Perins Peak state wildlife areas; abundant

Vote for the climate, vote for Dems

To the editor, Global warming acts like steroid injections for the climate. Each decade, sometimes year, brings increases in the frequency and cost of natural disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes.

The 2015 Paris Accord commits nations to voluntary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, with the goal of limiting average global warming to no more than 2°C (3.6°F) above preindustrial levels and aiming for just 1.5°C (2.7°F) to minimize accumulating damage.

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change articulates the benefits and challenges of

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undeveloped Southern Ute Indian Tribal lands; Horse Gulch; Overend and Dalla mountain parks; and now Ewing Mesa.

A re-allocation of the 2005 ¼ cent sales tax for open space and ¼ cent of the 2015 ½ cent sales tax for parks and recreation would provide the city $5 million annually for infrastructure and buildings with no tax increase at all. Vote no on 2A and let city officials come back with a better plan than a $200 million tax increase that is only going to make Durango a more expensive place to live than it already is.

– David McHenry, Durango

Jones is backed by shadowy money

To the editor, Paul Jones claims to be the “independent” running for Barbara McLachlan’s seat, saying that he’s never received special interest money, just an endorsement, from Unite Colorado.

This is false. Jones has received at least $133,000 from Unite Colorado, $129,000 of which has come in since mid-September. Unlike most special interest groups, who work without coordination, Unite Colorado has basically managed his campaign – messaging, robocalls, all TV, radio and Facebook ads, yard signs, fliers, canvassing, even “town halls,” which they attend. The campaign is currently under investigation by the Secretary of State’s office to determine illegal activity.

Please push back to help keep our excellent legislator Barb McLachlan in office. Canvass, write an editor letter, hand flyers to neighbors with Jones signs. Let’s make it happen for Southwest Colorado!

– Jean Walter, Chair, La Plata County Democratic Party

Black wrong for the treasurer job

To the editor, Before Colton Black was in election mode, and before I knew who he was or that he filed for bankruptcy, I had a customer service interaction with Mr. Black, who is running for county treasurer. I, the customer, was forced into a political conversation by Mr. Black while he was acting as my banker at a local bank. I repeatedly needed to tell him to “please just stick to banking.” We can’t seem to avoid political incivility these days – even at the bank.

Can you imagine how this approach would translate to public office?

Add his bankruptcy to the equation, as well as his lack of real experience, and I see a recipe for disaster. We need someone who is a community leader with financial expertise, has a long history and list of real education credentials, a collaborate spirit, and knows about businesses in La Plata County. Plus, wouldn’t it be nice to have a professional and someone who is courteous? Vote for Allison Aichele for La Plata County Treasurer.

– Anna Peterson, La Plata County

Recently, the core members of La Plata Civil Dialogue – from left: Gary Skiba, Ellen Stein, Greg Felson and Emily Thorn – sat down to lay the groundwork for the group moving forward. Some potential future discussion topics include health care and immigration. There’s also an effort to address local concerns like the La Plata County Land Use Code and affordable housing./Photo by Stephen Eginoire

Civil service Local groups look to bring civility, understanding back into discourse

by Tracy Chamberlin

P

olitical conversations have been heating up for some time, but check out any cable news channel, radio show or newspaper today, and it’s clear that instead of a simmer the public discourse is boiling over.

As temperatures rise, many residents in Southwest Colorado – and across the nation – are trying to find ways to cool things down.

Groups like the recently formed La Plata Civil Dialogue and Listen & Learn sessions at Fort Lewis College are gathering locals to talk about politics and policies without blowing their tops.

“I had been concerned for quite some time about how our political dialogue had been, on both sides,” Gary Skiba, one of the minds behind La Plata Civil Dialogue, said. “It just bothered me.”

He noticed a handful of commenters posting on social media echoed these same sentiments, and reached out to them. One

of the first people Skiba met with was Bliss Bruen, who passed away unexpectedly this September after a brief fight with cancer.

But what Bruen helped to create was the La Plata Civil Dialogue.

“We were really pleased with the turn out, participation and sincerity,” Ellen Stein, another one of the group’s organizers, said. “I think there’s a huge opportunity here.”

Recently, the group’s core members – Skiba, Stein, Emily Thorn and Greg Felson – sat down to lay the groundwork of what will be the structure, format and organization of the group moving forward.

Some of the future discussion topics on the table are national is– Ruby McGeehon, Fort Lewis College senior sues, like health care, energy proand coordinator of “Listen & Learn” sessions duction and immigration.

There’s also an effort to address topics that matter to residents in The group held its first meeting a cou- this corner of Colorado, like the La Plata ple weeks ago and, according to Skiba and County Land Use Code, affordable housothers, it was not only well-attended in ing and the lawsuit recently filed against numbers but by people from across the po- the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge litical spectrum.

Railroad over the 416 Fire.

Liberals, conservatives, Democrats, ReDiscussions on any one of these topics publicans and everyone in between can quickly get heated, particularly on soshowed up to the Oct. 19 meeting. One cial media sites and in the comments secperson even walked in wearing a bright red tion of area newspapers. But, the organizers MAGA hat. But, that’s just fine. of La Plata Civil Dialogue said when 4

“It’s not yell and convince.

It’s listen and learn.”

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CivilDialogue from p. 9 people come face to face, the conversation can change.

People remember they are neighbors, not just political opponents.

Skiba and the others believe if people can have a civil discussion about difficult topics, each sharing their opposing views and listening to each other, it would be a win for everyone. And, that’s the goal.

Rachel Turiel, who’s been teaching nonviolent communication techniques for almost two years and practicing it for more than five, said it can done – even on the most polarizing topics.

“I think we have this habitual response when someone has a different view than ours,” she explained. “It can feel threatening.”

But, the clash isn’t usually about the outcome or the objective. It’s the strategy. She said it’s important to remember there’s a human being on the other side of the conversation.

“There’s a human who probably shares some core values,” she added. “The conflict is the strategy.”

The journey to understanding habits, communication and finding those shared values began for Turiel when she stumbled upon a book by Marshall Rosenberg called Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life.

“I can’t even remember how I found it,” she said. “But it changed my life.”

Between the pages was a roadmap on how to address conflict when it’s happening, and how to prevent it.

In many ways, the process starts at home with each individual person. Turiel said people look at their own habitual responses.

For example, maybe they tend to get defensive went they hear something that hurts them or makes them uncomfortable. Perhaps they feel judged or blamed. But, once a person recognizes his or her habitual response, they can begin to communicate in a new way.

“It’s just the very beginning of a long journey,” she said. “Realizing it is not enough; it’s a daily practice.”

Over the past five years Turiel and others have been getting together to practice nonviolent communication, and she knows some of her former students are creating their own groups.

Her classes tend to fill up quickly, and she’s recently added Part II to the curriculum for students who’ve taken the initial class and want to learn more.

“There is a big need for this in the community,” she added.

Ruby McGeehon, a sociology major at Fort Lewis College, has been organizing what’s called Listen & Learn sessions at the college since September.

It began as a small circle of concerned locals trying to start their own conversation about civil discourse. But within those discussions, McGeehon saw an opportunity to expand the group beyond its original members, who were mostly over 50, and take a multigenerational ap-

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Peace out and listen up

Besides just attending the meetings and taking notes, those involved with encouraging civil dialogue across La Plata County offer up a host of additional resources./Photo by Stephen Eginoire

La Plata Civil Dialogue n For the latest resources and meeting times, check out the group at www.facebook.com/laplatacivildia logue n Ellen Stein, one of the group’s core members, also recommends information and a video from Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation, check it out at cpd.colostate.edu.

Listen & Learn n Although these sessions aren’t open to the general public – at least, not yet – you can contact organizer and FLC student Ruby McGeehon at rgmcgeehon@fortlewis.edu

Nonviolent Communication n The inspiration for Rachel Turiel’s classes is a book titled Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Michael Rosenberg. It’s avail-

proach. The idea soon morphed into her senior internship for the fall semester.

Each meeting, she gives the group a different topic to focus on, like immigration or capitalism. She aims to have all sides of the issue represented, either by someone in the group or in research she brings to the discussion.

“Sometimes sharing these things with people we don’t know can be awkward,” McGeehon explained.

But it’s also important to practice being vulnerable in an atmosphere where open conversation is protected and practiced. She said the value of these discussions is infinite.

“Being human is complex, and the conversations we have – or don’t have – are even more complex,” she added.

And just like those involved with La Plata Civil Dialogue, McGeehon’s group is not looking to change any-

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able at the Durango Public Library and Maria’s Bookshop n For more on Turiel’s classes, check out her website at www.6512 andgrowing.com or email her at sanj uandrive@frontier.net n On YouTube, videos are available of Michael Rosenberg, and Turiel recommends a channel called “Cup of Empathy,” which also addresses nonviolent communication

one’s mind. “It’s not yell and convince,” she said. “It’s listen and learn.”

Currently, the group is a small collection of those known as the original guard and FLC students, but McGeehon hopes to eventually open it up to the general public. She’s not sure how this group will evolve in the coming year – or where it will take her.

But she’s certain to take the lessons learned with her.

Some are academic, like how to research topics and organize a forum. Others are about social, like how people can come together and talk, despite their differences.

“Progress is not easy to see while it’s happening, and that can be discouraging. But we need to keep talking to each other,” McGeehon said. “I think by practicing more mindful communication we can reimagine our future to be better for more people.” n

MountainTownNews Do more moose mean fewer willows?

GRAND LAKE – Moose have become commonplace in Rocky Mountain National Park, which should be no real surprise. Some 24 were released not far away, in North Park, in 1978. Now 2,500 roam across mountainous Colorado.

But are there too many moose? That’s the question that emerges from several news stories this year about a new research study. Up to 40 moose are being outfitted with GPS monitors, to better them and their use of their environments.

Moose are not native to Colorado, at least in the numbers they are now found. Some evidence from the 1850s exists of small numbers of transient moose, typically lone bulls, but no breeding populations.

Even after introduction in Colorado, moose mostly remained on the west side of the Continental Divide. Ten years or so ago, says the Sky-Hi News, sightings became more common near Estes Park, the gateway town to the park on the east side.

Monitoring of vegetation suggest more and more moose on both sides. Vegetative plots on the west side showed an increase in evidence of moose from 80 percent to 100 percent between 201318. On the east side, the increase was even greater, 3 percent to 85 percent.

Expanding moose populations have contributed significantly to the 40 percent reduction in willows in the park during the last two decades. Willows provide 93 percent of a moose’s 55-pound daily diet. Elk grazing also contributes to the decline, along with a fungus spread by birds that feed on willow sap, says landscape ecologist Hanem Abouelezz.

Willows serve as soil stabilizers in riparian zones, which are critical to watershed health, wildlife habitat and overall ecosystem health, explains the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. “Without such vegetation, the riparian zone can wash away, impacting the aquatic and terrestrial landscape.”

Without grizzly bears and wolves – primary predators of moose – the willows have few defenses.

“The changes that caused the moose population to grow, the willows to die off, and the riparian zones to be impacted didn’t happen overnight, and neither will the solution,” Abouelezz told the Gazette-Telegraph.

Whatever is done, she added, it will not be an effort to recreate some balance that would have still existed had it not been for the large role of humans in the last 100 years.

Airport key to wealth of Jackson Hole JACKSON, Wyo. – Jackson Hole has always had the gobsmacking Teton Range, the marvels of Yellowstone just up the road and, since the 1960s, the steeps of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

But the extraordinary wealth, which rivals that of Aspen, didn’t arrive until the 1990s. Teton County routinely ranks among the top handful of counties in the nation for per-capita income.

Wyoming’s lack of a state income tax explains part of that. People of wealth have obvious reason for claiming permanent residency there. But there’s also the airport. The airport allows people of wealth to fly directly to and fro major urban areas with relative ease.

The Jackson Hole News&Guide reports that the airport’s 50th birthday was observed in September. Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger – famous for the Hudson River landing in 2009 that saved his life and those of 150 passengers and three flight attendants – gave a speech.

Jackson, the town, and Teton County created an oversight authority in 1968 for the runway that had existed for 37 years previously. It was then, and remains now, the only airport located within a national park. It’s located north of Jackson in Grand Teton National Park.

But for a time, it looked like the airport would disappear. The Jackson Hole News&Guide, citing a 2014 book called Peaks, Politics and Passion, explains that the National Park Service in the 1970s let it be known that it intended to end the airport’s special-use permit.

Then along came James Watt, the Wyoming native that President Ronald Reagan had chosen to head the Interior Department, which oversees the Park Service. He scuttled the plans to end the permit, and so the airport remains, with daily flights even during the off-season.

Phil Hocker, a former resident of the valley, told the News&Guide

that living in Jackson Hole “used to take some work,” because it entailed enduring winters and the doldrums of shoulder seasons.

With the airport and the full schedule of flights, commuting has become easy. Hocker says he’s an example. In some seasons, he can fly directly between Jackson Hole and Washington D.C. “I pop in. I take a certain role in a civic issue, and then I fly back to the swamp. And I’m not the only one. The big money that’s in the valley now just wasn’t conceivable in the 1970s. The gimmick of moving to Jackson to avoid state income taxes was not something that Realtors touted in the day.”

The pivotal time, he says, occurred in the 1990s – a time of pivot for Aspen, Vail and other major resorts, also. Always places of wealth, they became even more upscale. The Reagan era tax policies were attributed to giving rise to an economic elite that became wealthier yet.

While advances in aviation have diminished the noise, landing planes can still be scary. From a pilot’s perspective, Jackson Hole Airport has always been a challenging place to fly into with high elevation, precipitation, and winds.

A 2008 audit found that 20 jets and private planes had run off the end of the runway during the previous decade. A couple planes, one carrying 121 passengers and the other 179, had ended up plowing into the deep snow off the end of the runway.

Why Telluride capped idling vehicles TELLURIDE – Last winter, enforcement officers in Telluride issued 86 citations for idling motor vehicles.

The town law limits idling vehicles to 30 seconds, except on cold mornings. In adopting this law some years ago, the town council had two motivations. The foremost, says Hilary Cooper, who was then on the council, was to improve air quality. Telluride, she said, was in out and out of attainment with air quality standards.

“But conservation of fossil fuels was certainly a consideration,” she tells the Telluride Daily Planet. “I believe there was a growing national recognition of the harm of excessive idling as well.”

An idling vehicle emits 20 times more pollution than a vehicle traveling 30 mph, according to the Sierra Club. The organization estimates that idling cars emit 40,000 tons of carbon monoxide daily in the United States while wasting $13 million and consuming 3.8 million gallons of fuel.

It once was believed, correctly, that warming up an engine was good before driving it. The Telluride law concedes that notion, with its 3-minute allowance in cold weather. However, studies have found that 30 seconds will easily suffice, even in cold weather, and longer idling actually harms a motor.

Several other Colorado towns also have limited idling. Aspen allows 5 minutes per hour, but the vehicle must be attended at all times. Basalt allows just 2 minutes. Winter Park goes as far as 15 minutes.

Colorado has a state law that limits idling to no more than 5 minutes per hour, but it only applies to commercial vehicles weighing in excess of 14,000 pounds. The state law allows 20 minutes per hour when temperatures dip below 10 degrees.

Old 4WD road is unlikely to re-open WINTER PARK – Fraser, Winter Park and Grand County officials want to re-open an old road used by four-wheelers across the Continental Divide. But it looks unlikely, because Boulder County, the jurisdiction on the other side of the range, is completely uninterested.

The road hews to a railroad route first used in 1904. The railroad was the ambition of David Moffat, who made a pile of money during the silver boom at Leadville in the 1870s and 1880s. Then, as a resident of Denver, he wanted to advance the city’s future by creating a rail link directly to Salt Lake City. A 6.2-mile tunnel was eventually blasted under the mountain, but in the interim the railroad was sent across 11,676-foot Rollins Pass.

Four-wheelers for many years drove the old railroad route, but then a small tunnel, called Needle’s Eye, partially collapsed in 1990. It remains closed.

Grand County Commissioner Rich Cimino tells the Sky-Hi News the county is interested in reopening the tunnel because it would boost recreation and economy. “I’m sure a lot of people from Denver and Boulder would come into Grand County through that route,” he says.

Rustic ambiance, modern amenities 2,100-sq-ft main house + VRBO guest house in Silverton New post and beam construction 3-car garage, in-floor heating, custom touches throughout Panoramic mountain views

$699,000 MLS #747672

– Allen Best

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Nov. 1, 2018 n 11

dayinthelife

Boo!

by Stephen Eginoire

“H

ello? Who’s there?? What’s that noise?” Is that the sp your window? Or maybe it’s a man wearing a blood-sta Eve is full of inexplicable non-sense. And you know you’ve fal mirror is suddenly scary. Here’s an ode to everyone’s favorite pa just the right light, even the most mundane every-day objects

Get in the game.

The Rochester Hotel, Room 204: One need only picture a poltergeist, per garb, hovering bedside to become genuinely freaked out.

Issue 5 is out!

Wherever you find the Telegraph or at www.gulchmag.com.

To find out about advertising opportunities, email steve@gulchmag.com

12

n Nov. 1, 2018

100-year-old headstones mark a grave site in the old Hay Gulch Don’t cemetery. Perhaps these old souls pay a visit to nearby residents on Ave. y tic ou a certain October night.

!

pirit world gently rap-rap-rapping on ained hockey mask? Yes, All Hallows’ llen victim when being alone near a agan holiday, Halloween. Because in become terrifying.

Nothing evokes a sense of soul displacement more than abandoned bunkbeds out in the country.

rhaps a young woman dressed in Victorian

t let the big eyes fool you. This doll in a Third yard is easily the most haunted piece of plasut there. Just ignore her whispering pleas.

Forgotten train cars in the back of the rail yard. Let your imagination run wild!

Nov. 1 2018 n 13

thesecondsection

Red Mountain Alpine Lodge./ Photo by Sven Brunso

Room & boards Red Mountain Alpine Lodge offers backcountry users a new place to hang thier hats (and skis)

by Missy Votel

H

ave you ever wished you could kick off your cold, clammy boots after a day of slaying turns in the backcountry and sit by a roaring fire while sipping a cold beverage? All without having to drive home first?

Then the (almost) newly completed Red Mountain Alpine Lodge may be your dream come true. The lodge, slated to open Dec. 21, caters to backcountry enthusi-

14 n Nov. 1, 2018

asts of all stripes, offering a soft place to lay one’s head after a hard day of hot laps in the surrounding San Juans.

But this isn’t your typical slog-your-stuff-uphillboth-ways-DIY-hut-trip. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) The 2,500-square foot lodge, which sits a quarter mile north of Red Mountain Pass (on the Ouray County side), was built with the utmost of comfort and convenience in mind, according to co-owner Nate Disser.

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“We really thought through the amenities,” Disser said. A former resident of Durango who relocated his family and business, San Juan Mountain Guides, to Ouray, Disser owns the lodge with partner, Mark Iuppenlatz (pronounced “oop-en-lots,” it’s German.)

In addition to the aforementioned fire and frosty beverages, the lodge includes: hot showers (not required, but always nice to know it’s an option); wi-fi; in-floor radiant heat; private or dorm-style rooms for up to 20 guests; solar power; a sauna; warm 4

comforters; an on-site bar (sorry, no BYOB); and, best of all, two hut keepers to do the dishes and prepare gourmet meals.

“It’s super luxurious by backcountry standards,” RMAL (as it’s being called) spokesman Sven Brunso said.

But this is by no means the glamping of backcountry lodging, mind you. The lodge still maintains that no-frills, rustic, rugged vibe, courtesy of the post and beam construction handhewn by Wind River Timber Frames, in Mancos. Sitting at an elevation of just over 11,000 feet, it’s not for the faint of heart or lung. (And sorry, visitors will still be responsible for taking off their own boots, putting on their own skins and earning their own turns.)

“We hope it’s a commune of backcountry enthusiasts,” said Brunso, “but not necessarily just backcountry skiers.”

The idea is to cater to all backcountry users – skiers, hikers, bikers, jeepers, leaf peepers, snowmoers and jibbers alike – winter, spring summer or fall. Disser, who said the lodge will also be used for some of his guiding clients, will also offer guests the option of hiring a guide for the day. The lodge also plans to offer avi training to help mitigate risks in the notoriously temperamental San Juans.

Brunso said perhaps the best feature of the lodge is its close proximity to Highway 550.

It is nestled in the trees at the foot of Red Mountain #3, about 300 yards from the road – a short hike in, yet virtually undetectable by passersby. He said the easy access makes the RMAL different from some other huts in the state that require longer slogs in, often through treacherous terrain.

“I can leave work at 5, park at 6:15 and be drinking a beer in the lodge by 6:30 and ski the next morning,” he said.

The hut was intentionally sited so as not to be obtrusive to the surrounding environs while providing the best skiing experience, he said.

“It’s 800 feet below treeline and right in the heart of some of the best skiing in the San Juans,” he said. “When snow conditions are stable, there is easy access to the high alpine peaks, bowls and couloirs, and when storms arrive or avalanche danger is high, there is plenty of great tree skiing right out the front door.”

Disser said the lodge is the culmination of a years-long effort and an extensive planning process. He first began thinking about the idea several years ago, when he found it increasingly difficult to book hut trips for his clients.

Iuppenlatz “Many huts had to be booked long stretches ahead of time, or we would find ourselves completely shut out because a hut was booked,” he said.

He then met Iuppenlatz, who, as it turns out, had been buying up mining claims near the pass. The two got to talking and soon hammered out a vision for their oasis in the mountains.

Nate Disser rips off the skins in preparation for another run./Photo by Brett Holman

The upstairs dorm-style loft, with room for nine plus a bathroom./Courtesy photo “It’s more of a Canadian or European style lodge,” said Disser, referring to the amenities, such as running water and good food (although arguably most anything at 11,00 feet tastes pretty good). “In the U.S., there’s not much of that, and it gets booked up pretty far out.”

He said the lodge was built with preservation in mind, specifically preservation of access, open space, the delicate ecosystem and those million dollar views.

“People might not know this, but a lot of land on Red Mountain Pass is private,” he said. “Even though it smells, tastes and looks like national forest, it’s private.”

Overall, Disser and Iuppenlatz bought up 300 acres of mining claims on the pass, some secured more easily than others. “We had to go through a lot of old county records to trace ownership,” he said. “Some were lost in card games.”

To complicate matters, during the planning process, Ouray County put a moratorium on building in the high alpine zone while it reworked its rules. In the end, buildings were capped at 700 square feet per 35 acres. Larger structures, up to 2,500 square feet, could be built provided developers deed restricted – or surrendered development

rights to – a certain amount of additional parcels and guaranteed recreation easements.

Disser said he attended more county meetings than he cares to admit, but in the end, the new, stricter regulations were worth it. “We see them as a positive for the high alpine zone,” he said.

So far, he said the buzz over the lodge has been overwhelmingly positive, and he hopes an impending El Niño will help bolster that. “I think people are ready for a real winter,” he said.

Already, several outdoor companies – including Ortovox, Black Diamond and Osprey – have booked “corporate retreats.”

But, Disser notes, “we’re not by any means sold out.”

Rates for the RMAL start at $139 for a loft room, but a special 25 percent off coupon for stays before Jan. 17, 2019, will be offered to locals at this Saturday’s Hesperus Ski Swap at the Fairgrounds .

“All you need to do is show up with your hut slippers and empty bota bag,” said Brunso.

And of course, boards wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

For more info. on RMAL or to book a spot, go to www.redmountainalpinelodge.com. n

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Nov. 1, 2018 n 15

GoodEats

Getting salty Breaking down the latest foodie craze grain by grain

by Donna Hewett

T

he salt craze has gotten to the point of the absurd: someone has started a salt-of-the-month club on the internet; and you can now buy salt made by human tears (cry me a river). Today, salt has its own voice, its own character and it seems its own sense of virtue. Salt as the new culinary darling may seem new, but its stature as the most powerful food enhancer on the planet is ancient.

Who discovered salt, or gold or iron for that matter?

No one can say. Though China was the first to document salt, every culture has been using it for at least 12,000 years. And animals knew of salt before man. Salt is the most universal of ingredients; it’s a nutritional necessity. We literally can’t live without it. Nor would we want to.

We like salt. We like it A LOT. But why? Salt reduces bitter flavors, which allows aromas and taste to shine through. But the term “salt to taste” is not the same for everyone. It can be thought of as an art.

According to celebrity chef Thomas Keller, of French Laundry fame, the ability to salt food properly is the single-most important skill in cooking. Too little will render a dish joyless, but too much exhausts the taste buds.

With so much in balance, it’s critical to understand the different varieties of salt, and just as importantly, when to use them.

Table salt’s the cheap stuff. Highly processed, it comes primarily from shallow bodies of sea or mineral waters. Sea salt is a little fancy. It’s produced through evaporation of ocean water usually with little processing. They’re both virtually 100 percent pure NaCI (sodium chloride) with a few trace elements. In the case of table salt, the elements are called additives, some to prevent caking, hence the old Morton slogan: “When it rains, it pours.”

Five Flavored Salts Flavored salts infuse deep flavors and lovely colors to everything they touch. To make: combine 1/4 cup of coarse sea salt to one teaspoon of ingredient. Run through a coffee grinder for extra intensity.

• Matcha – The powdered green tea adds a stunning color and ethereal beauty to foods. The slight bitterness combines nicely with egg yolks, tofu, onions and chocolate.

• Tangerine – Adds tangy, fruity, citrus notes. Try it sprinkled on roasted chicken, vegetable side dishes (especially beets), light pastas, shrimp and grilled fish.

• Dried Lavender – Excellent on lamb. It adds an herbaceous note to salad greens, heirloom tomatoes, avocados.

• Smoked Paprika – For a powerful, earthly blast.

Great on potatoes, fried rice, grilled meats.

• Kaffir Lime – Infuses a Thai-like flowery headiness.

Works well on poached eggs, seafood, corn on the cob, steamed rice.

16 n Nov. 1, 2018

Photo by Donna Hewett Our foodie pals have largely replaced free-flowing, iodized table salt with the unrefined and all-natural (expensive) salt from the sea. So much so that the simple salt shaker seems a thing of the past (with its ancient grains of rice). But let’s not get too carried away. Table salt still has its purpose. Use it to quickly dissolve and distribute: It’s handy for pasta water, to make a brine, flavor soup, stew and braises, or clean garlicky hands. Table salt is also the best for baking and those cherished older recipes that assume it.

Kosher salt is the undisputed champion of sodium versatility. It’s great for all cooking. Considered the purest of salts, chefs prize the crystals because of their texture; their roughness makes it easy to master the three-finger pinch (which translates to about half a teaspoon). Try Diamond Crystal brand of kosher salt, if you don’t mind a few clumps. It has no anti-caking agents which can leave a chemical aftertaste. It’s flakier than Morton’s which makes it even more pleasant to crush by hand.

Most sea salts, otherwise known as serving or finishing salts, are made in a traditional, non-mechanized way, and in a very particular environment. They have a special crunch, color and flavor that would be lost if you just tossed them into the general cooking process. They should play off your food to create more flavor, better texture and new beauty.

Salting early and often buries the virtues of salt in the dish. Especially for the sodium-wary, this approach as a finishing agent makes sense. Sprinkled at the end, salt raises flavor, adds a melody, a playful crackle. The conversation has changed from how much salt to use to what works best where. It’s a game changer – a new way of dressing food

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(move over flavored oils) and your new secret ingredient!

If I had to name only two, Maldon Sea Salt from England’s Essex Coast, and Fleur de Sel, hand-harvested mostly in the coastal salt ponds of France, stand alone.

They’re both a textural trip on the palate.

White-white, the giant pyramid-shaped flakes of the English sea provide a satisfying crispy crunch. It’s a salty snack on its own and is recognized as a chef favorite (they appreciate the variety of its coarseness). Use it on simple foods, like steamed vegetables or salads. The relatively large surface area of the flakes makes it a perfect visual companion. It also brings a complexity to shellfish.

The special thing about Fleur de Sel is its melty-ness.

Because it has more moisture than other salts, the smaller bits melt slowly on your tongue. Gray in color, the saltysweet craze put this salt on the map. It not only enhances the flavor of ingredients like caramel and chocolate, it inspires a chemical reaction in our bodies.

Sun, wind, time. Sea salt blooms like a flower on the surface of water. Paludiers (salt farmers) devote their life to capturing this perfection. But for how long?

When we talk about salt, we have to talk about the ocean and when we talk about the ocean these days we have to discuss the tragedy of plastic. More than 8 million tons are dumped into our oceans every year. And yes, micro plastics are now in our sea salts, our fish, our beer and our water. Not enough to harm at this point. But when?

The Bible refers to the “Salt of the Earth,” which can be inferred to mean the preservers of Earth. Protectors of the planet. If that’s the case, then we had better mind our salts. (Because we’re doing a rotten job.) n

TopShelf

Capitol Steps, Puentes and the Blues Box

by Chris Aaland

James, drummer D.C. Duncan, bassist Evan Suiter, keyboard player Jack Maynes and sax man Bob Hemenger, along with an as’ve been a member of the Fourth Estate since 1987, when, as a sortment of special guests. The speakeasy includes period cocktails college sophomore, I was assistant editor of the FLC Independserved in mason jars, wine and local beer, plus photo booths for ent. For most of those years, I dabbled in the media in one way, mug shots and lovers under a paper moon. The event will be shape or form: editor, reporter, columnist, freelance writer, music staffed by such speakeasy regulars as bartenders, hat & coat critic, publicist, DJ or sports broadcaster. checker and a cigarette girl, just like it was nearly a century ago.

I am not, despite what the President of the United States may San Juan Symphony brings “Bernstein and Brahms” to the tell you, an enemy of the Community Concert Hall at people.

7:30 p.m. Saturday. Under the Looking back at the last baton of Thomas Heuser, the 30 years, I recall several true SJS will explore joyful compoenemies of the people. Al sitions by Leonard Bernstein Qaeda and Isis come to and the glorious and majestic mind. So do Russia, North work of Johannes Brahms.

Korea and Iran. And, far There’s also a 3 p.m. matinee more frequently today than performance Sunday at the we’d like, domestic terrorists Henderson Performing Arts are the enemy of the people.

Hall at San Juan College in Anderson Cooper is not Farmington. the enemy of the people. Nor The Animas City Theatre is Rachel Maddow, Bill hosts a cycling celebration Maher, John Oliver or Chris and mixer from 5:30-7 p.m.

Cuomo. tonight (Thurs., Nov. 1).

Think about it: Last week Celebrity guests include cyalone, a racist who hated clists Sepp Kuss, Christopher African-Americans murdered Blevins and Howard Grotts, two black shoppers at a Kenwho are competing at the tucky grocery store after unhighest levels nationally and Adonis Puentes & the Voice of Cuba Orchestra returns to the Com- internationally. Other accomsuccessfully trying to break munity Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. into a mostly black church; plishments include the FLC an avowed #MAGA Trump Skyhawks’ second USA Cynut job in Florida mailed 15 pipe bombs to Democratic senators, cling College Mountain Bike national championship in a row (and donors, celebrities and media outlets; and a white nationalist 24th national title in FLC cycling’s history), last month’s Colorado burst into a Pittsburgh synagogue and executed 11 worshipers at High School Cycling league race on Durango Mesa and more. point blank.

It’s that time of the month again! In anticipation of the chilly These are the enemies of the people, Mr. President. The days of mid-autumn, Steamworks rolls out holiday spices for media is not.

Snapping Goose when it taps its monthly firkin at 3 p.m. FriAmerica has the chance for a mulligan this Tuesday. Please vote. day. “A few years ago, chef Sean Clark turned us on to an incrediAs if the real world antics of our leaders aren’t funny enough, ble beer and food pairing: Spruce Goose and ginger snap cookies,” the Capitol Steps bring their political satire to the Community head brewer Spencer Martin said. “It was so good we thought it Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. tonight. Billed as the only comedy might make for a great firkin as well.” The Spruce Goose is Steamtroupe in America that attempts to be funnier than the United works’ seasonal ale that is literally brewed with fresh spruce tips States Congress, The Capitol Steps have been putting the “mock” harvested in the San Juan Mountains. For the firkin, Spruce Goose in “Democracy” for 37 years. The Steps were founded in 1981 by was brewed with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and molasses, all a group of current and former political staffers during the Reagan reminiscent of the classic cookies to make for a rich holiday treat. years, tasked with staging a nativity play for Sen. Charles Percy’s Finally, tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at henrysholiday party. As the story goes, they searched the entire Congress tratertheatre.com for the rescheduled Joan Osborne concert, and couldn’t find three wise men and a virgin. No party or politiwhich will take place Sat., April 20 (Cool! 4/20!) at the Hank. cal ideal is safe from their bipartisan wrath.

Originally slated for last June, the eight-time rock and blues Adonis Puentes & the Voice of Cuba Orchestra returns Grammy nominee had to cancel her Colorado tour at the last to the Community Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Puentes minute due to a family emergency. Everyone who purchased a has earned international acclaim as a soñero, singing Cuban balticket received a refund through the Strater, so there’s no preferlads backed with Spanish guitars and African rhythms. He perential treatment once tickets go on sale Friday. Approximately forms a myriad of Latin music, ranging from Cuban jazz to rumba 225 general admission tickets will be available, and they’ll probato salsa. I’m only familiar with two of Puentes’ albums, “Sabor a bly sell out quickly. Osborne is touring in support of her “Songs Café” and the brand-new “Dicen,” but both have become faof Bob Dylan” album, meaning you might get the chance for the vorites of mine. Puentes and company will also drop by KSUT at sing-along “everybody must get stoned.” The show also celebrates 1:06 p.m. Wednesday for a live KSUT Session. If you’re not familthe swan song for Durango Acoustic Music, which produced live iar with Puentes’ sound, this will be the perfect appetizer for the concerts for the past 29 years. evening’s main course.

The best thing I heard this week is Willie Nelson’s new sinA group of all-star local blues musicians will perform for The gle, which is a plea to Beto O’Rourke’s people to “Vote ’Em Out.” Blues Box: A Prohibition-Themed Musical Event benefitAmerica’s favorite stoner grandpa debuted this in Austin at a free ting Pagosa Peak Open School at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Archuleta concert and Beto rally and the #MAGA crowd has been apoplectic County Fairgrounds. The Blues Box will transport attendees back ever since. to the prohibition era of speakeasy bars and music. The band, The biggest gun we’ve got is called the ballot box? Email me at Blue Haas & the G-Men, includes vocalist Haas, guitarist Kirk chrisa@gobrainstorm.net. n

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Nov. 1, 2018 n 17

onthetown

Thursday01 Festival De Los Muertos, Nov. 1-9, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangoarts.org.

Yoga Flow, 8 a.m., Pine River Library.

Sight-in Days, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., event also runs Nov. 2, Durango Gun Club Outdoor Range. 749-3453.

Beginner Tai Chi, 9:15-10:15 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. ​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. Little Artists, 10:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Toddler Storytime, 10:30-11 a.m., Durango Library.

Here to Hear: Office Hour with City Councilor Dick White, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., City Hall, 949 2nd Ave.

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

Luminaries Toastmasters, public speaking club open to all, noon, La Plata County Administration Building, 1101 E. 2nd Ave. Less Jargon, More eBooks & Audiobooks, 1-5 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.

Afterschool Awesome! for K-5th graders, 3:30 p.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Drop-in Tennis, all ages, 4 p.m., Fort Lewis College.

Kidz Klub, 4 p.m., Ignacio Library. 563-9287.

“Doc Swords,” PTSD Social Club for Veterans, 4-6 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. Rev. Hylton performs, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Cycling Celebration, a celebration of cycling and community accomplishments, 5-7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Indigenous Artists Perspective: Juried Art Show Reception, part of Indigenous Artists Festival, 6:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College Theatre.

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

“Eyes in the Sky: Monitoring the Earth in the 21st Century,” part of the Life Long Learning Lecture Series, 7 p.m., FLC Noble Hall, Room 130. www.fortlewis.edu/professionalassociates.

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” screening, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theatre in Cortez. www.sunflowertheatre.org.

“Resilience: Laugh, Cry, Persevere” featuring “I’m Native and …” from Natalie Benally and “Teaching Disco Square Dancing to Our Elders” with Marissa Fast Horse, 7:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College Theatre. Also runs Nov. 2-3.

Capitol Steps comedy troupe, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC. durangoconcerts.com.

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

Smiley Café Open Mic, sign up noon-4 p.m.; open mic, 5:30-8 p.m., 1309 E. 3rd Ave. 403-5572.

Free pumpkin drop-off, noon-6 p.m., event also runs 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Nov. 3, La Plata County Fairgrounds and Three Springs Police Substation.

Kokanee Salmon Giveaway, sponsored by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 3 p.m., boat ramp at Lake Nighthorse. cpw.state.co.us.

Firkin Fridays featuring “Snapping Goose” on tap, 3 p.m., Steamworks Brewing Co., 801 E. 2nd Ave. Spanish Speaking Parents & Littles Fridays, 3:305:30 p.m., Durango Café au Play, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., #201.

Ribbon Cutting for Animas Trading Co., featuring live music and more, 5 p.m., 742 Main Ave. localfirst.org.

“Herding Chaos,” works by Joan Russel, opening reception 5-7 p.m., exhibit runs thru Dec. 22, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangoarts.org.

Friday Night Funk Jam with Bootyconda, 6-9 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

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

Friday02 Durango Early Bird Toastmasters, 7-8:30 a.m., LPEA, 45 Stewart St. 769-7615.

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

Free education to those with prediabetes, 9-11 a.m., Mercy Medical Center, Suite 140. 764-3415.

Zumba Gold, 9:30-10:15 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Friends of the Library Books-in-a-Bag Sale, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., event also runs Nov. 3, Durango Library.

Open Art Studio, 10 a.m., Ignacio Library.

Lactation Support, 10 a.m.-noon, Prenatal Yoga, noon-1 p.m., Durango Café au Play, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., Room 201. 749-9607 or durangocafeauplay.org.

“9 to 5: The Musical,” presented by Durango High School’s Troupe 1096, opening night, 7 p.m., show also runs Nov. 3, 8-10, 15-16 and 2 p.m., Nov. 10, Durango High School. 259-1630.

“11:11,” participatory performance by Mexican dance troupe Sur Oeste Arte Escenico, 7:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, www.durangoarts.com.

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

Twisted Rebel performs, 8 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon.

Saturday03 Hesperus Ski Patrol Ski Swap, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds.

Drop-in Tennis, all ages, 9 a.m., DHS. Record Swap, sponsored by Four Corners Vinyl Record Club, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main Ave. 749-4446.

“Entre El Cielo” premiere, 5:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center Theatre, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.durangoarts.org.

Four Your Tummy: Homemade soup from your home town bank, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Four Corners Community Bank, 2685 Main Ave. thebankforme.com.

Friends of the Library Books-in-a-Bag Sale, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Durango Public Library.

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

Caregiver Café, open playtime, 10:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Henry Stoy performs, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Jean-Pierre Café, 601 Main Ave. 570-650-5982.

Vallecito Nordic Fundraiser, 5:30-8 p.m., Carver Brewing, 1022 Main Ave. vallecitonordic.org.

Intermediate Tai Chi, 10-11 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

VFW Indoor Flea Market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 1550 Main Ave. 247-0384.4

18 n Nov. 1, 2018

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“Julie,” screened by National Theatre Live Productions, 11 a.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive.

Demystifying mysteries

Ska/Venture Season Kickoff Party, featuring live music, snowboard giveaway and more, 6-10 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. www.skabrewing.com.

Self-made Colorado authors host discussion at Maria’s What: Colorado mystery authors Emily Littlejohn and Margaret Mizushima with Scott Graham When: 6:30 p.m., Thurs., Nov. 8 Where: Maria’s Bookshop Come learn about the process of writing chillers and thrillers when Denver-based mystery writers Margaret Mizushima and Emily Littlejohn visit Maria’s Bookshop next Thur., Nov. 8. In addition to signing copies of their books, the two will take part in a panel discussion moderated by local author Scott Graham.

“Both are self-made authors from non-writerly backgrounds who set out to write mysteries and, despite the long odds, have proven incredibly talented at it and are enjoying great success as a result,” said Graham.

Littlejohn is the author of the soon-to-be released Lost Lake, the third book in her mystery series based on the trials

Teen Fortnite Battle Royale, part of International Games Week, 7-10 p.m., Mancos Public Library.

San Juan Symphony’s “Bernstein and Brahms,” featuring soprano Ben Hinkley and Farmington Caliente Choir and Durango Choral Society, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. www.sanjuansymphony.org.

Comedy Cocktail open mic stand up, 8 p.m., Eno Wine Bar, 723 E. 2nd Ave. DJ Noonz, 8 p.m.-close, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave.

Sunday04 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 Café, 601 Main Ave. 570-650-5982.

ICL MakerSpace, 11 a.m., Ignacio Community Library.

563-9287.

Free Books, hosted by Durango Book Rescue, noon-5 p.m., 923 Narrow Gauge Avenue.

and tribulations of hard-nosed detective Gemma Monroe. In Lost Lake, Monroe finds herself torn between investigating the brutal murder of the director of the local history museum in the fictional Colorado ski town of Cedar Valley, while caring for her newborn baby along with her similarly hardworking boyfriend.

Her earlier book, Inherit the Bones, was a 2017 Colorado Book Award finalist.

Mizushima is the author of Burning Ridge, released in September, the fourth book in her critically acclaimed Timber Creek K-9 series.

“I’m honored to serve as their moderator,” said Graham, adding that local audiences will likely find something they can identify with in the books. “They both write mysteries set in fictional Colorado mountain towns that are eerily similar, in many ways, to Durango.”

Irish Jam, 12:30-4 p.m., Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. “King Lear,” screened by National Theatre Live Productions, 1 p.m. Also shows 11 a.m., Dec. 1, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. www.animascitytheatre.com.

Writers’ Workshop, 2 p.m., Ignacio Library.

Monday Music, 10:30 a.m., Durango Café au Play, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., Room 201. durangocafeauplay.org.

Anime Club, 4 p.m., Computer Basics Class, 5:30 p.m., Ignacio Community Library.

Trivia Night, 7 p.m., Blondies.

Leadership Lunch, Passion and Purpose, 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m., Himalayan Kitchen Conference Room, 992 Main Ave. Register at 764-5977.

Baby Storytime, 2-2:30 p.m., Durango Public Library.

Free Legal Clinic, 2-3:30 p.m., Mancos Library.

Murder Mystery Event: Murder at Gooseneck Lake, game for adults, 2 p.m., Ignacio Community Library.

Resilience: Laugh, Cry, Persevere, part of Indigenous Artists Festival 2018 featuring “I’m Native and …” screening and “Teaching Disco Square Dancing to Our Elders” with Larissa Fasthorse, 2 p.m., FLC Mainstage Theatre Hall.

Classic Movie Monday, 7 p.m., Pine River Library.

Smiley Farmers Market, 3-6 p.m., 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Learn to Square Dance, with Wild West Squares, 78:30 p.m., Florida Grange, 656 Hwy 172. 903-6478.

Tuesday06

Drop-in Tennis, all ages, 4 p.m., FLC courts.

Yoga for All, 9 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Blue Moon Ramblers, 7 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Monday05 Yogalates, 9 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Watch Your Step class, 10:15-11:15 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.

#!

Beginner Tai Chi, 9:15-10:15 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Toddler Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Café au Play, 1309 E. 3rd Ave., Room 201.

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

$$$

"%

Inklings, book club for grades 3-5, 4 p.m., Ignacio Library.

Rotary Club of Durango, presentation by Dave James from James Ranch, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel. 385-7899.

Knit or Crochet, 6-7 p.m., Mancos Library.

Super Ted’s Super Trivia at The Hank, 6:12 p.m., Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave. 769-4174 or www.henrystratertheatre.com.

More “On the Town” p. 204

! "

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Nov. 1, 2018 n 19

AskRachel Interesting fact: Airline miles are generally worth 10-15 cents each. They’re no Bitcoin, but you can buy them now for a mere 30 cents apiece!

Dear Rachel, I celebrated when my kids graduated high school, because I knew I’d never again have to attend school functions and pretend to be interested in what they (and everyone else’s kids) were doing. Plays, art shows, band concerts, baseball games, you name it. Well, I screwed up as a parent, because my adult kids are still putting on functions, and they’re still inviting me to come. And they’re still doing plays, art shows, band concerts, and (at least there’s beer) softball games. How can I respond “no” to RSVPs without alienating my kids?

– Antisocial Calendar Dear Respectfully Declining, You need to create a life of your own. Take up activities that fill your evenings and commit you to other human beings so you can honestly tell your kids, “Sweetie, I’d love to be there to support you, but I’m booked with at-risk youth for all 17 evenings of your one-woman show.” Or just get a dog who can’t be left alone for more than an hour at a time. Or, you can lie.

– Sorry, suckers, Rachel

Dear Rachel, I’m about to do the most adulting thing I’ve ever done: buy shoes that are made of leather. So far, everything I’ve purchase for myself are sneakers or flip flops or, for a while, an ill-fated

OntheTown from p. 19 DJ Crazy Charlie hosts karaoke, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Billy Goat Saloon in Gem Village.

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

Wednesday07 Free Kids Yoga with Joy Kilpatrick, ages 3-7, 9-9:45 a.m., Pediatric Associates, 1199 Main Ave., Suite 205.

Little Readers, stories, activities and crafts, 10:30 a.m., Pine River Library in Bayfield.

Intermediate Tai Chi, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Durango Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. Free Trauma Conscious Yoga for Veterans and Families, noon-1 p.m., Elks Lodge, 901 E. 2nd Ave. Open Knitting Group, 1-3 p.m., Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. Teen Café, for grades 6-12, 2 p.m., ICL MakerSpace, 2 p.m., Ignacio Community Library. 563-9287.

Youth Pokemon, part of International Games Week, 4:15-6:15 p.m., Mancos Public Library.

pair of barefoot running shoes. You know, footwear you don’t have to care for. I’m kind of wondering if I’m insane to wear leather here during the winter. And seriously, leather soles?

Is that even street legal? Help!

– Pedestrian Fashion Dear Footloose, Think of leather soles this way: cowboys wore leather soles and only leather soles for hundreds, maybe dozens, of years. But then civilization happened, and now the only cowboys anybody knows are Willie Nelson and those Dallas ones with the cheerleaders. That said, cows stand outside all winter long, and if they don’t freeze to death, their coats still look good come springtime. So try eating grass, and see what that does for your footwear.

– Wipe your feet, Rachel Dear Rachel, I’m learning to play the airline-mile game.

Get free flights for stuff I’m buying anyway!

Buy more miles for less than the cost of the plane ticket! This game is so addicting. The problem is, I don’t actually travel anywhere. I just feel like Scrooge counting golden coins, except my vice is these ethereal “miles” that don’t actually translate to anything real and that I’ll never use. But my god am I rich in miles! Isn’t there some good I can do with my manic wealth?

– Mile-ionair Dear Daddy Milebucks, I believe most airlines have programs where you can donate your miles to charity. Winter is upon us, and Pub Quiz, 6:30 p.m., Irish Embassy, 900 Main Ave. Village Aid Project Fundraiser, 7-8 p.m., Student Union Ballroom, FLC. www.fortlewis.edu/supportvap.

Adonis Puentes and the Voice of Cuba Orchestra, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.

Karaoke, 8 p.m., Blondies in Cortez.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 6:30 p.m., BREW Pub & Kitchen, 117 W. College Dr. 259-5959.

20 n Nov. 1, 2018

goodness knows there are plenty of people struggling with no miles of their own to keep them warm at night.

But I might recommend that you gift them to Antisocial Calendar up there. You could get parents like that out of town every time they need an excuse to bail on their grownup kids.

– The friendly skies, Rachel Absolute’s Two-Year Anniversary Party, 4-6 p.m., Nov. 8, Absolute Physical Therapy, 277 East 8th Ave. La Plata Quilters Guild meets, 6 p.m., Nov. 8, La Plata County Fairgrounds. 799-1632.

Meet the Authors, featuring mystery authors Margaret Mizushima and Emily Littlejohn, 6:30 p.m., Nov. 8, Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave. www.mariasbookshop.com.

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

Oxygen on Embers performs, 6:30 p.m., Nov. 8, The Listening Room, 121 W. 32nd St., Studio C.

Ongoing

Warren Miller’s “Face of Winter,” fundraiser for Purgatory Ski Team, 4:15, 6:45 and 9:15 p.m., Nov. 9, Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. www.purgatoryskiteam.org.

Wild for Wilderness Online Auction, fundraiser for Great Old Broads for Wilderness, thru Nov. 11.

Auction.greatoldbroads.org.

“Living with Wolves” photographic exhibit, “Lummi Nation Bear Totem Pole” and “Riders of the West,” exhibits, thru Nov. 30, Southern Ute Museum.

“Ben Nighthorse Campbell: Becoming Cheyenne,” exhibit runs thru Dec. 14, FLC Center of Southwest Studies.

Free one-on-one technology tutoring, Durango Library. Register at 375-3382 or durangopubliclibrary.org.

Live music, nightly, Diamond Belle & The Office, 699 Main Ave. Karaoke, 8 p.m., Thur-Sun, 8th Ave. Tavern, 509 E 8th.

Thank the Veterans potluck, Peter Neds and Glenn Keefe perform, 5:30-8:30 p.m., VFW, 1550 Main. 828-7777.

Email Rachel at telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Upcoming Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Nov. 8, Student Union Ballroom at Fort Lewis College.

telegraph

The Art of Giving Scholarship Fundraiser for Seed Studio, silent auction, live music and more, 5:30-9 p.m., Nov. 9, Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave. seedstudiokids@gmail.com.

Meet the Authors event, featuring Kathleen and Michael Gear, authors or People of the Wolf and People of the Black Sun, 6 p.m., Nov. 9, Cortez Public Library.

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): You have officially arrived at the heart of the most therapeutic phase of your cycle.

Congratulations! It’s an excellent time to fix what’s wrong, hurt or distorted. You will attract more help than you can imagine if you summon an aggressive approach toward finding antidotes and cures. A good way to set the tone for your aggressive determination to feel better is to heed this advice from poet Maya Angelou: “Take a day to heal from the lies you’ve told yourself and the ones that have been told to you.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): U2’s singer Bono, born under the sign of Taurus, says that all of us suffer from the sense that something’s missing from our lives. We imagine that we lack an essential quality or experience, and its absence makes us feel sad and insufficient. French philosopher Blaise Pascal referred to this emptiness as “a God-shaped hole.” Bono adds that “you can never completely fill that hole,” but you may find partial fixes through love and sex, creative expression, family, meaningful work, parenting, activism and spiritual devotion. I bring this to your attention, Taurus, because I have a strong suspicion that in the coming weeks you will have more power to fill your God-shaped hole than you’ve had in a long time.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Most of our desires are clichés, right? Ready to wear, one size fits all. I doubt if it’s even possible to have an original desire anymore.” So says a character in Gemini author Tobias Wolff’s short story “Sanity.” Your assignment in the coming weeks, Gemini, is to refute and rebel against this notion. The cosmic rhythms will work in your favor to the degree that you cultivate innovative yearnings and unique urges. I hope you’ll make it your goal to have the experiences necessary to stir up an outbreak of original desires.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): If you’re a typical member of the Cancerian tribe, you’re skilled at responding constructively when things go wrong.

Your intelligence rises up hot and strong when you get sick or rejected or burned. But if you’re a classic Crab, you have less savvy in dealing with triumphs. You may sputter when faced with splashy joy, smart praise or lucky breaks. But everything I just said is meant to be a challenge, not a curse. One of the best reasons to study astrology is to be aware of the potential shortcomings of your sign so you can outwit and overcome them.

That’s why I think that eventually you’ll evolve to the point where you won’t be a bit flustered when blessings arrive. And the

immediate future will bring you excellent opportunities to upgrade your response to good fortune.

weeks. I bet your intimate adeptness with penetralia will bring you power, fun and knowledge.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Each of us needs something of an island in her life,” said poet John Keats. “If not an actual island, at least some place, or space in time, in which to be herself, free to cultivate her differences from others.” According to my reading of the astrological omens, Leo, you’ll be wise to spend extra time on your own island in the next two weeks. Solitude is unlikely to breed unpleasant loneliness, but will instead inspire creative power and evoke inner strength. If you don’t have an island yet, go in search! (P.S.: I translated Keats’ pronouns into the feminine gender.)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): Sagittarian poet Rainer Maria Rilke suggested that we cultivate an alertness for the ever-present possibility of germination & gestation. On a regular basis, he advised, we should send probes down into the darkness, into our unconscious minds, to explore for early signs of awakening. When we discover the forces of renewal stirring there in the depths, we should be humble & reverent toward them, understanding that they are as-yet beyond the reach of our ability to understand. We shouldn’t seek to explain & define them at first, but simply devote ourselves to nurturing them. Everything I just said is your top assignment in the weeks ahead.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I’m rooting for you to engage in experimental intimacy, Virgo. I hope you’ll have an affinity for sweet blends and incandescent mixtures and arousing juxtapositions. To get in the right mood for this playful work, you could read love poetry and listen to uplifting songs that potentize your urge to merge. Here are a few lyrical passages to get you warmed up. 1. “Your flesh quivers against mine like moonlight on the sea.” – Julio Cortázar 2. “When she smiles like that she is as beautiful as all my secrets. – Anne Carson 3. “My soul is alight with your infinitude of stars … The flowers of your garden blossom in my body.” – Rabindranath Tagore 4. “I can only find you by looking deeper, that’s how love leads us into the world.” – Anne Michaels LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Of course I want you to have more money. I’d love for you to buy experiences that expand your mind, deepen your emotional intelligence, and foster your ability to create inspiring forms of togetherness. My soul would celebrate if you got access to new wealth that enabled you to go in quest of spiritual fun and educational adventures. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be thrilled about you spending extra cash on trivial desires or fancy junk you don’t really need. Here’s why I feel this way: to the extent that you seek more money to pursue your most righteous cravings, you’re likely to get more money.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Penetralia” is a word that means the innermost or most private parts, the most secret and mysterious places.

It’s derived from the same Latin term that evolved into the word “penetrate.”

You Scorpios are of course the zodiac’s masters of penetralia. More than any other sign, you’re likely to know where the penetralia are, as well as how to get to them and what to do when you get to them. I suspect that this tricky skill will come in extra handy during the coming

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’re in a phase of your cycle when your influence is at a peak. People are more receptive than usual to your ideas and more likely to want the same things you do. Given these conditions, I think the best information I can offer you is the following meditation by Capricorn activist Martin Luther King Jr. “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian environmentalist Edward Abbey spent much of his life rambling around in the great outdoors.

He was an emancipated spirit who regarded the natural world as the only church he needed. In an eruption of ecstatic appreciation, he once testified that “Life is a joyous dance through daffodils beneath cerulean blue skies and then, then what? I forget what happens next.”

And yet the truth is, Abbey was more than a wild-hearted Dionysian explorer in the wilderness. He found the discipline and diligence to write 23 books! I mention this, Aquarius, because now is a perfect time for you to be like the disciplined and diligent and productive version of Abbey.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): For renowned Piscean visual artist Anne Truitt (1921–2004), creating her work was high adventure. She said that artists like her had “to catapult themselves wholly, without holding back one bit, into a course of action without having any idea where they’ll end up. They’re like riders who gallop into the night, eagerly leaning on their horse’s neck, peering into a blinding rain.”

Whether or not you’re an artist, Pisces, I suspect your life in the coming weeks may feel like the process she described. And that’s a good thing! Enjoy your ride.

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Nov. 1, 2018 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 10/26, Single speed town bike near Buckley Park. Text 718-938-0242 to identify.

Announcements Looking for Fun-Loving People over 18 to join our volunteer group.

We re-enact historical La Plata County with singing, dancing, story telling, comedy, poetry and more. No previous exp. needed. Find us on FB, Durango Silver Belles Saloon Girls. Send us a message or call 970-749-8189 Seeking Professional Writer Screen play style genre comedy. Work in progress spec. Jake 419-544-0400.

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.

Free Snow Tires Four mounted, Continental Extreme Winter Contact snow tires, 215/60 R16 99T. Used two seasons, lots of tread left.

Jacob 928.890.4820

Pets Self Serve Dog Wash A clean pet is a happy pet. Come on down and give it a try! Dirty Paws Dog Wash (formally Durango Dog Wash) 675 Camino Del Rio

22 n Nov. 1, 2018

Wanted Turn Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. Into Cash! at RJ Metal Recycle, also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

HelpWanted Companion, Driver, Light Housework Light cooking, verbal stimulation for elderly woman. Must have transportation. Variable schedule. Students welcome. 970-799-3488.

KDUR Radio is Looking for Someone to fill the community member position on our Community Advisory Board.

This person should live in La Plata County and be a regular listener to KDUR Radio. Monthly meetings/assistance at fund-raisers and miscellaneous duties are the commitment. Interested parties email Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu Experienced Line/Prep Cook wanted at BREW Pub & Kitchen. Must be reliable with a strong work ethic and excellent knife skills. Bring resume to 117 West College Drive and fill out an application between 2pm and 4pm.

Punch passes available. Smiley Studio 10 pre-register at www.hopechiroyoga .com or 970-305-3239 Mommy and Me Dance Class Come join the fun! Now registering for classes. Call 970-749-6456. mommyandmedance.com.

Services FireGlass Wizards Fireplace glass cleaning professionals!

100% natural – no chemical residue 100% customer satisfaction Guarantee most jobs $35 Most jobs completed in 30 mins. or less! Call 970-903-7020 Fall Cleanup - Handyman Do you need an extra hand? All projects big and small - we do it all! Contact Alpine Property Maintenance 970-9466090 www.apmhomecare.com Harmony Organizing and Cleaning Services Home and office 970-403-6192 Fall Spray Tans!

Organic & Beautiful!

Meg Bush, LMT 970-759-0199 Low Price on Storage!

Inside/outside near Durango, RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494

Classes/Workshops Love and Logic Parenting Class Dr. Doug Miller, PsyD, is offering a 4week parenting course, “Parenting the Love and Logic Way,” designed to give parents practical skills to address struggles parents often face. Weds, Nov. 28 - Dec. 19; 11:45am – 1:15pm; Summit Psychology 270 East 8th Avenue, Suite N-206 at Horse Gulch Health Campus. $110 per person. To register call 970-382-2680 or email dougmillergroup@gmail.com.

Yoga Workshop for Insomnia Relief!

With Kathy Curran. Saturday, November 10, 9:30-Noon. Smiley Building, Room #32 259-4794. www.4cornersyoga.com Hope Yoga Studio: Age Gracefully and Live Vibrantly Dr Keneen Hope McNiven D.C. Tues and Thurs Anusara Certified yoga classes 12-1:15. Uplifting and rehabilitative for those with injuries or limitations.

telegraph

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

BodyWork Insight Cranial Sacral Therapy Quiet, relaxing, deep. Don 970-7698389 Therapeutic Massage Special rate: $50 - 1 hr, $75 - 1.5 hrs, in town Durango: All proceeds going to a cancer stricken family on GoFundMe under “Iosue Family.” Call/text Nancy @ (970) 799-2202 Yoga Therapy Therapeutic yoga for structural injuries, chronic pain; specializing in stress

management and trauma recovery. A path to self healing. See website for more info. Call for special fall discount!

Matthew 970-422-2203. TreeOfLifeYoga Therapy.com massageintervention.life Voted best massage in Durango 2018.

Couples, sauna, outdoor shower, cupping. Reviews on FB + Yelp. 970-903-2984 Fall in love with Massage!

Meg Bush, LMT 970-759-0199.

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.

RealEstate Radon Services Free radon testing and consultation.

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

ForSale 2005 Subaru Outback 2.5i Ltd., AWD automatic w/sport gear, 124K miles, leather, 6-CD player, dual temp, skylight, recent timing belt, VG cond. $6450 OBO, 970-749-2390 Mud/snow tires Uniroyal Tiger Paw 205/55R16. Used for one season. Great shape. $150. 970749-0604 ‘94 GMC Sierra 1500 4WD, 5-speed standard, V-8, 144,000 original miles, full cap over truck bed, $4,500.00 OBO contact me: 970-7696907 Hot Tub – New 6HP pump, 50 jets. Cost $8,000. Sell $3,650. 505-270-3104.

Reruns – Two Stores to Choose From Get ready for the holidays! We have dishes, linens, serving ware, bar sets and cool furniture. Great selection of almostnew clothing from North Face, Smartwool, Lole, Icebreaker and more. 572 E. 6th Ave. 385-7336.

MurderInk

Three worthy November benchwarmers

by Jeffrey Mannix

T

here’s nothing yelling to be heard in November crime fiction, and that gives me a chance to feature a few titles that should have been called to your attention these past few months but were eclipsed by other exceptional books. It’s always chancy for even the best of writers to come up with another book worthy of their reputation. Joe Ide, for instance, blew us all away with his debut IQ back in March 2017 but then did a face plant trying to keep with his next two hurry-up books, Righteous and Wrecked, the latter released a few weeks ago.

First and absolutely deserving of praise from the most fastidious fiction reader is Penguin Books’ July 2018 debut from Irish novelist Dervla McTiernan, The Ruin.

(In Gaelic, rúin means something hidden.) McTiernan worked hard putting together this florid police procedural and intricate psychological mystery. If you read yourself to sleep, this is not the book for you. It asks for an alert reader with blocks of time to keep up with a deliciously complicated plot.

Jack Blake and Aisling Conroy are young adults living together and planning to marry. One morning, Aisling, a

CommercialForRent Cute Massage Office Space for rent Wed, Sat, Sun and some evenings. Downtown w/ parking. $65 month. Nichole (970) 903-1790

CommunityService 2018 Community Thanksgiving Dinner All are invited to attend the 31st Community Thanksgiving Dinner at the La Plata County Fairgrounds from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m, Nov. 22. This free event is offered for the entire community in a festively decorated environment. To volunteer, obtain a ride or have a meal delivered, call 259-4061. Donation of pies is always welcome.

Upper Pine Fire’s “Fill the Boot” for MD Muscular dystrophy is a group of diseases that causes progressive weakness and loss of muscle. The disease can take away the ability to walk, run, hug, talk and even breathe. There is no cure for MD, but medications and therapy can help. Every year the Muscular Dystrophy Association sends more than 3,500 kids with MD to a week at one of nearly 80 MDA summer camps nationwide. Through donations made during “Fill the Boot,” MDA is able to provide this life-changing summer camp for free. Upper Pine River Protection District

physician doing residency, comes home from night shift to Jack happily cooking breakfast. Their busy but mature relationship is about to be shaken with Aisling’s announcement that she’s pregnant. She’s planning on surgical residency, and this just doesn’t fit the shoe. Jack is gentle – accepting, encouraging, hopeful to Aisling’s disquiet. After a few hours’ sleep, Aisling is awakened by a knocking at the door and Jack’s absence. Two gardai (uniformed police) go through identification formalities and announce that Jack has taken his own life with a jump off O’Brien’s Bridge into the River Corrib. And now starts a most variegated, exciting investigation that spans 20 years. It brings home estranged sister Maude, from Australia, and introduces the inimitable Detective Sergeant Cormac Reilly. He was recently reassigned from Dublin to a slower life in Galway, where he began his career as part of the investigation into the death of Jack and Maude’s alcoholic mother who had overdosed on heroin she wasn’t known to use. Nobody believes Jack committed suicide, nobody but the entire police force including Cormac for a short while.

That’s all you get from me. This is a $16 paperback minus a 15 percent “Murder Ink” discount at Maria’s

firefighters are asking local residents to help “Fill the Boot” at several locations throughout Bayfield, including the Heritage Day Parade. So, next time you see a firefighter holding a boot, remember what an awesome cause it is. For questions contact aharrison@upperpinefpd.org Adaptive Sports Association (ASA) Volunteer Training Adaptive Sports Association (ASA), a nonprofit sports & recreation outfitter for people with disabilities, kicks off the winter season with volunteer training!

Training is free & a great way for people to get involved & connect with their community. Volunteers are needed daily to teach ski and snowboard lessons. Volunteers also earn discounted skiing at Purgatory. No experience necessary, but volunteers must be at least intermediate skiers or snowboarders. Orientations are Nov. 7 & 8 (choose one) at the Durango Rec Center. Returning volunteers meet 67 p.m. New volunteers meet 7-8 p.m. Call 970-259-0374 or visit asadurango.com for more information.

HaikuMovieReview ‘The Post’ Once upon a time POTUS had a grudge against the U.S. free press – Lainie Maxson

Bookshop – cheaper than lunch anywhere but a drivethru, and with far more nourishment and peer recognition.

Now a few backbenchers. The most outspoken is another charming pirate story from Penguin Books by Steve Goble, The Devil’s Wind, following up on his 2017 sleeper, The Bloody Black Flag, which I reviewed with great enthusiasm. This is a locked-room mystery on the great briney featuring the dastardly, well-intended, lovable Spider John Rush and his pegleg sidekick Odin and tagalong cabin boy Hobgoblin.

The ragtag trio has escaped and recovered from their most recent pirating exploits aboard Red Viper with Blackbeard. And now, after eight years of marauding in the Caribbean, Spider John is surprised to find himself alive and wants to go home to Emma and his son. He connives deckhand jobs for them on the frigate Redemption, headed to Boston from the South Seas in a convoy showing force to prowling pirates. This is a wonderful, refreshing and expertly written short paperback that might prove to be your favorite. (I won’t even chance lending my two Spider John mysteries).

Since I’m in the pirate mood, I’ll swashbuckle my way past the sticky fingers in the Telegraph editing offices and stealthily raise the flag for a new release from Bitter Lemon Press in London by the very talented Italian novelist Gianrico Carofiglio, The Cold Summer. This is a mobbed-up experience hanging out for a while with the hoods of Sicily. The Cold Summer is terrific in that oversauced Italian way. And with Carofiglio’s A Fine Line – reviewed in May 2016 and maybe a tad better intrigue – you have all you need to stow away until next month’s “Murder Ink.” n

Drinking&DiningGuide Himalayan Kitchen 992 Main Ave., 970-259-0956 www.himkitchen.com Bringing you a taste of Nepal, Tibet & India. Try our all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. The dinner menu offers a variety of tempting choices, including yak, lamb, chicken, beef & seafood; extensive veggies; freshly baked bread. Full bar. Get your lunch punch card – 10th lunch free.

Hours: Lunch, 11am-2:30 p.m. & dinner, Sun. - Thurs., 5-9:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. ‘til 10 p.m. Closed 2:30 to 5 daily $$ Crossroads Coffee 1099 Main Ave., 970-903-9051 Crossroads coffee proudly serves locally roasted Fahrenheit coffee and delicious baked goods. Menu includes gluten-free items along with bullet-proof coffee, or bullet-proof chai! Pumpkin spice season is here! Come in for friendly service and the perfect buzz!

Hours: Mon.- Fri., 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. $ BREW Pub & Kitchen 117 W. College Drive, 970-259-5959 www.brewpubkitchen.com Experience Durango’s award-winning brewery & restaurant featuring unique, hand-crafted beers, delicious food - made from scratch, and wonderful wines & cocktails. Happy Hour, Tues.- Fri. 4-6 pm & all day Sunday with $1 off beers, wines & wells & select appetizer specials. Watch the sunset behind Smelter Mountain.

Hours: Wed.-Sun., Noon - 9p.m., Tues. 4p.m. - 9 p.m. Closed on Mon. $$

telegraph

Nov. 1, 2018 n 23

When words don’t do justice.

Add a color photo to your Telegraph classified ad for just $20/week.

(Just like Craigslist ... but a lot less creepy.)

For more info, email:classifieds@durangotelegraph.com or call 970-259-0133

24 n Nov. 1, 2018

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