The Durango Telegraph, Jan. 19, 2023

ORIGINAL

elegraph

the durango

Parking in purgatory More cars, not people, cause of resort’s parking woes

Punk rock refuge Anarchy Brewing offers music and beer with an edge

Make plov not war Meaty rice dish may hold key to world peace

Punk rock refuge

Anarchy Brewing Co. give punkers a venue to call their own by Alex Vick

to the ground:

“Whatever’s in there, 8th Ave. Tav will kill it.”

– Whether you have the crud or the stomach bug, there’s a cure for everything at the local watering hole

Puppy power

Parker’s Animal Rescue is hoping to raise $450,000 to hit a matching grant that would allow the local animal rescue to find a permanent home.

Parker’s Animal Rescue was created in 2014 when founder Lisa Parker took in a litter of 6-day old puppies. Now, Parker’s Animal Rescue is a registered nonprofit with a diverse team of foster homes and volunteers to help animals in need.

Parker’s Animal Rescue has never had a permanent home, however. With the fundraising campaign, the animal shelter will finally be able to purchase and construct/ renovate a building for its operations.

In a statement, the animal rescue said the fundraiser is “vital to ensuring that they will have the home they need to provide a safe place for rescues to heal and recover, be a transitional care unit, receive minor medical treatment, host meet and greets for potential adopters, offer day care for foster families, and hold various types of educational and training classes.”

According to the animal rescue, the campaign has already raised 35% of its goal.

“The campaign is structured to ensure supporters have options on contributions, including a one-time donation, monthly credit card auto payments or in a three-year pledge,” the statement said.

To learn more, visit www.parkersanimal rescue.com

Need a lift

Don’t put your credit card – or your magnanimous spirit – away just yet! The Hive’s Buzz Bus has broken down and needs some help.

If you’ll remember, back in November, we stayed up until the wee hours of the morning for our readers to bring back dispatches from a late night Buzz Bus ride, which helps everyone from the slightly to highly intoxicated get home from the bars. More often than not, it’s the latter.

Now, unfortunately, the Buzz Bus needs a new engine and is out of service. The Hive is also a local nonprofit and offers the Buzz Bus free of charge (though make sure to tip your very patient driver who deals with drunk people for hours on end.)

If you’re able to help out, find more info at thehivedgo.org

Rethinking resolutions

We’re officially more than halfway through January, and I was wondering –How are your New Year’s resolutions going?

I often forget about this tradition, and it wasn’t something I subscribed to until last year. As someone who can appreciate a deadline to become more accountable, the first day of a new year acts as a target that I can take aim at. Or perhaps it’s the simple task of changing my calendar that helps me gain that little bit of motivation.

For 2022, I decided I would stop drinking for a month. But what started as an attempt to slow down on drinking eventually became a mirror to my own use of alcohol as a crutch. The first two weeks felt exciting that I had this resolution to focus on – but also somewhat boring be cause so many of my social interactions and downtime centered around drinking. I came to realize that I be lieved drinking helped me access parts of myself –the cool, sexy, spontaneous parts – that I thought I could only access with the help of a little (or a lot) of alcohol.

Eventually, I found myself having fun again at social outings. I realized I was acting the way I typically would if I was drinking – sort of silly, sort of spontaneous, sort of cool. Well, maybe not “cool,” but more myself. Knowing that I could have fun sober and that the people in my life enjoyed spending time with me felt not only reassuring, but also freeing.

On Feb. 1 of that year, I realized I could keep going. “A month” was an arbitrary time that I could easily change if I wanted. I found myself repeating bits of dialogue from the film “Forrest Gump.”

“I ran to the end of the road, and when I got there, I thought maybe I’d run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d just run across Greenbow County. And I figured since I’d run this far, maybe I’ll just run across the great state of Alabama.”

I ended up running with this resolution until the first week of April.

I decided on this resolution again for 2023 because I thought my body would appreciate time recovering from the drinking that happened around Halloween. And Thanksgiving. And Christmas. And New Year’s. And especially the drinking that happened during the staycation I took last month that included plenty of

Thumbin’It

Chile anyone? Mountain Capitol Partners, the group that owns Purgatory, just became the majority owner of Valle Nevado, the largest ski area in the Americas.

A college student developing an app to detect if the AI Chatbot did their homework. Good on him, but… his classmates may not be so happy. May want to lay low for a while.

bloody marys and tasty late-night martinis.

However, I’ve started to wonder if this resolution is not without its faults. I dreamed last night about having a drink, and I woke up feeling disappointed that I had broken my resolution. Although it was just a dream, the disappointment that lingered was real. Would I feel this same disappointment if I had a drink in my waking life?

I wonder if it’s better that our resolutions aren’t tasks. Tasks become opportunities for us to fail, and then we feel bad about ourselves when we do. When making resolutions, do we make an allowance for life? Are we kind to ourselves when we don’t succeed? Emergencies happen. People grow older. Interests change. We change.

Shortly after the above dialogue is spoken in “Forrest Gump,” there is a scene in which a herd of reporters are yelling a string of questions toward him, hoping to understand why he is running across America. Forrest replies, “I just felt like running.”

One of the most recent examples of when I did something because I “just felt like it” was on Christmas Day. I made plans with my sister, Nicole, and good friend, Ben, to have dinner at my home. Before my sister arrived, I found myself wanting to become my drag persona, Rita Booke. No crowds to perform in, no pictures to take – it was simply because I felt like it. I gifted myself the opportunity to get ready and my guests gifted me the time to do so while they cooked.

Before this, the pressure I was putting on myself to perform well as a drag artist became almost debilitating. Anytime I was running late, which was often, I would curse myself for not being more prepared or faster or better. Anytime I felt my makeup looked off, I would tear myself down before I even had a chance to leave the house. The self-deprecation would get so bad that I felt it necessary at times to apologize to myself at the end of the night.

In both cases, the goal was the same – to become Rita. However, by becoming her because I felt like it, I was reminded that I can accomplish what I want without the threat of failure. The resolution that lasts is not the one that reprimands us, but the one that gives us an opportunity to gift ourselves kindness when matters change and the ability to listen to our inner voice when it whispers, “What do I want?”

SignoftheDownfall:

Toco Loco

A losing Republican candidate in New Mexico accused of shootings at homes of several Democrats. Luckily, no one was killed or hurt.

The Church of England refusing to back same-sex marriage. This, coming from a church founded only because Henry VIII wanted to dissolve a marriage? We’re confused.

Rat poison found in a to-go order at a Taco Bell in Aurora. OK, there are just too many good jokes to choose from, and we can’t decide.

Toco is a Japanese man with a pretend name, and last month, he spent 2 million Yen (about $16,000) on an ultra-realistic Rough Collie costume (just like Lassie!) so he could fulfil his lifelong “desire for transformation.” Toco is a popular YouTuber with tons of followers (one of whom plans to transition into a crocodile soon), but Toco hasn’t revealed his true identity because he’s worried his human friends would think he’s weird. “What’s that Lassie? Timmy fell down the well because he was running from a grown man who thinks he’s a dog? Good boy, Lassie!”

Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow.

– Doug Gonzalez

BigPivots

Dismantling walls to wildlife

by Allen Best

Although never a big-game hunter, I have killed three deer in Colorado and likely gave a bull elk a terrific headache. That’s not to mention my carnage among rabbits and other, smaller critters.

Cars were my weapon, not guns.

Driving at dusk or into the darkened night will inevitably produce close brushes with wildlife, large and small, on many roads and highways. Even daylight has its dangers.

Colorado is now redefining that risky, ragged edge between wildlife habitat and the high-speed travel that we take for granted. State legislators delivered a message last year when appropriating $5 million for wildlife connectivity involving highways in high-priority areas.

In December, state agencies identified seven locations where that money will be spent. They range from I-25 south of Colorado Springs to Highway 13 north of Craig near where it enters Wyoming. New fencing and radar technology will be installed. Highway 550 north of Ridgway will get an underpass.

The pot wasn’t deep enough to produce overpasses such as two recently built that cross Highway 9 between Silverthorne and Kremmling or one between Pagosa Springs and Durango. But $750,000 was allocated to design crossings of I-25 near Raton Pass, on the Colorado-New Mexico border, with a similar amount for design of an I-70 crossing near Vail Pass.

This is on top of the overpass on I-25 planned for the segment between Castle Rock and Monument to complement the four underpasses installed in a widening project of recent years.

In this and other ways, Colorado can better vie for a slice of the $350 million allocated by Congress in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for improved wildlife connectivity.

Americans are pivoting in how we regard roads and wildlife habitat. We have long been driven to protect human lives and our property by reducing collisions. But over time, our perspectives have broadened. Human safety still matters, but so do the lives of critters.

When we built our interstate highway system between 1956 and, with the completion of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon, 1992, we gave little regard to wildlife. There were exceptions, such as the narrow underpass for deer in West Vail installed in 1969.

Biologists in the 1990s began emphasizing highways as home wreckers. Expanding road networks, they said, was creating islands of wildlife habitat. Fragmented habitat leads to reduced gene pools and, at the extreme, the threat of extinction of species in some areas, called extirpation.

I-70 became the marquee for this. Wildlife biologists began calling it the

“Berlin Wall to Wildlife.” The aptness of that phrase was vividly illustrated in 1999 when a transplanted lynx released just months before was killed trying to cross I-70 near Vail Pass.

With that tragedy in mind, wildlife biologists held an international competition in 2011 involving I-70. The goal, at least partially realized, was to discover less costly materials and designs for wildlife crossings.

Colorado’s pace has quickened since a 2014 study documented the decline of Western Slope mule deer populations. In 2019, incoming Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order to state agencies directing them to work together to solve road ecology problems.

Two wildlife overpasses along with underpasses and fencing north of Silverthorne completed in 2017 have been valuable examples. Studies showed a 90% reduction in collisions.

“An 80-90% reduction right off the bat is pretty typical for these structures,”

Tony Cady, a planning and environmental manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation based in Durango, said.

State agencies, working with nonprofit groups and others, have crunched the data to delineate the state’s highest priority road segments. The results may give Colorado a leg up on access to federal funds.

The two studies found 48 high-priority segments on the Western Slope and 90 east of the Continental Divide, including the Great Plains, reported Michelle Cowardin, a wildlife biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The Craig and Meeker areas have lots of high-priority roads, but I-76 between Fort Morgan and Julesburg has many high-priority segments, too. Some jurisdictions are diving deeper.

Eagle County has completed a study of wildlife connectivity, and in the Aspen area, a nonprofit called Safe Passages has secured funding to begin identifying the highest-priority locations in the Roaring Fork and Crystal River valleys.

These new studies attest to a shift in public attitudes. Rob Ament, of Montana State University’s Western Transportation Institute, said wildlife connectivity is becoming institutionalized in how we think about transportation corridors. Instead of an extravagance, he said, crossings are becoming a cost of doing business.

This is happening internationally, too.

“My world is just exploding,” Ament said while reciting crossings for elephants in Bangladesh, tigers in Thailand and work for other species in Argentina, Nepal and Mongolia.

If in some ways a long time coming, we have finally arrived at redefining the relationship between highways and wildlife.

Check out other work by Allen Best about climate change, the energy transition and other topics at BigPivots.com. ■

A wildlife crossing near Chimney Rock National Monument in Southwest Colorado aims to reduce vehicle-wildlife collisions./ Photo by Allen Best

by Rob Pudim

Laika

(Editor’s note: Laika was a Soviet space dog who was the first animal to orbit the Earth and unfortunately, met a sad fate. For more on Laika, visit her wikipedia page.)

4 a.m., went out under the winter moon to gather firewood.

I looked up into the frigid dark and I thought of you, Laika. I was in my eighth year when they sent you up, harnessed, wired and entombed, with 7 days of oxygen and one meal. They grabbed you off the streets easily, for you were gentle and trusting. Mankind’s best friend, the irony! I am looking for you still as you drift through infinity this frozen night.

– Burt Baldwin, Ignacio

When will it end?

Ever since the homeless campsite at

Purple Cliffs closed in September, the people that lived there are spread out within downtown. I had an experience several years ago where a guy slept with porch cushions on my front door, which was opened by my scared daughter who needed to go to Park Elementary. I really don’t think the tickets for trespassing ever got an appearance at the County Courthouse.

What the homeless deserve, at the least, are porta-potties close to where they are camped out and at the County Courthouse, which is close to the warming center located at Durango Christian Church, 225 E. 11th St. (which is closed five days a week).

I am not the only one that shovels you-know-what on top of snow a few blocks away from the warming center.

Hopefully in this brand new year, real problem-solvers – instead of the outside consultants that received $70,000 to supposedly solve the homeless issue and didn’t – will come up with a great plan after two decades of locals, tourists and people experiencing homelessness watching this sad scene get worse and worse each year in Durango.

–

Sally Florence, Durango

State of emergency

Colorado’s top emergency management ‘dysfunctional,’ report states

by Matt Bloom Colorado Public Radio

The leadership team at Colorado’s state agency in charge of natural and public health disaster response is “dysfunctional” and in need of restructuring. That’s according to a new report released by a third-party contractor this week.

The report revealed concerns from employees about “a lack of understanding of roles and responsibilities” within the sprawling Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Employees said dysfunction at the highest levels had created distrust and eroded communication among rank-and-file staff.

Investigators with the workplace consulting agency Investigations Law Group made recommendations about ways to improve culture and working conditions within the division. Key suggestions included removing an ineffective Chief of Staff position and replacing it with a new Deputy Director to help manage administrative functions.

The report also recommended “senior leadership intervention” for three top directors, who were not named. The intervention should involve hiring an independent party to work with leaders over the course of six to 12 months to “develop shared values.”

The state commissioned the review last August after allegations of verbal abuse and misconduct from one of its top directors, Mike Willis, who oversees the division’s Office of Emergency Management.

Willis has been suspended at least twice during his tenure for “behavior that included berating female staffers, throwing objects in rage and intimidating workers to the point they thought it was close to getting physical,” according to a report in The Denver Post.

A majority of employees interviewed for the report said they were overall satisfied with their job, feel respected by managers and peers and “proud to tell others that they work at DHSEM.”

Yet the division as a whole was consistently described as “siloed,” according to the report. Poor career planning, con-

fusion around work-from-home policies and excessive scrutiny of employee timesheets contributed to a deterioration of culture.

Employees interviewed in the report expressed “little faith” in the director’s ability to address issues.

Stan Hilkey, the executive director of the state’s Department of Public Safety, which oversees the division, said in a statement he would implement the report’s recommendations.

“This process has provided some clarity on how and where we can improve,” Hilkey said. “Strengthening workplace culture, harmony and satisfaction depends on unity of effort from all of us, and I’m confident that together we can further align these values.”

At least 83% of the department’s employees were interviewed or surveyed for the report. Many expressed a sense of accomplishment in their day-to-day work, as well as a desire for a stronger commitment to diversity efforts.

For more from Colorado Public Radio, go to: www.cpr.org. ■

A plane drops slurry on the NCAR fire near Boulder last March. A damning report by an independent consultant found that employees in the state’s Dept. of Emergency Management have little faith in the agency’s top brass to address issues./ Kevin Beaty, Denverite

Parking in purgatory

More cars, not people, causing traffic issues, resort says

by Jonathan Romeo

Parking – or lack thereof – has caused complaints this winter season at Purgatory Resort, north of Durango. Many guests have reported longer than normal wait times to get into lots this year, resulting in a traffic mess on busy days.

The situation at Purgatory reached a bit of a fever pitch Jan. 2, one of the season’s first big powder days, which happened to coincide with the tail end of Christmas break and a holiday, with many people and families off work for the observance of New Year’s.

But Dave Rathbun, general manager of Purgatory, said the parking issues are not a result of record numbers of people flocking to the mountain. Instead, it’s a result of guests taking individual cars to

the resort.

“We have more cars – not more people – than the resort can handle, and everyone is trying to get here at the exact same moment,” he said. “That’s why you see giant backups. That’s the crux of the issue.”

Purgatory, of course, is not alone. Ski areas across the country are concerned about crowding as the sport grows in popularity, populations increase in mountain towns and people continue to take their own cars instead of carpooling or using public transportation.

“Many, if not most, Colorado Ski Country USA resorts are working hard to make the guest experience a great one from parking lot to slope,” Sarah Beatty, spokeswoman for the nonprofit trade association representing 21 Colorado resorts, said.

Rathbun said the issue first started in the early 2000s with the advent of Power and Buddy passes. Beforehand, most visitors were family units or groups packed into a van, which helped resorts accommodate more guests with lower demand for parking.

Now, with more season pass holders, more people are coming solo to the mountain at their leisure. In addition to that, mountain communities have seen an influx of residents, further stressing resort infrastructure.

Parking is the most visible manifestation of these issues. An unofficial count at Purgatory saw most cars arriving had just one or two guests, Rathbun said. With up to 6,000 people visiting Purgatory on a busy day (according to the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office; Purgatory does not release its visitation numbers),

the 1,700 parking spots at the resort fill up quickly, to say the least.

Planning for anticipated future growth, Purgatory in the early 2000s developed a master plan that included additional parking. This past summer, for instance, the resort added about 60 parking spots in the Lower Columbine lot.

A larger project that would add 200 spots on 2 acres south of the resort between the Gelande parking lot and the Nugget Mountain Bar was delayed after running into permitting issues with the Colorado Department of Transportation.

A CDOT spokeswoman said the agency is working out the details with Purgatory, and an access permit will be issued at an undetermined date in the near future. Rathbun, too, is confident the project will start in the spring and be ready by next winter.

A solo skier makes the trek back to his car in the Gelande parking lot at the end of a day at Purgatory Resort. Parking has been a bit of an issue at the resort as more people choose to take individual cars./ Photo by Missy Votel

Still, Purgatory is running out of actual physical space to expand parking along the tight Highway 550 corridor. And, just as important to note, continually expanding parking won’t resolve the issue of more cars and more traffic as a result of continued growth.

So, resort officials are looking at alternative solutions.

For starters, Purgatory routinely sends out messaging, including emails and social media posts, asking visitors to carpool. “It borders on spamming people, because we’re trying to hammer this message home,” Rathbun said.

Also, the resort offers incentives. On busy days, only cars with at least four people are allowed at the Village lot, nearest to the base area. During the holiday season, Purgatory opened a half hour earlier, at 8:30 a.m., to spread out arrival times. And, Purgatory developed an app that allows people to see traffic and parking availability in real time.

“We’re trying every tactic we can find,” Rathbun said. “But there is no silver bullet.”

One of the biggest pieces of the puzzle is a planned shuttle from Durango to Purgatory. Years ago, the City of Durango used a portion of the lodgers tax to fund a shuttle from town to the mountain, but

that service was discontinued when the city reallocated that money for the downtown trolley. (Purgatory does offer a shuttle to its hundred or so employees.)

Now, plans for a guest shuttle are back on the table. Sarah Hill, director of the City of Durango’s Transportation Department, said the city is in preliminary talks with Purgatory about the service, but it’s unclear when that might be up and running.

“We’re highly motivated to figure it out and come up with something,” Rathbun said.

So is most of Colorado and the West. On Jan. 6, for instance, Eldora Mountain was forced to turn people away, because there was no parking. On top of expanding parking, Eldora plans to institute a fee for single-occupancy vehicles.

A-Basin, in 2019, pulled the plug on its partnership with Vail Resort’s Epic Pass. “We are pretty darn full on weekends, and we don’t need any more people,” ABasin’s Alan Henceroth told the Colorado Sun. “Our parking is our pinch point.”

David Rossi, director of communications for Summit County, home to four ski resorts, said in an interview with The Durango Telegraph that the traffic issue is having a negative impact on the overall skiing experience. Buses help, but with

most people choosing to drive their own car anyway, it’s still bumper-to-bumper on the roads.

“Summit is definitely ground zero for traffic hell,” Rossi said. “And a lot of local leaders are worried we’re killing the golden goose.”

It’s going to take a huge, multi-agency response to lessen the problem, Rossi said, and the perfect answer, if there is one, remains unclear.

“I try to be eternally an optimist,” he said. “But when you can walk from one end of town to the other faster than driving, you know there is a traffic problem.”

(Pro tip from Colorado Ski Country USA’s Beatty: “pack your patience” with an après bag for parking lot parties to wait out the traffic. Just, you know, make sure you designate a DD.)

On Jan. 2, all these issues came to a head at Purgatory as people off work or not in school headed up to hit the slopes for a powder day.

Guests reported people were being turned away, because parking was maxed out, forcing drivers to park illegally along Highway 550 and adjacent Forest Service roads. Some guests even reported ticketed and/or towed vehicles.

However, that doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case.

Both Colorado State Patrol Capt. John Trentini and CDOT spokeswoman Lisa Schwantes said they were not aware of any tickets issued at Purgatory this season for illegal parking or any vehicles that required a tow.

Trentini did say, though, that it’s not uncommon for officers to place a tag on vehicles, notifying the owner they have 48 hours to move the car or face a tow.

Rathbun, too, said Purgatory never turns guests away, and instead suggests they use the skier drop-off area for passengers, and then cruise the lots to look for spaces.

Regardless, while Durango obviously (and fortunately) pales in comparison to the I-70/Front Range issue, Rathbun said part of the solution to Purgatory’s parking dilemma is realizing and changing expectations. Though Purgatory’s visitation this year is about average compared to the past few years, the town saw an influx of new people during the pandemic. The increased traffic to the mountain, he said, could just be part of the new normal.

“When everyone is trying to be in the same place at the same time, you either have to come up here earlier, or wait a little later, and take a chance finding a parking spot,” Rathbun said. “That’s the reality; that’s where we’re at.”

Release the punk

Anarchy Brewing starts hosting live music with an edge

by Alex Vick

Drums drive a crowd to frenzy, distorted guitar fills the air creating an atmosphere for kooks and weirdos to thrive – Anarchy Brewing Co. is now hosting punk shows.

Since opening in 2021, owner and head brewer Matt “Sully” Sullivan and his staff have displayed their passion for punk, rock and alternative music. The brewery feels like home in your uncle’s garage – cozy, with an edge.

Now that Anarchy has ironed out most of the kinks after two years in operation, Sullivan wanted to add the element of live music to the brewery. This past December, Anarchy hosted a show with The Batteries (the group I play with), Acid Wrench and American Businessman. It went off without a hitch, and there has been a call for more live music at the brewery.

“I’ve been a punk since I was a kid,” Sullivan said. “Punk really always seemed to resonate with how I felt growing up. Since living in Durango, I’ve asked myself, ‘Why don’t we have a place to listen to good punk and rock music on a regular basis?’”

Though that’s a hard question to answer, Sullivan knew he wanted to help provide a venue with the opening of his brewery.

“It became a part of my whole goal opening this place to eventually have punk shows as often as we can,” he said. “But the first two years, I was so busy just keeping my head above water, brewing and trying to run the business, that I didn’t get the chance to explore (hosting music) like I wanted to. But now the ball is rolling, and I love the energy of how everyone is having fun and taking care of each other.”

Before starting a brewery, Sullivan was a firefighter/medic for 22 years in Albuquerque. Over the years, however, he always brewed batches of beer at home, fine-tuning his craft. All the while, his friends frequently encouraged him to take his passion for brewing beer further.

After retiring from Albuquerque Fire Rescue, Sullivan moved to Durango in 2015 to work as a critical care paramedic with Flight for Life and also as an ER paramedic. But after the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sullivan made the leap to start brewing at a larger scale and full-time.

“I jumped all in, cashed in my 401K, quit the hospital and started working on a business plan,” he said.

Now, Sullivan’s punk-inspired brewery is ready to host shows on a more regular basis.

“Where we are now is more than I envisioned, and

it keeps evolving and evolving,” he said. “I feel like the bands in this town are kind of like the breweries –we’re all in it together, and we’re all helping each other out. It’s a beautiful thing, and I think the brewery and the music – punk rock – really go hand-inhand.”

Anarchy will host its next show at 7 p.m. Fri., Jan. 27, featuring The Master Debaters from Pagosa Springs and The Batteries. Support local kooks and weirdos by drinking smallbatch, hand -crafted beer and paying a $5 cover to support alternative music in your town. ■

The Batteries play Anarchy Brewing in December./ Courtesy photo

FlashinthePan Make plov, not war

Could a simmering pot of this meaty rice dish be key to world peace?

by Ari LeVaux

Plov is a hearty and meaty rice-based meal from Central Asia. The dish is widely considered the progenitor of rice pilaf and a cousin to paella. Native to presentday Uzbekistan, plov has spread throughout the former Soviet republic, where it varies by region. Some renditions include chickpeas. Azerbaijani plov contains dried fruit. Ukrainian plov is often made with chicken. But every plov will include carrots, onions, garlic and some kind of meat. It’s traditionally prepared in a large, shallow pan called a kazan. A heavy wok, large frying pan or Dutch oven is probably the closest approximation that most of us have in the kitchen.

Legend has it that Alexander the Great commissioned the world’s first plov to feed his soldiers once in the morning and keep them nourished and strong all day. Like many myths, it contains elements of truth. Plov does fill you up and keep you satisfied and can be made in batches large enough to feed an army. But I believe plov has potential for peacemaking instead.

I first learned how to make plov at a dinner party hosted by a group of Uzbek businessmen who were visiting my home town. They drank tea and murmured peacefully in the kitchen as they slowly prepared their dish, filling the house with the aroma of cumin, coriander, bay leaves, garlic and meat. It was a beautiful scene, but sullied by the sexism attached to the dish. The plov-makers made it clear that its preparation is man’s work. I asked why women can’t make it.

“If a woman wants to eat plov,” one of then explained patiently, “she must order her husband or her brother to make it. That way, she can eat with pleasure. If you want to eat something that is prepared perfectly, you must have the master prepare it. Man is the master of plov.”

The party was full of nationals from many former Soviet countries with names ending in -stan, like Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. These folks had strong opinions on plov. One guest from Tajikistan told me she thought women wouldn’t add enough meat if they were in charge of the plov.

If we are going to mess around with gender stereotypes, it’s worth pointing out that most wars are planned and orchestrated by men. Given that reality, getting the menfolk to drink tea and make plov, rather than war, might not be the worst idea. If only Russian and Ukrainian diplomats could hang out together around a simmering kazan of plov, talking quietly as the rice, meat and spices work their way toward a balance, they could find a way toward a peaceful end to their conflict. If men can make plov together, they can make peace together.

This recipe makes a basic plov. Consider it a point of departure for your own version. Feel free to im-plov-ise.

Lamb or mutton are the traditional meats of choice for plov, because their strong flavors can stand up to the cumin, coriander and other spices. For this reason, I often use deer

meat, which is similarly flavorful. Beef and chicken can make decent plovs, but the flavors are more subtle.

Plov Serves 6

2 pounds of lamb, as fatty as possible, diced 3 tablespoons olive oil (unless lamb is really, really fatty) 2 cups long grain rice, preferably jasmine or basmati 1 tablespoon crushed or powdered cumin 1 tablespoon crushed or powdered coriander 2 teaspoons black pepper 2 teaspoons salt; more to taste 3 large carrots, cut into chunks 1 large onion, halved and sliced 2 heads garlic, left whole with the tops lopped off 4 bay leaves

1 cup red wine

Brown the lamb in the olive oil in a wok, Dutch oven or large frying pan. While the meat browns, wash the rice in a bowl by filling it with water, stirring and dumping the water. Rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.

When the meat has browned, mix in the cumin, coriander, black pepper and salt. Add the carrots, onions, garlic heads, bay leaves and wine, and stir it together. Sauté slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft. Add the rice, and mix it all together. Add about 2 cups of water, until there is about a half-inch or so covering the rice.

Cover and simmer until the rice is soft. Be ready to add more water if the pan dries out before the rice is fully cooked.

Let the plov sit, or “rest,” for about 30 minutes with the lid on. This lets the flavors settle and balance with one another, and allows for the moisture to distribute itself evenly. As you serve, break apart the garlic heads and distribute the soft cloves, so every serving includes a couple. ■

Stuff to Do

Thursday19

Purgatory Classic ski team race, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Bingo Night, 5 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Author Event: John Peel, “The Ballantines: Building Community Issue by Issue,” 6-8 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.

Karaoke Night, 6 p.m., Wild Horse Saloon, 601 E. 2nd Ave.

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio.

Kim Richey plays, 7:30 p.m., Smiley Café, 1309 E. 3rd Ave.

Trivia Night, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Friday20

Deadline for “Stuff to Do” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item, email: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Purgatory Classic ski team race, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

The Gallery Grand Opening, 5 p.m., 11th St. Station. Featuring artists Gianni Coria, Jon Bailey & Ella Bridge. Live music by Baby Del.

Nicki Parrott plays, shows at 5 & 8 p.m., The Lift at Cascade, 50827 Highway 550.

Larry Carver & Jack Ellis play, 5:30p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Ru Paul’s Drag Race Watch Party, 6 p.m., Fathers Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Starlight Jam Session, 6 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Meditation & Potluck, for people in their 20s and 30s, 6 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave., Suite 109.

Ecstatic Dance, every Friday, 6:30-8:30 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.

Colorado Native Plant Society: “Rare and Restoration Plants of the Navajo Nation,” 7-8:30 p.m., FLC’s Center for Southwest Studies.

Magic Beans & Tone Dogs play, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Kids Snowdown Follies, 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Drag Show, 8:30 p.m., Fathers Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Saturday21

Homebuyer Education Class, 8:30 a.m., Fort Lewis College. Homesfund.org

Purgatory Classic ski team race, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Intro to Tie-Dye, 12:30-1:30 p.m., 11th St. Station.

Snow Science & Social, 1 p.m., Andrews Lake parking lot.

Kids Snowdown Follies, 2 & 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Modelo Party & Giveaway, 3 p.m., Purgy’s Patio, Purgatory Resort.

Dirty Cords play, 5 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Last Nickel plays, 5 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Nicki Parrott plays, shows at 5 & 8 p.m., The Lift at Cascade, 50827 Highway 550. Durangocooljazz.com

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Community Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted.

Salsa Dance Night, 6:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Dirtwire & Bloomurian play (sold out), 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

Karaoke Night, 8 p.m., 8th Ave. Tavern, 509 E. 8th Ave.

Silent Disco, 9 -11:30 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Sunday22

Know the Snow SkiMo Race, fourth annual, 89:30 a.m., Purgatory. Benefit for Know the Snow, local nonprofit dedicated to increasing accessibility to avalanche awareness.

Purgatory Classic ski team race, 9 a.m., Purgatory Resort.

Open Mic, 2 p.m., Mancos Brewing.

Rebecca Favero plays, 2:30 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

“Bigger Than Roe” rally, 4-5 p.m., 11th St. & Main Ave, hosted by Indivisible Durango and WILD Durango.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle & The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Feed the People! free mutual aid meal & winter gear drive for homeless community members, every Sunday, 2-4 p.m., Buckley Park.

Sunday Funday, featuring games and prizes, 6 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Monday23

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Meditation & Dharma Talk, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave., Suite 109.

Comedy Showcase, weekly, 7:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tuesday24

Jason Thies plays, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office, 699 Main Ave.

Bluegrass Jam, 5:30 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Wednesday25

Twilight Night, 5 p.m., Purgatory Resort.

Live music, 6-9 p.m., The Office & Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Paint & Sip Night, 5:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Earning your stripes, turf wars and a rice gesture

Interesting fact: The inventor of road striping was following a leaky milk truck down the road when the idea came to him: why not store milk in jugs instead of trucks?

Dear Rachel,

I got high the other night and remembered that time someone repainted the stripes on Florida, only they weren’t “stripes” in any technical sense, because they looked more like a seismograph reading. It was pretty darn funny, and also, as someone who can’t draw a straight line to save my life, I sympathized. What do you think ever happened to that line-painter?

Dear Ziggy Zaggy,

– Shaky Ground

My uncle used to threaten me that if I didn’t shape up in school, I’d grow up to be a striper. That’s all I’d be good for, he said, until I turned about 23 and had to become a hocker. I guess that’s someone who works in a pawn shop? My uncle was not a very nice guy, but I don’t know why he threatened me with being a striper, because literally nothing I have ever done will be remembered as fondly as the Florida Striper.

– Staying in my lane, Rachel

does it again. Can you imagine if that’s how it went with your neighbors’ fences? Mine! Nope, never mind, it’s yours. Mine again! Dogs must be doing something different, or else they have a very fluid idea of ownership. What are they really doing out there?

–

Dear Gushing,

Stream of Consciousness

I once had someone recommend, in earnest, that I pee in a jar and then use the contents of that jar to incrementally create a border around my home to ward off neighbors with ill intent. So I tried it. It worked like a charm: the landlord kicked me out of the apartment for pouring pee along the common hallway, and I never had to deal with those neighbors again. Good enough for dogs, good enough for me.

– Take it sitting down, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

People always say that dogs are “marking their territory.” Well, it’s not very effective, is it? Another dog comes along and marks the same spot as their territory, then someone else

Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 8 p.m., The Roost, 128 E. College Dr.

Karaoke Roulette, 8 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Ongoing

“Life in Small Moments” art exhibit, thru March 1, FLC Center for Innovation, Main Mall, 835 Main Ave.

The Hive Indoor Skate Park, open skate and skate lessons. www.thehivedgo.org

Upcoming

McDonald’s Twilight Night Race, Jan. 25, 5-8 p.m., Purgatory. Individuals or teams competing in three

Dear Rachel, I recently helped out a neighbor with her low tire pressure warning light. Covered it right up with black tape. Kidding! I put air in her tires. She tried to pay me $20 and no way, I couldn’t sleep with myself for that. So she insisted on bringing me food. OK fine, if it brings her joy, I’ll accept that. She asked a bunch of questions about my dietary restrictions (I have none), and I was starting to get excited for a homecooked meal. Until she brought me… a bag of rice. Uncooked rice. Should I just be grateful? Am I wrong to be disappointed?

– Underwhelmed

disciplines: Skate skiing, fat biking and snowshoeing.

Homegrown Soul featuring The Mighty Pines, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m., FLC’s Community Concert Hall.

Big Richard, La La Bones & Rainey play, Jan. 27, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre.

A Shakespearean Snowdown, Feb. 1-5, Durango. www.snowdown.org

Venture Snowboard Demo Day, Jan. 28, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., beach at Purgatory.

Colorado Native Beer Party & Giveaway, Jan. 28, 3-4 p.m., Purgy’s Patio at Purgatory.

Email Rachel: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Dear Rice Rice Baby,

Of course you should just be grateful. I’ve never heard of anyone getting food poisoning from a bag of dry rice. I HAVE heard of plenty of people getting food poisoning from casseroles that came from people’s personal kitchens. I mean, have you SEEN people’s personal kitchens? The state of folks’ food prep areas makes me surprised most public-facing workers, like road stripers, are as competent as they are.

Talent Show, Jan. 28, 5-8 p.m., Turtle Lake Refuge, 848 E. 3rd Ave.

Snowdown Kick-off Party & 2024 Theme Announcement, Jan. 29, 1-2 p.m., Purgy’s Patio.

Great Decisions: Energy Geopolitics, presentation by Guinn Unger, Jan. 31, 11:45 a.m., Durango Public Library.

Leo Lloyd Avalanche Workshop, classroom session Feb. 2 from 6-8 p.m., field session Feb. 4 from 8:30 a.m.4 p.m. More info at www.thesanjuans.org

Vallecito Ice Fishing Tournament, Feb. 4, 7:30 a.m., Vallecito Reservoir. Vcsa-co.org

– Buen provecho, Rachel

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Good news, Aries! During the next episode in the ageold struggle between the Impulsive You and the Farsighted You, I predict the latter will achieve a ringing victory. Hallelujah! I also foresee you overcoming the temptation to quit a project prematurely, and instead pushing on to complete it. There’s more! You will refrain from knocking your head against an obstacle in the vain hope of toppling it. Instead, you will round up helpers to help you wield a battering ram that will produce the desired toppling.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You may not have a clear picture of where you’ll be going in the next five years. The detailed master plan that your higher self devised for you before you were born might even be obscure. But I’m here to tell you that in the coming weeks, a new lucidity can be yours. You can summon an acute instinct about which way is forward, if only you will recognize the subtle ways it’s speaking to you. In fact, I believe you will regularly know what move you should make *next* so as to expedite your longterm evolution.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Do you believe in the existence of guardian angels and spirit guides and ancestors who can intervene in your behalf from the other side of the veil? Do you wonder if maybe your invisible friends from childhood show up in your vicinity now and then to offer you support and kindness? Or how about the animals you loved earlier in your life but who have since passed away? Is it possible their souls have never left you, but are available if you need their affection? Even if your rational mind tells you that none of these possibilities are authentic, Gemini, I suspect you will nevertheless be the beneficiary of their assistance in the coming weeks and months.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Among your potential strengths as a human being are empathy, sensitivity and emotional intelligence. You may or may not choose to develop these natural gifts. But if you do, they can be instrumental in helping you achieve the only kind of success that’s really meaningful for you, which is success that your heart and soul love as much as your head and your ego. According to my astrological analysis, you are moving into a phase of your cycle when you will have extra power to ripen your empa-

thy, sensitivity and emotional intelligence, and thereby enhance your ability to achieve the kind of success that’s meaningful for you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Dear Rob the Astrologer: The computer firewall at my youth hostel is blocking your website. I am being told you practice ‘Illegal Folklore and Insurrectionary Fairy Tales.’ What the hell? Can you do anything at your end to get me access to your wonderful horoscopes? Maybe cut back a bit on your Illegal Folklore and Insurrectionary Fairy Tales? Haha. Just kidding. I love that crazy stuff. – Deprived Leo in Ireland.” Dear Deprived: Many of you Leos have lately had problems getting all the Illegal Folklore and Insurrectionary Fairy Tales you need. I hope you will push hard to compensate. In my estimation, you currently have a strong need for dreamy stories that appeal to the Wild Child in you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In his book “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life,” Donald Miller acknowledges that fear can be a “guide to keep us safe.” Being afraid may indeed have its uses and benefits. But Miller adds that it’s also “a manipulative emotion that can trick us into living a boring life.” In my astrological opinion, Virgo, fear will be of service to you – a guide to keep you safe – about 9% of the time in 2023. Around 83% of the time, it will be a manipulative emotion not worth acting on. For the other 8%, it will be neither.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Select two sticky situations in your world that you would love to reinvent. Let other annoyances and glitches just slide for now. Then cultivate a focused desire to do everything in your power to transform the two awkward or messy circumstances. Proceed as if you will have to do all the work yourself – that nothing will change for the better unless you take full responsibility. If you’re absolutely sure this involves other people altering their behavior, consider the possibility that maybe your behavior needs to shift as well.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Three out of four toxic waste dumps in the U.S. are located in predominantly African American or Latino communities. Two million tons of radioactive uranium tailings have been dumped on Native American lands. Three hundred thousand Latino farm workers in the U.S. suffer from pesticide-related sicknesses every year. These

travesties make me furious. More importantly, my rage motivates me to mitigate these travesties, like by educating my readers about them and donating money to groups crusading to fix the problems. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, I hope you will take advantage of your astrological potentials by using your anger constructively, too.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I predict that love will bring you many AHA! moments in 2023. You can’t fully prepare yourself for them, and that’s a good thing! The epiphanies will be brighter and deeper if they are unexpected. Your motivation to learn the available lessons will be wilder and stronger if you enjoy being surprised. So be ready for lots of entertaining rumbles and reverberations, Sagittarius.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Some insects are helpful to humans. For example, ladybugs devour aphids, which are highly destructive to crops. Damsel bugs eat the pests called leafhoppers, and lacewings feed on the pernicious nuisances known as mealybugs. I also remind you that some bugs are beautiful, like butterflies, dragonflies and jeweled beetles. Keep these thoughts in mind, Capricorn, as you contemplate my counsel. Metaphorically speaking, you will have experiences with bugs in the next three weeks. But this won’t be a problem if you ally yourself with the good, helpful and beautiful bugs.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What are “brain orgasms”? Can you seek them out and make them happen, or do you have to wait patiently for them to arrive in their own sweet time? When they occur, what should you do? Surrender into them with all your welcome fully unleashed? Or should you question whether they’re real, be suspicious of their blessings, or dismiss them as irrelevant flukes? I encourage you to meditate on questions like these. That will raise your receptivity to the stream of brain orgasms that life will offer you in the coming weeks.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): My Piscean pagan friend Valie says God is stealthy yet blatant, like a green chameleon perched on a green leaf. After analyzing the astrological omens, I conclude that this is a helpful, allpurpose metaphor for you to use in the coming weeks. I encourage you to be alert for beauty that is hidden in plain sight. See if you can spy the miracles embedded within the ordinary.

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 www.durangotelegraph.com n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133 n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2

Approximate office hours:

Mon-Wed: 9ish - 5ish

Thurs: On delivery

Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Announcements

Applications for Advanced Standing MSW Program

Students with a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) are eligible for a oneyear Masters of Social Work program through the University of Denver. The program starts summer 2023, and classes are taught in Durango. Stipends for child welfare, integrated behavioral health care are available.  Native American tuition support to eligible students is also available.  For more info, contact Janelle.Doughty@du.edu or www.du .edu/socialwork

Free Adult & Young Adult Anonymous support group in Durango. Hope for change for people from alcoholic or dysfunctional families. Childhood abuse, abandonment, rejection from your childhood? Put others before yourself? Failed/unhealthy relationships? Low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, feeling unworthy of love, lack personal boundaries?

Structured by ACA World Service Org.info@ACAWSO.org. In person and (virtual offered after 1st mtg) Free newcomer chips / literature for emotional sobriety support. Call/text Nancy (970) 799-2202 with questions or to register.

CommercialforRent

1100-sf Office/Retail Space in Bodo Park

Ground floor with open-front floor plan & back-of-house space + 1/2 bath & kitchenette. Wheelchair access ramp & on-site parking. Short- or long-term lease avail. $1600 a month. 970-7993732

Wanted

ISO Room to Rent

Getaway in La Plata Canyon

Need to get away? Come to the La Plata Canyon Studio www.laplatacanyon studio.com. Mention this ad for a local discount!

Classes/Workshops

New Beginner Aikido Class

Aikido is self-defense with a do-noharm attitude. Promotes mindfulness and stress-relief. New beginner class Mon & Thur, 6-6:45pm, Jan 23-Feb 16. Details and sign-up at durango aikido.blog or text/call 970-426-5257.

I’m looking for a room to rent. I’m new to the area and currently homeless. The max amount I can pay for rent is $400, additional $100 for utilities. I’m very clean, respectful and quiet. Call/text me if you have anything available! Thank you! 970-312-1501

Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum, Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970-259-3494.

ForSale

Reruns Home Furnishings

Brighten up your space with quality pre-owned furniture and décor. Lamps, tables, rugs. Looking to consign smaller

furniture pieces … 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

Crusher Fat Bike - Now $425

2015 Sun Bicycle, 7 speed, in excellent cond. Barely ridden. Basket & kick stand. MSRP $530, now $425. 970-9030005.

Kawai QX100 electronic keyboard

Your dad was wrong – you can still make it as a musician. Kawai QX100 electronic keyboard for $100 OBO. Comes with owner’s manual, no adaptor. Can be used with AC adaptor or six size C dry cell batteries. j.marie.pace @gmail.com

Gordon Smith FibreFlex Longboard

A classic – sweet, smooth ride for cushy cruising. Been around the block but still in great shape. 42” long. $50 Text: 970-749-2595.

Services

Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Life Challenges?

Affordable counseling/sliding scale fee/confidential - no agency reporting. Adults/young adults. Free consultation. Durango. Call/Text Nancy Raffaele, MA, LPCC, NCC (Psychology Today Directory) (970) 799-2202

Marketing Small and Local Businesses

Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc.  www.thesaltymedia .com or email jnderge@ gmail.com

Harmony Cleaning and Organizing

Residential, offices, commercial and vacation rentals, 970-403-6192.

Lowest Prices on Storage!

Inside/outside storage near Durango and Bayfield. 10-x-20, $130. Outside spots: $65, with discounts available. RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494.

BodyWork

Massage, Facials, Body/Foot Detox

Special rates/pkg discounts. Durango. Call/text Nancy (970) 799-2202

In-Home Fitness Training

Free consultation. Diane Brady NSCA-CPT. 970-903-2421.

Lotus Path Healing Arts

Offering a unique, intuitive fusion of Esalen massage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years of experience. To schedule call Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

Massage by Meg Bush

LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-7590199.

CommunityService

Volunteer Advocates Needed

Want to make a difference in your community and the lives of others? Alternative Horizons is in need of volunteers to staff our hotline. AH supports and empowers survivors of domestic violence. Training and support provided. For more info, call 970-2474374 or visit alternativehorizons.org

MOLAS Scholarship Available

The Community Foundation serving SW Colorado is offering a new scholarship for low-income La Plata County students, the Meaningful Opportunity through Learning and Advancement, or “MOLAS.” Applicants must be first-generation college students. Deadline to apply is March 1. Application at: swcommunityfoundation.org/scholarships