The Durango Telegraph, April 25, 2024

Sometimes getting left out requires looking inward April

FOMO no mo’

Bear deterrents are working but vigilance still needed

Soul-cleansing live shows offer spring pick-me-up

5 On the Trail

A lifetime of bird crusading with naturalist Pepper Trail by Jonathan Romeo / Writers on the Range

4 No mo’ FOMO

Lessons and reflections on missing out for all the right reasons by Doug Gonzalez

10 Musical therapy

There’s nothing like a spring cleaning of the soul with some live shows by Jon E. Lynch

8 Grin and bear it

It’s bear season, time to buckle down and bearproof your surroundings by Kathleen O’Connor

EDITORIALISTA:

Ear to the ground:

“Yeah, I’ll definitely be back this summer – camp’n, party’n and lov’n.”

– Ah, the life of a liftie

Wax on, not off

True, there’s one weekend left at Purg and plenty of corn in the high country if you know where to look. But chances are, you’re ready to put the skis on ice for a while. And as much as we joke about not waxing our skis, it’s actually kind of a big deal for summer storage.

The big issue is oxidation – the chemical reaction that happens when an object comes into contact with oxygen. Think brown on a cut apple or worse, rust on your ski edges. And while brown apples are fairly harmless and rust can be filed off, oxidation can also result in “dry rot” (the powdery white stuff on your bases. No, not snow.)

While we’ll skip the in-depth chemistry lesson, if left to dry out, the long molecules that make your bases so tough can break down, reducing strength and glide speed. Now we’ve probably got your attention.

So before you stick your boards in the hot garage for the summer, here are a few easy steps to give them some TLC:

• Wipe down skis with a wet rag. Old ski socks work great.

• Polish away edge burrs with a diamond stone and fill in any “owies” with P-tex.

• Wax your skis, but don’t scrape (yay!) It will protect your bases over the summer.

Doug Gonzalez, Jonathan Romeo, Kathleen O’Connor, Jon E. Lynch, Ari LeVaux, Rob Brezsny, Lainie Maxson, Jesse Anderson & Clint Reid

On the cover

“Headwind” by the supremely talented Jonathan Bailey. With Iron Horse training in full swing, this no doubt is something a lot of folks can relate to. Just remember, a headwind one way means a tailwind the other way. Usually.

Or better yet, if you have bike riding or river trips to worry about, take your sticks to a local shop and let the pros handle it. Think how happy you’ll be next winter when you’re ready to go (minus a little scraping –but who doesn’t love that?)

Branching out

A longtime local nonprofit is starting a new chapter. Last week, Community Connections announced it is branching off into two entities to offer specialized services to people with disabilities.

Starting July 1, “Our Own Lives” will provide the majority of direct services previously provided by Community Connections including employment support, in-home support, community access, host homes, day services and respite care. Scott Smith has been named as the new chief executive officer.

Community Connections has been serving people with disabilities and their families across the region since 1985. However, regulatory shifts and a growing need for personalized support made it apparent that a second entity was needed.

The Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or mon-

ster powder days. We are wholly independently owned and operated by the Durango Telegraph LLC and dis-

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

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Community Connections will continue to offer early intervention for children with developmental delays, family support and case management.

LaVidaLocal

An accidental find

Growing up in a household with two older sisters, it’s easy to think that I would have encountered FOMO – fear of missing out – at an early age. Anytime I encroached upon their space, conversation or room, they’d say to me, “Don’t come in here, we’re talking about bras and panties!”

I often wondered, “What is there to even talk about? How can so many chats center around underwear?”

I didn’t understand that this overused phrase was a simple tactic to get me to leave the room so they could continue discussing whatever it was that mean ol’ teenage girls spoke about. It wasn’t until I had the awareness that I was being excluded that it started to bother me. Instead of knowing it was just two girls being annoyed with their younger brother, I started to wonder why I couldn’t join them – was I not enough?

What is notable about the term FOMO is that it is a relatively new phrase. Coined in 2004 with the rise of social media sites like MySpace and Facebook, it wasn’t put into the Merriam Webster’s dictionary until 2016. In there, it is defined as this: fear of not being included in something (such as an interesting or enjoyable activity) that others are experiencing.

Although this term was identified 20 years ago, I think it has long existed within our lives. “You must be this high to ride” has excluded children from joining their siblings on carnival rides and rollercoasters for eons. “The table is full, but you can sit at the kid’s table” has pushed tweens out of “grown-up” conversations since the firs Thanksgiving. But this is not a feeling relinquished solely to childhood. Who else has experienced a group of friends making travel or party plans, only to find you’re not part of those plans? I haven’t, but I’m sure it’s very upsetting. I joke – this has happened to me an uncomfortable number of times.

A quick search online provides many sites dedicated to help those who suffer from FOMO. Tips include: find a way to fill your time, and stop comparing yourself to others. I thought, “How can we stop comparing ourselves to others when we are such incredibly social creatures who gauge our place in structures of friends/family/society through said acts of comparison?”

What are missing in these interactions, however, are important tools that soften or stop the comparison: tools of self-esteem and self-worth.

After a recent encounter with a long-time friend where I felt excluded, I voiced my discomfort and hurt. I shared that I felt like “I am not enough,” which in turn made me question how we value others in our lives. What I hadn’t questioned before this was how I valued myself. I’m sure being “enough” comes easy for some, but for me, it has always been difficult. Making it even more difficult is the need to have it all, which is part of an ideology that has created many issues – both historic and modern – for humans.

Unknowingly challenging this ideology, I chose to observe Durango’s two previous solar eclipses from a traditional Diné standpoint. In that belief system, this cosmic event is considered a sacred act between two powerful beings – the sun and the moon. This act is not meant to be physically observed, because it is something incredibly intimate. During this time, you are meant to stay inside, shut your blinds, and fast, pray and stay reverent. With my blinds drawn and a head full of thoughts, I started to accept the idea that not everything is for us. This directly counters American society’s encouragement to be part of and consume this rare event in the heavens, as if we have a right to it and everything else that is placed before us.

With this, I started to deconstruct the ideology that flames my desire to have it all, and the feelings of inadequacy that burn in me as a result. And although this fire is still lit within, I can feel its blaze beginning to weaken.

Prior to the advent of social media, it seems like we were able to sit and deal with this discomfort because we perceived it as happening less frequently. Now that we have access to so many friends’ and strangers’ social media accounts, we have a nearly infinite amount of ways to compare ourselves to others. Through this carousel of carefully curated depictions of life, discomfort becomes nearly insurmountable. So much so that what was considered in the past simply as “longing” has malformed into a fear you’re not experiencing the same joy that others are. And that you’re worse off for it.

Thumbin’It

The daring and creative rescue of two young mountain lions from the Vallecito spillway this week by CPW officers. Score one for wildlife and the good guys.

After years of kowtowing to the oil and gas industry, the BLM announced this week that conservation will be on equal footing with fossil fuel extraction when it comes to land management. Wait, so the land and what’s on it actually does matter?

After struggling with goalie issues, the Avs convincingly won their first Stanley Cup playoff game Tuesday, in the process giving us several more gray hairs, chewed nails and ulcers. Can someone wake us when it’s over?

By looking inward more frequently, I feel I have accidentally discovered a recipe to stop the pain of FOMO – self-reflections and self-trials beyond directions like “stop comparing yourself to others.” But there are still sections that read blurry to me. I wonder what visual clarity you, the reader, might bring to these parts? Is reading them together the only way to see them clearly? For if we can both stop feeling like we’re missing out, perhaps we can start being fully present – that’s where I hope to be.

– Doug Gonzalez

SignoftheDownfall:

Women’s basketball phenom Caitlyn Clark signed with the Indianapolis Fever, but she – as well as other WNBA players – still make just a fraction of what male counterparts in the NBA make. We’re crying foul.

An inauspicious anniversary took place April 20: the Columbine shooting happened 25 years ago, ushering in an appalling era of copy-cat shootings and complete lack of gun control that has become the “new normal.” We’d like to go back to the old normal, please.

Sorry, kids. Looks like they’re canceling Tik Tok. Don’t worry, there’s probably another equally insidious spy app just around the corner.

Ms. Commerciality

The World AI Creator Awards (WAICA) just announced that the first ever “Ms. AI Beauty Pageant” will be held this coming January. Basically, contestants upload AI bots like the ones pictured here that will be judged by a panel of experts. Critiques will be based on traditional pageant standards, like runway walking and banal interview question responses, but they’ll also be judged on social media views, presumably so our emerging AI overlords can better understand human aesthetic preferences right before they enslave us with an army of pretty robots that look good in formalwear. The winner will receive $20K, which will buy lots of dates with pretend girlfriends.

WritersontheRange

So much worth saving

For ornithologist Pepper Trail, being bird-brained is a good thing

by Jonathan Romeo

For a long time, climate change was largely perceived as a distant threat. But Oregon biologist Pepper Trail, 70, who often writes for the opinion service Writers on the Range, said he and other close observers have noticed climate shifts for decades.

He’s seen it in the premature blossoming of flowers, the diminishing snowcaps on mountains and, most strikingly, the increasing frequency of wildfires scorching the landscapes around him.

“I’m a naturalist,” Trail said, “and like many who have been sounding the alarm for years, I’m increasingly frustrated and struggling to avoid pessimism.”

Trail has also investigated wildlife crime. Before retiring in 2021, he served as a senior forensic scientist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Oregon. He

in animal behavior and evolution led to field research in South America. Later, chance placed him in Oregon with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory.

“I’m proud of the work I did in my career,” he said, “but the problem with anything in conservation is that there are no permanent victories. We may save a place, or we may solve a crime, but there’s always tomorrow and new challenges.”

One major win during his career was exposing an illegal trade in which dead hummingbirds were marketed as charms believed to attract love. This illicit practice, which posed a significant threat to hummingbird populations, was prevalent in Mexico and was spreading in the United States.

investigated about 100 crimes a year, usually involving bird smuggling.

From an early age, Trail said he had an affinity for birds and knew he wanted to pursue ornithology – once he learned that was a “thing.” His studies

“It was really something not known at all before, so we raised a lot of people’s awareness of that issue,” he said.

One major source of frustration to this day, however, was a failed attempt to secure protections in Africa for hornbills, a tropical bird whose skulls, called casques, are collected for tradi-

tional medicine and as decorative items. Several species of the bird, which was depicted in “The Lion King,” are endangered or near extinction.

“Although we documented that the trade of these skulls was threatening survival of that species, that was an example where I wasn’t able to do what I wanted to do,” Trail said.

In light of the ongoing and escalating threats to nature, Trail said he is no Jane Goodall, the ecologist who is “seemingly able to maintain a bottomless source of optimism and share that with people.” Yet he finds ways to hold onto hope.

“Where I find solace is my personal connections with the natural world, and how much beauty and diversity remains,” he said. “That’s why I travel, to confirm to myself there are still so many places worth saving; so many places of incredible beauty and natural vitality.”

Jonathan

Romeo is a Western news reporter for Writers on the Range, writerson therange.org. He lives in Durango. ■

Pepper Trail

The African Hornbill is one of many birds Pepper Trail has tried to protect in his years as an ornithologist. The birds are close to extinction due to high demand for their skulls./ Courtesy photo

SoapBox

Living with wolves

The need for a proactive rather than reactive approach to wolf management has never been more apparent than it is in the wake of two recent wolf-livestock depredation incidents.

Compensation for livestock losses is an important component of Colorado’s Wolf Management Plan, and in this regard it is by most accounts the most generous in the nation, providing up to $15,000 for each verified loss.

Unfortunately, the emphasis on reactive compensation rather than proactive deterrence places the cart before the horse. Tools and techniques are available that will allow ranchers to minimize conflicts and operate successfully on a landscape that now includes wolves – just as they’ve been doing for years with bears, mountain lions, coyotes and other predators.

There are a number of entities that provide materials and volunteers on the ground to assist ranchers with nonlethal depredation minimization. In addition to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, these include Colorado State University’s Center for Human Carnivore

Coexistence, Defenders of Wildlife, Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, the Western Landowners Alliance, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Additional resources are being funded by the State of Colorado’s new “Born to be Wild” license plates, which have raised more than $160,000 in just three months to fund CPW’s conflictminimization program.

My understanding is that ranchers who are taking advantage of these resources are experiencing fewer problems than those who are not. That seems to me a business model for success.

– Lennette De Forest, Durango

Protect biodiversity

Colorado prides itself on a rich heritage of biodiversity, with over 75% of its 155 endangered species being plants. To put it plainly, a staggering 119 plant species stand on the brink of vanishing forever. Furthermore, our

D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim

state is a haven for more than 1,000 native pollinator species – from bees to butterflies – that are pivotal to the tapestries of our ecosystems. These tireless beings not only dazzle us with

the beauty of spring blooms but are also indispensable for the fruition of our cherished local produce, like Paonia cherries and Palisade peaches.

Alarmingly, a January report unveiled

a grim reality: nearly 20% of our state’s bumblebee species teeter on the edge of extinction, now being considered for Endangered Species Act protection. This is the clarion call to action we cannot continue to ignore. HB24-1117 is a beacon of hope, proposing the empowerment of Colorado Parks and Wildlife –the authority most equipped to safeguard our imperiled pollinators and flora – to take up the mantle of conservation.

Please consider advocating for HB24-1117. By pledging your support, you contribute to the preservation of our native species and ensure that Colorado’s ecological richness thrives for generations to come.

Your voice matters. Help protect Colorado’s pollinators and unique species.

– Jenne Settles, La Plata County

Keep The Hive alive

Why is The Hive being kicked to the curb? This is a valuable resource to Durango. They host activities for youth in a substance-free environment. Skateboarding, punk shows, a safe place to hang out. Who is kicking them out? The McLean group out of Vancouver, B.C., up there in Canada? Their property tax bills go to a foot doctor in Manassas, Va. Who are these people? They were instrumental in the end of the Lost Dog bar and restaurant in 2015, a favorite hangout.

The McLean Group website is sprinkled with phrases like “principles of fairness, respect and support

to people, community service and a fundamental commitment to do the right thing.” The Hive is a decent organization with really caring people who truly embody “a fundamental commitment to do the right thing.” I’ve met Kelsie and played music with Alex, and though he is a dedicated punk rocker, he’s agreed to play old Beatles and Talking Heads when asked.

These are the type of people who should be encouraged in their selfless pursuits. Could the City of Durango funnel money from traffic studies to help support this organization? Could the McLean Group live up to their rhetoric? Keep the Hive alive.

– Rhys Shrock, Durango

The climate change cult

New York, 23 September 2014 - The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced a new initiative to accelerate the transition to more efficient appliances and equipment to reduce global energy demand, mitigate climate change and improve access to energy.

That, my friends, is why we have to replace our dishwashers, refrigerators, washing machines and other large appliances every five or six years instead of living with appliances that last 20 plus years. And to make matters worse, Biden tasked the Department of Energy to tighten energy rules on appliances the day he took office.

I had to replace a 20-year-old dishwasher a couple of years ago. Instead of 45 minutes to wash a load, the new unit takes 207 minutes because the pump and the heater is smaller. Uses less electricity too. Or does it?

After a $239 service call to reset a power fuse because the heater was working overtime to get the water hot, the tech said if it happened again, buy a new dishwasher.

The claim that climate change will add jobs is true ... more Chinese are employed building appliances! It doesn’t take a math major to figure out that an appliance that runs longer takes more electricity to function. LPEA increased rates this year.

I’m well aware that the climate has changed in the 83 years I’ve been on Earth. But I’m not sure that people are the only reason for that change. In my mind, climate change advocates are not unlike cult religious groups claiming that the end is near. A belated happy Earth Day.

– Dennis Pierce, Durango

“We’ll print damn near anything”

The Telegraph prides itself on a liberal letters policy. We have only three requests: limit letters to 500 words; letters must be signed by the writer; and thank-you lists and libelous, personal attacks are unwelcome. Send your profundities by Monday at noon to telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Bear necessities

Bear deterrents have worked, but vigilance still needed

by Kathleen O’Connor

One day, back in 2002, Bryan Peterson just wanted to do some early morning grocery shopping. As he pushed his cart down the aisle, he couldn’t help but overhear a conversation between two women. One of the women casually invited her friend to visit her mobile home community in Durango to “come see the bears.” As it turned out, the residents there were intentionally throwing food items, such as spaghetti, pizza and popcorn, into the unlocked community dumpster to create their own wildlife-viewing experience.

“They would set up lawn chairs and watch as the bears crossed the highway and jumped into the dumpsters to feed off the trash,” Peterson says. In 2003, after witnessing several incidents like the one at the mobile home park, Peterson and a handful of other community black bear advocates founded the nonprofit organization Bear Smart, of which Peterson is the director. The mission is to foster “a better understanding and appreciation of black bears and to reduce human-bear conflict in the greater Durango community.”

Today, thanks to concerted efforts by residents and local government agencies, bears getting into trash is a less-common occurrence around Durango than during the bear-watching-in-lawn-chairs incident. However, minimizing human-bear conflicts in areas shared by both species continues to present some challenges. As the human population grows and warmer temperatures contribute to shorter bear hibernation periods, the potential for human-bear conflicts will likely increase.

To meet these challenges, Bear Smart worked in 2022 with the La Plata County Bear Working Group and Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado to secure a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) grant for initiatives that mitigate encounters between humans and bears. More CPW grant funding came in 2023, and as a result, several preventative human-bear conflict measures were implemented, including the purchase of 800 residential bear-resistant trash cans for both city and county residences; 100 residential bear-resistant trash cans for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe; metal bearresistant trash containers for Durango School District 9R, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe campus and recreational areas around Vallecito. The funding also allowed for the purchase of 40 food storage lockers for San Juan National Forest campgrounds. Bear deterrents, such

as “unwelcome” mats that elicit an electric shock when a bear steps on them, as well as scare devices including motion-activated lights and high-decibel alarms were also purchased.

The funds also went toward a cost-share program for county residents looking to build electric fences aimed at protecting chickens, beehives and fruit trees against opportunistic bears. Additionally, La Plata County’s Animal Protection hired a bear resource officer last May to help residents with human-bear conflicts and bear mitigation resources from mid-March through November. Through the grant, The Good Food Collec-

tive was also able to add additional fruit-gleaning crews to assist residents who have bear-attracting fruit trees on their properties.

Bear problem or people problem?

In areas like Durango, where human settlements overlap with wildlife habitats, particularly those of bears, the risk of human-bear conflict is high. This risk is further exacerbated when individuals fail to secure their trash cans, inadvertently providing bears with an easy food source. Once a bear becomes conditioned to a specific food source or area, breaking this behavior is challenging due to their intelligence and keen sense of smell (Bears can detect a

Black bears are common in our area, however Bear Smart and COWP urge residents to avoid any interaction that could be caused by having bear attractants like bird feeders or dirty grills on your property./

Courtesy photo

food source up to 5 miles away!). Ultimately, this could cause a bear to become more vulnerable to relocation or, even more tragically, lethal removal. The state of Colorado has a strict policy for dealing with bears that exhibit nuisance behavior, such as killing chickens or causing property damage. This policy is known as the two-strike policy, which means that on the first offense, the bear is relocated. However, if the bear continues to exhibit such behavior and commits a second offense, it will be euthanized. This policy underscores the importance of taking preventative measures to minimize human-bear conflicts to protect both humans and bears.

A simple yet crucial step in minimizing human-bear conflicts is to ensure that residential trash cans are properly secured. In

2011, in response to a significant rise in human-bear conflicts, CPW began a sixyear study in Durango to examine the effects of “bear proofing” in urban landscapes. The research found that using bear-resistant trash containers reduced conflicts by 50 percent. The study suggested that “success in reducing humanbear conflicts will likely depend upon our ability to change human behavior.” Peterson agrees. “People can get upset when a bear causes them problems, but they’re

not linking it to the fact that they’re not securing their trash properly or bringing in their birdfeeders or that they have an unprotected compost bin or chicken coop,” he said. “Unfortunately, they don’t realize they’re attracting the bear.”

Keeping the bears away

Preventative measures are essential for keeping human-bear conflicts at a minimum. Both CPW and Bear Smart recommend removing bird feeders from your yard during bear season. Bird feeders are strong attractants for bears coming out of hibernation in search of high-caloric food loads. Other suggestions include burning excess food from barbeque grills and cleaning them after each use; utilizing electric fencing to protect beehives, chickens, compost and gardens; picking fruit from fruit trees or, better yet, enrolling in The Good Food Collective’s fruit gleaning program; and never leaving food, trash or anything with a scent that could attract a bear in your car. Also, if you happen to see overturned trash containers or trash accessed by bears, it’s important to report it through La Plata County’s Bear Hotline (see below.)

While human-bear conflicts can be concerning, it’s important to remember that bears are not inherently aggressive toward humans, though there are rare excep-

tions, particularly when protective sows have cubs in tow. Nonetheless, most black bear encounters end without incident, as bears generally prefer to avoid humans.

“They would rather stay away from people as much as possible,” Peterson said. Another thing to remember about black bears is that they are, as Peterson puts it, excellent problem-solvers.

“It’s pretty amazing how flexible they can be,” he adds. “They’re like really smart dogs.”

For more information on black bears and resources for minimizing bear-human conflicts, visit bearsmartdurango.org. If you see bear activity around trash or are interested in obtaining bear deterrents, call the bear hotline at: (970) 247-BEAR (2327). ■

A family of bears spotted in the area. They might be cute, but they are not pets (which we probably should not have to tell people)./Courtesy photo

Music for the soul

There’s nothing better for self-care than seeing a live show

by Jon E. Lynch

Welp. The seasonal shift seems to be firmly upon us. For this week anyway. Temperatures have risen to the 70s and snow is apparent only above 10,000 feet. Yes – this could all change on a whim – nominally cooler temps are forecast a bit further out. In addition, the school year is –regardless of grade level – wrapping up, and we’re on the cusp of The Great Descent into summer.

I’m going to be candid: I’ve personally felt better. Before I go much further and you’re tempted to read between the lines, rest assured; I’ve also been far, FAR worse. If you know me, you know. All considered, I suppose I’m doing outwardly fine. That said, I have been making an honest and concerted effort to be a better human being, and given recent events and actions, I feel like I’ve regressed a bit. That’s all. To be clear, I’m in no way fishing for reassurances or asking to be checked-in on. Please. And thank you. I’m simply being honest about where I’m at, my current state of mind, and some aspects I can improve upon. It’s my way of being accountable; holding my own feet to the flame. This column is where I go to work things out, in these (hopefully glossedover) pages rather than the confines of my head. I’ll try not to be too terribly hard on myself considering I’ve spent 40-plus years carving these neural pathways. It’ll take patience and self-care.

Part of that last piece is, for me, getting out and seeing live music. Which I’ve urged you all to do, but I haven’t really taken my own advice as of late. Last month, I mentioned two nights of Khruangbin and Hermanos Gutiérrez in Albuquerque. That’s this coming Fri.Sat., April 26-27 at the Revel. The show will be a certain vibe, given the minimalist approach, lyrically, of both bands and the setting. If you’re a fan and you’ve never seen either in person, make the trip down.

I’m taking that approach in the opposite geographical direction to Salt Lake City to see an artist I’ve never seen. Canadian band Cindy Lee is appearing at the International Artist Lounge on Sat., April 27, on what’s rumored to be its final U.S. tour.

I’ve been mildly obsessed with their latest (double) album, the self-released “Diamond Jubilee” with repeated listenings these

past few weeks. Patrick Flegel, formerly of the band Women, has been releasing albums as Cindy Lee for over a decade. This latest offering is a lilting, achingly beautiful collection of 30plus(!) songs of retro-infused avant pop – only available via a Geocities download or streaming on YouTube. The record is not available on any other streaming services, which I adore, and has little to no filler. The tracks where they harmonize gives me all the feels.

You need not travel out of county limits for live music either. There are plenty of options locally, for varying tastes. Country/Americana legends Asleep at the Wheel return to the Community Concert Hall at FLC on Tues., April 30.

Then, the venerable, hard-working collective at iAM Music takes over various downtown locales May 2-5, with six stages, 20-plus artists and four days and nights of music across many spectrums. For detailed info. on artists and to get tickets, visit iammusic.us.

The Animas City Theatre has a handful of shows left on their spring/early summer run with new and returning acts alike. Marchfourth (May 9), Blueprint (May 15), and two nights of The Polish Ambassador (May 22-23) take us nearly through May. Their season seems to round out strong with The Sadies(!!!) on May 29, High Country Hustle on June 7, GA-20 on June 27 and Andy Frasco on June 30. More on some of these later, to be sure.

Do what you need to do to feel OK given whatever is going on with you. Get some exercise. Eat and sleep as well as you are able. For me, I’ll be seeing a handful of the artists above. And go easy on yourself. Get things off your chest. Hell, I’m happy to listen if need be.

Reach out with questions, comments and gripes. Especially the gripes. KDUR_PD@ fortlewis.edu ■

by Ari LeVaux

AGranny’s Chicken Curry

A showstopper from the Cardi B of Caribbean cooking

bout 60 years ago on Little Corn Island, a tiny dot in the Caribbean Sea 50 miles off the coast of Nicaragua, a cook named Maritza was born to a Colombian mother and Cuban father. She goes by “Bongui,” which means something in Creole, one of several languages spoken on Little Corn Island. The gringos call her “Granny,” thanks to a sign on a table set up in her front veranda: “Granny’s Creole Cooking School.”

Her house is flanked by mango and coconut trees, several carefully placed hammocks and benches, and a fire pit under a tamarind tree. “Granny gwan make ya know fa cook island style,” she had announced at our matriculation, as we sipped tamarind-ade on her veranda.

Two weeks later, we had eaten some epic meals at Granny’s, including Run Down, a seafood stew served with local starches like cassava, plantain and breadfruit. Our favorite was her chicken curry, and we had returned for an encore presentation of that dish. This time, to mix it up, she would add some dumplings and would use an “island chicken” – a locally sourced rooster from the north end of the island. As the chicken bubbled on the fire beneath the tamarind tree, its feet sticking out of the pot, Granny directed a kid named Pinky to crack and grate some dry coconuts. This chicken curry is a great recipe to share with you because the ingredients are all available at home, so we can recreate it perfectly. The same can’t be said for Run Down or fried yellowtail. Granny served the curry with coconut rice and fried smashed plantain chips called tostones. We doused our food with habañero vinegar and chased it with sweet, cold tamarind beverage, as Granny told us about a cooking contest that was going down the next day. All of

the best cooks on the island would be there. Including Granny, the culinary Cardi B of Little Corn Island.

“Dem b!tches all feared a me,” Granny announced, with a grand sweep of her hand, before pointing to herself.

“Because dem know dis b!tch can cook.”

She planned to enter deep-fried yellowtail with coconut cream. That $100 prize was good as hers, she predicted.

The next afternoon Granny’s fried yellowtail sat on a plate, on a card table, flanked by a green coconut and a bunch of flowers. The tables of her competitors were laid out like catered buffets, with main courses flanked with fish balls, conch fritters, bush salads, stewed green papaya. Granny was furious. She hadn’t known she was allowed to bring sides.

The winner was a steamed yellowtail with Caribbean sauce. Second place was a fried yellowtail in Caribbean sauce. Granny’s fried yellowtail in coconut

cream did not make the podium.

Later that night, I ran into a fishing guide named Whiskers. I told him that I would not be fishing with him but with Granny’s husband, Tuba. Whiskers understood. “Bongui got set up, mon!” Whiskers said of the competition. “Dem make she tink twas but one dish wen dem knew der was plenty.”

The next night I asked the winner, Michelle Gomez, if she would prepare her winning dish for us.  It was delicious, but the Earth didn’t tremble beneath my feet. I believe that yellowtail, being a tad bony, is better when fried crispy. And I love the interaction between a flavorful sauce and a crispy fish. So the next night we went to Granny’s and gave her entry a try. It was definitely better than the winning fish. But not as good as Granny’s chicken curry.

A few days later, I did end up taking an

excursion with Whiskers. We went night snorkeling and saw octopi large and small, rays, sea turtles, and two lobsters having sex. And Granny, well, she may not have won that $100 prize. But we took care of her. And she sent us home with dense bricks of cooked-down ginger, coconut and sugar. I’ve been putting it in the boys’ school lunches since we came home, an edible reminder of Little Corn Island. As if they could ever forget.

Granny’s Chicken Curry

This dish will serve 4-6 people

1 chicken, cut up, or parts – I use a pack of drumsticks and a pack of thighs

1 medium onion or shallot, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 hot pepper, sliced

3 lemons or limes, juiced

1 cubic inch of ginger, sliced

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste

¼ cup coconut oil

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons curry powder

1 can coconut milk

1 bunch basil, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix the chicken pieces with the onion, garlic, hot pepper, juice of the lemons or limes, ginger slices and bouillon.

While that marinates, add the coconut oil to a stew pot and turn the heat to medium. Add the sugar and cook for about 10 minutes, until the sugar is beyond browned and completely blackened. Add the chicken to the burned sugar and oil. Turn the heat to high, and cook the chicken for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the onions and peppers from the marinade, along with the curry powder. Mix it all together and add the coconut milk. Reduce heat to medium and cook another 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add the basil and cilantro, and serve with rice. ■

Granny serving up her chicken curry on Little Corn Island./Courtesy photo

Stuff to Do

Thursday25

Undergraduate Research Symposium and Gala, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Fort Lewis College

Durango Green Drinks with hosts Manna, Durango Trails, and SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab, 5-7 p.m., 11th Street Station, 1101 Main Ave.

Live music by Danjo Harris & Friends, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Live music by Leah Orlikowski, 5-8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave.

Live music by Tim Sullivan, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Premiere Poetry Reading Event, 6 p.m., Create Art & Tea, 1015 Main Ave.

Bluegrass Jam, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.

Live music by Rob Webster, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Live music by The Teccas, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs, 6475 CR 203

Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1330 Camino del Rio

“Welcome to Indian Country” music and storytelling, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College

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

Salsa Night, 8:30 p.m., Roxy’s, 639 Main Ave.

Friday26

Piano music by Gary B. Walker, 10:15 a.m.-12 noon, Jean-Pierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave.

Durango Wine Experience Walk About, 46:30 p.m., downtown Durango

Heartwood Cohousing 4th Friday Tour and Potluck, 5 p.m., 800 Heartwood Lane, Bayfield

Live music by Leah Orlikowski, 5-8 p.m., El Rancho Tavern, 975 Main Ave.

Live music by Jack Ellis & Larry Carver, 5:30 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Live music Thee Fearless Peasants, 6-8 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice, 3000 Main Ave.

Live music by Mike Testa, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Live music The Pete Giuliani Band, 6-9 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito Lake

FLC Jazz Ensemble and FLC Social Dance Club, 7-8 p.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.

Aria PettyOne presents Aria’s Pizza Party, 8:30-9:30 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Fresh Baked Fridays: house, techno and electro, 9 p.m., Roxy’s, 639 Main Ave.

Saturday27

Durango Devo Bike Swap, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Chapman Hill, 500 Florida Rd.

Home & Ranch Show, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

DEA National Drug Take Back Day, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Durango Police Substation, 545 Wilson Gulch Dr.

Stories from the Bears Ears Area, 1 p.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W 2nd Ave.

Durango Wine Experience Grand Tasting, 3-6 p.m., Smiley Building lawn

Round Robin Euchre Tournament, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Adam Swanson Ragtime, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Karaoke, 6 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.

Live music by The Black Velvet duo, with Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver, 6 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave.

Home & Ranch Show, 12-5 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Live music by Matt Rupnow, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Silent Disco, 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.

Sunday28

“Mary Magdalene Manifestation” presentation by Monica Devi Bhakti, 4 p.m., Bomdiggity, 106 Grand Ave., Mancos

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

Irish jam session, 12:30-3 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.

Durango Food Not Bombs mutual aid and potluck, 2-4 p.m., Buckley Park

Board Game Sundays, 2 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.

Durango Palestine Solidarity Rally, 4 p.m., Buckley Park, 12th St. and Main Ave.

Live music by Joel Racheff, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Blue Moon Ramblers, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Sonic Sundays, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Roxy’s, 639 Main.

San Juan Symphony Youth Orchestras, 7 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC Deadline for “Stuff to Do” submissions is Monday at noon. To submit an item, email: calendar@durangotelegraph.com

AskRachel

Pasty whites, last laughs and doggie delicacies

Interesting fact: Research actually shows that dry brushing (aka without toothpaste) gets people to brush longer and removes more plaque and bacteria. You can follow it up with mint candy before bed for that just-brushed breath.

Dear Rachel,

After going to the dentist for cleaning, I asked the hygienist what’s the best toothpaste to keep my smile. She said they are all good but she buys the cheapest to save money, and it works fine. So what kind of toothpaste do you buy? High end or average to save money and keep the smile on your face? Tooth powder doesn’t count.

– Tooth Brush

funeral, and she had these subtle touches of her humor and taste everywhere. Like on the standard mortuary sign directing us all to our seats, there was a dinosaur perched on top. I think it was an Apatosaurus, some kind of long neck. I couldn’t tell if the funeral home was in on it, or if someone in the family had just been sneaky. This got me wondering: could my own funeral have not-so-subtle touches? How do you write that up so your funeral director has to comply?

– Last Wishes

Dear Parting Remarks,

Dear Pearly Whites,

I’ve read you don’t even need to use toothpaste. It’s the bristles on the brush that do the trick! Shoot, I have a bestie who has brushed with baking soda for years, and her teeth have yet to fall out. And that stuff is like 99 cents a box, or it was before inflation. Still cheaper than an uninsured visit to the hygienist for a cleaning. But hey, real truth here: you should have loaded up on the free paste in the traditional dentist-visit goodie bag.

– Say cheese, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

I attended a somewhat distant relative’s

Monday29

Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street exhibit: “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” 10 a.m., Ignacio Community Library, 470 Goddard Ave.

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

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

Tuesday30

Cowboy Tuesdays, 12 noon, Strater Hotel/Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Community Yoga, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted

New Police Department and City Hall Public Forum, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.

Twin Buttes Tuesday weekly mtb ride, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Twin Buttes MTB Trailhead Parking Lot

Live music by Jason Thies, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

I’m not a lawyer, so I can say with absolute certainty (and, I hope, immunity) that your final requests are ironclad, and your heirs absolutely must see them through or else risk jail time and eternal damnation, or at least a bit of guilt. So write down all your sacrilegious requests! One of mine is to have buskers play by my open casket and not stop until my mourners toss in enough change to pay for their dinner.

– Legally binding, Rachel

Dear Rachel,

Now that hiking season is back in full swing… just how bad is it for a dog to eat cow pies and horse manure? Seems like anything coming out that end of an animal is a no-no. But at the same time, it’s just digested grass. You can use it for food-grade compost. Really,

Great Old Broads for Wilderness presents to the Rotary Club of Durango, 6 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.

Live music by the Salamander Collective, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs, 6475 CR 203

Live music by Randy Crumbaugh, 6-9 p.m., The Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

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

Asleep at the Wheel, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC

Wednesday01

Architecture of the Durango Area, 5-9 p.m., Create Art and Tea, 1015 Main Ave.

Word Honey Poetry Workshop, 6-7:30 p.m., The Hive, 1150 Main Ave.

Live music by Donny Johnson, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.

Open Mic, 6:30 p.m., EsoTerra, 558 Main Ave.

we’ve all eaten livestock doodoo one way or another. So which is it?

– Dr. Doolittle

Dear Doo or Doo Not,

There is no try – but there sure are trying dogs on the trails. Be grateful your dog is only eating le petit doojeuner and not rolling in it. There’s no treat like trucking a pup back from Engineer or some other faroff place caked in fresh fixins from the dooty free shop. There’s nothing for it, except for leashing your pup up or (worse) leaving them at home. Just remember: the cheap doggie toothpaste works just as fine as the gourmet stuff.

– The doode abides, Rachel

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

Upcoming

iAM Music Fest, May 2-5, throughout Durango Dandelion Festival, featuring music by Salamander Collective and Six Dollar String Band, May 4, 1-9 p.m., Rotary Park. Sponsored by Turtle Lake Refuge.

MarchFourth with High Step Society, Thurs., May 9, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

FreeWillAstrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Have you ever gotten your mind, heart and soul in alignment with the beauty of money? An opportunity to do that is available. During the next four weeks, you can cultivate an almost mystical communion with the archetype of well-earned wealth. What does that mean? Well, you could be the beneficiary of novel insights and hot tips about how best to conduct your finances. You might get intuitions about actions you could take to bring more riches into your life. Be alert for help from unexpected sources. You may notice that the more generous you are, the more the world’s generosity will flow your way.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Bordering the Pacific Ocean for a thousand miles, Chile’s Atacama Desert is a place of stark beauty. Unfortunately, its pristine landscape is also a dumping ground for vast amounts of clothes that people bought cheaply, wore out quickly and didn’t want anymore. Is there any other place on Earth that more symbolizes the overlap of sacred and profane? In the coming weeks, Taurus, you will possess a special aptitude for succeeding in situations with metaphorical resemblances to the Atacama. You will have an enhanced power to inject ingenious changes wherever messiness is mixed with elegance, wherever blemished beauty requires redemption, and wherever lyrical truths need to be rescued from careless duplicity or pretense.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): My Gemini friend thrives on having quick, acute, intelligence. It’s one of her strong points now, but it wasn’t always. She says she used to be hyperactive. She thought of serenity as boring – “like some wan, bland floral tea.” But after years of therapy, she is joyous to have discovered “a kind of serenity that’s like sweet, frothy hot chocolate spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg.” I’m guessing that many of you Geminis have been evolving in a similar direction in recent months – and will climax this excellent period of relaxing growth in the coming weeks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): All Cancerians who read this oracle are automatically included on the Primal Prayer Power List. During the next 13 days, my team of 13 Prayer Warriors and I will sing incantations to nurture your vigor, sovereignty and clarity of purpose. We will envision your dormant potentials ripening. We will call on both human and divine allies to guide you in receiving and bestowing the love that gives your life supreme meaning. How should you

prepare for this flood of blessings? Start by having a long talk with yourself in which you describe exactly why you deserve these gifts.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A meme said, “The day I stopped worrying about what other people think of me was the day I became free.” This sentiment provokes mixed feelings in me. I agree it’s liberating not to be obsessed with what people think of us. On the other hand, I believe we should indeed care about how we affect others. We are wise to learn from them about how we can be our best selves. Our “freedom” includes the discernment to know which ideas people have about us are worth paying attention to and which are best forgotten and ignored. In my opinion, Leo, these are important themes for you to ruminate on right now.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is a holy place for Islam. Jerusalem is the equivalent for Judaism, and the Vatican is for Catholicism. Other spiritual traditions regard natural areas as numinous and exalting. For instance, the Yoruba people of Nigeria cherish OsunOsogbo, a sacred grove of trees along the Osun River. I’d love it if there were equivalent sanctuaries for you, Virgo – where you could go to heal and recharge whenever you need to. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to identify power spots like these. If there are no such havens for you, find or create some.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In my astrological opinion, you are entering a period when you can turn any potential breakdown into a breakthrough. If a spiritual emergency arises, I predict you will use it to rouse wisdom that sparks your emergence from numbness and apathy. Darkness will be your ally because it will be the best place to access hidden strength and untapped resources. And here’s the best news of all: Unripe and wounded parts of your psyche will get healing upgrades as you navigate your way through the intriguing mysteries.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): According to my astrological perspective, you are entering a phase when you could dramatically refine how relationships function in your life. To capitalize on the potential, you must figure out how to have fun while doing the hard work that such an effort will take. Here are three questions to get you started. 1. What can you do to foster a graceful balance between being too selfcentered and giving too much of yourself? 2. Are there any stale patterns in your deep psyche that tend to un-

dermine your love life? If so, how could you transform or dissolve them? 3. Given the fact that any close relationship inevitably provokes the dark sides of both allies, how can you cultivate healthy ways to deal with that?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I feel sad when I see my friends tangling with mediocre problems. The uninspiring dilemmas aren’t very interesting and don’t provoke much personal growth. They use up psychic energy that could be better allocated. Thankfully, I don’t expect you to suffer this bland fate in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. You will entertain highquality quandaries. They will call forth the best in you. They will stimulate your creativity and make you smarter and kinder and wilder. Congratulations on working diligently to drum up such rich challenges!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1894, a modest Agave ferox plant began its life at a botanical garden in Oxford, England. By 1994, a hundred years later, it had grown to 6 feet tall but had never bloomed. Then one December day, the greenhouse temperature accidentally climbed above 68 degrees F. During the next two weeks, the plant grew twice as tall. Six months later, it bloomed bright yellow flowers for the first time. I suspect metaphorically comparable events will soon occur for you, Capricorn. They may already be under way.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Have you felt a longing to be nurtured? Have you fantasized about asking for support and encouragement and mentoring? If so, wonderful! Your intuition is working well! My astrological analysis suggests you would dramatically benefit from basking in the care and influence of people who can elevate and champion you; who can cherish and exalt you; who can feed and inspire you. My advice is to pursue the blessings of such helpers without inhibition or apology. You need and deserve to be treated like a vibrant treasure.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In his book

“Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception,” Thom Hartmann theorizes that distractibility may have been an asset for our ancestors. Having a short attention span meant they were ever alert for possible dangers and opportunities in their environment. If they were out walking at night, being lost in thought could prevent them from tuning into warning signals from the bushes. Likewise, while hunting, they would benefit from being ultra-receptive to fleeting phenomena and ready to make snap decisions. I encourage you to be like a hunter in the coming weeks, Pisces. Not for wild animals, but for wild clues, wild signs and wild help.

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

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Thurs: On delivery

Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Announcements

PD/City Hall Public Forums

The Durango community is invited to learn and provide feedback about the interior conceptual design for the new Police Department and City Hall. Join us in person on 4/30 at the Library 5:30-7:30. Free food, childcare and interpretation will be provided. Can’t make it in person? Join us virtually 5/2 11:00-1:00. More info: engage.durangoco.gov/police-de partment-city-hall

Three Rivers Art Center

Come to Farmington to get great deals on art at TRAC, an art coop. Next time you’re in Farmington, we are downtown next to the Chile Pod.

KDUR is Celebrating 50 years of broadcasting in 2025. Staff is on the hunt for past DJs who have a fond memory, story or even some recorded material! Email station manager Bryant Liggett at Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu or call 970.247.7261

Wanted

Books Wanted at White Rabbit! Donate/trade/sell (970) 259-2213

Cash for Vehicles, Copper, Alum Etc. at RJ Metal Recycle. Also free appliance and other metal drop off. 970259-3494.

HelpWanted Administrative Assistant

Great Old Broads for Wilderness seeks a part time administrative assistant to support our operations, administration, and staff. This position is based at Broads’ national office in Durango. Part time, 10–15 hours per week, hourly position. More info & how to apply: www.greatold broads.org/careers/

Bare Hands Landscape

ISO help to join our garden maintenance crews. Positions from 2-4 days per week available, flexible days. Transportation required. $18/hr. Call or text David, 970 403 6325.

Now Hiring Downtown Ambassadors

and yard art. Also furniture, art, linens and other housewares. Looking to consign smaller furniture pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

BodyWork

Massage by Meg Bush

LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.

Lotus Path Healing Arts

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

Services

Boiler Service - Water Heater Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917

HaikuMovieReview

‘American Fiction’

Frustrated writers are slightly less common than snarky film critics

– Lainie Maxson

and Bayfield. 10-x-20, $130. Outside spots: $65, with discounts available. RJ Mini Storage. 970-259-3494.

Electric Repair

Roof, gutter cleaning, fence, floors, walls, flood damage, mold, heating service.

CommunityService

Grief Counseling

Classes/Workshops

Aikido Beginner Boot Camp

Try Japan’s youngest martial art. Explore self-discovery through self-defense, sword/staff, meditation, more. Mondays 6-8pm April 29 - May 20. Boot Campers get all other May classes free. Register durangoaikido.com. Text/call questions to 970-426-5257.

Do you love Durango? The Durango Business Improvement District is looking for friendly, outgoing, and knowledgeable people who love our community to be Downtown Ambassadors. We are looking for candidates who have great interpersonal skills, love talking to people and are familiar with our community. This is a seasonal, part-time position. Candidates should be able to fill 2-3 shifts a week. Shifts are 2 1/2 to 4 hours in length. This is a great job to supplement with other part-time employment. Teachers are encouraged to apply! $16$18 per hour. To apply visit: www.downtowndurango.org/jobs

ForSale

Reruns Home Furnishings

Beautiful servingware, glassware and baskets. Patio sets, bistros, chaise lounges

Lowest Prices on Storage!

Inside/outside storage near Durango

The Grief Center of Southwest Colorado offers free grief counseling services for children, teens and young adults. Please email: griefcenterswco@gmail.com Phone: 970-764-7142

“I saw it in the Telegraph.”

Read by thousands of discerning eyeballs every week. (*And a few that just look at the pictures.)

For more info. on how to get your business or event seen, email: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com