The Durango Telegraph, Sept. 1, 2022

Holding on with both hands THE ORIGINAL INDIE WEEKLY LINE ON DURANGO & BEYOND sidein elegraph Separate ways County commissioners vote to explore disbanding SJBPH Homage to the DNFers Sometimes, the most badass move is knowing when to tap out Getting skunked Searching for the sweet smell of victory in man vs. varmint

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In May 2020, Durango City Council unanimously voted to establish a URA, known as the Durango Renewal Partnership. The entity works hand-in-hand with local government and community partners to facilitate redevelopment and reinvestment that reflects community values and economic goals, according to the city’s website.

A spokesman for the City said the application process for the new housing project is currently being set up. The second event Wednesday evening marked the grand opening of the 32nd Street pedestrian bridge. With the completion of the bridge, people can now travel 9 miles from Oxbow Park & Preserve at the north end of the trail to River Road by Home Depot on the south end without having to cross traffic.

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Ear to the ground: “It was like all these years, I’d been going to a 3-D movie without 3-D glasses.” – Revelation from a Bluegrass fest convert after discovering hallucinogenics Open for business Apparently, it’s ground-breaking season in Durango. The first event was held Monday, with the groundbreaking ceremony for the “Animas City Park Overlook,” a mixed-income housing development at 150 E. 33rd Street.

Found throughout the country, urban renewal authorities (URAs) are local redevelopment organizations that promote publicprivate partnerships to shape economic growth.

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Next up for the ART: an upgrade to the last remaining segments with cracked pavement, and the biggie: the SMART 160 extension, which will connect the trail to Three Springs. The Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, beckoning singletrack or monster powder days. We are wholly owned and operated independently by the Durango Telegraph LLC and distributed in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area.

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“This project is a pioneering and replicable example of how the Urban Renewal Partnership and other community institutions can partner with private sector entities to accomplish community objectives,” Scott Shine, Assistant Community Development Director, said in a prepared statement.

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The Animas City Park Overlook project is a walkable, infill residential development with 22 townhomes in a prime location in north Durango. The majority of the units will be reserved for local the workforce and long-term residents, with some deed-restricted units as well.

“This project is many years in the making,” Parks and Recreation Director Ture Nycum said in a statement. “The foresight, planning and hard work from the community, elected officials and staff to make this a reality is a testament to Durango’s will and determination.”

Ave.,

EDITORIALISTA: Missy missy@durangotelegraph.comVotel

We’re only human. If, by chance, we defame someone’s good name or that of their family, neighbor, best friend or dog, we will accept full responsibility in a public flogging in the following week’s issue. Although “free but not easy,” we can be plied with schwag, booze and flattery.

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The project was not without detractors who questioned spending $3 million on the project given all the other community needs. The funds, however, came from sources reserved for recreational purposes: half from the city’s 2015 sales tax (which can only be used on parks, open space, trails, etc.) and Great Outdoors Colorado, an organization funded by state lottery proceeds.

E-MAIL: telegraph@durangotelegraph.com MAIL DELIVERY AND SUBSCRIPTIONS: $3.50/issue, $150/yearboilerplate 4 La Vida Local 4 Thumbin’ It 5 Word on the Street 6-7 Soap Box 8 Top Story 10 Gossip of the Cyclers 11 Murder Ink 12-13 Stuff to Do 13 Ask Rachel 14 Free Will Astrology 15 Classifieds 15 Haiku Movie Review RegularOccurrences telegraph Sept. 1, 2022 n polethe311 Mommy issues French noir takes a look at a mother’s love unhinged by Jeffrey Mannix lineup 4 Eau de summer When the arrival of uninvited houseguests really stinks by David Feela 10 Tapping out Sometimes, even the biggest badasses have to call it by Jennaye Derge 8 Going at it alone County commissioners to disbandingexploreSJBPH by Jonathan Romeo On the Cover Miriam Schaffer gingerly makes her way up Vestal Peak’s notorious Wham Ridge./ Photo by Stephen Eginoire

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Unfortunately, the odor wouldn’t go away. When I finally went inside and closed the house, it smelled as if the skunk had been trapped inside. When I opened all the doors and windows, the odor strained through the screens like a sour breeze from a landfill. It could be that the skunk had taken up residence, perhaps underneath our abode, in a crawl space I still have nightmares about inspecting. By far the most popular solution offered when I asked the question “How do you get rid of a skunk?” was to shoot it. But you can’t shoot what you can’t see, and even if I owned a military-issued pair of infrared goggles and odor seeking bullets, I’m a reluctant killer. All I could do was drive to a local farm and ranch supply store where an employee offered to sell me a live trap, but their return policy wasn’t too keen on taking the trap back once it got filled.Then someone suggested mothballs –someone whose face I can’t remember and I wish I could, because I still have 2 pounds of mothballs I’d like to leave on his or her doorstep. According to my source, skunks can’t tolerate the smell of mothballs. So instead of a trap, I purchased an economy-sized box of mothballs and instead of crawling under the trailer, I opened the access hatch and flung handful after handful of the smelly little hailstones in every conceivable direction. As it turned out, humans can’t tolerate the smell of mothballs either.The next day I flittered around the house in a purposeless manner like a moth trapped in my grandmother’s attic. I couldn’t decide which was worse, the skunk or the mothballs. Finally, I couldn’t stand it any longer and I wiggled into the crawl space with surgical gloves, a mask, and a flashlight to gather the mothballs and place them in a plastic bag – a kind of toxic Easter egg hunt, with an elusive skunk for a bunny.Now I live in the same house with only a subtle odor of skunkballs that occasionally resurfaces and mingles with the scent of a full-time plug-in air freshener, a living example of fusion at its worst. Naturally, when I can’t stand the compromise any longer, I sleep in the camping trailer parked in the driveway. The air is getting better, really, and if you have any other suggestions, please keep them to yourself.

Trump likely “concealed and removed” classified documents at Mara-Lago, according to the DOJ. Well, he’s always seemed like a reasonable person, just ask for them back.

Stunk without a sound I’d closed up the house and gone to bed, blithely unaware that our property was being cased. You’d think one of us would have heard an unusual noise during the night but usually we’re deep sleepers, especially when the summer’s hot and a cool breeze finally works its way through an open window. I assume the culprit wore black, like most of them do, and I also suspect it made little difference whether we were or were not home, because we slept right through it. The next morning it was obvious we’d been hit. The house reeked, an odor no one mistakes for fresh brewing coffee or the aroma of bacon sizzling on a griddle. With my head under the pillow, I sang a muffled version of Lauden Wainwright’s golden oldie, “Dead skunk in the middle of the road, stinking to high heaven.” Then I jumped out of bed, quickly opening every window and door, knowing from previous experience that it would probably get worse before it got better. It got worse. The odor permeating the yard took over the whole house, as if the white stripe of morning had landed squarely on the back of the night and we were hanging out under its great belly.Ican officially report there’s little reliable information about dealing with a skunk’s natural defense, especially if you rely on your neighbors. What I heard recounted as “sure-fire” methods sounded worth trying, though you have to remember I was desperate. For example, a lady informed me if you wash a dog with tomato juice (adding just a dash of Worcester sauce) it will entirely eliminate a skunk’s odor. Unfortunately, we didn’t own a dog, and it would be silly to wash the entire house in tomato juice. I did the next best thing. I thanked her for the advice and went back to my stinky house. Then I poured two glasses of tomato juice, added some vodka, and hoped the remedy would at least stop the stench from rotting our insides. Sipping my cocktail and walking to survey the outside of my house, I could tell with just my nose, that the strongest odor came from the vicinity of the front porch. I hooked up the garden hose and did my own spraying, figuring the best remedy might well be to wash it down with the hair of the skunk that hit you.

A new study showing that the melting of Greenland’s “zombie ice” – ice no longer replenished by glaciers and snow – will raise sea levels more than 10 inches. You had us at zombie ice.

To prevent a Martian plague, NASA is building a special lab to handle rocks brought back from the red planet that could contain bacteria that makes humans sick. Forget climate change, make this priority No. 1!

A Missouri school district reinstating spanking, with parental consent. So many questions: Why allow strangers to spank your child? Why, as a teacher, would you want to spank a child? And, importantly, why are you living in Missouri?

Thumbin’It SignoftheDownfall: YorkNannyState

Did you know that an 18-year-old kid can buy a shotgun in New York, but he can’t buy whipped cream? Nine months ago, New York’s Legislature quietly passed a bill requiring proof of being 21+ when purchasing canned whipped cream. Lawmakers claimed that too many kids were inhaling the nitrous oxide propellant out of the cans – aka “whip-its” – and getting high, so they outlawed the last remaining semi-innocent way to catch a buzz, which really sucks. And if you just learned by reading this that you can get high from a can of whipped cream in Colorado without an ID … you’re welcome.

News that women have signed up to vote in record numbers in certain states, including Kansas, Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina and Alabama. Hmm, wonder what all these states have in common…?

La Plata County’s historic clock tower will once again be chiming out the hours after Labor Day. The tower was shut down after folks complained the bell was keeping them up at night.

– David Feela

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telegraph Sept. 1, 2022 n 5 WordontheStreet Jimmy “Being a chef in Arizona. It’d reach 118 degrees in the kitchen.”

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us, so The Telegraph asked: “What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?” Jeff “I love my job now, but women’sPurplemissioningdecom-theCliffscampisnotfunatall.”“Ioncehadtosellvolleyballtickets...doortodoor.Itabsolutelysucked.” untyLa Plata Co -The Durango>> RRunway aehabilit ntio allsure toclo rt coairlinesAbitsresulting10-dayinarunwayerepavingrtwillirpohoatravel.mmercial ednesure WRunway clo , Sept 7esday org1000Durango,airport@durangogovCO81303RoadAirport 02, 2, Sept. 16Fridayto 2. 7 970.382.6051

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Riley “A deer processor. Not so much the blood and guts; the no money at the beginning of the season.” “At an AMC movie theater. find condoms on the floor, once, found a wig someone had left on their seat.” Labor Day weekend is upon

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Emily

One thing we can learn from Europe is importance of having renewable energy infrastructure in place before eliminating existing energy sources. Our neighbors Rob Pudim

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Be compassionate

– Lynne Sholler, Durango Freezing in the dark

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6 n Sept. 1, 2022 telegraph SoapBox D-Tooned/by

It is disappointing to hear and read comments stereotyping the “poor behavior” of the unhoused. Most can agree that public property should not be used as a restroom. Porta potties are made available at Buckley Park, in which I walk my dog at least daily, and I often see unhoused folks use them. So perhaps more porta potties downtown would be beneficial. More importantly, claiming without any basis, that “most Durango residents would now say Purple Cliffs should go away” is simply hateful speech. Failure to seek solutions or humanize these individuals amounts to “othering.” There are multiple efforts in our community dedicated to improving housing solutions. The Durango Herald and Durango Telegraph have covered the Neighbors in Need Alliance/Project Moxie efforts for a managed camp with La Plata County’s commitment to allocate funding; Housing Solutions’ Espero Apartments; the Local First Impact Fund providing funds for West Mobile Home Park tenants to buy their park; and Durango’s plan to add housing units at former motels. Why are some behaviors of some homeless folks unsettling? A primary reason is trauma. In “My Grandmother’s Hand,” author/therapist Resmaa Menakem cites a well-known study published in 2014 of 17,000 people over three decades conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente titled “Adverse Childhood Experiences Study.” It links childhood trauma and other adverse childhood events involving abuse or neglect to long-term health and social consequences, which get passed down through generations. The study identified 10 “adverse childhood events:” divorced or separated parents; physical abuse; physical neglect; emotional abuse; emotional neglect; sexual abuse; domestic violence the child witnessed; substance abuse in the household; mental illness in the household; and a family member in prison. The more of these ACE’s, the more likely the person will suffer from physical health issues, but also alcoholism, depression, liver disease, sexually transmitted diseases, illicit drug use, financial stress and attempted suicide. Someone with even four of these ACE’s are 4.5 times as likely to be depressed, 10 times as likely to be intravenous drug users and 12 times likely to be suicidal. Rather than jumping to harsh conclusions, one might benefit from research instead. Also, reading the book or watching the movie, “Same Kind of Different Me,” based on a true story of a wealthy couple who befriend and help a homeless man, may inspire understanding and empathy.

No, not the beers that came from all over the country – those were awesome. Not the vibe once you were on the grass inside Buckley – that, too, was great. And certainly not the symphonic sounds of the bands, which were beyondFirst,Thewonderful.threenegatives? thatgreatbighail storm indicating the Almighty was not fully on board. Yes, it cleared and the sun did emerge, but it truly cut into our happy hours.

Martin Lewis, founder of the website “Money Saving Expert,” warned viewers of a “cataclysmic” energy crisis this winter with a typical U.K. energy bill possibly over 3,000 pounds. “We are talking about millions, if not 10 million people moving into real poverty this winter.” In the U.S., 20 million homes are already behind on energy bills, according to Bloomberg News. E&P firms are “reluctant to pursue new projects and state the real energy crisis isn’t even here yet. Mixed messages from politicians and the current war on fossil fuels make it unhelpful to commit to long-term projects.” So if you are hurting financially this summer, look ahead. Are we prepared as a nation to reduce or eliminate fossil fuels? Critical thinking and civil dialogue are key components in our search for a cleaner environment. Let’s put the needs of our fellow man above our desire for instant solutions and consider the risks of limiting our energy sources. After all, we don’t want to be caught freezing in the dark.

The glass is half full – Karen Carver, Durango Brewfest no-no’s After a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic, the San Juan Brewfest returned to Buckley Park on Saturday, but it came back with three major problems.

And most disturbing: Why those gates preventing anyone from sitting under the trees below the old 9-R building? Adding insult to injury, I was prevented from bringing a beach chair to raise my 74-year-old sorry tochas from the wet ground. Next year, beach chairs! – Bob Rosenberg, Durango

Voted Durango’s Best (and only) Weekly*

– Rebecca Craddock, Hesperus Stand up for democracy I am registered as an unaffiliated voter. For most of my life, I have observed the tug of war between the two parties. Each side took a different approach, but the parties used to work together on problems such as growing our economy and fighting authoritarianism. This is no longer true. Those who say, “Both parties are the same” are just not paying attention. The current Republican Party is no longer a party with ideas; it’s a personality cult. In order to preserve their power, the Republican Party is intent on destroying our democracy.

If they succeed, our democracy is dead. The November election is the most important in our history. Those of us who value democracy must get involved, whether we are unaffiliated, Democrats or true conservative Republicans. We far outnumber those who are trying to take our liberty.

How to kill a democracy

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To help with the endeavor, continue to enable free and easy access to guns of all types, coupled with a strong police state (just not the FBI). And for moral certitude, blur or downright ignore the separation of church and state.

Second, what was with those long lines to get into the park extending half way up the hill on 12th Street?

Afternoon monsoons Desert morphs into jungle

Republicans have mastered intentional hypocrisy, accusing others of exactly what they themselves are doing. Using the lie that the last election was stolen, they are busy setting up a system to steal the 2024 election. Fiftyfour Republican election deniers have won primaries for positions that have a role in the election certification process (governor, attorney general, secretary of state, senate and house members). They plan to replace their state’s electors, legitimately chosen by the voters, with a set of electors of their choosing.

OK, so if you want control of government and things don’t work out as planned (i.e. the 2020 elections when many Republican candidates won, but Trump didn’t), then declare elections are rigged! Never mind that most of your other candidates won. Instill fear! And outrage! And a sense of “they’re” elites and “we’re” the underdogs. Get mad and take up arms! It’s your right to rebel and break the law if your perception of reality does not match the reality of things.

Do not tolerate any diversion from the status quo of white male rule, and continue to demean or restrict women, minorities or those with divergent views on racism, equality or justice. And do this all by any means necessary, even if it threatens democracy by tearing down trust in our electoral process, using race bating or continually repeating falsehoods like Trump won the 2020 election or the Capital riot was a peaceable expression of politically divergent views. Make hate the driving force behind your righteousness, and always play the martyr if you lose, or go back to being wronged and declaring some form of cheating until you get the outcome you’re after. This is how to defeat a democracy.

*According to a very unscientific and impromptu office poll rushed to terminate fossil fuels hoping clean energy would catch up, telling citizens to chop wood this winter, an obvious step backwards for CO2 emissions. You see, everything depends on energy, and although solar and wind are helpful (I own 64 solar panels), they are not enough. A diverse energy mix provides energy security.

– Philip Riffe, Hesperus Monsoon haiku

– Tim Thomas, Durango

“Giving locals something to do on sinceThursdays2002”

What can we do? Volunteer for a Democratic candidate, donate and, at the very least, register and vote.

In March, SJBPH’s Board of Health adopted a fee waiver for septic system permits for low income property owners. A Growing Divide In the past, SJBPH health officials have called the relationship with Archuleta tense, corrosive and even hostile – and then

“Archuleta County often gets more than its fair share,” Shere Byrd, president of SJBPH’s Board of Health, said. “But their assumption has always been that they’re being cheated. Where that comes from, I cannot tell you.” In recent weeks, upon hearing news of La Plata County’s move to dissolve the health department, Archuleta County commissioners have reversed their position. They are now asking to put the brakes on disbanding SJBPH, recognizing their small county may have trouble running and affording its own public health agency.

ever, it’s fair to say most people don’t know about SJBPH unless they used these services or were familiar with the more well-known programs: restaurant and septic Thatinspections.changed with the COVID-19 pandemic, which thrust public health into controversy. The case was no different for SJBPH. The regional health department (which followed state and federal guidance and mandates) was continually criticized by some for regulations surrounding the pandemic, such as restaurant shutdowns, mask requirements and vaccines. For many, SJBPH was seen as public enemy No. 1, and, as in most places across the country, people opposed to COVID-19 regulations in Archuleta and La Plata counties took protesting to new levels – standing outside the executive director’s house, threatening staff and bringing guns to public “Itmeetings.wassuper threatening behavior,” Byrd said. Short End of the Stick Archuleta County’s issues with SJBPH, however, predate the pandemic. Archuleta County Commissioner Alvin Schaaf, who has been one of the most vocal critics and serves as the county’s liaison to SJBPH’s Board of Health, did not return requests for comment. Schaaf lost his bid for reelection in the Republican primary in June. When contacted last week, Archuleta County Commissioner Ronnie Maez said, “I don’t see a reason going into the details; it doesn’t matter what we say now,” and that this story should have been written two years ago. (As an aside, when I was a reporter for The Durango Herald writing on this topic two years ago, Maez declined to comment).Butbased on old meeting records and Pagosa Springs Sun news reports, it seems Archuleta County has always perceived that it was getting the short end of the stick when it came to services (Schaaf has previously referred to Archuleta as the “stepchild” in the partnership).  Getting to the truth of this sentiment, however, is complicated, Byrd said. Each county uses different programs at different rates. Despite making up only 20% of SJBPH’s service population, Archuleta accounts for about 35% of communicable disease investigations, yet only 11% of child care inspections. But, at the end of the day, SJBPH officials are adamant that not only does Archuleta receive its part of 80-20 services, it actually comes out on the winning end.“La Plata County is supporting Archuleta County residents,” Byrd said. “And that’s exactly what (La Plata) found out.”

TopStory by Jonathan Romeo After a significant vote last week, all signs point to the dissolution of San Juan Basin Public Health, the public health agency that serves both La Plata and Archuleta counties.

The move is in response to Archuleta County commissioners, who first threatened to disband SJBPH in summer 2020 over COVID-19 regulations. However, Archuleta County has had issues with the health district for years. In 2021, Archuleta County launched a citizen-led committee to examine SJBPH’s operations and the possibility of forming its own district to have more control over local public health Concernedservices.bythe rhetoric and deteriorating relationship, La Plata County also began to scrutinize the partnership and realized that it was paying for more than its share of services. Now, it appears the county is moving toward forming its own district.

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“WhyArchuleta.doesithave to be so expensive for people?” Maez said. “I understand it’s set by the state, but are we looking at all our options to reduce the cost?”

“I understand there’s been historic relationship issues,” Archuleta County Commissioner Warren Brown told The Durango Telegraph. “But I think it’s worth the time and effort to make this a workable situation for both counties.”

Per state law, every county in Colorado is required to have a public health agency, which is tasked with delivering services such as early child care assistance, preventative health programs, and radon and water quality testing, to name a few. How-

telegraph8 n Sept. 1, 2022 Separate ways

In a unanimous 3-0 vote, with the backing of SJBPH’s Board of Health, La Plata County commissioners directed staff to continue to explore the disbandment of SJBPH and forming La Plata County’s own health district.

What’s more, Archuleta has always wanted more control of SJBPH’s budget and programs. One of the biggest issues has been the cost of septic inspections. Because of new state laws, the cost for permitting and building septic systems shot up, especially in rural areas, which, not uncoincidentally, are the most affordable places to build in

Archuleta County has had longstanding issues with San Juan Basin Public Health over the delivery of public health services.

It appears that sentiment may have come a little too late. Public Enemy No. 1 SJBPH has served Archuleta and La Plata counties for more than 70 years. Based on a population breakdown, the two Southwest Colorado counties share the cost at an 80-20 split, with La Plata contributing about $545,000 a year and Archuleta contributing about $130,000 a year to the district’s $6.1 million budget (which is also funded by state and federal sources).

The COVID-19 pandemic, however, exacerbated those issues after the county took issue with regulations over business shutdowns, mask requirements and vaccines./ photo

After years of acrimony, La Plata to explore disbanding SJBPH

telegraph the pandemic hit, exacerbating these longstanding issues. Archuleta constantly found itself at odds with COVID restrictions and even voted to enact different guidelines than those recommended by the health department. When asked about specific issues on COVID, Maez replied, “I have no comment on that.” Ultimately, Archuleta County formed its citizen-led investigation committee to see if it should start its own health district. The group met nine times from AugustDecember 2021. Upon reviewing the minutes, the committee never recommended whether or not to disband SJBPH. Instead, it appeared to explore basic questions: What is a public health agency? What does SJBPH actuallyLaVondado?

Sept. 1, 2022 n 9

Before the pandemic, public health usually operated in the background, quietly performing public health services and meeting health care needs of people who can’t afford it. But COVID-19 changed all that, and it appears there’s no turning back. “We, as Americans, in the past, have always rallied together around a common external enemy, and a virus is an external enemy,” Dr. John Bruss, a SJBPH Board of Health member, said at a work session in early August. “But we allowed our differences in politics to divide us, and we lost.” ■

“I don’t believe Archuleta County is prepared financially to stand up a health department,” Brown said. “It’s going to be a substantial struggle for Archuleta to bring theseBrownservices.”andMaez, in separate interviews with The Telegraph , both maintained they haven’t received a breakdown and full understanding of SJBPH’s services to Archuleta County. And, it should be noted, the two counties have never held a joint meeting to talk about the issues (and no plans for one are in the works). Paradoxically, though, threats to disband SJBPH have now had the opposite effect of the commissioners becoming advocates to keep SJBPH together.

Bass, a Pagosa Springs resident who served on the committee, said all the information was presented to Archuleta commissioners, and it was recommended the county conduct a full community survey of whether to start a county health district. But the commissioners never acted, Bass said. She believes Archuleta would be better off without SJBPH. “You have to understand, this is a Republican county, and many people did not like SJBPH coming over here trying to enforce Democratic views,” she said. “That was a majorArchuletaissue.”County is not alone in this belief. TriCounty Health Department, which served Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties (also for 70 years), is set to disband at the end of 2022, citing irreconcilable differences over the pandemic. Taking the Long View As the relationship between Archuleta and SJBPH continued to deteriorate over the past two years, the delivery of health services was impacted, Byrd said. In April, SJBPH’s Board of Health officially recommended the district be dissolved. A few weeks later, La Plata County launched its own effort to understand the ins and outs of forming its own district.OnAug.

23, County Manager Chuck Stevens told commissioners that, while it would cost more money on the front end and certainly not be easy, a county-led health department would ultimately be more efficient and cost about the same. “It’s going to be a bit of choreography and a bit of a dance to make sure everything works right,” he said. “But if we can weather the storm, I think we can come out on par.” La Plata County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, who also serves as county representative on the SJBPH Board of Health, reiterated the “corrosive relationship” with Archuleta has hampered public health services. She supported the move to continue exploring the disbandment of SJBPH. “I’m not happy about it,” she said. “I have no joy in it. (SJBPH) has been around for 70 years, and this is a real bummer, but we have to look at it in a forward-thinking way.” But Wait … Despite proposing the idea first, it may be that Archuleta, which is smaller in population and budget, will have the most difficulty forming a new district. At the Aug. 23 meeting, Brown pleaded with La Plata County commissioners to put the brakes on dissolving the health district.

Schaaf, too, has reversed course in recent days, saying he would welcome talks with La Plata County to keep SJBPH intact, according to a report in the Pagosa Springs Sun. Losing Out With the Aug. 23 vote, La Plata County will now take the next 18 months to further develop a plan for dissolution, which is no simple task. Indeed, SJBPH is a complicated web between the two counties involving funding and services that will be difficult to disentangle. The desired route, La Plata officials say, is to work with Archuleta in the process and have no gaps in public health services. And therein lies another core matter in the issue: SJBPH serves some of the most vulnerable people in the community: new moms struggling financially, teen-agers in crisis, those fighting opioid addiction. Many times, these people are in the shadows, unable to sway political fights in local government.

“My fear is the people that regularly receive SJBPH’s services are going to be the ones that suffer the most,” said Brown, who was elected in 2020. “Above the posturing and all this business, at the end of the day, that’s my primary concern.”

“I see no reason in beating this horse, because this horse has left the gate,” Maez said. “Unless La Plata wants to come to mediation of some type; I’d be willing to do that.”

Byrd agreed: “It’s super sad. The Board doesn’t want to leave Archuleta County high and dry without a health department. But they initiated this, and they need to follow through. It puts the onus on their elected officials to meet the needs of people in their county instead of having them just criticize (SJBPH).”

No shame in

OK, so sometimes some of us say no. But the one person who definitely doesn’t – and who is usually the instigator –is Emma.Emma is the one to call one of us up for a day ride of the entire White Rim. She is the one to go on a ride after a ride. She’s the one who keeps wanting to ride through the winter or when it’s dark and rainy. She’s the one who won’t let anyone quit as much as they want to, no matter how hard it gets, how tired we are or how much it’s raining. For a long time, I just thought that Emma was crazy. But then I learned that she wasn’t crazy, she was just training for ultra bikepacking races. And she’s bringing the rest of us along with her. The first ultra bikepacking race she rode that I’d unknowingly trained alongside her was the 2021 Arizona Trail 300 Race – in which she placed third in women’s. During that race last fall, she rode 300 miles, with 25,331 feet of elevation gain, at an average of 77.9 miles per day, self-supported through gnarly, unforgiving desert and mountain terrain. She finished in three days and 11 hours. When the race was over, I thought maybe she would slow down a little and take a break so the rest of us could slow down and take a break, but I was bamboozled. The whole team was bamboozled, because Emma doesn’t slow down or take breaks. Emma only goes harder.

From stomach bugs to broken rims, paying homage to the DNFers

Fresh roasted GREEN CHILES are back at the market! Come get yours! Emma

10 n Sept. 1, 2022

scratching

by Jennaye Derge U

p-and-coming ultra mountain bike racer Alexandera Houcin arrived at the Junction Creek Trailhead just after sunrise Aug. 20: six days, two hours and 33 minutes after she left Denver to start the 2022 Colorado Trail Race. I met her there, where I was covering her big, record-setting win for an online bicycle news outlet. And just like everyone else, I was inspired by her gritty drive to finish the race as the fastest female, and sixth overall – on a singlespeed and flats, no less. WhenBadass.Alexandera got to the finish line, her friends were waiting to congratulate her, feed her and help her change into dry clothes and a comfy camp chair. A lot of the time that we sat around asking her questions and listening to her stories and talking, I was thinking of my good friend Emma. Emma also started the Colorado Trail Race in the early hours of Aug. 14 alongside Alexandera in Denver. She however, had to bow out on day three near Frisco because pretty much all the worst things that could happen, did. She became so sick that she couldn’t hold food down, and she broke the rim of her bicycle wheel. Knowing Emma though, she probably still rode on that rim as long as she could, and continued to ride her bike even though she kept throwing up, had nothing left in her stomach and risked becoming dangerously dehydrated. I know this, because I know Emma. I’ve known Emma for awhile, but we started riding bikes together about a year and a half ago. We have a group of friends we call Bike Team, and we all work well together because Emma – who is considered the matriarchal glue – is really good at pressuring us to go on heinous bike rides, and we are all really good at not being able to say no. We rarely say no to the 6 a.m. start times or the 20-mile winter rides. Few of us on Bike Team say no to the weekend double hitters: usually back-to-back 30- or 40-mile high country rides. Most of us don’t say no to the after-work rides or the triple trail routes. And it works out because each of us on Bike Team is a little crazy when it comes to craving big miles (and smiles). It feels like week after week, we come up with some ride that leaves at least one of us (usually me) baffled at the long routes.

GossipoftheCyclers

So when she announced to the group that she had signed up for the 2022 Colorado Trail Race, I don’t think any of us were really surprised – and we knew it meant none of us would slow down. We would continue to ride through the winter (and by “we,” I mean Bike Team, and I sometimes pulled myself off my warm couch). By spring, we were already back to riding 40mile days, and at the end of May, we celebrated my birthday by riding a sleuth of in-town trails, totaling 52 miles and just under 6,900 feet of elevation. Emma put a birthday crown on my helmet to remind us all we were “celebrating,” not suffering.Andthat’s the thing, no matter what huge ride we all agreed upon, or however many miles we might have packed into a weekend, Emma and the rest of the Bike Team made it feel celebratory. So when Emma started getting ready to leave for the CTR, the only mood was stoke and celebration.HerGPS tracker showed her starting the race with a 94-mile day, and when it started to slow down by the second day, I knew something was wrong. When she is pushing hard, anything under 70 miles a day, in crazy, rocky terrain, is unusual for Emma. On day three, the news started trickling in that Emma had scratched. I’d already seen it on the tracker website, but I wasn’t sure if it was correct. Emma doesn’t stop for anything. Emma doesn’t believe in stopping. But she had to. She reached a point where it was her only choice, and three days after “scratched” appeared next to her name, I was standing at the finish line congratulating a woman racer who is equally badass, but who wasn’t Emma.Alexandera is an amazing rider, and I’m so in awe of her and any and all the riders who go out and race these crazy trails. But when I was standing at the finish line, I couldn’t help but wonder if that might have been Emma who crossed first: being greeted by Bike Team, sitting down with sore feet, warming up by the little campfire. It doesn’t matter though, because sometimes it’s just about luck; a broken rim, a badly timed stomach bug. Sometimes it’s bad weather or bad gear. But I do know –and I should probably start preparing myself – that this time next year, I will be unknowingly training side-by-side with Emma, or any other member of our Bike Team, for some other ultra race that no one really wants to say no to.

Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 noon • TBK Bank parking lot, across from Transit Center Check us out on Facebook or at www.durangofarmersmarket.com

telegraph

MurderInk Pushed to the edge French noir explores the extremes of a mother’s love *T W Lim8gWhhole Bud Ounce $65 Taax included pricing s hown mit Out & Save! g Concentrate$100 NewHNHNewNewHoBeginningSept.12Sept12.12wHoursHoursewHoursoursrsStgginninggBegBiiswH12S21tpeSe GREAATT STRAIN SELECTIO PIPES • SMOKING ACCESSOR B M RECREA AAREL • MJ LITERP AON • HASH & CONCENTRRAATTE • E IES • APPA RAATTURE & GranBodo Park Sun-Tues:ATTWedSat:MED 9am - 6:30pm REC 9am - 8pm ALONL e AL DIBLES • SEED • CLONES CONSULTTING • ATTM ON SITE dvieww Cortez ION LYY 10am - 7pm :9am 8pm MED & REC 9am - 8pm pt. 12Sept. The Alternative Resource WedSat: 9am 8pm

“Vanda” is Marion Brunet’s latest novel set in her hometown of Marseille, on the southern coast of France. Her breakthrough in literary crime fiction came with her stunning “Summer of Reckoning,” also translated faithfully by Katherine Gregor, and a “Murder Ink” review in May 2020. “Vanda” fixes without doubt Brunet’s place in the top echelon of European literary royalty, and along with “Summer of Reckoning,” it should not be missed if you’re a dedicated crime fiction reader.

When we meet Vanda, she has a 6-year-old son named Noé, and together they live in a shanty made of driftwood on a rocky, forsaken beach at the end of a sandy deadend road. More than anything, Vanda loves Noé, whom she affectionately calls Limpet. And Limpet loves Vanda with a loyalty and understanding far beyond his age. They have lived in this shanty all of Noé’s life, and he gets bundled up in a sleeping bag in the back seat of Vanda’s junker Renault whenever she spends the evening drinking at her local. And, he sleeps through the goings-on when Vanda brings an equally randy drunk home for a tumble.

Crime fiction must foremost be good fiction if we’re to value its contribution beyond simply fantastical escape reading in an airport or hospital bed or on the toilet. And the countries across the pond, both Atlantic and Pacific, have always demanded and received fiction dealing with the dark side by wordsmiths who have devoted themselves to writing about the human condition as it is, as opposed to as it should be or cannot be. Entertainment is not the goal of literary writing, even in genre writing like crime fiction. Emotional insight, subtleties of awareness, indiscriminate power structures, and love and beauty underpin literature. Good crime literature illuminates failures, both systematic and personal, in a subtle quest to shape society for achievement rather than debasement.

The book is named for its main character, Vanda, a woman in her thirties with sleeves of tattoos covering both arms. She’s a blackout drinker and round-the-clock doper, a defeated artist working with a bucket and mop in a psychiatric hospital. She has an attitude, chiseled by authority found in schools, men in barrooms and on the street, and her lust for insensibility. She’s the flag bearer of the lower class but smart, wily and destructively angry at everyone and everything.

Sept. 1, 2022 n 11telegraph by Jeffrey Mannix Bitter Lemon Press of London is once again bringing to a worldwide audience a nuanced crime fiction book that will serve as an example for American writers in the genre. Perhaps it will encourage them to move away from trying to hitch a ride to the cash register mirroring whatever last topped the charts, with heavy-handed mysteries of maladroit plots featuring lost children, serial killers and copycat whodunits.

Vanda is perpetually late to pick up Noé at school, and the head mistress is threatening to call social services if she’s made to stay late one more time – the first alarm warning of bad things to come. At the same time, Vanda is laid off from work because a newspaper happened to run a photo of her in the crowd at a workers’ demonstration that appeared on the front page above the fold. And Jason, a sex toy from six years ago, shows up to settle his mother’s recently deceased estate and wants to see Vanda. And as Vanda’s world is closing in around her, Simon learns that Noé is his son and goes to social services with a lawyer for custody.  That’s all you get of this story, anything more would be a plot spoiler, and I cannot spoil this very sophisticated narrative. It’s just too delicate with issues and warnings that plague us all right“Vanda”now. is a respectful 200-page quality paperback at a price less than breakfast and a cup of coffee at a local diner. And if you ask for the “Murder Ink” 15 percent discount at Maria’s Bookshop, it’s almost like you’re making money while losing weight. And while you’re reaping these rewards, might as well pick up a copy of Brunet’s “Summer of Reckoning” and book yourself out for the weekend.

Wellness Center

Boys play, 5 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Ignacio Green Chile Fest, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 535 Goddard Ave. Ska Brewing Anniversary Party (sold out), 4 p.m., Ska Brewing, 215 Girard St. Live music, 5 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Comedy Open Mic, 8 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

OngoingFourCorners

Red Light Cameras play, 4-7 p.m., at the Powerhouse Rockin’ on the River Concert Series.

You Knew Me When plays, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms, Ignacio. Ecstatic Dance w/Swahè, 7:30-9:30 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave. The Mysto Really Big Magic Show, 7:30 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr. Saturday03DurangoFarmers Market, 8 a.m.–12 noon, TBK Bank parking lot, live music by Pete Giuliani. Bayfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m., 1328 CR 501.

Jelly Belly Boogie Band plays, 6 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

Matthew Marcus McDaniel plays, 5:30 p.m., Mancos Brewing Co. Black Velvet plays, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave. Ben Gibson Duo plays, 6-9 p.m., Derailed Pour House, 725 Main Ave. Rob Webster plays, 6 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.

Blue Moon Ramblers play, 5 p.m., James Ranch Grill, 33846 Highway 550.

Live music, 5 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Max Ribner & 1st Language plays, 7 p.m., Mountain Monk Café, 558 Main Ave.

Open Mic Night, weekly 7:30-9:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.

Tuesday06TwinButtesFarm Stand, every Tuesday, 3-5:30 p.m., 165 Tipple Ave. Live music, 5 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Four Corners Motorcycle Rally, Sept. 2-4, fourcornersmotorcyclerally.com Dr, Ste 202, Durango, CO Market, in Cliffs

Monday05SmelterMountain

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

Folk Festival, Sept. 2-4, Pagosa Springs, featuring Yonder Mountain String Band, Darrell Scott’s Electrifying Trio, Heartless Bastards & Dirtwire. More info at ksutpresents.org

The Mysto Really Big Magic Show, 7:30 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

Live music, 5 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave. Labor Day Film Showcase, 6:15 p.m., Grand Imperial Hotel, Silverton.

Live music, 5 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

Wednesday07BillBoyer plays, 4 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Concerts 4 Critters – A Beastly Music Series, 7:30 p.m., Montezuma County Fairgrounds, Cortez. Featuring live music by Little Texas, Haley Reinhart & Levi Platero. Proceeds go to animals rescue.

Ron Low Band plays, 5 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito.

The Jeff Solon Jazz Duo plays, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave. Rob Webster plays, 6 p.m., Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito. Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 1333 Camino del Rio. Ben Gibson plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th Street Station.

Above Sunnyside Farms

Sunday04DurangoFleaMarket, 8 a.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave. Veterans Benefit Breakfast, 9 a.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.

Thursday01ShareYourGarden

Open Mic Night, 7 p.m., Mountain Monk Café, 558 Main Ave.

Live music, 5 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

The Badly Bent plays, 5:30 p.m., James Ranch Grill, 33846 Highway 550.

“Art All Over,” Nancy Coffey art show opening & reception, 4 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.

Friday02GaryWalker plays, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Jean-Pierre Bakery & Restaurant, 601 Main Ave. Veterans Poker Run, 3 p.m., Rotary Park.

Comedy Open Mic, weekly, 9 p.m., 11th St. Station.

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

Thursdays! bring extra veggies and fruit for people in need, 8:30 a.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203. Books, Brats & Brews, featuring live music by Brettlynn, 4 p.m., Durango Public Library.

The Mysto Really Big Magic Show, 7:30 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.

Live music, 5 p.m., Diamond Belle, 699 Main Ave.

12 n Sept. 1, 2022 telegraph

Back to School Special: 10 Class Pass $120 through Labor Day (Regularly $140) www.pauseyogapilates.com 1305 Escalante

First Friday Art Show, 5 p.m., Create Art & Tea, 1015 Main Ave. Live music, 5 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Durango Labor Day Street Party, featuring music by Kirk James Band, 6 p.m., 10th and Main Ave. Ben Gibson Band plays, 6-10 p.m., Balcony Bar & Grill, 600 Main Ave. Six Dollar String Band plays, 6 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave. Ru Paul’s Drag Race Watch Party, every Friday, 68 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave.

Devin Scott plays, 6:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave. Comedy Show, 6:30 p.m., Olde Tymers Café, 1000 Main Ave.

noon.atMondayissubmissionsDo”to“StuffforDeadlineStufftoDo item,ansubmitTo calendar@durangotelegraph.comemail:

Ben Gibson plays, 5-8 p.m., Balcony, 600 Main Ave.

Ska-BQ with High Altitude Blues, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St. Bingo Night, 5 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos. Live music, 5 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave. Live music, 5 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.

Community Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Yoga Durango, 1485 Florida Rd. Donations accepted. Jamie & the Nabtones, 7 p.m., Fenceline Cider, Mancos.

Purple

“Update on Chaco Solstice Project,” Sept. 14, 7 p.m., Ballroom at Fort Lewis College. Hosted by San Juan Basin Archaeological Society, SJBAS.org.

Dear Seeing Eye Dawg, I got news for you: We’re all making everything up as we go. Nothing makes sense. Existence is a construct. Language shapes the way we perceive the world. You cannot escape your own biases. Also, I’m suddenly wondering if I should open my own line of philosopher bumper stickers. – Available in every color, Rachel Dear Rachel, Why is “brew your own coffee” the rallying cry of all well-to-do people who decry young’uns for not buying their own houses? Here’s my napkin math: a $5 cappuccino every day of the year is $1,825. If you are kind and tip a dollar each time, it’s $2,190. Ah, but we must deduct the store-bought coffee you’d otherwise be buying. Let’s call it a $10 bag each week for a total increased cost of $1,670. A decade of saving might get you the first half of a down payment.

Banff Mountain Film Festival, Sept. 16 & 17, 6 p.m., Fort Lewis College’s Community Concert Hall. sanjuancitizens.org/banff

That’s So Durango, variety show, Sept. 9 & 10 at 7 p.m., Sept. 11 at 2 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.

Native Artist Market & Juried Show, Sept. 9-11, Southern Ute Cultural Center & Museum, 503 Ouray Dr., Ignacio.

Whole Expo, showcase of holistic and ecological products, services and seminars, Sept. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.

Interesting fact: The first Harley-Davidson is indeed more than 100 years old, rolling off the line in 1904, the same year the first biker shaved for the last time.

– Back in my day, Rachel

Shock Wave Drag Night, first and third Friday of every month, 9 p.m., Father’s Daughters Pizza, 640 Main Ave. 18+ The Hive Indoor Skate Park, open skate and skate lessons. Waivers required. For schedule and online waiver, go to www.thehivedgo.org

AskRachelPiping down, color commentary and a hill of beans Email questions to telegraph@durangotelegraph.com

Adam Swanson performs “Ragtime to Rhapsody,” Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m., Fort Lewis College’s Community Concert Hall.

telegraph Sept. 1, 2022 n 13

Ohana Kuleana Community Garden Open House, Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 564 E. 30th St. Men in Heels Fundraiser, Sept. 13, 5:30-7 p.m., relay race to benefit the Women’s Resource Center and Gena Rych Scholarship Fund. For more info email events@wrcdurango.org

So, why don’t rich old people go find some clouds to shout at?

Serenity Festival, Sept. 15-18, Tico Time Resort, near Aztec. ticotimeresort.com.

Devo Film Festival, feature presentation “Esperanto,” Sept. 16, 7 p.m., Chapman Hill. Durango Autumn Arts Festival, Sept. 17 & 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., E. Second Ave. between College Drive and 10th St. Deadline for “On the MondaysubmissionsTown”isatnoon.Tosubmitanitememail:calendar@durangotelegraph.com

Dear Rachel, Hello young lady. YEA I SAID HELLO. The Harleys are coming to town. Bells, chimes and toot toots, and now Harleys, rumbling, smoke and tats. What are the new people who complain about the train and clock tower chimes going to do? Will the noise from the Harleys make them complain to the city fathers? The Harleys have been around for about 100 years, so I guess they knew it when they moved to Durango. And the rally has gone on before they moved to Durango. I hope you support the $$$ coming into Durango and buy a good set of ear plugs. But Rach, what will happen when we go e-Harley? No noise, and I guess no complaints. Your Biker Babe thoughts. – Knuckle Head Harley Dear Knuckle-Dragging Davidson, People will always complain to… wait, to the city fathers? What about the city mothers? The city people who choose (entirely legitimately) not to have children at all? It’s certainly easier to afford a hog if you’re not always feeding and cleaning up after a bunch of little piggies. But you can’t ever complain about a lack of noise. Harleys, like children, will never be seen but not heard. If we can make fake train sounds for Lionel sets, we’ll have AI-induced revving sounds for electricity-guzzling Harleys. – Vroom vroom, Rachel Dear Rachel, I’ve started thinking about colors. How one color shifts depending on the time of day, indoors or outdoors, quality of the light, intensity of the bulb, other colors nearby. And that doesn’t even get into wondering if the way I perceive colors is at all comparable to the way you perceive colors. I’m wondering, when we define a hue, is there some set light parameters we go by to attain the definitive color? Or are we just making it all up?

UpcomingTicoTimeUnison

Festival, Sept. 8-11, Tico Time Resort, near Aztec. ticotimeresort.com.

That’s So Durango, art show thru Sept. 29. Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. durangoarts.org.

Silverton Summer Sounds: Stillhouse String Band plays, Sept. 16, 6 p.m., Memorial Park, 1800 Greene St.

“Higher Together: Celebrating Durango’s Climbing Community,” Sept. 9, 6-9 p.m., Pine Needle Mountaineering. Featuring films from Patagonia. Silent auction fundraiser with all proceeds benefitting the Durango Climbers Coalition. To donate items to the event, or if you have questions email durangoclimberscoalition@gmail.com.

– Seeing Reds

Shanta Foundation’s Fall Fundraiser, Sept. 14, 5:307:30 p.m., River Bend Ranch, 27846 Highway www.shantafoundation.org/developmentunderfire550.

– Caffeinated & Matheinated Dear Chump Change, The true mark of adulthood is when you start complaining about younger generations, as if the older generations didn’t do the raising of them. Something in the parenting of these half-caf frap-foaming sludge-guzzlers trained them to spend a significant, if not luxurious, sum on fancy coffee. I think perhaps bikers are the only people who never grow up. They’re ever too focused on pissing off their parents to worry about pissing off their children.

Durango Roller Girls bout, facing Ark Valley HIgh Rollers, Sept. 10, Chapman Hill. Doors at 5 p.m., “Fresh Meat” bout at 6 p.m., main event at 7 p.m.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): There are blessings in every abyss. You, of all the signs in the zodiac, have the greatest capacity to find those blessings and make them yours. Likewise, there is an abyss in each blessing. You, of all the signs, have the most power to make sure your experiences in the abyss don’t detract from but enhance the blessing. In the coming weeks, dear Scorpio, take maximum advantage of these superpowers of yours. Be a master of zeroing in on the opportunities seeded in the dilemmas. Show everyone how to home in on and enjoy the delights in the darkness. Be an inspirational role model as you extract redemption from the messes.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The coming weeks will be a favorable time to dream up creative solutions to problems that haven’t fully materialized yet. Then you can apply your discoveries as you address problems that already exist. In other words, dear Aquarius, I’m telling you that your uncanny facility for glimpsing the future can be useful in enhancing your life in the present. Your almost psychic capacity to foretell the coming trends will be instrumental as you fix glitches in the here and now.

14 n Sept. 1, 2022 telegraph 552 main ave (near the train) durango, co l 970-259-4221 Open Mon. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. 2002

Lovess

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

(WeWWWearBiikeerss!yourrchaaps:10%ooffeeaarrjuusstyyoouurrcchhaappss::35%%ooffffwillbeclosedSept.4-5.)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I have always felt you Capricorns are wise to commune with rocks, dirt, mud, sand and clay. I think you should regularly touch the actual earth with your hands and bare feet. If I’m out hiking with a Capricorn friend, I might urge them to sniff blooming mushrooms and lean down to kiss the exposed roots of trees. Direct encounters with natural wonders are like magic potions and miracle medicine for you. Moreover, you flourish when you nurture close personal relationships with anything that might be described as foundational. This is always true, but will be extra true for you in the coming weeks. Your words of power are kernel, core, gist, marrow and keystone.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): As a Taurus, you are always wise to be reverent toward your five senses. They are your glorious treasures, your marvelous superpowers, your sublime assets. In the coming weeks, they will serve you even better than usual. As you deploy them with all your amazement and appreciation unfurled, they will boost your intelligence. They will heighten your intuition in ways that guide you to good decisions. You will tune into interesting truths that had previously been hidden from you. I suspect your sensory apparatus will be so sharp and clear that it will work almost as extrasensory powers.

by Rob Brezsny ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries-born Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was one of the greatest basketball players ever. He excelled at most aspects of the game. Some experts say his rebounding was only average for a player his size –seven feet, two inches. But he is still the third-best rebounder in NBA history. And he played for 20 years, until age 40. What tips might Abdul-Jabbar have for you now? Here’s a suggestion from him that aligns with your current astrological omens: “Work on those parts of your game that are fundamentally weak.” The implication is that you have a lot of strengths, and now it’s time to raise up the rest of your skill set.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

Ninii’s

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When you Geminis are at your best, you don’t merely tolerate dualities. You enjoy and embrace them. You work with them eagerly. While many non-Geminis regard oppositions and paradoxes as at best inconvenient and at worst obstructive, you often find how the apparent polarities are woven together and complementary. That’s why so many of you are connoisseurs of love that’s both tough and tender. You can be effective in seemingly contradictory situations that confuse and immobilize others. All these skills of yours should come in handy during the coming weeks. Use them to the hilt.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the coming weeks, logic may be of only partial use to you. Information acquired through your senses might prove less than fully adequate, as well. On the other hand, your talents for feeling deeply and tapping into your intuition can provide you with highly accurate intelligence. Here’s a further tip to help you maximize your ability to understand reality: Visit a river or creek or lake. Converse with the fish and frogs and turtles and beavers. Study the ways of the crabs and crayfish and eels. Sing songs to the dragonflies and whirligig beetles and lacewings.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Author Jean Frémon says Cancerian naturalist Henry David Thoreau “always had two notebooks – one for facts, and the other for poetry. But Thoreau had a hard time keeping them apart, as he often found facts more poetic than his poems.” Judging from your current astrological omens, Cancerian, I suspect you are entering a time when facts will be even more poetic than usual. If you open yourself to the magic of reality, the mundane details of everyday life will delight you and appeal to your sense of wonder. Routine events will veer toward the marvelous. Can you bear to experience so much lyrical grace? I think so.

“To love oneself is hard work,” declares Virgo author Hanif Abdurraqib. He adds, “But I think it becomes harder when you realize that you’re actually required to love multiple versions of yourself that show up without warning throughout a day, throughout a week, throughout a month, throughout a life.” Let’s make that your inspirational strategy, Virgo. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to refine, deepen and invigorate your love for all your selves. It may be hard work, but I bet it will also be fun and exhilarating.

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): One of my favorite Sagittarians is practical mystic Caroline Myss, who was born with sun and Mercury and ascendant in Sagittarius. In accordance with current astrological omens, I’ve gathered six of her quotes to serve your current needs. 1. There isn’t anything in your life that cannot be changed. 2. When you do not seek or need approval, you are at your most powerful. 3. Healing comes from gathering wisdom from past actions and letting go of the pain that the education cost you. 4. The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. 5. What serves your spirit enhances your body. What diminishes your spirit diminishes your body. 6. What is in you is stronger than what is out there to defeat you.

FreeWillAstrology

“What good is it if you read Plato but never clean your toilet?” writes author Alice Munro. To which I add, “What good is it if you have brilliant breakthroughs and intriguing insights but never translate them into practical changes in your daily rhythm?” I’m not saying you are guilty of these sins, Leo. But I want to ensure that you won’t be guilty of these sins in the coming weeks. It’s crucial to your long-term future that you devote quality time to being earthy and grounded and pragmatic. Be as effective as you are smart.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

How to be the best Libra you can be in the next three weeks: 1. Make sure your cool attention to detail never gets chilly. Warm it up now and then. Invite your heart to add its counsel to your head’s observations. Tenderize your objectivity. 2. Always be willing to be puzzled. Always be entertained and educated by your puzzlement. Proceed on the theory that nothing ever changes unless somebody is puzzled. 3. Practice, practice, practice the art of moderation. Do so with the intention of using it as a flexible skill rather than an unthinking habit. 4. Applying the Goldilocks principle will be essential. Everything must be just right: neither too much nor too little; neither overly grand nor overly modest.

Kind of Bank…

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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.

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

Moving sale, sooo much stuff for your apartment. Sat.-Mon., 8-2. 752 E. 7th Ave.

Alternative Horizons is in need of volunteer hotline advocates. Training Sept. 20-Oct. 4 @ FLC. Info: 970-247-4374 . 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 telegraph.comclassifieds@durango n 970-259-0133 n 679 E. 2nd Ave., #E2 Approximate office hours: Mon: 9ish - 5ish Tues: 9ish - 5ish Wed: 9ish - 3ish Thurs: On delivery Fri: Gone fishing; call first

Chromatic 146 Snowboard Ride bindings. Never ridden!! $400 firm. Text 970 749 8983 if interested. Moving Sale Furniture, house and kitchenwares, imports, toys, electronics, more. Inside and out. Sat. - Mon., 8-2. 752 E. 7th Ave.

Dreamy, nostalgic, fun and original, I dare you not to like – Lainie Maxson classifieds

This Week’s Wayback Time Machine: The budding young local guitarist to the left appeared in the Aug. 29, 2002, issue of the Telegraph in a story about his punk rock band. Name the guitarist and his (sadly) now-defunct band for all the marbles ... and maybe a free koozie.

Donald I get the lower bunk, you get the upper bunk at Rikers Penitentiary. Your CFO, Weisselberg

telegraph Sept. 1, 2022 n 15

ForSaleNewGnu

1st Southwest Bank, a locally owned CDFI community bank, is seeking a commercial lender, marketing, loan & retail operations staff. FSWB offers competitive compensation, generous benefits, & career development. Join FSWB’s award-winning team dedicated to supporting rural Colorado’s agricultural, nonprofit and small businesses. For details and to apply, visit fswb.bank/who-we-are/careers. EOE.

Handyman Service Home repair - yard work - odd jobs 970-903-0449 Marketing Small and Local Businesses Media, website building and content editing, copywriting and editing, newsletters, blogs, etc. for small, local, independent or startup businesses. www.forward pedal.com or email jnderge@gmail.com

Lotus Path Healing Arts Offering a unique fusion of massage, deep tissue & Acutonics, 24 years experience. Call Kathryn, 970-201-3373.

CommunityServiceVolunteersNeeded

HelpWantedADifferent

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

Vassago Jabberwocky Singlespeed 17” steel frame, black, hardtail, front Fox 32” fork. Set up for tubeless, decent rubber. Super fun, light and zippy bike –great for in-town rides, Phil’s or more. $700 Text: 970-749-2595. GoPro Camera Hero 5. A few years old but only used once or twice and otherwise just sat in a drawer. It is deserving of a more exciting owner! $150 OBO. Text 970-749-2595

Reruns Home Furnishings New inventory including nightstands, dressers, mirrors, rugs, dishes and glassware plus lots of other cool furnishings and art … Come in today! 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.

Free Simple Wills Legal Presentation presented by Colorado Legal Services Tuesday, September 20th from 5:30 pm –7 pm at the Durango Public Library and via Zoom. Please call 385-7378 ext 251 for details on how to attend or visit www.du rangovap.com/events

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. BodyWorkMassage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.

AnnouncementsAttentionFLCStudents

Classes/Workshops:FreeSimpleWillsPresentation

Nadya/Tron Art Sale Bayfield Pine River Library, 50% off. Sale thru Sept. Personal tours – 970-5631042.

HaikuMovieReview‘LicoricePizza’

TeleFlashBack2002

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