the durango
8
Reining in the ART City chooses education, striping over speed limit on River Trail by Missy Votel
4 Running away Confronting middle age, tight pants and self-improvement by Zach Hively 11
Grain of hope
Rye is helping farmers save water, improve soil and build new markets by Ilana Newman / The Daily Yonder
PIT CREW: JENNAYE DERGE jennaye@durangotelegraph.com
STAFF REPORTER: SCOOPS MCGEE telegraph@durangotelegraph.com
The Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or mon-
10 Creative overlap FLC prof/musician finds harmony between printmaking and bluegrass by Stephen Sellers
CAST: Zach Hively, Ilana Newman, Scott Braden, Stephen Sellers, Lainie Maxson, Jesse Anderson, Rob Brezsny & Clint Reid
Ear to the ground:
“One time, I went to Golden Corral and the guy next to me found a tooth in his meatloaf.”
– Was it at least a golden tooth? Either way, free meal!
River cowboy
It’s a mash-up made in Westernwear heaven. Sort of. Seems Chaco, the purveyor of the iconic strappy dirtbag river rat footwear, has joined forces with Wrangler, as in tight jeans, big belt buckles, bull riding and snap shirt fame.
Wait, what?
OK, so maybe there is a little bit of a common thread here, if you will. After all, both brands do cater to rodeos – whether it be whitewater or the livestock kind. And those snap shirts make for some spiffy sun protection on and off the river. So maybe it makes sense, kind of sort of?
On the cover
This week’s cover art is by none other than Durango’s multi-talented Chad Cheeney. If you’re at Iron Horse festivities at Buckley Park this weekend, be sure to stop into the Durango Creative District’s gallery right down the street to check out the Cheeneycurated exhibit “Rad Bike Art,” which is up through May 29.
Box 332 Durango, CO 81302
ster powder days. We are wholly independently owned
telegraph@durangotelegraph.com
Marketed under the tagline "Western Roots, Wild Soles," the eight-piece unisex collection includes Chaco’s flagship Z/1 sandal done up in a denim print strap (we’re guessing faux denim) complete with iconic Wrangler patch logo. There is also a suede clog with western embroidery and silver buckle as well as some wild print button-ups guaranteed to ensure you ride the rapids in style and are the envy of Guzzle Beach.
We’re not sure what’s next, but we can only imagine that Carhartt life jackets aren’t too far behind.
Buyer’s remorse
It seems “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker may have a little bit of heartburn over purchasing Denver’s beloved landmark Mexican restaurant Casa Bonita.
According to the Denver Post, the two stopped by “Jimmy Kimmel Live” this week. The conversation turned to Casa Bonita. Parker and Stone bought Casa Bonita out of bankruptcy in 2021 and worked for nearly two years to rehab the building. The two spent close to $50 million on the project. When asked if they were glad they invested in the restaurant, they both said yes … mostly. “It was a cool thing to do, but it was a really dumb thing to do,” Parker said. “But ... there’s no way anyone else would have done it.”
“I would say most of our career is defined by doing things that are not a smart idea,” Stone added.
LaVidaLocal
Half man, half marathon
It all started, as things do in this 21st century hellscape, with a flippant post on the socials: “Big editing project due tomorrow, so instead of doing that I might start training for a half-marathon.”
For the next three days, I neither finished the editing project nor followed through with training for a half-marathon. But I sure caught myself meandering the activewear section of a retail store and holding short shorts up to my waist and hoping, despite the evidence, that I was still a men’s medium, and paying actual money for the shorts –money I had not yet earned from editing.
These are absolutely the lengths I will go to to procrastinate, but this was not procrastination. This clothesshopping was more serious, somehow; I was definitely still procrastinating in other ways that involved more pretendingthat-this-rabbit-hole-is-work-related-research, but I was DAYDREAMING about running.
This, for the record, goes against my character. I’ve never truly enjoyed running. Or falsely enjoyed it. And I’ve done it enough to know that I’ll never touch this supposed “runner’s high” that runners talk about with that same nostalgic superiority that others use to remind you that they “lived in France” when a little prying reveals they visited Paris on a two-week college class trip.
I legitimately ran almost 6 miles once. In a single go. It happened when I trained myself up to a 5k, which is the only thing we Americans say in metric because it sounds bigger than 3.1 miles when you don’t know conversions, which we don’t. I did this during that first year of Covid, which meant there were no public events so I never got a T-shirt to prove it.
On this one run, I turned up a dirt road I’d never gone up before just to see it where it went. It reached a scenic overlook of sorts. (The closest I’ve come to the runner’s high.) I said Yay, pretty! and only then realized I had exhausted most of my 3.1 miles and had to get back home. Back home was more or less downhill, so I made it.
announcement/note to self: Schedule first checkup for Men of a Certain Age.)
I’d rather nudge myself down the path of aging sexily. Too late to transform myself into full zaddy by the time I take my dog out someplace that offers a free Father’s Day brunch? Possibly. But maybe I can stop myself from needing to buy new and looser Walmart-brand jeans on their Father’s Day sale.
I had the shorts. I had the motivation. With nothing to hold me back, I stalled for, like, five metric weeks.
Strava tells me that was not the last run I ever did, but I could not tell you details of any run after that. Clearly that was my high-water mark.
Now my pants don’t fit quite so comfy, and I’m unable to concede that that’s just a natural part of being forty. Why should I accept that the rest of me has swollen along with the likelihood of my prostate swelling, too? (Public service
After closing abruptly in 2024, Durango Planned Parenthood is now open two days a week, offering low-cost reproductive health care to local clients as well as those from neighboring states
Durango’s favorite domestique Sepp Kuss had his first top-10 finish of this year’s Giro d’Italia on Sunday, finishing eighth in Stage 9 – a 184-kilometer trek with an altitude gain of 2,400 meters – while supporting his Visma-Lease a Bike teammate Jonas Vingegaard, who won the stage.
And speaking of cycling, this year’s Iron Horse is expected to be one of the biggest ever, with registration already up 10% over last year and picture-perfect weather forecast for Saturday’s big ride.
Then this nugget of middle-aged wisdom hit me: if I did not run, and run soon, I would have to live the increasingly diminishing rest of my years with the knowledge that I failed to show up and take care of myself, when I was still barely young enough to do so without one or both of my legs falling off.
This, I was OK with.
But shopping for shorts had reminded me just how much I hate shopping for pants, and these puppies were not getting any looser. So I took myself for a run, and I made myself a promise: This was a no-pressure baseline outing. Let’s remind myself, I said, what it feels like to move – and let’s prove that I am actually capable of leaving the house. Those are the only purposes, I said. No judgment, I said, totally lying to myself.
Because of course I was going to judge myself – and harshly – against my own younger personal bests, and against anyone better than me, up to and including Olympians. I used to climb mountains on a bicycle; surely I could run some nonembarrassing distance.
Immediately after I came back home, I flopped on my bed and wrote the preceding (in incoherent draft form) on my Notes app, in order to distract from wondering about the tingling sensation in my teeth. Should teeth really be tingling after running (and this is true) 5% of a half-marathon? I say “5% of a half-marathon,” because it is metric and thus sounds much better than “I quit at 0.66 miles.” Right after my fitness watch showed me that was my distance, it quit too.
Will I actually push myself the whole way to completing a half-marathon registration form? I don’t know! But telling you all here that I’m CONSIDERING a half-marathon registration form ensures that I will have to reboot my entire writing career under a pen name if I don’t go through with it.
Besides, the way the world is trending, running sure seems like a more useful skill to cultivate than copyediting.
– Zach Hively
SignoftheDownfall:
Avalanche star Cale Makar was out for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against Las Vegas on Wednesday. Since press time was before game time, we have no idea what the outcome will be – but we are praying for a miraculous recovery
You probably don’t need us to tell you this, but it looks like the Animas River runoff has peaked for the season, reaching 1,401 cfs last Friday – making 2026 the third-lowest peak in recorded history
Not only are the 1,600 convicted Jan. 6 rioters getting pardons, but now it seems they are getting payouts from the government they attacked. So yeah, the next time you’re struggling to pay your health insurance, at least know that your tax dollars are going to pay the Proud Boys.
Guardians of the Fallacy
Researchers from Macquarie University in Australia spread rumors online about a fake militia of armed racoons to test the difference between “survey trolls” and people dumb enough to believe conspiracy theories. The false claim was that the Canadian Armed Forces has been training genetically engineered giant racoons (like Rocket from that one movie) to invade neighboring countries. Thirteen percent of the people who supported the theory turned out to be trolls, but an alarming 10% truly believed that the story was “probably or definitely true.” Of course, everyone else in the study started roasting the people who fell for it when the results were published in May, but I’ve seen memes of racoons holding knives, and Canada is our neighbor, so…
WritersontheRange
Protections, not pilfering
Utah Republicans are gunning – once again – for Grand Staircase-Escalante
by Scott Braden
In backcountry first aid, the rapid assessment of someone injured was for years summed up by the ABCs: check the patient’s airway, breathing and circulation. A new priority has since been added: stop life-threatening bleeding as quickly as possible.
That approach is relevant for those of us working to protect public lands as we confront the equivalent of a massive hemorrhage. It is Congress’ unconstrained use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to destroy management plans that were thoughtfully considered and years in the making.
With only simple majority votes required in each chamber of Congress, bypassing committee review and without the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster, management plans that involved extensive public participation are being thrown out.
The CRA has already been used to undo six resource management plans and one mining prohibition. What replaces these plans is unclear and has plunged public land managers, local communities and even industry into uncertainty that will linger for years.
Last month, Congress used the CRA to remove protections against mining for roughly 225,000 acres at the headwaters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This was a major blow to the watershed of America’s most visited wilderness and a grim moment for conservationists. Now, the focus has shifted to Utah.
Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Celeste Maloy, both Utah Republicans, have introduced joint resolutions to undo the management plan for the 1.9-millionacre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. When you think of Southern Utah, Grand Staircase-Escalante is at its heart; its vast landscape of canyons and mesas knits together Bryce Canyon
and Capitol Reef national parks and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
If this CRA resolution passes, it could devastate the monument, turning it into a place where out-of-control off-road vehicle use, landscape-level clearcutting and other extractive activities would all be possible.
The good news is that this fight is one that we, together, can win. When we do, it will set a precedent to protect all national monuments, national parks and beloved public lands that might be next in line.
In the House of Representatives, the ever-changing margins are razor thin –
just ask Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, who struggles with vote counts daily. In the Senate, Lee has proved notorious for wasting valuable time with legislation that has little chance of passing.
We know these elected officials have been hearing from their constituents who are unhappy about their previous votes using the CRA. In both chambers, a growing list of Republicans find they need to bolster their public lands and environmental credentials before the mid-terms.
Lee and Maloy’s doomed efforts last year to sell off public lands proved
highly unpopular nationwide and in Utah. Knowing that, members of Congress might want to think twice before tying themselves to the duo’s latest attempts to weaken protection for Grand Staircase-Escalante.
At the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, we’re no strangers to an uphill battle. Ever since SUWA was founded in 1983, we’ve sparred with Utah’s antipublic-lands politicians, who show a level of disdain for our national heritage that seems bizarre in its tenacity. A deep-rooted belief that a federal public lands system simply should not exist seems to drive these politicians – defying logic, economic data and poll after poll.
That’s why we are not shy about asking people outside of Utah to join us in speaking up for protecting public lands in Utah. Public lands belong to all Americans, and every day, we urge people across the country to tell their elected officials to speak up for public lands, Indigenous sacred sites and intact ecosystems in Utah – because our politicians won’t.
This is the moment to urge members of Congress to vote “no” on the Grand Staircase-Escalante CRA resolution. A vote could be coming anytime in the next few weeks. Time is of the essence.
To make the case, everyone who cares about the magnificent red-rock canyons of Grand Staircase-Escalante and Southern Utah needs to act now. The more our voices are raised and registered, the stronger our message urging Congress to listen to the people who want protection and stewardship, not short-term exploitation of our public land.
Scott Braden is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He is the executive director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA).
Golden Cathedral, in Grand Staircase-Escalante. Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Celeste Maloy, both Utah Republicans, have introduced joint resolutions to undo the management plan for the 1.9-million-acre monument./ Photo by Dave Marston
SoapBox
Pearce confirmation concerning
The Bureau of Land Management is a critical overseer and protector of our nation’s most precious resource – our public lands, which is what makes the nomination of anti-public lands zealot Steve Pearce to run the agency so concerning. Pearce is a dangerous climate denier and a key player in the anti-public lands movement who spent his entire career in Congress boosting corporate polluters and defending oil and gas interests while fighting tooth and nail to sell off our public lands to the highest bidder. Pearce’s confirmation will be a disaster for our communities, and puts precious natural landscapes and irreplaceable cultural resources in serious jeopardy.
In Congress, Pearce made selling off public lands a cornerstone of his political agenda. Pearce tried to shrink Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument in his own district by 92%, co-sponsored the HEARD Act, which would have forced federal agencies to identify land to sell off for deficit reduction, worked to protect oil and gas companies from paying higher royalties to taxpayers, and is on record as wanting to “reverse this trend of public ownership of (public) lands.”
The BLM manages more surface land (245 million acres, or one-10th of America’s land base) and more subsurface mineral estate (700 million acres) than any other government agency in the United States. Protected public lands are critical economic drivers for
Western communities that add $1.2 trillion to the American economy and support more than 5 million jobs in the US.
Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys said, “Lands managed by the BLM operate under a multipleuse mandate that guarantees fair access for agriculture, recreation, hunting, energy development, wild horse habitat, conservation and more ... Steve Pearce, who has a record of supporting public land privatization, poses a direct threat to that balance. Efforts to transfer or sell off public lands would weaken the BLM’s mission, harm its workforce and jeopardize the economic and recreational benefits that our community depends on.”
In 2025, nearly 70 communities across the West passed resolutions, sent letters to their federal delegation or issued proclamations affirming their commitment to defending our nation’s most treasured natural spaces.
Last spring, more than 315 current and former Western local elected officials from both sides of the aisle, including mayors, county commissioners/supervisors, state lawmakers, and city and town council members/trustees urgently called for a more balanced approach to the management of our public lands.
Last fall, 180 elected mountain community leaders from across the West urged the Trump Administration to abandon its shortsighted push to roll back the Public Lands Rule – a critical rule the BLM finalized last year that balanced stewardship on public lands by putting conservation on equal footing with other uses of
A darling, move-in-ready home just minutes from Navajo Lake and within easy walking distance to downtown Ignacio. Bright, wellmaintained residence in a quiet ocation with modern, updated kitchen, two comfortable bedrooms and a clean, refreshed bath.
$325,000 MLS: 833686
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D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim
BLM land like energy development, livestock grazing and recreation.
– Anna Peterson, Executive Director, The Mountain Pact
Charming Ignacio Cottage
Moving On. And On
You live
You breathe, You feel You awaken, You chase You get hurt, You hurt back You unlearn, You relearn
You think you know, You think you find it You feel things out, You open up
You love
You kiss, You touch You dance, You laugh
You feel complete, You feel reborn You have your cake, You eat it too You give everything, You give too much You withdraw, You withhold
You break
You lose yourself, You lose them You lose control, You lose it all You think you knew better, You think this was different
You think you’re friends, You think rules don’t apply
You get blindsided, You get cold shouldered You no longer fit, You don’t matter
You hate
You think you had something, You think you can go back
You don’t know what love is, You do as you’re told You shut down, You shut out
You can’t sleep, You can’t eat
You don’t see, You don’t hear
You feel everything, You understand nothing
You process
You want what’s best, You hope they never feel it
You want them to know, You want to say something
You want to be heard, You want to be seen
You write it down, You throw it out
You want the change, You paid the price You want to forgive, You will never forget
You leave
You put away the old, You seek the new
You change the scenery, You change perspective
You reflect, You release
You learn, You grow
You feel calm, You feel different
You find what you’re looking for, You find yourself
You die
You do it again
– Chris Braun, Durango
Plato’s discussions with Claude
If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise thought, because they rely on that which is generated, calling things to mind no longer from within themselves, but by means of artificial prompts. What you have discovered is a recipe not for intelligence, but for its imitation. And it is no true wisdom that you offer your disciples, but
only its semblance, for by providing them with answers without reasoning, they will seem to understand much, while for the most part they understand nothing, and as men filled not with wisdom, but with the conceit of wisdom, they will be a burden to their fellows.
Plato: Great! Could you make that gender neutral?
Claude: Sure, good catch! Here it is:
If people learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise thought because they rely on that which is generated, calling things to mind no longer from within themselves, but by means of artificial prompts. What you have discovered is a recipe not for intelligence, but for its imitation. And it is no true wisdom that you offer your disciples, but only its semblance, for by providing them with answers without reasoning, they will seem to understand much, while for the most part they understand nothing, and as those filled not with wisdom, but with the conceit of wisdom, they will be a burden to their peers.
– Clint Jacobsen, Durango
We’ll print damned near anything
The Telegraph welcomes healthy civil discourse in 750 words or less. Writers must include their (real) name and city/town/state of residence. Personal attacks, hate speech or any other kind of b.s. deemed libelous are not welcome. Please email your profundities to: telegraph@durango telegraph.com
Quick’n’Dirty
Task force: no speed limit on ART
Following two focus group sessions and community feedback, the City of Durango has decided not to pursue a posted speed limit on the Animas River Trail at this time. Instead, the city will implement several trail safety improvements this summer, including centerline striping, enhanced education and enforcement, and continued evaluation of user behavior.
The focus group, which was comprised of 10 community members selected from a pool of more than 80 applicants, was created in response to ongoing concerns regarding safety and user experience on the busy trail. The group’s goal was to guide recommendations, strategies and potential changes to city staff. Members represented a range of perspectives, including pedestrians, cyclists, accessibility advocates and trail users. Staff liaisons from the city’s Police Department, Parks and Recreation Department and Multimodal Division also attended.
During the May 5 City Council meeting, city staff reported the focus group did not recommend implementing a speed limit. Instead, the group expressed “strong consensus for better enforcement of existing regulations –especially off-leash dogs, unauthorized motorized use and reckless behavior,” Klancy Nixon, the city’s community engagement specialist who facilitated the discussions, said. “This approach is preferred over creating new rules.”
In response to the citizen group’s feedback, city staff is moving forward on adding centerline striping in hightraffic areas along the trail and then evaluating the lines’ effectiveness. Striping is a low-cost, effective tool to organize traffic, reduce conflicts and help with enforcement. The installation will use a combination of dotted and solid striping depending on congestion and visibility.
Also, as part of this summer’s efforts, Police Department open space rangers will expand their presence on the trail and continue outreach on responsible cycling, ebike regulations, yielding and off-leash enforcement.
Devin Conroy, commander with the Durango Police Department, told council the focal point for police is spotting reckless behavior on the trail. He defined this as, “any type of behavior that could put somebody in jeopardy of being injured or any type of dangerous act … that could potentially harm somebody.”
Durango Police will also be partnering with the Durango School District to educate young riders, focusing
The Animas River Trail shall remain speed-limit-free for the time being. Instead, to alleviate user conflicts and address safety concerns, the City of Durango will step up outreach and patrolling and incorporate striping./Photo
on highly used areas, such as between Rotary Park and the Recreation Center. Additional signage is also under consideration.
For more information, visit Durangoco.gov.
Planned Parenthood reopens
After closing abruptly in September 2024 due to a provider shortage, Durango Planned Parenthood has reopened. Although it began serving clients two days a week in October, the low-cost reproductive health clinic held an official re-opening May 6 at its location in Bodo Park.
“In this moment of national political uncertainty, when reproductive health care providers across the country are being forced to shut their doors permanently, we are so grateful to be back to providing inperson services in Durango,” Adrienne Mansanares, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said. Mansanares and dozens of community members attended the re-opening. “This reopening wouldn’t have been possible without the continued gen-
erosity and advocacy of our donors and supporters in the Durango community."
PPRM said the past closure was “a direct consequence of the escalating national health care crisis, driven by severe provider shortages and relentless political attacks on reproductive rights.” The clinic still offered virtual services during the closure.
“We made the incredibly difficult decision to temporarily close this location in September 2024, due to the ongoing national provider shortage,” Mansanares said in a statement. “Despite these challenges, PPRM remained committed to the Durango community, serving hundreds of patients through its Virtual Care Center and Community Health Programs over the past year.”
The future of PPRM was in jeopardy last year after it lost federal Medicaid funding. However, the state of Colorado stepped in to fill the gap with state Medicaid funds, allowing Planned Parenthood to continue serving Medicaid patients.
Mansanares said the Durango clinic is currently open Mondays and Tuesdays with one nurse practitioner on staff. Since reopening, the clinic has served roughly 400 patients, with 12% of those coming from out-of-state, primarily Texas and Arizona.
On top of a host of routine reproductive health care services, the clinic provides medication abortions within the first 10 to 11 weeks. That procedure relies on mifepristone, one of two drugs commonly used in medication abortions that has become the subject of a lawsuit attempting to ban it. The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily allowed continued access to mifepristone while litigation plays out.
Beyond abortion and contraception services, the Durango clinic also provides transgender hormone therapy. Mansanares said Planned Parenthood also has seen an increase in transgender patients from out of state in recent months due to restrictions on gender-affirming care in their states.
For now, Mansanares said the two-day-a-week schedule appears sufficient, but more days could be added if demand increases. “We regularly conduct comprehensive needs assessments to ensure we’re meeting the community’s needs,” she said. “Right now, in Durango, patient volume supports two days of in-person services each week, but we’ll continue to reassess and adjust as needs evolve.”
– Missy Votel
by Missy Votel
BetweentheBeats
A shared language
Printmaker and bluegrass fiddler reflects on creative overlap of visual and sonic art
by Stephen Sellers
Greetings dear readers! For this week’s “Between the Beats,” I chatted with my dear friend, local musician, artist and Fort Lewis College art professor Tony Holmquist. You’ve seen him with Six Dollar String Band and Tone Dog, and you may have seen his printmaking work at galleries like Studio &. Tony is a world-class printmaker and the kind of musician who quietly influences the Durango bluegrass community. I hope you enjoy a brief snippet of our conversation.
SS: You’ve came to Durango in 2010. What brought you here?
TH: I moved here for a Fort Lewis job. I interviewed in February 2010, and it was my first time in Durango. I was living in Maine, and when I got to Denver, the department chair called and said a big snowstorm was hitting, so I needed to run through the terminal to catch an earlier flight.
I got to the back of the line, and the person in front of me turned around. It was Vince Herman from Leftover Salmon. That was pretty magical. I ended up stuck in Denver for a few days, played tunes with friends, and flew in when the storm ended. There were 4 feet of snow in town.
When I got here, I was holed up at the Strater and would go down to the Diamond Belle. I ended up getting the position, and I’ve been here ever since. I’m going into my 17th year teaching and just received full professor.
SS: Music seems woven into your arrival here, too.
TH: I’d been playing old-time and bluegrass since my late teens, and I’ve always been part of community jams wherever I’ve lived. When I moved here, I started going to the Durango bluegrass jam. I had my friend Jason’s upright bass, and I would put it on a cart and walk it down the river trail.
I think that’s where (you and I) met. You showed up with a bass, and I remember putting mine down and thinking, “Oh good, another bass player.”
SS: You grew up in Nebraska – how were you connected to old-time music?
TH: I had a dear friend in high school, Alex Reeb, who exposed me to so much music. He could play “Terrapin Station” on piano and Slash’s solo from “November Rain.” I didn’t come from a musical or visual arts family, so hearing someone my age play acoustic guitar felt magical.
We started playing bluegrass together. Later, we busked in Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Portland, then drove to Alaska. That’s where I first heard oldtime music. A fiddler walked up and played with the fiddle down by his belly. It was raw and rhythmic. I didn’t know what old-time music was yet, but that sound stuck with me.
SS: When did fiddle really become your instrument?
TH: I started around 25, when I was in graduate school at Colorado State. I lived alone in this apartment with thick concrete walls, so I would come home and play fiddle every night and record myself. I wasn’t very good, but it became my favorite instrument because of the expressiveness and creative potential.
A big mentor for me was (obscure Ozark fiddle legend) Billy Mathews. Some friends and I drove out to Arkansas and stayed with him, and he taught us everything. I bought my first fiddle from him, and he taught me about Midwestern music, old-time music, alternate tunings and regional styles.
SS: How do printmaking and music feed each other for you?
TH: There are a lot of overlaps. With printmaking, if you’re printing for yourself, you use both sides of your brain. There’s the creation of the image, where there’s freedom and improvisation. But when you print the plate, it becomes extremely analytical. You’re dealing with paper, ink, pressure, drying time, recipes.
That feels similar to music. There’s improvisation,
but there’s also the analytical side of playing an oldtime tune in a traditional way. There’s shared language, too. Dissonance exists in color and in music. Rhythm is a design principle. A visual element can repeat and build like sound.
SS: What do you hope comes through in your visual work?
TH: The music connection, abstraction, markmaking and personality. I’d love for my work to have originality, like a signature. I’ve started incorporating photography, especially photographs of musicians.
I’m also interested in bowing patterns. There’s footage of Tommy Jarrell playing fiddle with a little bulb on his bow, and when the lights go down, he’s drawing with the bow. That was mind-blowing to me.
SS: What are you working on now?
TH: I’m printing a large record piece for the KDUR Silent Auction, with multiple color layers, framed by Tom at SmartArt. I’m also showing work at the Houston Public Library on June 6, using (handmade) kozo paper made by Jamie Lee Capps in Minneapolis. The show runs from June 1-July 31. I’m also collaborating with Heinrich Toh from Kansas City on photolithographs, and those will be in the faculty exhibition at Fort Lewis in early September. ■
Tony Holmquist
DailyYonder
Rye resurgence
Drought-tolerant grain is planting a seed in the San Luis Valley
by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder
Sarah Jones never thought she’d be a farmer. She grew up in San Diego and met her husband, Michael, who comes from four generations of farmers, in college in Seattle. But after living in a couple different cities, they moved to Colorado’s San Luis Valley, where Michael grew up. Jones knew it was where she was supposed to be.
Jones Farm Organics is a fifth-generation family farm that grows potatoes. But when the Joneses moved back in 2017, they started expanding to grains to diversify their business and experiment with rotational winter crops. First, they tried classic wheat varieties, but those didn’t work well for their farm.
Then, the Joneses tried rye. “The funny thing with rye was that my fatherin-law had been planting rye since the ’80s as a cover crop,” Sarah said.
As it turned out, rye was the answer.
Rye uses significantly less water than other common rotational winter crops like alfalfa and barley, which require 1820 inches of water per acre. In contrast, rye uses only 10-12 inches of water per acre. That’s a huge water savings across a standard 120-acre field.
Sarah wondered how that could be extended across the valley. “Could we convert or convince farmers to make some changes to grow more rye and less of these other crops?” she asked.
In the end, neighbors were excited to join. Sarah and Heather Dutton cofounded the Rye Resurgence Project, an effort to get more farmers growing rye –and thus saving water – in 2023.
In the San Luis Valley, water is scarce. In fact, the valley receives around 7 inches of rainfall a year, much less than other parts of Colorado. This year, the water situation is even more dire. “We have to be that much more innovative to find these solutions where we can use even less water but still support our agriculture community,” Dutton said.
Traditionally, in the San Luis Valley, potatoes are harvested in the fall, and many farmers leave their soil bare until replanting the next spring or grow crops like alfalfa, that also require a relatively high volume of water. Rob Jones, Michael’s father, started planting rye to
cover the soil over the winter since it protects against erosion. But under Rob’s stewardship, the rye planted on the Jones Farm was not making much, if any, money.
In spring 2023, the idea to apply for a state grant to support other farmers interested in experimenting with rye emerged. “It was working for us. Rye as a cover crop and a cash crop checked all the boxes for us,” Sarah said.
One of the challenges of growing rye to sell was figuring out who was going to buy it. Contrary to what most people might believe, rye does not taste like caraway seed, Sarah said. In fact, it is actually a fairly neutral grain that works well in most baked goods, from brownies to pizza and bread. It also has less gluten and more fiber than wheat. To that end, one of the main goals of the Rye Resurgence Project is to find partners that will buy and use rye, including bakeries, distilleries and millers.
Baking Against the Grain
Part of the goal of the Rye Resurgence Project is to connect farmers to consumers and buyers.
One of these buyers is Kris Gosar, whose family-run mill is a few miles outside of Monte Vista. Gosar is the owner of Gosar Natural Foods, which produces both Gosar Sausage and Mountain Mama Flour, which is stone-ground on site using wheat and rye from local farmers, including Jones Farm Organics.
“Wheat has wonderful nutrient capabilities, (but) they sift out all the good nutrients to make white flour, and they mill it with a pretty high temperature so it burns out all the nutrients,” Gosar said, speaking to the advantages of his smallscale process.
A local bakery, Tumbleweed Bread, has also taken up the challenge to use rye. Owner Jessica Larriva grew up in the valley but learned to bake in Portland, Ore. When she moved back in 2017 to care for
her mother, there was a lack of bakeries in the region. Larriva started selling bread and baked goods out of her house and eventually grew her business into a wholesale bakery. In March 2025, she opened a cafe in downtown Monte Vista, selling baked goods and bread made with rye from Jones Farms Organics.
“We use rye in nearly all of our cookies. Rye is really a lovely grain for cookies,” she said.
Tumbleweed is one of the more than 100 partners of the Rye Resurgence Project, all across Colorado. Sarah Jones sees every partner as part of her overarching goal to rebrand rye and other locally grown whole grains.
“I always like to use the coffee mentality,” Jones said. With coffee, she said, we buy nice beans and grind them fresh each morning. What about flour? “Fifty percent of our calories in the U.S. are from grains. And so why not care more about it?” she asked.
Sarah Jones calls Larriva a “spokesperson for rye,” and the many farmers, millers, distilleries and bakeries involved in the project are a testament to its future. The initial goal was for 10 farms to grow 120 acres of rye and sell 300 acres of that.
Heather Dutton said area farmers are now growing 3,000-5,000 acres of rye a year, and the project has helped them sell 771,409 pounds at an average rate of $0.62 per pound, more than they were aiming for. They’ve even had farmers join the project because they see rye working for their neighbors. “Exceeding the amount of money that farmers are getting, the water savings, the soil health goals, it feels really good,” said Dutton.
Dutton, Jones and Rye Resurgence Project will continue to seek new partners to purchase rye and more farmers to grow it. Dutton said they are also looking for other crops that use less water – quinoa and millet are strong contenders.
However, in the early stages of alternative grains branding, the real challenge is coming up with a catchy name. “We just don’t have a cool name like rye resurgence,” joked Dutton.
This story was originally published in the Daily Yonder and edited for length. To read it in its entirety or for more rural reporting and small-town stories visit: dailyyonder.com.■
Kris Gosar runs Mountain Mama Milling in Monte Vista and makes stone ground flour out of local wheat and rye./ Photo by Ilana Newman/Daily Yonder
Stuff to Do
Thursday21
Shane Finn plays Ska-BQ, 5-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Durango Fiesta Days Carnival, 5-9 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
“Edible Plants of the Southwest,” presented by Durango Open Space Ranger Tosh Black, 5:30-6:45 p.m., Durango Rec Center, 2700 Main Ave.
Dart Tournament, 5:30-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Terry Tempest Williams, author event & book signing, 6 p.m., FLC Student Union Ballroom
Cult Movie Night “The Last Unicorn,” presented by The Cult Movie Federation of Mancos, 6 p.m., Mancos Opera House
Jeff Solon Jazz plays, 6 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E 2nd Ave.
Andrew Schuhmann plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Adam Swanson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Bluegrass Jam, 6-9 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
Pete Giuliani plays, 6-9 p.m., Oxford, 119 W. 8th St.
Powerhouse Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio
Fresh Bits Comedy Open Mic, 6:30-9 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., Ste. F
Open Mic Night, 7-10 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Tracy Wiebeck plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Friday22
Veterans Friday Coffee, 8-10:30 a.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Downtown Clean Day, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon, meet at Keller Williams Realty, 700 Main Ave.
The Velvet Coyote slow fashion pop-up thrift shop, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., alley between 2nd Deli and Bookcase & Barber, 601 E. 2nd Ave.
Iron Horse Race Packet Pick Up Party and Bike Festival, 2-7 p.m., Buckley Park, 1250 Main Ave.
Faceplant Ale Kick Off Parade, 4:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Ben Gibson Band plays, 5 p.m., The Balcony Bar and Grill, 600 Main Ave.
Durango Fiesta Days Carnival, 5-10 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Adam Swanson plays, 5:30-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Trivia Fridays, 6-8:30 p.m., Durango Beer & Ice Co, 3000 Main Ave.
Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Christy Harrington plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Stand Up Comedy & Fundraiser with headliner Aaron Foster, 7-8:30 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
Durango Healing Fields Opening Ceremony tribute to fallen veterans and first responders, 8:30 p.m., Santa Rita Park, 111 S Camino Del Rio
Saturday23
Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Race and Tour, 7:30 a.m., Animas City Park, 33rd and 2nd Ave.
Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 noon, TBK Parking Lot, 259 W. 9th St.
Spring Birds Outing, 8:30 a.m.-12 noon, SJMA Durango Nature Center, 63 CR 310
Durango Fiesta Days Carnival, 2-11 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Maybe Tomorrow Band plays, 4-8 p.m., SUP Craft BBQ, 3 Depot Pl.
Adam Swanson Ragtime plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Matt Rupnow plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Karaoke with Kimmy, 6-9 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
Ross Bullock plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Durango Contra Dance, 7:30 p.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.
Adult Disco Roller Skating, 8:15-10 p.m., Chapman Hill Rink
Sunday24
Durango Flea Market, 7 a.m.-3 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Narrow Gauge Foot Races, 8-11 a.m., Santa Rita Park, 149 S. Camino Ave.
Veterans Benefit Breakfast, 9-11 a.m., VFW Post 4031, 1550 Main Ave.
IHBC Bike Expo, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Buckley Park, 1250 Main Ave.
Sprite Kids Race, 10 a.m., Fort Lewis Clock Tower
Moe plays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Sunday Record Brunch Club, 12 noon-3 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Irish Jam, 12 noon-3 p.m., Durango Beer and Ice Co., 3000 Main Ave.
Durango Fiesta Days Carnival, 2-10 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Ben Gibson Band plays, 4 p.m., Wines of the San Juans, 233 HWY 511, Blanco, NM
Matt Lewis plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Monday25
Durango Fiesta Days Carnival, 2-9 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds
Durango Healing Fields Closing Ceremony, 4 p.m., Santa Rita Park, 111 S Camino Del Rio
Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Terry Rickard plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Adam Swanson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Tuesday26
American Legion Open House, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Cowboy Tuesdays, 12 noon-3 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Twin Buttes Tuesday, weekly group mountain bike ride, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Twin Buttes trailhead parking lot
Rotary Club of Durango presents Rachel Landis, Executive Director of the Good Food Collective, 6-7 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.
AskRachel Coffee conundrum, frenemies and family snubs
Interesting fact: By “Benny” I, of course, mean $100 bills, not Benadryl tablets. Do allergy meds really need a street name?
Dear Rachel,
Going for coffee is the perfect work meeting. Everyone knows you’re meeting for 30 minutes, and you don’t have to wait for a slow server to bring you a bill or anything like that. But it might be too good. I’ve started stacking up coffee meetings, and I can’t handle four or five cups a day. I feel like I have to get coffee with each client, because it’s like a social contract. “Going for tea” just doesn’t have the same ring. Help?
– Jitter Bug
Dear Hopped Up,
You… do realize there’s such a thing as decaf, right? It looks like coffee, it smells like coffee, and anyone who judges you for trimming back your caf doesn’t deserve to be your client. Still, I get the social pressure. My friends like to drink yerba mate, and I don’t like sharing straws, which is precisely why I don’t have friends anymore. So, maybe don’t offer to share coffee with clients, is my big advice here.
– Triple shot, Rachel
DIY Folded Book Vases, 6-7:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Author Event: Jennaye Derge, “Commuter Zine,” 6-8 p.m., Rochester Hotel Garden, 726 E. 2nd Ave.
Tuesday Trivia, 6-8:30 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Adam Swanson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Randy Crumbaugh plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Barbershop Tryouts, every Tues., 6:30 p.m., Christ the King Church, 495 Florida Rd.
Adult Disco Roller Skating, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Chapman Hill Roller Rink, 500 Florida Rd.
Wednesday27
Wild New Way Women’s Collective with guest speaker Lorisha Lonno, 8:30-10 a.m., Durango Collective, 1315 Main Ave.
Great Garden Series: Creating the Best Garden You’ve Ever Had in Your Entire Lifetime - Guaranteed(ish) with Tom Bartels and Darrin Parmenter (aka :The Garden Guys:), 4:30-6 p.m., Durango Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Dear Rachel,
My friend is an incredible friend. She is a good listener, will jump in to pick my kid up from school and defends me tooth and nail. But, she is also fiercely jealous. I said I might want to teach Pilates, and she says I can’t because that’s her thing. I thought about adopting a specific cat, and she jumped in and adopted him before I could. I don’t think she means to, but how can I get her to stop?
– Sad Friend
Dear Outmaneuvered,
My two dogs are exactly like this. Best buds. Until the older one has a toy. Then the younger one cannot rest until he steals it. It’s the only time he ever wants a toy, too. I feel like you need to give your friend a toy. Make her steal the thing you don’t really want, then go for the thing you really want. It’ll give her something to chew on.
– Fetch, Rachel
Dear Rachel,
I technically have three step-brothers who are 15-20 years younger than me. One of them just graduated from high school, and I didn’t even receive an invitation or announcement. I
Purg Sports Group Ride, 5-7:30 p.m., Purgatory Sports Downtown, 2615 Main Ave.
Trivia Night, 6-8 p.m., Zia Cantina, 2977 Main Ave.
The (Almost) Weekly Comedy Open Mic, 6-8 p.m., American Legion, 878 E. 2nd Ave.
Adam Swanson plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Chuck Hank plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Ongoing
“Rad Bike Art,” curated by Chad Cheeney, thru May 29, Durango Creative District Gallery, 1135 Main Ave.
Dementia/Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group, 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of each month, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon, La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.
4 Common Corners Art Quilt Exhibit, thru June 27, Durango Arts Center, 802 E 2nd Ave.
“Sound of Paint: Where Paintings Sing and Music Listens” immersive augmented reality exhibition by Tad Smith, June 5-thru July, The Light Box at Stillwater Music, 1316 Main Avenue, Ste. C
Scenic Byways Photography Showcase, thru Aug. 3, Durango Welcome Center, 802 Main Ave.
thought I didn’t care, but turns out I do. Is this not a thing anymore? Or did I get snubbed?
– Guest Unlisted
Dear Distant Kin,
I’ve done my best not to associate with children ever since I ceased to be one. I have NO IDEA what kids these days are doing. But I have a hard time imagining that any tradition that involves guilting people into sending your kid cash has disappeared. So consider yourself lucky: you didn’t’ get hit up with guilt to slip your stepbro 20 bucks (or, with inflation, a couple Bennies). Take your earnings and treat yourself to a coffee. But just one. – Outside looking in, Rachel
Upcoming
“Outdoor First Aid,” presented by Durango Open Space Ranger Tosh Black, Thurs., May 28, 5:30-6:45 p.m., Durango Rec Center, 2700 Main Ave.
Durango Poetry Monthly Open Mic, Thurs., May 28, 5:30-8 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., Ste. F
Author talk with Dr. Wendy Johnson, Thurs. May 28, 6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.
Folkadelic with Pete Giuliani and Ross Douglas, Thurs., May 28, 6-9 p.m., Durango Hot Springs
Stand Up Comedy featuring Andrea Rossi & Friends, Thurs., May 28, 7-8:30 p.m., Black Heron Lounge, 736 Main Ave.
Pete Giuliani plays, Fri., May 29, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Baron’s Creek Vineyard, 901 Main Ave.
Rise & Vibe Festival, May 29-31, Tico Time, Aztec
The Pete Giuliani Band plays, Sat., May 30, 6-9 p.m., The Weminuche Woodfire Grill, Vallecito
Animas River Days, Sat. – Sun., May 30-31, Santa Rita Whitewater Park
“Colorado, My Home” performed by the Durango Barbershoppers, Sat., May 30, 7 p.m., Durango High School, 2390 Main Ave.
FreeWillAstrology
by Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): If you’re a professional photographer, now is an ideal moment to invest in the higher-end lens you know would expand your best work. If you’re a committed chef, it’s a perfect time to spring for a precision knife set that elevates your craft. If you’re a devoted yoga or meditation teacher preparing a new series, you might decide to purchase an upgraded sound system to share your vocal offerings more crisply. And if you are none of the above, consider this your sign to obtain a key instrument or tool that will help you move to the next level of professionalism in the work you’re called to do.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When we hear people described as having fertile imaginations, we may assume they are artists, writers or musicians. But the truth is that many creative visualizers are engineers, city planners, inventors and the like: those who design and build functional wonders. Of this group, you Tauruses make up a disproportionately high percentage. Your tribe is often most imaginative when vitalizing concrete details and transforming practical matters. In the coming weeks, this will be a vibrant X-factor in your relationship with the world.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When many people reflect on their early years, they focus on the alienation and wounds they endured. Few recall, in vivid detail, the moments of joy, triumph and breakthrough. It’s a symptom, I suppose, of our era’s compulsive cynicism and not necessarily an accurate account of the past. So many good things happened, too! This isn’t to dismiss the real pain that shaped us in our tender years. Still, I want you to know that you are in a season when it’s essential to recognize and celebrate the blessings of your beginnings – the fun, guidance and grace that helped you flourish. Update your gratitude!
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Of all the zodiac signs, you have the most potential to cultivate robust emotional intelligence that’s helpful in practical situations. More than everyone else, your feelings are less likely to render you vulnerable and fragile and more likely to make you a powerhouse. The coming weeks will be prime time to deploy these talents to the max. I encourage you to summon gleeful exuberance as you provide your sensitive, heartful nurturing. Practice the ingenious art of keeping the world emotionally literate and spiritually alert.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I am pleased to predict that you will be less egotistical and narcissistic in the coming weeks than you have ever been in your life. In saying that, I don’t mean to imply that you’re any more egotistical and narcissistic than the rest of us. I’m simply saying you can get a liberating reprieve from the excessive pride and selfishness that regularly debilitates us all. Congratulations, Leo! This grace period should enable you to deepen your attunement with your soul’s blueprint, the design of destiny you chose before birth. I bet you will enjoy a period of vibrant, exciting tranquility.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Consider this a friendly heads-up to your inner critic, your gloomy side and any voice in your head that expects too little from life. Upcoming astrological omens are influencing me to predict a stream of auspicious omens and fortunate events. So if you’d rather cling to tired stories about not being good enough or strong enough, you might want to skip my forecasts for a while. But if you’re ready to vivify your faith in your power to eagerly create what you desire, stay tuned. Karmic blessings are coming.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): To be blunt, dear Libra, I think you need soul medicine that’s most available in frontiers, borderlands and thresholds. Some of these might be bright, shiny places, and others may be akin to mazes and tunnels. Please keep in mind that your main motivation, as you seek adventures in the outskirts, should be the quest to have fun as you blow your own mind. For the sake of your lust for life and joie de vivre, you really must explore power spots untouched by trivia and pettiness: sanctuaries where vastness, freedom, and raw vitality can wash away at least some of your fixations and habits.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Giant octopus dens are identifiable by the “gardens” of debris outside. They include shells and bones, arranged like ornamentation around the entrance. Are the creatures trying to decorate? Scientists don’t know. But it’s clear they are leaving evidence of their appetites. The result is distinctive, artistic and revealing. With this scenario as your metaphorical meditation, I invite you to look at what you have been pursuing and consuming in recent months. Contemplate the stuff piling up in your sphere. Does it reflect your deepest intentions? Is this who you want to be? Make sure the story you’re telling is the right one.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Advising a Sagittarius to be patient is like asking a bonfire to burn slowly and politely. Still, I will give it a try. Because I love you, I will dare to be frank. So here goes: If you want to align yourself with astrological currents, practice being reverently at ease with life’s madness as you watch and wait. See if you can take genuine pleasure in resting within a field of calm trust. Imagine, with fearless delight, the rewards that will find you as you nurture a steady, unhurried confidence in your intuition, which will ultimately tell you exactly what you need to do.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1994, immunologist Polly Matzinger revolutionized her field with a radical theory. She discovered that our immune systems don’t focus on distinguishing “self” from “nonself,” but rather responding to threats. The body puts less emphasis on asking “is this me?” and more on “is this harmful?” Her breakthrough transformed our understanding of immunity, autoimmune disease and transplant rejection. You could benefit from a similar adjustment. Don’t worry about whether any influence harmonizes with your identity. Instead, ask, “Is it nourishing or harmful? Supportive or useless?” As you refresh your approach, new options will become visible.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You have run into an obstacle to your creative flow, or may soon do so. Though this could feel discouraging, I think it’s a promising sign. It indicates that a hidden bug is surfacing. An inner saboteur is no longer operating in the shadows. You’re being given the opportunity to repair an unseen energy leak. To illuminate this process, consider the wisdom of author Joyce Carol Oates. She says that writer’s block arises when a writer subconsciously believes that what they’re trying to create is false, misguided or harmful, which results in temporary creative paralysis. Be brave and relentless in hunting down the glitch in your self-love, Aquarius.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Maybe you’ve been having thoughts like this: “I’m too scrambled to do what’s necessary to get unscrambled.” Here’s another snag that may be tangling your mind: “I’m too mixed up to know what questions to ask to sort out my confusion.” I’m here to offer advice. Call a timeout on the whole noisy world and slip free of the habitual trance. Retreat to a sanctuary where time doesn’t oppress you and complications subside. Let your mind be empty, give your ambitions a rest and immerse your tender attention in the deepest part of yourself you can find.
From rom bike bikes to backyard hangs
Sportswear, including cycling jerseys and shorts, as well as sundresses, Chacos and fleece for evening cool-downs
May 21, 2026 n 13
Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.
Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $10 minimum.
Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check. (Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)
Ads can be submitted by emailing: classifieds@ durangotelegraph.com
PublicNotice
Public Notice
Pursuant to the Standards of Hospitals and Health Care Facilities of the Colorado Department of Health, this is to notify all persons who were patients of the following CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region hospitals (formerly Centura Health) prior to January 1, 2016, and have not been a patient at the same facility at any time after that date, that their inactive medical records, radiation oncology, and cardiology films will be destroyed beginning June 1, 2026. Radiology x-rays and other imaging films, mammograms, and thyroid studies will be destroyed after 10 years from the date of study starting on June 1, 2026. Medical records shall be preserved as original records, on microfilm or electronically: (a) for minors, for the period of minority plus 10 years (i.e., until the patient is age 28) or 10 years after the most recent patient usage, whichever is later. Any former patient who desires a copy of, or any information from such records, must contact the Medical Records Department of the facility prior to June 1, 2026. The facilities are listed below with their addresses and contact telephone numbers for the CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region hospital Medical Records Departments:
Mercy Regional Medical Center, 1010 Three Springs Blvd., Durango, CO 81301, 970-764-3700; for Physicians Surgery Center, LLC contact Mercy Regional Medical Center at 11010 Three Springs Blvd, Durango, CO 81301, 970-764-3700; Pursuant to the Standards of Hospitals and Health Care Facilities of the Colorado Department of Health, this is to notify all persons who were patients of the following CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region (formerly Centura
Health) medical practices, Senior Health and Long Term Care facilities prior to January 1, 2016, and have not been a patient at the same facility at any time after that date; Health At Home records prior to January 1, 2021, and Hospice records prior to January 1, 2020, that their inactive medical records will be destroyed beginning June 1, 2026. Note that these medical records may include radiology and other imaging films as described above. These facilities will retain health records of minor patients for 10 years after a minor reaches age 18 (i.e., until the patient is age 28) at the medical practice, Long Term Care, or Senior Health facility. Any former patient who desires a copy of, or any information from such records, must initiate the request prior to June 1, 2026. The facilities are listed with their addresses and contact telephone numbers:
CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region (formerly Centura) Health at Home all entities listed but not limited to: Mercy Home Health 175 Mercado, Durango, CO 81301 (970) 382-2000; Hospice of Mercy 1 Mercado, Durango, CO 81301 (970) 382-2000 Hospice of Mercy Pagosa 35 Fisher Circle, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
CommonSpirit Hospice Inpatient all entities listed but not limited to: Mercy Hospice House, 175 Mercado St #131, Durango, CO 81301.
CommonSpirit Urgent Care (all facilities) all entities listed but not limited to:Centura Health Durango Mountain Resort Urgent Care 10 Purgatory Blvd., Durango, CO 81301.
CommonSpirit Health Physician Group (medical practices) all entities listed but not limited to:
Centura Home Care LLC 1 Mercado St Ste 270 Durango, CO 81301 (970) 3822000, CHPG Southwest Neuroscience 1 Mercado St Ste 160 Durango, CO 813017309 (970) 764-9225, CMG Cardiac & Thoracic Surgery Mercy 1 Mercado St Ste
130 Durango, CO 81301-7306 (719) 7767600, CMG Durango Cancer Center 1 Mercado St Ste 100CC Durango, CO 81301-7306 (970) 385-4746, CMG Gastroenterology Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 270 Durango, CO 81301-8296 (970) 764-3800, CMG Home Palliative Care Mercy 175 Mercado St Ste 131 Durango, CO 81301-7318 (970) 382-2000, CMG Infectious Disease Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 255 Durango, CO 81301-8296 (970) 764-3810, CMG Integrated Physical Therapy Horse Gulch 810 E 3rd St Ste 101 Durango, CO 813015728 (970) 764-9200, CMG Integrated Therapy Centennial 327 S Camino Del Rio Unit 11B Durango, CO 81303-7997 (970) 764-9200, CMG Integrated Therapy Three Springs 1 Mercado St Ste 201 Durango, CO 81301-7307 (970) 3850644, CMG Mercy Orthopedic Associates 1 Mercado St Ste 202 Durango, CO 81301-7307 (970) 764-9400, CMG Mercy Surgical Associates 1 Mercado St Ste 220 Durango, CO 81301-7310 (970) 7643450, CMG Neonatology Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Durango, CO 813018296 (970) 764-3131, CMG Nephrology Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 255 Durango, CO 81301-8296 (970) 7643825, CMG Neurology Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 290 Durango, CO 81301-8296 (970) 764-9225, CMG Oncology Mercy 1 Mercado St Ste 100 Durango, CO 81301-7306 (970) 385-7977, CMG Primary Care Horse Gulch 810 E 3rd St Ste 201 Durango, CO 81301-5759 (970) 764-1790, CMG Primary Care
Mercy 1 Mercado St Ste 160 Durango, CO 81301-7309 (970) 385-9850, CMG Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 110 Durango, CO 1301-8296 (970) 764-2750, CMG Rheumatology Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 275 Durango, CO 81301-8296 (970) 764-3740, CMG Southwest Endocrinology 1 Mercado St Ste 254 Durango, CO 81301 (970) 764-3780, CMG Urology Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 270
Durango, CO 81301-8296 (970) 7643845, Colorado Orthopedic Specialists, PLLC, La Jara 416 Main St La Jara, CO 81140 (719) 473-3332, Colorado Springs Cardiology - Buena Vista Clinic 28374 County Rd 317 Buena Vista, CO 812119158 (719) 776-8500, Colorado Springs Cardiology - Durango 1 Mercado St Ste 130 Durango, CO 81301-7306 (719) 7768500, CommonSpirit Mercy Cardiology Associates 1 Mercado St Ste 130 Durango, CO 81301-7306 (970) 247-1120, CommonSpirit Palliative Care Mercy 1010 Three Springs Blvd Durango, CO 813018296 (970) 764-3352, Diabetology and Metabolism Mercy 810 E 3rd St Unit B101 Durango, CO 81301-5728 (970) 7643415, Durango Nephrology AssociatesCortez 20 S Market St Cortez, CO 813213502 (970)764-3825, Four Corners Critical Care Medicine 1010 Three Springs Blvd Ste 110A Durango, CO 81301-8296 (970) 764-2750, Four Corners Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine 20 S Market St Cortez, CO 81321-3502 (970) 764-2750, Health Services Clinic 1800 E 3rd Ave Ste 109 Durango, CO 813018296 (970) 764-1790, Hospice of Mercy 1 Mercado St Ste 270 Durango, CO 81301 (970) 382-2000, Mercy Cardiology Associates - Cortez 20 S Market St Cortez, CO 81321-3502 (970) 764-2750, Mercy Center for Occupational Medicine 1 Mercado St Ste 275 Durango, CO 81301 (970) 764-3850, Mercy Family Medicine 3235 N Main Ave Ste 2 Durango, CO 81301-4258 (970) 764-9300, Mercy Home Health Service 175 Mercado St Ste 131 Durango, CO 81301 (970) 382-2000, Mercy Integrated Physical TherapyMain Ave 1401 Main Ave Ste A Durango, CO 81301 (970) 247-9632, Mercy Internal Medicine 3235 North Main Avenue Suite 2 Durango, CO 81301 (970) 7649300, MMC SW SPINE DIAG IMG 314 S 6th St Montrose, CO 81401-5719 (970) 764-9265, Southwest Spine Services 314 S 6th St Montrose, CO 814015719 (970) 382-9500.
Announcements
Notice of Public Sale
To enforce self-service storage facility lien. “Personal Property,” stored at Unit E08 of The Animas Mini Storage at 20995 Highway 160, Durango, CO 81301, described as: Misc household items, which are stored under a Rental Agreement between The Animas Mini Storage and Dylan Hooper, will be sold to the highest cash bidder unless all rents and fees are paid in full prior to the auction. Date and time of Sale: June 6, 2025, at 9:30 AM Terms of Sale: CASH, plus a refundable cash deposit of $100.00 Place of Sale: The Animas Mini Storage, 20995 Highway 160, Durango, CO All bidders must present a valid stateissued picture ID to place bids
Adult Roller Skating
Check out the Chapman Hill Rink schedule. We have added adult skating on Tuesday nights 6:30-8:30pm and DJ parties one Saturday each month 8:15-10 pm. Durango Roller skaters will be there to help you get rolling! Todd 970-799-013
Classes/Workshops
Parenting Classes-Storybook Gardens 970-403-3347
Lost/Found
$500 Reward
Lost: Gold wedding ring, in/near Albertsons on May 4th. Text 303.918.1936
Services
Electric Repair
Roof, gutter cleaning, fence, floors, walls, flood damage, mold, heating service.
Boiler Service - Water Heater
Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917
Woof!
Dog sitting, dog walking in Durango. Dogs adore me and I them. Long/short term. Excellent references.
ForSale
2008 Four Wheel Truck camper. Call 970-259-5945, leave a message.
Reruns Home Furnishings
Time to refresh your indoor and outdoor space. Rolling wooden bar, nightstands, mirrors, lamps, cool artwork and lots more! Also looking to consign smaller furniture pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat. 385-7336.
Wanted
Books Wanted at White Rabbit
Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213ForSale
BodyWork
Lymphatic Drainage Massage Intentional full body fluid movement. Meg Bush, LMT 970-759-0199
HaikuMovieReview
‘Wuthering Heights 2026’
There are 35 other versions but this cast is the sexiest – Lainie Maxson
CommunityService
SW Community Justice Coalition
Support restorative justice in Southwest Colorado. In 2025, SCJC expanded community-based trainings and launched new pathways to promote healing-centered responses to harm. Learn more at southwestjustice.org or southwestjustice.org.
Dementia/Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Support Group Free support and information/resources to those caring for a loved one with dementia/Alzheimer’s on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesdays of each month, 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon, La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave. For info., email cajunmc@gmail.com or go to www.alz/org/co
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