intellectual casualties of censorship will be future generations by David Feela
Hinkamp / Writers on the
As tax credits expire, sales of EVs may slow, but they’re not going anywhere by Missy Votel
On the cover
Whether you love it or it makes you want to stick your head in the sand, rabbit brush season is unapologetically in full swing in Southwest Colorado./ Photo by Missy Votel
Ear to the ground:
“Raymond James – that’s the guy who takes all my money.”
– We know, he takes our money, too. We just hope he gives it back some day.
Attention swappers!
Given Purg’s ski swap this weekend, the dubious fate of Hesperus Ski Area and that we hadn’t heard a peep from the Hesperus Ski Swap folks, we very erroneously assumed a few weeks back that the Hesperus Ski Swap – like Frito pie in the Quonset hut – was a thing of the past.
However, the good folks with the volunteer Hesperus Ski Patrol reached out last week to let us know the swap is on, taking place Sat., Nov. 8, at the fairgrounds. “The ski swap is on for our patrol, so that we are ready when we (someday) do open,” patroller Amy West wrote in an email.
Although typically the swap is a fundraiser for the ski patrol – which did not see action last season and may or may not this season – proceeds from this year’s swap will also go to other local nonprofits. Beneficiaries include the Adaptive Sprots Association; Boy Scouts; La Plata County Search & Rescue; and Heart Safe La Plata. A portion will also go to patrol for medical supplies, equipment, training, maintenance and uniforms. The public can check in gear at the fairgrounds from 3-8 p.m. Thurs., Nov. 6. The swap will take place from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sat., Nov. 8, for your bargain-hunting pleasure, which includes more than 1,000 items, from boots, skis and boards to backpacks, car racks and outdoor clothing.
For more info. or to download forms, go to: www.hesperusskipatrol.org/ski-swap.
Sh*t or get off the pot
As if constant distractions aren’t a big enough pain in the butt, there’s yet another reason to put that smartphone down. According to a new study, excessive doomscrolling while sitting on the toilet can lead to not just frustration with the state of the world or the day’s Wordle, but hemorrhoids. Sorry, butt it’s true (insert poop emoji).
According to study author Dr. Trisha Pasricha, director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s Institute in Boston, sitting on the bowl offers no support for the pelvic floor, putting pressure on, well, you know where. Furthermore, unlike newspapers, smartphones are designed to keep us fixated long after the TP has run out.
The Durango Telegraph
For the study, researchers surveyed 125 adults about their bathroom phone habits before they were about to have a routine colonoscopy. Doctors then looked for evidence of hemorrhoids and found that toilet scrollers were 46% more likely to have hemorrhoids (not to mention filthy phones.)
LaVidaLocal opinion
The other NRA
Believe it or not, two NRAs exist in this country, but not necessarily coexist.
The most controversial, our National Rifle Association established in 1871, claims a current membership surpassing 5 million, dedicated to protecting and defending the Constitution’s 2nd amendment – the right to keep and bear arms. Our more modestly popular National Reading Association, established in 1876, tallies at least 50,000 members (primarily librarians but also trustees, publishers and other library supporters) defending the Constitution’s 1st amendment, the right for citizens to arm themselves with virtually any kind of book they choose to carry, open or holstered in their backpacks.
Surprisingly, I found that gun and book people could share similar goals. Both organizations emphasize educating people and remaining vigilant when the constitutional right they cherish is threatened.
According to the NRA, its founders were originally dismayed at a lack of marksmanship shown by their troops. They set forth as their prime directive to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis” and to “teach firearm competency and safety.” Ten years into its mission, the young NRA faced political opposition to promoting marksmanship in New York and was forced to find a new home in New Jersey.
punch. An annual event celebrated on March 2 tries to gather support using this understated theme: Read Across America. An ALA upcoming Banned Books Week event on Oct. 5-11, 2025, requires a literate audience to understand its slogan: “Censorship is so 1984. Read for Your Rights.”
For me, this is where the similarities between the two screech to a halt. Statebased book banning attempts reached a historic high last year in the United States. NBC news reports “your library association found that nearly half of the book titles targeted for censorship dealt with ‘the voices and lived experiences’ of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color.” Please excuse my gunny language but this conservatively controlled legislation is a premeditated and targeted political hit.
The other NRA – our National Reading Association, better known these days as the American Library Association (ALA) – seeks to increase public awareness of the crucial role libraries play in education and lifelong learning, intellectual freedom and literacy. I can hardly imagine how fostering reading skills or hosting spelling bees might prove controversial, but the battle against censorship is inescapable.
Both organizations spend a considerable portion of their budgets on lobbying efforts to influence legislation, participate in or initiate lawsuits, and to endorse or oppose various political candidates depending on how friendly they are to the organizations’ missions. They also spend money on advertising, often to collect more money.
One infamous NRA slogan supplies a good example: Guns don’t kill people, people kill people. It has been touted and mocked by both sides of the gun control debate, so much so that it has become a cliche. Even Charlton Heston, a former president of the NRA, curiously paraphrased it this way: “Guns don’t kill people. No! Bullets do! Guns just get ’em going really, really fast!” On the side of the gun debate an anti-gun T-shirt quipped, “Guns don’t kill people. Gaping holes in vital organs kill people”
Reading campaigns also use slogans, but they’re rarely loaded with the same
Thumbin’It
Hey, everybody – it snowed up high, with some of Colorado’s mountains receiving more than a foot of snow in recent days. That – along with hockey season starting soon – is at least one reason to get excited.
Spoiler alert: congratulations to the City of Durango on its “special announcement” this Friday. Hint: get ready for a wheelie good time (sorry.)
The ALA should go full-metal-jacket with a new slogan: “Books Don’t Kill People, Censorship Does.”
In all fairness, it’s rare but it happens, that books kill people, but not like guns. “In 2013, a man in China was reportedly beaten to death with a history book by his girlfriend, who was angry that he had been chatting with other women online,” and “In 1999, a man in California was killed when a 6-foot-tall stack of magazines and books fell on him in his home. The stack was estimated to weigh around 1,000 pounds.”
Censorship, however, undeniably kills people.
Greg Lukianoff on newyorkpost.com writes: “One of the strangest things about fighting cancel culture is the stubborn claim that it doesn’t even exist. But 22 years of combatting censorship on college campuses has shown me that cancel culture is very real, and can even be deadly.”
Talented and dedicated teachers and politicians are threatened and harassed, financially and emotionally, so relentlessly that some have ended their own lives. Targeted hits that happened recently in Utah and Minnesota are clearly assassinations, attempts to silence political voices with guns and deadly ammunition, not books. Cancel culture means to cancel people and inappropriate history.
Can we ignore the intellectual casualties? Those repressed young lives growing up under imposed and enforced curriculum bans? Students never exposed to reading or even talking about what the censors consider “dangerous” facts about life and history in their own classrooms and school libraries? About slavery or the Civil War, about lynchings in the South, about the mass extermination of Jews in concentration camps, or even about sexual diversity?
These are children the censors hope will grow up wearing blinders. These are children who will be the ghosts of our rich and diverse history, haunting reminders of the truths we should be strong enough to remember and face.
– David Feela
SignoftheDownfall:
It was a tough week for free speech, with the cancellation and reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel. We are glad that the First Amendment prevailed. (Although Kimmel’s cancellation happened on a Wednesday, further proof we should #cancelwednesdays.)
It was a head-spinning week not just for free speech but also public health, with the president spewing unfounded theories on vaccines, autism and maternal health. We think we need a Tylenol … oh, wait.
Pumpkin Spice Hombre
This week’s proof that our society is slipping toward the brink is Old Spice pumpkin spice deodorant. They’re calling it “Pump King” to make it sound manly, but given that it also comes in a bodywash, they failed. Undoubtedly, women are rejoicing because they can make their men smell like fall, but given that everything else already smells like pumpkin spice, guys who wear this will just blend in like they’re wearing camouflage. This year, you can also buy pumpkin spice SPAM, Pringles, trash bags, Dude Wipes and moonshine. It would be great if we could put an end to this kind of rampant consumerism, but obviously, that’s asking a latte.
SoapBox
Thumbs down to new dog park
“Thumbing It” (Sept. 18, 2025) gave a thumbs up to a proposed new dog park on the Animas River Trail at Rank Park because it will “ease congestion” and “avoid another tragedy like the one last summer” (when an unleashed dog caused the death of a bicyclist). These reasons don’t stand up, and there are other reasons why the dog park should get a thumbs down.
With respect to congestion, whatever that may mean, Rank Park could be the worst possible location for a dog park. The park sits at a busy entry point to the ART behind the high school and at the confluence of Junction Creek and the Animas River. There is no parking in the area, so people driving to the dog park must use the adjoining neighborhoods. Many people pass through this stretch, which provides access to the recreation center, library and high school. The dog park will increase activity – people with dogs coming, going, running and barking – in a quiet space where people sit on the grass and benches and under the trees.
As for avoiding another tragedy, the bicyclist died because the dog owner did not to leash or control his dog. The dog owner violated the law and harmed another person. After the bicyclist’s death, the City talked about education and enforcement. Now the talk is about building another dog park. Yet people continue to let their dogs run off-leash and out of control on the ART. How will building another dog
park at a busy junction on the ART improve the situation?
Two other impacts should be considered. First, large numbers of dogs in Rank Park could harm wildlife. Junction Creek is a wildlife corridor, and it may be the only west-side corridor in the North Main area that is safe for deer and other wildlife to reach the river. Waterfowl, eagles, hawks and songbirds frequent the area and use the wetlands created by runoff from the high school fields. It doesn’t appear that the City consulted with CPW before selecting Rank Park as its top choice for a dog park.
Second, as the City acknowledges on its website, dog waste is a major source of fecal contamination in our rivers and streams. The average dog makes 0.75 pounds of waste per day, so scaling up a dog park used by 100 dogs per day means 13.7 tons of dog waste per year. Some waste both inside and outside the dog park may be picked up, but we know from experience that not all of it will be. Many residents use the river along the ART to swim, boat and fish. It doesn’t appear that the City considered the impact on water quality and public health from a dog park at the confluence of Junction Creek and the Animas River.
There already is an underused 24-acre dog park at the south end of town. The City should consider making improvements there rather than sacrificing more open space, wildlife, water quality and the interests of other users of the ART.
– Eric Ames, Durango
D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim
County tax just a band-aid
This November, La Plata County voters will be asked to approve a new 1-cent sales tax. Supporters say it’s the only way to keep roads and services funded. But a closer look at the county’s budget shows this isn’t really the case.
By law, the county must fund certain core services, things like the Sheriff’s Office, jail, courts, human services, public health, elections, and roads and bridges. These are the “must-haves” that keep our community safe and functioning. They should always come first.
The county also spends tens of millions each year on optional programs. Many of these may be valuable, but they are not required by law. In tight times, the county should review and slow down these extras and prioritize spending before asking families and seniors to pay more at the checkout counter.
A sales tax is the most regressive option. Every family pays the same penny on every dollar, no matter their income. That adds up to hundreds of dollars a year for many households, money that could go toward groceries, heating or school supplies. And once adopted, new taxes almost never go away.
Most importantly, this tax doesn’t solve the real problem. County policies have made it harder for businesses to grow and for housing to be built. That means less revenue year after year. A permanent tax hike is just a band-aid while the deeper issues go unaddressed. Let’s demand smarter priorities and real solutions, not another permanent tax. Vote NO this November.
– Diana Boudreaux, La Plata County
Hate antithetical to Christianity
Donald Trump’s words of hatred spoken at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service have no place in any of the world’s religions. Those words are also antithetical within humanistic beliefs. They cannot coexist with the fundamentals of our democratic republic.
All of the world’s religious people and religious leaders – in their thoughts, prayers, sermons and public pronouncements – must denounce Trump’s hatred message in clear and unambiguous ways.
Erika Kirk’s message was dramatically different from Trump’s words of hate. Mrs. Kirk stressed how her late husband reached out to those with whom he had differences. He did this so he would be better understood and so he could learn from those different views. It is an ultimate irony that a man who proclaimed, practiced and lived the life that he did was felled by a person full of hatred.
I call on all human beings to denounce hatred in thought and in deed. I call on all religious human beings to pray to the God of their choice to touch Trump’s mind and soul to cleanse him of his hatred and to replace that hatred with the love that Jesus of Nazareth championed in his words, deeds and ministry.
It is against all common sense to have the elected leader of one of the world’s most spiritually oriented nations to publicly espouse words of hatred or to hold such views in private.
Are we not the nation that believes in the shining mansion on the hill? In the better Angels of our nature? In neighbor helping neighbor or sharing with
the less fortunate?
Hatred in all its forms and in any pronouncement has no place in civil discourse or human action. Hatred is the provenance of the Devil. Hatred is the provenance of the dark, dangerous and deadly side of the human condition.
A person cannot espouse hatred as Trump did and be a Christian. To use such vile words of hatred as he did means that he can only be a hypocrite in the fundamental sense of that word.
In those few words, Trump gave the world a rather broad and unsavory look at the workings of his mind, a mind that has a deep, broad and potentially dangerous bent toward hatred.
All of those who have supported Trump must undertake an examination of that support in light of the nature and depth of his hatred and in view of how that hatred conflicts with the oath of office he took as president of the United States of America and in view of the social contract that oath demands.
In words and in deeds, I hope every human being will rise above the current divisions and strive for a better, more peaceful, more just and less dangerous and destructive world.
– Hal Mansfield, Green Valley, Ariz.
RIP Robert Redford
Famous leading man
On screen and behind the scenes He took many leaps
– Karen Carver, Durango
WritersontheRange
Feeling the burn
Midnight poutine, sand, wind, rain and 80,000 of your closest friends
by Dennis Hinkamp
Going into my 26th Burning Man festival, I admit I was crestfallen at the news that “Midnight Poutine” was not returning. The Canadian dish is a funny mix of fries, gravy and cheese curds, and it was always comforting to know that this culinary option was available, starting back in 2009. No matter how peculiar, everything tastes great at midnight in the desert.
Because my mind lives in a spiral of political doom, it sped to: “Canadians hate America, and they’re giving up on Burning Man.” Even worse, I thought, “The next thing you know, there won’t be a Swedish Meatball Camp.”
Still, this past August, 80,000 people converged in the Nevada desert to set up what aspires to be a peaceful global village. The hardest part of my years of being part of this temporary city is answering the question on my return: “How was it?”
All I can say is that it’s reunion for some, tribal for others. It would be a long voyage just to get intoxicated, dance and see some art. Perhaps there’s something hopeful to it that brings together thousands of people from all over the world.
In general, it is hot, dusty and increasingly rainy. The cheapest admission price is $550. Getting in and out of the instant town involves long waits and scary driving on Nevada State Route 447. Once there, you could feel right at home – or not.
Its origin story is that of founders Larry Harvey and Jerry James burning an effigy on San Francisco’s Baker Beach in 1986. That spontaneous whimsy outgrew the beach and ended up being planted in the dust of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Then, like a rhizomatous plant, its tentacles have spread, producing clones around the world. Smaller regional burns now mimic the original.
For crowd context, at least 15 college football stadiums seat more people than Burning Man’s giant campground. Of course, the football fans are only there for an afternoon while most Burning Man participants stay the seven days leading up to Labor Day. Other volunteers stay weeks after to clean it up to Bureau of Land Management permit standards, since the event takes place on public land.
There are all kinds of reasons to avoid Burning Man, and I get an earful every year. Even though “burning” is in the name, some hate the event for burning valu-
able resources. To partially address this, over the years event organizers have added composting toilets and solar to the mix. Burning Man poop will help gardens grow elsewhere. Most of the art pieces, other than the centerpiece “man,” are not burned. They live second lives at parks and town squares around the world.
The other question I hear every year is: “Is there crime at Burning Man?” The answer, unfortunately, is yes – traffic accidents and every kind of bad behavior you would see anywhere else. In 2005, I was hit by a bicyclist who never stopped to see who he’d run over. It was bad. It was solved. The perp was convicted. It has not stopped me from returning.
This year there was also a rare birth, said to be completely unexpected, and a death of unconfirmed cause, which occurred at the time I left.
International attendance was up overall. I worked with photographers from Iran, Ireland, France and Belgium. The largest art piece on the playa was designed
and constructed – inflated actually – by Ukrainians. Its “Black Cloud” artwork was magnificent while it lasted, combining music and erratic bursts of light. Sadly, it succumbed to a 50-mph blast of wind.
In the midst of war, the Ukrainian artists thought Burning Man was one of the best ways to bring attention to their gallant and determined people, who have been fighting for survival since Russian troops invaded Ukraine in 2002.
There was also a 20-foot “F*** You Elon” metal sculpture that seemed like a profane waste of energy. People mostly climbed around on it to take their selfies. And about that missing Canadian delicacy – were the Canadians especially anti-America? Some swear the poutine crew had just planned to take a year off. I’m looking forward to Midnight Poutine next year.
Dennis Hinkamp is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He lives in Utah. ■
Stocock up for fallll!
Great selection of cool-weather attire for men and women from brands like Madewell, Anthropologie, Free People and Cotopaxi
The week-long Burning Man takes place every August in the Nevada desert. While the phenomenon sometimes gets a bad rap, it’s also known for its camaraderie and ingenuity./ Photo by Dennis Hinkamp
ThingsYouShouldKnow Lightning enlightenment
When it comes to electrical storms, you can run but you can’t really hide
(Editor’s note: We all likely learned from a young age that the worst place to be during a thunderstorm is under a tree. But given the recent death of two hunters south of Pagosa Springs from a lightning strike and the recent stormy pattern over Southwest Colorado, a little refresher on lightning do’s and don’t never hurts.)
by Olivia Prentzel / The Colorado Sun
Nowhere outside is safe when a thunderstorm rolls through. But if you’re in Colorado’s backcountry, with no shelter nearby, there are some steps you can take to minimize your risk.
In Colorado, an average of about 500,000 lightning flashes hit the ground each year. The state, known for its unpredictable electrical storms, is third-highest in the nation for lightning deaths, according to data provided by the National Lightning Safety Council.
Courtesy National Weather Service
perts say running to lower ground should be a priority to decrease your lightning risk.
“Keep in mind that many lightning victims were seeking safety when they were struck,” John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist with the council, said in a recorded safety video. “The problem is that they just didn’t start soon enough. It is a common mistake. People wait far too long to start seeking safety and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation.”
Before recreating outside, check the forecast and consider canceling or postponing a trip if thunderstorms are predicted. Keep an eye on the sky for storms and monitor conditions on your phone or satellite device, if possible.
And if the sky looks threatening or you hear thunder, go inside immediately. Lightning can strike 10 miles from the area where it is raining in a thunderstorm, according to the safety council. If you can hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm.
Shelter will always be your safest option to protect yourself from lightning. But when that’s not an option, here’s what experts from the National Weather Service and National Lightning Safety Council recommend you do:
• Get to lower elevation - Avoid open fields, the top of a hill or a ridgetop. Instead of crouching to the ground in a ball, ex-
• Stay away from tall, isolated trees - Lightning more often – but not always – strikes the highest object in the area, and according to the National Weather Service, being under a tree is the second-leading cause of lightning casualties. If you are in a forest, stay near a lower stand of trees. When lightning strikes a tree or other object, the charge carried by the lightning is dissipated across the ground. Spread out from others in your group, and don’t lie flat on the ground.
• If camping, set up camp in a valley, ravine or other low area.
• If camping in a high-elevation or exposed area, get out and away from your tent and try to shelter near a grove of trees. A tent offers no protection from lightning.
• Stay away from water and metal objects - Water and metal don’t attract lightning, but they are excellent conductors of electricity. The current from a lightning flash will easily travel for long distances, especially in water.
If you have any metal – a metal frame backpack or hiking poles – make sure they are at least 100 feet away from you, experts at the American Hiking Society advise.
The Colorado Sun is a nonprofit, award-winning news outlet covering Colorado. Sign up for their newsletters, and follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky. ■
mountain escape just minutes from Purgatory, with breathtaking views. Whether you're seeking a personal retreat or a vacation rental, this unit is ideally situated for all-season adventure. Cozy and functional layout, open kitchen and attached garage. 3
Shifting gears
As tax credits expire, will Colorado’s hot EV market hit the slow lane?
by Missy Votel
With federal tax credits for certain electric vehicles expiring Oct. 1, many would-be EV buyers have gotten off the fence to take advantage of the incentives while they can. In fact, the first half of 2025 set a record for EV sales nationwide, with 607,089 sold – a 1.5% increase over 2024, according to Cox Automotive.
And Durango car dealerships mirror that trend, saying they also have seen an uptick in EV sales and leases in recent months.
“We have seen a spike,” Greg Rowland, general manager at Morehart Murphy Regional Auto Center in Durango. “Mostly, it’s people who see the value in the electric movement, and that $7,500 is a significant driver.”
Rowland said most of the dealership’s EVs have already sold off the lot, and the scene is no different down
the road at Durango Motor Company. There, salesman Chris Chism said they also have seen a surge in EV sales as well.
“Our electric Kias have been flying off the shelf. Same with our Fords,” he said. “We have definitely seen an uptick since the timeline was put on the tax credits. Most are only jumping in because of the low prices being offered."
However, some are asking if the end of the tax credits will put the brakes on the EV market in Colorado, where about 25% of vehicle sales in the last year were EVs, making it the fifth-leading state for EV adoption.
The answer, as with so many things these days: it’s complicated.
The rural-urban divide
Matthew Groves, president of the Colorado Auto Dealers Association, recently told Colorado Public Radio that fewer discounts will inevitably hurt sales and slow Colorado’s red-hot EV market, which briefly overtook
California’s as the top for EV adoption last fall.
“Anything that makes cars more expensive is bad for dealers,” Groves said.
However, in La Plata County, EV adoption is a bit of a different animal, with sales numbers not coming close to those in urban areas, such as the Front Range. Rowland said EVs made up only about 2% of sales at Morehart Murphy last year, although the dealership did sell a “significant” number of hybrids. Chism echoed this sentiment.
“I wouldn’t say EVs are our biggest seller,” he said.
Rowland said lower adoption numbers here are a classic case of the rural-urban divide. Unlike the Front Range, where charging stations are more commonplace, range anxiety – the fear of running out of battery life before making it to your next charge – is more pronounced in sparsely populated areas with less charging infrastructure. Compounding that are concerns over cold weather and mountain driving conditions that take a toll on a vehicle’s battery life.
Durango Motor Co. sales associate Chris Chism stands next to a Ford F-150 Lightning and the dealership’s newly installed fast chargers, – which are open to the public – last week. Both Durango Motor Co. and Morehart Murphy have seen an uptick in EV sales ahead of the expiration of federal tax credits on Oct. 1. However, they both say EV sales are not nearly as strong here as they are on the Front Range and in other urban areas./Photo by Missy Votel
“I think range anxiety still plays a role here,” said Rowland.
Chism, who owns a Ford F150-Lightning, admits it’s “not for everybody,” but said he is happy with his EV.
“I thoroughly enjoy driving it,” he said. “I haven’t paid for gas in nine months.”
Chism owns a farm and commutes 30 minutes one-way in his Lightning. He admits one of the biggest factors in deciding to go electric was that Durango Motor Co. recently installed fast chargers, which employees can use for free. (They are also available to the public for a fee.)
“If I didn’t have the amenities here, the Lightning probably wouldn't work for me,” he said.
And while driving an EV may be better on the pocketbook and planet, Chism said it does require a different approach to travel, as he and his wife learned on a recent cross-country road trip.
“You learn to travel a little differently. Instead of driving until you need to fill up the tank, you go until you get to a charge station and charge enough to get to the next charging station,” he said. “If you’re a laid-back traveler, it works. It’s definitely not impossible.”
A road less traveled
Both Rowland and Chism admit the future of EVs is a bit murky, with Col-
orado’s own state tax credit set to decline to $750 at the start of 2026 and tariffs and interest rates playing uncertain roles.
“That’s the question: what’s going to happen? Are manufacturers going to help subsidize? Is it going to move people back to gas/hybrid models? What exactly does that look like?” Rowland conjectured.
However, both he and Chism say this is not by any means the end of the road for EVs. “EVs have made their presence, and I don’t think they’re going anywhere anytime soon, especially since all the future technology is supposed to increase the range and give less anxiety and more options,” said Chism.
Rowland said he doesn’t expect car manufacturers to stop making EVs, either.
“The manufacturers, in my opinion, want a product line for every individual,” he said. “So, you’re going to see electric vehicles, you’re going to see hybrid vehicles, you’re going to see gas vehicles. So, if somebody's in the market, they have options.”
Amy Hunter Wright, a spokesperson for the National Auto Dealers Association, told Colorado Public Radio that her organization supported a “longer phaseout” for the federal incentive. However, she said the organization expects EV sales will continue to rise, even without the incentives. Chism agrees that the end of the fed-
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eral tax credits won’t be the precipitous cliff some think it will be. For starters, the federal tax credit only applied to vehicles manufactured in North America that cost less than $80,000, which excludes a lot of electric vehicles on the market. In addition, many manufacturers offer rebates on models that don’t qualify for the tax credits.
“For example, Kias aren’t made in North America, but they know people want that incentive, so they are adding it on as a rebate,” Chism said. “Ford also offers specific VIN rebates for its vehicles that aren’t subject to the tax credit, so essentially, you’re getting the same thing in a different form.”
In addition, Ford is offering 0% financing on Lightnings, something they did last year at this time for the end of the model year.
In other words, the deals will still be there, you just may need to look a little harder.
And if you’re still on the fence, Rowland said leasing an EV is another popular – and practical – option in these uncertain times.
“Most of our EV customers have been leasing,” he said. “Some EVs may have a 180-200 mile range, with some of the bigger trucks getting up to the 375-400mile range. But with that range, ob-
viously, price starts to factor in. That’s why leasing makes a whole lot of sense. You can lease some of these cars for a pretty reasonable monthly payment and not take the risk of what the car’s going to look like three years down the road.”
Ed Olsen, sales manager at Boulder Nissan, helped pioneer the concept of rock-bottom EV leases in Colorado last summer when he offered an all-electric Nissan Leaf for $9 a month.
Olsen told Colorado Public Radio that his sales team struggled to keep up with demand. In the showroom, a picture shows staff gathered around a sign reading “251,” the all-time monthly sales record set by the dealership in December 2024. He’s now trying to ride that out as long as he can. In early August, his lot was packed bumper-to-bumper with more than 100 Nissan Ariyas, an all-electric SUV available to lease for $179 a month.
Olsen hopes to sell or lease all of them by Sept. 30. But after that, he expects his dealership will return to its old business model: selling mostly gas-powered cars and used vehicles.
“It's been such a good ride over the last year and a half or so,” Olsen said.
Colorado Public Radio reporter Sam Brasch contributed to this story. For more from CPR, go to: www.cpr.org. ■
1101 Main Ave. • DGO, CO
Thursday25
Discover Your Family History, 2-3 p.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Dr., Bayfield
4CORE’s EV Ride & Drive, 3-5 p.m., Durango Motor Co. and Morehart Murphy, 31 Parker Ave.
Manhattan Short 2025 Film Festival, 4 & 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
“Share Your Garden” surplus produce distribution, 4:30-6 p.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203
Ska-B-Q w/music by KNFRMST, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Durango Green Drinks, 5-7 p.m., 11th Street Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Weekly Dart Tournament, 5:30 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Community Workshop: Introduction to Seed Saving, 5:30-6:30 p.m., SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab, Riverview Elementary School, 2900 Mesa Ave.
Happy Hour Trail Work, 5:30-7:30 p.m., location TBD, sign up at www.durangotrails.org
Open Mic Poetry Night, 5:30-8 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., Ste. F
Moving Mountains MSI fundraiser, 6-8 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino del Rio
Jeff Solon Jazz, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
The San Juanderer plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Terry Hartzel plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Rob Webster plays, 6-9:30 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Trivia Night on the Plaza, 6:30-8:30 p.m., The Powerhouse, 1333 Camino Del Rio
KDUR presents Jimmy Smith, 7 p.m., Jimmy’s Music, 1239 Main Ave.
Friday26
Purgatory Resort Ski Swap Drop Off, 10 a.m.5 p.m., Hoody’s at Purgatory
Cycling Celebration with Sepp Kuss, bike parade and screening of “GC Kuss,” 3-9 p.m., Buckley Park
Durango Montessori 20th Anniversary Celebration, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Powerhouse Science Center, 333 Camino Del Rio
“An Evening with Sarah Platt Decker” chautauqua presentation, 6-7:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
“Wordy Old Men” spoken word production, 68:30 p.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203
Rob Webster plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave
Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Terry Hartzel, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Pete Giuliani plays, 6-9 p.m., The Oxford, 19 W. 8th St.
Aurorawave with Brace Yourself & Native Leaves, 7 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.
Mean Irene plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
AskRachel Jean jacked, grocery deliverance and ex games
Interesting fact: Denim jackets were introduced in the late 19th century as durable workwear. I imagine the first-ever denim jacket is still hanging on by a thread out there somewhere.
Dear Rachel, I recently attended an event and accidentally left my trusty jean jacket hanging on my chair. By the time I realized it, it was too late to go back. I tried getting in touch with the organizers but got ghosted. Do you think they have my jacket? Or did someone sneak off with my cherished and well-worn love?
– Blue Jean Jacket Blues
Dear Out in the Cold, Oh, your jacket GONE. Gone, daddy, gone. Doesn’t matter if it was an organizer or an attendee or the cleanup crew. You see a good jacket left behind, no identifying marks, you take that with you. It’s the code of the land. I only wish I’d been the one to find it.
Tuesday30
Big Brothers Big Sisters Carmine Classic 2025 golf tournament, 9 a.m.3 p.m., Dalton Ranch Golf Club
Intro to Archaeology with San Juan Basin Archaeological Society, 5:30-7 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Understanding Youth Mental Wellness, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center Dr., Bayfield
Adam Swanson Ragtime plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Alzheimer’s Association’s Bobbie D’Addario presents to the Rotary Club of Durango, 6-7 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.
Mastering ChatGPT and Claude, free class, 6-7:30 p.m., FLC Center for Innovation, 835 Main Ave., Ste. 225
Randy Crumbaugh plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
– Rollin’ up my sleeves, Rachel
Dear Rachel, I just caved and had groceries delivered to my doorstep for the first time. I thought I was being ridiculous. Plus, no one can pick an avocado like I do. But I gotta say, you press some buttons and food shows up at your door? That might be worth the $20, just to avoid leaving the house. Is this my slide into complacency? Or is this service making the world (or at least my world) better?
– Food Serviced
Dear Deadly Sin, Is this more sloth or gluttony? Doesn’t really matter. If you’ve got the extra 20 lying around, I say why not? There are people out there making more than $20 an hour, and if spending that $20 on grocery delivery saves you an hour of dealing with City Market parking, seems legit. Of course, I’d rather spend that $20 on impulse buys within the grocery store itself, but that’s just me.
Open Mic, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
Tromba Mundi trumpet ensemble, 78:30 p.m., Roshong Recital Hall, FLC
Wednesday01
Breakfast Club Trail Work Day, weekly, 8 a.m.-10:30 p.m., location TBD, sign up at www.durangotrails.org
Word Honey Poetry Workshop, 67:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E 3rd Ave.
Ska Bingo Night, 5-7 p.m., Animas River Lounge at the DoubleTree Hotel, 501 Camino Del Rio
Adam Swanson Ragtime plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Chuck Hank plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Open Mic, 7 p.m., EsoTerra, 558 Main Ave.
Did you know sometimes ice cream is on sale?
– Beck and call, Rachel
Dear Rachel, I had to cut my ex off on all the socials because of a bunch of passive aggressive games. That was months ago. Now, her friend circle is getting digitally friendly with my new babe. Normally that’d be sus, but my ex tends to burn through friends in a regular cycle. So I’m inclined to think they’re genuinely coming around after getting burned. What do you think? Are they building healthy bridges, or are they just undercover spies?
- Ex-tracting Myself
Dear Spot, You’re what the X marks. Don’t trust anybody – all is unfair in love and war. Doubly true, when the twain shall meet. You can’t trust them. Nor should you. Sometimes, you have to let people
Comedy + Karaoke, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
Durango Cowboy Gathering, 7-9:30 p.m., Doubletree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio
Ongoing
“Chopping and Stacking Glaspens” exhibit by Lucille Olechowski, runs thru September, Recess Gallery at Studio &, 1027 Main Ave.
“Spaces, Locations and Imagined Places” art show, thru Oct. 14, FLC Art Gallery, Art & Design Hall, 1000 Rim Dr
“Nature’s Tapestry in Plein Air,” juried exhibit through Oct. 25, 5-7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
“From the Fringes: Dine Textiles that Disrupt” exhibit, thru Nov. 13, Center of Southwest Studies, FLC
60-year celebration “A Legacy of Gifts,” thru Nov. 13, Center of Southwest Studies, FLC
(and their entire blast radius) go. You can do it. I mean, it’s not like an ex can even compare to a well-worn denim jacket. Soothe yourself with some bargain-bin ice cream.
– Turn away and slam the door, Rachel
Dementia/Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group, 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of the month, 10:30 a.m., La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.
Upcoming
Spanish Conversation Hour, Thurs., Oct. 2, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave
Paul Poundstone performs, Thurs., Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., Community Concert Hall at FLC
The Velvet Coyote pop-up thrift shop, Fri., Oct. 3, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Wildhorse Alley, 601 East 2nd Ave.
The Black Velvet duo with Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver plays, Fri., Oct. 3, 57 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E 2nd Ave.
Garrett LeBeau plays Southwest Sessions, Fri., Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Light Box at Stillwater Music, 1316 Main Ave. STE C
“Villains of Broadway Cabaret,” presented by FLC Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Fri.Sat., Oct. 3-4 & 2 p.m., Sun., Oct. 5, FLC Mainstage Theatre Sept. 25, 2025 n 13
FreeWillAstrology
by Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In Zen Buddhism, satoris are sudden flashes of illumination that are fun and clarifying. I’m happy to tell you that you’re in a phase when these sweet breakthroughs are extra likely to visit you. They may barge in while you’re washing dishes, in the grocery store check-out line or during your fantasies before sleep. Be on high alert for intimations from the Great Mystery. PS: Some satoris could be gems you already half-knew.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You might be named “The Most Brilliant and Effective Complainer” for October. If you want to secure this award, spend time organizing plans for changing what’s amiss or awry. Decide which irritating off-kilter situations are most worthy of your attention. Figure out how to express your critiques in ways that will engage the constructive help of others. And then implement a detailed strategy to compassionately achieve the intriguing transformations.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): On certain medieval maps, an island paradise known as Hy-Brasil had a fuzzy presence west of Ireland. Did it truly exist? If so, it was said to be a blessed land that could restore lost youth and offer extravagant happiness. The place was thought to be rarely visible and only under certain magical or auspicious conditions. I suspect you Geminis are within range of an experience like this. It won’t appear in a specific location but as a state of mind that settles over you. Don’t chase it. Allow it to find you.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): A stalactite is a stony formation that hangs like an icicle from the ceiling of a cave. It forms over long periods as mineral-rich water drips down and deposits calcium carbonate through precipitation. This is an example of earth’s creativity at its most leisurely. A 4-inch-long stalactite might take a thousand years to make. I invite you to attune to the slowest, deepest, most ancient parts of your soul. A wound that’s ripening into wisdom? A mysterious yearning that’s speaking to you? Be patient and vigilant with it. Don’t demand clarity all at once. Your assignment is to listen and be receptive.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): When bilingual speakers engage in the behavior known as “code-switching,” they may begin a sentence in one language and finish it in another. Or they may move back and forth
between two different languages as they deliver a discourse. Why do they do it? To enrich their meaning, to dazzle their audience, to play and experiment. In a larger sense, we could say that code-switching happens anytime we swivel between different styles of presenting ourselves: from formal to casual, serious to humorous, cheerful to skeptical. I bring this up, because you are in the heart of code-switching season. Have fun!
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the Arctic, polar bears move through the world not by sight alone, but through scent trails that stretch miles across the ice. Their sense of direction is olfactory, intuitive and primal. If I’m reading the omens correctly, your navigation system will also be more animal than logical in coming weeks. I advise you to trust subtle cues – like goosebumps, a sweet or sour taste in your mouth or an uncanny pull toward or away from things. Your rational mind might not be fully helpful, but your body will know. Sniff the trail. Access your instincts.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In ancient Egyptian myth, the goddess Maat ruled truth, divine law, harmony and moral order. After death, each person’s heart was weighed against Maat’s feather of truth in the Hall of Judgment. If the heart, which embodied the essence of a person’s actions in life, was equal in weight to the feather, the deceased was assessed as virtuous and cleared to continue to the glorious afterlife. If it was heavier … well, I’ll spare you the details. Maat’s scales were not symbols of punishment, but of fairness and justice. That’s also your special power right now. You have subtle insight into every choice. You understand that your wisdom is best used to bless, not censure. My hope is that you will foster gentle clarity and forgiveness to all, including yourself. Let grace be the law!
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The I Ching is an ancient divinatory book compiled in China over 2,500 years ago, Amazingly, it’s still quite useful. In accordance with astrological omens, I call your attention to one of its oracles: “Work on What Has Been Spoiled.” It tenderly counsels us to be brave as we repair what’s broken. But it’s crucial that we make the correction with patient grace, not blame and anger. The good news is that you now have an uncanny ability to discern what’s out of tune, crooked or wrongfully abandoned. I hope you will offer your genius for re-weaving. A frayed friendship? A neglected dream? A forgotten promise? You can play the role of restorer: not to make things as they were, but to render them better.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In ancient Egypt, the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet wielded both intense heat and nourishing warmth. She had the power to destroy and heal. When bringers of chaos threatened, she incinerated them. Once order and balance returned, she served as a physician. I dare you to summon your inner Sekhmet. Give your attention to an obstacle that needs to be crushed or an injustice that needs to be erased. But remember that the goal is not merely combustion. It’s transmutation. Once the fire has cleared the way, unleash your gorgeous cure.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Nepal, there’s a tradition among Sherpa mountaineers. Before ascending Mount Everest, they perform a ceremony led by a Buddhist monk or Lama. It’s a way to honor the sacredness of the mountain, and ask for grace during their climb and to return in good health. As you eye the peak ahead of you, consider making similar preparations. Ritualize your intention. Direct it with clarity and care. Bless your journey before you surge forward.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When people call something “glamorous,” they usually mean it has an elegant, captivating style. Its beauty is sophisticated and luxurious. But the original meaning of “glamour” was different. It referred to a deceptive magical enchantment designed to disguise the truth. That’s the sense I want to invoke now. You have been seeing through the glamour lately – of the media, of consensus reality, of false stories. Now it’s time to go even further: to actively tear down illusions and dismantle pretense, preferably with tact. When you see through the spell, don’t just call it out, transmute it into clarity.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Pisces-born Nina Simone (1933–2003) started playing piano when she was 3 years old. At age 12, her debut concert was a classical recital. She developed a yearning to become the first Black female classical concert pianist. But her dream collapsed when the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music refused to let her study there. Then came the plot twist. She redirected her disappointment, launching a brilliant career as a singer, composer and pianist that won her global fame. The rebuff from the Curtis Institute was ultimately a stroke of good luck! It became a catalyst for her greatness. In accordance with astrological omens, designate a frustration that you will use to fuel future success.
Deadline for Telegraph classified ads is Tuesday at noon.
Ads are a bargain at 10 cents a character with a $5 minimum
Even better, ads can now be placed online: durangotelegraph.com
Prepayment is required via cash, credit card or check. (Sorry, no refunds or substitutions.)
Ads can be submitted via: n classifieds@durango telegraph.com n 970-259-0133
Announcements
Revival Services
Special services will be held at Durango Bible Missionary Church, 756 Florida Rd., September 19-28. Mon-Sat 7:00 p.m. Sun 10:45 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. Ken Durr, missionary from Guyana, will be the special speaker. Come hear traditional hymns and Biblical truths of deliverance from sin. We welcome you to join us
White Rabbit Fall Book Sale & 12th Anniversary Celebration. 128 W. 14th St., Sat. Oct. 11, 11–4. Pay what you want, take what you need & tell your friends!
ForRent
Private Office Space for Rent in environmental consulting firm’s office $400/mo (144 sf) Avail. 10/1 835 E. 2nd Ave. 3-mo lease includes all utilities, wi-fi, shared kitchen and use of conference room. For more info please contact jhesford@eroresources.com
Last seen in Durango, July 21, 2024, by St. Columba Church. He is chipped, missing left canine tooth, white, big black spots, green eyes. Reward. 970-403-6192 .
Classes/Workshops
All Levels Yoga
Thursdays 10am, Smiley Room 32. Props provided. Accessible class for continuing beginners who want to focus on functional movement and fundamental actions within standing, seated, twisting, forward and backward bending postures. www.k-lea.com (303) 819-9076
Aikido Crash Course
Is Aikido sprint tai chi? Dancing for ninjas? You decide. Try the fast, fun $8 weekly crash course Mondays 5:30-615pm. Must register online: durango aikido.com
ForSale
Reruns Home Furnishings
Patio sets, bistros and yard art. Also looking to consign smaller furniture pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat.
Wanted
Books Wanted at White Rabbit
Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213
BodyWork
Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.
Services
Chapman Electric
Specializing in remodels, repairs, and additions both big and small. Local and reliable. Colorado Licensed Master Electrician. Mike 970-403-6670
Boiler Service - Water Heater
Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917
Free community yoga classes at Smiley Building Room 20A: “Yoga of Recovery” (Tues. 10-11:15): Address addictive habits in a supportive environment. “Pain Care Yoga” (Tues. 4:30-5:45): Pain management
HaikuMovieReview
‘The Luckiest Man in America’ The filmmakers pressed their luck with one too many spins on this true tale
and improved movement. innerpeaceyoga therapy.com/locations/durango/
Dementia/Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Support and resources for those caring for a loved one with dementia/Alzheimer’s 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesday of each month, 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon, La Plata Senior Center, 2424 Main Ave.
