the durango
New logging policies, repeal of roadless rule could spell disaster by Mitch Friedman / Writers on the Range
Celebrating summer’s end with Fretliners, Farmington Hill & a Gourd by Stephen Sellers
Local organizers help immigrants understand constitutional rights by Ilana Newman / The Daily Yonder
EDITORIALISTA:
telegraph@durangotelegraph.com STAR-STUDDED CAST: Kirbie Bennett, Ilana Newman, Stephen Sellers, Jeffrey Mannix, Jesse Anderson, Lainie Maxson, Rob Brezsny & Clint Reid LITERAL ADDRESS: 679 E. 2nd Ave.,
The Durango Telegraph publishes every Thursday, come hell, high water, tacky singletrack or monster powder days. We are wholly independently owned and operated by the Durango Telegraph LLC and dis-
Ear to the ground:
“Happy Labor Day – where, if we take a day off, the rest of the week sucks just a bit more than usual.”
– Yet another argument for moving all Monday holidays to Friday
A nothing sandwich
It’s never too early to start thinking about ski season. And with the inferno that was August behind us, the good folks at Open Snow have gone out on their annual limb to bring us the 2025-26 winter season outlook.
Last week, Open Snow released its highly anticipated interpretation of NOAA’s longrange winter forecast, albeit with a grain of salt: “Long-range forecasts are rarely accurate. These forecasts cover three months, but we know that skiing quality improves and degrades with storm cycles that last a few days to a week.”
Bottom line: Southwest Colorado is looking at a possible repeat of last winter. (Sorry – don’t kill the messenger.) According to the all-important ENSO sea surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean, which dictate either a La Niña (cooler temps) or El Niño (warmer temps) phase, we are stuck once again in neutral, aka “La Nada.”
Last winter was a weak La Niña, and we have been in a neutral phase for most of the summer, which is expected to continue at least through October. For the upcoming winter, there's a 45% chance water temps will be below average (La Niña) and a 48% chance they will be near average (neutral).
On the cover
A rolling stone may gather no moss, but a stationary boulder high in the mountains is a great spot for lichen. Fun fact: lichens are slow growing, and large lichens can be thousands of years old./ Photo by Missy Votel
“For the upcoming 2025-26 winter season, we're still monitoring whether it will be a neutral or a weak La Niña,” Open Snow meteorologist Sam Collentine wrote.
For the record, although strong El Niños typically favor Southwest Colorado, we have also had some very good (2020 anyone?) and not so good (2002) La Niña winters as well.
While a weak La Niña or neutral phase does not bode well for us in the banana belt, it is good news for Eastern Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, which are all in the "Probability of Above-Normal” precipitation zone. This outlook matches the general storm track of previous weak La Niña or ENSOneutral winters.
As for temperatures, it is expected to be a warm one for the majority of the southern half of the United States, including much of California, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, the Mid-Atlantic and up into New England. Washington and northern Oregon are the only regions in the "Probability of BelowNormal” temperature zone.
in the finest and most discerning locations throughout the greater Durango area.
But, as we all know, weather can be a fickle thing – especially in these parts. Stay tuned to OpenSnow for more updates as winter gets closer (and in the meantime, maybe break out that naked snow dance again.)
LaVidaLocal opinion
Dancing on the grave of monsters
In the summer of 2004, it was hard to ignore the news coverage of Ronald Reagan’s death. In the buildup to his funeral, corporate media saturated airwaves with sanitized reflections on the former president’s legacy. But based on what I knew from my people and punk rock, the man was a union-hating, racist war monger. For this teenage anarchist on summer vacation, I was bored and annoyed with the national talk about Reagan. I remember going to the generic horse-themed wall calendar in my bedroom and scribbling down “REAGAN DIED” in all caps with a big thumbs-up drawn inside the box for June 5.
I share that story for a few reasons. One, all the teenage angst I felt toward settler-state authority feels validating now as an adult. Additionally, the songwriter Ted Leo (one of my favorite indie rock artists) recently shared a brief anecdote about that time on social media. In the summer of 2004, Leo was recording an album called “Shake the Sheets,” which is considered a 21stcentury indie rock masterpiece. On Bluesky last month, Leo wrote, “We were in the studio making ‘Shake the Sheets’ the day Reagan died, and friends, we danced and danced and danced.” If justice is hard to come by in the living world, then there’s karmic satisfaction when powerful, corrupt men take their last breath. In that regard, I believe it’s worth taking a moment to not only dance on the grave of monsters, but create music, art and poetry in celebration of their demise.
If you’re unfamiliar with Leo’s songwriting, imagine the pop rock of Elvis Costello mashed with the new-wave soul of Joe Jackson, with a dash of Thin Lizzy and Billy Bragg thrown in. After cutting his teeth in experimental D.C. punk bands throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Leo eventually formed a group called Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, releasing a debut album in 1999. With the Pharmacists, Leo was prolific, producing a new album every year. On each album, his experimental indie rock became more refined, and Leo’s ear for melody rose to the surface. During this time, Leo used his platform to speak out against U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to condemn the Bush administration. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists’ fourth album, “Shake the Sheets,” was released in October 2004, a few weeks before George W. Bush was re-elected.
Thumbin’It
Durango received a $13,000 donation from the Michael and Elaine Moravan Foundation to sponsor free transit passes for low-income residents. This is in addition to $10,000 from the foundation for free transit passes for veterans. (To apply, go to durangoco.gov)
After nearly two months of construction and a few delays, the Horse Gulch trailhead and Mesa Connector trails are supposed to re-open this weekend. Fingies crossed.
As Trump rolls back clean energy initiatives, the state of Colorado is taking matters into its own hands by adopting building codes designed to make buildings more climate-friendly and bring codes in line with state climate goals.
I was still too young to vote, but I sensed the despair and unease over the electoral outcome, nationally and in the part of the world closest to me. It was around this time that I was introduced to Leo’s music. My youthful world was shaped by music magazines and scrappy fanzines, and Leo got a lot of love from those publications. The one magazine I read religiously back then was Punk Planet – part investigative journalism and part in-depth reporting on independent music. Not long after the 2004 election, Punk Planet issued a bleak editorial, struggling to find hope in the years ahead. But then the editorial ended by saying, “I find that the new Ted Leo album, ‘Shake The Sheets,’ applied in liberal doses, helps to dull the pain.”
I will always have a soft spot for protest music that you can sing along to. But I also embrace songwriting that emphasizes the personal as political, which is where “Shake the Sheets” plants its flag. The album’s social commentary is rooted in everyday life, often focusing on mental health while trying to stay aware of the endless wars waged by this country. The first track, “Me and Mia,” is a dose of melodic pop-punk, yet lyrically, the song deals with overcoming an eating disorder. The writing is tender and emphatic, and then there’s the magic of Leo’s voice, where he sings with vulnerability and confidence. His voice bends but never breaks. It always brings a smile when I reach the pre-chorus where Leo belts out, “Do you believe in something beautiful?/ Then get up and be it!” Another highlight on the album is the 5-minute track “Little Dawn,” which is an exploration of despair where Leo spends the second half of the song simply repeating the words, “It’s alright.” He says it every time with full conviction, and eventually it becomes a mantra for the weary-hearted.
Twenty years later, “Shake the Sheets” is an album that remains relevant. There is something serendipitous about it being produced during the time of Reagan’s death. And yet, every election cycle since has only normalized the darker depths of right-wing extremism. I think about that now, and I find power in the tension: Yes, more grotesque monsters are waiting around the corner, hungry to rule over us. But we can always find moments to assemble and make music out of a fascist’s dying breath, and perhaps that will offer enough time for justice to someday find us.
– Kirbie Bennett
SignoftheDownfall:
The state of Florida – with one of the country’s largest populations of older adults – has announced it is doing away with vaccine mandates for school children. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, it wasn’t just your imagination. This summer was the state’s worst fire season since 2020, with wildfires scorching 218,000 acres and destroying dozens of buildings.
For a few days last weekend, the internet beat the Tweeter-in-Chief at his own disinformation game by trying to convince the world that Trump was dead (he’s not). It’s not nice to toy with people’s emotions like that.
Two Scoops
The baby product company Frida recently started selling a manually operated breast pump for moms on the go, and to advertise it, they teamed up with OddFellows to make breast-milk flavored ice cream. It was sold in August at an OddFellows location in New York, but now, it’s only available via mail order. There isn’t any actual breast milk in the ice cream, because that would come way too close to the mother’s milk scene in “Mad Max,” but it does contain “liposomal bovine colostrum,” which can also be found in human breast milk. And the flavor is described as “sweet and salty,” which is an obvious marketing fail, because they should’ve just gone with boobberry.
WritersontheRange
Forest for the trees
by Mitch Friedman
It didn’t get much notice, but President Trump has turbocharged logging on public lands in ways that are likely to increase dangerous wildfire. Inside the “Big Beautiful Bill” that became law this summer, a provision directs the U. S. Forest Service to annually increase the timber it sells until the amount almost doubles to 5 million board-feet by 2032. Why did few people notice this directive to dramatically increase logging on our public lands? One answer is that it got lost as an engaged public fought selling off millions of acres of public land. Final score: We got to keep the land but not the trees.
Most people support careful logging as part of the smart management of public forests. For instance, a now-irrelevant bill called the “Fix Our Forests Act” had been steadily advancing through Congress, gathering support from both the timber industry and dozens of green groups, ranging from The Nature Conservancy to the Citizens Climate Lobby. By targeting over-abundant small trees while leaving the hardy big ones, that bill would have increased logging while protecting habitat and reducing wildfire.
Trump’s new law eliminates those protections, freeing loggers to cut big trees and leave behind the small ones. This will worsen existing tinderbox conditions, particularly in the West.
The law also essentially outsources some public forest management to corporations. It directs the Forest Service
and Bureau of Land Management to develop at least 45 separate, 20-year contracts with private companies. The contracts would enable companies to log across whole districts – not yet determined – or even entire national forests.
Broad approaches like this have a sordid history of inefficiency, waste and environmental destruction. For example, the Skokomish River on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula suffered decades of damaging floods as a result of the sweeping contract one company had for the so-called Shelton Sustained Yield Unit. That sweetheart deal created many bare, flood-prone hillsides and lasted from 1946-2022.
Perhaps it’s surprising, but even timber interests oppose 20-year contracts. More than 70 logging-related businesses sent a letter sent to the Forest Service, pointing out that by allowing a single company to tie up publicly owned timber in a national forest, “long-term contracts would harm competition, markets and prices.”
Why didn’t industry opposition get heard? One theory is that these contracts can serve as a fig leaf masking the consequences of Trump’s high tariffs on Canadian lumber. As tariffs on Canadian timber raise homebuilding costs, the administration can claim to be offsetting the problem by providing cheaper logs
from national forests.
In the meantime, the Forest Service is scrambling to meet an onslaught of new Trump executive orders. In June, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins rescinded “seven agency-specific regulations” that resulted in a 66% reduction of mostly environmental reviews that will offer little opportunity for public comment.
Last week, Rollins also announced her intent to roll back the 2001 Roadless Area Protection Rule, which protects 60 million acres of wildlands. Until Sept. 19, the U.S. Forest Service is taking public comments for a sped-up study on the environmental impacts of rescinding the roadless rule. Fierce legal and political fights are to preserve the rule are all but guaranteed.
All this amounts to a lot of change for an agency ravaged by Elon Musk’s crew of cost-cutters. Some national forests here in Washington State have lost more than a third of their professional staff, while regional offices may be eliminated entirely. Gone are the many experts who had the experience to plan quality timber projects that respect fish and wildlife and reduce wildfire risk. Will Trump succeed in near doubling the cut from our public forests? Based on my 40 years in the field, I predict the outcome will be a modest increase – but at the high cost of a severe reduction of best practices. That means our national forests, streams and wildlife will suffer as dry fuels keep building up.
I see more big wildfires in our future.
Mitch Friedman is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit spurring lively conversation about the West. He heads Seattle-based Conservation Northwest, which he founded in 1989 after years with Earth First! He is the author of “Conservation Confidential: A Wild Path to a Less Polarizing and More Effective Activism.” ■
SoapBox
Big truck, small parking spot
Gunnar Conrad was spot on with his critique of the new Durango REI store. I would add that the parking lot designer must think that we all drive Priuses, as my 25year-old F-150 is too big for the striped parking place.
– Dennis Pierce, Durango
Increase drilling not taxes
La Plata County commissioners are asking voters to approve a 1% sales tax increase this November to fund basic services. While I understand the need to maintain roads, law enforcement and emergency response, the commissioners are overlooking the deeper issue: their own policies have helped drive away one of our county’s most reliable sources of revenue.
For decades, La Plata County depended on oil and gas to sustain its budget. Yet instead of supporting responsible production in the San Juan Basin, a basin with proven longevity and prudent operators, local and state officials have layered on restrictive land-use codes, permitting delays and tighter regulations. The result has been a 77% decline in oil and gas property tax revenues over the past 15 years. That decline is not only about “the market” but also about policy decisions that discourage operators from investing here.
Now, rather than addressing those restrictions or encouraging projects that could responsibly extend local energy production, the county wants taxpayers to
D-Tooned/by Rob Pudim
make up the difference with a permanent sales tax hike. Supporting responsible local energy production could not only stabilize county revenues but also lower
utility costs for residents by keeping more affordable, locally produced power on the grid. Instead of turning to voters’ wallets, a short-term fix
at best, commissioners should revisit the policies that are shrinking our tax base. With better energy policy, budget efficiency and diversification, the county could provide stable funding without continually raising the cost of living for families and small businesses.
– Kelly Hegarty, Durango
‘Yes’ on Upper Pine question
The Upper Pine River Fire Protection District is asking voters this November to support Ballot Question 7B, a modest but critical sales tax initiative that will directly enhance public safety within our district. If approved, the 1% (1 cent on every dollar) sales tax on goods purchased within district boundaries is expected to generate approximately $490,000 annually. Importantly, the tax will not apply to groceries, prescription medications or other essential household items exempt under Colorado law. Unlike a property tax, this sales tax ensures visitors who rely on our services share in the cost of protection. This approach eases the burden on local homeowners while spreading responsibility fairly across everyone who lives, works and recreates in the district.
In several community meetings, the public has told us they would support a sales tax over a mill levy. The State Legislature recently approved allowing fire districts to diversify their income with sales tax and impact fees. The sales tax creates a safety net for potential changes in property tax in the future.
Many of our team members are being forced to move over an hour away to find affordable single-
family homes for young families. Emergency call volume has increased by 30% since 2019, and as the population grows and visitor numbers rise, the district anticipates continued growth in call volume. At the same time, the cost of maintaining reliable emergency services has increased dramatically. Without additional funding, our ability to meet these demands while retaining skilled professionals is at risk.
Ballot Question 7B will allow the Fire District to:
• Provide adequate staffing: Ensure enough trained personnel are available at all times to respond to emergencies, fires and medical calls.
• Invest in training and retention: Support continued education, certifications and fair compensation to help retain our experienced workforce.
• Maintain and replace equipment: Keep our aging equipment and essential tools safe and functional, while planning for necessary replacements.
• Upgrade safety gear: Equip our crews with modern, up-to-date protective gear and life-saving equipment.
• Improve and equip fire stations: Maintain and enhance current stations and plan for future ones to ensure prompt response times.
A critical part of emergency readiness is ensuring our firefighters and paramedics can afford to live within the district they serve. When large-scale incidents occur, such as the recent Forest Lakes wildfire, quick callback of off-duty personnel is essential to mount an effective response. Funding from 7B will help us retain local, dedicated professionals who are ready when our community needs them most.
Shortly after the Blue Ridge Fire started, we called for evacuations in the Hilltop area of Forest Lakes. A person
loading their car to evacuate began having a heart attack. Upper Pine crews that were called back who live locally immediately respond to care for this person. From that person’s first medical contact with Upper Pine paramedics to the time that person was at Mercy was 63 minutes. That doesn’t happen when people are being called back from Aztec, Cortez or Pagosa Springs. There is no sunset clause on this measure, meaning that funds will continue to support these priorities in the long term. However, every dollar will be accounted for through public budget reporting and board oversight. As part of the district’s financial leadership, a Certificate of Financial Excellence from the Government Accounting Officers Association requires that we be transparent with our budgets and finances. Together, we can ensure that the Upper Pine River Fire Protection District remains ready, equipped and staffed to protect lives and property. A “yes” vote on 7B is a vote for faster responses, safer crews and stronger protection for our community.
– Bruce Evans, Upper Pine Fire Chief, and Jason Jeep, Upper Pine Fire Captain
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
Armed with knowledge
Local community organizers work to ensure immigrant neighbors know their rights
by Ilana Newman / The Daily Yonder
In Southwest Colorado, increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity has prompted local groups to organize to protect immigrants and arm residents with knowledge about their constitutional rights when dealing with federal law enforcement.
Over the past month, approximately 20 people have been detained by ICE in La Plata County, Beatriz Garcia Waddell, a Western Slope community organizer with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, said.
Among these incidents was an arrest Aug. 18 in Aztec, New Mexico, in which Jorge Martin Ortiz-Rosalez was arrested in his own car in front of his wife and daughters. Their windows were smashed by law enforcement, even as Ortiz-Rosalez yelled that his children were in the car. No arrest warrant was served, according to a Durango Herald article.
In response to increased ICE presence in the region, local groups have been holding “Know Your Rights” trainings to educate both immigrants and allies about what to do if federal law enforcement is present. Garcia Waddell held one such training in Cortez in mid-August
with a group of around 40, mostly white, retirementaged community members.
Mariana Stump, an activist who lives in Cortez, has also held a “Know Your Rights” training for the Latino community in Montezuma County. Stump said that about 40 people attended a training in Spanish she held at a church in Cortez in August. She plans to organize another one in September. “We just keep spreading the word to let the community know that they’re not alone. We’re here to help them and support them in any hard and difficult time,” said Stump.
Angela Clark, who helped start the Cortez immigrant support group Manos Unidad as part of Montezuma County’s Indivisible chapter, said in a Daily Yonder interview that many Latino residents didn’t attend big local events like the rodeo and the Montezuma County Fair this year out of fear of ICE activity.
In rural communities like Cortez, Latino residents have a lot of economic power and their absence will have ripple effects, she said. “Restaurants would be closed. Hotels would not have staff,” said Clark.
According to census data, around 3,200 Hispanic identifying people live in Montezuma County, about
12% of the population. Stump said many residents who are afraid of ICE agents don’t want to leave the house, even to go to Walmart. To help mitigate this risk she runs errands for them.
Colorado Rapid Response Network was established in Colorado in 2016 by a coalition of organizations. The network receives calls about ICE sightings or activity and mobilizes local people to respond to and confirm any activity. Other states, cities and regions have their own localized rapid response networks like the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, the Florida Immigrant Coalition Hotline and the California Rapid Response Network.
Responders within these networks are trained and have practice dealing with federal law enforcement and immigrants’ rights. “Practice is very important, that’s how you know what to do in a stressful situation,” said Garcia Waddell. In La Plata County, Clark said a recent ICE raid led to a man fleeing by foot into the mountains, leaving his work truck behind with ICE agents who were unable to catch him.
According to Clark, agents attempted to impound the truck, but two people who were mobilized through the
From left: Mariana Stump, Beatriz Garcia Waddell and Angela Clark stand outside St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Cortez after a well-attended “Know Your Rights” training led by Garcia Waddell. / Photo by Ilana Newman / The Daily Yonder
rapid response network were there and would not allow it. “Two (volunteers) sat there for 25 minutes and kept saying, ‘show me the judicial warrant.’ And they protected this man’s property,” said Clark. In rural communities, it’s even more important to have expansive networks of people trained and ready to respond in these situations. It’s a 40-minute drive between Cortez and Durango, so the two communities need their own independent response teams. Clark said that there are now around 16 people in Montezuma County ready to respond to ICE reports. So far, they’ve only had false alarms.
Garcia Waddell sees this kind of organizing as a way to bring a voice and visibility to rural areas that don’t have a lot of resources. Her work with the Colorado Immigrant Response Coalition connects rural communities on the Western Slope to statewide resources.
During the “Know Your Rights” training in Cortez, Garcia Waddell talked about the difference between public and private property. She explained that to detain someone on private property, which includes a vehicle, officers need either a warrant signed by a judge or consent, which can be given implicitly by opening a door for an officer.
All people in the United States, regardless of citizenship, are protected by the
United States Constitution. Garcia Waddell highlighted the fourth, fifth and sixth amendments in her presentation at St. Barnabas Church. The fourth amendment says that any arrests must have probable cause, while the sixth amendment says that people have the right to know what the probable cause is.
She reminded people to make sure federal agents have a signed judicial warrant before you comply with their requests and that detainees have a right to ask on what grounds they are being detained. The fourth amendment – the right to remain silent – means you don’t have to say anything that could incriminate yourself and that you have the right to an attorney. “My kids love this one,” joked Garcia Waddel about her children invoking the fourth amendment at home. Evidently, for Garcia Waddel, it’s never too early to start teaching the building blocks of constitutional law.
An attendee asked why ICE agents are smashing windows, an obvious violation of these constitutional rights, and Garcia Waddell explained that the government doesn’t have any accountability with federal agencies. “You get to the court, and maybe the court decides you are being taken legally or illegally,” she said. “But I haven’t seen any case where ICE agents have been reprimanded for their actions.”
This is all the more reason to know your rights and defend them, she said. By asking for a warrant and refusing to comply without one, she hopes fewer people will be detained in the first place. It’s also up to the community to protect their immigrant neighbors.
“The law is a tool,” Garcia Waddell said to the group in Cortez. “If you don’t use it, it will not do anything good. We
have to exercise our rights to defend our community … because if we give up defending we’re going to be in a very authoritarian situation.”
Ilana Newman is a writer and photographer who lives in Mancos. The Daily Yonder is the nation's only dedicated newsroom for rural reporting and storytelling. It was founded by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center for Rural Strategies. ■
Flyers and pamphlets in Spanish and English from the “Know Your Rights” training in Cortez presented by Beatriz Garcia Waddell, an organizer with Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition./ Photo by Ilana Newman / The Daily Yonder
BigPivots Going out in style
Celebrating summer’s end with Fretliners, Farmington Hill and a Gourd
by Stephen Sellers
Greetings, dear readers! Happy September to you all. School is back in session, the nights are getting crisp, and there’s still plenty of time to sneak some last-minute, 20-mile runs into your weekend before the leaves fall off the trees a little earlier than maybe we’d like to see. Nevertheless, this is such a beautiful time of year for music in Durango, because no matter what you’re into – festivals, small listeningroom sessions, contra dances, or bigtime names at the Animas City Theater –Durango’s got it all. As always, be sure to check the Telegraph or the KDUR concert calendar to get the rundown on all of the incredible opportunities to close out summer with style.
• The Fretliners, Animas City Theatre, Wed., Sept. 10, 7 p.m.Does Durango still come out to see Bluegrass music? It would be a damn shame if that’s not the case, because The Fretliners are one of the hottest groups in the country right now. It’s never too late to join the party if you haven’t. The Lyons, Colo.-based quartet is rolling into town on its way to Flagstaff’s Pickin’ in the Pines. Recognized for their songwriting and undeniable chemistry, they are one of only two bands to win both Telluride Bluegrass and Rockygrass band competitions in one summer. Alex Graf’s Bluegrass SuperPAC is on hometown opening duties. Graf’s band is one of the collective favorites in Durango, and if you haven’t seen them, they are worth the price of admission alone.
• Telluride Blues & Brews, Town Park, Fri.-Sun., Sept. 12-14 – EDM music isn’t your thing? Help rinse any residual smells of front-range wook from Town Park with this legendary lineup. How about The Black Crowes, Thundercat, Lukas Nelson, Andy Frasco, JD Simo, Luther Dickinson … need I say more? Of special note is Andy Frasco and the UN, whose Durango stock has surely been rising after bringing local saxophone legend Sam “Hot Lips” Kelly on as a permanent member of the band.
• Native REZ-olution Youth Concert, Sky Ute Fairgrounds, Sat., Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – A fierce, all-ages proper rock ’n’ roll bill stacked with Clay & Fire, Await the Dawn, TAJ, Oblit-
eration, Oroku Saki, Weedrat and Ecotone. Expect some raw energy, heavy riffs and Indigenous youth voices making themselves heard loud and clear at a sober space festival – a unique offering in the region on all levels.
• Farmington Hill, Mancos Brewing, Sat., Sept. 13, 4 p.m. – It’s been a hot minute since we’ve written about our beloved Eric Nordstrom and his merry band of Farmington Hillers, and nothing makes me happier to see this incredible local band on our September concert calendar. Come to the finest brewery patio in Montezuma County and enjoy the last rays of summer afternoon sunshine with Eric and company.
• Mickey Avalon, Animas City Theatre, Sat., Sept. 20, 7 p.m. – I’m not exactly sure what to write about this Hollywood glam-rap wild card known for making “Jane Fonda” come to Durango other than, this man has lived lifetimes and has plenty to say. For those who don’t know, Mickey came on the hip-hop scene in 2007
with plenty of swagger and no shortage of shock value. Now, long on his journey into sobriety and having experienced the grief of losing loved ones, I imagine Avalon has a much different perspective on the sacredness of music and the chance to perform.
• Fractal String Band, Durango Contra Dance, La Plata Senior Center, Sat., Sept. 20, 7 p.m. – You know I love a good, old square dance. And the next best thing, in my book, is a solid contra dance! Come join one of Durango’s newest old-time bands, Fractal String Band, as they lay down dance tunes from the turn of the 19th century at Durango’s monthly contra dance.
• KDUR presents Jimmy Smith, Jimmy’s Music, Thurs., Sept. 25, 7 p.m. – From his years with Austin’s The Gourds to his newer project, SmithMcKay All Day, Jimmy Smith is a Texas legend with a knack for swampy grooves and storytelling grit. KDUR brings him to Durango’s most intimate room for what promises to be a raucous, rootssoaked night. ■
The Fretliners bring their Colorado bluegrass to the ACT on Sept. 10.
MurderInk
Carrying on the tradition
by Jeffrey Mannix
Ragnar Jónasson is a young Icelandic writer of crime fiction who has proved an agile talent with unimpeachable tenacity to join the great luminaries in the history of Icelandic writers.
Halldór Laxness, born in 1902 in the settlement of Reykjavik in Danish Iceland, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955, bringing attention to the north Atlantic island in sight of the Arctic Circle. Iceland has forever been the only country boasting of 100% literacy, with reading and writing eclipsing organized religion in one of the world’s most breathtaking Xanadus.
This tiny and barren Arctic island of 392,000 also includes literary virtuoso Arnaldur Indridason, with international book sales in excess of 20 million and the only author to win the Glass Key Award from the Crime Writers Association for Best Nordic Crime Novel two years in a row with his “Jar City” and “Silence of the Grave,” both reviewed in these pages.
Jónasson crept into Icelandic notoriety in 2010 with “Snowblind,” the first in his Dark Iceland series centered in and around a small fishing village in the north island settlement of Siglufjörour. It was a courageous beginning and Jónasson’s first contribution to his reputation in Icelandic noir fiction. “Snowblind” was an instant island hit and migrated immediately east and west, followed by more translations and more offshore hits for the next four years.
Jónasson’s latest offering by Minotaur Books carries the unusual title, “The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer.” Translated from Icelandic by Victoria Cribb, Jónasson has once again gifted the crime fiction genre with another gently plotted mystery in his inimitable, uncluttered style.
On page one, we’re given an announcement in the Morgunbladid newspaper on 15 October 2002 that best-selling and loved Icelandic author Elin S. Jóns-
dóttir is releasing the 10th and final book of her pres tigious 20-year career.
“Ten books in 20 years are more than enough,” Elin declares. “From now on I’m going to devote myself to reading.” Elin, it is noted, has been hailed as a pioneer of Icelandic crime writing and has re ceived numerous awards for her books, which have sold millions of copies worldwide.
The opening inter view in old typewriter monotype by an anony mous reporter goes on to establish the seren dipitous personality of Iceland’s cherished crime writer, who is believed to have put their tiny island on the map. Elin is strong-willed, unim pressed with her fame and casual about her writing. She has given up her compulsive writing as if it were a resolution to quit smoking.
We go on now to meet Helgi Reykdal, an Icelandic police detective we previously met in Jónasson’s 2024 novel “Death at the Sanatorium.” He brings a serendipitous personality and a troubling love life with a new girlfriend and an ex bent on making her
replacement miserable and fearful of her penchant for revenge.
Detective Helgi Reykdal appears again to investigate the eventually realized situation that Elin Jónsdóttir is not simply retired but is in fact missing. And surfacing in the search for Elin is a dark secret from 1965 about a bank robbery she’s insinuated with, a missing detective Hulda Hermannsdottir, and Elin’s insistence in a 2005 interview with one proviso that it will not be published until after her death.
“The Case of the Missing Crime Writer” is a mystery in the style of old Agatha Christie mysteries: precise but gentle, demanding participation from the reader. Jónasson doesn’t tell you what’s happening, he asks you to pull the pieces together and carry some of the load. The story is simple, and there’s no need to explain any more. The reader is the helmsman, and with this subtle and gentle story, you will direct the dramaturgy and occupy this story before you’re done reading. It’s a lovely book.
You’ll like this sophisticated book, and it will likely send you on the hunt for Jónasson’s other books. Ask Maria’s Bookshop for their generous 15% Murder Ink discount. ■
Stuff to Do
Thursday04
Chautauqua Presentation “Lincoln Tales Tall and True,” 11:30 a.m., Pine River Library, 395 Bayfield Center, Bayfield
“Share Your Garden” surplus produce distribution, 4:30-6 p.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203
FLC Cycling Campus Champs, bike races and music by DJ Space Bunz, 5-8 p.m., FLC clocktower
Ska-B-Q w/music by Safety Meeting, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Weekly Dart Tournament, 5:30 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Spanish Conversation Hour, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Open Mic Poetry Night, 5:30-8 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave.
Jeff Solon Jazz, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Name That Tune Trivia Bingo, 6-8 p.m., Barons Creek Vineyards, 901 Main Ave.
Matthew McDaniel plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Andrew Schuhmann plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Darryl Kuntz 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
Trivia Night hosted by Aria PettyOne, 7:309:30 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
Friday05
Durango First Friday, 4-7 p.m., downtown Durango various locations
“Nature’s Tapestry in Plein Air,” juried exhibit opening reception, 5-7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave. Exhibit runs through Oct. 25.
Lucille Olechowski “Chopping and Stacking Glaspens,” opening reception, 5-8 p.m., The Recess Gallery, Studio &, 1027 Main Ave. Exhibit runs thru September.
The Hitchhikers play, 5-8 p.m., Gazpacho, 431 E. 2nd Ave.
Colony Funk plays Silverton Summer Sounds Series, 6 p.m., Memorial Park, 1800 Greene St.
Tom Ward’s Downfall plays, 6-8 p.m., Durango Winery, 900 Main Ave.
“Pack Light, Poop Right” ultralight backpacking and leave no trace practices, 6-8 p.m., Pine Needle Mountaineering, 835 Main Ave.
Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Dustin Burley plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Darryl Kuntz plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Friday Nights at Fox Fire, 6-9 p.m., Fox Fire Farms Winery, 5513 CR 321, Ignacio
A Night of Improv presented by Lower Left Improv, 7 p.m., Durango Arts Center, 802 E. 2nd Ave.
San Juan Symphony presents the Verona Quartet, 7 p.m., St. Mark’s Church, 910 E. 3rd Ave.
The Art of Nan Coffey and anniversary beer release party, 4-7 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Open Mic Comedy, 7-9 p.m., EsoTerra, 558 Main
Lizard Head Quartet plays, 7-10 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Saturday06
Faux’teener Challenge, 6 a.m., Purgatory Resort
Kiwanis Pancake Day, 7 a.m.-2 p.m., La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave.
Durango Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 noon, TBK Bank Parking Lot 259 W. 9th St.
Bayfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m.-12 noon, Saturdays thru Oct., 1328 CR 501, Bayfield
Tour De Farms, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., meet at Christ the King Peace Garden, 495 Florida Rd.
Pine Needle Trail Work Day, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Santa Rita Park, www.durangotrails.org
Makerspace Heritage Arts Fair, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave.
Live Music, 3 p.m., Purgatory Resort
“Youth Entrepreneurs Marketing and Makers Market Logics,” free workshop, 4-7 p.m., Fort Lewis Innovation Center, 835 Main Ave., Ste. 225
SOLD OUT: Ska Brewing 30th Anniversary Party & Brewer’s Invitational, music by Less Than Jake, 4-9 p.m., Ska Brewing World HQ, 225 Girard St.
The Black Velvet Duo: Nina Sasaki & Larry Carver play, 6-8 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Six Dollar String Band plays, 6 p.m., Union Social House, 3062 Main Ave.
Gary Watkins plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Darryl Kuntz plays, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Galen Clark plays, 6-9 p.m., 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
Stand-Up Comedy Showcase, 8 p.m., The Subterrain, 900 Main Ave., Ste. F
Sunday07
Lost Goat Market Days, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Lost Goat Tavern, 39848 HWY 160, Gem Village
Eli Cartwright plays, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Weekly Peace Vigil & Rally for Gaza & Palestine, every Sunday, 4 p.m., Buckley Park
Blue Moon Ramblers play, 6-9 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Ben Gibson plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Monday08
Mahjong Mondays, 5-7:30 p.m., Lola’s Place, 725 E. 2nd Ave.
Happy Hour Yoga, 5:30 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard St.
Adam Swanson Ragtime plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Author Event: Ernesto Sagás “Latino Colorado,” 6 p.m., Maria’s Bookshop, 960 Main Ave.
Terry Rickard plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Comedy Open Mic, 8 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
Tuesday09
Breast Cancer Networking Group, 4-5 p.m., Cancer Support Community Southwest Colorado, 1701 Main Ave., Ste. C
Spanish Conversation Hour, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Sunnyside Library, 75 CR 218
Adam Swanson Ragtime plays, 5:30-10 p.m., Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Rotary Club of Durango: Kitchen Jam Band on Irish music, 6-7 p.m., Strater Hotel, 699 Main Ave.
AskRachel Crowning achievement, winged avenger & diva dilemma
Interesting fact: In looking for interesting facts about clothes moths, I discovered the existence of carpet beetles. If you need me, I’ll be out living in the woods, where there are fewer bugs, thanks.
Dear Rachel, Labor Day got me thinking. We should have another Labor Day for all the people who have gone into labor to give birth that’s different than Mother’s Day. I think we could make a big push (no pun intended) to get this holiday into the world. Thoughts?
– Contraction Action
Dear Water-Broken, You know, I think there’s already a day to celebrate that kind of labor. It’s called “your birthday.” I know, I know, it’s not a day of celebration for the ones who went through labor. Unless they use a kid’s birthday as an excuse to invite over all their grownup friends and get trashed while a clown terrifies the kids. Cliché? Maybe. True? Also maybe.
Sean O’Brien plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
Open Mic, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
Wednesday10
Weekly Bird Walks, 8-9:30 a.m., Durango Public Library Botanical Gardens, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Breakfast Club Trail Work Day, weekly, 8 a.m.-10:30 p.m., location TBD, sign up at www.durangotrails.org
Twin Buttes Farm Stand, Wednesdays, 3-6:30 p.m., Twin Buttes, 165 Tipple Ave.
Ska Bingo Night, 5-7 p.m., Animas River Lounge, DoubleTree Hotel
Writers & Scribblers Writing Group, 6-8 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E. 3rd Ave.
Adam Swanson Ragtime, 6-9 p.m., The Diamond Belle Saloon, 699 Main Ave.
Chuck Hank plays, 6-9 p.m., Office Spiritorium, 699 Main Ave.
But if you can get a special day for the ones who birthed us, it will be your crowning achievement.
– Making a splash, Rachel
Dear Rachel, My ex boyfriend had moths. Not surprising, since he was a slob. I was happy to stop going to his place. But now I have moths. I discovered whole moth colonies in my closet this summer. I’m washing everything I own and following all the advice. But I need some advice for getting back at him. Something deeply fitting and also untraceable to me.
– Mothra
Dear Chewed Up, This is the problem with slobs: there’s nothing much you can do to their stuff that they’ll even notice. You have to go for something irreversible. Something expensive. I’m not saying you should let termites loose under his house. I would never suggest that. But if you could imagine something LIKE
Live Jazz, 6:30-8:30 p.m., 636 Main.
Open Mic, 7 p.m., EsoTerra, 558 Main.
Comedy + Karaoke, 7 p.m., Starlight Lounge, 937 Main Ave.
“Did Ancestral Puebloan People Raise White Woolly Dogs for Their Hair?” 7 p.m., Lyceum Room, FLC
The Fretliners with Alex Graf’s Bluegrass Super PAC perform, 8 p.m., Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Dr.
Ongoing
“Two Sides to Terbush” Dale Terbush solo exhibition, thru Sept. 25, Blue Rain Gallery, 934 Main Ave., Unit B
“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
Heartwood Cohousing 4th Friday Potluck, 6:30 p.m., 800 Heartwood Lane, Bayfield, heartwoodcohousing@gmail.com
that, something also not traceable to me, I would also not suggest that. At least not here, in print.
– Wink wink, Rachel
Dear Rachel, I have a new neighbor who is an opera singer who tours the country singing for different operas. She’s very regimented and takes her work seriously. Unfortunately, it’s also a serious problem. She goes to bed at 7 p.m. and makes sure we all know it. I think to keep us shushed. But then she’s up and practicing at 7 a.m. Have you ever had an opera singer’s voice vibrating through your shared walls? It’s not unpleasant but enough to keep me from going back to sleep. What’s my best way to get her to clam up until after coffee time?
– Aria Kidding Me
Dear Overturned by Overtures, You could always put on Looney Tunes cartoons and turn the sound off.
Upcoming
Ska-B-Q music by Shane Finn, Thurs., Sept. 11, 5 p.m., Ska Brewing, 225 Girard
Happy Hour Trail Work, Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 p.m., location TBD, sign up at www.durangotrails.org
2025 Economic Alliance Summit, Thurs., Sept. 11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sky Ute Casino, 14324 HWY 172, Ignacio
HOPE Network for anyone facing cancer, Thurs., Sept. 11, 2:30-3:30 p.m., 1701 Main Ave., Ste. C
Crafternoons, Thurs., Sept. 11, 45:30 p.m., Durango Public Library, 1900 E 3rd Ave.
Cult Movie Night, featuring a Coen brothers classic, Thurs., Sept. 11, 7 p.m., Mancos Opera House, 125 Grand Ave.
Artists Richard J. Oliver and Michael Clark opening reception, Fri., Sept. 12, 5-7 p.m., Durango Creative District Gallery, 1135 Main Ave.
Devo Film Festival, Fri., Sept. 12, 6:15 p.m., Chapman Ice Rink
Email Rachel at telegraph@durango telegraph.com
Half of those are operatic numbers anyway. At least you’d have morning entertainment. Otherwise, I don’t think you’re going to make much headway. You could fight fire with fire and make sounds like you’re in labor every night. It ain’t over, as they say, until the pregnant lady stops singing. Or something like that.
– Wagnerian at heart, Rachel
Recital Series, Fri., Sept. 12, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 419 San Juan Dr.
Community Picnic and ApplePressing, Sat., Sept. 13, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Animas Valley Grange, 7271 CR 203.
Plein Air Festival, Sat.-Sun., Sept. 1314, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Butterfly Ranch and Granite Peaks, 611 W. Hwy 160
DNF Harvest Fest, music by Mojo Birds, Sat., Sept. 13, 3-8 p.m., Rotary Park
Farmington Hill plays, Sat., Sept. 13, 4-7 p.m., Mancos Brewing, 484 HWY 160
Artist workshops with Richard J. Oliver and Michael Clark, Sept. 13-14, Durango Creative District, 1135 Main Ave.
Meditation and Dharma Talk, Mon., Sept. 15, 5:30 p.m., Durango Dharma Center, 1800 E. 3rd Ave., Ste 109 or online at durangodharma center.org
“The Eagle and The Condor Flying Together,” indigenous culture presentation by Ecuadorian students, Tues., Sept. 16, 7 p.m., Sunflower Theater, 8 E. Main St., Cortez Sept. 4, 2025 n 13
FreeWillAstrology
by Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Quechua language is Indigenous to the Andes Mountains. I have lifted one of their words to use for our purposes: munay. It refers to an intensely practical and visionary love that includes far more than sweet feelings and affection. When we practice munay, we offer discerning respect and detailed appreciation to those we adore. We are generously eager to help our allies live their best lives. It takes discipline, focus and ingenuity! To be a vigorous source of munay, we must cultivate it as a daily practice. In coming weeks, I hope you will go wild in your expression of this tender force of nature. Imagine yourself as a gentle whirlwind of love that spreads interesting beauty and bestows useful blessings.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The medieval Persian polymath Avicenna believed the soul entered the fetus not with the first heartbeat but with the first dream. I offer this idea for your poetic consideration. Let’s imagine that the next beautiful thing you create will not arise from your forceful intention. Rather, it will emerge because you give yourself permission to fantasize, wander freely in wonder and meander with curiosity on the frontiers. Your assignment is not to hustle, but to incubate; not to push forward, but to dwell in the mystery.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The bowerbird constructs elaborate ground-based shrines not as nests but as seduction lures. The enticer might gather blue bottle caps, yellow flowers and shiny stones so as to create a scene that piques the attention of a potential mate. These are not merely decorative. They are displays that demonstrate discernment, skill and aesthetic intelligence. I authorize you to be like a bowerbird. What collection of symbols, words, gestures and curiosities will magnetize people or opportunities you long to engage with? It’s not about flashiness. What you draw into your sphere will reflect the vibes you emanate.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): The pearl doesn’t begin as treasure. In its earliest form, it’s an irritation: a grain of sand that’s really a wound inside the oyster. Over time, the creature coats it with layers of nacre, turning discomfort into luminescence. Let’s use that as a metaphor for you. Your task right now is not to escape or shed what’s bugging you, but to expedite the coating process. What is that gritty thing? A memory, injustice or yearning? It’s crucial you don’t reject it or
let it fester. I think it’s best to turn it, layer by layer, into a luminous asset, even a treasure. Prediction: The pearl you form will long outlast the wound.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Olive trees can thrive in rugged environments, including rocky and nutrient-poor soils. Their root systems are wide, deep and resilient. They are well-adapted to full sun, high temperatures and low water. In comparing you to an olive tree, I’m not implying you will always have to be as hardy as they are. But in coming weeks, you will be wise to be equally plucky and persevering. Here’s another fact about the olive tree you should emulate: Its fruit is valuable and in demand.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Basenji is a dog breed that doesn’t bark. Instead, it produces an eerie, melodic yodel called a baroo. This oddity isn’t a flaw or drawback; it’s an interesting uniqueness. In coming weeks, I invite you to express your personal versions of the baroo – your idiosyncratic offerings and singular gifts. Playfully resist the pressure to be more conventional or “on brand.” Be faithful to what yearns to come out of you, which may be raw, radiant and a little weird. Let your authenticity be exactly what it is: a beacon, not a liability.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Scientists discovered that some caterpillars, while dissolving inside their cocoons, retain memories of their caterpillar lives after becoming butterflies. In my view, that’s equivalent to us humans remembering details of our previous incarnations: having an all-new body but being able to draw on what our past body learned. According to my analysis of astrological omens, you will be able to draw on this amazing capacity in coming weeks. The person you used to be will have key revelations and inspirations for the future you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): According to Celtic mythology, Cerridwen is the goddess of inspiration. In her cauldron, she brews magical elixirs that bestow the powers of wisdom, creativity and transformation. The humans most likely to earn her blessings are those who are patient and willing to be changed. Of all the signs in the zodiac, you Scorpios are now at the top of the eligibility list for gifts like these. And the next three weeks will be the most favorable time for you to ask for and receive such blessings. Here’s a clue that will help you get all you deserve: Believe in magic.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In ancient Chinese philosophy, ziran means naturalness, spontaneity. It might refer to the way a mountain is purely a mountain and a wave is a wave without trying to be a wave. I think you are due for an extended engagement with this ease and freedom. After weeks of inner labor, your soul wants to breathe. Let yourself be as natural and unconstrained as you dare – not correct, careful or “optimized.” So I advise you to head in the direction of what’s simple, real and good. Emphasize smoothness over effort. Choose your rhythm, not theirs. You aren’t required to prove your healing; you just have to live it.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Serendipity” is an English work that refers to beautiful accidents, fortunate interruptions, unexpected opportunities and wonderful discoveries (The French equivalent is sérendipité; Italian: serendipità; Japanese: serendipiti.) The word didn’t exist until 1754, when author Horace Walpole coined it. Lovely outbreaks of good luck and uncanny blessings had been happening from time immemorial, of course, even though there wasn’t this word for them. Here’s a key point: They are more likely to occur if you believe they’re possible and make yourself alert for their arrival. That’s good advice for you right now.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The placenta is the only organ that the human body creates from scratch and then discards. Let’s pause for a moment to register how remarkable this is: to grow a temporary life-support system and then jettison it once its purpose is fulfilled. I speculate you may soon undertake a metaphorical version of this. A situation or experience that has nurtured you is reaching the end of its mission. Though it has served you well, the wise move might be to move on to a new phase. At the very least, it’s time to embark on a search for new nourishment.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In Balinese gamelan music, there’s a technique called kotekan. Two instrumentalists play distinct musical parts that together create a seamless, intricately melodic and rhythmic texture. Let’s make this your metaphor to live by in coming weeks. In my astrological opinion, you are not meant to work solo. The greatest success and most fun will come by generating harmony through collaborative improvisation and shared timing. A small warning: Someone else’s input may at first feel like interference, but it’s actually the missing part of the song. Let yourself blend, bounce, echo and respond. Genius will be born in the spaces between.
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
ForSale
Mid-Century Modern Art and antique collector’s inventory. Ready for an upscale gift store. See a third of the inventory here: https://photos. app.goo.gl/1jTBijc8m4cLKAey6 If interested, email: houseoffigs1@gmail.com
Reruns Home Furnishings
Patio sets, bistros and yard art. Also looking to consign smaller furniture pieces. 572 E. 6th Ave. Open Mon.-Sat.
Classes/Workshops
West Coast Swing
Ready to dance? Join our 3-week West Coast Swing Basics series for beginners! It’s fun, social, and easy to learn—no partner or experience needed. A new series starts every few weeks, so join us for the next one! We also offer a weekly social dance – a fun drop-in option or included with your series registration! Sign up at: www.westslopewesties.com
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 Intro Series
Try a no-kick, no-punch martial art. Deflect and flow via nonviolence. Intro starts Sept. 8, Mondays 615-815pm (18+). Affordable package options. Details: durangoaikido.com. Text/call questions to 970-426-5257.
BodyWork
Cid Come Home
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. 970-4036192 .
Wanted
Books Wanted at White Rabbit
Donate/Trade/Sell 970 259-2213
Services
Boiler Service - Water Heater
Serving Durango over 30 years. Brad, 970-759-2869. Master Plbg Lic #179917
Chapman Electric
Specializing in remodels, repairs, and additions both big and small. Local and reliable. Colorado Licensed Master Electrician. Mike 970-403-6670
Electric Repair
Roof, gutter cleaning, fence, floors, walls, flood damage, mold, heating service.
Massage by Meg Bush LMT, 30, 60 & 90 min., 970-759-0199.
CommunityService
Dog Fosters Needed
Parker’s Animas Rescue needs foster families to provide temporary homes for rescued dogs: parkersanimal rescue.com.
Find Relief & Support
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 and improved movement. innerpeaceyoga
‘Nonnas’
Such a sickly sweet family film, it might just give you agita – Lainie
therapy.com/locations/durango/
Dementia/Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Support Group and information/resources to 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. For info., email cajunmc@gmail .com or go to www.alz/org/co
Maxson
