AmeriCorps on the chopping block

To the editor,

Congress recently proposed a disastrous bill that would reduce opportunities for young people to serve their county by cutting the AmeriCorps program, by as much as 34 percent. Under the plan, half of all AmeriCorps members serving today would disappear from cities and towns all across the country – a devastating blow to national service.  

These cuts mean half as many AmeriCorps members serving with local programs, like Southwest Conservation Corps. AmeriCorps members serving with Southwest Conservation Corps build and maintain local trails, remove invasive species from public lands and complete fire mitigation projects. Nationwide, AmeriCorps members make all the difference in overcrowded classrooms, understaffed health clinics, after-school programs that keep kids safe, tutoring programs that lower dropout rates, and efforts to rebuild communities after natural disasters. Additionally, more than 470 AmeriCorps members responded to the Colorado flooding in 2013, providing a range of services including supporting shelter operations, staffing call centers, mucking and gutting homes, managing volunteers, and supporting evacuation sites.

And, an AmeriCorps member who earns a year’s worth of real-life skills and experience costs America far less than a graduate who becomes virtually unemployable after a year without a job. Additionally, AmeriCorps members earn an education award to cover college costs or pay back student loans in exchange for their year of service.

This bill has the potential to eliminate that opportunity for nearly 50,000 Americans, even as student debt skyrockets and college tuition hits record highs.

It seems impractical to reduce an agency which can, with the collaboration of local organizations, help people who need to stabilize their lives in a time of crisis. AmeriCorps members do not make partisan judgments on who to respond to; they just go help.

I urge Sens. Bennet and Gardner, and Rep. Tipton to reject these disastrous cuts to national service, and I encourage fellow Coloradans to join me in calling on their members of Congress to protect AmeriCorps.

– Kevin Heiner, regional director, Southwest Conservation Corps

Editor’s note: If this were television you would see us blushing bright red from all the warm fuzzies. That’s because over the last month, the Durango Telegraph has been inundated with love letters from adoring readers. (OK, so maybe it had something to do with the promise of two free Ride Festival tickets, but we’re not above playing such games.) Alas, when the emails settled and the bleary-eyed judges had poured over the tens, er, tons of entries, there was a consensus in the Telegraph’s first-ever, sort-of-official contest. Congratulations go to our grand prize winner, local artist Debra Greenblatt. Her creative fable about a scrappy upstart named Tele climbing the Durango corporate beanstalk, won the hearts of our judges – as well as two free tickets to this weekend’s Ride Festival.

Coming in close second was Nico Foster, a scrappy upstart in his own right, who took a bite out of the competition – literally. (While the Telegraph is printed with soy-based ink and we are pretty sure ingesting a small amount would be harmless, we would advise readers to get their fiber elsewhere.)

Rounding out the podium was Mark Dickman, whose rational, calm approach made us all feel like we were good enough, smart enough and, gosh darn it, that people liked us.

For their efforts, Nico and Mark will receive their very own Telegraph T-shirts, in always-fashionable newsprint black. And to all those who may not have won but took the time to write: you are the wind beneath our paper wings.

As promised, here are the three top winners, in order.

A Durango fairytale

Once upon a time in a land of majestic mountains, flowing rivers and beautiful valleys, there lived a giant named Herald. This giant ruled the information the little town received and charged for it. One bright day, a scrappy newcomer, Tele, came to town preaching alternative ideas. Herald asked the scrappy newcomer what she had to offer that he didn’t provide. Tele replied that she came to town to provide local color. The people rejoiced, now there was a choice.

Tele wrote about regional news and had entertaining columns that brought smiles to the faces of all. Tidbits like “Ear to the Ground,” “Word on the Street” and “Thumbin’ It” let the people have an entertaining form of news. “La Vida Local” provided a well-written and fresh approach to an opinion column. Questions of the heart were answered by the Diver, the cartoonists were locals, and advertising was reasonably priced.

Herald was aghast; this little upstart was exciting and fresh and the people took notice. They were amazed and delighted that so much entertainment could be had weekly for free! The little town welcomed the newcomer and from that day on, the people could choose from two sources of information. Long live the Tele and her golden pen.

– Debra Greenblatt, Durango

Keeping Durango weird

Dear Telegraph,

“Clean meat never fattened a pig,” the authentically accented Irishman boasted. The Durango Telegraph can be dirty and uh … meaty, so if you follow the logic of the Irish (assuming we can all be a bit piggish now and then) it can be said with impunity that the Telegraph makes us all fatter. But the Telegraph can also be clean as a coal-fired-train-whistle when it comes to the skinny on community events and other interesting news. Sweet and salty, sweet and sour ... sour and salty? You get the idea, it’s the contrast that makes our local rag so vividly pungent.

Speaking of pungent, the other day I picked up the freshest Telegraph and smelled it. It smelled great so I tasted it. It tasted good, so I ripped it up and sprinkled it in my mac & cheese ... just kidding (not recommended). But the Telegraph does smell like the funny papers of my youth, which is both charming and delightful.

So, fellow readers, next week after you grab a fresh one from the newsstand, take a big whiff, and if someone looks at you sideways, take a big-ass bite because this is Durango. And Durango is weird, raunchy, intelligent, athletic, poetic, artistic, laid back and hectic all at the same time – and somehow, some way, the Durango Telegraph manages to represent all of that, on the weekly and for free. Amazing.

– Smell ya later, Nico Foster

Let me count the ways

I have been reading the Telegraph since I first moved to Durango, over 10 years ago. I never miss an issue, unless I go out of town, and even then I try to find a copy when I return. 

First and foremost, I want to know what’s going on in the area. The “On the Town” calendar is indispensable for planning a weekend of fun in Durango, and that’s what Durangotangs are all about.  Chris Aaland’s “Top Shelf” adds some great color commentary, along with his vast knowledge of music and the history of events in the area. 

As much as the Telegraph helps Durango laugh at itself (“The Diver” for example, and many of the editorials), it also takes seriously issues that are important to us, such as protecting the environment where we love to recreate and the small-town community that we value.

Feature stories have merit and reflect issues important to our community. “Mountain Exchange” helps us keep up with what’s going on with our sister mountain towns, which is important to our future economy and vitality.

Put simply, the Telegraph truly captures the personality of Durango. We love to have fun and laugh at ourselves and each other, but we are serious about protecting the lifestyle and community we love.  My advice for Durango newcomers:  If you want to know the heartbeat of Durango, pick up the Telegraph every week.

– Mark Dickmann, Durango