City, county wrap up long-term highway planning
Plan covers local sections of Hwy. 50 and 135
Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
Bella Biondini Times Editor
In anticipation of the increased traffic congestion that inherently comes along with new development, a new plan will regulate how drivers enter and exit Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 135. The more access roads that lead from businesses, apartment complexes and other
NEWS: Gunnison man arrested for child pornography, A10
COMMUNITY: Three generations at Waunita Hot Springs, B1
SPORTS: Titans hockey slips against Summit, B4
OBITUARIES A3
OPINION A4
CLASSIFIEDS A15-A17 SPORTS B4
properties directly onto the highway, the greater the chance of car accidents. The danger only increases when cyclists and pedestrians are added to the mix, said Gunnison City Manager Amanda Wilson. The City of Gunnison and Gunnison County, alongside the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), are working on a highway “access control plan” for portions of Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 135 that run through town. Access control planning gives local governments the chance to talk about land use and traffic safety, and avoid the need for “ad hoc” changes to the configuration of the highways as the valley
Access A6
Court rules Gunnison Rising lien invalid
Owners still working through bankruptcy court
Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
A Gunnison District Court judge has ruled that a multimillion dollar lien on the Gunnison Rising property is not valid due to a filing error, according to court records. Prior to the ruling, lawyers for the contractor Dietrich Dirtwork LLC were pushing to possibly force the sale of land to pay invoices.
Gunnison Rising owner Gunnison Valley Properties (GVP) has already settled with two other local contractors, Wesco Distribution and Spallone Construction. But GVP and Dietrich continue to spar in court over details such as interest accruing on construction invoices — which could add or subtract hundreds of thousands of dollars to GVP’s final bill.
Dietrich is one of the contractors hired to build Gunnison Rising, a 600-acre, multi-phased development just east of town. Dietrich and two other contractors sued GVP in 2023 for unpaid invoices, but the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy just under a year later,
Rising A5
Blacklock named new head of RMBL Brings
engineering, management background to role
Bella Biondini Times Editor
Jeni Blacklock has been chosen as the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s (RMBL) new executive director. She is the former dean of the Western Colorado University-CU Boulder partnership program, housed in the Rady School of Computer Science and Engineering.
Founded in 1928, the research station is Gunnison County’s oldest nonprofit. RMBL, located just north of
Crested Butte in the historic Gothic townsite, attracts scientists from around the globe. It is a research hub due to the prolific amount of long-term data sets about the flora, fauna and climate in the high elevation mountain system.
Ian Billick announced last summer that he would step away from his role as executive director, a position he has held for almost 25 years. After a national search and months of deliberation, the RMBL Board of Trustees selected Blacklock to be the research station’s next leader in late December.
Billick said he believed her background — a blend of engineering, science and program building — would allow RMBL to expand the research opportunities in the valley. Blacklock has a PhD in biomedical engineering from the Max Planck
Blacklock A6
VERY NICE ICE: Climbers ascend frozen faces at a section of the Lake City Ice Park known as the Beer Garden on Jan. 4. For more, see A9. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
“I thought [that job] would be a cool thing to do for an experience of a lifetime. And I ended up with a lifetime experience.”
— Tammy Pringle, Waunita co-owner
Sparklers and snowflakes
City makes offer to new police chief
The City of Gunnison selected Sam Costello to serve as its next police chief.
Costello started his career in 1996 as a community service officer for the Lacey, Washington, Police Department. In 1998, he joined the Olympia Police Department, where he has worked for more than two decades. Before his departure, he served as the deputy chief of police and was responsible for the leadership and management of the operations division.
Costello attended his first year of college at Western Colorado University and finished his degree from Chapman University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Virginia.
The city’s offer is conditional until Costello obtains a required Colorado certification and completes a variety of screenings. He is tentatively scheduled to begin his new role the first week of March.
Vail sends Colorado ski patrollers to Park City
Over the past two weeks, ski patrollers at Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort have been on strike. Owner Vail Resorts was not willing to negotiate the ski patrol union’s request for higher wages, resulting in long lift lines and limited open terrain. The Park City Mountain ski patrol union and Vail reached a tentative agreement on Jan. 7.
While Vail stated that the strikes are having “no impact to Colorado terrain or safety,” seven Colorado-based patrollers were temporarily assigned to Park City. Patrollers have been sent from Crested Butte, Breckenridge and Keystone — all owned by Vail.
“While the immediate consequences of this action may not be visible, the long-term effects will be significant,” a Dec. 31 joint letter from the Park City and Colorado ski patrol unions states. “A lack of local leadership has a huge negative effect on morale, how our teams effectively manage risk for ourselves in the field, and keep a safe experience for the guests that visit our resorts.”
(Courtesy Taylor Ahearn/Crested Butte Mountain Resort)
Glenn Franklin George
Glenn Franklin George, a devout husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather passed away peacefully on Jan. 5, 2025 at the Gunnison Senior Care Center at the age of 92. Glenn was born Dec. 15, 1932 in Salida, Colorado to Lawrence B. “Shorty” George and Luvinia Nancy (Clark) George. His parents were living in Sargents at the time, and the only way to get to the hospital in Salida was via the train over Marshall Pass. His love and knowledge of local trains started that day.
His early years were spent beside his dad working at various ranches in the valley, mainly the Means Ranch in Sargents, the Field Land and Cattle Ranch in Parlin and the Allen Ranches up Ohio Creek and near Crested Butte. The family spent summers at the old cow camp above Crested Butte. They covered all the county above Crested Butte on horseback and he loved to share this knowledge with pride.
All of his 12 years of schooling were in the Gunnison Watershed School District, graduating from Gunnison High School in 1950. Glenn was an athlete, participating in football and basketball. After graduation, he made the decision to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corp on a cold, minus52-degree morning feeding cattle by horse team. He figured, “What am I doing this for?”
He rose to the rank of sergeant while serving in the Korean War as a radioman.
After serving, he utilized his GI Bill benefits to attend Western State College and graduated with a BA degree. He was the first in his family to graduate college. One of his best memories of these years was pulling the train rails of the same railroad that he rode on as a newborn. He met the love of his life and best friend, Melva Leonard, at
The Sweet Shop in Gunnison and they were married on July 27, 1958. They celebrated their 66th anniversary in July 2024. Wherever Glenn was, Melva was right beside him.
The couple traveled around with various jobs and ended up in Denver working at the Denver Livestock Exchange. His major accomplishment there was to combine all the individual brokers into one, creating the centralized livestock sales system that was used at the National Western Stockshow during that time.
Glenn and Melva were able to purchase their first home in Northglenn and started their family. In 1970, they knew city living wasn’t for them and moved their family back to Gunnison with the opportunity to work at the First National Bank where he retired as a board member, comptroller and other main positions in 1991.
Glenn was very active in many local organizations and board of directors. These organizations included the Chamber of Commerce, County Adjustments Land Use, Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, CSU Experiment Station and the Pioneer Museum. His two proudest were 26 years on the Cattleman’s Days Committee as treasurer and treasurer of the O.T.A. Baseball and was also on the first Babe Ruth Baseball Board. Supporting the local 4-H Program was very important to Glenn and Melva, with over 40 years of clerking the livestock sale.
Family was the highest priority and he made time for everything when not working. Jeeping, camping and backpack trips, playing catch in the front yard; he never missed any event that his kids were involved in as well as his grandkids. After retirement, the couple started biking with Kenny and Kay George and covered many trails in the U.S. Up to his final day, Glenn continued to joke and tease as he had done his entire life.
The modest person that Glenn was, he was pretty proud to have been one of the only people to have ridden a horse, rode in a train, drove a car, rode his bike and walked pulling the
train rails from Crested Butte to Gunnison, some being done well into his seventies.
He is preceded in death by the love of his life Melva, his parents L.B. and Luvinia George, his half sisters Dorothy, Anna Mae and Margaret, his brothers Lawrence Jr. and Kennith George. He is survived by his son Brad (Sheri) George, and daughter Keri George, and his three grandchildren, Nick Kvachkoff, Ally Kvachkoff and Bethany George, great granddaughter Lyla Marie and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 18, 11 a.m. at Webster Hall.
The George Family would like to thank all the caregivers at the Gunnison Valley Hospital and the Senior Care Center for the wonderful care they provided to Glenn and his family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the 4-H Forever Fund, Gunnison Senior Care Center and Gunnison Pioneer Museum or charity of choice.
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On things that change, and some that don’t
As we celebrated the New Year a few days ago, I couldn’t help but recall how the date “2025” sounded to all of us back in the dim and distant past of my childhood. It was a thoroughly theoretical number, a mathematical construct without any connection to observable reality. Trying to imagine what future life might be like had more in common with science fiction than lived experience. Turns out, we weren’t really wrong about that. Though the changes have been mostly slow and incremental, in hindsight, some of them are as we dreamed they might be. Flying cars were emblematic of that vision, it’s true; but self-driving ones are close enough. In the late 60s, Captain Kirk had seemingly magical knowledge at his disposal, just by calling on an oracle called “Computer.” Check. We’ve got that, and more.
LETTERS
I know now why some people stare
Editor:
I know now why some people stare
LETTERS POLICY
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Email letters to editor@gunnisontimes.com or send to 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, CO 81230. Include your full name, address and a phone number — for our internal use only.
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Why they sit or stand and gaze
We think of all the things we’ve done
Through our lives one by one
They’re hardly thoughts we choose to share
Though they stay for all our days
Most of us who think we’re sane
Remember in a moment’s bane
As real as if the memory’s now And cannot stay this ill refrain
The one that hotly thrums our
I could go on. The list includes some innovations that lean to the “dark side” — the ominous development of artificial intelligence without solving safety issues; the unintended consequences of merging technology with biology to make a human being into something … else; toying with DNA-altering technologies. All of that was fantastical in 1970; all of it predicted by science fiction writers.
But I’d rather point out that, for all those momentous developments, some things will never change. I’m referring to the things that make us human at all, not just define what we can build with our endowment of intelligence and creativity. What we are, not just what we do. The latter has been our obsession for several centuries now, but I suggest that the next stage of maturity as a species will require more emphasis on the former. What do we see when we look forward another 50 or 100 years? Who will we be and can we be better?
Henry David Thoreau captured this idea when he wrote, “We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate.” Nothing worthwhile. Nothing beneficial. That is, innovation is
brain
We shake our head
We nod and twitch
We roll our eyes
We shut them tight to douse the switch
But nothing changes what is read
Upon the gauge where our life lies
But blessedly, our thoughts move on in quick succession
The moments of our lives to guide the parts we show to kith and kin
The shows of passion and repression
That brings to us a full life’s lesson
Always guiding, always leading by the fitful light of reason
So be we wise or be we brave
not an end in itself, but is only as good as the substance, character and quality of the people who use it.
These are things worth thinking about in 2025, especially now, when the strain on all those impressive systems we’ve built is becoming critical. The future is ours to make.
Speaking of change and the New Year, we’re happy to announce some great new additions to the Gunnison Country Shopper
Months ago, I got a letter from young readers who wrote, “Some people would like to read comics in the newspaper.” It’s taken a while, but starting this week we take that advice to heart by including a full page of comics and puzzles in the Shopper each week. We think “some people” are actually “most people” who want their paper to include the bright side of life.
But that’s not all. Starting now the Shopper will host:
• The Gunnison School Page — a window into student life in our community
• “What’s Happening?” — a weekly events calendar and one-stop resource for ways to get out of the house and
Let us pass this life with care
So when through our pasts we gaze We bless the times we simply stare
Joe Dix Gunnison
Prayer for the New Year
Editor:
May the light of our bodies bless the darkness
Let us not drive ourselves into false frenzies
Let us pay closest attention to the news at hand
involved in the community
• The Pet Adoption Page — a match-making service placing unattached pets in their forever homes
• Kid Scoop — a fun and educational page of activities and puzzles for kids, developed by professional educators
• GunniBiz — featuring local business leaders and entrepreneurs
All of this — and lots more — on top of the free classified listings that have made the Shopper the Gunnison Valley’s favorite bulletin board for more than 50 years.
One thing is certain never to change: our commitment here at Alan Wartes Media to create the high qualtiy hometown newspaper and other publications that our tradition demands and that you’ve come to expect.
Here’s to a great year ahead!
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)
May we walk through the shadows into a hot springs like Ouray’s soaked in pure light beneath a cliff’s sheer height Moon’s curved alabaster Mountain’s distant obsidian
Art Goodtimes Norwood
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
Rising
from A1
putting the case on hold. In bankruptcy, GVP could either sell land or issue more debt to free up cash for creditors, but the hundreds of acres of land comprising Gunnison Rising are undeveloped. And in the Mountain West, an acre of dirt is more valuable when hooked up to utilities.
While GVP worked through bankruptcy, Dietrich’s lawyers were asking the courts to validate their mechanic's lien and a breach of contract claim. In late October, District Court Judge Kellie Starritt ruled that Dietrich’s lien on the property was invalid because the company filed a notice of intent to file a lien, but never actually filed a lien statement.
Dietrich lawyers eventually filed an amended lien nearly a year after the notice, but it was past the statutory timeframe. Its lawyers attempted to argue that the notice was sufficient and had the same information, but Starritt disagreed.
Starritt granted a partial summary judgment for Dietrich’s breach of contract claim, noting that GVP and Dietrich agree that GVP owes Dietrich at least $3.1 million in construction costs. However, the companies continue to disagree over the final amount GVP owes Dietrich, taking into account interest that has accrued on unpaid invoices.
The matter is made more complicated by the fact that Dietrich and GVP only signed a fixed cost contract for the first portion of work, or about $600,000. For the rest, which totals millions, the companies had a “time and materials” agreement, wherein the company would pay Dietrich on a rolling basis based on the work completed.
As a result, the companies are now arguing over the interest rates on the construction work. Dietrich’s lawyers claim the company is owed 1.5% to 2% per month on its many invoices, whereas GVP is asserting the Colorado law regarding mechanics liens caps that rate at 12% per year. The outcome, expected to be decided in court once the bankruptcy is resolved, could shift GVP’s total bill by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Bankruptcy updates
Now months into bankruptcy, Gunnison Rising owners are considering a variety of ways to free up cash to pay creditors and continue construction on the property. According to court filings, owners may raise more money to pay for further infrastructure as soon as this year. GVP filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late August, 2024, which allows investors to continue running the company while the court oversees its payment of outstanding creditors. The owners of Gunnison Rising envisioned that the 600 raw acres of land comprising the project would eventually become a $130 million, multiphased development. It is still imagined to include 1,700 residential units, and more than 700,000 square feet of retail and industrial space, plus land for an RV park. GVP was tasked with installing necessary utility infrastructure and roads in order to sell it at a profit to other builders.
But GVP is faced with a puzzle of land valuation. While it claims to be backed by at least $61 million in land value, nearly all of it remains undeveloped; no water, no sewer and no roads. This means that GVP’s largest asset, its land, may prove difficult to sell as it looks to free up money. GVP estimates an additional $15 million in infrastructure work has yet
to be completed and it has yet to receive subdivision approval from the city for the rest of the project. It already received approval for the “government campus” which now houses the Bureau of Land Management and FedEx buildings.
Before filing for bankruptcy GVP planned to issue metro district bonds, which create a taxing district to help shift the cost of building to future home and business owners, to pay for the infrastructure. Rising interest rates in 2022 and 2023 delayed the process, but GVP is prepared to issue bonds when the market has rebounded “sufficiently,” according to court records. The company is seeking an updated land valuation, which could help it secure more capital if it chooses to continue fundraising.
With additional capital, GVP believes it could resume on-site infrastructure in the 2025 construction season, according to court records. The company has met with Hilco Global regarding a potential debtor-in-possession loan, unique financing for firms in bankruptcy.
The company is also appraising on a 5-acre parcel in the northwest corner of Gunnison Rising’s boundaries which is deed restricted to provide 64 units of affordable housing. GVP states there’s one builder already interested in the parcel, according to court filings.
If GVP can recover from bankruptcy, the next phase of the project is the residential portion, which aims to offer single, multi-family and incomerestricted units. The company believes the valley’s slimming housing market will create high demand among developers.
(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)
All individuals and groups applying are encouraged to contact the District to discuss their project PRIOR to application submission at 970-641-6065 or beverly@ugrwcd.org
Up to $50,000 per project!
• Projects must have a 50 percent match.
• Projects must be ready for implementation in 2025.
• Projects must meet the District's mission and purpose.
Examples of Projects: new water supplies; irrigation infrastructure; water-quality or aquatic habitat improvement; water conservation; education and more! (See Guidelines in Packet)
For an application packet and guidelines please visit:
ugrwcd.org/grant-funding/
Construction at Gunnison Rising’s “government campus” — the project’s first phase on the south side of the highway — began in 2021, along with the installation of its main utility lines. (Photo by Bella Biondini)
develops.
State law allows CDOT to manage access points along its roadways, which could mean limiting new access roads when other options are available. While the city has an access control plan for the eastern portion of Hwy. 50, triggered by the development of Gunnison Rising, this is its first for the northern and western sections of town.
Over the past three years, the city and county have worked with CDOT to cover the stretch of Hwy. 50 traveling west out of town (between Hwy. 135 and County Road 726 ) and the section of Hwy. 135 north of town (between Hwy. 50 and County Road 8). These sections of highway were selected for the high prospect of future development, Assistant County Manager for Public Works Martin Schmidt told the Times
Using the access control plan, when new development is proposed, transportation planners may consolidate the number of access points to the highway, create dedicated leftand right-turn lanes and install new traffic lights, roundabouts or frontage roads. In total, the plan will cover just over 12 miles of highway. Gunnison County Commissioners and the Gunnison City Council intend to review the final drafts this month, before adoption in March.
The state-funded planning document looks holistically at highway corridors to “find the right balance” between traffic flows and private property access, Paul Silberman, a transportation planning manager at Mead & Hunt, said at an open house in October. Mead & Hunt is the project consultant.
Over the past couple of months, the project team has worked through the plan’s details with property and business owners. Some worried their access to the highway would be severed, potentially affecting their ability to attract customers.
“If it changes the access, then there can be a concern that people will not stop,” Wilson told the
Times . “Convenience is often critical for a business.”
But there will be no immediate changes to access points along the highway. In the future, highway configurations may be altered in the case of new development that increases traffic flows, changes in land use or a publicly funded project undertaken by the city or town.
“In no case will any owner wake up to construction equipment implementing the [access control plan] without extensive communication, outreach and collaboration,” Schmidt said. “As a planning document, what the plan does is remove surprises by setting expectations.”
The plan does not dictate the exact use or placement of stop signs, street lights, turning lanes or roundabouts. All of the specifics will be determined based
numerous times before the family relocated in the midst of the pandemic in 2020.
Institute in Germany, and over the last four years served as the dean of the Rady partnership program. Although she remains as an adjunct faculty member at Western, her RMBL transition began on Jan. 1.
“I have some big shoes to fill, and I'm really excited to bring a new perspective,” Blacklock said.
One of Blacklock’s first trips with her husband was a mountain biking excursion up the Cement Creek drainage in Crested Butte more than a decade ago. Enamored by the mountain lifestyle, the pair moved into a small cabin in Fraser, Colorado where they raised their two young sons. They would visit the valley
During her time as the dean of Western-CU Boulder partnership program, Blacklock helped build a joint program between the university and RMBL. She believed that mixing the disciplines of computer science and engineering with biology could answer new research questions in Gothic.
The program, launched in 2024, gives college students a chance to design measurement sensors, maintain field equipment and help RMBL researchers translate data streams into knowledge. Its creators are hopeful the partnership will generate more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) career opportunities for Western students after graduation.
on the proposed development, Schmidt said. The city’s preliminary maps identify major intersections, and local roads and driveways to see if there’s a way to consolidate those “access points” to increase safety.
“Nobody anticipates that every developer along Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 135 are going to show up at the same time and get along in a way that allows for cohesive development … You put together an access control plan so that when one developer shows up in two years, what they build will be cohesive with what the developer that shows up in 25 years wants to build,” Schmidt said.
An example of access control is the shopping center that contains Tractor Supply and O’Reilly’s Auto Parts. Customers have to enter one driveway to
In one ongoing project, students are pioneering a new approach for measuring snowpack using remote sensors. Another computer science project measures the leaf coverage in an area, helping researchers understand how carbon and water move through mountain ecosystems. As new technology — such as rapidly advancing drones and satellites — continues to emerge in the science field, Blacklock said she believes her skillset will help lead RMBL into the future.
“This [director role] is in such great alignment with what I've done at the partnership program,” Blacklock said. “I couldn't be more excited to jump in feet first and see what we can do.”
As it nears its 100th anniversary, RMBL is entering a period of change. While its
access all of the businesses from Hwy. 135, rather than each having its own. Using the access control plan, the city and county would take this approach with new builds, funneling traffic toward intersections with traffic lights or turning lanes, rather than straight onto the highway.
Another example is that traffic gets congested at the intersection of Main Street and Tomichi Avenue, sometimes backing all the way up to Virginia Avenue, another major intersection just a few hundred feet away. While the city has no plans to change the Virginia intersection, the access control plan would forecast future situations like this, and offer ways to avoid congestion.
A small portion of the county’s $15 million federal road safety grant, Safe Streets for All (SS4A),
budget is the largest in history, RMBL has hit the limit on how much science it can support in Gothic. Although its payroll has grown to more than $2 million, Gothic’s cabins reach full capacity each summer. To relieve some of this pressure, RMBL plans to purchase a 7-acre lot to build housing, new laboratories and a visitor center at the upcoming North Village development in Mt. Crested Butte. The added space will give RMBL the opportunity to host year-round research projects, which are currently difficult as Gothic can only be reached by skis during the winter months. It will also give RMBL the opportunity to expand science programming for elementary, high school and college students. Some of the programs introduce younger students to
may be applicable to future access control planning projects, but only for certain areas identified in the grant application, Schmidt said. For example, the SS4A grant money includes funding for sidewalk improvements in Gunnison. As a “publicly funded project,” and if adopted, the ACP would be a guiding document.
(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
a career in science, while others establish a pathway for graduates to stay in the valley.
RMBL is one of only a handful of independent field stations in the United States. This means it is not directly affiliated with a university or large institution and manages its own funding and research projects. While independence comes with its own set of advantages, RMBL has faced increasing operating costs over the last decade, Blacklock said. She plans to help RMBL create a more sustainable financial business model.
“Part of the mission is the expansion of science and science knowledge, especially in our community,” she said. Over the next five months, Blacklock will work directly
The city, alongside Gunnison County, held an open house in October allowing property and business owners to review maps. (Photo by Abby Harrison)
Blacklock from A1
with Billick through the transition period. She said she hopes to continue fostering the close sense of community the RMBL campus is known for, while introducing new partnerships with other universities, national labs and industries. With her eyes on job creation, Blacklock invited the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade to RMBL for the first time this month.
Blacklock's past experience working with academic institutions, like Western, the Colorado School of Mines and CU, as well as in private philanthropy, made her the perfect candidate, Billick said. Blacklock has already begun integrating engineering into field science, opening up a new window opportunity for the future of research as RMBL, he said.
“It’s hard for me to imagine that they could have gotten someone better … Her entrepreneurial background is really critical at this moment in time,” Billick said.
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Jenifer Blacklock (Courtesy Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory)
Allens receive agricultural heritage award
Judith A. Farrell Special to the Times
Last month, the Gunnison County Historic Preservation Commission recognized the Allen family for its contributions to the valley's cattle ranching history. This is the third year the county has given out the agricultural heritage honors award.
The beginnings of the Allen Ranch came about in 1886 when an immigrant from Scotland, John M. Allen, bought a homestead just north of Gunnison in the lower Ohio Creek Valley. He had first come to this country at age 19, arriving in New York City on July 4, 1868. The booming of cannons in celebration of the day alarmed him with fear of another civil war. They prompted him to exit the city and begin what would become his migration west.
A tailor by trade, he also worked in mining, construction and retail in a variety of places. It was not until 1882 that he and his wife, Lucia Ella, settled in Gunnison where John opened a mercantile. He gradually purchased more acreage with the proceeds from his mercantile in town and began improving the land, erecting buildings and establishing a cattle herd. It was an arduous task in those times, but especially so for a man who had lost a leg from the knee down.
John and Lucia had seven children, four of whom survived to adulthood. In time, the choice between ranching and retail was presented to their only son, Ralph. He chose ranching and continued what has now endured for generations. Ralph was instrumental in negotiations between ranchers and the newly-formed U.S. Forest Service during the range wars of the late 19th century and the early 20th century. He provided a reasonable and calm, but firm voice to a volatile situation. Later he served as president of the Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association, as did his son Tim and later his grandson Curtis.
the agricultural community, she was at the forefront of the effort. She and Hannah Spann Shackleford — having lived the life of ranch women with little to no power and consequently a terrific amount of labor — were determined, along with others, to change that. The two of them were dubbed the “indomitable duo” and the real “sparks” of what became the local rural electric co-op. Janet served on the Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) board for 36 years after which a seat on the board was filled by the next two generations.
During the Great Depression, the drought years of the 1930s and at the time of his mother’s death, it became apparent that she had willed the ranch to the Christian Scientists. Ralph and his sisters contested their mother’s will. The court ruled in the children’s favor and the ranch remained in the hands of the family.
Ralph had served on the local school board. He met a young woman from Denver by the name of Janet McKinley Johnson who had accepted a teaching job in rural Gunnison. Ralph and Janet married, raised their family on the ranch and operated the ranch together for decades.
Janet was a force in her own right with her eye always on improvement. When the opportunity arose to bring electricity to rural Gunnison County and
Ralph and Janet had three sons, Ralph “Tim”, John and David all of whom continued on the ranch. With their parents, the ranch’s land holdings continued to expand, as did improvement in herd genetics. Tim and Dave later headed operations with their respective wives Anne and Betty while raising their families on the ranch. Tim and Dave were diligent stewards of both private and public land, the cattle and the horses. They added to herd numbers and believed in breeding for herd calmness. They were also proponents of calm cattle handling, were accomplished horsemen and were Hereford men through and through. Long after post war mechanization altered the dependence on draft horses for haying and many other chores, wintertime feeding remained a job for the big capable teams. Tim and Dave both had a strong bond with the Belgian horses and continued to harness their teams each winter morning for many years to come.
Anne and Betty were integral in the ranch business and both served as directors and officers, and cooked many crew meals. As many ranch wives do, they also juggled careers and jobs off the ranch. On occasion Anne deployed her medical background for veterinary needs. All of the fourth generation has worked on, or been involved in the ranch in different capacities. Most still do, often along
with their spouses. Today it is Tim’s son Curtis at the head of operations for the fourth and fifth generations along with his wife, Helen. Under his steadfast leadership, land holdings have been added and additional private grazing leases negotiated. He has introduced red and black Angus genetics to the herd, taking advantage of those traits while retaining the valued Hereford traits. While the draft horses are no longer, the saddle horses are important partners in herd management and Curtis, like those before him, is a solid horseman. He carries on a deep sense of stewardship of not only private land and the herd, but also the public lands the herd grazes. He has worked closely with federal and state agencies to improve sage-grouse and other wildlife habitat, and range health.
An accomplished mechanic, Curtis keeps up the fleet of machinery that is necessary for so much of the work. Helen, among other things, has served as range rider and irrigator, and does much of the late night calving shia, drug many a meadow and cooked many a crew meal. Of the fifth generation, Curtis and Helen’s children are active in the business. Bruce and husband Rob have pursued lives off the ranch. But Bruce provides technical support and is involved in the business. Craig has continued on the ranch along with wife Corrie and is integral to everything it takes to run the daily operation. They are also raising sixth generation Ridley Ann.
(Judith Farrell is the daughter of Ralph (Tim) and Anne Allen and the sister of Curtis. She and her husband, Patrick, ran Farrell’s, a bakery and sandwich shop on Main Street in Gunnison.)
(Left to right) Craig Allen holding Ridley Ann, Corrie Allen, Helen Allen, Curtis Allen, Judith Allen Farrell, Patrick Farrell and Gunnison County Commissioner Jonathan Houck. (Courtesy LeeAnn Mick)
A frozen frontier
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
area, adorned with cherry cabinets and equipped with state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances. The tiled shower and bathtub add a touch of luxury to the bathrooms, while the master bedroom boasts its own oasis with a reading nook or small office space. The 2-car detached garage features 8-foot doors and 10-foot ceilings inside, providing ample space for your vehicles and storage needs. The extra space above the garage, accessible via exterior stairs, presents exciting opportunities. Whether you need additional storage or dream of an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), the potential is yours to explore with City of Gunnison approval. Don’t miss the chance to make this new construction your forever home. Contact us now to schedule a viewing and witness the epitome of contemporary living!
TBD W Denver Ave. MLS# 816647 $599,000 Spectacular 2.5 acre level lot located in Gunnison’s new subdivision Elk Ranch. This parcel is located just outside City limits on the west side of town and seller has it set up to be built on immediately. Lot has a well permit already in place along with the required approval for well from the Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District which can be transferred at closing. Buyer of lot may also pay for tap fees to hook into the City water and sewer main that will be extended north by City this fall. There is a shared road/driveway into the subdivision and it will be completed by this fall as well. Lot has been surveyed and a building envelope has been established for a single family residence but other dwellings such as barns/sheds etc. will be allowed. Come enjoy some country living with incredible views of mountains up Ohio Valley and the Palisades while being so close to town.
16 Irwin St. MLS# 817525 $625,000 6 bedroom/3 bath updated brick home located in Palisades subdivision. This home has 2 kitchens and separate living spaces and the downstairs has its own entrance from the back of house. The breezeway from the house to the 2 car oversized garage is fully enclosed and is great space for entertaining or storage. Close to schools and new Gunnison Library. This is great starter home that can produce supplemental income!
Gunnison man arrested for child pornography
Case handled in district court
Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
Bella Biondini Times Editor
Roger Nelson Kunze, 55, has been charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of a child, all third and fourth-degree felonies. He has yet to enter a plea.
Kunze served as a volunteer firefighter in Gunnison from September 1993 until he officially retired in 2019.
Between March and May of 2024, Kunze “knowingly accessed, with intent to view, viewed, possessed or controlled sexually exploitative material,” according to the Gunnison Police Department arrest affidavit. He is also charged with possessing sexually exploitative material with the intent to “deal in, sell or distribute” it. According to the affidavit, the charges are based on two videos Kunze possessed on multiple accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter. The investigation at this time has not identified any known victims residing in Gunnison County.
ICAC is a federal agency that monitors a number of internet platforms and reports crimes to state and local police departments around the country. ICAC task forces helped law enforcement agencies — some of which, like Gunnison, do not have the resources to survey the internet — conduct more than 184,000 investigations in 2023 alone.
Gunnison Police Department
Detective Chris Danos, who filed the affidavit, stated that ICAC provided him with social media account information, direct messages, tweets and other deleted items from a user linked to Kunze via a phone number.
In June of 2024, Danos and other officers completed a search of Kunze’s residence, person and truck. They seized his cell phone, and a digital camera from his home, and later searched them. The digital camera yielded no evidence of illegal pornography. His phone contained some sexually explicit photos and videos (some accessed on social media platform, Instagram) although it was unclear if those included minors.
2 Ridge Lane MLS# 817530 $330,000 2 bedroom/2 bath home with 1 car attached garage located in Antelope Hills. Cozy home with all appliances included, huge fenced yard and great views from the top floor! Good value in our market!
Kunze was arrested on Dec. 2, 2024 and held in the Gunnison County Detention Center. He was released on Dec. 4 after posting a $60,000 personal recognizance (PR) bond. A PR bond means the defendant does not actually have to put up any money as long as they appear for future court dates.
Kunze is scheduled for a preliminary demand hearing, which precedes a hearing in which prosecutors must prove that there is probable cause, in Gunnison District Court on Feb. 6.
(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
912 W. Gunnison Lot 2 (UNDER CONTRACT) 81230 MLS #818029 $149K, 912 W Gunnison Lot 3 (UNDER CONTRACT) 81230 MLS # 818033
In May 2024, the Gunnison Police Department received information from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) data system regarding the sexual exploitation of children.
The Gunnison Sage-Grouse Strategic Committee presented its annual stewardship award to Nate Seward during a meeting on Dec. 18. Seward, a wildlife conservation biologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, has been involved with sage-grouse conservation for over a decade. Seward is responsible for bringing Bill Zeedyk’s wet meadow restoration methods to the Gunnison Valley. Seward has also focused his attention on invasive cheatgrass eradication. He will soon be relocating to southwestern Colorado to continue his work with the state agency.
(Courtesy Sue Navy/Gunnison Sage-Grouse Strategic Committee)
Fresh new yoga flows
The team at Sanctuary Somatics is ringing in 2025 with a new chapter for the studio. Yogis can now browse expanded class offerings on an updated website. Sanctuary Somatics will invite the community to view their studio space and connect with staff during a reopening celebration on Feb. 8 and 9.
(Courtesy Sanctuary Somatics)
Happy Hanukkah!
Members of the Jewish community joined family and friends at the Crested Butte Museum for a public menorah lighting on Dec. 29. The ceremony, returning for its second year, took place on the fifth night of Hanukkah. The celebration was organized by the Hanukkah in the Rockies Initiative, a project of the Chabad Jewish Community Center of Aspen. Each year, the group visits towns throughout the Western Slope to share the holiday joy. The 2024 gathering also featured Crested Butte’s first-ever Hanukkah Gelt Drop. The Crested Butte Fire Department dropped chocolate coins (gelt) from the top of the firetruck ladder for kids to catch. “At 8,800 feet, the Crested Butte menorah stands as one of the highest in the world,” said Rabbi Yossi Hirsch, director of the Hanukkah in the Rockies Initiative. “The menorah’s flames will shine bright as a beacon of hope, Jewish pride and as a message of the ultimate triumph of light over darkness.”
(Courtesy Ben Barocas/Crested Butte News)
Lake trout tourney returns to Blue Mesa
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will once again offer $10,000 in prize money for the Blue Mesa Reservoir lake trout tournament winners. The tournament will run from Jan. 1 to April 30
The ice is thin but should continue to develop and likely extend to the lower two basins of Blue Mesa with more cold weather in the coming weeks, said Dan Brauch, CPW angler outreach manager.
“It is looking like 2025 will be a great ice fishing year at Blue Mesa Reservoir with a cold start to winter creating early ice on upper portions of the reservoir from the inlet to Elk Creek Marina,” Brauch said.
To participate in the tournament, anglers who harvest a lake trout 24 inches or smaller should cut the fish’s head off behind the gills and turn the heads in to a collection point. The collection points are located at the Elk Creek, Iola and Lake Fork marinas. Heads can also be turned in at CPW’s offices in Gunnison and Montrose. Four top prizes will be given out in 2025. The angler who turns in the most fish heads will earn the first-place prize of $3,000. The second-place award is $1,500, third place will take home $1,000 and fourth place will earn $500. Anglers that missed out on the top prizes will be entered into a raffle for one of twenty $200 prizes with one entry for every head submitted
All winners from the tournament will be notified by May 31. Anglers participating in the tournament must possess a
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valid Colorado fishing license and follow all Colorado boating and fishing regulations.
This will be the fourth edition of the Blue Mesa tournament. This harvest-incentive tournament helps aquatic biologists maintain adequate kokanee salmon fry survival by limiting predation from lake trout.
Maintaining abundant kokanee provides restocking eggs at up to 25 water bodies in Colorado and supports qualityfishing opportunities. This was highlighted by a recent catch of a lake trout weighing in at more than 70 pounds at the reservoir.
“We encourage anglers to harvest small lake trout that are very abundant in Blue Mesa Reservoir to help maintain a balanced fishery,” Brauch said.
“Small lake trout are great to eat, and we greatly appreciate anglers helping us manage the reservoir.
Previous tournaments in 2020 and 2021 greatly helped CPW keep lake trout populations in check. But a survey of the reservoir in 2024 documented that the abundance of lake trout is on the rise. Unchecked lake trout population growth caused significant declines in kokanee abundance in previous decades.
CPW research shows that smaller lake trout, those 24 inches and smaller, consume the most kokanee. The tournament is focused on removing those fish
“Working together, we will continue to provide quality opportunities for both kokanee and trophy lake trout,” Brauch said.
(Source Colorado Parks and Wildlife.)
TAYLOR LOCAL USERS GROUP PROCESS
Do you own property or irrigate land downstream the Taylor or Gunnison River?
Or, do you like to fish along the Taylor or Gunnison River?
Are you interested in serving as a representative for the Taylor Local Users Group?
Each year, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) seeks input and direction from the Taylor Local Users Group (TLUG) which is composed of appointed local water users of the Taylor River, Taylor Park Reservoir and the main stem of the Gunnison River above Blue Mesa.
The UGRWCD Board is seeking to appoint three citizen members to two-year terms representing: (1) Property owners; (2) Irrigation Interests and (3) Fishing Interests – all along the Taylor and Gunnison River.
All applicants must be residents within the UGRWCD and experienced and knowledgeable about river conditions along the Taylor and Gunnison Rivers. TLUG typically meets monthly during the months of March through September.
LETTERS OF INTEREST ARE DUE JANUARY 13, 2025 TO: schavez@ugrwcd.org or UGRWCD, 210 W. Spencer Ave,
LETTERS OF INTEREST ARE DUE JANUARY 13, 2025 at 5 PM TO: 27, 2025
Bags can be found at the Iola, Elk Creek and Lake Fork boat ramps. Locations are indicated with a red arrow on the map.
A survey of the Blue Mesa Reservoir in 2024 documented that the abundance of lake trout is on the rise. (Courtesy Colorado Parks and Wildlife)
Spins, grins and icy wins
Families took to the ice for a holiday and New Year’s skate party at the Jorgensen Ice Rink on Dec. 28, 2024. Kids competed in on-ice challenges and snacked on s’mores by an outdoor fire pit. The family fun will return to the rink on Jan. 24 with a Beatles-themed Skate to Lights event.
Faith Directory
Bethany Church
909 N Wisconsin St. (behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144
Two services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. FREE lunch for college students following the 10:30 a.m. service gunnisonbethany.com
9 a.m.: Family Service with nursery & children’s church
Check out our website for updates! Or download our app on the App Store by searching, Gunnison Bethany.
B'nai Butte Jewish Congregation
PO Box 2537 Crested Butte, CO 81224 305-803-3648 bnaibutte@gmail.com
Serving the Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and surrounging areas.
Spititual leader: Rabbi Mark Kula is available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com bnaibutte.org
New Song Christian Fellowship
77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034
A Christ Centered Gospel Sharing Community where we want to be part of a community who encourage and support one another in our spiritual journey.
Sunday 10 a.m. / Wednesday 7 p.m. newsonggunnison.net
Community Church of Gunnison
107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925
Pastor Larry Nelson
Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.
Weekend Services 9:30 a.m.
Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry Weekly Student Ministry
Weekly Adult LifeGroups
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-4
For more info: ccgunnison.com or email info@ccgunnison.com
Join us in-person, listen to our broadcast on 98.3 FM, or view online stream on YouTube
Transforming Lives • Building Community
First Baptist Church
120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240
Pastor Jonathan Jones
SUNDAY
Sunday School at 10 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m. (during school year)
WEDNESDAY (during school year)
Truth Trackers Kids Club at 6:30 p.m.
Youth Group for Teens at 7:30 p.m. firstbaptistgunnison.org. Gunnison
Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203
Open and Affirming Whole Earth · Just Peace Sunday, 10 a.m. Casual, Relaxed, “Come As You Are” Worship gunnisonucc.org
Trinity Baptist Church
523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813
Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks Sunday Service 9:30 a.m. Adult Bible Study 8 a.m. trinitybaptistsgunnison.com
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church
711 N. Main • 970-641-1860
Senior Pastor Robert Carabotta
Assoc. Pastor Jacob With Childrens Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Adult Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Divine Service of the Word – Sunday 10 a.m.
St. Peter’s Catholic Church
300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808 Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago gunnisoncatholic.org crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.
St. Peter’s - Gunnison Sat 5 p.m. & Sun 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. (Spanish) Mass First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass 11 a.m.
Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30 a.m. Mass St. Rose of Lima - Lake City
Communion Service, Sun. at 10 a.m.
The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church
307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429
Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar First Sunday of each month –11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Alternating at Good Samaritan and All Saints in the Mountains
Check our websites for location Second Sunday-Fifth Sunday –9 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II
Children’s Sunday school –2nd and 4th Sundays, monthly Office hours: M-TH 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Taize – 1st Wednesday, monthly - 7 p.m. goodsamaritangunnison.org
Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Meeting Second-Fifth Sundays at 5 p.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite II 403 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte
Visit our website for location of 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, First Sunday of each month allsaintsinthemountains.org
Church in the Barn 8007 County Road 887 Waunita Hot Springs Ranch • 970-641-8741 Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Non Denominational Come as you are.
Church of Christ
600 E. Virginia • 970-641-1588
Sunday Morning Bible Class: 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Sunday Evening Worship: 6 p.m.
Wednesday Night Bible Class: 7 p.m.
(Photos by Evan Bjornstad)
GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT
See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net
Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. As they excel in academics, athletics and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”
HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent CBCS - Health Assistant CBES - Permanent Substitute CBES - Half-time SPED
Educational Assistant Bus Drivers Food Service
Substitute teachers
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Early Childhood Special Education- Child Find Coordinator SPED Teacher-GHS
Band Teacher-GHS and GMS
Social Studies Teacher-GHS PE/Health Teacher-CBSS
COACHING
GHS - Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach (C team) GHS - Girls’ Diving/ Asst. Swimming coach
GHS - Head Football Coach
GHS - Cross Country Coach
Please contact: Superintendent’s Office JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@ gunnisonschools.net
for technical clerical work in the processing of court cases and customer service. Applications shall be filed electronically. To apply go to coloradojudicial.gov the Careers/Career Opportunities tab and follow the instructions to apply for this position. Applications must be filed electronically on or before 1/16/2025.
JOIN OUR TEAM! CENTER PERFORMING
ARTS PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION
AVAILABLE: The Gunnison Arts Center is hiring an experienced Performing Arts Program Manager to lead and grow our dynamic performing arts programs. This full-time position oversees event program management in theatre, dance, film, music and community engagement while supporting the creative vision of the GAC. Visit gunnisonartscenter.org for more details and application instructions.
POWERSTOP is looking for head cook. Pay is $50,000 minimum, position also offers paid time off and health insurance reimbursement. Pay is based on 40 hours a week. Applications must be able to work mornings or evenings and weekends. Resumes to be in a sealed envelope attention Sean. Drop off at Powerstop.
JOIN OUR TEAM! CENTER
ADMINISTRATOR POSITION AVAILABLE:
The Gunnison Arts Center is seeking a highly organized and motivated individual to fill the role of GAC Center Administrator. This full time position supports the daily
GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Patrol Deputy
Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $72,397.26 to $102,405.83 plus full benefits.
Take home vehicle & uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Detention Deputy
Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $65,056.55 to $92,022.40 plus full benefits.
Uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Heavy Equipment Operator
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $23.60 to $31.69 plus full benefits.
Shop Technician
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $26.51 to $35.61 plus full benefits.
Health Educator – Health Services Intern
HHS: The hourly range is from $25.01 to $28.48, depending on experience plus partial benefits.
Public Trustee Specialist
Treasurer: 40 hours/week, hourly range is from $23.60 to $28.69, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
HR Coordinator
HR: 40 hours/week, hourly range is from $27.84 to $33.84, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Bilingual Juvenile Case Manager
Juvenile Services: 40 hours/ week, hourly range is from $31.28 to $35.61, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.
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operations of our nonprofit arts organization, including administrative tasks, marketing, front desk duties, and facility management. If you’re passionate about the arts and want to make a difference in our community, visit gunnisonartscenter.org for more details and application instructions.
LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE is hiring one more amazing teacher to complete our team! Looking for someone who truly loves working with kids, is patient and kind, has a flexible schedule, is hardworking and reliable, and a team player! This position is part to full time and has some time with infants and toddlers and some time with 3-4 year olds. Come be a part of this rewarding career with awesome pay, benefits and a stable year round full time job. Please submit resume via email to Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@gmail.com
CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY SOUND & LIGHT TECHNICIAN: The Gunnison Arts Center is seeking a Sound & Light Technician on a contractual basis to support our exciting lineup of events and performances. Responsibilities include setting up, operating, and troubleshooting sound and lighting equipment for concerts, plays, and community events. If you’re experienced in technical theater operations and looking for a flexible opportunity, visit gunnisonartscenter.org for more details and application instructions.
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE seeks applicants for a Planner I to join the Community Development team. The Planner I works closely with all the Community Development divisions, multiple Town departments, the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR), the Town Council, regional partners within the
committees to manage the WCU Foundation scholarship program and leads the optimization of the Blackbaud’s Award Management platform. This position manages a small portfolio of annual scholarship donors, ensuring their gifts are solicited, stewarded, and renewed annually. The Coordinator ensures compliance and consistency in gift documentation processes for the WCU Foundation. Salary range is $50,000-$56,000. To view full job announcement and apply, visit western.edu/ jobs and click “view careers”.
THE GUNNISON VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY (GVRHA) is seeking a dynamic Homeownership Operations & Compliance Officer that will provide leadership, direction, and administrative oversight to the GVRHA’s Homeownership Program. This role is responsible for ensuring GVRHA’s Homeownership Program and Deed Restriction monitoring and compliance are operating in legal compliance with all affordable housing program guidelines, regulatory agreements, and municipal/ federal policies and procedures. The Homeownership Operations & Compliance Officer will perform a wide variety of tasks directly related to program & policy development, education and oversight of affordable housing homeownership from development through occupancy and resale. This position is characterized by a high degree of initiative, responsibility, integrity, accountability, and the ability to work congenially with various individuals and government entities. This is a full-time exempt position. Salary DOE $65,000$70,000 with full benefits. For more details and a complete job description visit our website: https://gvrha.org/join-our-team/. To apply please email resume and letter of interest to hiring@gvrha.org.
PART-TIME EVENT MANAGER: Living Journeys, a local non-profit providing community cancer support, is seeking a part-time Event Manager to join our team. In this role, you’ll plan and execute meaningful events that help drive our mission forward and engage our community. If you are organized, creative, and passionate about making a difference, we’d love to hear from you. Experience in event coordination, great communication and a knack for bringing people together are a must. This flexible part-time position offers a competitive pay. To learn more, visit livingjourneys.org. To apply, please email your resume, cover letter, and three references to info@livingjourneys.org by January 30, 2025.
Contact your local Newspaper or email rtoledo@colopress.net
Gunnison Valley, and the Crested Butte Community. The Planner I assists/leads some smaller case review and processing of development applications to BOZAR. The Planner I assists in the development and amendment of long-range plans and regulations that guide the growth and development of Crested Butte. The Planner assists some case work for the housing division. The Planner I is a communication resource for the Community Development Department assisting crafting and distributing in public notices; creating and distributing the advertisement of community events; crats and distributes the Department’s new letters; other media to raise public awareness, and performs related work as assigned. This year-round position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, and contribution to retirement plan after one year of employment. Starting salary is $61,000 to $85,406 annually, DOQ. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www. townofcrestedbutte.com/jobs. Please submit application, cover letter, and resume via email to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY
is hiring a Donor Relations Coordinator to join the Development Team. This role is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to engage, steward, and grow relationships with donors to the WCU Foundation. This role oversees annual stewardship plans, donor recognition events, and the creation of electronic and printed stewardship communications. The Coordinator collaborates with the WCU Financial Aid Office and scholarship
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE seeks applicants for a Human Resources Technician to join the Finance & Administrative Services team. The HR Tech provides advanced office support to various Human Resources functions including, but not limited to the following specialized areas: recruitment, compensation, benefits administration, confidential data management and general administration; provides information and assistance to staff and the public; coordinates Human Resources related events and activities; provide clerical duties, as required, assists with projects and special assignments as requested by professional and management staff; and performs related work as assigned. This year-round position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, and contribution to retirement plan after one year of employment. Starting salary is $29.33 – $35.19 per hour DOQ. Full range of pay grade extends to $41.06 per hour. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www.townofcrestedbutte. com. Please submit application, cover letter, and resume via email to jobs@crestedbutteco.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer. THE MT CRESTED BUTTE WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT is accepting applications for a full-time Wastewater Operator to be part of a team environment focused on the operations of the wastewater plant and collection system for Mt. Crested Butte. Qualifications for the position include construction experience, the ability to work outdoors, prepare and analyze lab responsibilities, and experience with electrical, mechanical and maintenance repairs. A State of Colorado Collections and/or Wastewater license or the ability to obtain such within one (1) year is mandatory (training for certifications provided). Operators will be required to take on-call responsibility including select weekends and holidays. A valid
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NEWS
Thursday, January 9, 2025
benefits package including 100% employer paid premium family health, dental, and life insurance, 12 paid holiday days, two weeks paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid personal leave, employer contribution to retirement plan
(5% automatic mandatory employer matching with 1-3% optional additional matching), employer provided uniforms, and a wellness benefit/ski pass. Full job description is available at www.mcbwsd.com. Please submit cover letter and resume to Mt. Crested Butte Water and Sanitation District, PO Box 5740, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225, or email info@ mcbwsd.com. Position is open until filled.
Legals AGENDA
This meeting will be conducted in person and by distance using the video conferencing platform ZOOM Webinar. Please check the GWSD website for further instructions. Call to order Roll call Pledge of Allegiance Approval of agenda (ACTION, All) Commendations and celebrations (Information, Successful Students, Strong Employees)
• Public comment (Information, Engaged Community)
• Please use the public participation form, or use the Q&A feature in Zoom, and indicate your name, address, and topic for comment. Consent agenda (ACTION, All) Items in the consent agenda are considered routine and will be enacted under one motion. There will not be separate discussion of these items prior to the time the board votes unless a Board Member requests an item be removed from the grouping for separate consideration.
• Board of Education Minutes
• December 16, 2024 Regular meeting
• Finance: Approve for payment, as presented by the Director of Finance, warrants as indicated:
• General Account # 44625-44709
• Payroll Direct Deposit # 63404-63789 Personnel
Robin Arabie-Resignation-Middle School Counselor-CBMS
Carie Mitchell-Resignation-Child FindDistrict Paul Vickers-Resignation-Head Football coach-GHS
• Donald Turner-PE/Health teacher-CBSS
• Items for information, discussion, and action
• Certified Heart Safe Schools Celebration (Information/Discussion, Successful Students, Strong Employees, Engaged Community) Sherilyn Skokan, District Nurse
Facilities Improvement Program Update (Information/Discussion, Functional Facilities)
Artaic Group: Chris Guarino, John Usery, Ryan Smelker, Matt Prinster School Board Policies for Second Reading (ACTION, All)
• ACA-Name Change
• Other Administrative Report Items(Information, All)
• Dr. Leslie Nichols, Superintendent
• Items introduced by Board Members (Discussion, All) Board committee reports (Information, All) Board/Student Engagement - Dr. Coleman and Mrs. Roberts School Board Policy - Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman Executive Committee for Bond ProjectMr. Martineau
• Superintendent Evaluation- Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman
• District Accountability Committee (DAC)Mrs. Roberts
• School Accountability Committees (SAC)
GHS - Dr. Coleman
GCS - Mrs. Brookhart
CBCS - Mr. Martineau
Gunnison County Education Association
Negotiations - Mr. VanderVeer
Gunnison County Education Association
3x3 - Mr. VanderVeer
Fund 26 - Dr. Coleman
• Gunnison Memorial Scholarship - Mrs. Roberts
• Health Insurance Committee - Mr. VanderVeer
• Housing Advisory Committee-Mr. VanderVeer
• Gunnison Valley Education FoundationDr. Coleman
Upcoming agenda items and meeting
schedule (Information, Engaged Community)
January 27, 2025 Regular
Meeting/Amended Budget@5:30pm-GUN
February 10, 2025 Regular
Meeting@5:30pm-CBCS
• February 24, 2025 Work
Session@5:30pm-GUN
• March 10, 2025 Regular
Meeting@5:30pm-CBCS
• March 24, 2025 Work
Session@5:30pm-GUN
Adjournment
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of January 9. 2025
15939
MCBWSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY seeks a Graduate Academic Records Specialist to handle tasks and projects supporting graduate student registration, enrollment, records management, and related academic processes and events. If you excel at managing complex information, ensuring accuracy, and working collaboratively to make a meaningful impact, this is your opportunity! Learn more and apply at www.Western.edu/jobs.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE:
To the following parties that have their personal property stored at Plotts Mini Storage, LLC, 312 W. Hwy 50, Gunnison, CO, 81230:
All property will be sold or disposed of, unless claimed and/or all rent and fees paid prior to January 20, 2025
Unit 114 - MATTHEW DIETMAN Unit 324 - RITA SERRANO DIAZ
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication dates of January 9 and 16, 2025 15909
NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE
PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME
Public Notice is given on December 18, 2024 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison Combined Courts.
The Petition requests that the name of ELISE ALLEGRA YOUNG be changed to ELISE ALLEGRA GARCIA
Joy Case Clerk of Court /s/ Joy Case
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of December 26, 2024 and January 2, 16, 2025 15872
NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE
Public Notice is given on December 30, 2024 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison Combined Court.
The Petition requests that the name of GRACELYN CASSIDY ROBERTS be changed to GRACELYN CASSIDY BURNETT
Joy Case Clerk of Court /s/ Joy Case
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of January 9, 16 and 23, 2025 15925
PUBLIC NOTICE
Saguache County Board of Commissioners
Seeks Saguache County Planning Commission Members
Saguache County Board of Commissioners are seeking members and alternates from: Town of Saguache surrounding area – alternate La Garita/Center area – member and alternate Town of Center and surrounding area –alternate
Cochetopa/Sargents area – alternate Moffat and surrounding area – alternate Hooper and surrounding area – member and alternate Villa Grove and surrounding area – alternate At Large for All of Saguache County – alternate Crestone and surrounding area – alternate The representative must be a property owner or property manager and reside in the area they are interested in representing. Regular member terms are for three years, and the alternate terms are for one year.
Saguache County Planning Commission meets on the last Thursday of each month in the Road and Bridge meeting room. The Planning Commission may also have work sessions throughout each month to work on the Saguache County Master Plan and different items.
Saguache County Planning Commission members and alternates are paid $100 for every regular meeting they attend, plus mileage reimbursement.
If you are interested, please send a brief letter of interest stating qualifications and interest to: Saguache County Land Use, Attn: Amber Wilson, PO Box 326, Saguache, CO 81149 prior to Friday, January 15th, 2025. All applicants will be interviewed by the Board of County Commissioners. Should you have any
NOTICE
THE GUNNISON COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT is selling a 2009 Chevy Silverado 1500. This vehicle was used for fire protection since its purchase in 2009. The vehicle currently has 103,390 miles and is on a salvage title in the district’s name. Seeking the best silent offer bid with no reserve or minimum. This item is being sold AS IS, no warranties expressed or implied. To place a bid please drop it by in person or mail to 417 S. 10th street
questions please call Amber Wilson a555t 719655-2321.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of December 26, 2024 and January 2, 9 and 16, 2025 15871
MEETING NOTICE
Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District Board of Directors Meeting Monday, January 27, 2025. 5:30 PM
The Board of Directors of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) will conduct a regular board meeting on Monday, January 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM at the UGRWCD Offices, 210 W. Spencer Ave., Suite A, Gunnison, CO 81230 and via Zoom video/ teleconferencing. For questions or Zoom login information, please contact the District at (970)641-6065.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of January 9 and 16, 2025 15919
MEETING NOTICE
Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District WATER ACTIVITY ENTERPRISE MEETING Monday, January 27, 2025, Immediately Following Regular Board Meet (approx. 7:45 PM)
The Board of Directors of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) will conduct a regular semi-annual meeting of the Water Activity Enterprise on Monday, January 27, 2025 at approximately 7:45 PM at the UGRWCD Offices, 210 W. Spencer Ave., Suite A, Gunnison, CO 81230 and via Zoom video/teleconferencing. This meeting will immediately follow the UGRWCD Board Meeting scheduled at 5:30 PM on Monday, January 27, 2025. For questions or Zoom login information, please contact the District at (970)641-6065.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of January 9 and 16, 2025 15920
NOTICE OF AUCTION
This is to advise that household and personal property belonging to the following:
Debbie Dittman units 53 and 57
Jon De Epps unit 10
Chris Jakubauskas unit 23
Brittany Callis unit 49 Clark Foundation unit 106 Haley Shaffer unit 9 Brian Sutphin unit 109 at 410 Secure Storage located at 410 South 10th Street in Gunnison, CO; will be sold to the highest bidder at 410 Secure Storage on Friday, January 24th, 2025 at 10:00 AM to satisfy the owner’s lien for rent in accordance with Title 38. PROPERTY -REAL AND PERSONAL LIENS
Article 21.5. Self-Service Storage Facility Liens. All contents sold “as is” and by unit only. Seller neither warrants title to any items sold and does not make any express or implied warranties to any items sold. We reserve the right to refuse any and all bids.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of January 9 and 16, 2025 15913
Gunnison, CO 81230. The bidding closes January 22, at 6:00 p.m. MST/MDT. Please reference 2009 Chevy when placing a bid.
REAL ESTATE
235 N MAIN has artist spaces available off frontage street. 1 large, 2 smaller studios starting at $750. Liska 847-769-7800. MAIN STREET GUNNISON: 3BR/1BA W/D gas fireplace. Dogs allowed. $2,500. mtohomes@gmail.com.
MODERN 3 BEDROOM 2.5 BATH for rent in town of Gunnison. Prefer lease through May 31, 2025 Call/Text/Email Ryan Jordi 970596-1906 ryan@tavarealestate.com.
AVAILABLE FEB. 15: Taking applications for a small garage apartment (adu) close to campus and town. Nonsmoking, no parties, and no pets. All utilities included. $1,250 per month. Call 970-765-7786. Good references required.
Need a recording studio?
Quigley Records on the Western Colorado University campus has you covered.
› Three tracking rooms
› Great microphones
› Monitoring setup
We can help with tracking, editing, mixing, and even composing.
Ready to get started?
Contact Dr. Ben Justis at bjustis@western.edu
Pickle pals
Affordable rates are community-friendly.
Student Wellness Workshops Seminarios de Bienestar Estudiantil
Wednesday, January 15 - Gunnison Community School
Thursday, January 16 - Crested Butte Community School
5 - 6:30 PM Both Nights | 5 - 6:30 PM Ambas Noches
Learn about the district’s health and wellness initiatives, including comprehensive health education. Connect with district leadership, school principals, teachers and counselors, and hear from students about their health education experiences. This counts as credit for Choice Pass parent education.
Aprenda acerca de las iniciativas de bienestar y salud del Distrito, incluyendo Educación integral para la salud. Conéctese con los líderes del Distrito, Directores de las escuelas, maestros y consejeros, y escuche de los estudiantes con respecto a sus experiencias de Educación para la Salud. Esto cuenta como un crédito de educación para padres de familia de Choice Pass.
The pop of paddles hitting pickleballs echoed through the Gunnison Rec Center during the annual Pickleball for a Purpose tournament on Jan. 4. More than 30 challengers from Gunnison and Crested Butte stepped up to the net for a day of playing together while supporting the community. Participants donated food items and cash to support the Gunnison Country Food Pantry.
(Courtesy Rhonda McBride)
Scan to RSVP
Lights & Sirens
CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT
DECEMBER 25
PROPERTY - FOUND — 507 W. ARTHUR AVE.
ANIMAL CRUELTY: NEGLECT / MISTREATMENT - STATE STAT — 124 TINCUP DR.
DECEMBER 26
WELFARE ASSIST — W. GUNNISON AVE. INFORMATION — W. NEW YORK AVE.
ACCIDENT - HIT & RUN — 880 N. MAIN ST.
HARASSMENT: INSULTS, TAUNTS, CHALLENGES — 221 W. HWY. 50
DECEMBER 27
ACCIDENT — 600 N. MAIN ST. CHILD ABUSE: INJURY OR THREAT OF INJURY — E. TOMICHI AVE.
DECEMBER 28
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL — 600 W. TOMICHI AVE.
JUVENILE - INFORMATION — REED ST.
THEFT: TWO OR MORE THEFTS IN 6 MONTHS — 900 N. MAIN ST. ENGAGED IN A SPEED CONTEST — 1000 N. MAIN ST.
DECEMBER 29
DRIVING WHILE ABILITY IMPAIRED - ALCOHOL — N. SPRUCE ST.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT: FIGHTING IN PUBLIC — 275 S. SPRUCE ST.
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL — 100 N. TELLER ST. ASSAULT: FIRST DEGREE WITH DEADLY WEAPON — S. SPRUCE ST.
WELFARE ASSIST — N. IOWA ST. INFORMATION — W. DENVER AVE.
DECEMBER 30
WELFARE ASSIST — E. SPENCER AVE.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT - UNREASONABLE NOISE — 804 N. MAIN ST. WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — 711 N. TAYLOR ST. THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 800 N. COLORADO ST. SECOND DEGREE CRIMINAL TAMPERING — 404 W. RIO GRANDE AVE.
ANIMAL - VICIOUS / DANGEROUS - MUNICIPAL — 107 N. TELLER ST. CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE: UNLAWFUL DISTRIBUTION, MANUFACTURE, SALE- EXCEPT MARIJUANA — N. 11TH ST.
DECEMBER 31
VIOLATION OF PROTECTION
ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 1010 W. VIRGINIA AVE.
ALARM — 1198 N. MAIN ST. AGENCY ASSIST — MM 158 E. HWY. 50
VIOLATION OF PROTECTION
ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 404 W. RIO GRANDE AVE.
JANUARY 1
CIVIL PROBLEM — 275 S. SPRUCE ST. ACCIDENT — 100 N. MAIN ST.
JANUARY 2
VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 600 N. COLORADO ST. HARASSMENT: MUNICIPAL — 651 S. BOULEVARD ST. PROPERTY - LOST — 412 E. TOMICHI AVE.
JANUARY 3
THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 1010 W. VIRGINIA AVE.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: THIRD DEGREE — 900 N. MAIN ST.
JANUARY 4
AGENCY ASSIST — 112 S. SPRUCE ST.
JANUARY 5
DISORDERLY CONDUCT: FIGHTING IN PUBLIC — 220 N. SPRUCE ST. WELFARE ASSIST — W. BIDWELL AVE.
GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF'S REPORT
DECEMBER 31
- Agency assist report to Colorado State Patrol – traffic stop assist
JANUARY 1
- Agency assist report to Paonia Police Department
JANUARY 2
- Information report – fraud
- Agency assist report to Colorado State Patrol – vehicle accident
JANUARY 3
- Information report – neighbor dispute
- Non-injury accident report
JANUARY 4
- Theft report – stolen vehicle
- Warrant arrest – in county
- Information report – welfare check
JANUARY 5
- Agency assist report to Colorado State Patrol – vehicle accident
- Information report – welfare check
JANUARY 6
- Information report – found property
- Information report – possible domestic violence
MENTORS CONTRIBUTED OVER 15,800 HOURS OF ACTIVITY HOURS WITH MENTEES IN 2024. THANK YOU!
Yamel Aguirre
Halley Anderson
Kelly Anderson
Asher Arell
Britty Barrett
David Beigel
Ysabella Bellotti
Archer Bernholtz
Zeb Bernholtz
Rocco Billingsley
Malcolm Boyce
Charlotte Brown
Kate Burrall
Andrew Butterfield
Mylee Clifton
Mason Colucci
Taylor Cone
Rio Crabtree
Caroline Danielson
Cy Davis
Stacie DeMent
Jacey DeRoche
Porter Donohue
Bryanna Doonan
Hannah Elfenbein
Zach Flanders
Carlos Garcia
Grecia Garcia
Paula Greathouse
David Haedt
Bryce Haskel
Benedicte Henrotte
Sam Henry
Gus Hensley
Sara Herrera
Finna Jacobson
Merrick Jefferys
Brody Jennings
Siri Jennison
Ali Jeppe-Johnson
Taylor Johnson
George Kamberelis
Susan Kamikura
Ethan Kauffmann
Emerson Kaufmann
Ginny Kaulike
Lyndie Kenlon
Lance Lakoski
Makenna Lambert
Julia Lesniak
Natalia Linares
Jack Lockman
Alyssa Lodovico
Evelyn Loperfido
Kylie McCoy
Mark McCoy
Tina McGuinness
Ford McInnis
Makenna McIntosh
Rita Merrigan
Zachary Mitchell
Alfonso Morales
Karly Morkunas
Anika Mueller
Kanai Narayana
Cecilia Naughton
Max Naughton
Kathleen Neben
Shelby Newberry
Jessica Noll
Cloe Parker
Audrey Peeples
Krista Pennington
Brie Polster
Stephanie Porter
John Powell
Will Powell
Seth Quigg
Alayna Ralson
Jack Reeves
Tessa Reiser
Josh Richard
Chuck Robinson
Esthela Rodriguez
Hannah Schaefer-Tibbett
Stuart Schneider
Dori Scott
Caroline Singleton Graham Spriggs
Tidwell Luella Turner
Antonio Valdez Lilian Voegeli
Justyne Weenink
Betsy Welsh
Maggie Whiting Josh Whitton Payton Wyckoff
GVM BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2024
President - David Haedt Vice President - Kerry Lefebrve
Secretary - Marcia Landwehr
Treasurer - Anne Coster
Members - Mike Robillard, Carol Kastning, Antonio Valdez, Chad Zummach, Jansen Treadway, Lorena Mosquera, Jose Dorian Gomez Santander, Amy Bright, Charles Welch, Jack Reeves.
Refl ection
GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT
See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net
Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. As they excel in academics, athletics and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”
HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES
Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent CBCS - Health Assistant CBES - Permanent Substitute CBES - Half-time SPED
Educational Assistant Bus Drivers Food Service
Substitute teachers
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Early Childhood Special Education- Child Find Coordinator SPED Teacher-GHS
Band Teacher-GHS and GMS
Social Studies Teacher-GHS PE/Health Teacher-CBSS
COACHING
GHS - Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach (C team) GHS - Girls’ Diving/ Asst. Swimming coach
GHS - Head Football Coach
GHS - Cross Country Coach
Please contact: Superintendent’s Office JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@ gunnisonschools.net
for technical clerical work in the processing of court cases and customer service. Applications shall be filed electronically. To apply go to coloradojudicial.gov the Careers/Career Opportunities tab and follow the instructions to apply for this position. Applications must be filed electronically on or before 1/16/2025.
JOIN OUR TEAM! CENTER PERFORMING
ARTS PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION
AVAILABLE: The Gunnison Arts Center is hiring an experienced Performing Arts Program Manager to lead and grow our dynamic performing arts programs. This full-time position oversees event program management in theatre, dance, film, music and community engagement while supporting the creative vision of the GAC. Visit gunnisonartscenter.org for more details and application instructions.
POWERSTOP is looking for head cook. Pay is $50,000 minimum, position also offers paid time off and health insurance reimbursement. Pay is based on 40 hours a week. Applications must be able to work mornings or evenings and weekends. Resumes to be in a sealed envelope attention Sean. Drop off at Powerstop.
JOIN OUR TEAM! CENTER
ADMINISTRATOR POSITION AVAILABLE:
The Gunnison Arts Center is seeking a highly organized and motivated individual to fill the role of GAC Center Administrator. This full time position supports the daily
GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Patrol Deputy
Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $72,397.26 to $102,405.83 plus full benefits.
Take home vehicle & uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Detention Deputy
Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $65,056.55 to $92,022.40 plus full benefits.
Uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Heavy Equipment Operator
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $23.60 to $31.69 plus full benefits.
Shop Technician
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $26.51 to $35.61 plus full benefits.
Health Educator – Health Services Intern
HHS: The hourly range is from $25.01 to $28.48, depending on experience plus partial benefits.
Public Trustee Specialist
Treasurer: 40 hours/week, hourly range is from $23.60 to $28.69, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
HR Coordinator
HR: 40 hours/week, hourly range is from $27.84 to $33.84, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Bilingual Juvenile Case Manager
Juvenile Services: 40 hours/ week, hourly range is from $31.28 to $35.61, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.
Colorado Classified Advertising Statewide Network
To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado Newspapers for only $300, contact your local Newspaper or email rtoledo@colopress.net
Does your basement or crawl space need some attention? Call Thrasher Foundation Repair! A permanent solution for waterproofing, failing foundation, sinking concrete and nasty crawl spaces FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate $250 off ANY project with code GET250 Call 1-888-717-0104RNET
To Place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado Newspapers for $300
operations of our nonprofit arts organization, including administrative tasks, marketing, front desk duties, and facility management. If you’re passionate about the arts and want to make a difference in our community, visit gunnisonartscenter.org for more details and application instructions.
LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE is hiring one more amazing teacher to complete our team! Looking for someone who truly loves working with kids, is patient and kind, has a flexible schedule, is hardworking and reliable, and a team player! This position is part to full time and has some time with infants and toddlers and some time with 3-4 year olds. Come be a part of this rewarding career with awesome pay, benefits and a stable year round full time job. Please submit resume via email to Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@gmail.com
CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY SOUND & LIGHT TECHNICIAN: The Gunnison Arts Center is seeking a Sound & Light Technician on a contractual basis to support our exciting lineup of events and performances. Responsibilities include setting up, operating, and troubleshooting sound and lighting equipment for concerts, plays, and community events. If you’re experienced in technical theater operations and looking for a flexible opportunity, visit gunnisonartscenter.org for more details and application instructions.
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE seeks applicants for a Planner I to join the Community Development team. The Planner I works closely with all the Community Development divisions, multiple Town departments, the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR), the Town Council, regional partners within the
committees to manage the WCU Foundation scholarship program and leads the optimization of the Blackbaud’s Award Management platform. This position manages a small portfolio of annual scholarship donors, ensuring their gifts are solicited, stewarded, and renewed annually. The Coordinator ensures compliance and consistency in gift documentation processes for the WCU Foundation. Salary range is $50,000-$56,000. To view full job announcement and apply, visit western.edu/ jobs and click “view careers”.
THE GUNNISON VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY (GVRHA) is seeking a dynamic Homeownership Operations & Compliance Officer that will provide leadership, direction, and administrative oversight to the GVRHA’s Homeownership Program. This role is responsible for ensuring GVRHA’s Homeownership Program and Deed Restriction monitoring and compliance are operating in legal compliance with all affordable housing program guidelines, regulatory agreements, and municipal/ federal policies and procedures. The Homeownership Operations & Compliance Officer will perform a wide variety of tasks directly related to program & policy development, education and oversight of affordable housing homeownership from development through occupancy and resale. This position is characterized by a high degree of initiative, responsibility, integrity, accountability, and the ability to work congenially with various individuals and government entities. This is a full-time exempt position. Salary DOE $65,000$70,000 with full benefits. For more details and a complete job description visit our website: https://gvrha.org/join-our-team/. To apply please email resume and letter of interest to hiring@gvrha.org.
PART-TIME EVENT MANAGER: Living Journeys, a local non-profit providing community cancer support, is seeking a part-time Event Manager to join our team. In this role, you’ll plan and execute meaningful events that help drive our mission forward and engage our community. If you are organized, creative, and passionate about making a difference, we’d love to hear from you. Experience in event coordination, great communication and a knack for bringing people together are a must. This flexible part-time position offers a competitive pay. To learn more, visit livingjourneys.org. To apply, please email your resume, cover letter, and three references to info@livingjourneys.org by January 30, 2025.
Contact your local Newspaper or email rtoledo@colopress.net
Gunnison Valley, and the Crested Butte Community. The Planner I assists/leads some smaller case review and processing of development applications to BOZAR. The Planner I assists in the development and amendment of long-range plans and regulations that guide the growth and development of Crested Butte. The Planner assists some case work for the housing division. The Planner I is a communication resource for the Community Development Department assisting crafting and distributing in public notices; creating and distributing the advertisement of community events; crats and distributes the Department’s new letters; other media to raise public awareness, and performs related work as assigned. This year-round position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, and contribution to retirement plan after one year of employment. Starting salary is $61,000 to $85,406 annually, DOQ. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www. townofcrestedbutte.com/jobs. Please submit application, cover letter, and resume via email to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY
is hiring a Donor Relations Coordinator to join the Development Team. This role is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to engage, steward, and grow relationships with donors to the WCU Foundation. This role oversees annual stewardship plans, donor recognition events, and the creation of electronic and printed stewardship communications. The Coordinator collaborates with the WCU Financial Aid Office and scholarship
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE seeks applicants for a Human Resources Technician to join the Finance & Administrative Services team. The HR Tech provides advanced office support to various Human Resources functions including, but not limited to the following specialized areas: recruitment, compensation, benefits administration, confidential data management and general administration; provides information and assistance to staff and the public; coordinates Human Resources related events and activities; provide clerical duties, as required, assists with projects and special assignments as requested by professional and management staff; and performs related work as assigned. This year-round position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, and contribution to retirement plan after one year of employment. Starting salary is $29.33 – $35.19 per hour DOQ. Full range of pay grade extends to $41.06 per hour. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www.townofcrestedbutte. com. Please submit application, cover letter, and resume via email to jobs@crestedbutteco.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer. THE MT CRESTED BUTTE WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT is accepting applications for a full-time Wastewater Operator to be part of a team environment focused on the operations of the wastewater plant and collection system for Mt. Crested Butte. Qualifications for the position include construction experience, the ability to work outdoors, prepare and analyze lab responsibilities, and experience with electrical, mechanical and maintenance repairs. A State of Colorado Collections and/or Wastewater license or the ability to obtain such within one (1) year is mandatory (training for certifications provided). Operators will be required to take on-call responsibility including select weekends and holidays. A valid
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NEWS
Thursday, January 9, 2025
benefits package including 100% employer paid premium family health, dental, and life insurance, 12 paid holiday days, two weeks paid vacation, paid sick leave, paid personal leave, employer contribution to retirement plan
(5% automatic mandatory employer matching with 1-3% optional additional matching), employer provided uniforms, and a wellness benefit/ski pass. Full job description is available at www.mcbwsd.com. Please submit cover letter and resume to Mt. Crested Butte Water and Sanitation District, PO Box 5740, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225, or email info@ mcbwsd.com. Position is open until filled.
Legals AGENDA
This meeting will be conducted in person and by distance using the video conferencing platform ZOOM Webinar. Please check the GWSD website for further instructions. Call to order Roll call Pledge of Allegiance Approval of agenda (ACTION, All) Commendations and celebrations (Information, Successful Students, Strong Employees)
• Public comment (Information, Engaged Community)
• Please use the public participation form, or use the Q&A feature in Zoom, and indicate your name, address, and topic for comment. Consent agenda (ACTION, All) Items in the consent agenda are considered routine and will be enacted under one motion. There will not be separate discussion of these items prior to the time the board votes unless a Board Member requests an item be removed from the grouping for separate consideration.
• Board of Education Minutes
• December 16, 2024 Regular meeting
• Finance: Approve for payment, as presented by the Director of Finance, warrants as indicated:
• General Account # 44625-44709
• Payroll Direct Deposit # 63404-63789 Personnel
Robin Arabie-Resignation-Middle School Counselor-CBMS
Carie Mitchell-Resignation-Child FindDistrict Paul Vickers-Resignation-Head Football coach-GHS
• Donald Turner-PE/Health teacher-CBSS
• Items for information, discussion, and action
• Certified Heart Safe Schools Celebration (Information/Discussion, Successful Students, Strong Employees, Engaged Community) Sherilyn Skokan, District Nurse
Facilities Improvement Program Update (Information/Discussion, Functional Facilities)
Artaic Group: Chris Guarino, John Usery, Ryan Smelker, Matt Prinster School Board Policies for Second Reading (ACTION, All)
• ACA-Name Change
• Other Administrative Report Items(Information, All)
• Dr. Leslie Nichols, Superintendent
• Items introduced by Board Members (Discussion, All) Board committee reports (Information, All) Board/Student Engagement - Dr. Coleman and Mrs. Roberts School Board Policy - Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman Executive Committee for Bond ProjectMr. Martineau
• Superintendent Evaluation- Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman
• District Accountability Committee (DAC)Mrs. Roberts
• School Accountability Committees (SAC)
GHS - Dr. Coleman
GCS - Mrs. Brookhart
CBCS - Mr. Martineau
Gunnison County Education Association
Negotiations - Mr. VanderVeer
Gunnison County Education Association
3x3 - Mr. VanderVeer
Fund 26 - Dr. Coleman
• Gunnison Memorial Scholarship - Mrs. Roberts
• Health Insurance Committee - Mr. VanderVeer
• Housing Advisory Committee-Mr. VanderVeer
• Gunnison Valley Education FoundationDr. Coleman
Upcoming agenda items and meeting
schedule (Information, Engaged Community)
January 27, 2025 Regular
Meeting/Amended Budget@5:30pm-GUN
February 10, 2025 Regular
Meeting@5:30pm-CBCS
• February 24, 2025 Work
Session@5:30pm-GUN
• March 10, 2025 Regular
Meeting@5:30pm-CBCS
• March 24, 2025 Work
Session@5:30pm-GUN
Adjournment
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of January 9. 2025
15939
MCBWSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY seeks a Graduate Academic Records Specialist to handle tasks and projects supporting graduate student registration, enrollment, records management, and related academic processes and events. If you excel at managing complex information, ensuring accuracy, and working collaboratively to make a meaningful impact, this is your opportunity! Learn more and apply at www.Western.edu/jobs.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE:
To the following parties that have their personal property stored at Plotts Mini Storage, LLC, 312 W. Hwy 50, Gunnison, CO, 81230:
All property will be sold or disposed of, unless claimed and/or all rent and fees paid prior to January 20, 2025
Unit 114 - MATTHEW DIETMAN Unit 324 - RITA SERRANO DIAZ
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication dates of January 9 and 16, 2025 15909
NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE
PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME
Public Notice is given on December 18, 2024 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison Combined Courts.
The Petition requests that the name of ELISE ALLEGRA YOUNG be changed to ELISE ALLEGRA GARCIA
Joy Case Clerk of Court /s/ Joy Case
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of December 26, 2024 and January 2, 16, 2025 15872
NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE
Public Notice is given on December 30, 2024 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison Combined Court.
The Petition requests that the name of GRACELYN CASSIDY ROBERTS be changed to GRACELYN CASSIDY BURNETT
Joy Case Clerk of Court /s/ Joy Case
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of January 9, 16 and 23, 2025 15925
PUBLIC NOTICE
Saguache County Board of Commissioners
Seeks Saguache County Planning Commission Members
Saguache County Board of Commissioners are seeking members and alternates from: Town of Saguache surrounding area – alternate La Garita/Center area – member and alternate Town of Center and surrounding area –alternate
Cochetopa/Sargents area – alternate Moffat and surrounding area – alternate Hooper and surrounding area – member and alternate Villa Grove and surrounding area – alternate At Large for All of Saguache County – alternate Crestone and surrounding area – alternate The representative must be a property owner or property manager and reside in the area they are interested in representing. Regular member terms are for three years, and the alternate terms are for one year.
Saguache County Planning Commission meets on the last Thursday of each month in the Road and Bridge meeting room. The Planning Commission may also have work sessions throughout each month to work on the Saguache County Master Plan and different items.
Saguache County Planning Commission members and alternates are paid $100 for every regular meeting they attend, plus mileage reimbursement.
If you are interested, please send a brief letter of interest stating qualifications and interest to: Saguache County Land Use, Attn: Amber Wilson, PO Box 326, Saguache, CO 81149 prior to Friday, January 15th, 2025. All applicants will be interviewed by the Board of County Commissioners. Should you have any
NOTICE
THE GUNNISON COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT is selling a 2009 Chevy Silverado 1500. This vehicle was used for fire protection since its purchase in 2009. The vehicle currently has 103,390 miles and is on a salvage title in the district’s name. Seeking the best silent offer bid with no reserve or minimum. This item is being sold AS IS, no warranties expressed or implied. To place a bid please drop it by in person or mail to 417 S. 10th street
questions please call Amber Wilson a555t 719655-2321.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of December 26, 2024 and January 2, 9 and 16, 2025 15871
MEETING NOTICE
Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District Board of Directors Meeting Monday, January 27, 2025. 5:30 PM
The Board of Directors of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) will conduct a regular board meeting on Monday, January 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM at the UGRWCD Offices, 210 W. Spencer Ave., Suite A, Gunnison, CO 81230 and via Zoom video/ teleconferencing. For questions or Zoom login information, please contact the District at (970)641-6065.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of January 9 and 16, 2025 15919
MEETING NOTICE
Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District WATER ACTIVITY ENTERPRISE MEETING Monday, January 27, 2025, Immediately Following Regular Board Meet (approx. 7:45 PM)
The Board of Directors of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) will conduct a regular semi-annual meeting of the Water Activity Enterprise on Monday, January 27, 2025 at approximately 7:45 PM at the UGRWCD Offices, 210 W. Spencer Ave., Suite A, Gunnison, CO 81230 and via Zoom video/teleconferencing. This meeting will immediately follow the UGRWCD Board Meeting scheduled at 5:30 PM on Monday, January 27, 2025. For questions or Zoom login information, please contact the District at (970)641-6065.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of January 9 and 16, 2025 15920
NOTICE OF AUCTION
This is to advise that household and personal property belonging to the following:
Debbie Dittman units 53 and 57
Jon De Epps unit 10
Chris Jakubauskas unit 23
Brittany Callis unit 49 Clark Foundation unit 106 Haley Shaffer unit 9 Brian Sutphin unit 109 at 410 Secure Storage located at 410 South 10th Street in Gunnison, CO; will be sold to the highest bidder at 410 Secure Storage on Friday, January 24th, 2025 at 10:00 AM to satisfy the owner’s lien for rent in accordance with Title 38. PROPERTY -REAL AND PERSONAL LIENS
Article 21.5. Self-Service Storage Facility Liens. All contents sold “as is” and by unit only. Seller neither warrants title to any items sold and does not make any express or implied warranties to any items sold. We reserve the right to refuse any and all bids.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of January 9 and 16, 2025 15913
Gunnison, CO 81230. The bidding closes January 22, at 6:00 p.m. MST/MDT. Please reference 2009 Chevy when placing a bid.
REAL ESTATE
235 N MAIN has artist spaces available off frontage street. 1 large, 2 smaller studios starting at $750. Liska 847-769-7800. MAIN STREET GUNNISON: 3BR/1BA W/D gas fireplace. Dogs allowed. $2,500. mtohomes@gmail.com.
MODERN 3 BEDROOM 2.5 BATH for rent in town of Gunnison. Prefer lease through May 31, 2025 Call/Text/Email Ryan Jordi 970596-1906 ryan@tavarealestate.com.
AVAILABLE FEB. 15: Taking applications for a small garage apartment (adu) close to campus and town. Nonsmoking, no parties, and no pets. All utilities included. $1,250 per month. Call 970-765-7786. Good references required.
Three generations of hospitality at Waunita Hot Springs Ranch
Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor
Just 30 minutes east of Gunnison, an ancient hot spring offers creatures large and small refuge from the cold all year long. Goldfish and frogs glide through balmy rivulets, and ducks forego their migration to bask in the spring’s steam. People, too, have flocked to the site for centuries, seeking a relaxing soak amongst good company.
The Pringle family has owned and operated the Waunita Hot Springs Ranch for more than five decades, inviting visitors from around the world to experience the sanctuary set amidst the snow-covered sage. Rod and Junelle Pringle purchased the property in the 60s. Their three sons helped manage the ranch over the years. The Pringles youngest son, Ryan, and his wife, Tammy, gradually shouldered more responsibilities as Rod and Junelle aged. Now the third generation is fol-
lowing in their footsteps, keeping the ranch in the family.
The family formerly operated a dude ranch from the property, sharing western ranching experiences with guests. These days, Waunita offers accommodations for large groups looking for a place to “get away without going away” and enjoy the warm water of the springs.
The springs’ history dates back long before the Pringles came into possession of the land. Historical records indicate that the Mouache band of the Southern Ute Tribe inhabited the Waunita area before the mid 1800s. The name of the land, Waunita, is thought to originate from a Ute legend about the formation of the spring itself. The story tells of a Ute princess, Waunita, who fell in love with a Shoshone warrior. After learning of his death in battle, she soon perished of heartbreak. Out of the earth from where her scalding tears had fallen, steaming rivers sprang.
By the end of the 1800s, settlers had arrived at the springs, building homesteads and then later, hotels. Charles Davis, a doctor from Chicago, purchased the majority of the property just before the turn of the century. He spent the next 20 years establishing the hot springs as a destination for medical treatment. Davis built a new, larger
hotel and a hospital alongside the property’s existing cottag es. His patients traveled from far and wide to Waunita seek ing the waters’ posited heal ing powers.
A fire destroyed the main hotel in 1910. A new ranch house — which still stands today — was built upon the hotel’s original foundation just five years after the disas ter. The property changed hands several times through out the following decades as its owners struggled to make ends meet during the Great Depression.
By the time Rod and Junelle purchased the land in 1962, it served as the summer landing place for the Monarch Baseball Camp. Rod had seen an ad in his local newspaper in Houston, Texas, describing a “Colorado boys camp” listed for sale. The couple borrowed some money from their parents to take a chance on a new venture. Rod and Junelle packed their three sons, Rod Jr., Wes and Ryan, into their Jeep to make the drive to their new home, sight unseen.
“It’s not the Taj Mahaal now, but it was in rough shape then,” Ryan said. “It was
A little oasis
Waunita B2
SPORTS:
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2025
Postcards from the early 20th century depict the original ranch house building before it burned down in 1910. (Courtesy Waunita Hot Springs Ranch)
Several friendly barn cats wander the property, greeting visitors and patrolling for rodents. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)
always a [family] joke that my grandmother pulled up in the driveway and got out and said ‘Well, if I had seen the place I wouldn’t have lent you the money!’”
Several years of hard work followed as the family toiled to get the land and buildings in working order. Their labor paid off when Waunita was accepted into the Colorado Dude Ranch Association. Dude ranches offer guests an immersive Western ranching experience, complete with horseback riding, mountain excursions and cookouts.
“It’s neat to be in a place where people come and you see the best of them. They relax. That’s why it is a little bit of an oasis.”
Ryan Pringle
Waunita Co-owner
The ranch, today, has been well-preserved throughout the Pringles’ ownership.
Barns and stables dot the long gravel driveway of the crimson-colored ranch house. Friendly barn cats patrol the fence-lined streams running from the spring. A hint of sulfur wafts from the steam rising from the babbling water, which powers the geothermal energy
feeding heat into the buildings. Pipes run hot water beneath walkways to keep them free of snow and ice.
A cafeteria and commercial kitchen dominate the ranch house’s lower level, offset by a nearby library and sitting room filled to the brim with books. Upstairs, a long hallway connects a plethora of guest rooms, each filled with antique furniture and decor.
The main swimming pool and two hot tubs jut up against the rear of the ranch house. Sprucecovered ridges rise high behind the property, sheltering swimmers from gusts of wind. While the pool and tubs are kept between 98 and 106 degrees fahrenheit, temperatures at the main spring’s source have been recorded at a blistering 180 degrees.
Ryan fondly remembers a childhood spent catching frogs and roaming freely around the lush grounds and surrounding woods. Playtime was interspersed with learning the value of hard work, as Ryan and his brothers helped their parents wash dishes, fold linen and scrub bathrooms clean to prepare for guests.
Ryan met Tammy in 1983 when she spent a summer working at Waunita between semesters at Abilene Christian University in Texas. The couple married soon after, and helped run the ranch while raising their three children, Randi, Kolby and Dani.
“I thought, well, [that job] would be a cool thing to do for an experience of a lifetime. And I ended up with a lifetime experience,” Tammy said.
Kolby was introduced to his own wife, Courtney, in a similar manner. The pair met during their teenage years when Kolby was working as a stablehand and Courtney arrived at
Waunita as a guest. The couple now work and live on the land with their own children.
Several times over the years, the family considered selling the property and moving on to other ventures. In a video posted to Facebook last July, Kolby and Courtney shared that their decision to continue their family’s profession was driven, in large part, by their faith.
“We are spiritual people, and this is our home,” Ryan stated. “I’m not saying that we’ll always be here, but it seems to be where we’re supposed to be.”
While the proverbial baton has been handed down, the entire family will remain involved with the hands-on undertaking of running the spring and guest houses.
Four generations of the Pringle family reside on the property today. Junelle, known affectionately as “Mimi,” still roams the grounds with her wooden cane in hand. She has spent the past several years drafting a book about her 60 years at the ranch and its history prior to her arrival. Junelle plans to combine her story with those of former staff members and visitors who frequented the spring over the years.
The family often feels that they get to experience their own slogan, to “get away without going away,” through the connections they’ve made with guests, Ryan said.
“There’s peace here,” Ryan said. “It’s neat to be in a place where people come and you see the best of them. They relax. That’s why it is a little bit of an oasis.”
(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Many of the guest rooms sport antique furnishings and decor.
The Pringle family stands in front of the steaming spring. (Left to right) Ryan, Tammy, Junelle, Dani, Courtney and Kolby.
Steam rises off of the main swimming pool, which is kept at a temperature of around 100 degrees fahrenheit year-round.
A wooden awning covered the main pool up until the 1960s. Today, the pool is uncovered, offering views of the evergreen-covered ridges behind the property. (Courtesy Larry McDonald/Gunnison Pioneer Museum)
A large dining hall accommodates large groups for shared meals. Visitors can use the commercial kitchen to prepare their own meals, or request cooking services from Waunita staff.
The family gathers before the ranch house, which has stood for more than a hundred years.
Moonlight ski
Gunnison Nordic and the Gunnison County Library will hold a Moonlight Ski on Jan. 11 from 6:30-8 p.m. Come to the south entrance of the library, stop by the Gunnison Nordic table to pick up your glow necklace and then head out with the group or ski on your own through the Van Tuyl trail system. Return to the library for hot beverages and snacks, chat with other skiers and celebrate winter. Consider bringing a headlamp as it can be quite dark until the moon has fully risen. All levels of skiers are welcome. For more information visit gunnisonnordic.com.
Elk limited licensing
meeting
The North American model of wildlife conservation relies on regulated hunting as a management tool. But what happens when some elk licenses in the Gunnison Basin are unlimited in the number sold — resulting in hunter crowd -
ing, management challenges and a lower quality experience for hunters? Join Gunnison Wildlife Association, local wildlife advocates and experts from Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Gunnison County Library, 1 Quartz St., to discuss this important local topic.
Red Lady Reveal
High Country Conservation Advocates and the Crested Butte Museum will hold a “Red Lady Reveal” party Jan. 10 from 5-7 p.m. A brand-new exhibit depicting the 47-year battle to Save Red Lady is now a prominent feature in the museum’s exhibit room. Refreshments will be served.
Gunnison Valley Journal event
The Gunnison Arts Center will host “Threads of the Valley” on Thursday, Jan. 16 from 5:456:45 p.m. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. This free event (donations optional) is a presentation
GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS
Paint your own pottery
Unleash your creativity Jan. 10 from 5-7 p.m. and Jan. 11 from 10-12 a.m. with Paint Your Own Pottery! Choose from a variety of ceramic pieces and bring them to life with your unique designs. Perfect for all ages and skill levels, this activity is a fun and relaxing way to express yourself. Bogo 1/2 off is available on select items!
Saturday clay day
Embrace the magic of the winter season by crafting your own ceramic snowflakes with Hannah Willis! In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn to shape and mold intricate snowflake designs from clay, adding your unique flair with glazes and decorations. Perfect for all skill levels, this creative experience lets you take home a
Group show
On Jan. 9 from 5-7 p.m. join artists David Heskin, Joe McGrane and Joshua Graham, for the opening reception of their group show containing mediums of drawing, paint and sculpture. Featuring wooden forms, wax pencil, oil, and acrylic, these artists are excited to showcase their works.
Wine Seminar: Sparkling Winemaking Techniques
As part of our extended programming from the Crested Butte Wine + Food Festival, we’re bringing a fun twist to gathering at the Center for the Arts on Jan. 16 from 6-8 p.m. Sparkling Winemaking Techniques: Learn how sparkling wines are crafted in this engaging class. We’ll explore the different methods used
of music, short readings and other “action items” from the new Gunnison Valley Journal as part of its Smithsonian “Crossroads” Exhibition. More than 100 local writers, singers, artists and photographers from the Upper Gunnison Valley are represented in the Journal, with a broad range of reflections on their lives in this corner of rural America – what is good and thoughts on what could make it better. The same event featuring Crested Butte writers will be held in Crested Butte on Jan. 23 at the Mallardi Theatre, doors open at 5:15 p.m.
Mountaineer Folsom site presentation
The Gunnison Research and Archaeological Stewardship Project will host “Dr. Brian Andrews and the Mountaineer Folsom Site” on Jan. 11 from 1-3 p.m. at the Gunnison County Library at 1 Quartz St. in Gunnison. Admission is free, but space is limited. For more information email grasparchaelogy@proton.me.
stunning, one-of-a-kind winter keepsake to adorn your home or gift to a loved one. Jan. 11 from 9:30-12 p.m. is the youth and family class for ages 6 and up. Children age 6 require a parent present. The adult class is from 4-6:30 p.m. and is for ages 18 and up.
Intensive wheel throwing
Every Monday Jan. 13-27 from 5:30-8:30 p.m., take your wheel-throwing skills to the next level in this comprehensive class led by Kristin Gruenberger, designed for those with prior wheel experience. This intensive course is perfect for potters looking to refine and elevate their clay practice. Explore advanced techniques, including creating lidded forms, crafting teapots, designing cohesive sets, and experimenting with altering wheel-thrown pieces.
to create bubbles, from traditional to modern approaches, while discussing regions, styles, and flavor profiles. Enjoy lively conversations on what sets sparkling wines apart, and of course, a tasting to compare techniques—because one glass is never enough to appreciate the magic of sparkling wine! The cost is $50 to attend.
Après Jazz: Domi Edson Trio
Cap off a great day on the slopes or join us after work on Jan. 21 at 5 p.m. for some casual jazz in the Kinder-Padon Gallery at the Center for the Arts! On January 21, we’re excited to welcome the Domi Edson Trio, a Denver-based piano trio focused on catchy melodies, infectious swing, and joyful ensemble interplay. This is a free event.
THE CITY OF GUNNISON HAS ARRANGED FOR CHRISTMAS TREES to be picked up for its refuse customers on Jan.3, 10 and 24. Please remove all decorations, lights, nails, and place the tree near your normal refuse pick-up area. City refuse customers and Gunnison County residents, may also take trees to the City Tree Dump (137 County Rd. 51) and set them on the left side of the gate.
Please do not block the gate.
JAN. 3TH, 10TH AND 24TH
Souper bowl making
Every Tuesday Jan. 14-28 from 5:30-8:30 p.m., get creative and give back by joining Kit Wijkowski in crafting bowls for our Souper Bowl fundraiser! In this fun and engaging workshop, you’ll learn to handbuild and/or wheel throw your very own bowls. Keep all the bowls you create except for one, which will be featured in our fundraiser and available for purchase to support a great cause. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced ceramicist, all skill levels are welcome to participate in this inspiring and rewarding experience.
JESUS LORD
Workshop series: grantwriting
The Crested Butte Creative District is excited to present our first CB Creates Workshop on Jan. 22 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Maryo Ewell, former Executive Director of the Gunnison Art Center and former member of multiple state and local granting organizations will share her experience with grantwriting to help creative professionals understand how to fund their projects using grants. This free, hour-long class is designed for anyone who is trying to make a living as a creative professional in the Gunnison Valley.
Titans hockey stumbles against Summit
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
The Crested Butte Titans hockey team suffered backto-back defeats to league rival Summit at home on Jan. 3 and 4. Despite controlling the tempo and creating scoring chances, the wheels fell off for the Titans in the final minutes on Friday, and continued into the doubleheader on Saturday. The results marked seven consecutive defeats for the boys, but Head Coach Joey Otsuka said he is hopeful the team can overcome the challenges both on and off the ice.
“I thought we played more consistently across three full periods in both games,” Otsuka
Western basketball subdued by Mountain Lions
Anderson’s 16 points unable to inspire comeback
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
The Mountaineer men’s basketball team dropped its 2025 home opener to University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) at home on Jan. 3.
The nonconference defeat moved the Mountaineers to a 4-7 overall record ahead of an RMAC contest against Fort Lewis on Jan. 9. Results were not available by press time.
On a day where the Mountaineers rued missed chances at the rim, the 8-4 Mountain Lions held a 10-point buffer throughout the major-
ity of the contest. It started with a 2-point bucket from senior guard Kade Juelfs, but the Mountain Lions responded with an immediate strike from beyond the arc. Junior forward Andrew Reichart tied the game at 4-4, until UCCS accelerated on a 7-point run to take a double-digit cushion.
The Mountaineers attempted to chisel away at the Mountain Lion lead late in the half. Juelfs knocked down a three to move the score to 25-19, but UCCS extended the score with a flurry of baskets. Sophomore Tyler Hannigan steered the Crimson and Slate to within 10 points with two free throws in the final minutes. Western entered the locker room down 39-29.
With the student section away on holiday break, the Mountaineers chased any form of momentum in the abnormally quiet Paul Wright Gymnasium. Straight into the
half, forward Jamel Hollins revived the sparse crowd and cut the lead to eight.
Then began a back-and-forth offensive overload. Juelfs pulled the Mountaineers back into single digits with a three, moving the score to 45-36. Senior guard Trey Anderson whittled the deficit down with a finish at the rim. Despite leading the team with 16 points, Anderson’s late effort was quelled by the Mountain Lions’ attack. UCCS fought fire with fire, and seemed to have a response to every Mountaineer bucket.
The contest ended 77-66, and stunted Western’s recent two-game win streak. The Mountaineers will return to conference action at home against New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 11.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Christian Still attacks the rim. (Courtesy Western Colorado University)
Jake White leads the Titans out of the defensive zone. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)
Hockey B2
Long-range attack leads Western past Eagles
Tschritter shines from behind the arc
Gregg Petcoff Special to the Times
The Western Colorado University women’s basketball team accelerated past Northern New Mexico College at home on Jan. 4.
The Mountaineers sank 72% of its 3-pointers in the second half to turn a 2-point halftime lead into a 64-51 non-conference victory. Jayde Tschritter led all scorers in the game with 15 points, all from behind the arc. The lead changed hands 11
times, with the visiting Eagles leading 29-28 late in the third quarter.
Rachel Cockman knocked down a 3-pointer from the right side to push Western in front, and then Tschritter took over. The graduate student made one triple each in the first and second quarters. The Eagles answered with a layup to cut back into the lead, but Tschritter continued to terrorize the visitors. She answered with two more triples to lengthen Western's advantage to nine, 40-31.
Leading at the start of the fourth, Alyssa Eckroth joined in the long-range fun, dropping a 3-pointer to begin the scoring. Later in the quarter Ivey
Schmidt hit one from behind the arc and Jayda Maves added two more to the day's total. Western hit 8 of 19 from three, drastically improving from its 3-for-14 first half tally. It ended 64-51 for the Mountaineers.
The matchup with the Eagles marks the final non-conference game of the season for Western. The team jumped back into Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play on Jan. 9 with a visit from Fort Lewis College. Results were not available by press time.
(Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)
Jayde Tschritter buries a three from the perimeter.
Ivey Schmidt advances the ball. (Courtesy Ethan VanMeter/Western Colorado University)
said. “We had a hard time sustaining offensive pressure and getting the puck out and could only survive by the skin of our teeth for so long.”
The Titans traded blows with the Tigers during the first two periods of the matchup on Jan. 3. Senior goaltender Gustav DesAulniers quenched early chances from the Summit attack and weathered a power play in the waning minutes of the first period. Heading into the first intermission down 1-0, the Titans were within reach of the 2024 state finalists.
Crested Butte conceded a second goal in the following period, and two fruitless powerplays ripped the wind out
of the Titan sails. Shots from seniors Carson Zummach and Marshall Spann forced saves out of the Tiger goalie. Still, the Titans returned to the locker room empty handed. Summit sealed the victory in the third period with two unanswered goals, and completed the 4-0 shutout over Crested Butte.
The results told a similar story on Jan. 4 when the Titans struggled to find the back of the net. Summit, soaring with confidence, put the game out of reach in the first period. The Tigers punched three goals past the Titans in the opening minutes, and increased the lead to eight by the end of the second period. It ended as an 8-0, consecutive shutout for the away side.
The scoring drought haunted the Titans during the weekend
A need for speed
defeats. Over holiday break, the Crested Butte senior captain and key goalscorer Grady Buckhanan stepped away from the ice indefinitely. Now, the Titans will rely on captains Spann and Zummach to right the ship ahead of a key home matchup against Caprock Academy on Jan. 10.
“We have to start from square one, work on our fundamentals and try something different,” Otsuka said. “But it’s all just words on paper unless we connect with our players. We’ll have honest conversations this next week and create a new plan, and then head into a key game against Caprock.”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.) Hockey from B1
The Crested Butte Mountain Resort winter race series kicked off on Dec. 28, and will return to action once a month through March. Both youth and adult racers cruised down the slalom course on Saturday, and finished the day with awards at Butte 66.
We are searching for a STAFF WRITER to help record the history of our great Valley — as it is happening!
Candidates should be:
• inquisitive
• passionate about this place
• motivated by excellence in media
• experienced or eager to learn
or part-time
Floyd Sedunov carries the puck.
(Courtesy Taylor Ahearn/Crested Butte Mountain Resort)
VETERANS’ VOICE
Remembering the battle I lost
Mark High Special to the Times
I have taught social studies at Gunnison Middle School and Gunnison High School for 35 and a half years. I also served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1983 to 1987 as an artillery officer. Through the years I’ve had several students ask me if I was in a war. I’ve said “no” each time. What I’ve never shared with them, however, is that I once lost a battle to monkeys.
I was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant in May 1983. After attending The Basic School (where all young lieutenants are initially trained) and artillery school, I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan from July 1984 to July 1985 with M. Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment. Mike Battery was a nuclear weapons capable artillery unit. We were tasked with preparing to fire 155 millimeter artillery nuclear shells at an invading North Korean army in the Cheorwon Valley — the natural invasion point near Seoul, South Korea.
This was easily the most serious undertaking I’ve had in my life. I was trained to assemble a nuclear shell in a special school where the first words out the instructor’s mouth were, “The passing score is 100%. You can’t make any mistakes with nukes.”
Yes, former and current students, I passed.
My first deployment was to South Korea during the fall of 1984. We practiced the nuclear mission and conducted normal artillery training close to the Demilitarized Zone. Fortunately, the North Koreans did not invade. Unfortunately, we were in the field 100% of the time, so I saw very little of South Korea and nothing of its cities.
Mike Battery returned to Okinawa just after Thanksgiving. We were subject-
ed at that time to a lengthy and high-stakes assessment of our nuclear capability.
At some point in March, Mike Battery deployed to Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines to test the ammunition loaded aboard Near-Term Prepositioned Force (NTPF) ships. We were told these ships had been stationed at Diego Garcia for several years. They were loaded with supplies and equipment that Marine units could use if called to fight a long distance from their normal equipment. The idea was to fly in the Marines to meet the equipment offloaded from an NTPF ship. (This concept worked well during the Gulf War of 1990-91.)
There was some question, though, about how well the ammunition would work after years of sitting in a hold as the ship sailed circles around Diego Garcia. We had elements of an infantry weapons company with us, so we were able to fire and test the ammunition for all ground weapons: artillery, rifles, mortars, machine guns, etc. Some of the ammunition did not perform as expected due to deterioration onboard the ship.
This resulted in a new system in the next generation of prepositioned supply ships — the Maritime Prepositioning Force used in the Gulf War. In July 1985, I left Okinawa after a year-long assignment and finished my active duty commitment as the support officer at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia.
One day while deployed to Subic Bay on the mission described above, my commanding officer (CO) and I drove our base-supplied small pickup to an office across the base. We enjoyed the lush tropical rainforest on both sides of the road. At one point, we found
VETERAN EVENTS & LOCAL INFORMATION
• THE 4 PILLARS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION ARE: *VETERANS AFFAIRS AND REHABILITATION; *NATIONAL SECURITY; *AMERICANISM; *CHILDREN AND YOUTH
parents, Dorthy
Jim
May of 1983. (Courtesy Mark High)
some monkeys in a clearing, so we stopped to watch them. The monkeys chattered at us. My CO rolled down his window and showed the monkeys a rather crude hand sign. The monkeys were apparently fluent in human rather-crude hand signs. Several of them instantly squatted and, well, pooped in their hands. They then threw the poop at our pickup. My
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CO barely got his window up when — splat! — a lot of monkey poop hit the window. We quickly drove out of the clearing when we realized we had lost the battle. The base motor transport chief was not amused when we returned the pickup.
The final score was: monkeys, 1 and humans, 0. Keep this in mind if you ever feel the urge to gesture at monkeys.
(Mark High is a teacher at Gunnison High School, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and member of American Legion Post 54 in Gunnison.)
High’s
and
High, pin on his “butter bars” upon his commission as a second lieutenant in
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