Gunnison Country Times, November 28, 2024

LMD will fund more workforce housing in 2025

Should lodging revenues pay for child care?

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

With a newfound freedom to alter what they spend lodging tax dollars on, some Gunnison County Commissioners wish to see the money spent on more

Lodging tax A6

POWDER PAWS: A pair of huskies raced around town with their human companions in tow during a snowstorm in Gunnison on Nov. 26.

(Photo by Mariel Wiley)

RTA and city eye bus stop designs

COMMUNITY: Head over heels, B1

SPORTS: Mountaineer football advances in playoffs, B6

NEWS: Avalanche danger high over holiday weekend, A8 OBITUARIES A2

OPINION A4

CLASSIFIEDS A15-A17 SPORTS B6

Construction won’t begin until 2026

Bella Biondini Times Editor

Planning for the Rural Transportation Authority’s (RTA) new upgraded bus stop near Safeway, meant to act as the Gunnison version of the Crested Butte 4-Way Stop, is well underway.

The RTA’s free commuter bus service has been growing rapidly, and is expected to carry as many as 400,000 passengers in 2025. In comparison, the bus system carried roughly half that amount in 2019. The RTA will run 41 round trips per day this winter, which is about 2,800 miles, or the distance from

Gunnison to Juneau, Alaska.

As the number of stops and frequency of trips have grown, the transportation agency has installed new bus shelters and added to its fleet.

For years, the RTA searched for a place where Gunnison passengers could wait inside out of the cold and snow, and have access to restrooms and lost and found, RTA Executive Director Scott Truex told Gunnison city councilors during a joint session on Nov. 19. This is all available at the 4-Way Stop at the entryway to Elk Avenue, in addition to an adjacent parking lot and bike racks. The popular northbound stop funnels passengers downtown and to Crested Butte Mountain Resort year-round.

Over the summer, the RTA

Bus stop A3

MetRec will again count TV users district-wide

Marshall, Nehrenberg exploring ways to keep TV

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Solutions are limited, and expensive, for the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District (MetRec) as it considers repairing an aging, over-the-air TV grid.

MetRec is a special district that collects property taxes for recreation and free, over-theair TV service. As the district’s budget for recreation grows and multi-million dollar projects

wait in the wings, its decadesold TV system has deteriorated. Facing mounting repair costs, soaring land lease prices for remote towers and service changes from corporate provider Comcast, the board voted unanimously to enter phase one of its TV operations policy — which could result in districtwide decommissioning of the system — at a meeting on Nov. 20.

The first of the two-phase process initiates community outreach to count the TV system’s users. The district is also cataloging system repair costs to compare those prices to just how many people benefit from a particular tower, an exercise most telling for its more remote,

MetRec A6

QUOTE of the week

“It’s a compliment to our work — to show that people have had a deep love for skiing here for a long time.”

— Krista Hildebrandt, Crested Butte Mountain Resort See story on B1

BRIEFS

Kebler closed

On Monday, Nov. 25, Gunnison County Public Works closed Kebler Pass, the road that connects Crested Butte to Hwy. 133, for the winter season.

Forest Service approves Daniels Hill parking lot

Last week, the White River National Forest approved plans to build a parking area near Daniels Hill in Marble. The parking area, adjacent to County Road 3, will accommodate up to 15 vehicles and include space for vehicles with trailers to turn around before reaching the Lead King Loop, or Forest Service Road 315. The parking area will be built in partnership with Gunnison County. Work is anticipated to begin in spring 2025.

Trailers will not be allowed to park in this area from May 21-Nov. 22, with the exception of a specific spot to be used by a permittee for parking a horse trailer.

“Congestion and safety issues from visitors parking illegally in this area is an increasing problem that we have been working with the Town of Marble, Gunnison County and other stakeholders to proactively address,” said Jennifer Schuller, Aspen-Sopris Deputy District Ranger.

A stakeholder group formed by the Town of Marble, Gunnison County and the White River National Forest developed a series of recommendations for managing the area, including building a parking lot. The Lead King Loop zone is popular for hiking, running, off-roading, jeep tours, snowmobiling, horseback riding and backcountry skiing. It currently experiences problems with visitors parking on private property, blocking driveways and parking along the road, creating traffic jams and damaging natural resources.

“We will evaluate how the parking system works and may adjust management in the future,” Schuller said.

Jessie Marie Weaver, daughter of Tom and Gladys Sullivan, was born March 14, 1938, in Gunnison, Colorado at the Adams Ranch, which is now the John Wilson Ranch. As of 1991, the old white ranch house, in which Jessie was born, still stood on the ranch, at the end of Main Street.

One of nine children, seven brothers and one sister, Jessie attended Blackstock School for three years. When she was seven years old, her family moved to NuMine #1, located in the Carbon Creek drainage. Jessie attended Castleton School and graduated from the eighth grade.

When she was 15, her family moved to the Kubler Mine, which is now gone. It was at Nu Mine #1 where she met Jack Weaver, whom she married March 30, 1954 at the age of 16. It was a quiet wedding, and Jessie’s brother Richard and her best friend, Janice Formaze, attended.

Jack and Jessie lived at the Kubler Mine for 12 years, where they became the proud parents of Ernst, Dwight, Dale and Joyce. In 1966 they moved to Doyleville, Colorado. One year later they purchased Jessie’s mother’s home at 114 N. 8th St. in Gunnison, where she resided until her death.

Jessie once worked with the Gymkanas and the Ladies Horseback Drill team and was a member of the Ohio Creek Home Demonstration Club. For three years, she served as the treasurer of the V.F.W Ladies Auxiliary,

which she was still a member of. She was the grandmother of 10 wonderful grandchildren, and great-grandmother to 15 great-grandkids. Jessie enjoyed cooking, sewing and piddling with interior decorating. She also had a hobby and small business working with fish worms

She worked for eight years as a custodian for Gunnison National Forest and then at Western State College, also as a custodian, where she retired in 1994. Back in 1968, Jack and Jessie purchased 50 Hi Trailer Park, which they ran for about 40 years before selling it. In 2012, Jessie decided she didn’t have enough to keep her busy, so she purchased the Opportunity Shop, catering to the bargain re-sale of second hand items donated from the public.

Jessie is survived in death by three brothers and one sister, her four children, nine grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren.

No service or memorial will be held at this time. In remembrance of Jessie and her long years of commitment to the community, her family is asking for donations be sent to the local food bank in her memory.

Robert (Bob) Raymond Rifley

Robert Raymond Rifley passed away peacefully at the age of 85 at home with family on Nov. 15, 2024, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, on Feb. 15, 1939, to Raymond

Rifley and Florence RossRifley, Robert’s early years were marked by his family’s move to Lakewood, Colorado. He attended Lakewood High School and later pursued studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder for two years before joining the U.S. Air Force. There, he attended cadet training for the 100th Air Refueling Squadron, Strategic Air Command, and earned the rank of captain.

After completing four years in the Air Force, Robert returned to Denver, Colorado to complete his college education. He went on to establish a CPA firm and pursued a master’s degree in public administration. His upbringing in the motel and restaurant business endowed him with keen business acumen, enabling him to spot opportunities and create many successful ventures, always with his loving wife and business partner by his side.

A cherished member of the Fraternal Order of Elks in Gunnison for many years, Robert developed lifelong friendships through his involvement in the organization.

Robert was the most loving husband, great friend and devoted father to eight children. He always put family first, brought laughter to his family, and guided his children with faith, wisdom and kindness. He relished playing games with family and friends and never missed an opportunity to enjoy a good game of poker.

Preceded in death by his daughter, Perri Ann Rifley, Robert leaves behind a loving wife, Donna, seven children, 17 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

A vigil will take place at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5 at Crippin Funeral Home in Montrose, Colorado, and a funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 6 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Montrose.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hope West Hospice, 725 S. 4th St., Montrose, CO 81401.

Correction

In last week’s edition of the Times , the date of Jack Lee David’s death was incorrectly listed in his obituary as Nov. 2, 2024. He passed away on Nov. 3. We apologize for the error.

BIRTHS

Oliver Charles

On November 2, 2024 at 1:45 p.m. Oliver Charles was born to Heather Bell and Matthew McHale of Gunnison. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. and measured 21 inches in length.

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Jessie Marie (Sullivan) Weaver

purchased the vacant lot on the corner of Hwy. 50 and Pine Street next to Safeway for $800,000 with plans to build Gunnison’s own “enhanced” bus stop. During the meeting, city councilors and staff, alongside representatives from the RTA, reviewed early design sketches of the bus stop. The group considered different bus circulation patterns, pedestrian safety and the bus stop’s ability to support growth in the future. The RTA plans to finalize designs in 2025 and begin construction in 2026.

The organization is keeping its focus on RTA operations only, as adding other transportation providers, such as the Bustang, is not currently allowed under city code. Regardless of the chosen design, the bus stop will have restrooms, a passenger waiting area and room for multiple buses to stop near the building. It will also offer additional office space for RTA administration and dispatch.

At approximately 1,200 square feet, the building will be half the size of the transit center originally proposed to go in front of the Gunnison Rec Center. RTA is using a $1 million grant from the state for construction.

All of the designs place the bus stop on the east side of the prop-

erty. City and RTA staff preferred site plans that include a raised sidewalk from Safeway to the bus stop, one-way bus circulation and loading passengers on Hwy. 50 to lessen buses’ interaction with passengers and bikes.

Bus drivers would have space behind the bus stop to park and prepare for shift change. Maps show that the buses would likely use the alleyway to the west next to Safeway to exit the bus stop. Other design possibilities included a pocket park, or “flex space” for events or food truck pop-ups and room for outside seating.

Councilors suggested that building a two-story facility would leave more space for future growth, and create more waiting room and better separation between passengers and RTA staff. Covered bike parking was also named as a priority.

Truex said the RTA currently only has enough grant funding to do minimal construction, which includes some of these amenities, but not all of them. He said the RTA may be able to pull additional money from its capital project fund. Waiting until 2026 to begin construction would allow the RTA to build up more cash it could spend on extras at the bus stop, he said.

The sketches leave limited space for angled passenger and employee parking at the south side of the property. Councilor Matt Schwartz worried about the bus stop’s parking capacity and

said the city needs to consider increasing on-street parking in that area, particularly on Pine Street. The empty property the bus stop will sit on is also used as parking for snow days, semitrucks and oversized vehicles who can’t fit into the Safeway lot and for rodeo-goers during Cattlemen's Days.

“If you've ever seen that bus stop on a morning of a powder day, that whole lot is covered in cars with people that are getting on the bus,” Schwartz said. “There are probably 30-40 cars there. That's something we as the city ought to think about. Do we leave that parallel parking? Or do we move Pine Street to all diagonal parking to increase capacity?”

Gunnison County commissioner and RTA board member Liz Smith asked if the bus stop would be able to handle any future bus service expansions — for example, in the case Bustang wanted to make it the primary Gunnison stop, she said. There have also been conversations in the past about the eventual addition of a city circulator bus, similar to Mountain Express town shuttle in Crested Butte.

“I think this facility could handle something like that, but we're really not looking at that right now,” Truex said.

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Oh give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! ~Psalm 136:26 (AMPC)   In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~1 Thessalonians 5:18

The corner of Pine Street and Tomichi Avenue, where the new RTA bus stop will be located. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

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THE GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES (ISSN 0892-1113) is published weekly by Alan Wartes Media LLC., 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, Colorado 81230. Periodical postage paid at Gunnison, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Gunnison Country Times, 218 N. Wisconsin, Gunnison, CO 81230-0240

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Grateful for more than a day

Alan Wartes Times Publisher

Happy Thanksgiving!

I mean the usual things with that greeting — that today might be a happy, healthy, restful day for you, filled with abundance of every kind. But I also mean it as a wish that we might all recognize the deep connection between those two concepts: happiness and thanksgiving.

Marcus Tullius Cicero wrote, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of all the virtues, but the parent of all others.” If he’s right about that — and I think he is — then it’s appropriate for us to pause on the holiday we’ve set aside for giving thanks and think a little more deeply than usual about gratitude and what those other virtues might be. That seems especially impor-

tant this year, when troubled times leave many of us needing a boost.

Perhaps the most important characteristic of gratitude is a paradoxical one — that gratitude is at its most powerful not when we feel it spontaneously, but when we choose it as a response to hardship. That’s because the act of remembering what we have to be grateful for pushes other thoughts and feelings aside for that moment, robbing them of attention and energy. Anyone, at any time, can be thankful for something. In my experience, when I really get serious about that, I find the list of blessings far outweighs my challenges.

Gratitude, in other words, is a practice, not just a feeling.

Another key to understanding the value of gratitude is that it is equally powerful when applied to small things as to big ones. Start with little blessings and work your way up, like this: I’m grateful for coffee in the canister this morning and cream in the fridge; for time spent with some of my grandkids this week; for favorite old

movies on snowy nights.

All of this could seem hopelessly naive. Some might say we’ve got too many real world problems to worry about and solve to waste time thinking about “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.” Fair enough, I get it. But that brings us back to the other "virtues" that gratitude is the parent of. Maybe, fostering those is exactly what we need in order to face and solve the issues we face.

For instance, giving thanks fosters humility. When I start listing all the things I have to be grateful for, I can’t help noticing how dependent I am on things I didn’t make, conditions I didn’t create and knowledge I haven’t mastered. Maybe I don’t have all the answers and can afford to consider other points of view.

Gratitude opens the door to empathy. Being purposely thankful for my health, my prosperity, my family, and so on, I’m closer to considering what it might be like to live without them — and to imagine what might be done to help.

Armed with humility and empathy that are inspired by

thankfulness, I’m ready to practice patience with others who don’t think like I do, or make the same choices.

Gratitude for what I have inherited from those who came before me can give me courage to stand up in defense of what is good and true going forward. The moment I take all that for granted is the moment it begins to slip away.

Finally, while thankfulness is mostly about taking stock of what has been and is present now, there is also a way to pay it forward into the future — in the form of our hopes and prayers. It’s a vision of the future we are willing to believe in and work toward, and that one day, God willing, we can be thankful for. Now is not the time to let fear and uncertainty make us give up on gratitude, past, present and future. We need it more than ever. Today is a very good day to remember that.

(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)

Let’s scrap the stigma of mental illness

Dave Marston Writers on the Range

Even though one in five Americans is estimated to suffer from mental health illness, talk about mental health in the rural West remains muted. I’d like to talk about it this Thanksgiving because I’m grateful I got the help I needed after a longfought problem: I’m bipolar and I’m being treated for it.

I didn’t start out bipolar. I was 24 when my behavior took a dive. At first, I chalked it up to my job in New York where I was buying and selling stocks all day. I became manic and anxious, prone to periods of depression laced with sleepless anxiety.

During a period of rampedup mental anguish, I jumped out of a moving car. It was going fast, over 30 miles per hour. I was with friends when someone made a joke at my expense, and rather than fire back a witty response, I thought, “I’m going to explode.” I opened the door and jumped. Ten seconds later I was hobbling down a dark suburban street. Sure, I was bloody,

gravel lodged in my hands, but I was relieved to be out of that car.

Running from problems became my life’s work. It was that or suddenly erupting in anger, seeming without notice. But for years I dodged seeing a psychiatrist, consulting a therapist instead. I’d grown up in a rural Western community and seeking psychiatric help seemed impossible.

When I finally sought out a psychiatrist 15 years later, he asked tough questions. What were the most erratic things I’d done? Jumping out of a moving car ranked first on the list. Had I ever been hospitalized for my behavior? No, nothing that severe. He took notes, then gave me his diagnosis: I was bipolar. I firmly resisted that conclusion. Skeptically, he offered antidepressant medication.

“Typically, a bipolar person will have a poor reaction,” he said. I had seven bad reactions to seven anti-depressants. I finally gave up. “I’m not saying I’m bipolar,” I said. “But if I were, what medication would you prescribe?”

“I’d prescribe an anti-psychotic,” he said. At that point the continuing anguish of my daily life outweighed my fear of being diagnosed as mentally ill. “I’m ready,” I said.

Sure enough, the medication was effective, and life changed. I slept soundly and could read-

ily work. I experienced calm. I married, had a child and eased into what passes for normal life. But I never talked to people about being bipolar, or about the medication that made life worth living. I bought life insurance and went through a medical exam. Afterward, the agent said I could get a much better rate without an antipsychotic in my daily regimen. I paid the higher rate for what I called my “bipolar tax.”

In 2022, my family and I moved from New York to the town of Durango, Colorado. I called psychiatrists in the area and explained I was looking to start treatment locally. One doctor quickly texted me back and asked me to text my medications. “Whoa!” he texted. “I don’t treat bipolar patients.” The next psychiatrist rejected me also.

I tried to wean off medication, but the old hamster wheel of anxious thoughts spun faster and faster. In western Colorado, it took finding a telehealth doctor who would prescribe the medication that allowed me to function.

I also got to know my neighbor John Truitt, who is, among other things, on the autism spectrum and happy to chat about it. Sensing a kindred spirit, I began, “This is a big secret.” His reaction to my confession was surprising: “Big deal you’re bipolar,” he said. “You’re what’s

called 2E for twice exceptional.” That meant I was “neurodiverse” and gifted, he said.

My gift had once been turning the chaos of financial markets into profitable trades, something I can’t do now while medicated, but I’m fine with that.

Since that day, I’ve told more people about my diagnosis and subsequent learning curve. This spring, I gave a commencement speech at the private Heron School for Twice-Exceptional Students in Moab, Utah, sharing with parents, teachers and students my bumpy ride with mental illness. Looking at the audience, I saw understanding and acceptance.

Because so many of us live with it, mental illness needs to be acknowledged, treated and talked about. I could have saved so much time, energy and pain by seeking the right kind of help earlier. How much healthier we would be if we treated mental illness the way we treat any other illness — with openness and compassion.

(Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about Western issues. He lives in Durango, Colorado.)

Thank

you,

Gunnison County voters

Editor:

The 2024 election results have been certified and the big takeaway was the great turnout — 74.9% of the registered voters in our county voted! We are proud of our active voting participation, compared to the national turnout of 64%.

We are also celebrating the re-election of our two county commissioners Jonathan Houck and Liz Smith. Jonathan and Liz are ready to carry on with their valuable work improving the lives of all our citizens.

Each of the Democratic candidates on the ballot successfully won the Gunnison County votes, but the Republicanleaning counties in our district overcame their valiant efforts. We congratulate Kathleen Curry, Cole Buerger and Ellen Angeles for running hardfought, honorable races. We trust that their valuable energy will continue to grace our county with future endeavors.

We are proud of the many volunteers that kept the big white tent rolling along during the election season. Visitors to the cozy tent will remember the cheerful and helpful atmosphere under the sunshine.

Thank you to all the volunteers and the loyal tent Dems.

Gunnison County Democratic Party

Jim Starr

Marsha Collins Vikki Roach Archuleta Annie Starr

Starview will add high priced homes and sprawl

Editor:

I am disheartened to learn of the Starview Subdivision major land use change that is being proposed for the corner of Hwy. 135 and Cement Creek Road (CR 740).

The application is 138 units, far too many to be compatible with surrounding open space and our community’s values. The development doesn’t comply with the County LUR’s location standard so the developer must prove that Starview will result in no significant adverse impact to neighborhood lands, land uses, wildlife, visuals or air or water quality. They cannot prove this.

A store, gas station, office and retail spaces are in the plan. The developer claims this will reduce traffic between the CB South area and Crested Butte and Gunnison. Nearly every person in CB South drives to CB or Gunnison every day, and 500 more residents living at Starview will drive every day. Gunnison Public Works and the CB Fire Protection are concerned about safety at the intersection of Hwy. 135 and CR 740. CB South already has a commercial district and a gas station. Additional commercial development should be clustered in central CB South.

Starview is mostly open market homes targeting the wealthy upper class. It is disguised as

a working “missing middle” development with “affordable, attainable, and open market homes.” Very little workforce housing is included. Out of 138 lots, 44 will be “smaller,” which is not defined, and only 22 have deed restrictions. That leaves 85 lots on the open market with a home size cap of 5,000 square feet and a two-car garage. There is no income or resale cap on the deed restricted units; in the future these units can be sold at any price. ADU’s are not required. Short-term rentals are only prohibited in the high density area.

The view will be immensely impacted. It will be dense and close to the highway. The mountains of Paradise Divide will be nearly hidden from view.

The proposed project is located within elk range and a mule deer migration corridor. The elk migration corridor to the east is critical. There are many wetlands on the property and next to CR 740 that could be negatively impacted. There will be an increased impact on nearby public lands. A significant increase in traffic volume on Hwy. 135 will result in more wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Starview’s wastewater would be piped across the river to be connected to CB South Metro. The details of Starview’s water supply is unclear with a mixture of sources, but CB South Metro said it can provide potable water to Starview. Likely residents of CB South will share the burden of costs.

I encourage anyone concerned about the impacts from the Starview Subdivision to write a letter to the Planning Department at planning@gunnisoncounty.org and the Board of County Commissioners at bocc@gunnisoncounty.org, and say no to Starview as it is proposed. Plan to attend the public hearing Dec. 19 at 8:45 221 N. Wisconsin in Gunnison.

To see the application at gunnisoncounty.org/436/PermitDatabase, select permit database and application, type in LUC-22-00028.

Holly Annala CB South

I remain a climate optimist

Editor:

How much is 59 gigatons? I suspect many in our community may have a hint at the significance of this figure. This figure represents the total annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced globally by humans. It is also the amount humanity must entirely eliminate by 2050 to prevent global temperatures from rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius.

I think most of us really don’t grasp the magnitude of this number.

Let me clarify a bit. One ton of GHG equals 2,205 pounds. One gigaton equals 1 billion tons. Or, to put it into further context, a single gigaton equals the equivalent weight of 10,000 fully loaded aircraft carriers. Multiply that 59 times over and

that is the astonishing physical weight of GHG which we collectively pollute our atmosphere every year. It boggles the mind to contemplate the enormity of this impact, and saddens the heart that political leaders would deliberately delay our transition to a clean economy.

My intention is not to cast a shadow of doom and gloom over our Thanksgiving holiday. I remain a climate optimist, confident that established pathways exist to decarbonize the planet by 2050. As highlighted below, I’m deeply thankful for the significant progress already being made in advancing both the United States and our local energy transition.

I’m deeply grateful for the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) under the Biden administration. This landmark legislation represents the most significant step Congress has ever taken to address clean energy and combat climate change in our nation’s history.

I’m grateful that our wholesale electricity provider, TriState Generation, has set ambitious goals to expand renewable energy generation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to loans from the IRA, Tri-State is advancing projects to add 700 megawatts of new wind capacity, and 240 megawatts of new solar capacity. These efforts will be supported by hundreds of megawatts of stand-alone storage, including cutting-edge 100-hour, iron-air batteries.

I’m grateful that our local electric cooperative, Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA), is leveraging IRA funding to incentivize home and transportation electrification. Through GCEA programs, the co-op is offering rebates and tax credits of up to $14,000 per household annually for energy efficiency upgrades and smart technologies.

I’m grateful for our newly elected town council in Mt. Crested Butte. With fresh leadership, our municipality now has the potential to embrace more ambitious climate action goals, aligning more closely with the progress made in the Town of Crested Butte.

Finally, I am happy that our 3rd Congressional District is once again represented by someone of integrity. With Jeff Hurd’s election, we now have a representative who openly believes that “government can be a force for good.” Let’s remain vigilant in communicating to Rep. Hurd that he should prioritize and defend climate policies that are accelerating our transition to a clean economy.

Andrew Arell Mt. Crested Butte

Lodging tax

than just affordable housing projects. However, the county’s desire to lower rents at Whetstone remained paramount.

As a result of a 2022 ballot measure, Gunnison County Commissioners now have more discretion in how they spend lodging taxes. Commissioners also act as the board of the Local Marketing District (LMD) which collects money from a 4% tax on lodging rentals meant to attract more tourists to the valley. The fund has nearly doubled in the last decade, as the county revamped its tourismbased marketing to harness visitor’s burgeoning interest in outdoor recreation.

The county projects lodging tax revenue of $3.4 million fund next year. At a recent meeting on Nov. 12, members sparred over what types of projects beyond marketing — like housing or child care — make the most sense to support with that funding. The LMD funds the Tourism and Property Partnership (TAPP), responsible for growing lodging revenues, and supporting sustainable tourism and economic development, including the ICELab, which works with TAPP to create more high-paying jobs within the county.

The 2025 budget includes a $500,000 contribution to Whetstone, the county’s income-restricted housing project south of Crested Butte. It is the first of two half-million dollar contributions the county intends to earmark for the project. Pulling out that amount of money each year for housing isn’t sustainable in the long run, but helps now as the county works to lower Whetstone’s rents, said County Manager Matthew Birnie.

Such contributions are possible due to 2022 ballot measure 6A, which voters passed by a 76% margin. The issue expanded the allowable uses for those funds to include workforce housing, child care and recreation infrastructure, for up to 40% of the fund’s total revenue.

Last year, commissioners moved $1 million of its 2024 LMD budget toward the second phase of another of its affordable housing projects, Sawtooth — its first use of LMD funds outside of valley-wide marketing efforts. That $1 million represented about 28% of the prior years’ LMD collections.

The contribution to Whetstone and a $75,000 allocation to the National Forest Foundation (NFF) add up to just under $600,000, or about 16% of the LMD’s “expanded” spending in 2025 — significantly less than what the county could funnel into those uses.

The $75,000 is going into the Gunnison Stewardship Fund, a pot of money used to fund stewardship projects and trail crews in the valley. Through a local partnership with the NFF, a nonprofit eligible for more federal grants, that money is expected to grow.

Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels asked the board if that was enough, and if members should consider further spending on things like child care.

“The question for this board is partly about, are the percentages allocated in alignment with our community's values and priorities? … Some of those other things that are worth dealing with, housing and child care, for me those are important to spend a little more money on,” Puckett Daniels said.

Each year, TAPP’s budget is spent on tourism marketing and growing the economy beyond tourism via efforts with the ICELab, and more recently, partnerships with Western Colorado University and the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. This year, TAPP intends to put up $400,000 to explore opening a new warehouse or storefront space for the ICELab in town, possibly in Gunnison Valley Health’s Dollar Store space on Tomichi Avenue.

The budget has grown considerably since the mid-2010s, when the county shifted from “marketing everything” to focusing on the valley’s most well-known tourist attractions, primarily mountain biking and extreme skiing. The strategy has proven successful, and visitor-

ship has grown over time. For the first decade, LMD collections hovered around $1 million annually. This year, it’s triple that.

The county can forecast the timing and overall amount of LMD revenues, but often dips into reserves to fill the gaps until revenues rolls in.

“I want us to be thoughtful that reserves should be utilized when appropriate, to meet goals, but understand that dipping into reserves starts to play out over time,” said County Commissioner Jonathan Houck. “We want to be very cautious about how far we go there, because our revenue projections are going to change.”

Even in years with slower visitation, collections have been stable as hotels have raised their nightly rates. For Houck, the continued spending on marketing and economic development pays dividends across the valley for local workers, many of whom work in jobs dictated by the seasonal flow of tourists each year.

“[People say], ‘Oh, I thought, because we're Colorado and we're Gunnison and Crested Butte, we could just stop marketing and people come here anyway … That's not marketing,” he said.

Conduits for spending LMD money on child care

tions, NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox.

scarcely-used towers. Each household within MetRec’s service area will get a mailer, alongside other forms of digital outreach, in coming months.

Board member Earl Marshall and district manager Derrick Nehrenberg are exploring ways to keep offering the free service and its popular channels. Many of these solutions require significant capital investment in updated technology or new contracts.

In a series of events over the last few years, the TV system has become more expensive and cumbersome to maintain.

Comcast informed MetRec it would not service the district with a satellite feed, which could mean the end of popular TV sta-

The Monarch tower, which has five reliant towers, was severely damaged last year and now faces a six-figure price tag to repair. At the same time, many of MetRec’s leases with private landowners, which secure plots of land for the district’s TV equipment, have increased by 50%.

“When I look at it and consider all the permutations of the possible solutions for continuing TV or discontinuing TV, there are still so many questions out there,” Nehrenberg said in the meeting. “And it's not because MetRec is not asking the questions. It's because we're not getting answers.”

The technology in the district’s TV towers is rapidly becoming obsolete. Based on prior research, Marshall said the current board will be "hard pressed” to maintain service at all of MetRec’s most remote sites, and

likely focus more on its main artery from Gunnison to Mt. Crested Butte.

“The writing on the wall for over-the-air TV has been there for a decade … We just need to understand as a district and as a community that TV can last as long as we want it to, to an extent, but technology will continue to drift away,” he said.

So, Marshall said he needs a “sunset date” by next spring for MetRec’s current over-the-air TV technology, a choice that will guide the district as it considers investing in new technology. So far, that could include plugging into a ground-based fiber system or trying “transport streams,” packages of channels offered directly from providers, with no middle man or licensing fees. The district is already considering a stream from Denver-based TV station KMGH, Marshall told the Times

are not fully fleshed out, said Commissioner Liz Smith. Smith sits on the Gunnison Hinsdale Early Childhood Council, and said the board has been contemplating ways to link the housing and early childhood care efforts. But using tax revenues to subsidize centers or providers could prove risky, as collections can be unstable.

But about half of all inhome child care providers across the county have closed in the last few years, and the need for infant care especially has skyrocketed, she said. The Whetstone units have been designed to meet the code requirements for in-home care, despite the fact that their relatively small size might make running those centers difficult, Birnie said.

“If we are able to incentivize somebody doing business, and it's subsidized by cheaper rent … That is a way that we could partner with some of those goals,” Smith said.

A small amount of LMD money is also spent on the valley’s visitor centers. The Chamber in Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte requested an increase in their annual allotment from $25,000 to $50,000, and two years of extra funding for new projects. Ideas to elevate chamber services have yet to be fleshed out, Houck said,

There are no straightforward answers in what Marshall called a landscape of “disarray” in how TV service, whether run through the ground or over the air, is delivered across the state. Operations have migrated from special districts to nonprofits or into county governments, who often outsource the labor to a third party. Through his research, Marshall was confronted with jumbles of mis- and disinformation, he said. He recommended that MetRec “divest” from its TV translator towers, and instead find a partner to run them. The government or special districts like MetRec are not the “ideal tenants” for private landowners based on how the contracts are drafted, he said. The partner model is already in use along Hwy. 135 for the district’s Comstock tower, which it leases from a private tower provider.

so he’d like to keep those levels stable. This includes a valleywide chamber, or collaborating more with major players like Western Colorado University and Vail Resorts.

Puckett Daniels disagreed, citing that, compared to social media outreach and other marketing efforts, the county spends little on its visitors centers, which are main points of contact for tourists. She said she would like to see more balance between the proportion of the budget set aside for “bringing people here,” and providing resources, like visitor centers, when they get to the valley.

The Chamber, with two locations, one in town and one in Mt. Crested Butte, is struggling with high workloads. In order for executive director Heather Leonard to build the chambers’ offerings, she needs a consistent, well-paid staff. The chamber received a letter of support from both municipalities for the funding increase.

“If you want to grow what you're doing and how you're doing it, you have to be able to make investments,” Puckett Daniels said.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

“This is the best deal for the taxpayers that I think this district has ever signed because we got a beautiful tower, a beautiful building, redundant power [and] air conditioning … and when the air conditioning breaks, we call the landlord. This reduces staff stress,” he said.

The district’s 2025 budget has not excluded any TV operations. MetRec will continue to pay leases, energy bills, subscriber fees and engineer Bill Frost. However, next year’s budget does not have room for significant capital upgrades or testing new services, both expected to cost tens of thousands of dollars.

From 2019 to 2020, the district spent about $1.3 million on TV operations and maintenance, Nehrenberg said. Most of that was designated toward the “main chain” from Mt. Crested

The county earmarked $1 million of LMD funds for its deed-restricted housing project Sawtooth last year.

(Photo by Mariel Wiley)

A diagram of MetRec’s TV translator system, with information on each towers’ state of relative disrepair. (Courtesy MetRec)

continued from A6

Butte down the Gunnison, where over 90% of the district’s users live. This included a “multi-generational” $140,000 repair on the Sunlight tower in the North Valley. Marshall noted that the sitting board has yet to deny a TV funding request. If the district is going to operate the TV system beyond a couple years, the board should be prepared to dip into its about $1 million in general fund reserves, Marshall said. The property tax increase permitted by the 2018 “de-Brucing” is not enough to cover the capital investments. However, spending into its general fund for TV experimentation

would mean scaling back south subdistrict grants that funnel money into Gunnison projects, as that district-wide fund also pays for TV, Marshall said.

For many throughout the county, free TV service is not a relic of a pre-internet era, but a free service they rely on for basic information: weather, sports and elections. Some are facing the choice of paid TV service or none at all. A future survey could find a way to “weight” the needs of users across the district, Marshall said, and find out who among them uses it because they can’t afford to pay for TV or have no other way to get it.

During public comment, Alex Mattes-Ritz reiterated that the

district does not market the TV service to the same degree as its recreation initiatives. Sharon Schlegel of the Gunnison branch of the American Association of University Women reminded the board that the 2018 ballot measure that allowed the district to increase property taxes included language for maintaining the TV system.

“They [district residents] voted for it a couple of years ago and assumed that that meant it was going to be ongoing and that repairs would be made in a timely fashion,” Schlegel said.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

The City Center

Your local government’s weekly community ad. Have questions? Call us at (970) 641-8080.

City Council Meetings gunnisonco.gov/CouncilMeetings

2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month.

City Hall, 201 W Virginia Ave , 5:30pm Meetings typically last 2 5 hours, stay as long or as little as you like All people and languages are welcome Agendas available online the Friday before meetings

Snow Removal Reminders

Always give plows and operators extra space. You can see them better than they can see you. Never pass snow plows. Time and space keeps everyone safe!

Plan ahead with extra time on snow days!

Drive through breaks in the windrows, not over or across. Do now blow, throw, or deposit snow into the roadway. Park off-street if possible and move cars after plows have cleared spaces.

Shovel out fire hydrants, utility meters, and trash cans.

Did you (s)know?

In the area serviced by city plow operations, a 2 inch snow is equivalent to a football field stacked 27 feet high!

(Courtesy Katie Henderson/Western Colorado University)

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Avalanche danger

high Thanksgiving week

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) is warning backcountry travelers of a significant increase in avalanche danger across the Colorado mountains during Thanksgiving week. An atmospheric river brought heavy snowfall to Colorado with up to 3 feet expected in some areas, and at least 2 feet across much of the mountains.

“We’re particularly worried because we’ll see the most dangerous avalanche conditions we’ve seen so far this season when more people than usual will be getting out to recreate because of the holiday,” said CAIC Director Ethan Greene.

This rapid and heavy snowfall, combined with an already weak snowpack, will lead to dramatically different and significantly more dangerous avalanche conditions than seen so far this season. Avalanche danger is expected to reach high (Level 4 of 5) in favored areas by Tuesday night, with large, dangerous avalanches possible.

“There will be an increased likelihood of natural and human-triggered avalanches that are large enough to seriously injure or kill a person this week,” Greene said.

CAIC issues avalanche danger ratings based on the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale from low danger (Level 1) to extreme danger (Level 5). During certain avalanche conditions, CAIC also issues avalanche watches and warnings when the avalanche hazard will be or is high (Level 4) or extreme (Level 5). Special avalanche advisories are issued to alert the public of an increased safety risk due to potentially dangerous conditions for many people.

“The avalanche danger is going to be higher and avalanche conditions are going to be trickier this coming week than what we’ve seen so far this season,” Greene said. “There are still lots of great, safe places to go. We want people to check the avalanche forecast and make a

plan that keeps them out of avalanche terrain or off of the dangerous slopes.”

Forecast timeline:

Wednesday - Snowfall totals may reach 3 feet in areas like the Park Range, Flat Tops and Elk Mountains, with two feet or more across most mountains. Avalanche danger will likely reach high (4 of 5) in much of the Northern and Central mountains, and in the western San Juans.

Thanksgiving - Avalanche conditions are expected to remain very dangerous with a considerable (3 of 5) rating.

Friday-Sunday - While the storm ends late Wednesday or early Thursday, dangerous avalanche conditions will continue as the snowpack adjusts to this rapid load. With clear skies, fresh snow and the holiday weekend, backcountry activity will likely increase. Special avalanche advisories are anticipated.

CAIC strongly advises all backcountry travelers to check the avalanche forecast regularly and adjust their plans accordingly. Always carry proper avalanche safety gear, including a transceiver, probe and shovel, and know how to use them. Avoid avalanche-prone terrain during periods of heightened danger.

This timeline is subject to change. For the latest avalanche conditions, visit CAIC’s website at Colorado.gov/avalanche or the Crested Butte Avalanche Center at cbavalanchecenter. org/.

(Source: Colorado Avalanche Information Center.)

to your dream home in the picturesque Van Tuyl Village subdivision! This brand-new, 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom property is a testament to modern design and quality craftsmanship. As you step inside, you’re greeted by an open and inviting kitchen-dining 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 $610,000 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

BLM adopts regionwide sage-grouse recovery plan

Minimal changes in Gunnison Basin

Bella Biondini Times Editor

A new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plan will standardize rules on grazing, development and oil and gas leasing across the range of the Gunnison sage-grouse. Wildlife managers hope the action is a step toward the species’ eventual recovery.

With the largest population of birds, and the most connected habitat, the Gunnison Basin is the stronghold for Gunnison sage-grouse, said BLM project manager Gina Phillips. Since the grouse was listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2014, local land management agencies have closely monitored the bird’s numbers, and protected its habitat to ensure the bird’s population is stable. The effort has required buy-in from all sectors of the community, from private landowners and ranchers, to students at Western Colorado University and Gunnison County representatives.

Small satellite populations exist in nine other Western Slope counties, and in portions of eastern Utah. These populations are managed by a mixture of different BLM field offices, natural conservation areas and a national monument. The result is inconsistency, and biologists speculate that this may be a cause of the sage-grouse’s decline in some areas.

Colorado, a species that is declining, but not listed as threatened or endangered. And while the restrictions in place for oil and gas leasing are strong, the plan weakens around the issues of livestock grazing, road construction and renewable energy development.

“There's not a whole lot in this plan that you can hang your hat on,” Molvar said. “With all of the efforts that local individuals and governments are making, you would expect the federal government to do its part to protect Gunnison sage-grouse.”

Public land managers have been protecting the Gunnison Basin’s sage-grouse populations under a candidate conservation agreement (CCA) for more than a decade. The CCA is a voluntary agreement between U.S. Fish and Wildlife and other parties — such as local governments, tribes and private landowners — to remove or reduce threats to the species. Fish and Wildlife Service establishes protections for terrestrial species that are listed as threatened or endangered. The CCA provided guidance on grazing, and new infrastructure, roads and trails based on how much they are expected to disturb sage-grouse and their habitat.

In 2020, Fish and Wildlife released a recovery plan that spurred the BLM, which had limited internal guidance on how to manage the threatened bird, to draft this new, regional plan. Fish and Wildlife had also required the BLM to revisit the agreement if populations fell below a certain threshold. However, many portions of the Gunnison Basin’s original CCA were incorporated into it, Brodhead said.

“To recover the bird, that’s where numbers have to go up,” said BLM Biologist Kathy Brodhead. “Gunnison is seen as the most resistant and resilient population for good reason: we have birds and we have habitat.”

To address falling numbers, the agency amended 11 management plans between Colorado and Utah this fall on more than two million acres of BLM-managed land. The guidelines — consistent across the region — include a one-mile buffer around Gunnison sagegrouse habitat, close areas with no or low oil and gas development potential to new leases and limit “surface disturbance,” such as the construction of pipes, power lines or well pads. The plan also adds new areas where the management will focus on further protecting the grouse’s habitat.

But some wildlife advocates, such as Erik Molvar, a wildlife biologist and executive director with Western Watersheds Project, find the plan “disappointing.” He said, in some aspects, it doesn't measure up to the habitat protections for the greater sage-grouse in

While communities next door to the Gunnison-sage grouse’s satellite populations will see more changes under the new plan, management in the Gunnison Valley, for the most part, will remain business as usual thanks to the CCA. This is with the exception of the designating new “areas of critical environmental concern” (ACEC) and modified grazing guidelines. ACECs are zones with restrictions in place to protect sensitive plant and animal species.

Chance Gulch and Sapinero Mesa are now ACECs and closed to the development of new trails. While motorized closures around the valley for the sage-grouse breeding season typically run from March 15 to May 15, these will be extended through July 15 at Chance Gulch, Sapinero Mesa (west of County Road 26) and the newly designated Sugar Creek Backcountry Conservation Area. Sugar Creek is a BLMmanaged area

Over the past several

decades, the number of birds in Chance Gulch — located in the sagebrush hills behind the Gunnison landfill — has declined. Because the area is popular among bikers, hikers and dog walkers, the designation is meant to protect the area from the growing pressure of recreation. The story is similar at Sapinero Mesa, home to some of the BLM’s best sagegrouse habitat, Brodhead said. It is also a site where the BLM has made large investments in wet meadow restoration and invasive cheatgrass treatments. The Sugar Creek designation will help keep the area, which is mostly free of roads, intact.

“Gunnison is seen as the most resistant and resilient population for good reason: we have birds and we have habitat.”

Kathy Brodhead BLM Biologist

Because of the prevalence of ranching on the Western Slope, Gunnison sage-grouse also have to coexist with cattle and other livestock. The BLM leases land to permittees on 60 grazing allotments in sage-grouse habi-

tat. But extensive cattle grazing can reduce the amount of grass and shrubs the birds eat and use to hide from predators.

Under the new plan, grazing management plans will be adapted for each individual allotment and can include drought mitigation and grazing rotations designed to keep sagegrouse habitat healthy, even with the presence of livestock. Ranchers have also been asked to ensure vegetation heights provide adequate cover for sage-grouse during the nesting period.

But some of the new requirements are difficult to enforce, Brodhead said. For example, the plan encourages permittees to minimize vehicle use during breeding hours. Rangeland staff would only know if ranchers were following the rules if they were present on the property in the early-morning hours.

Grazing management is another point of criticism for Molvar, who is backed by WildEarth Guardians and the Center for Biological Diversity. These “non-binding” management practices are insufficient, he said.

“In most of the places where the declines are happening, there aren't any industrial or residential developments around to blame it on,” Molvar said. “The only human-caused impact that is changing things from natural conditions is livestock grazing. That makes livestock the most widespread human impact on the Gunnison sage-grouse.”

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

GCEA plans rate increase in 2025

On Nov. 20, the Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) Board of Directors approved a proposed 4.5% rate increase, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

GCEA will hold a virtual member meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. to review rate increase details, listen to member concerns and answer questions. To receive a link to the meeting, or view the complete list of proposed rate changes, visit gcea.coop. The last rate increase GCEA imposed was 5% in March 2024.

The average monthly residential member bill will increase by roughly $6 based on an average of 688 kWh per month of usage. The monthly service availability fee will increase by $2 for most residential and commercial accounts.

This proposed rate increase is driven by the need to replace aging infrastructure as well as increased labor, material and support service costs. To smooth the impact on member

rates, the board approved the use of deferred revenue to cover 34% of the needed increase to meet the 2025 budget. The rest of the increased expenses will be recovered by the 4.5% overall increase to members’ rates.

GCEA reviews rates every year to ensure any changes are made thoughtfully, while keeping electricity reliable and affordable. The board supports beneficial electrification — using electric alternatives in homes, businesses and transportation — not only to address climate challenges but also to help reduce future rate increases. By using more electricity from clean sources, members can help keep rates lower over time by spreading fixed expenses across more kWh sales.

(Source: Gunnison County Electric Association.)

The slopes are calling

Skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes at Monarch Mountain and Crested Butte Mountain Resort this week to kick off the winter season. Riders traveled from Gunnison to get their first turns of the season at Monarch over the weekend following a rare early-season opening day on Nov. 22. Crested Butte’s Red Lady, Peachtree and Teocalli lifts spun back to life yesterday, transporting ecstatic visitors above powder-covered runs. As of Wednesday morning, storm totals reached more than two feet in Crested Butte.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Crafts on the cob

Artists created colorful decorative corn cobs from wooden beads and raffia ribbon during the monthly Crafternoon event at the Gunnison Country Library on Nov. 21.

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.

Nov. 22, 6-8 p.m.: Shabbatluck service/ dinner in CB, pls bring a dish/drink to share. Nov. 23, 10:30-12 noon: “Kibbitz with the Rabbi” at Rumors in CB Nov. 23, 4 p.m.: Today’s Torah/Havalah, CB South

Nov. 28, 12 noon-2 p.m.: Community Thanksgiving - Mitzvah Day/Tikun Olam

Faith 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 Mariel Wiley)

Atmos Energy has a rewarding opportunity for a full-time Construction Operator, Service Technician and Distribution Operator in Gunnison or Crested Butte.

This position would be responsible for customer service and construction field activities on distribution and transmission systems and facilities. Must enjoy working with the public working outside in all weather conditions and be available for overtime and call-out. Positions require a high school diploma or GED, along with a valid driver's license. All training will be provided. Relocation assistance may be considered. DOT Drug Test. Background and MVR required. CDL-A preferred. ($29.25-$42.50 DOE).

Interested applicants must apply on line at atmosenergy.com/careers.

EOE/M/F/0/V

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY

seeks applicants for Security I

Full-time (40 hours/week)

Starting pay rate $17.04/hour

This position is scheduled for night shifts (8 p.m. – 6 a.m.) and is paid an additional 14% ($19.42/hour) for weeknights and 20% ($20.45/hour) for weekends.

Western’s benefit package includes Colorado PERA retirement, low-cost insurance plans (with generous employer contributions to medical/ dental/vision), employee and dependent tuition benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year. Employees receive basic life insurance and disability insurance at no cost. Employee wellness programs and professional development trainings are available for FREE.

To view the full job announcement and apply, visit western.edu/jobs and click on “View Careers” (AA/EOE).

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $70,288 to $99,422 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 $63,162 to $89,344 plus full benefits.

Uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.

Heavy Equipment Operator

Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $22.91 to $30.77 plus full benefits.

Family Support Partner

Juvenile Services: Part-Time, 20 hours/week, starting hourly pay rate is $21.82 plus partial benefits. Juvenile Diversion Case Manager

Juvenile Services: 40 hours/ week, hourly pay range from $31.88 to $38.75, depending on experience, plus full benefits.

Shop Technician

Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $25.74 to $34.57 plus full benefits.

Appraiser

Assessor: 40 hours/week, monthly range is from $4,684.00 to $6,291.00, 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

CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Chief of Police: Full-Time, $ $145,000$172,000/yr.

Seeking a dynamic and experienced leader to serve as the next Chief of Police.This pivotal role requires an individual with a strong commitment to community safety, a proven track record in law enforcement, and a passion for fostering positive relationships within the community.

Aquatics Manager: Full-Time, $59,300 to $69,700/yr. Oversees and manages all operations of the Gunnison aquatics facility. Organizes and coordinates the day-to-day maintenance, operations, and services of the swimming pool facility and works with the Head Guards and other Recreation Staff to provide related aquatics programs.

The City of Gunnison offers a competitive benefit package, including 75% of medical, dental and vision premiums paid for the employee and their dependents, 5% of gross wages in a retirement plan, 3 weeks of vacation (increasing based on the years of service), 13 paid holidays and 12 days of sick leave per year.

and nasty crawl spaces FREE Inspection & Same Day Estimate $250 off ANY project with code GET250

To Place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado Newspapers for $300

$52,000 with benefits. To view the full job announcement and apply, visit western.edu/ jobs and click on “View Careers” (AA/EOE).

PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON

VALLEY seeks a Program Advocate for a 22 hour/week position to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and/or stalking. To apply, send resume, cover letter and 3 references to: director@hope4gv.org. See further info on our website at hope4gv.org/employment.

DAVID GROSS GENERAL CONTRACTOR is looking for a licensed person to drive trash dumpsters and do general labor. Full-time. Please call David 970-901-1798.

SNOW SHOVELER NEEDED FOR THE WINTER SEASON: $24/hour, full time hours and ski pass reimbursement. Email office@ prproperty.com or call 970-349-6281. Valid Driver’s License Required.

WINTER SNOW REMOVAL TECHNICIAN

NEEDED:. Bobcat experience required. Contact Dylan 970-901-5820 or Dylan@rockymountaintrees.com. Visit rockymountaintrees.com/employment/ for full job description.

of approximately 250 diverse teacher and principal candidates to ensure successful progress toward achieving their Colorado licensure and undergraduate or graduate degree. The Academic and Admissions Advisor in Education reports to the Chair of the Education Department and works collaboratively with a network of faculty, advisors, and staff within the Education Department and Western Colorado University as a whole. This position has two main areas of responsibility: student advising and admissions. The Academic and Admissions Advisor in Education will assist students through the completion of their academic plan, provide success initiatives that help to retain high-quality students, connect them to campus services and resources, and provide opportunities for successful transition into employment. Salary range is $48,000-

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 Colorado driver’s license is required, and a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is preferred at hiring or the ability to obtain such within one (1)

Contact your local Newspaper or email rtoledo@colopress net

year is required. Starting salary is $53,100 to $59,500 for entry level. $58,000 to $75,000 salary available for operators/electricians with experience and appropriate state licenses. Excellent 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. MCBWSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

CRESTED BUTTE BURGER COMPANY

is hiring the following seasonal positions; Team Member: $16-18/hr. + gratuity; Team Supervisor: $18-$19/hr. + gratuity; morning availability preferred. For more information or to submit a resume, please email: crestedbutteburgerco@gmail.com.

INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER OPERATOR AT MT. EMMONS: Self-motivated, Mechanically inclined, organized & efficient Driver’s license, transportation. $50K/yr. to start, more when licensed, 2 weeks of PTO, Sick time. Holiday pay, Health ins. after probation. Matching Simple IRA after one year. Drug and Alcohol testing conducted Email Resume’s to Tmarshal@fmi.com.

GUNNISON LIQUOR (The Ghost) is currently looking for part-time help. Nights and weekends a must. Pay DOE. Stop by with a resume. 603 W. Tomichi Ave., Gunnison. 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

For more information, including complete job descriptions, benefit packages, required job qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCO.gov/HR.

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.

townofcrestedbutte.com. 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.

WORK FROM HOME: Flexible hours. Growing construction company in need office assistant/ management. Experience with QuickBooks and

+ gratuity; Housekeeping $2022/hr. Employee benefits include discounts, employee meals, and ski storage at the base area. For more information or to apply, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com.

REAL ESTATE

1,500 SQ FT RETAIL/OFFICE

Legals

NOTICE OF BUDGET

Notice Of Budget

(Pursuant to 29-1-106, C.R.S.)

NOTICE is hereby given that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Board of Supervisors of the Gunnison Conservation District for the ensuing year of 2025; a copy of such proposed budget has been filed in the office of Gunnison Conservation District, where the same is open for public inspection; such proposed budget will be considered at the meeting of the Gunnison Conservation District Board to be held at 216 North Colorado St, Gunnison, Colorado on Tuesday, December 17th at 1:30 p.m. Any interested elector of Gunnison Conservation District may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.

Tonya Carr District Manager

Gunnison Conservation District

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado.

Publication date of November 28, 2024 15658

NOTICE OF BUDGET

NOTICE CONCERNING THE AMENDED BUDGET OF NORTH FORK AMBULANCE HEALTH SERVICE DISTRICT

NOTICE is hereby given that an amended budget has been submitted to the Board of Directors of North Fork Ambulance Health Service District for the year 2024; that copies of this proposed budget have been filed in the office of the District at 110 E Hotchkiss Ave, Hotchkiss, Colorado, where the same is open for public inspection; and that such amended budget will be considered at a public hearing of the Board of Directors of the District to be held at 110 E Hotchkiss Ave, Hotchkiss, Colorado on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Any elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget, inspect the budget and file or register any objections thereto.

NORTH FORK AMBULANCE HEALTH SERVICE DISTRICT

By: Diane Perry

Secretary to the Board

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

Publication date of November 28, 2024 15587

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Robert Charles Niccoli

a/k/a Robert C. Niccoli, Deceased Case Number 2024PR30035

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Gunnison, County, Colorado on or before March 21, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.

Sherry Lynn Niccoli as Personal Representative of the Estate of Robert Charles Niccoli a/k/a Robert C. Niccoli 21000 STATE HIGHWAY 135

Crested Butte, CO, 81224

Please contact through counsel: Jacob A. With, Atty. #40546 Law of the Rockies 525 N. Main Street Gunnison, CO 81230 970-641-1903 ex. 2

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of November 21, 28 and December 5, 2024 15582

PUBLIC NOTICE

MEETING NOTICE

Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy

District Board of Directors Special Budget Meeting Monday, December 9, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.

The Board of Directors of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) will conduct a special board meeting for approval of the 2025 budget on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 5:30 PM via Zoom video/ teleconferencing only.

Please register in advance using the following Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/ meeting/register/tZMude6orD0vGNdTgkIUNoOiDUjPWWYtWc-

After registering, you will receive an email about joining the meeting. A meeting agenda will be posted at the District Office prior to the meeting. For questions, please call UGRWCD at (970)641-6065.

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

Publication date of November 28, 2024 15657

NOTICE

Gunnison County Public Works Department will be listing several vehicles and pieces of equipment for sale at https://www.govdeals. com/gunnisoncounty. The auction will run from 11/27/24 to 12/11/24. There will be vehicles, wire, grader & snowmobiles. These listings will be on the GovDeals website ONLY

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of November 21 and 28, 2024

15612

SUMMONS

District Court Gunnison County, Colorado Court Address: 200 E. Virginia Ave. Gunnison, CO 81230

Plaintiffs: William Furlong and Lauren Furlong v. Defendants: Ona Gladys Womble; and all unknown persons who claim any interest in the subject matter of this action.

Attorneys for Plaintiffs: Law of the Rockies

Marcus J. Lock, Atty. Reg. #33048 Jacob A. With, Atty. Reg. #: 40546 525 North Main Street Gunnison, CO 81230

Phone Number: 970-641-1903

Facsimile Number: 970-641-1943 mlock@lawoftherockies.com jwith@lawoftherockies.com

Case Number: 2024CV30051

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF

COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS:

You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the complaint filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court.

If you fail to file your answer or other response in writing within the applicable time period, the Court may enter judgment by default against you for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice.

This is an action to quiet title pursuant to C.R.C.P. 105 in favor of the Plaintiffs in and to the following property in Gunnison County, Colorado:

A parcel of land situated in the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 33, Township 51 North, Range 1 East of the New Mexico Principal Meridian more particularly described as follows:

COMMENCING at the North Sixteenth Corner of said Section 33, being monumented by a ¾” rebar, as shown on the Plat and described in the Field Notes of the Bureau of Land Management DEPENDENT RESURVEY OF A PORTION OF THE SOUTH BOUNDARY AND THE CORRECTIVE DEPENDENT RESURVEY OF A PORTION OF THE SUBDIVISION LINES AND THE SUBDIVISION OF SECTION 33,

FRACTIONAL TOWNSHIP 51 NORTH, RANGE 1 EAST OF THE NEW MEXICO PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN THE STATE OF COLORADO, complete September 20th, 2006, also being the Northwest corner of that parcel of land described in the Special Warranty Deed recorded August 15th, 2022 as Reception No. 686585 in the office of the Gunnison County Clerk and Recorders Office (hereinafter referred to as the Furlong Parcel), from whence the North Quarter Corner of said Section 33, being monumented by a 3.25” BLM Aluminum Cap property marked and dated 2005, bears N00°13’27”E a distance of 1325.31 feet (Basis of Bearings for this legal description).

Thence S00°08’27”W along the West line of the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 33, also being the West line of said Furlong Parcel, a distance of 329.42 feet to the Southwest corner of said Furlong Parcel, also being an angle point in said West line of the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of said Section 33 as shown and accepted on said Bureau of Land Management Dependent Resurvey, monumented by a ½” Rebar and being the true POINT OF BEGINNING;

Thence N83°29’00”E along the South line of said Furlong Parcel a distance of 215.95 feet to a point on the Westerly Right of Way of Highway 135, from whence that CDOT Right of Way marker 553, monumented by a ¾” rebar and 3.25” CDOT Aluminum Cap stamped PLS 37678 bears N29°38’46”E a distance of 16.13 feet;

Thence S29°38’46”W along said Highway 135 Right of Way a distance of 167.67 feet to

CDOT Right of Way marker 551, monumented by a 3/4” rebar and 3.25” CDOT Aluminum Cap stamped PLS 37678;

Thence continuing along said Highway 135 Right of Way S31°59’02”W a distance of 249.67 feet to a point on the West line of the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of said Section 33, from whence that CDOT Right of Way marker 548, monumented by a 3/4” rebar and 3.25” Aluminum Cap stamped PLS 37678 bears S31°59’02”W a distance of 947.65 feet, and from whence an angle point in said West line of the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of said Section 33 as shown and accepted on said Bureau of Land Management Dependent Resurvey bears S00°06’27”W a distance of 533.50’; Thence N00°06’27”E along the West line of the Southwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of said Section 33 a distance of 332.98 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING.

The above described parcel contains 0.839 Acres (36,568 Square Feet), more or less. County of Gunnison, State of Colorado.

By: S:Jacob A. With Jacob A. With

Dated November 15, 2024 Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of November 21, 28 and December 5, 12 and 19, 2024 15584

The Gunnison Community School invited families to an evening of fun during the Gunnison Parent Teacher Association’s GCS Ski Extravaganza fundraiser on Nov. 21. PTA members transformed the cafeteria into a movie theater, screening ski films throughout the evening while the audience snacked on popcorn. In the gymnasium, kids raced between four different bouncy houses and a rope swing. Ticket sales benefit the 2024-25 GCS after school ski program.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

- ALCOHOL — 1000 N. MAIN ST.

NOVEMBER 22

UNSECURE PREMISES — 138 N. MAIN ST. PROPERTY - FOUND — 147 N. MAIN ST. DISORDERLY CONDUCT: FIGHTING IN PUBLIC — 312 E. TOMICHI AVE.

HARASSMENT: INSULTS, TAUNTS, CHALLENGES — W. NEW YORK AVE.

PARKING VIOLATION — 204 SYDNEY ST.

JUVENILE PROBLEM — N. COLORADO ST.

VIOLATION OF PROTECTION

ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 510 W. BIDWELL AVE. INFORMATION — 1011 W. RIO GRANDE AVE.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST DEGREE - RESIDENCE — 910 E. TOMICHI AVE.

NOVEMBER 23

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 98 BASIN PARK DR. ABANDONED VEHICLE — 515 N. IOWA ST. ACCIDENT — 100 S. WISCONSIN ST.

NOVEMBER 24

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL PER SE — 200 N. MAIN ST. BURGLARY: FIRST DEGREE — 600 N. COLORADO ST.

ANIMAL: RUNNING AT LARGE IN PUBLIC — 910 W. NEW YORK AVE. WELFARE ASSIST — N. MAIN ST. DISTURBING THE PEACE - ALLOWING OTHERS — 720 N. COLORADO ST. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF — 602 W. VIRGINIA AVE.

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

NOVEMBER 19

- Somerset deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a twovehicle accident - Information- possible trespassing report in Marble

NOVEMBER 20

- Welfare check - Paper service in Marble - Information — harassment texts being sent

NOVEMBER 21

- Unlawful conduct on public property – verbal warning given: you cannot camp or use the electrical outlet at the whitewater park

- Deputies took one person into custody for driving under revocation

- Agency assist to the Ragged Mountain Fire District with a vehicle fire on Hwy. 133

- Deputies performed a welfare check and assisted Gunnison Health and Human services with a family situation

NOVEMBER 22

- Deputies issued a summons to a person who failed to stop at a stopped and illuminated school bus

- Information report- poaching incident

- Welfare check

NOVEMBER 25

- Found property

SPORTS: Titan hockey opens season with losses, B8

COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2024

Head over heels

Ski Patrol celebrates Gunnison Valley history on the slopes

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

Ski patrollers filtered into the Lodge at Mountaineer Square on Nov. 18 after completing their first day of preseason training. It had been a long day on the slopes, and now, damp mittens and Goretex layers coated the chairs. The patrollers were preparing for opening day, and a massive storm loomed in the forecast.

Yawns, very much contagious on the sleepy afternoon at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR), spread around the ballroom. But then, the booming voice of local historian Duane Vandenbusche awoke the crowd. He pointed to a photo of a group of skiers holding hands, backflipping off a ski jump in the 70s.

“The Flying Bambini Brothers!” Vandenbusche announced. “The rumor is, a group of Crested Butte middle school students will attempt the same stunt this year.”

The patrollers winced.

Krista Hildebrandt, the assistant snow safety supervisor at CBMR, once Vandenbusche’s student at Western Colorado University. Nowadays, she invites the former professor, and local legend, to share a

snippet of Crested Butte skiing history with patrollers before the start of each season. Hildebrandt has found that celebrating history, and recognizing the sacred, and often rambunctious local traditions, remind staff of their role in the local skiing legacy. And so Vandenbusche told tales of historic races, nude Jokerville laps and failed gondola christenings.

“Recognizing our history creates pride and stoke going into the season,” Hildebrandt said. “It’s a compliment to our work — to show that people have had a deep love for skiing here for a long time.”

For Hildebrandt, Vandenbusche’s thunderous tone transports her back to freshman year at Western State

EARLY AD DEADLINE!

Get your ad reservations in now! Deadline is Dec. 19 by NOON

GUNNISON

The Monument run at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in 1972. (Courtesy Duane Vandenbusche)

Charlie Baney (left) and Al Johnson (right) ski at Irwin in March of 1883. Ski patrol B2

Ski patrol

College. Once her history professor, Vandenbusche stood as the sole obstacle between her and endless powder days on the mountain.

In 1985, Hildebrandt recalls dashing across campus, with one eye on the time and another on the icy pathways. She flew into a building, gasping for air and watched, horrified, as Vandenbusche’s door closed precisely at 8:01 a.m. She was late, and had already registered three absences that semester.

“He pulled me aside after class, and told me, ‘I noticed all three of your absences were on powder days,’” Hildebrandt said.

“‘I would like to assume that those days were spent wisely.’”

of Crested Butte Ski Patrol, and told stories of the Gunnison Country’s love affair with skiing.

“The light nimble little fellow doubled himself up on his shoes, and shot down the mountain like a speeding bullet” Exerpt from the Gunnison Review-press

Now, almost four decades later, Hildebrandt has made her own local history as the first mother on Crested Butte Ski Patrol. This winter will mark 35 seasons spent keeping skiers safe through avalanche mitigation and emergency first response.

On Nov. 18, the former professor and student stood in front

The winter sport budded in the Gunnison Country in the 1880s, when skis were the preferred mode of transportation between mining camps. Boom towns sprouted up along the Western Slope, and miners from camps such as Gothic, Tin Cup and Irwin tested their courage with downhill ski races each weekend. The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad shuttled hundreds of spectators from Gunnison to gamble and drink, and bet on their favorite racers.

The crowds would watch in awe as the miners straightlined down the slopes, reaching speeds of 50 miles per hour, without carving in a single turn.

The most famous race occurred in 1886, when Crested Butte folk hero Al Johnson took on 16-year-old Charlie Baney. Johnson, whose name is now memorialized with the annual telemark race each year, gained fame skiing mail between mining camps. During this time, skis were nine to 14 feet long, weighing a hefty eight pounds and carved from fallen spruce logs. Miners attached their boots with leather straps, and used a 7-foot guide pole between their legs to slow down.

But Johnson and Baney rarely shed speed. The Gunnison Review-Press wrote, “The racers scarcely ever touched their guide poles to the snow.” Although only a teenager, Baney hailed from Crested Butte, and was “Raised on shoes (skis).” On the fateful day in 1886, the pair whizzed past the other two competitors. The newspaper wrote about Baney, “The light nimble little fellow doubled himself up on his shoes, and shot down the mountain like a speeding bullet.”

“I think that Charlie Baney went into the first racing tuck in history,” Vandenbusche said.

The race ended in just 30 seconds, and the teenager scraped

from B1 Ski patrol B3

Duane Vandenbusche gives a talk to ski patrollers on Nov. 18. (Photos by Alex McCrindle)

past the postmaster by a mere 18 inches, winning the $25 prize money. The Gunnison townsfolk paid off their wagers, and returned to town for refreshments and merriment.

Skiing and the Gunnison Country have long maintained a passionate romance. Like destined lovers, Crested Butte’s steep terrain and weightless snow made it a perfect match for the sport. In 1961, the town finally built its ski area, Crested Butte Mountain Resort. The honeymoon phase has continued ever since, with each passing snowstorm, and deep, powdery turn.

In January of 1963, Crested Butte unveiled its state-of-theart gondola, just weeks behind northern rival, Vail. Among the raucous celebrations, Father Leo McKenna, a Catholic priest, blessed the gondola with holy water before its maiden voyage. Naturally, the gondola sputtered to a halt at the second tower, delaying the grand opening. Then, poor Father McKenna broke his knee cap walking out of the resort that same day, leading Vandenbusche to question his Catholic upbringing.

“I told Father McKenna I’ve been a good Catholic all my life, but now I’m thinking Lutheran after the events today,” Vandenbusche said.

It may have been a poetic beginning, as Crested Butte has since earned a reputation as a revelrous hotspot. There is no better example than Vandenbusche’s first-hand account of Garth Hammond’s infamous run in April 1970.

Hammond, a Western State College student, soaked in the spring warmth by skiing stark nude down the Jokerville run. A crowd of 500 spectators erupted in cheers as the student dodged ski patrol. But the chase ended prematurely, and Hammond met his fate in the back of a squad car. On the drive back to Gunnison, however, the police were notified of a stolen vehicle flying north to Crested Butte. The stolen car slid into a field near

Jack’s Cabin, and Hammond begged the sheriff to remove his handcuffs. The Western student chased after the driver and tackled him in the field.

The next morning, the newspaper report pictured Hammond on the front page, with the headline, “Local hero captures car thief.”

“Not a damn word was ever said about Garth Hammond skiing nude,” Vandenbusche said.

Whether they are chasing after naked skiers, or monitoring middle school stunts, the Crested Butte Ski Patrol is set for another eventful season this winter. Vandenbusche closed with lyrics from the 1969 song “Those were the days,” by Mary Hopkin.

“Once upon a time, there was a tavern where we used to raise a glass or two

Remember how we laughed away the hours

Think of all the great things we would do?

Those were the days, my friend,

We thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

For we were young and sure to have our way.”

“I want you to remember that these are some of the greatest days that you're ever going to have,” Vandenbusche closed.

“When you're a little older, you're going to look back and treasure them.”

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Vandenbusche shows old ski photos.

The event was held at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square.

The Flying Bambini Brothers complete a hand-held backflip at T-Bar Hill in Crested Butte, 1973.

U

Every wall a canvas

Raber Painting expands into new workshop

Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor

DECEMBER 7TH 2:00-6:00PM

When young children pick up a paintbrush for the first time, many seem to gravitate toward brushing vibrant lines across their bedroom walls instead of on a blank canvas, much to their parents’ dismay. Guardians and preschool teachers alike often chant the phrase “brush, paint, paper” like a prayer, in an attempt to teach their children the “proper” way to paint.

But this childhood taboo is forgone by professional house painters, who get to make a career out of the skill they learned in their salad days.

For the crew at Gunnison’s Raber Painting, their trade provides a never-ending opportunity to build on years of experience. Co-owners Max Raber, Jake Raber and Jack McConnell are all in their mid-twenties, and have over 15 years of painting experience between them.

While none saw themselves becoming professional painters when they were small, their career fell into place organically, and became a fulfilling way to live in the place they love, Max said.

“It’s an outlet for my perfec-

tionism,” Max said. “We get to hold ourselves to our own standards, and one of my favorite things is getting to wig out on our quality.”

This summer, the team moved their operations from Jake’s garage into a spacious new workshop at 600 S. 11th St. The new workspace has enabled them to store more equipment and pre-finish cabinetry inside of a negative airflow spray booth, a large, well-ventilated enclosure that pulls debris and paint fumes from the air.

Jake moved to Gunnison from Colorado Springs in 2016 to attend Western Colorado University. He worked at another painting company in Crested Butte throughout college, and broke off to start his own venture almost two years ago. He’d soon be joined by his younger brother, Max, and Max’s high school friend, Jack.

Hundreds of miles to the north, but still amidst the Rocky Mountains, Max and Jack were drawn into the painting business while attending Montana State University. They both moved to Gunnison shortly after Jake struck out on his own, eager for an opportunity to live and work in the valley, McConnell said.

While painting itself was second-nature to the three skilled tradesmen, owning their own business was a novel endeavor.

“Learning the business side of everything has been super engaging, and makes what we

do a lot more fulfilling,” Jake said. “We get to set our own schedule, which is something that makes it all worth it.”

While the trio spends many long hours planning projects and working on job sites, their newfound agency gives them time for their favorite pastimes amidst the Gunnison Valley’s idyllic landscapes, including skiing and fly fishing. A pool table in the middle of their new office stands at the ready for gaming breaks between hours spent painstakingly perfecting fresh coats of paint.

The job also offers long-term stability and the chance to further expand their skills, Jake said. A steady stream of new construction throughout the valley has kept the crew busy, and they all enjoy interacting with the community with each new project. Raber also recently became a member of the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce, a step the trio hope will open doors to connect with fellow business owners in the valley.

“It’s something we never expected to be doing, but we all love to geek out on what we do every day,” Jake said.

(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@ gunnisontimes.com.)

The team in their new workshop earlier this month. (Left to right) Jake Raber, Max Raber, Jack McConnell and Sam Cox. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

GriefShare

Are you grieving the loss of a family member or friend? Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Gunnison will host a 13-week, scripture-based support group on a schedule that will accommodate all participants. Email Rod Morrill at rodmorrill2@ gmail.com for more information and to register.

Santa Paws

On Dec. 6 from 5-7 p.m. (during Night of Lights) and Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pawsitively Native will host “Santa Paws,” a photo opportunity with Santa for children and pets. The cost is $15, and all proceeds will benefit the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League.

GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS

2024 Annual Gala

Join us Dec. 7 from. 6-9:30 p.m. for an unforgettable night at the annual Gunnison Arts Center Gala, themed around the glamor and allure of “The Great Gatsby.” Step back into the Roaring Twenties with our immersive 1920's arts lounge, featuring vintage-inspired art displays, a speakeasy bar serving classic Prohibition-era cocktails, and dazzling live jazz performances.

Complete with a live and silent auction, live entertainment, and dinner. Tickets are $75 per person.

Paint Your Own Pottery

Choose from a variety of pottery pieces, select your favorite colors, and create something uniquely yours. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just looking for a fun, relaxing activity, this class is perfect for you! Bring your creativity and we’ll provide the rest. Pick-up available two weeks after the class session. No registration required.

Dec. 6 from 4-6 p.m. and BOGO 1/2 Off select items Dec. 7 from 10-12 p.m.

And Series: Dogwood Wreaths + Cranberry Daiquiris

Dec. 12 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. learn the art of wreath making from start to finish! Twist Dogwood limbs to create the size you want for reusable decor. Decorate with festive accents and have some drinks with friends. Snacks available plus one cranberry daiquiri with enrollment.

Restorative yoga

Join us every Thursday Until Dec. 18 from 12-1 p.m. Led by Candy Carson, an experienced Iyengar Yoga Instructor with over 30 years of teaching since 1993, this class welcomes all levels and ages. Please bring your own mat, straps and blanket. Additional props are available for use.

Mountain Roots Food Project

The Mountain Roots Food Project has partnered with GWSD to bring hydroponics education to middle school classes. Students will learn STEM, sustainability and modern farming while growing fresh, local food indoors. Join our Curriculum Advisory Team to help shape this program. Contribute in-person or virtually just three times throughout the 2024-25 school year. Email or call Kristen at 765.714.2888 or kristen@mountainrootsfoodproject.org if interested.

AUTHOR TALK: Rick Besecker

6 PM Gunnison Libra

Thursday, December 5, 2024

We want your event announcements!

The Gunnison Country Times publishes nonprofit event announcements free of charge.

• Please keep your announcement brief (3 sentences).

• Our deadline for submissions is noon on Tuesdays.

• Please send details to publisher@gunnisontimes.com.

CB CENTER FOR THE ARTS BRIEFS

Western Colorado University concert

It’s a Mountaineer takeover on Dec. 5 from 5-7 p.m. featuring holiday favorites for orchestra, band and choir performed by the music students, faculty and community mentors of Western Colorado University’s Department of Music. The cost ranges from $10-$70.

Avalanche Awareness Night

Avalanche Awareness Night is the Crested Butte Avalanche Center’s biggest fundraiser of the year. There will be presentations from forecasters, a raffle and then, new this year, live music from It Gets Worse, a ska band from Ft. Collins. Get excited for the new format this year: first half education, second half party! The fundraiser is

Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are available for purchase at the door.

Cookbook Club: The Curated Board

Join us Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. for a collaborative potluck guided by “The Curated Board: Inspired Platters & Spreads for Any Occasion,” part of our Wine + Food Winter Series and a perfect start to holiday gathering. It's a fun way to enjoy food, conversation, and inspiration with fellow food lovers! The cost is $25.

Nutcracker! Rated CB

The Crested Butte School of Dance and Center for the Arts will present the 2nd annual Nutcracker on Dec. 13-1 at 7 p.m. The classic story will have “CB-style” flair and many types of dance, from ballet

and jazz to hip hop and aerial. Preschoolers through adult dancers will perform, making it a true community event. Nutcracker [Rated CB] was 100% sold out in 2023, so be sure to get your tickets early this year!

COME BY THE TIMES AND SHOPPER FOR FREE BUNDLES of paper TO BRING ON THE WARMTH!

Free & Open to the Public GUNNISONCOUNTYLIBRARIES ORG

Mountaineers take down Wildcats in playoffs

Western football achieves redemption in rematch

Gregg Petcoff Special to the Times

Western Colorado University held off No. 19 Central Washington University in the opening round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs on Nov. 23. The Mountaineers won 28-21 to advance to the second round, a matchup that will take place at home against Bemidji State this weekend.

On Saturday, quarterback Drew Nash had a role in all

four Western touchdowns. He ran on the first score of the game, then tossed one touchdown pass in each of the remaining three quarters.

The Mountaineers were forced to punt on their opening series, but the defense got the ball back on the Wildcats' fifth play from scrimmage.

Drea Thompson sacked CWU quarterback Kennedy McGill, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jaydon Young at the Wildcat 25-yard line.

On the fifth play after the turnover, Nash ran for 5 yards, and fought through tackles at the goal line for the opening score. Central Washington answered back with a 75-yard, six-play drive. The Wildcats gained momentum with a Football B7

Drew Nash scrambles for a first down. (Photos by Alex McCrindle)

Tight end Daniel Parsek charges down the sideline.

37-yard run by McGill, who finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge.

Headed into the game, the Mountaineers placed importance on containing McGill, whose 1,093 rushing yards rank 12th in DII. Explosive plays from the Wildcat quarterback have been a regularity for CWU all season long, and his first one of the afternoon led to a touchdown.

Nash was McGill's equal on the day, however. The firstteam All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference quarterback led Western to another scoring drive in the second quarter. He completed a 10-yard pass to DJ Allen Jr. to move the Mountaineers ahead, 14-7.

Central Washington booted a 32-yard field goal on the last play of the half to make it 14-10 at the break. The Mountaineer defense forced a 3-and-out on the following series, putting the ball back in Nash's hands.

The eight-play, 63-yard drive that ensued — capped by a one-handed touchdown catch by receiver Josiah Ayon in the right corner of the end zone — took the steam away from Central Washington's momentum. CWU scored a field goal up on the scoreboard to narrow the gap with 8:18 to play, but Nash put the offense on his back to answer. He ran for 23 yards on the first play of the possession, and broke through the middle on the ground the next play. Then, Nash completed the 75-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Allen Jr. The score extended Western's lead to 28-13 with less than 7 minutes remaining.

McGill forced the Wildcats downfield. Running back Tyler Flanagan crashed into the end zone for a 2-yard Wildcat touchdown, and completed the 2-point conversion. It was now a one-score game for the Wildcats, trailing 28-21.

The CWU defense forced a Mountaineer punt to give the ball back to its offense with 53 seconds left, and memories of 2023 likely crept through the home crowd. The same two teams met at the Bowl in the first round last year with the Wildcats pulling out a 16-13 overtime win.

But Western coach Todd Auer's defense wasn't going to let that happen this time around. Young sacked McGill on first down and an incompletion put the Wildcats in 3rd-and-13 with 29 seconds on the clock. McGill's pass

Western defense makes a goal line stand.

was complete to Flanagan for 7 yards, and he lateraled to receiver Marcus Cook attempting to extend the play.

Cameron Cooper, named RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year, made perhaps the play of the game —forcing a Cook fumble that was pounced on by Ty Young at the CWU 24-yard line.

Nash kneeled to end the game in victory formation, and advanced the Mountaineers to the second round of the playoffs.

The Mountaineers will play Bemidji State University out of Minnesota in round two of the NCAA playoffs. The unranked Beavers on Saturday went into No. 16 Angelo State

University's stadium and upset the host Rams, 24-14, to earn a trip to the Mountaineer Bowl.

(Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)

The Mountaineer faithful braved cold temperatures for the game.

The

Titan hockey falls in opening games

Buckhanan and Zummach goals highlight tournament

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

Battered by injury and sickness, the Crested Butte hockey team opened the season 0-2 at a home tournament on Nov. 22 and 23. The Titans faced brutal early-season tests against heavyhitter Standley Lake High School and Front Range-based Colorado Academy.

Despite the back-to-back defeats, Head Coach Joey Otsuka is confident the Titans will recover over the Thanksgiving break, and return strong in the opening league games.

“It was a weekend where we have to look deeper than the score,” Otsuka said. “I was really impressed with how we played, considering a handful of injuries. It’s frustrating for the players, but I’m thankful for the break so we can put this behind us and move forward.”

The Titans started the season on the back foot. The Blue Mesa Reservoir middle bridge closures prevented the boys from

traveling to Grand Junction during the off season, making ice time a luxury. Additionally, injuries to Matej Voldan, Jake White and Cobin O’Connor, and a case of the coughs led to tricky opening defeats over the weekend.

Still, Crested Butte impressed in the first period against the Standley Lake Gators. On Nov. 22, Senior Grady Buckhanan opened the scoring with an unassisted, short-handed goal to take an early lead. The Gunnison High School senior and star football running back will be crucial for the Titans success in front of goal this winter.

With six minutes remaining in the second period, the Titans doubled their lead through senior Carson Zummach. Buckhanan notched his first assist of the season, and found Zummach — the fifth-place state golfer — in front of goal, who extended the lead 2-0.

The early sucker punch from Crested Butte spurred a Gator comeback. The away side battled back with one goal in the second, and four goals in the third to win 5-2.

The Titans sprung back into action the following morning, but fell 7-0 to Colorado Academy. The Mustangs out shot Crested Butte 47-11 across

three periods, and took advantage of the power play.

The Titans will return to the Jorgensen Ice Rink on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. to face off against the Aspen Skiers in the first league matchup of the season.

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Tanner Maltby finds a pass. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

Men's basketball wins home opener

Halligan, Reichart lead Mountaineers past Lions

Drew Dunathan Special to the Times

The Western Colorado University men's basketball team defeated Justice College in its home opener on Friday night.

The Mountaineers took a quick 6-0 lead. Junior Andrew Reichart put away two layups and sophomore Tyler Halligan went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. The Lions scored 4, but junior Trevin Lieck and Halligan combined for 3 points to put the Mountaineers up 9-4. Justice College got within one, then took a one-point lead 10-9.

A few scoreless minutes passed until the Lions hit a three-pointer, creeping

back 12-9. Senior Kade Juelfs answered with a three-pointer of his own off a pass from senior Spencer Wright. A missed bucket from the Lions advanced Juelfs to the free throw line, knocking down two. Points traded back and forth until freshman Dawlton Grant scored at the rim to give Western a 20-16 edge.

Halligan, Reichart and Juelfs each put up buckets to put the Mountaineers up 26-22, with just under 5 minutes left to play.

Senior Amar River scored the last shot of the half, putting the Mountaineers up 6 points going into the locker room.

Halligan kicked off the second half hitting back-to-back shots. The Lions hit a three, but junior Ty Buckmon answered back with a fastbreak bucket. More from Reichart and Halligan elevated the score to 38-27. Western extended its lead to 51-32 after a steal and bucket by junior Jamel Hollins.

Justice College kept battling,

but the Mountaineers offense was relentless. The game ended with a splash by senior Daric Conkright, putting the Mountaineers on top. Halligan and Reichart led the team with 21 and 16 points. Juelfs followed with 9, then Lieck with 7. Hollins brought down double-digit boards with 11. Reichart came behind him with 8 then Rivers with 7.

Juelfs and Wright tied with three assists each. Rivers and Buckmon each ended with two steals. Western shot 46% from the field, 18.8% from three and 55% from the line.

The Mountaineers head to Las Vegas, New Mexico to take on New Mexico Highlands University on Friday, Nov. 29 at 1 p.m.

(Drew Dunathan is the assistant athletics communications director at Western Colorado University, and can be reached at ddunathan@western.edu.)

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY CONCERT

DECEMBER 5 | DOORS 6PM | SHOW 7PM

It’s a Mountaineer takeover! Featuring holiday favorites for orchestra, band, and choir performed by the music students, faculty, and community mentors of Western Colorado University’s Department of Music.

Tickets starting at $10 Purchase online at crestedbuttearts.org

Andrew Reichart throws down a slam dunk against the Lions. (Courtesy Western Colorado University)

Guard Kade Juelfs advances the ball

Offer a healthy breakfast to holiday guests

Holiday entertaining often involves hosting overnight guests. That means that breakfast and other meals will be expected. Overnight oats are nutritious and easy options for any day of the week, making them a great breakfast for holiday guests.

As the name suggests, overnight oats are prepared the night before and then the flavors marinate with the oats for several hours, producing a rich and creamy breakfast in the morning. Oats are filling on their own, and “Matcha, Coconut and Cacao Overnight Oats” have the added benefit of green tea powder (matcha), which not only turns the dish into a festive green color, but also adds antioxidants, vitamins and an energy boost. Enjoy this recipe, courtesy of “Rainbow Bowls” (Sourcebooks) by Niki Webster.

Matcha, Coconut and Cacao Overnight Oats

Serves one

5 tablespoons oats of your choice

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

61⁄2 ounces plant-based milk, plus extra if needed

1⁄2 teaspoon matcha powder

2 tablespoons coconut

yogurt

1 tablespoon cocoa nibs or dairy-free chocolate chips

1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup

Topping options:

1 tablespoon chopped pistachios

Berries

Seeds

Directions:

To make the overnight oats, add the oats, vanilla and milk to a mason jar or bowl and mix

to combine. Cover and leave to soak overnight in the fridge. Remove the oats from the fridge and stir in the matcha, yogurt, cacao nibs, and maple syrup.

Spoon into a bowl and add more plant-based milk to loosen if needed. Add toppings of your choice and enjoy.

Set the tone for your party with this beloved seasonal beverage

Holiday season celebrations have a reputation for being especially jovial. The spirit of the season undoubtedly has something to do with that, as people from all faiths and backgrounds tend to have an extra hop in their step and a slightly wider smile on their faces each December.

Holiday hosts also do much to promote the festive spirit of the season. Hosts often go to great lengths to ensure holiday guests enjoy their visits, and that even extends to the food and drinks they serve the people they welcome into their homes. Many celebrants would insist no holiday season get-together is complete without eggnog, a classic beverage that’s most popular in December. This holiday season, hosts can treat their guests to this recipe for Eggnog courtesy of Lines+Angles.

Eggnog

Makes two Servings

2 ounces brandy or cognac

2 ounces dark rum, plus more for sugar rim

1 cup eggnog, prepared

1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg

1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄2 teaspoon light brown sugar

2 sticks cinnamon, for garnish (optional)

2 pods star anise, for garnish (optional)

Shortbread or gingerbread cookies, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, add the brandy, rum and eggnog together, cover and shake.

2. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon

and sugar to a small plate and stir around to combine. Wet the rims of 2 glasses with rum. Roll the rims of the glasses in the spices to coat.

3. Strain the eggnog mixture into the two glasses. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, star anise pods and festive shortbread cookies, if desired.

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(Metro Creative)

Western awarded $6K to fight food insecurity

Seth Mensing Special to the Times

Western Colorado University students struggling with food insecurity will see more campus resources devoted to providing the help they need.

This month, the University Foundation received a $6,000 grant from the Nourishing Neighbors Safeway Foundation. The grant supports Western's commitment to ensure students get the nutrition they need by connecting individuals to federal meal programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women Infants and Children (WIC).

“This generous support from the Nourishing Neighbors program helps us support food security among college students,” said Associate Director of Community Wellness McKenzie Mathewson. “With this grant, we’re able to continue to promote the success of the students, knowing a hungry brain does not learn.”

The funding will build on the work already being done at the Mountaineer Marketplace, Western’s on-campus food pantry. It has become an essential resource, with more than 1,400 visits recorded since opening in February 2023.

Food insecurity is a complex issue that can take many forms and have far-reaching consequences. A recent survey from the Government Accountability Office found that nearly a quarter of college students experienced some level of food insecurity.

However, the university has been proactive in addressing the challenges. In June 2023, Western was designated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education as a “Hunger-Free and Healthy Minds” campus in recognition of its efforts to address mental health and hunger among the student population.

“With this grant, we’re able to continue to promote the success of the students, knowing a hungry brain does not learn.”

McKenzie

Mathewson

Associate Director of Community Wellness

For more information about the Mountaineer Marketplace or to learn how you can support Western’s hunger relief initiatives, visit western.edu/studentlife/health-wellness/.

(Seth Mensing is the media and communications manager at Western Colorado University.)

CALENDARIO DE DÍAS F ESTIVOS

Viernes , 6 de d iciembre – NOCHE DE LUCES

5:30 - 7:30 PM

Viernes , 6 Dic – Empieza el Concurso de Decoración Festiv o para Nego cios . B ole ta en el periódico .

• Viernes , 6 Dic – Empieza l a Gr an Búsqueda de Duendes en Gunnison . Tablero de Juego en el periódico . S ábado , 7 Dic – Venta de Billetes Verdes Festivos en Gunnison Savings & Loan 9AM hasta q ue se vendan o 12PM .

• Domingo , 8 Dic – Camina ta de Domingo / Casa Abierta para Negoci os Locales . 11 AM - 3PM – Anuncio en el p eriódico . Viernes , 13 Dic - EN EL POZO DE FUEGO IOOF - 4:30 - 6:30 PM ¡Compre en las tiendas, Cantos Navideños en Parque IOOF y gratis bebidas calientes! Únase a cantos comunitarios . Todos son invit ados .

Viernes , 20 Dic – EN EL POZO DE FUEGO IOOF - 4:30 - 6:30 PM

¡Compre en las tiendas, Cantos Navideños en Parque IOOF Park y gratis bebidas calientes! Únase a cantos comunitarios . Luminarias se iluminarán y estarán disponibles de l PROYECTO DE RESILIENCIACelebr en e l Solsticio de Inv ierno Todos son invitados

Sábado , 21 Dic - Desayuno con Santa en el Centro Recreativo de Gunnison . 9AM - 11AM

Regular school attendance is critical to students gaining the academic and social skills necessary to thrive!

DID YOU KNOW?

Chronic absence is considered missing an average of two days per month and negatively affects students families schools and communities For example, in elementary school, it can hinder reading fluency By high school chronic absence can delay graduation

When schools, families, and communities work together to address barriers to attendance, it can improve chronic absence rates.

¡ La asistencia regular a clases es crucial a fin de que los estudiantes ganen las habilidades académicas y sociales necesarias para progresar!

¿ SABÍAS QUE ?

Se considera crónica la falta de asistencia cuando se falta por lo menos un promedio de 2 días por mes y esto afecta negativamente a los estudiantes, fam ilias, escuelas y comunidades Por ejemplo, en la escuela primaria, puede dificultar la fluidez en la lectura En la secundaria la falta de asistencia crónica puede retrasar la graduación

Cuando las escuelas, familias y comunidades trabajan juntas a fin de superar las barreras de asistencia, esto puede mejorar los porcentajes de la falta de asistencia crónica

Western Colorado University’s food pantry, the Mountaineer Marketplace, hosted a grand re-opening at a new location on campus in January. (Photo by Bella Biondini)

FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC

welcomes

Dr. Kenneth Anderson, DO

Gunnison Valley Health is pleased to announce the return of Dr. Kenneth Anderson, DO, to its Family Medicine Clinic on December 1, 2024. Dr. Anderson, an internal medicine specialist, will be seeing patients and assuming the role of Medical Director for the clinic.

Dr. Anderson previously served the Gunnison Valley community at the GVH Family Medicine Clinic from 2016 to 2023. Over the past year, he expanded his expertise while practicing at a large primary care clinic in South Dakota, gaining valuable experience that he is eager to share with his colleagues at GVH.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Anderson, please call (970) 642-8413.

Your partners in health. Whether it’s family medicine, internal medicine, full spectrum labor and delivery care or pediatric care, our highly skilled providers are here to take care of you and your family.

Laura Villanueva, MD

Eric Thorson, MD

Megan Tucker, DO

Maija Swanson, MD

Jay McMurren, MD

Emily Ferrell, FNP

Amanda Hill, MD, FAAP

William Gattis, MD

Brigid Heckel, FNP