Crested Butte Mountain Resort hosted its 49th annual Al Johnson telemark race on Sunday, March 19. Free-heeled skiers climbed 660 vertical feet from the base to the top of the North Face Lift before descending 1,200 feet and finishing at the end of the Last Steep. For more photos, see A13.
Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA), the nonprofit power utility serving Gunnison County, has proposed a rate increase that, if approved, will go into effect at the start of summer. The co-op’s Board of Directors is pursuing an overall average rate increase of 3.8% and an average residential bill increase of 4.5%, effective May 1, 2023.
“That's extremely tight, even from a utility ratesetting and regulatory perspective,” said co-op CEO Mike McBride. "We're doing all we can to keep ourbelt tight.”
In fl ated materials costs have continued to push rates increases the last decade. The co-op’s last increase was May 1, 2022 at 1.9%, and prior increases since 2014 have fluctuated between 2% and 3%.
“Costs for pretty much everything have gone up,”
NEWS: Local struck by car in crosswalk, A2
NEWS: Two lost in avalanches this weekend, A10
SPORTS: National victories for Western winter athletes, B7
The Colorado River Water Conservation District is asking Gunnison Valley ranchers to reduce their water usage for pay. As California, Arizona and Nevada prepare for more cuts this year, water leaders hope the voluntary program, which is still under development, will show that the Upper Basin states are doing their part to save the crashing Colorado River system. But for many agricultural producers, water is worth far more than money.
OBITUARIES A3-A4
OPINION A4-A5
CLASSIFIEDS A15-A17
SPORTS B7
As the amount of water the Colorado River has to give slowly diminishes, along with the storage levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the four Upper Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming have continued to explore the feasibility of “demand management” programs. These involve temporary, voluntary and compensated reductions in water use.
The water saved would be placed into a “storage account” that would be under the control of the Upper Colorado River Commission and out of the hands of the federal government — protecting the region from uncertainty in its water supply and ensuring it can still release the Lower Basin’s allotted share of water downstream.
Each Upper Basin state is conducting its own investigation into whether or not the idea of demand management is actually possible. Many questions still linger: How can this water be tracked and accounted for? How much money is an acre-foot of water worth?
Because of the Gunnison Valley’s proximity to Blue Mesa Reservoir, Andy Mueller, the general manager of the River District, pitched it as an optimal location for a demand management pilot program — an experiment to see if the water saved could actually be “shepherded” or guided into the reservoir without being diverted by another water user.
Reducing water consumption for the benefit of the Upper Basin’s system in the Gunnison Valley would require the coop-
structed views of open farmlands, the Gunnison River and the nearby Palisades. But the future of construction of a new surface water treatment plant, possibly outfitted with solar panels, may change that experience.
The City of Gunnison began the planning and design process for a $20-30 million surface water treatment plant late
Jacob SpetzlerThe home field advantage was real because the outof-town teams couldn’t deal with the aftereffects of the Alamo.
— Joey Otsuka, Gunnison Bank and Trust Hockey Captain
Gunnison resident Joe McDaniel, 35, was struck by a car in the crosswalk at 11th Street and Tomichi Avenue on Thursday, March 16. He survived the accident, but is still in recovery at St. Mary’s Medical
The City Gunnison has received 51 applications for its vacant city manager position. City council is scheduled to hold a closed session on April 4 to discuss finalist recommendations and determine who will be invited for final interviews. These are scheduled for April 13 and 14. The city will hold another community forum on April 13, allowing the public to meet the candidates and provide feedback that will be considered by staff Finance Director and Interim City Manager Ben Cowan said the pool has dramatically improved from the last round — with many seasoned department heads and some candidates with direct equivalent experience applying.
This is the second round of the search, which began on Feb. 6 after the first pool of candidates withdrew from the running earlier this year.
The Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority is accepting applications for phase three of the Lazy K affordable housing development in West Gunnison. Applications are due on April 27 at 5 p.m.
Six units are available for residents that fall in between 80-140% of the area median income. Four are priced at $268,000 and two at $425,000. The units are a mix of two and three bedrooms, and all have a one car garage. Open houses are set for April 1 and 6.
The lottery is scheduled for May 4 at Gunnison’s City Hall from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Applications can be found on the Housing Authority’s website or residents can pick up a printed packet at the organization’s office at 202 E. Georgia Avenue.
Center in Grand Junction.
On the morning of March 16, the Gunnison Police Department responded to a call that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle when crossing Hwy. 50 at 11th Street, near Pie-Zan’s Pizzeria. The vehicle, a white sudan, was traveling west in the right lane before it collided with McDaniel. Gunnison emergency medical personnel arrived and transported him to Gunnison Valley Hospital. He was later airlifted to an ICU at St. Mary’s.
According to a press release from the Gunnison Police
Department, William Rochniak of Gunnison was issued a summons for “Careless Driving Causing Bodily Injury.” The accident is still under investigation.
McDaniel, who suffered a major brain injury and a broken bone in his ankle in the accident, was moved out of the ICU to a regular room on March 19. Following the accident, his friends started a GoFundMe to help cover his medical bills and house note while he recovers.
“Thanks to the generous donations from so many we were able to get his family out
here to lay eyes on Joe, love him up, see him with their own eyes and know that he is doing pretty well considering the circumstances and that he is being cared for,” Emily Montesinos wrote in an update on March 18. “Let’s keep this going so that we can help give him a cushion to lean into as he continues to heal.”
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Junction, Lianne had her son Joshua in 1984, followed by her daughter Chelsey in California in 1989. As a family they moved around to different places; Grand Junction, Colorado; Austin, Texas; Middletown, California; Winnemucca, Nevada, and ended up back in Grand Junction in 2002.
Lianne spent most of her career in the mortgage industry. She enjoyed camping, fishing, 4-wheeling, collecting seashells on the beach, gathering for the holidays with her entire family and most of all, being a grandmother to her "Sunshine" Paisley Mae.
Rhonda Louise Miller, loving mother and musician, passed away peacefully from an extended illness, at the age of 72, near Westminster, Colorado on Jan. 28, 2023 surrounded by many loved ones.
where she tried to get into the music business following in her father, Ned Miller’s, footsteps. Eventually, she settled in the Gunnison Valley, where the lure of the Rocky Mountains held her hypnotized by its beauty. A brain aneurysm at the young age of 56 forced Rhonda to move to Westminster where she was cared for by her loving daughter Jennifer in her later years.
May Lianne SharbonoSpencer, 58, of Grand Junction, passed away on March 11, 2023 after a long and courageous fight with cancer.
She was born in Sidney, Montana to Judith Anne Wind and Leslie Melvin Sharbono on July 3, 1964.
Lianne grew up mostly in Gunnison and Hotchkiss, Colorado. She graduated from Gunnison High School in 1982 and married her husband Randy E. Spencer in 1983.
After moving to Grand
Lianne is predeceased by her father Leslie Melvin Sharbono; and grandparents Mae and Don Sharbono, Margaret and Harold Wind.
She is survived by her husband Randy Spencer; children Joshua Spencer (Taren Spencer) and Chelsey Spencer (Douglas Eberhard); grandchild Paisley Mae Spencer; mother Judith Wind; sister Carolyn Creek (DJ Creek); niece Stormy Kuik and nephew Connor Faran.
A viewing and funeral services for Lianne will be held March 18 at 10:30 a.m. at CallahanEdfast Mortuary in Grand Junction.
Rhonda was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Ned and Sue Miller and was a long time resident of Gunnison, Colorado. She had a great talent for writing music and never missed a chance to pick up her guitar and play a song or two for anyone who asked. She wrote of love and life, nature and the ups and downs, and touched many people with her insights.
During her younger years, Rhonda never liked to stay in one place for too long. She traveled and lived in many states including California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. She even had a stint in Florida and Tennessee
Rhonda is survived by five of her children; Jacqueline Creed, Tiffany Williams, Jennifer Bannon, Adam Hamilton and Jessica Weaver, two previous spouses; Gary Hamilton and Dwight Weaver, and her sisters; Linda, Karen and Leslie, as well as 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was widowed by William (Billy) Bannon in 1978 and predeceased by her daughter Alexandra Tennile Ensign in 2020, as well as both parents and brother Jack.
To honor Rhonda's memory, we are holding a Celebration of Life on March 28 at 12 p.m. in the Word of Life church on 761 E. 88th Ave. in Thorton, Colorado. Anyone who knew her is welcome and encouraged to attend. The family would love to meet you to hear your stories
PRICE REDUCED Fantastic opportunity to run your business out of this 2535sf shop with two 14 foot garage door openings, as well as an 8 foot garage door, ¾ bath & a ½ bath and 665sf
MOUNTAIN GETAWAY Home on 5 mining claims in Ohio City features an excellent mixture of wildlife, nearby trails, aspen, pines & 300 feet of Gold Creek frontage. 3 bdrm/2 bath house, huge attached garage, large detached barn, touched by Forest Service lands. 5498 County Road 771; $1,750,000.
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY chance to purchase R-3 lots & finish the West End Townhomes for a spec option, rental investment or employee housing. City approved site plans allow for two more duplex units. Water & sewer taps are already installed. Centrally located near the schools & RTA bus stop. 817 W. Denver Ave.; $350,000.
FANTASTIC 3 bedroom/2 bath home with woodstove, large open kitchen, laundry room & work shed in Pitkin. Built in 2012, great condition, tile entryway, tucked away in the trees. 832 River Street; $479,000.
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home with a small fenced yard. Open kitchen & dining area. Master suite has large windows for natural light. Located near the new Lazy K Park & the West End River Park. 1208 W. Tomichi Ave. #4; $299,000.
MINING CLAIM 9.80 acre high alpine mining claim located outside the town of Whitepine. Forest Service Road 7888; $20,000.
CALL FOR A SHOWING 3 bdrm/2 bath, ranch level home with a walkout basement. Open kitchen & dining area with a pellet stove. Property has an attached oversized 2 car garage. Over 1,800sf with great southern views of Sawtooth Mountain & W Mountain. No HOA or covenants. 851 County Road 18; $435,000.
3 BDRM/2 BATH home with large yard, detached garage & additional cabin. Large living room & open kitchen, plenty of storage for your toys. Zoned R-3 on 6 city lots. 502 S. 11th; $585,000.
COZY CABIN Over 1,900sf log cabin on 35 acres features 2 bedrooms, an open living room & kitchen with custom made oak cabinets, Upstairs loft includes additional beds for guests & the woodstove keeps the cabin warm. Well in place & solar panels for electricity. Seasonal pond and sold partially furnished. Lot 1 Stratman Subdivision; $425,000.
3 HOMES TOTAL Investment opportunity in town where each home is 2 bdrm/1 bath, tenants pay utilities, $5,400 income per month. Location near the airport and fairgrounds. 314 S. 12th St; $1,200,000.
May Lianne Sharbono-Spencer Rhonda Louise Millerand remember her wonderful life.
Though you will be missed here on Earth, Heaven has gained a beautiful angel. Sing strong and loud for all to hear! We love you, Mom.
John Steven JudsonJohn Steven Judson passed away on March 13, 2023. He was born in Rapid City, South Dakota on Oct. 13, 1951. His family moved to Denver, Colorado in 1956 where John grew up. He held the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts of America and graduated from Kennedy High School in 1969. After graduation he served six years in the navy on a submarine. His love for hunting, fishing and the outdoors brought him and his wife Patty (deceased) to the Gunnison area in 1978. He was the owner and operator of a guide service and cattle operation at the Quarter-Circle Circle Ranch for over 40 years. He leaves behind three children, Mason, Hanna and Curli and three brothers, Merne, Mark and Paul. A celebration of the life of John will be held on March 25 at 11 a.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church, 6281 W. Yale Ave. in Lakewood, Colorado. In lieu of flowers a donation can be made in his name to woundedwarriorproject.org.
Jordan Thomas McLain
Jordan Thomas McLain was born on Feb. 21, 2023 at 9:07 a.m. to Joseph and Taren McLain of Gunnison. He weighed 7 lbs. 4 ozs. and measured 20.5 inches in length. His grandparents are Jerry and Kristina McLain of Chadron, Nebraska and Tom and Loyce Frazier of Manzanola, Colorado. His maternal great grandmother is Joyce Risse of Martin, South Dakota.
Bruce Joel Jeroslow
It is with great sadness that we have said goodbye to our gentle giant Bruce Joel Jeroslow.
He was born March 26, 1943 in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in New York and Florida.
Bruce was the kind of man that never knew a stranger because they all became a friend.
He joined the US Marine Corp in 1961 and served for four years and in the reserves for two years.
Bruce and Carol were married Nov. 7, 1981 and were always together and became soul mates forever. His passions were volunteering and helping others; fishing; taking care of his wildlife friends; enjoying all of God’s creatures and nature; happy hour at Mocha’s on Fridays with friends; and of course always had a cup of coffee wherever he went. His greatest passion and love was his best friend and wife, Carol.
He is survived by his wife Carol, brother Ray Jeroslow (Bonnie), sister Fran Sulyok, son Bruce T. Jeroslow, daughters Constance Majorana and Carol Fuhr-Farlow, many cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Nathan Charles Johnson
Nathan Charles Johnson was born on Feb. 24, 2023 at 7:36 p.m. to Brenda and Kevin Johnson of Gunnison. He weighed 6 lbs. 14 ozs. at birth and measured 19.6 inches in length.
Services will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, 523 N. Pine Street in Gunnison on April 1, 2023 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers please honor Bruce by donating to Trinity Baptist Church, Rick Barton Ministries or any animal rescue of your choice.
Carrol Ann Sohl, age 54, of Powderhorn, Colorado passed away March 5, 2023. Carrol was born July 6, 1968 to Harold and Diana (Elam) Slater.
Carrol loved her dogs and cats and enjoyed her time outside working with her horses and cows. She was preceded in death by her father and her sister Beth Goad. She is survived by her husband, Aaron Sohl, mother Diana Slater, daughter Alyssa Roth and son dusty Alandi. She is also survived by her sisters; Karon Fallon, Judy Manes, Linda Slater and her brothers; Toby Mike, John and Pete Slater.
As per Carrol’s request no funeral or memorial service will be held.
TO BE BLESSED BY GOD (FROM THE PSALMIST)
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands not in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”
Psalm 1:1-2
Selected and provided by Gene Siemer
TOYOTATHON IS ON AT TURNER TOYOTA IN MONTROSE!
THE EASIEST WAY TO SHOP FOR YOUR NEW TOYOTA IS
Carrol Ann Sohl
970.641.1414
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Bestselling author, columnist and academic Naomi Wolf recently wrote an article called, “Is it Time for Intellectuals to Talk about God?” That gets straight to the point, but the subtitle is even more direct: “It’s a New Dark Age. Evil abounds. Is a postmodern embarrassment about discussing spiritual matters keeping us stupid and putting us in danger?”
I admit, upon reading the headline, I mentally replaced the word “Intellectuals” with “Journalists” — who are just as conditioned to be reluctant to publicly consider spiritual, as well as secular, dimensions in the news we cover.
Is it time to include the language and imagery of good versus evil in our collective conversation about the state of the world? Is it time to acknowledge that we might be up against more than each other in our current polarized struggles?
Improbably, given her publishing history, Wolf concludes the answer is yes — and I agree. She even goes so far — as a Jew — to quote the Apostle Paul: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Bold words, I know. But stay with me.
Wolf wrote she came to this conclusion after examining apparent evil at work in recent events and found it to be “so
LETTERS
Tips to stay prepared this spring
Editor:
Happy spring to everyone in the Gunnison Valley from Western Mountain Rescue Team! It’s been a great winter, but it’s still nice to see our weather turn a little bit warmer.
Spring is a time of weird weather that can often turn in a matter of hours. It can be dangerous to be outside and underprepared for the weather, especially when it can go from sunny and warm 40s to wet and cold 30s as quickly as it does. Here are a few tips to stay prepared this spring:
Check the weather. Use multiple apps and websites to get a good sense of what can happen. Check it while you’re out there if you have service or satellite connection. Also pay attention to the avalanche forecast — the problems don’t go away until the snowpack does.
Bring adequate layers. Be prepared for the sun or the snow beating down on you. Have waterproof layers with you. Staying dry will keep you much warmer.
Always tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back. This is important regardless of the season. This will ensure that we can get to you
Alan Wartes Times Publisherelaborate in its construction, so comprehensive, and so cruel, with an almost superhuman, flamboyant, baroque imagination made out of the essence of cruelty itself — that I could not see that it had been accomplished by mere humans working on the bumbling human level in the dumb political space.”
Lots of things might fit that description: human trafficking, manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, child slavery, the inhumane treatment of animals, and so on. Wolf herself calls out the incalculable harm done to children during the pandemic years for reasons that become more and more suspect as time goes on.
I’d like to add another item to Wolf’s list of current conditions that suggest the working of evil — the prevalence of pathological lies everywhere we turn. After all, Jesus said that lies are the “native language” of evil in the world. Anyone who has ever been in a relationship with a toxic, gaslighting person will testify that constant lies
faster and evacuate you quickly if something were to happen. Enjoy this season, and remember that search and rescue is always free in Colorado. Western Mountain Rescue Team is ready to help.
Western Mountain Rescue Team Gunnison
Editor:
I read a letter in last week’s paper in which the author makes sweeping generalizations that the social safety net is nothing more than socialism, and that the “giveaways” are leading us down the same path as Venezuela.
I agree that we do have citizens that make bad choices, and some do game the system. However, one needs to ask, if we are so generous with our “giveaways,” why do we have the highest infant mortality rate, the highest death rate of mothers giving birth, the highest poverty rate, the highest food insecurity rate and the worst child care of almost any other industrialized country?
I also find the comparison of the U.S. to Venezuela to be
and deception will eventually kill hope and extinguish all joy. Sounds perfectly evil to me.
So what do we make of the fact that nearly every day now we see fresh evidence that much of the “official narrative” about really important things is simply not true? At best it is shot through with half-truth meant to obscure real understanding.
It is horrifying, for example, to watch security video of what took place inside the nation’s Capitol on Jan. 6 and realize it doesn’t support the most extreme version of events that has been relentlessly propagated for more than two years.
Much of what we thought we knew to be true about COVID — its origins, its virulence, the medical necessity of lockdowns, the safety of vaccines — is under intense pressure now, as information emerges to suggest, not just that mistakes were made, but that lies were told at the highest levels of leadership.
“Russiagate” — an accusation and investigation that consumed huge public resources and left deep political scars — was based upon proven lies.
Further examples abound and lead us, inevitably, to wonder what other common narratives might yet turn out to be untrue.
My progressive friends may object that I’ve listed apparent “Republican talking points.” But consider this: If lies really do form the foundation of much of what we believe, wouldn’t we
specious. President Maduro is a brutal, corrupt, left leaning dictator who seized power in 2017. I find a more realistic comparison might be to compare Maduro’s presidency to Trump’s failed attempt to seize power using similar tactics.
Realistically, if we compare ourselves to some other rich countries, we might find that we come up lacking.
Charles Welch GunnisonLevitate Levi
Editor:
February 25, 2023 marked the first Levitate Levi Annual Pow Surf Competition celebrating the life and legacy of Levi Saylor Parr. Levi passed away in a tragic accident in August.
Life after Levi’s accident has been hard for our family and Levi’s friends. Therefore, we decided to host events to bring Levi’s tribe together to grieve, talk and heal while making new memories and remembering the old ones.
The Parrs do a Chinese downhill race on Christmas Eve with family and friends. Everyone has so much fun, and Levi won more times than he lost. This is how we decided on the style of race we wanted to host. Our
want to know? If we did know, would we still downplay the truth for political advantage?
Conversely, my conservative neighbors might relish seeing some of their thoughts in print. But we must not forget that it was a Republican administration which gave us the whopper about Iraqi “weapons of mass destruction” — resulting in unspeakable harm and the death of hundreds of thousands, including our own servicemen and women.
No, the question isn't ‘who is right?’ It is, ‘can we agree that so many lies are a sign that something is really, really wrong?’
Which brings us back to the premise of this commentary — that it is time to add faith to our arsenal of defenses against something that seems hellbent on our destruction. Wolf wrote that her honest look at the world formed “… almost a negative proof: an evil this large must mean that there is a God at which it is aiming its malevolence.”
Perhaps the ultimate problem is not that lies have handicapped our ability to know the relative truth of things; it’s that we’ve stopped searching for — or even talking about — big picture Truth. It’s still there, and we need it now more than ever.
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)
boys received DIY pow surfs in 2021 and had a blast shaping and riding them. We love pow surfing and how it brings us. When we pow surf, it is like Levi is riding with us and everything feels right. This is how the event was cultivated. We selected Elkton as the location that currently has two cabins and can only be accessed by snowmobile in the winter.
On Feb. 24, the Parr family adventured to the cabins in a snowstorm with Levi’s tribe. We spent the day breaking trail, breaking snowmobiles, shoveling powder, playing in powder and soaking up the beautiful atmosphere and company.
The next morning the clouds parted, and the tribe came together. Twenty-two competitors grabbed their pow surfs and adventured to the top of the world to race. The run took 2 minutes and 40 seconds and racers reached speeds of 40 mph without bindings in untracked powder while many of Levi’s family and friends cheered them on. The race was magical as well as exhausting.
Matt Berglund took first place and crossed the finish line by hurling himself through the finish tape. Right behind Matt was Nick Fountain who collapsed continued on
With fickle spring weather making outdoor practice difficult, youth sports teams began practice inside this week at the Gunnison Rec Center. Recreation Supervisor Ginny Baylor said the gyms have been packed every afternoon with lacrosse and soccer players as they prepare for the season.
face first out of pure exhaustion. The third finisher, Manni Ragin, crashed on top of Jacob right before the finish, but skated across the finish on his hands and knees.
The race concluded without any injuries and lots of smiles. This was one of the best weekends our family has had in a long time.
We would not have been able to make this happen without Levi’s tribe. Thank you Eric Phillips, Mikey Curran, Lauryn Walker, Dennis, Emmitt and Cara Apsey, Sean and Deegan Bennet, Sam Denham, Robert Parr, Tom Kelly, Matt and Lee Berglund, Nick Fountain, Mike Flanagan, Ross Wagner, Jill Pitt, JoAnna Sweitzer, Ian Mason, Kimo Donnell, Harrison Bosler, Tate Young, Jonah Moss, Kai Fisher, Jesse Gerber, Sam Brethauer, Gus Garcia, Harken Graceffa, Manni Ragin, Camden Scales, Murph Smith, Float Bandit Wear, Powerstop and Grassroots Powsurf.
Thank you Jed Frame for hosting at Elkton and Mochas for sponsoring.
The family is raising funds for LEVItate Levi to go toward a memorial at the CB and CB
South Skatepark and annual pow surf and skate competitions for mental health. Visit gofundme.com/f/levitate-withlevi.
Annie and Jacob Parr Crested Butte
Editor:
High Country Conservation Advocates and Coal Creek Watershed Coalition thank everyone who made last week’s screenings of “High Country” an overwhelming success.
Conor Hagen and Ali Batwin of Red Lady Films have portrayed the history of Crested Butte in the 70s and 80s in a creative and sensitive light — documenting our stories of love for our community and its determination for posterity.
We hope that with their gift, another 200 people were inspired to care for our valley home. Thank you Conor and Ali for bringing “High Country” back to town. We look forward to more popular demand showings.
Luke Schroeder’s remark-
able artistic talents were showcased in his movie poster, newly-created for the screenings. We thank Luke, along with Townie Books, Bonez, Sophia Chudacoff and Andie Holman of the Movement Center, Scout’s General, Mountain Heritage Museum, Secret Stash and Montanya’s for their support and generous raffle prizes, and KBUT, Crested Butte News and Gunnison Country Times for helping promote the screenings. Many thanks to Jeff Hermanson for his sponsorship of the events.
Most of all, it was our privilege to help bring our community together, thanks to the most gracious and accommodating proprietors of the Majestic. Carrie and Conrad, you embody the spirit of Crested Butte, and we’re so grateful for your vision of providing a welcoming space for nonprofits and other community members to gather together.
We celebrate you!
Sue Navy, Shea Earley Crested Butte
continued from A4
eration of local ranchers in the form of reduced irrigation. Last month, Mueller presented his idea to the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District board and local ag producers — many of whom believed a program would cause more harm to land and neighbors than it was worth.
Local rancher Bill Trampe, who formerly served as a member of the River District board for nearly two decades, said the basin needs more data to help water leaders figure out if a demand management program can really work. When the idea first surfaced more than a decade ago, he dried up some patches of land to see what it would do to the crop.
“And frankly, it's never been the same … when I get to thinking about the secondary impacts, it scares the hell out of me,” Trampe said. “If I shut off my ditches, who's going to have enough hay to supply me for the winter?”
Demand management is one piece of Upper Basin states’ 5 Point Plan, a collection of actions that Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming can take to help protect the Colorado River system. It is paired with the understanding that the Lower Basin is going to come up with the “vast lion's share of the water,” Mueller said.
Water levels at both Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs in the U.S., sank to record lows last year. Last summer, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton warned that water users along the Colorado River must cut their usage by 2-4 million acre feet in 2023 to prevent a system collapse.
“It's the open valve at Hoover at the bottom of the system that has drained the rest of the system, they need to close it,” Mueller said. “But provided that the Lower Basin actually
Utilities from A1
he said. “Inflation. I mean, if you want to have a single word for it, it's inflation in our costs.”
Wholesale rates from the co-op’s energy provider, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, have remained fairly stable over the years. Only about 25% of the co-ops total cost is the actual cost of wholesale power bought from Tri-State and the rest is the cost of generation and transmission to bring the power all the way to Gunnison.
The co-op has seen especially large increases in material costs, with some items — like metals, PVC pipe and wood poles carrying power lines — doubling in cost. But inflation is not the only cost-driver. As the West dries and fires become more common and dangerous, the co-op is having to look at ways to better protect infrastructure, costs that are now considered an “essential
gets serious about water conservation and saves somewhere around 2 million acre-feet, then we'll go ahead and engage in two water conservation plans ourselves.”
While disagreements between the seven states still exist, the Upper and Lower Basin states have agreed to collectively address the increasing risks that the Colorado River system faces. The Bureau of Reclamation, which has the authority to control the amount of water flowing downstream, has committed $125 million to a second, somewhat similar, consumption reduction program through a partnership with the Upper Colorado River Commission.
The deadline for those projects passed on March 1. The Commission will select projects for implementation beginning in 2023 — reimbursing selected water users at a minimum of $150 per acre-foot of water saved for the greater system. The Commission received 36 project proposals for Colorado, with a total of eight from the Gunnison Basin.
Upper Gunnison Board member Stacy McPhail asked Mueller what he thought the future would look like if Colorado is unable to show that
expenditure,” he said.
Fire risk reduction has been going on for some time, replacing fuses and changing breaker configurations to reduce the chance of sparking.
But GCEA has started douling down on fire-resistant infrastructure, spending more money on upgraded equipment in high-risk fire areas, doing more comprehensive tree trimming and under-grounding lines, more expensive than above-ground lines but a switch that may reduce the financial risk over time.
Costs are soaring everywhere, McBride said, even at the co-op’s power supplier, Tri-State, a power generation and transmission facility that serves most of rural Colorado. So far, the company has been eating the inflated costs through their reserves and deferred revenues, but McBride estimates the company may propose an increase for January of next year, at which point GCEA would do the same.
“We are expecting the
compensated water reductions are a palatable option, especially for Western Slope water users. Legal strategy and “being good actors” are reasons to participate in water consumption reduction programs, Mueller responded. But he said his fear is that, w ithout alterations, it will damage the local agricultural industry beyond recognition. The River District hoped to work with Western Slope water users to design two demand management test project locations to help the organization create a program that benefits ranchers and avoids detriments to both the community and the environment.
“[Using] a pilot like this may help us understand that we can't participate in these water conservation plans as they're envisioned by the federal government … One of the conclusions here may be just that we can't do this in a way that makes sense for our communities,” Mueller said. “And that's okay. That's not a bad answer.”
‘I can’t be paid enough’
According to Mueller, this is the River District’s second pitch and ideally the last. He also shared the pitch with the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, which was
“very interested,” he said. The goal is to have two test project locations — one that relies on a large upstream reservoir and another solely on the natural supply such as the Upper Gunnison Basin.
Local rancher Burt Guerrieri said he worried about “adverse impacts” while the district is experimenting.
“We have neighbors I think that would do it quickly because they want to see more water in the stream for fish,” Guerrieri said. “They don't care where their land dries up. But then we will be adversely aff ected if they're not irrigating.”
Mueller said the requirements of the program include verification that water reduction will not cause injury.
“Our fear is that if we don't try to design something that works for our local communities, we're going to see the Feds continue to throw literally hundreds of millions of dollars in the air for people like your neighbor without any protections,” he said.
Gunnison rancher Greg Peterson said he wasn’t interested in participating in a fullfallowing demand management program because he’s done it twice with Mother Nature in 2000 and 2012 for a couple thousand acres.
GCEA’s 2023 budget was already “barebones,” scheduling a 1% cushion over operating costs — all before the rate increase deferral, McBride said. The 2023 budget assumed a Jan. 1 implementation date, but the board decided to push the cost increase until May 1 — a deferral of the last three or four rate increases — to help avoid a winter utility “pile-up” for customers. Now, the co-op is operating on a break-even budget, a situation the nonprofit can handle temporarily, but not forever.
“I can’t be paid enough money to cover those costs, it was hard enough for one year to recover over time,” Peterson said. “Having said that, though, I understand what you're trying to accomplish, because I think about possible alternatives that could be worse.”
The ranchers expressed worry about eminent domain, a power the U.S. government can use to take private property for the greater public use. This occurs with compensation, but without the owner’s consent. In the case of water, most legal minds agree that a Front Range water provider could condemn a ranch on the Western Slope and use the water to protect its junior water rights, John McClow, general counsel for the Upper Gunnison, told the Times. Eminent domain was used during the construction of Blue Mesa Reservoir in the 1960s when the Bureau of Reclamation was authorized to build the Curecanti Project — flooding more than 20 miles of the Gunnison River Valley. Rancher Bob Robbins said he remembered going with his uncle and his father to meetings at Sapinero and the Iola School House before their ranch was taken.
“Eminent domain is where we are going if we don’t figure this out … When we lost that place I never recovered,” Robbins said during the meeting.
Mueller said the River District hoped to take the first nine months of 2023 to design and develop the pilot project sites, leading to more discussions around the recruitment of willing producers and municipalities. If successful, more realistic timelines will emerge in the late fall with projects set for implementation next year.
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@gunnisontimes.com.)
Equipment replacement down the line may also bump rates, he said. There is no defined period between rate increases, and the board has not yet discussed the timing of the next rate increase, McBride said, but he anticipates they will want to wait as long as possible.
increase from Tri-State, and we haven't seen the magnitude of that increase yet,” he said. “They already experienced cost increases that they haven't passed through. So it's inevitable.”
But before Tri-State could pass along a rate increase, the company needs approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates the transmission and sale of wholesale electricity.
If GCEA were to continue passing along increases far below the national rate of inflation, the question arises as to how it will continue providing the necessary service for rural Coloradans. Even with marginal rate increases, the co-op is doing ok, McBride said.
“We are in good financial condition. Our equity is high. And so it gives us the flexibility, you know, to try to smooth out rate increases,” he said.
“One of our fundamental, enduring priorities is reliability. It is essential for us to keep power on, it's how people heat their homes. You know, it's essential to not only comfort but for life, you know, and, and so we do need to make sure that we can reliably deliver power, some of our lines are 70 years old.”
GCEA is holding a member meeting to review the proposed rate increase on Monday, March 27 at 6 p.m. Participants can join virtually or in-person at the Gunnison headquarters at 37250 W. Hwy. 50.
(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@gunnisontimes.com.)
Inflation. I mean, if you want to have a single word for it, it’s inflation in our costs.
Mike McBride
GCEA Chief Executive OfficerCourtesy Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District
from A1
last year. The project, which will likely be the largest in the city’s history, will create an extra layer of security against drinking water contamination and support population growth. The city presently relies on an outdated well system to supply water to Gunnison residents.
The new plant will be located at Van Tuyl Ranch, a cityowned property that is a popular open space for runners, bikers and dog walkers within the Gunnison community. Staff explored the pros and cons of constructing a solar array at the site during a regular city council meeting on March 7. While incorporating a renewable energy source aligns with the city’s climate goals and may attract more grant funding, staff acknowledged that the solar array may be frowned upon due to its location.
The proposed site for the water treatment plant sits on the east side of the Van Tuyl Loop Trail near County Road 14. In addition to the footprint for the actual plant, the Public Works Department would need no more than two acres of land near the facility to create a 250 kilowatt solar system.
Staff expect the system would mostly be mounted on the ground, coupled with a few panels on the roof. For comparison, the recently completed solar array at the GunnisonCrested Butte Regional Airport parking lot is a 650 kilowatt system. The array proposed for Van Tuyl would be nearly a third of that size.
Public Works is hopeful it can use state grants, which are currently plentiful for projects that incorporate renewable energy, to offset at least 30% of the cost — which sits at about $600,000.
Public Works Director David Gardner said the engineering team is cognizant about how the addition of a solar array may impact the use of the trail system. The construction of the plant — with or without solar panels — will require an amendment to the present agricultural zoning designation. This process will require public input to finalize the change.
Although the solar portion of the project could be removed entirely, Gardner recommend-
ed the addition.
“This is a perfect opportunity to provide that type of power for that plant, and we can size it where it would pretty much run the plant when the sun shines every day,” Gardner said.
Council member Boe Freeburn said he was in favor of the solar array despite the high likelihood of pushback.
“I know it's sacred, so many people enjoy that land, and it's nice to have an open space like it is,” Freeburn said. “But energy is a really important issue also … I know a lot of people won't be happy about it, but I think it makes a lot of sense that that would be the place to do it.”
Th e project will also include the drilling of three new wells near the facility to reduce the risk that well water is contaminated as it flows under the city to the new plant. Gardner said the department has no plans to alter the existing trail system or any of the surrounding homes.
The plans also propose the construction of a storage reservoir near the northernmost section of the trail. Under its water rights on Van Tuyl, the city has the ability to store 400 acrefeet of water, although Gardner said he doubted they would build something that large. If approved this would take place during a later phase of the project.
Project Engineer Josh McGibbon reminded council that the project is still in its very early stages and that the team wants to seek feedback from council as well as the community on how to balance recreation with the operation of the new plant.
“What we're looking for is just some of these initial gut checks of [whether] this is worth pursuing,” McGibbon said.
Counselor Jim Gelwicks said he was in favor of the solar array.
“It's something that in the long run we need to do,” Gelwicks said. “The solar panels then give it a sense of continual operation, regardless of other things that may happen to our community.”
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
2.9% APR
Nick
BowlinHigh Country News
((Editor’s note: This article first appeared in High Country News on March 21 and has been republished with permission.).)
Gunnison, Colorado, at 7,700 feet above sea level, sees some of the coldest temperatures in the Lower 48. Its 6,000 or so inhabitants, especially lowincome residents in older, poorly insulated housing, use more energy — often from natural gas — than their lowland counterparts.
Last year, Gunnison’s city government proposed cutting both greenhouse gas emissions and utility bills by making new homes more efficient and less reliant on fossil fuels.
But Gunnison soon encountered the same obstacle that other communities do when they try to move toward electric heat pumps, stoves and water heaters: natural gas providers.
By vigorously campaigning against electrification policies in what are normally local battles, national natural gas utilities have opened a new front in the decarbonization struggle: building codes.
Building codes can either accelerate local carbon emission reductions or lock in fossil fuel infrastructure, according to David Konisky, a professor at Indiana University who studies environmental and energy politics and policy. When code changes nibble at utilities’ market share, however, the corporations bite back.
“It’s not surprising that they will fight against these reforms,” Konisky said. “It’s cutting into their standard business model of people using natural gas for cooking or heating in their
homes.”
In July 2021, Gunnison’s city council passed a robust climate plan aimed at cutting aggregate greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. The plan found that buildings produce 61% of county carbon emissions. The city’s 2022 proposal, building on the previous version, hoped to cut emissions by electrifying all new residential and commercial structures and half of remodels by 2030.
This meant aligning Gunnison’s building code with current International Code Council standards. Most American municipalities use some version of ICC policy. The most up-to-date policy requires new construction to be built “electric-ready,” so that switching from natural gas to electric appliances — and installing solar panels — is easier and cheaper.
But Dallas-based Atmos Energy Corp., one of the nation’s largest natural gas utilities and a primary provider for Gunnison, elbowed its way into the process.
On Sept. 2, Atmos public affairs manager, Kurtis Paradisa, emailed the city government that his company would be “educating” its customers about its stance on electrification. In a mass email, Atmos warned Gunnison residents that the proposed changes “will have a big impact on housing affordability and restrict your choices for energy and innovative technologies.” (These emails were obtained in a record request by the Energy and Policy Institute, a utility watchdog group, and reviewed by High Country News).
Gunnison Mayor Diego Plata called Atmos an important partner to the Gunnison community. But he acknowledged that the proposed code update would have “hit directly into their entire business strategy and plan.”
In a separate letter to Plata, Atmos Vice President of Marketing Ken Fogle argued that Coloradans overwhelmingly prefer natural gas, citing a study from the American Gas Association. This nation-
al trade group — Atmos is a member — spends millions of dollars annually on campaign donations and lobbying. Fogle also stated that the new policies would raise energy costs for Atmos’ Gunnison customers by more than $1,200 per year and that fueling appliances with natural gas results in lower carbon emissions than all-electric homes.
“We do believe that a balanced energy approach that includes natural gas and preserves energy choice, rather than supporting specific fuels or technologies, will achieve goals of reducing emissions while maintaining energy reliability,” Paradisa wrote in response to questions emailed by High Country News.
But Atmos’ claims appear based on questionable assumptions. Fogle’s energy-cost calculations rely on higher electricity costs than Gunnison’s standard rate and on Atmos’ natural gas costs from April 2022. Natural gas bills have shot up recently due to high demand here and overseas, as European countries scramble to find non-Russian energy sources. In September, the Colorado Public Utility Commission approved Atmos’ request to raise customers’ rates to account for higher gas costs.
As John Cattles, assistant county manager for operations and sustainability, noted in an email to Russ Forest, Gunnison’s then-city manager, Atmos was also comparing high-efficiency gas appliances to low-efficiency electrical appliances. Heat pumps can be several times more effi cient than the most efficient gas furnaces even in cold climates, despite the industry’s frequent claim that they don’t work in extreme cold. And Fogle’s statement that natural gas has comparatively low carbon emissions appeared to omit the emissions from its extraction and transport.
Atmos found allies, however. In an email to Paradisa, city building official Eric Jansen said that he was “leaning toward recommending that the City just sticks with the currently
adopted energy code,” or that it opt for “amending the heck out of” the proposed new code. This recommendation, he told Paradisa, would include “no mention of electrification” in the new building codes. Gunnison’s council members, he said, “have no inclination of going all electric any time soon.”
Gunnison’s debate echoed one that took place in Scottsdale, Arizona. Early last year, the city set out to update its building codes, despite a 2020 Arizona law that prohibits local governments from banning natural gas and blocks cities from implementing other energy-efficient building measures.
Scottsdale’s natural gas utility — Las Vegas-based Southwest Gas — fought back. In a letter to the city’s Building Advisory Board of Appeals dated March 2, Matthew Ligouri, senior public affairs manager for Southwest Gas, echoed many of the points Atmos made in Gunnison, even citing several American Gas Association studies. At a public meeting, Ligouri called the proposed building codes a “hardleft, ideological goal.” To date, the city has not attempted to adopt the electric-ready building codes.
In Gunnison, at a mid-October council meeting, Fogle testified and some residents spoke out against the policies. Ultimately, the city council voted to table discussion of electric-ready building codes. Jansen said Gunnison wasn’t ready for widespread electrification. (Jansen did not respond to a list of emailed questions.)
In the end, the city adopted policies that encourage solarready construction, while most of the energy-efficient building policies were set aside for three years.
Mayor Plata agreed with the decision, saying that the city’s
grid was not up to the task. But Atmos’ tactics concern him.
“Was it a little unsettling to see them reach out to all their clients and advocate that they come to council meetings and oppose this? Yes, I would say that was a little bit of pressure.”
Plata added t hat, given the urgency of the climate crisis, he hopes the city adopts energyefficient building codes in three years.
Though Gunnison declined to pass new building codes, nearby ski towns Aspen and Crested Butte recently did so, while Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission is considering energy-efficient requirements for large buildings.
Meanwhile, a group called Coloradans for Energy Access emerged last year to fight what it calls “forced electrification” policies. Jennifer Altieri, Atmos’ then-vice president of public affairs for its Colorado-Kansas division, was listed as board chair in the group’s 2021 nonprofit tax documents.
The utilities’ opposition to electrification is unsurprising, since a significant portion of their income comes from the use of natural gas for cooking and heating water and homes. But these fights are especially urgent now, Konisky noted, given that natural gas prices are high and President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act has begun taking effect. The law’s hundreds of billions of dollars for climate and energy policies include tax credits and rebates for building electrification, residential solar and energy-efficient appliances.
“My sense is that the utilities see the writing on the wall,” Konisky said.
“The more utilities delay and keep the status quo,” he went on, “the better off they are financially in the short term.”
(Nick Bowlin is a correspondent at High Country News.)
309 N Iowa Street, Gunnison, 6 Bed, 3.5 Bath, 2,543 SF, 2 Car Garage, Includes a two bedroom kitchen and bath apartment above garage, Offered for $930,000, Steve Mills, 970.596.0292
TBD CR 864A, Cimarron, 32.02 Acres, Touches BLM on two sides with National Forest access down the road, Offered for $299,000, Bobby Overturf, 719.216.2524
Gunnison 970.641.6691 Crested Butte 970.349.6691 bbre1.com
26 Meadowlark Trail $995,000 MLS 792288. Built 2022 4bed 3bath 2471 sqft.
26 Meadowlark Trail is the newest home within highly coveted North Elk Meadows subdivision. This custom home is meticulously built and designed from solid cedar including the exterior siding with rock accent. Large foyer with vaulted 18 feet ceilings, a large 8 x 24 back deck, solid wood front door, abundant windows throughout the home giving natural light and views of Carbon Peak, Red Mountain, Flat Top and SignalPeak. This property has an open kitchen with 9 ft ceilings throughout the main level.
302 C Van Tuyl Circle - $392,000 - 2 bed/1.5 bath Townhome located in the Van Tuyl Townhomes. This unit is a well kept, 2 story townhome with all appliances included and completely fenced front yard. Great location that is centrally located in town and close to Van Tuyl trails, grocery store and shops and blocks from the bus stop. Call for a showing today!
SOLD
Lazy K, Gunnison’s newest subdivision has several units still available for purchase by individuals or institutions/businesses! MORE UNITS COMING THIS SPRING. We have 2 units at 80% AMI units meaning if you make less than $50k-$70k/year depending on household size, you may qualify to purchase this new 2 bedroom/1.5 bath unit at $268,271! Applications to determine your eligibility can be found at GVRHA.org. To arrange a viewing or questions about the property, please contact Gunnison Real Estate & Rentals.
1205 Van Tuyl Circle, .15 acre of lot $160,000 MLS#798496
Only vacant lot in Van Tuyl subdivision close to newly constructed bike trail park with pavilion on site. Char Park and Van Tuyl Trails are walking distance. Van Tuyl subdivision consist of single family homes, townhomes close to a niche community of renters, home owners and second home owners with options to build your dream home or an investment. R1 zoning for residential development on a .14 of an acre, the seller has plans and drawings that this property.
1207 Van Tuyl Circle, 3 bed 2.5 bath, 1628 sqft $710,000 MLS#798505
This hidden gem, single family home within the Van Tuyl Subdivision consists of 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, approximately 1628 sqft. with a detached one car garage with a carport. Updated, move in ready, high ceiling, recessed lights, and open kitchen with an island separating the kitchen from the living room, pellet stove. The abundant natural light from the makes this home appealing and speculator. The other two bedrooms are upstairs with a 3/4 of a bathroom that consists of a walk-in shower with modern touches located in-between inviting, and intriguing home with a master suite downstairs with its own entrance and mini fridge/microwave section. The modern walk-in tiled shower and glass door is an impeccable touch. The storage space in the utility room is fully utilized with shelving and cabinets with front loading washer/dryer easily accessible. It's a must see property that's very inviting worth calling your agent today.
Large avalanches claimed two lives last weekend, bringing the number of Colorado fatalities for the 2022-23 winter season to nine. Backcountry conditions were and will remain dangerous as spring snowstorms add to the instability of the snowpack.
On Friday, March 17, an avalanche caught three backcountry tourers — two skiers and one splitboarder — at Rapid Creek near Chair Mountain, which is southwest of the Town of Marble. Two days later, on Sunday, March 19, three more skiers triggered and were caught in a large avalanche in Maroon Bowl outside of the Aspen Highlands Ski Area.
On March 17, two members of the party were injured, while the avalanche completely buried and killed the third. According to the preliminary accident summary, one rider hiked out of the backcountry to get help. Search and rescue (SAR) teams evacuated the first skier by helicopter. The third, who would later be identified as 36-year-old Joel Shute of Glenwood Springs, remained missing as the sun set.
Members of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and West Elk Search and Rescue were flown into the area where the avalanche occurred by helicopter the following morning. They found Shute, who was buried about four feet deep in avalanche debris, around 11:30 a.m. The avalanche broke two to three feet deep, between 300500 feet wide and ran down the
mountain for more than 2,400 vertical feet.
This incident, which occurred in the northwest corner of Gunnison County, would be the fi rst of two avalanche fatalities over the weekend. On March 19, three skiers were caught in a large avalanche outside of the Aspen Highlands Ski Area. One was buried and killed. The avalanche broke about 200 feet wide and ran about 2,000 vertical feet.
The Crested Butte Avalanche Center (CBAC) team has seen a number of avalanches break deeply, said Lead Forecaster Zach Guy. Both of the avalanches responsible for the recent fatalities were persistent slab problems — failing on old snow that is buried deeper than recent storms.
After a short break, another storm began rolling into the Gunnison Valley on Monday and is projected to bring two to three feet of snow to CBAC’s forecast area. Guy said he expected the avalanche danger to rise significantly midweek during the peak of the storm with dangerous conditions lingering for at least a few days after it ends.
Although snowpack varies year to year, it usually begins to stabilize by late March. The ongoing storm pattern has caused persistent issues, but the snowpack is getting deeper and stronger each time a storm passes through, he said.
“But in the short term, the snowpack doesn't like dramatic change, and so when it's either A, getting a lot of snow, or B, getting really warm after these storms, those are both recipes for trouble,” Guy said.
Numerous accidents over the last couple of weeks have involved groups of three or four who were all caught at once. Guy encouraged backcountry users to try and minimize their risk by only exposing one person at a time to avalanche terrain when possible.
If you are interested in new property offerings and loans available for First Time Home Buyers, attend our FREE Homebuyers Class! We will discuss how you start, qualify for and the loan programs available. Snacks will be provided.
There will be two sessions located at the new Gunnison Library in the conference rooms on:
Please
Saturday, April 1st 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Thursday, April 6th 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Six units available
Four priced at $268,271 and two at $425,000 Mix of two-three bedrooms and all with one car garage
Applications due to GVRHA on April 27th. Lottery on the evening on May 4th
Wildlife photographer Will Maberry captured images of two mountain lions going for an evening stroll along the Gunnison river near Roaring Judy on Thursday, March 16. He and his family drove to Roaring Judy in search of bald eagles, but instead found big cats by the water’s edge.
The Western Colorado University cheer squad led a children’s clinic March 20-24 at the Gunnison Rec Center. On Tuesday afternoon, the team practiced lifts.
CB State of Mind is launching its third annual Green Light Campaign — Gunnison Valley’s Mental Health Awareness
Month done in collaboration with the community, human service providers, businesses, churches and schools on Friday, March 31. The campaign helps raise awareness about mental health and wellness, spark conversations and fight the stigma that surrounds seeking help.
It’s easy to participate — change one light bulb to green in a visible location, whether it’s a home or business. Help shine a light on mental health and wellness with this one simple gesture.
Green is the nationally recognized color for mental health awareness. Green signifies new life, new growth, and new beginnings. Starting on Monday, March 27, pick up a light bulb and more information at the Gunnison Rec Center, the Western Colorado University LEAD Office and the First Friday ArtWalk. Visit cbstateofmind.org for more information on local resources and April Events.
(Source: CB State of Mind.)
Crested Butte Mountain Resort hosted the annual Al Johnson telemark race on March 19. Veteran skier Pat O’Neil once again had the fastest time overall, finishing in 15:10. Myles Morris was second in the men’s division at 16:50 and race organizer Than Acuff took third at 18:10. On the women’s side, Alex Reidman took the top spot with a time of 24:00. Margeaux Prinster came in close behind at 25:15, and Karen Reader finished third at 25:36.
Jacob Spetzler and Morgan Raspanti
TWO LOCATIONS- The Boathouse in Taylor Canyon and also in Downtown Gunnison
FEATURING- Regulated State Course to train raft guides and certify them to work as a guide- Top Quality Instructors- Whitewater Training- Free Gear Rental- Hiring Guides for the summer- Best job ever!
Spring trail and road closures are now in effect to protect the valley’s hometown bird, the Gunnison sage-grouse. From March 15 through May 15, road, trail and area closures at Signal Peak and Hartman Rocks give the Gunnison sage-grouse a bit of room during their short mating season.
As trails begin to melt (and they are melting fast) and spring fever really sets in, remember there are additional closures for mountain bikes and motorized users in the Signal Peak area to protect our wintering big game. Here's a list of closures for Signal Peak and Hartman Rocks to help simplify.
Signal Peak
To protect Gunnison sagegrouse, trails in the northwest corner of the Signal Peak area will be closed to all uses from March 15-May 15. This includes the Ridgeline trail past the second radio tower, Rasta Gulch, Chicken Wing, Shoelace and the Cranor Hill trails. All entry
points to this area are marked with gates. Be good stewards and help us protect the sagegrouse during this critical time.
The entire Signal Peak area is closed to bikes from Jan. 1 through April 30, and no use is permitted before 10 a.m. May 1 through May 15.
The entire Signal Peak area is closed to motorized use from Jan. 1- May 15.
While the trails at Hartman Rocks remain open to winter use (mud season hasn’t begun just yet), things are melting out fast. If you're headed out on a run, hike, ride or ski, conditions are best during the morning hours before things heat up and mud sets in.
All roads and trails south of Powerline Road (Bambi's, Sawtooth, Back-In, Outback, Nine-0, Skull Pass and Aberdeen Loop) are closed to motorized and mountain bike use from March 15 - May 15 for sage-grouse conservation. Gunnison Trails will post updates on the trail conditions at Hartman Rocks and on the campus trails behind Western Colorado University on Facebook and in newsletters as conditions change, so stay tuned. For more info on spring trail closures, visit gunnisontrails.org/spring-trail-closures/.
(Source: Gunnison Trails.)
PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON
VALLEY is hiring an experienced leader to fill the executive director position. Position is a full-time salaried role, with annual COLA increases, plus PTO, paid sick leave, and a health stipend. Full job description and application instructions available at hope4gv. org/employment. Email info@hope4gv.org with questions and to apply.
ALL WEATHER EARTHWORKS is looking for laborers and operators. General knowledge of construction preferred. Must be a hard worker. Will train the right people. Pay will be discussed in interview. Please send resume to awearthworkskyle@outlook. com.
THE CLUB A CRESTED BUTTE is hiring an executive chef. This is a full-time yearround position with medical, retirement and vacation benefits. Salary range is $65,000$70,000/year. For more information or to submit a resume, please email jobs@ clubatcrestedbutte.com.
HOT TUB TECHNICIAN: Year round PT or FT position with great growth opportunities. Train at $22/hour. Pay starts at $25/hour plus incentives. AWD work van, clothing and more provided. Position starts mid-April. Call Graeme at CB Hot Tub 970-275-5700.
CRESTED BUTTE DENTAL is looking for an outgoing, organized, customer service oriented person to join our team. This is a great way to get connected to the community. We are happy to train someone with a great attitude and willingness to learn.
Competitive hourly wages and benefits as well as profit-sharing bonuses for all team members. Please submit cover letter and resume to amy@crestedbuttedentist.com.
IRWIN GUIDES is seeking a part-time seasonal office/sales assistant. The position will be responsible for assisting the Irwin Guides administrator with day-to-day operations included but not limited to data entry, completing and filing paperwork, interacting with guests face-to-face or via phone/email, booking trips and assisting with walk-in traffic and retail inquires/purchases.
A strong candidate will have knowledge of the outdoor industry and local activities, strong administrative skills, effective communication, both oral and written, is detail-oriented, responsive to delegation, and comfortable working independently and in a fast paced team environment. During the operational seasons this position will be required to work some early mornings and late afternoons, at least one weekend day per week, and some holidays as necessary. Qualified candidates should send a cover letter and resume to jobs@ elevenexperience.com. This is a winter seasonal position starting at $18 - $20 a hour depending on experience and qualifications.
IRWIN BACK COUNTRY GUIDES LLC is seeking a full-time, year-round Global Human Resources Administrator. This position will manage and maintain on-boarding, offboarding, payroll, benefits, HRIS processing, and perform additional administrative tasks for multiple global entities while embodying company values and holding strong ethical standards. The ideal candidate will have strong communication and organizational skills, the ability to handle high-pressure demands and competing priorities, and 1-2 years of professional experience in global payroll/benefits and/or broad HR management experience. The starting salary is $50,000-$65,000 annually, depending on experience and qualification, and includes full benefits. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/ careers/.
DOS RIOS GOLF CLUB RESTAURANT
AND BAR: Now hiring for AM/PM line cooks. Starting pay $21.00 per hour. Rate increase after two months. Please call 979-530-3801 to set up an interview. Free golf. Restaurant opens April 1.
LOOKING TO GET ROOTED THIS SUMMER? Connect with nature, planting and caring for perennial gardens throughout the valley. Laborer/Gardener positions available May 1-Oct. 31. Experience preferred but will train. Small company, good wages. Horizonfinegardens@gmail.com or 970-275-1020.
OUR SPRING TEACHER TRAINING IS ABOUT TO BEGIN: Come get certified and start your early childhood education career with us, the only nature-based preschool in the Valley. Now training assistant teachers ($16/hr) and hiring lead teachers ($18-20/hr). Flexible full to part-time positions available and benefits provided.
Supportive, friendly work environment. Visit wonderlandnatureschool.org or email us: admin@wonderlandnatureschool.org.
ELEVEN EXPERIENCE is seeking hospitality and culinary/chef professionals for our Colorado properties, Scarp Ridge Lodge and Taylor River Lodge. Based in Crested Butte, we are a global adventure travel company that provides unparalleled experiences for our guests as well as an exciting work culture for staff. We currently have openings on both the culinary team and lodge staff team. Full-time, part-time, seasonal and year-round positions available. Applicants must be dedicated team players who thrive in a fast-paced work environment, have strong communication skills and are eager to contribute to a growing company. Pay starting at $20/hour or more based on experience. Benefits include a generous tip pool, end of season ski pass bonus and retail discounts. Housing options available for the 2023 summer season. For more information on current openings and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/careers/. ** $500 sign-on bonus will be given to lodge staff positions that come on board for the summer season**
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE seeks applicants for a building inspector and efficiency coordinator position to join the Community Development team. The building inspector and efficiency coordinator performs a variety of commercial, industrial, and residential building and safety inspections of new and existing properties for compliance with Town adopted regulations and building codes and coordinates building efficiency and renewable energy programs for the Community Development Department’s responsibilities to the Town of Crested Butte’s Climate Action Plan. This yearround position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid employee and dependent health, dental, vision, life insurance and matching contributions to a retirement plan after one year of employment.
Starting salary is $50,958 – $60,585 DOQ. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at townofcrestedbutte. com. Please submit an application, cover letter and resume via email to HR at jobs@ crestedbutte-co.gov. The position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
CRESTED BUTTE DENTAL is looking for an organized person to join our team as a sterile tech. No experience necessary, we are happy to train the right person. Position will be M-F with a minimum of 30 hours per week starting mid-May through summer, with the possibility of continuing on as a team member. Pay starting at $20/hr. Please submit cover letter and resume to amy@crestedbuttedentist.com.
BLIND FAITH CUSTOM WINDOW
FASHIONS is looking for an incredible showroom teammate and installer to join our team. This is a full-time (4.5 days) position. We will need this person to be able to install manual, motorized and wireless shades and blinds in high end residential homes and condos, accurately measure windows and doors for future installation and be able to load/unload products. Excellent customer service, follow through on customer service situations, the ability to use a computer, communicate via email and make phone calls is a must. This team member will also need to have: a Valid Colorado Driver’s License, flexibility (adjust on the fly according to schedule and appointments), respect for co-workers and clients while being dependable and punctual. This is an hourly, plus commission position and a company paid ski pass is provided. Please send a resume or request for an interview to admin@blindfaithcb.com or call Kelly 850-855-8838.
K.R. WELDING AND FABRICATION is looking for fabricators. Knowledge of general construction preferred. Welding experience preferred. Quick learner, hard worker a must. Pay will be discussed in interview. Please send resume to krobbins2011@hotmail.com.
TEMPORARY LABORERS NEEDED: Need some cash this off season? The Town of Crested Butte Parks and Recreation Department is hiring temporary laborers for spring prep/cleanup season. Work will begin once the snow is gone from the majority of parks and public areas. Duties include raking, power washing, painting and general cleanup and repairs. Full job description and application available online at townofcrestedbutte.com click on “Careers”.
Pay $19/hour. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
HYDROPONIC FARM MANAGER: Full time production of herbs and vegetables in a 200-tower indoor operation. Trains and supervises 2-3 employees, expands market for product with chefs and other wholesale buyers, conducts community outreach.
Experience essential. $50K with benefits. More info at mountainrootsfoodproject.org.
THE ADAPTIVE SPORTS CENTER named one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work for seven year is seeking a marketing manager to help the organization continue to grow and thrive. Join a passionate, missiondriven team at its new facility in the Crested Butte Mountain Resort base area and help to empower people with disabilities through therapeutic outdoor recreation.
The marketing manager is responsible for planning, fiscal management, administration and coordination of all of the marketing needs of the Adaptive Sports Center. The marketing manager will be an active member of the ASC staff and lead the program and development departments in their respective marketing strategies that will assist in meeting the department’s annual goals. The marketing manager promotes ASC programs and its mission in order to increase participation by clients, donors and volunteers. Ideal candidates will be results-driven, independent and have the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced, professional environment. A bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Public Relations, Business or other closely related field is preferred, along with a minimum of two years of marketing experience. Must have experience executing marketing campaigns, including digital advertising and experience working with local and national media. Proficiency with the Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office 365 is required and experience with video production and photography is preferred. To read the complete job description, visit adaptivesports.org/marketing-manager.
Starting salary range is $50,000- $60,000, plus a competitive benefits package. Please submit a resume, cover letter and portfolio to Allison Butcher at Allison@ adaptivesports.org. Prior to interview, all applicants will be required to complete a marketing exercise to assess skills. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Gunnison Valley Health is hiring.
Please note This is not a complete list of all our open jobs - you can view all open positions at our website, jobs.gunnisonvalleyhealth.org
Home Health, C.N.A.FT $18.00 - $23.40/hr. DOE
Cook - Senior Services or Hospital, FT $18 - $23.40/DOE
HousekeeperFT $17.00 – $19.40/hour DOE
Medical Assistant (non-certified)FT, $18.17 - $21.81/hr DOE
Benefits Eligibility: Medical, dental, vision, health care FSA, and dependent care FSA: All active employees working 40 or more hours per pay period are eligible for benefits on the first of the month following date of hire. PRN staff are not initially eligible for benefits, and GVH follows all Affordable Health Care Act Eligibility guidelines.
Please visit our website for more indepth position descriptions, specific qualification requirements and to apply online gunnisonvalleyhealth. org/careers/, or call HR for questions 970-641-1456. (PRN = as needed). All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a negative 10 panel drug screen test, criminal background check, reference checks, infection prevention procedures (TB test, Flu Shot, immunization records, etc.), physical capacity profile and acknowledgement of policies.
*Housing is held for Gunnison County employees and may be available for you to rent*
Data Analyst I Assessor: 30 hours/ week, monthly salary range from $4,440 to $5,055 plus full benefits.
Title Administrator I Assessor: 30 hours/week, monthly salary range from $3,585 to $4,081 plus full benefits.
Parents As Teachers (PAT) –Reflective Supervisor Juvenile Services: 19 hours/week flexible scheduling required, hourly rate range from $30.22 to $42.74.
Caseworker I – Education
Juvenile Services: 30 hours/ week with varied hours during the academic year and summer, hourly rate range from $28.78 to $40.71 plus full benefits.
months with CHOICE Package. NEW 2 YEAR PRICE GUARANTEE. Firtst 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included!
Directv is #1 in Customer Service Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply Call 1-888-725-0897
AMERIGLIDE
Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,989 to $7,057 plus full benefits.
Public Health Nurse II: Child Care Health Consultant HHS: Part-time, 6 hours/week, hourly rate range from $32.03 to $45.31.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.
PORTABLE OXYGEN
Portable Oxygen Concentrator May be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free Information Kit! Call: 844-823-0293
To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or email Colorado Press Association Network at rtoledo@colopress.net
Call AmeriGlide today! 1-877-418-1883
See GWSD website for details
gunnisonschools.net
Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. And as they excel in academics, athletics, and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”
.5 SPED/.5 RtI and Intervention-CBES
Counselor-CBES
Counselor-GES-(1 year only)
Elementary Teacher-GES
English Language Arts TeacherCBSS
Newcomer Teacher and Integration
Specialist
Building Manager-CBCS
Assistant Building Manager-CBCS
Lead Custodian-Lake School
Library EA-GCS
Math Intervention Teacher-CBSS
Supervision EA-CBCS
Special Education EA- CBSS
Permanent Substitute-CBSS
Food Service-CBCS and GCS
Bus Drivers Substitute Teachers
Coaching:
CBHS Assistant Track Coach
CBHS Asst. Lacrosse coach
Please contact:
Superintendent’s Office
JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@gunnisonschools.net
Journeyman & Residential Wireman for projects in the Gunnison and Crested Butte areas. Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license and pass a pre-employment drug screen.
Top pay & Benefits.
Send resumes to info@ec-electric.com or call 970-641-0195 www.ec-electric.com/careers
AUTOMOTIVE MASTER TECHNICIAN. If you are curious about how your current job compares to Precision Automotive? EMAIL your resume to precisionauto4040@hotmail.com, call or text Steve at 970-596-9999
ALL INQUIRIES ARE STRICKLY CONFIDENTIAL! Benefits include: PAID VACATION, PAID HOLIDAYS, MEDICAL, DENTAL, MATCHING IRA.
AUTOMOTIVE APPRENTICE Do you love cars? Get your start in the well paid and exciting world of Automotive Repair that could turn into your life passion. Work along side your mentor a Master Certified Technician while completing online modules such as: Electrical, Engine mechanical, Transmission, Drive train, Suspension & Steering, Heating & A/C, Engine Performance and Brakes.
CAR WASH/DETAILER/SHOP MAINTENANCE. Call or text 970-596-9999 for interview. PRECISIONAUTO.NET
Police Officer Full-time: $62,200-$84,000/yr.
$29.90-$40.38/hr. Performs technical, professional, and administrative duties related to maintaining the security of the City, protecting constitutional guarantees of all persons, protecting life and property, preserving public peace and order, preventing, solving and detecting crimes, facilitating the safe movement of people and vehicles, and other emergency services as needed. POST Certification not required. The City will pay for the Police Academy if needed and pay a cadet wage while attending the Academy. Includes a $5,000 signing bonus.
Part-Time Openings:
Tree Dump Gatekeeper - up to $23.24/hr. Special Events/Project Assistant - up to $23.24/hr. Parking Attendant - up to $25.44/hr.
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), 12 paid holidays and 12 days of sick leave per year.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, benefit packages, required job qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCO.gov/HR
This position is responsible for supervision, hiring, training, daily work assignments, safety and preparing work schedules for the Mail Center work study students.
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a successful candidate is hired.
Note: If a degree is required, official transcripts (unopened or delivered directly to HR) are required upon hire; copies/scans submitted during application will not serve the purpose of official transcripts upon hire.
Additional Information on Western and Gunnison/Crested Butte
Western Colorado University is a public institution with an enrollment of ~3,700 graduate and undergraduate students, the majority of which reside on the campus and in the community. With average class sizes of 17 students, faculty and staff share a strong commitment to inclusivity and personalized, immersive education. They are student-oriented, collegial, enthusiastic, and engaged in the campus and community.
Western is committed to continual growth in regard to diversity, equity, and inclusivity and promotes participation in DEI initiatives from students, faculty, staff, and the community. Please see our diversity statement, and our DEI Committee charge.
The University is located in Gunnison, Colorado, a rural community 200 miles southwest of Denver and the gateway to Crested Butte, a world class ski community.
K-12 students are served by the awardwinning Gunnison Watershed School District. Both communities value the arts, quality of life, community-based wrap around services for children and adults and continued personal growth and learning opportunities. At an elevation of 7,700 feet in the southern Rocky Mountains, the Gunnison Valley provides exceptional yearround outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities including summer arts and music festivals, mountain biking, skiing, kayak/rafting, rock climbing, hiking and camping all within minutes of the campus Visit western.edu to learn more about the university. An Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.
NO EXPERIENCE? NO WORRIES: We provide on-the-job training. The Town of Crested Butte is looking for a Public Works maintenance worker/heavy equipment operator to fill an open position.
Qualifications: Colorado Commercial Drivers License (CDL) or ability to obtain one within thirty (30) days of the date of employment. This is a full-time position with benefits.
and life insurance, 12 paid holiday days, two weeks paid vacation, employer contribution to retirement plan (5% automatic mandatory employer matching with 1-3% optional additional matching), employer provided uniforms and a seasonal ski pass. Full job description is available at 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.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TREES AND LANDSCAPING: Now hiring all positions for the 2023 summer season. Come join a great crew. To apply and see what positions we have visit rockymountaintrees.com/ employment/ or give us a call at 970-3496361.
GUNNISON LIQUOR (The Ghost) is currently looking for part time help. Nights and weekends a must. Stop by with a resume! 603 West Tomichi Ave., Gunnison.
DO YOU HAVE MAINTENANCE SKILLS?
Are you looking for a full time year around position in the valley with great pay, health insurance, on-call pay, company vehicle, company phone, paid vacation, ski or health and wellness pass, 5 day work week, and more? Iron Horse Property Management is adding another position to our maintenance team and we are looking for the right individual to help maintain our luxury homes. We are looking for someone who has a great work ethic, maintenance skills, is punctual, and wants to quit having multiple jobs to make it in the valley. If this sounds like you, and you have a clean driving record, then please send your resume to steve@ ironhorsecb.com and qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview. No phone calls please. Pay DOE.
SUMMER OUTDOOR PROGRAM
MANAGER: Mountain Roots is hiring a full time manager for summer outdoor education youth programs. Planning/prep in May and evaluation in Sept. could be part time; full time June, July, Aug. $25-$28/hr. DOE. mountainrootsfoodproject.org/join-our-team.
RECREATION AND CONSERVATION
GUNNISON FAMILY DENTISTRY is seeking a registered dental hygienist. Our practice is dedicated to quality patient care and we promote an environment of fun and professionalism for our patients and team. The ideal candidate would approach their duties with enthusiasm, kindness, and the confidence that comes with being a strong clinician. We are open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. no weekends. This position is 3-4 days per week. We offer competitive pay and a benefits package, including:
HealthiInsurance
Dental discount
Retirement account
Paid time off
We require our hygienists to have an active RDH license, a current CPR certification, laser certification, and the ability to administer local anesthesia. Any other skills we require will be taught in-office.
If you’d like to join our dynamic practice, please send along your cover letter and resume to gunnisondds@gmail.com.
LOADER OPERATORS NEEDED ASAP
IN CB: Very high pay for qualified people. Willing to train the right person. Ski pass and end of season bonus. Call Jean at 970-2758731.
MAIL CENTER MANAGER: Western Colorado University invites applications for he full-time position of mail center manager. The position reports to the Associate Vice President of Campus Operations and Construction.
Responsibilities: The Mail Center Manager is responsible for ensuring the smooth and orderly flow of mail during the processing and delivery of all incoming and outgoing mail for Western Colorado University. The Mail Center processes mail 5 days a week year round for Western Colorado University. Mail includes all US Postal, Federal Express, United Parcel, UPS, along with all inter-office letters and packages.
The Mail Center Manger is responsible for the creation and implementation of policies and procedures to facilitate a smooth running mail service for all of campus. The manager is responsible for ensuring outgoing mail is in compliance with USPS regulations and maintains a secure environment for processing and storage of all mail and packages. This includes recording, tracking of all accountable mail and preparing all bulk mail packages for university departments.
1. Large, dangerous animals
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree. Computing skills, including Windows, Word, Excel, E-mail, Workday and Internet browsers. Ability to plan and evaluate. Excellent Communication, and leadership skills required.
Preferred Qualifications: Prior work experience in mail services a plus, communications and higher education work environment experience preferred.
Compensation: $47,000 – $50,000 annual base salary depending on qualifications. Western offers an excellent benefits package including shared premiums for a comprehensive health insurance plan, dental insurance, retirement plan, life insurance and other insurance options. After one year of employment, Western provides free tuition for dependents enrolled full time in undergraduate programs for up to four years.
Application Procedure: Apply online at Western.edu/jobs. Required attachments for online application include letter of application addressed to Sherry Ford, AVP of Campus Operations and Construction, resume, transcripts and contact information for three references. Contact the AVP of Campus Operations and Construction with position questions at sford@western.edu.
Starting pay is $40,000 – $57,000 DOQ. Benefits include fully subsidized medical, dental and vision insurance for employees and dependents. Paid holidays, vacation time, sick time, disability insurance, life insurance and retirement are also position benefits. The full job description is available on the Town’s website at townofcrestedbutte. com. Please submit an application to the Town of Crested Butte via email at jobs@ crestedbutte-co.gov. The position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (1/20/135).
THE MOUNT CRESTED BUTTE WATER SANITATION DISTRICT is accepting applications for a full-time water operator position to be part of a team environment focused on operation of the water plant and distribution system for Mt. Crested Butte. Important qualifications include a combination of construction, field operations and electrical/mechanical/maintenance repair. A State of Colorado Water and/or Distribution license or the ability to obtain such within one (1) year is mandatory (training for certifications provided).
Operators are required to take on-call responsibility including select weekends and holidays. A valid Colorado driver’s license is required. Starting salary is $44,500 to $51,500 for entry level. $58,000 to $75,000 salary available for operators with experience and appropriate State licenses. Excellent benefits package including 100% employer paid premium family health, dental, vision
RANGER: The recreation and conservation ranger will provide recreational users with information about safe and sustainable outdoor recreation, will assist Crested Butte Land Trust staff with maintenance and improvements on conserved open spaces and recreation sites and will conduct and compile surveys of recreational users. The recreation and conservation ranger will possess a diplomatic and engaging character, will enjoy communicating with land users with diverse points of view and will be comfortable working outdoors in variable weather conditions. The position entails walking long distances and standing for long periods of time in natural areas on a daily basis and will require regular physical labor, for example trail building, fence repair, and noxious weed control. This is a seasonal (appx. May 31-August 15) full-time (40 hours/week) position based in Crested Butte, Colorado reporting to CBLT Stewardship staff. For more information about the Crested Butte Land Trust, please visit cblandtrust.org. A cover letter and resume must be submitted to hiring@ cblandtrust.org by April 1, 2023. The Crested Butte Land Trust is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Pay rate: $20-22/hour.
LEAD CARPENTER WANTED: KD Custom Builders. PAY D.O.E. Call 975-275-6969.
PRECISE PAINTING IS HIRING PAINTERS:
Seasonal or year-round full-time. Must be willing to commit for at least Spring/Summer/ Fall. Pay starts at $22/hr. for inexperienced candidates, more with experience. 4 or 4.5 day work week, earn PTO, raises come quickly, opportunity for benefits. Happy to train the right people. Call Rob at 970-5090851.
WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY
ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT is seeking a camp director for their state-licensed Junior Mountaineers Summer Camp. This camp takes place on Western’s campus, is designed for youth ages 5-12, and focuses on athletics/physical activities and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math). This summer seasonal position runs from May 22-August 16 (dates could be flexible for the right candidate). Starting pay is $25 per hour. Full job description can be found online at western.edu/jobs. Questions? Call 970-943-2109 or email bhare@western.edu.
THE ADAPTIVE SPORTS CENTER (ASC) is hiring an office coordinator (OC). The OC is responsible for providing administrative support for the ASC. Key duties include managing office communications, ordering supplies, administrative support, and customer service tasks. The OC position is also responsible for managing key systems within the ASC such as its email, phone, POS/Square, locker room, and emergency action plan. This position is full time, yearround. Starting pay is $18 - $20 an hour, plus benefits valued at $4-$5/hr, which include PTO, paid holidays, sick days, 401(k), health benefits, CBMR ski pass, and a ski locker. ASC has been rated Outside Magazine’s 50 Best Places To Work 7 years running. Come join a great team executing a great mission! For a full job description visit the careers link on our website. Please email cover letter and resume to chensley@adaptivesports.org.
DOS RIOS GRILL AND BAR está contratando cocineros de línea a tiempo completo y parcial AM y PM. Envie mensaje de texto al 979-530-3801 para programar un horario para hablar.
NORTH FORK POOL PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATOR: Part-time, $30/hr, financial oversight, grant management, facilities oversight, 3 part-time employees. In Hotchkiss. Deadline April 21. https:// northforkrecreation.com/work-with-us/
DOS RIOS GOLF CLUB: Opening April 1. Now hiring for the following positions. AM/PM bartenders, servers, line cooks and outside services. Doing on site interviews every Thursday-Saturday from 3-6 p.m. Official start date March 28.
THE TURD HERDER: Gunnison County’s number one sewer service, is now hiring a full time employee. Pay commensurate with experience starting at $25-$30/hr. plus benefits. For full job description and to apply visit www.theturdherder.com or email theturdherder911@gmail.com.
WATER SYSTEM OPERATOR I – IV(LEAD):
The Town of Crested Butte Water Division is seeking a dedicated and customer service orientated individual for the full-time position of Water System Operator I – IV (LEAD).
*Entry Level applicants are encouraged to apply. Sponsorship for licensing and certification through CDPHE will be provided by the Town of Crested Butte. Placement in the Water System Operator position is based on organizational needs and candidate qualifications. (See general placement information).
Water System Operator IV (LEAD) placement requires possession of a current Colorado
Class B Water Certification, Colorado Class
2 Distribution Certification, current backflow prevention certification and a minimum of 3+ years related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
Water System Operator III placement requires possession of a current Colorado
Class B Water Certification, Colorado Class
2 Distribution Certification, and a minimum of 2+ years related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
Water System Operator II placement requires possession of a current Colorado
Class C Water Certification, Colorado Class
1 Distribution Certification, and a minimum of 1+ years related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
Water System Operator I placement requires possession of a current Colorado Class
D Water Certification, Colorado Class 1 Distribution Certification, and a minimum of 6 months to 1 year of related experience or approved equivalent combination of education and experience.
Salary Water System Operator I – $50,529.96$61,146.98 ($24.29 - $29.40)
Water System Operator II - $50,957.64$61,885.54 ($24.50 - $29.75)
Water System Operator III - $55,297.08$67,653.82 ($26.58 - $32.52)
Water System Operator IV (LEAD)$67,088.52 – $80,319.38 ($32.25 - $38.61)
Enjoy Industry Leading Benefits
Liberal paid vacation starting at time of hire, paid sick leave, 13 paid holidays per year. 100% medical, dental, vision, employer paid premiums for employee, and dependents.
Employer paid Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) to offset medical, dental, and vision out of pocket costs.
Employer paid life insurance, long-term disability, and on-call premium pay.
Competitive employer matching contributions to 401(a) retirement plans, in addition to individual 457b retirement plan.
Full job description is available on the Town’s website townofcrestedbutte.com. Please email application to jobs@crestedbutte-co. gov or mail to the Town of Crested Butte, Attn: Human Resources, PO Box 39, Crested Butte, CO 81224. Position open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer. AA/EOE.
GARDENER: Housing Available. Need housing in CB? Join the Town of Crested Butte gardening crew and live in the heart of town at the beautiful Ruby communal housing residence. Spend your summer on Elk Ave. and among the Town’s beautiful garden beds. A flexible work schedule is available May through Sept. Experience with planting and maintenance of flowers, trees and shrubs is preferred but not required. Candidates must be able to work outdoors and lift 50-100 lbs. and possess a valid driver’s license. Full job description and application available online at townofcrestedbutte.com click on “Careers”.
Pay $20-21/hr. DOQ. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH EDUCATION:
Mountain Roots seeks a full time professional to provide leadership, coordination, and strategic development of our district-wide year-round youth programs, focused on environmental and nutrition education. Includes direct teaching, guiding program growth, and training/management of our 3-5 person program staff. $50K w/ benefits. mountainrootsfoodproject.org/join-our-team.
ARE YOU TIRED OF WORKING MULTIPLE
JOBS TO MAKE IT IN THE VALLEY? Iron Horse is looking for the right individual to join our expanding property care team. This individual is responsible for property inspections, inventories, and the overall quality and presentation of vacation rentals in our luxury inventory. You will work hand in hand with our maintenance, housekeeping and reservation teams to ensure that our guests experience vacation perfection. Pay starts at $22 per hour plus a company car, health insurance, on-call pay, paid vacation, ski or health and wellness pass, 5 day work week and more. If you are detail oriented, organized, punctual and only want the best, then submit your resume to steve@ ironhorsecb.com and qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview. Clean driving record is required. No phone calls please.
IRWIN BACKCOUNTRY GUIDES LLC is seeking a full-time, year-round Human Resources Payroll Administrator. This position will manage and maintain U.S. payroll, benefits, HRIS processing, and perform additional administrative tasks for multiple entities while embodying company values and holding strong ethical standards. The ideal candidate will have strong communication and organizational skills, the ability to handle high-pressure demands and competing priorities, a background in accounting, and 1-2 years of professional experience in payroll/benefits and/or broad HR management experience. The starting salary is $50,000-$65,000 annually, depending on experience and qualification, and includes full benefits. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/careers/.
OFFICE MANAGER POSITION: The Catholic Churches in the Gunnison and Crested Butte area are looking for an experienced office manager. The ideal candidate will demonstrate professionalism, a positive attitude, maintain confidentiality, and have strong interpersonal and organizational skills. Experience with bookkeeping, publisher and Microsoft windows is preferred but not required. This is a full-time position and offers a competitive wage, paid holidays, vacation and benefits. For questions call: 970-641-0808. Send resumes to: stpeters@gunnisoncatholic.org.
SUMMER PARKS CREW: Housing Available. Need housing in CB? Join the Town of Crested Butte parks crew and live in the heart of town at the beautiful Ruby communal housing residence. Enjoy a flexible schedule and be at the center of summer fun in CB. Work is available in April through late fall with a $1/hour-worked bonus for those who complete the season. Landscaping, field maintenance, irrigation and equipment experience preferred but not required. Candidates must be able to work outdoors and lift 50-100 lbs. and possess a valid driver’s license. Full job description and application available online at townofcrestedbutte.com click on “Careers”.
Pay $20-21/hr. DOQ. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
ADAPTIVE SPORTS CENTER SUMMER INSTRUCTOR: The Adaptive Sports Center is seeking qualified adaptive instructors to facilitate exceptional adaptive sport and recreation activities for the 2023 Summer Season. Pay ranges from $20-$29/hour based on experience. Benefits for full time seasonal staff include pro-forms,
certification and membership dues, exam reimbursement, paid sick days, 5-day stipend and a 401(k) match. More information and winter application is at www.adaptivesports. org – about us – careers.
BOOKKEEPER NEEDED for a seasonal garden center in Crested butte. Must be familiar with Quickbooks. Pay based on experience. Busy summers but moderate winter hours. Flexible schedules accommodated. Fun and social work environment! Call 970-349-0252 or email garden@alpengardener.com
BULLS FOR SALE: Black Gelbvieh yearling bulls ready to work for you! Range raised, low birth wt, easy fleshing, Polled and low PAP scores. John Hawks 970-596-4292.
OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE between 5/1-6/1/23. 121 W Virginia, Gunnison. 600 renovated sq. ft. with street parking. $15.50 sq. ft. rent plus utilities. Great exposure for your business. Inquires 970-209-6687.
LOCATION FOR LEASE: North main street office, retail, brewery or restaurant. 1600 to 2200 sq. ft. Call 970-596-9999.
OFFICE BUILDING FOR RENT: Available immediately at 210 W. Spencer. 3600 sq. ft. 8 individual offices, conference room, breakroom with microwave and refrigerator, copy room and separate manager’s office. 12 parking spaces, 1 handicapped. Rent and utilities negotiable depending upon length of lease. Snow removal and lawn care included. Contact Dan at 970-922-9910.
WANTED: Any vintage, modern or antique license plates. Cash paid based on age, rarity, condition, etc. Call/text Colin at 970367-7594.
Work Session Agenda March 27, 2023 Lake Conference Room 5:30 pm
This meeting will be conducted in person and by distance using the video conferencing platform ZOOM. Please check the GWSD website for further instructions.
Work Session discussion item:
1. Superintendent Review Process discussion
2. Draft of the 2023-24 Board of Education meeting date
3. Professional Growth Plans for GWSDDr. Leslie Nichols Shari Sullivan Marshall, CIA Director, Katie Gallagher, Instructional Technology Specialist Andy Hanks, GMS Principal Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado. Publication date of March 23, 2023
8269
NOTICE OF CANCELATION AND CERTIFIED STATEMENT OF RESULTS
§1-13.5-513(6), 32-1-104, 1-11-103(3)
C.R.S.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Ragged Mountain Fire Protection District, Gunnison County, Colorado, that at the close of business on the sixty-third day before the election, there were not more candidates for director than offices to be filled, including candidates filing affidavits of intent to be write-in candidates; therefore, the election to be held on May 2, 2023 is hereby canceled pursuant to section 1-13.5-513(6) C.R.S.
following candidates are hereby declared elected:
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.
Publication date of March 23, 2023
8241
LAND USE CHANGE PERMIT APPROVALS
NOTICE OF LAND USE CHANGE PERMIT APPROVALS
CREATING A VESTED RIGHT
GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Gunnison County has approved the following Land Use Change permits with site-specific development plans(s) within unincorporated Gunnison County, which creates a threeyear vested property right pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes, Article 68 of Title 24 C.R.S., as amended.
A “vested property right” gives the following applicant(s) the right to undertake the development subject to the condition(s) of approval of the site-specific development plan(s).
LUC-20-00040 Vacate Elk Horn Ranch Plat legally described as Tracts 1 through 12 Elk River Ranch, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado.
/s/ Beth Baker Community Development Services Manager Gunnison County Community Development Department
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.
Publication date of March 23. 2023
8230
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Melanie Lisa Janakas, Deceased
Case Number 23 PR 30008
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Gunnison County, Colorado on or before July 24, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.
John J. Janakas, Personal Representative c/o Kathleen L. Fogo, P.C. Attorney for Personal Representative P.O. Box 7200, Gunnison, CO 81230
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.
Publication dates of March 23, 20 and April 6, 2023
8264
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of GARY WAYNE CHRISTOPHER
a/k/a GARY W. CHRISTOPHER, Deceased
Case Number 2023PR30005
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 July 17, 2023 or the claims may be forever barred.
Cynda Wright as personal representative of the Estate of Gary Wayne Christopher a/k/a Gary W. Christopher 3402 Sandy Hollow Drive Hutchinson, Kansas 67502
Please contact through: 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 March 16, 23 and 30, 2023
8133
receive scholarship funds.
Applications are due by April 14, 2023 and are available through our website at www. saguachecounty.colorado.gov to download the application or by contacting Wendi Maez at 719-655-2231 or by email at wmaez@ saguachecounty-co.gov.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.
Publication dates of February 9, 16, 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6, 13, 2023.
7719
Gunnison Watershed School District RE1-J is seeking Request For Proposals for Contracted Services for a Food Service Management Company for all its kitchens in the District (Crested Butte, Gunnison Community School and Gunnison High School). Proposals must be for all sites. Please call Kristen Osborn at 970-641-7770 for project details. Proposals are due to the Administrative Office, Lake School 800 North Boulevard Street by 4:00PM on April 17, 2023 where they will be publically read. Contract will begin July 1, 2023. Certificate of Liability and proof of Workers Compensation must accompany the proposal.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.
Publication dates of March 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2023
8115
ATTENTION GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
The Saguache County Board of County
Commissioners are accepting scholarship applications for graduating seniors who will be graduating high school in 2023.
Commissioners will be awarding graduating seniors’ college scholarships that will be paid through the Marijuana Excise Tax funds.
Scholarships may be used at a trade school, college or university but you must reside in Saguache County to apply and possibly
Putting arts and culture in the spotlight.
Guinness and other libations were enjoyed at the Dive to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, March 17.
MARCH 17
TRAFFIC - DRIVER'S PERMIT
VIOLATION — 200 N. MAIN ST.
DISTURBING THE PEACE -
ALLOWING OTHERS —
720 N. COLORADO ST.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST
DEGREE - VEHICLE —
711 N. TAYLOR ST.
AGENCY ASSIST —
ELK CREEK RD.
ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE -
MUNICIPAL — 214 N. 12TH ST.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST
DEGREE - VEHICLE —
501 N. SPRUCE ST.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST
DEGREE - VEHICLE —
300 W. GOTHIC AVE.
MARCH 18
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
— 315 N. 12TH ST.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS -
MUNICIPAL —
201 E. TOMICHI AVE.
WELFARE ASSIST — N. 8TH ST.
ANIMAL - VICIOUS / DANGEROUS
- MUNICIPAL —
720 N. COLORADO ST.
HARASSMENT: STRIKE SHOVE,
KICK — N. COLORADO ST.
MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION —
1000 W. BIDWELL AVE.
INFORMATION — S. 14TH ST.
MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION —
400 W. GEORGIA AVE.
MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION —
600 S. 12TH ST.
MARCH 15
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST
DEGREE - VEHICLE —
715 W. SPENCER AVE.
ACCIDENT — 900 N. MAIN ST.
CHILD ABUSE: INJURY OR THREAT OF INJURY —
1 W. TOMICHI AVE.
MARCH 16
ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE -
MUNICIPAL — 1100 N. MAIN ST.
MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION —
911 N. MAIN ST.
TRAFFIC - CARELESS DRIVING
- ALCOHOL —
500 W. RIO GRANDE AVE.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST
DEGREE - VEHICLE — 312.5 S.
BOULEVARD ST.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST
DEGREE - VEHICLE —
416 N. 14TH ST.
AGENCY ASSIST —
ROCKY RIVER LN.
THEFT - UNDER $100.00
MUNICIPAL — 221 W. HWY 50
MARCH 19
ASSAULT: THIRD DEGREE -
BODILY INJURY — W. NEW YORK AVE.
MARCH 14
-Dog at large complaint
-Deputies assisted the Gunnison Police Department with a domestic in progress
-Deputies assisted the Gunnison Police Department with a vicious dog
-Possible missing person’s reportunfounded
continued from A19
-Deputies assisted the Saguache County Sheriff’s office by responding to a possible criminal mischief call
MARCH 15
-Deputies issued a warning to a driver for defective brake lights
-911 hang up- unfounded
-Deputies responded to the Little Blue project site for the report of a 911 hang up- unfounded
-Possible vehicle trespass that resulted in a criminal mischief / damaged property report
MARCH 16
-Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with three vehicle accident in the canyon
-Deputies responded to a dog who had been hit by a car and died. The dog was running on highway 135 and the driver did not stop
-Deputies responded to a welfare check and arrested one person for violation of a protection order
-Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a car versus deer accident
MARCH 17
-Deputies assisted a stranded motorist while helping to arrange a tow
-Deputies assisted a person stuck in the mud
-Deputies provided a civil assist so one party could get their belongings out of the residence
-Deputies assisted in a Search and Rescue with West Elk and Mountain Rescue Aspen for three skiers who were caught in an avalanche.
-Deputies responded to a disorderly conduct call where a patron refused to leave when asked
-Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a car versus deer accident
-Deputies assisted a motorist in finding a legal place to camp overnight in the area
MARCH 18
-Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a car versus deer accident
-Deputies took an information report on a child custody issue
-Deputies assisted the Mt. Crested Butte Police Department with the intake at the detention center
-Deputies issued a citation for speeding
-Deputies took a neighborhood speeding complaint
-Deputies issued a citation for speeding and driving while revoked for habitual traffic offender
-Deputies assisted the Gunnison Police Department with a driving under the influence arrest
MARCH 19
-Deputies responded for a welfare check on a person saying they were going to cut themselves
-Deputies took a shooting complaint but were unable to locate anyone shooting
-Deputies responded to a help with a possible runaway
MARCH 20
-Deputies responded to an unattended death
-Deputies responded to a vehicle parked in the Curecanti National Park for days
-Deputies issued a citation for dog at large and failing to license the dog with the Sheriff’s office to a person who had previously received a warning
Gunnison Valley Health is seeking community members to join its Patient and Family Advisory Council. The group serves in an advisory capacity for the health system, providing ongoing feedback to support the continual improvement of patient safety, quality of care and patient experience across the health system.
To be eligible to apply for council membership, you need to have been a patient at Gunnison Valley Health or have a family member who was a patient at Gunnison Valley Health; commit to participation in council meetings which occur every other month over the lunch hour; and commit to a one-year term on the council.
SPORTS: Tough weekend on the road for GHS baseball, B7
AGRICULTURE: When Gunnison Valley farmers unite, B3
BUSINESS: Ribbon cuttings celebrate reopening of All Sports and OffCenter DeSigns, B5
Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer
The name of the game was juggling, a technical skill in soccer that involves bouncing a ball offthe feet or thighs as many times as possible without letting it hit the ground. Pairs of players split off on the field,neither knowing the other’s
spoken language, to try and achieve the 15-juggle winning mark.
Members of the Japanese Bridge Women’s Soccer team — newly arrived in Gunnison just days earlier — attempted to communicate with valley residents, none of whom spoke Japanese. Shrieks of Soccer B2
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023
Abby Harrison
laughter and struggle ensued, as each pair attempted to get the mark first. As the game wore on, an uncomplicated truth of the world-wide sport emerged: just playing is a form of communication on its own, each pass and shot on goal a familiar gesture for all on the field.
The players arrived in Gunnison through the Japanese Bridge Women’s Soccer program, which brings a group of college-aged, female Japanese soccer players to the U.S. every year. It is co-run by Western Colorado University professor Kanae Haneishi, who teaches in the Recreation, Exercise and Sport Science Department. She co-founded the program with longtime fellow player Miyuki Kobayashi.
Haneishi said she’s seen former program participants return home with a broader world view.
“It is to exchange culture and expand their understanding of different perspectives,” Haneishi said. “This is not so much about being competitive about women's soccer — it is at some level — but it is more about the bigger picture.”
The pair have run the program for nearly 20 years, taking the young players from Alabama to Massachusetts to New York, but the team’s visit to Gunnison is their first in Colorado. During their stay, they visited Western classes, practiced and played with the Western women’s soccer team and held a free youth clinic at Katy O. Rady field.
The program is, in-part, meant to connect Japanese women with a global soccer network, Kobayashi said. She has played and coached soccer for nearly 30 years, but faced innumerable obstacles when she tried to start a women’s team in Japan back in the early 90s. She eventually came to study English in the U.S., where she saw more women playing the sport. The experience inspired her to create the tour and expand the “limited chances” that existed, at the time, for female players at home.
“Many organizations around the world, such as the United Nations or UNESCO, use sports as a vehicle to develop peace around the world. This is based on the model too,” Kobayashi said.
When the Japanese National Team won the World Cup in 2011, there was a new era for soccer in Japan as the sport popularized, Kobayashi said. Girls today are more familiar
with the sport and can say they have grown up playing.
Ayaka Kujuro has played since she was 3 years old and intends to go for the Japan National Football Team and play in the 2025 Deaflympics, an Olympic competition for deaf athletes to be hosted in Japan.
Kujuro said the sport is about learning to communicate with others and excelling in sports, “getting that score,” is the best part. Throughout the program, she likes the sport more and more as she connects with people.
The girls on the team don’t know each other before the program starts, Kobayashi said, but every year she sees them bond over the shared challenges of being in a new country.
“They open their minds and talk to each other, they’re communicating a lot,” she said. “At fi rst they are very shy to speak English, but as the days go on, they try to communicate in English with other people. Their eyes are changing and their minds are changing, they are very open.”
Nana Tanikawa has played soccer for 10 years. She intends to go abroad to study psychology, and return to Japan to serve in the military. People in the states were nicer than she expected, but also much faster and stronger players, she said.
Saya Yamaguchi, who has played for eight years, agreed.
"We have been playing with American players, and they are big and fast, so we have to think about our strategy and how to play to overcome that,” she said.
For both, playing abroad has helped them develop as athletes.
Although not all may come to the U.S. to play soccer, many will go onto “more global” careers, working for nonprofits or large airlines. And the benefit goes both ways, she said. Each time the team visits, she connects them not just with college players, but with local families and children. Youth clinics connect community members with people and a language they may not have experienced before, she said, furthering the value of the exchange.
“They just need to have one soccer ball, and then they share the ball and play,” Haneishi said. “We can walk together, regardless of their backgrounds, language and culture — they can work toward one common goal.”
(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Gunnison Valley farmers believe in collaboration over competition — so much so that in July of 2017, Calder Farm, Gunnison Gardens, Iola Valley Farm and others formed the Gunnison Valley Producers’ Guild (GVPG) in order to work together toward goals such as shared equipment, vegetable distribution and marketing.
The Guild’s mission is twofold: support the financial viability of farms and ranches that practice regenerative agriculture and educate the community on how and why to buy, cook, preserve and eat local food. Regenerative agriculture utilizes crop rotation, animal grazing and all-organic methods to produce food. Since the formation, the group of producers has expanded to approximately 15 members — a mix of aspiring and longtime farmers and “co-producers.”
Its members gather at monthly meetings to enjoy farm-to-table potlucks and push the mission forward.
“Anyone who eats is a coproducer,” said Sue Wyman, Guild president and owner of Gunnison Gardens. That makes the Guild a welcoming environment to anyone who wants to be involved in local food in the valley.
Joseph Kean is the founder of Homestead Hut and a coproducer member of the Guild.
“As co-producers, we are not full-time farmers. We are simply interested in the benefi ts of local food production and participating in meaningful, collaborative conversations,” he said. “It is not just about being able to meet our local farmers, which alone is amazing. It is about being part of the discussion, learning with the Guild as we take on new challenges and focus on local goods and community resiliency.”
Hosting events is an important part of the Guild’s mission. Each event has a different purpose but aims to bring awareness to local farms and encourage people to center their diets around locallyproduced food. The Farm to
Table conference, started by Western Colorado University professor Michael Verriggee, was taken over by the Guild in 2019 and focuses more on educating consumers about why local food is important for the environment, the soil and the viability of communities. Last year, the Farm to Table conference transformed into Farm Tours, and dozens of people were bussed from one farm to the next, to see them in action before enjoying a farmer-prepared, farm-to-table dinner. Farm Tours will continue this year in June and September. Community members are invited to see the farms in different stages of production.
Th e plant sales, now in their sixth year, provide backyard gardeners with local, hardy, organically-grown plant starts every April and May. Compost is available for purchase at the plant sales for backyard gardeners to easily bring in organic matter to their home vegetable plots. It also gives the farmers a much-needed income boost at a time in the year when their expenses are high with little-to-no income. New events, such as the upcoming Poetry Slam on March 25, give locals an opportunity to get to know their farmers and share their own experience of growing food through slam poetry.
Creating financial viability for regenerative farms is at the heart of the group that understands how important it is to work together when up against national policies that allow large, conventional farms to keep their produce prices low. The Guild does many groupbuys for necessities such as seed starting mix, organic straw for mulch, totes for harvesting and more. Even a chicken plucker has been purchased collaboratively by a few members.
But perhaps the most important thing the Guild does for both the financial viability of the Guild’s members and its overall mission is the collaborative
Agriculture (CSA) program. Beginning in fall 2020, the Guild farmers joined together to provide 14 CSA shareholders with a box of locally-produced food each week. The Spring and Fall Guild CSAs have grown in number of shareholders and farmers ever since. Joe Bob Merritt, a coproducer member of the Guild, provides the train cars at his South Main Street property for a convenient pickup location for shareholders. The “shoulder season” collaborative Guild CSA’s allow the farms to combine produce during times of the year when it is more difficult to grow. But it’s more than just an income boost for farmers; it’s also an exercise in working together for the greater good of the community.
Producing local food in an extremely cold high desert has its challenges, and the emotional solidarity of being able to share challenges and successes is important for each Guild member.
“The Guild members are all genuinely nice,” said Alex Van Zandt of Gunni Gal Aquanponics. “That’s becoming an increasingly scarce and highly valuable resource in itself.”
For me, as vice president of the Guild, being a member of this group continually strengthens my passion for growing, keeps me going when the difficulties seem insurmountable and brings purpose and joy to my life as a producer and member of the Gunnison Valley. Of course as farmers, we are under no illusion that capitalism doesn’t exist, but we also know that “when the trucks stop running” (as Wyman often says), the most important thing will be getting food to the people. And that’s what we are here to do.
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Call Gerald Lain 970-209-0077
FOR VIRTUAL TOUR: BHHSTODAYREALTY.COM FRIDAY MARCH 24TH
Join the Gunnison Valley Producers' Guild for the Farm and Garden Slam Poetry event — a fun-filled evening of farm and garden poems on March 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Gunnison Arts Center. Learn about local farms and meet your farmers. Share your poem on stage and win prizes by dressing like a farmer. Register at gvpg.org for this free event.
Gunnison County, the BLM, and the U.S. Forest Service will be closing roads to all motor vehicles to protect Gunnison sage-grouse during their mating season and to prevent road damage during the wet spring conditions. The cooperation of the public is required to successfully implement these road closures.
Gunnison County, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) have temporarily closed a number of roads to all motor vehicles to protect Gunnison sage-grouse during their mating season and to prevent road damage during wet spring conditions.
These roads are closed March 15 and will reopen on May 15, 2023. The U.S. Forest Service closures in the Flat Top Mountain area north of Gunnison extends through June 15 to protect nesting Gunnison sage-grouse, and an area closure prohibiting all human uses in the Almont Triangle between Hwy 135, County Road 742, and County Road 813. These include Henkel Road and Smokey Bear access roads.
BLM roads across the basin are subject to the motorized closures except for Hartman Rocks north of the Powerline Road.
Roads and trails in the north end of Hartman’s are subject to closure based on winter and mud conditions but those will open when roads and trails dry out.
Signal Peak roads and trails on BLM lands remain closed to motorized use from January 1 to May 15 to protect wintering wildlife.
Mechanized use on Signal Peak is allowed east of the Signal Peak Rd beginning May 1 after 10 am.
There is a human use closure on Signal Peak from March 15 to May 15; affected trails include: The Ridge, Rasta Gulch, and Chicken Wing.
Copies of the closure list and maps are available at Gunnison County Public Works, 195 Basin Park Drive; Gunnison
Virginia Ave; Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Gunnison, Colorado.
These closures apply to all motorized vehicles. Do not park at the closures in a manner that blocks access through the closure gates. All non-motorized trail users are also requested to use Gunnison Basin roads/trails only after 9 a.m. during this period to help reduce disturbance to sage-grouse. For additional information call Gunnison County Public Works at 641-0044; BLM at 642-4940; or the U.S. Forest Service at 641-0471.
Effective March 21, 2023 County Road 38 (Gold Basin Road) will be closed at the gate just past the shooting range to protect the road from resource damage. Property owners beyond the gate will be given access upon proof of ownership. There will also be a ten (10) ton weight limit during this closure. The closure will be lifted when conditions allow or May 15, 2023. Please contact Gunnison County Public Works Department at 970-641-0044 with any questions.
GUNNISON COUNTY LANDFILL
Monday – Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This change in hours is to reduce disturbance to Gunnison
the Record of Decision issued by the Bureau of Land Management. If you have any questions please contact
The Rotary Club of Gunnison invites proposals from charitable organizations in the Gunnison Valley for grant support. In 2023, Rotary is looking to support programs that serve our children from birth to high school graduation in a way that “helps foster the general well-being of our youth and our community.” Organizations interested in applying for a grant must be a 501(c) (3) tax exempt or another type of charitable organization. The deadline for completed applications is April 13 at noon.
Email Pam Montgomery at pgmflower@gunnison.com to request the guidelines and application forms or call 970.901.9950.
The Women’s History Month Tea Party will be held March 26 from 1-3 p.m. at the Gunnison Library. Join us for delicious treats, inspiring stories and lively conversation. Brought to you by Gunnison County Libraries and League of Women Voters of the Gunnison Valley.
The Castleton Ranch, in an effort to increase the conservation minded management of the ranch along with wanting to be more engaged with the local community, has again partnered with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to provide mentored cow elk hunting opportunities for the 2023 season.
The ranch wants to prioritize local youth, novice, women, veterans, disabled hunters and other groups with restricted access. This opportunity has a preference for applicants with little-to-no previous hunting experience, but is not the only factor considered.
A tag for unit 54 is not needed to apply for this hunt, and there will be multiple opportunities for individuals to earn a chance for this hunt. Interested participants must complete an application online at cpw.info/ CastletonHunt. The deadline to apply is March 31.
Please Join B'nai Butte for our Community Passover Seder April 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Fred Field Center on South Spruce Street in Gunnison.
This is a pot-luck Seder. A food and drink sign-up will be sent out at a later date.
Please RSVP by March 31 to Lbme01@yahoo.com.
Join us at the University Center Ballroom on April 7 from 4-6 p.m. for the annual Chemistry Club “magic” show. Now in its 15th year, this event features amazing demonstrations and fun things to play with. Open to the public and free to attend.
The 2023 Youth/Women Hunter Education Course will be offered April 18, 20, 25, 27 and May 2 and 4 at Western Colorado University in the Paul Wright Gym. Room to be determined. Classes are 6-8 p.m. Field Day is on May 6 from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Gunnison State Wildlife Area. The fee is $10. Pre-registrations are required at cpw.state.co.us or 970.641.7060. Space is limited to 40 students. A mentor is requested to take the course with the youth.
Get free legal advice on the second Wednesday of every month from 2-5 p.m. at the Gunnison County Library at 1 Quartz St. in Gunnison and at the Old Rock Community Library in Crested Butte. Volunteer attorneys will offer assistance one-on-one, via computer link. In Gunnison call 970.641.3485 or in Crested Butte call 970.349.6535 to be added to the sign-up sheet.
Living Journeys hosts free and confidential monthly support groups — open to all Gunnison County residents.
-Caregivers Support Group: 1st Monday of each month.
-Bereavement Support Group: 2nd Monday of each month.
-Cancer Support Group: 1st Thursday and 3rd Monday of each month.
Professional therapists facilitate in-person and zoom meetings, no RSVP necessary. Get details at livingjourneys.org/Calendar.
The Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association will be holding a caregiver support group the first Wednesday of every month at the Gunnison County Library. The support group will help develop a support system and learn about community resources as well as exchange practical information on challenges and solutions. For more information contact Mary Mahoney at 970.596.5667 or taktser8@gmail.com.
We welcome all adults (18+) in recovery from an eating disorder. Join us the first Tuesday of each month from 5:45-6:45 p.m. at the Gunnison Library. Our goal is to provide support and encouragement during ED recovery. For questions contact Katherine Melland edrecoverygunni@ gmail.com.
Bunny bowls and planters
Hop into spring by creating a clay bunny bowl. Students will explore hand building and sculpting techniques to create a fun bowl or planter. Session one is for kids 6 and older on March 25 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Session two is for adults on March 25 from 1-3:30 p.m. The instructor is Kristin Gruenberger and the cost is $66 for non-members and $62 for members for the adult class, and $57 for members and $72 for non-members for the kids class.
Art and dance for toddlers
Every Friday, March 24 to April 21 from 10-10:45 a.m., discover, move and create in these fun morning classes for your toddler and you (ages 2-5
with caregiver). The classes are split into two sessions. Session one will be held in the dance studio where kids will participate in fun movement activities and games. The art lessons in session two will be taught in our visual arts studio with lots of painting and engaging art projects. The instructors are Sakara Sullivan and Kit Wijkowski. The cost is $60 for non-members, $51 per member.
Pasta night and wine
From 6-9 p.m. on March 24, learn how to prepare and cook fresh pasta with chef Danny, owner of Marios and the Dive Pub. Sip on wine while crafting a homemade sauce and linguine pasta. Once you learn and taste your dish you will never go back to your old ways. Registration
On March 26 from 1-5 p.m. connect with enthusiastic jammers of all abilities for an invigorating-yet-comfortable musical experience led by Justin Leflar, accomplished player, instructor and member of Sunny Downpour. Learn songs, introduce songs and develop the skills to play along whether around a campfire or in a band. Guitar, mandolin, keys, bass, ukulele, fiddle or whatever. The cost is $75.
The Magic Beans are a touring band from Nederland, Colorado. Their diverse songs move your mind while their tight grooves move your booty. Drawing from a wide range of influences, The Magic Beans leave nothing off the table as they combine funk, rock, bluegrass and electronica into one sound and sometimes even one composition. The show is April 1 and the doors open at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show. The cost is $20-50.
includes instruction, prepared food and a couple glasses of wine. The cost is $125 for nonmembers, $106.25 for members.
Adults intro to wheel throwing — one night
If you don’t want to commit to a multi-week class, this is the throwing class for you. From 5:30-8:30 p.m. on March 27, students will get introduced to wheel throwing and will focus on centering, pulling and shaping their own masterpiece. Students with a range of throwing ability welcome. Registration fee includes clay, tools, slip, glaze, kiln firing, and instruction.
Instructor: Rachel Cottingham $72/non-members $62/ members
Join us March 30 for a benefit for the CB Community School Enrichment Program with Dead Head Ed and music by Easy Jim and DadGrass! The doors open at 6 p.m for the 7 p.m. show. The cost is $35-55.
For more information or to sign up, contact
Photo and Sports Editor
Western Colorado University athletics finished out the winter sports season with a bang two weeks ago, putting up top notch performances at the wrestling and track and field national competitions.
On March 11, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Mountaineer wrestling team put together a major triumph by bringing home a national team trophy for the first time since 2004 — taking fourth place overall in the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship. That same weekend, Western’s track and field team produced
seven All-American athletes at the Division II Track and Field Championships at Virginia Beach, Virginia.
It’s been almost two decades since the wrestling team has triumphed at the national level. Alongside the teams’ success, four grapplers earned All-American finishes. Jason Hanenberg (149) and Hunter Mullen (165) both took second place, while Patrick Allis (125) finished third and Cole Hernandez (174) came in sixth.
Head Coach Charlie Pipher, who has been with the team for his entire 12-year professional career and started at Western as a freshman, said it came down to a matter of confidence. That determination came in handy, he said, because none of those top finishers began the tournament above a fifth seed.
“I think we had a group of guys that believed,” Pipher said.
“They believed in what they were capable of doing, and they believed in their training and in
each other.”
To earn the second place finish, Mullen, who began seeded No. 8, beat a national returning runner up in the semifinals in a dramatic comeback. Then, Alles, who lost in the semi finals, fought back through the consolation rounds into the third place match.
“You’ll see it a lot in the tournament, where if they lose in the semis they give up,” Pipher said. “But for Patrick to bonus point every single guy back to third place … That did a lot when it came to us winning a team trophy.”
Looking ahead, Pipher said he thinks this is just the beginning. A top-place finish like this sets the tone for years to come and gives the athletes something concrete to point to when they talk about success, he said.
Speaking of a culture of winning, the track and field team’s success this year is in line with recent performances. In 2017, the women’s team finished in
second place at the national competition.
Head Coach Lindsey Grasmick characterized this season as a building year with even more accomplishments on the horizon. Of the seven AllAmericans — Allison Beasley, Kaya Firor, Emma Kjellsen, Katie Doucette, Malcolm Wesley, Simon Kelati and Tyler Norder — only Doucette will graduate at the end of this year.
As a true freshman, Nord is set up to have a bright college career after a third-place finish in the men’s 3,000-meter run. He also earned the RMAC Freshman of the Year award at this year’s regional competition.
Traditionally, Gunnison has produced acclaimed indoor and outdoor distance runners, due in part to the benefits of training year-round at high altitude. That was also true this year, with a third-place finish from the women’s distance medley team composed of Beasley, Firor,
Kjellsen and Doucette.
But the largest development on the team is the possibility for some success on the field side, Grasmick said.
“I think having depth in our roster has helped a lot,” she said. “We had a female thrower and a female high jumper. Those are two events we haven’t taken athletes to the national meet in a long time.”
Grasmick said she’s eager for the outdoor track season, which begins this week. Many of the track and field distance runners also compete during the spring, followed by the DII national competition which will be held in Pueblo over Memorial Day weekend.
(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@ gunnisontimes.com.)
The Cowboy baseball team went 0-3 over the weekend, losing to Kent Denver, Pagosa Springs and Bayfield over a travel-packed two days.
On the morning of March 17, GHS faced off against Kent Denver in North Fork, falling 16-0. Following a short drive to Cedaredge High School that afternoon, the boys lost 7-6 in a narrow and hard-fought game
against Pagosa Springs. The weekend concluded in Montrose, where the Cowboys lost again — 13-0 against Bayfield High School.
Despite the challenging weekend, Head Coach Tom Percival said he was impressed by the team’s tenacity, especially following an adaptive, indoor preseason.
“We played three solid ball clubs,” Percival said. “Two really impressive teams in Kent Denver and Bayfield, so it was good to get that experience and see what that next level looks like, as far as being competitive at state goes. We’re behind due to our current practice in the gym and not having a field right now, but we have hopes to get to that level sooner rather than later.”
Following a heavy loss to Kent Denver on March 17, the Cowboys regrouped and went toe-to-toe with the Pagosa Springs Pirates that same afternoon. Grady Buckhanan opened the Cowboys offense with a single at his first at-bat, but was unable to score. In the second, the team started to gain traction with Wade Johnson firing a shot to right-center field, resulting in a double. A single from Kellen Yoder and two wild pitches led to Johnson scoring, tying the game 1-1 at the top of the third.
The Pirates responded to the GHS equalizer with four runs in the third inning, extending their advantage. However, Justus Williams and Mason Williams brought in two runs, thanks to hits from Rocky Marchitelli and
Johnson. The score favored Pagosa Springs 5-3 at the top of the fourth. Sophomore pitcher Talon Kibler shut down the Pirate batters with three straight strikeouts in the fourth and three consecutive fly-outs in the fifth. The Pirates scored two more runs across the sixth and seventh innings, extending the lead to 7-3 at the bottom of the seventh.
The Cowboys batters responded with hits from Hunter Vincent, Justus Williams, Johnson, and Marxhitelli — bringing in three runs, with the tying runner on second. Unfortunately, the final two GHS batters struck-out, resulting in a 7-6 win for Pagosa.
Percival said he was proud of the team’s grit and competitiveness following the close defeat.
“The Pagosa game was really
good for us because it was a close ball game,” he said. “It highlighted some key things we need to work on, but we competed really well, being down four runs in the bottom of the seventh. The kids fought through it and never gave up.”
The Cowboys will travel to Buena Vista on March 21 for a non-league game, followed by a home doubleheader against Coal Ridge on March 23. Due to the weather, it’s difficult to predict when home games in Gunnison will be possible, Percival said. The goal is April 1.
Scores for the Buena Vista game were not available by press time.
The Crested Butte Titans lacrosse team broke open the team’s fi rst varsity season with a couple of away games — losing to the Grand Junction Tigers 11-5 on March 14, losing to the Aspen Skiers 7-2 on March 18. The Grand Junction game was a league game, while Aspen was a non-conference game,
bringing the team’s early season record to 0-2 and 0-1 for the 4A Mountain League.
During the first matchup in Grand Junction, the Tigers got ahead early and maintained their lead through each quarter. Even so, the Titans put a fair share of balls into the back of the net.
In the fi rst half, Jack Pierson and Brenden Hartigan each put up one. The Tigers scored six and the board read 6-4 at the half. In the second chapter, Ace Gaither scored twice, both goals assisted by Riley Davis. Finn Ramsey scored the final goal for Crested Butte in the fourth. The final score was 11-5 for the Tigers.
On Saturday, March 18, the Titans traveled around the Maroon Bells to take on the Skiers. The theme of the game was similar. Gaither scored once in the second but the effort fell short compared to the sizable four-point lead Aspen established in the first quarter. The Skiers added another in the second for a 5-1 lead at the half. The Skiers scored three more times before the end of the game, while the Titans only scored once — courtesy of Hartigan.
The Titans were slated to host Telluride at Gunnison Middle School on Tuesday, March 21, but the game was postponed due to the snow in the forecast.
It had not been rescheduled as of press time.
Crested Butte will next compete this Saturday on the road against the Montrose Red Hawks. Montrose currently
holds the same 0-2 record as the Titans.
(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)
Gunnison hosted the annual Carlson Cup over the weekend, marking the official end of the hockey season. The tournament is a fundraiser, with all proceeds going towards the West Elk Hockey Association scholarship fund. Six total teams traveled from nearby towns and cities to participate, but Gunnison Bank and Trust captain Joey Otsuka said local players had an edge. “The home field advantage was real because the out-of-town teams couldn’t deal with the aftereffects of the Alamo,” he said. The Bank took the championship over the Ninjafish. Leslie Walton Mariel Wiley
• March 22 (12:45 p.m.): Effective Communication Strategies for Living with Alzheimer’s & Dementia. All community members welcome! Explore how communication changes when someone is living with dementia, learn how to interpret behavioral and verbal communication, and identify strategies to help you communicate and connect. Presenter: Woo Bandel of the Alzheimer’s Association. Light snacks provided - RSVP requested.
• April 5 (1 p.m.): Book Club. April’s book “These Precious Days” by Ann Patchett. More info, call Judy: 973-584-4987.
• NEW Survey for Older Adults in the Gunnison Valley - available in English and Spanish. We want to hear from you about your mental and behavioral health experiences and needs. Surveys can be returned to the Rec Center front desk, or on M/W/F mornings in the Senior Center lunch room. More info: 970-641-8272 or egillis@ gunnisonco.gov or madison.gregurek@western.edu.
• Tech Time Individual Appointments: Call to make an appointment for tech questions about your phone, laptop or tablet. 970-641-8272. Times vary.
SIGN UP AT THE REC CENTER FRONT DESK!
Mondays & Wednesdays in the Gym
Silver Sneakers Boom Muscle @ 9:30 a.m. – active adults
Silver Sneakers Classic @ 10:15 a.m. – all levels
Tuesdays in the Leisure Pool
Silver Sneaker Splash @ 10 a.m. – all levels
NEXT WEEK’S MENU:
• Mon., March 27: Shepherd’s pie, salad, homemade bread, fruit
• Weds., March 29: BBQ beef sandwich, potato salad, peas
• Fri., March 31: Pizza, salad, fruit
Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays – 11:30 a.m. arrival. Pick-ups from 11 – 11:15 a.m. $5 per meal. Advance orders encouraged: 970-641-8272. Homemade desserts with every meal!
AT THE SENIOR CENTER 200 E. SPENCER AVE. ALL SENIOR CENTER PROGRAM INFO & RSVPS: EGILLIS@GUNNISONCO.GOV OR 970-641-8272.
Monday
• Computer Use (9 a.m.)
• Bridge (1 p.m.)
Wednesday
• Book Club (1st Wednesday)
Thursday
• Bridge (1 p.m.)
Friday
• Art Club (12:30 p.m.)
• Mahjong (1 p.m.)
Dear Savvy Senior,
As a 68-year-old retiree, I’m interested in finding a fun parttime job that can occupy some of my time and generate a little extra income. Can you write a column on low-stress part-time jobs that are popular among retirees?
Part-Time Retiree
Dear Retiree, Working part-time in retirement can be a terrific way to occupy your time and earn some extra income. The key, however, is finding the right gig that’s fun and satisfying for you. While there are literally hundreds of different part-time job opportunities out there for retirees, here are a few possibilities to explore.
Pet services. If you love animals, consider pet sitting and/ or dog walking. Pet sitters who attend to a pet’s needs when their owner is away can earn $15-40 per visit. Dog walkers can make $10-30 for a 30-minute walk.
Teach or tutor. Depending on your expertise, you could sub-
stitute teach or tutor students privately on any number of subjects. Substitute teachers typically make between $75 and $125/day, while tutors can earn between $15-30 per hour.
To look for substitute teaching positions, contact your local school district to see if they are hiring and what qualifications they require. To advertise tutoring services, use websites like Wyzant.com and Tutor.com. Or, if you have a bachelor, master or doctoral degree, inquire about adjunct teaching at a nearby college or university.
Babysit. If you like kids, babysitting can be a fun way to put money in your pocket. Hourly rates vary by location ranging anywhere from $10-40 per hour. Write or edit. Many media, corporate and nonprofit websites are looking for freelancers to write, edit or design content for $20-60 per hour. To find these jobs try FreelanceWriting. com, FreelanceWritingGigs.com and Freelancer.com.
Consult. If you have a lot of valuable expertise in a particular area, offer your services as a consultant through a firm or on your own through freelancer sites like Upwork.com, Fiverr.
com, Freelancer.com or Guru. com.
Translator or interpreter. If you’re fluent in more than one language you can do part-time interpretation over the phone or translate documents or audio files for $20-40/hour. Try sites like Translate.com, ProZ.com or Gengo.com to locate translation jobs.
Tax preparer. If you have tax preparation experience or are willing to take a tax prep course you can find seasonal work preparing tax returns at big-box tax firms like H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt for around $17/hour. Librarian assistant. If you love books, public libraries hire part-time workers to shelve books, send out overdue notices, help patrons, etc. Contact your local library to see what’s available.
If you don’t find these options appealing, try FlexJobs. com, which lists thousands of flexible work-at-home jobs from more than 5,700 employers. Membership fees start at $10.
(Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.)
Religious Christians make the commitment to avoid meat in their Friday meals for the duration of Lent, signifying a sacrifice for their faith that recalls the ultimate sacrifice Jesus Christ made during the crucifixion.
Vegetables and pasta dishes are a staple of the Lenten season, and seafood also serves as a popular substitute for meats and poultry. As parents of picky eaters can attest, encouraging children, particularly toddlers or early grade-schoolers, to dig into a seafood meal can be a struggle. However, fish sticks can make a fish dinner more attractive to youngsters. You don’t need to buy the frozen variety at the store. This recipe for “Fish Sticks with Fries and Tartar Sauce” from “Danielle Walker’s Eat What You Love” (Ten Speed Press) is a crunchy, homemade alternative.
Fish Sticks with Fries and Tartar Sauce
Makes 12
Tartar Sauce
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. minced cornich ons (gherkin pickles)
1 Tbs chopped capers
1 tsp. champagne vinegar
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. coarse-grain mus tard
1 tsp. chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
1⁄8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Fries
1 large parsnip, peeled
1 white-fleshed sweet potato, unpealed
3 Tbs. avocado oil
Kosher salt
BETHANY CHURCH
909 N Wisconsin St. (behind Powerstop) • 641-2144
Two services at 9 & 10:30 am
Visit our website for more information - gunnisonbethany.com
9 am: Family Service with nursery & children’s church
10:30 am: Western Student Service with FREE lunch for college students following
Check out our website for updates!
Or download our app on the App Store by searching, Gunnison Bethany
www.bnaibutte.org
Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and the East River Valley in Colorado PO Box 2537 Crested, Butte CO 81224 bnaibutte@gmail.com
Spiritual Leader: Rabbi Mark Kula; available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com (305) 803-3648
CHURCH OF CHRIST
600 E. Virginia • 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.
COMMUNITY CHURCH OF GUNNISON
Fish sticks
1 lb. haddock or cod fillets
4 oz. plantain chips
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 egg whites, beaten until frothy
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Preheat the oven to 450 F.
To make the tartar sauce, in a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, cornichons, capers, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, parsley and pepper. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the fries and fish sticks, or up to three days.
To make the fries, cut the parsnip and sweet potato into matchstick fries. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the oil. Spread in a single layer — not touching — on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once during baking, until browned.
To make the fish sticks, meanwhile, cut the haddock into 3 x 1⁄2-inch strips. Place a wire rack on top of a clean kitchen towel and brush the rack lightly with avocado oil. In a food processor, or using a mortar and pestle, pulse the plantain chips a few times
until they resemble coarse sand. Pour the ground chips into a shallow bowl and combine with 1⁄2 tsp. salt and 1⁄4 tsp. pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites and mustard.
Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season generously with 3⁄4 tsp. sea salt and 1⁄4 tsp. pepper.
One at a time, dip the fish strips into the egg mixture and shake gently, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl, then dip the fish into the plantain chip mixture, turning to coat each strip and shaking off any excess. Place the fish strips on the prepared wire rack.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and scoot the fries over to one side. Position the rack with the fish sticks on the baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake the fish and fries together for 10-12 minutes, until the fish is crisp and cooked through. Season the fries generously with the kosher salt. Serve the fish sticks and fries immediately with the tartar sauce on the side.
107 N. Iowa • 641- 0925
Pastor Larry Nelson
Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.
Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry
Weekly Student Ministry | Weekly Adult LifeGroups
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9:00-4:00
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
Virginia at N. Pine St.• 641-2240
Pastor Jonathan Jones
9:30 A.M. Share & Prayer Fellowship / 10 A.M. Sunday School Classes
11 A.M. Morning Worship Service / 6 P.M. Evening Service
Wednesday 7 PM - Children's Patch Club / Gunnison Bible Institute Thursday 7 PM - College & Career Christian Fellowship
THE GOOD SAMARITAN EPISCOPAL CHURCH
307 W. Virginia Ave. • 641-0429
Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar
Sunday Morning Holy Eucharist, Rite II 9 a.m.
Children's Sunday school 9 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. | Office Hours: M-Th 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. www.goodsamaritangunnison.com
Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Sunday 5 p.m. Union Congregational Church, 407 Maroon Ave., Crested Butte.
GUNNISON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
United Church of Christ
Sunday, 10:00 a.m.
Casual, Relaxed, “Come As You Are” Worship www.gunnisonucc.org • 317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203
GRACE COVENANT CHURCH GUNNISON
Meeting at the Historic 8th St School House 101 N. 8th St. Gunnison
Reformed, Confessional & committed to Expository preaching Sundays 10:00 a.m. Thursdays 1:00 p.m. Women's Bible Study gracegunnison.com
MT CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH
711 N. Main • 641-1860
Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays
Church Service at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays
Pastor Robert Carabotta, Pastor Jacob With
ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES
1040 Highway 135 (1/4 mile N. of Spencer Ave.)
Sunday Morning Worship 9:30am
Nursery and Children’s ministry through Middle School “Remedy” Worship Nights Small Group Ministries www.rmcmchurch.org - 641-0158
ST. PETER’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
300 N. Wisconsin • 641-0808 • Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago (www.gunnisoncatholic.org | www.crestedbuttecatholic.org) or call the Parish Office. St. Peter's - Gunnison Sat 8:30 am, 5 pm & Sun 10:30 am, 12:00 pm (Spanish) Mass
First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass at 11am Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30am Mass St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Communion Service, Sat 4:00pm
TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH
523 N. Pine St. • 641-1813
Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks
Sunday Service 9:30 a.m. Adult Bible Study 8:00 AM www.trinitybaptistsgunnison.com
Brady & Katie Harper (970) 596-8350 office@deercreekblinds.com
Western Colorado University’s Mountain
Sports Nordic team traveled to California’s Mammoth Mountain last week hoping to claim a title that eluded them last year. When the Mountaineers returned home this time, they were national champions.
While the race brought out the best Nordic programs from around the country, it was the weather that served up the stiffest competition at Mammoth Lakes, March 6-11. With an “atmospheric river” bringing historic snowfall and gusty winds to the event, the competition was moved up a day to accommodate the conditions.
Instead of starting the week with a day to relax and acclimate, athletes went right to work. The Western men came out with a strong start in the second place finish in the first event, the 7.5K individual start classic race. Th e team fi nished just three points behind the reigning champ and perennial powerhouse, Paul Smith’s College.
The second race yielded a different outcome with the Western men’s team taking
top honors in the skate sprint. That meant the team was still only three points behind Paul Smith’s going into the final race: the 15K skate.
After skiing what Head
Coach Kevin Geisen called “an inspired race” — the Mountaineer men coming in first, third, fifth and seventh in the 15K skate — the team skied away with the U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association’s National Championship title with a seven-point advantage over Paul Smith’s College.
In addition to the men’s title, Hannah Cryder skied her way to an All-American performance on all three days. She finished in eight place in the 7.5K individual start classic, 12th place in the skate sprint, and 10th in the 15k. A skier needs to finish among the top 15 skiers to capture the All-American title.
(Source: Western Colorado University.)
An intensive speech therapy program designed for people with with Parkinson’s Disease Reseach shows Parkinson’s patients significantly improve areas such as vocal loudness, facial expressions, and articulation through LSVT LOUD
LOCALLY OWNED AND PROUDLY SERVING CRESTED BUTTE, GUNNISON, AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
LSVT BIG
An intensive physical and occupational therapy for treating individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. Reseach shows Parkinson’s patients significantly improve areas such as faster walking, balance, and daily mobility through LSVT BIG
we have sold the restaurant…
Gunnison Re
Gunnison Residents, our “amigos”, have been the direct reason for our success and we are truly grateful and honored. You may continue to enjoy our great food and service under new ownership. Please welcome the Mier Family as you welcomed us. You can always visit us at our other location in Lake Havasu City, AZ. Thank You for 14 great years!
— Sincerely, Cesar, Jose, and Maribel
