Gunnison Country Times, September 21, 2023

School board candidates gather for community forum

Topics include bullying and curriculum

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

For the first time this election season, all six candidates running for the Gunnison Watershed School District board — Cori Dobson, Jody Coleman, Greg Kruthaupt, Mark VanderVeer, Lisa Henry and Anne Brookhart — gathered to answer the community’s questions. They met in front of a large audience at the Gunnison County Library on

Forum A6

NEWS: 10(j) rule for wolf reintroduction released, A11

COMMUNITY: High mountain wine in Lake City, B1

Frontier Land residents find temporary homes

New units still expected by end of year

SPORTS: GHS volleyball still undefeated, B7

OBITUARIES A3

OPINION A4

CLASSIFIEDS A15-A1

SPORTS B6

Bella Biondini Times Editor

Despite the extremely tight timeframe, Gunnison’s Frontier Land residents all found temporary housing before the end of August — a deadline set by an eviction notice they received earlier this summer.

Although owner Courtney Scales, who operates the mobile home park under the business

City developing new plan to increase ADA compliance

CCNB Properties, has said he intends to renovate the property and welcome residents back, Gunnison Valley leaders scrambled to find temporary and affordable places for the families to live in the interim. After residents received the notice in late July, they only had 30 days to find a landing spot in a market where housing was already scarce.

Facing difficult odds, the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority — backed with help from bilingual employees from Gunnison

Frontier Land A5

Self-evaluation scheduled for 2024

Bella Biondini

Times Editor

Starting next year, the City of Gunnison will create a formal plan to make the community more accessible to residents and visitors with disabilities.

As Amanda Wilson settles into her new role as city manager, she has been looking for gaps that exist within the services Gunnison offers. One of the

areas she felt the city needed to revisit is accessibility. Under the American Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 — a federal civil rights law that prohibits the discrimination against individuals with disabilities — municipalities are required to have a designated ADA coordinator and a procedure in place to process complaints. These were things the city lacked.

ADA protects the rights of people who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits their ability to perform one or more “major ADA A7

REWRITING RECORDS: Cowboy cross country runner Madelyn Stice broke the girls high school course record at Gunnison’s Cowboy Mountaineer Invitational with a time of 18:54.00. For more, B6. (Photo by Jacob Spetzler)

QUOTE of the week

“It’s a small town. It’s like coming home.”

— Kristine Borchers, Lake City DIRT

THANK YOU! ¡MUCHAS GRACIAS!

• The Gunnison Country Food Pantry for their outstanding presence in our community.

• The Gunnison Public Library for their partnership and the Children’s Art Showcase by Songbird Schoolhouse, Tenderfoot, and Wonderland Nature School.

See story on B1

BRIEFS

Sheriff responds to gunshots in Pitkin

On the evening of Sept. 18, Gunnison County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a domestic violence call in Pitkin.

Deputies arrived and spoke with the victim, who indicated there had been a dispute with a handgun. Deputies then responded to the scene in an attempt to contact the suspect. Responders attempted to call the suspect to the door for 10 minutes with no avail, and it became evident that the suspect had barricaded themselves in the home.

The newly formed Gunnison County Regional Special Response Team, a multi-agency group formed by the Sheriff’s Office and Crested Butte and Gunnison police, responded to the incident. Approximately two hours later, the suspect surrendered and was taken into custody.

Indoor ice rink opens in two weeks

Gunnison’s Jorgensen Ice Rink will be opening for the 2023-24 winter season on Oct.

2. The outdoor rink and Pac Man Pond are expected to open around the third week of December, weather permitting.

Commissioners give Marble $5,000 for jailhouse

Gunnison County Commissioners agreed to give the Town of Marble $5,000 towards its over 100- year-old jailhouse at a regular meeting on Sept. 19. Since 2020, the town has been trying to raise money to put the building on a new concrete foundation. The total cost of the project is $37,000, and the town has raised just over $18,000 so far. Administrators are trying to get the first phase off the ground before winter sets in because the lack of a foundation puts the entire structure at high risk for irreparable damage.

The Gunnison Cultural Connection would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to all the organizations around the Valley who came together to make Welcoming Week 2023 a success! The Gunnison Cultural Connection, consists of representatives from the City of Gunnison, Gunnison County, Gunnison County Multi-Cultural Resources Services, the Hispanic Affairs Project, the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, and Inmigrantes Unidos de Gunnison, is beyond grateful to our important partners that invested time, energy, and financial support into our weeklong initiatives. A packed 8-day schedule is no easy feat but with the help of others in our connected community, showcasing Welcoming in the Gunnison Valley becomes a successful endeavor.

We wish to specifically thank:

• Celeste Helminski and the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce.

• The Gunnison Creative District.

• Jenny Birnie and the GVH Foundation.

• Western University and the MBS, Rural Community Health program.

• The Resiliency Project for the final Music Cruise of the season.

• The Gunnison Watershed School District for sharing information on Education night.

• The Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority and GV HEAT for their informational panel and sponsorship.

Facebook: facebook.com/CityofGunnison

• The First Responder and Emergency Personnel departments who showed up for their community at our open house night. Thank you to Gunnison Police, School Resource Officer, Special Victim’s Advocate, Gunnison Fire Protection District and Department, Gunnison Regional Dispatch, Gunnison Valley Health Paramedics/EMS, CO State Patrol Sgt. Joshua Boden, and Western Mountain Rescue Team SAR.

• The sponsors D’Luna Mexican Store, Bet Egelhoff at Bluebird Real Estate, the Gunnison Congregational Church, and the Gunnison County Community Health Coalition.

• The volunteers who stepped in to be an extra set of hands for all the set up and break down of our events.

• The vendors and entertainment acts who put on an amazing day at our Hispanic Heritage Celebration.

• YOU-COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS!

The Gunnison Cultural Connection’s goal for Welcoming Week is for residents of all cultures to feel welcome, celebrated, seen, and recognized in our diverse community by building cultural connections that increase a sense of belonging for everyone. We seek to build upon longstanding efforts to connect and unite diverse populations in our community, to strengthen our connections, foundation, and resolve to continue furthering equity and justice through actionable items.

Instagram: instagram.com/cityofgunnison

2800sf home at the end of the Ohio Creek valley sits on 40 acres with Carbon Creek running through the acreage. Custom home & garage offer in-floor heat, 3 bdrms/3 bath, south facing windows with incredible views and a 4 car garage with work space & a walk-in cooler. 3750 County Road 737; $2,500,000.

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Spacious 5 bdrm/3 bath home positioned on one acre across from Hartman Rocks features 2,366sf with hardwood floors, RV parking, 2 car attached garage, plus an oversized 2 car detached garage with upstairs storage. 49 Columbine Road; $795,000.

backyard with storage shed. New metal roof in 2020 as well as exterior painting. Master bathroom was remodeled & includes two separate vanities with walk-in closet. 404 N. 7th St.; $375,000.

BREATHTAKING VIEWS of Blue Mesa Reservoir from this 3 bdrm/2 bath, 1620sf home with 40 x 26 garage with 14 foot garage door for your boat to park next to the fish cleaning station in the garage. Bunk house above the garage sleeps 6 in the 2 bdrms & half bath. 33000 State Highway 149; $385,000.

MOVE-IN READY Ground level 2 bdrm/1 bath, 861 square foot condo features an open kitchen & spacious living room. Great rental investment or first time homebuyer option. 212 S. 11th St. #105; $240,000.

HISTORIC BASSICK

MINE in Ohio City has produced Gold & Silver on the over 50 acres of 5 mining claims. Property includes a 3 bdrm/2 bath house with huge attached garage & is fronted by 300 feet of Gold Creek. 5498 County Road 771; $2,500,000.

MAKE AN OFFER 3 bdrm/2 bath, ranch level home with a walkout basement. Open kitchen & dining area with a pellet stove. Property has an attached oversized 3 car garage. Over 1,800sf with great southern views of Sawtooth Mountain & W Mountain. No HOA or covenants. 851 County Road 18; $399,000.

MOUNTAIN HOME with loft nestled in the trees with Gold Creek in the back yard on over 3 acres. Just 3.5 miles from Ohio City, 1 bdrm/1 bath, bordered by national forest, built in 1994 with well & septic. 1,008 square feet with generator and shed too. 3491 County Road 771; $635,000.

PROPERTY POTENTIAL Here’s your 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.; $297,000.

CUTE AS CAN BE 2 bdrm/2 bath log sided home in town with large windows for passive solar, two inviting patios, metal roof, sprinkler system & detached 2 car garage with separate workshop & bunkroom. Includes RMU lots that could be subdivided and built out. 205 N. 11th St.; $795,000. AFFORDABLE and fully remodeled

Shirley Woodbury

A celebration of life and memorial service will be held for Shirley on Sept. 30 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Baptist Church. A reception will follow downstairs.

Arthur Dayton Trezise

Arthur “Artie” Dayton Trezise was born to Arthur Alleyne

Trezise and Marie Francis

Dayton on Long Island, New York, in the town of St. Albans, back when the streets were unpaved and coal was delivered by horse-drawn carriage. He grew up in Long Island and attended Columbia College in New York, graduating in

1950, and then served in the U.S. Army, being stationed in Germany. Upon his return to the U.S., Artie began his professional career, working for various companies with overseas interests in Spain, Panama and Venezuela. In 1963, the American Can Company relocated him to Brazil where he met his wife, Maria Lucia (Puzas). They had three children: Bridie, Arthur and Patrick. He remained in Brazil until 1983, when the family moved to Vermont, while he pursued a career with the U. S. Foreign Service.

Artie was later hired by the U. S. Department of Commerce, and the family relocated back to Brazil for several years. In 1990, his work moved him to the U.S. Embassy in Colombia and later to the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. After retiring, he split his time primarily between Waitsfield, Vermont and São Paulo, Brazil, most recently living near his daughter in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Artie is preceded in death by his wife, Maria Lucia Trezise, and survived by his daughter, Bridie (Steve), sons, Art and Patrick (Silvia), grandsons, Will, Ben

and Wyatt and granddaughters, Clara and Macy. While those are the specs, the true story is more contoured. Artie was an extraordinary person with a colorful life full of family, friends and adventures (misadventures) near and far, a guy from the Greatest Generation. He spoke four languages, wrote shorthand, drank martinis, danced well, could handle a violin and flute, and was an avid reader, letter-writer, bridge-player and snazzy dresser. He swam in speedos right up until his death. He loved his extended Brazilian family and Brazil - he was a single child while his wife was one of 12 kids — her huge Brazilian family fully embraced him as their own. Not one to be told what to do, Artie went rogue (again) and, at 95, booked a solo flight to Brazil. After encountering medical complications, he passed away in São Paulo surrounded by the Brazilian family whom he loved. He was one of a kind.

DA files charges against Wickenhauser, Danni

Includes ‘Special Offender’ counts

Times Staff Report

Last week, on Sept. 12, the 7th Judicial District Attorney’s office filed charges in Gunnison County Court against Bryan Wickenhauser, 50, owner of the I Bar Ranch operating business, and Dominic Danni, 46. Both were arrested on Sept. 1 on felony drug warrants.

Wickenhauser and Danni were both charged with one count of special offender. This

charge is reserved for defendants facing serious drug charges. If the court finds the pair to be special offenders, they face increased jail time and higher fines. They were also both charged with one count of possession with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance — schedule I or II.

On Sept. 1, Danni and Wickenhauser were both charged with Illegal Distribution of Schedule II Narcotics, a class 3 drug felony, and Conspiracy to Distribute Illegal Narcotics, a class 1 drug felony. The arrest was conducted by the Gunnison Police Department and members of the 7th Judicial District Task Force, which includes agents of the Drug

Enforcement Administration and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Danni and Wickenhauser were both detained in the Gunnison County Detention center on a $60,000 bond. Wickenhauser’s relative posted a $50,000 cash bond the same day. Danni’s bond was reduced from $60,000 to $30,000 cash or surety and he posted bail on Sept. 5.

The investigation is ongoing, and several search warrants were executed within the City of Gunnison related to the case. Wickenhauser will appear on Oct. 18 for preliminary demand and Danni appeared on Sept. 20 for a status conference and hearing.

970.641.1414

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LETTERS

Top choices to serve our students

Editor:

Students attending Gunnison RE1J schools deserve a school board that is invested in its community.

The elected board of directors will ensure our students receive the best opportunities to enhance their educational choices that align and adhere with RE1J District current standards-based curriculums.

As a retired educator in the district and a parent of two children who received top quality instruction, I am confident that Jody Coleman, Anne Brookhart and Mark VanderVeer will make decisions that will positively influence students’ academic, social and emotional success.

Jody, with her extensive teaching experience, Anne’s library career and Matt’s financial expertise will listen and make decisions using their backgrounds to root and help grow and flourish all student needs.

The growing population of our valley will put the board to the task of deciding the vision of the upcoming facilities expansion, which will include meeting students’ academic challenges, and promoting freedom of knowledge, and equal access to public education. Jody, Anne and Mark with their highlighted individual experiences and qualifications are the top choices to best serve our students.

Vicki Wattier Gunnison

Education and support will be in jeopardy

Editor:

no matter what they look like or identify as. We need a board that believes in academic integrity and allows teachers to teach, not limit and control them.

Those three candidates are Anne Brookhart, Dr. Jody Coleman and Mark Vanderveer. Both Anne and Mark have children currently attending public schools in Gunnison, and are deeply invested in what is best for their children, along with all children in Gunnison County. Jody has been in the education sector for 40 years and believes strongly in public education. They all value academic freedom and mental and emotional wellness and support for all children.

Our schools must continue doing what they are doing and not be thrown into upheaval where teachers will leave and our children's education and support will be in jeopardy.

Please vote for Jody, Anne and Mark in November.

Keir Wark Crested Butte

Finding our way forward

Editor:

I am a retired pastor and am writing in support of Jody Coleman (or Dr. Marta Coleman as she is known professionally) as a candidate for our local school board.

I know and trust Coleman, and believe she has the ability to listen to, respect and empathize with people who disagree with her. As I see it, that ability is crucial above all — especially in the current climate of sharp disagreements and strong emotions.

and listened. Mr. Asay, on the other hand, moved around busily talking to everyone involved in the running of the forum. He was clearly more than a spectator.

Now to my main concern. All attendees at that forum were offered a copy of a magazine called “The New American.” It was a special edition focused on education. This publication is put out by the John Birch Society (JBS), an organization formed by Robert W. Welch in 1958. Billed as an anti-communist organization, the JBS is known for racist and misogynistic views. The JBS and William F. Buckley Jr., a staunch and influential conservative, supported Joseph McCarthy’s anticommunist investigations.

Buckley eventually became concerned about the JBS and Welch, who believed that the sitting president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was a communist infiltrator as he believed a young Harvard academic named Henry Kissinger was. Buckley eventually strongly opposed the JBS and led a movement to discredit it.

I wonder if the “group of concerned citizens” that organized the Aug. 29 forum is affiliated with the JBS yet is reluctant to be open about it. I think the three school board candidates who chose not to participate in the forum, due in large part to a lack of transparency about the organizing entity, were right in their decision.

I know Mark VanderVeer

Editor:

There are certain organizations that create the foundation of our community, and the school system is one of those vital components.

The sustainability of this valuable asset can be assured for the long term by strong leadership. In the Gunnison Valley, strong board leadership is a real challenge. When I learned Mark VanderVeer was running for the school board, I reached out and asked how I could help.

You see, as the previous CEO of Gunnison Valley Health, I recruited VanderVeer as chief financial officer for the health system.

I remember him saying Gunnison checked off all the boxes for him and his family. The truth is, Vanderveer checked off all the boxes for a great recruit to GVH. A true critical thinker, able to examine, interpret, reason and reflect to make informed decisions. A strong listener, respectful of ideas and opinions. His core values are hard wired and exemplified with an unwavering integrity to do the right thing for the right reason.

2023

2023 Member

LETTERS POLICY

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Email letters to editor@gunnisontimes.com or send to 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, CO 81230. Include your full name, address and a phone number — for our internal use only.

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My 14-year-old son has been a student at CBCS since he was 6 years old. It is a wonderful school with incredible teachers, who not only love to teach but also love the kids they teach. There is a sense of support, love and community in our school. With the recent upcoming school board election, I am very concerned about the agenda of a couple of the candidates that will effectively destroy what currently exists at our school and be replaced instead with people's political and religious agendas. That simply has no place on a school board or within the walls of a teaching institution.

It is imperative that all community members vote for the three candidates whose main concern is each and every student's success. That each child is seen, heard and supported

Please join me in voting for Coleman for school board. And may we all rest in God’s peace as we find our way forward together as a community.

Joe Burgess Gunnison

Great concern with many of the views expressed

Editor:

I attended the school board candidates’ forum at the W Café on Aug. 29 and want to add to the conversation started in letters from the last two weeks.

First, a simple clarification about attendees’ actions there. While it is true that both Stu Asay and Joe Dix attended the forum, there was no indication that Mr. Dix had any role in organizing or managing the forum. He entered, sat down

If those who did participate know of the affiliation with the JBS, or perhaps are themselves affiliated, why are they not open about it? I wonder if the women candidates who participated, Cori Dobson and Lisa Henry, are aware that if the JBS had come to greater prominence in the 60 and 70s, that they may well not now be able to run for a seat on a school board.

The JBS is no friend to women. They oppose not only abortion, but also contraception and divorce. They have worked against the Equal Rights Amendment and feminism in general.

As I read through the copy of “The New American” I was given, I had great concern about many of the views expressed.

The desire to create an extremely conservative Christian school system and to deny the realities of our history and of science are clear. Dr. Jody Coleman, Anne Brookhart and Mark VanderVeer will have my vote this November.

Laurie Gery Gunnison

One of the first bright moments that defined VanderVeer for me, was when he took on the lead role in the satire SonofaGunn, “It’s Always Sunny in Gunny.” He told me his son, Mitchell, wanted to try out for the play and asked if they could try out together. Yes, they both got a part. His daughter, Megan, joined the Gunnison High School mountain biking team, and he decided to take up the sport, as well as learn to be her bike mechanic.

When GVH led the effort to address mental health in the schools and the university, VanderVeer was an integral part of the team. He is one of those people I can give my highest recommendation. He shares a passion for our community and what makes it so special to all of us.

He understands the end goal, the wellbeing of our children through learning. As the old saying goes, “When opportunity comes knocking, please open the door.” Support Mark for the school board.

Rob Santilli Gunnison

Frontier Land

County, the City of Gunnison and the Hispanic Affairs Project — cobbled together enough options to house all of the displaced residents. Most found housing in Gunnison, where they could stay close to jobs and make sure their children could return to the classroom when school started.

It was a push that Housing Authority Director Andy Kadlec felt was necessary after a purchase agreement between the organization and Scales fell through earlier this year. An inspection report, part of the original purchase agreement, revealed major concerns about the “general state of disrepair at the property including sewage leaks and numerous electrical hazards.

“We wanted to find a way to preserve [the park] and that didn’t happen,” Kadlec said. “I was grateful that our board wanted us to stay engaged with the community and find those resources.”

At the time being, few new home placements are permanent, and in just two months, many families will be forced to move again. In the original notice shared with tenants, Scales suggested that he wanted to give Frontier Land new life — with plans to install new trailers and sell them directly to existing tenants who can qualify for the purchase.

According to Kadlec, the majority of the residents are interested in becoming homeowners, but little of the owner’s plans has been set in stone.

A band-aid solution

At the beginning of August, the Housing Authority sat down with residents individually to evaluate their price range, household size and any special housing considerations such as pets. Approximately half of the residents were matched with homes at Gunnison’s new affordable housing development, Lazy K.

Those units are owned by the Rural Transportation Authority and were purchased to attract new bus drivers and help with

employee retention. Because of this, the Lazy K leases are only in place through November, right before the winter bus schedule begins to accommodate ski traffic and workers.

“From the very beginning we made it very clear that this is a temporary, band-aid solution,” RTA Executive Director Scott Truex said during a board meeting last week.

Other Frontier Land residents found new apartments through Gunnison Real Estate and Rentals and Tava Real Estate and signed on to more standard one-year leases. While a few more permanent housing options were available in the North Valley, many residents preferred to stay in Gunnison. Only one family is living in a room at the Ruby in Crested Butte.

The Housing Authority board was prepared to assist the residents with security deposits, but found that there wasn’t a need. Most had been saving money and covered the cost themselves. Although Kadlec said he was cautiously optimistic after finding homes for all of the residents, he worried about what’s to come.

“It was a pretty big stressor on the families, especially the uncertainty of these short-term leases over at Lazy K,” he said. “They're already thinking about what happens next. And I don't have those answers.”

A chance at homeownership

Over the past week, many of the mobile homes at Frontier Land have been reduced to piles of rubble. Although Scales intends to repair the park and sell the new units back to tenants, the exact timeline is unclear.

The notice originally shared with residents states that the owner planned to start removing old trailers at the beginning of the September so updated sewer and electrical lines and mobile homes can be installed. The letter says that move-ins could be expected by November or December of this year if all goes as planned.

Both demolition, which has already begun, and construction on the property requires the owner to obtain permits

from the City of Gunnison. According to Building Official Eric Jansen, Scales has indicated that he is working with engineers to complete the utility and infrastructure design for the site. But as of Tuesday, Sept. 19, the city had not yet received any formal building applications for the property.

Provided the Community Development Department receives a complete application, processing requests typically takes two weeks. The Times has reached out to Scales multiple times since the property went up for sale without response.

The chosen developer is Prosperity Acquisitions LLC, which operates under the name Texas Home Outlet — a company that specializes in installing affordable manufactured homes around the country. The owners, Ben and Celeste Spector, live in Almont part time. At a resident meeting last month, the pair emphasized their desire to help residents achieve home ownership once the park reopened.

Price estimates for new trailers hovered around $95,000, and existing tenants will be given first right of refusal to purchase. This cost would be paired with lot rent and the high interest rates that generally accompany manufactured homes

Celeste said a number of park tenants have already applied for home financing and have been approved. Progress had been put on pause due to a temporary lapse in communication with the owner, but on Tuesday, she confirmed that “everything is moving forward as planned.”

In past conversations, the Spectors have said the manufactured homes take approximately five weeks to deliver and only a couple of days to install. Although no formal contract has been signed, Celeste said Home Outlet is still committed to completing the project.

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

The owner has begun to demolish the old trailers at the Frontier Land mobile home park. (Photo by Bella Biondini)

Tuesday, Sept. 12.

The forum was organized by the League of Women’s Voters and moderated by Gunnison Mayor Diego Plata. The community submitted questions to the League’s School Election Task Force, which then selected a number of those threaded with prevalent themes in national school board discourse: the role of the parent in public education, the limits (or obligation) of the school board and even what books might be allowed on the shelves.

Throughout the evening, the candidates found a wealth of common ground on topics including putting students first, fostering critical thinking and supporting teachers in the classroom.

What matters in public education?

All candidates agreed that the District's primary charter is to educate its children. When tantalized with a question asking them to differentiate between education and indoctrination, each candidate submitted that a true education is built on critical thinking and problem-solving while indoctrination stifles inquiry. VanderVeer said that education should be “a buffet of knowledge,” allowing children to explore many perspectives.

“Teachers in this district allow the student to hold two conflicting thoughts in their mind, to analyze each, to extrapolate each to come to one's own perspective on both of those conflicting thoughts,” Coleman said.

The interest in students’ wellbeing carried into a discussion on the District's bullying policy and use of test scores to measure success. Henry said the policies need to have clear consequences, as she knows from first-hand experience that a bullied child could be affected for life. The District's policies abide by state law, Brookhart said, and lists specific classes of students protected by federal antidiscrimination laws — a measure that passed in the District earlier this year by a 3-2 vote.

A question on test scores united the candidates more than others. Each reiterated the importance of using test scores as a metric, but that a child should be considered holistically. Brookhart and Kruthaupt said stronger relationships between teachers and students is a good indicator of progress.

“We play to their strengths, and we improve what needs to happen in the signs of weakness that they may have. It's just imperative that we base what we do on the whole child, and not just one test,” Henry said.

When it boiled down to taxpayer money spent on public schools, candidates agreed that the state should bolster public school coffers to address long-standing issues like teacher shortages. But not all agreed on the idea of funneling tax dollars into vouchers or tuition tax credits for private and charter schools. While Colorado does not currently

offer these vouchers, Dobson and Henry said they supported the idea and saw it as a way for the state to better serve children with unique educational needs. Brookhart, VanderVeer, Coleman and Kruthaupt rejected the premise of tax dollars spent on private education until public education was sufficiently funded.

“My personal experience as a parent has reinforced my belief in the importance of strengthening our public schools and ensuring that every child has access to the opportunities they provide,” VanderVeer said.

“Introducing a voucher program at this time could jeopardize this.”

All candidates agreed that teacher retention is foundational in a healthy school district. Fair wages, housing collaborations with other entities and classroom support were all offered as solutions.

Coleman called it the “number one issue” for the next school board, and asked the audience to remember this could mean spending the District's taxpayer money on affordable housing. Administrators should use the mountain lure of the Gunnison Valley to attract teachers, Henry said. Dobson said she wished more teachers would talk about burnout.

“Is it because they are having to teach beyond their passion?” Dobson said. “I believe we are asking teachers to do too much, and to be counselors and babysitters instead of teaching like they signed up to do. Housing is a problem nationwide, and one way to help teachers is raise wages again.”

The League selected a number of questions surrounding school policy that focused on bullying, and what books should be available to students.

Brookhart reminded the audience that all parents have the right to opt-out of a lesson, but Henry said she’d like to see the opposite, that parents optin to materials so “parents are reviewing the things that they need to,” she said. Coleman said librarians are teachers first, and the books they select are done so mindfully.

“History is identity. If students don't see themselves in books and film, they feel

erased,” Coleman said.

When conflicts arise between administrators and parents, each candidate offered their own version of how it could be handled, balancing a parent’s right to know what’s going on in the classroom and the District's mandate to provide thorough education. Kruthaupt said conflict is always a chance to grow.

“Conflicting viewpoints. What an opportunity to bring people together … If you show people respect, you're going to bring them together,” Kruthaupt said.

Dobson and Henry said all viewpoints should be considered and represented. Parents should always maintain the right to opt out, Brookehart said, but one parent or a group of parents should not be able to change an entire curriculum. Just two years ago, parents surfaced concerns that the District was teaching Critical Race Theory which resulted in uproar at board meetings that winter. In the past, board members have also disagreed about how social and emotional learning should be balanced with more traditional subjects like math, reading and writing.

Brookhart followed that point into a question about school board-related tension in Woodland Park, Colorado that has resulted in an exodus and teachers and a number of lawsuits is a necessary growing pain. Over a year ago, a conservative slate of school board candidates were elected and quickly ushered in a series of changes including the use of the American birthright social

studies standard (a curriculum rejected by the Colorado State Board of Education) cutting funding for mental health and even attempting to prevent teachers from talking to the press or sharing on social media. Brookhart called what had happened in Woodland Park “devastating.”

“It is a narrow minded white nationalist curriculum that disregards diverse perspectives and does not allow for inquiry. This is something we need to avoid at all costs,” she said.

VanderVeer, Kruthaupt and Henry said what happened in Woodland Hills is not normal. VanderVeer said this “intentional chaos” is more focused on a political agenda than the well-being of students. Henry said while the board should not invite conflict into schools, it’s inevitable and teachers should focus on reading, writing and math rather than politics. Dobson did not approve or disapprove directly.

“I believe we should teach the good, the bad and the ugly of American and world history,” Dobson said. “It is important to learn all of history so we don't make the same mistakes from the past and we can build on principles of liberty and freedom for all. I do not see teaching all of history as a growing pain or controversy. It is history. It happened.”

After eight questions, each candidate had 60 seconds for a closing statement. VanderVeer cautioned against the “back to basics” rhetoric.

“I'm very concerned about

all the talk around the country about back to basics. Reading, writing, arithmetic, sounds harmless. However, this seems to be more of a hidden agenda that really means read only what they deem appropriate.” he said.

Henry, Coleman and Kruthaupt ended with a rallying cry for parents and administrators to come together in the face of what Kruthaupt called a coming “tsunami” of Early Childhood Education and English-Language Learning challenges. Dobson reiterated a previous point that children need to feel safe inside the classroom and should focus on reading, writing, math and scientific inquiry.

“We have different opinions on things,” Coleman said. “We had a fire in Mill Creek and in a heartbeat, people with a pickup truck or a horse trailer raced up that valley to get the cattle and horses out of those hills. We come together. That is the Valley way. I am here to listen, and we cannot do this without parents.”

The next League-sponsored forum will be held at the Mallardi Theatre in Crested Butte on Sept. 26.

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

Candidates sat at a long table while they answered questions. (Photos by Abby Harrison)

The audience filled the Gunnison County Library’s multipurpose room.

life activities” such as breathing, walking, reading, seeing or hearing, among others. Under this law, governments are required to provide full and equal access to city programs and services.

“Often you don't see people that have those needs, because you're not providing ways for them to participate,” Wilson told the Times

During a regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12, council appointed City Clerk Erica Boucher as Gunnison’s new ADA coordinator. In the future, Boucher will serve as a central point of contact for those with disabilities in need of resources and be responsible for investigating ADA violation complaints.

In 2024, the city will also conduct a “self-evaluation” or audit that records the local barriers that exist to accessibility. This will not only include surveying the architecture of government facilities such as City Hall and the Rec Center, but existing lines of communication and policies.

The city plans to set aside funding from its 2024 budget to begin the project, one that will largely be driven by the community. Wilson already has plans to involve Six Points and Crested Butte’s Adaptive Sports Center. The planning process will be led by an outside consul-

tant that will help educate and guide each city department.

The city’s self evaluation will be followed by the creation of a “transition plan,” a document that outlines areas where the city can improve, as well as sets deadlines. This is a living document, and will be updated at a minimum of every five years.

older, because we're harming our bodies today in our 20s, 30s and 40s from our extreme activities,” Wilson said. “We all in this room may be subjected to that as we get older … And all of us certainly have close family members or friends that have various forms of disability. This affects all of us in one way or another.”

The city will evaluate its parks and playgrounds, recreation programs, streets and sidewalks, parking spaces, picnic shelters and even the website. Accommodations also need to be available for public meetings, such as city council and at events and open houses.

Council member Jim Gelwicks said he believed the city should take a comprehensive look at handicapped parking downtown.

“Grand Excursion and Pic-Nic To Kezar”

“The act recognizes that we're not perfect,” Wilson said. “What's important is that we're taking action to improve.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that up to one in four or 27% of adults have some type of disability. Wilson spoke of a close friend who was an extreme skier when she was young.

“It's us athletes that are going to be disabled when we're

Under the act, the city is required to regularly publish a public notice that states what the federal ADA law requires, as well as the coordinator’s contact information. Once the draft is complete, it will be posted in city buildings and on the website next week. This will be accompanied by the launch of a formal grievance procedure.

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

Submitted by Larry McDonald

Gardner H. Kezar settled in the beautiful valley that lies just west of Gunnison, and under Blue Mesa Reservoir today, back in 1878, although the first mentions of him I came across were in Lake City newspapers beginning in 1880. And while most of them were related to his mining interests in the area, it was the Mining Register of July 22, 1881, that stated, “Mr. Kezar made a good hit when he some time ago secured the 160 acres in the midst of which the depot of the D. & R.G. Ry will be erected. It is a beautiful spot and now very valuable.” With the arrival of the railroad, it became the western most terminus of the Denver & Rio Grande, and Kezar became a very busy station, with freight wagons and stage service heading from there to Lake City, Ouray, and the Uncompahgre Valley.

In mid-June, both Gunnison daily newspapers began announcing an excursion to Kezar stating, “This is to be no cheap or common affair, and the attendance of the best people in Gunnison is earnestly requested. There will be music and preaching for all who are inclined to outdoor Sunday worship. The spot is a beautiful one and those who simply wish a day’s recreation can find pleasure and health in the trip.” The train would depart Gunnison at 10 a.m. and leave Kezar at 5 p.m., with a round-trip fare of $1.50 ($45) and tickets could be purchased at Blachly’s or Richardson’s drug stores, “Get your tickets at once, and take your wife and children out for a day in the woods.”

The June 19, Daily Review headline read, “Kezar!” and

went on to detail the “The Grand Excursion Yesterday, by Citizens of Gunnison and Vicinity”, and stated that between 300 and 400 of the “best citizens of Gunnison” made the trip. It also mentioned that “Fully half the businesses in Kezar were opened for the first time yesterday”, listing four grocery stores, four restaurants and saloons, three blacksmiths, two boarding houses, along with a billiard hall, liquor store, dance hall, meat market, clothing house, dairymen, and David Wood the freighter.

Just two weeks after the excursion, newspapers announced the sudden passing of Lee H. Kezar, the younger brother of Gardner, at the age of 28. Lee had been in poor health for quite some time and had just arrived in the area recently, hoping that the mountains would prove beneficial. He had been appointed postmaster at Kezar and, “was delighted with his new location and his health never seemed better.” Pneumonia was determined to be the cause of death and the residents of Kezar turned out in force for his funeral in Gunnison and internment in the Glendale Cemetery, where the Kezar legacy resides today.

The Glendale Cemetery was our first “official” town burial grounds, today in ruins and located on private property near the Palisades west of town, where someone has restored the monument Gardner had made for his brother. The monument, made by Gunnison Marble Works, is fourteen feet high, four feet square at the base, and fourteen inches through at the top, one of the grandest grave markers to be found in our valley. And to find plenty more wonderful local history, we encourage you to plan a visit to the museum prior to our upcoming closing date on October 1.

MUSEUM OPEN DAILY 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. FROM MAY 15 THROUGH OCTOBER 1.

Admission $15 ages 13+, $5 for ages 6-12, Free for 5 and under. Follow us on Facebook for current information and amazing local history!

“Often you don’t see people that have those needs because you’re not providing ways for them to participate.”

Amanda Wilson Gunnison City Manager

1203 Van Tuyl Circle, MLS #805249, $769,000, 4-Bedroom 3.25 Bathrooms 1766 sqft built in 2017. This quaint contemporary single family home is surrounded by magnificent views of the Palisades in the quiet neighborhood of Van Tuyl Village. This 4-bedroom 3.25-bathroom property, a primary bedroom with full bathroom on the ground floor and half bedroom by the utility room that is easily accessible by guests and friends when entertaining. The living room is equipped with a pellet stove, moving into an open kitchen area with granite countertops, a deep sink and dining area nearby. The upstairs consists of a second primary bedroom with 3/4 bathroom and two large bedrooms with a full bathroom in the hallway. The natural sunlight from the expansive windows throughout the property provides views and sun exposure. The huge fenced in front yard will enable you to garden and play with your pet(s) and/or entertain your family and friends during the beautiful sunny summers in Gunnison. The irrigation ditch is available during spring/summer/fall months to water the yard and provide you with ambient noise to enjoy during the pleasant Gunnison evenings. Call the listing agent for further questions and to schedule a showing.

613 W New York, MLS #804709, $857,000, 4 houses located on W. New York Ave. in a growing area of town. The 4 houses contain 5 units that have been rented for many years. Theproperties have excellent rental history and good cash flow. New water lines installed last year and sewer lines in 2 small houses on 12th have been replaced in the last 5 years along with new roofs for these 2 houses in the last 4 years. The small house at 613 W New York had a new heater and refrigerator installed this past winter. All units currently have leases in place so an investor can start cash flowing the property immediately. Property is older and in need of some deferred maintenance but is being sold “as is” at this price. This property includes the addresses: 202 S. 12th, 206 S 12th, 613 W New York and 615 W New York.

216 Lochleven Lane, MLS #804508, $$990,000, 3-Bedroom 2-Bathroom 1,988 sqft, built in 1985, and with1.056 acres with attached car garage. Well built home situated in the beautiful little Homestead Subdivision in Almont. Sit on your large front deck and revel in the views up the East River Valley. Located just 10 min from Gunnison and 20 min from CB, you are centrally located to enjoy the activities the area has to offer from world class fishing, rafting and hiking to snowmobiling and skiing. This 2 story home has its main living area on the top floor with a large open kitchen/ dining living room area with a wood stove that keeps the top floor nice and warm. This area is a great space to gather and entertain as you take in the views surrounding the property. The property also has a sunroom that can be accessed from the second level or has 2 separate entrances from the exterior. There is a 1 car oversized attached garage and located next to the garage is a very large storage room/closet for all of your storage needs. The home has a lot of deck area on the outside for outdoor entertaining or to casually relax and take in the many different views. Almont is a quaint small town with 2 restaurants/bars located within minutes from the property. There is a free bus that runs up and down the valley from Gunnison to CB with a stop located in Almont.

459 Fairway Lane MLS #806172 $850,00 4-bedroom 3-bathroom 2291sqft. built in 1979

This contemporary quaint rustic house is within a profoundly well known subdivision, Dos Rios III. Close vicinity to the back 9 of the Dos Rios Golf Course. On a .46 of an acre, has 4-bedrooms and 3-bathrooms, the house features hardwood/tile floors, kitchen fully equipped with stainless appliances, kitchen cabinets and an open concept living room with a wood burning stove and second living room or/an office has a pellet stove. On the first floor you have a half bathroom that is easily accessible. On the second floor the master suite has an oversized bedroom with a full bathroom and a walk-in closet with a sliding barn door. The other full bathroom is down the hallway between the other two oversized bedrooms. The enormous backyard has a shed and plenty of sun exposure to plant/seed flowers, play with your pets and have get-togethers with friends. The two car garage is attached to the house and is very spacious and heated by a wood burning stove. There is sufficient amount of parking in the driveway and along the east side of the house. This home is magnificent so don’t miss out and schedule a showing by contacting the agent.

413 W New York MLS #805945 2125 sqft 1 bathroom Commercial Retail $525,000

Perfect Opportunity to Move a Business and/or a Start a New Business with great past history of tenants using the retail storefront i.e for nail/salon, daycare, mechanical auto body, pet/animal feed and accessories-retail and granite-retail/distribution to name a few. The property consists of about 1500 sqft of retail space with storefront access to New York and a half bathroom that is easily accessible for staff and customers to use. An added bonus is having an attached garage with about 625 sqft with an overhead garage bay. The garage could be a storage facility or part of business operations. The property has 5 parking spaces and close to Safeway and the new location of 5 Bs. A growing

Ballots set to mail on Oct. 16

Secretary of State visits

Gunnison

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Last week, Colorado’s Secretary of State Jena Griswold visited Gunnison and held an open meeting for community members. A Western Colorado University accounting class, business owners and other interested locals gathered for Griswold to answer some of their questions. The event was held at High Alpine Brewery and hosted by the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce.

Griswold gave an overview of her past few years in office, including business and election trends she’s noticed around the state. Over the last several years, the Secretary’s office has password protected business filings, changed the law to allow people to file business identity theft claims with the Secretary’s office, allowed remote notaries in special cases and forced scam companies to disclose on fraudulent mailings that they are not a government institution.

Election overview

Election season is quickly approaching in the Gunnison Valley. The 2023 coordinated election will occur on Tuesday, Nov. 7. There are a number of board and council seats available, the City of Gunnison and the Town of Mt. Crested Butte both put a question on the ballot this year and the state has two questions for voters.

The City of Gunnison is asking voters to remove the sunset on the parks and recreation tax, a 0.75% sales tax approved in 2007, and distribute a portion of that money to its struggling road budget.

The Town of Mt. Crested Butte is asking voters to extend the consecutive term limit for sitting council members to three terms, in order to encourage eligible candidates to run for town council and reduce the need to cancel elections.

Seats on Gunnison City Council and the Gunnison

Watershed School District Board will also be on the ballot. Gunnison has four open seats on the City Council. Current mayor Diego Plata, Marisela Ballesteros-Celestino, Matt Schwartz and Scott Frazier are running. Although the number of candidates equals the number of seats, candidates will appear on the ballot to determine the length of each councilor’s term, depending on how many votes each receives.

The District has three vacancies and six people vying for the spots: Cori Dobson, Jody Coleman, Greg Kruthaupt, Mark VanderVeer, Lisa Henry and Anne Brookehart.

The two state issues on the ballot include a property tax question and a question about redistributing nicotine tax revenues.

In Proposition HH, the state is asking voters if it can reduce future property tax increases but allow the state to retain and spend revenues that it would otherwise have to refund under the Colorado Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and allocate revenue to local governments to make up for decreased property tax revenues.

In Proposition II, the state is asking voters if it can retain and spend $23 million in excess revenue it collected from taxes on cigarettes, tobacco and other nicotine products and invest it back into Colorado’s universal preschool program, instead of refunding revenues to cigarette wholesalers, tobacco product distributors, nicotine products distributors and other taxpayers.

Ballots for military and overseas citizens go out on Friday, Sept. 22. All other ballots will be mailed out on Oct. 16. Ballot boxes will open on Friday, Oct. 20. Ballot boxes are located at the Blackstock Government Center, Western Colorado University, in Crested Butte South, the Town of Crested Butte and this year, for the first time, Mt. Crested Butte.

Voters can register or update their information online at GoVoteColorado.gov, visit the Clerk and Recorder’s office located in the Blackstock Government Center at 221 N. Wisconsin St. or call 970-6417927. For more information, visit gunnisoncounty.org.

and upcoming neighborhood. Don’t miss this opportunity contact the listing agent to schedule a showing.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold visited Gunnison last week to field business owners’ questions. (Photo by Abby Harrison)

New mural at Wheelies and Waves

The Gunnison Creative District hosted a ribbon-cutting for the "Elevate Your Fun" mural on Sept. 13. The mural, created by Jennifer Vannatta, covers the south wall of Wheelies & Waves at 110 S. Main St. Owners Bradon and Courtney Burton said they were happy to provide a space for the new piece of public art.

Final month for the farmers market

Saturday marked the beginning of the final month of the Gunnison Farmers Market. From fresh vegetables and meat to art and jewelry, the market boasts a variety of locally-produced goods and will run through Oct. 21.

(Courtesy Celeste Helminski/Gunnison Chamber of Commerce)

(Courtesy Anne Michel/Gunnison Creative District)

(Photos by Jacob Spetzler)

Welcome Home to this mountain cabin in the Rocky Mountains just north of Crested Butte. Over 1,050 square foot cabin on 4 town lots of the Schofield townsite, features 1 bedroom plus loft, an open living room and kitchen. The woodstove keeps the cabin warm during the fall nights. The upstairs loft is a great place to relax and also includes additional beds for guests. Property is seasonal access and located 1.5 hours from downtown Gunnison. Cabin comes fully furnished so you can enjoy your get-a-way right away. Call to schedule a tour!

Strong summer at airport, RTA cools down capital projects in 2024

Bus driver policy tightened after incident

Bella Biondini Times Editor

As another busy Gunnison Valley summer comes to a close, the Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) board is preparing to transition into the winter season and a new year.

At a regular meeting on Friday, Sept. 15, the board was presented with the updated fall and winter flight schedules, as well as a draft of the RTA’s $6.5 million budget for 2024. The RTA is also working to update its policy around what type of music and media can be played out loud by bus drivers after an incident earlier this summer.

Flight service temporarily slows down for fall

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is beginning to wrap up its summer season — one of the strongest in the airport’s history in terms of passenger counts, said Bill Tomcich, the RTA’s airline consultant. Flights coming into Gunnison averaged close to 87% full for the month of July, the peak summer month in 2023, and 81% in August. JetSuiteX (JSX), a relatively new airline carrier that targets wealthier passengers, exceeded 90% in July.

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Starting on Oct. 1, the airport will move down to one flight per day. Instead of a midday flight time like last year, it will depart early in the morning with the returning flight arriving in Gunnison during the evening — a schedule more ideal for connections. This flight, offered by United, will run through October, November and the first half of December. Beginning on Dec. 14, a second daily flight to Denver will be available. Houston and Dallas service will return a week later on Dec. 21.

American Airlines is operating in the Gunnison Valley at its own risk this winter, not binding the RTA with a minimum revenue guarantee, which would require the organization to pay airlines a set amount of money at the end of a season if flights don’t fill.

JSX flights are scheduled to resume midway through December. The boutique air carrier started offering service to the Gunnison Valley during the summer of 2021 with a subsidy from the RTA. Its service, which is based out of Texas, did so well JSX decided to continue flights at its own risk for both winter and summer.

Gunnison presently is the only Colorado resort destina -

tion served by JSX. This winter, service is moving from four flights per week to five. JSX will not be resuming direct flights from Austin because it is planning to temporarily discontinue all operations out of Austin at the end of this month.

“I’m afraid we don’t have an option for an Austin flight this winter.” Tomcich said. “The reason for that was more operationally driven, than based on the market.”

JSX has found itself in competition with American Airlines, which recently filed a letter of complaint with the Department of Transportation suggesting JSX is exploiting a regulatory loophole. According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal on Sept. 9, the debate touches on pilot training standards and safety.

Next year’s budget introduced During the meeting, RTA Executive Director Scott Truex presented a draft of the 2024 budget for the board to review. The document will be revised over the next month, with final adoption expected before the end of the year in conjunction with the county’s overall budget.

Next year, the RTA’s budget sits at $6.5 million and will support the organization’s existing free commuter bus service, senior transportation and its effort to grow the amount of airline service available to Gunnison Valley residents. After the recent completion of a new bus barn in Crested Butte and the purchase of new CNG buses, the RTA plans to slow down the number of large projects it undertakes, shifting to more maintenance work next year. The draft allocated $450,000 to capital projects including the replacement of three bus stop shelters in Gunnison — the Community Schools, Western Colorado University and Mocha’s. Its air command fund alloction total is $750,000. A portion

of the money will help cover the cost of a potential summer Dallas-Fort Worth service on American Airlines. Another $430,000 will support its senior transportation fund, and cover the purchase of a new senior bus and support ongoing contracts with Gunnison Valley Health and Mountain Express.

Bus driver policies tightened

In August, Erin Ganser, a Crested Butte South resident, urged the RTA board to adopt policies that ensure all riders feel safe and welcomed on its buses. During a morning commute in July, she recalled an incident where a driver played a “hate talk show” loudly.

According to Ganser, the commentary included “gay and trans bashing, pro-life and vitriol and hostile discussions of gender therapy.” Multiple passengers told the driver it was inappropriate and asked him to turn it off, but he only turned it down, she said.

“We really hope that there's a thoughtful response to my experience knowing that I was not alone,” Ganser said. “Public spaces should be safe spaces. They are public.”

The RTA’s suggested policy amendment stated that “drivers are encouraged to play nonoffensive music at a reasonable level if they would like to. Other broadcasts including talk radio, podcasts, and other media are not allowed. If a driver chooses to play music, they should choose music that is widely considered to be non-offensive.”

Although the board discussed possibly disallowing drivers to play music out loud entirely, the group ultimately decided to tighten the language around harassment and discrimination within its policy. Truex plans to bring the updated policy back to board at its November meeting.

garage. Stunning landscaping nurtured by a 7 zone sprinkler system features mature pine , aspen, and crabapple trees, an immaculate lawn and beautiful flower beds. Call Matt to see this new listing right away as homes in this wonderful neighborhood seldom become available.

Matt to set up your appointment to see this fine property. $649,000.

ORIGINAL GUNNISON LOCATION

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

A passenger boards an RTA bus last winter. The expanded winter schedule starts on Nov. 22. (Photo by Abby Harrison)

10(j) rule for gray wolf reintroduction released ahead of schedule

Special designation gives ranchers ability to kill wolves that prey on livestock

Bella Biondini Times Editor

The early release of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 10(j) rule will ensure local ranchers have the ability to kill wolves that attack or prey on their animals after the species is reintroduced to Colorado at the end of the year.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is responsible for reintroducing wolves in portions of the species’ historic range in Colorado by Dec. 31, 2023, following a statewide voter-led initiative passed in 2020. An experimental designation, or “10(j)” rule, will allow the wolves to be treated as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, rather than as endangered. This will give CPW increased management flexibility and permit the “lethal take” or killing of wolves in specific scenarios, such a chronic depredation.

On Sept. 15, the Fish and Wildlife Service announced the availability of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) and draft record of decision to establish an experimental population of gray wolves in Colorado. Following the announcement, the rule is

expected to be in place more than a month before the statutory deadline.

“This demonstrates a sincere and effective commitment by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to accomplish this task on a very accelerated timeline,” CPW Director Jeff Davis said in a press release. “National Environmental Policy Act work typically takes 2-3 years and it was accomplished in a little over a year and a half.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a bill that would have delayed wolf reintroduction until the Fish and Wildlife Service approved the rule. But Gunnison Valley ranchers have argued that the 10(j) rule will allow them to protect their livestock once wolves are on the ground, Greg Peterson said on behalf of the Gunnison Stockgrowers’ Association.

“This is key to having a successful wolf introduction into the Gunnison Basin,” he said.

Timeline and next steps

The rule is expected to go into effect sometime in November, well before wolf capture and release operations begin. No public comment period is open at this time. The Fish and Wildlife Service collected feedback from residents across the Western Slope last year.

CPW does not anticipate the early release of wolves, even though the 10(j) rule is ahead of schedule. The agency plans to wait until conditions are ideal to begin, but the first releases are still anticipated to occur prior to the Dec. 31 deadline.

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

3,808 S.F.,

New research describes value of prescribed fire in wilderness

“Deliberately restoring fire in order to avoid the negative outcomes of fuel buildup and climate change can increase the natural qualities of these places while honoring human relationships with the land that predated their designation as wilderness.”

ecosystems that are increasingly degraded by over a century of fire exclusion and the unprecedented effects of today’s wildfires,” said Sean Parks, research ecologist and co-author from the Wilderness Research Institute.

Many treasured wilderness areas were historically shaped by fire. Yet today, many wilderness landscapes are caught in the wildfire paradox. Widespread suppression and exclusion of burning over the last century have increased the likelihood of high-intensity fires, which are more damaging than restorative.

In December of 2022, experts from land management agencies, Tribes, and organizations across the country convened at the Wilderness and Fire Workshop in Gunnison to consider solutions to this dilemma, including the use of prescribed fire.

On Monday, Sept. 18, The Center for Public Lands at

Western Colorado University, in partnership with the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, released a synthesis paper titled “Prescribed Fire and U.S. Wilderness Areas: Barriers and Opportunities for Wilderness Fire Management in a Time of Change.” The paper presents the discussions of fire and wilderness experts from the workshop, including the opportunities they identified to help

overcome barriers to using prescribed fire in wilderness.

Jonathan Coop, Western Colorado University professor of environment and sustainability, has spent two decades studying the effects of fire on the landscape and is a principal investigator for this project.

“Many wilderness ecosystems were historically shaped by fires ignited by lightning and Indigenous peoples,” he said.

This synthesis paper incorporates the thinking of wilderness and fire managers, Tribal members, and others with decades of combined experience and research in the field of wilderness management and prescribed and managed fire. Evidence shows that the relationship between the land and fire has departed from historical norms because of human actions and a changed climate. The result is increasingly extreme wildfires that threaten a range of wilderness values, forest ecosystems, and society at large. According to workshop participants, prescribed burns present an opportunity to return balance to the forest ecosystem under more predictable and favorable conditions than those currently accompanying lightning strikes.

“Prescribed fire may be necessary to restore wilderness

There is strong agreement among experienced land managers that, in a landscape where the gap between current and ideal wilderness conditions is growing, fire should be able to move naturally across the landscape when people or property are not at risk. The synthesis paper also acknowledges challenges. Although prescribed burns aren’t prohibited by the Wilderness Act, they are rarely used as a management tool because of disagreement over the impacts fires have on wilderness values.

Western encourages policymakers, land managers, and conservation organizations to consider the paper’s findings when making decisions about forest management practices in wilderness areas.

(Source: Western Colorado University.)

‘We have both the opportunity and responsibility to recognize fire’s ability to renew the landscape’

A firefighter walks through burning sage. (Courtesy Jonathan Coop)

Crested Butte Film Festival around the corner

13th run welcomes new and returning filmmakers

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

The Crested Butte Film Festival is returning this year fully in-person, for the first time since the pandemic. Viewers will have a selection from 80 films that cover mountain biking, human-like robots and activism in Central American rainforests — all threaded with generational themes of love, loss and friendship. This year, the festival has welcomed more filmmakers than ever before.

“I think what we do for people that are interested in film, is say ‘This is what's out there and this is the level that you need to aspire to,’” said festival cofounder Michael Brody.

The festival kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 27 at the Majestic Theatre with the local film showcase, now in its second year. In 2021, Brody noticed that the festival had nearly 10 submissions from Crested Butte filmmakers. To tie in the work of local creatives, like acclaimed ski film company Matchstick Productions, with the storied reputation of filmmakers Edward Zwick and James Cameron, the festival started the locals showcase.

“It's a great way to get the community involved, because your friend or someone you work with or babysit for has a film playing … We like locals because it's happening here. And people will see Crested Butte on the big screen,” Brody said.

The festival is also hosting the first-ever Student Film Showcase, inspired by an increasing number of films submitted by student filmmakers, of impressive caliber and quality, Brody said. The showcase, which has six films, also

allows the festival to play a number of films that may not have had a home in any other category. This year, those young filmmakers hail from Florida State University, Chapman University and the American Film Institute.

Through the next five days, viewers can enjoy a number of documentaries and narrative fictional films, all screened at either the Majestic Theater and the Crested Butte Center for the Arts. On Friday, Sept. 29, director Bing Liu is returning to the festival with a film called “What the Hands Do,” which explores a young couple, both social justice activists, working through their shifting relationship with rock climbing. Liu grew up skateboarding in the Midwest, and said he saw himself in the pair, who were reckoning with how an once-loved industry was changing around them.

“What do you do about this community that, in many ways, made you who you are today, that you fell in love with and has become part of very much who you are,” Liu said. “What do you do with that community that sort of starts to feel like it's mirroring the same toxic things that are happening outside of that world?”

One film will have its world premiere at the festival. “In the Dirt” is a 40-minute film that follows mountain bikers from the Navajo Reservation. The film took four years to make, and the crew filmed over 30 cast members spread out over 28,000 square miles. While the subject matter of mountain biking will certainly pull many

Gunnison Valley residents into the theater, its exploration of homeland, displacement, belonging and mental health on the Navajo Nation provides a richer context for all viewers, Brody said.

“I'm so grateful that they allowed me the grace to fumble through being a learner, and tell a story to the degree that I can on things that we can relate to,” said director T.C. Johnstone. “There’s an entirely different culture that's in our backyard, and it's so accessible. The challenge was learning to build bridges. There's a distance between their world and mine, but the bike is a massive bridge.”

Over 30 people from the Navajo Reservation will travel to Crested Butte to meet locals and watch the premiere together. The Crested Butte Mountain Biking Association will also coordinate bike rides with the visitors so all have a chance to connect and learn more, through their shared medium.

“It’s a great environment to show films because there's people who are learners that understand the intersection of art, culture and story,” Johnstone said. “And it's fun. Some festivals, it's all business, but you get to actually play a little bit. It's a unique environment, it’s small. It’s intimate.”

For more information, visit cbfilmfest.org.

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

Behind the scenes with the cast of “In the Dirt.” (Courtesy T.C. Johnstone)

A day of wetland restoration

On Saturday, Sept. 16, High Country Conservation Advocates volunteers planted around 500 willow stakes near the Slate River. The Town of Crested Butte has been working to restore the Town Ranch wetland at this site. The long-term goal is to improve the existing willow complex, wildlife habitat and forage and the resiliency of the floodplain.

Choice Pass Sign Up Nights

(Courtesy Eli Smith)

SCAN TO PLACE AN AD

Classifieds BUILDING SUPPLIES

SKI LOCKER RENTALS: Tired of carrying your frozen ski boots and heavy skis to the base area? Skip the hassle this year and rent a ski locker in the newly renovated Axtel Locker Room, adjacent to the Silver Queen chairlift. Contact 970-349-2773 or Alex@ toadpropertymanagement.com for details.

CARS & TRUCKS

2018 GOLF SPORTSWAGON: 37,000 miles, 4WD manual, $20,000. 719-4279591.

EMPLOYMENT

EC ELECTRIC IS SEEKING

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

GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT

See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net

Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. As they excel in academics, athletics and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”

HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES

Bus Drivers Food Service-CBCS and GCS

Special Needs Educational Assistants

SPED Educational Assistant-GES and GMS

ELL Educational Assistant-CBCS Building Manager-CBCS

Assistant Building Manager-CBCS

Lead Custodian-Lake School

Permanent Substitute-CBSS, GHS, GCS Substitute Teachers

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Counselor-CBES

ELL Teacher-GES

COACHING

GHS-Speech and Debate

CLASSIFIEDS

EMPLOYMENT A15

REAL ESTATE A16

RENTALS A16

LEGALS

NOTICES A16

COMMUNITY

CROSSWORD A16

401K, insurance, paid vacations. 40 hour work week.

Apply at John Roberts Motor Works.

THE MT. CRESTED BUTTE WATER AND 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 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-$51,500 for entry level. $58,000-$75,000 salary available for operators with experience and appropriate state licenses. Excellent benefits package including 100% employer paid premium family health, dental, vision 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, P.O. Box 5740, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225 or email info@mcbwsd.com. Position is open until filled. MCBWSD is an equal opportunity employer.

MOUNTAIN ROOTS FOOD PROJECT is seeking a hydroponic farm assistant in Gunnison. This part-time position, with potential for growth, will assist the farm manager in all aspects of the cultivation of herbs and vegetables. Starting pay rate is $19 per hour. Please send resume with two references and cover letter to collin@ mountainrootsfoodproject.org.

FRITO LAY IS HIRING for a route sales position in Gunnison,CO. Are you looking for a job that doesn’t require sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day? Here’s a fantastic opportunity: the starting salary is $63,000 with a $1,000 sign-on bonus. Work for a wellestablished company offering benefits that work as hard as you do, with industry-leading day one healthcare coverage, savings and investments to support different life stages and continued education opportunities. Visit fritolayemployment.com to apply today.

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY

invites applications for the full-time position of Mountain Sports Coordinator. The Mountain Sports program exists to augment the Western experience for over 100 athletes participating in the seven competitive teams. Duties include supporting administrative function, recruiting, fundraising, alumni communication, media and marketing and oversight of student staff. The position reports to the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation: Mountain Sports (ADCR –MS) and works closely with the Mountain Sports coaches to support the development of Mountain Sports athletes. View the full job announcement and apply at western.edu/ jobs.

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE

TECHNICIANS WANTED TO JOIN THE SEALCO TEAM: $33+ hourly - $1,800+ weekly potential with performance and safety bonuses. Seeking motivated, hardworking and dependable individuals. No experience necessary. On the job training working outdoors. Paid weekly. Must be capable of lifting 60 pounds. Email resumes to Aaron@sealcoincorporated.com or call 970-641-4260.

4 DAY WORK WEEK M-TH (4x10)

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.

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT

*Housing is held for Gunnison County employees and may be available to rent*

Public Health Nurse II – Child Care

Health Consultant HHS: 6 hours/week, hourly rate range from $32.03-$36.47, plus partial benefits.

Public Health Nurse II – Substance Abuse Prevention, Juvenile Services: 20 hours/week, hourly rate range from $32.03-$38.94, plus partial benefits.

Family Services Supervisor

HHS: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $6,238-$7,584, plus full benefits.

Senior Administrative Assistant

Community Development: 40 hours/ week, monthly salary range from $3,990-$4,850, plus full benefits.

Airport Operations Manager Airport: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $6,238-$8,194, plus full benefits.

Summer Seasonal

Please contact: Superintendent’s Office JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@gunnisonschools.net

SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for laborers in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience required not required, but preferred. Must be able to assist laborer performing physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $22/hr or higher depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction.com.

TOAD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is seeking a full-time maintenance technician for a large condominium building in Mt. Crested Butte. This position provides housing, competitive pay, ski pass and more. We are seeking a fun, hardworking, detailed-oriented, responsible and experienced individual to join our team. To submit your resume, please go to ToadPropertyManagement.com/ employment or give us a call at 970-3492773.

ELEVEN EXPERIENCE is seeking candidates for our snowcat driver position for our cat skiing operation at Irwin. This position requires the ability to work in an alpine environment with high physical demands and long days. The role is guest-facing and requires not only safe equipment operation but also a level of hospitality and interaction with clientele. Snowcat operating experience preferred, heavy equipment operating experience a plus. We’re looking for a hard-working team player with attention to detail, good communication skills and a strong desire to provide a superior guest experience. Marker certification, CPR/First Aid, and ability to ride a snowmobile preferred, training provided for otherwise qualified applicants. Professional appearance a must. Clean motor vehicle record mandatory. Please send resume and cover letter to jobs@elevenexperience.com. More information about our company can be found at irwinguides.com and elevenexperience. com. The winter seasonal position starts at $180-$200 per day plus tips, depending on experience and qualifications.

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

CAREGIVER: Tom Morton’s family is looking for a caregiver. Position pay: $30 an hour and 5 days a week. Duties include companionship, light housekeeping, errand services and grocery shopping. Email tommy.mortom11@gmail.com for more details.

INTERESTED IN A CAREER WITH BENEFITS? The Crested Butte Bank, a branch of the Gunnison Bank and Trust Company, has an opening for a full-time teller to join the operations side of our growing bank. Applicants should have strong customer service skills, the ability to multitask, and a willingness to learn. GB&T fosters a learning environment where you will gain exposure to multiple areas of the bank with a strong foundation in operations. Pay starting at $18. Robust benefits package includes 401(k), medical insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and disability insurance (ST and LT). Pooled transportation is available. Send resume to abrown@crestedbuttebank. com or lbeda@gunnisonbank.com.

IRWIN BACKCOUNTRY GUIDES is seeking on-mountain hospitality candidates for our cat skiing operation. Position requires ability to work in an alpine environment with high physical demands and long days. This role is guest-facing and applicants must have a strong desire to provide exceptional hospitality to a high-end clientele while maintaining a professional appearance. The diversity of this role requires experience in both food preparation and mountain operations, as well as a hard-working team player with attention to detail and good communication skills. Marker certification, CPR/First Aid and the ability to operate a snowmobile is preferred. Clean motor vehicle record mandatory. Full-time and part-time winter positions available starting in Nov. Please send resume and cover letter to jobs@elevenexperience.com. More

Public Works: Guaranteed 40 hours/ week, hourly rate range from $15.75$22.28 depending on experience, plus partial benefits. Outdoor work that includes traffic control, fencing, tree and brush removal, trail work, recycling, equipment training and much more, all in a 4-day work week.

Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,552$7,853 plus full benefits.

Detention Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,989$7,057 plus full benefits. Only work 14 days a month.

For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/ jobs.

information about our company can be found at irwinguides.com and elevenexperience. com. This is a winter seasonal position starting Nov. 25 through Apr. 15 and starts at $180-$230 per day, plus tips depending on experience and qualifications.

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

ICLEAN IN CRESTED BUTTE is looking for cleaners. Pay DOE. Please call 970-3312417. Buscamos limpiadores. Por favor, comuníquese con IClean a 970-331-2417. Para trabajar en Crested Butte.

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE in CB

South is currently hiring an afternoon Pre-K teacher M-F. This is a fantastic opportunity for a rewarding career in teaching with lots of growth potential. Experience a plus, but training and education paid for. Very competitive pay plus a great benefits package. Flexible schedule needed, plus positive mindset, creativity and ability to be quick on your feet. Please inquire with resume and interest letter to Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@gmail.com.

SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for dump truck drivers in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience of 3-5 years required. Must be able to assist laborer performing physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $25-$38 depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction.com.

TOAD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is seeking dynamic individuals to join our property management and maintenance team. Year-round and seasonal maintenance positions available for someone with a strong attention to detail, hard work ethic and passionate about career

JOHN ROBERTS MOTOR WORKS SEEKS COLLISON CENTER TECHNICIANS AND AUTOMOTIVE CENTER TECHNICIANS.

Gunnison Country Times

growth. Maintenance duties are subject, but not limited to, operating our snow cats, shoveling, irrigation, lawn care and general maintenance. Toad offers competitive pay, ski passes and housing. To submit your resume, please go to ToadPropertyManagement. com/employment.

SERVICE PLUMBER TECHNICIAN:

Timberline Mechanical Contracting is looking for a service technician for troubleshooting and plumbing repair. Plumbing and customer service experience preferred. We offer high pay, paid holidays, paid vacation, health insurance and ski pass. Clean driving record is mandatory.

Timberline Mechanical Contracting

Crested Butte, CO. Phone: 970-349-5679. Email info@timberlinemech.com.

CREW MEMBER: JMJK LLC. Multiple openings in Gunnison, CO. Perform duties which combine taking orders, preparing, and serving foods and beverages. Full-time position. Wage at least $17/hr. To apply, go to bit.ly/3sHUbyb.

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.

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time and fulltime seasonal positions: line cooks and dishwasher, $20-$25/hr. + gratuity, general facility maintenance, $18-$20/hr., front desk attendants, $16-$20/hr., greens and maintenance techs, $20-$23/hr. Employee benefits include complimentary golf rounds and employee discounts. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com or email jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.

HEARTH DESIGN BUILD: Small, local, dynamic firm dedicated to community housing. Seeking passionate and driven individuals. Experience appreciated, not necessary. 802-595-9576, hearthdesignbuild.org, hearthdesignbuild@ gmail.com.

CRESTED BUTTE LAND TRUST is hiring a full time conservation manager. Reporting to the executive director, the focus of the conservation manager is to work with private landowners, municipalities, state and federal land managers to acquire and conserve priority lands using a suite of land protection tools in the Gunnison Valley. The conservation manager works closely with the stewardship director to monitor and maintain the Crested Butte Land Trust’s existing portfolio of conservation assets. Applicants should have experience developing relationships with landowners and land managers, natural resource management and grant writing. Previous conservation experience is preferred. A proven ability to excel in a small team environment is a must. Annual salary will start between $50-60K DOE. Benefits include medical, paid time off and retirement. Crested Butte Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Email cover letter and resume to jake@cblandtrust.org.

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-

CLUES

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY

Western’s benefit package includes a retirement plan, generous employer contributions to medical/dental insurance, employee and dependent tuition benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave and paid holidays. Employees receive basic life insurance and disability insurance at no cost. Employee wellness programs are available for FREE.

Accounts Payable Analyst (full-time): Responsibilities include providing professional accounting services in AP and other accounting areas, reviewing invoices and reimbursements for compliance with policy, answering campus questions about travel policies and AP procedures and reviewing/interpreting/applying University fiscal rules and relevant IRS rules.

Administrative Assistant II – Art and Music (fulltime): Responsibilities include administrative and clerical operations, budgeting, purchasing, information coordination, scheduling, student worker supervision and building management for the Art and Music Departments on campus.

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

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.

THE TOWN OF MT. CRESTED BUTTE is hiring a maintenance worker: Maintenance duties vary from season to season and will include but are not limited to snow shoveling, plowing of the Mt. Crested Butte roads and various parking lots, maintaining town equipment and vehicles, emptying trash cans, repairing fence lines, building maintenance, road maintenance including sweeping, flagging, filling potholes, maintaining the town’s ditches and culverts. Class B commercial driver’s license or the ability to obtain one is required for this position. This position is subject to preemployment and random drug testing as per federal law regarding the Class B commercial driver’s license. Starting pay range is $48,590-$56,436 for entry level and up to $65,311 for highly accredited, qualified and experienced applicants.

This position is full-time, year-round. The Town offers a generous benefits package: full health, vision and dental insurance premiums paid for you and your immediately family, paid life insurance, retirement plan through PERA, 12 paid holidays, generous vacation time, wellness program, Aflac and more. All positions require a clean, sevenyear driving record.

For the full job description and more information please visit mtcb.colorado. gov/employment. To apply for a position please email your resume, cover letter and three references to Tiffany O’Connell at toconnell@mtcb.colorado.gov.

DAVID GROSS GENERAL CONTRACTOR is seeking a responsible construction trash dump driver with valid license. Duties include driving trash dumpsters to Gunnison landfill. Additional duties include general labor and job site cleaning. $27.50 per hour, health insurance, ski pass. Please call David at 970-901-1798.

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 date of employment. Experience driving loaders, rollers, backhoes and other heavy equipment required. This is a full-time position with benefits. Starting pay is $47,220-$57,500 DOQ. Benefits include fully subsidized medical, dental and vision insurance. Paid holidays, vacation time, sick time, disability insurance. Life insurance and retirement are also position benefits. Full job description is available on the town’s website at townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit application via email to jobs@crestedbutteco.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ID SCULPTURE IS HIRING

Interested in making the world’s best playgrounds, climbing boulders and interactive art? ID Sculpture designs and manufactures climbing boulders, playground sculptures and fine art sculptures for parks, schools and public spaces across the country. We use a combination of technology and traditional methods to create unique interactive environments.

IDS provides secure, year-round indoor and outdoor work in a unique fabrication environment with opportunity for travel and room for advancement. We offer benefits including PTO, healthcare and retirement. ID Sculpture is an equal opportunity employer.

We are currently seeking:

Production Assistant(s): Ideal candidates possess a positive attitude, good work ethic and are eager to learn. Applicants must have physical strength, hand-eye coordination, and endurance. Initial responsibilities are to provide general labor and assist artists, fabricators and shipping departments as needed. Compensation is $20-$25 per hr. depending on prior construction experience and/or aptitude.

Project Fabricator(s): The ideal candidate for this position has construction trades experience, welding experience, the ability to work well with a team and a positive attitude. Initial responsibilities are to fabricate various components for standard and custom products. Compensation is $23-$30 per hr. depending on prior construction experience and/or aptitude.

Project Sculptor(s): The ideal candidate for this position has a passion for creating works of art, ability to work well with a team, fastidious attention to detail, a positive attitude, experience sculpting concrete, rock climbing, course setting and construction trades experience. Initial responsibilities are hands on sculpting of foam, concrete, and epoxy. Compensation is $24.50-$55.00 per hr. depending on familiarity with IDS process, prior experience, employment references and body of work.

To apply for this unique opportunity, please provide a resumé, cover letter and references to hello@idsculpture.com with

the position of interest in the subject line, or drop off your resume at 591 S. Boulevard St. Gunnison, CO 81230. Learn more about what we do at idsculpture. com.

JOIN BRIGHT FUTURES EARLY CHILDHOOD AMERICORPS PROGRAM and serve in an early childcare center in Gunnison. Housing and stipend available, education award and professional development to gain. ECE certification is provided. Contact Kaity at AmeriCorps@ brightfuturesforchildren.org or 970-7285613.

GARAGE / YARD SALES

STORAGE UNIT SALE: New merchandise added weekly. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday. 108 S. 11th, alley side.

NOTICE

AUCTION: Gunnison Secure Storage, 1018 HWY. 135, will be auctioning unit C39 belonging to Jamie Carter on Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. Contents unknown at this time. Bidding starts shortly after 10 a.m. Call 970-6425080 with questions.

REAL ESTATE

PRIME OFFICE SPACE on Main St. Five private offices. Client waiting/conference room, reception desk, 12 paved parking spaces. Call or text 970-596-9999 for more info.

HOME FOR SALE: 1700 sq. ft. 2020 build. Very accessible single story home in great west Gunnison location. For further details enter 600 Carbon Court, Gunnison, CO into Zillow search and/or contact terravistalimited@gmail.com, 970-497-9113.

WANTED

SEEKING TWO RIDING/PACK HORSES for 2nd rifle season. I have all other gear needed, just looking for the horses and bridles. 2nd Elk season unit 55. Oct. 27-Nov.

6. $1,500. Please call 970-349-6281.

Legals

AGENDA

Work Session Agenda September 25, 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 items:

1. Learning Coach Program UpdateLearning Coach Specialist Andy Hanks

2. Educational Technology Tools - Innovative Learning Specialist Katie Gallagher

3. Free and Reduced UpdateSuperintendent Dr. Leslie Nichols

4. Multilingual Learners UpdateSuperintendent Dr. Leslie Nichols Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado

Publication date of Sept. 21, 2023 10808

PUBLIC NOTICE

MEETING NOTICE

Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District Board of Directors Meeting Monday, September 25, 2023 5:30 PM

The Board of Directors of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) will conduct a regular board meeting on Monday, August 28, 2023 at 5:30 PM at the UGRWCD Offices, 210 W. Spencer Ave., St. B, Gunnison, CO 81230 and via Zoom video/teleconferencing. Please contact the District at 970-6416065 for Zoom login information. A meeting agenda will be posted at the District Office prior to the meeting.

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of Sept. 21, 2023 10741

Colorado Statewide Network

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

DIRECTV

DIRECTV Sports Pack 3 Months on us! Watch pro and college sports LIVE, Plus over 40 regional and specialty networks included. NFL, College Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, Golf and more. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-725-0897

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Don't let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call

PORTABLE

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CROSSWORD ANSWERS FOR

Food Pantry moves into new digs

The Gunnison Country Food Pantry has started moving food, fridges, pallets and shelves to its new location on 114 S. 14th St. The new space is four times the size of the old spot and includes more storage space, a first-ever office for employees and a board room. The Food Pantry remains closed for food distribution this week at its old location, but plans to reopen to the public next week. A grand opening is scheduled for early October.

Bethany Church

909 N Wisconsin St. (behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144

Two services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

FREE lunch for college students following the 10:30 a.m. service gunnisonbethany.com

9 a.m.: Family Service with nursery & children’s church

Check out our website for updates!

Or download our app on the App Store by searching, Gunnison Bethany.

B'nai Butte Congregation

PO Box 2537 Crested, Butte CO 81224 305-803-3648

All High holy Day services will be held at Queen of All Saints Church Parish Hall (401 Sopris Ave), unless noted elsewhere.

Monday, September 25, 2023: Yom Kippur services/Shacharit to begin at 10am followed by discussion-The book of Jonah

6:30 p.m.: Yizkor Service, 7:00pm: Ne’ila Service 7:30 p.m.: Break the fast potluckpls bring a dish/drink to share.

Spiritual Leader: Rabbi Mark Kula; available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com (305) 803-3648 www.bnaibutte.org

Church of Christ

600 E. Virginia • 970-641-1588

Sunday Morning Bible Class: 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship: 6 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Class: 7 p.m.

New Song Christian Fellowship

Faith Directory

The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church

The Rising Church

92 C.R. 17 • 970-444-1545

Service times:

77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034

A Christ Centered Gospel Sharing Community where we want to be part of a community who encourage and support one another in our spiritual journey.

Sunday 10 a.m. / Wednesday 7 p.m. www.newsonggunnison.net

Community Church of Gunnison

107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 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, 9-4

For more info: ccgunnison.com or email info@ccgunnison.com

Join us in-person, listen to our broadcast on 98.3 FM, or view online stream on YouTube

Transforming Lives • Building Community

First Baptist Church

120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240

Pastor Jonathan Jones

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 p.m. - Children's Patch Club

Gunnison Bible Institute

Thursday 7 p.m. - College & Career Christian Fellowship www.firstbaptistgunnison.org.

307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429

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, 403 Maroon Ave., Crested Butte.

Gunnison

Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203

Open and Affirming Whole Earth · Just Peace Sunday, 10:00 a.m.

Casual, Relaxed, “Come As You Are” Worship www.gunnisonucc.org

Grace Covenant

Church Gunnison

101 N. 8th St. Gunnison

Meeting at the Historic 8th St School House

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 • 970-641-1860 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

Sundays @ 9:30 a.m., Men’s and Women’s group, Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m. Rising Gen (youth ministry) Thursdays @ 6 p.m. Gunnisonrising.church for more details!

Rocky Mountain Christian Ministries

1040 Highway 135 (1/4 mile N. of Spencer Ave.) • 970-641-0158

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m. Nursery and Children’s ministry through Middle School

“Remedy” Worship Nights

Small Group Ministries www.rmcmchurch.org

St. Peter’s Catholic Church 300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808 Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago www.gunnisoncatholic.org

www.crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.

St. Peter's - Gunnison Sat 8:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m. & Sun 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. (Spanish) Mass

First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass 11 a.m. Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30 a.m. Mass St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Mass Service, Sat 4 p.m.

Trinity Baptist Church

523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813

Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks

Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.

Adult Bible Study 8 a.m. www.trinitybaptistsgunnison.com

(Photos by Abby Harrison)

Lights & Sirens

ANIMAL: NOTIFICATION OF BITE

— 520 W. ELIZABETH AVE.

WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — 501 E. TOMICHI

AVE.

PROPERTY - LOST — 910 W.

BIDWELL AVE.

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMA -

NENTLY DEPRIVE — 415 W. AR -

THUR AVE.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS: THIRD DE-

GREE — 505 E. GEORGIA AVE.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — 400 E. TOMICHI AVE.

AVE.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE -

DRUGS — 300 E. NEW YORK AVE.

TRAFFIC - NPOI — FRONTAGE RD.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — 400 E.

TOMICHI AVE.

SEPT 12

ACCIDENT — 300 E. DENVER AVE.

DISTURBING THE PEACE — 420 N.

BOULEVARD ST.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE

TO PROPERTY — 410 S. 10TH ST.

NUISANCE CODE VIOLATION —

124 E. NEW YORK AVE.

NUISANCE CODE VIOLATION —

601 N. TAYLOR ST.

WELFARE ASSIST — 901 W. DEN -

VER AVE.

SEPT 13

WELFARE ASSIST – N. MAIN ST.

INFORMATION — 600 N. COLORA-

DO ST.

HARASSMENT: MUNICIPAL — 500

E. GOTHIC AVE.

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A

CHILD: POSSESSES/VIEWS — N.

COLORADO ST.

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMA -

NENTLY DEPRIVE — 900 N. MAIN

ST.

INFORMATION — 1200 W. HWY. 50

THEFT — 108 S. 12TH ST.

PROPERTY - FOUND — 100 N. WIS-

CONSIN ST.

SEPT 14

DISORDERLY CONDUCT: UTTER -

ANCE/GESTURE/DISPLAY — 800

E. TOMICHI AVE.

CHILD ABUSE

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF — 501 E.

TOMICHI AVE.

THEFT - LESS THAN $100: SHOP-

LIFTING — 900 N. MAIN ST.

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMA -

NENTLY DEPRIVE — 218 W. HWY.

50

BURGLARY: SECOND DEGREE — 300 N. COLORADO ST.

ADMIN - UNASSIGNED INCIDENT

— 200 E. VIRGINIA AVE.

PROPERTY WATCH

SEPT 15

CIVIL PROBLEM — 302 1/2 S. 11TH

ST.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT: URINAT-

ING/DEFECATING IN PUBLIC — 111

N. MAIN ST.

SPECIAL OFFENDER - IN FUR -

THERANCE OF CONSPIRACY —

308 S. 12TH ST.

SEPT 16

WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JU-

RISDICTION — 312 E. TOMICHI

AVE.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE -

ALCOHOL — 400 W. TOMICHI AVE.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE -

DRUGS — W. NEW YORK AVE.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT - COARSE

OR OFFENSIVE — 804 N. MAIN ST.

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

SEPT 8

-Welfare check

-Western Colorado University Mountain Rescue Team went out for a motorcycle rider with a possible broken ankle

-Civil issue concerning a trailer on private property

-Found property and owner located

-Vehicle fire

-Complaint on campers at Hartman's

SEPT 9

-Agency assist to the Gunnison Plice Department with a DUI arrest

-Barking dog complaint

-Neighbor disputes in Marble - obstructed highway

-Search and rescue with WCU MRT for a person who broke their ankle

-County resolution #2018-30 - vicious dog - bite report

-Unattended death

-Agency assist to the GPD with a disturbance call

-Noise complaint at Lottis Creekunfounded

-Welfare check

SEPT 11

-Lost purse reported from the base of Cottonwood Pass

-Deputies were called to dispatch a deer injured in vehicle accident

-Agency assist to the Colorado State Patrol with a car accident

-Agency assist to the GPD with a welfare check

-Impersonating a public servant report

-Out-of-county warrant arrest

SEPT 11

-Information report outside our county

-Search and rescue - overdue hikers found safe by WCU MRT

-Agency assist to the GPD with a road rage incident

SEPT 14

-Violation of protection order

-Deputies informed someone selling items on Hwy. 135 that they could not without a Colorado sales tax license and instructed them to discontinue their operation

-Vin check x 3

-County ordinance #2018-30 - dog at large - deputies took a found, friendly, healthy, clean, female red heeler to the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League, where she was given food and water

-Deputies issued a citation for no proof of insurance and failing to display lamps when required

High mountain wine

Glass half-full for Lake City festivalgoers

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Under the shadow of the San Juan Mountains, wine connoisseurs, families, lovers and Front Rangers gathered to celebrate the turning of the season with wine that flowed ceaselessly from morning until evening. Homemade charcuterie boards dotted Town Park in Lake City, from mini Igloo coolers of grapes and Cracker Barrel cheese to expansive spreads of berries, artisanal crackers and freshly-sliced prosciutto. To stave off the nip of fall, festivalgoers took to the grassy dance floor between sips to swing their partners ‘round.

The Lake City Uncorked Wine and Music Festival is an annual event meant to bring locals and tourists together to celebrate the end of summer. People gathered in Town Park on Saturday, Sept. 16 for a day of Cabernet, Rosé and Chardonnays — all sipped from glasses hand-painted with Colorado blue columbines. The event was scored with live music that spanned honky-tonk

tunes to Stevie Nicks-inspired late 20th century rock.

“If you wanted to pick a day to see all of your old friends, it's the festival. I see people meeting people that they have known before in other places, like ‘Oh my God! Here's this friend of mine from Alamosa I haven’t seen for 20 years.’ It’s that great celebration. It's small town. It’s like coming home,” said Lake City Downtown Improvement and Revitalization Team (DIRT) Executive Director Kristine Borchers.

Ticket sale proceeds from the event support DIRT projects, which aim to preserve the town’s rich history as one of the major Colorado silver camps, by strengthening the local economy and supporting businesses.

DIRT is an accredited Colorado Main Street Program, which brings state funds to small towns to support historic revitalization. That work includes hanging flower baskets along Main Street, installing artistic bike racks in Town Park or putting in Dark Sky-compliant lamp posts.

This year, 942 bottles of wine were poured in the name of community revitalization. Each year, the festival brings around $12,000, Borchers said. But DIRT’s board estimates the overall economic impact, from

people going to restaurants and shopping locally, is closer to $350,000.

The first glasses of celebratory wine were poured over two decades ago, when Lake City Chamber of Commerce President Sam Bracken and local musician Eric Nice brainstormed how to extend shoulder season and keep second homeowners local through the fall. The pair cobbled together the first version of Uncorked, comprised of a couple flatbed trailers and one long tent that took up less than a quarter of Town Park.

“It’s to create a reason to come to Lake City and Hinsdale County in the fall. Come to the festival and then go climb a fourteener, take a drive and look at the leaves or visit the museum,” Borchers said. “Building that shoulder season has just been an ongoing effort for 30 years.”

The event was also put on in honor of Lake City local and beloved community organizer Bill Hall after he died of prostate cancer. After spending his childhood summers in the Lake City area at the Ute Trail Boys Camp, Hall moved there in 1972 to pursue the beloved, rugged lifestyle of the Mountain West. Years later, the rest of his family followed.

Lake City resident Carol Ann Howard painted glasses for her friends. (Photos by Abby Harrison)

GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

Wine festival, B2

Hundreds of bottles stretched along tables at the wine tent and volunteers served all day long.

Wine festival

from B1

“That was the dream, to just be these hearty mountain men that they had admired, maybe growing up or from their generation,” said DIRT board member Danielle Worthen. She is also Hall’s niece.

In the first few years, the event raised money for prostate cancer testing, and was even able to help a couple of Hinsdale County men pay for cancer treatment. In 2010, DIRT inherited the festival and has

grown the seasonal party each year. Nice fostered connections around the country with bigger artists, exchanging promises of mountain town beauty for a performance.

Nowadays, growth is the most formidable challenge facing festival organizers. What many love about Uncorked — the small-town, family reunion feel — could be jeopardized in the future as attendance continues to grow, Worthen said. The event is so popular that some business owners close down just to attend, slimming local offerings that stay open during

the weekend.

“Everywhere is packed that third week in September, which is fantastic. It didn't always used to be that way,” Worthen said. “But then the flip side, which is how we're figuring out to evolve, is ‘Okay, if all these restaurants shut down and places

shut down to come enjoy the festival, how do we get [festivalgoers] fed? What if people come over and need a place to eat?’”

Despite an evolving future, Uncorked will always be akin to a large, drama-free family reunion, meant to bring old friends back together, Borchers

said. No matter the size, wine will flow, music will seep from the park’s edges and all in Lake City will need a reason to celebrate.

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

Especially

devoted festivalgoers were adorned with wine-related memorabilia, including corks and wine glasses used as head pieces.

Each year, Uncorked brings nearly a thousand wine- and music-lovers to Town Park.

Bill Hall in the late 90s, surveying a property for his real estate company. (Courtesy Danielle Worthen)

Two festivalgoers take to the dance floor while the “mischevious, high-brow honkey tonk” Sugar Britches play.

A group of friends, dressed to the (w)ines, pose for a photo.

Wreaths for you and me

Alexis Taylor of Sundrop Flora taught a group how to make dried flower wreaths at the Gunnison Senior Center on Sept. 13. Coco Haskstaff and her daughter, Jennifer Hutchison, showed off the wreaths they made together. Haskstaff is a resident of the Gunnison Valley Health Assisted Living Center, while Hutchison is an active member at the Senior Center.

SAVE MONEY AND INCREASE COMFORT

PEOPLE & HAPPENINGS

Health care for veterans

Veterans who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat zones have a special opportunity to enroll directly in Veterans Affairs health care without first applying for VA benefits. If you are a veteran who deployed to a combat zone, but never enrolled in VA health care, and left active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Oct. 1, 2013, you are eligible to enroll directly in VA health care. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. local time on Sept. 30, 2023. Visit VA.gov/PACT for more information and to apply.

Gunnison Food Pantry temporary closure

The Gunnison Food Pantry is moving and anticipates closure through Sept. 22. They plan to re-open for regular distribution on Sept. 24. Volunteers are needed to help with the move. Get updates via Facebook, Instagram, or by calling 970.641.4156. Visit gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org for more info.

School board candidate forum

The League of Women Voters of the Gunnison Valley will host a school board candidate forum on Sept. 26 at the Mallardi Theatre in Crested Butte. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Questions were solicited from the community and selected by the LWVGV School Election Task Force to ensure they apply to all candidates and cover a wide variety of issues and topics. The candidates received these questions in advance. This event is designed to be a forum, rather than a debate, so candidates can share their vision and policy positions for the school district. The forum will be moderated by Crested Butte Mayor Ian Billick and will begin promptly at 6 p.m. It will be broadcast live on KBUT at 88.7 FM

in Gunnison and 90.3 FM in Crested Butte. Audio recordings will be available at lwvgunnison.org after the event.

TICtalks: These Wild Lands

The Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley and Western Colorado University are partnering to present TICtalks: These Wild Lands on Thursday, Sept. 28 in the University Center Theatre on campus. In the fourth installment of TICtalks, attendees will hear from Western faculty, alum, students and collaborators who all have deep ties to and unique knowledge of the lands that surround us. Four speakers — Anna Coburn, James Calabaza, Quincy Knight, and Jonathan Coop — will take the stage, followed by an extended conversation happy hour in the University Center Lobby. Doors open at 7:15 p.m., and the show will get started at 7:30. A cash bar will serve libations. Admission is free. Tickets can be reserved at cfgv.org/tictalks.

Climate march

The Gunnison Valley Climate Crisis March will take place on Sept. 21 at 5:30 p.m., beginning at Six Points and following Main Street to IOOF Park for a gathering of community non-profits and guest speaker Dr. Ricardo Vazquez-Perales. This event is organized by the Gunnison Valley Climate Crisis Coalition.

Walk for Life

Walk, run or ride to support local families through Legacy Family Ministries on Sept. 24 from 1-3 p.m., starting at the Jorgensen Park Pavilion. Walking tacos prepared by Chef Mark Higgins will be provided along the route. Registration is $25 at lfmgunnison.org or by calling 970.596.1706.

Ongoing Senior Services

SENIOR MEALS: The Gunnison Senior Center serves meals to community members ages 55 & up Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Costs: $5.00 per person. Meals feature locally raised produce and meats, and home-style cooked food with homemade breads & desserts. Advance orders requested! 970-641-8272

Delivery Assistance Hotline: (970) 641-7959 - assistance with ordering, pick-up and delivery of groceries and prescription medications. This includes deliveries from the Food Bank

SENIOR CENTER PROGRAMS

• Sept. 26: HIKE – Copper Lake. Rated Intermediate/Difficult (length & elevation gain). RSVP required.

• Sept. 28: HIKE – Special Kay’s Fall Leaf-Peeping Hike. Location TBD, rated Easy. RSVP required.

Senior Meals: (970) 641-8272 for advance orders OR (970) 641-2107 for same-day service Pick-up or delivery only! Meals served Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays Please note: all meals, all days are $4 during this time Order in advance if possible! Upcoming menu:

• Oct. 3: HIKE – Cottonwood North. Rated Easy +. RSVP Required.

• Oct. 4 (1PM): Book Club. October’s book “The Night Watchman” by Louise Erdrich. Call Judy for more info: 973-584-4987.

• Oct. 5: Last Hike of the Season! Pass Creek Trail – for Fall color. Rated Easy. RSVP Required.

• March 27: Lasagna, green beans, salad, garlic bread, dessert

• March 30: Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, fruit, dessert

Regular Activities: Mondays – Bridge @ 1pm; Tuesdays – Mahjong @ 10am & Canasta @ 2pm; Wednesdays – Book Club @ 1pm on 1st Weds. of month; Thursdays – Bridge @ 1pm; Fridays – Art Club @ 12:30pm & Mahjong @ 1pm.

• April 1: Stew, carrot/raisin salad, Mandarin oranges, rolls, dessert

All RSVPs and more info on Senior Center programs: egillis@gunnisonco.gov or 970-6418272.

Senior Shopping Hours:

FITNESS @ THE REC CENTER – Sign up at the Rec Center front desk!

• City Market – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays (7AM – 8AM)

Mondays & Wednesdays in the Gym

• Silver Sneakers Boom Muscle @ 9:30am

• Safeway – Tuesdays & Thursdays (7AM – 9AM)

• Silver Sneakers Classic @ 10:15am

• Walmart – Tuesdays (6AM – 7AM)

• Gunnison Vitamin & Health Food Store – Monday - Saturday (8AM – 9AM)

Tuesdays @ 10AM in the Leisure Pool

• Silver Sneakers Splash Class (all levels)

• Clark’s Market (Crested Butte) – Every day (8AM – 9AM)

SENIOR MEALS

Self-reporting Form: www gunnisoncounty org /covid19

Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays @ 11:30am. $5.00 per meals. Advanced orders appreciate (24 hours). Pick-ups between 11am – 11:15am (advanced orders only).

ORDER MEALS: 970-641-8272

MENU: (all meals come with dessert!)

If you have symptoms but are otherwise OK, please fill out the form. If you cannot fill out the form, call the Call Center (970) 641-7660

• Mon., Sept. 25: Chicken Enchiladas, summer squash, Jello with fruit

• Weds., Sept. 27: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, roasted winter squash

• Fri., Sept. 29: Chicken Salad, homemade bread, coleslaw

Call Center: (970) 641-7660 If you are having symptoms, cannot fill out the online form, or your symptoms are worsening, call the Call Center DO NOT go to your doctor ’s or the hospital If it is an emergency, call 911

Walk-in & visitors welcome! Homebound adults ages 55 & up eligible for delivery. If you need a ride, call GVH Senior Bus @ 970-596-6700 (call in advance).

Please practice social isolation. Remain 6 feet or more from others when needing to be out, but staying at home if at all possible

ONGOING SERVICES

Gunnison Country Food Pantry – Mondays (1pm – 4pm), Wednesdays (1pm – 7pm), Thursdays for 60+ (10am – 2pm). Contact: 970-641-4156, Located on the SW Corner of Main St. & Ohio Ave. GVH Senior Bus: 7 days a week, 9am – 4pm. Call in advance! 970-596-6700.

The Gunnison Senior Center & Community Recreation Center is closed until April 30th.

Crested Butte Senior Bus: Monday thru Friday, 9am – 4pm. Services Montrose & Grand Junction for medical appointments. Call at least 1 week in advance, or more. 970-275-4768. Gunnison County HHS Senior Resource Office: Call for appointments. 970-641-3244.

Local news on any device.

STARTING AT $3/ wk., $40/ 6mo., $60/ yr. gunnisontimes.com

(Courtesy Elizabeth Gillis)

A thousand stitches and more

Local artist recreates

‘2001: A Space Odyssey’

Bella Biondini Times Editor

From up close, each of Allison Sinkewich’s cross stitch panels looks like a scattered collection of tiny, technicolor squares. But a step back brings each pixelated image to life, retelling the epic science fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey” in vivid hues.

Although the individual pieces are not very large, and about the size of a letter box, each has a few thousand stitches — all hand-sewn by the local artist. Full of color, they sit on black backgrounds to mimic the sensation of floating through space. This body of work, titled “Odyssey,” will be on display this month at Paige Stewart Studio at 723 S. 9th Street.

Allison learned to cross stitch when she was about 5 years old, sewing doll clothes with her mom and grandmother. Cross stitch is a form of sewing in which “X”-shaped stitches in a tiled pattern are used to form a pixelated image or design. Today, Allison creates her own panels using a special online software that converts pictures into patterns and helps her match thread colors.

“I used this really old art form to encapsulate a movie’s idea of what the future would be, even though that time has already passed,” she said.

Allison always felt drawn to the beautiful, sometimes symmetrical frames created by Stanley Kubrick in the 1968 film. The sci-fi movie, which is punctuated by orchestral music and very little dialogue, deals with themes of isolation, technology and artificial intelligence — all set in the “futuristic” year of 2001.

All 12 pieces are based on scenes from the movie. Some of the snapshots she chose to cross stitch are iconic to the film, while others are just Allison’s personal favorites. She manipulated some of the images to brighten certain areas, or add more detail to a scene that might have been lost in the pixelation.

“There's definitely a lot of fine tuning, and realizing the translation from the actual image to this is going to distort some things,” she said. “I need it to be a little more precise.”

Her work requires a careful attention to detail. Although the process is meticulous, Allison said she finds it to be meditative, similar to the way detailed adult coloring books are designed to reduce stress. She estimated that each panel took more than 200 hours to complete.

Allison originally created the panels for herself, a project designed to keep her busy during the summer months when she was a special education teacher in Houston. The entire collection took her over a

decade to finish.

Allison and her husband, Anton, moved to the Gunnison Valley in 2019. The artwork, finally finished, just floated around the house. Anton encouraged her to show them and shortly afterward the collection made its first debut in a show at the Gunnison Arts Center right before the pandemic.

The opening reception at South 9th Street for “Odyssey” is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 22, from 6-9 p.m.

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

(Courtesy Allison Sinkwich)

Welcoming Week celebrates the diversity of the Gunnison Valley

Gunnison’s second-annual Welcoming Week culminated with a pair of festive events on Saturday, Sept. 16. A Diversity Walk, led by the local band Fuerza Cora Brasil Musical, moved down Main Street to IOOF Park where the Hispanic Heritage Celebration block party was in full swing. Attendees celebrated with meals from food trucks and music, which continued well into the evening. Earlier in the week, the city hosted a meet and greet with various first responder agencies at the ice rink, a community potluck, a music cruise with Western Colorado University and more.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

12:30 PM CONVOCATION

7:30 PM CONCERT

Martín-Melitón Piano Duo

AMONG LEMON TREES: TWO-PIANO MUSIC FROM MEDITERRANEAN SPAIN

A program of original compositions by the duo that evoke the songs, dances, and atmosphere of Spain.

Kincaid Concert Hall in Quigley FREE admission-donations welcome

(Photos by Julia Sams and Jacob Spetzler)

Cowboys and Mountaineers dominate at conjoined meet

Stice breaks course record and Western wins it all

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

The Western Colorado University and GHS cross country teams showcased their speed at the 2023 Cowboy Mountaineer Invitational on Sept. 16. At the dual event, the Mountaineers swept their events while star Cowboy runner Madelyn Stice shattered the high school girl’s course record.

“This event is always an awe-

some day of cross country,” said GHS Head Coach Lance Betts.“It’s fun to go out in front of your home crowd and run hard. I felt like we showed what we’re all about. I’m so proud of our runners.”

In the collegiate events, the Mountaineers won the men’s 8000-meter and women's 5000meter races. Junior Simon Kelati finished first with a time of 25:15.6 for the men, followed by Tyler Nord (25:26.3) in second and Aidan Scott (25:40.0) in fourth.

Junior Allison Beasley took first place with a time of 17:28.2. Freshman runner Peyton Weiss finished third (18:08.0), and Gretchen Slattum (18:25.3),

GHS football suffers first defeat of season

Flores leaves game after heartbreaking injury

Alex

McCrindle Times Sports Editor

Cowboy football was dealt its first loss in a 17-6, cagey matchup against Buena Vista on Friday, Sept. 15. The game exposed an offensive hole left by injured quarterback Jacob Riser as the Cowboys struggled to gain offensive momentum. On top of the defeat, the team also lost junior Bridger Flores to a season-ending neck injury.

The defeat drops the team to a 4-1 overall record, and 0-1 in the 1A Western Slope League.

“I really thought we had a good game plan going in, and we were well prepared for the game,” Head Coach Paul Vickers said. “In the end, we didn’t handle the adversity very well.”

The Cowboys started their second home game of the sea-

son on the backfoot. The Buena Vista Demons tacked on seven points to begin the first quarter, forcing the Cowboys to battle back. Junior running back Grady Buckhanan found lanes in the Demons’ defensive line to gain first downs, but the Cowboy drives were consistently shut down.

Sophomore Ethan Pierce took command in his first varsity start at quarterback, however the Cowboys found little success in the red zone. At halftime, the score stood 7-0 for the Demons.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys’ defense limited Buena Vista to a 27-yard field goal to lead 10-0. On offense, the GHS half-backs were met by swarming linebackers and an impassable line. Buckhanan finally found an opening with seven minutes left in the fourth. He sliced through the Demons defense to shorten the lead 10-6 with a 39-yard touchdown run.

Despite a rowdy student section and energized cheer team, the Demons put the game out of reach in the fourth with a touchdown. The game finished

17-6 for Buena Vista, handing GHS its first defeat of the season.

The worst loss of the night was Flores’ injury. After diving for a loose ball, Flores sustained a serious neck injury and was air-lifted for treatment in Colorado Springs. Vickers said he has since been released from the hospital, but he will not return to play this season.

“I can’t say enough good things about Bridger,” Vickers said. “In the two years he’s been with us, he’s grown so much as a person and player. He’s dynamic, and has aspirations to play at the next level. We’re going to do something special for him, that’s for sure.”

Throughout the evening, Buckhanan led the home team with 84 rushing yards across 13 carries and a touchdown. Uhrig was also an offensive force, providing 51 rushing yards and tireless work on defense.

The Cowboys will seek redemption away against the Coal Ridge Titans this weekend on Sept. 22. The team will return home for its second league matchup against the 3-0

Cedaredge Bruins on Oct. 6.

“Right now, we need to emphasize fundamentals, and do the little things well,” Vickers said. “But I’m excited to see how we respond to this adversity as a team. I think we’re going to fly in the next three or four weeks, and make stuff happen that will shock a lot of people.”

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

Ethan Pierce hands the ball to Grady Buckhanan. (Photo by Jacob Spetzler)

Madeline Stice rounds the corner on the Van Tyul trail. (Photos by Jacob Spetzler) Cross country, B8

GHS volleyball still undefeated

The GHS volleyball squad added another win to the record after taking down Crested Butte and Moffat County on Sept. 12 and 16. The girls now sit 9-0 overall, and 3-0 in the 3A Western Slope League. Without dropping a single set against both teams, the Cowboys are headed into an away matchup against Roaring Fork on Sept. 21 more confident than ever. The true test will come Sept. 26, when the Cowboys host undefeated Delta at 6 p.m. in a league showdown at home.

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Aubriel Loken serves against Crested Butte. (Photos by Jacob Spetzler)

Rose Kowal makes a play in the air.

Addie Frymoyer gets set.

BUILDING YOUR

Cross country

from B6

Emma Kjellsen (18:27.8) and Lauren Willson (18:28.4) took fifth, sixth and seventh.

On the high school side, the Cowboy girls rounded out the meet with a second-place showing, while the boys finished fourth. Stice, a junior, capped off the meet by breaking the course record by 22 seconds with a time of 18:54.00. Jemma Petrie (20:45.50) finished fourth and Catalina Schwab ( 21:13.80) took 10th.

“I can’t remember a time that we had a girl running the 5000 in under 19 minutes, especially on our slower home course,” Betts said. “It’s exciting, but we’re going to keep working hard, and chip away at some time before regionals.”

Senior Spencer Hays led the Cowboys in the 5000 with a fifth-place time of 17:11.40. Teammate Rowen Downum (17:56.50) finished 10th.

The high school regional meet is slated for Oct. 19 in Colorado Springs. In the five weeks prior, Betts said the teams will aim for both the boys and girls sides to qualify for state.

“At this point in the season we’re entering our transition phase,” he said. “We’ve been working on strength for the past few weeks, and now we’re going to transition to more speed and threshold training — getting our bodies used to pushing through the difficult parts of the race, and dealing with pain.”

The Cowboys will race again in the Gunnison Valley on Sept. 30, this time in Crested Butte at the Elk Run. The Mountaineers will compete at the Gig Leadbetter Maverick Stampede in Grand Junction on Sept. 29.

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

The Western boys cheer on the girls as they push to the finish.

High school girls cruise down the Van Tuyl trail on Saturday.

Coach Betts gives the girls a final briefing.

The GHS boys team bounds into the finish.

Golfers compete at regional tournament

Pike and Zummach qualify for state

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

Junior golfers Preston Pike and Carson Zummach achieved redemption Monday, qualifying for state at the regional tournament in Delta.

On Sept. 18, regionals pitted 66 golfers against each other at Devil’s Thumb Golf Course, with the top 21 booking a ticket to the state tournament next month. Pike and Zummach shot an 80 and 83 through 18 holes to advance to the two-day state tournament in Windsor.

Zummach, who missed out on state by a single stroke last year, said qualifying was a massive relief.

“Playing at regionals is the most nerve-wracking round,” Zummach said. “It feels amazing to get through and finally advance. Preston and I are really good friends, so it's also exciting to play alongside him.”

The Cowboy golfers were put to the test at Devil’s Thumb. The course encourages players to hit target areas, allowing golfers to stay out of danger. Pike

led the team with a low score of 80, with Zummach on his heels with an 83. Mason Weitman and Joseph Noble missed out on qualification, shooting 106 and 108.

Throughout the round, Pike and Zummach utilized their past experience to recover from difficult holes.

“Preston and Carson have become veterans, having played in regionals before,” Mickelson said. “They both showed a lot of maturity and stayed grounded throughout the round. Both understand they’ll have tough holes, and it’s how you respond with the next shot and hole.”

The two will travel to Windsor in three weeks, playing a practice round on Oct. 1, before the two final rounds on Oct. 2 and 3.

“The beauty of state is it’s not one tournament for all the marbles. This is an opportunity to showcase your talents, and you have two days to put it together,” Mickelson said. “Now you’re in the big show, and you have nothing to lose.”

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

Mountaineers fall to Mesa in home opener

The Western Colorado University volleyball team dropped its first home match 3-0 to Colorado Mesa University on Sept. 15. Junior middle blocker Seyun Park completed 12 kills, a solo block and four block assists, but Western wasn't able to battle back. The loss drops the Mountaineers to 2-7 overall, and 0-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Next up, Western will host Westminster University on Saturday, Sept. 23 in the Paul Wright Gym at 6 p.m.

SPORTS BRIEFS

Cowboy soccer team returns to winning ways

The GHS soccer team bounced back against Moffat County with a resounding 3-0 victory on Sept. 16. The home victory boosts the Cowboys’ overall record to 3-3, and 1-1 in the 3A Western Slope League. The Cowboys will play at home on Sept. 21 against Salida, before taking on local rivals Crested Butte away on Sept. 26.

GHS softball seeks consistency

The Cowboy softball team completed a dominant 17-2 victory against the James Irwin Jaguars on Sept. 16. An 8-6 loss to Alamosa on Sept. 19 followed. The two results hold GHS to a 7-6-1 overall record, and 4-3 in the 3A Western Slope League. The girls sit second in the league, and will face the 9-3 Sierra Stallions in an away doubleheader on Sept. 23.

Western opens RMAC play with a win

Western Colorado University collected its first conference win of the season after defeating Colorado State University Pueblo 30-14 on Sept. 16 on the road. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Drew Nash threw for 182 yards on the day, while fifth-year running back Deyvon Butler notched two touchdowns for the Mountaineers. Western will travel to Chadron, Nebraska next to take on Chadron State on Sept. 23.

Mountaineer soccer ties one, loses one

The Western women’s soccer team narrowly lost 3-2 against Cal Poly Pomona on Sept. 15, before a draw with California State University, Dominguez Hills 2-2 on Sept. 17. The two games send the girls to a 0-4-2 overall record, having yet to play in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Mountaineers head to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs for the opening RMAC game of the season

Pike and Zummach after qualifying for the state tournament. (Courtesy Kevin Mickelson)

Seyun Park rises up for a play at the net. (Photos by Jacob Spetzler)

Nur Turkmenoglu celebrates after a spike from Seyun Park.

on Sept. 24. The team will return home to face sworn rival Adams State on Sept. 28.

The right way, the wrong way — the Air Force way

Bob Wojtko Special to the Times

I was born in Lenox Hill Hospital, 100 East 77th Street in Manhattan, New York in 1946. You’re right, it doesn’t get more NYC than that.

The first place where the family lived was 74th Street between York and First Avenues in Manhattan. The one-room apartment had no heat, no hot water, a toilet in the hall shared by all the residents on the floor and one light bulb that hung from the kitchen ceiling on a piece of wire. When I was six, my family moved to 433 East 83rd Street, also in Manhattan — instant class! We had heat, hot water, a bathroom with a tub and lots of friends on the block. Mom would shop every day at the A&P on 86th Street to buy food to prepare for dinner. We did not have a refrigerator.

Needless to say, we were not well-off. Dad would give my mom $25 to cover all the expenses for the week. Chicken soup was the big, delicious meal for the week on Sunday night. Mom would send me to the butcher on York Avenue to buy a pound of soup meat, for my day and to ask for all the chicken feet and beef bones they could spare for the soup. Dad’s favorite meal was “Zimme Nogi,” jellied pigs feet. Though we had purchased a refrigerator by then, the kind with the motor on top, the bowls of pigs feet would not fit in it, so my Mom would line them up on the fire escape to cool.

In 1959, we moved to our own home in Queens. I completed high school and started going to Queens College of the City of New York majoring in chemistry. I also started working at the neighborhood supermarket. School and work were not sufficient to keep the Draft Board away from me. I fooled them. In August 1966 I enlisted in the Air Force. Dad drove me, and my high school girlfriend came along, to Fort Hamilton in

Brooklyn. So started my life in military service.

My first flight in an aircraft was to Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio, Texas. I completed boot camp, and testing showed that I had a knack for electronics. I was assigned to Kessler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi, where I learned electronics theory, troubleshooting and repair. I excelled at electronics and was assigned to Misawa, Japan, a depot maintenance base.

Aircraft too damaged to be repaired in the Vietnam war zone were sent to a depot maintenance base for repair. We really learned to repair aircraft quickly, because war teaches fast. We repaired anything and everything that limped in from Vietnam. Of course, there were black boxes, but so much repair required crawling through the fuselage of aircraft with battle damage looking for and repairing broken wires. I was deployed to Korea and — somewhere else — after the Pueblo incident and the shootdown of the EC-121 over Korea.

I attained the rank of E-4 and left the Air Force two months before I would have sewed on E-5 stripes.

I’m including the next two events because they were so traumatic to me. A few weeks before my discharge I received correspondence from my high school girlfriend that she had fallen in love with someone else. I was devastated. I could, and would, win her back. I flew into JFK airport, got off the jet and was cursed at and spit on by hundreds of passengers in the terminal who called me a killer. I had answered the call of my country to serve, and I was not a hero to people; I was a killer. What also hurt was that the terminal into which I flew, the TWA terminal, was the one my dad was instrumental in building. He was the structural steel detailer for the project. I often helped at his office doing “take offs” to order the correct

reinforcing steel needed. It’s still standing.

On Sept. 11, 2001, I awoke to the news of an aircraft hitting the first World Trade Center (WTC) Tower. When the second aircraft hit the towers, I realized our country was under attack. I called work and was told to wait until the next day to come in because it was chaos in lower Manhattan that day. On Sept. 12 I went to work and lived there for the next few days. International banks and companies located in the WTC were wiped out when the towers collapsed. As required, these companies had a backup data center off-site, most in New Jersey. We spent the next few days

restoring the computer systems needed for all of these banks and companies to function and resume business as usual. We worked. I don't remember getting tired. We restored critical banking systems and trading desks. Yes, other people saved lives and I'll always admire and be grateful to those first responders. My contribution, along with others in my department, was to ensure these critical financial parts of the U.S. and world survived.

(Gunnison resident Bob Wojtko is a veteran of the U.S Air force.)

(Courtesy Bob Wojtko)

The art of letting go

child knows something about the art of letting go. Well, let’s be honest: anybody who has lived on planet Earth has experienced the process of letting go.

September saves its words, then explodes. Its brilliance ferries in the cold. It blurs the line between the holy and the ghost, the intimate and the remote, the parachute and riverboat, the omen and the grace note.

As the days begin to cool and the shadows begin to lengthen, I find myself walking a little bit slower, reflecting a little more quietly and breathing a little bit deeper. We’ve had monsoon skies here on the Western Slope since early August, and there’s an unmistakable chill in the early morning air.

There’s no question about it: Autumn is on the rise, reminding us nothing stays the same and constantly turning is the proverbial page.

The summer’s coming to a close.

The river where we panned or gold will soon be strewn with fallen leaves.

The sego lily and the rose have quieted. Today it seems that all the world is gentling. We have let go of clutching things.

From here we watch the seasons come and go with a surprising ease. It isn’t that we’ve bested fear, or that we never wake, and now in spite of love, we die alone. It is enough to fall in love.

To fall in love and watch the world unfold.

Surely if there’s one thing Autumn insists upon it’s the universal lesson of change, release and letting go.

For the poet, the creative act itself is an ongoing lesson in letting go. We find ourselves needing to surrender our preconceived notions every time we sit to write a poem. We may want to write a particular poem, or we may have something particular we want to say, but the poem always seems to have other plans, leading us down another road altogether.

If we insist on those preconceived notions, the poem inevitably arrives lifeless on the page.

Robert Frost advised that if there is no surprise for the writer there is no surprise for the reader. Indeed, not knowing how a movie or a book or a poem is going to end is part of the joy of the arts.

But surely this surrendering to “not knowing” is true, not just of the arts, but of life itself. We may think we can plan and organize our lives down to the letter, but time and time again, life reminds us it has other plans.

Anybody who has raised a

Although we’ve all been conditioned to think about making personal changes or “resolutions” at the start of a new year, it makes more sense to me to look to Nature herself as a kind of personal mentor, as the ultimate teacher, as the quintessential guide to flourishing or living a meaningful life.

Throughout the ages, it wasn’t just the poets and artists, but also the spiritual teachers and wisdom leaders who have encouraged us all to practice the art of change and to embrace the art of letting go.

Exactly what we are called to change or let go of is the real question. Perhaps we need to release a grudge, a bad habit, an unhealthy relationship, or just our own negative self-talk.

Looking to the changing seasons as opportunities for reflection, new directions and change has been just one of the many delights that reading poetry has shown me over the years. But poetry is also really good at reminding us that we humans are a work in progress.

We never find ourselves arriving at a place of perfection and residing there— that’s why we call it the creative practice! And isn’t the living of your own life the ultimate act of creativity?

The gifts we find under the rocks of the conscious mind are gifts that bind the tender ties and loose the noose from round the neck, only to find a stillness, an unexpected swiftness, a sudden bout of genius— (or witlessness)— a necessary restlessness, perhaps the dawning of forgiveness.

(Wendy Videlock is the poet laureate of the Western Slope. She lives in Palisade. Her poems and essays appear in O Magazine, The New York Times, Hudson Review, and Best American Poetry. Her books are available wherever books are sold and her visual art features in galleries across the Grand Valley. You can reach Wendy at westernslopeword@gmail.com)

We are located in Mt. Crested Butte at 12 Snowmass Road, just below the base of the Silver Queen lift.

Closing October 1

Gunnison Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

Whether you are young or elderly, a professional athlete or a casual outdoors enthusiast we have the expertise, care options and depth of resources you need to recover from acute injuries and return to activity quickly and safely.

With multiple locations we offer convenient access and scheduling to meet your orthopedic needs.

WE WORK HARD TO KEEP YOU PLAYING HARDER

Wendy Videlock Special to the Times

Big Mine Skatepark open for business

(Courtesy