Gunnison Country Times, April 18, 2024

Frontier Land under redevelopment

Owner installing new mobile homes on property

Gunnison’s Frontier Land mobile home park is being redeveloped as planned, but it’s likely that many of its former tenants have moved on.

At the end of March, Almontbased owner Courtney Scales, who operates under the company CCNB Properties, installed the first of 12 new mobile homes. Five more are scheduled to arrive at the property at 912 West Gunnison Ave. before the end of the summer. The remainder of the mobile homes will be delivered based

on interest, said Scales’ business partner Mike Carnes. He has worked in real estate for 25 years and splits his time between the Gunnison Valley and the Denver area.

Last summer, park residents received a notice that the owner was terminating their leases and they had 30 days to leave their homes. By that time, Frontier Land had sat on the market for over a year. The park housed approximately 40 low-income residents, many of whom were Spanish-speakers or part of the Cora community, an indigenous group from Mexico.

Many families had lived at the park for years and feared they wouldn’t be able to find another place to live — subject to the same high rent prices and low inventory that makes it difficult for other workers to find

Valley liquor stores struggle with lost beer, wine revenue

State bill aims to help stores recover sales

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

A recently-introduced bill may help Colorado’s familyowned and local liquor stores recover after a year of dwindling wine sales. It’s the latest in the state’s years-long battle between small liquor retailers and commercial grocery stores looking to get in on the profit.

In 2022, Coloradoans voted in favor of allowing grocery stores to start selling wine, just four years after big grocers and convenience stores started selling full-strength beer. As a result,

liquor stores around Colorado, and the Gunnison Valley, saw a dramatic decrease in sales. Between 80 to 100 stores around the state have closed in the last year, according to Chris Fine, executive director of Colorado Independent Liquor Stores United.

“It definitely made it difficult, you were kind of put into an adapt or die situation,” said Gunnison Liquor Store owner Dani Leach. Leach’s father, Ron, purchased the store in the mid 80s, and passed management over to her in 2016.

House Bill 1373, introduced to the Colorado legislature last month, proposes to remove big grocers’ ability to sell hard liquor, but allow them to continue selling beer and wine. It

A BLAST FROM THE PAST: Coco Warren, Myia Dantzler, Lily Berwanger, Skylah Inman and Tyr Elder hit the dance floor to relive their high school glory days during “The Awesome ’80s Prom” interactive theater production on April 12. The show was put on by the Western Threatre Company. For more, see B10. (Photo by Jacob Spetzler)

QUOTE of the week

“It definitely made it difficult, you were kind of put into an adapt or die situation.”

— Dani Leach, Gunnison Liquor Store

See story on A1

BRIEFS

Grant money flows into valley for trails

Last month, Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials announced $8 million in grants for Western Slope organizations focused on expanding local trail networks and stewarding existing trails. Two Gunnison County organizations received funding. The Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association was awarded almost $160,000 for trail maintenance, especially in highimpact areas. The Office Trail Stewardship Crew at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Gunnison Field received roughly $78,000 for wilderness trail maintenance and study areas on BLM land.

East Portal Road open

East Portal Road, located east of Montrose, opened late last week. The road, beginning at the junction with Hwy. 347, provides access to the Gunnison River within the Curecanti National Recreation Area, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Crystal Dam. It will remain open throughout the summer and fall until snow, ice or rockslides make it unsafe for travel.

Colorado launches first e-bike tax credit

In April, Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Energy Office launched the nation's first statewide electric bicycle tax credit. Starting on April 1, Colorado residents are eligible to save up to $450 off an e-bike purchase. Visit energyoffice.colorado.gov/ ebike-tax-credit for more information.

The credit reflects the state’s climate goals while promoting sustainable communities for future generations. The e-bike tax credit is a result of House Bill 23-1272, sponsored by Senators Lisa Cutter and Steve Fenberg and Representatives

Mike Weissman and Junie Joseph.

In 2022, the City of Gunnison outlined its defining plan for climate action, resiliency, and environmental sustainability in the Gunni CARES 2030 Plan. This guiding scope has put forth goals, perspectives, and initiatives for the City and local partners to move forward in an overall sustainable manner. Part of the Gunni CARES Plan works in cooperation with the Colorado Energy Office to prioritize certain upgrades that enhance the City’s energy efficiency across facilities. Some projects, either already completed or scheduled, that have helped to meet City sustainability goals are:

• Weatherstripping across facilities and automation of energy systems to maximize efficiency inside City buildings.

• LED lighting upgrades across all City facilities, Dark Sky compliant LED lighting at the sports fields at Jorgensen Park and basketball courts at Legion Park.

• Introduction of 5 solar systems on City buildings supplying a total of 150 kW directly to the meters and offsetting costs.

Efficiency and Sustainability Programs

As the City pursues energy efficiency goals through the organization, providing information around programs and offers available to the Gunnison community for efficiency, sustainability, and assistance is part of our ongoing initiatives. We encourage the community to look into programs that may interest or benefit their households. For more information, visit gunnisonco.gov/ utilitybilling and look through the dropdowns at the bottom of the page. Contact the City Finance Department (970) 641-8070 to participation in these programs.

City of Gunnison Attic Insulation Program - Customers participating in the Residential Attic Insulation Program are eligible for an incentive of $0.15 / square foot with a maximum incentive amount of $300 per existing residential dwelling. New construction and/ or additions do not qualify.

City of Gunnison Commercial LED Lighting Program - The Commercial LED Lighting Program provides a cash incentive to replace less efficient lighting products with new, high-efficient lighting. The program offers incentives (while funds last) to help cover the cost of energy efficient upgrades.

City of Gunnison Smart Thermostat Program -  If you have a home Wi-Fi connection and a central air-conditioning or heat pump system, you may qualify for an incentive of up to $100 for installing a qualifying smart thermostat.

City of Gunnison High Efficiency Heat Pump Program - You can receive incentives between $400 and $3,000 for installing highefficiency heat pumps since heating is likely the largest user of energy in your home.

City of Gunnison Residential Appliance Rebate Program - If you replace an appliance with a new Energy Star rated appliance, you can receive a $50.00 rebate.

City of Gunnison Net Metering Program -  Customers can install solar panels or wind turbines which are connected to the City’s power grid and surplus power transferred allows customers to offset the cost of power drawn from the utility.  The customer is reimbursed monthly for generation offsetting consumption at the retail rate and excess generation after a year is reimbursed at the wholesale rate.

Gunnison Valley Home Energy Advancement Team (GV-HEAT) A home energy efficiency program that provides home energy assessments and upgrades to all households in the Gunnison Valley. Income-qualified and non-income qualified programs are available.  LEAP clients are automatically eligible for free home energy assessments. Call the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority for more information at 970-641-7900.

Assistance Programs

Budget Billing Agreement (soon to be renamed the Equal Pay Program) - The Customer pays a monthly amount based on a rolling 12-month average of usage. The average is recalculated during each billing cycle using the most recent 12 months and dropping off the oldest months. The amount is not a fixed charge but will remain in a consistent range that varies slightly from month to month. For information or application to the program, please call the City Finance Department at (970) 641-8070.

L.E.A.P. – Low-Income Energy Assistance Program is administered by Gunnison County Dept of Health and Human Services. Please call the local LEAP office at (970) 641-3244.

Energy Outreach Colorado - Helping all Coloradans afford home energy. Contact EOC online at energyoutreach.org.

(970)

Facebook: facebook.com/CityofGunnison

Instagram: instagram.com/cityofgunnison

OBITUARIES

Joshua Steven Kidder passed away on April 7, 2024 in Gunnison. Born on May 8, 2001 in Clinton, Oklahoma, he was the beloved son of Doug and Kim Kidder and the cherished brother of Maddie and Riley Kidder.

Josh moved to Boerne, Texas at the age of 4 and attended Boerne schools, graduating from Boerne Champion High School in May 2020. At the time of his passing, he was pursuing his secondary education at Western Colorado University, where he was projected to graduate in May 2025 with a degree in recreation outdoor education and business. His dream was to own his own outfitting and flyfishing shop.

Throughout his time in Boerne, he excelled in athletics, most notably in football and track and field. He was a threeyear letterman in both sports. Josh played free safety on the football field and was a member of the 2019 Champion Charger state semi-finalist football team.

These were some of his fondest memories throughout high school. The friendships and bonds he developed during his time on the field were lifelong. On the track, Josh loved running relays, especially the 4 x 400. His team qualified for regionals both his sophomore and junior years and were fully expecting to qualify again his senior year before COVID put a halt on the season. His teammates will remember him for his unwavering team spirit, determination and the infectious smile that never left his face.

During his college years, Josh fostered his love for the great outdoors, which began from the day he could walk. Whether it was an early morning duck hunt, an evening in a

deer blind or wetting a line, Josh was always game, regardless of classes getting in the way or not. These adventures brought such light to his life.

Josh’s journey, though brief, was marked by an unwavering spirit of kindness and a passion for life and will continue to inspire all who knew him. As we bid farewell to this remarkable young man, let us carry forward the light he brought into our lives. He will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

Josh leaves behind a trail of cherished memories and loved ones who will miss him dearly. He is survived by his parents, Doug and Kim Kidder, sisters, Maddie and Riley Kidder, all of Boerne, maternal grandparents, Steve and Jane Hill of Gordonville, Texas, paternal grandparents, Bob and Marion Kidder of Helotes, Texas, aunts, Kathy Lampkin and Merryl Gutierrez, both of Boerne, uncle, Zach Kamphaus of Tuttle, Oklahoma and cousins, Katelyn Landreth, Ethan Gutierrez, Hunter Lampkin, Brady Lampkin, Lexi Lampkin, Kasen Kamphaus, Kreek Kamphaus and Krew Kamphaus.

Josh is preceded in death by his maternal aunt, Melissa Kamphaus of Tuttle and his paternal uncle, Paul Gutierrez of Boerne.

Please join us in honoring Josh’s life at a viewing from 2-3:30 p.m. on April 20 at Ebensberger Fisher Funeral Home followed by a celebratory reception to honor Josh’s life. His funeral will be held the following day, April 21, at 3 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Boerne. A burial will follow immediately after at the Boerne Cemetery.

Josh’s family would like to express their gratitude toward the countless support of family and friends. Josh didn’t live a long life, but it was a life welllived. His spirit will live in us forever.

Arrangements have been made with Ebensberger Fisher Funeral Home of Boerne. To leave condolences for the family and view a video of Joshua's life, please visit ebensberger-fisher. com.

Wendy Louise Foss Woolard

Wendy Louise Foss Woolard, 66, passed away peacefully while surrounded by her family on March 29, 2024 in Gunnison.

Wendy was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, friend and a bright light in the lives of those around her. She was born on Feb. 11, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Lombard, Illinois. Wendy had a passion for animals, and her love and compassion for all creatures was evident in her dedication to rescuing and caring for furry friends in need.

Wendy is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Leroy Woolard. Though she will be deeply missed, we take comfort in knowing that they are now reunited in paradise, together again.

A celebration of Wendy’s life will be held at Trinity Baptist Church at 2 p.m. on May 4, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League in her honor.

Wendy’s love, kindness and generosity will be remembered by all who knew her, and her legacy will live on through the countless lives she touched, both two and four-legged.

James Clyde Buffington

James Clyde “Jim” Buffington of Olathe, Colorado passed away on April 12, 2024, surrounded by members of his family. He was born on Nov. 19, 1938 in Crawford, Nebraska. A complete obituary will follow at a later date.

Joshua Steven Kidder

‘No comment,’ and what it costs

This week’s edition of the Times includes a story about our

remain unanswered. What sacrifices are being made so letters and packages appear on our doorsteps each day? Are wages and benefits enough? If some workers have been there for decades, what memories could they share?

The story cuts short because when I asked employees to go on-the-record, no comment. I was told multiple times that USPS policy prohibited them from speaking with me. Instead, I was shuttled back to the agency’s communications specialist — a proverbial no-man's-land for journalists, where all good news stories go to die.

any of our local USPS workers.

It’s a sterile outline of a fourmonth old report from the Office of the Inspector General, elevated to a story by a few observations from a corporate postal service spokesperson, who covers three states including Alaska. It barely meets baseline news standards and clearly falls short of the reporting this community deserves.

I tried to speak with USPS employees for nearly two months, following whispers in the Gunnison community that mail was being delivered late, or not at all. The Times front office fielded complaints for over a month that newspapers simply weren’t turning up. In the last few weeks, “We’re Hiring” posters have cropped up around the building.

So I stood at the post office counter many times, and in between a near-constant stream of customers, made my pleas to clerks and carriers to help me understand what was going on. I even chased a few mail carriers down the block to hand out my card.

I learned that the office has not had a permanent postmaster for months. They referenced a long-standing staff shortage, about to be made dire by a series of coming retirements. One employee, who later requested anonymity over fear of losing their job, said that unless USPS brings on more carriers and clerks, the office won’t be able to deliver the sometimes thousand-plus packages that flow into the valley each day.

But many questions still

LETTERS

The wolverine: Is it a good fit for Colorado’s backcountry?

Editor: The wolverine is being considered for reintroduction by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) on the Western Slope. Unlike the gray wolf, it doesn't

whether or not they know it. The valley’s investment — to the tune of tens of millions of dollars — in employee housing is undoubtedly a crucial piece to allow local workers to remain here. But when one’s employer is their landlord, the stakes of speaking out are literally house and home.

These are unseen forces at play in our small town: what amounts to gag orders, baked into company rulebooks or employment contracts. A spur of the moment visit from a manager, reminding workers that the media policy is to protect their privacy policy, that they don’t have all the information.

What’s more troubling is that myself and Times editor Bella Biondini encounter this roadblock nearly every week.

When I reported the closure of Taco Bell, I tried to interview employees after hearing rumors that they had been told not to speak with the media. When I found them? No comment. I stopped by on a Saturday morning to speak with one of the managers. She tearfully confirmed the closure and explained just how devastating it would be for the valley’s senior citizens, families and students. Days later, she requested not be quoted out of fear of retribution from the company.

A Gunnison County employee recently told me over coffee that they’d like to say more about what goes on in this community, but “has to be careful” because of their job. Times journalists have tried to speak with some of the hundreds of Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) employees, but have yet to be able to do so without an executive in the room.

While these organizations have a right, and vested interest, to manage their public appearance, that process can suppress important details, and infringe on the public’s right to know.

And in the Gunnison Valley, where the prospect of homeownership shrinks from view amid the area’s growing affluence, employers offering housing have the upper hand,

carry as much political baggage.

The North American wolverine was not very common in Colorado, but was always trapped because of its valuable fur. It was thought to be trapped out by the early 1930s.

It’s the largest member of the weasel family. It can weigh up to 45 pounds with females

lic meetings, memos and other fodder contained in public record. We scrape the relevance from a 40-page document to find a useful thread because it’s our job to get as close as we can, especially when the door slams shut.

So it may come as no surprise that our reporting on the affordable housing crisis has, at times, been muzzled by “no comment.” And the story is more of the same. Residents in the valley’s last few low-income housing developments, like Country Meadows and Palisades Apartments, live in conditions that would shock and dishearten many of us. But, residents fear they’ll face eviction if they come forward.

During the summer, I walk the few blocks to Palisades to admire the herb gardens, maintained in plastic pails and small planters by a few residents. I see the same residents sitting on the wrought iron bench, heads tilted back to catch the sun. I ask how things are, if anyone is willing to talk publicly. The answer is always no.

So what’s at stake? Practically everything this newspaper is tasked with. If we can't print workers' and residents’ experiences, we can’t explore the issues that shape life here in the Gunnison Valley. Our reporting has holes, stories are left to the discretion of media-trained executives and elected officials, and the gravity of the situation is lost.

And these cultures of silence are made worse by a source’s fear that if they do talk, the journalist will exploit their pain or misunderstand them. So when we mess up or pick sides, the consequences are swift. We become the thing all good journalists should fear most: seen as part of yet another strongarmed bureaucracy that we’ve promised to defend people against.

But even on our best days, we can’t overcome the primal fear of job or home loss for workers in the Gunnison Valley. For those of us saddled with three jobs, barely affording groceries and dealing with a terrible roommate, the stakes are ever high.

So we’re left with limited tools to make a newspaper each week: few on-the-record interviews, agendas from pub -

being 10% lighter. The name “bear cat” or “skunk bear” has often been related to it. It has a reputation as a fierce animal that is not altogether warranted. It will however protect its kills from much larger animals such as bears, mountain lions and wolves. The wolverine got a bad rep-

What we desperately need is transparency and accountability from local employers. To create a culture, and commit to policies, that will allow employees and residents to speak without fear of retribution. To organize, welcome more labor unions in town.

And, we need trust that journalists do our due diligence and corroborate people’s stories. The news section isn’t a rag, a place for suppositions or rumors. To the best of our ability, we verify, and verify again. When there’s no one to stamp their name to it, we don’t print.

What this means for sources is that it takes a monumental leap of faith to go on-therecord. The names we print in every edition of the Times become a permanent piece of our valley’s shared history, branded in black ink.

It’s part of the timeless relevance of a local newspaper. It’s a living document, a chance for us to engage in a fundamental piece of small town American life: know what’s going on and have something to say about it. But it’s also the fleeting chance we have to shape the outcome.

Otherwise, our trust is broken and, almost imperceptibly, the community's faith in its journalists to safeguard its freedoms and hold power to account slips from view. So too said American reporter and political commentator Walter Lippmann:

“There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and to shame the devil.”

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

utation from stealing animals from leg-hold traps in the high arctic, in Alaska and states such as those in the northern Rockies. Its first physical impression is that of a small black or grizzly colored bear cub. They have been known to

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Mt. Emmons land exchange will finally Save Red Lady

Jon Hare Special to the Times

It was a historic day in April when the U.S. Department of Interior signed the Mt. Emmons-Thompson Divide mineral withdrawal. It would remove the opportunity for new mining or oil and gas operations on over 220,000 acres of federal land in western Colorado managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

This is definitely a great reason for all of us who love public lands to celebrate, yet at High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) we are focused on the next project — one that is several years in formulation, and moving toward completion in 2024.

Right now, at our doorstep, the Mt. Emmons land exchange is the best chance this community has ever had to save Red Lady, and the best opportunity to protect the Gunnison Country from the impacts of a large-scale industrial mining operation.

Mt. Emmons, affectionately known as Red Lady, is the mountain just three miles west of Crested Butte. It contains a large deposit of molybdenum ore. Molybdenum is a steel hardening agent which is an essential ingredient to make metals thinner and lighter.

So what does this mineral withdrawal mean for our public lands? Of the over 220,000 acres of federal lands included in the withdrawn area, approximately 100,000 are in Gunnison County. The area enters Gunnison County to the north at McClure Pass, runs south to the Beckwith’s and then east across Kebler Pass — encompassing Irwin and Oh Be Joyful, as well as the northeast corner of the Ohio Creek Valley.

The withdrawal edges up to Red Lady, but doesn’t actually encompass the bulk of Mt. Emmons as the lands covering the ore body are private. They are owned by the Mt. Emmons Mining Company (MEMC).

LETTERS

take down small deer and other mammals, also. The other role they play is as one of nature’s “garbage men” and keeping their environs clean.

According to the Public Land Order for the mineral withdrawal, its purpose is to ensure the retention of the contiguous landscape. It was also to protect the agricultural, ranching, wildlife, air quality, recreation, ecological and scenic values of the Thompson Divide area from further mineral development and the local economies that depend on these values.

The withdrawal is an important layer of protection for public lands in Gunnison County for the next 20 years. But the Mt. Emmons land exchange between MEMC and the Forest Service is the next real opportunity for this community to save Red Lady and avoid the impacts of a large-scale industrial mine in the Upper Gunnison River Valley.

Those impacts, just to remind you, go far beyond Red Lady to include powerlines, conveyor belts, truck hauling, tailings piles, emissions and an influx of people to our valley which would instantly change the nature of this place. It would have negative impacts on the reason why most of us are here — the natural environment and vast acres of unspoiled public lands. Most importantly, a molybdenum mine on Mt. Emmons would crush the water source for the Town of Crested Butte, limiting water supplies in an area where water is already a big concern.

The land exchange was proposed by MEMC to the Forest Service in 2021 with the goal of trading mine-impacted national forest land on Mt. Emmons in exchange for four rural ranch properties in Gunnison and Saguache counties. Ownership of the land with the mining infrastructure on Mt. Emmons will give MEMC the ability to operate, repair and replace the water treatment plant, as well as reclaim areas without having to work through the Forest Service.

Their activities will still be permitted by the state for water quality controls with additional oversight from the Town of Crested Butte and the county. In exchange, the American people obtain properties that include wetlands and wildlife habitat, while their inclusion as part of the national forest protects these land inholdings from private development.

Second, the pending land exchange includes conservation easements through the

Crested Butte Land Trust, which will prohibit any industrial or residential development on the private land on Mt. Emmons. They will simultaneously provide legal recreation access to traditional ski and hiking routes that cross the mine-owned private lands.

The third part of the land exchange is that MEMC will sign a mineral extinguishment with the land trust. This means the company will give up the mineral rights on its private land on Mt. Emmons and more than 1,200 unpatented mining claims on federal lands in Gunnison County.

It can’t be stressed enough, especially considering the time and funds invested into the project by MEMC, the Forest Service and BLM, Sen. Michael Bennet, Gunnison County, the Town of Crested Butte, Crested Butte Land Trust, HCCA and on down the line: there are many people who have worked to queue up this project, ensure it has fully considered the practical details of its implications on the ground and deliver to this community an end result that provides confidence in a minefree future.

The forest supervisor for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest has the authority and should sign the decision memo to authorize the land exchange as soon as possible. When finalized, a cascade of work is in place to adjust the boundaries and execute the conservation easements and mineral extinguishments. Once the ink is dried, this community will finally see the end to the threat of a large-scale industrial mine on Red Lady. HCCA is advocating for other important layers of protections for Gunnison County’s public lands and Red Lady, like the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act. But we must emphasize that right now the owner of the mine, MEMC, is committed to the Mt. Emmons land exchange, which represents the best package of protections ever put together to save Red Lady!

(Jon Hare is the Advocacy Director for HCCA and a resident of Gunnison.)

CPW has introduced a state House and Senate bill that calls for using the 10(j) rule under

the Endangered Species Act. The predator has finally been listed as federally threatened after various environment groups petitioned for it. Among them is the Center of Biological Diversity and the Environmental Defense Fund.

ment report both draft and final not completely called for. The bill, called SB-24-171, will come out with a report on what CPW really has in mind for this five-year effort. They are prepared to spend $750,000 from the Species Conservation Trust

continued on A9 continued from A4

The 10(j) ruling makes a long environmental impact state -

two post offices on both ends of Gunnison Valley are not immune.

At the end of last year, the U.S. Office of the Inspector General released an audit on how the postal service has been faring in Colorado’s mountain towns. Neither Gunnison nor Crested Butte was included in the audit’s 13 towns. The closest was Buena Vista.

The audit found that poor communication and management often caused delayed packages and mail deliveries, and incorrect returns. The most significant challenge, one experienced by many resort town employers, was that offices could not hire and retain employees. Other issues included messy transportation schedules and being limited by small facilities.

“In the Postal Service, it's not the cushy government job that some people think … They work hard here,” said James Boxrud, USPS strategic communications specialist. Boxrud covers Colorado, Wyoming and Alaska.

The Gunnison office has been without a permanent postmaster for just over six months, instead leaving an “officer in charge” to handle those duties, Boxrud said. And the last permanent postmaster, tasked with overseeing the office, was employed for just 10 months.

The Times visited the Gunnison post office on multiple occasions to speak with employees. All declined to speak on the record.

Gunnison has five city carrier routes and four highway routes which cover the county’s more remote areas. The highway positions are filled with contract labor. The Times requested data from Boxrud about employee vacancies in the Gunnison office, but did not receive a

Frontier Land from A1

housing in the valley. In a notice to residents, Scales stated his intent to repair the park and sell the new units back to former tenants. The exact timeline was unclear.

The Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority, supported by numerous local entities such as the City of Gunnison and the Rural Transportation Authority (RTA), scrambled to find the tenants temporary housing. Some leased homes owned by the RTA, while others found more permanent living situations. In September, the mobile homes were demolished, and the park stayed vacant through the winter.

Many of the original trailers at Frontier Land dated back to the 1970s and were in poor condition. The park’s aging utility sewer, water and electric lines were all replaced last summer to make way for the new homes. The two-bedroom, two bathroom trailers, sourced from CMH Manufacturing West in

reply by press time. But in the last several months, “We’re Hiring” signs have appeared around the building.

And while post offices across the Mountain West can’t seem to hold onto staff, many offices are facing a serious retirement cliff. In Gunnison, several of the office’s clerks are eligible for retirement in the next year. The average age of a postal service employee is 53 years, Boxrud said.

“You have that intrinsic knowledge in the Postal Service,” he said. “And when we lose just that one person who's been doing that for years, it makes it a lot more difficult.”

The post office in the North Valley has faced an abundance of challenges over the years, according to the Crested Butte News. At times, long lines formed outside the front door, and delays in mail delivery were regular. Residents have been

Arizona, and start at $160,000.

The manufactured homes are more energy efficient than the previous trailers. They have better insulation and are designed to accommodate solar panels.

“We both are excited to use our knowledge and experience in ways that will add value to the Gunnison community starting with a need to deliver affordable housing options that will help community members get ahead in life,” Carnes said.

The homes are for sale only, and not for rent, unlike the old units. Down payments can be as low as 5 to 10% depending on the purchaser’s credit score and employment history, Carnes said. Mortgages will be paired with monthly lot rent, but he not disclose the new rate.

Carnes said he has been approached by numerous local business owners that are in search of employee housing.

Some inquiries have been from businesses interested in buying a home, and having their employees cover the cost of lot rent.

The original notice stated that all Frontier Land tenants would be given “first right of refusal to purchase a brand-new trail -

asking for P.O. boxes in Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte South, to no avail.

At the start of 2023, Crested Butte and six other Colorado mountain towns considered suing the USPS for not meeting a minimum standard of service. But Crested Butte has yet to file any litigation. The town also plans to build a bigger post office on Sixth Street and Gothic Avenue. As of last month, staff were waiting for a construction proposal from USPS, Town Manager Dara McDonald said.

Of the 14 post offices the federal audit team visited, 12 had been short-staffed for more than 10 months. And even when positions were filled, 13 couldn’t retain new personnel. Most didn’t stay on for longer than three months. The highest turnover occurred in Buena Vista, Conifer and Dillon, three of the smallest cities on the list.

In response, the USPS shuf-

er with financing provided.” But Carnes said giving former Frontier Land tenants a priority offering would violate the state’s fair housing laws.

“The homes are openly offered to everyone and anyone

fled employees from metropolitan areas or nearby locations to the understaffed offices. This strategy is estimated to have cost the agency nearly $200,000 over a six month period in 2023. This is considered a low estimate as expenses were not formally tracked, according to the audit.

While the cost of living has soared in Gunnison, USPS hourly pay has remained largely unchanged in recent years, according to the report. The starting hourly wage for an entry-level city carrier is just over $22 an hour, Boxrud said.

Wages are determined through a collective bargaining process with postal worker unions, such as the American Postal Workers Union or the National Rural Letter Carriers Association. For that reason, wages remain steady across the country. In most cases, workers in metropolitan areas have sim-

is welcome to apply, including prior tenants,” Carnes said. Those interested in applying for a home in the park can email info@ucollective.com.

ilar salaries as remote or resort towns, Boxrud said.

The type of mail local postal workers are handling has changed over the years. The agency is focused more on package delivery, as first class mail service dwindles. During the pandemic, the number of people ordering off Amazon ballooned. As a result, local post offices saw a huge increase in the number of packages coming through the office and workers felt the strain.

“We needed to come up with other revenue streams and the package industry really caught on fire when COVID hit,” he said.

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

The Gunnison post office has been without a postmaster for months. (Photo by Abby Harrison)

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

Frontier Land is located at 912 West Gunnison Ave. The owner is installing 12 new trailers, the first of which has already arrived at the property. (Photo by Bella Biondini)

secure low prices, according to the union.

was introduced by the union, which represents the state’s independent liquor stores. Safeway and City Market in Gunnison currently don’t sell hard liquor. Were the law to pass, it would preclude them from being able to do so.

If passed, the bill would eliminate the “liquor license drugstore license,” or LLDL, which has allowed grocery stores to sell spirits. This right was created by a 2016 law, known in the Colorado liquor industry as the “great compromise.”

That law allowed big grocers to start selling full-strength beer, but called for a phased approach for liquor, adding additional licenses over the years. This was meant to ease the financial impact on smaller stores. But years later when grocers got the right to sell wine through Prop. 125, the spirit of compromise went out the window and left small businesses in the lurch, Fine said. The measure barely passed at the state level, by a 50.6% to 49.4% margin.

According to the union, most shops saw a business decline of 20-50%. The union introduced the bill in March, and it’s now being considered in the Colorado House.

“By pursuing that ballot initiative in 2022, they said, ‘Yeah, we don't care about the compromise anymore. We're going for beer and wine … So we're simply saying, ‘You broke the compromise, now you don't get all the perks,” Fine said.

Sales at Gunnison Liquor plummeted when big retailers like City Market and Safeway started selling wine in 2023. Although it’s hard to estimate exact numbers, Leach said it is likely on par with the union’s estimate of 20-30%. Wet Grocer owner Paul Harbaugh told the Times that the 2022 law took a “substantial amount” of wine sales away.

Many people choose to buy alcohol at the grocery store due to the convenience of already being at the store with an ID, and enjoying lower prices and discounts, Leach said. Colorado law prevents retailers from selling alcohol below wholesale cost, but big-box and grocery stores have entered into exclusive deals with distributors to

And, corporate stores can have larger reserves and don’t have to run “cut and dry” margins, Leach said. Less obvious factors, like the fact that many wine buyers are women, have also hit her bottom line.

“A lot of women are going to be the moms running the household, they're going to be the ones at the grocery stores. They’re already there and it's a convenience thing. They're going to grab it and put it in their cart,” she said.

As small liquor businesses lost money, public safety deteriorated, Fine said. In some grocery stores, “high-alcohol, malt whiskey” mixed drinks are displayed at the end of aisles and near the checkout, making it easier for underage kids to steal the brightly-colored cans. The new bill would require grocery stores to sell alcohol in a central location on the retail floor.

Colorado craft brewers were also affected by the bill, Fine said. Many craft beer, spirit and wine brewers sell exclusively in liquor stores, who commit to carry and promote the products. Reduced traffic means fewer patrons walk through the doors, and less see the hyperlocal and craft products.

While both laws in the last eight years have cut into sales, changes regarding wine have proved to have a longer-lasting effect, Leach said. Many beer customers have stayed true to the local watering hole. They come in for a six-pack after a long day of work to chat with a friendly face.

As sales fluctuate with new state legislation, so too does Leach’s staff. Keeping her store staffed with committed and flexible employees is her most difficult task, she said. Despite the last several years of legislation that’s chipped away Gunnison Liquor’s sales, Leach believes the community won’t let family-owned shops fail.

“I think we have a fantastic community in Gunnison County, where the locals really do care whether or not mom and pop places thrive, or go away,” Leach said.

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

Dani Leach, owner of Gunnison Liquor Store on Hwy. 50. (Photo by Abby Harrison)

Gunnison Police Chief Keith

Robinson will retire in January of 2025 after more than four decades of service. He made the announcement at a city council meeting on April 9.

Robinson has been police chief since 2008, but his retirement marks 45 years with the Gunnison Police Department. He began his career as a police officer in 1979 at the age of 22 and slowly moved up through the ranks. Today he oversees a team of 12 officers.

Robinson’s upcoming departure will initiate a national search for a new police chief, a process similar to the one used to hire a new city manager in 2023. While the Gunnison County sheriff is an elected position, the police chief is hired on as an employee of the city.

According to City Manager Amanda Wilson, the search will be conducted both internally and externally, with a job posting set to open in August. The anticipated salary range is between $130,000 and $177,000 per year. The city plans to conduct interviews and select a new chief this fall before Robinson retires.

“The chief’s role in my mind is to take care of our community,” Wilson said. “Finding someone that's going to be a good fit, and has the ability to develop those relationships, is not a process to take lightly.”

Robinson grew up in Monte Vista, Colorado and decided he wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement in high school — a decision influenced by friends and relatives over the years. His grandfather had been a police officer, but retired following an injury before Robinson knew about his time in law enforcement.

“Growing up, I knew a lot of people who were police officers

that I didn't know were police officers,” Robinson said. “Later in life I started piecing it together … But it was always a story that was there.”

After graduation, Robinson attended Trinidad State College to pursue a degree from the school’s law enforcement program. Two years later he applied for positions with the Trinidad and Gunnison police departments. Applicants were required to be at least 21 years old to start work, but Robinson’s birthday was still two months away. The Trinidad department held the job open for him. He turned 21 on July 12, and went to work on July 13.

An unexpected phone call from the Gunnison Police Department a year later would bring him to the valley — a place he was already familiar with after hunting and fishing in the area when he was younger.

He started as a police officer here in 1979 and was eventually promoted to chief in 2008. He still remembers when only one police car had a radar gun and the police department was located on the second floor of City Hall. Officers had to walk suspects through the building and up the stairs.

Robinson’s role as police chief in a small, rural community like Gunnison is always evolving, he said. He is in charge of overseeing the daily flow and function of the police department, leads officer training and follows national trends as they trickle into town from the country’s metro areas. Robinson is also tasked with making sure officers promote drug education and crime prevention, and stay connected to the wider community.

“Law enforcement has been redefined and changed, particularly over the last several years,” Robinson said. “Through all of that, there’s still a common thread that you can’t lose: The community is still part of that. How do you change your policy and rules to stay in line and still provide what the community needs?”

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

Keith Robinson stands in front of the Gunnison Police Department.

(Photo by Bella Biondini)

the Species Conservation Trust Fund. CPW studied this proposal in 2010, but a merging of the Division of Wildlife with the state parks department made the idea less attractive.

Things such as carrying capacity have been looked at and penciled in at between 100 to 180 at an established population. The last wolverine known to be in the state was in the early 2000s from Wyoming.

This experimental population could fill in the gaps in the southern Rockies. CPW has already allowed a predation fund to be set up. Most farmers and ranchers don’t really have much of a problem with this animal.

In closing, I think it would be a good addition to have “gulo gulo” back. Its Latin name means “glutinous.” It might even provide some food for the lone wolves in the state now. I mean of course for commandeering a meal once in a while from the wolverine.

Kevin Chedd Gunnison

For the well-being of the community

Editor:

What a joy to witness the celebration of Mental Health awareness from our communi-

ty. It is without coincidence that April also celebrates the profession of occupational therapy (OT).

There is a strong parallel between mental health awareness and occupational therapy. Both focus on enhancing individuals' well-being and quality of life. Both take a holistic approach to health. They recognize that mental, emotional and physical well-being are interconnected, and addressing one aspect can positively influence the others.

So from me as an OT, who embraces mental wellbeing for all — a big shoutout to Gunnison County for their commitment to promoting mental health and well-being.

And l, a big shout out to the network of occupational therapists in the community, who provide services along the lifespan for the whole human being.

Together, the promotion of mental health awareness and the provision of occupational therapy services contribute to the overall well-being and resilience of the community.

Carla Fanciullo Gunnison

Horns and all

The California Honeydrops put on a rambunctious sold out show at the Almont Resort on Saturday, April 13.

(Photo by Jacob Spetzler)

SPRING CONSTRUCTION SEASON KICKOFF MEETING

Please join the Gunnison County Community & Economic Development Department for an open-house event to learn about and keep current with the permitting, approval and inspection process and recent changes to the requirements, including the State Model Electric and Solar Ready code, so that you can achieve your development goals as quickly as possible.

Topics will also include: New scholarship program for energy efficiency professionals and upcoming free energy code classes!

OPEN TO: EVERYONE, Including General Contractors, Electricians, Plumbers, Mechanical Specialists, Energy Efficiency Professionals, Property Owners, HOAs/POAs, Architects, Engineers, Realtors, Material Suppliers, OWTS/SepFc Professionals, Business Owners, Landscapers, Students, Property Maintenance

APRIL 24, 2024 | 8:00AM

Board of County Commissioners’ Meeting Room | Gunnison County Courthouse | 200 E. Virginia St., Gunnison and also ONLINE go to https://www.gunnisoncounty.org/144/Communityand-Economic-Development for meeting link Questions please call 970-641-0360

How it’s made

This spring, Trudy Pfingston Orr’s Lake preschool class has been learning about simple machines. On April 15, the students went on a field trip to see some everyday machines in action and made their own pizzas.

1105 N Pine St., MLS #810392, $845,000. Welcome to your dream home in the picturesque Van Tuyl Village subdivision! This brand-new, 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom property is a testament to modern design and quality craftsmanship. As you step inside, you’re greeted by an open and inviting kitchen-dining area, adorned with cherry cabinets and equipped with state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances. The tiled shower and bathtub add a touch of luxury to the bathrooms, while the master bedroom boasts its own oasis with a reading nook or small office space. The 2-car detached garage features 8-foot doors and 10-foot ceilings inside, providing ample space for your vehicles and storage needs. The extra space above the garage, accessible via exterior stairs, presents exciting opportunities. Whether you need additional storage or dream of an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), the potential is yours to explore with City of Gunnison approval. Don’t miss the chance to make this new construction your forever home. Contact us now to schedule a viewing and witness the epitome of contemporary living!

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

KELLY MCKINNIS AJ MANI

970.641.4880

129 EAST TOMICHI AVENUE GUNNISONREALESTATEANDRENTALS.

Ready, set, read

On April 12, American Association of University Women members Sharon Schlegel (left) and Carol Bennett (right) presented Gunnison County Library children's librarian Keelin MacCarthy (center) with a $1,700 check to enhance the programs offered during the 2024 Summer Reading Program. It will run June 1 through August 3.

(Courtesy Trudy Pfingston Orr)

(Courtesy Ellen Davis/Gunnison County Libraries)

County public works proposes broad permit fee increases

Meant to capture actual staff time

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

The Gunnison County Public Works Department is proposing sweeping increases to its permit fees. If accepted, the changes will impact land owners who want to put in a driveway, grade a road or clear land, and even truckers rumbling along county roads.

The county has been undercharging permit fees for years, said Assistant County Manager for Public Works Martin Schmidt. The purpose of the fee increases — one of which may rise by over $1,000 — is to account for the actual cost of staff time spent issuing and maintaining permits.

Schmidt presented the proposed increases to Gunnison County Commissioners at a meeting on April 9. He intends to bring the matter back to the board for a decision in the coming weeks.

“Every one of these fees is reasonably tied to the cost of the service we provide,” Schmidt said.

If commissioners approve the plan, public works will implement several of the new fees right away. But the department would wait until July 1 for building and development-related fees, like those for access permits, to ease the transition for locals building a home who've already budgeted for the year.

“There's a demographic of people that are year-round residents, finding it tougher and tougher in every direction [to build homes],” said County Commissioner Liz Smith.

Schmidt suggested that the fees be tied to a Denver-area consumer price index. This way, it can be adjusted yearto-year to avoid large, sporadic increases. The county also referenced the Crested Butte Fire Protection District's fee schedule, and those of neighboring counties, to make sure its new numbers weren’t “astronomical,” he said.

While the extra revenue from increased permit fees will be small relative to the department's overall budget, it will help ease the $1.5 million annual structural deficit in Road and Bridge, County Manager Matthew Birnie told the Times State statute prohibits Road and Bridge from receiving local property taxes, so the county is considering a possible ballot question asking voters for a new tax in 2025.

Closing the gap

All of the department’s permit fees will be affected; oversize-overweight permits for semi or dump trucks hauling goods over a standard weight; utility permits for fiber power

or gas installation; reclamation permits for remediation on disturbed sites; and access permits issued when builders want to connect to county roads or state highways.

In recent years, public works employees have been stretched thin by a growing queue of road repair needs and new builds. Reviewing and approving permits is a layered process, Schmidt said. This includes answering questions, making sure paperwork is correct, communicating with other departments and scheduling site visits with inspectors.

For example, managing stopwork orders (given to suspend construction, often after a violation has occurred) took multiple hours and people to fix the issue, Schmidt said — costs not accounted for in the current permit fee.

Of the different types, access permits are the most common, he said. In the last several years, more have been submitted for the far edges of unincorporated Gunnison County, cranking up the amount of staff time spent traveling to and from job sites.

He estimates the office has handled 100-120 permits annually over the last several years, and expects it to stay at that level.

The department is proposing a progressive, three-tiered system for access permits: the longer the driveway, the more expensive the permit. Currently, all access permits cost $250. The most significant jump is for driveways over 600 feet. The department is proposing just over $1,600 for this category.

“We're doing this to try to make sure that the person building a tiny driveway isn't paying the same as someone building a mile-long driveway,” he said.

Permits for long driveways are the most complex, and pass

through varied topography in the area, Schmidt said. They require vehicles turnarounds and passing areas, and review from the fire department.

Schmidt estimates that the new fees from access permits will add an extra $60,000-$80,000 to the department’s annual budget.

County Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels said she generally supports the new fees, but has concerns about the larger increases.

“We talk a lot about the cost of building … If you're barely making it work to begin with, suddenly another $1,200 can feel really frustrating,” she said.

But the fees are averages calculated from tracking staff time. They account for the fact that some fees will cover staff time, and some won’t, Birnie said.

Commissioners questioned whether the department could further scale the permit fees based on factors like how far staff were driving to construction sites. Smith asked about possible waivers or discounts for clients committing to deedrestricted homes.

Including affordable housing incentives in the permit fees is a fair policy direction, Birnie said. But he suggested the county first look to ongoing collaboration with the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority and incentives in the private sector to ease the financial burden on those looking to build a deedrestricted home.

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

OPEN FOR SHOULDER SEASON

APRIL 10TH-MAY 22ND

Scam callers target valley residents

Total amount stolen exceeds

What the French Dip

Are you serious?!

Hey guys, did you hear we are OPEN for shoulder season?!

LUNCH & DINNER

SUN-THURS | 11AM-8PM

FRI & SAT | 11AM-9PM (970)-349-6350

woodennickelcb com

@woodennickelcb

DINNER FRI SAT & SUN | 5PM-9PM (970) 349-1221

elkaveprime com

@elkavenueprime cb

HH THURS-MON 4PM-6PM

THURS, SUN & MON 4PM–9PM FRI & SAT 4PM-10PM BRUNCH SAT & SUN 8AM - 2:30PM (970) 641-4009

www.thealmontresort com

@almontresort

Western Symphonic Band

Featuring Music Major Caed Mitchel, soloist on xylophone Log Cabin Blues by George Hamilton Green, Jr.

Western Percussion Ensemble

Performing “Primeval” composed by Music Major Sloane Vaznis and Dave Hall’s tour-de-force “ESCAPE VELOCITY”

Introducing Graduating Senior Student Musicians

Friday, April 19th • 6 p.m.

KINCAID CONCERT HALL, QUIGLEY HALL, WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY

THE COMMUNITY IS WELCOME FREE ADMISSION

Dr. Brett Keating, Director of Bands, Western Colorado University

Dr. Ben Justis, Director of Percussion, Western Colorado University

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

A series of phone scams targeting residents for money has swept the Gunnison Valley in

These scams are characterized by callers who pretend to be employed with various government, public safety and law enforcement agencies. The callers try to intimidate the victim by requesting personal information and money under the threat that if they don’t pay, they'll be arrested. Most of the victims have been in their 50s and 60s, said Gunnison County Sheriff Adam Murdie.

Residents across the valley have experienced the scam calls, and even one former Gunnison resident who now lives out-of-state. Recently, one local was scammed out of over $9,000, Murdie said. It’s nearly impossible for that money to be

The Gunnison Police Department has also been receiving complaints about scam calls. The office has recorded approximately eight to 10 scam calls so far in 2024, according to Police Captain Chris Wilson. Already, scam callers have stolen over $15,000 from city residents.

currency Bitcoin, it’s difficult to trace.

The scam often starts with a text message, informing the victim that there’s a warrant from United States District Court out for their arrest. The person will identify themselves as a sheriff’s deputy, or an employee of the Gunnison District Attorney’s Office.

“The best way to reassure somebody that they don't have a warrant is if we're not knocking on their door telling them that, they don't have to worry about it,” Murdie said.

The phone number will either have no caller ID or “spoof” the number, changing the ID to one not from the true caller. The scam caller will then text or email the fraudulent warrant (which contains the victim’s name) and try to convince the person that they have to pay right away to dismiss it. They will try to solicit those funds via Apple Pay, a debit card, mobile app, cryptocurrency or putting money in a Coinstar machine.

“They were very rude and pushy about it,” Murdie said. “And that seems to be the way they have been with everybody.”

No law enforcement or public safety agency in the valley, or the district attorney’s office, will ever contact somebody with an active warrant over the phone, Murdie said. And, the office would never solicit or accept payment over the phone.

If a call seems suspect, don’t provide personal information. Hang up and call the Gunnison

Shady Island fees to go into effect this summer

Commercial guides and outfitters subject to higher rates

Bella Biondini

Starting this summer, boaters, anglers and commercial guides will have to pay a fee to use the Shady Island River Park, which grants access to the Gunnison River just north of town.

According to John Cattles, assistant county manager for operations and sustainability, the fees are tentatively scheduled to go in effect on May 1. Park visitors will be charged $5 for a day pass, and $15 for a week pass at a kiosk on site. Annual passes are available for $40 on the county website, or at the Gunnison County Courthouse. There is no fee for 30-minute parking.

Gunnison County purchased the land that would eventually become Shady Island River Park in 2017. The park, which opened in 2021, has a boat launch, parking lot and restrooms, and will eventually have a campground. Access has been free the last three years, but the county planned to put user fees in place once all of the amenities were finished.

During a regular meeting on April 2, the Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners approved the launch of the fee schedule this summer. This includes an annual $500 permit for commercial fishing guides and rafting outfitters, many of which frequent the put-in at Shady Island. Cattles said the county plans to set up an outreach meeting with local outfitters this month to discuss potential concerns around the permit system.

While the county manages the Gunnison Whitewater Park just west of Gunnison, it does not have a formal parks and recreation department or budget. Since Shady Island opened, county staff have been managing the site, many of whom are already stretched thin with other duties, Cattles said. He expecs to spend most of the revenue from fees on contractors for general maintenance at the park, cleaning the bathrooms and trash pick up. The estimated annual cost to maintain the park is roughly $18,000, he said. “It’s not a huge cost, but it is a new cost to the county,” Cattles said. “We don’t really have dedicated revenue to cover any recreation amenities like this.”

Commercial guides and outfitters will pay the highest fees for river access at Shady Island. The $500 annual commercial pass includes a reserved parking space labeled with the business name. For example, if a

guide service has three vehicles loaded with rafts and customers parked at Shady Island at once, it would need three, $500 passes. But these permits may be switched between different vehicles.

Cattles said he has yet to see the parking lot at Shady Island fill completely. On peak summer days, he estimated the lot fills to roughly 80%. On average, its less than half full, he said.

While implementing user fees was always a part of the county’s plan to manage Shady Island, some fishing guides have expressed confusion about the new commercial pass and said the county failed to reach out to them. Other large outfitters such as Three Rivers Resort declined to comment. The Times reached out to Scenic River Tours but did not receive a response by press time.

Travis Snyder, the owner of the High Mountain Drifters guide service in Gunnison, told the Times that although he was in support of a fee, he hoped the county would make some adjustments first. Snyder cited a narrow window to back up into the boat ramp, making it difficult to fit more than one trailer on the ramp at a time. This can bottleneck traffic, he said.

“Bathrooms to use and parking are nice to have, but I'm not necessarily willing to pay for something that is not very user friendly,” he said.

This year, the county will repair the loose gravel present at the top of the boat ramp, a spot that can cause some cars to get stuck, Cattles said. The county also plans to adjust the radius of the turn that has been difficult for trailers to maneuver.

Albert Mismash, one of the founders of Scenic River Tours, has been boating on the river for more than four decades.

He now runs a small guide service called Gunnison Fish and Raft. Mismash said river usage along the 14.5 mile stretch of the Gunnison River in between Almont and the whitewater park has increased “exponentially” since he first started running the river in the 1970s. There have been summer days, particularly the Fourth of July, when he counted more than 300 passing boats on the river, he said.

“That facility [Shady Island]

really wasn't designed properly to account for growth,” Mismash said. “As far as fees go, the outfitters are okay with paying their fair share. But we aren't the biggest users. We are outnumbered on the river as far as public boaters.”

‘Jammed with use’

During the meeting, County Commissioner Jonathan Houck said although the Gunnison River is “jammed with use,” the put-ins are not managed consistently. Many river access points are overseen by different agencies including the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and now Gunnison County.

Houck said the county has been looking for opportunities to manage the river put-ins as a system, where the fees and regulations are uniform. He hoped this would reduce the chance that fees at Shady Island create crowding elsewhere.

“There's a little element of Whack-a-Mole,” Houck said. “You make it a little challenging to put in here, and then it just pops up use over there.”

When Gunnison County purchased the Shady Island property, its intent was to develop an alternative to the busy North Bridge boat launch almost directly across Hwy. 135. The North Bridge is in the right of way of the Colorado Department of Transportation. For years, the agency threatened to close the boat launch and asked for the county to give river users a different option, Cattles said.

The North Bridge boat launch is still open, and catches overflow from Shady Island. Once fees go in effect, Cattles said he worried it will push more boaters back to the North Bridge, or act as a parking area for visitors avoiding the new fees.

“I hope it doesn’t create a dangerous situation for people trying to cross the highway,” Cattles told the Times

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

The Shady Island River Park opened in 2021. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

A taste of speed

The Western Colorado University Program Council hosted a NASCAR Simulator on the south lawn of the University Center on Friday, April 12. A video game screen placed in a real race car simulated driving in a NASCAR race. Matrix Entertainment put on the event.

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 bnaibutte.org

Serving the Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and the East River Valley in Colorado

Tuesday, April 23, 6 p.m. - Passover Seder

Wednesday, April 24, 6 p.m. - “the amen effect” book discussion

Go to website for location and more details.

Spiritual Leader Rabbi Mark Kula is available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com bnaibutte@gmail.com

New Song Christian Fellowship

77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034

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

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

Faith Directory

Community Church of Gunnison

107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925

Pastor Larry Nelson Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m. Weekend Services 9:30 a.m.

Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry

Weekly Student Ministry

Weekly Adult LifeGroups

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-4

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

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

Transforming Lives • Building Community

Trinity Baptist Church 523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813

Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.

Adult Bible Study 8 a.m. trinitybaptistsgunnison.com

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church 711 N. Main • 970-641-1860

Senior Pastor Robert Carabotta

Assoc. Pastor Jacob With Childrens Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.

Adult Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.

Divine Service of the Word – Sunday 10 a.m.

The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church

307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429

Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar

First Sunday of each month –11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Alternating at Good Samaritan and All Saints in the Mountains

Check our websites for location

Patch Club

Gunnison Bible Institute Thursday 7 p.m. - College & Career Christian Fellowship firstbaptistgunnison.org.

Gunnison

Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203

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

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

Second Sunday-Fifth Sunday –9 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Children’s Sunday school –2nd and 4th Sundays, monthly

Office hours: M-TH 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Taize – 1st Wednesday, monthly - 7 p.m. goodsamaritangunnison.org

Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Meeting Second-Fifth Sundays at 5 p.m.,

Holy Eucharist, Rite II

403 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte

Visit our website for location of 11 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, First Sunday of each month allsaintsinthemountains.org

Church in the Barn

8007 County Road 887

Waunita Hot Springs Ranch • 970-641-8741 Sundays, 10:30 a.m.

Non Denominational Come as you are.

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 mcmchurch.org

St. Peter’s Catholic Church 300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808

Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago gunnisoncatholic.org

crestedbuttecatholic.org

or call the Parish Office.

St. Peter’s - Gunnison Sat 5 p.m. & Sun 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. (Spanish) Mass

First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass 11 a.m.

Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30 a.m. Mass

St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Mass Service, Sun. at 10 a.m.

Church of Christ

600 E. Virginia • 970-641-1588

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

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship: 6 p.m. Wednesday Night Bible Class: 7 p.m.

(Photos by Jacob Spetzler)

GUNNISON VALLEY HEALTH IS HIRING:

Please note this is not a complete list of all our open jobs. You can view all open positions on our website at jobs.gunnisonvalleyhealth.org.

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

Lead Custodian - Lake School Substitute Teachers

Special Education EASignificant Needs

PROFESSIONAL

DOE

Medical Assistant, Family Medicine, Specialty Clinic or GVO (willing to train!) — FT Uncertified $17 - $19.55/hour, Certified $18 - $23.40/hour DOE

Nursing Assistant, Hospital — FT Uncertified $17 - $19.55/hour, Certified $18 - $23.40/hour DOE

Benefits Eligibility: Medical, dental, vision, health care FSA and dependent care FSA. All active employees working 40 or more hours per pay period are eligible for benefits on the first of the month following date of hire. PRN staff are not initially eligible for benefits.

Please visit our website for more indepth position descriptions, specific qualification requirements and to apply online: gunnisonvalleyhealth. org/careers/ or call HR for questions 970-641-1456 (PRN = as needed). All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a negative 10-panel drug screen test, criminal background check, reference checks, infection prevention procedures (TB test, Flu Shot, immunization records, etc.), physical capacity profile and acknowledgement of policies.

OPPORTUNITIES:

School Psychologist - District Newcomer Teacher and Integration

Specialist - GHS CBSS Science

CBSS Spanish (one year only)

CBSS Language Arts (one year only)

CBSS and GHS

Special Education Teacher

CBES Kindergarten Teacher

CBES 4th Grade Teacher

COACHING:

GHS - Speech and Debate

GHS - Assistant Girls Basketball Coach

CBHS - Volleyball Coach

CBHS - Head Basketball Coach

CBMS - Assistant Track and Field Coach

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Public Health Nurse II –Substance Abuse Prevention

Juvenile Services: 20 hours/week, hourly rate range from $33.79$41.08, plus partial benefits.

Seasonal Public Works:

Guaranteed 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $20.58-$23.43 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 $5,857$6,669 plus full benefits.

Detention Deputy

Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,263$5,992 plus full benefits. Only work 14 days a month.

West Central Public Health Partnership (WCPHP)

Capacity Coordinator:

Part-time, 10-20 hour per week, hourly rate range from $28.64$32.62 plus partial benefits.

Heavy Equipment Operator I: Full-time, 40 hours/week, hourly rate from $22.91-$26.08 plus full benefits.

Seasonal Weed Program Technician: 40 hours/week for 6 months. This seasonal position is set to start in May and end in Oct., hourly range from $22.91-$26.08 plus partial benefits.

Permit and Right-Of-Way Manager: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,857-$7,120 plus full benefits.

Landfill Foreman: Full-time, 40 hours/week, hourly rate from $31.88-$36.29 plus full benefits.

Accountant IAccounts Receivable: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,684-$5,333 plus full benefits.

Administrative Generalist Full-time, 40 hours/week, hourly rate range $22.91-$26.08 plus full benefits.

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

jklingsmith@gunnisonschools.net

Qualifications: Colorado Department of Education teacher license - elementary endorsement. Desire to live in a small, remote mountain community. Collaborative skills and flexibility to teach effectively in small school setting. Strong communication skills to enhance interactions with students, parents, colleagues, community. Experience in individualization/differentiation of instruction, response to intervention and use of technology as a tool for learning. Clean driving record and willingness to drive suburbans of students in mountain driving conditions. Interest in supporting cocurricular student activities.

Responsibilities: Teach 2nd and 3rd grade combined class based on Colorado academic standards. Embrace the positive aspects of assessment as a tool to influence quality instruction. Team with colleagues to maintain high student achievement. Participate in parent-teacher conferences and team meetings.

Dates of employment: Aug. 2024-June 2025; 4-day school week (Tues.-Fri.) Full-time FTE position, salary based on education and experience, benefits include 100% health/dental/vision/life, 151 day contract, 8 personal days, full credit

rooms according to Eleven standards, and accommodating guest schedules. This position requires proficiency with English and an understanding of Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) procedures, as well as ability to work flexible hours. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the needs of a hospitality company with high standards of excellence and the ability to succeed and maintain a positive attitude in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt quickly to ever-changing needs of a growing company. This full-time, summer seasonal position starts at $22/hour. The summer season runs May through Oct. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/careers.

WATER OPERATOR: 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 (1) year is mandatory (training for certifications provided). Operators are required to take on-call responsibility, including select weekends and holidays. A valid Colorado driver’s license is required. Starting salary is $53,100-$59,500 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,

CO

or email info@mcbwsd.com. Position is open until filled.

is an Equal Opportunity Employer. DO YOU HAVE MAINTENANCE SKILLS? Are you looking for a full-time, year-round position in the valley with great pay, health insurance, on-call pay, company vehicle, company phone, paid vacation, ski or health and wellness pass, 5-day work week and more? Iron Horse Property Management is adding another position to our maintenance team and we are looking for the right individual to help maintain our luxury homes. We are looking for someone who has a great work ethic, maintenance skills, is punctual and wants to quit having multiple jobs to make it in the valley. If this sounds like you and you have a clean driving record, then please send your resume to steve@ ironhorsecb.com. Qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview. No phone calls please. Pay DOE.

BARISTAS: Hiring for the summer season. Mochas Coffeehouse and Bakery in Gunnison is seeking baristas to join our team. Must be able to complete all aspects of the job as an equal member of the team in a positive and fun work environment. Hourly pay plus tips and shift meals. Drop your resume off or fill out an application at Mochas, 710 N. Main St.

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.

WATER TREATMENT FACILITY

FOREMAN: The Mt. Crested Butte Water and Sanitation District is accepting applications for a full-time Water Treatment Facility Foreman 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 treatment operations, employee supervision, construction and electrical/mechanical/ maintenance repair. A State of Colorado Water B and Distribution 3 license or the ability to obtain such within one (1) year is mandatory (training for certifications provided). Operators are required to take on-call responsibility including select weekends and holidays. A valid Colorado driver’s license is required. Starting salary is $74,200-$91,000 DOQ. 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, PO Box 5740, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225 or email info@mcbwsd.com. Position is open until filled. MCBWSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

CLEAN LINES PAINTING, REFINISHING

AND CARPENTRY is looking for a painter and/or carpenter. Experience preferred but not necessary. Busy summer season ahead. $22-$30/hour. Reliable transportation needed. Please text Adam at 970-275-7724.

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE is seeking a long-term, full-time, qualified early childhood teacher to join our fantastic team. Very competitive pay, benefits and perks offered all the time. This is a super rewarding career and a fabulous group of families and teachers. Please email interest letter and resumé to Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@ gmail.com.

DESIGN-ORIENTED GARDENING

BUSINESS is looking for a full-time seasonal operations manager. Experience in perennial garden design, greenhouse care and crew management necessary. Please email resumes to horizonfinegardens@gmail.com or 970-275-1020.

HIGH-VOLUME, PROFESSIONAL GENERAL CONTRACTOR seeks fulltime, experienced controller with 5+ years experience. Duties include overseeing general ledger and accounting functions, balance sheet reconciliation, maintaining accounting systems access controls and oversight of accounting managers including accounts receivable, accounts payable, billings functions and payroll preparation. Successful candidates will be detail-oriented and proactive in our fast-paced environment, with proficiency in Quickbooks and experience in ProCore a bonus. Competitive base salary and benefits. Please submit resume to david@davidgrossgc.com or call 970-901-1798.

THE CRESTED BUTTE SCHOOL OF DANCE is hiring a managing director: The managing director is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the organization’s business. The managing director provides ethical, strategic, transparent and value-centered leadership. Equally comfortable managing the external and internal aspects of the job, the managing director recognizes the importance of these different spheres to the organization’s ultimate success. The managing director is responsible for oversight and handson execution of all key administrative and business functions, including providing leadership and vision that ensures financial and organizational success. The managing director is the spokesperson, advocate and visible representative of the Crested

Butte School of Dance and takes an active part in the life of the community. The managing director takes a leadership role in fundraising for the organization. This role works closely with the board of directors to ensure good governance, communication and transparency and fosters a culture of success among all stakeholders. Salary range: $58,000-$63,750, 3/4 time position. Possibility for expansion into full-time employment. Salary commensurate with experience. See full description here: dancecrestedbutte.org/now-hiring. To apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to Chrissie Nehrenberg, CBSOD Board President, ccnehrenberg@gmail.com.

RAFTING AND FISHING GUIDES: Have your best summer on the rivers with 3 Rivers Outfitting in Almont. Get certified to raft or float fish guide. Raft guide course begins May 20. The fly fishing guide school offers training to become a professional fly fishing guide, May 13-17. Family owned and operated since 1983. For more info: 3riversresort.com/employment. Email operations@3riversresort.com.

FINISH CARPENTRY: High volume, professional general contractor seeks full-time, detail-oriented carpenters for a variety of carpentry needs, including back out framing, finish trim work, custom millwork and potential for other custom work. Competitive salary DOE, fuel stipend, vacation pay, health insurance, ski pass among top benefits. Please submit resume to david@davidgrossgc.com or call 970-9011798.

WANT TO WORK 32 HOURS AND GET PAID FOR 40 HOURS? CB South Metro District is hiring for a full-time Road Manager and Heavy Equipment Operator. This job requires motor grader and heavy equipment operation. Training is available for the right applicant. This position would be responsible for planning, organizing and directing all activities and staff related to the district’s roads and maintenance. Duties include road maintenance, snow removal, drinking water operations, wastewater operations and other day-to-day tasks of running a utility. Applicants must be 18 years of age and have a valid Colorado driver’s license. The successful applicant is eligible to receive an elite, full benefit package. Full job description, requirements, pay ranges and benefits are available on the district’s website at cbsouthmetro.net. Email resume to info@cbsouthmetro.net or drop off at 280 Cement Creek Road.

LOOKING TO GET ROOTED THIS SUMMER? Connect with nature, planting and caring for perennial gardens throughout the valley. Laborer/gardener positions available May 1-Oct. 31. Experience preferred but we can teach, too. Small company, pay starts at $26/hr. horizonfinegardens@gmail.com or 970-275-1020.

ARE YOU TIRED OF WORKING MULTIPLE

remote county in the lower 48, surrounded by approx. 96% public lands, five 14,000’ peaks, over twenty 13,000’ peaks, home to three national forests and less than five miles of paved roads.

This is a FT (3-4 days in clinic and 3-4 nights after hours phone triage service.) Benefit package includes health, dental, vision and life, retirement, tenure-tiered PTO program, conference/CE allowance of up to $2,000/ year, COLA, merit raises, health savings account and temporary use of an on-site apartment if needed. $95-$105,000/yr. EOE. Send CVs to lcmedcenter@lcamc.net or request job descriptions.

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

SGM ENGINEERING GUNNISON OFFICE is currently looking for full-time survey technicians. 0-4 years experience preferred, most work is outdoors. Pay range $26-$29/ hr. or $29-$36/hr. DOQ. Please go to sgminc.com/employment/ for full job description and to apply.

PR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is looking for a full-time, year-round maintenance tech. Available starting at the beginning of May. Wage dependent on experience. Benefits include insurance reimbursement, IRA, ski pass and more. Please email resume to pr-prop@crestedbutte.net.

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time and full-time seasonal positions for summer 2024: Line cook $2125/hr. + gratuity, market attendant, $16/hr. + gratuity, assistant market manager, $1819/hr. + gratuity, server/bartender $16/hr. + gratuity, lead bartender, $18-22/hr. + gratuity, host/hostess, $16/hr. + gratuity, dishwasher, $20/hr. + gratuity, facility maintenance technician, $21-24/hr., housekeeper, $2123/hr., front desk attendant, $16-20/hr. (weekends required), clubhouse attendant, $16-18/hr. Employee benefits include complimentary golf and employee discounts. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com or email jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.

INTERESTED IN A CAREER WITH BENEFITS? The Gunnison Bank and Trust, 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 multi-task 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/ hr. DOE. Robust benefits package includes 401(k), medical insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and disability insurance (ST and LT). Send resume to LBeda@ gunnisonbank.com.

Palisades Apartments is currently accepting applications for our waiting list. Our 2 bedroom, low income apartment community is income-based.

You must meet restrictions.

Our newly renovated 2 bedroom apartments are a must see. Apply in-person at 600 N. Colorado in Gunnison.

We are a no smoking property.

For further information please contact us at 970-641-5429 or palisadesmanager@ silva-markham.com

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-inhand with our maintenance, housekeeping and reservation teams to ensure that our guests experience vacation perfection. Excellent pay 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.

ACC MOUNTAIN WEST is hiring heavy equipment operators, CDL drivers and laborers for the US 285 and Highway 9 project. Hourly wages from $20-$35 and great benefits. ACC MW is a drug-free work environment (including marijuana), Equal Opportunity Employer and we participate in E-Verify. Apply at accbuilt.com. For more information, call 303-795-2582.

RTA/ALIPINE EXPRESS IS HIRING:

ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDER

CDL-B with P endorsement preferred. If not, we can train. Wage between $18-$26/hour with potential for housing. Evenings and weekends preferred. Contact Kiefer Thomas at 970-471-6494 for more information.

MISCELLANEOUS

POSITION available for the provider wanting to get away from the fast-paced, big city life. Lake City Area Medical Center is in the most

GUNNISON HIGH SHCOOL IS SELLING

1000’ OF CHAIN LINK FENCE, including top rail

between 9am and 4pm during the appeal period.

Colorado law requires the county assessor to begin hearing objections to personal property valuations no later than June 15, 2024. Objections to personal property valuations must be emailed, postmarked, or delivered in person no later than June 30, 2024.

In 2024, the Assessor and Board of County Commissioners have elected to use the extended appeal period in accordance with §39-5-122.7, C.R.S. The Assessor will mail Notices of Determination to those who have appealed on or before August 15, 2024. The County Board of Equalization will convene September 15 - October 31, 2024. Contact the Gunnison County Assessor’s office for more information.

Gunnison County Assessor 221 N. Wisconsin St., Suite A Gunnison, CO 81230 (970) 641-1085 assessor@gunnisoncounty.org www.gunnisoncounty.org

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of April 18, 25 2024 12843

The Saguache County Board of County Commissioners are accepting scholarship applications for graduating seniors who will be graduating high school in 2024.

Commissioners will be awarding graduating seniors’ college scholarships that will be paid through the Marijuana Excise Tax funds. Scholarships may be used at a trade school, college or university but you must reside in Saguache County to apply and possibly receive scholarship funds.

Applications are due by Wednesday, May 1, 2024 and are available through our website at www.saguachecounty.colorado.gov to download the application or by contacting Wendi Maez at 719-655-2231 or by email at wmaez@saguachecounty-co.gov.

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of April 11, 18, 25, 2024 12863

DIVISION 5 WATER COURT- MARCH 2024 RESUME

(This publication can be viewed in its entirety on the Colorado State Judicial website at: www.courts.state.co.us).

5. PURSUANT TO C.R.S., §37-92-302, AS AMENDED, YOU ARE NOTIFIED THAT THE FOLLOWING PAGES COMPRISE A RESUME OF THE APPLICATIONS AND AMENDED APPLICATIONS FILED WITH THE WATER CLERK FOR WATER DIVISION 5 DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH 2024. The water right claimed by this application may affect in priority any water right claimed or heretofore adjudicated within this division and owners of affected rights must appear to object and protest within the time provided by statute or be forever barred. 24CW3036 GUNNISON COUNTY, APPLICATION FOR FINDING OF REASONABLE DILIGENCE AND TO MAKE ABSOLUTE IN PART. Applicant: Town of Marble, 322 W. Park St. Marble, CO, 81623; 970-963-1938; leach@townofmarble.com. Please direct all correspondence to counsel for Applicant, LAW OF THE ROCKIES, Kendall K. Burgemeister, Atty. Reg. #41593; 525 North Main Street, Gunnison, CO, 81230, 970-641-1903; kburgemeister@lawoftherockies.com. Name of right: Marble Pipeline and Water System: Case Number and Date of Original Decree and Relevant Subsequent Decrees, all entered by the District Court, Water Division 5, State of Colorado: The conditional water right that is the subject of this application was originally decreed in W-1848 (May 29, 1974). Diligence was shown in W-1848-78 (July 18, 1979); 82CW64 (June 29, 1982); 86CW67 (November 4, 1986; 0.056 made absolute, 2.944 remaining conditional); 90CW70 (August 1, 1990); 96CW92 (September 17, 1996); 02CW250 (September 3, 2003); 09CW133 (March 5, 2011); and 17CW3056 (March 4, 2018; 0.056 made absolute, the balance remaining conditional.) In Case No. 79CW361, the Town of Marble obtained an alternate point of diversion for 0.056 cfs of the conditional portion of the Marble Pipeline and Water System water right, at a well now known as the Marble Water Company Well. This 0.056 cfs was made absolute in Case No. 86CW67. In Case No. 94CW117, another alternate point of diversion was decreed at a well, known as the Marble Water Company Well No. 2, in the amount of 0.1 cfs (45 gpm) from the remaining 2.944 cfs decreed conditionally to the Marble Pipeline and Water System. Location: The point of diversion of the Marble Pipeline and Water System is located on the westerly bank of Carbonate Creek at a point whence the Southeast Corner of Section 26, Township 11 South, Range 88 West of the 6th P.M. bears South 20° 21’ East 4,832.1 feet, being a point in the NW1/4NE1/4 of said Section, 758 feet from the North section line and 1676 feet from the East section line. The Marble Water Company Well is located in the NW1/4SE1/4 of Section, 26, Township 11S, Range 88W, Sixth P.M., 2600 feet from the South section line and 1800 feet from the East section line. The Marble Water Company Well No. 2 is located NW1/4SE1/4 of Section, 26, Township 11S, Range 88W, Sixth P.M., 2565 feet from the South section line and 1835 feet from the East section line. The locations of these structures are illustrated on Exhibit A as filed with this Application. Source: Carbonate Creek (and groundwater tributary thereto), tributary to the Crystal River, tributary to the Roaring Fork River. Appropriation Date: December 31, 1907. Amount: 6.0 cfs, of which 2.888 cfs remain conditional. Uses: Municipal, industrial, fire protection, sewage removal and treatment, lawn and garden irrigation, and domestic purposes within the Town of Marble and its immediate vicinity. Detailed outline of what has been done toward completion of the appropriation and application of water to a beneficial use as conditionally decreed, including expenditures, during the previous diligence period: The Town continued to lease to the Marble Water Company (MWC) the portion of the subject water right that is diverted through the Marble Water Company Well and Marble Water Company Well No. 2. The Town participated in ongoing studies and negotiations in an effort to develop a regional plan for augmentation for the Crystal River drainage. The plan for augmentation would augment out of priority depletions from the Marble Water Company Well and Marble Water Company Well No. 2., which are used to divert portions of the subject water right. MWC continued to utilize the subject water right to provide municipal water to customers within its service area. On May 14, 2021, MWC obtained a new well permit for the MWC Well (Permit No. 25893-F-R). Pursuant to the new well permit, on May 25, 2021, MWC redrilled the MWC well in order to raise the casing. The Well Construction and Yield Estimate Report are available on CDSS. On December 1, 2021, MWC installed a new pump in the MWC Well. The Pump Installation and Production Equipment Test Report are available on CDSS. MWC participated in the feasibility study for a possible Crystal River augmentation supply. MWC engaged Wright Water Engineers to conduct a study on a possible Marble Water Company Waterline Extension. Request to Make Absolute In Part: Marble Water Company Well No. 2 was originally decreed in Case No. 94CW117 as an alternate point of diversion for 0.1 cfs (45 gpm) from the Marble Pipeline and Water System. After the last diligence filing, 0.044 cfs of the 0.1 cfs decreed for diversion at the Marble Water Company Well No. 2 remained conditional. MWC Operator Charlie Parker measured flows from MWC Well 2 on February 20, 2024, which indicated that the well was pumping at least 45 gpm.

Lights & Sirens

CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT

APRIL 8

TOBACCO VIOLATION - UNLAWFUL POSSESSION RE1J — 800 W. OHIO AVE. VIOLATION OF PROTECTION

ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 503 N. SPRUCE ST. INFORMATION — 203 S. 10TH ST. TOBACCO VIOLATION - UNLAWFUL POSSESSION RE1J — 800 W. OHIO AVE. INFORMATION — 880 N. MAIN ST. WELFARE ASSIST — 501 E. TOMICHI AVE. THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 900 N. MAIN ST. CRIMINAL TRESPASS: SECOND DEGREE - COMMON AREA — 600 N. COLORADO ST.

APRIL 9

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — W. GUNNISON AVE. PROPERTY WATCH

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEPOSS. MARIJUANA ACCESSORIES — 540 ESCALANTE DR. THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE X3 — 900 N. MAIN ST. TRAFFIC - DRIVING UNDER REVOCATION (HTO) — 901 W. NEW YORK AVE. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL — W. NEW YORK AVE.

APRIL 10

PROPERTY - FOUND — C.R. 15

PROPERTY - FOUND — 201 W. TOMICHI AVE.

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE: POSS./CONSUMPTION 2 OZ. OR LESS MARIJUANA UNDER 21 — 800 W. OHIO AVE.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE TO PROPERTY — 1010 W. VIRGINIA AVE.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 1198 N. MAIN ST. PROPERTY - LOST — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE.

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE X6 — 900 N. MAIN ST. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT: SECOND DEGREE — 519 W. TOMICHI AVE. VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 232 W. TOMICHI AVE.

PROPERTY - FOUND — 200 S. ADAMS ST. APRIL 11

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL — 100 N. IOWA ST.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — 600 N.

COLORADO ST.

THEFT: TWO OR MORE THEFTS IN SIX MONTHS X5 — 900 N. MAIN

ST. INFORMATION — 707 N. IOWA ST.

PARKING VIOLATION — 614 S. 10TH ST.

APRIL 12

THEFT - COMMITS TWO OR MORE

THEFTS AGAINST THE SAME

PERSON X4 — 900 N. MAIN ST.

WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — 800 E. TOMICHI

AVE.

PROPERTY - FOUND — 100 E. GEORGIA AVE.

PROPERTY WATCH TRAFFIC - REGISTRATION VIOLATION — W. NEW YORK AVE.

APRIL 13

ALCOHOL VIOLATION - UNDERAGE POSS./CONSUMPTION — 600 E. GEORGIA AVE.

CRIMINAL ATTEMPT — 211 W. BIDWELL AVE. ACCIDENT — 416 PAINTBRUSH AVE.

AGENCY ASSIST — 100 S. SPRUCE ST.

APRIL 14

ASSAULT: THIRD DEGREE - BODI-

LY INJURY — 900 N. MAIN ST.

VIOLATION OF PROTECTION

ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 1410

BLAZE TRAIL RD.

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

APRIL 9

-Courthouse deputies took one person into custody ordered by Gunnison County District Court for a three-year community corrections sentence

-Deputies served civil papers x 2

-Deputies responded to a residence on a welfare check on a dog

-Somerset deputies responded to a resident who was having problems with his phone. If he called 911, it would go to Mesa County’s dispatch. Deputies contacted TDS and put in a ticket to have this fixed.

-Deputies responded to Hwy. 135 and C.R. 730 for a dog found in the highway. Deputies drove around the neighborhood to see if anyone recognized the dog and no one did. The dog was taken to the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League and given food and water. This is a larger, older dog that has short brown hair with some white on the chest and feet. He is very friendly.

-Somerset deputies assisted Emergency Medical Services on a medical call

APRIL 10

-Deputies served civil papers at the sheriff’s office

-Somerset deputies responded to a residence for a family disturbance

-Deputies responded to a possible menacing call

-Deputies took a trespassing call in Somerset at the West Elk Mine with possible video - under investigation

APRIL 11

-Deputies assisted the Gunnison Police Department with a verbal domestic by the Palisades Apartments

-Deputies responded to a hit-andrun where someone was seen driving away in an older, gray/blue lifted Suburban after crashing into another person’s garbage cans and dragging the cans under his vehicle for over a mile south on Seneca -Somerset deputies received an information report on some suspicious activity at the Somerset Domestic Water District buildingunder investigation

APRIL 12

-Deputies assisted the GPD and MT. Crested Butte Police Department officers as cover for a party involved in disorderly conduct who had a warrant

-Deputies took a stolen truck report out of Somerset

April 27, 2024

Doors open at 5. Fred field heritage center.

-Marble deputies took a fraud report

-Somerset deputies arrested one person for violation of a protection order, driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding and weaving

-Deputies issued a state summons to a person driving when driver’s license is canceled or revoked

APRIL 13

-Gunnison County Resolution

2018-30 dog at large - warning given

-Deputies took one person into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol - excessive content and weaving

-Deputies took one person into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol and also for weaving

APRIL 14

-Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol, Gunnison Fire/Rescue and EMS with a single vehicle accident on Hwy. 114

Expert Care. Designed for you.

Care designed for ...

PREVENTION

At Gunnison Valley Health we have the screenings and services you need to stay healthy and identify concerns early.

COLONOSCOPY

A screening colonoscopy is recommended for everyone over 45 years old even if you do not have any symptoms.

SPECIALTY CLINIC | 970-641-3927

711 N. TAYLOR | GUNNISON

BREAST SCREENINGS

We provide a comprehensive set of breast screening services.

3D TOMOSYNTHESIS MAMMOGRAPHY | AUTOMATED WHOLE BREAST ULTRASOUND (ABUS)

RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT | 970-641-7253

711 N. TAYLOR | GUNNISON

DIRECT ACCESS LAB TESTING

Convenient access to year-round low-cost laboratory testing.

LABORATORY | 970-641-7259

711 N. TAYLOR | GUNNISON

PRIMARY CARE

With family medicine, internal medicine and pediatric care, we can help you be healthy and well.

ANNUAL PHYSICALS | WELLNESS EXAMS | VACCINES & FLU SHOTS

GUNNISON | 970-642-8413

707 N. IOWA | GUNNISON

WOMEN’S HEALTH CLINIC

WCU CAMPUS | 970-943-2707

104 TOMICHI HALL | GUNNISON

CRESTED BUTTE | 970-642-8413

305 S. 6TH | CRESTED BUTTE

We offer comprehensive gynecological care to support the health of women of all ages.

ANNUAL WELL WOMAN EXAMS | MENOPAUSE CARE | HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

SPECIALTY CLINIC | 970-641-3927

711 N. TAYLOR | GUNNISON

The keepers of the greens

Masterminds behind the Dos Rios Golf Course

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

On Friday, April 12, amateur golfers, many attempting to wear shorts for the first time this season, practiced shots at the newly reopened Dos Rios Golf Course. The songs of redwinged blackbirds blended with the whacks of golfballs. Spring had finally arrived, the second round of the Masters had started in Georgia and the golf season was officially underway.

Behind the scenes, Dos Rios superintendent Ian Paluso and groundskeeper Dave Vanderweele rumbled down the cart path in a utility vehicle. The pair connected a hose to a massive tank balanced on the back, and sprinkled water across the practice green. Paluso squinted at the dew-covered fairways and watched the course glisten

in the early morning sun. In just over two weeks, the links had transitioned from brown to green, and the Gunnison golfing community returned to its tee boxes.

Each year, Paluso works to extend Gunnison’s fleeting golf season, which usually lasts from April to September. But the job of superintendent is a neverending arm wrestle with Mother Nature. This year, Dos Rios installed a $4 million irrigation system that will offer faster, and more complete grass growth.

“My job is to dial in this golf course, and do whatever that takes,” Paluso said. “We were running on antique irrigation until this season. Now we’ll have much better coverage, and will be able to fill in gaps that usually don’t receive enough water.”

Paluso began working on golf courses at the age of 15. He received a biology degree from Western Colorado University, but while working on the grounds crew at the Club at Crested Butte, he decided to pursue a career in the golf industry. Paluso received a

Bob Davenport steers the lawnmower along the greens. (Photos by Jacob Spetzler)

Dave Vanderweele waters the practice green.

degree in turfgrass management at Horry Georgetown Technical College in Myrtle Beach. The degree, centered around golf course management, taught strategies on controlling insects, diseases and weeds. After graduation, Paluso returned to the Gunnison Valley. Today, he is the mastermind behind Dos Rios.

“I love working outside, and watching the progression of the golf course throughout the season,” Paluso said. “Dos Rios is the only affordable option in the Gunnison Valley for the majority of the community, so it feels great to welcome them back every year.”

The yearly cycle begins each autumn when the yellow cottonwood leaves coat the fairways. Heavy snowfall can spur harmful diseases or fungi in the winter. To combat this, the maintenance teams apply a fungicide, and aerate the fairways by punching small holes across the course. Then, they use compressors to blow water out of the pipes to prevent freezing. By late October, the course goes dormant, and is covered in feet of snow. Golfers are replaced by cross country skiers and snowshoers.

When spring arrives, Paluso and his team begin the long awaited bout with weather. In 2023, the crew was forced to blow snow from the greens to meet a target opening date. This year, unusually warm spring weather melted the remaining snow drifts, and the team has been cleaning up scattered tree

branches, and drying out the muddy terrain.

Once the temperatures rise, Paluso will turn on the irrigation system and the course will return to its seasonal, summer beauty. It’s his first season on the job, but Vanderweele said it has been rewarding to reopen the golf course.

I love working outside, and watching the progression of the golf course throughout the season.

Ian Paluso Dos Rios Superintendent

“I just wanted to keep my course nice, so I jumped in,” Vanderweele said. “This job has really helped my golf game, and it is fulfilling to help out the community.”

On top of pleasing the eager Gunnison golfers, the groundskeepers at Dos Rios also try to accommodate the GHS girls golf team. This year, the high school season started before the practice range opened, forcing the girls to practice indoors.

The varsity players began their season putting on carpet and hitting wiffle balls into nets in the high school gymnasium — posing a challenge for the first tournament of the season. In late March, Dos Rios opened up the practice facilities for the Cowboys ahead of the general public.

“We really prioritize local teams and try to open early when we can,” said Dos Rios Head Golf Professional Brian Turner. “It’s all weather dependent, but we try our best to open up the range and help them get some practice in.”

Now with wind whipping across western Colorado and clouds masking the sun, the fickle golf season will experience more bumps in the upcoming weeks. Still, the greenskeepers are eager to christen the new irrigation system soon, and welcome the Gunnison community back for more birdie putts and long drives.

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

Ian Paluso

Community golfers whack away at the driving range.

Cottonwood trees begin to bud while groundskeeper Davenport mows the course.

Davenport carries a flag pin on a front-nine hole.

Clay-date

Gunnison ceramicist Kristin Gruenberger led a clay-making class at Wonderland Clayworks on Saturday, April 13. The group crafted small, decorative clay birds.

SENIOR CENTER PROGRAMS

• April 17: Input Session with Gunnison County – 135 Corridor Safety. Come share your experiences & ideas about how to improve the safety of the 135 corridor in and around Gunnison. Your voice is very important! Light refreshments provided. RSVP requested!

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.

• April 19 (4pm): Community Meal & Social Hour! Program on the Great Sand Dunes National Park by retired park ranger & Senior Center hike leader Stuart Schneider. $5 members/$10 non-members. Volunteers needed! RSVP Required –no walk-ins, please.

• May 1 (1pm): Book Club. May’s book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou.

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:

• May 22 (12:45pm): Spring Flowers with Alcohol Inks. RSVP required – space is limited! Cost: $10 per person + Senior Center membership.

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

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

Regular Activities: Mondays – Bridge @ 1 pm; Tuesdays – Canasta @ 1pm; Wednesdays

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

– Book Club @ 1 pm on 1st Weds. of month; Thursdays – Bridge @ 1 pm; Fridays – Art Club @ 12:30 pm & Mahjong @ 1 pm

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

Senior Shopping Hours:

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

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

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

Mondays & Wednesdays in the Gym

- Silver Sneakers Boom Muscle @ 9:30am

• Walmart – Tuesdays (6AM – 7AM)

- Silver Sneakers Classic @ 10:15am

Tuesdays @ 10AM in the Leisure Pool -Silver Sneakers Splash Class (all levels)

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

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

SENIOR MEALS

Self-reporting Form: www.gunnisoncounty.org /covid19.

Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays @ 11:30 am. $5 per meal. Advanced orders appreciate (24 hours). Pick-ups between 11 – 11:15 am (advanced orders only).

ORDER MEALS: 970-641-8272

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

Menu: (all meals come with dessert!)

• Mon., April 22: Beef Stroganoff on Noodles, veggies, homemade bread

• Weds., April 24: Brats, baked beans, roasted potatoes, Jello with fruit

• Fri., April 26: Chicken Shepherd’s Pie, salad, biscuits

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) or call the Senior Center 970-641-8272.

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

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

(Photos by Jacob Spetzler)

BLM HAS CLOSED SEVERAL GATES IN THE GUNNISON BASIN TO PREVENT ROAD DAMAGE

The BLM Gunnison Field Office is closing gates on BLM roads in the Gunnison Basin as part of the annual closure from March 15-May 15 to protect Gunnison sage-grouse during their mating and nesting season. The closures are in coordination with Gunnison County, Gunnison Ranger District, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The gates will reopen on May 15.

For specific information on closures on BLM lands, contact the Gunnison Field Office at (970) 642-4940.

PEOPLE & HAPPENINGS

Theater readings

Firebird Theatre presents “An Evening of Chekhov” at 6:30 p.m. on April 20 at Rumors Coffee and Tea House in Crested Butte. Enjoy classic scripts brought to life by local actors. Tickets are $5 at firebirdcb.com/staged-readings.

Community read and author talk

Free copies of Laura Pritchett’s “Playing with (Wild) fire” are available at the Old Rock, Gunnison and Western Colorado University libraries. The Community Read Program will culminate during the Mountain Words Festival with a free author talk at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts on May 26 at 2 p.m. For more information, contact drew@gunnisoncountylibraries.org.

GVEF gathering

The Gunnison Valley Education Foundation (GVEF) invites the community to learn how their Teacher Innovation Grants and projects impact learning for children and teachers in our school district on April 24 from 6-7 p.m. at the Gunnison County Library. Light refreshments will be provided. GVEF is a component fund of the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley. For more information, visit gunnisonvalleyeducationfoundation.org.

Overeaters Anonymous

Overeaters Anonymous (OA) meets on Thursdays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at The Last Resort, 114 Wisconsin St. in downtown Gunnison. This is an open meeting.

Wildlife Association talk

The Gunnison Wildlife Association will host local experts on big-game management and invasive cheatgrass on April 25 at 6 p.m. at the Fred Field Western Heritage Center in Gunnison. All are welcome to attend this free event.

Earth Week film screening

The Gunnison Farmers Market will remember local environmental advocate Steve Schechter with a screening of the film “Regenerating Life” on April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Western Colorado University Center Theater. Suggested donations are $5 for students and $10 for the community. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase. Learn more at gunnisonfarmersmarket.org.

Trail closure

The Doctor Park trail is closed to all uses from now to Memorial Day weekend for bighorn sheep protection. Please respect all trail closures.

Rural community health forum

Join Western Colorado University for an evening of research findings and conversation on April 29 from 5-7 p.m. on campus in Kelley Hall, Room 116. Master of Behavioral Science graduate students will share stories and recommendations from their Gunnison Valley-based community health projects at this free event.

Public Lands Day celebration

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers presents Public Lands Day festivities at the IBar Ranch in Gunnison May 17-19. On May 18 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.,

GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS

New hours

The Gunnison Arts Center is now open on Fridays from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Firebrand soup class

Learn how to make two iconic Firebrand soups, Hungarian mushroom and vegan mushroom, with Heidi Magnus on April 20 from 3-5 p.m.

Registration is $60 for the public and $50 for GAC members at gunnisonartscenter.org.

CB CENTER FOR THE ARTS BRIEFS

Student art showcase reception

The AP art students of Crested Butte Community School are excited to showcase what they have been working on this winter. Join the students and their instructor, Nathan Motsinger, to celebrate and support their work on April 25 at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts. This event is free. Find more information at crestedbuttearts.org.

volunteers will remove miles of area fencing, improving habitat for multiple species, followed by a community party at 7 p.m. Camping is available. Learn more and sign up at backcountryhunters.org/beers_bands_ and_barbwire_strands_2024.

Rotary grants

The Rotary Club of Gunnison invites proposals from local charitable organizations for grant support, specifically those that serve children from birth to high school graduation. Organizations must be 501(c) (3) tax-exempt or other type of charitable organization. The application deadline is June 3 at noon. Email Pam Montgomery at pgmflower@gunnison.com or call 970.901.9950 for more information and to apply.

Youth nicotine anonymous

Nicotine Anonymous for Young Adults meets every Wednesday from 2-3 p.m. at 601 6th St. in Crested Butte and from 4-5 p.m. at the Fred Field McDonough Room in Gunnison. This is a mutual support group with no religious affiliation. Contact ajohnson@ gunnisoncounty.org with questions.

Producers’ Guild plant sale

The Gunnison Valley Producers’ Guild will host their annual vegetable and herb plant sales on April 27 and May 25 at 513 S. Main St. from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. At the April sale, the guild will have seed potatoes for sale and local compost available by donation. Farmers will have seeds and plants for sale, including onions, broccoli, kale, tomatoes, cauliflower and more.

Ladies night dance party

Women and gender expansive people ages 21 and up are invited to the GAC to dance and enjoy light snacks and beverages of the alcoholic or nonalcoholic variety on April 20 from 8-11 p.m. Always have a safe plan to get home. Call SAFERIDE at 970-209-7433. Tickets are $15 at gunnisonartscenter.org.

Psychedelics summit

Join the CBCA and the Nowak Society in presenting an evening panel discussion with psychedelic experts on April 27. Explore ideas and current developments around psychedelic research and use for mental health. Tickets for this event are available by donation. Find more information at crestedbuttearts.org.

Mountain Words Festival

The Mountain Words Festival is a multi-day literary celebration featuring readings, workshops, kids' events, parties, panel discussions, live theater and more from May 24-26. Tickets and passes are on sale now at crestedbuttearts.org.

Deadline Tuesday by 12pm

Melissa Tada brings lei making to Gunnison

In a cozy corner of the Gunnison County Library, Melissa Tada deftly wove strands of ribbon into a colorful circle. Amongst the sea of knitters and crocheters that attend the monthly Makers Meetup, Tada can be found making traditional Hawaiian leis.

Tada, the Gunnison library’s youth coordinator, brought the practice from her small hometown on the island of Maui. After moving from Denver to Gunnison two years ago, she carried the craft with her to her new mountain home. It had been awhile since she dug into her ribbon stash to make leis, and she decided that the Makers Meetup would be a good opportunity to start again.

“I’m trying to stay away from [crocheting and knitting] for as long as I can, because I feel like it will take over my life,” Tada said.

Although she doesn’t consider herself a maker at heart, she’s glad to have the skill of making leis for people in her “arsenal,” she said. She said she loves being able to gift handmade leis for birthdays or other special occasions.

In Hawaii, making and sharing leis is a common way to congratulate loved ones, such as at high school and college graduations. Graduates’ necks are often piled so high with an assortment of both traditional and modern leis that the lower half of their faces become obscured. In addition to customary floral and ribbon leis, other leis take the form of favorite candy bars or cut up pool noodles strung together. Some lucky graduates find themselves adorned with a string of cold hard cash.

Leis are also important in more traditional ceremonial events such as the annual Merrie Monarch Festival on Oahu. The festival was founded

in 1963 to commemorate precolonial Hawaiian culture and history, and features competitive hula and folk dance competitions. During the 61st Merrie Monarch Festival this March, competitors wore a variety of floral and leafy leis and headdresses in addition to modern dancewear and traditional leaf skirts.

Tada learned to make leis from her late grandmother, Lillian, who ran a word-ofmouth lei business on Maui for years. When babysitting her granddaughter, Lillian would task 3-year-old Tada with collecting yellow “ilima” flowers from the yard to string onto leis. Lillian lined up the collected blossoms on a pillow so young Tada could try to pass the needle through each flower’s center.

“Anytime I went to [my grandma’s] house, we had to help,” Tada said. “I was always making something for other people when I was there.”

Tada remembers being intrigued by the complex flower leis her grandmother constructed, but she was too young at the

time to make them on her own. However, woven ribbon leis provided the perfect entry point for lei making.

Ribbon leis are made by twisting, braiding, or scrunching colorful ribbon into long, textured strands. For flower leis, makers either slide the season’s latest blooms onto a thread, or use other plant materials to securely bind the flowers to a headband. More complex designs involve winding one strand of flowers around another strand of different flowers for a color-contrasting twist.

Tada doesn’t plan on teaching lei-making formally, but has shown a few attendees of the Makers Meetup how to make simple ribbon leis. For those hoping to try their hand at the craft as graduation season nears, she said she is happy to point people in the direction of more in-depth tutorials online.

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

Melissa Tada works on a basic ribbon lei. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

Tada grins from within a pile of leis during her high school graduation ceremony in 2003. Standing beside her are her mother and both grandmothers. (Courtesy Melissa Tada)

GHS girls take first in Del Norte

Track and field gallops into final meets

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

The Cowboy track and field teams shined at the Del Norte Tigers Invitational on April 13, taking first and second place. The girls, led by Angela Hindes and Sienna Gomez, were electric across all events and finished first as a team. Distance runner Julian Ryter and sprinter Bodin Bichon were standout athletes on the boys team, and secured a secondplace team finish.

“This team is so supportive of each other,” said Head Coach Stacey Mickelson. “It has been great to see them grow together this season. We had a great weekend, and are on track for a number of state qualifications.”

On Saturday, the Cowboys flew out of the blocks and recorded top times. In the distance events, Jemma Petrie

Baseball drops Delta doubleheader Cowboys

unable to keep up with firing offense

Alex McCrindle

Times Sports Editor

The Cowboy baseball team suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of the Delta Panthers on April 16. The two losses moved the Cowboys to a 6-6 overall record, and 1-2 in the 3A Western Slope League. The boys will take on Basalt at home next in a league matchup on April 19. Earlier in the week, the Cowboys laid down the hammer against Centauri, win -

ning two games 15-0, and 15-4. Against Delta, it was a different story.

In the first game on Tuesday, the Panthers marched out to an early, 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Cowboys struggled to keep up. The Delta starter mowed down the heart of the Cowboys line-up, and only gave up one hit — a single from Hunter Vincent — all game.

In the second, starting pitcher Talon Kibler began the inning with momentum. But with one out on the board, a Panther slugger smashed a three-run homer to right-center field, taking the score to 6-0. At the next at bat, Delta rocketed another shot to left field. Junior outfielder Kahne Chippiani leaped up

Track B8 Sienna Gomez hands the baton to Eden Williams at practice on April 16. (Photos by Bella Biondini)

Cesar Marmolejo faces the Panther right-hander. (Photos by Alex McCrindle)

Baseball B9

Challenger

Series

concludes in California Western mountain biking competes in Utah

Kieran

Nay

Special to the Times

On April 13 and 15, Western Mountain Sports concluded the season with the IFSA Challenger Series, where freeride athlete Cal Hill competed in Kirkwood, California. Western cycling also sent a team of athletes to Cedar City, Utah to race the Belgian Waffle Classic — a long-distance gravel race. Out in the desert of southwest Utah, Western cycling competed in distances ranging from 64 to104 miles. A large storm in the area brought high winds and freezing temperatures to the starting line. In the 64-mile race, Cody Conner placed fourth in the competitive 19-27 age bracket. In the 104-mile event, Wiley Corra completed his longest ride on the heels of a competitive Nordic skiing season. This upcoming weekend, the team will head down to

Durango to compete in the Fort Lewis collegiate road race and criterium.

On the steep slopes in Kirkwood, Western Athlete Cal Hill took on the third and final competition of the IFSA Challenger. This series, held over three competitions, gives the top North American riders an opportunity to qualify for the 2025 Freeride World Tour.

After a third-place finish on home ground in Crested Butte, Cal fell to seventh in the overall standings at the second competition in Silverton.. An unfortunate crash in Kirkwood closed Cal’s path to next year’s Freeride World Tour, but capped a remarkably successful season for him and the Western freeride team.

On April 20-22, the Trail Team heads to Fruita to compete in the Desert Rats Trail Festival, climbing travels to a competition in Fort Collins and Cycling goes to Durango to compete at Fort Lewis College.

(Kieran Nay is the Mountain Sports coordinator at Western Colorado University, and can be reached at kieran.nay@western. edu.)

Gunnison Angling Society presents the 2024

Western Violinists to Perform Concerto

On Tuesday, April 23 at 7:30pm in the Kincaid Concert Hall, Western violinists Jake Magoun and Kate Magoun (brother and sister) will perform the Concerto for Two Violins and Continuo by Johann Sebastian Bach. The program will also feature Danzas de Panama by William Grant Still, Largo from Dvorak’s New World Symphony, and will conclude with W.A. Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The concert is FREE and open to the general public. We hope to see you! Sponsor a concert or become a member at: westernUp.org\music Western Music Partners

The Mountaineer cyclists line up at the starting line in Cedar City. (Courtesy Western Colorado University)

Mountaineer track and field achieves 15 provisional marks

Gregg Petcoff Special to the Times

The Western track and field teams competed in three meets across two states from April 11 through 14. Over the weekend, the Mountaineers earned 15 more NCAA Division II provisional marks, putting athletes in contention to qualify for the D-II national championship meet in May.

Western opened its hectic schedule on Thursday, April 11 at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California. A small group of Mountaineer runners raced in the Leopard Distance Carnival in La Verne, California on April 12. A larger group of Western athletes finished off the weekend on Sunday, April 14 in Grand Junction at the Maverick Invite.

The Bryan Clay meet produced the majority of the new provisional marks. Allison Beasley led with 12, and Leah Taylor and Peyton Weiss each recorded two.

Taylor crossed the finish in the women’s 5000 with a time of 16:17.53. That is ninth nationally, and fourth in the RMAC. She also added a provisional in the 1500 in a time of 4:29.46, which ranks 34th nationally.

Weiss hit new provisional marks in the women’s 800 and 1500-meter run that set her 31st and 45th on the national performance list. Just ahead of Weiss in the 800, was teammate Emma Kjellsen who finished in 2:10.32 — a time that ranks 27th nationally, and seventh in the RMAC.

At the Bryan Clay, the Mountaineer men produced three provisionals. Simon Kelati and Tyler Nord earned theirs in the 5000, and Branden Davis registered his in the 10,000meter run.

Kelati’s time of 13:34.94 nearly topped the national list, finishing the weekend with the second-fastest time in the event so far this season. Nord’s time of 13:46.03 ranks fourth on the national performance list.

Davis earned his first provisional time, clocking 29:48.96 and ranked 36th nationally.

Beasley’s time in the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase of 10:12.21, ranks fourth in D-II, and second on the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s performance list. Her second provisional came in the 5000-meter run with a time of 16:36.41.

Track from B6

stood atop the podium in the 1600 with a time of 5:33.17.

Catalina Schwab took second and finished the mile in 6:03.05.

Madelyn Stice was dominant in the 3200, and placed first with a first-place time of 11:51.17.

In the 800-meter run, four Cowboys rose on the leaderboard. Catalina Schwab placed second, and Justine Mowery, Izabella Hartzell and Nicoline Friedrichsen took third, fourth and seventh. Petrie also finished second in the 400 to cap off an impressive performance. The girl hurdlers raked in peak spots in the 300-meter run. Rose Kowal took third, followed by Caroline Sudderth, Brooke Terry and Merci Williams in fourth, sixth and seventh.

The jumpers and throwers wrapped up a well-rounded Saturday for the girls team.

Angela Hindes finished first place in the high jump. Her score of a 5-2 this weekend ranks her first in the state in the 3A class. Hindes also placed second in the long jump, while Eden Williams took third and Amara Lock finished ninth.

Junior Sienna Gomez flew in the triple jump. Her score of 34-9.5 secured a spot at the top of the leaderboard. Eden Williams and Aubrey Welfelt finished directly behind her, taking third and fourth place. Kathryn Frey was the leading thrower for the Cowboys, and took back-to-

Kaiya Firor and Kelia Portis sealed the last two provisionals from Bryan Clay in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. Firor blazed to a time of 1:00.18 to move up to fifth nationally and to the top spot on the RMAC list in the event. Portis’ time of 1:02.25 is now 30th in D-II and fifth in the RMAC.

back third place finishes in the shot put and discus.

On the boys end, Bodin Bichon was the distinguished athlete in the sprints. The senior took a towering first-place victory in the 200-meter dash, and third in the 100. Julian Ryter blazed a trail in the 3200, taking first place in 10:33.25. Spencer Hays finished second and Lawson Forman took fifth. The boys jumpers also brought distance to Del Norte. Arno Mortensen placed fourth in the long jump, while Vojta Jirka took fourth in the 110meter hurdles. Shane Mensing wrapped up a strong weekend for the Cowboys, placing first in the discus.

The combined results sealed a first-place victory for the girls team, and a second-place finish for the boys. Next up, the GHS track and field teams will travel to Montrose, and keep pushing for state qualification. The state meet will take place in Denver May 16-18.

“Last year was the first time many of the girls competed at the state meet,” Mickelson said. “I’m hoping we can put together a strong end to the season, and a good state appearance. I think the state will be less of a shock, they can settle in and have fun.”

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

tune-up before the conference championship meet. The team will head to Golden on Saturday, April 20 for the Kit Mayer Classic at the Stermole Track & Field Complex.

The final provisional mark of the weekend came on Sunday at Colorado Mesa’s Invite. Regan Thorne improved to fourth in the RMAC, and 34th nationally with her time of 14.22 seconds in the women’s 100-meter hurdles.

Western will have one more

The Friday meet in La Verne produced two new provisionals, one each from Esteban Deniz and Eddie Siuda. Siuda takes over the top spot in the RMAC, and is seventh in the nation, with a time of 8:53.37 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase. Deniz raced to a time of 14:09.45 in the 5000, moving up to 13th in the RMAC and 38th in D-II.

Cooper Boardman soars over the high jump at the Mountaineer Field House.

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

Kaiya Firor competes in the 400-meter hurdles. (Courtesy Western Colorado University)

Rose Kowal, who took third in the 300 hurdles on Saturday, re-positions a hurdle at practice.

Baseball

from B6

to rob the homer, but instead acrobatically flipped over the wall, barely missing the catch. Delta polished off the first game in five innings, winning 14-0.

In the second matchup, the Panthers came out swinging again, and tacked on six runs in the first innings. Vincent put barrel to ball in the fourth inning, and senior Jacob Riser brought him home with a grounded single to pull one back 6-1.

Late in the game, catcher Marshall Spann caught a Panther stealing second to limit the damage. Delta put two more on the board with a laser to center field. Grady Buckhanan barely missed a diving catch in right field, giving up a double, and Delta sealed the victory 11-2.

The Cowboys begin a streak of league games starting at home on April 19 against Basalt at 1 p.m.

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

Titans lose heartbreaker to Tigers

The Crested Butte Titans lost a gut-punching, 9-8 game to league rivals Grand Junction at home on April 11. Despite the heroic effort from the Titans, the loss drops the team’s overall record to 4-7, and 4-5 in the 4A Mountain League. The Titans will return to action in a home matchup against Fruita Monument on April 23 at 4 p.m.

The infield watches John Parker warm up on the mound.

Crested Butte celebrates a victory earlier this month. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Titans watch from the sidelines at a home game in early April.

‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’

The Western Colorado University Theater Company partnered with the Class of 1989 to put on “The Awesome '80s Prom,” an interactive production by Ken Davenport on Friday, April 12. The company has two more performances set for April 18 and 19. The show brings the audience into the play along with the actors. Drama played out among students, teachers handed out demerits and everyone got down to the best hits the decade had to offer.

Middle School RADY

ENGINEERING SUMMER ACADEMY

SIX WEEKS - SIX ENGINEERING ADVENTURES

Week 1: June 18-20: Mechanical Engineering: SOLIDS

Week 2: June 25-27: Mechanical Engineering: FLUIDS

Week 3: July 9-11: Renewable Energy Engineering

Week 4: July 16-18: Circuits & Electronics & Coding

Week 5: July 23-25: Outdoor Survival Engineering 1

Week 6: July 30-Aug 1: Outdoor Survival Engineering 11

• Students who are entering 6th - 9th grade are welcome!

• The program will run from 9am - 3pm Tue, Wed and Thur each week

• We will maintain small instructor to student ratios (1-4) to ensure high-quality, hand-on learning, engagement and safety

• Students can register for one week, size weeks, or anything in between!

• Tuition is $200/week, which includes all supplies and take-home projects

• Partial need-based scholarships are available

For questions or more info: email Lauren Cooper (program director) Lauren.cooper@colorado.edu PROGRAM

HELD

THE RADY ENGINEERING BUILDING ON THE WESTERN CAMPUS Ready to register? scan this QR code to go to registration site.

Registration

$200

(Photos by Jacob Spetzler)

Western deepens sustainability commitment with lighting overhaul

Old fixtures donated to local ranchers

Seth Mensing Special to the Times

Western Colorado University recently led a $1.59 million overhaul of its lighting system, a project that will save more than 292,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity each year.

Since 2007, Western Colorado University has been implementing campus-wide sustainability projects that involve students, staff and the wider Gunnison Valley community. This was also when sustainability became a part of the university’s strategic plan, and the president’s climate commitment action plan was drafted.

Guided by its commitment to sustainability and zero waste goals, Western has implemented several sustainability efforts. In 2019, the university voted to use renewable energy funds for a joint City of Gunnison, Gunnison County and Western solar photovoltaic system at the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, which dedicates a third of the 900,000 kWh generated to Western.

Other sustainability projects include the development of a Sustainability Action Committee, a free bike library, an on-campus composting program, single stream recycling and the opening of the Coldharbour Institute for regenerative living practices and the Center for Public Lands for land management facilitation.

Western remains a partner of the City of Gunnison as it commits to sustainability initiatives. One such initiative is the pur-

suit of Dark-Sky compliance with the International Dark-Sky Association — a global effort to reduce light pollution from outdoor lighting. The city’s DarkSky efforts were a major consideration for Western as it pursued and completed its exterior lighting overhaul. This included the replacement of 240 poles with fixtures across the campus.

When students approached the president in 2020 to improve campus safety through exterior lighting, Western leadership chose a solution that tackled energy efficiency, too. Western partnered with Golden-based company McKinstry on a $1.59 million campus-wide exterior lighting project. The statefunded project establishes best practices for procurement, construction, design and controlled maintenance for all of the state’s higher education institutions.

Keeping in mind the student body’s safety concerns, Western developed a comprehensive lighting and pole numbering system to allow students to quickly and easily identify their position on campus in the case of an emergency. In addition to improved energy use, the project will divert lighting fixtures from landfills with fewer replacements and longer life cycles. It will also reduce Western’s emissions by 205 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents.

Typically, older fixtures are recycled upon replacement. However, old campus fixtures were donated to local farmers, giving them a second life.

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

(Courtesy Western Colorado Univeristy)