Gunnison Country Times, April 25, 2024

GVH fills vacancies with international nurses

Three-year contracts to ease reliance on travelers

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

In a bid to reduce its reliance on costly traveling nurses, Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) is now looking abroad to recruit full-time health care workers. A serious nurse shortage has plagued GVH and hospitals around the country for years — a phenomenon made worse by the wave of pandemic-era retirements. GVH has hired traveling nurses to fill this need and ensure the hospital can stay open.

To reduce the number of travelers, GVH signed an agreement with California-based nursing consultant Flint Healthcare to recruit six international nurses in the coming years. Each nurse signs on for a three-year contract, after which they can choose to leave or stay on at the hospital. The confirmed nurses so far are from Nigeria, Grenada and Brazil.

The first nurse, from Nigeria, started a couple weeks ago in the labor and delivery unit. The final five will fill spots in the hospital's medical-surgical unit, emergency room and Senior Care Center.

The nurses have to go through the same hiring process as every other GVH nurse, said Director of Human Nurses A9

Judge dismisses Hendry case

Defendant’s lawyer tried to move case out of Gunnison

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

A month before trial was scheduled to begin, a Gunnison District Judge dismissed a sexual assault case regarding Gunnison local Celeste Hendry.

Hendry alleged that Philip Pride sexually assaulted her in her own home, according to an arrest affidavit filed in April of 2022. Pride later pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him, which included felony counts of sexual assault, criminal extortion and trespassing.

The Times covered the alle -

gation as part of a three-part series, “The toll of trauma,” that ran in the Jan. 31, Feb. 7 and Feb. 14 editions. The stories focused on the emotional burden of alleged sexual violence, and explored the difficulty victims have moving through the court system in the 7th Judicial District. In May of 2023, Hendry died by suicide. The Times did not initially name Pride. “Both the DAs office and the local police force worked hard to present a fair and unbiased case,” Hendry’s mother Enid Holden wrote in a statement to the Times. “However, as is often the situation, when the victim is the main witness it is very difficult and in this case the only real witness is deceased.”

At a hearing on the morning of April 23, District Attorney Darren Struble, who handled Hendry A3

Colorado transportation officials closed the “middle bridge” that crosses Blue Mesa Reservoir on Thursday, April 18, after state engineers found cracking in the steel frame. The bridge is on Hwy. 50, the main corridor that connects the Gunnison Valley to western half of the state. The closure, west of Gunnison, is located between mile marker 131 (the intersection with Hwy. 92) and mile marker 138, near the popular Dillon Pinnacles hike. The only current local detour, County Road 26, or the Lake City cutBridge A6 FEED

Several Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) workers dangle on ropes from Blue Mesa’s “middle bridge” on April 21 to grind away paint on the welded joints to reveal more possible defects. (Courtesy David Inouye)

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 Nov. 19, 1938 in Crawford, Nebraska to James M. Buffington and Joyce Gould Buffington. Joyce did not survive his birth.

Jim, or “Jimmy”, as he was affectionately called by his fam-

Ditches turn on May 6

The City of Gunnison is scheduled to open the town ditch headgates on Monday, May 6. Residents should allow two weeks for water flows to reach from the north to south end of town. Ditch users should clear debris before the headgates open and remove all dams, check boards, rocks and sumps from the ditches during the first week of water.

The city’s composting operation, Gunny Gold, will be available starting on May 6 at the wastewater treatment plant. Residents can pick up compost Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for $30 per yard.

Western to host 111th commencement

Western Colorado University will hold its commencement ceremony at the newly renovated Mountaineer Bowl on Saturday, May 4, at 10 a.m. Nearly 500 graduates will walk across the stage to receive a diploma. The ceremony will be streamed live in the University Center Theater and available through a link on Western’s website.

This year, Western will welcome Camille Dungy to the stage to give the commencement address. Dungy is a distinguished professor at Colorado State University whose widely acclaimed and award-winning poetry and prose explores the intersections between literature, environmental action, history and culture.

Correction

In the story titled “County to offer free model home plans,” that ran in the April 11 edition of the Times , the photo of a home under construction that ran with the story was not an actual photo of the type of model home the county plans to offer. The Times apologizes for the misleading photo.

ily, spent his early childhood in the Sandhills of Nebraska on a cattle ranch owned by his father, James and grandfather, Clyde Buffington. The family moved to Gunnison in the spring of 1942 after purchasing the Easterly homestead ranches in the Ohio Creek Valley. Here, Jim grew up attending local schools and helping on the ranch.

After graduation from Gunnison High School in 1957, Jim attended Chadron State College for a short time. He then enlisted in the United States Army, serving primarily in Germany as a helicopter mechanic. After his enlistment was over, he returned home to the ranch and married Mary Katherine Worthington. He became a licensed commercial fixed-wing and helicopter

Put me in, coach!

pilot and worked in aviation for a time in Montrose. He then returned to Gunnison, where he served for several years as the Director of Public Works for the City of Gunnison.

Jim always looked back at his childhood years growing up on the family ranch in the 40s and 50s as the best of possible times along with his brother, Frank and sister, Judy.

Jim is survived by his brother and sister along with his three children, Richard, Daniel and Joyce, along with five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. All of his extended family resides on the Western Slope.

A memorial will be held at the Gunnison Cemetery at a time and date to be determined due to the Blue Mesa bridge closure. The family would like to give everyone interested the

opportunity to celebrate Jim’s life.

Summer Ranges

I wish that summer could last forever,

That cold winds never would find our door.

I wish old partners could ride forever

On summer ranges forevermore.

But snow must fall on summer ranges,

Old friends must face the bitter winds.

But someday when the season changes,

On summer ranges we’ll ride again.

-Michael Martin Murphy

Kids enjoyed an activity-packed day at the Mountaineer Field House under the guidance of Western Colorado University Exercise & Sports Science students on April 19. The future PE teachers coached different sports activities like soccer and dodgeball for kindergarten through fifth graders.

(Photo by Mariel Wiley)

Hendry’s case, requested that Judge J. Steven Patrick dismiss it without prejudice. “Without prejudice” means the charges could be refiled in the future. Patrick granted the motion.

Struble briefly explained in court that since the case was filed, there have been many “important pieces and factual occurrences,” that don’t allow the office to move forward with prosecution. This includes Hendry’s suicide and information revealed in interviews done by the Gunnison Police Department.

“ We didn't have Celeste to explain discrepancies,” Struble told the Times. “We didn't have Celeste available to explain what had happened if we didn't have the full picture from the get go.”

Any evidence collected or interviews done for criminal prosecution triggers the “confrontation clause,” or a person's right to face their accuser. And in Colorado, protections under this clause are stronger than the federal ones, Struble said. For example, police reports are not made under oath, and accused people have a right to challenge statements made in those reports.

“Anything that was essentially touched by Celeste that had to do with the criminal prosecution was going to be out,” he said. “Her statements or interviews, recording of her interviews. It was entirely likely that the SANE exam [rape kit] was also going to be excluded, or large portions of it.”

“In the interest of justice” and without a reasonable expectation that the case could proceed to trial, Struble requested the dismissal. Pride’s lawyer, Stephanie Grismer, made a motion to seal all criminal and court records, which Judge Patrick granted. Following a 28-day grace period, those records will no longer be publicly available.

An attempt to move the case

The April 23 hearing was meant to consider two motions Grismer made on Pride’s behalf: a request to change the court venue and exclude “inad-

missible hearsay,” or statements made outside the courtroom that can’t be proven to be true. Without Celeste to speak for herself, the jury would not have been allowed to hear certain testimony from family or friends, Struble said.

According to the motion, Grismer sought to exclude all audio or video-recorded interviews Hendry gave following her alleged sexual assault. Grismer also included statements made by Hendry’s husband, friends, Gunnison Police Detective Chris Danos and medical professionals who interacted with Hendry following the alleged incident.

Grismer also argued that the case should be moved out of the 7th Judicial District, citing the Times’ coverage of the allegation. She argued that the case “has obviously had a profound effect on the Gunnison community,” and the coverage was not impartial and “painted Mr. Pride as a predator.”

She said in the motion that the relatively small population of Gunnison County, and its limited jury pool makes “tainting” of that jury more likely. She went on to say that Celeste was well-known throughout the community, that the news stories included specific details of the alleged assault and were widely available to anyone who wanted to read them.

“The media coverage of this case has not been favorable to Mr. Pride,” she said in the

motion. “As mentioned above, numerous articles were written about this case that conclude that [redacted] committed suicide because of Mr. Pride. These articles included sympathetic coverage for the named victim.”

In order to get a case moved out of the judicial district in which it occurred, a defendant has to prove that the pretrial publicity has been so “massive, pervasive and prejudicial” that the defendant won’t have a chance at a fair trial, according to court records. But a presumption of prejudice can’t be exclusively related to a news coverage of a crime.

“While Gunnison County has a relatively small population, Defendant makes no assertion beyond the mere existence of the articles and the size of the county to support the argument that prejudicial information has irretrievably pervaded the pool of potential jurors,” Struble wrote in his reply.

Even if Grismer had just tried to move the case out of the county, rather than the larger judicial district, it’s unlikely she would have succeeded, he told the Times

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

The Gunnison County courthouse. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

Regarding the bridge damage on the middle bridge, I feel fortunate that we were safe in Grand Junction when it was discovered. I am grateful to Mr. Woytek who kept me updated as discussions happened, and maintained communication with the families of band and choir students in Gunnison while we returned via the I-70 alternate route. And, thank you to Mrs. Harvey, Mrs. McDermott and Mr. McNamara for helping drive students and, especially, Mrs. Kattnig who drove our other minibus that day.

I do have a couple suggestions in light of the situation at Blue Mesa.

Number one: I am hoping that since there will be no (or limited) traffic going through the Little Blue Canyon until the bridge is repaired, that the Colorado Department of Transportation will take advantage of the situation and start working soon and hard on that canyon to get that finished up before we are back to pilot cars and long delays for regular Hwy. 50 traffic.

Number two: I am requesting that the county, as much as possible, try to get Kebler Pass opened earlier than normal. Trucks may or not be able to travel that route, but at least cars and SUVs will have that option.

Keith Koepsel Gunnison

Letter to CDOT Editor: Thanks to Bella Biondini and Abby Harrison for keeping us informed! I sent this to the CDOT email address from the April 20 article.

CDOT: From what I have read, CR 26 seems to be the plan as a detour. I would hope

the far west bridge — closest to Lake Fork marina — would get a clean bill of health before ANY resources are used to improve Lake City cutoff, CR 26. If that bridge has structural issues, would the Blue Mesa cutoff, County Road 25, west of the west bridge on the map I am looking at, be the detour choice? How long will it take to inspect the west bridge? It seems to me no resources should be put into CR 26 road if both bridges are found to be suspect. I'm sure inspecting bridges requires meticulous work, but the west bridge needs to be safe before work on CR 26 starts.

Evan Lukassen Gunnison

Thoughts on HB-24-1292

Editor:

Once again, the Democrats in Denver proudly displayed their contempt toward not only our United States Constitution, but also the estimated 45% of adult Coloradans who say they live in a household which has a firearm.

From Breitbart's Mr. Hawkins (4/15/24) and by the Denver 7 Team (amongst other outlets), House Bill 24-1292 passed the Colorado House of Representatives mainly along party lines 35-27 on Sunday after a late night marathon, and now heads to the more moderate state Senate.

This bill bans the "manufacture, import, sale, or purchase" of so-called "assault weapons" as defined by the Democrats in the House. In addition, taken from its text, it also bans any semi-auto handgun that has a threaded barrel and accepts a detachable magazine. Who knew that violent criminals were running around with suppressors not only on their assault weapons, but on their handguns too?

It's important to point out that the bill's two sponsors

Coffee with cops

Gunnison County Sheriff's Office deputies chatted with locals over coffee during a meet-andgreet at the Gunnison Coffee Trader on April 20. The event created a space for residents to ask questions and put names to the faces of the deputies who work in the community.

in the House, Rep. Elisabeth Epps, who sponsored a similar bill last year which failed to pass, and "Generation Z" teacher and activist Rep. Tim Hernandez (who claims that his former students were terrified of being shot in a mass shooting at school), are both associated with the Democratic Socialists of America believers, but run on the Democratic ticket in order to gain power using a mainstream political party to achieve it.

It's also interesting to note that 104 people have tragically died, with 307 more injured in the 79 mass shootings in Colorado over the last decade, according to data provided by the Denver Gazette.

The new Democratic Party stands firm on something which clearly violates the part of our Constitution's second amendment which states, "the right of the (law-abiding) people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Meanwhile, according to preliminary data provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment,14,529 have lost their lives just in 2023 alone within this state from something else the Democratic Party stands firmly on which is oddly not found in the constitution. Such is the paradox in which we live today.

Jon Matuszczak Gunnison

‘Cut from the same cloth’

Editor:

A former state senator credited with bringing “a lot of life” to the state Capitol while enjoying a robust professional and personal lifestyle was memorialized Tuesday (April 9) in the chamber where he once served.

The Senate honored E. Martin “Marty” Hatcher, who served from 1975 to 1982. He died in Gunnison in December at the age of 96. He taught speech and drama at what is now Western

Colorado University for 44 years.

“I never met Sen. Hatcher, but I know I would have liked the man,” said Sen. Perry Will, whose district includes Gunnison. “He lived a life of servitude.”

Will pointed to a 1977 picture in the Denver Post featuring Senate Minority Leader Ray Kogovsek of Pueblo lighting fellow Democrat Hatcher’s cigar at the Senate’s start of discussions on a compromise version of the antismoking measure. Will noted he keeps a spitoon on his Senate desk, where smoking was once allowed.

Present for the memorial were Hatcher’s two sons, Martin and Mark, and Mark’s wife, Pam.

According to a Senate memorial, after retiring from teaching Hatcher continued to fill his life with the things he loved most: theatrical productions, public speaking engagements, golf, travel, politics, community involvement and conversations with family and friends.

“I know Marty brought a lot of life to the Capitol,” Will said, adding that the tribune to Hatcher “reminds us there is a lot of life outside these walls. We need to enjoy life like Martin did.”

Former state Rep. Miller Hudson of Denver told the Senate that he and Hatcher sponsored several bills together, including a medical marijuana measure.

“I wore my biggest and loudest bolo in honor of his service,” Hudson said.

Will also is known for his distinctive look, including a cowboy hat, bushy mustache and the occasional bolo, but the similarities don’t end just there.

“He was well-known for giving entertaining and eloquent speeches — I think Marty and I were cut from the same cloth,” Will said.

Perry Will

Colorado State Senate District 5

(Photo by Mariel Wiley)

STOR seeks more law enforcement rangers in CB

Signage not enough to protect public lands

Bella Biondini Times Editor

Public land managers have used education to curb the amount of poor campground and trail etiquette visitors bring to the Gunnison Valley during the summer. But signage can only go so far, and the Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee (STOR) has agreed that law enforcement may help protect public lands during peak season.

Late last year, Tourism and Prosperity Partnership (TAPP) Marketing Director Andrew Sandstrom and the committee tried to decide whether additional signage would make a difference in Crested Butte’s busy drainages. One of the issues the organization — responsible for marketing the Gunnison Valley — identified was the “attitude” of visitors, he said. Despite signs at campgrounds and trailheads, out-oftowners were still creating their own campsites, leaving campfires burning and improperly disposing of human waste in the backcountry.

“People know the regulations, they know the stewardship principles and they don’t care,” Sandstrom said.

During a regular meeting at the end of March, the STOR Committee agreed that additional U.S. Forest Service law enforcement patrols would help increase the agency’s capacity to enforce fire bans and designated camping rules in the North Valley. This would accompany a digital advertising campaign that promotes the “Leave No Trace” principles and campfire safety. Although the committee will have to find money to cover the cost of patrols, its members were hopeful it will make a difference.

TAPP has been supporting sustainable tourism for more than a decade. The organization has helped fund the installation of kiosks with maps and trail etiquette messages at places like Signal Peak and Long Lake. It has also given money to Gunnison Trails and the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association — two local stewardship organizations that help maintain trails at both ends of the valley.

As Gunnison Valley’s popularity as a summer destination has risen, so has the number of people riding, hiking and camping on its public lands. With visitors comes pounds of trash left behind, illegal fire rings and campsite creation and improperly disposed human waste — all issues local leaders have struggled to address. Land man-

agers turned to education in the form of radio and newspaper ads, newsletters and posters to try and prevent the damage. But it hasn't been enough.

“Whether we are trying to sell a new automobile, laundry detergent or ski vacation, a lighter footprint on the land, at some point there is a diminishing return for the money spent on marketing. I imagine that we have reached that,” TAPP Executive Director John Norton said during a STOR meeting in November.

Late in 2023, the committee agreed that more law enforcement was needed, alongside an attempt to figure out if signage and marketing campaigns were actually effective. Outside of the valley, “B Like Breckenridge,” with costs that neared $300,000, used visitor’s awareness of the campaign to measure its success. Even conversations with state tourism officials have added little clarity to how to judge if stewardship messaging is having an impact, Sandstrom said.

“I don't know that there's a great way people are measuring it,” he said. “And frankly, I think it needs to be paired with infrastructure and enforcement.”

TAPP allocated $5,000 from its 2024 budget for a digital campaign that will run from June through August. The messaging, which centers on public land stewardship, will be shared on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as Spotify. The ads will drive viewers to a designated landing page on gunnisoncrestedbutte.com, which will measure post engagement and link clicks.

With increased use in the U.S. Forest Service Gunnison Ranger District comes a rising need for more law enforcement. But the district’s large size, and the agency’s trouble funding law enforcement positions, have made it difficult for officers to focus all of their time on the Crested Butte area.

While money remains a barrier, Gunnison County Stewardship Coordinator Nick Catmur presented the committee with a new option.

Law enforcement “saturation patrol” occurs when a specific ranger district “loans” officers from a different district for long weekends, events and

other needs on its public lands. The costs of loaning officers include lodging, meal stipends and overtime wages. The Forest Service is responsible for covering the base pay. Rough estimates for a three-day weekend are just under $3,000, and it’s likely the committee will want coverage for multiple weekends, Catmur said. Officers also usually work in pairs.

“I know this is not a longterm fix, but I believe in our last conversation we were trying to talk about if there is a way to send the message that our designated camping regulations and campfire bans are being enforced,” Catmur said.

Because it doesn’t have a budget, STOR would have to raise money or seek grants to pay for the extra patrols. But there are ways to cut down the cost, said Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest patrol captain Brandon Cervantes. In the past, the local Forest Service office loaned officers for the annual Taylor Park UTV Rally, which attracts thousands of visitors each year. The Gunnison Ranger District housed the visiting National Forest officers at its bunkhouse nearby and hosted cookouts each night.

“We have dollar amounts that are daunting at times when you look at them,” Cervantes said. “But at the same time we're more than willing to be creative in how we can do this.”

The funding goal is $10,000 to cover three long weekend shifts. Committee members representing the Upper Gunnison River Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gunnison County and the Town of Crested Butte said they would share the proposal with their prospective boards. On April 16, Gunnison County committed $1,000 to the extra patrols.

“This committee would love to see this happen,” said chair Jake Jones. He serves as the executive director of the Crested Butte Land Trust. “I think we have some homework to do to figure out exactly how and where the money is going to come from.”

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

Dispersed camping in Crested Butte transitioned to designated camping only in between 2021 and 2022. (Courtesy Alex Fenlon/Buttery)

off, is open to travel just twice a day for 30 minutes — once in the morning and once at night. And, with a weight restriction in place, many trucks and trailers won’t be able to use it.

Following the closure, the impacts to Gunnison, Montrose and Hinsdale county residents were immediate and profound. Many local businesses, residents and health care organizations get supplies from the west, and travel along the route to get to work, school and medical appointments. In the beginning, the only detours presented were 6 to 7 hour drives to the north through Vail or to the south through Pagosa Springs.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has not yet released a repair plan or timeline for reopening the bridge. In recognition of the widespread impacts, both Gunnison County and the State of Colorado have declared the bridge closure a local and state disaster emergency, which frees up additional funding and ensures that state agencies are coordinating to resolve the issue.

“While this action last week was sudden, it was imperative that we act immediately to prevent possibly a catastrophic incident,” Herman Stockinger, CDOT deputy executive director, said at a media briefing on April 23.

The state has considered a temporary ferry or bridge, with help from the Army Corps of Engineers or the National Guard. However, the dropoff between the road and water on either side of the reservoir at Dillon Pinnacles isn’t ideal for a ferry, said Kevin Klein, the state’s director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

CDOT is working with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources to consider extra ramps and courtesy docks to help commuters traveling by boat, Klein said.

A local detour

Gunnison County Public Works opened CR26 on Monday to provide relief for local commuters in Gunnison and Montrose counties. At this point, no one is checking IDs to verify residency, said Assistant County Manager for Public Works Martin Schmidt at the April 23 briefing. Using the detour, it should take approximately two hours from Gunnison to Montrose.

A pilot car will guide cars twice daily in each direction — a 30-minute window once in the morning and once in the evening. All cars lined up in the queue during the time windows will be allowed through.

Westbound travelers start at the intersection of CR149 and CR26, and can use it between 6:30-7 a.m. and 6:30-7 p.m. Eastbound travelers start at the intersection of Hwy. 50 and CR26, and use it between 7:30-8 a.m. and 7:30-8 p.m.

Several people attending the briefing asked about a mid-day

window or more time slots, as the once-daily options lead to long work and school days. But for now, the road will remain closed for the remainder of the day for the ongoing restoration work needed to ensure the road remains safe for travel, Schmidt said.

A mere 30 minutes after receiving the call about the bridge closure, public works staff raced up to CR26 to start clearing it of snow, Schmidt said. CR26 is a high-mountain, unpaved road that’s not intended to handle the volume of traffic Hwy. 50 gets each day.

Usually, these roads are able to “rest” during Gunnison sagegrouse spring closures, and are typically wet and muddy for at least another month.

“We're pushing them harder and earlier than they've ever been pushed,” Schmidt said.

Between the limited windows of car travel, public works crews — aided by state contractors — are plowing, repairing, laying gravel and hardening the road in preparation for the large amounts of traffic the road is not designed to support. Because of this, commercial vehicles such as 18-wheelers and vehicles with trailers of any kind are prohibited. The current weight limit is just over 16,000 pounds.

Hinsdale County Commissioner Robert Hurd urged the state to hasten reinforcements on the road to allow limited use for commercial trucks.

“The big need here is getting supplies [to Lake City] — groceries, fuel and various things,” Hurd said. “We're having a hard time in our business area.”

Gunnison County Public Works is looking at every possible route around the closure, a balancing act between safety and resource protection on the county’s dirt and gravel roads, and the need to allow commuters through. After the bridge closed, people cut the locks on CR25 gate to use the road, but ended up stuck in 4 feet of snow, Schmidt said.

With help from the state, crews are starting to look at opening Kebler Pass early, but the road is still covered in about 5 feet of snow on top, Schmidt said. Kebler connects Crested Butte to Hwy. 133 in the North Fork Valley.

Repairs to CR26 and other high-mountain roads could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And for years, Public Works has been running a $1.5 million annual deficit in its Road and Bridge Department budget. This week, the Transportation Commission of Colorado, which sets CDOT’s annual budget, freed up $10 million for the ongoing bridge closure.

It’s likely more funding will be approved in coming months, said CDOT transportation commissioner Karen Stuart.

Unsafe to cross

CDOT closed the section of Hwy. 50 at the urging of the Federal Highway Administration after inspection teams found a crack in the middle bridge. In the following days, the teams found several other cracks, according

to CDOT Chief Engineer Keith Stefanik. While no vehicle traffic can cross the bridge, officials said it is safe for boats to continue to pass underneath.

The agency has been conducting special inspections for fracture-critical “T-1” steel bridges because of known issues with welds on similar bridges elsewhere in the United States. This type of steel was used in bridges across the nation in the 60s and 70s. The bridge, built in 1963, has been inspected every two years, and the last routine inspection in July 2022 did not reveal any defects, Stefanik said.

“It could be that the crack did not come up through the paint or it could be that it began rusting through, or that the crack is very new,” he said.

On April 11, crews found a rust line in the middle of the bridge. A day later, crews ground down the paint, revealing a 3-4 inch crack. CDOT engineers returned several days later to do more testing before closing the highway down on the afternoon of April 18. Several engineering firms are examining the results from the bridge inspection to determine the best type of repair, Stefanik said.

There are only two bridges

in Colorado constructed out of T-1 steel, and both are found along Blue Mesa Reservoir. The second, Lake Fork bridge, is located just two miles west of the middle bridge. Crews also inspected that bridge, and found no defects. Cracks in T-1 steel welds led to the closure of a bridge in Louisville, Kentucky in 2011 and one in Memphis, Tennessee in 2021. Both bridges were closed for months. “We don't know what the

exact fixes will look like,” Stefanik said. “That's going to be an evolving situation as we continue to learn more about the condition of the steel and precisely what the structural integrity looks like.”

Innumerable local disruptions

The Gunnison Valley is now essentially cut off from the west-

The first crack discovered on the Blue Mesa “middle bridge” was 3-4 inches long, according to state officials. (Courtesy CDOT)

A state trooper redirects westbound traffic on Hwy. 50 after CDOT closed the bridge on April 18. (Photo by Abby Harrison)

A couple from Spain was ferried across the water after the bridge closure was set to cut their bike-packing trip to Las Vegas short. (Courtesy Ryan VanLanen)

ern portion of the state as it gears up for the busy summer tourist season. When CDOT closed the bridge on Thursday, several long-haul trucks were halted at the turn-around and forced to re-route. Someone in the briefing asked how badly the United States Postal Service was being affected. No one had an answer.

While it is still too early to measure all of the pressures the bridge closure is putting on the county, some impacts were immediate: students stranded on one side of the bridge; campground reservations and sports games canceled; parents separated from children; pets separated from owners; and employers desperately phoning workers when they didn’t show up for work.

Ranchers and agricultural producers rely on the route to move cattle from their wintering grounds every season. And, moving calves is more precarious as extra measures have to be taken to keep them safe in trailers. Camden Welt has a federal cattle grazing lease on the north side of the reservoir, but his ranch is located in Hotchkiss. He implored state officials to consider opening CR26 to bigger trucks.

“I cannot risk the long haul of going around due to the small baby calves that will be on the truck,” he said in the April 23 briefing. “Also it would be a huge financial burden to pay the extra freight cost.”

Gunnison Valley Health receives a large portion of its medical supplies from the west, said Marketing and Communications Director Joelle Ashley. Hospital executives are working with suppliers to redirect deliveries and make sure the hospital remains functional, she said. The Montrose Fire Protection District and the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office have agreed to cover medical emergency response to all areas west of the closure.

“We continue to operate at full capacity and plan for a longterm incident,” Ashley said in a statement to the Times. “We are taking things day-by-day and focusing on addressing life safety needs. Our goal is long term health system resiliency.”

GVH, alongside Gunnison County Health and Human Services and local cancer support groups Tough Enough to Wear Pink and Living Journeys, are working with patients to make sure they continue to receive dialysis and radiation treatments. For now, they can still get chemotherapy at GVH, Ashley said.

The Hwy. 50 closure impacted 13 Gunnison Watershed School District students who live in Sapinero and Arrowhead on the west side of the closure.

On Monday, Sapinero Village Campground owners Joe and Kendal Rota helped a group of students get to class by shuttling them over the reservoir on a pontoon boat — a quick 25 minute commute compared to the Lake City cutoff.

“That's not ideal,” Rota said. “It's really cold in the morning, and pretty nasty and choppy

and you never know if storms are coming in with the wind in the afternoons.”

Many of the students, in grades ranging from preschool to high school, plan to switch to online classes through the district’s Pathways program until the closure is lifted. The school district’s athletic and extracurricular programs are also suffering, said Emergency Operations Manager Hannah Hansen. Because of the vehicle restrictions on the CR26 detour, the district can’t use school buses to transport students to games and events.

Last week, high school band and middle school choir students got stranded in Grand Junction and returned home through Leadville. Choir concerts and sports games, both home and away, have been canceled or rescheduled.

“We're working on any options we can on that front so that we can keep athletics and activities happening for students through the end of the school year,” Hansen said.

It is still unclear how much tourism will be affected by the closure, but campgrounds like Sapinero Village are already experiencing a wave of reservation cancellations as far out as August. On Tuesday, Gunnison County commissioners requested an update from the Tourism and Prosperity Partnership (TAPP) on how the organization plans to adjust its marketing messages for visitors.

Local guide company GSO Fishing, owned by Andy and Stormy Cochran, has been shuttling people across the reservoir from Elk Creek ramp to Lake Fork ramp since the bridge closed last week. Fishing guide and Sapinero resident Ryan VanLanen ferried a couple from Spain across the water after their bike-packing trip to Las Vegas was set to cut short.

“There's just so many stories and backgrounds of what people need help with,” Stormy said. “I just love that everyone is coming together to make sure that residents get what they need.”

Do not call 911 or dispatch for the road closure. Up-todate information is available on the Gunnison Regional 911 Facebook page. CDOT requested that boaters not stop beneath the bridge for photos, as it poses a risk of injury from equipment.

The agency is setting up a dedicated website for the project, which will contain up-todate information and additional background on T-1 steel and similarly-built bridges. For now, call 970.648.4423 or email us50bridge@gmail.com.

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

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

BIZ CENTS Sew much fabric, sew little time

Subversive Stitches to offer sewing classes and supplies

Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor

Many Gunnison Valley residents have a monster hidden in their closets, said local sewist Allison Sinkewich. The monsters have sleek, white plastic bodies and a single needle-like tooth ready to chomp into an unsuspecting bolt of fabric: they are the old sewing machines that many people have, but don’t know how to use.

Through classes hosted at her new sewing shop, Subversive Stitches, Sinkewich hopes to arm Gunnison residents with the tools and knowledge needed to make use of their forgotten sewing machines. Each class is designed to inspire participants to “upcycle,” or alter and create new items from the textiles already in their possession.

“If you have an idea, try it. If it doesn’t work, what do we get from that? That’s the only real way to learn.”

Allison Sinkewich Subversive Stitches owner

Sinkewich started hosting childrens’ workshops this month, and adult classes are set to begin in May. She also plans to offer limited, drop-in shopping hours in the coming weeks.

A sewing machine can be a “useful friend,” Sinkewich said, rather than an intimidating machine that people shy away from. Once people know how to sew, they can extend the life of materials otherwise destined for landfills, she said.

Sinkewich runs Subversive Stitches from a quaint gray house at 419 N. Main St. In the main room of the building, sunlight shines upon baskets of donated clothing, each sorted by textile type and intended for re-use. A shelving unit stocked with skeins of yarn for sale covers the rear wall, and a clothing rack displays Sinkewich’s latest sewing and dyeing projects in the corner. Throughout each of the

rooms, colorful quilts made by Sinkewich’s late mother, Jacquie, add pops of color to the space. The mother-daughter duo dreamed of opening a fabric shop in Gunnison before Jacquie’s death early last year. Sinkewich inherited her mother’s extensive fabric collection and 10 sewing machines, half of which are antiques.

Sinkewich brought her mother’s supplies home, where they quickly overtook the guest bedroom that she used for her own sewing projects. With her own home overflowing with fabric, Sinkewich knew it was time to find a new place to host the hobby she loved. Moving her craft into the building on Main Street gave her plenty of space to work on her own projects and to share her mother’s sizable fabric stash with aspiring sewists. Through each of her workshops, Sinkewich hopes to encourage kids and adults to think of creative ways to breathe new life into any textile they acquire.

“It’s fine to get fast fashion. It’s fun for the time it’s in style. But we can always do something else with it later,” Sinkewich said. “That’s the thought process I’m trying to instill in our community.”

Just a few generations ago, making clothes from scratch was the norm for most Americans. Before the advent of department stores and, eventually, the fast-fashion behemoths of the modern day, people kept clothing items for decades. Clothes and other household textiles were not viewed as throw-away items, and were meticulously repaired and passed down through generations until becoming too threadbare to use any longer.

This was the mantra that Sinkewich’s grandmother lived by while raising her children in Kansas in the 1940s. She passed her sewing knowledge down to her own daughter, and eventually her granddaughter, Allison. By the ripe age of 5, Sinkewich was readily making doll clothes using a sewing machine.

“She let me make mistakes, which I absolutely loved,” Sinkewich said. “If you have an idea, try it. If it doesn’t work, what do we get from that? That’s the only real way to learn.”

Sinkewich combined this work ethic with her background as an educator to develop a series of adults and childrens classes that she’ll host at Subversive Stitches. For adults, these include topics such as how to alter your own clothes (“Put a pin in it”), a sock repair class (“Those darn socks need mending”), how to hem (“Hemming and hawing”), the basics of pattern making (“Patterns demystified”) and more. She’s eager to help par-

ticipants familiarize themselves with the inner workings of their sewing machines, and acquire the skills needed to become proficient sewists.

For kids, she offers a mix of no-sew and sewing classes that teach creative ways to repurpose the materials around them. Some of these projects include creating planter pots out of used yogurt containers (which can’t be recycled locally), or making monster stuffies out of old blankets.

The Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce will hold an official ribbon cutting ceremony at Subversive Stitches on May 1. Sinkewich plans to host an acid-dyeing demonstration during the First Fridays Art Walk on May 3.

Class registration and information on upcoming shopping hours can be found at subversivestitchessewshop.com.

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

Allison Sinkewich and daughter Lottie stand in front of the sewing shop’s entryway. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Sinkewich holds one of many quilts made by her late mother, Jacquie.

Nurses from A1

Resources Christina Lovelace. Each nurse is required to pass an English fluency test and must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, for nurses. GVH is guaranteeing each nurse housing for one year, and several plan to bring their families.

“We were having challenges getting applications … and this was doing something outside the box to see what we could do to get more consistent staff and not have a big turnover,” said Chief Nursing Officer Nicole Huff.

“How do we help them? How do we wrap our arms around them and help them feel at home?”

Nichole Huff Chief Nursing Officer

The hospital pays a fee to Flint for each nurse that’s hired. Over three years, GVH is projected to spend just under $400,000 for the six international nurses. In contrast, six travelers over three years is estimated to cost GVH $1.8 million, amounting to a savings of just over $1.4 million in that time frame, said Marketing and Communications Director Joelle Ashley.

The nurses will initially work for Flint under an H-1B visa, which allows American employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. For this reason, each nurse starting at GVH has prior experience in the speciality in which they’ll

be employed. Once they arrive at GVH, they begin the process to obtain a permanent resident card. When they receive it, they become GVH employees.

Executives hope the longterm strategy will “pay off in the end,” Lovelace said. It took 18 months from the time GVH executives reached out to Flint to the first nurse arriving onsite. Of the possible consultants, Flint didn’t have long waiting lists and promised to get nurses into the valley the fastest, Huff said.

When the first candidate arrived in Denver, the consultant helped with the first few steps, like creating a bank account and exchanging currency. Once these nurses arrive in Gunnison, hospital staff and department leaders are helping solve day-to-day issues, like how to buy a car, find a bike or get to the grocery store.

“There's a lot that we had to take into consideration when bringing them here and making them feel included,” Huff said. “Like, how do we help them? How do we wrap our arms around them and help them feel at home?”

Alongside Western Colorado University’s recent announcement of a new nursing program, the Gunnison Valley could be in better shape than it has in recent years to keep fulltime nurses. Hospital executives hope the new major will encourage locals to start a nursing degree or certificate in the valley, and then stay here.

If the first six nurses fare well, GVH will likely continue sourcing nurses though Flint.

“We said let's make sure we can do this well and that we're giving each individual a really wonderful experience joining GVH and coming into the United States for the first time,” Lovelace said.

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

The Gunnison Valley Hospital main entrance. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

From sea to summit

Inflatable palm trees lined the walls of the Western University Center Ballroom for the 32nd annual Asian Pacific Islander Club luau on April 18. Club members spent a week preparing Hawaiian dishes like pulled pork and pineapple upside-down cakes to bring the spirit of the islands to Gunnison. Later in the evening, the Denver-based Kalama Polynesian Dancers performed a series of traditional dances from Tahiti, New Zealand, Hawaii and Samoa. The group brought audience volunteers on stage to learn the “haka” (New Zealand battle dance) and the “hula” (Hawaiian storytelling dance).

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Upper Gunnison gives $260K to water projects

The Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District awarded $260,000 to organizations and individuals across the basin during its 2024 grant cycle. This year marked the water district’s 15th annual grant program, which uses tax revenue to support diverse water projects in the basin.

Grant funds will be used for projects that improve irrigation water management and efficiency, restore degraded stream channels and aquatic habitat, support engineering and design and carry out basin water education. The district received requests for more than $315,000. All applicants were required to provide a 50% cost match.

“You can see the results of this program in every basin,” said Senior Program Manager Beverly Richards. “Over the last 15 years, the district has invested $2.2 million into the program and leveraged $11.7 million in outside funds.”

The 16 projects funded this year include maintenance on the boardwalk bog bridge along the Rec Path in Crested Butte, as well as the installation of educational signage about the wetlands in the area. The district gave $25,000 to support the ongoing harmful algal bloom study at Blue Mesa Reservoir with the U.S. Geological

Survey. Two Western Colorado University students will work with the National Park Service to explore the effects of toxic algal blooms on the foraging patterns of kokanee salmon.

An Arch Ditch automation project will allow the diversion to fully operate remotely. This is the first one of its kind in the Gunnison Basin. The upgrade will reduce the labor needed to manage the diversion and conserve water. In Gunnison, $50,000 will help address irrigation issues at the Dos Rios Golf Club and reduce water use. The existing system is 40 years old, and uses roughly 65 million gallons of water per year. With the new system, the managers expect to cut water use almost in half.

The water district’s grant program follows an annual cycle with applications due in February each year. Richards urged potential applicants, or even those just wondering about a water project, to contact the district now for help with engineering or infrastructure assessments. For more information, call 970.641.6065 to schedule a consultation.

(Source: Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District.)

Blue Mesa Reservoir has been the subject of a water sampling project involving the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service, the agency that oversees Curecanti National Recreation Area. (Photo by Bella Biondini)

School district’s early release

Wednesday up for debate, once again

Board considers random drug testing for athletes, club participants

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

After three years of discord and competing opinions about the Gunnison Watershed School District’s Wednesday early release program, the school board is set to study the program closer than ever in the coming school year.

Early release is a program where students are excused from school two hours early at 1:45 p.m. once a week on Wednesdays, giving teachers extra time for professional development. Next year, the district will survey staff, parents, community members and business owners about the controversial program — and it’s not the first time it has done so.

Superintendent Leslie Nichols said next year’s survey is meant to offer the most “thorough and reliable” survey data yet, which would allow the board to decide if it should make changes in the future.

Nichols previously recommended that the district approve a two-year calendar during a meeting at the end of March, but board members backed off due to differing opinions surrounding early release and disparate vacation sched -

ules between Gunnison and Crested Butte.

During public comment at a board meeting on April 8, several parents expressed their desire to see the district do away with Wednesday early release, or amend it.

“Our children are not being supervised,” said parent Katie Clark. “They're going back to empty homes. Sure they might have older siblings, but those siblings aren't home. They're out causing ruckus.”

Board member Mandy Roberts encouraged fellow board members to seriously reconsider the program.

“I can't stand here and talk about children's safety at risk and then just say, ‘Oh, it's okay. We'll let another year go by,’” Roberts said.

Early release Wednesday, designed to give district teachers extra time for professional development and meetings, is ultimately about student achievement, Nichols said. The extra time allows teachers to do grade-level team planning and strategize on student mental health and how to support kids who are English-language Learners (ELL) or require special education.

“To mold and grow young minds is a constantly changing endeavor, especially these days and into the future as we learn more about brain science and how we actually learn,” Nichols said during another board meeting on April 22. “It's incredibly complex. And to do it well teachers have to continually learn.”

The school board has fielded

Hello Spring!

concerns about the abbreviated school day since Gunnison schools first implemented it in the fall of 2021. When students are let out of school early, there’s no guarantee they’ll be supervised elsewhere in the community.

“We're a whole different community down here,” Clark said, referencing Crested Butte. “We cannot afford to take vacations all the time, or find child care. Working families do not pay $50 an hour for their children to be watched.”

The Gunnison Rec Center, the Gunnison County Library and Gunnison Arts Center have started to offer more activities on Wednesdays to help stem the tide of unattended kids before the end of the work day.

“I can’t stand here and talk about children’s safety at risk and then just say, ‘Oh it’s okay. We’ll let another year go by.”

Mandy Roberts School board member

The district has an after-school program on Wednesdays, but it only has the capacity to take 25 students per grade level and the waiting list

is lengthy. Other parents critiqued the program in reference to concerns about Gunnison’s consistently-lower scores on the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) test than their Crested Butte counterparts.

“I think Gunnison needs to look at how much education we're giving to our kids,” said parent Ariel Tidwell. Tidwell said she works four jobs, and can’t afford after-school child care.

The board will spend the next year working hard on this issue, Board President Tyler Martineau promised. Nichols will continue giving the board periodic updates on the survey responses.

“That's unfortunately going to take us a year to figure it out, because there are people who want to change this early release, and people who don't,” Martineau said.

Random drug testing

The district is also considering a random drug testing program for athletes and club participants to support the district’s values around substance-free schools, Nichols said. The idea is to test a random, fixed percentage of student athletes and club members each week. The tests are expected to cost $25-30 per test. Students would not be responsible for paying for their own test.

“This is a high profile move if we make it,” Nichols said. “And we need to know from you all if you are supportive in developing policy.”

All school campuses are drug

and alcohol-free zones, but the district’s expectation is that students generally choose not to use substances. But for student athletes, that expectation is elevated and reinforced in the athlete handbook’s code of conduct.

The district’s current athlete’s handbook lays out specific inseason consequences — related to game play and time — for athletes who are caught using drugs or alcohol. However, athletes are not excluded from practice and will go through the district’s “restorative” disciplinary approach.

It’s been difficult to enforce these policies, especially around word-of-mouth reports and social media evidence of kids drinking or doing drugs outside school. Random drug testing would “elevate” the district’s expectation of its athletes as school representatives, Nichols said.

“The enforcement of an expectation is really hard,” she said. “And this is just another way to say we really mean it. We want our students to be drug free.”

Nichols is working with the Gunnison County Substance Abuse Prevention Program’s (GCSAPP) to craft the policy. The GCSAPP Choice Pass program also does random drug testing for its participants. Nichols said she intends to research other board policies and bring it back for discussion in the coming months.

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

A look back in history: egg truck hits Sapinero bridge

Recently, travel between Montrose and Gunnison has been cut off indefinitely due to structural issues in the bridge near the Dillon Pinnacles (the "middle bridge"). But this wasn't the first time.

Before Blue Mesa Reservoir was built in the early 1960s, Hwy. 50 followed the Gunnison River to the town of Sapinero, about two miles east of today's dam. Just ahead was the impassible Black Canyon. So, after passing through the town, Hwy. 50 crossed the Gunnison River, and then climbed up a hill to another bridge that spanned the deep canyon of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison.

In 1947, Rikki Santarelli was 8 years old and living in Sapinero with his parents who ran the Sapinero Hotel. One morning they woke up to a loud crash. A large truck loaded with eggs was traveling along Hwy. 50 from Montrose. Coming down the steep hill, the driver lost control of the vehicle, slightly missing the last turn before the bridge across the Gunnison. His truck slammed into the bridge, collapsing it into the river. Gunnison and Montrose were cut off and the townspeople rushed to the site to see the damage. Eggs were scattered all over. The boys in town

scrambled down the river banks and immediately commenced having the time of their lives, throwing hundreds of eggs at each other. But Rikki's mom wouldn't let him go — he was too young. Rikki said it was his greatest childhood disappointment to miss "The Great Egg Fight."

But what were they to do while the bridge was being rebuilt? Just like today, commuters, school buses, visitors and commerce were completely disrupted. The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad still operated trains between Montrose and Gunnison, but passenger service had long ago been discontinued. Local and regional officials made a plea to the railroad and they resumed passenger service immediately. Such an easy fix! However, cars and trucks were still very important, so in a few months a temporary bridge was constructed until the permanent bridge could be completed.

(Dave Primus is a Gunnison Valley historian.)

The Hwy. 50 bridge at Sapinero after it collapsed in 1944. (Courtesy Rikki Santarelli)

Friends of the Earth

Kids of all ages kicked off Earth Day weekend with nature-themed activities at the Gunnison County Library on April 19. Representatives from the Gunnison County Electric Association demonstrated how to make pinecone bird feeders and plantable “seed bombs.” At the Lake Preschool and Kindergarten, Ms. Jacobson’s kindergarten class painted paper-mache globes made of old newspapers on April 23. The project followed a class trip to the recycling center last week, where students learned about recycling and reusing materials.

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

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

First Baptist Church

120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240

Pastor Jonathan Jones

9:30 a.m. Share & Prayer Fellowship

10 a.m. Sunday School Classes

11 a.m. Morning Worship Service 6 p.m. Evening Service

7 p.m. - Children's Patch Club Gunnison Bible Institute

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.

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

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

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

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 Mariel Wiley)

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

YOUR OWN BOSS:

PALISADES AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BE

Campground looking for someone to run a camp store. You bring the stock, you keep the cash. Looking for summer season 2024, May-Sept. or Memorial Day-Labor Day.

Call Lori for details. 970-784-6190.

PALISADES AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITYBLUE MESA RECREATIONAL RANCH

is looking for housekeepers. If you would like to stay on-property with your RV, rent is only $150/month and includes all utilities. $16-$18/ hr. depending on experience. Fulltime work, then enjoy this beautiful area on your days off.

Call 970-784-6190 if interested.

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.

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.

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

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.w

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

$16.53/hour. This benefited position is scheduled for night shifts (8 p.m.-6 a.m.) and is paid an additional 14% ($18.84/ hour) for weeknights and 20% ($19.83/hour) for weekends. Duties include campus/grounds patrol, verifying safe conditions, crowd and traffic control for campus events, incident documentation and working with local law enforcement, as needed. Western’s benefit package includes Colorado PERA retirement, low-cost insurance plans (with generous employer contributions to medical/dental/vision), employee and dependent tuition benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year. Employees receive basic life insurance and disability insurance at no cost.

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 OPPORTUNITIES:

School Psychologist - District

CBSS Assistant Principal

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

GMS 7th grade Science

GMS 8th grade Science (one-year only)

GMS 7th grade Language Arts

COACHING:

GHS - Speech and Debate

GHS - Assistant Girls Basketball Coach

CBHS - Volleyball Coach

CBHS - Head Basketball Coach

CBMS - Assistant Track and Field Coach

ROCKY MOUNTAIN TREES AND LANDSCAPING now hiring for our 40th summer season. Come join a team that’s deeply rooted in the Gunnison Valley. Visit rockymountaintrees.com/employment/ to view available positions.

ARE YOU TIRED OF WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS TO MAKE IT IN THE VALLEY? Iron Horse is looking for the right individual to join our expanding property care team. This individual is responsible for property inspections, inventories and the overall quality and presentation of vacation rentals in our luxury inventory. You will work hand-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.

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.

2ND

AND 3RD GRADE TEACHER JOB POSTING: Hinsdale County School District

RE-1, Lake City, Colorado.

Join us and teach in the mountains! Located in the heart of Southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, Lake City Community School is the only school in Hinsdale County and has a preK-12 population of approximately 80 students. With our small, multi-grade classes, we provide an innovative, award-winning and highly personalized education for each student.

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 for full year, K-12 public school teaching in U.S.

Application procedure: Licensed application available lakecityschool.org. Please submit a complete application including cover letter, resume, district application form, 3 letters of reference, transcripts and copy of Colorado teaching license to Shawn Arthur, Administrative Assistant, by email: shawn@ lakecityschool.org or mail: P.O. Box 39, Lake City, CO 81235.

Closing date for applications: until filled. Hinsdale County School District RE-1 is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.

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.

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring a part-time, year-round front desk attendant for $16-$20/hr DOE. Weekend availability required. 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.

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.

RTA/ALIPINE EXPRESS IS HIRING: 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.

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

THE 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.

HOT TUB TECHNICIAN: Year-round position with great growth, career and possible equity opportunities for the right person. Train at $22.50/hour. Pay starts at $25/hour plus incentives. Prior experience, weekend shifts and skilled repair work pays more. AWD work van, work clothing and ongoing support provided. Real end-of-year bonus with a 13th check. We respect and value our employees. Call CB Hot Tub at 970-275-5700.

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 970901-1798.

ALPINE INN is hiring a breakfast attendant, front desk and laundry help. Call Teresa at 970-275-0611.

THE ELEVATION HOTEL TEAM IS GROWING: We are adding team members in the front office, engineering and food and beverage. Bell Captain $20/hr, Bell Person $17/hr, Night Auditor $21/hr, Night Audit Supervisor $22/hr, Guest Service Agent $20.25/hr, Front Desk Supervisor $22/hr, Engineer I, II, II $21-$24/hr, Bartender $17/ hr. Full-time team members are eligible for full benefits including medical, dental, vision, PTO, 401k, gym membership, room night discounts and housing. For details and to apply, please visit highgate.com/careers. Questions can be directed to elustig@ elevationresort.com.

MOUNTAIN EXPRESS SHOP

the direction of the shop supervisor. Please contact Leah Petito at lpetito@mtnexp.org to apply. For a complete job description, visit mtnexp.org. EOE.

CONSTRUCTION LABORER: David Gross

General Contractor is hiring full-time, hourly construction laborers. Duties include driving dump trailers, job site cleaning, receiving and handling of materials and variety of other needs. Must have current driver’s license. Please submit resume to david@ davidgrossgc.com or call 970-901-1798.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER AT 3 RIVERS RESORT IN ALMONT: We are hiring cabin cleaners for summer and fall seasons. Housing for qualified, full-time candidates, pay starting at $20/hr plus tips, bonus and raise opportunities, discounts, free rafting, fun workplace. Family owned and operated since 1983. Complete online application at 3riversresort.com/employment. Email operations@3riversresort.com.

THE TOWN OF MT. CRESTED BUTTE IS HIRING FOR A SUMMER PARKS POSITION: Hours will be between 30-40 hours per week. Minimum age requirement is 15 years old. Responsibilities include planting flowers, watering, weeding flower beds, mowing, cleaning up after events in the pavilion and garden, cleaning bathrooms, emptying trash containers and more. Candidates should be expected to work outdoors in variable mountain and inclement weather conditions. They should be able to stoop, bend and carry up to 40 pounds. Pay range is $22-$25 per hour. For the full job description, please go to mtcb.colorado.gov.

If you have any questions, please email or call Addison Ives at aives@mtcb.colorado. gov or 970-349-6632, ext 115. To apply, please email your cover letter and resume to Tiffany O’Connell at toconnell@mtcb. colorado.gov.

OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS ASSISTANT, TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE: The parks, rec, open space and trails department seeks an Open Space and Trails Assistant for the 2024 field season. This position is responsible for general field maintenance on conserved properties and rec access areas in the town’s open space and trails portfolio.

General duties include conservation easement monitoring, data collection, trail maintenance, agricultural lease maintenance and other divisional tasks.

Candidates could start as early as midMay and work through October, although start/end dates are flexible. This position is scheduled for 24 hours/week at $18-22/hour

DOE. To apply, send application, resume and cover letter to jobs@crestedbutte-co. gov. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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.

DESIGN-ORIENTED GARDENING

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.

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.

ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDER 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

NOTICE

SEGURO DE INUNDACION:

TECHNICIAN: JOIN OUR TEAM. Mountain Express is looking to recruit a shop technician for immediately available shifts. Applicant required to hold a CDL class BP-2 with no air brake restrictions, or we will pay for you to obtain one. Starting wage is $22.60/hr. Health insurance is available based on hours worked. Ski locker benefit. Shop technicians are responsible for daily fueling and cleaning of fleet vehicles and other related tasks at

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.

ELEVEN IS SEEKING A TEAM-ORIENTED AND FLEXIBLE HOUSEKEEPER to ensure application of the highest Eleven standards for cleanliness of guest rooms and common areas for all Eleven properties in Colorado. This position will work with the housekeeping and lodge teams to complete daily and checkout cleans for all guest

En caso de inundación, ¿están usted y su familia adecuadamente preparados?

Existe un periodo de espera de 30 días para que las nuevas pólizas de seguro contra inundaciones entren en vigencia una vez adquiridas. Los residentes en zonas inundables deberían contratar un seguro contra inundaciones, y cualquier residente puede contratar un seguro contra inundaciones si cree que su vivienda es vulnerable. Históricamente, alrededor de un

tercio de todas las reclamaciones de seguros contra inundaciones se producen fuera de la zona de terreno inundable reglamentaria cartografiada (para inundaciones de 100 años). Por lo general, estas propiedades disponen de una póliza de riesgo preferente menos costosa. Para más información sobre el seguro contra inundaciones, póngase en contacto con su agente de seguros. También puede visitar floodsmart.gov o la Junta de Conservación del Agua de Colorado cwcb. colorado.gov/focus-areas/hazards/floodinformation-resources .

Para obtener información local sobre riesgos de inundación y saber si su propiedad se encuentra en una zona de riesgo de inundación, póngase en contacto con la Oficina de Desarrollo Comunitario de la jurisdicción en la que reside.

Administrador de inundaciones de la ciudad de Gunnison Eric Jansen, 970-641-8151ejansen@gunnisonco.gov, o Administrador de inundaciones del condado de Gunnison Hillary Seminick, 970-6417930, HSeminick@gunnisoncounty.org or visite gunnisoncounty.org/1011/FloodplainDevelopment

Administrador de inundaciones de Crested Butte Troy Russ, 970-349-5338, truss@crestedbutte-co.gov, Desarrollo Comunitario del Pueblo de Mt. Crested Butte, 970-349-6632, Administración de Emergencias del Condado de Gunnison, 970-641-2481, smorrill@gunnisoncounty.org or LBickford@ gunnisoncounty.org.

FLOOD INSURANCE: In the event of a flood, are you and your family adequately prepared? There is a 30-day waiting period for new flood insurance policies to take effect once they are purchased. Floodplain residents should purchase flood insurance, and any resident may purchase flood insurance if you think your home is vulnerable. Historically, about one-third of all flood insurance claims occur outside of the mapped regulatory floodplain area (for 100year floods). Generally, a less expensive preferred risk policy is available for these properties. For more information about flood insurance, contact your insurance agent. You can also visit floodsmart.gov or the Colorado Water Conservation Board at cwcb.colorado.gov/focus-areas/hazards/ flood-information-resources.

For local flood hazard information and to find out if your property is located in a flood hazard area, please contact the community development office of the jurisdiction in which you reside:

City of Gunnison Floodplain Manager

Eric Jansen. 970-641-8151. ejansen@ gunnisonco.gov, or Gunnison County Floodplain Manager

Hillary Seminick, 970-641-7930, HSeminick@gunnisoncounty.org, or visit gunnisoncounty.org/1011/FloodplainDevelopment

Town of Crested Butte Floodplain Manager

Troy Russ 970-349-5338, truss@crestedbutte-co.gov,

Town of Mt. Crested Butte Community Development, 970-349-6632, Gunnison County Emergency Management, 970-641-2481, smorrill@gunnisoncounty. org, orLBickford@gunnisoncounty.org.

Legals NOTICE OF HEARING

BEFORE THE ENERGY AND CARBON MANAGEMENT COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION BY SG INTERESTS I, LTD., FOR A RULE 502.B VARIANCE FROM RULE 1003.B AND 1003.E INTERIM RECLAMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATIONS IN THE WEST MUDDY CREEK FIELD, GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO

CAUSE NO. 1

DOCKET NO. 240200060 TYPE: VARIANCE NOTICE OF HEARING SG Interests I, Ltd. (Operator No. 77330) (“Applicant”), filed an Application for a Rule 502.b Variance from Rule 1003.b and 1003.e Interim Reclamation requirements for the Federal 12-89-7 1 Oil and Gas Location (Location ID 429333) (“Well Site”) located in the below-described lands (the “Application Lands”). This Notice was sent to you because the Applicant believes you may be an interested party in the Application Lands.

APPLICATION LANDS Township 12 South, Range 89 West, 6th P.M. Section 7: NE¼SE¼

DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change) The Commission will hold a hearing only on the above referenced docket number at the following date, time, and location: Date: June 26, 2024 Time: 9:00 a.m. Place: Energy and Carbon Management Commission The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203

PETITIONS

PERSONS:

28, 2024 Any

wishes

participate formally must file a written petition with

Commission no later than the deadline provided above. Please see Commission Rule 507 at https://ecmc.state.co.us/#/home, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the

hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above. Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you.

Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/ DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login.

aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidance Book” at 2 (240200060)

https://ecmc.state.co.us/ documents/reg/Hearings/External_ EfilingSystemGuidebook_2023_FINAL.pdf for more information. Under Commission Rule 508, if no petition is filed, the Application may be approved administratively without a formal hearing.

Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of May 28, 2024 if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Dnr_ECMC_Hearings_Unit@ state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.

ENERGY AND CARBON MANAGEMENT

COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By /s/ Elias J. Thomas, Commission Secretary

Dated: April 19, 2024

SG Interests I, Ltd. c/o Matthew J. Lepore Insight Energy Law, LLC 604 W. Longview Ave. Littleton, CO 80120 720-660-4860 Matt.lepore@insightenergylaw.com

Gunnison Country Times

answer said APPLICATION TO PROBATE WILL NOT PRODUCED IN COURT AND FOR ISSUANCE OF LETTERS TESTAMENTARY of CHRISTOPHER THOMAS WEATHERS filed on February 05, 2024 and show cause why this Court should not render a determination of heirs and only heirs in the estate of CHARLENE LOUISE ALLEN WEATHERS, DECEASED.

Petitioner alleges that the decedent died in Fort Worth, Texas on February 09, 2020 and prays the Court hear evidence sufficient to determine who are the heirs and only heirs of CHARLENE LOUISE ALLEN WEATHERS, DECEASED.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL of said Court at the office in the City of Fort Worth, Texas, Tarrant County, Texas 17th day of April 2024 A.D.

James Earl Davidson 1200 Summit AVE STE 722 Fort Worth, TX 76102 817-900-6529

/s/ Sarah Shook, Deputy Clerk

Mary Louise Nicholson, County Clerk Tarrant County, Texas 100 W. Weatherford Street Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0401

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of April 25, 2024

13064

NOTICE

ATTENTION GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

The Saguache County Board of County

Commissioners are accepting scholarship applications for graduating seniors who will be graduating high school in 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

PUBLIC NOTICE

Colorado law requires the county assessor to hear objections to real property classification and valuation beginning May 1, 2024. Objections to real property valuations must be emailed, postmarked or delivered in person no later than June 8, 2024. The Assessor’s front counter is open 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

APRIL 15

FAILURE TO APPEAR - OTHER JURISDICTION — 117 N. TAYLOR

ST. ACCIDENT — 200 N. MAIN ST.

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 1125 N. MAIN ST.

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION — 200 S. 3RD ST. TOBACCO VIOLATION - UNLAWFUL POSSESSION RE1J — 1099 N. 11TH ST.

HARASSMENT: COMMUNICATIONS — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE. PROPERTY - FOUND — 905 W.

EVANS AVE.

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION

MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION — 1112 VULCAN ST. TRAFFIC - DUS — W. DENVER AVE.

APRIL 16

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 715 W. GEORGIA AVE.

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 500 E. GOTHIC AVE.

APRIL 17

JUVENILE PROBLEM — 1099 N. 11TH ST.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — N. COLORADO ST. WELFARE ASSIST — S. 14TH ST. THEFT - UNDER $100 MUNICIPAL — 1006 W. TOMICHI AVE.

APRIL 18

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — S. 11TH ST. PROPERTY - FOUND — 404 S. TAYLOR ST.

THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 800 N. COLORADO ST. TOBACCO VIOLATION - UNLAWFUL POSSESSION RE1J — 800 W. OHIO AVE.

CIVIL PROBLEM — 108 S. 12TH ST.

FAILURE TO APPEAR - OTHER

JURISDICTION — 720 N. MAIN

ST.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST

DEGREE - RESIDENCE — 309 VAN TUYL CIR.

APRIL 19

VIOLATION OF PROTECTION

ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER — 901

W. DENVER AVE.

ACCIDENT — 221 N. MAIN ST.

HARASSMENT: MUNICIPAL — 713 N. WISCONSIN ST.

HARASSMENT: MUNICIPAL —

1500 W. TOMICHI AVE.

AGENCY ASSIST — 2388 HWY.

135

APRIL 20

HARASSMENT: REPEATED COM-

MUNICATIONS — 201 S. 6TH ST.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 1500 THORNTON

WAY

APRIL 21

AGENCY ASSIST — HARTMAN

ROCKS DR.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS - MUNICI-

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

APRIL 16

-Found property report - wallet by Hartman Rocks area - owner located - property returned

-Gunnison County Ordinance 201830 - dog at large

-Theft reported at a storage facility

- Makita saw - under investigation

-Found wallet near Fairway Lane

-Gunnison County Ordinance 201830 - dog at large

APRIL 17

-Criminal mischief reported - damaged porta pot at the whitewater park

-Somerset deputies issued a summons for speeding and driving when driver’s license is revoked

-Disorderly conduct at Hartman

Rocks

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

APRIL 18

-Deputies assisted the Gunnison Police Department with an active domestic dispute

-Violation of custody order - civil -VIN check

-Warrant issued for violation of protection order x3

-Deputies assisted the GPD with a suspicious subject

-Trespass report

APRIL 19

-Information report - abandoned vehicle in Marble

-Deputies issued a summons for driving a vehicle when license is under restraint and no proof of insurance

-Deputies took one person into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol, careless driving, failing to yield right-of-way to emergency vehicle, weaving, no valid driver’s license, no proof of insurance and open container

-Private property accident where driver was placed into custody for DUI and three in-county warrants

APRIL 20

-Deputies assisted from Montrose Sheriff’s Office with a call we could not get to due to Highway 50 being closed

-Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a one-vehicle accident on Monarch that had gone over the edge

-Deputies issued a summons for no proof of insurance and validation tabs improperly attached

APRIL 21

-Somerset/Marble deputies completed two certified VIN inspections

-Deputies assisted the CSP with a traffic stop on a party who ran C.R. 26 closures

-Missing person reports - but did return home

-Deputies took one person into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol, failing to signal as required and no proof of insurance

APRIL 22

-Information report on a dog issue

Expert Care. Designed for you.

Care designed for ...

WOMEN

At Gunnison Valley Health we offer services designed to meet the specific health needs of women at every stage of their lives.

WOMEN’S HEALTH CLINIC

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

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY | ANNUAL WELL WOMAN EXAMS | MENOPAUSE CARE

SPECIALTY CLINIC | 970-641-3927

711 N. TAYLOR | GUNNISON

OBSTETRICS

Dr. Maija Swanson specializes in family practice obstetrics and is available to provide full spectrum prenatal, labor and delivery and postpartum care.

FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC | 970-642-8413

707 N. IOWA ST., 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

MOUNTAIN MAMAS CAFE

Come meet other mamas and their little ones! | ¡Ven a conocer a otra Mamas!

GUNNISON: MONDAYS, 1:30 - 3:30 P.M.

SANCTUARY SOMATICS YOGA 513 S MAIN ST (EN ESPANOL)

CRESTED BUTTE: FRIDAYS 10 - 12 P.M.

OH BE JOYFUL 625 MAROON AVE

GUNNISON: MIERCOLES, 2 - 4 P.M. SANCUARY SOMATICS YOGA 513 S MAIN ST

WWW.GUNNISONVALLEYHEALTH.ORG

The green-armed gardeners of Gunnison

Top O’ the World Garden Club prepares for growing season

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

Gardeners from the Top O’ the World Garden Club, dressed in aprons and sun hats, tended the flower boxes at Jorgensen Park on Tuesday, April 23. President Kathleen Skinner and members Cecilia Eager and Linda Battaglia aerated the soil with trowels and removed dried yarrow, once buried in snow. In only an hour, the crusted soil was soft and dark again, and

ready to host colorful perennials. By early June, the gardens will bloom with orange and red Oriental poppies, lavender stalks of lupine and the deep blue shades of Colorado olumbine.

Founded in the 1950s, the garden club has beautified Gunnison for over 70 years. This year, members will plant gardens at the Pioneer Museum, Legion Park, Jorgensen Park and the Senior Center. But at the root of the club is an army of over 30 green-thumbed members who still love playing in the dirt.

“These ladies don’t have green thumbs, they have green arms,” said member Andy Lightbody. “I much prefer hunting to getting soil stuck under my fingernails.”

Lightbody joined the club last month with his daughter. His late wife Kathy was an avid member, and despite his pas-

Ditch headgates open May 6th, 2024

sion for hunting and fishing, he took up gardening to continue his wife’s legacy. Today, he owns and maintains the French Garden Apartments, and keeps Kathy’s flower beds vibrant in the warmer months.

Now that the robins have returned to Gunnison and warmer weather is teasing an imminent growing season, it is full speed ahead for the gardeners. The Gunnison Valley sits within the frigid, “zone 4” gardening region. This means plants need to be extremely acclimated to below-freezing temperatures. The club turns to hardy flowers, like petunias, lobularia and echinacea.

To combat the short gardening season, the club starts planting in early June, and sometimes covers the flowers with sheets or

WATER USER REMINDERS:

Allow 2 weeks for water flow to reach from the north to south ends of town.

Ditch users must clear debris to allow for good water flow before headgates opening on May 6th.

Watch up and down the block for blockages and back ups.

Check and clear the end of the block for debris buildup.

Remove all dams, check boards, rocks, sumps, sump buckets from the ditches during the first week of water.

*Please do not call during the 2 week opening of ditches, May 6th-17th, unless water is damaging property.

(Left to right) Kathleen Skinner, Cecilia Eager and Linda Battaglia. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Garden club B2

The Blue Star Memorial Garden in Legion Park last summer. (Courtesy Janis Hawins)

Ongoing Senior Services

Become a Senior Center Member & join us on Spring, Summer & Fall outdoor adventures! Sign up at the Gunnison Rec Center front desk. We honor Silver Sneakers & Renew Active health insurance benefits.

SENIOR CENTER PROGRAMS

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

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

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

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

• COMING SOON! Spring & Summer hike, bird-watching & wildflower walk schedule. For advance notifications and full schedule, sign up for the Senior Center newsletter. Contact: egillis@gunnisonco.gov.

Order in advance if possible! Upcoming menu:

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

Garden club from B1

blankets to protect them from late season frost. If all goes as planned, the gardens will survive the summer, and go dormant once again in late September.

On Tuesday morning, the whipping winds had calmed down, and birds sang from the trees around Pac Man Pond. Skinner and the other gardeners cut back yarrow stalks from last year.

“These would look nice in a vase,” Battaglia said, holding the bouquet of dried yarrow. The other ladies nodded in agreement, and continued clearing the flower boxes for June.

“I love working outside, and enjoy making Gunnison look so cheerful in the warmer months,” Eager said. “It’s a really lovely way to say ‘Welcome to our town.’”

Alongside planting gardens around Gunnison, the club also awards a $2,000 scholarship to a Gunnison High School senior each year, ideally a student pursuing a degree in horticulture. In early April, Ryann Nordberg was awarded the Top O’ the World scholarship, and will pursue a career in agriculture education at Montana State University. Following in her father’s footsteps, she said she hopes to guide students in the agriculture and horticulture fields. The award will go directly to out-ofstate tuition.

“I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from my dad, who teaches agriculture at GHS,” Nordberg said. “I’ve seen how passionate he is. I’m so grateful to Top O’ the World for supporting me, and promoting students within the horticulture field.”

The garden club’s scholarship and gardening budget is all fundraised in late spring, when the club hosts its famous plant sale.

“It’s organized chaos,” Lightbody said. “So many people look forward to it every year, and we get a lot of pre-orders on Facebook.”

The club sells perennial flowers and plants sourced from Hotchkiss for a discounted price. Skinner said lupine, columbine and athanasias go quickly.

During the offseason, the club stays active by selling rum cakes and crafts, such as floral decorated plates, and vases at the Sugar Plum Festival in early winter.

The gardeners have been keeping busy preparing for the growing season. This week, Skinner led a team of three gardeners churning the soil, and preparing it for flowers. By the first week of June, a delivery of perennials, acclimated to the weather in Hotchkiss, will be planted throughout Gunnison. Then, it’s a battle against cold temperatures and the pesky appetites of town deer.

“I know the best solution to town deer,” Lightbody said, licking his fingers. “Delicious! I’m only joking. We put up netting, try to plant deer-resistant plants and chase them away when we catch them.”

This year, the sale will be held at the Fred Field Center on May 17-18. To learn more, visit Top O’ the World Garden Club on Facebook.

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

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

pm; Fridays – Art Club @ 12:30 pm & Mahjong @ 1 pm

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

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

Senior Shopping Hours:

• 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

• Walmart – Tuesdays (6AM – 7AM)

• 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 Walk-in &

Menu: (all meals come with dessert!)

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

• Mon., April 29: Brunch for Lunch! Egg casserole, hash browns, veggies, fruit

• Weds., May 1: Haphazard Chicken, veggies, muffins, fruit

• Fri., May 3: Hamburger Patties with Beans, cabbage salad, homemade bread

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.

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 Regular Activities:

Eager and Battaglia trim back yarrow and prepare the Jorgensen Park flower boxes for summer blooms.

Skinner and Battaglia dig up the old soil with trowels.

A starry night to remember

Gunnison High School students strutted down the red carpet in style at this year’s Starry Night Prom on April 20. Teens wearing glittery gowns, suits and cowboy hats hit the dance floor to a mix of 2000s and 2010s pop classics. After dancing their hearts out, friends snacked on macarons and posed for photos in front of a tinsel backdrop.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Cowboys unable to wrangle Longhorns

Late home run erases GHS comeback

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

After falling in back-to-back games to Delta last week, the Cowboys sought redemption against league rival Basalt at home on April 20.

Despite commandeering a late comeback, the Cowboys fell short 6-5. The loss moves GHS to a 6-7 overall record, and 1-3 in the 3A Western Slope League. After the defeat, Head Coach Tom Percival preached consistency.

“We played pretty well at times and chipped our way back into the game,” Percival said. “We’re just fighting to find consistency in practice, in games, offensively and defensively. Our talent is there, we

Girls golf shines at River Valley Ranch

Freshman

Norah Abila takes third for Cowboys

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

The GHS girls golf team took on the daunting River Valley Ranch Golf Course in Carbondale on April 17. Posed with one of the toughest challenges of the season so far, the Cowboys excelled and finished seventh with 325 team strokes.

“River Valley Ranch is for real,” said Head Coach Kevin Mickelson. “It’s long, with giant greens and massive, deep bunkers that protect every green. It was a great test for them, and they did a good job against a difficult course.”

Senior Allie Schwartz led the way for GHS on Wednesday, and shot a 105 through 18 holes. Aiden Tomlin was close behind, shooting a 108. Freshman Norah Abila was a standout finisher for the Cowboys, and shot 112 in one of her first varsity starts. She took third place out of the GHS players. Stephanie Harvey and Althea Stansbery wrapped up the Cowboys scores, and shot 140 and 144.

“Allie is locking in, and is right on pace at this point in the season,” Mickelson said. “Aiden and Norah were right behind her, and are making significant strides. By and large it was a good showing. We’re happy with what we did, and now we’re settling into a little lul in the season.”

With only two tournaments scheduled for the next two weeks, the girls will practice at Dos Rios Golf Course, and dial in their swings for vital rounds

in the month of May. The varsity players will travel to Salida Golf Course on April 25, and Eagle Ranch in Vail on May 2.

The JV girls are scheduled to compete at the JV Championship in Grand Junction on May 3, however Mickelson said the tournament is entirely dependent on travel updates from the Blue Mesa bridge closure. The Cowboys will host a tournament at Dos Rios on May 6 at 10 a.m.

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

Baseball B6 Cesar Marmolejo fields a ground ball. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

GHS track and field lights up Rye Invitational

The Cowboys track and field team dominated the Rye Thunderbolt Invitational on April 19. The girls distance runners, led by Madelyn Stice, Catalina Schwab and Jemma Petrie, shined. Stice took first in the 3200-meter with a flying time of 11:31.48. Schwab stood atop the podium in the 1600-meter, and took second in the 800-meter. Petrie finished second in the 3200, and Justine Mowery finished right behind her with a season best time of 2:43.55. Caroline Sudderth paved the way for the girls hurdlers, taking second in the 100-meter and 300-meter. On the jumpers side, Lee Brunsting took first in the triple jump, and Sienna Gomez took second with a season-best score.

Bodin Bichon led the boys with a first-place finish in the 200-meter dash. Julian Ryter notched a season best time in the 3200 to take first in 10:11.58, and Spencer Hays finished second in 10:31.35.

The boys 4x800-meter relay team. (Left to right) Rowen Downum, Spencer Hays, Julian Ryter and Jackson Dalleck. (Courtesy Jemma Petrie)

Sienna Gomez and Caroline Sudderth practice at Western last week. (Photo by Bella Biondini)

just need to put it all together.”

On Saturday, the Cowboys hosted the 3-8 Longhorns at home. Basalt jumped out of the gates early, and tacked on runs thanks to two hits and a ground rule double. At the bottom of the third, the score stood 5-0 for the away team.

Grady Buckhanan, a threesport junior, started the comeback with a poke over the shortstop. With two outs on the board, Mason Williams hit a shot to center field to drive Buckhanan home. At the next at-bat, senior leader Hunter Vincent ripped one to left for an RBI double. Talon Kibler hit an RBI single to drive Vincent home, and close the inning 5-3.

Jacob Riser relieved Kibler on the mound in the fourth inning. He struck out two Longhorns and forced a fly out to center.

The Cowboys maintained their hot pace in the bottom of the fourth. John Parker reached first on a walk, stole second and then scored on a single from Kahne Chippiani. The Cowboys tied the game 5-5 heading into the top of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, a Longhorn slugger started off the inning with a solo shot to left field. Riser sat down the remaining line-up, but the lead proved to be insurmountable.

been stepping up for this team, and we need guys that want to be in those big situations.”

The Cowboys will take on Aspen next in a doubleheader on the road on April 27.

“We’re working on leadership, and creating that dog mentality and figuring out how to get it done,” Percival said.

“Hunter, Mason and Talon have

Williams gave the Cowboys a glimpse of hope with a ground rule double over the center field wall, but the home team was unable to drive him in. The game finished 6-5 for Basalt.

Wildcats best Titans

The Blue Mesa bridge closure will change the Cowboys’ upcoming schedule. The North Fork game scheduled for April 24 has been rescheduled to an away doubleheader on May 14.

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

The Titans lacrosse team fell 14-6 to the Fruita Monument Wildcats in Edwards on April 23. The league loss moves Crested Butte to a 4-8 overall record, and 4-6 in the 4A Mountain League. The Titans will host the St. Mary’s Pirates next at home on April 26 at 4:30 p.m.

Jack Pierson weaves through the opposition defense at a home game this month.

Luke Walton looks for a teammate at a home game in early April. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Coach Jake Stone greets Grady Buckhanan at first base.

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.

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.

Producers’ Guild plant sale

The Gunnison Valley Producers’ Guild will host its 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

PTA supply drive

The Gunnison Valley PTA is hosting a supply drive to thank teachers on May 7. See items requested and sign up to donate at shorturl.at/hXY57.

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 its Gunnison Valley-based community health projects at this free event

Annual spring river clean-up

Gunnison Waves is hosting its annual spring river clean-up at the Gunnison Whitewater Park on May 4 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Lunch and surfing is planned after the work is complete.

Dance festival

The Crested Butte School of Dance presents the “Speak Up and Dance” festival on May 4 at the CB Center for the Arts. The festival will feature over 95 local youth dancers. Stay for food and fun between the performances. Visit dancecrestedbutte.org/ speak-up-and-dance for the full schedule and to purchase tickets and catered dinner reservations.

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., volunteers will remove miles of area fencing, improving habitat for multiple species, followed by a community party at 7 p.m. Camping is available.

Garden club plant sale

Top O’ the World Garden Club is now taking pre-orders for its annual plant sale. Visit the club’s Facebook page and enter the number of plants you’d like to order in the comment area. Plants are $6.50 each, plus tax. The public plant sale will take place on May 18 from 9 a.m-noon at the Gunnison Fairgrounds covered parking area.

Volunteers needed

Habitat for Humanity

Gunnison is seeking volunteers on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-5 p.m. at 211 S. 6th Street

GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS

New hours and classes

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. Find a full list of ongoing classes at gunnisonartscenter.org.

in Gunnison. Help with painting, landscaping and basic construction tasks. No experience is necessary. Volunteers get a free t-shirt and lunch on Saturdays. Call 970-641-1245 or visit hfhgunnisonvalley.org for more details.

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.

Overeaters Anonymous

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

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.

Missoula Children’s Theatre

Registration is open for the Missoula Children’s Theater summer camp and performance of “Robin Hood.” Kids ages 6-17 can find more information and sign up at gunnisonartscenter.org.