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• Serving the Crystal Valley since 2002 •

THE CRYSTAL VALLEYandE CHO Marble Times Providing a voice for community-based organizations and individuals that enrich the life of the Crystal Valley February 2010

FREE

Volume #7 Number 3

Inside

Bike path update page 3

Who We Are page 3

Here comes Winterfest See pull-out section pages 15-17

Water woes page 7

Echos of a Life: Ron Robertson page 21

(not so) Fresh Tracks page 11

Border collies Linus and Agnes lead the way with dog skijoring trainer Louisa Morrissey of Skijor-n-More of Summit County. During Redstone Winterfest, Louisa and Marble’s Alex Menard are holding pulling clinics for dogs and their humans. More information on skijoring is on page 16.

Photo by Ed Kosmiski


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From the Editor The Crystal Valley: A detour on the Information Superhighway We all know that the Crystal Valley is a breathtakingly beautiful place. And with that beauty come advantages and disadvantages of being in such an amazing spot. One of the advantages – at least I tend to look at it that way – is that we’re so tucked away up here that we don’t have cell phone service. I’m sure most techno-savvy, iPhone-carrying modern-day citizens would consider this a horrific disadvantage, but not me. For one, consider Highway 133. The road is mountainous and curvy enough without having a naive teen texting away on her cell phone while maneuvering by Avocado Gully with her knee guiding the steering wheel in the dead of winter. No thanks, for her and for the drivers around her. I also appreciate having at least part of my life not consumed by answering a cell phone constantly. I recently had a meeting downvalley with a nice guy whose cell phone went off at least a half a dozen times during the course of our half-hour appointment. He answered most of the calls. Was he a doctor or a firefighter with a life-saving job? No. Can we just do one thing at a time here? In the Crystal Valley, we can. It’s also really nice to go hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, biking, climbing – whatever it is you like to do outside – and not have a cell phone ringing away. We have a story in this issue of the Echo about another type of technology – Qwest High-Speed Internet access – coming to Redstone Boulevard. I’m all for that, because as an editor and writer, I’m on the computer a lot. Having a good Internet connection allows me to drive less, and get a lot accomplished while being based in this gorgeous valley. But I also understand that I’m probably not going to be able to pick and choose the technology that comes to the Crystal Valley. If high-speed is here, cell phones will probably come along sooner or later. I’m just hoping that the Crystal Valley isn’t on the short list for that kind of service. – Carrie Click


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Anatomy of the Crystal Bike Trail: Heavy equipment, fencing, and giant piping, too By Carrie Click, Echo editor It’s the middle of winter so there’s not much activity at the Crystal Bike Trail construction site. The 5.3mile trail section sits along Highway 133 between the BRB Campground Resort and the Carbondale Fire Station at the mouth of the Crystal Valley. Driving by the site as Crystal Valleyites do, one can’t help but notice the giant piping stacked up, the heavy equipment sitting idle, and the five-rail wood fence aligning the path on its northern side. The piping, explained Gary Tennenbaum, land steward of Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, is for two ditches and a new head gate. “The ditches are parallel to the highway,” Gary says. “We worked with the local ranchers in the area to allow the ditches to be piped and the trail constructed on top. “This is a win-win for the trail and agriculture,” Gary continues, “since we couldn’t build the trail without the ranchers’ permission, and the ranchers are getting ditches piped, which will substantially reduce maintenance in the future.” Gary says the heavy equipment sitting along Highway 133 is being rented. “The equipment belongs to Heyl Construction,” says Gary. “[It’s] under contract with the county to construct the [trail].” And the fencing at the north end of the trail is a result of an agreement county staff reached with the trail’s neighbor. “We needed an easement to place part of the trail on their property,” Gary says, “and the neighbor required that type of fence.” Although, the fence is fairly elaborate, Gary says fencing aligning the rest of the trail will be different. “The rest of the project will not have fences like that,” says Gary.

New fencing is part of an agreement Pitkin County Open Space and Trails made with this neighbor of the Crystal Bike Trail. Photo by Carrie Click

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is funding the lion’s share of the $3 million project with help from a $1 million Great Outdoors Colorado Grant. The Town of Carbondale has contributed nearly $400,000

to the project. Garfield County kicked in another $200,000. A $50,000 contribution from the Jelinek family will also go toward the Garfield County portion of the trail.

W H O “Who We Are” is a Q&A about a Crystal Valley resident. Our objective is to give community members better connections and familiarity with each other. Age: 47 Occupation: Restaurant owner (Hightower Trading Post & Café), jeweler, tile and marble contractor Where do you live? Upper Crystal Valley Birthplace: Grand Junction When did you move to the Crystal Valley and why? I bought my home in Marble seven years ago. I'd spent many years driving over McClure Pass to visit family in the Montrose area while I was living in Basalt and always wanted to live in the Crystal Valley. Being a Colorado native, the Crystal Valley is as good as it gets. What three things would you like people to know about you? 1) I’ve lived in beautiful places most of my life: Lake Powell in the 1980s (nine years at Bullfrog

Marina); up the Frying Pan above Basalt; and now, the Crystal Valley. 2) The last 18 years I've been a marble and tile contractor working in the Aspen area. My cooking experience comes from working at the old Fireside Inn Restaurant in West Glenwood Springs in the late 1970s, and being the food and beverage manager during my time at Bullfrog at Lake Powell.

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Cary Hightower of the Upper Crystal Valley

3) I have an extensive family history in western Colorado. My family homesteaded the Frying Pan in the 1890s. My great great grandfather shot and killed the last native bull elk in the state of Colorado in the late 1890. The mount is at the Colorado Natural History Museum. Which living person do you most admire? I've always admired Jimmy Carter for all his peace missions over the years after leaving office. "Blessed are the peacemakers." What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given? Give a man a hard day’s worth of work regardless of the pay.

What is your favorite thing to do in the Crystal Valley? Visiting with the locals that come into the café.


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L E T T E R S Write us a letter! The Echo welcomes your input, opinions, thanks and whatever else you’d like to share with your fellow readers, provided it’s written in a respectful, civil way. (Please, no unsubstantiated attacks, etc.) Please shoot for 500 words or less. The Echo reserves the right to edit and proofread letters. Send your words to The Crystal Valley Echo, echo@crystalvalleyecho.com, or 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623. Thanks.

X Games Olenicks Editor’s note: By the time this Echo hits the streets, the X Games will be a memory. But we wanted to remind everyone that our own local athletes – Megan and Peter Olenick of Carbondale – participated at this highly competitive sports event. The Olenicks’ mom, Molly Garland, sent an e-mail during January, which we are printing in part, below. Congratulations, Olenicks, for reaching such a high level in both skiing and riding, however the X Games turned out. Dear Echo: Yes another year has gone by and it's time to send all your positive energy to Peter and Megan. Our first event [was] Megan’s, Ski Slopestyle, on Jan. 28. Peter is skiing the Superpipe and has to make it through an elimination round on Jan. 30. That is always intense as only top 10 move on to finals. Finals for Peter will be Jan. 31, followed by a High Air final. These two events [wrapped] up the X Games. Cross fingers and toes, bring out the lucky rabbit’s foot, and pray for No. 1, safety; No. 2, victory. Molly Garland Mom Carbondale

Like these resolutions? Pass them on

Dear Echo: New Year’s Resolutions: I have been increasingly depressed about the present government’s ability to even begin solving our problems, and I have thought earnestly about what we can do as individuals. So I am resolving to take the following steps: In lieu of worrying about our ever-increasing indebtedness to China and other foreign countries, I resolve to buy nothing unless it is made in America or used. The only exception is that I will buy gasoline, but I will drive as little as possible. In lieu of worrying about Congress’ inability to pass real health care reform, either single payer or with a strong public option, I resolve to eat only meals made with healthy, preferably organic food, eat more fruit and vegetables and less meat, and also to exercise regularly. In lieu of worrying about every one of the many issues bedeviling us, I resolve to concentrate on the one most important underlying issue. This is the ridiculous fact that the Supreme Court has ruled that corporations are people and have free speech rights. This ridiculous ruling has done more than anything else to destroy all chance of real campaign reform and thus destroy American democracy. A corporation is not a person and unlike a person, cares little about our grandchildren, our environment, our health, or our democracy. A corporation is an entity created for the sole purpose of earning

profits for its shareholders. We must start a campaign for a constitutional amendment declaring a corporation is not a person and has no free-speech rights. Then we can fight for real campaign reform that prohibits corporations from all political contributions and lobbying. If you think these are good resolutions, and that if most of us adopted them it would make a real difference, then e-mail your friends and relatives. Ask them if they would not like to adopt them also, and urge them to write letters to the editors of their papers suggesting others do the same. Mary Boland Carbondale

Big thanks from Carbondale LIFT-UP Dear Echo: I would like to apologize for the tardiness of this "Thank You!" It has been an unbelievably busy year for the Carbondale LIFT-UP office. We managed to feed an ever-increasing number of people, thanks to all the compassionate people in the community who brought in food they collected as individuals or through their work, school, or a food drive they conducted. Cub Scout Pack 242 in Basalt started off the holiday push with a HUGE food drive in November, which was the boost we needed for Thanksgiving. Patricia Blick at the Fireplace Co. in Carbondale organized the 9 Cares Colorado Shares drive, which collected both food and clothing. Mason and Morse not only did a food drive for us, but also was a drop-off location again this year. The schools all joined in – Aspen Middle School, Basalt Elementary School, Basalt Middle School, Crystal River Elementary School, Carbondale Elementary School, Carbondale Middle School, the Waldorf School and the Ross Montessori School – with their efforts collecting food and helping me organize food and put together boxes. Thanks to those kids, their teachers and parent volunteers. Girl Scouts came from Snowmass Village to help again this year and kids of all ages from St Mary's also helped out. Thank you to Dr. Scott Tesoro, Total Merchant Services in Basalt, Basalt Realty, Aspen Health and Harmony, and all the generous people at River Valley Ranch. Thank you Third Street Center for giving us all that space for the Holiday Food Drive and the Angel Tree program. What a great spot to work out of! Please forgive me if I have left anyone out. I am so very grateful for each and every one who gave their time and energy to help make this possible. Debi Boyle Coordinator Carbondale LIFT-UP

MISSION STATEMENT: To provide a voice for Crystal Valleyites; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life. Publisher Alyssa Ohnmacht Editor Carrie Click Staff Writer Sue McEvoy Advertising Sales Alyssa Ohnmacht • 963-2373 echo@crystalvalleyecho.com Marble Times Faculty Advisor Deb Macek Distribution Dawn Distribution • 963-0874 Contributors to this issue of The Crystal Valley Echo Julie Albrecht, Ed Kosmicki, Nancy Chromy, Kay Philip, Amy Kimberly, Heather McGregor, David Ulane, Mountain Regional Housing, Gary Tennenbaum, Jody Ensign, Ellie Kershow, Kyle Stewart, Melissa Sidelinger, Brenda Buchanan, Emily Hisel, Betty Lou Gilbert, Bruce Gledhill, Lafe Murray, Chuck Logan, Bob Shettel, Jane Bachrach, Deana Hermanson, Bev Goss, Becky Trembley Pitkin County, Tom Harris Family, Cary Hightower

The Crystal Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout the entire Crystal Valley. Home delivery is available for many locations throughout the valley. Newspaper box locations: Carbondale City Market (inside) • Village Smithy Carbondale Post Office • Dos Gringos • Red Rock Diner Redstone General Store • Marble Charter School The Echo is also available at businesses from El Jebel to Glenwood Springs and throughout the Crystal Valley.

For subscriptions Please send $25 and address information to: The Crystal Valley Echo 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 For information Please contact us: 963-2373 echo@crystalvalleyecho.com All copy submitted to The Crystal Valley Echo will be edited and reviewed by our staff for style, grammar and content. The Crystal Valley Echo reserves the right to refuse publication of any submitted material that does not meet the our standards for a positive, informative, educational community newspaper.


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Your calendar for goings on in and around the Crystal River Valley Help our calendar grow; let us know. Send event items to echo@crystalvalleyecho.com by the 15th of the preceding month. Be sure to include the five Ws (who, what, when, why and where); contact info, cost and anything else you think readers need to know. • Feb. 1: 6 p.m. Redstone Community Association’s Winterfest final planning meeting at the Redstone Inn. Please attend if you’d like to join in and help. Contact Becky at 963-6355, redstonecolorado.com. • Feb. 3: 10:30 a.m. Fireman Storytime at the Gordon Cooper Library in Carbondale. • Feb. 3: 6 p.m. Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers’ planning meeting for the Town to Town Ski and Snowshoe Tour 2011, at the Basalt Library, Midland Avenue, next to the Basalt Post Office. Help with next year’s event. 927-8241, rfov@sopris.net.

• Feb. 10: 7 p.m. The Redstone Water and Sanitation Board meets at the Redstone Inn. 963-2898. Feb. 14: S.M.A.K.! (Sealed with a kiss.) It’s Valentine’s Day. • Feb. 14: 7 p.m. Redstone Art Foundation free art film series: “Girl with a Pearl Earring” in the Osgood Room of the Redstone Inn. Refreshments available. • Feb. 16: 4:15 p.m. Marble Charter School board meeting in the multipurpose room in the new school building, 412 W. Main, Marble. 9639550, marblecharter@hughes.net. • Feb. 17: 5:30 p.m. Redstone Open Space and Trails meeting is at the Church at Redstone on the Boulevard. Contact Gary Tennenbaum at 920-5355, or aspenpitkin.com/openspace for more info.

• Feb. 4: 1-3 p.m. Time to recycle in Redstone. In front of the Church at Redstone, Redstone Boulevard.

• Feb. 18: 1-3 p.m. Time to recycle in Redstone in front of the Church at Redstone, Redstone Boulevard.

• Feb. 4: 5 p.m. Mill Site Park Committee meets at the Marble City State Bank Building in Marble to discuss a Frisbee golf course.

Feb. 18: 7 p.m. Ellie Weiss’s “Secrets,” from secrets anonymously submitted by Roaring Fork Valley residents, at the Church at Carbondale. Presented with Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities. Go to carbondaleart.com for more info.

• Feb. 4: 7 p.m. Marble Town Council meeting is at the Marble City State Bank Building. • Feb. 5: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Vehicle Fleets in the Clean Energy Economy, a workshop about new technologies and fuels, costs $15 and is at the Glenwood Springs Community Center. Registration requested by 5 p.m. on Feb. 2. Register and more info at garfieldcleanenergy.org. • Feb. 5: 6-8 p.m. Majid Kahhak paints live during Carbondale's First Friday at Kahhak Fine Arts & School, 411 Main St., Carbondale. The painting will be inspired by Valentine's Day. Beverages and hors d'oeuvres served. 704-0622. • Feb. 5: 6-8 p.m. First Friday at the Parkside Gallery features jewelry by Colby June, Cathy Crenshaw, Barbara Sophia Ulrych, Natasha Seedorf, Nina Morrow and Carol Martin, and sculptured hearts by Sherrill Stone. 50 Weant Blvd., 963-1401. • Feb. 5: 6:15 p.m. Masri Nar Fire Troupe presents Legend of the Phoenix fire dance performance at the Gordon Cooper Library in Carbondale. • Feb 5-7: Redstone Winterfest. For a detailed schedule and information about Redstone’s new ice climbing and winter festival, see pages 15-17 in this issue of the Echo. Visit redstonecolorado.com, and/or call Becky at 963-6355. • Feb. 6: Drumming workshops at Carbondale Community School. Beginners from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Intermediates from 2-4:30 p.m. Advance registration required. Call Laurie Loeb at 963-2798. • Feb. 10: 10:30 a.m. “We Love Books” Storytime at the Gordon Cooper Library in Carbondale.

Feb. 19: 5:30-8 p.m. The Great Match, a night of wine and food tasting, music and fun, benefits Mountain Regional Housing, which provides homebuyer help and education. At The Gathering Center on Snowmass Drive in Carbondale. Call 704-9801 for tickets and more info. • Feb. 25: 4 p.m. The Book People: Teen Book Discussion at the Gordon Cooper Library in Carbondale. • Feb. 28: 3 p.m. Literary Night theatrical presentation about Ray Bradbury at the Thunder River Theater in Carbondale presented by the Thunder River Theatre Company. • Feb. 28: 7 p.m. Redstone Art Foundation free art film series: “Camille Claudel” in the Osgood Room of the Redstone Inn. Refreshments available. Feb. 28: 8 p.m. Los Lonely Boys with Alejandro Escovedo and Carrie Rodriguez, at the Wheeler Opera House, Aspen. $50, all seats. 925-5770, aspenshowtickets.com.

ONGOING • HEARTBEAT – support for survivors after suicide – meets the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 824 Cooper St. (the Bethel Chapel entrance), Glenwood. Call Pam Szedelyi, 945-1398, or pamsz@sopris.net. • Recycling in Redstone is on the first and third Thursday of each month from 1-3 p.m. Bring your cardboard, glass, plastic, newspapers, magazines, aluminum, steel cans and office paper to the Pitkin County truck parked in front of the Church at Redstone, Redstone Boulevard.

• Get help: Crystal Valley residents living in Pitkin County (that’s you, Redstonians), are encouraged by the Aspen Counseling Center to pick up the phone if you are in an emotional crisis and need to talk to a trained professional. Don’t wait. Call 920-5555. • Take Pilates in Redstone, advanced Pilates is 89 a.m. every Monday and Thursday morning, beginner Pilates is 9:30-10:30 a.m. is beginner, and Wednesdays at 5:15 p.m. $10 fee, punch passes available. Dress comfortably and bring a mat. 7041843. • Total Body Workout in Redstone is Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4-6 p.m., at the Church at Redstone. Have a two-hour body experience: Sculpt your figure with low impact to burn body fat, weight-bearing exercises to strengthen and breathing and mindful stretching for flexibility and body/mind awareness. Free to the community. All abilities welcome. Since 1995. Personal training available. Instructor: Lisa Wagner, 963-8240.

UPCOMING • March 4: 5-6 p.m. Patrons’ event for Valley Visual Art Show in Carbondale, followed by a members reception from 6-8 p.m. Call 963-1680. • March 5: 6 p.m. Marble Charter School Talent Show in the multipurpose room in the new school building. Donations accepted at the door. 412 W. Main, Marble. 963-9550, marblecharter@hughes.net. • March 5: 6-8 p.m. Valley Visual Art Show opens during First Friday, at the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities Gallery. Show also at Gordon Cooper Library. Call 963-1680 for more info. • March 6: 7-10 a.m. Valley View Hospital blood test pre-draws for those who want to avoid lines and get results prior to the hospital’s health fair in Carbondale April 10. At Roaring Fork High School, Carbondale. Contact 384-6653, vvh.org. • March 9: Redstone Art Foundation board meeting Go to redstoneartfoundation.org for information. • March 14: 7 p.m. Redstone Art Foundation free art film series: “Modigliani” in the Osgood Room of the Redstone Inn. Refreshments available, redstoneartfoundation.org. • March 20: Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities’ (CCAH) Green Is the New Black Fashion Extravaganza. Sustainable, artful and/or recycled designs sought. Contact Amy at CCAH, 963-1680, visit carbondalearts.com. • March 27: Have you heard? Turn off your lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m. for Earth Hour 2010 as a call to action for climate change. Go to myearthhour.org for info. • March 28: 7 p.m. Redstone Art Foundation free art film series: “The Rape of Europa” in the Osgood Room of the Redstone Inn. Refreshments available.


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Government Brief Heightened security at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport ASPEN – Travelers flying out of the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport are reminded to allow extra time to check in and be processed through security. “Even though we operate a relatively small airport, it is still important to allow enough time to ensure you don’t miss your flight,” said Assistant Director of Aviation David Ulane. “We highly recommend allowing at least one hour before your flight.” Last December’s terrorist activity directed at commercial aircraft has resulted in the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) taking more precautions processing travelers. While the TSA won’t reveal just what those precautions are, they can add to the time it takes to screen travelers As many as five flights depart from the airport between 7-8:30 a.m. on any given day during the height of the winter season. That can result in a large number of passengers checking in and going through security at the same time. The airport terminal is open from 5 a.m.-11:30 p.m. seven days a week. Up-to-theminute airline arrival and departure information is available on Comcast Channel 8 and online at aspenairport.com. Airport Guest Services can be reached at 920-5380. – Aspen/Pitkin County Airport

The Great Match to help potential homebuyers on Feb. 19 The Great Match, “a meeting of the senses,” offers wine and food-tasting, music and good times while helping local folks purchase their homes. The Great Match benefits Mountain Regional Housing, the local nonprofit that provides down-payment assistance and homebuyer education so people can have a home. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at Mountain Regional Housing, 345 Colorado Ave., just east of Carbondale Town Hall, by calling 704-9801. Donations are tax deductible. The Great Match is Feb. 19, 5:30-8 p.m. at The Gathering Center on Snowmass Drive in Carbondale. – Mountain Regional Housing

Your Hair! The Barber Shoppe IN CARBONDALE 289 Main Street • Carbondale

963-0293 Fleet managers’ energy efficiency workshop Feb. 5 Vehicle fleet owners and managers are invited to attend a one-day workshop to learn about practical steps to increase energy efficiency and reduce costs. “Vehicle Fleets in the Clean Energy Economy: Reducing Costs and Diversifying Fuel Sources” is hosted by the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative. The free workshop is set for 8 a.m.-2:45 p.m. on Feb. 5, at the Glenwood Springs Community Center. It will include a variety of displays by vendors, speakers, natural gas use for vehicles, and ride and drive opportunities until 4 p.m. Speakers will present information on proven fuels and technology that make fleets more energy efficient, and EnCana will present information on fleet use of locally produced compressed natural gas. A workshop fee of $15 includes morning refreshments, lunch and workshop materials. Advance registration is requested by 5 p.m. on Feb. 2. To register and for more information, visit garfieldcleanenergy.org. – Heather McGregor, Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative

February Carbondale land-use meetings announced Kay Philip at the Town of Carbondale has announced upcoming meetings for major land-use applications. All meetings are open to the public and are held at Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Ave., 963-2733, coloradogov.org. Feb. 2, 6:30 p.m.: Thompson Park public hearing with the Carbondale Board of Trustees is being continued, focusing on the 45-85 residential units proposed on 10 acres between Hendrick Ranch and River Valley Ranch. Downtown Overlay District public hearing follows, regarding building heights, and commercial and residential building standards for Carbondale’s downtown Historic Commercial Core Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m.: Carbondale Elementary School planned unit development amendment/subdivision is the focus of this public meeting with the Carbondale Board of Trustees, regarding schoolteacher housing and a possible public library site Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m.: The Village at Crystal River, formerly the Crystal River Market Place, public hearing is being held to discuss this mixed-use parcel west of Highway 133. After a referendum vote denying a big box development, the project has received much public input for its current mixed-use application. – Kay Philip, Town of Carbondale


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Redstone diverts water emergency As usual, water board faces ongoing challenges By Carrie Click, Echo editor The Osgood Room at the Redstone Inn was practically standing room only at the Jan. 6 Redstone Water District meeting. “Wow, we’ve got a big crowd tonight,” said John Chromy, water board president. And for good reason. During the holidays, Redstone’s water storage tanks dropped to emergency levels, partially due to at least two leaks in the system. As a result, residents sprang into action, using phone trees and e-mail to communicate. And Pitkin County issued a reverse 9-1-1 call urging people to conserve water until the problem could be fixed. “About 50 people spent a lot of time on a holiday weekend keeping us from going under,” said John. John recapped the emergency. The A-frame, between the Redstone Inn and the Redstone Castle, had a break in the pipes on Christmas Eve. That was followed by false readings due to layers of ice in the village’s water storage tanks. Water officials thought there was 10 feet of water, when there was just two feet on New Year’s Eve morning. Restonians Bruce Gledhill and Chuck Logan began notifying people of the water shortage, and asking all to conserve. Some people thought this meant they should hoard water by filling bathtubs, though this led to tripling the amount of water typically used overnight. Others didn’t get the message at all. “What does it mean when there’s an emergency?” John asked. “What does it mean to conserve? We need to define this.” Along the way, officials discovered another problem – a crack in Redstone’s water reservoir, which was causing water supplies to rapidly deplete. When the water levels in the tanks reached only six inches, Redstone Community Association President Chuck Logan called Pitkin County officials who raced to the village. John Ely, the county attorney was here, as was Hillary Fletcher, the county manager. Carbondale Fire Chief Ron Leach was notified and arrived onsite, as was Ellen Anderson, who coordinates emergency management for Pitkin County. Snowmass Water Sanitation District personnel showed up to help, too. By the end of the day, the crew temporarily fixed the problem by hooking up a fire hose to East Creek,

bypassing the reservoir and running water directly into the system. Ron Leach commended John Chromy’s efforts in dealing with the water emergency. As the water board president, John became what’s known in emergency management terms as the incident commander. “I appreciate your leadership for someone who’s never been thrown into the fire,” said Ron. “You did a very good job.” By the time of the water board meeting on Jan. 6, the crisis was over. Eighteen feet of water had filled the storage tanks. The attention to Redstone’s water situation hasn’t stopped. Pitkin County Commissioner Jack Hatfield attended January’s water board meeting and discussed long-term solutions to the crack in the reservoir. “Obviously, you’re all aware you have a temporary situation,” he said. “During the spring runoff, you guys

“What does it mean when there’s an emergency? What does it mean to conserve? We need to define this.” – John Chromy will have to address the issue. And Snowmass Water and Sanitation can help with leak detection. They’re more than willing to do that. They have the equipment.” Sewer plant woes Dean Gordon of Schmeuser Gordon Meyer updated the group on the likelihood of Redstone getting a new water treatment facility. “I don’t see anything on the horizon that’s positive,” Dean said regarding funding sources for the much-needed plant. “It’s grim at best.” Last year, in hopes of getting a low- or no-interest loan or even a stimulus grant, the water district did preliminary design work for a new plant. Now those plans are sitting, unused. Redstone water district’s Brian Oleson expressed his concern for the lack of funds to build the plant. “This is a serious financial crisis for this district,” he said. Ironically, Dean explained that communities that have allowed their wastewater treatment plants to go into disrepair stand a better chance at government

funding than Redstone. The current facility is outdated and needs to be replaced, though district staff and board have worked hard to keep the plant running. “Our district [is being] punished for good behavior,” Brian said.

Castle to join in? Yancy Nichol and Paul Rutlege of Sopris Engineering representing the Redstone Castle addressed tapping into the water district’s water and sewer lines, or building an onsite station at the castle to serve its needs. With the water district’s new water use rating structure, it’s unknown at this point what the castle would be charged for joining into the district’s water and sewer lines. John explained that fees will depend on what the castle is used for, be it a private residence, a spa resort, a hotel, or perhaps a combination of several uses. In the meantime, Yancy asked if the district would draft a letter, stating what it require from the castle in order for it to tie on. Water board member Nick Senn reiterated that how many taps the castle requires is really a result of what types of activities are planned.

More EQR discussion Although the water district board voted to approve a new water fee structure in Redstone at its December meeting, water board member Billy Amicon said he is dissatisfied with the amount of money lodges and businesses will now pay as a result. The new fee structure is based on equivalent residential units, or EQRs. An EQR is a standard of measurement used to determine water use. In Redstone, one EQR equals $80: $40 for water and $40 for sewer, based on the average usage of three and a half people per house. Businesses are rated, based on kitchen size and seating capacities for restaurants, and beds and bathrooms for lodges. After a spirited back and forth between board members regarding this issue, Billy and board member Chuck Albin agreed to take the formula that’s been devised to rate all structures, and apply it to each commercial entity to see exactly what Redstone businesses will be paying. This means that new water rates will not go into effect until the board once again approves the fees – this time looking at the actual numbers each business will pay based on EQRs. The next Redstone Water District board meeting is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Redstone Inn.

Marble Community Church

Selling? Buying?

"BUILDING BELIEVERS, REACHING SEEKERS"

We’re Here for You 24/7

WORSHIP IS EVERY SUNDAY AT 10 A.M. Adult Sunday School at 8:45 A.M. EVERYONE WELCOME PASTOR LAFE MURRAY 970-704-1218 www.marblecommunitychurch.org GREAT SETTING FOR WEDDINGS

Betsy Wedemeyer Broker Associate 963-1515

Bob Wedemeyer Broker Associate 963-2987


Page 8, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times


FEBRUARY 2010 Page 9

Qwest High-Speed Internet access inches closer to the Boulevard By Carrie Click, Echo editor

Larry Puleo is feeling confident about his ongoing quest to bring Qwest High-Speed Internet service to the Crystal Valley. At least Larry’s feeling confident about some areas within the valley receiving the speedy service. Larry lives near the BRB Campground Resort, and has become the Crystal Valley’s unofficial Qwest liaison. In December, some Redstone residents living south of the village began receiving Qwest’s HighSpeed Internet access, according to Monica Martinez, a Qwest spokeswoman. Now, Larry says Redstone Boulevard and residents living north of town should be getting highspeed service from Qwest as soon as March. “They’ve ordered the equipment for the Boulevard,” Larry said in mid-January. Larry distributed official Qwest pre-interest surveys to the Redstone General Store after he contacted the communications company and was told that residents would have to sign a survey to show interest in getting the Qwest service. With more than enough signatures, Larry sent the completed forms back to Qwest and he said the ordering process began. As we have in the past, we’ll continue to keep you posted.

G O V E R N M E N T Marble Town Council • Jan. 7, 2010

Marble forms a chamber resort association By Bettie Lou Gilbert, Echo contributor

Town trustees approved an ordinance creating the Marble Chamber Resort Association. Details will be worked out concerning the make-up of the advisory board. There was discussion of the Smiths’ driveway. The upshot is that they still need an engineer’s stamp on their driveway drawings. Mike Yellico brought more information about a Frisbee golf course. This will be on the agenda of the Mill Site Park Committee at their next meeting, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. at the Bank building. A letter has been received from the Department of the Interior regarding handicap accessibility of the Mill Site Park. Town Attorney Sherry Caloia is responding. The next scheduled meeting is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 4 at the Marble City State Bank Building.

Redstone Open Space Committee selects members

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Thirteen Crystal Valleyites are working with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails’ Land Steward Gary Tennebaum to create a management plan for Redstone and Elk parks, and Redstone’s Meredith and Argeros properties. On Jan. 20 at the Church at Redstone, the following citizens were selected to serve on Redstone’s open space committee. They are Bob McCormick, Chuck Downey, Chuck Logan, Dick Simpson, Gregg Meredith, Jason Jaynes, Jeff Bier, Jennifer Stanaszek, John Emerick, Lisa Wagner, Melissa McBurney, Nancy Chromy and Sharon Clarke. The planning committee is meeting at least once a month to work with Pitkin County staff and a landscape architect to determine the future vision for the properties. This will include trails, visitor and community amenities, and ecological preservation and potential restoration. The next Redstone Open Space and Trails meeting is Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the Church at Redstone. Contact Gary Tennenbaum at 920-5355, or aspenpitkin.com/openspace for more info. – Pitkin County Open Space and Trails

Three Redstonians honored for service

At the Jan. 5 Redstone Community Association (RCA) board meeting, the following outgoing and previous board members were presented with award plaques in appreciation of their dedicated service to RCA and to the community: • Shirley Thomson Shirley has served for many years on the RCA board in many capacities including, most recently, as the treasurer. • Becky Trembley Becky leaves the board as vice president, and has given countless hours, most recently, to coordinating the Redstone Winterfest. • Janette Bier Janette was board president prior to 2009. All three of these Redstone community members have gone above and beyond to support the village of Redstone. – Bruce Gledhill, and Chuck Logan, Redstone Community Association


Page 10, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Obituary Ron Robertson Aug. 19, 1946 – Jan. 10, 2010

Ron Robertson – a Carbondale resident and architect, who was also regarded for his love of music and sense of humor – died Jan. 10 in Denver. He was 63. Ron was born Aug. 19, 1946, in Hutchinson, Kansas, to Chet and Betty Robertson, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay area of California. He graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a degree in architecture. After moving to the Roaring Fork Valley more than 30 years ago, he worked for Glenwood Springs architect Dean Moffat before starting his own firm in 1990, R.C. Robertson Architects, located in downtown Ron Robertson Carbondale. Photo courtesy As a longtime architect in the of Nancy Chromy valley, he designed numerous custom homes and buildings, including the gazebo at Sopris Park, the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities (CCAH) Center space, Crystal Glass Studio/Parkside Gallery, the Cowen Center, the Days Inn, the remodel of the Sardy House in Aspen, Michael Douglas' house and barn in the Wildcat subdivision, the chalet at the Redstone Inn, and the three-story commercial/residential building at 311 Main St. in Carbondale. Ron also contributed to the design of the new addition at the Church at Carbondale and designing the “Welcome to Carbondale” sign at Highway 133 and Main Street “He loved it when somebody took an interest in his art,” said longtime friend Joe Scofield, who hired Robertson to build a single-family home in 1998 and the building at 311 Main St. Scofield's residence is “extra special” because of it, he said. “He could design a house for anyone ... but Ron wanted that personal relationship. You became a close friend after Ron designed your home,” said Joe. Ron was in the U.S. Navy Construction Battalion during the Vietnam War He loved to travel and, coupled with his love for cars, was a fan of road tripping. He played guitar and performed occasionally at Steve's Guitars in Carbondale and for friends. He co-founded the Downtown Preservation Association, and was on the board of Rotary Club of Carbondale, CCAH, and KDNK, and he held a coveted pie-judging seat at the Carbondale Mountain Fair. He will forever be remembered for his entertaining performance as Sonny (of Sonny and Cher) at the last KDNK Talent Show While he loved being in the spotlight – whether it was to make others laugh or to play music – those who knew him well understood that sometimes it was to shake off his own nervousness and help put everyone at ease. “Ron was easy to know,” Joe Scofield said. “He had that warm part of him if you knew him, you wanted to know him more.” Ron is survived by his mother and father, Betty and Chet Robertson of Oregon; daughter Shana of California; brothers Mike and Jon Robertson; sister Sue Robertson; and granddaughters Paige and Ashton. A memorial service and potluck was held on Jan. 23 at the Church at Carbondale. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CCAH Capital Campaign for the Center for the Arts, P.O. Box 175, Carbondale, CO 81623. Editor’s note: For more about Ron Robertson and his connection to the Crystal River Valley, please see “Echoes of a Life: Ron Robertson” by Nancy Chromy on page 21.

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FEBRUARY 2010 Page 11

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T R A C K S

Lucas Kovats – Man of the mountains

This photo of a Jack Roberts painting portrays Lucas Kovats setting his own ski track at Crystal River Park, with Chair Mountain in the background. The painting was a favorite of Jack's and hung in his studio. Following Jack's death the painting was sold to Bob Shettel and now hangs at Bob's home, the river rock house that Lucas built. Photo couretesy of Bob Shettel

By Sue McEvoy, Echo staff writer Editor’s note: While researching information for our Echo Winter Guide 2010 article, “History of skiing in the Crystal Valley takes many turns,” writer Sue McEvoy uncovered the stories of some Crystal Valley skiing legends, like the one featured, below. Backcountry skiing is popular among residents and visitors to the West Elks and other mountains surrounding the Crystal River Valley. But by no means is this anything new. One Redstone resident spent the better part of his life skiing, hunting, hiking and guiding in these same mountains. His story is the stuff of legends.

Three armies Several longtime and former residents of Redstone remember well an exceptionally fit, avid outdoorsman who built a home out of stones from the Crystal River, never drove a car, fought in three different armies and spoke English that was usually peppered with profanity. Lucas A. Kovats was born in Hungary in 1919. At the beginning of World War II, he battled against the Germans as a resistance fighter but was captured and conscripted into the German army. Lucas was forced to serve in Hitler’s Jaegerspritz division, participated as a ski trooper in the Siege of Leningrad, and was a commander of a mortar company on the Russian front. It was said he never lost a man. After immigrating to the United States, Lucas joined the U.S. Army and served four tours in the tank division during the Korean War. He also trained mountain troops in Colorado Springs. Later in Redstone, he would sometimes reminisce to people he worked for about some of his war experiences. Redstone resident, Bill Jochems, recalled Lucas’ descriptions of fighting in World War II. “Everything I’ve read about the German experience on the Russian front was that it was horrible,” says Bill. “They were freezing and starving. But Lucas had good memories of it. “Here’s a man that fought with, in effect, three different armies” Bill says. “You’d have to look far and wide to find anyone who’s done that. He was one tough guy.”

A house made of stone In 1959, Lucas moved to the Crystal River Valley to work for Frank Kistler who had recently purchased the Redstone Castle, the Redstone Inn and much of the surrounding lands, with the intent of operating a world-class ski resort. Frank investigated the possibility of bringing the Winter Olympics to Redstone, Marble and Aspen. Redstone was slated to have the bobsledding event. It was Frank who gave Lucas a piece of land across from the castle on the mesa now known as Crystal River Park. Starting with a small rectangular wood framed building, Lucas began collecting river rock to construct his home. Local Kevin Kelly remembers this ongoing process. “There are still piles of rock in the Crystal that he stacked for his house,” Kevin says. “He’d go out in the

Continued on page 13


Page 12, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

H I S T O RY

• Agendas/Minutes for the County Commissioners, Planning Commission, Sage-grouse Conservation Program and Housing Authority

The Redstone Historical Society presents excerpts from:

• Interactive Maps

VISIT THE GUNNISON COUNTY WEBSITE FOR HELPFUL INFORMATION:

www.GunnisonCounty.org Gunnison County Administration 200 E. Virginia Ave. • Gunnison, CO 81230

• Elections Forms • Road Closures /Conditions • Emergency Information • Employment Opportunities

(970) 641-0248

• Tourism/Airline Schedules

1-877-GUNNGOV

• County Budget Information

1-877-486-6468

• And more!

Interior of the Redstone Club

Editor's note: Camp and Plant was Redstone and Coalbasin's weekly news report at the turn of the 20th century. Each month, the Redstone Historical Society (RHS) presents excerpts from issues of Camp and Plant from more than 100 years ago. To contribute to and/or become a member of the RHS, contact Sue McEvoy at 704-1843. These excerpts are reprinted exactly as they appeared in the original Camp and Plant – style, spelling, grammar and all. In November of 1903, Camp and Plant featured the Redstone Club. Redstone Club The Redstone Club is much more elaborate than the one at Coalbasin, and embodies a number of features lacking in the latter. The Redstone Club is perhaps as finely appointed a club house as is to be found in Colorado, outside of Denver. If any criticism could be offered, it would be that it is almost too elaborate, for J.C. Osgood, the generous founder of the club, has spared neither time nor money in making this a beautiful and attractive place for the men to spend their leisure hours. The club is incorporated for social purposes, and is governed by a Board of Directors composed of thirteen active members, who elect a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Active members are required to pay an initi-

ation fee of one dollar and six months’ dues in advance, at fifty cents a month. Lounging Room and Bar The employee finds here rest and recreation after his days labor. The commodious lounging room is most inviting, with its big leather-cushioned armchairs and settees placed conveniently about, and tables for serving refreshments. A generous fireplace at each end of the room adds cheer and comfort on winter evenings, and a large Regina music box and a graphophone furnish music and entertainment.

The Church at Redstone

The “No Treating” Rule All kinds of the best grades of liquors are served at reasonable prices from a well-stocked bar. A “No-Treating” rule operates to promote the temperate use of liquors, so that no one may “drink himself under the table.” If he is seen to be getting too much, he is told quietly that he has had enough, and can buy no more at that time. All “soft drinks”, as well as sandwiches, hot chocolate and cake are served at cost. Copies of the house rules are printed in three languages and posted conspicuously. Visitors are admitted when introduced by members, and during their stay are entitled to all the privileges enjoyed by the members.

9:00 a.m. Christian Education groups for all ages

More descriptions of Redstone’s buildings, will be featured in upcoming issue of the Echo.

10:00 a.m. Worship, nursery provided

Do you have a story idea or something you’d like to contribute to the Echo? Please send us an email: echo@crystalvalleyecho.com

We invite you to come and worship God with us in a peaceful and beautiful setting next to the Crystal River in Redstone

Bruce A. Gledhill, Pastor • 970-963-0326 www.churchatredstone.com

A community church serving Redstone and the Crystal Valley.


FEBRUARY 2010 Page 13

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New Cottage on the River Located between Redstone and Marble, this riverfront property is very secluded with a covered picnic pavilion, riverside decks, hot tub and a fantastic little cottage. The cottage has wood floors, a designer kitchen, wood stove, decks with the Crystal River at your front door. $499,000

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(970)618-8798 for more infomation.

T R A C K S

continued from page 11

river and fill his backpack with rocks and walk back up to his house. The bridge [he built] is free-standing, built out of stone.”

Lucas the mountaineer But, it is Lucas the who mountaineer locals remember best. Two dentists, known as Doc Law and Doc Stewart, often hired Lucas as a guide. They soon became his longtime friends. Together, they went on many adventures, and both share memories of some of their trips. “We went out and did mostly winter sports like skiing into Leadking Basin,” says Doc Stewart. “Before it was popular, we would go into Conundrum Hot Springs to soak and drink a bottle of Jack Daniels.” Doc Law described his memories of their friend. “He was all muscle Lucas Kovats photographed near the Maroon Bells. at five foot eight and Photo courtesy of the Tom Harris family 126 pounds. He was packing 72 pounds of iron when we’d go hiking. He had a whole hospital in that damn bag. Our worst trip was probably [skiing] from Avalanche Pass out of Marble to Crested Butte. We got in at 4:30 in the morning and our beds had been sold, of course.” The Harris family bought a cabin near the Redstone Castle in 1970 and inherited Lucas as a guide and family friend. Son Tom recalls as a boy cross-country skiing over to Luke’s house. “It was the period when you skied with all the different waxes,” Tom says. “The house was great; he added a room with a woodstove. When you walked in, one wall was entirely made of pegboard where he would hang all of his mountain-climbing gear: ice axes, crampons, ski gear. “Under the house was a root cellar.” Tom says. “He had a great vegetable garden and would shoot an elk and mule deer every year. He didn’t live off the land but close to it.”

An artist’s subject Since he never got a driver’s license, Lucas hiked or skied around Redstone and actively pursued clients to guide in order to get rides to further reaches. He also drew the attention of local famed artist Jack Roberts, and became one of his favorite models to sit for paintings. Jack’s son, Gary Miller, recalled one particular painting that Lucas sat for. “He did a sitting with Lucas on a blanket, like a buffalo hide,” says Gary. “It ended up being of an Indian whose back was exposed. Jack liked using Lucas because, being a mountain climber, his back was very well developed and all the musculature could be recognized.” Lucas was also an avid photographer, taking thousands of slides in the backcountry around Redstone and at events downvalley as well. Gary Miller reflected on Lucas’s photographic skills. “In the ‘70s, I managed the Hot Springs Pool,” Gary says. “Lucas would come and ask every year if he could take pictures of the Strawberry Day’s Queens as they did their processions and walk in their swimsuits. He really had a high degree of respect for beautiful women and loved to photograph them.” In July of 1981, Lucas was preparing for a local mountain-climbing trip with the Harris family when he was offered a chance to guide a client up Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range of Wyoming. After setting up base camp in Titcomb Basin, he was found dead in his tent of a heart attack. Lucas was 61 years old.


Page 14, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

L I B R A RY

Get ready for the Big Read “Fahrenheit 451” focus of next community book By Emily Hisel, outreach coordinator, Garfield County Public Library District

The temperature at which the pages of a book catch fire and burn: Fahrenheit 451. The place at which reading catches fire this winter: your library. During the month of February, the Garfield County libraries are excited to present The Big Read featuring Ray Bradbury’s classic science fiction novel. “Fahrenheit 451” is a wonderful book for libraries as it brings up topics of censorship and book burning. It illustrates the value of books, and the value of knowledge. Bradbury shows what could happen if people become complacent and if society thinks differences are “too hard.” To celebrate this novel all the Garfield County Libraries will have numerous copies of the book available. These copies are “read and return” books, which do not need to be checked out. Additionally, there will be graphic novels, audio books, movies, and Spanish versions available to check out. The books can also be found on the RFTA busses and at local businesses. To bring this community event to younger audiences, the library district is offering “Middle Read” and “Little Read” books. The book “The City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau will be the “Middle Read” book available in middle schools around Garfield County. Additionally, “Fireman Small” by Wong Herbert Yee will be the “Little Read” picture book available for our youngest community members. Throughout February, Gordon Cooper Library in Carbondale is featuring several Big Read special events: • Feb. 3 - Fireman Storytime at 10:30 a.m. • Feb. 5 - Masri Nar Fire Troupe presents Legend of the Phoenix at 6:15 p.m. • Feb. 10 - “We Love Books” Storytime at 10:30 a.m. • Feb. 25 - The Book People: Teen Book Discussion at 4 p.m. • Feb. 28 - Literary Night about Ray Bradbury at 3 p.m. at the Thunder River Theater presented by the Thunder River Theatre Company. The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. For more information on upcoming Big Read programs, visit the Gordon Cooper Library in Carbondale, any of the other Garfield County libraries, or go to garfieldlibraries.org.

Library Brief Food for Fines at the library During the month of February, if you bring in non-perishable food items to any of the six Garfield County Libraries, you will receive credit on your library card account. For every item you donate, you will receive a $1 credit applied toward overdue fines (not lost materials or fees). All items donated will be given to the local LIFT-UP. Last February, Garfield County libraries collected more than 2,300 items through this program. So, look in your pantry or head to the grocery store and take full advantage of this year’s Food for Fines program. Please call 625-4270 or stop by your local branch library with any questions. – Emily Hisel, Garfield County Library District

Graphic Short Story Contest open to kids of all ages Art teachers, language art teachers, kindergarten kids, CMC students and day dreamers: Consider the creative potential of the Garfield County Libraries Graphic Short Story Contest. All ages can jump into this project, and you have a chance to receive a $50 Visa gift card. The rules are simple: create original art and a story set in the future, up to 10 pages or 1,000 words. You may be inspired by the cartoon tradition, old fashioned illustration, altered book art, recycled materials, group collaborations, and computer graphics. The story can be one word and one picture or many pictures with words in them or many words and a few pictures. Entry deadline is 5 p.m. on Feb. 26. Check out garfieldlibraries.org for more information. – Brenda Buchanan, Garfield County Libraries

Arts & Entertainment Briefs February the month for Big Band Two live local concerts are celebrating the Big Band sound during the month of February. On Feb. 13, Carbondale’s own Dan Sadowsky (a.k.a. Pastor Mustard of Telluride Bluegrass and KAJX Radio fame) brings his National Swing Band to the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. If you love the sounds of Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Billie Holliday, you’re going to love this. Tickets are $15 and available through Aspen Show Tickets, 925-5770, aspenshowtickets.com. (A special added bonus: Carbondale singer/songwriter Riley Skinner opens for Dan et al.) And on Feb. 27, get ready to cut the rug as Symphony in the Valley presents “Symphony Swing,” with a full course dinner and dancing at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood. Expect great singing and the live Symphony in the Valley Jazz Orchestra. Tickets are $70, and proceeds benefit Symphony in the Valley, our volunteer community orchestra. Call 366-4930 or order tickets online at sitv.org.

February First Friday at the Parkside Gallery First Friday, Carbondale’s monthly gallery event, features the Parkside Gallery, 50 Weant Blvd., 963-1401, from 6-8 p.m. on Feb 5. The Parkside Gallery has a little “art” for your heart this Valentine’s Day, with jewelry to dazzle your sweetheart by Colby June, Cathy Crenshaw, Barbara Sophia Ulrych, Natasha Seedorf, Nina Murano glass and gold neck- Morrow and Carol Martin, and sculpted hearts in lace by Barbara Sophia Ulrych. bronze, marble and limestone by Sherrill Stone.

Valley Visual Art Show to run during month of March Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities (CCAH) presents its 29th annual Valley Visual Art Show. You won't want to miss this show, which features a wide range of artwork from artists throughout the Roaring Fork Valley The show will have two locations: the CCAH Gallery at 645 Main St., and the Gordon Cooper Library at 76 S. Fourth St. in Carbondale. The show will run through the month of March. A special patrons' evening will be held on March 4 from 5-6 p.m., followed by a members' reception from 6-8 p.m. The show's opening will be held on First Friday, March 5 from 6-8 p.m. For more information call 963-1680. – Amy Kimberly Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities

Mathew Katz joins KDNK staff KDNK Community Radio in Carbondale has hired multimedia journalist Mathew Katz, who joins KDNK Cutline to go here. News and Public Affairs Director Conrad Wilson. Katz is from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He spent the past year and a half living in Manhattan, completing a master's degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Katz has traveled to Northern Ireland to report on religious unity in the wake of IRA shootings, roamed the halls of the United Nations to ask Nobel-winning economists why third-world debt is such a tricky issue, and been forced to freestyle while reporting at an underground hip-hop concert in the Bronx. "I'm excited to be able to tell the stories of the valley, and I'm grateful to KDNK for allowing me to put in the time that each story deserves," said Katz. KDNK is on the air in the Roaring Fork Valley and the Colorado River corridor at KDNK reporter Mathew Katz in the broadcast studio. 88.1, 88.3 and 88.5 FM. Photo by Jane Bachrach


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Pull Out Guide

Here comes Winterfest Redstone’s winter celebration has something for everyone Feb. 5-7, 2010 By Carrie Click, Echo editor Ice climbing? Check. Dog skijoring? Check. Kids snow sculpting? Check. Beer tasting? Check again. After months of planning, Redstone Winterfest is here. From Feb. 5-7, the village is transforming into Activity Central, with as much fun stuff for the kids as there is for adults, and dogs, too, while we’re at it. The event celebrates the Crystal River Valley’s terrific ice-climbing locales – and there are lots of other activities, both outdoors and in, for young and old, during the three-day event. Local ice climbers know the Crystal Valley is somewhat of a tucked-away spot for great climbing. That’s why Redstonian Duane Raleigh, editor-in-chief of the Carbondale-based magazine Rock and Ice, is helping to produce Winterfest. His full-page Winterfest ads in Rock and Ice may introduce more climbers to the area during the festival. Additionally, Dick Jackson of Aspen Expeditions holds permits and insurance for ice climbing in the Crystal River Valley. He’ll be on hand, organizing ice climbing guided ascents and clinics during the weekend. So if you’ve never tried winter-based climbing, now’s your time. Besides climbing, there’s dog skijoring, a dog parade, snowshoe and nordic races, a scavenger hunt, a kids fun run and snow sculpting. Evening events include a moonlight ski, screenings of the German film “North Face,” and live music. Some events have fees, so for more information, visit redstonecolordo.com, or contact Redstone Community Association organizers Becky Trembley at 963-6355 or Chuck Logan at 963-2310.

Winterfest breakdown – event by event

Ice and Mixed Climbing Plans are to have the Expo Tent, next to the Redstone Inn, up and running by 10 a.m. Feb. 5. Inside you’ll find all sorts of gear sponsors, including Black

Redstonian Duane Raleigh, Rock and Ice editor-in-chief, up Coal Creek near Redstone. Duane is working with Winterfest organizers on the ice and mixed climbing activities during the festival. . Photo by Julie Albrecht

Diamond, Marmot, Petzl and La Sportiva. Guided ascents and clinics are offered through Aspen Expeditions (aspenexpeditions.com). The Expo Tent is also the place to go to register for Winterfest events, and to get info about the weekend. Beer Tasting You’ll get two opportunities during the fest to drink beer from Great Divide and Glenwood Canyon Brewing Company – and decide which you like best. Tastings are being held at the Redstone Inn and at the Crystal Club. See schedule for times. Live Music Honey Don’t (that’s the band, not a command), is the husband-and-wife team that makes up part of Sweet Sunny South – that great acoustic bluegrass band from Paonia. Bill Powers on guitar and Shelley

Gray on bass play originals, covers and everything from folk to country to rock-n-roll. They’ll be at the Crystal Club on Friday night, Feb. 5. On Saturday night, Feb. 6, local musicians Jimmy Dykann and John Zajicek will entertain the crowd gathered at the Redstone Inn Bar and Grill. Aspen favorites, the two perform a combination of rock, originals and folk.

Breakfasts in Redstone Have breakfast at Hightower Café or the Redstone Inn starting on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 6-7, and fuel up before taking on a day of winter activities. Both are on the Boulevard.

Continued on page 17


Page 16, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

W I N T E R F E S T

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Redstone Winterfest – Feb. 5-7, 2010 Schedule of EventsSubject to change

Redstone Winterfest 2010 Locations

Friday, Feb. 5 10 a.m. • Equipment and Ice Climbing Demos at Expo Tent at Redstone Inn 4 p.m. • Beer Tasting at Expo Tent at Redstone Inn 7 p.m. • Live band, Honey Don’t, at Crystal Club • Late registration at Crystal Club

Saturday, Feb 6 9 a.m. • Breakfasts available at the Redstone Inn, Hightower Cafe 10 a.m. • Equipment and Ice Climbing Demos at Expo Tent at Redstone Inn • Kids snow sculptures at Redstone Park • Snow Sculpting along the Boulevard • Start Scavenger Hunt • Start 5k Snowshoe Race/Walk around Redstone Castle • Colorado Animal Rescue Booth 11 a.m. • Start Chili Cook-Off • Kids Games at Redstone Stables • Dog Skijoring Clinic behind the Redstone Coke Ovens 1 p.m. • Crystal Dreams’ 02 Oxygen Bar and 12-min. Massages • Animal First Aid Class at the Church at Redstone 2 p.m. • Beer Tasting at Crystal Club 3 p.m. • Fifth annual Dog Parade, followed by games 4 p.m. • Wine Tasting at the Redstone General Store 5:30 p.m. • Crystal Dreams’ 02 Oxygen Bar at Redstone Inn 6 p.m. • “North Face” adventure film at Redstone Inn 6:30 p.m. • Catered Moonlight Ski at Redstone Stables 8 p.m. • “North Face” adventure film at Redstone Inn 9 p.m. • Live rock and roll featuring Jimmy Dykann and John Zajicek at the Redstone Inn Bar and Grill

Sunday, Feb. 7 9 a.m. • Breakfasts available at the Redstone Inn, Hightower Cafe 10 a.m. • Equipment and ice climbing demos at Expo Tent at Redstone Inn • Kids snow sculptures at Redstone Park • Snow Sculpting along the Boulevard • Start Scavenger Hunt 11 a.m. • Nordic Ski Sprint 3k at Redstone Stables • Kids games at Redstone Stables • Rescue Dog Demo at Elk Park • Dog Skijoring Clinic behind the Redstone Coke Ovens 12 p.m. • Pebbles Kids Ski Run 4 p.m. • Super Bowl Party at the Off-season Sports Grill with Jumbotron

Schedule subject to change. Go to redstonecolorado.com for updates, or call 963-6355 for more information.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Redstone Inn Expo Tent Redstone Stables Off-Season Grill The Church at Redstone Elk Park Redstone Park Redstone General Store Hightower Café The Crystal Club In Touch Healing Center Crystal Dreams Bed and Breakfast

On the cover:

Redstone Winterfest Race and Clinic Locations A – Snowshoe 5k Race/Walk B – Nordic 3k Ski Sprint C – Dog Skijoring Clinics D – Pebbles Kids Ski Run

Dog skijoring

Horses do it, and so do dogs. And now Redstone Winterfest attendees can learn how to skijor, too. Skijoring – Norwegian for “ski driving” – has been popular in Scandinavia for years. Now, dog skijoring, which is relatively easy to outfit, learn and enjoy, is growing in the U.S. as more people look for ways to be active in all seasons with their canine companions. Louisa Morrissey, on our cover, is a dog skijoring trainer. Her proven track record of taking first-time dog skijorers and turning them into pulling machines is well known. “It’s important to keep it positive and fun,” Louisa says. During Winterfest, Louisa is holding a clinic on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 11 a.m. behind the Redstone Coke Ovens. Alex Menard of Marble is holding a second dog skijoring clinic at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7, also behind the coke ovens. – Carrie Click


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Top, Butterfly by Steve Kentz. Photo courtesy of Bev Goss

Left, Sue McEvoy, Prince Samdo, Doris Downey, and Rio, hard at work packing the snowshoe course for Redstone Winterfest. A 5k snowshoe race / fun walk takes place at 10 a.m. on Feb. 6 and circles the Redstone Castle. Fourlegged racers will have to sit this one out, though there are plenty of canine activities planned during the weekend (see schedule at left). Photo courtesy of Sue McEvoy

Redstone Winterfest 2010 events Snow Sculpting Kids at Redstone Park Kids and parents are welcome to participate in children’s snow sculpting, as blocks of snow will be packed for creative carving in Redstone Park. Sculpting takes place both Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Snow Sculpting along the Boulevard Snow sculptures will be carved along the Boulevard, sponsored by several Redstone merchants. Join the carving competition, which includes artists Shannon Muse, Vicki Branson, Rex Branson, and Jim Aarts. Call 963-3790 if you would like to carve a snow sculpture, too. Scavenger Hunt Find the clues – they’re all up and down the Boulevard, fill out your Scavenger Hunt flyer, and prove that you know the most about Redstone and its history. Flyers are at the Expo Tent. The Scavenger Hunt runs both Saturday and Sunday of Winterfest. Snowshoe Race/Walk around Redstone Castle If you’re a hardcore competitor, great. If you’re not, that’s great too. Have fun on Saturday morning, Feb. 6, at this 5k run/walk, and take it at your own pace. In the meantime, you’ll get a great view of the Crystal Valley and of the Redstone Castle, from every angle. Register online or at the Expo Tent.

Colorado Animal Rescue Booth Portions of this year’s Winterfest proceeds will go to Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE). Based in Spring Valley outside Glenwood, this animal shelter and welfare facility cares for four-legged locals who need some help and a home. Visit CARE’s booth at Winterfest, and pick up some doggie treats and tips too. And meet an adoptable pooch from CARE…and maybe the next member of your family.

Nordic Ski Sprint Register for this event online or at the Expo Tent, and enjoy the scenic 3k course on Sunday, Feb. 7.

continued from page 15

Chili Cook-Off Sample some of the best chili Redstone restaurants can create from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, and pick your favorite. Information and cook-off tickets are at the Expo Tent next to the Redstone Inn.

Dress him or her up and head down the Boulevard on Saturday afternoon. Doggie games, including one involving hot dogs, will follow any humiliation your dog may feel after you make him wear a dress during the parade.

Kids Games at Redstone Stables Kids can some fun in the snow at the Redstone Stables on Saturday, Feb. 6 and Sunday, Feb. 7, starting at 11 a.m. Get info at the Expo Tent.

Wine Tasting Sample vintages from Classic Wines at the Redstone General Store, across from the Redstone Park on the Boulevard on Saturday afternoon.

Dog Skijoring As you can see from the cover of this month’s Echo, dog skijoring is a kick. Louisa Morrissey, pictured on our cover shot, is a dog skijor trainer from Summit County. She’ll be leading a clinic starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 behind the Redstone Coke Ovens. Come discover your dog’s inner puller. You’ll be amazed at how quickly most dogs pick up this sport under Louisa’s enthusiastic guidance. Alex Menard of Marble will lead the Sunday clinic behind the coke ovens as well.

“North Face” A 2008 hit in Europe, this is a German-subtitled true story about a 1936 climbing contest on north face of the Eiger. This one isn’t for the kiddies, but reviews are extremely good for this exhilarating, tragic film. Shows at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6 in the Osgood Room of the Redstone Inn.

02 Oxygen Bar and 12-Minute Massages Lisa Wagner of Crystal Dreams on the Boulevard will treat Winterfest attendees with a refreshing blast of oxygen, and a quick massage – a perfect treat after ice climbing or carving a snow sculpture. Visit Lisa at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 6, at Crystal Dreams on the Boulevard, or 5:30 p.m. later that day at the Redstone Inn.

Catered Moonlight Ski at Redstone Stables Ski and dine on Saturday evening. This guided tour is at the Redstone Stables. Make reservations at the Redstone Inn by calling 963-2526, or stopping by the front desk.

Rescue Dog Demo See first hand how avalanche dogs sniff out avalanche victims as Ali Wade of the Aspen Mountain Ski Patrol and avalanche dog Jane show you how it’s done at Elk Park at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Animal First Aid If you’ve ever wanted to know more about animal first aid, now is your time to learn. Terena Thomas of Canine Country School will lead a clinic with dummy dogs at the Church at Redstone on the Boulevard on Saturday and Sunday. Dog Parade Want to show off your best friend?

Pebbles Kids Ski Run Check in at the Expo Tent to register your kids for this fun event, at noon on Sunday.

Chongo, a.k.a. Batman, struts it at the Dog Parade. Echo file photo

Super Bowl Party Saints? Colts? Find out, watching the Jumbotron, at the Off-Season Sports Grill, on the Boulevard on Super Bowl Sunday.


Page 18, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

L o c a l F l av o r By melissa Sidelinger

Be My (Colorado) Valentine Valentine’s Day, that romantic holiday of pink and red hearts, long-stemmed roses, and boxed chocolates, is here, and many of us are searching for the perfect Valentine cards and gifts to share with our special sweethearts. There are so many delicious treats to choose from, but can you name any Valentine goodies created by companies located in our own state of Colorado? If not, here are resources for anyone interested in making this Valentine’s Day a holiday of not just “true” love but of “local” love, too! You can’t have Valentine’s Day without chocolates, of course. Even though cacao beans don’t grow in the chilly mountains of Colorado, there are still plenty of Colorado companies that specialize in the production of luscious chocolate confections. One widely-available brand is Chocolove (chocolove.com), a line of gourmet chocolate bars created in Boulder. Not only are Chocolove bars delicious, their packaging is designed to look like a love letter and there’s a romantic poem written inside of each wrapper. Next are Silverton Chocolates (silvertonchocolates.com), based out of Durango. The confectioner sells all manner of chocolate goodies from bars and bon-bons to toffees and truffles. Both Chocolove and Silverton Chocolates can be purchased at local, independent stores like the Carbondale Community Food Cooperative or ordered online from the companies’ websites. For those who prefer their Valentine’s sweets to be something besides chocolate, there’s Hammond’s Candies (hammondscandies.com). Located in Denver since 1920, this company’s traditional, handmade candies are available in a plethora of varieties including lollipops, ribbon candy, marshmallows, and caramels. These candies can be ordered online or you can visit the company’s website to discover which stores in your area sell them (and there are many!) Does your special someone like treats to be both tempting and nutritious? If so, try Larabar of Denver (larabar.com), a company that creates wholesome, gluten-free snack bars out of fruits, nuts, and spices. Most of the ingredients in Larabars are raw, and they come in such scrumptious flavors as Cherry Pie, Key Lime Pie, Cinnamon Roll, Ginger Snap, and Banana Bread. In addition to the regular Larabars, there are the chocolate-flavored Jocalats, with names like German Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Mint, with no added sugars or processed ingredients. Can you get much better than that? Larabars and Jocalats are available at both small grocery stores and big chain stores like City Market. Finally, if you’re looking for something unique to give on Valentine’s Day, why not consider a jar of luscious, organic fruit jam? Ela Family Farms of Hotchkiss (elafamilyfarms.com) grows all the fruits that go into their organic jams, jellies, butters, and applesauce, all of which are free of added sugars. And Colorado Mountain Jam of Palisade (plumdaisy.com) grows their own fruits or sources them from local orchards, and they use only minimal sweeteners to create their jams, jellies, and wine jellies. Both companies’ products are available at the Carbondale Community Food Cooperative or can be purchased online. Happy Valentine’s Day, and best of luck finding a special gift for your special someone! Melissa Sidelinger is from Marble, and is currently pursuing a degree in holistic nutrition through the Clayton College of Natural Health.

Dr. Kent J. Albrecht, B.S., D.C. Bringing 28 years of Chiropractic experience to his live long dream - Living in Western Colorado! Dr. Albrecht, and his wife, Laura, have raised 3 wonderful children, and now as “empty nesters,” decided to sell everything and go west. They traveled all the mountainous areas of Colorado during September, settling on the “wonderful people,” beauty, and unlimited outdoor recreation offered in Carbondale.

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FEBRUARY 2010 Page 19

Echo-Logic By Ellie Kershow

The green phenomenon in a new decade

Todd L. Fugate, Agent 590 Hwy 133 Carbondale, CO 81623-1884 Bus: 970-963-5610 todd.fugate.g0ku@statefarm.com Jeff Leonard Insurance Agency, Inc. Jeff Leonard CLU CPCU, Agent Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 Bus: 970-945-2345

In the last few years, it seems like people have been paying more attention to things that are being described as green. Now that it’s a pretty common description, I am intrigued as to what it actually means. There are green businesses, green cleaning products, and green practices. A fairly wide range of things can be described as green. Some of these ideas have actually been around for a while. In fact, it’s been a continual trial and error by some industries for about 40 years now in this country to improve products and practices to be more in synergy with the natural environment. Here are five reasons why I think that Colorado in particular will thrive in the next decade when it comes to all things green 1. An economy focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship can create jobs and help further goals of maintaining quality of life and tourism based on our natural resources. Outdoor recreation of all types is a major draw for people who visit Colorado and particularly the Crystal River Valley. Preserving habitat for fish and wildlife and promoting healthy ecosystems will increase the likelihood that people will continue to visit for many years to come. Also, views are an important part of our real estate and construction market, so keeping them clear and beautiful is important. Although, some views are changing dramatically – not due to the stock market, but to a small insect called the mountain pine beetle. 2. The beetle problem in Colorado will stimulate the forest products industry. Typically, the number of slow growing species of trees in Colorado has not led to a huge logging industry like the Pacific Northwest where moisture is much higher and trees grow much faster. But in 2010, there is a new base for profit: beetle-kill trees. It will take a while for things to get up to speed, but the new reality is that there are a lot more dead trees (and trees that will die) that we will need to do something with. The creativity and ingenuity of people can turn this problem into a positive thing. If life gives you lemons, why not make lemonade? 3. Renewable energy is at the forefront of Colorado’s economic revival. Leaders of companies that harbor such natural forces as wind and sun are moving into Colorado. Infrastructure for businesses and a workforce will be needed to satisfy company statewide goals. Right here in Carbondale is the Community Office for Resource Efficiency that focuses on renewable energy, among other things. Although, they have been working in the renewable industry for a while now, I suspect they will be busier than ever. 4. Global change is inevitable, cold or hot, ready or not. This is an endlessly confusing topic that sparks controversy even before the words “global warming” are uttered. For me, it simply translates into emissions. Carbon dioxide is a by-product of an industrialized society. But, reducing emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles improves overall environmental quality and limits air pollution. International talks before Christmas resulted in a sort of a stalemate on binding agreements. Lack of formal commitment to global environmental issues is disconcerting but not surprising in the current economy. But, the only thing that remains constant is change. 5. Environmental conservation and preservation nonprofits are still prominent in the community. There is a reason why people continue to give money to environmental nonprofits in the valleys of the Crystal and Roaring Fork. They work hard every day to protect and watch over land and resources so we and our children can enjoy them for many years to come. If we did not have these nonprofits, the very reason we live here could become jeopardized. It’s like the song: we don’t know what we’ve got ‘til it’s gone. There’s always room for compromise, but historically speaking, our natural resources need protection. This mountainous wonder where many of us call home is truly valued, while other things, such as home values go down. So what does green mean to me? Well if it weren’t for our green, we would be smack dab in the middle of every other industrialized city in the U.S.

WINTER GETAWAY SPECIAL Dinner, lodging and breakfast for 2 only $125 (Valid Wednesdays thru Sundays) 970-963-2691 • www.redstonecliffs.com

Ellie Kershow is an environmental biologist and writer who lives in the Crystal Valley.


Page 20, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Monthly Meditations Marble Community Church "Building Believers and Reaching Seekers" By Pastor Lafe Murray

As we begin a new year, and press ahead into winter with all of its white beauty, it is a great time to reflect about the seasons of life. From a baby, we become youth, then young adults, having babies of our own, then as they grow, we become middle age, and hopefully, mature into elderly people with all the wisdom and experience that brings. God is different from us. God is and was always the same - fully God in all holiness, justice, mercy, grace, glory, and love. The Bible says that God never changes. God has never had to learn anything. We are different because we are connected to this physical realm. God lives outside and beyond this physical realm. God even existed before the spiritual realm and therefore is even outside and beyond the spiritual. God always was and always will be – eternal in time and infinite as to space. God can be defined as 100 percent love, or 100 percent holy and unable to violate these core natures. Whatever God does has to be loving AND holy. God is beyond, so that doing this is totally within His ability Note that I have tried to avoid the masculine pronoun for God, but was stuck here. God created male and femaleness and is beyond either of these qualities that make us human. God is therefore both male and female, and yet is neither. God is unique in the universe What we can trust about God is that He will always do the loving thing that is best in the overall purpose of reversing the sin problem that we find ourselves in. Eternity will be wonderful as all evil will have ended and we will enjoy only goodness, health, strength, and joy. We will then live beyond our current nature. God bless you, Pastor Lafe CHURCH HAPPENINGS Feb. 13 - Saturday - at 6 p.m. - Valentine's dinner and funny video about marriage Sunday start at 8:45 a.m. for Adult Sunday school, worship is at 10 a.m. and snacks are at 11.a.m Communion is every third Sunday of the month

Church at Redstone Definitions of love By Pastor Bruce Gledhill Scientifically speaking, snow is a mineral. Technically defined, snow is a naturally-occurring homogeneous solid, inorganically formed, with a definite chemical composition and an ordered atomic arrangement. That’s a completely accurate and entirely unsatisfying description of snow. It leaves us…well, cold. Certain things in life, generally the best things, can never adequately be captured by ordinary prose. Poetry comes closer to capturing the almost magical significance of snow. Watching snow fall, we can identify with this description from Longfellow: Out of the bosom of the Air, Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken, Over the woodlands brown and bare, Over the harvest-fields forsaken, Silent, and soft, and slow Descends the snow. This month, we celebrate the legacy of Saint Valentine. Little is known about his life except that he died on Feb. 14, 270 during a persecution of Christians by Roman Emperor Claudius II. The day of his death became a time for celebrating love, perhaps because he gave an example of pure love for God. Describing love, like describing snow, takes more than cold prose. Here are some well-written words about love: “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” - Amy Carmichael “All loves should be stepping stones to the love of God.” - Plato“ “The need to love and be loved is the simplest of all human wants. Man needs love like he needs the sun and the rain. He perishes without it. His basic longing is to be the object of love and to be able to give love. No other need is quite so significant to his nature.” - Charles Galloway “I think that love is the only spiritual power that can overcome the self-centeredness that is inherent in being alive. Love is the thing that makes life possible, or, indeed, tolerable.” - Arnold Toynbe This year, Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday, blending our celebration of love with a day of worship, which leads me to this final quotation from an unknown author “By your love to God, the love to your neighbor is begotten, and by the love to your neighbor, your love to God is nourished.”

THIS COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY CARBONDALE INSURANCE SERVICE 963-2399

v FROM THE PLANET

Astrological Interpretations by Kyle Stewart

Editor’s note: These interpretations are meant to be read and pondered by everyone, not just those who share the astrological sign of the current time period – in this case, Aries. So no matter what your sign, please enjoy and reflect on this universal knowledge. Astrology is the study of psychological symbology; giving certain meanings to certain things, in this case based upon concepts that go back to time immemorial. It is a way of looking at life, at ourselves and the people in our lives. Astrology is one system, one way of interpreting our feelings, thoughts and actions within the larger sphere of existence. This column is based upon what’s termed “planetary transits”... the daily motion of our solar system as seen from Earth. So I give a snapshot of what’s happening in the sky – now – and what that means in astrological terms. As the renowned late astrologist Isabel Hickey once said, “Transits are the day to day positions of the planets.” Aquarius/Pisces The Sun is in Aquarius (Fixed, Air) until Feb.18 when it moves into Pisces (Mutable, Water). Aquarius is the people-oriented one, full of ideas and communications. Pisces is much quieter…more inward-oriented. Pisces is concerned with the unconscious mind and the emotions. Pisces is the merging consciousness…where life is a big watercolor, blending and blurring definite lines. On Feb. 15, the Sun on Aquarius is conjunct Neptune at 26 degrees Aquarius, denoting a focus on ideas and people regarding a larger perception, and new ways of thinking and perceiving. The imagination will be strong and directed towards the manifestation of some ideas (pipedreams?) or dreams. Watch out for the vision/ illusion syndrome. Make sure ideas are grounded in reality if they’re supposed to be. If you’re writing poetry or composing music, this is a fertile time. Anything artistic will come to the surface. On Feb. 17, Venus is conjunct Jupiter at six degrees Pisces. Venus is the principle of attraction and, along with the Sun, creates an ability to bring into your “orbit” (to attract) many good things and good people. Money should flow easily. Social contacts will be beneficial. Relationships with women (Venus) will be expansive (Jupiter). Good times and good attitudes will abound. The only downside to anything with Jupiter is overdoing. Make sure you maintain your boundaries. Yet, a cheerful and optimistic attitude will prevail. This is a time of many opportunities. The Sun in Pisces is conjunct (within 10 degrees of) Jupiter in Pisces on Feb. 29. This is a time of gentle expansion, especially concerning sensitivities. It’s a great time to connect with the “collective unconscious.” Be open to ideas and actions. Go buy a lottery ticket. It’s a good time for writing and overall self-expression, and a good time for travel. Watch out for over-expansion or overindulgence, but still try to dream big and plan for things to happen. Mars is still retrograde in Leo and will continue to be so until March 10, when Mars turns direct at zero degrees Leo. So this apparent backward motion of Mars may stall out any moves towards action until March 10th, and then it will be time to burst forth with energy and drive and ambition. Then, it will be time to go, to move forward. Until then, try to keep things under wraps as best as possible. Mercury goes from Capricorn to Aquarius on Feb. 11. The business-like attitudes of Capricorn will then move into a more intellectual approach of Aquarius. Mercury in Aquarius will be in opposition to Mars in Leo on Feb. 13. Make sure that your mind and your actions are in sync. Watch out for misunderstandings between people. It’s a conflict between personal expression and working for larger concepts like humanity and the planet as a whole. Want to know what “Venus is conjunct Jupiter” really means? Want your astrological chart done? Contact Kyle Stewart in Carbondale at 963-5590 for personal consultations.


FEBRUARY 2010 Page 21

E C H O E S

O F

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Remembering Ron Robertson By Nancy Chromy, Echo contributor

When Carbondale resident Ron Robertson passed away on Jan. 10, 2010 at age 63, he left behind numerous reminders of his creativity, right here in the Crystal River Valley. Ron grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and went on to graduate from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with a degree in architecture. Ron was in the U.S. Navy Construction Battalion (CB) during the Vietnam War. He moved to Carbondale in 1973. He absolutely loved Carbondale. Recently, he was co-chair of the Carbondale Downtown Preservation Association and influenced its recent streetscape project. Community volunteerism was very important to Ron and he encouraged others to do the same. He was instrumental in the design of the Town of Carbondale sign at Highway 133 and Main Street. Ron served as president of the Colorado Western Slope Architecture Institute of America. Throughout his career, he designed projects from Carbondale to Aspen to the Yampah Valley throughout the Steamboat Springs area, and beyond. He traveled to places including Hawaii, Santa Barbara, Calif. and Oregon to visit family, and to Italy. His office bookshelves were filled with books from Italy. Ron was well known for his sense of humor and his love for music. When a Beatles song came on the radio, everything all but stopped. Ron was a gentle, witty and creative person who loved his friends and family. When I would call him at his office, he would always say “Hey Babe.” He said that to all the girls; Ron was Ron. His personal journey in life and architecture included the Crystal River Valley. He adored this valley. Over the years, Ron worked on numerous architecture design projects in the area. Hired by the Houston, Texas firm that purchased the Redstone Castle in 1999, Ron worked on a design for a spa resort and cabins on the property. Ron also designed the Marble Charter School and Museum remodel and won an award from the Colorado Historical Society. Most recently, Ron designed the Redstone Inn expansion. The River Cabin was completed in 2009 and the Sports Building is next in line. As an architect, Ron was all about the details. But he was more than that. He took his projects personally and held them close to his heart. He made friends with all his clients. He loved driving south on Highway 133 to Redstone to meet with a client or represent a client at a public meeting. Ron was a guy who would walk into a room with a plan, but when you caught his eye he would make you smile or even laugh out loud. Ron was Ron. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him, and his architecture will be appreciated for years to come in the Crystal River Valley. He wore his love of architecture on his sleeve. Peace to you Ron.

Donations may be made to Carbondale’s CCAH Capital Campaign for the Center for the Arts, P.O. Box 175, Carbondale, CO 81623.

Photos courtesy of Nancy Chromy


Page 22, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times


FEBRUARY 2010 Page 23

A R O U N D

MYSTERY PHOTO CONTEST

T H E

VA L L E Y

This woman needs a hot tub Crystal River Spas contest reveals amazing story By Deana Hermanson, Crystal River Spas contest winner Editor’s note: In a effort to give back to the local communities, Crystal River Spas of Carbondale held their first annual essay contest in July 2009. The prize: a new hot tub. The followoing essay by Deana Hermanson stood out.

Do you know where/what this is? You could win a $25 Gift Certificate to THE REDSTONE GENERAL STORE! If you can identify the image in the photo, send an email to echo@crystalvalleyecho.com by Feb. 15, and put “mystery photo” in the subject line. All correct entrants will be put in a hat, and a winner drawn and announced in the March Crystal Valley Echo. No one won last month’s contest... Nancy Chromy submitted the photo... it is of the rod iron lantern fixture that is hanging right above the Redstone Inn front door. She took the photo from the balcony above it on a snowy day. Thank you to all participants!

Echo Travels Please remember to pack along a Crystal Valley Echo on your next trip and send your photo to: echo@crystalvalleyecho.com Your neighbors love to see and read about your adventures! Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 647 Main Street Carbondale 970-963-9194

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I am a mother of three beautiful children and have a wonderful husband to boot. The reason I feel like I Deana, Rolf and Sage Hermanson of Glenwood Springs enjoy their brand new hot Photo courtesy of Crystal River Spas should win a new spa is I tub from Crystal River Spas. would use this spa for some much needed de-stressing and relaxation. You may ask why a mother of three with a wonderful husband needs to relax. Well, let me take you back about four and a half years. In August 2005, I was a single mother living in New Orleans with two children. Their father passed away several years earlier. I worked very hard to keep my family running smoothly. I was born and raised in New Orleans and have been through several hurricanes during my life. However, Hurricane Katrina changed my life. My two kids and I evacuated our home on Saturday and the storm hit on Monday. We spent a week at my grandparents’, along with several other family members and pets, without electricity, and minimal food and water. After a week of not knowing what happened to our home, we were finally able to go back to see what was left. The city was under Marshall Law, so we only had six hours to get what we could. We were told we would not be able to return to our homes for at least a month. I grabbed the necessities and left for Colorado to stay with family. I moved to Glenwood Springs in September 2005 and my life changed forever. My kids and I were not able to stay with our family for very long and had to find a new place to live or move back to New Orleans. I didn’t have much money left after all of the moving and traveling, and finding a reasonable place to live in Glenwood was not easy. So for one week, a complete stranger offered us a room in her house to use while we found a place of our own. Luckily, I got some financial help from FEMA and we were able to rent a house in downtown Glenwood. By December I had a job at a local bank as a part-time receptionist. I have now been with the bank for three and a half years and am now branch manager. In April 2006, I met my soon-to-be husband at a Glenwood Chamber Business after Hours party. We dated for several months and then he proposed to me, with an engagement ring with two colored stones; a ruby for my daughter’s birthstone and an emerald for my son’s. On Mother’s Day 2006, my son, who was almost 8 years old, was invited to go rafting. Being from the South, I was not aware how dangerous rivers could be. My son’s boat flipped in the Roaring Fork River and he was tossed out of the boat. He was floating down the river and about to go through Cemetery Rapids with only a life jacket. My daughter and I were waiting at the take-out for them, when we saw their boat float by upside down. That was the most horrible feeling I had ever felt. Search and rescue members told me that a little boy fell in the river and they couldn’t find him. As I am typing this, my eyes are watering, because it brings back memories of the best and worst day of my life. After a few hours of searching for my son, they found him. He had been pulled out of the river by a yellow Lab named Zion. It was truly a miracle that a little girl and her dog were playing fetch by the river that day. They saved my son’s life. And if that is not enough, after all of the excitement of hurricanes and raging rivers, we packed up the family and moved to Canyon Creek. About two weeks after we moved into our new home, here comes the Canyon Creek fire. We were told that there was a mandatory evacuation for our neighborhood and we had to leave our new home. My children were devastated and asked, “Why does this always happen to us?” and I told them that everything happens for a reason and if the fire takes our house then it wasn’t meant for us to live there. Luckily, the wonderful firefighters saved our home. My husband and I got married in August 2007. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding and family members from all over attended. We had a beautiful baby girl in January 2009 and my husband officially adopted my two children in April 2009. My husband says it took a natural disaster for him to find me. It has been an unbelievable wild journey to get us where we are today. But I wouldn’t change it for anything. Even with all of the tragedy in my life, I know that I am truly blessed to have been picked up and placed in such a wonderful place! So it would be wonderful to go home from a long day of kids, customers, employees, practices, etc. and sit in my new hot tub from Crystal River Spas to “relax” and “de-stress” from my wonderful, crazy, amazing, unbelievable life!


Page 24, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO CLASSIFIED ADS PHOTO CLASSIFIED AD* Run an photo and 25 words for $15/month LISTING CLASSIFIED AD* Run up to 40 words for $10/month *These ads must be prepaid. No billing is available for classifieds. AD COPY: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Please send name, address, phone, ad copy and payment to: The Crystal Valley Echo 274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 IF YOU ARE RUNNING A PHOTO CLASSIFIED, SEND PHOTO TO echo@crystalvalleyecho.com

PITKIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT WORKING FOR YOU 24/7 Questions? Call 920-5200 Log on to www.aspenpitkin.com with questions about: County Commissioner Agendas Land Use Vehicle title and registration Elections Property Taxes Maps Library Open Space and Trails Senior Services And More!

THE ECHO CLASSIFIED ADS REAL ESTATE FOR SALE 1.7 acres near Marble. Big views, aspen trees, $89,500. Contact ACT NTREstate, COReal Jeff Bier, MasonMorse UNDER (970) 963-1961. RANCH FOR SALE or RENT: Seven-acre horse boarding facility or potential development property on Hwy 13 just north of Rifle city limits. Two houses (one with 3 bed/2 bath plus office, other smaller with 3 bed/1 bath), hay barn, 4-stall barn, two ponds, outbuildings, outdoor arena, heavily wooded, creek, mineral rights, water rights. $500,000 to buy, $1,950/mo to rent entire place plus utilities. Call Carrie 963-1009. tfn 4 BD, 2 BA , 1-1/2 acre home in Redstone Ranch Acres overlooking the river with creek frontage. $499,000. Short term rental, $200 per night. Please contact Betsy Wedemeyer, Roaring Fork Realty, betsyw@sopris.net, 963-1315, MLS #113227. bl Cabin for all Seasons... Unique stone and wood cabin with fabulous views, over an acre, surrounded by aspens and evergreens and within walking distance to the town of Redstone. $359,000. Contact Jeff Bier, MasonMorse Real Estate, (970) 963-1961.

www.crystalriverphotography.com

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Redstone Acreage... Covered with aspen and evergreens, this 35-acre parcel borders National Forest and offers privacy and incredible views. A well, driveway and utilities are in place. $495,000. Contact Jeff Bier, MasonMorse Real Estate, (970) 963-1961. HELP WANTED WANTED: Marble Charter School seeks proposals for a construction project involving a covered walkway and finishing two classrooms. Interested companies should contact 970-963-9550 or marblecharter@hughes.net. FOR RENT BATTLEMENT MESA: 3 bedroom (1 large master bedroom and bath with large walk-in closet), 2 bath condo. Separate laundry room with washer and dryer, AC, 1 car garage with large storage room. The activity center is within walking distance and dues are included. $1,200 mo. plus security deposit. Beautiful views of the Roan Peaks. NS, pets considered. 704-0373 (H), 404-2346 (cell). sp Redstone - Rooms w/kitchenette avail thru May $595 +util NP/NS 963-2365 FOR SALE: Four each Cooper Discoverer M + S 245/65/R17 studded snow tires. Medium tread. $100. Call 963-4877.

SERVICES FOLK ART & CRAFT CLASSES – February 2010. Wednesdays: 12:30 PM Bread Baking and 45:30 PM Knitting. Thursdays: 78:30 PM Winter Soups. All Classes are $10 each. Held at The Marble Community Church. Contact Chrisy Sidelinger at 704-0402 or campmarbledesigns@hughes.net Dog sitting in our home while you are away. Fenced-in yard and daily walks. Your beloved pet will be treated as one of ours. Please call 963-1315. pd Do You Need A Babysitter? I am available nights and most days. Your house or mine. Please call Lindy Morton. 963-0224 pd Tutoring available: Reading specialist with 20 years experience teaching grades K,1,2,3, & 4. Will tutor your child in reading, writing or math. Affordable local rates. Ask for Mrs. D. 970-9635561. pd 8-8 Perfect Water. A system to turn dead water into LIVING, VIBRANT, VORTEXED STRUCTURED PERFECT WATER for pennies per gallon. Call Patrick 970285-7059. Notary Public: Lisa Wagner 475 Redstone Blvd. Redstone, Co 81623 963-8240 pd Echo Classifieds are a cost-effective way to advertise.

If you enjoy reading this paper, and want to have it delivered to your home, please subscribe! IF YOU’D LIKE THE ECHO TO COME TO YOU, SIGN UP FOR HOME DELIVERY FOR LOCAL READERS OR MAILED SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR READERS OUTSIDE OUR AREA.

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THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO & MARBLE TIMES PHYSICAL/MAILING ADDRESS: Pitkin County Administration 530 East Main Street • Aspen, CO 81611

274 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623 We appreciate your support!


FEBRUARY 2010 Page 25

T HE M ARBLE T IMES W R I T T E N A N D I L L U S T R AT E D B Y T H E S T U D E N T S O F T H E M A R B L E C H A RT E R S C H O O L Pretend Polar Bears Prowl on the Playground

Where can you witness this event? Why, at Marble Charter School during recess, where students often act out what they are studying. For instance, during explorations of the polar regions, Wonderkid (K-3) polar bears dominated during recess. Now we have penguins and magical creatures called bloups and gloups. Once again we’d like to thank for our community for your wonderful support! We are blessed to have so many people to thank each month. A stupendous group of volunteers created a delightful WINTER BAZAAR craft’s fair for our students. THANKS to everyone who helped and especially to BECKY TREMBLEY, DEZARAE O’FLANNERY, KAREN GOOD, SCHLUETERS, ALYSSA OHNMACHT, TISHA HOLBROOOK, CHRISTY LEE, JENNIFER TUGGLE, JILL ULRYCH, LINDA ADAMS, JOYCE PRESTON, AND GINA & ANDREW MILE! We’ve been enjoying ice skating at the Marble rink for PE during January. Thanks to KIRK BLUE for letting us use his Zamboni, and thanks to our volunteer coaches; JIM ROMAN and TERI HAVENS. We love our ice angels who help maintain the rink. We appreciate BILL FISHER giving us a discounted rate on snow removal. A big thank you to JASON RUSBY & JIM ROMAN for all of their efforts. We appreciate the donations sent in to support scholarship positions in our after-school programs from the BONES and the OPPORTUNITY SHOP in Gunnison. Currently our students are enjoying an African Inspired Dance Class and a Cooking class in our new kitchen. Thanks to our classroom volunteer CHRISTY LEE for donating her time. Thanks to RANDY MELTON for his outstanding presentation on COWBOY POETRY. ALEJANDRO LORANCA of CRYSTAL SATELLITE volunteered countless hours setting up the internet in our new building. Thanks go out to JAS ASPEN and CHRIS GOPLERUD for teaching drumming to our students.

HELP FOR HAITI Congratulations to our playground Heroes and Super Students for their extraordinary efforts to better our school community! Way to go, Sam, Megan, Spencer, Abbey, Seth, David, Olivia, and Leandra!

Marble Charter School kids are collecting the following items to send to Haiti through the aid organizations Project C.U.R.E. and Papaloko4Kids. Please drop off any first aid supplies and hygiene supplies, diapers, and even toys for children to the boxes at MCS, Redstone General Store, and Church of Redstone. Thanks for your help! We'll keep you updated if other supplies are needed; no food (except baby formula) or clothing at this time. MCS UPCOMING EVENTS: MCS Board Mtg. 2/16 4:15PM MCS TALENT SHOW 3/5 at 6 PM

MCS WISH LIST: WE’RE LOOKING FOR ITEMS TO

ENHANCE OUR NEW KITCHEN AND PE PROGRAM. Kitchen Supplies: We’re just setting up our new kitchen and are looking for donations of: measuring spoons and cups, a hand mixer, egg beater, cookie sheets, pyrex baking pans, pizza pans, a colander and more. Other wish list items for PE include crosscountry skis & boots for small children, snowshoes, a punching bag, kickboxing material and gymnastic mats.

MANY THANKS

TO THE SPONSORS OF THE MARBLE TIMES!

DAVID PARKS & LAURIE FARBER & FAMILY These sponsorships help off-set the cost of producing the Marble Times thus allowing the Marble Times to remain ad-free, so the student’s work can be the focus of The Marble Times. If you would like to join them in sponsoring The Marble Times, please contact Alyssa - crystalvalleyecho@hughes.com or 963-2373


The Macek Aspens

Page 26, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Mythical Creature of the Month: The Phoenix By Leandra Prazen

6th - 8th Grade Morning Class Aspen Update

Lots of learning brings in the new year at MCS. “What brings a character to life? That is the question 7th & 8th graders have been pondering in Language Arts. We are reading stories with strong characterization so we can analyze the authors’ methods of how they create life-like characters. We also created our own characters from pictures and bring them to life in our own writing. In math, 6th graders are mastering perimeter and area and fractions; can you solve the problems in this quiz? Enjoy, and Happy Valentine’s Day & President’s Day!

This month the creature I will be reviewing is called the Phoenix. The Phoenix is a beautiful bird about the size of a large eagle, and it has beautiful blue, gold, red and yellow plumage, or feathers. The Phoenix is a master of the element of fire and has a very gentle personality. The Phoenix will only eat dewdrops, and it is said that its tears can heal deep wounds. “Phoenix,” in Japanese is “Ho-oh.”

Aspen Math Quiz (answers below)

1. Find the area and perimeter of the figure to the right. 2. Solve: 2/3 divided by 3/5. 3. Which two things shrink your answer if you’re using fractions? A. addition B. subtraction C. multiplication D. division

The Preston Pines 3rd - 6th Grade Morning Class

MATH We did a fun group math activity with M & M candies.We had to work cooperatively, and we each had jobs to do, like recorder, sorter, and grapher. We used several different math skills, including estimation, sorting, classifying,graphing, and interpretating data. Everyone had fun working together, helping and encouraging one another. We hope we get to do this again sometime.

Acrostic Poems One of our standards is to learn how to use a thesaurus and dictionary, so our assignment was to make a snowflake and find unusual words or phrases to describe it.

Aspen Math Quiz Answers:

1. Area = 40 square cm 2. 10/9 or 1 and 1/9 3. Subtraction & Multiplication!

COLOR ON THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY THE MOBILE MECHANIC, LLC 963-3845

Book Reports We all read a book at home and when we finished reading it, we had to do a book report showing the sequence of events. We had to list the most important events, draw a picture of them, and then write a caption. It was a fun way to do a book report.


The WONDERKIDS

FEBRUARY 2010 Page 27

Macek Marvels

K - 3rd Grade Class

4th - 8th Grade Afternoon Class

WONDERKID NEWS from the K-3 Classroom:

Welcoming the New Year has been exciting as we explore polar bears, islands, oceans and writing winter poetry. Our ‘cultural box’ learning has been on Japan with Japanese cooking, origami, and geography. Our program was enhanced by a visit from cowboy poet, Randy Melton, AKA Bo’s Dad. We have enjoyed discovering how our planet is ever-changing and all the wonders of the world.We are truly amazed and dazzled by all the diiversity in the natural environment. Learning about Martin Luther King. Jr. has been thought provoking and our reflections aided us with our Manners Unit. As a result we are very appreciative of our freedom and individ2nd & 3rd graders have been learning geogual rights. raphy. We made model globes and are now studying landforms and the continent of North I saw icicles America. Students built playdough 3-D modWinter Haiku They are long sharp els of the continent! By Lauren Schluter

and shiny They hang from the roof By Grace Bueter

My Sister and I By Miicah Knopf I saw ice. I saw snow. I see snow. I see ice. I see a house. We can jump on the ice in the river and it makes noises at my house. I eat ice and it feels cold and turns to water. Tayler and I go sledding it is fun and it makes a scratching sound as we fly down the hill fast.

I see ice and snow. Winter is all around me. It is cold outside.

Ute Displays by Abbey

What fun we have in the afternoons! We’ve been learning about energy and potential (see below). In Social Studies, 6th - 8th is studying the Middle East. We learned about the history and culture that started there and we are now learning about how the countries there were modernized over time. The girls were surprised to learn how different it would be to grow up in a strict Muslim household! 4th & 5th graders are learning all about Colorado History from the first Indians to the explorers, fur trappers & traders and Spanish Americans who came through our state. In Art this month we tried to copy Van Gogh’s style of painting (see photos next page), and now we are moving on to sketching different objects with pencil. Our latest escapade in PE has been skating at the Marble Ice Rink. We have been having loads of fun playing fast and furious hockey and spinning and twirling under the tutelage of Jim, hockey coach, and Teri, figure-skating coach. The latest addition to our musical orchestra in Music Class is an electric bass guitar which will add a new dynamic top our booming tunes! Thanks to ??, guest musician, for playing drums with us! Tune in next month for more fun adventures from MCS . . .

The Marble Charter School has been working on Ute displays for a few months, and we finally finished. The reason why these wonderful Ute displays took so long for us was because we had to do the photo credits, we had to include quotations, and we had to do the footnotes because these displays are “professional articles” to be displayed in the Marble Museum! We are very proud of our work, as is our teacher Debby. So, please come and see our fantastic new displays in the museum this summer.

White Ice fishing No Sound Trees Evergreen Runs By Brook-Lynn

Icicles in the night Icicles in the night A bright star appeared I made a wish that I could fly By Ava Lee

The Jason Project As we continue exploring energy with the Jason Project, we’ve built windmills, created hydrogen gas through hydrolysis by running an electric current through water using pencils and a battery! Next we are exploring biofuels!

COLOR ON THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY THE REDSTONE GENERAL STORE 963-3126


Happy Valentine’s Day from MCS!

Page 28, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

Lovebirds By Julia Lee On February 14th, or Valentines Day, two little lovebirds sneak away. Fitter twitter, round and round. One picks a flower, gives it to the other, in return he gets a smile. Two little lovebirds sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Thanks to Linda Adams for making these swell cupcakes for the student council dance.

This month everybody in the Marble Charter School is learning about the famous artist, Vincent Van Gogh. We saw how he used so much paint that the texture made it seem like the paintings were really alive. Using paint with flour in it, to make it thicker, we tried to recreate the texture that VanGogh used, in our own unique ways. Here are some of the pictures that we painted.

Cooking class

COLOR ON THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY NELLY CONSTRUCTION & SNOWPLOWING 963-6359

By Briana and Olivia One of our new after-school programs is cooking class with Chrisy Sidelinger. Because of the new kitchen in our recently built school building, we can learn how to cook and bake yummy foods. In the last few classes we have learned how to cook homemade macaroni and cheese and waffles with raspberry sauce. In our next few classes we will be making burritos and homemade pizzas! Yum!

Dance to Celebrate! MCS Student Council hosted a dance in January to celebrate the opening of our new building. What fun - did the parents or the kids have more fun?!?


FEBRUARY 2010 Page 29

Kids of the Valley by Sam Who is Ralph Good? Age: 9 Where do you live? Marble, right near Beaver Lake What school do you attend? Marble Charter School Did you grow up here? I moved here from Rifle in 2003, when my family bought the Beaver Lake Lodge What’s your favorite thing to do in the Valley? Ride bikes with my friends What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a bobsledder Where is your favorite place to be, if you could go anywhere? Williamsport, Pennsylvania so I can watch the Little League World Series (or maybe play in it!)

We love snow! We love to play in it and we do not mind being cold. We love to climb big snow hills and slide down. We love to go sledding too - last month we had a SLEDDING PARTY with hot chocolate!

What Were You Like When You Were 9? Teacher Interviews By Isabella and Ralph This month we are interviewing Amy Rusby. She is the Special Education Teacher, an aide and a bus driver at Marble Charter School. Now you know who she is today, so let’s find out what she was like at age 9!

1. Did you have any siblings? Two sisters, Stacey and Heather. 2. What were your favorite things such as game, sport, color, food, flavor, and holiday? Game = backgammon, Sport = softball, Color = orange, Food = cheese fries, Flavor = grape, and Holiday = Christmas 3. What was your favorite grade? 4th 4. Where did you live? Horsehead, New York 5. How old are you? 40 6. Did you have glasses/braces? If so, did you like them? She had glasses and braces. She liked them. 7. Did you have short or long hair when you were 9? Long hair 8. Did you have a pet, and if so what was its name? I had a dog; her name was Abbey. 9. Did you have earrings? Yes. Thanks Amy! See you next month! Our nurse, Joy Beeding, comes once a month to talk to the children about safety, nutrition, and hygiene. We also have music classes and an exciting upcoming book making class with some guest teachers from Carbondale! Call for details or to visit! 963-8878.

Our older boys are learning how to ice skate on Fridays what a special treat. They are learning balance and how to stick with something until you g " et it." Our girls love to dress up in many kinds of costumes and pretend they are doctors, firemen (firewomen?), horse riders, and other imaginary games. They are learning to role play, share, and establish social connections. Our busy days fly by so fast.

Would Marble Charter School Be A Good Fit For YOUR Child? • Small Class Size, High Staff:Student Ratio (typically 5:1) • Kindergarten through 10th grade • Transportation to & from Redstone • Outstanding individualized educational opportunities • Warm, friendly, nurturing and supportive learning environment • We help children to reach their full potential. • Our combination of individualized instruction in core academics with project-based learning allows students to apply their skills in a real-world setting. • 9 & 10th grade selective enrollment, mentorships, individual learning plan, project based learning opportunities, contracted schedule.

Mission Statement The mission of the Marble Charter School is to provide opportunities for students to realize high levels of academic achievement.We create a nurturing learning environment that encompasses natural and cultural resources from the community.The school forms its instructional program to meet or exceed state standards and to provide each student with a successful learning experience. Marble Charter School expects its students, with full support of their families,to strive for excellence in all aspects of this learning process.

MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL 412 West Main Street, Marble, Colorado 81623 970-963-9550 • Fax 970-963-8435 marblecharter@hughes.net www.gunnisonschools.net

COLOR ON THIS PAGE SPONSORED BY BEAVER LAKE LODGE 963-2504


Page 30, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times

SERVICE DIRECTORY In Touch

Healing Center Center Healing

Snowplowing Services

in historic historic Redstone, Redstone, Colorado Colorado in 970-963-9064 • intouchpainrelief.com 970-963-9064

MASSAGE PAIN RELEASE • BODY PAINAND RELEASE • LIFE TRANSFORMATIONS COACHING • INTUITIVE READINGS

CAROLYN CAROLYN BURDICK BURDICK

CERTIFIED LIFE&&CAREER CAREERCOACH, COACH, CERTIFIEDLIFE CERTIFIED MEDICALMASSEUSE, MASSEUSE, CERTIFIEDMEDICAL INTUITIVE INTUITIVEREADER READER

CALL RICK or SCOTT

ELECTRICAL SERVICE & REPAIR DAVID ADAMS TR IC EC

S OL

EL

TR

N CO

AL

970-930-0124

D.E.C.

Master Electrician Licensed & Insured

#1 IN A #2 BUSINESS

24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE! R E S I D E N T I A L • C O M M E R C I A L • M U N I C I PA L

Construction

Simple fixes to full crew projects

963-9522

Local Talent with a proven standard of Quality and Dependability

Local Company, Local Rates

Call Doug @ 970-704-0567 marbledweller@wildblue.net

DESIGN

D.E.C. Enterprises at Chair Mountain Ranch

PEER

MOUNTAIN

– Earthworks to Finish Trim –

CAP Construction Experienced in all phases

L ANDSC APING

of construction - large and small.

HEAVY EQUIPMENT SERVICES Roadgrading • Driveways Utilities • Foundations

Design & Planning • Gunnison County Permitting Concrete & Stone • Framing & Siding • Finish Work • Decks • And much more.

Shane Edmonds

LIVED AND WORKED IN CRYSTAL VALLEY SINCE 1979

Licensed & Insured. Have references. • SNOW PLOWING SERVICES AVAILABLE •

• 963-7468 •

SERVING MARBLE

AND THE

UPPER CRYSTAL

Call Charley Parker • 963-1502

OLANDER Custom Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

SPECIALIZING IN NEW CONSTRUCTION AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE CALLS AND REMODELS

Kyle Stewart Astrological Consultant

963-5590

970-963-9027 WHOLESALE PICTURE FRAMES

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO RUN YOUR AD IN THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO SERVICE DIRECTORY - CALL 963-2373 TODAY!


FEBRUARY 2010 Page 31

Pilates

in

Redstone

The Echo’s Parting Shot…

Peak Pilates Certified Instructor SUE MCEVOY

Mat Classes at The Historic Redstone Inn Mondays & Thursdays

8:00 a.m. - Advanced 9:30 a.m. - Beginner Wednesdays

5:15 - All levels welcome! 704-1843

Don’t Miss It…

See you next month!

i|á|à exwáàÉÇxVtáàÄx‹

REDSTONE CASTLE TOURS Saturday & Sunday 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 seniors, children 5-18 Children under 5: FREE (FOR GROUP TOURS CALL 970-963-9656) Tickets available at Tiffany of Redstone and The Redstone General Store. Available throughout the Western Slope. echo@crystalvalleyecho.com

CASH OR CHECK ONLY.

www.redstonecastle.us


Page 32, Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times


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