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Bringing light

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Downvalley Jewish Families and Friends observed the fourth night of Chanukah together at the Carbondale Fire Station, lighting dozens of Menorahs laid across a long table. Photo by James Steindler Flip to page 4 for more photos from the evening.

Volume 16, Number 46 | January 2-8, 2025

Confusing net worth with self-worth We are living a truth stranger than fiction. I didn’t even ques- accessible, the good life seems surreal. And if Trump is never held tion it when I saw a man dressed like Ignatius J. Reilly crossing accountable for his words or actions, what will happen to the rule Highway 82 the other day, complete with matching plaid pants, of law? How far will these folks follow their naked emperor, all the jacket and hunting cap — ear flaps down. He carried himself with while shaking their money-makers? an ignorant level of confidence, crossing as the signal indicated You know what makes a lot of money in America? Jail. There but never once looking at the traffic. are more people in prison in this country than any other, and Speaking of ignorance, our coxcomb-elect is on a tear lately. Trump’s pending White House re-entry has caused the U.S. Trump’s promises and/or threats (either way: prison industry to boom on the stock market. lies) are coming fast and furious these days.

Suspension of disbelief, to say the least … and “ … shares of multibillion-dollar private while I feel myself caring less and less, just like prison companies CoreCivic and Geo Group ol’ Ignatius, I do think we’re nearing the finale.

— which are Immigration and Customs You can feel the tempo increasing, and historiEnforcement contractors — are up 76% and cally when society gets this top-heavy it’s time 75% since Election Day, respectively.” - Forbes for the pitchforks to come out. Of course, nowadays, it’s a lone shooter with a 3D-printed gun Recipe for a criminal: lack of opportunity, instead of an angry mob carrying farming tools. desperation, poverty. All elements TrumpubMeanwhile, the scripted media is busy licans foster. They urgently care about unborn reminding us that murder is wrong. But we, the souls, but not so much after birth. They try to people, already know that. We’ve been living prevent education and acceptance whenever our lives according to the rules of polite sociit relates to individuality because those are ety, playing the game fair and square and losing sure-fire ways to build self-esteem. They cut Ps & Qs ground anyway. We are not the ones conducting programs that could prevent average people’s

By Jeannie Perry ourselves in a disgusting manner of unaccountsuffering, meanwhile feeding our tax dollars to ability and greed. A manner that puts on gross the very CEOs who cause our ailments. display the two tiers of American life: those who are punished for Trumpublicans are so busy hustling for his favor — ignoring their crimes and those who are not. people’s basic needs for shareholders’ sake, while creating finanIf Brian Thompson had been held accountable for his insider cial insecurity with every law that takes away personal freedom trading deals, he would’ve been safe and sound, locked up in jail. — that they’ve forgotten we outnumber them. And not by a little.

Instead, he was shot and killed on the street in New York and the So, it’s only a matter of time before desperation brings the police arrested Luigi Mangione, using excessive resources and pitchforks out. I have no doubt this story will contain a revocharging him with terrorism. I do feel for the NYPD. I’m sure the lutionary ending. Trump’s plan to make mad money at the pressure to lock someone — anyone — up is intense, but how expense of everyday Americans will fizzle and smoke, just like many people are shot in New York City annually? Why was this all his other failed ventures. America does not suffer fools for case held in the spotlight like no other? Because from down here long because no one is above the law in this land of the free and it looks like an amped up judicial system for the Gotham elite and home of the brave, where a person’s worth is defined by their the same old slack for the rest of us. actions, not their bank account.

Most Americans are just trying to live our best, legal lives, but as more and more of us fall through the cracks of a system that “Nature has sometimes made a fool; but a coxcomb is always is completely rigged for profit, and with guns being so readily of a man’s own making.” - Joseph Addison

OPINION

LETTERS Holiday gratitude On Friday (the 13th!), a wonderful happening took place. As I was checking out a large order at City Market in Carbondale, the gentleman behind me paid for my groceries. I learned that he is a retired member of the Carbondale Fire Department. When I thanked him, he said, “We care about our seniors.”

Then, passing by the Salvation Army donation kettle, a lovely “bell ringer” took my cart and loaded the bags into my car. I now have supplies for many snowy weeks ahead.

Generosity, kindness and care are alive and well in our special community. I am grateful to have lived here for 40 years.

Cheerful holidays to all.

Carolyn Kauffman Redstone

Affordable housing Affordable Housing is, perhaps, the most talked about issue in our river valley community. That is from Aspen down to Parachute. I posed a question to a group recently that was discussing housing. We had just learned that there are some 100,000 people living in that corridor. I asked if that was a good number, or should we go to 150,000 or even to 200,000 people? There were a few laughs.

We have grown enormously since

Bonnie and Ken Pletcher, with grandson Max, pose with the snowman they made after the Christmas Day snowfall.

Photo by Will Grandbois

2 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | January 2-8, 2025

I came to the Valley in 1970. Aspen pioneered subsidized housing in 1978 with eight units. The new owners were picked in a lottery. The upper valley now has over 3,000 units. A new project is planned to add about 300 units.

One of the assumptions is that these units will be taken by people who are now commuters. Reducing commuting would reduce the traffic on Highway 82 and would reduce the exhaust fumes.

These people would be saving hours per day in cars or buses. One question is: Will this be the result? And a deeper question is: What is the actual problem to be solved?

Going back to my first question about population, I submit that our base problem is growth. Building more housing is growth, and that begets more growth.

Einstein’s famous dictum was doing more of what you have been doing and expecting a different outcome doesn’t make sense. This valley is not alone with these issues, all the western resorts have this same situation.

From the first Europeans to come to this land, “more is better.” Every bit of information we get tells us that the GDP needs to rise. Profits need to increase. The economy needs to grow.

More jobs need to be created. This is a treadmill. But we are losing the battle against climate change. Only fundamental changes in our society will stop climate change. More building is not the answer.

Patrick Hunter Carbondale

Editor Raleigh Burleigh 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com Contributing & Digital Editor James Steindler Sol del Valle Editora Bianca Godina bianca@soprissun.com Lead Editorial Designer Terri Ritchie Advertising Designer Emily Blong Delivery Frederic Kischbaum Hank van Berlo Proofreaders Lee Beck Tracy Kallassy Ken Pletcher Hank van Berlo Executive Director Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Board Members / Mesa Directiva board@soprissun.com Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke Donna Dayton • Eric Smith Roger Berliner • Elizabeth Phillips Jessi Rochel • Andrew Travers Anna Huntington • Loren Jenkins

The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6pm on second Thursdays at the Third Street Center.

The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible.

Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+ Lee Beck & John Stickney Kay Brunnier Frances Dudley Michelle & Ed Buchman Sue Edelstein & Bill Spence Deborah & Shane Evans Greg & Kathy Feinsinger Gary & Jill Knaus Eric Smith Peter and Mike Gilbert Patti & George Stranahan Elizabeth Wysong Alpine Bank Emily & George Bohmfalk Kathy & Carter Barger Sandy & Paul Chamberlin Karen & Roger Berliner Donna & Ken Riley Gayle & Dick Wells

Legacy Givers for including us in their final wishes.

Mary Lilly

Donate by mail or online: P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #26-B 970-510-3003 soprissun.com/Donate The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District

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Honoring President Carter

OUR UNDERWRITERS AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS! ASPEN VALLEY

H O S P I T A L

Governor Jared Polis has ordered flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset for 30 days to honor the life and service of former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at age 100. A National Day of Mourning is planned for Jan. 9.

Exercise for books Holiday overindulgence got you down? The Glenwood Springs Kiwanis Club can help. The annual Great Holiday Burn-Off will get you moving from Jan. 6 to Feb. 2 while supporting Raising a Reader, a local literacy nonprofit. All registration fees from the event will be used to purchase books for free distribution to pre-K kids. More information and registration is available at www.tinyurl.com/HolidayBurnOff

Prescribed burns input The White River National Forest seeks public comment on a proposed update of the 2011 Aspen-Sopris Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project, which uses prescribed fire and other treatments to reduce wildfire risk in pinyon-juniper, shrublands, aspen groves and grassland. The scope of the project includes the Roaring Fork, Crystal River, and Fryingpan River valleys and Glenwood Canyon. Another objective is to increase winter range for big game, which has been significantly reduced over past decades by development and suppression of wildfires. More information, including how to comment, is available at www.tinyurl.com/PrescribedFires Comments are due by Jan. 17.

Community theater 101

FirstBank Alpine Bank Colorado Mountain College Nordic Gardens Hilary Porterfield Basalt Library

NONPROFIT PARTNERS Two Rivers Carbondale Arts Carbondale Rotary Club Colorado Animal Rescue

Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner?

Email Todd@soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866

Join Aspen Community Theatre (ACT) Board President and Sopris Theatre Company Artistic Director Brad Moore for a six-week, community education course at Colorado Mountain College’s Aspen campus.

ACT cast and crew will be on-hand to explain the workings of theatre — on and off stage. The class is open to anyone 18 and over and runs Saturdays from Jan. 18 to Feb. 22, 9am noon. Registration and more information is at www.tinyurl.com/FindingCommunityinTheater

Job openings

Instead of abandoning your holiday tree in the alley or dumping it in the landfill, why not give it a more respectable end? But there’s no time to waste! You can take it to the dirt lot across from Carbondale Town Hall for recycling through Jan. 2. Then, your tree will take on a new life as mulch, available to the public in mid-January. Make sure your tree is ornament-free — no wreaths, lights, tinsel or trash will be accepted.

Photo by James Steindler

protected by an 1873 agreement. CPW must also ensure a minimum 60-mile buffer between wolf release sites, the Utah state line and the exterior boundaries of Southern Ute tribal lands. CPW is not to release wolves within the boundaries of the Brunot Area.

The Town of Carbondale is looking for someone to maintain town parks, athletic fields, open spaces, playgrounds and public facilities.

This full-time, salaried job with benefits involves equipment operation and includes mowing grass, landscaping, working on irrigation systems, snow removal and more. Applications are available at Town Hall or online at www.carbondalegov.org For more information, contact Russell Sissom at 970-510-1327 or rsissom@carbondaleco.net And the Rec Center is looking for a customer service representative and a recreation assistant. Both positions are part-time. Contact Erica Savard at esavard@carbondaleco.net for the customer service job and Will at wtempest@carbondaleco.net for the recreation assistant job.

Pipeline feedback extended

Wolf news

They say it’s your birthday!

Just before Christmas, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced an agreement between the Southern Ute Tribe and the State of Colorado. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) provides a framework for collaboration as CPW implements gray wolf reintroduction for the second year. The MOU recognizes the sovereign authority of the Tribe on its lands and the Tribe’s hunting, fishing and gathering rights in the Brunot Area, about 4 million acres outside of tribal land in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Those rights are

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Ryan Camp, Anne Grice, DJ Hill and Dan Sadowsky (Jan. 1); Dustin Eli and Eric Rudd (Jan. 2); Angela Bruno, Patrick Casse, Jay Engstrom, Mark Hamilton, Kerry Honan and Lucas Pulver (Jan. 3); Bob Albright, Skip Bell, Rick Herrington, Pat Murray, Paul Nieslanik, Brad Palmer and Melinda Schultz (Jan. 4); Logan Doherty, JP Bauer and Rachel Orosz (Jan. 5); Taylor Faczak and Peter Lamort (Jan. 6); Sean Passmore (Jan. 7); Stephen Paul (Jan. 8).

Murder Plays a Sour Note: A New Year’s Murder Mystery Party Thurs, Jan. 2, 5-7PM An evening of intrigue awaits!

On New Year’s Eve a celebration turns deadly leaving a victim’s brief glimpse of the new year tragically cut short. It’s up to you to unravel the mystery.

Registration required.

Seasonal Ayurvedic Yoga Series: Yoga is Medicine Mon, Jan. 6, 10:15-11:15AM Explore yoga as the beautiful healing art it is. Learn simple, everyday wisdom to better live in harmony with the winter months. All are welcome (regardless of previous yoga experience).

14 Midland Avenue | Basalt Colorado 81621 | 970.927.4311 | basaltlibrary.org

The deadline for comments on the proposed pipeline south of Rifle has been extended to Jan. 17. The pipeline, proposed by Terra Energy Partners and Grand River Gathering LLC, would take produced water and natural gas across seven miles of private and public lands in the West Mamm Creek area. The project would ship produced water to and from a water management facility in Rulison and use the recycled water for future hydraulic fracturing. According to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Garfield County is in favor of the project but conservation groups, CPW and others have concerns. You can read the draft environmental assessment and submit comments at www.tinyurl.com/WestMammCreekPipeline

Invitation to Bid on Little Blue Preschool Expansion Blue Lake Preschool invites interested General Contractors to bid on the expansion of Little Blue Preschool in Carbondale.

Request a bid packet from: angela@confluencearchitecture.com or 970-963-9720.

Site Walk: January 14, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Bids Due: February 14, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

Start of Construction: March or April 2025 THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | January 2-8, 2025 3

‘A Jewish community without walls’ PHOTOS AND TEXT

BY JAMES STEINDLER Contributing Editor

Chanukah is celebrated every year by the worldwide Jewish community to commemorate the strength of its people, culture and religion withstanding the siege and persecution of the Syrian ruler Antiochus Epiphanes and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 168 BCE . A Jewish resistance, led by the Maccabee family, took back the Temple, but there was only enough oil to keep the ner tamid (eternal light) aflame for a single day. Miraculously, the ner tamid remained lit for eight days, by which time a messenger returned with more oil.

Down Valley Jewish Families and Friends formed about three years ago, the first meeting taking place among eight or so friends in a Carbonddale living room. The unofficial group, organized with love by members Joan Wallis and Niki Delson, has grown to include well over 200 people, and is “a Jewish community without walls,” as described by Delson.

Friends and family, including gentiles, gathered at the Carbondale

Lauren Gister (left) and Sara Gray Kokish served up latkes.

Joan Wallis (left) and Niki Delson inspire connection of the Jewish diaspora right here in Carbondale.

Fire Station to celebrate the fourth night of Chanukah on Dec. 28. There was music,

young people playing dreidel and plenty of cheer and good food to go around. As the

cultural saying goes, “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.”

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4 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | January 2-8, 2025

Habitat RFV President Gail Schwartz ready to pass the baton JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent

It’s been perhaps the busiest five years in the history of the local Habitat for Humanity organization, full of challenges, innovations, adaptations and unique opportunities to address the region’s housing crisis.

Several projects are on track, including groundbreaking in the new year for a new, 66,000-squarefoot modular construction plant in Rifle, conversion of 88 Glenwood Springs apartments into homes for purchase by qualified buyers, and 12 new condos at The Confluence property in Glenwood.

At the same time, a major champion for those and many other recent endeavors, Habitat Roaring Fork Valley President and Chief Executive Officer Gail Schwartz, is preparing her exit plan.

“It’s a big job, and it’s getting bigger,” Schwartz said ahead of her pending retirement in the spring.

“I really felt that as an organization we needed to bring in new leadership … And it’s just time to have more flexibility in my life,” said the longtime affordable housing and community planning advocate of more than 50 years, mostly in Pitkin County.

She also served eight years in

the Colorado Senate, six years as a University of Colorado Regent and three years on the Colorado Commission of Higher Education.

Schwartz is now looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren (she recently welcomed her fifth). She’s also prepared to help smooth the transition at Habitat RFV as the board of directors search for a new CEO. “The board is looking for someone who can take the reins from Gail and continue to articulate and drive Habitat’s compelling vision,” said Chairperson Danielle Howard. “Our new CEO will need to inspire and engage our committed employees, passionate volunteers and professional stakeholders as we continue to innovate and fulfill Habitat’s mission.”

Schwartz also intends to continue in a consultant role on the modular production plant project and the L3 condominium conversion in Glenwood.

“Being more or less the face of these projects, I want to assure our partners that there will be some continuity,” she said.

Tumult and triumphs Schwartz joined Habitat RFV’s

board of directors in the fall of 2019, and was soon appointed chair. A few months later, former longtime Habitat President Scott Gilbert stepped down, and Schwartz became interim president before officially taking on the position.

It was around that same time that COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and Habitat, like other businesses, was suddenly in scramble mode to maintain operations.

“We shut down the ReStore and our building site, and we had to come up with some new, creative ways of staying in business,” Schwartz said.

Construction eventually resumed on the Basalt Vista affordable housing project that was underway at the time, but without the usual volunteer labor that Habitat typically relies on for several months.

The ReStore adapted by switching to an online shopping format during that time. In fact, it still exists today as an alternative to visiting the 40,000-square-foot warehouse store between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale in person.

“We have 10,000 items online, updated every 15 minutes. It’s

Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley President and CEO Gail Schwartz outside the Habitat ReStore on Highway 82. Schwartz plans to retire in the spring, and the Habitat board has launched a nationwide search for her successor. Photo by John Stroud

a really sophisticated concept that worked, so we stuck with it,” Schwartz said.

She noted that, from its humble beginnings in the nearby rented space, the local ReStore has remained the envy of other Habitat ReStores because of the caliber of its second-hand donations.

In the years since the pandemic, Schwartz — along with Executive Director Kristen Wilmes and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Bower — worked to bring the 20-home Wapiti Commons project online

in Rifle; gathered support for the $17.5 million modular home plant to be built there; created a 1% voluntary broker contribution program to support housing efforts; promoted private giving where donors could take advantage of Colorado enterprise zone incentives; and pushed for Habitat to buy the L3 Apartments at Glenwood Meadows for $34 million.

Schwartz is especially proud of the modular plant project, and is invested in ensuring its success. continued on page 18

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | January 2-8, 2025 5

Looking back on regional refugee response LILY JONES KDNK Correspondent

Carbondale Mayor Ben Bohmfalk said that the most challenging few months of his term were around this time last year when several dozen people were found to be living under or near the Veterans Bridge at Highway 133 and 82.

These people were migrants, many refugees, and, without any connections in the area, their situation quickly became dire. As winter set in, multiple community leaders from across the Valley came together to provide emergency assistance.

“It was the first weekend of November 2023, I was sitting at home and got a call from Alex Sanchez from Voces Unidas de las Montañas,” Bohmfalk told KDNK. “He said that there were 80 unhoused migrants, mostly from Venezuela, living under the bridge in Carbondale and that Voces Unidas was going down there. It was the first I’d heard of it, and we were completely unprepared to take on a challenge like that.”

Carbondale is a fairly small municipality, with a population under 7,000 people. Chronic homelessness is an issue, but not rampant, which meant that there weren’t many shelters or sufficient resources readily available to proactively address the problem. Local officials are more focused on helping existing residents stay local and housed. “Our whole workforce is in a housing crisis and has housing instability throughout,” lamented Bohmfalk, “the whole range of the workforce — from low wage to high wage jobs at this point.”

By February 2024, Texas had transported more than 102,000 migrants to “sanctuary” cities across the U.S. — including Denver. In September 2023, buses were arriving in the state capitol daily — sometimes four in a day — and more than 1,600

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There is no firm definition of a “sanctuary city,” but the National Alliance to End Homelessness described that it is generally understood to be a municipality

This article was done in collaboration between KDNK Community Access Radio and The Sopris Sun.

Valley-wide officials meet with representatives of the unhoused migrants, mostly from Venezuela, in Carbondale in November 2023. Photo courtesy of Voces Unidas de las Montañas

migrants were housed in its city shelters. Nearly 20,000 asylum seekers from the southern border had received shelter and support there prior to the time we saw the influx of arrivals in the Valley.

“Every community found itself completely unprepared.

Places like Denver were able to spin up a larger scale response because they’re a larger municipal government and a combined county — the city and county of Denver,” Bohmfalk explained.

“When services would sort of run low there, and they would be over their max of people that they could support, those people found their way to other communities.”

When the migrants were discovered here in late fall, Carbondale got busy finding creative solutions.

“Colin Laird, one of our trustees who is the director of the Third Street Center, [said,] ‘We’re going to open the doors to the Third Street Center,’” Bohmfalk recalled. “So right away there was a place for people to stay. But that also presented huge challenges, because we didn’t have staff in place and that facility was really

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that has a policy to limit cooperation with federal agencies responsible for deportation.

The ruling by Garfield County last year might be indicative of a greater cultural shift happening across the country.

President-elect Donald Trump espoused anti-immigrant sentiment throughout his campaign, and promised to deport millions of undocumented people.

While Kamala Harris won Colorado, the state’s third Congressional District elected Republican representative Jeff Hurd — although his Democratic opponent Adam Frisch received the majority of votes in Garfield County. Hyperlocally, the Garfield County commissioner panel is entirely Republican, including incoming member-elect Perry Will.

Whether politics is a factor or not, Bohmfalk said the response from governmental entities to last year’s crisis was markedly different.

“Our U.S. Senators’ offices were very involved. Both Hickenlooper and Bennett’s offices were inquiring and asking how they could help. So we felt like we had support, but … just not at the county level.” said Bohmfalk.

Even within the Latino community there are various outlooks on migration. Carbondale Trustee Christina Montemayor is the liaison between the board or trustees and the newly formed Latino Advisory Board. She said that local Latinos are not of one mind when it comes to their politics.

“I definitely have heard among some of Latinos — and immigrants — that Trump’s second presidency does spark fears or scary times due to … talk around mass deportations. There’s so much unknown around that,” said Montemayor. By the same token, “You also hear Latinos voted for Trump, right?”

not equipped to house 40 to 60 people a night, which it started doing. Then, there was a lot of pressure on the Town government to take the pressure off of the Third Street Center and open up our own shelter.”

Multiple organizations pitched in to help. As the Third Street Center phased out its shelter, Carbondale Town Hall and the Methodist Church opened their doors to serve as temporary shelters, which Recovery Resources helped staff. The Town provided a Post Office box so arrivals could pursue temporary protected status. Some community members even opened their homes to accommodate a few of the new arrivals. Bohmfalk said that Carbondale residents were mostly supportive of efforts.

“The Methodist Church opened up their doors as a shelter, and there were some concerns from neighbors initially. But people mostly were, I think, proud of the way that Carbondale responded compassionately to a really challenging situation,” the mayor stated.

While the Town and nonprofit community pooled resources,

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help was still needed — financially speaking, particularly. The Colorado Division of Local Affairs granted the Town $223,880 so it could reimburse itself for expenses like food, medical care, staffing and transportation.

While the state readily provided, Garfield County officials weren’t as receptive to supporting the new arrivals or helping Carbondale’s situation. The Garfield County commissioners denied the Town of Carbondale’s $50,000 request to assist with addressing the unprecedented inpouring of new arrivals.

A short time after that the commissioners declared Garfield County as “non-sanctuary.”

“We were trying to keep it non-political. It was just that there were a bunch of people in our town as winter set in who didn’t have a place to sleep, and they weren’t just going to disappear,” stated Bohmfalk.

Looking to have fun and give back?

Join us at Rotary every Wednesday at 7a.m. at the Carbondale Fire Station!

Visit rotarycarbondale.org for details.

All are welcome!

January 8 - Tracy Kallassy Carbondale Library January 15 - John Keleher Aspen Rotary January 22 - Racher Backman Perkins Mount Sopris Nordic Council, Spring Gulch RSVP to Rick Carlson (970) 948-9650 • riccarlson@gmail.com

BenFeng promises art and evolution RALEIGH BURLEIGH Sopris Sun Editor

Anyone familiar with MinTze Wu, executive director of VOICES, has likely heard of BenFeng Music Productions — an organization she founded in 2013 in Taiwan now emerging as a nonprofit with global ambitions: to change the way classical music is performed. “How can we experience music more holistically?” Wu muses.

Perhaps you know personally how it feels to allow your expression to flow free of restraint. “BenFeng” is a Mandarin word that Wu translates as “running with free spirit.” The concept was born from her experience as a professional violinist with a rebellious nature. Noting the formulaic restrictions in dress, postures and setting, Wu aspired to challenge tradition and allow the same music to exist more freely and creatively. “I’m very aware of the dichotomy of music that has no boundaries, that wants to expand as far as it wants,” she said, “and the presentation that feels very much rigid.”

Most recently, on Nov. 3, BenFeng produced “Death of the Pugilist” at Thunder River Theatre (TRTC). This genre-defying show takes a short story by the same name, written by Daniel Mason, and sets it to a tapestry of musical textures — from contrapuntal Bach to Philip Glass-inspired minimalism to Irish folk and blues — all performed by a small ensemble of virtuosos. Jem Moore, Wu’s husband, acted as the narrator, contributing also with flute and guitar. Joy Adams performed cello,

banjo, mandolin and sang. Eric Thorin held down the bass, guitar and tuba. And Blayne Chastain drove the flute, whistle, bodhrán (a traditional Irish drum) and guitar.

Wu called this “Version 4.0” which she determined the most complete, so far. Her oldest daughter Adelaide joined the production as stage manager, while her younger daughter, Camille, flashed cards to the audience eliciting interactive cheers. Costume designer Bineke Kiernan clad the cast in period-appropriate attire and Sean Jeffries bathed the shipyard boxing ring in the right lights to strike a rowdy yet introspective atmosphere.

“This thing has cooked for 15 years,” Wu told The Sopris Sun. “When I started to envision this production in a theater such as TRTC, I could see how we can really create a space and time that can transport people into that story.” She considers the latest iteration “a great arrival” ready to transport audiences from as far as Boulder or even England into that grim yet hopeful story. “Art is not there to just make you feel good,” Wu responded. “To experience the uneasiness of that piece of art helps to reveal something.”

As for Roaring Fork Valley audiences, “The whole reason BenFeng is existing at this moment is we want to continue the barn music series,” Wu announced, referring to the Thompson Barn productions that began with a mini festival celebrating the music of Franz Schubert in 2023. On Jan. 25, Sandra Wong will return to Carbondale with her nyckelharpa, a Swedish instrument, for a program revolving around the intimacy of

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celebrate another culture,” Wu stated. “Not just through the lens of what we’re fed, but seeing them and hearing them.” The show will be spearheaded by a Venezuelan musician and infused with jazz performed by Josefina Mendez and other musicians yet to be confirmed.

“Every BenFeng show will integrate other artistic elements,” Wu promised. “Be it story, literature, dance or visual arts, there will always be that multidisciplinary aspect.” She also named the “transcontinental flavor” of BenFeng that, although anchored in Carbondale, seeks to influence the world; a true “movement,” if you will.

“People feel like classical music is dying.

I feel like we have so much more to explore,” Wu concluded.

Learn more about BenFeng at www.BenFengMusicProductions.org

Cast of “Death of the Pugilist” performed on Nov. 3 at the Thunder River Theatre (left to right): Blayne Chastain, MinTze Wu, Jem Moore, Eric Thorin, Joy Adams. Photo by Hal Williams

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Nordic music “to honor the darkness and the bringer of the light,” Wu said. Camille, her 12-year-old daughter, will act as the storyteller, while Adelaide, 14, runs the lights. Wu credits Stage of Life Theatre Company and Jennifer Johnson for training up her daughters in the intricacies of theater.

Then on April 18, Wu will perform “The Last Seven Words of Christ” with Delaney Meyers, Camille Backman and Sarah Graf.

Seven spiritual leaders from the Valley will join with their reflections on the last seven words of Jesus Christ. “For a deeply unreligious person who is also a deeply spiritual person,” Wu said, describing herself, “to present this ‘Seven Last Words’ music is so, so beautiful.”

The final show in the barn series will be a Venezuelan celebration in June.

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‘Speakeasy’ cracks open public speaking MYKI JONES Sopris Sun Correspondent

Lynn Aliya is known in the Valley for her work as a Colorado Mountain College (CMC) professor and as the drive-home gal on KMTS. Recently, she released her first book, “Speakeasy: A Radically New Approach to Public Speaking (Less Fear, More Fun),” in October of 2024. It’s an interactive, fill-in-theblank and step-by-step breakdown of her “Speakeasy Method,” which she created and used with a group of public speaking students she taught 15 years ago while at CMC. On Jan. 10, Aliya will be at Explorer Books in Aspen for a book signing event where she will also be hosting a 60 to 90-minute interactive workshop based on the book’s contents. Like her former students, participants will learn how to craft an entire speech in five or fewer minutes.

“It’s a high-energy, fast-paced, hands-on interactive workshop. I’ll teach you the Speakeasy Method, and you’ll craft a full speech in under five minutes,” Aliya told the Sopris Sun. “With audience participation, it’s fun, full of laughter, and will transform how you approach public speaking.”

She delved a bit into how she came up with the method.

Initially, she used outlines to guide her students in how to write and deliver their speeches, which is typical of the subject. But she soon switched that up once a particular group helped change her instruction techniques.

“This group of students I had about 15 years ago was so much fun. We played extemporaneous games, did improv introductions and had the best time ever. When

I tried to present this outline, it was like I had betrayed them. It was like all the energy had drained from the room,” Aliya stated.

Then, she had the idea for her students to make what she called a “Mad Lib for Public Speaking.” They each grabbed a piece of paper and made a tic-tac-toe board, with the only rules being to be spontaneous and not to secondguess themselves. Within five minutes, these students had written their speeches.

“I thought to myself as they were giving their speeches, ‘Oh my god, this is like magic.’ From there, I used that model with my students for a very long time,” she said.

Having wanted to launch an app based on this method of speech writing, but not going through with it due to the cost at the time, Aliya decided to impart her method through a book. This took some time as she needed to find an illustrator who could accurately capture her thoughts with imagery. Eventually, and fortunately, Aliya connected with the book’s illustrator, Tonia Jenny.

“I can sell you anything and I could hand hold you, but I can’t draw. But I can write. It took me a long time to be able to find someone, an illustrator, to be able to take my thoughts and distill them into illustrations so that anybody can do this,” Aliya explained.

When discussing what sets her book apart from other books within the same genre, she said, “I think what my book offers that most books do not … is how to make the words come alive. We all have our shtick down, and this helps to break out of the things that we do. I think the

At Unitarian Universalist congregations, we celebrate spiritual curiosity and honor many paths to truth.

Lynn Aliya, courtesy photo

other thing is that I don’t have any platitudes in my book.

I have strategies.”

When asked what she hopes readers will gain from the book, Aliya said she hopes anyone who reads it will gain a profound understanding and confidence in what they are discussing in their respective fields.

“We know deep inside of ourselves what we want to say,” she concluded, and the book is meant to help people tell the world.

“Speakeasy” is available for purchase on Amazon.

For more updates on Aliya’s method, visit www.speakeasymethod.net

I'm just waiting until you say the magic word…

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 2

NEW YEAR, NEW HOBBY The Basalt Library invites teens to discover a potential new hobby every Monday this month from 4 to 5pm. This week’s hobby workshop: candle painting. More info at www.basaltlibrary.org

UNDER THE SUN Join Sopris Sun correspondents and guests for “Everything Under The Sun,” airing every Thursday on KDNK at 4pm.

This week, The Sun speaks with Lynn Aliya about her new book “Speakeasy: A Radically New Approach to Public Speaking (Less Fear, More Fun).”

MURDER MYSTERY The Basalt Library hosts a New Year’s murder mystery party from 5 to 7pm.

Register at www.basaltlibrary.org COMMON ROOTS HeadQuarters provides a space for men to gather sincerely with other men from 6 to 7:30pm. This month’s theme: Envisioning. More info at www.headq.org ELEVATE YOUR FREQUENCY Join Connie Baxter Marlow, Andrew Cameron Bailey and Michelle Bryan for an experiential evening of transformation, helping raise your vibration and align with the higher frequencies flowing onto our planet, at the Third Street Center from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Register at www.thecenterforhumanflourishing.org

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EASY JIM Gunnison Valley-based band Easy Jim, Music of the Grateful Dead performs at The Belly Up at 9:30pm. Tickets at www.bellyupaspen.com JOHN MICHEL John Michel performs at Heather’s in Basalt from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

(970) 963-3013 APPOINTMENTS OFFERED MONDAY-THURSDAY 9A-4P 60 S 8th ST, #201 Carbondale, CO 81623

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3 Scan To Visit Our Website

HOLIDAY HISTORY Aspen Historical Society guides a “Holiday Downtown History Tour” in Aspen from 1:30 to 3pm, meeting in front of the Wheeler Opera House. Register at www.aspenhistory.org FIRST FRIDAY Permitting the ice will be ready, families are invited to skate at Chacos Park for the First Friday of the year from 5 to 8pm. Skates will be available to rent from the Rec Center until 7pm.

CRYSTAL THEATRE The Crystal Theatre shows “A Complete Unknown” at 7pm tonight, Jan. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 16. Catch a 5pm captioned showing on Sunday, Jan. 12.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5

SUNDAY MEDITATION The Carbondale Meditation Circle of Self Realization Fellowship, based on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, meets the first Sunday of every month from 9 to 10:30am in the meditation room at True Nature. For more info, email rachelfdayton@gmail.com HARMONIZE HEALING Join the Harmonize Healing Workshop, intended to shed, shake up, wake up and evoke new energies and a new life, at the Third Street Center from 2 to 7pm.

Register at www.thecenterforhumanflourishing.org RANDOM CONVERSATIONS The Carbondale Library hosts a community-building event each month filled with meaningful conversations among strangers. Check it out this evening from 6 to 7:30pm.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6

AYURVEDIC YOGA Laura Post guides an Ayurvedic yoga series at the Basalt Library every Monday this month from 10:15 to 11:15am. More info at www.basaltlibrary.org 10 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | January 2-8, 2025

MOVING & LEARNING Cari Shurman, an educator who has transformed classrooms through movement-based learning, shares how early childhood educators can incorporate movement in their classrooms over Zoom from 4:30 to 5:30pm. Register at www.focusedkids.org MUSHROOM MEETING Greg Sanchez and the Western Colorado Mycological Association present “A Cultural History of Magic Mushrooms” at the Carbondale Community School from 6 to 8pm.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 7

‘LIVING WITH WOLVES’ Colorado Parks and Wildlife leads “Living with Wolves,” a discussion covering, in part, outdoor recreating and protecting pets in an environment that includes wolves, at the Pitkin County Library from 5 to 7pm.

The conversation will be recorded.

More info at www.tinyurl.com/ LivingWithWolves101 READ THE RAINBOW Read the Rainbow, a student-led book club celebrating queer authors and stories, meets at the Basalt Library at 5:30pm. This month’s read is “Orlando”

by Virginia Woolfe; copies are available on display or at the front desk. More info at www.basaltlibrary.org

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8

NATURALIST NIGHT The 2025 Naturalist Nights series kicks off with “Terrible Beauty: Reckoning with Climate Complicity and Rediscovering Our Soul” at 6pm at The Third Street Center. Register at www.wildernessworkshop.org/events SURVIVOR WOMEN’S GROUP HeadQuarters in Basalt offers its first Healing From Sexual Assault Women’s Group gathering, providing a safe and empowering space for survivors to heal, share and rebuild together, from 6 to 7:30pm. Email dillonja77@gmail.com to register.

MENDEZ & JOHNSON Josefina Mendez, known for her unique jazz style vocals in English, Spanish and Portuguese, performs with saxophonist Mark Johnson at Heather’s in Basalt at 6:30pm.

THE WHIFFENPOOFS The Whiffenpoofs, the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group of Yale University, perform at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw. org Head there early for Supper Club, hosted by Epicure Catering, at 6pm.

‘PORCELAIN WAR’ Aspen Film screens indie documentary “Porcelain War,” a 2024 Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner about Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya and Andrey who choose to stay amid the turmoil in their country, at 7:30pm at the AF Isis Theatre.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9

SOL AUDITIONS Youth theater company SoL holds auditions for “Junie B. Jones The Musical JR” today through Saturday. Sign your child up at www.soltheatrecompany.org GERI-FIT The Carbondale Library hosts an older-adult fitness class every Thursday through Feb. 27 at 12:15pm. Call 970-625-5282 ext. 3084 to register.

Resolve to Begin Four weekly meditation practice sessions: Carbondale, Basalt, and online

Reina Katzenberger (left) returns to The Art Base for the fourth iteration of “Art in Process.” She’ll be creating within the space space from Jan. 2 through the end of the month, and invites the community to stop in and take part in the process.

Photo by James Steindler, January 2022

PATIO NIGHT LIVE Aspen Film partners with Patio Night Live Comedy for a night of stand-up at the AF Isis Theatre, featuring local comedians Louis Beck, Matt Cobos, Beth Brandon, Miller Ford, and Jordan Lowe, at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org

TUESDAY, JANUARY 14

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10

LINCOLN CREEK Roaring Fork Conservancy presents “What’s the Big Deal with Lincoln Creek?” delving into the reasons for monitoring the stream at 10,000 feet and recent concerns, at the Basalt Library at 5pm. Register at www.roaringfork.org

NORTH STAR SKI Megan Ballard guides a Nordic ski tour at the North Star Nature Preserve, covering the area’s history, wildlife and more, starting at 11am. Registration and more info at www.tinyurl.com/ NorthStarSki BALANCING OLD AGE Seniors are invited to learn strategies to maintain balance, improve coordination and navigate around obstacles at the Glenwood Springs Library every Friday through Feb. 28 at 1:30pm. Call 970-625-5282 ext. 3084 to register.

TRUE NATURE RETREAT True Nature hosts its “Winter Retreat: A True Nature Healing Arts Showcase” starting with an “Atune to Winter” ceremony today at 1:30pm and wrapping up midday Sunday with a farewell circle. More info at www.truenaturehealingarts.com BANK & HARRIMAN Chris Bank and Hap Harriman perform at Heather’s in Basalt from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

THE MOTET The Motet performs at TACAW at 8pm.

Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11

URBANE COYOTE Urbane Coyote performs at Heather’s in Basalt from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12

GAY SKI WEEK Aspen Gay Ski Week enters its 48th year today through Jan. 19. Visit www.gayskiweek.org for a list of events and more info.

MONDAY, JANUARY 13

HALLAM SOUND BATH Megan DiSabatino guides a naturebased, restorative sound journey at Hallam Lake from 5:15 to 6:30pm.

Register at www.aspennature.org

roaringforkinsight.org

OPEN STUDIO Tish McFee hosts open studio hours for painters from 1 to 4pm every Tuesday through Feb. 11 at The Art Base.

Register for one or all sessions at www.theartbase.org

Register Today!

‘FIRST DRAFT Mitzi Rapkin hosts her podcast, “First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing,” featuring author Sarah Gerard speaking about her new investigative book, “Carrie Carolyn Coco: My Friend, Her Murder, and an Obsession with the Unthinkable,” at TACAW at 6:30pm.

SOMATIC YOGA WORKSHOP A gentle practice to heal pain, release tension and anxiety, and facilitate ease of movement.

Monday, 9-11am, 1/13 STORY OF CHOCOLATE Learn about the history, varieties, regions, and cultivation of chocolate. Includes tasting.

Thurs, 5-7pm, 1/30

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15

MUSICAL STORYTIME Ms. Holly brings her love of music, movement and families to the Carbondale Library at 10:30am for sing alongs, dancing, games and a puppet play celebrating the Three Mothers: Mother Nature, Motherhood and Mother Goose. For more info, call 970-963-2889.

CHEYENNE JACKSON Emmy and Grammy nominated actor Cheyenne Jackson performs in concert at the Hotel Jerome tonight and Friday at 8pm. Tickets at www.theatreaspen.org SPECIAL EVENTS MEETING The Town of Carbondale hosts a Special Events Task Force meeting covering proposed 2025 events at Town Hall from 5:30 to 7pm.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16

GREAT DECISIONS The Aspen Institute kicks off an eightweek series inviting participants to engage in meaningful discussions regarding foreign policy every Thursday through March 6 from 6 to 8pm at the Aspen Institute in Aspen Meadows.

More info at www.aspeninstitute.org/ series/great-decisions-series

AIKIDO - TRY IT FOR FREE Non-violent, peaceful conflict resolution to re-direct, neutralize, or avoid an attack.

Tues/Thurs, 6-7:30pm, 1/14-2/6 CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Classic and Skate style lessons at Spring Gulch. Starting in Jan.

DYNAMIC WORKOUT A full body workout with cardio, sculpting, and floor exercises.

Tues/Thurs, 11-11:50am, 1/7-1/30 QIGONG A gentle practice to improve energy, balance, flexibility, muscle tone, and focus.

Weds, 10:30-11:30am, 1/8-2/26

INTRODUCCIÓN A LA FOTOGRAFÍA - EN ESPAÑOL Aprenda las funciones básicas de su cámara para que pueda comenzar a fotografiar con control y aumente su confianza en las computadoras.

Martes, 6-8:30pm, 1/14-2/4

To register for Community Classes...

SMALL METALS & SANDCASTING Join Natasha Seedorf to learn metal fabrication techniques for small objects. Senior Tuition Discount applies to this class.

Wed., 5:10-9:30pm, 1/15-4/30 For info and registration, call or visit your local campus.

Lappala Center 690 Colorado Ave, Carbondale

CLOSED 12/20-1/2

970.963.2172

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | January 2-8, 2025 11

CABIN FEVER WINETASTING 16th Birthday Celebration

Thursday Feb 20th 5-8pm Thompson Barn at RVR SPONSORED BY:

Downtown Liquors on Main Street

Enjoy fine wines, great food from local chefs, live music, a silent auction and birthday cake!

Reserve tickets at soprissun.com 12 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | January 2-8, 2025

Naturalist Nights set to begin Jan. 8 KATE PHILLIPS Sopris Sun Correspondent

On Jan. 8 and 9, the highly anticipated Naturalist Nights, an annual winter speaker series spotlighting critical environmental topics pertinent to the Roaring Fork Valley, commences.

In a collaborative effort between Wilderness Workshop, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) and Roaring Fork Audubon, the series will feature five experts who will discuss pressing conversations such as tribal engagement in the Colorado River basin, recreation’s impact on public lands and fire as a restoration tool.

Each speaker will present twice: once on a Wednesday at Carbondale’s Third Street Center and again on the following Thursday at the Pitkin County Library, with the exception of the first speaker who will present his second lecture at the Limelight Hotel in Aspen. All lectures start at 6pm. Light refreshments will be provided by Two Leaves and a Bud and Bonfire Coffee. The entire series is free to attend.

“Naturalist Nights has been going on for over two decades, which goes to show the incredible support this program has had and how much the community enjoys it, ” said Erin Riccio, Wilderness Workshop’s advocacy director. “The goal is to bring a really great line-up of different experts to explore topics of the natural world that are relevant to

our community.”

For the 2025 series, the three nonprofits have chosen speakers who are sure to engage audiences and provoke thoughtful discussions, and even action. The series will kick-off in January with a lecture by Auden Schendler, senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen One and author of “Getting Green Done” and “Terrible Beauty: Reckoning with Climate Complicity and Rediscovering Our Soul.” During the hour-long presentation, Schendler will challenge the effectiveness of modern day environmentalism underscoring complicity and forlorn behaviors. Ever the forward thinker, Schendler will also present an inspiring solution that could elicit change at the corporate, community and individual levels.

Following Schendler, well-respected Naturalist Nights speaker Delia Malone will present on Jan. 22 and 23 to discuss the decline of North American bird populations and how beavers can actually reverse this reduction.

“Delia is a frequent flyer,” laughed Riccio. “We hosted her a few years ago to talk about the great knowledge she has on a particular ancient wetlands.

I’m really excited to have her again this year talking about a completely different topic she has expertise on regarding bird habitat and beavers.”

Emphasizing the need to engage and represent all voices

in conservation efforts, Celene Hawkins and Izabella Ruffino of The Nature Conservancy are scheduled on Feb. 5 and 6 to present “Tribal Engagement in the Colorado River Basin.”

Hawkins, the director of the conservancy’s Colorado River Tribal Partnerships Program, and Ruffino, its Tribal and Indigenous Engagement manager, will share that 30 Tribal Nations hold nearly 25% of the Basin’s senior water rights and bring critical leadership and insight to the future of water in Colorado.

“This is a really important topic on everyone’s minds — especially in our community, considering we are at the headwaters of the Colorado River,” said Riccio. “I think, to solve the problem of over-allocation of the Colorado River and how we manage our water with climate change, it’s really important we hear all perspectives including Tribal Nations who use this water.”

On Feb. 19 and 20, Christopher Monz, professor of Recreation Ecology and Management at Utah State University will present “Wildland Recreation and Ecological Disturbance: Recreation and Public Land Management Implications for Western Colorado.”

Monz, an internationally recognized expert in his field, will investigate the delicate balance between outdoor recreation and its ecological impact. Riccio noted that this lecture is sure to pique the interests of many outdoor

Naturalist Nights picks up on Jan. 8 at the Third Street Center. The series will facilitate thoughtful discussions regarding critical environmental topics such as engagement with Tribal Nations in the Colorado River Basin. Photo courtesy of Rory Doyle, The Nature Conservancy

enthusiasts in the Valley.

The series will wrap up on March 5 and 6 with “Untrammeling the Wilderness: Restoring Natural Conditions Through the Return of Human-ignited Fire,” presented by Clare Boerigter, a wilderness fire research fellow at the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, and Jonathan Coop, professor of environment and sustainability at Western Colorado University. Together they will explore how humanignited fires may help restore fireadapted wilderness and support ecocultural restoration efforts by Indigenous peoples.

“Sharing this knowledge with the public is really important because we become stronger environmental advocates the more educated we are about a topic,” said Riccio. “We are really privileged

The Learning Council: Paonia’s community builder JEANNE SOULDERN Sopris Sun Correspondent

One crisp morning last fall, children harvested apples from a local orchard and brought them back to The Learning Council’s (TLC) community kitchen to prepare a meal. This activity was more than an agricultural lesson — it exemplifies how the Paonia nonprofit weaves education into a celebration of connection and culture.

Nestled in the heart of Paonia, TLC stands as a testament to the power of community-driven education and cultural enrichment. What began in 1998 as a resource for homeschooling families has since evolved into a thriving hub for learning, connection and advocacy.

Executive Director Alicia Michelsen recently spoke with The Sopris Sun about TLC’s early days as a collective effort to support homeschool families with enrichment projects.

Over time, the Delta County School District provided homeschooled families with diverse education options, and TLC transitioned into a broader nonprofit serving the North Fork Valley community.

Education for all Michelsen explained that TLC’s gift model ensures accessibility to everyone, regardless of financial standing. “We have a three-tiered system,” she said.

“The first tier is ‘pay what you can,’ the second is paying the suggested donation to cover costs and the third is ‘pay it forward,’ which supports those who may not be able to contribute at the time.”

Participants can also offer

non-monetary contributions, such as volunteering, bringing food or helping with event preparation. “The reciprocity of the gift model creates a sense of community ownership and participation,” Michelsen added.

This inclusive philosophy extends to TLC’s wide-ranging offerings, which include agricultural and health classes, youth art programs and community art initiatives. “We offer about

25 agricultural classes each year, along with health and art classes for all ages,” Michelsen shared.

Cultural heritage TLC broadens its educational mission through community partnerships and cultural preservation, including a notable collaboration with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe.

In 2017, Delta County cut down the Ute Council Tree, a plains cottonwood believed to be

to have these speakers come and bring this wonderful knowledge and insight to the Roaring Fork Valley. People here are deeply invested in our environment and conservation, so we want to make sure that we are providing an accessible community space for folks to learn about these topics together.”

Folks in need of Spanish or American Sign Language interpretation can email erin@ wildernessworkshop.org one week prior to the event. All presentations will be available on each hosting organization’s digital platform shortly following the event. Though not required, registration is strongly encouraged.

Visit www.wildernessworkshop. org/naturalist-nights-2025 to learn more and register. over 260 years old. Historically, the Ute people held tribal council meetings under its canopy before their forced removal in 1881. While the tree’s canopy was found to be dead, the tribes saw its removal as another erasure of their heritage. In response, TLC worked with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe to foster healing and reconciliation. The tree’s 23-foot trunk now remains, accompanied by a plaque commemorating its cultural significance.

In 2020, TLC began an annual tradition of delivering locally sourced food to the tribe, symbolizing goodwill and connection.

TLC also supports regional powwows and hosts monthly heritage celebrations, including films, culinary events and storytelling, to promote cultural awareness and appreciation.

A space for all

Mindful Mamas meet at The Hearth every Monday morning from 10:30am to noon, providing a safe space to gather, share and learn. Courtesy photo

In 2021, TLC acquired a building at 138 Grand Avenue in downtown Paonia, which has become the heart of their operations. The space is home to the Hearth Market, the Arbol Farmers Market and the TLC kitchen, which provides farm-totable meals on the gift model. continued on page 18

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | January 2-8, 2025 13

2025: A celestial prelude and glimpse into the future As we enter 2025, the coming year promises to be a significant celestial overture, laying the groundwork for the transformations that will unfold over the next decade and a half.

Just as an overture in music preludes and introduces the major themes of an opera, 2025 marks the beginning of a new astrological narrative with the ingress of several outer planets into new signs, promising both the end of old cycles and the dawn of new journeys.

Astral shifts of 2025 This year brings major planetary transits that signal the winds of change. Pluto, which first entered Aquarius in 2022, deepens its transformative work in this forward-looking sign, while Neptune moves into Aries, Saturn shifts into Aries, Uranus enters Gemini and Jupiter finds exaltation in Cancer. Venus stations retrograde in Aries in March, adding to the fiery energy of the year. All Mercury retrogrades in 2025 occur in fire signs — Aries, Leo and Sagittarius — intensifying the focus on inspiration, identity and vision.

These celestial movements herald the closure of long-standing cycles and the emergence of fresh themes. While Saturn, Neptune,

and Uranus will retrograde briefly into their prior signs later in the year, their initial movements into new signs offer a preview of the broader shifts ahead.

Pluto’s presence in Aquarius marks a profound period of collective transformation. While its earlier transit through Capricorn (2008-2024) coincided with the United States’ Pluto return of the Declaration of Independence, testing the nation’s structures and power hierarchies, Pluto in Aquarius now brings the Pluto return of the Constitution. This shift signifies a pivotal time for the ideals of democracy, equality and community, as the foundational principles of governance are reevaluated.

Aquarius, a sign of innovation and collective ideals, invites us to reconstruct power systems and embrace a future rooted in collaboration. Themes of technology, social reform and human rights take center stage, challenging us to uphold the integrity of democratic values in an era of profound change.

Mars’ retrograde through Cancer and Leo colors the first quarter of the year with emotional intensity and reflective energy.

This retrograde invites a reconsideration of how we assert ourselves in matters of home, family and

personal creativity. It can highlight tensions between nurturing others and seeking personal recognition, challenging us to find balance between vulnerability and self-expression.

OPINION

Mercury retrogrades in fire signs All Mercury retrogrades in 2025 occur in fire signs, highlighting themes of inspiration, leadership and authenticity. These retrogrades, in Aries (March), Leo (August) and Sagittarius (November), encourage a reevaluation of creative pursuits and personal beliefs. They also call attention to how we communicate our passions and navigate conflicts with courage and clarity.

Venus retrograde and eclipses in Aries

SUN SIGNS

By Whitney Will Adding to this cosmic backdrop, the nodal axis shifts into Virgo and Pisces, emphasizing themes of service, humility and spiritual connection.

This transition encourages a reevaluation of how we integrate practical efforts with a deeper sense of meaning and compassion. The VirgoPisces axis invites us to align daily routines with our higher purpose, fostering a balance between grounded actions and visionary aspirations.

Venus’s retrograde in Aries during March invites introspection about relationships, values and personal desires. This period offers a chance to revisit and realign our priorities, particularly in areas of self-expression and independence.

Meanwhile, a final solar eclipse in Aries acts as a catalyst for new beginnings and pivotal decisions.

Aries, the sign of individuality and courage, amplifies the themes of self-discovery and bold action.

March 30’s Solar eclipse in this sign challenges us to redefine our identities and align with our truest selves.

Neptune in Aries: A visionary fire Neptune’s move into Aries on

March 30 sparks a fiery imagination, calling forth visionary action and bold ideals. This shift ignites a collective yearning for meaningful pursuits and innovative solutions. The pioneering energy of Aries inspires courage, but Neptune’s tendency to blur boundaries reminds us to discern between dreams and illusions as we navigate these uncharted waters.

Saturn in Aries: Discipline meets courage Saturn’s entry into Aries on May 24 demands disciplined action and courageous leadership. This transit encourages us to confront challenges with resilience and clarity, fostering a balance between impulsive energy and structured ambition.

On a personal level, Saturn in Aries pushes us to refine our goals and assert our independence with responsibility.

Jupiter in Cancer: A time to nurture Jupiter’s move into Cancer on June 9, brings expansive energy to themes of home, family and emotional security. This transit fosters growth through care and nurturance, offering a stabilizing influence amidst the more continued on page 18

AFTER-HOURS MEDICAL CARE ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We would like to thank everyone for their business in 2024.

Every annual, perennial, tree and shrub you purchased from us throughout the 2024 year brought us closer to our mountain community that we truly enjoy! And if you found your Christmas tree or wreath at Nordic, we hope it made your holiday season merry and bright.

Whitcomb Aspen Please continue to check our Instagram and Valley website for Terrace Hospital opening dates and future offerings.

Looking forward to seeing you in spring 2025!

When You Have Unexpected Medical Needs Our After-Hours clinic provides a convenient, cost-effective way to receive the compassionate care you deserve without a visit to the ER.

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14 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | January 2-8, 2025

AspenValleyHospital

When day comes When day comes, we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid … * Metaphorically, a solstice represents a moment of pause or turning point in a cycle, where the balance of light and darkness shifts, signifying a time for reflection, renewal and rebirth.

As a geography teacher, I love to teach about the earth, our “pale blue dot” as Carl Sagan called it, and the relationship between the Earth and the sun. The precise motions and angles create our planet’s magnificent perfection that allows for life. The constant shifting of light — the light that Monet captured in his haystacks — is the same light that has generously brought me life for 73 orbits around the sun.

The purposeful tilt of the axis moves us through the shades of life; as we lean into all the intimate configurations of shadows and light we might learn to stay true to ourselves. As we navigate shadows and sunrise, we might experience the wonder and confusion that allow us to feel our full selves.

James Baldwin described this essential process: “One discovers the light in darkness, that is what darkness is for, but everything in our lives depends on how we bear the light.”

But although dark ​​ and light in our personal lives are integral to who we are as humans — echoed

in the ebb and flow of the tides, and the essential necessity of breathing in and out — we resist the darkness, our shadows, our fallow periods. Yet our natural need for dark stillness may be crucial to moving into light awareness, to taking stock of our lives, to reimagining ourselves and our purpose.

Until we are brave enough to sit in darkness, we might never see the proverbial light.

Thich Nhat Hahn said, “Awareness is like the sun: when it shines on things, you are transformed.”

Like the physical sun, which lights every leaf and every blade of grass, our awareness lights our every thought and feeling, allowing us to recognize them without judging or evaluating them, welcoming or banishing them.

The perfect celestial symmetry of our physical Earth is a catalyst for awareness, where we become steeped in the humility to feel the power of wonder that it is to be human and to treasure our relationships and relatedness to everyone on this tiny planet. This awareness is our internal north star, a light in our souls that we must keep lit in all seasons, night and day. As we place ourselves in the perfect generous planet, we must seek to shine too.

“The longer I live, the more

deeply I learn that love — whether we call it friendship or family or romance — is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light. Gentle work. Steadfast work. Life-saving work in those moments when life and shame and sorrow occlude our own light from our view, but there is still a clear-eyed loving person to beam it back. In our best moments, we are that person for another.”

- James Baldwin This intimate connection between light and awareness is the requisite essence that allows the possibility for our individual lives to thrive and to weave a loving consciousness into the collective tapestry of our human existence.

We can be light for each other.

In our weekly classes, high school junior Karen Gonzalez-Machuca sees the power in being able to thrive in these liminal periods between darkness and resilience, as she seeks to foster justice in our world: “… As Bryan Stevenson said, ‘Our humanity depends on everyone’s humanity.’ If we look past our humanity, we seemingly become meaningless. My family’s struggles have shaped my understanding of resilience and injustice. Each hospital bill and sleepless night deepened my empathy and ignited a drive to fight for a better system. I don’t want others to make impossible choices, lose loved ones due

to lack of care, or feel invisible in an inequitable world. Reflecting on this injustice, I think of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail. He wrote, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.’ Injustice, rooted in our systems, affects countless families and communities.

Staying silent allows it to grow.

If I stayed in self-pity, I’d watch my community continue to be marginalized. Instead, I must act, turning empathy into advocacy to build a more just system for all … I believe that when we empower one person, we begin to transform entire systems.”

To witness what is going on today breaks my heart, and I can not imagine how confusing it is for my students to watch the charade of elected officials claiming compassionate governance, and honest reflection, much less protecting our democratic ideals. Recently a journalist wrote that America has a broken heart and that we must bring the lamp of truth near the

OPINION

SEEKING HAYSTACKS

By A.O. Forbes seesaw of privilege and oppression, to bring clarity and to make visible our path forward. We too can bring the light. Camus said, “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better — pushing right back.”

This is truly a long, dark winter, but with the inspiration and companionship of Karen Gonzalez-Machuca, Camus, James Baldwin and Amanda Gorman I have hope.

* “When day comes, we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid.

The new dawn blooms as we free it.

For there is always light, If only we’re brave enough to see it.

If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

- Amanda Gorman

Family Ice Skate Party Presented by Carbondale Parks & Recreation

JANUARY 3rd 5-8PM

CHACOS PARK (pending ice rink conditions)

Come enjoy the annual Family Ice Skate Party at Chacos Park with free hot chocolate, marshmallows and hot dogs roasting courtesy of the Town of Carbondale Parks & Recreation Department (while supplies last).

Ice skate rentals available until 7pm at Carbondale Recreation Center.

For more info : Carbondale Recreation & Community Center 970-510-1290 For First Friday updates visit carbondalearts.com THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | January 2-8, 2025 15

ASPEN

Aspen Daily News Mi Chola Aspen Valley Hospital Snowmass Market The Aspen Store Box on Hyman Avenue Pitkin County Library

BASALT

Basalt Quick Lube Basalt Regional Library The Basalt Store Alpine Bank Basalt Timbos 7/11 Jalisco Grill Big O Tires CC Cafe

WILLITS/EL JEBEL

El Jebel Mobile Offices Midvalley Surgery Center El Jebel Laundromat Eagle County Courts City Market Scottie’s El Korita Box on San Miguel Casa Tequilas TAC Fitness ANB Bank

CARBONDALE

Catherine Store Garcia’s City Market Alpine Bank Box at La Perla Box at “Main St.” Recreation Center Carbondale Library CMC in Carbondale 3rd St. Center Valley Meats La Roca LiftUp 7/11 Jalisco Grill Mi Lindo Nayarit La Fogata Gloria’s Boutique

GLENWOOD SPRINGS 7/11 West Glenwood Post Office Hospital Valley View Recreation Center Mountain Family Health Welcome Center GWS Library Sal Mex La Michoacana Coin Laundromat Tony’s Market/Bakery Tequila’s Frida’s El Yaqui Kum & Go Comfort Dental Impuestos Seguros

NEW CASTLE

Tapatio’s Post Office Taquerina Elias New Castle Library City Market

SILT

Silt Library Silt Laundromat Kum & Go (Main St.) Silt Roundabout La Placita 2

RIFLE

Tapatio’s Kum & Go Taugenbaugh Jalisco Grill Box at City Hall Rifle Library Box at E 12 St. El Patron El Rincon Spyderwash Moma’s Remington Square Mercado San Jose Carniceria San Jose Nachos Mexican Dining Paleteria la Korita ProMex Bakery Tutty Frutti

Look for stories like this in this week’s Sol del Valle!

Full edition is available every Friday afternoon on newstands and at businesses from Rifle to Aspen

A magical blend of ballet, film and community FELIPE PEREZ Sol del Valle

On Dec. 22, two prominent artistic groups, Aspen Film and DanceAspen, partnered up for a unique collaboration, bringing a cinematic adventure combined with the magic of ballet. It happened to be the acclaimed production of “The Nutcracker.”

The AF Isis Theater in Aspen hosted children, families, dancers and filmmakers, offering the chance to showcase this special and original version of “The Nutcracker.” Recently, the Royal Ballet released a wonderful film in which its top dancers perform this classic.

“The Nutcracker” is perhaps the most iconic ballet and dance production worldwide, inspiring both professional dancers and those looking to step into the world of dance. The story follows a young girl named Clara, who receives a nutcracker doll as a gift on Christmas Eve. During the night, the nutcracker comes to life and battles an army of mice before transforming into a prince and taking Clara to a magical land of sweets. Throughout the performance, elements of fantasy, enchanting music and a parade of dances combine to make “The Nutcracker” a beloved holiday classic.

Susan Wrubel, executive and artistic director of Aspen Film, shared in an interview with Sol del Valle, “This is a way for DanceAspen to give back to our community. We love doing artistic collaborations that show how film is truly a medium for expressing all forms of art.” The event organizers partnered with Paradise Bakery, a local favorite in Aspen, which generously donated cookies and hot chocolate for attendees.

Laura Winton, founder and executive director of DanceAspen, brought two of her seasoned dancers to the AF Isis Theater to introduce the

film. Meredith Harril and Jonah Delgado were introduced to the audience and performed a beautiful demonstration on stage, showcasing two key steps from “The Nutcracker.”

Winton explained that DanceAspen is a relatively new company, founded three years ago, with skilled artists prepared by prestigious institutions.

“We wanted to integrate performance with audience participation and education about ‘The Nutcracker,’ because it’s often what children see when they’re learning to dance,” said Winton. “It’s a significant inspiration for young dancers, so we wanted to bring that experience to the children.”

The organization handed out magic wands to the young audience. They broke down some iconic steps seen in the film and paired them with a specific movement. Then, every time the children saw those steps on screen, they could perform them using their magic wands. A young girl was brought on stage to learn a few dance moves. In the end, there was nothing but smiles and a wonderful holiday atmosphere.

It was a magical evening for families, filled with interaction,

Susan Wrubel, executive and artistic director of Aspen Film, greets one of the children during a showing of “The Nutcracker.” Courtesy of Aspen Film

dance and film. The audience was swept up in the magic of “The Nutcracker,” classical music and the most refined ballet steps. Best of all, it was an event that was accessible to the entire community, right in the heart of Aspen.

Aspen Film encourages you to keep an eye on their upcoming schedule, which features films and documentaries. On Jan. 17, they will present “Riley,” an

award-winning film exploring important themes such as education and diverse identities. For more information, visit www.aspenfilm.org For dance enthusiasts, there’s the DanceStar program from DanceAspen, which inspires Valley students through dance education, as well as adult dance classes.

For more information, visit www.dance-aspen.org.

Follow Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every week in Spanish.

Bianca Godina — Editor • bianca@soldelvalle.org | Margarita Alvarez — Advertising • margarita@soldelvalle.org www.soldelvalle.org • info@soldelvalle.org • 970-510-0234

16 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | January 2-8, 2025

Share your works in progress with readers by emailing illustrations, creative writings and poetry to fiction@soprissun.com

Comparte tus proyectos creativos aún en proceso con nuestros lectores.

Puedes enviarnos un correo electrónico con tus ilustraciones, creaciones literarias y poesía a fiction@soprissun.com

After Solstice

By Nancy Bo Flood

Darkness Begins to Diminish

Bah humbug.

Smile back Or extend a simple nod.

A few minutes at first, But each day, more and more sunshine freely given,

May I help you?

Shared with all.

Perhaps you came across this giant skiing snowman on Third Street and Euclid, who by some estimates was over 8-feet tall, built on Christmas Day by the Tietler family. Photo by Will Grandbois

Like Moments of kindness Adding light to this world Ripples Extending To a friend, a stranger jogging by Even that grouchy neighbor next door.

Hold open a door, help carry in a bag of groceries?

Let eyes meet Smiles exchange Already a few minutes brighter, This solstice day.

REGION’S LARGEST NETWORK OF

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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | January 2-8, 2025 17

SCHWARTZ from page 5 Once built, the plant is expected to produce 200 housing units per year that can then be assembled on designated affordable housing sites throughout the region. It would employ 64 permanent workers, and also serve as a construction trades training facility for 100 students each year.

“We’re not only building affordable houses, we’re building a workforce,” Schwartz said.

One major piece of the puzzle that she will be working on in the interim is to raise another $3 million in funding to provide 18 months worth of working capital to get the plant up and running.

“After that, it’s in the black and it’s a very solid business plan,” she said.

Howard said Schwartz has had a significant impact on the local Habitat organization since assuming her leadership role.

“Her visionary approach has been instrumental in tackling the pressing issue of affordable housing in the region,” Howard said.

Looking back, moving forward Schwartz said one of the aspects of Habitat RFV’s model that she’s most proud of is its use of efficient construction methods and energy efficient design. Take

TLC from page 13 Michelsen shared that the TLC ice cream shop has become a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth and a workplace for local teens. “It’s been a joy to see young people take ownership of the space and build something meaningful,” she said.

The Hearth Market now offers locally sourced produce and value-added products, like organic tamales and soups, prepared in the TLC kitchen. “We ensure that everyone has access to food, regardless of their ability to pay, while supporting our local farmers,” Michelsen explained.

Mindful Mamas One of TLC’s standout programs is Mindful Mamas, a support group for expectant and new mothers. Michelsen shared that the program was created after a series of suicides among new moms in the valley. “It can be such a challenging

Wapiti Commons, for instance.

“Those are some of the biggest buildings we’ve built,” she said of the four, three-story townhome buildings with five units each.

“We incorporated panelized systems, and really looked at the whole engineering around cost-effective building.”

That ultimately sparked the idea for Habitat to build its own manufacturing plant to cut costs even further, she said.

The push to build net-zero homes was also something Schwartz had championed going back to her days chairing the state’s Senate Energy Committee.

“It’s absolutely critical that we build homes in this way. It’s good for the planet, but maybe more importantly it really does provide affordable living when your utility bills (heating and electricity) are only $14 a month,” she said in reference to the case at Basalt Vista when those units first came on line.

That same sustainability ethic guides the ReStore, and will do so at the modular plant, as well, she said.

It’s part of what the Habitat board will be looking for in Schwartz’s successor, Howard said.

“Our expectation in the search is to find the person with the expertise and passion to quickly get their plane off the ground as Gail lands hers,” Howard said.

and isolating time,” she said. “We wanted to create a space for moms to connect and support each other.”

The group has become a cornerstone of TLC’s community offerings, providing a place for mothers and their children to share everyday experiences of motherhood.

Looking ahead TLC is funded through grants, donations and, in small part, programming revenue.

Michelsen emphasized the importance of community support. “It’s kind of a miracle every time the lights stay on,” she admitted, “but the generosity and participation of our community make it all possible.”

In a world where education often comes with barriers, TLC breaks them down — one class, meal and story at a time. As Michelsen said, “This is a place where everyone is welcome, and together we’re building something beautiful.”

For more information about TLC’s programs and events, go to www.thelearningcouncil.org

SUN SIGNS from page 14 disruptive energies of the year. Jupiter in Cancer emphasizes the importance of cultivating supportive environments and strengthening connections.

Uranus in Gemini: Revolutionary ideas Uranus transitions from Taurus to Gemini in July, a historically transformative shift associated with intellectual and technological revolutions. Uranus in Gemini heralds innovations in communication and breakthroughs in how information is shared and processed. This transit challenges us to think differently and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, setting the stage for societal progress.

Reflections and integration The retrograde periods of Saturn, Neptune and Uranus, as they briefly return 18 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | January 2-8, 2025

to their prior signs, provide valuable opportunities for reflection. These intervals allow us to integrate the lessons of their initial ingresses before fully embracing the shifts to come.

Embracing the cosmic prelude 2025 is more than a year — it is the overture to a symphony of cosmic change. With courage and mindfulness, we can align ourselves with the rhythms of the universe, embracing the opportunities for growth and renewal. May the themes of 2025 inspire us to move forward with clarity and purpose, finding harmony in the ever-unfolding dance of the stars.

If you would like more regular cosmic reports, please join my substack at www. starhearthastrology.substack.com and for personal year-ahead readings, book at www.starhearthastrology.com

PARTING SHOTS

Remembering President Carter This week, America mourned the loss of its 39th president, James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, who passed away on Dec. 29 at 100 years of age. During his presidency, Carter spearheaded energy conservation and pardoned Americans who evaded the Vietnam draft. After serving a single term, the former president spent decades continuing to be of service where help was most needed, in the United States and the world over.

Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, made their way to Carbondale in June 2015.

They spoke at Thunder River Theatre (TRTC) along with the late Jim Calaway in front of an audience of 200 people, covering race relations, immigration, gun violence, the Middle East, mental health and more, according to the June 25, 2015 issue of The Sopris Sun. In that same report, the late Lon Wintson, founder of TRTC, was quoted describing the president and first lady as “genuine on every level ...”

Photos by Jane Bachrach

­

Wishing you peace and unity in the new year!

Just a few hours a month can make a big difference in a young person’s t life. youth righity e v a h e W commun

r here in ou aiting for a w e Be a Big Buddy to a who ar y like you!

Budd youth in your community! Big

To learn more about our four youth mentoring programs or for more information about becoming a Big Buddy, visit www.buddyprogram.org

Scan to inquire!

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | January 2-8, 2025 19

Tabby Faircloth Tabby is the loan assistant at the Carbondale branch and has been with the bank for six years.

She is passionate about access to healthy, affordable and safe foods, which is why you’ll see her volunteering at UpRoot Colorado. alpinebank.com • Member FDIC

Tabby and the Alpine Bank team are here to help you!

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Join us at one of our upcoming events, where our certified health coverage guides will be available to assist you and your family through the enrollment process. Bilingual staff will be available.

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