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Dreamingsummerup

Carbondale Aquatics Center capital campaign to

‘Make a Splash’ on First Friday

JEANNE SOULDERN

Sopris Sun Correspondent

The “Let’s Make a Splash” capital campaign benefitting the Carbondale Aquatics Center will officially launch its fundraising efforts at Chacos Park at 4th and Main on First Friday, June 7.

The Sopris Sun recently spoke with Carbondale officials, Town Manager Lauren Gister, Parks and Recreation Director Eric Brendlinger and Recreation Programs and Community Center Manager Margaret Donnelly for the latest news on the pool fundraising campaign, which has a goal of $1.6 million.

From 1979 to today

The John M. Fleet Pool, on the corner of Main and 7th Street, is currently closed for demolition. Opened in 1979, the well-loved and well-used pool’s annual statistics on usage averages over 10,000 users, with over 2,000 people taking public swim lessons (100 taking private lessons), over 700 students from schools and camps visiting the pool and over 500 older adults taking water aerobics classes.

Charter School, Blue Lake Preschool and the Carbondale Community School, to name only a few.

In addition to usage intensity, other factors determining an outdoor municipal pool’s longevity include construction quality, maintenance practices and climate conditions.

Brendlinger said in 2015, as the pool was approaching its four-decade mark, the Parks and Rec Commission began writing a 10-year master plan.

“A big piece of that plan was to look at how, in those 10 years, we could replace our aging pool,” he said.

As pool repairs became more frequent, the Town determined it was time to build a new pool facility to ensure a functional, safe and enjoyable user experience.

In 2020, the Town completed a master plan for a new aquatics center and in 2022, voters passed an $8 million bond issue with 72% approval.

In May 2023, the Town contracted with AD Miller Services, Inc., a Colorado construction company with considerable pool-building expertise.

Donnelly cited the pool as a popular destination for many community youth groups, including Stepping Stones, Marble

In June 2023, the Town chose Carbondale-based Land+Shelter Architecture continued on page 4

Land+Shelter and Connect One Design have formulated a sleek design for the net-zero aquatics center with elements that can be subtracted or phased in depending on how fundraising goes. Courtesy graphic

Adam and Eve killed the dinosaurs

Are you on Threads? It’s like Twitter (X), except no one appears to be monitoring the content, which is absolutely random and fabulous! Threads has everything a GenXer could want: political memes, cat videos, sarcastic social commentary, followed by grandma’s secret family recipe for handmade ravioli. Here’s an example of a quintessential Threads post: “What if Mars has water on it because we used to live there and we messed up the climate so badly that we had to send an escape pod to Earth with only Adam and Eve in it, and the pod was the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs?” - blackspielberg_

only run into trouble when we stifle our natural tendencies or desires because of some outdated, preconceived notion that was most likely invented by a repressed and unhappy pilgrim in the first place. Shame is a terrible nanny. If they aren’t hurting anyone else, what exactly is the problem with experimental youth? Why are some adults so concerned that they fit in with the norm? A norm, I might add, that led us here.

OPINION

This. This is the kind of imaginative musing that makes me like us humans. And as tired as I am of our patriarchal perspective on history, I love it when I come across something truly unconventional. Something or someone that is so far out of the box gives me hope for the future of the whole human race. I’m lucky enough not to have kids, but if I did you could be sure they’d be learning how to build a cabin and grow, harvest and distill potatoes for Mommy’s vodka martini. Even as untethered as I am, it’s still hard to watch what we’re doing to this planet — not to mention each other’s children. Speaking of children, why can’t we just love them for the nonsensical little monsters they are? Who cares if they want to play with a truck, or wear a dress, or play with a truck while wearing a dress … This gender hang-up thing is really getting on my nerves. It reminds me of middle school when I would get passed a note in class (don’t get caught!) and I would have to unfold it about eight times (quietly!) only to be given a choice between two boxes: yes or no. What a boring existence if we were to go through life with only two choices. In my experience, most of life is a spectrum and sampling the whole smorgasbord is the entire point — always with consent! (I really shouldn’t even have to say that by now, but you know.) There’s something here on Earth for everyone, and we

LETTERS

Ps & Qs

Jeannie Perry

CORRECTION: In last week’s Carbondale Report, it was stated that Carbondale applied for tax increment financing from the Colorado Housing Finance Authority (CHFA). Carbondale applied for tax credit financing, but CHFA does not offer increment financing.

Best buds

As a former special educator in the Roaring Fork Valley, I am writing to express my excitement around a beautiful event that happened this past weekend — The Best Buddies Friendship Walk. This was the first Friendship Walk in our valley, which is a huge step in encouraging and promoting inclusivity within our community. It was one of the most inspiring events I have attended in the Roaring Fork Valley and I am optimistic that we can continue to bridge the gap by providing similar inclusive events in the near future. A HUGE thank-you to everyone that made this event possible. It was remarkable!

Allison Schneider Aspen

The natural balance of healthy life on Earth is seriously skewed and I can’t really see anything about our current situation that inspires confidence in our sustainability. In fact, it feels as though we are hurtling through the cosmos like a sequel to the Roaring Twenties, unaware that a crash is even coming. You gotta admit, if you just landed on Earth right now, it would seem chaotic and confusing, to say the least. (Side note: I’ve thought about writing a planet manual with chapter headings like “Don’t eat chicken that comes in a bucket” and “Watch out for anyone claiming to be a ‘man of the people.’”)

Hopefully the younger generations are less susceptible to the charms of snake oil salesmen. At least they seem to be less concerned with checking a gender box, and more interested in learning how to grow food in the nutrient-depleted soil they’ve inherited. After the economy tanks and we start to rebuild the country’s infrastructure, I’m sure their laid-back adaptability will come in handy. And GenX is more than ready to put the old in old-age again. Enough of this 70-years-young BS; we’ll take it back to the days of sitting on the porch in a rocker for most of the afternoon and into the evening …

Take it from us: being self-sufficient and disillusioned with authority from a young age comes in handy as we can make do with what we’ve got and appreciate the simple things in life. Things like a good sci-fi story about life on Earth after the asteroid hits.

MANana no more

Machismo rules in Mexico, right? The ultimate patriarchy. So why in last Sunday’s national election there were two females running for president? In this country we can’t even get a woman nominated.

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is an academic who represents the Morena Party, the party of the current president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Her grandparents escaped the holocaust. Sheinbaum’s opponent, Xochiti Galvez Ruiz, is an engineer and entrepreneur allied with the National Action Party.

Both have been mayors of major cities, Mexico City for Sheinbaum and Miguel Hidalgo, a borough of Mexico City, for Galvez, but neither is a full-time politician. They’re both 61 years old, considerably younger than America’s presidential candidates.

Sheinbaum and Galvez have championed women’s causes, vehemently opposed to the fact there are limited legal consequences for femicide in Mexico. According to the United

continued on page 26

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The Valley hosted its first Best Buddies Friendship Walk on June 2, a huge step in advancing inclusivity in our community. Photos submitted by Allison Schneider

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SCUTTLEBUTT

I Am Me

VOICES and Stepping Stones are teaming up to offer Youth Queer VOICES Summer Residency, a program “that explores questions of identity and belonging in a supportive, creative and validating environment with peers” featuring teachers from various artistic backgrounds. This is a free, eight-week program designed for students, ages 12 to 18, who are in the midst of discovering their true selves. Spanish interpretation is available. To learn more about this opportunity, visit www.voicesrfv.org

Lost Sheepherder Gulch

The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board (CGNAB) unanimously approved a name change for a gulch in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area. “‘Dead Mexican Gulch’ is now officially renamed ‘Lost Sheepherder Gulch,’ a change made at the behest of the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners and necessitated because the original name is ‘considered offensive,’ according to a proposal by the CGNAB,” a county press release explained. The name comes from a gravesite in the gulch with a gravestone that reads, “Jose Velarde, killed by lightning, summer 1922.” It’s more than likely that “Velarde” was a misspelling and it’s, in fact, the resting place of Jose Belardi, a sheepherder who “may have murdered two fellow sheepherders,” according to History Colorado, “before being struck by lightning.”

Sweetwater Lake

The Forest Service hosts a public open house to answer questions regarding the Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management and Development Project Environmental Impact Statement from 6 to 9pm on Thursday, June 7 at the Gypsum Recreation Center. The Forest Service is accepting public comments in regard to the proposed management of Sweetwater Lake through Aug. 5. The proposal would authorize a 20-year special use permit to Colorado Parks and Wildlife to implement and maintain improvements, including: a new campground and day-use area, equestrian facilities and trails, cabins and lodge buildings, administrative facilities and improved lake access. For more information and to submit a comment, visit www.tinyurl.com/ Sweetwater-Lake

Airport drills

Perhaps you’ve noticed some smoke, or even flames, during your commute

The Nieslanik family’s spring cattle drive through Carbondale took place early Monday morning, June 3. The semiannual cattle drive through town has long been a spring and fall tradition relished by locals. When the clip-clop of hooves break the early morning silence, folks are drawn out of their homes to enjoy a spectacle that harkens back to the old days when moving cattle was a daily experience. Although the journey through town continues to take place, a lot has changed. What was once a smooth journey has become an obstacle course as cows, horses and riders dodge traffic and new construction to get to their summer digs in the Thompson Divide.

past the Aspen Airport this week? That’s because the airport’s Sardy Field Fire Department has been conducting emergency response exercises. The training will culminate on June 7 when Sardy Field and mutual aid partners conduct a triennial exercise required by the Federal Aviation Administration for the airport to maintain its Commercial Operating Certificate.

Garden plot

The Carbondale Community Garden at the corner of Hendrick Drive and Holland has an 11-foot by 21-foot plot available with irrigation from the Town’s ditch. Interested folks can email 516kware@gmail.com with their name and phone number.

CRMPI classes

The Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute has openings for its summer and fall weekend workshops covering greenhouse and edible landscape design. Don’t delay, the summer workshop is June 15-16. Visit www.crmpi.org for more information and to register.

I-70 closures

The Colorado Department of Transportation announced that I-70 will be

closed in both directions — from Exit 247 to Exit 248 — from 8pm to 6am the nights of June 5 and June 11 (reopening the mornings of June 6 and 12) to improve drainage by installing new pipes beneath the highway as part of the I-70 Floyd Hill Project. There will be partial night closures between June 6 and 11, but traffic will continue. During the full closures, eastbound motorists can detour onto Highway 40 to County Road 65 (Exit 248) to reenter eastbound I-70; westbound motorists will be routed to County Road 65 (Exit 248) then travel west on 40 to the Homestead Road (Exit 247) on-ramp.

They say it’s your birthday! Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Lisa Goddard, John Klusmire and Illene Pevec (June 6); Jenn Roeser and Gayle Wells (June 7); Burk Golden, Tyler Vaughan and Diane Zastrow (June 8); Jared Ettelson, Chad Knaus, Rock Leonard and Henry Ortiz (June 9); Rachael Boyle (June 10); Sophie Catto, Emmy Lerma, Ben Meckley, Lorraine Morrison, Paul Sutro and Jonathan Waterman (June 12).

Photo by Jane Bachrach

and Planning and Basalt-based Connect One Design for landscape architecture to lead the design teams.

The latest design features a six-lane lap pool with a 12-foot deep diving end. Two lanes will remain open for swimming when the diving board is in use. It also includes a 2,448-square-foot recreational pool with a toddler shelf and multiple play features, a 153-square-foot hot tub and a 2,743-square-foot building with women’s, men’s and family changing rooms, a guard shack, staff office and mechanical room.

The three separate bodies of water will each have temperature control, depending on their use: warmer for swimming lessons for smaller children versus cooler for lap swimming for adults.

Rising construction costs

Since the COVID pandemic, construction costs in the U.S. have increased significantly due to higher materials prices, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions.

The rise in construction costs revised the price tag from $8 million to $11.6 million. Town trustees allocated $1.6 million from reserves to help bridge the gap and a fundraising campaign aims to raise an additional $1.6 to $2.5 million. Design options account for features that can be subtracted to make the budget.

“We did the master plan in a study with the outside consultant pre-COVID. During COVID, as price changes were happening, what came from our feasibility study was not what the pricing would be today — not even close,” Brendlinger stated. “And that’s across the board, including a specialty industry like an aquatics facility.”

Brendlinger said the uptick in projected construction costs created the need to seek additional funding through grants. To date, the Town has received a $500,000 grant from the Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District. They’ve also applied for an electrification of public buildings grant through the Colorado Energy Office.

“Our grant writing is not done. We’re going to be looking and seeing what other opportunities are out there,” Brendlinger shared.

The aquatics facility, projected to open in Spring of 2026, “is a big project for a Town of this size. We are replacing an amenity that is wanted and needed that anybody in town can use. It’s a public space,” Brendlinger explained.

Going net-zero

The trend of building all-electric municipal pools is gaining momentum as communities seek to reduce their carbon footprints and embrace more sustainable and energy-efficient solutions.

This will be the first net-zero municipal

pool in Colorado, using fully electric systems with roof-mounted heat pumps and a PV (photovoltaic) system for pool operations, which include heating, filtration and lighting.

“Net-zero aquatics facilities are out there, mostly in places like Florida, where they don’t have to heat the water like we do,” Brendlinger said. “We’re looking at a net-zero building with all-electric air-source heat pumps to heat and cool the building and to heat the pools. We’re saying, ‘Let’s trust the technology. Let’s trust the future. Let’s go all-electric,’ and that meets our climate goals.”

Not just another brick in the wall

“I’m really impressed with the [building] design, with the historical terracotta brick, intermixed with glass block to let daylight in,” Brendlinger shared.

Donnelly said the design team took special care with details, including walking down Main Street to take photos of every building with a brick façade. “They wanted

to make sure the brick would match and feel like it belonged,” she said.

The new facility will have a shaded space for birthday parties, as well as in the youth area, where there will be a water slide and water spray features.

Donnelly said a corner space in front of the building will be left open as a food truck vendor opportunity.

“It’s a community pool, and we want it to be a community project,” Gister said. “We welcome participation from the community at any level. At the end of this, we want people to say, ‘I did this.’”

A project to bring community together

Brendlinger recalled how the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center building on Colorado Avenue transformed the Carbondale community.

“I worked for the Town for a year before that was built,” he said. “I got to see what was happening in town recreation-wise, how people were interacting and what was happening. Once we built that, there was this new spot that brought this whole community energy to it. We had all these special events and rental opportunities for people. All of a sudden that changed the town. I think a pool can do the same thing. It can bring together people that wouldn’t otherwise be together.”

The project team hopes to generate that same enthusiasm among community members, starting with the First Friday kickoff.

If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation or receiving updates, register at Carbondale Connect: www.carbondaleconnect.org

The building features a mosaic of terracotta brick mingled with glass blocks allowing light to filter in. Courtesy graphic

Carbondale Wild West Rodeo — More than just entertainment

PAULA WOOD Sopris Sun Correspondent

June 6 is the 2024 season opener for Carbondale Wild West Rodeo (CWWR). Spurring into its 19th season, everything is coalescing for the best show yet. Compelling specialty acts, exciting action and delicious food vendors all add up to a great night of Western fun for the entire family. And don’t forget the kid events — mutton bustin’ and the calf scramble take place weekly.

Last summer, multiple changes were put into place to appease neighbors’, the Town’s and law enforcement’s safety concerns. This summer, there are only a few tweaks and they center around (you guessed it) parking.

Law enforcement will be out in full force to start off the rodeo season. They will be ticketing/ towing anyone parked along County Road 100. The rodeo has hired a security company that will have staff patrolling on foot and in automobiles to dissuade folks from attempting to park on the road.

But it’s not all sticks. To help alleviate the issue, a second stop for the free shuttle has been added at the Town’s parking lot at 4th and Colorado, in addition to The Orchard (110 Snowmass Drive). The shuttle runs continuously from 6 to 10pm. This

should be enticing to those visiting bars and restaurants before or after the performance.

CWWR benefits the community in tangible and intangible ways. Located 1,800 miles west of Washington, D.C. and 850 miles east of Los Angeles, Carbondale sits in the center of this country’s Western heritage (though some local Texans may take umbrage with that statement).

Celebrating rodeo reminds us of the skills needed to survive when the United States of America was nascent. How many other modern-day mountain towns are lucky enough to have a cattle drive running through the streets every spring and fall and an amateur rodeo for 12 weeks each summer?

As a nonprofit, CWWR is proud of the financial contribution it makes to the community in the form of donations and scholarships. The Tough Enough to Wear Pink rodeo donates all proceeds to the Calaway-Young Cancer Center, and other beneficiaries are the 4H Club and Roaring Fork Athletic Department.

Last summer, three academic scholarships were awarded to kids who either enter events or volunteer. Recipients for 2023 were Lilly Justice, Tori Parrish and Rusty Gabbard.

Parrish stated, “I grew up in Glenwood Springs and I have

been barrel racing at the Carbondale rodeo for about seven years now, all on the same horse, Keeper. I like rodeo not only for the speed and adrenaline, but the lifelong relationships you create with others, including God.”

Parrish attends Colorado State University where she pursues collegiate rodeo and studies agribusiness. “My family has been my rock through all of the hours of practice, trailering, entry fees, tears, triumphs and tribulations. This scholarship helped me work toward my dream of furthering my education and rodeo career,” she stated.

Lilly Justice moved with her family to Snowmass from Virginia when she was 9 years old. “I have only been volunteering this past year, and I hope to do it again this year,” she said. “I love rodeo because it embodies the spirit of the American West. It’s an authentic tradition that the Carbondale Rodeo keeps alive.”

She attends the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder studying real estate. “It was an honor to receive the scholarship. It showed me that they truly care about promoting education and youth involvement to better our community.”

Bull rider Rusty Gabbard attended Colorado Mesa University after meeting rodeo coach

and CWWR announcer Branden Edwards. “I was surprised to get an academic scholarship from riding bulls,” he said.

In fact, your child doesn’t have to play a traditional school sport to receive significant financial aid at local colleges and trade schools. Edwards stated, “College rodeo is an amazing tool when used correctly. Kids can gain knowledge that is applicable in the workplace. Having that release point helps them focus, learn time management skills and gives them a reason to keep their grades up. I’m passionate about it because I love seeing kids doing well, moving up and being positive.”

Every Thursday this summer, y’all get to walk out your front door, scoot down the street and steep yourselves in all of this good fun. Aren’t we lucky? Let’s rodeo!

IN A NUTSHELL

When: Thursdays, June 6 to Aug. 22. Gates open at 5pm. Grand Entry is at 7:30pm.

Where: Gus Darien Riding Arena, County Road 100

Cost: $15 (children 11 and under are free)

Why: In celebration of Western heritage

Tori Parrish was one of three local youth awarded an academic scholarship last year by the Carbondale Wild West Rodeo, a nonprofit. Photo by Paula Wood

Carbondale geothermal project awarded $312K

WILL BUZZERD

Sopris Sun Correspondent

On Friday, May 24, Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) announced $7.7 million in grant awards to 35 geothermal projects statewide. Among those recipients was Carbondale-based nonprofit Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER), which received two grant awards for the design and installation of a geothermal energy network underneath the Third Street Center and surrounding buildings.

In April, CLEER hosted an open house at the Third Street Center for both locals and industry professionals to share about a proposed geothermal project to provide clean heating and cooling across 16 acres of central Carbondale. Developed in partnership with the Carbondale Geothermal Coalition, the project will utilize ground source heat pumps, which use water to exchange heat between buildings, and underground boreholes in order to provide zero-emission heating and cooling.

CLEER coordinate experts to flesh out each of these options further. Additionally, the different plans are being developed in an open-source manner so that other developers can pull from CLEER’s research for their own geothermal projects.

CLEER’s project is unique in that it creates a community thermal energy network in which both private and public buildings — such as the Third Street Center, the Carbondale Branch Library, Bridges High School and residential housing at the 2nd Street townhomes — can all be connected to a single pump system. The connected system would provide an efficient alternative to gas heating, which can also expand to include more buildings as more boreholes are installed.

The grants were awarded through CEO’s Geothermal Energy Grant Program, which funds geothermal projects creating zero-emission electricity and heating. CLEER received $74,000 for legal and business

design and $238,012 for eventual installation.

Currently, Colorado does not have regulations for thermal energy networks, meaning that developers have to create bespoke legal and ownership structures for each project.

Since this thermal energy project is also one of the first of its kind, CLEER can’t rely on a pre-existing business model. Instead, the team has to perform the legwork to create a model that works with the various private and public stakeholders included in this community proj ect. However, the lack of both

precedent and regulation also means there’s room to consider a variety of options.

Project leader Jon Fox-Rubin spoke in more detail about how the two grants will be utilized.

“We’re exploring a few options already, but [the grant] will just

The second $218K grant is ordinarily meant to directly fund the installation of projects with finalized designs. However, instead of using that money to break ground right away, CLEER intends to use the funding acquired from the State to leverage additional funding from other sources, whether federal or private, for installation at a later date.

In October 2023, the project received $716K from the U.S. Department of Energy for a feasibility and design study as the first phase of the DOE’s Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling Design and Deployment

By Aaron Brown

The Taoist concept of wu wei (or “ non-doing ” ) can be quite perplexing. It contradicts much of what we take for granted in our busy, doing-centered culture where one of the most common opening questions we ask when getting to know strangers is “ And what do you do? ” It ’ s also just plain puzzling to imagine accomplishing anything by not doing it. In this service, we ’ ll delight in the paradox and explore how this concept intersects with our monthly theme of humility and our annual theme of reimagining the common good.

10am at Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist Community Room @ Third Street Center in Carbondale or via Zoom (scan QR code)

Aaron Brown received his Master’s in Theological Studies from Iliff School of Theology. He develops coaching and leadership programs for a global consulting firm and has spoken intermittently over the last 12 years at TRUU. He is the father of two teenagers, one who recently started college, the other in 10th grade. He is delighted and honored to be joining the congregation this year as a guest speaker.

A crew dug deep to test the soil around the Third Street Center last fall. With new funding, CLEER is expecting to break ground again next spring. Photo by Aaron Orelup

music by Jimmy Byrne.

Builders FirstSource pulls its weight

KEN PLETCHER

Sopris Sun Correspondent

In late August 2023, Builders FirstSource quietly opened its new lumberyard facility in Carbondale. Located just north of the City Market shopping complex on Highway 133, it was the culmination of a years-long process leading to the consolidation of the company’s three operations in the Roaring Fork Valley (Aspen, Willits and Glenwood Springs) at the Carbondale location. The Aspen yard is closed, and the Willits showroom was recreated in Carbondale; the Glenwood location remains for storage.

In December 2022, The Sopris Sun published a story on the facility as construction was just getting underway and wanted to find out what its presence has meant to the community now that it has been open for a while.

The impression is positive. Doug Williams, Builders’ market manager, told The Sun, “I have had an overwhelming response of ‘Glad you’re here.’” That sentiment was echoed by Carbondale Mayor Ben Bohmfalk, who said that the lumberyard “hit the sweet spot” for commercial development along the 133 corridor.

Much of that can be attributed to the rigorous planning and development process preceding groundbreaking at the site. Bohmfalk cited the “strong” Unified Development Code the Town adopted a decade ago, noting, “A lot of requirements had to be met.”

First and foremost, the new facility could not resemble a “big box,” metal-sided type of store, like a Walmart or Lowe’s. Bohmfalk said that it needed to “fit in” with the rural, ranch-type of surroundings. Williams concurred, saying, “The design was based off the farmlands that are around us here. We were very in tune with what the desires of the community were when it came to going through this [design] process, and it was expensive.”

The result is what looks like an assemblage of various-sized farm buildings that has even incorporated a large Carbondale Creative District symbol into one of the walls. The large materials-storage yard is largely hidden from view.

When asked about clientele, Williams said, “Primarily, our core customer is the builder, although we do a ton of business with homeowners. We handle everybody, but we’re not a home center; we don’t do paint and things like that. We focus primarily on, ‘What do our contractors need in the market?’” He continued, “Contractors and trades have a place to go to where we carry a lot of bulk product, and we have what they need when they need it. And that, in turn,

helps the homeowner user.”

One of the early questions was whether traffic would increase significantly in the area. That has proved not to be the case. Bohmfalk pointed out that “all traffic concerns had been discussed” during planning, and that “the traffic study was accurate.” He noted that the different peakuse periods at the lumberyard, market complex and ANB Bank north of Builders “distributes traffic throughout the day.”

Heavy truck traffic is mainly early in the morning — “Typically, Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Williams said — and is busier during the summer building season. He continued, “I really don’t think it’s much different than what we originally anticipated, which is still a really low use and impact based on the size and volume of tax-generated dollars that a facility like this does.”

Williams also mentioned the contribution that Builders has made toward the planned roundabout at 133 and Industrial Way, adding, “We designed egress at this facility with that roundabout in mind. So, semis … [will have] a very easy in and out of the highway.” Bohmfalk mentioned that there are plans to extend Industrial Way eastward to Eighth Street.

The increase in sales-tax revenue appears to be significant. Christy Chicoine, the Town’s finance director, acknowledged that “there is revenue increase for sales tax because it is a new store,” but she couldn’t specifically say how much that increase has been — in part because the Town now uses a different collection system that includes “No Physical Presence” (i.e., online) tax revenue. However, in the Town’s May 2024 sales tax report, the category “Construction/Build” shows a significant increase in revenue for the first three months of 2024 compared to previous years.

Williams also mentioned the significance of “ancillary” purchases. “They’re stopping here at the end of the day, and then they’re going to hit the grocery store right here so they don’t have to make another stop” on the way home.

When asked why Builders wasn’t open on weekends, Williams responded, “We have discussed it many, many times,” but, “one of the biggest challenges … is the labor pool.” He added, “There are just not enough people” despite the company’s “pretty good” compensation and “phenomenal” benefits package.

Have Something Available for Rent? Help

House Our AVH Employees

Our new Employee Housing Portal offers you the possibility to list your property or space available for rent to our Aspen Valley Hospital employees and traveler nurses in need of housing.

• Only properties or spaces with a rental rate of $5000 or less will be considered.

• A site visit is required before listing the property or space.

If you or someone you know has a property you would like to list, please contact the Hospital at 970.404.1678 or email us at EmployeeHousingDepartment@aspenhospital.org and provide full name, phone number and email address.

“We’ve been extremely appreciative to the Town [and] the community in general,” Williams concluded. “It’s been a great move for us, and I truly feel that it was a great move for Carbondale.”

Carbondale’s Builders FirstSource lumberyard, as seen from Red Hill. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

Republican CD 3 candidate forum sheds light on conservative perspectives on water and Gaza

JAMES STEINDLER

Contributing Editor

Five of the six Republican candidates for Colorado’s Third Congressional District (CD3) attended a public forum in Durango Tuesday, June 4. Candidate Jeff Herd was not present, reportedly due to a scheduling conflict.

Russ Andrews, Ron Hanks, Curtis McCrackin, Lew Webb and Stephen Varela answered a series of questions, two of which The Sopris Sun highlighted, in part, below. The primary takes place on June 25.

Describe your priorities regarding Western Slope water infrastructure, including influencing change to the Colorado River Compact?

Hanks took issue with California not storing more of its water, and for tearing down dams — on the Klamath River, for instance. “Now that’s on the North end and it’s a little outside of the irrigation area … but it just goes to show you that the mindset is totally skewed from the downriver users.” He said that having reservoirs in Colorado makes sense, “but we also can start talking about this at the federal level with other representatives about storage in their states … I think it will take a series of years to build it up, but that’s probably the best way we can manage what’s happening, what’s gone wrong.”

infrastructure is necessary. At the same time, he noted, “We can’t change the fact that our water is worth more downstream monetarily … That compact makes pretty good sense as long as we keep more water here in Colorado.”

Andrews also advocated for more reservoirs in California. Earlier in the debate, he called out Front Range counties for dictating Colorado’s water policy. “We have 64 counties in the state,” he said. “In 52 of those counties we produce the energy, we produce the water, we produce the food and the recreation; and the other 12 are parasites. And those parasites think that they can dictate to us how we’re supposed to live our lives. I think we need to stop that.”

Graphiccourtesy of W ikimediaCommons

McCrackin said that he would look at both water conservation as well as storage. “And I don’t think that you have to dam up a river, you can collect snow — that’s what we do on the Grand Mesa,” where he lives, he said. “There are about 300 to 400 lakes … behind my house.” As far as conservation, he considered what property owners can do individually. “If you put a conservation easement on your ground, you can actually tie the irrigation water to your ground and you can keep it there in perpetuity … I think that will allow you to keep your water — or our water — on our ground.”

“We just need to keep more of our water here in Colorado,” echoed Webb. “We have to remember Colorado is a headwater state. We don’t have hardly any water coming in, if any, other than rain and snow.” He said that creating more storage

Varela said that if he gets into office he would propose creating desalination plants and have Arizona, California and Nevada pay for them. “If we do that, we can have more water up here … It can be a healthier river, our farmers and ranchers in ag can have more water to utilize and we can put Colorado first.” He acknowledged that desalination would be expensive. “However, it is going to be long-term sustainability,” he claimed.

What are your thoughts on the conflict in Gaza?

Hanks said that he has first-hand experience and knows “the Arab mindset and the Muslim mindset” after serving in the military — first in 1986 when stationed in the Mediterranean. He said that he is not anti-Arab or anti-Muslim, but “Israel needs its qualitative military edge.” He added that the military aid is a financial benefit to the U.S. because American companies manufacture defense weapons and artillery.

“They [Israel] have been fighting guerrilla warfare for as long as I’ve been alive,” said McCrackin. “I think what happened on Oct. 7 was kind of like what happened here on Sept. 11.” He continued, “We have to do everything in our power to try and stop that from happening time and time again.”

Webb said that it’s because of his Christian faith that he believes the U.S. should wholeheartedly support Israel. “In Genesis … it talks about that anybody who

continued on page 26

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6

MARBLE MUSEUM

The Marble Historical Society’s museum is open Thursdays through Sundays from 11am to 4pm at 412 West Main, Marble.

SKYROCKET ADVENTURE

Students entering fifth to eighth grade are invited to create and launch bottle rockets from the lawn of the Basalt Library at 1pm. More info at www. basaltlibrary.org

LIBRARY MEETING

The monthly Garfield County Libraries board meeting takes place at the Carbondale Library at 2pm.

PAW & CONES

Colorado Animal Rescue brings pups to Sopris Lodge for an extra sweet ice cream social from 3 to 4pm. Register by calling 970-456-6871.

JAZZ IMPROV

Instrumentalists and singers of all ages are invited to an introductory improvisation workshop with Rhythm Future Quartet at the Basalt Library at 3pm. More info at www.basaltlibrary.org

COUNTRY MUSIC

Courtney Grieger performs a pre-rodeo show at El Dorado from 5 to 7pm.

HANDLEBAR

Rodrigo Arreguin plays at The Homestead in River Valley Ranch from 5 to 7pm.

RODEO

Carbondale’s Wild West Rodeo gets underway every Thursday through the summer. Gates open at 5pm and a free shuttle service runs from The Orchard (110 Snowmass Drive) between 6 and 10pm.

DIGITAL MARKETING

EV ROADSHOW

The Plug It In Roadshow concludes in Carbondale with a free presentation at the Third Street Center at noon and opportunities to test drive electric vehicles and bikes from 4 to 7pm at Fourth and Colorado.

NATURE JOURNALING

Creatively document nature and get tips from others doing the same every First Friday at 1pm at the Carbondale Library. Questions? Call 970-963-2889.

FIRST FRIDAY

Carbondale Arts hosts an artists reception for “Xerocks and Potholes” and “Analog Nature” from 5 to 7pm.

MAKE A SPLASH

The Town of Carbondale will fundraise for the new pool at Chacos Park, with live music by Little Moses Jones, from 5 to 8pm.

COMMUNITY PARTY

Wilderness Workshop hosts its annual Community Party in Sopris Park from 5:30 to 8:30pm. This free event will feature live music and begin with a “Cattle Drive” parade down Main Street at 5:15pm.

PAIRINGS

The Carbondale Clay Center hosts a closing reception for its annual “Pairings” exhibit featuring the work of 23 ceramic artists, both local and national, from 6 to 8pm. Any purchase during the event comes with a redeemable beverage voucher.

SOUND JOURNEY

Zachary and Krista Cashin lead a healing sound journey at True Nature from 6:30 to 8pm. Tickets at www. truenaturehealingarts.com

ASPEN FRINGE FESTIVAL

True Nature advisor Kelly Cutler presents on digital marketing and search engine optimization from 5:30 to 6:30pm. Register for free at www.truenaturehealingarts.com/events

MUSIC AT THE LIBRARY

Aspen Fringe Festival’s JUNEFEST kicks off with a dance expo at the Wheeler Opera House at 7:30pm. Day two will feature “Lyonesse,” a play by Penelope Skinner directed by Renee Prince, also at 7:30pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com

NATALIE SPEARS

Rhythm Future Quartet performs acoustic hot club swing music at the Basalt Library at 5:30pm.

PAINT AND SIP

TACAW celebrates the release of Natalie Spears’ first solo album at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

ASPEN MARKET

Glenwood Springs’ Bluebird Cafe hosts a night of food, drinks and painting beginning at 5:30pm. To reserve a spot, call 970-384-2024.

ART WALK

Join Carbondale’s Public Art Commission for a tour of new public sculptures beginning at Town Hall at 5:30pm. An artists’ reception follows at Marble Distillery at 7pm.

COMMON ROOTS

The Common Roots men’s group meets at HeadQuarters in Basalt at 6pm.

VETERANS FILM

“The Girl Who Wore Freedom” shows at Movieland in El Jebel at 6pm. This documentary marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

CRYSTAL THEATRE

“Ezra” continues at the Crystal Theatre tonight, Saturday and June 12-13 at 7:30pm, Sunday at 5pm.

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

GEM & MINERAL SHOW

The Marble Gem & Mineral Show kicks off today and continues all weekend with vendors and free entertainment at Marble Mill Site Park.

Aspen’s summer farmers’ market gets underway, every Saturday from 8:30am to 2pm.

ART HEALING

The Art Base hosts “Art, Healing, Hope” in partnership with HeadQuarters from 9:30 to 11:30am and 1 to 3pm.

OUTDOOR VOLUNTEERING

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers ventures to Aspen for seasonal maintenance along the Hunter-Smuggler Valley trail system from 8:30am to 3:30pm. The day will conclude with a free meal from an Aspen restaurant. Sign up at www.rfov.org/calendar

HERBS

Lisa Ganora teaches “Vitalist Herbalism” at True Nature from 11am to 3pm. Part one of this series will focus on building relationships with herbal allies. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com

HORSE HEALTH

Local veterinarians talk about equine first aid at the new Hoffman Hotel in Basalt from 2 to 4pm. Registration is required at www.RFVHorseCouncil.org

The Plug It In EV Roadshow will make its fourth and final stop in Carbondale on First Friday, June 7. Between 4 and 7pm, behind the Rec Center, folks will have the opportunity to test drive/ride electric vehicles and e-bikes with no sales pressure. Clean Energy Economy for the Region will also host a free presentation on electric vehicle basics with pizza provided at the Third Street Center from noon to 1pm. Courtesy photo from recent Eagle event

BLACKOUT

The Carbondale Library welcomes Blackout, a band inspired by ‘80s rock, skiing and Minecraft, performing at 2pm.

ASPEN POW WOW

The Aspen Indigenous Foundation hosts a Native American dancing and drumming showcase at the Sister Cities Plaza from 4 to 5:30pm.

PRIDE EXTRAVAGANZA

The Aspen Art Museum celebrates Pride month with a 21+ performance from 4 to 7pm with local divas, a fashion show and lip sync battle. RSVP at www.aspenartmuseum.org/calendar

MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN

Urban soul and hip hop artist Little Moses Jones performs at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park at 6pm.

BOOK CHAT

Colorado author Shelley Read talks about her best-selling book, “Go as a River,” at White River Books at 7pm.

BRAD COLERICK

Brad Colerick performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. For tickets, visit www. stevesguitars.net

SUNDAY, JUNE 9

LIVE MUSIC

The Sopris Mountain Boyz, a local bluegrass and folk band, performs at 5pm at The Handlebar/Homestead in River Valley Ranch.

MONDAY, JUNE 10

BLOOD DRIVE

The Vitalant mobile blood drive stops at the Basalt Library from 11am to 2:30pm. Register at www.bit.ly/VitalantJune10

KNITTING CLUB

The In Stitches Knitting Club meets at the Carbondale Library at 1:30pm.

READING IN SPANISH

Angélica Breña invites you to practice reading Spanish at the Basalt Library from 5 to 6:30pm.

AIKIDO

Crystal River Aikikai practices at 13 Moons Ranch from 5:15 to 6:15pm. Details at www.CrystalRiverAikikai.com

CLIMATE CONVERSATION

Rocky Mountain Institute and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies host a climate conversation ahead of COP29 at TACAW at 6pm. Register for free at www.tacaw.org

GROUP MEDITATION

Roaring Fork Insight hosts a group meditation and wisdom sharing at 13 Moons Ranch from 7 to 8:30pm.

TUESDAY, JUNE 11

LOCOMOTION

Juggling champion, theater artist and physics aficionado Peter Davison performs at the Basalt Library at 10:30am.

MOD’S MOCKTAILS

Basalt Library invites teens to Mod’s Thai House where they will learn to craft mocktails and culinary delights. Registration is required at www.basaltlibrary.org/ events-calendar

PUPPET SHOW

Garfield County Libraries presents a bilingual puppet show with Brillantina Puppet Theater in Carbondale at 11am and Glenwood Springs at 2pm.

FINANCIAL STRENGTH

HeadQuarters teaches about financial strength and wellness from 6 to 7:30pm.

DANA COOPER

Singer-songwriter Dana Cooper performs at Steve’s Guitars at 7:30pm as part of an album release tour for “The Ghost of Tucumcari.” Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12

FARMERS’ MARKET

The Carbondale Farmers’ Market is in swing, every Wednesday from 10am to 3pm.

BUSINESS WORKSHOP

Basalt Library hosts a business workshop for women from 11:30am to 1pm.

ENGLISH IN ACTION

English in Action hosts a tutor orientation training at the Pitkin County Library from 5 to 8pm.

IKEBANA

The Aspen Art Museum presents “Introduction to Ikebana: Elements and Principles of Japanese Floral Design” with Eileen Kay at 5:30pm. For tickets, visit www.aspenartmuseum.org

REEL ROCK 18

Reel Rock brings climbing films to the Carbondale Library for a 6pm screening.

RON FUNCHES

Comedian Ron Funches performs at TACAW at 7pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

JEN HOWARD

Jen Howard performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

THURSDAY, JUNE 13

BOTANICAL TINCTURING

Elderberry’s in Paonia offers a four-day class on crafting potent herbal tinctures. Details at www.elderberrysfarm.com

Community Classes in Carbondale

IGNITE YOUR CREATIVITY WITH COMIC BOOK ART

This course will reignite your creativity with visual storytelling. Think less, draw more! Mondays, 6:30-8pm, 6/10-7/15

SKETCHING PEOPLE IN THE WILD

Break free from expectations for stronger mark making and unique drawings in plein Air. Wed., 9am-12pm, 6/12-7/17

CREATIVE WRITING

Find power, beauty and courage in your words. Hone writing skills and expand self-expression.Wednesdays, 6-8pm, 6/12-7/10

BEGINNING INDESIGN

Design and layout your own publications, learn to use fonts effectively, place images, manipulate colors and get a finished piece to a printer. Thurs., 9am-12pm, 6/13-6/27

APOCALYPSE 101

Learn practical knowledge and skills to survive a long emergency, local disaster, , or a national/global catastrophe. Saturday, 10am-1pm, 6/15 KNIT A STUFFED ANIMAL

Learn or review basic knitting techniques while knitting one these adorable stuffed animals. Thursdays, 6-8pm, 7/25-8/15

QIGONG

Simple, gentle movements to energize and harmonize the internal organs and energy flow. Improves balance, flexibility, muscle tone, and relaxation. Wed., 10:30-11:30am, 6/19-8/15

MASTERING CELL PHONE

PHOTOGRAPHY

Learn the quick and easy tricks available in your phone to make great photos, and images in this workshop with Sandy Kaplan. Mon./Wed., 9am-12pm, 7/1-7/10

Conectando comunidades desde 2021

Pediatra de Grand Junction habla del deterioro de las condiciones hospitalarias en Gaza

La doctora Barbara Zind se encontraba en una misión médica en Gaza cuando Hamás lanzó un ataque contra Israel en octubre

HALLE ZANDER

Aspen Public Radio Traducción por Convey Languages

Durante una charla en la Iglesia Metodista Unida de Glenwood Springs la semana pasada, la Dra. Barbara Zind, de Grand Junction, describió los desesperados hospitales de Gwaza que luchan por prestar servicios desde el 7 de octubre.

El jueves, la doctora Zind habló de lo que se suponía que iba a ser una misión médica de tres días con el Fondo Palestino de Ayuda a la Infancia en octubre. Su viaje se prolongó casi un mes después de que Hamás lanzara un ataque contra Israel en el que murieron unas 1,200 personas. Hamás tomó como rehenes a unas 250 personas y la respuesta militar de Israel limitó enormemente los viajes dentro y fuera de la región.

Ella recuerda que paseaba por la playa cuando se lanzaron los primeros misiles contra Israel.

“En el Mediterráneo, estaba oscuro y eran alrededor de las 6 de la mañana”, dijo la Dra. Zind. “Alrededor de las 6:30 de la mañana, empezamos a ver misiles que cruzaban desde Gaza en todas las direcciones diferentes hacia Israel, y pudimos ver cómo los interceptaban los misiles Cúpula de Hierro. Sabíamos que empezaban los problemas. Cuando va en una dirección, también va a venir en la otra”.

Desde el ataque del 7 de octubre de 2023, más de 36,000 palestinos han muerto en los combates, según el Ministerio de Sanidad de Gaza.

En su presentación, la Dra. Zind subrayó que intenta concientizar sobre las “terribles condiciones” a las que se enfrentan los médicos y los hospitales en Gaza, pero que no es una política.

“Soy pediatra y soy humanitaria, ¿verdad?”. dijo la Dra. Zind. “Considero que ambas partes son culpables, por lo que no sólo el primer ministro y los funcionarios israelíes, sino también Hamás y las personas que dirigieron ese ataque son considerados un ataque contra civiles”.

Añadió, sin embargo, que retener alimentos a la población de Gaza “no es autodefensa”.

La mayor parte de la presentación de la Dra. Zind incluyó fotos y descripciones de los hospitales de Gaza. También se refirió a la falta de acceso fiable a alimentos y

Volumen 3, Número 15 | 6-12 de junio de 2024

agua potable desde que se intensificaron los combates.

Incluyó estadísticas de Naciones Unidas sobre el número de camiones que transportan alimentos, medicinas y otros suministros a Gaza cada día.

Antes del 5 de mayo, se permitía la entrada en Gaza a unos 100-350 camiones al día, lo que suponía un descenso respecto a la media de 500 camiones diarios antes del 7 de octubre, según la Dra. Zind.

Pero desde el 5 de mayo, en la mayoría de los días, no se ha permitido la entrada de ningún camión.

“Es preocupante para mí porque sé que 1.1 millones de personas allí están en esa categoría de desnutrición, y es simplemente el nivel más grave de inseguridad

alimentaria”, dijo la Dra. Zind.

De los 36 hospitales de Gaza, la Dra. Zind dice que aproximadamente 11 están funcionando, pero sólo parcialmente.

Dijo que muchas de esas instalaciones están lidiando con apagones continuos, amontonamiento y escasez de antibióticos, y después del 7 de octubre, los niños y las madres se volvieron rápidamente vulnerables.

“Estos bebés están ahora agrupados”, dijo la Dra. Zind. “Hubo problemas con la leche de fórmula, y luego los neonatólogos se preocuparon de que una vez que los bebés fueran dados de alta, volverían con infecciones.

continúa en la página 14

Volverían

Durante una charla en la Iglesia Metodista Unida de Glenwood Springs el 23 de mayo de 2024, la Dra. Barbara Zind, pediatra jubilada de Grand Junction, habló sobre el mes que pasó en Gaza. Foto de Klaus Kocher

De colores

“De colores se visten los campos en la primavera”, va la canción de la estudiantina que hemos escuchado los latinos desde siempre. En este valle los senderos y los jardines se llenan de flores y vegetación en mayo. Para mí, chilanga de hueso colorado, es un verdadero milagro que millones y millones de hojas vuelvan a brotar tímidamente, silenciosamente, con ese color tan tierno y delicado. Luego se desenvuelven, crecen brillando e intensificando su verdura, vistiendo a los árboles, arbustos, pastizales con un verde denso que invita a la fiesta y a cantar, sigue la estudiantina, “de colores son los pajaritos que vienen de afuera…”

La semana pasada nos juntamos 23 mujeres latinas y dos hombres a probar los colores de Grizzly Creek en Glenwood y plasmarlos en papel con acuarela. Con la guía de la artista Missy Prudden, el patrocinio de Defiende Nuestra Tierra, a través de su director Omar Sarabia, y las participantes de la organización Valley Settlement logramos hacer una actividad que nos conecta con la naturaleza y nos ayuda a desplegar nuestra creatividad, así como esas hojitas que van abriéndose para que fluya la savia y la clorofila por sus venas. La llamamos “Aprendiendo a llevar un diario naturalista”.

OPINION

las crestas blancas en las montañas o las caprichosas formas de las nubes. En esta era digital anotar en cuaderno las observaciones de la naturaleza resulta casi pintoresco pero está comprobado que el hecho de usar papel y lápiz ralentiza la acción de mirar y podemos llegar a la atención plena. Un clic en el celular no nos va a dar todos estos datos para formar un recuerdo.

SOPA DE LETRAS

Por Angélica Breña

El autor Richard Louv acuñó el término “trastorno por déficit de naturaleza”, en su libro “El último niño en los bosques” para describir la falta de conexión que los niños sienten cada vez más con el mundo natural. El trastorno por déficit de naturaleza, explica Louv, es un término que evoca la falta de comunión con otros seres vivos y afecta “la salud, el bienestar espiritual y muchas otras áreas, incluida la capacidad de las personas de sentirse en definitiva vivas”. Artículo del National Geographic el 30 de junio de 2013.

Prudden empieza siempre sus talleres con una invitación a permanecer en silencio y prestar atención a todo aquello que pasa por nuestros sentidos. Sí, se trata de percibir las sensaciones mientras estamos atentos a la naturaleza para conectarnos. Luego, nos ponemos a escribir en ese cuaderno o libreta lo que aún paladeamos: el trino de la curruca, el viento fresco en las ramas de los árboles, el amarillo intenso de la florecita de diente de leon, el croar del cuervo,

“De colores es el arcoíris que vemos lucir”, sigue la canción con la mandolina. Las mujeres que participaron nos demostraron una facilidad asombrosa de atreverse a explorar sin inhibiciones ni barreras. Se echaron de lleno a dibujar, se reían y se fascinaban al experimentar los colores. Le preguntaban a Prudden cómo combinar las acuarelas para lograr este tono o aquel color en las montañas y en segundos ya estaban haciendo su propia paleta de colores. Me acuerdo como me sentí intimidada cuando inicié mi diario con la maestra, Prudden me dijo, “escoge un árbol que te atraiga y píntalo”.

Casi lloro al sentir que ese pino sería despedazado por mis torpes trazos pero una vez que acabé de mojar mi diario con colores que se mezclaban y secó el papel comprendí que ésa era mi interpretación de aquel pino y ahora lo amo cada vez que lo veo en mi diario porque fue mi primer pinino. Prudden me comentó que había sido una experiencia única ver como los diarios de las participantes iban iluminándose con colores brillantes, intensos, vivos, llenos de ese sabor latino que nos distingue.

Casi todo lo que los humanos hacemos por diversión tiene raíces biológicas, igual como les ocurre a otros animales. Los pájaros necesitan saber cuándo migrar o anidar. Los colibríes rezumban en el mismo lugar donde les he puesto su bebedero. Llevar un diario naturalista conduce a una mayor conciencia del entorno. Es una memoria tangible, que nos ayuda a recordar los cambios o fenómenos que vimos y aquellos que anotamos y dibujamos con atención, yo diría con amor. Quizá recordemos ciertos eventos pero la única forma de relacionarlos entre sí es registrarlos. Y qué mejor manera que con colores y con nuestras palabras. Y por eso “los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a mí”. Tan, tan.

con sodio alto, porque la fórmula se mezclaba incorrectamente. Las madres tenían problemas para amamantar, porque las madres también estaban desnutridas”.

Ahora, la Dra. Zind forma parte de las juntas médicas asesoras del Fondo Palestino de Ayuda a la Infancia (Palestine Children’s Relief Fund) y HEAL Palestine, y en algunos casos toma decisiones sobre qué niños deben ser evacuados de Gaza para recibir atención.

Aunque desmoralizada por las condiciones a las que se enfrentan muchos pacientes en Gaza, la Dra. Zind afirma que su familia, su comunidad en Grand Junction y su trabajo como voluntaria la mantienen en pie.

“El hecho de que pueda dar estas charlas, porque creo que es crucial que la gente sepa dónde está Gaza en el mapa y cuáles eran sus condiciones antes de la guerra”, dijo la Dra. Zind. “Eso me da esperanzas de que la gente sea más consciente.

Por el bien de su familia, la Dra. Zind dijo que “esperará a que cesen los bombardeos” para regresar a Gaza.

Su presentación fue patrocinada por las Iglesias Metodistas de Roaring Fork, Unitaria Universalista de Two Rivers y la Fraternidad Menonita de Western Slope.

¿Cuáles son los diferentes tipos de propiedades y qué necesito saber?

Los compradores de vivienda por primera vez tienen mucho que considerar antes de comprar una propiedad. Lo primero que hay que saber son los diferentes tipos de propiedades. Podrías pensar que una casa es solo una casa, ¿verdad?

De hecho, existe una gran diferencia entre una vivienda unifamiliar, casa adosada, condominio y casa móvil. Es importante entender la diferencia para que luego pueda comprender qué tipos de financiamiento necesitará y qué otros costos deben de considerar además del precio de compra.

La financiación se ha vuelto más cara porque los tipos de interés han subido en los pasados años. Esto hace que sea más difícil pedir dinero prestado y limitará la cantidad.

OPINION

ASK A BROKER

Por Giovanna O. Kennedy

¿Qué puede pedir prestado? Según Freddie Mac, a partir del 30 de mayo de 2024 la tasa fija de hipoteca a 30 años es del 7,03% y la hipoteca a tipo fijo a 15 años es del 6,36%. Estas tasas de interés pueden limitar el monto de la aprobación previa que un comprador de vivienda por primera vez puede obtener.

Profundicemos en cuál es el tipo de propiedades más común que encontrará al comenzar su búsqueda de propiedades en el Servicio de listado múltiple (MLS).

Casa Móvil

Muchos se sienten tentados a comenzar su inversión inmobiliaria con una casa móvil. En realidad, una casa móvil no es un bien inmobiliario. Se considera propiedad personal, como un automóvil. La compra de una casa móvil no incluye el terreno donde está ubicada y el propietario tiene que pagar el alquiler del terreno para tener acceso a los servicios básicos. Los prestamistas hipotecarios no consideran las casas móviles como bienes raíces y, por lo tanto, no ofrecen préstamos para este tipo de propiedad.

Casa Adosada

Una casa adosada es un bien inmobiliario. Es una casa de varios pisos adosada por un mínimo de una pared a otras propiedades similares. Cuando compra una casa adosada, es propietario de la propiedad en la que se encuentra, incluidos los patios delantero y trasero, y de la propiedad interior y exterior. Las casas adosadas tienden a tener una HOA (asociaciones de propietarios de viviendas). La HOA tiene declaraciones y regulaciones para garantizar que el vecindario siga ciertas reglas, desde la apariencia de la propiedad hasta los animales en la propiedad y el ruido. Las tarifas de HOA son obligatorias y cubren la tarifa de gestión, los servicios y en algunos casos también parte del mantenimiento.

Condominio

Un condominio también es un bien inmobiliario. Un condominio (o condo) es una propiedad única dentro de un edificio más grande que generalmente tiene de 1 a 2 pisos. Sin embargo, la mayor diferencia es que cuando compras un condominio, solo eres dueño de la propiedad dentro de las paredes. Las áreas comunes son propiedad de una entidad diferente o conjunta de los propietarios de condominios y las utilizan y comparten todos los propietarios de condominios. Los condominios también tienen HOA con regulaciones que también podrían incluir limitaciones en alquileres a corto plazo, mascotas y más. Las tarifas de HOA son obligatorias.

Casa Unifamiliar

Como su nombre lo dice, se trata de una propiedad única e independiente que se encuentra en un terreno. Cuando compras una casa unifamiliar, eres dueño de la propiedad por dentro, por fuera y de todo el terreno donde se ubica. Las viviendas unifamiliares pueden ser la opción más cara del mercado, ya que ofrecen a los propietarios la mayor libertad en su propiedad. En algunos casos, los vecindarios también tendrán que seguir una Asociación de Propietarios, pero no todo el tiempo.

¿Cómo decidir qué tipo de propiedad es mejor para usted? Mi recomendación es evitar las casas móviles y seguir con las propiedades inmobiliarias, ya que han demostrado ser mejores inversiones a largo plazo. También es importante recordar que su primer hogar no es necesariamente su hogar por siempre. Con el tiempo, su propiedad adquirirá mayor valor que podrá utilizar en el futuro para luego comprar la casa de sus sueños.

Giovanna O. Kennedy es una Corredora de Bienes Raíces afiliada con Slifer Smith & Frampton. Para más información visite su página web gokennedyrealtor. com o mánde un correo electronico a giovanna.kennedy@gokennedyrealtor.com

Cada vez que usas tu tarjeta de débito Loyalty*, Alpine Bank dona diez centavos a las causas comunitarias que son importantes para ti.

¡Solicita tu tarjeta hoy mismo!

*Las tarjetas de débito de Alpine Bank están disponibles sin cuota anual para personas con una cuenta de cheques de Alpine Bank.

NOVEDADES

Traducción por Jacquelinne Castro

“Soy Yo”

VOICES y Stepping Stones se han unido para ofrecer Residencial de Verano Juvenil Queer de VOICES, un programa “que explora preguntas de identidad y aceptación en un ambiente de apoyo, creatividad y de validación con compañeros” destacando a maestros de varias experiencias artísticas. Éste es un programa gratuito de ocho semanas diseñado para los estudiantes entre las edades de 8 y 18 años, quienes están en el proceso de descubrirse a sí mismos. La interpretación en español está disponible. Para saber más acerca de esta oportunidad. Visite www.voicesrfv.org

Lago Sweetwater

El Servicio Forestal presenta una casa abierta para responder preguntas con respecto a la declaración de impacto ambiental del Proyecto de Desarrollo y Administración de Recreación del Lago Sweetwater de 6 a 9 p.m. El jueves 7 de junio en el Centro Recreacional de Gypsum. El Servicio Forestal está aceptando comentarios públicos con respecto a la administración propuesta del Lago Sweetwater hasta el 5 de agosto. La propuesta autoriza un uso de permiso especial de 20 años para que los Parqués Y Vida SIlvestre de Colorado pueden implementar y mantener mejoras, incluyendo: un nuevo sitio de acampar y un área de uso diario, instalaciones ecuestres y senderos, cabañas y edificios de albergue, instalaciones administrativas y accesos mejorados al lago. Para más información y para hacer un comentario, visite https://bit.ly/lagosweetwater

Simulacros en el aeropuerto

¿A lo mejor ha notado un poco de humo, o a lo mejor llamas, durante su viaje a través del aeropuerto de Aspen esta semana? Esto es debido a que el departamento de fuego de campo Sardy del aeropuerto ha estado conduciendo ejercicios de respuesta a emergencias. El entrenamiento culminará el 7 de junio cuando el campo Sardy y socios de ayuda mutua realicen un ejercicio trienal el cual es requerido por la Administración de Aviación Federal para que el aeropuerto pueda mantener su certificado comercial de operación.

Terreno de jardinería

El jardín comunitario de Carbondale en la esquina de Hendrick Drive y Holland tiene un espacio de 11 pies por 21 pies disponible con irrigación de la zanja del pueblo. Las personas interesadas pueden enviar un correo electrónico a 516kware@ gmail.com con su nombre y número de teléfono.

Cierres

en la I-70

El departamento de Transporte de Colorado anunció que la I-70 estará cerrada en ambas direcciones – desde la salida 247 hasta la salida 248 – de 8 p.m. a 6 a.m. en las noches del 5 y 11 de junio (reabriendo en las mañanas del 6 y 12 de junio) para mejorar el drenaje e instalar nuevas tuberías debajo de la carretera como parte del I-70 Floyd Hill Project. Habrá cierres parciales en las noches entre el 6 y el 11 de junio, pero el tráfico continuará. Durante los cierres completos, los carriles hacia el este se pueden desviar hacia la carretera 40 en County Road 65 (salida 248) y volver a entrar hacia el este en la I-70; los motoristas hacia el oeste serán redirigidos hacia County Road 65 (salida 248) y luego viajar en la 40 hacia la rampa de acceso de Homestead Road (salida 247).

Lost Sheepherder Gulch

La Junta de Asesores de Nombres Geográficos de Colorado (CGNAB por sus siglas en inglés) aprobó unánimemente un cambio de nombre para un barranco en el área silvestre Flat Tops. “‘Dead Mexican Gulch’ ahora es llamado oficialmente ‘Lost Sheepherder Gulch’, un cambio de nombre a petición de la junta de comisionados del condado de Garfield y necesario debido a que su nombre original es ‘considerado ofensivo’, de acuerdo con la propuesta de CGNAB,” explicó el comunicado de prensa. El nombre viene de un cementerio en el barranco con una tumba que dice “Jose Velarde, falleció por un rayo, verano de 1922”. Es probable que “Velarde” fue un error ortográfico y que de hecho es el lugar de descanso de Jose Belardi, un pastor quien “pudo haber matado a dos compañeros pastores”, de acuerdo con History Colorado, “antes de haber muerte por un rayo”.

Post-season player, coach honors bestowed for RFHS and Basalt SPORTS

JOHN STROUD Sports

Correspondent

All-Conference and All-State selections for Western Slope high school spring sports have been announced, with Roaring Fork and Basalt high schools among those represented.

In girls soccer, Rams head coach Nicole Cruz was named 3A Western Slope League (WSL) co-Coach of the Year alongside Delta’s Audrey Reedy. Cruz guided the Rams to a 10-5-3 record and second place in the league at 5-1-1, behind league champion Delta at 17-2 and 7-0. The Rams made a run to the quarterfinals of the state tournament, bowing out to eventual state runner-up Jefferson Academy.

First team All-Conference honors went to juniors Carley Crownhart and Emma Charters, with honorable mention given to senior Avery Smith

and juniors Maddie Anderson and goalie Maggie Russell.

Anderson made second team in the All-State selections as a defender, along with Basalt senior midfielder Jacey Reed, who also earned All-Conference. Conference honorable mentions were given to Longhorn players sophomore Ruthie Lafaro and junior Maddie Inglis.

In girls lacrosse, Roaring Fork draw specialist Josie McKinley-Kitchell was named 4A Mountain East Player of the Year, and head coach Drew Kitchell was named league Coach of the Year.

The Rams finished 10-6 on the season and 6-3 in the league, behind league champion Battle Mountain (15-1, 10-0). McKinley-Kitchell paced the Rams offense, averaging 4.2 goals per game and 1.6 assists with 114 shots on goal for the season. She also

garnered All-State honorable mention.

Joining McKinley-Kitchell in the All-Conference selections were senior Paige Pulliam (also second team All-State), and sophomore attacker Jordyn Miller (honorable mention All-State).

League honorable mentions went to senior midfielder Grace Garcia, junior midfielder Hailey Wolfe and junior goalie Ella Gunning.

Several Roaring Fork and Basalt baseball players also earned 3A WSL All-Conference honors as position players including, at outfielder: Roaring Fork sophomore Donny Read and Basalt senior Sebastian Oliver; at catcher: Roaring Fork senior Noel Richardson and Basalt junior Kody Barton; and pitcher: Roaring Fork junior Cole Fenton and Basalt senior Gage Balderson.

Official high school sports will take a break until August, when football, boys soccer, girls volleyball, boys golf and cross country will be on tap for the fall season.

In the meantime, the Rams girls basketball team is hosting an off-season summer basketball tournament this Saturday, June 8, at the high school’s Gymnasium. Games begin at 10am with Roaring Fork taking on Basalt. The tournament is free and open to the public.

Lady Rams basketball tournament schedule 10am — Roaring Fork vs. Basalt 11am — Palisade vs. Coal Ridge Noon — Coal Ridge vs. Basalt 1pm — Roaring Fork vs. Palisade

2pm — Basalt vs. Palisade

3pm — Roaring Fork vs. Coal Ridge

“déjà vu” (6) por Leonardo Occhipinti

Capitol Peak Outfitters changes ownership

Local couple takes the reins

MYKI JONES

Sopris Sun Correspondent

Earlier in May of this year, Capitol Peak Outfitters changed ownership from the Howe family to Ted Benge. The outdoor experience company provides trail rides with its 25-head stable of horses, guided overnight pack trips and hunting excursions in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. On the updated website, Benge “invites you to relax and let him take care of the details while you enjoy the most scenic horseback rides in Colorado.”

Having grown up in the Valley, Benge participated in many outdoor activities throughout his life. He is beyond excited to start leading the company into more growth and collaboration with local businesses while keeping the company’s spirit alive and well.

“It’s been fun brainstorming with friends who are entrepreneurs,” Aisha Weinhold, owner of Ragged Mountain Sports, Benge’s partner and media contact for the story, told The Sopris Sun. “We feel very fortunate to have both been here for so long. We know many people who have complementary trades to offer.”

Ragged Mountain Sports already has a partnership with The Painted Pig and Weinhold hopes to extend that to Capitol Peak Outfitters, though nothing yet is formal. She and Benge are also friends with local coffee company owners and would like to eventually partner with them to incorporate artisanal coffee into activities with the outfitter.

After graduating from Middlebury College in Vermont and working in investment banking on the East Coast, Benge was able to make his dream of owning land in the Valley a reality.

“I spent time living in cities and working in finance roles because I wanted to experience living outside the Valley and broaden my perspectives,” he said. “But I always knew that I would come back.”

Benge continued, “One of my deepest passions since a very early age has been hunting and being in the mountains. I feel a huge connection to my food when I hunt — I would say the things that I’m focused on are providing a super high-quality experience for people and getting them out into the mountains to see the

beauty and the importance of nature and the public land that we have access to.”

He added that he is passionate about ethical hunting, which he is dedicated to teaching.

“Ethical hunting [to me] is hard to define, but it boils down to doing the right thing,” he said. “Whether that is following the laws and regulations around hunting and land use or doing what in your core feels like the right thing, and having the utmost respect for the animal in the wilderness and the land that it came from.”

Weinhold piggybacked that sentiment, praising her partner for being able to tow a delicate line when participating in outdoor activities. She told a story about how when she and Benge started hiking together, she learned that yelling outside in sensitive habitats is not a good idea, especially with wildlife such as deer and elk.

“What will be interesting about this business and what Ted brings is this alignment between recreation and conservation, which I think we miss a lot,” she said. “I think having the activities led by someone like Ted, who’s 30 years old and shreds on a mountain bike but then has this conceptual level, is cool.”

For more information or to book an experience with Benge, visit www.capitolpeak.com

Our After-Hours clinic provides a convenient, cost-effective way to receive the compassionate care you deserve without a visit to the ER.

No appointment necessary, walk-ins welcome! Weekdays: 2-10 pm | Weekends: 8 am-5 pm 234 East Cody Lane, Basalt | 970.544.1250

Ted Benge and Aisha Weinhold look forward to sharing their love for the outdoors with clients of Capitol Peak Outfitters. Courtesy photo

CARBONDALE Revolving Loan Fund

The Town of Carbondale developed the Carbondale Revolving Loan Fund (CRLF) to enhance the ability of local busine secure the necessary capital to finance start-ups, operations, or expansion The loan fund was set up in 2002 with a partnership with the USDA The Town and USDA both contributed $50,000 In addition to providing access to cap CRLF is designed to help stimulate job creation and retention Loans are available to new or established businesses within the town limits of the Town of Carbondale To-date, the fund has ~$150,000 to loan to for-profit and no businesses based in Carbondale

CRITERIA

Loan proceeds may be used for business reasons, including real estate acquisition, construction, and equipment

Funds cannot be used for the refinancing of existing debt Applications will be considered on the basis of the character of the applicant, the applicant’s capacity to repay the loan, collateral and/or other sources of capital, and conditions affecting the applicant’s ability to repay the loan

The guideline for the amount to be requested is $5,000 to $25,000 The interest rate will depend on several factors such as the type of collateral, financial strength of the applicant, and the overall risk Fixed rates of interest will range from 3% to 5%

The term of each loan will depend on repayment capabilities and the purpose of the loan Repayment is monthly and loans are usually no longer than a 36-month term (3 years)

The CRLF is made possible by the Town of Carbondale The Carbondale Chamber is not affiliated with the Town of Carbondale, rather assisting the Town by overseeing the marketing & promotion, and certain aspects of the administration of this program The loan funds are in no way exchanged with the Carbondale Chamber Permítanos encontrar los recursos que necesita.

CONTACT

Scan QR code for more information or contact the Carbondale Chamber: 970-963-1890, chamber@carbondale com

Eagles are fine, ballots in the mail, Holy Cross Energy gains on goals

AMY HADDEN MARSH

Sopris Sun Correspondent

The morning session kept the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) very busy. “The June 25 primary election is here,” announced Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon. She said 36,000 ballots will be in the mail Tuesday, June 4. On Wednesday, June 5, ballot drop-off locations will open at town halls in Carbondale, New Castle, Silt, Parachute, the county courthouse on 8th Street in Glenwood Springs and the Garfield County/Rifle Administration Building in Rifle. Early voting centers at the Glenwood Springs Community Center and the county fairgrounds in Rifle will be open from June 17 to 24. Four voting centers will be open on Election Day. Harmon directed voters who do not receive a ballot by June 12 to govote.com.

June 17 is the cut-off date for returning ballots by mail. Details, sample ballots, voter registration and more are at www.garfieldcounty.com/clerk-recorder/elections

The BOCC approved two property tax abatements for a total of $27,750, the consent agenda and fairground fee waiver requests from two local church groups.

Public lands

Then it was on to a Good Neighbor Agreement modification between the county and the White River National Forest, and consideration of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to give the county cooperating agency status during the environmental review for the National Old-Growth Amendment (NOGA).

Based on a 2023 threat analysis of old-growth forests on USFS and Bureau of Land Management lands, the NOGA would amend 128 land management plans related to old-growth forests. But, some rural county governments

in the West, including Garfield, are grumbling about being left out of the review process. Fred Jarman, county manager, provided background on the issue, including efforts by the American Stewards of Liberty (ASOL), a conservative public lands and property rights lobbying group, on behalf of western counties.

Jarman added that, normally, the USFS asks local counties to be cooperating agencies but, in this case, has not done so on a county-by-county basis.

“The Forest Service seems to be flying at a very, very fast pace and is, in my opinion, leaving local government behind,” he said, encouraging the BOCC to sign the MOU.

Steve Kushner of 350 Colorado voiced concerns about ASOL’s long-term plans. “They’re mainly focused on delisting endangered species and they’re also doing some, what we would call these days, fear mongering about national parks where they want to retake the West,” he said.

Energy

Holy Cross Energy (HCE) president Bryan Hannegan offered a glowing report on the co-op’s strategies and successes, including a goal of 95-100% clean energy by 2030. “Our first stock in trade is to keep the lights on and the rates low,” he said. “After that, if we can make it cleaner, then great.” He said that HCE’s energy content was 50% carbonfree in 2023.

HCE has contracted for 150 megawatts (MW) of wind and 30 MW of solar from installations in eastern Colorado. In the HCE service area, energy sources include solar, storage and hydropower. Hannegan also mentioned new projects and a grant to boost wildfire readiness.

continued on page 26

“Not quite sure I see the appeal.”

SoldelV

Barbara Adams

Mary Kate Adams

Jean & Steve Alberico

Joel Rittvo

Rivers Dentistry

Jessi Rochel

Diana Alcantara

Clay & Elizabeth Allen

Kelley Amdur

Eric Anderson

Jane Bachrach

Kathy & Carter Barger

Bartlett

Daniel Benavent

Rob Benedetti

Sheija Binshaban

Kathleen Bradley

Carrie & Keith Brand

Wickes Brewster

Michael Brown

Katie Browne

Michelle & Ed Buchman

Raleigh Burleigh

Debbie & Marc Bruell

Todd Chamberlin

Patricia Chew

Kay Clarke

Brian Colley

Barbara Collins

Cathy Cooney

Susie Darrow

Peter Davidoff

Larry Day

Edward Holub

Hannah Hunt Moeller

Anna Huntington

Eilene Ish

Greg & Sean Jeung

Leslie & Patrick Johnson

Susan Jordan

Wewer & Steve Keohane

Sarah Klingelheber

Katherine Knickerbocker

Colin & Alice Laird

Nancy Roen

Maureen & Artie Rothman

Tommy Sands

Aly Sanguily

Eric Smith

Terri Slivka

April Crow Spaulding

Alice Steindler

James Steindler

Wendy Stewart

Danny Stone

Hollis Sutherland

Kenny Teitler

Andrew Travers

Hank van Berlo & Shelle de Beque

Gayle Wells

Kate Friesen & Peter Westcott

Donna & Jerome Dayton

Barbara Dills

Dana Ellis

Sue Engelhardt

Tucker Farris

Theresa & Gary Langley

Terry Lee & Bill Perich

Blake Leonard

Laurie Loeb

Jeffrey Loomis

Kim Magee

Rita & Dick Marsh

Tristan Mead

Tim & Donna McFlynn

Mountain Maes

Beverly, Bear & Hazel Patera

Matthew Patera

Tom & Liz Penzel

Gail Petry

Illene Pevec

Art Williams

Fred and Connie Williams

Jan Williams

John Wilson

Annie Worley

Sally & Frank Norwood

Trina Ortega

Michelle Page

Marta Parker

Megan Passmore

Christina Flynn

Jeremiah Francisco

Denise Fogerty

Walter Gallacher

Jillian Gibbs

Will Grandbois

Mary Groome

Ann Harris

Allyn Harvey

Heather Henry

Donna Phelps & Bruce Pearson

Liz Phillips

Bonnie & Ken Pletcher

John Rehl

Breeze, Kelsey, Gus & Iggy Richardson

Dan & Holly Richardson

Terri & David Ritchie

Elizabeth Wysong

Becky Young GG Young

Sopris Sun youth correspondent

heading to Boston University’s Summer Journalism Academy

JESSICA PETERSON

Sopris Sun Correspondent

Gus Richardson, who will be going into his senior year at Roaring Fork High School, had a grin spread from ear to ear as he explained how he became involved in journalism. Ever since James Steindler, The Sopris Sun’s contributing editor, visited Richardson’s’ AP English class almost two years ago to pitch the paper’s Youth Journalism Program, he’s been hooked.

Since then, Richardson has worked as a youth reporter for The Sun, meeting with a small group of other youth interns each week to learn about and practice journalism, along with some guidance from staff.

and will be encouraged to explore the city whilst applying on-the-ground reporting strategies. Richardson mentioned how excited he was to be surrounded by other students who are equally enthusiastic about journalism.

“I’m so excited to be a part of a big nerd convention of other people who love student journalism,” Richardson said. “There’s something about being part of a collection of such people that makes me so much more confident.”

“Gus is a

“I’ve been talking a lot about how much I like journalism for the last two years,” said Richardson. “[The Sun] has really fostered my enjoyment of it. It’s a very cool profession for a teenager, and by cool I don’t mean popular — it doesn’t make you popular,” he laughed.

”

- Todd Chamberlin

Richardson noted that since becoming involved with The Sun, his high school counselor has kept an eye out for opportunities to continue sharpening his skills as a reporter. Having recently discovered the Summer Journalism Academy at Boston University, Richardson applied and was accepted to the prestigious program for this summer’s session.

The three-week endeavor entails a combination of lectures and hands-on reporting. Students from all over the country are coached on how to complete assignments

Part of the reason Richardson is able to capitalize on this opportunity is thanks to a $2,000 scholarship awarded by The Sun’s Board of Directors. Executive Director Todd Chamberlin said that the newspaper highly values youth voices.

“Gus is a great kid,” Chamberlin stated. “He’s very talented and well-deserving. I think he has a very promising career in front of him.”

Of his own volition, Richardson requested any dollar amount from the board during its regular meeting a couple of months back, and went in thinking it’d be great if he was granted even $100.

“I am very, very thankful. I think that the board recognizes how much I am working, and that I took the initiative to ask about it myself,” said Richardson.

While he is the first student within The Sun’s Youth Journalism Program to receive such a scholarship, Chamberlin said the board is interested in continuing to support students in this way as well as growing its existing program.

Having really caught Boston University’s attention as

well, Richardson also received the highest scholarship amount offered through the summer academy.

Richardson feels that working as a reporter has made him a better person, broadening his perspective as a high school student.

“Ideally, if you’re practicing [journalism] it’s something that you really care about. It’s important to do things that you really care about,” Richardson concluded. “I think it’s really important, especially as a young person, to figure out what you want to do and stay pretty true to that.”

Richardson is still working towards his fundraising goal. If you’re interested in helping to foot his journalistic adventure in Boston, you can email him at gus@soprissun.com

Youth reporter Gus Richardson, photo by Jessica Peterson

Before the Cowen Center, there was Gracie

LYNN “JAKE” BURTON

Sopris Sun correspondent

Before the Cowen Center on Highway 133 there was Gracie Cowen.

And a few cows, dogs, cats and junk cars — one of which was a Model T Ford that can still be seen chugging up and down the Crystal River Valley after its owner repainted it brown and black.

Gracie lived on 11 acres near Highway 133 before developers bought the property, and put Cowen Drive in at Eighth Street rerouting it to the highway. She was born in 1912 and lived alone until her death at 93 years old at Heritage Park Care Center in 2006. She recounted her life in Anita McCune Witt’s 1998 book, “They Came from Missouri: The History of Missouri Heights Colorado.”

An only child, Gracie and her father and mother (Sherman and Katherine) moved to Missouri Heights in 1917 where they homesteaded 680 acres of mostly sage and scrub oak, “but we cultivated about ninety acres up above what is [now] Mike Strang’s place,” Gracie is quoted. She started school at the one-room Missouri Heights Schoolhouse in 1918, but was only there for a few weeks because her mother got sick and she had to stay at home to care for her.

“The next year I went back to school, but things weren’t good. I had lived on the farm with just my parents and had never been around other children,” Gracie recalled. “I guess I didn’t know how to act around others and the kids began to tease me and pick on me.” The teacher wouldn’t

let Gracie go outside for recess and made her eat lunch at her desk.

When she told her mother, she was told, “You go back tomorrow and get your books and come home. You don’t have to go back!” Things were better at school the next year and enrollment swelled to 30. Mary Ferguson was her teacher and there were only three kids in eighth grade: Loel Green, Edward Blue and Gracie.

She didn’t want to attend high school in Carbondale, so Ferguson told her to come back the next year and she would teach her. “I was happy about that,” Gracie told Witt. She had five high school classmates at the Missouri Heights school.

When Gracie was 14, her mother’s stepmother died and left some property and a little money. “We bought a phonograph,” Gracie said. “I remember how thrilled I was. I had seldom heard music.”

Gracie eventually quit school and stayed on the ranch to help her folks. She milked cows, took them out in the morning and brought them back at night and milked them again. She loved horses, so her dad bought her a black horse named Dixie from a neighbor. Her mom then bought a horse, also named Dixie. One of Gracie’s jobs was to ride to the Quakenbush place to get the mail. “Sometimes we would ride to Carbondale,” which included one ride to town to observe a high school graduation

and then riding back. “There were no cars on the road at night,” she stated in the book.

Her mom took cream to the cream station, which was in a house across from the old jail at Fourth and Main Street. At one point, the Cowen family bought a Surrey carriage with fringe on top. “Sometimes we went to town in it, and everyone liked watching us go by.”

Sherman died at the age of 58. Katherine couldn’t keep up payments on the ranch and lost it. They sold everything but Gracie’s horse, Dixie, and the cows to pay debts. Katherine sold the property she had inherited and bought 11 acres where the Cowen Center now stands next to the Days Inn and Comfort Inn & Suites.

They had apple trees, “a couple of sheep,” chickens and Dixie. They sold cream and eggs and bought an old Model A for $35. “I drove to Glenwood Springs once a week to sell the cream and eggs, and get groceries,” Gracie shared, adding, “I would go around to restaurants and get their scraps for our chickens.”

In the book, Gracie explained that the place in Carbondale didn’t have electricity or running water. She lived there for 53 years until she sold it in the early ‘90s to developers who built the Cowen Center. Gracie told Witt, “There were fun parts (of life) and hard parts, but it’s been alright. I never married because my folks always needed me, and the right one never came along. If I could have two wishes, I’d wish that I could stand up straight again … and that I could ride ole Dixie again up on Missouri Heights.”

Gracie Cowen in the late 1980s, near the time she sold her property on Highway 133. That’s her house in the background. Some locals call the big cottonwood tree southeast of Red Hill Animal Health Center “Gracie’s Tree.” Photo by Lynn “Jake” Burton

OBITUARY

Mary Margaret O’Gara

October 18, 1953 - November 18, 2023

Mary Margaret “MM” O’Gara passed from this life on Nov. 18, 2023. During her 70 years, she surrounded those around her with love. Family, friends, neighbors and the people for whom she cared as a registered nurse will remember her caring spirit, delightful appreciation for goofiness, always honest approach, unshakeable strength when faced with adversity and immense passion for living.

Born on Oct. 18, 1953 at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles, California, MM was the sixth of eight children of Gerald and Elizabeth (Berrong) O’Gara. She grew up in southern California, living in the small community of Monrovia with her close-knit family. Sprinkled throughout the Los Angeles area were other family members — aunts, uncles and cousins — including her much-loved aunt, Margaret O’Gara.

Like her mother, MM pursued a career as a registered nurse. She earned her diploma from Los Angeles County College of Nursing followed by a bachelor of science in nursing from Mesa State University. During her nearly 40-year nursing career, MM cared for patients at Valley View Hospital and Aspen Valley Hospital, including managing the Intensive Care Unit, cardiac rehabilitation and creating one of the Valley’s first diabetes education centers. She retired from Aspen Valley Hospital in 2019.

In 1984, MM married Steve Standiford, the love of her life, at Steve’s family home in Escondido, California. Captivated by the beauty of the Glenwood Springs Canyon and the serenity of the Roaring Fork Valley, the couple soon settled in Carbondale. They spent the next four decades living up Prince Creek. MM loved hiking, camping and traveling the world. She was always called a “go-girl.”

In 1990, MM and Steve welcomed their beloved daughter, Shannon, to the world. She joined her parents on their adventures, traveling with them as they explored interesting places across the globe. MM was known for planning extraordinary vacations. Before Airbnb existed, she was locating rental apartments in New York and cottages in Ireland and meticulously organizing trips with family and friends.

Their love of community and music led the couple to create Steve’s Guitars in 1993. While Steve booked outstanding bands for the popular downtown Carbondale performance space, MM rolled out the hospitality. Her homemade cookies became a signature part of the Steve’s Guitars experience.

Called a “feisty Irish fighter” by her husband, MM lived with metastatic breast cancer for nearly 10 years, since December 2014. During that time, she continued to embrace life. As recent as July 2023, MM and Shannon spent a month exploring Portugal together.

The community is invited to a Celebration of Life for MM: Saturday, June 22, 1 to 3pm Sopris Park, Carbondale

MM is survived by her husband, Steve; daughter, Shannon; siblings, Sarah Ann, Patrick (Shirley), Hugh, Dan (Jan), Kevin, John (Diana) and Brian (Emma Jean). MM’s family also includes many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends who loved her dearly.

Donations in memory of Mary Margaret O’Gara may be made to Epic Experience Beyond Cancer (www.coloradogives.org/story/Maryogara) or Pathfinders (www.pathfindersforyou.org/support-us).

GEOTHERMAL

from page 6

“additional funding” requirement of the grant application. CLEER will be notified of whether or not they receive the grant by the end of 2024. If the project receives additional federal funding, then installation of the thermal energy network is expected to begin in the spring of 2025.

Should their application be denied, Fox-Rubin stated that the team would pursue funding from private investors and or utility partners. The project team is already in communication with large-scale energy developers, but acquiring funding from this alternate source would likely result in delaying installation past next spring. Either way, the CEO grant will play a major role in bringing carbon-neutral heating to Carbondale. “It would slow us down, but our plan is to really have multiple paths to success,” said Fox-Rubin.

Vitalant Blood Drive Mon, June 10, 11AM-2:30PM

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. Stop by Vitalant’s mobile blood drive in the parking lot. It usually only takes about 15 minutes! Registration suggested.

Summer Performer: LocoMotionThe Science and Circus Art Show Fri, May 24, 11AM-1PM

Get ready to be amazed during Peter Davison’s one-man show of juggling, balancing, spinning, unicycling, clowning, and more!

Discover

at basaltlibrary.org/events-calendar

How much could you save in the next five years?

Money Juice just wrapped up work with a client who arrived with the following situation:

• $8,500 in credit-card debt

• $9,000 car loan

• Student loans

• Mortgage

• Significant upcoming dentist and vet bills

Her goals and dreams:

• Save three to six months worth of expenses for emergencies

• Pay off high-interest debt

OPINION

MONEY JUICE

By Megan Janssen

• Pay for the vet and dentist visits in full, without debt

• Save enough to move into a larger home with a yard

• Pay for vacations, gifts and fun life things in full, without debt

• Financially prepare to have a baby

After setting her vision in stone and developing the inner safety to face the facts, she got crystal clear on her financial landscape, transferred her credit debt to 0% APR cards for 15 months, started saving for emergencies in a high-yield savings account and established a plan to achieve all of her amazing goals within the next five years. Her total amount of debt paid and savings growth will be $90,456 over five years. I mean, $90,456! Did I mention she works as a public school teacher?

The average American credit-card holder is carrying a balance of $6,360 with an average interest rate of between 24% and 28%. This means the average American credit-card holder is paying about $1,558 per year in interest if they’re not able to pay off their balance. What would you do with an extra $1,558? Reserve a table at Cloud Nine in Aspen? Tickets to Beyoncé? Spend the night at a fancy hotel to get away from your toddler?

(I’ve said too much…)

If you can disengage yourself from the sticky symbol of money and simply feel your unchanging self, you’ll be off to a great start.

When you get clear on your situation, you can make a beautiful plan to change it. All it takes is a little willingness to adjust your view of the whole shebang. Here at Money Juice, we find that safety is the very first thing that needs to occur when people commit to changing their money situation. Whether you’re money avoidant, worshiping, loathing, fearing, stressing, freaking or panicking, you need to find the kink in the hose. Take the way that you feel and subtract the money. What’s left?

For example, if you worship money and find yourself spending a wee too much for your budget, ask yourself, what are you actually worshiping when you take away the cash?

No matter your situation, become an island. Remember, money is made up and it is purely symbolic. If you can disengage yourself from the sticky symbol of money and simply feel your unchanging self, you’ll be off to a great start. You are the same unchanging person whether you go to Cloud Nine or not. You are the same person whether you go to Beyoncé or not. Your situation and memories might be different, but you are an unchanging human. If you can truly feel into your miraculously unchanging nature, you may start to find the inner safety to do what our above client did. Clear away the fog, map out your financial landscape and get to work. What will your number be in five years?

Megan Janssen is a financial educator and founder of Money Juice. Learn more at www.money-juice.com

133, Dangerous as Designed: Jaywalking, Part II

By Age-Friendly Carbondale

In last week’s installment, we began a discussion of jaywalking. If pedestrians need to cross a street and the nearest safe crossing is three minutes away, most people will cross where it’s convenient. No amount of education or law enforcement will change this. Last week, we discussed the popular “jaywalk” crossing at Nieslanik. This week we’ll tackle Dolores Way, and next week we’ll finish the jaywalking part of this series with a discussion of Weant Boulevard, Lewies Lane and Keator Road.

Bracketed by a bank and a large bike and ski shop where it meets 133, Dolores Way is almost a quarter mile from the nearest signalized intersection. It’s also the only vehicle entrance to unincorporated Satank, which houses numerous retail and manufacturing businesses (including Double Diamond Moving & Storage), private homes, a new apartment complex and two schools. Directly across 133 is La Fontana Plaza with several shops, two restaurants and Rio Grande Trail access with multiple growing retail businesses to the south. Like Nieslanik, Dolores Way is an open invitation to jaywalking.

Many people have advocated for a safe crossing at Dolores for over a decade. Tamar Mattorano, a Satank resident since 1963, has documented every call, petition and meeting with elected and appointed officials. She has repeatedly voiced concerns about the dangers of near misses between vehicles and pedestrians. “There is no break in south or northbound traffic. Cars turning south from Dolores onto 133

often speed through the intersection to beat the next wave of traffic,” she stated.

It’s not surprising that Tamar is just one of many people who told us they witnessed cyclists and pedestrians jaywalking and navigating through traffic gaps to cross the street. Walking to a signalized intersection to get from Satank to La Fontana Plaza and the increasing number of businesses to the south adds nearly half a mile to a pedestrian’s trip.

This dangerous “jaywalk” crossing is highlighted in the 2013 Access Control Plan, the 2022 Comprehensive Plan and Safe Routes to Schools. The issue has involved various agencies, including RFTA, CDOT, the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and Carbondale’s Board of Trustees. In 2013, BOCC Chair John Martin said, “There is a safety issue on Dolores Way, and it’s [Carbondale Community] School. That takes precedence over private drive access for RFTA. We need to make sure our priorities are in place.”

RFTA had different priorities and access to the bus complex that would have allowed traffic from Dolores to meet 133 at the Village Road light. CDOT since refused to install a traffic light, citing Dolores’ proximity to the Village Road light and its potential to impede traffic on 133. Also in 2013, officials tentatively agreed to address the problem with a roundabout at La Fontana Plaza. This solution was, however, not incorporated in that year’s Access Control Plan. Here we are, 11 years later: more people, more traffic, same problem.

GREETINGS FROM MARBLE, COLORADO

Beaver Lake as seen on June 2 without a paddle boarder in sight following Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s enforcement of a “fishing only” rule. Photo by Lynn “Jake” Burton.

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

Scene three

By Don Marlin

The temperature of the ice cold well water on my face didn’t offset the pain in my right side, but it did clear away the light sleep and shock in my facial features. Mary’s facial angst didn’t change. After we ran lockstep out of the room to catch our breath and I picked up a flashlight and hammer in the drawer of the kitchen, we returned to our bedroom and turned on all the lights. Even with the yellowed light of the 25-watt bulbs in the room making the shadows disappear from all the corners, there was still a faint cobalt blue coming from George II. Words did not come out of my mouth and neither one of us could breathe in or out as we returned to the sleeping faces of Richard and Sally in the center of the tarnished-edged mirror.

“What am I staring at, Vince? Is this a dream? What are we looking at? This can’t be real?” Mary said with unstable lips.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.” I kept shaking my head, and knew I was awake

because my right clavicle hurt on each shake.

“That’s Richard and Sally, right? Sleeping?” she said. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the mirror but slowly said to Mary that I felt awake, my body ached, my blood is still wet on the bandages, and I feel the hammer’s weight in my hand, but couldn’t reason why I would use it or what it was to protect us from. Though we were on the verge of screaming between each other, the peaceful faces of our New Englander friends just kept on sleeping.

“I see it too, Mary. Looks like their four-post Carriage House Rice bed in their bedroom in Somers”.

“Are you nuts? Are you awake? How can you look at the bed? That’s Richard and Sally in it!”

“Look, let’s calm down. Let’s walk out of the room, put away this hammer before I do

something stupid, and start some coffee. Neither one of us is going to sleep now.” After we put on some coffee, we went to the second bedroom to find some clothes so we didn’t have to reenter the bedroom again, gathered our thoughts and tried to reconcile what we were witnessing as we sat around our restored French pine farm table. “This is just crazy.” Mary said with a slow exhaust. She took the Nutri-Grain bar from my hand with the wrapper still on it and threw it hard on the floor where I knew it was now a crumpled mess. I hate to eat those things with a fork. They are just so good fresh out of the wrapper with some of the vanilla nut coffee we always have in the morning. However, this was not a normal morning; maybe I needed to change things up to clear my head. “Their faces are so real.” I said. “It is like we are watching them through a window or a

John Plano, a former building official for the Town of Carbondale (now working for Garfield County), recently visited the Ben and Jerry’s factory in Waterberry, Vermont. He didn’t forget to pack a Sopris Sun and send a few photos for the folks back home. Courtesy photos

portal and even though we are yelling loud enough to wake up our homestead neighbors the mirror is see-through and not a two-way speaker. I could hear Richard breath.” I tried to explain.

“What the … you could hear them?” Mary exploded.

“Honey, I see them, hear them; I even think that we are looking at them sleeping in their bedroom in real-time as we stare into George II.”

“Vince, how can you be so calm? Shouldn’t we call the police or someone?” Mary’s explosion continued to effervesce.

“Look, we are awake in our kitchen, it’s Saturday, August 10, 2010, we are witnessing something that is unbelievable but obviously not a threat to our lives. It doesn’t make sense to call someone since the police can’t help. There isn’t anyone out there like a Ghostbusters group. We just have to wrap our hands around this and try to see if this is temporary like a daydream or if it is something that is lasting and is real,” I said.

“Vince, you are way too damn rational.”

“Mary, we both are a witness to this.”

“Vince, you say that like this is a crime!”.

“No. No. No. No, Mary, no crime. We just have to…”

Mary started to froth like basaltic magma and out came a “What? Catalog this event like we are gridding out the collapsed woodshed artifacts for the Forest Service?”

“No. No. No. Just calm down.” I said. “Let’s finish this coffee, splash water in our faces again and walk into the bedroom again and see if this charade, or reality, is still something we have to deal with and try to understand what is going on.”

Mary shook with the ambiance of an earthquake tremor. “But it isn’t very comforting that you are taking such a scientific approach to a portal in our bedroom to our friends in Somers. This is just a freaky event!” The lava hit the sea again.

“I know. I know. I know,” I mumbled. “I just don’t know how else to approach what is happening. Come on, let’s go back in.”

Nations, up to 10 women per day are killed by intimate partners or family members. In 2021, the Mexican Supreme Court declared that penalizing abortion is unconstitutional. Abortion has been legal in Mexico City since 2007.

We Yanquis tend to look down our nose at Mexico as an inferior banana republic. Perhaps we should be looking to our neighbors to the south as a positive example

Fred Malo Jr. Carbondale

Please stop littering because we want the Earth to look good and not dry. We want more decomposers. Decomposers are living things that help the soil. Trash makes it hard for decomposers. Everywhere we can, keep the Earth clean! People from Carbondale can send a letter to family and others they don’t know to follow the rules of the Town of Carbonade and also Carbondale Middle School and other schools, too. We want to take care of our world so that we can improve our jobs and people can work by cleaning the road and making it better for humans.

Genesis Perez Carbondale

CD3 PRIMARY

from page 8

helps Israel is blessed. So I take my position on Israel — and only Israel — as being something that we have to support. We have to take care of our ally.”

Andrews began by criticizing protesting university students, calling them children and “guaranteeing” that they couldn’t find Gaza on a map. “I will do anything I can to help Israel. It starts, however, with us building up our own military and I think that Israel also needs to start jumpstarting its own defense systems.” He suggested, based on an article he’d read, that Gaza could be a place to produce arms, providing jobs. He also called Gaza a beautiful place that would be filled with hotels if there was a “rational” government there.

Varela said that the issues in Israel and the Middle East stem from Iran, which “is fighting proxy wars in these countries.” He continued, “Too often in politics, too often in government do we worry more and more about the symptom and we forget the cause. If we eliminated the cause where this is coming from, we wouldn’t be talking about this today.” While serving in Iraq, he said that an improvised explosive device that hit their vehicle was “more than likely manufactured by the Iranians.”

Mutual support, mostly

Before closing comments, the candidates were asked if they would support the Republican CD3 candidate should they not be nominated. All said yes, with the exception of Hank who said it depends on who that would be.

Commission Chair John Martin was the Debbie Downer of the discussion. “We’ll never reach 100%,” he said. “It’s important to recognize that we account for our carbon emissions, not only the power that’s being generated but also the resources that are being used to generate them.”

“The life cycle emissions on those resources are not zero,” Hannegan agreed. “But certainly, when we look at the life cycle emissions associated with our Comanche Three power plant shareholding, they are less.” He added that HCE is committed to recycling wind and solar materials.

Martin pointed out that the wind power industry is taking all the balsa wood out of the Amazon and that carbon-based fiberglass paint is used on the turbines. “So, good luck with the production,” he said. “If we would just have less use, we would be better off.”

Commissioners Jankovsky and Samson thanked Hannegan, congratulated HCE on its successes and, once again, touted natural gas and coal as necessary for China and India. Hannegan said that using solar and wind energy has saved millions of dollars that can now be invested in wildfire mitigation, cybersecurity and modernizing the grid. You can hear the entire conversation at the Garfield County website.

Eagles

Finally, ecologist Delia Malone and Aspen Glen resident Sibel Tekce presented results of a two-year study of Aspen Glen’s resident bald eagles and the Bald Eagle Buffer Zone (BEBZ).Three eaglets fledged this year in a nest further upstream from the original nest, which was blown down years ago; however, many eagles still use the BEBZ for foraging. Malone said the proximity of the foraging area to the nest plays a big role in successful rearing and fledging of the raptors.

The BEBZ continues to be a refuge for wildlife, including elk, deer and bears, said Tekce, adding that she saw elk near Hole 10 on the Aspen Glen golf course from January through March. “They’ve been using it more every year,” she said. “It’s their safe place.”

The afternoon session was canceled due to improper noticing for a public hearing.

What do these three folks have in common?

TOWN OF CARBONDALE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of considering a combined application for Subdivision Exemption and Variance to allow for a single lot to be split into two lots.

Project Description: The project, Morris Subdivision Exemption, proposes a subdivision exemption application to split an existing lot in the Residential/ Low Density zone district into two (2) lots zoned Residential/Low Density. In addition, the project requests a variance to reduce the internal 7.5’ side yard setback to 4.5 feet on the existing lot and increase the setback on the new lot to 10.9 feet.

Property Location: 195 S. 4th Street; Lots 9-12, Block 18 of the Original Townsite.

Applicant: Robert Schultz Consulting

Owner: Randal Morris

Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO beginning at 7:00 p.m. on June 27, 2024.

Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be viewed on the Town’s website at:

https://carbondalegov.org/departments/ planning/current_land_use_applications.php

If you would like to submit comments regarding this application please send them via email to jbarnes@carbondaleco. net by 5:00 pm on June 27, 2024. The comments will be entered into the record. If you have questions regarding the application, please contact Jared Barnes, Planning Director, at 970-510-1208.

Published in The Sopris Sun on June 6, 2024.

The answer is “Ezra.” Crystal Theatre owners Bob and Kathy Ezra are joined by Adrienne Ackerman, a Valley local who wrote the title song for the major motion picture “Ezra.” Ackerman now lives in Los Angeles but traveled to Carbondale for the national premiere of “Ezra” with a free screening sponsored by Arc of the Central Mountains. Ackerman performed her song live at the Crystal on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Photo by Sue Rollyson