‘Twas another fine Potato Day on Oct. 5 with harvest splendor, games, music and one of the largest Carbondale parades in recent memory. This year’s theme, “Mr. McClure Goes to Hollywood,” saw folks dressed for stardom and the community lunch fed hundreds with local beef and baked potatoes cooked in pits beneath Sopris Park.
When I was a Roaring Fork High School sophomore in Carmen McCracken’s AP English Composition class, a man named James Steindler came to speak with us about a relatively new invention: The Sopris Sun’s Youth News Bureau.
James himself was a somewhat disheveled man wearing a mismatched suit and a cowboy shirt. He was enthusiastic, a tad bit intense and clearly passionate about journalism in all its forms. He tried his hardest to convince a group of teenagers that journalism was cool, and sadly, I believe it may have fallen on quite a few pairs of deaf ears. However, a younger Gus Richardson was beyond interested.
I had always been a pretty good writer, but also I didn’t know what to do with that. I enjoyed writing short stories, screenplays, Dungeons and Dragons adventures and hey, even the occasional essay, but I wanted to do something more real with these skills.
So, that same night, I sent my application to Mr. James Steindler, and after submitting an essay I had written about Animal Farm and the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as attempting to capture why journalism seemed so interesting to me (all the while trying not to make it obvious that I was very excited about the “paid” aspect of this internship), I got the job. Next Wednesday, a few other teens and I settled into the living room-sized Sopris Sun office, and the rest is history.
However, in my opinion, the best thing to come about from my internship at The Sopris Sun so far was The Boston University Summer Journalism Academy. Every summer, BU brings a bunch of high school journalism students from around the world to their school for a month with the express purpose of teaching them as much as possible about journalism, and thanks to financial assistance from The Sopris Sun in the form of a scholarship, I was able to get enough money together to attend, and it was incredible. I met many great journalists and eager students, all working together to further our knowledge and produce some genuinely spectacular stories. And in the end, we really did! You can read my and the other students’ stories produced during our time in Boston here: www.bit.ly/BU2024stories
By Gus Richardson
I have now been working at The Sun for almost two years. In that time, I’ve written many articles, varying in topic from theater reviews to organ donors to high school happenings. My fellow youth journalist Yesenia Benavides Burgos and I have also co-hosted more than 50 episodes of Everything Under The Sun, The Sopris Sun’s weekly radio show, adding more detail to a story from that week’s paper every Thursday on KDNK.
Letter to The Sopris Sun
What an amazing gift you are to the community of Carbondale and beyond! Your wonderful support of a well-known artist and his contributions to Carbondale in the past years and recently has brought many people to know how wonderful you are in supporting him and his legacy. Who do I speak of? None other than the Insane-A-Cycle creator, William Morrow.
Raleigh Burleigh and the Sopris Sun staff have helped this legendary artist bring his last works to the community in a long-awaited auction of his amazing art. Your true spirit of community has uplifted Bill and his family more than you know.
Although we had hoped to see all the items off into the area, we were not able to complete that task, as of yet, and hope there is still a way to benefit the community of Carbondale with some of the remaining “one and only” metal sculptures from Bill Morrow aka William Morrow.
Many people of Carbondale have mentioned that they miss the iconic Insane-A-Cycle at the Roaring Fork Coop, which was hosted by them for many years. We are hoping to bring awareness to the community that it is available at this time to be purchased and possibly donated to the city or to another city in the area to live on in our wonderful valley, where it was created and beloved by many!
It would be an honor to Mr. Morrow to have it here and any other items he has created while being a member of this amazing community. We hope his art lives on for many decades into the future and the incredible spirit of this masterful artist, William Morrow!
However, while the BU program taught me a lot, it also showed me a bit of what I didn’t want to become. A few of my instructors were quite jaded and seemingly cared more about getting the best story than the people they were writing about. They weren’t bad journalists, they were exceptional, but the way they thought about journalism was wildly different from what I want to do. I want to connect with people, share stories and contribute to a more empathetic and informed community, and lucky for me, these tenets are exactly what The Sopris Sun stands for. This paper is something truly special because of that, and I am beyond grateful that I was given the opportunity to work for this amazing organization.
And if that sounds like something you’re into, keep supporting community-focused and top-quality news by donating today at www.soprissun.com/donate or send a check to PO Box 399, Carbondale CO 81623
To see other works still available, check out www.WilliamMorrowSculptures.com and help us turn a legendary artist into the true legend that he is, all while benefiting his family as his last wishes are granted.
With deepest gratitude, Nancey Glass “Girl Friday” for William Morrow
Before the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was created in 1978, individual agencies at local, state and federal levels were left on their own to coordinate their responses to disasters, resulting in slow, bureaucratic and disjointed relief efforts. The National Governors Association specifically asked President Jimmy Carter in 1978 to create a single federal agency that would coordinate all disaster relief efforts, resulting in the creation of FEMA. This agency has led the response to Hurricane Helene resulting in the current deployment of over 3,300 federal employees across the disaster area.
If elected, Trump plans to slash FEMA. Now imagine the response to a future hurricane under Trump with this reduced workforce. And to top this off, Trump also plans to stock federal agencies with federal employees who are not selected for their competence but by their loyalty to him. History has shown that these “appointees” are often incompetent at best and, at worst, only interested in lining their own pockets. “What’s in it for me, (governor of state of your choice), if I send you relief?” The response would be nowhere as effective as the current response to Helene.
This is only one example of an agency that does much public good
and that the Republicans would like to shutter or muzzle.
Jerome Dayton Carbondale
At a candidate’s forum in Rifle last week, Garfield County commissioner candidate Perry Will made a claim that needs fact checking. He contended wind farms have as many carbon emissions as fossil fuel power plants. No, it’s not even close, Perry.
Even when manufacturing and construction are taken into consideration, wind turbines emit only 11 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour. For coal plants, it’s 980 grams and methane gas 465. All Will knows about fossil fuels is the industry has deep pockets. And no, wind turbines don’t kill whales, very few birds, and they don’t cause cancer.
On the subject of fact checking, why is it the Republicans are the only ones with a problem with fact checks? GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump pitched a hissy fit when the ABC moderators repeatedly fact checked him in his debate with Kamala Harris and his vice-presidential running mate JD Vance complained loudly when CBS’s Margaret Brennan broke her promise not to point out his lies during the vice-presidential debate.
Now, Trump refuses to do a 60 Minutes interview unless Scott Pelley swears not to correct his prevarications. Democrats certainly fib, just like all politicians, but I’ve never heard them object to fact checking. Could it be Democratic lies are of a lighter hue than Republican ones?
Fred Malo Jr. Carbondale
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Colorado
The City of Glenwood Springs is asking residents to share their experiences and concerns around transportation safety. An online survey, available until Oct. 25, seeks to identify areas where people feel unsafe while traveling, whether by foot, bike, public transit or car. Survey insights will be combined with existing data, such as traffic volumes and crash reports, to prioritize critical areas for safety improvements. The survey is available at www.GWSsafetysurvey.com
Social Justice Desk
Local reporter Eleanor Bennett is rejoining Aspen Public Radio as part of a project with Aspen Journalism to establish a Social Justice Desk for the Roaring Fork Valley. Born and raised in Aspen, Bennet worked with Aspen Public Radio for four years before pursuing a summer-long Spanish intensive program. In her new role, she will develop meaningful collaborative relationships with diverse sources from Aspen to Parachute. “I look forward to covering a range of challenges impacting our community, from a lack of affordable housing to mental health access barriers,” Bennet stated, “as well as local efforts to solve these issues.”
Colorado book awards
Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book is accepting submissions for the 2025 Colorado Book Awards. Books published between Nov. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2024 are eligible and the submission deadline is Jan. 3, 2025. A primary contributor to the book must be a current Colorado resident with a Colorado address. Submission categories include: anthology, fiction, history, nonfiction, pictorial, poetry, children’s, juvenile and young adult literature. Volunteer selectors and judges are also needed. Learn more at www.coloradohumanities.org/ programs/colorado-book-awards
Roaring Fork High School sophomore Griffin Didier finished second overall, and his Basalt High School boys golf team took third at the 3A State Golf Championships on Monday and Tuesday at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo. Didier shot a round of 69 on Monday and 70 on Tuesday to finish four strokes behind state champion Tyler Long of Evergreen. Senior teammate Jackson Stewart finished in the three-way tie for 10th with rounds of 74 and 73; sophomore Hudson Arnold was 38th (81 and 79); and freshman Parker Strelecki was 59th (85 and 83) to round out the Longhorns’ team scoring. Stewart and Arnold also attend Roaring Fork.
Black Hills Energy announced on Oct. 1 that customers will see a cost decrease on their bills and through the end of the year. Every year, a gas cost adjustment is filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to reflect the recent and projected cost of natural gas. “The price of natural gas is a ‘pass through cost,’” a press release stated, “meaning Black Hills Energy makes no money on it and our customers pay market rates and no more.” West Slope communities will see a -5.49% rate change whereas other regions in Colorado will see a more significant decrease.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife urges state residents to remove potential tangle and entrapment hazards for wildlife from their properties. Hammocks, nets and even tires and bucket lids can become inconvenient accessories to curious animals like antlered deer, elk and moose. It’s also important to keep wildlife in mind when decorating for holidays, including Halloween.
Roaring Fork Schools announced the retirement of Michelle Hammond who served in multiple roles for the Food & Nutrition Services department, including director and operations manager, for over 28 years. Throughout her career, Hammond sought to improve the quality of meals and nutrition education, partnering with local farmers to bring fresh, locally-sourced produce to school cafeterias. Hammond shares her celebration with Olivia Chacon, a beloved colleague retiring after 18 years with the same department.
After a year of serving locally-sourced cuisine, The Painted Pig (689 Main Street) is closing with a pancake breakfast this Sunday, Oct. 13. “The standards we set for this business rested on paying people a living wage and providing unwavering support for our local farmers and food systems,” wrote owner Kade Gianinetti. “We are thankful for the friendships and connections made within our walls.” Aquila Cellars will continue peddling wine, details at www. aquilacellars.com
The Mount Sopris Nordic Council is seeking a trail groomer or two to work three to six shifts per week (15 to 30 hours) typically in the evenings (5 to 9pm) in exchange for $25 per hour, a snowmobile suite, a winter clothing stipend and end-of-season performance bonus. “There’s a significant learning curve,” the website states. “Skills are developed over the course of seasons, not weeks.” For more info, visit www.springgulch.org/jobs
They say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Charlotte Vanderhurst (Oct. 10); Brittany Biebl and Jake Kinney (Oct. 11); Rick Borkovec, Stephanie Deaton, Linda Giesecke and Paul Luttrell (Oct. 12); Janice Forbes and Bryce Pizano (Oct. 13); Michael Carter, Kay Clarke, Carrie Close, Gabrielle Greeves and Hannah Ross (Oct. 14); Matt Albericom Darren Broome, Calder Morrison, Lupita Ochoa and Corey Mineo (Oct. 15); Alex Heinig, Oriana Moebius and Abby Zlotnick (Oct. 16).
JEANNE SOULDERN
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Niki Delson’s dedication and impact on Carbondale exemplify the spirit of community engagement, making her deserving of AARP’s top state-level honor — the Andrus Award for Community Service. Her story reminds us of the significant contributions that can be made when individuals take action to uplift those around them.
Lauded as “AARP’s most prestigious and visible state volunteer award,” the Andrus was presented to Delson by Debbie Horner, AARP Colorado director of volunteers, at Tuesday night’s Board of Trustees meeting in Carbondale.
The Sopris Sun spoke with Delson around Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration. “I read last night that every one of us has a handprint in the world. Every one of us leaves a handprint. I like that,” she said, referring to her lifelong commitment to community service and engagement.
As a long-time community advocate in Carbondale, she has been recognized for her significant contributions to the town’s Age-Friendly initiative. Delson was informed of her award shortly before AARP’s ceremony in Denver on Sept. 19.
Unable to attend the ceremony due to a previously scheduled trip
to California, she created a video message in her absence, in which she expressed her deep honor to be chosen for Colorado.
Growing up in the Bronx, Delson reflected on the early experiences that shaped her values. “I remember riding in a car with my mom on garbage collection day. She would see a perfectly good carpet and say, ‘Remind me to come back and pick this up,’ knowing who in the neighborhood might need it,” she recalled. “It was about showing up in the
world and making things better.”
Delson and her husband, Ron Kokish, have become pillars in the Carbondale community. After spending 37 years on the coast of Northern California, “with beautiful Redwoods in our backyard,” they moved to New Castle for two years and to Carbondale in 2009. Delson has been instrumental in shaping the Age-Friendly Carbondale initiative, which aims to enhance the quality of life for older adults and, in turn, all community members. In
a follow-up recognition event hosted in Carbondale, she noted, “The recognition is somewhat awkward for me, as it feels like accepting an honor for simply being myself.” Delson credits her upbringing: “The ethics and values I grew up with always centered on how you can repair the world.”
A proponent of community engagement, Delson is passionate about the idea that older adults are resources rather than burdens. “We have changed the
narrative in Carbondale to say that older adults are not taking resources; we are the resources,” she asserted.
This shift in perspective has been a focal point of her work with Age-Friendly Carbondale, which has seen impressive growth in the six years since its inception. “We’ve done pretty remarkable things, given that our average age is about 75,” she remarked.
She credits Carbondale’s former Mayor, Dan Richardson, and former Planning Director, Janet Buck, for welcoming community input from the Age-Friendly group. “They said, ‘Sure, we’ll listen to you. Please show us what you’ve got,’” Delson recalled.
Delson emphasizes the importance of being proactive rather than reactive. “We don’t believe in uncommitted complaining. If you want to complain, go on Facebook. But if you want to change how things are, show up,” she said, encapsulating her activist ethos.
“It’s been a great journey. I’ve enjoyed it, and I’ve still got more energy. So I’m not saying goodbye, but when the time comes to say goodbye, that’ll be okay, too.”
With her characteristic humor, she concluded, “It’s been a great ride. I live equidistant from Heritage Park Care Center and the cemetery, whichever comes first.”
Glenwood Springs Library
Avon Integrated Health Center Rifle Integrated Health Center
Glenwood Springs Library
Avon, Basalt, Glenwood Springs, and Rifle Integrated Health Centers
Basalt Integrated Health Center
Glenwood Springs Library
Gypsum Integrated Health Center
8am - 6pm (Walk-Ins Only) 9am - 2pm 9am - 2pm 9am - 2pm 9am - 2pm 8am - 6pm (Walk-Ins Only) 9am - 2pm 9am - 2pm 9am - 2pm 9am - 2pm Avon, Glenwood Springs, and Rifle Integrated Health Centers
Glenwood Springs Library
OCTOBER 26 . 4:00
JEANNE SOULDERN Sopris Sun Correspondent
“The Gravel Underneath,” an exhibition featuring the photography and poetry of Bridges High School students, is currently on display at Anderson Ranch Center for the Arts in Snowmass Village. The show runs through Oct. 25 and combines blackand-white portraits taken by visiting artist Kathya Maria Landeros with color photographs and evocative poetry from the students, creating a unique blend of storytelling and visual art.
In February, Landeros met with the students, bringing her large-format camera to the high school to capture their portraits on film. Known for her community-oriented projects, Landeros emphasizes the power of combining visual art with poetry, fostering collaboration and creative expression.
atmosphere between the photographer and the subject. This camera requires careful consideration of composition, lighting, and focus, resulting in a slower, more intentional process.
“The camera’s bulky presence necessitates time for setup on a tripod, creating a focused environment that promotes engagement with the subject,” she said.
The shared experience is heightened when using a large-format camera, allowing for eye contact and communication throughout the picture-taking process. “One thing I like about the camera is that the rangefinder is different.
You think you’re alone until you hear someone’s poem, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, that person just wrote their story, and it was about me,
-Adam Carballeira, Bridges High School
“Kathya has a natural style — she’s a people person, and you can see from her photographs that she gets to the ground level and meets people where they are,” said Adam Carballeira, an English teacher at Bridges High School.
Landeros explained that a large-format camera enhances the collaborative
One of your eyes is always looking through the camera, but there’s still a lot of communication as you make the picture. I continue a conversation as I compose and focus. When the shutter is released, I also make eye contact with the person. It’s a lovely way of engaging,” Landeros explained.
The artwork resulting from this project resonates powerfully, reflecting the students’ voices and experiences. Andrea Harris, now a full-time English Language Development (ELD) teacher at Roaring Fork High School, played a crucial role
in connecting Carballeira and Anderson Ranch to get the project started.
Carballeira was teaching a class focused on ekphrastic poetry — a genre of writing that responds to visual art, inviting readers to engage with both the poem and the artwork. The incorporation of poetry creates a dialogue between the two forms, enhancing the students’ artistic expression.
Anderson Ranch staff supported the students in their artistic endeavors, allowing them to explore photography with disposable cameras. The students’ images are displayed alongside their written work from the poetry class taught by Carballeira, showcasing their artistic growth through collaboration.
The exhibition highlights the students’
talents and emphasizes their shared experiences. “There are certain things that teens go through that I know I went through and thought, ‘Well, I must be the only one that thinks this way,’” Carballeira reflected. “You think you’re alone until you hear someone’s poem, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, that person just wrote their story, and it was about me.’ Suddenly, you’re not alone anymore.”
The exhibit is a testament to the transformative power of art and community collaboration. “We’re not reading poetry for ourselves; it’s for the people that hear it; it’s a gift to them,” Carballeira added.
For more information on Anderson Ranch events and programming, go to www.andersonranch.org
KATE PHILLIPS
Sopris Sun Correspondent
On Oct. 17 at the Third Street Center, the community is invited to attend Darkness to Light’s Stewards of Children, a free, bilingual training on the prevention of child sexual abuse. The event starts at 5:30pm with a community dinner, followed by training from 6 to 8pm. Childcare will be provided.
Hosted by the Buddy Program in partnership with River Bridge Regional Center, Aspen Youth Center, YouthZone and Aspen Family Connections, Stewards of Children is an evidence-based training to prevent, recognize and respond to child sexual abuse. The award-winning training was created by Darkness to Light, a national nonprofit organization that empowers adults to build prevention-oriented communities and protect children.
According to the Children’s Advocacy Project, 67% of all sexual assault victims are under the age of 18, with one in four girls and one in six boys experiencing abuse. There are currently 39 million survivors in the United States. Recognizing this prevalence and that sexual abuse often occurs in secrecy, without visual evidence, the local nonprofits decided to collaborate.
“Child abuse expands across all socioeconomic and demographic
characteristics of our community,” said Mary Cloud, development coordinator at River Bridge Regional Center. “We want to make this free and available for everybody to show that this education is important to access. We want our community to support the child and the family, and make sure they can continue to have a thriving and healthy life.”
The training will highlight signs of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, grooming and how adults can respond to reduce retraumatization for the child. Additionally, attendees will learn how to contact local authorities, and ways to support the child and family after a referral is made.
Amy Gomez, prevention coordinator and mental health therapist at River Bridge, said it is critical for families to attend because oftentimes signs of abuse are missed.
“We’ve seen cases of pretty severe abuse. Sometimes the family does not know how to respond, or maybe [the abuse] could have been stopped sooner,” said Gomez. “Hopefully we don’t have to use these resources, but they’re there if something comes up.”
For River Bridge and the Buddy Program, it is imperative that local nonprofits work together to prevent child abuse. “Collaboration is critical,” said Lindsay Lofaro, executive director of the Buddy Program.
She elaborated, “The Buddy Program can’t be the child sexual abuse community space like River Bridge is, and we don’t expect them to be the mentoring program. Together, the nonprofits have created a safety net for our children.”
Providing services for Eagle, Garfield, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties, River Bridge employs a multidisciplinary team that enhances the response to and investigation of child abuse allegations. At River Bridge, forensic interviewers conduct neutral interviews with non-leading questions that are developmentally appropriate for children. The fact-finding interviews are then used by law
enforcement or human services to help with abuse allegation cases.
To begin the healing process, children meet with a mental health provider and a medical professional while families are connected with an advocate who helps navigate services such as food, housing and other nonprofit resources in the area.
“They come to a neutral space with an interviewer who is very well trained,” said Gomez. “The child talks to one person only about a traumatic experience without having to repeat the story multiple times.”
Cloud emphasized that River Bridge is not a reporting agency, nor
is it an investigative agency. Instead, she strongly encouraged anyone who suspects abuse to contact local law enforcement or the child abuse and neglect hotline.
The Darkness to Light training is part of River Bridge’s ongoing commitment to enhance its prevention education program. An essential component of this program’s growth is to understand relevant education for the community. As a result, later this year, River Bridge will be offering a community assessment survey for the public to provide feedback regarding gaps in services and ways to improve current resources. The project’s initial phase was funded by Glenwood Springs Subaru through its annual Share the Love charity event, but ongoing support is needed to secure the project’s sustainability.
“It is on all of us to keep our kids safe,” said Lofaro. “The more empowerment and knowledge we can provide for our greater community around this topic is only going to make us stronger and keep our kids safe.”
Visit www.riverbridgerc.org to learn more about River Bridge, its upcoming community needs assessment, and the Darkness to Light training. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, contact local authorities or the Colorado hotline at 1-844-CO-4-Kids.
JAMES STEINDLER
Contributing Editor
On the day marking one year since the Hamas terrorist attack on the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel, a reporter, two persons of the Jewish diaspora and one member from Ceasefire Now RFV (Roaring Fork Valley) sat down at the Third Street Center for a conversation.
The Oct. 7, 2023 attack killed more than 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 250 hostages, many of whom are still being held captive or have lost their lives since. More than 41,500 people in the Palestinian territories, mostly in Gaza, have been killed since the attack.
There is grief on all sides and honoring that has not proven easy.
Erica Lazarus identifies as Jewish and also has Palestinian friends, including a former partner whose family suffered loss of life and had to flee Palestine some years ago. Niki Delson is Jewish and was instrumental in bringing fellow members of the faith together to form the Downvalley Jewish Community; she has family in Israel. Dave Reed is a member of Ceasefire Now RFV, a local group that successfully lobbied the Glenwood Springs City Council to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“What I’ve witnessed and felt within my community and others’
too, is that there is a fear to even talk about this,” said Lazarus. She recalled a rabbi friend querying how they could balance their love for Israel and support for the Palestinian movement — an internal battle reminiscent of the external contention within communities.
Following Glenwood City Council’s resolution, Ceasefire Now RFV presented the like to Carbondale’s Board of Trustees.
“There were a lot of emotions around the Ceasefire group coming to the trustees and the rhetoric that was coming out from both sides, which, to me, was just horrible,” said Delson. “People were so angry and hateful without even knowing each other.”
Far from the group’s intention, Reed later recognized how the resolution could be construed by Jewish community members.
Ahead of the meeting, Reed reached out to Trustee Colin Laird who advised that he first get in touch with Delson. Reed reached out, but the two were not able to connect before the meeting when the motion was initially proposed.
Delson admonished the board not to entertain the resolution because of the division it would inevitably cause here at home. They heeded her warning.
“I think there were probably an equal number of people on both sides that were equally passionate
and full of pain and sorrow and I think very sincere,” Delson said of the scene at Town Hall.
Some time later, Delson and Reed met for coffee outside Bonfire. Despite tumultuous emotions surrounding the subject, the two found some common ground. Without abandoning his opinions in regard to the conflict overseas, Reed felt a shift in himself “to diffuse the situation and make peace” starting here at home.
During their conversation at Bonfire, a woman who’d been sitting nearby approached them and, after first apologizing for eavesdropping, said something like, “I just wish that more people could have a conversation like that,” Delson said. The unknown woman’s comment sparked something. “It meant something to her, which, to me, meant that it would mean something to somebody else,” she recalled thinking at the time.
Such an opportunity soon presented itself. Jewish members of the nondenominational Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist (TRUU) church had felt otherized because of pro-Palestinian rhetoric among the congregation. Therefore, TRUU Minister Aaron Brown offered to facilitate a conversation with its members.
“I’d never seen somebody facilitate a group that big, with that much
feeling, with that much compassion,” said Delson. From the roots of that community conversation grew another — actually, three.
Members of the Downvalley Jewish Community and Ceasefire Now RFV came together for three two-hour listening sessions, and Brown was invited as the facilitator. Each session began with a potluck and breaking bread with one another.
Reed said he’d characterize the fruits of those sessions as stemming not from participants’ opinions but more from their feelings. Delson added that it was an opportunity for people to express themselves from the lens in which they interpreted the conflict. “That was shared really deeply, with incredible respect and understanding,” she noted.
Delson continued, “I don’t
think we went into this expecting to change anybody’s mind.”
That was not the purpose. Lazarus added, “We were gathering together to understand who these humans were in this space, conflict aside.”
“I went into this process thinking, ‘How can we expect people in the Middle East to talk through this and arrive at some resolution if we can’t talk about it here,” said Reed. “We want to demonstrate the peacemaking that we want to see in the world.”
Everyone was encouraged to use “I” statements, in order to refrain from associating blame. Nonviolent communication was at the heart of the experience, for which Lazarus gave credit to Brown.
In a separate interview, Brown said the credit was mutual. “There
RALEIGH BURLEIGH
Sopris Sun Editor
All trustees were present at their regular meeting, Oct. 8, with Christina Montemayor joining via Zoom. After student of the month awards, a consent agenda was swiftly approved consisting of liquor license renewals, a special event liquor license for KDNK’s Labor of Love auction (Dec. 6 at Thunder River Theatre) and accounts payable. There were no public comments unrelated to agenda items.
During general trustee comments, Colin Laird expressed interest in joining the Colorado Municipal League’s policy committee to lobby for the state to allow real estate transfer fees.
Ross Kribbs stated that after learning more about the original glass brick façade for the new pool building during a Public Arts Commission meeting, he’ll be advocating for finding the funds to go ahead with that design. Kribbs also expressed concern about the Carbondale Marketplace subdivision looking like “a dump” with an inaccessible futsal court. Moreover, “the green monsters remain,” he said regarding two transformer boxes obstructing visibility where Hendrick meets Main Street. “Somebody is going to get killed there.”
Chris Hassig and others commended Town staff for pulling off another successful Potato Day. Jess Robison commented that it may have been the longest Carbondale parade she’d ever seen. Robison also requested a monthly update from the pool team and agreed with Kribbs about going for the original façade design to enhance the building’s appeal.
The meeting then turned celebratory as AARP State President Debbie Hornor presented Niki Delson with the prestigious Andrus Award for Community Service. Delson was lauded as “an AARP legend” and cheered on by fellow members of Age-Friendly Carbondale along with friends and family.
Next, Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman proposed a 7.5% rate increase for trash services to address a negative Trash Fund balance projected to end 2024 at $117,619 in the hole. This exceeds the 2.2% increase contractor Mountain Waste requested in accordance with the Western Region Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. As Robison pointed out, it’s still “way less expensive” than before the Town transitioned to a single-hauler system. “I think it’s pretty important to get that fund balance back to normal,” she stated.
The trash discussion then shifted to bears. “When we started this [single-hauler system], bears were a driving factor,” commented Mayor Ben Bohmfalk. According to a staff memo, only 13.4% of households have bear resistant containers, which comes at a higher monthly cost ($13.82 for medium-sized trash and recycling before the rate increase, plus the initial cost of the containers). Town Manager Lauren Gister announced
that 28 tickets have been issued for trash ordinance violations since Aug. 20, not including warnings.
Schorzman suggested that when Mountain Waste’s contract is up in two years, the Town could consider universally requiring bear-proof containers. Laird pointed out that Aspen accessed bear-proof containers with grant funding, and Carbondale could begin by distributing containers to residents most in need, especially renters without access to a garage.
Hassig pointed out that the rate increase will most affect people with bear-resistant containers. With Hassig and Montemayor dissenting, the waste hauling rate adjustment passed and will become effective Nov. 1.
Next up, trustees continued the public hearing for an application to build a new restaurant at 522 Highway 133. Applicant Chester White, a Carbondale resident unaffiliated with the Chester’s Chicken franchise, explained his vision for an authentically small-town restaurant founded in environmental stewardship, localism and culturally-relevant programming.
After receiving feedback from trustees at their Sept. 24 meeting, White returned with the proposal to dedicate $43,500 toward a 15-dock WE-cycle station on the site, plus $1,500 annually for 10 years of maintenance, in lieu of an upfront traffic impact fee. Additionally, the team reduced their request for financial assistance to underground utilities, from a maximum of $150,000 to $100,000. White, in comparison, will pay roughly $272,680 solely on undergrounding utilities. The Town has a dedicated fund with Xcel Energy toward these kinds of projects currently sitting at $290,000.
Kribbs advocated for a further reduced contribution from the Town as well as direct payment instead of a WE-cycle station to dedicate toward any transit project, including a new roundabout or highway crossing. The intersection was again a topic of discussion with several residents of Satank arguing against a right-in, right-out restriction on Dolores Way, which Mayor Bohmfalk clarified is not on the table at this time.
With all trustees in favor minus Kribbs, the applicant received approval.
Lastly, Greg Hansen, the Town’s new finance director, presented a preliminary 2025 budget. A high-level discussion ensued with trustees voicing additional priorities, including new pedestrian crossings on Highway 133. After shifting from self-collected to state-collected taxes, Carbondale saw 2024 sales tax revenue 21.7% above what was projected while neighboring municipalities saw flat and even slightly decreased revenues.
Next Tuesday, Oct. 15, public works and other departments will present their financial needs. On Oct. 22, the police and recreation departments will present. On Nov. 12, the budget will be reviewed again along with community grant requests (due Oct. 14). On Dec. 10, there will be a public hearing and setting of the mill levy rate for property taxes before the budget is approved.
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Prior to this week’s meeting, Town Council held a public work session with the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition (WMRHC) to learn more about their recently-launched Good Deeds program, which provides buy-down assistance to Roaring Fork Valley employees looking to shift from renting to homeownership.
Good Deeds works on a basic exchange: WMRHC offers up-front funds to homebuyers, ranging up to 30% of the cost of the home. In exchange, the applicant accepts a permanent price-cap deed restriction on the property.
WMRHC created the program in August of 2024 with a regional focus, and therefore opened applications to anyone working full-time for an employer physically or principally based in Pitkin, western Eagle and Garfield counties. The program was created primarily for moderate-to-high income households who are just out of reach of homeownership and still rent. In addition to increasing deed-restricted housing inventory in the Valley, once these households make the jump to homeownership, the rental market will be relieved of some pressure, and as a result, lower income households will have more rental opportunities.
So far, WMHRC has collected $2 million from the municipalities of Glenwood Springs, Snowmass Village, Carbondale and Aspen, plus Pitkin County — yet no direct funds from the Town of Basalt.
WMHRC has used this funding to close on one home thus far and has five other homes under contract. However, the organization estimates that, in order to convert 30 homes to deed restricted housing using Good Deeds, the program will need $13.5 million in total.
During the work session, Betsy Crum of WMHRC asked that the Town of Basalt consider contributing financially to the program. Town Manager Ryan Mahoney responded by stating that for Basalt’s 2025 budget, funds have already been put aside for funding housing projects. However, this pool of funding was created before the Town was aware of the Good Deeds program and has restrictions barring it from use by the WMHRC.
“We’re all in on supporting the coalition,” Mahoney said. “Our challenge is taking money from the general fund … we still need to provide services to the community and we have capital improvements that we need to make on our own.”
That being said, Mahoney stated that there is $100,000 in funding available in the 2025 budget for the Good Deeds program, but this funding can only be used by WMHRC should there be an applicant from Basalt in the near future. Until then, that funding can’t be used for up-front funding elsewhere in the Valley.
Speaking of Basalt’s finances, Town Finance Director Doug Pattison presented a draft of Basalt’s 2025 budget.
The 2025 budget proposal began with an analysis of Basalt’s current demographics, especially in regard to housing. In 2022, the median home value in Basalt rose to roughly $1.1 million — nearly double the median home value across the State of Colorado at approximately $590,000. However, median household income in Basalt is roughly $103,000, only 18% above the state average.
Find a detailed memo on the draft budget, sitting around $15 million in expenses (including nearly $2.5 million in one-time expenses), at www.bit.ly/ CdaleBudget2025
The finance department estimated that the Town will have a total beginning fund balance of $34.6 million going into 2025, with $12.4 million in the general fund.
Around 68.6% of the Town of Basalt’s total funds will be derived from taxes, with tax revenue at an estimated $15 million.
With all of the town’s planned expenditures, including paying for personnel, capital projects, operation costs, etc., expenditures are expected to exceed revenue in 2025, and the finance department estimated that the Town of Basalt will end 2025 with an approximate total of $30.8 million in total fund balance.
Of that nearly $4 million difference, approximately $2.4 million can be attributed to expenditures in the capital construction fund which are being used to construct affordable housing units on Town property at Stott’s Mill and Sopris Meadows, hopefully keeping more employees in Basalt in the coming year.
Caleb Waller: ‘We’re all in this together’
JAMES STEINDLER
Contributing Editor
Republican Caleb Waller is running for Colorado House District 57 against Democrat incumbent Elizabeth Velasco.
Caleb Waller was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. His father was an executive with FedEx and his mother was a top Mary Kay sales director in the Southeast. “She had the pink Cadillac [and] my dad was from corporate America — the whole nine yards,” Waller told The Sopris Sun.
At 7 years old, his family moved into an Amish community and sold organic produce at a roadside stand outside of Nashville. “I kind of look back on that as being some of the foundation of who I am — having that real simple lifestyle.”
At 14, he went to Israel to work for his parents’ Christian Zionist nonprofit, HaYovel, which brings volunteers to the West Bank to work and develop agricultural lands as barriers insulating settlements from conflict.
In 2019, at the age of 28, after 14 years with HaYovel, he stepped out of the family nonprofit. “I remember sitting on the side of the road in my car with my wife and five kids and we had nowhere to go,” he shared. Shortly thereafter, he got a call from a friend who told Waller there’s a home for him in Western Colorado. “So we headed this way.”
“Western Colorado is a place for dreamers and pioneers,” Waller stated. “If you come here for handouts or thinking that it’s just a free place to live, that’s not the story … When you give to the Western Slope, you will receive back tenfold and beyond. And that’s my story.”
Waller said he is not a big fan of politics today and wants to help get back to stable and respectful policy making. “If Velasco wins, I’m going to be cheering her all the way. Because I’m not going to participate in divisive politics. I won’t participate in things that polarize and divide,” he assured. “We can differ on policies … but I won’t criticize her personally, because this isn’t personal. This is about what’s best for the district.”
Having always been registered with the Republican party, he holds the party’s founding values in high esteem. “Trump, Lauren Boebert, they’re going to come and they’re going to go,” he added. “So I’m running on the original values, not what some individuals have made it into.”
He acknowledged that some of Velasco’s efforts in her first term were commendable. “She did some work in the Glenwood Canyon that was actually pretty impressive,” he stated, referring to Velasco’s push to keep semi trucks out of the left lane on various sections of I-70, including through Glenwood Canyon. “And some of the ideas of fire suppression that she’s done have been phenomenal.”
Although, when it comes to fire suppression, Waller said his approach would be different. “I would rather see the private sector come in and say, ‘Let’s do forest management on a private level that doesn’t become a burden to the taxpayers.’” He said he would advocate to thin the
forests by inviting commercial logging to areas in the district.
When asked what else he might have done differently, he said, “We have a problem in politics today where we are electing activists, not representatives. An activist to me is a one-issue, or single-focused representative. They go in with the idea of representing this mission, this cause, this problem, this deal. What happens with that is it creates a lot of polarization and it creates, I think, division. Versus a representative, who is one who goes in and says, ‘I have to represent the entirety of the Western Slope.’”
In that vein, he brought up Velasco’s record of sponsoring bills which, in his opinion, inhibit the oil and gas industry. “If you don’t support oil and gas, maybe don’t sponsor legislation in order to take that down. Maybe other representatives need to focus on those issues. Maybe vote in favor of it,” he proposed.
Waller believes it’s important for immigrants to work toward lawful residency or citizenship and that “if you’re not paying taxes, then you have no business receiving the benefits from the government in this district.” However, he continued, “I’m not looking at your visa to see whether or not you’re allowed to be here. What I’m looking at is: Are you being a contributing member of society?”
He explained, “I think that’s the message that the Hispanic community wants to have. They’re not wanting to be treated special. They’re not looking for handouts. We’re all in this together.” He continued. “If you start segregating people based on their ethnicity and their race, the future is not good … So that’s been my mission. To treat the Hispanic community like family.”
Asked what the biggest challenges facing the district are, he responded with one word — housing. Waller serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission for Garfield County and works within the housing industry.
He believes a free-market approach is the ticket. “The government steps back and empowers local municipalities and counties to do what they need to do, because there’s no housing bill that I can pass that’s going to fix the housing issue in Aspen and also address the housing issue in Garfield County,” noting that circumstances in each local jurisdiction are unique.
He doesn’t think that what he refers to as “Band-aid” solutions, such as rent vouchers or rent control, are effective.
Elizabeth Velasco: ‘We cannot waste time’
JAMES STEINDLER Contributing Editor
Colorado House District 57
Representative Elizabeth Velasco is nearing the end of her first term in office and is hoping for the chance at a second.
Velasco, like many people in her district, was born in Mexico. When she was a teenager, she and her parents found their way to the Vail Valley where they lived in various mobile home parks through her late childhood. “We had to move a lot,” she told The Sopris Sun. “My parents were never able to buy a home.”
Nevertheless, she has called the area home for more than 20 years.
After graduating from Battle Mountain High School, she attended Colorado Mountain College (CMC) while working in the service industry. While studying she moved into employee housing, but continued contributing toward her parents’ expenses and helping support her brother. Today, her parents live in the basement of her home in Glenwood Springs. “So we have a multigenerational household,” she said.
She worked as a high school paraprofessional and started on a path as an interpreter and translator. She took a court interpreting class at Colorado Mountain College and soon started working as a medical translator. For 10 years, she operated a small interpreting business.
“When COVID started, the gaps and the needs were elevated and I jumped in to support,” Velasco recalled. “Me and my team were interpreting at the hospitals in person and were not eligible for vaccines, so I had to advocate for us at the state level to be considered healthcare workers.”
That was the same year as the Grizzly Creek Fire. “Seeing the access gaps there, I jumped in to help at the beginning and then started working with the Incident Management Team, doing translation and interpretation of community meetings,” she recounted. After getting her red card as a wildland firefighter, she went on to work for the Forest Service as a public information officer, deploying to emergency wildfire areas across the country.
“It went very well,” Velasco said of her first term. “Coming from my community background and organizer background, I was ready to do the work. The work we do is around building coalitions, persuading our colleagues and persuading people to work together.”
The representative helped pass 33 bills and served in leadership positions, including as vice-chair of the Wildfire Matters Review Committee. She’s also served in the Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources, Energy and Environment and the Appropriations committees. “I have really enjoyed learning so much from all of the people on the ground, from experts, from colleagues and … educating my colleagues about how things work here in rural Colorado.”
Asked if there’s anything she’d have done differently in her first term, she said, “No. I don’t have any regrets. I definitely didn’t go for the easy things. We had big fights and some bills that didn’t pass
— like rent control — but I never shied away from the hard things, like holding polluters accountable and taking on big corporate lobbies.”
Regarding the rent control bill, Velasco said, “For many community members it’s not possible to buy a home ... We must be very intentional when it comes to affordable housing.” The bill, HB23-1115, would not have set rent limits at the state level, but would have repealed the state’s prohibition for local governments to set rent controls. It passed in the House, but not the Senate. Velasco said she looks forward to bringing it back, “so that local communities can create their own programs and just have more tools in their toolbox.”
She said, “We are a leader when it comes to clean energy … I have been working with colleagues to make sure that we have strong air-quality regulations for oil and gas and other big industries.” One such bill, SB24-230, would require oil and gas producers to pay remediation fees that will go toward green transit initiatives. She acknowledged that there is a place for fossil fuels in the near future. “Oil and gas is not going away tomorrow, but it is important to hold them accountable,” she stated.
Asked what pieces of legislation Velasco is most proud of, the first that came to her mind was enhancing water quality in mobile home parks, HB23-1257. “This has been a long-standing issue in our communities,” she stated. “We have 300 mobile home parks just in the district.” She recalled residents testifying that their water smelled of sewage, left rashes on their babies, stained their clothing and broke their appliances. “This is an issue that affects our working people, so I’m very proud to start addressing it.”
Another piece of legislation, HB231237, which she co-sponsored with Republican Senator Perry Will, launched a study “to make emergency alerting more inclusive with language access, and to our disability community.” She looked back on the Grizzly Creek Fire and the fact that when it started there were no emergency alert services in Spanish, in a county where an estimated 30% of the population is Latino.
When asked what the biggest challenges are facing the district, Velasco echoed her political opponent. “Our housing crisis continues to be one of the challenges that we are experiencing,” she stated. “I have been proud to support the things that we can do at the state level and support our local municipalities and
SOMATIC YOGA
Gentle movements that heal pain, release tension and anxiety, and facilitate ease. Mondays, 9-10am, 10/14-12/16
BEGINNING SWING DANCE
Learn the basics of Jitterbug, and be ready for your next party, wedding, or social dance. Wed, 6-8pm, 10/9-10/30
SCULPTURE
Learn how to think and design in 3-D to create sculpture and be prepared for future sculpting. Mon, 5-8pm, 10/14-11/18
APOCALYPSE 101 : SURVIVING A LONG EMERGENCY
Learn practical skills to survive local disasters, or a national/ global catastrophe. Saturday, 1-3pm, 10/19
DIY ORGANIC LOTION MAKING WITH JULIE DEVILBISS
Make your own luxurious, and nourishing lotion with natural ingredients and emulsification Saturday, 1-4pm, 10/19
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
CANCER CARE
The Calaway-Young Cancer Center at Valley View Hospital offers yoga for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers at 9:15am on Thursdays. Then, the Walk and Talk cancer support group meets at 11am at the chapel in the cancer center.
STATE OF THE ARTS
The Carbondale Creative District hosts its second annual Roaring Fork Valley State of the Arts Symposium at TACAW beginning at 9:30am. Lunch and refreshments are included with tickets, available at www.tacaw.org
GET THE WIGGLES OUT
Toddlers and preschoolers, along with their accompanying adults, goof off while working on large motor skills at the Carbondale Library at 10:30am.
NONFICTION CLUB
The Nonfiction Book Club discusses any nonfiction literature pertaining to nature at the Carbondale Library at 2 to 3pm. Questions? Call 970-963-2889.
CODING CLUB
The Aspen Science Center offers coding lessons for local teens at the Carbondale Library at 3:45pm.
CLIMATE FILM
Join 350 Roaring Fork for the free screening of a climate-related documentary followed by a discussion at the Carbondale Library beginning at 6:15pm. The topic is affordable housing.
SACRED CINEMA
The Aspen Chapel’s Sacred Cinema Series opens with “Meetings with Remarkable Men” by Peter Brook. Doors open at 6:15pm.
MEDICARE PITFALLS
George Bohmfalk, a retired neurosurgeon, presents “The Pitfalls of Medicare Advantage: What your agent and Joe Namath won’t tell you” at the Third Street Center from 6:30 to 7:30pm. This event is free.
FREE MUSIC
PHOTOGRAPHY 101 AND BEYOND
Learn to make great photos in this class for beginners and intermediate photographers with DSLR camera.
M/W/S, 9am-1pm, 10/21-10/30
EXPLORE EL MERCADO DE BIENES RAÍCES EN NUESTRO VALLE
Los estudiantes obtendrán conocimientos prácticos sobre cómo navegar en el ámbito inmobiliario a través de 3 sesiones interactivas y estudio de casos reales.
Tuesdays, 6-8pm, 10/22-11/5
HAND WOVEN BASKET
Learn/review the basics of basket weaving while weaving your own “Mini Van Tote.” Mon/Fri, 9am-1pm, 10/23-10/25
CHARACTER DESIGN
Design and draw distinctive characters for comics, stories and even video games. High School students welcome. La maestra se habla español. Wed, 2-6pm, 10/30-12/11
Smokin’ Joe and Rockin’ Randall perform at Heather’s in Basalt at 6:30pm.
STOKE FEST
Protect Our Winters brings its Stoke Fest Film Tour to Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley campus showing “Purple Mountains — Live Free or Die” at 7pm. Tickets and more info at www. tinyurl.com/StokeFestCMC
CRYSTAL THEATRE
The Crystal Theatre shows “My Old Ass,” a coming-of-age comedy, at 7:30pm. “White Bird” opens tomorrow at 7:30pm and continues Oct. 12, 16 and 17 with a 5pm showing on Sunday, Sept. 13.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
URBANE COYOTE
Catch Urbane Coyote, aka Zachary Averill, playing at Heather’s in Basalt at 6:30pm.
MORGAN JAMES
Soul-singer Morgan James performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www. stevesguitars.net
CHRIS SMITHER
Singer-songwriter Chris Smither performs at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
ART, HEALING & HOPE
Sheri Gaynor imparts how visual journaling empowers one’s life and soul at The Art Base from 9:30 to 11:30am. Register at www.theartbase.org
LITERARY FESTIVAL
Raising A Reader Aspen to Parachute hosts its third annual Children’s Arts and Literacy Festival at the Glenwood Springs Library from 2 to 5pm. The day will include storytelling, arts and crafts and music exploration for children under 8 and also commemorates the nonprofit’s 20th anniversary.
NOCHE LATINA
The City of Glenwood Springs presents its third-annual Noche Latina celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in Bethel Plaza with games and activities from 4 to 6pm and Latin dancing with Son de la Zona from 6 to 9pm.
HARMONIC HEALING
Dominick Antonelli leads a guided meditation with music at True Nature from 5 to 7pm. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
CACAO CEREMONY
Nicole Lindstrom leads a cacao ceremony in True Nature’s Peace Garden from 11:30am to 1:30pm. Details at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
ECSTATIC DANCE
DJ Dustin Eli provides the music for this month’s Ecstatic Dance at 13 Moons Ranch (6334 Highway 133) from 6 to 8pm.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 14
IN STITCHES
The In Stitches Knitting Club meets at the Carbondale Library at 1:30pm.
MOVE FROM YOUR CENTER Coordinate your mind, body and spirit with a pilates class taught by Alexandra Jerkunica at the Carbondale Library from 4 to 5pm.
REDSTONE HISTORY
Ron Sorter (historian, geologist, author) presents a fireside chat at the Redstone Inn at 5:30pm. He spent 15 years helping restore the Redstone Coke Ovens site.
‘BILL OF OBLIGATIONS’
Colorado Mountain College welcomes Dr. Richard Haass, author of “The Bill of Obligations: Ten Habits of Good Citizens” to the Spring Valley campus for a Common Reader conversation at 6pm. Registration is requested at www.coloradomtn.edu/event/ author-talk-spring-valley
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15
DITCHES OFF
Carbondale’s ditch system will be turned off for the winter at 8am. Be sure to shut down and winterize your system in advance.
PAWS TO READ
Young students (from kindergarten through fifth grade) are invited to practice reading with a therapy dog from Heeling Partners of the Roaring Fork Valley at the Carbondale Library at 3:30pm. To register for a 15-minute slot, call 970-963-2889.
CHOCOLATE MEETING
The Colorado Chocolate Appreciation Society meets at the Cocoa Club to taste and discuss chocolate from 5 to 7pm. RSVP by emailing mark@pollinatorchocolate.com
DRAWING CLUB
The Roaring Fork Drawing Club meets at Cattle Creek Thrift & Furniture at 6:30pm.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16
ASPEN CHAPEL GALLERY
The Aspen Chapel Gallery presents “CONNECT!” — a mixed media show — with an opening reception from 4 to 7pm. The show will remain on display through Nov. 16.
ARTIST LECTURE
Anderson Ranch Arts Center hosts visiting artist Kevin Umaña, co-founder of The Ekru Project, an artist-run Kansas City gallery focused on emerging and underrepresented artists, who will speak from 5:30 to 6:30pm. More info at www.andersonranch.org
ANNA MARIE MURPHY
Contralto Anna Marie Murphy sings songs through the ages, starting with Anita O’Day’s “Georgia on My Mind” and ending with Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” at the Carbondale Library at 6pm.
LATINO ADVISORY BOARD
The Town of Carbondale seeks to amplify the voices of its Latino residents. An informational session with dinner provided will be hosted at the Third Street Center from 6:30 to 8pm.
ALICE DI MICELE
Steve’s Guitars presents Alice Di Micele at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net
THURSDAY,
BOOK CLUB
The Third Thursday Book Club discusses “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus at the Carbondale Library from 2 to 3pm.
‘DARKNESS TO LIGHT’
The Buddy Program, in partnership with Riverbridge Regional Center, Aspen Youth Center, Youth Zone and Aspen Family Connections, hosts a bilingual “Darkness to Light” training focused on the prevention of child sexual abuse at the Third Street Center from 5:30 to 8pm. Dinner and childcare will be provided. RSVP at www.riverbridgerc.org/events
YOUTHZONE PARTY
YouthZone throws a cocktail party at Juicy Lucy’s Steakhouse in Glenwood Springs from 6 to 9pm. To RSVP, email anaaseh-shahry@youthzone.com or call 970-945-9300.
LOUNGE SESSIONS
HeadQuarters in Basalt invites you to explore “The Garden Within” by Dr. Anita Phillips through journaling and conversation from 6 to 7:30pm. Register at www.headq.org
CHARACTER STRENGTHS
Julie Oldham teaches about character strengths in part four of her Heyday Revolution Workshop, from 6 to 7:45pm. Details at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
RODRIGO ARREGUÍN
Rodrigo Arreguín performs Latin classics at Heather’s Savory Pies at 6:30pm.
‘SLEEPY HOLLOW’
Roaring Fork High School, in collaboration with SoL Theatre Company, presents “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” directed by Sam Stableford at 7pm tonight and tomorrow and at 2pm on Oct. 19.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18
INTERNATIONAL POTLUCK
Himalayan Cuisine in Glenwood Springs (115 6th Street) hosts an international potluck celebrating diverse nationalities in the Valley from 5 to 10pm. Everyone is welcome to bring home-cooked dishes from different countries.
MUSIC AT HEATHER’S
Musicians Chris Bank and Hap Harriman perform at Heather’s Savory Pies at 6:30pm.
NATALIE SPEARS
True Nature hosts Natalie Spears for a night of music and storytelling, from 7:30 to 9pm. Details at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
INDIGENOUS FILM FESTIVAL
The Shining Mountains Film Festival will take place at the Isis Theatre in Aspen from 6:30 to 9pm tonight and 2 to 9pm tomorrow. Tickets at www.shiningmountainsfilm.com
HIGH COUNTRY SINFONIA
High Country Sinfonia performs at the Christ Episcopal Church in Aspen at 6:30pm tonight and at the River Valley Ranch Thompson Barn on Sunday at 4pm.
QUEER VOICES
VOICES presents “Authentically versus…,” a Queer VOICES Theater Project, tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30pm; or catch a 2pm matinee on Sunday, Oct. 20. Tickets at www.voicesrfv.org/queer-voices
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19
HEALTH FAIR
Aspen Valley Hospital hosts its Fall Health Fair with “deeply” discounted lab tests at the Eagle County Community Center from 8am to 11:30am. You must make an appointment first. Book it at www.aspenhospital.org/health-fair
Saturday, October 12 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Carbondale Fire District invites you to our Annual Community Open House. It will be a great time with something for the entire family. Enjoy fire truck rides, face painting, meet Sparky the Fire Dog, have your children participate in the Junior Firefighter Bucket Brigade Challenge, station tours, fire extinguisher training, vehicle fire response demos, free giveaways for the whole family, and MORE! Join us for lunch and get to know your friends at Carbondale Fire.
• Fire Truck Rides
• Hamburgers and Hot Dogs
• Face Painting
• Meet Sparky the Fire Dog
• Free merch
• Check Out Fire Trucks and Ambulances with Your Local Heroes
• See the Classic Air Helicopter
• Fire Extinguisher Training
• Junior Firefighter Bucket Brigade Challege (kids – get ready to compete!)
• Home Fire and Life Safety Demos
• Home Fire and Life Safety Demos
• Vehicle Fire Demos
• Sign up for Emergency Alerts
CARBONDALE & RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT 300 Meadowood Drive Carbondale, CO www.carbondalefire.org
JOHN STROUD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Roaring Fork High School’s football team had its biggest offensive output of the season on homecoming night, Friday, Oct. 4, but fell just short of a win, dropping a 23-20 decision to 1A Western Slope League foe Grand Valley.
With the fans revved up for the return of Friday night lights to homecoming week in Carbondale (the Rams returned to varsity football this season after a one-year hiatus), things got off to a good start before junior Donny Read fumbled it into the end zone for a touchback.
Read made up for it, though,
eventually rushing for 124 yards on 17 carries and scoring all three of the Rams’ touchdowns.
The first came early in the second quarter when Read crossed the goal line from 6 yards out to give the Rams a 7-0 lead after junior Eli Norris kicked the extra point.
Grand Valley tied it up on the next series, then scored on a pass play into the end zone 9 seconds before halftime to take a 13-7 lead (the point-after kick was no good).
Another fumble to open the third quarter gave the ball to the Cardinals in Rams territory, leading to another touchdown run for the visitors to make it 20-7 after the extra point.
With 1:04 showing on the clock in the third, Read showcased his running prowess again, scrambling 30 yards and stiff-arming a tackler to get into the end zone, making it 20-14.
Untimely penalties and some minor injuries to junior quarterback Kenny Riley (cut finger) and senior wideout Hunter Noll (knee) hampered the Rams’ offensive efforts in the fourth quarter and kept Noll from playing defense. Still, Roaring Fork kept Grand Valley at bay until just 1:28 remained on the clock, when the Cardinals kicked a field goal to make it 23-14 and essentially put the game out of reach.
Not to let the fans down on homecoming night, Roaring Fork had one more scoring drive, including a 54-yard pass completion in a role reversal from Noll to Riley to set things up with 17 seconds left. A roughing the passer call against Grand Valley with no time on the clock gave the Rams one last shot, and Read busted through the line for his third TD.
“Penalties were a big factor, but that’s part of the game and it’s our work to overcome those types of things,” Rams head coach Scott Noll said.
Regardless, he said he felt like Roaring Fork was the better team
on the night.
“Right now, we’re hurting ourselves more than the other team is hurting us,” he said. “We just have to get back to the details and trust what we’re doing.”
Notable on the defensive side of the ball, senior Balaram Koss had 11 solo tackles and assisted on 12, and senior Westin Sherman had eight solo and four assisted tackles.
Next up, the Rams (2-3, 0-1) host 1A WSL foe Meeker this Friday, Oct. 11 in Carbondale. Game time is 7pm.
In its homecoming game on Thursday, Oct. 3, the Roaring Fork
girls volleyball team earned a 3-1 win over visiting Grand Valley (25-15, 23-25, 25-7, 25-19).
Junior Nikki Tardif finished with 19 kills, freshman Clover Hansen had 14, and junior Yaki Hernandez 11, while seniors Carley and Erica Crownhart had 19 and 18 digs, respectively. Carley, as the team’s lead setter, assisted on 41 points for the Rams. Roaring Fork improved to 4-9 overall and 1-4 in 3A WSL play.
“Every time we go out on the court, I feel like we get better,” head coach Karen Crownhart said.
A matchup allowed the Rams to work on their offensive rhythm and not be on the defensive as
much as has been the case in previous matches. Learning to find that rhythm against an attacking team is the next hurdle, Crownhart said.
“We have strong offense and really quick defense in practice, and if we can put it all together in a game we’ll be more competitive,” she said.
Their next chance comes this Thursday, Oct. 10, at home against Moffat County (7-9, 3-3). Varsity game time is 6pm.
Soccer
The Roaring Fork boys soccer team scored a 1-0 on the road at Delta on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Sophomore Cal Stone had the goal, assisted by senior Phillipe Huang. The Rams (7-2-1, 5-0) are now ranked No. 1 among 3A teams in Colorado after winning at home against Aspen, 1-0, on Tuesday. This time, Huang scored the goal with Stone assisting.
Cross country
Running at the Pantherfest meet in Delta on Saturday, Oct. 4, Basalt High School junior Towler Scott led the field for another individual win, covering the 5-kilometer course in 15:36.5.
Top-25 finishers for the Basalt/Roaring Fork girls were senior Izzy Moon, 16th (20:03.6), and junior Caroline Cole, 23rd (20:30.3).
Softball
The combined Basalt softball team earned a 28-5 win over Aspen at home on Thursday, Oct. 3. Sophomore Nyala Honey drove in four runs and earned the pitching win, giving up just one earned run and striking out four.
ARTHUR CHERITH Youth Correspondent
Over the past month, Drifters Coffee and Down Valley Brewing has made an ever-progressing and inspiring mark on downtown New Castle. From the brewery to the cafe, there is a place for everyone. Drifters has always been a beautiful community, but since their reopening at the end of August, the Drifters community has spread up and down the Roaring Fork Valley — bringing life to the center of New Castle and ultimately bringing people from all over the Valley together.
Five years ago, Kyla Hemelt moved to the Valley from Golden, where she taught elementary general education for nine years. Hemelt moved to New Castle so she could raise her children in a small town and teach them the values of a tight-knit community.
Having originally been a teacher, Hemelt hadn’t suspected that five years after arriving she would be running arguably the most socially-supportive establishment in New Castle. “When we moved here, I was completely shocked there was not a coffee shop and there were little to no businesses in the town,” she stated. This thought was the beginning of what inspired Drifters — the beginning of a place where the river can unite a community.
To this day, Hemelt is heavily inspired
by her children. She is driven not only to provide for them but also be an example of grit and determination. In doing so, she hopes to encourage her children to chase after what they truly want and do so with hard work and determination.
In speaking with several patrons in the Drifters community, it’s clear the space is having a personal impact. As one stated, “Seeing all these people brought together to play games, paint, create art of any kind and play music inspires a sense of community.” That same individual also stated, “Drifters is a happy place, and I think that’s what we need in our lives.” Another individual added, “It’s awesome we have a place where I can sit down, have a drink, and my kid can talk and unwind too.”
Hemelt wanted to create a safe place where people could connect, whether that be through art, the river, fishing, or over a
simple cup of coffee. She took this idea, this concept of bringing people together, and ran with it, creating the Drifters we know today. The Drifters that has succeeded to bring people of all ages together has succeeded in supporting local artists and succeeded to create a safe environment that brings the people of New Castle and now the Roaring Fork Valley together.
For several years, Drifters was a staple of the New Castle community and nothing less than a home away from home. Since reopening, Drifters has been providing an abundance of community events such as open mic nights, trivia, painting, tarot, races and many others.
Ultimately, Drifters brings countless people together and supports various artists of all kinds, creating a place of expression and connectivity where anyone can find their place.
I’m not interested in shaming anyone, especially when it comes to money matters. However, the stark truth about your net worth is that it’s proportionately related to what you believe you’re capable of. It’s astonishing how much of our financial landscape is dictated by our inner landscape.
What is net worth? Net worth is defined as: your assets minus your liabilities. There are different types of assets and we won’t dive down the rabbit hole on this one, but from a broad perspective, the net worth question is this: do you owe more than you own? If yes, you have a negative net worth; if no, it’s positive.
By Megan Janssen
And while I don’t concern myself too much with net worth numbers (they are constantly changing anyhow — your car will be worth less in two months than it is today), it is an interesting gauge of your selfworth. Hackles up? Let me put you at ease.
Let’s talk about ye ol’ rat race. I used to think I wasn’t in the rat race. I had a relatively flexible schedule with my job, I could travel without too much trouble, and, well, I was fundamentally against it so I couldn’t be in it, right? Wrong. Unless you have passive/residual income that is enough to cover your monthly living expenses, you are not financially independent and thus, you are reliant on the rat race to be supported. You must continue working for someone (even if that person is yourself) to survive.
For those of us in the middle class, we’ve been taught to get a decent job, get good benefits and save for retirement. We haven’t been taught to see the possibility for more. Sure, people might say, “you can be anything you want,” but they’re still referring to the economic scaffolding that upholds “architect,” “senator,” “doctor,” etc. They aren’t saying, “Make sure you know how to buy companies from a young age and how to handle taxes so that you can live exactly the life you were meant to live, regardless of what you do with the rest of your time.”
We haven’t been taught how to exist outside of the race. We haven’t been taught to keep our money and our work separate. We haven’t been taught the fundamentals of the financial system so that we might invest, build/buy companies, learn about real estate, or how to become dispensable so that we might travel to Greece for 10 weeks and NOT be needed at work.
Do you owe more than you own? If yes, you have a negative net worth; if no, it’s positive.
Isn’t it interesting how we’re always taught to be indispensable? What if you were dispensable? What if you built something, even something small, that became a machine that sent you money each month but the machine sort of… forgot about you? Isn’t that actually what we’re all after?
So what does this have to do with your self-worth? It’s time you grabbed the bull by the b*lls, darling. Yes, you can invest in the stock market, in small start-ups, in real estate. Even if you don’t have much money. Yes, you can write an ebook and sell it and earn residuals each month. Yes, you can design gift cards and sell them on Etsy, yielding ongoing returns from something you make one time.
Once you shore up your self-worth, recognize your deep and wildly coveted talents, you too can be on the track toward financial agency and freedom. You can be wealthy, my love. I’m not saying you should quit your day job. Jobs are fulfilling! Jobs are social! Jobs are purposeful! I am saying you need to get in the captain’s seat of your financial expression and stop relying on others to support your existence.
Three months ago, I had my first experience with recurring income (aside from gains from interest-earning accounts) for my Money Juice monthly membership program. This program is a way for people to connect, stay accountable and come together one time per month to learn lessons and get work done on their financial to-do list. This money will come in again next month. It’s a small amount, but let me tell you, it feels enormous. And it will grow as the community grows. To have a machine that is generating even a little bit of income is doing wonders for my self-worth. And it’s telling me I’m making my way off the conveyor belt, out of the rat race, and higher up the net worth scale. So what’s the first step in building your machine?
OCTOBE R 1 6 , 2 0 2 4
6:30PM - 8 PM
Enjoy some delicious food then learn about the Carbondale Latino Advisory Board
This board, created through Resolution No. 8, Series 2023, was designed to amplify the voices of our Latino community, enhance cultural understanding, and guide the Town on issues that matter most to Latino residents. Whether you're interested in learning more, getting involved, or volunteering for the board, we would love to have your participation.
AT THIRD STREET CENTER, CALAWAY ROOM 520 S 3rd Street Carbondale, CO 81623
Join our team! The Art Base is a non-profit art center in Basalt, CO, which fosters creative expression in the visual arts for all ages and abilities, through education, exhibitions, and providing opportunities to artists and artisans.
The Community Partner Programs Coordinator will be a friendly and community – centric person who is committed to the success of inclusive educational programming at the Art Base. Under the direction of the Education Programs Manager, the Community Partner Programs Coordinator will be responsible for co-creating and coordinating innovative programming with organizations serving underrepresented groups, aiming to expand art classes and opportunities, making art accessible to all. The Community Partner Programs Coordinator will report to the Education Programs Manager. Hourly salary $26 - $28 with commensurate experience
The second Queer VOICES Theater Project is presented by VOICES at TACAW on October 18, 19, 20. The following is an edited excerpt from October’s VOICES Radio Hour. Listen to this episode and past episodes — and purchase tickets for the Queer VOICES Project — at www.voicesrfv.org
CASSIDY: The name of the Queer VOICES Theater Project this year is “Authentically Versus…” If you could fill in the blank for yourself, what would it be?
VARIOUS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS: Authentically Versus… Plastic, My Choices, Judgement, Masked, Living a Lie, Silence, Changes, Invisibility.
CASSIDY: I’d love to hear how you, as an ensemble, came to that title.
MYKI: Well, when we were initially rank voting potential titles for the show, I think it was a typo. It was supposed to say “Authentically Us,” but we read it as “Authentically Vs” and it clicked.
CASSIDY: The process you’re going through is a disruptive way of making theater. Rather than starting with a script and a specific vision from the director, you’re starting with your own experiences and stories, seeing where themes crossover, and ultimately creating a completely new work of theater. I’m curious what your experience has been with that process so far.
KEVIN: For me, the creative process behind this is something that was totally unfamiliar — and I am a creative. I’ve been an interior designer all my life, but I work linearly. This is not linear. This is the furthest thing from linear, and it’s crazy, but it’s really working.
MICHA: We met for the first time and we immediately were open and vulnerable with each other. There was a level of trust, and that has only continued. And we need that, because with devised theater, we are living from one day to the next. It’s not a project where you can plan ahead. We can just take it one step at a time and trust that everything will happen in divine timing because we’re doing it together.
DAVE: I love listening to people’s stories. That’s one of my all time favorite things to do. But being presented with the task of presenting my own story was incredibly scary because I don’t consider myself creative. But from the first rehearsal we all shared, it was mind blowing to me how much our stories were intertwined in their own way. None of us are the same, but our experiences and feelings were so similar.
ANISA: I have also been enjoying the creative process of sharing our stories and developing
WALLER from page 9
what that looks like on stage. Everyone in this room is really brave and everyone, in their individual, unique way, is on their journey to being the most authentic version of themselves, unapologetically and out loud.
CASSIDY: One thing that happens in almost every devised theater process is that common themes start to emerge. I would love to hear any themes that have come up, connecting your stories.
BLAKE: I’d say one of the largest themes actually came from our initial brainstorming and storyboarding, “the masks that we wear.” I feel like a lot of our stories have evolved from thinking about the masks we wear in different social settings: for acceptance, comfort, security, safety, or protection. For many different reasons, I think that has been a pretty significant throughline in a lot of stories.
VALERIE: Building off of that, the thing that has struck me in the process is that everyone shares a struggle to become ourselves. All of our stories are quite unique, quite personal, but at their root, they’re all about people struggling to find and become themselves.
CASSIDY: I would love to hear from any of you about what you, personally, hope to experience and feel at the end of this process.
MOLLY: The story that I’m sharing sheds light on the darkness. That was one of our prompts. More recently I have experienced a lot of darkness, but I’m slowly welcoming the light. Through my piece, I’m opening up a new door to a new light. I think that’s my goal.
MYKI: For me, I hope that once everything is said and done I’ll feel more comfortable with parts of myself in my everyday life. And as far as the audience, I’m really hoping that some of the elements I’m bringing to the table start deeper conversations.
ANISA: I think for me this project is a challenge to put my most vulnerable self on display, to care less about how other people are perceiving me, and show up in an authentic, raw, real way. I hope to leave the production feeling proud of myself, feeling like I gave my best and I was as vulnerable as possible. I hope that, in turn, inspires the audience to also live their most authentic life, no matter how hard it is.
On June 3, I said “yes” to an opportunity that would become one of the most healing and exciting endeavors of my year, so far — the second installment of VOICES’ Queer Voices Project: “Authentically Versus…”
I was speaking with MinTze Wu that day about the summer teen residency program VOICES was hosting and, though I was taken aback at first, my tiptoeing quickly shifted into an enthusiastic “yes” as I recalled my background in theater, playing before me like one of those scenes in a movie where the main character’s life flashes before their eyes.
From ages 13 to 18, I attended Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre’s Teen Theatre Academy (TTA) camp in Grand Lake and regularly participated in school plays in my hometown of Kremmling. In addition to all of that, I have tried to nurture my love of writing ever since I could put crayons to scratch paper.
With TTA, I was able to marry the two things I loved most: performing and writing.
By Myki Jones
Theater and writing were my first loves and have remained the truest. But, as life does for all of us, time and capacity for commitment competed with my crafts. Theater became a fondlyremembered period of my life that I thought I’d be lucky to partake in again if conditions were ever “right.”
When my money was right, when my time was balanced correctly, or when I finally had achieved all these goals I had set for myself that, in retrospect, seem esoteric and moot. Only then did I think I could get back into the art of playing. Since being involved with VOICES, I have come to realize that my love of theater trumps whatever other trials and tribulations life has yet to throw at me. It has also taught me that there is no such thing as a “right time” to be giving your all to something that you’re passionate about.
When MinTze Wu invited me to this project, I was five months out of a failed engagement — something I’ll be touching upon in my piece for the show — and living in new downvalley housing. I had to rebuild my life after it became clear over months of chaos that the future I was planning for wasn’t coming to fruition. Though I had settled a few things, I was still in this weird limbo, mentally. I was preparing to start my nine-to-five job, as well, and I worried about how I could juggle that schedule with rehearsing and writing.
That first rehearsal snapped me out of that limbo. As these last few weeks have flown by, I find that I have surprised myself with my time management skills. But I mostly feel a fire has been lit inside of me that I wish had never gone out. I have been warmed and inspired by the vulnerability of my castmates, brought to chills by the musicians, and grounded by the gentle, yet chaotic direction of Micha Schoepe as he guides us on this journey of storytelling.
VOICES has allowed me to dive into parts of myself and the stories of my life I haven’t told in a way that felt safe, free of judgment and interpersonal and also so familiar to me.
“That’s just passing the problem down to our kids. That’s not fixing it.” He said he’d push for less legislation and restrictions that deter developers and recommend building “small — maybe tiny homes — villages that have very minimal geographical impact,” and individual properties which residents should have the opportunity to own.
To learn more about Waller’s campaign, visit www.votewaller.com
VELASCO from page 9
counties to get the funding for affordable housing projects, for workforce housing.” She also advocates for protecting mobile home parks, “because those are the last pockets of affordable housing that are not subsidized.” She acknowledged that there is still much to do as far as affordable housing. When it comes to working across the aisle, she highlighted working with Republican representatives such as Rick Taggart, Matt Soper, Brandi Bradley and Senator Perry Will, among others. She added that she works with local electeds, whether Democrat or Republican. “I will continue to do so, because we cannot waste time,” she stated.
For more on Velasco’s campaign, visit www.elizabethforcolorado.com
This project has given me the chance to talk about my queer identity and struggles I faced surrounding it, in ways I never imagined. While I have proudly been out as bisexual for several years now, from the time I knew and could identify that part of myself, I struggled with it. Growing up in a conservative area and seeing blatant bigotry displayed by many people against those who identified as queer made me fearful to discuss that part of my identity for a very long time, even with those closest to me.
Though I am lucky in the sense that I was able to have a support system and was able to find a community through various mediums, I am also well aware and deeply saddened that homophobia, hatred and ignorance still persist, even in a society that has progressed in many ways. I deeply encourage those who attend this production to come into it with an open mind and heart, and to continue educating themselves about what is under the queer umbrella days, weeks, months and maybe even years after stepping out of TACAW.
Tickets for “Authentically Versus…” are at tacaw.org or at www.voicesrfv.org/queer-voices
ASPEN
Aspen Daily News
Mi Chola
Aspen Valley Hospital
Snowmass Market
The Aspen Store
Box on Hyman Avenue
Pitkin County Library
BASALT
Basalt Quick Lube
Basalt Regional Library
The Basalt Store
Alpine Bank Basalt
Timbos
7/11
Jalisco Grill
Big O Tires
CC Cafe
WILLITS/EL JEBEL
El Jebel Mobile Offices
Midvalley Surgery Center
El Jebel Laundromat
Eagle County Courts
City Market
Scottie’s El Korita
Box on San Miguel
Casa Tequilas
TAC Fitness
ANB Bank
CARBONDALE
Catherine Store
Garcia’s
City Market
Alpine Bank
Box at La Perla
Box at “Main St.”
Recreation Center
Carbondale Library
CMC in Carbondale
3rd St. Center
Valley Meats
La Roca LiftUp
7/11
Jalisco Grill
Mi Lindo Nayarit
La Fogata
Gloria’s Boutique
GLENWOOD SPRINGS
7/11 West Glenwood
Post Office
Hospital Valley View
Recreation Center
Mountain Family Health
Welcome Center
GWS Library
Sal Mex
La Michoacana
Coin Laundromat
Tony’s Market/Bakery
Tequila’s
Frida’s
El Yaqui
Kum & Go
Comfort Dental
Impuestos Seguros
NEW CASTLE
Tapatio’s Post Office
Taquerina Elias
New Castle Library
City Market
SILT
Silt Library
Silt Laundromat
Kum & Go (Main St.)
Silt Roundabout
La Placita 2
RIFLE
Tapatio’s
Kum & Go
Taugenbaugh
Jalisco Grill
Box at City Hall
Rifle Library
Box at E 12 St.
El Patron
El Rincon
Spyderwash
Moma’s
Remington Square
Mercado San Jose
Carniceria San Jose
Nachos Mexican Dining
Paleteria la Korita
ProMex Bakery
Tutty Frutti
Full edition is available every Friday afternoon on newstands and at businesses from Rifle to Aspen
El 2do Proyecto de Teatro Queer VOICES es presentado por VOICES en TACAW los días 18, 19 y 20 de octubre. Se ofrecerá interpretación en vivo en el evento de Convey Language Solutions. El siguiente es un extracto editado de VOICES Radio Hour de octubre. Puede escuchar este episodio y episodios anteriores (y conseguir entradas) en voicesrfv.org
CASSIDY: El nombre del Proyecto de Teatro Queer VOICES es “Auténticamente versus…”. Si pudieras completar el espacio en blanco, ¿cuál sería “Auténticamente versus…”?
VARIOS MIEMBROS DEL CONJUNTO: Auténticamente Versus… Plástico, Mis Elecciones, Juicio, Enmascarado, Vivir una Mentira, Silencio, Cambios, Invisibilidad.
CASSIDY: Me encantaría saber cómo ustedes, como conjunto, llegaron a ese título.
MYKI: Bueno, cuando inicialmente estábamos votando por rango los títulos potenciales para el programa, creo que fue un error tipográfico. Se suponía que debía decir “Authentically Us” (Autenticamente Nosotros en español), pero lo leímos como “Authentically Vs” y nos gustó.
CASSIDY: El proceso por el que están pasando es una forma disruptiva de hacer teatro. En lugar de comenzar con un guión y una visión específica del director, comienzan con sus propias experiencias e historias, viendo dónde se cruzan los temas y, ultimadamente, creando una obra de teatro completamente nueva. ¿Cuál ha sido su experiencia con ese proceso hasta ahora?
KEVIN: Para mí, el proceso creativo detrás de esto es algo que me resultaba totalmente desconocido, ¡y soy un creativo! He sido diseñador de interiores toda mi vida, pero trabajo de forma lineal. Esto no es lineal. Esto es lo más alejado de lo lineal y es una locura, pero realmente está funcionando.
MICHA: Nos conocimos por primera vez e inmediatamente fuimos abiertos y vulnerables el uno con el otro, había un nivel de confianza y eso solo ha continuado. Y eso lo necesitamos, porque con el
teatro ideado estamos viviendo el día para el otro. No es un proyecto en el que puedas planear el futuro. Podemos dar un paso a la vez y confiar en que todo sucederá en el momento divino porque lo estamos haciendo juntos.
DAVE: Me encanta escuchar las historias de la gente. Esa es una de mis actividades favoritas de todos los tiempos. Pero que me presentaran la tarea de presentar mi propia historia fue increíblemente aterrador porque no me considero creativo. Pero desde el primer ensayo que compartimos todos, me sorprendió ver hasta qué punto nuestras historias estaban entrelazadas a su manera. Ninguno de nosotros somos iguales, pero nuestras experiencias y sentimientos fueron muy similares.
ANISA: También he disfrutado el
proceso creativo de compartir nuestras historias y desarrollar cómo se ve eso en el escenario. Todos son realmente valientes y todos, a su manera individual y única, están en su camino hacia ser la versión más auténtica de sí mismos, sin pedir disculpas y en voz alta.
CASSIDY: Una de las cosas que sucede en casi todos los procesos teatrales ideados es que comienzan a surgir temas comunes. Me encantaría escuchar cualquier tema que conecte con sus historias.
BLAKE: Yo diría que uno de los temas más importantes que surgió de nuestra lluvia de ideas y guiones gráficos iniciales es “las máscaras que usamos”. Siento que muchas de nuestras historias han evolucionado a partir de pensar en las máscaras que usamos en diferentes entornos sociales: para
aceptación, comodidad, seguridad o protección. Por muchas razones diferentes, creo que ha sido un hilo conductor bastante significativo en muchas historias.
VALERIE: A partir de eso, lo que me llamó la atención en el proceso es que todos compartimos una lucha por convertirnos en nosotros mismos. Todas nuestras historias son bastante únicas, bastante personales, pero en el fondo, tratan sobre personas que luchan por encontrarse y convertirse en ellas mismas.
CASSIDY: Me encantaría saber de ustedes lo que, personalmente, esperan experimentar y sentir al final de este proceso.
MOLLY: La historia que estoy compartiendo arroja luz sobre la oscuridad. Más recientemente he experimentado mucha oscuridad pero poco a poco estoy dando la bienvenida a la luz. A través de mi pieza, abro una nueva puerta a una nueva luz. Creo que ese es mi objetivo.
MYKI: Para mí, espero que una vez que todo esté dicho y hecho me sienta más cómoda con partes de mí, incluso en mi vida diaria. Y por el público, realmente espero que algunos de los elementos que estoy aportando inicien conversaciones más profundas.
ANISA: Creo que para mí este proyecto es un desafío para mostrarme a lo más vulnerable, para preocuparme menos de cómo me perciben otras personas y mostrarme de una manera auténtica. Espero salir de la producción sintiéndome orgullosa de mí misma, sintiendo que di lo mejor y que fui lo más vulnerable posible. Espero que eso inspire al público a vivir también su vida más auténtica, por difícil que sea.
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
“Peace, you have adorned this world With many gifts, some too beautiful
But I, entranced by its perfect leaves,
So preoccupied with mundane chores Alone at last in my walk outdoors.
“By admiring me and my peaceful life, You have shared your life with me,
But gives meaning and purpose
And your love helps keep me from the cold.”
As I wrapped my arms around that tree, It touched a place I wanted to be, A child cherished, with my newfound friend, In a brave old world without end.
Aspen Words is betraying the community and their own mission by not holding a discussion of the book they chose for their 2024 Community Read, a book they awarded their $35,000 literary award to. In July, Aspen Words and the Pitkin County Library distributed free copies to members of the public of the book “Enter Ghost” by Isabella Hammad. “Enter Ghost” is about a company of actors producing “Hamlet” in the West Bank at risk of discovery and cancellation by the Israeli government. It is about a British-Palestinian actor returning to her family’s homeland and coming to terms with her feelings of having abandoned her people and their struggle
The Community Read program promised two screenings of “Hamlet” and a subsequent “Book Celebration,” presumably where the community would get to discuss the book. Instead of a discussion, Aspen Words is now having a conversation with Aspen Public Radio’s Breeze Richardson and NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly this Wednesday. I am told they won’t be
Aspen Words’ mission reads, “to encourage writers, inspire readers and connect people through the power of stories.” Executive Director Adrienne Brodeur stated at the award ceremony, “the goal of this prize is to spotlight works of fiction that have enduring literary value and also illuminate the critical social issues they raise and… expand our perspectives and spark conver-
As Israel now does to Lebanon what it is doing to Gaza — bombing residential areas and hospitals — displacing a fifth of a poor country with American weapons, turning pagers into bombs, killing dozens, including children and blinding and maiming hundreds, civilian or not, expanding a war the Biden Administration claimed it desperately wanted to avoid, it seems that Aspen Words doesn’t trust our community to capably discuss some critical social issues.
To my dear Republican brothers and sisters, on Potato Days (Oct. 5) my 3.5-year-old son and myself watched as the Republicans handed out Peppino’s pizza to kids and adults alike. I think they were from the Caleb Waller campaign because I saw him eating pizza with the kids. My son turned to me and said, “I want pizza, Papa.” So my wife and son walked over and asked for a slice for my small son. The man handing out the pizza asked my wife, “Who are you going to vote for?” She replied, “I cannot vote.” She is not yet a citizen and is in the process of getting her U.S. passport. He said, “Well, if you could,
from page 7
was really no need on my part to do any kind of heavy-handed shaping of the dialogue. It emerged really naturally and smoothly,” he shared. “I just got to be the beneficiary of great context and a whole lot of courage from everyone who was there.”
Delson said she changed through this experience, and is able to hold two perceptions side by side. “I used to say, ‘Yes, but …’ if someone would say [something] about Gaza,” she stated. “What changed is I can say, ‘Yes, and …’”
Reed is still a member of Ceasefire Now
who would you vote for?” She replied, “I don’t know.” The man said, “This pizza is for Trump supporters only,” and refused to give a 3.5-year-old some pizza! The biggest irony here is that Potato Days is about celebrating the harvest! To me this sums up the entire nature of the conservative “right.” It is just wrong to deny food to a hungry child. WWJD!?
Hamilton Pevec
Carbondale
Caitlin Carey, my wife, is running for Garfield County Commissioner, and I wholeheartedly support her.
Caitlin is running because she cares deeply about her community and every person who is lucky enough to call Garfield County home. This is not a bucket list item for her. Caitlin is running because as a nonpartisan local elected official serving on New Castle Town Council, she discovered a passion for using her diverse life experience, law degree, and superpower of being able to talk to anyone to provide responsible governance. If you want to see effective government on a tight budget, check out New Castle.
Caitlin is running because women deserve representation on a commission that has not had a woman in 14 years. Looking at Caitlin’s opponent’s record, he consistently votes against women’s rights. Caitlin is running because it is time for the next generation of leadership.
Our parents are of the same generation as the current commissioners and Caitlin’s opponent. As much as we want our parents to be unchanged from 30 years ago, that is just not the reality of life. My dad recently gave me an envelope with memories he compiled from his life. He understands how important it is to pass knowledge to the next generation. He was a high school teacher for more than 40 years — a leader for thousands of teenagers. He also showed leadership recognizing it was time to pass the reins to the next generation when he retired three years ago. He is very much enjoying retirement, traveling and playing with grandkids.
Caitlin will do an excellent job. Her opponent told her so himself while Caitlin was visiting the floor of the Colorado Senate to pitch a bill she drafted to help children. Leadership change is inevitable either by choice or by passage of time. Choice usually works better. Caitlin’s opponent represents the same brand that has been in the seat for nearly 30 years. This election Garfield County can choose to pass the reins to the next generation of leadership. Please join me in voting for Caitlin Carey for Garfield County Commissioner.
Jamin Heady-Smith New Castle
RFV. While he holds steadfast to those beliefs, as a result of these sessions he is less inclined to assume the same of others. “Through this process, I have realized it’s way more complex than that,” he shared. “That, in turn, shapes my actions and words going forward.”
He continued, “I learned the power of listening. There is great relief when you’re carrying a burden — these really conflicted feelings — to just be heard … to know that somebody listened and didn’t judge you. They just heard you. That’s very powerful.”
“Conversations change lives,” Lazarus concluded.
Spanning four days of celebration this year, Carbondale’s potato harvest celebration brought together community members like Megan Passmore and Linda Giesecke on Thursday to wash and wrap potatoes for the big lunch. Friday’s contra dance had folks of all ages making all kinds of circles at the Rec Center. Until next year, the coffee cauldron waits in storage for the return of Carbondale’s longest-running festival.
Photos by Raleigh Burleigh
ORDINANCE NO. 2
SERIES OF 2024
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO APPROVING AN APPLICATION OF CARBONDALE BRANCH HOLDINGS, LLC FOR REZONING, MAJOR SITE PLAN REVIEW APPROVAL, A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE
NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on September 24, 2024. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication of this notice. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov.org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours.
PUBLIC NOTICE
CARBONDALE
COMMUNITY SCHOOL
NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to §38-26-107, C.R.S., that after October 17th, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., final settlement with FCI Constructors (“Contractor”), will be made by the Carbondale Community School (“School”), for its project located at 1505 Satank Rd, Carbondale, CO 81623, subject to satisfactory final inspection and acceptance of the Project by the School. Any person, as defined in C.R.S 2-4-401 (8), that has furnished labor, materials, sustenance, or other supplies used or consumed by such Contractor or its subcontractor in or about the performance of the work on the Project or that has supplied laborers, rental machinery, tools or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of the work whose claim therefor has not been paid by the Contractor or subcontractor, at any time up to and including the time of final settlement for the Project, may file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on such claim at the School located at 1505 Satank Rd, Carbondale, CO 81623.
Failure to file such verified statement of claim prior to final settlement will release the School and its employees and agents from any and all liability for such claim and for making final payment to said Contractor. s/s Carbondale Community School
