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Ushering in the holiday season

Carbondale Parks and Recreation Director Eric Brendlinger dressed his best along with other festive staff during the Light Up Carbondale event on First Friday, Dec. 6. Find more photo highlights on pages 15 and 18.
Photo by Will Sardinsky

Bustered

Not yet knowing how the 2024 election would unfold, I ended last month’s column by recommending kindness, humor and dogs. Still good, I think, now that we know the results. Many of my friends were shocked by those results but, having been “Bustered,” I wasn’t.

I was 6 when I got Buster, a smallish, stout, pink and white, stuffed bear. We bonded at once, and soon Buster was keeping me company as I waited out measles in my darkened room. When I recovered, the doctor recommended that my parents trash my bedding. Buster, being soft and fuzzy, counted as bedding.

Knowing how this would upset me, my mother told me Buster was being dry cleaned as per medical orders and would return in a day or two. When she shopped for a replacement, she couldn’t find a duplicate but, almost miraculously, Buster returned as scheduled. He just looked different. His pink parts were brown, he was taller and leaner, and his head was smaller.

Mommy assured me that this was indeed Buster; dry- cleaning bears, she said, requires a major makeover. Having seen clothing remain unchanged by dry-cleaning, I challenged her. “It’s different for bears,” she declared, and I let it drop.

OPINION

the caricature that liberalism has become. Too many liberals believe in disrespectful stereotypes. Trump voters, they think, have more faith in their subjective experiences than in scientific evidence. Immediate economic well-being matters more to them than anything. They are comfortable with a white-male dominated country and fear racial, ethnic, economic and gender diversity. They resent the government pushing liberal values into their lives but freely push conservative values into others’ lives. They like working with their hands, and stubbornly refuse to join the information economy. They are still dreaming an American Dream that has become almost impossible to realize in presentday Corporate America.

But stereotypes never yield understanding, never reveal anything of practical value and say more about those doing the stereotyping than about its victims. (To be fair, conservatives also stereotype liberals). Seeking truth is more intellectually and morally demanding than stereotyping.

MATURE CONTENT

I wanted Buster back badly, so why wouldn’t I accept her comforting lie? Deep down, I knew I was loving an ersatz Buster, but in that moment, I believed what I needed to believe to get through the night.

Many of my liberal friends are having Buster moments. They want explanations for their election loss, but they also want to believe they can turn things around in 2026 and 2028 without changing their beliefs about our country or themselves. Harris lost, they say, because she campaigned with Liz Cheney, didn’t embrace Gaza and wouldn’t distance herself from Biden. She wasn’t sufficiently policy oriented, was overly — or insufficiently — liberal and picked the wrong running mate. The country isn’t ready for a Black female POTUS.

In short, we lost for tactical reasons and we can change our tactics, but we don’t need to change anything about ourselves. My friends want Buster back badly enough to overlook the obvious. Conservatism, isolationism, individualism and exploiting labor are founding values in America. Already dominating the Supreme Court since 2020, people favoring these values showed their current power by winning control of both houses, the popular vote and the electoral college, demolishing the Blue Wall and improving their 2020 numbers with virtually every demographic. Moreover, they did this with a presidential candidate so personally flawed that many freely admitted disliking him but voted for him anyway, because they consider him less odious than the alternative. That alternative is, of course, liberalism, or perhaps

LETTERS

Harvest RFV

I attended the Garfield County meeting on Sept. 18 for community input regarding new development by Harvest Roaring Fork LLC. This meeting was held on the property site at Cattle Creek and Highway 82. The developers are collecting information on what the community wants to see there saying that at this time they do not have a plan.

Our home is up County Road 113 and we are fortunate to own 15 private acres, albeit water is not plentiful. The feeling of turning on a spigot and getting nothing is not uncommon. I’m not ready to realize what a subdivision within four miles would do to our water table.

Currently the heavy traffic on Highway 82 is a death sentence when entering and exiting, traveling either direction. If we ever have an emergency requiring a mass evacuation, the consequences we would endure living in this “five months out of the year” box canyon would be catastrophic.

Harvest RFV is inquiring about what type of river access we would like to see on

Fundamental socio-economic fault lines dividing Trump voters from liberals can be traced to 17th century England. They survived colonial America and its revolution, were written into our constitution and persisted through our Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement.

Too many voters on both sides seemingly can’t grasp, much less respect, these value differences, choosing instead to dehumanize their political opponents with stereotypes while clinging to their own views as the only ones decent people could possibly embrace. Witness Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” comment. In the eight years since, the left has not owned and apologized for that insult, nor moderated its elitist attitude.

We didn’t lose this election only because our tactics were ineffective. We lost because we preached inclusiveness without practicing it. We rightfully tried including all races, religions, nationalities and gender expressions, while cluelessly excluding and denigrating the conservative half of our country. Some liberals are still kidding themselves about that, while most of the rest think Trump voters really are too deplorable to include. To repair our body politic we have to bridge the gap between ourselves and that other half, but to do that, first we’ll have to close the gap between what we are pretending to be and what we are being. Ultimately, we’ll need to understand, respect and work with people whose values are different from ours. If we don’t, we won’t win the coming elections, and we won’t deserve to. Buster isn’t being dry-cleaned. He’s in the landfill.

Mature Content is a monthly feature from Age-Friendly Carbondale.

this already overused river. Is there potential for river access? Or is this a ploy for uneducated, interested buyers?

The last 10 years provides a hint at what type of development they will be pursuing at the new site. Does our valley really want to see and support another Tree Farm/Kodiak Club? Our first home was in Summit Vista. We lived there for 15 years as we watched the Tree Farm, originally operated by the Forest Service, being developed. We watched the elk that migrate through that Willits area get turned away from development. For me, it is difficult to pass through that area and be proud of what it has come to — it’s rather sickening.

As I stood on the hill where the proposed Harvest RFV site is planned, I could only think of the herd of 150-200 elk that hangs out on that vantage point each winter. Are we looking forward to running them off as well? I’m raising a voice for wildlife. Doesn’t nature have a right to exist here?

For Harvest RFV to say they do not have a plan when they just spent millions for that piece of land does not make sense to

me. I cannot imagine what value they will put on a home that would make it affordable to attract workers closer to where they work so they aren’t commuting long distances. This verbiage is getting very old!

This is no longer the valley I was excited to call home 35 years ago. It has lost its characteristic of what I came for. I would love to see a moratorium on future development until a plan can be shared with us that proves we care about the future of this special place. When is enough enough?

Seeking ‘snow angels’

Is there a group of able-bodied men and women who are willing to help us old timers do the sidewalk and driveway shoveling that we used to be able to do ourselves? I’m 75 and my body and back aren’t what they used to be! Please direct me to where I might find help.

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SCUTTLEBUTT

The Sopris Sun invites youngsters to submit illustrations for its annual Spruce Up The Sun contest. The winning image(s) will be featured on the cover of our Dec. 19 holiday issue. Contestants, or their parents, can submit scanned submissions to news@soprissun.com or place a hard copy in the submission box outside The Launchpad in Carbondale (76 4th Street). Preschoolers through high schoolers are welcome to participate. This year’s theme: Dreams. Act fast! Entries are due by Dec. 15!

We are thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, Mountain West Gives exceeded its goal of raising $1 million for local nonprofits through matches from Colorado Gives! Your contributions will make a significant impact for over 90 organizations dedicated to making a difference in this community. For those still considering a donation, there is time to make an exponential difference. Many organizations have matching donations through December. Visit Mountain West Gives at www.coloradogives. org/community/Mountainwestgives, or reference The Sopris Sun’s Giving Guide on on our website to find a local cause to support.

Dark nights

Pedestrians are reminded that with the shorter days this time of year it’s even more important to wear bright or reflective clothing while commuting, or to be extra cautious, because motorists have limited visibility.

Hanging Lake

“The Hanging Lake Trail will remain closed throughout this winter following a successful field season of trail reconstruction,” reported the Forest Service. Work on the trail will resume in the spring with reopening anticipated this coming summer. The 1.2-mile trail and its seven bridges were significantly damaged during debris flows in July of 2021.

Summit for Life

The Chris Klug Foundation’s Summit for Life race saw a record 435 participants summit Aspen Mountain on Dec. 7 raising $122,558 toward promoting organ, eye and tissue donations. This year’s fastest racer was John Gaston (40:58); the fastest female was Kristin Lyne (51:57). Find all results at www.summitforlife.org

Electric state

Colorado has surpassed California to become the state with the highest electric

vehicle (EV) market share in the nation. EVs now make up 25.3% of new vehicles sold in the state. All Coloradans are eligible for a $5,000 tax credit (dropping to $3,500 in 2025) for purchasing or leasing a new EV priced under $80,000 — with an additional $2,500 for EVs under $35,000. Income-qualified Coloradans can exchange a high-emitting vehicle for a $6,000 rebate toward a new EV or $3,000 toward a used EV. Coloradans may also be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit for new EVs or $4,000 for used EVs.

Pipeline input

The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are seeking public comment regarding the proposed West Mamm Creek Pipeline. The project would entail about seven miles of new natural gas and produced water pipelines south of Rifle. The proposed pipelines would channel produced water into an existing water management system and collect and deliver natural gas, reducing truck traffic currently necessary to deliver natural gas, according to a press release. The proposal does not include tapping into new natural gas deposits, but the pipeline “could facilitate new development.” For more information and to comment, visit www.tinyurl.com/WestMammpipeline

Avalanche app

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) have partnered to add avalanche forecasts and warnings to the Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app. The app is not a standalone resource, a CPW release stated. “People going into the backcountry should also always check the CAIC Avalanche Forecast Map at www.colorado.gov/avalanche before heading out.”

Birch Park

Great Outdoors Colorado, funded by proceeds from the Colorado Lottery, awarded an $800,000 grant to the City of Rifle to build Birch Park, a future hub for community gathering and recreation anticipated to open in 2026 in the Graham Mesa neighborhood.

Deportation ally

The Town of Castle Rock’s municipal council unanimously approved a motion declaring its support for future immigration policies and efforts to deport immigrants who are in the country illegally. An actual declaration will be brought to the council at a future meeting directing the Castle Rock police department to participate in future federal efforts on deportation, Colorado Community Media reported on Dec. 4. The councilmember who made the motion said its intent is to distance Castle Rock from Denver policies and reinforce support for law enforcement.

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Olivia Emmer, Beth Mohsenin, Laurel Janeen Smith and Andy Weidmann (Dec. 12); Jon Araujo, Amy Broadhurst, Ericka Crampton, Claire Markoya and Sander Olson (Dec. 13); Alex Curtis, Steve Keohane, Brianda Cervantes and Natalie Spears (Dec. 14); Ciarra Bristol, Lynn Burton, Rachel Filter, Alya Howe, Frank McGuirk, Arturo Ortiz, Anthony Ortiz and Chip Winn Wells (Dec. 15); Deborah Anderson and Tamarah Howard (Dec. 16); Aiden Knaus and Cooper Marshall (Dec. 17); Kathy Ezra, Daisy Tena, Ralph Wanner and Deborah VanCott (Dec. 18).

Nearly 200 people filled Aspen Chapel on Dec. 5 to hear author Marianne Williamson speak about society, self and community empowerment and a proactive mindset. Photo by Annalise Grueter

Late-night incidents cause of concern for Satank neighbors

RALEIGH BURLEIGH

In the early hours of Sunday, Nov. 24, between 2:46 and 3:38am, a man allegedly attempted to enter a residence in Satank, a residential neighborhood located just outside Carbondale within Garfield County. Finding all entrances locked, the man left. A neighbor’s security camera captured the coming and going of a large white truck which corresponded with the timing.

Later that morning, at around 7:35am, neighbor John Armstrong, a former Pitkin County Sheriff’s deputy, called in a “suspicious/welfare check” for a man “slumped over his steering wheel” in the same white Ford F150 truck at the Satank entrance to the footpath through Colorado Rocky Mountain School. The responding Carbondale Police Department (CPD) officer found the man eating breakfast and did not ask for identification or record his license plate number.

Hattie Taylor, who lives at the Satank residence with her son, slept through the incident. That morning, her son told her about the erratic though not aggressive behavior of the stranger, saying he reparked the truck multiple times. The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office was informed and Taylor had the foresight to install a camera of her own that same day.

Then, for the second night in a row, presumably the same person attempted to enter her residence. This time, he was caught on camera trying the front door between 3:36 and 3:51am. Taylor again slept through it but found the footage

the following day and called the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office. She got no response, she said. Taylor also alerted the neighborhood with an email, writing, “Maybe one of you knows the truck and owner and can explain a reasonable scenario … an Airbnb guest lost and confused?”

On the third consecutive night, neighbors heard the truck approach and intervened. Armstrong called 911 around 4am. According to Garfield County, the call was received at 4:10am. Twenty minutes later, at 4:33am, the Sheriff’s Office formally requested help from CPD. During this time, Armstrong followed the truck out of Satank at a distance and reported it stopped at NAPA Auto Parts, where Joseph Moron — driver of the truck— was then contacted first by CPD at 4:40am followed by the

Sheriff’s Office at 4:46am.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Moron claimed he was invited to the residence by a woman named Jeweleta. He was told about the complaints and allowed to go. A criminal records check reveals Moron has been previously convicted of five felonies, including vehicle theft and assault, as well as five misdemeanors. The white truck was registered under the name of a different person based in Grand Junction. Since the confrontation, Moron has not returned.

According to Sheriff Lou Vallario, nothing the man did warranted criminal behavior. “There may be some gray area, but certainly nothing that was definitive as far as any probable cause for any crime that was committed that would constitute

an arrest or a summons or anything like that,” he said. “Suspicious, of course,” but the man’s explanation was deemed reasonable and he said he was leaving the area to avoid trouble.

Still, Satank neighbors are asking why the law enforcement response was so slow and why the man was not apprehended with ample evidence of attempted breaking and entering, especially in light of a sexual assault that occurred at a woman’s home in Carbondale earlier that same month.

CPD Chief Kirk Wilson informed The Sopris Sun that their policy is to await a request for assistance from Garfield County when dispatch reports a call from outside city limits. “As soon as we step outside of our jurisdiction, we don’t necessarily have legal authority, with some exceptions,” Wilson explained. “Unless of course the Sheriff’s Office makes a request. As soon as they do, they’re not necessarily deputizing us, but we’re working under everything from their insurance down to their authority.” In this case, they held Moron until a Sheriff’s deputy arrived to make decisions.

“We have a really good working relationship with the Sheriff’s Office,” Wilson added. “We’re all on the same team.”

“Nothing prevents us from helping each other out, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, especially when it comes to public or officer safety,” Vallario affirmed. If nothing else, this incident is a reminder for area residents to lock their doors. At any given time, CPD has at least two officers patrolling, Wilson stated, while Garfield

18

This man allegedly tried entering a Satank residence three nights in a row around 4am. Security footage courtesy of Hattie Taylor

Twenty-five candidates vie for three GarCo Library trustee positions

“Wow!” exclaimed Tom Jankovsky, Garfield County Commission (BOCC) chair pro-tem, after five hours of interviews for three public library district trustee positions. “Look at the people we have here in Garfield County and the talent and the knowledge. It just was amazing!” Indeed, it seemed like some of the best and brightest of New Castle, Glenwood Springs and Carbondale gave up their Tuesday last week to talk about the Library Bill of Rights, restricting material for children, why they’d be the best person for the job and more. Ten people applied for the New Castle trustee seat, which will be vacant on Dec. 31. Eight applied for the Glenwood Springs seat and seven for the Carbondale seat, including two current trustees who are eligible for another term.

Three of the 25 were men. Tony May, former RE-2 school board member who was recalled this year, and bibliophile Brit McLin stepped up for the New Castle position. Attorney Tony Hershey, a former Glenwood Springs city councilman, threw his hat in the ring for the Glenwood Springs position.

Compared to previous public meetings involving the BOCC and library trustees, participants were polite. There was no name-calling, no talk of communism and no one exited the room to scream in the foyer. Trustees Susan Use, Myrna Fletchall, Michelle Foster and John Mallonee joined Jankovsky and Commissioner Mike Samson. All but Use posed one question each.

Mallonee asked if candidates would be willing to uphold the Library Bill of Rights and/or SB 24-216 (Standards for Decisions Regarding Library Resources), which passed this year. Brit McLin responded with a story about a conversation he had with his 12-yearold grandson about manga graphic novels. He told the boy that there is a move to have them banned from

the library based on bloodshed, violence and mature content, and asked him what he thought about that. “Well,” responded the boy, “You know, the Bible’s got kind of a lot of violence, bloodshed and mature content.” McLin told the board, “You gotta be a little careful when you get into censorship.”

Everyone was supportive of libraries in general. A couple of candidates want coffee areas set up inside the libraries. When asked why they should be appointed to the board, several said they, in fact, might not be the best candidate. Some said they supported Carbondale resident Jocelyn Durrance, who is up for a term renewal. Candidates for term renewals are now required by the BOCC to go through the application process with everyone else.

Jankovsky chose what was potentially a hot-button question: “Garfield County library district bylaws require libraries to protect children from material on the internet that is harmful to their beneficial development … Do you believe there should be the same reasonable policy for children’s access to books that are designated for mature audiences only?” Sometimes he said “the same policy” or “reasonable policy,” which clouded the question.

Niki Delson, applying for the Carbondale opening, said, “The library is not where the danger lies for our children.” Kathy Small, also from Carbondale, said the role of the library is to “promote literacy” by providing free content, and that the board of trustees should emphasize the collection and how it will evolve over time. “More speech is free speech,” she said.

Jocelyn Durrance said the library is obligated to give space to those who want to view mature content but the public computers are filtered. “The library is a great equalizer,” she added.

Masandra Gray, up for the New Castle position, sees the library issue as divided. She said that there must be

some “give.” “Our libraries are not breaking any laws,” she added. Dawn Dexter, also from New Castle, compared the library to a gym. “At the library, we strengthen our minds like we go to the gym to strengthen our bodies,” she said. She added that she has never encountered anything in the children’s section of the county libraries that shouldn’t be there but that policies should protect children. “I think we should be very, very cautious in terms of censorship,” she said. “But yeah, adults are there to protect children.”

You can watch the entire meeting at the Garfield County website. Commissioners are expected to fill all three positions at their regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 16.

Garfield County Commissioner Mike Samson in contemplation during a recent meeting with the library board.
Photo by Amy Hadden Marsh

RFTA provides insights into customer feedback and response practices

Sopris Sun Correspondent

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) plays a major regional role. The transit organization interfaces with three counties, six towns and countless other businesses to facilitate around 5 million passenger trips each year. In winter months, seasonal operators bring the employee count to over 380 people. Accordingly, many community members frequently interact with RFTA bus drivers. Those interactions aren’t always positive. To help address some questions and concerns around how RFTA receives and processes feedback and deals with complaints, The Sopris Sun reached out to RFTA public information officer Jamie Tatsuno. Tatsuno gathered and shared data from multiple RFTA departments.

About how many customer feedback items does RFTA receive each month? Each year?

Tatsuno: From December 2023 to current date, we have tracked customer feedback using our current system. This system, implemented in December 2023, has greatly improved our ability to collect and analyze feedback efficiently. Prior to this, feedback was collected through a different method, which made

extracting detailed data more challenging. Here is the monthly breakdown from the past year:

December 2023: 215

January 2024: 166

February 2024: 138

March 2024: 131

April 2024: 100

May 2024: 103

June 2024: 174

July 2024: 130

August 2024: 122

September 2024: 90

October 2024: 34

November 2024: 58

12 Month Total: 1,461

Can you share how much customer feedback is received via phone, via the feedback email and via the online contact form?

Tatsuno: Below is a breakdown of feedback entries by the method they were received. It’s important to note that feedback submitted through the contact form on RFTA’s website is recorded as email entries, as the form submissions are delivered directly to the Customer Service Department via email from the form.

Email: 274

Mail: 7

Not Recorded: 68

Phone: 565

Social Media: 10

Voicemail: 276 Walk Up: 261

Within the feedback, what tend to be common topics mentioned?

Top 10 - Feedback about System

Facility-Other Complaint: 78

Other Policy Complaints: 60

Canceled Trips: 47

Arrival Displays: 40

On Time Performance: 38

Other Reliability: 35

Routes Unavailable - Time: 35

Other Compliment: 28

Ticket Vending Machine: 20

Routes Skip Existing Stops: 20

Top 10 – Feedback about Employees

Driver Missed Passenger: 201

Rude Behavior: 118

Employee Compliments: 106 Speeding: 55

Other Driver Route Issue: 47

Unsafe Maneuver: 46

Other Safety Complaint: 33

Driver Off Route: 33

Driver Late: 29

Driver Missed Connection: 16

For minor feedback items, how does RFTA proceed?

Tatsuno: All feedback is documented, and when sufficient details are provided — such as the time, date and location of the occurrence — complaints are thoroughly investigated. If the investigation determines that a complaint is valid, RFTA

may include coaching the employee to improve their performance or addressing the issue directly if it pertains to equipment or facility concerns.

If a complaint is serious, such as reporting inappropriate behavior of a driver, what is the process for addressing it?

Tatsuno: All complaints are investigated, with serious allegations given priority. If an investigation confirms inappropriate behavior by an employee, RFTA applies appropriate disciplinary measures. These can range from coaching or retraining to verbal or written warnings and, in some cases, termination, depending on the nature and

What kind of internal training do RFTA employees receive for managing and responding to customer feedback?

Tatsuno: RFTA Customer Service staff are trained to actively listen to customer feedback and collect detailed information, such as the time, date, location, bus route and bus number, along with any descriptions of employees involved, if applicable. They are also trained in best practices for customer service, including showing empathy, expressing gratitude for the feedback, summarizing the details to ensure accuracy and, where possible, providing an action statement about how the

How does RFTA process and respond to customer feedback? They shared data on their system and response training. Courtesy photo

ANNALISE GRUETER

Sopris Sun Correspondent

Flora Materials developing

Natalie York fell in love with the Colorado Rockies when she moved to Denver in 2013. She had just finished a degree in architecture in Southern California, and was delighted by the interface she saw between work and lifestyle in the mountains.

In 2019, York moved into the Roaring Fork Valley to work on the MOLLIE Aspen project with CCY Architects. “Living here in this amazing community is so inspiring. We live in a progressive part of the mountains,” she effused. “But we also see climate change happening in real-time, between Glenwood and Aspen so much has changed in a relatively short period.”

York has been busy since arriving in the Valley. In 2020, she founded Flora Materials for research and development of functional, sustainable building materials, and quickly partnered with the University of Utah toward those aims. In 2022, she left CCY and started the new firm West 40 with her husband. In 2023, Flora Materials won a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. That grant was based on her work with the University of Utah; after successfully developing a bio-based plastic film, her team turned that research toward creating algae-based flooring tiles.

“Throughout my career, I always thought about different materials and sustainable materials for building,” York said. Accordingly, she looked for opportunities to pursue that kind of innovation in her work. The SBIR research and development is going well. So well, in fact, that this autumn, Flora Materials completed the Phase I research contract with the Army SBIR grant and secured a Phase II grant with a scaled-up funding tag of $1.9 million.

Given her background and parallel career in architecture, York has significant insights into the amount of unsustainable materials that go into many buildings. The current Flora Materials research is focused on bio-based,

durable surface components to replace fossil fuel products. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is popular in expensive homes and commercial buildings, and usually a petroleum-based composite material. York’s Flora Materials work eliminates petroleum and instead creates LVT with algae-based vinyls.

York explained that the work has broader implications than increased environmental sustainability. “We’ve signed on to the challenge of what’s called a thermostatic plastic. Right now these are manufactured overseas, and the process is slow and costly,” she said, referencing the time and money involved in importing these materials. “How do we make these more costefficient? How do we speed up the manufacturing process? The idea is to bring this manufacturing process back to the U.S. and even to Carbondale.”

There are obstacles to the work. Among them, York noted public misunderstanding about sustainable products stemming from promotion campaigns of biodegradable plastics such as in straws and utensils. “There’s a lot of greenwashing when it comes to bio-based products; there needs to be clarity and communication around the difference between biodegradable and bio-based,” she explained. People may assume that bio-based products can’t be durable given recent focus on compostable plasticware in restaurants and other venues.

But many bio-based products are very long-lasting, sometimes moreso than petroleum-based products with less environmental damage. “I think being able to educate the community on bio-based products and what is possible [is an obstacle to be overcome],” York said. “It’s like natural wood, bio-products last a long time.”

York holds gratitude for the grants Flora Materials has been awarded over the past four years. “Without this funding, we wouldn’t be able to do any of this,” she said. “Small innovation research can really drive and make change.” Aside from the progressive grant funding, she named the

When You Have Unexpected Medical

original University of Utah project as a major milestone. “Creating 100% biodegradable film with the University of Utah team took it from a concept and idea to reality.”

Moving forward, York expressed excitement about aligning the Flora Materials work with West 40 architecture projects. She said that her team is planning on installing the flooring product into a net-zero building project in the next year, demonstrating application. By the end of the two-year Phase II government contract, York said Flora Materials will have a viable bio-based flooring product ready to go to market.

From there, she hopes to continue expanding on sustainable materials research and production. “We have other ideas we’re looking forward to developing in the future. The science is there. So many really intelligent chemists are just looking for projects to engage.”

You can read more about York’s work at www.floramaterials.com

Natalie York holds a sample of the algae polyurethane. Courtesy photo

Ross Montessori prepares to pass the torch

Sopris Sun Correspondent

Ross Montessori School, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is preparing for a change in leadership. Head of School Sonya Hemmen is training Associate Head of School Mandi Franz to take over her position come July 1. Hemmen has held the position since 2012, and intends to stay in education at some level.

“I would like to assist other schools, both charter and Montessori,” Hemmen told the Sopris Sun.

Hemmen said, 14 years at Ross has positively changed her life, both as an educator and as a person. She foresees that Franz will efficiently handle the transition, due to how in tune she is with students’ and parents’ needs. Additionally, she appreciates the decades Franz has given to Ross as a rarity in the world of education.

one of the founders of Ross,” continued Hemmen. “She is all of our core values: joy of discovery, compassionate love and children first … She’s ready for the challenge.”

Hemmen shared that Franz’s leadership will perfectly align with Ross Montessori’s Vision 2045 plan. Created in 2015, the outline integrates the Montessori method within the framework of public charter education.

I learned so much in the past 14 years.
- Head of School Sonya Hemmen

“I was looking for a new opportunity, and Ross gave it to me,” said Hemmen. “I learned so much in the past 14 years. I love Montessori and what the philosophy is, and why it works for children and their families. My own daughter attended Ross for four years, and it changed her as a person and a learner — and it’s changed me too,”

“I just know it’s time to pass the torch to a different leader, and that’s Mandi,

“The Ross Montessori Vision 2045 doesn’t change with the change of [a] leader. We, our strategic leadership team, created that vision 2045 years ago and we’re still striving toward all of those goals. So that isn’t going to change,” Franz confirmed. “I know I bring a different perspective to leadership and the school than Sonya does. Still, I look forward to upholding the Montessori tenants and supporting all of the children in our care.”

Franz’s journey of Montessori education started before she was born, when her mother was looking for early-education options for her older sister, Carrie. Franz attended a Montessori school from the time she was 18 months old and up to seventh grade, when she continued the rest of her secondary education in a conventional setting.

“I realized I wanted to be a Montessori teacher because, in my Montessori experience, I had not seen other peers give up on themselves and their learning. Then, in middle school, I saw peers who had,” said Franz. “So I knew I wanted to be in Montessori education.”

Franz majored in Montessori education at Xavier University, worked in the Denver public school system for some time and came to Ross in 2005.

“I am looking forward to meeting the needs of more Roaring Fork families and Roaring Fork children, specifically adolescents,” Franz stated. “We offer an amazing opportunity as a Montessori school that is free for children to attend. So I just look forward to offering the opportunity to

more families and children.”

Franz takes no small example from her predecessor and values her genuine care for children, as well as their colleagues.

“I have learned from Sonya to trust others to do their jobs, do them well and support the rest of the staff with genuine, radical generosity. When she knows that things are going on at home or with your family that you need support with, she takes care of it. She’ll show up at your house with flowers or a meal, if that’s what’s needed. That’s just [an example] of [what] she does regularly to support the people she’s leading,” Franz concluded.

For additional information, visit www.rossmontessori.org

Carbondale Homeless Assistance

We are accepting:

Ski Coats (fall/winter)

Durable, Waterproof

Boots (fall/winter)

Heavy Duty, Cold weather

Sleeping Bags (fall/winter)

Extreme cold

Tents (anytime)

Two man and three man cold weather and waterproof tents

Gift Cards (anytime)

to Subway, City Market, Peppino’s, Bonfire, Village Smithy, etc.

Money (anytime)

To be used to buy socks, gift cards for food & supplies

Ross Montessori educators Mandi Franz (left) and Sonya Hemmen. Courtesy photo

‘Trouble Dog’ delights readers of all ages

Tucker is not your average troublesome pup. Sure, he might destroy your house, dig up the entire garden or maybe tackle you with kisses, but he’s smart, focused, and with the right kind of love and attention, he might just be the greatest conservation dog ever.

Inspired by the real-life hero dogs of the world-wide nonprofit Working Dogs for Conservation (WDC), Tucker is the star of Carol A. Foote’s debut book, “Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero,” illustrated by Sopris Sun cartoonist Larry Day. “Trouble Dog” tells the story of a loveable but challenging dog who is deemed unadoptable,

comes along. Recognizing that his energetic behavior can be channeled into meaningful work, Laura takes on the daunting task of training Tucker to become a conservation dog. Over time, their work takes them around the world helping biologists study wildlife, identify invasive species and even detect illegal wildlife snares used to trap animals.

“I really liked when Laura adopted Tucker,” said Wyatt, age 7. “They go on adventures and even look for cheetah scat in Zambia!”

Foote, an accomplished journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, L.A. Times and multiple science publications, has traveled the world observing, writing about and photographing wildlife. Eventually, her passion for conservation education led her to a wildlife conference where she met Pepin, an elite dog for the WDC. She was inspired by his abilities and WDC’s mission to protect wildlife and wild places by way of their dogs’ remarkable sense of smell. There, Foote also learned about WDC’s Rescues 2the Rescue program that saves dogs from euthanization and partners with

like K-9 police or search and rescue units.

“Many dogs [who do conservation work] have been rejected by families,” said Foote. “They are so intelligent, but they are driven and rambunctious and want to explore everything. They want to play and have a fun life, but it’s so much trouble for families that they get sent to the pound. It broke my heart, so I wanted to write this story about how they can be rescued and turned into really happy conservation dogs.”

As the illustrator, Day brings Tucker’s story to life beautifully with vibrant watercolors and uplifting detailed expressions. Tucker’s youthful innocence shines during the mishaps, and his focused intelligence is clearly seen while the characters are embarking on a conservation mission. Readers will easily fall in love with Tucker’s familiar and friendly demeanor, and they’ll find themselves rooting for his success.

While “Trouble Dog” is the first collaboration between Foote and Day, the words and the art seamlessly flow to create an engaging story. Foote was immediately impressed by Day’s ability to illustrate people, landscapes and animals — three critical components for her story. Day, an award-winning illustrator, was

drawn to the depth of the story of “Trouble Dog” and the wealth of interesting visuals to play with.

“It wasn’t a hard choice with Carol’s story. I read it through the first time and called the art director to say I’d love to do this book,” said Day. “There’s a lot of action in this book and I like drawing animals in action.”

“Trouble Dog” is sure to delight readers of all ages and possibly inspire lifelong conservationists. Noting the book’s approachability for children, Day said “Trouble Dog” is a story readers will continue to be drawn to long after the pages have frayed from use. Sawyer, Wyatt’s exuberant 3-year-old brother, agreed, as the request for a re-read was made no less than three times in a single sitting. Hungry learners will also find satisfaction as Foote provided additional information about WDC, traits and training of conservation dogs, working dogs in general and conservation efforts happening around the world.

“I like having a positive story, because so many stories are about things going wrong. It’s great to have a positive story for kids about something that is going well and is hopeful,” said Foote. “This story shows how others are helping wildlife and the environment.”

“Trouble Dog: From Shelter Dog to Conservation Hero,” published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, will hit bookshelves on Feb. 25, 2025. Foote has committed to donating half of her royalties to Working Dogs for Conservation. Visit www.carolafoote.com to preorder your copy.

Illustrations by Larry Day

Toklat restored and open again

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) announced in late November that its wilderness retreat facility in the Castle Creek Valley, the Catto Center at Toklat, was reopening to the public after a major renovation of the historic structure. In a conversation with The Sopris Sun, ACES CEO Chris Lane said that the nearly three-year project, begun in the fall of 2021, was “99% complete,” with mostly outside work left to be finished.

Located 11 miles south of Aspen on Castle Creek Road, across from Ashcroft Ghost Town, the original cabin was built in the late 1940s by Stuart and Isabel Mace, who called it Toklat (an Inuit word meaning “headwaters of a glacial valley”). At various times, it was run as a wilderness lodge, restaurant and art gallery, as well as serving as the Mace’s home. The family also had a renowned sled dog business — what later became the now-shuttered Krabloonik enterprise.

The Maces were among the founders of ACES, and Stuart became its first naturalist. It was the family’s wish that Toklat be

passed on to ACES. With the help of the Catto family and other donors, the organization acquired the facility in the early 2000s, giving the building the name the Catto Center. It became a locale for retreats, ACES member events, nature-oriented classes in summer and snowshoeing outings in winter, with staff naturalists living there year-round.

Over the Mace years, a hodgepodge of additions grew around the original structure, creating a funky yet charming maze of rooms and dead-end passages.

Notable was a large, unheated, barnlike room that was usable in warm weather but not so — other than for storage – when it was cold.

What to do with Toklat was, as Lane described it, “talked about for a long time” — actually, some 13 years. In the end, it was decided to remove nearly all of the add-ons and rebuild it with much greater functionality, while retaining the structure’s overall likeness (including its funky charm).

“We took the two historic buildings and restored and protected them,” Lane said, noting that, of the materials from the demolished parts, “Everything was

reused or recycled,” and adding, “We did not increase the footprint” of the structure.

It was not a cheap undertaking. Lane shared that the original bid of $6.7 million ballooned to “in excess of $9 million” in expenses because of factors like inflation, materials costs and supply-chain issues. But, as he noted, “It’s a forever project and is going to be around for a long time.”

In addition to increasing the usable space for programs and events, the second floor was built out to accommodate several resident naturalists. A new all-electric commercial kitchen was installed and two cabins were built: one for

the Toklat steward and another for potential use by a visiting expert or scholar. Major infrastructure upgrades included replacing plumbing and heating systems, an aging mini-hydroelectric plant and installing rooftop solar panels.

Although Toklat remains connected to the electric grid, Lane said that the goal is for it to become carbon-neutral; which will be possible because of its tie-in with Holy Cross Energy and its goal of providing 100% energy from renewable sources by 2030. He stated that Toklat plans to add backup battery storage “in the next five years.”

Lane and Jim Kravitz, ACES’ naturalist programs director, both discussed the organization’s use of Toklat going forward. Lane said, “The biggest goal is to have a place surrounded by wilderness where people can gather and have a retreat space.” Kravitz used characterizations like “organic interactive” and “a catalyst for eye-opening experiences,” further saying, “That place really does a number on people. They become disarmed from wherever they are.”

Trevor Washko is the current steward, whose involvement with Toklat dates to the mid-1990s. He

The south-facing side of the renovated and restored Catto Center at Toklat, in a photograph taken Dec. 5 by Trevor Washko. Courtesy of ACES

Roaring Fork girls go undefeated to win Brenda Patch Basketball Tournament

A pair of dominating wins for the Roaring Fork High School girls basketball team at their home Brenda Patch Tournament over the weekend set up an exciting Saturday championship game.

The Rams easily defeated Basalt 68-27 to open the tournament on Thursday, Dec. 5, and handled Class 4A Steamboat Springs 46-26 on Friday night.

That left Roaring Fork — ranked among the top-10 Class 3A teams in Colorado — to face a formidable 4A opponent, the Palisade Bulldogs, for the tournament title game. The result was a 61-59 overtime win for the host team, now 4-0.

Roaring Fork had to fight its way back into it after falling behind 17-5 in the early going against the taller, more physical Lady Bulldogs.

In the Basalt game, Carley Crownhart was the leading scorer with 21, and Tardif led the way against Steamboat with 12 points.

“Regardless of what the scoreboard says at the end, these girls always play their hearts out,” Vidakovich said. “They are a together group of kids, and the ball finds the open player with this team.”

RFHS hosts the Patch tournament each year in memory of student-athlete Brenda Patch, who was killed along with her mother, Loretta, in a Thanksgiving Day 1986 car accident.

They are a together group of kids, and the ball finds the open player with this team.

- Coach Mike Vidakovich

“They fought every step of the way against a very good Palisade team,” second-year head coach Mike Vidakovich said.

Eventually, the Rams’ speed and aggressive fullcourt press defense wore down the Bulldogs, and by the fourth quarter Roaring Fork had taken the lead and ultimately forced the game into overtime.

Senior Erica Crownhart and sophomore Riley Bevington combined to make six free throws in the extra frame, and junior Nikki Tardif scored a basket to give the Rams the win.

Bevington finished the game with 19 points, while Tardif had 16 points and 12 rebounds, Crownhart had seven points and six steals, and sister Carley Crownhart had 14 points and six steals.

In boys action, Roaring Fork beat eventual tournament champion Banning Lewis Academy in a backand-forth 57-54 thriller to open on Thursday.

Junior Lucas Carballeira had 18 points in the win, including three 3-pointers, and junior Kiko Pena had 15 rebounds, 13 points and three steals.

However, it would be the Stallions who went on to defeat Fort Lupton, 47-36, on Friday to set up the tournament championship game against Basalt on Saturday. It was Banning Lewis for the title, 67-48.

Roaring Fork, meanwhile, fell to Basalt 55-46 on Friday, giving up a 31-21 halftime advantage. The Rams then lost the third-place game on Saturday, 48-39, to Plateau Valley.

“We led most of the game against Basalt, but turnovers hurt us going into the fourth quarter,” veteran Rams head coach Jason Kreiling said. “Basalt kept the pressure on the entire game, but there were still a lot

continued on page 18

Carley Crownhart was the leading scorer during RFHS’ game against Basalt during the Brenda Patch Basketball Tournament.
Photo by Sue Rollyson

Health Insurance Enrollment Assistance

Need help enrolling in health insurance? We can help!

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

Colorado has expanded access to health insurance coverage options, regardless of immigration status.

Upcoming Event Dates

Fri. Nov. 1st

Sat. Nov. 2nd

Sat. Nov. 9th

Sat. Nov 16th

Sat. Nov. 23rd

Mon. Nov. 25th

Sat. Dec. 7th

Sat. Dec. 14th

Sat. Dec. 28

Sat. Jan. 11

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

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

Glenwood Springs Library

Please note, for OmniSalud enrollments: Re-enrollment begins November 1st. Unclaimed slots will open to the public at 8am on November 25th on a first come, first serve basis.

For more information call 833-273-6627 or Email EnrollmentHelp@mountainfamily.org

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Classic and Skate style lessons at Spring Gulch. Starting in Jan.

DYNAMIC WORKOUT

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

Tues/Thurs, 11-11:50am, 1/7-1/30

QIGONG

A gentle practice to improve energy, balance, flexibility, muscle tone, and focus.

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

PILATES WITH PURPOSE

Develop core strength, balance, and stability, with mindful and precise classic Pilates.

Mon/Wed, 12-12:50pm, 1/13-3/5

SOMATIC YOGA WORKSHOP

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

Monday, 9-11am, 1/13

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

Tues/Thurs, 6-7:30pm, 1/14-2/6

REGISTER TODAY 970-925-7740

Closed 12/20-1/2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12

COCOA CLUB POP-UP

As part of its holiday pop-up series the Cocoa Club hosts Sideshow Redesigns, a favorite Mountain Fair vendor, who’ll be selling redesigned western shirts today and tomorrow.

CODING CLUB

Teens interested in coding are invited to learn Python with the Aspen Science Center at the Carbondale Library at 3:45pm.

BANNED BOOK CLUB

Basalt Library’s Banned Book Club discusses “Pet” by Akwaeke Emezi at 4pm.

ANDERSON RANCH

Anderson Ranch Arts Center hosts a holiday open house from 4:30 to 6:30pm with open studios and festive treats. Meanwhile, “Last Eagle / Last Gun: Modern Recordings of Ancient Blackfoot Symbolisms,” a new exhibit by father and son artists Terrance Guardipee and Terran Last Gun, will have an opening reception.

‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’

A SoL Theatre youth troupe performs Joe Landry’s “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at Thunder River Theater at 6pm tonight, tomorrow and Saturday. Catch a matinee at 2pm on Sunday. Tickets and more info at www. soltheatrecompany.org

CHAUTAUQUA

Aspen Journalism and Community Builders present “Chautauqua: In Search of Community,” a community-engagement opportunity stemming from a 10-part series turned book by journalist Paul Anderson intended to “broaden the notion of community” along the 80-mile corridor from Aspen to Parachute. It starts at 6pm at Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs.

HOLIDAY GLOW FLOW

Cari Eisenson guides an all-levels flow session with beats by DJ Bhakti Styler at Kula Yoga on Main at 6pm. Plosky’s will provide the eats. Register at www.kulayogaonmain.com

RODRIGO ARREGUÍN

Rodrigo Arreguín performs at Heather’s in Basalt from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

‘ASPEN EXTREME’

Aspen Film shows “Aspen Extreme” for free at the AF Isis Theatre at 7:30pm — retro ski attire recommended.

CRYSTAL THEATRE

“Moana 2” shows at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm. “Gladiator II” open tomorrow at 7pm and repeats on Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 5pm.

BELLY UP

AIKIDO in Carbondale

Aikido is an effective nonviolent practice of peaceful conflict resolution to redirect, neutralize, or avoid attack using principles that are relevant to all types of conflict, not just physical.

Tuesday/Thursdays 6-7:30pm, 1/14-2/6

River Spell opens for the O’Connor Brothers Band at the Belly Up at 8pm. Tickets at www.riverspellmusic.com/tour

TOMMY THE ANIMAL

Enjoy an acoustic rendition of Tommy The Animal’s repertoire, highlighting a new album, at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

CONSENSUAL CHRISTMAS

There are still tickets left for tonight’s Consensual Improv show, “A Consensual Christmas*,” at 8pm at TACAW. Tomorrow night’s show is sold out. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13

FREE BOOKS

The second annual Free-For-All Book Fair takes place at the Glenwood Springs Community Center from noon to 6pm. Thousands of books for all ages

in English and Spanish have been gathered to distribute, including new titles.

PHOTOS WITH SANTA

The Carbondale Police Department brings Santa to The Orchard (110 Snowmass Drive in Carbondale). St. Nick will be granting Christmas wishes from 3 to 9pm.

POTTERY SALE

The Carbondale Clay Center hosts a holiday pottery sale specifically for kids “on a piggy-bank budget” from 4 to 6pm.

MOUNTAIN MUSIC

Sweet Jessup & The Dirty Buckets perform at Mountain Heart from 5 to 7pm.

BANK & HARRIMAN

Chris Bank and Hap Harriman serenade at Heather’s in Basalt from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

‘MESSIAH’

Aspen Choral Society presents Handel’s “Messiah” for the 48th consecutive year, tonight at Harris Concert Hall in Aspen, tomorrow at TACAW and Sunday at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Glenwood Springs. All performances begin at 7pm. Find tickets at www.aspenchoralsociety.org

‘GOLDEN VALLEY’

Aspen Film continues its Wintersköl screenings with “Champions of the Golden Valley” at 7pm at the AF Isis Theatre. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org

SPICY FLORES

Mitt Spicy and Aggie Flores perform at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www. stevesguitars.net

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14

COCOA CLUB POP-UP

Cocoa Club’s holiday pop-ups continue with Matt Johnson selling his handmade ceramic tablewares today and Colorado Wild Jewelry tomorrow.

VISUAL JOURNALING

Expressive Arts Therapist Sheri Gaynor guides a visual journaling workshop at the Art Base from 9:30 to 11:30am. Register at www.theartbase.org

SAW-LIDAY

Studio for Arts and Works (SAW) hosts its 18th annual SAWliday sale, featuring works from 25 local artists, from 2 to 6pm.

NHL ALUMNI CLASSIC

Colorado Extreme hosts its second annual Outdoor NHL Alumni Classic at its rink off of Catherine Store Road (CR 100), beginning with a flyover at 3pm and followed by the puck drop. Tickets and more info at www. nhlalumnioutdoorclassic.com Game entry is free for kids!

APRES SKI SHOPPING

The Aspen Chapel Gallery hosts a special Apres Ski Shopping experience, featuring over 300 pieces of local art, from 3 to 6pm. More info at www.aspenchapelgallery.org

SOUND IMMERSION

Ildi Ingraham takes participants on a sound-healing journey at the Carbondale Library at 4pm. Bring a mat, pillow, blanket and anything else to be very comfortable. Email panderson@gcpld.org with any questions.

CHRIS BANK

Catch Chris Bank performing live music at Mountain Heart from 5 to 7pm.

CONTRA DANCE

The Carbondale Community School hosts an all-ages contra dance with live music from 8 to 10pm (lessons at 7:30pm).

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15

BIRD COUNT

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies needs help counting birds in the Aspen area as part of the 125th Audubon Christmas Bird Count, “The longest running citizen-science survey in the world,” from 7:30am to 3pm. Register at www.aspennature.org

CHRISTMAS MEDITATION

Devotees of Paramahansa Yogananda practice a two-hour meditation commemorating the birth of Christ at True Nature from 8:45 to 11am. For more info, email sarahtrumery@gmail.com

AUTHENTIC RESONANCE

A Spiritual Center welcomes Kat Hardy speaking about sensory integration and the nature of consciousness in Room 31 of the Third Street Center at 10am.

CLIMATE CAFE

Join Wild Rose Education for a facilitated gathering in Carbondale centered around taking action in light of the climate crisis from 3:30 to 5pm. RSVP at www.wildroseeducation.com for the specific location.

BASALT MARKET

TACAW hosts the first annual Basalt Holiday Market from noon to 5pm.

TEEN JAM SESSION

Teen musicians of all levels get together for a jam session at the BlueBird Cafe in Glenwood Springs from 5 to 7pm. Extra instruments will be available. More info at www.tinyurl.com/LENSjamsesssion

‘LITTLE FEET’

Aspen Film Isis Theatre shows “Little Feet” at 7pm for free, wrapping up its Wintersköl screenings. RSVP at www. aspenfilm.org

QUEEN BEES

The Queen Bees perform a holiday show at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16

ONE-NIGHT STAND

Consensual Improv hosts an interactive improv jam at TACAW at 6:30pm. To register, email cassidywilley@gmail.com and send $25 via Venmo to @Consensualimprov

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17

‘HOME ALONE’

The Glenwood Vaudeville Revue screens Christmas classic “Home Alone” at 6:30pm, preceded by dinner and entertainment starting at 5:30pm. Reserve a seat at www.gvrshow.com

‘COMMON GROUND’

Wild Mountain Seeds and MTN Bio show “Common Ground,” an inspirational documentary about soil health, at the Crystal Theatre at 6:30pm. Join the happy hour at Marble Distilling beginning at 5:30pm to meet some likeminded folk.

FUNGI FILM FEST

The Western Colorado Mycological Association presents “The Fungi Film Fest 2024” at the Six Production warehouse (2100 Dolores Way, northside entrance). Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7pm.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18

WOLF EDUCATION

Eagle County welcomes the community to learn about the reintroduction of gray wolves at 500 Broadway, Eagle at 10am.

OCEANOGRAPHY

Aspen Science Center teaches kids, 5-11, about ocean life at the Basalt Library from 2:30 to 3:30pm.

REINDEER AT THE LIBRARY

Stop by and meet a couple of reindeer from Noel Productions at the Carbondale Library from 3 to 5pm.

MINDFUL PHOTOGRAPHY

Author and photographer Joe Van Wyk teaches mindful photography techniques using a smartphone at the Carbondale Library at 6pm, before heading downtown with “Frankie the Doodle.”

COLE FOR CHRISTMAS

Roberta Lewis and Steve Cole perform at Heather’s in Basalt from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

COMMUNITY SINGALONG

Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra (RFYO) presents its first annual community singalong at the Third Street Center at 7pm. All RFYO performances are free and open to the public.

‘SPACE COWBOY’

Aspen Film, in collaboration with HeadQuarters, screens “Space Cowboy” at the AF Isis Theatre at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org

HOLIDAY CABARET

Theatre Aspen presents the “Dreaming of a White Christmas Cabaret” at the Hotel Jerome with a three-course dinner and 60-minute performance tonight through Dec. 22 at 7pm.

“Once Upon a Time,” a family-friendly show, takes place from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21 at 4pm. Find tickets at www.theatreaspen.org

TACAW CABARET

TACAW also presents a holiday cabaret with Beth Malone and Bob Finnie at 8pm. Beforehand, join Epicure Catering’s Supper Club for dinner at 6pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

JERRY JOSEPH

Steve’s Guitars presents Jerry Joseph at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19

WOLF MEETING

In preparation for the next round of gray wolf releases, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is hosting a series of community meetings. Today, a meeting will take place in Aspen from 10am to 2pm. Contact Dustin at Shiflett@state.co.us or 720-902-1222 for more info.

COMMON ROOTS

The Common Roots Women’s Group meets at HeadQuarters in Basalt at 6pm to reflect on this month’s topic: intimacy. Register at www.headq.org

LOUNGE SESSION

HeadQuarters in Basalt invites you to discuss and journal about “The Garden Within” by Dr. Anita Phillips from 6 to 7:30pm. Learn more at headq.org/ support/events

SMOKIN’ & ROCKIN’

Smokin’ Joe and Rockin’ Randall perform music at Heather’s in Basalt from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20

FIRE TRUCK-MAS

Santa hitches a ride with Carbondale Fire to visit children in neighborhoods off of County Road 109 this evening and within Carbondale tomorrow evening. The firetruck departs the station at 5pm and parents can track Santa’s whereabouts in real-time the night of (a link will be posted shortly before the truck leaves the station). Visit www.carbondalefire.org for route maps and more info.

MOUNTAIN MUSIC

Mountain Heart hosts the 4 Corners Ramblers for live music from 5 to 7pm.

SOLSTICE CELEBRATION

Basalt Library hosts a community gathering with hot beverages, food, crafts and storytelling outdoors from 5:30 to 7pm. People are requested to bring lawn chairs and bundle up!

SOLSTICE FLOW

Cari Eisenson and DJ Bhakti Styler team up again to offer a Winter Solstice Flow yoga and music session at Kula Yoga on Main from 5:30 to 6:45pm. Register at www.kulayogaonmain.com

regarding upcoming gray wolf releases — slated in either Garfield, Eagle or Pitkin County — from 6 to 8pm at the New Hope Church in New Castle on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

LOCAL FILMS

Catch a celebration of local filmmakers at TACAW presented by 5 Point and Aspen Snowmass beginning at 7pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

BIRDS OF PLAY

Enjoy Colorado bluegrass with Birds of Play performing at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Find tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

Santa is Cruising Around in his Holiday Fire Truck

Friday, December 20, traveling around: Crystal Bridge Drive County Road 109 areas

Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park

Saturday, December 21, traveling around: Town of Carbondale

Santa Paseando en su Camión de Bomberos Navideño

Viernes 20 de diciembre, paseando por: Crystal Bridge Drive County Road 109 areas

Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park

Sábado 21 de diciembre Town of Carbondale

Go to www.carbondalefire.org to find Santa’s route for each day. Santa leaves Carbondale Fire at 5 pm, real time tracking of Santa goes live each day around 4:45 p.m

Visita www.carbondalefire.org para la ruta de Santa cada día Santa sale de la estación a las 5 p.m. Rastreo en vivo desde las 4:45 p.m

Garfield County and Colorado Parks and Wildlife host a community meeting
Photo by Gary Kramer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Theme: Dreams

Temática: Sueños

DROP OFF/ ENTREGA:

MAILING/ POR CORREO: P.O. B ox 399, Carbondale CO 816234

RULES:

• Students from kindergarten to high school are invited to enter

• Paper size: 8 ½ x 11”

• A variety of media is permitted, but not glitter or three-dimensional elements

• Bright, bold colors are recommended

• Please write the child’s name, age, grade, school and a parent’s contact information (on the back of the page)

REGL AS:

• Estudiantes de kindergarten a high school están invitados a entrar

• Tamaño de papel: 8 ½ x 11”

• Se puede utilizar una variedad de materiales, pero no destellos ni elementos tres-dimensionales

• Se recomienda colores brillantes

• Por favor, incluir el nombre del artista, su edad, curso, escuela y información de contacto para su pariente (en la parte atrás de la página)

For more information / Para más información: news@soprissun.com / 970-510-5003

DECEMBER 15

Lights… camera… auction!

Sopris Sun contributor Will Sardinsky captured these photos from up and down Main Street on a bustling First Friday, Dec. 6. After viewing Carbondale’s treelighting, folks were invited to meet Santa, take a sleigh ride or do some shopping at Carbondale Arts’ Deck the Walls holiday market, KDNK’s Labor of Love auction and the Carbondale Clay Center’s Cup Auction, let alone retail stores that stayed open late to join in the fun festivities.

Budget ruling postponed, pool add alternates approved

All members of the Carbondale Board of Trustees were present for Tuesday’s meeting with the exception of Ross Kribbs.

Following the recognition of the students of the month, the board passed the consent agenda, which included a special event permit for an upcoming student art show at Colorado Mountain College’s Carbondale campus, a liquor license renewal for Ming’s Cafe, appointing Lesia Rehl to the Public Arts Commission and accounts payable.

Mayor Ben Bohmfalk suggested a special work session with the Colorado Department of Transportation in early February to discuss Highway 133 improvements; and Mayor Pro Tem Erica Sparhawk shouted out the Roaring Fork girls basketball team for winning the annual Brenda Patch tournament.

Christina Montemayor gave an update on the newly-formed Latino Advisory Board, which convened on Monday, Dec. 9 for a training session where four of the five members were present. Montemayor said the advisory board discussed the upcoming meeting in January, where it plans to nominate a president and vice president. The meetings

BASALT REPORT

are conducted in Spanish, which Montemayor said is “really neat.”

The advisory board plans to meet once a month to start out.

Town Manager Lauren Gister added that the training aspect, filling members in on how local government works — from agendas to motions — really pays off. The next advisory board meeting is on Jan. 13 at 6:30pm at the Rec Center.

Gister added that the Town’s newsletter has “really started to grow” in popularity, with over 450 subscribers. She also reminded the board that the Town is hosting the Chamber’s Business After

Midland Ave to host ribbon cutting this Friday

WILL BUZZERD

Sopris Sun Correspondent

This week, the Town of Basalt announced a ribbon cutting for the nearly-completed Midland Streetscape Project, and also approved a regional emission reduction roadmap which hopes to steer Eagle County toward net-zero emissions by 2030.

Town Manager Ryan Mahoney kicked off this week’s meeting recommending the allocation of Basalt’s discretionary grant and tobacco tax funding. The Town Council grants subcommittee reviewed 42 applicants for funding and selected 32 to receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000, selecting organizations in healthcare, education, arts, food security and more. In total, Town Council received approximately $143,000 in funding requests, with an available budget of $254,000 including this season’s grant cycle and tobacco tax funding.

In addition, Town Staff and the grants subcommittee recommended a one-time $50,000 grant to Mountain Family Health Centers, a nonprofit which provides accessible primary, dental and mental health care. The organization has experienced

funding issues due to the sunsetting of COVID-era Medicaid policies, and has been forced to close two clinics in Basalt schools.

While the funding will help continue operations at the organization’s location on Emma Road, this is to be a one-time grant.

Manager Mahoney also provided a very brief update on the Midland Streetscape project.

The project is nearly completed with one final section of paving by St. Vincent Catholic Church being held over until the new year, and the construction team is still awaiting the new light fixtures which, after some backordering issues, will be installed in February.

Mahoney announced that this Friday, Dec. 13, the Town of Basalt will be hosting a ribbon cutting for the Streetscape Project as well as a celebration for the Christmas tree lighting during the Merry on Midland Block Party. Scheduled from 4 to 6pm, the celebration will include live music, vendors and a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The Town of Basalt invites families to come out and enjoy the new Midland Avenue and some festive fun.

Additionally, Council unani-

the office,” said the town manager. “She’s always willing to step in and help wherever needed … She will be very missed.”

Aquatics Center

From there, the board went into its first action item of the evening: budgeting for the new Aquatics Center. While the conversation got a little murky with numbers being conflated with a Town policy, the board did reach a funding decision regarding the new pool.

as we designed it, as the public told us that they wanted it.”

Hours event at Alpine Bank on Dec. 18 to talk about the pool.

Then came the time for outgoing Town Clerk Jessica Markham to swear in her successor, Patrick Thibault. That came with the passing of a coveted trucker’s hat branded “Town Clerk,” which Markham quipped “has gotten me into some trouble, and also gotten me out of trouble.”

Markham has been with the Town since February of 2023, but Gister said it’s like she’s been there forever. “She jumped in, stepped up, made connections [and] brought a fresh sense of humor to

mously adopted a regional net-zero roadmap to guide Basalt toward achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030. The regional roadmap was created in a collaborative effort between local governments in the Roaring Fork and Eagle River valleys, utility providers, community nonprofits and sustainability experts. The presentation of the roadmap was led by Gina McCrackin of Walking Mountains Science Center, which is taking the reins coordinating Eagle County communities.

In Basalt, the construction and operation of buildings remains the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, building codes and construction have been prioritized in the regional roadmap which defines an ideal building as all electric, powered by renewable energy, with the ability to store energy and shift use to reduce demand on the grid, minimizing embodied carbon and electric vehicle ready. Ideally, these new codes will create healthier, more energy-efficient buildings, as well as make life easier for the construction workforce who will be able to operate consistently in different communities and worry less about the complexity of differing codes.

While the Town of Basalt already adopted a roadmap to net-zero in 2022 through Resolution 56, this new document will

The board agreed that they’d like to see all of the add alternates (detailed in the previous Carbondale Report) included, which could amount to $563,089 out of the Town’s pocket. However, that number from the Town budget does not account for the capital campaign and projected grant funds that will offset the cost.

Parks and Rec Director Eric Brendlinger conceded that much of the information the Town’s finance director, Greg Hansen, had to work with had only reached his desk recently and Brendlinger commended his efforts.

“He’s helped me kind of tackle how to fund the pool as designed. I mean that’s the goal here, right?“ said Brendlinger. “To figure out a responsible way to fund the pool

act as a supplement and help standardize and create predictability for designers and builders in the region.

Mayor David Knight praised the regional roadmap, saying, “I’m happy to see other groups coalescing around a common set of goals and objectives.”

Knight then asked about next steps for the roadmap and how the program would affect existing buildings. McCrackin responded that the Climate Action Collaborative and the Community Office for Resource Efficiency — both of which act as community coordinating

Back in November 2023, Andrea Korber with Land + Shelter, the contracted design firm, “came to the board with the unsurprising, but unfortunate, news that the pool was going to cost more than we anticipated and that $8 million was not going to be enough — the bond money,” Gister summarized. At the time, the board decided to transfer $1.6 million from the General Fund to the Recreation Sales and Use Tax Fund (RSUT) to help cover costs, while also balancing other needs, such as Chacos Park.

Staff’s recommendation was to transfer back half of the $1.6 million. Gister suggested that the board can then consider refunding the remainder in 2025, after fundraising numbers become more clear.

Town policy dictates that the RSUT balance should be at or above 80% of the budget at the end of the year, which is roughly $1.8 million. If the board decided to transfer back the $1.6 million to the General Fund, the projected year-end RSUT balance would be $1,164,846. Therefore, the board voted to transfer $800,000 back to the General Fund, which should

continued on page 18

entities — will be applying for grants through the Colorado Energy Office to support implementation programs, such as workforce trainings and education for local government staff. McCrackin also stated that the Regional Roadmap is geared toward new construction and does not currently have guidelines for the modification of existing buildings, which she said would be far more expensive and complicated. However, the plan is aspirational in nature, and the regional roadmap anticipates amendments as technologies and practices improve.

This drone shot highlights the new Midland Avenue with parallel parking and islands running down the middle. While the street still awaits new lighting and some final landscaping touches, the Town of Basalt will celebrate the nearly-finished project this Friday, Dec.13. Courtesy photo
The Board of Trustees recognized (left to right) Nolan Wilson, Milo DiLorenzo, Maggie Cole, Fielder Eshelman and Sebastian Candela (not pictured) as the student’s of the month. Photo by James Steindler

Permits, permits, permits and wolves

Sopris Sun Correspondent

Monday’s penultimate Garfield County Commissioners’ (BOCC) meeting for 2024 was short and calm with only two commissioners present. Commission Chair John Martin, whom Commission Chair Pro-Tem Tom Jankovsky expected to return this month, is still out on medical leave. Commissioner-elect Perry Will was in the audience.

In the absence of public comment on non-agenda items in the morning, the BOCC jumped right into approval of the entire consent agenda and the fourth budget supplemental request and appropriation of funds from Jamaica Watts, county finance director. Watts reported an increase in supplemental revenues of $7,059,571 and an increase in supplemental expenditures of $3,977,407.

Next up, Carl Stephens, executive director of the Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority (GCECA), told commissioners that the 911 surcharge will go up in 2025 but that 911 income is steady. The GCECA expects to fill two new dispatch positions next year for

the first time in three years.

The Harvey Gap radio site came online this year, providing coverage to the Harvey Gap area and improving coverage in Silt and around Coal Ridge High School. Stephens said that radio capacity at sites in Glenwood Springs, Rifle, north of Rifle on Highway 13 to the Rio Blanco County line and from Parachute to Debeque has improved. The backup center in Battlement Mesa also came online this year. He added that the proximity of the center to employees who live in Battlement Mesa has cut response time for emergency callbacks.

Heather Beattie, county attorney, commented about how the Monarch butterfly could end up on the endangered species list and that President-elect Trump could have an influence on oil and natural gas regulations and roll back President Biden’s May, 2021 executive order: Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful, better known as 30 X 30.

In the afternoon, no one from the public had anything to say about non-agenda items. The BOCC heard two requests for extensions for land use change permits and approved one for the North Hangs gravel pit,

southwest of Silt.

The second request, to extend approval of a land use change permit for High Mesa RV Park, south of Parachute, was denied. Apparently, the application for the park was first submitted in September 2009. Monday’s request was the 12th time the applicant, Bob Graham, has asked for an extension. County staff gave the BOCC two options: approve a one-year extension with conditions or deny the request. The denial requires a new application that would go through the county’s Major Impact Review process.

Commissioner Mike Samson said, “We were adamant last time [an extension was requested] that this was the last time we would grant an extension. It’s better to begin again.”

Next up came a request from Tanner Gianinetti for a substantial modification to an administrative land use change permit for the Gianinetti Community Event Center just outside of Carbondale city limits. The request was approved with conditions after Tanner’s presentation and public comment that was largely supportive of the Gianinetti family as neighbors, but not for an increase in the size,

CARBONDALE Revolving Loan Fund

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen a monarch around here in a long time.”

hours and frequency of events. Conditions included maintaining the noise level at 55 decibels and the existing hours of operation. Events larger than 200 people are limited to 52 per year and cannot occur during large town festivals, like Mountain Fair, unless coordinated with the Town of Carbondale. The application will be reviewed after the 2025 peak season to determine compliance, traffic concerns, security and noise and light mitigation.

The BOCC hosts a public listening session with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) about gray wolves on Thursday, Dec. 17 at the New Hope Church in New Castle from 6 to 8pm. CPW plans to bring 15 wolves into Colorado this year from British Columbia. The agency has also launched a conflict mitigation program with trainings on the Western Slope scheduled for December. More info about the conflict mitigation trainings is available at

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

CRITERIA

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

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

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

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

CONTACT

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

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

of good things that I saw. We’ve played well defensively in each of our games.

“It’s good to have some tough games to start the season. It helps us see where we are and what things need more work.”

Up next, both Roaring Fork teams travel to play at the Weld Central Tournament in Keenesburg Dec. 12-14. Opponents include Weld Central on Thursday, Regis Groff on Friday and Brush on Saturday.

Basalt wrestling

The combined Basalt High School wrestling team, which includes a few student-athletes from Roaring Fork, began its season with a home meet on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The Longhorns defeated Coal Ridge 63-12, and beat Glenwood Springs 46-36.

In wrestled matches against Coal Ridge, at 126 pounds, it was Coal Ridge’s Jesse Richel over Basalt’s Roaney Requeno, winning by fall in 3:59; and at 150 pounds, Basalt’s James Opp won a 9-5 decision over Pierce Ruechel.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Against Glenwood: 113 pounds –Glenwood’s Eli Cuc over Oscar Arroyo (MD 13-2); 126 – Basalt’s Roaney Requeno over Luke Dizon (fall, 3:10); 132 – Glenwood’s Ichiro Echavarria over Jesus Rodriguez (fall, 3:45); 138 –Basalt’s Liam Drake over Connor High (fall, 1:32); 144 – Glenwood’s Robert Hartman over Tobias Uncapher (fall, 2:22); 150 – Basalt’s James Opp over Kenai Kellogg (fall, 3:57); 157 – Glenwood’s Sora Hess over Luca Del Cid (fall, 2:41); 165 – Basalt’s Luca Shafer over William Feeney (fall, 5:24); 175 – Basalt’s Herberth Requeno over Eleazar Armendariz Mellin (fall, 0:44); 190 – Basalt’s Brooks Ragan over Ramses Acosta (fall, 1:38).

Wrestling at the Buena Vista duals Dec. 6-7, Basalt placed fourth in Group A, and second in the 4v4 results, falling 42-36 to Trinidad in the first place match. Other team scores included West Grand 54, Basalt 23; Buena Vista 70, Basalt 11; Bennett 40, Basalt 18; and Basalt 30, Sierra Grande Senior 23.

from page 4

County has five to six spread across the county, reported Vallario. Although the call volume can be high, Wilson said, there are not often major crimes in Carbondale. CPD resources will be a topic of conversation at a Board of Trustees meeting in January. Wilson emphasized he’s a “huge supporter of informal watches,” where neighbors trade phone numbers and basic information to help report suspicious activity. “Agencies have caught burglaries, have caught exes approaching, people who are restrained from a property

TOKLAT

from page 10

recounted to The Sun the Mace family’s long and deep involvement with Aspen and the Castle Creek Valley, characterizing Toklat’s role as a “touchstone for the community” and “cornerstone in the Valley.”

Both Lane and Kravitz envision Toklat’s wider uses, in addition to those by ACES, seeing it as a venue for events such as two major workshops held there recently by the Aspen Global Change Institute. Kravitz, however, echoing Washko, emphasized the desire for Toklat to also

CARBONDALE REPORT

result in a $1,964,846 RSUT balance at the end of 2025. The difference can be used to help fund all of the add alternates. All were in favor, with the exception of trustees Jess Robison and Colin Laird.

Budget ruling delayed

“For the 2025 Budget, combined expenses for all funds total $41,003,082 and the estimated fund balance for all funds is $30,756,255,” a staff memo to the board detailed.

“When you look at this budget you can see most of our large increases are due to the results of our salary survey,” said Hansen. “Additionally, we have seen substantial increases in health insurance costs — about 13.5% this year and an additional 13% last year.” He continued, “We did

on someone’s property,” Wilson listed off. Not only that, but disputes over annoyances like loud music late at night can often be resolved without involving police. In this scenario, Satank neighbors feel that more could and should have been done. Some are pushing for a meeting with Wilson and Vallario to address concerns like why it took the Sheriff’s Office more than 20 minutes to request assistance from CPD. “Somebody could have gotten hurt and this guy could have gotten shot for his antics,” emphasized Armstrong.

“interact with the [local] community … [where] everybody feels at home — a place for everyone.”

ACES is planning a “10 Days of Toklat” reopening celebration — including recognizing its 75th anniversary — kicking off with a winter solstice bonfire on Dec. 21, and continuing with daily open houses through Dec. 30. More information, including RSVP links can be found at www.aspennature.org/ activity/10daysattoklat

from page 16

add a 1% sales tax increase above the 2024 projection.”

Sparhawk suggested adding $20,000 to the Disposable Bag Fund for a grant program to reimburse events in town for waste-diversion costs. Bohmfalk added that that fund can also be used for other purposes, such as increasing hazardous waste-diversion days.

Laird said that he would like to see $100,000 in the Housing Fund go towards West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition’s Good Deeds buy-down program. He noted that two deed-restricted houses have been purchased in Carbondale as a result of that program.

Approval of the 2025 Budget was postponed, in order to incorporate those changes, to Thursday, Dec. 12, at 4pm over Zoom.

The town was certainly vibrant with light and cheer during its annual Light Up Carbondale event on First Friday, Dec. 6. Photos by Tommy Sands

something goes wrong,” he said.

MRA also facilitates a summertime workshop, which they are hoping to relaunch this summer after a pause during COVID. The backcountry basics taught at that workshop can apply to any outdoor sport and activity, which Shaffran said is a big plus. While the Avalanche Workshop helps people improve a set of specific life-saving skills, he explained that the summer workshop focuses on skills with broader applicability, and therefore can improve backcountry preparedness to an even greater degree.

When asked about what kind of patterns search and rescue teams see in calls for help, Shaffran answered carefully, noting that he didn’t have specific numbers in front of him at that moment.

“It feels like we see voluntary separation

a lot, where small things go wrong and the group splits up — which then leads to rescue necessity,” he said. Group separation is well-known in experiential education circles as a problem amplifier. GPS communication devices are one tool that can help when an individual is immobilized in the backcountry.

Shaffran commented on conversations he and fellow volunteers see unfold in public circles following rescues. “When people hear about rescues there’s an impulse to distance oneself,” he said, and brush off rescuees as inexperienced. He sees that pattern as frustrating and dangerous, since it undermines a sense of caution and mindfulness. He elaborated that search and rescue teams respond to calls involving both inexperienced and

Participants listen attentively during a previous Mountain Rescue Aspen Avalanche Workshop. Courtesy photo continued on page 22

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

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

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

Rifle, I loved it for what it was

The other day at the grocery checkout in Denver, Colorado, I struck up a conversation with the cashier, as I’m apt to do. When he asked where I was from, I told him, “Rifle.”

“Those mountain towns are so nice. I know your type,” he replied with a look of disdain and disregard.

My blood boiled. Rifle isn’t a mountain town, per se. It’s a Valley town, a working-class town far away from the ski resorts and cozy chalets of the mountain towns on postcards. The class dynamics are complex. I’ve written about the Upper Valley/ Lower Lalley divide for years. If someone out of state stayed in Rifle for a ski getaway, they’d never come back. I wanted to sit him down and begin describing the ins and outs of mountainous Colorado.

But instead, I just stood there, stunned, unable to explain anything at all really. Mostly because I was bagging my groceries, but a small part of me was shocked at just how invisible those complexities might be to people outside the Valley.

How could they know? Tall white peaks, endless trails, cottages dotting the mountainside. Bighorn sheep, ski straps on car roofs and “Native” bumper stickers. Patagonia fleeces, craft beer, Subarus and weed. If I’m free to make assumptions, my cashier, who let slip he was from Philadelphia, had made a nemesis of this collage and its privileges.

There’s not a more beautiful place in our country than the Mountain West. Sometimes, I’m guilty of forgetting that. But despite the scenery, I never want Rifle and the Lower Valley to be mistaken for the ski towns. The Lower Valley keeps the Upper Valley from collapsing in on itself, bearing the weight of its beauty and its privilege.

No one ever said oppression had to be ugly.

I think I’m trying to say that I want people to know about the injustice of the Lower Valley. I want people to know that Colorado’s mountain valleys are some of the most class- and race-segregated areas in the state. I want them to understand how the Upper Valley industries exploit Lower Valley workers, wringing out their time and wages. The postcard-perfect Colorado, where you can access nature on a whim, is only available to those who can afford it.

Some of us hike without insurance. We whitewater raft, climb and boulder despite the lack of time or resources to do so. And if we don’t? It’s because we’re too damn busy supporting the industries so someone else can enjoy those things.

But maybe that’s too much to say. When I sing of Rifle, should my song be sweet or bitter? Ideally, I’d praise my hometown to anyone willing to listen — it’s where my sweetest memories were made, after all. But what about the glaring warts? Should I glaze over the harsh truths to honor people’s persistence and tenacity? What does it sound like to honor a place without patronizing its people?

What’s worth telling about my mountain town to an unfamiliar stranger who’s bagging my groceries? Will he care at all? It’s a lot to say in the checkout line. Maybe my reaction should’ve been, and perhaps always will be: “I loved it for what it was.”

By Hector Salas Gallegos

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

Comparte tus proyectos creativos aún en proceso con nuestros lectores. Puedes enviarnos un correo electrónico con tus ilustraciones, creaciones literarias y poesía a fiction@soprissun.com

Rebel Without a Clue at 22, Alive at 75

Looking back on his own life, Bryan Whiting imparts what it takes to be successful.

Most of us have learned our parents were wiser than we thought. Our parents attempted to reduce our errors of judgement by imparting their wisdom, but we had yet to learn to listen first, talk second.

Knowing what the “hard knocks of life” have taught me, if only I could put my 75-year-old head on my 22-year-old body. At the time, I was proud of being a “rebel.” It took time, but my “rebel without a clue” period didn’t accomplish much. Though, the experience was a step on the road to maturity.

A few things I learned from family, life, experience and error …

First, you have to get off your butt to make a buck. Second, you’re in the wrong career if the number one thing you look forward to is time off. And employers won’t hire you because you need a job; because you graduated. That’s your need, not his. He’s only willing to hire when he has needs to the degree he is willing to part with his hard-earned money to pay someone to do it. Focus on meeting his needs in both your resume and interview.

A resume won’t get you a job, but it can get you an interview. Education, experience, GPA, references get you the interview, but then become irrelevant. Everyone interviewing possesses them. The winner of the interview gets the job. Most bad interviews are “I” oriented. “I graduated, I worked, I have done this, etcetera.” Good interviews are “you” oriented focusing on meeting the needs of the employer. “You need ‘X’ done. My degree enables me to meet that need because ….My experience at ____ will facilitate meeting that need because …. etcetera. Work ethic is the most important characteristic in obtaining a career and being successful. Sadly, it’s the most scarce. In the interview, convince the boss you possess it. Do more than your share. Do the job well so others don’t have to fix it. Don’t expect to be paid for something you should have done right the first time. Help without being asked. Share the credit. More people want a paycheck than want to work.

A title doesn’t make you a leader. Leaders tend to emerge and often are the person who least desires the role. If you need something done, ask the person who is busy. They’re used to getting things done.

There’s no such thing as too hard for too long. Usain Bolt, the Gold Medal sprinter from Jamaica said, “I trained four years to run for nine seconds.”

Freedom of speech is difficult. You can’t piecemeal it or reserve it only for yourself.

It’s an all-or-nothing concept. When someone disagrees with you, attempting to stop them from expressing themselves means you don’t believe in freedom of speech.

Every saint has a past, every sinner a future.

It’s your choice to be a victim or victor. Both take energy but only one leads to and generates a sense of accomplishment.

If you want to stop smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, overeating or any other addiction, you must replace that activity with something. You can’t just try to stop and leave that space empty.

It’s a teacher’s job to develop talent, not select talent. It doesn’t require talent to select talent. Any $5 achievement test can do that, but developing talent is a skill.

Stress tends to come from not taking action or control. The best stress reliever is hard work and accomplishment. Everyone’s had a great night’s sleep after a hard day of significant work.

It’s hard to face your fears. You can run from fear in the short term, but it’s hard because it’s still there and you’ve chosen to have it control you.

Continually using “f…ing” as an adjective lets people know you have limited literacy and vocabulary. Hitting your thumb with a hammer is different.

You can’t overdress or over manner. Others will notice. It’s a good notice.

When you meet new people, talk less and listen more. People like to talk about themselves and they remember those who listen.

It’s okay to make mistakes. They are the occasional consequence of action. Don’t hide or worry about them. They’re history. Energy spent there is wasted. Get them off your plate: admit, apologize, make right and learn.

Take time to talk to your parents/grandparents about their life. Write it down.

Sometimes the simplest solution to a

problem or mistake is saying, “I’m sorry.” Don’t expect grace from others unless you not only grant grace, but lead with it. What someone else has is irrelevant.

The secret of managing people is asking, “How Can I Help?”

You don’t teach kids responsibility by talking to them about it or studying it. It’s taught by giving it to them and holding them accountable for both success and failure.

It’s a sign of maturity to know when it’s time to submerge your ego and ask for help. Never tell a student, an employee, even a child that something they are working on is easy. It creates a lose-lose situation. If they accomplish it, so what, it was easy. It destroys any sense of accomplishment. If they fail, it just magnifies the failure because it was easy. Hard is good. Just provide them with a route to succeed. If they fail, it’s okay because it was hard; keep working.

It occurred to me that Biden’s finest act, as president of a “Christian nation,” was to demonstrate Christ’s parable, The Prodi-

The prodigal son benefited vastly from the forgiveness and acceptance of his father, but even more, the father benefited from his own forgiving and accepting of himself.

Jesus’ last breath was used to implore, “forgive them.” Many of us who are considered “Westerners” descend from lines of Abraham’s sons, the Hebrew and Arab descendants whose cultures are mostly unchanged and are kept separated by a grudge, maintained and cherished, for 4,000 years. A grudge that was dispelled by Jesus with the idea of forgiveness, taught in tiny Galilee, for three years and then punctuated on a dying breath while he hung on a cross. Forgiveness created Christianity from the same stock of Abraham’s sons, Isacc and Ishmael. The difference that forgiveness made to civilization is profound.

My message to the Arabs and Israelis is to forget the stupid thinking of 4,000 years of animosity and accept forgiveness in whatever form it is offered, then forgive

The most powerful thing that we can do

Our common ground is enormous.

What a celebratory community we folks are! I wish to send a huge THANK YOU to everyone who dropped in Bonfire Coffee to warm up and share a cup of coffee, hot chocolate and cider with us and to listen as Shayla Paradeis, Nikki Beinstein and I shared stories and songs from our books at our Local Author Reading and Book Market. I especially want to acknowledge Charlie Chacos for his generosity allowing us to use this very

I especially want to acknowledge the middle school and high school friends who dropped in for some warm beverages and for their impressive manners. Well done Carbondale parents! It was so fun to watch these young folks socialize and enjoy each other. My hope is they might have a space

Also another gem in our community is Symphony in the Valley and the talented local musicians that played a fantastic concert along with the dancers from Colorado West Performing Arts Company at the

phenomenal Ute Theater in Rifle. Live music and dance is such a gift for our valley. Keep this precious creative, community energy flowing folks! There is so much giving at this time of year. Let us all breathe it in and enjoy each other!

Thank you everyone for sharing your multitude of gifts with us.

Lisa Dancing-Light Carbondale

RFOV thanks

On behalf of the Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) board of directors and staff, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible volunteers and partners who have dedicated their time to collectively steward our shared outdoors. Because of you, 2024 was our biggest season to date! With 1,993 unique volunteers combined with our pattern and RFOV staff, we contributed 13,332 hours to improve our public lands. This includes maintaining 43 miles of trail, restoring 30 acres of habitat and open space and reducing the threat of wildfire across more than 20 acres through fire mitigation projects.

I have so much gratitude for the many hands that have contributed to making our 2024 project season a success. Our total stewardship impact on the land is immense: we’ve contributed 10% more stewardship hours than in 2023, with an impressive 40% of our volunteer hours stemming from youth!

While the impact of those hours is visible in the tangible mark left on our public land, there is so much contained within that hour that is impossible to quantify. Each hour contributed by our volunteers, partners and staff is a gift of their unique strength and passion. People on our projects are the best version of themselves, giving back to the land that, in turn, nourishes them. Each of us give what we can, whether that is time spent out at a project, being a trailhead ambassador, donating to RFOV, introducing us to a new partner or volunteer, serving as a project ambassador, or living out RFOV’s mission of stewardship in our own lives. This community is based on collaboration, a desire to contribute to a larger cause, a love for this place! When our many hands work together collectively, we are a mighty force, leaving the land better than we found it and our community enriched.

LETTERS POLICY: The Sopris Sun welcomes local letters to the editor. Shorter letters stand a better chance of being printed. Letters exclusive to The Sopris Sun (not appearing in other papers) are particularly welcome. Please cite your facts and include your name and place of residence or association. Letters are due to news@soprissun. com by noon on the Monday before we go to print.

EXPERIENTIAL ED from page 19

well-seasoned outdoors recreators.

“Experiential education is a fundamental part of who I am, it’s an integral part of my life,” said Shaffran, but he couldn’t pin down one specific memory within that realm. He expressed deep gratitude for having grown up in this Valley and having had countless opportunities to learn outdoors. So much so that, to him, that style of learning feels like the normal rather than inciting one memorable occasion.

“It’s great to see the lightbulb moment for people when they’re developing skills,” he concluded.

Shaffran and his teammates look forward to sharing knowledge and awareness with the community during the Avalanche Workshop on Feb. 1 at Aspen Mountain. Registration and event details will be available soon at www.mountainrescueaspen.org

TKiddos skate with Santa ahead of NHL Alumni Classic

he Colorado Extreme outdoor ice rink was alive with activity on Saturday, Dec. 7, during the nonprofit’s “Skate with Santa” holiday fundraiser. The rink, on Catherine Store Road outside of Carbondale, was packed with kids taking zamboni rides with Santa, competing in sled pull races, skating and playing games. There was plenty of food, hot cocoa and socializing for the adults, and enough holiday cheer for everyone. The funds raised from the event will help to support The Colorado Extreme 12UAA hockey team’s trip to compete in The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, to be held in Quebec City, Canada, in February 2025. This tournament is said to be “the most prestigious minor hockey tournament in the world.”

This Saturday, Dec. 14, at the very same rink, former National Hockey League (NHL) players compete in Colorado Extreme’s second annual NHL Alumni Classic. A fighter jet flyover will kick off the game at 3pm, followed shortly by the puck drop. Tickets are available at www.coloradoextreme.org/nhlalumniclassic Game entry for kids 18 and under is free!

Photos and text by Jane Bachrach

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