20250306

A fresh take on fashion

The Carbondale Arts Fashion Show (no longer “Green is the New Black”) returns this weekend with “Camera Obscura,” a nod to film noir exploring themes of secrecy, desire and dreams “in a world of murder and mayhem.”

Laura Stover, responsible for making it a multimedia show, enlisted filmmaker Ashley Mosher to capture sequences of local dancers that will be projected along with live performances and interlaced with historic footage.

“It’s my job to help tell the story without trying to overpower what they’re doing,” Stover told The Sopris Sun. “Some scenes are more film-heavy than others, and some are more textural, but we talk about that a lot. Then I cut it up, edit it and put it together in ways that I know will complement what the performers are doing on-stage.”

“The show has a real retro feel,” said director Amy Kimberly. “We have a designer from New York, a designer from the Bay Area, a lot of designers from Denver and then a lot of local designers. The clothes are just so inspiring. So, I think it’s easy to say, ‘Oh, it’s the dance. No, no, no, it’s the projections! No, no, it’s the clothes!’ But, the combination of all three is equally strong, so you just have to get ready for a visual feast.”

Tickets are solidly sold out again this year, but all are welcome to “Get Gussied Up” for First Friday, March 7, with KDNK DJs performing at Chacos Park and a Community Glam Cam next to the red phone booth from 5 to 9pm. Check out “Sewing the Seeds of Fashion Activism” at The Launchpad from 5 to 8pm and enjoy an array of food trucks and local businesses celebrating this iconic Carbondale event, now in its 14th year.

Photos

America is worth more than the sum of its parts

First, I want to say thank you to Donald Trump. No, seriously, I want to thank him for taking the time to come back and kill our pretense of a democracy. While we were all limping around, our bleeding hearts liberally coloring the snow red, Trump came back with an old rusty hammer and sickle to finish the job. Oh, and he brought his oddball sidekick: an amateur assassin with a ketamine addiction and another fragile ego.

By the time the DOGE dust settles and Congress gets around to orders of impeachment, there may not be enough government even left for triage … Entire departments are starting to look like a Valentine’s Day box of chocolates this time of year, mostly empty with a few odd nutty ones left in the bottom second layer.

OPINION

Ps & Qs

By Jeannie Perry

But the good news is that we can — and we will — rebuild this country. America will not be destroyed and sold for parts. We are a melting pot of brutal work ethics, extensive opportunity and an earnest joie de vivre; a country full of myriad talents: farmers, mechanics, scientists and paramedics, to name a few. We’re like one of those museum paintings that look so good from a distance you wish you could teleport there, to actually be in the picture, but when you get up close you see we’re just millions of different colored dots.

So, if it’s going to be a straight-up barnfire, and we’re willing to torch everything so we can rebuild from scratch, then we’ll be the ones to pour the gasoline and light the match, thank you very much. Not some wacked-out wannabe who brings a chainsaw to a blowtorch fight. The lunacy of the first six weeks of this administration was apparently just what Dr. Pepper ordered: a familiar flavor with enough caffeine to wake us from our slumber.

The last time I had a Dr. Pepper was probably 1987, while sitting on the bleachers watching the American Legion softball team play the Valley Journal/Village Smithy All Stars. Those innocent memories are what all of the politicians are trying to sell: a sunny summer day, good clean fun in the grass and dirt, a little healthy competition between friends. America at its best. In the 1980s you could easily find Republicans and Democrats playing on the same team, but nowadays? Not likely.

We are a nation divided, and not by the important issues, if you ask me. For the most part, we all want the same things out of life: healthy family, good food and shelter, a ball game of some kind to cheer for. Is it maddening to watch our neighbors come home from work with groceries for their kids? No, it’s the little things that really get under our skin and make us hate each other. Things like whether or not a transgender athlete can compete in women’s sports. Seriously? This is why we’re going to burn it all down?

Okay, but I think I have a solution. What if we just add a category to sports, complete with its own separate restroom? For instance, we’ll have a medal for men’s curling, one for women’s curling and one for any/everyone who wants to curl against any/everyone else. We could even name it for Andy Kaufman, don’t ya think? Anyone who wants to compete is welcome, and the winner will be the Intergender Wrestling Champion of the World.

I don’t mean to sound patronizing about this — okay, maybe a little bit I do, but c’mon! Enough is enough with pointing out our differences to each other as we all starve out in the cold. The richest guys in the world have taken our beer and hot dogs into their clubhouse and completely locked us out. It’s time to light it up and warm our hands on the flames.

If we all call Congressional members out and protest the actions of this administration, we can come back from the brink. And, this time, while building our barn of democracy, we will have the experience to make the government actually work for us, instead of billionaires and their pet CEOs.

Barn’s burnt down — now I can see the moon.

- Mizuta Masahide

LETTERS

Library board

Jocelyn Durrance was the Carbondale Branch Library’s trustee to the Garfield County Public Library District (GCPLD) board for five years and involved in library sciences for 30 years. Yet, she was recently replaced on the board for what appear to be strictly political reasons by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).

Commissioner Tom Jankovsky explained he “wanted to see more diversity and less groupthink on the board.” Diversity! Tom, you’re going to lose your MAGA stripes using words like that. I guess diversity is okay as long as it’s diverted toward the right.

This all seems to be inspired by the efforts of a group called Garfield County Patriots to get GCLD Executive Director Jamie LaRue fired. In a Facebook post, western Garfield County firebrand Trish O’Grady said that could be accomplished if conservatives had a majority on the library district board.

Durrance said, “I think there is a group within Garfield County who is making a huge effort to stack the board with trustees who represent an ideology not consistent with the mission of public libraries.” I would add, not consistent with the sentiments of Carbondale, either. Library staff isn’t “a babysitting service,” Durrance said, and parents should be in control of what their children read.

Until recently, the library board chose their own trustees, but the BOCC has taken over that authority and wielded it with a heavy hand. In November, Hanna Arauza, wife of Commissioner Mike Samson’s political opponent Steven Arauza, was rejected for the Rifle library board trustee position by the BOCC even though she was approved by the library board.

All this is part of a concerted effort by the right wing to take control of the centers of learning. They took a hit in August when Re-2 school board member Tony May was recalled for promoting the American Birthright social studies program.

Fred Malo Jr. Carbondale

Our forests need you

Whether you are a trail user, homeowner, visitor or work in the tourism and outdoor recreation industry, you know how important healthy public lands are to the vitality and well-being of our communities. The management of these public resources is only possible through the work of passionate, experienced professionals, and we are disheartened by the unprecedented funding freezes and layoffs of our friends at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).

In our 30-year history, the work of Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) has never been more critical or relevant. Since its founding in 1995, RFOV has been a trusted partner to the White River National Forest, providing important support for the Forest’s management goals. In 2024 alone, RFOV contributed 3,830 hours to the stewardship of Forest lands, the equivalent of almost four full-time seasonal positions. As Forest Service capacity decreases while recreation numbers continue to increase, RFOV is prepared to nimbly respond to the growing need for community-powered stewardship. Our 2025 season schedule includes work on some of our most beloved trails: Linkins Lake, Avalanche Creek, the Four Pass Loop, Hanging Lake and many more.

Beyond the USFS, RFOV is a close partner of land managers at all levels — including municipal, county, state and federal agencies. Our long-standing relationships with the agency staff in our region are the bedrock of the work we do. Whether it is a change in funding, staffing or other barriers faced by these land managers, RFOV stands ready to mobilize our professional staff and volunteers to help care for the places we care about.

We do not yet know the full impacts of these actions and how they will affect our community and environment. What we do know is that we need your help. Together we can continue to support our land-manager partners and ensure our treasured public lands do not go into disrepair.

VOLUNTEER ON A PROJECT. In the coming months, you can join us for a project on local public lands! Our project season begins in May, with weekday, evening and weekend projects suited for volunteers of all ages and abilities.

SPEAK UP. You can call or write your local representative or support local nonprofits, such as our friends at Wilderness Workshop, who work tirelessly to promote policy changes at all levels of government.

continued on page 22

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The Basalt

on March 1,

wrestlers in 7th and 8th grade. This was the sixth time Basalt Middle School has won the tournament in the past 17 years. A special congratulations to champions: Jocelyn Rivera, Samantha Nunez, Leo Heinrich, Bode Philen, Kaleb Regan; and runners-up: Amy Romero, Isabella Gonzales, Eli Requeno, Albert Marquez-Machado, Olivia Trevisan, Iker Palomares; as well as: Peter Fefes, Tobias Trujillo, Bryan Perez, Teagan Hageland, Daniel Perez, Iker Galdamez, Ashley Portillo, Danny Lopez, Jacob Torres, Ulises Trejo, Layton Wise, Emerson Guevara, Carlos Munoz and Raul Argueta. Courtesy photo

Forest Service attrition

White River Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams is resigning from his position after 15 years. Fitzwilliams is among other federal employees, including Deputy Supervisor Heather Noel, to reportedly have opted into a deferred resignation early buyout program — retaining all pay and benefits until Sept. 30. According to Vail Daily, as many as 20 White River National Forest employees “are suspected to have taken the deal, although official numbers have not been announced.” The Trump administration is eliminating more than 3,400 jobs at the Forest Service, including 150 in Colorado.

5 Point pass

Early bird weekend passes for the 2025 Five Point Film Festival, April 24-27, are now available for purchase. Weekend pass purchases are discounted by 10% up to March 11, when single-day tickets will become available. “As we emerge from the short days of winter, this weekend is an invitation to reconnect with what it means to live our own best stories,” said Aisha Weinhold, 5 Point’s interim executive director. Find tickets and more information at www.5pointfilm.org

Tourism surveys

Carbondale Tourism is seeking feedback from residents (www.bit.ly/residentsurvey-tourism) and businesses (www.bit.ly/

businesssurvey-tourism) about the impact of tourism on the community with two online surveys. Findings will help shape strategic plans and future work for this volunteer tourism council which leverages a Carbondale lodging tax to develop and manage tourism. Survey participants will be entered to win a $50 Carbondale Chamber Gift Certificate. The surveys remain open until March 21.

Carbondale Arts gallery

Now is the time to submit gallery proposals to Carbondale Arts for 2026. Proposals submitted before March 14 will have the application fee waived. Find more details at www.bit.ly/R22026

Structure fire

Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District responded to a structure fire at 128 Redstone Boulevard on March 1 around 2pm. Upon arrival, firefighters observed smoke coming from the home, then entered and discovered the blaze was coming from inside the kitchen wall. Sections of the wall were removed to ensure the fire was completely extinguished. No injuries were reported but the estimated loss was between $40,000 and $50,000.

Wildfire grant

The Roaring Fork Valley Wildfire Collaborative (RFVWC) and Glenwood Springs

Fire Department received a $1 million grant for wildfire mitigation around Glenwood Springs. The funding comes from the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program and will be used for mitigation in two key areas up Three Mile and Four Mile, which were identified in the Garfield County and Glenwood Springs Fire District Community Wildfire Protection Plans. “The two areas face significant wildfire risk due to dense vegetation, high hazard ratings and vulnerable populations, including low-income families and senior citizens,” read a press release.

Summer jobs

Pitkin County Open Space & Trails is hiring for several summer positions, helping with ecological restoration, trail and open space maintenance, agricultural land improvements and more. Find the postings at: www. governmentjobs.com/careers/pitkin

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Gwen Garcelon and Sheila Liston (March 6); Carol Fabian and Diane Johnson (March 7); Greg Meredith, Gracie Oliphant, Sidney Thomas and Jordan Tribble (March 8); Laura Kuhl (March 9); Vicky Browne and Pat Curry (March 11); Laura Bartels, Dean Bowlby, Hilary Burgess, Rose Rossello, Laura Segura and Lee Swidler (March 12).

Middle School Wrestling team, which pulls from six area middle schools, won the PEG League (Pitkin, Eagle, Garfield counties) wrestling championships

hosted by Basalt. The team is coached by Keegan Gilligan, Eric Hunsberger and Ryan Bradley and includes male and female

Previewing Colorado’s 2025 legislative session

LONDON LYLE

Sopris Sun Correspondent

Colorado’s 2025 legislative session is already underway, and lawmakers have their work cut out for them. The state is dealing with a budget shortfall between $600 to $750 million, which means there may not be enough money to fully fund important services like education, housing and healthcare.

At this year’s legislative preview event at the University of Northern Colorado Greeley, state legislators and policy experts talked about what’s ahead. The biggest challenge brought up was figuring out how to balance the budget while still funding programs that many people rely on.

Governor Jared Polis has proposed a $46.1 billion budget that keeps funding steady for K-12 education and public safety, but higher education and healthcare could be disproportionately affected. One of the biggest concerns is funding for Colorado’s public colleges and universities. Polis is proposing an increase of just $12.1 million, much less than the $132 million increase from last year. This could make it harder for schools to keep tuition affordable for students.

affordable housing projects, but with limited money available that could prove difficult.

Healthcare costs are another challenge, with insurance prices rising and not enough nurses and healthcare workers to meet demand. Some lawmakers are looking at ways to encourage and help train more people to work in healthcare.

Immigration is another key issue. At the Immigrant Voices event at the state Capitol on Jan. 22, HD-57 Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, spoke about the important role immigrants play in Colorado’s workforce and communities. “We all want the same things,” Velasco stated. “We want access to clean water. We want our families to be safe. We want to be able to thrive.”

When we see an attack on one of us, that’s an attack on all of us. Let’s stand together,

-Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, HD-57

Velasco, who co-chairs the Democratic Latino Caucus, pointed out that immigrants work at many important jobs, including firefighting, education and healthcare. “We are firefighters. We are service workers. We are nurses. We are teachers. We are everywhere in our communities,” she said. “And it’s so, so important that we are all safe.”

The governor wants to implement a 2.3% cap on tuition hikes for in-state students, but with rising costs some worry that won’t be enough. Lawmakers are also discussing a proposal to make filling out the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (better known by its acronym: FAFSA) a requirement for graduating high schoolers.

At the same time, state colleges have asked for $80.2 million in additional funding to help with basic costs. It’s unclear if the legislature will be able to meet that request, given the budget shortfall.

Housing and healthcare are also big concerns this session. Many people are struggling to afford homes, especially in rural and mountain communities where prices keep going up. Some lawmakers want to invest more in

While most immigration policies are decided at the federal level, state lawmakers are expected to discuss funding for legal services and protections for immigrant workers. Some groups are also pushing for stronger protections against unfair treatment in housing and the workplace.

This session also brings new lawmakers who could shape key decisions. Republican Sen. Scott Bright (SD-13) and Democratic Rep. Ryan Gonzalez (HD-50) are among the fresh faces at the Capitol. Gonzalez’s victory flipped a Republican seat to the Democrats, signaling possible changes in the political balance in Northern Colorado.

Lawmakers from both parties will have to work together to find solutions, especially with limited funding available. Velasco stressed the importance of community organizations in helping to protect people’s rights.

“When we see an attack on one of us, that’s an attack on

When You Have Unexpected Medical Needs

all of us,” she said. “Let’s stand together.”

With the session already moving forward, the next few months will show whether lawmakers can find ways to fund education, housing and healthcare without making deep cuts. The budget shortfall will make it difficult to approve expansive new programs, and lawmakers will have to decide what to prioritize.

Rep. Elizabeth Velasco stands strong at the state capitol. Courtesy photo

STEFAN PEIRSON

Undisputed Best Views & Value in Missouri Heights

Mind Springs cites funding shortfall and surprise federal regulations leading to detox closure

JAMES STEINDLER

Contributing

Editor

The recent news that Mind Springs Health will be closing its Withdrawal Management Facility (detox center) in Glenwood Springs on March 10 came as a surprise to the nine entities that contributed funding toward the project. The

In a Sopris Sun interview with Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovksy, he stated that the county funding, which included a 2024 supplemental grant of another $100,000, is a complete loss. The total $200,000 came by way of national opioid settlement funds.

The county also allocated

licensed facilities would be affected.

The Glenwood location is licensed for 3.7 and 3.2 levels of care. Those level 3 ratings are based on the Residential Services Continuum.

Facilities operated under 3.1 or 3.5, for instance, require only clinical management, whereas a 3.7 facility is medically managed. Mind

$55,000 short each month. Mind Springs did not elaborate on the root of those financial shortfalls.

Mind Springs entered into a management agreement with Florida-based Larkin Health Systems late last year, initially thought to potentially bolster its operations. But the partnership was dissolved just recently. Mind Springs said the relationship, and it’s ending, did not factor into the decision to close the Glenwood Springs detox. However, in a Feb. 24 press release detailing the West Springs Hospital closure, Mind

The organization will continue to operate an outpatient program through the front of the building — the detox was housed in the rear — and is exploring ways to repurpose the detox space for other behavioral health or addiction therapy purposes.

Needs still exist

Back in 2010, before she was a Carbondale trustee and while working as a medical provider, Lani Kitching was part of a collaborative identifying healthcare resources between Battlement Mesa and Aspen.

Naturalist Nights speaker discusses ecological impacts of recreation

ANNALISE GRUETER

Sopris Sun Correspondent

On Feb. 19-20, Wilderness Workshop and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) hosted the fourth of five speakers for the annual Naturalist Nights free lecture series. Dr. Christopher Monz is a professor at Utah State University, and teaches classes in recreation ecology and management. He presented to the audience remotely, offering insights on the impacts that backcountry recreation can have on our sensitive, arid western state ecosystems.

Dr. Monz’ research aims to study the balance between fostering love for and stewardship of the wildland environments where we live, and using mindful restraint to keep from damaging those beautiful spaces. Dr. Monz works with a number of Roaring Fork Valley organizations, including Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition, Pitkin County Open Space & Trails and Wilderness Workshop.

To open, Dr. Monz shared about his background as an outdoor enthusiast and as a scientist. He shared about his active childhood in New York state and his early ecology studies at the University of Maine. He earned a Ph.D. at Colorado State University, studying anthropogenic disturbances in Great Plains ecosystems. All the while, he found time to go on climbing and paddling expeditions around the world, from Alaska to Patagonia. He has explored a broad spectrum of wildland ecology through both the academic and the outdoorsman lenses.

Dr. Monz shared the following definition for the term recreation ecology: “how wildland recreation activities act as disturbance agents to soil, vegetation, wildlife, water and air; the importance of nature experiences to people; knowledge to inform sustainable conservation strategies as a social-ecological system.” He calls this type of ecology an applied field, where the science is practiced by academics and recreation stewards.

Dr. Monz has participated in this applied science as a representative of multiple western universities, the

National Outdoor Leadership School and as a Fulbright Scholar in Norway at the Arctic University of Norway and in six other countries. He finds his experiences essential in informing his perspective.

He overviewed recreation ecology theory to the audience, displaying several diagrams charting use disturbance curves in ecosystems. He prefers the term disturbance to “impact” based on assumptions around each word. The main diagram displayed demonstrated that initial human disturbance in an ecosystem rapidly affects the space, but that the ecosystem then stabilizes to less dramatic changes over time so long as use is managed. Dr. Monz shared that part of this curve is a result of human changes in behavior, as they see changes to the environment from their own actions. He distinguished between dispersal, unregulated and confinement use strategies of wildlands. Dr. Monz shared several examples of these strategies and the implications for the landscapes on which they are applied.

After overviewing basic concepts, Dr. Monz shared data showing how recreational use has more than doubled in many Colorado wildlands in recent decades. This level of use has notable impacts on the ecosystems, and Dr. Monz emphasized that thoughtful management is essential to prevent this level of use from destroying the very places that are so appealing to the public. Practices he mentioned as important include seasonal land closures during breeding and birthing seasons for wildlife. He also pointed out that expansion of recreation areas can be more disruptive to the ecosystem than managed increases of traffic in already established spaces.

Following the scientific overviews, he shared about projects he has collaborated on in the Roaring Fork Valley with local organizations.

The final Naturalist Nights events of the winter occurred this week, at the Third Street Center in Carbondale on Wednesday, March 5, and at the Pitkin County Library in Aspen on Thursday, March 6. Fellow Clare Boerigter of the

Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute and Professor Jonathan Coop of Western Colorado University spoke about changing fire practices in Western North America. The presentations explored how strategic, human-ignited fires can help restore ecosystems and improve regional fire adaptations.

All Naturalist Night events are recorded, and videos uploaded to the Wilderness Workshop and ACES YouTube channels within two weeks of each presentation. Thanks to generous local sponsors, these events are always free to the public. More information is available at www.wildernessworkshop.org/naturalist-nights-2025 and www.aspennature.org/activities/naturalist-nights

One of many local wild spaces with management strategies to limit ecological disturbance is the Conundrum Valley in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area. This valley was the first in the region with permit requirements.

Photo by Annalise Grueter

March begins with snowpack only slightly below average

ANNALISE GRUETER

Sopris Sun Correspondent

Weather cycles have made the past few months feel unseasonable in the Roaring Fork Valley. Strong storm cycles have dropped a foot or more of snow at a time, but these have been interspersed with warmer-than-typical high pressure systems that felt like false springs. Sunny days and temperatures in the 40s and 50s melt snow and warm exposed ground, which can set a foundation for quicker melt-out, especially at lower elevations.

From the 1990s through 2021, average winter temperatures in the region stayed mostly below freezing. The historical range for December and January is between 10 and 34 degrees Fahrenheit. February ranges for the past 30 years are only slightly milder, with temperature ranges of 13 to 37 degrees Fahrenheit.

This past December, average temperatures ranged between 13 and 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Minimum and maximum temperature differences were broader, with lows around 0 and nine days with high temperatures in the 40s. January, by contrast, was substantially colder, with an average range of 3 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit. The gap between minimum and maximum temperatures was even broader, with a minimum low of -17 degrees and four days with high temperatures in the 40s.

February’s data for 2025 shows a greater change than the preceding months, with average temperatures between 18 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but a difference of 67 degrees between minimum and

maximum, with a low temperature of -8 and a high of 59 degrees.

One associated pattern with these temperature swings, particularly the multiday stretches of high temperatures above freezing, is that Colorado statewide snowpack has been trending slightly below average despite storm systems dropping inches to feet of snow at a time. At the end of February, the state average snowpack was just below 90% of average, with regions north of the Roaring Fork Valley around 100% of average and the southern portion of the state between 64% and 89% of average. Especially in the northern half of the state, snowpack percentages increased significantly with mid-February storms. The remainder of winter and the start to spring will help shape the coming summer. March through May are historically the highest precipitation months in Colorado, but are also the months with the broadest differences in data. Based on data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, winters with similar snowpack levels in early March can go a number of directions.

In 2012 and 2015, statewide snowpack stopped rising after the first week of March. In the latter year, snowpack decreased gradually, bolstered by significant precipitation in late April through May, and summer started with average levels of remaining snowpack in the high elevations. In 2012, however, late winter and spring months remained warm and dry, and data shows that season as one of the driest recorded in Colorado. The summer of 2012 was the first with over 6,000 recorded wildfires, an increase of some 900 fires over any

previously documented year.

In 2007, 2010, 2021 and 2024, winters with similar snowpack patterns to this year saw a solid precipitation increase during spring months. During all four of those years, Colorado snowpack continued to increase until mid-April, then slowly dissipated until late June.

The immediate effects of low snowpack in March can include an early end to cross-country ski trail access on popular trail systems like Spring Gulch and the Aspen-Snowmass trail systems. Both struggled during the warm high pressure systems in February. The Aspen Parks department has ceased maintaining the snow on the Rio Grande Trail for this winter. Longer term impacts can show via early blooming

of wild flora and wildlife venturing closer to human proximity earlier in the spring.

There is still more snow to come in the Roaring Fork Valley. Colorado meteorologists anticipate several more storm systems in March. What remains to be seen is how accurate models will be relative to total precipitation, and whether air temperatures and ground temperatures make it possible for that additional precipitation to accumulate.

Keep your jackets and snow shovels handy, but it wouldn’t hurt to also tune up your bikes. Snowpack data back to 1987 and a variety of other precipitation models can be explored at the Colorado page of the Natural Resources Conservation Service website: www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov

MOTHER’S DAY IS RAPIDLY APP A ING

A May storm brought late-season snow to spring in 2022. Photo by Will Sardinsky

Carbondale resident set to embark on transcontinental ride benefiting stroke survivors

KATE PHILLIPS

Sopris Sun Correspondent

It’s 4am, your alarm is buzzing and two choices arise: hit snooze or rally. For Carbondale resident Dan Blake, the decision is clear. Four in the morning or not, it’s time to rise and go after your dreams.

“There is no separation between thought and action — you’ve got to execute,” said Blake. “There’s no way you get to where you want to go unless you have a comfort level to get through the hard part.”

At 66 years old, the former U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) captain still has plenty of goals, including the mission of a lifetime: a transcontinental cycling journey to raise critical funds and awareness for stroke survivors. On March 7, Blake will start biking from San Diego, and plans to cover 2,941 miles over 53 days, before finishing in St. Augustine, Florida. Supported by Boulder’s Timberline Adventures, a woman-owned company that guides cycling, hiking and multisport trips across the U.S. and Canada, Blake will endure grueling uphills, long stretches of road in Texas and endless hours in the saddle. Daily mileage will range from 36 to 90 miles, and Blake will only have eight recovery days.

“This whole time, while training and knowing what I was going to get into, I never really thought it was a big deal. But then I started talking to people, and they would ask me, ‘Are you crazy?’” Blake laughed. “But I know this is my happy place.”

No stranger to the thrill of endurance sports, Blake’s talent for long-distance running became apparent when he ran a USMC three-mile trial run in roughly 16 minutes and 30 seconds. Hooked, Blake went on to complete the Ironman distance, multiple marathons and, most recently, the Aquabike racing biathlon, a globally recognized event. Now, nearly 40 years later, Blake is ready for his cross-country ride.

“This is the next logical step for my dad,” said son Danny Blake, founder and owner

of Dynamic Performance Systems (DPS) in Carbondale. “He does what he says and always follows through. Quite honestly, this is the next evolution of something he’s wanted to do and go for.”

Danny, who has a Master of Science in kinesiology, has been helping his dad train since he opened DPS in the summer of 2020. Coupling scientific research with practical application, Danny offers high-performance support to empower his athletes — including NFL players, USA gymnasts and elite mountain athletes — to

go beyond their perceived expectations. For his dad, he created a multifaceted training regimen that included strength and cross training, a nutrition program and built-in recovery.

“Danny has been magical. I was overtrained for six years before he came into the picture,” said Blake. “He’s had me committed for the last 14 months, working out twice a day, four to five days a week.”

As the founder and CEO of Southtowns Financial Group in Orchard Park, New York, where he splits his time between Carbondale, Blake surely has a busy schedule. But that has never kept him from training.

“As far as the training goes, it’s easy. He’s somewhat of a ‘d-a-w-g, dawg’,” laughed Danny. “If you tell him to do something he will do it. He does have a full-time business, trains very full-time and [is] nearing the later years of his training career. Managing those unique aspects has been fun, but also impressive because he still never makes any excuses and rarely complains. It’s been the same messaging throughout my entire life.”

A philanthropic effort

Blake’s cross-country ride has been a bucket list item, but it was in 2022, when he met Stroke Onward’s cofounders Debra Meyerson and Steve Zuckerman, that the ride added a new layer. In 2010, Meyerson suffered from a severe stroke that

continued on page 17

Carbondale resident Dan Blake (right) is on a mission to raise one million dollars for stroke survivors by cycling across America. And it’s a family effort, as Blake’s son , Danny (left), has been training him for the 3,000 mile trek. Courtesy photo

Sergeant Paul Lazo aims to heed every call

JAMES STEINDLER Contributing Editor

Recently promoted Patrol Sergeant Paul Lazo has been on the Carbondale police force since 2019, and serves with an innate dedication to protect his community, and that means everyone.

He and his family moved from Peru when Lazo was 7 years old. They lived in California for two years, where his dad filled vending machines for about $5 an hour in downtown Los Angeles, and the family of four shared a one bedroom apartment.

Lazo grew up in a religious household, his grandfather having been a pastor in the Church of Seventh-day Adventists. That’s also what brought the family to the Valley, when Lazo’s father was offered a position in a parish here.

As a youngster, Lazo attended the former Columbine Christian School in Glenwood Springs. “It was a one room school,” he recalled, and there was one teacher: Pam Dupper. “She’s still one of my mentors and friends.” For high school, he and his brother attended an Adventists boarding school in Loveland.

said that he attributes his forte of connecting with people to working with Dr. Rick Harrington. “He was helpful, flexible and wasn’t about rules and organization or money, [but about] trying to help each other. I learned that from Rick Harrington.”

Former Chief of Police Gene Schilling also saw the good in Lazo, and offered him a job when he was less than a week in at the Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy at Colorado Mountain College Spring Valley. “I was essentially a cadet while I was going through the police academy at CMC,” he told The Sopris Sun. “We graduated on a Friday, and on Monday morning I was in the office.”

If the undocumented part of our community fears the police, then they don’t report crimes.They stay victims, without resources, without justice.

- Sergeant Paul Lazo

There were work programs there to help pay off tuition, so for a summer Lazo worked as a literature evangelist. “I’d knock door-to-door selling Seventh-day Adventist books … It was terrifying,” he laughed. The brothers went on to attend Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. He remains very close with his brother, who also works in human service as a registered nurse.

Before becoming a peace officer, Lazo worked for Roaring Fork Family Physicians as a medical assistant. He

You wouldn’t guess it today, but Lazo relayed he once was relatively quiet and timid. Policing helped him crawl out of his shell, though. The reality of the job is that officers are regularly faced with challenging, negative situations, and Lazo’s approach is to reach for at least a more positive outcome. The means of getting there isn’t a walk in the park and can take an emotional toll.

“I think a lot of people underestimate the amount of trauma that we have to take in and keep to ourselves,” he stated, “so that everybody else doesn’t have to see it or feel it.”

The four years leading up to Lazo’s current role, he held down the fort at Roaring Fork High School as its school resource officer. “It turned me a little bit more toward [being] community oriented,” he said of that

time. Dealing with young people, he didn’t address poor behavior for the sake of punishment, but delved into the “why” behind a child’s actions. “It was more of a ‘How can we help you make a better choice in the future?’” He said the experience influenced the way he approaches his new position.

Lazo was selected out of four applicants to be promoted as patrol sergeant earlier this year. There is one other patrol sergeant, Ciara Chacon. They are the direct supervisors of officers and report to the lieutenant and chief. The goal of the position is to make sure “we’re doing the right thing, for the right reason at the right time,” Lazo summarized. And the shifts for a patrol sergeant are somewhat of a sacrifice: on duty three to four nights a week, from 3pm to 3am. The reasoning there is that “high liability” type calls are more frequent at night.

continued on page 17

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EVENT SPONSOR:

WINE PROVIDERS

Downtown Liquors on Main (owners Janie & Ryan Pratt) & their vendors:

Patric Matysiewski, Sauvage Spectrum Estate Winery & Vineyard

Chris Becker, representing CTS Distributing

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Tim Trussell, representing Western Distributing Company

Jeff Domanico, representing Elite Brands

FOOD PROVIDERS

Peppinos

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Propaganda Pie

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El Dorado Mocktails

MUSICIANS

Ken Pletcher & Rob Dasaro

ILLUSTRATIONS

Larry Day

VIDEO

Terri Ritchie

VENUE

Brian Leisure

VOLUNTEERS

Richard Vottero

Brenda Buchanan

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SILENT AUCTION DONORS: Backcountry Chiropractic, Aspen Institute, Face Place, Rebecca Binion, Cortney Dougall, Jamie Wall Art, Sara Porter, Klaus Kocher, Rich & Dee Rochel, Aloha Mountain Cyclery, Rootz Hair Company, Evergreen Zero Waste, Bronca, Cedar Rose, Mountain Valley Development Services, Avalanche Ranch, Aspen One with Addie Lapp, Joe Burleigh-Blacksmith, Larry Day, Town of Carbondale, Loren Jenkins, Andrea & Bruce Garr

Roaring Fork boys win first league basketball title in 12 years

JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent

It took some extra effort in the fourth quarter to fend off a surging Grand Valley basketball team on Thursday, Feb. 27, but the Roaring Fork boys prevailed 66-57 to secure their first 3A Western Slope League (WSL) title since 2013.

Playing before the home crowd in Carbondale for senior night, the Rams held a 37-19 advantage at halftime before the Cardinals went on a 25-12 run in the third quarter to make things interesting.

“That ended up being more interesting than I was hoping for,” Rams Head Coach Jason Kreiling said. “We knew they would come ready to play, so I was just thankful that the boys could pull it back together and secure our league championship.”

Roaring Fork ran the slate to finish undefeated in league at 11-0, while going 17-6 overall.

“This means everything to me,” senior Lawson Kreiling said of finally winning the league. “It’s been over a decade since we last won league, and we came in second the last two years. Now, we can finally say we came out on top.

“I think we’re playing our best games at the moment, but we’ve got to finish it out next weekend and hopefully go to the Elite Eight. That’s our goal this year,” he said.

The Rams enter the regional round of the 32-team 3A tournament as the No. 15 seed, going up against No. 18 Denver Christian (10-13) on Friday. Host Windsor Charter Academy (No. 2) plays No. 31 Fountain Valley on Friday, and the winners meet Saturday for the right to advance to quarterfinals the following week at Denver University.

The Rams completed their undefeated league season on Saturday, March 1, with a 59-35 win on the road at Gunnison.

“Since the start of my high school career, I’ve always wanted to put a banner up, so this just means everything,” junior Kiko Pena said after the Grand Valley win.

“I feel like the team has really built a connection, and we have great chemistry to try to make a run for it,” Pena said.

Coach Kreiling said the regional draw is a tough one, but he said the Rams team can compete if they’re on top of their game.

“It’s always exciting this time of year. A lot of fun things happen, and it’s a matter of who is playing at their peak,” he said.

Ladies finish 2nd in league

Meanwhile, Roaring Fork girls basketball finished the regular season at 21-2 overall and 12-2 in the 3A WSL — second only to Cedaredge, which handed the Lady Rams their only two losses this season.

They’ll also be on the road for the regional round of the state playoffs, entering as the No. 9 seed and matched up against No. 24 Lyons on Friday afternoon. The winner of that game will play the winner of the other Friday game, either No. 8 Strasburg (the regional host) or No. 25 Meeker.

Roaring Fork closed out the regular season with convincing 74-32 and 55-42 wins over Grand Valley and Gunnison, respectively.

“We were certainly hoping to get a home regional, and we fell just a little bit short of that,” Head Coach Mike Vidakovich said. “The girls are playing well right now, and if we can get by Lyons on Friday afternoon we have a tough draw against Strasburg, but I think the girls can play right with them. A trip to Denver for state will be on the line.”

Rams frontline of junior Nikki Tardiff and sophomore Riley Bevington said they believe the Rams can make a strong push for a state title.

“I think we’re starting to get our mojo back after playing Cedaredge,” Bevington said of a close 40-37 loss at Cedaredge on Feb. 21. The Bruins enter the 3A tournament as the No. 4 seed, and are hosting one of the eight regionals. Added Tardif, “We’re really connecting as a team right now, and I think we really want this state title.”

Glenwood hockey

Playing for a 4A state title on Monday night in Denver, the Glenwood Springs High School boys hockey team came up just short, falling 4-2 to Steamboat Springs. Shoutouts to four Carbondale student-athletes who played for Demons hockey this season: Roaring Fork High’s Carter Finley, David Santino and Luke Phillips, and Colorado Rocky Mountain School’s Sam Rosenberg.

Spring season

Now it’s on to the high school spring sports season. The Roaring Fork baseball team opens with a road tournament on Saturday, March 8; girls lacrosse opens at home Saturday, March 8, against Steamboat Springs (12:30pm); girls soccer opens at Grand Junction on Tuesday, March 11; and the boys and girls track team is at the Rifle Invitational on Friday, March 14.

Rams senior student-athletes (left to right): Erica Crownhart, Aberdeen Kennedy, Lexy Sanchez, Maddie Anderson, Carley Crownhart, Sam Brennan, Luis Andrade, Lawson Kreiling and Jorge “Nune” Gomez Mata (team manager).

Photo by Isaac Sterling

Boys varsity coach Jason Kreiling cuts the net to celebrate winning the league championship.

Photo by Isaac Sterling

For the first time since 2013, Roaring Fork High School’s boys basketball team came out on top for the 3A Western Slope League. Congratulations on a well-deserved championship title! And best of luck at regionals. Photo by Isaac Sterling

In Stitches Knitting Club

Every Monday, 1:30pm to 3pm

Join us for a knitting and crocheting group to hang out, chat, share tips, and to meet other folks who fancy the craft needles! All ability levels welcome.

Move from Your Center

Wednesday, March 12 at 5pm

Explore classical Pilates exercises to activate your core and articulate your spine from your center. All fitness levels welcome.

Nonfiction Book Club

Thursday, March 13 at 2pm

We invite you to read a nonfiction book of your choice around a monthly theme and then join us as we discuss and socialize. March theme: Colorado

970-963-2889 www.gcpld.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

WRITERS FESTIVAL

Ordinary Fellow Winery in Palisade (202 Peach Ave) hosts “Warblers, Howlers & Minstrels,” a four-day festival for writers with performances, workshops, discussions and more. Find the lineup and tickets at www.bit.ly/ PalisadeWriters

GRAPHIC NOVEL CLUB

Carbondale Library hosts a graphic novel club for ages 9 to 12 discussing “The Great Chicago Fire: Rising from the Ashes” by Kate Hannigan at 3:30pm. Call 970-963-2889 to sign up and claim your copy of the book. Peppino’s pizza will be served.

MOUNTAIN FILMS

The Wheeler Opera House hosts the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com

MEN’S GROUP

HeadQuarters hosts the Common Roots Men’s Group focusing on this month’s theme, “Inflammation,” from 6 to 7:30pm. Register at www.headq.org

CRYSTAL THEATRE

“Nickel Boys” concludes its run at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm. “The Last Showgirl” opens tomorrow and continues Saturday and next Thursday at 7pm. The Sunday show is at 5pm.

STEVE’S GUITARS

Dan Rodriguez performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

FIRST FRIDAY, MARCH 7

‘HEAVEN’

Aspen Art Museum and Aspen One present “Heaven,” a ski-in, ski-out exhibit by LA-based artist Alex Israel hosted on Aspen Mountain, today through March 16. For more, visit www.aspenartmuseum.org

GUSS UP!

Join us for an unparalleled baritone voice and extensive musicianship Phantom of the Opera veteran with over a decade of experience wearing the mask, Jeremy, has an unmatched team of musical artists to bring a night packed with show-stopping Broadway songs, soaring high notes, classic music, and hilarious stories of the Great White Way

Whether you scored tickets to the Carbondale Arts Fashion Show or not, this month’s First Friday theme is “Get Gussied Up!” A Community Glam Cam will be stationed at Chacos Park (4th & Main) as well as several food trucks and KDNK Djs from 5 to 9pm. The Launchpad will host “Sewing the Seeds of Fashion Activism,” a community conversation, as well as two gallery exhibits from 5 to 8pm.

SATURDAY - MARCH 8

SILVER PROM

The Glenwood Springs Community Center hosts The Emerald City Silver Prom for older adults, complete with dinner, professional photos, sweet treats and a live DJ, from 6 to 8:30pm. Tomorrow night, the whole family is invited for more dinner and dancing from 5:30 to 8pm.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Deanna Jenné and Lisa Dancing-Light host a drum and song circle for all women and girls, calling for “action that can unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all and a feminist future where no one is left behind,” at the Third Street Center from 6 to 8pm.

INTERNATIONAL GUITAR NIGHT

Don’t miss the 25th Anniversary North American Tour of International Guitar Night featuring Lulo Reinhardt, Alexandra Whittingham, Niwel Tsumbu and Sönke Meinen at the Wheeler Opera House at 7:30pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com

MICHAEL MARCAGI

TACAW presents Michael Marcagi with Ashley Kutcher opening at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SATURDAY, MARCH 8

FIRE MITIGATION TRAINING

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers offers free fire mitigation training at the Third Street Center from 8am to 4pm. Sign up at www.rfov.org/calendar

CARE FOR CAREGIVERS

In honor of International Women’s Day, Care for Caregivers offers a daylong retreat at True Nature from 9:30am to 3:30pm designed to replenish those who care for others with a focus on professionals working with neglected and abused children. Learn more at www.truenaturehealingarts.com

PLANTING WORKSHOP

Growing Empowerment hosts a planting and seed repackaging workshop at the Carbondale Library from 10am to noon. Repackaged seeds will be donated to Lift-Up. A second workshop will take place at the Glenwood Springs Library from 2 to 4pm. Email Kim. Wille@gmail.com for more details.

MUSIC AT THE LIBRARY

Cellist and pianist duo Francisco Villa and Mandy Gessler, respectively, perform classical music at the Basalt Library from 5:30 to 6:45pm.

CHRISTOPHER JACKSON

Broadway actor and songwriter Christopher Jackson shares stories and songs at the Wheeler Opera House at 7:30pm. Tickets at www.theatreaspen.org

SUNDAY, MARCH 9

PHYSIO-EMOTIONAL RELEASE

A Spiritual Center presents Lynn Rodden speaking about and demonstrating her methodology for uncovering and eliminating trauma in the body to lose the “negative emotional charge.” The Third Street Center (Room 31) hosts from 10 to 11:30am.

QUILT GUILD

The Roaring Fork Quilt Guild invites everyone to see their work at the Basalt Library community room today from 1 to 3pm. The event will include the opportunity for hand-stitching, so it’s recommended to bring a project.

ECSTATIC DANCE

Alya Howe guides an ecstatic dance at 13 Moons (6334 Highway 133) with DJ Dustin Eli from 6 to 8pm.

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

BACK IT UP

Learn how to back up your digital data, including photos, documents and more, at the Basalt Library from 2:30 to 3:30pm.

VALLEY COMEDY SHOWCASE

Local comedians kick off Aspen Laugh Festival 2025 at the Wheeler Opera House at 5:30pm. For tickets to this and other events throughout the week, visit www.aspenshowtix.com

DEMYSTIFYING SHAKESPEARE

The Glenwood Springs Library hosts a reading of “The Winter’s Tale” (judiciously abridged) by William Shakespeare at 6pm.

DRAWING CLUB

The Roaring Fork Drawing Club travels up the Aspen Art Museum for a tour and drawing session beginning at 6:30pm.

FIRST DRAFT

Mitzi Rapkin records another episode of “First Draft,” her writing podcast, interviewing author Shelley Read at TACAW at 6:30pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

ONGOING EVENTS

GROUP RUN

Independence Run & Hike leads a group run on Thursdays departing from the store’s location, next to the Carbondale City Market, at 6:30pm.

WIGGLES OUT

Toddlers get their wiggles out at the Carbondale Library on Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:30am.

CRIBBAGE

Whether you’ve played for years or are looking to learn, stop by the Carbondale Rec Center from 4 to 5pm Tuesday nights. Bring snacks or non-alcoholic drinks to share! Visit www.carbondalerec.com for more info.

YARN GROUP

Basalt Library hosts a weekly yarn group on Tuesdays at 5pm. All are welcome.

IN STITCHES

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

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12

‘LIFE AS A MINER’

Amy Honey with the Aspen Historical Society leads an immersive lesson of what life was like as a miner in the 1880s, with a focus on the many immigrants who worked the mines, at the Basalt Library from 2:30 to 3:30pm. This program is meant for elementary and middle school students.

CHESS CLUB

The Basalt Library hosts a chess club for adults of all abilities from 5 to 6:30pm.

CHLOE TROAST

Aspen Laugh Festival welcomes Chloe Troast, a Saturday Night Live Season 49 cast member, to The Vault at the Wheeler from 5:30 to 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com

HEALING FROM ASSAULT

HeadQuarters in Basalt hosts a women’s group focused on healing from sexual assault trauma from 6 to 7:30pm. To register, email dillonja77@gmail.com

‘FLOW’

Local Jessi Rochel is competing in the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon to benefit ALIVE Rescue, a no-kill animal rescue organization. As part of raising funds, the award-winning film “Flow” will be screened at the Crystal Theatre tonight at 6:45pm. There will be a prize giveaway before the show. Tickets are available at the door or for a discount at www.bit.ly/CrystalFlow

THE SKLAR BROTHERS

Comedian twin brothers Randy and Jason Sklar perform at the Wheeler Opera House at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 13

NONFICTION BOOK CLUB

The Nonfiction Book Club discusses this month’s theme, “Colorado,” at the Carbondale Library from 2 to 3:30pm.

ARTIST LECTURE

Multimedia artist and recipient of the 2024 Aspen Art Fair Anderson Ranch Visiting Artist Prize, Masako Miki, speaks at Anderson Ranch from 4:30 to 5:30pm. Register at www.andersonranch.org

SOL THEATRE

Stage of Life Theatre Company presents “Junie B. Jones: The Musical Jr.”

at the Thunder River Theatre with shows at 6pm tonight, tomorrow and Saturday, and 2pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Find tickets at www.soltheatrecompany.org

UTE TRAIL TALK

Bill Kight, who spent over 20 years working with the three Ute tribes to identify the ancient Ute Trail across the Flat Tops north of Glenwood Springs, will present about his experience at the Glenwood Springs Library at 6:30pm.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

PERSPECTIVES

The Carbondale Clay Center displays works by high school students from Basalt and Carbondale with an opening reception from 6 to 8pm.

MICKY & THE MOTORCARS

The Ute Theater in Rifle presents Micky & The Motorcars at 8pm. Tickets at www.utetheater.com

NURSE JOHN

Comedian John Dela Cruz (a.k.a Nurse John) performs at the Wheeler Opera House at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 15

CONTRA DANCE

The Carbondale Community School hosts a contra dance from 8 to 10pm. The tutorial begins at 7:30pm.

TOMMY CASTRO

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers brings blues guitar and rock and soul to TACAW with a show at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SUNDAY, MARCH 16

COMMUNITY GRIEF

Artist Rachel Becker, also a death doula, will host a community grief ritual at The Launchpad from 1 to 3pm. “Bring an item that represents your grief or something/someone you are mourning” for a collective altar.

POTTERY DATE NIGHT

The Carbondale Clay Center invites couples to throw clay in tandem from 5 to 6:30pm. Tickets at www.carbondaleclay.org/date-night

STEVE’S GUITARS

Cosy Sheridan and Heidi Rovig perform at Steve’s Guitars at 6pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

The Meeting Place in Carbondale (981 Cowen Drive) offers “Hole in the Donut AA,” Monday through Saturday at 6:45am, plus “Daily Reprieve” at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Find a full schedule at www.meetingplacecarbondale.org

ENGLISH IN ACTION

Volunteer English tutors and developing learners meet for informal conversational practice at the Carbondale Library every Monday at 6:30pm. Interested in becoming a tutor? Email angela@englishinaction.org or call 970-963-9200.

MONDAY MEDITATION

Roaring Fork Insight guides a weekly meditation group meeting at the

COMMUNITY CLASSES IN CARBONDALE

SCULPTURE

Learn 3-D design, materials and processes to create sculptures. Thursdays, 1-5pm, 3/13-5/1

INTRO TO BUSINESS OF ART

Learn to create business plans, market and show your art. Mondays, 5-7pm, 3/17-4/21

AIKIDO (Try it for Free 3/18-3/20)

A non-violent way to re-direct, neutralize, or avoid an attack.

Tues/Thurs, 6-7:30pm, 3/18-5/8

MICROSOFT EXCEL WORKSHOP

From basics to formatting, printing, formulas and functions, charting, and tables. Tues, 5:30-8pm, 3/25-5/6

TREE PRUNING TECHNIQUES

Covers timing, techniques, and different styles. Highlights pruning for tree’s “natural” form. Tues, 4-7pm, 3/25- BASALT

WINES OF SOUTHERN FRANCE

Wine tasting classes use the deductive tasting method, and are appropriate for novice to experienced wine tasters as well as very useful for those in the food & beverage industry.

Friday, 6-8pm, 3/28

Third Street Center (Room 31) from 7 to 8:30pm.

BIKE PROJECT

The Carbondale Bike Project Shop helps repair people’s bicycles on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 6pm and Sundays from noon to 6pm on the east side of Third Street Center.

SPARK

The Carbondale Library invites kids to “build, create, explore, concoct and invent together” on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Wednesday of each month at 2pm.

SENIOR LUNCH

Every Wednesday at noon, Garfield County Senior Programs provides a nutritious meal for seniors at The Orchard. To reserve a place at the table, call 970-665-0041.

COSECHA TEXTILES

Textile enthusiasts are invited to a workshop at Cosecha Textiles (95 Red Dog Road) every first Wednesday from 4 to 9pm. Register at www.cosechatextiles.com

CLUB DE ESPAÑOL

Practice Spanish and enjoy specials at Bodegón in Carbondale every Wednesday from 5 to 7pm.

CANCER CARE

The Calaway-Young Cancer Center at Valley View Hospital offers yoga for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers at 9:15am on Thursdays. Then, the Walk and Talk cancer support group meets at 11am at the chapel in the cancer center.

UNDER THE SUN

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

KIDS’ CLASSES

TUMBLE, BALANCE AND BREATH Movement and fun to develop basic tumbling and social skills. Wed, 4-4:45pm, 4/2-4/23

BUILD A FAIRY GARDEN

Get creative and build a your own fairy garden. Saturday, 10-11:30am, 4/5

BUILD A BOTTLE BIOME

Learn about the water cycle, climate, life, and recycling. Sunday, 10-11am, 4/6

COOKIES FOR EASTER

Get creative with the Pastry Chef Lab. Cookies and decorating supplies provided. Instructor is bilingual. Parents welcome. Wednesday, 3-4pm, 4/16

Community & Kids’ Class Registration...

*CREDIT CLASSES

*WATERCOLOR - ASPEN Wed, 5:10-8:45pm, 3/26-4/30

*CPR FOR PROF. - CARBONDALE 8:30am-5pm, 3/26

*FIRST AID & CPR - CARBONDALE 8:30am-5pm, 3/27

*WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER - SV 8:00am-5pm, 4/14-4/27

A horse and rider pulling a participant in the 78th annual Leadville Ski Joring competition on Saturday, March 1. On their runs, skiers must try grabbing colored rings suspended from poles and jump off ramps seven feet high — all while traveling between 30 and 40 miles per hour.

Photo by Jeannine Ravenscraft

Local jeweler hits stride with sustainable designs

MYKI JONES

Arts Correspondent

Sydney Nikoloff, owner of Sydney Kay Jewelry, has been designing and creating her own unique pieces for a little over four years. Nikoloff sells jewelry with the intention of helping other groovy mineral enthusiasts connect better with themselves and the world around them. As stated on her website, each piece is a reminder/token for the wearer to be authentically true, focused on the good things in life — and to look good while doing it.

“For some people buying a nice piece of jewelry for themselves is a milestone, or it’s a celebration of an important moment in your life,” Nikoloff stated. “I feel like certain things like this, or even dressing in a way that makes you feel happy and excited, invites you to be a step closer to the person that you’re trying to become.”

Nikoloff said another unique aspect of her work comes from her background in sustainability studies. She attended Colorado Mountain College (CMC) for the subject and tried to implement what she learned there into her business, using the metal-smithing bench she received from her boyfriend.

“I went to school for sustainability at CMC, so I try to implement that into my business, where I use as many recycled metals as possible. I can tell you where every stone I’m using has come from, who mined it, and from where and who cut it. I’m pretty strict on sourcing my materials,” she said.

I can tell you where every stone I’m using has come from, who mined it, and from where and who cut it. I’m pretty strict on sourcing my materials,

She began making wire wraps a decade ago and also collected crystals because she was drawn to certain stones’ metaphysical properties. She would carry gems in her pockets but eventually lose them, which inspired her to combine these two hobbies and create jewelry.

-Sydney Nikoloff

“A lot of people carry pocket crystals,” she said. “I started to lose those pocket crystals, so I thought maybe I should make it into a necklace or something. That’s where that journey began, and I never really took it seriously until, you know, much later.”

In addition to creating unique designs meant to illuminate the best parts of her clientele,

Many of the stones used for her pieces are local, some of which come from a neighbor who owns a few mines around the Valley. In cases where the stones and materials can’t be found locally, one of her goals is to ensure they are still ethically sourced from small operations and places that don’t contribute to injustices.

“It’s important to me to be careful where materials come from,” Nikoloff explained.

“Even if it’s not local, I’d rather support a small family-owned mining operation. Some stones, like lapis, come from Afghanistan, and a lot of that is mined by the Taliban. Same with Burmese rubies, most of the mines are owned by the government. So, if you’re buying rubies from Burma [Myanmar] right now, you’re indirectly funding their genocide in some ways. I think it’s important to know who’s mining your materials and that you’re not supporting

continued on page 16

Sydney Nikoloff of Sydney Kay Jewelry at her work bench. Courtesy photo

talks grief with Pathfinders and

“Grief is an essential part of the human experience, but one that’s too often hidden or buried rather than processed and healed,” a recent press release began. As such, True Nature Healing Arts is hosting a work shop from 4 to 6pm on March 15 for those seeking healing.

The $28 ticket includes sound bowls, a brief cacao ceremony and intro to breathwork tech niques with Danielle Klein, and a facilitated discussion with local authors Gary Gleason and Jessica Lockwood. Gleason and Lockwood will be joined by Path finders grief counselor Robyn Hubbard as they share their personal experiences of navigat ing grief with courage and care.

“I share my story, and my journey, hoping to foster connec tion and healing for anyone in the throes of grief and isolation,”

Radon risks in Garfield County

Over 44% of homes tested exceed safe levels

DANIEL PACHECO CU Cancer Center

Did you know radon gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers? For smokers, the risk is even higher. You can’t see, smell or taste it, but radon can harm your health. Radon is a gas found in soil that moves into the air through cracks in home foundations and walls. Radon levels are particularly high in Colorado due to the state’s geological makeup, with nearly half of all homes exceeding safe levels. Testing your home is easy with a simple do-it-yourself radon test kit.

From 2005 to 2023, 2,675 do-it-yourself radon test kits have been used in

“Honey, your radon testing kit is here.”

CARBONDALE Revolving Loan Fund

Garfield County. There are an estimated 23,021 homes in Garfield County, so more homes should be tested for radon. About 44% of homes tested for radon in Garfield County have radon levels above the EPA action level of 4 picocuries per liter, meaning those homes should take steps to reduce dangerous radon levels. Don’t delay; order your free radon test today! Free radon test kits are available at the Rifle and Glenwood Springs Garfield County Public Health offices, CLEER in Carbondale (Third Street Center, suites 7 and 17), Aspen City Hall and the Pitkin County Administration Building. Additionally the University of Colorado Cancer Center Office of Community Outreach and Engagement and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) are providing free radon test kits to Colorado residents, which can be ordered online, while supplies last, at www.bit.ly/COERadon

For homes with elevated radon levels, CDPHE offers a low-income radon mitigation program for those in need of assistance. To learn more about radon, find a mitigation professional or explore assistance options, visit www.ColoradoRadon.info

terrorists or genocide indirectly,” Nikoloff explained.

Sydney Kay Jewelry sells primarily online out of Nikoloff’s home studio, as well as on the maker market scenes. She can mainly be found at the Carbondale Farmers’ Market and occasionally at Basalt’s Sunday Market in the summers. Additionally, she has partnerships with businesses in the Roaring Fork and Crystal valleys, including True Nature’s boutique, Joy and Wild in Redstone and a small display at Aspen Art Museum where some of her pieces can be found.

While she does dream of having a storefront one day, she said she’s content with what she has going now. Discussing her goals for 2025, Nikoloff shared she is working on adjusting her prices and is incorporating gold into her work.

“I’m trying to widen my price ranges, going higher on some pieces and lower on others. I’m also trying to make some pieces that are a little more affordable. Although I love making my big, fun art pieces, I think especially with selling in-person, it’s helpful to have things that people can buy and not have to think twice about it,” she said.

For more information or to purchase from Sydney Kay Jewelry, visit www.sydneykayjewelry.com

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

John Edward Collins

May 19, 1928 - February 25, 2025

On Feb. 25, U.S. Air Force Major (retired) John Edward “Ed” Collins departed this world for the next, peacefully and in his sleep, at home in Colorado Springs. He was attended by Marilyn Collins, his beloved wife of 38 years. He flew west on his own terms and in his own time, in the same way in which he lived his extraordinary life. Ed was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal Church. He is now experiencing peace that surpasses all understanding.

Born May 19, 1928 in rural Arapaho, Wyoming, Ed was the son of Frances Elizabeth Collins. He was an enrolled member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe through his fullblooded maternal grandmother, Edith Spoonhunter. His Native bloodline also traces to the allied Lakota Sioux. His Irish forebears hail from County Wicklow. Ed’s resilience and strong instinct for survival were formed in his childhood. His Depression-era upbringing on the Wind River Reservation required him to ride, swim and shoot. He later would share those skills with his four children. His drive, intellect and appetite for lifelong learning took him far. Ed was a natural athlete. His Arapaho name, Nii ni’ koo hut, translates to “Fast Runner.” He lettered in five high school sports — boxing, football, track and field, baseball and basketball — in Avenal, California, where he relocated at age 14 to be with his mother, Frances, and stepfather, Fred Gibson. After graduation, he worked for Standard Oil of California and attended community college in nearby Coalinga. He also earned his private pilot certificate at the Coalinga Airport.

He enlisted in the Air Force in 1950. He trained first as a jet mechanic. He was soon selected for Officer Candidate School. As an aviation cadet, he pursued his ultimate love, flying. He commanded and instructed in many types of aircraft, including the RC-121 Super Constellation, SA-16, T-33 Shooting Star and T-39 Sabreliner, among others. He earned both his undergraduate business degree and his MBA while serving active duty.

Ed’s charm and charisma made him welcome in many cultures. In the early 1950s he taught pilots in France. He communicated in his imperfect French, which generated amusing stories and fast friendships. His next major assignment was to fly AWACS oceanic patrol missions from McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento. In 1961-62, he served as base operations officer and air-sea rescue pilot at Sondrestrom, Greenland. While there, he hosted the Ink Spots, a popular music ensemble, to entertain at the remote Arctic outpost.

He reprised the operations role at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington. He volunteered for Vietnam, where he was in-country flight operations officer in Saigon from 1967-68. He directed flight scheduling, even for higher-ranking officers, at the world’s busiest wartime airport. He settled in Colorado Springs in 1968 with his first wife, the late Sandy Collins, and their four children, Craig, Bret, Kate and Coco. Ed retired from the Air Force in 1970 as an aviation safety expert with an Airline Transport Pilot rating. He never flew again.

Ed’s civilian career encompassed sales training and a new profession as a real estate broker. He remained active in Colorado Springs residential and commercial markets for many years. Ed read five newspapers a day. He was an active member of the Daedalians, a horseman and a competitive golfer, well into his 80s. His health declined in recent years. His devoted second wife, Marilyn, attended selflessly to his comfort and well-being.

Major Collins’ four children, their spouses and his six grandchildren reside in Carbondale and Denver, Colorado and Southern California. He also is survived by Marilyn, six of her children and their spouses, 38 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.

John Edward Collins’ memorial service and interment will take place in Colorado Springs on March 8.

MIND SPRINGS from page 5

were woefully lacking resources for rehabilitative services and follow up.”

Commissioner Jankovksy added that prior to committing county dollars, the various municipal and healthcare partners had completed census data which indicated “at some point we’d have an average of four people … per night, roughly,” he recalled. “And we never got to that. I think the best we did was in December when we had like 1.7.” The Sopris Sun requested the average from Mind Springs, but did not receive a response by press time.

“I’m disappointed for the community

that is still, now, unserved,” stated Kitching.

As stated in Jeanne Souldern’s Aug. 24, 2023 Sopris Sun article, “The region [had] gone over a decade without such a center, with the last one being operated by Colorado West within the Garfield County Jail, which closed its doors in 2012.”

“We understand the profound impact this closure will have on our patients, staff and the community,” Mind Springs concluded its statement. “Our commitment to providing high-quality mental health services remains steadfast, and we are dedicated to finding innovative solutions to meet the community’s needs.”

Terry Swanton

September 9, 1941 - February 25, 2025

Terry was full of life and lived every bit of it. He was a military brat, living in Germany when he graduated high school and joined the Army. He served in the 82nd Airborne and Special Forces. In 1962, Terry and some Army buddies moved to Aspen to work and ski bum. He took on many jobs with restaurants, construction crews and the Aspen Skiing Company. He found his passion in the restaurant business and, after globetrotting with wife Molly, he was instrumental in establishing several restaurants, including The Blue Moose and Buster McGees. Eventually, Terry, along with partner Chuck Tower, leased and operated several of the Snowmass Mountain restaurants.

He was a proud member of the

American Legion, the Eagles and the Elks. He was a prominent Elk, serving in leadership roles in both Aspen and with the Colorado State Association. He took pride in the benevolent work within these organizations.

A true outdoorsman, Terry loved to Jeep and hunt, and fish and camp. He loved skiing. He loved golf.

Anyone who knew Terry in the Roaring Fork Valley knows he cherished being with his friends and family. He adored the Aspen lifestyle from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

He is preceded in death by his daughter, Megan, and is survived by his wife of 56 years, Molly, his son, Lindsay, and three grandchildren.

Details for a celebration of life will be announced in the early summer.

8

resulted in paralysis on her right side and aphasia, a condition that affects speech and language processing. While she regained some capabilities, she was unable to return to her tenured teaching position at Stanford University. The loss was devastating.

Meyerson began to wonder if other stroke survivors experienced a similar loss of identity, and with the help of family and friends, she wrote “Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After Stroke.” The book led to the founding of Stroke Onward, a nonprofit that supports survivors through the emotional journey of recovery and rebuilding. In 2022, Meyerson and her husband, Zuckerman, cycled across America to raise awareness.

“To lose your full health in a matter of three days, I can’t even imagine the mental anguish,” said Blake. “I was like, ‘I gotta do something.’” On his ride he hopes to inspire others to pitch in and help.

“At an older age, I’m in the best shape of my life. You can’t replace 27-year-old testosterone with 67-year-old testosterone, but you can execute better,” Blake concluded. “You’ve got to cherish this thing more. Do good when you know you can. This is a special time and you’ve got to take advantage of life.”

People can follow Blake’s journey and contribute to the cause, benefiting Stroke Onward, at www. gofundme.com/f/dansrideacrossamerica

SGT. LAZO from page 9

Today, there are lots of people living in fear of being deported, and Lazo understands those feelings on a personal level. He himself lived in fear of being removed from the United States for the better part of a quarter-century. He did get his green card, however, and eventually, after much time and money, Lazo became an American citizen in 2024. The Town of Carbondale, valuing Lazo’s professionalism, helped pay for those legal fees — something he certainly doesn’t take for granted.

“I grew up fearing the police because I felt like the police were somehow associated with immigration,” he shared. Knowing now that law enforcement doesn’t necessarily have to work with immigration enforcement — which is the sentiment and policy at CPD — he wants all community members to feel comfortable calling the department for help.

“If the undocumented part of our community fears the police, then they don’t report crimes,” he passionately lamented. “They stay victims, without resources, without justice.”

Lazo is one of two CPD officers who are bilingual, but he said his fellow officers are making efforts to practice and learn some key words and phrases. The need for bilingual officers is great, with many interactions occurring between victims or suspects who are monolingual Spanish speakers.

“I think one of the biggest parts [of this job] is the human connection and being able to talk to people,” Lazo concluded. “I think where it goes wrong is when people put on the uniform and they think they’re better than somebody.”

DAN BLAKE from page

Reclaiming character

My father was a B-24 bomber pilot during World War ll. After 87 missions, he was alive, brave, talented, funny and wickedly intolerant of anyone inauthentic. He despised the braggart, boasting of unearned privilege. He had been in positions where honor and honesty matter — were key to life. He distrusted leaders who thought different rules applied to them, serving themselves at the expense of others. My father was a patriot and uniquely idealistic, given the horror of war. He loved a quote by the novelist Nikos Kazantzakis, “We are soldiers reporting to our commanding officer on a mortal mission — to live life honorably.” And he tucked this notion away, knowing that amidst life’s ups and downs, this simple mantra could tether his life to decency and sanity.

What does a mortal mission to live life honorably look like to my students?

Times are far different than when my father went off to war in 1942, yet my students argue that we still face issues that have always lived at the root of humanistic and philosophical reflection: Who are we? What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to live with honor? Character is still at the heart of being great and a requisite to living honorably. For my students, the only route to being exceptional is to do self-reflective, moral work, aligning our values and actions into an identity that honors the profound gift of being human. They would have liked my father.

In conversations about leadership, honor and character, Reynis Vasquez, a student, wrote: “Only someone who

CARE has 9 dogs and and 1 availablehamster for

submits to the authority of the universal order and of creation, who values the right to be a part of it and a participant in it, can genuinely value himself and his neighbors, and thus honor their rights as well. The efforts to overcome our differences must be rooted in self-transcendence. We must reach out beyond ourselves, viewing ourselves as a cohesive ecosystem: a community that we must respect and revere. Yevtushenko states we must not ‘dehumanize’ others by turning them into objects of hatred. Often when we are attacked or feel vulnerable, our first instinct is to prepare to fight back. We may even try to justify the counter-attack by rousing up a deep hatred for the initial offender. However this merely adds more fuel to the fire of terror, and ‘instead of burning down terror we burn down our souls with our white-hot hatred, and become indistinguishable from those we fight against.’ In whatever battle we choose to fight, we must maintain our humanity because it is what can ultimately bring us all together.”

OPINION

are perilous to our democracy, our sense of decency, our children, our grandchildren … our future. Notions of living an honorable life rest on the notions of creating a more just world and the call to consciencedriven action that rests intimately on a foundation of being selfpure. In essence, it is a subtle yet profound state of innocence where we are not complicit in that which we oppose.”

SEEKING HAYSTACKS

By A.O. Forbes

Jane Smith wrote: “What makes our lives worth living is the activities we engage in that are in accord with our values, whatever happens in the world. If we live in this way, even if our cause isn’t successful, we will have lived a life that is worthwhile because it will be a life that is authentically our own. I cannot imagine what more we could ask than to live a life that is driven by our values, that is directed toward a project of world-historical importance, to heal both ourselves and the Earth.”

honorably for decency and dignity. Yet he knew well of America’s old divisions, which find sanctuary in sanctimonious attempts to dodge the inclusive we in “We the People.” He would recognize our current government’s servitude to the wealthy while neglecting the rest of us with a flare on par with Shakespeare’s pirate in “Measure for Measure,” which Wells could extemporaneously quote:

LUCIO

Thou conclud’st like the sanctimonious pirate that went to sea with the 10 commandments but scraped one out of the table.

SECOND GENTLEMAN

“Thou shalt not steal?”

LUCIO

Ay, that he razed.

Morgan Karow wrote: “Principles may sound abstract, but the consequences of moral principles are quite concrete. The consequences when leaders lack principles

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When I became a teenager and could appreciate my father’s sensibilities and the experiences that shaped him, I happened to meet and be schooled by Wells Kerr, a revered Colorado Rocky Mountain School English teacher and Shakespearen scholar. Wells once told me that if I wanted to know the human character intimately, read Shakespeare. Wells’ personal integrity and warmth caused him to look into our adolescent eyes and see courageous souls struggling

So, when the cynicism of our political leaders and the silence of the majority has me scared and worried about the soul of our nation, my students’ eloquent clarity assures me all is not lost. Like my father and Wells Kerr, they know the value of character in difficult times. They know pirates when they see them. And most importantly, they know that there is no way to fail when one raises their voice for the dignity of another. As student Issac Gerber wrote: “It does not take some higher hope, some clouded vision, some plea for anything spiritual, or some claim for moral convictions to recognize the issues today are issues of character — not perceptions of justice … We do not have to look beyond the human to see the issues in the human. We just have to look him square in the eyes.”

Defending the people who defend the Earth

RALEIGH BURLEIGH Sopris Sun Editor

As editor of The Sopris Sun, I am tasked with exercising impartiality: Keeping an open mind to the many nuances that exist in every story.

There is one story, however, I’m compelled to tell, and I must admit, I am partial. I am partial to a people risking everything to restore a more harmonious coexistence with the planet and her diversity.

I first became fascinated with the Mapuche, an indigenous peoples belonging to the southern cone of South America, at a gathering in Chile in 2016 called Raíces de la Tierra (Roots of the Earth). I remember first feeling intimidated by the Mapuche hosting other native peoples and cultural orphans for a prayer-filled campout in the forest. Sitting by their fire, hearing their stories, I began to understand. The Mapuche held a truce with the Spanish empire for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until the 1860s and 1870s, when the budding nations of Chile and Argentina went genocidal with expansionist intent, that these fiercely guarded territories were opened to exploitation.

In 2019, I took a 10-week sabbatical to deepen my familiarity. As a student of anthropology, the goal was to become acquainted

with a Mapuche community. This took me to Lof Pillañ Mahuiza, where I met Moira Millán, a fearless activist for her people, all women and Life itself. I returned to Pillañ Mahuiza, recovered territory in defense of a wild river, the Carrenluefu, for a “climate camp” in February of 2020, bringing together people from all over the world to discuss climate change as a continuation of colonialism — stolen land treated as such by extractive, disconnected, shortsighted capitalists.

The Mapuche thrive in their forests, adapting themselves to

live with the Earth, rather than the other way around. In service to the land, they practice an embodied spirituality that requires frequent prayer and ceremony to enrich a place and create a community encompassing more than just humans, but the river, the spirits and animals. All life is sacred.

The governments of the world don’t seem to realize this. Similar to the United States, the government of Argentina is being hollowed out by business-minded men with seemingly no care for Earth. Javier Milei, Argentina’s self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist” president, recently

Open Call for Board Members

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handed Elon Musk a chainsaw and a metaphor. As multinational corporations take control of global politics, reaching ever deeper into pristine places to satiate an endless appetite for minerals, indigenous peoples defending a traditional way of life are again threatened.

On Feb. 11, the community Pillañ Mahuiza was raided by federal police. Multiple families, including an 80-year-old man and young children born on the land, were threatened by the Commando Unificado who detained them in their homes, searched their belongings, confiscated phones and books, broke windows, carried rifles and allegedly planted weapons.

Vic, a 34-year-old member of the community, was taken and remains in prison. She is accused of setting fires to machines at a distant ranch on Jan. 18. I don’t know what evidence the community holds to prove her innocence, but I do know Vic, and I know that Pillañ Mahuiza has busied itself with building life, not carrying out destructive tasks in far-off places.

You see, Argentina is on fire. Literally, wildfires have destroyed more than 86,500 acres since January, burning down hundreds of homes. After a year of devastating economic adjustments, the people are desperate. President Milei, shortly after being elected,

cut the nation’s firefighting budget by 81%. While the government expends its resources persecuting Mapuche, communities risk their lives to defend their homes from uncontrolled fires.

Meanwhile, for decades, the planting of thirsty, combustible Canadian pine trees that acidify the soil and kill the native forest has been subsidized by the government of Argentina, despite the clearly detrimental impacts these invasive plantations are having on the local ecosystems. The increased prominence of wildfires is a direct result of misguided land stewardship.

So, Patagonia is burning. Indigenous communities, intimately vested in the health of their territories, are being raided and framed for the fires. In addition to Pillañ, several other communities were raided on Feb. 11, as well as a Mapuche radio station where the broadcast equipment was destroyed by federal agents. In early January, one community, Lof Paillako, was evicted from recovered territory. Another, Lof Quemquemtrew, braces for the same. Pillañ Mahuiza could be next.

From my partial place, I am certain that this community’s resistance is peaceful. As are the majority of the proud Mapuche who recover territories to practice their traditional ways. Two days after the raids, on Feb. 13,

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Mapuche Weychafe Moira Millán is accompanied to court by a procession of allies in 2019. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

Silva Estrada shares how her roots fuel a passion to help community

JACKIE RAMIREZ

Sol del Valle

Yesenia Silva Estrada is a prominent member of the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valley communities. She recently took on the title of vice president of planning and chief of staff at Colorado Mountain College. In this role, she focuses on strategic planning and ensuring the college meets their goals established in their strategic plan. From immigrant to advocate, Silva Estrada remains connected to her roots to help others.

“I’m a proud first-generation college graduate, a Latina, a mother, an immigrant; and I consider myself a lifelong, or careerlong, advocate for creating educational opportunities, especially for our rural mountain communities,” Estrada told Sol del Valle.

“My career has been dedicated to transforming education, because I truly believe that education can be a huge, powerful way of lifting economic mobility for individuals and their families,” she continued. “It can be really transformational, especially for those students who are not typically represented in college completion.”

Growing up as an immigrant in Carbondale and being the oldest sister in her Mexican family, Estrada pointed out that these experiences influenced her passion. Although she initially considered studying accounting, her experiences as a first-generation student coupled with encouragement from her grandmother — who instilled in her the power of learning — led her to a career in education.

“I always felt at the intersection of knowing where I come from … and education … is such a beautiful place where I can learn,” said Estrada. “The dream of going to college often seemed pretty distant, but as I went through it and surpassed all of the challenges, I was able to acquire an education. I think that for most of us, if not all first-generation students, it’s an experience that shapes us.”

After graduating from college, Estrada began investigating and noticed that students with similar backgrounds were “an exception in the system, not an expectation.” She noticed that immigrants, English-language learners and low-income students weren’t equally represented in the college sphere.

“It fueled a passion, [while] asking myself, ‘What can I do about it? How can I contribute, especially in our local

communities?’” Estrada stated. “I had lived in Denver for a couple of years and I could see that there were a lot more resources. But coming back to my community, I didn’t [see] that and many students were missing out on critical information to be able to access an education, and to be able to complete it.”

For years, Estrada has given back to her community by working with nonprofit organizations and for CMC, including previously heading the college’s TRIO Upward Bound pre-collegiate program in West Garfield County, meant for first-generation and low-income students. “I brought a lot of my personal, lived and professional experience

to those programs,” she explained.

As of late, “I’ve been able to do [that] more at a systemic level — working with teams, working with an entire institution on how we do this on a large scale,” she continued.

Estrada stays connected with her community by listening, being present and engaging, whether it be with students, families or community leaders. To ensure that she is, indeed, listening to her community, Estrada uses a simple approach: Not assuming that her experience is synonymous with that of others’.

“When I was starting college 15 or 20 years ago, it was a different time [with] different challenges than what we see now,” she said. “I always approach bringing solutions … with a very humble approach, knowing that I don’t know it all.”

Currently, “I’m helping the college think strategically about what our housing investments should be as an institution,” Estrada said. “Even though we’re in education, we will not be able to be a successful higher education institution if we don’t recognize some of the biggest challenges that our students have — one of them being housing.”

Estrada offered some advice for students or folks who are looking to create a positive impact in their community.

“First, own your story,” she said. “It’s much more than knowing your roots; it’s owning that. It’s about owning who you are, your lived experiences. That really is where your strength resides.”

She also mentioned the importance of building relationships.

“You are really the product of generations of your ancestors, but in the present time you are the product of all the support that you receive around you,” Estrada concluded.

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

Yesenia Silva Estrada graduated with a master’s in social work from the University of Denver. Courtesy photo

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

The Statue of Liberty has fallen

By Rick Davis Glenwood Springs

The Statue of Liberty has fallen and lies broken and shattered, partially submerged by the rising sea of hatred and fear.

The well known words, enshrined on a plaque have crumbled.

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Simple words on a three by four foot plaque. Were these words ever true?

Certainly not words etched in the hearts of many Americans, those who rejected the influx of immigrants.

The words that strike deeper “tempest-tost” mean overwhelmed, pounded repeatedly by storms or adversity.

Women, People of Color

LGBTQ

People with Disabilities

Poor people and various religions have recently lost their right to be counted. You are not worthy. That is our message to them.

The Statue of Liberty has fallen It’s promise has been broken The vision of the American Dream has sunk in a sea of hate and fear.

¡SE AP XIMA EL DÍA DE LA MAD !

Invitamos a todas las madres con bebes nacidos dentro del último año que tomen un retrato profesional con nosotros para la edición especial del Sopris Sun, el 8 de mayo.

Llame a 970-510-3003 o mande un correo electrónico a raleigh@soprissun.com para hacer una reservación e n el Third Street Center el 11 y 12 de abril y 3 de mayo y en la biblioteca de Glenwood Springs el 4 de mayo. ¡ Gratis!

INVEST IN COMMUNITY-POWERED STEWARDSHIP. Your donation today will ensure RFOV can respond to the best of our ability to the challenges brought on by decreased Forest Service capacity —

Thank you for being part of our community-powered stewardship movement.

Outdoor Volunteers

Recently, a friend said that if I really want to make a difference in our political environment, I need to tell people how the Musk/Trump Dual-Dictatorship directly

TRUMP’S TARIFFS — Horse feed and ranch-product prices are already high. Potash (for fertilizer) comes from Canada, along with gas, oil, steel, wood, aluminum and many raw materials that we use for everything we do. Prices will greatly rise,

My family farm in Pennsylvania grew wheat and soybeans in the 1960s through the 1990s. What little I know about farming gives me great sadness for my friends impacted by DOGE’s destroying and clos-

I have a friend in Longmont, Colorado who grows grain for USAID. He and many Colorado farmers are out of luck. Their wheat, rice and soybeans are rotting in silos, instead of providing humanitarian aid, food assistance and health support across more than 100 countries. These

I am also angry and sad about removing USAID’s “soft power diplomacy” which made nations look up to America as a kind and caring leader in the world.

I am ashamed of our president, a man of low intellect and character, who cares nothing for anyone or anything other than his own personal wealth and bullying power.

THEN THERE’S MUSK — One of Musk’s old friends, who has disavowed him, said that he bought the U.S. government (for $250 million) to further his goal of being “the first trillionaire in history.”

Welcome to the “New World Order” of the Musk/Trump White Nationalist Criminal Dual Dictatorship. THIS IS PERSONAL!

wail that he’s scaring foreign nationals who are here illegally.

Trump is fulfilling his promise to cut government waste, fraud and corruption. Dems whine that he’s doing it too fast.

Trump says there are two sexes and biological men shouldn’t compete against women in sports. Dems preach DEI doctrine where equity is achieved through the lowest common denominator.

Dems are on an endless campaign of hatred for Trump and derision for the majority of Americans who overwhelmingly elected him. They have no solutions or policy.

For the good of the USA, I hope Dems don’t change their behavior. Keep thinking it was the messaging instead of your woke message. Common sense will keep winning.

Bruno Kirchenwitz Rifle

American politics

Millions of Americans live in fear of losing their jobs, their healthcare, their citizenship, their nursing homes placement and their stewardship over their children’s education. It is hard to imagine that any voter expected that their actions could result in the denial of these rights and services. But if you think you won’t be affected by these and other cuts, think again.

Case in point — the deliberations of the federal budget regarding Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance program. Eighty million Americans depend on these services. These draconian measures will directly affect healthcare for the elderly, pregnant women, children, low-income citizens and people with disabilities. But these reductions will affect everyone. Healthcare needs do not disappear because of funding cuts. The costs of care are simply shifted to all of us. Providers cannot afford to absorb all of the costs for uncompensated care. If someone cannot pay their doctor or hospital bills, those costs will simply be shifted to all other payers, both public and private. If care is delayed, it will eventually result in care provided in higher cost settings, all for want of primary care coverage. And we will all pay in the form of higher insurance and medical bills as well as paying increased state and local taxes.

Trump gets Putin to discuss a ceasefire and Democrats cry, “Putin’s puppet.”

Biden weakly watched while Russia invaded Ukraine and didn’t even talk to Putin in 3.5 years.

Trump decreased illegal immigration 90% in his first month in office, while Dems

MAPUCHE from page 19

President Milei declared Resistencia Ancestral Mapuche (Ancestral Mapuche Resistance) a terrorist organization on par with Hamas. Most Mapuche communities distance themselves from one Facundo Jones Huala — the leader of RAM, now in prison for acts of arson — who argued that the liberation of his nation includes armed struggle. The reality is, the government refuses to listen to native wisdom. It would sooner grab the minerals and develop tourism in

Care for our most vulnerable citizens should not be optional. Instead, it should be considered an obligation and a reflection of our values as a nation. While Elon Musk, who receives $8 million a day in federal contracts, has said that anyone receiving federal assistance is a pariah, it is fair to ask who the pariah is here. He calls those in need pariahs, I call them fellow Americans. Call your congressional offices and make your voice heard.

Kathy Sgambati Carbondale

the shell that remains of a land deprived of her people. Imagine, defenders of the wild rivers and forests near you called “terrorists” and systematically erased.

If you are interested in learning more, I recommend an article by The Guardian called “‘The forests are going up in flames – so is the rule of law’: Argentina’s climate of fear.”

There is an international pledge of solidarity people are asked to sign here: www.bit.ly/Mapuche-pledge And I’ll keep you posted.

PARTING SHOTS

Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) climbers ended the winter competition season on a high note. At the American Scholastic Climbing League state championships on Feb. 22, the CRMS varsity boys team took first place, with three athletes in the top 10 scores. Junior Fritz Simmons took 4th, senior Devin Bush 7th, and junior Arthur Williams 10th. Six other CRMS climbers placed between 17th and 54th among the 60 competitors. The varsity girls team placed 7th, led by junior Hazel Lazar ranking 15th out of 61 climbers. Courtesy photos by CRMS student Kate Ott

LEGAL NOTICE

TOWN OF CARBONDALE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Board of Adjustments for the purpose of considering a Variance request from impervious lot coverage, front yard and street side yard setbacks at 689 Lincoln Ave.

Project Description: The variance request is to permit the construction of a 593 square foot handicap accessible master bedroom and 240 square feet of impervious accessible walkways. The proposal exceeds the 45% maximum impervious lot coverage, 15-foot front yard setback, and 10 foot street side yard setback set forth in the Lincoln Ave Planned Unit Development (PUD) zone district. The application requests a variance to allow up to 60% impervious lot coverage and a reduction to a 10 foot front yard setback and 5 foot street side yard setback.

Property Location: 689 Lincoln Ave (Lot A, Lincoln Ave East PUD)

Applicant: Michael Hassig & Olivia Emery

Owner: Michael Hassig & Olivia Emery

Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 6:30 p.m. on March 26th, 2025.

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

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

If you would like to submit comments regarding this application you must send them via email to jbarnes@ carbondaleco.net by 5:00 pm on March 26th, 2025. The comments will be entered into the record. If you have questions regarding the application, please contact Jared Barnes, Planning Director at 970-510-1208.

6, 2025.

Jeannett Fletes

Jeannett is a Personal Banking Representative at the Carbondale branch and has been with the bank for over two years.

She cares about creating connection in our community through artistic expression, that's why you might see her volunteering at the Aspen Cares Fashion Show.

GET GUSSIED UP ! March 7 th | 5-9pm

Chacos Park | 4th Street Plaza

Food Trucks | Community Glam Cam KDNK DJ's spinning live

The Launchpad

Sewing The Seeds of Fashion Activism with MtnBio, a community conversation & creative project

Cosmic Compost by Rachel Z. Becker and Where the Wild Things Live by Kirstie Steiner

On Main Street

Pre-fashion show festivities and after parties at local Main Street businesses for all!

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