Because every town needs a park, a library and a newspaper
Carbondale’s weekly
community connector
Volume 12, Number 23 | July 16 - July 22, 2020
Stay Cool
When you're splashing in the Willits fountain, you can even become a ballerina. Photo by Roberta McGowan
we deliver *turbo* margaritas!
(970) 963-5866 MiCasitaCarbondale.com
OPINION
By Raleigh Burleigh Board President On behalf of The Sopris Sun, I wish to share my utmost gratitude for each and every person that has made our summer fundraising efforts a complete success. At a time when newspapers across the country as well as our own valley are taking cuts and folding at an alarming rate, it speaks volumes to see our community rally in support of this weekly treasure. Collectively, we raised over
The Sun keeps shining $10,000 with several donations in the range of $500 and one far exceeding the honorary publisher benchmark of $1,000. These contributions, along with every other, assure that The Sopris Sun remains an active medium for the community's ever-unfinished dialogue about our shared past, present and future. We look forward to continually improving access to the paper's content with new pick-up locations, like the colorfully decorated box outside of The Launchpad, inclusion of the paper with local delivery services, and by honing our digital offerings at soprissun.com. I am proud beyond measure of the hardworking staff that cranks The Sun out with thoughtful dedication and abundant creativity, week after week. We are honored to have advertisers that remain consistent despite the stressful uncertainty of these recent months.
Every generous letter-writer, columnist and other contentprovider keeps the The Sopris Sun vital through their interactions. I thank my fellow board members for their attention to keeping this service operational. And of course, all readers and especially donors ,give us meaning by taking the time to dive into these stories. After all, The Sopris Sun is a collaboration between us all. Contributions of all kinds are always welcome because we wish to accurately portray our community's character at every stage of its ongoing evolution. Born of crisis in 2009, The Sopris Sun has witnessed many changes within Carbondale and the surrounding area. Unchanged is our resolve to remain together — despite the trouble — in pursuit of our highest ideals and with respect for each other. Despite our many differences, every
person that reads The Sun is aware of how blessed we are to live nestled within these high valleys of sage, sunshine and snowmelt. Having gracefully withstood the testament of more than one decade, may The Sun shine brightly for many more to come. P. S. You can join our team! The Sopris Sun is seeking someone to help with newspaper deliveries through the remainder of 2020. This position requires that you own a reliable vehicle and pays $200 per week for 8 hours of work spanning Wednesday evening through Thursday morning. Teams of two that wish to split the work and compensation are also welcome to apply. For details, contact me by calling 970-456-6929 or emailing raleighburleigh@gmail.com.
LETTERS Getting a gun Dear Editor: Well it’s happened. With the current panic of some zombie intruder stealing our bottled water and toilet paper, or a “protester/rioter” wanting to beat the crap out of us because we believe all lives matter, or maybe the demands that police departments be defunded, “who ya gonna call”, the race to purchase a firearm has been setting new records for the last three or four months. This has gummed the works of state and federal background check systems, with approvals taking up to 10 days. Most of this current panic to get a gun is by first time gun buyers, who last election were casting votes for the very candidates and politicians who promised to take away that “right”. I’m curious to know how many of these first timers learned that they couldn’t just go online, order and have their firearm shipped to their door, no questions asked. After all, this is what we’ve been told by the gun grabbers, political leaders, celebrities and lame stream media for decades. I would bet that 99 percent found that it was a much more difficult process than they ever imagined, with some being denied. Well now that you have this chunk of metal and wood or plastic, I hope that you asked someone knowledgeable to accompany you to the shooting range, which by the way, you
Sincerest thanks to our
Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+
Email marilyn@soprissun.com for more information.
Jim Calaway, Honorary Chair Kay Brunnier Scott Gilbert – Habitat for Humanity RFV Bob Young – Alpine Bank Peter Gilbert Umbrella Roofing, Inc. Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein Greg and Kathy Feinsinger Carolyn Nelson Jim Noyes True Nature Healing Arts Nicolette Toussaint Jill and Gary Knaus Megan Tackett Ken & Donna Riley Michelle & Ed Buchman CoVenture Lee Beck and John Stickney Shane Evans
Legacy Givers
for including us in their final wishes. Mary Lilly
were probably trying extremely hard to have closed down a couple of years ago. Someone to teach how to own and operate your new purchase safely. Finally, “armed” with your purchase, responsibility and knowledge of what it took to acquire it, perhaps you’ll learn more about what your candidates have in mind for you and your new property before casting your vote in November. And while you are at it, you might want to join the NRA, the organization trying to protect your right to keep it. If interested, call me, I can help. Richard Teague Carbondale
Why is GarCo spending millions? Garfield County’s “Oil and Gas Mitigation Fund” should be renamed the “Oil and Gas Defense Fund” as the monies are being used to protect the industry from citizens who do not want drilling and fracking next to their homes like in Battlement Mesa. In total, the county commissioners are spending over $1.5 million dollars defending the O&G industry in their fight against stronger state regulatory controls. The commissioners have also spent an additional $1.5 million of our severance tax dollars fighting the sage grouse protections that were preventing public lands from being leased for oil and gas development in Western Colorado. I believe this is a complete
waste of county dollars that could be going to mitigate the economic impacts from COVID, supporting our human service agencies during the food and housing crisis, and helping local municipalities supplement their sagging tax collections. The millions of dollars going to O&G lawyers and lobbyists are against our interests -- surely Garfield County residents support stronger air quality rules and protections for wildlife and our natural environment. And don’t we want to preserve our quality of life by not having to live with multiple 25-well pads in our backyard? It was also disturbing to hear that Garfield County taxpayers are picking up the tab for all the legal and consultant expenses for the 23 county and municipal partners in Garfield County’s Western & Rural Local Governments Coalition. Why aren’t the other counties and local governments asked to share costs? How many would remain in the coalition if they were not subsidized $65,000 each by Garfield County commissioners? Should I become your next county commissioner, I will not be irresponsible with our county’s funds by continuing to spend millions of dollars on lawyers and consultants to promote oil and gas interests above those of my constituents. Leslie Robinson Rifle 2020 Garfield County Commissioner Candidate
A tough decision Dear Editor: I thought the article about CRMS land deals was really good. I want to amplify on the City Market land sale. When I moved back from Denver, I got on the CRMS Alumni Board. The land sale came about because the Wilson property was coming up for sale. Jack Snobble came to our meeting and talked about his meetings with Bailey Syrliss. Bailey was related to Beulah and the one taking charge of the sale. They were selling because they were old and wanted to insure their retirement. Jack’s concern was that Bailey would have sold the river property to a developer. Think fiveacre plots with lawns and big houses on them and no riparian habitat left! Bailey had given CRMS some time to buy the property first. Ted Reed, who was on the Board of Trustees and also a real estate broker was tasked with trying to find an “environmentally friendly” business to buy it. This was something that all of us on the alumni board wanted. He spent around five months trying to get tech firms in California to relocate and ran into: This is a wonderful location, but what are everybody’s spouses supposed do for work”? With time running out, it became apparent that the only option was a commercial developer. As anyone who has boated down the Crystal by CRMS can tell you, CRMS made the best of a tough decision. Wick Moses Carbondale Continued on page 12
The views expressed in opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The community is invited to submit letters up to 500 words to news@soprissun.com. Longer columns are considered on a case-by-case basis. The deadline for submission is noon on Monday. 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • July 16 - July 22, 2020
And all our SunScribers and community members for your support.
It truly takes a village to keep The Sun shining.
Donate by mail or online. P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #32 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Editor Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 news@soprissun.com Advertising Todd Chamberlin • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Graphic Designer: Ylice Golden Reporter: Roberta McGowan Delivery: Tom Sands Proofreader: Lee Beck Current Board Members Raleigh Burleigh, President Marilyn Murphy, Vice President Linda Criswell, Secretary Klaus Kocher, Treasurer Kay Clarke • Carol Craven • Lee Beck Megan Tackett • Gayle Wells Donna Dayton • Terri Ritchie The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on second Mondays at the Third Street Center. Contact board@soprissun.com to reach them. Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young Colin Laird • Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell
The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible.
Drought draws parallels to Lake Christine Fire
By Isabel Hicks Sopris Sun Correspondent
This summer’s drought has firefighters on the edge of their . On Independence Day weekend, “instead of wearing their regular duty pants… [firefighters] were wearing their wildland pants and their boots,” Roaring Fork Fire Chief Scott Thompson said. “That was all so they didn’t have to take two minutes to change their clothes to go fight a wildland fire.” Current fire danger in the valley is significant. Garfield County went into Stage One fire restrictions on June 26, and surrounding counties such as Eagle and Piktin have issued their own fire bans as well. In Stage One restrictions, people are only allowed to have fires in a developed campsite’s fire pit. “My guess is that if current conditions persist, we’ll be looking at Stage Two within a week or so,” Carbondale Fire Chief Rob Goodwin said. In Stage Two restrictions, no campfires are allowed at all. Fire danger is measured by fuel moisture and energy release components (ERCs). “The drier the [fuel] is, the more energy it’s going to release [when it burns],” Goodwin said. “That means that the fire is worse for us, and harder to fight when these ERCs go up to a high level.” Goodwin said that the ERCs near Carbondale are hovering around the 97th percentile, which is comparable to conditions in 2018 when the Lake Christine Fire in Basalt burned over 12,000 acres. “We’re the same conditions as we were, if not a little worse in some places, in 2018.” When ERCs get above the 90th percentile, fire restrictions are implemented. “It just seems more often that we have to go into fire restrictions… it happens almost yearly now,” Thompson said. Monsoon flows that sometimes come at the end of July could help decrease fire danger. “That’s what will cure this,” Goodwin said. “If that doesn’t happen, we’ll stay dry and have fire bans. ...Sometimes it doesn’t happen. Or it doesn’t happen until late.” “Normally we see the monsoonal flows come out of the Gulf of Mexico, and that seems to not be lining up again this year,” Thompson said. “The Weather Service gave us a briefing two weeks ago, and they said that it’s not lining up... they said that the earliest we
may see the monsoonal flows in Colorado is in August. So that could be devastating.” Firefighters advise citizens to have a bag packed in advance and be ready to go in case of a nearby wildfire. People should also make sure they are signed up for emergency alerts from their counties about evacuations. Carbondalians seem to recognize the gravity of the situation. “I didn’t hear a single firework from my house,” Thompson noted. “That tells me that people are taking this seriously. I don’t blame them after living through the Lake Christine Fire. Who wouldn’t be concerned?” The drought could also affect the Town’s water usage. In 2015, Carbondale created a comprehensive Water Efficiency Plan to help decrease residential water use. “An excess of 80 percent of our consumptive use is by residential consumers,” Carbondale Trustee Lani Kitching said. “We’re in good shape in that regard because there’s a lot of awareness and a lot of sensitivity to the environment here within this particular community.” Kitching cited Carbondale’s success in the 2018 drought, when the Town voluntarily reduced its water usage by 50 percent. If the July monsoons don’t come, she said, citizens “can quite likely expect a repeat of practices in 2018.” Currently, water levels in the Crystal River are not as low as they were in 2018 at this time of year. If the drought worsens, the state will step in to manage Carbondale’s water rights as they did in 2018. “If the Crystal River isn’t flowing at a high enough level to be able to meet the needs of the senior water rights, then they’ll step in,” Kitching said. Alan Martellaro is the district engineer who would make this call for the Town. As climate change impacts materialize, Carbondalians have started to brainstorm ways to adapt to the new reality. Ideas mentioned in Carbondale’s 2018 Vulnerability Consequences and Adaptation Planning Scenarios (VCAPS) study include creating a ballot tax to raise funds for firefighting, creating a grey water system, and starting a dialogue with landscape architects about a marketing campaign to promote xeriscaping. “If called upon, we’re really counting on the Carbondale community to once again cut back on overall water use,” Kitching said. “People are very ready to step up and do their part to help conserve water when needed.”
We want to
Shopping locally is now more important than ever. To show our appreciation, we have partnered with Independence Run and Hike, Landmark Café, and Allegria. We will be awarding a $25 gift card to the first 5 customers to visit each business every Friday in the month of July!
$25
Thank you for shopping local! NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO WIN. Certain restrictions apply. FirstBank employees and their immediate families are not eligible. Limit of one (1) gift card per customer and per household for the duration of the promotion. Winner(s) may decline the prize. Gift card cannot be substituted for cash prize. Contact the FirstBank — Carbondale at 970.476.3500 for more details.
Allegria While crews have been quick to quash fires, a brief blaze up Three Mile destroyed one home. Photo by James Whaley THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • July 16 - July 22, 2020 • 3
SCUTTLEBUTT Have a gas The City Market gas station is officially open well before the new store itself, giving locals a chance to use the fuel points they’ve no doubt been accumulating. If you’re disinclined to give Kroger more of your coin, however, you needn’t write off the hometown offerings. The Roaring Fork Co-Op offers discounts to cash members, and gets its gas from a refining cooperative, besides.
Leave a message KDNK's Mountain Fair Memory Machine is now operational! Call 5103250 to share a favorite Mountain Fair memory with our community! Disclaimer: all recordings may be used for on-air promotion and/or a documentary series about the fair's history being produced in collaboration with Carbondale Arts.
Guest right Gunnison County may be officially open to outsiders again, but Marble is still struggling with the wave of visitors. With that in mind, Versatile Productions put together a video entitled “Marble Manners 101” (youtube.com/watch?v=_ r9FTKXVwWE) in an effort to help folks behave like a local. "We are pretty free in Marble, but we still do have rules and laws and suggestions," our host, Max, tells us as he takes us through the speed limit, campfire regulations,
bathrooms and trail etiquette, among other points.
Flowers of July While the sweet clover has been particularly robust this year, it seems likely that 2020 will be remembered florally for the milkweed bloom. The non-native, poisonous plant has been subject to some intentional eradication in areas like the Rio Grande trail, so it’s become a less common site locally. Still, it has some supporters, including the monarch butterflies that rely on it for food — and almost anyone who takes a moment to stop and smell the sweet blossoms.
Riverscapes Roaring Fork Conservancy invites the community to view a gallery of river art created by local teens during a virtual summer camp offered in partnership with the Basalt Library. Artwork will be displayed in the windows of The River Center in Basalt. Additionally, community members are invited to try their hand at drawing trout, mayflies, stoneflies and water at The River Center. Spaces around the outside of The River Center (sidewalk, courtyard, etc.) will be outlined where families and individuals can add their own chalk drawings, creating a gallery of Riverscapes.
Da bears With at least one bruin hanging around old town (and a mountain lion
in RVR), it’s worth a reminder to keep your trash locked up and avoid leaving food outdoors overnight. Our local black bears aren’t nearly as aggressive as some of their cousins, but they can misbehave if they’re provoked or just desensitized to people, so don’t give them any reason to stick around. Oh, and bring your pets indoors and night.
Spruce it up While the Third Street Center itself remains closed to the public, Blue Spruce Coffee is reopening with outside service. Walk, bike or drive up to the little stand in front of the building from 8 a.m. to noon on weekdays. Please wear a face mask and consider ordering and paying at bluespruceroasters.com in advance.
Off the table After causing something of a stir by briefly taking reservations to Our Town One Table, the Town recently recanted. You may not have to wait until August 2021, though, as there are rumors of a much more distanced event designed to scratch the same itch. We’ll keep you informed.
Have some compassion This year’s Way of Compassion Film Festival is still taking place Aug. 7-9, but it’s going digital-only. Tickets are just $25 at compassionff2020. eventive.org — it’s limited to 500 attendees, so don’t wait.
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Available online at SunlightMTN.com 4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • July 16 - July 22, 2020
The Buddy Program's summer outdoor activities recently brought Basalt Middle School students to the edge of the Basalt Mountain burn area. They also built trail on Light Hill and rafted the upper 'Fork. Courtesy photo
They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Niki Turner, Diana Alcantara, Katie Browne and Tony Spires ( July 16); Luke Spaulding, Merrill Johnson, Jason Steinberg and Eric Brendlinger ( July 17); Kenna Steindler, Jacque Whitsitt, Laurel Sheehan and Heidi Paul ( July 18); Tony Comer and Edgar Reyna ( July 19); Ed Anderson, Heather Henry, Dave Dixon, Amy Burdick ( July 20); Ernie Kollar and Brian Wexler and Colleen Weinfurter ( July 21) Elley McBrayer, Louie Girardot and Jessica Kollar ( July 22).
Want to advertise your business, but fear you might have to shut down? The Sopris Sun is here to help! If you advertise with us and your business is shut down or an event is canceled due to Covid-19 after the paper is published (between Thursday and Wednesday), we will credit you with a new ad when you reopen. No questions asked. Todd Chamberlin Advertising Manager 970-987-9866 adsales@soprissun.com Deadlines, Rates and Specifications: www.soprissun.com/advertise/
Local high school rodeo star heads to nationals By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff
Take one part cowboy, add one part high school state rodeo champion, mix in a Missouri Heights ranching family and here comes Gus Carney, who is going into his senior year at Roaring Fork High School. Gus is a true rodeo whiz kid, heading straight to the upcoming National High School Rodeo Championship finals in Guthrie, OK. He will compete in the reined cow horse event which has been called a combination of reining and cutting skills. Reined cow horse is co-ed with boys and girls competing in the same event. “I am so very excited,” Gus enthused. Gus’ parents, Janet and Ian Carney, responded, “We are so proud of our son for his determination and persistence.” Ian explained Gus trained his own horse, a seven-year-old quarter horse mare named Nena, and went on to compete and win the Colorado NHSR 2020 state championship. Janet added with a big grin that Nena’s registered name is “Cutthroat Diva.” “He did all of this without an assistant or coach,” Ian said, “At finals, you’ll see kids with trainers in tow to handle the grooming and
care for each horse. Gus does this himself.” Ian will accompany Gus and horse to the competition with the family’s air conditioned horse and living quarters’ trailer — quite important for Oklahoma in July. Wikipedia described reining as a western riding competition where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins and stops. All work is done at the lope (a slow, relaxed version of the horse gait more commonly known worldwide as the canter), or the gallop (the fastest of the horse gaits). As explained by Wikipedia, cutting is a western-style equestrian competition in which a horse and rider work together before a judge or panel of judges to demonstrate the horse's athleticism and ability to handle cattle. It dates back to a time when ranchers in the American West hired cowboys to work herds of cattle out on the open range. As Gus practices the patterns and rules for his event, an onlooker would notice his ease and confidence plus the partnership between rider and horse. They are in sync, responding to each other's movements. Ian noted, “Unfortunately, our local high school does not recognize rodeo as a sport, “So that makes it tougher on him.”
National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) members initially compete at state levels for local recognition. The top four contestants in each event qualify for the rodeo finals held annually in July. Participants compete for national titles, awards and scholarships for higher education. Approximately 12,500 students in 43 states, five Canadian provinces, Mexico and Australia hold NHSRA memberships, and the association sanctions more than 1,100 rodeos annually. The 2020 finals will welcome 1200 participants. The National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) was created 70 years ago to give high school students the opportunity to participate and compete in the sport. Although not recognized by high school athletics, the NHSRA offers a rodeo program that sets high school rodeo apart from other varsity sports, with athletes competing on a level comparable to collegiate and professional rodeo competitors. According to Gary Hawke, Denver-based NHSRA digital media and communications director, “Our two goals are rodeo and education. We welcome students from fifth through 12th grade.” In addition to the reined cow
Gus Carney practices his roping skills to get ready for the national high school finals rodeo. Photo by Roberta McGowan horse competition, finals events include bareback riding, barrel racing, breakaway roping, tiedown roping, team roping, saddle bronc riding, goat tying, pole bending, steer wrestling, bull riding, cutting, shooting sports and queen contestant. “With the grit and skill already required of high school rodeo competitors, we expect NHSRA members to excel at reined cow horse and enjoy the new discipline. Learning our sport will enhance
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their horsemanship in a way that will make them better in any judged or timed event,” said National Reined Cow Horse (NRCH) Executive Director Jay Winborn. “By introducing high school rodeo contestants to the cow horse, we will attract an influx of new youth riders who want to add NRCHA competition to their horseback activities, providing a broader client base for our trainers and an additional market for cow horses,” he said.
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • July 16 - July 22, 2020 • 5
Bonedale bars back in business By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff A lazy hot afternoon might be a good time to kick back and enjoy a beverage of choice in the comfy environments of local taverns, outside or in. Most bars are open for business, except for several that are closed indefinitely including the Pour House, Black Nugget and American Legion. But for most local drinking establishments, business is returning slowly as owners navigate the most current and complex public health orders from local, county and state officials. The latest COVID-19 rules, as confirmed by Carrie Godes, Public Health Specialist for Garfield County, permit bars serving food or having a regularly scheduled food truck at the location are permitted to stay open as long as they follow current mask, social distancing and disinfecting rules. Marble Distilling owner Connie Baxter — who also calls herself Queen Bee because of her interest in raising bees — explained, “People are drinking less but drinking better.” “We have limited indoor seating plus outdoor places,” Baxter said. “This includes our Barrel Club room and patio.” In this members-only section, bourbon and whiskey drinkers
age their very own barrels which are stored in humidificationcontrolled lockers. She and husband, Carey Shanks, generate their own award-winning handcrafted spirits using all natural Colorado grains and pure Crystal River water. Plus, they are producing hand sanitizers from the alcohol. Bobby Ball, owner of Ball Brewing, just a few miles downvalley, said, “We’re good. We’re open and people are starting to come in more.” “Everyone is being compliant with local mask and social distancing order,” he added. Ball is also proud of having a 100 percent renewable energy certificate for advancing wind energy and only using water from its own well. Ball Brewing is one of the craft breweries just given the green light by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who recently signed two bills to provide greater flexibility to brewpubs and restaurants, bars, hotels or other establishments selling alcoholic beverages. One bill continues to allow establishments to deliver and offer takeout of alcoholic beverages and provide brewpubs with greater flexibility in selling the beer and malt liquor they produce at separate locations. Colorado boasts 180 licensed brewpubs in the state. State Representatives Matt Gray
of Broomfield representing District 33 and Kevin Van Winkle of District 43 from Highlands Ranch co-sponsored the bills. Gray noted, “Coloradans love their craft beer, and takeout from our brewpubs has fortunately continued throughout the pandemic. This bill removes an arbitrary restriction from state law to give people more choice and brewers more opportunity. It’s a win-win, and I’m grateful to the Governor for signing it.” Other Carbondale taverns reporting an uptick in business include Beer Works, which is looking to hire additional staff, and Batch, which recently produced its first ever hard seltzer slushie made with house brewed hard seltzer. At Batch, one representative said, “We’re pretty sure this is the best boozy slushie we’ve ever had. Come enjoy one on the cactus club patio.” Other bars opened, but personnel were unavailable for comment. The Carbondale Chamber of Commerce has also sprouted the call-to-action incentive “Love Local,” asking Carbondale residents to spend locally to support their neighbors, friends and the entire community by shopping, dining, and spending in their hometown. Dan Richardson, mayor of Carbondale, announced, “Our small businesses are open. Main
ADVERTISEMENT NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TOWN OF CARBONDALE RED HILL TRAILHEAD AMENITIES PROJECT Town of Carbondale, CO is seeking a contractor for professional services to build and install the trailhead amenities at the new Red Hill trailhead. An electronic copy of the Request for Proposal can be obtained from the Town website: www.carbondalegov.org or by e-mailing ebrendlinger@carbondaleco.net Proposals are due via e-mail or hard copy to: Carbondale Town Hall attn: Parks & Recreation Director-Eric Brendlinger 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO 81623
Visitors Mark DeVos and Jason Crawford chillin' at Marble Distilling Company after a long day on the river. Photo by Roberta McGowan Street is decked out and ready to welcome customers. We just need to keep up the hard work of following public health and safety guidelines so we don’t go backward in our progress.” One Colorado bar and restaurant owner urged everyone to "Go out and support as many places as you can. You know, us small business owners. There's only five of us that work here, and that's tough to be shut down. And a lot of places are not going to make it on a second round. They barely made the first one, you know, just go support them. That's all I ask," Andrea Stewart, executive director of Carbondale Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, said, “We welcome visitors again and we urge travelers to learn about the latest guidelines and public health
regulations before they arrive. Masks are required, but there’s a smile behind it and we look forward to welcoming you.” Marble’s Baxter nodded and said, “If we all work together and observe the protocols,” bars will weather the pandemic crisis. She explained, “Our motto “Drink Sustainably” is the core of our business. We recapture 100 percent of our process water and reuse energy harvested from the distillation process to heat our facility. Through this process we save more than four million gallons of water annually and capture for reuse enough energy to heat 20 homes.” She nodded and added with environmentally sensitive distilling, “We can save the planet one bottle of vodka at a time.”
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6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • July 16 - July 22, 2020
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Plan ahead for an abridged Mountain Fair
By Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff
Carbondale Arts will lose money on an event that’s usually its biggest fundraiser — and the inspiration for its foundation — but Director Amy Kimberly believes it’s worth it. “Ultimately, the fair does not really belong to us, it belongs to the community,” she said. “In these times, we’re all looking at ways to connect in safe and creative ways.” An array of events are slated all over town from July 24 through 26, many of which require registration in advance. Included are numerous opportunities to support Carbondale Arts and other local institutions. One such effort is the 2020 Carbondale Comeback Passport, a flipbook full of deals, discounts, and offerings from restaurants, retail, coffee and craft breweries, all in need of our love and support. Proceeds from the passport go to help refill the fund for next year’s big 50th annual fair. The t-shirt will also be available for $35 online, at the Launchpad and at both the Farmer’s Market and Maker’s Market. But even more important than the money is the spirit. “A lot is going to depend on the community getting inspired in their own little neighborhoods and creating a memory,” Kimberly said. “There are a lot of things we’re going to miss about this year. Hopefully next year we’ll all be back together.”
and Dr. Bonnie Abercrombie of Carbondale Animal Hospital. Visit carbondalearts.com by July 23 for details and registration.
Mountain Makers Market 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 25 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 26 Up to 20 Colorado makers and craftspeople will set up at 579 Main St. (the “Christmas Tree Lot” across from Beerworks). Many of these artists have lost income due to COVID-19, making Mountain Fair one of the few events they will get to do for the season. Shoppers should visit carbondalearts.com to register for a designated time slot to visit the Mountain Makers Market in 30 minute increments.
A quintet of local musicians have been practicing “A Gift from Schubert” for a performance at the Thompson House on Sunday morning of the fair. Photo by Will Grandbois
Opening Blessing and Drumming 4 p.m. Friday, July 24 Tune into KDNK for an opening blessing by Eaden Shantay, then Laurie will oversee a small group of drummers on the mobile stage, with listeners invited to join in from home. It all wraps up with a small parade down Main Street.
The Confluence Jamboree 4 to 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, July 24-26 A collection of musicians and performers will travel through Carbondale neighborhoods on a mobile flatbed stage, bringing music, dance and joy throughout town — visit carbondalearts. com by July 22 to arrange a special visit! Expect
great musical acts such as The Fiery Furnace Marching Band, Let Them Roar, Sleepy Justice, Natalie Spears and Lizzie Plotkin, Vid Weatherwax and Chris Bank and more!
Worstminster Dog Show 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 25 Where the best of the worst and the worst of the worst are both Winners! This new and creative event for our dog lovers, it will be held at the Carbondale Rodeo Grounds. It’s $10 to register; one dog per person (owner/handler) and each dog can only be entered in one class. Veterinarian Ben Mackin will be the announcer and judges include Eric Berry of RJ Paddywacks, Wes Boyd of Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE),
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Saturday Night Live with Streamin' Steves 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 25 Tune in on YouTube or KDNK for a live stream concert from Steve’s Guitars. Enjoy performances from Alya Howe, Natalie Spears and Lizzie Plotkin, Dave Jordan, and The ReMINDers, for a fun-filled evening of music and magic.
Yoga in the Park 9 to 10:15 a.m. Sunday, July 26 True Nature Healing Arts owner and yoga therapist Deva Shantay will lead a class at the fair stomping grounds of Sopris Park. Be sure to register (quickly) in advance, as space is limited to 50 people (with 6 ft’ between practicing yogis).
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • July 16 - July 22, 2020 • 7
Increased use and violations on open space keeps rangers busy By Laurine Lassalle Aspen Journalism Roaring Fork Valley residents flocked to Pitkin County’s open space properties and trails this spring after the lifts stopped in mid-March and after being told to recreate closer to home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, leading to an increase in “enforcement contacts” with rangers. The number of enforcement contacts — in which rangers had to remind people of the rules through a simple conversation, a warning or a ticket — exploded in the spring, especially in May. From March 1 through the end of May, rangers had an enforcement contact with 385 trail users. Over the same period last year, rangers had contact with only 52 people. May was especially busy for the rangers, with 211 enforcement contacts. In May 2019, there were only 14 such contacts. “The demand for ranger response during the last three months has been unprecedented,” Gary Tennenbaum, the director of Open Space and Trails, said June 2 in his monthly report to the Pitkin Board of County Commissioners. The county’s infrared trail counters for the viewing platform on Smuggler Mountain Road recorded
30,710 visits from March 1 to May 31 this year, up from 23,828 during the same period in 2019. Visits to the viewing platform were especially high this past April, when 10,571 visits were logged, compared with 7,115 visits in April 2019. At the other end of the county, traffic at the Prince Creek trailhead, above Carbondale, also increased this year, with 17,964 visits recorded over the three months, up from 6,301 over the same period in 2019. And the Prince Creek trailhead was very popular in May, when the number of visits were double those in May 2019. But the infrared sensors on the trail counters do not work well with the water surface, so they aren’t used to track visitors to the North Star Nature Preserve. Instead, rangers use the wildlife cameras to estimate visitation on the Roaring Fork River at North Star. “Is this a one-time kind of a blip compared to the years past or is this the future?” Tennenbaum asked. The Open Space and Trails department keeps monitoring visitation data over the summer, Tennenbaum said. The department may need to wait until September before making any decisions for next year to keep up with the increased use. Pitkin County was not alone in
experiencing heavy use of its public lands this past spring. For example, there were 250,000 more visits to state parks in March compared with March 2019, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife data. “We love it that people are out and recreating — if everyone’s doing it responsibly,” Tennenbaum said. But sometimes people can be clueless about the county’s open space rules and regulations, which aim to protect and preserve natural habitat and wildlife from human activity. This year, rangers have had to answer questions about masks and social distancing, even if rangers do not keep track of violations of any public health order. Ranger Supervisor Pryce Hadley said that the first few weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic were even more confusing, especially for outside visitors during spring break. “We had people that weren’t informed about the local public health order and were traveling through,” Hadley said.
Education and tickets A lot of people are still moving to the Roaring Fork Valley because it seems a safer place to stay during the pandemic, Tennenbaum said. But some are completely new to the area and are not familiar with
The Prince Creek trail system is popular with mountain bikers and trail runners. The number of visits in May 2020 was double that of 2019. Photo by Heather Sackett the local rules. “We want to educate them on how to be good users,” Tennenbaum said. These educational conversations with users of open spaces and trails accounted for 80 percent of the 385 enforcement contacts that rangers had from March through May. An enforcement contact also includes an oral or written warning issued by a ranger, or even a ticket, which can carry a $100 fine. Hadley said that if he and his colleagues see someone about to break a rule, they will reach out to that person to try to let them know what open space values the rules are meant to protect. Last month, rangers lectured 146 people before they violated a rule and warned 51 users either verbally or on
paper. But sometimes a rule violation leads to a ticket — last month, 15 people received a penalty assessment. In May 2019, only two tickets were handed out. “We didn’t look into being more flexible,” Tennenbaum said. “Wildlife had no idea that COVID was happening.” Rangers, however, seem to have been more understanding in the early days of the pandemic. The three tickets issued to people walking with their unleashed dogs on the lower Rio Grande Trail between February 28 and March 17 were reduced to written warnings due to “COVID-19 discretion,” the Open Space and Trails data shows. Continued on page 9
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8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • July 16 - July 22, 2020
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Rangers from page 8 But the 15 tickets issued in May came with penalties ranging from a $50 fine for a trailhead-parking violation at Prince Creek to a $250 fine for a second offense of walking with an unleashed dog on the upper Rio Grande Trail. Six of the tickets in May were for people who had brought their dogs into the North Star open space, often right past a sign warning that no dogs are allowed. Rangers issued five tickets to people violating the spring closure on the mountain-bike trails in Sky Mountain Park, which sits between Owl Creek and Brush Creek roads, and where the trails cross seasonal elkcalving and migration areas. Also last month, a $100 ticket was given to a local mother who was walking with her daughter and two unleashed dogs in the Red Wind Point open space, near Redstone; the open space was closed to protect bighorn sheep in the area. In this instance, Hadley reported that the mother and daughter had a “cooperative attitude” and “took responsibility for their actions.” But that’s not always the case. On May 3, Hadley was informed that a dog was on a riverside beach in the North Star open space, where dogs are not allowed. Hadley walked toward the beach, where he encountered an Aspen resident with a leashed dog “near a post displaying a ‘no dogs’ sign icon,” Hadley wrote in his report of the incident. The man then “indicated he had reached the beach by walking off-trail allegedly bypassing both visible signs,” Hadley wrote, adding that he explained to the man “that visitors are required to stay on trail at all times at North Star Nature Preserve.” The man was issued a $100 ticket. The man protested, saying he would seek to delay the matter in the local courts. He later called Hadley and “spoke with a raised volume during our phone conversation and I ascertained he was upset with the outcome of our contact,” Hadley wrote.
LaMedichi Program is making a difference
By Tom Mercer Special to The Sopris Sun
Sunlight Mountain Resort hosted its first Total Archery Challenge last weekend. Photos courtesy of Troy Hawks
The LaMedichi Program may be unfamiliar to most Roaring Fork Valley residents, but this non-profit organization is making a difference in many lives by helping Valley residents build a better future through their own efforts. According to Sydney Schalit, LaMedichi’s Executive Director, the program was first envisioned by long-time Valley resident George Stranahan as a means of helping Latine locals learn and understand both the value of financial goal-setting and the benefits of establishing good savings practices. Barbara Freeman, PhD, formerly associated with the World Bank and World Vision, teamed up with George and the idea of LaMedichi became a reality. LaMedichi, which was originally a Manaus project, is now a fully operational savings club with 1,146 members. The need for such a savings club was undeniable. In a survey done in January, 2018, 125 respondents clearly demonstrated the need for a saving club program like LaMedichi. When asked if they could come up with $200 cash on short notice, 60 percent indicated that they could not. Respondents were Latines who lived in The Roaring Fork Valley. It was clear that these workers had no savings or “financial cushion,” and if faced with an illness in the family or even a basic need such as snow tires, they would have
to go without. They were working, but most respondents would’ve been unable to address any unexpected financial need. There was a definite need for a program that would teach financial goal setting and good savings practices, thereby providing much-needed financial empowerment to these community members. LaMedichi employs “Ambassadors” to assist new and prospective Savings Club members. These ambassadors help new members learn about the benefits of establishing an account in the LaMedichi Savings Club. The Ambassadors can also assist Club members with arranging loans. Executive Director Sydney Schalit noted that, “There must be criteria for the loan money. If somebody tells us that they’re going to buy snow tires, we trust that they’re going to buy snow tires. We just have them adhere to the terms of the loan, and we have them pay it back on time.” The Ambassadors will also assist those who need to apply for the Manaus Emergency Fund or the Left-Behind Workers Fund, the latter being administered by Impact Charitable, a state-wide relief program in Denver. Both emergency assistance programs are intended for people in immediate need of financial help, and both focus on those not covered by the CARES Act, which provides direct economic assistance for American workers, families, and small businesses affected by the current economic crisis. Contact Schalit at (719) 221-5656 or sydney@manaus.org for more information.
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • July 16 - July 22, 2020 • 9
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TOWN REPORT SALES TAX was 2 percent below 2019 in June, bringing the year to date down by 3.1 percent. P&Z will consider a rezoning application from a Planned United Development to Commercial Transitional as well as a subdivision exemption at its July 16 meeting. SHOWERS for those without other access are available for $4 at the Rec. Center from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursdays. A BURIED SEWER MANHOLE under Highway 133 was located and raised. POWER OUTAGES impacted the controls and radio system on the Nettle Creek water line, but repairs should be completed this week. A draft report for the Nettle Creek pump back system is being reviewed by Town staff. GATEWAY RV PARK saw 69 percent of all spaces and 86 percent of RV spaces booked the week of July 4-10. THE CENSUS BUREAU is tracking responses, with Carbondale at 67 percent, compared to 61.8 percent county-wide and 65.1 percent statewide. The form is available at 2020census.gov and takes 10 minutes to fill out. A FORCE ENCOUNTERS class will give Officer Bill Kirkland insight on decision making skills and de-escalation.
STATE SENATOR Bob Rankin and his wife — and State Board of Education member — Joyce visited Carbondale Police to discuss legislation like HB 217. RED HILL work continues, with county crews performing final grading on the upper portion of the road followed by road base placement. A contract for the paving, electrical and concrete work on the project is being considered by County Commissioners. A request for proposals to construct an information kiosk, porta potty shed and other trailhead amenities is posted to the Town’s website with a deadline of 3 p.m. July 24. THE PICKLEBALL COURTS at North Face Park are open, with member drop-in play from 7 to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Open times are available on a first-come, firstserved basis. FITNESS CLASSES are available for $4 each — registration required — as follows: Core Cardio, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays on the Rec. Center Lawn; Yoga, 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays on the Rec. Center Lawn; Interval Training, 5 and 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the John M. Fleet Pool; Tai Chi, noon Fridays at Sopris Park and Zumba; 10 a.m. Saturdays at the John M. Fleet Pool. THE BLOODMOBILE will be coming to the Carbondale Recreation & Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 14. This reservation-based blood drive has filled up with 34 donors.
10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • July 16 - July 22, 2020
From June 19 through July 9, Carbondale Police handled 564 calls for service. During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note: FRIDAY June 26 at 12:30 a.m. A speeding stop led to the arrest of a 30-year-old on suspicion of driving under the influence.
THURSDAY July 2 at 5:45 p.m. No suspects were identified after fireworks caused a blaze behind the Days Inn.
SATURDAY June 27 at 8:56 a.m. Someone called about a computer scam.
FRIDAY July 3 at 12:39 p.m. Someone reported their purse stolen off the back of their motorcycle.
SUNDAY June 28 at 12:10 a.m. A 20-year-old was stopped for failure to display lights and issued a summons for DUI, underage consumption of alcohol and no valid license.
MONDAY July 6 at 10:25 a.m. After stopping a 31-year-old for failure to stop at a stop sign, police ended up making an arrest for a revoked license and criminal impersonation.
TUESDAY June 30 at 1:04 p.m. Police investigated a broken windshield.
TUESDAY July 7 at 7:37 p.m. Following a liquor violation, police arrested a 33-year-old for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
WEDNESDAY July 1 at 11:08 a.m. Officers took a report of a stolen bicycle.
WEDNESDAY July 8 at 11:14 a.m. Police took a report of a hit-and-run accident.
Although the Independence Day Pool Party was canceled, the John M. Fleet Pool remains open on a reservation basis, with 109 lap swim and 47 household reservations last week. Photo by Mark Burrows
What’s next for the Sopris Shopping Center? By Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff
While rezoning Carbondale Center Place, LLC seemed like a no brainer, the long-term plans for the property gave trustees pause on July 14. The property currently hosts the Sopris Shopping Center and Sopris Self Storage: two different uses in different zone districts. The proposal before the board — and already backed by the Planning and Zoning Commission — would have allowed a new plat to split the lot, with mixed use zoning on the west side and commercial transitional to the east. But in order to determine where to put the new boundary (which currently runs right down the middle of the shopping center building), the developers were obliged to mock up what the development might look like — and therein lies the rub. Town Planner Janet Buck had several reservations about the preliminary designs, including the residential-heavy design of the mixed use building and placement of common open space. “It’s intended to really be used by the residents of the residential building to take pressure off our parks,” she noted. Neo Studio’s Michael Noda assured the board that feedback from the P&Z hearing would be incorporated into the building application. “We haven’t really designed it yet,” he said. “We’ve given you a density study.” Specifically, the study calls for the demolition of the existing shopping center
The preliminary design, as seen from the corner of Highway 133 and Colorado Avenue, and a site plan of the property. Courtesy graphics
to make way for a storage expansion and a mostly-residential building featuring 63 efficiencies and a handful of larger one and two bedroom apartments. “We think there’s a real nice market for people that don’t want roommates,” Noda said. Some of the units would occupy the first floor adjacent to Highway 133, and the whole
complex would be bookended by a pair of ground-floor, 5,000 square-foot commercial spaces. He said the team would study unifying the commercial units to ease parking and/ or whether afternoon shade would be an acceptable trade off for more easily accessible open space. Trustee Erica Sparkhawk still seemed concerned — both about the placement of residential and the dearth of small commercial. “I have a hard time imagining wanting to live on the ground floor right there,” she said. “I don’t know if our community’s going to get super excited by that tradeoff.”
The sentiment was echoed by others on the board, including Marty Silverstein. “I would mourn the loss of the small retail,” he said. “I can’t tell you how many businesses over the last 30 years started out there.” While Mayor Dan Richardson also acknowledged that the design seemed to be “missing on a few different cylinders,” he was supportive of the rezoning actually before the board. But there was one hang up that prevented the complete separation of rezoning and redesign: a provision that made the rezoning contingent on the approval of the subdivision and pending demolition of the shopping center. With the developers expressing a need to confer about the requirement and Trustee Heather Henry unwilling to approve the motion as presented, it became clear that everyone would be better served by revisiting the issue on Aug. 11.
In other action, trustees…
• Honored Patrice Fuller with the Com-
• • • •
munity Hero Award for her efforts to cover lunch debt at Carbondale Middle School. Approved a change to off-street parking requirements for self storage to three spaces plus one per 100 units. Encouraged Garfield County to consider contributing to Aspen Valley Land Trust’s acquisition of the Coffman Ranch. Began a review of police policies, with further discussion planned next week. Inked a three-month lease for 579 Main Street (“The Christmas Tree Lot”) for use as a public space.
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • July 16 - July 22, 2020 • 11
GUEST
OPINION By Dan Richardson Mayor of Carbondale Hi, my name is Dan Richardson and I have been supporting racism for most of my life. To be clear, it was not my intention to do this, but this statement is my way of owning my part in it. Unfortunately I can’t plead ignorance because my exceptional 10th grade history teacher taught me that passively opposing anything is in fact supporting it. And in truth there have been countless opportunities where I could have actively opposed it, but didn’t. It is not uncommon for an experience or an event to compel me to expand my awareness and understanding, sometimes to the point of obsession. The killings of Elijah McClain and George Floyd and the protests that have ensued
It’s not enough not to be racist in recent weeks as a result were such events for me. So I now find myself on a quest to comprehend racism is a way that I have been unwilling to do until now. In response to these recent events, Carbondalians have rightfully asked that our police department review our policies to ensure that such events couldn’t happen here. We are doing this, but focusing solely on policing, at least in Carbondale, seemed to be an easy scapegoat for digging into the root cause of those events. I have learned the hard way at times that I must be willing to challenge my assumptions because if I don’t, there are plenty of folks who will gladly do it for me — and they have in spades in recent months. So I have challenged myself to explore what is racism, and what does it mean to be anti-racist? It’s a question I have conveniently ignored most of my life because it was too easy to disregard the trials and tribulations of minorities as anomalies or a result of poor decisions. Lesson 1 of my latest quest was learning that to define racism as the sum of racist actions is like defining climate change as the world getting warmer. It’s a wee bit more complicated than that. Lesson 2 was coming to grips with
the fact that race is not biological, contrary to so much of what I learned as a child. So, while race has proven to be one of the most durable institutions known to man, it is simply a social construct that very intentionally parallels the story of wealth and power throughout history. In America, we know the roots to be slavery, but it has persevered through segregation, disproportionate poverty, unjust incarceration, voter suppression, and most recently — inexcusable police brutality. As I dig deeper into the countless stories of racism that typically escape those of us privileged enough to ignore them, I can’t help but ask: what if my sons had to go through life with both hands tied behind their backs like any person of color? At what age would I warn them about the very real threats of bigotry? How would I coach them through the disadvantage of having 13 times less wealth because of centuries of discriminatory social and economic policies too numerous to list? Since I don’t have the burden of coaching them through that, I do have the responsibility to impress upon them that they will inherit a society where in many, many places and situations, we
have made it painfully difficult, if not a crime, to be non-white. We may have removed their shackles but we’ve constructed a world where it's no easier for them to walk, let alone run, than it was hundreds of years ago. My quest for greater understanding has uncovered a new realization for me. As Angela Davis once said, it’s not enough to simply not be a racist. Like so many of our challenges, I’ve learned that racism is an incredibly complex web of systemic and often welldisguised institutionalized obstacles. I know they exist, but I am far from knowing the whole story. So I invite you to share your stories with me and help me challenge my assumptions — and maybe your own while you’re at it. My challenge as mayor is trying to identify where those obstacles live in Carbondale and beyond. My challenge as a father is instilling the knowledge and the will in my boys to help remove those obstacles. The good news is that our community, with the younger generations demonstrating phenomenal initiative recently, are also clearly up to the challenges we face. I am confident that this group will learn faster than I did and bring the real change society is demanding right now.
LETTERS Continued from page 2
Nepotism Dear Editor: Businesses tied to Donald Trump’s family and associates have received as much as $21 million in government loans through the Paycheck Protection Program. Clay Lacy Aviation, a California private charter jet company, received a grant for $27 million under the CARES Act $2 trillion federal stimulus package. This was a grant, not a loan — no payback required. Lacy had contributed the maximum allowable to Trump’s 2016 campaign as well as $47,000 to the Republican National Committee. The CARES Act also suspended the 7.5 percent excise tax charged for private jet flights and allotted funds for private jet terminals and other services. The other day, Trump criticized the CDC’s guidelines for opening schools during America’s out-ofcontrol pandemic as “very tough and expensive” and said the agency was “asking schools to do very impractical things.” Not only has he not provided funds to help schools re-open, he is now threatening to withhold federal funds from schools that try to protect the lives and safety of our teachers and students. Your vote counts in November. Annette Roberts-Gray Carbondale
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OPINION
by Fred Malo I just got back from what has become an annual trip to the town my mother grew up in: Craigmont, Idaho on the Camas Prairie. This was a special year because it was the 100th anniversary of the June Picnic, the event that commemorates the merger of two tiny towns, Vollmer and Ilo, to form another tiny town, Craigmont. Vollmer and Ilo were actually a mile apart originally, but when the railroad came through, it went into Vollmer and bypassed Ilo. Not about to suffer the indignity, not to mention the loss of commerce, Ilo picked up the entire town and moved it next to Vollmer and the railroad tracks. A bitter rivalry ensued. The two towns had separate schools and post offices. A vendor selling
Another sentimental journey to my mother’s home his wares at the local stores had no chance of making a deal in one town if he’d done business in the other first. When it came time to vote on which town would be the county seat of the newly formed Lewis County, Vollmer and Ilo split the vote and allowed Nez Perce, a smaller town, to get the county offices and fair. The Spanish Flu of 1918 hit Lewis Country hard. There were more coffins than people to bury them. This did serve to bring Vollmer and Ilo closer together. The sick from Ilo were welcomed at a big stone building in Vollmer and cared for. Finally, in 1920, Vollmer and Ilo decided it’d be to their mutual benefit if they buried the hatchet and joined forces. They marked the event with a mock wedding joining Mr. Vollmer and Miss Ilo. The bride was a man in drag at least a head taller than the groom. 1920 was a special year for me, too. It was the year my mother was born. She would’ve been 100 years old this December. It’s a shame she didn’t make it as my father did. She would’ve made a wonderful centenarian. This year’s June Picnic was wellattended despite the COVID-19
restrictions. Lewis County hasn’t had one case. The wedding ceremony was re-enacted. To me, the highlight of June Picnic is the competitions. There’re age-group races; straight sprints, three-legged, sack (gunny sacks replaced by plastic bags because, apparently, burlap doesn’t exist anymore), and wheelbarrow races, and an egg toss. An ag-airplane flies overhead and drops multicolored ping pong balls. The kids (mostly) scramble for them and turn them in for a cash reward, each color good for a different amount. There was a throng of children at June Picnic. From the looks of things, Craigmont’s 500-or-so population is sustainable, if they don’t all move to the big city. My mother was a lovely woman and she grew up in a lovely place. The Camas Prairie is at about 3,500 feet. Any way you go from there you go down into a deep canyon created by the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater Rivers, then up into the Bitterroot Mountains. It’s some of the richest farmland in the world with deep, jet-black topsoil. The farmers grow mostly grains like wheat and barley and rotate with canola, garbanzos, and lentils. All family farms, too, some
as big as 30,000 acres arable, but no corporate farming. These days farmers sometimes average 100 bushels per acre wheat. When I lived there and worked for farmers in the ‘70s, that was the exception. In Kansas, they’re lucky to get 60. It’s not well-known that grains grow better on hillsides than on the flat and the Camas Prairie has plenty of hills. Camas Prairie farmers grow soft, white wheat. That’s good for noodles and cookies. The hard, red wheat of the Midwest is what the bakers use for bread. With their love of noodles, Japan used to be one of the prairie’s best customers. When we pulled outta the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017, Japan began trading with their TPP partner Australia. That had to hurt the price of white wheat in this country. It's been a wet spring on the prairie. The crops are lush. Even the spring wheat has headed out. What hits you first as you top out over the Kamiah grade and the prairie unfolds before you is the bright golden canola. The patches of green and gold across the hilly landscape on a bluebird sky day is a stunning sight. As beautiful as the countryside
EXTENDED THROUGH JULY 31!
WESTERN SLOPE
TESTIMONIAL “Over the last 30 years as a Realtor serving Aspen, the Roaring Fork Valley and nearly all else in western Colorado, I have worked with a plethora of Reatlors. One such Realtor who stands head above the crowd is Trudi Watkins-Johnson. Her knowledge of contracts and all the associated documents is exemplary. Her counsel is always couched in the straight talk that fosters the satisfactory conclusion to all parties. I relish any opportunity to work with her again.” ~ J. Wilfred Cahill, Founder / Owner / Managing Broker of RMS, Inc.
is, the inhabitants are its match. The admiration I have for these people knows no bounds. They’re simple country folk, but by no means bumpkins. Well-read and articulate, these people can hold their own in a conversation with any pseudointellectual. Maybe that’s because conversation is the way they entertain themselves. There isn’t a movie theater within 40 miles and live music venues are limited, so the prairie people gather in their homes to trade stories and visit. The television may be on, but the sound is off so’s not to disturb the discussion. Sure, sometimes the topic turns to guns and killing helpless animals, so I tune that out and wait for us to get back to gentler common experiences. At times when I’m stuck in traffic on Highway 82 or feeling alone at home, I dream of moving to the prairie. You’d hafta travel 40 miles to Lewiston to find a traffic jam and I have a plethora of relatives and friends there. But I think I’d miss the cultural opportunities here in the Roaring Fork Valley, so I’ll just stay here, go back to the prairie every year for June Picnic, rejuvenate my roots, and bask in the love of the only family I have left.
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In these uncertain times , I am always available to answer any questions you may have concerning real estate throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. Please reach out to me whenever you are ready! 0295 Badger Rd. Carbondale, CO | 970-309-6200 | www.trudiwj.com THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • July 16 - July 22, 2020 • 13
OBITUARY
Rosamond 'Roz' Turnbull May 1, 1943 - July 4, 2020
Rosamond Turnbull died peacefully at her home in Carbondale on Saturday, July 4, 2020. She was 77. Roz was born on May 1,1943 in Glenwood Springs. She is a descendent of both the Brown and Perry families who have deep historical roots in Colorado. Her maternal grandfather, DRC Brown, was one of the original pioneers who helped establish the town of Aspen, CO and her paternal grandmother, Rosamond Underwood Perry (for whom she was named), was a Smith College graduate who came west as a schoolteacher at the Elkhead Schoolhouse near Hayden, CO. Her parents, Robert Perry and Ruth Brown Perry, were lifelong residents of the Roaring Fork Valley and stalwarts of the local ranching community.
Roz attended CRMS and graduated from Colorado College in 1965. A year later she married Thomas R. Turnbull (Tom) and together they started their life of ranching and raising a family. They spent over 50 years devoted to raising cattle and caring for the land, as well as becoming an integral part of the fabric of the local community. Roz was a lovely person who touched many hearts. Her warmth and kindness enriched the lives of both family and friends. She was a constant source of love and encouragement and always strived to find the best in people and the positive in life. She enjoyed gardening, reading, drawing, and was an exceptional cook. Many people enjoyed sitting at her table near an old cookstove, savoring a delicious meal
Welcome
and thoughtful conversation. She naturally drew people together with her inclusive and accepting nature. She is survived by her husband, Tom and her four children: Catherine (Katie), Thomas M (Mat) and Pamela, Amy Turnbull and Finlay Anderson, Timothy (Tim) and Madeleine, as well as 8 wonderful grandchildren: Emily Barron, Duncan, Bruce, and MacAlister Turnbull, Lewis and Perrin Anderson, and Emma and Elizabeth (Ellie) Turnbull. A private memorial and burial service will be held for immediate family. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Roz can be sent to HomeCare & Hospice of the Valley (www.hchotv.org) or NW Youth for Christ (www.nwcyfc.org).
ADVENTURE - CREATE SHOP - DINE - AD ENTURE
TO THE CARBONDALE CREATIVE DISTRICT
TOWN-WIDE ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Carbondale Mask Ordinance: Mandatory wearing of masks or facial coverings in public spaces including stores, restaurants, and the Wednesday Farmer’s Market. Please practice social distancing and frequent hand-washing.
WWW.CARBONDALECREATIVEDISTRICT.COM WWW.CARBONDALE.COM
14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • July 16 - July 22, 2020
Work in Progress Mural by Stanley Bell & Chris Erickson. PC: Lewis Cooper
PARTING SHOT
SERVICE DIRECTORY Rainbow Rhythm daycare is open for enrollment
For information and deadlines please call 720-224-8425. Located in the happy town of Carbondale, CO.
eW imaatte Wa as iitm l t CLEAN Ul Cleans Inside shh U INSIDE & OUT & Out Complete CompleteInterior Interior and and Exterior wash package. Exterior Wash Package Weather Insurance Insurance Weather
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48 hours and we will rewash it.
970-963-8800 745970-963-8800 Buggy Circle in Carbondale www.sunburstcarcare.com 745 Buggy Circle in Carbondale
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www.sunburstcarcare.com Open Mon.-Sat. 8am-5:00pm and on Sundays from 9am-4pm for washes only Open Monday - Saturday 8am to 5:30pm and on Sunday from 9am to 4pm for washes only.
Recent thunderstorms have brought more lightning and wind than rain. Photo by Laurel Smith
Your big backyard By Chromostome
You’re not alone if you’re feeling life’s challenges are overwhelming right now. In-person and tele-health (Zoom) appointments available to treat Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma.
Ericka Anderson, MA LPC
208 Midland Avenue, Basalt | (970) 309-7549 erickaanderson812@gmail.com | thehealinggrove.com
Thinking about selling your home? Contact me today for a free market analysis! Ingrid Wussow 970.404.5105
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CARBONDALE ANIMAL HOSPITAL New location! 289 Main Street, Carbondale on the corner of Third and Main Street
(970) 963-2826 Down 2. They build their nests in the tall cottonwoods 3. Creek with a lovely waterfall 5. Study of fish 7. Long creek that empties into the Crystal River 9. ______ Guitars. Venue for musical performances. 11. Fourteener famous for its gemstones 12. Creek where marble is quarried 13. Creek near Carbondale 14. Former mayor of Carbondale. The pool is named after him. (2 words) 17. Tom _____. Starred in the "Great K&A Train Robbery."
Across 1. A small stream 4. Lots of these on Prince Creek (2 words) 6. Local artist of rowdy western characters 8. Surveyed this area in 1860 10. Queeble _____. In the old days, a means of transporting marble blocks. 11. What people do at Penny Hot Springs 15. Lakes at the base of Mount Sopris 16. Mines were located here (2 words) 18. What makes the Bluffs red (2 words) 19. Private school in Carbondale 20. Renowned artist of western Colorado. Painted a 60-foot-long fresco titled "Wild Horses." 21. Ranch where people of all ages visit (2 words)
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. MUSIC GIVES A SOUL TO THE UNIVERSE WINGS TO THE MIND FLIGHT TO THE IMAGINATION LIFE TO EVERYTHING
ANSWERS: 1. BROOK, 2. OSPREYS, 3. HAYS, 4. BIKEPATHS, 5. ICHTHYOLOGY, 6. JACKROBERTS, 7. AVALANCHE, 8. SOPRIS, 9. STEVENS, 10. TRAM, 11. SOAK/SHAVANO, 12. YULE, 13. PRINCE, 14. JOHNFLEET, 15. THOMAS, 16. COALBASIN, 17. MIX, 18. IRONOXIDE, 19. CRMS, 20 FRANKMECHAU, 21. ROCKBOTTOM.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission for the purpose of considering if a structure located at 234 Main Street and located in the Historic Commercial Core Zone District is of historical significance and has the eligibility for designation as an individual landmark consistent with the purposes and standards of Chapter 16, Historic Preservation of the Carbondale Municipal Code, specifically section 164-140, Demolition, removal or alteration
Dr. Benjamin Mackin
Visit HeathersSavoryPies.com for menus.
of non-landmarked buildings in Historic Downtown. The property is located at 234 Main Street, Section 34, Township 7, Range 88 Subdivision, Original Townsite Carbondale, Block 9 Lot 5. The Applicant is Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission. The owner is Lauren Poleski. You may watch a live streaming of the meeting on You Tube at 6:30 p.m. on August 6, 2020. Search for Town of Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission August 6, 2020 meeting. Please be aware that you will experience a 15-30 second delay while viewing the meeting.
Lovely outdoor seating with safe social distancing placement. Strict adherence to all county safety protocols.
Thursday July 16 at 7p.m.
LEGALS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
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Friday July 17 at 7p.m.
If you would like to submit comments regarding this application, email your comments or letter to jleybourne@carbondaleco.net by 3:00 pm on August 6, 2020. This email or letter will be entered into the record. If you would like to comment during the meeting, email jleybourne@carbondaleco.net with your full name and address by 3:00 pm on August 6, 2020. You will receive instructions on joining the meeting online prior to 6:30 p.m. Also, you may contact jleybourne@ carbondaleco.net to get a phone number to listen to the meeting, however, you will be unable to make comments. Wi-Fi will be
available in the lobby of Town Hall and a phone will also be available in the lobby for the public to listen to the meeting. Please email John Leybourne at jleybourne@ carbondaleco.net or call 970-456-3036 by 3:00 p.m. the date of the public hearing if special accommodations are necessary to participate in the meeting. Copies of the proposed application are available on the Town’s website at www.carbondalegov. org. Please contact jleybourne@carbondaleco. net if you are unable to view the application on the Town’s website and would like to request an alternate method of review. John Leybourne, Planner
Feeding Giants
— Live Music —
Saturday July 18 at 7p.m.
Valle Musico
Sunday July 19 at 11a.m.
Josefina Mendez & Mark Johnson
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RESERVATIONS: 970-927-0151 | 166 Midland Ave Basalt, CO 81621 | Mon - Sat: 11a.m.-10p.m. Sun: 9a.m.- 9p.m.
SERVICE DIRECTORY SPECIAL If you buy 4 ads, we will slash the price from $45 to $25!
Todd Chamberlin | 970-987-9866 adsales@soprissun.com
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • July 16 - July 22, 2020 • 15
Yes. You read that right. A high-end Aspen hotel has generously donated like-new Viking refrigerators to us and now we’re offering them to you at nearly 90% off their original price. Don’t love the wood? No problem! You can replace the door panels at a fraction of what it would cost to buy a refrigerator like this new. Best of all? When you shop at our Habitat for Humanity ReStore, you’ll not only get great deals on treasures like these, you’ll also help us build homes with local families in need of affordable housing. It’s what we like to call a win-win for everyone involved.
P.S. If this refrigerator isn’t what you’re looking for, we are expecting a new load of scratch & dent appliances this week! Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, closed Sunday. More info & hours: HabitatRFV.org For your safety, and the safety of our team, we’ll be following all state and local social distancing guidelines.