running and I would be dragged on the ground, which would be way worse than through the water. I started yelling again, “Cut the line! Cut the line!” Then I woke up.
By Jeannie Perry Ps & QsHere’s what I know for sure: water is life, life is fragile, and we are lucky ducks to live on this little frickin’ miracle of existence — the SS Earth.
I had a dream recently where I was traveling across the ocean on a steamer when I realized that I was tied to a horse who was about to fall off the ship. As the horse’s footing failed, he jumped into the cold water and I was yanked through the air, yelling, “Cut the line! Cut the line!” to anyone and no one in particular. I was dragged through the dark, choppy water, trying to get my head up for a breath of air, until we finally landed on the shore.
“Phew,” I thought, as I lay on the packed sand, waterlogged and coughing. Then I realized the horse was about to start
I chalk up dreams like this to the family in which I was born. Samuel Perry, by all accounts, was a very capable man who did not suffer fools, and he would not have had much patience with a great-greatgranddaughter who almost drowned while tied to a horse in the Atlantic. Sam was likely the kind of guy who could climb the rope underwater and ride the horse onto shore like The Man from Snowy River.
Sam Perry moved to Denver in 1887 and became heavily involved in railroads and the mining industry. He was an avid horseman and hunter, but I don’t know if he ever experienced the magic that this planet hosts. He was a landpenetrating bear hunter, so who knows if he had a mystical belief in his bones…
Generational karma is absolutely a thing, and while I appreciate coming from such sturdy stock, I’m more of a tread-lightly-so-that-othersmay-tread-at-all type. I still rescue bugs from the empty fate
Here’s some noteworthy pieces of local news about the Colorado River and the start of dry-up:
1. The Colorado River District has $125 million (federal funds) to pay ranchers and farmers to dry up land to put as much as 833,000 acre-feet in the Colorado River.
2. This is a short-term solution, over one to two years, to put some water into Lake Powell and Lake Mead, if downstream California, Arizona and Nevada cut back.
3. The 2022 snowpack suffered a dry spell in January-February, then snow rapidly melted in early April causing only 60-65% of the snowmelt to reach the river. This could happen again.
I am not a water expert, but it does not take much to see that the West is struggling with who is going to get water, and where it is going to come from. Colorado must meet its obligations to supply water to downstream states and to the Front Range — no matter how much snow we get!
So, how will Western Slope agriculture look after we deliver more water? This first dry-up is just teaching the Western Slope how to give up more of its water. With a 20-year drought, why did the West continue to use more than the snowpack available to give? Why did all the states not cut back on water use, 10% every year?
What are long term solutions to
of the bathtub, for Pete’s sake, and every time I find myself in a cosmic jam, I sarcastically thank Sam for leaving his karmic tab unpaid. Personally, I would rather pay it forward. I honestly believe we can still pull it together, and eliminate our greedy corruption, so that there’s enough food, water, and shelter for all — including the animals.
I became a vegetarian in college because of my Philosophy 101 professor who simply asked, what is the philosophical difference between man and animal? An added bonus was the shock value this created with my cattle-ranching grandparents, because as a teenager it is your job to disrupt familial norms. My vegetarianism morphed over the decades of my life and became more about the treatment of the animal I was to eat.
The best example of this shift in my perception was at my sister’s wedding in Senegal. I worked for the airline then, so I flew non-rev to represent the family, and while staying with her future in-laws, I would go up to the roof for smoke breaks. There was a goat tied up there and we bonded over a few
save the ecosystem? Why were we not financing water efficiency projects, fixing the leaks and forcing better planning? Why were we not collaborating? Why was no one screaming about this? We have not had enough protection for our water resources!
Now, some good news. In November 2020, Western Colorado voters passed ballot 7A to raise funds for the river. The Colorado River District grants these funds to Western Slope residents’ water projects.
Did downstream states do what Western Slope voters have done? Did the Front Range do the same? There are already 24 transmountain diversions from the Rockies to the Front Range. The Water Districts’ dry-up plan does not ask for Front Range cutbacks or for solutions to their increasing water demands. The climate is going to dictate some of the answers, but this is only the beginning of dry-up.
Joani Matranga, CarbondaleLast year, 2022, resulted in a 17% increase in roadway deaths for our state, the count: 745.
This new high translates to deadly lows for the hundreds whose lives have been impacted. What those who survive live with now: loss of connection, loss of income, loss of stability.
Please, Take A Minute, think about daily driving and how we take to the road.
If we drive with community,
thank Sam for leaving his karmic tab unpaid."
sunsets and too many Camel lights. When I realized he was the main course on the Big Day, I felt saddened at first but then appreciative of the ultimate sacrifice for my sister’s future health and prosperity.
It's not that we humans shouldn’t eat meat, it’s the way we do it that is causing real damage — both to ourselves and our planet. We’ve lost our cosmic map to navigate this world. We don’t grow/raise our food sustainably or seasonally, and we don’t appreciate the food as nourishment, hence we don’t feel full or connected to any other thing, including the source. We just eat our fast food while driving as fast as we can to the next stop. We are oh-so busy and yet, instead of investing in our own home, we treat the Earth like an Airbnb, and our animal neighbors are paying the price. As we all travel through this crazy crowded world, let’s stay connected and pay it forward for those who are still hoping to catch a ride.
compassion and courtesy at the forefront of our thoughts, imagine what we could create.
Ease off the gas, Slow Down in Town.
Diane Reynolds
Take A Minute/Slow Down in Town
I am writing to thank Carbondale -area residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season.
Generosity throughout contributed to a successful shoebox gift collection season at drop-off locations for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child. Across the U.S., the project collected over 9.3 million shoebox gifts in 2022. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2022, the ministry is now sending nearly 10.6 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide.
Through shoeboxes — packed with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items — Carbondale-area volunteers brought joy to children in need around the world. Each gift-filled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love, and it is often the first gift these children have ever received. Through the continued generosity of donors since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 209 million giftfilled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories. This year, Samaritan’s Purse delivered
continued on page 22
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Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+
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"I still rescue bugs from the empty fate of the bathtub, for Pete’s sake, and every time I find myself in a cosmic jam, I sarcastically
On Friday, Jan. 27, the White River National Forest released the final Environmental Assessment (www.bit.ly/ CrystalTrailEA) and draft decision notice (www.bit.ly/CrystalTraildraftdecision) for a proposed seven-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail between Redstone and McClure Pass. Reporting “no significant impact,” the proposed action is “to construct and maintain a non motorized recreation trail … following the shoulder of Highway 133 for about two miles between Redstone and Hayes Falls; a historic wagon road, a section of the highway and the Old McClure Pass Road for about 4.3 miles; and a new trail corridor to reach the McClure Pass summit.” A public open house will occur on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Third Street Center from 5 to 6:30pm.
Cool Bricks Studio
White River Books
Alpine Animal Hospital
Novus Glass
Partners
Wilderness Workshop
5point Film Festival
Basalt Library
Aspen Strong
Carbondale Rotary
Carbondale Animal Shelter
Carbondale Arts
Carbondale Chamber of Commerce
Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner in 2023? Email Todd@ soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866
Working Together
For Pets And Their People 2801 CR 114 Glenwood Springs, (970)947-9173CO
CARE has 4 dogs and 6 cats available for adoption.
The Secretary of State’s Office issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to consider preliminary draft rules to implement House Bill 21-1071 (Ranked Choice Voting In Nonpartisan Elections). A public rulemaking hearing is scheduled for March 7 at 1pm, online and in-person. Registration and related documents can be found at www.bit.ly/COrankedchoice and written comments can be submitted to SOS.Rulemaking@coloradosos.gov at any time prior to and during the hearing.
Schools in Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties went into lockout status on Wednesday, Jan. 25, in response to menacing threats made on social media toward Summit County schools which were traced to an IP address in the Roaring Fork Valley. Charles Draughn, 26, was apprehended at work in Old Snowmass and told a judge on Jan. 26 that he doesn’t own guns and doesn’t know anyone in Summit School District, reported the Summit Daily News. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 6.
Pitkin County’s alert system is now available in 100 languages, thanks to a translation app operated by ReachWell. “It’s imperative that emergency alerts are received by everyone without language barriers,” wrote Emergency Manager Valerie MacDonald, “whether it’s Spanish, Portuguese, German, or any
Bridges High School’s Bike Tech Class is now offering $20 basic bicycle repairs and tune-ups, as well as used bikes for sale. As an educational mechanic program, these aspiring professionals are eager to fix up townies, cruisers and older road and mountain bikes. More modern rides with expensive components will be referred to experts at a local shop. For details, contact Lyn Williams
of the 97 other languages.” Users will need to download the free ReachWell app, then select a preferred language and add “Pitkin County Alerts”.
The town of Carbondale seeks to hire a fulltime aquatics, health and wellness coordinator to oversee the town’s seasonal, outdoor pool. The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in recreation services, fitness or a related field, as well as experience to assist with budgeting, demolition, design and construction of the new facility. Learn more by emailing ebrendlinger@carbondaleco.net
“Winter is the best time to test your home for radon,” announced Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER), partnering with Garfield County Environmental Health to distribute free test kits. Stop by CLEER’s office at the Third Street Center (Suite 7) during office hours to pick one up. Radon is a cancercausing, radioactive gas that enters homes through the ground. According to the health department, 40% of homes in the county have tested above the EPA limit. For more information, call 970-665-6383.
Dean’s List
The University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Arts and Sciences wrote to
congratulate 19 undergraduates from Carbondale with a grade point average of 3.75 or higher. Way to go, Richard Argueta, Topher Blachly, Grady Burger, George Cathers, Caitlin Coon, Odalys Cruz Bonilla, Jolie Derosa, Lily Gillis, Matty Gillis, Judith Gonzalez, Makenzie Maker, Lily Mcallister, Allie Meisler, Mia Olson, Grace Palomino, Lucas Velasquez, Maya Wexler, Francesca Williams and Daniel Yoshimura!
Poster contest
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers invites local artists to draft a design for their 2023 project season promotional materials. The graphic must fit well on a poster as well as stickers and brochures and the winner will receive $500 and merch. Interested persons are invited to submit an outline of the idea and work samples to Sara Gilbertson, sgilbertson@frov.org, by Feb. 10.
They say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Marcos Guevara, Candy Holgate, Mal Lent, Nikki Macleod, Mountain Maes, Rex van Minnen and Silvia Rodriguez Gutierrez (Feb. 2); Bob Moore, Stacey Novak and Sarah Strassburger (Feb. 3); Sandra Gaddis, Sue Gray and Aly Sanguily (Feb. 4); Jim Coddington, Patrick Hunter, Sandra Lopez and Andrew Scott (Feb. 6); Kelly Rinick (Feb. 7); Michael Kinsley and Amanda Villalobos (Feb. 8).
RJ PADDYWACKS offers a “C.A.R.E. package” for new adoptive families, including a “Paws for Points” plan and a first time 15% discount for your new pet.
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MR. LEFTY is about 10 years old and came to C.A.R.E. when his owner passed away and the neighbor who was caring for him thought it was too cold to leave him in an unoccupied house. He is a bit shy at first, but warms up quickly to head rubs and pets. If you are looking for a quiet, loving cat, Mr. Lefty would be a great match for you! Scan the code to find out more about this sweet guy.
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On Feb. 1, Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) Superintendent
Dr. Jesús Rodríguez hit the sevenmonth mark since moving from Dallas to the Roaring Fork Valley with his wife and young son.
The Sopris Sun chatted with Rodríguez about acclimating to the new job and surroundings.
He began by talking about housing. In October, he held meetings with staff and one recurring topic was the high cost of housing in the Roaring Fork Valley. He said that while some employees were grateful for the assistance that exists, more is needed.
“We have educators who ]participate already in the rental program we have, who are still hoping to find a pathway to homeownership,” he said.
RFSD currently has 66 staff housing units, plus there are 14 units in the Basalt Vista affordable housing project, next to Basalt High School, set aside as a priority for RFSD employees.
With a workforce of almost 900 fulltime staff, Rodríguez said “there's a lot of people who work in our school district who were fortunate to figure out a more stable housing situation than those of us who joined the team within the last four years, right when inventory was down and costs went up.”
Initially, employee housing was offered with a five-year lease, with the expectation that during that
time, renters could save money for a downpayment to purchase a home. But, as the cost of living and housing prices skyrocketed, those renters found themselves priced out of the homebuyers’ market.
“There's this fear of losing great people who work in our school district because of the cost of living so we expanded to sevenyear leases,” Rodríguez shared.
“And now that it's been about seven years, we're revisiting that, thinking, does it make sense to just do an indefinite lease if you're an employee in good standing so you can continue to live here?” He added, “The challenge is, it's hard to attract new folks.”
The Meadowood Drive teacher housing project, adjacent to Roaring Fork High School, will generate 50 new units and is set to break ground later this spring with anticipated completion in the summer of 2024.
Rodríguez also met with the transportation department, currently experiencing a shortage of bus drivers. He told them about his own vivid memories as a student riding the school bus. He said, “I had the same bus driver, all through elementary school — Linda was her name — and we got to know her really well … We'd get on the bus, she’d greet you and ask how your day was, wish you a good day.”
He elaborated on the importance of those day-to-day greetings for
students. “Oftentimes, that's the first face they see.’”
On the evening of Jan. 24, someone made threatening comments on the Summit County school district’s Instagram account. The next morning, with the threats linked to an internet connection in the Roaring Fork Valley, local schools implemented “secure” protocols, where doors are locked and no one is allowed to leave or enter the building. And at around 10am, the suspect was arrested without incident in Old Snowmass.
Rodríguez was driving his son to school when he received a call from the crisis response team and was told that
four district schools were in lockdown status. “I think what happened is, even with dispatch people who do this every day, they heard ‘secure’ and then their brain said ‘lockdown’ and they told four schools to go into lockdown.” He added, Carbondale Police Chief Kirk Wilson “was really upset, because his officer said ‘secure,’ but the word ‘lockdown’ came out” during the dispatch.
The district works with six agencies — Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield County sheriff’s departments, plus Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs police departments — and occasionally the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Rodríguez wants to do more proactive communication to inform community stakeholders of what each safety and security protocol entails to eliminate potential miscommunications.
The district has three school resource officers, one each in Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. “In Glenwood Springs, which is twice the size of Carbondale and Basalt combined, we only have one [school resource officer] that works with all of those schools. And Riverview (pre-K to eighth grade) is in unincorporated Garfield County, so Glenwood Springs Police Department doesn't respond to Riverview, the Garfield County Sheriff does.”
The district currently does not have an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with the Garfield County Sheriff’s department. He said,
continued on page 22
Carbondale-based outdoor company mountainFLOW, best known for its award-winning plantbased ski wax and bike lube and for appearing on ABC’s “Shark Tank” in 2021, recently received a $250,000 state grant to fund research and development for a new line of ecofriendly liquid glide wax.
Founded in 2016 with the mission of providing plant-based outdoor maintenance products, just as good as the best on the market, and non-toxic to both the environment and the user, mountainFLOW is a certified B Corporation which requires adhering to a high standard of social and environmental responsibility. Its in-house products are USDA-certified biobased, meaning they are made with renewable, biologicallyderived materials. Since their inception, mountainFLOW has received awards from various organizations — Outside Magazine and Business Insider among them — for their flagship wax.
Ski wax generally functions as a water-repellant buffer layer between the abrasive particles of snow and the bases of skis and snowboards. According to the mountainFLOW website, “As you’re gliding along, the snow crystals are actually pulling wax particles out of your bases. If you visualize a deck of cards as the layers of wax on your bases, the snow is constantly pulling the bottom card off the deck.”
What this means is, though invisible to the naked eye, the day’s wax — along with petroleum makeup and other potentially harmful chemicals — slowly deposits onto the mountain. When the snow melts, the chemicals are carried into waterways. While a single person’s day on the slopes may only deposit a trace amount, one only has to consider weekend lift lines to realize how many people are leaving wax on the mountain.
Most ski waxes are petroleumbased — a byproduct of the oil refining process which in enough quantities can result in skin and respiratory irritation. Being slow to break down, this can become a problem for athletes who regularly maintain their gear and consistently expose themselves to hot wax.
Similarly, most high-speed waxes (like race wax and glide wax) used to contain water-repellent fluorocarbons in their formula. While fluorocarbons sound chemically similar to the infamous chlorofluorocarbons (phased out due to their runaway destruction of the ozone layer), they affect the environment in a more
biological manner.
“It has proven to be carcinogenic and furthermore it is a ‘forever chemical,’ meaning that once it is in the environment it will be there forever,” said mountainFLOW marketing director Dax Myers.
“Essentially this is the complete opposite of biodegradability.
It's estimated that 99% of the people in the world have some level of fluorocarbons in their bloodstream.” Myers clarified that fluorocarbons are no longer found in most modern ski waxes.
“However,” he warned, “it is unclear what chemicals are being used in the new waxes, which makes me a little nervous.”
The $250,000 grant was given by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade as part of its Advanced Industries Accelerator (AIA) program. Founded in 2013, AIA specifically targets Colorado manufacturers in order to increase the state’s competitiveness on the global market.
According to Peter Arlein, CEO and founder of mountainFLOW, “This grant will allow us to work with the nation’s top scientists at the Illinois Tech Center For Sports Innovation (IT) to design a revolutionary liquid glide wax.” Notably, research and development is a costly and difficult process; mountainFLow’s website reported that their flagship wax took two years and 200 different formulas to perfect.
While mountainFLOW has not partnered with IT previously, they will be cooperating with a team specializing in polymerization emulsions — a chemical process with origins in attempts by scientists to replicate natural latex production by rubber trees. This new grant will fund an interesting reversal of that history: plantderived chemicals mimicking artificial products.
Beyond ski waxes, mountainFLOW has developed other plant-based and environmentally friendly outdoor products. Their website sells many different varieties of bike chain lube and other mountain bike maintenance products — all in recycled/recyclable packaging — as well as the ski industry’s first sets of recycled aluminum ski poles, which reportedly emits 95% less carbon than production with virgin aluminum.
Overall, the grant will help maintain mountainFLOW’s place at the forefront of the ski industry. As Arlein stated in a press release, “We will maintain our commitment to plant-based and eco-friendly ingredients while leveraging [IT’s] technology to develop a wicked fast and easy-to-use product. We are super stoked to see what will come out of this partnership.”
Peter Arlein, founder and CEO of Carbondale-based mountainFLO eco-wax, applies biodegradable and non-toxic ski wax for a guiltless day of gliding across the snow. Courtesy photo
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In the fall of 2022, Colorado Stone Quarries, Inc. (CSQ) announced in a newsletter the discovery of a special type of gold-veined white marble at its Pride of America Quarry (formerly Colorado Yule Marble Quarry) just south of the town of Marble. It was the latest in a series of developments at the quarry since CSQ (a subsidiary of the Italian-based conglomerate R.E.D Graniti SpA [Graniti]) took over the quarry a dozen years ago.
The quarry, first worked in the mid-1880s, had its heyday in the first half of the 20th century, when it supplied the white marble used in the construction of the Lincoln Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, as well as in structures in Denver and other cities. However, the operation was rarely profitable, and production there ceased with the start of World War II. Some quarrying resumed in about 1990, but large-scale operations only returned after the site was acquired by Graniti in 2011.
In a conversation with The Sopris Sun, Jean St-Onge, CSQ’s general manager, explained that the company had to make an initial “massive investment” to replace outdated equipment at the quarry to “make the site more efficient and open up new galleries.” The former method of blasting marble blocks from the quarry walls was replaced with the use of specialized drills and saws, drastically reducing wastage. In addition, new portals were opened west of the original site into large underground galleries; an old outdoor quarry is also now being worked in the summer.
At first, all of the quarried marble was sent to Italy for processing before being shipped back to the U.S. and other countries. However, when it became clear that the bulk of the sales were in the U.S., CSQ decided to establish a large slabbing plant in this country. Delta, southwest of Marble, was chosen as the site, and after several years of planning and development — including, as St-Onge described it, a “big struggle” to complete the building construction and install the equipment during the pandemic — it became fully operational in early 2021.
The quantity of marble processed there is enormous: annually, some one million square feet each of slabs and tiles, its two main products. All are treated with a patented process utilizing potassium silicate that, as St-Onge noted, “makes our marble denser and less absorbent [with] less breakage and provides the market with a superior product.” He continued, “It allows us to increase our recovery at manufacturing. We’re getting more from the mountain with this [process].”
It has not always been a bed of roses between the CSQ-operated quarry and the local community. Several years after the CSQ takeover, the Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association (CVEPA) learned that the quarry had been allowed by state officials to expand from about 10 acres to some 125 acres, raising concerns about environmental impacts on the area. St-Onge stated that the quarry’s increased size resulted from the company buying up private property (more on this below).
A more serious issue arose in 2018 — in an incident widely reported in local media — when the company filled in some 1,700 feet of Yule Creek adjacent to the quarry for an access road and diverted its course to the other (east) side of a rock outcropping. CVEPA and others strongly objected to that action, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers subsequently ruled that the company had violated the federal Clean Water Act. The company was ordered to restore the original stream bed.
A year later, however, before restoration could begin, some 5,500 gallons of diesel fuel were accidentally spilled in the area of the filled-in bed. It was ultimately decided that the company would perform remediation on the diverted section of the creek to prevent spilled fuel from contaminating the watershed. In addition, CSQ was to replace a culvert on Mud Gulch, a tributary to the Yule just downstream. Both projects were undertaken and largely completed in 2022, although more plantings along the new streambed and culvert area are to be done this summer. In addition, the company must monitor the restored section for several more years.
Commenting on relations between company and community,
St-Onge admitted, “For many years there was no communication” between them. That has changed, however. A meeting between StOnge and CVEPA President John Armstrong last August went very well, according to both parties.
In conversation with The Sun, Armstrong reported that it was “a good productive meeting, with a very good feeling going forward.”
He noted that the quarry is “a fabulous resource” for the region, adding wryly, “Neither entity is going anywhere.” It also provides well-paying jobs for locals — some 25 in Marble and 30 in Delta.
St-Onge concurred, saying that relations are now “more normal.”
He went on, “If they have questions, they feel they can be more confident that they can give us a call” and get answers. And he emphasized, “We take management of our company seriously. We want to do everything properly.” Armstrong said that they
“have been helpful when asked.” StOnge also mentioned the company’s philanthropic endeavors, including providing stone for the annual MARBLE/Marble Symposium and for the Youth Art Park in Carbondale and financial support for recreation activities in Delta.
Regarding the concern about CSQ expanding operations, St-Onge stated that quarrying would be limited to the company’s existing area and would not (as CVEPA feared) also extend to the east side of Yule Creek. He further explained, “The focus is on [the open-pit] and west portal areas for the next 60 to 75 years,” adding that there may be 100 years of marble left.
As for the gold-veined marble, St-Onge said that it has become one of the company’s most popular products. He noted, though, that the veining is not real gold but is probably iron pyrite (fool’s gold).
THURSDAY, FEB. 2
IN STITCHES
The In Stitches Knitting Club meets on the first Thursday of each month at the Carbondale Library at 2pm.
AUTHOR VISIT
Dr. John Hughes discusses his book, “Fifth World Medicine: A Spiritual-Physical Journey to the Next World”, at the Basalt Library at 5:30pm.
AILSA CHANG
Aspen Public Radio presents “An Evening with Ailsa Chang” at the Wheeler Opera House at 6pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
CRYSTAL THEATRE
“A Man Called Otto” shows at the Crystal Theatre tonight, tomorrow, Saturday and Monday at 7pm. The Sunday screening is at 5pm and captioned, and “The Fablemans” will return Feb. 4 for a 4pm matinee.
RUBY JOYFUL
Ruby Joyful, together with Drew Emmitt, performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net
FRIDAY, FEB. 3
VALLEY SETTLEMENT ESL
Valley Settlement begins its weekly English as a second language course at the Basalt Library from 9am to 12:30pm. The class continues Friday mornings through May. Email info@valleysettlement.org or call 970-230-1303 to register.
COFFMAN COFFEE WALK
Aspen Valley Land Trust guides an educational walk to the river at the Coffman Ranch at 9am. Visit www.avlt.org/coffman for more info and to register.
ART IN PROCESS
The Art Base wraps up its second annual “Art in Process” show with Reina Katzenberger with a reception from 5 to 7pm.
LAVISH LEAF LOVE
The Handmakery (449 Main Street) celebrates First Friday with an all-ages, popin and drop-in workshop in collaboration with Nightshades Plant Shop from 5 to 8pm.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB
Jeff Rice performs at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s Friday
Afternoon Club, from 5 to 8pm.
RECOVERY YOGA
Cari Eisenson leads “Yoga for People in Recovery” at The Meeting Place (981 Cowen Place, Carbondale) at 6pm.
THE WAY WE ARE
The Carbondale Clay Center hosts an opening Reception for “The Way We Are: Women in the Roaring Fork Valley” from 6 to 8pm.
FULL MOON BREATHWORK
Chelsea Bennet leads a full moon breathwork ceremony at the Third Street Center at 6:30pm. Register here: www.bit.ly/fullmoonfeb3
COLLEGE BLUEGRASS
The Rocky Mountain Tops and The Tumbleweeds perform at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net
WATCHHOUSE
Watchhouse, formerly Mandolin Orange, performs at Harris Concert Hall in Aspen at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
SATURDAY, FEB. 4
SISU
Ski for Sisu kicks off at 7am and continues through Feb. 12 at 7pm. Register to compete at www.springgulch.org or volunteer to help out at www. bit.ly/volunteerSisu
NEOSHAMANIC BREATHWORK
NeoShamanic Breathwork, facilitated by Lisa Wilson and Nick Nicholson, will be taught from 9am to 6pm at the Third Street Center. To reserve a space, call 970-274-6726.
THE FLOOR IS LAVA
The Floor is Lava is a social deduction game for ages 10 and up, hosted by Basalt Library at 2pm. Registration is required at 970927-4311 or info@basaltlibrary.org
DRAWING CLUB
Roaring Fork Drawing Club visits the Aspen Art Museum to tour “Shadow Tracer: Works on Paper” with assistant curator Simone Krug at 3:30pm, followed by an aprés ski party beginning at 5pm. To RSVP, email rfdrawingclub@gmail.com
‘80S PROM
The Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association hosts its annual gala at the Hotel Colorado and this year’s theme is “‘80s Prom.” For tickets, check out www.bit.ly/GWSprom
JAZZ, LATIN, CONTEMPORARY, CLASSICAL come together for the 23rd anniversary of International Guitar Night.
NIGHT
SUN, FEB 12 | 7:30 PMOlli Soikelli, Joceyln Gould, Jesus Guerrero, Stephanie Jones
FAMILY YOGA
True Nature offers a playful workshop for children 5 and older with a chosen adult, from 9 to 11am. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
GRAB AND GO
Basalt Library, in partnership with The Art Base, gives away free art kits to middle and high school students, available in the lobby beginning at 10am.
ACT�SAT PREP
Basalt Library offers ACT and SAT test prep help for high school students for free at 2:30pm.
ECSTATIC DANCE
Alya Howe, Dustin Eli and Chai Baba deliver the music and setting to groove to your heart’s content at 13 Moons Ranch, south of Carbondale (6334 Highway 133), from 6 to 8pm.
MONDAY, FEB. 6
ENGLISH IN ACTION
English in Action holds open hours with English-speaking tutors every first Monday at the Basalt Library at 6pm. Call 970-963-9200 for more info.
SARAH JAROSZ
Folk singer Sarah Jarosz performs at Harris Concert Hall in Aspen at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
TUESDAY, FEB. 7
WINTER BIRDING
Hallam Lake invites bird watchers every first Tuesday through April from 8am to 11am
RAISING A READER
Basalt Library hosts “Little Red Bag Club” for parents with children 5 and under at 10:30am.
YARN GROUP
The Yarn Group meets at Basalt Library from 5 to 7pm.
SKI MOUNTAINEERING
Local teacher Aidan Goldie-Ahumada presents a talk about his homecoming travel experience in the Chilean Andes at The Collective in Snowmass from 7 to 8pm. Tickets at www.aspennature.org
ACROBATS AT THE WHEELER
The Wheeler Opera House presents The Peking Acrobats and Shanghai Circus at 7:30pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
CODING CLUB
The Aspen Science Center hosts Coding Club for students in grades seven to 10 at Basalt Library today at 4pm (www.bit.ly/BasaltCoding) and at the Carbondale Library tomorrow at 4pm (www.CarbondaleCoding). All programs are free.
STORYTIME
Basalt Library hosts “Storytime with Kara” for young children at 10:30am.
CODING CLUB
Basalt Library and the Aspen Science Center offer coding lessons for high school students at 4pm.
SUCCULENTS 101
Learn to care for that ailing cactus at a workshop with Botany Houseplant Shop in Carbondale from 5 to 6:30pm. To register, email Lesie at botanyhouseplantshop@gmail.com
NATURALIST NIGHTS
Naturalist Nights continues with “The Science of Coexisting with Black Bears” with researcher Stewart Breck at the Third Street Center at 6pm (registration at www.wildernessworkshop.org/ events). The program will repeat at Hallam Lake in Aspen tomorrow at 6pm (no registration necessary).
LOTERIA
KDNK hosts “Noche de Loteria” at the station (76 2nd Street, Carbondale) at 6:30pm. No registration is necessary, just show up!
ALIVE
TACAW presents “Alive: A New Kind of Nightlife” with Aspen Shakti at 6:30pm. This dance party is intended to liberate creative expression; tickets and more info at www.tacaw.org
THURSDAY, FEB. 9
LEGAL CLINIC
Basalt Library offers a free legal clinic from 2 to 5pm. To sign up, contact the library at 970-9274311 or info@basaltlibrary.org
LGBTQ+ AUTHOR
Author Cathy Hyliger, an early childhood educator with two sons in the LGBTQ community, presents her books at the Glenwood Springs Library at 2pm.
POWER PERSPECTIVE
Aspen Strong hosts a mindfulnessbased writing workshop at Basalt Library from 4:30 to 6:30pm.
FOCUSED FAMILIES
Parents with students in kindergarten to fifth grade are invited to three parenting education sessions at Basalt Library: Feb. 9, 23 and March 2 from 5:30 to 7 pm. Registration at www. bit.ly/FocusedFamiliesBasalt
BINGO
The Redstone Inn hosts “BINGO” from 6:30 to 8:30pm.
LIFT SERIES
Acclaimed singer/songwriters Brett Dennen and John Craigie perform at the Wheeler Opera House at 8pm for the 6th annual Lift Series, celebrating music, skiing and community. Find tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
FRIDAY, FEB. 10
ROCHELLE JOHNSON
The Art Base hosts an opening reception for Denver-based painter Rochelle Johnson’s exhibition, “From Urban Life to Blue World”, from 5 to 7pm. The show will remain on display through March 3.
BOTANICAL DYES
Katie Browne of BOX ELEVEN guides a fabric dyeing workshop with locally harvested botanicals at Botany Houseplant Shop in Carbondale from 5 to 7pm. To register, email boxeleven@hotmail.com
LIBRARY CONCERT
Basalt Library presents “Four Hands on Keyboard” at 5:30pm.
SOUND JOURNEY
Dr. Zach Cashin leads a sound journey at the Third Street Center from 7 to 8:30pm. Reserve your spot by emailing info@tcfhf.org
CONSENSUAL IMPROV
TACAW present’s Consensual Improv at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
SATURDAY, FEB. 11
VALENTINE’S CARD MAKING
Pam Porter leads a printmaking workshop at The Art Base with a focus on pleasing that special someone, from 10am to 3pm. Register at www.theartbase.org
MOCKTAILS
Basalt Library partners with A Way Out for “Mocktail Hour” in partnership with local bartenders at 5:30pm.
CONTRA DANCE
The Valley’s Second Saturday contra dance tradition continues at the Carbondale Community School (1505 Satank Road) with live music by the Wooden Nickel String Band from 8 to 10pm. Beginners can attend a quick lesson at 7:30pm.
C O M E C E L E B R A T E
FIRST FRIDAY IN FEBRUARY!
Come stroll the sidewalks in the heart of Carbondale’s Creative District and take in a wide range of local arts and galleries, shopping, and
The Carbondale Clay Center opened its current exhibition, “The Way We Are: Women of The Roaring Fork Valley”, on Jan. 16 and it will remain on display until Feb. 24 with a First Friday reception on Feb. 3 from 6pm to 8pm. As the name implies, the exhibition features diverse works from local women.
Materials featured include ceramics, oil paintings, textiles, weaving and much more. The artists are Tammi Lane, Mary Ballou, Liz Heller, Lori Dresner, Ishara Sweeney, Cate Tallmadge, Agneta Wettergren, Erin Rigney, K Rhynus Cesark, Hannah Stoll, Eden Marsh, Summers Moore and Kathy Honea.
Wettergren and Rigney sat down with The Sopris Sun to discuss their work on display and the inspirations behind each piece.
Wettergren is a self-taught experimental artist who is originally from Sweden. She has a bachelor’s of visual arts from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a diverse background in engineering and ergonomics, as well as a license in massage therapy.
She said that she feels a “very deep connection” to the theme of the exhibit and stories of female artists throughout history. She cited her bio on the Clay Center's webpage for the exhibition and delved deeper into the reasons behind her work.
"The craft, my ability to work with my hands, is the power of creativity which opens all possibilities … along with a full range of critical problem solving and knowledge of different materials’ sustainability. When you see my weaving, which comes from a traditional little wood loom, in 100 years it's those kinds of materials: wool, silks and natural materials. It will sustain people who will see the materials that were used then. They will see your technique. So it will transcend," Wettergren said.
Wettergren also credited her background in ergonomics as an
inspiration for her work, specifically the “simple” architecture of her home country, Sweden. She credited artists like Matisse for inspiring the composition of her mixed media work, specifically the color palette that she uses.
"My whole composition, thesis and background for my colors comes from living in a country where you have a couple of hours of sun every few days for several months. Color is very important, at least it was for me when I was growing up," she said.
Erin Rigney, originally from New Jersey and a resident of Colorado for over 30 years, shared gratitude and excitement for the exhibition. She is showcasing three pieces from her "Shellscapes" collection, a series of original artwork which Rigney usually presents in shows on the coast, inspired by the abstract patterns inside seashells.
"It was a total honor being included in this community of women. I’m honored to be asked, given I haven't been a full-time artist for that long. It shows that there's so much creativity here in our valley, and such very creative creativity," said Rigney.
Rigney uses encaustic paint, made from beeswax and fir tree sap colorized with oil paint, which she described as “fun” and said it keeps her in touch with her background in sculpting. Her hope for the First Friday celebration, along with the end goal for her art, is to have those who see her work to “slow down.”
"The idea of the ‘Shellscapes’ is something I used to geek out about when I was little. Everybody [around me] would be looking at these beautiful, perfect shells, but I would be picking up the broken bits because I liked the color that was going on inside. Hopefully, it's a breath of fresh air for people seeing the exhibition," she said.
For more information, drop by the Carbondale Clay Center or check out their website: www.carbondaleclay.org
Sealed bids for the construction of the 8th St Improvements Project will be received from invited Bidders by the Town of Carbondale (“OWNER”) at Town Hall, 511 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO 81623, until 1:00 PM on February 13, 2023, at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. The project consists of constructing approximately 1000 LF of curb, gutter and sidewalk; curb extensions; drainage structures; and other street improvements. Bids will be received for a single prime Contract. Bids shall be on a unit price basis as indicated in the Bid Form. Bidding Documents will be provided to prospective Bidders as electronic PDF files. The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is Roaring Fork Engineering (RFE), 592 Hwy 133, Carbondale, CO, 81623 (Contact: Anthony Alfini, PE (970) 618-7073, AnthonyA@rfeng.biz). Prospective Bidders may examine the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office on Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM and may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from the Issuing Office as described below. Bidding Documents are available as electronic portable document format (PDF) files. Alternatively, printed Bidding Documents may be obtained from the Issuing Office via in-person pick-up, for a nonrefundable charge of $75 per set. Checks for Bidding Documents shall be payable to Roaring Fork Engineering. The date that the Bidding Documents are transmitted by the Issuing Office will be considered the date of receipt of the Bidding Documents. Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuing Office. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office. A pre-bid conference will be held at 2:00 PM on February 2, 2023 at the intersection of 8th St and the Rio Grande Trail in Carbondale, CO. Attendance at the pre-bid conference is highly encouraged but is not mandatory. A 5% bid security shall be furnished in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. Bidders shall submit proof of qualifications to perform the Work as described in the Instructions to Bidders.
In my role as program director at KDNK, I answered the phone on a day like no other.
“I’m blind, mostly deaf, and I’d like to do a show about travel,” the voice proposed, wasting no time. The year was 2019, a simpler time, and Nick Isenberg had recently graduated from the Colorado Center for the Blind. A longtime journalist in the Roaring Fork Valley (and beyond), “Nicky News” Isenberg was eager to apply his experience toward inspiring others with visual impairments.
“Often blind people end up just staying home … I wanted to empo wer them to keep living,” Isenberg reflected. Some years and 37 shows later, persisting through the pandemic, The Tactile Traveler delivers a fresh program every month, replete with stories from around the world.
Even at birth, Isenberg was making news as “the second most pre mature person to live” at the time he was born in 1942, he told The Sopris Sun. Weighing only two pounds and 11.75 ounces, Isenberg arrived 90 days early and spent the next 10 weeks living in an incubator. It was unkn own then that the excessive oxygen pressure could cause blindness.
Isenberg lost his right eye as a baby and made the most with his left, visiting all seven continents, driving and skiing, and eventually working as a television producer and news bureau chief. Following seven surgical attempts to keep his remaining eye, including three cornea transplants, it was removed in 2019 “under ideal circumstances,” as opposed to during an emergency.
For the first time since before COVID, I returned to his home in Glenwood Springs, where a swinging gate guards the stairs ever since a newly-blind Isenberg tumbled down them. Natural light floods in and travel photographs decorate the walls. He’d grown a long ponytail since I last saw him. “I didn't get a haircut all during COVID,” he explained. “Blind women tell me I look great.”
In more than five decades as a journalist, arriving to the Valley in 1977 for a job with KMTS, “these are the hardest stories I’ve done in my life,” he informed me. “I do stuff so different than anybody has ever done. I can’t just call a normal source,” in a story about blind birding, for example.
Only a few episodes into the show, COVID hit, complicating the premise of travel for everyone. Isenberg grew a network of global contributors — like Jason Strother, a low-vision NPR reporter stationed in South Korea — and he learned to edit audio using GoldWave, a digital software capable of dictation.
Ironically, editing audio is extremely sight-oriented. Even jus t navigating file folders, a task that a sighted person can complete in under 10 seconds, can take up to six patient minutes as a robot voice reads aloud every file name. “I worked on one show for three years,” stated Isenberg. “What to do if blind during a natural disaster.”
Technology has also connected Nicky News with human helpers, like Kayly Romero.
Romero, 24 years old and living in O’ahu, Hawaii, graduated from the University of Hawaii at West O’ahu in 2021 and was looking for “something to brighten my day and make me happier.” A creative media graduate, she discovered an app called By My Eyes through TikTok, a social media platform.
She joined more than six million volunteers in over 150 countri es assisting hundreds of thousands of blind people with the use of smartphones. Essentially, a visually-impaired person is paired with someone who speaks their language. The volunteer is then granted access to the blind individual’s phone camera to help them with a task, such as picking out a matching shirt or turning off the air conditionin g.
On her third or fourth call, Romero was paired with “the most complicated one yet,” she said. “I get this call, I answer, and it was Nick!” Nicky News, needing his program to match KDNK’s standard 26 minutes, 30 seconds broadcast length. After more than an hour of attempting to guide him, Romero offered to directly edit the clip, and thus began a unique friendship.
“Nick and I, we just hit it off really easily … He reminds me of my grandpa, with the same kind of spirit and always cracking jokes .” Isenberg shares his knowledge and Romero spends four to six hours each w eek helping produce the show, while also working at a surf shop.
“This show is literally a full-time job,” Isenberg informed me. “Seven days a week, usually.” Like all public affairs hosts at KDNK, he is a volunteer, though he’d be glad to turn the project into a paid gig. The Tactile Traveler’s very first episode won the Colorado Press Association’s award for Best Small and Medium Market Community Service Radio Program, and the show was a semi-finalist for the $25,000 James Holman Prize by the Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco.
“Even when I’m listening to it and editing it, I’m feeling inspired. I’m getting emotional while editing,” said Romero. “It’s uplifting listening to the stories he puts out.” She was quick to recognize that many others regularly help Isenberg as well. “It’s great he has so many people around to help him and it’s definitely a team effort … but he’s the star.”
The Tactile Traveler, “empowering blind and low vision people to explore the world and helping our sighted friends see the world in a new way,” will next air on KDNK on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 4:30pm. You can find the archives at www.kdnk.org/podcast/the-tactile-traveler and it is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
The program is also broadcast via the Audio Information Network , where Isenberg was named volunteer of the month for February 20 23. You can reach him at thetactiletraveler@gmail.com
5point Film Festival
Anderson Ranch Arts Center
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies
Aspen Community Foundation
Aspen Valley Land Trust
Buddy Program
Carbondale Arts
Carbondale Fire Dept
Coal Basin Ranch
FirstBank
Garfield County Clerk
Garfield County Democrats
Garfield County Libraries
Garfield County Public Health
Snowmass Village
Laser Lifestyle
Manaus Funds
Mountain Family Health Center
Perry Will for State House
Pitkin County Government
Pregnancy Resource Center
Red Hill Council
Roaring Fork High School
SANA - Safe & Abundant Nutrition Alliance
SoloShoe Communications
The Arts Campus at Willits
Town of Carbondale
U.S. Forest Service
Waldorf School
Wheeler Opera House
Wilderness Workshop
Yampah Spa
Alpine Bank AZYEP
En marzo del 2021, The Sopris Sun lanzó nuestra sección en español el Sol del Valle. Nos gustaría dar las gracias a todos los patrocinadores de publicidad, a los suscriptores, a los donantes y a las personas, organizaciones y empresas que ayudaron a hacer posible esta sección en su año inaugural. Apreciamos enormemente a todos los escritores, fotógrafos, artistas y otros colaboradores que han trabajado incansablemente para elaborar esta sección cada semana.
GRACIAS A TODOS Y CADA UNO DE USTEDES. Todd Chamberlin Director Ejecutivo
DE PUBLICIDAD!
Anuncia tu empresa, organización o patrocina anuncios para una
Tarifas desde $25 por semana.
a Todd Chamberlin, director ejecutivo, adsales@soprissun.com | 970-510-0246
Ya sea colonizadores o colonizados, opresores u oprimidos, todos estamos heridos por la quimera de separación entre la Madre Tierra, nosotros mismos y entre sí. Los pueblos indígenas que viven en tribus conectadas con sus raíces están quizá más cerca que el resto de nosotros de nuestra Madre.
Woody Morrison, un anciano Haida que falleció en 2021, escribió que, al igual que los bancos de peces y las bandadas de pájaros que pueden cambiar de dirección instantáneamente sin órdenes, los pueblos indígenas aprenden a pensar igual, como una mente común para beneficiar al conjunto. Algunas tribus hablan del gran aro o aro sagrado que contiene toda la creación.
¿Yo? Todos los días siento todo tipo de divisiones y rupturas por criar a mis hijos sin un pueblo - soy indígena peruana, castellana, vasca, nacida y criada en Taos, Nuevo México, y recientemente me mudé a Carbondale. No sé dónde está mi hogar; no sé cómo volver a casa. Así que acudo al fuego para recordar...
"Todos estamos agradecidos de nuestra madre, la tierra, porque nos da todo lo que necesitamos para vivir. Ella sostiene nuestros pies cuando caminamos sobre ella. Nos alegra que siga cuidando de nosotros como lo ha hecho desde el inicio de los tiempos. A nuestra madre, enviamos saludos y agradecimiento. Ahora nuestras mentes [corazones] son uno". -Discurso de acción de gracias, The Tracking Project (La frase original, "Ahora nuestras mentes son una", se cambió por "mentes-corazón", como sugirió Rita Marsh, a quien conoceremos en breve).
Nueve de nosotros nos reunimos, arrastrando nuestros voluminosos abrigos mientras nos pasamos un cuaderno muy venerado y una linterna para ayudarnos a pronunciar estas oraciones de acción de gracias a la oscuridad. La luz de la luna se filtra por los espacios entre los troncos y yo estoy tiritando, a pesar de estar abrigada.
La morada de Ross Douglass, sencilla y hecha a mano, palpita con energía esencial. Una pacífica sinergia surge alrededor de nuestros pies mientras la Madre Tierra recibe nuestras plegarias. Por fin se enciende el fuego. Hacemos circular palos de palo santo y trenzas de hierba dulce para el ritual del incienso; soy consciente de que mi vínculo con los demás en el círculo es cada vez más profundo.
Al entrar en calor, me doy cuenta del propósito de esta ceremonia. Tiene algo que ver con una promesa hecha hace 13 años, en una reunión de líderes indígenas y mis nuevos amigos en la morada. Poco a poco, me entero de que ellos y otras personas no presentes en esta ceremonia de luna llena cercana al solsticio vuelven a este fuego cada mes, en homenaje a estos valles, a la Madre Tierra y al pueblo Ute. Uno de los participantes señala que ésta es la treceava luna del treceavo año de esta tradición. Beth White reconoce el momento divino y dice que alguien debería escribir sobre ello. Yo me ofrezco como voluntaria.
Más tarde, me entero de que estas ceremonias empezaron en 2009, cuando un Taíno de Puerto Rico, Ramón Nenadich, convocó a líderes indígenas de todas partes del hemisferio occidental para que llegaran a Carbondale con motivo del XI Encuentro Indígena de las Américas.
Mis averiguaciones me llevaron hasta Will Evans, un participante clave, que recuerda el motivo de la reunión. La pregunta que se hacían Nenadich y los demás era si podían perdonar a Cristóbal Colón. Hablando por teléfono, sentimos la pesadumbre. Sentimos la profunda necesidad de un recuerdo respetuoso.
El difunto Clifford Duncan, anciano Ute del norte, inauguró la reunión en nombre de la Nación Ute con una oración de bienvenida y una explicación de la Doctrina del descubrimiento. Estas bulas papales emitidas por el Vaticano consideraban inferiores a los pueblos indígenas por sus creencias no cristianas y animaban así a las monarquías a despojarlos de sus tierras y su soberanía.
A Nenadich "se le pidió perdón y a todas las personas de bien que se subieran al tren de la salvación", mientras que Duncan señaló que no estaba dispuesto a perdonar "porque no se ha pedido perdón". El consejo estaba dividido.
Deanna Jeanne escribió sobre la reunión en una edición de 2009 de la revista Sacred Fire Magazine: "este momento es crucial en nuestra historia, y nuestras vidas tienen la oportunidad de cambiar para siempre". Se dice que los fantasmas del pasado serán liberados y el espíritu de Colón será libre, lo que llevará a los indígenas y no indígenas a la paz".
Algunas heridas estaban tan abiertas entonces como lo están hoy. Rita Marsh, una defensora local de los derechos indígenas, me habló desde su lugar de conexión con el espíritu de Duncan sobre la importancia de mantener encendido un fuego ceremonial. Para Marsh, acudir al fuego es una celebración de la conexión sagrada de los pueblos indígenas con la tierra, que ha inspirado su propia relación con este valle. Espera que los Ute puedan regresar pronto al valle de Roaring Fork.
Mientras escribía este artículo, tuve que volver a mi antiguo hogar. El dolor por el genocidio ocurrido en el norte de Nuevo México me es familiar, pero no me siento a gusto con él. En Carbondale, me siento como una forastera y una impostora, aprendiendo sobre la expulsión forzada de otros pueblos indígenas para dar paso a asentamientos de blancos que no son mis raíces.
Cuando llegué a casa de mi madre y encontré inesperadamente en la computadora un sobre de mi hermano
escrito a nombre de "William&Marjorie Nennadich", supe que mis antepasados me habían guiado hasta aquí. Me dicen que tome el cacao ceremonial peruano del linaje de mi padre y espolvoree un poco en cada árbol que ha plantado mi hermano. Me pregunto a quién pertenecía esta tierra en la que está mi casa familiar antes de que se convirtiera en San Cristóbal, Nuevo México. Me pregunto cuál es mi lugar como parte indígena, parte colonizador español y francés. ¿Cómo puedo ayudar a curar las heridas entre los pueblos del mundo y la Madre Tierra cuando las mías aún sangran?
Más tarde, mientras bebo té de nuestros campos de alfalfa en la mesa de la cocina de mi madre, recuerdo el poder de las historias. Mi querida amiga, de visita en una búsqueda de curanderismo con mi hermano, me habla del pueblo Ute. Con brillo en los ojos y fuerza en la voz, me cuenta cómo honran lo femenino con su anual Danza del oso. Las mujeres eligen al hombre con el que desean formar pareja en la danza.
Con mi sangre purificada por la alfalfa y el corazón rebosante de amor por estas gentes y su papel en el Aro, me siento algo menos afligida. Las palabras de White, Evans y Marsh vuelven a mí y comprendo por qué se reúnen alrededor del fuego sagrado cada mes: para reconocer el dolor que zumba en lo más profundo de la Madre Tierra, para celebrar la sabiduría de los pueblos indígenas y para iluminar el camino para que hagamos nuestra parte y remendemos respetuosamente el Aro.
Volumen 1, Número 49 | 2 de febrero de 2023 - 8 de febrero de 2023
Por Hector Salas-Gallegos
Una vez, estoy seguro que como algo casual, mi madre me dijo esto: “Si tuviera que trabajar como quitacaca. Sería la mejor quitacaca”.
Cuando era niño, recuerdo que mi papá estaba fuera de casa durante la semana por cuestiones de trabajo. Finalmente, volvía a casa el viernes para pasar el fin de semana. Polvoriento. Aceitoso. Cansado. A veces alegre por volver a ver a su familia. A veces desgastado por un largo día. Silbando alguna canción entre dientes. Sus pantalones manchados de grasa llenaban el cesto de la ropa sucia. Olían a soldadura fresca. Esos viernes eran los mejores. De hecho, los recuerdos más vívidos y resguardados
de mis mayores son cuando regresaban del trabajo. Los oigo sacudirse las botas en las escaleras del porche. Sus caras se contorsionaban por sus profundos bostezos y solo un minuto después, ya estaban roncando. Todavía puedo oler la crema que usaban después de un baño caliente. Salían del baño como una persona nueva. Estoy seguro de que el día de sus muertes, los recordaré por cómo iban a trabajar y cómo regresaban de el.
El día antes de irme a la universidad, visité a mis abuelos para despedirme. Les dije que estudiaría negocios y me dijeron lo mismo que me decían cada vez que hablábamos de mis estudios, “Échale ganas para que no acabes trabajando toda tu vida como nosotros”.
Cuando finalmente me fui a la universidad, me llevé un sentimiento de culpabilidad. Nadie en la familia había tenido la oportunidad hasta ese momento, y los costos ridículos de la universidad me hicieron sentir que estaba robando recursos preciosos. Era difícil no sentirse como un costo hundido.
Como un joven profesional, me mato trabajando porque no me estoy matando trabajando. Perpetuo un legado de agotamiento y autodegradación. Imito el trabajo agotador que soportan mis padres porque ¿por qué debería ser yo quien escape de él?
A medida que envejezco, se vuelve cada vez más difícil ver las alegrías de mi vida como algo que merezco en vez de algo que se me fue entregado.
En verano, me gusta andar en bicicleta para vaciarme la cabeza. A veces me siento ligero. Otras veces, me pregunto qué podría estar haciendo para justificar la lucha de mis padres.
Pienso en esa experiencia y me maravillo de la tenacidad de mis padres. Cómo aprovecharon la oportunidad. Cómo agarraron un puñado y lo hicieron durar todo este tiempo. Cómo lo racionaron en tiempos difíciles y lo disfrutaron en días mejores. Cambiaría de lugar con ellos para darles las gracias. Pero dicen que no querrían cambiarlo. Les gusta su vida
La muerte de un ser querido nos cuesta bastante. The Sopris Sun se complace en publicar obituarios locales de un tamaño razonable, incluida una foto, de forma gratuita.
Envie un correo electrónico a news@soprissun.com para enviar un obituario o para más información.
Oportunidades para artistas
y adónde los llevó. Mi papá me cuenta una historia de su tiempo en las montañas en el norte de México y me río con él. Mi mamá cuenta historias de brujas que ha visto en su pasado y contengo la respiración. Escuché acerca de los pollos que criaron. Las veces que fueron golpeados con cucharas de madera. Hablan de amigos y familiares en un tono cálido. ¿Recuerdas tal y tal? ¿Te acuerdas cuando sucedió esto? Es como si estuviera hablando con viejos amigos. Décadas de lecciones se cuentan durante la cena cuando visitó mi casa. Estoy cimentado por su amor por la vida y su voluntad de compartirla conmigo. Y en estos momentos, me enfrento a un pensamiento que disipa mi culpabilidad. Como hijos de inmigrantes, no tenemos la tarea de igualar su lucha. En cambio, tenemos la tarea de devolver su amor incondicional a los que nos encontramos en esta vida. Parte de esta misión incluye tratarnos a nosotros mismos con el amor y el cuidado que nuestros padres creen que merecemos.
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Lo interesante de estas respuestas, es que en la vida de cada una de ellas, el feminismo ha estado presente a lo largo de sus vidas. De alguna u otra manera han luchado por conseguir igualdades económicas, sociales o sencillamente, han luchado por ser vistas y escuchadas.
o mujer; su discurso continua entablando los derechos basicos de la sociedad en la que vivimos. Referirse a temas como el feminismo sin entender la idea detrás de el, nos lleva a decir o crear percepciones que no están claras.
Recientemente en una plática de la familia, le hice una pregunta directa a las mujeres de mi núcleo. Les pregunté si ellas se consideraban feministas y qué entendían por feminismo. Teniendo en cuenta que la mayoría de ellas están entre los 55 años en adelante, vi muchas ideas similares a lo que interpretan que es ser feministas.
Muchas me respondieron que, “[feministas] son mujeres con ataques de histeria, quemando sostenes, y mostrando los senos en protestas”. Otras dijeron, “son mujeres [que] asesinan bebes”, ya que estan a favor del aborto. Y todas asintieron al decirme que no se consideraban feministas.
Lo importante de estos temas sociales es entender la semántica, es decir, la explicación clara de un concepto o tema. Entonces, ¿Qué es el feminismo? Si nos guiamos por la definición de La Real Academia Española el feminismo es, “[La] igualdad de derechos de la mujer y el hombre. Similarmente, durante su discurso en Ted Talk, la autora Nigeriana Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, describió el feminismo como, “Una persona que cree en la igualdad social, económica y política de los sexos.”
Me inclino más hacia la definición de Ngozi Adichie, principalmente porque no menciona género, solo dice, “una persona”. Un feminista puede ser hombre
Lotería
KDNK presenta “Noche de Lotería” en la estación (76 2nd Street, Carbondale) a las 6:30 p.m. el 8 de febrero. Inscripciones no son necesarias, ¡solamente participe!
La clase de tecnología de bicicletas de Bridges High School está ofreciendo clases de reparamiento y afinamiento básicos de bicicletas a solamente $20, además de bicicletas usadas a la venta. Al ser un programa educacional de mecánica, estos aspirantes a profesionales esperan arreglar todo tipo de bicicletas. Bicicletas más modernas con componentes costosos serán referidas para expertos en una tienda local. Para más detalles, contacte a Lyn Williams (awilliams@rfschools.com) quien le recuerda a todos, “¡mantente calmado y a viajar!”
El viernes 27 de enero, White River National Forest publicó la evaluación ambiental final (www. bit.ly/CrystalTrailEA) y un aviso de decisión de plan para una proposición de senderos para peatones y ciclistas de siete millas entre Redstone y McClure Pass, reportando “no impacto significativo,” la acción propuesta es “construir y mantener un sendero recreativo sin vehículos… cerca de la carretera 133 por dos millas entre Redstone y Hayes Falls; un camino histórico, una sección de la carretera y Old McClure Pass Road por alrededor de 4.3 millas; y un sendero que alcanzara la punta de McClure Pass.” Una discusión pública ocurrirá el miércoles 15 de febrero, en Third Street Center de 5 p.m. a 6:30 p.m.
Crecí en un hogar donde la independencia como mujer era fundamental. Mi madre siempre me decía, “tienes que estudiar, ser una profesional, y no depender nunca de nadie”. Su madre le inculcó lo mismo, le dijo que buscará independencia económica. Mi abuela, a pesar de que no terminó la escuela y venía de un hogar muy humilde, entendió claramente que su hija necesitaba mejores oportunidades de las que ella obtuvo. Y que esas oportunidades se daban a través del estudio.
El feminismo no está en contra de los hombres, ni es un tema de poder y quien lo maneja. Me atrevería a decir que la práctica de la igualdad es una dinámica social que se ha intentado conseguir, y por naturaleza humana, es difícil de asimilar.
A mis casi 34 años, venir de una cultura latina y ser mujer en la misma, me impone una estructura patriarcal en el que la mujer tiene casillas de verificación a medida que la vida avanza. Sin generalizar, esta tiende a ser, o quizás fue la norma en mi crianza Venezolana.
Tienes que estudiar, ser profesional, conseguir pareja, casarte, formar hogar, tener hijos y criarlos en la fe. Sobre todo, tienes que ser una mujer de bien. Me atrevo a decir que lo más impresionante es que en el colegio se adoctrinaba esta teoría, “naces, creces, te reproduces y mueres”, así es el ciclo de la vida.
Lo que se nos escapa de este esquema, es que la vida tiene complejidades y circunstancias que nunca esperamos. El plan que formé cuando jugaba con Barbies en el patio trasero de mi casa, no tenía nada que ver con el que me tocó enfrentar. Y mi valor, o el de ningún ser humano, es bidimensional. Somos seres multidimensionales, con capas, y trayectoria. En teoría las mujeres de mi familia no se consideran
feministas, pero en la práctica absolutamente todas lo son.
Mi abuela Nubia, luego de que su esposo la abandonara con cuarto hijos, se enfrento a la crianza de ellos sola, con el tiempo llego a ser consejal del pueblo donde vivia; eso es ser feminista. Mi madre lucho contra el cancer dos veces en un periodo de siete años, durante ese tiempo continuo sus labores de trabajo y de estudio; eso es ser feminista. Mi hermana gemela, Sharay, me muestra más de sus capacidades de crecer en todo los ámbitos de la vida, con cada logro que obtiene; eso es ser feminista.
El feminismo es una práctica casi tácita en la vida de muchas mujeres latinas. Existen aspectos de este que quizás no se esté de acuerdo, pero eso no te excluye de la suma. Así como no somos seres bidimensionales, la práctica del feminismo tampoco lo es; está arraigado a nuestra vivencia como mujer. El feminismo es una villa de mujeres que corren con lobos, los pies descalzos, y el cabello suelto, enfrentándose cara a cara con las adversidades que la vida les lanza un martes cualquiera.
gratuita ReachWell, y luego seleccionar su idioma preferido y añadir “Alertas del Condado de Pitkin”.
Las escuelas en los distritos escolares de los condados de Garfield, Eagle y Pitkin tuvieron un cierre de emergencia el miércoles 25 de enero en respuesta a amenazas hacia escuelas del condado de Summit hechas en redes sociales las cuales fueron rastreadas a un dirección de red en el valle Roaring Fork. Charles Draughn, de 26 años de edad, fue aprehendido en su trabajo en Old Snowmass y le dijo al juez el 26 de enero que él no posee armas de fuego y que no conoce a nadie en Summit School District, reporto Summit Daily News. Una audiencia preliminar está programada para el 6 de febrero.
El sistema de alerta del condado de Pitkin ya está disponible en 100 idiomas, gracias a la aplicación de teléfono de traducción operado por ReachWell. “Es imperativo que las alertas de emergencia sean recibidas a todos sin ninguna barrera de idioma,” escribió la administradora de emergencias Valerie MacDonald, “ya sea en español, en portugués, en alemán o cualquiera de los otros 97 idiomas.” Los usuarios necesitarán descargar la aplicación
“El invierno es la mejor temporada para evaluar el gas de su hogar", anunció Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER), en asociación con Garfield County Environmental Health para distribuir equipos de evaluación. Haga una parada en las oficinas de CLEER en Third Street Center (Habitación 7) durante horas de trabajo y recoja la suya. Radón es un gas radiactivo que causa cáncer que entra a los hogares a través del suelo. De acuerdo con el departamento de salud, el 40% de los hogares en el condado han pasado el límite de EPA. Para más información, llame al 970-665-6383.
El colegio de artes y ciencias de la universidad de Colorado Boulder escribió para felicitar a los 19 estudiantes de licenciatura de Carbondale con un promedio de calificación de 3.75 o más alto. ¡Bien hecho, Richard Argueta, Topher Blachly, Grady Burger, George Cathers, Caitlin Coon, Odalys Cruz Bonilla, Jolie Derosa, Lily Gillis, Matty Gillis, Judith Gonzalez, Makenzie Maker, Lily Mcallister, Allie Meisler, Mia Olson, Grace Palomino, Lucas Velasquez, Maya Wexler, Francesca Williams and Daniel Yoshimura!
Roaring Fork Volunteers invita a los artistas locales a diseñar su proyecto de la temporada 2023. El diseño gráfico debe encajar bien en un cartel, calcomanías y folletos y el ganador recibirá $500 incluyendo mercancía. Las personas interesadas están invitadas a hacer su entrega de ideas y muestras de trabajo a Sara Gilberston a sgilbertson@frov.org antes del 10 de febrero.
Sealed bids for the construction of the Crystal River Restoration and Weaver Ditch Efficiency Project will be received from interested Bidders by The Town of Carbondale (“OWNER”) at Town Hall, 511 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO 81623, until 5:00 PM on Friday, February 24, 2023, at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read.
The project consists of approximately 1,500 lineal feet of improvements which include in channel river restoration, bank stabilization, upland riparian rehabilitation, community gathering area, and river access. See the Bidding Documents for more information about the project.
Bids will be received for a single prime Contract. Bids shall be on a unit price basis as indicated in the Bid Form. Bidding Documents will be provided to prospective Bidders as electronic PDF files located at the link below.
The Issuing Office is the Town of Carbondale, Public Works Department (511 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO 81623). Bidding Documents will be issued as electronic portable document format (PDF) files at no charge through the Engineer’s office. Prospective bidders should email ( crystal.bid@riverrestoration.org ) or call ( 970-947-9568 ) the Engineer’s office and request an electronic copy of the Bidding Documents. Alternatively, printed Bidding Documents may be obtained from the Engineer’s office (818 Industry Place Carbondale, CO 81623) via in-person pick-up, for a non-refundable charge of $125 per set, cash or check only. Checks for Bidding Documents shall be payable to RiverRestoration The date that the Bidding Documents are transmitted by the Issuing Office will be considered the date of receipt of the Bidding Documents. Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuing office. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office.
A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be scheduled on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 1:00 PM at the intersection of Crystal Bridge Drive and Sebree Place in River Valley Ranch (parking is limited) in Carbondale, CO. Contractors should notify the Engineer via email (crystal.bid@riverrestoration.org ) if they plan to attend the prebid conference.
Questions regarding the plans and documents will be taken via email until Friday, February 17, 2023, at 5:00 PM. Questions should be directed to the Engineer’s office (crystal.bid@riverrestoration.org ). Answered questions will be sent out to plan holders no later than Monday, February 20, 2023, at 5:00 pm. A 5% bid security shall be furnished in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. Bidders shall submit proof of qualifications to perform the Work as described in the Instructions to Bidders. The start of construction is contingent on an extension of USACE CWA Section 404 Permit SPK-2021-00257 and awarding of upcoming grants. Both are expected to be resolved by April 1, 2023.
Note that the Town of Carbondale reserves the right to decide to not enter into a contract with any bidder.
By Myki Jones Sopris Sun Correspondent
The Colorado Mountain College (CMC) Board of Trustees met Dec. 12-13 in Glenwood Springs. Among the topics of discussion was a request from the Moffat County Affiliated Junior College District Board to conduct a study regarding the feasibility of Moffat County's annexation into the CMC district. After completion of this feasibility study, CMC will decide whether to put the annexation to vote.
Only the communities of Salida and Poncha Springs have successfully joined the Colorado Mountain College district in recent years. In order for Moffat County to be approved for annexation, the majority of electors in both the CMC district and the Moffat County Affiliated Junior College District will have to vote in favor, a process which may take several years.
Matt Gianneschi, CMC’s chief operating officer and chief of staff, sat down with The Sopris Sun to discuss the possibility.
"CMC's mission at the end of the day is to provide education and training to our local communities to provide graduates in the workforce here … We've trained firefighters, police officers, teachers and nurses. The way we view the college's role in our communities is: we're a part of making the communities work. We can create and train the people that make our communities safe and healthy and provide the services that are hard to provide in rural communities in many cases. We take that mission very seriously," he stated.
Gianneschi continued by saying that CMC is always looking for ways to continue to benefit those who live and work in the area. This is accomplished by asking questions related to how decisions are made around CMC’s budget and assets, including how possibly annexing a new community into the district would be of benefit.
According to Gianneschi, at this point, it is uncertain how the potential addition of Moffat County in the district will affect its taxpayers.
"[The taxes] could go up or go down
or stay the same,” he explained. “I would say they don't impact the taxpayer, but it does potentially impact the college itself. Because as we see populations change, such as a lot of growth in a particular area, we may need to invest in resources to support the students in that particular community. The taxpayers aren't going to feel things differently right away, but they may depending on which communities are in the region," he said.
He continued explaining that, from an operations perspective, the effects on taxpayers are not something the district can predict. He cited the feasibility study of Salida when it entered the district, including information regarding projected forecasts of population changes.
The trustees also voted to adjust the college's mill levy by roughly 1.8% to maintain tax revenue that would have been lost due to changes in statewide property tax assessment rates enacted by recent legislation relating to Senate Bill 21-293, which will take effect later this year. The bill reduces statewide property tax assessment for residential, renewable energy, agricultural properties and neutralization. The vote was placed to make up the difference while maintaining stable revenue for CMC.
Announced in January, the Board of Trustees also voted unanimously to raise in-district tuition $5 per credit hour from $95 to $100. In-state rates will increase $5 per credit hour, from $195 to $200 while the non-resident rates will increase $30 per credit hour from $480 to $510. “These rates will go in effect beginning with the fall 2023 semester,” explained a press release. Food service rates at residence halls in Leadville, Spring Valley and Steamboat Springs will also increase by $200 per semester due to increased food costs.
More updates regarding the potential annexation of Moffat County into the CMC district will be available at a later date as the feasibility study runs its course. Until then, all the agendas and minutes of Board of Trustees meetings are available and open to the public on the CMC website. For any updates or more information regarding this process, visit www.coloradomtn.edu
By Will Buzzerd Sopris Sun Correspondent
Early in January, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded two Colorado-based small businesses $100,000 each in a series of nationwide awards to support research into technologies for improving the environment. Sporian Microsystems Inc. of Lafayette and J-Tech LLC of Lakewood were among 25 small businesses to receive a grant through the EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
Both front-range businesses are being funded for the development of novel technologies. More specifically, Sporian Microsystems will be using the award to research and develop an affordable highspeed imaging system for identifying microplastics in the environment.
Microplastics are any pieces of plastic debris that are smaller than five millimeters. They exist in two categories. Primary microplastics are particles specifically made small for their commercial purpose, either as microbeads in cosmetics or microscopic threads shed from fishing nets. Secondary microplastics, on the other hand, are particles that result from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic, like a plastic bag or soda bottle.
The main issue with microplastics — beyond that their size makes collection extremely difficult — is that they are highly persistent, meaning that they can remain in the environment for centuries.
A plastic grocery bag, for example, is estimated to take nearly 1,000 years to degrade in a landfill and still may leave behind harmful chemicals once that process is complete.
Another issue is that microplastics appear in places that one might think unspoiled. Last year, researchers from Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands found microplastics being deposited in the snowpack of the Alps, in areas only accessible by foot and with strict laws concerning plastic usage. The study, conducted at the Austrian Sonnblick Observatory (at an altitude of 10,190 feet), found that plastics were being deposited at a rate of 42 kilograms per square kilometer, showing that they are windborne and can reach even high, seemingly inaccessible places. Likewise, a U.S. Geological Survey study published last year — initially undertaken to identify atmospheric dust in Colorado snowpack — found microplastics in all 38 samples taken in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Microplastics are also difficult to properly identify. They come in various sizes, shapes and compositions, so single methods of identification, such as through microscopes or chemical analysis, can be inaccurate, and identification using two or more methods is time consuming. With EPA funding, Sporian Systems hopes to develop an efficient identification process, such that researchers can better understand how microplastics are affecting our environment.
J-Tech LLC, on the other hand, will use the award to develop a chemicalfree process for the disinfection of wastewater in septic tanks. The process will use microbes and electricity to create non-potable water for purposes like irrigation, ideally allowing onsite disinfection and eliminating the need to transport wastewater to a treatment plant. This can be particularly advantageous to communities in Colorado not tied into municipal water systems, preventing costly truck transportation of septic tank contents to larger treatment sites.
In a pamphlet by the EPA, septic systems were recognized as a major source of groundwater contamination, primarily by releasing excessive quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus out of the tank and into the ecosystem. These two chemicals, while essential nutrients for plants, can have negative effects in high concentrations, such as causing blooms of harmful algae. These nutrients are small and difficult to filter, so introducing nitrogen and phosphorus digesting microbes is an effective technology verified by the EPA to protect groundwater. Theoretically, J-Tech’s technology will not only reduce the cost of septic tank decontamination, but also protect local waterways once fully developed.
The EPA’s program funded both these small businesses for a six-month Phase I stage. At this time, they will develop a proof of concept for their proposed technologies. Should both
Though some newer plastics are compostable, older plastics persist everywhere in our environment.
J-Tech and Sporian Microsystems complete this phase, they can apply for $400,000 of Phase II funding, which will be used to develop and commercialize their technologies.
In total, the EPA awarded nearly $2.5 million nationwide to support the innovation of environmentally friendly technology by American small businesses, ranging from reducing food waste, improving recycling and detecting pollutants in our environment. With any luck, these technologies will be used to preserve our mountain ecosystem in the near future.
Whether colonizer or colonized, oppressor or oppressed, we all are wounded from the illusion of separation between Mother Earth, ourselves and each other. Indigenous peoples who live in tribes connected with their roots are perhaps closer than the rest of us to our Mother.
Woody Morrison, a Haida elder who passed away in 2021, wrote that, like schools of fish and flocks of birds can change direction instantaneously without orders, indigenous peoples learn to become alike, as one common mind to benefit the whole. Some tribes speak of the Great Hoop or Sacred Hoop containing all of creation.
Me? I feel all kinds of split and brokenness everyday from raising my sons without a village — I’m indigenous-Peruvian, Castilian, Basque, born and raised in Taos, New Mexico, and recently moved to Carbondale. I don’t know where home is; I don’t know how to come home.
“We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send greetings and thanks. Now our [heart-]minds are one.” -Thanksgiving Address, The Tracking Project (The original phrase, “Now our minds are one,” was changed to “heart-minds” as suggested by Rita Marsh who we will meet shortly.)
Nine of us gathered, our bulky coats shuffling as we passed around a much-revered booklet and flashlight to help us speak these prayers of thanks-giving to the darkness. Moonlight seeps through the spaces between logs and I'm shivering, despite being bundled.
Ross Douglass' simple, handmade hogan pulses with primal energy. A peaceful synergy arises around our feet as Mother Earth receives our prayers. Finally, the fire is lit. We pass around sticks of palo santo and braids of sweetgrass to smudge ourselves; I'm aware of my bond to the others in the circle deepening.
Warming up, I awaken to the purpose for this ceremony. It has something to do with a promise made 13 years ago, at a gathering of indigenous leaders. Little by little, I learn that my new friends in the hogan and others not present at this nearSolstice full moon ceremony return to the fire monthly, in homage to these valleys, Mother Earth
and the Ute people. One participant observes this is the 13th moon in the 13th year of the tradition. Beth White acknowledges the divine timing and says someone should write about it. I volunteer.
Later, I learn these ceremonies began in 2009, when a Taíno man from Puerto Rico, Ramón Nenadich, called together indigenous leaders from all parts of the Western Hemisphere to arrive in Carbondale for the XI Indigenous Gathering of the Americas.
My inquiries lead me to Will Evans, a key participant, who remembers the reason for the gathering. The question on the hearts and minds of Nenadich and others was whether they could forgive Columbus. On the phone together, we feel the heaviness. We feel the deep need for respectful remembrance.
The late Clifford Duncan, a Northern Ute elder, opened the gathering on the behalf of the Ute Nation with a welcoming prayer and explanation of the Doctrine of Discovery. These papal bulls issued by the Vatican deemed indigenous peoples to be inferior because of their non-Christian beliefs and thus encouraged monarchies to take away their lands and sovereignty. Nenadich “called for forgiveness and all good people to get on the train of salvation,” while Duncan signaled he was not ready to forgive “because no apology has been made.” The council was divided.
Deanna Jeanne wrote of the gathering in a 2009 issue of Sacred Fire Magazine, “this time is a pivotal moment in our history, and our lives have the chance to change forever. It is said that ghosts of the past will be released and the spirit of Columbus will be free, which brings the indigenous and non-indigenous to peace.”
Some wounds were as raw then as they are today. Rita Marsh, a local advocate for indigenous rights, spoke to me from her place of connection to Duncan’s spirit about the importance of keeping a ceremonial fire burning. For Marsh, coming to the fire is a celebration of indigenous peoples’ sacred connection to the land which has inspired her own relationships. She hopes the Ute can come home to the Roaring Fork Valley soon.
While writing this article, I returned to my old home. Grief for the genocide that occurred in northern New Mexico is familiar to me, but I am not at ease with it. In Carbondale, I feel like an outsider and an imposter, learning about the forced removal of indigenous peoples to make way for white settlements that are not my roots.
When I arrived at my mother's house and unexpectedly found an envelope of my brother's at the computer written out to “William&Marjorie Nennadich,” I knew my ancestors guided me here. They tell me to take the ceremonial Peruvian cacao of my father's lineage and sprinkle some on each tree
that my brother has planted. I ponder who belonged to this land my family home is on before it became San Cristobal, New Mexico. I wonder what my place is as part-indigenous, part-colonizer. How can I help heal the wounds between peoples of the world and Mother Earth when my own are still bleeding?
Later, while drinking tea from our alfalfa fields at my mother's kitchen table, I’m reminded of the power of story. My dear friend, visiting on a curanderismo quest with my brother, tells me about the Ute people. With sparkles in her eyes and strength in her voice, she tells of how they honor the feminine with their annual Bear Dance. A matriarchal moment, each woman chooses the man with whom they wish to partner.
My blood cleansed by the alfalfa, my heart pouring love for these people and their part in the Hoop; I feel somewhat less troubled. The words of White, Evans and Marsh return to me and I understand why they circle around the sacred fire each month: to acknowledge the pain that hums deep in our Mother Earth, to celebrate indigenous peoples' wisdom, and to light the way for us to do our part respectfully mending the Hoop.
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
a humble prayer by Cool Breeze
my gifts, in service to community... this I pray
honoring the goddess with valor... this I pray
empowering love, nourishing life... communion with the sacred...
for health, eros, purpose & joy
home, travel, sport, creative living, holistic loving, & family
seasons of connection, & otherworldly dreams... this I pray
continued from page 2 its milestone 200 millionth shoebox, which was packed on a country-wide tour and then hand-delivered to a young girl in Ukraine.
Across Colorado, shoebox packers often shop for deals on shoebox items throughout the year, and many serve at a deeper level by becoming a year-round volunteer. Information about ways area participants can get involved year-round can also be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ or by calling 303-745-9179.
Although local drop-off locations for gifts are closed until Nov. 13–20, 2023, anyone can still be a part of this life-changing project by conveniently packing a shoebox gift online in just a few simple clicks at samaritanspurse.org/buildonline
These simple gifts, packed with love, send a message to children worldwide that they are loved and not forgotten.
Lizette Miller Boone, North CarolinaLetter policy: The Sopris Sun welcomes local letters to the editor. Letters of 500 words or less stand a better chance of being printed.
Letters exclusive to The Sopris Sun (not appearing in other papers) are particularly welcome. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and content. Please include your name and place of residence. Letters are due to news@soprissun.com by noon on the Monday before we go to print.
continued from page 4
“It's something that we're working on. I think having an investment, from each of those municipalities and the counties, as well, in expanding our school resource officer support would make a huge difference.”
Riverview was one of the four schools that went on lockdown last week. “That would have never happened, because that school resource officer would have been physically on site,” he explained.
Rodríguez and his family are literally learning the lay of the land in the Valley and have enjoyed biking the Rio Grande Trail. They picked apples at an apple orchard — a first for both Rodríguez and his son — and made apple pie with the fruits of their labor; they visited an alpaca farm and his son learned where eggs come from during a visit to Rock Bottom Ranch.
Every effort is made to attend Carbondale’s First Friday events, adding “we've gotten to a lot of really good ones and we were there when the lights turned on [the Christmas tree] and my son got to meet Santa Claus,” Rodríguez said with a beaming smile.
In closing, Rodríguez, a proud papa, shared, “We do love it here. My son loves his school. He loves going to school and loves being picked up and telling us about his day. I'm very proud that my son gets to go to one of our schools and experience the programming that we offer to all families in our Valley as a public education system.”
The Town of Carbondale is accepting bids from local qualified contractors to perform work on the 2023 Chip Seal program. Sealed bids will be received until 11:00 am February 20, 2023, by the Town of Carbondale, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado 81623, at which time the bids will be opened and read aloud Specifications and contract documents can be found on the Town of Carbondale website, or at Town Hall.
Work on this project cannot begin prior to May 15, 2023, and must be complete by June 30, 2023. No chip seal work will be allowed on Tuesdays as Tuesdays are residential trash and recycling collection days and all roads being chip sealed this year are residential in nature.
The Chip Seal Program consists of applying asphaltic binder and aggregate meeting CDOT No. 8 specifications on approximately 56,767 square yards of street surface. All work shall meet, at a minimum, the Town of Carbondale Chip Seal Surfacing Specifications. A list of the streets scheduled to be chip sealed are included (see Street Listing). The Town has a limited budget for the 2023 Chip Seal program and therefore reserves the right to adjust the quantities to fit within the financial limits of the program based on the bids received. The listed square yard measurements are estimates for bidding purposes only and the final square yardage will be determined at the end of the project.
The successful bidder will be expected to enter into an Agreement for Professional Services with the Town. Bids shall be submitted on the bid form attached to the request for proposals.
After reviewing safety measures (buddy up!), the Colorado Coalition of Paranormal Investigators (www.coloparanormal. com) guided participants through a mock investigation at the Carbondale Library. Sara Malloy (above) and her daughter, Camille, took home the raffle prize and attended nearly every session. Camille reported feeling “more confident” after reviewing the evidence and was glad for the opportunity to meet real ghost hunters. Photos by Raleigh Burleigh
For more information contact Todd Chamberlin adsales@soprissun.com or 970-510-0246
