Booted and spurred

less, and wildlife was free to roam the empty parks. Water was cleaner and clearer, and people were spending less of their quality time in their cars. Hey, if this is what it takes to stop mass shootings, maybe we’d better give permanent stay-at-home orders some consideration, amiright? But we are seeing real social consequences of not bumping into each other for all that time. Without physical interaction, it seems we lost the ability to put ourselves in another’s boots. We are hugging on the sidewalk less and fighting at the dog park more. The dog park on a crowded afternoon is to dogs what happy hour was to us pre-pandemic. Remember when everyone was so excited to see each other that we never wanted to leave? And getting the gang together on Zoom is not the same. The energy can’t move and shift through the screen, plus there is no way to sense (smell) the mood in the air. Maybe we should take a cue from our canine friends and realize that we too need actual interaction to stay connected. I think we humans get carried away sometimes, and with the best of intentions we of taxpayer dollars.

High Rockies Harm Reduction does much more than just give out free needles. We train hundreds all over the state on how to use Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses. We give out free Narcan, fentanyl test strips, condoms and more. We collect syringes from folks who require regular injections for a variety of reasons and reduce biohazard debris.

But the number one thing we do is build relationships, because that's what it's going to take to end the addiction crisis. No one program or building can do it, we all must work together from a place of compassion and be willing to learn more about what works for people with different cultural backgrounds than our own.

If you aren’t affected by addiction issues in your life somehow, that’s fantastic, but we need to uphold the voices of those most affected by these issues in determining the most effective strategies to combat them.

The CDC and CDPHE recommend that communities implement syringe service programs as an evidence-based approach to mitigate opioid addiction and overdose.

In 2020, the Garfield County Commissioners, as our Public Health Board, agreed to defer to the expertise of professionals in matters of public health, as this is not their background. At the Feb. 6 commissioner meeting, public health experts from Eagle and Garfield counties presented on the plan to expand harm reduction programming in our region, as funds have already been committed to this.

Syringe services have existed, on a small scale, in Garfield County since 2021. For more information and a service schedule, visit www.highrockiesharmreduction.com alienate ourselves and each other. By crossing the street to give everyone six feet of personal space and masking up in public, we’ve created a lot of isolation and fear, and often now our conversations begin with anger and distrust.

“Do you think it’s the hat? … A lot of people hate this hat. It angers a lot of people, just the sight of it.” -Uncle Buck.

So, what can we take from this viral lesson? We’ve been there, done that, survived the worst. Now what?

As I look around at our postpandemic world, I see Hunger Games in Congress, and war balloons for profit, billionaires with no more imagination than club level seats and an obvious lack of empathy. We’ve returned to our regularly scheduled program of road rage, school lockdowns and prescription drug (vaccination) commercials for days. Our immune systems are inundated, our stresses trigger-happy, we’re booted and spurred and ready to kick some ass at the dog park — even though our dogs get along. Surely there is more to this human story.

Stay tuned…

Whether harm reduction is an effective method of combating addiction issues is not a matter of opinion, it's a matter of public health, and it's a FACT that syringe services save lives and reduce drug use and its negative consequences.

Maggie Seldeen, High Rockies Harm Reduction

KDNK4lynn

KDNK4lynn@gmail.com is ready for your KDNK-related memories, which I plan to use for Sopris Sun columns about the station in this, its 40th year.

Working themes include: names of shows, great moments in KDNK history, anecdotes, observations and anything else that might fit.

Several KDNKers have already sent me stuff, including Keith Edquist, who was an original volunteer DJ (“Old and In the Way”), and trained under the tutelage of the late Brad Hendicks, who told Keith that a gorilla could work the control board. “I took that to mean I’d do fine,” he told me.

Terri Ritchie was production manager at the Aspen Daily News early in KDNK’s life, and the crew used to listen to “Cowboy Randy” on Friday mornings, with “X-Actos and wax a flyin’.”

One Thanksgiving, Jane Bachrach and myself (the “Jake and Jane Show”) demonstrated and explained how to carve an actual turkey on air. We also did a segment called “Live from the Free Box” wherein Jane would lug clothes and other odd objects into the studio from the station entrance, and I’d describe them, or speculate what their use might be. (Word continued on page 18

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Hunting season

The primary draw application for a Colorado big game hunting license is open through April 4 at 8pm. Hunters are encouraged to apply early to avoid complications or delays. Find all of the details at cpw.state.co.us/bg/hunting

Sisu results

The 31st annual Ski for Sisu at Spring Gulch raised a record $23,660 for the Mount Sopris Nordic Council! Dave Kodama skied the furthest at 262.5 kilometers over the course of nine days, followed by Corbin Carpenter at 241 and Zachary Russell at 200. Susy Ellison was at the top of the women’s division with 167.85 kilometers, followed by Megan Passmore at 155 and Laurie Stone at 105.5. Kian Sullivan won the youth division with 71 kilometers, Burton Smith skied 32 and Atlin Mason 25.

Elder care

Mike Jones is a parent first, but also a former chief executive officer of MySpace and an early advisor to some of the prominent social media platforms we know today. The evening of Monday, Feb. 27, Jones gave an eye-opening presentation at the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork to fellow parents about the realities of social media consumption and its effects, particularly for school-aged children. On top of providing an abundance of insight about the industry, he said that parents can delay their child’s use as long as they can, but ultimately their exposure to social media is inevitable and therefore it’s important to teach them proper “hygiene,” for when that time comes. Photo by James Steindler

RJ Paddywacks

Cool Bricks Studio

White River Books

Alpine Animal Hospital

Novus Glass

Nonprofit 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

NextFifty Initiative, a Colorado nonprofit, is offering Flexible Support grants to organizations that serve older adults on a variety of topics, from combating ageism to independent living, access to care, healthy aging and more. Applications will be accepted through March 22. Potential applicants are asked to schedule a call with a program officer by emailing info@next50initiative.org or calling 303-547-1800.

Glenwood garage rental

The parking garage at Ninth and Cooper in Glenwood Springs is closed to the public through March 6 with Hotel Colorado guests renting the facility for $60,000 which the City will allocate toward $408,000 worth of “immediately necessary work including deck and drainage repairs” planned for completion this year. Alternate parking suggestions have been posted at cog.us/ ParkDowntown

Sweetwater Lake

Eagle Valley Land Trust, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the White River National Forest will host a virtual public meeting on March 6 to update the public on the Sweetwater Lake planning process and to receive feedback. The meeting begins at 6pm and Spanish interpretation will be available; register online at cpw. info/sweetwater-lake-public-meeting

SNOTEL tour

Roaring Fork Conservancy invites the public to learn more about how snowpack is measured with an event on March 16 from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Participants will carpool to McClure Pass then snowshoe to a SNOTEL site at the summit, learning along the way about snow science and spring runoff. Registration is due by 5pm on March 14 at www.roaringfork.org/ events

You prune

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, Colorado State University, UpRoot and Colorado Edible Forest are teaming up to offer a series of free fruit pruning workshops throughout the Valley beginning March 4 in Silt. Find the list at www.coloradoedibleforest.com/workshops

State support

The State of Colorado is now offering a digital tool called Aira to provide Coloradans who are blind or have low vision with live interpretation at no cost when navigating state-operated locations and digital services. Aira requires a smartphone or computer and sessions are limited to 30 minutes. Learn more at oit. colorado.gov/accessibility/aira

Allegations dismissed

The Secretary of State dismissed allegations of campaign finance violations against Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario on Feb. 22 “after an exhaustive and expensive investigation paid for by the taxpayers” according to the sheriff’s press release. The complaint was filed on Sept. 2, 2022 by a North Carolina political action committee in response to Vallario’s support of Lauren Boebert’s bid for re-election.

CARE has 10 dogs and 6 cats available for adoption.

Valley View Surgery Center

On March 1, Valley View hosted a grand opening for its new orthopedic surgery center in Basalt (1450 East Valley Road). As part of the Midvalley Medical Center, this amenity makes use of the Mako Robotic Arm and specializes in simple fractures, sports medicine, hand surgery, foot and ankle surgery and outpatient knee and hip joint replacements.

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Sean Jeffries (March 2); Barbe Chambliss and Bella Frisbie (March 3); Kurt Trede, Jr. (March 4); Matthew Bennett, Kelly Field, Amy Hadden Marsh and Meg Plumb (March 5); Gwen Garcelon and Bobby Mason (March 6); Carol Fabian and Diane Johnson (March 7); Greg Meredith, Gracie Oliphant, Karen Tafejian, Sidney Thomas and Jordan Tribble (March 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.

BIFF is almost 4 years old and is looking to be someone’s constant companion! He has lived with dogs, cats, and older children and he loves to cuddle and will climb right in your lap if you let him. He’s been great at doggy day care as well.

PADDYWACKS offers a “C.A.R.E. package” new adoptive families, for Points” plan and a time 15% discount Rd.

By Will Buzzerd Sopris Sun Correspondent

Feb. 21 marked the first of three weekly meetings for the Rural Action Project (RAP), an initiative spearheaded by Colorado State University (CSU) to foster community connection both within and between rural communities across the state. The project largely aims to provide an opportunity for community members to interact and share their experiences, thereby strengthening bonds with the goal of working together for community improvement.

Held in the Third Street Center auditorium, the local meetings are hosted by Roaring Fork Leadership (RFL) and call upon all members of the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys to sit at the same table — quite literally. After signing in, name tags and food are provided and participants are encouraged to select any open seat at various tables to eat with and get to know folks who might be complete strangers.

The first meeting required the completion of a small preassessment of one’s own opinions about their community’s health, along with a small discussion packet. All reading materials are available in both Spanish and English, in addition to live translation services.

The goal for the first meeting was to build connections and identify community assets — not bemoaning the tragic affairs of one’s rural environment, but fostering an awareness of its unique strengths and desirable qualities.

All the while, organizers from RFL insisted that, throughout the course of this meeting and the whole of the project, all participants should be learning first and foremost not just from the presenters, but from each other’s common experience.

At this meeting, community members from all walks were present — residents who have only recently moved to the Valley, lifers, young families, immigrants from overseas, members of nonprofits and business leaders. All commingled in one unique and welcoming environment.

However, in-person participants were not just with each other. The whole of the auditorium also participated in a joint zoom call with eight other regions across the state. People from Sedgewick, Logan, Morgan, Kit Carson, Cheyenne, Prowers and Huerfano counties, the San Luis Valley and the Roaring Fork Valley, all shared a table during these presentations and discussions.