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All smiles at 5Point Flagship Festival

Top-left: Artist and fly-fishing guide Rachel Finn exchanges a hug with program host Paddy O’Connell following the screening of "After You're Gone," her story of overcoming trauma.

Top-right: Festival guests Leo Smith (left) and Rob Cahill (right) both traveled far to attend opening night — all the way from England and Dallas, respectively. Cahill's film, "4DWN," had its world premier at 5Point.

Left: Executive Director Luis Yllanes and Stio Brand Director Liz Barrett proudly presented Kirk Horton with $15,000 as winner of the Adventure Filmmakers Pitch Event on Saturday. His project, "The Olde Men of the Mountain" is about the oldest running team in the United States, with the team's captain competing at the age of 103!

Bottom: Festivalgoers all enjoyed the weekend. Photos by Beth White

OPINION

Navigating the slow lane

identify problematic areas. By sharing your experiences, you can help make Carbondale a safer place for everyone.

Highway 133

Mature Content

By Nancy Roen

For the past three years, at one time or another, I have navigated our town with crutches, poles, stationary and wheeled walkers, and at best, with unsteady steps. Right now, a neck injury is making street crossings difficult, because I cannot look right or left without turning my whole body. But moving more slowly through the days, seasons, rhythms and vibes of our town has also provided unexpected pleasure. I have come to appreciate how mostly walkable and accessible Carbondale is and how helpful and considerate most people are. I’m also more aware of the few inconsiderate people and of what doesn’t work well.

Pedestrians are all around us, as are kids on striders, preschoolers bobbing and weaving while learning to ride, strollers, (usually) leashed dogs, skaters, skateboarders, whizzing cyclists and startled wildlife making their way across busy human thoroughfares. Safety is a dance requiring constant awareness from everyone, scanning the terrain for the unexpected, slowing and ceding to one another. Distraction and impatience often lead to serious consequences. Safety measures help, but understanding each other's needs and taking care of each other can keep us much safer. Any system works better when people use it considerately.

The Carbondale Age-Friendly Community Initiative (CAFCI) has evaluated safety hazards related to traffic and is beginning its "Dangerous 133?" campaign. This summer, CAFCI will be asking for community input to

LETTERS

Waving the red flag

I’m with the Republicans on this one: no need for a national “red flag” law. I don’t trust the government. But, unlike the Republicans, I don’t think these things should be left to the states either. As a poet, I try to see things from the long view, and, as seen from space, this is clearly a species-level problem.

Red flag laws empower officials to temporarily take guns away from any “individuals who show signs of being a threat to themselves or to others.” These words make a pretty good working definition of the history and current status of Homo sapiens sapiens. So, the only question becomes: who are the officials who collect the guns?

I suggest humanity turns over all its weapons to the trees, perhaps to sequoias or bristlecone pines. These organisms are long-lived, mentally stable and rarely, if ever, act impetuously. And, even if, like us, they become intoxicated

Traffic lights at crosswalks, especially flashing ones, are often either ignored or approached too quickly by vehicles. I once pushed the button for the northeast crosswalk at the roundabout and was about to step down when three motorcycles abreast roared through just to pull into the gas station.

Crosswalks on the northwest and northeast roundabout corners are particularly unsafe, because cars come into the curve too fast. Walking west across 133 does not allow one to see the second car and has led to close calls caused by unseen cars speeding through the crosswalk.

Northbound vehicles approaching the flashing light at Hendrick Drive move fast, making it risky for cyclists, children going home after games and dog walkers heading to and from the park.

The Village Road light does not allow enough time for crossing by pedestrians from the bus station, visitors with heavy suitcases and backpacks or cyclists on the Rio Grande Trail. That crossing is particularly dangerous for residents from Heritage Park Care Center, just a block away.

In short, Highway 133 as a whole needs rethinking. Using the dedicated sidewalk along one side and the trail on the other is unpleasant, even intimidating. Delivery vehicles come close to curbs and walkways and large, fast-moving vehicles spewing pollution, causing wind shear and creating an unpleasant din. We need a much lower speed limit and traffic-calming strategies to make that road safer.

Eighth and Main

Heavy traffic comes through this intersection and crossing on foot is perilous, because pedestrians depend on vehicles to yield. I’ve seen many close calls there and experienced one myself. All vehicles were stopped at the

by their own power, their lack of opposable thumbs provides a further safeguard.

Please contact your congressional representatives today and ask them to support my “Firearms to the Forest” initiative. It may be our last hope.

Tony Alcantara, Carbondale(ish)

Child care

Child care access continues to be an issue in the Roaring Fork Valley. I am fortunate to have spots for my children, but know so many families that struggle to find safe, reliable, quality child care in this community. Blue Lake and Little Blue Preschools are dedicated to making a difference for local families by expanding their programs in the community. Little Blue Preschool opened in 2015 and now seeks to expand and continue serving the families and kids in Carbondale. Unfortunately, they have come up against a number of

intersection as I started walking in the southwest crosswalk with my walker and small dog. As I reached the middle of the street, a car coming west drove straight through the lane, barely missing my dog and walker. This problem might be mitigated with a crossing signal.

Rio Grande Trail

The Rio Grande Trail poses particular challenges and dangers. All manner of vehicles from bicycles, e-bikes, skateboards, skaters, strollers and the like require pedestrians to be on high alert. Cyclists often go too fast, failing to announce until the last second, if at all. This is startling not only to pedestrians but also to dogs, who may bolt, become entangled in their leashes and cause accidents. Cyclists riding abreast while conversing are especially problematic. All this could be mitigated if cyclists traveled more slowly inside town limits. Traffic-calming devices could be used to encourage cyclists to slow down.

Although Carbondale is a fairly walkable town, it is not always safe for people dealing with physical injuries or impairments or who just walk more slowly. The Town has committed to increasing and enhancing non-motorized transport. Although improvements won't happen overnight, attending to the most dangerous crossings along Highway 133 would be a good first step. Highway 133 is supposed to be a medium-speed highway, and it cuts our town in two. If we gave up our obsession with fast-moving motor vehicles, Highway 133 could become a pleasant boulevard joining old to new.

Mature Content is a monthly feature from the Carbondale AARP AgeFriendly Community Initiative (CAFCI). This article kicks off the public input part of our “Dangerous 133?” campaign. Look for us all summer at public events beginning First Friday, May 5, and visit us at www. agefriendlycarbondale.org

hurdles during the rezoning process with the Town of Carbondale.

I am a parent of two children at Little Blue Preschool and I work three blocks away. Having the school located in the Town of Carbondale is the reason that I chose this school for my children. Not only is it near my work, but it is also within a community where they can walk to parks, go on walking field trips to local businesses and attractions, and be a part of the community they live in.

I grew up in the Roaring Fork Valley and have seen how the “urban sprawl” has changed our lifestyle. We get in the car to get groceries, go to eat, go to the bank, do practically anything. We go online to purchase clothing, schedule services, and conduct everyday chores. This is what has become normal instead of seeing a vibrant town center with people walking to parks, or going to an actual bank, going to the library, or to a

continued on page 14

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Share the Love

As part of the 2022 Subaru Share the Love Event, Phil Long Glenwood Springs Subaru donated $15,500 to River Bridge Regional Center. This is the second year in a row that River Bridge was selected for their impact. The aid will help over 250 children receive supportive services and was made in recognition of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Moving on

Roaring Fork Schools Chief Operating Officer Jeff Gatlin announced his resignation, after 10 years with the district, effective May 26. Gatlin has accepted a similar position with Jeffco Public Schools. “I’ll miss all the amazing people who work hard every day to ensure our students will thrive,” he wrote. The job will be posted immediately.

Land use changes

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

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Carbondale Arts

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Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner in 2023? Email Todd@ soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866

Garfield County has adopted new land use and development code text amendments to support housing availability. Among the changes, the maximum floor area of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is increased from 1,000 square feet to 1,200. Businesses with a lot size of one acre or more can now add ADUs as a use by right in the commercial general, commercial limited and industrial districts. Affordable unit developers are also eligible for waivers on traffic impact fees and building permits, and for incentives like density bonuses.

Meeting Place updates

The Meeting Place (981 Cowen Drive), providing peer support for overcoming addiction, now hosts Mindfulness in Recovery, led by John Bruna, in-person and online Tuesdays at 6pm. Overeaters Anonymous gathers on Wednesdays at 6pm. High Rockies Harm Reduction offers free fentanyl test strips, a syringe exchange, sterile using equipment and peer support at 4pm. Child care is also available for free during Saturday and Sunday morning meetings thanks to the SkiCo Caring for Community Fund. Learn more at www. meetingplacecarbondale.org

Health Fair

The Aspen Valley Hospital Health Fair is scheduled for June 1-4, with

The Carbondale Rotary Club awarded Thunder River Theatre Company (TRTC) with two checks totalling $13,954 to help pay for ADA-compliant dressing rooms for the Stage of Life Theatre Company, which recently relocated to the TRTC basement. The donation was made in honor of the late Wendy Moore, a past president of the club and Roaring Fork High School principal. Moore’s daughter and TRTC artistic director, Missy, received the check together with Executive Director Sean Jeffries. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

deeply discounted blood draws and testing. June 1-2 will occur in Aspen and June 3-4 will be hosted at the Eagle County Community Center in El Jebel. Participation is by appointment only, from 8 to 11:30am. Registration is open at aspenhospital.org/health-fair or by calling 800-217-5866.

Adopt-a-thon

Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE) is participating in the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” adoption event, May 1-15. This follows a whole month of half-price adoption fees at CARE. Learn more at www.coloradoanimalrescue.org/ adoptable-pets

Meeker Mustang Makeover

The Bureau of Land Management will host the Meeker Mustang Makeover this Friday, April 28, from noon to 7pm, and Saturday, from 8am to 3:30pm, at the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds. This year, 25 horse trainers will select their mustangs for the competition on Aug. 26 and a dozen other horses from the Piceance-East Douglas Management Area will be available for adoption by the public. Visit Meeker Mustang Makeover on Facebook for more info.

Aspen Words

The 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize was awarded to Jamil Jan Kochai for “The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories,” a collection of short stories about Afghanistan, Afghan Americans and state violence. “My entire life, I’d grown up with my family’s stories about this small village in Logar, Afghanistan,” Hotak wrote. “Many of these stories were joyous and beautiful, but just as often, they were immensely violent.” This summer, several hundred free copies of the book will be distributed in the Valley in conjunction with events hosted by Aspen Words and Pitkin County Library.

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Donni Cochran, Rachel Gillespie, Wewer Keohane, Sloan Shoemaker and April Spaulding (April 27); Wes Boyd, Julie DeVilbiss, Julia Morton and Judy Welch (April 28); Diana Sirko and Luis Yllanes (April 29); Thomas Cochran, Alexandra Jerkunica and Gretchen Stock-Bell (April 30); Pixie Byrne, Melanie Gianinetti Cardiff, Devika Gurung, Jeff Leahy, Ginny Parker and James and William Steindler (May 1); Sherry Caloia (May 2); Suzie Brady, Kathy Goudy, Maura Masters and Mary Matchael (May 3).

0 main s t r

, c arbondal

c o (c orn e r of main & w eant blvd )

Holy Cross rate restructuring sparks controversy

By Ken Pletcher Sopris Sun Correspondent

On March 1, Holy Cross Energy (HCE) informed its customers that the Glenwood Springs-based cooperative’s electricity-rate structure was being significantly modified. The first round of the new rates, which are to be rolled out over a period of three years, are set to take effect starting Sept. 1. In addition to an overall increase in rates, the rate structure itself is being overhauled, and this has generated opposition from advocates for residential and commercial rooftop solar-power generation.

The new plan

The most significant change involves the energy charge — until now a single item on electric bills — that henceforth will be split between the cost to HCE of the electricity itself and the “delivery charge” (i.e., the cost of the infrastructure needed to supply that power to its customers). Another major change will be the implementation of a “peak demand charge” for all customers (currently only being levied for large residential and large commercial customers); based on a formula derived from a measured power usage in a 15-minute period between 4 and 9pm sometime during the month, customers will be assessed $1.25 per kilowatt, increasing to $3.75 per kilowatt in 2025. One final rate change will be an increase in the flat-rate “membership fee” (formerly called the “customer charge”), which covers HCE’s “administration and overhead.” It will jump from $12 to $16 per month and increase to $25 monthly in 2025. One other billed item, the “WeCARE Fee,” designed to “fund energy efficiency and conservation measures as well as renewable energy generation,” will remain the same: 2% of the total electric bill.

Speaking with The Sopris Sun, Jenna Weatherred, HCE’s vice president for member and community relations, said, “The [HCE] board worked on [the rate restructuring] for quite a while, basing it on a model that was created in 2018 and updated yearly to determine a direct assignment of costs based upon

a member’s impact on the system.” She contended that separating the delivery charge from the energy charge was “a sound business practice in which we will charge and compensate all members the same amount for the energy they use or put back on the grid through net metering,” and stated that the intention of the rate restructure is to ask that each member pay only for the energy and parts of the system they use each month.

Among the reasons given by the co-op on its website for the new rate structure is that it “creates a more equitable cost allocation across our membership … allow[s] us to better manage the financial aspects of the transition to a clean energy future … [and allows HCE] to remain in the bottom 1/3 of utility rates in the state.”

Impact on customers

The new rate structure, regarding the energy cost component, will have a significant impact on HCE customers with smaller (generally, rooftop) solar installations. Until now, solar customers have been allowed to “bank” any excess generated electricity that is returned to the grid through a system called “net metering” (created by a 2008 state law): any surplus customer-generated power above what was received from the grid has been used to offset the energy charge, often resulting in no monthly charge. However, once the delivery charge is split off as a separate item, that cost will no longer be eligible for this credit and will have to be paid by the solar customer.

The state law, as well as federal tax credits, were enacted to encourage homeowners and businesses to make the significant investment in rooftop solar installations. They were offered the incentive of drastically reducing their electric bills and thus, over time, recouping that initial cost. But, as Rich Clubine, owner of solar installer Active Energies Solar in Avon, and Mike Kruger, president and CEO of the Denver-based solar advocacy organization Colorado Solar & Storage Association (COSSA) have pointed out, the added delivery charge (along with other rate hikes) could be a game changer for rooftop solar power. They believe this will end up being a

strong disincentive for adding solar installations in the future, and both are thus strong opponents of the HCE raterestructuring plan.

HCE has offered two options for reducing the delivery charge for solar customers for up to 10 years: either maintaining the combined energy and delivery charges on customers’ bills to continue receiving the full credit for energy generated, or receiving a onetime $250 rebate credit per installed kilowatt that can be applied to the delivery charge going forward. The offer, however, applies only to existing customers; any new solar projects that have not been approved for installation by Sept. 1 will not be eligible for the offer.

Clubine, whose company was the installer of solar systems during the Solarize Garfield County campaign in 2021, told The Sun, “I think they’re a great company, but this time I think they made a mistake.” He continued, “I think eventually we will get to a system like this [splitting the energy charge] but we need widespread solar panels and battery storage” before implementing such a plan.

He pointed out that by losing the full amount of the energy charge, customers contemplating installing a solar system would see the projected payback period for their investment go from between eight and 12 years to more like 22. Weatherred acknowledged that longer payback time but said that it could be reduced to about 14 to 15 years by adding battery storage, noting that HCE offers attractive incentives for bundling battery storage with a solar installation. Clubine and Weatherred both agree that battery storage is the wave of the future,

but the installation costs are still many additional thousands of dollars.

Clubine reiterated, “We have a great partnership with [HCE].” He continued, “I have built up my business and now have 30 employees with good paying jobs with great benefits,” with much of that work being in association with HCE. However, he warned, “If [HCE’s new rate plan] undercuts solar adoption, this could undercut companies like mine.” His belief is that the final, most difficult, 10% of what HCE needs for its goal to be 100% carbon-free by 2030 “has to be local [solar power].”

COSSA’s Kruger, while echoing the concerns Clubine has raised, also has focused on the legal aspects of HCE’s decision to separate energy and distribution charges, claiming to The Sun that, legally, HCE “can’t unbundle” the energy charge. In an email, he further discussed the state law and added, “HCE’s unbundling of its kWh energy rate has no practical or financial impact on any of its customers, except for those that are customer generators who take net energy metering service. As such, the rate is discriminatory and violates CRS 40-9.5-118(2)(c), which requires electric cooperatives to ‘provide net metering service at nondiscriminatory rates.’”

Detailed information on HCE’s proposed rate restructuring can be found on its website at www.holycross. com/rates (in English and Spanish), which includes instructions on how HCE members can write comments on the changes. Weatherred concluded, “I believe we got it right, and we want to hear from people if they disagree.” Written comments will be received through Monday, April 30.

Active Energies technicians installing solar panels on a ground array in September 2021. It was one of only two such installations built during the Solarize Garfield project, the rest being rooftop arrays. Photo by Paula Mayer

You may not bite the hand that feeds you, but wildlife might!

By Amy Hadden Marsh and Myki Jones Sopris Sun Correspondents

April in Colorado brings longer, warmer days, a hint of green to the landscape and a chance — between the occasional snow storm — to get outside and shake off some cabin fever. It’s also when local ungulates raise their young and venture into lower elevations to escape from snowier climes and feed on new plants. Bears come out of their dens, hungry and looking for food. And, as humans seek hiking or biking trails instead of ski slopes, opportunities for human-wildlife conflicts increase.

You may have heard about the mountain lion in Chaffee County that surprised two vacationers in a backyard hot tub one night in March. The man suffered minor injuries and the cat ran away after the couple raised a commotion. The vacationers did not purposely attract the lion but stories about the dangers of feeding or photographing wildlife during shoulder seasons abound.

wildlife managers.

As for non-bruin animals, like birds and ungulates, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) continues to advise locals and tourists not to approach or feed them.

According to Matt Yamashita, CPW Area Wildlife Manager for Glenwood Springs, one of the biggest misconceptions around humans feeding wildlife is that we think we are helping when we see an animal that looks sick or injured, especially around springtime when ungulates are shedding their winter coats and can look ragged or even sick.

“Their winter coats are fairly sleek and dense fur, and when they shed that it looks like chunks of them have fallen off. “[It] looks like they're wasting away to nothing,” he told The Sopris Sun.

Due to this common misconception, many offer food they feel will help the animals. Often, with deer specifically, the feed contains corn. Deer lack an enzyme that allows for the digestion of corn. “They cannot digest and utilize that as a food source,” explained Yamashita. “So when people do that, it makes the animal feel like they've consumed an entire meal but they can't turn it into energy so they'll starve to death with a full stomach.”

waterfowl. “[Scientists] assume it's kind of a mix of the waterfowl that are migrating or in our area,” she said. “They carry different viruses and can pass it on to domestic ducks.”

Smaller birds are not at risk if you keep your feeders clean. Harris emphasized that helping wild birds is all about education, from identifying bird species to religiously cleaning feeders to using the proper kind of seed. “If you feed birds, feed them healthy things,” she said. “The very best thing, if you only can do one thing, would be black sunflower seeds.”

Harris said that feeding wild birds is a little different than feeding other wild animals. “Birds are different because they migrate,” she explained. ”They need food sources and they're such a good learning tool if you're careful.”

Look for more on local deer, elk, bear and fish concerns in future stories.

The New York Post reported last October that a five-point bull elk attacked a crowd of tourists in Estes Park. The elk was stressed due to rutting season and trying to keep other bulls away from his harem. A photo of a deer with its head caught in a jack-olantern surfaced in Sky-Hi News in November. A shocker of a story emerged in May, 2021 when a black bear attacked, killed and ate part of a woman out walking her dogs near Durango. In 2009, a 74-yearold woman was killed after intentionally attracting bears to her Ouray home.

We’ve all heard stories of bears breaking into kitchens or strolling through living rooms but death by black bear is rare in our state. Out There Colorado reports that, over the last century, there were five fatal bear attacks in Colorado. In 2020, a third of the 4,943 interactions between bears and humans in the Centennial State were trash related.

Trash. It’s what’s for dinner…for unlucky bears. And, it’s all our fault. An unsecured dumpster or compost bin is one of the most common ways humans feed bears. So is leaving food in a tent while camping. Usually, the bears are relocated or, worse, killed by

Bridget O’Rourke, CPW Public Information Officer, agrees.“It's really important that wildlife stick to their natural habitat and that they find food which is going to be digestible,” she said.

Feeding wildlife also habituates animals to humans, meaning animals end up associating humans with food. Pet food and dirty grills on the deck, a box of peaches on the porch or unsecured compost bins and trash cans at the end of the driveway can spread disease among animals and attract predators to towns and neighborhoods. Yamashita pointed to the CPW website for resources on wildlife safety. One visit to www.cpw. state.co.us can educate and help ensure that humans and animals stay healthy.

He added that Avian Influenza has been running rampant in the U.S., especially in Colorado. “Bird feeders tend to concentrate birds and bring in multiple species in kind of unnatural congregations,” he said. “By concentrating birds around bird feeders, it may actually serve to propagate and host that kind of disease in greater numbers.”

Mary Harris, chair of Roaring Fork Audubon, agrees. “If you concentrate a lot of birds together and one of them has a virus, especially our house finches, then you will spread the virus,” she explained. But, she added that the latest Avian Influenza is affecting

A raccoon emerges from hiding. Photo by Amy Hadden Marsh

Mountain lion tracks in the snow.

Photo by Amy Hadden Marsh

A turkey family spotted near a Cattle Creek home. Photo by Amy Hadden Marsh

Valley digging groovy bop on Jazz Day

By Will Buzzerd Sopris Sun Correspondent

International Jazz Day is Sunday, April 30, and TACAW, Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) and the Glenwood Springs Arts Council (GSAC) will provide live music for all the Valley hepcats. TACAW and JAS will together host a full day of food and music at Willits, while GSAC plans a celebration at Bethel Plaza under the Grand Avenue Bridge in the afternoon.

In 2011, International Jazz Day was designated by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) “to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.” Jazz Day is chaired in-part by legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock and seeks to unite communities around the globe through the power of music — and, true to the spirit of the genre, performing simultaneously. Last year, Jazz

Day events took place in over 180 countries across the globe, and in 2023 the Roaring Fork Valley will be getting in on the festivities.

“Being able to present something downvalley with TACAW is a great opportunity and hopefully will allow us to reach a larger audience,” said JAS Senior Vice President Andrea Beard.

The events at TACAW represent JAS’s first International Jazz Day celebration and will be a mix of free and ticketed concerts throughout the day, starting with a ticketed Jazz Brunch 10am to 1pm. The brunch will feature a mix of live music and streamed performances, catered by Aspen-based company Epicure Catering.

After a brief break, some of the best young jazz performers in our corner of Colorado will play for the JAS Student Showcase. At 2pm, bands from Aspen, Roaring Fork, Glenwood Springs,

Rifle and Coal Ridge high schools will take to TACAW’s main stage for a free-to-thepublic performance. JAS has traditionally held the Student Showcase in the spring, but this time will include its talented young musicians in the main festivities.

To round out the evening, Sammy Miller and the Congregation, a New York City-based seven-piece band, will take the stage at 8pm for a seated set of soulful and upbeat music. Called “joyful jazz with lots of laughs and

Carbondale residents mark their historic homes

By James Steindler Contributing Editor

Perhaps you recall a Sopris Sun article that was printed at precisely this time last year, which is appropriate as this is a story of historical nature. The article, “Taking pride in history,” explained that, at the time, there was but one Carbondale resident who had a sign posted expounding upon the historical significance of her home.

As of now, nine others in Carbondale have joined her rank.

A year ago, CHPC began promoting the option for owners of historical structures of merit in

Perhaps wait a week to give the installers time, then take a stroll through Carbondale and you’ll spy signs at these historic homes:

Carbondale to have a sign installed in front of their home.

John Williams, a devout member of the Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission (CHPC), told The Sopris Sun that there’s been a positive response and that more people would like to have their homes marked. The good news for them is that it’s never too late.

Williams conceded that nearly every step the sign-committee took during this initial go-round was met with complication, but those speedbumps have been ironed out. For instance, it took a bit of back and forth to pin down a sign maker, but they got the cost down from nearly $100 to $45 per sign.

CHPC member Eric Doud is one of the nine people who recently obtained a sign. Doud lives at the “Old Red'' house, 710 Euclid Avenue, the legendary Mary Ferguson’s childhood home. Some may recognize Ferguson’s name because of the show she had on KDNK Community Access Radio, “This I Remember,” clips of which have been revived on the radio station’s airwaves as of late. The original archives are preserved by the Carbondale Historical Society, the successor of the Mt. Sopris Historical Society which was founded by Ferguson.

Doud has a sincere interest in Carbondale’s history, as is expected being a CHPC member, and has an interesting relationship with the Town himself. He began his life in Carbondale, but in the ‘50s his family was “starved out” because there was no work at the time for his dad, who had been a wrangler. Carbondale was always calling Doud back, however, so he returned for

theatricality” by the Los Angeles Times, and “brassy stomp your feet dance music” by the San Francisco Times, the Congregation has played with friends like Wynton Marsalis and OneRepublic, and performed everywhere from Newport Jazz Festival to the White House. They promise a high-energy, high-fun show designed, in their own words, “to put the generosity back into jazz and

bring art back to the people.” While The Congregation’s performance is ticketed, TACAW will live-stream International Jazz Day celebration shows from throughout the world for free. Weather permitting (if winter ever relinquishes the spotlight), live jazz will also be performed on TACAW’s outdoor stage. “With both free and ticketed events

continued on page 10

good less than a decade ago.

Doud added that the home was the first house on the block and was built so the daughters of the original owners, August and Anna Sumnicht, could be in town and closer to school. It started out as a two-room log cabin.

Later, the building was known as “the cat house,” Doud shared, as there were about 20 cats living there for a 20 year period. Ferguson’s son, Marvin, more widely known as “Fergie,” fed and cared for the cats during that time.

Doud happens to be an architect, and it’s clear as day that he cares about the

historical integrity of the home. While he began a remodel a few years ago, the inside of the home still holds true to its roots. Upon walking in the front door, one faces the original log wall.

“The old bones have real merit, and they can’t be replaced with modern construction. It wouldn’t have the same feel,” Doud said. “The people who lived here left an impression.”

Williams and Doud will personally install the nine signs at the homes, either on an existing wall or fence, or plant a

continued on page 22

(Left to right) John Willams, Kim Magee (along with her pups) and Eric Doud, members of CHPC’s sign committee, stand in front of Magee’s home at 162 South Fourth Street as Williams wields the sign that will be posted there. Heather Macdonald, not pictured, was also part of the committee. Photo by James Steindler

On April 30, International Jazz Day, TACAW will host Sammy Miller and the Congregation, an esteemed jazz group who have performed in venues from the Lincoln Center to the White House. Courtesy photo

Regional mycology club convenes in Carbondale

By Myki Jones Sopris Sun Correspondent

The Western Colorado Mycological Association (WCMA) will host its inaugural meeting in Carbondale at the Third Street Center at 7pm in the Calaway Room. The organization is a new branch of the Colorado Mycological Association, based in Denver, and focuses on educating people of all ages on all things fungi.

This meeting will act as a membership drive for the brand new 501(c)(3) nonprofit, where attendees can join the club for $30 or simply purchase a general entry ticket for $20 dollars. The three-hour event will include baked goods, mushroom drinks and a keynote presentation from Jeff Ravage, a practicing forest manager, naturalist, scientist and author. He will discuss how fungi can benefit Western Colorado's ecosystem and the possibilities of mycelium for fire mitigation.

“My talk will be on the concept of ‘coldfire,’ the fungal capacity to deconstruct wood and other organic compounds like fire, but without the potential dangers,” Ravage said. “I will give a good overview of our native forests, their current conditions and their projected course in the near future.”

He will also touch on other ways

that fungi can benefit society, such as their effects on soil health and the benefits for humans of consuming certain edible mushrooms. After his presentation, he will have a book signing for his most recent book, “The Green Evolution.”

Some of the benefits of becoming a member include, but are not limited to, professionally guided forays, expert talks, educational programs, networking and other community outreach events, as well as a raffle ticket and drink ticket at the first event.

WCMA’s mission statement, provided by WCMA President Hamilton Pevec, is to foster a community of individuals who share a passion for fungi and their essential place in nature, and to elevate mycology and provide resources in Western Colorado.

"Mushrooms are having a moment in our culture right now that doesn't seem to be going away," said Pevec. "It's lasted quite a few years now."

Another goal of this new organization is to demystify edible fungi and provide knowledge to decipher which mushrooms in the wild are poisonous and which are safe for consumption or medical use.

"We just want to build a community around mycology in the Valley and do outreach," Pevec

said. "We want to create a space for mycology to happen in Western Colorado. There aren't other Western Colorado mushroom clubs that exist, and our statewide mushroom club only operates on the Front Range. So we're trying to fill the gap that exists for us in the mountains."

He elaborated that the study and interest in fungi are for everyone, including children and families, experts and amateurs. He explained that while science has identified nearly all plant life on earth, only around 2% of the fungi in the world have been identified, leaving room for stigma and misconceptions about the mutualistic lifeform that WCMA is looking to break.

That sentiment is shared with fellow board members Gabriela Mejia and Matthew Mateo Rader of Toadstool Traditions, a local company based in Carbondale that sells edible mushrooms. Each member of the board, which also includes Jake Renner, is a longtime mycophiliac; they are often found foraging, researching and educating others on fungi.

"It feels good to branch out into other thought webs and ways we can improve our community and common spaces," Rader told The Sopris Sun.

"We're hoping, also, to gather the community,” Mejia continued. “Especially those that love mushrooms and are trying to get more into it. This is going to be a container for people to dive into more research and study."

Though membership is encouraged, monthly WCMA meetings will be open to the public. According to Pevec, the organization wants everyone to feel welcome to participate. "We are taking a play from the Colorado Mycological Society and opening up our meetings to the general public so that people can just see whether or not they want to participate," he said.

For WCMA's website, with a meeting and events schedule and other resources, visit wcmycoassociation.org

Art by Gabriela Mejia

on Short Term Rentals

heard! Weigh

High Country Sinfonia presents three free concerts, May 4 at 7pm at TACAW, May 6 at 7pm at the Carbondale Library and May 7 at 4pm at the Aspen Chapel, with selections from Chopin, Bach and Tchaikovsky. Courtesy photo

THURSDAY, APRIL 27

LIBRARIES CLOSED

All Garfield County Public Libraries are closed for a staff training day.

HOEDOWN AUCTION

An online auction benefiting the Carbondale and Aspen Community Schools opens today at 8am and runs through May 7. Visit www. familyhoedown.org to start bidding.

CRYSTAL RIVER SUMMIT

The Wild & Scenic Feasibility Collaborative convenes a community summit at the Marble Firehouse at 5pm to hear from stakeholders about their values related to the Crystal River. Sign up at www. bit.ly/CrystalRiverMtg

FINANCIAL WORKSHOP

Coventure hosts an in-person workshop, “Building Your Financial Runway,” from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Learn more by visiting www.coventure. io or calling 970-930-1223.

AUTISM FILM

Ascendigo Autism Services, Aspen Education Foundation and Aspen Family Connections partner to screen “In a Different Key,” an awardwinning film about embracing autism. The film will be screened for free at 6:30pm at the Aspen District Theater (in Aspen Elementary School). Take advantage of respite care for families of children with autism by contacting kaleb@cookinclusive.org

JUNE STAR

June Star performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

FRIDAY,

APRIL 28

ARBOR DAY

Botanist Sheehan Meaghar leads a walk to identify local edible and medicinal tree species through Colorado Mountain College from 2 to 4pm in Carbondale. Sign up at www.coloradomtn. edu/community-education

LEGENDARY

Basalt Library hosts its rescheduled “Legendary Library Party” at 5pm, complete with food trucks and live entertainment by the Tim Fox Jazz Quartet.

‘PRECIOUS AND ENDLESS’ VOICES presents an original theater production, “Precious and Endless,” at the Thunder River Theatre on April 28-29 at 6pm and April 30 at 3pm. The intergenerational ensemble features young performers enacting their elders’ stories. Tickets at www.voicesrfv.org

SHORTSFEST

Aspen Shortsfest will present its 2023 award winners at the Crystal Theatre tonight at 7pm, tomorrow at 5pm and Sunday at 4pm. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org

SWEET ROOT

Sweet Root, a local favorite, performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

HALEY HEYNDERICKX

Indie folk artists Haley Henderickx and LéPonds perform at TACAW at 8pm. Visit www.tacaw.org for more tickets and more info.

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

YOUTH ART EXPO

Aspen Art Museum hosts a day-long exhibition opening and party to celebrate its Youth Art Expo with over 1,000 pieces from students in thirteen local schools. Pancakes will be served from 11am to 2pm, with performances at noon and 3pm, Polaroid portraits by roller-skating photographers from noon to 4pm, hot chocolate from 2 to 6pm and interactive Soul Rhythm African Drumming from 4 to 6pm. Registration is requested at www.aspenartmuseum.org

350 PROTEST

Join 350 Roaring Fork protesting the potentially disastrous Uinta Basin Railway at Centennial Park in Glenwood Springs (Grand and Ninth) at noon.

FIFTH WORLD WORKSHOP

Journey into the Fifth World, beyond Western thought and culture, with a workshop from 9am to 3pm at True Nature. Details at www. truenaturehealingarts.com

HEALING WITH ANCESTORS

Carol Shure offers a Community Constellation workshop at the Third Street Center from 10am to 4pm. Register by emailing communityconstellation@gmail. com or calling 831-218-5770.

CHILDREN’S’ FILM FESTIVAL

Check out films from New York’s International Children's Film Festival at the Carbondale Library at 2pm. Visit www.gcpld.org for more info.

FLOWERS AND FIBERS

BOX ELEVEN and Marigold Livestock

Co. lead a natural dye and lambing workshop at Marigold Livestock’s farm outside of Basalt from 2 to 5pm. Visit www.box-eleven.com for more info.

RFMBA PARTY

Celebrate the beginning of mountain biking season with a film night and fundraiser party at the Third Street Center beginning at 5:30pm. Tickets at www.rfmba.org

POETRY SLAM

Adults are invited to the Silt Library for an authentic poetry slam at 2pm with prizes for first, second and third place performers. The event is free, but registration is required to have a turn on the mic. Call 970-876-5500 to register.

MYCOLOGICAL

The Western Colorado Mycological Association hosts its inaugural party and membership drive at the Third Street Center from 7 to 10pm. Scientist and author Jeff Ravage will be the keynote speaker. Find tickets at the door.

FOX AND FRIENDS

Tim Fox and other local jazz talents perform a special jam, bidding Fox farewell, at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Donations will be accepted.

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

SPRING AWAKENING

Nourished by Nature hosts “Womens’ Gathering: Spring Awakening” from 9:30 am to 3:30pm at Veltus Park in Glenwood Springs. Visit www.getnourishedbynature. com for more info.

PRENATAL�POSTPARTUM

True Nature hosts a prenatal/ postpartum wellness retreat with yoga, ritual and nutrition teachings from 10am to 4pm. Tickets at www. truenaturehealingarts.com

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY

Jazz Aspen Snowmass and TACAW celebrate International Jazz Day with brunch, catered by Epicure, from 10am to 1pm, followed by the JAS Student Showcase from 2 to 4pm (free) and Sammy Miller and the Congregation performing at 8pm. Other performances will be live streamed throughout the day, with outdoor performances dependent on weather. Tickets and more at www.tacaw.org

GLENWOOD JAZZ

The Glenwood Springs Arts Council throws its own International Jazz Day deliberation at Bethel Plaza (under the Grand Avenue Bridge) from 3 to 7pm.

POLKA TO POP

Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra presents “From Polka to Pop,” a free concert at the Third Street Center at 4pm.

MONDAY, MAY 1

EIA OPEN HOURS

English in Action invites English language learners to the Basalt Library, from 6 to 7:30pm, to practice with tutors.

TUESDAY, MAY 2

STATE OF THE ARTS

Carbondale Arts hosts a symposium at TACAW on the role and impact of arts in our region, from 9am to 5pm. The gathering will feature workshops, networking and opportunities to engage with Colorado Creative Industries, Colorado Business Committee on the Arts and local experts. Tickets at www. carbondalearts.com/events

RFOV

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers embraces spring with Red Hill work days, Tuesdays through May 16, from 4 to 8pm. Each session concludes with dinner and drinks. Register at www.rfov.org

MARIACHI 101

Denver-based Mariachi band, Mariachi Sol de mi Tierra, invites musicians of all levels to bring their instruments and learn some basics about Mariachi music, from 4 to 5pm at the Basalt Library, followed by a performance by the band.

STATE OF THE RIVER

The Colorado River District brings its “State of the River” meeting to the Glenwood Springs Community Center, beginning with dinner and networking at 5:30pm followed by presentations from 6 to 8pm. Tickets and more at www.coloradoriverdistrict.org

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3

BLOOD DRIVE

The Carbondale Recreation and Community Centers hosts the Vitalant Bloodmobile from 10:30am to 3pm. Register to give blood at www.vitalant.org

STEM AT THE LIBRARY

The Aspen Science Center invites youngsters to learn about the mysteries of color and light, how sound is made and more through fun experiments at the Carbondale Library at 3:30pm.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Coventure hosts an in-person workshop, “Purposeful Entrepreneurship,” from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Learn more by visiting www.coventure. io or calling 970-930-1223.

THURSDAY, MAY 4

DIA DEL NIÑO

Carbondale Library celebrates Dia del Niño (Children’s Day) with bilingual storytime and crafts for young children and their caregivers at 10:30am. More info at www.gcpld.org

CALLIGRAPHY CLASS

Carbondale Library hosts a calligraphy class and demonstration at 1:30pm. To register, call 970-986-2889.

BRIDGE AT THE LIBRARY

The Library Bridge Club meets at the Basalt Library at 4pm. All levels are welcome.

A GUT FEELING

Aspen Strong’s “Root Down to Rise Up” leads a discussion about caring for your gut and how it's connected to the brain at the Basalt Library at 5:30pm. Register at www. aspenstrong.org/event/a-gut-feeling

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY

In celebration of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, Glenwood Springs Library hosts artist Jo Jo Liu for a calligraphy class at 6pm.

CRYSTAL THEATRE

“Little Richard: I Am Everything” shows at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm.

FRIDAY, MAY 5

FREE BIKE LIGHTS

Carbondale’s Bike Pedestrian and Trails Commission will give away free bike lights to folks that show up with a bike at Fourth and Main during First Friday (while supplies last).

FAMILY AND PRIDE

The 11th Annual Family Block Party kicks off at Chacos Park, Fourth and Main Street in Carbondale, at 4pm. The Pride Parade will stage at Second and Main Street at 5:15pm, and begin the march down Main at 5:30pm. All are welcome.

FIREBALL DROP

The Carbondale Rotary Club celebrates Cinco de Mayo with its annual Fireball Drop fundraiser in Sopris Park. Some 1,000 ping pong balls will be dropped from a fire truck ladder at 5pm with a grand prize of $5,000 for whomever’s lands the closest to a central target. Donate at www.rotarycarbondale.org

CONSENSUAL IMPROV

Thunder River Theatre Company hosts Consensual Improv for a comedy show at 8pm. Tickets at www.thunderrivertheatre.com/

Friday, May 5,2023

Nostalgia and hope converge in new VOICES project

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

This weekend, April 28-30, audiences will have three opportunities to view the pilot production of a new flagship VOICES project, “Sage Voices: Precious and Endless.”

“Sage Voices” is the fourth in a rotation of spring and fall shows, each occurring every other year. Similar to “Nuestras Voces,” “Women's Voices” and “Queer Voices,” it is a piece of “devised” theater, drawing on the talents, creativity and experiences of its ensemble to invent a script around some concept. In this case, the concept is intergenerational story sharing.

The cast consists of 15 people, with elders ages 76 to 97 and youth ages 11 to 14, weaving together personal anecdotes of growing up, letting go and facing fears: “the moments that make up our lives,” as described by a press release. The show, it continues, “invites audiences to enter a timeless playscape where they can let their imagination wander.”

“It's been interesting working with these two different groups,” said Director Cassidy Willey. “I've worked with youth before, but this is the first time we've worked with sages specifically. The combination of the two has been really magic. It's fun to see where they relate to one another and where there are huge differences.”

The show was developed in three stages, beginning in February with exploratory art making, song writing, poetry and collaborative exercises. For Willey, that's “where people started to build relationships.” Of the stories shared, “Some developed into themes, others existed in that day and that moment.”

During the second stage, with meetings twice a week in March, themes were developed for a preview performed on March 22. Now the ensemble has a unified piece ready to be shared, with scenes from different storytellers flowing together. The ensemble also worked with singer-songwriter Jackson Emmer to produce original music with lyrics derived from a poetry workshop guided by playwright Kristin Carlson.

According to Willey, the youth have also stepped into leadership, many having learned the process and terminology for making theater through Stage of Life Theatre Company (SoL) programming, whereas some of the sages had never before participated in theater.

Among those youth, Vianne Camara, age 14, has worked with SoL for six years and aspires to be a professional actress. “I feel like this show is a good

way for the community to learn and grow from wisdom that is told from the youth and the sages,” she said. “It's about real life.”

Camara was paired with a Spanish-speaker elder, Maria Alicia Pastrana, which has connected her deeper to her own Mexican roots. Because their vignette is bilingual, Camara was motivated to run lines with her father who is from Mexico City.

For Willey, the bonding that occurs during rehearsals is among theater's greatest gifts. “There's a whole iceberg of stuff that doesn't make it on stage, but each moment and each part of that work together has informed how we relate to one another and the art that we do create and eventually share,” she said.

“Come to see the show,” Camara insisted. “If you enjoy it, try to do something with it. It doesn't have to be theater, it could be drawing or writing a poem, something to express your feelings, because the show inspires that a lot.”

Willey concluded. “I haven't seen anything like this before on stage, and so I'm really honored and thrilled to be a part of that.”

“Sage Voices: Precious and Endless” opens on Friday, April 28, at the Thunder River Theatre and continues on Saturday at 6pm. The Sunday show, April 30 is at 3pm. Tickets are available at www.voicesrfv.org

Rain or shine… or sleet or snow

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

Constantly changing spring weather has hardly slowed school athletics at Roaring Fork High School (RFHS). Admittedly, one girls soccer game against Basalt was twice postponed due to inclement weather, then ended in a tie on another snowy day! The rematch was fought on April 25 and won by Basalt, 4-3. The next RFHS home games for soccer are against Rifle on May 2 at 6pm and against Aspen on May 6 at 1pm.

Baseball, meanwhile, is ranking third in the 3A Western Slope league. Just before this edition of The Sopris Sun went to press on April 26, the team faced Basalt. Kent Denver will visit on April 28 to compete at 4pm, then another home game against Gunnison will occur on May 2 at 2pm.

Track and Field has already competed at most meets and now looks ahead to the league championships May 5-6 in Grand Junction. Junior Kyra Reeds has excelled at hurdles and is hoping to make it to state championships for the second year in a row, with an improved time over last year of 17.4 seconds for the 100-meter hurdles. “My inspiration is Lightning McQueen,” she told The Sopris Sun. “Faster than fast.” The top 18 athletes in each division for each event are invited to the state championships.

Lacrosse remains in second place for the 4A Mountain East league, one win away from tying Battle Mountain, after narrowly losing a match with Eagle Valley last Friday after previously defeating that team on April 7. The Rams defeated Steamboat Springs, 13-6, on April 25. The next home games are both non-league; the first against Thompson Valley on April 29 at 9am and the last against Telluride on May 5 at 5pm. They will again face their Aspen rivals on May 6 at 2:30pm, this time in Aspen.

Find stats, scores and upcoming game schedules for all these sports and more at www.maxpreps.com

Jazz Fests

continued from page 6

taking place throughout the day, with local and national talent, we invite everyone to come out and enjoy the music this Sunday!” said Beard.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the Valley, GSAC will host its own Jazz Day festivities from 3 to 7pm by the bridge at Bethel Plaza. Along with free live music from two local jazz groups, artists from the Glenwood Springs Art Guild will be working on a live painting. The Glenwood Springs Historical Society will join in to present the musical history of Glenwood Springs and surrounding area, and GSAC will present some of its own history. Food will not be provided at this event, but several downtown restaurants have an unobstructed view of the festivities.

“Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity and respect for human rights and human dignity,” UNESCO stated. Whether you’re into big New Orleans brass, cool late-night bop or groovy Latin fusion, all are invited to partake in this global celebration of one of the world’s most popular genres of music.

Vianne Camara is poised to bat, while Camille Moore (holding script) observes.

Photo by Jem Moore

Basalt’s Giselle Contreras-Andrade (2) raced RFHS’ Lexy Sanchez (9) for possession of the ball during their April 19 match which ended in a tie. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Kyra Reeds practices hurdles on a rainy afternoon.

Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

Sol del Valle

Siente la ferocidad

Por Hector Salas

The Sopris Sun

Las Roaring Divas, el feroz grupo de artistas drag del valle de Roaring Fork, se preparan para celebrar su primer aniversario el 30 de abril. Durante un año, han estado organizando, promocionando y deslumbrando a las audiencias con sus actuaciones alegres y empoderadoras, demostrando que el drag no es solo una forma de arte, sino una parte vital de la comunidad.

Bryan Alvarez-Terrazas se inspiró después de ver un episodio de "We're Here", donde los presentadores del programa llevaron el drag a Grand Junction, Colorado.

“Si ellos pueden hacer eso en Grand Junction, imagina lo que podemos hacer aquí”, dijo Bryan. “No necesitamos que nadie venga aquí y lo haga por nosotros. Podemos hacerlo nosotros mismos”.

Y así, con una visión y una determinación de hacerlo realidad, Bryan se propuso crear las Roaring Divas. Encontró artistas afines que compartían su pasión por el drag.

Las Roaring Divas fueron fundadas en parte por Zen Fatale y Zaddy Adams. Zen Fatale aportó una valiosa experiencia en la actuación de drag, mientras que la experiencia musical de Zaddy resultó ser un activo vital.

Bryan, que tiene amplia experiencia en actuación teatral y oratoria, actúa como Ramona Chingona, aportando su propio estilo y sello distintivo a la mezcla. Las Divas combinan sin problemas sus nichos musicales individuales. Las selecciones de sus canciones se eligen cuidadosamente para mostrar los diversos talentos de cada miembro, lo que resulta en una actuación verdaderamente inolvidable. Con cada miembro poseyendo un fondo artístico diferente, la primera actuación del grupo en el teatro TACAW el 30 de abril de 2022 fue simplemente espectacular.

La semana previa al espectáculo inaugural causó nervios. ¿Cuántas entradas habían vendido sólo una semana antes? Solo 37. Pero las Divas no se desanimaron. Estaban decididas a ofrecer un actuación espectacular, sin importar cuántas personas estuvieran en la audiencia. Y luego, el día antes del espectáculo, recibieron

una avalancha de mensajes directos de fanáticos que clamaban por más entradas. Bryan llamó a TACAW para preguntar si había algún problema que pudiera estar ocurriendo, y en su lugar se encontró con una sorpresa inesperada: el espectáculo estaba agotado.

Había una emoción eléctrica en el aire, una sensación palpable y contagiosa de alegría. “Hay algo en los espectáculos de drag, no puedo describirlo. El nivel de gritos es diferente a cualquier otro tipo de espectáculo. Hay tanta emoción, gritos y felicidad,” dijo Bryan.

“Fue muy reafirmante para nosotros terminar ese espectáculo y decir 'mierda, acabamos de hacer eso,’ dijo Bryan. “Mira lo especial que fue el evento para compartir con la comunidad. A partir de ese momento, sabíamos que estábamos haciendo algo bien, así que sigamos por este camino y veamos a dónde nos lleva.”

En el año transcurrido desde ese primer espectáculo, las Divas han seguido brillando, brindando visibilidad y alegría a la comunidad Queer del Valle de Roaring Fork. Durante años, el valle había carecido gravemente de visibilidad y representación Queer, con pocos eventos y celebraciones gay. Glenwood Springs, considerada a menudo una de las ciudades más progresistas del valle, tuvo su primer evento del orgullo apenas el año pasado. Las Divas ayudaron a cambiar todo eso, creando un espacio para que jóvenes y adultos Queer se vieran a sí mismos en una actuación y se sintieran orgullosos de quienes son.

"Quería empezar las Divas y hacer este trabajo porque nosotros creamos esas caras y estos momentos ahora. En última instancia, quiero convertirme en la persona que desee haber visto cuando crecía y darle esa oportunidad a otros", dijo Bryan.

A través del drag, las Divas han descubierto nuevos aspectos de sí mismas y han aprendido a abrazar su poder y fuerza interior. "Nunca me vi a mí mismo

Volumen 2, Número 9 | 27 de abril de 2023 - 3 de mayo de 2023

Conectando comunidades desde 2021

Bryan Alvarez-Terrazas se transforma en Ramona Chingona para una presentación de drag de las Roaring Divas en Bluebird Café en Glenwood Springs mientras lee un libro infantil sobre la aceptación. Foto de Kaleb Cook

Al No Artista

Como artistas tenemos una lista de personas que admiramos, nos inspiran y anhelamos llegar a su nivel de habilidad artística. Por igual, también tenemos una lista de personas que nos chocan, una frase muy mexicana para expresar desdén sin un motivo real. Quizá será envidia, pero son especialmente esas personas que han llegado a la fama y han sido aclamados como genios a costillas de otros que chocan aún más.

Mi lista no es muy larga, pero siento curiosidad cada vez que alguien provoca esa emoción en mi. Una de estas personas en mi lista es Andy Warhol. Un artista contemporáneo

La documentación de una vida cotidiana

mejor conocido por su contribución al movimiento artístico conocido como Pop Art, hoy en día es retratado como un icono cultural y uno de los genios artísticos del siglo XX.

Continuando mi exploración creativa, o falta de, es importante saber qué es aquello que me inspira y lo que me provoca aversión y el por qué. De antemano, sé que el movimiento Pop no está dentro de mis favoritos. Los artistas de este movimiento que comenzó en los años de 1950, se enfocaron mucho en colores chillantes y en la producción masiva de imágenes que comúnmente se veían en la publicidad y en libros de historietas.

Warhol inauguró lo que se llegó a conocer como, “The Factory”, la fábrica, en Nueva York en 1963. Un taller donde un equipo de asistentes creaban arte que él después firmaba. Como artista practicante, y como alguien que ha trabajado para instituciones de arte donde artistas famosos llegan y toman crédito por el trabajo de otros, esta práctica me causa cierto coraje.

Pero a pesar de mi

sentir, me di a la tarea de entender a este artista un poco más de lo que ya sabía superficialmente. En 1989, se publicó el libro, “Andy Warhol Diaries”- el diario de Andy Warhol. Este libro es una colección de memorias transcritas por su vieja amiga Patt Hackett que Warhol comenzó en 1968 después de casi morir tras ser disparado. La fragilidad de su mortalidad se convirtió en el tema que dominó el resto de su carrera. En 2022, Netflix lanzó una adaptación de este libro en formato de docuserie usando el libro como trama. No fueron necesariamente los acontecimientos de la vida de Warhol lo que se me hizo interesante, sino la práctica de coleccionar sus memorias, los detalles del día a día, las conversaciones que había tenido, a pesar de que fuera Hackett la que lo escribiera. Muchas de esas anotaciones, sino es que todas, tenían un tono monótono y muchas veces poco interesante. Nada comparado con los diarios de Frida Kahlo, llenos del drama de sus desamores

y tan pintorescos en sus palabras como en sus dibujos.

Pero no se trata de comparar. Desde el 2015 llevó la práctica de documentar mis días en un diario, algunas semanas más consistentes que otras, a veces un mes entero sin una sola palabra. Junto con mi bloqueo creativo, también he tenido dificultad para continuar esta práctica, algo que en momentos pasados me había traído mucho alivio. He caído en la rutina de escribir y no saber qué escribir o repetir el mismo problema una y otra vez a tal grado de marearme y enfadarme conmigo misma.

¿Para qué escribir si mis cuadernos no serán tan bellos como los de Kahlo? Y al contrario, caerán en la misma monotonía de Warhol.

Al seguir los consejos del libro por Julia Cameron, “El camino del artista”, una de sus primeras tareas son “The Morning Pages”, las páginas por la mañana. Cameron sugiere que escribas tres páginas a mano al momento de despertarte como un flujo de conciencia. No importa

la monotonía, la repetición, la falta de ortografía, que tan inteligente o absurdo sean tus pensamientos, solo escribirlos. La idea detrás de esta tarea es liberar lo que nos abrume para así dejar espacio para la creatividad.

El censor, esa vocecita en tu cabeza que criticas todo lo que haces, te dirá que lo estas haciendo mal. Es importante recordar que no todo lo que dice es cierto. La presión de hacerlo todo bien nos mantiene bloqueados. Retar al censor y continuar escribiendo es la práctica de anular toda la inseguridad que nos quiere imponer. La escritora Americana, Eudora Welty dijo, “los acontecimientos de nuestra vida suceden en una secuencia temporal, pero en su significado para nosotros mismos, encuentran su propio orden... el hilo continuo de la revelación”. Para mi sorpresa, de Warhol aprendí que hay cierta belleza en la documentación de la vida cotidiana, no solo eso, sino que dentro de lo monótono, una vida entera se descubrirá y tal vez también la creatividad.

Cada vez que usas tu tarjeta de débito Loyalty*, Alpine Bank dona diez centavos a las causas comunitarias que son importantes para ti.

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Por Vanessa Porras

Reseña literaria: ‘Desconcierto’

Por Juanma Martin Cespedes Sol Contribuyente

Si existen 300 trillones de estrellas y cada una es capaz de albergar un puñado de planetas, y de estos al menos unos pocos se encuentran en la zona habitable, ¿dónde están todos los otros seres que habitan el universo? Esto es lo que se conoce como la paradoja de Fermi.

Esta paradoja surgió en 1950 en medio de una conversación informal del físico Enrico Fermi con otros físicos de laboratorio: si hay tanto espacio ahí afuera, tantas posibilidades para que la vida prospere, ¿por qué no hemos encontrado señal alguna de ella en ninguna otra parte del cosmos?

“Desconcierto”, la nueva novela de Richard Powers, parte de esta premisa para sumergirnos en una descorazonadora historia sobre la paternidad, la crisis medioambiental y el activismo. Theo es un astrobiólogo, profesor de universidad que tiene que criar solo a su hijo de 9 años después de que su esposa Aly muere en un accidente de tráfico.

Theo hace malabares para compaginar su carrera académica con la crianza de su hijo Robbie. Robbie está en el espectro autista, pero a pesar de un rosario de problemas de comportamiento, Theo se resiste a medicarlo.

En un mundo en decadencia que se parece inquietantemente al nuestro, en medio de una brutal crisis política que socava las bases de la propia democracia, y otra ambiental que compromete la existencia de la vida misma en el planeta, Theo luchará para sacar a Robbie adelante sin renunciar a las convicciones y principios con los que él y su esposa muerta decidieron criarlo.

Cuando Robbie entra en una espiral de comportamientos antisociales en la escuela, y la

directora le exige a Theo que medique al niño, él acabará accediendo a someter a su hijo a una técnica experimental de estimulación cerebral. La técnica permite al paciente replicar determinados estados cerebrales a partir de la imagen de esos mismos estados en el cerebro de otro sujeto.

La vida y la personalidad de Robbie cambiarán radicalmente cuando mediante esta técnica sea expuesto a la imagen cerebral de Aly, su madre.

La novela plantea sibilinamente algunos de los dilemas de nuestro tiempo: ¿Cuán inminente es la catástrofe ambiental definitiva?¿Hace la evidente deriva populista de la política peligrar la propia democracia?¿Podrían las fuerzas conservadoras de nuestra sociedad desencadenar una contrarrevolución anticientífica?

Las respuestas del autor a estas preguntas parecen esbozar un porvenir nada halagüeño: Padre e hijo contemplan con estupor el retroceso definitivo de los bosques vírgenes, la irreversible pérdida de especies y la explosión de una pandemia de encefalopatía vírica en la cabaña ganadera mundial.

Entre tanto, el gobierno de Estados Unidos, liderado por un político megalómano, demagogo, populista y cretino agita el odio anti-intelectual contra la NASA y la comunidad científica mientras denuncia a cualquier opositor político como enemigo de la patria.

¿Es todo pesimista en esta historia? No. Ante la certeza de la sociedad quebrada, se recorta la silueta de la individualidad quijotesca de Robbie, un niño de 9 años, epítome del optimismo antropológico, del mito del buen salvaje de Rousseau.

Con el mito del buen salvaje Jean Jaques Rousseau (1712-1778) quería mostrarnos que un hombre apegado a la naturaleza, un “hombre primitivo”, es bueno física y moralmente. Aunque está condenado a sucumbir bajo la superioridad militar de la civilización que lo eliminará o lo

asimilará a sus costumbres inmorales. La obstinación de Theo por proteger a su hijo de la medicación, no deja de ser una actualización de aquella vieja idea rousseauniana del bon sauvage: preservemos la pureza natural del individuo ante el azote estandarizador de la sociedad. Entonces, ¿está nuestro mundo condenado?¿Nos queda alguna esperanza? ¿Debemos suspirar mientras vemos evaporarse en nuestros jóvenes el idealismo y la inocencia? Como hombre soy escéptico, si no cínico. Como padre, igual que Theo, un irredento idealista.

LIMPIEZA DE PRIMAVERA Y EVENTO DE RECICLAJE

29 de ABRIL, 8AM-2PM

Entrada: Calles 4ª y Colorado en Carbondale

Residuos domésticos y de montaña:

Cuota de entrada por carga:

Ciudad de Carbondale (residente) $10 No residente $30

Carga con remolque (residente) $20 No residente $60

Reciclaje de colchones: $10/Colchón (pagado por el cliente en la entrada)

Basura de montaña:

• Basura doméstica general (muebles/madera/cercas, etc.)

• Reciclaje de metales

• Reciclaje de textiles (deben estar en bolsas para su reciclaje)

• Reciclaje de colchones ($10/colchón pagado por el cliente)

UBICADO EN EL ESTACIONAMIENTO DE LAS CALLES 4ª Y COLORADO

ARTÍCULOS NO ACEPTADOS:

Residuos peligrosos, como: aceite, pintura, líquidos de limpieza /recipientes, líquidos para automóviles, cilindros de propano. Los residuos de jardinería y ramas NO serán aceptados en este evento. Los desechos de jardinería y ramas de 2 pulgadas o menos de diámetro serán aceptados en los eventos de temporada de desechos de jardinería que comienzan el 6 de mayo de 2023, y cada otro fin de semana hasta septiembre. Este evento está localizado en las calles 4ª y Colorado, 9am a mediodía. Residentes de la ciudad solamente.

• Los equipos a cargo alternarán los almuerzos entre el mediodía y la una de la tarde. La descarga puede llevar más tiempo durante este periodo. Le pedimos que lo tenga en cuenta.

• Se acepta cheque, efectivo y tarjeta de débito/crédito.

• Se requiere prueba de residencia en el pueblo de Carbondale para la exención de cuotas hasta que se haya alcanzado el subsidio para cada vendedor.

• El sitio web de la ciudad y "Town of Carbondale, CO Public Works" página de Facebook tendrá actualizaciones.

Vendedores especiales de reciclaje:

La entrega de artículos por parte de los residentes de la ciudad de Carbondale a los proveedores que se indicarán a continuación es GRATUITA (hasta que se haya alcanzado el subsidio de la ciudad).

La entrega de artículos por parte de residentes de fuera de la ciudad a los proveedores que se indicarán a continuación NO ES GRATUITA y se cobrarán las cuotas correspondientes.

Blue Star Recyclers http://www.bluestarrecyclers.org

• Residuos electrónicos: Televisores, monitores, impresoras, microondas, portátiles, fotocopiadoras, cables y suministros de energía eléctrica, cámaras, equipos de grabación, radios, routers, hubs, tablets, ipads, teclados, ratones, reproductores de DVR/DVD/CD, equipos de televisión por satélite, PlayStations.

UBICADO EN EL ESTACIONAMIENTO DETRÁS DEL AYUNTAMIENTO

Reciclaje de bombillas (focos) Brite Ideas

• Pilas (de coche/teléfono/todas las pilas), bombillas (focos) (fluores centes/CLF/HID/ lámparas UV/ letreros de neón/ balastos PCB/ termostatos de mercurio).

• A los refrigeradores y otros artículos con freón se les cobrará una tasa http://www.coloradobulbrecycling.com

UBICADO EN EL ESTACIONAMIENTO DETRÁS DEL AYUNTAMIENTO

Llantas JLM

• Sin cargo para los residentes de la ciudad por las primeras 100 llantas, hasta 18 pulgadas sin aros (rines).

• Hay un límite de 8 llantas por cliente.

• Un cargo de $8 por llanta será pagado por el cliente después del límite.

UBICADO EN EL ESTACIONAMIENTO DETRÁS DEL AYUNTAMIENTO

CHISME DEL PUEBLO

Traducción por Jacquelinne Castro

Comparte el amor

Como parte del evento Comparte el Amor 2022 de Subaru, Phil Long Glenwood Springs Subaru donó $15,500 a River Bridge Regional Center. Éste es el segundo año seguido que River Bridge ha sido seleccionado por su impacto. La subvencion ayudara a más de 250 niños a recibir servicios de apoyo y el mes de Abril se hizo reconocimiento de ser el Mes Nacional de Prevención de Abuso Infantil.

Hacia adelante

El director de operaciones de las escuelas de Roaring Fork Jeff Gatlin anunció su renuncia, después de 10 años con el distrito, efectivo el 26 de mayo. Gatlin ha aceptado una posición similar con las escuelas públicas de Jeffco. “Voy a extrañar a todas las personas maravillosas que trabajan muy duro todos los días para asegurar que nuestros estudiantes prosperen”, escribió Gatlin. La posición será publicada inmediatamente.

Cambios de uso

El condado de Garfield ha adoptado nuevas enmiendas al texto de código de desarrollo y uso de tierras para ayudar a la disponibilidad de viviendas. Dentro de los cambios, la superficie máxima de una unidad de vivienda adicional (ADU por sus siglas en inglés) incrementó de 1.000 pies cuadrados a 1.200. Los negocios con un espacio de un acre o más ahora pueden agregar ADU como uso por derecho en el distrito comercial general, comercial limitado e industrial. Constructores de unidades asequibles también son elegibles para extensiones de tarifa de impacto de

Divas desde la página 11

tráfico, permisos de construcción e incentivos como bonos de densidad

Feria de salud

La feria de salud de Aspen Valley Hospital ha sido programada del 1 al 4 de junio, con extracciones de sangre y pruebas a grandes descuentos. El evento del 1 y 2 de junio ocurría en Aspen y el 3-4 de junio será organizado en el centro comunitario del condado de Eagle en El Jebel. Las participaciones son solamente por cita, de 8 a 11:30 a.m. Inscripciones disponibles en aspenhospital.org/health-fair o llamando al 800-217-5866.

Maratón de adopción

Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE por sus siglas en inglés) está participando en el evento de adopción “Vacía los Albergues” de BISSELL Pet Foundation, del 1 al 15 de mayo. Esto sigue a un mes entero con cuotas de adopción a la mitad de precio en CARE. para saber más visite www.coloradoanimalrescue. org/adoptable-pets

Graduaciones de CMC

CMC te invita a celebrar las graduaciones de Colorado Mountain College Spring Valley en Glenwood Springs el viernes 5 y sábado 6 de mayo, y en Rifle el viernes 5 y el lunes 8 de mayo. Los estudiantes recibirán títulos y certificados de licenciatura y asociados, además de diplomas de equivalencia de escuela secundaria (GED), educación general y diplomas. Para obtener más información sobre direcciones de campus y horarios de ceremonia, visite Ceremonias de graduación de 2023 en https://coloradomtn.edu/ graduation.

Inteligencia artificial pinta un panorama turbio

a muchos artistas les preocupa el método por el cual los programas de IA obtienen su material de referencia.

Las Roaring Divas durante una lectura de libros infantiles.

como un artista hasta que empecé a hacer drag", dice Bryan. "Todos estos diferentes aspectos de Bryan se suman para una actuación de drag.”

A medida que se acerca su primer aniversario, las Divas están agradecidas por el apoyo que han recibido de sus fans tanto cercanos como lejanos. "La gente viene desde Leadville, Avon e incluso Denver para vernos", dice Bryan. "Tenemos presencia y somos conocidas fuera del Valle de Roaring Fork. Ha sido increíble hacer crecer nuestra marca y nuestra comunidad mientras seguimos desarrollándonos como artistas.” Con su actitud sin

remordimientos y su talento feroz, las Roaring Divas no son solo un grupo de actuación, sino un movimiento. Un movimiento de alegría, empoderamiento y amor. Y no muestran signos de desaceleración en ningún momento.

"Es hora de que seamos nosotros mismos sin miedo. Es hora de que nos sintamos empoderados. Es hora de que mostremos lo fuertes que somos. Especialmente en la comunidad Latine que se identifica como queer, quiero decirle a todas las personas Queer Latine que nuestras voces son tan fuertes y poderosas como cualquier otra.”

Con la inteligencia artificial (IA) en auge y la tecnología mejorando este fenómeno a un ritmo acelerado, es inevitable que sus capacidades progresen más rápido de lo que algunos de nosotros podemos hacer para seguirla.

La IA ya puede hablar con la gente, escribir historias e incluso crear obras de arte totalmente inventadas en cuestión de segundos. Naturalmente, la gente tiene mucho que decir sobre este nuevo adelanto y lo que podría significar para el mundo del arte.

Las obras de arte generadas por IA han existido desde hace más tiempo de lo que la gente cree. En 1973, Harold Cohen empezó a trabajar en el primer programa conocido como generador de imágenes de inteligencia artificial. Esta IA, conocida como AARON, se consideraría primitiva en nuestro mundo tecnológico actual, pero fue revolucionaria en su época, como se señala en un artículo de 2016 de Chris Garcia, "Harold Cohen and AARON - A 40-Year Collaboration" (Harold Cohen y AARON: una colaboración de 40 años), la cual puede consultarse en www. computerhistory.org.

En esencia, el arte de la IA es una generación de imágenes basada en reglas que utiliza patrones y algoritmos matemáticos. La IA toma como referencia fuentes con imágenes existentes en Internet, aprendiendo técnicas y entrenándose a través de la exposición al arte hecho por humanos.

Por supuesto, la creciente popularidad de lo que algunos incluso llaman "el futuro del arte" viene acompañada de las complicaciones esperadas. En particular,

Según www.fairlicensing.com, "los generadores de imágenes de IA utilizan dos redes neuronales. La primera red neuronal crea la imagen y la segunda evalúa su precisión en comparación con una imagen real (basada en ejemplos reales de Internet). Una vez completada la evaluación de precisión de la imagen, los datos se devuelven al sistema de inteligencia artificial original". Esto implica que la IA toma como referencia obras reales hechas por humanos para basar sus imágenes.

Muchos artistas están disgustados, porque no consintieron que sus imágenes se utilizaran de esta manera. Esto puede ser especialmente problemático si alguien, programadores o usuarios, generan dinero a partir de un programa de IA.

"No hay duda de que el arte generado por la IA devalúa la ilustración", afirmaba Rob Biddulph, un consumado autor de libros infantiles, en un artículo publicado recientemente en The Guardian. "La gente, por supuesto, empezará a pensar que su 'obra' es tan válida como la creada por alguien que ha pasado una carrera haciendo arte. No tiene sentido, por supuesto. Puedo usar mi iPhone para hacer una bonita foto de mis hijas, pero no soy Irving Penn".

Nadie niega que el arte es un concepto increíblemente abstracto, que se ha desarrollado a lo largo de los tiempos. ¿Es posible que las imágenes generadas artificialmente lleguen algún día a considerarse una forma de arte? Sólo el tiempo nos dirá cómo será el futuro de esta práctica y cómo afectará al mundo artístico.

"Sincronías" parte 21, por Leonardo Occhipinti

Foto de Kaleb Cook

Por Dominic Furer Traducción por Dolores Duarte

Mark O’Meara bids farewell

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

The latest in Town staff turnover, Utilities Director Mark O’Meara will be retiring on Monday. Words of praise for O’Meara shared a relatively short agenda with an update from the Youth and Family Advisory Council and other items.

To kick it off, Trustees approved a consent agenda that included a proclamation for “Doctor Dandelion Day” on May 13 in honor of “Doc” John Philip and the dandelion festival’s 25th anniversary. In 1998, Doc Philip and the Environmental Board urged the Town to adopt the dandelion as its town flower to promote healthy parks management and medicinal “weeds.”

During updates by trustees, a second proclamation was read recognizing May 6 as Arbor Day for the Town of Carbondale. A tree-planting is planned for the Thompson House Museum grounds with details to be determined.

It was also announced that Clean Energy Economy for the Region secured a grant with the The National Renewable Energy Laboratory to explore a geothermal project at the Third Street Center.

Town Manager Lauren Gister stated that interviews are underway with design consultants for the Town Center project. “I don’t think we can go wrong,” she said. “We had some very good candidates.” There will be an update from Artspace at the next regular meeting on May 9.

O’Meara then stepped forward as Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman highlighted his over 40 years of working in water and wastewater departments in the Valley, with 16 years in Carbondale.

“Mark commands remarkable respect by everyone

at every water meeting that I have been a part of over the past 12 years,” said Trustee Lani Kitching. “We’ll do our best to carry your name forward.”

Schorzman made sure of it, suggesting that the Nettle Creek hydroelectric project in development be named “O’Meara Hydroelectric Facility.” “I don’t personally think Nettle Creek hydro would have happened if it wouldn’t have been for Mark continuing to push us down that road,” he said. The Trustees unanimously agreed to the proposal.

Anna Cole, Roaring Fork Schools chief of student and family services, and Michael Hayes, executive director of Compass, next joined at the podium with an update from the Youth and Family Advisory Council. This group is tasked with recommending how tobacco tax revenue should be spent to most benefit youth wellness.

Funding recommendations included $95,000 dispersed between six local nonprofits in the form of grants, as well as $120,000 to fund school-based mental health services. Smaller expenses included $8,000 for operations, $5,000 toward the Youth Advisory Council facilitated by Stepping Stones, $10,000 for a wellness series with courses this summer and fall, $5,000 for a Youth Data Summit and $10,000 for fiduciary management.

The board expressed full support for that budget, to which Cole responded, “The work you have all done to shore up school-based mental health is an inspiration across the Valley.”

Briefly, a special event liquor license was approved for Wilderness Workshop’s community party on June 2 in Sopris Park, with live music and family-friendly activities from 5:30 to 8:30pm.

Finally, Schorzman recommended hiring Horrocks

New logo approved

By Will Buzzerd Sopris Sun Correspondent

On April 25, Basalt Town Council convened for its regular meeting to discuss Midland Avenue, approve a new logo and fill a final open committee open seat.

During the public comment period, Crown Mountain Board of Directors candidate Shelley Lundh introduced herself, asking for the Council’s vote in the upcoming May 2 board election. Freeman is an Aspen-born business owner and has lived in the Valley since 1988. If elected, she plans to maintain the quality of Crown Mountain’s facilities and possibly install pickleball courts adjacent to the tennis courts. Eagle County residents can vote inperson at the bike and tennis clubhouse at Crown Mountain Park.

Also during public comments, two citizens criticized the Midland Streetscape Project’s arrangement of parking, arguing that the rearrangement of spaces further away from businesses would disproportionately affect elderly patrons and reduce customer traffic, exacerbating an existing issue in Old Town Basalt. Public attendees also pressed the Town to enforce two-hour parking limits as designated.

During Council comments, David Knight spoke about a potential Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) regulation which would change opening dates of

the State Wildlife Area near the Basalt Public Shooting Range. Originally closed to hikers from Dec. 1 to April 15, if signed the CPW closing period would extend until July 15. Knight encouraged citizens who use the area recreationally to read page 17 of updated chapter W-9 (which covers this potential change) and visit engagecpw.org to comment by May 24.

Councilor Elyse Hottel also offered an update. As a representative for the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition, Hottel announced a survey for renters in the Roaring Fork Valley to assess housing difficulties and fill in gaps in understanding. The survey is available in English and Spanish and will be posted on Basalt’s official website. Although she has formally abstained from all Council actions related to the Midland Streetscape Project, as an employee of Connect One Design, Hottel stressed the climatological ramifications of the project.

“I feel like I would be remiss to not mentioning that the conflict over parking is contrary to our stated desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this city,” she stated, arguing that the first step toward making a dent in local emissions is looking for transportation alternatives.

Moving onto the manager’s report, Ryan Mahoney gave a shoutout to Police Chief Greg Knott for presenting to the Healthy Rivers board in Carbondale and

Engineers for subsurface utility engineering as a necessary step toward eventually installing a roundabout at Industry Place and Highway 133. After unanimous approval was granted, Mayor Ben Bohmfalk inquired about the project timeline.

“In general, we’ll complete this part of the work, refine the design based on what we see, start getting CDOT involved — looking at it, getting feedback on it — and that’s the point where it gets real,” said Schorzman. “At that point, we’ll have a pretty good idea hopefully of the cost of the project. It’s not going to be cheap.” The earliest he estimated construction could begin is sometime in 2025.

In other news, Carbondale’s annual spring clean-up and recycling event is this Saturday, April 29, from 8am to 2pm. Located at the Fourth and Colorado parking lot, electronic waste, mattresses, metal, textiles, batteries, tires and more can be recycled. Hazardous waste will not be accepted at this event. Learn more at www.carbondalegov.org

receiving a $4,000 grant to help pay for a stream gauge by the Pueblo Bridge. Additionally, Mahoney encouraged citizens to check out the renovations at Swinging Bridge, which now has permanent lighting fixtures.

Next was the Town’s 2022 fourth quarter financial report, which held good news. In the general fund, despite budgeting a $2 million loss for the fiscal year, revenue exceeded expenses by $2 million, largely caused by increased sales taxes and increased sale of building permits. Similarly, the restricted fund budgeted for a loss of $3.3 million, but revenue exceeded expenses by $1.4 million.

The first in a short series of Council actions was the approval of Basalt’s new logo. Directed by Slate Communications, the process for the new logo has been in the works since the winter of 2022, employing local design groups as well as a brand committee which included Basalt High School students Owen Lambert and Holden Lahey. After a series of surveys and many discarded drafts, the Town unanimously settled on a modern design highlighting

the confluence of the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork rivers.

The next action was the interview and unanimous appointment of Basalt area resident Sara Garcia to the last open chair of the Basalt Affordable Housing Committee. Garcia works as an economic specialist for Eagle County and brings a professional understanding and Latina perspective to local housing issues. With her appointment, all of Basalt’s public committees are now full.

Following was a second hearing for an amendment concerning affordable housing units at Basalt River Park set aside for Colorado Mountain College and the Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Authority. The amendment will waive asset restrictions and give priority to these parties for housing use and passed unanimously.

The final action was an unanimously approved easement agreement with Twin Rivers Condominium Association to install soil nails in order to support the new Midland Spur retaining wall, which is the first of many potential easement agreements to be signed as the Streetscape Project progresses.

After 16 years of keeping the taps on, Utilities Director Mark O’Meara will retire on Monday.

Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

By Myki Jones Sopris Sun Correspondent

Laughing Tiger Films is an up-and-coming film production company owned and operated by two women screenwriters and producers residing in Colorado. Their mission is to tell the stories of women from all walks of life.

Molly Rosenberg and Sara Page recently optioned the rights to Colorado author Elea Plotkin’s “The Procedure,” a locally-inspired novel centered around professional skiing that was recently featured in The Sopris Sun. It’s the story of a young female extreme skier who faces trials and tribulations in her career while also being a single mother to a child with a seizure disorder.

Rosenberg is originally from Canada, where her career in screenwriting and production began. Her most notable work was the 2001 Canadian romantic drama “The War Bride”. She was a producer and co-writer of the film and has resided in Littleton for 14 years.

Page also owns Pathway Productions and once received a Peabody Award. She has 20 years of experience in documentary and adventure filmmaking that began at National Geographic. Her most notable works are “China Beyond the Clouds,” “Submarine 1-52” and “The Shape of Life.” She and her family reside in Golden. They sat down with The Sopris Sun to discuss the process of bringing “The Procedure” to the screen and what they have in mind for the future of Laughing Tiger Productions.

Rosenberg and Page met in China, where their children were part of the “Colorado Children Chorale.” They later did a companion tour in 2019, just before the outbreak of COVID-19. Then, Rosenberg roped Page into attending several writing courses together at Lighthouse Writers in Denver.

Their company was named by combining Rosenberg’s Chinese Zodiac sign, the tiger, and Page’s love for laughter. While working on projects separately, the two ended up working on a TV pilot together titled “Karma’s a Bitch.” Not long after that, Rosenberg read “The Procedure,” written by her friend of six years.

“I read some earlier drafts, and I always thought it was a fabulous idea cinematically,” Rosenberg said. “Then Sara [Page] approached me and said, ‘Why don't we adapt this book?’ I fell in love with it. I thought it had all of the elements to make a fabulous film,” Rosenberg said.

Page piggybacked on that sentiment, saying that she and Rosenberg have different but complementary visions and energies surrounding their work, and both deeply resonated with the subject material of Plotkin’s novel.

“I'm a huge skier, and both of us are moms,” said Page. “[The book] hit a lot of the

questions and contemporary issues around women, mothers and professionals.”

Asked about the vision for their company, Page and Rosenberg agreed they want to focus not only telling the stories of women from all walks of life, but also providing opportunities for women in the film industry and platforming female producers, directors, cinematographers, screenwriters and more. They hope to adapt more books to film as well as write and release original content of their own.

“At this stage of my life, creating Laughing Tiger Films, we are very intentionally wanting to work with like-minded people and to create great movies that say something,” Rosenberg stated.

Page shared the sentiment. “Being in the documentary space for so long, I was drawn to the different individual characters that I kept meeting with interesting stories. I'm in my 50s — I have a different perspective and I'm seeing in entertainment now a broadening of perspectives that include wise women … They

Molly Rosenberg (left) and Sara Page (right), founders and co-owners of Laughing Tiger Films, based in Colorado. Courtesy photo

Local nonprofits file suit against Forest Service

By Will Buzzerd Sopris Sun Correspondent

On March 13, Colorado environmental advocacy groups Wilderness Workshop and Rocky Mountain Wild filed a lawsuit against a Record of Decision made by the National Forest Service (NFS) to pave 2.4 miles of road as part of the Berlaimont Estates Road Improvement Project.

The project in question would improve vehicular access to a currently undeveloped parcel of land, six miles from Edwards. The concerned parties fear that not only will the paving of the road increase habitat fracturing, but eventually lead to full-on development on important wildlife habitat.

The Record of Decision was issued on March 10, approving a paved road across White River National Forest land in accordance with the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act (ANILCA), a controversial federal law passed in 1980 that, among many rulings which address the expansion and usage of protected lands in Alaska, includes a provision in Section 1323(a) stating that for privately owned land surrounded by public/protected land, the state “shall provide such access… as the Secretary [of the Interior] deems adequate to secure to the owner the reasonable use and enjoyment thereof.”

The NFS stated in a press release on March 10 that they are legally required to provide access under ANILCA, and, according to Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams, “the Forest Service does not have discretion to deny access to inholdings for reasonable use.”

The decision approves the paving of roads belonging to the NFS but does not approve any additional development by Berlaimont. In order for more construction to begin, more county approvals would need to be obtained by the developers.

According to NFS’s Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS), Berlaimont Estates intends to develop “19 single-family residences and associated additional dwelling units” on 680 acres of land. This plan is consistent with the land's official designation as a Resource Zone, which in order to “maintain the open and rural character… and to protect and enhance the appropriate use of natural resources” limits development to single-family uses on plots of 35 acres or larger.

The EIS states that all of the NFS’s alternative plans which include paving these roads “would bisect deer and elk winter ranges.” Additionally, these plans were found to be inconsistent with NFS Wildlife Standard Number Four, which restricts any activities which would impact Brewer’s sparrow breeding activity.

In any case, the official Record of Decision goes against these standards, stating that the Forest Service is nonetheless required by law to provide “adequate access” in accordance with ANILCA Sec. 1323(a), referenced earlier.

The lawsuit filed by Wilderness Workshop and Rocky Mountain Wild, specifically targets the NFS’s use of ANILCA to justify road development, arguing that applying its “Alaska-specific provisions to an access request involving the National Forest in the lower 48 states is contrary to the plain language of ANILCA.”

The lawsuit also argues that using ANILCA as justification for development deliberately ignores the provisions listed in the Federal Land and Policy Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), which establish that the State is permitted to act according to its own discretion when considering requests for improving access.

Furthermore, the lawsuit mentions that any development on this land would potentially harm wildlife protected by the Endangered Species act. “Populations of deer and elk in and around the project area have dropped by 50% in recent decades,” and, “State and federal biologists agree that increased

pressure from development and year-round recreation are the primary causes for these declines.”

“Conservation groups have been engaged in the fight to stop the Berlaimont Access Road for over 10 years,” states the Wilderness Workshop website. According to Wilderness Workshop, over 4,200 local residents near Berlaimont signed a petition against further development on otherwise undeveloped land.

Bill Heicher, Eagle Valley resident and former district wildlife manager for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, is among the critics of the Berlaimont Estates Road Improvement Project.

“In the long-term, the paved road, additional developed recreation, new parking lots and the new subdivision will directly destroy important habitat and encourage far deeper penetration into a fragile ecosystem that barely sustains the native species today. In short, the Forest Service is creating a sacrifice zone in Edwards for development and recreation. To most of us, that is unreasonable and unacceptable,” claimed Heicher.

A Wilderness Workshop rally in 2019 against development at Berlaimont Estates with Executive Director Will Roush pictured on the left. Courtesy photo

GUEST

Lauren Boebert's husband involved in ATV altercation

others." Republican values emphasize personal rights while discounting social responsibility.

OPINION

By Alex Menard

Listen to the actual tapes of 911 calls involving the Boebert family and their neighbor's response to reckless ATV driving. On YouTube, search for “911 Audio of Lauren Boebert Family HARASSING neighbors released” posted by MeidasTouch (www.bit. ly/BoebertATV). Listen now before reading on.

The incident is remarkable not just because of who is involved. Lauren Boebert, U.S. congresswoman for Colorado District 3, is our representative. Her family is highly representative of the attitudes and behavior exhibited by many ATV drivers. The attitude is: "I am an American and therefore can do whatever I want, regardless of the effects on

These attitudes are on display in the tiny town of Marble, gateway to the south side of the Elk Mountains and the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. ATV-driving visitors are mostly from “Boebert Country” — Silt, Rifle and Grand Junction. Subconsciously, they know that they are impacting others and that many people do not welcome them. This makes them aggressive and assertive of their right to be there, which explains the display of Trump or Confederate flags, loud stereos, packing firearms, traveling in large groups and offensively bright lights.

The suggestion that an ATV education program can mitigate the impact is silly. It means that any area to be protected from impact must have physical barriers. It also gives the job of protecting the peace, the environment and property values to the residents, exposing them to confrontations just like the one involving the Boeberts.

One problem with ATVs is that they are often driven by kids, sometimes even sub-

teens. Notice how Jayson Boebert jumps into his truck to defend his kid's right to harass the neighbors with reckless driving and noise. Running over the mailbox with his truck is a mini Charlottesville maneuver. The neighbor feels threatened because he knows that Boebert may be packing. The police responded, but left with no action, stating that it was a neighborhood issue that they should work out themselves.

ATV use correlates with Republican values. In red Utah, all county roads statewide are open to ATV traffic. State laws even prevent local governments from any further restrictions. Many former visitors to Moab, Utah, have deleted that destination from their travel plans because the area is overrun with ATVs. By state law, Moab cannot protect its own town.

When people in Mesa County are not busy fixing their voting machines, they also can drive their ATVs on all county roads. Ditto in Delta County. The State of Colorado allows local governments to decide where ATVs are allowed. The counties which allow the most ATV use are poor and rural and seem to

have nothing else going for them.

Since the days of dirt bikes and dune buggies, every town has had an off-road recreation area. Often adjacent to the landfill, these are areas which hold no values for anything else. You can identify them by the random eroded paths climbing up the hillsides. Denuded of native vegetation, these areas have only weeds and blend very well with the adjacent landfill. At least in these locations the drivers disturb only the landscape, since no one else is there. Do the ATV supporting counties consider their entire area to be devoid of any other value? Do they think that their entire county does not deserve any quiet zones?

Impacts from ATVs include: unhealthy levels of noise, dust, toxic fumes, intimidation of pedestrians by aggressive driving, increased erosion, disruption of wildlife, property value loss and damage to vegetation.

More enlightened counties, like Pitkin County, have eliminated ATVs almost completely in order to protect residents rights to peace and quiet, their safety and property values and environmental

quality. Aspen and Pitkin County have chosen to emphasize sustainable, low impact activities. Google the Colorado Tourism Office to see their concept of sustainable tourism. The disproportionate impact of the small group of ATV users discourages the vast majority of lower impact visitors from enjoying natural areas like Marble. As visitation greatly increases, the best management policy is to reduce impact so that everyone can have a pleasant experience.

Both Carbondale and Pitkin County have adopted an environmental bill of rights, which protects the natural environment as well as residents from impacts to their quality of life and property values. This protection covers the Crystal Valley all the way up to the Gunnison County line, just before the Marble turnoff. The Gunnison County Commissioners have still not voted on whether to reauthorize ATV use on County Road 3. Why would the commissioners authorize such an impactful activity to the detriment of their constituents and the environment?

Email the Gunnison County Commissioners at: bocc@ gunnisoncounty.org

SPRING CLEAN-UP & RECYCLING EVENT

APRIL 29th, 8AM-2PM

Entry Gate: 4th & Colorado in Carbondale

Household Waste and Mountain Waste:

Entry Fees per Load:

Town of Carbondale (resident) $10 Non-resident $30

Load with trailer (resident) $20 Non-resident $60

Mattress recycling: $10/Mattress (paid by customer @ the entry gate)

Mountain Waste:

• General household trash (furniture/wood/fencing, etc.)

• Metal recycling

• Textile recycling (must be in bags for recycling)

• Mattress recycling ($10/mattress paid by customer)

LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT AT 4TH & COLORADO

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED:

propane bottles.

• Yard waste and branches will NOT be accepted at this event. Yard waste and branches 2” or less in diameter will be accepted at the seasonal Yard Waste events which begin on May 06, 2023, and every-other weekend through September. This event is located at 4th & Colorado, 9am-Noon. Town residents only.

• Crews will alternate lunches between noon and 1pm. Unloading may take additional time during this time-frame Please plan accordingly

• Check, cash, debit/credit card accepted.

• Proof of Town of Carbondale residency required for waiver of fees until the subsidy has been met for each vendor.

• The Town website and “ Town of Carbondale, CO Public Works” Facebook page will have current updates.

Special Recycling Vendors:

Town of Carbondale resident drop-off items for the vendors listed below are FREE (until the Town subsidy has been met) Out-of-Town resident drop-off items for the vendors listed below are NOT FREE and applicable fees will be charged.

Blue Star Recyclers

• Electronic Waste: TVs, monitors, printers, microwaves, laptops, copiers, cords, and power supplies, cameras, recording equipment, radios, routers, hubs, tablets, ipads, keyboards, mice, DVR/DVD/CD players, cameras, satellite TV equipment, PlayStations

http://www.bluestarrecyclers.org

LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT BEHIND TOWN HALL

Brite Ideas Bulb Recycling

• Batteries (car/phone/all batteries), light bulbs (fluorescents/CLF/HID /UV lamps/ neon signs/PCB ballasts/mercury thermostats).

• Refrigerators and other freon items will be charged a fee

http://www.coloradobulbrecycling.com

LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT BEHIND TOWN HALL

JLM Tires:

• There is a limit of 8 tires per customer.

• A fee of $8 per tire will be paid by customer after the limit.

LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT AT 4TH & COLORADO

Artificial intelligence paints a murky picture

By Dominic Furer Youth Correspondent

With artificial intelligence (AI) on the rise and technology enhancing this phenomenon at an accelerating rate, it's inevitable that its capabilities progress faster than some of us can keep up with.

AI can now talk to people, write stories and even create entirely fabricated artwork in seconds. Naturally, people have lots to say about this new advancement and what it could mean for the art world.

AI generated artwork has existed for longer than people think. In 1973, Harold Cohen began work on the first known image-generating artificial intelligence program. This AI, known as AARON, would be considered primitive in our present technological world, but was considered groundbreaking in its time, as noted in a 2016 article by Chris Garcia, “Harold Cohen and AARON — A 40-Year Collaboration,” which can be found at www.computerhistory.org

In essence, AI art is a rule based generation of images using mathematical patterns and algorithms. The AI references sources with existing images across the internet, learning techniques and training through exposure to human-made art.

Naturally, the rising popularity of what some even call “the future of art” comes with expected complications. In particular, many artists are concerned about the method by which AI programs

source their referenced material.

According to www.fairlicensing. com, “AI image generators use two neural networks. The first neural network creates the image, and the second evaluates how accurate it is compared to a real image (based on real examples from the internet). Once the image accuracy assessment is complete, the data is sent back to the original artificial intelligence system.” This implies that AI references real humanmade work to base its images off.

Many artists are upset, because they did not consent to having their images used in this way. This may especially be at issue if anyone, programmers or users, generate money from an AI program.

“There’s no question that AI-generated art devalues illustration,” Rob Biddulph, an accomplished children's book author, was quoted in a recent article in The Guardian. “People will, of course, begin to think that their ‘work’ is as valid as that created by someone who has spent a career making art. It’s nonsense, of course. I can use my iPhone to take a nice picture of my daughters, but I’m not Irving Penn.”

Nobody denies that art is an incredibly abstract concept, one that has developed throughout the ages. Is it possible for artificially generated images to one day be considered an artform? Only time will tell what the future of this practice will look like, and how it will affect the artistic world.

Art by Dominic Furer

Leveling the playing field with AI

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a major topic of conversation as technologies like ChatGPT rapidly advance in quality and application. The use of AI technologies is not, however, new.

Jared Carlson, who grew up in the Roaring Fork Valley and returned during the pandemic “to be closer to family,” recognized that AI was used by large companies in their hiring processes. He and a childhood friend, Devin Owen, set out to develop a tool for applicants to also use AI and improve their chances of standing out among a sea of international applicants for certain jobs.

Carlson attended Colorado Rocky Mountain School and told The Sopris Sun that the influence of teachers and experiences at that school shaped who he is today — with a broad worldview, appreciation for nature and commitment to be in service to others. In gratitude for such a supportive, educational experience, Carlson has oriented his life toward giving back to others, “creating a world that's just and equitable and nice to live in,” he said.

During the pandemic, he was presented with an opportunity to leave his customer service job at a large company, helping farmers around the world “find themselves” with GPS tractors, and

instead apply his international affairs education toward helping Owen launch Savviest.

“I approach AI from a holistic, humanist perspective,” said Carlson. “How can we use this as a way to benefit the world?”

Savviest, an AI-driven résumé and cover letter creating tool, was developed to “help people tell their unique story,” Carlson said, recognizing that it's exceedingly difficult for people to find stable work that meets their needs, especially with increased competition from a global workforce with technology that allows people to work from anywhere.

It's become common for companies that may receive hundreds of applicants for a job (or more) to use AI to efficiently filter for the most qualified candidates based on their skills and experience. Savviest works with a client to quickly develop a résumé catered to each specific job posting so relevant skills are more likely to be noticed. Carlson sees it as a way to “even the playing field.” Savviest also provides coaching assistance and job application tracking.

“What we're doing is using AI to look at everything a candidate has written — experience, educational background — and condensing that down into a single résumé for a job,” explained Carlson.

Earlier this year, Savviest was acquired by PAIRIN, a Denver-based career platform that

will be utilized by the State of Colorado to help residents compete for work. In this way, the tool will become more broadly available for free, as a state service, which Carlson is proud to see.

“When we were thinking about selling Savviest, the most exciting thing was, how can we get [the tool] in more people's hands?”

Better yet, Carlson was hired by PAIRIN and continues to work on improving Savviest. “We're very aligned with their mission,” he said about his employer, which also focuses on “upskilling” and “reskilling” for workers as the needs of modern industry quickly evolve. “Adaptability and change are key components of being successful these days.”

Carlson continued, “One of our biggest supporters throughout this entire journey has been Colorado Mountain College.” A major advocate for Savviest, “CMC is doing work to provide these skills for what's needed for people to have good, well-paying jobs, and to feel some sort of stability in this unstable world.” Additionally, Coventure, Carbondale's business incubator, helped Carlson and Owen launch their tool with sound entrepreneurial guidance.

As AI and other technology change the skills required for an employee to be successful, there's a growing need for people to have access to tools like Savviest. “And there's a lot of opportunity to do good in this space,” concluded Carlson.

AZYEP airs teen mental health forum on May 4

By James Steindler

Contributing Editor

May is mental health month, and the kids are talking about it. One evening in April, a modge-podge of people with connections to teens, including teens themselves, participated in a mental health forum. As a reporter and lay person, I had the opportunity to participate, and want to share a couple of highlights that I took away from the experience.

Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program (AZYEP) interns and staff partnered with the Aspen Hope Center to organize the forum. About two dozen people were present, sitting around a square set of tables, everyone facing each other.

The conversation will be aired in its entirety on KDNK Community Access Radio on Thursday, May 4 at 7pm.

High school students, teachers, counselors, parents and mentors were present, filling every seat. A microphone was shared between four or five people on each side of the square, and acted as a sort of talking stick.

Two hours flew by, the first 30 minutes being dominated by the youth, who were all eager to discuss the topic. A respectful exchange of ideas and potential solutions from the varying perspectives ensued.

“This was brought together by the students and for the students,” said Jason Hodges, vice president of AZYEP, “and we’re all here sitting in this room tonight. I think that’s really amazing. You’re not waiting for the adults in your lives to make a difference, you’re taking an active role.”

Hodges’ praise was mimicked throughout the evening, this journalist

often being at a loss of words, and more than once stating to the youth, “You’re freaking amazing.”

After introductions, the first question posed to the group regarded the conditions of the mental health space among teens today. Notably, a few speakers delved right into mental health being grounded in one’s earlychildhood development.

“I believe a lot of mental health issues begin at a very young age, but since kids are pretty young in elementary school it’s not really talked about,” began Jocelyn Juanlucas, a student at Bridges High School. “I felt like that when I was younger. My father was at risk of being deported and I don’t remember being asked once how I felt about that.” She continued, “A lot of people think that kids don’t notice or that they’re not affected, but they pick up on things very quickly.”

Having taught primary school for 15 years, Amanda Petersen echoed Juanlucas. “When I was teaching firstgraders, I began to see that teaching social-emotional wellbeing and giving young kids tools to support themselves — to give them language around feelings and tools to help them regulate — was becoming non-negotiable,” she stated.

As a child grows into their teenage years, they experience more independence and the world opens up to them in many positive ways. However, larger problems inevitably present themselves. Not having learned the tools that Petersen pointed out can make navigating those later obstacles much more difficult.

What role should schools play?

Zenobia Todd, an AZYEP intern, posed the next question about what role schools currently play in mental health, and was genuinely interested in what parameters people thought might be appropriate.

Jamie Andel, a Bridges student, said that finding a teacher he’s comfortable with to express himself has worked for him. At the same time, students showed understanding that teachers already have maxed schedules and modest compensation. This led to the notion that there’s a systemic problem.

“As much as it’s something that I wish wasn’t part of this discussion, I think that teacher wages have to be thought about,” said Blake Petersen, an AZYEP intern. “I think it’s unfair, in our current system, to expect that they should know how to deal with a kid who is struggling,” noting that teachers don’t typically have the training and resources to do so.

“I appreciate that immensely,” replied Garrett Peters, a social studies teacher at Glenwood Springs Highs School. “I think that we do need to bear in mind that teachers do care about young people,” he added.

“The more hats that are put on teachers without the monetary aspect, or the training, the more challenging this becomes,” he continued. “And honestly, the more and more quality educators we’re going

to see fleeing the profession; which is a threat to young people as well.”

Parent-teen communication

The third question addressed communication between parents and their kids. Again, it was emphasized that developing open communication at a young age is important. Then, in their teen years, maintaining that despite the subject matter becoming less comfortable and often more dire.

AZYEP intern Parker Wilson empathetically noted that parents need to let their children know if they are struggling too, because “everyone has this shared experience.”

“Our parents and teachers are superheroes but who is there to save the hero?” Andel asked. He wondered if schools could offer mental health resources to parents and teachers. “They provide free lunches, they should be providing that too, because we’re a community, not separate.”

The students were encouraged by the adults to keep having this conversation and remember that they can affect change. A number also stated that school administrators should be invited to the next forum.

This reporter implores everyone to listen to the KDNK broadcast on May 4. There was an incredible amount covered by these youth and their mentors, and this write-up only scratches the surface. Please tune in.

“I’m proud of everyone who spoke today, because it’s very brave to talk about mental health … the whole reason we are here,” stated Wilson.

The lovely group of mentors and young people who participated in AZYEP's mental health forum were all smiles following a very fruitful conversation. Tune into KDNK on May 4 at 7pm to hear the incredibly insightful dialogue about teen mental health.

Photo courtesy of Beth Wysong

To Bentley and tears on the street

by Jeanne Souldern

I was walking a friend's dog

Down Main Street

When I heard a young woman crying. She was sitting behind a juniper tree.

"Rough day on Planet Earth?" I asked.

"Yeah," she sobbed.

I reassured her that "I've been there myself. Trying to hide my tears on the street."

You're not alone. None of us are alone. We're all in this together. Even though we build walls between us. And then need a suit of armor to go about our daily lives.

"This is Bentley." I say, pointing to the dog.

"He's big and very sweet. He smells everything, And pees on everything he smells."

She reaches forward to pet Bentley's ears. She's stopped crying now.

Bentley has offered his "it's-gonna-be-okay" magic Because that's what big, sweet dogs do.

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

Best Intentions

By Deborah Holt Williams

“This dog is too coddled! And now we’ve remodeled, there’ll be no more dogs on the bed!” he said.

“This is OUR bedroom and I need my legroom. I don’t need her butt on my head!” he said.

“Alright,” I said. “Good night,” I said. “We both need a good night’s rest.”

Then I see what appears to be long floppy ears and the dog sound asleep… on his chest.

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

"Well, have you tried biting him?"

LETTERS

farmer’s market. I want my children to know what a town/community actually means.

The expansion of Little Blue Preschool would add essential child care spaces in a community and valley that is growing faster than our infrastructure can handle. We are in desperate need of additional child care. There is a long waitlist to get into any day care center in the Valley, and when you do get a spot, it is often not for enough days or the days you need. Families are often left piecing together inconsistent child care for their kids until they are two or three years old, which is both logistically difficult and developmentally challenging. If we expect to grow our community in terms of businesses and workers, we need child care for our children’.

To the Town of Carbondale — as a lifetime local and parent of two, I urgently ask you to approve the expansion of Little Blue Preschool.

Vicky Bogner, Glenwood Springs Editor’s note: Carbondale’s Planning & Zoning Commission scheduled a public hearing for Little Blue Preschool’s expansion at 7pm on Thursday, April 27, at Town Hall and on Zoom.

Live poetry lives!

Beware the Poets. Come join in the revival of the Aspen Poets’ Society on Saturday, May 6, from 4:30 to 6pm at Explore Booksellers, featuring musical artist Dylan Starrs, an open mic for poets and storytellers of all ages, plus guest poet Tori Miner. Those who sign up for the open mic will be given five minutes to share their words. The event is free and the public is invited.

The Aspen Poets’ Society plans to schedule a few Live Poetry Nights yearly, once again providing the Roaring Fork Valley community, and beyond, an intimate stage for the spoken word.

Live Poetry Night began at Zélé Café in 2006 and moved to the Hotel Lenado, then Victoria’s Espresso and Wine Bar, and lastly the Mountain Chalet where the most recent gathering

continued from

was held in October 2018. Restrictions of the pandemic delayed revitalizing the group for over four years.

The Board of the Aspen Poets’ Society, Ink

Lisa Max Zimet and Kim Nuzzo, cofounders

Marjorie DeLuca, vice president

Stop-light racing

If we adopt this driving strategy, we’ll get lots of practice. Between Glenwood Springs and Aspen there are over 39 traffic lights. Who knew?

Experience teaches us that these lights are not timed to “greenlight” motorists who speed.

Stop-light racers will reduce their fuel efficiency, burn up more cash, impact the life of their brakes and then be laughed at by other motorists at the next red light.

Next time out, consider driving with the “flow.” The benefits might be astounding for everyone.

Diane Reynolds

Take A Minute/Slow Down in Town RFK

Jr. 2024

Is America HungerGamesX? Ask yourself who the real enemy is? Whistle blower Jake Teixeira, who told the truth about government troops being on the ground in Ukraine unconstitutionally? Or the military industrial complex’s puppet, Joe Biden, and Washington D.C.’s secret government behind closed doors? “Trust us,” the elites say. Nope. Vote Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. 2024.

Lee Mulcahy

Basalt and Arlington

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

Carbondale Historic Homes continued from page 6

cedar post, purchased from your local and friendly Roaring Fork Valley COOP, to place the sign upon.

About 50 homes considered historic structures of merit are accounted for in a three-part survey, but Williams and Doud echoed one another’s assurance that there are a ton more. If someone’s home is already among the homes that have been surveyed, the Town will pay for half of the cost of the sign. That being said, anyone who believes their home might qualify as historic may be eligible, but expected to fit the bill for

the sign, which, again, is $45.

To find out if your home is eligible, contact the Town’s CHPC liaison, Kae McDonald, by emailing kmcdonald@ carbondaleco.net or calling 970-5101248.

Believe it or not, May is considered Archeology and Historic Preservation Month in Colorado.

Tune into KDNK for Everything

Under The Sun on Thursday, April 27 at 4pm for a live interview with Williams and Doud.

Laughing Tiger continued from page 16

are rich stories, and I think everybody can learn from them.”

Rosenberg said the film adaptation of “The Procedure” is something that she is enjoying the process of putting together. Because she, Page and Plotkin were all friends before the fruition of Laughing Tiger Films, working together is a win-win situation.

“We may not stick 100% to the book, but we are honoring her

wonderful story and the intent,” said Rosenberg. “She is wonderful to work with in that regard. It's always nice to work with writers who are more amenable to the bigger picture.”

The process of bringing “The Procedure” and other works to life is in progress. Since Laughing Tiger Films is still in its infancy, they do not currently have an active website or social media account.

For more information, email AGoyanes@ParkinsonRockies.org or call (303) 830-1839

Be sure to also check out our FREE exercise classes in Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. To view a complete list of exercise classes, please visit our website.

www.ParkinsonRockies.org

Recently, a group from the Roaring Fork High School Model United Nations Club had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. for a conference at George Washington University. The group also had the chance to check out some sights. Here (left to right) Gus Richardson, Amalia Sparhawk, Ana Sophia Brown, Kayla Kaufman and Esmeralda Alverde Duarte, pose for a photo in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Courtesy Photo Editor’s note: Richardson and Kaufman are youth correspondents for The Sopris Sun, and The Sun is oh so proud of them and their peers!

Correction:

Last week’s article, “Navigating the party amid fentanyl boom,” incorrectly stated there were over 200 drug overdose deaths in Colorado last year, when, in fact, there were more than 2,000.

Diana Stough Alcantara

Kelley Amdur

Kathy & Carter Barger

Debbie & Marc Bruell

Meredith Bullock

Kay Clarke

Brian Colley

Barbara Collins

Peter Davidoff

Barbara Dills

Sue Engelhardt

Christina Flynn

Denise Fogerty

Walter Gallacher

Will Grandbois

Mary Groome

Heather Henry

Eilene Ish

Leslie & Patrick Johnson

Nancy Johnson

Susan Jordan

Sarah Klingelheber Colin & Alice Laird Megan

Colin & Alice Laird

Megan Larsen

Larsen

Laurie Loeb

Tristan Mead

Trina Ortega

Illene Pevec

Terri & David Ritchie Joel

Joel Rittvo

Rittvo

Jessi Rochel

Nancy Roen

Terri Slivka

Wendy Stewart

Danny Stone

Kenny Teitler

Annie Worley