20221103

Rams flying high

Photo by Sue Rollyson

On a beautiful fall evening, family, friends and fans crowded the bleachers at Carbondale Middle School to watch the Roaring Fork High School boys soccer team’s play-off game against James Irwin Charter Academy (Colorado Springs). Coach Nick Forbes, diagnosed with COVID-19, reportedly watched socially-distanced from White Hill.

“This one’s for Nick,” assistant coach Jeff Mohsenin told the Post Independent. “All the boys thought about that before the game, and they played for him.”

The match began with strong pressure from both sides, though more attacks on the Rams’ goal. By halftime, neither team had relented and the score remained at 0-0. “Keep it up, Blue!” shouted the audience. “Let’s go Rams!”

Within the first 10 minutes of the second half, junior Jacob Barlow made an opportunistic strike, giving the Rams a lead. Thereafter, they managed to shut the Jaguars out, with junior Josh Hernandez hammering home a goal from a free kick and sophomore Fernando Rodrigues sending a precise eight ball into the corner-pocket. The Rams emerged with a 3-0 victory.

Following last year’s success at the state championships, this new team, with many of the previous year’s stars having graduated, now advances to the quarterfinals against Liberty Common in Fort Collins on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Sign Up for the Sopris Sun Weekly

By Raleigh Burleigh

Well, it’s election season. Tensions are running high and the anticipation is palpable. No matter the outcome, we will remain neighbors, building community as best we can. This week, we’ve decided to give a few extra pages to letters, given their quantity and urgency. You’ll find Jeannie Perry’s electionrelated column on page 23, displaced this week to extend a special message on behalf of this nonprofit organization.

Along with your ballots, another important piece of mail is arriving to residents within the 81623 zip code. That is, an appeal for donations

from The Sopris Sun. We are blessed this fundraising season with two sizable matches. The first, $15,000 from Newsmatch (#Newsmatch) kicked in at the beginning of November and continues through the end of the year. Additionally, $5,000 from the Colorado Media Project (#NewsCONeeds) will begin on Nov. 29. For every dollar given by our local supporters, these organizations will match that amount until we’ve reached their pledge. This means that you have the opportunity to triple your donation to The Sopris Sun. What’s clear: a donation to The Sopris Sun is a vote for democracy. We put your dollars to action, funding journalism that matters in the Roaring Fork Valley. After two years of exploring new facets in the paper — our Spanish-language insert, el Sol del Valle, and youth journalism initiative for high school students — our next priority is to shore up the resiliency necessary to weather whatever economic conditions prevail next year, while providing dignified pay

to hardworking reporters who carefully steward our community’s stories — including our student journalists.

The Sopris Sun is a leading publication in the Roaring Fork Valley, always giving precedence to locallyproduced, original content. We quickly approach our 14th year, and what a year it promises to be. We hope to launch a new signature event, a website redesign, community invitations to critique the paper and other methods for engagement.

As community-funded media, we need your support to continue to survive and to thrive. Our mission — to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism — remains at the forefront of all we do. The Sopris Sun is proud to bring you diverse perspectives, especially as we instill a culture of valuing journalism among our youth correspondents.

We returned from the Colorado Press Association's annual convention with numerous awards, including

the prestigious “Innovation Award” for el Sol del Valle, our youth program and our weekly radio show on KDNK. This affirmed the importance of our work as a nonprofit newspaper — not only locally, but as a shining story of success for nonprofit media more generally.

All the while, The Sopris Sun serves as a key partner to businesses and other nonprofits in our valley by providing frequent editorial coverage and affordable ad space. Look for our Colorado Gives Day nonprofit guide in next week’s issue. And please, don’t forget The Sopris Sun in your charitable giving. We, in turn, will continue to deliver a fresh paper full of insights and perspectives, as well as inspiration, every week of the year.

The Sopris Sun is a community voice. We need your help to keep this newspaper strong and able to deliver the local news that is vital to a functioning community. The Sopris Sun is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All contributions no matter how large or small are tax deductible.

Editor Raleigh Burleigh 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com

Contributing Editor James Steindler

Editorial Graphic Designer Hattie Rensberry

Advertising Graphic Designer Alyssa Ohnmacht Delivery Frederic Kischbaum Bartlett Proofreader Lee Beck

Executive Director Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com

Youth Program Coordinator Jeanne Souldern

Current Board Members

board@soprissun.com

Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke

Lee Beck • Gayle Wells

Donna Dayton • Terri Ritchie

Eric Smith • Roger Berliner • Jessi Rochel

The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on second Thursdays at the Third Street Center.

Re: SkiCo trails

In response to Allyn Harvey’s letter to the editor on Oct. 28, I totally agree that more ski trails should be named after women who have made an impact on Aspen. I need to mention that there is another trail you may have been unaware of, probably because it does not appear on the map.

Ro’s Romp on Tiehack was named for Aspen native Roine St. Andre, the first female ski patroller to be hired by SkiCo in 1970. She went on to patrol for 29 years at Buttermilk and later served as assistant patrol director. Her father, Harold “Red” Rowland, was one of the original pioneers of SkiCo and was inducted into the Aspen Hall of Fame along with Ro’s Mom, Peggy.

Ro’s Run is a tribute to her numerous contributions to Aspen and the remarkable woman that she was.

If you get a chance to ski Ro’s Romp, a tight bump run tucked away on the left side of the Tiehack trail, it’s magical! Especially on a powder day. About one fourth of the way down, in the middle of the run, look up at one tree in particular to see the lovely, handmade rustic wooden sign named for the beautiful spirit that was Ro — and, if you’re lucky enough, you may feel her spirit powdered in the snow.

Amy Krakow, Carbondale

Protecting Thompson Divide

We can all be grateful for President Biden’s designation of the Camp Hale/ Continental Divide National Monument. Protecting roughly 54,000 acres for posterity is important for our pressured

public lands, wildlife habitats, and watersheds.

Now we must turn our attention to helping the Forest Service create a management plan that restores land where the troops trained and protects it from damaging behavior. Proper funding will help upgrade the eroded interpretive signs, repair roads, maintain trails, and safeguard artifacts.

Wildlife habitat and migration corridors within the Monument should be prioritized so our wildlife populations remain healthy and thriving. We all benefit when all of nature’s inhabitants are provided healthy habitats upon which we also inescapably depend.

Veterans’ groups need a voice in the planning so that the Monument continues to honor those in the 10th Mountain Division who fought bravely during WWII.

The native Ute tribes must be welcomed to participate in the planning and use of their historic home range. We can all benefit from the wisdom they have from centuries of caring for these spectacular landscapes. The native people, who have lived in harmony with these natural resources throughout history, can offer us great knowledge and insight and must have a seat at the table to share their cultural intelligence and perspective.

The President also gave a two-year reprieve to the Thompson Divide area from further oil and gas leasing. This offers a small window to work toward prohibiting all new oil and gas leases into the future. I look forward to having this momentary pause expanded to longer

and more permanent protection of this vulnerable natural resource.

Thank you to Wilderness Workshop and all the many environmental groups, citizens, and elected officials, including President Biden, Governor Polis, Senator Bennet, county commissioners, and all who helped bring about the creation of the National Monument.

Ted A. Behar, Carbondale

Roadside assistance

The solicitors for medical money are causing a distracting and dangerous situation at the intersection of highways 133 and 82. Complaints to the Carbondale Police and the Garfield County Sheriff's Department have been numerous, but neither are able to legally act, as the intersection is public property.

People who solicit, whether under false pretenses or not, are allowed to be there. Unfortunately, this also means they are allowed to wave large signs, often en masse, while putting drivers and themselves in danger. Traffic is getting more congested by the day, adding to the distraction.

I have tried to be empathetic, but I think we need to look at the situation. These are not homeless people who lack shelter, food or clean clothes. They appear to have all the amenities a modern society entails, including cell phones. They clearly have employment, or families with employment, and if they do not, they certainly aren’t willing to work. Every business seems to need workers.

Medical care cannot be legally denied

The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible.

Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+

Lee Beck & John Stickney • Kay Brunnier Michelle & Ed Buchman

Toni Cerise • Eric Smith • CoVenture Sue Edelstein & Bill Spence Deborah & Shane Evans

Greg & Kathy Feinsinger

Peter & Mike Gilbert

Gary & Jill Knaus

Carly & Frosty Merriott

Mama Sandy & Lee Mulcahy

James Noyes • Ken & Donna Riley

Patti & George Stranahan

Anne Sullivan & John Colson

Megan Tackett • True Nature Healing Arts Elizabeth Wysong • Alpine Bank

Legacy Givers for including us in their final wishes. Mary Lilly

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Charge Ahead

Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) is offering free assistance to tap into the state’s latest $3 million round of grant funding for electric charging stations. The Charge Ahead program provides grants to cover up to 90 percent of the cost for installing chargers in workplaces, apartment/ condo complexes, government buildings and other sites that offer public or visitor parking. The deadline for most types of applications is Nov. 16. For more info, contact CLEER’s Martín Bonzi at mbonzi@cleanenergyeconomy.net

Prevent chimney fires

The Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District recommends having your chimney cleaned and inspected by a professional before using the fireplace this season. Wood-burning fires can accumulate a build-up of creosote, a highly flammable, tar-like residue known to cause chimney fires. It’s also possible that outdoor critters nested in your chimney, and these materials should be cleared out before lighting a fire. Carbon monoxide, the silent killer, is another concern with chimney blockages. Learn more at www. carbondalefire.org

Colorado Book Awards

Submissions for the Colorado Book Awards are open for books published for the first time in 2022, or the last quarter of 2021. The submission deadline is Jan. 9, 2023. Categories include: anthology, fiction, history, non-fiction, pictorial, poetry and children’s, juvenile and young adult literature. Volunteer selectors and judges are also needed. Apply online at www. coloradohumanities.org/programs/coloradobook-awards

This photo, featured on the front page of Basalt's Sopris Sun in August 1969, captures Mark Weston riding a bucking bronco. Weston was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in October 2019 and served as a patient representative on the FDA’s advisory committee to discuss AMX0035, a new drug to treat ALS. Read Weston’s opinion online at www. bit.ly/WestonOpinion

Veteran services

On Nov. 7, Garfield County Public Libraries will grant patrons access to Brainfuse VetNow, a service to help veterans and their families navigate bureaucracy, receive academic tutoring and employment transition assistance. Find the tool online at www.gcpld.org/research/researchdatabases

Fire on the mountain

Fire managers from the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit are hoping for ideal conditions in the coming weeks to ignite a prescribed fire on White River National Forest lands in Eagle County. The Lime Park Prescribed Burn will occur five miles northeast of Ruedi Reservoir.

Pollution prevention grants

The Environmental Protection Agency is providing the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) with $411,440 in pollution prevention grants. CDPHE is one of 32 recipients of EPA pollution prevention grants totalling $9 million. The state agency will commit these funds toward identifying, developing, documenting and sharing best practices through the Colorado Green Business Network, supporting community-based efforts and backing five internship projects for Colorado State University graduate fellows.

Fem film

No Man’s Land Film Festival, the premier all-women adventure film festival, is accepting submissions for 2023 until Dec. 2 at midnight. Find more info at www.filmfreeway.com/ NoMansLandFilmFestival

Sopris cross

Barry Stevenson, with Outside Adventure Media, captured a video showing “The Sopris Cross,” a unique formation in the bowl above Thomas Lakes visible for about three weeks in October. “The Cross is formed on Mount Sopris where a narrow avalanche chute naturally bisects a horizontal rock seam,” wrote Stevenson. See the (gorgeous) video at www.bit.ly/ SoprisCross

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Suzie Brady, Zack Jones, Kay Hagman Knickerbocker and AJ Waski (Nov. 3); Jeff Achey, Debra Burleigh and David Cappa (Nov. 4); Niki Burns and Trina Ortega (Nov. 5); Beth Broome and Murry Daniels (Nov. 6); Lee Beck, Brett Nelson and Noreen Steiner (Nov. 7); Rick Carlson and Mira Winograd (Nov. 8); Wolfy Draper and Stephen Molloy (Nov. 9).

18 years of Día de Los Muertos and 20 with Paco

By Vanessa Porras Contributing Editor

On First Friday, Nov. 4, Carbondale Arts, Thunder River Theater, Valley Settlement and Aspen Santa-Fe Ballet will present their 18th annual celebration of the Day of the Dead. As a special addition, this year also marks the 20th anniversary of Francisco Nevarez-Burgueño in his role as director of the Folklorico dance program for Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.

The celebration will begin at 4 p.m. in the Fourth Street Plaza, where there will be games, art activities, performances, food and music. For those who want to participate in the procession, walking through the streets of Carbondale to music and swaying skeletons, the crowd will gather at the Third Street Center at 5:45 p.m.

The procession will then walk back to Fourth Street where the party will continue led by Iliana and Samuel Bernal-Urbina. There will be performances by Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklorico, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra and Mezcal Social until 8 p.m.

Nevarez-Burgueño, better known in the community and to his students as Paco, reflected in conversation about his past 20 years as director of the Folklorico dance program. Paco began his career at Aspen Santa-Fe Ballet in 2002 shortly after arriving in the Valley from New York. The program was already two years old, but it was Paco who continued to develop and design not only the program and the choreographies but even the costumes.

Paco remembers a piece of fabric he pulled out of a theater dumpster in Aspen. The fabric, a silky cherry that originally hung as curtains, was upcycled to create suits and dresses for the boys and girls. The result was like something from a dream, a troupe of dancers in elegant and refined costumes worthy of any prestigious stage in the country.

Today, Paco is teaching folklorico to the young children of students who were part of his first generation of dancers, and who also experienced the importance of what Paco has built over the last two decades. "If it hadn't served them well... they wouldn't even dare to [bring] their children," he reflected. Paco attributes the success of the program to the discipline he instills in his students.

Beyond the choreography, with the exception of some dances from other Latin American countries, these students learn about the culture and the different regions of Mexico, and the difference in clothing from state to state.

Through the music, the dancers become familiar with icons of Mexican music (such as José Alfredo Jiménez), fostering bonds between generations — grandparents, parents and children.

These dancers, many of Mexican descent, are taught about the culture and history that they traditionally would learn in Mexican schools. The tradition of the Day of the Dead is one; "Some kids don't even know why we are going to do this... but little by little, with a bit explanation, [they understand] the reason for the dances, why we use the masks of the dead or why they paint their faces”, says Paco.

In the United States, the celebration of the Day of the Dead has become a generalization of the tradition. Each Mexican state, including Central American countries, celebrate it differently. In recent years, the popularity of this tradition

Day of the Dead 2021, photo by Klaus Kocher

Promising perspective: Representative Perry Will, Elizabeth Velasco and House District 57

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

The election quickly approaches. Among many choices, between candidates and propositions, Roaring Fork Valley residents will elect their representative for Colorado House District 57. Whereas House District 57 previously contained Moffat and Rio Blanco counties, as well as Garfield County, the district now includes Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Valley portion of Eagle County.

Republican Perry Will seeks to defend his place as the district’s representative at the Colorado General Assembly. “I’ve been told I’ve brought a wonderful perspective, a rural perspective,” Will told The Sopris Sun, “a perspective that’s much needed here.”

His challenger, Democrat Elizabeth Velasco, similarly vows to bring a much needed perspective to the Golden Dome. “I’m ready, I’m qualified. I’m going to bring a new perspective to the legislature as a Latina immigrant that had to go through the immigration process for 26 years. I see this as an honor and a responsibility; to serve our community.”

The Sopris Sun interviewed each candidate separately and alternates their answers to the same questions in this article.

First, give us a brief introduction.

Will has lived all of his life in Colorado, “this state is near and dear to me,” he told The Sun.

Growing up on a ranch in southeast Colorado, hunting and fishing, he decided at an early age to become a game warden. After receiving a degree in wildlife management, Will had a career of more than 40 years with Division of Wildlife (DOW) and later Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).

Velasco has lived in the Valley for 20 years. “I know the issues because I’ve lived them,” she said. Velasco is a small business owner, offering

interpretation services to hospitals, courts, nonprofits and emergency communications. She is also a wildland firefighter who helped with communications during the Grizzly Creek Fire and was later deployed to assist at megafires in California and Oregon.

What in your experience prepares you to represent the district?

After testifying in committees at the capitol with DOW and CPW, Will gained an interest in state politics. When former District 57 Rep. Bob Rankin moved to the state Senate, replacing Randy Baumgardner in 2019, Will was appointed to fill his vacancy. He was then elected in 2020 and now serves on many committees. “I work for the people,” he said. “And I’m in no trajectory anywhere. Y’know, for some people, it’s like a stepping stone — they have higher political aspirations or whatever … I’m just there trying to do good for the West Slope of Colorado.”

“I come from grassroots organizing…” Velasco continued. “We are a diverse community with multiple stakeholders, and it’s important for all of us to come to the table.” She aspires to “expand the electorate, to engage the community [and] have a transparent government that serves everybody.” Her work with governments, from local to federal, has given her skills to “work together to get big things done.”

What inspired you to join this race?

Will is inspired to run for reelection because he enjoys the work. “I enjoy creating good legislation that helps people,” he said. “Y’know, you’re allowed five bills — to run five bills. I had 33 last year.” Thanks to his bipartisan reputation, Will has been invited by other legislators to coprime bills. “I don’t care if it’s Democrat, Republican, whatever, if it’s a good bill.”

Velasco’s community service reached new heights during COVID, as she helped at vaccination clinics, helped with contact tracing and helped with disseminating critical information. All the while, Velasco was part of organizing against the mine expansion above Glenwood Springs. The experience taught her that “for change to happen, we have to be at all levels.” She hopes to serve as a bridge between policy and local needs, “to make sure we’re serving community.”

How can we navigate social division?

“We have to get away from this divisiveness, we truly do,” said Will. “When you get elected, you represent everyone in your district, and that’s how I approach it.” He gave the example of House Bill 1155, a tuition bill he cosponsored, despite its lack of Republican support. “Will this help students and our young people in House District 57?” he said of his rationale. The bill passed, and, “it’s a good thing.”

Velasco agreed that the social division is troublesome, but said we have more in common than not. “Our working families, we all want our kids to have great education no matter where we live, we want to be able to afford to pay rent, we want to have access to healthcare. I will work really hard to put our district first, and Western Colorado.”

What are the greatest challenges you see ahead?

The greatest challenges that Will sees ahead for the district are affordability, public safety, education and water. He admitted, however, he would jokingly say, “Water, water, water.” “Protecting West Slope water is a huge issue that we’re facing,” said Will. Meanwhile, he is concerned to see inflation much higher in Colorado than the national average, and our state listed as number one in auto theft.

If elected, Velasco would like to work on fire mitigation and support for emergency responders; also, making sure that people have access to emergency alerts in their language. Her number one issue is community resilience. “We know that our house is on fire,” she said. “We have to be proactive and to be ready for any natural disasters.”

Other issues of importance for Velasco are access to healthcare, supporting reproductive rights, supporting families and education.

What ideas, strategies or goals will you represent?

Will says that he has multiple bill ideas to help the district, much of which is a continuation of work he’s been doing. His focus is on supporting physician assistants,

“I feel like we live in a postcard, a beautiful postcard,” Elizabeth Velasco told The Sopris Sun. She enjoys camping, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, rafting and all sorts of outdoor adventuring. Courtesy photo

“Probably my biggest joy in life, at this point in my life, is watching my grandkids compete at sports,” said Perry Will. In addition, “I love everything to do with western culture.” Courtesy photo

rural healthcare, behavioral health, cheapening prescription drugs and protecting critical access to hospitals. “Healthcare is a huge need,” he said. “We need to protect our critical access hospitals, make sure they’re viable.”

One concern Velasco heard often from families while campaigning was about inflation. “I look forward to supporting our working families, so we’re able to have a dignified life,” she said. Additionally, she heard about water quality concerns, especially at mobile home parks. One family in Silt, she said, has seen their well run dry and they now haul water every day. “This is our community and I look forward to serving everyone,” she concluded.

Find Perry Will’s website at www. voteperrywill.com Learn more about Elizabeth Velasco at www. elizabethforcolorado.com

Editor’s note: Both candidates were interviewed during a short forum on KDNK radio last week. Topics ranged from abortion access to West Slope water. Find the archive at www.kdnk.org/podcast/ everything-under-the-sun

Nuclear power for Western Colorado?

By Ken Pletcher Sopris Sun Contributor

At a June 15 meeting of the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado (AGNC) in Rifle, State Senator Bob Rankin (R-Carbondale) discussed his desire to explore nuclear power generation as a possible supplement to the state’s transition away from thermal generating plants and toward renewables, such as solar and wind. It is a concept that he has championed for some time; he introduced a bill in the Senate earlier this year proposing to fund investigating the use of nukes (the bill was subsequently killed in committee).

At the meeting, chaired by Garfield County Commissioner Mike Sampson, Rankin specifically focused on his interest in installing a small nuclear facility at a coal-fired generating plant in northwestern Colorado near Craig that is scheduled to be fully retired by the end of 2030. He would like to see the power generating and transmission infrastructure reutilized rather than abandoned after the plant shuts down. He also anticipates that with such a transition, part of the workforce currently employed at the plant could be retained and retrained.

The plant

The Craig Station, in Moffat County just southwest of the city, consists of three coal-fired boiler units. Units 1 and 2 came online in 1979 and 1980, respectively, and Unit 3 in 1984. The three combined have an installed capacity of about 1,280 megawatts (MW), making the station one of the largest power-generating plants in the state. The facility is a major regional employer, whose roughly 250 workers make an average $100,000 annually.

The station is operated and partially owned by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (TriState), a not-for-profit cooperative supplying power for Colorado and surrounding states. The plant is also partially owned by several other utility

companies, including Xcel Energy. Coal for the plant is supplied by two mines in Moffat County: Trapper Mine, just west of the plant, and Colowyo Mine, north-northeast of Meeker. The mines are also a significant employer, with about 250 and 200 workers, respectively. The entire coal output of both locations is dedicated to the Craig Station.

Lawsuits and settlement

For many years, the Craig plant has been a source of concern for environmental and conservation groups for the air pollution (mainly nitrogen oxides and particulate pollution) that it produces. Those effluents frequently caused hazy conditions in Rocky Mountain National Park and other public lands downwind from the plant. The state responded to federal mandates to reduce pollution in national parks and elsewhere by developing a Colorado Visibility and Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the SIP at the end of 2012, but the conservation advocacy group WildEarth Guardians (Guardians) and the National Parks Conservation Association did not think the SIP adequately addressed emissions from the Craig plant. Each brought lawsuits in federal court against the EPA in early 2013. Those suits were settled collectively in 2014, with the agreement that Tri-State would install pollutionabatement equipment at the plant on the three units.

Plant closure and repercussions

After subsequent negotiations among the parties, it was agreed in 2016 that Unit 1 would be retired from service by the end of 2025, and that pollution-control equipment to address nitrogen oxides and particulates would be installed on the two other units. The latter action was successfully accomplished in 2017.

However, discussions on the ultimate

Craig Station power plant, March 2010. Wikimedia Commons

disposition of Units 2 and 3 continued, particularly after Colorado enacted a law in 2019 to reduce sources of greenhouse gasses (notably, carbon dioxide) in the state over the next three decades. TriState responded by conducting extended talks with state officials and its own member utilities. In January 2020, it announced a Responsible Energy Plan that would eliminate its coal-fired power plants in the state by 2030.

Specifically, it meant that Craig Units 2 and 3 would be voluntarily retired from service by Sept. 30, 2028, and Dec. 31, 2030, respectively — well ahead of their planned respective decommissioning dates of 2038 and 2044. This would also result in the closure of the two coal mines by 2030.

Not surprisingly, the news was taken hard by the city and county with Craig’s mayor stating that the community was experiencing “stages of grief.” The loss of several hundred high-paying jobs is expected to be a significant hit to the local economy. On top of that, the lost tax revenue from the three facilities will be significant, up to 50% of the current Moffat County total.

For its part, Tri-State has announced that plant employees will receive “a generous severance package, the opportunity to apply for vacancies at other Tri-State facilities, assistance with education and financial planning, and supplemental funding for health benefits.” In addition, Tri-State’s Mark Stutz told The Sopris Sun that the co-op has been “adding renewables for some time.” He explained, “We are currently in the middle of a process” to build

renewable energy installations (solar and wind), continuing, “Eight new ones will come online by 2024.” That will add 1,000 MW of generating capacity. The ultimate goal is 4,000 MW by 2030, with some 200 MW of battery storage.

A nuclear option?

Nonetheless, officials like Rankin and Samson have argued that renewables alone are insufficient to replace the Craig Station. A letter in July from the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to the U.S. Department of Energy supporting AGNC’s desire to explore nuclear-power feasibility in Western Colorado stated, “While wind and solar have shown their potential they clearly lack baseload capacity and 24/7 reliability.”

In a subsequent BOCC press release, which cited the commissioners’ unanimous approval for the AGNC initiative, Sansom, referring to the Craig Station, said, “It is a prime location because of the skilled workforce that is looking for new jobs, as well as the existing transmission lines.” He reiterated that view in a conversation with The Sun: “The [workers and infrastructure] are already there, so let’s keep using them.”

Along with long-standing concerns from opponents of nuclear power about environmental safety (a radiation leak), plant security (possibility of sabotage or terrorism) and the disposal of spent fuel (currently only stored at power plants), attention has also focused on the high cost of building nuclear plants.

Dave Reed, communications director

for Carbondale-based Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER), noted that while CLEER does not have a specific opinion on nuclear power, the high cost of building a nuclear facility “seems less economically feasible and scalable in a rural environment like ours than the smaller, decentralized power installations like solar or wind that CLEER has helped to develop.”

The cost of nuclear power was also pointed out by Colorado energy writer Allen Best in an Aug. 3 article in Big Pivots, an e-magazine. He gave the example of two reactors at a plant under construction in Georgia that are projected to cost more than $30 billion to complete. The article included a graph illustrating the much greater installed cost per MW-hour of nuclear compared to wind and utility-scale solar.

However, what Rankin, Samson and others are proposing is not the construction of the more conventionaltype nuclear plants like in Georgia — pressurized-water reactors with massive containment structures and highly complex operating systems — but newer, smaller units, sometimes called “mini” reactors. Technology in that area has advanced dramatically in recent decades.

TerraPower, a company formed in 2008 by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, has developed such a smaller-scale reactor, which is cooled by molten sodium. The reactor reaches about the same temperature as a pressurizedwater model (roughly 630-660 ℉), but that is well below the boiling point of sodium and allows it to operate at

about sea-level atmospheric pressure. The company states that this makes it considerably cheaper to build and much simpler and safer to operate.

In 2021 TerraPower began the process of installing its first commercial application of the reactor at the site of a coal-fired plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming, that is set to close in 2025. The unit, scheduled to come online in 2028, is projected to cost up to $4 billion to build. However, the company expects future commercial installations to cost about one-fourth of that total, which, they state, makes it economically competitive with solar and wind power. Will nuclear power generation come to Western Colorado, which, its promoters advocate, promises to deliver clean energy reliably as a supplement to renewables? Or will the environmental, security and cost issues raised by its opponents prevent its development? What happens in Kemmerer undoubtedly will be an important factor, as will continued advances in renewable technology — especially battery storage.

Jennifer Dickson, Guardians’ communications director, told The Sun, “We will continue to encourage state and federal leaders to look toward renewable energy as a solution [to thermal-power generation] and to invest in a just transition for workers creating sustainable jobs that will last into the future.” For its part, Tri-State’s Stutz said that there was no movement toward a nuclear installation at the plant site, but, “All options for the future of Craig are on the table.”

RFSD board approves support for LGBTQIA+ students

By Jeanne Souldern Sopris Sun Correspondent

On Oct. 26, at a regular meeting of the Roaring Fork School District Board of Education, in a 5-0 vote, a resolution was approved supporting the district’s LGBTQIA+ students.

Before the meeting, a group of parents and local LGBTQIA+ advocates held what was billed as a tailgate party on the lawn in front of the district offices at 400 Sopris Avenue, Carbondale. Two small party tents were set up to greet supporters, with rainbow flags and stickers being handed out and an opportunity to visit with others before going inside for the meeting.

Glenwood Springs resident Erik Hesselman, a 27-year-old who attended Yampah Mountain High School in his senior year, was at the party and meeting. “I'm here to show support and solidarity for all the young people that this board meeting basically discusses. I was thinking back to when I was a teen in high school, and I would have not been nearly as brave to come to one of these things, so now I feel like it's my time to show support for new kids that might need it,” he said.

The resolution’s language acknowledges that topics around gender identity may be new territory for some community members to understand, stating, “... The Board recognizes that we are in a moment of rapid societal change, and district students, teachers, and administrators are telling us they are confused by changing mores regarding gender and gender identity; and that laws are changing alongside society’s growing awareness.”

Director Kenny Teitler reiterated, “Our [The board’s] mission will be that every student has the knowledge, skills and character to thrive, and the last two words are in a ‘changing world,’ and we are in a changing world at this point.”

The Toolkit for Supporting Transgender & Gender Expansive/Non-Conforming Students, known informally as the gender toolkit, “reaffirms its [the District’s] commitment to policies that support and represent the diverse students, staff, and families in our communities,” the resolution stated. It also advances efforts toward the safety and inclusion of all students, regardless of their gender identity.

A snowy day may have discouraged some community members from attending. Although the meeting room was full, there were not as many people as were at the Oct. 12 meeting when the gender toolkit was first introduced.

Board President Kathryn Kuhlenberg reported they received 36 written comments ahead of the Oct. 26 meeting. In the public comment portion of the meeting, speakers in support of adopting the resolution outnumbered those opposing, nine to 4.

Lynne Kerst, a Roaring Fork Valley resident for 40 years, whose late husband

was a school board member in the ‘80s, opened her remarks by saying, “I come here in love and not hate.” Requesting that the board postpone their decision, she asked them “to dig a little bit deeper into all aspects related to safety and mental health, not only this group but also of your other students” who attend Roaring Fork schools.

Kerst voiced concern for the district “to not elevate one people group above another for this attention” when dealing with bullying and mental health issues.

Dr. Brandy Drake is an emergency medicine and palliative care doctor and has three children in Roaring Fork schools, one of whom is gender-diverse.

Drake researched information about gender diversity, and based on the science and the data she found, she reported: “the biology underlying sex and gender is much more complicated and nuanced than we thought … The gender binary is a social construct that limits all of us.” She continued, saying, “I also learned that my child is at risk for suicide, mental health problems, substance abuse and homelessness.”

However, Drake emphasized, “support from me, my family, my friends, my school, my community can bring my child's risks to normal. My child need never feel dysphoric about who they are.” She concluded by thanking the school district for their action in “possibly literally saving my child's life” by working with her family and community in “creating a safe space for them.”

Board Vice President Jasmin Ramirez said, “I always appreciate when we have parents who come and share not only their lived experience, but also their differing viewpoints. I think, for us as a board, to continue to have student achievement, student wellness, student growth, student academics and student mental health at the center of all the work that we do is incredibly vital.”

You can view the archived meeting on the “Roaring Fork Schools” YouTube channel.

JAMIE MAYBON

During the

Photo by Jeanne Souldern

to host Labor Market Summit

By Kate Phillips Sopris Sun Correspondent

On Nov. 7, the Colorado Mountain College (CMC) School of Business will host the 2022 State of the Labor Market Summit at Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs (815 Cooper Ave). A second summit will be held on Nov. 9 at CMC’s Leadville campus.

This free public event will highlight the dynamic workforce needs of CMC’s 11 mountain communities, and discuss how educational attainment can elevate businesses. Attendees will also have the chance to connect with local business and community leaders in a roundtable format.

Dr. Norma Guzmán Durán, dean of CMC’s School of Business, said the summit is a great opportunity for Roaring Fork Valley business owners to collaborate with other professionals and gain access to CMC’s extensive resources.

“This is to facilitate the economic engine and vitality for our communities,” she said. “It’s to facilitate knowledge sharing, connections and to help our businesses by aligning the workforce with the programs we offer at the college.”

The summit will begin with breakfast at 8:30 a.m., followed by presentations

from the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and Dr. Guzmán Durán.

Lee Wheeler-Berliner of the CWDC will present the annual 2022 Talent Pipeline Report, a comprehensive analysis of Colorado’s labor market. The report identifies areas of demand and opportunity, highlights features of the current workforce and suggests strategies that can balance the talent supply and demand. Colorado’s “Top Jobs,” with high annual openings, an above average projected growth rate and above average hourly wage, are also discussed.

After Wheeler-Berliner’s presentation, Dr. Guzmán Durán will share the results of the Business and Industry Needs survey conducted by CMC earlier this year. Based on responses from over 100 local employers, educators and government officials, the results provide a synopsis of the labor market needs specific to CMC’s rural communities.

“We want to find the trends that these employers are seeing,” said. Dr. Guzmán Durán, as well as gaps and needs in businesses. “One of those is technical skills and computer skills.”

As a solution-oriented summit, Dr. Guzmán Durán said the region’s educational attainment data will also be presented. Attendees will learn about CMC’s School of Business program and the certifications and courses that employers can utilize to enhance their businesses.

“We know that if we are educating our populace, that leads to credentialed and skilled workers who are workforce

ready,” Dr. Guzmán Durán continued. “We’re providing them with information where they can see these are avenues to upskill, reskill, or next skill their current employees.”

Financial resources compiled by the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) will also be shared to help small business owners navigate grants and loans. An OEDIT representative will be available on-site for additional questions.

Once the data-driven information is presented, attendees will then participate in the experiential Career Pathways portion of the summit. Employers will form small groups based on industry to engage in a productive conversation about current needs, and ways that CMC can alleviate challenges. CMC deans and faculty members trained by Dr. Tony Smith of the CWDC will lead the groups.

Dr. Guzmán Durán said she is excited that more small businesses — especially

those from the Latino community — are engaging with CMC, and that this summit is a great opportunity for Valley businesses.

“I have a huge heart for small businesses,” she said. “If anyone is on the fence about attending, I think they will be pleasantly surprised by the resources they may not have known about. This is an opportunity to showcase the programs that we have and the business courses that can help these businesses be successful.”

She continued, “We want to build industry partnerships with businesses, governments, nonprofits, school districts and all of the genres of our business sectors.”

Visit www.coloradomtn.edu/ labormarket/ to register and learn more about the State of the Labor Market Summit. Dr. Guzmán Durán is also available at nguzmanduran@ coloradomtn.edu to answer questions.

Colorado Mountain College's School of Business is ready to elevate your business with courses and collaboration. Here, the school's faculty, dean and students are participating in FirstBank's "Strategic Coaching: Tools to Land the Job" event in March 2022. Courtesy Photo

INTERMEDIATE

Build on basics of Jitterbug (East

and

your

Charleston,

Wed. 6:30-8:30pm, 11/9-12/7

FABULOUS FELTED SLIPPERS

Make your own custome slippers with local textile artist, Jill Scher. Saturdays, 11/12-19

PILATES BLEND

A full-body workout with exercises that target specific muscles while engaging the entire body using the fundamentals of Pilates. Mon/Wed, 12-12:50pm, 11/14-12/14

NOURISHING OURSELVES FOR WINTER

Learn how to make delicious, nourishing, medicinal foods to feed your soul through the winter. Thursday, 6-8pm, 11/17

SEED SAVING AND VEGETABLE GARDENING 101

Learn the basics to grow your own food, and how to save your heirloom flower and veggie seeds. 6:30-8pm

Veg. Gardening: Tuesday 11/15 Seed Saving: Thursday 11/17

Classes for Beginners and Intermediate skiers in both CLASSIC and SKATE styles.

Various days and dates

Starting as early as January 3

PILATES

Matwork, Power Barre and Pilates, Pilates Blend, Pilates for Mom and Baby, and NEW Reformer at FreeBird Pilates in Carbondale. Various days and dates

Starting as early as January 9

CREATIVE WRITING

Find the power, beauty and even courage in the words you create. This class is taught online via Zoom. Wednesdays, 6-8pm, 1/11-2/8

NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE

Highlights themes of historical context, reservation life, and current cultural conflict through the writings of well-known Native American authors of various tribes. Mondays, 6-8pm, 1/16-2/20

PAINTING AND DRAWING

Painting classes in different mediums/levels, and Beg. Drawing. Starting as early as January 17

THURSDAY, NOV. 3

MEDICARE PRESCRIPTIONS

In collaboration with High County RSVP, Basalt Library offers appointments for seniors looking to review or change their Medicare prescription drug plans from 1 to 4 p.m. Register online at www.bit.ly/RSVPMeds

ARTIST LECTURE

Autumn Knight, a visiting artist at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass, lectures from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. about working with performance, installation, video and text. A buffet dinner at the ranch will follow the lecture. Register online at www.andersonranch.org

DURAN DURAN

Duran Duran presents “A Hollywood High”, a feature-length docuconcert film, screened at the Isis Theatre in Aspen tonight at 7:30 p.m. The show repeats on Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. and Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org

FRIDAY, NOV. 4

HOPSCOTCH OF THE MIND Haiti-born and Paris-based artist Hervé Télémaque’s first solo exhibit in the United States, “Hopscotch of the Mind”, opens at the Aspen Art Museum and will remain on display through March 26, 2023. Visit www. aspenartmuseum.org for more info.

HORSE ADOPTION

The Bureau of Land Management hosts a wild horse adoption event with some 60 wild horses from the Piceance-East Douglas Herd at the Mesa County Fairgrounds in Grand Junction. Horses can be viewed from noon to 6 p.m. today and from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on Nov. 5. Bidders must be present from 10 to 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 5. Learn more at www.blm.gov/WHB

STUDIO TOUR

Local watercolorist Linda Helmich welcomes the public to tour her barn studio and gallery at 4006 County Road 115 in Glenwood Springs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and tomorrow.

LAST CALL

Batch Provisions, opening at 4 p.m., closes out First Friday with a toast to the memories and adventures to come.

DAY OF THE DEAD Carbondale Library invites the public to check out their public altar and create some traditional

“papel picado” (perforated paper) crafts beginning at 4 p.m.

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

This First Friday, continue the celebration of Día de los Muertos at Fourth and Main Street with live performances and entertainment at 4 p.m. followed by a procession with large-scale puppets beginning at the Third Street Center at 6 p.m. The party returns to Fourth and Main for more performances and fun. To volunteer to help out, visit www.bit.ly/DiaVolunteering

LOVE LETTERS

The Art Base presents “Love Letters to My Mother”, a new exhibit by Shawna Miller, with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibit will remain on display through Dec. 3.

CRYSTAL THEATRE

“Ticket to Paradise” shows at the Crystal Theatre at 7 p.m. today, tomorrow and on Nov. 9-10. A Sunday matinee at 5 p.m. will be captioned. “Amsterdam” also shows on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 4:15 p.m.

MARY POPPINS

Opening night of Aspen Community Theatre’s production of “Mary Poppins” is tonight at 7 p.m. The show continues Nov. 5, 11 and 12 with showtimes at 7 p.m. and matinees on Nov. 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. For tickets, visit www.bit.ly/ACTPoppins

FRESH AMERICANA

Natalie Prauser and Marty Bush perform a First Friday show at Steve’s Guitars at 8 p.m.

SINGER�SONGWRITER

Ali McGuirk and Kail Baxley perform at TACAW at 8 p.m. For tickets and more info, visit www.tacaw.org

SATURDAY, NOV. 5

STORYTIME

Author Julianne Stokes reads her newest children’s book, all about skiing, at Basalt Library at 10 a.m. Then, author Jill Sheeley discusses her young adult novel, “The Blue Bottle”, at 1 p.m.

ALTAR BUILDING

The Glenwood Springs Community Art Center and Defiende Nuestra Tierra are hosting a Día de los Muertos altar building workshop at 601 East Sixth Street from noon to 3 p.m. Space is limited! Register online at www.bit.ly/GWSCACDia

Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks folks to properly dispose of their carved pumpkins and not to leave them out for wildlife consumption. Courtesy photo

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI LESSONS AT SPRING GULCH

FUNDRAISING DINNER

Aspen Choral Society hosts a fall fundraising dinner at the Black Saddle Bar & Grille in Snowmass from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Founder and benefactor Virgil Simon will be honored and a new project will be unveiled. Find tickets at aspenchoralsociety.org

GRATEFUL AND DEAD

The Grateful Dead return to cinemas with a screening of their ‘72 performance at Tivoli Concert Hall in Denmark. The Isis Theatre in Aspen hosts a screening at 7 p.m. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org

SUNDAY, NOV. 6

STEVE’S GUITARS

Freedy Johnston performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8 p.m.

FALL BACK!

Daylight savings time ends in the wee hours of the night. Don’t forget to set your clocks back by one hour and enjoy that sensation of sleeping in yet waking up early.

MONDAY, NOV. 7

MEDICARE MONDAY

High Country Volunteers partners with the Colorado Gerontological Society for an in-person Medicare Monday session at the Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Center (1402 Blake Avenue) at 9:30 a.m. Register to attend by calling 970-384-8744.

TUESDAY, NOV. 8

TAKE & CREATE

Basalt Library welcomes artists of all ages to pick up a paper quilling art kit while supplies last.

WATERCOLOR PAINTING

Amy Beidleman teaches watercolor painting at The Art Base from 6 to 8 p.m. Register online at www.theartbase.org

CARBONDALE TRUSTEES

Carbondale’s Board of Town Trustees convenes at the Third Street Center at 6 p.m. No virtual Zoom access will be available.

DRAWING CLUB

Find the Roaring Fork Drawing Club at Botany Houseplant Shop (586 Highway 133, next to Dos Gringos) at 6:30 p.m. No registration necessary!

ELECTION DEADLINE

Ballots must be dropped by 7 p.m. to be counted. In-person voters that have entered the queue by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Learn more at www.sos.state.co.us

LIVE ELECTION COVERAGE

Tune in to KDNK Community Access Radio for live election coverage beginning at 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9

FIGURE DRAWING

Join artist Shawna Miller for a figure drawing class at The Art Base from 6:30 to 8 p.m. More info at www.theartbase.org

ASPEN FILM

Aspen Film presents “an exclusive sneak screening” of “She Said”, directed by Maria Schrader, at the Isis Theatre in Aspen at 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, NOV. 10

WALDORF SCHOOL TOUR

Prospective students and their families are invited to tour Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork’s 13acre campus from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

HEALTH FAIR

Aspen Valley Hospital hosts a health fair with deeply discounted lab tests from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Make an appointment online at aspenhospital.org

10,000 VILLAGES

The 10,000 Villages International Craft Fair returns to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glenwood Springs (1630 Grand Avenue) this weekend. The doors open today from noon to 6 p.m.

On Nov. 11, the hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. And on Nov. 13, from noon to 4 p.m.

SENIOR SOCIAL

Seniors are invited to the Glenwood Springs Library on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month to socialize and make new friends at 1 p.m.

LEGAL CLINIC

Basalt Library hosts a free legal clinic from 2 to 5 p.m. To sign up, call 970-927-4311.

ART TALK

Visiting artist Calida Rawles presents her painting process at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The lecture will be followed by a buffet dinner at the Ranch. Alternatively, the talk will be live streamed. Register online at www.andersonranch.org

FRIDAY, NOV. 11

VETERANS DAY

The American Legion in Carbondale (97 North Third Street) hosts a Veterans Day dinner at 5 p.m. serving hot turkey sandwiches with mashed potatoes, gravy and sides. The dinner is free for all veterans and open to the public.

Volunteers

the Carbondale roundabout

a

Photo by Jeanne Souldern

Sol del Valle

Cultivando y conservando tradiciones

Por Vanessa Porras Editora Contribuyente

El primer viernes del mes, 4 de noviembre, Carbondale Arts, Thunder River Theater, Valley Settlement y Aspen Santa-Fe Ballet presentan 18 años de la celebración del Día de los Muertos. Como adición especial, este año también se celebra el 20 aniversario de Francisco Nevarez-Burgueño, en su posición como director del programa de baile folklórico para Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.

La celebración comenzará a las 4 p.m. en la plaza de Fourth Street de Carbondale, donde habrá juegos, actividades de arte, presentaciones, comida y música. Para aquellos que quieran participar en la procesión caminando por las calles de Carbondale al ritmo de la música, siguiendo las calaveras, la multitud se reunirá en el Third Street Center a las 5:45 p.m. La procesión caminara de regreso a Fourth Street donde la fiesta continuará, guida por Iliana y Samuel Bernal-Urbina, y habrán presentaciones de Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Floklorico, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra y Mezcal Social hasta las 8 p.m.

Nevarez-Burgueño, mejor conocido en la comunidad y para sus estudiantes como Paco, reflexiono sobre los últimos 20 años como director del programa de folklórico. El inicio para Paco con Aspen Santa-Fe Ballet fue en el año 2002, después de llegar al valle desde Nueva York. El programa ya tenía dos años, pero fue él quien continuó desarrollando y diseñando no sólo el programa y las coreografías sino incluso también el vestuario.

Paco recuerda una tela que sacó del basurero de un teatro en Aspen. La tela, un guindo sedoso que originalmente colgaban como cortinas, fueron recicladas para crear trajes y vestidos para los chicos. El resultado fue como algo de un sueño, una tropa de bailarines en vestuarios elegantes y refinados, dignos de cualquier escenario prestigioso del país.

Hoy en día, Paco está dando clases de folklórico a los hijos pequeños de los estudiantes que fueron parte de la primera generación de bailarines y también vivieron la importancia de lo que Paco ha construido durante estas últimas dos décadas. “Si a ellos no les hubiera servido… ni siquiera se atreverían a [traer] a sus hijos”. Paco atribuye el éxito del programa a la disciplina que les impone a sus estudiantes.

Más allá de la coreografía, con la excepción de algunos bailes de otros países latinoamericanos, estos estudiantes aprenden sobre la cultura, las diferentes regiones de México, la diferencia en vestuario de estado a estado. Incluso, a través de la música, los bailarines se familiarizan con iconos de la música Mexicana como José Alfredo Jiménez, lo cual fomenta vínculos entre generaciones de abuelos, padres a hijos.

Estos muchachos, muchos de descendencia Mexicana, están aprendiendo sobre la cultura y la historia que tradicionalmente aprenden en escuelas Mexicanas. La tradición del Día de los Muertos es una de ellas, “Unos chiquillos ni siquiera saben porque vamos hacer esto… pero poco a poquito con una explicación que oigan, el porqué los bailes, porque usamos las máscaras de muertos o porque se pintan las

caras, van entendiendo”, dice Paco.

En los Estados Unidos, la celebración del Día de Muertos se ha convertido en una generalización de la tradición ya que cada estado Mexicano, incluso países centroamericanos, lo celebran de forma distinta. En los últimos años, la popularidad de esta tradición ha estallado, películas animadas como la de “Coco” también han contribuido a la creación de una adaptación nueva a esta antigua celebración de la muerte cuyas raíces provienen de los Aztecas.

“Es una emoción de sentimientos encontrados, porque ver a los anglos unirse a nosotros los latinos, y no me refiero solamente a los Mexicanos, verlos uniéndose en una celebración espiritual, mística… en esta celebración que estamos haciendo, nos estamos juntando a recordar”.

Paco habla sobre las similitudes entre diferentes culturas y sus celebraciones de los seres queridos que ya han fallecido, como el de Memorial Day. El Día de los Muertos en Estados Unidos de cierta forma se convierte en una sombrilla que abarca todas las tradiciones y nos ayuda a tejer nuestro manto cultural con hilos de multicolores en vez de segregarnos. “Es una celebración de todos”, dice Paco.

Amy Kimberly, la directora previa de Carbondale Arts, ha sido una parte integral en la organización de este evento anual. “Siempre fue hecho con el sueño de que algún día sería planeado y creado por nuestra comunidad latina, y me parece que ya hemos llegado”.

Este año hay un enfoque especial en Paco, quien Kimberly considera ser el responsable por haber mantenido viva la tradición y la cultura en el Valle por 20 años.

18 años del Día de los Muertos y 20 años con Paco

Día de los Muertos 2021, foto de Klaus Kocher

Por Hector Salas-Gallegos Sol Contribuyente

Un recuerdo.

Cottonwood Springs, el parqueadero de trailas en el que crecí, solía estar entre una fábrica de papitas Lay’s y un depósito de chatarra. La fábrica de Lay's tiraba sus productos deformados, que mis primos y yo asaltábamos desde los basureros por la noche. El depósito de chatarra, un depósito de chatarra.

Cottonwood Springs, como mínimo, está a 40 minutos a pie por el traicionero Highway 6 (sin banquetas) hasta el vendedor de comida con licencia más cercano, que es un Kum & Go. Es decir, si queríamos botanas y sodas, tendríamos que ir a las tienditas que salpicaban nuestro parqueadero. Por lo general, una señora se hacía cargo de una pequeña tienda de golosinas desde su traila. Vendían sodas, mangoneadas, papitas y lo que quisieran los niños del parqueadero. Bastante barato también. Una soda costaba alrededor de un dólar, una mangoneada,

Oda a la tiendita

un dólar setenta y cinco. Una pequeña bolsa de papitas costaba setenta y cinco centavos, y los dulces dependían del tamaño.

En su pico operaban en el parqueadero unas cuatro o cinco tienditas. Todo lo que tenías que hacer era ir a la puerta principal, tocar y esperar que alguien estuviera en casa.

Cuando me mudé por primera vez a Cottonwood, yo era un fracasado proverbial. Hacer amigos fue difícil al principio, pero eventualmente encontré un grupo de muchachos de mi edad que jugaban básquet todos los días sobre el asfalto. Estaba desesperado por demostrarles mi lealtad, así que les compré sodas después de un día particularmente caluroso jugando afuera.

Les dije que yo pichaba, y corrí hasta la casa para recoger todas las monedas que había ahorrado en el segundo cajón de la mesita de al lado de mi cama, corrí hacia ellos con los bolsillos engordecidos

y todos disfrutamos de nuestras sodas esa noche. Hemos sido amigos durante 13 años y contando.

Un agradecimiento.

Las tienditas del parqueadero le dieron a nuestro grupo de muchachos latinos nuestra infancia, o al menos parte de ella.

Las innumerables tardes chupando una mangoneada o bebiendo una soda es cómo nos unimos. Cuando la fábrica de Lay’s se fue, dejó un lote vacío y un depósito de chatarra que hacía de nuestro parqueadero el centro de un sandwich, realmente no había adónde ir. Cuando estábamos demasiado cansados para jugar, cuando no había nada que hacer ni adónde ir, teníamos las tienditas para darnos una idea del status quo.

Aquellos niños de labios azulados y dedos pegajosos tenían que ser creativos para divertirse. Recogíamos palos para tirarnos unos a otros.

Una vez desperdiciamos todo un día recolectando fichas de las botellas de soda que encontrábamos en el suelo porque escuchamos que el

banco nos daría $500 por un galón de leche lleno de ellas. Hacíamos carreras de bicicletas y jugábamos básquet para ver quién tenía que invitar a salir a la persona que le gustaba al día siguiente en la escuela. Estoy agradecido por esos días porque tuvimos que exprimir el potencial de cada día. Nadie nos iba a dar la diversión que anhelábamos, así que tuvimos que crearla nosotros mismos.

Entre todas nuestras aventuras, queríamos comida chatarra, nuestro manjar. Lo que no podíamos hacer por nosotros mismos, lo brindaron las tienditas.

Nos sentimos como niños.

Un corazón roto.

De vez en cuando me pregunto cuánto dinero ganaron estas tienditas. Íbamos muy a menudo y compramos mucho. Y me pregunto cuánto dinero les di en mi infancia. No podría ser más de $150 en esos cinco años que pasé en Cottonwood.

¿Cuántos niños fueron a esa tienda? ¿Suficiente para ayudar con pequeños gastos aquí y allá?

En la tienda, ¿la señora que compraba las sodas se

continúa en la página 15

Donaciones por correo o en línea P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com

Editor Raleigh Burleigh • 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com

Editora Contribuyente Vanessa Porras Directore Artístico Hattie Rensberry

Diseñadora de anuncios Alyssa Ohnmacht Traductoras Jacquelinne Castro y Dolores Duarte Distribucion Frederic Kischbaum Bartlett

Executive Director Todd Chamberlin • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com

Miembros de la Mesa Directiva Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke Lee Beck • Megan Tackett Gayle Wells • Donna Dayton Terri Ritchie • Eric Smith • Roger Berliner

el Sol del Valle agradece por su apoyo a: MANUAS, FirstBank y Alpine Bank The Sopris Sun, Inc. es una 501(c)(3) organización benéfica sin fines de lucro. Contribuciones financieras son deducibles de impuestos.

�ESCRÍBENOS!

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También se puede contactarnos llamando a 970-510-3003.

En Movimiento

Por Geraldine Pichardo

Tu no buscas por amor, porque ya eres amor. Y cuando tu eres amor, este viene a ti, porque es lo que tú eres.

El simple hecho de buscar por él, te empuja en dirección opuesta y puede llegar a frustrarte, ya que crees que falta en tu vida.

No necesitas amor, lo que necesitas es recordar que ya eres amor.

Hace cinco meses atrás, escribí este recordatorio. Y qué tan cierto lo encuentro hoy Muchas veces estamos en busca de una conexión que le de vuelco o un significado prometedor a nuestras vidas. El cansancio de andar, interrumpe con las posibilidades de encontrar ya sea en una pareja, profesión, familia, o en el viaje espiritual, parte de ese

En el amor como en los sueños, todo es posible

significado. Y en el camino, nos llegamos a perder a nosotros mismos.

Pero lo que muchas veces no vemos, es que el amar no depende nunca de una situación o causa externa. El amar nace de la necesidad de evitar sufrimiento. El amar es practicar compasión y tolerancia con nosotros.

Es darnos un espacio de reflexión de todo lo vivido, y reconocer la fortuna que se nos ha cruzado en el camino. Es ser dóciles cuando hablamos con nuestro yo interno. Es darnos la posibilidad, en medio de la confusión, que el silencio nos de claridad.

Para mí, llegar a Colorado fue un viaje de sanación. Y como toda sanación, se ha llevado su toque de dolor, incomodidad, y soledad. Pero, sin haber cruzado todo ese mar de indecisiones, incertidumbres, y sosiego, hoy en día no reconocería el significado del amor.

Como dijo Edith Piaf, “Si tuviera que darle un consejo a una mujer, ¿cuál sería? Que Ame. Si tuviera que darle un consejo a una joven, ¿cuál sería? Que Ame. Si tuviera que darle un consejo a una niña, ¿cuál sería? Que Ame”.

Amar fundamentalmente, nos provee con consciencia

espiritual. Nos ayuda a entender el sufrimiento del otro, y a reconocer que muchas veces en nuestras diferencias podemos encontrar mayor similitudes de lo que imaginamos.

Está en darnos la oportunidad de crecer a través del amor, en perdonarnos con amor, y en fortalecernos por amor. Está en ver que las limitaciones que tenemos no son más que tapujos mentales y que una vez rompemos con esas ideas y aceptamos el amor que nos merecemos un mundo de sueños y posibilidades se han de cumplir. Es aceptar el camino que nos ha tocado, quizás no porque fue el que estábamos buscando, pero quizás verlo como el que necesitábamos en esta vida.

Recientemente, hablando con un amigo que se encuentra en Barcelona, España, me contaba sobre lo que quiere ver en su vida y los cambios que espera. Yo sin querer formar especulaciones de su trayectoria, le comenté que parte del proceso y el cambio está en entregarle a tus sueños tolerancia y amor. Poco a poco la vida te va llevando, en buena fe, a donde estás queriendo llegar.

Le comente de la leyenda de Janna cuando escala la Montaña de Fe. Donde hay una

fuerte niebla haciéndole ver si la decisión que tomó de dejar su vida atrás fue la mejor. Qué garantías tiene Janna ante tanto frío y oscuridad, más que la fortaleza y el amor por sí misma de seguir escalando, con la esperanza de encontrar algo mejor al otro lado.

Y qué garantías tenemos todos ya que el momento ideal no existe. El momento perfecto no existe. Solo existe la motivación de querer amarse aún más de lo que este viaje a veces te promete. Amarse a pesar y en contra de todo lo que nos rodea. Amar sabiendo que estamos en búsqueda de un camino mejor, no uno perfecto.

En las palabras de Edith Piaf en su cancion, Non, Je Ne

Regrett Rien:

¡No! Nada de nada

¡No! No me arrepiento de nada Está pagado, barrido, olvidado No me importa el pasado

Con todos mis recuerdos

He prendido el fuego

Mis decepciones, mis placeres

Ya no los necesito

Muy atras estan los amores Y sus temblores

Muy atrás para siempre Comienzo de nuevo en cero

llegó a preguntar qué sabor nos gustaría más? Cuando tuvo que elegir entre Dr. Pepper, CocaCola y Pepsi, me pregunto si pensó en nosotros.

En la caja, cuando obtuvo su total, ¿hizo los cálculos para ver cuánto dinero podría ganar?

¿Sabía ella nuestros nombres? ¿Hizo saber a nuestras madres dónde estábamos? ¿Dónde guardaron el cambio que le dimos? ¿Nos creyeron cuando decíamos gracias?

Visito mi antiguo parqueadero de vez en cuando. Un joven latino está sentado en las piedras junto a las canchas de básquet. En su mano, un Dr. Pepper. Ya no bebo soda, pero me pregunto, por si alguna vez quisiera volver a tomar el vicio, ¿dónde podría haberla comprado?

¡Hagamos queesté cubierto!

de

5 de noviembre | Biblioteca de Glenwood Springs, 9am – 1pm

12 de noviembre | Edwards Mountain Family Health Centers, 9am – 1pm 19 de noviembre | Centro de la calle tercera / La Clinica del Pueblo, 9am – 1pm 3 de diciembre | Biblioteca de Rifle, 9am – 1pm

17 de diciembre | Centro de la calle tercera / La Clinica del Pueblo, 9am – 1pm 14 de enero | Biblioteca de Glenwood Springs, 9am – 1pm

Mountain Family Health Centers es un sitio de assistencia certificada por Connect for Health Colorado. Cubriendo a TODOS los Coloradenses amplía el acceso a la cobertura médica - incluyendo a los que no tienen documentación y los beneficiarios de DACA.

Llamenos al 833-273-6627 o 970-945-2840 para agendar una cita  Correo electrónico: EnrollmentHelp@mountainfamily.org

Bipartisan

Traducción por Jacquelinne Castro

Día de los Muertos

Glenwood Springs Community Art Center y Defiende Nuestra Tierra organizan un taller de construcción de altar del Día de los Muertos en 601 East Sixth Street el sábado 5 de noviembre de mediodía hasta las 3 p.m. Cupo limitado, inscríbase en línea en www.bit.ly/GWSCACDia

Adopción de caballos

La Oficina de Administración de Tierras organiza un evento de adopción de 60 caballos salvajes en Piceance-East Douglas Herd de Mesa County Fairgrounds en Grand Junction. Los caballos pueden ser visitados de mediodía hasta las 6 p.m. el 4 de noviembre y de 7:30 a.m. a 10 a.m. el 5 de noviembre. Los licitadores deben estar presentes de 10 a.m. a 10:30 a.m. el 5 de noviembre. Para saber más visite www.blm.gov/WHB

10,000 Villages

La feria 10,000 Villages International Craft Fair regresa a la iglesia Good Shepherd Lutheran Church en Glenwood Springs (1630 Grand Avenue) este fin de semana, las puertas abren el 10 de noviembre de mediodía hasta las 6 p.m. El 11 de noviembre de 10 a.m. a 6 p.m. El 12 de noviembre de 10 a.m. a 5 p.m. y el 13 de noviembre de mediodía hasta las 4 p.m.

Programa Charge Ahead

Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER por sus siglas en inglés) está ofreciendo asistencia gratuita para aprovechar la última financiación de subvenciones de $3 millones del estado para estaciones de carga eléctrica. El programa Charge Ahead proporciona subvenciones que cubren hasta el 90% de costos

El día 2 de noviembre, medios locales de todo el Valle se representaron durante un foro comunitario enfocado en mejorar el acceso a noticias en español. Samuel Bernal-Urbina de Radio La Tricolor presentó unas propuestas formuladas por el grupo junto a Megan Tackett de Aspen Daily News y Raleigh Burleigh de The Sopris Sun/el Sol del Valle. Foto de Klaus Kocher

de las instalaciones de cargadores en lugares de trabajo, complejos de apartamento/condominios, edificios gubernamentales y otros sitios que ofrecen estacionamiento público o de visitantes. Para más información, contacte a Martin Bonzi de CLEER a mbonzi@cleanenergyeconomy.net

Prevención de incendios de chimeneas

Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District recomendó tener su chimenea limpia e inspeccionada por un profesional antes de ponerla en eso esta temporada. Fuegos de leña pueden acumular creosota, un residuo conocido de crear incendios de chimeneas que es altamente inflamable. También es posible que insectos aniden en su chimenea, y esos materiales deben ser despejados antes de encender un fuego. El monóxido de carbono, el asesino silencioso, es otra preocupación con bloqueos de chimeneas. Para saber más visite www.carbondalefire.org

Servicios para veteranos

El 7 de noviembre, las bibliotecas del condado de Garfield le permitirán a los clientes acceder a Brainfuse VetNow, un servicio que ayuda a veteranos y sus familias a navegar la burocracia, recibir tutoría y asistencia de transición de empleo. Encuentre esta herramienta en línea en www.gcpld.org/research/research-databases

Premios de libros de Colorado

Las entregas de premios de libros de Colorado están abiertas para los libros que se hayan publicado por primera vez en el 2022, o el último cuarto del 2021. La fecha límite es el 9 de enero del 2023. Las categorías incluyen: antología, ficción, historia, no ficción, ilustrado, poesía, infantil juvenil y literatura de adulto joven. Se necesita voluntarios de selección y jueces, inscríbase en línea en www. coloradohumanities.org/programs/coloradobook-awards

Fuego en la montaña

Administradores de incendios de Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit esperan obtener las condiciones ideales en estas semanas que vienen para apagar dos incendios controlados en terrenos de White River National Forest en los condados Eagle y Río Blanco. Incendios controlados en Lime Park ocurrirán cinco millas al norte de la Reserva Ruedi.

Cine femenino

El festival de cine No Man’s Land, el estreno del festival de cine de aventuras para mujeres está aceptando entregas para el 2023 hasta el 2 de diciembre a medianoche. Para más información visite www.filmfreeway.com/ NoMansLandFilmFestival

Una perspectiva prometedora: El representante Perry Will, Elizabeth Velasco y el Distrito 57

Por Raleigh Burleigh Traducción por Dolores Duarte

La elección se acerca rápidamente. Entre muchas opciones, entre candidatos y propuestas, los residentes del valle de Roaring Fork elegirán a su representante para el Distrito 57 de la cámara de representantes de Colorado. Mientras que el Distrito 57 de la cámara anteriormente contenía los condados de Moffat y Río Blanco, así como el condado de Garfield, el distrito ahora incluye el condado de Pitkin y la porción del condado de Eagle del valle de Roaring Fork.

El republicano Perry Will busca defender su lugar como representante del distrito en la asamblea general de Colorado. "Me han dicho que he traído una perspectiva excelente, una perspectiva rural", dijo Will a The Sopris Sun, "una perspectiva que aquí es muy necesaria".

Su contendiente, la demócrata Elizabeth Velasco, igualmente promete traer una perspectiva muy necesaria a la cúpula dorada. "Estoy preparada, estoy calificada. Voy a traer una nueva perspectiva a la legislatura como inmigrante latina que tuvo que pasar por el proceso de inmigración durante 26 años. Veo esto como un honor y una responsabilidad; para servir a nuestra comunidad".

El Sopris Sun entrevistó a cada candidato por separado y en este artículo alterna sus respuestas a las mismas preguntas.

Primero, una breve introducción.

Will ha vivido toda su vida en Colorado, "este estado es cercano y querido para mí", dijo a The Sun. Creció en un rancho del sureste de Colorado, cazando y pescando, y desde muy joven decidió convertirse en encargado de asuntos de cacería. Tras obtener un título en gestión de la fauna salvaje, Will desarrolló una carrera de más de 40 años en la División de Fauna y Flora Silvestres (DOW por sus siglas en inglés) y posteriormente en Parques y Fauna Silvestre de Colorado (CPW por sus siglas en inglés).

Velasco lleva 20 años viviendo en el Valle. "Conozco los problemas, porque los he vivido", dijo. Velasco es propietaria de una pequeña empresa que ofrece servicios de interpretación a hospitales, tribunales, organizaciones sin fines de lucro y comunicaciones de emergencia. También es una bombera forestal que ayudó en las comunicaciones durante el incendio de Grizzly Creek y posteriormente fue desplegada para ayudar en los megaincendios de California y Oregon.

Después de testificar en comités en el congreso con DOW y CPW, Will se interesó por la política estatal. Cuando el ex representante del Distrito 57, Bob Rankin, se trasladó al senado estatal, reemplazando a Randy Baumgardner en 2019, Will fue designado para cubrir su vacante. Luego fue elegido en 2020 y ahora sirve en muchos comités. "Trabajo para el pueblo", dijo. "Y no estoy en ninguna trayectoria en ninguna parte. Ya sabes, para algunas personas, es como un trampolíntienen aspiraciones políticas más altas o algo así ... yo sólo estoy allí tratando de hacer el bien para ladera occidental de Colorado".

"Vengo de la organización comunitaria..." continuó Velasco. "Somos una comunidad diversa con múltiples interesados, y es importante que todos nos sentemos a la mesa". Ella aspira a "ampliar el electorado, involucrar a la comunidad [y] tener un gobierno transparente que sirva a todos". Su trabajo con los gobiernos, desde el local hasta el federal, le ha dado habilidades para "trabajar juntos para conseguir grandes cosas".

¿Qué te inspiró a unirte a esta carrera?

A Will le inspira competir por la reelección porque le gusta el trabajo. "Disfruto creando una buena legislación que ayude a la gente", dijo. "Ya sabes, se te permiten cinco proyectos de ley - para ejecutar cinco proyectos de ley. Yo tuve 33 el año pasado". Gracias a su reputación bipartidista, Will ha sido invitado por otros legisladores a copresentar proyectos de ley. " Si es un buen proyecto de ley, no me importa si es demócrata, republicano, o lo que sea".

El servicio comunitario de Velasco alcanzó nuevas niveles durante el COVID, ya que ayudó en las clínicas de vacunación, colaboró en el rastreo de contactos y ayudó a difundir información crítica. Al mismo tiempo, Velasco participó en la organización contra la expansión de la mina por encima de Glenwood Springs. La experiencia le enseñó que "para que el cambio se produzca, tenemos que estar en todos los niveles". Espera servir de puente entre la política y las necesidades locales, "para asegurarnos de que estamos al servicio de la comunidad".

lo abordo". Puso el ejemplo del proyecto de ley 1155 de la cámara de representantes, un proyecto de ley de matrícula que copatrocinó, a pesar de su falta de apoyo republicano. "¿Ayudará esto a los estudiantes y a nuestros jóvenes en el Distrito 57 de la cámara?", dijo sobre su justificación. El proyecto de ley fue aprobado y "es algo bueno".

Velasco estuvo de acuerdo en que la división social es molesta, pero dijo que tenemos más en común que otra cosa. "Nuestras familias trabajadoras, todos queremos que nuestros hijos tengan una gran educación sin importar dónde vivamos, queremos poder pagar el alquiler, queremos tener acceso a servicios médicos. Trabajaré muy duro para poner nuestro distrito en primer lugar, y el oeste de Colorado".

¿Cuáles son los mayores retos que ves por delante?

Los mayores retos que Will ve por delante para el distrito son la rentabilidad, la seguridad pública, la educación y el agua. Sin embargo, admitió que bromea diciendo: "Agua, agua, agua". "Proteger el agua de la ladera occidental es un gran problema al que nos enfrentamos", dijo Will. Mientras tanto, le preocupa ver que la inflación es mucho más alta en Colorado que la media nacional, y que nuestro estado figura como número uno en robo de autos.

temas importantes para Velasco son el acceso a la salud, el apoyo a los derechos reproductivos, el apoyo a las familias y la educación.

Will dice que tiene múltiples ideas de proyectos de ley para ayudar al distrito, mucho de lo cual es una continuación del trabajo que ha estado haciendo. Su atención se centra en el apoyo a los asistentes médicos, la atención médica rural, la salud conductual, reducción del precio de los medicamentos recetados y la protección del acceso crítico a los hospitales. "La atención médica es una necesidad enorme", dijo. "Tenemos que proteger nuestros hospitales de acceso crítico, asegurarnos de que son viables".

"Tenemos que alejarnos de esta división, de verdad", dijo Will. "Cuando te eligen, representas a todos en tu distrito, y así es como

De ser elegida, a Velasco le gustaría trabajar en la mitigación de incendios y en el apoyo al personal de emergencias; también, asegurarse de que la gente tenga acceso a las alertas de emergencia en su idioma. Su tema número uno es la capacidad de recuperación de la comunidad. "Sabemos que nuestra casa está en llamas", dijo. "Tenemos que ser proactivos y estar preparados para cualquier desastre natural". Otros

La inflación fue una de las preocupaciones que Velasco escuchó a menudo de las familias mientras hacía campaña. "Espero apoyar a nuestras familias trabajadoras, para que podamos tener una vida digna", dijo. Además, escuchó las preocupaciones sobre la calidad del agua, especialmente en los parques de casas móviles. Una familia de Silt, dijo, ha visto cómo su pozo se ha secado y ahora acarrean agua todos los días. "Esta es nuestra comunidad y espero poder servir a todos", concluyó.

Encuentra el sitio web de Perry Will en www.voteperrywill.com Conoce más sobre Elizabeth Velasco en www. elizabethforcolorado.com

¿Qué aspectos de tu experiencia te preparan para representar al distrito?

¿Cómo podemos conducirnos en la división social?

¿Qué ideas, estrategias u objetivos representarás?

Representante Perry Will y Elizabeth Velasco. Foto de Raleigh Burleigh.

Boleta electoral oficial del condado Garfield, Colorado Elecciones generales/2022 Martes, 8 de noviembre/2022

Instrucciones a los electores:

Utilice tinta azul o negra

Jean Alberico Secretaria / Oficial de Registro del condado Garfield

Llene el círculo al lado de su elección Llene el círculo y escriba el nombre en el renglón

ADVERTENCIA!

Para cambiar su elección, raye la elección incorrecta y llene el circulo al lado de su elección

Cualquier persona que, mediante el uso de la fuerza u otros medios, influya indebidamente en un elector elegible para votar de una manera particular o para que se abstenga de votar, o que haga, altere, falsifique o contrahace cualquier boleta por correo antes o después de que haya sido emitido, o que destruya, desfigure, mutile o manipula una boleta está sujeto, en caso de condena, a prisión, a una multa, o a ambos. Sección 1-7.5-107(3)(b), C.R.S.

Oficinas Federales

Senado de los Estados Unidos (Vote por Uno)

Michael Bennet Democrático

Joe O'Dea Republicano

T.J. Cole

Papeleta de voto del condado de Garfield. Esto es un ejemplo y no una papeleta oficial. No será aceptada esta papeleta como un voto legitimo. Para saber más sobre cómo votar, por favor visite a www.garfield-county. com/clerk-recorder

Frank Atwood (Declaración firmada para limitar el servicio a no más de 2 términos)

Por-Escrito Representante al 118º Congreso de los Estados Unidos - Distrito 3 (Vote por Uno)

Adam Frisch

Lauren Boebert

Por-Escrito

Oficinas Estatales

Gobernador / Vicegobernador (Vote por un par)

Heidi Ganahl / Danny Moore

Jared Polis / Dianne Primavera

Paul Noël Fiorino / Cynthia Munhos de Aquino Sirianni

Danielle Neuschwanger / Darryl Gibbs

Kevin Ruskusky / Michele Poague

Por-Escrito Secretario de Estado (Vote por Uno)

Pam Anderson Republicano

Jena Griswold Democrático

Gary Swing Unidad

Jan Kok Votación por Aprobación

Amanda Campbell Constitución Americana

Bennett Rutledge Libertario Tesorero del Estado (Vote por Uno)

Dave Young Democrático

Lang Sias Republicano

Anthony J. Delgado Libertario

Oficinas Estatales

Fiscal General (Vote por Uno)

John Kellner Republicano

Phil Weiser Democrático

William F. Robinson III Libertario

Por-Escrito

Miembro de la Junta Estatal de Educación Distrito Congresional - En General (Vote por Uno)"

Preguntas sobre retención judicial

Juez del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado (Vote sí o no)

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Jaclyn Casey Brown del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado?

SÍ NO

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Terry Fox del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado?

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Christina Finzel Gomez del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado?

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Matthew D. Grove del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado?

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Sueanna P.

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Lino S. Lipinsky del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado?

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Neeti V. Pawar del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado?

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez David H. Yun del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Colorado?

Juez del Tribunal de Distrito - 9º Distrito

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez John Fowler

Jim Yellico Republicano Alguacil del condado (Vote por Uno)

Lou Vallario Republicano Topógrafo del condado (Vote por Uno)

Scott Aibner Republicano Forense del condado (Vote por Uno)

Rob Glassmire Republicano

SÍ NO

Juez del condado – Garfield (Vote sí o no)

¿Se mantendrá en el cargo al juez Jonathan Bruce Pototsky del Tribunal del condado de Garfield?

SÍ NO

Continuar votando en el reverso de la boleta

Voters to decide on free meals for public school students

By Diana Diaz and Kayla Kaufman Youth Correspondents

It’s that time again! Ballots are out and many decisions are being made. One ballot measure to highlight is Colorado Proposition FF, which aims to provide school meals free-of-charge to all public school students, by limiting tax deductions for individuals whose federal taxable income is $300,000 or more. This would increase state taxes by $100,727,820 annually.

The money would reimburse school districts for the cost of school meals and, if passed, could have a significant impact on students’ access to a meal at school.

Proposition FF would provide every student with breakfast and lunch at school for free, which is different from programs, such as government-provided free and reduced lunches, that are only available to students who qualify, leaving out many students who still cannot afford a meal at school.

As reported by Chalkbeat Colorado, “Households that earn less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level, or $32,630 for a family of four, qualify for free lunch through the federal program. Families who earn between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty limit, or up to $46,435 for a family of four, qualify for a reduced-price lunch.”

“The funding for this program will

make our schools a more equitable and better place for many children,”

Ashley Wheeland, director of public policy for Hunger-Free Colorado, told the Sopris Sun. “It will mean that no student, no matter their situation, will be denied a school meal or treated differently.”

In the 2020-2021 school year, school lunches were free due to COVID-19, causing a significant increase in meals served and demonstrating that many students are not inclined to choose school meals when they bear a personal cost.

While the ingredients and nutritional value of school meals are important, Proposition FF would not affect them. Each school district decides on food sources for breakfasts and lunches, following national nutrition standards for meals served in schools. Although Proposition FF would not directly affect current food sourcing, it would contribute funds for schools to purchase food from local farmers and ranchers.

“Studies show students need adequate food to learn, and healthy food helps students do even better. Also, many students who are hungry have other challenges like stress and behavior issues,” Wheeland explained.

This measure would also allow parents and families of students some food security and less guilt and

worry about struggling to send kids to school with a wholesome meal.

While no organized group is raising funds to defeat the measure, some have objected to a tax increase on wealthier Coloradans and say that the state should not pay for families who have the means to afford school meals.

A voting guide shared by the Garfield County Republicans recommends voting against Proposition FF because it “takes away the state income tax deduction for certain charitable givers.” The guide continues, “When Hawaii passed a similar law, charitable giving in the state fell by 20%.”

Another aspect of the school lunch system that would be affected by Proposition FF is wages earned by employees who prepare meals for students. For participating schools, employees would be provided with stipends or wage increases if they provide documentation of complying with the standards for meals. As long as districts use 100% of reimbursements toward school meals and provide evidence of such, employees' wages could be increased, or they could earn stipends.

If Proposition FF passes, it will cause many changes to schoolprovided meals that will affect students, families and employees alike. As the people of Colorado vote, these are factors to consider on Proposition FF.

What’s

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

This election, Carbondale residents have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 2A, a new tax on short-term rentals to help fund affordable housing initiatives. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights requires that any proposed tax go to the voters.

In early 2022, the advocacy group

Community First Carbondale circulated a petition with the intention of limiting short-term rentals within town limits to improve housing odds for working locals. The initial proposal was countered by Carbondale Forward, a group formed to represent locals that count on income from short-term rentals.

A compromise, crafted by Carbondale’s Board of Town Trustees, involves placing a 6% sales tax on visitors staying at a short-term rental (less than 30 consecutive days). As reported last week by Mayor Ben Bohmfalk, “2A is estimated to generate about $125,000 annually.”

The proposition establishes a dedicated revenue source “to fund the promotion, regulation, procurement, development and protection of local affordable and attainable housing projects and programs…”

It’s notable that both Community First Carbondale and Carbondale Forward have expressed support for this measure as one part of a potential solution.

A previously approved ordinance requiring special permits for short-term rentals yielded 65 within town limits, roughly 2.5% of the town’s housing stock, by late September. Until subsequent regulations are approved, new licenses will only be issued to properties that are the applicant’s primary residence, or on the same property, or located within the Historic Commercial Core zone district. This ordinance will be revisited to incorporate feedback once 2A is voted on.

Multilingual Ballot Information/ Información de la boleta

Multilingual Ballot Information/ Información de la boleta

Both a Spanish language sample ballot and in-person Spanish language ballot are available at our Voter Service and Polling Centers. Additionally, a Spanish language sample ballot can be found on our county website here: www.garfield-county.com/ clerk-recorder/

como una boleta en persona en español están disponibles en nuestros Centros de Votación y Servicio al Votante. Además, puede

Tanto una boleta de muestra en español como una boleta en persona en español están disponibles en nuestros Centros de Votación y Servicio al Votante. Además, puede

Where can I drop o

my ballot or vote in person?

Voter Service & Polling Centers (VSPCs): October 24 – November 8, 2022 Glenwood Springs Community Center – 100 Wulfsohn Rd – M-F 8:30 am to 5 pm

Voter Service & Polling Centers (VSPCs): October 24 – November 8, 2022

Garfield County Fairgrounds South Hall (Rifle) – 1001 Railroad Ave – M-F 8:30 am to 5 pm

Both sites open Saturday, November 5, 2022, from 10 am to 2 pm

Glenwood Springs Community Center – 100 Wulfsohn Rd – M-F 8:30 am to 5 pm Garfield County Fairgrounds South Hall (Rifle) – 1001 Railroad Ave – M-F 8:30 am to 5 pm

Both sites open Election Day, November 8, 2022, from 7 am to 7 pm

Both sites open Saturday, November 5, 2022, from 10 am to 2 pm

Both sites open Election Day, November 8, 2022, from 7 am to 7 pm

Election Day Only VSPCs: November 8, 2022

Election Day Only VSPCs: November 8, 2022

Carbondale Town Hall, New Castle Library, Silt Library, Parachute Library

Open 7 am to 7 pm

Carbondale Town Hall, New Castle Library, Silt Library, Parachute Library

Open 7 am to 7 pm

* ADA accessible voting machines are available at any VSPC listed above.

* ADA accessible voting machines are available at any VSPC listed above.

Drop off location – October 18 – November 8, 2022

Drop off location – October 18 – November 8, 2022 County Courthouse in Glenwood Springs – East Entrance – M-F 7:30 am to 5 pm

County Courthouse in Glenwood Springs – East Entrance – M-F 7:30 am to 5 pm

Where can I drop off my ballot or vote in person?

Surviving Hurricane Ian

By Tom Mercer Florida Correspondent

Growing up in Central Illinois, I witnessed first-hand the damage that tornadoes could do. They could carve a path of destruction through any terrain. There was a tornado warning siren on the water tower that stood just 300 feet from our brick home on Walnut Street, and it was not unusual to hear the siren blaring in the summer night. That was our cue to take shelter in our basement until the danger passed.

Many years later, I witnessed the devastation caused by a flood in Colorado’s Big Thompson Canyon. The residents there had no siren to warn them of the oncoming carnage. However, localized tornadoes and floods cannot compare to the widespread destructive force of a major hurricane. Tornadoes and floods occur with little or no warning, allowing people no time to prepare for the potential disaster. Hurricanes, however, move more slowly, giving people in the projected path of the storm ample time to worry and, ideally, prepare for the hurricane’s arrival.

Longtime residents of Florida’s southwest coast were well aware of the tremendous damage that a hurricane can cause. They knew that a hurricane’s high wind speeds, torrential rain and the resulting flooding could cripple a community and claim many lives. Ian was just such a storm. At last count, the Associated Press reported that 119 people lost their lives as a result of Hurricane Ian.

Shortly after the storm passed, I learned that Kathleen Mracheck, a former resident of Carbondale, owned a home in Naples, Florida, and although her home had been rendered uninhabitable by the hurricane, she had survived.

Mracheck agreed to share her experience with The Sopris Sun.

She first arrived in Naples over 20 years ago and describes the residents of Naples as generally older and more conservative. Many of her neighbors are originally from Indiana, and most of them are retired working-class people.

Mracheck purchased her mobile home in 2000, remodeled it, and, as an accomplished artist, has

returned to Naples for “the art season” every year. She says that the home was in “a stellar location,” near “all the things that define quality-of-life.” Although it wasn’t her first choice to live in a mobile home, “it was a strategic step to eventually buy a home in Carbondale,” she says.

According to Mracheck, preparation for a hurricane is required in Naples, and owners that leave town for the summer months must move all objects inside, bolt down outdoor planters and make sure that all windows are covered, presumably with strong materials like plywood or metal.

Mracheck and her partner, Tim, first heard about Hurricane Ian as they were returning from an outof-town trip. Upon arriving in Naples, they were greeted with an unimaginable disaster. Her home, which was also her art studio, had suffered severe flooding in her absence. The studio was submerged in an estimated 4.5 feet of water, ruining all of her original artwork stored there, the sale of which would have represented most of her income. She was left with nothing to sell at art shows.

The depth of the water inside her home had reached around 2.5 feet. All of the flooring was ruined and had to be removed. The custom furniture that Mracheck had built was destroyed. Her refrigerator survived, but the washer, dryer and air conditioner did not. Drywall and insulation had to be torn out, and everything in her home had to be disinfected to prevent mold. Important documents, photos and records were destroyed, and every home in the area had a massive pile of ruined items stacked out front.

Then, there was the matter of insurance. Mracheck and most of her neighbors did not have homeowner’s insurance due to its high cost. Moreover, flood insurance is not included with homeowner’s insurance and, Mracheck reports, is extremely expensive. She expects that 10% of the

continued on page 26

Kathleen Mrachek grieves the loss of her studio and art. Photo by Andy Goebel

Haiku

Icy and dicey

By JM Jesse

Sleet slickened side streets Icicles on bicycles

Most safe on ice skates

Bald Eagles of Beaver Lake

By Alex Menard

This may read like a short story and still seems like a dream to me. In fact, I am relating it just as it happened on one stunningly beautiful fall day in Marble, Colorado. The day was so bright it almost hurt your eyes, and completely quiet, except for the rustle of the leaves and ripples on the water.

Now that most of the leaves have fallen, the noise and activity have fallen too. Nature is returning. It is no coincidence that the first moose sighting I had this season on my daily trips to Beaver Lake occurred on a day when the Forest Service closed the Crystal Road for repairs.

Knowing that our four-legged brothers are creatures of habit just like us, I continued my daily visits to the lake. I arrived at different times each day, hoping to coincide with Mr. Moose's daily routine.

One mid-afternoon I did not see the moose in his usual grazing spot, but did see a very large white spot on a cottonwood tree overlooking the lake. Everyone in Marble knows that the Bald Eagles have returned not just to hunt; their daily presence means they are nesting here. The establishment of a breeding pair of bald eagles is clear evidence of a healthy ecosystem.

Walking back, I met Steve and Cyndi and mentioned that the eagle was across the lake. Cyndi one upped me, stating that she had seen a pair. Across the lake, I met a couple from Tennessee who had binoculars. We glassed the trees and saw that there were two eagles side-byside on a branch.

Then, one eagle took off and flew right overhead, flapping its wings at first, then soaring after gaining altitude. He passed directly over us, seeming to size us up. Were any of us people or dogs of a size that could be picked up and carried off?

We sized him up, too. White head

and tail, yellow beak and claws, huge. He flew across the narrow valley, landing on a dead tree on top of some cliffs. We saw him break off a branch and fly off with it in his beak. He headed back to the cottonwoods above the lake. Through the binocular lens we saw the other eagle next to a large nest.

I continued my walk and met Adam driving down the road. He was completely covered in white dust, headto-foot. He told me about his marble carving project up the road and I told him about the eagles. He said that he and Brad had observed the eagles on one particular cottonwood tree.

That tree has one large dead branch projecting 15 feet out over the lake. They had seen the pair of eagles sitting together on the branch. The eagles used a fork at the end of the branch to hold their kill, while both feasted together. Brad and Adam saw different menu items on different occasions including squirrels, marmots, ducks and very large trout. Did you know that eagles used utensils to eat?

Next I met Brad, who lives on the property where the eagles nest. He told me that the eagles have been nesting there for five years, but he did not know exactly where the nest was. I felt fortunate that I had followed the eagle’s flight and had seen the nest, hiding right there in plain sight.

To witness a natural drama like that is surely the goal of every visitor to Marble. Are we doing anyone a favor by managing this area as a staging ground for motorized access to further up the valley? Everyone in a machine will miss what we saw that day. Marble is a wilderness threshold and should be treated that way. Wilderness starts when the machines are quiet.

You can see the eagles from the county road north of the lake or from the path along the west shore. Use binoculars and do not approach any closer. To do so is to trespass on private land and to violate sacred ground.

OPINION

By Dave Reed

“Slow and steady wins the race,” goes the saying. But when it comes to climate change, we’re in a race against time. Recent reports by the United Nations and others show how far behind we already are. We need to be moving fast and steady.

Consensus is emerging that human society needs to be “carbon neutral” — in effect, producing no fossil-fuel emissions — by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate change. 2050 may seem like a long time off, but squeezing all the carbon emissions out of our economy is a tall order. It’s going to require ramping up our efforts, and sustaining and ratcheting up those efforts year after year, in order to bring greenhouse-gas emissions down to zero.

Carbondale takes bold steps on climate

To its credit, Carbondale has been demonstrating climate leadership for at least the past decade. The town has set a goal of carbon-free electricity by 2030 and has made changes to its building code to drive emissions reductions and encourage solar power. Our town now boasts more than one megawatt of local solar production, including a solar-powered high school and community center.

Last Tuesday night, Oct. 25, the Carbondale trustees took a series of additional bold steps to pick up the pace and put the town on the path to zero by 2050. The specifics may sound wonky, but this is the kind of strategic, systemic action that will drive real change.

First, the trustees formally adopted a plan they’ve been considering for the past year, which directs the town to step up its building codes for new construction every two to three years so that, by 2030, every new building permitted by the town will be required to be net-zero. That means all new buildings will be all-electric and will get 100 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. As a consequence, new gas hookups will be banned by 2030.

In keeping with that framework, the trustees also voted to incorporate the 2018 International Green Construction Code into the town’s building code. Changes include increased energyefficiency and renewableenergy requirements and a mandate that new buildings be “electric ready.”

The second big move by the trustees last week was to give the green light to Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) and the Environmental Board to develop a similar roadmap to make all existing buildings in the town net-zero by 2050.

This is a much bigger deal, because the buildings that exist now will account for the lion’s share of our emissions over the next few decades. Moreover, zeroing out emissions in existing buildings is harder and will take longer — hence the 2050 goal.

It’s relatively easy (and it doesn’t cost much more) to make a building net-zero from the start; with existing buildings, it’s more costeffective to switch from gas to electric over time, as heating systems and water heaters are due for replacement. These big-ticket items have long

replacement cycles — 15 to 30 years — which is why we need to start dialing up our codes now, to ensure that virtually all replacements are electric within a very few years.

Another ongoing challenge — and opportunity — will be to make the buildings themselves more energy-efficient. Jeff Dickinson of Biospaces Energy Consulting, who is advising the town on its climate actions along with CLEER, lists efficiency as one of the three key strategies for eliminating emissions from buildings. A more efficient building uses less energy, and that means less need to burn fossil fuels or build more electricity supply; it can also make electrification of the building less expensive.

You’ll notice that these measures mainly address the built environment. Reaching zero emissions in our electric grid and our transportation system are separate challenges. But buildings and building codes are where local jurisdictions like Carbondale have decision-making power and where they can make the greatest difference on emissions reduction.

The future is going to be electric, and that’s a good thing. Heating, cooling and hot water

will be supplied by efficient electric heat pumps. We’ll cook with electricity too, eliminating unhealthy combustion emissions. Our vehicles will plug into home and workplace charging ports rather than filling up at gas stations. The electricity to power all of this will come from a 100% carbonfree grid, if not from solar panels on your roof.

Many forces will move us toward this electric future: the superiority of electric technologies; efficiency and cost savings; health benefits (think of the tailpipe emissions our kids won’t have to breathe when we’ve switched to electric school buses!); and, of course, the overriding urgency of addressing climate change.

The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act will dangle a number of highly attractive financial carrots to incentivize this transition. The Carbondale trustees’ actions last week will introduce some gentle sticks to the local equation. This is all to the good. Our town is on the path to doing its part in addressing one of the most pressing problems of our time.

Dave Reed is CLEER’s communications director.

By Jeannie Perry

This November, as I cast my ballot, I can’t help but think of the women who came before me and how hard they fought to be regarded as equal: equal in the eyes of men, equal under the law, an equal part of society…

While progress has been made, women still sit shotgun in a lot of ways. We are not promoted or paid equally in most fields, and we all face harassment at some point in our lives. Why? Because of a little thing (not so little) called the clit. Yep, I said it. Born with a clit, in today’s world, makes you a secondclass citizen from the start.

Did you know they still don’t really study the clitoris in medical school?

Even in fields like urology, where male sexual pleasure and

This

orgasm are considered integral, women’s sexual health “is seen as hysteria, Pandora’s box, all psychosocial, not real medicine,” -Dr. Rachel Rubin, quoted in an excerpt from “Half the World Has a Clitoris. Why Don't Doctors Study It?” by the New York Times, Oct. 17, 2022

Pardon my French, but how do we have the cojones to claim we are a civilized, developed culture when we don’t even understand the sexual anatomy of half our population? What a ridiculous lack of professionalism.

Which reminds me, I’m actually kind of thankful for the Trump Years. Looking back on our history, I think we will see him as the ultimate mess that warranted such a deep-cleaning shop vac for the carpet of our country. He brought a lot of filth and negativity to the surface, forcing us to face our bias blind spots, and when he goes to white-collar prison, he will be setting the crucial example that no one is above the law. (Trump may want back in the White House, but the only place he’s going is the big house!)

This November is a great time to start cleaning our House. We can scrub the old stains with Woolite all day long and we still won’t have the pristine past we tell ourselves

vote for women

existed. Or we can change the way we do things now, so eventually we will live a cleaner, clearer future. And while we’re at it, we can start educating urologists about the other half of us.

Still, it will take more than passionate “penis doctors,” Rubin said, to give the vulva its due; there must be a concerted movement, one that transcends medicine’s traditionally siloed specialties, to understand and map this anatomy. And for that to happen, other fields need to recognize female sexual pleasure as essential and worth preserving.

“I truly believe we are just several decades behind on the female side,” Rubin said. “But we have to do the work. And we have to have people interested in doing the work.” -Again, “Half the World Has a Clitoris. Why Don't Doctors Study It?”

Luckily, we are a capitalistic culture. And the one thing that transcends our misogyny is our longing for a magic pill. All we need to do is convince the pharmaceutical companies that there is an untapped market for female orgasm, and they shouldn’t be so scared of the research.

Women may be mysterious, but c’mon guys — it’s not rocket

surgery. Just undiscovered anatomy. It really does make me wonder, after all these years of medical advancement, why was the clit ignored? Fear of Virginia Woolf? A climactic oversight? Or was it simply because the boys don’t have one.

When I was a kid on the ranch*, supper meant beef, potatoes and the girl cousins were expected to serve/clear the table, while our boy cousins just sat there. This not only felt seriously unfair, but it did not teach us that men were smarter, or better, or more entitled to have someone wait on them. If anything, it backfired, and my female cousins are some of the strongest and least subservient people I know.

Which is why we will not be voting (against our own betterment) in support of an old, tired patriarchy that does not value its constituents equally. This November we will cast a vote for the world we want to live in, a vote for the clits.

*In our family, “the ranch” was always my grandparents’ place, just south of Carbondale. Even though everyone else also lived on a ranch, whenever we referred to “the ranch” it meant Bob and Ditty’s cattle ranch.

to anyone, even if they are illegal citizens, and if they are vying for care that is not available, many jobs provide family insurance. We all know that care can be expensive, but they can tap county, state and federal funds for aid. Many of us also donate to nonprofits that provide services.

I would rather we allow homeless people to sit at the light… they truly need our help and empathy. They are the disenfranchised, the ex-soldiers, the mentally ill and the ones fighting addiction. They do not have shelter, food, clean clothes or cell phones.

I believe we need to direct these current solicitors elsewhere, but that can only happen if we stop giving them money. If they stop milking the cash cow, they can seek funding that is more appropriate in a system that is set up for their needs. There are many services available for them in both English and Spanish. Above all, they can stop putting their fellow citizens at risk.

Denise Moss, Carbondale

Save ‘Helping Hands’

Getting right to the point, I’ve sent a check to Carbondale Town Hall with “Save ‘Helping Hands’” on the subject line. Why?

According to the Oct. 27-Nov. 2 Sopris Sun, the town has decided to remove the public work of art, located at Fourth and Main, for two reasons:

1. The town has determined the sculpture needs some restoration, at a cost of $2,500 (more or less);

2. The town wants to install a slab of marble at that location, and use it as a base for future Art Around Town pieces.

Before the public works department rolls its heavy equipment to Fourth and Main, here is some background as I remember it.

The “Helping Hands” sculpture was Carbondale’s first official piece of public art, and predates the current Art Around Town program. Either the town government or CCAH put out a call for entries. Several

sculptors entered the competition and “Helping Hands” won hands down (so to speak). This was in the early 1990s.

After “Helping Hands” was placed, some locals had one main concern, that its black, easy-to-access surface might attract graffiti. Some residents in the area of Fourth and Main also referred to the human figures as “weasels” and threatened to put pants on them at some point. Neither of these scenarios transpired.

That’s the long and short of the “Helping Hands” history.

If you’d also like to lend a helping hand to save “Helping Hands”, the Carbondale Town Hall address is 511 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO 81623.

Lynn “Jake” Burton, Glenwood Springs/Carbondale

Just vote

With the midterm election just days ahead, I encourage residents of the Roaring Fork Valley to VOTE. Non-presidential elections are tremendously important — they lay the foundation on which our laws and regulations stand. They matter.

There are many issues at stake in this 2022 election such as employee housing, education, climate change, economic inequity, immigration policy, abortion, and gun control. The magnitude of each issue requires that elected officials be intelligent and informed, have integrity, and hold the highest good of our community and our country as their top priority.

Much has been and will be written about each issue — about each candidate. We’re in the 21st century now, and we need public servants who understand the complex, universal nature of economy, ecology, and society. We’ve faced a global pandemic, we are witnessing the possibility of a nuclear catastrophe, and we have an interdependent global economy. We are beyond colonialism. America was grounded and founded on separation of church and state. Christian Nationalism (which is actually not Christian — reference: the Bible and the Constitution), violates that constitutional and Biblical principle. We must vote

for those who stand against racism, against policies negating/violating women’s or anyone’s rights, and against any policy that harms the ecology of our planet or its inhabitants (again — reference: the Bible and the Constitution).

In the interconnected/computerized world of 2022, those who serve in government must have local, national, and global awareness. Considering the candidates in the upcoming election, I urge you to vote for Michael Bennet and Adam Frisch to represent us nationally, and to elect Ryan Gordon, Becky Moller and Aron Diaz on the local level. State offices would be well served by Democratic candidates Polis, Griswold, Young, Weiser, Plomer, Roberts and Velasco.

Please vote for these candidates who will give their best to the Roaring Fork Valley, to Colorado, to America, and to each of you in the coming term.

Nancy Gensch, Carbondale

Election thoughts

As a senior citizen, I’d like to address my fellow senior citizens concerning the upcoming midterms. Perhaps it’s time to consider, albeit selfishly, the consequences of your vote. Certain members of a certain party have made it clear that should they become the ruling party in the Senate and House, you can expect radical changes. Numerous candidates have told us that Social Security and Medicare cuts are on the table, as well as tax cuts for the wealthy. Let’s deal with that one first.

Numerous studies have concluded that the last 50 years of “Trickle-Down Economics” has done nothing but increase the wealth gap of the upper 20 percent.

An International Monetary Fund report, authored by five economists, presents a scathing rejection of the trickle-down approach, arguing that the monetary philosophy has been used as a justification for growing income inequality over the past several decades.

"Income distribution matters for growth," they write. "Specifically, if the income share of the top 20 percent increases, then GDP growth actually declined over

the medium term, suggesting that the benefits do not trickle down."

Dr. Hope, visiting fellow at London School of Economics’ International Inequalities Institute and lecturer in political economy at King’s College London, said: “Our research shows that the economic case for keeping taxes on the rich low is weak. Major tax cuts for the rich since the 1980s have increased income inequality, with all the problems that brings, without any offsetting gains in economic performance.”

Regarding Social Security and Medicare, numerous GOP candidates have stated that they will strongly consider reducing or eliminating those benefits. Look it up. Our representative in the Third District stated at the Conservative Political Action Conference, "We're here to tell government, we don't want your benefits. We don't want your welfare."

Bloomberg Government published a striking report sketching out GOP officials’ plans to work around a veto threat and force Biden to accept cuts to the popular social insurance programs. Think about what affect these policies may have on your life. And your children and grandchildren. Really, think about it!

Craig S. Chisesi, Rifle

Vote Blue in ‘22

If you support elephants in the womb, Hatriot insurrectionists, Qanon Christo-fascists, afraid of pronouns, liberals, or saying the letters “LGBTQ” without shuddering, gaga for guns, living for Heaven more than life on Earth, handmaids, and circus clowns posing as politicians focused on legislating public policy under a tent that looks like an American flag but smells like a festering pile of oil sludge and sewage left over from the last century, then the Republican party is definitely for you! If that’s not your shoe, then wear “Blue” — and vote for Democrats bottom of the ballot up! Democracy, freedom to choose, diversity, the environment, future generations, our country, and the world will be glad you did!

Anita Sherman, Glenwood Springs

Politics

I wish that our politics could be an honest debate about policies. Regular working people are suffering due to the high cost of housing, health care and energy. Our whole society is at risk due to climate change, income inequality, gun violence and the erosion of democracy.

The Democratic Party hasn’t always lived up to its ideal of representing working people, but I believe it still does a vastly better job of championing policies that actually try to address our problems and make life better for all.

That’s why I’ll be voting for Democrats pretty much down the line in this election. After the Jan. 6 insurrection and Trump’s part in it, it seems like a vote for Republicans is just a vote for chaos and thuggery.

And, in my opinion, Lauren Boebert is the worst of the whole self-serving, democracy-shredding bunch. She represents no one in Congress but

herself. If you’re at all on the fence about her, I advise voting for her opponent Adam Frisch.

Dave Reed, Carbondale

Vote for Jankovsky

If you care about the rule of law and supporting Garfield County agencies that protect our safety and security, vote for Tom Jankovsky for Garfield County commissioner in the upcoming midterm election. Tom understands that the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and upholding it is critical to the continuity of our democratic republic. Without the rule of law, there is tyranny and injustice.

The agencies that assure the rule of law is upheld have been under attack. Police and sheriff officers, EMS, firefighters and military personnel routinely put themselves in harm’s way for the safety of others. A hostile attitude from left-leaning leaders towards these everyday heroes only adds fuel to the fire in situations that are already volatile. Supporting Tom J for commissioner is a vote for the safety and protection of law abiding citizens and the first responders who speed to our aid when needed.

Tom is a man of action. He has supported first responders throughout his term in office. Thanks to Tom’s leadership role, the Rifle Garfield County Airport has become a hub for wildland firefighters in Western Colorado. It is a base of operations for federal, state and local fire fighting agencies that protect our homes, businesses and lands.

Also, as a fiscal conservative, Tom’s role as county commissioner has been a tremendous asset to Garfield County residents. Tom’s ability to balance the books, think ahead and prioritize has been honed not only over his terms as county commissioner but in his years of experience as the general manager of Sunlight Mountain Resort. Under Tom‘s leadership, law enforcement and first responders, including school resource officers, have received the funds they need to excel at their jobs while still balancing the budget.

Thank you, Tom J, for supporting the rule of law and the people who uphold it. Vote for Tom Jankovsky for Garfield County commissioner.

Frank McSwain Jr., Glenwood Springs

Vote for Moller

As election ballots are arriving in folks' mailboxes, I want to encourage our community to seriously consider Becky Moller for the office of Garfield County clerk. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Becky over the past five years through her leadership in Carbondale’s Parks and Recreation Commission as the Chair for 10 years. She has always shown passion, dedication, and fastidiousness to her responsibilities in that role, and I see her bringing that same drive and commitment to all the duties that the County Clerk's office handles.

The clerk's duties require filing accurate court records, overseeing the court clerk's duties, organizing voter registration, and scheduling elections. Becky understands the importance of keeping good records and of dealing

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congenially with the public. She is honest, reliable, and willing to work the long hours needed for the position. I believe Becky Moller is the person best qualified to be our next county clerk.

A vote for Becky will be a vote to keep the county clerk’s office in good hands.

Luis Yllanes, Carbondale

Dear Gunnison County,

I am running for Gunnison County Commissioner, and I am committed to representing you.

I currently work as the marketing and development director at Crested Butte Nordic. As a board member and deputy director at the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, I helped organize trail work days, memberships, and other festive community events. You also may know me from

the Gunnison County Planning Commission, where I’ve served since 2018, these past 18 months as chair. I coach cross-country for the Crested Butte Community School, and I’ve been active in supporting our schools on the District Accountability Committee and previously as a teacher in our school district.

Since moving to Gunnison County in 2009, I’ve developed a deep love for this place. Like many of you, I was drawn here by the recreation opportunities and the close connection to our natural world. But the thing that has kept me here is the community. It is you.

I recently visited Marble and Somerset and was able to visit with some wonderful people. I am struck by how similar

the problems we face are despite the mountains that divide us geographically. I am continually inspired by the kind, responsible, hard-working people of Gunnison County. It isn’t easy to live here, whether it’s fluctuations in weather or our economy, but we choose to make it work, over and over again, committing to our families, our work, and our home. I am ready to take this commitment further. I want to be sure that Gunnison County continues to be a place where we can thrive now and into the future. I am committed to Gunnison County. I am committed to you.

I am running for County Commissioner to protect our vibrant communities, fight for housing for everyone, and foster environmental resiliency. We need strong, engaged leaders who are willing to work collaboratively and strategically to confront the challenges we’re facing. I have the skills, experience, and energy we need to tackle our biggest obstacles head-on and make the most of our opportunities.

I hope you will join me in ensuring a thriving future for Gunnison County. Learn more about my campaign at LauraForGunnisonCounty.com. Remember to vote by Nov. 8!

Laura Puckett Daniels, Crested Butte

Letter policy: Please limit your letters to 500 words. We are committed to including all perspectives in The Sopris Sun. If your letter does not appear, it may be because of space limitations in the paper or because other letters we printed expressed the same idea or point of view. Letters are due by noon on the Monday before we go to print.

homeowners in her community may just strip their mobile homes and “sell them as bones.”

Mracheck was grateful for all of the volunteers that came into her community to help residents. She says that there was a family walking through the neighborhood offering meals that they had prepared. Most of the volunteers were complete strangers, some of them having driven a great distance to offer their help.

Although the number of volunteers has dwindled along with news coverage, Mracheck says “The blessing … is really to experience the volunteers’ compassion,” which she describes as “love in action.”

If you wish to help Mracheck rebuild her home, visit: www.gofundme. com/f/help-rebuild-kathleens-home

has skyrocketed, animated films such as “Coco” have also contributed to the creation of a new adaptation of this ancient celebration of death, whose roots stem from the Aztecs.

“It’s an emotion of mixed feelings, because seeing Anglos join us Latinos, and I am not just referring to Mexicans, seeing them join in a spiritual, mystical celebration… we are getting together to remember.”

Paco spoke to the similarities between different cultures and their celebrations of loved ones who have passed, such as Memorial Day. The Day of the Dead in the United States, in a way, becomes an umbrella that encompasses all traditions and helps us weave our cultural mantle with multicolored threads, instead of segregating each one. "It's a celebration for everyone," said Paco.

Amy Kimberly, the outgoing executive director of Carbondale Arts, has been an integral part of organizing this annual event. "It has always been the dream that one day it would be planned and created by our Latino community, and it seems to me that we have already arrived." This year there is a special focus on Paco, who Kimberly credits for keeping this tradition and culture alive in the Valley for 20 years.

Dia de Los Muertos continued from page 4

Art by Larry Day

PARTING SHOTS

Students and staff at Colorado Mountain College's Vet Tech farm woke up early on Saturday morning to help several animals put on their Halloween costumes. The public was due to arrive after 10 a.m for the teaching hospital's open house. While some of the animals cooperated, others did not, preferring to go au naturel. None of the many visitors chose to go au naturel, but there were plenty in costume.

Photos by Jane Bachrach

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