20221110

Beyond the Veil

Carbondale was once again treated to a delightful Day of the Dead celebration on Nov. 4. With more ofrendas honoring ancestors and dearly departeds than ever, as well as dances and colorful skulls, it’s perhaps the most multicultural event in town and one of the highlights of the year for many Valley residents.

Above: Estela Garcia dressed as La Catrina.

Right-center: Gael Meraz, a student at Roaring Fork High School, prepares for the procession from Third Street.

Photos by Klaus Kocher

Branching Out

By Geneviève Villamizar

Seeing other trucks at the BLM access opening day darn near derailed me. We parked, anyway — mere yards from a rotund, older hunter glassing the opposite ridge — as if. Jittery, we donned our gear and requisite blaze. Walking past a bend to the secret trailhead, seven more trucks squatted roadside. Gah!!

This was my beloved’s first hunt, and hopefully, our shared future. I would do all I could to make it a positive experience. So I gathered myself and whispered the tale of my first hunt here. In darkness so thick, right where we stood, I had unexpectedly jumped an elk herd. The silence blew up as cows and calves thrashed through willows, limbs pinging barbed wire, one after another. Rooted to the gravel (hopefully avoiding a direct hit) my ears flared in the returning quiet. Their chirps receded as they called back and forth, seeking one another across the darkness. It was unfreakingbelievable.

LETTERS

Hunting for balance and meaning

So the contrast between that year and this year is alarming. What gives?

Declining hunter participation has meant declining dollars all across conservation. The wear and tear on public lands post-pandemic was just another prompt to get on it. State wildlife and hunting organizations responded with new programs and initiatives. Nationwide, R3 works to recruit new hunters, retain existing ones, and reactivate those who gave it up. Experiential programs address barriers to entry for never-evers. Initiatives towards diversity/equity/ inclusivity create safety for nontraditional newbies. As such, the pandemic has produced many new hunters. Did that explain nine trucks at a previously untrammeled access? I don’t know, but I’m forced to ask myself as I did with climbing, years ago — how much longer do I care to play?

We set a reasonable pace to bypass the other hunters, clambering over ridges, through thickets and across drainages. We shared thoughts and observations as easily as we share leading or following — just because I was the experienced one didn't mean it was my show.

As in adventures past in which I’ve taught the berries we can eat, or how to harvest seeds, he has gestured at land features and navigated for

Re: Craig nuclear plant

It’s too bad that some local powers are focusing on nuclear reactors to replace the Craig Station power plant instead of energy storage. One of the rationales for nuclear power is that it provides baseload electric supply. But many energy nerds now say, “Baseload is dead,” because there should soon be extended periods when wind and solar production exceeds electricity demand, particularly if renewables construction is accelerated as it should be. That excess power can be put into one of many available energy storage products, of which lithium batteries are just one. For those concerned about these batteries, almost all utility-scale batteries now use lithium ferrous phosphate, and do not require cobalt and nickel — only the more-common lithium.

The workforce in Craig can be employed without building a new steam cycle power plant. There are a few “thermodynamic” long duration energy storage cycles which utilize similar skills. As an example, the “Energy Dome” company just entered the US market with its CO2

us. This kind of tag-teaming led us to mushrooming. I had harvested and eaten porcinis and morels, but he was the one who found our first chanterelles. We both felt a part of the discovery. It was lovely.

So, I invited him to hunt. And he jumped at it. In hunting with me, maybe he’d discover untapped parts of himself.

We were immensely rewarded on opening day. He spotted a herd of elk, first — so proud of him. And I found the fresh blood of a lung-shot elk, the mystery unfolding but unsolved as we tracked it. He saw the does first, too, impressing me again. I lifted my .270 to see them better through my scope and was enchanted: long, black lashes flickered over wet, steady eyes. We were both relieved at no buck. It’s never easy to shoot a living being.

Throughout the day, we ate, dozed, peed and scratched, just like these animals around us. We slogged through snow, oakbrush and wetlands. And … I brooded, despite myself.

As a teen, I had wanted so desperately to hunt. I craved a visceral counterpoint to the cerebral aspects of horticulture, design and writing. It has been 20-some years now, and hunting isn’t something I “do.” It’s who I am; how I am. Increasingly, though, human impacts on elk and deer and the

compression/expansion cycle. At the other end of the spectrum, the coal power units can be modified to “cycle” more rapidly, allowing the plant and mines to keep operating for “backup” power while ramping down utilization. Perhaps during idle hours at the powerplant, the operators could fabricate industrial ammonia-cycle heat pumps. Other energy storage schemes like pumped hydro and flow “batteries” need skilled maintenance, but certainly less. The Delta Utah hydrogen/ power project might also be a template, or not.

The local nuclear fans should visit Australia. Moffat County is sort of the Outback of Colorado. Australia has already exceeded our wind and solar output in many areas, and is building and planning multiple pumped hydro and other energy storage schemes in addition to the big batteries already installed. They are ramping up wind and solar to provide many times their current electric use with “Power-to-X” facilities to convert excess wind and solar output to heat, ammonia, hydrogen, etcetera. The Aussies

crowding on public lands turn me away.

On a friend’s private ranch land two nights later, a juvenile buck lay at our feet. I lit an incense and stuck it in the earth at his muzzle. We both marveled at the exquisite details, now right before us. Hands on his flanks, stroking his face, his neck, we gave thanks. I picked up my snap-blade Exacto and began to slice. The taste of his muscle — supple and raw in our mouths — how to describe it? Definitely wild. Clean, almost sweet.

Dismembering an animal that was alive moments before is intense; in the sharing and teaching, for me; for him, in the action of taking life to sustain life. When he choked up, his tears had two effects on me. First, I fell more in love. Second, I decided our hunting would shift a bit, after all.

Let’s stick to our everyday ordinary. To the goofy meanderings we’ve come to share so well, My Love. Let’s shoulder .22s for a longer, more gentle season. Let’s give deer and elk a break and set our sights on those in less peril, those which are far more numerous. Squirrels, perhaps; rabbits, birds? And above all, let’s continue to harvest those in-between moments we’ve come to cherish so.

Shall we see where the next bend takes us?

banned nuclear power 25 years ago, so are not distracted by it.

It seems nuclear energy might make sense in Connecticut or similar densely populated, cloudy places with limited wind turbine sites. Then again, they might be better served by hydrogen-fueled power plants with fuel barged from floating offshore wind-powered electrolysis platforms.

But, I can see no good reason for planning nukes in Moffat County or anywhere in Colorado at the present time.

Fred Porter, Carbondale

Re: Gender toolkit

I attended the school board meeting where the new LGBTQIA+ toolkit was discussed. I was glad to see the community treating each other with respect as opposing views were shared. Those who oppose this policy are often represented as being driven by hate, fear or a complete disregard to whether those who struggle with gender dysphoria live or die. Though it might be true of some, there are those of us who genuinely believe

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Spruce up The Sun

Time flies, doesn’t it? Break out the art supplies, it’s nearly time for our annual “Spruce Up The Sun” cover illustration contest! This year’s theme is: Travel Through Time. The contest is open to local kids from pre-kindergarten through high school. Details to follow.

Independence Pass

Independence Pass is closed for the winter season. The pass was closed temporarily on Oct. 23 due to a winter storm. On Friday, Nov. 4, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) opted to extend the closure through the winter. Last year, the pass closed on Oct. 25 and in 2020 on Nov. 13. CDOT typically opens the pass on the Thursday ahead of Memorial Day weekend.

RFTA goes digital

Beginning Nov. 21, Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) passengers can use the RFTA Tickets mobile app to pay their fare. Riders can purchase one-way and round-trip tickets at 25% off the typical fare, or 30-day and seasonal passes. RFTA will still accept current forms of bus fare, including stored value cards, 30-day zone passes and cash. For more information, visit www.rfta.com

William “Willy” Worley

After being reported missing in July 2010, William Worley’s remains were discovered by a hunter on Sept. 11. Upon examining dental records, the Pitkin County coroner's office recently determined that the remains indeed belonged to Worley. The case is still open but inactive, meaning the sheriff’s office will not investigate any further unless evidence of suspiciousness is surfaced. Our hearts go out to Worley’s family.

A bluebird enjoys a warm afternoon with his next meal at the ready on Nov. 7, as temperatures climbed near 60 degrees following a pair of cold weeks.

Photo by Tommy Sands

Environmental alliance

Glenwood Springs Middle School’s Autumn Rivera, Colorado’s 2022 Teacher of the Year, signed The Colorado Alliance of Environmental Education’s “Outside for 5” pledge. This campaign encourages in-school and at-home educators to spend at least five minutes each day with students in nature’s classroom.

Restoring history

The Glenwood Springs Historical Society has been awarded $34,930 from the State Historical Fund toward work at the Cardiff Coke Ovens, where 249 ovens operated in the 1890s to produce coke from coal for making steel. Matching funds were provided by the city of Glenwood Springs. A separate $140,000 grant from the Garfield County Federal Lease District will go toward an accessible path, reconstruction of a trail and a display area for artifacts.

2022 midterm projections

By James Steindler Contributing Editor

Ballots are in and still being counted around the country. As of press time, some races are too close to call. Although, there are a few which have rounded the bend. The Sopris Sun reached out to each of the local candidates but had limited responses due to the tight turnaround.

In-person voting in the Valley was bustling. This reporter dropped off his ballot at the Glenwood Springs Community Center around 5 p.m. Poll workers were working diligently and patiently, generally donning smiles and chiming, “Thanks for voting.” Most voters kept to themselves while some others chatted and a few, as has been a national trend, openly ridiculed the legitimacy of the voting process — one person claiming their significant other signed their ballot in 2020 and that election officials were none the wiser.

Meanwhile, in Carbondale, as reported on KDNK radio, Town Hall was overwhelmed with voter turnout on election day.

Unofficial results (as of press time)

According to the unofficial results posted on the Colorado secretary of state website — a useful tool for tracking realtime election coverage — incumbent Lieutenant Governor Jared Polis beat Republican challenger Heidi Ganahl

by a wide margin of over 17%. Ganahl conceded election night, congratulating Polis on his win.

Democrat Elizabeth Velasco is likely the new representative for Colorado House District 57, prevailing over incumbent Perry Will. In a statement from Velasco she shared, in part, “As a new American, I hope my election proves that Western Colorado is a place where anyone can make their own American dream possible. I look forward to working with this community to make stories like mine more common for the next generation of Western Coloradans.”

Republican Jackie Harmon is ahead (with 10,818 votes) of Democrat Becky Moller (who carries 10,135 votes) and in line to succeed departing Garfield County clerk Jean Alberico.

“As promised, I will lead the office with the highest level of customer service and integrity,” Harmon told The Sopris Sun. “I will be dedicated to implementing innovative ideas that will refine the day to day operations of the office and best accommodate the citizens of Garfield County.”

Republican Carrie Couey leads the race for Garfield County treasurer with a similar margin, 10,734 votes to Democrat Aron Diaz’s 10,223.

“I had a strong opponent and a very hard and close race,” Couey told The Sopris Sun. “I will look for ways to continue to provide the best possible service for the people of Garfield County.”

Neck and neck

What’s in a name?

Colorado Wild Public Lands (CWPL), an organization dedicated to advocating for public access to the outdoors since 2014, has decided it's time for a name change. CWPL invites the public to contribute suggestions to coloradowildpubliclands@gmail.com by Dec. 31 for the chance to win prizes from Patagonia or Folsom Skis.

Watershed photo contest

Calling all photographers! Roaring Fork Conservancy’s 17th annual Roaring Fork Watershed Photo Contest is underway with a Nov. 13 deadline. Prizes from Rock Canyon Coffee will be awarded for three categories: professional, amateur and people’s choice. Contest details at: www.bit.ly/ RFV2022contest

Summit for Life

The Chris Klug Foundation’s 17th annual Summit for Life is scheduled for Dec. 3. The event will be back in full force for the first time since 2019, complete with a post-race party at the top of Aspen Mountain. The purpose is to raise awareness of the importance of organ, eye and tissue donations while also raising funds for the foundation. Find details at www.summitforlife.org

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Natalie Rae Fuller and Tim Ireland (Nov. 10); Jacquelinne Castro and Nicolette Toussaint (Nov. 11); Alex Achterhoff, Kelsey Freeman, Estefania Montoya and Lance Quint (Nov. 12); Bob Ezra, Maria Flores, Pola Oginska and Riley Skinner (Nov. 13); Amy Fulstone, Ron Leach, Sue Rollyson and Morgan Williams (Nov. 14); Rachel Baiyor and Joyce Leeman (Nov. 15).

The race for Garfield County’s district one commissioner seat is very close. As of press time, Republican incumbent Tom Jankovsky leads Democrat challenger Ryan Gordon by just 44 votes — 10,720 to 10,676 respectively.

In a reply to The Sopris Sun, Gordon noted, in part, that “The vote is obviously very close at the moment and we want to make sure that every vote is counted. I have full faith in our county that they are taking all the right steps to ensure this happens. It's great to see democracy up close!”

Jankovky also replied but stated that he was still expecting the unofficial results to come in and preferred not to comment before then.

Notably, as of press time, Democrat challenger Adam Frisch leads incumbent Republican Lauren Boebert by a very close margin, 151,606 to 149,405 votes, in the race to represent the United States’ Third Congressional District.

Propositions

Proposition FF which entails a state-wide tax increase to provide free nutritious school lunches to public school students will likely pass, with 55% of voters in favor.

Proposition 121 which brings the state income tax rate down from 4.55% to 4.4% is likely to pass, with more than 65% of voters in favor.

As noted in this week’s Carbondale Report, the town’s “Proposition 2A passed, establishing a 6% sales tax on visitors staying at a short-term rental

crackers to election judges, each box including a note stating, “Without you this would be a zoo.”

(less than 30 consecutive days) and creating the town’s first dedicated fund to help fund affordable housing initiatives.”

In Glenwood Springs, Ballot Issue 2C which also calls for a lodging tax increase with funds going toward workforce housing is also likely to pass, with 54.73% voting in favor.

All of the aforementioned results are deemed unofficial as of press time with ballots left to count. Visit www.

bit.ly/2022MidtermsGarfield for additional election results.

Volunteer Caleb Waller delivers animal

Photo by James Steindler

Team USATF shines at world running championships

By Kate Phillips Sopris Sun Correspondent

The heat, humidity and snakes of Thailand’s mountainous jungles did not deter the United States’ elite mountain and trail running athletes from having an amazing weekend at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC) on Nov. 4-6.

Situated in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, outside of Chiang Mai, the inaugural event attracted nearly 900 of the world’s strongest runners from 48 countries. Team U.S.A. Track and Field (USATF) sent 37 athletes from 12 states, including Colorado (and Carbondale). The athletes competed in five races: Uphill Mountain Running, Short Trail, Long Trail, Junior Up/Down Mountain and Senior Up/Down Mountain.

Supported by a dedicated crew of volunteers and staff members, Team USATF athletes overcame the grueling conditions and stiff competition to earn four team and three individual medals, thus placing fourth in the overall medal count.

“We're very proud of our U.S. mountain and trail running athletes who endured long travel with limited time for acclimation to the hot and humid weather in Thailand,” said Team Leader Richard Bolt. “Because of the team competition within this championship, every U.S. runner played an important role in the race for medals.”

On Nov. 4-5, Team USATF outran the competition, winning the individual and team world titles in both the women’s Uphill and men’s Long Trail races. Allie McLaughlin of Colorado Springs and Adam Peterman of Montana were crowned their events’ champions. The uphill-only race included 3,500 feet of climbing over 5.3 miles, whereas the Long Trail course ascended 15,700 feet over 50 miles.

“They didn't just win, but won by large margins while making it look easy,” said Bolt.

Emphasizing each athlete’s critical role, Bolt added that if uphill athlete Rachel Tomajczyk was 40 seconds slower her team would have missed gold. She ended up in 26th, while Lauren Gregory finished 12th for the gold medal team.

McLaughlin’s dominant performance continued on Nov. 6, when she won bronze in the competitive Up/Down Mountain Running event. Athletes raced 1,558 feet of uphill before sprinting back down to complete the 6.6 miles course. Teammates Tomajczyk and Corey Dowe competed alongside McLaughlin to secure the team bronze medal.

Colorado represents

This year, Team USATF had a number of Colorado athletes compete, including some who contributed to the U.S. medal count.

Carbondale resident and first-time Team USATF athlete Jeff Colt placed 14th in the Long Trail race, and was the third runner for the winning U.S. team. Earlier this season, the On Running athlete finished third at the Black Canyon 100k, ultimately earning him a coveted Golden Ticket to this year’s 100-mile Western States Endurance Run. There he had an impressive 11th place finish in a stacked field.

In the Short Trail race, Stevie Kremer of Crested Butte and Joseph DeMoor of Carbondale raced 25 miles through the jungle, gaining 8,000 feet of elevation along the way.

Kremer, a veteran Team USATF athlete, placed seventh and helped the women’s Short Trail team win silver. Sponsored by Salomon, Kremer is a regular at Roaring Fork Valley races. She currently holds the course record for the Lead King Loop’s 25k, and has multiple individual titles at the Golden Leaf Trail Half Marathon.

DeMoor, fresh off his 2022 Skyrunning Running World Championship Vertical win, finished 39th in the men’s competition. The La Sportiva athlete had a standout season with multiple top performances including a win at the 2022 Leadville Heavy Half. His Short Trail team finished sixth overall, as Max King from Oregon placed fourth individually.

World Champions! The U.S. men finished first in the Long Trail Running event as part of the World Mountain Trail Running Championships held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. From left to right: Adam Merry, Eric LiPuma, World Individual Champion Adam Peterman and Carbondale local Jeff Colt are all smiles following their stellar performances. Photo by Richard Bolt

Longhorns pass playoff test

By Luke Wander Sopris Sun Correspondent

The Basalt Longhorns took the field on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 5, to face the Woodland Park Panthers with a simple goal: to extend their undefeated record and move on to the next round of the Class 2A playoffs.

With nine victories in nine regular season games, the Longhorns have overcome the challenges of local rivalries, long bus rides and harsh weather to put together one of only two perfect 2A records in the state. On Saturday, they faced two new hurdles: injuries and the jeopardy of playoff football.

Senior quarterback Cade Schneider set the tone early with a series of tidy completions as the Longhorns marched into Panther territory, but Woodland Park’s defense forced the home team to settle for a field goal. Bar a few second half turnovers, it would be the only meaningful defensive stop for the Panthers all afternoon. After a quick three-and-out, Schneider connected with wide receiver Dylan Madden for a 50-yard touchdown pass that gave

Basalt an early 10-0 lead. Madden’s catch sent the boisterous home crowd of almost five-hundred Longhorn fans into a purple frenzy.

On their next drive, Woodland Park’s spread offense caused problems. An injury to linebacker Jamie Dolan left the Longhorns vulnerable, and after a pair of first downs, quarterback Bryce Broeker found an open Griffin King for a touchdown pass that silenced the home crowd.

As the first quarter gave way to the second, neither defense could come up with a stop. For the Panthers, a strong passing game from Broeker and a powerful run option in Aiden Hernandez had the Longhorns backpedaling. Meanwhile, Cade Schneider kept connecting with his receivers, and Cooper Crawford began to assert his dominance on the ground.

With eight minutes to play in the first half, down 24-14, Woodland Park began the defining drive of the afternoon on their own 25 yard line. After four consecutive third down conversions, the Panthers approached the red zone, seemingly poised to reduce the deficit to three points just before halftime.

“We felt like we knew what they were going to do so we gambled a little on that third and goal,” Coach Carl Frerichs later admitted. As the crowd revved itself up to fever pitch, and with only seconds left on the clock, the Longhorns refused to concede any ground. “We got ‘em to fourth down,” chuckled Frerichs, “and sometimes you gotta take your chances.” The Panthers failed to convert and went into halftime down by ten.

Woodland Park had the chance to start the second half with another determined drive, but Luke Rapaport intercepted a long Broeker pass, and a few plays later Cooper Crawford was celebrating another touchdown run and

a three possession lead.

The game then took a defensive turn, as Woodland Park’s Evan Bamesberger picked off two Schneider passes, while Basalt’s defense forced two punts before sacking Broeker on fourth down and regaining possession on their own 25 yard line with 2:36 remaining in the game.

On the ensuing drive, junior Noah Johnston broke through and ran 67 yards for a touchdown that put an end to any thoughts of a Panther comeback. Woodland Park scored a quick touchdown against the Longhorn’s second string defense, then recovered

Basalt's Dylan Madden hauls in a 50-yard pass over Woodland Park's Evan Bamesberger for the game's first touchdown. Photo by Elvis Estrada

There was no shortage of spirit in the Longhorn student section. Photo by Elvis Estrada

Comp Plan Update reaches its crescendo

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

In January 2021, Carbondale’s Board of Town Trustees voted to update the town’s 2013 Comprehensive Plan. On Nov. 15, after nearly two years, the outcome will be voted on for adoption at a public hearing hosted at Town Hall at 6 p.m.

The process involved robust public participation including an initial survey which yielded more than 500 responses, several stakeholder meetings and other in-person, bilingual engagement events, as well as many Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) meetings to drill down on the finer details.

Jay Engstrom, P&Z chair for over a year, told The Sopris Sun that the process began largely as a “patch” to provide guidance for future development and particularly in “Downtown North,” a 12-acre industrial park north of Town Hall which once housed maintenance facilities for the Mid-Continent coal-mining operations.

Downtown North, also referred to as the “Opportunity Area” throughout this process, was the focus of plans for residential development in the past and, according to Engstrom, was left unaddressed by the 2013 Comprehensive Plan. “Before they didn’t have any direction… now at least they have some direction from the community.”

This direction allows for mixed-use development, with two and three-story residential apartments that maintain light industrial spaces on the ground floor, similar to Dolores Way.

“Through all the outreach provided, we found concerns regarding other zoning that wasn’t part of this update,” said Engstrom. With so much change seen and felt in Carbondale, especially

along Highway 133, the update grew larger than anticipated, what Engstrom referred to as “scope creep.”

State law requires that municipalities have a comprehensive plan to provide a policy framework for regulatory tools like zoning changes, subdivisions and annexations; the document is not, however, regulatory in of itself. The Comprehensive Plan informs the Unified Development Code which guides approval for new developments.

From the beginning, P&Z has acted as the project’s steering committee, which also hired an interdisciplinary firm called Cushing Terrell for $75,000 to do much of the work in 2021. Once Cushing Terrell’s contract expired, however, P&Z was left with double-duty: performing their ordinary responsibilities as volunteers on an important town commission that meets twice per month, in addition to overseeing final changes for the update.

Public engagement launched with a survey in July 2021, and continued through February 2022 with comments solicited through an online platform (chartcarbondale.com) during different stages of the document’s creation.

According to Engstrom, the content of the draft has not changed substantially since it was premiered in February, online and in hardcopy at “reading rooms” scattered throughout town. It has, though, been merged with the 2013 Comprehensive Plan for easier readability.

Here are some highlights:

• Updated Future Land Use Map (FLUM), an advisory document for future land use zoning changes

Aerial

• Climate Action: stay on course while expanding the definition of “sustainable development” to intersect with social equity

• Recommendation to conduct a long-range transportation master planning effort, expand transit services, improve pedestrian/bicycle safety, have a sidewalk maintenance program

• Suggestion to expand historic design guidelines to residential areas downtown in keeping with historic neighborhood character and ensuring compatibility when new developments occur

You can review the 100-page draft (+90-page appendix) in English and Spanish ahead of the public hearing on Nov. 15 at: carbondaleconnect. org/chart-carbondale

Engstrom noted that P&Z will also recommend trustees plan ahead for more revisions or an entirely revamped plan within the next few years. “2014, that was a different time,” he said. “We need to make sure what we're requesting of developers is aligned with what the town wants to see [now]...”

The draft update recommends mixed-use redevelopment for Downtown North, with a focus on light industrial job sites and housing, community gathering spaces and strengthened connections to open space; Cushing Terrell estimated that up to 340 units could go here (at 24 units per acre).

shot from Google Earth

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

While Town Hall served as a polling place, receiving in-person votes on Election Day, the Board of Town Trustees gathered for their regular meeting at the Third Street Center. Trustees Marty Silverstein and Luis Yllanes were absent, as were microphones and a virtual viewing option. Nonetheless, the atypical meeting featured another full agenda.

Among the items approved in the consent agenda, more than $21,000 was dedicated to restore a bathroom at North Face Park which was lit on fire in late August of this year. The town will receive reimbursement through insurance, but Mayor Ben Bohmfalk expressed his disappointment with vandals defacing and destroying tax-funded, public properties.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, Lynn Kirchner briefed trustees on the Carbondale Homeless Assistance initiative. Since 2020, the town has supported its shower program with $1,500 annually, which is essentially passed back to the Parks and Recreation Department for vouchers. This will remain in next year’s budget.

Next, trustees gave updates. Lani Kitching spoke about the Wild Rivers Film Tour hosted by Wilderness Workshop in October. The board will return to the topic of Wild and Scenic designation for the Crystal River later in November, she said.

Moving along, the board approved a series of rate hikes for waste hauling (6.2% on average, effective Dec. 1), water (7.5% increase for base fees and 5% for rates), sewer (5% increase for base fees and rates) and recreation fees and charges (5% on average). Additionally, tap fees increased by 5% since last updated in 2018, based on a long-term plan approved in 2017.

The meeting proceeded with a series of check-ins, first from YouthZone, then from the town’s Historic Preservation Commission and Public Arts Commission. The Historic Preservation Commission spoke about their new program installing plaques for owner’s of historic homes; they suggested creating a local landmark register program beginning with the Dinkel Building and Thompson House; and they floated the idea of expanding courtesy reviews (currently offered to commercial properties looking to redevelop) to include old town residential units.

“Carbondale has a very humble history, but it’s authentic,” said chair Nick Miscione. “Ordinary structures are worth saving and have intrinsic value in our story. Nostalgia is a value, and the story we have to tell is important.”

The Public Arts Commission, “CPAC, not to be confused with the Conservative

Political Action Committee,” joked chair Michael Stout, mainly spoke about the need for a budget and schedule to maintain the 25 pieces in the town’s permanent collection, plus any future additions. Stout reported that Art Around Town has remained competitive for submissions among similar programs in the country, and the sculptures are selling.

The meeting continued with Carbondale Marketplace Subdivision, south of City Market, requesting a change to the development agreement that stipulated the futsal court, now a public amenity, be complete by the time 50 housing units are built. Briston Peterson, representing the project on behalf of MSP Development Group and Brikor Associates, stated that by December, the third building will be complete and 54 units will be ready to occupy. Rather than hold four units arbitrarily until the futsal court is built, the agreement was extended through a unanimous vote until completion of a 55th unit or July 31, 2023, whichever comes first.

The second to last item on the agenda was an early discussion for developing a request for proposals for consultant services to prepare a Multi Modal Mobility and Access Plan, as advised in the draft Comprehensive Plan Update. Representatives of the Bike Pedestrian and Trails Commission, the Carbondale Age-Friendly Community Initiative and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority were present.

There was consensus that the plan should focus on bike and pedestrian infrastructure, utilizing past studies to develop an actionable, capital improvementstyle plan with priorities.

“Plans drive action and decisions around funding,” stated trustee Colin Laird, “not having an access or mobility plan leaves us without a way to analyze what we’re trying to do on the transportation front.”

Finally, the meeting concluded with an overview of community grant requests. The only changes made were to zero out YouthZone’s funding, because YouthZone received $10,000 from the tobacco tax in 2022, and to reallocate those funds toward meeting the Carbondale Historical Society’s full ask for paying the utilities at the town-owned Thompson House Museum.

Otherwise, the amounts granted remained the same and can be viewed in the packet at www.carbondalegov.org

Lynn Kirchner addresses the Board of Town Trustees at the Third Street Center on Nov. 8. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

facts

time seeking

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Whatever we are and whatever we will become is not merely the project of our personal selves. Rev. Norris reflects on the contribution of the many who have helped to contribute to make TRUU what it is.

On behalf of Bonedale Flashmob, Alexandra and Anthony Jerkunica would like to thank our dancers, volunteers, Bonfire Coffee, the town of Carbondale and English In Action for making Thrill the World Carbondale 2022 another successful event, celebrating community and uniting humanity through dance. Courtesy photo

THURSDAY, NOV. 10

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 are 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.

BRAIN HEALTH

The Longevity Project presents “Brain Health and Injury”, where a panel of experts speak to caring for one's brain after an injury, at TACAW at 5 p.m. Visit www.tacaw.org for tickets and more info.

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

CRYSTAL CAUCUS

The Crystal River Caucus hosts their annual meeting at the Church at Redstone from 7 to 9 p.m.

“A HOLLYWOOD HIGH”

Aspen Film screens “A Hollywood High”, a docu-concert film about Duran Duran’s four-decade long career and one epic concert, at 7:30 p.m. at the Isis Theatre. Visit www.bit.ly/AHollywoodHigh

FRIDAY, NOV. 11

STATE PARKS

Veterans and active military members can enter and enjoy any Colorado state parks free of charge today, Veterans Day.

WOMEN’S FORUM

Roaring Fork Leadership and Colorado Mountain College present “Elevate: A Forum for Women Creating Impact” at the Morgridge Commons

in Glenwood Springs from 1 to 6 p.m. Visit www.bit.ly/ElevateForum for more info and to register.

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.

CRYSTAL THEATRE

The Crystal Theatre screens “Tár” at 7 p.m. on Nov 11, 12, 16 and 17, with a matinee on Sunday Nov. 13 at 5 p.m.

COMEDY NIGHT

Comedian Myq Kaplan performs at The Arts Campus at Willits at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SATURDAY, NOV. 12

CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE

Swing by the Carbondale Firehouse for the 46th annual Carbondale Christmas Boutique, featuring handmade gifts from local creators, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ART CLASS

Curt Carpenter instructs “Color Woodblock Prints: Building Images Through Layers” at The Art Base beginning today at 9 a.m. and going through tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m. Visit www. theartbase.org to register.

YOUTH ACTIVISM

Basalt Library hosts teens seeking change for protest sign making and safety tips from 2 to 3 p.m.

PLOTKIN AND SPEARS

Valley locals Lizzy Plotkin and Natalie Spears perform at TACAW at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SUNDAY, NOV.

YOUTH ORCHESTRA

13

Free and open to the public: 60 young musicians from throughout the Valley will perform a diverse, family-friendly program at the Third Street Center at 4 p.m.

THE SELENA EXPERIENCE

Los Chicos del 512: The Selena Experience performs at the Wheeler Opera House at 5 p.m. Visit www.aspenshowtix.com for tickets and more info.

Have you heard….. The Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork doesn’t prepare students for the ‘real’ world?

RANDOM CONVERSATIONS

Sweet Cream Dreams (next to Craft Coffeehouse in Carbondale) hosts a free, communitybuilding event filled with meaningful conversations among strangers from 6 to 7:30 p.m. No registration is necessary and anyone is welcome to join.

MONDAY, NOV. 14

PILATES�YOGA

Jen Campbell leads “Pilates/ Yoga Mash-up Class” at the Launchpad at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays. Email jencampbell0804@ gmail.com for more info.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Master Success Coach Jeff Patterson, author of “The Big Thing Effect”, talks about his neardeath experience on one of the world’s tallest mountains at the Carbondale Library at 6:30 p.m.

AIKIDO

Ann O’Brien hosts Aikido training circles at 13 Moons Ranch (6334 Highway 133) from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. on Mondays, as well as a beginner class on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. No need to sign up, just show up!

TUESDAY, NOV. 15

PILATES

Alexandra Jerunica leads intermediate pilates mat class on Tuesdays at noon at the Launchpad. Email movefromyourcenter@ gmail.com to register.

PAWS TO READ

Therapy dogs from Heeling Partners of the Roaring Fork Valley will be at the Carbondale Library from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Young readers can sign up for 15-minute time slots by calling 970-963-2889.

COMP PLAN REVIEW

Carbondale’s Board of Town Trustees reviews the 2013 Comprehensive Plan Update for adoption with a public hearing at Town Hall at 6 p.m.

CULTURAL COMPETENCY

Sajari Q from Roaring Fork Show Up leads a virtual class on cultural diversity and competency in the workplace at 7 p.m. To sign up, visit www.gcpld.org/cultural-competency

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16

SENIOR LUNCH

Every Wednesday at noon, Garfield County Senior Programs provides a nutritious meal for seniors at The Orchard. To reserve a place at the table, call 970-665-0041.

STEM

Aspen Science Center offers an hour of interactive exploration for kids under 12 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Basalt Library.

VISITING CRITIC

Anderson Ranch hosts visiting critic Ranu Mukherjee for a conversation 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

TEXTURE COURSE

Valeria Fiala leads the second in a three-part series of charcoal drawing classes, “Texture and Expressive Realism”, at The Art Base at 5:30 p.m. Visit www. theartbase.org to register.

THURSDAY, NOV. 17

MOUNTAIN PITCH

COVENTURE's Mountain Pitch Summit 2022 takes place online at noon. Register online at coverture.io

MAC BASICS

Learn how to use your Mac laptop with Basalt Library from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration is required online at www.basaltlibrary.org or by calling 970-927-4311.

BOOK CLUB

Join Carbondale Library’s Third Thursday Book Club for a discussion of “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles at 2 p.m.

UNDER THE SUN

Join Sopris Sun correspondents and guests for Everything Under The Sun, airing every Thursday on KDNK at 4 p.m.

SQUASH AUCTION

Craft Coffeehouse hosts the second annual Squash Auction, a Seed Peace fundraiser, at 6 p.m.

GROUP RUN

Independence Run and Hike leads a weekly group run on Thursdays departing from the store’s new location, next to the Carbondale City Market, at 6:30 p.m.

STEVE’S GUITARS

June Star performs Baltimorebased country rock at Steve’s Guitars at 8 p.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 18

LIBRARY MUSIC

Basalt Library presents “The French Violin” with Emily Acri and Kevin Kaukl at 5:30 p.m. No registration is necessary.

DESMOND JONES

Michigan’s Desmond Jones, a five-piece American rock band, returns to Steve’s Guitars for a performance at 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, NOV. 19

YARN CLUB

Come knit or crochet in Sopris Park from 10 a.m. to noon.

ALL AGES ART

Basalt Library invites adults and kids to spend time doing art together from 2 to 3 p.m.

WINTER FESTIVITIES

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park kicks off its Winter on the Mountain festivities from 4 to 7 p.m. with giveaways, special food and the unveiling of Santa at the North Pole. Visitors that bring $25 City Market gift cards to donate to Lift-Up will receive four free gondola tickets.

VINCE HERMAN

The Arts Campus at Willits presents the Vince Herman Band, featuring a longtime co-leader of Leftover Salmon’s first solo album, at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SATURDAY, NOV. 20

COMMUNITY CONSTELLATION

Carol Shure leads an ancestral healing workshop at the Third Street Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.carolshure.com for more info.

THURSDAY, NOV. 24

TURKEY TROT

Carbondale’s annual Turkey Trot Thanksgiving race begins at 9 a.m. Sign up to participate at www.carbondalerec.com

CARBONDALE

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

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI LESSONS AT SPRING GULCH Classes for Beginners and Intermediate skiers in both CLASSIC and SKATE styles. Various days and dates Starting as early as January 3

MORE 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

MORE CLASSES THIS SPRING...

Beginning Swing Dance Fundraising for Non-Profits Medicine of Trees Sewing Yoga for Seniors Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets

La Catrina Lisa

Otra vez, la celebración del Día de los Muertos de Carbondale fue encantador, con aún más ofrendas, colores, calaveras y bailes. Se debe a todo un esfuerzo comunitario que abraza la tradición de honrar a nuestros ancestros y seres queridos festejando la vida. Estela Garcia guió la procesión vestida como La Catrina y cargando una canasta de flores cempasúchil.

Volumen 2, Número 37 | 10 de noviembre - 16 de noviembre, de 2022

Conectando comunidades desde 2021

Foto de Klaus Kocher

Esquina Legal

Por Tony Mendez

No se me escapa que Halloween y el día de los muertos ya han pasado. Pensando en estos rituales y lo que significan decidí dedicar esta columna hacia la planificación patrimonial. Sin prejuicio de género, planificación patrimonial es la creación de documentos para proteger los intereses propios durante la discapacidad o al fallecer para proteger los intereses de sus seres queridos. Estos documentos en una planificación simple incluyen un testamento, poderes de abogado, y una carta de última instrucción. Es importante tener estos documentos preparados por si acaso su salud se deteriora hasta el punto de discapacidad o antes de

Teniendo un plan

fallecer.También, aparte de la paz mental que tendrá el testador o el principal. Teniendo estos documentos preparados se ahorra tiempo al representante personal o el agente para que puedan tomar decisiones o acciones con poca burocracia.

Entonces, ¿qué es un testamento? Un testamento es una escritura que da instrucciones sobre lo que esa persona quiere que ocurra con sus cosas después de su fallecimiento. Estas cosas incluyen bienes personales como ropa, muebles, baratijas, cuadros, joyería, dinero, o cualquier cosa tangible o intangible que no sea parte de propiedad real.

Propiedad real, en términos de ley americana, significa tierra o una estructura sobre la tierra (casa, cabaña, edificio, etc). La propiedad real es parte de los bienes no hereditarios. Bienes que no son hereditarios son los que, por operación de ley (título) o contrato (como designando beneficiarios en un plan de retiro), pasan a alguien fuera de la planificación patrimonial.

El testamento, al menos bajo la ley de Colorado, toma validez después de que sea firmada ante un notario o ante varios testigos. Para hacer un testamento una declaración jurada auto comprobada, dando aún más certitud de los deseos del testador, el testamento se firma ante ambos los testigos y un notario.

Los testigos están presentes para confirmar que la persona firmando el testamento tiene capacidad, o entiende lo que está haciendo, y de que lo está firmando voluntariamente. El deber de un notario es confirmar que la persona que firma el documento es en realidad quien dice quien es, que esa persona tiene la capacidad de firmar, y que está firmando el documento voluntariamente. Ambos los testigos o el notario pueden ser llamados a corte a declarar lo que vieron si es que un testamento es contestado. Los poderes de abogado también son notariados.

Bajo un poder de abogado, un principal (la

persona dando el poder) le da a un agente (la persona representando los intereses del principal) la habilidad de tomar decisiones y acciones en el mejor interés del principal.

Hay varios tipos de poderes de abogado. Existen, por ejemplo, el poder financiero y el poder médico. Bajo un poder financiero, el principal le da al agente poder para tomar decisiones y acciones sobre los intereses financieros del principal. Bajo un poder médico, el agente tiene el poder de tomar decisiones médicas afectando el bienestar del principal.

Ambos poderes pueden limitar la autoridad del agente, y los poderes pueden ser combinados - nombrando a un agente para ambos poderes - o singulares - nombrando diferentes agentes para cada poder. Cláusulas dentro de cada poder también dan la opción de cuando uno quiere que el poder tome efecto. Uno tiene la opción de hacer que tome efecto inmediatamente o que no tome efecto hasta que el principal pierda capacidad

Continúa en la página 13

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 • Jessi Rochel 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!

Para contribuir ideas y contenido al Sol del Valle, escribiéndonos a: sol@ soprissun.com

Para comprar espacio publicitario en español, inglés, o ambos, mándanos un correo electrónico a: adsales@soprissun.com

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

Trotamundos de versos OPINIÓN

que toda mi vida anterior viví en una Gran Ciudad; he sido una rata urbana. Siempre rodeada de calles de cemento y de arquitectura diseñada por personas que piensan la ciudad como un mundo.

Por Angélica BreñaSopa de Letras

Cada vez que me alejo del Valle, es al Río al que más extraño. Algo mágico tiene mi río Frying Pan que me hace entrar en un estado de ánimo muy particular. A veces es nostalgia, a veces es serenidad interior, otras veces angustia y pudiera ser, también, ansiedad. El Frying Pan es mi vecino de enfrente, su presencia es tan arrobadora e imponente que me ha obligado a buscar poesía en español de ríos para poder expresar lo que siento.

Andar en pos de versos puede acabar siendo un viaje al fondo del alma y esta vez fue un viaje por diversos ríos y tiempos de mi vida. Recorrí páginas de libros de poetas que alguna vez me hicieron temblar, buscando un verso que diga exactamente lo que siento al mirar a mi vecino el río.

Los invito a convertirse en trotamundos de versos, es tan fácil como abrir el buscador en internet y poner palabras como riachuelo, cauce, ribera, peces, mar, nunca más… Y desear que aparezca el verso que necesitas justo en ese momento. Déjate llevar como un internauta por espacios siderales que te conmuevan.

Mario Benedetti fue mi primer destino, pero descubrí que es ideal para causas sociales, solidaridad, compañerismo, amor de pareja. Estaba a punto de ir a otro micrositio cuando en uno de sus poemas, con una simplicidad detonante, me recordó ese rumor que escucho siempre desde mi casa.

Cantamos porque el río está sonando. Y cuando suena el río. Suena el río.

El sonido del Frying Pan es la esencia de esa corriente de agua sin descanso, a veces es más potente, y otras veces es un deslizar sereno alegrado por las truchas saltarinas que dan tanto placer a los pescadores. El nivel de agua es manipulado por el ser humano y se debe a que la presa de Ruedi abastece de agua a miles de campos, de comunidades, de animales, y árboles. Todo lo que significa ese sonido del río es energía y vitalidad, pero también es movimiento, cambio, despedida, y hasta muerte.

Seguramente este magnetismo que siento con el río, mi Sartén, se deba a

Las enredaderas se trepan por las bardas que parecen llegar al cielo. Los árboles formados en fila india flanqueando las aceras para resguardar del sol al peatón, las jardineras al ras del piso que es parejo para lucir zapatos de piel. El bullicio de los coches, y vendedores ambulantes antes me hacía apretar el paso y llegar a tiempo.

Ahora me taladra el cerebro y me hace desear estar de nuevo junto a ese río juguetón y libre que rumorosamente va descendiendo de la presa de Ruedi para encontrarse con su gemelo el Roaring Fork. Los que vivimos en este Valle somos muy suertudos por estar entre ríos. No nada más tienen belleza, sino que nos proveen de salud mental.

Cansada de trotar por versos recurro a las imágenes. Miro las fotos en mi celular para encontrar cuál es la que más me gusta del río, brinca una fotografía que tomó mi amiga Andrea. Me fascina porque retrata justo la personalidad del Frying Pan, es agreste, salvaje, es el lugar donde las águilas hacen sus nidos. Su cauce es sinuoso, serpentea para que la luna peine su cabellera platinada.

Decidí irme a Chile a visitar a Pablo Neruda y él cuenta que cuando fue a Florencia fue el dulce río Arno el que le reveló los secretos de su río chileno, el Orinoco. Busco el Orinoco en Google maps y mi memoria me transporta a esos lares. Estoy en Machu Picchu, recuerdo muy bien el clamor del río Urubamba en el Valle Sagrado del Perú.

¡Ah! Nunca olvidaré la aventura que tuvimos mis hijas y yo cuando hicimos el trekking al Huayna Picchu siempre con el eco del Urubamba cobijándonos.

Manuel Benítez Carrasco, español de Alicante, fue mi primera experiencia en esto de viajar por versos. Su poema del puente y el río ha sido una de mis primeras revelaciones.

El puente siempre se queda, el río siempre se va.

No tenía ni quince años y ya me había marcado un amor que se fue como ese río y yo me quedé como puente contemplando cómo se iba.

En la vida nos pasa algo similar, a veces somos río y andamos y andamos, viendo todo de pasada, cambiando constantemente. Otras veces somos puente, resguardamos nuestros recuerdos y nuestros amores a pesar de la corriente del tiempo y nos plantamos ahí vigilantes uniendo dos realidades a pesar del paso de los años.

o esté deshabilitado.

Finalmente, la carta de última instrucción es sencillamente una carta que deja aún más información e instrucciones a los seres queridos después de fallecimiento. Esta carta puede ser muy informal, y puede incluir una variedad de temas. Ejemplos de temas incluye, pero no es limitado, a quien uno debe de contactar, los deseos de entierro, si debe de haber una vigilia, y información de cuentas (como cuentas de banco, o correos electrónicos y redes sociales), etc.

Desafortunadamente, mucha gente no crea los documentos de planificación patrimonial, tener un plan por si acaso algo le pasa y pierde capacidad o por si fallece, es un paso muy importante para proteger sus intereses y los de sus seres queridos.

Reclutando familias latinas para hogares de crianza

Por Vanessa Porras Editora Contribuyente

Oficialmente hemos entrado en la temporada de los días festivos. Durante este tiempo anticipamos todas las tradiciones multiculturales que se celebran, y a pesar de las diferencias, hay algo en común que todos compartimos. Vemos por el prójimo y acudimos a las necesidades de los demás. Es importante reconocer que hay quienes son más afortunados que otros.

Proveemos comida y ropa caliente para familias en necesidad. Hay muchas oportunidades de ser voluntarios y hacer donaciones a las muchas organizaciones a través del valle que hacen trabajo importante y necesario. ¿Pero qué hay de los niños que no estarán en sus hogares durante esta temporada?

Susan Garcia es la supervisora del Equipo de evaluación de participación familiar (FEAT por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de servicios humanos del condado de Garfield. Garcia supervisa el cuidado u hogar de crianza conocido en inglés como, foster care. Típicamente, el cuidado de crianza se confunde con adopción. Garcia nos explica que aunque hay posibilidades de adopción legal, son mínimas.

FEAT está reclutando familias latinas dentro de nuestra comunidad dispuestas a abrir su hogar y su corazón a niños y a adolescentes en necesidad en un ambiente seguro durante un momento de dificultad familiar. Garcia explica que este arreglo de acoger a un niño o niña a su hogar es algo temporal.

“Nuestra misión es que los niños permanezcan en el condado de Garfield y no vayan a hogares de crianza o centros de tratamiento fuera del condado”, dice Garcia. El equipo de FEAT quiere evitar que estos niños se envien a hogares de crianza o centros de tratamiento a condados como Mesa o el área de Denver Metro.

La mayoría de las referencias que reciben vienen del oeste del condado en Rifle y Parachute. El protocolo de FEAT siempre será mantener a los niños con sus familias, así que verán a los familiares como la primera opción para reubicar a los niños durante el tiempo de transición.

El papel de alguien que quiera convertirse en un hogar de crianza es extender un apoyo para que la familia resuelva sus problemas y proporcionar un entorno seguro. Garcia expresa que esta ayuda, como miembro de la comunidad, es poner de tu parte para el mejoramiento y salud de la comunidad.

“Ayudar a los niños de nuestra comunidad a permanecer en nuestra comunidad, permanecer en sus familias y ayudar a las familias a resolver cualquier problema que tengan para que puedan tener éxito en nuestra

CHISME DEL PUEBLO

Traducción por Jacquelinne Castro

Restaurando la historia

La Sociedad Histórica de Glenwood Springs ha sido premiada con $34,930 de parte de State Historical Fund para fondos hacia la construcción en Cardiff Coke Ovens, donde 249 hornos operaron durante los años 1890 para producir coque de carbón para fabricar acero. Fondos complementarios fueron proporcionados por la ciudad de Glenwood Springs. Adicionalmente recibieron una subvención de $140,000 del Distrito Federal de Arrendamiento del condado de Garfield para un camino accesible, reconstrucción del sendero y un área de exhibición para artefactos.

Independence Pass

La carretera Independence Pass está cerrada por la temporada de invierno. La carretera estuvo temporalmente cerrada el 23 de octubre debido a una tormenta invernal. El viernes 4 de noviembre, el departamento de transporte de Colorado (CDOT por sus siglas en inglés) optó por extender el cierre durante el invierno. El año pasado, la carretera cerró el 25 de octubre y el 2020 cerró el 13 de noviembre. Típicamente, CDOT abre la carretera nuevamente el jueves antes del fin de semana de Memorial Day.

¿Qué hay en un nombre?

La organización Colorado Wild Public Lands (CWPL por sus siglas en inglés), la cual se ha dedicado a defender el acceso público al aire libre desde el 2014, ha decidido que ya es hora de un cambio de nombre. CWPL invita al público a contribuir sugerencias a coloradowildpubliclands@gmail.com antes del 31 de diciembre para poder ganar premios de Patagonia o Folsom Skis.

comunidad”, dice Garcia.

FEAT no solo está en esta búsqueda de familias latinas para ayudar a niños latinos, muchos niños anglos también necesitan apoyo y un lugar seguro. Hay niños y adolescentes en necesidad de apoyo emocional, con necesidades médicas y problemas de comportamiento. Garcia y su equipo mantienen sensibilidad en lo que respecta a las diferencias culturales. Las familias latinas estarían cubriendo la necesidad de muchos niños no solo con el idioma, sino también con costumbres cotidianas del día a día como la comida, rituales, días festivos, etc.

“Es importante satisfacer esas necesidades en nuestros niños, [es mucho] más que solo el lenguaje”, dice Garcia.

El valle Roaring Fork es una combinación no solo de anglos y latinos, sino de diversas culturas latinas que incluye México, Centroamérica y América del Sur. Cada uno de ellos con sus costumbres diferentes.

Personas interesadas en convertirse en hogares de crianza, foster parents, recibirán entrenamiento que los preparará y equipará para ser hogares seguros. Se hará una serie de verificaciones de antecedentes lo cual requiere que la persona tenga documentación legal en el país. Estos hogares registrados recibirán un estipendio dedicado a las necesidades que tenga el niño o adolescente durante el tiempo de cuidado.

Ser un hogar de crianza no es la única forma en la que uno puede ayudar. El cuidado de relevo es otra opción temporal que no requiere un compromiso tan grande. Gracia explica que el cuidado de relevo es para brindar asistencia al hogar de crianza dependiendo de lo que sea posible para la persona brindando su apoyo. Es importante notar que estas familias reciben entrenamiento de primeros auxilios y apoyo de FEAT para poder mantener entornos saludables y seguros.

Otro tipo de ayuda es tan sencillo como escribirles cartas de feliz cumpleaños y días festivos a estos niños y adolescentes que están pasando por tiempos difíciles alejados de sus familias. Individuos y organizaciones interesadas en crear conexiones y brindar su apoyo a FEAT pueden contactar a Lindsay Zimmer, coordinadora de cuidado de crianza, llamando al 970-6255282 extensión 3206 o enviando un mensaje a lzimmer@garfield-county.com

Hay un proverbio Africano que dice, "hace falta un pueblo para educar a un niño”. La receta para mantener una comunidad saludable es apoyarnos mutuamente en tiempos difíciles. La esperanza de FEAT es que las familias que ayuden se conviertan en parte de una familia aún más grande y sean una fuente de apoyo.

comprar boletos de un viaje o de ida y vuelta al 25% de descuento que la tarifa típica, boletos de 30 días o de temporada. RFTA todavía aceptará la manera actual de tarifa de autobuses, incluyendo tarjetas de valor, boletos de zona de 30 días y efectivo. Para más información, visite www.rfta.com

Alianza ambiental

La maestra Autumn Rivera de Glenwood Springs Middle School, ganadora de Maestra del Año 2022 de Colorado, firmó la promesa “Outside for 5” de la Alianza de Educación Ambiental de Colorado. Esta campaña alienta a los educadores en la escuela y en casa a que pasen al menos cinco minutos de cada día con los estudiantes en un aula de naturaleza.

Concurso de fotografia

Pintando El Sol

¿El tiempo vuela, no? Saque sus materiales de arte porque ya casi es hora de nuestro concurso anual de ilustración de portada “Spruce Up The Sun”! El tema de este año es: Viaje por el Tiempo. El concurso está abierto a todos los estudiantes locales desde preescolar hasta último año. Más detalles a seguir.

RFTA se vuelve digital

Comenzado el 21 de noviembre, los pasajeros de la Autoridad de Transporte de Roaring Fork (RFTA por sus siglas en inglés) pueden usar boletos digitales de RFTA para pagar su pasaje. Los pasajeros pueden

¡Llamando a todos los fotógrafos! El 17o concurso anual de fotografía acuática de Roaring Fork Conservancy ya está en efecto, el 13 de noviembre con es la fecha límite . Los premios de Rock Canyon Coffee serán premiados en tres categorías: profesional, aficionado y elegida por el público. Detalles del concurso en www.bit.ly/ RFV2022contest

Cumbre por la vida

La 17a competencia anual Summit for Life de la fundación Chris Klug, ha sido programada para el 3 de diciembre. El evento regresará con fuerza por primera vez desde el 2019, completo con una fiesta posterior a la carrera a la cima de Aspen Mountain. El propósito es crear conciencia de la donación de órganos, ojos y tejidos mientras que también recaudan fondos para la fundación. Para más detalles visite www. summitforlife.org

Felicitaciones a Francisco “Paco” Nevarrez Burgueño por sus 20 años tejiendo culturas para crear comunidad acá en Valle. Foto de Klaus Kocher

Fall sports wrap with senior nights

After another exciting season of fall sports, several athletes bid adieu to their teams and look ahead to future endeavors, including other sports before graduation!

Despite an impressive season of play, the Rams’ boys soccer team was defeated, 0-3, by Liberty Common on Nov. 5 during the state championship playoffs.

The Lady Rams, meanwhile, bested The Vanguard School of Colorado Springs (3-0) during a playoff tournament in Loveland after meeting defeat against the host school, Resurrection Christian (0-3).

Basketball preseason begins on Monday, kicking off winter sports which also include wrestling (with Basalt’s team hosting Rams), swimming and ice hockey (both hosted by Glenwood Springs).

The Sopris Sun would like to congratulate each and every athlete for putting their hearts into the training and competition. Our community is proud!

Photos by Sue Rollyson

Back row, left to right: Ryan Metheny, Doone Gohery, Brady Samuelson, Brayden Bell, True Bure and Finn Keleher. Front row, left to right: Oscar Barraza, Zane Garcia, Sebastian Silva, Jose Munoz. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Left to right: Angelina Montemayor, Morgan Kaegebein and Bella Brown. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Coach Nick Forbes is lifted by his team, left to right: Max Brooke, Ivan Pereida, Gabe Serson, David Miranda, Bryan Rascon, Emi Magana, Alex Martinez, Daniel Vega, Ivan Osorto and Diego Loya. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Hair dyeing tips from local youth

By Gus Richardson Youth Correspondent

A sea of black, brown, blonde and other normative hair colors flood my vision. But, here and there I see pinpricks of alternative hues, splashes of green, blue and red…dyed hair. Humans have been dyeing their mops for centuries now, with evidence of hair coloring going back to the paleolithic era.

Today, it’s a form of self expression. Going from undyed hair to colored is a big choice — a big choice that I have yet to try. Yes, I have the metaphorical “virgin” hair. Still, the topic intrigued me to write about and create a narrative guide with tips from chromatic-locked teens in the Valley. My first two sources were Candace Samora (purple) and Janeth Villa Hernandez (blue).

I learned a lot from my discussion with Candace and Janeth. Hair has a level of proteins and vitamins that contribute to hair’s porosity. Low amounts of proteins in your hair, means a lower porosity. These girls had pretty low porosity. So, if you have fairly healthy hair some of their suggestions may not be the best fit. A common theme here and the most notable piece of advice I received is that you just have to feel it out for yourself.

The girls suggested wearing a bonnet or using silk pillows to help keep hair healthy and, of course, mentioned that it’s a good idea to use a moisturizing shampoo.

My second source was Jax Carpenter (red) — a punk-rock, transmasculine 17-year-old boy. He had a lot of great advice. He advised that you have to be gentle with your hair. It’s part of your body, and you don’t want to damage it. He stressed the importance of using low porosity hair-dye for low porosity hair, due to the fact that these dyes are meant to reduce the chance of damage . Generally, semipermanent hair-dye has the lowest chance of harming hair.

When attempting to make choices about hair-dye, it’s also important to keep any allergies in mind. You don’t want to break out in hives from trying to dye your hair! Not to worry though, often the worst results from a hair-dye related mishap are some blisters or hair loss (the latter would likely come from leaving bleach in too long). Still, bleach can be necessary for darker hair tones if you want a lighter color.

I asked Jax what his stance was on salons. To paraphrase, he said that salons are expensive but a good choice if you want something more elaborate. He heavily endorsed at home installation though and suggested to do it with friends — not only to help get the back, but to become closer too.

As far as brands, Candace and Janeth suggested Strawberry Leopard as a great athome dye which lasts a long time but is better for later on in your dyeing endeavors. Jax gave many suggestions. First off, Manic Panic is vegan, vibrant and good for all

stages of your dyeing journey. Second, XMondo is a hair care and color mix which will make hair vibrant and keep it healthy and reportedly can even repair damaged hair. The company apparently also sells shampoo and conditioner that promote hair health. It’s a bit more expensive than other brands though. He also suggested a brand called Nutrisse, which sells kits with oils in them to repair damaged hair.

In conclusion, hair-dye is an interesting form of self expression but it can feel a little scary to get into. Not to mention, there is a lot to keep in mind whilst exploring. Anyway, hopefully this extra bit of information from our local youth hair dyeing savants will help would-be dyers jump in and make their own alternative hair coloring discoveries.

Long Distance Running

In the women’s Junior Up/Down Mountain race, which included 740 feet of climbing over four miles, Samantha Blair of Eagle helped her team to fourth place by finishing 13th. Oakley Olson of Utah led the team with a fifth place finish.

A bright future

The 2022 WMTRC marks a significant turning point for mountain and trail running. Prior to 2021, championship events were independently organized by the World Mountain Association, International Association of Ultrarunners and International Trail Running Association, according to Bolt, who is also the director of online marketing for the American Trail Running Association.

Recognizing a need to enhance the sport, the governing bodies formed a new partnership to create the WMTRC. Now, with the dedicated efforts and resources made possible by World Athletics, Bolt said the sport’s future is bright.

By bringing multiple disciplines together, runners can look forward to an elevated championship experience that

continued from page 4

fully displays their athletic prowess.

“Multi-day festivals of mountain and trail running are not new, but having one with a wide range of distinct disciplines for athletes competing for their county is unprecedented,” said Bolt.

The new event also levels the playing field by setting the standard for a strong clean sport commitment. Currently, the WMTRC “is the only high-profile mountain and trail running festival subject to the gold standard of anti-doping by the World Anti-Doping Agency,” said Bolt.

High-profile events such as the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and the Golden Trail Series have yet to include World Anti-Doping Agency testing into their races.

The first biennial WMTRC was originally slated for 2021, but was postponed due to the pandemic. Fortunately, athletes and spectators alike can look forward to 2023 when Austria will host the next WMTRC.

For full WMTRC results visit: my.raceresult.com/225074/results

For the latest mountain and trail running news, visit www. trailrunner.com

Candace Samora and Janeth Hernandez advocate for dyeing one's hair for fun flair. Photo by Gus Richardson

tu tarjeta hoy mismo!

Hoohah recycles retro looks for fresh adventure

By Kate Phillips Sopris Sun Correspondent

Skiwear takes on a whole new look as Hoohah’s vibrant and beautiful line of vintage styles hits the slopes, and the runways, this season.

Founded by Anna Tedström of Vail, Hoohah is a women’s outdoor apparel company on a mission to add fun and flair to your next adventure. The retro, handmade styles range from daily wear to skiwear, and can appeal to a wide variety of people because of their eclectic details and tailored fits.

“They’re one-of-a-kind, which I think is fun. They’re all unique, and each piece has its own story and its own look,” Tedström said. “I try to design around the original look, and not change it too much. I try to exaggerate or shift it a little bit, but I really like that each piece is super unique.”

Using bold and bright block-color styles, Hoohah’s ready-to-wear garments stand out. Warm fleece mock-neck sweatshirts and matching joggers, fleece bra tops and boxers and up-cycled t-shirts featuring the company's slogan, “Love your Hoohah”, are carefully designed for indoor and outdoor comfort. Accessories like daisy-covered bucket hats and pastel scrunchies complete the looks.

Most notably, Tedström, an avid skier, has created a stunning ski line that

features ‘70s-inspired ski bibs tastefully embellished with daisies, westernthemed ski jackets and custom-designed, David Bowie inspired Roffe jackets embezzled with stars, rhinestones and lightning bolts. The line also includes quilted puffer vests and jackets with homemade Daisy Patch appliqués.

Many of the pieces are also water resistant, and some, like the Daisy Ski Coat, include a powder skirt and deep snack pockets.

The bonus? Since the clothes are vintage, they also have a low carbon footprint.

“I really like the idea that we’re sa ving it from the landfill, and extending the life of the garment,” Tedström said. “We’re not always creating something new, instead we’re using something that already exists and giving it a new life. Skiwear is made with a lot of man-made materials, so it isn’t going to decompose very quickly.”

A lifelong maker, Tedström’s mother taught her how to sew and helped ignite her passion for creating. From rudimentary cardboard and duct tape projects to elaborate Halloween costumes and tailoring her own clothing, Tedström was hooked.

She enrolled in Parsons School of Design in New York City where she studied product design and social practice. While she enjoyed learning about furniture production and outdoor product development, Tedström said

that fashion design stole her heart.

“I was surrounded by all these people on the street that wore these incredible outfits. New York is such an inspiring city,” she said. “I eventually came up with the idea to start my own ski brand.”

After working her way into the industry, Tedström soon found herself at home during the pandemic wondering about her next move.

“I had a lot more free time on my hands, so I started doing my own projects,” she said. “I was taking vintage ski suits and fixing zippers or tailoring them to fit me better [...] and then I started adding decorative patches to cover old stains, or patch over holes. Then I thought I could put more fun stuff on them like flowers and ruffles!”

On the slopes, her handmade apparel started receiving compliments and even requests for custom designs. Eventually, with some encouragement from her husband, Chris, Tedström realized it was time to bring Hoohah to life.

With the support of her community and local businesses, Tedström created her line, participated in pop-ups and, on Aug. 20, 2022, her styles hit the runway at Denver Fashion Week’s Emerging Designer Challenge.

It was there that Hoohah received the most votes and won the People’s Choice Award, thus earning a spot at Denver Fashion Week’s Fall 2022 show on Nov. 17.

For Tedström, Hoohah’s mission is simple: to create inclusive outdoor experiences where everyone can have a good time. She hopes their mission can remove the intensity and competitive

Flashy fits and bluebird skies make Hoohah’s girls’ trips a rowdy good time. You can catch Hoohah’s retro styles on the slopes this winter and on the runway at the Denver Fashion Week’s Fall 2022 show on Nov. 17.

Courtesy Photo

barriers that sometimes coincide with skiing, and instead make it about having fun with friends.

“It doesn’t matter how fast we’re going or how many runs we do, it’s about getting out there and chatting, laughing and dancing — and just having fun,” Tedström said.

Hoohah’s Kickstarter campaign will be launched later this season and can be found at: www.kickstarter.com/profile/ hoohah-us

To shop the latest styles, visit: www. hoohah-us.com

Tickets for Denver Fashion Week are available at: www.bit.ly/DVRFashion22

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Colorado history: From an ancient sea to present-day extractivism

By Elizabeth Key Sopris Sun Correspondent

Colorado’s present-day topography and natural resources have been millions of years in the making. Initially, the land mass known today as "Colorado" was located south of the equator as part of a supercontinent. As the continent drifted, geological processes broke it down and covered it with seawater. During this continental drift, the equatorial heat of Colorado’s greenhouse climate allowed cold-blooded dinosaurs to thrive. The mountains had yet to diversify the low-lying topography, and saltwater covered much of the land.

One hundred million years ago, throughout the Cretaceous period, dinosaurs inhabited the shallow sea's coastal margins. As they stalked the sandy beaches along dense temperate forests and scattered palm trees, carnivorous dinosaurs dined on eggs, insects, fish and one another. Meanwhile, herbivores such as Colorado’s state dinosaur, the Stegosaurus, grazed on fern and the abundant foliage.

Robert Letscher, assistant professor of chemical oceanography at the University of New Hampshire, explains the Western Interior Seaway as: “a shallow sea stretching all the way from the Arctic Ocean down to the Gulf of Mexico running through present-day

This seaway contained bony fish, swimming reptiles, and cartilaginous fish like sharks, rays, skates and squid. A plethora of ammonites, an extinct type of mollusk with a snail-like shell, also presided in the sea. Beachy coastlines and sediments formed the sandstone mesas and cliffs that held the dwellings of Pueblo people, now preserved in Mesa Verde National Park.

Letscher told The Sun, “There were corals and lots of coccolithophores, a type of marine algae that secrete a calcium carbonate just like coral do. Calcium carbonate is the mineral that makes up limestone.” Limestone and sandstone settled to the coastal marine seafloor, later to be cut by meandering rivers exposing the layered rock walls of Glenwood Canyon. The continent containing Colorado continued on a northwest trajectory until Colorado reached its current latitude 75 million years ago.

Sixty-eight million years ago, the climate started to cool, and ice began to form around the North and South poles. Geological processes started to uplift and depress the granite continents, impinging on the mantle below; the first mountains rose, tilted and contoured by adjacent faults into the rock layers seen today.

An uplift event called the Laramide Orogeny angled the Maroon Bells into their current configuration. The floor of the sea’s silt deposits remains as sedimentary rock amongst the jagged mountains. As the sea receded, it left an environment of low-oxygen coastal swamps filled with stagnant water. Cyprus trees grew in dense groves in the flooded areas.

In the lush subtropical climate, Letscher said, “organic material built up over millions of years without being consumed by insects, bacteria or fungi … the vegetation that didn’t get eaten just stagnated in low-oxygen coastal swamps, eventually transforming into coal, natural gas and oil.

He continued, “The reason why they are called fossil fuels is that they are fossilized organic materials.”

Colorado has an abundance of energy-dense fossil fuels, with over 121,800 oil and gas wells drilled as of 2022. Discovering the prolific coal resources in

the Crystal Valley, John Osgood built Redstone in 1902 to house the coal miners. After closing in the early 20th century, Mid-Continent Coal and Coke Company reopened these mines in 1956 and supported Carbondale’s economy until 1991, when the mines were shut down again.

Sixty-six million years ago, an enormous asteroid hit the earth, rendering most of the non-avian dinosaurs extinct. Dinosaur National Monument preserves the oceanic sedimentary rock responsible for fossilizing the bones of over 1,500 species, displayed on the Quarry Wall.

The avian dinosaurs who survived the asteroid collision evolved into modern-day birds. The climate continued to cool; consequently, the warm-blooded mammals, more competitive in cooler temperatures, began to take over the ecosystems. During this time, the Cretaceous period ended, and the Paleogene period began.

Forty to ten million years ago, Colorado's volcanic igneous activity surged, ejecting basalt rock from local volcanoes, from which the town of Basalt got its name. While continents consist mainly of granitetype rocks, basalt rock originated in the oceanic crust of the ocean basin. The great mudflows, resulting from volcanic flows, would petrify the bases of trees in valleys, petrifying the Redwood tree stumps found at the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument west of Colorado Springs.

Letscher explained the igneous activity as follows: “The crust starts to pull apart due to forces below it inside the mantle. There is lots of fire and magma. Lava is liquid rock flowing on the earth’s surface … This basaltic type of volcanism is what can break apart a continent and create a new ocean in-between.”

Twenty-five million years ago, basaltic volcanism became the dominant form of igneous activity. Colorado wasn’t split apart by this volcanic exertion, but basalt rock spewed across the region, sizzling at over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The porous

black rocks are still prevalent in the area and make excellent garden beds due to their heat retention capabilities.

During the Colorado Gold Rush, gold, silver and copper from the basaltic igneous activity lured many European settlers to the area. The Crystal Mill, near Marble, was built in 1893 to help power a silver mine during this era. Some basalt flows composed the mesas in Western Colorado, including the Flat Tops Wilderness Area and Grand Mesa.

Also, a coveted resource, Yule Marble, Colorado’s state rock, was formed by this igneous activity. During the course of hundreds of millions of years, over 10,000 feet of sediment buried the limestone. Then, as magma flowed into the adjacent rock, 12 million years ago, the extreme heat metamorphosed the limestone into marble.

Eighteen million years ago, uplift and erosion shaped the Rocky Mountains and exposed the marble to the surface. The Rio Grande rift elevated the highlands to altitudes of over 9,000 feet from their base. Glacier and water erosion then carved Colorado’s formidable peaks and valleys.

Throughout hundreds of millions of years, a cooling climate, rifts, faulting, uplift and volcanic activity made our state the mineral-rich, colorful landscape it is today. Understanding Colorado's vast geologic history informs the stewardship of the state's plentiful yet finite resources. Looking to the future, Colorado has become a leader in renewable energy, transitioning its economy toward sustainable resources so that humankind can survive and thrive across the Rocky Mountains and beyond.

Much of the information in this article came from a video called “A Brief History of Colorado Through Time” from the University of Colorado Boulder. For more information and visual representation of Colorado’s geologic history, visit: www.bit.ly/ COGeology

By Izzy Stringham White River Books

When a young oil worker named Kristopher Clarke went missing from the Fort Berthold Reservation oil fields in North Dakota in 2012, Lissa Yellow Bird, a Native American woman with no connection to Clarke, decided to find him. Sierra Crane Murdoch’s impeccably researched book, “Yellow Bird”, chronicles Lissa’s search.

Murdoch had been traveling to North Dakota to report on the oil boom on the reservation lands. When she happened upon the missing person case of Kristopther Clarke, she turned her reporting in that direction as well. What started as an interest, grew into a several year relationship with Lissa Yellow Bird, her children and her family.

Lissa had grown up on the reservation where Clarke went missing and initially it was her knowledge of the land in the area, and her sympathy for the missing man’s mother, that drove her to get involved. The case rapidly became an obsession though, with Lissa convinced that Clarke had been murdered, and that finding his body was imperative to bring him justice. She began acting like an amateur detective and trying to collaborate with the police, the suspects in the case and with Murdoch as she reported the facts for her newspaper job.

Lissa was a complicated and fascinating figure. She was a protective

OBITUARY

mother, but struggled with addiction and wasn’t always present for her children. She was loyal and hardworking and determined to stay clean after a stay in prison for drugs. She fiercely loved her family, but felt alone and alienated on the reservation. Murdoch’s empathetic eye and straightforward reporting made Lissa an intriguing character to read about.

Along with the disappearance of Clarke, Murdoch delves deeply into the oil boom and what it meant for the Fort Berthold Reservation and the people who lived there. The extraordinary violence that the oil fields brought — and the skyrocketing crime — became a story all their own. She parses the archaic system set in place by Congress

Jerry Overton

for dealing with crime on reservation lands, and the lack of prosecution most criminal acts on the reservation faced.

It was easy to read between the lines, and see the deep hurt and anguish of the people so disrupted by the oil drilling. The corruption of the drilling companies, the massive amounts of money made on broken promises to the reservation residents and the intergenerational trauma from colonization by the U.S. government are all themes that Murdoch explored. She wrote, “After the massacres, the boarding schools, the outright stealing of land, what lasted was the violence that got under a person’s skin, inside a person’s head…Greed was human nature, but it was hard not to see the taking advantage that went on within the tribe during the boom as the legacy of a centuries-old design.”

While searching on the reservation for Clarke’s body, Lissa Yellow Bird spoke often of the land itself, her ancestral connection to it, and also the loss of land that her family had suffered. It ran deep, and the idea that land and place are an intrinsic part of a person’s identity was put in stark relief by the destruction of the oil boom. Money was made, but the damage to the earth, the violence suffered by the people and the loss of self was so much more lasting.

By the time the mystery of what happened to Kristopher Clarke was finally resolved, the story of the North Dakota oil boom was much more than just about oil extraction and jobs.

Paperback copies of “Yellow Bird” are available at White River Books in Carbondale.

an onside kick, but by then it was too little, too late.

Coach Frerichs was justifiably pleased with the way his defense adjusted, and with his team’s offensive output as well. “Coach Peetz and Coach Levy do a great job calling the offense and they’re super aggressive. I don’t think we punted the entire game.”

The 45-24 victory extends the Longhorn’s record to a perfect 10-0 and sets up a quarterfinal showdown with the 9-1 Eaton High Fighting Reds on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. The Reds bulldozed their way to a 59-14 win against the Bennett High Tigers on Saturday, racking up 540 yards of offense along the way.

Frerichs is optimistic that senior Jamie Dolan will be cleared to play next week, and sees the trip to Eaton as an opportunity to prove that the Longhorns’ deserve more respect than their seven-seed status might suggest. “If our kids play hard,” he concluded, “we can play with anyone.”

June 21, 1943 - Nov. 1, 2022

Jerry Donald Overton, 79, passed on Nov. 1, 2022 in Montrose. Jerry was born on June 21, 1943 to George L. and Lucille Baldwin Overton in Memphis, Tennessee. He had two sisters, Barbara and Nell (deceased), and two brothers, William and James (deceased).

Jerry grew up in Memphis where he graduated from Oakhaven High School. He went on to the University of Tennessee where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agriculture. He then received a master’s and doctorate in counseling and ethics from Southern Methodist University. He became a licensed marriage and family therapist, a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and a graduate of the Coach University and the School of Coaching.

After completing his college education in Tennessee, he managed a purebred Hereford ranch and then became a salesman for John Deere, selling heavy farming equipment. After feeling a calling to get more involved in a religious life, he left the business world and went on to become an ordained Methodist minister.

For the next 22 years he served churches in Dallas, Texas and the surrounding area. He also served as executive director of the Southwest Career Development Center.

After retiring from the ministry, he moved to Colorado, “to be more immersed in God's creation and enjoy the intimate community of a small town.” He first lived briefly in Silverton,

then Ouray before moving to Montrose where he became an associate at the Montrose United Methodist Church focusing on contemplative worship and spiritual growth.

Following his passion for helping people develop their own spiritual leadings, he founded the Center for Personal and Spiritual Growth. He also became close friends with Trappist Monk Father Thomas Keating at St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass. Keating had revived the Catholic tradition of Centering Prayer and Jerry often served retreats at the St. Benedict's Retreat Center, enriching the lives of all who came.

In 2001, he wrote and published “Divine Guidance—The Secret Way to an Abundant Life”. The book explores, through myths, as well as personal true life stories, how one can lead a fulfilling life in a complex world that can be very difficult and challenging.

He loved the outdoors of Colorado and enjoyed hiking and playing golf when he was not reading and writing poetry or making his annual pilgrimage to Fayetteville, Arkansas, which became his second home. He particularly enjoyed country-western and blues music.

Whatever he was doing, he most enjoyed doing it with friends. His life of engaging people, whether in service to the community or recreating in the outdoors, led him to comment to a close friend, “Because of the depth and richness of my spiritual life, I have completely

re-created my life so that I am truly living the life of my dreams.” Not only by teaching, but also by example he helped hundreds to move onto a more enriching life of their own.

Jerry is survived by his former wife, Martha O'Brien, and their children, Amy Overton Hunt and Jason Overton.

Jerry will rest in the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Ouray. In lieu of flowers, Jerry asks for donations to be made to Hope West, Montrose.

Your creativity counts

By Just Jim

It’s on the wall

Down Main Street Everywhere you look Creativity abounds

Carbondale, Glenwood And beyond Sprouting from minds and hearts Through fingers on the page

It seeps through the cracks Up through your toes Falls from the sky Like snowflakes and red hats

Admittedly, sometimes difficult to pin Staring at an empty page White canvas caves in Hope may even seem futile

But, stare long enough and… Words begin to form between blue lines

The brush strokes And, curves become shapes

Flourishing into form Distinct or abstract

Narrative or poetic Possibility put to the test There is a place

Where written pieces mingle with color Why, it’s right here On the Works in Progress page

Completed or not There is no matter Imperfect continuity The human experience mimicked

Let your creativity shine Within The Sun Alongside your neighbors’ Imperfect or not

After all, without you There is no Works in Progress page

And, it’s simple Email submissions to fiction@soprissun.com

Open the paper and voila The piece settles on the page

It may feel vulnerable And, takes courage it’s true But your worst critic Is a trusted friend

Creativity abounds

Cactus art by Chris Brandt, created at Drawing Club. The Roaring Fork Drawing Club meets weekly on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Their next gathering, on Nov. 15 will be in partnership with Seed Peace at Craft Coffeehouse. Artists will be invited to draw the squash that will be auctioned off for the Seed Peace fundraising event on the following Thursday. Courtesy art

that this unprecedented experiment on children is being promoted with no evidence that our grown children will someday be praising the adults in their lives who encouraged questioning of their basic biology.

Of greatest concern is the announcement that the policy will “adapt and grow.” Of course it will. Initial presentations of controversial policies never fully represent the final intention. Children may be encouraged toward puberty-blocking therapy followed by gender-transitioning drugs, ultimately leading to mastectomies and castrations. Presenting this process to unsure children would result in them entering into adulthood realizing that when the adults should have guided them to be comfortable in their biological birth identities, they were led to sterility and permanent disfigurement, having their sexual functions incapacitated by mutilating surgeries. Someday, people will look back at what we are doing to these children with the same horror we view grainy videos of barbaric shock treatments and lobotomies.

We’re told this is student driven. Let’s get back to the adults teaching children that they are beautifully and wonderfully made. Let’s teach them to be able to look in the mirror and honor what they see. Then our children can start down the path of discovering their eternal destiny,

accepting what nature and nature’s God has created them to be.

Jim Tarr, Basalt

Climate action

“We are in the fight of our lives, and we are losing,” so said Antonio Guterres, the chief of the United Nations (UN), at the annual UN climate summit in Egypt. “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator,” he added.

Who does he mean by we? Apparently not Carbondale. A suggestion was made recently for Carbondale to hire a sustainability expert with the authority to craft a work plan to attack this problem. A member of the board said the budget was too tight. This is a budget that has millions for a swimming pool, sidewalks, work in the Crystal River and planning for more housing. I don’t think these projects qualify as “…the defining issue of our age.”

I believe that making climate change the most important priority is a moral choice and imperative. Guterres also said, “Humanity has a choice…cooperate or perish. It is either a climate solidarity pact, or a collective suicide pact.”

Patrick Hunter, Carbondale

Heat pumps

Do the power companies have you scared to death about the coming price increase for methane gas to heat your home this winter? Methane gas prices

are projected to rise 22% in the coming months.

Just like with gasoline for your automobiles, the way to drive down the cost is to not use it. Eliminate the demand and rates will plummet. But how’re we going to keep warm this winter? The answer is heat pumps which heat your home with no greenhouse gas emissions and a muchreduced upstream carbon footprint.

“Heat pump'' is actually a bit of a misnomer. It heats your home in the winter and cools the place in the summer like an air conditioner, but substitutes the climate damaging hydrofluorocarbons emitted by the air conditioner with new, less dangerous gasses.

The way heat pumps work is they redistribute what heat there is outside, even on the coldest day, to inside your home. They’re dependable down to negative 20 degrees. In the summer, the heat pump absorbs the heat inside and releases it outside.

The system is all electric. Your electric bill will rise but, of course, your heating fuel bill will disappear. Solar panels can help with the electric tab. Heat pumps use much less energy than electric coil or methane gas furnaces.

There’re many different types of heat pumps. On average, they cost between $2,500 and $5,500 to install, depending on the size and complexity of the installation. The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act provides a federal tax credit of up to $2,000 for heat pump installations.

And, heat pumps aren’t just for the rich. If your household income is less than 80% of the state’s median income and you spend $10,000 on a heat pump, you can get a $9,750 rebate from the state.

Information on federal rebates for heat pumps can be found on the Energy Star rebate finder website. Utility companies like Xcel or Holy Cross can tell you about state programs.

Several businesses in the Valley sell and install heat pumps including two in Carbondale: HVAC Technical Services and Solar Flair Thermal Systems. You can find other local heat pump providers at www.LoveElectric. org/installer-listing

There’re plenty of heat pump installers, but demand for their services is very high right now. The job pays regular construction wages. Perhaps all the oil and gas workers who’ve supposedly been thrown out of work by state regulations would be qualified for the position. The two vocations require different skills, but interested parties can be retrained.

Fred Malo Jr., Carbondale

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If you enjoy working with the public in a clean and fun work environment, we are the company you’re looking for. We offer compet itive pay and opportunities for advancement. Must be able to work weekends and evenings and able to pass our company background screening. Prior retail experience along with cash handling is a plus.

Pay/Compensation is $17.00 to $18.00 per hour.

To apply go to our website: www.smokerfriendly.com/apply -click on the Colorado flag note store #125. You can also fill out application at our stores located the following: 2902 S. Glen Ave., Unit C, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601.

LEGAL

It takes some work to look this good when back from the grave. Photos by Klaus Kocher

& Roaring Fork Angels

MOUNTAIN PITCH SUMMIT 2022

LOCAL NON-PROFITS!

THURSDAY, NOV. 17 @ NOON

REGISTER ONLINE @ COVENTURE.IO

EPIC (Scott Cooper, Director) :: Colorado River BOCES has launched the Educational Pathways to Innovative Careers (EPIC) initiative to serve the Roaring Fork and Colorado RIver Valleys. Working closely with auto, construction, trades, data science and others, EPIC brings a much needed resource to local students looking for career options.

The Savings Collective (Barbara Freemen, CEO) :: This financial empowerment service has grown from banking app to financial center supporting the underserved and underbanked in Garfield, Pitkin and Eagle counties. They are positioned to scale their services state-wide as they bring equity through financial expertise, banking services and education.

Aspen Strong (Angelina Taylor, ED) :: As other mental health providers have struggled, Aspen Strong has stood firm in engaging, educating and empowering mental fitness to create healthy, vibrant communities from Aspen to Parachute.

LIFT-UP (Ivan Jackson, ED) :: Providing equitable food security for individuals and families, and building understanding and support to end hunger in our region, LIFT-UP operates out of six fixed pantries as well as mobile distribution sites from Parachute to Aspen. LIFT-UP is collaborating with Rocky Mountain Food Collaborative and multiple local agriculture providers to build a Food Hub.

Habitat For Humanity (Gail Schwartz, CEO) :: For over 20 years, Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley has worked closely with local families through every step of the home ownership process and has provided affordable housing to over 200 people by building 60 homes. They are actively working to create a manufacturing hub that will help expand their impact.

The Farm Collaborative (Eden Vardy, ED) :: Over the past decade, The Farm Collaborative has taught thousands of children where their food comes from, and nurtured a culture of young environmental stewards who are dedicated to a better tomorrow. They continue to help local farmers connect, find resources and collaborate.

Hosted by Diana Peiffer of the Stabers Group