Election Results

Time fl ies, 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 offi ce recently determined that the remains indeed belonged to Worley. The case is still open but inactive, meaning the sheriff ’s offi ce 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 fi ve 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 Garfi eld County Federal Lease District will go toward an accessible path, reconstruction of a trail and a display area for artifacts.

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 Coff ee 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 fi rst 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).

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 signifi cant other signed their ballot in 2020 and that election offi cials were none the wiser.

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

Unoffi cial results (as of press time)

According to the unoffi cial 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 Garfi eld County clerk Jean Alberico.

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

Republican Carrie Couey leads the race for Garfi eld 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 Garfi eld County.”

Neck and neck

The race for Garfi eld 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 unoffi cial 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.

Volunteer Caleb Waller delivers animal crackers to election judges, each box including a note stating, “Without you this would be a zoo.” Photo by James Steindler

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 (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 unoffi cial as of press time with ballots left to count. Visit www. bit.ly/2022MidtermsGarfi eld for additional election results.

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 fi ve 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 fi nished 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.

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

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 fi rst-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 fi nished 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 fi nish in a stacked fi eld.

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, fi nished 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 fi nished sixth overall, as Max King from Oregon placed fourth individually.

Continued on page 16

Longhorns pass playoff test 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

By Luke Wander Sopris Sun Correspondent

The Basalt Longhorns took the fi eld 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 playoff s.

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 fi eld 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 fi ve-hundred Longhorn fans into a purple frenzy.

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

As the fi rst 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 fi rst half, down 24-14, Woodland Park began the defi ning 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 defi cit 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 Continued on page 20

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

Town of Carbondale invites quali ed rms or individuals to submit their quali cations to provide project management services and function as a PROJECT OWNER’S REPRESENTATIVE for the planning, design, procurement and construction of the Carbondale Aquatics Center.

Firms or individuals interested in responding should mail or e-mail their resume or quali cations by December 2nd, 2022 to:

Town of Carbondale Attn: Eric Brendlinger, Parks & Recreation Director 511 Colorado Avenue,Carbondale, CO 81623 ebrendlinger@carbondaleco.net Further information: (970) 510-1277 RFQ available at www.carbondalegov.org

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