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Team of rivals
Volume 12, Number 33 | September 24- September 30, 2020
From left: Atalhia Mills, Lhey Silcox, Avery Smith, Talon Carballeira, Ross Barlow, Jake Barlow, Eli Cohen, Sohpia Moon and Lukas Denning While Roaring Fork and Basalt athletes have always crossed over for some sports, the pandemic has left a record number of Rams representing the Longhorns in both cross country and softball. The latter took on Delta on Sept. 22, with first-place standing on the line. No fans were allowed, but the team made sure to make plenty of noise and shout lots of encouragement. The highly-spirited game displayed some great hitting by both teams. The score shifted back and forth for five innings, before Delta had a big rally, ending the game at 16-9. From left: Kyra Reeds, Julia Gresset, Maya Lindgren and Corey Bollock. Photos by Sue Rollyson
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OPINION
SEEKING HIGHER GROUND By Nicolette Toussaint
“Nothing gold can stay.” So wrote Robert Frost in 1923. That phrase haunted me Friday after I saw a small golden bird – a Wilson's warbler – staggering across my lawn. I kept one eager cat away, so maybe that bird survived. There has been a rash of bird deaths recently, so many that both New Mexico State University’s Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology and Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife are looking into causes. The die-off first came to official notice last August when Ecologist Martha Desmond, a professor at New Mexico State University, began investigating a mass bird death at the White Sands Missile Range. At first, Desmond thought it was an isolated incident. Gradually, wildlife officials discovered that the die-off extended across New Mexico numbering hundreds of thousands of deaths. The mortality reaches
What the warblers are telling us into Colorado too. Over the summer, I buried three dead sparrows in my garden. In years past, I have at times found a single bird — usually one carrying trauma characteristic of a predator attack or window strike — but never three! None of those three, nor the fourth I found trapped and desiccated in my picket fence, showed any injury. (Unable to face burying number four, I left it for days. I was grateful to later discover that my husband had quietly removed its wasted body from the fence.) Wasted. That's how it's been with most of the dead birds. My local bird watching friends have been seen deaths here, and in Eagle County, the Vail Daily cataloged more than 75 reports from locals. A disproportionate number were Wilson's warblers. Again: no signs of trauma, just birds wasted away to little more than feathers and bones. After Michelle McBride posted in a local Facebook group about 50 to 100 dead birds discovered along the Frying Pan River, folks chimed in about dead birds in Redstone, Basalt, Glenwood, Silt and Craig. My friend Jae Gregory noticed dozens at Twin Lakes, including dead robins and even a dead duck. “It's really beyond sad,” she wrote, “What we have done to them...” Ecologist Desmond says that “we honestly do not know” what is killing the New Mexico and Colorado birds. Citizens are
invited to visit inaturalist.org to contribute to data-gathering about the recent die-offs. It does, however, appear that the recent avian deaths are concentrated among insecteaters and that they are part of a longer trend. The National Audubon Society declared a "bird emergency" after a study found that the US and Canada suffered a 29 percent decrease in bird population over the past 50 years – about 2.9 billion birds! A meta-analysis published this year in the journal Science found that, worldwide, terrestrial insects are declining at about nine percent per decade with water insects dying a bit faster. Is it, as Jae thinks, due to something we humans have done? Desmond suspects that our early Colorado snowstorm pushed the warblers to migrate before they were ready. It may be that “fires across the western United States forced some of them to change their migratory routes” and that “some of them could have some smoke damage” to their lungs. Drought and lack of plants, leading to a lack of insects, could also be factors. All those things — change of rain patterns, drought, fires, wildly uneven seasons and disruption of ecological food chains — are characteristics of global warming. We have met the enemy, and he is us. In 2013, in its fifth report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated
that it is “extremely likely that more than half of the observed increase in global average surface temperature” from 1951 to 2010 was caused by human activity. Just this month, Inger Anderson, who heads the United Nations' environmental program, commented on mankind's failure to meet decade-long biodiversity goals set in 2010. “From COVID-19 to massive wildfires, floods, melting glaciers and unprecedented heat,” she stated, “our failure to meet the Aichi (biodiversity) targets — protect our home — has very real consequences. We can no longer afford to cast nature to the side.” I am trying not to “sink to grief,” but I know that those little gold warblers, dying in the thousands, are messengers of Gaia. They're the proverbial canaries in a coal mine, warning us we have very, very little time. Last Saturday, the clock on New York City's Metronome building flashed up the message, “The Earth has a deadline.” The digits 7:103:15:40:07 then appeared; they number the years, days, hours, minutes and seconds we have to prevent the effects of global warming from becoming irreversible. “Nature's first green is gold,” wrote Robert Frost, “Her hard hue to hold...leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief. So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.”
LETTERS Old city market Dear Editor: The old City Market building could be repurposed and redesigned into a shelter for our homeless neighbors. Oh!! Do I hear gasps, groans, grumbles: NIMBY Perhaps we need to look at our hearts, minds and value systems to see what’s hidden there. Can we walk our talk about compassion, equanimity, love thy neighbor as thyself ? Just pondering. In loving kindness Stephanie Janiga Carbondale
On Eighth Street Dear Editor: The choices for the Eighth Street project do nothing to slow traffic down on the street and actually will increase traffic and speeds and allow large semi trucks to continue to use it and create more conflict instead of reducing it. It's human nature to drive as fast as one feels comfortable on a street. People rarely go the posted 20 mph speed limit on Eighth Street — most go between 25-30. If the
street is straight, long, and has open sight lines people will drive faster. Option 1 and option 3 both open up these sight lines and will allow traffic to drive faster than they already do down Eighth Street because of the increased sight lines even though they say they will narrow the road. Think about it, when you are on a wide open road that you can see really far on you go faster than if you are on a tight downtown street with parking on both sides. Plus no one wants parking eliminated on Eighth Street. Option 2 keeps the much needed parking and current visual corridor thus keeping the speeding and semi traffic problems the same. Option 2 doesn't address the bike issues, either. Also, do we really need an eight-foot sidewalk? The Rio Grande bike path isn't even eight feet wide, so this seems unnecessary. The solution they should be seeking is to narrow the overall width of the road and keep parking on both sides to reduce the visual corridor. This will reduce speeds naturally. Think about it: if it's a narrow road and you have to slow down for oncoming traffic you naturally go slower overall. A more narrow road also will naturally
reduce semi truck traffic because they will not want to go down a road that is tight. If the road becomes narrower you will have room to put a four-foot sidewalk on the west side of Eighth Street without having to remove trees and relocate utilities thus saving taxpayers a lot of money. Finally, bikes need to be given the right away to use the full street lane just like on Main Street and many other streets all over town. With signs and bike logos on the street this will also help decrease traffic speeds and semi truck use. I have a masters degree in Architecture and studied Architecture and Urban Planning at CU. I do not understand why the proposals are so antiquated and vehicle centric. All three of the options put vehicle travel first and above pedestrian and bike travel. I think we should use methods proven to slow traffic instead of increasing it and put bikes and pedestrians first. What kind of community do we want to build for our future, one for bikes and pedestrians or one designed for vehicle dependency? Holly M. Buell Carbondale Continued on page 13
The views expressed in opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The community is invited to submit letters up to 500 words to news@soprissun.com. Longer columns are considered on a case-by-case basis. The deadline for submission is noon on Monday. 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • September 24- September 30, 2020
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Donate by mail or online. P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #32 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Editor Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 news@soprissun.com Advertising Todd Chamberlin • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Graphic Designer: Ylice Golden Reporter: Roberta McGowan Delivery: Crystal Tapp Proofreader: Lee Beck Current Board Members Raleigh Burleigh, President Marilyn Murphy, Vice President Linda Criswell, Secretary Klaus Kocher, Treasurer Kay Clarke • Carol Craven • Lee Beck Megan Tackett • Gayle Wells Donna Dayton • Terri Ritchie The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on second Mondays at the Third Street Center. Contact board@soprissun.com to reach them. Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young Colin Laird • Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell
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Sharing history from a woman’s perspective Men may have built this town, but women built the community. That’s a lesson Sue Gray of the Carbondale Historical Society hopes will come through loud and clear across five first-person stories being recorded and shared in the lead-up to Potato Day. “We wanted to tell women’s stories, which are a side of history we rarely hear. It’s also a way to tell Carbondale history from a different perspective,” she explained. “The historical society has been wanting to produce a history of Carbondale from its beginning to
its present for a while now. These stories really show how women’s roles have changed in society over the last 150 years.” While excerpts of each are aired on Express Yourself at 4 p.m. Fridays on KDNK, you’ll want to visit carbondalehistory.org for the full story. Chronologically, it all starts with Charlotte Graham's researched and Ute-vetted view of a native woman. Next, Jackie Chenoweth stands in for Edna Sweet in a pioneer perspective and Dorthea Farris represents Mary Ferguson’s experience of the early years. Sue
Edna Denmark Sweet
Anschutz-Rodgers speaks for herself as a rancher and Laurie Loeb will look back on her impact on the arts. The pieces on Sweet and Ferguson were the first completed and broadcast, which seems apt, as both were instrumental in chronicling Carbondale — the latter on KDNK itself. “Those two women especially were very much into history, and that’s why they’re such rich resources for us,” Gray noted. So it seems only fair that we share their stories more or less in their own words.
Mary Lamprecht Ferguson
was one of Carbondale’s early pioneers. She lived here from the age of 13 in 1885 to her death at 82 in 1954. She published a book in 1947 called Carbondale Pioneers – 1879 to 1890, which is one of the Carbondale Historical Society’s most valuable research materials.
was born in Spring Gulch in 1906, and was an elementary school teacher in Carbondale for 27 years. She lived from the horse and buggy era to the space age. She died in Carbondale in 1999 at the age of 92, after having watched the town reinvent itself several times over.
Potato Day turns eleventy-one
Carbondale’s venerable celebration of history and agriculture gets a COVID treatment with an array of virtual and in-person festivities. This year’s theme "Spuds and Suffragists — Women Voting Proudly for 100 Years" honors the centennial of the 19th Amendment. In addition to the audio series featured on this page, events include:
Virtual contests (through Oct. 1)
Win $100 Carbondale Chamber Gift Certificates for adult categories and $25 for youngsters. Get involved at facebook.com/ CarbondaleAnnualPotatoDay or #CarbondalePotatoDay2020 on Instagram.
Potato Decorating Sweet brings women together. Courtesy photo My father had built a small cabin on the land, and there my brother and I grew up. Many more settlers arrived and a town was formed at the confluence of the two rivers, named Cooperton for its founder Isaac Cooper, later called Satank. The first school I attended was in a little log building near the Satank bridge. Those were quiet peaceful years. The soil produced wonderful gardens, entirely free of weeds, which came only with civilization. The streams were full of trout and the mountains abounded in game of all kinds. We depended on venison for meat, which my father hunted during the winter when the deer came down to the valley. Everybody rode horseback, and we took camping trips into the mountains, where we found an abundance of wild raspberries, black currants for jelly and service berries. After Issac Cooper died, the town of Cooperton faded back somewhat, while a mile to the east, a new town was springing up, which was later to become Carbondale. In the fall of 1887, my father took me to boarding school in Aspen. When I returned home at Christmas time there was a transformation. I was surprised to see the town had doubled in size. Carbondale was incorporated in 1888, named for the hometown in Pennsylvania, of Ellery Johnson, who had the townsite surveyed. Two railroads had reached Carbondale and were continuing to lay tracks up to Aspen: the Denver and Rio Grande, and the Midland. Another railroad was building from Carbondale up the Crystal to handle the coal. Those were wild days. The coal mining camps of Marion and Spring
Gulch were running at full blast and the miners came down to Carbondale to spend their money. There were 15 saloons, and some poor unfortunate soul was rolled every night for his money. After I graduated I became a school teacher, but when I I met Frank Sweet and married in 1895, I gave up teaching, because married women were not generally allowed to teach, or to hold any job that took her away from her family. Since Frank and I had five children, I didn’t miss it all that much. My dear baby Irene lived less than a year, and is buried in the family plot in Hillcrest Cemetery on White Hill. I am proud to say that I was a founding member of the Carbondale Study Club, formed in 1898 by several prominent Carbondale women. We read the latest fiction and periodicals, and chose topics to discuss at our monthly meetings, such as home economics, scientific discoveries, and conservation of natural resources. The Study Club labored always for improvement of the community. We helped maintain a community house for the poor, assisted in school clinics, and planted trees around Hillcrest Cemetery. After Frank died suddenly in 1932, I began an effort to collect the stories of the pioneer families. Many of the original settlers were passing on and I felt an urgent desire to record their histories. It was published in 1947 as “Carbondale Pioneers – 1879 to 1890.” When I view our little village, lying so peacefully at the foot of Mount Sopris, with its beautiful homes, trees and flowers, then go back in memory to my first glance of the treeless desert, I feel this is, indeed, one of the scenic spots of the world, worth all the toil, strife and tears that went into the building of it.
Freguson presides over Potato Day. Courtesy photo My parents, John and Marianna were from the Austrian-Hungary border, what later became Yugoslavia. They came here for a better life, like all immigrants. Spring Gulch was a coal mining town on the west mesa above Carbondale, run by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. Most of the men in camp worked the mine, but my parents were farmers, and homesteaded a small piece of land on Thompson Creek. But when the mine closed in 1916 all of the families moved out and the place became a ghost town. I came to live in Carbondale when I was in the seventh grade, around 1918. The one-room school we attended had no auditorium or gymnasium, so we used the Odd Fellows Hall on the corner of Fourth and Main Street, where the Near New Store is now. That’s where we had assemblies, graduation, and even basketball games. I was 20 when I married Melvin Ferguson in 1927. Everyone called him Jack. We had four sons: Harvey, Kory, Richard and Melvin, whom everyone called “Fergie.” It was the Great Depression and things were hard, but we managed to make a living and raise our family. I taught four or five generations in Carbondale. Children are great. The greatest! They can build you up or mow you down. Never underestimate them. At potato harvest time in the fall, all the kids would be let out of school for a few days or a week to help pick potatoes. When I got older, I helped out with the Potato Day organization, when the Sorority sisters took over the planning. I was even crowned Potato Queen one year! We left for a few years during World War II, and by the time we came back most families around Carbondale ran cattle, because potatoes had become so popular in the United States that the business outgrew our little valley and had moved to Idaho.
I did a lot of charity work, but for the most part I was a wife, mother and a teacher. When Jack died in 1970, I became more active in the community. I joined the Retired and Senior Persons Volunteer Program (RSVP) and later, sat on the board of the Senior Housing Authority. I helped out at the Near New, and with all of the other charitable activities we did in the community, especially with supporting the local schools. I ran for city council in 1984, because I think senior citizens should be involved in local government and I don’t think the town council should be all male. I lost by four votes, but I managed to get a lot of seniors interested. A few months later I was appointed anyway, to fill a vacant seat. I guess I did such a good job that I won the next election, and served on the council for two terms. In 1986, I helped found the historical society, so we could collect all of the stories and artifacts for future generations to study. I was also very interested in the downtown Main Street buildings, so I started compiling a history of all of the businesses housed in each building. We got plaques made for some of them and I led historical walking tours of Main Street. I wanted to collect the stories of the old-timers as well, and in 1989, when I was 83 years old, I started a radio program on KDNK, which was then operating out of the Dinkel Building. The show was one hour on Sunday evening. It was called “This I Remember,” and I interviewed the local seniors about their memories and the history of the area. I have watched Carbondale grow – its good years and not so good. The past is a stepping stone to the future and Carbondale has a great future, if we have the intelligence, integrity and tenacity to do the very best we know how, to make it great.
Submit a photo of a spud respecting a female historical figure, Hollywood actress, representative of Carbondale or something else creative — with a special category for kids 12 and under.
Suffragette City Dance Videos Groove to Bowie’s classic tune. Bonus points if you incorporate the potato in some manner.
Farmer’s Market (Oct. 3) Produce and cottage food vendors, potato giveaways, CD and record sale, nonpartisan voter registration information and, of course, history take over the fenced vacant lot at 529 Main St. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — register for a timeslot: carbondalerec.com or 510-1290.
The Golden Potato Harvest Hunt (Oct. 3) For kids 12 and under, from the same household group, this will be a historical harvest hunt to put together all of the pieces and parts of Mrs. Potato Head. Register at carbondalerec.com and then be at 529 Main St. at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 3 for materials and the first clue. Winners receive a Carbondale Chamber Gift Certificate.
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • September 24- September 30, 2020 • 3
SCUTTLEBUTT Tolling bells Shuttle or parking reservations are required to visit the Maroon Bells Scenic Area this year. Reservations are available via aspenchamber.org/maroon-bells and are filling quickly. Buses depart from Aspen Highlands Ski Resort to the Maroon Bells every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Private vehicle parking, with a reservation, is available at the Maroon Bells before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m. Shuttle service will continue this year through Oct. 18. From Oct. 19-31, reservations for private vehicle parking are available throughout the day.
All that jazz Basalt Regional Library hosts the first in a series of Grassroots-televised concerts with mainstream jazz by the Lenore Raphael Quartet — which also includes Steve Hobbs, Hilliard Green and Jesse Simon — at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 24. All concerts will be made available for viewing anytime on YouTube and Facebook after the listed televised date; visit basaltlibrary.org for more information.
For a song Garfield County LIbraries offers a virtual concert with International acclaimed guitarist and songwriter Hiroya Tsukamoto. Tune in to facebook.com/gcpld at 6 p.m. on Sept. 24 for an innovative, impressionistic journey filled with earthy, organic
soundscapes that impart a mood of peace and tranquility.
Grand opening Elite Performance Academy opens its doors this weekend in Cattle Creek, with a celebration from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 26 and 27. RSVP at eliteperformanceacademyco.com to tour the facility, win prizes, enjoy complimentary refreshments and generally learn all about what the Aspen High School lacrosse coaches are up to downvalley.
Back on the horse Strang Ranch will host a diverse equestrian Colorado West Hunter/ Jumper Association Show (CWHJA) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 26 and 27. Prize list and how to enter will be posted on the CWHJA website.
Where the art is The Art Base presents its inaugural Art in the Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m on Sept. 27 at Basalt Lions Park — during the final Sunday Market. Ten local artists will be exhibiting and selling their work alongside a Studio Sale of art related goods. All sales will directly benefit the artists and the Art Base.
Potter’s clay Join the Carbondale Clay Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Sept. 27 for a ceramic sale featuring local artists
GOING on NOW!
under the big white tent and in the Artstream Nomadic Gallery. This month features ceramic art from Anne Goldberg, Stuart Gair, Steven Colby and Ishara Sweeney. It also happens to take place at the same time as a raku workshop, giving attendees a chance to watch the process.
Seventh heaven Pitkin County has been recognized as the seventh healthiest community in the country by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with the Aetna Foundation — up from 19th in 2019. The report evaluates nearly 3,000 communities nationwide across 10 categories from education and public health to infrastructure and economy, to assess which communities offer their citizens the greatest opportunity to live a productive, healthy life. Visit usnews. com for more information or to view the full list.
They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Karen Leavitt (Sept. 24); Genevieve Villamizar and Laura Stover (Sept. 25); Klaus Kocher, Kate Phillips, Teka Israel, Leonard Zanni and Mimi Schlumberger (Sept. 26); Peggy DeVilbiss, Linda Fleming, Kate Comer, Renee Ramge and Susan Cheney (Sept. 27) Felicia “Flash” Trevor, Kristin Stewart, Andrew McMichael and Madeleine Dameron Dahl (Sept. 28).
Elm seed bugs have started moving into the area, and folks are learning the hard way to keep their homes sealed up tight. They look a little like a smaller version of the boxelder bugs we're already used to (photo by Tom Mercer). It's also the time of year you might notice woolly aphids floating about like fuzzy blue fairies — a sure sign of autumn (photo by Will Grandbois).
D
id you know early fall is a great time for planting trees, shrubs, perennials, spring flower bulbs, grasses, and wild flower seeds? Cooler temperatures, still warm soils, rains, plant dormancy combine to create ideal planting conditions. Here is one more great reason to plant now ...
WE'RE HAVING A SALE! Come in early for best selection. Sale is limited to stock on hand.
Trees and shrubs 25-50% off Pottery & select garden art 40% off Perennials 40% off Other specials throughout the store
STORE HOURS Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Sundays
EagleCrestNursery.com Remember: Senior Day is every Tuesday. 15% off storewide for 62+ year olds.
400 Gillespie Drive, El Jebel, CO 81623 970-963-1173 4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • September 24- September 30, 2020
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Our mission is simple: to inform, inspire and build community within the Roaring Fork Valley, and we invite you to help us champion this cause. Mission and purpose The Sopris Sun is the only nonprofit print newspaper in the Roaring Fork Valley and we have made it part of our mission to support other nonprofits, charities and worthy organizations in our community. Gifting advertising spreads exponential love. When individuals and companies underwrite advertising for nonprofits in The Sun, they help not just one organization, but also allow the newspaper to employ the people who bring you quality content each week. These generous underwriters are helping to ensure that the entire community continues to benefit from free, local, independent journalism. Most importantly, these advertisements get help to those individuals that need it the most!
Paying it forward With the help of underwriters, The Sopris Sun has produced well over $30,000 of free and discounted advertising to nonprofits such as: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• Roaring Fork Sierra Club • Senior Matters • SoL Theatre Company • Spellbinders • The Buddy Program • Thunder River Theatre Aspen Center for Environmental Studies • Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist Aspen Community Foundation • Valley Settlement Project Aspen Hope Center • VOICES Aspen Jewish Community Center • Way of Compassion AspenOut • Wilderness Workshop Aspen Valley Land Trust • YouthZone Carbondale Arts Carbondale Homeless Assistance Please consider partnering with The CLEER Sopris Sun in support of your favorite Colorado Animal Rescue nonprofit organization. Davi Nikent English in Action Family Visitor Program By becoming an underwriter, you can Garfield County Senior Program make a meaningful impact upon our Gay For Good - Rocky Mountain community for as little as $25 a week. KDNK Lift-Up As a reader, you can help us Literacy Outreach out by thanking our advertisers National Alliance on Mental Illness for supporting our community National Brain Tumor Society newspaper! Simply let them know Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers Roaring Fork Schools you saw them here.
Contact Todd Chamberlin today to ask how you partner with us and your favorite nonprofit! Todd Chamberlin | adsales@soprissun.com | 970-510-0246 THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • September 24- September 30, 2020 • 5
CARBONDALE’S LONGEST RUNNING CELEBRATION! Saturday, October 3rd Featuring: Farmers’ Market, Potato Harvest Scavenger Hunt
and virtual events for the whole family! Event info available on Facebook @CarbondaleAnnualPotatoDay Visit carbondalerec.com to register for Market and Scavenger Hunt 6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • September 24- September 30, 2020
Pandemic puts Castle back on the market By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff
The historic Osgood Mansion, dubbed Ruby of the Rockies, is up for sale for the second time in four years — this time for $19.75 million After multi-million-dollar total renovations, owners April and Steve Carver determined that operating the castle in the current pandemic and economic environments was not sustainable. The Carvers are the 11th owners of the 118-year-old estate. Jeff Bier and Chris Souki are the listing brokers from Coldwell Banker real estate company. Bier explained, “There were over two years of hearings, permits and infrastructure requirements. The meticulous restoration process totalling 48,000 square feet of improvements was completed by historic renovation specialists.” The property boasts 42 rooms with 11 suites, sits on 153 acres and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A coalition of historical societies created easement agreements for the exterior and much of the interior that new
owners will have to obey. All furnishings are included in the sale price. Only a few of the rooms have televisions. Most don’t have telephones, but internet is available. Souki said “the Redstone Castle is one of the most regal and oldest mansions in the Colorado Rockies. It is a true piece of history.” The listing reports more than 20,000 feet of living area, with 15 bedrooms, 23 bathrooms, garages, a carriage house and a horse arena. The Colorado Sun described the opulent features in the building which include silk wallpaper in the French-themed music room, green-dyed Spanish leather on the walls of the library, which was built to look like the inside of a train car, a Honduran, hand-rubbed, mahogany table, Russian redvelvet on the walls in the dining room and a diamond-dust mirror hanging above a fireplace. The Sun added that imported Italian marble surrounds each of the 14 fireplaces. Domed ceilings are lined with aluminum, which was more valuable than gold in 1900, not to mention Tiffany & Co. light fixtures, sconces and chandeliers.
The castle has a functioning game room with the original pool table prominently displayed. When asked if the mansion is haunted, Bier replied, “It depends.” According to HauntedColorado.net, the late Sue McEvoy, once castle curator, noted, “Guests have reported strange incidents. There's also a legend that spirits hover in a secret passageway that connects the nursery to the servant's quarters.” But what spooked McEvoy the most was the ghostly cigar smoke from the turn-of-the 20th-Century original owner John Cleveland Osgood, who died in 1927. Industrialist Osgood built the 42-room mansion for the then considered outrageous sum of $2.5 million. The structure was also known as Osgood Castle or Cleveholm Manor. Redstonecolorado.com added that Olsgood also built 84 cottages and a 40-room inn, complete with indoor plumbing and electricity, to house his coal miners and cokers. After a disastrous first marriage, which ended in a scandalous divorce, Anna Regina Shelgren became wife number two.
Anna, rumored to be a Swedish countess, became known as Lady Bountiful for her kindness and generous nature toward the town’s families, especially during the holiday season. According to the New York Times, Osgood also built a reservoir, a kennel for his hunting dogs, a massive carriage house for horses and a preserve for elk, deer and bighorn sheep. Elk herds still winter on the expansive and lush green acreage. The Redstone Castle has a rocky past, including several auctions, one in 2005 and another in 2016 when the Carvers bought the property. According to the Denver Post, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seized the property in the early 2000s after its owners were charged with operating a Ponzi scheme, which allegedly advised investors they could get returns as high as 400 percent from purchasing prime bank notes. The property has been described as having several intriguing aspects. One is the extensive stone and rock exterior from local sources and also being listed on both the Colorado and Pitkin County historical sites.
Bier and tour guide Becky Tremply walk the grounds. Photo by Roberta McGowan
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • September 24- September 30, 2020 • 7 RECIPES AVAILABLE:
Waldorf students resiliently face the times
By James Steindler Sopris Sun Correspondent
“Oh to be young again,” so the sentiment goes... However, these days the youth may be less envied. Students across the nation undergo the new normal either in familiar hallways or over a computer monitor in the refuge of their homes. The Waldorf school has set sail on a course of in-person learning much of which takes place outside the classroom. Fortunately, as the school’s Communications and Marketing Director Liesl Bellack pointed out, Waldorf ’s property spans 13 acres along the Roaring Fork River, leaving plenty of room for outdoor learning. Kindergarten through second graders got a head start and began the academic year early — Aug. 12. “We wanted to make sure that we were maximizing as much in-person time as possible,” Bellack stated. In case renewed regulations prevent inperson learning down the road the earlier start date could make up for that potentially lost time. Third through eighth grades commenced class on Aug. 25. For the time being, students are outside throughout much of a given day. Some traditional classrooms have been set up behind the building where students gather just as they would have inside but sometimes bundled up in their coats. “We’ve been blessed with good weather barring some smokey days but otherwise it’s been a beautiful fall so we’ve been spending as much time outside as possible,” Bellack stated,
“In fact our second and third graders spend all day everyday outside — they’re not using their classrooms at all at this point.” From observing plant life for botany class to the second graders rehearsing for their play, currently Waldorf students are likely to be found in the outdoor elements pursuing their education. “The second part of our strategy is taking proactive measures,” continued Bellack. At home, symptom checks are required of first through eighth graders and kindergartners have their temperatures checked each morning. Masks are required inside at all times and outside if it is impractical for the students to maintain six feet of social distance with their peers. “In the case of the younger children they’re often wearing masks outside as well because they are not maintaining that social distance,” Bellack stated. Prior to welcoming students back the staff considered not requiring that the younger grades (K-2) wear masks throughout the day, “but we ended up there,” said Bellack, “and felt like that was the most proactive measure to keep everyone safe.” “We are seeing such a level of resilience from our students,” said Bellack, “who continually adapt.” While the setting may be different, the curriculum is just as rigorous as any other year. Children are still chipping away at their respective grade’s workbooks and covering the same material had fall 2020 been a typical semester. Understandably, teachers may struggle to get their point across or tell a story while wearing a mask. Therefore, some teachers are using clear
8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • September 24- September 30, 2020
Waldorf on the Roaring Fork is taking advantage of its extensive grounds for distanced learning. Courtesy photo facemasks (not faceshields) so their pupils can still see their lips move as they speak. Students are proving to be just as concerned about the continuity of their education as their mentors. Second grade students were recently seen using extra straw bales on campus (the school itself is a strawbale structure) to build walls around their outdoor classroom in preparation for the cold weather. For now, school events will not be open to the wider school community as they used to be. In fact Michaelmas Day is just around the corner. In observance thereof the school hosts a festival each year as, “A celebration of fall and warding off the darkness as we move into
winter,” stated Bellack. Indeed winter does loom and while some students will continue to study outside as late as they can, the school administration has devised procedures to hold classes inside as safely as possible. Among such protocols is extra spacing between students’ desks, disinfecting classrooms and continuing to wear face masks inside. As other schools combine online and inperson learning, Waldorf has opted to only hold in-person classes while they can — as is expected considering their hands on learning approach. However, the school is prepared to return to some degree of online learning should circumstances require.
CMC hires former Parsons professor By Olivia Emmer Sopris Sun Correspondent
When Cecilia Metheny decided to leave the New York City area for Carbondale, she knew she wanted to continue teaching. “I don't think anyone on Earth teaches for money,” she said. “I think your heart's in it or it isn't.” After nearly 20 years as a professor at Parsons The New School for Design, Metheny remains committed to teaching students about textiles and the fashion industry. Growing up in rural Kentucky, Metheny took a circuitous route to her now 25-year fashion career. Originally working in film, producing political campaign commercials, Metheny burnt out on that work, and moved to Manhattan for acting school. It turned out to not be a fit, but she had a lifelong fascination with textiles, and the nearby Fashion Institute of Technology had just the program. “My grandmother was a quilter and I never was around her when she was not making biscuits and fried potatoes and scrambled eggs, or she was quilting. And I just found that so fascinating, how she could put the colors and the patterns together. So I really wanted to study textiles.” Her first clothing line was met with acclaim. Called Cecilia Metheny Ltd, the collection was mens’ lounge wear and
sportswear and was carried in specialty boutiques and famed department stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's. But it was the 80’s, and when the economy crashed, her line of credit dissolved. Cecilia’s company didn’t have the money it needed to deliver on existing orders. “So the company failed and $7 million was lost,” she recalled. “And there was a divorce. Not a happy time. So I highly advise people not to work with their spouses.” Despite the failure of that early company, Metheny forged ahead and had many years of success as a designer, consultant, and professor. So how does a fashion industry consultant and long-time Parsons professor end up in Carbondale? Cecilia’s son, Patrick Henry, attended the Colorado Rocky Mountain School and fell in love with the town and life in the mountains. Cecilia had already made the decision to move to Carbondale to be closer to her two grandchildren, but her timeline was expedited by the pandemic. “The virus struck, and [my son] called on the phone on a Monday and he said, ‘You've got four days to get out of there,” Cecilia continued. “I called a mover and they packed up everything... And I got on the plane and I was the only person on the airplane to Aspen.” When asked to reflect on her transition, Cecilia laughed. “The first
for textiles education, Metheny got animated. “Is it Earth friendly? And if it isn't Earth friendly, what do you want to do about that? What are your other options? Because if we don't get Earth friendly, these fires, floods, these hurricanes are all a result of abusing the earth. So why wear something on your body that abuses the very life you live in?” “Parsons is probably the top school in sustainability and that philosophy. And I'm really thankful to come from that, so that's what I hope. If you don't buy something sustainable, at least be aware of your decision.”
How Textiles are Made What:
Metheny is excited to work with CMC. Photo by Olivia Emmer two months, I thought I was on another planet… I'm used to a different way of thinking — the East Coast, Manhattan, everything is, ‘I want it yesterday, not now, I want it yesterday.’ And here people are just less neurotic. They're really nice.” When Metheny landed in Carbondale, she sought out opportunities to continue teaching. She quickly got connected with Colorado Mountain College and Marianne Ackerman who works in the Continuing Education department. “Fashion is a really up and coming artistic passion in our community. I credit that to Carbondale Arts and their Green is the New Black fashion show. I think that people are going
back to crafting their own clothing. There's a big interest in upcycling clothing, recycling clothing, thrift store shopping, and having the ability to upgrade what they find, either for fit or for fashion,” said Ackerman. Metheny’s upcoming course, the first in a three-part series, focuses on fabric basics. “There are seven components to making a fabric. We're going to lightly look at each of those.” She explained that fabric-making relies on farmers, mills, weavers, dyers, printers, and finishers. She continued, “There's about 150 basic fabrics and we're going to look at maybe 25 of those that are most common.” When asked what drives her passion
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • September 24- September 30, 2020 • 9
TOWN REPORT
An exception, not a precedent Tuesday night’s trustee meeting saw a rare 4-3 vote as the board considered whether to bend the rules for one unit in the Thompson Park development. The Development Improvement Agreement requires that affordable housing be completed before the Town will issue a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for any free market units. But Haley Carmer of Garfield & Hecht said the developer was under the impression that the issuing the deed restrictions met the requirements. With a local buyer already looking to move into a free market unit, waiting for the final touches on the deed restricted units wasn’t ideal. Town Planner Janet Buck was willing to allow some wiggle room — but only with council approval. Mayor Dan Richardson wasn’t inclined to give it. “I feel like the agreement was pretty clear and if there
was any ambiguity it could have been addressed a while ago,” he said. Trustee Luis Yllanes made a case for leniency. “I don’t think it sets precedent; it just shows that we can occasionally make exceptions,” he said. Moreover, Trustee Erica Sparhawk pointed out, the affordable units are so far along that their speedy completion is all but certain. The final motion made it clear that no further exceptions would be made, and passed by a narrow margin with Yllanes, Sparhawk, Marty Silverstein and Lani Kitching in favor and Richardson, Ben Bohmfalk and Heather Henry opposed. “It takes a lot to split this board,” Bohmfalk noted. But Buck seemed relieved. “If I’m ever asked about this again, I’ll be able to point to this meeting,” she said.
Cop Shop In other action, trustees… EIGHTH STREET is in the midst of a bike lane demonstration — visit carbondale.altaplanning. site to provide feedback. MAIN STREET closures will likely end when the time changes. The streetside dining may stay in place deeper into the fall, but the decks will need to be removed before any heavy snow. A TOBACCO compliance check showed no violations. NEW ART was installed at Snowmass and Main, on the south side of Main between Third and Fourth and at the northeast corner of Third and Main. SEVEN TREES were planted at North Face Park. BUILDING PER MITS are pending for the two apartment buildings on Lot 1, Carbondale Marketplace (Main Street Marketplace). Building
A would have 12 rental units, three of which would be deed restricted as affordable housing units. Building B would have 24 rental units with four affordable housing units. It is anticipated construction will begin this fall.
From Sept. 4 through 17, Carbondale Police handled 511 calls for service. During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note:
THE POWER OUTAGE put water production on hold for several hours on Sept. 16, but otherwise usage has been consistent at 1.11 million gallons per day.
SATURDAY Sept. 5 at 6:19 p.m. Police took a report of a minor using drugs.
ANNEX ATION OF 430 Highway 133 was continued to Oct. 13. M A R I J U A N A DELIVERY has been banned in Carbondale due to regulation challenges. SENATOR MIKE FOOTE discussed his bill on Public Welfare Oil And Gas Operations with trustees. R E V E N U E PROJECTIONS were discussed as the first part of the budgeting process.
SATURDAY Sept. 5 at 6:48 a.m. Officers discovered that a storage unit had been broken into.
SUNDAY Sept. 6 at 1:09 a.m. A 41-year-old was summoned for trespassing. SUNDAY Sept. 6 at 2:10 a.m. A group of kids out past curfew ran when police approached, but two of them were later located and given rides home. MONDAY Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. A 26-year-old was summoned for driving with a revoked license and disobeying a traffic control device. TUESDAY Sept. 8 at 12:39 p.m. Following a non-injury hit-and-run on Main Street, police cited a 20-year-old for careless driving.
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All garbage or refuse containers must be stored in a secured enclosed area or own a bear resistant container. (Except on collection day between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.)
FRIDAY Sept. 11 at 3:01 p.m. Police took a report of a theft and attempted burglary. FRIDAY Sept. 11 at 10:35 p.m. Reports of a man peeking into apartment windows led police to contact an apparently intoxicated man who denied any such behavior and was subsequently released to his wife. SATURDAY Sept. 12 at 8:04 p.m. A trespass call led to the arrest of a 28-year-old. MONDAY Sept. 14 at 11:37 a.m. Officers took a report of stolen alcohol. TUESDAY Sept. 15 at 10:38 a.m. A trio of Trump/ Pence signs were stolen from a vacant lot.
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Up to $1,000 fine for violating trash/ bear ordinance! WARNINGS WILL NOT BE ISSUED! Carbondale Police Department (970) 963-2662. Carbondale Town Ordinance: Sec. 7-3-60 (b) No person, including but not limited to an owner, occupant, lessee, person in possession or control, homeowners’ association officer, property manager or agent of a given premises, shall place any refuse or garbage container in any street, alley or other public place or upon any private property, whether or not owned by such person, within the Town, except in proper containers for collection, as provided in Section 7-3-50 above. No person shall place any such refuse or garbage container in any public street right-of-way for trash collection purposes by the Town or a private trash hauler, except for on the day collection occurs. For purposes of determining compliance with this requirement, refuse and garbage containers may be stored in a public street right-of-way only between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day of collection. Placement of refuse or garbage containers outside of this time period shall result in the levying of fines, pursuant to Subsection (g) below. Except for between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on the day of collection, and except in the instance that a refuse or garbage container is bear-resistant, as defined in Section 7-3-10 above, all refuse and garbage containers must be stored in secure enclosures when not out for collection.
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10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • September 24- September 30, 2020
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Robinson challenging Samson for commissioner By Ross McLane Sopris Sun Correspondent
With less than 50 days left until the election, the race for Garfield County Commissioner from District 3, between challenger Democrat Leslie Robinson and four-term incumbent Republican Mike Samson, is on its final leg. Leslie Robinson, the current Chair of the Grand Valley Citizens’ Alliance, a community organization dedicated to tackling the impacts of energy development, originally came to Roaring Fork Valley forty years ago as a self-proclaimed “skibum.” Since then, she helped start four newspapers including the Glenwood Independent (which merged with the Glenwood Post in 2000), worked in Defiance Thrift Store, and was the Director of United Way of Garfield County. Robinson has long been involved in county politics, but says she was finally convinced to enter the county commissioner race when the Board of County Commissioners announced a lawsuit against the Colorado Air Quality Commission over regulations that would require more frequent and better leak detection for oil and gas wells in close proximity to occupied areas. “Tighter air quality regulations are something that people want,” Robinson said. “The [Garfield County] favoritism to the Oil and Gas industry is way overboard.”
To those who underline the importance of the oil and gas industry taxes for county budgets, she responds, “revenues have been going down since 2009. The wells are getting older so production rates are going down and the value of the property is declining, too.” To Robinson, more investment in economic development is needed to avoid the current oil and gas bust. She admits she doesn’t know exactly how to create more jobs outside the energy industry, but wants to “work with the employers across the Valley and people who do have original ideas,” to create those jobs. In addition to energy industry issues, she says that the handling of COVID-19 by the Board of County Commissioners was another main reason for her entrance into the race. “They refused to endorse a mask order in April when numbers were going up and it was quite obvious that masks were going to be protecting us,” she said. In recent weeks, Robinson has teamed-up with Beatriz Soto (D), the candidate looking to unseat the current County Commissioner for District 2, John Martin (R). The two have formed a coalition of like-minds, exchanging ideas and running campaign events together. Of the partnership, Robinson said “We can’t make a change with only one of us winning.” “With 50 percent of the population women, it’s about time
we are in the driver’s seat,” she noted. On Sept. 3, the pair met with John Hickenlooper, the former Governor of Colorado and current Democratic Senate hopeful, to discuss housing costs and long commutes in the Roaring Fork Valley. On the topic, Robinson says, “We actually have two problems, providing jobs where there’s housing, and providing housing where there’s jobs.” She goes on to advocate that Garfield County needs to follow in the footsteps of Eagle and Pitkin Counties in working with developers to provide affordable housing in places where there are many jobs, like Carbondale and Aspen. On the flip side, she says, the county needs to focus on generating jobs in places where there already is affordable housing, like in Rifle and Parachute. Robinson has also been considering how Garfield County can be more prepared for wildfires, like the recent Grizzly Creek fire which shut down I-70 for 2 weeks. “We should be experts in disaster response, but it seems like at every fire or disaster, we’re reinventing the wheel.” “Why did we wait to close Cottonwood Pass until it got jammed with traffic and was plugged for three weeks?” Robinson questioned. “Closures,” she says, “separate families and stymie small businesses and tourism.” Instead, Robinson
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Leslie Robinson. Courtesy photo recommends we find alternate routes to Glenwood Canyon and South Canyon. Additionally, she posits that Garfield County needs to install signs to guide people towards exit routes in the case of a wildfire in the
same way that exit signs in coastal areas guide people to safety from Tsunamis. “Why wait for someone to die?” The Sopris Sun reached out to Mike Samson for comments, but as of publishing, has not heard back.
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • September 24- September 30, 2020 • 11
Our agricultural heritage OPINION
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For any new visitor inquiring about Carbondale and looking to learn about our town, I always point them towards the doors of the Thompson House Museum, which I think sets the perfect historical tone to learn about our community’s first settlers and pioneers—including Myron and Hattie Thompson, and their descendants. I can also point them towards one of our bars or dining outlets, where they can literally sample the local terroir via the burger on their plate or the craft beer in their glass — we take it for granted but its highly unique that a small town is home to both a brewery and a distillery. If the visitor wants to go even deeper to connect with the land, I explain how the team at Marble Distillery will take them on a distillery production tour where they will learn about the local grains and malt used for vodkas and whiskey, or I can point them to a number of our local farms that offer a range of fun craft classes, or farm tours and animal experiences (how about alpaca yoga at Cedar Ridge
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Pre-order at ting.com/roaringfork 12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • September 24- September 30, 2020
Sarah Uhl's farm and food map.
Ranch!), or I can point them to which farm stand has the best tomatoes in the Roaring Fork Valley (Wild Mountain Seeds’ stand at Landmark Café of course!) For many travelers, food is the entry point to understanding a community, its culture, its history. Carbondale’s authentic story as a food producer has become so renowned (our famous Potato Day festival has garnered national and international attention) that as a tourism promotion organization, Carbondale Tourism has continues to look at the best ways to the cultivate our community’s agritourism scene, and to find new platforms to tell our local food and farm stories. This leads me to introduce you to the new Roaring Fork + Farm Map, a printed pocket guide to Carbondale’s agritourism which includes guest ranches, public gardens and farms, visitor attractions, and experiences, along with restaurants and retailers that were identified as specifically supporting the local food movement through menu items or connections with local farmers. Agritourism is a concept with origins in Italy, where farmers have opened their barn doors to visitors, providing not just accommodations but also “experiences” such as working on the farm (which is called WWOOFing!) to “petting” tours with farm animals, you-pick experiences, cheese-making, fiber art classes, and even extravagant fine-dining dinners that can take place in the actual crop
or produce fields for even more authenticity. These experiences give travelers a chance to connect with the earth, enjoy the outdoors, and learn about the roots of food production. Back in Spring 2019, Carbondale Tourism set about working with the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) Destination Development program to educate our farm and rancher community on the processes for developing visitor experiences, including regulations and land use codes, as well as tourism trends and marketing ideas. As part of this development program, Carbondale Tourism worked with the CTO’s team to create an entry-level visitor information, which we are calling The Roaring Fork + Food Map. This pocket-sized visitor guide will be distributed through local tourism businesses over the next few weeks. It features a beautiful story map illustrated by local artist, Sarah Uhl, along with highlights of the local food and farming scene which we hope inspires our visitors and locals-alike on a journey of discovery and appreciation for Carbondale’s local flavors, and unique ranching culture. The mission of Carbondale Tourism is to create a strong tourism economy by promoting the Town. To learn about Carbondale as a tourist destination, visit our website, www.carbondale. com, email me at andrea@ carbondale.com or feel free to swing by our office in the Third Street Center.
LETTERS Swimming pools Dear Editor: With all due respect, the new Carbondale swimming pools proposal is all wet. I’m afraid I live in a community that is divorced from reality. The expression “another day in paradise” comes to mind. Maybe it’s “never, never land”. We live in a country that is almost simultaneously burning up, suffering from “aridification” (turning into desert), blown over with hurricanes, major wind disaster, Covid pandemic with 200,000 dead, deep racial fault lines exposed, politically manipulated governments, millions unemployed without a future, and the inability to run our schools. ( Just the short list.) No problem with all that, let’s throw a few million at some new swimming pools. Swimming laps is so very important. I wonder if we just might give a little thought to a few little things? Instead of adding to carbon emissions with new construction, maybe we could work at CUTTING the emissions we are producing all day every day. Let’s really get after new solar arrays. Let’s get the batteries to go with them. Let’s fix the grid to handle that. Let’s really get behind a local food supply for when the trucks can’t (won’) get here. Let’s get the gas burning heating systems out and get the heat pumps in. More hydroelectric. Kick some homeowner butt in Aspen and put the hydro equipment in. What about some alternative housing for when the virus digs in here and hundreds or more will need quarantining? And the same thing for wildfire. All of these outlying subdivisions can (some will) go up in flames and smoke. How about more firefighting capability? There is a lot more. More pool water might come in handy, they could spray it on burning homes. Pat Hunter Carbondale
Vote for Boebert
Dear Editor: I have never publicly supported a candidate until now. I am tired of the status quo. I feel like the frog in the frying pan. the heat is becoming too much, I finally recognize the need to jump out. I am voting for Boebert because 1: She is a patriot not a politician. 2: She is a business owner not a bureaucrat. 3: She believes in hard work not welfare. 4: She is conservative not complaisant. 5: She is a fearless freedom fighter. Most importantly, I will vote for her because she is a God-fearing Christian. Lauren may you be blessed in your quest to represent your fellow Western Slope Coloradoans. Trish O'Grady USAF, Retired Rifle
Soto for commissioner Dear Editor I have lived in Garfield County for almost 15 years and have known Beatriz Soto for almost a decade. She is not only a hard-working young professional and a great mom, but she is also a dear friend who has always been there for me. Like me, she is concerned about climate justice and the future of our county. The oil and gas industry will keep
Continued from page 2 filing for bankruptcy without addressing the loss of jobs and loss of revenue in the county. These industries also destroy our natural resources and the health of our communities while heavily contributing to climate change. I know we also use natural gas, but now that we know the severe consequences of our actions, we can't simply ignore them anymore, we have to do everything to fix this crisis. It's time to invest in new energy sources that will create good-paying jobs while accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy. Beatriz's campaign represents hope and a breath of fresh air. She has innovative ideas that will lead our county to a new era with prosperity without the influence of corporate money. We need a more diverse board of county commissioners, with representatives that reflect the diversity of our region, and Beatriz can be that missing voice on the table. She will make decisions based on the well-being of all residents, not just a few. She will listen and she will act in our best interest. I hope you join me in this election in making history. Maisa Metcalf Glenwood Springs
Action for the future good Dear Neighbors of the Roaring Fork Valley: The future cries. Let’s take action! While casting our votes is imperative, we cannot expect our elected representatives to create policy that can avert climate disaster unless many of us act boldly as individuals. The welfare of billions is at stake. Here is one thing most of us can do: Eliminate the burning of fossil fuels to power the electricity in your home or business. If Holy Cross Energy is your provider, call 945-5491, or visit Holycross. com. If you have Xcel, call (800) 895-4999 or visit Xcelenergy.com. It takes just one call, and pennies per month to make a material impact. The President and CEO of Holy Cross Energy, Bryan Hannegan has confirmed that every customer who joins their PuRE program will add renewable energy to the grid. Take action, inspire others, build political will. Please, get it done and let us know at NeighborsInActionRFV@gmail.com. Jimmy Byrne Carbondale One World Home
A father speaks Dear Editor: When my daughter, Leslie Robinson, was born in 1952, I was a college student in Rochester, New York. She weighed in at nine pounds, seven ounces, with a pair of lungs heard for three doors in each direction from our modest apartment. She graduated from Lyons Township High School. Leslie showed amazing seriousness in her studies and there was little prodding needed to have her finish her assignments. Her athleticism ranged from horseback riding to skiing where she joined the family where-ever we could find snow, hitting the slopes of Colorado at least once a year. When it became time to choose a college it was no surprise she chose Colorado State. But little did I realize I had lost Leslie to
Colorado’s Western Slopes forever. Qualified as a single woman to receive a “Farmers Home Administration Loan” to purchase a home in Silt, she began to grow deep roots in your community. Leslie now resides in Rifle with her husband, Jim Bradford. Her career varied, shining in newspaper advertising sales gave her an opportunity to get to know the local merchants and their challenges. She lately has been managing local nonprofit organizations that help solve your problems. Like me, Leslie has always been a people person. Lately, she has engaged her brain absorbing the details of the oil and gas industry, specifically how it impacts the quality of life, water supply and land usage-- issues that affect all of us. I know her bulldog tenacity, she will not let the oil and gas interests dictate county policies. She will put you first when she becomes one of your Garfield County Commissioners. Leslie is the one person I know, firsthand, that recognizes BS for what it is, she knows how to communicate, her constituents will know where she stands on the important issues. I certainly recommend that you vote for Leslie Robinson Nov. 3, Garfield County Commissioner of the Third District. Hugh L. Robinson Savannah, GA
Vote for Soto Dear Editor: I am so excited to vote for Beatriz Soto for Garfield County Commissioner! I understand that some people just vote their party line (regardless of who they are actually voting for) but Beatriz is a candidate who so thoroughly blasts the incumbent out of the proverbial water, that I hope many people will think past the party and vote for the person. Garfield County deserves a more diverse, inclusive and representative Board of County Commissioners. For years, the BOCC has been stagnant in their ways, towing a line that only represents and benefits a small portion of our residents. Their priorities are not my priorities, nor those of so many in our county. I absolutely believe that everyone wants the county to thrive, to be a good place to live, to honor what they hold dear. But I also believe that times are changing, that more people believe they deserve to be heard, that if things don't change the county will suffer. We have to look to the future. We cannot continue to live in a past that barely exists anymore. Our new normal should include a county commissioner dedicated to working for all of our county, not a select few. Vote for Beatriz! Beatriz Soto is here She will speak for the people Hooray! Time for change Zuleika Pevec Carbondale
Why we need to vote Dear Editor: Many of the early settlers on the land that was to become the United States of America were not “immigrants” needing freedom and care and possibility — they were explorers and adventurers and conquerors… English, French, Italian,
Portuguese agents on a mission of discovery and expansion of national interests and power. The early years of conquest and settlement are tarnished with tales of war, and disease, and confrontation, and distrust — of power and domination and displacement and death. A review of the world today might indicate that we have not moved far from that description of life on this small planet. Yet, United States Attorney General Barr, who is supposedly hired by and working for all of us, is currently explaining that the agency he directs must be led from the top down (meaning Trump/Barr), that one cannot expect the employees (meaning long term, experienced, committed individuals) at the lower level of the Agency) to determine how to manage the agency! His comment suggested that a participatory process of governance and leadership might work for the “three year olds” in a “Montessori School”, but such a plan will not work in the Trumpian world. An honest review of our nation’s early history indicates a far less attractive history than the image of early settlers enjoying a shared thanksgiving dinner with the earlier residents of the land. Many of those residents (Iroquois, Cherokee, other members of the Five Nations) enjoyed a well established system of governance and leadership that involved discussion, interaction, review, decision, and implementation of agreed upon goals! Perhaps we might learn from that vision of leadership. Our founding fathers used the structure and ethics of the Five Nations to outline our structure in the Constitution. If that system can work for the Montessori students, which it does, perhaps it can work for the rest of us, who are trying to create a society that can share different views but that can discuss, and trust, and care, and create a method of governance that works for us all. The structure requires thoughtful, informed, respectful, and diligent participation. The task right now is to become informed (read and listen to respected, recognized, and legitimate sources), consider impacts of your behavior and your decisions (do no harm), and make the effort to vote. Dorothea Farris Crystal Valley
Honoring RBG Dear Editor: The best way to honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s love and service to America, is to honor her last wish to wait, and only be replaced by the newly elected administration. Petition Senator Cory Gardner. Contact him any way you can, phone, email, mail, visit his offices and respectfully ask that he honor her wish. John Hoffmann Carbondale
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • September 24- September 30, 2020 • 13
*REGISTER ONLINE or CALL TODAY!
` FILM STUDIES ONLINE NC
Wednesdays, 6-8p, 10/14-11/18 Five curated films and a group of shorts will be watched and discussed. Examine some literary and technical terms specific to the art form, as well as preface some social issues that can help guide discussions. The films are available online for free through Kanopy with a library card number.
` COLORADO HUNTER SAFETY NC
Mon-Thurs, 6-9pm & Sat, 9am-2pm, 10/5-10/10 Required for anyone born after Jan. 1, 1949, in order to buy a Colorado Hunting License. These classes are held at CMC Aspen Campus and the Basalt shooting range.
` TEXTILES/FABRIC SERIES NC Online Mondays, 6-8p
How Textiles are Made: 10/12-26 Identification and Use of Fabrics: 11/2-16 Overview of Colorado Fashion Industry: 11/2-12/7
` TIME MANAGEMENT MEETS HIGHER INTENT NC Online Thursdays, 5-7pm, 10/8-22 Create time for what truely matters to you - a modern system of thinking to get you the results you desire in your life.
Mondays, 5:30-8:50pm, 10/19-11/30 Call 970-963-2172 for tools list and metal supply information. Classes held at the Carbondale campus.
By Chromostome
` ART SAMPLER: JEWELRY CR
Your Big Backyard V
` FUNDRAISING FOR NON-PROFITS NC Online Wednesday, 9am-12pm, 10/21 Learn how to solicit major gifts and create donor loyalty and building your base of support through personal relationships.
` HOW TO SUCCEED IN A COMPETITIVE NON-PROFIT ENVIRONMENT NC Online Tues, 9am-12pm, 10/27-11/10 Learn what makes a successful nonprofit, how to build your development portfolio, expand your presence, tighten your belt, and ensure a vibrant, energetic organization.
` COMMUNITY FIRST AID & CPR CR
Tuesday/Wednesday, 5-9:30pm, 10/20-21
*Search and Register at www.coloradomtn.edu NC: Academics>Non-credit Classes CR: Academics>Classes Aspen 970-925-7740 • Carbondale 970-963-2172 14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • September 24- September 30, 2020
Across 3. Iron ore was mined near this ghost town. 9. Played on half a tennis court. (2 words.) 10. County east of Garfield. 11. ____ Smith, jazz pianist. 12.____ Cone. Perfectly symmetrical peak near Norwood. 15. Famous gorge near Canyon City. 16. A popular sport in the North Star Nature Preserve. 18. What the Hayden Survey was do-
ing in Colorado in 1873. 19. River that flows through Browns Canyon. Down 1. Grab-and-go burger joint in downtown Carbondale. (2 words.) 2. ___ school. Where students of all ages recited their lessons, such as on Missouri Hts, at South Canyon, and Canyon Cr.eek. 4. A local jewel spared from disaster last month. (2 words.)
5. Lasso a steer. 6. The sweetest dream that labor knows. --Robert Frost 7. Sky ____, alpine flower. 8. BBQ by the bridge. (2 words.) 13."___ ___ or bust!" Gold rush slogan. (2 words.) 14. Second president of Colorado Mountain College. (2 words.) 17. Calcium sulfate dihydrate. Outcrops of this soft mineral can be seen on both sides of the valley from mile marker 9, Highway 82.
1. FATBELLY, 2. BLAB, 3. ASHCROFT, 4. HANGINGLAKE, 5. ROPE, 6. FACT, 7. PILOT, 8. SLOWGROVIN, 9. PICKLEBALL, 10. EAGLE, 11. WALT, 12. LONE, 13. PIKESPEAK, 14. ELBIENGANN, 15. ROYAL, 16. PADDLEBOARDING, 17. GYPSUM, 18. MAPPING, 19. ARKANSAS
American Heart Association Adult, Child and Infanct CPR w/AED & First Aid. Two parts - online and skills by appointment.
PARTING SHOTS
May Peace be in The United States of America
Community members gathered at the Third Street Center to acknowledge the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21 and christen a Peace Pole — an internationally recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family. Each pole bears the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in different languages on its sides. Rita Marsh of The Center for Human Flourishing (Davi Nikent) led the ceremony for a small group of onlookers. Photos by Sue Rollyson
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • September 24- September 30, 2020 • 15
Special thanks to FootSteps Marketing for partnering on this image project. PC: Taylor Rogers, FootSteps Marketing