Sopris Sun THE
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 2 • FEBRUARY 19, 2009
Taking Flight CRMS student opens John Oates songwriting series at the Wheeler By Trina Ortega A sweet airy female voice blends with the strumming of a ukulele and floats through the vast stairway at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. The melody is coming from center stage, where Carbondale teen Riley Skinner is singing about growing up and leaving the nest: “And all birds must fly And all mothers cry Migrators must go Far from their homes But I’ll still sing with you” Riley, a senior at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, was rehearsing with dad Steve Skinner, who was playing guitar and singing backup, during a sound check. In just under two hours, they would be opening for nationally recognized folk and pop artists Patty Griffin, John Oates and Scott Miller for Oates’ “Stories Behind the Songs” series. Skinner’s song, “Migrators,” was selected by Broadcast Music, Inc., the world’s leading songwriting rights association, as one of the three local winners in the high school songwriting competition sponsored by Oates and Jazz Aspen Snowmass. The reward for young songwriters is a chance to perform their work as the opening act for big-name acts like Oates, Griffin and Miller. Aspen High School student Obadiah Jones and Glenwood Springs Middle School student Erica Arensman will have their chance to open on later dates. But February 15 was Riley’s moment under the lights on a stage commonly graced by Grammy-winning artists but one that has brought the 18-year-old back to her roots. When she was about 6, she sang at the Wheeler in her dad’s rock opera. “I was terrified. I was sitting on top of this cow [statue]. I was supposed to be a buttercup. … I’m pretty sure that audience was sold out. So it kind of has come full circle,” she said. RILEY on page 10
CRMS senior Riley Skinner rehearses during a sound check before opening for Patty Griffin, John Oates and Scott Miller on Sunday at the Wheeler Opera House. Photo by Trina Ortega
Carbondale Commentary
We’re an old cow town community, not a cute Cattle Creek theme park
Lately whenever I run into someone who still has a job and they ask me what I’m doing these days, I’m honest. I tell them that with the end of The Valley Journal and the lack of customer service positions in the classifieds, not a helluva lot, actually. I did join Facebook recently which takes up a lot of my time, and with the procrastination that always accompanies writing a book, I’m almost busy. I may have some extra time on my hands, but hey, at least I’m not planting homemade bombs around town. Whenever a member of our community dies, we all feel pangs of loss, sadness and remorse for what never was and now, never will be… unless of course, they commit suicide on New Year’s Eve in Aspen, then we try to sue their estate?! The negativity surrounding Jim Blanning’s death scares me. It’s scary enough that he felt compelled to go to such stunning lengths, but the way the town turned on one of their own is even scarier. With the exception of Johnny Boyd, I haven’t read anything even remotely close to compassion towards a man who was obviously an integral part of the crazy-history-tapestry of this By Jeannie Perry valley, as if crazy is contagious and everyone’s afraid to admit a connection. Fear’s a funny thing, not funny ha-ha but funny weird, like a virus that you can catch just by being in the same room as someone who’s already infected. Similar to the way you can’t help but pick up a trash mag you see lying on the table at your doctor’s office. You know, magazines like People and inTouch. While seeing pictures of stars with their $500 pants down always makes me feel better, it also creeps me out. Why would we want to know more about the lives of total strangers than we do about our neighbors? Does it cure our boredom to read about strangers’ misfortunes or does it actually add to the cold detachment of an overpopulated system? Either way, reading about famous people’s disappointingly averagely dramatic lives does not fill the gap of a local community rag. As much as we used to joke about The Valley Journal and how it should’ve been called What Your Kids Did This Week, it played an important part in gluing our town together; without local news it’s easy to lose sight of the locals. It takes a collective effort to run the village, and the whole village is responsible for both the ups and the downs. It’s when the community doesn’t band together in good times and bad that you find yourself in an empty town full of fancy dress shops. Most people can’t have everything they want, even in this valley. Some would say that’s because we don’t really know what we want, an affliction that’s unique to affluent white people who’ve lost a little bit of their soul — lost, traded, whatever you call it when you compromise yourself for money. This valley has given everything it has, and it’s still not enough. I honestly think they* won’t be happy until the whole valley looks like a life-sized Lego land full of parasol and picnic supply stores. (*They know who they are, and all I can say to them is: STOP THE WILLITIFICATION OF OUR TOWN!) The view of Mt. Sopris could’ve been spectacular from the treadmills at our onestory community center, but instead we’ll be looking at three or four-story commercial-below-residential before the end of the Mayan calendar. What I don’t understand is that the developers will always be there, waiting in the wings like wolves in hard hats “Get off my tail, Butthead!” — MC So what’s the rush? Why not slow down and take the time to do it right, i.e., hold off building more retail space until we have fewer empty storefronts around town. Let’s put our boots up on the desk, lean back with our hands behind our heads and think this thing through. With a little planning and preservation, our town could remain a great place to be, free from the likes of angry waiters and mad bombers. Maybe Carbondale doesn’t want to be like her rich up-valley stepsisters. We’ve been the butt-of-the-valley joke for so long (which was fine because it kept them all away) that to build brand-new three-story townhomes called Bonedale on the grave of a trailer court feels like betrayal. Not only betrayal to the spirit of this old cow town, but also to its crazy cast of characters. And let’s not kid ourselves; this will always be a cow town, no matter how much they try to dress her up like Little Bo Peep.
Ps & Qs
2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009
Letters Neighbors weigh in on Overlook Editor’s Note: This letter originally was addressed to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Dear Editor: The residents of Redstone Avenue and Dakota Court have drafted this letter that includes concerns and requests regarding the Overlook development that will back our homes. It has been stated in past P&Z meetings that our houses are “eyesores” and “dilapidated.” Perhaps what some of you don’t realize is that until a few years ago, a majority of these houses were long-term rentals. In the last few years all but one of the rentals have become home to young couples and families. All of us are trying to improve our homes and, in the process, our neighborhood. We have spent vast amounts of money and time to buy and fix up these once rundown homes. Before we jump into our concerns and requests, we would like to state that some of us are in favor of this project, while others are not. However, our concerns and requests are in the event that the project is approved. Our concerns: • Quite honestly, many of us prefer the current industrial area that gives us privacy in our backyards, as well as our homes. Yes, there is vehicular traffic, pedestrian traffic, and a great deal of activity in the industrial park, but it is more peaceful than you might think. On the other hand, what we don’t have behind us is barking dogs, cars angling for limited alley parking, and loud parties. Most importantly, we don’t have buildings over 24 feet high peering directly into our yards and homes. • All of our homes have master bedrooms, living rooms, and/or great rooms
facing south with windows and sliding glass doors that currently frame Sopris. These are the same doors and windows that people across the street would look directly into as they block our amazing views from Sunlight Peak to Sopris and past the Crown. • There has been much talk of “connectivity” and “flow.” However, this talk seems to focus on how the Overlook will feel and be perceived by the south side of town and not from the north. The current plan will create a Great Wall effect with an entire street of two-story buildings rising from the current Merrill Avenue. For homeowners and pedestrians alike, who use Merrill to access Delaney Park and downtown, this will create both a visual and social feeling of separation rather than connectivity. In order to create continuity and maintain our privacy, we feel that all houses across from us should be single family, detached homes, no taller than the current house across the street from it. These homes could then transition to taller, denser housing towards the center of the project. This gradual transition would preserve some view and privacy for current homeowners and aid in the visual and social flow between the two developments. We would like this to be included as a requirement for the approval of rezoning for this project. Thanks not only for your consideration but also for your hard work concerning Carbondale’s future! Sincerely, Scot Barnhill, Heather Fox, Brent Hayes, Silverio Sanchez, Walt And Susie Burger, Lucas and Susan Raines’ Kelly and Chris Tezanos, Devin and Elise Gardner
MORE LETTERS page 8
Sopris Sun THE
The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 nonprofit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation, P.O. Box 1582, Carbondale, CO 81623. The mission of the Sopris Sun, LLC is to inform and inspire community members of Carbondale, Colorado. Editor: Trina Ortega • news@soprissun.com Reporter: Jeremy Heiman Advertising representatives: Jody Ensign 948-9715 and Patty Phelan 963-4125 Sopris Sun, LLC Managing Board of Directors: Russ Criswell • Peggy DeVilbiss • Allyn Harvey • Colin Laird Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips • Rebecca Young Sopris Sun, LLC • P.O. Box 399 • Carbondale, CO 81623 • www.soprissun.com
P&Z balancing Carbondale’s development ideals and reality
By Trina Ortega Sopris Sun editor
Small group discussions
The Carbondale Planning & Zoning Commission is continuing to put the brakes on two important downtown development projects to weigh how zoning allowances for those projects will affect the rest of downtown. Under consideration for months have been the high-density Overlook project in the industrial area north of Town Hall along Merrill Avenue and the Town Center development near Sixth Street and Colorado Avenue. Both projects have forced the commission to take a second look at building height, density, parking, and commercial and residential building standards in the downtown core. The Town Center project already had been put on hold while P&Z establishes procedures that could allow significant zoning changes in areas that border Main Street between Snowmass Drive and Highway 133. Those changes are wrapped into what’s now being called the Downtown Overlay District, or the “Overlay.” Public hearing on both the Overlook project and the Overlay will continue at the March 12 P&Z meeting. “There are things here before the planning commission that could have a fairly significant impact on the downtown area,” said Doug Dotson, community development director. Dotson said the commission is thinking through all of the ramifications and posing the question: “Will it invigorate the downtown or create consequences we don’t want later on?” “How do we get the good and not too much of the bad? How do we maintain our small-town atmosphere but also develop it so it’s not a bunch of empty lots?” asked P&Z member Ben Bohmfalk. “I would say that I think probably everybody in Carbondale loves Main Street. Our downtown is part of why they moved here and stay here … for the fact that it’s not just another undefined place in suburban American.” Bohmfalk acknowledged that the P&Z is dealing with some challenging questions. He added that smart development — the kind that also provides community benefits, such as affordable housing and open space — should be encouraged. Yet he expressed concern that with so many restrictions, some developers might be dissuaded from building more affordable units or could forgo building altogether.
and also is a huge line item in developers’ budgets. Expensive underground parking, a limit on parking space allowed based on lot size and number of spaces per unit likely will push parking to the outlying areas. “They’re going to have to figure out unique ways to deal with their parking,” Dotson said of the developers. While P&Z member Bohmfalk has stated that tightening the parking requirements could help reduce dependence on automobiles, neighbors to the south of Main Street are not convinced. “I think organizing for cars is utterly important,” stated Nancy Clough at the February 12 meeting. “People are still going to try to crowd into the streets and it’s ugly. Our charming town would become not so charming.” Another important question for the downtown area is building height. Building height is capped at 35 feet under current code, but it may be increased to 42 feet. Neighbors from the Colorado Meadows subdivision, immediately north of the Overlook, expressed concerns at the February 12 meeting related to building heights that would create what they describe as a “Great Wall,” inhibiting views and connectivity to downtown. Those residents, whose houses border the northern boundary of the Overlook, have asked P&Z to require the houses across from them be single-family, detached homes that could “transition to taller, denser housing towards the center of the project,” states a group letter submitted to P&Z.
The parking hurdle
The comp plan goals
The Town Center, the larger Overlay zoning consideration and the Overlook are bringing to a head one of the biggest hurdles: parking. It’s a problem for existing residents to the south and the north of downtown
Dotson expressed the need to keep the “bigger vision” in mind while considering new standards. He said the town’s comprehensive plan addresses many concerns and outlines the community’s growth goals.
Smart growth: How does a community preserve its small town character while encouraging economic vitality? Photo by Trina Ortega
Those goals include: • Promote a compact growth pattern. • Promote diversity of housing types that encourage density close to original town site. • Create a Density Bonus Overlay Zone to encourage greater density within ½ mile of Main Street. • Promote mixed use [buildings] to encourage energy-efficiency and reinvigorate the downtown core. • Second- and third-story residential with incentives such as increased residential density. • Encourage higher density housing near transit. • Develop regulations to promote mixed-use and provide low-cost live/work situations. • Ensure that scale and phasing does not increase population beyond the town’s ability to support. “How these things fit into the overall solution, I don’t think anybody knows yet. But those are the things the planning commission is trying to look at,” Dotson said. “I think what the planning commission is trying to figure out is are the positive implications going to outweigh the negative.”
As a way to help citizens feel more comfortable speaking out about the important zoning changes being considered for the Overlay, town staff conducted round table discussions during the January 29 P&Z meeting. Dotson distilled the discussion into the following overarching comments listed below. 1. Some additional density is acceptable. 2. Smaller affordable units, where “real people” can live, are important. 3. Places for permanent residents are also important. 4. Provide affordable commercial spaces. 5. Additional height may be acceptable, keeping in mind adverse impacts. 6. Do not allow more than three stories even if additional height is allowed. 7. Parking must be addressed. • Encourage underground parking • Is there a need for a structure? • Developers should contribute to the solution 8. Create/contribute to quality public spaces.
The Next Step Planning & Zoning Meeting 7 p.m. March 12 • Town Hall Downtown Overlay zone district and Overlook Development Continued public hearing on the Overlay (regarding parking, building heights, commercial and residential building standards in downtown Carbondale) and Overlook (mixed use development with up to 220 residential units and 40,000 square feet of commercial space north of Town Hall). Meeting will be televised on Channel 12 The next P&Z meeting is Feb. 26, when the commission aims to make a recommendation on the Thompson Park development, which calls for 30 to 100 residential units on 10 acres on south Highway 133 between Hendrick Ranch and River Valley Ranch. This meeting will be aired on Channel 12.
Buses to return to downtown Carbondale RFTA buses will soon be serving the bus stop at the swimming pool. Work started Feb. 12 on the curbings that have prevented buses from using two downtown intersections since last summer. The project includes removal of the bulb-out at Main and Sixth streets and reduction of the size of the bulb-out at Colorado Avenue and Sixth, said Town Manager Tom Baker. The town built the bulb-outs as part of its streetscape plan for downtown beautification. The bulb-outs are intended to reduce the time pedestrians are exposed
to traffic while crossing the street, making the downtown more pedestrianfriendly. But they also made it difficult or impossible for full-length RFTA buses to turn at those intersections, which are on the former bus route, when other traffic is present. Because RFTA officials were apprised of the plan to create bulb-outs and did not object until after the work was done, the agency has promised to pay for the curbing alterations. Baker said the buses will resume service on the downtown route as soon as the work is done. THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009 • 3
Scuttlebutt Relay For Life top in nation The 2009 Roaring Fork Valley Relay For Life held in Carbondale and the Rifle Relay For Life fundraisers for the American Cancer Society won the national award for the most money raised per capita by county. The relays raised $127,000 and $156,000, respectively. With a county population of approximately 51,425 that equals $5.47 per person. The second place winner in the U.S. was Lenoir, N.C., with a per capita average of $4.86. During the Relay For Life, participants walk through the night in honor of cancer survivors or in memory of those lost. The next Roaring Fork Relay will be Aug. 7-8 at the running track at the middle school, with an informational kick-off event April 16. To participate, call event chair Linda Hoffman at 963-0601 or email rfrelay@sopris.net.
Help clear a hurdle Roaring Fork High School needs a couple of experienced track stars to help coach the school’s track team this spring. These are paid positions. Contact Greg Holley at 3845753 for all the details.
Welcome Sopris Sun! 7iÊ Êv ÀÜ>À`ÊÌ Ê ÃÕ«« ÀÌ }ÊÌ iÊ >ÀL `> iÊ
Õ ÌÞÊÜ Ì ÊÞ Õt Congratulations from the ȵɉȨȽȐ ǸȽȰ ǸɑǾɄȽȇǸȵȐ LɜǸп
ÜÜÜ°> « iL> °V äÎxäÊ } Ü>ÞÊ£ÎÎÊÊUÊÊ >ÀL `> iÊÊUÊÊ Çä ÈÎ Îä{ä i LiÀÊ
4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009
Smokin’ Brooms sweep league The Smokin’ Brooms defended their title in the Carbondale Broomball League this winter. They’ve now won the last three years running, and they finished the regular season with four wins and one tie. Carbondale recreation xxx Jessi Rochel reports that the Brooms battled for the win against the Shenanigans in the championship game Feb. 4 at the Carbondale Ice Rink. The Brooms took it 1-0, with the goal happening just three minutes before time ran out. The team consisted of Bree Wilson, Gage Reese, Coley Campbell, Lissa Pabst, Ryan Lahti, Charlie Lawson (MVP of the Game), Bryce Halverson, Chris Woods and Jason Spotts.
Housing support comes home Mountain Regional Housing Corporation (MRHC) has moved back to Carbondale to better serve those who use the services, according to Director Janet L. Rippy. The new offices are at 345 Colorado Ave., Suite 105 (the new building
on Colorado Avenue near Fourth Street). An arm of the Carbondale Housing Authority and a Community Housing Development Corporation, MRHC is composed of volunteer citizens whose goal is to preserve and create balance in the community through affordable housing. For more information about upcoming workshops and services, call 704-9801, email janet@housingcommunity.org or log on to www.housingcommunity.org.
Birthday wishes Mom, Dad and Jessica send a special wish to their Ross Montessori fourthgrader, Andrew Kollar on his 10th birthday this month.
No hidden magic, he’s a star A slightly lesser known academy flies just in the shadow of its bigger glitzier cousin. The Academy of Magic Arts-Hollywood is based at the Magic Castle, a private nightclub in Hollywood for magicians. It, too, awards the best and brightest in the magic industry. Local entertainer Doc Eason recently received word that the academy has once again nominated him for Closeup Magician of the Year. "I am just flattered and honored to be on the same list as these guys who are all my friends," says Doc, who will travel to Hollywood on March 8 for the ceremony.
Deveny wins scholarship CRMS senior Robert Deveny has been selected as a recipient of the 2009-2010 Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship. This award, funded through The Comcast Foundation, recognizes high school seniors from Comcast communities for commitment to community service, academic achievement and demonstrated leadership. To acknowledge these accomplishments, recipients receive a one-time grant of $1,000. Congratulations, Rob!
CORRECTION: Last week’s Third Street Center story mistakenly stated that the project is fully funded. Funding is still being pursued. We regret the error.
Bonedale Biz Movies help us feel like millions during recession By Allyn Harvey Community Correspondent Look at just about any mainstream news outlet these days and you’ll find that they’re all serving up the same dish of conventional wisdom that America loves movies in tough economic times. The New Yorker, for instance, says box office receipts have improved in six of the last seven economic downturns. Time Magazine says it’s been good for movie moguls in five of seven recessions. If you go to the movies at all around here, you’ve probably noticed things hopping lately. Bob and Kathy Ezra at the Crystal Theatre here in Carbondale said that until recently, their business was slower than they’re used to, mostly because there wasn’t a lot of buzz about the movies they were showing. “I think it comes down to the movie,” Kathy says. The slow summer and fall at the Crystal turned around in recent weeks with titles like “Doubt,” “The Reader,” “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” and, currently, “Slumdog Millionaire.” The takeaway is that good movies do more to fill seats than tough times. Indeed, it’s difficult to buy into the idea that people are giving up two or three hours of their day because it’s the only way they can think of to escape hard times. Between the great outdoors, the electronic indoors (Internet, TiVo, etc.) and a handful of great pubic gathering spots in town (coffee shops, restaurants, bakeries) there are plenty of escapes here from the burden of our times. “I don’t believe the recession has one thing to do with our attendance right now,” Bob says.
Kathy and Bob feel well-positioned to get through the current downturn. They’ve got a great relationship with their landlord, and their other costs are generally low. Prudent management has allowed them to keep prices low as well. Tickets are $7.50, and concessions are in the $1.50-3.50 range, which feels reasonable compared to the chain outlets and multiplexes that charge considerably more for a seat and a bucket of popcorn. “I think we’ll be OK, because we’ve strived to keep our prices down,” Kathy says. A good product at a reasonable price – now there’s a way to do business.
Carbon monoxide monitors required in Carbondale By Jeremy Heiman The Carbondale trustees approved an ordinance Feb. 10 requiring carbon monoxide detectors in all existing and new residences. The town government will not, however, be inspecting everyone’s home to see whether they are in compliance. The provisions of the ordinance apply to all new residential construction and to all additions and remodels of residence that require a building permit. Residents may install CO detectors that are either battery powered or 110-volt alternating current models that have a battery backup. The devices must be centrally located in an area outside one or more bedrooms, and one must be installed inside any bedroom
where there is a gas-burning or wood-burning heater in the bedroom. In new construction, the town will require that CO monitors be hard-wired into the building’s electrical system. In remodels, hard-wired installation will only be required if finishes are removed from walls or ceilings making wiring available. Asked whether the town’s CO monitor regulation would become irrelevant if and when the state legislature decides to require monitors, Town Attorney Mark Hamilton said, “State regulation would not supersede municipal regulation that is more strict.” The measure passed 5-0 with Mayor Michael Hassig and trustee Frosty Merriott absent.
Congratulations and welcome to the Sopris Sun. Best of luck for your future. We are glad to have you in town. The staff and management at the Pour House Saturday, February 21 8:30 to 10:30 pm 3 incredible guiatrists from the Roaring Fork Valley play together for the first time:
Bobby Mason, Geoffrey Morris and David Harding Acoustic classic rock and blues $5 donation requested.
351 MAIN STREET, CARBONDALE • 963-3553 THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009 • 5
Fizzles, pops, and a lot of ‘Gee, whiz’ at Ross science fair By Cindy Blachly Community Correspondent Aspiring scientists wowed the crowd with “Fantastic Foam” and “Bending Bones” last week at Ross Montessori School’s first science fair. Students, parents and teachers packed into the Ross Montessori School (RMS) common room Feb. 11 to test the mechanics of a catapult, witness a geyser eruption and check out the wall-to-wall maze of 35 science experiments presented by firstthrough eighth-graders “Next year, Town Hall,” said Mark Grice, head of school, to the assembled families, commenting on the absence of elbowroom. “At least our first science fair wasn’t just three students setting up experiments in an empty room,” he quipped. Bruce Gabow, aka “Mr. Science,” can be credited with some of the hubbub over “hypothesis” at RMS. Donning his trademark white lab coat, Gabow visits RMS each month with powders, liquids and lesson plans sure to capture the imagination and attention of grade school students. “I get to do the ‘Gee Whiz’ stuff. Lacy Anne Grice with her science project Teachers are jealous. I never have to Photo by Summers Moore deal with behavioral problems,” Gabow said. One favorite experiment is “Fizzle, Pop!” which includes Alka-Seltzer tablets, water and a film canister. “The lid shoots off way past the roof. The kids just love it,” he laughed.
After teaching science to second-graders at Aspen Country Day School for 13 years, Gabow decided to go out on his own eight years ago and currently teaches his science program to 1,400 students each month from Aspen to Carbondale. “My goal is to get kids excited about science. The whole program centers on teaching the scientific method in an integrated manner with reading, writing and math.” Scientific exploration and discovery are also an integral part of the Montessori philosophy. “Analyzing a problem, coming up with critical questions and doing research starts in kindergarten and continues through the entire curriculum,” Grice said. “Also, the idea of kids working on things themselves, self-reliance, is emphasized. It showed up in the quality and breadth of the entrants.” Science fair projects are so much fun, parents often get a little carried away “helping out” and end up running away with their child’s project. To help parents curb that well-meaning desire, Grice and lower-elementary teacher Mandi Prout devised the Three S’s — Spelling, Supplies and Safety. “Parents can only help with those three things,” Prout said. The rest is up to the kids. Gabow shares the sentiment: “Everybody loves science, if it’s done right.”
We are here for you! We are here when: the economy is good or bad, you are ill or well, the weather is good or bad. We are here for you when: you need a great movie, you need a donation, you need cheering up, you need to be scared, you need to be thrilled. We have been here in the Carbondale community for over 25 years! Thank you so much for supporting all local businesses. Sopris Shopping Center, Carbondale 963-1303 www.myvideostore.com/soundseasyvid 6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009
Radio broadcasting pumps up the volume in student confidence By Stacy Stein Community Correspondent
Leslie Gonzales and Lorena Delgadillo broadcast their program in Spanish at the KDNK studios. Photo by Stacey Stein
The Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program (AZYEP) gives youth in the Roaring Fork Valley a rush of a different kind. Through an accredited Radio Broadcasting class, the program provides students with interviewing, public speaking and audio production skills. The semester-long high school class culminates with the broadcast of RUSH – Radio Under Student Hands. In its debut last fall, the final show included a remote broadcast, a live interview, an in-studio musician, pre-recorded segments about alcohol, newscasts and a community calendar. The two-hour program was produced, engineered and hosted by the students. “I feel more comfortable interviewing people now, so that’s a big plus in another area of my life. I’m usually very shy but after this class I feel like I can walk up to just about anyone to interview them,” said Tony Mendez, a student in the class last semester. The second semester of Radio Broadcasting is underway, and the class will air its two-hour final radio program in May. AZYEP is now enrolling high school students for next semester’s Radio Broadcasting class. This accredited class is available to students from Basalt, Roaring Fork, Glenwood, Yampah and Bridges high schools. Students can register for either semester when they register for classes for next year. AZYEP partners with local schools and KDNK to teach this class. Each semester, 10 students from area high schools are learning marketable skills, gaining valuable teamwork, and cross-cultural understanding through the hands-on experiential education offered in this class. Sponsors help fund the Radio Broadcasting class, which is available to students at no charge. AZYEP’s sponsors include the Chinook Fund, City of Aspen, Town of Carbondale and Pitkin County, Valley View Hospital Foundation, the Pour House and Aspen Springboard. Founded in 2000, AZYEP’s mission is to develop leadership, multiculturalism and identity by providing training and opportunity to youth in community broadcasting. The program provides educational and experiential programs that have lasting positive effects on youth by raising self-esteem and skill levels, as well as building bridges between the Anglo and Latino communities. Radio broadcasting promotes lasting cross-cultural understanding by exposure to a variety of ideas and viewpoints from each culture. Find out more at www.radioevolution.org. Contact Stacy Stein or Steve Skinner at KDNK, 963-0139 for more information.
THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009 • 7
Letters $25 Million dog park Dear Editor: While not a journalist, I believe the real news story on Tuesday’s Board of Trustees (BOT) vote on Carbondale Nature Park would have been better captured by the headline “Carbondale Spends $25 Million on Dog Park.” The 33-acre park is a very valuable asset to this community and I believe there are as many possible recreational uses for the park as there are taxpayers who provided funds for the land acquisition. By officially declaring it an offleash dog park, the BOT ignored the master plan, which, while outdated, does represent the community consensus of record. Several months ago, the BOT also declined to update the master plan, citing the $10k cost associated with a survey. Whether you agree or not with the decision, my issue is with the process at reaching the decision. For a $25 million asset, I believe we need a master plan, or any suitable alternative that reflects a broad consensus on the prioritization of all possible uses. If the BOT needs time to update the consensus, then the dog park could have been made temporary. If the BOT wanted to acknowledge that there are other possible uses for the park, then a portion of the 33 acres could have been
set aside for a dog park. Neither happened, even after a rigorous debate by the BOT. Kathy Small Carbondale
Prudent growth and density Editor’s Note: This letter originally was addressed to Carbondale’s mayor and trustees, Planning and Zoning Commission, town manager, and town staff.
Dear Editor: Currently Carbondale does not have any growth management plan. There is no legal means to control the rate of growth, and the amount of growth seems to currently be fairly unbridled with density becoming more favored by developers and town officials. P&Z is soon to be in the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan for our town. I believe it would be prudent during this time of economic downswing to be proactive by establishing legislation to deal with growth rate and allowable degree of density, so that when the economy picks up again and development once again begins to flourish, that rather than be in crisis mode as in the past, we have a plan in place before the fact. Over the past 30 years, and most recently in 2007, surveys of Carbondale residents have consistently shown that the number one item of concern is
Real Estate Specialists Since 1975
7200 Highway 82
916 Grand Avenue
2700 Gilstrap
CUT COSTS BY SUB LEASING 1. Valley View Business Center — Hwy. 82 Visibility & High Traffic Count, Central Valley Location, Retail/Warehouse, 1700 Sq.Ft. – $15 + NNN CARBONDALE 2. Walking Traffic and Highway 82 Exposure at 9th and Grand in Downtown GLENWOOD SPRINGS. Retail/Office, Storage, Bath, Kitchen, 1700 Sq.Ft. – $15 + NNN 3. Waterfront, 1st Floor Office on Roaring Fork River at the WEST GLENWOOD SPRINGS I-70 Exit by Dairy Queen. Exclusive space, gorgeous views, 2600 Sq.Ft. – $17 + NNN
Linda Wylie cell 970.618.4598 office 970.704.1515 ext. 135 lwylie@The FleisherCompany.com
8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009
995 Cowen Dr., Ste. 201 Carbondale, CO 81623 www.The FleisherCompany.com
preservation of small town character. In the most recent survey, the greatest number of respondents to the question regarding preference for growth rate stated that they want not only slow growth, but qualified it by asking for less growth than the current rate. The third item of greatest concern was traffic circulation and mobility. During the Roadmap process discussions, an annual growth rate of 2 percent was deemed to be a rate that can be absorbed in a healthy fashion. With a population of approximately 3,000 in 1990, and a current estimated population of 6,000 in 2008, Carbondale has exceeded that rate by more than twice as much, coming close to a 5 percent growth rate!
A 2 percent growth rate from 1990 would have resulted in a current population of only 4,200. I believe that at the beginning of the process to revise the Comp Plan, the town should look at the residential development that has actually been built since 1990, the number of units that have already been approved and are not yet built, and the numbers of units that are being requested in current applications. Careful evaluation should be done of all the impacts of the increased population since 1990 with projections of further impacts on quality of life, demands on services, costs and revenues, etc. Laurie Loeb Carbondale
Mt. Sopris Eye Care Personal indiviualized care in a professional setting
Dr. Andy A. White Optometrist, P.C. Certified Therapeutic Optometrist
New Patients, Walk-ins & Children of All Ages Welcome • Full Service Optical • Glasses and Contacts • Lasik Comanagement
• Cataract Comanagement • Foreign Body Removal • Diagnosis of Eye Disease
Frames R Us! We have the Hottest Styles! 1150 Hwy. 133 • Mountain View Plaza • Carbondale, CO • 963-4187
Aspen Stage teams with Thunder River to present comedic ‘Parallel Lives’
On Stage Who: TRTC and Aspen Stage What: “Parallel Lives” When: Feb. 19-22, Feb. 26-28 Where: TRTC, 67 Promenade, downtown Carbondale Tickets: $15 to $20/adults, $8 to $10/high school students. Info and tickets: 963-8200 or www.thunderrivertheatre.com.
By Lon Winston TRTC Artistic Director
Peggy Mundinger, left, and Wendy Perkins star in “Parallel Lives,” which celebrates women and men’s diversity of perspectives, wisdom and experiences. Photo by Steve Mundinger
When Thunder River Theatre Company (TRTC) was faced with unexpected health emergencies, the company members had to cancel the February production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” When it came to finding a replacement show, however, the solution was obvious: The popular “Parallel Lives,” an award-winning comedy that pokes fun at controversial topics. Besides being a highly entertaining play with non-stop laughs, this production of “Parallel Lives” was originally developed by TRTC’s close friends at Aspen Stage. In November 2006, “Parallel Lives” played two nights at TRTC for a Carbondale Clay Center fundraiser. It was so well-received, that under these circumstances, a revival seemed like a perfect solution for TRTC. Brad Moore (“Parallel Lives” director and TRTC’s lighting and sound designer)
and Aspen Stage actors were excited about bringing the production back to the TRTC stage. Wendy Perkins and Peggy Mundinger headline the show. These talented artists have been seen in recent TRTC productions, as well. Perkins was outstanding as Ethel, Norman’s wife, in “On Golden Pond.” Mundinger touched audiences deeply in TRTC’s production of “Quilters.” Moore rendered the difficult role of the Cook in TRTC’s “Mother Courage.” TRTC is grateful to these theater artists for their willingness to help TRTC on such short notice. “Parallel Lives” was first produced at Second Stage in New York in 1986 and is a montage of scenes that depict various women and men and their response to the circumstances of their lives. It is, in many ways, a celebration of the diversity of perspectives, wisdom and experiences. The production of “Parallel Lives” by Moore and company won First Place at the Colorado Theatre Festival sponsored by the Colorado Community Theatre Coalition in 2006. “Parallel Lives” also was the People’s Choice and both actresses won Best Actress — a first at the festival. Moore received an award for outstanding direction, and the production was recognized for technical excellence. It went on to represent Colorado at the Region 7 Festival of the American Association of Community Theatres. The show does contain adult situations and language.
Ladies Unique Boutique 402 Seventh, Suite 1B Glenwood Springs In the Hotel Denver 970.945.0990 THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009 • 9
Riley Skinner
KDNK kicks off membership drive
from page 1
Although she has played and sang on home ground at CRMS coffeehouses and in the intimate confines of Steve’s Guitars, Sunday’s show was the first time she was performing her own work in front of such a large audience. “It was also not an audience made up of my peers. It was a paying audience,” she said. “Those are people who came to see Patty and John, and they had to see me.” During the sound check, Riley — a fair-skinned, green-eyed girl whose sandy brown curly hair is adorned with natural feathery wisps — sounded confident and ready to carry her musical experience to new heights. The catchy, upbeat melody conjures up the image of a girl with wide, wondrous eyes soaring above the world. It’s simultaneously a song that pays homage to those who look over us, nurture us and prepare us for life. “I wrote it for my mom’s birthday and it was right before I was about to go to Ireland. She was going through an empty-nest sort of syndrome,” Skinner explained. Although a writer for much of her short life, she’d taken a formal songwriting course with CRMS teacher George Weber last year and had composed some tunes, including the winning composition. Before she left for her study-abroad
trip in August 2008, she worked in her dad’s studio to record the song. Riley left town and her father continued “producing her” by laying down accompaniment of accordion, guitar, drums and backup vocals provided by his bandmates in The Natives. Riley intentionally waited to share the song with her mom, “knowing me as well as she does, knowing that it was a really big deal to say goodbye for so long, because it was my first step into that realm [of letting go],” Skye Skinner said about her only child’s four-month trip abroad. Six weeks after Riley flew the coop for Ireland, Skye was a basket case. That’s when Steve played the song. “I loved it. It was beautiful. I was so honored by it,” Skye said. Music dominates the Skinner family, whether they’re on raft trips, sitting around the campfire, milling about the house, playing for Mountain Fair crowds, or taking the Carbondale Talent Show by storm. Riley knows music will always be a part of her life and as she heads off to college next fall, she may study music formally. She’s also interested in photography, reading and writing, anthropology, “something that gives me the opportunity to travel,” she said … and an opportunity to spread her wings and take flight on more adventures in life.
KDNK’s Spring Membership Drive kicks off Feb. 28 and runs through March 6. The theme of this year’s drive is “Connecting Community Since 1983.” Those who renew before noon Feb. 28 are eligible the Early Bird Drawing, which includes two passes to the JAS June festival, two nights in a one-bedroom condo at the Gant in Aspen and dinner for two at Takah Sushi. Winners will be announced March 2 on the air. Membership Drive events for the week include a concert with folk troubadour Todd Snider at 7:30 p.m. March 1 at Roaring Fork High School; Women's Arm Rastlin’ at 10 p.m. March 1 at Phat Thai; live broadcasts at the Carbondale Rotary Club Breakfast and with The Copathetic Cowboys at the Village Smithy and the Glenwood Brew Pub; and the Seuss-A-Palooza celebration of Dr. Seuss at Steve's Guitars. Call the station at 963-0139 or visit www.kdnk.org for more information.
SAILING INTO HIS 50’S blue heron forge
forging ideas into light franz froelicher artist/ smith
2211 delores way, carbondale, co 970-704-0804 (o) blueheronforge@sopris.net | www.blueheronforge.com
“The learning cycle, Imagine, Create, Play, Share, Reflect” Michael Resnick, “Scratch” @ MIT
“Scratch” @ MIT is National Science Foundation funded, Microsoft supported, and one of the several courses now being taught for the new CMS Afterschool Program.
ACCESS ROARING FORK is collaborating to provide the first comprehensive, school-based after school program in the Roaring Fork Valley. Please visit our website, www.accessrf.org or call us at 970-963-5646 for more information about our afterschool program and what it means for your children, regardless of the school they attend.
Plans are underway to expand our program and extend it to other valley schools. Join us now!
AFTERSCHOOL FOR ALL 10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009
YEAR OF JEFF starts with a
CHILLEBRATION Phat Thai • Phat Tuesday 2.24.09
Community Calendar Events take place in Carbondale unless noted. To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursdays.
Daily Planner FEBRUARY 19 • WORKSHOP The Colorado Mountain College Sustainable Living Series is designed for people who have an interest in green living and want to learn more. To register, call 945-7486 or 963-2172. The next workshop is “Residential Energy Savings,” with professional energy auditors Eileen Wysocki and Craig Tate from Holy Cross Energy, from 7-9 p.m., February 19 at the Lappala Center. Learn how best to save money on energy bills and track home energy use. FEBRUARY 19 • THEATER Thunder River Theatre Company and Aspen Stage present “Parallel Lives,” featuring Wendy Perkins and Peggy Mundinger and directed by Brad Moore, opening February 19 and running February 20-22 and February 26-28. (Due to unexpected circumstances, TRTC has canceled “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”) Written by Mo Gaffney and Kathy Najimy, “Parallel Lives” is a montage of scenes that depict various women and men and their response to the circumstances of their lives. All performances start promptly at 7:30 p.m., except
the Sunday matinee, which starts at 2 p.m. Visit www.thunderrivertheatre.com for tickets and info. FEBRUARY 19 • NATURALIST NIGHT Wilderness Workshop presents “Our Amazing Backyard Batcaves” as part of its Naturalist Night series. The presentation by Phil Nyland, biologist with the White River National Forest, Aspen-Sopris Ranger District, will be at 7 p.m. at Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. FEBRUARY 20 • MUSIC Topaz & Mudphonic returns to Carbondale for a live performance at 8:30 p.m. at Steve’s Guitars, 19 N. Fourth St. FEBRUARY 21 • MUSIC Three acoustic classic rock and blues guitarists play together for the first time at the Pour House 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. – Bobby Mason, Geoffrey Morris and David Harding. $5 donation requested at the Pour House, 351 Main Street.
FEBRUARY 22 • MOVIES The Redstone Art Foundation presents free movie nights. Flicks begin at 7 p.m. in the Osgood Room. Open to the public. Scheduled movie for February 22 is “Frida. FEBRUARY 22 • MUSIC Willy Porter performs live at Steve’s Guitars. Show begins at 8:30 p.m. FEBRUARY 23 • MEETING The Environmental Board, a voluntary board of the Town of Carbondale, meets at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall. FEBRUARY 24 • WORKSHOP The Institute for Civic Achievement presents the workshop “No-Cost Advertising” to create business marketing tools. The class will be from 6-9 p.m. at the Tamarack Building, 1001 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs. For the schedule, go to http://icainfo.org/ Schedule.html. For more information and to register, contact Tom Fleming at staff@icainfo.org.
FEBRUARY 24 • MUSIC Steve’s Guitars presents Tony Furtado at 8:30 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m.
FEBRUARY 25 • MEETING The Roaring Fork School District Board of Education will hold its regular bimonthly meeting at 4 p.m. February 25 at the District Office, 1405 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs. Meetings are held the second and fourth Wednesdays.
FEBRUARY 25 • MUSIC White House Pizza features live music every Wednesday night from 7-10 p.m. Upcoming on February 25 is the Carbondale-based female duo Tippets. FEBRUARY 25 • STORYTIME The Gordon Cooper Branch Library will host a special Bedtime Storytime with stories and hot cocoa at 6:30 p.m. February 25. Kids are invited to wear pajamas and bring a favorite teddy bear. For more information, call the library at 963-2889.
THROUGH FEBRUARY 26 • MOVIE At the Crystal Theatre on Main Street, “Slumdog Millionaire” continues nightly at 7:30, as well as a 5 pm showing on Saturday and Sunday.
GREAT TASTING TENDER BEEF Born and Raised on Grass in the Roaring Fork Valley
T-BONE STEAKS • RIB-EYE STEAKS • TENDERLOIN STEAKS • SIRLOIN STEAKS • ROASTS • BURGER Select Individual Cuts and 20 lb. Combination Boxes Available USDA Inspected PICK-UP AT A CONVENIENT DOWNTOWN CARBONDALE LOCATION
55 North 4th Street • 963-9996 THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009 • 11
Lady Rams dunk Hotchkiss
Sports
The Roaring Fork High School girls’ basketball team pulled off a major upset last Saturday against the Hotchkiss Bulldogs, winning 36-33. Alli Zeigel led the scoring drive with 14 points. Maria Flores (pictured at left) scored 4 points and Kathy Vega scored 3 points. Remaining games are: Boys: February 20 vs. Aspen at Aspen, 7 p.m., and February 21 vs. Coal Ridge at RFHS, 7 p.m. Girls: February 20 vs. Aspen at Aspen, 5:30 p.m., and February 21 Coal Ridge at RFHS, 4 p.m.
CRMS makes tracks at Sunlight The two Colorado Rocky Mountain School Off-Piste Ski Teams cleaned up the junior division at the 24 Hours of Sunlight ski race at Sunlight Ski Resort. As the only junior teams competing in the fourth annual race, they placed first and second in their division, and they also finished 23rd and 49th overall. The 10 students collectively skied 71 miles over the 24-hour period.
Holley. “Even when I was in Woodland Park, where they went to the state champ game, we only had three people who went on and signed letters of intent.” The Rams ended the 2008 season with a 5-5 record.
Tennis courts no match
Roaring Fork High Athletics Director Greg Holley has been running ragged trying to schedule tennis court use for the Rams girls’ tennis team. Coach Eileen Waski has been taking the girls to Snowmass Village to practice for the season that begins March 7 against Cedaredge at home. The RFHS courts located at the middle school are in poor shape and can host only a few matches. The athletic department receives no budget from the district, Holley said, so maintaining equipment is a challenge. Student athletes spend $75 per sport to participate, and remaining funds come from the gate at football and basketball games and the Booster Club. If you have other means to help the RFHS athletes keep their game on, contact Holley at 384-5753.
Rams to hit college gridiron
The Warriors rule
On Feb. 4, Roaring Fork High School athletes Ryan Weimer, Jon Araujo and Dana Holley signed letters of intent to play college football at Division II schools. Araujo and Holley both will play for Adams State College in Alamosa. A Rams defensive lineman, Araujo plans to major in physical therapy. Holley, a linebacker, will major in business and physical education. Rams QB Weimer is going to School of Mines in Golden and will major in mechanical engineering. “It’s pretty huge,” said Coach Greg
Carbondale’s local basketball star, David “Michael Jordan” Hayes, and nine other players on the Mountain Valley Developmental Warriors Basketball Team traveled to Mesa State College over the weekend to compete in the annual Special Olympics Regional Basketball Tournament. The Warriors were coached by Renee McCullough and the team finished fourth out of 21 teams. Hayes led the scoring for the Warriors with a total of 24 points, scoring 12, 8 and 4 points in the 3 games.
Unclassifieds EXECUTIVE OFFICE RENTAL Main Street Carbondale, fully furnished, reception, internet, easy access, parking. 379-4766. ROOMMATE WANTED, 1 bedroom with private bath in 2 bedroom townhome. Very near City Market in Carbondale. No smoking, no pets, $850/mo + util. 6 mo. lease. Call 970-366-6056.
Bring in this coupon
Peppino’s Stimulus Package 2 Slices Cheese Pizza & Small Soda $5.00
MERCHANDISER WANTED to service impulse buying program in two local supermarkets in Carbondale, El Jebel. Flex A.m. hours, part time permanent. Create flexible a.m. schedule approximately 6 hours a wee, hourly rate, paid training. 800-216-7909 x835 or apply at ataretail.com Job #5285.
For Lease In Carbondale Aspen Equestrian Est. 3 bed/3bath home with new hardwood floors, perfect condition, view, clubhouse, & pool behind. $2800/month Linda Wylie, The Fleisher Company 970 704-1515 or lwylie@thefleishercompany.com
963-2993 3HSSLQRV3L]]D&DUERQGDOH FRP
MORTGAGE LOANS Loan programs to fit your needs Peggy DeVilbiss Liberty Home Financial 963-9600 • cm@sopris.net 12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 19, 2009
Bringing you a taste of the country’s rich culinary heritage with a delicious variety of recipes. Painstakingly gathered from the royal kitchens of northern Nepal to the seaswept shores of southern India, these recipes offer a truly delighful Nepali experience. Hours: Lunch 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. • Dinner 5 - 10 p.m. 970-945-8803 6824 Highway 82 • Glenwood Springs www.nepalrestaurant.us.com • info@nepalrestaurant.us.com