Because every town needs a park, a library and a newspaper
Carbondale’s weekly
Lift me up
community connector
Volume 12, Number 45 | December 17 - 25, 2020
The ice rink in Redstone is a popular place for youngsters to learn to skate — with a little help. Photo by Sue Rollyson
BRANCHING OUT
By Geneviéve Joëlle Villamizar The hardest part is knowing which to do - the hustle to get in there, or the walk — so silent, you can hear the pulse in your own body. The former is spiked with adrenaline; with an anxious wanting and hope. The latter, drenched in adrenaline; an anxious wanting and hope! Hunting is such a mixed bag of emotions. Through the years, seasons, landscapes and species, highs have reaffirmed for me the gift of being human on Earth. Dismay or grief arise as often, tethered to my failures, or those of humanity. I came into fourth season rifle almost cocky this past November, having scouted the previous two weeks, predawn to dark on some of those days. Each footstep had carried me further from the grind of COVID, unemployment, and confinement down there in the valleys. Unencumbered, I got to explore mountainsides and meadows, arroyos and ridges, wearing what my daughter Juniper and I call our “wildlife goggles.” I taught her to “wear” them with me driving back roads when she was about 3: old enough to consider the wild animals around us, and the
Revelling in magnificence wildness in which she might spot them. Seven years later, her eyes are keen; the elation we share at seeing a creature in wildness… I was hoping for megadoses of this during my hunt. Opening morning, so much had already come to pass; confidence filled me. So much so, that my first incautious step from the private road onto the gravel shoulder of BLM scattered a small herd of very large ungulates — elk! In my first 15 minutes! I’d blown it, but was thrilled nonetheless, listening to their bodies ping the barb wire fence over and over, tracing the dispersal of cows and calves as they chirped and called through the dark, relocating one another. The explosion within was exhilarating, having been so close to such glorious and elusive wildness. I spent the next several hours doing “the walk,” so silently, I was able to reencounter them a multitude of times, feeling through glass lenses and my own beating heart, their caution, fortitude, hunger and connection. It will be a day to remember forever. The time continuum for pinyons and junipers differs from that of us; we’re frenetic. When I walk in the forest, I am surrounded by seeming stillness, and it’s a balm we all savor, right here on Red Hill, or the Lorax Trail. Beyond just “forest,” though, I participate in the stories of their individual and collectively rooted lives, ever-moving right before me. I pass by lovers entwined, and my heart swells. I see family synchronicity, and warmth
fills me. I see the very same striving and senescing we humans experience in different chapters of our lives. The trees and forests are in motion, living much as we do, with hopes, relationships, and most times, with an acceptance of “what is,” I too, hope to achieve in this lifetime. Hunting is “to look,” not solely to kill. Hunting is primarily everything just prior to that moment, even without that moment, and all of it matters. When I scout or hunt in my wildlife goggles, yet another dimension comes alive, from the expansive down to minutiae. And this is the richest part of hunting. It reminds me that I’m Homo sapiens in a web of life ineffably interconnected to the flora and fauna around me — I’m a part of this, alive. Society has reduced human life to a unit born to produce and consume. Hunting, I become more — whether I succeed or fail. Not so in society Failure is more often my reality. I’m self taught and don’t know many that hunt. So I go solo. (Did I mention I’m afraid of the dark?) On the last afternoon of the final day of season four, two and half miles in, I was facing darkness, regardless of success or failure. I had a meadow in mind and had to skirt a dense, dark north slope. Hunting the cloistered deeps freaks me out. Noticeably colder, my body tenses, giving dread an opening. What if I see an elk? A mountain lion? Can I still do it? Will I fail? What if I succeed? Can I handle it, still?
The pressure of silver winter sun fading to gold became unbearable. Saturated in feelings and thoughts, “the walk” soon bordered on “hustle.” Soft eyes sought silent pathways through the very plants I know so intimately as a landscape designer— snowberry, gambel oak, currants— but mostly mountain mahogany, a tenacious species evolved for rocky, thin soil. Mahogany’s prickly, dense nature would be an audible deterrent to most any predator, including me: I could feel elk. Through millennia, generations of elk and deer had crept through before me — on longer, thinner, more agile legs, seeking known stashes of water, food, cover. Caught in my mind was the question that cycles through endlessly, exhaustingly, from dawn to dusk: where are you now? Hope hovers tirelessly, too, in hunting. It front loads every curve, bend, shoulder and dip ahead. The alcove where a bull might bed down under snowcloaked oak and junies holding a late-day ray of sun. On a ledge, guarding his harem up above. In the green grass, accepting its role as fodder when all other plantlife slumbers below ground. I drew close to a saddle, a strategic crossroads for hunter and hunted. As the sun sank, drawing my hopes with it, I pushed through the mahogany, their tips, short and angry from years of grazing, grabbed at my down coat, windproof leggings, nylon backpack. Synthetic materials hissed in Continued on page 18
LETTERS You ain’t seen nothin’ yet Dear Editor: Have you noticed? Carbondale is growing. So is the valley. We are at the confluence of two rivers: but also of low interest rates, an inviting climate and lifestyle, and conducive zoning. “Vibrancy”! Carbondale did a comprehensive plan a few years back. The theme that came through was “keeping the small-town character.” For anyone moving here from L.A., New York, Miami, or Dallas this is a very small town. And most of us have come from someplace like that. I did, 50 years ago. Everything here was smaller, less crowded; and far less pretentious. I came to Carbondale from Snowmass Village in 1993. We loved it. Since then the town has tripled. But you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. We have a three-story residential building going up at the roundabout. Why three stories when not another building on Highway 133 is three stories? New zoning. Why right up against the roundabout when every other corner has the buildings pushed back? New zoning. The Sopris Shopping Center on 133 is
seeking approval for a replacement building that would also be three stories and contain some 70 residential units. Why? New zoning. The building would also be right up on the highway. There goes the view to the east. These residential units will experience the traffic noise (increasing) and the air pollution from traffic (increasing). Traffic pollution is linked directly to poor health. Why put new residential on a highway? New zoning. Almost no other residential is now on 133. A new lumber yard has been approved to sit north of the City Market. That business will generate significant amounts of new traffic on 133 from the roundabout to 82. A lumber yard is, by definition, a distribution business. Most of its business will be for projects outside Carbondale. Why this kind of business? New zoning. But you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Pat Hunter Carbondale
COVID-19 caution Dear Editor: The novel Coronavirus dealing death and
illness around the world requires caution on the part of every single person. There are so many possible symptoms and no two people have identical cases. My suggestion to all residents and visitors is if you have any of these symptoms, stay home and make an appointment for a test. You may have COVID if you have a: runny nose, sore throat, chills, fever, cough, congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, aching muscles, aching bones, fatigue or loss of taste or smell. Many people feel like maybe they have a cold or perhaps the stomach flu and may go to bed for a day or so but bounce back quickly and go out in the world again until they lose their smell and taste. Then they realize maybe what they have is COVID-19 and get a test after already spreading the virus around like confetti on New Year’s. This is no New Year’s party, it’s a virus that kills and impacts some for years. Aspen Valley Hospital and Valley View Hospital do testing as does Mountain Family Health at their clinics. There are free testing sites also in El Jebel, Carbondale and Glenwood (rfvcovidtest.com). Continued on page 20
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 • December 17 - December 25, 2020
Sincerest thanks to our
Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+
Email marilyn@soprissun.com for more information.
Jim Calaway, Honorary Chair Kay Brunnier Scott Gilbert Bob Young – Alpine Bank Peter Gilbert Umbrella Roofing, Inc. Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein Greg and Kathy Feinsinger Carolyn Nelson Jim Noyes True Nature Healing Arts Nicolette Toussaint Jill and Gary Knaus Megan Tackett Ken & Donna Riley Michelle & Ed Buchman CoVenture Lee Beck and John Stickney Deborah and Shane Evans Carly and Frosty Merriott
Legacy Givers
for including us in their final wishes. Mary Lilly
And all our SunScribers and community members for your support.
It truly takes a village to keep The Sun shining.
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 Executive Director Todd Chamberlin • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Graphic Designer: Ylice Golden Reporter: Roberta McGowan Delivery: Crystal Tapp Proofreader: Lee Beck Current Board Members
Linda Criswell • Klaus Kocher 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
The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible.
Celebrations and smiles go ring-a-ding ding
By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff
Whether you deck the halls, light the candles, celebrate the New Year or meditate at the end of 2020 and are just glad it’s gone, the holiday season remains a very special time in the Roaring Fork Valley. Throughout the area, spiritual leaders understand many people are feeling grateful for what they already have and are looking forward to a better 2021. For whatever religious calling you follow, note a variety of commemorations and special events are taking place in local communities.
Roman Catholic The Rev. Rick Nakvasi of the Roman Catholic St. Mary’s of the Crown and St. Vincent Roman Catholic Churches, whose parishioners refer to him as Fr. Rick, announced both churches are having more Christmas masses than normal so less people will attend each. Go to stvincentstmmary.com to sign up for the two Christmas Eve masses and also to see the full schedule of Christmas Day Masses in both English and Spanish. When asked what Christmas means to him, Fr. Rick referred to an explanation from Pope Benedict in 2006 who said, "God’s sign is simplicity. God’s sign is the baby. God’s sign is that He makes Himself small for us. This is how He reigns.� Beginning the Catholic church's liturgical year, Advent (from, "ad-venire" in Latin or "to come to") is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas.
Judaism Rabbi Emily Segal of the Aspen Jewish Congregation explained Chanukah is “the light to dispel the darkness.� The Jewish observance of Chanukah began Dec. 8 and continues to Dec. 18. Candles are lit each evening to commemorate rededication of the Holy Temple after the
Jewish people battled the Syrian-Greeks and what they believed was a miracle. All services and programs are currently online only, unless otherwise noted. Go to aspenjewish.org for the complete holiday schedule. Those wishing to following the Shabbat service with an online prayer book can go to ccarnet.org for the Mishkan T'filah, a prayer book prepared for for Reform Jewish congregations around the world by the Central Conference of American Rabbis Jewish congregations around the world.
Unitarian In Carbondale, the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist (TRUU) will celebrate the Winter Solstice for the tenth year as part of the congregation’s connection with the earth and the community. According to Christina Wenning, office assistant, TRUU’s gala solstice celebration honors the wisdom of pagan traditions as the seasons turn back toward the light and the sun. This year, the celebration will take place via Zoom and may include a nod to the Nordic god of skiing, skating and snow, Ullr. Contact truu.office@gmail.com for sign in information.
Episcopal The Rev. Kimberlee Law is the Partnership Vicar, the Episcopal Church in Garfield County which includes St. Barnabas, Glenwood Springs, St. John's, New Castle and All Saints, Battlement Mesa. She noted upcoming events will consist of a Service of Lessons and Carols online and a Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship at St. Barnabas, a brief outdoor service to hear the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke. Candles are provided. Masks and physical distancing will be required. Go to saintbarnabasglenwood.com for the full schedule.
Adee Briggs, 3, learns about Chanukah and lights the Menorah candles for the first time. Photo by Sue Rollyson
Sat & Sun | dec. 19-20 Load up on pies, cookies, jams, holiday breads, winter veggies, mushrooms and more! We are taking all possible public safety precautions to offer this festivity to the community and to support our local artisans and makers.
hours
Open 7 days a week!
Deck the Walls closes Christmas Eve at 2pm
Monday - Saturday | 10:00am - 5:00pm Sundays | 11:00am - 4:00pm
Holiday Market
 � �  � � �   € � ‚ �� ƒ � „ �  �   � €   � �
Protocols 8 shoppers allowed in each market at one time with separate entries and sanitizer stations. Be masked, be merry! Details available at: carbondalearts.com
76 S. 4th St. Carbondale, CO (970) 963-1680 THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 3
SCUTTLEBUTT School’s out
In the zone
Due to diminished staff capacity, Basalt, Roaring Fork, and Bridges high schools have all transitioned to distanced learning through winter break, which begins Dec. 18. Although Glenwood Springs High School also has confirmed cases of COVID-19, only affected cohorts are quarantining, with enough staff unaffected to provide sufficient supervision for the remaining students. All schools are expected to resume in-person learning after the break.
Trauma and Youth Specialist Courtney Dunn and Restorative Justice Coordinator Rami El Gharib joined the YouthZone staff this year to enhance service programs for youth and families in communities from Parachute to Aspen. El Gharib’s first few months with YouthZone have been spent improving and building the Restorative Justice program and helping LGBTQ+ youth who feel isolated in their communities. On top of refining procedures, he is also building a base of volunteers to sustain the Restorative Justice program. Dunn began her journey with YouthZone at 16 years old when she went through their program as a teenager. She rejoined the team to help youth and families through facilitated individual and group counseling. She also guides substance education and intervention appointments.
The pal in principal Crystal River Elementary School Principal Matthew Koenigsknecht has announced that he is stepping down as principal at the end of the school year. Koenigsknecht was hired as the CRES principal at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year. This position will be posted immediately. The Roaring Fork Schools always involves staff and community members in the process to hire school and department leaders.
Road to recovery Mind Springs’ Peer Recovery Coach Maggie Seldeen hosts an all-recovery support group at 6 p.m. every Wednesday night. An alternative to traditional 12-step groups, it is not a faith-based group and all who are interested in recovery are welcome to join the Zoom room. The holiday season can be a particularly hard time for many, especially this year, but there are multiple options for seeking support. Contact Maggie at 5315060 for more information.
In an ideal world The Art Base invites you to “StART Fresh”, a student exhibition in collaboration with the Basalt Regional Library. This is a call to all students ages 5-18, artist or not, to consider and make art about what a fresh stART looks like using the prompt, “My ideal world looks like…”. The exhibition will be viewable in person only Jan. 5 through 8 in the Charles J. Wyly Gallery (99 Midland Spur). This will only be available for viewing in person.
Hope for the future Kristin Page of Carbondale graduated from The University of Tampa on Saturday, Dec. 5. Page graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. The virtual commencement ceremony included 618 undergraduate and graduate candidates, which each received a personalized video commemorating their achievement.
Construction junction Santa convinced us to allow a little more time for Spruce up The Sun submissions. You can thank him as you drop off your kid's entry in the box outside 76 S. Fourth St. by Dec. 17. Photo by Will Grandbois
They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Aiden Knaus (Dec. 17); Ralph Wanner, Daisy Tena and Kathy Ezra (Dec. 18); Frances Lewis and Shirley Bowen (Dec. 19); Don Butterfield, Tyler Thompson, Terry Glasenapp and Prema Trettin (Dec. 20); Paula Fothergill (Dec. 21); Jerry Pluger and Carolyn, Jackson and Jessica Hardin (Dec. 22).
A pair of recently-constructed buildings at Colorado Mountain College Spring Valley have won a coveted Engineering News-Record regional award. ENR Mountain States has named the J. Robert Young Alpine Ascent Center and the Outdoor Leadership Center & Field House the Best Project for Higher Education/ Research in 2020.The project, nominated by Haselden Construction, was selected from 138 entries across seven states. Incidentally, Registration is now underway for spring classes — visit coloradomtn.edu to matriculate.
Steve’s Guitars Holiday Stream
Valle Musico Dec 1 t at 7: 8 h 30pm
v e e t ’ s S L ’ i n v i e S m tream a e r t S at GrassRootstv.org
Steve’s Guitars 4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
Scan to Attend!
The Colorado Media Project
has selected The Sopris Sun to receive matching grant funds up to $5,000 until Dec. 31st from individual supporters.
Will be matched for gifts of $1,000 or less. Schedule your GIFT through Colorado Gives
Soprissun.com/donate For more info contact Todd Chamberlin | todd@soprissun.com | 970-510-0246 The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible. THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 5
OUR TOWN
If you know of someone who should be featured in “Our Town,� email news@soprissun.com or call 510-3003.
Rodriguez mends social and literal fabrics Interview and translation by Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Correspondent
Silvia Rodriguez. Courtesy photo Silvia Rodriguez is originally from las sierras of Chihuahua, MĂŠxico, a southern continuation of our Rocky Mountains. Her work as a seamstress began at the age of eight and introduced her to a love of theater. Silvia now owns and operates Madre Selva in Carbondale, repairing, altering, and creating clothing. She has produced several puppet theater productions locally and participated once in the Green is the New Black Fashion Show.
Q: How did you first begin sewing, Silvia? A: It began at the age of 8. My family is very large. My mother gave birth to 13 children and nine of us survived. I'm the eldest of the daughters, so at the age of eight I learned to make clothing for the first doll in the house which was given to my younger sister. It went so well that I started to make clothes for my sisters! Skirts and very simple things that a nine-year-old girl could make. Q: And when did it become your profession? A: I left my parents' home at the age of fourteen and began to work in the factories of Ciudad JuĂĄrez. It was strange, I don't know where the ability came from. Very young, I was managing people at the age of 18. I learned methods of production there and, at the age of 22, I started to sew professionally for a theater company called TetĂc MĂŠxico. I made clothing for children's stories, classic stories with original costumes and original scripts. My friend Karmina Lozano is a writer and directed the project. I worked there for twenty years designing the costumes and as an actress. Q: Have you continued your love of theater here? A: It's been complicated here because of the language. I was always searching for the way to do theater. It
"Cuentos para narrar en noches tormentosas" produced by TetĂc MĂŠxico with costumes by Silvia Rodriguez. Courtesy photo was challenging so I decided to make kept “adopting.â€? Upon discovering puppets and had a small stage built. that we have the same worries, that That way, I could do productions we like theater, and love literature... in my language. Later, people here it was very easy! Everything emerged offered to help me translate these into spontaneously, like a game. When English. The first of our presentations Carlos saw that I was doing puppet was only in Spanish. It's called TobĂas theater, he loved the idea and we y su pueblo and we performed it at the started to rehearse TobĂas y su pueblo. libraries in Rifle and Paonia. It's one of Karmina's plays about a boy Q: Could you share about your who is illiterate. experience of immigrating and Later, I met Alejandra Rico at the forming new relationships? How is library. I went to read to the children it done? in Spanish and she enchanted me A: It starts with “adoptingâ€? from the very first day. I was in need someone. Our friends are our chosen of a hug, you know? She told me that family. First, I met Juan Mata, one people need at least fifteen hugs per of my “adopted sons,â€? and through day and she gave me three hugs, one Juan I met Carlos Herrera and I just prolonged, and entered into my heart.
She introduced me to Erik Soria and Beto Mendoza and together we formed a theater company called El Colectivo with Carlos. Q: What of El Colectivo? A: There's a play that I'd like to produce called El tren de los desconocidos. It seems like an important one to me because it reveals the way that so many Latinos arrived to this place. Everything that happens to the people, what they live, and all that die in the attempt... pursuing well being for their families. Q: Tell us about your business here in Carbondale... A: It is called Madre Selva. My son chose the name because I am a mother and “Silvia� means selva (Jungle). I do repairs and alterations, anything that involves sewing. My specialty is very complicated jobs. I love challenges. Madre Selva is located in La Fontana Plaza (in Carbondale), number 600 on the second floor. I've been there for six years and receive the work of others locally. I also design and fabricate clothes. Appointments are not needed, people should just bring the necessary measurements and a face-covering. I'm there from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. When someone needs a different time, we can talk and organize an appointment. My English is lacking but my work is excellent.
Beautiful Poinsettias • Wreaths • Garlands & Greens for decking the halls • Unique Ornaments & DÊcor
Find y r “best Chris as ee e r� at the Chris as Sh pe
Come see our spectacular lights Take family photos in our festive settings Warm up by the ďŹ re (socially distanced) Take a family wagon ride around the nursery
Give e avorit your f er a n garde RD CA GIFT them t and le spring! of dream
We are committed to honoring holiday traditions while keeping us all safe.
400 GILLESPIE DRIVE, EL JEBEL | 970-963-1173 | EAGLECRESTNURSERY.COM
6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
Bringing winter sunshine
By Kate Phillips Sopris Sun Correspondent
Mountain Freshies co-owner Nancy Scheinkman proudly displays a vibrant summer produce box. Gearing up for a busy winter, Scheinkman and her business and life partner Greg Olsky are ready to offer delicious winter citrus to residents of the RFV.. Courtesy photo
The season of frigid mornings, cozy fires, and warm blankets is finally upon us; and with the dark days of winter settling in, it might be time to add a little cheer to your home with some sweet and delicious citrus courtesy of Mountain Freshies. Partnering with Austin Family Farms in Paonia, Mountain Freshies delivers organic and natural produce grown by a collective of local and sustainable farmers. Focusing on wholesale and farm-to-family deliveries, Mountain Freshies serves communities from Aspen to Glenwood Springs, the Leadville area, Front Range, and some Gunnison County towns. Long-time valley residents and co-owners of Mountain Freshies Nancy Scheinkman and her husband Greg Olsky of Snowmass are excited about the high quality produce they can offer this season. “The citrus that [the farms] are growing is really good,� Scheinkman gushed. “They measure the brix factor of citrus, and the higher the sugar content the better the fruit tastes. We’re doing our first run right now, but as we continue on through the season it will continue to get sweeter and sweeter.� For the 2020/21 winter season, the team at Mountain Freshies will be offering freshpicked citrus from a few small farms in Arizona that grow either organically or naturally. This season, customers can purchase boxes of delicious navel oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and lemons. Partnering with small farms has been at the forefront of Mountain Freshies’s mission since before the family purchased the business
Digital marketing is one of your greatest assets right now.
in April 2019. For Scheinkman and Olsky, it was important to continue working with these small farms to address the global climate crisis and promote healthy living. “How people farm is probably the most important thing on the planet because everybody eats food multiple times a day,� Scheinkman said. “When farmers farm properly, soil can actually absorb carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. It’s really important to support farms that farm correctly because it does address climate change.� Additionally, Scheinkman noted the importance of eating seasonally as a way to strengthen immune health. The planet, according to Scheinkman, has an incredible way of growing food that addresses the nutritional deficits humans may experience throughout the year. For example, during the winter months there is less sunlight, which means less Vitamin D — an important nutrient that promotes calcium absorption, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduces inflammation, according to the National Institute of Health. Scheinkman said that during the darker months there are a variety of winter grown fruits and vegetables that are rich in Vitamin D, and when humans consume these foods they can better support their system when sickness is more prevalent. “As a society, we are very focused on COVID and how to treat it; but I feel like the conversation also needs to include how to make sure our bodies are operating optimally, so that if we do catch a virus or a bacterial infection our bodies are prime to be able to respond to help fight it off,� Scheinkman said. The Mountain Freshies team are not the only ones who recognize the benefits of
sustainably grown produce. Despite COVID, business has been good - in fact, according to Scheinkman, business has taken off this past year which she attributes to the possibility that people are starting to take control of their nutrition and overall health. “It’s really interesting to see our cultural change over these decades and I’m so happy that we are going in the right direction now,� Scheinkman said. However, Scheinkman said there is still a lot of work to do in terms of getting healthy food onto every table in America. Considering organic food is often associated with higher costs, individuals with financial insecurities may shy away from wholesome produce. Scheinkman said the team at Mountain Freshies wants to work with anyone who desires healthy nutrition. As a possible solution, Mountain Freshies offers payment plans and encourages people who are interested to reach out. “I truly believe that having access to healthy nutrition and produce is a right not a privilege,� Scheinkman said. “It should be easy to attain; it should be affordable to attain. I want to be a part of the process to make healthy and local food affordable.� As a family owned and operated business, Mountain Freshies truly is a team effort. From the local farmers to the distribution and wholesale crews, this small collective is intentionally and enthusiastically working towards a future where access to healthy food becomes a part of the norm. Ready to bring some delicious, wholesome food into your home this winter? Mountain Freshies is ready to take your order! Interested customers can contact the team directly at orders@mountainfreshies.com or 379-9280.
YOUTH HOCKEY
Is your website up-to-date? Can you easily be found online? Are you utilizing email marketing to stay engaged? We can help you navigate through. To help you, we offer FREE 30 minute consultations!
Â
footstepsmarketing.com
970.510.5233
/
Carbondale, CO
VISIT WWW.CARBoNDALEREC.COM
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 7
Basalt honors its own By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff
Some people move mountains, others like Lieutenant Colonel Richard Merritt, move people to the mountains for healing. For this and other accomplishments, Merritt at a recent town council meeting received the Basalt Outstanding Community Service Award. As noted by Basalt Mayor Bill Kane, “We acknowledge those who have been good volunteers and have committed to public service in our community.” Among Merritt’s achievements is seeing to fruition in 1991 Basalt’s adoption of Colorado’s Home Rule Charter, which provides the power of a local city or county to set up its own system of selfgovernment. The charter also requires the Town to adopt and maintain a master plan for the community and to consider the master plan in the context of all major new development applications. Plus, Kane continued, “Merritt has been a real stalwart. And the former United States Marine Vietnam Veteran was very instrumental in setting up Basalt’s forest and floods group.“ Kane noted Merritt is so good at organizing and running communities thanks to his military experience. When asked about his volunteer efforts, Merritt smiled and said, “I’ve been serving to help others all of my life.” Merritt was the big push behind the successful effort to create the Emergency Management Committee in 2018 . Kane said, “I think everybody recognizes he’s had a distinguished public service career in Basalt.” Town Council in early December presented Merritt with the award certificate and recently installed the permanent plaque at Town Hall. The certificate honors Merritt for “his profound
influence on the quality of life in Basalt through his leadership of the Y2K committee” and for the “great effort in our community for selflessly volunteering and undertaking a leadership role in the many local projects with which he has been involved.” He is a past member of the Basalt Rotary Club and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Aspen Grove Cemetery and the Smiling Goat Ranch which helps autistic children and veterans recovering from combat trauma. In 2014, he received the Pitkin County Cares Volunteer Service Community Pride Award for his work interviewing local veterans for a permanent video record at the Library of Congress. In 2014, he received the Pitkin County Cares Volunteer Service Community Pride Award for his work interviewing local veterans for a permanent video record at the Library of Congress. The Colonel is a founding board member of Huts for Vets (HFV), which helps veterans gain tools for enhancing mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health. Most importantly, he ventures into the mountains with these combat veterans as they begin their journey of healing. As Paul Andersen, executive director of HFV, explained “Our wilderness therapy programs are gender specific because that way the comfort level is increased, inviting a more open and easy conversation among peers. Because of going up into the mountains, we are not equipped to help those with physical disabilities.” We work with vets who have ‘moral injuries’ concerned with what they did or did not do and includes those suffering with Post-traumatic stress disorder.” Merritt is now working with Building Homes for Heroes to provide a home for a Marine Corps sergeant who sustained injuries serving in Afghanistan. He was honored by the Aspen Hall of Fame in 2017 and has retired from Aspen Skiing Company after 35 years of service to the Aspen ski industry.
Basalt Mayor Bill Kane (left) presents a plaque for Outstanding Community Service to Lt. Col Richard Merritt. Photo by Roberta McGowan
Co l
e o Av ad or
Sopris Lodge at Carbondale
Tru He e Nat alin ur gA e rts
Main St
Gra
nd
eT rail
N 2nd St
N 3rd St
Welcome Center
Rio
Main St
Elevated Senior Living is Coming to Carbondale Sopris Lodge at Carbondale Senior Living is a lifestyle community offering independent living, assisted living and memory care for the Roaring Fork Valley. We support resident wellness, choice, and healthy living, allowing you to live well, age well.
• Easy access to the Rio Grande Trail and downtown Carbondale
• Fitness Center
• Wellness programs and life enrichment activities
• Outdoor patio with hot tub
• Delicious chef-prepare meals
• Gardening beds and greenhouse
• Concierge and transportation services
• Greenhouse
• Bistro, library, Internet café, and theater
• Pet-friendly community
• Technology for safety, security and entertainment
….and much more
Visit our Welcome Center Today!
265 Main Street, Carbondale, Colorado | 970-440-2628 | SoprisLodge.com Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care | Managed by 8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
Basalt Library sends tea time home this year By James Steindler Sopris Sun Correspondent
Basalt Regional Library (BRL) has done it’s best to carry on traditions and events in new safe ways throughout the latter part of 2020. With the holidays coming up the staff has kept busy preparing virtual events and take-home activities. Caroline Cares has been with BRL for almost seven years and currently is the childrens’ librarian and its youth services assistant director. One beloved tradition is the annual Tea Party, which generally happens around Thanksgiving break. “Growing up I remember going to holiday tea times with my mom,” said Cares, “We thought it would be a fun thing to offer for kids in the Valley to be served tea, have cupcakes, hear stories and songs and have the chance to dress up.” Cares added that they generally have around 200 people attend. This is the fourth anniversary of the event and Cares was not ready to simply cancel tea. “What we came to is that it would be really fun to offer tea party kits that they take home,” explained Cares, “So each family gets a bag and inside are disposable but really cute looking tea sets.” The tea comes from Two Leaves and a Bud — a local company out of Basalt — which donated the supply. The kits also include napkins, cookies, two crowns, sugar cubes and table decorations such as cut out flower petals and doilies. “We are making 50 kits and there is enough for two kids in each,” Cares assured, “And it’s actually been quite time consuming because
we want to make it appealing.” Each kit will be presented as a wrapped gift for the novice tea drinkers to unravel step by step. Cares and her colleagues are also in the process of making a video where they’ll demonstrate what the significance of drinking tea means to various world cultures; as well as the dos and don'ts of tea etiquette. “The idea is that they’ll go home, set up their tea party and watch the video,” she continued, “We’re going to travel to Japan, Russia, Argentina and we’re also going to talk about some indigenous cultures in North America.” The video will be available for two weeks beginning Dec. 21, so youngsters and their parents can schedule a time to watch that works best for them. It also serves to occupy kids’ time who typically take up most of their parents’. The gingerbread house competition will also go on this year. Kits will be provided to young people who can snap a photo of their gingerbread creation once it’s built and send it to Cares to post it on BRL's Instagram page to effectively enter the contest. These are but a few of the adaptations the library has made on behalf of local youngsters. There are also take home kits and virtual events catered to adults including virtual game nights and holiday knit kits (available on Dec. 22) where anyone can learn the basics of knitting. Cares mentioned that virtual tutoring is available for high school students studying for their SATs, “The woman who is leading the sessions is bilingual,” she stated. Cares added that the library has new Google Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots available for checkout. Check out the library’s calendar on its website for more fun and safe take-home creations and happenings.
Cares hopes that tea timers will dress up and create Wonderland-esque settings in the safety of their own homes rather than among all of their friends this year.
BRL staff members chipped in to make the tea tutorial video. Photos by James Steindler
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 9
Thompson Divide conservation agreement a step forward By Curtis Wackerle Aspen Journalism
• for our businesses • for our schools • for our families We are United to Stop the Spread of COVID-19. Show personal responsibility by taking these critical public health recommendations seriously and encourage your friends, neighbors and family to do the same.
• Limit in-person gatherings, shrink your bubble • Wear a mask • Wash your hands frequently • Keep your distance 6 feet apart • Stay home if you are sick
A recently finalized conservation framework for a 406-acre parcel in the Thompson Divide purchased in July by Pitkin County represents a “more sophisticated approach” to the potentially troublesome issue of whether — and, if so, how — to allow human activity in ecologically sensitive terrain. A conservation easement, recorded last month and held by Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT), sets out that the “primary purpose” for the conservation of the parcel — which is partially surrounded by Forest Service land and traversed by North Thompson Creek — is the protection of wildlife and the relatively natural habitat. However, low-impact recreation, such as single-track trails, as well as educational offerings, may be allowed on the property so long as those uses are managed in a way that does not infringe on the property’s wildlife habitat and scenic open-space values. The easement language includes a nod to a 2016 policy adopted by the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Board, which states that the county shall “rely on the best available science for property-specific study of natural habitat conditions, including the role of the property in the context of larger habitat and wildlife patterns in the Roaring Fork watershed.” That policy also states that “human uses, if any, will be planned and managed to minimize intrusion into breeding/nesting areas and migration corridors … (and) minimize intrusion into the time periods and/or places of special habitat concern.” This easement represents an evolution in how such deals are done because it provides that the county can develop recreation and educational uses on the property without having to gain specific approvals from the easement holder so long as it establishes a management plan adhering to the the “best available science” approach in protecting
biodiversity — and follows that standard in allowing human use. “The big change is we usually have to ask for approval from the easement holder” before developing amenities for human use, said Open Space and Trails Director Gary Tennenbaum. In this case, as long as the county does what it says it will do as laid out in its policies and agreements, “we are good.” In an email to staff announcing that the easement had been finalized, Dale Will, the acquisitions and special projects director for Open Space and Trails, called it a “a much more sophisticated approach to an issue that has been troublesome over the years.” Allowances for human use on the property are not guaranteed and would be made only after detailed studies are completed on sitespecific conditions, identifying wildlife and habitat needs. “You answer those questions first and then say what niches are left where you can integrate humans,” Will said in an interview. That could take the form of enacting seasonal closures or making specific areas of the property off-limits year-round. The management plan could take years to come together. “I would call it more sophisticated and science driven as opposed to rule driven,” said Will, referencing prior arrangements that have been established on protected lands with blanket prohibitions on new trails.
Unusual quietude Pitkin County purchased the land, which it is now referring to as the TD Ranch Preserve, in July for $5 million. The county bought three separate but contiguous parcels of land owned by three related entities controlled by an attorney in Los Angeles who has family in Aspen. The total cost to the county’s openspace fund after rebates will be $4.04 million. Support for the purchase includes a grant of $854,014 from Great Outdoors Colorado
read.com p S e h t p to S to d e it n U
tagio.com n o lC e s o m re a P s o Unid
10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
A ranching operation that has been leasing the TD Ranch Preserve will continue to work the land, which Pitkin County’s Open Space and Trails program purchased in July for $5 million. Further human use, such as low-impact recreation and educational offerings, could be allowed so long as biodiversity is not harmed. Photo courtesy Aspen Valley Land Trust
REGISTER ONLINE TODAY!
`CROSS-COUNTRY SKI LESSONS AT SPRING GULCH Classic and Skate Styles for all levels on various days/times starting soon The 406-acre TD Ranch Preserve, shaded here in red, is bordered by public land on the north and south, as well as three smaller privately held parcels. Screenshot from Pitkin County GIS mapping website. — a statewide group that funds conservation and parks projects using lottery funds — and a $100,000 contribution from AVLT. “When people talk about the Thompson Divide, this is classic Thompson Divide,” said AVLT Director Suzanne Stephens, referencing the 200,000-acre swath that has been the focus of conservation efforts for two decades, after a coalition formed to fight oil and gas development. The Thompson Divide consists mostly of mountainous, midelevation terrain that bridges the Crystal, North Fork, Roaring Fork and Colorado river valleys. The property purchased by the county sits at the end of North Thompson Creek Road and “is comprised of beautiful aspen meadows that have been lightly ranched since the 1800s,” according to the conservation easement. It includes 11 different water rights tied to streams, ditches and springs on the land. The property lies within the summer range for elk, bear, moose, mule deer and mountain lion, according to the easement, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife has mapped an elk-calving area on its edge. “The property’s ample riparian areas” — which include 8,000 linear feet of North Thompson Creek, two fens and multiple wetland areas — “contribute to the overall habitat effectiveness of a much greater area,” the easement says. The property, which contains two cabins, will remain in agricultural use as the county has renewed the lease with a rancher who held a lease with the prior owner. “It’s not a far drive from Carbondale,” Stephens said, “but you get up there and it feels like light years away. … It has a lot of habitat value and a lot of unusual quietude we don’t see a lot of.” The county’s parcel, bordered to the north and south by Forest Service land, is adjacent to one smaller adjacent privately owned parcel on the west and two on the east. One of those adjacent parcels is partially protected by a conservation easement, Stephens said. While there are no platted development rights on the property, were it not for the county’s acquisition it could have been subdivided into 35-acre lots. The easement notes that the habitat connectivity offered by the property “is important to the local and regional landscape and provides wildlife habitat resources that attract tourism and commerce to the area.” Preservation is called for in this case given “a foreseeable trend of intense development in the vicinity of the property. There is a strong likelihood that development of the property would contribute to the degradation of the scenic and natural character of the area,” the easement says. County officials and AVLT haven’t floated any specific proposals for public
access on the property; any such plans would need to be vetted through a managementplanning process where biodiversity values will be held highest. “AVLT is interested in the property because there are several different ways it can provide a public benefit,” Stephens said. “I think we are trying to be really creative about what might be possible there.”
A critical decade for conservation Finalizing the easement on the TD Ranch Preserve is coming in the midst of a cycle where “things are busier than they ever have been in my 15 years (at AVLT),” Stephens said. The “COVID real estate scramble” has accelerated long-term trends, she said. Tennenbaum agreed. “What we are seeing,” he said, “is a huge influx of people into this valley,” accelerated by COVID-19. Those market forces are fueling the urgency of prioritizing what needs to be conserved out of remaining undeveloped lands and forcing the land managers to make sure recreation happens in a sustainable way on public lands. Both Stephens and Tennenbaum said the next 10 years will be critical in terms of land conservation. “From Aspen to Rifle, everyone wants to see the space between the towns protected,” Stephens said. According to Tennenbaum, “This coming decade, we are going to see how this valley wants to prioritize conservation versus development. We are hitting that level of ‘What do you want to see?’” AVLT has been laying the groundwork for its efforts in the coming decade with a regional conservation plan, which has been in the works for the past few years. The work includes mapping out conservation priorities and balancing values of habitat preservation and community access. The plan, currently in the fine-tuning stage, is expected out in the first quarter of 2021, Stephens said. Another critical piece of the planning picture is the Watershed Biodiversity Initiative, an independent group that is undertaking an intensive study of area wildlife populations and habitats in order to identify where conservation would be most effective. In many ways, the TD Ranch Preserve deal is a model project for the era. It conserves an island of private land in the middle of already-protected public land, protecting habitat connectivity. It also codifies a framework streamlining how Pitkin County and AVLT can work together on conservation projects. “What’s really notable here is that Pitkin County is putting their money where their
Get some great pointers and practice at Carbondale’s own worldclass cross-country ski trail system. Class size has been reduced to 4 students. NOTE: CMC campuses will be closed for the holidays. Plan ahead to make sure you are able to register for your class(es).
`TAI CHI AND QIGONG INTERNALS Online Mon/Wed, 4:30-5:45pm, 1/4-2/24 Emphasizes the internal principles that are rarely shared in typical TaiChi/Qigong classes. Create deeper levels of awareness, increased flexibility, balance and development of internal energy (Ch’i) with Standing Meditation, Qigong postures, and Yang Style Tai Chi 10 form.
`PILATES AND ZEN BARRE Online Mon/Wed & Tues/Thurs starting 1/4/21 These classes are live online and recorded so students can watch and workout on their own schedule. Try a pre-recorded class for FREE to see if you like it!
`PHOTOGRAPHY FUNDAMENTALS Online Tues/Thurs, 6-7:30pm, 1/12-2/4 A basic photography class for beginning as well as intermediate photographers who want to get off the automatic setting. Students must have a DSLR or film camera that can be taken off automatic settings.
`NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE Online Mondays, 7-8:30pm, 1/18-2/22 Explore Native American literature that highlights the themes of historical context, reservation life, and current cultural conflict through the writings of well-known Native American authors from various tribes.
`ANXIETY MANAGEMENT IN TIMES OF CHANGE Online Thursdays, 6:30-8pm, 1/21-2/4 Anxiety, grief, and change together can create some strong emotional reactions. Learn how to be pro-active with stress management skills that help when you are feeling overwhelmed.
`FILM STUDIES Online Wednesday, 6-8pm, 1/27-3/3 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.
`HISTORY OF TEXTILES Online Mondays, 6-8pm, 2/1-3/8 Review the history of textiles from 1500 BC as humankind went from adornment to function through the ice age to now. Topics include the Silk Road and shipping routes, the invention of mechanical looms and the industrial revolution, and textiles used today and into the future.
Search and Register at coloradomtn.edu/ community-education/classes/
Continued on page 20 THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 11
Great towns deserve great Internet!
Restaurants deal with mixed COVID directives
Help us bring Ting Internet to the Roaring Fork Valley
Ting offers the latest technology—Crazy Fast Fiber Internet® direct to your home—for just $89 a month.
No contracts or hidden fees
Reliable and crazy fast Up to 1000 Mbps upload and download Connects right to your home
No caps or limits Real, human support 24/7
Why Pre-order? Pre-orders help Ting determine where to build our fiber Internet network. By pre-ordering today you’ll be casting your vote to help bring fiber Internet to your town.
Phat Thai, open for take out only, sits next to a comparatively lively Allegria Restaurant. Along Main Street restaurants are split with about half offering dine in services while others offer take out only. Text by Ken Pletcher Photos by Laurel Smith On Dec. 10, Garfield County’s COVID-19 status was changed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) from orange (“high risk”) to red (“severe risk”). Per CDPHE rules, it meant that restaurants were no longer permitted to have in-house dining and could only offer takeout or delivery service. However, the Garfield County Board of Commissioners challenged that ruling, instead requesting that restaurants be designated as “critical” businesses and thus be allowed to continue serving indoors at up to 50% capacity. The discrepancy between Garco and CDPHE restrictions has left local restauranteurs uncertain on how to proceed going forward. Four restaurants in the Carbondale Main Street core have taken differing approaches so far. Phat Thai decided to comply immediately, changing to all takeout on that Thursday (Dec. 10). Manager Christine Gaffney said, “We knew [the new restrictions] were coming,” so they decided to just make the change right away. She added, “[Takeout] seems to work fine for us.” When asked if they would go back to dine-in again, Gaffney thought they would, “But it’s up to the owners.” Next door, to the east, Allegria continued to
offer limited in-house dining for now, although, as a spokesman for the establishment noted, “We will close that soon and will go to carry out.” He pointed to the “unclear directions” from authorities for restaurants but respected the county commissioners for “standing their ground” regarding keeping restaurants open for dining. Across the street, newcomer Brass Anvil has also remained open for indoor dining. In addition, they recently set up a large plastic tent over their outdoor patio area. A spokesman for the restaurant said, “We are not being defiant, we’d like some guidance,” echoing Allegria’s sentiment. He added, “We’re only doing a couple of tables a night,” and that the Anvil would probably “lose less money” if they closed. But they were trying to stay open to provide jobs for the staff. On the east side of Third Street, the Village Smithy had just finished enlarging the fabric enclosure over its deck area when the red-level designation for Garco was announced. Coowner Jarrod Ettleson observed, “The way [the authorities] are disseminating information is very hard to follow. We don’t even know what we are supposed to be doing, we are just guessing.” Nonetheless, the Smithy decided to go to takeout only. Ettleson noted that it was more challenging being a breakfast place, but that they would add easier takeout items like breakfast burritos.
The more pre-orders in your area, the more likely you are to get Ting Crazy Fast Fiber Internet® so don’t forget to share this with your community!
Pre-order for just
9
$
Pre-orders: • are refundable • help bring Ting to your area • get you a free install and $50 toward future bills (a $250 value)
Pre-order at ting.com/roaringfork 12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
Restaurant goers place their order at the Village Smithy’s takeout window on Tuesday morning. Co-owner Jared Ettleson expressed frustration at the mixed messaging coming from state and county officials.
Santa’s Holly Jolly Truck-mas Trip
A large party dines at Allegria Restaurant.
Santa’s decorated firetruck will visit neighborhoods this weekend!
A single couple dine in an otherwise empty Izakaya restaurant. Employees noted that they have received several phone calls from diners unsure if they are open and suspect that confusion over state and county guidance is discouraging people from venturing out.
You can see Santa and his crew on County Road 109 and Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park on Friday, December 18th and in the Town of Carbondale on Saturday, December 19th. The route starts at 5:30 p.m each day. Get a map of the firetruck route: www.carbondalefire.org Scan
Brass Anvil’s Outdoor covered patio sits empty on Tuesday evening. Restaurant goers opted to instead sit inside instead on this cold evening.
for map Facebook.com/CarbondaleFireDistrict
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 13
Backcountry.com mostly delivering on reparations
Support Spring Gulch Community-powered nordic skiing! Every winter, the Mount Sopris Nordic Council depends on annual memberships to keep the Spring Gulch trails groomed and open to the public. Become a member or renew your membership for the 2020/2021 season! Sign Up or Renew Online at www.springgulch.org
You could score a new Spring Gulch neck gaiter! The first 200 people to contribute at a membership level of $125 or more will recieve a Spring Gulch topo neck gaiter custom-made by Kind Design. Find out more on our website! Available while supplies last. Promotion valid for 2020/2021 season only. Contact info@springgulch.org for more info.
SCAN TO JOIN
By Jason Blevins The Colorado Sun
The new year brought follow through by a new CEO
Last year, Emily Hargraves was certain she was going to close Backcountry Babes, her 22-year-old business. Backcountry.com was suing her in federal court because she had secured a trademark for her company, which offers tours, clinics and avalanche training for women. When news broke last November that the e-commerce giant had for several years been suing small businesses, like Hargrave’s, for registering and trademarking the word “backcountry,” the Utah-based company weathered blistering criticism. Eventually, Backcountry.com dropped its lawsuits, fired its trademark attorneys and launched a nationwide effort to make reparations. Then-chief executive Jonathan Nielsen reached out to Hargraves in November last year and asked what she needed — as he did for many of the dozens of brands that were sued. Hargraves said there were too few women qualified to teach and guide in avalanche terrain. Nielsen proposed a deal. Hargraves got to keep the name of her company and Backcountry.com would fund multi-year scholarships to Backcountry Babes’ guides to pursue instructor qualification with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education and guide certification with the American Mountain Guides Association. Hargraves said 10 women are now going through the intensive, multi-year programs thanks to several thousand dollars in support from the e-tail behemoth, which is owned by private equity firm TSG Partners. “It ended up being a big financial commitment for Backcountry.com, and despite their CEO changing and COVID, we still pulled it off,” Hargraves said. “They wanted to make things right and they are sticking with it. It’s worked out really well.”
Nielsen is gone now. Melanie Cox, a retail veteran who served on the company’s board, stepped into the CEO role in June. She’s hired a new chief counsel and chief marketing officer. And Cox has followed through, mostly, on promises made by her predecessor as the company struggled to make amends for its tenacious pursuit of legal trademarks held by small companies. Cox declined an interview but sent a statement saying the company would continue to honor commitments made to companies “impacted by the 2019 trademark action.” “We strive to be a dedicated, passionate and contributing member of the greater outdoor community, and this responsibility will continue to guide us into the future,” the statement reads, also noting the company is “bound by confidentiality agreements with these companies” that prohibit detailed comments on specific brands and deals. The cease-and-desist letter and explicit threats of a federal lawsuit last year from Backcountry.com’s aggressive trademark attorneys at ILPA Legal Advisors nearly broke Jenny Verocchi’s Backcountry Nitro coffee brand. A successful Kickstarter campaign in 2018 had launched her canned coffee company and business was booming when the e-tailer’s trademark law firm demanded she abandon the name or face a trial in federal court, even though she had secured a trademark for Backcountry Nitro. So she rebranded as Wild Barn Coffee and started over. Last November, Neislen flew out and visited with Verocchi and her business partner Alyssa Evans in Boulder. “He promised us a lot of stuff,” Verocchi said. Like buying a bunch of special-roasted beans for sale on the e-tailer’s website. And serving Wild Barn coffee at the company’s nationwide Stoke Series events, which features athletes and speakers with registration dollars supporting charitable groups. And helping to advertise the new coffee brand.
KDNK.ORG
Not a KDNK member? Join today! 14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
Park City, Utah -based mega e-tailer Backcountry.com is best known for online sales, but it also has a brick and mortar store in one corner of its massive order fulfillment warehouse in Salt Lake City. (Ed Kosmicki, Special to The Colorado Sun)
GARFIELD COUNTY’S REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE COLORADO RIVER WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT Please submit a letter of interest and relevant background to:
Garfield County Administration Colorado River Water Conservation District board appointment 108 8th Street Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
MEETINGS
The Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD) board holds quarterly meetings in January, April, July and October, on the third Tuesdays and Wednesdays. All meetings are currently held via Zoom, but are normally held in Glenwood Springs at 201 Centennial Street, Glenwood Springs, CO. The river board holds a budget workshop in September, and various approximately one-hour special meetings throughout the year, as needed. The representative reports to the Board of County Commissioners quarterly on river district activities as well.
TERM
The term is for three years, after which the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) can reappoint the director or make a new appointment.
APPOINTMENT
The BOCC will make the appointment January 18, 2021.
QUALIFICATIONS Artful Weston snowboards were displayed at Weston's booth during the Outdoor Retailer show at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, last January. The Stoke Series events were canceled due to the pandemic. The company has not placed another order for the Wild Barn coffee beans, which Verocchi and Evans made special for the company. “We would love to continue our relationship with Backcountry, but they are a very large corporation and we are little guys and we didn’t really expect them to wait on us hand and foot,” Verocchi said. “I think the whole company was really stressing out this time last year and maybe we got lost in the shuffle a bit. They didn’t follow through with everything they said they’d do, but they are doing the best they can and we are doing the best we can right now.” Leo Tsuo, the owner of Weston Backcountry in Minturn, could not believe the company that had celebrated the boutique maker of backcountry snowboards and skis was attacking him when he received a letter from its trademark attorneys last year. The letter and subsequent filings in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office were stern, making clear he needed to abandon the name backcountry if he wanted to stay in business. Backcountry.com in 2017 was one of the first companies to sell Weston’s wildly popular splitboards. “They just constantly supported us when people barely knew who we were. That company has so many people who are just genuinely stoked on their outdoor sports,” Tsuo said. Nielsen came out and visited Tsuo in Colorado last November and while he declined to discuss the details of the arrangement, citing a legal deal, Tsuo said Nielsen was “genuinely sorry.” “They unleashed untrained pit bulls in the dog park who went after every dog in the park and they were sincere about trying to making it right,” said Tsuo, describing an encounter with a bunch of Backcountry.com “gearheads” — sales associates who promote brands and work with Backcountry.com customers — earlier this year, before the pandemic where “everyone was telling me ‘Wow that was so messed up’ and ‘I wish that never happened.’” “It was really nice to see. Those are the people I remember when I think about
Backcountry.com, not the attorneys,” Tsuo said. “I think it’s good to have Backcountry. com back.” Tyson Stellrecht was forced to close one of his Backcountry Pursuit stores in Boise, Idaho, in 2017 after tangling with Backcountry.com’s trademark lawyers. He founded the company in 2012 to sell used gear on consignment and didn’t even have an online sales presence. He rebranded his 23-employee company as the Boise Gear Collective after a nearly two-year ordeal that he said cost him thousands of dollars and “lots of sleep.” In November last year Nielsen flew to Boise, alone, and spent five hours visiting with Stellrecht and his manager. “I feel like he really did want to right the wrongs. He gave a genuine vibe,” Stellrecht said. “I think he might have known what was going on with those lawyers, at least more than he said he knew, but he wanted to fix it.” They reached a deal that had Backcountry. com giving Stellrecht the company’s returned gear for sale at his shop. So far he’s picked up two loads from the company’s headquarters in Utah and was heading down this week to pick up another couple of pallets of packs, skis, clothing and outdoor equipment. Nielsen also promised to arrange visits with Stellrecht and Backcountry.com executives to talk about business policies and strategies for managing his now 26-worker business. That hasn’t happened yet, largely due to limited access in the pandemic, but Stellrecht hopes that still works out. “I’m pretty happy with the way everything was handled,” he said. “I know I was in the first wave of that big PR tour and I don’t know if there was a second or third wave. I kind of wondered if they were going to make these deals with everybody.”
1. Shall have been a resident of said county for a period of at least two years prior to the date of the director’s appointment, and 2. Shall be a freeholder who has paid taxes in the county of his/ her residence during the calendar year next preceding his/ her appointment.
DEADLINE: Submit resume, letter of interest, proof of residency and 2020 property tax receipt by December 31, 2020.
www.garfield-county.com
Meet me under the Menorah. Or the mistletoe… but skip kisses and hugs with anyone outside your household. Spread holiday cheer. Not COVID-19.
Some companies still are waiting for a call Frank Hintz is still waiting. He settled with Backcountry.com when the company threatened his 27-year-old American Backcountry business in North Carolina with a lawsuit. Hintz, who started the company in 1993 selling custom T-shirt designs from Continued on page 18
Get healthy holiday tips:
pitkincounty.com/holidays
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 15
GOVERNMENT BRIEFS GarCo deems services essential The Garfield County Commissioners have categorized numerous local industries and services essential, allowing them to remain open at a greater capacity in light of the State of Colorado moving the county to the red category on its COVID-19 dial. The board unanimously passed a resolution deeming noncritical retail, restaurants, gyms and fitness centers as essential, bolstering them into the “critical” category and allowing them to remain in operation at 50 percent capacity. The resolution also included that last call for alcoholic beverages would be at 10 p.m. This covers Garfield County, and municipalities may enact stricter policies if they desire.
PitkinCo tackling Roaring Fork All the permits are in and Pitkin County Healthy Rivers is about to construct a permanent fix for a long-time problem spot on the Roaring Fork River. The Robinson Diversion Modification Project will address a variety of river health and recreational safety issues in the immediate vicinity of the Robinson Ditch diversion – located between old town Basalt and Willits. Channel instabilities at Robinson’s diversion point have
historically required sediment and log jam removal, and repositioning of boulders and alluvium on an annual basis. These frequent instream maintenance events have negative impacts on river health, and many recreational boaters and fishermen view the diversion as a navigational hazard. The plan includes modifications that will result in safer boat passage, increased fish passage, improved bank and in-channel stability, reduced annual in-channel maintenance, and improved headgate operations.The cost of the project is estimated to be $800,000. To date, Healthy Rivers has raised $256,216 in grants from partner agencies. Construction activities will begin in early December.
Torres elected RFSD Board President At the Dec. 9 Board of Education meeting, the board elected Natalie Torres to fulfill the role of president of the board at the next meeting. The Board of Education elects a new president and vice president every two years, typically in conjunction with the election of new board members. In Dec. 2019, former Board President Jennifer Rupert agreed to take on a one-year extension of her presidency because three board members — including Torres — were newly elected. Torres will be the district’s
first Latina and Spanish-speaking Board President. The Vice President will remain Jennifer Scherer, who has completed one year of a twoyear term.
Bennet pushes for restoration Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet recently introduced the Outdoor Restoration Force Act to create or sustain over two million jobs in the outdoors through forest and watershed restoration. The Outdoor Restoration Force Act would represent a major investment in the resilience of this infrastructure and create jobs for people throughout Colorado and the West in the process. The bill would provide direct support to local collaborative efforts to restore forests and watersheds, improve air and water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and expand outdoor access. The bill would earmark $60 billion and establish a national advisory council to advise on funding priorities, coordinate with regional entities and administer grants.
Mail starts before dawn No need for alarm. That clatter and rattle some households may hear before the coffee is brewed, as early as 6 a.m., is not Santa
Best way to warm up after playing in the cold
getting an early start. It’s really mail carriers, hitting the street before the break of dawn in order to get everyone’s packages delivered “in the nick of time.” The jingle and jangle so familiar this time of year is part of the hustle and bustle that postal workers experience during the peak holiday rush.
Want to get involved? Contact your elected officials about the issues that matter to you
Deadline looming for EV tax credit Considering buying an electric vehicle? Local nonprofit Clean Energy Economy for the Region is reminding Coloradans that Dec. 31 is the last date to qualify for a $4,000 state tax credit.The “Innovative Motor Vehicle” income tax credit on the purchase of a new plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle will drop to $2,500 in 2021. Likewise, the credit for leasing an EV will decrease to $1,500 from the current $2,000. EV purchasers may also be able to claim a federal income tax credit of up to $7,500. However, the size of the federal credit depends on the vehicle model and the purchaser’s individual tax liability. In contrast, the state tax credit applies to all models, and everyone gets the full $4,000 regardless of their tax situation. Visit GarfieldCleanEnergy.org for more information.
Senator Michael Bennet 261 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-5852
Senator Cory Gardner 354 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-5941
Congressman Scott Tipton 218 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-4761
CO Senator Bob Rankin 200 E Colfax, 346 Denver, CO 80203 (303)866-5292
CO Rep Perry Will 200 E Colfax, 07 Denver, CO 80203 (303)866-2949
December’s Special Cranberry-Pomegranate Body Wrap Private Mineral Bath Day pass to Our Historic Vapor Caves “A Day at the Spa” $109
No Walkins Please Call for Appointments
Historic Underground Vapor Caves
For Information & Reservations call 970-945-0667 • yampahspa.com Spa Open 9-9 Salon Open 9-7 • Gift Certificates Available at Our Website
TWIN LABS APPLIANCE REPAIR 970-401-2710
winter hours FRIDAY - 4-9PM SATURDAY - 11-9PM SUNDAY - 11-9PM MONDAY -4-9PM
When your appliances fail, don't chase your tail - call Twin Labs
Authorized service provider
16 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
Contactless Online Ordering
303 river valley ranch rd. carbondale
homesteadcarbondale.com
High schoolers press Boebert for clarity By James Steindler Sopris Sun Correspondent
It is not everyday frustrated youth get a chance to squeeze their representative for answers, but some local high schoolers recently did just that. On Dec. 8, the Advanced Placement (AP) Government class at Roaring Fork High School (RFHS) had the opportunity to interview Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District’s Representative-elect, Lauren Boebert. The students drafted questions, which teacher Cliff Redish — who issued the invitation — forwarded to Boebert’s team prior to the interview. Some students attended masked in the classroom, while others did so virtually. Everyone’s cameras and microphones were muted except for the classroom’s where the young scholars could be seen quietly anticipating Boebert’s appearance on the projector screen. After some technical delays she successfully joined the room front and center. Redish kicked it off and asked, “What is the role of government in America?” The representative-elect stated that the reason the government exists in the US is to protect its citizens’ constitutional rights and explained that her purpose in getting involved stemmed from what she sees today as government overreach. “We the governed give consent to be governed and at times the government steps up and goes a little bit too far and that’s when we the people have a duty to step up and say we’re not consenting to some of those things anymore,” Boebert said. The conversation developed into a quasi-debate after one of the high schoolers asked, “As a proud member of our Latino community I’d like to know how you’ll be supporting the Latino community
and other minorities in our area?” Boebert responded, “The answer is the same way I’ll support everyone: fighting for good paying jobs and to keep alive the American Dream,” and went into her campaign experience in Pueblo, where she acknowledged there is a significant Latino population. She said that people there were frustrated over oil and gas regulations which infringed on sales from the local steel mill. The elected official did not voluntarily offer any information regarding immigration or the treatment of undocumented persons in her district. The young interviewers pressed for a more salient response. Another student followed up, “In regard to Vanessa’s question you say that you’re here to support everyone equally, yet on your contract here with Colorado you say, ‘we must enforce our current immigration laws, put a stop to sanctuary cities and build a wall.’” “Right now we don’t have a secure border or a viable entry and exit system,” replied Boebert, “We also have a number of sanctuary cities which work hard to prevent federal officers from doing their job,” falling short of referring directly to the contentious Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agency. “I think it’s terribly unfair for the people who wait their turn and follow our immigration laws and I think that it leads to terrible outcomes for the people who come here illegally,” she summed up. Boebert drew a comparison based on a conversation she said she had with Gov. Jared Polis. She stated that Polis had expressed frustration that Native Americans can move to Colorado from other states and because of a federal treaty (she did not specify which) are entitled to Colorado’s
Things look a little different when a guest speaker “visits” the high school these days. Courtesy photo resources including healthcare and education. “Gov. Jared Polis was talking about the stress that that puts on Colorado's resources and how that is not fair because this is a treaty with the federal government,” she surmised. A spokesperson with the governor’s office informed The Sopris Sun that Polis and Boebert, “Discussed a bipartisan effort that other members of the delegation, including Representative Tipton and both Senators are working on requiring the Federal government to make good on its commitment to support tuition-free education for out-of-state Native American students at Fort Lewis,” college in Durango, CO; falling short of corroborating the congresswoman-elect’s statement. When asked about the presidential election, Boebert praised Donald Trump and stated, “Right now this is a contested election and I believe that
President Trump has every legal right and a duty to make sure that all of the legal ballots are counted. I spent time last week in the Oval Office encouraging him to continue using the legal rights that he has to pursue this all the way to the end.” The students pressed the interviewee to explain her stance on a plethora of other contentious topics such as defunding Planned Parenthood, the popular vote and her campaign promise that she is done with compromise. In a subsequent statement to The Sopris Sun Boebert said, “The students had great questions on policy, and I was happy to provide a perspective they are likely not hearing anywhere else.” She added that she’s, “Received some very kind messages from parents of some of the students who were grateful their kids heard policy discussions that are mostly absent from public discussions.”
LaFontana Plaza | Hwy 133 | Carbondale, CO 81623 | 704-0909 | www.IndependenceRunAndHike.com THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 17
Revelling from page 2 Backcountry from page 15 protest; binocs bounced against plastic strap hinges— I could feel myself growing frantic, claustrophobic, kicking myself for being an hour behind. Wrenching my boot lace from another recalcitrant snag, I swore— and there he was. It happens just like that. From the periphery of an unwatchful eye. I blew it. Hope evaporated. And yet. And yet. There. He. Was. Loping east, 200 yards away and towering over the sage brush, tawny muscles bunched and shivered beneath a sun-gilded hide. I gasped in joy, raising my binoculars between him and me. Antlers splintered the evening light in a wake down his back. Four hundred yards away, neither sound nor break in stride, he leapt 30-40 yards up a shoulder, ghosting through juniper and pinyons, whose scent I knew. The scent of him, I knew! He paused several times, the beam of his antlers swinging south — I could feel their weight, the immensity of life within them. From the cover of my daughter’s namesake tree, he peered across the differences between us. Right into me. I felt pinned. Through glass lenses far weaker than those Nature bestowed him, an ancient sun reflected the wisdom of millennia in the gaze he levied my way. I was euphoric, hardly able to breathe. Revelling in his magnificence, I felt my own as well: we had met on his ground. I had lived and breathed the gift of being an elk at a time in human history when being human was irreconcilable to his reality. The reality of most all other creatures on our planet. Across that saddle of silver and rouge, through the golden light closing my season, I was so grateful to be a hunter.
the back of his car, didn’t want to settle and thought he had a good case to fight the e-tailer, which was founded in 1996 by a pair of beloved ski bums selling avalanche safety equipment online. “But I could’t hang on to this for a couple years and bleed a couple hundred thousand dollars,” he said. “They had big aspirations for what they were looking to do and it was well beyond the original intent of sales and marketing via a website. They wanted their own gear, their own apparel and their own brick-and-mortar and it became evident that’s what they were trying to protect. I don’t have any aspirations to make expedition equipment or any of that. I’m a T-shirt guy.” Hintz said he reached an agreement with the company that allowed him to keep making T-shirts, but not much more and he promised he would never disparage the company. He said there are “a lot more people out there” who took the brunt of Backcountry.com’s trademark attacks and “lost a lot more than I did.” “I saw the ‘kumbaya’ press release and heard them say how sorry they were. They had their moment in the frying pan and they had their ‘come -to-Jesus moment. I don’t know if it was all smoke and mirrors or if there was good faith for a weekend or two,” Hintz said. “I didn’t expect much and they never reached out to me. Maybe they just looked at us differently. But it left a sour taste, I’ll tell ya that.” David Ollila is the protagonist in Backcountry.com trademark debacle. He was the businessman who declined to settle. He stood up to the bully of the
backcountry. The e-commerce giant sued him in California’s U.S. District Court in San Diego — with a sheriff delivering legal papers to his home — in September 2019. The company said Ollilia, a serial entrepreneur who in 2010 started making short skis for climbing snowy hills around his home in Marquette, Michigan, and selling them on his website, marquettebackcountry.com, caused “irreparable harm” to the retailer and demanded damages totally three times all the profit he ever made selling Marquette Backcountry Skis. Ollila was the head of innovation for a Michigan venture capital firm and created 100k IDeas, a Flint nonprofit that brings together students and entrepreneurs to test innovations and develop new ideas. Ollila’s mission is to help garage tinkerers realize ideas and find financial freedom. And he wasn’t about to let a big company stomp his dream. “I am obligated to fight. Morally, ethically and professionally,” he told The Colorado Sun last November in a story that first exposed Backcountry.com’s trademark lawsuits. Making up with Ollila was a high priority in Nielsen’s apology tour. Backcountry.com sells Marquette skis on the company’s website. The company donated money to nonprofits Ollila supports that help innovators bring new ideas to market. And Nielsen enlisted Ollila as a consultant to help the company champion more small businesses in the outdoor industry. Ollila said the company has been
“genuine in their approach.” “Pragmatically, did I expect them to hit everything out of the park? Of course not,” he said. “I think it would be really tough to satisfy everyone from a business perspective.” But as the outdoor industry explodes during the pandemic, with record sales of bikes, boats, RVs, motorcycles and backcountry ski equipment, the new approach to championing small business at Backcountry.com is opening doors for start-ups and innovators, Ollila said. And the backlash galvanized a passionate community that is rallying around smaller brands right now, Ollila said. That support has drawn the eye of investors who now see outdoor businesses as worthy investments. “There is a real opening right now for large companies to start investing in not just the overall outdoor recreation market, but the start-ups and small businesses,” Ollila said. “That is because of the passion of the outdoor community. And that passion was on stage last year during the Backcountry.com fight. I think it was a tough situation that turned positive and that’s a win in my book.” The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers people, places and issues of statewide interest. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
AFTER-HOURS MEDICAL CARE
1/8/21
ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL
TO
9 AM-4 PM
The 36th Annual
SKIER APPRECIATION DAY
When you have unexpected medical needs, After-Hours Medical Care is here for you. We are staffed with doctors and nurses to answer your medical questions and treat minor injuries and illnesses, including: sprains, simple fractures, lacerations, UTIs ...and more. If you have respiratory symptoms, fever, sore throat, or flu/COVID-19-like symptoms, we can arrange a telemedicine consult for you by calling 970.544.1250.
970.544.1250
234 Cody Lane, Basalt Monday - Friday 3:00 – 11:00 pm Saturday & Sunday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm aspenhospital.org |
AspenValleyHospital
18 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
BENEFITTING
GET YOUR TICKETS AT SUNLIGHTMTN.COM ONLINE RAFFLE & AUCTION AT UNITEDWAYBB.ORG
$20
lift tickets
Casino-themed costume contest
On-mountain, outdoor games
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Follow Sunlight Mountain Resort on Facebook for event updates.
Glassier Open Space gets a management plan update By Olivia Emmer Sopris Sun correspondent Last week, after a six month process, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails (PCOST) board approved an update to the 2015 Glassier Open Space management plan. Glassier, owned in partnership with Eagle County, is located off of Hooks Spur Road in Basalt, at the base of the crown of Mount Sopris (The Crown). The updates to the management plan were fairly minor. One change was making the trails accessible two weeks earlier, to match the timing of a Roaring Fork Transportation Authority Rio Grande trail gate opening (which is timed to coincide with BLM trails opening to mechanized use, so bikers don’t get trapped inside the closure area). “We're excited to be able to ride two weeks earlier than we were last year,” commented Butch Peterson, Outreach Coordinator for Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association. “There's only two [biking] access points from the north side of the Crown. One of them is Glassier and the other one is Buckhorn, and we're excited that Glassier opens earlier so there's more ability to do loops and access the Crown.” Other updates include a remapping of the agricultural leases. One lease area was turned into a pasture rehabilitation area, with multi-year restoration plans. In addition to the agricultural priorities for the site, the historic homestead
presents an opportunity for an on-site steward. In 2016, voters reauthorized the PCOST program, which included a shift that now allows the program to spend open space dollars on restoring the built environment. Gary Tennenbaum, PCOST director, remarked, “We still have a big public process to go through to figure out what to do with this homestead area, but it's an opportunity, because we really would like to get somebody living on the land, like an agricultural producer or steward or ranger.” Emma Open Space and Lazy Glen Open Space both have a residential component. The meeting also included public comment, with a few questions related to the ongoing assessment of impacts to wildlife by recreation on the Glassier trails. Again, Tennenbaum: “You can see the size of Glassier, and then you see the size of the Crown. So you can't put a metric on just Glassier. Everything else around it affects it.” The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the Crown, a 9,100 acre landscape. Glassier Open Space is 282 acres. “Right now, the winter closure is the biggest thing we can do because we close the whole property, whereas the BLM is still open to hiking and horseback riding. It's closed to mechanized and to motorized, but people can be hiking all over the back area of the Crown,” Tennenbaum continued. “So for us, we felt the most critical thing was close [Glassier] in the winter and don't let people access
A wildlife camera captured this image of a herd of elk on Glassier Open Space. Adequate cover, shallower snows, and access to shrubby forage, typical of habitat on the Crown, are features that species like elk and deer rely on to survive winter. this corridor. So it really reduces the amount of people in that area.” Local wildlife manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), John Groves, explained that the Crown is an important winter habitat for deer and elk. “That's why it's critical in the wintertime that people are staying out of these areas, because that extra disturbance on these animals is pushing them, making them burn extra calories in reserves that they shouldn't have to be expending.” Groves explained that state wildlife areas have winter closures to protect vulnerable species, but he stressed the fact that significant elk winter range is under BLM jurisdiction,
not CPW. “My preference on a lot of those areas, especially in those critical winter range areas, they'd be closed to all uses [in the winter].” Other major winter range areas within the Roaring Fork Valley include Light Hill, and Williams Hill, among others. CPW has two elk studies currently underway on the Crown, to better understand the impacts of recreation, and other factors affecting herd health. In 2015, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) designated the Crown a Special Resource Management Area with an emphasis on mountain biking. According to Maribeth Pecotte, Acting Public Affairs Specialist, BLM-CO
Northwest District, the agency began tracking dispersed recreation use on The Crown in 2016. That year there were an estimated 5,000 visits. In 2017 and 2018 there were an estimated 12,000 visits. In 2019, 20,000 visits and in 2020 there were approximately 60,000 dispersed recreation visits. Tennenbaum emphasized, “We see them on the cameras, wildlife using [Glassier], starting in the fall. All winter we see them coming down through there. Really, truly respecting those [winter] closures, is one of the biggest things people can do to protect wildlife habitat up on the Crown.”
the season of SMALL You are invited to join the Basalt Chamber of Commerce for the Season of Small – a celebration of all that is small and beautiful. Support the small businesses that make this valley special by shopping local, dining local and supporting local. This year, there are many ways in which you can share the love and make home for the holidays just a little bit brighter. What better way than to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list while showing the locally owned restaurants, retailers and other small businesses in the community just how much you care.
Learn more about the Season of Small, including sales, promotion and gift ideas at basaltchamber.org/seasonofsmall
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 19
Thompson
LETTERS
from page 11
Continued from page 2
Remember please that some people are more at risk than others and we all need to take care for the sake of one and all. Happy Chanukkah. Merry Christmas. Happy Healthy New Year. Illène Pevec, PhD Carbondale
World War III
The TD Ranch Preserve is “not a far drive from Carbondale, but you get up there and it feels like light years away,” says Aspen Valley Land Trust Director Suzanne Stephens. Photo courtesy Aspen Valley Land Trust mouth is and not only invoking the use of their biodiversity policy, they are agreeing to use it making management decisions around public access on this ranch,” giving AVLT and Open Space and Trails clear, objective context and criteria for evaluating future uses, Stephens said in an email, referencing the conservation easement. The county and AVLT have long worked together, and AVLT holds conservation easements on many Pitkin County open space parcels. But in an example of how the relationship is evolving, AVLT is gearing up to purchase the 141-acre Coffman Ranch, which sits off of Catherine Store Road outside Carbondale. The parcel is one of the most significant pieces of land that AVLT would
own outright, and AVLT has so far raised just over $5 million of a total $8.5 million projected project cost. Management of the parcel will include balancing wildlife habitat — the property is fronting the Roaring Fork River and has 35 acres of wetlands — and maintaining agricultural production and public access. In an inverse of the TD Ranch Preserve arrangement, Pitkin County is expected to hold the conservation easement once the deal is done. “And (that easement) will probably use this same language,” Tennenbaum said.
Retail Marijuana| 21 +
@rockymountainhighq
Happy Hanukkah Celebrate every night of Hanukkah with help from high q
Deals for every night of Hanukkah Save on a variety of products Online ordering available
Dear Editor: I am curious why we have not yet seen the world-wide pandemic as World War III. Is it because 73 million Americans perceive the pandemic as a conspiracy? To make us wear masks? Do we not even wonder who has such incredible influence, as to perpetrate this massive, deadly hoax, in all the countries on the planet? Or, could it be that there truly is a virus that has killed 306,000 Americans, plus 3,000 daily now? Twice the number of the next hardest hit country India, that has four times our population. So much winning. John Hoffmann Carbondale
Check your receipt Dear Editor: I try to keep it short at the grocery store. You know why. Yesterday I picked up a dozen items. I have a good head for numbers, so I remember prices, and I'm a very thrifty shopper. When I checked out, I noticed I got overcharged $4 for a couple of blocks of cheese. The checker trudged over to the dairy case with me, and she made everything right. Then, as I was heading out the door, I checked my receipt again. This time I noticed that the pomegranate on sale for
$4.99 got charged at $5.99. I caught the manager, who suggested we visit the pomegranate case. "I'll make this right for you," he declared when I showed him the price. Next stop: customer service counter. When we got there, no one was on duty. The manager started banging on doors. "Look," I said. "I've only got so much time to hang around for a lousy buck." "No," the manager declared." I'm going to refund your entire purchase price." That sounded fair, but after several more minutes of searching for the customer service clerk, I told him, "You obviously have more problems than I do. Let's just forget it." "Catch me next time, and I'll pay you," he assured me as I walked out the door. End of story? Just the first half. This morning I was pacing the aisles again. This time I wrote down prices as I shopped. Bottom line: Crackers advertised for $1.99 sold for $2.99. Three cans of soup on sale for $.99 rang up at $1.79 each. A box of blueberries advertised at four for $5 cost me $2.50. Today I didn't fight it. I wasn't about to spend my morning chasing five bucks. But if you're pinching pennies in these challenging times, you might want to look at your checkout receipt. Ed Colby New Castle
Bright on white Dear Editor: Noon sun blazes down Snow casts back a blinding light Hurts my eyes yours too JM Jesse Glenwood Springs
Staying Home? Try Out Our Delivery Services! We want you and your pets to stay healthy and happy, so we are urging our customers to use our delivery services. All orders over $75 get FREE DELIVERY!
Deals available every day during regular business hours.
View the Hanukkah savings at www.highqrockies.com/holiday-gift-guide/ SNOWMASS VILLAGE MALL
• CARBONDALE
• SILT • PARACHUTE
WWW.HIGHQROCKIES.COM | 844-420-DANK (3265) 20 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
970-963-1700 RJPaddywacks.com Open 7 Days a week − Mon.-Fri. 9:00-6:30 ~ Sat.-Sun. 10-5pm 400 E. Valley Road # I/J, Next to City Market in El Jebel
We dо 't charge r obits
The death of a loved one costs enough. The Sopris Sun is happy to publish local obituaries of a reasonable length, including a picture, free of charge.
Send submissions to news@soprissun.com
Your Big Backyard XIII
Across 1. Cinque___, a five-petaled flower. 3. Handy for boxing practice (2 words). 6. "To His ____ Mistress," by Andrew Marvell. 8. ____ eggs and ham, breakfast item at Dos Gringos. 9. Aspen ____, club near Carbondale offering golf, tennis, swimming, dining and other amenities. 10. Not so stout. 11. This store features a gorilla playing an electric guitar (2 words). 14. The Smuggler Mine, an important source of silver in its day, also produced lead and ____. 15. Ancestral ______, also called Anasazi. 16. Person who looks down on others. 17. Frequent (adverb). 18. Abandoned mining town in Eagle County.
Down 2. Secure (verb). 3. Lavender-colored flower of the phlox family. Found at high altitudes. (2 words.) 4. Carbon ___ means coal valley. 5. ___ Dipper, double black diamond at Spring Gulch. 7. Castles, red cliffs above Basalt. 8. Species of trout imported by Baron Lucius von Behr in the 1800s ( 2 words). 11. Munch on grass.
Cool Brick Studios
Re Energize GARFIELD COUNTY
Clean Energy for Economic Recovery
SAVE ENERGY. SAVE MONEY!
world-class multimedia studio
12. Synonym of truism. 13. Peruse the landscape with binoculars. 15. What cougars, lynx, and coyotes do.
Down: 2. LOCK; 3. SKYPILOT; 4. DALE; 5. BIG; 7. SEVEN; 8. GERMANBROWN; 11. GRAZE; 12. CHESTNUT; 13. SCAN; 15. PROWL; Across: 1. FOIL; 3. SPEEDBAG; 6. COY; 8. GREEN; 9. GLEN; 10. LITE; 11. GLENWOODMUSIC; 14. ZINC; 15. PUEBLANS; 16. SNOOT; 17. OFTEN; 18. GILMAN;
photography • film • video 360° virtual tours
CLEER and the Town of Carbondale want to boost your business – and the local recovery – through investments in energy efficiency. FREE professional building walk-through Recommendations on bestbang-for-the-buck energy upgrades
Holidays are stressful. Covid-19 amplifies anxiety. Remember: We are here for you! ASPENSTRONG.ORG THIS COMMUNITY AD SPACE DONATED BY COOL BRICK STUDIOS
Rebates can provide up to 50% of project costs!
Audio and visual excellence all under one roof !
GET STARTED TODAY! info@CleanEnergyEconomy.net (970) 704-9200
CoolBrickStudios.com
86 S 3rd St. Carbondale, Colorado
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 21
LEGALS NOTICE PURSUANT TO THE LIQUOR LAWS OF COLORADO BATCH EMPORIUM, LLC 358 MAIN STREET CARBONDALE, CO 81623 HAS REQUESTED THE LIQUOR LICENSING OFFICIALS OF CARBONDALE TO GRANT A NEW LIQUOR LICENSE TO SELL MALT, VINOUS, AND SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS FOR CONSUMPTION ON THE PREMISE AT 358 MAIN STREET, CARBONDALE, CO 81623 THE HEARING FOR THIS APPLICATION WILL BE HELD: VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM DATE AND TIME: JANUARY 12, 2021 AT 6:00 P.M. DATE OF APPLICATION: DECEMBER 11, 2020 BY ORDER OF: DAN RICHARDSON, MAYOR APPLICANT: ALISON SANGUILY Information may be obtained from, and Petitions or Remonstrance’s may be filed with the Town Clerk, Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO 81623 ORDINANCE NO. 15 Series of 2020 AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING SUMS OF MONEY TO THE VARIOUS FUNDS AND SPENDING AGENCIES, IN THE AMOUNTS AND FOR THE PURPOSES AS SET FORTH BELOW, FOR THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, FOR THE 2021 BUDGET YEAR NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on December 8, 2020. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication of this notice. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov.org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours.THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE By: s/s Dan Richardson, Mayor ORDINANCE NO. 16
PAGES OF THE PAST
Series of 2020 AN ORDINANCE A P P R O P R I AT I N G ADDITIONAL SUMS OF MONEY TO DEFRAY EXPENSES IN EXCESS OF AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR THE GENERAL FUND, DISPOSABLE BAG FEE FUND, TRASH FUND, CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION FUND, AND SALES AND USE TAX FUND OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on December 8, 2020. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication of this notice. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov. org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours. THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE By: s/s Dan Richardson, Mayor ORDINANCE NO. 17 Series of 2020 AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO AMENDING CHAPTER 10, ARTICLE 7 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE TO EXEMPT CERTAIN CLASSES OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGE LICENSES FROM THE DISTANCE FROM SCHOOLS RESTRICTIONS NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on December 8, 2020. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication of this notice. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov. org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours. THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE By: s/s Dan Richardson, Mayor
Touching on the big issues From the archives of The Valley Journal and Sopris Sun
Dec. 18, 1980 Carbondale Town Council was considering joining Pitkin County, Aspen, Snowmass and Basalt in the Ruedi Reservoir Water Authority. The proposed entity would allow the communities to purchase water from the dam from the Federal Government and would take over the responsibility of managing the water. Opinions were mixed, with trustee Eldon Beck skeptical of the program while Town Manger Skip Flewelling an enthusiastic proponent. In other news… Nine-digit zip codes were set to debut in 1981 (but we bet you still only know the first five).
Dec. 20, 1990
print after selling 16 copies “before backcountry got popular.” The update focused on the Elk and Sawatch ranges and included twice as many routes, drawing inspiration from Dawson’s extensive experience, which included being the first person to ski all the 14,000+ foot mountains in the state. Not just a practical guide, it also touched on the history of the area. In other news… A washer-dryer sized rock smashed up a car on Highway 82, but the driver wasn’t injured.
Dec. 16, 2010 For almost two years, the Roaring Fork Cultural Council had been bringing the likes of Walter
Issacson and Madeleine Albright to Carbondale. The “intimate, almost informal gatherings'' took place at Thunder River Theatre, and consistently sold out. Prices stayed low thanks to underwriting by around 30 local donors. The 2011 season was set to feature former CIA director James Woolsey, Nobel Prize winner Dr. Michael Brown and former Colorado Senator Gary Hart. Said cofounder Jim Calaway, “If we don’t get into touchy subjects, what the hell are we here for?” In other news… A 42-year-old Aspenite was jailed after breaking into a Carbondale home, threatening the occupants with a gun and then barricading himself in for the night.
It looked like Colorado Mountain College might be absorbed into the state community college system following a successful citizen petition to the State Court of Appeals. To maintain local control, the school had to submit a plan for approval by The Colorado Commission on Higher Education, legislators and ultimately the voters. CMC had weathered a similar petition in 1984-5. albeit at the cost of $500,000. With most of the work already done, the next round was expected to run much less. In other news… The decision on whether or not to allow a new golf course in Glenwood Springs was headed to a special election.
Dec. 14, 2000 Carbondalian and famed backcountry skier Louis Dawson II released “Colorado Backcountry Skiing Volume I” — actually a reworking of “Colorado High Routes,” which went out of
Need Knows No
Season
Contribute to helping over 3,000 neighbors with safety & security needs!
Scan to donate!
https://tinyurl.com/yxdpn5ly
Mail a check! P.O. Box 2964 Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81602
For more info: 970-945-6976
22 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • December 17 - December 25, 2020
American Tree and Cement was Carbondale's hub for Christmas trees in December 1985.
COVID-19 TESTING Aspen Valley Hospital is partnering with Pitkin County Public Health to provide COVID-19 testing for our community.
ASPEN
AVH’s Respiratory Evaluation Center
Location: • Aspen Valley Hospital at 0401 Castle Creek Road, Aspen Hours of Operation: • Evaluation of patients with moderate to severe symptoms: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 12 pm • Community symptomatic testing: Monday - Friday, 1 - 5 pm, and weekends 12 pm – 2pm, with a physician referral • Asymptomatic and Antibody testing available by appointment.
Details: • Physician referral required. • If you do not have a physician, call Aspen Valley Primary Care at 970.279.4111. • Cost (insured) – Tests will be billed to insurance. There is no out-of-pocket expense to the patient after insurance. • Cost (uninsured) – PCR testing is free – AVH is committed to cost not being a barrier to testing. Antibody testing $150 – $200.
Downtown Aspen Kiosk
Location: • Lot behind City Hall at 130 South Galena Street, Aspen Testing Hours: • Monday-Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Details: • Appointments encouraged, but not necessary. Go to curative.com. • Physician referral not required. • Cost (insured) – No cost. • Cost (uninsured) – No insurance necessary. Tests are provided whether or not you have insurance.
BASALT
Aspen Valley Primary Care’s Drive-Thru Testing Center Location: • Parking lot next to the Midvalley Health Institute at 1460 East Valley Road, Basalt Testing Hours: • Monday – Friday, 9 am – 4 pm
Details: • Appointment necessary. Go to curative.com. • Physician referral not required. • Cost (insured) – No cost. • Cost (uninsured) – No insurance necessary. Tests are provided whether or not you have insurance.
More detailed testing information is available on our website at aspenhospital.org.
0401 Castle Creek Road, Aspen, CO 81611 | 970.925.1120 aspenhospital.org |
AspenValleyHospital
PARTING SHOTS
Frozen fractals While not suitable for skating, the ice covering Thompson Creek creates some lovely patterns. Photos by Shannon O'Gara Standiford
SERVICE
Service Directory Ads $100 per month for 4 SMALL $200 per month for 4 LARGE
WINDSHIELD REPAIR & DIRECTORY AUTO GLASS REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD REPAIR & AUTO GLASS REPLACEMENTMo
970-963-3891 970-963-3891
Mobile Service Available
bile Service Available
500 Buggy Circle, Carbondale, CO 500 Buggy Circle, Carbondale, CO
Carbondale Acupuncture Center Serving the valley since 1997
No Appointment Necessary
Open Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm
Locally Owned by David Zamansky
Locally owned bybyJake Zamansky Locally Owned David Zamansky
Silvia Rodríguez repairs and alters clothing, including designer brands, suits, and wedding dresses.
Located in La Fontana Plaza
600 2nd Floor HWY 133, Carbondale
Practicing minimal contact check-in.
Acupuncture Massage Therapy Herbal Medicine
Contact Todd Chamberlin adsales@soprissun.com 970-510-0246
Thinking about selling your home? Contact me today for a free market analysis! Ingrid Wussow 970.404.5105
cbmasonmorse.com
Gift certificates available! Downtown by Sopris Park | 704-1310
289 MAIN STREET | (970) 963-2826 | CARBONDALEAH@GMAIL.COM
We Sell Tires! Come to Sunburst for your Winter tire changeover!
We are open Monday through Saturday from 8am-5pm and Sunday’s 9am-4pm (car washes only).
970-963-8800 745 Buggy Circle in Carbondale w w w. s u n b u r s t c a r c a r e . c o m
You’re not alone if you’re feeling life’s challenges are overwhelming right now. In-person and tele-health (Zoom) appointments available to treat Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma.
Ericka Anderson, MA LPC
208 Midland Avenue, Basalt | (970) 309-7549 erickaanderson812@gmail.com | thehealinggrove.com
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • December 17 - December 25, 2020 • 23
Help us help Josh help local children and families! We recently learned that Josh, one of our longtime ReStore team members, has been quietly (and single-handedly) gathering and donating toys and food to local families for the past several years. Once we found out, we knew we had to find a way to support him in his efforts. That’s why we’re offering 10% off your ReStore purchase when you bring in a new unwrapped toy or non-perishable food item by December 23rd.* Don’t have time to pick up a toy? We just got in a shipment of fuzzy new Disney blankets—perfect to donate and for the kids on your holiday gift list. To learn more and for a list of suggested toy and food items, please visit HabitatRFV.org
Shop in person 10am-5pm Monday – Friday (closed Sunday) or online 24/7 | HabitatRFV.org *10% off available in person and on the day of donation only. For your safety, and the safety of our team we are following all state and local social distancing guidelines. To learn more, visit HabitatRFV.org