2010 02 11

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Sopris Sun THE

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 52 • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

e Sun turns one Celebrating 365 days of Solar Power

It’s been a year, and all of us behind The Sopris Sun are still shining. From left: copy editor Jack Sebesta; board members Peggy DeVilbiss and Russ Criswell; columnist Charlotte Graham; board member Colin Laird; ad representative Anne Goldberg; board member Allyn Harvey; columnist Rita Marsh; writer and photographer Jane Bachrach; contributor Evan Zislis; columnist Sue Melus; reporter Jeremy Heiman; former board member and graphic designer Becky Young; editor Terray Sylvester; graphic designer Terri Ritchie; Webmaster Will Grandbois; contributing artist Elizabeth Ritchie and many more not pictured. Photo by Ed Kosmicki

Why the Sunshine?

Mark Wolfe

It has turned out to be more than a test run.

Garrett de Castillo

“I think it’s fantastic that Carbondale has a local newspaper again. It was neat to see how excited everyone was when The Sopris Sun started up. To me it’s a lot like KDNK; it’s truly a voice for Carbondale. It’s nice to see local stories about people in our community. It adds to the sense that we’re all in this together. It takes a village to run a village; it takes a community to run a community. It’s heartwarming to see residents of this town willing to pitch in and work together to have an amenity like the newspaper. It’s very convenient, it’s a local voice for community news, and it’s fun.”

When a handful of residents got together a little more than a year ago to launch a new independent nonprofit newspaper, they weren’t sure how it would all work. But they were determined to make it happen. The founding board members told the Los Angeles Times, Spain’s El Mundo, Colorado Public Radio and other media that it was very much an experiment but it “beat the dickens out of sitting around and whining … .”

“I love Jeannie Perry’s writing. I think she’s great. The unclassifieds have been helpful. I love the cops and blotters. It’s so objective yet we all know who they’re talking about. It’s also good to see high school sports; those photos have been great. All the photos look really good.”

The newspaper has meant a lot of different things to a lot of people, so Sun staffers Jane Bachrach, Trina Ortega and Terray Sylvester hit the streets to find out a little more about The Sun.

WHY THE SUNSHINE page 9

Lessons from behind the headlines

e question mark on Mt. Sopris

Local beerworks a-brewin’

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Carbondale Commentary Come party with The Sun on Feb. 18 Holy cow! The Sopris Sun is turning one. Believe it or not, The Sopris Sun has been around for a full year now, bringing you the latest and the greatest from Carbondale and the midvalley. It’s a testament to the spirit of this community that we have a paper at all. The Sun continues to shine because of the support of our donors, advertisers, underpaid staff and unpaid volunteers and, of course, our readers. We want to say thanks, so we’re throwing a party. Please, come one, come all next Thursday, Feb. 18, to The Pour House and help us celebrate from 5-8 p.m. There will be food, drink, music and plenty of your neighbors and friends to party with. It’s also a chance to become a“Sunscriber,”and help us out with a donation as we begin our second year of publication. The Sun is a nonprofit enterprise, and in order to prosper we need community support. Hope to see you next Thursday. ~The Sopris Sun Board of Directors

e sun is shining somewhere By Trina Ortega It was one o’clock in the morning of Feb. 11, 2009. It was dark and quiet outside. The stillness outside Becky Young’s second-story window (in her home where we produced the first issues) made me believe that all 5,600 Carbondale residents were tucked under the covers sleeping. A few of us were up, though. My eyes were bloodshot, my brain fried; the clock was ticking and the pressure was on. It was the night of the first deadline for the inaugural issue of The Sopris Sun. Allyn Harvey, a former newspaper man and a member of The Sun’s board of directors, had come over at midnight to help proofread the final pages. Graphic design wizard and founding board member Becky Young was resting her eyes before she would have to put the finishing touches on the pages and ship The Sun through cyberspace to the press. It was dark and quiet outside. The previous five weeks had been a whirlwind. I had gotten laid off from The Valley Journal on Christmas Eve 2008 and it had only been six weeks between the Journal’s last print date and the Sun’s debut. Everyone was anticipating its release. Daily newspapers were shutting their doors across the country. It was a terrible time to start a new nonprofit business. But Carbondale is full of people who live to buck the trends, especially when they believe in something. Looking through the stack of Sopris Suns (51 issues in all) from the past year, I think about how this newspaper has been a record of so many lives – the community members featured and pictured on the pages, the people behind the stories. But most importantly, those papers are a historical record of our town. REPORTER’S EDUCATION page 16

From left, John Hoffmann, Nancy Thal, Kim Stacey, Olivia Pevec and Adam Coin bask in the winter sun on the porch of the Betty Bear Hut. Photo courtesy of John Hoffmann

2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Letters

The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 400 words. Letters exceeding that length may be edited or returned for revisions. Include your name and residence (for publication) and a contact email and phone number. Submit letters via email to letters@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623.

A comprehensive plan indeed Dear Editor: Just as things were wrapping up at the Garfield County Comp Plan public session on Wednesday night, Feb. 3, a local municipal water engineer added an insight that occurred to me as something that may have been more appropriate as a starting place for the whole conversation – rather than an afterthought. He shared some information about studies that had been done on the state’s water supply. These studies show that there is not enough water to support the kind of growth projections that were being suggested as potential scenarios. He added that in order to supply the water needed for the kind of growth being discussed, we either need to cut into the water being used for agricultural lands, or drain it out of the rivers.With the growing awareness around the necessity to feed ourselves more locally, compromising our local agricultural lands seems like a move in the wrong direction. And further stressing our fragile waterways doesn’t sound like a solution either. It seems that at this stage in the game, sustainability would be a wise place to start any conversation about growth, land use, and resource use.Thank you to all of you who were there who shared your thoughts – listening to your perspectives was very valuable to my own thinking about our collective future. Gwen Garcelon Carbondale

thing to remember is that child sexual abuse is preventable. Empower yourselves and your children. Talk to them honestly about their body, sex, and appropriate behavior for their ages. Have a “no secrets” policy in your family. Tell everyone you know that you are teaching your children body-safety rules, and that your children don’t keep secrets from their parents. The more people in our wonderful community of caring adults and children who respect and follow these rules, the fewer children will become victims of sexual abuse – and the more we can beat the odds. Adriana Pevec-Brown Carbondale

Corporations aren’t people Dear Editor: U.S. Reps. Donna Edwards, D-Md., and John Conyers, D-Mich., have joined together to introduce an amendment to the U.S. Constitution designed to overturn the Supreme Court’s recent ridiculous ruling that corporations are persons and have the same free speech rights as human citizens. This insane ruling makes it impossible to limit corporate contributions to political campaigns or lobbying of congress. A corporation is not a person. A person has many concerns, such as a healthy environment, the welfare of their grandchildren, and the social harmony of their society, LETTERS page 14

Protect your children Dear Editor: I would like to thank the Children’s Rocky Mountain Preschool, Inc., its board of directors, and all the sponsors for their support in hosting the workshop I attended on Saturday with Feather Berkower. Feather is a licensed clinical social worker and has worked with 70,000 children and 6,000 parents to prevent sex abuse of children. She presented empowering ways to arm parents and children against sexual predation, and I feel that our community is a safer place for all children now. All 75 or so of the parents who attended now know about body safety rules, and how to teach their children not to keep secrets from their parents and that no grown up is allowed to make them feel uncomfortable. I learned how important it is to listen to my children, to take them seriously, to ask questions, trust my instincts, and address any concerns I have with any person. I learned that child sex abusers choose their victims carefully, singling out kids who need someone to listen to them, spend time with them, and are often left alone. One in three girls and one in seven boys are sexually abused by the time they are 18.These are only the reported cases. It is very important to report to social services or the police any crime that may have occurred. Letting it go is one way for secrecy to be maintained, which is just what sex abusers want. Also, 95 percent of the time, the victim already knows the perpetrator.The important

Sopris Sun THE

The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 nonprofit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation. Editor: Terray Sylvester • 618-9112 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Anne Goldberg • 379-5050 anne@soprissun.com Reporters: Trina Ortega • Jeremy Heiman Photographer/Writer: Jane Bachrach Copy Editor: Lynn Burton Ad/Page Production: Terri Ritchie Paper Boy: Cameron Wiggin Sopris Sun, LLC Managing Board of Directors: Russ Criswell • Peggy DeVilbiss Allyn Harvey • Colin Laird Elizabeth Phillips The Sopris Sun is published partly with the support of the Rotary Club of Carbondale

Sopris Sun, LLC • P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623

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Open space supporters still divided over Two Shoes trade By David Frey Special to The Sopris Sun Seen from above, the swath of land sandwiched by retail magnate Leslie Wexner’s properties looks something like a question mark on the slopes of Mount Sopris – a fitting shape for a piece of ground whose future is in question. This Bureau of Land Management parcel flanked by Wexner’s Two Shoes Ranch lies at the heart of a controversial land swap. Wexner wants the BLM to exchange it for a ranch he owns on the backside of Red Hill. The deal could mean expanding the popular playground of mountain bikers, runners and hikers. But some critics worry that by letting Wexner consolidate his Mount Sopris holdings, it will put much of the base of Carbondale’s most cherished landmark in the hands of a single billionaire. “I don’t think it’s fair to the public to give up that much land and really generate an economic benefit to a private player that outweighs the benefit to the public,” said Dale Will, director of the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Department, who has been vocal in his opposition to the proposed land exchange. “The intangible value is Mount Sopris,” Will said, “and the significant value it has to our community in my mind is a big concern.” The issue has put open space supporters who are usually allies on opposite sides. Backers of the land swap include the Aspen Valley Land Trust, which works to secure conservation easements on private land, and the Red Hill Council, which hopes to see the Red Hill acreage expanded. Garfield County has offered conditional support. The town of Carbondale voiced initial support, too, but it’s reconsidering. It’s hosting a meeting March 2 to further explore the issue. “I’m hoping the board changes its mind,” said Carbondale Trustee John Hoffmann, who has hiked much of the rugged terrain surrounding the Sopris land. “Once Wexner has it, it will be closed off forever,” he said.

What’s at stake? Opponents aren’t worried Wexner will develop the BLM land. He has pledged to

nearby landowners to keep it in a conservation easement. Access isn’t a huge issue, either. It’s steep and rugged and rarely traveled. Mostly, they worry about seeing so much public land, at the base of Carbondale’s most beloved landmark, in private hands. They worry Mount Sopris could become a trophy backyard for luxury homes on Wexner’s land – an exclusive development like Old Snowmass’ Wildcat Ranch. “If he succeeds in this, we think that makes him the largest private landowner in Pitkin County,” Will said. It would also mean Pitkin County, which has worked for the last 20 years to get more lands in public hands, would lose a big chunk of public land – the equivalent of about half the acreage of public land it’s been able to add. “It kind of hits close to home when someone proposes to pull that much land out of public ownership,” Will said.

Private holdings are outlined in red. Bureau of Land Management land is outlined in green. Under the proposed land swap, Leslie and Abigail Wexner would receive the large area of BLM land in the center of the photo and would place it under a conservation easement. The Wexners currently own all but a small piece of the private land outlined in red. They also own the land bordering the right side of the BLM parcel. Image courtesy of Pitkin County Open Space and Trails

Who’s who? Wexner owns 3,944 acres of land along the base of Mount Sopris, with approvals for 27 homes of up to 15,000 square feet – a total of 206,500 square feet of residential development. Running down the middle of his holdings is a ribbon of Bureau of Land Management land. It is 1,268 acres in size. Wexner, of Columbus, Ohio, is chairman and CEO of Limited Brands, which includes stores like The Limited, Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works. Forbes magazine estimated his worth at about $1.7 billion in 2009 and named him the 158th-richest American and the 430th-richest person in the world. His $107 million in five-year compensation ranked him as the 12th highest paid retail executive in the country. Wexner and his wife Abigail bought the 4 Bar Ranch from ranchers Roz and Tom Turnbull in 2002, and the Crystal Island Ranch from Internet magnate Richard Jellinek in 2006. The $47 million sale was Pitkin County’s biggest ever. In 2008, he purchased the 520-acre Sutey (pronounced SHOO-tee) Ranch in Garfield County on the back side of Red Hill for $6.5 million, for the purpose of making the exchange happen.

Current land ownership north of Mount Sopris. The Two Shoes Ranch, owned by Leslie and Abigail Wexner, is shown in purple. The strip of terrain between the two halves of the ranch is the BLM land the Wexners would like to acquire. Diagonal bars represent conservation easements. Yellow dots represent existing development approvals. Image courtesy of Pitkin Open Space and Trails

A windfall for Wexner? Wexner wants to swap the Sutey Ranch for the BLM land slicing through his property, and he hired Western Land Group to lobby for it. Although the Sutey Ranch is much smaller, the land group argues it’s worth much more because it is more developable. It appraises the rugged, rocky BLM land near Two Shoes at $4.2 million, and the Sutey Ranch, a rolling expanse of mostly sagebrush meadows, at $6.5 million. While critics question the price tags and the disparity in acreage, they also worry

about a federal agency handing what they believe would be a windfall to Wexner. Wexner denies his goal was to gain a windfall, or that there would even be one. Instead, he says, he wants to consolidate his ranching operations. “We have never sought this exchange in order to increase the monetary value of our ranch,” he and Abigail wrote to Pitkin County commissioners in a Jan. 11 letter. If it did increase the value, it would only come from selling it, they said, and they have no intention of doing that. PRESERVATION page 14

Carbondale to help fund water study Gas drilling could impact municipal Crystal River wells By Jeremy Heiman The Sopris Sun The Carbondale Board of Trustees agreed on Feb. 2 to chip in about $7,000 to help a local advocacy group conduct a study of water quality in the upper Thompson Creek and Four Mile Creek watersheds, in a mountainous area to the west and southwest of Carbondale. Carbondale officials were interested in supporting the study, initiated by the Thompson Divide Coalition (TDC), in part because contamination from gas drilling in those areas has the potential to enter

ground water and pollute town water wells. Carbondale’s Crystal River wells, which are relatively shallow, could be threatened by such contamination, said Mark O’Meara, Carbondale’s utilities director. O’Meara said the risk presented by chemicals from gas drilling in the Thompson Divide area is difficult to calculate. “If it gets into the groundwater, I don’t think there’s any model to predict where it’s going to go,” he said. He compared underground geology to a sandwich, with multiple layers, sloping to-

ward the Crystal and Roaring Fork valleys. Contamination released by drilling activities could enter groundwater between any of those layers and follow the slope to the valley bottom. The Crystal wells are a secondary source of water for the town, but are nevertheless used on a regular basis for domestic drinking water for residents, as are another series of wells in the Roaring Fork drainage. Carbondale’s primary source of water is Nettle Creek, south of town. TDC has budgeted almost $79,000 for the study, which is intended to establish

baseline data on the purity of streams and underground water in the Thompson Divide area, where gas drilling companies hold leases. The largest share of the cost has been paid for by grants from Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, the Aspen Skiing Company Environment Foundation and Patagonia, and grants expected from two other sources. Carbondale’s trustees offered to pay half the remaining budget shortfall of $13,970. The study has been under way since last DRILLING RISKS page 15

THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 3

News Briefs The Weekly News Brief The Sopris Sun and the KDNK news department team up each week to discuss recent news from the Roaring Fork Valley. Catch the Brief on KDNK at 7:50 a.m. and at 5:50 p.m. on Thursdays, or ďŹ nd it online at KDNK.org.

January sales tax down 16 percent

Another energy audit for the town

Carbondale Town Manager Tom Baker has announced that the town’s sales tax revenues for January were down 16 percent from the previous January. This decline was anticipated, Baker informed the Board of Trustees, but if revenues continue to decline at that rate in subsequent months,“adjustments will be required.â€? The decline was expected, Baker told the Sun, because the nationwide downturn had not yet hit Carbondale in January of 2009, and the town was still in fairly good economic health. “The contraction didn’t kick in until March, 2009,â€? Baker said. So town ofďŹ cials expect the ďŹ rst two months of 2010 to be down in comparison with the same months a year earlier. But a sharp drop below March, 2009 is not anticipated, because that month showed revenues down from the previous year. “When we get the March report, if we see decreases of more than about 10 percent, then we’re going to have to really see what’s going on.â€? Baker said. Carbondale’s sales tax receipts, the mainstay of the town’s revenue stream, were down in 2009 by 14.84 percent compared with 2008 sales tax revenues.

Town of Carbondale buildings will get a thorough going over later this year, to see if they can be retroďŹ tted to use less energy. Despite the fact that Carbondale has already done much in the area of energy efďŹ ciency, the Carbondale Board of Trustees agreed Feb. 2 that the town should take advantage of an offer made possible by the Governor’s Energy OfďŹ ce, through the GarďŹ eld New Energy Communities Initiative (G-NECI). After a presentation by Public Works Director Larry Ballenger and additional information from Alice Laird and Jeff Dickinson of G-NECI, the board unanimously supported a staff recommendation to enter a contract with Ennovate Corporation, an energy service company located in Aurora. The contract is for a preliminary assessment called a technical energy audit (TEA), for which Ennovate will bill the town $8,839.81, based on the square footage of buildings to be analyzed. The town can walk away from the contract at any time. If worthwhile energy savings are identiďŹ ed in the TEA, the town may decide to enter an energy performance contract with Ennovate, under which energy efďŹ ciency retroďŹ ts in buildings can done immediately and paid for

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over time with the money saved through increased operational efďŹ ciency. If the town does decide to go ahead with the energy performance contract, then the money paid for the TEA contract is rolled into the energy performance contract. Town ofďŹ cials expect the greatest savings to be garnered in water and wastewater department buildings.

Teens launch online TV show A group of Roaring Fork Valley teenagers is launching a new, online TV show they say will be “entertaining, provocative and fun� for all audiences. The show, which debuted Feb. 10 at beheardtv.com, is being produced under the guidance and mentorship of longtime Carbondale TV man Chris Tribble. “Over the years this group of kids has produced many top-notch productions.Their online TV show can be watched by audiences all over the world. The potential as an outlet

for communication of topics important to youth is unlimited,â€? Tribble said. The Feb. 10 launch was shot live in the Youth Entity ofďŹ ces at the Bridges Center in front of a live audience. “I work with a team of kids on everything from show content to set design and the actual shooting of the show,â€? said producer Chuck Bergren-Aragon, a junior at Glenwood Springs High School. “We also have a blog going during the show so people can talk to us and ask us questions while we’re on the air.â€? Segments include:“What’s Up With Thatâ€? highlighting an issue that concerns teenagers; “Fix it or Nix Itâ€? about technology; an interview about Operation Vacation; a conversation with local comedian Mark Thomas; and SKYPE guest Theoria. In addition to the weekly online TV show, the Be Heard! team produces a variety of programs for local nonproďŹ ts. For more information, call 963-1115.

Cop Shop WEDNESDAY Feb. 3 At 7:28 p.m., Carbondale police received a call from a man whose friend wouldn’t stop bothering him. She had been calling him frequently and, as he told the police, he no longer wanted to be her friend. An ofďŹ cer called the man’s friend and left a message explaining the situation. WEDNESDAY Feb. 3 At 6 p.m. two cars

collided on Highway 133. Neither driver was injured. WEDNESDAY Feb. 3 OfďŹ cers issued six tickets to drivers speeding on Snowmass Drive. SUNDAY Jan. 31 An unidentiďŹ ed guest burned his breakfast at the Comfort Inn, setting off the ďŹ re alarm.

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GarCo residents want future development directed to towns By Terray Sylvester The Sopris Sun Where do Garfield County residents want development to go as the county population grows over the next 20 years? As Tamra Allen, senior planner for the county, put it: “in the towns.” That’s the consensus that has emerged in the wake of a second round of public meetings held countywide to gather input on the next revision of the Garfield Count comprehensive plan. The 2030 comp plan revision is intended to set an overall vision for county land use policies and inform county code in the next 20 years. With Garfield’s population expected to double – to about 120,000 residents – over that time, much of its focus is on growth, and where to put it. The meetings were held in the first week of February. Carbondale’s meeting took place Feb. 3 and attracted about 60 people. At that meeting and at the others, a clear consensus emerged that future development should be directed toward existing population centers. At each meeting, participants were asked to choose between three very general scenarios of where future growth would occur, depending on different planning strategies adopted by the county. County planners had drawn up the scenarios based on responses gathered from the previous round of meetings held in November 2009, online

surveys and other public feedback, explained Keith Walsak, a consultant hired by the county who coordinated the Carbondale meeting. A first scenario, dubbed “corridors and centers,” placed future development in and around existing municipal boundaries and along corridors between towns, such as Interstate 70 and Highway 82. A handout distributed at the Carbondale meeting stated that in this scenario, “cities/towns may be viewed as growing together – no distinct boundaries along the major corridors.” Under a second scenario, named “near towns,” future development would be strongly encouraged within existing population centers and close enough to them that it would likely be annexed in the future. Both of these scenarios assumed that the county’s future land use plan would be adjusted so that the density in unincorporated areas of the county – unless it were specifically changed – would be one dwelling unit per 10 acres. That reduction in density would push growth toward existing population centers. Currently, outside of the Roaring Fork Valley, the default density is one dwelling unit per two acres. A third scenario offered a “current trends” alternative, in which no additional guidance would be placed on development. As the handout put it, growth would scatter DENSITY page 15

Happy Anniversary Sopris Sun!

Mountain Regional Housing

Eighth graders from the Carbondale Community School interned throughout the community last week. Among them were Steele Featherstone (top), who hefted a hammer at Roaring Forge, and Alex Fisher, who sliced and diced at Six89. Photos by Jane Bachrach

A nonprofit housing service organization Helping locals obtain affordable housing Since 1997

Please join us at

The Great Match Wine & Food Tasting Fundraiser Friday Feb. 19 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Gathering Center 110 Snowmass Drive, Carbondale

Tickets at WineTime

tes a l u t a r g n o c Solar Flair Sun s i r p o S e h T ary s r e v i n n A t on its Firs

704-9801 or at the door $35 Hosted by WineTime and Cuvee Sponsored by Alpine Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Roaring Fork Originals, Smoke Modern Barbecue, White House Pizza, Bistecca Bistro of Basalt, Upper Crust and more!

THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 5

Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to Scuttlebutt@SoprisSun.com. Wendy Moore and love child Cliff Colia (born Feb. 14). And happy birthday to Gene Schilling, Dylan van Berlo, Celia Prieto, Alicia Salais and David Hamilton, who might not be aware that they all share the same birthday – Feb. 12.

The Zamansky Report Two of The Sopris Sun’s most reliable snoops are heading to Vancouver. They’ll be there by Feb. 18, and then we’ll be able to bring you, Carbondale, up-to-the-week reports and gossip about our Roaring Fork Valley athletes who will be competing in the 2010 Olympics. However, we received word early this week about our boy with tight Carbondale connections. Our contacts have reported that Jake Zamansky took a few days off last weekend and was trying to get his body back in shape after Europe so he can train in Park City this week. He leaves for Vancouver on Feb. 17, and his race – the giant slalom – is on Feb. 21. One of our contacts was actually with Jake in Utah this last weekend, and reported that Jake is trying not to “get caught up in all the hoopla.â€? He is simply trying to focus on Feb. 21, when we are conďŹ dent he will shine. Stay tuned.

We do “belated� Don’t know if you’ve noticed but we do birthdays whenever we want to. If we miss one, we do it later. We do a lot of “belateds,� as in the case of Jack Sebesta. Jack told us that his birthday was on the same date as Ronald Reagan’s but we didn’t realize that last Saturday, Feb. 6, was Ronnie’s birthday. So we forgot it was also Jack’s. Jack is an important part of our team, as he helps us proof the paper before it goes to press. Happy belated, Jack!

‌and not just birthdays FYI, we also do belated Valentine’s wishes and we can’t believe that no one took out a Valentine’s Day UnclassiďŹ ed! Where’s the love, Carbondale? It’s never too late to say, “I love you.â€? So share the love and take out an UnclassiďŹ ed for a person, a pet, a friend, that special pair of skis, whatever. It doesn’t cost very much, just $15. You can run a belated UnclassiďŹ ed any time you want to in The Sopris Sun. Make it fun. Run one!

Blood, sweat and tears It’s gotta be in their blood. We know they sweat a lot and chances are they have shed either tears of joy or pain. All that sweating in a hot yoga studio has paid off for Bel and Emily Carpenter, owners of The Yoga College of India in Carbondale and Basalt. They both took top honors at a recent regional yoga championship and will be representing Colorado in the National Bishnu Ghosh Cup, in Los Angeles. The event is being hosted by the United States Yoga Federation, and according to The Sopris Sun’s yoga consultant, folks can view the Bishnu Ghosh Asana National Championship live at yogacup.com on Feb. 12. The international semi-ďŹ nals will be held on Feb. 13, and the ďŹ nals should be on Feb.14.

Newsman: Gordon Cooper librarian Marilyn Murphy shares a moment with a well-read visitor. Each GarďŹ eld County library made a papier mache reader as part of The Big Read program currently taking place. The folks at the Gordon Cooper opted to make theirs entirely out of Spanish-language publications.

The last of the Water Carriers As the sign of Aquarius fades into the Sopris Sunset, a few stragglers have birthdays to celebrate. These Aquarians bear the burden of carrying enough water so that the “Fish� peo-

ple will be able to swim into the spotlight next week. Don’t let this heavy burden weigh you down, though. Celebrate! Happy birthday this week to Carrie Click, Andy White,

CARBONDALE COMMUNITY SCHOOL Now Accepting Applications For the 2010-2011 school year Application Deadline: April 16 Progressive integrated curriculum Small, multi-aged classes (K-8) • Outdoor education Encouraging inquisitive, independent and self-motivated learners

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You are invited to meet our teachers, view student portfolios, and tour our facilities.

Thursday, February 18th from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

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Or is it “beâ€?? Or “bea,â€? or “bâ€?? We know that all of the students listed here would know how to spell it, because they represented Carbondale Middle School in this year’s Roaring Fork School District Spelling Bee that took place on Jan. 27. Congratulations to Ticah Burrows, T Conrad, Jessica Hardin, Emily Mata, Emily Bruell, Fiona Laird, Bettina Sack-Gallup and Kathy Funes. In order to qualify they had to place ďŹ rst or second at spelling bees held at Carbondale Middle School.

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Imagine sleek new bus stations with covered bike shelters. Imagine, leaving Highway 82 traffic

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Carbondale Community School 1505 Dolores Way, Carbondale 963-9647 (Public Charter School of the Roaring Fork School District)

6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

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Plans brewing for a Carbondale pub By Trina Ortega The Sopris Sun

Carbondalian Jeff Dahl is mixing up the ingredients for a local brewpub, and he hopes to start filling glasses by June. Photo by Jane Bachrach

By late spring, Jeff Dahl of Carbondale will be tapping into a new business. The 39-year-old has been doing his homework, perfecting his recipes, and is looking for the right location to open a brew pub in Carbondale. He hopes to be filling the first frosty glasses by June. “Everyone I’ve talked to has said Carbondale needs a brew pub; a place with good quality crafted beer and a place to kick back,” said Dahl, a designer at Greenline Architects who recently founded Carbondale Beer Works, LLC. Dahl anticipates having at least six beers on tap, including his specialties: an Indian pale ale and Irish stout. He also makes a mean lemon wheat, for which he has won awards. Although he wouldn’t divulge details, Dahl is in the middle of negotiating a space “hopefully downtown.” He is simultaneously buying equipment and going over the legalities of how to set up his pub as a co-operative. It would operate like any other co-op; the more you buy, the bigger the return or discount on future purchases. “I’m not in it to make a killing. This is really more of a grassroots community type thing,” Dahl said. “I’ve been kind of planning it for a little while. I decided to make the jump and get this thing started, since there’s not much else going on,” he said, explaining that architecture work is a little slow due to the economy. So it’s a good time to get to the bottom of the barrel on brewing techniques, and Dahl will be heading to England this month to take an intense three-week class and receive a professional brewing certificate. It was Dahl’s mother who condoned his drinking games about 15 years ago when she bought him a home brewing kit as a gift. “I made the kit and it sucked,” Dahl laughed. He ventured to a local home brewing shop where he lived in New Orleans to inquire about what went wrong.

The shop owner advised him to try a better quality, more advanced kit. Dahl did and experienced some success, which left him thirsty for more. So he bought an even better kit. And his beer got better. Good enough, in fact, that after only a couple of months of brewing, he submitted a weisenbock into a national home brewers’ competition and took top honors in the dark wheat division. “I mainly just kept brewing for myself and my friends. I had a few setbacks … but everything that I made was pretty good, at least according to my friends.” Good ingredients are the key to making well-crafted beer, according to Dahl. Start with a malted barley and crush it into a chunky grist, add hot water and let the grain’s enzymes get to work on converting the starches into sugar. That’s the mash, and all home brewers strive to be good makers of mash. Next, separate the sugar and boil the sugary water down, adding hops as you go.The hops give beer its bitterness, aroma and some of its flavor. After boiling, cool the sugar water and add yeast, whose fancy by-products (as it combines with the sugar) are CO2 and alcohol. Add some time and patience — about two weeks — and you’ll be bellying up to the bar. Perfecting the brews, however, is only one part Dahl loves about making beer. He says the camaraderie makes his hobby more satisfying. “Every time I’m brewing, my friends come over and hang out. It’s just a fun way to get together with friends.” And as he ramps up his hobby into a profession, he expects to provide that same laid-back, friendly atmosphere at his new Carbondale pub.

Tap in:

To learn more about the pub and the co-op effort, contact Dahl at carbondalebeerworks@gmail.com, and check out his page on facebook.com.

The Sopris Sun is throwing a party! Thursday, February 18 5-8 p.m. The Pour House Please come celebrate The Sun’s first year of publication and learn how you can support us in our second year

People, music, food and drinks! FREE (donations accepted)

Celebrate the Sun! (even if you’re praying for snow) Support from

Sopris Sun THE

THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 7

Man’s (and Woman’s)

Best Friends Photos and text by Jane Bachrach The Sopris Sun It may be the dead of winter, but the Crystal River Valley was alive with activity last weekend. With events taking place in Carbondale and Redstone, there was a lot for folks to see and do. In years past, the Redstone Sled Dog Races have taken place around this time, but they were cancelled this year. But a new festival filled the void, namely WinterFest, a three-day event that included everything from beer tasting and ice climbing to ice sculptors, such as Shannon Muse with her icy archangel (bottom left). Fortunately, its organizers thoughtfully included a variety of soul-warming attractions that still revolved around man’s (and woman’s) best friend, dogs. There was skijoring (top right) and a canine parade with a brave accordionist (bottom right, photo by Allyn Harvey). Carbondale’s First Friday art walk took place on the same weekend. In addition to checking out the art in town, revelers had the opportunity to attend a Masri Nar performance (right) that revolved around man’s (and woman’s) other best friend – fire. What do dogs and fire have in common? They both provide warmth and they both light up our lives.

8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Why the Sunshine? continued om page 1

Terri Carter

“I love it because I was so sad when The Valley Journal was gone. I was here when The Valley Journal started. I love the name — The Sopris Sun. I love the format; I think it’s more personal. It doesn’t cover only the bad headlines.”

Frank Zlogar

“I read The Sun every week because it makes me feel connected to the issues and the people that matter most. I feel that The Sun represents my interests in the stories that it covers and the point of view that it expresses. Without it, Carbondale wouldn't be the same. It’s more than a paper, it’s a big part of what makes Carbondale a great community.”

Joe Raatz

“I’m glad the paper is still around because we’ve got news of Redstone. I live here now and I don’t get up there all that often so I find a lot of stuff about Redstone and Marble area. There are articles in there that aren’t in the basic three papers around here. You guys put a lot of different stuff in there that they don’t.

Ryan and Mali Sparhawk

Ryan: “I just moved here, so in the last month it’s given me good insight on the issues in the valley and kind of all the great events that [Carbondale] has going on and it helps keep everybody in the know.” Mali: “Yeah”

Max Barbanell

“It’s been a great publication, actually. It’s kind of a great community source of news. There’s the Post Independent and the Times but The Sun is kind of the local community paper. I wouldn’t say much needs to be changed about it. I wish it was a little bit bigger, and it had a little more to say because Carbondale has a lot going on all the time so it’d be great to see a lot more information about it. But honestly I think The Sopris Sun is a great addition to Carbondale.”

Heather Hopper and Zephyr

“I am glad to see the transition between The Valley Journal and The Sopris Sun be flawless and that the local flavor is still represented.”

Blitz

“Newspapers aren’t just for potty training anymore.”

Hearts of Romaine Salad Butter Poached Lobster Tail Paired with an 8oz Sirloin Steak Served with potato Anna and grilled asparagus Tiramisu with fresh strawberries Complimentary glass of champagne $35 per person, served from 5:30 p.m.

OPEN LATE Saturday and Sunday Don’t get caught with your pants down this Valentine’s Day. ORDER EARLY and have your loved one receive flowers at work. Call for Special weekday delivery rates.

The

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453 Main St,Carbondale • www.floralb.com

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Private Apartments • Rehabilitation Services 24-Hour Staffing • Medication Management Activities Program • Transportation to Medical Appointments Housekeeping and Laundry Services

For more information, phone Susan at 970-963-1500

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1250 Village Rd., Carbondale THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 9

Community Calendar THURSDAY Feb. 11 DIVORCE CLASS • A Do It Yourself Divorce Class takes place at 5 p.m. at the PitCo Courthouse in Aspen. Small donation requested, but not required. More info: 920-2828. THURSDAY NIGHT BAR • Attorneys volunteer 15-minute consultations about divorce, custody, renter’s rights and other legal matters at 5 p.m. at the PitCo Courthouse in Aspen. Bring pertinent paperwork. Small donation requested, but not required. More info: 920-2828. P&Z MEETS • The Carbondale Planning & Zoning Commission meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. On the agenda: Town Comprehensive Plan. FILM FUNDRAISER • Solar Energy International presents “Beyond the Call” at 7 p.m. at Dos Gringos, 588 Highway 133. Three middle-aged men travel the world delivering humanitarian aid on the front lines of war. Donations benefit Sun Energy Power International in Haiti. More info: 704-0788

FRI. – SAT. Feb. 12-13 MOUNTAINFILM • Telluride Mountain Film on Tour comes to the Colorado Rocky Mountain School barn starting at 7:30 p.m. both nights. Featuring 16 short films. Buy tickets at CRMS, C’dale recreation center and Glenwood Music. Adults, $15; students/seniors, $10. More info: crms.org.

FRIDAY Feb. 12 WISE-SNACKING CLASS • Dietician Kim Gordon offers a class on snacking wisely and nutritiously at 10:30 a.m. at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs. $7. Free to Cardiac Wellness members. Pre-register: 384-7159.

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted.

LIVE MUSIC • The Redtones play at 9:30 p.m. at Carnahan’s Tavern (formerly the Black Nugget), 403 Main St. $3 cover. More info: 963-4496. YOGA OF THE HEART • Diane Agnello teaches Yoga of the Heart to reduce stress and heal the heart, 9 to 10 a.m. at Valley View Hospital, Glenwood Springs. More info: 384-7159. DOCUMENTARY • “Pathfinders: What Love Is,” plays at 5:30 p.m. at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, followed by a panel discussion with Ted Bogosian, Emmy awardwining filmmaker and director of the Duke Cancer Research Program; Dr. Amy Abernathy, and others. More info: 925-1226, (919) 699-6816. ART OPENING • The Colorado Mountain College Gallery in downtown Glenwood Springs hosts an opening reception with local artist Dean Bowlby. His work will be displayed through March 26. More info: Alice Beauchamp at 947-8367. CHAMBER MUSIC • The Carbondale Council on the Arts and Humanities presents a chamber music concert at the Gathering Center at the Church of Carbondale at 7 p.m. More info: 963-1680 or carbondalearts.com. STEVE’S GUITARS • Steve’s Guitars at 19 N. Fourth St. presents standup comedy with Mark Thomas and Comedy Mercenary Productions at 8 p.m. $12. More info: 963-3304, stevesguitars.net. LIVE MUSIC • General Dixie and the Bad Habits play bluegrass at 9 p.m. at River’s Restaurant, 2525 S. Grand Ave., Glenwood Spring. No Cover. More info: 928-8813. MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “An

Education” (PG-13) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12-18; “Precious” (R) at 5 p.m. Feb. 13 and “Pirate Radio” (R) at 5 p.m. Feb. 14.

SATURDAY Feb. 13 WAX CLINIC • The Aspen Cross Country Center and Toko Wax host a waxing clinic at 5:30 p.m. at the clubhouse on the Aspen Golf Course in Aspen. Tips for the next day’s Owl Creek Chase. $15 fee includes wax. Limited space. Reservations: 618-1345. DODGEBALL • The C’dale recreation center hosts the first annual adult, co-ed Indoor Snowball Costume Dodgeball Tournament starting at 6 p.m. Costumes mandatory. Prizes for the winning team and the funkiest costume. Pre-registration required. More info: 704-4190. LITERARY NIGHTS • Thunder River Theater Company presents a program on author Ray Bradbury and his life-long love of books and writing, with a focus on“Fahrenheit 451,” at 7 p.m., at the library in Rifle. More info: garfieldlibraries.org. VALENTINE’S DANCE • The American Legion Post #100 at 97 Third St. throws a Valentine’s Dance, from 8 to 12 p.m. Live music with the Carbondale Allstars featuring Bobby Mason. $10. More info: 963-2381. STEVE’S GUITARS • Steve’s Guitars at 19 N. Fourth St. presents Michael Martin Murphey at 8 p.m. More info: 963-3304, stevesguitars.net.

SUNDAY Feb. 14 STEVE’S GUITARS • Steve’s Guitars at 19 N. Fourth St. presents a Valentine’s Day show with Gigi Love and The Tippetts at 8 p.m. $15.

More info: 963-3304, stevesguitars.net.

MONDAY Feb. 15 SELF-REALIZATION CLASS • Kimberlie Chenoweth presents a course on becoming fully you from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Transitions, 1322 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs. More info: 945-8598, tilicho@sopris.net. ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY • The Roaring Fork Chapter of the Colorado Archaeology Society meets at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 1016 Cooper Ave., Glenwood Springs. “Spirit of the Mask,” a movie about the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest, will be screened. More info: (970) 524-7981.

TUESDAY Feb. 16 UPHILL RACE • The Snowmass Mother of Ascensions 1,741-foot uphill race starts at 7 a.m. on Fanny Hill at the end of Snowmass Village Mall. Snowshoes, hiking boots, telemark gear and track skis welcome. More info: snowmasstourism.com or (250) 266-0022.

Valentine’s Day Special (To share if you desire)

Claddaugh Irish Pub Sunday Brunch ( every Sunday) 10:30am - 2:00pm Buffet • Omelet Bar

16 oz T-Bone Steak and 2 Lobster Tails Filet Mignon with Shallot Cognac Sauce Baked Lobster Tail, 8 oz. Baked Salmon in Filo Pastry Pesto Crust Filet and Lobster Tail 16 oz. T-Bone Steak

$49.50 $22.50 $22.50 $18.50 $36.50 $23.50

Entrees served with your choice of potato, rice pilaf or spaetzle, fresh vegetable and soup or salad. Dinner will be served from 2 p.m. Reservations suggested.

Valentine’s Day Brunch $11.95

TRUE NATURE Healing Arts

connecting with the truth of who we are

MON TUES

10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Buffet and Omelette Bar

1374 Main Street Carbondale • 704-0923

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ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE

Thanks for flying local!

Year-round noise monitoring, wind power purchase and recycling deicing fluids.

visit us at aspenairport.com

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

5:30-6:45 pm 7-8 pm

ASHTANGA INSPIRED RESTORATIVE YOGA

6:30-7:45 am 9 am-12 noon 12:15-1:15 pm 5:30-6:45 pm

HATHA YOGA MUSIC TOGETHER YOGA FOR LUNCH YOGA FOR EVERYONE

8:30-10 am 10:15 am-12 noon 12:30 - 2 pm 7:30-8:30 pm

HATHA YOGA MUSIC TOGETHER SIRENS MEDITATION

6:30-7:45 am 9 am-12 noon 12:15-1:15 pm 5:30-6:45 pm

HATHA YOGA MUSIC TOGETHER YOGA FOR LUNCH YOGA FOR EVERYONE

8:30-10am 4:30-5:45 pm

HATHA YOGA HAPPY HOUR YOGA

8:30-9:45 am 10:15-11:15 am

YOGA FLOW KUNDALINI YOGA

8:30-9:45 am 4:30-5:45 pm

YOGA FLOW YOGA WITH GRACE

Drop-in $12 with Punch Pass $10

Frontier and United Airlines.

ASPEN/PITKIN COUNTY AIRPORT

8:30-10 am HATHA YOGA SCHEDULE 10:30 am-12 noon MUSES

549

www.truenature.us main st. • carbondale, co 963-9900

fine clothing • antiques • gifts

y

y

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y 623 East Hopkins Ave, Aspen 970.920.2376

Community Calendar

continued om page 10 River development proposal.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT MEETING • Roaring Fork Transportation Authority hosts an informational public meeting on the valley’s future Bus Rapid Transit system from noon to 1 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Recreation and Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road in Glenwood Springs. Spanish translation available. More info: 925-8484, RFTA.com.

p.m. at the new Basalt Library. More info: (970) 544-2389 or spellbinders.org. FAT TUESDAY • Snowmass throws its 28th annual Mardi Gras bash from 2 to 5 p.m. Mask-making for kids, mid-afternoon madcap parade, crawdad boils, massive bead throw, parties at local bars, fun for all ages. More info: snowmasstourism.com.

WEDNESDAY Feb. 17

STORYTELLER WORKSHOP • Spellbinders hosts day three of a three-day storytelling workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30

TRUSTEES MEET • The Carbondale Board of Town Trustees will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. On the agenda: Village at Crystal

BUS RAPID TRANSIT MEETING • Roaring Fork Transportation Authority hosts an informational public meeting on the valley’s

Further Out

BOOK TALK • Colorado Mountain College professor Christine Smith discusses her book “All About Foote” from 1 to 2 p.m. at the college’s Spring Valley Campus in Glenwood Springs. More info: 963-2172.

future Bus Rapid Transit system from noon to 1 p.m. at the Rio Grande Room in Aspen near the PitCo Court House, and from 6 to 8 p.m. at Colorado Mountain College’s Aspen Campus. Spanish translation available at the second session. More info: 925-8484, RFTA.com. VISUALIZE SUCCESS • Jeff Patterson leads a one-night workshop,“Creative Visualization: Training Your Mind for Success,” from 6 to 9 p.m. at Colorado Mountain College’s Lappala Center. More info: 963-2172.

Ongoing

Feb. 18

FLU CLINIC • Garfield County Public Health hosts an H1N1 flu clinic at Crystal River Elementary from 4 to 7 p.m. Free, open to all. More info: 945-6614. DIVORCE CLASS • A Do It Yourself Divorce Class takes place at 5 p.m. at the GarCo Courthouse in Glenwood Springs. Small donation requested, but optional. More info: 945-8858. THURSDAY NIGHT BAR • Attorneys offer 15-minute consultations about divorce, custody, renter’s rights and other legal matters at 5 p.m. at the GarCo Courthouse in Glenwood Springs. Bring pertinent paperwork. Small donation requested, but not required. More info: 920-2828. BUS RAPID TRANSIT MEETING • Roaring Fork Transportation Authority hosts an informational public meeting on the valley’s future Bus Rapid Transit system from 6 to 8 p.m. at the new Basalt Library, 14 Midland Ave., Basalt. More info: 925-8484, RFTA.com.

SECRETS • The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities presents“Secrets,”a performance piece by Ellie Davis sharing secrets from the Roaring Fork Valley, at 7 p.m. at the Gathering Center in the Church at Carbondale. More info: 963-1680 or carbondalearts.com.

ACOUSTIC CARNAHAN’S • Songwriter T. Ray Becker hosts an acoustic music night with new musicians every week from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays at Carnahan’s Tavern (formerly the Black Nugget), 403 Main St. More info: 963-4496.

STEVE’S GUITARS • Steve’s Guitars at 19 N. Fourth St. presents Guggenheim Grotto at 8:30 p.m. $15. More info: 963-3304, stevesguitars.net.

BRAIN BAR • The Brain Bar at Youthentity offers one-on-one computer training with a knowledgeable student technician. $20/hour. Bring your computer or use one of Youthentity’s MacBooks. More info: 963-4055.

Feb. 19 YOGA FOR THE HEART • Diane Agnello teaches Yoga of the Heart to reduce stress and heal the heart, 9 to 10 a.m. at Valley View Hospital, Glenwood Springs. More info: 384-7159. WEIGHTLOSS CLASS • Dietician Kim Gordon offers a class on small weight reduction that can have big health benefits. Class starts at 10:30 a.m. at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs. $7. Free to Cardiac Wellness members. Pre-register: 384-7159

BOBBY MASON LIVE • Bobby Mason performs from 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday at Konnyaku, 568 Highway 133. SPORTS MEDLEY • Kids in first through fourth grades participate in a variety of sports and activities. Dodgeball, basketball, floor hockey, indoor soccer, scooter races, obstacle courses and more. Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., February 1-24, at the Carbondale Recreation Center. $35. A junior version for preschoolers will be held 10:30 to

11 a.m. Feb. 1-17. $30. More info: 704-4190. BEGINNER B-BALL • Parents interact and learn how to teach their first-time players a variety of basketball skills. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 to 10:30 a.m., Feb. 2-18 at the Carbondale Recreation Center.For children ages three to four years. $45. More info: 704-4190. YOGA • Jeff Jackson teaches yoga from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays at True Nature Healing Arts, 549 Main St. TEA DATE • Charlotte Graham hosts tea dates Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mount Sopris Historical Society Museum at 499 Weant Blvd. Chit chat and share stories. More info: 704-0567 or (970) 306-8771. ANDERSON RANCH OPEN • Anderson Ranch Arts Center is offering one- and twoday weekend painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, woodworking and photography workshops February through April. More info: andersonranch.org or 923-3181.

A BENEFIT FOR Mountain Regional Housing

A Nonprofit Housing Service & Development Corporation

Hosted by: WineTime and Cuvee

Live Music by Eric Gross & Rich Huttenhower

Friday, February 19th 5:30 - 8:00pm The Gathering Center 110 Snowmass Drive Carbondale A Meeting of the Senses Fine Wines & Microbrews Gourmet Cuisine From Restaurants & Caterers Throughout the Valley

Restaurant & Caterer Sponsors: Roaring Fork Originals Smoke Modern Barbecue White House Pizza Bistecca Bistro of Basalt Upper Crust and More! Bank Sponsors: Alpine Bank Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Tickets $35

Available at Mountain Regional Housing, 345 Colorado Avenue, WineTime, at the door or call 704-9801

Don’t Miss It!

Fine Wines, Gourmet Cuisine, Silent Auction Items, and displays from Solar Energy International, CORE, CLEER, Building For Health Materials Center, and Solar Village Homes

THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 11

Community Briefs Free tax assistance High Country RSVP will provide both federal and state income tax assistance by trained volunteers at minimal or no cost for those who qualify under federal guidelines. This service is provided at no charge for low- to moderate-income clients, seniors and disabled individuals from Aspen to Parachute/Battlement Mesa. Assistance will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Third Street Center, 520 Third St. Help with a range of tax forms is offered. Participants should bring their current year’s tax package and or label; all W-2s and 1099s; information for other income; information for all deductions/credits; a copy of last year’s tax return; proof of account for direct deposit of refund; Social Security or individual taxpayer identification cards; and identification. Appointments can be made by calling Senior Matters at 963-2536. Leave your name, address and telephone number.

Garfield County humanitarian award nominations due Take the time now to nominate a friend, neighbor or staff member for the 21st annual Garfield County Humanitarian Service Awards. The awards recognize community members who have shown extraordinary willingness to help someone or an organization in need. Recipients are honored at an annual dinner sponsored by the Garfield County Com-

missioners and the Garfield County Human Services Commission on April 12. Nomination guidelines and the nomination form may be found at garfieldcounty.com. (Click on News at the top of the page and then Humanitarian Awards.) Previous Humanitarian Awards winners are not eligible for nomination, and a list of previous winners is contained in the county web site. For more information about the Humanitarian Awards, please e-mail Kay at kvasilakis2222@gmail.com or call 618-6689.

Meals on Wheels available Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver healthy lunches to community members who are homebound due to illness, physical challenges or surgery. Meals are delivered from Valley View Hospital to homebound people in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. Each meal fulfills one-third of a person’s daily nutritional requirements and consists of an entree, a vegetable, a salad, a carbohydrate and a dessert, for a nominal charge. Deliveries are scheduled several days a week. For more information, call 384-6656.

Mothers Acting Up sells truffles Sopris Mothers Acting Up is currently selling handmade organic chocolate truffles to raise money during its annual Valentine’s Day fundraiser. The group is also seeking nominations for a Mother of the Year. Proceeds from the truffle sales will be given to the Mother of the Year to support

President’s Day Sale

15% OFF

RED, WHITE AND/OR BLUE MERCHANDISE (Electrics and Sale Items Excluded)

February 13-15

her chosen cause. Sopris Mothers Acting Up is the local chapter of an international organization that empowers women to create a better world for children. To nominate a Mother of they Year and order truffles call 9636085 or email kat@sopris.net.

Challenge Aspen seeks volunteers Volunteers are needed for the 2010 IPC Alpine World Cup Finals, hosted by Challenge Aspen, from Feb. 28 through March 5 at Buttermilk Mountain. The best adaptive ski racers in the world compete in the finals then head to the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver. Volunteers who work three or more days receive a Helly Hansen event jacket. Contact volunteer coordinator Lisa Harriman at lisah@challengeaspen.com or go to challengeaspen.org and download a volunteer form.

Volunteers needed for 2011 Town to Town Tour Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers has begun planning for the return of its popular Nordic community event and fundraiser, the Town to Town Tour, to be held in early 2011. Due to the recession, the tour is taking a one-year hiatus in 2010 despite successful events in 2008 and 2009, when more than 360 participants cross-country skied and snowshoed on the Rio Grande Trail from Aspen to Basalt.

Now the board is seeking sponsors, inkind donors and volunteers. Committee and additional volunteers are needed in several areas, including course signage and stations; goody bags: food, fund-raising, permits, publicity and marketing, raffle prizes, and volunteer coordination. The goal of the tour is to raise awareness of and funds for Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers. For more information, call 927-8241 or email rfov@sopris.net.

CMC study abroad deadline nears Opportunities abound this summer for academic and personal growth for anyone enrolling in travel abroad courses through Colorado Mountain College. These experiences translate into global job skills that students can’t get at home, and community college makes studying abroad more affordable. CMC is offering new study abroad courses in summer 2010. Students can choose to enroll in literature and business in Dublin, Ireland, or Spanish and cultural studies in Salamanca, Spain. The four-week Dublin program runs May 21 through June 19. The price is $4,500. The Salamanca, Spain, program begins June 19 and lasts for either four or eight weeks. The price for four weeks is $2,500, and increases for the longer session. The deadline to enroll is March 5. Colorado Mountain College welcomes adult learners of all ages, as well as high school seniors. To learn more, contact Mary Ebuna at (719) 486-4224 or go to coloradomtn.edu/International_Programs.

Seeking Carbondale citizens to serve on the

Carbondale Medical Marijuana Facilities Advisory Group Seeking diverse community representation to research and discuss issues related to medical marijuana facilities and report findings to the Board of Trustees Please submit letters of interest to: Carbondale Medical Marijuana Facilities Advisory Group 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale 81623 community@carbondaleco.net

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12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

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in

Art Briefs CCAH to share chamber music, secrets The Carbondale Council on the Arts and Humanities will host two events in the upcoming week. On Friday Feb. 12, the arts council will present the Roaring Fork Chamber Players at 7:30 p.m. in the Gathering Place in the Church at Carbondale. Blending oboe, viola, violin , cello, harpsichord, piano and the human voice, the players will offer selections by Bach, Mozart and Copland. The suggested donation is $20. Then, at 7.p.m. next Thursday Feb. 18, CCAH presents “Secrets,” a performance piece based on secrets collected from around the area. In January, boxes were distributed up and down the Roaring Fork Valley, and passersby were urged to deposit their secrets within them.

As a CCAH press release explains it, “Secrets. We all have them. Telling our secrets provides us, the keepers, a chance to remove a burden. For the listener, the reward is knowing we’re not the only one who stole that necklace from a friend or has those fantasies about our kid’s preschool teacher, or felt relief instead of grief when our mother died.” On Feb. 18, at the Church at Carbondale, the secrets will be spilled and shared – but the people to whom they belong will remain anonymous. “Secrets” stars Ellie Davis. It is directed by Kristin Carroll and features original music by Steve Cook and Anne Federowicz. For more information about these and other CCAH offerings, call 963-1680 or visit carbondalearts.com.

Anderson Ranch opens “Scruples” Lea Zoltowski, a ceramics artist from Billings, Mont., is the featured artist for the winter 2010 solo exhibition at the Gideon Gartner Gallery opening Feb. 9 at the Anderson Ranch Art Center. The juried show “Scruples” will be on view through March 2. In other Anderson Ranch news, the center is offering one- and two-day weekend workshops across a range of mediums, from printmaking to sculpture, painting, woodworking/woodturning, ceramics to photography/digital media and film studies, from February through April. These weekend workshops are open to all skill levels and provide an opportunity for beginners interested in exploring a new avenue of creative expression, as well as more experienced artists aiming to expand and hone their artistic practice during the spring season. The workshops are being taught by Anderson Ranch’s full-time artistic staff, including several guest faculty, “who bring a wealth of knowledge, fun and experience to the workshop environment,” states a press release. For more information, visit andersonranch.org/workshops. To register, email reg@andersonranch.org; phone 923-3181; or go online to andersonranch.org/register.

Ray Bradbury steals center stage

In late January, students at Crystal River Elementary School took part in a dedication ceremony for the new mural at their school, which they designed with artist Sandi Gardner with support from the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities. Photo by Jane Bachrach

The Thunder River Theatre Company will offer a series of Literary Nights in February focusing on the author Ray Bradbury, his life-long love of books and writing, and his novel, “Fahrenheit 451.” In hour-long programs, TRTC artistic directors Lon Winston and Valerie Haugen will tell Bradbury’s story. Bradbury couldn’t afford to go to college. So instead he went to the library. He claims to have “graduated” from the library when he was 26 years old, and has since penned more than 500 volumes. The remaining Literary Nights will be offered at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 at the library in Rifle; and at 3 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Thunder River Theatre in Carbondale. The performances are offered in conjunction with The Big Read events organized by Garfield County Libraries throughout February.“Fahrenheit 451” is the featured book of this year’s Big Read. For more information, visit garfieldlibraries.org.

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THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 13

Preservation on the private dime? continued om page 3 “Quite to the contrary,� they wrote, “we have instead placed it in a trust for our children.� They offered to sweeten the deal for Pitkin County by pledging $750,000 to Open Space and Trails, $100,000 for Emma Store preservation, another $100,000 for historic preservation projects in Redstone and offering to help the county buy the Haines property in the Prince Creek area.

Open space supporters divided For many supporters, the big beneďŹ t comes at Sutey Ranch, where recreationists could ďŹ nd more land to bike and hike. Some, though, see the deal as also securing protections for the BLM lands on Sopris, albeit in private hands. “You get both ranchers conserved permanently,â€? said Martha Cochran, executive director of the Aspen Valley Land Trust.

In the end, transferring it into private lands makes little difference, Cochran said. Wexner already effectively controls it. His properties sit on two sides.A third side is protected by a cliff. Meanwhile, she said, protecting the Sutey Ranch would keep it out of developers’ hands, and according to Wexner’s plan, both properties would have their mineral rights retired, barring gas drilling from taking place on both. “I think that what bothers some people is that one person would own it,� she said. But much of conservation in the West – from Ted Turner’s vast expanses to small-time ranchers – has been in private rather than public hands, Cochran said. Will has proposed an alternative meant to address the question of economic fairness and the loss of public lands in Pitkin County. He wants to see a new 931-acre Potato Bill Creek open space created by taking 395 acres of

BLM land, plus 536 acres of Two Shoes lands, with trail access from Prince Creek Road. Wexner rejected the idea, saying a trail would conict with wildlife and jeopardize ranching in one of the ranch’s most produc-

net, 702 Hart OfďŹ ce Building, Washington D.C. 20510; Sen. Mark Udall, St. SH317, Hart OfďŹ ce Bldg, Washington DC 20510. Mary Boland Carbondale

the 1990s, the Forest Service presented a plan in 2002 that proposes 80,000 acres in new wilderness designations. Question: Why is the Forest Service plan being ignored while the Hidden Gems proposal for 400,000 acres of wilderness gets all the attention in the press? The Hidden Gems proposal was not born of a formal, public process. It was created in private by a coalition of nonproďŹ t groups that are answerable not the public, but only to their own members. Here’s another question: Where are the Hidden Gems studies concerning water, graz-

Letters continued om page 2 which are not really shared by corporations. Corporations are, after all, simply creations of the state formed for the sole purpose of earning proďŹ ts, mostly short-term proďŹ ts for their shareholders. Would we allow corporations to vote? Please write – if possible, don’t just email – your representative and senators asking them to support the Edwards-Conyers amendment, and email your friends asking them to write their representative and senators. Rep. John Salazar, 326 Cannon HOB, Washington D.C. 20515; Sen. Michael Ben-

Hidden Gems questions Dear Editor: As the Hidden Gems Wilderness gathers speed, maybe it’s time to slow down and ask some questions that have yet to be posed. For example, after extensive public review and numerous tax-funded studies starting in

tive areas. That leaves the Wexners and Pitkin County at odds, open space supporters lined up on opposite sides and a question mark still hanging over the base of Mount Sopris.

A question mark on the slopes of Mount Sopris: Opponents of the Sutey / Two Shoes swap worry it would make the mountain a trophy backyard homes on the Wexners' land. Though the BLM parcel the Wexners want to obtain (in green) would be placed under a conservation easement. Image courtesy of Pitkin Open Space and Trails

ing, hunting, recreation and related activities in the White River National Forest? I have been unable to obtain any of these studies? There are many more questions yet to be answered but here’s one more: Which groups stand to gain if the Hidden Gems wins? Many of the supporters on the Hidden Gems Web site stand to proďŹ t from restricting access to the White River National Forest. So many questions. So few answers. So much at stake. Ernie Gianinetti Carbondale

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14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

Density could bring benefits, tougher regulations with small lot subdivisions “allowed anywhere, with provisions for private water and sewer,” and “general commercial and light industrial uses are allowed anywhere in [the] unincorporated county.” Countywide, slightly less than 200 people were polled in the latest meetings. Sixtyseven percent, or 117 of them, thought that the “near towns” scenario would direct growth to “the most appropriate locations.” Thirty-nine people chose “corridors and centers.” Only six percent preferred the business-as-usual alternative. “From what I’ve heard, Scenario B overwhelmingly, in every community, definitely was the preferred scenario,” said Allen, the county planner. The preference for option B held true through a variety of questions that asked participants to identify the growth scenario that would best achieve a variety of goals, such as preserving “the rural character of the county,” stimulating the construction of affordable housing, preserving clear delineations between towns, and preserving agricultural lands, open space and natural resources. And option B was identified as bringing other benefits as well Seventy-five percent, or 134 people, thought that under scenario B, services and infrastructure – such as fire protection and police; streets, sewer and water – could be provided to new development at the least expense. In Allen’s view, the current tough econ-

omy has left county residents particularly concerned that development should occur as efficiently as possible. “I think that people are becoming more conscientious of the costs to service development, especially at a municipal level,” she said.“Municipal budgets are incredibly constrained because they do live and die by sales tax. So [residents] are recognizing that there are some pretty obvious impacts fiscally from growth.” But the growth patterns envisioned under Scenario B won’t come easily. “[Scenario] B is by far the hardest scenario to implement,”Allen said.“It means a higher or more intense level of regulation.” She explained that those regulations may come in the form of “down zoning,” or reducing the maximum density allowed in outlying unincorporated terrain in order to focus development toward towns. Some other regulatory steps might include incentives to direct growth to places where adequate infrastructure is already established, or a county open space program to purchase land deemed unsuitable for development. “By no means has anybody said those are the tools in the toolbox at this point,” Allen said. “But these are some of the tools out there in the planning world right now.” And Scenario B would require added cooperation between municipalities and the county as well. “[Scenario B] requires a more intense and framed discussion with each and every

municipality,” Allen said. “I think, among our next steps, one of them is most definitely going to be talking to municipal leaders, both elected and appointed. Understanding that both unincorporated and incorporated residents of Garfield

continued om page 5 County have said, ‘We really want growth to be concentrated around towns,’ how do we do that? Are towns willing to accept that level of density and growth that people have put on the map in and around their jurisdictions?”

Drilling could pose risks continued om page 3 fall, and will involve sampling at several sites during each season through this summer. It’s not known when gas drilling might start in the Thompson Creek area. Currently gas prices are low, and drilling in Garfield County has slowed. TDC wants to have legally defensible, scientific data on the quality of the water and the stream bed insect life so that gas drilling companies can be held accountable if contamination occurs. Water supplies may be polluted by chemicals used in the process of hydraulic fracturing, a technique used to break up underground rock formations to free gas deposits. Contamination may also occur from natural gas liquids or condensates, fluids associated with natural gas that are generally toxic and can also cause cancer. In drilling mishaps in the Silt area in the last decade, wells owned by the Dietrich family, and Laura and Larry Amos, were contaminated by nearby drilling operations. Both instances are thought to have been the result of hydraulic fracturing.

Instances of contamination of both ground and surface water are fairly common in areas where gas drilling is taking place. In a 2004 incident, natural gas bubbled up in Divide Creek in the rural Dry Hollow neighborhood south of Silt after an Encana gas well was put into production in spite of a failed cement casing. Compounds such as benzene, a carcinogen associated with natural gas, were found in the creek in tests conducted by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Divide Creek provides domestic water for the town of Silt. In 2008 drilling north of Parachute and DeBeque apparently contaminated a spring that was the water supply to a cabin owned by local outfitters. A suite of compounds known as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene), frequently found with natural gas, polluted the water. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is investigating gas drilling operations uphill from the spring, run by production companies OXY and Williams Production RMT.

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THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 15

Sports Briefs

Last week, Roaring Fork High School senior Cesar Farrias accepted a scholarship to Adams State College in Alamosa. His mother, Patricia Ortiz, as well as teachers, coaches and many friends turned out for the signing ceremony. Farrias played a variety of positions during the 2009 football season. But he ran the ball a total of 956 yards and was honored as one of the 2A Western Slope League's Backs of the Year. Photo by Terray Sylvester

Ram basketball update The Roaring Fork High School boys varsity basketball team lost 45-38 to Olathe Feb. 5, and beat Basalt 48-47 the next day. The boys are now tied for third place in the Western Slope 3A league. The girls varsity basketball team nearly net-

ted its first win of the season Feb. 6 against Basalt.The game ended with RFHS trailing 4644, but coach Nancy Zeigel said the night felt like a triumph. “It was a win in my book,” she said.“[The players] realized they almost knocked off the third place team and … were talking about how they finally played as a team. Everyone was involved.” The Lady Ram squad is full of underclassmen this year. But Zeigel said she thinks the freshmen are finally getting used to the speed of varsity play, and to playing against older girls. The Lady Rams’ strong performance was all the more notable for coming just after an unrelenting match against Olathe on Feb. 5. Olathe, which has gone undefeated this season, drove hard the entire game and took away a 79-23 victory. The varsity basketball teams squared off against Aspen at Aspen after the The Sopris Sun’s press deadline on Feb. 9. They play Hotchkiss at Hotchkiss Feb. 19.

CRMS Nordic skier bound for state Gus Griffin, a student at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, qualified for the state championships in Nordic skiing during a race at Steamboat Springs on Feb. 4. He took seventh place, finishing the 5-kilometer freestyle race with a time of 17:35. Fritz Carpenter and Luke Smith of Aspen High School also qualified.

New club hosts first dodgeball game Members of a new recreational sports club for adults will host their first game Feb. 11. In hopes of bringing out the inner child, the in-

augural match will be a game of dodgeball. Dodgeball will continue through the winter with other sports, such as softball and volleyball, launching as spring and summer roll around. “The club’s aim is for Roaring Fork Valley adults to have fun, meet new people, and con-

nect with their inner-eighth grade selves through a sport everyone grew up with,” states a press release. Local educator Steve Beaulieu recently formed the Roaring Fork Sports & Social Club. To get involved, contact Beaulieu at (303) 8426761 or roaringforksportts@gmail.com

A reporter’s education continued om page 2 Perhaps the best thing about being an editor and reporter of a small town newspaper is the wealth and diversity of people you interact with every week. By spending time talking with your neighbors, you can learn a lot about the world. Here are some surprises I’ve learned in my job as a newspaperwoman: • Clay artists call their creations “pots” even if it’s a cup or a bowl. • One teacher can make a difference. • Even though someone works for the Los Angeles Times, she is not afraid to sit in the dirt and shoot the shit with an old-time rancher. • Town planning is less about paid public employees and more about the residents. • Even teenage boys like to bake bread and garden. • Cows are cows and they’re still going to run across the grass at Town Hall. • Kids will do well in any of our seven local schools so long as they have supportive parents. • More ad sales give the editorial team more space to run more photos and more stories.

• Others have become orphans by the passing of their parents at an unexpected age. • Second-graders are good poets. • One phone message from a reader complimenting your work can help you wade through all the (usually constructive) criticism. • It’s scary to interview a famous person. • A person will rescue a dog the night before it’s due to be euthanized. • Even town trustees are forgiving and good sports when a factual error is printed. • There is never enough space to run all of the interesting stories about our town. There were many people who came together for The Sun early on and they continue to help get the paper off to press every week: The Sun’s board of directors, reporters and columnists, photographers, advertisers, brainstormers, copy editors, emotional and moral supporters, husbands, wives, kids and parents, letter writers and more. More than anything, these people have proven to me that the success of a local newspaper does not depend on a corporation; it is in the hands of a community. Even when it’s dark and quiet outside, The Sun is always shining somewhere.

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16 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

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Michael Martin Murphey to sing by a “campfire” in Carbondale By Steve Standiford Special to The Sopris Sun Sometime in the 1950s, young Michael Martin Murphey was sitting around the campfire listening to cowboy songs on the family ranch outside Dallas, Texas. Pink and Lois, his parents, got him a guitar and by seven years old he was playing songs and providing the entertainment around the campfire. Murphey is well known for the super hit, “Wildfire,” which he wrote back in 1975. The song went on to become one of the most played numbers in radio history across all music genres. Its lasting power was proved in 2007 by big fan and late-night TV host, David Letterman, who had Murphey sing it on his show. Since that big hit, Murphey has released 28 other albums, nearly 50 singles, and six compilation albums. His “Carolina in the Pines” and “Geronimo's Cadillac” were hits, as well. Just last year, his “Buckaroo Blue Grass” album was nominated for a Grammy, proving that this prolific singer/songwriter/performer has not slowed down one bit. This Saturday, Feb. 18, Murphey will come to Carbondale to present his Lone Cowboy Campfire show at Steve’s Guitars. The show starts at 8 p.m. and costs $25. Murphey’s first big songwriting break came when his friend, Michael Nesmith, put one of his songs on a Monkees album that sold over 5 million copies. For Murphey, there was no looking back after that. Since then, his songwriting skills have influenced many other songwriters including Lyle Lovett, who said: “Michael is one of the main influences on my ca-

Liberal Religion for the Roaring Fork Valley

reer. He is among America’s best songwriters.” A long list of musicians has recorded Murphey’s songs, including Kenny Rogers, John Denver, Cher, Roger Miller and others. The album “Cowboy Songs” was the first album to achieve Gold status since Marty Robbins took a similar honor nearly 40 years ago. Murphey started his long musical career on a ranch and now he’s become the prominent musical voice for the Western horseman, rancher and cowboy. He has dedicated most of his life to sharing the American West and its music with others. He founded WestFest in 1986 at Copper Mountain, booking some of the biggest names in country and western music. WestFest has entertained thousands of fans since then, and has become a true celebration of Western art and culture. Murphey also developed another popular celebration with his “Cowboy Christmas Show” which has been a big hit at Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House and has toured 40 other cities as well. There are many good reasons why this American cowboy poet is an inductee of the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame and the Texas Country Hall of Fame, and he surely belongs in the Western Music Association Hall of Fame as well. He even wrote the state ballad for New Mexico, “The Land of Enchantment.” Michael Martin Murphey will sit around the “campfire” this weekend night in historic, downtown Carbondale and sing some beautiful cowboy songs, just like he did when he was a kid in Texas. Some things don’t need to change.

THE WIZARDRY OF WORTH (The Great Cultural Con)

Michael Martin Murphey. Courtesy photo

What’s strumming at Steve’s:

Feb. 12: Love 2 Laugh II at 8:15 p.m., $12; markthomascomedy.com

Feb. 13: Michael Martin Murphey at 8 p.m., $25; michaelmartinmurphey.com

Valentine’s Day: Love in Carbondale at 8:30 p.m., $15; gigilove.com Feb. 18: Guggenheim Grotto at 8:30 p.m., $15; guggenheimgrotto.com

Feb. 27: Barry Smith Comedy Show at 8:30 p.m.; barrysmith.com

Steve's Guitars is located at 19 N. Fourth St. For tickets and more information, call 963-3304 or visit stevesguitars.net.

Amoré Realty is the Heart of Carbondale Every Day … Not Just Valentine’s Day

Please Gather With The

Mid-Valley Unitarian Universalists This Sunday, February 14 Please stop by our office at 711 Main Street or call 963-5155

We are all victims of an extraordinarily clever con that undermines the core meaning of being human and converts the drama of living into a comic-tragic soap opera, according to UU Minister Robert Latham, who describes himself as a “Baptist-born, Humanistic, Spiritual, Mystical Liberal.” He will talk about this con, and will offer a remedy.

We are never too busy for any of your referrals or business.

Rev. Latham will conduct services in the mid-Valley on March 14, April 11 and May 9

Jimmy Byrne, Musician 10:00 a.m., WIN Health Institute, Basalt Behind Mid-Valley Medical Center at Hwy 82 and Original Rd. Child Care Provided +++ Casual or Sports Dress Welcome

For More Information Call Bill or Sue, 963-2163

CONGRATULATIONS to The Sopris Sun – We love having you under the same roof!

711 Main Street, Carbondale, CO • 970.963.5155 www.amorerealty.com

THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 17

Orphanages instead of adrenaline Local photographer Tyler Stableford adopts a broader focus On a typical day at work, photographer and Carbondaleresident Tyler Stableford is outside before the crack of dawn, in whatever weather the day has to offer. Stableford, named by Men’s Journal as one of the seven “world’s greatest adventure photographers,” travels the globe photographing people engaged in adventurous pursuits. Whether his subject matter is rock climbing, skiing, kayaking, biking or exploring an ice cave, a firefighter battling a raging wildfire or a pilot pushing 7.5 Gs in an F-16 fighter jet, Stableford’s images bring the moment back to life. After college, Stableford moonlighted as a photographer while working as a photo by Sue Melus editor at Climbing magazine and later as an editor at Rock & Ice magazine. An athlete in his own right, Stableford spent hours shooting friends as they attacked the outdoors. Ten years later, his ability to capture distinctive, well-lit images in challenging outdoor situations has earned him a spot in an extremely competitive market. He has been published in major magazines and dubbed one of Canon’s “Explorers of Light.” Recently, his image of a Colorado wildfire fighter graced the cover of American Photo magazine, earning top spot in the “extreme” category of the magazine’s “2009 Images of the Year.” But last year, Stableford discovered a new outlet for his work that changed his life and, as he explains, the lives of many, many others. He and his wife Megan were about to adopt a 10-month-old orphan boy from Ethiopia, a country

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faced with severe poverty, hunger and illness. In his words,“I had pangs of guilt over our decision. We were spending thousands of dollars to haul a child to America when, one could argue, the money could go much further keeping at-risk parents alive.”The couple knew that more preventative measures were needed to keep families healthy so that they could stay together. Stableford was impressed with the work of their adoption agency, Wide Horizons for Children. Through its secular aid programs, the agency builds health clinics and schools, administers clean-water projects, and sponsors destitute children and orphans to help them thrive in their communities rather than be placed for adoption. The agency, however, lacked the modern marketing materials it needed to gain significant monetary support. So during the week prior to bringing his son home, Stableford poured his efforts into shooting still images and capturing video in villages throughout Ethiopia. His portraiture skills allowed him to capture the stories behind the faces of the many people lacking proper health care, nourishment and clean drinking water. Stableford came home with piles of images and video and a story compelling enough to garner the interest of Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, one of the largest ad agencies in the country. CP+B agreed to produce, pro bono, Stableford’s footage. The resulting seven-minute video debuted at Wide Horizons for Children fundraisers in Boston and New York, where it won pledges for over $300,000. Those dollars will go toward much needed ambulances and schools, and a new health clinic that will serve thousands of people in several villages in Ethiopia. These are grassroots, proactive projects that make a difference and change lives for the better. Stableford was thrilled to learn the potential he and other

Tyler Stableford. Courtesy Photo photographers have to make a difference. He quickly went on to do similar work for Wide Horizons in Guatemala. In total, he estimates that eight of his work weeks last year went to the effort. The photographer is quick to point out that he does not pitch this work as a charitable act. To him it is a route to personal happiness. He just hopes that in the process it helps someone in need live a better life. For Stableford, it is a momentous contrast to, and expansion from, his day-to-day life as an adventure photographer.

Sweet Deals

Celebrate the Sun! (even if you’re praying for snow)

Help us Kick Off Our Second Year with a Congratulations Ad in the February 18 Issue! Reserve ad space now. Reservation deadline is Friday, February 12. Contact Anne at 379-5050 or anne@soprissun.com

18 • THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010

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3 bedroom, 2 bath 1,344 sq. ft. residence offers three levels of living area. Close to park and bike trail

Interior Remodel - Price Reduced to $405,000

Multi-Family Opportunity - Reduced to $486,000

1,768 sq. ft. home has had a major overhaul on the interior located on 1 Acre with beautiful valley views

4-plex offers steady rental property, clean, great Rifle location. Three units are2 bed/2 bath, fourth unit is a 1 bed /1 bath.

970.963.5155 lynnk@rof.net

711 Main Street, Carbondale, CO 970.963.5155 www.amorerealty.com

Legal Notices

SECTION 00010

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

TOWN OF CARBONDALE 511 COLORADO AVENUE CARBONDALE, COLORADO 81623

Sealed BIDS for construction of the Town of Carbondale Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements will be received by the City Clerk at the Town of Carbondale City Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado until 2 p.m., Tuesday, March 2, 2010, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Already established as an adventure photographer, Tyler Stableford has begun to put his skills to use for the greater good. Photos by Tyler Stableford

Stableford poured his efforts into shooting still images and capturing video in villages throughout Ethiopia. His portraiture skills allowed him to capture the stories behind the faces.

Unclassifieds

ACCEPTING DONATIONS for the Ron Robertson Roaring Fork High School Student Scholarship Fund. Send to Chris Chacos, Treasurer, Downtown Preservation Association, 11022 No. Indigo Drive

Support The Sopris Sun while The Sun supports your business! Service directory ads start at just $25. Contact Anne Goldberg at 379-5050 or anne@soprissun.com

Bring this ad in on Wednesday for

HAPPY HUMP DAY

A Bid Bond in the amount of 5% of the Total Base Bid is required. Performance and Payment Bonds in the amount of 100% of the Total Contract Price will be required. A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, February 17, 2010, at the Town of Carbondale located at 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado.

Submit Unclassifieds to unclassifieds@soprissun.com by 5 p.m. on Friday. WINTER SPECIAL: $10 off for three consecutive weeks paid in advance!

S.O.U.L. COOKING CLASSES - Sustainable, Organic, Unprocessed & Local. Wednesdays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., $40 includes lunch! Fresh & Wyld Farmhouse Inn, Paonia. February is Indian Cooking Month! Feb. 17: Fabulicious Ferments – Indian Pickles, Chutneys, Lassi, Yogurt. Call Dava 970-527-4374. 30% off overnight rates for participants. See us at Willits Farmers Market, Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.!

15% OFF your food bill!

#105, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 2 NIGHTS AT THE HOTEL JEROME. Deluxe accommodations, valued at $1,000. Won a raffle, have transferable certificate. $500 or best offer. 319-2302. PROFESSIONAL WRITER AVAILABLE for press releases, annual reports, letters and special projects. Call Lynn Burton at 963-1549. SPORTS REPORTER. The Sopris Sun seeks a volunteer to cover prep sports. Call 618-9112.

Novel-Tea

BOOKS

Congratulates

The Sopris Sun on its First Anniversary 449 Main St. • 970-963-2617 • novelteabooks@comcast.net

See Thundercat at

CARBONDALE ANIMAL HOSPITAL www.carbondaleanimalhospital.com

Mon., Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 8am - 5:30pm Wed. 10am - 7pm

www.action-auto-collision

www.CarbondaleDC.com Headache & Back Pain Center of Carbondale Dr. Kent J. Albrecht, B.S., D.C. – 28 years experience 1195 Main St., (next to Crystal Spas)

(970) 366-2030

WINDSHIELD REPAIR AUTO GLASS REPLACEMENT DAVID ZAMANSKY – Owner Operated License & Insured

970-963-3891

500 Buggy Circle Carbondale, CO.

Auto Glass & Side Mirrors

GUITAR REPAIRS TOP QUALITY NEW AND USED AFFORDABLE INSTRUMENTS

810B Highway 133

aacollision@gmail.com

Finally... RELIEF!

234 Main Street

A Better Body Shop

Carbondale

Town of Carbondale Mark OʼMeara Utility Director

(970) 963-2826

ACTION AUTO COLLISION (970) 963-5635

One set of 24”x36” drawings and Project Specifications will be furnished for a charge of $30. This information will be available on February 8, 2010, at Schmueser Gordon Meyer, Inc. (SGM), 118 West 6th Street, Suite 200, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Saturday and evening hours by appointment!

Dr. Benjamin Mackin 351 Main Street Historic Downtown Carbondale 963-3553 • www.skipspourhouse.com

The project consists of approximately 11 separate improvement projects. They include (1) installing a new Headworks step screen and washer/compactor; (2) adding drains to the existing aeration basins; (3) installing a new central scum collection vault and the associated lines; (4) mechanical room piping, pump, and valve improvements; (5) new primary digester valving and piping to facilitate plug flow; (6) new aeration system for both secondary digesters; (7) multistage centrifugal blower motor replacement; (8) external masonry wall repairs to the digester buildings; (9) concrete double-tee roof repairs to the digester buildings; (10) backup power generator installation; and (11) installation of four direct-fired make-up air units .

1978 Harding Road, Paonia, CO

Bed & Breakfast Inn

25% off room rates through March Farm to Table Friday Dinners 6:00pm Seating, $15 Entrees

970.527.4374 • www.freshandwyldinn.com

LESSON STUDIOS INTERESTING & ODD ITEMS… UKELELES & ACCORDIONS

G LE NWOO D MUSIC

INC.

715 COOPER AVE. 928-8628

THE SOPRIS SUN • FEBRUARY 11, 2010 • 19

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