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Volume 10, Number 27 | August 9, 2018
On the rocks
Water woes worsen Photo by Jane Bachrach Text by Will Grandbois It’s one thing to hear that the lower Crystal River is running at less than 5 percent of its seasonal mean and quite another to stand in less than 10 cubic feet per second. The Sun invited Jaime Fiske of SUP Marble, Collin Szewczyk of the local Trout Unlimited chapter and youngsters Leon and Magnolia Marchand and their dog, Henry to see for themselves how dire the situation is. Not only would tubers, stand-up paddleboarders and their ilk find themselves high and dry if they tried to float through
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town (otherwise the kids would certainly be wearing lifevests), but fish and other aquatic life are struggling just to stay alive (thus the lack of a hook on Szewczyk’s line). A voluntary afternoon fishing ban is in place for sections of the lower Crystal and Roaring Fork rivers, among others. “When those flows drop, you reduce habitat space, and warm waters are extremely stressful for trout,” explained Liza Mitchell, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Roaring Fork Conservancy (which is opening its new River Center at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 10). “It seems like there’s been pretty good compliance. It’s pretty cool when you have everyone in the indus-
try working together.” Mitchell sends out the Conservancy’s weekly streamflow report, which of late shows mostly red (meaning flows less than 55 percent of average) or only-recentlyneeded maroon (less than 30 percent). The one bright spot is the Fryingpan River, which is flowing at slightly above average thanks to an agreement that increases how much is released from Ruedi Reservoir, as well as the “Cameo call” on the Colorado River which has basically shut down diversions to the Eastern Slope in favor of senior water rights downstream. The Colorado Water Conservation Board has also placed a call on the Crys-
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tal, but the junior water rights may not be enough to keep water in the river. Additionally, a recent agreement aimed at reducing agricultural diversions won’t be enacted this year. Still, Mitchell sees efforts at conservation as a step in the right direction amid increasing aridity. She praised the Town of Carbondale’s decision to enact water restrictions on both treated and ditch systems, and encouraged individual residents to do what they can to reduce their use. “It’s easy to become complacent, but it’s better to act than not act,” she said. “Any little thing you do shows that you’re invested in protecting our local waterways.”
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Carbondale Commentary
The views and opinions expressed on the Commentary page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The Sopris Sun invites all members of the community to submit letters to the editor or guest columns. For more information, email editor Will Grandbois at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.
The summer it was difficult to be brave By Sarah R. Johnson
As the sooty smoke fills the air on day 29 of wildfire in the Roaring Fork Valley, one 12,588 acre wildfire is 90 percent contained and another grows to over 1300 acres in only a matter of five days sending its smoke over the ridge east into our community. Black ash ridden mud slides into the rivers and streams are inevitable when it finally rains. The Crystal River flows at 4 percent of average today. Colorado River flows into Lake Powell forecasts are dismal and nearly irreversible. Prolonged high daily temperatures have lasted longer than previous summers anyone can remember; and no significant rain in months. So restrictions result: voluntary fishing closures are in effect, watering restrictions are in place, and fire bans have been enforced for more than a month. Too often throughout the day, I view the fire incident information website looking for updated maps. Upon finding the county air quality monitoring realtime data for our town I watch it closely. The stream gage realtime data is also part of my regular routine although it does not change much. It is as if I have become addicted to the data updates. It is the raw data and source information that I’m most interested in; not the emotion filled news stories. I struggle with words to describe my feelings. Is it frustration, disappointment, madness, anger, scared, helplessness, depression, worry, or all of this and something else? Regardless, it is heavy. Some days it is all-consuming and overwhelming. The underlying tension and strong feelings of uncertainty underlie and penetrate my community. We are all working hard to stay brave and live our ordinary everyday lives in spite of the unnerving conditions of our home landscape. As a well-informed environmental educator I know that all these inevitable symptoms of climate change are expected after 150 years of over consumption and unprecedented quantities of
greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere in this short time period. None of this is surprising. Yet why am I so unsettled now that it is happening right here in my town? The visceral symptoms and community responses are inescapable. It is as if I thought it would never really happen to me, to my town; and now it is being realized first hand. How could I be so naïve? Riding my bike across town to capture a photo, my throat burned from the smoke blanketing our community, which makes me frustrated. The poor air quality has prolonged my healing from an aggressive sinus infection this past month, which makes me mad. I’ve given up on keeping my house closed up to keep the air clean. Without air conditioning, opening windows at night is the only way to keep one’s house cool. I wake up in the middle of the night breathing smoky air and quickly jump out of bed to close the windows, which is irritating. Yet I am becoming accustomed to the smoke and sometimes do not even notice it when breathing even when it is visually present; this worries me. Most of all I am sick of talking about all of this; I want a new story to tell. Remaining brave in spite of depressing health conditions of the landscape and its inhabitants necessitates the deep need for active hope. We must notice and recognize the youth, adults, families, organizations, and institutions who continue to be consistent, tenacious, and unrelenting in standing firm in their works of compassion and mission of making the world a better place for all each and every day. In spite of wildfires, drought, smoky haze, dangerously low river levels, illness, and the rocky uncertain political landscape, I pray daily for the continual courage to love, see beauty, make music, teach the youth, grow gardens, and stay brave.
OPINION
The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 500 words via email at news@soprissun.com or 250 words via snail mail at P.O. Box 399, Carbondale CO 81623. Letters exceeding that length may be returned for revision or submission as a guest column; please include your name, town, and contact information. The deadline for submission is noon on Monday.
Dear Editor: Topsy-turvy times Truth will prevail in the end The darkness will pass JM Jesse Glenwood Springs
The kindness of strangers Dear Editor: I’d like to acknowledge the time and comfort that Erin Gufstasen and Abby Clemetson offered me and my dog Maybelle after I’d fallen and broken my femur last month on the Marion trail (not a treacherous trail by any means, but tricky if you’re chucking a ball and running amidst the shadows). Both women had set out for their individual late morning hikes. Their hikes were interrupted by my splayed out body and freaked out dog. Thank you both so much for running to get help (Erin), and staying with me and helping me remain calm, (Abby) until my husband Elliot, and the Carbondale Fire Dept. showed up. Also thank you to EMTs Mike and Cory, who carefully loaded me on the rescue vehicle and got me into the ambu-
for their generous, ongoing commitment of support. Jim Calaway, Chair Kay Brunnier Bob Ferguson – Jaywalker Lodge Scott Gilbert – Habitat for Humanity RFV Bob Young – Alpine Bank Peter Gilbert Umbrella Roofing, Inc. Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein Greg and Kathy Feinsinger Carolyn Nelson
Thank you to our SunScribers and community members for your support! It truly takes a village to keep The Sun shining.
Originally published at ethologicalruminations.blogspot.com.
Letters
Darkest before dawn
Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers
lance safely. I am very grateful to all of you for you kindness. Caroline Norquist Carbondale
Time for a change Dear Editor: I had the opportunity to be at the Garfield County Fair parade on Saturday. The parade was well attended and the weather was great. What caught my attention though was the Sheriff who showed up to the Garfield County Parade like an old Soviet May Day parade. He leading on his prize appaloosa horse and his deputies in close proximity in white led the parade. It’s the first time I have gotten to see the Sheriff’s crowd busting war machine, it looks really army. What is the purpose of such a vehicle? It’s not like the airport who had this large truck that could shoot water at least a football field across. The army truck looks like it has rails at the top so you could have gunman on top — now that’s something that seems real useful here. Next, was the Negotiator Van or small bus. Looked like an executive suite in some tiny office, mobile of course. I
2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • AUGUST 9-15, 2018
am sure it was linked to every possible link that would be important to the Sheriff and that could be a lot as his office is responsible for emergencies and disasters so I am not sure how the Negotiator thing works. Then to my surprise came the “Tough Mudder Team” — the young men were carrying the banner as they do in parades and they were surrounded by several middle school and older boys. And I thought to myself “Mudder Team” is that something I would send my son to or is it a militaristic camp for overactive boys. Our Sheriff answers to no one, not even his wife, so he gets to spend your hard earned money you give the county and he gets whatever he wants. His supply is deep of war tactic items ready to fight us his constituents, or whatever army he chooses. Certainly looks like the old war machines of yesteryear. So next time you complain about taxes going up, just remember 25 percent goes to the sheriff and his toys. I am not picking on this Sheriff as it may seem, it’s just Sheriff’s budgets are huge and what do they do? So I went lookLETTERS page 15
To inform, inspire and build community. Donate online or by mail. P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #32 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Editor Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Carol Fabian • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Reporter: Megan Tackett Photographer: Jane Bachrach Graphic Designer: Terri Ritchie Delivery: Tom Sands Current Board Members board@soprissun.com Marilyn Murphy, President Raleigh Burleigh, Vice President Stacey Bernot, Secretary Barbara Dills, Treasurer Debbie Bruell • Cliff Colia Olivia Pevec • Nicolette Toussaint John Colson The Sopris Sun Board meets regularly on the second Monday evening of each month at the Third Street Center.
Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young • Colin Laird Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible.
Rams football in jeopardy as fall practices get rolling By Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff In the wake of a winless season, it’s a hard sell for Roaring Fork boys to come out even for junior varsity football, but once-and-future coach Dave Close isn’t going to give up easily. “I don’t want to see it die, but you can’t do it without the kids,” he said, looking down on the field he presided over from 1987 to 1996 (an era when the Demons and Rams were on equal footing with recent state titles). It was the second day in a row Close had made the drive from Buena Vista, eschewing coaching gigs closer to home. The first was a disappointment, with more coaches — some of whom played for or coached under him during his first tenure — than kids turning up. It’s a problem he never thought he’d have in Carbondale. “We used to have 40 kids almost every year, practiced twice a day and didn’t think anything of it,” he said. “I realize it’ll be different. It’s a different culture. But if we could just get it started, I believe this time next year we’ll have 30 kids.” For now, he’s just hoping for at least 15 to show up for practice by Aug. 13, or the Rams won’t meet the requirements to play in their first scheduled games. To that end, he drafted a letter to high school parents, addressing some common concerns. “I am the father of four boys, all of whom played football with my blessing. Did I worry about head injuries? Of course, but not any more than other kinds of injuries, and certainly not enough to consider having them not play,” he wrote. “My coaches and I will work hard to show your players how to play the great game of football and keep their heads out of the action.” He also addressed toxic masculinity, assuring parents that, far from being a haven for machismo, his teams emphasize sportsmanship and cultivate gentlemen. “You give us your son for four years,” he wrote. “If after those four years he is a better person and on his way to becoming a responsible member of society, then we have done our job. Wins and losses will take care of themselves.” Close thinks the decision to scrap varsity for the time being will give the school a chance to put aside the hu-
Dave Close gives a player a mid-game pep talk in 1990. Valley Journal file photo by Carol Craven
miliation of last year. For the coaching staff, playing on Fork students compete on the court and the field. Monday night instead of Friday is a long sight better than Girls’ volleyball held practice this week as well, with a having Roaring Fork kids play for Basalt or Glenwood. massive turnout. Another former familiar face returning “We don’t have to have that after time away, Coach Karen pressure,” he said. “We could at Crownhart-Nieslanik isn’t quite least compete.” ready to speculate about the seaIt’s a shift in philosophy for son. a 46-year coach and a team “These girls are excellent athwith three state titles, but it’s letes. I feel like there’s a lot of not unprecedented. Other area potential,” she said. “I really just teams have come back from want to go into it with open eyes years without football, and Gunand give everyone a fair shot.” – Dave Close nison (another Boys’ soccer coach Nick past powerhouse) Forbes, meanwhile, is seeing five is also sticking years of groundwork come to with JV this year. It’s far from a universal fruition. The Rams are projected to be one of the strontrend, however, and Close doesn’t see high gest teams in the league, with most of the starters from school football going anywhere. last year’s strong team returning. “If you’re gonna have a good foot“These kids have been playing together for ten years. ball team, every guy has to do their job,” It’s their season to show their merit and win or lose,” he said. “I think there are a lot of great Forbes said. “We’d love to go a step or two further than sports, but there’s something special last year, which means the semifinals.” about football.” The soccer boys will also have a few chances to step into the spot left vacant by varsity football. A handful of Friday night lights games — including homecoming on Oct. 5 against Aspen With or without football, there are still — will be played on Friday night under the lights. Hopeplenty of opportunities to see Roaring fully the community will come out to cheer them on.
“I don’t want to see it die, but you can’t do it without the kids,”
In addition to the high school teams assembled at Roaring Fork on Aug. 6 (center, photo by Will Grandbois), the Aspen Valley Ski Club got a head start on the winter season practicing in the parking lot (far left, photo by Jane Bachrach).
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • AUGUST 9-15, 2018 • 3
Scuttlebutt
Send your scuttlebutt to news@soprissun.com.
Golden flowers of the sun
Silence in the library
Either it’s been a particularly good year for sunflowers or we just noticed them more as we scouted for the most spectacular specimens in our inaugural contest. We think The Launchpad deserves the award for best display, as it’s been blooming beautifully for the better part of a month — though a stand off Hendrick Drive would have been a strong contender if we could reach the gardner. The tallest one we found was one of Tracie Wright’s — we’ll need a stepladder to confirm the measurement at around 13 feet and growing. The largest diameter goes to Ross Montessori School, which also might have had the tallest if it weren’t for the greenhouse roof. For prettiest individual plant, we like the simplicity of the single stem in a pot outside the Carbondale Library.
All Garfield County Libraries will be closed on Aug. 13 for interviews with finalists for the Executive Director position. The public is invited to sit in on the process from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Community Room of the Glenwood Springs Branch, with a presentation slated from each of the candidates. Normal library hours will resume at all locations on Aug. 14., and you can still browse, request, and renew materials during the closure at www.gcpld.org.
Chukkers, champagne and caviar If you really want to appreciate Aspen Valley Polo Club’s usually free admission, take a gander at the ticket prices for the Aspen Valley Hospital benefit on Aug. 12. General admission starts at $300, with sponsorships up to $250,000 — all toward a good cause, of course. If that’s not in your budget, there are plenty of chances to spectate throughout the month during The Rocky Mountain Open, Mount Sopris Cup and Carbondale Classic.
Get on the bus The public is invited to participate in the next Roaring Fork Transportation Authority meeting, which is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 9 at the Carbondale Town Hall. It’s a chance to weigh in on the agency’s Destination 2040 plans, which are likely to include a mill levy increase request on the next ballot.
Out of the fire Folks are being allowed to return to areas of Upper Cattle Creek and adjacent National Forest lands as the Lake Christine Fire winds down. Closures remain in effect around the Cache Creek fire south of Rifle (23 percent contained at 1,535 acres as of press time) and the Cabin Lake fire north of New Castle (70 percent contained at 1,160 acres). For up-to-date information on where civilians are allowed, contact 963-2266 or visit fs.usda.gov/whiteriver. Incidentally, residents and business owners of Basalt or El Jebel can now contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture to request a flood assessment in the aftermath of the fire.
Goin’ for gold John Tripp recently celebrated his 99th birthday. Courtesy photo by Lee Beck
Under the tent Local digital gurus Bluetent Marketing recently announced the acquisition of Visual Data Systems (VDS), a Maryland-based agency focused in online marketing strategies and website development for the vacation rental industry. Bluetent’s 5,875 square foot Carbondale headquarters has been named one of Outside Magazine “Best Place to Work” six times, and their crew of 80 expressed excitement to have VDS join the team.
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Congratulations to four members of the Roaring Fork Pickleball Club in Carbondale who took home the gold in the Alpine Bank Pickleball Tournament in Durango on Aug. 4. Lorraine Escue and Priscilla Dickinson were winners of the women’s 3.0 divison and Jeff Dickinson and Trevor Cannon won the 3.0 men’s division.
They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating another year of life this week include: Kyle N. Bruna and Dru Handy (Aug. 9); Louise Holgate (Aug. 10); Tripp Adams and Bill Hofto (Aug. 11); John McCormick (Aug. 12); Sarah Overbeck, Briana Boland and John Ginn (Aug. 13) and Ariane Montez (Aug. 14).
Smiling Goat Ranch reaches out to veterans By Megan Tackett Sopris Sun Staff
Sheryl Barto describes herself as an “autism mom who loves horses.” So when she discovered the Horse Boy Method, an equine therapy model tailored to ease some of the burdens associated with autism, it inspired her to found the Smiling Goat Ranch in 2015. “I think with Horse Boy, it’s specifically designed for autism,” Barto, a certified Horse Boy trainer, said. “It’s not somebody who’s neurotypical saying, ‘I think this would work.’” Currently, Horse Boy is a recognized equine therapy in 20 countries. It’s all about creating environments that produce oxytocin, Barto explained. “People on the autism spectrum often have overactive amygdalas,” she said. “Overactive amygdalas in autism are flooded with cortisol, the stress hormone. [It’s] a good thing when you’re scared and in a fight-or-flight mode, because then you just focus on the one thing to get yourself out of that danger.” But, she added, it can be detrimental to consistently be in that state. “What we do through our sensory work is that we calm that nervous system. The whole key is in the psoas muscle and relaxing the psoas then produces oxytocin, which is the feel-good hormone, also known as the love hormone or the communication hormone,” she continued. Part of the Horse Boy Method involves clients assuming different positions on the horse to increase psoas relaxation. For those able to fully ride, the three-beat rhythm of a horse’s canter is an excellent conduit for oxytocin production — and those benefits apply to other communities than just autism families. “People with PTSD also have overactive amygdalas that are flooded with cortisol in an ongoing basis,” Barto said.
Sheri Gaynor of Carbondale facilitates an art therapy session for the board of the Western Slope Veterans Coalition at Smiling Goat Ranch. President of WSVC John Pettit, left, and board member Tim Hayes, right. Photo by Hal Williams “That starts killing off brain cells.” Barto went on to explain that she had always wanted Smiling Goat services to be available to local veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, as well. Last weekend, that vision came together when the ranch hosted the Western Slope Veterans Coalition (WSVC) board of directors members. “It was a great day, it really was,” WSVC President John Pettit said. “They did a nice job. I think it’s very beneficial.” It wasn’t the first time Pettit felt a connection with a horse. In 1996, he spent an eight-day trip with Ripple Creek Outfitters in Meeker riding and fishing. “We didn’t have the counseling and stuff like that [on that trip], but I think that’s when I decided to move to Colorado,” he recounted. “Three years later, I sold my businesses. It was pretty impactful. I enjoyed the horse; I missed the horse after
I got eight days on him. We were pretty good buds.” “A horse also has an enlarged amygdala because that’s how they survive in the wild: they have this fight-or-flight trigger,” said Zoe Hanlon, a Smiling Goat Ranch volunteer and Barto’s stepdaughter — whom Barto calls her “bonus daughter” — “and so they understand. They have that same brain function that a child with autism or a veteran with PTSD has, and so there is a connection there because of that.” While clients that come to Smiling Goat Ranch will certainly be working with horses, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will all get on top of one, and that’s OK, too. “We had a little boy that for many years didn’t ride, but he loved to paint the horses,” Hanlon said. “He’d draw letters on the horses. You can spell words on the horse’s back, so it can be a learning tool and can also create that comfort to help with the transitions. Kids on the autism spectrum have a hard time with transitions. Paint the horse, then get on the horse — that’s a nice transition.” Regardless of whether the client is on the autism spectrum or is a veteran needing to manage PTSD, Barto emphasized that she and her team of volunteers intend to work with more than just the individual. “We work with entire families,” she said. In addition to ongoing autism services, Barto is actively looking to expand on Smiling Goat’s working with veterans — she already has two dedicated veterans’ days slated on the entity’s calendar, and she’s hoping that some people will return from those days to do more personalized sessions.
Veterans Days
When: Sunday, Aug. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 9 Contact: Email sheryl@smilingoatranch.com for a brief and confidential application Cost: Free
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The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • AUGUST 9-15, 2018 • 5
Roaring Fork School District redefining discipline By Debbie Bruell Sopris Sun Correspondent
“Nobody understands me. Nobody cares about me,” is a common utterance among kids who habitually skip or are expelled from school. With a one million dollar grant providing funding for at-risk students over the next four years, the Roaring Fork Schools are committing to a new approach to discipline and conflict resolution with the hope of dispelling that sentiment. The grant was awarded by the Colorado Department of Education, which has been encouraging schools to shift away from traditional disciplinary practices and toward restorative practices — “processes that proactively build healthy relationships and a sense of community to prevent and address conflict and wrongdoing” (International Institute of Restorative Practices website). Lindsay Hentschel, the district’s Curricular and Professional Development Coordinator, told The Sopris Sun that the district has been gradually moving in this direction for years; the grant will enable them to make this shift complete. Traditionally, when a student displays significant behavioral problems, they are removed from the classroom or the school. Staff members convene to determine a strategy for addressing the student’s behavior when they return to the classroom — employing incentives to encourage the desired behavior and punishments to discourage negative behavior. The restorative approach is quite different. Rather than using “carrots and sticks” to try to regulate students’ behavior, the focus is on identifying and addressing the root causes of the problem. Rather than staff members discussing the problem amongst themselves, the process begins with talking with the student and their family: What do they think is getting in the way of the student behaving more productively?
School staff tend to make assumptions about what kids and families need, Hentschel said. Well-intentioned as they may be, they often miss the mark. For example, if a child is habitually tardy, a teacher may try offering rewards for arriving on time or administering punishments for arriving late, when what the child really needs is an alarm clock.
They come to believe that they can “make things happen,” rather than seeing themselves as victims of a system that’s stacked against them. Oftentimes, according to advocates of restorative practices, students lack the skills to behave more productively. Helping them gain these skills is a more effective long-term solution than punishing the resulting negative behavior. Hentschel told The Sun that in her experience, involving students’ own voices “early and often” tends to give kids a sense of agency. They come to believe that they can “make things happen,” rather than seeing themselves as victims of a system that’s stacked against them. They begin to feel like the school is “on their side, rather than something that they need to fight against.” While the grant from the Colorado Department of Education is oriented toward the district’s 400 habitually truant students, restorative practices will be integrated throughout the schools — not only to address the problems of students skipping school, disrupting class, or failing classes, but also everyday classroom challenges.
Teachers will be trained to use “restorative circles” throughout the day for issues such as a conflict between two students or poor behavior when there’s a substitute teacher. Students will be encouraged to share their perspective about classroom challenges and work together to come up with possible solutions. Hetschel emphasized that the restorative practices model is not about being more permissive. When implemented correctly, she said, restorative practices demands a higher level of accountability by requiring the student, and often their family, to address the root causes of the problem behavior, and to consider the impact of the student’s behavior on others. Some of the grant funds will be used to fund a new position for the next three years: Dr. Grace Tennant was hired to integrate restorative practices throughout the district and develop a digital case management system for at-risk students. She’ll be collaborating with school staff primarily through a Responsive Services Team (RST) at each school, including the school counselor, assistant principal, and any teachers who choose to opt in. Tennant taught in the Roaring Fork Schools for thirteen years before getting her PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. While Tennant and each school’s RST will carry most of the responsibility for the shift, all teachers will undergo training in this model so that they can incorporate it into their classrooms. Hentschel believes the shift toward responsive practices will have a huge payoff for teachers. Developing a consistent district-wide approach to behavior problems will reduce stress on teachers, and with fewer students being pulled from or skipping class, teachers won’t have to spend so much time catching up students who have been absent. RESTORATIVE PRACTICES page 7
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AUGUST SPEAKERS: August 15 Ken Neubecker, Heather Tattersall Lewin – Our Water - Here & There “SERVICE ABOVE SELF”
August 22 CRFP Chief Rob Goodwin – Fire Season Update
Be sure to get your tickets to the RUNNING OF THE BALLS on Sept. 7 – $5,000 Grand Prize! More at rotarycarbondale.org/running-of-the-balls
Looking to have fun and give back? Come join us at Rotary every Weds. at 7 a.m. at the Carbondale Fire Station All are welcome! RSVP to Ed Queenan at (401) 465-4276 or queenan. edward@ gmail.com!
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Restorative practices from page 6 Most importantly, Hentschel noted, the shift will create a more positive working environment overall for teachers. She shared the following example to illustrate her point. Last year a high school student asked to leave class to use the bathroom. He was gone a long time, returning to class with cup of Starbucks coffee. The teacher sent the student right to the office. Rather than automatically administering a consequence for cutting class, the assistant principal asked the student what happened. The student explained that he left class because he received a text about a family emergency. A friend noticed him in the hallway looking upset. They talked for a while, and the friend shared her coffee with him. The assistant principal brought the student and teacher together after school to share how the experience felt for each of them and discuss possible solutions. They both realized how they could have handled the situation better: the teacher could have asked the student what was going on before jumping to conclusions; the student needed to learn the correct protocol for addressing a family emergency while in school. What could have turned into months of tension between the student and teacher, instead resulted in a closer connection between them. Twenty minutes of the teacher’s time after school saved the teacher
months of feeling frustrated and resentful. When kids misbehave, Hentschel said, it’s hard for teachers not to take it personally. Feeling a close connection with their students instead of rifts “is energizing to teachers rather than depleting.” That kind of impact is difficult to measure. While the district will be tracking the number of student absences, negative behavior incidences and failing grades, Hentschel believes the grant-funded project will have significant and long-lasting, yet less tangible, impacts as well: enhancing teacher-student relationships, kids’ sense of belonging and feeling cared for, their ability to consider the consequences of their actions on others and to understand others’ points of view, as well as kids’ sense of themselves as individuals whose voice matters and who can make positive changes in their own life. As a relatively new approach to school discipline, quantitative data documenting the long-term impact of restorative practices is limited. Current reports tend to focus instead on descriptive evaluations, including testimonials from students and school staff. LifePlay Productions of California pulled together this infographic (right) from reports from three different school districts across the country.
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400 Gillespie Drive, El Jebel, CO 81623
970-963-1173
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • AUGUST 9-15, 2018 • 7
Town Report The following items are drawn from Town Manager Jay Harrington’s weekly report to staff, trustees and others. WATER RESTRICTIONS appear to have made a difference in overall use, with production keeping up with demand. Low flows in the ditch system continue to be a challenge. THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT at Nettle Creek will receive a new valve and actuator this week, but the plant is expected to remain active during the process.
CARBONDALE MARKETPLACE just north of Ace Hardware along Main Street has submitted a major site plan review for a 5.37-acre mixed-use development. It is expected to go before the Planning Commission sometime in the fall, then proceed to the Board of Trustees. TOBACCO AND VAPING age increase information has been distributed to local retailers, many of whom were already training their employees.
POST-FAIR CLEANUP and aeration in Sopris Park took place, but overseeding and fertilization was put on hold due to water conservation measures. Some watering is still taking place during the day at the North Face bike park for dust suppression. In general, the Parks department is establishing a longer grass height to help with moisture retention, freeing up crews to work on other projects like painting the ballfield dugouts and improving the Nature Park trails. A RUST FUNGUS introduction experiment conducted by Colorado State University three years ago to help control the infestation of Canadian Thistle at Delaney Nature Park appears to be working.
A YOUTH TRIATHLON is slated for Aug. 11 at the John M. Fleet Pool; register up to the day of the race for $20. A SENIOR TRIP to the Palisade Fruit and Wine Tour is slated for Aug. 24; preregister up to a week in advance for $10. THE TECH SUPPORT request for proposals generated five responses, which will be reviewed over the next two weeks. A NEW POLICE OFFICER is expected to get a conditional job offer this week. Meanwhile, Anna Ramirez attended a three-day class this week on Child Passenger Safety and will be educating local parents on the topic.
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Cop Shop From July 27 through Aug. 2, Carbondale Police handled 293 calls for service. During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note: FRIDAY July 27 at 11:44 p.m. A traffic stop for failure to drive on the right, failure to use a turn signal and failure to obey a traffic signal led to the arrest of the 25-year-old driver on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. SATURDAY July 28 at 1:53 a.m. Police contacted a car with a flat tire and ended up arresting the 20-year-old driver on suspicion of DUI. SATURDAY July 28 at 2:30 a.m. When a car failed to dim its lights or use a turn signal, police pulled over the 37-year-old driver and arrested him on suspicion of DUI. SATURDAY July 28 at 4:01 a.m. A careless driving stop led to the arrest of a 25-year-old woman for driving with a restrained license and under the influence of alcohol. SATURDAY July 28 at 11:48 p.m. When a car failed to maintain a single lane, police pulled over and arrested the 28-year-old driver on suspicion of DUI. SUNDAY July 29 at 12:54 a.m. The 30-year-old driver of a car with no tail lights was arrested on suspicion of DUI. SUNDAY July 29 at 3:28 a.m. A 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of DUI after failing to maintain a single lane. MONDAY July 30 at 9:16 a.m. Police took a report of a burglary along Highway 133. TUESDAY July 31 at 1:01 a.m. A warrant was issued for a man’s arrest after his girlfriend told police he had attacked her. TUESDAY July 31 at 2:10 a.m. Following a traffic stop for an obstructed view, both the driver and a passenger were arrested for drug possession and felony warrants.
2018
5
DAYS OF
AWARD-WINNING FILMS
CINE DE LAS MONTAÑAS
Wed, Aug 22 | 7:00 PM | The Temporary (Willits)
ARTISTS | ACTIVISTS ADVENTURERS
BEYOND BORDERS SHORTS Thu, Aug 23 | 7:00 PM | The Temporary (Willits)
AUG 22–26, 2018
SOUFRA
Fri, Aug 24 | 5:00 PM | Crystal Theater (Carbondale)
UNCHARTED WATERS SHORTS Sat, Aug 25 | 5:00 PM | Crystal Theater (Carbondale)
The 10th anniversary of Mountainfilm in Aspen themed “ONE WORLD. ONE COMMUNITY.” includes something for everyone! This year’s festival will include 60 inspiring, adventurous and topical documentaries—a combination of shorts and features.
DOWN VALLEY PICK 2 PASS ONLY $30, SINGLE TICKETS START AT $20. ON SALE NOW!
Community Calendar THURSDAY Aug. 9
CINE CLUB • “Los Viajes del Viento” (‘The Wind Journeys’) and “Violeta Se Fue a los Cielos” (‘Violeta Went to Heaven’) screen free in their original language with English subtitles at 7 p.m. at KDNK (76 S. Second St.). SINGER SONGWRITER • The Martha Scanlan Band plays at 8:30 p.m. at Steve’s Guitars (19 N. Fourth St.).
THU to SUN Aug. 9-12
WILLY WONKA • SoL Theatre Company presents a captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical tale at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). Kids are $10; adults are $15.
FRI to THU Aug. 10-16
MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre (427 Main St.) presents “Leave No Trace” (PG) at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10-16 and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (PG-13) at 5:15 p.m. Aug. 12.
FRIDAY Aug. 10
HOOT • The Carbondale Creative District and KDNK team up for food, brews and music (a DJ set followed by a flamenco duo and an afrobeat group) beginning at 5 p.m. — wrapping up with the Mountain Fair slideshow around 9:30 p.m. — at the Fourth Street Plaza. All proceeds benefit community radio. ARTIST RECEPTION • Paul Hilts takes you on a journey through the beauty and political upheaval of Burma (Myanmar)
To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is noon on Monday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted.
through his photography at 5 p.m. at Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.). FOLK POP • Korby Linker takes the Steve’s Guitars stage (19 N. Fourth St.) at 8:30 p.m. or thereabouts. FOLK ROCK • The Temporary (360 Market St.) hosts Trevor Green for a 8:30 p.m. show. $13 in advance at tacaw.org or $18 at the door.
FRI & SAT Aug. 10-11
BLOCK PARTY • Dance in the streets of Glenwood Springs (Cooper Avenue between Eighth and Ninth, specifically) with music, kids activities, vendors, food and more from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday.
SATURDAY Aug. 11
DANCE • Dance Initiative Artist in Residence Crossman Dans(c)e continues its programming with a $15 all-levels Cunningham Dance Workshop at 10 a.m. and a $15 studio performance of works in programs at 7 p.m. Aug. 11 at The Launchpad (76 S. Fourth St.) Registration and info at danceinitiative.org. COMMUNITY CONSTELLATION • Carol Shure applies a unique approach to difficult problems based on trauma passed down from our ancestors from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). Info at www.carolshure.com. CORNHOLE TOURNEY • Toss your way
In its 10th year
Cowboy Up Carbondale
will celebrate Carbondale’s unique western heritage with live music, dancing, bbq and auction to benefit a local non-profit.
Friday, August 24 • 6-10pm • 4th Street Plaza, downtown Carbondale Benefiting Stepping Stones and Patrick’s Place youth mentoring facilities in the Roaring Fork Valley.
Chill on a Hot Summer Day THIS COMMUNITY AD SPACE DONATED BY COOL BRICK STUDIOS.
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For Information & Reservations call 970-945-0667 • yampahspa.com Spa Open 9-9 Salon Open 9-7 • One Block East of the Hot Springs Pool 10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • AUGUST 9-15, 2018
to a New Belgium Cruiser while imbibing $3 pints from 2 to 4 p.m. at White House Pizza (801 Main Ct.). COMMUNITY PICNIC • Basaltians are invited to celebrate and join together amid challenges with a picnic in Basalt River Park from 4 to 7 p.m. — complete with live music and BBQ pork sliders if you RSVP at basaltchamber.org. CHAMBER MUSIC • Aspen Music Festival & School students make the trip downvalley for a special free recital at 6 p.m at the Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.). STRING BAND • Grateful Bluegrass Boys plays at 8:30 p.m. at Steve’s Guitars (19 N. Fourth St.). COMEDIAN • Chris Charpentier performs at 8:30 p.m. at The Temporary (360 Market St.). $25 in advance at tacaw.org or $35 at the door.
SAT & SUN Aug. 11-12 MARBLEFEST • The Marble Hub (105 W. Main St.) sponsors two days of music, carnival games, crafts and more.
SUNDAY Aug. 12
MUSIC IN THE PARK • A.J. Fullerton and others bring uptempo roots and rock to Sopris Park from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in a free, outdoor, family friendly event.
MONDAY Aug. 13
GIVE BLOOD • The St. Mary’s bloodmobile will be at the Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m — a safe, fast, and the easy way to save a life with a free cholesterol screening included. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged at 963-2889. DAM FILMS • “Nico, 1988” — a roadmovie dedicated to the last years of Christa Päffgen — screens at 8 p.m. as part of the ongoing Dance, Art, & Music series at The Temporary (360 Market St., Willits). $8 for Aspen Film members, $11 in advance at tacaw.org or $13 at the door.
TUESDAY Aug. 14
TRAIL WORK • The Red Hill / Mushroom Rock trail system gets a makeover thanks to Aspen Valley Land Trust and Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers. Help out Tuesdays anytime from 4 p.m. to dusk.
WEDNESDAY Aug. 15
PHYSICS FOR KIDS • The Aspen Science Center sponsors a BBQ from 5 to 7 p.m. at Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork (16543 Highway 82), complete with liquid nitrogen ice cream, hands-on science demonstrations, experiments and games, and a brief lecture by visiting physicists tailored to families and school-age children. $10 suggested donation for adults and $5 for kids payable at the door. MOVIES THAT MATTER • “Dumb & Dumber” screens at 5 p.m. at Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.). CALENDAR continued on page 11
COMPASSION FEST: Film Festival, Fair, Music,and Symposium Join us at Compassion Fest for a celebration of compassionate action, highlighting people making a real difference in our community and the world.
August 17-19
at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. The festival includes three days of films, local and international speakers, workshops, and an outdoor festival with live music, food & vendors.
Visit www.compassionfest.world to learn more and see the full schedule.
Community Calendar
continued from page 10
Ongoing
CLAY SHOW • The Carbondale Clay Center (135 Main St.) presents Clay National XIII, juried by John and Andrea Gill and featuring works from clay artists from across the nation. RECOVERY MEETINGS • Self-Management and Recovery Training, an abstinencebased secular self-help program for those struggling with addiction, meets at 7:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at the Glenwood Springs Library (815 Cooper Ave.). HIGH NOON • Bring your compliments, complaints and ideas to Sopris Sun Editor Will Grandbois at 12 p.m. Thursdays at the Pour House (351 Main St.). EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN • Staff and sources talk about this week’s paper and more at 4 p.m. Thursdays on KDNK (88.1 FM). HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION • Free opportunities include… One-hour consultation about heart attack prevention, plant-based nutrition, other medical issues. Call retired family doctor Greg Feinsinger, M.D. for appointment (379-5718). First Monday of every month catch a powerpoint presentation by Dr. Feinsinger about the science behind plant-based nutrition, 7 to 8:30 p.m., boardroom Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). Fourth Monday of every month, plant-based potluck 6:30 p.m. Calaway Room, Third Street Center. All events supported by Davi Nikent, Center for Human Flourishing. More information at www.davinikent.org.
HISTORY MUSEUM • The Mt. Sopris Historical Society Cabin Museum and Pioneer Heritage Garden (located at the corner of Highway 133 and Weant Boulevard) is open on Wednesdays 3-6 p.m. and Fridays 12-3 p.m. through September 2018. RODEO • The nonprofit, volunteer Carbondale Wild West Rodeo continues at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Gus Darien Riding Arena on Catherine Store Road. FARMER’S MARKET • Sample wares from a small, eclectic blend of local farmers, producers and artisans Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fourth Street Plaza. YAPPY HOUR • Colorado Animal Rescue’s Yappy Hour at the Marble Bar (150 Main St.) takes place at 5:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month. Sip on handcrafted cocktails and meet a C.A.R.E. dog, with $1 from every drink donated to C.A.R.E. Bring your own dog along as well. TRIVIA • Geeks Who Drink comes to Batch (358 Main St.) for free at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. OPEN MIC • A new open mic takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays at Riverside Grill (181 Basalt Center Circle, Basalt). Food and drink specials. Free. KARAOKE • The Black Nugget (403 Main St.) and Sandman bring you over 30,000 songs to choose from and a quality sound system to release your inner rockstar at 9 pm. every Thursday. LET’S JUST DANCE • Feel great, have fun and dance Tuesdays at The Third Street
THE
KDNK HOOT
FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT IN DOWNTOWN CARBONDALE @ 4TH STREET PLAZA
FRIDAY AUGUST 10, 5-10PM 5PM - FLASH DJ SET 6PM - EL JAVI 8PM - ATOMGA
Center (520 S. Third St.). Catch a free lesson at 7 p.m., then from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. it’s open dancing with two-step, swing, waltz, line dance, salsa and more. No partner or experience necessary. $8/person; $14/couple. Questions? Call 970-366-6463 or email billypat4@gmail.com. WORLD DANCE • Learn rhythms from various countries and cultures for $12 per class from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays at the Carbondale Community School (1505 Satank Rd.). ROTARY • The Carbondale Rotary Club meets at the Carbondale Fire Station (300 Meadowood Dr.) at 6:45 a.m. Wednesdays. The Mt. Sopris Rotary meets at White House Pizza (801 Main Ct.) at noon every Thursday. YOGA • Get a donation based introduction to Hatha Yoga Tuesdays from 8 to 9 p.m. at The Launchpad (76 S. Fourth St.). MAKERSPACE • Children and teens are invited to design, create, tinker, and play with art and technology to design and create with 3D Pens, make stop-motion animation films, engineer duct tape creations, build their own video games, and more from 2 to 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.). ONE VOICE • Lisa Dancing-Light, founder of Higher Octave Music Programs, presents a community singing group intended to celebrate the joy that music brings to the spirit. Every other Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Helios Center (601 Sopris Ave.) in Carbondale.
RAGTIME • Theatre Aspen (470 Rio Grande Pl.) presents an epic musical set in 1900s New York with shows through August. GRIEF AND LOSS • Pathfinders offers a grief and loss support group every other Monday at 6 p.m., and a caregiver support group every other Wednesday noon. An RSVP is required to Robyn Hubbard at 319-6854. Pathfinders offers support groups from Aspen to Rifle and is located in Carbondale at 1101 Village Rd. Info: pathfindersforcancer.org. BRIDGE • The Carbondale Bridge Club hosts duplicate bridge (not sanctioned by ACBL) from 6:30 to 10 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). $6/per pair. Contact Marlene for more info: 928-9805.
Save the Date SUNDAY Aug. 19
OUR TOWN ONE TABLE • The community-wide potluck returns to the Fourth Street Plaza as a town-sponsored event. Reserve a table by emailing jwall@carbondaleco.net then show up at 4 p.m. to nab your specific spot for the 6:30 p.m. meal. Only tables are provided; everything else — chairs, tablecloths, dishes, cutlery and food — is up to you. Get a group together and decorate around the theme “The World is Coming to Carbondale” or come alone and look for the globe balloons welcoming strangers.
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The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • AUGUST 9-15, 2018 • 11
Fair sparks petitioning debate Town of Carbondale decision expected By Megan Tackett Sopris Sun Staff Fred Malo was taken aback when he was asked by a Mountain Fair volunteer to leave Sopris Park premises. He was collecting signatures for the Colorado Rising coalition effort, which seeks to increase the required distance between oil and gas wells and occupied buildings from the current 500 feet to 2,500 feet via Initiative 97. “I argued with her, and she said she was going to have the police remove me. Well, I beat her to it,” Malo said. “I went to the police trailer on Euclid, and Officer Tatum answered and he said, ‘You go back in there and circulate your petition. You have every right to do so.’” Malo returned but was again asked by another volunteer to leave, citing Mountain Fair policy that requires signature collectors for political petitions remain along the park’s perimeter so as not to interfere with fairgoers’ experiences. The problem is, it’s a legally murky area: Sopris Park is a public space, but during a leased event, does a leasing entity have the right to curtail First Amendment rights? For instance, the Carbondale Farmers Market does not allow political activity, whether it’s renting a booth or collecting petition signatures. “I think the issue at point is had it
been normally — just a town park — they would be totally allowed to gather the signatures, but because we lease the park to Mountain Fair and we lease [the street] to the Farmers Market, it’s kind of a gray answer,” Cathy Derby, Carbondale’s town clerk, said, adding that Town Manager Jay Harrington (who was out of town at press time) has requested the Town’s legal team deliver an official ruling on the matter. That decision is expected next week. Julia Williams, the volunteer coordinator for the Colorado Chapter of 350, an environmental grassroots movement that is part of the larger Colorado Rising coalition, emphasized that the campaign has encountered this type of pushback at other events, as well. “I know not only at Mountain Fair but in other places like the Music in the Park in Glenwood, this has been something that a lot of people have had a difficult time figuring out, that gray area,” she said. “All over the state, it’s been a huge question about where their rights end on public property when there’s an event happening there.” While Mountain Fair had for years held a policy that prohibited petition signatures being collected on the fairgrounds, Carbondale Arts Executive Director Amy Kimberly admitted she hadn’t intended to maintain that policy after being threatened with legal action from other groups. “We just didn’t want the Fair to become a political battleground,” Kimberly said of the earlier policy. “We kind of gave up try-
A Colorado Rising volunteer engages with an event vendor, who signs her petition for Initiative 97, which would require oil and gas wells be 2,500 feet from occupied buildings. Courtesy photo ing to regulate it too much because we’ve been threatened with lawsuits and stuff like that. I realize that not [all volunteers] got that message this year, so that’s why people were asked to be at the perimeters.” That said, Kimberly expressly stated that she wished signature collecting remained outside of the park during Mountain Fair — and that’s largely because so many Carbondalians are politically active during the rest of the year, she explained. “I think in respect to what the fair is and the hardworking people who work all year long toward some of these issues, they want a break too,” Kimberly said. “The Fair is our one break.” So while Kimberly and many Mountain Fair organizers will continue to ask
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
that signature collections happen along the park’s perimeters, there’s acknowledgment that that preference can’t be legally enforced. And for campaign volunteers like Malo, event spaces prove more effective than at the outskirts. “People on the outside of the park want to get in — they don’t want to stop and sign a petition, so I had a lot more luck getting signatures insides the park than I did outside,” Malo said, estimating that he collected about 160 signatures while at Mountain Fair. Regardless of any misunderstandings, though, Colorado Rising turned in 171,000 signatures to the Secretary of State on the Aug. 6 deadline, far more than the 98,492 required by state law to qualify for the ballot in the November election.
BALLET
TAP Open seats on the Town of Carbondale Board of Adjustment (Variances and Appeals Board for land use) Contact Janet Buck 970.510.1208. Applications may be found at www.carbondalegov.org or at Town Hall. Applications are due by August 15, 2018 at 5 pm.
To Be Present to Pain
We are fundamentally compassionate creatures. If someone or something is in pain, we need to fix it right away. However, that may not be the most compassionate thing to do! How can we be present to pain? With Rev. Shawna Foster Join us Sunday, August 12, 2018 - 10:00 a.m. Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist (TRUU) @ Third Street Center, Community Room
www.tworiversuu.org
Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist
Music with Jimmy Bryne, Religious Exploration with Ana Chynoweth, Preschool with Justice Bouchet
12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • AUGUST 9-15, 2018
YOUTH DANCE
Join Us!
Grand Opening
MODERN
Friday, August 24 • 5-7pm
NEW LOCATION: 1101 Village Road
(between the Saw Gallery and Gianinetti Park in Carbondale). Guests will enjoy class demos, tasty appetizers, prizes, and meet our teachers after a tour of the studio. Sign up for fall classes and our winter dance performance.
PILATES
www.bonedaleballet.com
970.379.2187
FLASHMOB We offer specialized dance and movement training for those who resonate with mind & body movement forms. Offering classical ballet, certified pilates mat & apparatus lessons, yoga, tap, flashmob dance, jazz modern, musical theater rep., creative and toddler dance instruction for all levels, interests and ages. Follow us on Facebook 970.379.2187 www.bonedaleballet.com
YOGA
Mitsch Bush discusses getting things done during stop in C’dale By Megan Tackett Sopris Sun Staff
A lot can happen over a cup of coffee — even cultivating common ground between Democrats and Republicans. That has been Diane Mitsch Bush’s philosophy throughout her three-term tenure as a state representative, and it will continue to be her mentality in Washington, D.C. if she is successful in unseating Rep. Scott Tipton this November. “When I went to the Colorado House — and this is part of my plan — I spent a lot of my time socializing across the aisle, literally walking over every morning and chatting with [them],” she said. “I would have coffee with my Republican colleagues. I saw my Democratic Caucus colleagues all the time; there wasn’t as much institutionalized opportunity to meet Republican colleagues.” It’s proved an effective strategy: more than 75 percent of her bills have passed into law with bipartisan support, despite split chambers, according to her campaign’s website. One such bill, which she cosponsored alongside two Republicans, Rep. Jon Becker and Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, allowed an income tax deduction for individuals who leased an agricultural asset to a beginning farmer or rancher. Another — cosponsored with then Rep. Don Coram, a Republican — created incentives for developing hydroelectric energy systems, which would allow communities to supply local electricity. “On one issue — say a water issue — you may have a whole set of people with whom you work on that particular bill. Then, on another bill — say preschool for all — you’ll have a very different set of members with whom you work,” Mitsch Bush said. “You’re not always working — and you shouldn’t — with the same people. You find out where other members stand, and then you work with the ones that you can find common grounds with on issues that affect [our areas].” She’s given a lot of thought to which issues she believes
Diane Mitsch Bush and Scott Gilbert discuss the November midterm election at a fundraising event in River Valley Ranch. Photo by Megan Tackett will be increasingly central in the national arena. “I think public lands and the environment are going to be critical,” she said. “This administration has taken us backwards with regard to the stewardship of public land and certainly with regards to environmental protection. Many of the people on committees literally don’t believe in science. A Republican colleague asked me in the Colorado House, ‘Well, do you believe in climate change?’ And I said, ‘It’s not a religion. It’s scientific evidence.’” Mitsch Bush stressed that as a representative for Coloradans’ interests, that’s particularly important. “There is a great deal of money and power given to the Republican majority that wants to sell off public lands. I am ultra-opposed to that,” she said. “I come from the Western Slope, where public lands are not only our heart and
soul, but they are bread and butter. That’s where the water comes from, so that’s important.” She also acknowledged that, in some ways, national politics will be more difficult than Colorado politics in terms of passing legislation. That’s because unlike in Colorado, where every bill must be heard and receive a vote, committees decide whether or not a bill in the national Congress will move forward to a formal hearing. “There are some really good Democratic bills that are bottled up in committee and will never see the light of day,” Mitsch Bush said. “The basic reason [for that] currently is because pretty extreme Republicans are in leadership. One of the things about having the majority of course is you get all the chairships, the committees. I think a lot of people forget about that. It’s not just votes on the floor; the committees are where the action is. By simply not even being able to hear a bill, that really protects the incumbent Republicans because they don’t even have to vote on it.” Mitsch Bush’s pragmatism can be felt in her campaign, too. In a recent fundraising event held at a River Valley Ranch home, about 50 supporters all concurred about the importance of mobilizing voters during a midterm election and growing an organized volunteer corps. “Republicans have captured all of the offices to be had in the country over a 10-year period by starting at the ground level, and Diane understands that because of her experience and background in the State House and in local politics,” said Garfield County Democrats Vice Chair Andy Quiat, referencing Mitsch Bush’s time as a Routt County Commissioner. “Tell your friends to get out and vote because the data shows that if you ask someone you know to... vote, they are 8.3 percent more likely to [do so].” Editor’s note: The Sun intends to provide equal coverage for any current candidates who hold public events in Carbondale with adequate notice.
Learn to Live Mindfully EISNER I LAUDER
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with the MLP Mindfulness Foundations Course
August 21 - October 2
NEW VIEWS: Documentaries & Dialogue
THE BLEEDING EDGE SPECIAL GUEST: DIRECTOR KIRBY DICK
A lively and engaging seven-week, 20 hour course that combines the practice of meditation and the practical application of mindfulness in daily life, integrating the four keys of living mindfully.
Register online or call 970-633-0163
Professional credit and scholarships available
www.mindfullifeprogram.org
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Today! When your appliances fail, don’t chase your tail - Call Twin Labs The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • AUGUST 9-15, 2018 • 13
Life goes on without Kenny’s pharmacy, but don’t mess with Schofield Pass From the archives of the Roaring Fork Valley Journal Aug. 10, 1978 Kenny’s Pharmacy was closing its doors after 16 years as “Main Street’s top commercial attraction.” Owner Kenny Wieseler sent out letters to account holders, put up signs in the window and dispensed free coffee to those who came in to express dismay at the loss of a classic staple in the middle of a supposed boom. “Not one of the cutesy drug stores fixed up to look old fashioned, Kenny’s was pure funk right from the slamming screen door and wooden floors to the ‘50s formica fountain,” Pat Noel observed. “Quixotic, but typically Carbondale. And a Carbondale, by the way, that is fast disappearing as Aspen mega-bucks and semi-cool move in. So much for the lament. As for myself, I think I’ll go down and have one last milkshake. Make that a double, bartender.” (That last part was unintentionally apt, as the space is now occupied by The Pour House.)
Aug. 11, 1988 Marble residents came out overwhelmingly against proposals to improve Schofield Pass. The 100-year-old road had long since become suitable only for the most rugged of offroad vehicles, and folks liked it that way. It prevented the unprepared from attempting the drive and kept through traffic to a minimum. Even Mark Jones at the General Store didn’t want more
James ‘Bret’ Varra July 20, 1959 - July 21, 2018
visitors, saying “Nobody comes to Marble to spend money anyway.”
Aug. 6, 1998 “They Came from Missouri” — a history of Missouri Heights by Anita Witt — debuted. Full of stories from Ute racing ponies to the early homesteading families to water diversion and subdivisions. Witt talked to the living members of 45 area families, including the Fenders, the Blues and the Jammarons, rather than taking a more scholarly approach. “These are the actual stories exactly like they were told to me,” she said. “It’s important for school kids to know them.” In other news… Roaring Fork High School graduate Dana Boyle won two national titles at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics, including a record-setting performance in her age group for 3,000 meters.
Aug. 7, 2008 Blacksmiths came from every corner of the state to convene in the late Francis Whitaker’s Colorado Rocky Mountain School shop. More than a dying art, the trade had changed from making horseshoes and machine parts to custom metalwork for railings, furniture, lighting and more, and Carbondale was (and still is) a particular enclave thanks to Whitaker’s work.
James Bret Varra passed away July 21, 2018 due to an unfortunate accident at Ruedi Reservoir. Bret was born to James and Myrna (Hughes) Varra on July 20, 1959 in Denver, Colorado. During his early childhood Myrna married Francis Orosz, Sr. Fran and Myrna both bringing children into the union combined their families as one. They then moved their combined family to Carbondale in the 1970s. Surviving are Bret’s “brothers” and “sister” Jeffery (Susan) Orosz, Francis Jr. (Lisa) Orosz and Melissa (Scott Reike) Orosz, as well as aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins from the Orosz, Hughes and Varra families. Bret graduated from Roaring Fork High School and lived the majority of his life in the Roaring Fork Valley. Bret had many friends and
everyone that knew him knew that he loved life. He lived his way, which was usually hard and fast. He had a love for fast cars, motorcycles and boats. Bret was fortunate to be doing something that he truly enjoyed when he was called home, boating with his great friend John Teague. Please join us in celebrating Bret’s life Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018 between 2 and 5 at the Legion Hall in Carbondale. Bring a story to share and find comfort with others that knew and loved Bret. The family wishes to express our humble gratitude to all of the First Responders, the individuals with the Aspen Yacht Club and the Summit County Dive Team. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Bret’s name to the Garfield County Search and Rescue.
The Sopris Sun accepts obituaries with a local connection of reasonable length, including pictures, with no charge.
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La casa de ópera de Wheeler es un departamento de la ciudad de Aspen. Todo el empleo en la casa de ópera de Wheeler se hace a través de la aplicación al Departamento de recursos humanos de la ciudad de Aspen.
Letters from page 2 ing to see if I could find a Sheriff’s Office that’s done any good besides their job and the only thing I could find was one county that gave a $500 high school scholarship. Maybe it is time for Sheriffs to change and make our world a better place and not take so much. Paramroop S. “Khalsa” Carbondale
Fair’s fair Dear Amy Kimberly: I, along with the thousands who attend Mountain Fair, greatly appreciate the effort you and the Carbondale Arts staff put forth to create the best fair anywhere. However, one of your policies has had a negative impact on me and the organizations I represent. In conjunction with Colorado Rising and 350 Colorado, we have been circulating a petition for a statewide ballot initiative. We saw
Unclassifieds Mountain Fair as a great opportunity to collect signatures. On Saturday, the first fair official who approached me said Mountain Fair is a private affair and I’d have to circulate the petition outside the fairgrounds. I said Sopris Park is a public park and I had every right to circulate a petition there. The official threatened to have the police remove me, but I beat her to it. I went to the Carbondale police trailer and told Officer Tatum what happened. The officer agreed with me and said I could go back into the fair, circulate the petition, and, if I was challenged by a fair official again, I could use his name for authorization. The second official to ask me to leave was a friend of mine from Wilderness Workshop. She said she “regrettably” had to ask me to stop. Officer Tatum had no authority, she said, but you’re the one in charge.
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Carbondale Arts’ 501c3 nonprofit status was put at risk if they allowed petition circulating, she said. The organizations I volunteer for are nonprofits as well and we’re not allowed to endorse political candidates but can advocate causes like public health and safety and climate change. Besides, how does your nonprofit status stack up against our First Amendment rights? In a public park, we can circulate a petition, hand out leaflets, or give a speech if we want to. On Sunday, I returned and circulated outside the park, even though I knew I should’ve been allowed to be inside. I’m not the firebrand radical I was in the ‘60s and don’t enjoy a fight, but I really believe the rights of my organizations and myself were violated. Again, I had a fabulous time at the fair and am extremely grateful. Fred Malo Jr. Carbondale
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Beth Broome (below) looked right at home and about to take Ben Loughry’s 1932 Ford Cabriolet (with a Corvette engine) for a ride. Carbondale’s Rally Palooza was part of the Aug. 3 First Friday festivities and Loughry, along with other members of the Redstone Church, drove down for the classic car competition. In addition to the eye candy cars on Main Street there was another colorful scene happening on the patio in front of Señor Taco on Fourth, where a hula dancer showed off her singing and dancing expertise to diners and passersby. Photos by Jane Bachrach
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