December 8, 2011

LOOK INSIDE: PAGE 3

VCR supporters emerge

PAGE 6

Coloring book returns

PAGE 14

Cool house on Euclid

the

Sopris Carbondale’s

weekly, non-profit newspaper

Sun

Volume 3, Number 43 | December 8, 2011

Flash mob strikes Michael Gorman was part of a flash mob that struck downtown Carbondale during last week’s First Friday.

Look closely at his sign and you might determine the issue behind the mob’s presence.

For details and more pictures, please turn to page 9. Photo by Jane Bachrach

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, e-mail editor Lynn Burton at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.

“Mad” is (Editor’s note: This guest opinion was written in response to Jeannie Perry’s column in last week’s Sopris Sun).

By Juan Grobler “Mad” is what Jeannie Perry labels Elizabeth Murphy (Carbondale trustee) in a column she calls Ps & Qs. “Mad” is how I felt reading this garbage that has no forethought whatsoever.

“Mad” doesn’t even begin to describe how insane or off your rocker you must be to propose that a multi-million-dollar investment on a commercial piece of property should be turned into a beer garden in the middle of a giant Frisbee golf course, as Perry does in her article.

What kind of fee do you think you would have to charge people to play Frisbee golf and how many beers do you think you would have to sell in order to cover your overhead or investment that the developer has on this land (not to mention lawyer fees, design fees, eight years of taxes, etc.), that he was coaxed into buying this land believing that he could actually build something commercial on land that is zoned commercial by the town.

“Mad” is what you would be feeling, Jeannie, had the town never allowed you to build a house on the land that you bought, that was zoned residential. So imagine for one second that you spent all this money on designing and re-designing a house for eight years, and spent a lot of money doing that, and the town turned around and said “sorry” but you can never build any house on that land that is zoned residential.

Then some idiot turned around and said “Hey, you know what you should do with your lot Jeannie? You should bag the idea of building a house, and open it up to people that can use it to play hopscotch or tiddlywinks on.”

Wouldn’t you be mad and want your money back plus all the money you had put into buying the lot if that were the case?

Well multiply that scenario by tens of thousands of dollars and maybe you will realize what a big problem we have. Because this developer will want his money back and he will file suit against the town, as he was sold a piece of land that he can never use per the zoning and the town is preventing him from exercising his very property rights that he has. Who pays for the suit when that happens? Everyone living in Carbondale does.

“Mad” is putting this developer through the ringer for eight years and sending a message to anyone interested in Carbondale from a commercial investment standpoint that you are wasting your time.

“Mad” is cutting off a huge tax base that this state-of-the-art supermarket and development will bring Carbondale.

“Mad” is saying no to a project that will promote business and jobs in a recession.

“Mad” is that 76 cents of every retail dollar spent by a Carbondalian is spent outside of Carbondale.

“Mad” is that Carbondale is in financial trouble and people say NO to something that can generate a big portion of revenue to the town.

“Mad” is when you have people that call themselves MOTHERS, sit back and watch the very thing that their mother bled to death and died for, without doing anything to sustain its life or come up with any solutions to do that.

“Mad” is when you have a trustee stand up and announce to the world that he has smoked pot for 40 years and he turned out OK, and we are totally accepting that this GUEST COMMENTARY page 13

Is that TV character Lincoln Vail in the distance? It doesn’t matter because in the foreground is Ian Hause and Jenny White of the Roaring Fork Valley, taking a brief break while recently fly fishing in the Everglades. Courtesy photo 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • DEcEmbER 8, 2011

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.

column was in poor taste Dear Editor: I may be mistaken but I believe most newspapers have a policy on what they will print. Last week’s featured column was in very poor taste and unacceptable.

For the paper to allow personal attacks on a trustee is bad policy and bush league. I don’t know if the author has ever contributed to the Carbondale community but I do know that Trustee Murphy has been responsible for working to obtain grants and physically helped build a playground for the children at the Community School. She has also been writing grants and attending meetings to obtain monies to build a playground and community park at the middle school.

All trustees deserve respect regardless of whether you agree with their position on an issue. They spend countless hours not only on Tuesday evenings but in work sessions, reviewing the materials they are required to digest to make what they believe are the best decisions for the community. They also represent the community at county, regional and state meetings.

Please revisit the paper’s polices on what it prints and show some responsibility in the future. People can retreat to their Facebooks for trashy, derogatory exchanges. They also can step up and contribute positively to their community before attacking those working on behalf of the community.

Bill Lamont Carbondale

Shop carbondale Dear Editor: This is becoming something of a tradition, but I wanted to remind my fellow Carbondale area residents about the bountiful opportunities for holiday shopping right here in town.

There is affordable, beautiful art — from ceramics to paintings to textiles to jewelry — available at art studios like SAW and galleries like the Clay Center. And of course the Third Street Center is stuffed full of artists and their wares.

We have two shops that sell bicycle and Nordic skiwear and equipment on Highway 133.

There are great consignments stores scattered all over our community, from the corner of Highway 133 and Cowen Drive to Main Street.

Cedar Rose’s excellent green building and home improvement amenities shop at Main and Snowmass always has great gifts.

And I bet you can find some cool stuff out at Planted Earth on Highway 82.

A bottle of wine or other spirits makes a great gift, and there are fantastic liquor stores on Main Street, along Highway 133 and out at Catherine Store.

We’ve got high-end women’s clothing and really cool leather wear and amenities

with lulubelle and San Juan Leathers, between Fourth and Third on Main. A great antiques and home amenities store are just down the way. And don’t forget Harmony Scott down at Second and Main. We’ve got running shoes and two fly fishing shops along Highway 133. Labels is new to town.

And what about giving food? Gift certificates from our local eateries are always a great gift, and what a selection we have — burgers galore from Fatbelly to the Pour House to the Red Rock Diner (with the Pour House and Red Rock offering a lot more). Phat Thai. Eco-Goddess. Russets.

Six89. Mi Casita. Heidi’s. Ghandi’s. Dos Gringos. El Horizonte. White House pizza.

Peppino’s. Uncle Pizza. Konnyaku. And so many more! (And if you’re looking for great Mexican food and other items, there’s always Garcia’s.)

I urge everyone to take a look around Carbondale before trekking out of town or logging on to the Internet for their shopping.

Because if you spend a dollar here with a locally owned business, your money is going to support your neighbors, friends and your broader community.

Allyn Harvey Carbondale LETTERS page 13

To inform, inspire and build community Donations accepted online or by mail. For information call 510-3003 Editor: Lynn Burton • 510-3003 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Dina Drinkhouse • 970-456-7573 dina@soprissun.com Bob Albright • 970-927-2175 bob@soprissun.com Photographer/Writer: Jane Bachrach Ad/Page Production: Terri Ritchie Paper Boy: Cameron Wiggin Webmaster: Will Grandbois Sopris Sun, LLC Managing Board of Directors: Peggy DeVilbiss • David Johnson Allyn Harvey • Colin Laird Laura McCormick • Trina Ortega Jean Perry • Elizabeth Phillips Frank Zlogar

Sopris Sun, LLC • P.O. Box 399 520 S. Third Street #35 Carbondale, CO 81623

970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Visit us on facebook.com Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 non-profit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation.

“Say YES to Carbondale” forms to support VCR (Editor’s note: Last week the Sopris Sun printed a press release from the Locals group, which opposes VCR. This week the Sun is printing a press release from supporters).

Submitted Press Release The Say YES to Carbondale Citizens group has been formed to support the Village at Crystal River project, according to a press release submitted by the group.

The Say YES group is co-chaired by John Baker and Frank McSwain, Jr. and is supported by residents and business owners alike.“This project is the result of years of working with the citizens of Carbondale, the town trustees, Carbondale P&Z as well as the visionaries of the Road Map committee,” said Baker, the architect who crafted the LEED certified Carbondale Recreation Center and The Orchard (previously the Church at Carbondale) building and Gathering Center on Snowmass Drive.

Jim Calaway, treasurer for Say YES to Carbondale, a philanthropist and long-time supporter of non-profits and the community said,“The Village at Crystal River is a great opportunity to create jobs and get our local economy moving again.”

“The board of trustees said ‘Yes,’ our P&Z commission said ‘Yes,’ the citizens of Carbondale will in turn say ‘Yes’ once they understand the tangible benefits of the Village at Crystal River project,” said McSwain, a business owner on Main Street.“That is the focus of our group, Say Yes to Carbondale, to provide clear and accurate information about the benefits of the VCR project.”

“This project is designed to bring people to Carbondale who currently do not have a reason to come here as well as encourage locals and residents to keep their shopping dollars in Carbondale, thus supporting local business owners and the community through sales tax revenues,” said Baker.

Added McSwain, “the project will bring much needed retail options that will complement our vibrant and historic downtown and help prevent retail sales from leaving Carbondale in favor of neighboring communities.”

More retail sales will translate into more sales tax dollars that will enable the town of Carbondale to continue to maintain the integrity and safety of the town’s streets and sidewalks while expanding connectivity for biking and walking throughout Carbondale, the infrastructure needed to sustain the health of our community as well as the continued support of organizations serving our citizens.

The mixed-use project offers a unique blend of retail and residential, as well as a flex zone area that provides zoning for other uses such as medical, office space, day care, a school as well as park and green space that will add to the

culture and character of Carbondale. Sustainability and green initiatives have always been a key part of Carbondale and the Village will bring the greenest full service grocery store in the state that will follow both LEED and Energy Star guidelines.

“We realize this has been a long process. Our goal is to help our citizens really learn the facts of the vision of this project as it is today and the positive impacts it will bring to Carbondale,” said McSwain.

“We all should be behind this opportunity for Carbondale,” said Calaway.

CRMS Barn Proposed Grocery Store

Site of VCR

Questions for a Say Yes organizer (Editor’s note: Before receiving the Say Yes press release on this page, the Sopris Sun sent 13 questions to co-chairman Frank McGraphic from SEM Architects Swain Jr. Out of respect for the time Mr. McSwain spent to answer the 13 questions, the Sun is printing the answers to the the Highway 133 regional highway improvements estiones that seem most relevant in light of the press release mated to cost $2.4 million. The development team is spending an additional $5 million on sidewalks, gutters, and space limitations.) landscaping and underground utilities that will be deeded QUESTION: Are you working with an ad agency or back to the town. The PIF dollars are only used toward PR firm?

Highway 133 improvements. No PIF dollars will be used ANSWER: Our team is working with Promotional for improvements/infrastructure within the Village.

Concepts and Debbie Patrick. Debbie has lived and worked Where VCR is located: An aerial photo is critical as it in Carbondale for more than 15 years. She approached the clearly shows The Village at Crystal River is less than 25 development team about getting involved after attending percent of the open land. Everything green is still owned by the November BOT (board of trustees) meeting. Debbie is CRMS and is zoned “agricultural.” The overview also actively involved with the Carbondale Chamber of Comshows scale in relationship to current landmarks. merce, local economic development initiatives, and numerous community organizations.

Q: What kind of campaign will you be running?

A: We are running a fact-based, educational campaign.

Q: Do you have any events scheduled to get out your word?

A: We have reached out to the folks opposing the project and requested an informational forum on Wednesday, Jan. 4.

Q: Is there any false info you’d like to set the record straight on?

A: PIF (improvements) – The PIF dollars only go toward

Deb Colley waits on a customer at Lisa’s Third Street Café in the Third Street Center earlier this week. Owner Lisa Hook recently reopened the café and all the coziness remains intact. She’s open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday and during PAC3 events, offering up breakfast, lunch and appetizers, plus homemade breads, soups and desserts. Not shown in this picture is employee Charles Hook. The restaurant is available for meetings and parties. For details, call 618-4053.

Photo by Lynn Burton

Trustees debate Wilderness Workshop and TDC funding

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer The Wilderness Workshop’s first request for town funding brought a low-key debate to Tuesday night’s board of trustees discussion about the proposed 2012 budget.

On one side were Mayor Stacey Bernot and trustees John Foulkrod and Elizabeth Murphy, who stated or indicated they oppose funding for Wilderness Workshop and the Thompson Divide Coalition.

On the other side were trustees Frosty Merriot, Pam Zentmyer, John Hoffmann and Ed Cortez who support funding the non-profit groups on some level.

Both groups are deeply involved in preventing gas drilling in the Thompson Divide area south of Carbondale, while the Wilderness Workshop is also working to convince Congress to add thousands of acres of designated wilderness area on the Western Slope.

Bernot told the trustees she has “some trepidation” using public funds for Wilderness Workshop and Thompson Divide purposes.

TRUSTEES page 8 THE SOPRIS SUN • DEcEmbER 8, 2011 • 3

News Briefs

Cop Shop

The Weekly News Brief The Sopris Sun and the KDNK news departments team up to discuss recent news from the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. Catch the Brief Fridays on KDNK.

Fire District closing in on budget

committee considers street closures

The Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District board expects to pass its 2012 budget on Dec. 14, according to board members. Included in the 2012 budget is $7,000 for fireworks. Wages are expected to climb $100,000, from $1.4 million in 2011 to $1.5 million in 2012. The proposed budget is available at www.carbondalefire.org.

Carbondale’s Special Events Committee met on Dec. 1 to discuss possible street closures for 2012. Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Jackel said the committee has not finalized its recommendation to trustees, but preliminary Main Street closures are in May, June, July, August, September and December for First Fridays.The committee also supports a Main Street closure for the downtown cri-

There were no headlights to be seen on a recent day at Elk Springs, but these two mule deer paused to do some staring anyway last week. Photo

by Ray Sauvey

terion bicycle race, if it wants to return.

The next Special Events Committee meeting is on Jan.12 at 5:30 p.m.

State releases school ratings The Colorado Department of Education released its school performance ratings on Tuesday and they show Bridges High School and Carbondale Middle School received the rating of Improvement, while Crystal River received a rating of Priority Improvement, according to a press release.

“Our dedicated staff at Crystal River and Carbondale Middle School are constantly working to address the needs of all students including the large number of second language students who need several years to learn English let alone perform on an academic par with their native English speaking peers,” said school district superintendent Judy Haptonstall. “Both of these schools are constantly working to shorten the time for language acquisition and increase the levels of students’ proficiency in reading, math, science and writing.”

All but three of the district’s schools received the state’s highest rating, the press release said.

“These ratings recognize the outstanding teaching that takes place every day in every school throughout our district and are a testament to our staff’s commitment to quality instruction,” said Haptonstall.

The following events are drawn from incident reports of the Carbondale Police Department.

Dec. 1 At 5:17 p.m., a downtown bar manager called police to report a transient had stashed his stuff in the corner and went into the restroom. After 20 minutes, the bar owner tried to roust the transient but got no response.

When police arrived, the man told them he was experiencing stomach pains. Police called an ambulance and the man was transported to Valley View Hospital.

Nov. 30 At 8:34 a.m., police were dispatched to a two-vehicle collision at Crystal River Elementary School. Police report there was extensive damage to both vehicles.

Nov. 29 At 8:01 p.m., police contacted several people pushing a car on Mancos. The people said the car was disabled and they were pushing it from one house to the other. The police report didn’t specifically say it, but the people were apparently allowed to push on.

Nov. 29 At 6:50 p.m., police observed a youth enter the back of Bridges High School. Police then learned a function was taking place in the school and the youth was going in to meet his parents.

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Roaring Fork High School basketball schedule Dec. 2-Feb. 18 Roaring Fork High School boy’s and girl’s basketball teams got in plenty of action on their home court to kick off the 2011-12 season during the Brenda Patch tournament last weekend. In the ďŹ nal games, the boys and girls both fell to Glenwood Springs 64-46 and 51-32 respectively. The season’s schedule is as follows:

Boys

Dec. 9-10 – Glenwood Springs Tournament Dec. 16 – Eagle Valley (home), 7 p.m.

Jan. 5 – Aspen (away), 7 p.m.

Jan. 6 – Olathe (home), 7 p.m.

Jan. 13 – Basalt (home), 7 p.m.

Jan. 14 – Coal Ridge (away), 4 p.m.

Jan. 20 – Rifle (home), 7 p.m.

Jan. 21 – Cedaredge (home), 4 p.m.

Jan. 27 – Grand Valley (away), 7 p.m.

Jan. 28 – Gunnison (home), 4 p.m.

Jan. 31 – Glenwood (home), 7 p.m.

Feb. 3 – Hotchkiss (away), 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 – Aspen (home), 7 p.m.

Feb. 17 – Coal Ridge (home), 7 p.m.

Feb. 18 – Rifle (away), 4 p.m.

Megan Gianinetti (#12) skies over Demon defenders in the ďŹ nal game of the Brenda Patch tournament. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Girls

Dec. 9-10 – Glenwood Springs Tournament Dec. 16 – Eagle Valley (home), 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 5 – Aspen (away), 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 6 – Olathe (home), 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 13 – Basalt (home), 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 – Coal Ridge (away), 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 20 – Rifle (home), 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 – Cedaredge (home), 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 27 – Grand Valley (away), 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 28 – Gunnison (home), 2:30 p.m.

Jan. 31 – Glenwood (home), 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 3 – Hotchkiss (away), 6 p.m.

Feb. 10 – Aspen (home), 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 – Coal Ridge (home), 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 – Rifle (away), 2:30 p.m.

Georgia Ackerman plays tough defense against Glenwood. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Roaring Fork’s Clay Gross puts up a shot against Glenwood Springs in the 24th annual Brenda Patch tournament over the weekend. Dakotah Grett led the Rams with 19 points in a 64-46 losing effort. Photo by Will Grandbois

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Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to news@SoprisSun.com.

coloring book returns “The Roaring Fork Valley Coloring Book” is available again after 35 years.

Artist Stan Badgett designed the book to reflect his love for the valley. Its pages feature an array of unusual images, such as a jar of homemade pickles and the wood-splitting contest at Mountain Fair. The pages are suitable for both adults and children. The nostalgic stocking stuffer is available for sale at Collage Creative Collections next to The Blend on Highway 133.

Seen and heard around town Doc Philip shoveling Near New steps early Sunday morning … the peace group reading the names of fallen soldiers at the town hall flag pole Monday morning (with the temperature at about 15 degrees) … the sign out in front of White House pizza that says something about making reservations for the holidays. Overheard at City Market as a young couple entered the store: “Let’s get a wreath this year instead of tree,” to which the wife replied,“I’ve been telling you since Thanksgiving… .” … at the Red Rock Diner on Sunday after a customer asked in advance for a takeout box for half his eggs Benedict then ended up eating the whole thing,“Your slogan should be ‘food so good you won’t want to take it home.’ …”

Name that tree We’re talking about the “big tree in front of the Forest Service office” that the town

decorates every year. Technically, the tree is a Colorado spruce according to the town’s Tony Coia. “Big tree in front of the Forest Service office” may be functional, but it does seem to lack originality. The Sun asked Tony for some suggestions and his list included: the Carbondale Spruce, the Weant Spruce, the Big Tree on Main and also said maybe someone could find out who donated the money to plant the thing and name it after him or her. If you’d like to nominate a name for the tree, send it to news@soprissun.com.

Keep in mind it’s a good idea for the name to roll off the tongue, so “Weant Street Spruce Tree” might not pass the “say it three times fast” test.

big news The post office’s monthly shipment of rolls of stamps arrived early this week.

Many folks apparently prefer the coveted rolled stamps over sheets and have been asking about them. No word on whether that was an armored car pulling into the post office loading docks with the goods.

On a related note, Pitkin County Open Space’s 2012 calendars were also set out for grabbing early this week.

Yacht clubbers meet The Aspen Yacht Club (AYC) held its annual banquet and membership meeting at Aspen Glen on Nov. 19. A total of 80 AYC members and friends celebrated the end of the sailing season with cocktails and

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a buffet dinner prepared by Aspen Glen Executive Chef Sean Bedford, and enjoyed a slide show presentation reviewing the 2011 AYC sailing season.

Summer Series racing awards were presented to: Jinx Stone (first place, PHRF Fleet); Bruce Upton (second place, PHRF Fleet) and Aaron Smith (third place, Fleet).

Andrea (Andy) Arms took first place in the Portsmouth Fleet. The Most Improved Sailor award went to Peter Fornell; the Rookie of the Year award was presented to Roland Parker. Sportsman of the Year award was presented to Jeff Friday. Special Commodore Medals were presented to Melissa Reynolds (for the most sailing days at 70+) and to Jeff Ashcraft (for first boat in, June 4, and last boat out, Nov. 9).

closed Kebler Pass (Gunnison County Road 12) between Highway 133 and Crested Butte is closed for the season.

Yum, yum Here is the week’s lunch menu in RE-1 School District cafeterias: • Thursday, Dec. 8: (Elementary) hamburger, homemade butternut squash, croutons, banana, milk; (middle school) baked French toast, herb roasted potatoes, sausage, grapefruit wedges, milk; (high school) herb roasted chicken, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Friday, Dec. 9: (Elementary and mid-

dle) Dominos pizza, Ceasar salad, grapes, milk; (high School) Dominos pizza, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Monday, Dec. 12: (Elementary and middle) spaghetti with meat sauce, whole wheat roll, green beans, fruit, milk; (high school) hamburger, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Tuesday, Dec. 13: (Elementary and middle) chicken fajitas, posole, Spanish beans/carrots, fruit milk; (high school) turkey and cheese wrap, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Wednesday, Dec. 14: (Elementary) homemade ham and cheese hot pocket, spinach salad, peaches, milk; (middle) meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gravy, roll, Mandarin oranges, milk; (high school) nachos supreme, fruit and vegetable bar, milk.

• Thursday, Dec. 15: (Elementary) roasted herb chicken, baked sweet potato, applesauce, biscuit with orange honey butter, milk; (middle) bean and cheese tostada, Spanish rice, fresh pico de gallo, apple crisp, milk; (high school) Asian BBQ chicken over rice, fruit and vegetable Bar, milk.

They say it’s your birthday Birthday greetings go out to: Sandra McMullen (Dec. 8), Kirstie Smith (Dec. 10), Vicki Yarbrough, Bob Johnson and Bill Laemmel (Dec. 10), Marc Bruell and Leslie Johnson (Dec.11), Beth Mohsenin (Dec. 12), Amy Broadhurst and Jon Araujo (Dec. 13) and Steve Keohane (Dec. 14).

DecisionWise reports 42 percent response rate on survey

By Debbie Bruell Sopris Sun Correspondent At the Nov. 29 school board meeting, retired principal Patrick Henry called the Board’s recently established feedback process of superintendent Judy Haptonstall “an illusion of inclusiveness and investigation.” He told the three new board members “... all you’re really doing is getting bullets to justify a decision you already made before you were elected.”

One component of that feedback process is a confidential survey of all district staff. After the survey was released to teachers last week, Megan Talbott, president of the local teacher’s association, Roaring Fork Community Education Association (RFCEA), told the Sun about some feedback she has received regarding the survey. According to Talbott, numerous teachers have expressed their appreciation of “the professional nature of the questions, and how they focus on leadership qualities, rather than personal qualities.”

When asked whether she believes the school board will be able to differentiate between people who have legitimate concerns and people who simply have a personal grudge against Haptonstall, Talbott referred to two other confidential teacher surveys required by the Colorado Department of Education – the principal/assistant principal surveys and the TELL Colorado survey of teaching and learning conditions. According to Talbott, both surveys have “inspired positive change in buildings, and even though I am sure some take it with a grudge, when enough people respond to questions of a professional nature, trends can easily be distinguished from grudges.”

confidentiality assurred The Roaring Fork RE-1 School District contracted Utah-based consulting firm DecisionWise to conduct the

“This is not a popularity contest.

It’s not as if 51 percent of respondents will determine if Haptonstall stays or goes.”

Matt Hamilton Board President Roaring Fork School District survey. Charles Rogin, director of business development at DecisionWise, told the Sun last week that they typically achieve good response rates on surveys because they assure confidentiality of the whole process. No one in the district will have access to individual responses. Instead, results are combined and averaged as a total score within a few categories of respondents. School board vice president Richard Stettner told the Sun that the aggregate scores and a compilation of all comments will be reported to the board within four categories: teachers, non-certified staff, board members and administrators.

DecisionWise reported to the board on Monday morning that 42 percent of staff had completed the survey so far.

School board president Matt Hamilton is quick to point out that the staff survey is “only one component of a multifaceted process.” Hamilton told the Sun earlier this week, “This is not a popularity contest. It’s not as if 51 percent of respondents will determine if Haptonstall stays or goes.”

When asked whether he thought a broad range of community and staff members would participate in the feed-

back process Hamilton responded, “I hope so. We’ve made every effort to create an environment that allows people to provide feedback in whatever way they’re comfortable.”

Bob Johnson, who has served on the school board for several years, is also optimistic about the process. As he told the Sun this week, “I am hopeful we as a board will get enough information and use it as a tool to further enhance our educational opportunities for kids throughout the district.”

Superintendent Haptonstall told the Sun last week that she did not think it was appropriate for her to comment on the feedback process at this time.

closing comments Patrick Henry closed his comments at the Nov. 29 meeting by telling the three new board members, “You need to become a part of this board, not take it over. … Do some of the hard decision-making before you make decisions about whether Judy is the leadership that we need. Anything less is not leadership on your part.”

When asked whether she thinks it is appropriate for the board to be setting up this feedback process, Talbott told the Sun, “If [the board members] received feedback that tells them that more information is needed about anything, it is the Board’s responsibility to follow through and make sure they get the information they need.”

Hamilton emphasized that the evaluation of district leadership is not the only issue the board has been addressing in their first weeks as a new board. He encourages everyone to review the upcoming agendas for the Dec. 14 and Dec. 16 meetings, which will include the district’s Moving On initiative, the new gradebook, the proposed Glenwood charter school, community involvement in terms of informing decisions on the expenditure of mill levy override funds, and developing a two-year work plan for the new board.

Aspen Choral Society Handel’s

Messiah Performed by: The Aspen Community Chorus The Glenwood Springs Community Chorus The Aspen Choral Society Orchestra Directed by RAY VINCENT ADAMS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2011

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011 First United Methodist Church Glenwood Springs, Colorado

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011 St. Mary Catholic Church, Aspen ALL CONCERTS AT 7:30 PM $15 • Children under 12 free

Some of your favorite friends are coming to town…

Tommy B. • Victoria • Calvin • Tommy H. • Ann • Kate Dooney • Jones • Hollister • AND MANY MANY MORE! THE SOPRIS SUN • DEcEmbER 8, 2011 • 7

CMC board votes in new officers Submitted Press release

At their meeting in Glenwood Springs Monday, Colorado Mountain College’s board of trustees elected a new slate of officers: incumbent trustees Glenn Davis as president, Anne Freedman as secretary and Mary Ellen Denomy as treasurer. New trustee Bob Taylor volunteered to be the board’s representative to Mountain BOCES. The board also voted to certify the mill levy of 3.997, a rate that has stayed constant for some 20 years. Trustees heard that projected funding levels from the state continue to be uncertain, and that most county assessors in the college’s district expect little if any change to assessed valuations during the next round of assessments.

In other action, the board voted to purchase from Charles and Mary Lynn Carner the Coldwell Bank building at 325 Fielder Ave. in Dillon, which is adjacent to the college’s classroom building there, for

$675,000. The purchase would be contingent upon a concurrent transfer of adjacent land that is currently owned by the Town of Dillon and successful fulfillment of other contingencies.

Meeting space, classrooms, some employee offices, the Small Business Development Center and additional services to improve educational and training support of area businesses will be relocated there.

Once the parking lots are connected, 30 additional spots will be available, making it easier for students, visitors and employees to park on site.

Because revenues received during the year are higher than the college’s conservative 2011-12 budget, the board also voted to give the college’s full-time employees a bonus of $1,000. For the current year, employees have received no raises, and in the previous year they only received a 1 percent salary increase.

The board directed staff to bring them more information about part-time employees, for future consideration of a potential bonus for them, as well.

The board also authorized the college to continue proceeding with a joint project with the Garfield County Library, which includes a new library building, parking garage and public plaza adjacent to the college’s new central administrative building on 8th Street in downtown Glenwood Springs. Trustees authorized the college to spend up to $4.8 million, to include site improvements and utilities, parking and shared space above the library.

“This project helps to maximize the mission of all four parties who are involved – the library district, the city, the Downtown Development Authority and Colorado Mountain College,” said Stan Jensen, president of the college.“None of us would have been able to do this without each other.”

Santa visits Garfield County libraries Dec. 14-21 Sopris Sun Staff Report Santa will be visiting four of the Garfield County Libraries in the next few weeks as he gets ready for Christmas. First, he will be in Silt at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 for “Breakfast with Santa.” Next, he will travel to New Castle for an Ornament Workshop at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15. He will then appear at the Gor-

don Cooper Branch in Carbondale from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, when everyone will listen to holiday stories and decorate gingerbread man cookies. Finally, Santa will read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and everyone will decorate a Christmas cookie at the Rifle Branch at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec 21.

•••

GoToWorkshops@YourLibrary are computer development programs that teach adults basic computer and job seeking skills necessary to acquire employment.

Workshops will be held at all Garfield County Libraries for both English and English as a second language learners.

They will be running from December through July.

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Trustees om page 3 Murphy agreed, saying “I’m not sure this is what we should be doing.”

With the town facing possible impacts from gas drilling, Merriot said the issue of “clean water and clean air” will become bigger and bigger.

“If people are educated (about the issues) I think they’d be happy to put into the kitty.”

Bernot replied, “I think they (Wilderness Workshop and Thompson Divide Coalition) are well funded.”

The Thompson Divide Coalition is asking for $5,000 in 2012 (up from this year’s $4,000); Wilderness Workshop is asking for $5,000.

By a 4-3 straw vote, the trustees agreed to fund both groups but did not decide at what level.

The trustees expect to approve the 2012 budget on Dec. 13.

The trustees also agreed to fund special events at the following levels, as recommended by staff: 5Point Film Festival ($8,000), CCAH summer of music and theatre ($8,000), Fourth of July fireworks ($4,000), KDNK Blues and BBQ ($1,000), Steve’s Guitars Sopris Music Fest ($1,000), Club Rotario’s Festival Las Americas ($1,000), Chamber of Commerce June Business After Hours ($300), Zeta Epsilon Sorority’s Potato Day ($400), town of Carbondale’s Music on Main Street ($450), and Farmer’s Market music ($850).

Flash mob erupts during First Friday

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer A flash mob – Carbondale style – grouped up in the middle of Main Street just a few steps from the Crystal Theatre’s front door during First Friday. The jovial mob wasn’t as spur-of-the-moment as such actions are apparently meant to be, but it did get across its anti-Village at Crystal River message – sort of.

At the end of their skit, a chant that went up that sounded like “Go, Go, VCR” but upon listening closely, the assemblage urged everyone within ear shot to “Vote no, VCR … Vote no, VCR.” Elsewhere downtown at more or less the exact moment, a spontaneous quartet comprised of Holly Richardson, Kate Friesen, Peter Westcott and Gwen Garcelon found themselves at the same time and place near the kettle bonfire at Fourth Street Plaza and began harmonizing on “First Noel,” “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer,” and Frosty the Snowman.”

“It was really spontaneous,” Garcelon said.

“Come to find out the three friends I joined in with had been singing for a while and had been looking for a soprano to complete them … Looks like we’ll be doing some more singing.”

During the caroling, three kids in Santa hats were laughing their heads off in the back of a bike-powered rickshaw giving full-power rides up and down Main Street. At the east end of Main Street the Carbondale Clay Center was packed for its annual Cup Auction, while up at the Third Street Center hundreds streamed through to chat with Santa or check out CCAH’s new ”Hand to Heart” show. KDNK took over the Village Smithy for its art auction. On west Main Street, Dancing Colours showed off its new Artwares Upstairs gallery.

Back at the flash mob, an organizer said they first planned to do their thing at Fourth Street Plaza after Santa’s eagerly awaited appearance. “But we didn’t want to politicize Santa and scare the kiddies. We felt it was important to keep the events separate.”

Photos, clockwise from upper left: A couple of snugged up toddlers, Fourth Street Plaza lit up and warmed by a kettle bonfire, flash-mobber Ellie Davis (right) and an unidentified mobber, fire dancer on Main Street, Anne Goldberg, and flash-mobber Laurie Guevera Stone. Photos by Jane Bachrach

THE SOPRIS SUN • DEcEmbER 8, 2011 • 9

Community Calendar THURSDAY Dec. 8 DEAD ALERT • Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead will perform with his new band at Belly Up in Aspen. Hart is donating 100 percent of the fees from tickets sold on MickeyHart.net to music therapy.

ROTARY • The Mt. Sopris Rotary Club meets at Mi Casita every Thursday at noon.

FRIDAY Dec. 9 mOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Margin Call” (R) at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9-15 and “Martha Marcy May Marlene” (R) at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 9-15.

LIVE mUSIc • Milemarkers play Carbondale Beer Works; Brent Moss makes a guest bartending appearance. (Ask if he can serve up a slo gin and goat’s milk; it tastes like a strawberry shake.)

S.A.W. • S.A.W. holds a holiday show and sale from 6 to 9 p.m. Items include transcendent paintings, functional and sculptural ceramics, hand-made jewelry, and hand-painted wooden bowls. S.A.W. is located at 978 Euclid Ave. THEATRE • Thunder River Theatre Company presents “Always … Patsy Cline” at 7:30 p.m. through Dec. 11 and continues on Dec. 15-18. Info: 963-8200.

LIVE mUSIc • Steve’s Guitars in the old part of the Dinkel Building presents live music every Friday. Info: 963-3304.

THEATRE • CMC Theatre presents “I Hate Hamlet” at the Spring Valley Campus (between Glenwood Springs and Carbon-

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Saturday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted. For up-to-the-minute valley-wide event listings, check out the Community Calendar online at soprissun.com. View and submit events online at soprissun.com/calendar.

dale) at 7 p.m. on Dec. 8-10. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Info: 947-8177.

SPAGHETTI DINNER • The Glenwood Springs High School Key Club holds a spaghetti dinner at the gym from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students; $8 for adults. Families of four or more eat for $25. Proceeds benefit the people of Vietnam, according to a press release.

SATURDAY Dec. 10 PAc3 • Elephant Revival returns to Carbondale after rocking Sopris Park during Mountain Fair last July. The five-piece band from Nederland describes itself as “neoacoustic folk … with a unique multi–genre musical approach that threads together dynamic instrumentation and a diverse rhythmic sound while exploring the depths of all five of the groups’ songwriters.” The band delves into Scottish/Celtic fiddle tunes, original folk pieces, traditional ballads, psychedelic country, indie rock, reggae grooves, 1940s to 1950s jazz standards and an occasional hip-hop beat among other styles.

The band consists of Bonnie Paine (vocals, washboard, djembe, musical saw), Sage Cook (electric banjo/guitar, acoustic guitar,

mandolin, viola, vocals), Dango Rose (double-bass, mandolin, banjo, vocals), Daniel Rodriguez (acoustic guitar, electric banjo/guitar vocals) and Bridget Law (fiddle and vocals).

Carbondale’s own All the Pretty Horses will be the opening act, starting at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door. Info: 1888-71-TICKETS and www.elephantrevival.com.

SUNDAY Dec. 11 cOmmUNITY mEDITATION • In order to “amplify our individual contribution during this time of deep shifting, in our lives and in the world, through focusing on the guidance and wisdom of the heart,” a community meditation takes place at the Third Street Center from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

No experience is necessary. Info: 963-9182 or gwen@highlifeunlimited.com.

FULL mOON WALK • Rock Bottom Ranch in El Jebel stages a full moon walk starting at 4 p.m. You’ll have a chance to spy beavers swimming in the pond, elk grazing in the meadows and hearing the hoot of a great horned owl all under a full moon.

Tea and hot chocolate will be served following the walk. It’s free. Info: 927-6760.

Open

MONDAY Dec. 12 ZUmbA • Zumba “Blasts the PAC3” on Monday nights Dec. 12 and 19 from 6 to 7 p.m. Info: 945-8822.

TUESDAY Dec. 13 ROcK bOTTOm RANcH • Sven the Elk visits the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies’ Rock Bottom Ranch in El Jebel from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Kids get to help feed the livestock. Crafts and warm drinks will be available before Sven’s appearance.

WEDNESDAY Dec. 14 ROTARY • Carbondale Rotary meets at the firehouse Wednesdays at 7 a.m. cERAmIcS • Colorado Mountain College/Aspen ceramic students hold a pottery show and sale from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some of the students selling wares are Lindsay Fortier, Mary Ballou, Georgann Moore, Casey Coffman and Marianne Breed, plus faculty members K Rhynus Cesark, Sam Harder, Katie Van Alstine and Anne Goldberg. CMC is located across from the Aspen Airport. Info: 925-7740.

LIVE mUSIc • White House pizza presents Dave Taylor (soft classic rock ‘n roll).

OPEN mIc • Dan Rosenthal hosts open mic nights at Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs every Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m.

FUTSOL TOURNAmENT • The Snowmass Village Recreation Center hosts a futsol tournament on Dec. 18. The registration deadline is Dec. 14.

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FRIDAY Dec. 16

SATURDAY Dec. 17

SUNDAY Dec. 18

WEDNESDAY Dec. 21

DURRANcE SPEAKS • The Glenwood

FESTIVAL OF LESSONS & cAROLS •

SOLSTIcE cEREmONY • There’ll be a

Springs Chamber Resort Association hosts a presentation by photographer/motivational speaker Dick Durrance from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Grand Restaurant (inside the King Mall). The cost is $25 per person and space is limited. Reservations: 945-6589.

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Glenwood hosts its annual Festival of Lessons & Carols at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.). There’ll be readings, choir music and carols, accompanied by musicians from Symphony in the Valley. The event is free and families are welcome. Karen Tafejian is music director.

community solstice celebration at the Third Street Center from 5 to 7 p.m. featuring a bonďŹ re solstice ceremony, OM Puppet Theatre presentation of “Lin Yi’s Lantern,â€? music by Jimmy Byrne, sing-alongs, warm drinks and snacks. Info: 987-3140 or www.tworiversuu.org.

SOcIAL mIXER • KDNK throws a “social mixerâ€? at PAC3 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 21. It’s free. The idea is to bring together the business community, artists, athletes, students, seniors, Rotary, teachers, Latinos, Anglos and pretty much everyone else. There’ll be a jazz combo featuring living legend Walt Smith on piano.

cmc ART • Students of Ida Burnaman’s Figure Drawing class at Colorado Mountain College show their work at the Lappala Center through Dec. 15. Artists include: Phebe Dehaan, Sarah Rosenthal, Stan Ruther, Arrick Peck, Angela McChesney and Mary Bereska.

Info: 963-2172.

Garcia, Sandy Richards, Jamie Spry, Marcia Fuscaro, Jessica Kidd, Terry Muldoon, Noemi Kosmowski, Kristoff Kosmowski and Kari Doerr. The show continues through Jan 3. The Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts is located east of the Hot Springs Pool. Info: 945-2414.

drives from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month. Info: 384-6657.

cLAY cENTER • The Carbondale Clay

TEEN PHOTO SHOW • The Gordon Cooper Library presents a photo show from local teens based on their favorite book titles.

Ongoing

Center continues its 2011 Holiday Invitational through Dec. 30. Featured ceramists include: H.P. Bloomer, Tony Wise, John Cohorst, Nathan Bray, Lyla Goldstein, Avi Arenfeld, Tyler McGinn, Casey Coffman, CJ Jilek, Elizabeth Farson, K Rhynus Cesark, Shawn O’Connor, Lusterbunny, Diane Kenney, Sarah Moore, Donie Hubbard, Charlie Childress, Mary Ballou, Sue Tirrell, Katie Kitchen, Lisa Maher, Tom Jaszczak, Ronan Peterson, Tammie Lane and Gail Burtik. The Carbondale Clay Center is located at the east end of Main Street. Info: 963-2529.

WINTER FEST • The Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts’ Winterfest show features Joy Commons, Dan Glidden, Betsy Blackard, Ewa Lachur-Omeljaniuk, Chad Zanca, Mary Blichmann, Dara Barth, Nancy Helser, Phyllis Hackett, Anne Ramsay, Tara Vetter, Anne Moll, Sinda Wood, Barbara Jean Swan, Sara Ward, Kellie Philburn, Jennifer Miller, Randi

mAYOR’S cOFFEE HOUR • Chat with Carbondale Mayor Stacey Bernot on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Village Smithy, located at 26 S. Third St.

PHOTOS SHOWN • Allison Austin shows her photography at the Blend on Highway 133.

GORDON cOOPER • The Gordon Cooper Library presents activities for kids from kindergarten through ďŹ fth grade from 4 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, and toddler and infant story time on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Info: 963-2889.

bOOK cLUb • The Senior Matters Book Club meets the third Tuesday of the month at the Third Street Center from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Info: 945-7094.

bLOOD DRIVE • Valley View Hospital in

cONVERSATION cIRcLES • Literacy Outreach holds conversation circles for nonEnglish speakers to practice their English at the Gordon Cooper Library Mondays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers are needed. Info: 945-5282.

LINX NETWORKING • The Linx networking group meets each Tuesday morning at 7:15 a.m. at the ChafďŹ n and Light Real Estate ofďŹ ce in downtown Basalt. Linx is a busi-

ness networking organization whose members work together to grow and promote their businesses. All dues not used for administration are given to local charities each December. Info: Keith at (970) 390-8401.

cANcER SUPPORT GROUP • PathďŹ nders holds its support group at the Third Street Center the fourth Tuesday of every month.

Info: Elizabeth Miller at 925-7792.

AL-ANON mEETS • Al-Anon for friends and families of alcoholics meets at the Orchard Tuesdays. Info: 963-8773.

Hold the Presses cHAmbER OFFERING OFFIcIAL mERcHANDISE • The Carbondale Chamber and the Tourism Council of Carbondale are offering OfďŹ cial Merchandise. The merchandise includes Carbondale T-shirts, hats and dog bones, and is 100 percent organic. The merch is available to businesses at a discounted rate, which they can then sell at full-market retail price (suggested retail price is $20-$25 for T-shirts; $18-$20 for hats; and $10-$12 for dog bone).“Place your order

by Dec. 9 to ensure that it is delivered and displayed just in time for holiday shopping,� said tourism director Andrea Stewart. For details, call Stewart at 963-1890.

S.A.W. PRESENTS HOLIDAY SHOW • S.A.W., at 978 Euclid, presents a holiday show from 6 to 10 p.m. on Dec. 9. For details, call 963-0201.

AHS EVENT • The Aspen Historical Society holds a holiday cookie exchange and book signing at the Wheeler/Stallard House (620 Bleeker St.) on Dec. 13. More than 25 local authors will offer signed books for unique holiday gifts. For details, call 925-3721.

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Community Briefs cOREmmuter winners announced

H O L I DAY E N C O R E P E R F O R M A N C E

One of the best local Carbondale sports league names of all time was penned in 1990 for a volleyball team that called itself “The Netin’ Yahoos.” Some of the teams in the recent COREmmutter challenge gave the ‘Yahoos a run for their money, however, with such names as Headless Chickens and I’d Rather be a Lizard. It took more than a great name to win the COREmmutter Challenge, however. Contestants racked up miles either walking, biking, rollerblading or skateboarding to and from work or around town in modes of travel other than the automobile during the two-month competition. The final month’s winners were: Collette Newell, Mary Bright, Jen Kaufman, Mike Mines and Rachel Korber for the team with the most human-powered commute miles. Aaron Taylor, Nic Degrosse, Darren Broome, Dan Giese and Kazzy won the category for the most CarFree Days. In all, the 12 teams biked and walked 14,037 miles and logged a total of 1,550 days without getting in a car. This allowed them to collectively avert the CO2 emissions of 14 barrels of oil or 657 gallons of gasoline, according to a press release from the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE). That’s the same amount of CO2 as 150 tree seedlings would sequester in their first 10 years of growth.

Library workshops begin soon GoToWorkshops@YourLibrary are computer development programs that teach adults basic computer and job seeking skills necessary to acquire and maintain steady, well-paid employment. Workshops will be held at all Garfield County Libraries for both English and English as a Second Language learners. Workshops run from December through July (except in New Castle which will start holding workshops after the new library building is open). Computers for Beginners and Job Searching workshops will be held in December, with additional topics in the coming months. For a complete calendar, visit www.gcpld.org.

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berkman tribute scheduled A tribute concert for Howard Berkman is scheduled for the Blue Sage Center for the Arts at 228 Grand Ave. in Paonia at 7 p.m. on Dec. 21. The musical lineup includes Mojo (plus Devon Meyers), Mike Gwinn and the Northfork Flyers, Gus Brett, the Strolling Scones, Paul Frazier, Big Bottom with Johnny O. and friends, and Midnight Mesa. Donations will be requested for a scholarship for young musicians.

Berkman, a well-known bluesman who lived in Carbondale for many years before moving to Paonia, died in November. For more information on the concert, e-mail paoniamike@gmail.com.

Scrooge goes to trial

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A memorial service for Emmy Neil will be held at Mountain View Church (next to Buffalo Valley in Glenwood Springs) at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 10. Neil passed away on Nov. 27.

She was 88.

Neil was known as a teacher, 4-H leader and active community member throughout Garfield County for more than 50 years. She taught tailoring, quilting, crocheting and knitting at Colorado Mountain College, and was also in the school’s first graduating class in 1968. She was recognized as Colorado Citizen of the Year in 1963 and Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1991. She made 10 trips to Glenwood’s sister city, Teotecacinte, Nicaragua, where she established a sewing cooperative.

Born in Denver in 1923, she moved with her family to Burns (east of Glenwood Springs) in the late 1940s.

A workshop presentation of “Ebenezer Scrooge on Trial” takes place at the Third Street Center at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 20. The premise is: one year after Scrooge gets a new life, he realizes he has been duped and decides to prosecute Jacob Marley and all the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future for kidnapping and extortion. Of course it all ends happily and is definitely for all the family. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students.

Obituary Kurt Thomas Jakob 1949-2011 Kurt Thomas Jakob, 62, passed away of natural causes on Nov. 25 at his home in El Jebel. He was born Oct. 13, 1949, in Connecticut.

Kurt was a long time Roaring Fork Valley resident. He was a good friend with a good heart, dry sense of humor and a cantankerous spirit. He had a love of motorcycles and antique cars. Growing up in a military family, Kurt had spent time in Canada, Germany, Japan and Alaska. He will be missed by all.

He was a member of the Sons of the American Legion and had worked at Napa Auto in El Jebel for many years. He is survived by his brothers Bob of Tampa Bay, Florida, and Mike of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and their families.

Kurt’s friends will remember him at El Jebowl at 3 p.m. on Dec. 11. Please join in for food and drinks.

Letters continued om page 2 A thank you to carbondale Dear Editor: On the recent anniversary of the Vail incident that took my husband’s life, I received a most touching acknowledgement from the citizens of the town whose thoughtfulness I’d like to recognize.

Accompanied by Sunny Kay Harrison’s story came a beautiful card adorned by Mount Sopris and signed by some truly wonderful folks.

Lori of the Floral Boutique has been a support to my family from Day 1 and I thank her and Rich for their caring and love.

Encouragement from Sandy and prayers from Tracy, both of the Pour House, were very welcome as the legal phase of this ugly ordeal is about to begin.

Carol, Pepe and Jessica represented in words the kind hearts of the good people of Carbondale by expressing genuine concern for the welfare of one of their own. Most awesome of all was their gift of a stunning painting of Mount Sopris in memory of the joy it brought to Gary and me during the time we had here together.

Over the past two years, Marty at the post office, Kate of Illuminating Wellness, the Carbondale Police Department, and the local colleagues and community volunteers I work with have shared their tremendous kindness.

It’s hard to put into words the feeling of comfort and belonging you’ve each imparted, which makes your message of “the town has your back” ring true. My heartfelt gratitude to everyone.

Lani Kitching Carbondale

What a career Day Dear Editor: Roaring Fork High School’s Career Day was a resounding success!!! Below is a sampling of written student comments: “Career Day was a great opportunity for me because if I hadn’t seen so many jobs, I would have stuck to the ones I already knew about.”

“Career Fair helped me decide which careers were right for me.”

“Career Day was beneficial and exciting.”

“IfoundoutaboutjobsIdidn’tknowexisted.”

“I loved it.” “... it was a great opportunity to learn about many jobs out there.”

“I think Career Fair was awesome.”

“Career Day was cool because I got to choose what interested me and get information about the jobs.”

“I found a lot of interesting jobs.”

“Career Day was a lot of fun.”

“Career Day to me seemed very interesting and helpful.”

“I found a career that really excited me.”

“It was really fun and I enjoyed and learned a lot of new things.”

“The Career Day as a whole was amazing.

I got to touch and try things.”

“It was great.”

“Today I found two career possibilities that I am excited about.”

“Career Day was filled with great opportunities.”

“I learned many things about different jobs.”

“I really think I learned a lot.” “ ... Career Day is a good experience that definitely helped me decide what career (path) I might follow.” “... many different options for everyone to explore.”

“Career Day, as a whole was an awakening experience.”

“I got a good idea of what I want to do for my career.”

“I learned a lot about careers I didn’t think I would like and realized there are more careers out there than I ever knew.”

“It pleased me to see so many people dedicated (to) and proud of their own jobs.”

“I liked that I could go through the whole valley in one spot.” “... it was a good chance to learn what people really do at work.” “... it gave me a new perspective on certain careers that I’ve never really thought I’d be interested in.” “.... a good idea. You learn a lot by going around and talking to different places.” “... very informative.” “... inspiring.”

In reading the above it is obvious that you reached and connected with many students.

Bravo! What a morning we had.

To all of the incredible presenters who took time from their work day to inspire and to peak our kids’ curiosities, an enormous THANK YOU!!! You are incredible and caring people.You make our valley a great place in which to live, raise a family and work. Our gratitude and best wishes.

Les Keery Cathleen McCourt Jenny Tempest Larry Black Jill Knaus And the Roaring Fork High School staff

Guest commentary continued om page 2 person makes important decisions on behalf of the town.

“Mad” is what I feel, Jeannie, when I listen to people who have no economic background or that are not invested in Carbondale make comments that have no reason or foresight other than what serves their own personal interest, affected by what is going on in their immediate surroundings, and give no thought to any kind of long-term economic or business sustainability.

“Mad,” Jeanie, is a large portion of prominent business owners who have invested in Carbondale and are concerned that if you say no to this project then you deem all commercial land worthless as no one in their right mind would ever want to come into Carbondale to invest and go through what Rich Schierburg has gone through, only to waste his money and time and be told “no” at the end no matter what he proposes to do with this land.

Send a message Carbondale needs to send a very clear message that we are open for business and we need people that can be visionaries and think long-term about how we actually sustain our town that we all care very much about. My family spends $4 in gas driving to City Market in El Jebel to shop at a nicer store. This is the equivalent of paying 1 percent on a grocery bill with the proposed tax on the new project that will be used to improve Highway 133. If we had a store that would compete with the far superior store in El Jebel then we would shop in Carbondale and Carbondale would receive our tax money, because 90 percent of all revenue generated by Carbondale comes from sales tax.

I would be more than happy to pay 1 percent to help improve Highway 133 as it really needs work, and trade shopping in El Jebel if we had a decent store and we would be improving Carbondale by doing that.

With Whole Foods coming to El Jebel, how is Carbondale supposed to keep people and our tax money in Carbondale with such an inferior store to shop at? The problem is we have a group of narrow-minded people in Carbondale that are anti-growth of any sort, anti-business development and anti-economic expansion and prosperity. They want Carbondale to be sustainable, yet they don’t have any economically viable solutions other than to say NO to anything that is proposed.

The new proposed store in Carbondale is one of the greenest state-of-the-art stores in the history of Colorado that is slated to be built. Furthermore, I can assure you that Liz Murphy is very well educated and is also married to one of our leading surgeons in the country, she is very far cry from being MAD or as you portray her, nor is she this dreadful image that you imagine would appear in your article. She, like many of us, don’t want to be sitting around 10 years from now watching the cracks grow wider in the roads with all the funds in the town gone and nobody wanting to invest in Carbondale, while the people left behind just sit around and smoke pot.

So next time you take a crack at VCR, which we all need if that is not already evident, come up with a solid plan and don’t just suggest you turn it into a Frisbee golf course because you sound like you have lost your marbles, and you must in fact be MAD to even suggest that.

You can be assured that there is a group formed to fight for this project as it is a good one and will improve our town and boost our revenue for future generations and create a solid tax base. Business breeds business Jeannie, and you would be MAD to ignore that in our current economic climate.

The Sopris Sun encourages commentaries on local issues from our readers.

Remember: Keep your commentary local and keep it to 700 words, then dispatch it to news@soprissun.com or P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. Don’t forget to tell us your name, phone number, where you live and any other pertinent information about yourself.

Get by with a little help from your friends.

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info@peacefulfrank.com THE SOPRIS SUN • DEcEmbER 8, 2011 • 13

The Green Thumb Guide

The Green Thumb Guide is printed the second Thursday of each month. If you’ve got a farm photo or tip to share, let us know at news@soprissun.com.

Home is a cross between a boutique hotel and private club light and shadow, blank canvases for the heart of the home and the focus is Marti to play with. gathering. Gathering in a setting so calmly A large painting in warm reds fills the gorgeous, it feels like a cross between a vertical stretch above the fireplace. “I al- boutique hotel and a private club; no preways wanted an Andy tensions…Sigh.

Taylor,” Marti said of A composition of her favorite Carbondale windows to the south artist, so they designed opens the entirety of their the heart of their home home to the new garden. around it. Atop the opIt’s as well conceived as posite wall, tumbling the interiors, but in utter down to the kitchen, is a contrast. Where everyspecimen night bloomthing inside is disciplined ing cereus, grown from and open, outside, Marti cuttings she compared wanted enclosure. I to sour dough starter: walked out back and just “There are others in stood there, absorbing town too, all from the three decades of life, all same plant…It has the of it artfully, organically

By Geneviève Joëlle most sensuous bloom. arranged.

Villamizar So fragrant.” Like Ennis Fender (think Marti’s words, every de“old timer”) had a shed tail, each finish, makes a statement. No for decades. It’s now Marti’s fence, perclutter...Sigh. fectly matching their old chicken coop that I can’t describe the interiors in standard now serves as an outdoor cooking area terms like “the living room” or “the din- cum tool shed. The 8-12" wide planks, siling room.” They exist, but not as separate vered and shaggy, are draped in relics from spaces. It’s designed as a whole, with the their Williams Ranch days. Expansive kitchen less a kitchen, more a stage. No stone terraces spill down to the house. matter where, you feel as though you’re in Drystack walls hold back perennials and

Fun. Unique. Local.

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There’s a distinctive house on Euclid so darling we make detours to see what it’s been up to. It’s more than just the garden.

It’s the entirety of it, from the lush berms that embrace it; to the richly colored stonework of the lower story; to the handcrafted wooden door with the rusted metal details and gnarled branch handle.

What draws me here, over and over?

I finally just introduced myself and asked if I could come explore. Marti Bauer, the owner, welcomed me with a “Yes.” I was thrilled. As she showed me around, I was struck by two things: Style and History, merged. Marti has a background in interior design. Her husband Chuck is was custom homebuilder in Aspen now focusing on smaller projects down valley.

After 34 cozy years of family life in the adjacent Victorian, Marti and Chuck traded up, fomenting ideas with architect Gavin Brooke of Land + Shelter, to start fresh. In the location of their former garden, they now live in a truly special home. Despite being small (as they wished), ceilings soar and natural light flourishes. Gavin has designed a sculpture — not to look at, but within which to be.

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14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • DEcEmbER 8, 2011

Geneviève Joëlle Villamizar www.evolvinglandscape.com 963.7055

spent vegetables. Wrought iron and wicker sit stacked for the winter. I picture the cushions hibernating in the chicken coop.

Planters are in various stages of undress.

Antique signs and sculptures admit to age and tastes. This yard could’ve been here for decades.

I have been drawn to this property for a few years now. Rather than stand out as a paean to evolving tastes, Marti and Chuck wanted their new home to be “Carbondale,” to still belong to this neighborhood. Living only two houses away, Gavin understood the neighborhood spirit. In the grounds, Marti carried on the legacy of her old home and the gardens of her neighbors. Anne Chapman’s Sweet Woodruff tiptoes through the fence right into Marti’s garden.

I can’t wait for spring. Now that I’ve met Marti, I won’t have to be so shy about peering at the columbine or photographing the changing seasons against her stonework. And it’ll be extra special, knowing their story.

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We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need Mayans to tell us where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at Legal Notices To claim that the ancient Mayan culture of Mexico and energy strategy, and fracking shale layers far underground Central America developed a nuanced conception of time with a stew of high-pressure water and chemicals and callis like saying the modern stock market is a complicated ing it our salvation. A simmering nuclear power disaster ďŹ nancial instrument. continues in Japan. Millions of people canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ nd work.

The Mayan calendars cover a multi-faceted collection Then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the planet we live on, delivering weekly, of linear and cyclical measurements that go back almost not-so-subtle hints of payback. Maybe there is an apoca3,000 years as well as forward in time â&#x20AC;&#x201D; however far you lypse around that corner. It sure feels like it if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in care to extend them. Mayan astronomer-priests reckoned the path of a swarm of tornadoes in Alabama, or a roarlunar, solar, planetary cycles and events, ing ďŹ re in Arizona, or the ďŹ&#x201A;ooding in the forecast eclipses, dealt with the planting Mississippi watershed. Never mind unof crops as well as auguries, deities, and precedented volcanic unrest, earthminor and major events of life in a calquakes, tsunamis, melting ice caps. on ibrated set of calendars and almanacs Our business-as-usual, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t-worrythe of remarkable accuracy. weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll-ďŹ gure-something-out strategy has There are Mayan calendars for hubeen to stay one step ahead of the conBy Alan Kesselheim mans, for the gods, for crops, for anisequences by building levees and dams, High Country News mals, even for insects. Amazing stuff, engineering super vegetables, fabricating when you get into it. And it makes our namby-pamby, 12- fuels, broadcasting pesticides, coming up with the latest month creation look like kindergarten art compared to vaccine and throwing technology willy-nilly at problems Michelangelo. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all â&#x20AC;&#x153;solutionsâ&#x20AC;? that lead to unintended consequences That doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean the Mayans predicted that the of their own. And the whole spaceship of humanity is world would come to an abrupt halt in 2012, which is strained to bursting by the sheer weight of a population something some people passionately believe. That notion that requires the resources of roughly 1.5 planet Earths is based on a misunderstanding of the Mayan Long Count just to tread water. calendar, which simply concludes one era and begins anSo maybe the Mayan calendar and its 2012 cusp of other, the next bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;akâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tun, in December of 2012. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it. change prediction is our chance to pay attention. At the Actually, according to Mayan tradition, the fact that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve risk of sounding oh-so-New-Age, maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high time for made it through a cycle of the Long Count is cause for a new paradigm. Maybe, instead of calculating success by great celebration â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the ultimate New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bash. But just the accumulation of toys and staving off catastrophe with like the Y2K silliness, the notion of a Mayan apocalypse the latest techweenie band-aid, we might strive for alterfeeds on the American propensity to grab hold of any ra- nate goals â&#x20AC;&#x201D; things like taking time off, reading more tionale to believe the worst and dive into survival mode. books, playing catch with the kids, counting time as Wacky as the 2012 phobia is, the tendency to fall prey wealth, doing some gardening, enjoying friends, sitting to this repeated world-ending cycle reveals something quietly in the woods, paddling canoes, riding bikes. about our understanding of how wrong weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gone. In Living smaller, and happier. Maybe respect could bethat regard, the Mayans are onto something. Perhaps the come a fundamental value â&#x20AC;&#x201D; respect for each other, for end of this Long Count era is as good an excuse as any the rest of our biological neighborhood, for Mother to take stock and start the new cycle on a more reason- Earth. Imagine. And remember what they say: At deathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s able footing. door hardly anyone bemoans not spending more time at Most of us realize that radical change is coming, if not their desk. What they bemoan is how little else they had under way. The global economic structure seems at the time for. 2012 is right around the corner. What if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not brink of collapse. Entire countries and massive corpora- The End at all? What if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Beginning? What will you tions hang on by dint of humongous bailouts. Our lifestyle be doing? is supported by an unsustainable juggernaut of cheap energy, subsidized food and the ďŹ&#x201A;awed paradigm of limit- Alan Kesselheim is a contributor to Writers on the less growth. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ripping up tar sand deposits in Alberta Range, a service of High Country News (hcn.org). He is at an ungodly cost to the environment and calling it our a writer in Bozeman, Montana.

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NOTICE PURSUANT TO THE LAWS OF COLORADO DOCTORS GARDEN

HAS REQUESTED THE LICENSING OFFICIALS OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE TO GRANT A MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY LICENSE TO SELL MEDICINAL MARIJUANA PRODUCTS AT DOCTORS GARDEN 580 MAIN STREET, SUITE 300 CARBONDALE, CO 81623 HEARING ON APPLICATION TO BE HELD AT: CARBONDALE TOWN HALL 511 COLORADO AVENUE CARBONDALE, COLORADO

DATE AND TIME: JANUARY 10, 2012, AT 6:00 P.M. DATE OF APPLICATION: SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

BY ORDER OF: STACEY BERNOT, MAYOR APPLICANT:

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Information may be obtained from, and Petitions or RemonstranceĘźs may be filed with the Town Clerk Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO 81623.

Published in The Sopris Sun on December 8, 2011.

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985 Hwy 133 â&#x20AC;˘ Carbondale, Colorado THE SOPRIS SUN â&#x20AC;˘ DEcEmbER 8, 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ 15

Wear a condom now, save the spotted owl

A night at ompson Creek

By Andrew Cohen Special to the Sopris Sun After a morning tearing up our fingers climbing Thompson Creek’s ice cold crag, we hike down to where the trail forks. You can follow the creek further north or you can head back south to the trailhead.

“I guess this is where we part ways,” I say.

“If you don’t see me by tomorrow night I’m along Thompson somewhere and you should probably come looking. Might not be back ‘till later in the day though, since I have to hitch a ride back to Carbondale.”

When I let my friends know I’m going camping by myself at Thompson Creek they tell me you always have to make us worry, its going to be cold, you ought to bring a tent, a map, more food. I tell them it’ll be fine. I like the attention anyway. It’s making up for lost time growing up in the Connecticut suburbs, training for a looming “Into the Wild” adventure except with less Jack London and less dying. It’s a break from people, computers, buildings and beds. However, I will bring my iPod. I catch up to teenagers hiking on the northbound trail.“Stupid trails” I think, taking the adventure out of everything. It peters out soon, and I continue along the creek into the steep canyon. The rock bordering the water becomes steeper and covered in ice so I have to go up the loose gravel slope. My pack makes things difficult, getting caught on trees and in between rocks, causing me to teeter in fear and curse my hubris.

“Wear a condom now, save the spotted owl,” reads one of the labels on a condom distributed by the Center for Biological Diversity, the feisty and litigious conservation non-profit that has offices throughout the West.

While other environmental groups dodge the sticky issue of over-population, the center — run by Kierán Suckling — says it is determined to spur discussion about how many people are enough, because too many humans inevitably squeeze out wildlife, while our increasing numbers also contribute to global climate change. The center has been visiting college campuses to pass out its free condoms — “Wrap with care, save the polar bear,” says another label — and has also begun lobbying Congress and paying for video ads at New York's Times Square, reports The New York Times.

Reducing unwanted pregnancies could have a huge impact on population, says John Bongaarts, a demographer with the Population Council in New York, who adds that it’s disappointing to see the “global warming community” back away from anything to do with population control.

Heard around the west

By Betsy Marston High Country News

Utah

After people in the town of Moab got to talking about providing a shelter for the homeless, Carey Jones wrote the Moab Times-Independent to say that the well-intentioned move might just open the door to wandering riffraff, or as he delicately phrased it,“undesirable elements.”

But before you rush to denounce Jones as a bigot, consider the fact that he’s been homeless himself for 26 years, spending every winter outdoors in the deserts or canyons of southern Utah.

Jones said that he knew of only four people in Moab who were truly homeless, and that they all received continuing help from churches or public assistance. He concluded that he’d rather be poor and homeless in Moab than rich anywhere else, and in any case, he didn’t “need anybody’s roof or anybody’s pity.”

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I stop on a ridgeline with barely enough room to lay down a tarp. This is where I’m sleeping I guess. I bring my food up the precipitous ridge about 30 yards to convince myself I won’t get eaten by whatever mountain creatures live up here. Bears? Mountain lions? Elk? Moose?

I start a fire, cook my food, and stare at the fins jutting out of the hillside to my northwest. The low angle sun brings out the contours in the rock. I put my sweatshirt around my legs for warmth. My seat borders a slope down which a fall would almost certainly mean death and I am not quite sure I have attained the tranquility I am seeking.

I make it until 7 p.m. before I retire to my sleeping bag. A shooting star darts across the sky. I tell myself I don’t believe in wishes so I wish for another one.

I look up at the Milky Way and the stars and try to think thoughts worthy of their scrutiny, try to force myself into their grand imagination. I put on my headphones and watch blinking planes inch across the sky. I listen to someone else wrest profound combinations of words and sounds from our shared feelings on the cosmos, the chaos inside and the meticulous structure above. I mistake the rhythm of my own pulse for footsteps of a ferocious beast creeping up behind me.

It wouldn’t be a bad way to go out, rapt in musical bliss. Though if I do get eaten, please at least let it be during a good part of the song.