the
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ale pt. NG E C’d . De PRI SID c N Re R/S E I TE UID WN 8 G 1 20
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Sun
Volume 9, Number 46 | December 21, 2017
Spruce Up The Sun
Zombies
out on the town
This year’s winner is…
The Sopris Sun continued its Spruce Up The Sun cover competition this year, soliciting original designs from contestants in pre-K through high school. This year’s theme was “Peace and Love” and over 105 entries were submitted by students from local schools. Our favorite entry came from Anicka Ashcraft, a sixth grader at Aspen Middle School. She captured the essence of peace and love with whimsical animals singing carols around a tree. The entries incorporated a variety of ways to express peace and love during the holiday season: some figuratively featuring family, friends and/or animals enjoying the holidays together, others were more literal using symbols of this year’s theme in clever ways. First-place winners in the age categories are: Florence Serson (preK-kindergarten), Abby Harris (first grade), Lexi Filiss (second grade), Avery Spencer (third grade), Emmaline Warner (fourth grade), Emma Charters (fifth grade) and Cynthia Rodriguez (sixth grade and up). Judging such a competitive contest would not have been possible without the help of the discerning eyes of staff members at Carbondale Arts (CA) and The Sopris Sun. We would also like to thank all the contestants for sharing their creativity and talents. It made judging a truly difficult task. For those contestants who would like to pick up their original artwork, stop by The Sopris Sun office at the Third St. Center (520 S. Third St., Suite 32). See pages 12-13 and visit our webA horde of zombies turned out for the annual pub crawl around downtown Carbondale the evening of Oct. 21. Diners lucky to be in Town for additionsite enough (www.soprissun.com) for the popular eatery’s last supper were grateful not only because they were able to enjoy one more dinner before the al restaurant winners. closed, but also because they were safe from the insatiable thirst of creepy creatures like Kelly Hedrick. Thanks again to all who entered. Photo by Jane Bachrach
Happy holidays!
Cover contest winner: Anicka Ashcraft, a sixth grader at Aspen Middle School. 970.963.5880 970.963.5880
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CarbondaleCommentary Commentary Carbondale Carbondale Commentary Coolonpeople makeTrail Not more A wildlife officer’s the A former former wildlife officer’s perspective perspective on the Crystal Crystal Trail this a cool town Christmas carols!
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 toand theopinions editor orexpressed guest columns. For more information, editorreflect Will Grandbois news@soprissun.com, orinvites call 510-3003. all members of the community to submit letters to the Sun. The Sopris Sun those of TheatSopris necessarily page do notemail on the Commentary views he The Sopris Sun invites all members of the community to submit letters to the Sun. reflect those of The Sopris necessarily do not page Will the Commentary and opinions he views 510-3003. or call at news@soprissun.com, Grandbois email editor information, For more on columns. expressed or guest ditor ditor or guest columns. For more information, email editor Will Grandbois at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.
By John Seidel The natural grandeur of this beautiful valley will thrill visitors no matBy JohnDOW Seidel Biologist and Retired The natural this beautiful ter what sidegrandeur the trail of is placed on. valley will thrill visitors no matRetired DOW Biologist and Journal columnist. ormer Roaring Fork Valley ter Providing what side access the trail is placed on.to the By Barbara Dills to the east side river in Avalanche Creek and ormer Roaring Fork Valley Journalcarols. columnist. Providing access to the east side to the river in Avalanche Creek A confession: I hate Christmas Sopris Sun Board I see through the local papers that the proposed Crystal Valley trail Filoha Meadows will provide access toPresident significant habitat that willand be I see through the local papers that the proposed Crystal Valley trail Filoha Meadows will provide access to significant habitat that be Well, maybe not all of them. s still being considered for placement on the east side of the Crystal degraded by bandit trails photo and off track Mountain bikers If you saw the cover I’ve intrusions. been on the board, will not to s stillChristmas being considered for placement thediscussed east side of airport the Crystal degraded by bandit trails and off track intrusions. Mountain bikers music gets piped into every retail store, River. This controversial placement hason been and rejected by on appear to be a pioneering species. They seek out new trails and ways last week’s Sopris Sun, you mention being a regular annual River. Thisstation controversial placement has been discussed and rejected by know appear to be pioneering species. seekwith out meadows. new and ways and bus beginning six before Christmas. Theand he public, local governments, localweeks environmental organizations of traveling ina previously untracked forests and I have no that Carol Klein is one of They donor her trails husband John he public, local governments, local environmental organizations and of traveling in previously untracked forests and meadows. I have no onslaught now begins before Thanksgiving. So each year, I he state Colorado Parks and Wildlife Division (CPW). I am surprised the doubt that these users from the east side of thethanks Cryscoolest people in will this gain veryaccess Stickney. She ducks our he state Colorado Parks and Wildlife Division (CPW). I am surprised doubt that these users will gain access from the east side of the Crysmust endure five or six weeks of music I was totally sick of hat Pitkin County, who has led both the state and natal upfor oldall mine in Filoha andinreach elk cool town. Lucky of roads us, when wemeadows offer them person, hat Pitkin County, who has led both the state naupthat old mine in Filoha meadows and reach elk from the get-go. ional efforts to protect natural habitats andand placed trails followroads the ridge linecan’t from Hawk Peak down she’s not alone.tal but she duck this one. ional efforts to protect natural and placed trails that follow the ridge line from Hawk Peak down Ifhabitats I never hear “Grandma Got wildlife as a significant value for its citizens, is even conto Elephant Mountain. Enforcement of closures of eiAs I approach the end of my Another cool person we have wildlife a significant for its Over citizens, con- again, it to Elephant Mountain. Enforcement oftoclosures of eiRun by is a even Reindeer” idering as placing this trailvalue in undisturbed wildlife habitat. ther seasonal or new trails has proven be very diffiterm as president of The Sopris not acknowledged adequately idering placing this trail in undisturbed wildlife habitat. ther seasonal or new trails has proven to be very diffiwill beDistrict too soon. MyColfriend Steve I was assigned to the Carbondale for the cult,to and non-compliance has demonstrated that some Sun Board, I want recognize a is Dave Taylor, whose Cool I was assigned the Carbondale Colcult, andusers non-compliance has demonstrated that some BarrellDistrict that one while visitorado Division ofto Wildlife (DOW) inheard 1972for andthe served of these do not respect andsponsored restrictions. few other generous souls: gentle Brick regulations Studio has a orado Wildlife 1972 served of these do not respectwildlife regulations andfor restrictions. ing hisinwith mom inand assisted n that Division capacity of until 1978. I(DOW) worked Aspen DOWliving and Kevinusers Wright, officer the giants who’ve worked mostlya retired donated ad every weekboth for two n that Allen capacity until 1978. I worked Aspen DOW Kevin Wright, a retireddistricts, wildlife has officer for both Steve’s with sistermapping got quite officer Whitaker in identifying and sig-huffy. She Carbondale inofhis letterthe of behind the scenes the pastand fewAspen years in support various loofficer Whitaker and mapping sigCarbondale andspelled Aspenout districts, has and in his letterthat of thought it was inappropriate for nificantAllen wildlife habitatin foridentifying Pitkin County in 1974. We March 23, 2017 the science studies years to help this nonprofit cal nonprofits and charitable nificant wildlife habitat for Pitkin County in 1974. We March 23, 2017 spelled out the science and studies that frail people with walkers. also helped write land use regulations that would protect support his professional opinion that placementalso of newspaper fulfill its charitable initiatives, not the to mention also write land usegroundbreaking regulations would protect support his professional opinion that the placement of Stevethat lives inone California, hesehelped habitats. This was and of the so he’s this trail on the east side will have negative effects on mission: “to inform, inspire, and purchasing regular weekly ads hese habitats. This was groundbreaking and one of the this trail on the east side will have negative effects on probably safe fromhabitat attacking reinfirst counties in the state to incorporate wildlife resident wildlife populations. Rick Thompson, a long build community.” for his business (even longer!). first thezoning state toregulations. incorporate habitat resident wildlife populations. Rick Thompson, a long deer. They wildlife don’t have enough snow n itscounties planninginand private wildlife a history peer First, a hugetime thanks to my fel- consultant How coolwith is that? Talkofabout n its planning and regulations. timeand private wildlife consultant with a history of peer for on Santa’s sleigh. they’re This decision, to zoning locate the trail the east side Like of theus, Crystal River low reviewed studies respected positions on numerous developments officer, Debbie Bruell, who utilizing The Sun to help build Thisbe decision, to locate trail on the valuation eastofside ofofthe Crystal River reviewed studiesslope, and respected positions on numerous and developments just dreaming a white Christmas. would contrary to thisthe long standing wildlife habitat on the western agreed with Kevin’s assessments warnings. has served as The Sun Board’s community — Dave saw an opwould be contrary to this long standing valuation of wildlife habitat on the western slope, agreed with Kevin’s assessments and warnings. Baby” is another one of vice-president, n the county. Since the ’70s there“Santa has been a tremendous amount What is the motivation to put this trail on the east side? Why would president and secportunity to provide service to n the county.inSince ’70s valley there has areduced tremendous amount of What is the motivation to put this and trailprotected on the east side? Why would I could do Ourusable Sopris development this the narrow thatbeen haswithout. the habiyour county which hasthe supported wildlife habitats for retary since she joined board organizations that can’t afford development in this narrow valley that has reduced the usable habicountyyears which has supported and protected wildlifeofhabitats for Sun Will Grandbois thinks at by the historic populations of theeditor many wildlife species that use this inyour almost disregard the science and experience experts to 2012, 50 notyears to mention contribto promote themselves in the at by the historic populations of the many wildlife species that use this almost 50 disregard the science and experience of experts to “it’s disturbingly adult given its valley as the last habitats available to them. Elk were originally a uting placate the paper ideological desire by a few individuals, with a narrow and to the as a volunteer paper and partnered with us to valley as the last them. were a placate the ideological desire by a few individuals, with a narrow and Personally, I’moriginally plains animal thathabitats occupiedavailable theaddressee.” plainstoand riverElk bottoms ofmiffed the state. single track focus. reporter and occasional fill-in make it happen. plains animaldevelopment that occupied the plains and river bottoms of the state. single track focus.historic owner of Filoha Meadows, offered to sell about this song. Both because SanContinuous these areas drove these and other species Kelly Grange, ad representative. Come owner Janu- of Filoha Dedicated support fromtoDave By Nicolette Toussaintof Continuous development of these areas drove these and other species Kelly Grange, historic Meadows, offered sell nto the mountains and less accessible areas.for These habitatssake, are the ary, meshe thiswill property in 1976. Ron Shore, aour pioneer inother solar energy use ta is married, goodness step down from her and many regular adnto the mountains and less accessible areas. These habitats are the me this property in 1976. Ron Shore, a pioneer in solar energy use ast ones available; there isis so nowhere else left fornot them to use. in the position, valley, went with me andastogether we evaluated the The hot springs and because the singer mercenary. She’s as sacrilegious officer but continue vertisers helps keep Sopris ast available; there is issue nowhere else leftadebated. for themThe toBenz, use. the went meheating and together family we evaluated the hot springs am surprised that is still being State Divi- a in on thevalley, property forwith use in asI ones Janis Joplin was inthis asking the Lord for Mercedes but board member-at-large. If you single Sun family going. homes. We willWe listcalculated them all, I am surprised that this issue is still being debated. The State Divion the property for use in heating single homes. We calculated ion of Wildlife has for over 30 years as a respected professional that we could heat 10-12 homes with the hot springs on the she’s not as funny either. have ever worked with Debbie, with oursprings thanks,onin aproperty. January ion of Wildlife has for over 30 years as a respected professional that we could heat 10-12 homes with the hot the property. agency continuously against locating trail on the east side you We know stood in the meadow lookedI up issue at Chair Mt and decided that neiThat’s the otheradvised big gripe I have aboutthe Christmas music. what I mean when of the paper. Ongoing fiagency continuously locating the on the east side We stood in the meadow looked at Chair MtWould and decided that neiofIt’s thethe river. The push advised tofor locate it on the east side istrail thehave life-long dream ther of is usawanted to develop this up beautiful spot. Pitkin County soundtrack theagainst Grinches who really stolen say she model of steadiness, nancial commitments from our of the river. to locate it on thealready sidecranky is the life-long dream ther us wanted develop this beautiful spot. Would Pitkin County ofChristmas Dale WillThe and has hucksters. been passed on toeast Gary Tennenbaum Open loyalty haveofallowed thistodevelopment this parcel? I think not. Why — push the I’m aboutofthe and dependability. Her on generous Honorary Publishers of Dale Will and has been passed on to Gary Tennenbaum of Open have allowed this development on this parcel? I think not. Why Space and Trails. allow this impact? commercialization of everything from clothing to magazines commitment to children, public are critical to the paper’s susSpace and Trails. allow this impact? bike trail the CrystalI River be a very nice addiYour existing land use codes would prohibit this development if toAparks andupstadiums. won’tvalley buy would any clothes with the education and this community tainability, too. Sodevelopment are donations Ato bike trail up thetrail Crystal River valley would beand a very nice addiYour existing land use codes would prohibit thisWhy if ion the system County western Col- being done by a private individual or corporation. let a public brand onextensive the outside; my bodyofisPitkin not for rent as a billboard isbeing unwavering. Debbie makes of any size from you, our very ion to the extensive trail system of Pitkin County and western Coldone by a private individual or corporation. Why let a public orado. It could be placed along itthe sideadofspace! the river and the agency do it? Stick to your principles; support knowledge and science and I’m certainly not offering upwest as free I won’t around her and cool readers. Many of you have orado. It 133 could be placed along westaside of the river and the everyone agency do it? Stick to better, your principles; support Highway right-of-way wouldthe provide wonderful experience over emotion and ideology. This is obvious to knowledge anyone, notand justscience bioloread magazines that are mostly advertising. And I resent hav- to The Sopris Sun is better thanks responded already to our recent Highway 133 right-of-way would provide a wonderful experience to over This is obvious to anyone, not just biolohe public. The wonders of this valley will be gists,emotion that this and trailideology. on the undisturbed east side of the river would deingbiking the nation’s highscenic holiday highjacked inbeautiful the name of contogists, her great service. fundraising appeals — thank he biking public. The scenic wonders of this beautiful valley will be that this trail on the undisturbed east side of the river would deenjoyable from westyet side of the river. bikeneed. trail along the Col- grade the habitats. Do the right thing. Locate this needed trail along vincing us all the to buy more stuff weThe don’t Second, a deep bow toright Lee thing. you! If youthis have not made a gift enjoyable from the west side ofpopular. the river.Its The bike trail along theInterCol- grade the habitats. Do the Locate needed trail along orado River has become very location next to the the transportation corridor of Hwy 133. As one who rode his bike on Woe betide those who work retail during the holidays! Beck, our tireless volunteer this please consider doing orado River has noticed becomeby very popular. Itsriver location next to theare Interthe transportation corridor of Hwy 133.ayear, As one who rode his bike on tate in not even its users. The and the canyon the Hwy 133 during the era of coal trucks; trail is needed. Just build it They are held hostage to endless of repetitions of the “Twelve proofreader. Lee’s the been offering so before the end of Just the build month. tate in not even noticed by its users. The river and the canyon are the Hwy 133 during era of coal trucks; a trail is needed. it ocus of the users. The same could be said of the Crystal Valley Trail. along the existing road. It will be safe and very enjoyable for its users. Days of Christmas.” Why? Because psychologists who study time talentroad. to usItalmost Help Sunfor doitsitsusers. part ocus of the users. The same could be said of the Crystal Valley Trail. her along theand existing will be safe andThe verySopris enjoyable retail have proven that Christmas music, combined with weekly for more years than to keep Carbondale cool. holiday scents, will increase both the time shoppers spend in stores and their buying intentions. Merchandisers are subtly Four easy ways to give to The Sopris Sun: scheming to get you to come home with five golden rings, 1) Click on the yellow button on our website and make a mail at he Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 500 words via email at news@soprissun.com or 250 words via snail four calling cards, threeyour French wines, twoto boxes of than turtle500 wordsrecurring he Sopris SunCarbondale welcomes letters, limited no more viareturned email monthly atfor news@soprissun.com 250 snail mail at donation. (Evenor$5 $10/month makes .O. Box 399, CO 81623. Letters exceeding that length may be revision or submission asorawords guest via column; please chocolate and a partridge in 81623. a pear tree. .O. Box 399, Carbondale CO Letters exceeding that length may a bebig returned nclude your name, town, and contact information. The deadline for submission isdifference.) noonfor on revision Monday.or submission as a guest column; please Perhaps the reason I’mcontact such ainformation. Grinch is that I’m over-for submission is noon on Monday. nclude your name, town, and The deadline 2) Click on the yellow button on our website and make a oneexposed. C. Nielsenof reports percent of theplace. Save the A. aesthetics the that about 70most un-urban Governments know that if they control the time donation. Save the aesthetics of the most un-urban know that if they Nowhere control the public likes Christmas who consider Crystal River Valleymusic. But the number Less invasiveplace. options include widening Governments dialogue, they control the issues. in 3) Mail a check, with your full contact information including Crystal River Valley Less invasive options include widening dialogue, they control the issues. Nowhere in themselves actual “fans” declines with age. Nielsen’s 2017 the highway shoulders by a few feet where the opinion gathering process has there been Dear Editor: email address, to POthe Box 399, gathering Carbondale, CO has 81623 the highway shoulders by a few feet where opinion process there been Dear Editor: holiday music audience report states that’s 36 percent of milI’m deeply concerned about the Open feasible only, and beginning the trail at the an option for residents to oppose any addifeasible only, and beginning the trail at the tional an option residents to oppose anyan addi4) Stop by our office in the Third Street Center, Suite 32, and I’mand deeply concerned about the Open lennials are holiday music fans, compared 31ofpercent of Pass top McClure bypassing the costly path.forWildlife is also not given opSpace Trails proposed trail through the to make donation Monday through top McClure Pass bypassing costly in person. tional Wildlife is alsoWednesday notevidently given anthey opSpace and Trails proposed trail through the boomers. Generation X and only 25 percent baby and of invasive construction withina the the valley. tion forpath. “none of the above”— Crystal River Valley. It has been myof home between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. are the best times. and invasive construction within the valley. tion for “none of the above”— evidently they Crystal River Valley. It has been my home CHRISTMAS 20also be an option. No trailpage should don’t speak English or have online access. or thirty years and I still thrill at its beauty trailRobert shouldMoses also be option. speak or have online attention access. orI thirty years and133. I stillI,thrill its beauty thean builder of bridges and don’t OST has English conveniently deflected as drive Highway as doatmany, love NoLike Like Robert Moses the builder of bridges and OST has conveniently deflected attention as I drive Highway 133. I, as do many, love away from the “none of the above” option o hike and bike and find no shortage of highways found, if you build it they will come. you build it they will come. away from the “none of the above” option o hike and bike and find no shortage of highways Thankfound, you forifyour time and consideration. to focus attention on where a path should hese opportunities now. I have studied the Thank you for your timeDearborn and consideration. to on where a path conclushould hese opportunities I have studied the Jacqueline go focus — likeattention its existence is a foregone plans, both A and B.now. I find no good reason The Sopris letters, limited to no more thanJacqueline 500 words Dearborn via email at news@soprissun.com 250 words snail mailconclugo likeand itsorexistence is via a foregone plans, bothupon ASun andawelcomes B. I findyour no good Marble sion— — has garnered opinionatinP.O. a o embark decades-long costlyreason projBox 399, Carbondale CO 81623.costly please include your name, town, and contact information. Thesion deadline for submission is noon on Monday. Marble — and has garnered opinion in a o embark upon a decades-long projskewed process to gain an answer they want, ect that will produce endless traffic delays, process to gainand an others answercontend. they want, ect that will produce endless pullouts, traffic delays, of the above on Crystal Trail skewed just as Delia Malone ntroduce and None A joint signs, letterguardrails, on the Crystal Trail over two proposed alignments to achieve combination of the two alignments would None of the above on Crystal Trail just as Delia Malone and others contend. ntroduce signs, guardrails, pullouts, and I initially favored a path that did not eneven bridges required by Plan A or B. Either Dear Editor: Dear Editor: this. Alignment “A” is in the CDOT rightallow the final trail to be environmentally I initially favored a path that didgrounds not eneven bridges required by Planvegetation, A or B. Either Dear Editor: on three ancient wintering plan We will destroy the natural Pitco OST has133 beenand soliciting opinion foris croach have a unique opportunity foralter get- of-way of CO alignment “B” sensitive and help contain costs. grounds three ancient plan willwildlife destroy the natural vegetation, alter Pitcoabout OST has been soliciting opinion for croach for elk.on I have owned awintering Carbondale busicritical areas, and cross private months the preferred alignment of the ting folks out of their and vehicles and safely months mostlyabout east the of preferred the Crystal River. of There We believe that using a total “A” alignI have owned a Carbondale busicritical wildlife areas, cross private alignment the for nesselk. for 12 years and lived there 17 years property. Further, either plan will ultimately proposed bike path in the Crystal Valley. walking Further, or biking within the valley of the proposed are somebike segments ofthe each alignment that ness mentfor is 12 a poor overall choice: (1) Users years and lived there 17 years property. either plan will ultimately path in Crystal Valley. esult in bringing an has urban project a This process is skewed and fatally flawed. LETTERS page 14 Crystal River. There been much into debate seem a preferred choice andflawed. some LETTERSpage page14 21 esult in bringing an urban project into a Thislike process is skewed and fatally LETTERS • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • OCTOBER 26 NOVEMBER 1, 2017 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
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To inform, inspire and build community. To inform, inspire andaccepted build community. Donations Donations accepted online or by mail. online or by mail. P.O. Box 399 BoxStreet 399 #32 520 S.P.O. Third 520 S. Third Street #32 Carbondale, CO 81623 Carbondale, CO 81623 970-510-3003 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com www.soprissun.com Editor Editor Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 news@soprissun.com news@soprissun.com Advertising: Kathryn Advertising: Camp • 970-379-7014 Kathryn Camp • 970-379-7014 adsales@soprissun.com adsales@soprissun.com Reporter: Megan Tackett Reporter: Megan Photographer: Jane Tackett Bachrach Photographer: Jane Bachrach Graphic Designer: Terri Ritchie Graphic Designer: Ritchie Delivery: Tom Terri Sands Delivery: Tom Sands CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS board@soprissun.com board@soprissun.com Barbara Dills, President BarbaraBruell, Dills, President Debbie Secretary Debbie Cliff Colia Bruell, • DianaSecretary Alcantara Cliff Colia • Diana Alcantara Matt Adeletti • Olivia Pevec • Faith Magill MattStacey Adeletti • OliviaRaleigh Pevec Burleigh • Faith Magill Bernot• StaceyMurphy Bernot•• Nicolette Raleigh Burleigh Marilyn Toussaint Marilyn • Nicolette Toussaint The Sopris Murphy Sun Board meets regularly on the
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Water buffalo rancher models mobile milking By Trina Ortega Sopris Sun Correspondent
Jose Miranda grew up raising Asian water buffalo on his family’s 3,000-acre ranch in the flatlands of central Venezuela. He helped his father care for 500 water buffalo, 100 of which were milking cows, and he made cheese every day. Due to the political and social climate in Venezuela, however, his father sold the ranch. After Miranda and his wife, Kami, had their second child in the United States, they moved back to Venezuela in 2008 to start another water buffalo ranch, with 40 animals on 500 acres. After getting robbed at gunpoint with no penalty for the thieves, the Mirandas walked away from it all and returned to the U.S., settling in Carbondale, where Miranda works as the ranch manager at Tybar Ranch. In an effort to return to the work — and the animals — he’s always known and loved, Miranda is leasing land at Sunfire Ranch to raise his own herd of Asian water buffalo and has fabricated a mobile milking parlor to get back to the business of making cheese. He says it’s the only way he can afford to establish a dairy operation, and he hopes it will be a model for other small-scale farmers. “This is my third water buffalo ranch. My third attempt, right, Patron,” Miranda says to his dog, a small gray collie mix sitting next to him on the drive to Sunfire Ranch on Highway 133. Sunfire is owned by Jason Sewell, and Miranda is leasing some land to start his herd, including four baby buffalo, which he has bottle fed. He acquired two males for production, and one of the cows will calve in January. As he approaches, Miranda calls to them, the animals come to Miranda, and they are gentle enough that he can straddle up onto their backs without startling them. “The advantage of the water buffalo is two fold,” Miranda explains. “One is it can produce and thrive on low-quality forage, where most dairy breeds need a high-protein diet in order to keep up with their energy demands. Second is that the milk from the water buffalo is denser. It’s a richer milk, so you get more pounds of cheese per gallon of milk.”
Water buffalo are unlike standard cattle and should not be confused with American bison, either. Photo by Trina Ortega Raising the water buffalo is a large time investment, according to Miranda. In order to have tame animals that he can manage on his own, he must raise them from when they’re young. Plus, they require more care when the weather gets cold, as the animals are not used to colder climes. He will not start milking his cows for two more years, but once that begins, Miranda will sell milk and cheese commercially in the valley.
Sensible for small herds
more than a year ago as a efficient way to milk a herd of 10-12 animals. His routine was to drive his pickup to the pasture, tie off the animals to the roll bar, toss down his stool, and milk by hand, exposed to the elements. “I thought that if I had a trailer, I could just come out here where the cows are and at least have some shelter. This also gives me flexibility, since I don’t own the land; it allows me to lease pasture in remote locations that are cheaper and allows me to still be able to do the work I want to do.”
Miranda came up with the Unique benefits idea for a mobile dairy when he saw photos of dairy farming He worked with Isaac Ellis of in the Azores Islands of PorGreenline Architects to design a tugal. The concept was simple 1-kilowatt solar electric system — take the milking machine to to power the mobile dairy and the cows instead of herding or Kristen Jacobson to apply for a transporting the animals to a renewable energy grant from the barn. Community Office for Resource “This idea grows out of the Efficiency (CORE). need for a better place to milk Marty Treadway, CORE’s proa few animals,” Miranda says, gram manager who administers standing on the broad grassy its grants, said Miranda’s project – Marty Treadway pasture land of the Tybar had many unique benefits and CORE’s program manager Ranch at the base of Mt. Sowas awarded $4,000 for the phopris. He lives on the ranch and tovoltaic system. has been working on the mobile dairy in one of the tall “It moves the energy required to run a dairy off the garage bays used for agricultural equipment. grid. The current alternative to this is to use a diesel genThe parlor is an old cattle insemination trailer that erator,” Treadway says. “It additionally addresses how a belonged to Tybar owner Emma Danciger, but since it small farming business in this valley can creatively work was not in use for years, she donated it to Miranda. around issues such as land availability and expense. This He retrofitted the inside to fit a milking machine and is an inspiring project that hopefully influences others to batteries for a solar-powered electric system to run it. He think creatively about their energy situation.” installed hooks, a USB charger and some lights and has Sunsense Solar pitched in on the solar system design, space to add a small wood stove that will keep him and and Miranda’s children, Kawak and Paz, helped install his water buffalo warm while milking. He made some the PV panels on the trailer roof. cosmetic improvements, including painting the outside, Miranda lists the additional benefits of a mobile dairy, and added oil to the hydraulics. including eliminating overgrazing and reducing erosion There is no floor to the trailer, and once it is driven around one barn; improving pasture conditions; reducout to the pasture, it is removed from the hitch then ing water usage; eliminating high concentrations of urine lowered, via the hydraulics on the wheels, directly to the and manure in one location; reducing parasite exposure ground. A gate inside separates two bays for the cows. to animals; providing a cleaner environment for cows From there, Miranda can either milk by hand or use the and reducing bacterial infections; improving the diet of milking machine. the animals; and following the best rangeland in extraorMiranda first started working on the mobile diary dinary climatic conditions.
“It additionally addresses how a small farming business in this valley can creatively work around issues such as land availability and expense.
Jose Miranda brings the infrastructure to the livestock instead of the other way around. Photo by Trina Ortega
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 3
Town Report
The following items are drawn from Town Manager Jay Harrington’s weekly report to staff, trustees and others.
ASSISTED LIVINg developers are working with the Town on the proposed Sopris Lodge development on the north end of Second Street. A revised application was submitted on Dec. 15 and should appear before trustees on Jan. 25. In order for it to move forward, the Town will have to amend the Unified Development Code and Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map to allow for fewer parking spaces. The development itself requires a rezoning, major site plan review and special use permit. The Board of Trustees will eventually consider all these items at a public hearing. LAND USE APPLICATIONS include an amendment to the Roaring Fork Village Planned Unit Development to allow some accessory residential uses. There is also a proposed subdivision exemption to divide a parcel of land into two lots along Eighth Street. CONSTRUCTION BIDS are still being sought for a perimeter fence at the west side of Bonnie Fisher Park. Interested contractors can contact Parks & Recreation Director Eric Brendlinger at 510-1277 or ebrendlinger@carbondaleco.net. BRIDgE REPAIRS continued in Sopris Park, with one railing damaged while another was waiting to be installed. The bridge has been treated with a weatherproof coating, but remains out of commission pending the purchase of a new railing. A CLIMBINg WALL INSPECTION was conducted by El Dorado — part of a three year cycle. The Town received a favorable report even though the wall is almost 10 years old, but did get some feedback on repairs and monitoring. REC CENTER RATES will increase on Jan. 2. Day passes are unaffected, but family passes are being replaced by household passes and all facility rentals, birthday party packages, employee memberships with family add-ons, pool passes, and RV rates are increasing for 2018. The rec. center will be closed on Christmas and New Years Day and will close at 3 p.m. Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. THE PARKS & REC BROCHURE should be inserted in
this very issue of The Sopris Sun. If yours is missing or you’re reading online, it’s also available at www.carbondalerec.com and in person at the rec. center. The pack page includes a pool survey (also available online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/carbondalepoolsurvey) with day passes available for participants. ICE RINK completion is still waiting on cold enough temperatures to allow for the placement of liners and water. WATER SYSTEM improvements are ongoing, with Nettle Creek Plant siding installed and Crystal Well filtration construction complete and accepted, but control work postponed. A site visit was also performed for the Nettle Creek hydroelectric feasibility study. THE NEW TOWN ARBORIST hung holiday lights at the pool and maintained the lights on Main Street. He also worked on pruning trees at Promenade Park and removed the junipers at the intersection of Fourth and Colorado. He even briefly had a chance to try out snow removal on the downtown sidewalks before it all melted off again. SNOWMASS DRIVE PATH discussions continue between the Town of Carbondale and Garfield County, and the issue should come before the Trustees soon. A STREETS TRAININg gave employees a chance to learn the ins and outs of snow removal and sanding on the road up to White Hill Cemetery. Crews also conducted their usual tasks of picking up trash (and furniture) in the right-of-way, maintaining signs and fixing potholes. POLICE EDUCATION went both ways this week, with Officer Zimmerman teaching Roaring Fork High School students about harassment, sexual assault and related topics while Officer Stock-Bell and Executive Assistant Anna Ramirez attended a training that will allow them to provide driving tests and Records Technician Danika Davis also attended a Basic Life Support instructor trailing. The Town also hosted the state’s required annual Legal Updates for Law Enforcement course taught by Deputy District Attorney Steve Mallory.
4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
Cop Shop From Dec. 8 through the 14, Carbondale Police handled 175 calls for service. During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note: SATURDAY Dec. 9 at 1:19 a.m. A traffic stop for speeding and failure to maintain a single lane lead to the arrest of the 27-year-old driver on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. SATURDAY Dec. 9 at 5:15 p.m. Police responded to a domestic violence call and ended up arresting a 32-year-old man for harassment and violation of a restraining order. SUNDAY Dec. 10 at 2:16 a.m. An officer pulled over a car on Roaring Fork Avenue for failure to maintain a single lane and arrested the 28-year-old driver on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. SUNDAY Dec. 10 at 2:26 p.m. Police took a report of a hit and run accident on Morrison Street. MONDAY Dec. 11 at 12:27 a.m. When a 63-year-old man allegedly failed to obey the stop sign at 12th and Colorado, he was pulled over and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. WEDNESDAY Dec. 13 at 2:42 p.m. Upon investigating an illegally parked vehicle in River Valley Ranch, police arrested two teen girls for minors in possession of marijuana.
‘Shop with a cop’ part of a broader philosophy By Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff
The bad days, too
While distrust of law enforcement increases nationwide, Carbondale cops do double duty as notaries, locksmiths, driving instructors and special event security. In an effort to further emphasize that small-town approach, the Carbondale Police Department took it a step further with its first “Shop with a Cop” event. Chief Gene Schilling, Officers Mike Zimmerman and Brandyn Rup and some of the office staff offered needy kids some extra support for the holidays. The model — laid out by The REACH Foundation and practiced by the Glenwood Springs Police Department — requires a larger shopping outlet, so the event took place at Walmart. With support from Alpine Bank, Holy Cross and Umbrella Roofing, the youngsters chose gifts for their friends and family and were encouraged to get something for themselves, as well. In the process, they built a bond with officers they may someday encounter in a less pleasant circumstance. “It shows that we’re all in this together — people to people,” Zimmerman said. “Our job is the safety and security of the community, but we can’t do that alone. It’s so much easier and more fun when we get to empower others.” And while the kids seemed to have a blast, the officers may have been the main beneficiaries. “Sometimes it’s refreshing to take a break from everybody else’s bad day and make somebody’s day instead,” Rup said.
Of course, no matter how safe and secure our small town may appear, our officers are eventually going to run into conflict — criminal or otherwise. That’s where Critical Incident Training can make a big difference. “Almost everyone is going through something when they come in contact with police, and we’re expected to fix it,” said Officer Luke Blue. “In a lot of situations, taking that extra moment can be the most important part.” Officer Kelli Litzu, the most recent member of the department to go through the training, had that message underscored almost immediately when she responded to a report of a woman threatening to jump into traffic. “Had I not been to that training a week prior, she would have been in cuffs, because she swung at me,” Litzu said. “She’s not a criminal and she shouldn’t be treated that way.” And while most of what she learned was ostensibly focused on mental health, she’s finding it applies more often than not. “It’s about getting people to understand you’re there to help, not to hurt,” she said. “I would like to see every officer CIT trained.” Indeed, she’s working on becoming a coach to teach the philosophy. And that’s precisely the approach Schilling would like to see. “You have to police the community the way they’d like to be policed,” he said.
Brandyn Rup (center) was among the Carbondale Police staff participating in “Shop with a Cop” this year. Photo by Jane Bachrach
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes to you and your loved ones, for a Happy New Year!
Sarah Murray
970.618.0109 sarah@masonmorse.com
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 5
Scuttlebutt
Send your scuttlebutt to news@soprissun.com.
Wax on, wax off
Donate to the plate
Carbondale-based Snow Shed Wax Company is among 10 semifinalists announced for the ninth annual Monfort College of Business Entrepreneurial Challenge (eChallenge) at the University of Northern Colorado. Show Shed makes a water-based, anti-stick spray that is used to reduce snow and ice buildup on topsheets, climbing skins, and bindings. It is also readily biodegradable and is considered non-hazardous to the environment, according to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard. Five finalists will be chosen from industries like healthcare, education and sports to compete for a total of $50,000 in prize money and the opportunity to present their business plans to a panel of judges in the final competition at the University Center on March 27.
LIFT-UP, which provides humanitarian assistance to those in need throughout the Roaring Fork Valley ist trying to ensure that everyone gets a traditional holiday meal at Christmas — “turkey, green beans, potatoes, pie and all the trimmings,” said Amy Barr, LIFT-UP’s new executive director. Last winter LIFT-UP assisted more than 2,100 families with Holiday Fare food boxes. Over the past month, LIFTUP’s food pantries have taken registrations from Aspen to DeBeque for holiday boxes for needy people – individuals, families and especially the elderly. To donate or for more information, visit www.liftup.org.
Shelter from the storm Beginning in late August 2017, Colorado Animal Rescue worked with Austin Pets Alive and Best Friends Animal Society to transfer 17 animals to C.A.R.E. after the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. While the majority of the Texas survivors found forever families, several are still looking for people to call their own, including Beatrix, Suzanna and Oreo. Have room in your home and heart for a new friend? Email info@coloradoanimalrescue.org to learn more.
The survey says… Pitkin County Open Space and Trails compiled the input on alignment alternatives for the Crystal River Trail and made it available at www.pitkinOSTprojects.com. In addition, the Board will meet on Dec. 21 to discuss the public feedback and offer some of their own thoughts. This meeting, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Pitkin County Library, is a work session and is not a public hearing, though it is open for the public to attend. It will be streamed live at www. pitkincounty.com and broadcast on GrassRoots TV.
Third graders at CRES have been taking their learning to the streets. As part of their project-based learning program, they have been working to persuade local government officials to construct a bike path connecting the Rio Grande Trail with the path on Snowmass Drive. In addition to writing letters to the editor in The Sopris Sun, recording PSAs for KDNK, designing and distributing posters, and writing letters to the county commissioners, a group of students spoke to five trustees and about 100 community members on Dec. 12. The trustees expressed support for the students’ proposal and encouraged them to present to the county commissioners as well. Photo by Debbie Bruell
Bonding with Pd The Art Base recently announced a new collaboration with Palladium Properties, a valley-based real estate firm committed to providing a collaborative experience with an emphasis on local philanthropy. Art Base-curated exhibitions will rotate throughout the year at Palladium’s new Willits location — 364 Market Street — and feature Roaring Fork Valley artists. Artists currently represented in Abstracts: Teresa Booth Brown, Carol Loewenstern, Summers Moore, Jocelyn Murray, Andrew Roberts-Gray, and Katha Rossein.
Amoré Realty Loves their Brokers and we are excited to announce our new Broker Associate, Courtney Tschanz.
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Fine hospitality YouthEntity has been named to the 2018 Elite 50, an annual selection of the top 50 secondary school hospitality programs in the nation. Criteria for the schools selected included an original recipe with photos or a restaurant management design and instructor educational/certification background and informational materials such as videos or brochures about the school’s program. For more information, visitpages.sullivan.edu/elite50/winners.asp.
Show off our state Ty B. of Cascade Christian School in Puyallup, Wash., is writing a report on the state of Colorado and is hoping our readers can help. He’s asking for pictures, postcards, used license plates, facts, products and the like which can presumably be sent to the school — 601 Ninth Ave. S.E., Puyallup, WA 98371.
They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating another year of life this week include: Paula Fothergill (Dec. 21); Jerry Pluger and Carolyn, Jackson and Jessica Hardin (Dec. 22); Bill Lamont (Dec. 23); Caitlin Causey and Emma Danciger (Dec. 26).
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6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
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Students share more than just stories By Megan Tackett Sopris Sun Staff If compassion can be taught — and it’s been widely postulated it can — the Storyteller Project could serve as a textbook example of how to do it. On Dec. 18, Carbondale Middle School fifth graders presented their Storyteller poems. It was the culmination of three weeks of work. The project, now in its second year, is a collaboration between CMS and Voices, a Carbondale-based nonprofit dedicated to amplifying community voices through performance art. In this case, that included spoken word in the form of poetry. “It’s been my pleasure for the last three weeks to bring Voices Storytellers Project to CMS,” Voices Executive Director Renee Prince said. “First, we talked about compassion and using sensory details to connect to each other’s stories; second, the kids worked in teams to interview members of the community.” By first discussing compassion and interpersonal connectivity, students could use those lessons to finetune interview techniques, Prince explained. They worked in small groups to conduct recorded interviews with community members, whose professions ranged from farmer to police officer to white-water rafting guide to newly obtained Master’s degree in theater.
The young interviewers would then listen to their subjects’ recorded responses and, within their groups, agree on a particularly sagacious sentiment that would become the first line of the group’s poems. “The final phase of the project is what we’re here to celebrate today: these young people’s writing,” she said. While each group member’s poem started with the same opening line, the directions their works subsequently took often were wildly different. “I was interviewed by four different groups,” said Neal Martin, a Roaring Fork Valley local who spends 130 days of the year guiding raft trips through the Grand Canyon. “I thought that I was basically going to do the same interview four different times, but every single time was totally different. I was blown away by their insight, the complexity of some of their questions.” He added that many of the students were particularly interested in the “nitty-gritty” details of his life on the river. Michael Zimmerman, a Carbondale police officer who also works as the police liaison at CMS, shares Martin’s enthusiasm for the project. “I love the kids — I love their creativity and their new perspective of looking at life itself,” he said. “We are open books as we’re interviewing with the children, and then [they] let their imaginations just roll, which is beautiful.”
Christmas Eve Family Service at Grace Church
Voices’ Storytellers Project gives Carbondale Middle School students a chance to share others’ experiences — building compassion and ultimately empathy. Courtesy photo In their readings, the students did not specify which interviewee they wrote about, and the similes and metaphors that comprised the poems’ structures often felt more universally human than specific to one vocation. That was the point. “Last year, we went in with the idea of making one of the goals of the project empathy growth,” Prince said. Students each had journals that staff used to gauge students’ awareness of and ability to demonstrate empathy before, during and after completing the three-week Storyteller Project. The results were impressive: 48 percent of students demonstrated an understanding of empathy before beginning the project. That number jumped to 83
percent afterward. This year, the focus shifted from cultivating increased empathy to compassion. “Empathy is when I can put myself in someone else’s shoes and maybe even sometimes feel the feelings they are feeling. Frankly, that’s kind of an advanced concept [for a fifth grader],” Prince said. “As we recognized that it’s important to set boundaries for your own feelings, we felt that compassion was a really great choice for that age and the district,” she said, adding that compassion is one of Roaring Fork Schools’ stated habits of a scholar. The neuroscience backs up the Storyteller Project’s approach. It turns out that VOICES page 19
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8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
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The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 9
Strouds share a family from around the world By Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff
It’s become something of a norm for a kid from another country to be staying with the Strouds, but doesn’t make it any less enriching. “We’ve been doing it so long that the house would feel empty if he didn’t have an exchange student,” noted Tami Stroud who, along with her husband John, has hosted youngsters from France, Germany, Argentina and Austria through Rotary International’s Youth Exchange program. “Teenagers are teenagers no matter where they come from,” she added. At this point their son, Trevor, can hardly count himself as an only child anymore. “It’s really cool to have basically brothers and sisters from all around the world,” he said. That’s been particularly true with the Stefan Platzer, since the boys are about the same age and they do chores side by side. Platzer hails from the city of Wels, Austria, and comes from a small family himself. “It’s basically my mother, my sister, me and our two cats,” he told Carbondale Rotarians in a presentation during a recent meeting. The Rotary exchange program is more affordable than most of its competitors, but offers less choice as to destination. It’s a one-to-one student shuffle between districts, but it’s often more like musical chairs than a precise swap. Rotary makes concerted efforts to make sure students find a good fit. In Carbondale, that ideally means comfort with relatively rural life and a love of the outdoors. Platzer fits that bill. “One of the biggest hobbies I had was hiking and skiing, and I think that’s why I’m here,” he said. Indeed, he’s only just beginning to figure out that whole world isn’t as scenic as the Alps and the Rockies. His af-
Tami (left) and John (right) Stroud along with Carbondale exchange student Stefan Platzer (second from left) and Basalt exchange student Thunyakrit Chutiphornphongchai (he goes by Ou) at Hanging Lake. finity for the United States, in general, is fairly recent and thanks mostly to a family trip. “In middle school I was pretty bad at English,” he said. “I never would have expected I’d be spending time here.” Coming from a place where you can take a road trip to another country and be back in time for dinner, he noted that “everything is so much bigger” in the United States. He discovered fairly quickly that Americans often don’t know much about his home country. Even folks who don’t mix Austria up with Australia would be hard pressed to name the capital (Vienna), chancellor (Sebastian Kurz was just sworn in Dec. 18) or famous people
(Erwin Schrödinger, Niki Lauda and a dizzying array of composers including Mozart), though some might recollect its roles in both World Wars. Some of the differences were welcome — Thanksgiving was a favorite for the culinarily inclined Platzer, as was the strange foreign delicacy we know as “banana bread.” Others were concerning — the lack of free higher education or universal health care. Most were just different. “The first four weeks were pretty strange, but I got used to it,” he said. Schooling, in particular, is noticeably different, with Austria offering next to no elective choice, teachers who move rooms while students stay in one place and different tracks for different career paths. While grades for those studying abroad may not count back home, Rotary students are expected to keep them up as part of the program. Platzer was already attending a boarding school, so being far from home wasn’t too difficult. Indeed, with tech like Snapchat, he’s in touch with his family far more than students of decades or even a few years ago. Instead, the compounding element has mostly been the small-town dynamic — particularly given the Stroud’s community involvement. Those connections are now his as he becomes part of the family, and there are plans for visiting in both directions. “You build relationships for your whole life,” Platzer said. The same goes for the hosts, who have compounding excuses to travel abroad. “It’s just an incredibly rewarding experience. I think we learn as much as the students do,” John said. “Even though we’re this huge melting pot, I think people have kind of lost sight of those cultural differences.” While the Strouds plan on continuing to host, Rotary could always use more host families. For more information or to get involved, email jtstroud@comcast.net.
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10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
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Finding recovery through service By Megan Tackett Sopris Sun Staff
One of the men a group of Jaywalkers encountered on a recent Houston service trip was living in his car after the flooding (the car had also flooded, but it provided better accommodations than his destroyed home). “Insurance wasn’t helping,” said Cordes Symmes, Solutions Program coordinator at the Jaywalker Lodge sober house. “He’s eating mangoes that he’s picked off a tree. He doesn’t know what to do. I can’t imagine how somebody lives like that, [but] you see it.” Months after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area — affecting about a third of residential units — there are still more than 47,000 displaced people living in hotels and motels, according to a Nov. 22 article by Rebecca Elliott published in the Houston Chronicle. Tens of thousands more continue to struggle to eek out an existence in what remains of their homes due to lack of other options. Symmes and five Jaywalker clients made the trek down to Houston to help rebuild what they could. The organization is already planning a return trip in February. “This past trip was destruction,” he said of the group’s teardown efforts. “Now we’re going to do construction. We’re going to help put up drywall and help the staging along the way of that process. It’s going to be years —10 years is what people say for how long it’s going to take to rebuild and get back to where it was.” And Symmes knows what it was before Harvey and its aftermath. “I grew up in Houston, so it’s really interesting to go back and see [it]. There are some areas that are back and thriving and doing well, and then there are areas where people don’t even know where to begin,” he said, recounting a woman the group worked with who had spent much of her career working at a homeless shel-
ter only to now find herself homeless. “She hadn’t been able to go back to work because of the trauma and everything that happened to her, so she was displaced,” he said. She was far from the only one. “A lot of people are out of work; a lot of people were suffering in that sense. A lot of people are back to their normal life. It’s just kind of a big difference.” That dichotomy — feeling isolated and struggling while others seem to be thriving unencumbered — serves as a parallel for experiencing addiction, Pat Shaffer, Jaywalker chief of admissions and marketing, said. “[Service] normalizes recovery,” he said. “A lot of times as addicts and alcoholics, we feel like we’re the only ones in recovery. When you go to Houston, these people are trying to rebuild their lives and recover in that sense, and it shows, too, that you have to have other people around you. You can’t do it alone, so it’s a great parallel that the guys can see.”
The big picture That parallel is the reason that service is a cornerstone of Jaywalker’s mission and, in turn, its treatment modules. That’s particularly true of its second-stage Solutions Program, a 90-day transitional stage that provides a monitored environment for clients to exercise a sober lifestyle. Clients are encouraged to pursue further education and vocation in addition to regular community service. “We do four service trips a year,” Jaywalker Chief of Clinical Operations Stefan Bate said. Two of those trips are always dedicated to disaster relief, which for the next several years will likely be to Houston. Those trips require more logistical legwork regarding scheduling, he explained, and since many Solutions clients also juggle school and work, not everyone partakes. On the
Jaywalkers arranges four assistance trips a year to provide service to places and people in need — and help the recovery process in turn. Courtesy photo
Months after Hurricane Harvey, Houston is still rebuilding. Courtesy photo December trip, for instance, five of 13 clients were able to attend. The other two trips always revisit the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. “That trip is one all the clients will go on,” Bate said. Most of the service work done at the reservation involves building bunk beds for the Oglala Lakota children that live there — many of whom have never slept in a bed — and insulating old FEMA trailers that had once served New Orleans after Katrina. The hope, Bate said, is to convert the trailers into permanent residencies. “A lot of the times, [Pine Ridge residents] burn the bunk beds for warmth [during the winters], so we go back and rebuild those,” Shaffer said of the continual bed building aspect of the trips. The residents of Pine Ridge are no strangers to addiction. Until recently, four liquor stores in neighboring Whiteclay, Nebraska — a town of 14 — sold more than 4 million cans of beer a year into Pine Ridge. Last September, after grassroots campaign efforts by native activists, the Nebraska supreme court ruled to permanently close the liquor stores. That said, bootleggers still routinely supply watered-down vodka, often at 1,000-percent markups. The poverty and addiction levels at Pine Ridge are JAYWALKERS page 16
Sopris Sun Holiday Ad Deadlines Ad Deadline: Jan. 4 edition THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, NOON Ad Reservation Deadline for the January 4 edition of The Sopris Sun
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The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 11
Category Winners
Spruce Up The Sun Design Contest 2017
Pre-K - kindergarden winner: Florence Serson
First grade winner: Abby Harris
Second grade winner: Lexi Filiss
Third grade winner: Avery Spencer
12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
Category Winners Six grade and up winner: Cynthia Rodriguez
Fifth grade winner: Emma Charters
Second grade runner-up: Ayla Cusco
Fifth grade runner-up: Ruby Lough
Sixth grade runner-up: Emmet Hood Garcelon
Honorable Mention, Cosmic: Austin McClung
Spruce Up The Sun Design Contest 2017
Fourth grade winner: Emmaline Warner
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 13
Community Calendar FRIDAY Dec. 22
NUTCRACKER • Crystal River Ballet School puts on its 18th annual holiday student performance at 6:30 p.m. at Carbondale Middle School (180 Snowmass Dr.). FUNKY FRESH • Bust a move right into the holiday weekend as The Habits bring the cheer to The Black Nugget (403 Main St.) from 9 p.m. ’til the wee hours of the morning.
SUNDAY Dec. 24
CANDLELIgHT SERVICE • Join The Orchard (110 Snowmass Dr.) on Christmas Eve for carols, hot cocoa, and candlelight with 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. services and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. live nativities.
WEDNESDAY Dec. 27
FOREIgN FILM • At 5 p.m., the Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.) screens “Joyeux Noël” about the unofficial Christmas truce of 1914.
FRI to THU Dec. 22-28
Further Out
MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Lady Bird” (R) at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 22-23; “Loving Vincent” (PG-13) at 5:15 p.m. Dec. 23 and “All the Money in the World” (R) at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 26-28. Closed Dec. 24-25.
SATURDAY Dec. 23
THURSDAY Dec. 28
IMPROVISATIONAL JAZZ • The Zack Ritchie Quartet plays all of your favorite jazz classics and mixes in a healthy dose of improvisation at 8 p.m. at The Temporary (360 Market St., Willits). Tickets are $5 at www.tacaw.org/event/1607824zack-ritchie-quartet-basalt.
FRIDAY Dec. 29
JAZZ DINNER • A special celebration of the holiday spirit with Jeannie Walla and her friends begins at 8 p.m.at the Temporary (360 Market St., Willits). Prior to the show, enjoy a dinner special at Market Street Kitchen — $25 dinner includes wine, an appetizer, and an entree.
mmmmmm
To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is noon on Monday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted.
ROCK FLAMENCO • El Javi, out of Mexico City, joins the spirit of flamenco with the heart of rock at 8 p.m. at The Temporary (360 Market St., Willits).
SUNDAY Dec 31
U
BRUNCH • Celebrate and still be home early with a 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. brunch at
Batch (358 Main St.). For $30, get bottomless chicken and waffles and farm-totable eats plus a build your own bloody bar — there’s also a $10 kids option without the alcohol. ROCKABILLY • Ring in the New Year beginning at 9 p.m. at Carbondale Beer Works (647 Main St.) with The Tankareys. No cover; ’40s theme; champagne toast at midnight. A Rockabilly New Years Eve at Carbondale Beer Works. DJ • Ring in 2018 with Marble Distillery (150 Main St.) beginning at 9 p.m. with an evening of fine craft spirits, DJ Benny spinning the latest hits, a balloon drop and complimentary toast at midnight! Cover is $20 per person. There are also a limited number of reserved tables. Call 963-7008 or email scoop@marbledistilling.com for more information. NEW YEAR’S EVE STRUT • Let’s Just Dance hosts an evening of dancing, snacks and enjoying friends old and new beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). $10 per person; info at 366-6463, BillyPat4@ gmail.com. There will be no dance Tuesday, Jan. 2. DANCE PARTY • Carbondale Community School (1505 Satank Rd.) hosts music beginning at 8 p.m. and a champagne toast at 10 p.m. for those who want to do it New York time and again at midnight. $5 includes live DJs; come dressed to “ride the wave” or go “under the sea” if you’re so inclined.
Ongoing DECK THE WALLS • The Launchpad (76 S. Fourth St.) hosts a seasonal artisanal market. 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. BRONCO BABBLE • Get excited for the next big game and share your own thoughts from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays on KDNK. 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 (3795718). First Monday of every month catch a powerpoint presentation by Dr. Feinsinger about the science behind plantbased nutrition, 7 to 8:30 p.m., board room 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. 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 CALENDAR continued on page 15
Oh Come All Ye Faithful! mmmmmm Everyone is invited for Christmas Mass
St. Mary of the Crown
397 White Hill Road Carbondale Sunday, December 24 8 p.m. – English Mass 10 p.m. – Spanish Mass Monday, December 25 8:30 a.m. – English Mass
St. Vincent
250 Midland Avenue Basalt Sunday, December 24 5:30 p.m. – Children’s Mass Monday December 25 10:30 a.m. – English Mass 12:30 p.m – Spanish Mass
(970) 704-0820 mmmmmmmmm www.stvincentstmary.com mmmmmmmmm
10 days. 29 movies. Don’t miss it. Full program online. Free for AMPAS, BAFTA and other Associated Guilds
14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
Community Calendar
continued from page 14
Ongoing
White House Pizza (801 Main Ct.) at noon every Thursday. BLUEgRASS JAM • Bring the instrument of your choice or just your voice for a weekly jam session first and last Sundays at 6:30 at Steve’s Guitars (19 N. Fourth St.) and all other Sundays at the Glenwood Springs Brew Garden (115 Sixth St.). 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. SENIOR MATTERS • The nonprofit Senior Matters, based in the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.), offers numerous programs for senior citizens, including: tai chi with John Norton at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesdays; tai chi with Marty Finklestein at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; Alaprima Painters at 11 a.m. on Thursdays; the Senior Matters Book Club at 4 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month; and the Roaring Fork Brain Train. Info: seniormatters. org; Diane Johnson at 970-306-2587; and Senior Matters, Box 991, Carbondale CO, 81623. SENIOR RADIO • Diane Johnson talks about senior issues and services on KDNK at 4:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.
Treat
LET’S JUST DANCE • Feel great, have fun and dance Tuesdays at The Third Street 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 970366-6463 or email billypat4@gmail.com. NOT HORTICULTURE • SMG (Save Michelle’s Garden), a political action group based around the philosophy of Michelle Obama’s White House Garden, meets at 4 p.m. every other Thursday at the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). MINDFULNESS • The Mindful Life Program in the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.) offers group sessions Mondays at 7:30 p.m. Admission is by donation and registration is not necessary. Info: mindfullifeprogram.org and 970-633-0163. RUN AROUND • Independence Run & Hike hosts a run around town Saturdays at 8 a.m. Meet at the store 596 Highway 133 (in La Fontana Plaza) and run various distances, with different routes each week. Info: 704-0909. 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. PARENT CHILD CLASSES • Waldorf teacher and parent Holly Richardson offers programs for caregivers and children
ages 1 to 3, with musical storytime from 9 to 10 a.m. Mondays, Sweet Peas Garden from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays and Peas and Carrots from 9 to 11 a.m. Fridays. Call 963-1960 for more info or visit waldorfschoolrf.com. Preregistration is suggested before Sept. 30 but drop ins are also welcome. 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. STORYTIME • Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) hosts stories songs and more for ages 4 and up at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays for 3 and under at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. ONE VOICE • Lisa Dancing-Light, founder of Higher Octave Music Programs, presents a new community singing group intended to celebrate the joy that music brings to the spirit. Thursdays thereafter from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Helios Center (601 Sopris Ave.) in Carbondale. 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.). BOOK CLUB • Join friends and fellow readers to discuss great books at Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) at 4 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. Call 963-2889 for this month’s selection. STORY ART • Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.), in partnership with the Aspen Art Museum, invites kids to learn about artists and create masterpieces of their own at 4 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month. LIONS MEET • The Carbondale Lions Club meets the first Tuesday of the month at the Gathering Center at the Orchard (110 Snowmass Dr.) starting at 6:30 p.m. Info: Chuck Logan at 963-7002 or Chris Chacos at 379-9096. DHARMA • The Way of Compassion Dharma Center holds a Dharma talk and meditation from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and a silent meditation and Buddha of Compassion practice at 8 a.m. Saturdays. WRITERS gROUP • Wordsmiths of all experience and abilities gather at the Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of the month.
For Your Heath!
someone you love.
Dr. Greg Feinsinger
TH SAVE ED ATE Supported by !
founder of Center for Prevention of Disease through Nutrition presents a PowerPoint presentation on the
SCIENCE BEHIND PLANT-BASED NUTRITION
Tuesday, January 2, 2018 7 pm in the Board Room Third Street Center, 520 S. Third Street
Center for Human Flourishing Third Street Center Carbondale www.davinikent.com
A Tuba-tooting and Tune-filled Holiday Service ...and all of the caroling songs are secular favorites! With special-guest musician Sophia Clark of Let Them Roar
Join us Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017 - 10:00 a.m.
OPEN DAILY
MON – SUN 8 am to 6 pm v
Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist (TRUU) @ Third Street Center, Calaway Room
www.tworiversuu.org
truenaturehealingarts.com 100 N 3RD S T • C ARBONDALE 970.963 .9 900
Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist
Presiding Minister: Shawna Foster Inspirational, Contemporary Music: Jimmy Byrne Preschool with Justice Bouchet
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 15
Jaywalkers continued from page 11
At mid-season, Oysters atop regional climbing standings By Dave Meyer CRMS climb coach The gravity battles of the High School Climbing League moved from the cozy confines of the Western State University climbing wall to the cavernous walls of Grand Valley Climbing in Grand Junction. This competition drew the biggest field of the season in the Western Slope region with 138 high school climbers harnessing up to do battle with the boulders and roped routes. The crowd included teams from Aspen, Battle Mountain, Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Coal Ridge, Delta, Fruita Monument, Gunnison, Montrose, Ridgway, Silverton, Telluride, Vail Mountain School, and Yampah Mountain High School. When the chalk dust settled there were some expected results and some surprises. On the team side, CRMS continued its winning ways posting strong finishes in both boys and girls. The boys bested perennial contenders Montrose in second and a rising Telluride team in third. Coal Ridge posted an improved seventh place finish, nearly 4,000 points ahead of eighth place Yampah. The CRMS Pearls were dominant in the girls’ division taking places one through six, easily outdistancing second place Montrose. There were some great individual efforts from a variety of athletes including a dominant win by sophomore Anja Simpson of CRMS. She was followed by senior Lauren Murphy and freshman Alice Amdur both of Carbondale. For the boys, junior Toby Meyer of CRMS posted his first career win. Will Plantz of Telluride took second and senior Spijk Selby of CRMS placed third.
Anja Simpson of Carbondale took the top spot in the girls’ standings. Courtesy photo At the midway point in the season, CRMS holds a firm grip on first place in the team standings for both girls and boys. The girls’ standings show Anja Simpson in first, Alice Amdur of CRMS in second, and Macadian Cordova of Montrose in third. Overall, senior Fynn Blake of CRMS leads the boys’ individual standings followed by Toby Meyer of CRMS in second, Gio Russo of Montrose in third, and Will Plantz of Telluride in fourth. Next weekend the competition moves to the roped walls of Ridgway High School.
staggering. Almost two thirds of adults experience alcohol addiction. Twenty-five percent of babies are born with fetal alcohol syndrome. The median individual income is $4,000 a year, according to Re-Member, a Pine Ridge-based nonprofit, and the unemployment rate hovers above 80 percent. “It’s a real eye opener, not just from the level of the poverty that we’re trying to help, but also just the cultural awareness that we get is a pretty cool piece for our guys,” Bate said of the Pine Ridge trips. “Seeing a room full of kids that haven’t had a bed for a year or two years or whatever, building bunk beds for them or giving them stuffed animals and then getting to see them six months later or a year later… it’s just something our guys never forget,” Shaffer said. It’s empowering for all involved. And while the Pine Ridge and (for now) Houston trips are powerful service excursions, they’re nowhere near the totality of projects that Jaywalker clients undertake. “We volunteer with 37 different organizations locally,” Shaffer said. Jaywalker is always accepting requests for service partnerships from Roaring Fork Valley nonprofit organizations (email info@jaywalkerlodge.com). “There’s a lot of stigma around addiction and a lot of our guys, they come into the program not having that sense of worth. Putting them in a position where they not only get to do some good, but then the community is saying, ‘You’re a valuable part of this community; thank you so much for your help; we need you; you’re a part of our society’ — it’s cool,” Bate said. That feeling can become its own form of healthy addiction. “They all loved it,” Symmes said of the Houston trip. “It is work, and they all reported back that it was super impactful, super meaningful. And they’re all asking, ‘when are we going again?’”
Custom Orders for your Holiday Table steaks, prime rib and tenderloins
Holiday Gift Boxes still available. Homegrown • Grass Fed Nieslanik Finished
Happy Holidays from our family to yours! 970-963-1644 or visit NieslanikBeef.com 16 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
It was all about the outfits ...for most
Though the weather outside was delightful, The sweaters were still quite frightful. But although there wasn’t any snow, The jingle bell race was a go. Approximately 100 runners showed up for Independence Run & Hike’s 5K Jingle Bell Run on Dec. 17. The race takes place annually the Sunday before Christmas. This year, the unusual lack of winter ambiance didn’t seem to dim the spirits of the runners or onlookers and in fact, the warmerthan-normal temps allowed participants to be more creative as far
Photos and text by Jane Bachrach
as the outfits were concerned. Among the myriad of ugly sweaters, there were jammies, bathrobes, a ballerina in a tutu and lots of runners with reindeer
horns and the like. The men’s winner was Wesley Toews, and Women’s winner was Tara Richardson. The ugliest sweater was worn by Jeremy Duncan.
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 17
Catherine Store housing proposal a no go Garfield County Planning Commission unanimously rejects amendment By Justin Patrick Special to The Sopris Sun The Garfield County Planning Commission voted unanimously Dec. 13 against a proposal to allow a significant change to its comprehensive plan, a guiding document that attempts to envision how the county should grow. Had it passed, the amendment would have allowed a developer’s request to build up to 400 small homes in the pasture northeast of the intersection of Catherine Store Road and County Road 100 to be considered by the Commission. With the denial, the county will keep its highest density land use designation as “rural high density,” which would allow only 124 homes in the pasture.
Criticism Opposition to the proposed amendment came from citizens, adjacent government entities, and perhaps most passionately from the Lions Ridge Homeowners Association, which represents homeowners directly adjacent to the pasture. Critics appealed to the Commission with a range of arguments. Some cited concerns about the ability of existing infrastructure to ab-
sorb an additional 1,200 or so residents in such a small place, and worried about more accidents in the already troublesome intersection. The viability of public services like fire, police, and schools for the new residents was called into question. Others discussed the sensitivity and delicacy of sewer and water infrastructure currently in place, and suggested that reengineering it to service 400 new homes was not feasible. Some commenters pointed out that affordable workforce housing projects were successfully under way in nearby municipalities, including Aspen and Basalt, and suggested that the applicant had not proven a need for pursuing workforce housing in unincorporated Garfield County. Still others decried jeopardizing the unspoken contract between existing homeowners and the county. They contended that to allow the rezoning of “rural” land to a new “residential village” category (essentially a swing from the sparsest residential designation to the most crowded) was disingenuous, harmful to wildlife, and against the spirit of the comprehensive plan. Branches of town government in both Carbondale and Pitkin County likewise urged the rejection of the amendment.
18 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
There are only four “village centers” in Garfield County’s Comprehensive Plan. The rejected amendment would have allowed high density residential development within three quarters of a mile of them. Courtesy graphic “You’re talking about creating what is in effect a new municipality outside of the current municipalities in the county… That is in complete opposition to your comprehensive plan,” said Tom Smith, a Carbondale attorney representing Lions Ridge. “Has the applicant demonstrated that workforce housing cannot be provided within the urban growth areas as pres-
ently envisioned by your comprehensive plan?... High density development should occur in urban areas. Workforce housing should be placed where urban services and jobs, etcetera, are available to them. Placing a project in proximity to a village center lying between municipalities makes no sense…” he said. HOUSING page 19
Housing continued from page 18 Dozens of locals submitted comments to the Commission by email, and many were also present during Wednesday’s meeting. Though some acknowledged the pressing need for affordable workforce housing in the valley and appreciated the effort to address it, the majority were against any modification to Garfield County’s comprehensive plan and urged a solution through existing channels. “ The intersection of Highway 82 and County Road 100 has been quite dangerous and the scene of many accidents for many years. We had two in one day this past summer. The volume of traffic generated by a high density area is incomprehensible,” wrote Anne Pratt. Some commenters pointed out that “village centers,” a key component that allowed for the Catherine Store proposal, had been identified by the county as points of possible limited build out, but that they were not intended to accommodate large residential developments. “To call Catherine’s Store a Village Center is erroneous, it’s a Gas Station and Liquor Store,” wrote Peter LaMorte. Commissioner Chair Bob Fullerton echoed that sentiment before voting down the amendment. He was one of three commissioners currently serving that was on the commission when the county developed the comprehensive plan. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think a village center would have the potential to be this,” he said of the proposed change that would have added a “residential village” high-density land use designation within three-quarters of a mile of village centers. Only four village centers are currently identified in Garfield County.
What now? Applicant Ken Arnold of Gatorcap, Inc. endured the criticism with good humor. He said that he understood where opponents were coming from. “I fully un-
derstand the ‘not in my backyard’ argument. If it were my property I would be saying ‘no’ as well. But I think you have to look at the bigger picture here and the economic effect to the county in the long-term.” Arnold later expressed his wish that he had been provided a more collaborative forum to discuss the specifics of the Catherine Store proposal, which the Commission tried to avoid to conform with procedural requirements. “I was surprised that I was not able to discuss the value of the project and the benefits to the community,” he wrote in an email to The Sopris Sun. “I do think the public would have been better served by discussing the actual project instead of the hypotheticals of how this change, which was worded to be limited to only this one site, may affect the entire Garfield County in the future. I think many of the concerns brought up by the public were unwarranted, and if there was a chance to discuss, we could have at least focused on the real issues.” Whatever the long-term solution to the affordable housing crisis may be, it will not take the form of a land use change under Garfield’s comprehensive plan. It is unclear if the developer will continue to pursue a project on the 41-acre parcel near Catherine Store. “Even though this is the best location in Garfield County for affordable workforce housing (closest point to work centers up valley, adjacent to a bus stop, and within a water/sewer district), the commission decided they did not want density that is higher than the maximum three dwelling units per acre currently allowed in the comprehensive plan,” wrote Arnold. “Our challenge is to see if we can design a workforce housing project that fits within the comprehensive plan and the community can support, while still being financially viable.”
CARBONDALE
The Storytellers Project is a collaborative process. Courtesy photo
Voices continued from page 8
there is a specific area of the brain — the supramarginal gyrus — responsible for curbing the natural egocentricity of how a person internalizes external experiences. It’s also responsible for limb functionality and interpreting tactile data. Both literally and figuratively, it helps us reach out, and studies show that its functionality is limited when neurons are disrupted from a task or when someone must make a particularly quick decision. “We really believe in deep impact over a period of time. [I] feel so lucky that we can do these longer residencies in school,” Prince said, noting the program’s emphasis on incorporating sensory details into students’ writing, which is a process. The process worked. “I smell the sour blood, as strong as a freshly cut lemon,” one student read. “Her wet clothes were dripping sadness,” read another. “Love is memory,” yet another. Compassion is a first step toward empathy, Prince said, and empathy goes two ways. “It gave me fresh eyes into the mind of a youth of that age,” Martin said, “and maybe it did give me more insight into my job. It was reflective for myself in a way that I didn’t expect.”
Tis’ the Season to Ring the Bell
One-Level Living in RVR! Beds 4 | Baths 2.5 | $899,000 The custom house with everything you’re looking for – all on one level! For the entertainer: The living room, dining room, and kitchen are all in one. Store all of your cars and toys in the huge, four car garage. All four bedrooms are on one side of the house. Enjoy drinks and views of Sopris on the back deck, large yard, spacious basement, and everything RVR offers! Web Id#: SS151418
Brian Keleher
970.379.3296 bk@masonmorse.com
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Carbondale Rotary is seeking volunteers to ring the bell for the Salvation Army at City Market this final week before Christmas. Please contact Rotary Club President Ed Queenan at (401) 465-4276 or queenan.edward@gmail.com and sign up today! THIS COMMUNITY AD SPACE DONATED BY COOL BRICK STUDIOS.
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 19
‘To the kids of Carbondale’
Christmas continued from page 2
From the archives of the Roaring Fork Valley Journal Dec. 22, 1978 Well before his own stint as a trustee, sculptor John Hoffman presented the town with a gift in the form of “Unckle Henry,” a life sized man constructed of railroad spikes bearing the inscription, “To the kids of Carbondale.” It still sits in a section of the Garfield Avenue right-of-way near Sopris Park. In other news… The Town was looking at ways to cover unemployment insurance, which municipalities would be subject to at the start of the new year.
“Unckle Henry” 40 years later
Dec. 23, 1987
Dec. 24, 1997
Counselor Holly Hehir was exploring some radical ideas about drug and alcohol treatments. On the addiction side, she viewed dealing with the whole emotional, spiritual, mental and physical spectrum as the best way to avoid recidivism. Treatments included body work, acupuncture and other techniques pulled from both Western and Eastern philosophy. Her holistic suggestions also noted a good sweat at the Vapor Caves as a hangover cure. But, the headline observed, “hair of the dog still works.” In other news… The Bureau of Land Management was considering Wilderness Study Area designation for Eagle Mountain, Hack Lake, Bull Gulch and Castle Peak.
Garfield County agreed to contribute $25,000 a year for three years toward the construction of a new Colorado Animal Rescue shelter. That brought CARE up to about $300,000 and near its fundraising goal, although the site was beginning to look more expensive than previously thought. Meanwhile, Sheriff Tom Dalessandri asserted the need for a dedicated officer if the County decided to reinstate animal control, but Commissioner John Martin felt it would have to be handled with existing staff. In other news… The Roaring Fork Valley was in the process of getting a Habitat for Humanity chapter — which was already expected to look very different from its equivalents in non-resort markets.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT R.J. PADDYWACKS CHECK OUT THE SPECIALS AND PROMOTIONS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.
As a boomer, I have already consumed more than six decades of carols. During my teenage years, I often had no option other than AM radio, which, even in the 1970s, was offering a steady diet of singing Chipmunks (released in 1963), dogs barking Jingle Bells (1955) and Bing Crosby (1942) interminably dreaming of a white Christmas. My love of iceskating has contributed to over-exposure; as a thrice-a-week figure-skating student and a twice-a-week figure-skating teacher, I have spent countless hours on the ice trapped under poor-quality PA systems blaring Christmas music. Luckily for me, I hear too poorly to make out the lyrics to what my friend Claire Lewis calls “the rappy, moany just-need-you-in-bed for Christmas” songs. Unluckily, the words for dozens of Christmas carols have been indelibly grooved into my memory. They’ve become permanent earbugs, evil as the insect that Ricardo Montalban dropped into Pavel Checkov’s ear in “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.” Lest you think that I’m a total Scrooge, there are a few carols I actually do like: “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,” written by Johan Sebastian Bach in 1733. “Good King Wenceslas,” which was published in 1853, setting lyrics to a Finish tune that dates back to the 1500s. (Wenceslas was a 10th century Bohemian King.) And “Riu, Riu, Chiu,” a medieval Spanish villancico. It was preserved in a collection of madrigals published in Venice in 1556 and was probably written in Catalonia. (Yeah, I’m old, but not quite that old.) In addition to being ancient and classical, these carols share something more. They celebrate things the season really should be about: reverence, joy, generosity and faith. I’m not a Christian, but I appreciate those virtues, as do millions who honor other faiths around the globe. And on that note, let me wish you a glorious holiday season with another carol that I like, one that just makes me feel happy. As Jose Feliciano sang it: “Feliz Navidad prospero ano y felicidad. I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas, from the bottom of my heart.”
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20 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
326 Hwy 133, Suite 290, Carbondale, CO 81623 | (970) 510-5143
A not-so-traditional holiday tale By Kathryn Camp Sopris Sun Advertising Manager
Sometimes in life, we don’t know where we’re going until we get there. Decades ago at the University of Alabama, a final assignment in my Humanities “Future Communities” class required a presentation examining how elements of our chosen professions might erode community. It seemed at first like a daunting task for December exam week. We needed to offer remedies and explore choices about how and where to live, while seasonal distractions begged for collegiate cheer. A journalism student, I championed newspapers’ ability to create community by providing an evolving montage of features, voices and photos that over time give us a story of who we are. This warm, fuzzy idea is true. However, the closing of a hometown daily influenced my research, which called me to explore the flipside of this relationship. While a newspaper can define a community, it takes a unique community to sustain a small town press. After seeing my classmates’ presentations, my criteria for an ideal hometown expanded to include independent booksellers, locally sourced food, and experiential education. I drove home for the holidays imagining what such a place might look like. Little did I realize, this was the beginning of my journey to Carbondale. Fast-forward to Christmas 2008. I ran into Trina Ortega in City Market and knew by the look of her that something awful happened. They killed the Valley Journal. Dickens surely created no holiday so foreboding, and yet the ghosts of Carbondale’s past, present and future awoke in the hearts of several brave and gritty local souls who vowed to reclaim our newspaper. The Sopris Sun was launched shortly thereafter, and like most folks, I watched its birth and early years with a mixed sense of awe, gratitude, and (I’m not alone in admitting it) bystander-guilt. Others in our community sacrificed long hours and precious resources to make something miracu-
lous happen, and all I did was read it – which brings me to the moral of the story, and yes, the point. My weekend morning hot-cup-of-indulgence with our local paper became my lifeline to our community during years when my young children and my work as a teacher kept me in a warm and isolated preschool bubble. If not for The Sopris Sun, I may have rarely left my house. But instead, I met our merchants when they advertised their sales. I supported our local nonprofits. I paid attention. I showed up. I got involved. When I joined The Sun as advertising manager, I realized something fundamental. Back when I was “merely” a weekly reader, I too kept our paper alive – because I supported its advertisers. In this vein, I sell ad space, a product, the heart of which is the service of connecting our readers with the people behind each ad. By getting to know our advertisers, by understanding why they are passionate about their work, I’ve been honored to hold an invisible thread that weaves our community together. Each of us makes it stronger when we reach for our local paper. I’m at the end of this chapter of my career, finishing ads for my last editions this week. I want our readers and advertisers to know how blessed I feel for what you gave me. Our often weekly check-ins were rarely just about your ads. We’ve shared stories of our beloved pets, weekend adventures, household projects, shopping finds and kids. This IS community; it is small-town America at its finest; it is why I live here. “Where are you going?” you might ask. I will join Mountain Parent magazine as associate publisher in 2018, and a part of my soul will stay here with The Sopris Sun. Soon I will return to my old ritual – sitting with each week’s edition and savoring it over a cup of earl grey. I will be “merely” an enthusiastic and engaged reader of our local paper — the kind it takes to keep our community thriving. I hope to see you around town.
OPINION
Letters continued from page 2 moving near the highway would be subjected to considerable fumes and noise, (2) In the winter, this alignment would allow surface runoff and subsurface flow of dirty water and oils towards the river, (3) Sometimes complicated engineering, including cantilevered structures, would be required and would disrupt traffic for long periods. When finished, the trail would have the undesirable appearance of an urban bike path, and (4) we think that option A with its estimated cost of over $100 million dollars should take this option out of the running by cost alone. There are some who argue that alignment “B” would adversely affect the health of wildlife to such a degree that this alignment is unacceptable. With due respect to such voices, we note: (1) there are some 100 homes on the east side of the Crystal River, which, by wildlife advocate Rick Thompson’s arguments, would be within the same zone of disturbance as trail alignment “B”. These homeowners, who also respect wildlife, have obviously found ways to live in harmony with wildlife. (2) we believe that Open Space and Trails (OST) will work to have chosen segments of the “B” alignment that have only small impacts on wildlife. Research results showing low impacts on wildlife caused by the presence of the Rio Grande Trail strongly support this view. Winter closures and enforcement against improper use are key. (3) to the east of the proposed “B” alignment are vast BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and Wilderness areas, which are laced with streams, wetlands, and other habitat for healthy wildlife. These areas are a huge buffer zone for any impacts near the Crystal River, and (4) our animal life suffers far more from the impacts of traffic on CO 133 than remotely possible from use of a ped/bike trail with a “B” alignment. LETTERS page 22
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Revisit themes in this beloved holiday classic to deepen your celebration of Christ’s birth.
Christmas Eve
The Sopris Sun is hiring! Part-time Ad Manager position 20-30 hours per week Looking for a community-minded person to join our lively team. Start date: January 1
at the Midvalley Methodist Churches Basalt Candlelight Service 7 p.m. Sunday, December 24 0167 Holland Hills
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For details and a full job description: barbara.dills@gmail.com or 970-963-5782.
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 21
Letters continued from page 21 We feel that the final trail alignment should heavily use the “B” option because: (1) being removed from much traffic, this would offer a beautiful way to experience the valley of the Crystal River, (2) the existing rail bed and wagon road would greatly lessen required engineering and would occupy already disturbed soils, (3) the estimated cost of this option is “only” $20-25 million dollars. There may be ways to significantly reduce this amount. The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners working with the OST Board will consider all the comments provided and select the most appropriate trail. We thank the Pitkin County OST staff for having done much impressive work to bring this project for all to consider. We know that this work is just a start and are confident that this group will excel in moving this project to completion. Doris Downey, Redstone Dorothea Farris, Pitkin County John Hoffmann, Carbondale Bill Spence, Carbondale Peter Westcott, Carbondale
Red Hill doesn’t need saving Dear Editor: I have lived in Carbondale for about 12 years since retiring from my career as a civil engineer. My wife and I moved to Carbondale largely because of our enjoyment of expansive mountain views and outdoor activities, particularly on public
lands. Those activities include hikes up Red Hill, near the entrance to Carbondale, and it is with that background that I would like to comment on the proposal regarding that area by the Aspen Valley Land Trust in concert with the Carbondale Trustees. Signage posted at the entrance to County Road (CR) 107, which acts as the de-facto “trailhead” to the official trailhead about 0.3 mile up the road, implores readers to “Save Red Hill.” Further details indicate that this is to be done by purchasing a 25 acre tract of land adjacent to Highway 82 just to the west, and then constructing a spur trail along the west side of CR 107 to the “official” trailhead for Red Hill, all at a cost estimated to be $1.35 million. It is further claimed that preventing development of this tract of land will preserve the aesthetics of the entrance to Carbondale. There are too many flaws in these claims for me to fully refute in 400 words, but here are a few observations. First, this project will not “save Red Hill” because its status as public land is not endangered. It could provide some needed additional parking for trail users. But it would not provide improved pedestrian access because the proposed spur trail would need to run up the flow channel of the very narrow, unattractive ravine alongside CR 107. This would be completely impractical from a construction and maintenance standpoint. Although CR 107 carries very light vehicular traffic, there is val-
CALL FOR CARBONDALE
BOARD OF TRUSTEE
NOMINATIONS Regular Election Town of Carbondale
The Town of Carbondale will be holding a regular municipal election on April 3, 2018. The Mayor’s seat (four-year term) and four Board of Trustee seats (three four-year terms and one two-year term) are up for election. Those wishing to run for Mayor or Trustee may pick up Nomination Petitions beginning January 2, 2018 from the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue. Qualifications: All candidates must be a qualified elector of the Town, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age, and must have resided in the Town of Carbondale for one consecutive year immediately prior to the date of the election. Petitions must be returned to the Town Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 22, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. The Town of Carbondale is a non-partisan body of local government, therefore, there is no party affiliation designation. For more information contact the Town Clerk Cathy Derby at 510-1206 or cderby@carbondaleco.net.
id concern for the safety of people walking along it, and this could be addressed most economically by constructing a guard rail to separate the shoulder of the road from the portion used by vehicles. The 25 acre tract has been substantially torn up, probably by a previous attempt at development that failed because of the inherent unsuitability of the site. As for aesthetics, the site would be less obtrusive than it is now with either restoration or regulated development. But the Carbondale Trustees could accomplish even more by enacting an ordinance requiring lots used for storage of derelict equipment to be screened from public view. Carl Ted Stude Carbondale
Thank you Santa! Dear Editor: Seniors at Crystal Meadows are not too old to believe in Santa. A group of us were treated to an evening full of laughs and singing and munchies at Glenwood Springs Vaudeville last Thursday. When it came time to pay the bill we were advised that Santa had picked up the tab. Thanks to the Vaudeville team for such a wonderful evening. If you haven’t seen the show yet, make plans to do so. Special thanks to Santa’s chief elf, Jerilyn Nieslanik, for making it all happen. We had a great time. Carolyn Jemison Carbondale
Carbondale’s best, least publicized decision Dear Editor: On Nov. 28, the Carbondale Board of Trustees decided to buy about 200 kilowatts of power from Micro Grid Energy’s solar garden near Rifle. Town Manager Jay Harrington says this will increase Carbondale’s percentage of renewable energy to 50 percent. The town’s move toward 100 percent renewables depends on the upgrade of the wastewater plant, which is currently only 30 percent renewable, and the development of Holy Cross’s solar farm north of town, he said. This is big news. I happen to believe climate change is the most important issue on earth; bigger than the economy (sorry Bill Clinton), bigger than immigration, bigger than terrorism, bigger than world peace. The future of life on this planet really is at stake. When a small town like Carbondale takes steps like this, never mind it will save them money, it shows commitment. I heard about the decision on KDNK the next day. The Sopris Sun dutifully reported it in their weekly edition on Nov. 30. NONE of the three valley dailies had anything about it. Many of the staff of the dailies live in Carbondale. How could they miss it? Time to wake up PI, AT, and ADN. Combating climate change is the wave of the future. Fred Malo Jr. Carbondale
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas Just like the ones I used to know Where the treetops glisten and children listen To hear sleigh bells in the snow I'm dreaming of a white Christmas With every Christmas card I write May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white Bing Crosby
White Christmas
JOHN FROST MERRIOTT Certified Public Accountant
f ro s t y c p a . c o m
Inviting you to join in celebration: Candlelight Services at The Orchard 3 p.m., 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. Live Nativity cocoa & cookies 4 p.m. & 6 p.m. 110 Snowmass Drive Carbondale | 970-379-8663 | theorchardlife.com
22 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017
Legal Notices TOWN OF CARBONDALE ORDINANCE NO. 19 SERIES OF 2017 AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING SUMS OF MONEY TO THE VARIOUS FUNDS AND SPENDING AGENCIES, IN THE AMOUNTS AND FOR THE PURPOSES AS SET FORTH BELOW, FOR THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, FOR THE 2018 BUDGET YEAR NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on December 12, 2017. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov.org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours.
Unclassifieds TAX FUND, DISPOSABLE BAG FUND, 1% FOR THE ARTS FUNDS, CARBONDALE HOUSING FUND, STREETSCAPE FUND, COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT FUND, SALES AND USE TAX FUND OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on December 12, 2017. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov.org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours. THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE _________________________ By: s/s Dan Richardson, Mayor
THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE _________________________ By: s/s Dan Richardson, Mayor
ATTEST: __________________________ s/s Cathy Derby, Town Clerk
ATTEST: __________________________ s/s Cathy Derby, Town Clerk
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 21, 2017.
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 21, 2017.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of considering an application to rezone a 3778-foot parcel from the Transit (T) zone district to the Residential Medium Density (R/MD) district in the UDC. The property is designated as “Downtown/Old Town Periphery” in the Town’s 2013 Comprehensive Plan.
TOWN OF CARBONDALE ORDINANCE NO. 20 SERIES OF 2017 AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL SUMS OF MONEY TO DEFRAY EXPENSES IN EXCESS OF AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR THE GENERAL FUND, VICTIMS ASSISTANCE FUND, LODGING
Parting Shot
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
The applicant proposes a single-family home on the Lot. A conceptual site plan has been included in the application.
The owner/applicant is Peter Mueller and Cindy Suplizio. The property is the vacant property located at the southern edge of the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority Rio Grande Trail and to the northwest of the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and 7th Street. The legal description is: LOT 1, RESUBDIVISION PLAT OF LOT C, LINCOLN AVENUE EAST P.U.D. AND A PORTION OF THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD R-O-W TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COUNTY OF GARFIELD, STATE OF COLORADO. Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 7:00 p.m. on January 11, 2018. Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined by interested persons during regular working hours, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be reviewed on the Town’s website at www.carbondalegov.org John Leybourne Planner Published in The Sopris Sun on December 21, 2017. PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of considering an application to amend the Roaring Fork Village Planned Unit Development to allow residential units on the second story in the Commercial Retail Wholesale PUD district. The property is designated as “Auto Ur-
ban” in the Town’s 2013 Comprehensive Plan. The applicant proposes to add an apartment to the building located at 1199 Village Road, Carbondale. The owners are Matt and Taylor Verheul and the applicant is Big Sky Holdings LLC. The Owners property is located at 1199 Village Road, Carbondale and this amendment would apply to all properties zoned CRW in the Roaring Fork Village PUD. The legal description is: Section: 33 Township: 7 Range: 88 Subdivision: ROARING FORK VILLAGE FILNG #3 Lot: A-2 AS PER LOT LINE VACATION PLAT OF TR A-2A & A-2B FROM ALPINE BANK LOT LINE ADJ PLAT Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 7:00 p.m. on January 11, 2018. Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined by interested persons during regular working hours, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be reviewed on the Town’s website at www.carbondalegov.org John Leybourne Planner Published in The Sopris Sun on December 21, 2017.
Submit to unclassifieds@soprissun.com by Friday 12 p.m. Rates: $15 for 30 words, $20 for up to 50 words. Payment due before publication.*
THE SOPRIS SUN IS HIRINg. Part-time Ad Manager position, 20-30 hours per week. Great opportunity for a communityminded person to join our lively team. For details and a full job description, please contact Barbara Dills, board president, at barbara.dills@gmail.com or 970-963-5782. GET THE WORD OUT IN UNCLASSIFIEDS! Rates start at $15. Email unclassifieds@ soprissun.com. *Credit card payment information should be emailed to unclassifieds@ soprissun.com or call 948-6563. Checks may be dropped off at our office at the Third Street Center or mailed to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. Call 510-3003 for more info.
CHASING DOWN THE BALL Polo doesn’t stop for winter. Before riders took to the snow in Aspen last weekend, the Aspen Valley Polo Club near Catherine Store hosted preliminaries indoors. Photo by Julie Albrecht
Service Directory
! s e r i T l l We Se
Come to Sunburst for your Winter tire change-0ver! 970-963-8800
745 Buggy Circle in Carbondale www.sunburstcarcare.com
See Thundercat at
CARBONDALE ANIMAL HOSPITAL New location! 289 Main Street, Carbondale on the corner of Third and Main Street
(970) 963-2826 Find us on Facebook
Dr. Benjamin Mackin Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s community supported newspaper • DECEMBER 21-27, 2017 • 23
Merry Christmas! from
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