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Volume 11, Number 5 | March 14, 2019
He blinded me with science
Max Loya may have set a new record for keeping an incandescent bulb lit with manpower during Aspen Center for Environmental Studies’ fourth-grade Energy Night at Crystal River Elementary School. The science continues with Mobile Earth + Space Observatory at Carbondale Middle School this week — more on page 6. Photo by Will Grandbois
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Carbondale Commentary
The views and opinions expressed on the Commentary page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The Sopris Sun invites all members of the community to submit letters to the editor or guest columns. For more information, email editor Will Grandbois at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.
I’m back, Carbondale! By Ylice Golden Sopris Sun Staff I’m originally from Virginia Beach, VA and have a background in art, printing and web design, but I moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2011, fell in love with it and found home. A few years back, I moved to the Front Range to help my young adult sons attend college and have wanted to move back for what seems like forever. I’ve missed this place and the people for way too long. When the production position came up at The Sopris Sun, I knew that this could be my opportunity to return. For the time being, I am commuting over the great divide. Yes, through avalanche country and at the whims of Mother Nature and CDOT. Obviously, by the time my lease is up in May, I hope to have found a new nest to call home. I have worked on publications in the valley, and have worked freelance for local clients for years now. I have great friends in the valley and am looking forward to meeting new ones.
Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers
for their generous, ongoing commitment of support.
Jim Calaway, Honorary Chair Kay Brunnier Scott Gilbert – Habitat for Humanity RFV Bob Young – Alpine Bank Peter Gilbert Umbrella Roofing, Inc. Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein Greg and Kathy Feinsinger Carolyn Nelson Jim Noyes True Nature Healing Arts
Burk, Ylice and Cory Golden
Letters
The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 500 words via email at news@soprissun.com or 250 words via snail mail at P.O. Box 399, Carbondale CO 81623. Letters exceeding that length may be returned for revision or submission as a guest column; please include your name, town, and contact information. The deadline for submission is noon on Monday.
Don’t blame the vets
I then proceeded to explain to him the fact that most people don’t join the Army because they want to commit criminal acts or even go to war. A lot of the servicemen and woman that I knew growing up actually didn’t have many options upon graduation, and took the very selfless route of defending this country’s many freedoms, at least as they and I see it. His response was, “Nobody has to join the Army. They could always go AWOL, homeless, or figure something else out to do for money.” I then asked him if my father (with five children) should have gone homeless instead of joining the national guard, to which he replied “you shouldn’t have children if you are going to be unemployed,” which is a pretty out-of-touch statement to make. Obviously my tenure with the company ceased upon hearing those words. The saddest part of the situation was the fact that about 15 of my coworkers witnessed the entire altercation. However, I was the only person to stand up to the ignorance being spewed by this ungrateful coward. He even had the nerve to say “you probably shouldn’t be talking to your boss like this.” What a country. I emailed all of the other marijuana dispensaries in the town of Carbondale urging them to cease business with the facility, but none of them responded to my emails. I hope they aren’t choosing profits over principle, as so many in this country recently have. Jonathan White Carbondale
The Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act (CORE) provides for Dear Editor: the clear designation of certain wilderI would like to share a recent, personal ness areas, recreation management arexperience of workplace mistreatment eas, conservation areas, historic sites with your readers. I recently started a job and landscapes, agricultural grazing for a marijuana packaging facility in Carland, important watersheds and clean bondale. I was extremely excited to work water supplies, appropriate energy manwithin the cannabis industry, as legalizaagement, wildlife habitat and migration tion was a major factor in why I moved corridors, recreational needs for a growfrom Missouri to Colorado back in 2013. ing population, and recognition of the The first few days went by great; I got White River National Forest as the largalong with my coworkers and the shift est and most visited national forest in leaders/managers seemed to like and apthe nation. preciate my help. The stakeholders of the Thompson On Friday, a coworker and I were disDivide Coalition have stated their concussing a focus group that I had recently tinued support for protection the Diattended in Kansas City, which was funded vide — ranching, clean air, clean water, by an insurance company that wanted to wildlife habitat, identified recreational see how little they could pay military veteractivities, and preservation of our limans for the chemical poisoning they underited wild lands. TDC supporters also went at a munitions factory during WW recognize the need to restrict oil and gas II, without outraging the public. Needless development in the identified area now, to say, we both agreed it was a disgusting and we trust that support for these disituation to be a part of. That was when verse interests and restriction of inapthe boss/owner of the packaging facility propriate uses are given equal considerdecided to chime in with his two cents. ation and support 10, 20, and 40 years He told me that anyone poisoned, in the future. wounded, or killed in the armed forces is Those who live and work in the towns getting exactly what they deserve: “That’s and counties around the Divide have what they get for joining the Army and publicly supported the preservation of committing criminal acts.” As the son of the area’s unique natural qualities and a disabled Afghanistan veteran, this just its protection from inappropriate oil about made my head explode. I also have and gas development. I urge these comseveral close friends whose lives have been munity leaders, mayors, town councils, forever impacted negatively because of county commissioners and individuals their brave and conscious decision to put to reaffirm their support of protecting their lives on the line, so Americans like the Divide by supporting Bennet’s prothis guy could enjoy the freedoms they so posed legislation, the Colorado Outdoor often take for granted. Personally, I am Recreation and Economy Act, CORE. extremely anti-war, but the idea that our Support the CORE Act Contact our representatives now to Dear Editor: country’s servicemen and servicewomen encourage and demand their support for Senator Bennet’s bill in the Senate of the should be held accountable for the actions this important legislation. of America’s top brass and spineless politi- United States Congress deserves the supDorothea Farris port from all of us who support protection cians is an outrageous notion. Crystal Valley of our special places and wild lands. LETTERS page 14 Corrections: A story on Ruthie Brown in the Feb. 28 edition incorrectly stated her grade. She is, in fact, a sophomore. Additionally, the Wherehouse was misspelled in a the March 7 remembrance of Susie Strode. 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MARCH 14-20, 2019
Honorary Publishers commit to tax-deductible gifts of $1,000 or more annually. If you’d like to be included please contact Barbara Dills at barbara.dills@gmail.com or 963-5782.
Thank you to our SunScribers and community members for your support! It truly takes a village to keep The Sun shining.
To inform, inspire and build community. Donate online or by mail. P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #32 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Editor Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Carol Fabian • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Reporter: Megan Tackett Graphic Designer: Ylice Golden Delivery: Tom Sands Current Board Members board@soprissun.com Marilyn Murphy, President Raleigh Burleigh, Vice President Linda Criswell, Secretary Klaus Kocher, Treasurer Barbara Dills • April Spaulding Nicolette Toussaint • John Colson The Sopris Sun Board meets regularly on the second Monday evening of each month at the Third Street Center.
Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young • Colin Laird Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible.
Knifemaker creates perfection from imperfection By Amy Hadden Marsh Sopris Sun Correspondent Kay Foye is an alchemist, although she denies it. But how else would one describe a woman who can make a gleaming knife out of an old, rusted farrier’s rasp? Foye’s knives are personal. Her clients (or friends) send meaningful items out of which she makes a blade or the handle for a blade. Or both. “I love to connect to people’s history, their stories, things that hold meaning to them,” she told me. In this case, Foye is making a knife for her friend, Britney, a truck driver who lives on a horse ranch in California. “I felt incredibly compelled to say, ‘listen, if you have some materials you want to use, send them my way, and I’ll make you a knife,’” she explained. Britney sent A knife and her the rasp. Foye will add roses to the handle. When she’s ready to make the knife, she will place the rasp in a portable, propane, double-valve forge that’s about a foot and a half long with maybe an 8-inch ovalshaped opening. Foye loves forging steel. “Once it starts to heat up and change color, once you see the light pulled into it, it’s like clay,” she explained. “The heat is high enough so you can see into the steel.” At a certain temperature, the metal becomes malleable. “You can tell what temperature it’s at based on the color,” says Foye. She has to keep her eye on the forge at all times. “You have to watch it as the temperatures change because if you just get it a little too hot or if it gets a little too cold, you can crack it or change the composition of the metal.” She wasn’t forging the day I visited her studio, a tiny 12 x 14 windowless space on the second floor of a mechanic’s shop on 12th Street. The walls are lined with jars of stones, a ram’s horn, rocks, pieces of driftwood, old saws, and other steel objects that can be made into knives. She showed me her belt grinder, which is how she bevels the blades. A river of sparks flowed from the grinder as shiny silver metal emerged from a rusted blade.
Foye, 35, began making knives in March, 2018 but she apprenticed before she went out on her own. In 2017, she was a wrangler for an outfitting company in Aspen and kept buying knives because she was losing them all the time. “When you’re out in the middle of nowhere on a horse or working with horses in general, it’s just really important to have a knife on you,” she said. She then met a knife-maker from Cleveland, Georgia, who was showing his knives at Kimosabe in Aspen. “I was so drawn to them,” she explained. “They were beautiful Damascus blades with all these crazy materials like giraffe bone and bison bone and all this stuff!” He invited her to Georgia to learn from him. “I didn’t really take it seriously,” she recalled. “I thought I would jump on my motorcycle, ride through its ingredients. the South, make a knife and come home.” The apprenticeship lasted six months. But, it wasn’t easy. Her mentor’s son made the blades and she made the handles. She felt pressured to succeed and mimicked her mentor’s style. Then one day, he told her she needed to find her voice.
The handle that changed everything For months, she had watched as her mentor squared off the edges of bone, stone and other materials to make his knife handles. The natural edges fell to the floor. “Then, it just clicked,” she recalled. He was throwing away the most beautiful parts of the materials. “When you see a buffalo horn, you don’t know what it is unless you see its shape and he was taking the shape away from it.” She wrote about her first creation that came from pieces she found in the garbage: “One night, I stayed up in the shop late and put together a knife-handle that celebrated the natural edges and the imperfections of the material. I used a blade that his son had fashioned from an old chairlift cable from Snowmass, Colorado, my home.”
A river of sparks flows from the belt grinder as Foye bevels a blade. Foye returned to Colorado in late 2018 and has developed a following on Instagram. She swears by social media as a marketing tool. Last Christmas, for example, she worked on a project with VSSL, a Canadian company. “I made a knife a day for 12 days and each knife sold out within four minutes on their website,” she said. Foye places a rose that she’ll use for Britney the Truck Driver’s knife in a stabilizing wash and tells me that she doesn’t feel special working in a traditionally male field. She is one of six women in the U.S. who are bladesmiths. “I don’t want to use my femininity to promote my craft,” she said. “It’s not about the person making [the knife], it’s about what is being made.”
Photos by Amy Hadden Marsh
The Genesis of Desire Howard Thurman once said “What is it that is the fundamental thing that I am after with my life? What is the meaning of all of the activities and the strivings and the struggles – what, after all, is my point?” A service to explore this fundamental desire and find answers by questioning our being. With Rev. Shawna Foster
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Follow-through
Steve VanDyke has been named the new Director of Golf at River Valley Ranch, with nearly 20 years’ experience in the Roaring Fork Valley as a golf professional. Growing up a block from his home town’s nine hole course in Crete, Nebraska and raised in an avid golfing family, Steve’s love of the game took hold early. His father coached his and his sisters’ high school team and he began to work at the local course at the age of 14. After competing as an amateur as a young man, Steve earned his PGA credentials as a Class A, PGA Professional in 2005. Prior to starting at River Valley Ranch, Steve was an assistant golf pro at Aspen Glen for nine years and Head Golf Professional for the last 10 years. His goals is to continue making golf accessible, particularly for local youth.
Spellbound Roaring Fork High School has several teams looking to participate in Literacy Outreach’s annual Spellebration event — but they need sponsors. Any person or organization willing to pitch in $200 to give one of the groups a chance to spell should contact mfredendall@literacyoutreach.org.
and nutrition to the curriculum. Dr. Feinsinger and his book will be at two upcoming events in April: Spring Into Wellness’s First Friday Event from 5 to 8 p.m. April 5 at the Carbondale Rec. Center and the next day from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Third Street Center.
On the water
Brian Colley took inspiration from “James and the Giant Peach” and “The Very Hungry Catterpiller” in the latest display at the Carbondale Branch Library, and managed to get the town flower in, besides. Courtesy photo raised two sons who went through the same schools. Though Pelland held two roles, the Roaring Fork Schools will be posting the Director of Financial Services position only. The Director of Financial Services position will be posted immediately with an August start date. The new Director of Financial Services will work alongside Pelland for the next school year.
Fourth year’s the charm
Short timer Long-time Roaring Fork Schools Assistant Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Shannon Pelland has announced her plan to retire in June 2020. In addition to serving as a staff member for 24 years, Pelland attended Glenwood Springs Elementary, Middle, and High Schools and
Colorado Mountain College is introducing a new scholarship to encourage local kids to pursue a four-year degree there rather than transferring to another school after two years. The “Go for 4” scholarship targets in-district CMC students nearing completion of their associate degree and offers a chance at $500
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Ask the doc Greg Feinsinger, M.D. — who provides numerous services with Davi Nikent — has just released a new book. “Enjoy Optimal Health — 98 Health Tips From A Family Doctor” focuses on lifestyle changes that get to the root of health concerns in order to maintain a better quality of life and longevity. All profits will go to an endowment set up at the University of Colorado School of Medicine by Dr. Feinsinger and his wife to add prevention
Local women’s whitewater rafter retreat company Downriver Divas has announced its 2019 dates, with floats on the Salmon, Green and Rogue rivers. More than just a float, the retreats are what many have called “transformational” — positive interruption to everyday routines, set in an environment that allows participants to attune to nature, laugh wildly with a group of women and enact positive change in their lives. For more information, visit downriverdivas. com.
In loving memory A memorial service to celebrate Michael Goerne’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16 at The Orchard, followed by a reception. Then, friends and family of Arin Trook are invited for an evening of community healing from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 at Aspen Shakti.
They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating another year of life this week include: Athena Wright (March 14); Jordan Clingan (March 16); John Foulkrod (March 17); Terry Chacos (March 18) Stan Badgett, Katie Hunter and Matthew Eames (March 19).
Real birds found, sculptural birds lost in Carbondale
Hardy (left) and Laurel in their new home after being found separately but on the same day. Photo by Lisa Johnson By Megan Tackett Sopris Sun Staff Laurel and Hardy, newly named and homed parakeets at Skyline Ranch, seem to be enjoying their new nest and finch friends. But how they got there was almost no laughing matter. Barbara Dills first heard about one of the colorful birds during KDNK’s lost pet report. “No lost pets except one found parakeet, and I thought that was very weird,” she recalled. “The weather was cold and nasty, and what was a parakeet doing out?” Beyond that initial announcement, though, Dills went about her day, eventually heading up to Skyline to ride her horse that resides there. “I’m grooming him, and in comes one of our wonderful ... guys, and he’s clutching something to his chest under his blue
sweatshirt,” she said. “And it’s a parakeet!” It was not, however, the same parakeet she had heard about earlier that morning on the radio. That parakeet had been found by Georgia Chamberlain and Olivia Emery on Wheel Circle, according to Dills’ understanding. Still, when Skyline Ranch & Kennels Manager Lisa Johnson learned of the parakeet on the property, she contacted KDNK, just in case. Chamberlain and Emery, in turn, brought their found parakeet to the ranch. “I think somebody let these little birdies go — we found two of them in the same day,” Johnson said. “They are very messy, so that might have been it, but I think it’s sad they did that during the winter. Thank goodness one of them flew up here.” If hypotheses are correct and the birds were not wanted by their previous own-
ers, that certainly isn’t the case anymore. Now, the pair have joined Johnson’s finches. “I called KDNK and said, ‘Take them off the air, because we’re going to keep them now. They belong to us now,’” she said. In fact, though Johnson didn’t mention it, Dills heard that there was more than one person at the ranch vying to keep them. “On Sunday, I was up there with my horse, and I saw the gal at the kennel, and I asked, ‘How are the birds doing?’ She said the birds are fine, but Martha [Collison] and Lisa are arguing about who gets to keep them,” she laughed. To be fair, despite the cleanup duty, Laurel and Hardy offer plenty of personality to inspire a fan club. “The yellow one is very, very friendly” Johnson said. “She’ll jump on your little finger. They’re happy and playing and talking with the finches.” Dills is just happy to see them in a good home. “They would’ve not made it,” she said matter-of-factly.
mystery of us all. It’s pure vandalism, and you don’t expect that in this town because it’s all of our art.” CPAC Chair Sarah Moore has a few suspicions, but she’s withholding judgment. Fortunately, she emphasized, Gillespie lives in Paonia, so he’s more readily accessible to create an artistic remedy. “We’re really lucky… it’s rare that we have vandalism issues,” she said, noting that with the frequency and quantity of public art installations in Carbondale, it’s impressive that it doesn’t happen more often. Of course, however, it has happened. “There have been a few — the pink bunny ended up with some things happening, but it was easily fixed,” she said.
Ruffled feathers While two birds have been found, another one’s gone missing. The Carbondale Public Arts Commission (CPAC) is actively working with sculptor Ty Gillespie about how best to mend his now-broken Birdie. The piece is part of the current public installation and stands outside of Fat Belly Burgers on Main Street — the signature “birdie” that topped the feature didn’t take flight, but it was lifted. “None of us know what happened to the bird; it just got stolen,” Sondie Reiff of CPAC said. “That’s not good. It’s the
“Birdie” still has some of his namesakes around his feet but is missing the ones on his head. Photo by Megan Tackett
The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MARCH 14-20, 2019 • 5
Hands-on learning Photos and text by Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff Carbondale students had some help from outside organizations in recent week as they tackled topics like wind and water. It started with ACES’ first Energy Night sans ate education director Arin Trook. In a series of stations at Crystal River Elementary School, fourth graders and their siblings were invited to learn about renewable resources after school on Feb. 28. Karysa Close got some help from Educator Kitty Winograd in testing wind turbine efficency (top left) while McCale Carter and Derek Ferguson invited Bram and Payton Marlow to see who could make the best guacomole or salsa by bike power (top right). A week later, the Mobile Earth + Space Observatory descended on Carbondale Middle School with its program on the importance of water. In addition to after-school programs with its fancy trailer, MESO taught students about topography with relief maps and an X-Box live enabled sandbox (center right) and held assemblies with a ping-pong ball cannon to illustrate watersheds (bottom right). They even talked some teachers into competing to see who could shower off the fastest, with Ms. Currier boasting the best time (left). The whole thing culminates with a Community Science Festival at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 14 at CMS, followed by an 8 p.m. Star Party if the weather cooperates. All ages and schools are welcome.
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A brief history of local broadcasting By Wick Moses Special to The Sopris Sun In September of 1963, I got on the train in Springfield, Mass. and two days later got off in Glenwood Springs. I was starting at Colorado Rocky Mountain School as a sophomore and besides having an electric guitar and amp, I had a Sony transistor AM radio. I had started listening to AM rock and roll radio in the ‘50s, so I quickly found KOMA out of Oklahoma which became my go to rock station for the next three years. In hindsight, it is hard to believe how little electronic media we had then. I saw television twice at CRMS in those three years — Kennedy’s assassination and The Beatles on Ed Sullivan — on a smuggled in Sony portable TV! Our news from the outside world came from Time and other magazines. There were a few “record players” which played lots of folk music. After the Beatles invaded us, that changed. Everyone who had one, brought records back from vacation. TV came in via translators located above CRMS on “Tick Ridge.” KREX (a CBS affiliate) was one. In ’66, I graduated and went to Denver University where I discovered FM underground rock (short lived, but leaving an enormous impression on a lot of us) and the wonders of a real stereo! I came back to CRMS in ’70 and taught there for two years. I had a stereo and records by that time, but no TV. In ’71, I lived with a faculty couple who had a black and white TV and we watched Dick Cavett at night. I left teaching in ’72 and I bought a house up the Crystal and had my first of two brilliant business ideas in my life. I had been driving over to Boulder and Denver to buy records. At that time it was two lanes from Glenwood to Georgetown and over Loveland Pass. In the
winter, you were lucky if you made it in five to six hours! My idea was to open a “High Fi and Record Shop” called Main Street Music in Carbondale! Carbondale was on an upward financial swing then, having recovered from the Thompson Creek Mine closure in mid ‘60s but had almost no retail businesses and they were mostly on Main Street . Carbondale had begun the slow, inexorable social change to what it is today with people
month to half a million a year! High quality cassette machines and tape entered the market and became the popular medium to have at home and in the car instead of radio. In the mid ‘70s, cable TV slowly came to Carbondale. Around this time too, both KSPN and KSNO (which had converted to FM) began to reach town. The real game changer was the introduction of the VCR. What began as an expensive
Wick Moses knows because he was there. Valley Journal file photo by Lynn Burton like Laurie Loeb and many other “Hippies” from all over the country moving in. Aspen was beginning its big boom so there were lots of construction and restaurant jobs and rents in Carbondale were cheap! The first thing everyone did after securing lodging and work, was to buy a stereo and then records to feed it. In four years, my business went from doing $2000 a
(around $800) device for time shifting programming would, over the next two decades, revolutionize home entertainment! Up the Crystal and all over Pitkin County, the translator system began to improve with the county taking over maintenance and adding two commercial channels and KRMA Public TV. A lot of us began watching more TV — SNL, Monty Python in reruns and, of course,
Nothing goes out of fashion when it’s simply the best!
1893-2018 1893-2018
the NFL! Music and audio continued to thrive and we opened a second store in Aspen in ’78 and closed the Carbondale store in ‘80. In our business in Aspen we started to see the beginnings of what today is know as “custom home installation” and “smart homes.” Prewiring homes and putting in speaker systems in different rooms started to become fairly common. The early ‘80s saw a series of
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economic problems that shaped the decade: the implosion of oil shale, the S&L crisis and interest rates of 10 to 12 percent! By ’82 we were in deep financial trouble. In the fall of ’82, Lee Swidler had put together the beginnings of KDNK. I was looking for my next career move and applied for the manager job. Pat Noel, of Valley Journal fame, and I were chosen. The arrival of KDNK, which
only broadcast around Carbondale, in April of ’83 was a right time, right place event. There was no other radio like it and, outside of city limits, only wealthy people could afford big satellite dish TV. There was a local high tech TV station located at the CMC turnoff that started in early ’83. It made it for about a year! The other big event in ’83 was Staci Dickerson starting Sounds Easy in Carbondale. VCR’s kept coming down in price and soon were everywhere. Because of the bad economy, there still was very little live music, so home entertainment became even more important and there were very few major changes in the ‘80s. KDNK and other radio stations slowly got wider Valley distribution and “home theater” began to take off with surround sound electronics being mass marketed. I moved to Denver in ’88 and came back in the fall of ’92. KDNK had moved its transmitter to Sunlight and had valleywide coverage. The quality of TV had improved and Sounds Easy and other video rental businesses were booming. Around ’96, Sopris Surfers started up downtown and the internet of everything got its start here! I don’t feel like I have to explain the contemporary sound/ video world, so I want to editorialize about what was lost and what has been gained. This is the best time ever to be a music lover with streaming services like Tydal offering hi Rez downloads and a vast array of DACS (digital to analogue converters) and music servers along with reasonably priced, great sounding electronics, speakers and headphones which will improve and enhance digital sound. To say nothing of the vinyl resurgence! What we have lost is that time when a group of friends would sit around and listen to the latest albums sides and get lost in the world that is music!
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The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MARCH 14-20, 2019 • 7
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Carbondale athlete seeks uphill record in mental health awareness effort By Justin Patrick Sopris Sun Correspondent Carbondale’s Sean Van Horn will attempt to break the North American record for most feet uphilled on skis in a 24-hour period. The record stands at 61,200 feet, which equates to between 39 and 40 laps at Buttermilk. The event, “24 Hours Of Vert For Aspen Strong,” will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday at the base of TieHack and will raise funds for a local organization promoting mental health awareness and resource sharing from Parachute to Aspen. Van Horn struggled with depression, addictive behavior and an eating disorder in his younger years. After hopping on his bicycle in his teens he discovered the world of endurance sports, which helped him combat his mental health issues. But after suffering a back injury that derailed a professional cycling career, he was left to confront the reality that athletics alone are not fully adequate. “While endurance sports can be a saving grace, it’s not enough when you’re talking about mental health issues. You have to deal with the underlying issues,” he said. Now, at age 32, Van Horn wants to spread the message that it’s OK to seek help to deal with mental maladies, especially in this valley which suffers from a disturbingly high suicide rate. “It’s important that as a society we do our best to support people struggling with these issues,” he said. “Talking about these things openly and honestly helps people realize that a lot of people struggle with this. It’s OK. There’s nothing wrong with them. They just need a little help to overcome those issues.” Rodney O’Byrne, Communications Director for Aspen Strong, emphasized the importance of reaching at-risk individuals in the seemingly healthy, outdoorsy community of the Roaring Fork Valley. “We’re looking at hitting people from the bottom up, or from the top down. The bottom up are people that are totally lost and don’t really know that mental health is even a thing, or they have such shame and
stigma around it that it’s this old school way of thinking that there’s something wrong with you. The top down is the resources. There are so many amazing resources that are out there trying to solve the crisis… Aspen Strong steps in to help promote,” he said. Aspen Strong, founded in 2014 specifically to address the high suicide rate, derives its name not from the geographical city, but from the concept of an aspen forest. Though the trees appear to be individual organisms, in fact they share the same root structure and genetic composition. “The Aspen Strong Foundation aims at creating a community that cultivates interdependence and strength, replicating its very own, the Aspen tree,” states the organization’s website. Van Horn fits well into that metaphor and has largely been responsible for organizing the logistics of the event, attracting brand support, and helping to raise funds. “Sean has run with almost all of this, and that’s fantastic. To have someone show up in this capacity is such a gift,” said O’Bryne. “I saw a Facebook post saying here’s a Go Fund Me account, and I clicked the link there’s a few thousand dollars sitting there, and I said ‘wow, this must be a thing.’” In preparation for Sunday’s uphilling extravaganza, Van Horn completed the Power of Four and performed back to back days of 40,000 feet. He will have friends and family at the bottom to administer food and water (as well as his wife, a professional dietician) and speed up his transitions. “It’s a lot of monotonous laps,” joked Van Horn. “If people want to come out and cheer or watch me suffer a bit, I’d love to see people out.” He especially wanted to thank Cripple Creek Backcountry in Carbondale for supporting his goal. “I’m hopeful and optimistic,” he said. “But a lot of this event is definitely for the fundraising effort and to push myself in s a sport that I love.” Donations can be made at gofundme.com/24hours-of-vert-for-aspen-strong.
Sean Van Horn will attempt to break the North American record for most feet uphilled on skis in a 24-hour period to raise funds for Aspen Strong. Courtesy photos
Adverteyes in The Sun MOTHER & BABY PORTRAIT DAY 2019 presented by
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The ups and downs of decreased grazing fees on public land By Megan Tackett Sopris Sun Staff For the third consecutive year, the federal grazing fee for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Forest Service has been lowered — this time, from $1.41 per animal unit month (AUM) to the legal basement price, $1.35 per AUM. The fee, which is adjusted annually, hinges on a formula that uses three variables to establish a base value for AUM: lease rates for grazing on private lands, beef cattle prices and the cost of livestock production. “In effect, the fee rises, falls, or stays the same based on market conditions,” a BLM press release states. Brian Lombard, a BLM public affairs specialist, highlighted the fact that most ranchers will save an average $31.32 per authorization over 2018 and broke down the numbers behind this year’s fee in an email. “The decrease in the fee is the result of an increase in the Forage Value Index (542 to 562), an increase in the Prices Paid Index (963 to 993) and a decrease in the Beef Cattle Prices Index (510 to 499). Generally, increases/decreases in the BCPI and PPI have the most influence on increases/decreases in the grazing fee,” he said. Overall, he asserted, the lowered fees will support the ranching community. “The individual rancher will see significant benefits,” he said. But Bill Fales of Cold Mountain Ranch doesn’t see it that way. As far as he’s con-
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Some ranchers who pay to graze their cattle on public land in the summer have to pass through town to get them there. File photo by Jane Bachrach cerned, a lower grazing fee is a symptom of the decreased Beef Cattle Prices Index (BCPI). “Them going down is bad news for us, or it confirms what we already know: our profitability is drastically less,” he said. “In 2015, we sold for $1,800 per head for our calves. This year, $1,000. That’s a pretty big reduction in your income … in four years.” In 2015, the grazing fee was $1.69 — more than 20 percent above the 2019 rate. “I think a lot of ranchers would be thrilled if the formula would push the price to $5 because it would mean we would be making money,” Fales said. “Ranchers and farmers by nature have to
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be optimists, so we’ll just keep struggling along, but it’s sure more fun when you can make some money.” Congress established the formula for calculating grazing fees in the 1978 Public Rangelands Improvement Act, which ensured the annual grazing fee cannot fall below $1.35 per AUM/HM and cannot increase or decrease by more than 25 percent in a single year, according to the BLM. In the statement, Brian Steed, BLM Director for Programs and Policy, explained how the funds are reinvested in the community. “Fifty percent of the collected grazing fees deposited into the U.S. Treasury are returned to the Range Betterment Fund
for on-the-ground range improvement projects,” he said. “Portions of collected fees are also returned to the states for use in the counties where the fees were generated.” Often, though, ranchers finds themselves covering those on-the-ground improvement projects out of pocket, Fales noted. “On Coal Basin, we had cash expenses of $30 per head,” he said. Those “cash costs” pay for the necessities: “hire a rider and pay for salt and pay for fencing material — in addition to what we pay the forest service and the BLM.” Still, when times are tough, Fales will accept any break he can get, including lowered grazing fees. “It helps, but the portion of the grazing expense that we pay the agency is a small fraction of what it costs us to run on the forest — and a small fraction of our overall expenses,” he said. Public Lands Council President Bob Skinner, a rancher himself, sees the lowered fees as a bit of relief for the industry. “Ranchers across the west trust the formula and the process, which ensures fair and equitable access to forage on federal lands,” he said in a statement. “With the fees in place for the 2019 grazing season, ranchers can focus on what they do every day: contributing to rural economies and serving as stewards of America’s natural resources.” And that’s exactly Fales’ intention. “I’m worried about having nothing but mud and snow for my cows to calve in!” he said. “[That’s] mostly what I’m worried about right now.”
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Open to the Public! March 7: Readings at Bookbinders in Willits @ 6pm March 14: Demo of Learning at Roaring Fork High @ 6-7pm March 15: Film Screening/Coffee House at 3rd Street Center in Carbondale @ 7pm March 18: Demo of Learning at Basalt High School during the day March 18: Demo of Learning at Glenwood Springs High @ 5-7pm
We value: Children, discovery, mastery, love and community Valoramos: Niños, descubrimiento, maestría, amor y comunidad 970-963-7199
Learn more about Capstones at https://www.roaringforkcapstones.com/ For more info call 970-384-7987 The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MARCH 14-20, 2019 • 9
Community Calendar THURSDAY March 14
CLOUD SEEDING • Several national snow science experts will present detailed information on long-standing operations and proposals to expand the practice from 12:15 to 4 p.m. at the Pitkin County Board of Commissioners office (530 E. Main St., Aspen). SCIENCE FEST • Carbondale Middle School (180 Snowmass Dr.) invites community members to experience highlights from a week of programming in a 5 to 8 p.m. event with a star party after if it’s clear.
THU March 14 – SAT March 16
To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is noon on Monday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted.
Main St.) presents “Cold War” (R, Subtitled) at 7:30 p.m. on March 15-17, 20 & 21; “They Shall Not Grow Old” (R, Captioned) at 5:15 p.m. on. March 15; “If Beale Street Could Talk” (R) at 5 p.m. on March 16; “Green Book” (PG13) at 4:45 p.m. on March 17. Closed March 18 & 19
SATURDAY March 16
MONOTYPE WORKSHOP • Suzan Lotus Obermeyer teaches you to transfer a painting from a plate onto other surfaces from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at The Art Base (99 Midland Spur, Basalt). $60 for members and $75 for others; no experience necessary.
GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK • Tickets are all sold out for Friday and Saturday at the Carbondale Rec. Center, but you can still get the Oz experience at the preview, 7 p.m. Thursday — tickets and info at carbondalearts.com. CLASSICAL MASTERS • Amanda Gessler performs Beethoven, Mozart and Franck from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.).
MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre (427
ECLECTIC ROCK • Jes Grew — named after a plague that forces its victims to dance — plays at 8:30 p.m. at The Temporary (360 Market St., Willits). $11 in advance at tacaw.org or $15 at the door.
SUNDAY March 17
DIY LAUNDRY SOAP • Learn how to make detergent from soapberry for $25 per person beginning at 10 a.m. at Create Art & Essence (823 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs). Bring your own recycled glass jars and lids.
FOLK ROCK • Driftwood takes the stage at Steve’s Guitars (19 N. Fourth St.) at 8:30 p.m. or thereabouts.
TUESDAY March 19
SURF JAZZ • Whole Milk takes the stage at 7 p.m. at Marble Distilling (150 Main St.).
FRI to THU March 15-21
COMEDY NIGHT • Denver comic Brent Gill takes the stage at 7 p.m. at Marble Distilling (150 Main St.).
CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE • The American Legion Post 100 offers a traditional St. Patty’s Day dinner from 1 to 4 p.m. — $10 and open to the public.
FRIDAY March 15
COMEDIAN • Eliza Skinner performs at 8 p.m. at The Temporary (360 Market St., Willits). $27 in advance at tacaw.org or $32 at the door.
ENERGY CLEARING • Activate your desires in love, work and life for $45 with simple guided meditations and practices to clear your blocks and support your intentions from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at True Nature Healing Arts (100 N. Third St).
BOW WOW • An afternoon matinee of heartwarming, funny, and touching short films in honor of our four-legged best friends comes to The Crystal Theatre (427 Main St.) from 2 to 4 p.m. — $12 for adults and $7 for kids 12 and under.
NECK ARTHRITIS • Find out why you should care in a free event with OrthoAspen’s Dr. Stanley Gertzbein at 5:30 p.m. at Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.). MASCULINE ARCHETYPES • Pieter Van Winkle guides a free discussion on embodiment practice for men at 6:30 p.m. at True Nature Healing Arts (100 N. Third St.)
WEDNESDAY March 20
MOVIES THAT MATTER • At 5 p.m., Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.) screens “Adaptation.” FULL MOON UPHILL • Get in on the Lunacy with Compass Mountain Grill serving up tacos, beer, wine and margs beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Sunlight Mountain Resort (10901 CR 117).
Further Out
THURSDAY MARCH 21
GONG BATH • At 7 p.m., a dynamic meditative experience in which each participant is acoustically guided into realms of physical well-being, emotional balance and spiritual awareness comes to True Nature Healing Arts (100 N. Third St.) for $25 per person. THE HUMAN ELEMENT• CORE and TACAW (360 Market St., Willits) present a free screening of Emmy Award winner James Balog’s latest documentary at 7 p.m., followed by a conversation with the film’s producer, Olivia Ahnemann.
FRIDAY March 22
MOVIE & POPCORN • Carbondale Branch library (320 Sopris Ave.) screens “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” at 2 p.m. with refreshments provided. CONSENSUAL IMPROV • Thunder River Theatre Company’s troupe hangs out on its own stage (67 Promenade) for an 8 p.m. performance. $15 at thunderrivertheatre.com. CALENDAR continued on page 11
Help Wanted Summer Pool Life Guards & Swim Instructors
Town of Carbondale Seasonal Parks Maintenance
Contact:Margaret
Contact: Russell rsissom@carbondaleco.net 970-510-1327
mdonnelly@carbondaleco.net
970-510-1280
CRCC Climbing Instructors, Rec. Assistants & Front Desk Staff
Contact: Jamie jwall@carbondaleco.net 970-510-1214
Applications Available for download at www.carbondalegov.org
10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MARCH 14-20, 2019
Community Calendar Ongoing
YAPPY HOUR • Colorado Animal Rescue’s Yappy Hour at the Marble Bar (150 Main St.) takes place at 5:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month. Sip on handcrafted cocktails and meet a C.A.R.E. dog, with $1 from every drink donated to C.A.R.E. Bring your own dog along as well. COMMUNITY MEAL • Faith Lutheran Church (1340 Highway 133), in collaboration with Carbondale Homeless Assistance, hosts a free community meal from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month. Info: 510-5046 or faithcarbondale.com. HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION • Free opportunities include: One-hour consultations Monday mornings by appointment (379-5718) about heart attack and other chronic illness prevention through plant-based whole foods lifestyle with retired family doctor Greg Feinsinger, MD. At 6 p.m. Tuesdays, a live-stream of Just 1 Thing 4 Health’s interviews with featured doctors. At 7 p.m. the first Monday of the month, a Powerpoint presentation about the science behind plant-based nutrition. Finally, at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month, participate in a plant-based potluck. All events take place at the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.) and are supported by Davi Nikent Center for Human Flourishing. INSTALLATIONS • Carbondale Arts presents Jeff Stevens’ “It Was Dark Inside The Wolf” mixed media as well as Saxon Martinez’s “Site 1.”
continued from page 10
OFFICE HOURS • Sun Editor Will Grandbois will be at The Sopris Sun Office (520 S. Third St., Room #32) at 8:30 a.m. every Monday taking tips, questions, comments and complaints. EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN • Staff and sources talk about this week’s paper and more at 4 p.m. Thursdays on KDNK (88.1 FM). 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. STORYTIME • Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) hosts stories, songs and more for ages four and up at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays and three and under at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. 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. YOUR STORY, YOUR LIFE • A free facilitated workshop for adults, writing your personal history, one story at a time. Facilitated by Shelly Merriam, historian/writer/genealogist. First and third Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon at the Glenwood Springs Branch Library, (815 Cooper Ave.). Info at 945-5958 or gcpld.org. LIFE DRAWING • Drop in for figure drawing with Staci Dickerson at 6:30 p.m. Mondays at The Helios Center (601 Sopris Ave.). 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 vari-
ous distances, with different routes each week. Info: 704-0909. ROTARY • The Carbondale Rotary Club meets at the Carbondale Fire Station (300 Meadowood Dr.) at 6:45 a.m. Wednesdays. The Mt. Sopris Rotary meets at White House Pizza (801 Main Ct.) at noon every Thursday. YOGA • Get a donation-based introduction to Hatha Yoga from 8 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays at The Launchpad (76 S. Fourth St.). MAKERSPACE • Children and teens are invited to design, create, tinker, and play with art and technology to design and create with 3D Pens, make stop-motion animation films, engineer duct tape creations, build their own video games, and more from 2 to 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.). LOSS SUPPORT • The Compassionate Friends of the Roaring Fork Valley, a group for parents, grandparents or siblings who have lost a child of any age, meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at The Orchard (110 Snowmass Dr.). 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. WALK WITH A DOC • Aspen Valley Hospital (401 Castle Creek Rd.) invites you to meet in the cafeteria at 10 a.m. the first Saturday of the month for a short discussion on a health-related topic, such as high
blood pressure, asthma, anxiety, etc. 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 Tuesday of each month; call 963-2889 for this month’s selection. BLUEGRASS JAM • Bring the instrument of your choice or just your voice for a weekly jam session first and last Sundays at 6 p.m. at Steve’s Guitars (19 N. Fourth St.) and all other Sundays at the Glenwood Springs Brew Garden (115 Sixth St.) OPEN MIC • Take the stage at Riverside Grill (181 Basalt Center Circle, Basalt) from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Food and drink specials. Free. KARAOKE • The Black Nugget (403 Main St.) and Sandman bring you over 30,000 songs to choose from and a quality sound system to release your inner rock star at 9 p.m. every Thursday. LOVE ADDICTS • Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, a 12-step group will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Holland Hills United Methodist Church (167 Holland Hills Rd., Basalt). MINDFULNESS IN RECOVERY • An inclusive, peer-led recovery support group open to anyone with a desire for recovery — independent of faith and regardless of race, gender or orientation — meets Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. in room 36 of 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.
NOW OPEN Basalt Integrated Health Center
Crystal River Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization would like to thank all of the local businesses, restaurants, and individuals who donated soup, merchandise, and gift certificates to make our 3rd annual Ladles of Love event a HUGE success! A portion of the money raised will go to Valley Settlement and the rest will directly benefit our students and staff.
THIS COMMUNITY AD SPACE DONATED BY COOL BRICK STUDIOS.
HELP WANTED The Town of Carbondale is now accepting applications for the
Our Family, Caring for Yours. Mountain Family Health Centers’ Basalt Integrated Health Center is NOW OPEN offering medical, dental and behavioral care in one location.
123 Emma Rd. Basalt, CO 970-945-2840 mountainfamily.org
Street Maintenance position The Town of Carbondale is accepting applications for the Public Works Department, Street Maintenance position. A valid Colorado driver’s license is required. Physical exam, pre-employment and substance abuse testing will be required. Work hours are Monday through Friday 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Starting pay will be $19.25 - $21/hour depending on qualifications. Job description and application is at Town Hall or on the Town website: www.carbondalegov.org Deadline to apply is March 21, 2019 @ 2:00 pm. Applications can be dropped off at Town Hall or emailed to kschorzman@carbondaleco.net The Sopris Sun, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MARCH 14-20, 2019 • 11
Town Report
Cop Shop
The following items are drawn from Town Manager Jay Harrington’s weekly report to staff, trustees and others. GOCO GRANTS included $56,250 for the Aquatic Facility Master Plan. The Town plans to hire a consultant regarding either the renovation or replacement of the 44-year-old John M. Fleet Pool. MEMORIAL TREE cost sharing through the Kay Brunnier Tree Fund is still available — email mcallas@carbondaleco.net for more information. THE REC CENTER gym will be closed for Green is the New Black through March 16. Cardio, free weights, outdoor exercise room and the climbing wall remain open regular hours, but the entire facility will close early at 5 p.m. March 15.
EMPLOYEE HOUSING on Cleveland Place is up for rent for Priority 1 applicants, with other Town employees getting a crack after police and water staff. HEALTHY PREGNANCY is the topic of a free fitness clinic from 11 a.m. to noon March 30. MAIN STREET MARKETPLACE work continues with the storm drain crossing under the Rockford Ditch due for installation this week. Weather permitting, the water line tie in will be exposed this week as well. Regardless, the southbound lane of Hendrick will be closed at some point soon. MEADOWWOOD DRIVE reclamation is up for bids through March 26. The waste-hauling RFP will be reviewed March 19.
SCHOOLS OUT trip to Silo in Grand Junction for kids 8 to 12 takes place March 22 with registration required. CIRCUITS & CONDITIONING is a new fitness class at 6 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays beginning March 18. Instructed by Nevada Crandall, 60-minute high-energy workout combines targeted resistance training with high intensity interval training for maximum efficiency. SUMMER SEASONAL POSITIONS are still open in the Parks Department. GARDEN PLOTS for Demeter’s Garden at the Third Street Center and the Community Garden on Hendricks are available for the 2019 summer season. Contact the Rec. Center front desk for more information. PLANNING AND ZONING discussed a plan to convert an abandoned structure on the 100 block of Sopris into a single family dwelling on March 14.
NETTLE CREEK water plant is now running as expected with new controls, although a few upgrades are still planned. A SEWER SERVICE problem along Sopris Avenue was addressed by jetting the line. It turned out tree roots had caused the problem on that particular tap. A similar issue on Second Street turned out to be related to grease in the main line. DITCH CLEANING starts this week. SNOWTEL on McClure Pass was reporting 133 percent of normal snow water equivalent, up from 111 percent the week before. RESPONSIBLE SERVING, TIPS training and the Police Department’s willingness to furnish occasional rides were as emphasized by Chief Schilling and Lieutenant Wurtsmith in visits to 16 restaurants and bars. Meanwhile, Officer Brandyn Rupp is attending a class to equip him to teach Standard Field Sobriety Tests.
Carbondale Police Department The Carbondale Police Department is accepting applications for the Police Services Technician. Salary range is $36,200 - $42,500. For application and job description visit: www.carbondalegov.org Deadline is March 22nd by 5:00 pm.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
Town Of Carbondale
Parks & Recreation Department Highway 133 Irrigation Project Town of Carbondale is seeking proposals for the replacement of an existing but outdated irrigation system from bonded and insured companies that specialize in the construction of water efficient irrigation systems. Interested firms who would like to receive a copy of the RFP should contact Parks & Recreation Director, Eric Brendlinger, at (970) 510-1277(OR) ebrendlinger@carbondaleco.net. A copy of the RFP is also available for download at www.carbondalegov.org RFP submittals must be received by March 28th, 2019. 12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MARCH 14-20, 2019
What’s
From March 1 through 7, Carbondale Police handled 214 Calls for Service. During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note: MONDAY March 4 at 10:50 a.m. Police took a report of an accident. MONDAY March 4 at 11:15 a.m. An 18-year-old high school student was issued a summons for minor in possession of marijuana. MONDAY March 4 at 3:26 p.m. Officers spoke with an underage girl who told them that another girl had sent her inappropriate pictures from 2016. TUESDAY March 5 at 10:45 p.m. A noise complaint led to a 41-year-old man being summoned for driving under the influence. WEDNESDAY March 6 at 5:37 p.m. After a girl called to say that her boyfriend had messaged her that two men were breaking into his home, police determined the report was unfounded.
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Municipal buildings on track for 100 percent renewable power By Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff What seemed like an unreachable green goal a decade ago was treated as a simple stop-gap on the road to greater sustainability at the March 12 Board of Trustees meeting. According to Town Manager Jay Harrington, an entirely different set of trustees opted out of Holy Cross’s out-of-state wind program around eight years ago in hopes of saving up for more local, renewable energy. Since then, Carbondale has bought into several such partnerships and is expected to reach full renewable offset for all but its smallest facilities in the Xcel part of town by the end of the year. With a similar situation within spitting distance for Holy Cross, Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman proposed buying back in to the company’s now mostly in-state wind program. “It fits into that concept of what we can do to help the industry move along,” he said. The main electric user in the Holy Cross service area north of the Rio Grande is the wastewater treatment plant, which has been the subject of several efficiency upgrades of late with continued incremental improvements. Trustee Heather Henry emphasized the need for that sort of reduction as well as offset, but Erica Sparhawk didn’t see any inverse incentive in doing both. And since the program is month-to-month, the Town could opt out if something better came along. “We haven’t had presented to us another good opportunity for another Solar Collective type approach in Holy Cross territory,” Harrington said. “If we do this and consider it an offset, other than
a very little bit of Xcel energy, we’ll be pretty much renewable throughout the Town’s electric portfolio.” For Mayor Dan Richardson, renewable electricity was just half the battle. “To me, the grid’s going to be renewable before we know it,” he said. “I would love for the priority to be how we wean ourselves off of natural gas.” He expressed a desire for a phase-out of natural gas heating, perhaps via a self-imposed tax, but didn’t want to layer additional cost on top of the renewable offset quite yet. That “yes, and” attitude was a good sign in Trustee Ben Bohmfalk’s book. “I think it speaks highly of our changing expectations that we’re this ambivalent about going to 100 percent renewables,” he said. Following Bohmfalk’s motion, all of the trustees present backed the plan. The idea also got a stamp of approval from Katharine Rushton of CLEER, who had just finished presenting the organization’s 2019 plan. One of the chief aspects for Carbondale is the consideration of a net-zero zone encompassing Roaring Fork School District’s staff housing, the Third Street Center and potentially some of the adjacent townhomes. Observed Richardson, “It seems like a big goal this year is learning.” Bohmfalk wondered if that was enough. “Does it look like if we keep doing this kind of work every year, we’re get there, or does it look like we’re fooling ourselves?” he queried. “This is just one piece of that bigger picture,” Rushton replied. “We’re so interconnected… we’re going to have to all play our part in getting it together.”
Annelise Bumgarner was the sole student of the month to show up to get her certificate from Mayor Dan Richardson. Photo by Will Grandbois
Storage proposals to go before county Staff report Garfield County Commissioners are expected to consider two applications for new self-storage facilities near Carbondale around 1 p.m. during their Monday, March 18 meeting at 108 Eighth St. in Glenwood Springs. One would be located at the 2.7-acre former Planted Earth site on Highway 82, while the other would occupy almost six acres just down the road near Catherine Store. The Carbondale Planning and Zoning commission submitted comments on the subject at the end of January. Read more at soprissun.com/2019/01/30/ storage and see next week’s Sun for coverage of the meeting.
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Obituaries
Annie Markham Annette Markham (Annie) passed away in Carbondale on Feb. 18, 2019 at the age of 94. Born to Peter and Ruth Glasier, she grew up on a farm near Denver. After graduating from East High School, she earned her degree in English Literature from McPherson College. She married Paul Markham and raised their four children in Wamego, Kansas. Mrs. Markham was a dedicated high school English teacher in Wamego and Dodge City. Upon retirement, the Markhams moved to Redstone, where they enjoyed mountain life for 28 years. Second Hand Annie’s, a furniture store in Carbondale, became their passion and business for several years. Annie also started the Wichita based Markham School for Nannies as a new adventure with daughter-in-law, Tina.
Tim Moore
Annie loved reading, family, bird-watching, penny ante poker, margaritas, corny jokes, fishing the Crystal River, volunteering for hospice and food banks, and helping those less fortunate. Annette Markham left this world a better place through her many acts of generosity, kindness, and love. She is preceded in death by her husband, Paul Markham, son John Markham, and son-in-law Craig Litsey. Survivors include brother Pete Glasier (Cindi), son Joe Markham (Cindy), daughters Judy Solano (Manuel), and Jeanne Litsey, daughter-in-law, Tina Markham, 8 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. A Celebration of Life will take place at 11 a.m. May 18 at the Solano Residence in Brighton. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a local homeless shelter or the Humane Society.
The Sopris Sun accepts obituaries with a local connection of reasonable length, including pictures, with no charge.
Thomas (Tim) G. Moore, 79, died on Thursday, March 7, 2019, at home in Carbondale. Affectionately known as Tim to many, he was a true gentleman with a great sense of humor. Tim was in the first class at Colorado Rocky Mountain High School in Carbondale. He later attended Middlebury College in Vermont and graduated in 1964 with a degree in Economics. In 1962, he married Jane Luchsinger, and for a honeymoon with $1800 in their pockets they traveled for a full year hitchhiking around the world. Tim had a life full of adventure. He worked for 34 years for Gates Rubber Company and Gates Energy Products based out of Denver, Colorado. His work included two international assignments: a three year move to Venezuela and a four year move to Belgium to run Gates’ international divisions. In retirement, he moved to Carbondale where he enjoyed traveling, hiking and skiing. He was a member of the 100 Club, served on the board for Habitat for Humanity for several years, and was ac-
tive in the local community. He was a true Colorado native with tremendous pride in his Colorado roots. Not only was he an incredible husband but was a devoted father, coaching his kids in sports, teaching them to ski at an early age, instilling the importance of education and supporting his four kids through college. He is survived by his wife Jane Moore, children Eliza (Milton) Hunholz of Watkins, Colorado, Jenny (Greg) Treece of Carson City, Nevada, Sam (Jacque) Moore of Phoenix, Arizona, and Paco (Ingrid) Moore of Richmond, Virginia. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren (Sophie, Crary, Wit, Nathan, Teagan, Nelson, Clare and Lucky), brothers Mike Moore of Evergreen, Charles Moore of Carbondale, and Hugh Moore of Gold Hill, sisters Jinny and Dorsey Moore, both of Carbondale, many nieces and nephews, cousins and wonderful friends. Tim was preceded in death by his parents Tom and Ruth, brother Kit, and nephew Cam. We love you so much, Pop, and miss you. So much.
Letters from page 2 ‘Green Book’ a winner
Upward mobility
Dear Editor: It’s been many years since I’ve watched the Academy Awards. This year was the exception since a week before the awards my wife and I attended “Green Book” at the Willits Lane Theater near Basalt. Green Book is a film about an exceptionally talented black pianist on a 1960’s concert tour through the segregated south with his, white common folk, chauffeur. This movie was so exceptional and positive, that I remarked: “If it doesn’t receive Best Picture, the Academy should forevermore delete Best Picture as a category.” I had to watch the Awards. Well before the night of the Awards, rumblings were sizzling against the film from so many determined to inflame dissension over such a unifying message. For Green Book to be chosen now seemed dim. What a surprise, it won! Within minutes of receiving the award, the film was labeled, embarrassing, godawful, nauseating, the worst Best Picture… and pandering. How it could be called pandering is beyond comprehension since it did a superb job of showing the very cruel segregation of the South in the 1960s. “Green Book” deserves support. Do attempt to see it, you’ll remember it for years. Floyd Diemoz Glenwood Springs
Dear Editor: I’m writing to thank my neighbors and friends and the Carbondale trustees who responded so graciously to my Feb. 13 Sopris Sun column “The Long Arm of the Law.” I publicly carped about the difficulty my 89-year-old husband and my 67-year-old self have in complying with the town law, the one that requires us to shovel snow off of our sidewalks within 24 hours after a storm. Since then, I have been bowled over by support and concern! Many hands make light work: The morning after The Sun came out, I heard scraping and opened my front door to find my neighbor Megan Currier shoveling my walk. Another neighbor, Bill Cotton, has regularly cleared my east-side walk. I’m even doing better with my double-wide, often-icy, North-facing driveway thanks to Redstone friend (and Sun reader) Charlotte Graham Whitney, who introduced me to the electric shovel. I have heard from several moms, all of whom said that to stay safe, tots and babies in strollers need well-cleared and continuous sidewalks just as much as seniors. On top of that, a new group called the Carbondale Age-Friendly Community Initiative (CAFCI) invited me to a Feb. 19 working session with the town’s trustees. That meeting concerned senior mobility, snow removal, sidewalks and plans for RFTA’s circulator bus. At the meeting, both Mayor Dan Richardson and Trustee Marty Silverstein spoke to me personally. Trustee Lani Kitching also spoke to me in person this
past week. This kind of thing simply doesn’t happen in big cities! We may not have contiguous sidewalks or a big town budget, but I have never lived anywhere as communally supportive as Carbondale. Funky town rocks! I have no doubt that between our town council and CAFCI, we will pull together and act on a list of age-friendly mobility community projects for 2020, in keeping with the Lifelong Colorado’s goal of “making Colorado the agefriendliest state.” As I write this, CAFCI volunteers have already met with Mayor Richardson, with Park and Recreation Director Eric Brendlinger and with Director of Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman. They have connected with We Cycle, Heritage Park and Senior Matters, and collaboration has begun. For its initial work, the CAFCI has identified five mobility issues worthy of attention: sidewalk clearance bike/pedestrian/auto conflicts, the need for more public benches, unsafe intersections, and the fact that the RFTA circulator doesn’t reach large parts of town. Those interested in lending a hand to CAFCI or expressing views on any of those issues may send an email to liveable@delko.net. Nicolette Toussaint Carbondale LETTERS page 16
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Letters from page 15 5Point thanks Dear Editor: The Buddy Program would like to express our gratitude to the team at Bristlecone Mountain Sports for choosing our organization as the beneficiary of the 5Point Film Night on Saturday, Feb. 23. Thank you to John and Amy Charters, Chip Griffiths, Nancy Cohen and Kelley Mitchell as well as Christina Aalto and Jeff Anderson and the whole team at Bristlecone for their hard work to put the evening together. Thank you also to Regna Jones and Meredith McKee at 5Point Film! We had a sold out crowd at the event and are grateful to all the patrons who came out in support of youth in our community! The generosity of businesses and individuals throughout the entire Roaring Fork Valley community truly makes our work of empowering youth through mentoring experiences to achieve their full potential possible. Lindsay Lofaro The Buddy Program
Solar Rollers thanks Dear Editor: Last month, the Mt. Sopris Rotary Club generously held a grill drawing to benefit Solar Rollers. Myself and everyone at Solar Rollers would like to extend our thanks to the Club members, ACE Hardware, Mi Casita and everyone involved in this extraordinary effort to support our Carbondale-based energy education nonprofit. The Mt. Sopris Rotary Club has been
Legal Notices helping local nonprofits since it formed in 2002, and welcomes more communityminded professionals. The club meets noon every Thursday at White House Pizza. Solar Rollers is a clean energy design challenge competition for high school teams. Students work together to design, build, and race a solar-powered radio-controlled car. Solar Rollers’ leagues and races have scaled to serve high schools in Colorado, California, Texas and Nevada. We are grateful to the Mt. Sopris Rotary Club for their partnership in supporting our local high school teams. For more information, visit www.SolarRollers.org or www.MtSoprisRotaryClub. com. Noah Davis Solar Rollers
$35,000 or less; family income of $50,000 or less. We will need copies of three recent pay stubs (or 2018 tax return first page). First come, first served! As additional funds are received, we will have more wellness opportunities available. If at any time you would like to donate to our fund, simply log onto avmf.org/care and choose Aspen Animal Hospital. All donations are tax-deductible. Anne Cooley Aspen Animal Hospital
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Warren piece Dear Editor: Be very wary Even a dog can shake hands Wise words from Zevon JM Jesse Glenwood Springs
GRANT A NEW RETAIL MARIJUANA PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING FACILITY LICENSE TO MANUFACTURE RETAIL MARIJUANA INFUSED PRODUCTS AT: 220 N. 12TH STREET UNIT A, SUITE II, II, IV and HALLWAY CARBONDALE, CO 81623
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Aspen Animal thanks Dear Editor: Many thanks to our greater Aspen community, generous clients, businesses, friends and family that supported our annual Silent Auction fundraiser Dec. 14. Collectively, we were able to raise $15,000 for the Aspen Animal Hospital, American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) fund. We are pleased to offer 10 free Wellness Plans for local residents who have pets who need care. If you, or someone you know has a pet that could benefit from one of our Care Companion Plans for preventive care (includes dental cleaning), please call us. Qualifications : single annual income of
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CARBONDALE TOWN HALL 511 COLORADO AVENUE
CARBONDALE, COLORADO DATE AND TIME: APRIL 23, 2019 AT 6:00 P.M. DATE OF APPLICATION: FEBRUARY 19, 2019 BY ORDER OF: DAN RICHARDSON, MAYOR APPLICANT:
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Information may be obtained from, and Petitions or Remonstrance’s may be filed with the Town Clerk Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO 81623 Published in The Sopris Sun on March 14, 2019.
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Parting Shot
This season Sunlight Mountain Resort treated all firefighters and emergency fire responders with free skiing and riding on Wednesdays — with Roy Emerick, Pat McGann and Damian Trow of the Gypsum Fire Department being among the latest to take advantage of the offer. Courtesy photo
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