Gunnison Country Times, July 24, 2025

Water treatment plant set for 2025 groundbreaking

County to air wolf concerns in letter to state

Ag producers in crosshairs of looming local release

Alan Wartes Times Publisher

Gunnison County commissioners met on Tuesday with representatives of the Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association to discuss the planned introduction of gray wolves in the county in January 2026. Commissioners agreed to draft a letter to state officials registering opposition to the imminent release, if concerns about the implementation of the plan are not addressed.

A bike shop on wheels, A15

SPORTS: Stingrays conquer in Delta, A29

Project 1 to build water intake at VanTuyl Ranch

Alex McCrindle Times Associate Editor

On July 22, after months of uncertainty about the impact of federal funding cuts and tariffs, Gunnison City Council received an update on the future of the water treatment plan project. Gunnison Public Works

Director Pete Rice addressed the council with a report on funding, design and construction of the proposed plant on the VanTuyl Ranch.

As of July 2025, Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimates that the state is home to approximately 24 reintroduced wolves. Colorado voters narrowly approved Proposition 114 in 2020 which was aimed at restoring a viable population of wolves in the state. (Gunnison County voters rejected the measure 57% to 43%.) The legislature then directed CPW to create and implement a reintroduction plan by the end of 2023.

Since then, wolves have been released in Grand, Summit, Pitkin and Eagle counties. The next phase of releases will move south to an area defined in the plan as lying between Monarch Pass and Montrose.

“When the wildlife commission rolled out the plan, they contemplated two places to do reintroduction — a northern zone and a southern zone,” Commissioner Jonathan Houck said. “The southern zone is basically where we live.”

Houck served on the technical committee formed to help create the implementation plan. Two years into the releases, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources has come under fire for inadequate management of the program.

The water treatment plant, estimated to cost $50 million and be one of the largest infraWolves A9 Water plant A8

The VanTuyl Ranch. (Times archive)

RIGHT: Sabotage, a Beastie Boys tribute band, raised the roof at the I Bar Ranch on July 18.

QUOTE of the week

“One of the things in our community that is often part of suicide is alcoholism. Alcohol is involved in 50% of suicides in this county.”

— Michael Barnes, Gunnison County Coroner See story on A5

BRIEFS

Blue Mesa fully open

On Sunday, July 20, the U.S. Park Service reopened the west end of Blue Mesa Reservoir, from the middle bridge to the dam. The area was temporarily closed to all uses following the outbreak of the South Rim Fire within the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, to allow aircraft to safely obtain water from the reservoir to combat the blaze.

As of July 23, the South Rim Fire encompassed 4,220 acres and was 31% contained, with no growth in the previous 48-hour period. The park remains closed.

“The west half of the reservoir will only close again if firefighting aircraft are once again needed to fight the fire,” according to a Park Service release.

Man arrested after armed standoff on Hwy. 114

On the afternoon of July 20, the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol and Gunnison Police Department responded to the intersection of Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 114 after a text message to 911 reported “shots fired.”

On arrival, officers encountered a male subject with two handguns. After negotiations, the subject turned himself over to law enforcement with no further issues. He was taken into custody on numerous charges and transported to Gunnison Valley Hospital for medical clearance. He was released Monday on a $5,000 cash-only bond.

Measles detected in out-ofstate county resident

The Gunnison Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed a local case of measles in an out-of-state resident. Exposure to others may have occured at the Taylor Trading Post on July 12, from 4-7 p.m.

Anyone who may have been exposed and develops symptoms is encouraged to contact a health care provider by phone. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a characteristic rash. For more information call 970.641.3244.

If you’ve ever attended a public hearing about a new development, you may have walked away wondering whether your input made a difference. That feeling is more common than you might think. Land use decisions can be complex and at times seem counterintuitive. We’d like to offer some clarity about how the land use process works, why it’s structured the way it is, and why your voice matters, even when the outcome may not reflect your personal view.

Why the Process Feels So Formal

For many types of applications, especially larger or more complex projects, the City Council and/or the Planning and Zoning Commission acts in what’s called a quasijudicial role, meaning they function a bit like judges. Their job is to apply the law to the facts, fairly and without bias. To protect the rights of everyone involved, including residents, they must follow strict procedures. That’s why conversations about a pending application can only happen during a public hearing, where all input is part of the official record and visible to everyone.

Understanding the Steps

Larger developments often go through multiple stages of review. The early phase typically addresses big-picture questions like layout, use, and general compatibility with the area. More detailed engineering concepts like traffic impacts, stormwater systems, and utility capacity come later, once there’s a basic agreement that the proposed concept fits within the community’s rules.

It may seem like key questions don’t have answers early on when the public is most engaged. The studies that would provide details of these questions are expensive and time-consuming, so requiring them before basic approval would be an unnecessary burden, especially if the project turns out not to move forward. That said, no project is granted final approval until these critical issues are fully addressed, and any required improvements such as infrastructure upgrades are completed, typically by the developer not the public.

A Balancing Act

life. At the same time, landowners have the right to use their property within the limits of adopted zoning and development codes based on rules that are created through public processes and reflect the community’s long-term vision.

When someone applies to develop land, the City is legally obligated to evaluate the proposal against the code rules. If the application meets the standards, it typically has the standing to be approved. Even with an approval, the community’s voice is critical. Quasi-judicial decisions cannot be made solely on community or personal preference, but all public input has a valuable place in the overall process.

Why Your Input Matters

Decision-makers are limited to evaluating whether a proposal meets existing rules, but that doesn’t mean public input is just a formality. Residents provide local knowledge and context that many times technical reports miss. Your voices help identify real-world issues that need to be addressed and can lead to meaningful changes in a project’s plans or the conditions placed on it. Even when an outcome doesn’t change, your participation matters. The community helps shape future policy, influence long-term planning, and ensure the City is paying attention to what residents’ value most.

Listening with Respect

We hope knowing more about the process helps explain why decisions are made the way they are.  “The City truly values your input - every letter, every comment, every appearance at a meeting helps build a stronger, more responsive city,” stated Mayor Plata.  Thank you for staying engaged. Your voice helps guide our future, one decision at a time.

To view upcoming Planning and Zoning Commission agendas and meeting minutes please visit gunnisonco.gov/PZMeetings . If you have more questions on the land use process please reach out to Community Development Director Anton Sinkewich at asinkewich@gunnisonco.gov or call (970) 641-8152.

One of the most important jobs of local government is to guide how land is used and developed. It’s also one of the most sensitive, as these decisions affect neighborhoods, traffic, infrastructure, the environment, and quality of Please stop by City Hall at 201 W. Virginia Avenue Call 970.641.8080 || www.gunnisonco.gov Email City Clerk Erica Boucher at eboucher@gunnisonco.gov

UNDERCONTRACT

Joanne Marie Reitinger

Joanne Marie Reitinger was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to George William and Bergliot “Bonnie” Bonneville. At 93 years old, she left this world on Jan. 25, 2025 in Longmont, Colorado, with family members by her side.

Joanne was a woman with many names and titles. She was always “Dear” to her loving husband of 67 years, Charles “Chuck” Reitinger, who preceded her in death in 2021. She was always “Mom” to her four surviving sons: Russ, Kurt, Doug and Bob (a fifth son, Glen, perished of crib death in the early 1960s). She was always “Joanne” to the daughters she acquired and grew close to when those sons married: Annette, Trish and Kathy. She was “Grandma Joanne” to her many grandchildren: Sam (Lindsey), Sarah (Charly), Nathan (Lauren), Drew (Marissa), Jeremy (Molly), Katie (Rich), Kyle (Tay) and Lindsey.

BIRTHS

On July 8, 2025, Wrenley Myrl Lalande was born to parents Marilyn and Bradley Lalande of Gunnison. She has an older brother Ryely who is 5 and an older sister Aureylia who is 2.

And she was “Gigi” to her greatgrandchildren: George, Teddy, Naomi, Hurlan and Miriam.

She was also the church secretary of the Community Church in Gunnison throughout most of the 1970s, producing, editing and mimeographing the weekly bulletin with a keen eye for any error. She was the Gunnison County Clerk and Recorder from 1978-2002, the office and elections running like a well-oiled machine under her care. In that role, she was always decisive, efficient and eager to serve the people of Gunnison County.

She had an enduring faith and was a dedicated churchgoer. She and her family were members of the Community Church in Gunnison for decades, where Joanne was a stalwart alto in the church choir. Years later, with Chuck, she became a steadfast member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Gunnison.

She was a good neighbor and friend. She was always up for an afternoon of bridge. Throughout the years, she was active in the community. From being a member of P.E.O. to singing in the Gunnison Community Choir to volunteering at the Pioneer Museum, she was involved in Gunnison and its people. While she also often spoke fondly of growing up within her family with her nowdeceased brothers — Loyd,

Margaux Beckwith Feese was born on July 18 at 9:01 a.m. to parents Hasley Rolph and Sean Feese of Gunnison. She weighed 6 lbs. And measured 20 inches at birth. Her grandparents are Leslie Seubert, Catherine Starkey, Bob Feese and Tim Rolph.

Robert, John and their extended families — in Superior and Appleton, Wisconsin, Gunnison had become her adopted home. Many in town will remark that they remember her mostly because she rode her bike to work in all sorts of western Colorado weather, or maybe they remember her because she cheerfully handled a complicated licensing issue for them at the Gunnison County Motor Vehicle office. And nearly everyone who ever met her will say they remember her smile — a smile that would light up any room.

The family invites the community to an open house to celebrate the life and memory of Joanne, to be held at the family home at 128 Bevington Road in Gunnison on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.

A celebration of life for Lynn Havel will be held Aug. 2, 2025 at the Three Rivers Resort in Almont, Colorado from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A light lunch will be served. Please bring a side dish to share and a story to tell.

We want your announcements!

The Gunnison Country Times publishes birth and wedding announcements free of charge.

• Please keep your announcement brief (3-5 sentences). You may include one photo.

• Our deadline for submissions is noon on Tuesdays.

• Please send announcements to issa@gunnisontimes.com.

Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, can say to Him, “You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in You I trust.” God will put His angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go.

Lynn Havel

Wrenley Myrl Lalande

Margaux Beckwith Feese

JULY 27TH JULY 27TH

Connect

Enter

Gunnison Valley Health Foundation

Summer Al Fresco Luncheon

Sunday, July 27th 11 am to 2 pm

Garlic Mike’s Outdoor Piazza 2674 Highway 135, Gunnison

Featuring live music, artists at work, fresh locally grown flowers, and a silent auction including art and gift baskets.

$100 per person. Proceeds support the long-term sustainability of Gunnison Valley Health.

Seating is limited. Get your tickets early. Contact Tammy Scott | tscott@gvh-colorado.org |

County suicide rate falls

Local faithbased prevention shows promise

Dave Pinkerton Special to the Times

After a tragically high number of suicides in Gunnison County last year, 2025 statistics so far offer a glimmer of hope that local mental health and suicide prevention strategies are paying off. The number of suicides in Gunnison County decreased from 12 in 2024 to three so far in 2025. Two of the 2025 suicides were from non-residents of Gunnison County.

The recently released Gunnison County State of the Community 2025 report details the who and how of suicide in Gunnison County: 85 percent were male, 75 percent used a gun and 50% were older than 52. These data mirror national trends with males dying by suicide 3.8 times more frequently than women.

Suicide prevention in the Gunnison Valley is one of the goals of Crested Butte State of Mind, a nonprofit that connects people to resources. Director Megan Dougherty explained the results of a valley-wide survey her organization conducted regarding potential suicide factors.

“One third of survey respondents in the valley feel isolated and alone and 56% have more than three poor mental health days in a month,” Dougherty said.

The State of the Community report echoed Dougherty’s comments when it listed the results of its own survey.

“Respondents discussed how loss of hope was associated with social isolation, economic insecurity, substance abuse, housing instability, hyper-individualized attitudes and failure,” the report states.

Michael Barnes, Gunnison

County coroner, included alcohol abuse as a significant contributing factor to suicide.

“One of the things in our community that is often part of suicide is alcoholism,” Barnes said. “Alcohol is involved in 50% of suicides in this county.”

Gunnison survey results are similar to other findings. For example, loss of hope, coupled with a lack of purpose were found to be major, though not exclusive, contributors to thoughts about suicide according to the Journal of Positive Psychology. In the Gunnison Valley, mental health professionals often address these and other complex mental health topics with various therapy approaches that are used in face-to-face sessions as well as call-in centers. Therapy in this context refers to talk or text chats with a trained counselor.

According to a 2019 largescale review study, the most common therapy approach in suicide prevention is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) or variations of it. According to the Association of CognitiveBehavioral Therapists, CBT therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts are most responsible for our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations and events. The focus is on self.

CBT therapists believe that we can change how we think, even if the situation does not change.

Psychiatric News reports that 50% of therapists in America use CBT in one form or another. Psychoanalysis is the second most used therapy approach. This suicide prevention method attempts to find the underlying reason for a person’s unconscious wishes and fears.

Is the four-fold reduction in suicide rate unique to Gunnison? A Montreal 12-year study claims a 79% reduction in suicides using highly focused support and follow up. But many studies show low to insignificant reductions in suicide rate.

Ron Watson, a decades-long Gunnison Valley resident founded WeCareGunny.com, a faith-

based organization, to problemsolve the Gunnison Valley suicide epidemic.

“What if suicide isn’t a medical or a mental health issue?” he said. “What if it’s a spiritual issue?”

Watson’s work led WeCareGunny.com to become part of GroundWire.net, a 24-7 call-in platform founded by Sean Dunn, a Colorado Springs faith leader. In May 2025, Groundwire.net had over two million website visits.

“Any mental health conversation that does not include faith is incomplete,” Dunn told the Times.

“The overall effect of WeCareGunny.com has been positive,” deputy coroner Melissa Post said.

Callers into the Groundwire. net platform text chat with spiritual coaches who focus on hope and purpose, not primarily on self. Sean explained that Groundwire.net coaches do not try to get callers to discover their problems, rather to accept a spiritual solution.

Watson’s work in the Gunnison Valley has included the involvement of 12 local churches and para-church organizations. They produced flyers, bumper stickers and banners that direct people where to go for help. The effort celebrated the suicide rate reduction with a summer Hope Fest, which attracted over 300 residents and featured free food, local musicians and testimonies of success stories.

“Adding spiritual coaching to the mix of treatment options offered in the Gunnison Valley seems to be the missing element that moved the needle in the right direction on suicide rates,” Watson said.

(Dave Pinkerton is a Gunnisonbased freelance writer.)

970.641.1414

© 2025 Gunnison Country Times

Publisher/Owner Alan Wartes publisher@gunnisontimes.com

Associate Editor Alex McCrindle alex@gunnisontimes.com

Photos Evan Bjornstad intern@gunnisontimes.com

Advertising Manager Steve Nunn steve@gunnisontimes.com

Advertising Assistant Bobbie Corn bobbie@gunnisontimes.com

Production Manager Issa Forrest issa@gunnisontimes.com

THE GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES (ISSN 0892-1113) is published weekly by Alan Wartes Media LLC., 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, Colorado 81230. Periodical postage paid at Gunnison, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Gunnison Country Times, 218 N. Wisconsin, Gunnison, CO 81230-0240

Hours:

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday

Housing authority changing, not disappearing

Laura Puckett Daniels Special to the Times

As chair of the Gunnison County Board of Commissioners and president of the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority board, I want to take a moment to catch folks up on the transition plan for the Housing Authority. While it is changing shape, it is not going away. Rather, we are entering a new chapter that aims to ensure longterm stability and better alignment of resources in our collective effort to provide affordable housing for the Gunnison Valley. Earlier this summer, the Housing Authority board voted to begin the process of dissolving the current intergovernmental structure and transition its administrative oversight and operations to the Gunnison County Housing Authority. This change was not made lightly. It reflects months of deep reflection on what’s working, what’s

GUEST COMMENTARY

not, and how best to support the housing needs of our residents now and into the future.

Let me be clear: this transition is about improving service — not interrupting it. For the many community members who live in homes or units currently managed by the Housing Authority, this shift will be seamless and transparent. Our primary goal is that your services will continue uninterrupted. Our top priority is consistency and quality in delivering housing services, and that will not change.

This fall, the county will begin the transition to oversight of day-to-day operations of the Housing Authority, and we will continue honoring all current grants, contracts and memorandums of understanding through the end of the year. The Housing Authority is funded through that time, and during this transition, all programs and services will remain in place. Staff will still be answering phone calls and emails. Deed restriction compliance work will continue, and if you need to sell a deed restricted home, the Housing Authority will still be there to facilitate that process.

We are fortunate that Melissa LaMonica, who has served as

executive director of the Housing Authority for the past year, has accepted a new role as the Gunnison County chief financial officer. Melissa brought strong leadership and organization to the Housing Authority and was instrumental in professionalizing operations, expanding compliance efforts and improving responsiveness to our residents. We are thrilled she will remain engaged with the organization, dedicating 10 hours per week through the end of the year to ensure a smooth handoff and continuity of operations. While we don’t yet have all the answers about what the future structure of housing support will look like, we are committed to an open and deliberate process. Between now and September, the Housing Authority board and Gunnison County will work closely with our jurisdictional partners — the City of Gunnison, the Town of Crested Butte, and the Town of Mt. Crested Butte — to address financial and operational details. All of them remain deeply committed to the shared goal of creating and maintaining affordable housing throughout the Gunnison Valley, and we will present a comprehensive transition plan to the community as

soon as it’s ready.

This transition represents not an ending, but an opportunity. After years of turnover and organizational instability, we are shifting to a structure that will provide a stronger foundation to meet the demands of today’s housing challenges. We owe it to our residents to adopt a system that is more nimble, accountable, and better equipped to deliver results. While we are adapting the structure of how housing work gets done, the mission remains unchanged: to create, preserve, and manage housing that is affordable for the people who make this community what it is.

I recognize that change can bring uncertainty. But this transition is being guided by a deep commitment to transparency, collaboration and continuity. As we move forward, I invite the community to stay engaged. Ask questions. Share your ideas. And continue to hold us accountable for ensuring that everyone in the Gunnison Valley has a place they can call home.

(Laura Puckett Daniels is the chair of the Gunnison County Board of Commissioners and president of the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority.)

Strategic planning to help our youngest learners

LETTERS POLICY

Letters to the editor must be 500 words or less. We favor local topics and discourage argumentative letters addressed to particular people. If you reference data, please include sources for fact-checking.

We will not print letters from candidates for public office.

Email letters to editor@gunnisontimes.com or send to 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, CO 81230. Include your full name, address and a phone number — for our internal use only.

The deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m. Letters may be edited for grammar, clarity or length.

Greg Kruthaput Special to the Times

I am writing about the state of learning in Gunnison County schools. We will soon complete more than $120 million worth of construction of new school buildings and facilities. That investment needs to be followed by the implementation of a strong strategic plan for educating our students. In the past four years, only 45-49% of students in Gunnison are reading at grade level in third grade. Crested Butte students are performing at 64% in reading. Why these low scores? We have outstanding teachers and principals, plus parents who want the best for their children.

After 30 years as a school principal, with a masters’ degree in curriculum, I finally discovered that a child’s vocabulary at age three is the number one indicator of their reading ability in third grade, and 90% of brain development occurs before a child’s first day of kindergarten. Thank you to the Early Childhood Development Council of Hinsdale and Gunnison counties!

Our community has a long history of students performing at the highest level statewide in reading and math. Why are so many failing now? Leslie Nichols, Gunnison Watershed School District superintendent, addressed this over the past four years by citing “the high number of language-challenged students enrolled in our schools.”

Teaching is a challenging job — made more so as our teachers try to serve students struggling with language and, in some cases, unable to speak English when they enroll in school. Unfortunately, as these students

progress through the grades, they can fall ever further behind, which can translate into discipline issues as well.

How can we help our teachers and the students they serve? We need to start when the children are young. I’ve witnessed the benefits of access to childcare and preschool education for every low-income and at-risk child.

After four years of retirement, I was recruited by an inner-city elementary school in Denver; at the same time, scholarships were made available countywide there for needy preschoolers. Within a few years we saw the positive effects. The preschool scholarships resulted in the recipients testing on average two to three years above grade level in math and reading when they reached third and fourth grades in that school.

The Gunnison school board recently adopted an updated strategic plan. Now the district needs to discipline itself to concentrate on the critical issues

that are preventing the success of our students. For the past three to four years, the district has concentrated on what I consider more superficial issues, such as restorative justice and release time for students every Wednesday to provide teacher development. Instead, we need to focus on improving student reading, which is the cornerstone of all learning. That is only going to happen with universal preschool childcare made available to every student in need.

The district’s strategic plan emphasizes community involvement and parent inclusion, student learning and teacher support. The plan has yet to be published and distributed to the community, a critical next step. The Hinsdale-Gunnison Early Childhood Council has been working tirelessly for the last six years to establish programs that serve needy preschoolers. These efforts could dovetail perfectly with Western Colorado University’s plan to establish a

toddler/early childhood education certification program.

It is imperative for the Gunnison school district to reach out to our entire community for input and to actualize its strategic plan. Without our community coming together, we

LETTERS

‘I smiled all week’

Editor:

When we asked our son how he felt about Heather Hughes’ summer theater camp at Western Colorado university this year, he thought for a moment and simply said, “I smiled all week.”

As a parent, I don’t think there’s a more powerful endorsement than that.

For the past three years, our son has taken part in this incredible camp, and every summer we’re reminded of just how rare and magical it is. What Heather has created is so much more than a theater program. It’s a vibrant, nurturing ecosystem rooted in kindness, empathy, creativity and inclusion.

Heather brings not only deep professional expertise but also an extraordinary ability to cultivate confidence, collaboration and joy in young people. Her camp is a place where kids are encouraged to be exactly who they are, and to support each other in doing the same.

The program now includes a one-week session for elementary students, a two-week program for middle schoolers and a one-week intensive for high school students. Each year, the community of young performers — and the parents and friends who cheer them on — continues to grow.

In a world that often feels hurried, competitive and divided, Heather’s camp is a reminder of what’s possible when intention and heart lead the way. The kids feel it. The parents see it. And the ripple effect stretches far beyond the stage.

This is a heartfelt thank you to Heather and everyone involved in the camp, and a hope that more in our Valley community come to know and support this beautiful program. It’s not just a camp, it’s something we wish we could bottle up and infuse into every other corner of our children’s lives.

Heather Zeilman Gunnison

Liberal ‘compassion’

Editor:

Laws without consequences are toothless. We are witnessing the consequences of Biden's contribution to a one world order. Obama was the Deporter-inChief, followed by Bill Clinton. The left would have you believe the immigrants who came across the border during Biden's term are all sweet little families that just want to get away from the drug lords and violence. Neighborhoods in Mexico are surrounded by prison wire to keep their homes from invasion. They are not free to go shopping without fear of being in the cross-

could miss a golden opportunity for the future of public education in our county. Don’t be surprised when you get invited to contribute to the future of our Gunnison schools. If you want to get involved, give Nichol’s office a call at 970.641.7760.

(Greg Kruthaupt is a retired educator and former candidate for the Gunnison Watershed District school board.)

The City Center

Your local government’s weekly community ad.

Do You Want to Run for City Council? Three seats are open this November!

Candidate Nomination Petition Packets

fires of the cartels. I witnessed this in Chihuahua, Mexico. Rather, the flood of illegals included evil people who would harm our citizens, drain our government resources and bring all that Mexico has to offer to our own doorsteps. They bring fentanyl made in China for the goal of conquering America from within, by killing our young people. But hey, they get rich and powerful, so what? Then the question is posed from the left, “Where is our compassion?”

Quoting biblical terms like “Good will be called evil and evil will be called good.”

This great nation was built by capitalism that allows the greatest freedom of human ingenuity, creativity and food production for the good of all people. If you sit around with a welfare mentality, you never get to be a part of what is possible for every American. The leftists advocate for socialism and communism at the expense of getting rid of capitalism so we can all be equally miserable. Capitalism creates jobs and opportunity for every American. The leftists throw around names like elitists and upper class for people who get out and generate jobs and opportunities. So, this is the true meaning of good will be called evil.

Mass migration — of human traffickers, drug cartels, children sold as sex slaves, over 30,000 Chinese men of fighting age, untold thousands of men from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Venezuela and others who would harm the United States of America — is the evil they call good. Trump is obligated to stop the flow of illegal immigrants before it is everlastingly too late. Actions must have consequences.

The immigration laws are clear, and Trump has a duty to enforce them. He has offered $1,000 and a plane ticket for people who self deport. That’s cheap compared to the resources they would consume if they stayed. He is starting with the criminals, and his ICE agents are under attack by none other than the “compassionate” liberals. The hypocrisy is astounding. There are honest people around the world who are honoring the legal path to citizenship, while millions have been allowed to jump the line. If we lose the rule of law, we lose our country. The leftists are the ones who would bring down this great country with their “compassion.” Countries that have fallen to communism have failed because there is no incentive for the human spirit to flourish. If we lose this last great bastion of hope, there will be nowhere else to run.

Pam Randall Gunnison

Can what we don’t know hurt us?

Editor:

The latest federal budget cuts funding for almost all federally funded climate research. Among the victims are four sites where levels of carbon dioxide and methane have been measured since as far back as 1958, giving us an understanding of how those and other greenhouse gases behind current global warming are changing.

A Colorado connection to this loss is the long-term sampling site on Niwot Ridge, at the University of Colorado’s Mountain Research Station, which has the world’s secondlongest record of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Global Monitoring Lab in Boulder, which analyzes all these gas samples, is also slated to close. Will it help our understanding of how the climate is changing if we no longer have the information from these sites and research lab? Will this loss of data improve performance of climate models used by insurance companies, farmers and the military to make informed economic projections and decisions? Will it make it easier to tell whether global efforts are helping to reduce levels of greenhouse gases? I think the answer to all of these rhetorical questions is that loss of this monitoring program will hurt all of these enterprises, harming Colorado’s economy in many ways.

Nearly all staff members behind climate.gov, the crucial public-facing information hub of NOAA, have been fired, so the public is losing the ability to learn about ongoing climate change.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) was placed in the East River watershed at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory between September 2021 and June 2023 to measure the main atmospheric drivers of water resources, including precipitation, clouds, winds, aerosols, radiation, temperature and humidity. This effort provided information critical to understanding how our watershed contributes to the Colorado River for agriculture, recreation and downstream water users. Future research on this topic is now at risk.

I was director of CU’s Mountain Research Station for two years and know how much effort and dedication are involved in collecting the weekly air samples from 11,500 feet on Niwot Ridge, year-round. This budget cut will hurt atmospheric science world-wide. Is ignorance bliss?

Available Tuesday, August 5 , 2025 th

Packet pickup with the City Clerk at City Hall

Circulation begins Tuesday August 5 , 2025 th 25 signatures by voters registered within the city limits of Gunnison, CO required for candidacy

Packets due by Monday, August 25th, 2025 at 5pm

Visit gunnisonco.gov/Elections or email eboucher@gunnisonco.gov

City Council Meetings gunnisonco gov/CouncilMeetings

When: 5:30pm, 2nd & 4th Tuesday of every month

Where: City Hall, Second floor Council Chambers, 201 W. Virginia Ave. Agendas and packets available online the Friday before meetings.

Water plant from A1

Openings in Crested Butte, CO

Competitive Pay, Great Benefits, and Safe Place to Work!

Now Hiring Diesel Mechanics Sign-On Bonus $7,500

REQUIREMENTS:

•

structure developments in city history, is divided into three projects. The first project covers the construction of a raw water intake and three separate wells at the VanTuyl Ranch. The second and third projects focus on the water delivery system and water treatment facility. With the first project nearing approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the city is expected to finalize its design this fall and begin construction before the end of 2025.

The treatment plant initiative stems from the 2021 water master plan and a potable water evaluation. Gunnison currently relies on nine wells to source its drinking water. The system is outdated and no longer permitted by the state. Because all of the wells pull water from the same aquifer, drinking water is vulnerable to contamination and extended drought conditions. The proposed plant will allow Gunnison to pull water from the Gunnison River, in addition to the aquifer.

“There’s a variety of reasons for this project, but the biggest is redundancy," Rice said at the meeting. “It’s really important for us to have redundant systems that are reliant on groundwater, and provide safe drinking water for the current and future growth of the community.”

The first project includes the construction of a raw water intake and three separate wells. The proposed intake will be 18-feet deep alongside the Gunnison River, and cylindrical intakes will extend halfway into the river.

The first project is expected to be approved by the EPA in the next four weeks, and begin construction this year with well drilling extending into 2026. The project is projected to cost $4 million, with $900,000 covering design, and $3 million going toward construction. The entire construction cost is funded by $1.75 million in congressionally directed spending, and a $1.5 million from a Colorado Water Conservation Board grant. Four additional grants covered roughly $850,000 in design costs. The City of Gunnison will pay the remaining $25,000. Once complete, the water

intake will have little impact on outdoor recreation, including boating and fishing, Rice said. However, construction will likely disrupt those activities for an estimated two to three months. It is currently unknown if construction can take place in the winter to minimize impact on summer recreation.

Project two focuses on a complex network of pipes that will connect the raw water intake and wells, and deliver water directly to the water treatment plan. The third project is the construction of the water treatment plant itself. Rice said the second and third project design is estimated to be completed between winter 2025 and spring 2026, with construction lasting into 2029.

The two projects will cost $2.7 million for design, and $40 million for construction. The majority of design costs are already funded by six grants, while the construction costs are set to be discussed at upcoming council meetings.

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)

A conceptual drawing of the water treatment plant when completed. (Times archive)

“There were a lot of problems with the plan,” Gunnison rancher Bill Trampe told commissioners. “We tried to make the commission accept, or at least think about, some of our subjective changes. We were ignored. Now we're dealing with the issue of the plan not being followed and implemented.”

In particular, the funding appropriated by the legislature to fairly compensate ag producers for losses due to the presence of wolves, among other things, falls far short of the actual need, said association president Andy Spann.

“The state is not ready to release wolves in Gunnison County yet,” he said. “They don't have the funding behind them. They don't have the guarantee for compensation, backed by the legislature.”

Last week the wildlife commission approved a claim for approximately $100,000 to compensate a northern Colorado rancher for the loss of 83 cows. Although the claim was in keeping with what’s allowed in the plan, the process of fil -

ing it is often adversarial, said Gunnison rancher Kathleen Curry.

“I’m grateful that it got approved, but it was a six to five vote,” she said. “And he had to hire a lawyer to help with the claim. I don’t think those legal costs were covered.”

According to ag producers, losing an animal to wolf predation is not the only way they stand to suffer financial losses. Other impacts include stress on herds of cattle or sheep that can result in lower fertility rates and declines in weight gain. Those kinds of losses are eligible for compensation under the wolf plan, but require ranchers to keep detailed “baseline” records in order to document impacts after reintroduction. Some estimates place the potential loss of revenue at 20-30%.

Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels acknowledged that human stress plays a role as well.

“I know how deeply you guys care for your animals, and that one loss lays on you beyond the financial toll,” she said. “And now there's this whole other level of stress. We can't control the weather, we can't control

how tall the grass grows, and now here's another thing that you can't control, that you're trying to manage.”

Commissioners hope to draft and approve a letter in the coming weeks summarizing these and other concerns. It will be voted on in an upcoming regular meeting of the board.

“I think it's worth discussing the possibility, if the state cannot deliver on those guarantees, then we need to talk about requesting a pause in the reintroduction process until the state can show up with those resources and show up with meaningful actions that are going to help our producers here, not just in Gunnison County, but across the state,” Houck said.

(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)

Sunni Gunni Art Market

Pitkin Day

July 26, 2025

Gray wolves are scheduled for release in Gunnison County in January, 2026. (Envato Elements)

n Saturday July 19 the Sunni Gunni Art Market popped up at the Gunnison Arts Center with many local artists ready to make a sale. One-of-a-kind paintings, ceramics, prints, jewelry, and clothes filled the yard along with artists and customers.

(Photo by Evan Bjornstad)

I don’t think so. What we don’t know can hurt us.

David W. Inouye Crested Butte

Music Cruise gratitude

Editor:

Our hearts are still full and we're still riding the good vibes of Sanctuary Somatics’ Music Cruise afterparty. The event surpassed our dreams for creating a celebration of community connection with bikes, local food, music and dancing.

I thank everyone who came out from all corners of the valley. Our townie takeover was about 250 bicycles strong! And the crowd swelled to about 350 or more at the Sanctuary Somatics block party. Thank you to all the cyclists who rode joyfully (and safely!) through the streets of Gunnison. Thank you to the people in their yards that cheered us on as we cycled slowly through their neighborhoods. Thank you to Sunny Downpour who played the beautiful and lively accompaniment for our ride.

Thank you to Ginny Baylor and Maryo Ewell who first ran with this brilliant idea for getting music out to the people of Gunnison during that weird time in 2020 — when we wondered how we would ever get together again. Thank you City of Gunnison and the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley for keeping the Cruise going strong five years later. Big thanks to the Resiliency Project which awarded us a micro grant to throw the afterparty. We’re grateful to Natural Grocers for cosponsoring the event with us. Thanks to Mountain Roots, Marisela Ballesteros and AmeriCorps for helping with set up.

We are incredibly grateful to Danny of the Dive and Jermaine for making delicious free street tacos from the amazing local food provided by local farms and ranches. Thank you to Mountain Roots Food Project, Gunnison Gardens, Iola Valley Farm, Calder Farm, The Dive, Jermaine's, Churro Mio, Jan Scheefer, Tina Fortin and Shamrock Foodservice for the exquisite food and mad prepping skills that you provided. Thank you to the people who spontaneously jumped in to set out City Market’s snack trays when the crowd rolled up early for the afterparty!

Thank you to our resiliency partners that offered information and resources: CB State of Mind, Mountain Roots Food Project, GCSAPP, GRASP, Gunnison Trails, Katie Dautrich of Maya Wellness Center, Brothers Helping Brothers, the Hillbilly Jokers Club, Juntos, Ren Hoskin of Intuitive Nutrition, Intermount Fluent Connections, Gunnison County and Ace Hardware Store.

Thank you so much to Skyler and Mia from Gunnison Valley Entertainment for keeping the good times going at Sanctuary Somatics and providing the inspiration for more fun and dancing. They had people vibing and singing in different languages together until long after the sunset.

Thank you to Desirae Penton

Crosley for her amazing flyers, marketing skills and emotional support. Thanks to Joe Bob for upping the energy of every event with the pyrotechnics of fireballs and fire circles. Thank you to Joe Bob and Amanda at South Main Gunnison and Blue Thunder Circle ART Lab for opening their space on South Main to events big and small for the sake of celebrating art and connection. I am grateful to work with all of you in bringing the community together.

Heidi Magnus Gunnison

Thank You

Editor:

The family of Camille Besse would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

Camille had many friends in her years of living and working in the Gunnison Valley. The showing of support for the family during this difficult time was greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the cards, for those that attended the graveside service, provided meals and all the donations to her favorite charities. Camille would be pleased.

On behalf of George (her brother) and the rest of the Besse family, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. She will be missed.

The Besse family

A

crying shame

Editor:

Here we go again. Regarding Ms. Thomas' "Disappointing" letter from July 10:

Like your father, Ms. Thomas, my dad also served in World War II, fighting the Imperial Japanese Army on bloody Okinawa. So does that qualify my "patriotism" up to your standards?

How is it "okay" for a former president "declaring his hatred for citizens who ever disagree with him," but "not okay" for the current president to allegedly do the same thing? I'm referring to former president Biden's divisive rant directed at nearly half of the American electorate in his blood-red and black-lit stage play given at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Sept. 1, 2022.

Later on, Biden actually doubled down on that spectacle by calling them "garbage." Are you okay with that?

ICE is attempting to enforce our immigration and border laws after the former president opened up the borders and let the world waltz in to the tune of millions, including criminals along with potential terrorists. Your hyperbolic "grabbing up law-abiding migrants" misses the point. The point is these "migrants" as you call them broke our laws when they invaded the country. They have little in common with your favorite biblical passage from Matthew 25:35 concerning treatment of strangers.

As to your obscene claim of people "pumping a fist at the hatred and vitriol that is puking out of the White House," all I

can say to that is you obviously haven't observed some of the anti-Trump "protests" puking out from several blue-run cities, and that's a crying shame.

Jon Matuszczak Gunnison

Press release error

Editor:

Last week’s Times included a news release from the Alzheimer’s Association, which warned of a direct link between wildfire smoke and dementia. Presumably they were unaware that the study they were citing had since been retracted and its main conclusion was no longer supported.

There is certainly good evidence that long-term exposure to the smallest airborne pollutants (particulates that scientists refer to as PM 2.5) is associated with negative health outcomes, including respiratory and cardio-vascular disease and some dementias. These microscopic pollutants can come from many different sources, one of which is wildfire smoke.

The general connection between PM2.5 and certain diseases has been known about for many years. However, the recent study cited by the Alzheimer’s Association made a striking new claim: namely, that PM 2.5 from wildfire smoke presents a dementia risk many times higher than PM2.5 from other sources, and that wildfires therefore represent a unique and unprecedented threat to cognitive health.

It turns out, though, that after publication, the study’s authors uncovered a serious error in their analysis which invalidated this result. In June they published a formal retraction, together with this updated conclusion (which is, essentially, the exact opposite of the original):

“Long-term exposure to wildfire PM2.5 over a 3-year period was not significantly associated with dementia diagnoses.”

Mistakes happen, and kudos to the authors for doing the right thing. But this situation illustrates precisely why public health advice should be based on scientific consensus, not on newlypublished research that has yet to be thoroughly reviewed and replicated.

Unfortunately, the news release appears to have been picked up by numerous Colorado media outlets, and the misinformation it contains will doubtless add to the anxiety of many who were already stressed out enough. I hope that the Alzheimer’s Association takes steps to issue some form of correction.

William Spicer Gunnison

‘Biblical Citizenship’

Editor:

After being raised to be patriotic and cherish our nation’s heritage, I rebelled and took it for granted. I was outspoken about, “Why do we have ‘In God We Trust’ on our money if we have Separation of Church and State?” How deceived I was!

¡INFÓRMATE! en español

Colombiana conmemora 215 años de la independencia

Laura Cardozo Special to the Times

¡Viva Colombia! Con orgullo por sus tradiciones y libertad, la comunidad colombiana celebró el pasado 20 de julio el Día de la Independencia de Colombia. Con un colorido recorrido en bicicleta, los colombianos desplegaron su bandera por las principales avenidas de Gunnison. El recorrido atrajo la atención de residentes locales, quienes mostraron su apoyo a los colombianos.

Celebrar el Día de la Independencia en tierras extranjeras es un momento emocionante para muchos colombianos. Según John Ruiz, "hay una pizca de nostalgia en celebrar el 20 de julio lejos de casa, pero al mismo tiempo es una oportunidad de representar con orgullo a todo un país. Yo lo hago con alegría", comentó Ruiz.

En un acto de valentía y

completa rebeldía, un grupo de ilustrados criollos (descendientes de españoles nacidos en América) como Antonio Nariño, Camilo Torres, José Acevedo y Gómez, entre otros, se unieron para desafiar a las autoridades españolas de Santafé (hoy Bogotá, capital de Colombia).

La historia ha reconocido el 20 de julio de 1810 como el primer grito de independencia, ya que se logró establecer la primera junta de gobierno, siguiendo el ejemplo que habían tomado algunas ciudades años atrás en el marco de la crisis de la monarquía española iniciada en 1808, de acuerdo con el Archivo General de la Nación en su sitio web.

Cabe destacar que la independencia de Colombia no se consiguió en un solo día. El 20 de julio inspiró a hombres y mujeres de todo el país que la historia conmemora por su lucha en la búsqueda de

autonomía. Esta lucha por la independencia de la corona española continuó por muchos años más hasta que finalmente el libertador Simón Bolívar logró la victoria decisiva en la Batalla de Boyacá el 7 de agosto de 1819.

La República de Colombia surgió como nación independiente después de tres siglos bajo el dominio de España. Su posición geográfica permite que se extienda desde las costas del Caribe y del Pacífico hasta los picos nevados de la Cordillera de los Andes y la selva Amazónica, otorgándole el título como uno de los países con mayor biodiversidad del mundo.

La historia de Colombia ha estado marcada por muchos desafíos, algunos continúan en la actualidad. Sin embargo, los colombianos son persistentes, preparados y capaces de transformar las dificultades en opor-

tunidades.

"Todos queremos lo mejor para nuestro país. En un día como hoy mi corazón está allá a través de oraciones, en las que expreso lo que deseo para mi país y mi familia que está allá", expresó Rocío Cerón.

En los últimos años la comunidad colombiana ha destacado en Gunnison. Aunque no existe un registro que lo confirme, se estima que hay aproximadamente 150 colombianos que han encontrado en el valle su hogar.

Según Mayte Burton, destacada líder comunitaria colombiana y docente en Gunnison High School, la comunidad colombiana tiene mucho valor por su aporte cultural y económico a la comunidad local. "Los Colombianos que residen en Gunnison son en su mayoría personas estudiadas que han llegado con iniciativas de crear empresas. Hoy

podemos decir que hay aproximadamente ocho empresas consolidadas en diferentes sectores", destacó Burton.

La celebración del 20 de julio fue todo un encuentro cultural que incluyó música y bailes tradicionales. La comida que tanto extrañan los colombianos también estuvo presente para disfrute de los asistentes, gracias a las familias que se unieron para preparar y compartir sus platos típicos.

Los protagonistas y quienes más disfrutaron esta celebración fueron los niños, quienes dejaron ver que el orgullo por las raíces patrias trasciende fronteras. Los espacios culturales fortalecen los lazos colombo-americanos.

(Laura Cardozo es una escritora independiente que vive en el valle de Gunnison.)

Colombian community marks 215 years of independence

Laura Cardozo Special to the Times

Long live Colombia! With pride in their traditions and freedom, the Colombian community celebrated Colombia's Independence Day this past July 20th.

With a colorful bicycle parade, Colombians displayed their flag through the main avenues of Gunnison. The parade attracted the attention of local residents, who showed their support for the Colombians.

Celebrating Independence Day on foreign soil is an exciting moment for many Colombians. According to John Ruiz,

"There's a touch of nostalgia in celebrating July 20th away from home, but at the same time it's an opportunity to proudly represent an entire country,” said Colombian immigrant John Ruiz. “I do it with joy.”

What happened on July 20, 1810? This is the story

On July 20, 1810, in an act of courage and complete rebellion, a group of enlightened creoles (descendants of Spaniards born in America) including Antonio Nariño, Camilo Torres, José Acevedo y Gómez, and others, joined forces to challenge the Spanish authorities of Santafé (now Bogotá, Colombia's capital).

History has recognized July 20, 1810 as the first cry of independence, as it achieved the establishment of the first government council. This followed the example of action taken by some cities years earlier during the Spanish monarchy crisis that began in 1808, according to the General Archive of the Nation website.

It should be noted that Colombia's independence was not achieved in a single day.

July 20th inspired men and

women throughout the country. This fight for independence from the Spanish crown continued for many more years, until the liberator Simón Bolívar achieved the decisive victory in the Battle of Boyacá on Aug. 7, 1819.

The Republic of Colombia emerged as an independent nation after three centuries under Spanish rule. It extends from the Caribbean and Pacific coasts to the snow-capped peaks of the Andes Mountains and the Amazon rainforest, earning it the title as one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world.

Colombia's history has been marked by many challenges, some of which continue today. However, Colombians are persistent, prepared and capable of transforming difficulties into opportunities.

"We all want the best for our country,” said Rocío Cerón dur-

ing the celebration. “On a day like today, my heart is there through prayers, in which I express what I wish for my country and my family who are there.”

In recent years the Colombian community has stood out in Gunnison. Although there is no record to confirm it, it is estimated that there are approximately 150 Colombians who have found their home in the valley.

According to Mayte Burton, a prominent Colombian community leader and teacher at Gunnison High School, the Colombian community has great value for its cultural and economic contribution to the local community.

"The Colombians who reside in Gunnison are mostly educated people who have arrived with initiatives to create businesses,” she said. “Today we can say that there are approximately

eight established companies in different sectors.”

The July 20th celebration included traditional music and dances. The food that Colombians miss so much was also present for the enjoyment of attendees, thanks to the families who came together to prepare and share their typical dishes.

Those who most enjoyed this celebration were the children, who showed that pride in one's homeland roots transcends borders. Cultural spaces strengthen Colombian-American ties.

(Laura Cardozo is a Gunnison-based freelance writer.)

Soy tu agente local de bienes raíces. Hablo español y estoy aquí para ayudarte. ¡Contáctame hoy para una consulta gratis y sin compromiso!

Llavador

Second Quarter 2025 GUNNISON MARKET UPDATE

Brian Cooper Bluebird Real Estate

As summer hits full swing, Gunnison’s real estate market remains active, but with evolving dynamics that call for a sharper eye on pricing strategy. The number of new listings continues to grow, offering buyers more choices than earlier in the year. Prices overall remain high. Reasonably priced properties, especially those in desirable locations or with turnkey finishes, are moving fast. Mortgage rates still a major factor in decision making with rates remaining stagnant and similar to last year.

Buyers remain engaged, yet many are approaching with increased caution due to economic concerns & uncertainty. Sellers are still hoping to set ambitious prices based on past market strength, today’s buyers are hesitant to offer lower. As a result, listings priced too high are seeing extended days on market, while appropriately priced homes are going under contract quickly.

In the rural Gunnison area, the $1M mark is seeing notable activity, especially for properties with space, privacy, or recreational access. Meanwhile, the City of Gunnison reached a new high-water mark this summer, with a single-family home on Spruce Street closing at a record-setting $2.1 million, a major milestone for the local market.

Residential Market

Snapshot – Year-to-Date 2025

• City of Gunnison: 18 closed sales | Average Price: $536,278

• Rural Gunnison: 21 closed sales | Average Price: $882,762

• Townhome & Condo Market

• City of Gunnison: 21 closed sales | Average Price: $435,483

• Rural Gunnison: 18 closed sales | Average Price: $635,144

Looking ahead, we anticipate that pricing and presentation will be key differentiators as more inventory remains available. Price adjustments to meet the market demands are normal course in today’s market.

New home development in the Gunnison area remains largely stagnant, particularly when it comes to open market construction. A combination of construction cost, higher permit fees and contractor availability has stalled meaningful progress. These roadblocks continue to restrict housing supply and put upward pressure on the pricing of existing homes. While some movement is underway on workforce housing, large employers and developers remain in preliminary planning phases, with few tangible results to date. Most of the new construction we’ve seen has been driven by county with deed restricted projects, which only scratch the surface of the region’s broader housing needs.

The Brian Cooper Team is here to help you navigate these market shifts, whether you’re buying, selling, or just watching from the sidelines. With honest guidance, smart strategy, and creative marketing, we’ll help you move forward with confidence.

(Brian is a seasoned real estate professional in the Gunnison Valley. He has vast- experience in marketing and selling residential, investment and commercial properties- across Colorado.)

(Sponsored by Bluebird Real Estate.)

In March 1993 I heard David Barton of WallBuilders speak at the Crested Butte Community Prayer Breakfast. It changed my life. I was so enthralled by his firehose of information that it was impossible to take notes fast enough. My patriotic upbringing was re-awakened that day. I was 39 years old and my poorly inspired rebellion was over. It was about time!

I purchased one of David’s books (“The Myth of Separation”) that Friday morning, read it over the weekend, and on Monday sent it to my dad in Athens, Georgia. Inside I wrote, “Now I understand what you’ve tried to teach us all of our lives.”

I am blessed to know that he was blessed to find out about my return from my delusion six months before he died from a cancer we didn’t yet know he had. There was a reason beyond my understanding why I felt such an urgency to read it and send it to him. The timing was vital.

My husband and I, along with

several other Crested Butte and Gunnison folks, have enjoyed a personal friendship with David Barton and his family ever since. David and WallBuilders have inspired the creation of Patriot Academy, through which over 1.2 million people have attended Biblical Citizenship classes all over the country.

We now issue an urgent clarion call to all Gunnison Country locals, part-time residents and visitors to participate in the extraordinary opportunity of attending one of these classes in Gunnison, Mt. Crested Butte or Almont on Aug. 5, 12 or 19.

Many of you understand how America’s founders miraculously established this country with reliance on Divine Providence (Almighty God). Others may not know much or may even feel negative about that. To all we say that this program is chock full of valuable information and there’s something new and encouraging in it for everyone.

God miraculously lifted me out of my quagmire of misunderstanding about a lot of things —

Yard of the Week

including America’s founding. I was a lost cause but He turned me around in an astounding, unexpected moment. That can happen to anyone reading this. Truth not only sets us free, but it established the freedom we enjoy in America.

Biblical Citizenship is not a boring religious exercise. It is a professionally produced program, which is an entertaining adventure into our American roots. You will hear several inspiring speakers (including Barton) and be treated to BBQ lunch and a workbook that will give you the notes so you won’t have to unsuccessfully attempt to take them when so much is coming at you, like what happened to me in 1993.

For more information visit PatriotAcademy.com. The timing is vital — perhaps beyond our understanding. August is almost here.

Joyce Kohler has been awarded Yard of the Week by Top O’ the World Garden Club.

When I purchased this home at 1312 Wildwood in October of 2020, the yard was rudimentary and simple. Having a passion for landscaping and design, I recognized the potential for increasing its eye appeal and bringing it to life. The biggest challenge was the large kidney shaped dirt area to the left of the house. It was only separated from the yard with a border of small pine trees. Over a period of two summers, I spread two truckloads of mulch improving the quality of the dirt and adding some texture and color to this parched and unattractive area. Over the next three years, I planted herbs, perennials and annuals. Ultimately, I added solar lighting. Creating rock designs helped add interest and personality.

The next challenge was the front yard shaded by two three story pine trees and an obnoxious cotton wood. I had the cottonwood chopped down and the pines pruned, adding more light into the house. The cottonwood became a planter for perennials. Along with this, each summer I add pots of flowers and hanging baskets to the front, side and back of the house, so that the eye is drawn to a 360 degree view of color.

My last project was to lay a patio between the two adjoining houses. To my good fortune, the previous owners left behind a skid of antique bricks from the Denver Hi Fire Clay Company. Each one of these is stamped and adds a unique character to the overall landscaping design.

Fae Davidson Gunnison

Klingsmith siblings perform at Gunnison Art Center

is all about!

300 A Van Tuyl Cir. MLS#826711 $650,000 Modern 3-Bedroom, 2-Bath Townhome in Prime Location! Discover this stunning end-corner unit townhome, perfectly situated in the highly desirable Van Tuyl Village subdivision—one of Gunnison’s newest neighborhoods. This property offers the ideal blend of convenience, comfort, and style, making it perfect for homeowners or investors alike. Spacious Layout: This 3-bedroom, 2-bath townhome boasts an open-concept kitchen, living, and dining area—perfect for hosting gatherings and creating lasting memories. Attached 2-Car Garage: Enjoy the convenience of direct access to your home with ample parking and storage space. Equipped with stainless steel appliances and abundant cabinet storage, this kitchen is a chef’s dream. The large master bedroom features vaulted ceilings and southern exposure, with multiple windows filling the space with warm, natural light. Simplify your daily routine with a conveniently located laundry room upstairs. Nestled on the north side of town, this townhome is within walking distance of bus stops, banks, stores, restaurants, a recreation center, and the scenic Van Tuyl trails. The RTA bus stop is just steps away, offering free transportation to Crested Butte—a world-class playground only 30 minutes away. This property has been a rental since its purchase and comes with tenants in place until spring 2026, making it a fantastic investment opportunity. If you prefer to make it your

Elizabeth and Julien Kingsmith enchanted the Gunnison Arts Center with classical music at a concert on July 19.

(Photos by Evan Bjornstad)

A bike shop – on wheels

Skiptooth Cycles goes where the riders are

Gia Wright Special to the Times

Alex Modell unlatched the back of the white enclosed trailer hitched to his pickup and swung the door open to reveal his passion project — a bike shop on wheels.

Skiptooth Cycles officially opened for business in June of this year. Specializing in repairs, tune-ups and unique custom builds, Modell also offers the convenience of coming to his customers for pickup, drop off and on-site repairs.

Modell is the owner and mechanic of this one-man shop. Hailing from Excelsior, Minnesota, Modell moved to the Gunnison Valley in 2015 to finish a degree in business administration with an entrepreneurial emphasis at Western Colorado University. But his passion for bikes started much earlier.

“I kinda latched onto bikes as a kid, starting out with BMX bikes, moving into mountain bikes, then cross country mountain bike racing,” he said. “My dad was a bike mechanic when he was my age and then an auto mechanic. We started wrenching on bikes and cars when I was around 8 years old.”

Modell worked at a bike shop in high school in the Minneapolis area and has also worked for a couple of the local shops in the Gunnison Valley. Skiptooth specializes in mountain bikes, road bikes, commuter bikes, townies, gravel bikes, bike-packing, touring and cargo

bikes. He serves commercial properties that need on-site maintenance or repairs for their bike fleets.

Modell’s service is especially convenient for those who may not have the means or time to transport their bike to a shop for repair, or have too many bikes to transport.

“My goal is to keep the bikes fun, dependable and adaptable, to meet the rider wherever they are in life,” Modell said.

Along with offering standard tune-ups and repairs, Modell loves the challenge of a custom, curated bike project.

“If you’ve got a cool bike in your garage that needs a refresh, a frame-up or a tailored build, I’m interested in accommodating unique requests. If you want to work on a funky project, I get excited about that,” Modell said.

With Skiptooth Cycles, Modell aims to help the com -

munity’s bike culture evolve by participating in local events, pop-ups and offering his mechanical services to aid local races in the future.

“Our motto is ‘Simple machines for good.’ It’s a nod to the fact that a bike is a series of simple machines beautifully blended together to form something greater than the sum of its parts which, in return, can have a profound positive impact on the rider and communities they are connected to.”

Skiptooth’s service menu includes various tune-up packages (named after Toyota vehicles in true Valley style), an a la carte menu for repairs and an hourly rate for obscure or custom projects. For more information visit skiptoothcycles.com.

(Gia Wright is a Gunnisonbased freelance writer.)

Romeo + Juliet + Cocktails

(Photos by Evan Bjornstad)

Alex Modell. (Photo by Gia Wright)

Learn about restoring wolverines to Colorado

Thurs, July 31 | 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Gunnison County Fairgrounds

275 S Spruce St A, Gunnison, CO 81230

Sat, August 2 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Gunnison County Library 1 Quartz St, Gunnison, CO 81230

Hosted by: RSVP at:

Drivers education

If you are at least 14.5 years old and want to learn to drive, join our free class this fall. The class will run from July 28-Aug. 1 from 9 a.m.-4:30 or 5 p.m. daily.. If interested contact Robert Whiting at 970.596.8639 or whitingrobert29@gmail.com. After completing this class you will be eligible to take the test for your learners permit when you turn 15 and have behind the wheel lessons when you get your permit.

Art in the park

The 51st Art in the Park will be July 27 at Legion Park between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. It will feature original art and crafts with work ranging from silver, pewter to crocheted jewelry, wood crafts of a functional nature to great sculptured pieces. For more information contact Ronda at 970.641.2638.

Firefly study

Have you seen fireflies near the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab? CU Boulder researchers are mapping where these glowing beetles appear in Colorado. If you spot fireflies this summer, let us know here: bit.ly/

COFireflies or by email firefliescuboulder@gmail.com. Every report helps.

Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League yardsale

Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League will hold a yard sale July 26 from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at 508 N. 7th St. Items are by donation and proceeds go to the animal shelter.

Living Journeys

Join us for the 26th annual Summit Hike on July 26. This event offers an opportunity to celebrate, support and remember loved ones who are facing or have faced cancer—all while hiking to the top of Mt. Crested Butte with friends and family. Email info.livingjourneys.org for more information.

Pitkin melodrama

From July 24-26 the Pitkin Town Players will present “Shootout at Sadies’ Saloon.” The play will start at 7 p.m. at the Historic Pitkin Town Hall. Tickets are available at Silver Plume General Store and cost $10 for adults and $5 for children under twelve.

GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS

Mapping your story: A writing workshop

Join us from July 31-Aug. 2 for a three-day summer writing workshop at the Gunnison Arts Center exploring how stories and maps intertwine—through writing, discussion, local walks and museum visits—with playwright and professor Paul Edwards.

Drawing in unique places class

Join us for five Thursday’s July 31-Aug. 28 from 10 a.m.12 p.m. to explore how mean -

ingful places inspire art in this hands-on workshop with Don Seastrum, combining discussion, creative practice and outdoor inspiration using various media.

Drawing the figure

Join us in a figure drawing class on either Aug. 7 or Aug. 28 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. This interactive class features a live nude model, whether you are a beginner or brushing up on fundamentals, this class is a great way to connect with your art and the human form.

CB CENTER FOR THE ARTS BRIEFS

Alpenglow

Join us July 28 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for Mihali, a Vermontbased singer, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of rock outfit Twiddle.

Summer Classics in the Courtyard

Join Elizabeth Bond and Friends July 29 from 5:30-7 p.m. for an enchanting evening of classical music in the open-air courtyard.

After Midnight Jazz

Join us Aug. 1 for an unforgettable evening of swing dancing with live music by After Midnight, a collective of seasoned musicians specializing in vibrant jazz performances, featuring swing, blues and Latin jazz. Dance lessons from 6:157:15 p.m. The cost is $35+.

We want your announcements!

The Gunnison Country Times publishes birth and wedding announcements free of charge.

• Please keep your announcement brief (3-5 sentences). You may include one photo.

• Our deadline for submissions is noon on Tuesdays.

• Please send announcements to issa@gunnisontimes.com.

Missoula Children’s Theater

Missoula Children’s Theatre returns to Gunnison with Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, offering 45 students guaranteed roles in this original production through a week-long camp of rehearsals, art activities and games, culminating in three community performances after auditions on Aug. 11 at 10 a.m.

Colorado Grandeur

Colorado Grandeur brings together the Plein Air Painters of America for their largest exhibition and sale in years, showcasing an estimated 150 breathtaking paintings inspired by the landscapes of Colorado on Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. Learn more at shaunhornegallery.com.

CBSF Bluegrass + BBQ fundraiser

Join us Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. for a lively evening supporting the Crested Butte Snowsports Foundation, featuring delicious food from local favorite Tully’s and live music from the Black Canyon Ramblers. This community fundraiser helps provide opportunities for local youth to thrive in snowsports, from scholarships to gear support. Enjoy great eats, mountain vibes and foot-stomping

tunes—all for a great cause. The cost is $35 adults, $15 kids, free for ages 5 and under.

Summer surprise

Gunnison Tough had an unexpected visitor at the 2025 Songwriter Shuffle Concert and Auction. Alongside Dean Dillon, Pam Tills, Jenee Fleenor and Moose Brown, the "King of Country Music", George Strait joined the stage.

Business Yard of the Month

Top O’ the World Garden Club has awarded Laura Anderson of Colorado Home, located at the corner of Highway 135 and Spencer, with Business Yard of the Month. “Colorado Home, formerly Back at the Ranch, has recently spruced up their side lawn bordering Hwy 135. Taking advantage of the beautiful new sign (constructed by local company Wood Product Signs) Colorado Home has been busy weeding, fixing irrigation lines, trimming trees, and raking gravel, as well as replacing wind spinners with shiny new ones. The new blue and red wind spinners accentuate the beautiful purple cat mint which flourishes and is easily maintained in our climate. The minimalist design of the yard keeps weeds to a minimum, is easy to care for, and requires very little water.

MLS# 825306

cozy cabin in Pitkin, CO! Wrap-around deck, 2 propane stoves, a main-floor bedroom with 3/4 bath, an additional full bath. Loft space large enough for a bonus room, and a laundry room. It is nicely furnished with both antiques and new furniture. There is also an oversized two-car garage and a couple sheds. Plenty of room to park vehicles and trailers/campers off-street as well as in back off the alley. The mountains are calling - come take a look!

(Courtesy Top O’ the World Garden Club)

(Courtesy Machenzie Bode/Gunnison Tough)

Baked salmon a summer favorite

Enid Holden

Special to the Times

Baked salmon with a mustard herb crust is one of my all-time favorite easy recipes. I took it to the Sundays@6 concert in the park recently and received many compliments from friends who tried it. It’s very flavorful, moist, healthy and ready in under 30 minutes. Salmon is a brain-boosting, immuneboosting, omega-packed powerhouse. The herbed mustard spread is tangy and keeps the salmon moist as it bakes. There’s just a handful of ingredients in this recipe, but they work together beautifully.

Ingredients:

Salmon: Use one 3 lb. large filet or individual filets

Parsley: a handful

1 cup Dijon mustard: The creamy flavor of Dijon is what you want. I don’t recommend substituting yellow mustard.

2 tsp lemon juice

2 Tbs oil: Olive or avocado oil is best

2 cloves of garlic or powdered Salt and pepper: Season to your liking.

Stir together the chopped parsley, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, avocado oil, minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Slather that Dijon mixture on top of the salmon. Bake the salmon for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees. I slightly undercook the salmon just to ensure it stays moist, especially as it will continue to cook for several minutes after you’ve removed it from the oven.

Serve it with rice, veggies or flake it into a salad. Or make a buddha bowl. Start with your favorite grain, such as rice or quinoa. Then layer on roasted veggies, and lastly, top with your salmon piece.

(Enid Holden is a Gunnisonbased freelance writer.)

(Envato Elements)

Gunnison County 4-H results

Gunnison Valley

2. Joseph Schultheis

3. Deegan Bennett

Showmanship Classes

Sr. Showmanship

1. Genevieve Williams

2. Hadyn Perkins

3. Marcos Diaz

4. Abigail Isham

5. Delaney Olmestead 6. Jayden Irby

Genevieve Williams preparing her breeding heifer for show. (Photo by Jan Washburn)

Liana Jones and her dog Inka

DOG TRIALS RESULTS

Grand & Reserve Champion

Grand ChampionJayce Janssen

Reserve ChampionNaveah Carballo

Showmanship

Showmanship Champion

Dalilah McDermott

Showmanship Reserve Champion Kelsey Brockschmidt

Junior Novice

1. Liana Jones

2. Hadley Hill

3. Avery Wolfe

4. Aria Kisling

Intermediate Novice

1. Olivia White

2. Rylee Wolfe

3. Charlee Withrow

Intermediate Open

1. Jayce Janssen

2. Naveah Carballo

Senior Novice Dalilah McDermott

Senior Open Kelsey Brockschmidt

Reserve Best Handler

Obedience Grand and Reserve Champion

Grand ChampionNaveah Carballo

Reserve ChampionKelsey Brockschmidt

Pre-Beginner Novice A 1. Rylee Wolfe 2. Dalilah McDermott

3. Charlee Withrow 4. Olivia White

5. Hadley Hill 6. Avery Wolfe

Pre-Beginner Novice B 1. Naveah Carballo 2. Kelsey Brockschmidt 3. Jayce Janssen

Novice A Jayce Janssen Rally Rally Champion

White

Rally Reserve Champion Charlee Withrow Novice A

Olivia White

Charlee Withrow 3. Liana Jones 4. Rylee Wolfe

5. Hadley Hill 6. Naveah Carballo

Intermediate B

1. Jayce Janssen 2. Kelsey Brockschmidt

Record Book

Record Book Champion Jayce Janssen

Record Book

Reserve Champion Rylee Wolfe

Junior

1. Avery Wolfe

2. Hadley Hill

3. Liana Jones

4. Aria Kisling

Intermediate 1. Jayce Janssen

2. Rylee Wolfe

3. Olivia White

4. Charlee Withrow

5. Naveah Carballo

Senior

1. Kelsey Brockschmidt

2. Dalilah McDermott

GOAT SHOW RESULTS

Breeding Classes

Class 2: Bucks Under 1 Year 1. Gabriel Behounek

Class 3: Yearling Does 1. Brekken Hildreth

Class 4: Aged Does

1. Hadyn Perkins 2. Hadyn Perkins 3. Charlee Withrow 4. Charlee Withrow

Grand & Reserve Champion

Breeding

Grand Champion - Hadyn Perkins

Reserve Champion - Hadyn Perkins

Dairy Goat Classes

Class 1: Aged Does

1. Charlee Withrow

2. Charlee Withrow

Utility Goat Classes

Class 5: Utility Goat Exhibition

Grand & Reserve Champion

Grand ChampionCharlee Withrow

Reserve ChampionNelli Taramarcaz

3. Elly Rhea

4. Nelli Taramarcaz

Feeder Classes

Class 5: Brekken Hildreth

Market Classes

Class 5:

1.Cooper Imel

2. Elly Rhea

Class 6:

1. Hadyn Perkins

2. Hadyn Perkins

3. Dean Blackwell

4. Brekken Hildreth

5. Cooper Imel

6. Deegan Bennett

Class 7:

1. Dean Blackwell

2. Tristan Loftis

3. Dakota Bennett

Class 8:

1. Nelli Taramarcaz

2. Nelli Taramarcaz

3. Allison Hughes

4. Gabriel Behounek

Class 9:

1. Brekken Hildreth

2. Abigail Loftis

3. Zeb Fry

Grand & Reserve Champion

Grand ChampionNelli Taramarcaz

Reserve Champion - Hadyn Perkins

Showmanship

Sr. Showmanship

1. Hadyn Perkins

2. Brekken Hildreth

3. Cooper Imel

4. Allison Hughes

5. Dakota Bennett

6. Deegan Bennett

Int. Showmanship

1. Abigail Loftis

2. Charlee Withrow

3. Zeb Fry

Jr. Showmanship

1. Dean Blackwell

2. Nelli Taramarcaz

Nelli Taramarcaz with her Champion market goat

HORSE SHOW RESULTS

Class 1: Horse Knowledge Sr.

1. Genevieve Williams

1. Aspen Mcnulty

3. Brekken Hildreth

4. Allison Hughes

4. Abigail Isham

Class 2: Horse Knowledge Int.

1. Parker Spann

2. Scarlett Williams

3. Scarlett Williams

Class 3: Horse Knowledge Sr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 4: Showmanship Sr.

1. Aspen McNulty

2. Brekken Hildreth

3. Abigail Isham

4. Genevieve Williams

Class 5: Showmanship Int.

1. Allison Hughes

2. Cameron Leonard

3. Scarlett Williams

Class 6: Showmanship Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 6: Showmanship Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 7: Hunter Hack Sr. Aspen McNulty

Class 10: Hunt Seat Equitation Sr. Aspen McNulty

Class 13: English Riding Control Sr.

Aspen McNulty

Class 16: Western Horsemanship Sr.

1. Aspen McNult

2. Brekken Hildreth

3. Allison Hughes

4. Genevieve Williams

5. Abigail Isham

Class 17: Western Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 17: Western Horsemanship Int. Novice

Parker Spann

Class 18: Western Horsemanship Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 19: Western Riding Sr.

1. Aspen McNulty

2. Genevieve Williams

3. Allison Hughes

4. Brekken Hildreth

5. Allison Hughes

Class 20: Western Riding Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 20: Western Riding Int.

Novice

Parker Spann

Class 21: Western Riding Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 22: Western Trail Sr.

1. Brekken Hildreth

2. Aspen McNulty

3. Genevieve Williams

4. Abigail Isham

Class 23: Western Trail Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 23: Western Trail Int.

Novice

Parker Spann

Class 24: Western Trail Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 25: Reining Sr.

1. Aspen McNulty

2. Genevieve Williams

3. Abigail Isham

4. Brekken Hildreth

5. Allison Hughes

Class 26: Reining Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 26: Reining Int. Novice

Parker Spann

Class 27: Reining Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 28: Ranch Cutting Sr.

1. Brekken Hildreth

2. Abigail Isham

3. Genevieve Williams

4. Aspen McNulty

5. Allison Hughes

Class 30: Ranch Cutting Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 31: Ranch Riding Sr.

1. Aspen McNulty

2. Brekken Hildreth

3. Genevieve Williams

4. Abigail Isham

5. Allison Hughes

Class 32: Ranch Riding Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 32: Ranch Riding Int.

Novice

Class 33: Ranch Riding Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 34 Ind. Cow Work Sr.

1. Genevieve Williams

2. Aspen McNulty

3. Brekken Hildreth

4. Abigail Isham

5. Allison Hughes

Class 35: Ind. Cow Work Jr.

1. Dean Blackwell

Class 37: Ranch Trail Sr.

1. Brekken Hildreth

2. Aspen McNulty

3. Abigail Isham

4. Genevieve Williams

Class 38: Ranch Trail Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 39: Ranch Trail Int.

Novice

Parker Spann

Class 38: Ranch Trail Int.

Dean Blackwell

Class 40: Flag Race Sr.

1. Brekken Hildreth

2. Allison Hughes

3. Aspen McNulty

Class 41: Flad Race Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 42: Flag Race Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 43: Barrel Racing Sr.

1. Genevieve Williams

2. Allison Hughes

3. Brekken Hildreth

4. Aspen McNulty

5. Abigail Isham

Class 44: Barrel Racing Int.

Scarlett Willams

Class 45: Barrel Racing Jr.

Dean Blackwell

Class 46: Pole Bending Sr.

1. Allison Hughes

2. Brekken Hildreth

3. Aspen McNulty

4. Genevieve Williams

5. Abigail Isham

Class 47: Pole Bending Int.

Scarlett Williams

Class 48: Pole Bending Jr.

Dean Blackwell

High Point English Sr.

1. Aspen McNulty

High Point Western Sr.

1. Aspen McNulty

2. Brekken Hildreth

Intermediate

Scarlett Williams

Intermediate Novice

Parker Spann

Junior

Dean Blackwell

High Point Working Ranch Horse Sr.

1. Brekken Hildreth

2. Aspen McNulty

Intermediate

Scarlett Williams

Intermediate Novice

Parker Spann

Junior

Dean Blackwell

High Point Timed Events Sr.

1. Allison Hughes

2. Brekken Hildreth

Intermediate Scarlett Williams

Junior

Dean Blackwell

Overall Senior

1. Aspen McNulty

2. Brekken Hildreth

Overall Intermediate

1. Scarlett Williams

2. Parker Spann

Overall Junior

Dean Blackwell

Parker Spann riding her horse at the 4-H Horse Show. (Photo by Jan Washburn)

SWINE SHOW RESULTS

Breeding Classes

Class 1: Breeding Gilt

Grand Champion

1. Hadyn Perkins

2. Hadyn Perkins

Grand ChampionHaydn Perkins

Reserve ChampionHaydn Perkins

Class 2: Breeding Glit

Olivia White

Feeder Classes

Class 3:

1. Nelli Taramarcaz

2. Brekken Hildreth

3. Leo Lucero

4. Bud McWilliams

Class 4: 1. Allison Hughes 2. Landyn Brown

3. Charlie Ashe 4. Will Barvitski

Market Classes

Class 5: 1. Ryan Johnson 2. AJ Alton

3. McKenzie Taramarcaz

4. Bud McWilliams

5. Dixie Sponable

6. Dixie Sponable

Class 6: 1. Hadyn Perkins

2. Fisher Romero

3. Emma Trafton

4. Scarlett Williams

5. Ryan Johnson

6. Raeley Nienhueser

Class 7: 1. Carbon Kruthaupt

2. Tate Taramarcaz

3. Tate Taramarcaz

4. Blake Stickler

5. Deegan Bennett 6. Trey Yeager

Class 8:

1. Rhett Johnson

2. Graden Wilcox

3. Leora Wilcox

4. Charlie Ashe

5. Dean Blackwell 6. Nelli Taramarcaz

Class 9: 1. Scarlett Williams 2. Jayden Irby

3. Nora Jane Buntzer 4. Brekken Hildreth

5. Leora Wilcox

6. Hagyn Athey

Class 10:

1. Olivia White

2. Joseph Schultheis

3. Hatcher Kruthaupt

4. Fisher Romero

5. Graden Wilcox

6. Landyn Brown

Class 11: 1. Hadyn Perkins

2. Jake Yeager

3. McKenzie Taramarcaz

4. Joseph Schultheis

5. Tripp Grosse

6. Orion Lucero

Class 12: 1. Grady Buckhanan

2. Grady Buckhanan

3. Gracelyn Nienhueser

4. Leo Lucero

5. Bo Rhea

Class 13: 1. Allison Hughes

2. Dean Blackwell

3. Deegan Bennett

4. Ryan Rhea

5. Eve Athey

Grand & Reserve Champion Market Swine

Grand ChampionHadyn Perkins

Reserve ChampionGrady Buckhanan

Showmanship

Sr. Showmanship:

1. Hadyn Perkins

2. Carbon Kruthaupt

3. Jake Yeager

4. Tate Taramarcaz

5. Joseph Schultheis

6. Will Barvitski

Int. Showmanship:

1. Blake Stickler

2. Hatcher Kruthaupt

3. Graden Wilcox

4. Olivia White

5. AJ Alton

Jr. Showmanship:

1. McKenna Singer

2. Dean Blackwell

3. Nelli Taramarcaz

4. Leora Wilcox

5. Rhett Johnson

6. Fisher Romero

SHEEP SHOW RESULTS

Market Classes

Class 3:

Zeb Fry

Teara-Rose Irby

Dixie Sponable

Class 4:

Cade Jackson

Blake Stickler

Teara-Rose Irby

Haisley Summer

Cade Jackson

Deakun Summer

Blake Stickler

Ryan Johnson

Zeb Fry

Abigail Loftis

Showmanship

Elizabeth Robbins

Dixie Sponable

Rhett Johnson with his market lamb

Dean Blackwell and his mom Torrie prepare for the 4-H horse show. (Photo by Jan Washburn)

GENERAL PROJECT RESULTS

Cake Decorating

Grand ChampionParker Spann

Reserve Champion - Kylie Robbins

Clothing Construction

Grand ChampionHayden Ost and Hailey Peter

Reserve ChampionElly Rhea

Filmmaking

Grand ChampionAJ Alton

Foods and Nutrition

Grand ChampionLeora Wilcox

Reserve ChampionElly Rhea

Heritage Arts - Knitting

Grand ChampionMelanie Isham

Heritage Arts - Quilting

Grand ChampionLeora Wilcox

Heritage Arts - Crochet

Grand ChampionHazel Fitzgerald

Reserve Champion - Sage Ruehle

Leathercraft

Grand ChampionOlivia White

Reserve ChampionCharlee Withrow

Metalwork

Grand ChampionKaden Robbins

Reserve ChampionEmmitt Apsey

Outdoor Adventure

Grand ChampionPhillip Walker

Photography

Grand ChampionCooper Imel

Reserve ChampionHazel Fitzgerald

Scrapbooking

Grand ChampionJoee Withrow

Shooting Sports

Grand ChampionHadley Hill

Reserve ChampionPhillip Walker

Woodworking

Grand ChampionAcadia McDermott

Reserve ChampionKnow Ruehle

Contestants wait for their results at the rabbit show.

Vivien Apsey visits with Angela Roper about her cake project

Seth Rhea with his Grand Champion chickens, with buyers from SloDown Ranch

We want to thank our buyers, sponsors, family, friends and youth who made the 2025 Gunnison County 4-H and FFA Youth Shows a success! We are so grateful for the support of our community. - The Gunnison County CSU Extension Office

5B’s BBQ

Allen & Melody Roper

Alpha Mechanical

American AgCredit

Anna Reilly

Anne Hausler

Annonymous Donor to honor the Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association

Apex Land Management

Appraisal Group of Western Colorado

Bar IV Ranch

Bette Rundell

Bill and Sherry Redden

Bill Trampe

BML Livestock

Bonnie Irby

Boots to Bridles 4-H Club

C Brands Land & Cattle

Carolyn & Ronnie McCutchin

Castleton Ranch

Cattlemen’s Days Inc.

Christopher Klein Construction

Chuck and Colleen Vader

City of Gunnison

CNL Ventures

Colorado Homestead Meats

Colorado State Forest Service

Colorado State University Extension

Community Banks of Colorado

Concrete Systems Inc.

Craig & Lindsey Mergelman

Craig and Charlotte Haase

Cranor Charolais

Cross Bar Ranch

Crystal Creek Homeowners Association

Dan and Katy Walck

Dale & Wendy Irby

Daryl & Melinda Davis

Dave & LaDonna McLain

Del Dorita Ranches

Delta Sales Yard

Denise Hawk

Donner Tevis

Duane & Imbra Taramarcaz

Eric McPhail

Ernest Angelo

Esty Ranch

Field Land & Cattle Company

Field Land & Cattle Company in Memory of Jake Wilmore & Fred Field

Flying E Stockdogs

Fred and Bette Benson

Fullmer’s Ace Hardware

Future Fitters

Gears, Inc

GHS Class of 1981/Lori Smock Memorial

Golden Eagle Trash Service

Golden Eagle Trash Service in Memory of Paul

Taramarcaz Sr.

Good Knight Roofing

Greg Peterson & Kathleen Curry

Gunnison Bank & Trust

Gunnison County

Gunnison County Abstract

Gunnison County Electric Association

Gunnison County Public Works

Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association

Gunnison Farm Bureau

Gunnison FFA Chapter

Gunnison Materials - Rocky Mountain

Aggregate

Gunnison Muffler & Pipe

Gunnison Ranchland Conservancy Legacy

Gunnison Savings & Loan

Gunnison Trucking

Gunnison Valley CattleWomen

Gunnison Valley Vet Clinic

Homestead Meats

IM Silver

Interior Visions

Irby Ranches

Janet & Doug Washburn

Jay David Backhoe

JC Services

Jeb Bailey

Jeff, Kris & Lauren Cole

Jill & Ken Stahlnecker

Jim Barry

JMI Excavating

Joe & Wilma Youmans and Pat & Jenifer

Youmans

John and Jan Guerrieri

John Malensek

John Roberts Motor Works

Justina Mundell and Kelly Mundell

Karla Rundell

Keith and Robyn Robinson

Kirk Sellers

Lacy Construction

Larry & Annie Blatt

Larry & Dana Allison

Legacy Electrical

Lindahl Family

Loop Cattle Company

Lost Canyon Garage Doors

Majestic Appraisal Services

Majestic Roofing

Malensek Ranch

Marsha & Henri Wedell

Mike Bell

Mill Creek Ranch

Moncrief Ranches South Beaver Ranch

Morgan & Steve Hamilton & Tara Gebauer

Mountain Legacy Veterinary Center

Mountain Wood Supply

NAPA Auto Parts

Noordik Construction

NuVista Credit Union

O’Hayre Dawson P.C.

P.C.I. Construction

Patsy Lea

Perkins Trucking & Dirtwork

Peterson Cattle & Hay

Pike Builders, Inc.

Powerstop

Ramon and Renee Ray

Redden’s Fresh Eggs

Rhonda Schultheis

Rocky Mountain Vet Service

Roger & Susan Johnson

Rosemary and Randy Ewing

RTL Cattle Company

SAW Contracting

Schultheis Family

Scott and Kensie Redden

Sharpe Equipment & Irrigation

Slo Down Ranch

Sloan International

Stan & Bonnie Irby

Sun Sports Unlimited

Talk of the Town

The Gunnison Bank

The Gunny Lube

The Next Best Thing

The Turquoise Junction

Thomas N. Stoeber, CPA

Toby and Sylvia Bonham

Tractor Supply

Tradework Limited

Trampe Family

Trampe Family in Memory of Sheldon Trampe

Trampe Ranches

Trish Hamlin

Tri-State Electric

Turner Toyota

Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy

District

US Tractor and Harvest

Valli Funk in Memory of Elyssa White

Walt & Margaret Cranor

Wenum Family

West Slope Farm & Ranch

Western Implement

Western Lumber

Williams Drilling

Willis Barnette

Woodrow “Buster” Watson Memorial

GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT

See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net

Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. As they excel in academics, athletics and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”

HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES

GES - ELL EA

GES - General EA

GCS - Significant Support Needs EA

CBES - Permanent Substitute Substitute Teachers Food Service Bus Drivers

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

CBSS - Math Intervention Teacher

GES - 3rd Grade Teacher

CBSS - .71 Gifted/Talented Teacher

CBSS - .57 Spanish Teacher District Psychologist

GCS - Special Education Teacher

GHS - Special Education Teacher

COACHING

CBHS - .5 Asst. Cross Country Coach

GMS - 7th Grade Volleyball Coach

Please contact: Superintendent’s Office JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@ gunnisonschools.net

is accepting applications for a full-time Wastewater Operator and/or Licensed Electrician to join a team responsible for operating and maintaining the wastewater treatment plant and collection system for the District. Entry-Level: Starting salary $53,100 to $59,500. A valid Colorado driver’s license is required, and a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is preferred at time of hire or must be obtained within one (1) year. A State of Colorado Collections and Wastewater license, or the ability to obtain both within one (1) year, is required (training material provided).

Experienced Operators or Licensed Electricians: Starting salary $59,500 to $75,000. Operators must meet entry-level qualifications and have experience in construction, field operations, lab analysis, and electrical/mechanical/maintenance repair.

Operators work a 4-day, 10-hour work schedule, participate in an on-call rotation, including select weekends and holidays. The District offers an excellent benefits package including the following: 100% employer-paid family health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance premiums, 12 paid holidays, paid vacation, personal and sick leave, a wellness bonus, employer-provided uniforms, boots, personal protective equipment, and a retirement plan with up to 8% employer match. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to Mt. Crested Butte Water and Sanitation District, PO Box 5740, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225, or email info@mcbwsd.com. Position is open until it is filled. Full job description available at mcbwsd.com. MCBWSD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $72,397.26 to $102,405.83 plus full benefits. Take home vehicle & uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.

Heavy Equipment Operator

Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $23.60 to $31.69 plus full benefits.

Summer Seasonal

Public Works: 40 hours/week, hourly range from $21.20 to $24.14, depending on experience, plus partial benefits.

IT Help Desk Technician

Information Technology: 40 hours/week, hourly range from $26.51 to $30.19, depending on experience, plus partial benefits.

Appraiser I

Assessor: 32 hours/week, hourly range from $27.84 to $31.69, depending on experience, plus full benefits.

Utility Water/Wastewater Operator

Public Works: 40 hours/week, hourly position; initial annual range from $57,900.78 to $65,921.56, depending on experience, plus full benefits.

Temporary Human Resources Coordinator

Human Resources: 40 hours/week, hourly range from $27.84 to $31.69, depending on experience, plus partial benefits.

For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.

CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Water/Wastewater Operator

Full-Time

Starting Salary Ranges

Worker

Class “D”

Class “C”

Class “B”

Class “A”

$53,300-$65,700

$56,100-$76,100

$61,700-$76,100

$67,900-$83,767

$74,700-$92,167

Responsible for the operation of the water supply, distribution, and storage systems. They also perform maintenance, repairs and construction of water distribution, sewer collection, irrigation and storm drain systems, installations, repairs, and testing on all water meters.

Police Officer

Full-Time, $73,500-$90,700/yr

Performs technical, professional, and administrative duties related to maintaining the security of the City, protecting constitutional guarantees of all persons, protecting life and property, preserving public peace and order, reventing, solving and detecting crimes, facilitating the safe movement of people and vehicles, and other emergency services as needed. POST Certification not required. The City will pay for the Police Academy if needed and pay a cadet wage while attending the Academy. Includes a $15,000 hiring bonus.

Part-Time Openings

After-School Instructors:

$18.61-$22.64/hr

Youth Soccer Coach:

$18.61-$22.64/hr

Lifeguards: $23.00-$29.33/hr

The City of Gunnison offers a competitive benefit package, including 75% of medical, dental and vision premiums paid for the employee and their dependents, 5% of gross wages in a retirement plan, 3 weeks of vacation (increasing based on the years of service), 13 paid holidays and 12 days of sick leave per year.

For more information, including complete job descriptions, benefit packages, required job qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCO.gov/HR.

Butte with an awesome team and a fun, fast-paced work environment! We’re hiring full time or part time Front Desk Agents who are friendly, dependable, and ready to make guests feel at home. Highest compensation rates in the industry and many perks including 40% off retail, great team vibes, and a summer full of adventure. No experience? No problem—we’ll train the right people! Starting Wage: $20/hr. Apply now and make this summer one to remember.

SAGUACHE COUNTY IS SEEKING TO HIRE A PROJECT CONSULTANT:

Saguache County is soliciting a qualified Management Consultant to assist in the project management of development of county-owned properties for future affordable housing projects that will serve as a liaison between the architect, builders, contractors and elected officials, facilitating regional collaboration with municipalities, and tracking, documentation and reporting of Proposition 123 requirements.

Saguache County is seeking to hire a qualified consultant with housing expertise that will also support county staff with grant related reporting and activities and expertise to increase professional capacity.

Roles and Responsibilities: Consultant will assist in the management of the construction of affordable housing projects in the Mobile Home Estate Subdivision (aka Casita Park), while working as a liaison between the architect, builders and contractors while facilitating regional collaboration with municipalities and elected officials. This consultant will also in the support of County staff with grant related reporting and activities.

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY

seeks applicants for the following full-time (40 hours/week), fully benefitted positions.

Western’s benefit package includes retirement and insurance plans (with generous employer contributions), employee and dependent tuition benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave, and 11 paid holidays per year. Employees receive basic life insurance and disability insurance at no cost. Employee wellness programs and professional development trainings are available for free!

Executive Assistant:

This position is part of the Business School and reports to both the Dean and Associate Dean, works closely with faculty, staff, and students, and is responsible for assisting with the day-to-day operation of the Business School. This position is primarily on campus with the potential for occasional remote work. Starting annual salary $49,300 - $55,000.

Lecturer in Accounting:

Teaching responsibilities include courses in financial & management accounting, and accounting ethics. The successful candidate will teach a 4/4 load and provide service to the university and Business School. Service could include assisting in recruiting, advising students, and aiding students in gaining internships and professional opportunities. The culture in the Business School is student-centered with a motto of, “Student’s First, Always.” We welcome colleagues with similar vision and values. Starting annual salary

$67,000 - $80,000.

To view the full job announcements and apply, visit western.edu/jobs and click on “View Careers” (EOE)

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time and full-time seasonal positions: Front Desk Attendant, $18-22/hr.; Bartender, $16/hr. + gratuity; Servers, $16/ hr. + gratuity; Market Attendants, $16/hr. + gratuity; Dishwasher, $21/hr. + gratuity. Employee benefits include employee discounts and complimentary golf. For more information or to apply, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com or email jobs@ clubatcrestedbutte.com.

FRONT DESK AGENT: The Lodge at Mountaineer Square and Grand Lodge Spend your summer in beautiful Mt. Crested

1.3 Qualifications: Previous project management experience and outcomes, including contact information for a minimum of three (3) relevant projects of similar scope and scale. Knowledge of local building standards, codes, and practices. Knowledge of Proposition 123. Knowledge of grant related activities and reporting.

• Experience with workforce/affordable housing development and construction. Responses must be submitted to the Saguache County Administration office –505 3rd Street, Saguache, CO by Thursday, July 24, 2025. Responses may also be emailed to Wendi Maez, Saguache County Administrator at wmaez@saguachecountyco.gov.

PROJECT HOPE OF GUNNISON VALLEY seeks a Director of Community Engagement for a 25 hour/week position to plan and execute our annual fundraiser that supports victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and/or stalking. To apply, send resume, cover letter, and 3 references to: director@hope4gv.org. See further info on our website at hope4gv.org/employment.

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring a part-time yoga instructor. $50/hour must be certified. For more information or to apply, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com or email jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.

GUNNISON SAVINGS AND LOAN IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR A TELLER: We have served the Gunnison Valley for over 100 years are looking for an individual who wants a career in banking. This position allows for hands on interactions with customers and requires work to be completed with professionalism, accuracy, and in accordance with company standards and policies.

Preferred Qualifications: Excellent communication and customer service skills, ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality, experience with office equipment and familiarity with Microsoft products, and cash handling experience. Benefits: Competitive Salary (entry level skills $35,000 - $45,000; higher with experience) 401(k) retirement plan; Group life and health insurance plans; paid time off; paid Federal Holidays; free checking account; Work Environment: Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8am5pm. Dress: Business Casual. Please submit your resume, references, and letter of application to Imbra Taramarcaz, Vice President/Chief Savings Officer 303 N Main Street, Gunnison, CO 81230 itaramarcaz@ gunnisonsl.com 970-641-2171.

PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON VALLEY seeks a Program Advocate for a 28 hour/week position to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and/or stalking. To apply, send resume, cover letter, and 3 references to: director@hope4gv.org. See further info on our website at hope4gv.org/employment. THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is seeking a skilled Mechanic to join our Public Works team. This position performs maintenance and major repairs on a wide range of vehicles and equipment, including diesel, gas, and electric-powered systems. Responsibilities include diagnostics, preventative maintenance, welding, fabrication, equipment operation, and record keeping. 2+ years of experience in vehicle/

Colorado Classified Advertising Statewide Network

To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado Newspapers for only $300, contact your local Newspaper or email rtoledo@colopress net

CAREGIVER NEEDED

CAREGIVER NEEDED job is for 5 Days a Week – 5 Hours per Day – Salary is $40 per Hour For more details about the position, email me mikeherr411@gmail com

Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up to $600 In Gift Cards Call Today! 1-855-720-8701

equipment repair required. This full-time, year-round role offers a competitive salary ($55,458-$80,406 DOQ) and a generous benefits package, including 100% employerpaid health coverage. The Town of Crested Butte is an equal employment opportunity employer. Please send your resume, cover letter, and application tojobs@crestedbutteco.gov.

LEGAL SERVICES AND VICTIM

SERVICES position is available immediately in the Gunnison District Attorney’s Office located at 200 E. Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, CO.

Legal Services-This position requires excellent data entry and Word processing skills (Microsoft Word), a willingness to learn additional programs utilized in the office, a professional demeanor, and an ability to enjoy working with the public.

Duties include Legal filings and case data entry, telephones, electronic filing, greeting visitors, and coordination with court and law enforcement personnel. Legal or criminal justice background is preferred but not required.

Victim Assistance-You will be responsible for assisting victims through the criminal justice system as it relates to the Victims’ Rights Amendment and the policies and procedures of the Office of the District Attorney.

Compensation

-Full-time — 40 hours a week (MondayFriday, 8 am to 5 pm); -Salary: $19-$26 per hour (DOE); and, -Benefit packages. Please submit your resume with employment references, to the following email address: mail@co7da.org.

This position will remain open until filled.

GUNNISON LIQUOR (The Ghost) is currently looking for part-time help. Nights and weekends a must. Employee discounts and paid time off. Pay DOE. Stop by with a resume. 603 W. Tomichi Ave., Gunnison.

WE’RE HIRING: Bluebird Bottleshop in Gunnison is looking for a full-time Associate to join our friendly, knowledgeable team. $20/ hour + profit share, wine/spirits education, and a fun, supportive environment. Must be upbeat, detail-oriented, and able to work 4+ shifts/week. Drop off a resume or email us at bbbottleshop@gmail.com. Come grow with us.

LEGAL SECRETARY wanted for law firm located in Gunnison (Schumacher & O’Loughlin, LLC). Candidate must be highly organized, detail-oriented and able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing. This position will be responsible for tasks related to general law firm operations and assisting attorneys as needed. Experience in a legal or accounting office is preferred but not required. Experience with Microsoft programs is required. Position is 24-32 hours per week, with flexible weekday hours. Initial hourly range is $19$23/hour, dependent upon experience and qualifications. Email cover letter, resume, and 2 reference contacts to Abigail at abigail@gunnisonlaw.net. Position is open until filled.

GOLDEN EAGLE is looking for CDL and non-CDL drivers. Pay is based on experience. Call 970-641-3230.

FLEXIBLE 40 HOUR A WEEK POSITION

AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY AT GUNNISON

CEMETERY: This person will assist with grounds maintenance, including lawn mowing, trimming, burials, etc. The position pays $23.43 an hour. Valid Colorado Driver’s License is required. For further information, please call 970-642-1152 or email guncemetery@yahoo.com.

THE TOWN OF PITKIN is seeking a town attorney. Please submit proposals, including a fixed monthly rate and hourly rate for additional services, to thetownofpitkin@ gmail.com.

Monthly requirements are typically 5-hours or less and include: - communicate with the Mayor and Clerk as needed - review/draft ordinances as needed - attend monthly meetings on the 3rd Monday of the month 7pm - 9pm (remote attendance is an option and preference will be given to someone who could travel to be at one meeting each quarter) Additional work is billed at an hourly rate.

Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-last ing battery of Inogen One Free Information Kit! Call 844-823-0293

To Place a 25-word COSCANNetwork ad in 91 Colorado Newspapersforonly $300

Contact your Local Newspaper or email: rtoledo@colopress net

Additional work hours have been typically minimal (2023 - 12.2 additional hours; 2024 - 18 additional hours; 2025 to date - 8.4 additional hours).

GUNNISON CEMETERY DISTRICT is now accepting applications for Assistant Cemeterian.This person will assist the Cemeterian with grounds maintenance, which includes lawn mowing, trimming, burials, etc. and maintaining equipment and tools.The position is 40 hour/week with some weekend hours from April 1st thru October 31st. From November 1st thru March 31st this person would be on call as needed to assist with snow removal and burials. The position pays $25.08 an hour. Valid Colorado Driver’s License is required. Position will remain open until filled. For more information and to apply contact guncemetery@yahoo.com or 970-642-1152.

THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is seeking an experienced Finance and Administrative Services Director. This fulltime, year-round role offers a competitive salary ($116K–$142K DOQ) and a generous benefits package, including 100% employerpaid health coverage. If you have a strong background in financial management, budgeting, and leadership—and a passion for serving your community—apply today! Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field required. MBA and CPA preferred. Minimum of ten years of professional experience, including at least five years of directly relevant work in an accounting or financial management position. Government accounting experience is preferred. The Town of Crested Butte is an equal employment opportunity employer. Please send your resume, cover letter, and application to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov.

LITTLE ADVENTURES CHILD CARE:

Full-time teaching positions. $16-25 per hour DOE. Sign on bonus. Enjoy working with kids? Want to make a difference? We are looking for kind, dedicated staff.

Responsibilities: Implement developmentally appropriate activities. Ensure a healthy classroom environment –maintaining cleanliness standards and child safety. Must clear background check. E-mail director@littleadventures.co (no ‘m’ at the end) to apply.

HOT TUB MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN:

Part-time year round position with growth opportunities. Pay starts at $25/hour plus incentives. Prior experience, weekend shifts and skilled repair work pays more. AWD work van, work clothing and ongoing training provided. We respect and value our employees. Call CB Hot Tub at 970-2755700.

SAGUACHE COUNTY LAND USE DEPARTMENT is accepting applications for a full time Code Enforcement Officer position. Salary to be determined on experience starting at $42,000/year. Applicants must have a valid Colorado Drivers License, must pass a criminal background check as well as a pre-employment drug test.

The County Employee benefit package includes vision, dental and health insurance coverage, paid time off, and a generous 401k retirement plan.

The employment application and job description can be found on HYPERLINK “http://www.saguachecounty.colorado.gov” www.saguachecounty.colorado.gov, picked up at the Saguache County Administration Office, 505 3rd Street, Saguache, CO or can be emailed to you, please contact April Quintana at 719-655-2231. Completed applications can be hand delivered to the Saguache County Land Use Department, Attention Amber Wilson, 505 3rd Street, mailed to PO Box 326, Saguache, CO 81149 or emailed to HYPERLINK “mailto:atorrez@saguachecounty-co. gov” atorrez@saguachecounty-co.gov. Applications will be accepted until filled. Saguache County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

THE TOWN OF MT CRESTED BUTTE TOWN COUNCIL is seeking letters of interest from qualified individuals for the position of Deputy Municipal Court Judge. A qualified candidate for the Municipal Court Judge position has been admitted to the Colorado Bar and is currently licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado. To apply for the position, please submit a letter

of interest and your resume to toconnell@ mtcb.colorado.gov or Tiffany O’Connell, Town Clerk, Town of Mt. Crested Butte, PO Box 5800, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225. For more information regarding the position please go to mtcb.colorado.gov. Priority will be given to applications received before August 15, 2025.

THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE PARKS AND RECREATION Open Space & Trails Department is seeking Recreation Instructors for a variety of programs including Skateboarding, Soccer, Flag Football, Gymnastics, Indoor Climbing and Umpiring. Pay range of $19-22/hour dependent on program role. Come help provide valuable programming to your community by being a facilitator for one of our many programs! Please submit your resume via email to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

TOMICHI MATERIALS is hiring a General Manager. Oversee daily operations of a locally owned sand, gravel and concrete company. Seeking a hands-on leader with experience in operations, management, customer service, financial planning, and safety. Competitive compensation. Learn more at tomichi-materials.com or email tomichimaterialsjobs@gmail.com.

DISHWASHER WANTED AT PUBLIC HOUSE: This role will load and unload dishwashing machines, monitor the cleanliness of machines, ensure dish cleanliness, and properly dry and store clean dishes in designated areas. This part-time, seasonal role starts at $18 - $20/hour, plus tips. The season runs to October. Please apply online at elevenexperience.com/ careers/ or email jobs@elevenexperience. com for more information on how to apply.

INTERESTED IN A CAREER WITH BENEFITS? The Crested Butte Bank, a branch of the Gunnison Bank and Trust Company, has an opening for a full-time teller to join the operations side of our growing bank. Applicants should have strong customer service skills, the ability to multitask, and a willingness to learn. GB&T fosters a learning environment where you will gain exposure to multiple areas of the bank with a strong foundation in operations. Pay starting at $20. Robust benefits package includes 401(k), medical insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and disability insurance (ST and LT). Pooled transportation is available. Send resume to abrown@crestedbuttebank. com or lbeda@gunnisonbank.com.

FOR SALE

BUSINESS FOR SALE: Red Mountain Logworks is a 30 year established business, building outdoor furniture. All tools, equipment, materials included. Must move locations. Lease is expiring. Owner is retiring. Will train. $125,000. Call Reggie Masters Coldwell Banker Mountain Properties. 970-596-3568 for details and showing.

REAL ESTATE

2 LOTS: Approximately 1 acre each in a private retreat at Hwy 135 & Cr 10. Both with water rights. Both have use of common area of approximately 1 acre around old ranch house. One is a walk out lot. The lot at the east end of the property $1,250/share with 100 shares minimum. West lot with walk out potential $1,750/share with 100 share minimum. Call 970-641-5641.

AVAILABLE NOW: Built in 2007. 3BR, 2.5 bath town home in Gunnison. All appliances plus washer/dryer. $2,330 monthly for one year lease. Seasonal rentals considered. Call owner at 361-550-0919 or Nesbitt & Co 970-596-0922 for more information.

PRIME GROUND FLOOR RETAIL SPACE Next to City Market in Gunnison - 1,500 sqft of prime ground floor retail space available in the Meadows Mall next to City Market in Gunnison - Huge parking lot, tons of foot traffic, excellent 135 highway visibility - For more information, call Jordon Ringel at 817733-6947 or visit GunnisonMeadows.com.

2 BDRMS VACANT in a 4 bedroom apartment in Gunnison, CO. Please email: healthyfutures@mountainrootsfoodproject. org for further inquiries. Move-in date: ASAP

FOR RENT: 4 bed/2 bath rental available. $7,000/mo +electric. Off Jack’s Cabin. 970901-0002.

10 ACRE MINING CLAIM: Established in 1896. Hand dug shaft, unit 66, spring-fed pond, partially fenced, good hunting, easy access off Hwy 149. $47,000. Call 970-7846722.

FOR RENT: Available Aug. 20 - Spacious 2 bedroom Victorian close to town and campus. Wood floors throughout, nice tile work and vintage accents. No parties, or smoking. Looking for QUIET people with solid rental history. Starting at $1,600 per month. Includes water and sewer. 970-3663516.

FLAT LAND FOR LEASE AVAILABLE IN GUNNISON: Easy access - call Geoff 978473-9256.

FOR LEASE: The newly renovated mall building located at 123 W.Tomichi Ave. Gunnison. $850/mo. Includes utilities. Contact 720-308-8239.

Legals

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Call for Nominations for School Directors Gunnison Watershed School District Gunnison County, Colorado

The Gunnison Watershed School District in the County of Gunnison, State of Colorado, calls for the nomination of candidates for school directors to be placed on the ballot for the regular biennial school election to be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

At this election, one director will be elected representing South of Round Mountain for a term of office of four years, and one director will be elected representing North of Round Mountain for a term of office of four years. To be qualified, a candidate must have been a registered elector of the school district for at least 12 consecutive months before the election. A person is ineligible to run for school director if he or she has been convicted of committing a sexual offense against a child.

A person who desires to be a candidate for school director shall file a written notice of intention to be a candidate and a nomination petition signed by at least 50 eligible electors who are registered to vote in the regular biennial school election.

Nomination petitions may be obtained beginning August 6, 2025, from Kim Fuller, Designated Election Official. Completed petitions shall be submitted to Kim Fuller no later than 3:30 pm on August 29, 2025. Office hours are 8:00 am to 3:30 pm.

Petitions may be obtained and submitted to the following locations: August 6th – August 15th at Gunnison High School Counseling Office, 800 W. Ohio St., Gunnison, CO. 81230 August 18th – August 29th at the GWSD District Office, 800. N. Boulevard St., Gunnison, CO. 81230

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of July 24, 31 and August 7, 14, 21, 28, 2025 18056

NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE

NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE:

To the following parties that have their personal property stored at Plotts Mini Storage, LLC, 312 W. Hwy 50, Gunnison, CO, 81230:

All property will be sold or disposed of, unless claimed and/or all rent and fees paid prior to July 31, 2025

Unit 57 – Brennan Grant

Unit 105 – Benjamin Johnson

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of July 17 and 24, 2025

17930

SUMMONS

SUMMONS

DISTRICT COURT, GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO

Address: 200 East Virginia Avenue Gunnison, Colorado 81230 (970) 642-8300

Plaintiff:

CHRISTOPHER BROADFOOT

v. Defendants:

ESTATE OF ENID BEAN, Deceased; ESTATE OF WILLIAM BEAN, Deceased, individually and as heir to the Estate of Enid Bean; PHILLIP LYNN BEAN, as heir to the Estate of William Bean and the Estate of Enid Bean; DAVID ALLEN BEAN, as heir to the Estate of William Bean and the Estate of Enid Bean; DOUGLAS ISAAC BEAN, as heir to the Estate of William Bean and the Estate of Enid Bean; JEANETTE BEAN WARNER, as heir to the Estate of William Bean and the Estate of Enid Bean; the unknown heirs of the Estate of Enid Bean; the unknown heirs to the Estate of William Bean; ESTATE OF DALE MADSEN aka JOSEPH D. MADSEN aka JOSEPH DALE MADSEN aka J. DALE MADSEN, Deceased; ESTATE OF JEAN MADSEN, Deceased, individually and as the heir to the Estate of Dale Madsen aka Joseph Dale Madsen; DALENE FRANCIS, as heir to the Estate of Jean Madsen and the Estate of Dale Madsen; LYNETTE WILKES, as heir to the Estate of Jean Madsen and the Estate of Dale Madsen; MELODY LONGHURST, as heir to the Estate of Jean Madsen and the Estate of Dale Madsen; TAMMY DAVIS, as heir to the Estate of Jean Madsen and the Estate of Dale Madsen; the unknown heirs to the Estate of Dale Madsen aka Joseph D. Madsen aka Joseph Dale Madsen aka J. Dale Madsen; the unknown heirs of the Estate of Jean Madsen; ESTATE OF WILLIAM CRAIG, Deceased; ESTATE OF MAURINE CRAIG, Deceased, individually and as the heir to the Estate

of William Craig and the Estate of Maurine Craig; WILLIAM J. CRAIG, as heir to the Estate of William Craig and the Estate of Maurine Craig; DIANA DEFRIEZ,

JANET HAZELTON, as heir to the Estate of William Craig and the Estate of Maurine Craig; DAVID CRAIG, as heir to the Estate of William Craig and the Estate of Maurine Craig; the unknown heirs of the Estate of William Craig; the unknown heirs to the Estate of Maurine Craig; and all unknown persons who claim any interest in the subject matter of this action.

Attorney for Plaintiff: Ann Jefferson, Atty. Reg. #: 44695 JVAM PLLC 114 Old Stage Road, Unit A Salida, CO 81201 Phone Number: (719) 960-4847 E-mail: ann@jvamlaw.com

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS:

This is an action of declaratory judgment and to quiet title to certain real property located in Gunnison County, Colorado, described as follows: A PORTION OF H.E. SURVEY NO. 324, IN TOWNSHIP 51 NORTH, RANGE 4 WEST, N.M.P.M., DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT 20 RODS SOUTH 20°17’ WEST OF CORNER NO. 1, FROM WHICH THE STANDARD QUARTER CORNER TO SECTION 34 IN TOWNSHIP 15 SOUTH, RANGE 89 WEST 6TH P.M. BEARS NORTH 4°1’ EAST 226.56 CHAINS DISTANT AND RUNNING THENCE SOUTH 20°17’ WEST 40 RODS; THENCE SOUTH 69°36’ EAST 16 RODS; THENCE NORTH 20°17’ EAST 40 RODS; THENCE NORTH 69°36’ WEST 16 RODS TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING.

ALSO, ONE-FOURTH OF ONE CUBIC FOOT OF WATER FROM WEST SOAP CREEK FOR USE WITH SAID LAND. COUNTY OF GUNNISON, STATE OF COLORADO.

Tax Parcel Number: 3509-000-00-005, at TBD Forest Road 721, Gunnison, CO 81230 (the “Property”).

All Defendants personally interested in this matter are hereby summoned and required to file with the Clerk of this Court an Answer or response within 30 days after the date of the last publication of this Summons. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court. If you fail to file your answer or other response to this Complaint in writing within the applicable time period, judgment by default may be entered against you by the Court for relief demanded in the Complaint without further notice.

Respectfully submitted June 20, 2025.

JVAM PLLC Ann Jefferson, Atty. Reg. # 44695 Attorney for Plaintiff Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 2025.

17725

idea? Let

We’re always looking for stories that impact the lives of the Valley’s residents. Send us your photos or story ideas.

Faith Directory

Bethany Church

909 N Wisconsin St.

(behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144

One service at 9 a.m. with nursery & children’s church.

Check us out on YouTube at Gunnison Bethany. gunnisonbethany.com

B'nai Butte Jewish Congregation

PO Box 2537 Crested Butte, CO 81224 305-803-3648 bnaibutte@gmail.com

Serving the Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and surrounging areas.

Spiritual leader: Rabbi Mark Kula is available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com bnaibutte.org

Community Church of Gunnison

107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925

Pastor Larry Nelson

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.

Weekend Services 9:30 a.m. Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry Weekly Student Ministry Weekly Adult LifeGroups

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-4

For more info: ccgunnison.com or email info@ccgunnison.com

Join us in-person, listen to our broadcast on 98.3 FM, or view online stream on YouTube

Transforming Lives • Building Community

First Baptist Church

120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240

Pastor Jonathan Jones

SUNDAY

Sunday School at 10 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.

Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m. (during school year)

WEDNESDAY (during school year)

Truth Trackers Kids Club at 6:30 p.m. Youth Group for Teens at 7:30 p.m. firstbaptistgunnison.org.

Gunnison

Congregational Church

United Church of Christ 317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203

Reverand Ian Wrisley

Welcoming, Open and Affirming, Building a Just world for All.

Sundays, 10 a.m.

Fridays Meditation, 12:30-1 p.m.

“Come-as-You-Are” Worship gunnisonucc.org

Trinity Baptist Church

523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813

Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks

Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.

Adult Bible Study 8 a.m. trinitybaptistsgunnison.com

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church

711 N. Main • 970-641-1860

Senior Pastor Robert Carabotta

Assoc. Pastor Jacob With Childrens Sunday

Divine Service of the

Starting March 5 - Wednesday night service at 7pm.

New Song Christian Fellowship 77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034

A Christ Centered Gospel Sharing Community where we want to be part of a community who encourage and support one another in our spiritual journey.

Sunday 10 a.m. / Wednesday 7 p.m. newsonggunnison.net

St. Peter’s Catholic Church

300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808 Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago gunnisoncatholic.org crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.

St. Peter’s - Gunnison Sat 5 p.m. & Sun 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. (Spanish) Mass First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass 11 a.m.

Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30 a.m. Mass

St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Communion Service, Sun. at 10 a.m.

Church in the Barn 8007 County Road 887

Waunita Hot Springs Ranch • 970-641-8741 Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Non Denominational Come as you are.

Church of Christ

600 E. Virginia • 970-641-1588

Sunday Morning Bible Class: 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Worship: 6 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Class: 7 p.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Gunnison Branch 810 N 11th St. 970-648-4804 Sacrament Meeting 10 a.m. Attending church each Sunday is a respite from fast-paced daily living. Join us to worship God, strengthen your spiritual connections, and focus on Jesus. Worship with a community of people who are trying to be more Christlike and learn from each other.

The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church 307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429

Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar First Sunday of each month –11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Alternating at Good Samaritan and All Saints in the Mountains Check our websites for location Second Sunday-Fifth Sunday –9 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Children’s Sunday school –2nd and 4th Sundays, monthly Office hours: M-TH 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Taize – 1st Wednesday, monthly - 7 p.m. goodsamaritangunnison.org

Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Meeting Second-Fifth Sundays at 5 p.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite II

403 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte

Visit our website for location of 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, First Sunday of each month allsaintsinthemountains.org

Cowboys compete in Western camp, A30

Stingrays take top finishes in Delta

Swimmers succeed in several events

Evan Bjornstad Times Staff Writer

The Gunnison Stingrays swim team took home handfuls of first-place medals at the 2025 Delta Barracuda Last Chance Mini Meet on July 18.

Kelsy Chodorowski led the charge with 80 points from four first-place finishes in the 200-yard backstroke, 100 freestyle, 400 IM and 200 breaststroke. Olivia Humphreys also dominated in the pool, scoring an additional 80 points for the Stingrays and finishing first in

Stingrays A30

Morena Roch inducted into RMAC Hall of Fame

Western’s first female AllAmerican earns

prestigious honor

Gregg Petcoff

Special to the Times

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) honored its Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on June 10 at the Colorado Springs Marriott. The inductees included six individuals and one team — a prestigious group highlighted by Western Colorado University’s Lorie Moreno Roch. Morena Roch, class of '88, became the Mountaineers' first women's national champion in 1988. She claimed the title in the 5,000-meter run at the NAIA outdoor championship. Throughout her impressive collegiate career, Morena Loch

earned NAIA All-American honors five times — in the indoor mile (1987, 1988), distance medley relay (1987), outdoor 5,000 meters (1988) and 10,000 meters (1988).

In her Hall of Fame induction speech on June 10, Morena Roch reflected on her time as a talented high school runner, and her initial success as a freshman at a different institution. She described how injury, and her own relentless pursuit of excellence that compounded the issue, led to her having to step away from training and competition for more than two years.

Encouraged by her mother to continue pursuing her degree, Moreno Roch eventually found her way to Western, with no intention of training or competing.

But her collegiate direction completely changed course when cross country and track and field head coach Duane Vandenbushe asked her to practice with the

distance teams. It took some convincing, but Morena Roch finally made the leap, joining Vandenbusche's young women's team.

At the Hall of Fame induction, Morena Roch was accompanied by her husband Steve, who also boasts an AllAmerican running career at Western. He earned his honor in the men's 3-mile run at the 1987 indoor national championship.

The evening's ceremony also recognized the RMAC's four major individual awards, including Western’s Dean Noble as the 2024-25 RMAC Man of the Year. The two-time AllAmerican wrestler is Western Colorado's first honoree of one of the RMAC's major awards, and is the first wrestler to earn the RMAC Man of the Year honor.

Western head football coach Jas Bains also accepted his award as the 2024 RMAC Football Coach of the Year. It was Bains' second consecutive

coach of the year award and third since earning his first in 2021.

(Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)

The Stingrays celebrate top times (Courtesy Tami Maciejko)

Jas Baines, Lorie Moreno Roch and Dean Noble represent Western at the RMAC Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet. (Courtesy Western Colorado University Athletic Communications)

Stingrays

the 100 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, 50-yard butterfly and 500 freestyle.

Everett Gerlock also went undefeated for the day, winning the 25 and 50 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 100 IM. Both Elora Jones and Ava Hindes scored 77 points for the Stingrays, with Jones winning the 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly. Hindes added first-place times in the 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke and 50 butterfly.

Gabe Larson sped away to three victories in the 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly, tallying up 76 points for Gunnison's score. Charlotte Corey snagged two top finishes, prevailing in the 50 breaststroke and 50 butterfly. Simi Larson took first in the 50 backstroke before locking in 69 points for Gunnison.

Beatrice Gerlock added to the tally with three separate wins in the 25 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 25 breaststroke, finishing the day with 60 total points. Citrina Gerlock scored a total of 63 points during the day while

competing in four events, and Stephen Jones took first in the 100 freestyle, earning 52 points. Alexander Maltby won both the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. Holden Corey finished off strong with first-place time in the mixed 10-andunder 25 backstroke to secure Gunnison's final t 20 points of the meet.

(Evan Bjornstad can be contacted at 970.641.1414.)

GHS Football competes at Western camp

The GHS football team hit the gridiron July 17-19, participating in the full-contact team camp at Western Colorado University. In preparation of the upcoming 2025 season, the Cowboys dialed in their offense and defence throughout the camp.

(Photos by Evan Bjornstad)

Jojo Milski displays her trophy at the WSL championship on July 13.

Everett Gerlach took first place in four events in Delta.

Adult league softball lights up Jorgensen Park

(Photos by Evan Bjornstad)

On July 21, the Jorgensen softball field filled with adult league softball players, ready to slug and steal bases.

PEDIATRICS

Dr. Amanda Hill cares for the health of your child at every stage of development from birth through 18 years of age.

Family Medicine Clinic | 970-641-3927

PEDIATRIC THERAPY

Our team of speech and occupational therapist to help you support the success of your child.

Rehabilitation & Athletic Medicine | 970-642-8413

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Individual counseling with licensed and experienced clinicians who are embedded in the Gunnison and Crested Butte schools.

Behavioral Health | 970-648-7128

DERMATOLOGY

We o er preventive dermatology services including full-body skin checks, early skin cancer detection and treatment for chronic skin conditions.

Specialty Clinic | 970-641-3927

SPORTS PHYSICAL CLINIC

Cash or Check Only Wednesday, July 30 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Fred Field Center GUNNISON

At Gunnison Valley Health we have the expertise to keep our youngest community memebers healthy.

LEGAL GUARDIAN MUST BE PRESENT IF THEY ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

SPANISH INTERPRETATION WILL BE AVAILABLE AT BOTH EVENTS.

THE COST OF A SPORTS PHYSICAL IS $35.

ONLY CASH AND CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED.