SPORTS: Cowboy track and field competes at state, B6
Bella Biondini Times Editor
Colorado’s 2020 wildfire season was one of the most destructive on record. Three years later, Lowline, the valley’s first significant wildfire in over a decade, burned just 13 miles outside of town. With the rise of more frequent and unpredictable wildfires across the West, Gunnison County has finalized a new plan that will help the community stay prepared, and learn to “coexist with fire, rather than trying to eliminate it.”
Last week, the county finished updating its Wildfire plan A6
School board considers housing plan
Proposal could build 20 homes on district land
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
After years of pondering how to help provide affordable housing to district employees, the Gunnison Watershed School District board may be a step closer to an answer. Board members on Monday heard a presentation from Rural Homes Colorado that laid out a specific plan for developing up to 20 housing units on two parcels owned by the district.
Rural Homes is a Western Slope “nonprofit housing developer currently building forsale workforce housing neighborhoods in rural Colorado,” according to its website. The nonprofit aims to serve the “region’s essential workforce:
Students prepare to head to class at the Gunnison Community School on May 7. (Photo by Bella Biondini) Schools A6
CO PUBLIC LANDS DAY BASH: Jocelyn Buras of onX Maps and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) staff member Bard Edrington remove old fencing on Sapinero Mesa on May 17 in honor of Colorado Public Lands Day. The stewardship project was part of BHA’s annual Beers, Bands, and Barbed Wire Strands event. (Courtesy Temple Robertson)
“There’s nothing you can do to prepare yourself for playing your last game with the guys you’ve played with your whole life.”
— Talon Kibler, GHS baseball senior See story on B1
BRIEFS
City begins ADA self-eval
The City of Gunnison has begun its ADA transition plan with a live survey on its website. The survey, available in both English and Spanish, asks residents where they have run into ADA issues in regard to public right of ways, and in city programming and facilities. To take the survey, visit gunnisonco. gov/community/ada_accessibility/.
Gunnison man sentenced to nine years in prison
Scott Oldenberg, 36, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison, plus three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
In June 2023, the defendant was identified as a possible burglary suspect in Mt. Crested Butte. Officers later searched his vehicle and found two firearms, as well as additional parts, including a firearm silencer. The .40 caliber handgun recovered from the defendant's vehicle was fitted with a "Glock switch," a conversion device that caused the handgun to function as a machine gun.
Later that month, law enforcement officers in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, searched another vehicle in the defendant’s possession — this time, a stolen Hertz rental car. They recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and an AR-15, additional firearm parts (including two suppressors) and magazines and ammunition.
Prior to the discovery, the defendant had been convicted of a felony that was punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. He was therefore barred from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
“We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their dedication to this investigation and prosecution,” Mt. Crested Butte Police Chief Nate Stepanek said in a press release. “This sentence reflects our continued commitment to ensuring public safety and holding offenders accountable for their actions.”
Rose Mary (Venturo) Coupe
Rose Mary (Venturo) Coupe died on April 9, 2025, in Fort Collins, Colorado less than two months before her 99th birthday.
She was born June 3, 1926 in Sargents, Colorado, the daughter of Pete and Theresa (Luchetta) Venturo. Her father, Pete, was the section foreman in Sargents for the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. The Venturo parents lived in the Gunnison area from 1919 to 1952, when the Rio Grande Railroad transferred Pete from Gunnison to Grand Junction. Rose grew up in Gunnison with three brothers: Mike, George and Frank, and one sister, Josephine (Bailey). She graduated from Gunnison High School in the class of 1946.
Upon returning from WWII, her brother Mike formed a friendship with a fellow veteran and his future business partner, Thomas Coupe. Rose and Tom struck up a romance and were married in 1950. Tom and Mike bought the Ideal Laundry and Dry Cleaners where Tom had
been a professional dry cleaner. They formed the Idealco Corp., which served the area for 30 years. Rose was a working partner in the business while she and Tom raised four children, Loretta, Tom Jr., Richard, and Mark.
With Idealco next door, the family lived and worked in a small house just across the street from Saint Peter’s Catholic Church in Gunnison. Rose was an active member of the church and participated in many of its activities. In 1964 the Coupes moved to a 28-acre property in West Gunnison and developed a small ranching operation. Idealco sold in 1977, and three years later Rose and Tom, with their son, Mark, moved to full-time ranching in Montrose, Colorado. Final retirement brought Rose and Tom to Windsor, Colorado, to be closer to some of their children and grandchildren. Tom preceded Rose in death in 2010. Rose was a humble person of faith who dedicated her life to serving others and will be dearly missed by her four children, eight grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and 14 great,
Live and local
great grandchildren, as well as her one remaining brother, Frank Venturo, a step-aunt, Frances (Luchetta) Albany and many nieces and nephews. A funeral mass was held at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Fort Collins on April 28, 2025. Interment was in Fort Logan National Cemetery.
Eric Peterson
Join together to celebrate and remember the life of Eric Peterson on June 21, 1-4 p.m. at The Depot, 716 Elk Ave, Crested Butte. We’ll have small bites and beverages. Bring your stories and photos to share. Parking is limited, so consider the free lot a block away at the 4-Way Stop Visitor's Center.
Timothy
Michael Rolph
Please join us June 1 from 1-4 p.m. to celebrate the storied life of Tim Rolph at The Depot 716 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, Colorado. Bring your best stories and photos of Tim you would like to share.
On May 13 at 8:49 p.m. Winona Athena Chamberlin was born to parents Ashley Dennis andJason Chamberlin of Gunnison. She weighed 7 lbs 2.5 oz. at birth.
Leaetta May Riddle
On May 2 at 3:10 a.m. to parents Michael and Desiree Riddle of Gunnison. She weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz. and measured 19 inches at birth. She has an older brother, Miklo, who is 3. Her grandparents are Mike and Mary Riddle.
The folk rock band, Stefan Bodevin and The Supply, performed in front of a large crowd at Main Street’s Crested Bucha on Friday, May 16.
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
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LETTERS POLICY
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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.
OPINION
A time to mourn
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
There is an AI-generated video circulating on the internet that depicts fallen Chinese soldiers from past wars who are suddenly resurrected and standing on the streets of contemporary Chinese cities. They are shown in their battle-torn uniforms marveling at what their sacrifice has led their nation to become — at least in its modern, technologically advanced appearance. The message is clear: If those people who gave their lives could see what they purchased, they’d surely feel it was worth it.
That may seem an odd place to begin a reflection on Memorial Day in the United States. But, watching it, I couldn’t help but wonder what the same video might look like
LETTERS
Bipartisan public lands bill brings communities together
Editor:
With the bipartisan introduction of the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act in the U.S. Senate and House, our community takes a major step. Bipartisan public lands legislation may seem like a miracle in the age of partisan politics, but only for those who don’t know the Gunnison Basin.
This legislation was driven by a desire for our public lands to serve competing critical needs. They are a vital source of clean water; the backbone of the ranching industry that underpins our culture, diversifies our economy and puts food on the table. They are the provider of world-class recreation such as skiing, hunting, hiking, fly fishing and mountain biking; the home of incredible biodiversity from wildflowers to elk; a sanctuary for wilderness; the laboratory for critically important field science; and a palette of spectacular scenery.
With the leadership of Sen. Michael Bennet and the Gunnison County Commissioners, for over a decade community members pored over maps, discussing the perspectives of multiple stakeholder groups. Snowmobilers, dirt bikers, ATV riders, jeep drivers, ranchers, mountain bikers, hunters, anglers, water managers and conservationists, among others, found common ground. Gunnison County fur-
if it portrayed American soldiers on the streets of American cities today. Frankly, it was a sobering thought.
Before you get the idea this is meant to idealize Chinese society — forget it. Nothing of the sort. If it helps, then pretend the video showed French or British soldiers and let’s go from there.
The question I pose here is, if such a resurrection tour were possible, would fallen American soldiers be proud of what they witnessed on our streets today? What would they make of the visible despair and human cost of homelessness and addiction? Of shattered families? Of decaying infrastructure? Of suburban blight?
Would they watch our current political climate with civic pride, believing that the Constitution they swore to defend — and then did so with their lives — is in safe hands? (To be clear, I’m talking about our hands, not just those of public officials.) What might they think of the language we use to describe each other and the bitter tenor of what passes for dialogue in our time?
What might they say to citi -
ther expanded that alliance by cooperatively developing provisions with Delta, Saguache, Hinsdale and Ouray counties on provisions affecting their communities. Key to building a shared vision was our use of special management areas. This made public lands zoning work for the needs of the community and the landscape, rather than bend the community and the landscape to traditional management tools.
Our progress reflects the strength of our community. Last week, our Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, joined hands with our Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd, to sponsor GORP. National observers might be surprised, but this accomplishment is what Gunnison has come to expect. Key organizers sat down at kitchen tables, coffee shops and conference rooms, walked the lands, developing management strategies that reflected the needs of the landscape and reflected how public lands impact lives. In doing this work, we demonstrated our shared respect for the generations who sustained these lands before us, recognizing our shared responsibility to steward public lands for future generations.
Kudos to our representatives. Sen. Bennet, supported locally by County Commissioner Jonathan Houck, set the tone and framework from the beginning. He maintained a pragmatic and problem-solving approach that engaged all stakeholders, and built on a
zens who seem to openly hate America?
Memorial Day has drifted away from being a national time of mourning over the decades to become more of a summer launch party. Perhaps that’s because we no longer count our recent fallen in the tens or hundreds of thousands. If so, that’s a shame, even shameful. Even one deserves remembrance.
I’d like to suggest that, while we’re at it, we consider mourning this year for the nation the fallen died to serve and protect. After all, the rows of white crosses at Arlington National Cemetery — and all across America — don’t mark the graves of the random dead. They are there because they believed we are a nation worth having. Some of us seem perilously close to losing sight of that.
Encouraging people to sober up and mourn properly is not exactly how to win a popularity contest these days. It might be uncomfortable, even painful. It would require honest self-reflection and humility. To mourn the state of the nation would mean admitting mistakes, taking
wisdom inherited from the ranching community. Rep. Hurd approached the final product with an open mind and commitment to our community, valuing our work. We are lucky to have two senators and a representative championing GORP.
These partnerships are powerful, though increasingly rare. They are what it takes, however, to make progress on public lands, given the growing divisiveness of the current political environment. Join us in thanking all the participants that made this progress possible.
Let’s honor those who came before us by continuing to support the hard work that makes our community and landscape unique and sustainable.
Ian Billick, Diego Plata, Nicholas Kempin Mayors of Gunnison, Crested Butte, Mt. CB
Downtown — what happened?
Editor:
Decades ago Gunnison had a vibrant downtown. A two-lane Main Street with 26 diagonal spaces on each side. But traffic crept through downtown and the powers that be decided improvements must be made!
So a four-lane thoroughfare became Main Street. Wait! No room for diagonal parking. Do parallel parking. We do not need that much room for parallel parking, so expand the sidewalks to cover the gutters
responsibility and considering remedies that require discipline and sacrifice to enact.
Some will surely want to say, “Come on, Alan, lighten up.”
Tell that to the people we supposedly honor on Memorial Day. Pretend they really do appear on our streets and then explain to them why integrity, honor, courage, discipline and sacrifice were demanded of them, but not us. Go ahead and try to justify why this is the best we can do with what they bequeathed us.
That’s not a conversation I’d like to have. Will we do what it takes to avoid it, while we still can?
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@ gunnisontimes.com.)
with running water to provide for improved pedestrian traffic (and hide one of the things that made Gunnison, Gunnison).
Now there are 12 lined spaces on either side of the street, which rarely have more than 10 or 11 vehicles because people hate parallel parking and leave extra space to avoid being boxed in. They prefer to go where there is available head-in parking. Remember the popularity of the Dollar Store with its off-street, head-in parking?
Now the Main Street storefronts (if you count the vacant ones) outnumber the parked vehicles and pedestrian traffic has disappeared due to lack of parking.
Now rumor has it the powers that be are planning to convert some, or all of the 44 parking spaces in the 100 Block of South Main into a park (the Gunnison Arts Center thoughtlessly eliminated a few parking spaces years ago).
What's to become of the businesses on South Main? Where will you park for an event at the arts center or the Elks Club?
Currently when the two venues have simultaneous events you can be forced to park blocks away and navigate uncleared sidewalks during winter.
Jim Gazzoli Gunnison
2025
Message to 2025 graduates
Editor: Congratulations to the college and high school graduates of 2025. Three things:
-You gotta be honest
-You gotta work really hard, really hard
-And when you're knocked down, which you will be, you've gotta get back up.
Honesty, hard work, persistence, whatever it is that you want to do. You bring those three in, you'll succeed in this country.
All the best to you.
Neil Watko, Cori Dobson Gunnison GOP
Happy spring, Slate River recreators
Editor:
With melting snow and swelling rivers, the great blue herons have returned to their nesting grounds in the Slate River Valley. We're reaching out to ask for your cooperation in the community effort to balance recreation on the Slate River with the protection of Crested Butte's high-elevation great blue heron rookery.
The birds returned to the rookery area in late-March to begin establishing nests, and it appears that the size of the local nesting population continues to decline, a consistent trend since 2018. We can’t control all the factors that influence the success of heron nesting. But one thing we can do is give the herons room and disturbancefree habitat during their nesting season.
Please join us in observing a voluntary no-float period on the Upper Slate River, stretching from Gunsight Bridge to the Slate River boat launch, until July 15 to safeguard the great blue heron rookery during the nesting and fledging season. Floating elsewhere during these sensitive life stages reduces disturbance to the birds, and gives them the best chance at survival. If you plan to float the Slate River before July 15, please choose to float between the Slate River boat launch on Pyramid Avenue, and the Skyland Bridge at Brush Creek Road. Thank you for your cooperation!
Here are a few more tips for floating the Slate River this season:
-Know before you go, be an informed river user. Hazards exist, and conditions change frequently.
-Be careful of low bridge clearances and other hazards during high flows.
-Much of the land on either side of the river, including the river bottom, is private property. Stay on your watercraft between access points and don’t trespass.
-Leave your dogs at home. It prevents trespassing and reduces negative encounters with wildlife, livestock and landowners.
-Help protect the water quality in the Slate River. Please use established bathrooms or portapotties before or after your float.
-As the cattle grazing season begins, river fences will be going up. Get low and pass through carefully.
Please be aware that a large beaver dam across the Slate River exists near the Skyland neighborhood, and its impact on floating and safety will likely change with flows throughout the spring and summer. You may see signage indicating the dam’s approach and instructions for safely portaging around it when needed. Portage carefully and respectfully to support the coexistence of floaters, neighbors and wildlife — thank you.
For further details about floating the Slate River and the Slate River Working Group, please visit cblandtrust.org/ slate-river-floaters/.
Thank you, and stay safe out there!
The Slate River Working Group
Thank you for standing with us
Editor:
Legacy Family Ministries wants to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made our Kentucky Derby Watch Party a resounding success in support of the Lighthouse Pregnancy Center.
To our incredible organizers Greg Kruthaupt, Jim Pike, Dan Braugh, Kelly Jones and Bob Jones — your time, effort and dedication made every detail of the event unforgettable. From the decorations, food, activities and DJ, to the race itself, your planning and preparation resulted in a fun, festive and beautiful event.
To all who attended — your presence, generous spirit, great outfits and zany hats brought so much joy and energy to the day. Your support means the world to us and to the families we serve.
To our amazing sponsors — thank you for your generous contributions and belief in our mission. Your partnership empowers us to continue providing compassionate care and vital resources to those in need in the Gunnison Valley. Together, we are making a difference, one life at a time.
In last week’s letters, Tom Marshall was disappointed that Trump’s words were taken out of context when he said in an interview that he didn’t know if he was required to follow the Constitution of the United States.
I agree with Mr. Marshall that full context is important, but I’m afraid that the full context doesn’t do much to exonerate Trump from ignoring or actively trying to destroy the Constitution. He was basically saying “I have a gang of lawyers working overtime to try to figure out how I can ignore
or get around the Constitution so I can grab more control and power for myself and we will have to wait and see how successful they might be.” For broader context, let’s also consider his actions.
For someone who just four months ago swore an oath on Inauguration Day to protect and defend the Constitution, the easy and correct answer would have been “Of course I am required to follow the Constitution.” He obviously lied in his oath because only an hour later the convicted felon grabbed a black sharpie and mounted a direct assault on the Constitution by signing an executive order trying to do away with birthright citizenship as guaranteed in the 14th Amendment. Since then, his actions have been a constant assault on the Constitution and the checks and balances that are the bedrock of our democracy.
If you don’t take my word for it, perhaps the words of respected conservative Judge from the U.S. Court of Appeals J. Michael Luttig in a recent article in The Atlantic might clarify things. He said for not one of his signature initiatives during his first 100 days in office does Trump have the authority under the Constitution and laws of the United States that he claims — not for tariffs, not for unlawful deportations, not for attacks on colleges and law firms, not for attacks on birthright citizenship, not for handing power to billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, not for trying to end due process, not for his attempts to starve government agencies by impounding their funding, not for using the DOJ to attack his enemies and not for his attacks on the media. He concludes that Trump will continue his assault on America, its democracy and rule of law until the American people finally rise up and say no more!
Along with the unrelenting attacks on democracy, Trump lacks any semblance of ethics as he blatantly solicits and accepts bribes from foreign and domestic sources in clear violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. He uses his office to enrich himself and his family, and can’t be bothered with the challenging task of running the government. He leaves that up to his Project 2025 cronies.
I encourage Trump’s cult of followers to muster the wisdom to recognize his incompetence and corruption when they see it, and the morality to reject and resist it when they can.
Arden Anderson Gunnison
Wildfire plan
community wildfire protection plan, a two-year process aided by the West Region Wildfire Council and the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, a science-based outreach group at Colorado State University. The maps encompass all of Gunnison County and portions of next door Hinsdale and Saguache counties. The protection plan, which will replace the existing document from 2011, is designed to be more accessible and consists of a series of interactive maps. Public land managers can easily view ongoing wildfire mitigation projects, and property owners can follow steps to create defensible space around their home.
In the face of prolonged periods of drought and a changing climate, the plan is a proactive response to the rising risk of fire. A lack of adequate planning could make more residents — many of whom live adjacent to forests — vulnerable in the event of an emergency, and make firefighting more costly. Cost estimates for the Lowline Fire alone neared $10 million.
“Living with wildfire means recognizing that fire is a natural and unavoidable part of many landscapes and adjusting how people build, live, and manage land to reduce risk,” the plan states.
As a preparation tool, the community wildfire protection plan outlines areas in the valley that are at high risk and could benefit from mitigation projects. This could be prescribed fire in forests that have been impacted by beetle kill, tree thinning near homes in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and creating defined evacuation routes for some of the county’s more isolated communities.
The plan accounts for all of the community’s “highly-valued resources,” such as wildlife, recreation sites that power the tourism-based economy and water supply sources, rather than solely focusing on the protection of property. Using the maps, delineated in red and green, firefighters will know which areas to defend, and which may benefit from low-intensity fires.
For example, lodgepole and ponderosa pine forests, as well as big game habitat, generally benefit from fire. Controlled burns can clean out dead and downed trees, encourage new growth and act as a natural buffer against large wildfires. Fire could present more challenges in evacuation corridors that first responders need to get in, and residents, to get out; along the Beaver Creek drainage, which could impact the water quality of Blue Mesa; and in threatened Gunnison sage-grouse habitat outside of town.
“It might dictate how we respond to a wildfire incident, and where we might let managed fire play its role on the landscape,” said Supervisory Forester Mike Tarantino. He works out of the Colorado State Forest Service’s Gunnison Field Office and was heavily involved during the planning process.
Following the active
2020 wildfire season, the Gunnison County Emergency Management team organized a group of leaders from local government, public land management agencies, fire protection districts, water utilities, along with wildlife experts and community members. The group, known as the Upper Gunnison Shared Stewardship Council, began updating the Gunnison Valley’s fire response plan that winter.
At the time, Gunnison County Emergency Manager Scott Morrill said that while the different federal land management agencies — and even a number of private homeowners — had ongoing wildfire risk reduction projects, little communication existed between them. Now, all of the short-term and long-term projects are laid out in a centralized map. Some are already in progress, while others are still in conceptual phases.
Maps show where the greatest wildfire risk reduction could be achieved per dollar spent.
According to the plan, a $15 million budget could reduce the valley’s wildfire risk by 16%, while only treating less than 1% of the landscape. Many of these costeffective treatment zones are in forested areas surrounding Gunnison, Parlin, Taylor Canyon and Lake City.
Morrill said he hopes it's a valuable tool for land managers in the future, and will encourage work that is not limited by property or county lines.
“You can protect the community within [its] boundaries,” Morrill said. “But if there's an unhealthy forest right up to the edge of that community, it's just not doing a whole lot of good.”
One of the gaps identified in the previous plan was the county’s outreach to the community, Morrill said. This time, he hopes it will better educate residents on how to stay prepared, and the steps they can take to make their property more resilient to wildfire. This extends to visitors and
second-homeowners who might not be as prepared in the case of an emergency.
Continual maintenance is required to ensure a property is wildfire resistant, Tarantino said. This is even more crucial in Gunnison County as many homes sit in a WUI zone, an area with homes or neighborhoods that intermingle with forests or open space.
“On every single property, there’s still probably something that a homeowner can do on an annual basis to prepare for wildfire, whether that is considering where they store their firewood, how much debris is accumulating around their porch … [It’s] an ongoing effort for all of our community members to continually think about how fire might influence them, and to stay prepared,” Tarantino said. “Granted, some homeowners are probably less prepared than others.”
While wildfire prevention
and response has not been the direct target of federal budget and workforce cuts, the land management agencies impacted — such as the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service — are often on the frontlines of wildland fires, and lead prescribed burns. Communitybased plans like this one are another layer of protection for the towns and cities adjacent to public lands. This is especially true as the Trump administration targets the processes outlined in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that encourage public input on projects on public lands, said Jon Hare of Crested Butte’s High Country Conservation Advocates. Generally, feedback is collected during a comment period, before a large project, such as a controlled burn, begins. As the new plan developed, the community “did have a voice,” and
the opportunity to raise issues of concern with how the county was going to approach fire preparedness, Hare said.
Gunnison County’s emergency managers intend to update the plan every five years to mark progress that can be shared with land managers and policymakers. It will also allow the department to adapt to the changing climate over time.
“Wildfires are getting more intense, more frequent and more catastrophic,” Morrill said. “With each one of those, there's valuable lessons learned.”
To view the 2025 Gunnison County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, visit gunnisoncounty.org/145/EmergencyManagement, and click on the “county disaster plans” tab.
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Outreach during the planning process included a public survey and “map walk” events.
Areas with the potential for the greatest wildfire risk reduction per dollar spent on mitigations projects such as controlled burns or tree thinning, among others. (Courtesy Gunnison County Emergency Management)
securing state funding to offset the cost.
teachers, medical professionals, immigrants and federal employees that earn under 120% of area median income (AMI).”
The plan presented on Monday proposes building a combination of two-, three- and four-bedroom modular homes constructed by Fading West in Buena Vista. That’s the same manufacturer that built the county’s Sawtooth development and will build a new development for Western Colorado University starting this fall. The cost of the homes ranged from $295,000 for two bedrooms (1,000 square feet ) to $450,000 for four bedrooms (1,600 square feet ). Those estimates are predicated on the district donating the land and on
Ten of the proposed units would be reserved as rentals to be managed by the school district for teachers and other employees. Another 10 homes would be sold in a lottery which could prioritize district personnel. The proposed plan calls for the district to purchase the 10 rental homes. All the homes would be deed restricted at 120% AMI.
A housing needs survey conducted by the district last year revealed that 91% of employees preferred home ownership as their first choice of options. Townhome-style, or duplex rentals were the second and third choices, with 50% and 32% respectively.
“In the conversations I've had about housing, this one has come closest to hitting all the marks that we need to hit,”
Superintendent Leslie Nichols
The City Center
Neighborhood Connection Micro-Grants Still Available!
What Are Neighborhood Connection Micro-Grants?
The City of Gunnison and the Resiliency Project offer microgrants to residents of the City of Gunnison to encourage more connection among neighbors Direct experience and studies tell us that ties among neighbors are a vital par t of creating stronger and more resilient communities!
These reimbursed grants are awarded in amounts up to $400 on a first-come first-served basis until budget is used
Interested in more information? Want to apply now? Visit gunnisonco.gov/microgrants or reach out via email at fsaltmarsh@gunnisonco gov
said. “Valuing our property as an asset that you bring to the table is not something other people I've spoken with have talked about.”
Although the proposal called for a decision by July 1, with occupancy as early as 2026, board members questioned the feasibility of making a decision that soon. They will form a committee to study the plan and make recommendations.
“The system is broken. We've got to solve it,” Rural Homes president Paul Major told board members. “Teachers are on the point of that spear. How do they take their good jobs, career jobs, good salary, and yet there's nothing in the market for them to own or rent?”
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)
According to the Rural Homes Colorado plan, 20 homes could be built on two parcels owned by the school district. (Courtesy Rural Homes Colorado)
A similar development built by Rural Homes Colorado in Ridgway, Colorado.
(Photos by Aric Olson and courtesy Elisa Elsberry)
County pauses roads tax ballot question
Commissioners pass resolution supporting public lands
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
Faced with what would have been a daunting task on a short timeline, Gunnison County commissioners on Tuesday elected to postpone a ballot measure asking voters for a tax increase to fund road and bridge maintenance.
For three decades, the county has struggled with the combination of dramatically rising road maintenance costs and declining revenue from the state. A recent report by Public Works Director Martin Schmidt estimated a deferred maintenance backlog of $38 million over 10 years.
While commissioners agreed that the initiative is necessary to solve the urgent and worsening shortfall in funding, they concluded there isn’t enough time this year to properly engage and inform the public. The county will aim to place a question on the ballot in the fall of 2026.
“[Waiting] would give us time to really put together a strategy to reach out to the voters of Gunnison County, [and] to be very specific about taking that data and putting it into a digestible form,” Commissioner Jonathan Houck said.
Other factors spurred the decision as well. First, County Manager Matthew Birnie reminded commissioners that the City of Gunnison is considering a ballot measure of its own this fall to ask voters for a tax increase to fund a new fire station. The chances of a successful outcome are typically reduced when voters must consider multiple requests for new taxes, he said.
“Sooner is better, but I think we need to be smart about strategy and timing,” Birnie said. “My sense is that this fall might be soon, given where we are now. We don't have to defer to [the city], but I do think we are more likely to be successful by waiting.”
In addition, the county is in the final stages of hiring a communications director to fill the newly created role. Interviews are scheduled for this week and commissioners expect that person to play a key role in developing an outreach strategy once they are fully up to speed in the position. In the meantime, the county will begin creating opportunities for public engagement as soon as possible.
Lands resolution
On May 20 commissioners also unanimously passed a resolution affirming the county’s support for keeping public lands under public ownership, rather than being sold to private parties. The budget reconciliation bill currently being considered in Congress contains an amendment that would authorize the sale of nearly half a million acres of public land in Utah and Nevada.
Houck developed a resolution that he said he believes makes clear the county’s opposition to any trend toward divestiture of public lands. Gunnison County spans 3,259 square miles, over 80% of which is publicly owned and managed land.
“I think it was important for us to be on the record exactly where we stand and why.”
Jonathan Houck Gunnison County commisioner
“These public lands provide essential resources to our residents, workers and visitors,” the resolution states.
Those benefits include “clean air; grazing lands for agricultural operations; habitats for wildlife; rivers, lakes and watersheds which provide for our drinking water and healthy fish populations, wildfire suppression, and agricultural irrigation; cultural resources; scenic beauty; renewable energy, fossil fuels and minerals; timber; a ski area; and opportunities for other outdoor recreation.”
“I think it was important for us to be on the record exactly where we stand and why,” Houck said. “Also this becomes a tool that can be utilized by decision makers, especially at the federal level, our congressional delegation. This is not a new position at all. Public lands have always been the centerpiece of everything in Gunnison County, and everything's tethered to it.”
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)
ample space for your vehicles and storage needs. The extra space above the garage, accessible via exterior stairs, presents exciting opportunities. Whether you need additional storage or dream of an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), the potential is yours to explore with City of Gunnison approval. Don’t miss the chance to make this new construction your forever home. Contact us now to schedule a viewing and witness the epitome of contemporary living!
TBD W Denver Ave. MLS# 816647 $589,000
Spectacular 2.5 acre level lot located in Gunnison’s new subdivision Elk Ranch. This parcel is located just outside City limits on the west side of town and seller has it set up to be built on immediately. Lot has a well permit already in place along with the required approval for well from the Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District which can be transferred at closing. Buyer of lot may also pay for tap fees to hook into the City water and sewer main that will has already been extended north by the City.There is a shared road/driveway into the subdivision and it will be completed by this fall as well. Lot has been surveyed and a building envelope has been established for a single family residence but other dwellings such as barns/sheds etc. will be allowed. Come enjoy some country living with incredible views of mountains up Ohio Valley and the Palisades while being so close to town.
457 Ute Dr. (Arrowhead) MLS# 820145 $40,000 Beautiful, secluded 1 acre lot located on the north edge of the Arrowhead subdivision off of the main road. Bring your RV or plan to build your private mountain retreat on this sloped, nicely treed lot with plenty of wildflowers and wildlife to be seen. This subdivision is quaint community located on the Alpine Plateau Road and has quick access to the Arrowhead Lodge where you can enjoy food and drink on their outdoor patio along with occasional live music. Come discover what living in the Rockies is all about!
GORP Act gains bipartisan support
Rep. Hurd introduces bill to House for first time
Bella Biondini Times Editor
On May 15, just ahead of Colorado Public Lands Day, Rep. Jeff Hurd, and Sen. Michael Bennet reintroduced the GORP Act as bipartisan legislation.
The public lands bill, nearly a decade in the making, would further protect more than 700,000 acres on the Western Slope. The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act has roots in the valley. The bill is based on a collaborative proposal drafted by the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative, a group with members from across all of the valley’s demographics, from ranching and recreation to conservation and water resources.
lands” and put the United States “on a path to energy dominance.” Yet, this month, Hurd was the only Republican on the House Committee on Natural Resources to vote against a recent effort to allow the sale of up to 460,000 acres of public land in Utah and Nevada as part of the federal budget reconciliation bill.
Last week, Hurd traveled to Gunnison for the first time to visit the Board of County Commissioners. A large portion of the conversation centered on the protection of public lands, and Hurd said he was “not sure” if he could support the GORP Act. But within a week of his Gunnison County meeting, he sponsored the legislation.
“[I am] honored to lead the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act alongside Senator Bennet,” Hurd said in a press release on May 15. “This legislation reflects strong local support for the responsible stewardship of our land.”
The group spent years piecing together a proposal that prioritized the historic uses of public land in the county, while also preserving the landscapes that power the recreation-based economy. The act also includes portions of neighboring Delta and Hinsdale counties. Sens. Bennet and John Hickenlooper first introduced the GORP Act in the Senate during the summer of 2024, but the legislation did not make any progress through Congress.
Over the past few weeks, Hurd, the Republican representative for Colorado’s Third Congressional District has become a somewhat unexpected supporter of the Western Slope’s public lands. Hurd’s sponsorship of the GORP Act marks the first time the legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives.
The broadened support for the bill is a beacon of hope for local leaders after a slew of bad news for public land managers this year. If passed, the GORP Act would help fend off the growing number of threats to the county’s public lands under the new administration, said Jon Hare of Crested Butte’s High Country Conservation Advocates.
“It's amazing and surprising that we have crafted something here in Gunnison County that is actually going to rise above the political situation right now,” Hare said. “It’s bipartisan … It's from the local community. This is the type of legislation that may actually fit in this time and space in Washington, D.C.”
Since Hurd took office, his stance on public lands management on the Western Slope has been inconsistent. In March, Hurd introduced the Productive Public Lands Act, legislation that would “reactivate the resource potential of our public
The GORP Act primarily uses two congressional-level designations to protect Gunnison County’s vast network of public land: wilderness, and special management areas focused on recreation, wildlife, scientific research and conservation. The bill also would transfer the Pinecrest Ranch, owned by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, into a trust. Pinecrest is located in Gunnison County, south of Sapinero Mesa. Instead of functioning as private property, the parcel would become sovereign land of the tribe.
“Throughout history we have lost a lot of land that has been taken from the tribe unjustly,” said Manuel Heart, Chairman Ute Mountain Ute Tribe said in a press release. “To get land back for the tribe by putting it into Trust status as this legislation does, is important to the tribe’s children and grandchildren.”
Since President Donald Trump took office, public land management agencies, including the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, have faced severe budget and staff cuts. In a county that is nearly 80% public lands, the passage of the GORP Act would mean the valley would be less subject to the whims of executive orders or presidential administrations that “want to undermine public lands,” Hare told the Times.
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
On Sunday, May 18, Gunnison High School said goodbye to the Class of 2025 with a ceremony filled with nostalgia, family and celebration. Class president Holden Vickers, Salutatorians Sienna Gomez and Maddie Vollendorf, along with Valedictorian Leon Long all gave speeches in front of their peers before receiving their diplomas. During the ceremony, preschool teacher Trudy Pfingston-Orr received the Dan & Nancy Tredway Excellence in Teaching Award for her excellence in early childhood education.
(Photos by Evan Bjornstad)
Knights of Columbus & Gunnison Elks Lodge 1623 present:
2025 Kentucky Derby
All Sports Replay
Jim Barry Cake Me Away
City Market
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Chris Crown State
Best Dressed Competition Come in your finest Derby attire Watch the Race on 3 big screens in Gunnison Dinner provided by
Farm Insurance
Terrence Hunt
Steve Dorzweiler
Dove Graphics
Tickets: $50/Single or $75/Couple
Fullmer's Ace Hardware
Molly Gibb
Gabi Kellman
Garlic Mikes
Gene Taylors
Gunnison Country Times
Kruthaupt Ranch
Marios Pizza
Dan McKenna
Sandra Obanion
•Door prizes to be awarded. First prize is a split quarter side of beef
Steve & Paul Pike
Pike Builders
Rocky Mountain Rose
Nancy Ruehle
•Order tickets online or contact Dan at 970-497-9722.
Safeway
Sanctuary Somatics
Beth Shipman
Thomas Stoeber CPA
Toggery Elevated
Treads and Threads
Estevan Vigil
Wet Grocers
Aquatic nuisance species
What are they, why we care and what we do about them
Ari Yamaguchi Special to the Times
Some readers may remember hearing about the detection of zebra mussels in the Colorado River in Grand Junction last summer. It may still remain unclear what that means, or why it matters to the Gunnison community.
Zebra mussels are considered an aquatic nuisance species (ANS), which is exactly what it sounds like: any species that lives in water and causes a problem when introduced to a new area. Zebra mussels are often a poster child for ANSrelated messaging. But when we talk about ANS, we mean any and all organisms that threaten our local ecosystem, whether they’re animals, plants or even bacteria.
sible once they’ve been introduced. Sealing the cracks in our “basement” means implementing vigilant measures such as inspections and increasing public awareness.
Such doom and gloom! What’s the upside? What are we doing about it? There are two prongs to that answer. Agencies at the local, state and federal levels are actively working to protect against ANS, and the broader community (you!) has a part to play.
High Mountain Liquor
Dan Zadra Thanks to all of our Sponsors and Underwriters!! We raised $4,239 for Lighthouse Pregnancy Center
Why do we care about these species? The mussels have no natural predators here. The same way that deer and elk populations would skyrocket without hunters, the mussels would boom without control. These animals grow on hard surfaces in dense colonies. The dam’s hydropower components would quickly get clogged by these ever-growing concretelike mats, and it would cost millions each year to clean the equipment. Similarly, infestation causes significant damage to the hulls and internal components of boats, and other personal recreational equipment. Aside from the direct impact on human property, these mussels have a profound effect on the ecosystem, and can disturb water quality and the food web enough to cause major crashes in fish populations (including game fish). Our community infrastructure, local recreation and tourism economy would all be deeply threatened by such an infestation.
The main way that ANS are introduced to new areas is when they’re unintentionally transported by humans. While adult zebra mussels latch on to the hulls or internal components of boats, free-swimming juveniles, known as veligers, can survive for days or weeks in bilges, live wells and engine cooling pipes. There was even a recent incident on Blue Mesa where veligers, which are invisible to the naked eye, were detected in a paddleboard’s carrying case.
Other ANS infestations throughout the country and the world have taught us that prevention is almost always cheaper and easier than treatment. This is because total eradication is nearly impos -
Every two weeks, professionals from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the National Park Service (NPS) collect samples in Blue Mesa, Taylor Reservoir and Lake San Cristobal to ensure any detection can occur early. Boaters will be familiar with the ramp inspection stations operated by CPW. This year, the Park Service is deploying three brand-new self-service mobile stations at high-traffic points along the Taylor and Gunnison rivers, allowing river users to quickly and easily sanitize their own equipment without an inspection official present. Outreach staff will be deployed throughout the basin to increase awareness and assist users with the new stations. The Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District is working with Hinsdale County, CPW, and the Park Service to upgrade much-needed infrastructure on Lake San Cristobal, which will aid the inspectors’ abilities to operate. These improvements will come with increased inspection hours and a longer inspection season, allowing more opportunity for public access.
While policies and enforcement are mostly focused on motorized boaters, anyone moving between water bodies is at risk of transporting ANS. Whether you’re a boat fisher, a paddleboarder or just taking the kids to the beach, there are quick and easy steps we can all take to do our part in protecting our water and our community. Visit stopaquatichitchhikers.org/prevention/ and find the section that most closely describes you. For pet owners, bathe your furry friends thoroughly (including between paw pads) and allow them to dry completely; repeat with vests, leashes or other gear. These guidelines are especially important if you’ve previously been in waters with confirmed ANS presence, or where you don’t know the infestation status.
(Ari Yamaguchi is a water resources specialist at the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District. For more information or questions, contact AYamaguchi@UGRWCD. org.)
MILK
Calm waters and clean boats
Boaters enjoyed a calm, crisp morning on May 15, and many hoped to reel in the elusive lake trout from Blue Mesa Reservoir. National Park Service rangers anticipate they will inspect over 15,000 boats for aquatic invasive species at the Lake Fork Marina alone.
Community conversations
On May 16, the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for one of the valley’s newest businesses, Intermount Fluent Connections. Yamel Aguirre’s latest business venture, the first of its kind in the valley, now offers interpretation and translation services to individuals and organizations.
(Photos by Jaden McNeese)
(Photos by Rebecca Rose)
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
GCS - Significant Support Needs EA
CBES - Permanent Substitute Bus Drivers Food Service Substitute teachers
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
District Director of Special Services District Psychologist
BUILDING INSPECTOR: The Town of Crested Butte is looking for a Building Inspector to join the Community Development team. The Building Inspector is responsible for performing a variety of commercial, industrial, residential plan review and building and safety inspections of new and existing properties for compliance with Town adopted regulations and building codes. This year-round position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, and contribution to retirement plan after one year of employment. Starting pay is $35.49 - $42.59 DOQ. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www. townofcrestedbutte.com/jobs. Please submit application, cover letter, and resume via email to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
SEEKING EXPERIENCED PROJECT MANAGERS for upcoming residential construction projects VuhausLLC.com ken@ teoventures.com.
FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST WANTED:
The Inn at Tomichi Village is seeking a friendly, organized individual for front desk duties. Must have strong communication skills and a professional attitude. Full-time and part-time positions available. Experience is a plus, but not required. Apply in person at: The Inn at Tomichi Village. 41883 US Highway 50, Gunnison, CO.
LOOKING FOR A FUN AND REWARDING
SUMMER JOB? Do you adore working with small children? Little Red Schoolhouse is hiring! We are looking for a Tuesday and Wednesday 3-4 year old teacher starting June 10-Aug. 22 and hopefully beyond! Potential for more hours with subbing as well. Looking for a creative, fun, energetic and flexible individual to become part of an awesome team. Please send resume and cover letter to Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@gmail.com.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TREES & LANDSCAPING is looking for experienced and motivated individuals to install various types of landscapes. Join a fun team
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.
Jail Administrator Sheriff: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range is from $6,778.80 to $8,240.87, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Shop Technician I Public Works: 40 hours/week, hourly range from $26.51 to $30.19, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.
CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
City Engineer
Full-Time, $121,275-$143,267/yr
This position oversees municipal engineering projects, including streets, drainage, water, sewer, and capital improvements. Works closely with the Public Works Director to oversee capital improvement projects, manage municipal infrastructure systems, and collaborate with a dynamic team committed to excellence in public service.
Part-Time Openings: Lifeguards: $23-$29.33/hr.
Special Events/Project Assistant: $20.91 to $23.64/hr plus $1.78 incentive completion bonus.
Summer Ditch Laborer: $25.09 to $27.82/hr plus $1.78 incentive completion bonus.
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.
this summer! rockymountaintrees.com/ employment.
THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time and full-time seasonal positions: Dinner Sous Chef, $27-$30/hr. + gratuity; Breakfast Cook $22-$25/hr. + gratuity (hours 7:30-11:30 a.m.); Line Cook, $22-$26/hr. + gratuity; Housekeeping, $21$24/hr.; Facility Maintenance, $23.50-$27.50/ hr. Employee benefits include employee discounts and complimentary golf. For more information or to apply, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com or send an email to jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.
CRESTED BUTTE BURGER COMPANY is hiring Team Members, $16-18/hr. + gratuity, for summer seasonal work from June to September. For more information or to submit a resume, please email: crestedbutteburgerco@gmail.com.
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!
Administrative Assistant: This position is part of the Office of Residence Life and is responsible for general office management, department functions and operations, student staff supervision, and finance/accounting management. Starting pay $24.15/ hour (approx. $50,230 annually).
Annual Giving Coordinator (AGC): As part of the Western Colorado University Foundation, the AGC leads annual fundraising efforts, including Mountaineer Gives Day, Fall Appeals, and donor engagement campaigns. Starting annual salary $55,000 - $60,000. Apply by 6/20/25.
Graphic Designer:
Part of the Marketing and Communications team, this position focuses on designing marketing materials that promote the university’s brand across print and digital channels, while also fulfilling design requests from campus departments. Starting annual salary $50,000 - $54,000.
RESS Program Assistant: This position provides administrative, budgetary, promotional, registration, and grants management support to undergraduate and graduate programs in the Recreation, Exercise & Sport Science (RESS) Department. Starting pay $25.17/ hour (approx. $52,340 annually).
To view the full job announcements and apply, visit western.edu/jobs and click on “View Careers” (EOE)
POWERSTOP is looking for head cook. Pay is $50,000 minimum, position also offers paid time off and health insurance reimbursement. Pay is based on 40 hours a week. Applications must be able to work mornings or evenings and weekends. Resumes to be in a sealed envelope attention Sean. Drop off at Powerstop. THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a Deputy Marshal. The Deputy Marshal performs a full range of law enforcement duties necessary to ensure public safety, protect life and property, and enforce laws and ordinances. Compensation: No POST $32.51 - $38.25 per hour ($67,621 - $79,560
high school diploma or equivalent, Colorado Driver’s License or obtain one within 30 days of employment, possess a valid Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification or obtain one within 1 year from date of employment, must be 21 at time of POST certification. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www. townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit your application, cover letter, and resume to jobs@ crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
VETERINARY TECHNICIAN WANTED: West Elk Veterinary Services
Location: Rural Western Colorado
Join our caring, community-focused veterinary team! West Elk Veterinary Services is seeking a Veterinary Technician(full- or part-time) to assist with both small and large animals.
We offer competitive pay, flexible hours, hands-on experience in a rural mixedanimal practice, and a friendly, supportive work environment. Ideal candidates are dependable, compassionate, and comfortable with a variety of cases. Certification is preferred but not required.
To Apply: Send your resume and a short note about yourself to gvvcoffice@gmail.com.
LAKE CITY AREA MEDICAL CENTER is hiring a PRN EMT level or higher; 8-24 hrs/ wk must be available to work Saturdays; $2035/hr; Email your resume to lcmedcenter@ lcamc.net. EOE
PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON VALLEY seeks a Director of Operations for a 32 hour/week position to provide bookkeeping and administrative support. To apply, send resume, cover letter, and 3 references to: director@hope4gv.org. See further info on our website at www.hope4gv.org/employment 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.
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE PARKS AND RECREATION Open Space & Trails Department is seeking Recreation Instructors for a variety of programs including Tennis, Baseball, Softball, Umpires, Skateboarding and Gymnastics. 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.
Do you love animals and people? Are you organized, friendly and ready to be the welcoming face of a caring veterinary team? Gunnison Valley Veterinary Clinic is looking for a warm and dependable Client Services Representative to join our close-knit staff. As our receptionist, you’ll play a vital role in creating a positive experience for pets and their people—from answering phones and scheduling appointments to greeting wagging tails and friendly faces.
What We’re Looking For:
A friendly, professional attitude. Strong communication and customer service skills.
Comfortable working with animals of all sizes. Dependability and attention to detail. Ability to multitask around our lovable office cat and in a fast-paced environment.
Prior experience in reception or veterinary work is a plus, but we’re willing to train the right person.
What You’ll Do:
Greet clients and their pets. Manage appointments and phone calls. Handle payments and maintain records. Support our veterinary team with compassion and efficiency.
Why Join Us?
Work with a supportive and fun-loving team. Make a difference in the lives of pets and people. Enjoy a flexible schedule and competitive pay.
If you’re ready to be part of a communityfocused veterinary clinic where your work truly matters, we’d love to hear from you!
To Apply: Send your resume and a short note about yourself to gvvcoffice@gmail.com.
Notice is hereby given that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Board of Education of Gunnison Watershed School District for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and has been filed in the office of the Superintendent (which has been relocated to 800 W Ohio-Gunnison High School Guidance Office) where it is available for public inspection. A Public Hearing is scheduled for June 9, 2025 at 5:30pm. Such proposed budget will be considered for adoption at a meeting of the Board of Education of said District at 800 W Ohio on Monday, June 23, 2025.
Any person paying school taxes in said district may at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget file or register his/her objections thereto.
Board of Education
Dated: May 20, 2025 Gunnison Watershed School District RE1J
Contact your local Newspaper or email rtoledo@colopress net
Dr. Jody Coleman, Secretary Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of May 22, 29 AND June 5,. 2025 17373
NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
DISTRICT COURT UNIFORM DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE ACT COUNTY OF GUNNISON CONSOLIDATED PUBLICATION OF NOTICE STATE OF COLORADO
PETITIONER: Jessica R Lypp RESPONDENT: Joseph Paul Gonzalez CASE NO. 2025DR12 NATURE OF ACTION: Dissolution of Marriage
GUNNISON LIQUOR (The Ghost) is currently looking for part-time help. Nights and weekends a must. Pay DOE. Stop by with a resume. 603 W. Tomichi Ave., Gunnison.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TREES & LANDSCAPING is looking for positive individuals to join our Garden Center Retail Team. Enjoy some sun and beautiful plants this summer! rockymountaintrees.com/ employment.
GOLDEN EAGLE is looking for CDL and nonCDL drivers. Pay is based on experience. Call 970-641-3230.
BARISTA: Mochas Coffeehouse and Bakery in Gunnison is seeking baristas to join our team for the Summer. Hourly wage plus tips and shift meals, in a positive and fun work environment. Drop your resume off or fill out an application at Mochas or email mochasbarista@gmail.com.
THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring a summer seasonal Assistant Racquets Professional. Pay range is $20-21/hr. + commission. Commission rates for private instruction DOE. Employee benefits include employee discounts and complimentary golf. For more information or to apply, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com or emailjobs@ clubatcrestedbutte.com.
THE MT. CRESTED BUTTE WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICT is accepting
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in the above proceeding filed in this Court, subsequent to those names in any previously published consolidated notice, under the Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act, the above court has found that due diligence has been used to obtain personal service of process within the State of Colorado, and that the efforts to obtain same would be to no avail and has ordered one publication of a consolidated notice of said proceedings.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that a copy of the Petition and Summons may be obtained from the Clerk of Court during regular business hours and that default judgment may be entered against that party upon whom service is made by this notice if he or she failed to appear or file a written response within thirty-five (35) days after the date of this publication.
Dated: May 13, 2025 CIRENDA FRY CLERK OF COURT GUNNISON COMBINED COURT 200 E. VIRGINIA AVE GUNNISON, CO 81230
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
By: /s/ Joy Case Deputy Clerk
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of May 22, 2025 17332
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 May 30, 2025
Unit 14 – Rebekah Herrera Unit 34 – Heather Peterson
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of May 22 and 29, 2025 17346
NOTICE
OF
INTENT
TO
DISPOSE
Notice is hereby given to the following parties that their personal items stored at Discount Self Storage, 500 S. Blvd will be sold or disposed of unless claimed prior to May 29, 2025 Unit 30 - Bella Molina L160 - Colin McManus Date of Redemption: May, 29, 2025
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of May 15 and 22, 2025 17286
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE
Notice is hereby given to the following parties that their personal items stored at Discount Self Storage, 500 S. Blvd will be sold or disposed of unless claimed prior to May 29, 2025
Unit 39 – Jacob Neil
Date of Redemption: Mary, 29, 2025
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication dates of May 15 and 22, 2025 17272
NOTICE OF LAND USE CHANGE PERMIT APPROVALS
NOTICE OF LAND USE CHANGE PERMIT
APPROVALS CREATING A VESTED RIGHT
GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Gunnison County has approved the following Land Use Change permits with site-specific development plans(s) within unincorporated Gunnison County, which creates a threeyear vested property right pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes, Article 68 of Title 24 C.R.S., as amended.
A “vested property right” gives the following applicant(s) the right to undertake the development subject to the condition(s) of approval of the site-specific development plan(s).
LUC-24-00010, AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY MATANYA AND KELSEY HOROWITZ FOR A RIDGELINE VANTAGE MINOR IMPACT REVIEW AT 265 SADDLE RIDGE ROAD, CRESTED BUTTE AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOT 15, TRAPPERS CROSSING AND WILDCAT, ACCORDING TO THE AMENDED PLAT THEREOF RECORD OCTOBER 30, 1992 UNDER RECEPTION NO. 438114, COUNTY OF GUNNISON, STATE OF COLORADO.
/s/ Hillary Iza Seminick, AICP
Planning Director Gunnison County Community Development Department
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of May 22, 2025 17386
NOTICE OF SALE
Department of the TreasuryInternal Revenue Service
Notice of Sealed Bid Sale (OTHER THAN REDEEMED PROPERTY)
Under the authority contained in section 7506 of the Internal Revenue Code, the property described below will be sold. The United States acquired this property from Gunnison Alpine Contractors Inc., James and Donna Coleman as a result of the properties being awarded to the Internal Revenue Service by a settlement agreement from a Quit Claim Deeds executed to the United States on April 11, 2011, and recorded in Gunnison County Colorado on April 12, 2011. WHERAS, the real estate conveyed herein was a courtordered that was filed on November 24, 2008, the United States commenced United States v. Gunnison Alpine Contractors Inc., et al., Case No. 08-CV-2568- PAB (D. Colo.) (““District Court Case””), for nonpayment of taxes against James and Donna Coleman, and employment tax assessments against Gunnison Alpine Contractors, Inc.
This sale will be by sealed bid.
The Sealed bids will be opened on:
Date: June 12, 2025
Time bids will be opened: 10:00AM Place of Sale: IRS Office 4830 Business Center Dr. Ste 250 Fairfield, CA 94534”
Description of properties: (sold together)
Legal description:
Township 49 North. Range 1 West. N.M.P.M.
Section 4: A tract of land located in the Nl/2SE1/4SEl/4NE1/4 of said Section, more particularly described as follows: Beginning at the NE comer, a point on the easterly line of said Section 4, which bears North 0°42’ East; 654.06 feet from ““Brass Cap”” at E 1 /4 comer of said Section 4; thence North 89° 51’ West, 565.46 feet to the NW comer; thence South 0°42’ West,154.06 feet to the SW corner; thence South 89°51’ East, 565.46 feet to the SE comer; thence North 0°42’ East, 154.06 feet to the NE corner, the point of beginning. EXCEPTING THEREFROM a tract of land located in the SE t /4NE 1 /4 of said Section, more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point from
Range 1 West. N.M.P.M. Section 4: A tract of land located in the S 1/2SE 1 /4NE 1 /4 of said Section, more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point which is North 00°42’00”” East 250 feet and Thence North 89° 51’00”” West 124.85 feet from the East 1/4 corner of said Section 4; thence North 39°20’ 19”” West 259.18 feet more or less to the NW comer; thence South 89°51 ‘00”” East 274.71 feet more or less to the NE comer; thence South 00°42’00”” West 200.00 feet to the SE comer; thence North 89°51 ‘00”” West 85.00 feet more or less to the point of beginning. And whose street address is 853 County Road 18, Gunnison, Colorado, 81230.
Legal description: “Township 49 North. Range 1 West. N.M.P.M. Section 4: A tract of land located in the SE 1 /4NE 1 /4 of said Section, more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point from whence the East 1/4 comer of said Section 4 bears S 0°421 E a distance of 500.00 feet; thence N 0°42’ E a distance of 154.06 feet; thence N 89°51’ W a distance of 200.00 feet; thence S 0°42’ W a distance of 154.06 feet; thence S 89°51’ Ea distance of 200.00 feet to the point of beginning. And whose street address is 851 County Road 18, Gunnison, Colorado, 81230
Property may be inspected: Drive by only The minimum bid for the property is $300,000.00.
2593, Sealed Bid for Purchase of Property
Acquired by the United States and give or send it to the person named at the end of this notice before the time bids will be opened.
Form of Payment: Payment shall be by a certified or cashier’s check payable to the United States Treasury
Terms of Payment: Payment will be a deferred payment as follows: 20 % of the bid amount is due on the day of the sale. The balance must be paid on or before June 27, 2025. If the highest bidder defaults in payment of the bid price, and the property is not sold for at least the amount of the highest bid, the bidder’s deposit will be retained pending final determination of damages the Government sustained because of the bidder’s default. If damages exceed the amount of the deposit, the bidder will be liable for the excess damages.
The property is being sold on an open occupancy basis or nondiscriminatory basis.
The Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to withdraw the property from the sale. The property is offered for sale “as is” and “where is” and without recourse against the United States. The United States makes no guarantee of condition of the property, or its fitness for any purpose. The United States will not consider any claim for allowance or adjustment or for the rescission of the sale based on failure of the property to comply with any expressed or implied representation.
For further information about the property and proposed sale, information about submission of sealed bids: Please contact: Kelila Callahan, Property Appraisal & Liquidation Specialist; Internal Revenue Service
4830 Business Center Dr. Ste 250 Fairfield, CA 94533, call 925-260-4087 or visit www.irsauctions.gov.
Name: Jennifer Green
Title: Territory Manager PALS/CEASO
Address for information about the sale: Kelila Callahan
4830 Business Center Dr, Ste 250 Fairfield, CA 9453 Kelila.S.Callahan@irs.gov Irsauctions.gov Phone: 925-260-4087
Address for Submission of Bids: PALS Kelila Callahan”
4830 Business Center Dr. Ste 250 Fairfield, CA 94533 Phone: (925)260-4087
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of May 22, 2025 17238
COMBINED NOTICE
(CRS §38-38-103) FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 2024CV30043 To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Writ of Execution: The undersigned Sheriff caused the Certificate of Levy relating to the Writ of Execution described below to be recorded in the real property records of Gunnison County, Colorado.
Judgment Creditors - Arrowhead Improvements Association, Inc. Current Holder of the Judgment Creditor’s Rights - Arrowhead Improvements Association, Inc. Judgment Debtor - Michael W. Kessell Judgment Date - December 23, 2024 Court and Case No. Judgment Entered in Transcript of Judgment Recording Date - Gunnison County, Colorado Dist. Ct. 2024CV30043 January 7, 2025 and March 14, 2025 Reception Number of Transcript of Judgment700238 and 70 l 051 County of Recording - Gunnison
Writ of Execution Date - April 11, 2025
Original Judgment Amount - $2,937.57
Outstanding Original Judgment Amount$2,937.57 THE LIEN BEING FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The real property being foreclosed is
Lot 12 in Block 2 of Arrowhead in Gunnison Country Subdivision, Filing No.1 Amended according to the recorded plat thereof as recorded on the 5th day of February 1974, under Reception No. 298784, with all appurtenances, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado.
Also known by street and number as: 551 Spruce Road, Cimarron, CO 81220
THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE WRIT OF EXECUTION AND CERTIFICATE OF LEVY. NOTICE OF SALE THEREFORE, pursuant to the said Writ of Execution directing me to sell the said real property, notice is hereby given that I will at public auction, at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 1’1 2025 at 510 W. Bidwell Ave., Gunnison, CO 81230, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Judgment Debtor, Judgment Debtor’s heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the Judgment, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.
IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;
Gunnison County Sheriff Adam Murdie /s/ Josh Ashe
Undersheriff
The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Jacob A. With, Atty. Reg.#: 40546; Law of the Rockies, 525 N. Main Street, Gunnison, CO 81230; 970-641-1903 ex. 2
The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt Any information provided may be used for that purpose.
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication dates of May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12, 2025 17315
COMBINED NOTICE
(CRS §38-38-103) FORECLOSURE SALE NO. 2024CV30042
To Whom It May Concern: This Notice is given with regard to the following described Writ of Execution: The undersigned Sheri IT caused the Certificate of Levy relating to the Writ of Execution and judgment described below to be recorded in the real property records of Gunnison County, Colorado. Gunnison
Judgment Creditors - Arrowhead Improvements Association, Inc.
Current Holder of the Judgment Creditor’s Rights - Arrowhead Improvements Association, Inc. Judgment Debtor - Sheri Wareham Judgment Date - December 13, 2024 Court and Case No. Judgment Entered in Transcript of Judgment Recording Date - Gunnison County, Colorado Dist. Ct. 2024CV30042 January 7, 2025
Reception Number of Transcript of Judgment - 700239 County of Recording - Gunnison Writ of Execution Date - April 11, 2025 Original Judgment Amount - $3,138.71 Outstanding Original Judgment Amount$3,138.71
THE LIEN BEING FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.
Lot 9 in Block 1 1 of Arrowhead in Gunnison Country Subdivision, Filing No.1 according to the recorded plat thereof as recorded on the 5th day of February, 1974, under Reception No. 298784 of the Gunnison County Clerk and Recorder’s records together with a right of ingress and egress to and from the Alpine Plateau Road No. 559 over the platted roads over said subdivision and from said platted roads over the common grounds to said lot, with all appurtenances, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado.
Also known by street and number as: 655 Balsam Rd., Cimarron, CO 81220
THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED HEREIN IS ALL OF THE PROPERTY CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED BY THE LIEN OF THE WRIT OF EXECUTION AND CERTIFICATE OF LEVY.
NOTICE OF SALE
THEREFORE, pursuant to the said Writ of Execution directing me to sell the said real property, notice is hereby given that I will at public auction, at l0:00 a.m. on Tuesday July 1’1 2025, at 510 W. Bidwell Ave., Gunnison, CO 81230, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Judgment Debtor,
Judgment Debtor’s heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the Judgment, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.
IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED;
County Sheriff Adam Murdie /s/ Josh Ashe Undersheriff
The name, address, business telephone number and bar registration number of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: Jacob A. With, Atty. Reg.#: 40546; Law of the Rockies, 525 N. Main Street, Gunnison, CO 81230; 970-6411903 ex. 2
The Attorney above is acting as a debt collector and is attempting to collect a debt Any information provided may be used for that purpose.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of May 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12, 2025
17316
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF GUNNISON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION AND BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT JOINT PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING LUC-24-00062, A LAND USE CHANGE PERMIT APPLICATION FOR A 4-ACRE SOLAR ARRAY CHANGE TO COMMERCIAL USE
TOWNSHIP 50 NORTH, RANGE 1 WEST, N.M.P.M SECTION 34: A TRACT OF LAND SITUATED IN THE NE1/4SE1/4 OF SAID SECTION 34 MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: COMMENCING AT THE E1/4 CORNER OF SAID SECTION 34, A U.S.G.L.O. BRASS CAP IN PLACE; THENCE S 33°40’45”W 494.80 FEET TO A POINT ON THE WEST RIGHT-OF-WAY OF COUNTY ROAD NO. 17, COUNTY OF GUNNISON, STATE OF COLORADO COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1347 COUNTY ROAD 17 PARCEL NO. 3701-340-00-027
HEARING DATE, TIME AND LOCATION: The Gunnison County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on June 5, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. in the meeting room upstairs in the Blackstock Government Center, 221 N. Wisconsin St. in Gunnison and/or by ZOOM meeting. If attending by Zoom please go to the online meetings tab at https://www.gunnisoncounty.org/144/ Community-and-Economic-Development for the ZOOM meeting link to hear public comments concerning this land use change permit application.
APPLICANT: Gunnison County Electric Association
PARCEL LOCATION: Township 50 North, Range 1 West, N.M.P.M Section 34: A Tract Of Land Situated In The Ne1/4se1/4 Of Said Section 34 More Particularly Described As Follows: Commencing At The E1/4 Corner Of Said Section 34, A U.S.G.L.O. Brass Cap In Place; Thence S 33°40’45”W 494.80 Feet To A Point On The West Right-Of-Way Of County Road No. 17, County Of Gunnison, State Of Colorado Parcel No. 3701-340-00027
PROPOSAL: The Applicant, Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA), wishes to contract with PowerField Energy, a solar development firm, to install a 1.2MW fixed tilt, surface mounted, solar array for use as a community solar garden. This proposed new solar array will consist of 3,042, 395 watt solar panels, mounted on ballasted nonground penetrating racking. This proposed new use will encompass approximately 4 acres of the 6.4 acre parcel.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: The public is invited to submit oral or written comments at the hearing, or to submit written comments by email: planning@gunnisoncounty.org, or by letter (Community Development, 221 N. Wisconsin, Suite D, Gunnison, CO 81230), so long as they are received by 5 p.m. the afternoon before the date of the meeting so that they may be submitted for the public record during the hearing. A copy of the application is available in the Community Development Department, 221 N. Wisconsin, Suite D, Gunnison, CO; additional information may be obtained by calling the Planning Office (970) 641-0360.
ADA ACCOMMODATIONS: Anyone needing special accommodations as determined by the American Disabilities Act may contact the Community Development Department prior to the day of the hearing.
/s/ Rachael Blondy Planner II Gunnison County Community Development Department Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of May 22, 2025 17385
NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION
Pursuant to Colo. Rev. Stat § 42-13-103. Sale of unclaimed property, the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office proposes to offer for sale at a PUBLIC AUCTION, to the highest bidder(s), property as listed below: Numerous bicycles, outdoor equipment and miscellaneous items.
AUCTION DATE/TIME: __05-24-25_
Interested buyers may view the items on the aforementioned viewing date(s) at the auction venue listed below..
GENERAL TERMS: The Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office does not discriminate based on race, religion, creed, color or national origin. We encourage participation by all persons. However, the purchaser must be at least 18 years of age and present identification prior to any bid entry or sale. We reserve the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids. All transactions will be completed in cash or certified funds (Payable to Gunnison County) and all vehicles and other items are sold “AS IS”, “WHERE IS” (No Warranty). All items purchased must be removed from the premises no later than the day of the sale or pre-arranged property pickup times. Neither the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office will be responsible for any “sold” items after close of auction.
In person: 510 W. Bidwell, Gunnison CO 81230
Business Phone: (970) 641-1113
Email: Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) Unclaimed Property ON THE PROPERTY SOLD, THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU HAVE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY “AS IS.” BUYERS ARE FURTHER ADVISED THAT THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AT THE SHERIFF’S SALE MAY NOT EXTINGUISH ANY LIENS OR SECURITY INTEREST ON THE DEFENDANT HAD IN THE PROPERTY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD CONSULT COUNSEL OF YOUR CHOICE. If you are the successful bidder, you do not own the property until you have satisfied full payment for the property and/or been issued a receipt.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of May 15 and 22, 2025 17273
Beers, bands and barbed wire strands
Last weekend, the Colorado chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) hosted its biggest party of the year at I Bar Ranch in honor of Colorado Public Lands Day on May 17. Volunteers joined members from BHA, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, Western Colorado University and High Country Conservation Advocates to map cheatgrass, work on a wet meadow restoration project and pull miles of retired fencing. The three-day celebration concluded with live music from Bruce Hayes & Ragged Mountain Bluegrass & Bard Edrington V.
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 School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Adult Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Divine Service of the Word – Sunday 10 a.m.
Starting March 5 - Wednesday night service at 7pm.
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
(Courtesy Temple Robertson)
Lights & Sirens
CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT
MAY 12
SEXUAL ASSAULT: ON A CHILD BY ONE IN A POSITION OF TRUST — PINE ST. UNLAWFUL SEXUAL CONTACT: NON-CONSENTUAL — N. ADAMS ST. HARASSMENT: STRIKE SHOVE, KICK — 1500 W. TOMICHI AVE.
MAY 13
INFORMATION — 379 CR 14
ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 223 S. BOULEVARD ST. HARASSMENT: MUNICIPAL — W. OHIO AVE. DROVE VEHICLE WHILE RESTRAINED- ALCOHOL OFFENSE (1ST OFFENSE) — W. RIO GRANDE AVE.
317 N. SPRUCE ST.
- LOST — 108 S. 12TH ST. FAILURE TO APPEAR-OTHER JU-
MAY 14
— 100 S. 12TH ST.
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST DEGREE - RESIDENCE — 319 N. BOULEVARD ST.
— E. TOMICHI AVE. ACCIDENT - HIT & RUN — 100 N. WISCONSIN ST. CIVIL PROBLEM
ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 206 S. 10TH ST. INFORMATION — W. TOMICHI AVE. FRAUD — W. SPENCER AVE.
MAY 16
ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 610 N. TAYLOR ST.
HARASSMENT: FOLLOWING — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE.
HARASSMENT: COMMUNICATIONS — 411 PAINTBRUSH AVE.
WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — 700 W. NEW YORK AVE.
MAY 17
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — 600 N. COLORADO ST.
HARASSMENT: MUNICIPAL — 112 S. SPRUCE ST.
THEFT - COMMITS TWO OR MORE THEFTS AGAINST THE SAME PERSON — 900 N. MAIN
DISTURBING THE PEACE — 600 N. COLORADO ST.
MAY 18
WELFARE ASSIST — 720 N. COLORADO ST.
GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT
MAY 13
- Information report – paper service
- Information report – paper service
- Dog at large
- Agency assist to Colorado State Patrol – citizens assist - Harassment report
MAY 14
- Agency assist to Colorado State Patrol – medical assist - Information report – suspicious person/activity
MAY 15
- Traffic infraction – left scene of accident
MAY 16
- Violation of protection order - Information report – welfare check
- Information report – suspicious person/activity
- Possible Failure to register as a Sex Offender - Information report – dispute - County ordinant 2018-30 – dog at large
MAY 17
- Information report – 911 open line
MAY 18
- Information report – lost property - Information report – search and rescue
- Agency assist report to Colorado State Patrol – vehicle accident
MAY 19
- Information report – suspicious person/activity - Information – paper service MILK
Community, please join us to ‘Honor and Remember’ this Memorial Day Monday at 10 am at the Gunnison Cemetery. A special thanks to our businesses whom support American Legion Post 54 by contributing to
Josh Pierce; Summit Global Private Wealth; Team Huckins; Willy Miller - Custom Homes; Harmel’s On the Taylor; Western Lumber; Spallone Construction; Jill Wolfson & Family; Benchmark Mortgage; Alpha Mechanical; Jacksons Chips; Bobo’s Oat Bars
POETRY: Finding the night
BIZCENTS:
SPORTS: GHS baseball falls in first round, B6
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2025
memorial day memorabilia
The Pioneer Museum contains a large collection of uniforms, representing
Pioneer Museum exhibits are rich in military history
David Primus Special to the Times
As we remember our veterans and those we have lost this Memorial Day, consider a visit to the Gunnison Pioneer Museum to see its extensive military collection.
The Gunnison Pioneer and Historical Society was founded in 1930, but did not have a museum until 1964. That year, the Adams and Wilson families donated the land and the museum opened in one small building. Soon, local families began donating all sorts of Gunnison Country artifacts, including items of military history. In the early 1970s, the Society built the Jordan building, which is dedicated to our military history.
and Air Force. The uniforms come from most of the major American wars. Uniforms from nurses in the American Red Cross are displayed, including those from local women, Ruth Dolezal, Phyllis Jordan and Josephine Nesbitt. One whole room is dedicated to flight in World War II, including uniforms, flags and airplane models.
One significant room contains a display of burial flags, donated by local families who have lost a loved one. The museum would be honored to accept burial flags from Gunnison families if you wish to donate them.
Several displays contain American, German and Japanese rifles from World War I and II. Some of the more interesting ones are a Winchester M1 with a grenade launcher, a Japanese Model 44 with a folding bayonet and a German Mauser M98.
Nearby is a mounted machine gun and various items soldiers used daily: a mess kit, a cot with mosquito netting and a drum. This drum was donated by the Easterly family, and was used by 8-year-old Van Easterly in World War I.
Inside you will find a large collection of uniforms, representing all units of military service: Army, Navy, Marine Corps
One room contains a display of burial flags, donated by local families who have lost a loved one.
all units of military service: Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. (Photos by Dave Primus)
Hard copy reimbursement forms are available or scan to submit for reimbursement or visit: https://col st/ffKxV
Reimbursement
Producers
Gunnison Montrose or Delta County Landfill);
2 $225 per carcass if buried by the producer on their property
Proof of carcass management is required and will include landfill weigh sheet photo of the carcass/carcasses and photos of the burial process as applicable Producers will be reimbursed as quickly as possible but only after all information requested has been provided
For the purposes of this grant only carcasses of the following livestock species qualify: cattle horses mules burros , sheep, swine , llama , alpaca, goats, yak and bison
As in any good exhibit, there are also a few oddities. One of these is a coconut mailed to J.W. Campbell’s three sons when he was stationed in Pearl Harbor. No box was needed! J.W. just addressed, stamped and dropped the coconut in a mailbox.
Two years ago, a new collection of military items was donated to the museum by Dale Briels. It is unique in that it contains over 450 military action figures representing every war the United States has been involved in, starting with the Pequot War in 1636. Also included are various artifacts and 50 dioramas of military vehicles, personnel and equipment. The collection contains so many fantastic figures and models that a new building, the Military Hall of Honor, was constructed. The exhibit opened for the first time last week.
The action figures represent people on both sides of a conflict. Look carefully, and you will find Crazy Horse, General Custer, Hitler, Generals Sherman, Grant, and Lee, George Washington, John F. Kennedy and many more. The faces and costumes are very detailed and accurate. One of the things visitors find the most interesting is their facial expressions. Some are yelling, some are stern and some are confident and are obvious leaders.
And more to come! Briels is still building dioramas and will install these as they are completed.
The Military Hall of Honor also has two rooms dedicated to Gunnison veterans. There you will see several uniforms worn by Mike Zahradka, including a band uniform made while he was stationed in Japan. Cass Leonard and his son Ron’s uniforms are displayed on manikins. Nearby is the uniform worn by John Kincaid, a longtime music professor at Western Colorado University.
One of the goals of the museum’s military displays is to recognize those Gunnison veterans who have successfully risen through the ranks. A few of these are Mike Zahradka, Wallace Wodjokowski and Josh Moore.
The military exhibits are really enjoyable to see — we hope you visit soon! While you are there, be sure to see the wide variety of exhibits displaying our local history in over 40 buildings. Special collections include over 90 vintage automobiles, a building filled with Coors items and a Masonic Lodge.
The Gunnison Pioneer Museum, located at 803 E. Tomichi Ave., is open every day of the week from mid-May to the end of September. To learn more, see the website at gunnisonpioneermuseum.com.
(Dave Primus is a Gunnison Valley historian.)
A new collection contains over 450 military action figures representing every war the United States has been involved in.
the museum’s Air Room.
Finding the night sky in the age of light
Wendy Videlock Special to the Times
I remember vividly as a kid the first time I looked up at the night sky. My big brother had taken me out into the backyard and simply instructed me to look up. The stars, dazzling, twinkling and filling my entire field of vision, produced in me 10,000 goosebumps.
I was gobsmacked, bewitched and bedazzled.
Because of this, I was thrilled when Torrey House Press asked me to review Craig Child’s newest book, “Wild Dark: Finding the Night Sky in the Age of Light.” Childs, a New York Times bestselling science and adventure writer, just happens to be a resident of Wright’s Mesa here in western Colorado. His newest book takes us on a journey into the diminishing darkness of our night skies.
I should start by saying this is not your mother’s book about Dark Sky Initiatives, filled with directives for creating Dark Sky communities — though there is a necessary bit of that. Rather this is a book that provides the kind of inspiration needed for such actions. It's a book that explores our primal relationship to the cosmos, with our long history of gazing skyward in the dark and finding there: mystery, wonder, meaning and direction
— not to mention unspeakable beauty.
Eighty percent of people on Earth can’t see the Milky Way. And because none of this even matters without the blood of connectivity coursing through our veins, this is also a story about friendship, journey, astroarchaeology, (yes, it’s a thing) life and lifeforms.
With his signature gusto and an endless need for discovery, Childs turns scientific inquiry, world history and a poetic sensibility into a dazzlingly tragic image of ourselves — a people so in love with light we are killing the dark.
The opening paragraph reminds us that a little bit of disorientation is part of any meaningful journey.
“The moon,” Childs tells us, “has loosened from its socket and fallen to the ground.”
It dawns on the reader that we are quite literally starting on the 27th floor in a hotel room on the Vegas Strip, where Childs has begun his foray into the dark — and where, at 4 a.m., sitting up in bed “a bucket of megawatts” washes his face from the lightaddled city outside. It should be said this is a book for readers who like to be surprised and delighted as much as elucidated.
Below, the world’s largest globe-shaped building sits, “like a great hologram of the moon.”
The building, known as “Sphere” normally projects endlessly garish advertisements. But at 4 a.m., Childs tells us, as it rotates on its axis from crescent to full and back again, this “visual blastoma” is a remarkably accurate depiction of the moon.
Lest we become all too disgusted by ourselves and our light pollutive ways, Childs reminds
us that humans, like most beings, exhibit positive phototaxis, the natural movement of an organism toward light.
Turn on a light and a fly will enter the room.
”Everything from lizards to insects to plants to manta rays to plankton to humans are drawn to the light.” he reminds us. “Birds wheel toward any city, spinning over spotlights and streetlamps as if the maps in their almond-sized brains can’t stop saying, turn left, turn left, turn left.”
This kind of imaginative writing has me returning to Craig Child’s books again and again. These are campfire stories, infused with flesh and blood language sparking against the night.
The world is weird. Humans are weird. Life is a mystery, so let’s revel in it, he seems to be saying. We can’t know everything, but let’s experience what we can. I find this impulse in science writing (and storytelling), wildly refreshing.
Language-loving poets, wilderness adventurers, anthropologists, astronomers, geologists, ecologists and nature lovers of all kinds are drawn to Childs’ books like … well, moths. We know we won’t just get cold science, but a particular kind of living, breathing science. We won’t just be given a story, but a compelling story — complete with perspective, humor, wisdom and physical sensation.
Readers are once again given the kind of genre-bending book that doesn’t follow the rules, goes off trail, zooms in on the microscopic, pans out to the universal, tumbles down science-y rabbit holes, and yet is entirely cohesive.
Light is hungry and has to be
Shaping creativity by hand
told to stop. Reflecting on the big fake moon on the Las Vegas Strip he tells us:
”If you’d presented this projection sphere to early Homo sapiens we would have gathered below it hooting and hollering, throwing rocks and sticks.”
This kind of perspective on our lust for light helps soften the blow when later in the book we’re given the details of just how disastrous our love of light (or fear of the dark) has been on the inhabitants of earth, including ourselves. There’s a word for feeling the loss of the night sky: noctalgia. It means night-grief. You would feel noctalgic if you’d seen what was here before, if you got out from under artificial skyglow and realized how much beauty is struck from the record.
With a life-long interest in astronomy under his belt, and equipped with a hand-held device (SQM) which measures ambient light from the night sky, Childs travels from the shallows of Las Vegas to the depths of Great Basin National Park, known for its dark skies.
The idea is to go from a Bortle 9 to a Bortle 1, (a “fourteen-carat night”) reading on the scale. Accordingly, the book is divided into chapters beginning with Bortle 9 and ending with a Bortle 1.
To travel this distance by car would take a mere few hours, which would defeat the purpose of measuring gradual darkness, so Childs and his traveling companion ride bicycles from the strip to their off-road destination, a journey of about eight days.
I throw back a wet tent flap and slouch into dawn.
As Emily Dickinson tells us, a book is a frigate. In this case the
book is a bicycle and the journey is not necessarily linear. It will take us from a modern Las Vegas back in time to the Nuwu or Southern Paiute people, the UtoAztecan people to the Desert Archaic Cultures to the people of the Pleistocene to a contemporary homeless guy on an old wrecked highway to the dried out shell of a desert tortoise — all of whom have lived under the same night skies.
… you look up and there it is, a birthright.
It’s a journey well worth taking and one brimming with hope. One of the researchers Childs interviews tells him:
“Unlike so many environmental dilemmas we face … the problem of artificial light is a relatively simple fix. It is a pollution that vanishes with the flip of a switch.”
Flipping the switch on the human leaning toward astrophobia is altogether a different thing.
Toward the end of the book, Childs tells of his own Norwood community, where a small band of locals led the way into Dark Skies. It’s heartening to hear that folks of all persuasions and political realities agreed wholeheartedly on Dark Sky Initiatives there.
At the heart of this rich, but surprisingly little book is a way forward, a reminder of our shared humanity, the pleasure of the well-turned phrase — and a mirror as big as the moon.
(Wendy Videlock of Palisade, Colorado is an award winning poet and visual artist. She serves as poet laureate of western Colorado.)
Aspiring potters gathered at the Gunnison Arts Center on Saturday, May 17 for a hands-on clay workshop that encouraged participants to get messy. Guided by local ceramic artists, attendees learned foundational techniques of hand-building, and created their own unique planters to take home.
(Photos by Aric Olson)
PEOPLE & HAPPENINGS
Lake School give-away
Lake School 800 N. Blvd. St. will be getting rid of various items: furniture, desks, shelves, fridge/freezer and more. These items will be available to the public May 24-30 and will be located on the north alley side of the building for free to the public.
Band instruments wanted
If anyone has old or unused band instruments that they wish to sell to incoming beginners for next fall, please call Keith Koepsel at 970.641.5904 or email kkoepsel@gunnisonschools.net. Please tell what kind of instrument, brand name, asking price and your name and phone number. No donations to the school at this time.
Fly fishing presentation
The local chapter of Trout Unlimited (Gunnison Angling Society) invites all fly fishers, and anyone interested in local river ecosystems to this special presentation of mayfly hatches in the upper Arkansas River. The event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Gunnison Library on May 27, at 6 p.m.
Gunnison Car Club
The Gunnison Car Club is now accepting applications from charitable and nonprofit organizations for grants from the proceeds of its 2025 Gunnison Car Show. The application request form can be downloaded from the Gunnison Car Club’s website at gunnisoncarclub.com and emailed to Info@gunnisoncarclub.com. Applications must be received by June 8 and will be considered at the Car Club meeting to be held on June 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fred Field Center Van Tuyl Room.
Mouse on the Move
Nellie and Amelia are adventurous mice who are ready to explore the world beyond their mouse-hole. The two sisters decide to visit the moon. An obvious choice as it is made of cheese and there are no cats. This “Theatre for Young Audiences” production includes our young audience in the story. Join us at the Mallardi Theatre May 24-25 at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. or May 31-June 1 at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS
AND Series: Stitches and Screwdrivers
Join us May 22 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. for a fun laid-back evening of embroidery. You will bring a hat, clothing item or bag, and personalize your item with a yummy drink.
‘RAD!’ Film screening
Join us May 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gunnison Arts Center for a screening of the cult classic “RAD” to welcome Growler riders and kick off biking season with ‘80s vibes and summer cycling fun. In our new Blue Box Theater.
Acoustic piano
Join David Bergstrom May 31 at 7 p.m. to experience an unforgettable evening of soulstirring piano music blending neoclassical, new age, ambient, blues and jazz in our new Blue Box Theatre.
Cresta Alta National Film Tour & Salem Concert
Join us June 7 from 7-9:00 p.m. in our Blue Box Theatre for this unique blend of film and music. Cresta Alta chronicles a journey to Alaska, Iceland, Chile and Peru to document glaciological research expeditions and sustainability.
Summer dance programs
Registration is open for summer dance programs with the Crested Butte School of Dance. Block 5 runs from June 16-Aug. 9. Dance Camps on Mondays and Thursdays for kindergarten through grade 5 and more than 30 weekly dance classes for preschoolers to adults. Dancers of all ages and skill levels are welcome. Visit dancecrestedbutte. org for program details and registration.
Firebird Theatre: Midsummer auditions
Firebird Theatre is holding auditions for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream" on May 23-24. Auditions on the 23rd will be at the Union Congregational Church in Crested Butte between 6-8 p.m. and auditions on the 24th will be at the Gunnison County Library between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Additional information can be found at firebirdcb.com/midsummer/. Walk-ins are also encouraged.
Salem performs Todd Anders Johnson's socially-conscious music that has been featured in a variety of ski and snowboard films before and after the film.
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2025
GHS baseball eliminated by Pumas
Seven Cowboys conclude high school careers
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
The seven seniors on the GHS baseball team have battled together on the diamond since they were 8 years old. The first round of the playoffs on May 17 proved to be the boys’ final stand.
It was a game in which timely hitting and defensive errors stole the limelight. But still, Head Coach Tom Percival said the seniors' character off the diamond, and their dedication in the classroom and weight room will stand as a testament for the future of GHS baseball.
Cowboy track and field flies in season finale
GHS seniors sign off with top times
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
Ten athletes from the GHS track and field teams represented Gunnison at the 3A state championship May 15-17 in Lakewood. The Cowboys battled through adversity — including a controversial disqualification in the 3200-meter run — to earn top spots and cap off the spring season.
“It’s so sad to see this group of seniors leave, but it was also great to see them exceed expectations,” said Head Coach Stacey Mickelson.
On the Front Range, the Gunnison athletes were met with foul weather, and a stadium packed with high school teams from across the state. The Cowboy jumpers started the day with impressive results. Angela Hindes completed her senior season with a sixth-place finish
HOME SPORTS EVENTS THIS
in the high jump, while Eden Williams earned her first individual state placement with an eighth-place leap in the long jump.
Caroline Sudderth shed seconds from her personal best time in the 100-meter hurdles to climb the leaderboard to 11th place. Sienna Gomez lit up her final event as a Cowboy, taking sixth in the triple jump, while Lee Brunsting finished just behind her in 15th. The 4x100meter relay team of Sudderth, Gomez, Williams and Hindes added a 16th-place time to the Cowboys’ score.
“This team meant so much to me, and the people this year have been my best friends, and my family,” Williams said. “I felt like I could tell them anything, and felt so supported.”
The Cowboy distance crew also cruised to top times. But it was a five-athlete disqualification in the 2-mile that made headlines across the state. Runners in the 3A race began in a staggered, “waterfall start,” and were instructed to cut in at a specific mark. However, the frontrunner cut in prematurely,
and four others followed. One was Cowboy Jemma Petrie, who placed ninth in the race, but was informed of her disqualification at the finish line. Nearly every team protested the ruling, and a handful of girls even offered up their winning medals to those disqualified.
After the heartbreaking finish in the 3200, Petrie returned to the track, and capitalized with an eighth-place time in the 1600, and 11th in the 800. Alongside her, for one more final race before graduation, was friend and running partner Madelyn Stice. After fighting back from injury this season, Stice completed her final meet with a third-place time in the 3200, and a seventh-place finish in the 1600.
“This season I learned different ways to help my team and lead, even when I couldn’t run with them,” Stice said. “I feel like I took running for granted, and I gained a new appreciation for the sport that I love.”
While only two GHS athletes represented the boys team, both starred in the season finale. Jackson Dalleck ran
a 10:21.45 in the 3200-meter, despite a bronchitis diagnosis. His resilience earned him a 14th-place time in the event. Shane Mensing wrapped up his record-breaking senior season with an 11th-place toss in the discus.
Mickelson said the Cowboys’ combined effort, and strong senior leadership will inspire the up-and-coming underclassmen, who have already notched
impressive times this season.
“The seniors showed the younger kids this season that with hard work and dedication, you can get to the state championship,” Mickelson said. “They set really great examples, and I hope that will continue in future years.”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Madelyn Stice and Jemma Perie celebrate with their medals. (Courtesy Erin Stice)
Kellan Yoder slings a fastball against North Fork on May 13. (Photos by Evan Bjornstad)
Baseball B8
(Courtesy Dani Hansen)
“These seniors were good kids. They led by example, worked hard and were good students,” Percival said. “I’ve done this long enough now, and it still never gets easier [for seniors to graduate.] This was a special group.”
The Cowboys took on the Peak to Peak Pumas of Lafayette in the opening round. The Pumas entered the matchup with a 13-10 overall record, and 8-6 in the stout, 3A Metro League. But the Cowboys also weathered a challenging schedule in the 3A Western Slope League, and approached the matchup with confidence and determination.
“Going into it, I felt we were pretty even teams, and we’d have a good shot if we played well,” Percival said. “The bottom line is, they got hits when they needed to, and made a few more defensive plays.”
The Gunnison boys opened at the plate, but slow offensive starts — the boys’ achilles heel this season — returned to haunt them. Marshall Spann and Grady Buckhanan reached first base on consecutive infield singles, but the Cowboys couldn’t capitalize.
Talon Kibler began the defensive campaign from the mound. The senior righthander forced weak contact from the first two batters, but the Pumas earned a walk and back-to-back singles to drive home two runs and take an early advantage.
Down by two, the Cowboys kickstarted their offense by
manufacturing runs in the third. Ethan Pierce reached first by advancing on a dropped third strike, and immediately stole second. Kibler hustled to first on an infield single, and Pierce reached home on an error. The Cowboys’ small ball paid off, and halved the Pumas’ lead.
Peak to Peak returned to the plate with a fury, and cashed in on singles to right field. A pair of stolen bases put runners in scoring position, and the Pumas drove home two more. The score stood 4-1 heading into the fourth.
The Cowboys strung together disciplined at-bats, and consistently made solid contact, but couldn’t find a gap in the Puma defense, especially with runners aboard. Peak to Peak drove home three more runs in the fifth. Rylee Berry and Spann each singled in the sixth, but the Pumas six-run lead proved insurmountable. The ballgame ended 7-1 for the Front Range side.
“The chemistry we had on this team was unlike anything,” Kibler said. “We’ve been close friends forever, and I think that’s what helped the seniors bond with the younger guys. There’s nothing you can do to prepare yourself for playing your last game with the guys you’ve played with your whole life.”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Mustangs gallop ahead at final meet
The start-studded Gunnison Middle School track and field team polished off its spring season with dominant results at the Centennial Meet in Montrose on May 14. Autumn Terry blazed ahead with a first-place showing in the 200-meter dash, while Susan Espinoza took fourth in the 100-meter dash. Jordan Callahan starred in the 1600, taking first place, and followed with a second-place time in the 800. The boys distance running trio of Brandon Hallock, Ari Eberly and David Coop also added top times. Coop and Eberly snagged first in the 800 and 1600, while Hallock took second in the mile. Dylan Smith capped off the final meet with a second-place attempt in the long jump.
(Courtesy Scott Murtaugh)
Kahne Chiappini scores the winning run against North Fork on May 13.
Cody Casebolt celebrates with the coaching staff.
U12 soccer stars in Grand Junction
Both Gunnison U12 boys
home gold in Grand Junction on May 18. The
first
Join together to celebrate and remember the life of Eric Peterson June 21, 1- 4 pm, at The Depot, 716 Elk Ave, Crested Butte We’ll have small bites and beverages Bring your Stories & Photos to share Parking is limited, consider the free lot a block away at the 4-Way Stop Visitor’s Center
soccer teams took
U12 Red Team placed first in the silver bracket, while the U12 Grey Team took
in the bronze division.
(Courtesy Kanae Haneishi)
Mighty Mustangs
On Thursday, May 15, the fun started right after school at the annual Mighty Mustang event in Gunnison. Students enjoyed cookies and popsicles, face painting and an obstacle course at the Gunnison Community School. The event was sponsored by the Gunnison Parent-Teacher Association.
(Photos by Alex McCrindle)
BIZ CENTS
Sugar B’s brings heart, history and home décor
New Main Street business celebrates with ribbon
cutting
Rebecca Rose Times Photographer
Town is all a buzz after the recent opening of Sugar B’s Boutique on May 9. The celebration was complete with a ribbon cutting, local friends and delectable food.
Gunnison’s newest Main Street boutique, at the former location of Hope and Glory, charms newcomers with unique, personalized gift baskets built with the help of staff. From locally grown fresh-cut flowers, potted plants, vintage jewelry, country chic clothing and handcrafted flair made in Colorado, there is something for everyone.
Deena Buffington, a longtime Gunnison resident with family roots that go back 80 years, admits she was a little reluctant at first at the thought of becoming a business owner. At the prompting of friends and her daughter, Bristol, she made the leap over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2024. While driving on their vacation in the fall, the family conjured up a reasonable business plan and began working it. The business’ logo was originally hand-drawn by Bristol,
who incorporated a play on family names, bees, ladybug and flowers. The motherdaughter duo confessed to being expert shoppers, and will bring this shared talent and passion to the business.
“Bristol’s vision and input was instrumental in the process. Because of her recent, major back surgery, we waited for her recovery to open the doors,” Deena said.
This summer, shoppers will be delighted by the distinctive home decor, a blending of the Old West, town pride and Western Colorado University flare. Visitors are invited to sit for a while in the relaxing atmosphere, and read books written by the owner’s relatives and local historians.
(Rebecca Rose can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or rebecca@gunnisontimes.com.)
(Photos by Rebecca Rose)
Dermatology
Dr. Nickolas Poulos is a board-certified dermatologist with expertise in skin cancer care, medical dermatology and cosmetic treatments.
Cataract Surgery
Dr. Michael Solomon, a board-certified, comprehensive ophthalmologist and refractive eye surgeon specializes in cataract procedures that may reduce the need for glasses following surgery. He sees patients monthly for both clinic visits and surgeries.
General Surgery
Dr. Augustine Lee is board-certified in general, colon and rectal surgery and provides expert care for a wide range of abdominal, rectal and preventative health concerns.
Ophthalmology
Board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Leslie Moskowitz-Elfenbein provides expert screening, diagnosis, and treatment for a wide variety of eye conditions, including glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration, dry eye, eye infections and injuries, optic nerve disorders, and vision issues such as amblyopia and retinal detachment.
Urology
At Gunnison Valley Health, we o er expert specialty care services designed to support your health and well-being with advanced treatment options.
learn more or schedule an appointment, contact the
Clinic at
Board-certified urologist Dr. Cole Wiedel o ers monthly clinics with expert care for both men’s and women’s urologic health, including treatment for kidney stones, prostate and bladder conditions, urinary tract issues, sexual health, and minor procedures like vasectomies and cystoscopies.
Women’s Health Clinic
Board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Deborah Tozer and Joy McElyea, DNP, WHNP, o er comprehensive gynecological care, including hormone replacement therapy, menopause care and endometriosis treatment.
Wound Care Clinic
Aline Jatulis-Wight, FNP, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and certified wound, ostomy and continence nurse with expertise treating a comprehensive array of wound types including traumatic wounds, burns, pressure ulcers, vascular ulcers, diabetic wounds, metastatic wounds and autoimmune conditions.
Gunnison Valley Health has a new portal. Schedule online, view results faster and get your billing all in one place. Call your provider today to get your activation code for MyChart! (970) 642-8413
