Gunnison Country Times, December 14, 2023

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Lowline Fire fully contained, controlled Long-term impacts to the landscape still unclear Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

FIRST NIGHT OF HANUKKAH: B’nai Butte organized an interfaith gathering at the Gunnison County Public Library on Dec. 7. Locals lit handmade clay Menorahs to celebrate the Jewish holiday before listening to Holocaust survivor Adele Beim share her story of survival. For more, see A14 (Photo by Abby Harrison)

INSIDE

TODAY

NEWS: Lawsuit aims to delay wolf reintroduction, A10 COMMUNITY: Women of the Land, B1

OBITUARIES A2, A3 OPINION A4 CLASSIFIEDS A15-A18 SPORTS B6 ONLINE GUNNISONTIMES.COM

Lowline A6

Gunnison changes CB housing project nighttime plowing gets another $600K Mineral Point operations slated for 60% Clearing to begin at 4” of snow, rather than 1-2” Bella Biondini Times Editor

SPORTS: Cowboy swim dominates at home, B6

As of last week, the Lowline Fire that burned just 14 miles north of Gunnison is now completely contained and controlled, according to Theo Engel, assistant fire management officer at the Gunnison Ranger District.

Although snow has fallen on the fire in the past few weeks, fire pro-

The City of Gunnison is adjusting the policy it uses to call in plow crews after hours — a change city officials hope will avoid exhausting both equipment and manpower, and reduce nighttime disruptions to residents.

C i t y c ou n c i l a d o p t e d a snow and ice removal plan for Gunnison in 2017, a document that was designed to be modified periodically to adapt to

the ever-changing challenges of managing road conditions during the winter months. The plan is reviewed annually by the Public Works Department, and any changes must be approved by council.

The former plan required plowing based on 1 inch of snow accumulation at night along Hwy. 135 and Hwy. 50, and 2 inches for the remaining streets in and around Gunnison. Police dispatch contacts the on-call crew leader once this amount of snow falls in town. The crew lead then decides whether a full plow crew is needed or if sanding the roads is enough.

But Public Works has found that plowing an inch of surface accumulation can be problem-

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Plowing A9

AMI and below Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

A n o t h e r n e w Gu n n i s o n Valley affordable housing project is just a construction season away from breaking ground and will serve some of the community’s lowest-income residents. At the end of November, Crested Butte’s Mineral Point project received an additional $600,000 from the Town of Crested Butte and the multijurisdictional Valley Housing Fund.

Mineral Point is a 34-unit affordable housing development on the north side of town, one of three new workforce housing projects next to the Slate River. While Gunnison

County’s Whetstone just south of Crested Butte isn’t expected to break ground on utilities until the end of next year, Mineral Point residents may be housed by the end of 2024.

The over $15 million development is being funded by a mixture of federal tax credits, financial support from the town and state grants. Utilities were laid this past season, and construction is expected to start in the spring.

Mineral Point is a lowincome housing tax credits (LIHTC) project, meaning it is primarily funded by federal tax credits and will offer housing at a restricted area median income (AMI) range — between 30-60% AMI, or $22,000 and $45,000 for a twoperson household. Residents at both ends of the valley will be able to apply.

The North Valley’s need Mineral Point A6

A2 • NEWS • Thursday, December 14, 2023

QUOTE

of the week

Gunnison Country Times

OBITUARIES Albert Lee Falsetto

“Then I realized that I didn’t want this history, this ‘right now,’ to also go by, and not have these women documented in the way that they should be.”

— Tina Butterfield, Local artist

See story on B1

BRIEFS Kadlec and Reich no longer in leadership Andy Kadlec, executive director of the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority, recently announced that he is resigning from his role. Kadlec has led the Housing Authority since October of 2022. The Times will provide more indepth coverage in next week’s edition, following a Housing Authority meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14.

Up north, Crested Butte’s High Country Conservation Advocates has announced that it will be hiring a new advocacy director. According to board president Sue Navy, the nonprofit is restructuring its traditional staff positions to focus on public lands. As a result, Chad Reich will no longer serve as the executive director.

School board selects officers The Gunnison Watershed School District board chose officers at a meeting on Dec. 11. Current board president Tyler Martineau was nominated to continue in that role.

Both Mandy Roberts and Anne Brookhart self-nominated for vice president. Brookhart was then unanimously nominated by other board members through a roll call. Roberts will serve as the board secretary, and Mark VanderVeer as treasurer.

Corrections The story titled “Lawsuit spurs county to update land use rules” in the Dec. 7 edition of the Times incorrectly stated that the Tyzzers would share a driveway with the new development. But there are no plans for one. In the same story, Three Rivers’ mobile home park in Almont was described as having “an increasingly uncertain future.” Although owner Mark Schumacher is making water infrastructure repairs on the front row, he has not shared any desire to redevelop the park.

The Times apologizes for the errors.

Albert Falsetto has left the valley he loved and lived in most of his life. He died of heart failure on Dec. 4 at home in Gunnison, where he was known in the neighborhood for his ready smile and willingness to share a story or a helping hand.

Al was born in Crested Butte in 1936, son of Italian immigrants Raffaele and Louisa Falsetto. He graduated from high school there in 1954, in that town’s “between time” — the end of the coal-mining era but before its reemergence as a resort town in the 1960s. He joined the Army after graduation and served four years in Alaska, which he loved for the northern lights, the salmon, blackberries and moose.

He talked so much about the moose back home that one of his friends gave him a big metal silhouette of a moose (outlined in lights at Christmas), which stood in his yard at Spruce and Ohio for decades. His grandchildren all called him “Grandpa Moose.”

After his tour of duty in Alaska ended, he returned to the place he loved more, Crested Butte, and went to Western State College on the G.I. Bill for teacher certification. Halfway through college, he met and courted Shirley McDaniel, who had moved to Crested Butte with her family in 1953. They were married in 1960 — the first couple to be married in the then-new Queen of All Saints Church. Al bought a house across the street from the house where he’d grown up, in Crested Butte’s oncelarge Italian neighborhood on

White Rock Avenue. They had four children over the next 17 years: Katie, Ralph, Samantha and Mark.

In the early 1960s, following Al’s graduation, he had to leave the valley to find a teaching job, going to southeastern Colorado for a few years, then to the Arkansas Valley, and then a year in Collbran, Colorado on Grand Mesa. But every summer the family came back to Crested Butte, where Al worked on a master’s degree in education that qualified him to work as a school counselor and principal.

He also began working parttime at the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery during those summers — work he enjoyed. After a decade or so in the public schools, he had the opportunity to come back and work full-time at the hatchery for the Department of Wildlife, which he did until he reached retirement age. He continued to go back to participate in the annual kokanee baby-salmon release every spring.

The Falsettos lived in Crested Butte, where Al served a couple of terms on the city council. In the 1990s, they moved to Gunnison. After returning to the valley, he participated regularly in the placing of flags at veterans’ graves in the cemetery, and when the county office for veterans services had an opening, it seemed like a natural choice for him to take on that responsibility. For nearly two decades, he worked with the 900-plus veterans in the county, helping them connect with employment and job support, education, health and wellness services.

Al was a deeply devoted member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Gunnison, helping consistently with maintenance and set-up activities. Between the church and the veterans’ work, he was known by practically everyone, and would, in Shirley’s words, “do anything for anyone,” — the kind of gentle man who helps hold a community together. He loved most getting out in the hills to gather firewood or mushrooms, hunt

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Kathr yn Marie (Munger) Lain, 79, of Gunnison passed away on Dec. 8, 2023 due to heart failure. She was born on Sept. 23, 1944 in Enid, Oklahoma and married Gerald R. Lain, also of Oklahoma, on May 21, 1977 at the Marietta, Oklahoma Church of Christ.

A service will be held on Dec. 23 at 11 a.m. at New Song Christian Church, officiated by Rick Barton and Tom Burggraf, at 77 Ute Lane, one mile east of Gunnison. Final services will take place in Enid, Oklahoma on Dec. 29, with the time and place to be announced. A full obituary will follow.

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Sue Ellen Knowles

Sue Ellen Knowles passed away in Gunnison on Dec. 12 from a chronic gastro-intestional disease. She was born on May 11, 1947 in Gunnison to Betty (Steele) and Frank Wallace.

She was a lifelong resident of the Gunnison community — a community that she contributed to and loved with sincerity.

Other than loving her hometown she had two childhood loves. When she was 8 years old she had a bike but wanted a horse. Her parents relented and purchased a horse. She never got on a bike again. She rode at every opportunity with her friends, her husband and her daughters.

Her other childhood love developed as a crush on a 15-year-old boy; she was 14.

Five years later, she married her crush, Bill Knowles. Fifty-seven years later, he was still her crush and she was his. Their marriage was based on mutual respect for an ever-enduring love.

Sue was valedictorian of her high school class and someone that could answer the “Jeopardy” questions before the contestants. She attended Colorado State College for one year before, like many, life was changed by the Vietnam War. Bill had a low draft number, so he opted to join the Air Force.

Sue decided they should get married and Bill happily (okay, more than happily) agreed. Bill became a medic and was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington.

Fortunately, he spent his enlistment driving ambulances and assisting in labor and delivery.

When it became apparent that

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with friends, or go out with one or more of his offspring to catch some of the fish he’d helped raise.

Al is survived by his wife of 63 years, Shirley, and all four of their offspring. Katie lives in Grand Junction, mother of two grandchildren; Dione with three great-grandchildren, Jadyn, Jacinda and Jace, and Christopher and his wife, Candy, with great-grandchildren, Adriana and Carlos and g re a t- g re a t- g r a n d c h i l d re n Isiah and Nico. Ralph lives in Cedaredge. Samantha and her husband, Alan Ross, are in Savannah, Georgia with their son Nathan, and Mark and his wife, Andrea, are in Phoenix, A r i z o n a w i t h t h e i r s o n s, Michael and Andrew.

A mass for Al Falsetto will be held at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Gunnison at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 29.

MAKE AN OFFER Mountain home with loft nestled in the trees with Gold Creek in the back yard on over 3 acres. Just 3.5 miles from Ohio City, 1 bdrm/1 bath, bordered by national forest, built in 1994 with well & septic. 1,008 square feet with generator and shed too. 3491 County Road 771; $635,000.

IN-TOWN HOME 2 bdrm/2 bath log sided home in town with large windows for passive solar, two inviting patios, metal roof, sprinkler system & detached 2 car garage with separate workshop & bunkroom. Includes RMU lots that could be subdivided and built out.

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NEW LISTING 40 acre historic parcel is the town site of Sherrod and part of the Sherrod Loop on the Alpine Tunnel Loop past Pitkin, just before Hancock Pass. Sherrod was known for its rich silver lodes in the surrounding mountains. Great 4x4 country. 7800 Forest Service Road 839; $215,000.

1.5 ACRE PARCELS are situated just a few miles from the Iola Boat Dock at the beautiful Blue Mesa Reservoir. There are 8 sites offered that are each 1.5 acres with no covenants or HOA. Affordable land options just 15 minutes from Gunnison. Spring Drive; $60,000.

WATERFRONT BUILDING SITE to build your new home! Two lots totaling 1.78 acres. Great opportunity to own on the Gunnison River, hidden between the trees & close to the White Water Park. Level building site with mature trees and still close to downtown conveniences. 350 Rio Vista Road; $400,000.

40 ACRE PARCEL close to the city limits of Gunnison. Features include two permitted commercial wells, southern exposure making for possible solar arrays and green energy with endless development possibilities. Crest View Drive; $3,000,000.

R-3 LOTS Purchase R-3 lots & finish the West End Townhomes for a spec option, rental investment or employee housing. City approved site plans allow for two more duplex units. Water & sewer taps are already installed. Centrally located near the schools & RTA bus stop. 817 W. Denver Ave.; $297,000.

UN CONDITION Move-in ready one level, IMMACULATE D over 1,600sf home has been fully 3 bdrm/2 bath, E RC ON a large backyard with remodeled in 2017 & features two car detached garage. 403TS.R14th A St.; $649,000.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY 3 homes total in town where each home is 2 bdrm/1 bath & tenants pay utilities. Located near the airport and fairgrounds. 314 S. 12th St; $950,000.

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Thursday, December 14, 2023 • NEWS • A3

Gunnison Country Times

OBITUARIES he wasn’t going to be deployed to a combat zone, they welcomed Julia Lynne into their family on Dec. 16, 1969. After returning to Gunnison and the Knowles family ranch, they completed their family with the birth of Beth Ann on Aug. 27, 1972.

Sue worked for Gunnison Fa m i l y P h y s i c i a n s a s a n insurance specialist for 24 years before transitioning to Gunnison Valley Hospital for 13 years before she retired.

Did she retire? Not exactly. She volunteered to be the cat care coordinator at the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League and joined its board. She oversaw the finances, raised money, made sure two shifts a day cared for the cats, found fosters for hundreds of cats and kittens in need, diligently placed cats into good homes and could be found most days at her “retirement job.”

Sue loved all animals, as demonstrated by acquiring a pot-bellied pig, Lucy. For nine years, Sue loved that pig,

describing her as the smartest, cutest and most loving animal.

Visitors were often surprised to see a pig wandering the house.

Sue was a private person with a huge heart. In 1992, Bill’s parents, John and Evadna Knowles, realized they could no longer maintain their home, needed to make some decisions and were unsure what to do. It was obvious to Sue that they should move into Bill and Sue’s home and that was that. John died six months later and Evadna lived with them for 10 years, feeling loved, cared for and included until she passed away at 100 years old. Sue treated Evadna with daughterly love.

Seven years ago, Juan Jose Diaz came from Venezuela to attend Western and run track.

Juan’s father had done the same thing in the 1980s with Betty Wallace (Sue’s mother) acting as surrogate mother. Sue did the same with Juan Jose. Bill and Sue made sure that he had everything he needed, including love. Juan still resides in Gunnison and is finishing his

master’s degree. A week hasn’t gone by that Sue didn’t take him grocery shopping and welcomed him into their home.

Sue will be missed by this community and so many others. She is survived by her husband, Bill Knowles, daughter, Julie Knowles of Rifle, Colorado, daughter, Beth Wyman and her husband Bill, granddaughters, Alex and Alysha and Alysha’s significant other, Gus Roberts, all of Gunnis on, brother, Norman Saunders of New Mexico and sister-in-law, Candy Knowles Prouty of Boise, Idaho.

The family would like to thank hospice at Gunnison Valley Senior Care for their excellent care of Sue and her family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Sue’s honor be made to the Gunnison Valley Animal Welfare League. A celebration of Sue’s life is planned for Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Palisades restaurant in Gunnison.

BIRTHS Peyton Layne Miller

Silas Wendell Williams

Peyton Layne Miller was born to Kellie and Wyatt Miller of Gunnison on Dec. 1 at 10:51 a.m. She weighed 9 lbs., 1 oz. and measured 20.5 inches long at birth. She is welcomed by her grandparents, Michelle and Eamon of Fort Morgan, Oklahoma and Kim and Frank of Montrose, Colorado, as well as her great-grandparents, Joe and Tanya of Fort Morgan and Frank and Theresa of Montrose.

Dr. Jeremy I. Williams, his wife, Amy and daughter, Junia are thankful and excited to welcome Silas Wendell Williams.

Silas was born on Dec. 3 in Portland, Oregon, where his family resides. Jeremy graduated from Gunnison High School.

Silas’s grandparents are Rev. Gary and Dr. Linda Williams of Gunnison and Tom and Janet Dykstra of Round Pond, Maine.

We welcome this new little blessing into our family!

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023

ALANWARTESMEDIA

OPINION

GUEST COMMENTARY 970.641.1414 © 2023 Gunnison Country Times

How valley locals saved my life

Publisher/Owner Alan Wartes publisher@gunnisontimes.com Office Manager Bonnie Gollhofer bonnie@gunnisontimes.com Editor Bella Biondini bella@gunnisontimes.com Staff Writer Abby Harrison abby@gunnisontimes.com Photo Editor Mariel Wiley mariel@gunnisontimes.com Sports Editor Alex McCrindle alex@gunnisontimes.com Advertising Manager Steve Nunn steve@gunnisontimes.com Advertising Assistant Issa Forrest issa@gunnisontimes.com Production Manager Stefan Scott Stefan@gunnisontimes.com

THE GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES (ISSN 0892-1113) is published weekly

by Alan Wartes Media LLC., 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, Colorado 81230. Periodical postage paid at Gunnison, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Gunnison Country Times, 218 N. Wisconsin, Gunnison, CO 81230-0240 Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday

Orion Koleis Special to the Times

Living in this valley isn’t always easy. It can be a struggle to survive, and many of us work multiple jobs to make ends meet. I’ve had several friends forced out due to lack of housing or other untenable circumstances.

I’ve been in and out of the valley — mostly out — over the last two decades, although I've been very lucky to live some of my dreams. I chased my dream job up to Alaska and got to be a helicopter ski guide for over a decade in Haines and Valdez. I do love it here, and I’m thrilled to be back in this amazing place. I try to be involved and give back, by volunteering with the Western Mountain Rescue Team. It’s a great group of people who constantly inspire and challenge me.

And while this valley is a world-class outdoor playground, it is the community of locals that makes this valley truly special. Several of these locals deserve the loudest shout out from the top of the mountain, and I intend to use all of my lung power to sing their praises and express my gratitude.

I was skiing under the Paradise lift, like we’ve all done so many times. I took the most seemingly benign fall, which could have played out dozens of different ways with no consequence. However, I got my feet tripped out from under me as I was hopping out of one turn into another. I went airborne and flipped upside down, in maybe the only way that’s problematic.

It was truly the scariest experience I’ve ever had, literally my nightmare scenario. I landed upside down in soft, unconsolidated snow amongst young pine trees, which ended up acting like a tree well. Snow fell up my nose and filled my mouth.

I couldn’t get my arms to my face to clear an air pocket or my airway. I was stuck and suffocating.

I was pinned in place by a tree directly downhill, preventing any kind of tumble or roll out of my very precarious position. Only my legs were above the surface, but, very fortunately, I knew I was under the chairlift and visible. Not being able to do anything effective to help myself, I employed the only remaining option: kicking my legs wildly in the air hoping to draw attention to my dire situation.

Lucky for me, two groups of chairs consisting of six friends saw me from above and recognized my distress. One of them had a cell signal and called ski patrol. They all rushed to my location and immediately

started digging. The snow was punchy, and the conditions made my extrication extremely difficult. But they fought for my survival.

Five of the six had wilderness first responder training and knew CPR. They struggled to get me out of that hole and did everything right. I was completely blue in the face with no pulse — technically dead. They did their best to clear my airway, administered several rescue breaths and then started chest compressions.

A nurse from Gunnison Valley Health was on the lift and saw them pulling me to the surface. She hurried down to see if she could help. As it turns out, she teaches CPR and she jumped in the rotation. After five minutes, which I’m sure seemed like an eternity to them, I revived and regained full consciousness. Timeframes in these scenarios are critical to survival, and they pulled it off in the nick of time.

I’m so grateful to be fully functional and suffer no longterm injuries or ill effects of being oxygen deprived and having had my heart stop beating.

Ski patrol packaged me and transported me to the clinic at the base where I was checked out by the doctor and decisions were made as to the next steps in my treatment and recovery. I know the patrollers are all EMT or higher training, and we have top-tier care on the mountain, which is necessary considering the nature of the terrain at

Crested Butte.

I’ve been skiing my whole life with many hundred-plus day seasons. I was skiing under control on a blue run. Nothing seemingly dangerous. It really could happen to anyone; and something could happen off the mountain just as easily as on.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to learn CPR and maintain the most basic first-aid skills. You just never know when you might come across someone in need. My most heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in my rescue and recovery. I received exceptional care from start to finish. And that has made all the difference.

But I especially want to thank my heroes! Annika Engholm, Ben Barocas, Dominic Digregorio, Emily Popke, Riah Risk and Riley Sanchez acted quickly and selflessly to save my life. Stepanie Hagdorn helped perform CPR and ensured that I received the best care possible.

I am eternally grateful and endlessly indebted. Words cannot describe, but I will continue to try. And I will fight for all of you, as well as our community at large. Thank you for everything.

lations and processes. We are also restructuring our traditional staff positions to focus on public lands and to maximize the effective and efficient use of our resources. Accordingly, we will no longer have an executive director, and our new AD will take on some of the administrative responsibilities of that role.

Our board is very grateful for Chad Reich’s service as the executive director, and he has been extremely helpful in shepherding this transition. We appreciate his hard work, thank him for all he has done for HCCA in the past year and wish him success in all his future ventures.

These changes will yield a more resilient and agile organization that can effectively engage in select public lands issues, while benefiting from strong governance, a small but well-supported staff and a sustainable administrative and financial structure.

Our community’s support will remain integral to HCCA’s success, as we work collaboratively with our valley’s stakeholders to help make sound planning decisions that we all can embrace — and prepare to resist threats to our public lands.

As always, we appreciate and will continue to rely on your robust and enthusiastic support.

Viva HCCA! Happy Holidays!

stores here.

T h e We d n e s d a y b e f o r e Thanksgiving is usually the biggest wine selling day of the year in America. We don't think folks realize the value of shopping small and shopping locally.

When you support local businesses, the money you spend stays in our valley. When you buy wine from the big chain stores, the money you spend leaves within 24 hours, never to return. Shopping locally is not just important to the liquor stores in the valley, but to all of our small businesses. Shopping small and locally helps communities maintain healthy, vibrant commercial business districts and benefits our community in so many other ways. Most everyone has driven through the small town that is basically closed for business because the big chain stores moved to, or near, their town.

Additionally, your local liquor stores support the valley’s nonprofits year round. With the loss of income to your local liquor stores, your nonprofit may not receive essential donations that keep the doors open and help it continue benefiting our com-

(Orion Koleis is an avid skier, biker, boater and general outdoor enthusiast. He has 27 years of medical experience, including guiding, instructing and ski patrolling in Colorado, Montana and Alaska.)

LETTERS 2023

2023 Member

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

We will not print letters from candidates for public office.

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

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

HCCA moves in new direction Editor: A question that has been asked of us so many times is, “What is HCCA going to do once Red Lady is saved?” Our board and staff have pondered this, and the answer is — we’ll continue to advocate the protection of Gunnison County’s public lands, just as we have done for nearly five decades.

As we are hopeful for a successful conclusion to the Red Lady mine fight sometime in 2024, we are proactively preparing for a transition, and trimming the sails of the good ship High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) to hone our focus on pending and future issues and threats facing our public lands. Our role in protecting our public lands remains critical to the health of the land, waters and wildlife we all enjoy, and whose health we steward.

To this end, we will be hiring a new advocacy director (AD), someone whose skill set will ideally include a law degree — as public lands issues often require a practiced knowledge of state and federal laws, regu-

Sue Navy High Country Conservation Advocates

The value of shopping small Editor: We would like to publicly thank our locals and visitors who shopped small over the Thanksgiving holiday for that special bottle of wine to share with those gathered.

There are nine liquor stores in the Gunnison Valley, and all of us have experienced a loss of wine sales due to wine becoming available in the grocery stores.

First, it was the pharmacies that grocery went after, and then the florists and bakeries.

Then the grocery started to sell paperback books, calendars and toys. And then full-strength beer, and now wine. What we need from our local grocery stores is food. Yes, food. All of us in the valley have experienced empty shelves in the grocery

continued A5

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • NEWS • A5

Gunnison Country Times continued from A4 munities.

When alcohol sales went into grocery stores, I bet not many of you thought how easily accessible alcohol would be for minors. Minors are rarely seen in liquor stores, and when they are in the liquor stores, they are being watched. Who is watching the kids in the grocery store?

Friends, thank you for your continued support of small business. We appreciate you!

Cheers from the crew at High Mountain Liquor in Gunnison.

Terry Morrow Gunnison

Our unsung hero Editor: Throughout the year, locals and visitors alike have the opportunity to enjoy many community events and activities that also intentionally benefit businesses in and around Gunnison. These can range from a simple food truck pop up, to our wonderful, expansive Night of Lights.

Much of this would not be successful, or even possible, without the tireless effort and dedication of our Chamber of Commerce director, Celeste Helminski.

Celeste is an omnipresent fixture at the source of every business promotion and community gathering, to which she attends with unfailing enthusiasm.

I hope the Chamber’s board takes notice. In a time when our local businesses themselves struggle with acquiring and holding onto quality staff, the board would be wise to ensure the retention of this singular, invaluable resource.

Monica Carter Gunnison

A true climate champion

Every little bit counts

Editor: We are very saddened to say that we have lost a true climate champion among us. Steve Schechter of Gunnison recently passed away. He was a staunch advocate for preserving our environment and worked to fight climate change long before many of us even knew there was a problem.

Steve was known to offer strong and clear arguments backed by science for energy efficiency, renewable energy, composting and electrification (among other topics). He helped propel our community to the leading edge of sustainability. He will be greatly missed by many people in this valley who not only cared for him as a person, but looked up to him as an important local hero.

We are asking everyone to do one climate action to honor and continue Steve’s legacy.

If you need any suggestions, here are a few ideas: Take the bus for one trip to Gunnison or Crested Butte; Don’t idle your car ; Turn thermostat down 2 degrees; Sign up for the ClimateActionNow.com app and commit to doing 3-5 actions a week; Carpool with a friend to an event; Bring your cup with you when you buy coffee; Limit your purchase of products that are packaged in plastic; Buy local! For a very impactful action, considering upgrading your home with a cold climate air source heat pump; Get solar panels; Weatherize your home; Get an e-bike for summer commuting; Attend the climate change march this summer or fall; Compost ; Begin planning to buy an electric car on your next purchase; Learn high country gardening techniques; Sign up for GCEA community solar gardens; Use your voice and speak up about climate action!

Editor: It is amazing what a small financial gift can do for making a dream come true, and that is exactly what happened recently with a gift from the GunnisonCrested Butte Association of Realtors (GCAR).

We were able to utilize the GCAR Homebuyers Assistance Program when trying to purchase our first home here in CB South. The assistance from GCAR helped to take a little stress off the whole process of homebuying.

This program makes buying a home in the Gunnison Valley feel a little bit more attainable for us locals. We know that it sounds cheesy, but every little bit helps. So, thank you GCAR for contributing to making our dream of owning a home in the Gunnison Valley a reality. We finally have the housing security for ourselves and our pup that we have wanted for so long.

Zach and Elin Gubran CB South

Thankful for our first home Editor: We would like to give a huge thank you to the GunnisonCrested Butte Association of Realtors. We were recently awarded one of the grants from the GCAR Homebuyer Assistance Program. We really appreciate realtors in the valley coming together to financially assist locals with purchasing a home. We are very thankful to have received the grant on the purchase of our first home.

Thank you so much.

Amber and Krystal Ramsey Gunnison

Gunnison Valley Climate Crisis Coalition

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Diego Plata re-elected as mayor, Marisela Ballesteros vice mayor The City of Gunnison’s new council members took their oaths at a regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at City Hall. Marisela Ballesteros-Celestino, Matt Schwartz and Scott Frazier joined continuing councilor Jim Gelwicks. Through a secret ballot, councilors unanimously re-elected Mayor Diego Plata, who will serve in the role for another two years. Councilors nominated Ballesteros-Celestino as vice mayor.

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A6 • NEWS • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

Lowline from A1 fessionals at the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMU G) National Forests anticipate it may burn through the winter of 2024. The Forest Service has already started to measure the long-term impacts on the landscape, while some private landowners are working on mitigation.

Lowline has now passed two of the three possible milestones for wildfires: contained and controlled, before finally being out. Contained means the fire has a fireline on every border, whether that be a road, natural barrier, hand lines or rivers. A fire labeled as controlled means there is a low probability heat from the fire will cross any of those containment lines.

The total acreage of the Lowline Fire has not increased in the last two months, and it remains just under 1,900 acres across Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and private lands. Two recent snowstorms have done “good work,” on the fire, Engel said. The moisture helped extinguish larger, denser pieces of burning wood and areas sheltered by the forest canopy.

But until more consistent snow arrives, a duty officer — now Dave Carr, a GMUG fuels specialist — will continue to check on it once a week.

“You want that snow that’s going to be there for [a long time],” Engel said. “Those early

Mineral Point from A1 for low-income housing is clear, said the town’s Housing Director Erin Ganser. The waiting list for a two-bedroom unit at Crested Butte’s other LIHTC housing project, Anthracite Place, is five years long. And while Anthracite bottoms out at 50% AMI, Mineral Point can help those as low as 30%.

“It hits many members of our community,” she said. “And clearly there's demand given the wait at Anthracite.”

The units are two-stor y “stacked flats,” with one group of renters on the ground floor and another on the second floor. The buildings will also accommodate a leasing office, laundry room, gathering space and even a dog washing station.

Six of the units are ADA compliant, including two specifically for those with audio-visual impairments. The all-electric project will have low-energy lighting and include EV charging infrastructure.

The town owns the land and is leasing it to Indianapolisbased developer TWG, which will own all the apartments and manage the rents. According to Ganser, TWG is a “well-known” LIHTC developer with a good track record.

Right next door to the 34 LIHTC units will be 16 for-rent townhomes that presently do not include any income restrictions, although they will only be

A view of Lowline Fire burn scars from Mill Creek Road on Dec. 13. (Photo by Abby Harrison)

snowstorms certainly help out.

But it's not enough to make you feel real comfortable.”

The fire ignited on July 26 on a ridge between Squirrel and Mill creeks. It consumed nearly 1,700 acres in the first week, bringing hundreds of firefighters from around the country to the Gunnison Valley

to help contain the spread.

Containment efforts have proven successful and by the end of August, the fire had only grown by 100 acres. The Gunnison Ranger District has not received any reports of visible smoke in the last six weeks.

Crews have now removed all the equipment staged to pro-

tect homes and other buildings that were at risk of burning in the Ohio Creek Valley. Pumps and hoses brought in from the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Support Cache have all been returned to the Front Range to help fight future fires.

On Nov. 1, the Forest Service lifted the Lowline closure that

prevented hikers from accessing the popular Mill Creek Trail, which acts as a gateway to the West Elk Wilderness. Hikers and nordic skiers should still be aware of falling snags or trees, rapidly-spreading fire, rolling material such as rocks or logs, continued A7

available to locally-employed tenants. Local developer John Stock, owner of High Mountain Concepts, will own those units and offer 10 to local organizations like the Gunnison Watershed School District, the Crested Butte Fire Protection District or Rural Transportation Authority. Just across 8th Street, the town is also working with Stock on 18 deed-restricted, forsale homes in Paradise Park.

Finding $15 million Last week, the Housing Fund announced a $100,000 contribution to the project, which is half of its annual grant budget for affordable housing projects. The Housing Fund has contributed over $3.1 million to local affordable housing projects since 2010, including Anthracite Place and the valley’s other LIHTC project, GardenWalk Apartments in Gunnison.

“We still have a major affordable housing crisis in Gunnison Valley. While there are new projects taking shape, getting Mineral Point across the line and having these homes available for our community members is absolutely critical,” board president Scott Desmarais said in a press release.

The parcels of land that house Mineral Point used to be the town's old landfill, which closed in the early 70s. Over the last four years, the town worked with the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Env i ro n m e nt ( C D P H E ) t o

A digital rendering of the new housing development. (Courtesy Lauren Koelliker/Valley Housing Fund)

remove the old refuse, add new soil and make it safe for coming tenants. The site preparation, utility extensions, remediation and mitigation have cost the town nearly $6 million.

This past May, the federal government — through the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority — awarded TWG nearly $12.5 million in LIHTC credits. These federal tax credits are distributed by state agencies to private developers looking to create affordable housing projects. The developer then sells those credits to investors to fund the project, and investors receive those tax breaks over a 10-year period.

The town’s cost to see Mineral Point come to life will be offset by a grant from the Department

of Local Affairs, brownfield remediation tax credits from CDPHE and cost reimbursements from the developer. Once the project is built, it is expected to have cost the town $56,000 per unit.

Because Mineral Point is federally-subsidized housing, rising costs to build or high interest rates can’t be made up by hiking rents. Construction cost increases have been in the 13-20% range over the last few years, rather than the normal 3-5%, Ganser said. The cost of remediation was three times more expensive than originally budgeted.

Both the town and TWG have had to seek additional funding sources to make sure the project remains possible. Last week,

Crested Butte’s Town Council approved a “gap funding” loan of $500,000 to TWG. “Local participation helps improve the likelihood that you'll receive a tax credit award,” Ganser said. “It's a highly competitive process, so these projects all have gaps. We knew we'd be putting money into it.”

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • NEWS • A7

Gunnison Country Times continued from A6 heavy smoke and limited visibility, holes from burned out stumps and coal refuse piles where extreme heat could be present.

Post-fire assessments In August, the Forest Service started a burned area emergency response (BAER) report, meant to highlight the overall severity of the fire and projected long-term impacts to the landscape. Depending on the results, a BAER team may be dispatched to the burned area to do mitigation work.

As of now, runoff is the primar y concern, Engel said.

Preliminary satellite imagery shows that less than a quarter of the overall acreage burned severely. When fire ravages the landscape and burns very hot for long periods of time, it forms a “crust” on the soil and water can’t penetrate it easily. But early percolation tests, which measure those soil-water absorption rates, look promising, Engel said.

Fire managers hope for a mix of severity when looking at landscapes post-fire, Carr said.

The severity of the fire in any one area determines how the landscape recovers for tens or even hundreds of years. A variety in severity creates fuel breaks and varying microclimates, which allow for more diversity in wildlife and microorganisms, he said.

Private landowners have already started working with the Colorado State Forest Service, Gunnison County Emergency Management, the Forest Service and others to lay materials across the slope to prevent flooding near the burn scars and re-seed and mulch burned areas.

“This was a tough thing for the community to deal with, but those houses are in much better shape for the next at least 100 years from a wildfire defense standpoint.”

Theo Engel Gunnison Ranger District “This was a tough thing for the community to deal with, but those houses are in much better shape for the next at least 100 years from a wildfire defense standpoint,” Engel said.

Even after the fire has gone out, impacts to the watershed can persist. Fires release sediment that can clog headgates, culverts and ditches and mobilize different contaminants like lead and arsenic into the system.

Two years ago, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District board started planning to be more involved in fire responses, said District Manager Sonja Chavez.

When Lowline broke out, the district provided ditch and wildfire hazard assessment maps to help firefighters quickly find where the water infrastructure was located and how they could protect it.

In the future, water districts like the Upper Gunnison can help landowners access financial resources to not only rebuild, but be more resilient to fire, Chavez said.

“When the fire gets to the point where it's no longer on Forest Service land, and [the Forest Service] is not responsible for it, it becomes an individual water right holder or landowners issue,” Chavez said. “That's where we can be involved in terms of helping someone get access to funding or being the entity that manages it.”

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

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711 N. Main St. Gunnison • 970-641-1860

ALL ARE WELCOME!

A8 • NEWS • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

Bluebird skies usher in ski season at Monarch On Dec. 6, skiers and riders traveled from Fairplay, Buena Vista, Gunnison and Salida to hit the slopes on opening day at Monarch Mountain. As of Dec. 12, five out of the seven lifts were spinning at the independent resort.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’ takes the stage Gunnison High School held dress rehearsals for its production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast Jr.” on Thursday, Dec. 7. The show opened last weekend, but two more shows are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 16 at 4 p.m.

(Photos by Bella Biondini)

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • NEWS • A9

Gunnison Country Times

Wishing you and yours a joyous Holiday Season & a healthy & prosperous New Year!

Your friends and neighbors at Gunnison Bank & Trust 232 West Tomichi avenue gunnison, co 81230 • 970.641.0320 The City of Gunnison operates seven snow plows during the winter months. (Courtesy Connie Johnson/City of Gunnison)

Plowing from A1 atic, and it’s difficult for plow drivers to tell where they’ve already plowed, said Public Works Director David Gardner.

“A lot of times it's snowing pretty heavy,” Gardner said.

“Once we get the town plowed, then we have to go back and plow it again because we're still on that 1-2 inch threshold that we have set for ourselves.”

Over the past six years, annual staff reviews have given the department a better idea of what works. Based on the feedback, the department proposed snow removal operation adjustments before winter sets in. During a regular meeting on Nov. 28, the Public Works Director David Gardner recommended changing its snow plowing procedures on Main Street and Tomichi Avenue to 4 inches or more between the hours of 5 p.m. and 4 a.m., rather than 1 inch, with a set call-out time. If a shift supervisor deems storm conditions bad enough, plowing crews can still be called in at any time. During the daytime, snowfall operations will continue as normal.

Council approved the plan last week. The new plowing protocol is consistent with that of other local entities, including the Town of Crested Butte, C re s t e d Bu t t e S o u t h a n d Gunnison County, which have a set call-out time for their plow crews when snow accumulates overnight — with the exception of large storms.

It’s a change that will not only save money, but give the crews, which are already stretched thin, much-needed recovery time in between shifts, said streets superintendent Jason Kibler. The new policy prevents crews coming off of a normal eight-hour shift from being called out without rest for an additional 12-hour shift or more.

“I do feel that this would

make a significant difference in the crew’s morale and safety in the wintertime,” Kibler said.

“When we get a couple of these back-to-back storms, the guys plow all day, go home and then get called out again at 10 or 11 o'clock. It only takes one or two days before fatigue sets in.”

Under the new policy, if the city receives 4 inches overnight, crews will be scheduled to start plowing at 4 a.m. This will give the team enough time to plow the city’s main corridors, and emergency and school routes before the workday begins.

Crews try to hit all of the downtown alleys when plowing Main and Tomichi so they can push snow out to the wind rows in the center of the street.

Typically the city can plow emergency and school routes and start residential roads in two and a half hours with a full crew — giving plow drivers plenty of time to clear roads before residents start their day. Gardner said he expects plowing in neighborhoods to be easier under the new policy because fewer cars will be parked in plow zones.

The city has a maintenance contract with the Colorado Department of Transportation that requires the city to plow Hwy. 50 and Hwy. 135 within city limits. The city has already had conversations with the agency, which agreed that plowing at one inch is inefficient and unnecessary. With council’s approval, the policy will be reviewed annually.

“I think there's great value in at least giving this a try for the community and for the crews,” Kibler said.

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

43110 US Highway 50 | Gunnison

710 Hawk Drive | Gunnison

5 Bed | 4 Bath | 87+/- Acres | $2,900,000

3 Bed | 3.5 Bath | 3,435 SF | 35 Acres | $2,200,000

43191 US Highway 50 | Gunnison

518 E Georgia Avenue | Gunnison

5 Bed | 3.5 Bath | 20 Acres | 2,400 SF Shop | $1,490,000

Fiveplex | WCU Adjacent | Rental Opportunity | $995,000

505 N 8th Street | Gunnison

217 W Rio Grand Avenue | Gunnison

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,060 SF | $549,000

2 Bed | 2.5 Bath | 899 SF + finished basement | $385,000

Brian Cooper

Chrissy Mitchell

Broker Associate c 970.275.8022 brian@bbre1.com

Broker Associate c 970.420.1175 chrissy@bbre1.com

A10 • NEWS • Thursday, December 14, 2023

BUY OF THE WEEK

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING 2,800 square foot home positioned at the end of the Ohio Creek Valley sitting on 40 +/- acres surrounded by beautiful mountain and valley views. Located 45 minutes from Gunnison and 1 hour from Crested Butte. The kitchen features stainless steel appliances, custom cabinets, recessed lighting throughout and million dollar views of the valley while cooking. Stay warm all winter long with in-floor radiant heat in the entire 3 bedroom/3 bath home and garage. Two of the oversized bedrooms feature their own bathrooms and closet organizers. The master bedroom has south facing windows with incredible views, his and her walk-in closets with a separate office/bedroom. The laundry room/office has cabinets for additional storage or pantry items. You’ll love the 2,800 square foot, 4 car oversized garage’s amazing work space with a walk-in cooler and 3 bay stainless steel sink. Property has high speed internet from Xtream internet. Carbon Creek runs through the acreage with an abundance of wildlife including elk, deer and an occasional moose. This is a must see property!

3750 County Road 737 $2,500,000

HONEST, ETHICAL, PROFESSIONAL CLARKE AGENCY REAL ESTATE AUDRIE TOWNSEND Broker/Owner

(970) 209-6208

241 N. Main St. Gunnison, CO 81230 www.clarkeagency.net

People’s Choice Award for Best Realtor 2021 & 2022

JOSH TOWNSEND Broker/Owner

(970) 209-4479

Tomichi Creek Treasures!

Several Beautiful building sites in the fabulous Tomichi Creek Subdivision. This private, gated community offers views galore, the meanderings of Tomichi Creek to massage your mind, easy access to golfing, hiking, biking, nearby public land, Gunnison and more. Eight sites to choose from, and the seller has several hand-crafted custom home offerings if you want to take advantage of designing and builidng the home of your dreams on one of the sites.

Call Matt to view these amazing properties.

Matt Robbins, CRS, GRI Monarch Realty, Inc. 970-596-0715 l matt@monarchrlty.com

Gunnison Country Times

Local livestock association files lawsuit to delay wolf introduction Colorado Cattlemen, Gunnison Stockgrowers call for NEPA analysis On Monday, Dec. 11, the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado regarding the pending release of gray wolves in Colorado. This comes just weeks before the state’s end-of-the-year deadline to put wolves on the ground.

The lawsuit names U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) as defendants. The associations representing ranchers and farmers across Colorado filed litigation to address concerns about the potential impacts of wolf introduction on livestock and rural communities.

The decision to pursue legal action comes after extensive discussion and consultation with CCA and Stockgrowers members, who are committed to the prosperity of Colorado’s ag r i cu l tu ra l i n d u st r y a n d the well-being of their livestock. Both organizations have opposed wolf introduction since it was a proposed ballot initiative and were involved in every step of the process.

CCA and Stockgrowers members expressed detailed oral and written concerns regarding the scope of impacts associated with wolf reintroduction, and believe looming conflicts were not sufficiently resolved during the public process.

The subsequent renewal of the Cooperative Agreement between Fish and Wildlife

NOW HIRING!

and CPW authorizing the proposed release is a major federal action that is subject to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. This law requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impacts of projects before decisions are made.

Wolf releases will occur on state or private lands. The final wolf reintroduction management plan states that the CPW is not considering releases on federal land because the agency “does not have the staffing or financial resources” to undertake the required NEPA analysis.

“CPW will attempt to select release areas that are likely to promote successful wolf recolonization, while also considering the potential for livestock or human interactions,” the plan reads.

Andy Spann, a fifth generation rancher from Gunnison and president of the Stockgrowers, said the impact of wolf reintroduction, as would any other action of this magnitude, needs to be properly reviewed to avoid unintended negative consequences to the natural environment, wildlife and local communities.

“GCSA put forth our concerns throughout the public process,” he said. “We believe that much of our input, and that of many others across Western Colorado, was diminished by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. We regret that a course of litigation on this and other issues seems to be the only recourse left to have these concerns legitimately addressed.”

The litigation aims to ensure that the economic, ecosystem and animal welfare concerns of livestock producers are adequately addressed before any further steps are taken in the wolf introduction process. The associations seek to highlight the risks to livestock, wildlife and the potential economic

repercussions for the agriculture sector should the introduction proceed without the proper safeguards and mitigation strategies.

The litigation seeks to delay the release of wolves until the proper environmental impact review has been conducted. In the interim, the associations are grateful for the CPW partnership and the finalized Fish and Wildlife 10(j) rule. This went into effect on Dec. 8, and allows Colorado producers to kill and haze wolves in certain circumstances where wolves and livestock overlap.

T h ro u g h o u t t h e s t a t e ’s wolf introduction processes, Cattlemen’s Association leadership and members dedicated time and effort to ensuring livestock production and rural communities are protected, said CCA president Robert Farnam.

“Today, the association, in partnership with Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association, reaffirms its commitment,” he said. “We regard this path of litigation not out of a desire for conflict, but rather as a testament to our unwavering commitment to supporting Colorado’s agriculture community and producers of the Western Slope.” ( C o l o r a d o C a t t l e m e n’s Association serves as the principal voice and advocate for Colorado beef production.

Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association is an incorporated nonprofit organization and represents nearly all the active livestock producers in the Gunnison Valley; advocating on behalf of members, the cattle producers and ranch families of the Gunnison Valley.)

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Thursday, December 14, 2023 • NEWS • A11

Gunnison Country Times

The ugliest sweater of them all Six Points Evaluation and Training’s ugly sweater fun run kicked off from the Gunnison Rec Center on Saturday, Dec. 9. People and dogs alike dressed in their ugliest sweaters to raise money for Six Points. Afterward, the crowd gathered for hot cocoa and cookies, while awards were given for the best ugly sweater.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

ALWAYS WELCOMING NEW AND RETURNING PATIENTS

306 N. MAIN ST., GUNNISON • 970.641.4200 UNDER CONTRACT

— SCOTT, KALEE, TRACY AND MELODY.

1203 Van Tuyl Circle, MLS #805249, $769,000, 4-Bedroom 3.25 Bathrooms 1766 sqft built in 2017. This quaint contemporary single family home is surrounded by magnificent views of the Palisades in the quiet neighborhood of Van Tuyl Village. This 4-bedroom 3.25-bathroom property, a primary bedroom with full bathroom on the ground floor and half bedroom by the utility room that is easily accessible by guests and friends when entertaining. The living room is equipped with a pellet stove, moving into an open kitchen area with granite countertops, a deep sink and dining area nearby. The upstairs consists of a second primary bedroom with 3/4 bathroom and two large bedrooms with a full bathroom in the hallway. The natural sunlight from the expansive windows throughout the property provides views and sun exposure. The huge fenced in front yard will enable you to garden and play with your pet(s) and/or entertain your family and friends during the beautiful sunny summers in Gunnison. The irrigation ditch is available during spring/summer/ fall months to water the yard and provide you with ambient noise to enjoy during the pleasant Gunnison evenings. Call the listing agent for further questions and to schedule a showing.

216 Lochleven Lane, MLS #804508, $875,000, 3-Bedroom 2-Bathroom 1,988 sqft, built in

NEW PRICE ADJUSTMENT 1985, and with1.056 acres with attached car garage. Well built home situated in the beautiful

little Homestead Subdivision in Almont. Sit on your large front deck and revel in the views up the East River Valley. Located just 10 min from Gunnison and 20 min from CB, you are centrally located to enjoy the activities the area has to offer from world class fishing, rafting and hiking to snowmobiling and skiing. This 2 story home has its main living area on the top floor with a large open kitchen/ dining living room area with a wood stove that keeps the top floor nice and warm.

This area is a great space to gather and entertain as you take in the views surrounding the property. The property also has a sunroom that can be accessed from the second level or has 2 separate entrances from the exterior. There is a 1 car oversized attached garage and located next to the garage is a very large storage room/closet for all of your storage needs. The home has a lot of deck area on the outside for outdoor entertaining or to casually relax and take in the many different views. Almont is a quaint small town with 2 restaurants/bars located within minutes from the property. There is a free bus that runs up and down the valley from Gunnison to CB with a stop located in Almont.

(Photos by Aric Olson)

459 Fairway Lane MLS #806172 $850,00 4-bedroom 3-bathroom 2291sqft. built in 1979 This contemporary quaint rustic house is within a profoundly well known subdivision, Dos Rios III. Close vicinity to the back 9 of the Dos Rios Golf Course. On a .46 of an acre, has 4-bedrooms and 3-bathrooms, the house features hardwood/tile floors, kitchen fully equipped with stainless appliances, kitchen cabinets and an open concept living room with a wood burning stove and second living room or/an office has a pellet stove. On the first floor you have a half bathroom that is easily accessible. On the second floor the master suite has an oversized bedroom with a full bathroom and a walk-in closet with a sliding barn door. The other full bathroom is down the hallway between the other two oversized bedrooms. The enormous backyard has a shed and plenty of sun exposure to plant/seed flowers, play with your pets and have get-togethers with friends. The two car garage is attached to the house and is very spacious and heated by a wood burning stove. There is sufficient amount of parking in the driveway and along the east side of the house. This home is magnificent so don’t miss out and schedule a showing by contacting the agent.

413 W New York MLS #805945 2125 sqft 1 bathroom Commercial Retail $525,000 Perfect Opportunity to Move a Business and/or a Start a New Business with great past history of tenants using the retail storefront i.e for nail/salon, daycare, mechanical auto body, pet/animal feed and accessories-retail and granite-retail/distribution to name a few. The property consists of about 1500 sqft of retail space with storefront access to New York and a half bathroom that is easily accessible for staff and customers to use. An added bonus is having an attached garage with about 625 sqft with an overhead garage bay. The garage could be a storage facility or part of business operations. The property has 5 parking spaces and close to Safeway and the new location of 5 Bs. A growing and upcoming neighborhood. Don’t miss this opportunity contact the listing agent to schedule a showing.

UNDER CONTRACT 71 Caddis Fly Lane - $200,000, MLS# 809269 Nice level 1.07 acre lot with trees located on on dead end road so there is ultimate privacy.

Electric to corner of lot and it is with in close walking distance to HOA rental house for owners use. Subdivision located just minutes north of town and includes fishing rights along the Gunnison River and also includes many walking paths throughout the subdivision. Lot A next to this lot is also for sale, now is a great opportunity to pick up 2 lots to create more privacy!

KELLY

MCKINNIS

970.641.4880

AJ

MANI

129 EAST TOMICHI AVENUE

GUNNISONREALESTATEANDRENTALS.

A12 • NEWS • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

UN-NUMBERED NEW DOLL AR DRIVE, PITKIN NEW LISTING!

19.380 Acres Pitkin Bells Mining Claim Amazing views of and access to the Fossil Ridge Wilderness Not part of the Quartz Creek Property Owner’s Association, so no dues! $60,000 MLS#809456

Forest Service, BLM seek public input on Thompson Divide

43240 CO RD 6 Y Y, GUNNISON 2,600 S.F. home on 45.570 acres 2 Bedrooms & 3 Bathrooms Surrounded by public and private lands in Unit 67 Located in Gold Basin High Country Ranch, an off-grid subdivision $699,000 MLS#807776 270 BRYANT AVENUE, CRESTED BUT TE 0.30 acres Gorgeous lot midway up the hillside in Crested Butte South, with views from every direction Enjoy Fishing along the East River, tennis court, & play ground This lot is ready for your dream home! $239,900 MLS#794257 970.641.0077 137 W. Tomichi Ave., Suite A Gunnison, CO

www.BHHSTodayRealty.com

970.349.1394 315 Sixth St., Crested Butte, CO

THE WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC AND WESTERN MUSIC PARTNERS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE

Western Holiday Gala and Second Annual Fundraiser

Thank you to our silent auction donors:

ACE Hardware • Basecamp Bakery - Rachel Coleman • Teresa Anderson Berkshire Hathaway • Cake Me Away - Alyssa Atzenbeck • Corner O T U ANK YO FOR Cupboard • Crested Butte Aspen - Tommy Rozman A BIG T H • Dos Rios Golf Club • Gene Taylors Sporting K ON BAN ND S I N N U G Goods • Gunnison Gallery • Ol’ Miner Restaraunt PPORT A YOUR SU RSHIP • Original Water Colors - Karen Clement • Sarah’s SPONSO Violin Bags - Sarah Cranor • Tango Clothing and Jewelry Boutique • Three Rivers Resort • Tractor Supply • Tributary Coffee Roasters • Turquoise Junction • WCU Art Department • WCU Bookstore

AND THANK YOU TO SODEXO FOR PROVIDING OUTSTANDING SNACKS AND TREATS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WATCH CONCERTS LIVE AND CHECK OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA! @ MUSIC AT WCU

The Thompson Divide is home to the headwaters of Anthracite and Daisy creeks. (Courtesy Brett Henderson)

On Dec. 8, the U.S. Forest Service released a draft environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact for the Thompson Divide Mineral Withdrawal project.

The Thompson Divide project would protect approximately 225,000 acres of public lands extending from the area west of Crested Butte to just south of Glenwood Springs from new mining claims for 20 years. The stated purpose of the proposed withdrawal is to protect and preserve cultural, agricultural, ranching, wildlife, air quality, recreational, ecological and scenic values in the Thompson Divide area of Colorado from potential impacts that might arise from mineral exploration and development. A secondary purpose of the withdrawal application is to retain a more contiguous landscape with more efficient and effective management of federal public lands.

The public has 30 days to comment on the EA. A virtual public meeting will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 18. The meeting will be hosted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service and consist of a short presentation on the requested withdrawal, how to submit a public comment and a question-and-answer session. To register for the meeting, visit bit. ly/4878ZFV. The Forest Service prioritization of the withdrawal is a “monumental step forward” for the Gunnison Valley, which has been seeking to protect its headwaters from a large-scale molybdenum mine for 46 years, said Julie Nania, water program director for High Country Conservation Advocates.

The Thompson Divide encompasses a large portion of the headwaters of the Gunnison River, one of the largest tributaries to the Colorado River Basin. It also includes the area surrounding Mt. Emmons, where the community has longopposed the development of a molybdenum mine within Crested Butte’s drinking water supply, she said.

“The administrative withdrawal is a significant step toward protecting our water resources in the Gunnison River

basin and beyond,” Nania said.

The proposed withdrawal also encompasses the area surrounding Red Lady, also known as Mt. Emmons, a “mountain dear to the heart of our community,” said Sue Navy, HCCA board president and founding member.

The Thompson Divide area provides rangelands, remote hunting and fishing opportunities, and includes important habitat corridors for elk and other wildlife. Within the area are a number of rivers and streams that have been designated by the state as “Outstanding Waters” for their exceptional water quality and remarkable values.

This past January, the community showed overwhelming support for the proposal which would ban future oil and gas leases and hardrock mineral claims on the Divide. The environmental assessment released today recognizes the importance of this area for diverse uses.

“The Thompson Divide withdrawal application area is relied upon for its multi-use values — by local grazers for summer range, sportsmen and women for its superlative hunting and angling opportunities and recreationists for a broad range of year-round activities,” the Forest Service states.

While the proposed mineral withdrawal would provide important interim protections against mineral and oil and gas development for the next 20 years, permanent protection of the Thompson Divide would be secured through the CORE Act. The CORE Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives several times, but has failed to advance in the Senate. Enacting the CORE Act through Congress will be necessary to secure permanent protections for the Divide area.

The protections for the Thompson Divide and area surrounding Mt. Emmons comes after decades of community advocacy to protect these unique resources. The Forest Service will accept public comment on the draft environmental assessment until Jan. 8, 2024.

(Source: High Countr y Conservation Advocates.)

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison Valley gets new housing task force Meant to improve communication between housing projects Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

While the Gunnison Valley’s many housing projects slowly move to break ground — the hundreds of units slated for Whetstone or Crested Butte’s newest federally-funded housing project, Mineral Point, for example — a new task force has been assembled to make sure all the entities are communicating.

The Gunnison Valley Housing Task Force was established to bring local housing stakeholders together from the public and private sectors. The meetings will provide a space for local housing leaders to discuss data gaps, monitor housing progress, market trends, public-private partnerships, housing vouchers and more.

The Valley Housing Fund, Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority and Williford LLC will co-lead the group the first year, before handing the reins to the Housing Authority next year.

The group received $6,500 from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority to pay for some of the partners’ time, and each agreed to contribute the rest.

“Solutions with affordable

housing take time and are complex,” Willa Williford, owner of Williford LLC, said. “It's a lot more efficient if we're all sharing our efforts and our knowledge rather than each entity trying to do that within a silo.”

Nearly every government and quasi-government agency is considering, if not actively pursuing, affordable housing projects. Western Colorado University is eyeing opportunities for new construction on the north side of campus, the Rural Transportation Authority moved more drivers into Lazy K last month and the Gunnison Watershed School District is waiting on a housing action plan from Williford next year.

Instead of simply duplicating local work around affordable housing, the task force is meant to make sure each partner is aware of what their neighbor is doing and that local entities are being strategic in the timing, type and funding for these projects.

“There needs to be an entity that evaluates, ‘are we on track?

Are we accomplishing these goals? If not, why? And what do we need to do differently?’” said Housing Fund Executive Director Lauren Koelliker. “If there's not someone who's convening those conversations, then people can assume that someone else is taking care of it.”

Prior to COVID, there was an informal group that discussed housing, but it was never formalized or separately funded, Koelliker said. This task force was formed as a result of the 2023 Resiliency Roadmap process, a county-wide planning effort that just wrapped up a few months ago. That road-

map identified housing as one of three major priorities for the Gunnison Valley in coming years.

The task force will also contribute to an updated Housing Needs Assessment — the most recent one was completed in 2016 and last updated in 2021.

But the housing market has changed since the pandemic, and inaccurate or outdated data can leave local organizations ineligible for grants. Also to be figured out is who will pay for a new assessment; they can run up to $60,000, Koelliker said.

With funding from the state’s highly-anticipated Prop. 123 set to start flowing next year, the task force will also help local housing leaders get ahead of the tide, Williford said. Gunnison County, the Town of Crested Butte and the City of Gunnison all opted into the funding, which means each will have to agree to increase the number of affordable housing units within their jurisdictions. In early October, the city committed almost 70 affordable housing units by the end of 2026.

“There may be some things next year that need to be tweaked to make sure that the funding is set up to really work for rural communities,” Williford said.

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@ gunnisontimes.com.)

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • NEWS • A13

SC REEN P RI N T I N G EM B RO I DERY F U L L SI G N SH O P PR O M O TIO NAL PR O D U C TS LIGHTNING FAST BANNER TURN-AROUND! 115 E. Georgia Ave Gunnison 970.497.0679

Wreath-making at the Rose Holiday craft-lovers gathered at the Rocky Mountain Rose on Dec. 7 to decorate their own Christmas wreaths. Owner Dani Crist welcomed community members out of the cold with a spread of festive snacks and drinks. In the back room, participants used an abundance of hot glue to attach bows, foam berries and glittered pine cones to the wreaths.

MAJESTIC THEATRE

SHOWTIMES FRI DEC 15- THURS DEC 21 **CLOSED MON DEC 18**

WONKA (PG)

DAILY*: 4:15 & 7:00 PM *CLOSED MONDAY

THE BOY & THE HERON (PG-13) DAILY*: 4:30 & 7:15 PM *CLOSED MONDAY (Photo by Abby Harrison)

CBMAJESTIC.ORG

A14 • NEWS • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

Lighting the night for Hanukkah The windows of the Gunnison County Library shone brighter than usual last week when the first candles of Hanukkah were lit on Dec. 7. B’nai Butte organized an interfaith event at the library to celebrate the first of the eight days of Hanukkah. With the help of local ceramicist Abra Karbin, community members made Menorahs out of clay and lit them in front of the audience while reciting a Jewish prayer. Holocaust survivor Adele Beim, the mother of local orthopedic surgeon Gloria Beim, also shared her story of survival.

(Photos by Abby Harrison)

First Baptist Church Invites You To A

6:00

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023

LISTINGS TODAY

38 641.1414 Stop by: Gunnison Country Times 218 North Wisconsin Gunnison, CO 81230 Email: classifieds@ gunnisontimes.com Ad policy & Rates:

• $7 for 20 words or less, 20¢ each additional word.

• Display Classified rate is $9.40 per column inch.

• Deadline is NOON SHARP TUESDAY.

gunnisontimes.com SCAN TO PLACE AN AD

Classifieds EMPLOYMENT

EC ELECTRIC IS SEEKING

Journeyman & Residential Wireman for projects in the Gunnison and Crested Butte areas. Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license and pass a pre-employment drug screen.

Top pay & Benefits.

Send resumes to info@ec-electric.com or call 970-641-0195

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:

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Counselor-CBES COACHING:

EMPLOYMENT REAL ESTATE RENTALS

A15 A16 A16

GHS-Speech and Debate GHS-Assistant Girls Basketball Coach

NOTICES

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

CROSSWORD

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LEGALS

COMMUNITY

Competitive pay, 401K, insurance, paid vacations. 40 hour work week.

Apply at John Roberts Motor Works.

www.ec-electric.com/careers

Bus Drivers Food Service-CBCS ELL Educational Assistant-CBCS and GMS Assistant Building Manager-CBCS Lead Custodian-Lake School Permanent Substitute-GHS Substitute Teachers

CLASSIFIEDS

JOHN ROBERTS MOTOR WORKS SEEKS COLLISON CENTER TECHNICIANS AND AUTOMOTIVE CENTER TECHNICIANS.

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR: Mountain Roots seeks a professional fundraiser to lead fundraising efforts, cultivate donor relationships and outreach, oversee strategic fundraising initiatives for this dynamic and growing food systems nonprofit. Ideally a strong leader, goal-oriented, creative ideas person. Starting salary $62-68K DOE with benefits. mountainrootsfoodproject.org/joinour-team.

100% EMPLOYER-PAID health, dental, vision and life insurance for employee plus dependents. Retirement matching, paid holidays, vacation and sick time are also benefits with the year-round position of Public Works Maintenance Worker/Heavy Equipment Operator. This position is with the Town of Crested Butte and operates construction equipment and vehicles to perform maintenance, repair, snow removal, construction and renovation work. Starting pay is $47,220-$57,500 DOQ plus shift differential opportunities available. The full job description and application are available on the town’s website at townofcrestedbutte. com/jobs. To apply, submit an application via email to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov.

The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

DIRECTOR OF YOUTH EDUCATION: Provide leadership, coordination and strategic growth of Mountain Roots’ districtwide, year-round youth programs focused on environmental and nutrition education.

Includes direct teaching, guiding program growth and training/management of our 3-5 person program staff. $55-60K DOE with benefits. mountainrootsfoodproject.org/joinour-team.

TEMPORARY LABORERS NEEDED: Need some cash this off season? The Town of Crested Butte Parks and Recreation Department is hiring temporary laborers for spring prep/cleanup season. Work will begin once the snow is gone from the majority of parks and public areas. Duties include raking, power washing, painting and general cleanup and repairs. Full job description and application available online at townofcrestedbutte.com click on “Careers”.

Pay $19/hour. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

COLLEGE KID HOME FROM SCHOOL THIS CHRISTMAS? Need beer money?

Shovel snow during the holiday period. $23/hour. Email office@prproperty.com or call 970-349-6281. Valid driver’s license required.

ID SCULPTURE IS HIRING Interested in making the world’s best playgrounds, climbing boulders and interactive art? ID Sculpture designs and manufactures climbing boulders, playground sculptures and fine art sculptures for parks, schools and public spaces across the country. We use a combination of technology and traditional methods to create unique interactive environments.

IDS provides secure, year-round indoor and outdoor work in a unique fabrication environment with opportunity for travel and room for advancement. We offer benefits including PTO, healthcare and retirement. ID Sculpture is an equal opportunity employer.

We are currently seeking: Production Assistant(s): Ideal candidates possess a positive attitude, good work ethic and are eager to learn. Applicants must have physical strength, hand-eye coordination, and endurance. Initial responsibilities are to provide general labor and assist artists, fabricators and shipping departments as needed. Compensation is $20-$25 per hr. depending on prior construction experience and/or aptitude.

Project Fabricator(s): The ideal candidate for this position has construction trades experience, welding experience, the ability to work well with a team and a positive attitude.

Initial responsibilities are to fabricate various components for standard and custom products. Compensation is $23-$30 per hr. depending on prior construction experience and/or aptitude.

Project Sculptor(s): The ideal candidate for this position has a passion for creating works of art, ability to work well with a team, fastidious attention to detail, a positive attitude, experience sculpting concrete, rock climbing, course setting and construction trades experience. Initial responsibilities are hands on sculpting of foam, concrete, and epoxy. Compensation is $24.50-$55.00 per hr. depending on familiarity with IDS process, prior experience, employment references and body of work.

To apply for this unique opportunity, please provide a resumé, cover letter and references to hello@idsculpture.com with the position of interest in the subject line, or drop off your resume at 591 S. Boulevard St. Gunnison, CO 81230.

Learn more about what we do at idsculpture. com.

EXPERIENCED SKID STEER OPERATOR: Needed ASAP. Very good pay and compensation for the right person. Please call Jean at 970-275-8731.

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Family Planning Nurse Practitioner/Physician’s Assistant HHS: 8 hours/week, hourly rate range from $40.44-$46.04, plus partial benefits.

Heavy Equipment Operator I Public Works: 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $21.72$24.72, plus full benefits.

Administrative Generalist HHS: 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $21.72-$24.72, plus full benefits.

Case Management Aide HHS: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,707-$5,722, plus full benefits.

Landfill Gate Attendant Public Works: 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $19.51$23.72, plus full benefits.

Deputy Chief Financial Officer Finance: 40 hours/week, starting salary range from $100,178$118,618. Full monthly salary grade range from $100,178$141,702, plus full benefits.

Caseworker I HHS: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,989 to $6,065, plus full benefits.

Public Health Nurse II – Substance Abuse Prevention, Juvenile Services: 20 hours/ week, hourly rate range from $32.03-$38.94, plus partial benefits.

Seasonal Worker Public Works: Guaranteed 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $15.75-$22.28 depending on experience, plus partial benefits.

Outdoor work that includes traffic control, fencing, tree and brush removal, trail work, recycling, equipment training and much more, all in a 4-day work week.

Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,552$7,853 plus full benefits.

Detention Deputy Sheriff: Full-time, 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,989$7,057 plus full benefits. Only work 14 days a month.

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

ADVOCACY DIRECTOR: High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) is a 501c(3) non-profit based in Crested Butte, CO with a long history of environmental advocacy. HCCA seeks to hire an advocacy director to lead efforts to protect the health, integrity and beauty of public lands in Gunnison County.

Essential responsibilities include monitoring and advocacy regarding public lands issues, membership, development and community engagement and administrative management and support, including writing grant applications. This is a fulltime, 40 hrs/week position based in Crested Butte or Gunnison, CO which allows for remote work and flexible hours.

Compensation and benefits include a base salary of $70,000-$80,000/year, DOE and a competitive benefits package including health insurance stipend, paid vacation, holidays, sick leave and personal leave.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree (Juris Doctor or relevant graduate degree

CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Emergency Communications Specialist Full-time, $54,000-$63,400/yr Performs public contact and communications duties necessary for the dispatching of all law enforcement agencies, emergency medical services and fire departments for emergency and non-emergency situations.

Police Officer Full-time, $68,900-$93,100/yr $33.13-$44.76/hr Performs technical, professional, and administrative duties related to maintaining the security of the city, protecting constitutional guarantees of all persons, protecting life and property, preserving public peace and order, preventing, solving and detecting crimes, facilitating the safe movement of people and vehicles and other emergency services as needed. POST Certification not required. The city will pay for the Police Academy if needed and pay a cadet wage of $50,900 while attending the academy.

Includes a $15,000 signing bonus. Increased wages over above-listed salary available for working nights. Personal liability insurance paid by the City of Gunnison. Housing is available. needed. POST Certification not required. The city will pay for the Police Academy if needed and pay a cadet wage of $50,900 while attending the academy.

Includes a $15,000 signing bonus. Increased wages over above-listed salary available for working nights. Personal liability insurance paid by the City of Gunnison. Housing is available.

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), 12 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 preferred), strong understanding of environmental and conservation policies and issues, general knowledge of relevant environmental laws such as NEPA, prior work experience relating to environmental legal issues and advocacy.

For more information or to apply, please visit hccacb.org/employment/employment.

HCCA is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.

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

ALL SPORTS REPLAY is seeking an experienced assistant retail manager with knowledge and a passion for the outdoor sports industry to work with a great team.

Responsibilities include supervising the everyday operations of our retail and consignment inventory, ordering products and assisting staff to work efficiently while providing excellent customer service. 40hour work week, some weekends.

Benefits include salary of $37-$44K/year, two weeks paid vacation, IRA with 3% match, employee discount. Please send your resume to Manager@ASRGunnison.com.

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • CLASSIFIEDS • A16

Gunnison Country Times

GUNNISON VALLEY HEALTH IS HIRING: Please note this is not a complete list of all our open jobs. You can view all open positions on our website at jobs.gunnisonvalleyhealth.org.

C.N.A. Class - FT $18.50, bonus offered Peer Support Specialist, Emergency Dept. - FT $17-$19.55/ hour DOE Facilities Tech - FT $21.53-$24.76/ hr DOE Admissions ER Unit Rep - FT $18$21.60/hour DOE Benefits Eligibility: Medical, dental, vision, health care FSA and dependent care FSA. All active employees working 40 or more hours per pay period are eligible for benefits on the first of the month following date of hire. PRN staff are not initially eligible for benefits.

Please visit our website for more indepth position descriptions, specific qualification requirements and to apply online: gunnisonvalleyhealth. org/careers/, or call HR for questions 970-641-1456. (PRN = as needed). All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a negative 10-panel drug screen test, criminal background check, reference checks, infection prevention procedures (TB test, Flu Shot, immunization records, etc.), physical capacity profile and acknowledgement of policies.

FOUR DAY/32 HOUR WORK WEEK: CB South Metro District is now accepting applications for a road manager and heavy equipment operator. This position would be responsible for planning, organizing and directing all activities and staff related to the district’s roads and maintenance. Duties include road maintenance, snow removal, drinking water operations, wastewater operations and other day-to-day tasks of running a utility. This job requires the applicant to have motor grader and heavy equipment experience. Applicants must be 18 years of age and have a valid Colorado driver’s license. The successful applicant is eligible to receive an elite benefit package.

Full job description, requirements, pay ranges and benefits are available on the district’s website at cbsouthmetro.net. Email resume to info@cbsouthmetro.net or drop off at 280 Cement Creek Road.

ELEVEN IS SEEKING A LODGE AND PREP COOK for our Taylor River and Scarp Ridge Lodges in Crested Butte, CO. This position will support the Colorado Culinary team with food preparations, transportation and meal service, performing at a high level in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment while maintaining a respectful, calm composure and fostering a team environment. This position will help manage inventory, maintain a clean, foodsafe, organized kitchen and interact with guests professionally to make sure they’re having the best possible experience. This position will also help host special events at all Eleven Colorado properties and off-

CLUES ACROSS

1. Mimic 4. Payroll firm 7. Perform in a play 10. Opine: __ philosophical 11. Crony 12. Political action committee 13. 1991 Wimbledon winner 15. Affirmative 16. Exclamation of disgust 19. Action of connecting 21. A way to calm 23. Especially fine or decorative clothing 24. Walked proudly 25. Group of people related through male heir 26. Supplemented with difficulty 27. Soft touch 30. Erases 34. Spanish river 35. A princess can detect it 36. Clouds of gas 41. A way to get through 45. Part of a book 46. Southwestern US state 47. Fields where rice is grown

site. One year previous food and beverage experience, along with team orientation and flexibility required. This position is fulltime, seasonal starting at $21-$23/hour, depending on experience and qualifications.

This position also receives pooled tips. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/careers/.

CB STATE OF MIND seeks an experienced and motivated individual for our development coordinator position. This is a part-time position (10-15 hours per week) with the opportunity to grow into a full-time position with the success of the role. Please email Jodi.zatorski@gmail.com with your resume and cover letter.

CRESTED BUTTE BURGER COMPANY is hiring the following positions: cooks and cashiers, flexible schedule available, starting pay $16-$18/hr. + gratuity. For more information or to submit a resume, please email: crestedbutteburgerco@gmail.com.

SNOW SHOVELER NEEDED for the winter season. $23/hour, full time hours and ski pass reimbursement. Email office@ prproperty.com or call 970-349-6281.

SERVICE PLUMBER TECHNICIAN: Timberline Mechanical Contracting is looking for a service technician for troubleshooting and plumbing repair. Plumbing and customer service experience preferred. We offer high pay, paid holidays, paid vacation, health insurance and ski pass. Clean driving record is mandatory.

Timberline Mechanical Contracting Crested Butte, CO. Phone: 970-349-5679.

Email info@timberlinemech.com.

THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is currently hiring for the position of an unlicensed operator to assist in the operation and maintenance of the wastewater plant and collection system. This year-round position includes a salary range dependent on qualifications of $42,009-$64,361 and includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer-paid employee and dependent health, dental, vision, life insurance and matching contributions to a retirement plan after one year of employment. Full job description and job application are available on the Town’s website at townofcrestedbutte.com/jobs.

To apply, please submit an application and resume to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov.

HIRING CASHIERS AND COOKS: Full and part-time pay based on experience, but expect $22 + after tips. Drop resumes at Powerstop.

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time and full-time seasonal positions: housekeeping, flexible schedule available, $20-$25/hr, general maintenance, $18-$20/hr. Employee benefits include employee discounts and ski storage at the base area. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte. com or email jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.

will play a key role in Irwin Guides activity sales and logistics, including face-to-face and phone/email interaction with guests, management of Irwin Guides office, calendars and guide staffing, communication and coordination across Irwin Guides and Eleven Experience teams, operation of Irwin Guides retail space, and the development, promotion and sales of Irwin Guides professional training programs. A strong candidate will have knowledge of the outdoor industry and local Gunnison Valley activities and at least three years experience in an administrative role. This position requires effective oral and written communication, orientation to detail, sensitivity to deadlines and responsiveness to delegation.

Incumbent must be comfortable working independently and in a fast-paced team environment. During summer and winter operations, this position will be required to work occasional early mornings and/or late afternoons, at least one weekend day per week and some holidays. This is a fulltime, benefited position starting at $55,000$60,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/ careers/.

OFFICE ASSISTANT: Seeking motivated self-starter for year-round, part time (1015 hours/week) office admin. assistant with strong computer, communication and teamwork skills. QuickBooks and payroll are a plus. Must pass pre-employment drug screen. Pay DOE ($18-25). Call 970-6411246.

REAL ESTATE ROOM FOR RENT: Taylor Canyon, 3 bed/3 bath house. Professional/student, respectful, mature desired. Dogs. Dec. 1st. $900, all included. Text 802-595-9576 for info.

SEVEN BDRM, 3 BATH HOUSE FOR RENT IN ALMONT: Close to Taylor Park for snowmobiling and fishing, Crested Butte for skiing and Gunnison for dining and shopping. Sleeps 16 comfortably, fully furnished, including kitchen appliances and on-site washer/dryer. This home is available for $4,000 a month (full month rentals only) from November through March. For more information, call 970-641-1740, or email stay@harmels.com.

2 BED/1 BATH CONDO FOR SALE in Dos Rios Condos just outside of town.

New carpet and paint, peaceful setting overlooking a pond. $265,000. Great starter home or investment property. Call 571-5500821 or email alex@alexrichland.com for more info.

HOME FOR SALE: 1,700 sq. ft. 2020 build. Very accessible single story home in great west Gunnison location. For further details enter 600 Carbon Court, Gunnison, CO into Zillow search and/or contact terravistalimited@gmail.com, 970-497-9113.

PINNACLE ORTHOPEDICS is seeking a FT medical assistant to join our team. Duties include clinical documentation, x-rays, medical supply inventory management and casting/splinting. Good organization and computer skills while working in a fast-paced environment are important. Position is for both our Crested Butte and Gunnison offices. $22-$24/hr DOE. Please send resume to office@pinnacleorthocolorado.com.

CLUES DOWN

1. Inspiring 2. Put into a box 3. Breathes out 4. Pacify 5. Patriotic society for women 6. Fell down 7. Clothing 8. Dishwasher detergent brand 9. Former French republic 13. Single lens reflex

14. Men’s fashion accessory 17. Consumed 18. Marry 20. __ up: intensifies 22. Body of water 27. People of southern Benin 28. Decorate a cake with frosting 29. Snag 31. Yearly tonnage (abbr.)

32. Records brain activity (abbr.)

33. Car mechanics group 37. Brought up to snuff 38. __ faire: Economic approach

CROSSWORD ANSWERS FOR PREVIOUS WEEK

NOTICE OF HEARING NOTICE OF HEARING BY PUBLICATION PURSUANT TO § 15-10-401, C.R.S. Gunnison County, Colorado Court Address: 200 East Avenue, Gunnison CO

Virginia 81230

In the Interest of: K.A.G., M.G.B, and M.G.B. Respondents Elizabeth P Appleton PC Elizabeth P Appleton Atty Reg 33304 PO Box 234 Crested Butte, CO 81224 Case Number: 2023PR30022, 2023PR30023, 2023PR30024 To: Kendra Gothard (Mother) Last Known Address, if any: Unknown A hearing on the petition for co-guardianship requesting guardianship of the above three minor children will be held at the following time and location, or at a later date to which the hearing may be continued: Date: January 12, 2024 Time: 10:30AM Courtroom or Division: 2 Address: 200 East Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, CO 81230 The hearing will take approximately 90 minutes.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE Notice is hereby given to the following party that their personal items stored at RE/MAX Property Management Storage, 108 S. 11th, Gunnison, CO will be sold or disposed of unless claimed by Dec. 22, 2023.

Unit 7 - Wendy Elkins Date of Redemption: December 22, 2023 Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, CO Publication dates of December 7, 14, 2023 11590

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE

TO

CREDITORS

Estate of HAROLD LESLIE BENNETT, SR., Deceased Case Number 2023PR30029 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Saguache County, Colorado on or before April 8, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Lea Ann Dickerson Person Giving c/o 415 Palmer Street Delta, CO 81416

Notice

Attorney for Personal Michael R. Dodson P.O. Box 38 Delta, CO

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of December 14, 21, 28, 2023

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of December 7, 14, 21, 2023

11651

11588

Representative, 81416

Colorado Statewide Network

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A17 • LEGALS • Thursday, December 14, 2023 PUBLIC NOTICE Saguache County Board of Commissioners Seeks Saguache County Planning Commission Members Saguache County Board of Commissioners are seeking members and alternates from: Town of Saguache surrounding area – member and alternate La Garita/Center area – member and alternate Town of Center and surrounding area – member and alternate Cochetopa area – alternate Moffat and surrounding area – alternate Hooper and surrounding area – member and alternate Villa Grove and surrounding area – member and alternate At Large for All of Saguache County – member and alternate Crestone and surrounding area – alternate

Gunnison Country Times

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT

AND

USDA FOREST SERVICE AND USDI BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT THOMPSON

DIVIDE

WITHDRAWAL

The USDA Forest Service (USFS), in cooperation with the USDI Bureau of Land Management (BLM), is conducting an analysis of the Thompson Divide Withdrawal Project. The proposed action is located in portions of the White River National Forest, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest, and BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office, BLM Gunnison Field Office, and BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, in Pitkin, Gunnison, and Garfield Counties, Colorado.

Saguache County Planning Commission members and alternates are paid $100 for every regular meeting they attend, plus mileage reimbursement.

The USFS and BLM submitted an application requesting the Secretary of the Interior withdraw approximately 224,713 acres of lands and interests administered by the USFS and BLM from all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights.

If the Secretary of the Interior were to grant the withdrawal, federal lands and interests in the withdrawal application area would be closed to sale or exchange, and no new mining claims or mineral or geothermal leases would be authorized for a term of 20 years. Non-federal lands and interests would not be subject to the withdrawal unless they are subsequently acquired by the federal government.

If you are interested, please send a brief letter of interest stating qualifications and interest to: Saguache County Land Use, Attn: Amber Wilson, PO Box 326, Saguache, CO 81149 prior to Friday, December 29th, 2023. All applicants will be interviewed by the Board of County Commissioners. Should you have any questions please call Amber Wilson at 719-655-2321.

A draft environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact for the Thompson Divide Withdrawal Project are available at the USFS project website: www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63679.

Additional information regarding this project can be obtained from Elysia Retzlaff, Withdrawal Project Manager, at elysia. retzlaff@usda.gov.

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of December 7, 14, 21, 28, 2023

Comments on the draft environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact will be accepted until Monday, January 8, 2024. Electronic comments may be submitted at https://cara.fs2c.usda. gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=63679.

Written comments may be submitted by mail or hand delivered to Anthony Edwards,

The representative must be a property owner or property manager and reside in the area they are interested in representing. Regular member terms are for three years and the alternate terms are for one year.

Saguache County Planning Commission meets on the last Thursday of each month in the Road and Bridge meeting room. The Planning Commission may also have work sessions throughout each month to work on the Saguache County Master Plan and different items.

11556

Bethany Church 909 N Wisconsin St.

(behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144 Two services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

FREE lunch for college students following the 10:30 a.m. service gunnisonbethany.com 9 a.m.: Family Service with nursery & children’s church Check out our website for updates!

Or download our app on the App Store by searching, Gunnison Bethany.

B'nai Butte Congregation

PO Box 2537 Crested, Butte CO 81224 305-803-3648 Dec. 15, 6 p.m.: Shabbatluck potluck and service.

Please bring a generous dish to share.

Dec.16, 10:30-12 p.m. Kibbitz with the Rabbi @ Rumors Coffee shop, Crested Butte.

2-4 p.m. Shabbat candle holder making kids of all ages welcome!

Light snacks will be provided.

5:30 -7 p.m. Havdallah service and appetizers. Please bring appetizers or drinks to share.

Dec. 17, 11 a.m. Torah Study RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com (305) 803-3648 www.bnaibutte.org

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.

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

Deputy Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forest, 2250 South Main Street, Delta, Colorado 81416. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am-4:00 pm, excluding federal holidays. Comments sent by email will not be accepted.

It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure timely receipt of any comments submitted.

All comments received, including names and addresses of commenters shall be placed in the project file and shall become a matter of public record for this proposed action. The Responsible Official for this decision is the Secretary of the Interior. Neither the request for the withdrawal to the Secretary, nor the decision by the Secretary is subject to the USFS pre-decisional administrative review (objection) process under 36 CFR Part 218 or the administrative appeal process at 43 CFR Part 4 or 36 CFR Part 214.

The Forest Service will host a virtual public meeting on Monday, December 18th from 6 pm-7 pm. The meeting will consist of a short presentation explaining the requested withdrawal, information on how to submit a comment, and a question-and-answer session. Register for the virtual public meeting at https://bit.ly/4878ZFV. To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Olivia Blake at 970-200-6195 or olivia.blake@usda.gov.

The public meeting will be recorded and posted on the USFS project website for those unable to attend.

The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of December 14, 2023 11614

Faith Directory

New Song Christian Fellowship

77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034 A Christ Centered Gospel Sharing Community where we want to be part of a community who encourage and support one another in our spiritual journey.

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

Community Church of Gunnison

107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925 Pastor Larry Nelson Christmas Eve Service 7:00 p.m.

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 9:30 a.m. Share & Prayer Fellowship 10 a.m. Sunday School Classes 11 a.m. Morning Worship Service 6 p.m. Evening Service Wednesday 7 p.m. - Children's Patch Club Gunnison Bible Institute Thursday 7 p.m. - College & Career Christian Fellowship www.firstbaptistgunnison.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. www.trinitybaptistsgunnison.com

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church

711 N. Main • 970-641-1860 Children’s Christmas Program Sunday, December 17th at 10 AM Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7 PM Christmas Day Service at 10 AM

The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church 307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429 Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar Sunday Morning Holy Eucharist, Rite II 9 a.m.

Children's Sunday school 9 a.m. - 9:40 a.m.

Office Hours: M-Th 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. www.goodsamaritangunnison.com Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Sunday 5 p.m.

Union Congregational Church, 403 Maroon Ave., Crested Butte.

Grace Covenant Church Gunnison

101 N. 8th St. Gunnison Meeting at the Historic 8th St School House Reformed, Confessional & committed to Expository preaching Sundays 10:00 a.m.

Thursdays 1:00 p.m.

Women's Bible Study gracegunnison.com

The Rising Church

92 C.R. 17 • 970-444-1545 Service times: Sundays @ 9:30 a.m., Men’s and Women’s group, Tuesday @ 6:30 p.m.

Rising Gen (youth ministry) Thursdays @ 6 p.m.

Gunnisonrising.church for more details!

Rocky Mountain Christian Ministries

1040 Highway 135 (1/4 mile N. of Spencer Ave.) • 970-641-0158 Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.

Nursery and Children’s ministry through Middle School “Remedy” Worship Nights Small Group Ministries www.rmcmchurch.org

St. Peter’s Catholic Church 300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808

CHRITMAS MASS TIMES

Christmas Eve (Dec. 24 Evening– Sunday): St Peter(Gunnison): 5:30 p.m. Christmas Play 6 p.m. Bilingual (Mass) Queen of All Saints(Crested Butte): 8:30 p.m. (Mass) Christmas Day (Dec. 25—Monday): Queen of All Saints(Crested Butte): 8:30am– Mass St Peter(Gunnison): 11am Bilingual – Mass

Gunnison Congregational Church United Church of Christ 317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203 Open and Affirming Whole Earth · Just Peace Sunday, 10:00 a.m.

Casual, Relaxed, “Come As You Are” Worship www.gunnisonucc.org

IRA, call or visit by April 17.

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Gunnison Country Times

Lights & Sirens

CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT

WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — 433 UTE LN.

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • NEWS • A19

PRIMARY CARE IN GUNNISON & CRESTED BUTTE

DEC. 9

DEC. 4 ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE - MUNICIPAL — 700 N. SPRUCE ST. MEDICAL CALL — W. OHIO AVE. ACCIDENT — 200 N. WISCONSIN ST. CRIMINAL TRESPASS - MUNICIPAL — 123 N. 10TH ST. ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE MUNICIPAL — 1006 W. TOMICHI AVE. CRIMINAL TRESPASS - MUNICIPAL — 103 CHIPETA CT.

DEC. 5 NUISANCE CODE VIOLATION — 113 W. TOMICHI AVE. PROPERTY - FOUND — 711 N. TAYLOR ST. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE TO PROPERTY — 221 N. WISCONSIN ST. INFORMATION — 304 W. TOMICHI AVE. THEFT - UNDER $100 MUNICIPAL —1410 ROCK CREEK RD.

DEC. 6 JUVENILE PROBLEM — E. TOMICHI AVE. ANIMAL - VICIOUS/DANGEROUS - MUNICIPAL — 516 E. GEORGIA AVE. INFORMATION — N. MAIN ST. CIVIL PROBLEM — 715 W. SPENCER AVE. THEFT: TWO OR MORE THEFTS IN SIX MONTHS — 900 N. MAIN ST. THEFT: TWO OR MORE THEFTS IN SIX MONTHS — 900 N. MAIN ST.

DEC. 7 ASSAULT: THIRD DEGREE - BODILY INJURY — BLAZE TRAIL RD. TRAFFIC - DROVE VEHICLE WHILE REVOKED HTO — 208 W. NEW YORK AVE.

DEC. 8

DEATH INVESTIGATION — SHADOW BROOK LN. ANIMAL VIOLATION - ABANDONMENT — 321 REED ST.

DEC. 10 PROPERTY - FOUND — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE. WELFARE ASSIST — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE. NUISANCE CODE VIOLATION — 318 S. 12TH ST. NUISANCE CODE VIOLATION — 615 W. SAN JUAN AVE. WELFARE ASSIST — N. TAYLOR ST. CRIMINAL TRESPASS - MUNICIPAL — 900 N. MAIN ST. CRIMINAL T R E S PA S S : THIRD DEGREE — MAIN ST.

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT DEC. 5 -Trespassing report - unfounded -Unattended death -Dog at large - deputies located the owner

DEC. 6 -Deputies assisted the Gunnison Police Department with an active trespass -Missing person report - located/ found safe -Welfare check

DEC. 7 -Felony warrant arrest -Deputies assisted Emergency Medical Services with a medical call -Deputies assisted the GPD with a traffic stop -Welfare check

DEC. 8

ANIMAL TREATMENT - CRUELTY - MUNICIPAL — 807 W. NEW YORK AVE. ACCIDENT - HIT AND RUN — 313 S. 12TH ST. FRAUD - INFORMATION — 1000 W. NEW YORK AVE. ACCIDENT — 1000 W. NEW YORK AVE. HARASSMENT: GESTURE/LANGUAGE IN PUBLIC — W. NEW YORK AVE.

-Information report on a domestic dispute -Deputies assisted the Colorado State Patrol with a single-vehicle accident -Deputies assisted the CSP with a two-vehicle collision

DEC. 11 -Deputies assisted the GPD with a domestic in progress

Have an idea? Let us know!

Whether it’s family medicine, internal medicine or pediatric care, our highly qualified and personable providers are your partners in health.

Primary care for the whole family including: • Routine wellness checks • Treatment of injury & illness for children and adults • Vaccines and flu shots • Diagnosis of medical • Medicare annual visits conditions

In Gunnison: Monday - Friday And In Crested Butte: Tuesday - Thursday To schedule an appointment, contact: 970-642-8413 WWW.GUNNISONVALLEYHEALTH.ORG

G IVE LIG HT

Luminarias LIGHT UP ON THE DARKEST DAY OF THE YEAR:

DEC 21st, 5-7PM Creating connectivity via luminarias is an inspired way to unite with our neighbors, friends, families and Valley during the Holidays # GIVE LIGHT open until 7 pm for your shopping convenience Corner Cupboard Last Ditch Thrift Turquoise Junction Cake Me Away Hope & Glory Treads ‘N’ Threads

Toggery Elevated Blue Mesa Music Abracadabra Tango Boom-A-Rang Gunnison Arts Center Pawsitievely Native Rooted Apothecary Miller Furniture Pat’s Screen Printing Double Shot

S H A R E T H E L I G H T. W A R M T H E H E A R T. W ATC H T H E G LO W The Gunnison Country Times is always looking for the stories that impact the lives of our valley’s residents.

Submit your article, photos and story ideas to editor@gunnisontimes.com or give us a call at 970.641.1414 218 N. Wisconsin St. | 970.641.1414 | gunnisontimes.com

Join us on Main Street in the lighting of the Luminarias.

Come celebrate with your local businesses!

A20 • NEWS • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

Tired of paying fees for your business and personal checking accounts?

Here is your “mooove it” kit: • Write a check from your existing bank account to yourself and/or your business.* • Bring the check(s) with a valid ID and your SSN to our friendly new account folks.** • Make sure to close out your old account so you don’t pay any more than you already have.

You have to MOOOVE it to IMPROVE it.

• Take a deep breath. You are in good hands. *

If the bank you are moving from requires a cashier’s check or wire to close your account, GB&T will reimburse you for their fee. ** If you are moving your business account, touch base with a GB&T new accounts person for additional information.

We look forward to protecting your hard-earned money and reinvesting it into our community.

232 W Tomichi Ave. • Gunnison 970.641.0320 gunnisonbank.com

Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District Announces 2024 Grant Funding Opportunities!

GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FEB 15, 2024 AT 5 P.M.!

All individuals and groups applying are encouraged to contact the District at 970-641-6065 or at: beverly@ugrwcd.org PRIOR to application submission! $300,000 Available!

Projects must have a 50 percent match.

Projects must be ready for implementation in 2024.

Projects must meet the District's mission and purpose.

For application packet, please visit www.ugrwcd.org/grant-funding Examples of projects: new water supplies; irrigation improvements/ infrastructure; restoration or habitat improvements; water conservation projects; education and more!

(See guidelines in packet.)

COMMUNITY: Jermaine opens new bar at airport, B4

WEATHER: Winter off to a dry start, B4

SPORTS: GHS girls wrestling wins tournament, B6

GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023

Women of the

Land

Tina Butterfield stands next to one of her paintings, titled “RancHER,” outside of her Gunnison home. (Photos by Bella Biondini)

Local artist and writer collaborate to tell ‘stories of the now’ Bella Biondini Times Editor

A growing pile of paintings leans against the walls of the little studio tucked behind Tina Butterfield’s house, settled amidst the sagebrush hills outside of Gunnison. It’s here she creates images of the women who are shaping the future of the Gunnison Valley through their connection with the land and the same rolling mesas she can see from her backyard.

Butterfield and local writer Quincy Knight have become keepers and curators of the valley’s current history. It's one

told solely by the women who have forged a relationship with the land they live on, whether through hunting, ranching or stewardship of the valley’s sprawling land and mountain ranges. It’s a brief snapshot in time, but one the pair hopes is not forgotten. Through their ongoing project, titled “Women of the Land,” the pair is capturing the “stories of the now” in paintings and poems.

Butterfield has worked as an artist in the Gunnison Valley for almost 20 years and teaches art at Western Colorado University.

When she moved to an older home outside of town in 2021, she realized she wanted to learn more about the local history of the people and the land.

She decided to visit the Gunnison Pioneer Museum, but wasn't quite sure what she was searching for. There, she spent hours sorting through hundreds of photographs. Butterfield Women, B2

Quincy Knight sits next to one of Butterfield’s paintings at the studio. Knight is the local writer behind the ongoing Women of the Land project.

B2 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

Women from B6

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quickly noticed something was missing from Gunnison’s history, which she said is told overwhelmingly by white men.

When Butterfield tried to learn more about the women who lived in the valley long ago, she found few photographs.

Chipeta or White Singing Bird, also known as the “Queen of the Utes,” was one of the first she found, Many of the photos did not list the names of the women.

“At first I thought I might tell that story, but there isn't enough there,” Butterfield said.

“Then I realized that I didn't want this history, this ‘right now,’ to also go by, and not have these women documented in the way that they should be.”

She asked the Gunnison Valley community to nominate women who work, live off of and create with the land. Butterfield received 100 responses in 24 hours, spurring the creation of a project that continued to grow larger as years passed.

Soon after, Knight, a friend of Butterfield, expressed interest in bringing Women of the Land to life, with a specific desire of fostering the project through her words. As they worked together, the project became stronger.

After conducting interviews and photographing, Butterfield creates a series of paintings and drawings about each nominee. She sends the recordings to Knight, who tells the same story through poems. While each piece can stand alone, the paintings and poetry compliment each other, creating a more complete representation of the women they work with.

Butterfield captures the likeness and spirit of each woman

she interviews in earthy tones by creating her own waterbased paints. While she’s interviewing, she oftens collects colors and items from the land the women connect with the most, whether it be dirt, weeds or seeds. These organic materials are then dried, crushed and added to seaweed, which eventually thickens into paint.

Found sticks and feathers become drawing utensils.

It typically takes Butterfield two or three different paintings to truly portray their stories.

Sometimes it’s a dynamic portrait. Others are the landscapes and world the women work, live and play in. Her paintings tell the history of women like Cloe Parker, a young lady who recently took over operations at Parker Pastures, Jess Young, a leader in science and an administrator at Western, flower farmer Alexis Taylor and huntress Gabriela Zaldumbide. She has interviewed roughly 25 women so far.

Knight rarely meets the women in person and instead lets their voices guide her. The poems she writes are always a work in progress. She listens to voice memos in her car on her way to work and scribbles on notepads while her kids are watching cartoons, seeking the perfect word or turn of phrase.

What Butterfield can’t illustrate through art, Knight captures through words.

“They say a picture's worth 1,000 words, but sometimes you need a few,” Knight said.

With a goal of making sure the women feel celebrated and accurately depicted by the project, Knight returns to each nominee for feedback. She wrote this in the poem about Kyrsten Taramarcaz, a rancher who also works in town to provide for her family. It is titled “RancHER.”

BE A LIFE ENRICHING CAREGIVER (CNA) CLASS FROM JANUARY 29 - MARCH 3 Class Requirements: Virtual class with an instructor from the Technical College of the Rockies (TCR) with onsite Lab Skills in Gunnison. Students agree to work in a part-time or full-time status at the GVH Senior Care Center after obtaining their certification.

• Starting wage of $18.50/hour with weekend & shift incentives!

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• 27% of nursing staff utilize this program!

WANT A REWARDING CAREER WITH GREAT BENEFITS? Call Human Resources at (970) 641-7228.

To apply, visit WWW.GUNNISONVALLEYHEALTH.ORG/CAREERS

A portrait of local rancher Cloe Parker. (Courtesy Tina Butterfield)

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B3

Gunnison Country Times “My eyes are open long before the dawn.

Silence abounds, but I must move on.

Slowly I rise, walk down the hall Coffee pot started, I survey it all.

Looking out the window at the kitchen sink, I see generations, pushed to the brink By this land, the weather, and the price of hay.

None of us would have it any other way.

The sky turns lavender, yellow, then blue.

The tall grasses stir and the cattle too …

Dishes cleaned, kids lunches and breakfast prepped.

Monday will come quick after I’ve slept.

Tomorrow I’ll go to work to help pay the bills, provide our insurance, and feel fulfilled.

It takes all of us to make it run Our family’s commitment is never done.

Our blood and bones are tied to this land.

Not a burden, but pride for our brand.

This ranch is more than a home to me.

It’s a living breathing legacy.

When Butterfield and Knight started the project, they thought no one would know about it until it was finished. But the work soon outpaced them, and word spread through the community. They have since spoken at a Gunnison TICTalk and in Grand Junction, and have plans to form Women of the Land into a book. While they still have a lot of work ahead of them, the pair feels a sense of urgency to document history before too many things change.

“The audience for this project is the women,” Knight said. “We want them to feel seen, heard, depicted and documented.”

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)

GUNNISON VALLEY SENIORS CALENDAR Be a Smile-Maker! Donate to Senior Meals! Donate to help the Gunnison Senior Center’s – Senior Meals program keep the costs of our meals down. Checks payable to: City of Gunnison. Mail to: Gunnison Senior Center, 200 E. Spencer Ave., Gunnison, CO 81230.

Ongoing Senior Services

Delivery AssistanceSENIOR Hotline: (970) 641-7959 - assistance with ordering, CENTER PROGRAMS pick-up and delivery of groceries and prescription medications.

• Dec. 15 (11:30am): Senior Meals with Christmas Carol Sing-Along. RSVP for a delicious This includes deliveries from theChristmas Food Bank. meal, then stay to sing your favorite carols accompanied by Jody Coleman on keyboards.

• Dec.Meals: 20 (11:30am): Mealsfor - Holiday Meal.

Reservations required (unless you Senior (970) Senior 641-8272 advance orders OR (970) 641-2107 for regularly receive meals). $5.00 per person for ages 55 & up. same-day service. delivery only!

Meals served Mondays, • Nordic Ski Lessons:Pick-up Startingor Thurs., Jan. 4th!

3-week session, reservations required.

Costs: FREE Lessons + Senior Centernote: membership (occasional $7 are transportation all meals, all days $4 duringfee). this time.

Wednesdays, & Fridays.

Please

Order in advance if possible!

Upcoming Regular Activities: Mondays – Bridge @ 1 pm;menu: Tuesdays – Canasta @ 2pm; Wednesdays – Book Club @ 1 pm on 1st Weds. of month; Thursdays – Bridge @ 1 pm; Fridays – Art Club @ • March 27:& Mahjong Lasagna,@green 12:30 pm 1 pm beans, salad, garlic bread, dessert • March 30: Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, fruit, dessert All RSVPs and more info on Senior Center programs: egillis@gunnisonco.gov or 970-6418272. 1: Stew, carrot/raisin salad, Mandarin oranges, rolls, dessert • April FITNESS @ THE REC CENTER – Sign up at the Rec Center front desk!

Butterfield collects items from the land the women connect with the most, whether it be dirt, weeds or seeds. The organic materials are then dried, crushed and made into paint.

Senior Shopping Hours:in the Gym Mondays & Wednesdays • Silver Sneakers Boom Muscle @ 9:30 am Fridays (7AM – 8AM) • City Market – Mondays, Wednesdays, • Silver Sneakers Classic @ 10:15 am • Safeway – Tuesdays Thursdays Tuesdays @ 10am in the&Leisure Pool (7AM – 9AM) • Walmart – Tuesdays (6AM 7AM) • Silver Sneakers Splash Class–(all levels) • Gunnison Vitamin & Health Food Store – Monday - Saturday (8AM – 9AM) SENIOR MEALS Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays am.day $5.00 per meals.

Advanced orders • Clark’s Market (Crested Butte)@ –11:30 Every (8AM – 9AM) appreciate (24 hours). Pick-ups between 11 – 11:15 am (advanced orders only).

ORDER MEALS: 970-641-8272

Self-reporting Form:come www.gunnisoncounty.org/covid19.

MENU: (all meals with dessert!)

Mon.,symptoms Dec. 18: Shepherd’s salad, homemade bread, If you•have but arePie, otherwise OK, please fillfruit out the form.

• Weds., Dec. 20: Holiday Meal!

Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, If you cannot fill out the form, call the Call Center (970) 641-7660.

green bean casserole, homemade rolls. RSVPs are required (unless you receive delivered meals)!

• Fri., Dec. 22: CLOSED for Christmas Holiday. having symptoms, cannot fill out the Call Center: (970) 641-7660.

If you are • Dec. 22, 2023 – Jan. 5, 2024: CLOSED. Senior Meals will re-open on Mon., Jan. 8, 2024.

online form, or your symptoms are worsening, call the Call Center. DO NOT go & visitors welcome!

Homebound 55 & up eligible delivery. If you need toWalk-in your doctor’s or the hospital.

If itadults is anages emergency, callfor 911. a ride, call GVH Senior Bus @ 970-596-6700 (call in advance) or call the Senior Center 970-6418272.

Please practice social isolation.

Remain SERVICES 6 feet or more from others when ONGOING needing to be Food out, Pantry but staying at(1home if Wednesdays at all possible.

Gunnison Country – Mondays – 4 pm), (1 – 7 pm), Thursdays for 60+ (10 am “Way of life,” by Butterfield. This painting is part of Cloe Parker’s collection.

– 2 pm). Contact: 970-641-4156, Located on the SW Corner of Main St. & Ohio Ave. GVH Senior Bus: 7 days a week, 9 am – 4 pm. Call in advance! 970-596-6700.

The Gunnison Senior Center & –Community Recreation Center Crested Butte Senior Bus: Monday thru Friday, 9 am 4 pm Services Montrose & Grand Junction for medical appointments. Call at least 1isweek in advance, or more.

970-275-4768. closed until April 30th.

Gunnison County HHS Senior Resource Office: Call for appointments. 970-641-3244.

B4 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

Jermaine Rodney to bring food service to Gunnison airport

Bar 78 will open in early 2024 Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor

Travelers passing through the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport can soon enjoy a new dining option — complete with a full bar and readymade provisions — at Jermaine Rodney’s latest venture, Bar 78.

After approaching airport administrators this fall to fill a need for a food and drink operation in the newly renovated terminal, Rodney was awarded a one-year lease and is expecting to be open for business as early as Jan. 20, 2024. The name, Bar 78, is a nod to the airport’s elevation (approximately 7,678 feet above sea level ) — a fitting title for a bar operating in an aviation hub.

Located behind security on the upper floor of the terminal, the new establishment will only be accessible to visitors arriving or departing through the airport, and isn’t expected to increase competition for downtown restaurants. Seeing an opportunity to provide a service to a different demographic than his usual customers at Jermaine’s and Sportsman’s Liquor in Gunnison, Rodney has been hard at work on a menu of “grab-and-go” items in addition to full bar service.

While details on specific menu items will remain under wraps until the bar opens, guests can expect a new atmo-

sphere, tone and menu that sets the establishment apart from his other operations, and a focus on “simple, curated food — nothing expensive,” Rodney said. The main highlight will be on the bar, where customers will be able to purchase a variety of drinks on tap, as well as cocktails.

Rodney has purchased all of the needed appliances, and is just waiting for a few things to ship. Signage is also currently in production and will be added to the space soon. While the finishing touches are still coming together in the space, Rodney said he knows better than to wait until the last minute to get the ball rolling on staffing during the busy winter season. He’s already begun his search for employees, most notably a bartender and someone to handle the food.

Because of the grab-and-go nature of the menu, waitstaff will not need to handle table service. As soon as he hires employees and the remaining appliances are installed, Bar 78 can start offering food service.

Bar service will begin when the liquor license is processed — on Jan. 23, at the earliest.

Jermaine Rodney (Photo by Bella Biondini)

(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@ gunnisontimes.com.)

The soon-to-be Bar 78 is located just beyond the terminal’s escalators. The space is furnished with a spacious bar and an alcove of tables. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

Winter looking warmer and drier than usual

Bruce ‘Barometer’ Bartleson Special to the Times

Now that it’s officially winter, let’s take a look at our fall weather in comparison to longterm records.

L o o k i n g at t h e m o nt h s of September, October and November in Gunnison combined, we show the following.

The high temperatures averaged 60.9 degrees, compared to the long-term average of 59.6 degrees. The low temperatures averaged 23 degrees, versus the long-term average of 21.6 degrees. The average temperature was at 42 degrees, compared to the long-term 40.5 degrees.

Of some note are the high temperatures of Nov. 6, 7 and 8, which were all 64 degrees — very close to the record of 66

degrees. But that’s not even close to the 77-degree day Pueblo had on Dec. 7. As with the summer, we’re showing a larger change in the overnight lows and warming by about the same rate as the rest of the state.

As far as precipitation, we had 1.57 inches total for the combined months, compared to the long-term average of 2.25 inches. That was mostly due to one day in late October when we showed 0.77 inches.

Snowfall is also well below average, having only 2.2 inches so far, when the long-term average is 6.7 inches. Yes, we’re getting dryer.

So far in December, we’ve enjoyed a relatively mild winter, with the coldest official temperature coming in at “only” 7 below zero on Dec. 10. The record for that date is 35 below, set in 1951, but it is a matter of record that extreme winter lows are getting warmer.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed!

(Bruce Bartleson is a retired emeritus professor of geology at Western Colorado University.

He spends most of his time now watching the weather.)

The average November temperatures in Gunnison. (Courtesy Alantha Garrison)

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B5

Gunnison Country Times

PEOPLE & HAPPENINGS High school theater The Gunnison High School Drama Club presents “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr.” on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 4 p.m. at Gunnison High School. Tickets will be available at the door with a suggested donation of $5.

Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and book by Linda Woolverton.

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr.” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theater International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. Learn more MTIShows.com.

Dance class registration Crested Butte School of Dance spring registration is open.

Classes run from Jan. 8-May 4, 2024 for youth and Jan. 8- April 12 for adults. Visit dancecrestedbutte.org to view schedules, create accounts and register. Contact programs@dancecrestedbutte. org for more information.

‘Humbug! An Improvised Christmas Carol’ Firebird Theatre Company presents ‘Humbug! An Improvised Christmas Carol’, the classic Charles Dickens story retold with audience suggestions and seat-of-the-pants improv. The performance will be held at two different locations: Dec. 15 at The Almont Resort at 8 p.m., and Dec. 16, 22 and 23, at 7 p.m. at Queen of All Saints

Parish Hall, 403 Sopris Ave. in Crested Butte. Tickets are $5 for kids, $10 for adults and may be purchased at firebirdcb.com.

‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’ You may be familiar with the Nutcracker ballet, but do you know the actual story on which it’s based? Firebird Theatre Company presents “ The Nutcracker and the Mouse King'' at the Majestic Theatre in Crested Butte on Dec. 16 and 17 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for kids, $10 for adults and may be purchased in advance at cbmajestic.org.

Wildfire and natural disaster resilience expo Join Gunnison High School science and history students on Dec. 14 from 5-8 p.m. at the Fred Field Center to learn about the risks of wildfire in our community, how you can be prepared and how to help our community become more resilient to natural hazards. Dinner will be provided.

Maker’s market The Gunnison Holiday Maker’s Market will take place on Dec. 17 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Fred Field Center, featuring artists, makers and farmers from the Gunnison and San Luis valleys. Shop unique handcrafted gift items perfect for everyone on your holiday list. Visit salidamakersmarkets.com or call Desiree at 719.221.1003 for more information.

AFTER R C OON N

Hartman Castle presentation Jo i n t h e C re s t e d B u t t e Museum for a slideshow and historical talk on Hartman Castle by Polly Oberosler and friends on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. One of the most iconic structures in Colorado, Hartman Castle is right here in the Gunnison Valley. Apres-ski refreshments will be served.

Wonderland fundraiser Wonderland Nature School is holding an online fundraiser through Dec. 22. Visit wns. betterworld.org/auctions/holiday-silent-auction to donate or email board@wonderlandnatureschool.org for more information.

December’s Craft:

marbled e

ornaments 12.21.2023

5 o’clock

at the gunnison library

Kindly RSVP TO:

Ellen@GunnisonCountyLibraries.org

Caregiver support group The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Support Group meets on the first Wednesday of every month from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Gunnison County Library. For more information, contact group facilitator Mary at 970.596.5667 or taktser8@gmail.com.

Overeaters Anonymous Overeaters Anonymous meets on Thursdays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. at The Last Resort, located at 114 Wisconsin St. in downtown Gunnison. This is an open meeting.

Crafternoons are monthly maker-oriented sessions intended for adults & teens. ~ FREE ~ & all materials provided

HOLIDAY DRINK SPECIALS! Eggnog Latte Eggnog Chai Caramel Apple Cider Butter Rum White Mocha

ARTS BRIEFS

Gingerbread Chai

‘The Nutcracker: Rated CB’

Holiday concert

GAC gala

The Crested Butte School of Dance and the Crested Butte Center for the Arts present “The Nutcracker: Rated CB” on Dec. 15 and 16 at 7 p.m. at the CB Center for the Arts. Ticket prices range from $25-$50 and may be purchased at crestedbuttearts. org.

A quintet from Colorado Brass comes to the Crested Butte Center for the Arts on Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. for some rousing holiday favorites. Bring the whole family. Ticket prices range from $35-$50 and may be purchased at crestedbuttearts.org.

The Gunnison Arts Center’s annual gala will take place on Dec. 15 from 6-9 p.m. in the Rady Building at Western Colorado University, featuring live music from Evelyn Roper and Opal Moon, appetizers, drinks, dancing, a live auction and more. Find tickets and more information at gunnisonartscenter.org.

The best kind of Christmas music Festive music flowed from Western Colorado University’s Quigley Hall on Saturday, Dec. 9 at the annual holiday gala put on by the Music Department. Students, teachers and community members joined to play music and sing, spreading joy and welcoming the Christmas season.

Gingerbread White Mocha Peppermint Hot Cocoa

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December 17th- 24th Select

Estate Items will be 20-30% Off

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Only at Krivanek Jewelers 101 F St. Salida Co. 719-539-7493

BASKETBALL: Cowboys notch first win of season, B7

GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023

Cowboy swim and dive wins home meet First-place finish and qualifying times mark Gunnison Invitational Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

The Cowboy swimmers brought an electric performance to their home pool on Dec. 9 at the Gunnison Cowboy Invitational.

GHS took first place with a combined team score of 248 points against five visiting high schools. A handful of Cowboys received qualifying times in their events and punched their ticket to the state meet in early February. Head Coach Tami Maciejko said her swimmers are working to compete in more events.

“I have a younger team, so Swimming B8

GHS swim finished first, 21 points ahead of second place Summit High School. (Photos by Aric Olson)

Grapplers shine on both sides Girls win home tournament, boys compete against the best Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

The boys and girls GHS wrestling teams proved their talent over the weekend.

The Cowboys competed at the Western Slope Showdown at home on Dec. 7, while Miles Harris, Brock Fry and Royce Uhrig traveled to the Walsh Jesuit Ironman Tournament in Ohio on Dec. 8 and 9. The three boys returned from the Ironman with experience against the best in the nation.

The girls won first place at the home tournament thanks to standout performances from Caroline Sudderth and Roxie and Romie Uhrig.

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“Our guys and girls have strating a massive growth spurt shown that they have grit, and for the GHS girls program. will wrestle tough matches Meanwhile, Uhrig, Harris and force overtime,” said Head and Fry took on some of the top Coach Dave Uhrig. “Our kids grapplers in the country at the are fighting against tough kids, Ironman. Harris was the star and doing well.” of the show, finishing 2-2 — an On Dec. 7, GHS hosted its exceptional record against the first Western Slope Showdown. nation’s all-stars. Fry headBoth teams competed while the ed back to Gunnison with an three boys traveled to Ohio. On impressive 1-2 record, while the boys side, Cody Casebolt Uhrig was defeated in both of held down the fort, finishing his matches. fifth in the 120-pound division.

“Our guys rarely see this calThe girls shined on their iber of wrestling, so to go out home mats. Sudderth fin- and hang with those kids is a ished the tournament in first big deal,” Coach Uhrig said. place with a 9-0 record in the “Our guys will learn a lot from 125-pound division. Roxie and the experience, and come back Caroline Sudderth, a 2023 state qualifier, won first place with a 9-0 Romie each finished in first stronger.” place with 7-1 records in the The boys and girls varsity and record. (Photo by Bella Biondini) 135- and 155-pound brackets.

JV squads will make the journey naments where our varsity and Jan. 5 and 6 for a tournament Maddy Bacalis celebrated to Herriman, Utah for a tourna- JV teams can stick together,” he hosted at Western Colorado her first wins over the weekend, ment this weekend on Dec. 15 said. “It’s so important to build University. alongside Isabelle Crown, who and 16. Coach Uhrig said the a tight-knit team. Kids need to FRIDAY FEB. 10 SATURDAY FEB. 11 placed third with a 4-3 record opportunity to travel as a unit belong, so we’re trying to give (Alex McCrindle can be contactWCU Basketball Fort Lewis WCU Basketball in the 110-pound division.

The v will work wonders for thev Adams team them a high-quality place to ed at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunWomen 5:30 pm | Men 7:30pm Women 5 pm | Men 7 pm Cowboy girls team took first dynamic. bond and go to war together.” nisontimes.com.)

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Thursday, December 14, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B7

Gunnison Country Times

Western track and field sets new records Mountaineers close first half of season Brenna Barkley Special to the Times

The Mountaineer indoor track and field team wrapped up an impressive weekend, achieving multiple National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II provisional marks at the Mountaineer Open on Dec. 9.

The Western athletes broke a number of home records, pending official conversions. In collegiate athletics, a provisional mark means the athlete’s time or score will be considered for the national meet.

Eireann Donohoe earned her second NCAA Division II provisional mark of the weekend with a fourth-place finish in the triple jump at 11.80 meters.

In the men's 5,000-meter race, Simon Kelati shined, setting a new Mountaineer Field House record. His impressive time of 13:29.4 seconds ranks as the second-best on the performance list this season. It also stands as a provisional mark.

Ali Aldrich made her mark

in the Mountaineers' record books, claiming the second spot in the weight throw with a distance of 18.83 meters. This achievement not only secured a provisional mark, but positioned her at fourth on the performance list.

Tyler Nord also set a Mountaine er Field Hous e record in the 3,000-meter with a time of 8:25.75. It stands as the fastest time recorded in the event this season, and earned a provisional mark.

Leah Taylor's adjusted-altitude time of 9:37.73 ranked as the eighth-best time this season, and puts her in contention for the national meet.

Additionally, Peyton Weiss notched an provisional mark in the mile, clocking in at 5:02.64 at her first collegiate track meet.

Looking ahead, the Mountaineers will take a break until 2024, when they hit the road for the Colorado Running Company U CC S Invite in Colorado Springs on Jan. 19 and 20.

(Brenna Barkley is the assistant athletics communications director at Western, and can be reached at bbarkley@western. edu.)

Tyler Nord broke the home record in the 3,000-meter on Saturday. (Photo Seyun Park/Western Colorado University)

Boys basketball back on track The Cowboy boys basketball team notched its first win of the season, defeating the Grand Valley Cardinals 54-47 at home in a league matchup on Dec. 9. The victory takes GHS to a 1-2 overall record, and 1-0 in the 3A Western Slope League. The Cowboys will return to the GHS gym on Dec. 16 for a home tournament. The team is slated to face the Centauri Falcons at 11:30 a.m., and the Alamosa Mean Moose at 7:30 p.m.

Senior captain Noah Pederson finds an opening. (Photos by Aric Olson)

Jacob Riser returned to the court after recovering from a wrist injury in the fall.

Hunter Vincent lofts a floater against the backboard.

B8 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

May you r season be f i l l ed w i th j oy an d safe t r avel s!

From , th e t eam at Pr eci si on Au t om ot i ve

510 H i gh way 50 | w w w.pr eci si on au t o.n et | 970-641-4040

Swimming from B6 we’re putting kids in events they don’t normally swim in,” Maciejko said. “Swimming different strokes helps us broaden our ability. Emily [Cattles] did an awesome job in the 100 butterfly this weekend, and last season Aiden Tomlin almost qualified in the 500 freestyle — and those were two events they weren't comfortable in.”

On Saturday morning, the Cowboys began their home campaign against the Summit, Montrose, Grand Junction, Durang o and Salida high schools. Due to a late cross country season, many of the swimmers had only trained for a little over a week.

S t i l l , t h e j u n i o r- h e a v y Cowboys opened with an early spark. Kathryn Frey finished third in the 200-yard freestyle to notch a state qualifying time of 2:17.37. Jemma Petrie finished first in the 200-yard IM, while her sister, freshman Maya Petrie, placed seventh.

Sophomore June Ebbott led the Cowboys in the 100yard freestyle, finishing fifth in 1:08.03. Sam Jones took third in the burly, 500-yard freestyle with a time of 6:23.02. Junior Catalina Schwab took third in the 100-yard backstroke, and qualified for state at 1:09.30.

Jemma Petrie and Jones also qualified in the 100-yard breaststroke. The pair finished just over a second apart from each

other. Petrie won first with 1:13.89, and Jones took second in 1:15.31.

Maciejko highlighted her most valuable swimmer of the week, sophomore Moriah Greenhalgh.

“Moriah took a minute off in the 500 freestyle, had great streamline out of turns and kept tempo the whole way,” she said.

“She’s such a hard worker, and always the first in the pool. It paid off this weekend.”

The Cowboy 400-yard freestyle relay squad wrapped up the swimming events for the day, winning first with a qualifying time of 4:14.55. On the diving side, Kailyn Japuntich, a senior who recently signed with Northern Colorado University took second in the 1-meter dive.

Zia Schwab and Abby Cattles finished third and fourth.

“Kailyn has a degree of difficulty in her diving that is probably the best in the state,” Maciejko said. “Zia had a state qualifying score this weekend, but her degree of difficulty wasn’t high enough. She has the dive, but hasn’t attempted it in a meet yet.”

The GHS combined team score of 248 defeated secondplace Summit High School by 21 points, sealing the first-place victory at home. The Cowboys will return to action at a twoday meet in Montrose on Dec. 15 and 16.

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

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Tami Maciejko gives her athletes a pep talk.

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Coaching staff give last-minute advice before Sam Jones enters the water.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023

GIDDYUP

Students seek to balance busy lives Cooper Imel Giddyup Staff Writer

Between school, taking extra classes, working, sports and other extracurricular activities, high school students have to manage their time in order to stay organized. Their lives aren’t within the walls of the school, so when they leave, their real life begins.

Every student is different and handles stress in different ways. Regardless, students are constantly having to make decisions between school and their personal lives. A survey was sent out to all GHS students to collect information on how students are managing their responsibilities and what activities take up their time.

The majority of students who answered were freshmen learning new skills to stay organized.

The responses showed that a majority of the 65 students who answered don’t work during the school year, but play sports instead.

Students were asked how much time they spend on homework each night, and the most common answer was that it depends on the night. Some kids said they do their homework at school, so they have time to do other activities after school.

GHS student Ethan Pierce on the Western Colorado University climbing wall. (Courtesy Ethan Pierce)

Some students have more to manage outside of school than others. For example, junior Dakota Redden takes three college-level classes during school hours — two of which are medical classes — and four high school classes. After school during the fall, she either plays soccer on the Crested Butte girls team, works at the Ol’ Miner

Steakhouse or goes home to care for her younger brother and ranch animals.

In between, Redden makes sure to get her classwork done by focusing on two or three classes to catch up on every night. Most nights, she stays up later than her parents, putting all of her effort into school work. While being this busy,

Redden doesn’t have a lot of free time, so hanging out with friends isn’t very common for her, she said.

Participating in sports plays an important role in GHS culture. Hunter Vincent, a senior, comes from a family of athletes who played sports at GHS. Vincent plays football, basketball and baseball.

“Hunter is a strong leader who is vocal and fun to be around,” teacher and basketball Head Coach Cristian Aguilar said.

In between sports, Vincent doesn’t have a lot of time to do schoolwork. During basketball season, he struggles to stay caught up in classes because of the busy game schedule and said that math is the class he struggles with the most in staying caught up. Although he is a very busy student-athlete, Vincent makes sure he has time to hang out with family and friends, he said.

As kids grow older, they start to work to earn money for multiple reasons. Some kids work during the school year and manage to stay caught up in school. For example, GHS senior Noah Pederson works during the school year.

Pederson is employed at Dos Rios Golf Course and works 40 hours a week. Keeping up

in school isn’t a problem for Pederson because he earned his graduation credits in prior years so he only has a few classes this year. As basketball season approaches, his work schedule will shorten in order to make time for his senior season.

Even though he doesn’t have as many classes as other students, Pederson puts a lot of work into his job as a high school student.

GHS EMPLOYMENT SURVEY Out of 31 GHS students who were recently interviewed about their current or past jobs, 17 were employed during the winter. The most popular jobs for GHS students are in the food service industry, including bussing, being a cashier, washing dishes or serving.

Another popular job is retail, with six responding students working in grocery stores and local businesses around town. Other students work on cars and in snow removal.

During the summer when students have more time to work, many more students get full time jobs in construction, ranching or cleaning houses.

GHS hosts Czech exchange student Kleber Flores Giddyup Staff Writer

Votja Jirka is an exchange student from the Czech Republic who is currently attending Gunnison High School (GHS) for his senior year. Jirka is a member of the International Cultural Exchange Student Program (ICES). The program’s goal is to bring students from foreign countries to the United States so they can experience an American education.

Jirka’s school in the Czech Republic is different from GHS because it has less money to spend on the school and no sports, he said. All sports participation happens at clubs in the community. They also have different school schedules each day. Jirka’s school district, like most schools distinct in Europe, goes for a year longer than American schools. He will return to the Czech Republic in June and have one more year of school to complete before he graduates.

When coming to America, Jirka did not choose where he

would go. Jirka’s host family chose him from a list of potential exchange students. Host families typically pick exchange students who have a profile that fits the Gunnison community.

Students who are interested in winter athletics and are raised in small towns tend to be happier when they move to an environment like Gunnison.

“I really like [the host family], they are good people, I have a lot of fun with them,” Jirka said.

I don't think I could have a better host family.”

In the Czech Republic Jirka played hockey, soccer and also did karate. Even though Jirka is in the U.S., he still communicates with his family through calls and texts.

Jirka said he might come back if he has enough money, and go back to the Czech Republic in June.

Votja Jirka. (Photo by Kleber Flores)

B10 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

VETERANS’VOICE

Stories, news and resources for those who have served.

The man who never surrendered Michael Callihan Special to the Times

(Editor’s note: This article is the first of a two-part series. The next installment will appear in January 2024.)

Marble, as it occurs naturally, is not magnetic. But once fashioned into a headstone or a tomb to mark the grave of an American combat veteran, the magnetic force of this “metamorphosed limestone” can be very powerful.

I first discovered this “marble magnetism” a number of years ago when I was invited to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. It was a humbling experience, and as I stood there before that imposing marble monument I found myself wondering, “Who was this man?” Sadly, we may never know.

I experienced “marble magnetism” again earlier this year as I stood next to the far simpler marble headstone in the Gunnison Cemetery that marked the final resting place of World War I veteran, U.S. Army Private Joseph L. Reiss. His simple headstone, even as cracked and broken as it was, seemed to challenge me to find out. After months of research by me and my wife's mother, genealogist Loretta McDonald, I did find out. Whether in peace or in war, Reiss was quite simply “the man who never surrendered.” This is his story.

Joseph “Joe” Reiss was born in Spokane, Washington on March 10, 1886. He was the fifth of nine children. At 14, he left home and traveled alone to the Coeur d'Alene Country of Idaho where he labored in the confined and rock dust-filled, poorly ventilated mines typical in that era. Later he made his way to Butte, Montana and took a job in the Anaconda copper mine.

There he developed two things: a life-long interest in copper mining and “miner's consumption” — known today as silicosis — a hard-rock miner's version of a coal miner's black lung disease. Reiss could not have known how this “miner's consumption” would one day play a part in his own death.

Eventually, he left Montana, and even though his breathing became ever more difficult, Reiss didn't surrender to the disease. Instead, he traveled throughout the West, becoming well-known for his mining expertise. In the meantime his brother Phillip, had moved to the Gunnison Valley, settling near the Gunnison River in the now-submerged community of Iola. Likely out of concern for his brother's health, Phillip invited Joe to move to the Gunnison Country and take up ranching with him.

Reiss did move, but he didn't stay very long because one day there was great news! Gold and silver had been discovered south of Iola at Spencer.

Reiss and his friend, L .E. Neale, quickly headed there.

In September 1914, they located what the Gunnison News Champion reported was a “mighty fine prospect.”

Without hesitation Reiss named his copper discovery “The Anaconda.” Joe Reiss had finally found the life he dreamed of finding when he'd left Spokane 15 years earlier, but his dream was to be short-lived.

On April 2, 1917 President Woodrow Wilson finally called for a declaration of war against Germany. The resulting congressional vote took the United States into World War I. A year later it took Joe Reiss out of his mine and into an Army uniform. On May 22, 1918, he and 12 other young draftees boarded the train in Gunnison and headed for boot camp in Wyoming.

By sheer willpower he com-

Operation Tombstone is a local volunteer effort to rehabilitate the damaged or decayed tombstones of veterans at the Gunnison Cemetery. (Courtesy Mark High)

pleted the rigorous basic training. Soon, newly minted U. S. Army Private Reiss boarded a transport ship bound for Great Britain and the Great War. Upon their arrival, Yanks were warmly greeted by the English. As he

stepped off the transport ship, “The man who never surrendered" might well have been offered a cup of hot tea.

But tea or no, Pvt. Reiss of Iola, Colorado could not have known that Fate was about to

deal him a very bad hand. A very bad hand indeed.

(Michael Callihan is a former Colorado Lt. Governor and Gunnison playwright, director and producer.)

PROUD TO SUPPORT GUNNISON VALLEY VETERANS VETERAN EVENTS & LOCAL INFORMATION

SPONSORED BY:

SAT. JANUARY 6TH: VETERAN BREAKFAST AT THE AMERICAN LEGION, 9AM-11AM. ALL VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME! WED. JANUARY 17TH: VETERANS, YOUR PRESENCE IS REQUESTED! THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 54 MONTHLY MEETING, DINNER AND SOCIAL AT 5PM, MEETING AT 6PM. YOUR VOICE AND IDEAS ARE NEEDED TO “HELP AMERICA WORK”. YOU EARNED THAT RIGHT TO BELONG, SOMETHING YOU BELIEVED IN. IT’S UP TO YOU TO HELP KEEP AMERICA FREE AND SECURE.

RYAN JORDI • 970-596-1906

GHS LEGION CLUB

Preserving Historic Veteran Tombstones!

DO YOU OR A VETERAN YOU KNOW NEED HELP? PLEASE CALL THE VETERANS CRISIS LINE, DIAL 988 THEN PRESS 1, TEXT 838255, OR GO TO VETERANSCRISISLINE.NET

Interested in sponsoring this page? Contact Steve to learn more, steve@gunnisontimes.com or 970.641.1414

Thursday, December 14, 2023 • ROUNDUP • B11

Gunnison Country Times

Seniors share homemade crafts Residents at Willows Assisted Living held a craft fair for the community on Dec. 8. In a room decorated with garland, ornaments and a roaring (TV) fireplace, residents sold colored posters, handmade cards, potted plants and snacks.

Healthy eyes and clear vison are essential.

OPHTHALMOLOGY AT GUNNISON VALLEY HEALTH

COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE FOR YOUR EYES AND VISION

(Photos by Abby Harrison)

• Cataracts • Glaucoma • Eye conditions related to diabetes • Macular degeneration • Dry eyes • Injuries to the eye, eyelid and eye socket

• Infections and inflammation of the eye and surrounding tissues • Optic nerve disorders • Amblyopia (commonly referred to as lazy eye) • Retinal detachment

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT CALL 970-642-4816 WWW.GUNNISONVALLEYHEALTH.ORG

TAYLOR LOCAL USERS GROUP PROCESS

Community carols The Western Colorado University Chamber Singers performed for residents at the Senior Center during their weekly community meal on Dec. 8. Attendees lined up for a buffet of hot holiday food and enjoyed the music that flowed through the room.

Do you have an interest in rafting or boating downstream the Taylor or Gunnison River?

Or, do you like to boat the flatwater of Taylor Reservoir?

Are you interested in serving as a representative for the Taylor Local Users Group?

Each year, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) seeks input and direction from the Taylor Local Users Group (TLUG) which is composed of appointed local water users of the Taylor River, Taylor Park Reservoir and the main stem of the Gunnison River above Blue Mesa.

The UGRWCD Board is seeking to appoint two citizen members to two-year terms representing: (1) Rating/Boating interests along the Taylor or Gunnison River and (2) Flatwater Boating Interests.

All applicants must be residents within the UGRWCD and experienced and knowledgeable about river conditions along the Taylor and Gunnison Rivers. TLUG typically meets monthly during the months of March through September.

(Courtesy Elizabeth Gillis)

LETTERS OF INTEREST ARE DUE JANUARY 10, 2024 TO: schavez@ugrwcd.org or UGRWCD, 210 W. Spencer Ave, Suite B Gunnison, CO 81230 For more information on the TLUG Process, Taylor Park Reservoir Operation and Storage Exchange Agreement or application details, please visit our website at ugrwcd.org/tlug or call UGRWCD at (970)641-6065.

TLUG Appointments will be made at the January 22, 2024 UGRWCD Board Meeting.

All applicants will be contacted.

B12 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, December 14, 2023

Gunnison Country Times

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