Gunnison Country Times June 15, 2023

Lazy K project nears end

Final lottery scheduled for July

Bella Biondini Times Editor

Housing Authority approves draft strategic plan

Organization stability is top priority

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

As residents of the Gunnison Valley look down the barrel of high home prices, limited housing stock and dwindling affordable land, public and private

SPORTS: Stingrays compete in home meet, B9

entities are working on solutions to create affordable housing for the valley. Leading the fight is the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority, tasked with not only managing deed-restricted units, but being a “one-stop shop” for housing resources.

“When we have region-specific problems that need a regionspecific solution, the Housing Authority should be the organization to be the main point of contact,” Housing Authority

Executive Director Andy Kadlec said.

Last week, the Housing Authority outlined its priorities for the coming decade in an updated strategic plan. The final draft, which the board approved in its June 8 meeting, breaks down goals into the short, medium and long-term categories. In the next three years, the plan focuses on stabilizing the organization financially and strengthening existing programs. Beyond three years, a

ballot measure to create a funding stream and even Housing Authority-owned housing is on the table.

“I was really glad to see that their first thing was to stabilize the organization. That needs to happen, because I think they're needed more now than ever,” Gunnison Real Estate and Rentals Owner Kelly McKinnis said. McKinnis sat on the Housing Authority board for 18 years.

Two years after the start of construction, the City of Gunnison’s first affordable housing development, Lazy K, is finally starting to look like a real neighborhood. The project, designed to offer housing secuHousing A7

Marijuana sales decline locally, statewide

Businesses

Bella

Biondini

Times Editor

Christina Ruiz keeps the shelves of San Juan Strains stocked full with a variety of marijuana products, from

multi-flavored edibles and infused sodas, to cartridges, flower and pre-rolls. Her sales took off during COVID, but the rush started to slowly taper off last fall and the downward trend has yet to come to a halt.

“It’s kind of a hard hit,” Ruiz said.

In Colorado, marijuana tax revenue collected by the state dropped 23% between 2021 and 2022. In May of 2021, marijuana sales totaled $194 million. Last May, they dropped to $148 million — a nearly 24% decrease.

MIRANDO LAS ESTRELLAS: The Gunnison Valley Observatory hosted a Spanish language night on Friday, June 9. After a presentation on the life of stars, which was translated in real time, participants climbed the stairs to look at the night sky through the observatory telescope.

Jacob Spetzler

feel pressure from crowded market and falling prices

Cannabis clones grow at San Juan Strains.

Bella Biondini

COMMUNITY: Barry Clifford’s hunt for pirate treasure, B1

QUOTE of the week

John Steven Hoskins

A simple man whose wants and needs were few.

Who looked to the Lord for guidance true.

We

were living every boy’s dream, looking for buried treasure.

— Barry Clifford, Western alumnus

See story on B1

BRIEFS

City approves rezoning for Sawtooth phase two

On Tuesday, June 13, Gunnison City Council approved the rezoning of the parcel that will eventually house the second phase of the Sawtooth affordable housing development.

The site at the Fred R. Field Western Heritage Center has historically been used for the annual July carnival. The amendment was initiated by the Community Development Department, and will change the zoning from industrial to “R3” multifamily — allowing the project to proceed.

Western earns Hunger Free campus designation

Western Colorado University was recently certified as “Hunger Free” by the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

The designation is due, in part, to a campus food pantry, Mountaineer Marketplace, that opened last fall. The Marketplace helps students sign up for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), holds hunger awareness events and tracks and reports data related to food insecurity on campus.

In the first quarter of 2023, the pantry helped an average of 90 people each month and nearly 300 students signed up for the program since the pantry opened in February.

Upper Gunnison moving next door

Come this fall, the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District will move to a much larger office space right next door to accommodate an increase in staff

In May, the District purchased Unit A of the Spencer Avenue Business Park Condominiums for $650,000. It already owns Units B and C, so now occupies all units in the building. The space was previously occupied by the Bureau of Land Management Gunnison Field Office.

Once staff move into the new quarters, the District plans to lease its old space to conservation-oriented organizations.

John Steven Hoskins, beloved brother, cousin and friend, returned home on June 9, 2023 and joined his loved ones who had gone before him.

Steve, as he was known by friends and family, was born on June 9, 1951, in Danville, Illinois before later moving to Gunnison, Colorado, in the late 70s. His love for the outdoors kept him busy through hunting, fishing, mountain climbing, his horses and so much more. His love for the Lord took him on a mission to deliver supplies to Honduras in 1986. He worked with his cousin, David Hoskins, on building homes for 28 years.

He is loved and will truly be missed. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Kathryn Hoskins and his brother-in-law, Steve Pettice. He is survived by his sister, Marilyn Sue Pettice of Danville and his two brothers, Jerry Hoskins (Joey) of Sacramento, California, and James Hoskins (Raelynn) of St. George, Utah, as well as his cousin David Hoskins (Deborah) of Gunnison, along with many other aunts, uncles and cousins. Rest in peace my brother Steve. Your life and example were a blessing to me.

I’ll miss you more than I ever knew.

Even now your examples come shining through.

As I search through the memories and life you left.

I see a man who the Lord did truly bless.

A carpenter's trade is what you chose to be.

From building a treehouse as kids you made one for me. You even built a home for my own family.

Your horses you loved even as a young child.

But the teacher became student and learned wild to mild.

The Steve Hoskins laughter in our memories will always stay.

We look forward to hearing it again someday.

Lovingly your brother, Jim. A celebration of life and service will be held on June 17 at Oh Be Joyful Church, Crested Butte at 11 a.m.

paramedics, GVH staff and first responders that spanned Gunnison, Alamosa, Denver and Pueblo counties, where she dedicated her life to saving the lives of others. It does not matter how long ago you worked somewhere in EMS, they will always be family.

Jill was raised in the San Luis Valley and graduated from Alamosa High School in 1986. She began her career in public safety at Wolf Creek where she skied often with her family. She worked as a ski instructor and then became an EMT so that she could use her passion for skiing and her desire to save lives as a ski patroller. Jill spent time in Denver with the paramedics working at Denver General Hospital and fell in love with emergency medicine. She would still work as a ski patroller with her sister at Monarch Mountain, but EMS is where she made her career.

As long as she was in the mountains, Jill was at home. She spent any time available with her sister hiking, camping, skiing and rafting all over Colorado and Utah. She continued to share her love of the outdoors with her daughters by spending time in their favorite places, which included the Sand Dunes National Park, the Sangre De Cristo Mountains and the Gunnison Valley. Jill spent a couple of years living in Pitkin, Colorado, where she loved having the mountains in her front yard.

Health Foundation to support Jill's daughters and help pay for medical expenses incurred during her treatment. All donations are tax-deductible. Donations can be mailed to the Foundation at 711 N. Taylor St. Gunnison, Colorado, 81230, Attn: Jill Adams Memorial Fund. Donations can also be made online at gunnisonvalleyhealth. org/foundation.

Shirley J. (Field) Woodbury

Shirley J. (Field) Woodbury, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 16, 2023, in Litchfield Park, Arizona, at the age of 93.

She was born Apr. 20, 1930, in Parshall, Colorado, to Thomas B. and Susan J. (Talbott) Field.

Jill Elizabeth (James) Adams passed away peacefully after a year-long battle with cancer on May 24, 2023 surrounded by her loved ones. Adams was born in Gunnison, Colorado on Aug. 13, 1968. She is survived by her daughters Sarah and Elena Adams and their father Cliff Adams, her mother Barbara (Brandy) James and step-father Ricky Pruett. Jill was preceded in death by her sister Jennifer Ellen James who passed in 1999. There is not enough space to list all of Jill’s family, which included her fellow Gunnison

During her courageous battle and her last days, Jill was never alone. Her GVH and paramedic family, as well as her family and friends, were always by her side. Those loved ones will continue to honor her legacy by living life to the fullest and carrying on saving lives, as Jill was so passionate about.

The family will hold a private memorial service. The public is invited to a celebration of life at Bethany Church, 909 N. Wisconsin, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on July 1. A fund has been set up through the Gunnison Valley

on 35 acres features 2 bedrooms, an open living room & kitchen with custom made oak cabinets, Upstairs loft includes additional beds for guests & the woodstove keeps the cabin warm. Well in place & solar panels for electricity. Seasonal pond and sold partially furnished. Lot 1 Stratman Subdivision; $425,000.

Shirley spent her early years on her grandparents' ranch in Parshall before her family moved to a ranch near Doyleville and later purchased a ranch near Parlin. Growing up, she was immersed in the ranching lifestyle and helped raise registered Hereford cattle. Education played an important role in Shirley's life, and she attended the one-room schoolhouse in Doyleville before moving on to the public schools in Gunnison. She graduated from Gunnison High School in 1948 and went on to attend Western State continued on A3

NEW LISTING Richardson Square Condo offered for those 55 and over. Nicely appointed 725sf end unit features 2 bedrooms & a full bath, stackable washer & dryer, carport and individual storage cabinet. 228 W. Georgia Ave.; $295,000.

NEW LISTING 3 bdrm/2 bath, 1680sf home with new carpet in Antelope Hills. Large open living room & kitchen, master suite, two other bedrooms share a full bathroom. Plenty of yard space to fence for your pets. 9 Ridge Lane; $425,000.

3 BDRM/2 BATH 1554sf home with open kitchen & dining room and a fully fenced backyard with storage shed. New metal roof in 2020 as well as exterior painting. Master bathroom was remodeled & includes two separate vanities with walk-in closet. 404 N. 7th St.; $425,000.

PRICE REDUCED 1 acre riverfront property on the Ohio Creek. Property has electric to the lot line with central sewer available. Water is serviced by a shared well. 205 Spring Meadows Trail; $335,000.

VALLEY VIEWS from this 4 bdrm/3 bath, 2,788sf home on 4.7 acres with loafing shed. Lovely open kitchen, office off the mudroom, main floor master suite. Downstairs features 3 bedrooms, bath, living room, wood stove & bonus space for a home gym or game room. 262 Sage Drive; $875,000.

MAKE AN OFFER 4 bdrm/2 bath, 1920sf home and a fully remodeled basement with 2 car detached garage conveniently located near the new library & trail system. Includes a cozy great room & bonus room for storage or crafts. 108 Irwin Street; $629,000.

NEW LISTING Spacious 4 bdrm/3 bath, 3480sf home with gorgeous finishes & granite counters. Views of Hartman Rocks, 1 acre, wrap around deck with beautiful backyard and flagstone sitting area with firepit. 188 Crocus Road; $925,000.

BREATHTAKING views of Blue Mesa Reservoir from this 3 bdrm/2 bath, 1620sf home with 40 x 26 garage with 14 foot garage door for your boat to park next to the fish cleaning station in the garage.

Bunk house above the garage sleeps 6 in the 2 bdrms & half bath. 33000 State Highway 149; $385,000.

ADORABLE and affordable 2 bdrm/2 bath, nearly 800sf home with cherry cabinets, granite counters, fenced dog run, and a carport with an additional storage box. 1310 W. Tomichi Ave. #21; $380,000.

NEW PRICE 3 bdrm/2 ½ bath nearly 1,700sf home in excellent condition with additional family room & attached 2 car garage features a fully fenced backyard on just over half an acre. 430 Fairway Lane; $675,000.

PRICE REDUCED 3 bdrm/2 bath, ranch level home with a walkout basement. Open kitchen & dining area with a pellet stove. Property has an attached 3 car garage. Over 1,800sf with great southern views of Sawtooth Mountain & W Mountain. No HOA or covenants. 851 County Road 18; $399,000.

Jill James Adams

OBITUARIES

College (now Western Colorado University) and Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University).

Shirley married the love of her life, Don K. Woodbury, on May 10, 1952, in Gunnison.

Shirley met Don, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot who served in World War II and the Korean Conflict, in Denver between the wars. Shirley embraced the life of a Marine Corps wife during the last few years of Don's military service, residing in the Philippines and Hawaii.

With the impending arrival of their first child, Shirley and Don returned to the Parlin ranch to support her parents and brother, Fred, with the ranching responsibilities. After her father's death, Shirley and her family left the ranch. She worked for the Globe newspaper and the couple owned a Mayflower Moving and Storage business before she pursued real estate. Her dedication and hard work eventually led her to own her own brokerage.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Shirley was actively involved in her children's 4-H activities, the Gunnison High

Charles Adrian Johnson

On May 19, 2023 at 3:33 p.m. Charles Adrian “Charlie” Johnson was born to parents Emily Loehle and Anders Johnson of Gunnison, Colorado. He weighed 6 lbs. 1 oz. and measured 19 inches in length.

School Athletic Booster Club, Eastern Star, bridge club, Gunnison Cowbelles (now Gunnison Valley Cattlewomen's Association) and the Colorado Association of Realtors.

Following the death of her husband in 2016, Shirley relocated to Elizabeth, Colorado for two years to be close to family who live nearby. Subsequently, she moved to Arizona, to be near her daughters.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Tom Jr. and Fred Field; her sisterin-law Mary Esther Field; her brother-in-law Ray Woodbury and his wife Dorothy; and sonsin-law John Doss and Jerry Schoonover.

She is survived by three children: her son, Dan (Jean) Woodbury of Elizabeth, and daughters Donna Doss and Debbie Schoonover, both of Goodyear, Arizona; and her three grandchildren: Michael (Leah) Woodbury of Parker, Colorado; Michelle (Eric) Lieven of Franktown, Colorado; and Monique (Bert) Bushman of Delafield, Wisconsin. She also is remembered fondly by her seven great-grandchildren: Lila and Sam Woodbury,

Mason and Cecilia Lieven, and Gemma, Eamon and Ruby Bushman.

A memorial service to celebrate Shirley's life will be held on Sept. 30 in Gunnison. In lieu of flowers, please donate to 4-H Forever in Shirley’s name.

Delores

Delores E. Garcia passed away on May 31, 2023 in the Gunnison Senior Care Center. She was born on Jan. 24, 1931. Delores is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs next to Conrad, her husband of 66 years. She is survived by her son, Ricky Garcia (Kathy), grandchildren Sarah McMurren (Jayson) and Garrison and three great-grandchildren. She is missed by all who knew and loved her.

Kelli Marie Parker

Kelli Marie Parker, wife of Bill Parker, passed away the morning of June 13, 2023 after an extended illness. St. Peter’s Church in Gunnison will hold a rosary at 6 p.m. June 16 and a mass June 17 at 6 p.m.

He has an older brother named Julian who is 4 years old. His grandparents are Lawrence and Adrienne Loehle of Louisville, Kansas and Thomas and Sheryl McRoberts of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Antonarez graduates from Naval Academy

Esperanza Antonarez was born and raised in Gunnison. She is a Gunnison High School alumna and was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Following her graduation, she has been stationed in Pensacola, Florida for two years of flight training.

E. Garcia

OPINION

LETTERS

Thank you Dr. Kenny Anderson

970.641.1414

© 2023 Gunnison Country Times

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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.

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.

Editor: We write to you with a heartfelt mix of admiration and nostalgia, celebrating a community stalwart, Dr. Kenny Anderson.

Dr. Anderson, an exemplary figure in primary care medicine, has been the cornerstone of our community's health, wellness and vitality for the past several years. It is with deep respect and sincere gratitude that we bid farewell to him as he embarks on his next professional journey in South Dakota.

Dr. Anderson has been an invaluable asset to the Gunnison community, not just as a medical professional, but as a compassionate caregiver. Practicing medicine in a rural community like ours isn't simply about treating symptoms or diagnosing ailments. It's about nurturing connections, understanding the rhythms of life that our valley dictates and integrating oneself deeply into the fabric of the community. His commitment to his patients extended well beyond the confines of his practice, manifesting in every aspect of his dedication to the well-being of our community.

The mark Dr. Anderson leaves behind is not solely restricted to his professional role. Dr. Anderson's personal investment in our town has shaped the lives of many, notably through his unwavering commitment to youth sports. Rain or shine, he was there on the sidelines, offering mentorship, motivation and most importantly, his time — a priceless commodity that he generously bestowed upon our young people, helping them not just play, but grow.

To many, Dr. Anderson is more than a doctor; he is a mentor, a leader, a coach and most importantly, a friend. His departure leaves a significant void, but his contributions have paved the way for a promising future.

In the coming days, we will announce a new provider to continue the excellent care and service that Dr. Anderson has faithfully delivered for years. While replacing someone of his caliber is a tall order, we are confident that our new provider will continue the legacy of exceptional healthcare that has been a hallmark of Dr. Anderson's tenure.

As we bid farewell to Dr. Anderson, we extend our best wishes as you embark on your new endeavor in South Dakota. Your impact on Gunnison will always be remembered

and cherished. We are better because of you.

Jason Amrich Gunnison Valley Health

GVH heartfelt thanks

Editor: It is difficult to put into words how thankful our family is to the ER staff at Gunnison Valley Hospital.

On Memorial Day, Layne passed out at our home, later discovered to be an arterial bleed. EMT was quickly on site and transported her to ER. There, Dr. Witt and his staff took over life-saving procedures to ready her for a flight, ultimately to UC Health Anschutz.

Without that team quickly assessing her situation and proceeding with her care the outcome would have been much different. There are no words to express our gratitude to everyone involved in saving her life and ensuring her safe return to Gunnison.

We should never doubt the abilities of our local medical community, as was proven to us through this event.

Jon Nelson Brad, Erin, Lilah and Emery Nelson Cassidy, Kyle, Brooke and Paige Sanderson Gunnison, Costa Mesa, CA, Glenwood Springs

Together we can be part of the solution

Editor:

High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) kicked off our warm weather season by hosting two successful events: the Oh-Be-Joyful Kayak Race and the inaugural Riders of the Sage gravel bicycle tour of restored Gunnison sage-grouse habitat.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to race organizer Paul Raymond, who effortlessly ensured both racers’ safety and a successful event. Major kudos goes out to the volunteers who hung ropes, helped park vehicles, worked on safety teams and gathered signatures for our initiatives. HCCA has long advocated for Oh-Be-Joyful to keep its status as eligible for Wild & Scenic to preserve its free-flowing nature and outstandingly remarkable values.

Thanks to our many sponsors who supplied prizes for the racers and supported HCCA’s efforts to protect both water quality and quantity in our

streams and rivers. Finally, congrats to the racers who descended one very steep creek!

Riders of the Sage was also a success. A peloton of 16 riders of all ages on various forms of bicycle — from mountain bike, cyclocross and e-bike — toured the Ohio Creek Valley to learn about HCCA’s collaboration with the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District as we restore wet meadows, which are crucial to the Gunnison sage-grouse and other wildlife.

Thanks to Arly and Chris of Goodday Bikeworks & Curiosity Bags for the support, and to Cheryl and Max of Upper Gunnison as well as HCCA Stewardship Director Eli Smith for the education and interpretation of the structures we build that help restore these sites.

Everyone (myself included) certainly learned a lot about how together we are returning the original function of the landscape that has been diminished by over a century of human impact. Together we can all be a part of the solution to protect this precious bird and provide benefits to all wildlife.

Chad J. Reich High Country Conservation Advocates

Yes I am a prideful person

Editor: I am proud to be a Christian believing in our Lord Christ Jesus the son of God.

I am proud of my family. I am proud to be an American. I am proud of my hardworking, steadfast heritage. I am proud of my accomplishments. I am proud to be a carpenter. I am proud to be a part of this valley for 53 years. I am proud to achieve 50 years of marriage. I am proud to carry and read the Bible. I am proud of my military service. I do not understand queer pride in America or anywhere else in this God created world. People should be concerned because our country is headed toward the record of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. God created male and female. Are you ready to go forth for God? I am proud to stand for God and his only son Christ Jesus. I do not recognize our country anymore.

Alex Laird Gunnison

Vote now: A choice for your future

Editor:

This morning I sat down with Frank Stern to learn about the Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) and local energy issues.

To begin, I have lived with this guy for 36 years, raised two kids and danced and juggled family life with a man on a mission.

Stern earned his masters in energy engineering at CU Boulder, worked for the Colorado Office of Energy Conservation, followed by 30 plus years of energy industry consulting. He has written papers, given presentations and traveled the world learning and growing his energy knowledge and networks.

So what do I know about energy as a consumer — not much that was his department. The following is what I learned about energy and why a vote for Stern is the best choice for our children, families, communities and planet.

GCEA is our local energy service provider, but our energy that lights up our homes is generated and transmitted by Tri-State, GCEA’s wholesale provider from power plants in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona. Approximately 45% of our energy is produced by coal, 25% by gas or oil and 30% from renewables (hydro, wind and solar).

Coal is our most polluting energy and largest producer of greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change and global warming. Less than 10% of GCEA energy is generated locally. Electricity is provided by an international infrastructure web of interconnections between producers, distributors, utility companies and consumers. Energy is complicated. There are many layers and decisions that go into heating our homes, and lighting our communities and as a consumer and member of GCEA, I can choose my future with my vote.

Therefore, I think experience, knowledge and personal networks are invaluable assets to GCEA’s commission. Vote online today for Stern, for your family and for our future!

Caroline McLean Crested Butte

Q&A with new Arts Center Director Grace Thurlow

New programming in works, GAC enters final construction phase

Bella Biondini Times Editor

For the first time in over a decade, the Gunnison Arts Center is under new leadership. Grace Thurlow took the lead at the end of May, quickly moving from her initial role as the director of development, where she started this winter, into the executive position.

Although the Arts Center is nearing the end of a massive capital campaign, there is still a great deal of change in store for the organization. The sat down with Thurlow to talk about what the community can expect to see in the future of the GAC.

(Editor’s note: The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)

What is your personal art background?

My art journey has evolved and expanded over the years, transitioning from a childhood love of expression through drawing to a deeper passion for science. Recognizing this dual passion, I made the decision to attend a college where I could explore both realms, in case I changed my mind about a career in the arts.

Graduate school became the next step, leading me to get a master’s degree in nonprofit management with a specialization in fundraising.

Amidst my academic journey, I lost touch with my artistic side. Yet, I discovered that creativity is essential in the sciences and business world in unique ways. It was through these fields that I unearthed a new outlet for my artistic expression.

What do you see as the importance of local arts for our community?

Community arts play a pivotal role in fostering community connection, providing a platform for self-expression across diverse mediums. Additionally, they serve as a driving force for our community's economic growth by supporting local artists and businesses.

When I first arrived in Gunnison, I frequently heard remarks about the challenges of forming friendships in this tight-knit community. The extent of my social interactions involved awkward eye contact with people in the produce section at City Market. It wasn’t fun, and it was a culture shock.

Discovering the Gunnison Arts Center changed everything.

Initially, my involvement was driven by employment, but it opened up a world of connections within the community.

What is your vision for future programming at the Arts Center?

With the recent establishment of our new Digital Arts Laboratory, our vision includes incorporating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) classes into our repertoire. These interdisciplinary courses would delve into areas such as 3-D printing, where students can explore the fields of creative construction, such as building intricate birdhouses, creating with legos, and so much more.

Additionally, we have plans to expand our culinary course offerings. In our Clay Studio, our Director of Ceramics, Abra Karbin, teaches captivating and innovative class offerings. If you haven’t taken one of Abra’s classes, you should definitely consider it!

At the Gunnison Arts Center, we are not only dedicated to enriching our community through diverse classes and disciplines, but we also place great emphasis on ensuring our offerings remain accessible to all.

However, it is important to note that some of our class fees are intentionally set below profitability thresholds. We rely on generous donations, both monetary and in-kind, such as our Amazon wishlist, from individuals and organizations to help offset costs and support our daily operations, which enable us to keep our doors open.

By strengthening our donor program, we can secure the necessary funding to offer reduced-cost classes and, potentially, even free classes in the future.

How will the renovations change the programming that is available to the public?

As we near the final phase of our capital campaign, Framing Our Future, we will be unable to access parts of our building. Specifically, the main gallery and theater will be closed during this phase. As a result, there will be reduced space for gallery artists and the halt of theater programs and performances at our facility.

Fortunately, our talented gallery manager, Abigail Hill, has proactively secured artists for our other two galleries, the Cafe Gallery and the Treadway Gallery, years in advance. This ensures that we can continue showcasing exceptional artwork throughout the renovation period. Regarding our theater programs, while they will not be held in our usual venue, we are pleased to announce that SonofaGunn will still proceed at an alternative location. Similar arrangements may be made for other theater programs to ensure their continuation.

What fundraising challenges still remain?

We recognize that our donor program and base are underdeveloped, which is one of the reasons why I was brought on board as the director of development. As a fundraiser, my purpose is to connect individuals with causes they truly care about and facilitate a meaningful bond with our organization. By nurturing these relationships and expressing our gratitude, we can create a mutually beneficial partnership that uplifts our cause and strengthens our community.

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

Grace Thurlow

Bella Biondini

rity to Gunnison Valley’s workforce, has served its purpose: teachers, Rural Transportation Authority and Western Colorado University employees, Mt. Crested Butte staff, and even the incoming city manager, have found a place to call home.

Seemingly just as quickly as it started, with homes filled and bikes parked under the carport, the project will come to an end. Builders are busy wrapping up some of Lazy K’s last phases, while the final lottery has been placed on the calendar. The old restaurant at the site is under renovation and contains the units that will be offered at the lottery, which is scheduled for late July. Although a handful of market-rate units will become available on the west end of the property by the end of the summer, the restaurant marks some of the last of the deed-restricted homes set aside for locals.

The city has continued to work closely with Crested Buttebased developer John Stock and the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority to adjust the project to fit the needs of a community that has continued to feel the building pressure of a housing crisis. The overarching goal of Lazy K was to fill homes with locals who may have not otherwise had the opportunity to purchase a home on the regular market, and shifts were made to accomplish this.

“When we needed to pivot, we pivoted,” said project manager Phillip Kitt. “Everyone seemed to be on the same team. It wasn't like the developer versus the city, we just worked together to try to get people into

housing.”

Applications have already opened for the upcoming lottery on July 20 at City Hall. The Housing Authority is holding its first open house for the six restaurant units on June 24. The units available are a mixture of three and two bedrooms, as well as a single one bedroom.

The builder decided to keep some of the restaurant’s original windows and the roof. Each individual unit that has been sectioned off — although not freestanding — is a bit more unique than some of the development’s other duplexes. Although they don’t have garages, the units will have assigned parking on the south side of the property.

According to Executive Director Andy Kadlec, the

Housing Authority learned more about what the community wanted over the course of the project’s buildout, as staff collected feedback from some of the earlier phases. The team tried to “do a better job” of adjusting the unit prices according to their location, as well as to their individual features, he said.

The Housing Authority also worked with Stock to reduce the prices of the deed-restricted units by incorporating cost burdens such as mortgage rates, insurance and HOA fees into their calculations. The result is some of the lowest home prices the affordable development has offered so far.

The homes up for sale are offered at a wide range of prices. The units hover around

$200,000 for residents who make 80% of the area median income (AMI) or approximately $57,000 per year for a twoperson household, to just over $400,000 for those at 140%. This restriction sets an income cap at approximately $100,000 for a two-person household.

But based on Gunnison County’s AMIe, some of the 140% units could sell for up to $475,000, Kadlec said. Prices for some of the homes at previous lotteries neared those found on the regular market, something the team wanted to deviate from.

“They've heavily discounted those as a developer to ensure that they get them to hopefully sell to people and not to businesses … Everybody's situation is totally diff erent. We're really

trying to work on creating some flexibility and some balance there,” Kadlec said.

The last affordable units at the restaurant will be done by the middle of July. On the west side of the development, Lazy K’s final seven duplexes, which will be available for rent at standard market rates, are expected to be complete before the winter — bringing the project to a close. Approximately half of the 14 units available for rent are already under a master lease with Western, while one has been set aside as a deedrestricted unit. Prices have not yet been determined.

Despite a stiff housing market and stubbornly high interest rates, all of the Lazy K homes that are finished are either occupied or under contract — an achievement that Finance Director and Interim City Manager Ben Cowan marked as a success. While Crested Butte pursues multiple new affordable housing developments such as Whetstone and Mineral Point, the city will likely look toward Gunnison Rising next.

But whether the city will remain in the “housing business” is unclear as it runs out of land to develop and struggles with a tight budget, Cowan said.

“Some people think that the city should stay out of the housing business,” he said. “It's definitely one of the more debatable topics on how the city should be involved.”

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

Plummeting sales have rattled some local marijuana sellers, who are already fighting a flooded market because Gunnison does not have a cap on the number of licenses permitted within city limits. At the same time, neighboring states have legalized recreational marijuana one by one, putting a slow and reluctant end to marijuana tourism in Colorado. As the pandemic boom tapers off, many small businesses will have to adjust to the slowdown to avoid being absorbed by larger companies.

Ruiz started to see sales decline in September of last year, and they have fallen each month since. San Juan Strains, which has been open on North Main Street for two years, has one more location in Pagosa Springs with an adjoining grow operation.

“We’re one of the lucky ones with a grow and a shop,” she said. “We're doing fine between us and Pagosa. But you're going to watch these little ones start to struggle to try and stay alive, or find investors.”

Since Gunnison approved the sale and manufacture of marijuana and marijuana-infused products in 2015, local trends

have mirrored those across the state: too much supply and falling demand. Competition is also driving prices down and can be followed by buy-outs — as smaller stores fall to corporations that own multiple dispensaries across the state, said Ben Costello of Gunnison’s Cabin Cannabis. For example, Crested Butte’s SOMA is now owned by the Dispensary, which has six locations across the state.

“We're certainly doing okay and hanging in and selling, but it's a tough market for sure,” Costello said.

Cabin Cannabis, which has been open since 2016, used to have a grow house to the dispensary. But management had to shut its doors in October of 2022 because it cost more to grow then the business could recoup in sales.

Shortly after sales were legalized, the community approved a special marijuana and excise tax of 5% within the City of Gunnison. In 2022, the sales tax generated $268,000, down 13% from 2021. So far this year, sales are down 4%.

The city is able to spend this money on substance abuse prevention, education and counseling and often distributes the funds in the form of community grants. Last year, grants went to Safe Ride, the GunnisonHinsdale Early Childhood

Council and Gunnison Valley Mentors among many others. The marijuan a funds also pay nearly two full salaries of city police officers.

City staff has been careful to not be overly reliant on the marijuana tax revenue for ongoing expenses, and there is enough money saved right now that the decline is not an immediate concern, said Finance Director and Interim City Manager Ben Cowan. The city was conservative, knowing the market would eventually correct itself as neighboring communities legalized marijuana, he said.

Following legalization, city council also entered discussions on whether to have a lottery and limit the number of licenses available to grow and sell marijuana. The ultimate decision was to let the market have control, he said.

“It's not fair for the council to pick winners and losers, even if it’s at random,” Cowan said.

Because of this, Gunnison is an especially “hard market,” with eight dispensaries in town and four in Crested Butte, said Lookout Tower general manager Amber Claborn.

“I wish we could all do better, but I feel like it's going to take shutting down some of them,” she said. “I don't want to see anyone go out of business either, that's horrible. But the

city council is just allowing that. We're all fighting for each other for business.”

Claborn said sales have been steady at Lookout Tower, which recently rebranded from Pure Fire Cannabis. She believes it helps that the business has its own growing operation, keeping the shelves stocked with fresh flower. She, like many others in the local marijuana industry, also tries to make sure products are available for all types of customers, and is careful not to price out locals.

“I feel like everyone is so scared to go out of business, they’re just racing to the bottom of prices, and people just can't make a profit,” she said.

“We can't survive like that.”

But the marijuana industry is filled with annual ups and downs, and the fall and winter seasons are generally slower times of year. Costello said he looks forward to the summer rush as tourists trickle into town.

“We've got really good local support and local-based customers that come in and keep us going,” he said.

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

Cannabis from A1

Ben Costello weighs marijuana at Cabin Cannabis on Tomichi Avenue.

Bella Biondini

The old restaurant building on site at Lazy K is under renovation and will be transformed into a complex of affordable housing units.

Bella Biondini

Housing

The Housing Authority’s strategic plan mirrors the valleywide housing goals laid out in the One Valley Resiliency Roadmap (OVRR) Strategic Housing Plan. OVRR, developed by valley-wide stakeholders like the City of Gunnison and Gunnison County, is a guide meant to facilitate economic development and recovery after COVID. It is slated to be finalized in the coming weeks. Once OVRR is complete, the Housing Authority will formally incorporate those goals into its strategic plan before adoption.

The Housing Authority does not own any housing projects in the valley. The organization instead acts as a couty-wide partner to the other entities, helping them manage their housing projects. Mountain View Apartments, Anthracite Place Apartments, Paul Redden Workforce Rentals, Gunnisonowned Lazy K and soon, county-owned Sawtooth, are all administered with the Housing Authority’s help.

For this reason, property management remains a backbone of the organization’s goals, Kadlec said. By fall 2024, the organization hopes to have an online platform that tracks lotteries, closings, resales and even compliance. Down payment assistance programs and regular homebuyer education classes are also identified as priorities.

The education component is critical, McKinnis said.

“Most people are not ready to go out tomorrow and say, ‘I want to buy a house.’ They need prep and usually it's six to nine months. I just sold a couple Lazy K units to people that have been working on their stuff for a year … We can create all this affordable housing, but if we don't have people that are ready to buy them, we have a problem,” McKinnis said.

A new strategic plan could also expand the Housing Authority’s influence in coming years. The draft includes the option to build or buy its own units rather than only collaborating with others. The plan also includes the possibility of a Workforce Housing Syndicate, where the Housing Authority coordinates with local businesses to jointly fund employee housing.

In the housing game, solu-

BOARDS & COMMISSIONS NOTICE

GUNNISON COUNTY IS CURRENTLY ACCEPTING LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR THE POSITIONS LISTED BELOW:

Letters of interest will be accepted until Monday, July 3rd, at 5:00 pm , via:

Email: bocc@gunnisoncounty.org

Form: https://gunnisoncounty.org/boardapp

Fax: (970) 641-3061

Mail: 200 E. Virginia Avenue, Gunnison CO 81230

Please provide all contact information with your application, including an email address. You may request more information by calling (970) 641-7600.

Environmental

tions are never one-size-fitsall. When the City of Gunnison invested in deed-restricted house sales through Lazy K, some community members were priced out, left wondering what “affordable” really meant. As more public entities invest in housing for their employees, executives and board members parse the ethics, and legality, of offering housing contingent on employment. For Kadlec, these grey areas are where the Housing Authority can step in and provide guidance.

But two things may complicate the process, said Interim City Manager and Finance Director Ben Cowan: securing ongoing funding and staff capacity.

“There's a lot of things that people are looking at the Housing Authority to do, and it looks like a lot to bite off and chew,” he said.

At the Housing Authority’s prime, Kadlec envisions it as an all-encompassing housing resource, offering guidance on how to navigate a deed-restricted purchase or get the most of a homeowners association. These are tools that will help the organization guide valley residents into stable homeownership, he said.

“We're going to see, in the next five years, a lot of housing being added to the valley,” Kadlec said. “I don't have a crystal ball that will show us where the appropriate balance is, and I don't think there's ever an ending, right? We're never going to get to a point where we've done it and it's done. It's going to be a consistent fight.”

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

The

We can create all this affordable housing, but if we don’t have people that are ready to buy them, we have a problem.

Kelly McKinnis Gunnison Real Estate and Rentals

from A1

Andy Kadlec started as the new executive director last fall. Bella Biondini

CB to CB South trail starts to take shape

STOR committee weighs in on community priorities

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

A multimodal trail winding eight miles from Crested Butte to Crested Butte South is closer to groundbreaking than ever before. The project, nearly a decade in the making, has been held up by negotiations with private property owners, budget constraints and right-of-way approvals from the Colorado Department of Transportation.

At the end of May, the Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation (STOR) Committee heard a first presentation from Design Workshop, a Carbondale-based company that Gunnison County has hired to draw up a plan for preliminary stages of the design.

Th e trail is meant to capture multiple community priorities, chief among them a safe multimodal passage between Crested Butte and Crested Butte South. According to the county’s website, that stretch of highway carries 7,000 vehicles each day. With continuing build-out

in Crested Butte South and affordable housing development Whetstone coming online, foot and vehicle traffic will only increase in coming years.

“We know this has been a priority for the community,” said Design Workshop Principal and Planner Jessica Garrow.

“But there is no alignment yet, and so we want to make sure that we're really engaging with everyone, including all of you, to make sure that we get it right.”

An outstanding question is trail alignment, or where the trail will be built relative to Hwy. 135. A meandering connection from Crested Butte to Crested Butte South may offer more scenic views while increasing the length of the trail and prolonging the build. But an alignment right next to Hwy. 135 may increase noise pollution and safety concerns for trail users.

"Since I've witnessed this for 20 years, there have been a lot of ‘nos’ which got us to where we are, which is focusing on a potential peaceful alignment. There’s a ‘need to have’ route and there's a ‘nice to have,’ which is a super-scenic route,” STOR Committee Chair Jake Jones said.

Designing the path is no easy task, as the surrounding area includes private land, industrial land uses, residential communities and wildlife

areas. Leah Stoltz, project manager with Design Workshop, said the team will look at every possible input — topography, agricultural operations, drainage patterns and existing private property — to decide on an optimal alignment. Over the course of 2023, the design team will gather public comment and identify funding opportunities before offering a final schematic plan to the Board of County Commissioners at the end of the year.

At the meeting, design consultants used a polling website, menti.com, to broadcast live anonymous responses to a slate of questions about the

trail. Overall, answers revolved around an implementable plan that would accomplish the most pressing needs without getting lost in complicated design alternatives.

“As we upgrade the experience, people keep pushing to make it more curated, an experience that they're comfortable with back home,” Crested Butte Mayor Ian Billick said. “In that process, we undercut why we all moved here, which is the dark skies and the connection to the outdoors. I think there's a real balance when we talk about amenities, if we're not careful, we could destroy what we're trying to accomplish.”

STOR members offered a number of priorities, including a trail that could be groomed in the summer and winter (potentially for Nordic skiing), Dark Sky compliance, minimizing impact to wetlands, open lines of sight, ADA compliance and access to bus stops. A few wanted accommodations for e-bikes, like sufficient path width and a centerline. Cathie Pagano, assistant county manager for Gunnison County community and economic development, said no width restrictions or decisions about e-bikes have been made yet.

Responses also stressed the importance of community engagement and the need for compromise, while cautioning

against “trying to make the trail everything for everybody.”

STOR members identified that working with private landowners and ranchers may be a significant hurdle, especially during calving season when there are thousands of cows grazing the land along Hwy. 135. Money also cropped up as a driving concern, especially with design options like lighting or fencing.

Gunnison City Councilor

Mallory Logan said she would like to see the trail accessible for all ages, citing the nature trail winding from the Gunnison Senior Citizen Center that includes views of the cottonwood trees and Gunnison River.

“Keep this flat and accessible,” she said. “Not everyone is in the physical shape to take on a fourteener, and we do have a very engaged senior population in the valley.”

Design Workshop will conduct focus groups and stakeholder interviews in May and June before a community open house in Crested Butte at the end of summer to gather feedback on the proposed alignment.

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

Cattlemen’s Days Royalty

The Turquoise Junction

Trader’s Rendezvous

Pike Builders

K-C Barber

Alpine Lumber

Buff’s Collision Specialists

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Cowboy Steel - Terry Klug

Drake Woods

Fullmer’s Ace Hardware

Gene Taylors

Gunnison Inn at Dos Rios

Gunnison Savings and Loan

H & H Towing

Henry’s Radio and TV

Ingrid Butts Massage, LMT

John Roberts Motor Works

Mechanic on Duty

Morrison Tile & Stone

O’Hayre, Dawson PLLC

Ol’ Miner Steak House

Plotts Mini Storage

Red Mountain Furniture

Secret Creek Spirits

Singer’s Auto Repair

Jean Steelman

Thomas N. Stoeber, CPA

Western Lumber

WSCU Mountaineer Athletics

Western Slope Fire

2 Tree Woodworks

Gunnison Bank and Trust

Vortex Optics

Bay Equity - Brenda Sargent

Crystal Clear Window Washing

Zacchariah Zypp & Co.

Cattlemen’s Days Inc.

Back County Cafe

Line Break Training

Fred Stinson

Narrow Gate Saddlery

Rocky Mountain Frames & Trophies

Gunnison Auto Glass

Tom’s Shop & Signal Peak

Towing

IM Silver - Ivy McNulty

Nicole Schultheis

Dan Gumber

Jim & Nancy McMurry

Gunnison Country Times

Hope & Glory

The Toggery Elevated

The W Café

The Coffee Trader

Klingsmith State Farm

Boom-A-Rang

Rudy’s Recycled Ropes

Chopwood

Cottonwood Tee’s

Jim and Nancy McMurray

Monkey Goats

Delektabowl

Abra Karbin Ceramics

Corner Cupboard

Abracadabra!

Power Stop Anonymous

Savage Arms

Tractor Supply

Joe Dixon

Critter Sitters & Gunnison Vet Clinic

Peaceful Journeys

Mark & Theresa Ely

Treads and Threads

Cattlemen’s Days TEWP

Gunnison Sportsmen’s Club

Villa Beaute

Sig Sauer

RNDC - Daren Thorn

OffCenter DeSigns

Dove Graphics

Deana Clark

Prois

Miller Furniture

Seth Withrow

Derek Schumacher

Fred Stinson & Kendall Butts

Captain Rick Spratt Charters

Rick Spratt

Gunnison River Fly Shop

Dave Cowden

Greg & Shannon

Generous contributions of time, talent, currency, and merchandise from the following businesses and individuals have truly helped make this event a success!

I think there’s a real balance when we talk about amenities, if we’re not careful, we could destroy what we’re trying to accomplish.

Ian Billick Mayor of Crested Butte

Hwy. 133 slotted to open next week

Temporary bridge built and on foundation

Times Staff Report

As soon as next week, motorists may be able to once again travel a section Hwy. 133 that’s been closed for over six weeks due to a sinkhole that opened at the end of April. The road closure has prevented direct travel to and from the Roaring Fork Valley over McClure Pass. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is now estimating the road will open the week of June 19.

The sinkhole opened along the highway as high spring runoff washed out a culvert and inundated the passage with water. CDOT immediately closed the road and soon after selected contractor RL Wadsworth to build a temporary bridge that will allow motorists to use the highway while permanent repairs were made.

Construction crews working on the temporary bridge made

significant progress last week.

As of June 13, RL completed the bridge foundations, placed the bridge and built back walls for east and west abutments.

Although the road is anticipated to reopen once the bridge is in place, several critical and time-sensitive tasks need to be completed. These include pouring concrete for back walls and approaches, setting bridge rail and deck panels and setting temporary barriers at the approaches.

During the soft reopening, motorists should anticipate lowered speeds and flaggers. Once the temporary bridge is in place and roadway repairs are completed, the highway will be fully reopened. Motorists should plan for a lowered speed limit of 40 mph and commercial motor vehicle traffic will be restricted to 85,000 pounds and 11-foot width.

Travelers can use COtrip. org to plan an alternate route. All real-time travel impacts will continue to be posted to COtrip.org. For project updates, call 970.279.3309 or email CO133CulvertRepair@gmail. com.

A temporary bridge has been placed on the foundation as of June 12 .

Courtesy CDOT

NOAA announces arrival of El Niño

LAZY K LOTTERY

THE GUNNISON VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE NEXT LOTTERY!

There will be an open house on Saturday June 24th from 11 AM - 2 PM and on Thursday June 29th from 4 PM - 6:30 PM.

There will be 4 units that are 1 and 2 bedroom units being offered at $170k- $229k and 2 units that are 3 bedroom units being offered at $409k-$429k.

Application deadline is July 12th and the lottery will be held on July 20th. This will restricted units.

Higher Western Slope precipitation could persist

Bella Biondini Times Editor

The summer so far has been wetter than usual, and with the arrival of El Niño, there’s a chance the much-needed moisture may stick around.

On June 8, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center officially issued an El Niño Advisory, announcing a weather pattern that is expected to gradually strengthen later this year. El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that favors a more active storm track across California and the southern part of the United States, and abnormally dry and warm conditions over the northern part of the country — especially during the winter season. For southwest Colorado, this usually comes with a higher probability of cooler temperatures and wetter weather in the San Juan Mountains and the Four Corners region.

But, similar to what happens during the La Niña pattern that has persisted for the past three years, the Western Slope falls right in the middle of the two weather zones, making forecasts tricky, said Erin Walter, a National Weather Service hydrologist based in Grand Junction. Even though the Climate Prediction Center foresees another decent winter season across the desert Southwest, many other factors can come into play, she said.

“I would take that with a grain of salt,” Walter said. “La Niñas are meant to be dry, and we had some record high snow water equivalent this year. There are some outlier years.”

Over the past few weeks, rain has fallen almost daily in the Gunnison Valley, resembling an early start to the monsoon season. But this is not the case.

Walter noted the presence of a “blocking pattern,” which often slows down storm systems moving steadily from west to east.

The western U.S. has been stuck in a low pressure pattern, feeding regular thunderstorms, and lower temperatures. She said she is confident this pattern will continue over the next two weeks based on current forecasts.

For June, a month that is typically fairly dry, the precipitation that has fallen in the town of Gunnison alone is 130% of normal. Due to the lingering moisture and cooler temperatures, Walter said the Climate Prediction Center is expecting a delayed or a quieter monsoon season. Monsoon season usually kicks in around the start of Cattlemen’s Days in mid-July with regular, heavy afternoon thunderstorms.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, less than 5% of Gunnison County is “abnormally dry” as of June 13, the lowest severity drought rating. Neighboring Hinsdale and Saguache counties are not registering any drought. Over the next three months, the Monitor is predicting that only a very small portion of the county will return to drought conditions with the rest remaining wet.

Recent projections from the Bureau of Reclamation show that Blue Mesa Reservoir will rise to 96% full in July, with levels expected to go down slightly through the summer as the agency makes its annual downstream releases. As of Monday, June 12, Blue Mesa was approximately 84% full.

While a healthy winter and almost daily rainfall is helping pull the Gunnison Valley and Western Slope out of a period of prolonged drought, it will likely take more than five years of similar conditions for downstream reservoirs to make a full recovery, according to Beverly Richards, a water resource specialist at the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District.

details and an application or you can obtain this information at GVRHA.org. Individuals can apply for all available units and local businesses or institutions can apply for the 3 bedroom units only for employee housing.

DIRECT ACCESS COLONOSCOPY PROGRAM AT GUNNISON VALLEY HEALTH

A SCREENING COLONOSCOPY IS RECOMMENDED FOR EVERYONE OVER 45 YEARS OLD EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS.

Direct access screening colonoscopies are now available at Gunnison Valley Health. The new initiative is an effort by the health system to increase the accessibility of this lifesaving cancer screening and is available for individuals with no major symptoms or medical conditions.

There are two ways for individuals to take advantage of direct access screening colonoscopies; a referral from their primary care provider or through a self-referral on the Gunnison Valley Health website.

Call 970-641-3927 for more information.

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

Afternoon storm clouds form over Gothic Mountain near Crested Butte on June 10.

Bella Biondini

Square dancing for a good cause

The I Bar Ranch hosted the annual Pantry Palooza on Saturday, June 10. The event was a fundraiser for the Gunnison Country Food Pantry. An afternoon silent auction was accompanied by a petting zoo, face painting and a bounce house with music by Sunny Downpour and the Big Silly String Band. In the evening, participants hit the dance floor for square dancing.

Open for business

Monarch Mountain officially cut the ribbon at the grand opening of Monarch at the Crest on Saturday, June 10. Monarch Mountain Ski Resort announced that it had purchased the Monarch Crest, as it was then known, and the Scenic Tramway, in October of 2022.

LIVE. WORK. PLAY.

Gunnison Rising is the newest mountain town development with a bold vision. It is a premier destination for people, businesses, and entrepreneurs that hold a love for the natural world. Gunnison Rising is a place to live, work, play, and raise a family in an environment that fosters a commitment to community and the lands which surround it, making Gunnison, Colorado one of the best mountain towns to live in.

To discover more about the lifestyle Gunnison Rising offers, visit gunnisonrising.com.

Jacob Spetzler

Gunnison Country Food Pantry Executive Director Jodi Payne smiles at the end of the silent auction.

Airport seeks passenger facility charge

Public comment period ends

June

30

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

Th e Gunnison-Crested Butte

Regional Airport is proposing a $4.50 passenger facility fee (PFC) to help pay for ongoing ramp and taxiway improvements outlined in its strategic plan. The fee, which will sunset no later than 2027, cannot be used for final touches on the terminal renovation and will instead help the airport leverage federal funds for preplanned maintenance work.

The PFC will only be levied on fliers who depart from the airport and will be applied per leg of a trip, up to three legs, maxing out the possible charge at $13.50. The PFC is capped to bring in just over $930,000 in the next four years. But as soon as the airport collects the amount, the fee will expire.

PFCs have been around for over 40 years and are used by most airports — including Montrose Regional Airport, Grand Junction Regional Airport and Denver International Airport — to leverage federal funding for capital projects, Airport Director Rick Lamport said. The airport has not requested a PFC in over a decade — the last authorized fee was approved in 2012 for a wildlife fence and a new terminal roof. That fee, which allowed the airport to recoup the costs of those projects, expired in May of this year.

The cost of airport capital projects is shared between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Colorado Department of Transportation and airports; the FAA kicks in 90%, and the final 10% is split between CDOT and airports.

Airports can only collect up to the cost of the projects outlined in the FAA-approved application, so if a busy season kicks in and the funding amount is reached early as more flyers pass through the airport, the PFC will sunset.

“There is a misconception that this is some new tax for the general public, but it's not. It's nothing to do with that. If you’re not a passenger and you’re not in the airport, or you go to another airport, [you’re] not paying Gunnison anything,” Lamport said.

What the airport can spend federal money on is codified in the FAA Airport Layout Plan, which was derived through the airport’s 2015 Master Planning Process. That plan includes all the projects the airport can spend FAA money on over the next decade.

The airport does not collect taxpayer money to fund capital projects and upkeep, and instead relies on federal and state funding to fill gaps in its own revenue generation. Projects to keep the airport safe and usable must all be preapproved by the FAA before and taxes can be levied on flyers.

Each year, the airport generates about $121 million in local revenue for the county, Lamport said.

“To spend a million bucks and collect the PFC to deliver $121 million of economic benefit every year is a no-brainer, so to speak, when you think about it,” he said.

Gunnison County will submit the application to the FAA on behalf of the airport. Public comment will last through June 30 and can be emailed to Airport Manager Rick Lamport at RLamport@gunnisoncounty. org.

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

Passengers wait for a delayed plane at the Gunnison airport and the end of March.

Jacob Spetzler

Meet the Candidates: GCEA board election

Stern and Wiggins talk renewable energy, board priorities and Tri-State

Abby Harrison Times Staff Writer

The Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) is in the final week of an election for three board seats in Districts 1, 4 and 5. These areas include Crested Butte, areas west of Gunnison and Lake City. Greg Wiggins and Frank Stern are vying for District 1 and incumbents Michelle Lehmann and Tom Carl are running unopposed in Districts 4 and 5. Th e Times interviewed Wiggins and Stern about their qualifications, thoughts on renewable energy and how the utility can weather a volatile energy future.

(Editor’s note: The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)

What are your priorities for renewable energy?

Stern : I want to put pressure on Tri-State to continue in the direction they're headed, which is 70% renewables by 2030. I think that Tri-State has made a significant change in the past few years. They are moving away from coal, which I support. But I think that not all members share that view. So it's important that GCEA put pressure onTri-State. I want GCEA to continue to provide some percent of its load in terms of renewables, as it has been doing with the Taylor Park project and the other solar projects. I want [the board] to continue to provide cost-eff ective and reliable energy to its members.

Wiggins: Tri-State is our best hope to go renewable the fastest. I keep it simple. Gunnison County has a really tough time with renewable energy. We've got our local hydro already in the process, which has been in the works for over 10 years. We have some community solar that we're working on, but the fastest and best is Tri-State.

Do you feel that Tri-State is a good partner to help GCEA meet its goals?

Stern: Yes, and that's a different answer than I would have given four years ago. For too long it embraced coal, however it has a new CEO and it is moving in a positive direction. As I said earlier, I think it needs continued pressure from GCEA to move in that direction. The

other alternative to Tri-State would be a privately-held company. I think the co-op model is a good model, and I'd like to see that continue. I do have some concerns about the three credit rating downgrades that Tri-State has realized in the past few years, which I attribute to member discord related to its embrace of coal for too long.

I'm not saying it's a major concern right now, but it's definitely something to pay attention to … I think GCEA could be more active in terms of promoting renewables on the [TriState board]. In addition to that, the threat to leave Tri-State is also leverage, that is not as signifi cant as the larger members such as United Power, which is planning to leave Tri-State.

Wiggins: It's more like us helping Tri-State. That's the reality. I'm not a fan of Guzman [Energy], and everybody out there that Guzman is in a co-op with. I'm definitely a fan of the co-op way and how the co-op treats its members in our county. Tri-State is going the right direction, going green as best they can without being too green and interrupting our reliability. Tri-State is our energy supplier and I don't see that changing.

What tools are available to the GCEA board to stabilize energy costs and do you feel they have been adequately utilized?

Stern: GCEA rates are made up of costs to deliver the power once it gets it from Tri-State, plus any additional power that it produces by itself, and then there's Tri-State’s rate. I think Tri-State’s move towards renewables will stabilize rates because renewables don't have fuel cost and you're not subject to the volatility of gas prices. Renewables have become a lot cheaper, and are cheaper than coal, in terms of energy. So I think the move to renewables should stabilize and lower rates.

Wiggins: Our energy costs come from Tri-State. We’re a distribution co-op, not a transmission or energy-producing co-op. So we rely on Tri-State to hold their costs. That's over 50% of our bill. The rest of our costs are in keeping our improvement up, keeping our power lines on, keeping our reliability up and keeping our employees paid well. Those are the other costs that we as a board can control the most. We're very cognizant of what it costs for our members from poor to rich. We look at all of them, not just the wealthy that can afford to pay any or all energy costs.

What are the most significant challenges GCEA will face in the next decade?

Stern: It's continuing the

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Online voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on June 16. Mail-in ballots must be received by June 20.

GCEA members can vote in-person on June 20 from 5-6 p.m., at the GCEA headquarters at 37250 Hwy. 50 in Gunnison. Election results will be announced on June 2.

move to “Green the Grid” and the electrification of the grid. We talked about putting pressure on Tri-State, looking for certain local, cost-effective renewable sources and I think that the electrification of the grid, which includes electric vehicles and heat pumps, is not a problem in the near term. But as it continues, I think it's going to require close attention both the generation, transmission and distribution levels. sition. Dealing and working with it as far as moving more green. changing. ple on the earth. So as we go more green, the reliability and the cost is huge. on the left that want to push it really hard and fast and there's people on the right that say “B.S,” so somewhere in the middle is where I stand. Tri-State will go as green as possible up to the load factor of being able to keep the lights on at night, so it's important to watch that. We've got cost changes dealing with infrastructure. It is going to be huge dealing with that cost as it gets more expensive. Regulation is another huge thing that we have to deal with on a weekly basis to keep the lights on. Keeping all infrastructure repaired and invested in, to where it's reliable. You hear the right and the left talking about all that, but the real challenges are keeping our distribution chain strong and working to keep Gunnison Valley members lit.

What experience can you offer the board that you think will help guide the utility?

Stern: I have 30 years of experience working in the electric utility industry. I've worked as a managing director of consulting companies, and my clients have included most of the major utilities in North America. It also includes work for two generation and transmission cooperatives similar to Tri-State that were in fi nancial distress or bankruptcy as a result of mismanagement, and I think that would be highly relevant to the Tri-State situation. I have also managed an engineering team of 80 staff. I

have managed projects totaling over $50 million dollars, multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts. I have modeled the U.S. electric system, including every generating unit of the grid … the electric utility industry is extremely complex, and the North American electric system has been described as the most complicated machine in the world. I have a high level of understanding of t hat, as well as the understanding of how to run a business and keep electricity cost-effective , reliable and sustainable.

Wiggins: I'm a businessman, and we need to run a good business.

Are there ways in which GCEA can improve the customer experience?

Stern: GCEA has been working at helping customers electrify and be more efficient. I think they can still do more of that, particularly in the area of changing the culture with respect to electricity as an alternative to natural gas.

Wiggins: Keep doing what we’re doing. It’s improved a lot in my tenure. There's more education in the community and the school. More ways to reach out to our members who are busy and don't really give feedback. We have our community forum, and we have our quarterly climate action meeting. We just did a Four Way Stop presentation and really nobody showed up, so we have to continue to reach out to members and let them know what we're doing because most of them don't ask. And it's disappointing, but that's the reality. I feel they're very comfortable with what GCEA does, keeping their lights on at a fair price. The only people that we really hear from is the Green Coalition that thinks everything should go faster, better and harder. Most of the people pay their bill and say thanks.

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

Frank Stern

Greg Wiggins Courtesy Courtesy

This week at the Pioneer Museum

“Fathers of Gunnison Country”

Walking with the Lord

On June 11, St. Peter’s Catholic Church held a procession to celebrate Corpus Christi — a century-old tradition proclaiming faith in the Euchrist in the public sphere. The procession route included Main Street and Tomichi Avenue, and concluded at a decorated altar a few blocks down from the church.

Submitted by Larry McDonald

Our nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910. However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official—that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States. This week we pay tribute to two pioneers who are often considered the “founding fathers” of Gunnison, Alonzo Hartman, and Sylvester Richardson.

Alonzo Hartman arrived in our “neck of the woods” on Christmas Day back in 1872, when it was known as Cow Camp, as a government contractor to provide livestock for the Ute Indians living on the Los Pinos Indian Agency. In 1875 he filed on a homestead on the Gunnison River which later became known as Dos Rios Ranch, and he would soon become one of the great cattlemen on the Western Slope. Alonzo would become our first Postmaster in 1876 and he and Jim Kelley would operate a store out of the small cabin that served both purposes in the earliest days of settlement. In 1882

Alonzo married Annie Haigler, who he met while she was employed in our county clerk’s office, and they went on to have three children, Bruce, Hazel, and Leah.

Sylvester Richardson and his wife Elizabeth arrived in Denver during the summer of 1860 and had a child the following year, reportedly the first pioneer baby born in that city, and they subsequently named him Denver. Later they operated a hotel and Post Office in Douglas County that became known as

Pretty Woman Ranch due to the extraordinary beauty of Elizabeth. Elizabeth divorced Sylvester in 1868 and returned to Wisconsin while Richardson’s sense of adventure urged him to continue westward. In 1873 he joined the Parsons Expedition and spent the summer exploring Gunnison country and was so impressed with the opportunities here he established the Gunnison Colony in 1874, organizing a company with a capitol stock of $6000, limited to 60 shares at $100 each. The colony arrived in the spring of that year, lots were drawn, and about twenty cabins were built before dissension began to set in with many returning to Denver for the winter.

In 1879, Alonzo, Sylvester, Henry Olney, Loudon Mullin, and former Governor John Evans formed the new town of Gunnison on 160 acres, with incorporation taking place on March 1, 1880, but a disagreement soon arose, and it was split into East and West factions. Sylvester would leave our valley in 1885, remarry in 1886 to Marion Muir, and begin establishing a legacy in the Moab area, while Alonzo and his family would remain here for decades before selling their ranch and moving further westward, finally settling in southern California.

The Hartman’s never ceased to call Gunnison “home”, and they returned to visit at every opportunity, and attended their final Pioneer Day celebration in 1935. Sylvester Richardson died in Morrison on May 4, 1902, while Alonzo passed away on February 10, 1940, at his daughter’s home in Mojave California. Both Alonzo and Sylvester’s legacy lives on at the Pioneer Museum and we encourage you to plan a visit this upcoming Father’s Day weekend!

MUSEUM OPEN DAILY 9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.

FROM MAY 15 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30.

Admission $15 ages 13+, $5 for ages 6-12, Free for 5 and under. Follow us on Facebook for current information and amazing local history!

Alonzo Hartman Sylvester Richardson

Abby Fostveit

Father Andres Ayala-Santiago holds the Blessed Sacrament as a crowd walks behind the canopy.

A thurible was used to burn incense throughout the procession. The front of the procession displays a crucifix.

Family members embrace at the end of the procession.

The procession walks down Main Street.

Classifieds

CARS & TRUCKS

DODGE RAM 3500 PV: Vin: 2B5WB357ZVK585297. H&H Towing 203 W. US. Hwy 50. Gunnison, CO 81230. 970641-2628.

1966 VOLKSWAGEN HARDTOP 2DR

BEETLE: Vin: 116440501. H&H Towing 203 W. US. Hwy 50. Gunnison, CO 81230. 970641-2628.

2012 LINCOLN MP VRV: Vin: 1L9BT2620C1435727. H&H Towing 203 W. US. Hwy 50. Gunnison, CO 81230. 970-6412628.

EMPLOYMENT

SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for dump truck drivers in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience of 3-5 years required. Must be able to assist laborer performing physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $25-$38 depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction.com.

CRESTED BUTE MOUNTAIN RESORT:

Fleet/Diesel Mechanic FT. Tools and clean driving record required. Pay range starting at 21.50$ - 31$ BOE. Excellent benefits and seasonal housing. Apply at SKICB.COM.

HARMELS ON THE TAYLOR IN ALMONT is seeking new team members to fill the following positions asap: housekeepers and cooks - both starting at $20/hour; servers - starting at $15 + tips, and dishwashersstarting at $17. All positions can be full or part time; seasonal or permanent. Email: terri@harmels.com with contact information and type of work desired, or call 970-6411740.

PINNACLE ORTHOPEDICS is seeking a FT medical assistant to join our thriving practice. This is an excellent opportunity for one looking to develop a skill set in patient care including X-rays, clinical documentation, casting/splinting and medical supply inventory management. Good interpersonal, organization and computer skills while working in a fast paced environment are important. Position is for both our Crested Butte and Gunnison offices. Salary DOE. Please send resume to office@ pinnacleorthocolorado.com.

GUNNISON COUNTY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC. (GCEA) is currently seeking applications for an accountant position. This is a full-time position that will be reporting to the Gunnison Headquarters location. This position will assist with all general and cost accounting functions and various GCEA projects. This is a position that requires adequate knowledge and experience of generally accepted accounting principles. The pay range for an accountant position is between $66,019 - $88,046 a year. Starting pay will be dependent on qualifications and experience and will be paid on an hourly basis. Pay increases over time are based upon progress. Overtime may be required as necessary and will be paid accordingly. Upon meeting eligibility requirements this position offers health care benefits, retirement benefits, paid time off and paid scheduled holidays. To see the complete list of duties and qualifications needed, and to learn how to apply please see our website at gcea.coop (about tab, careers section). Job will remain open until filled.

WET GROCER IN GUNNISON is looking for full and part time positions with a summer bonus paid for full timers in Sept. Apply in store.

PRECISE PAINTING IS HIRING PAINTERS:

Seasonal or year-round full-time. Must be willing to commit for at least Spring/Summer/ Fall. Pay starts at $22/hr. for inexperienced candidates, more with experience. 4 or 4.5 day work week, earn PTO, raises come quickly, opportunity for benefits. Happy to train the right people. Call Rob at 970-5090851.

DO YOU HAVE MAINTENANCE SKILLS?

Are you looking for a full time year around position in the valley with great pay, health insurance, on-call pay, company vehicle, company phone, paid vacation, ski or health and wellness pass, 5 day work week and more? Iron Horse Property Management is adding another position to our maintenance team and we are looking for the right individual to help maintain our luxury homes. We are looking for someone who has a great work ethic, maintenance skills, is punctual and wants to quit having multiple jobs to make it in the valley. If this sounds

like you, and you have a clean driving record, then please send your resume to steve@ ironhorsecb.com and qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview. No phone calls please. Pay DOE.

INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE BUT NOT SURE HOW TO GET

STARTED? Coldwell Banker is seeking a broker support specialist to join our team. This position a perfect way to learn the business and get paid to do it! We are looking for an individual who works well with all types of people, has a strong attention to detail, will creatively help with marketing and is capable of implementing systems. The job requires strong computer knowledge for work on a PC in Excel, Word and many web based programs. This is a full time, year round position. Email resume to molly@cbmp.com or call 970-209-4234.

DAVID GROSS GENERAL CONTRACTOR is seeking a high level construction project manager to manage multiple current and future projects. Full-time salaried position with potential health, 401k, ski pass and a kick-ass team to work with. Fast-paced high volume general contractor. Pre-construction through punch list. Must have attention to detail and be proficient in all computer related skills. Great work environment. Send resume to david@davidgrossgc.com.

NEED SUMMER WORK? Summer grounds and maintenance person needed. $23/hour from now - Aug. Perfect for a college student home for summer looking for beer money. Contact PR Property Management today. prpropertyoffice@gmail.com / 970-349-6281.

ICLEAN IN CRESTED BUTTE is looking for cleaners. Pay DOE Please call 970-3312417. Buscamos limpiadores. Por favor, comuníquese con IClean a 970-331-2417. Para trabajar en Crested Butte.

OFFICE MANAGER needed for a growing construction and design firm. The ideal candidate will be someone who has excellent communication and organization skills, likes working closely with a team and is professional in dealing with clients. A successful manager will be able to handle product ordering/tracking, inventory, AP/ AR and bank balancing. Knowledge in Quickbooks and Google Suite is a must. Please send resumes and inquiries to margie@paradisecb.com. Competitive Pay based on experience.

HOTTUB TECHNICIAN: Year round PT or FT position with great growth opportunities. Train at $22/hour. Pay starts at $25/hour plus incentives. AWD work van, clothing and more provided. Position starts immediately. Call Graeme at CB Hot Tub 970-275-5700.

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE

TECHNICIANS WANTED TO JOIN THE SEALCO TEAM: $33+ hourly - $1,800+ weekly potential with performance and safety bonuses. Seeking motivated, hard-working and dependable individuals. No experience necessary. On the job training working outdoors. Paid weekly. Must be capable of lifting 60 pounds. Email resumes to Aaron@ sealcoincorporated.com or call 970-6414260.

KDCB IS LOOKING FOR LEAD CARPENTERS AND CARPENTERS. Call 970-275-6969.

CRESTED BUTTE BURGER COMPANY is hiring the following positions: Cooks and cashiers, flexible schedule available, starting pay $16-$18/hr. + gratuity. Assistant manager, full-time seasonal, starting pay $18-$20/hr. + gratuity, pay DOE. For more information or to submit a resume, please email crestedbutteburgerco@gmail.com.

PEAK PROPERTY MANAGEMENT hiring year round maintenance position. Must have excellent work ethic, attention to detail, clean driving record and accountability. Job performs regular maintenance, lawn care, snow removal and on call services. Competitive pay and benefits. Contact Caleb 970-209-1911 or Caleb@peakcb.com.

ARE YOU TIRED OF WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS TO MAKE IT IN THE VALLEY?

Iron Horse is looking for the right individual to join our expanding property care team. This individual is responsible for property inspections, inventories, and the overall quality and presentation of vacation rentals in our luxury inventory. You will work hand in hand with our maintenance, housekeeping and reservation teams to ensure that our guests experience vacation perfection. Pay starts at $22 per hour plus a company car, health insurance, on-call pay, paid vacation, ski or health and wellness pass, 5 day work week and more. If you are detail oriented, organized, punctual and only want the best, then submit your resume to steve@ ironhorsecb.com and qualified applicants will be contacted for an interview. Clean driving record is required. No phone calls please.

HOUSEKEEPER WANTED: $21-23/hour, DOE. Weekends, Fri-Sun starting LateJune through Aug. Contact PR Property Management today. prpropertyoffice@gmail. com / 970-349-6281.

CRAFT MOUNTAIN HOMES is hiring midlevel journeyman carpenters. A fast-paced and professional construction company we are offering full-time, year-round work with good compensation and benefits like paid time off, paid sick leave, a lifestyle spending account (an additional $250 per month toward wellness and lifestyle expenses) and training for career advancement in residential building and more. Signing bonus for the right candidate. Visit craftmountainhomes. com to apply.

ALPINE GETAWAYS: Local property management company hiring motivated maintenance workers. 30-40 hours per week / $20-$25 an hour DOE. Apply with a resume erik@alpinegetaways.com or call 970-9016657.

CRESTED BUTTE AUTO REPAIR IS HIRING: We are looking for a full-time service writer/office assistant for a fastpaced environment. Experience preferred but willing to train. Computer skills and strong attention to detail required. Tasks include communicating with customers, scheduling appointments, answering multiple phone lines, billing and developing cost estimates. Pay starting at $20/hour or more based on experience. We offer health insurance, retirement, vacation and sick pay. Please email resume to crestedbutteauto@ yahoo.com or stop by 301 Belleview to fill out an application.

EC ELECTRIC IS SEEKING

to info@ec-electric.com or call 970-641-0195 www.ec-electric.com/careers

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

Competitive pay, 401K, insurance, paid vacations. 40 hour work week. Apply at John Roberts Motor Works.

GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

*Housing is held for Gunnison County employees and may be available for you to rent*

Clinical Services Manager HHS: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $7,009-$9,915 plus full benefits.

Recycling Technician/Landfill Operator Public Works: Full-time, 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $21.72-$30.72 plus full benefits.

Summer Seasonal Fairgrounds: 20 hours/week, hourly rate range from $15.75-$17.93, depending on experience, plus partial benefits.

Juvenile Diversion Case Manager/ School Based Inspire Mentor Juvenile Services: Full-time, 40 hours/week, hourly rate range from $27.15-$38.41 plus full benefits.

Clinical Case Management Coordinator Juvenile Services: Parttime, 35 hours/week, hourly rate range from $28.78-$40.71 plus full benefits.

Accountant I Treasurer: 40 hours/ week, monthly salary range from $4,440-$6,281 plus full benefits.

Case Management Aide HHS: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $4,707-$6,658 plus full benefits.

Eligibility Technician HHS: 40 hours/ week, monthly salary range from $3,764-$4,285 plus full benefits.

Summer Seasonal 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.

Health Coalition Coordinator HHS: Part-time, 25 hours/week, hourly rate range from $27.15-$38.41 plus partial benefits.

Event Manager Fairgrounds: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $5,238-$6,537 plus full benefits.

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.

Communications Ass’t/ Records Manager

Full-time, $47,500-$55,500/yr.

$22.84-$26.68/hr. Provides a high level of customer service to both internal and external customers of the City. This position has the important responsibility of records management and invests substantial amount of time in online communication and the implementation of strategic communication through social media, the website, video, photos and print. This position collaborates internally and externally to drive civic engagement through transparent, clear and proactive communications.

Head Lifeguard

Full-time, $47,500-$55,500/yr.

$22.84-$26.68/hr.

Organizes and administers aquatic programs, in-services and provides assistance in the mechanical and chemical operations of the pools, locker rooms, maintenance and repair of the building and natatorium HVAC systems.

Police Officer

Full-time, $62,200-$84,000/yr.

$29.90-$40.38/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 while attending the Academy. Includes a $5,000 signing bonus.

Part-time Openings

Parking Attendant -up to $25.44/hr.

4th of July Workers $28.68/hr.

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

DAVID GROSS GENERAL CONTRACTOR

is looking for a highly organized individual with bookkeeping experience to work full

4 DAY WORK WEEK M-TH (4x10)

GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net

AUTOMOTIVE MASTER TECHNICIAN. If you are curious about how your current job compares to Precision Automotive? EMAIL your resume to precisionauto4040@hotmail.com, call or text Steve at 970-596-9999 ALL INQUIRIES ARE STRICKLY CONFIDENTIAL! Benefits include: PAID VACATION, PAID HOLIDAYS, MEDICAL, DENTAL, MATCHING IRA.

AUTOMOTIVE APPRENTICE Do you love cars? Get your start in the well paid and exciting world of Automotive Repair that could turn into your life passion. Work along side your mentor a Master Certified Technician while completing online modules such as: Electrical, Engine mechanical, Transmission, Drive train, Suspension & Steering, Heating & A/C, Engine Performance and Brakes.

CAR WASH/DETAILER/SHOP MAINTENANCE. Call or text 970-596-9999 for interview. PRECISIONAUTO.NET

time, year-round in a fast paced fun office environment. Must have solid computer skills and knowledge of Excel/Google Sheets. Experience in the construction industry is a plus. Please contact David at 970-901-1798 or send a resume to david@davidgrossgc. com.

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.

FLEET MAINTENANCE/HEAVY

EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CB South Metro District. Position responsible for fleet maintenance/heavy equipment operation, motor grader/loader specifically, with opportunity for fleet management. Must diagnose/make repairs on heavy equipment including welding. Duties include equipment operation, fleet maintenance/ repair, road maintenance, snow removal, water/wastewater operations, welding, and other generalized work. Position includes an elite benefit package. More information at cbsouthmetro.net. Email resume to info@ cbsouthmetro.net.

DO YOU LIKE VARIETY? HELPING

PEOPLE? WORKING WITH AN AWESOME TEAM? Join our caring and supportive practice as a dental assistant. No experience preferred. Happy to train anyone open to learning new skills and enjoys helping people. Full time, year round, competitive pay and benefits, lots of room for growth. Shoot us an email with your cover letter and resume to amy@crestedbuttedentist.com.

TEMPORARY LABORERS NEEDED: Need some cash this off season? The Town of Crested Butte Parks and Recreation

CLUES DOWN

1. Mangled

2. Ruffled some feathers

3. Not young 4. Lakers legend 5. Nocturnal S. American rodent

6. Direction (Scottish)

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. And 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

Food Service-CBCS and GCS

Educational Assistants-LAKE

ELL Educational Assistant-GMS

General Educational AssistantCBES

Building Manager-CBCS

Assistant Building Manager-CBCS

Lead Custodian-Lake School

Special Education EA-CBSS

Permanent Substitute-CBSS

Bus Drivers Substitute Teachers

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

IT Professional-District

Science Teacher-CBSS

2nd and 4th grade Teacher-CBES

3rd grade Teacher-GES

Counselor-GES-(1 year only)

Counselor-CBES

ELL Teacher-GMS

Special Education Teachers-GMS and GHS

Coaching:

GHS-Speech and Debate

CBCS-Head and Assistant

Hockey Coach

GMS 7th grade Head and Assistant Volleyball Coach

GMS 8th grade Assistant Volleyball Coach

Please contact:

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

Position includes an elite benefit package. More information at cbsouthmetro.net. Email resume to info@cbsouthmetro.net.

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time and full-time seasonal positions: Line cooks and dishwasher $20$25/hr. + gratuity; Housekeeping, flexible schedule available, $20-$25/hr.; General facility maintenance $18-$20/hr.; Employee benefits include complimentary golf rounds and employee discounts. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com or email: jobs@clubatcrestedbutte.com.

THE TOWN OF MT. CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a full time year around maintenance worker. Typical job duties will vary from season to season and will include but are not limited to: snow shoveling, plowing of the Mt. Crested Butte roads and various parking lots, maintaining town equipment and vehicles, emptying trash cans, repairing fence lines, building maintenance, road maintenance including sweeping, flagging, filling potholes, maintaining the town’s ditches and culverts. Schedule is 4 – 10 hour days with one weekend day in the winter being required. Overtime is expected during snow cycles. Minimum qualifications include the ability to obtain a class B commercial driver’s license, clean seven year driving record, ability to obtain their flagger certification, safely lift 80 pounds, good customer service, communication and team work skills, ability to walk on uneven surfaces, ability to work outdoors for an extended period in the summer and winter, basic knowledge of heavy equipment and snow plowing experience. Preferred qualifications include having a class B commercial driver’s license, flagger certification knowledge of heavy equipment operations, loader, backhoe and snowplow experience, knowledge of vehicle and heavy equipment maintenance (mechanic) welding experience and building maintenance and upkeep experience. Starting pay range is $48,590-$56,436 depending on experience. The Town offers an amazing benefit package with paid health, vision and dental insurance for you and your family, 401(1) or pension plan, 12 paid holidays, generous vacation and sick time, wellness program and more. Please visit mtcb.colorado.gov for the full job description. Contact Bobby Block at bblock@mtcb.colorado.gov with any questions. To apply email your resume, cover letter and three references to Tiffany O’Connell at toconnell@mtcb.colorado.gov.

SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for laborers in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience required not required, but preferred. Must be able to assist laborer performing physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $22/hr or higher depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction.com.

MILL CREEK RANCH is seeking a horse knowledgeable person for a part-time yearly position. Job entails horse care and riding as the primary responsibilities. Also included are light office and facility duties. 2 days/ week. $17/hr. Driver’s license required. email office@millcreekranches.com.

THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE seeks applicants for a finance administrative assistant to join the Finance and Administrative Services team. The finance admin assistant is responsible for daily financial tasks including administration of the sales tax collection process, cash receipting, departmental customer service and file/records maintenance. This yearround position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid health, dental, vision, life insurance and contribution to retirement plan after one year of employment. Starting salary is $47,200$57,500 DOQ. Full job description is available on the town’s website at townofcrestedbutte. com. Please submit application, cover letter and resume via email to jobs@crestedbutteco.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

DIRECTOR OF AMERICORPS

PROGRAMS: Mountain Roots seeks a program manager to provide leadership, management, and administration for a 30-member program with a regional scope. Work with host site organizations doing food systems work and individuals seeking to gain experience in environmental education, regenerative agriculture, and food security. Full time, $52K with benefits. Open until filled. Visit mountainrootsfoodproject.org for more info.

LUNA BAKERY is looking for a retail assistant for our Gunnison Farmers Market booth every Saturday. $18/hr plus bread perks. Please contact Deven at 970-2313247

GARAGE / YARD SALES

STORAGE UNIT SALE: New merchandise added weekly. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. 108 S. 11th, alley side.

PETS

7 YEAR OLD LABRADOODLE: Free to good home. Well behaved well trained dog. No bad habits. Needs people companions, not left in back yard. Comes complete with everything a dog needs. Doesn’t like the Arizona heat, loves the Colorado snow. Available in July 970-946-0249.

REAL ESTATE

PRIME OFFICE SPACE on Main St. Five private offices. Client waiting/conference room, reception desk, 12 paved parking spaces. Call or text 970-596-9999 for more info.

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.

ROAD MANAGER/HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR: CB South Metro District: position responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all activities and staff related to district roads and maintenance. Duties include road maintenance, snow removal, water/wastewater operations and other daily tasks. Must have heavy equipment experience, grader/loader specifically.

24. The very top

Organs in males

HARMELS ON THE TAYLOR EN ALMONT está buscando nuevos miembros del equipo para ocupar los siguientes puestos lo antes posible: limpieza - comenzar a $20.00 /hora, cocineros - comenzar a $20.00 / hora; servidores - $15 /hora mas propinas; lava trastes - $17 /hora. Todas las posiciones pueden ser a tiempo completo o parcial; estacional o permanente. Correo electrónico: terri@harmels.com con información de contacto y tipo de trabajo deseado, o llame al 970-641-1740 (se habla español).

WANTED: Master Electrician to work for local solar installer. Regular part time, seasonal work, no solar experience necessary - will train the solar stuff. Low stress, flexible schedule, and opportunity for more hours/full time work if desired. 970-642-5554/info@ nunatakenergy.com.

BRAND NEW 3 BR 2.5 BATH in Gunnison for $3,000 a month with garage. Available Aug. 1. Send inquiries to info@davidgrossgc. com.

RETAIL/OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE at the Gunnison Meadows Mall next to City Market, +/-1,500 sqft available. For more information and pricing visit GunnisonMeadows.com or call Jordon Ringel at 817-733-6947.

WANTED

WANTED: Public land Unit 66 archery Landowner elk tag. Finders fee available. Grant 608-712-7244.

CROSSWORD

ANSWERS FOR

Legals

NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR

CHANGE OF NAME

Public Notice is given on MAY 31, 2023 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison County, Colorado Court.

The Petition requests that the name of ANDRIA CHRISTINE DIAL be changed to

ANDRIA CHRISTINE THORNHILL

Betty Warren Clerk of Court/Deputy Clerk /s/ Betty Warren Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

Publication dates of June 8, 15, 22, 2023

2023

9363

NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

Public Notice is given on MAY 31, 2023 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison County, Colorado Court.

The Petition requests that the name of

DAVID RYAN MARTINEZ be changed to DAVID RYAN THORNHILL

Betty Warren Clerk of Court/Deputy Clerk /s/ Betty Warren Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado

Publication dates of June 8, 15, 22, 2023

2023

9362

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Saguache County Land Use Office will be holding a series of education / outreach for the public on the passage of the Saguache County Nuisance Ordinance that was recently passed by the Board of County Commissioners. Dates, time, and location will be as follows;

To view the Saguache County Nuisance Ordinance that was passed, you can go on the Saguache County Website at www. saguachecounty-co.gov or pick up a copy at the Saguache County Land Use Office, 505 3rd Street, Saguache, CO 81149.

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado.

Publication dates of May 18, 25, June 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2023

9041

REQUEST FOR BIDS

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

June 8th, 2023

Palisade Retreat Club c/o SCJ Alliance 400 N. Main St. Gunnison, CO 81230

The CONTRACT DOCUMENTS are proposed to be available on June 8th, 2023 and may be examined or obtained at the office of the ENGINEER, SCJ ALLIANCE, 400 N Main Street, Gunnison, CO 81230 970-641-2499. The CONTRACT DOCUMENTS can be obtained in electronic format only, upon request. The ENGINEER will maintain a plan holders list.

PERFORMANCE and PAYMENT BONDS in the amount of 100 percent of the CONTRACT AMOUNT will be required.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held by the ENGINEER at The Offices of SCJ Alliance, located at 400 N. Main St. Gunnison, CO 81230 at 10:00 AM, Thursday, June 22, 2023, and will include a post-meeting visit to the project site.

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

Publication dates of June 8, 15, 2023

June 20, 2023 – 5:00PM Center Kiwanis Club of Center – 510 S Broadway St., Center, CO 81125

June 21, 2023 – 5:00PM KV Homeowners Association – 26415 Woodward Ave., Moffat, CO 81143

Separate sealed BIDS for the construction of the Palisades Retreat Club Sewer System Improvements will be received by the Palisades Retreat Club (OWNER) at the office of the ENGINEER, SCJ ALLIANCE, 400 N Main Street, Gunnison, CO 81230, until 10:00 AM prevailing local time on Thursday, June 29, 2023, and then at said location publicly opened and read aloud.

June 26, 2023 – 5:00PM Tomichi Creek Trading Post – 71420 US-50, Sargents, CO 81248

June 27, 2023 – 5:00PM Baca Grande Property Owners Association – 68575 Co. Rd. T, Crestone, CO 81131

June 28, 2023 – 5:00PM Saguache County Road and Bridge – 305 3rd Street, Saguache, CO 81149

This project involves the construction of approximately 3,300 LF of various sized HDPE force main and the installation of ten (10) individual EOne lift stations, including all wet wells, pumps, service laterals and electrical and controls connections. The force main will tie into an existing manhole owned by Gunnison County, located in the County Road 17 ROW.

9346 Bethany Church

909 N Wisconsin St. (behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144

Summer schedule, One service at 9am! gunnisonbethany.com

9 am: 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

www.bnaibutte.org

Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and the East River Valley in Colorado PO Box 2537 Crested, Butte CO 81224

Spiritual Leader; Rabbi Mark Kula, RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com www.bnaibutte.org for additional details

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.

Faith Directory

Community Church of Gunnison

107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925

Pastor Larry Nelson

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.

Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry Weekly Student Ministry Weekly Adult LifeGroups

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9:00-4:00

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 PM - Children's Patch Club

Gunnison Bible Institute

Thursday 7 PM - College & Career Christian Fellowship www.firstbaptistgunnison.org.

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.

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

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

Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church

711 N. Main • 970-641-1860

Bible Study and Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays

Church Service at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays

Pastor Robert Carabotta, Pastor Jacob With 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 10am / Wednesday 7pm www.newsonggunnison.net

Rocky Mountain Christian Ministries

1040 Highway 135 (1/4 mile N. of Spencer Ave.) • 970-641-0158

Sunday Morning Worship 9:30am

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

Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago

www.gunnisoncatholic.org

www.crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.

St. Peter's - Gunnison Sat 8:30 am, 6:30 pm & Sun 10:30 am, 12:00 pm (Spanish) Mass

First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass at 11am

Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30am Mass

St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Mass Service, Sat 4:00pm

Trinity Baptist Church

523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813

Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks

Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.

Adult Bible Study 8:00 AM www.trinitybaptistsgunnison.com

IF

out large farmers word and replace with "Auto Home Life Business Workers comp recreational. Website info

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Get that cheatgrass outta here

Gunnison County hosted a cheatgrass pull day on Saturday, June 9. Cheatgrass is a commonlyknown enemy of the Gunnison sage-grouse and frequently outcompetes native plant species. Thirty-five community members attended and pulled just over 600 pounds of the noxious weed across the city. Afterward, the crew gathered back at Legion Park for a celebration with beer,

Father’s Day BBQ Cookout & Whiskey Tasting

Saturday June 17th • 3-6pm

Reservations required BBQ Brisket, Pulled BBQ Chicken, BBQ Carnitas Tacos and much more. Whiskeys from around the world.

Live music provided by Neil Hall local singer/songwriter performing originals, classic rock and country.

$40 per person

970-641-1482

Lights & Sirens

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

JUNE 6

-Information report on a possibly abandoned vehicle

-Information report on a brokendown motorcycle

-Information report on a bicycle crash with injuries

-Information report on animal cruelty

-Agency assist to Montrose County Detention with victim notification

-Lost property report- keys

-Vin inspection

-Information report – welfare check

-Paper service

-Information report – 911 hang up

-Assist to Emergency Medical Services with a medical call

JUNE 7

-Harassment call

-Vin inspection

-Rafting accident no injuries

JUNE 8

DENVER AVE.

JUNE 7

FRAUD - INFORMATION / WIRE —

234 W. GEORGIA AVE.

PROPERTY - FOUND —

W. OHIO AVE.

PROPERTY - LOST —

910 W. BIDWELL AVE.

JUNE 8

ADMIN - UNASSIGNED INCIDENT

— N. IOWA ST.

MEDICAL CALL — N. 14TH ST.

WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER

JURISDICTION — 100 N. PINE ST.

JUNE 9

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGE —

200 N. MAIN ST.

JUNE 10

DISTURBING THE PEACEALLOWING OTHERS —

201 N. 12TH ST.

AGENCY ASSIST — W. HWY 50

WELFARE ASSIST —

S. ADAMS ST.

VIOLATION OF PROTECTION

ORDER: CRIMINAL ORDER —

624 N. MAIN ST.

SEXUAL ASSAULT - NONCONSENTUAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE

- UNLAWFUL POSSESSIONEXCEPT MARIJUANA —

226 N. MAIN ST.

JUNE 11

AGENCY ASSIST — W. HWY. 50

DISORDERLY CONDUCTUNREASONABLE NOISE — 613 W. NEW YORK AVE.

MENACING - USE OF A WEAPON

— 501 E. TOMICHI AVE.

ACCIDENT — 880 N. MAIN ST. PROPERTY - FOUND — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE.

ABANDONED VEHICLE — 600 N. 12TH ST.

-Information report – driver issue at the construction site Hwy. 50

-Stolen and recovered bike report

-Welfare check

-Possible harassment call

-Paper service

-County Resolution 2018-30(IV)(2)

barking dog complaint

-Underage consumption of alcohol

-Welfare check

-Agency assist to CSP with a one vehicle accident with injuries

JUNE 9

-Information report

-Found property

-Vin Inspection x 2

-Crimes against at-risk adult

-Noise complaint

JUNE 10

-Welfare check

-Agency assist to the GPD with a possible sex assault and trespass

-Information report in Somerset

-Information- welfare check

-Found property – returned

-Information report possible shots heard

-911 hang up

-Loud noise complaint

JUNE 11

-Agency assist to the GPD with an arrest

-Arrest for violation of a protection order and a warrant

-Agency assist to the GPD for a disorderly subject

-Arrest for driving under the influence, driving without a valid driver’s license and possession of an open alcoholic beverage in the vehicle

JUNE 12

-Agency assist to GPD with a disorderly subject

-Information report

-Civil standby for an eviction

-Vin inspection x 2

-Lost wallet report

Alex McCrindle Times Staff Writer

Barry Clifford is an underwater archaeologist, renowned treasure hunter — and a 1969 graduate of Western Colorado University. When not diving off the coast of Cape Cod, excavating artifacts from a pirate shipwreck, he might be found in the Gunnison Valley, visiting his two grown children, and meandering shops on Main Street.

During a recent video interview from his Massachusetts home, Clifford proudly showed off artifacts of his historic discovery. A wooden model ship stood against his wall. The words “Whydah Gally,” ran across its stern, and a flag waved atop its mainmast. The flag's black background was highlighted by piercing white markings: a skull and crossbones.

In 1717, the Whydah wrecked off the coast of Massachusetts. Her captain, a pirate named “Black Sam” Bellamy, ran aground during a nor’easter hurricane, leaving behind a fortune in pirate treasure. The wreck rested in a sandy grave for 267 years — until a swashbuckling Western Colorado University graduate discovered the Whydah shipwreck in 1984.

Western alumnus Barry Clifford’s hunt for pirate treasure

But his passion to uncover history began 20 years earlier, in the Gunnison Valley.

“Every Cape-Codder grew up hearing the story of the Whydah,” Clifford said. “I knew there was a pirate shipwreck out there — but my interest began in history classes at Western. Professor [Duane] Vandenbusch encouraged me to look for ghost towns near Crested Butte. We discovered an old mining town. There was still a piano sitting in the room, and shoes left on the floor. It was just like it was in the 1800’s, and that’s how my love of exploration began.”

Whydah’s story which enchanted Cliff ord, begins 300 years ago with Captain Bellamy: the raven-haired, “prince of pirates.”

In the early 18th century, Nassau, Bahamas was infested by a colony of buccaneers. Led by Blackbeard and Anne Bonny, the pirates rebelled against European monarchies. For 10 years they haunted the Caribbean islands, looting merchant ships and growing exceedingly rich.

Among these scallywags was a young sailor named Sam Bellamy. His gateway to piracy began in the colony of Massachusetts as a deckhand in the Royal Navy. In 1715, Bellamy fell in love with Maria Hallett. However, her father was unwilling to let a

poor deckhand take her hand in marriage. In an attempt to get rich, impress her father, and marry the girl, Bellamy chose the pirate’s life and sailed to Nassau.

Two years later, Bellamy had become the most fearsome pirate in the Caribbean. He had plundered 53 ships from England, France and Spain and led a crew of 150 pirates. His flagship, the Whydah, was originally a 300-ton slaver, designed to transport human captives across the Atlantic. Bellamy transformed her into a formidable warship carrying over 60 cannon and capable of reaching speeds up to 13 knots. Most importantly, Bellamy had amassed a fortune in gold and silver — more than enough to impress his sweetheart’s father.

The Whydah sailed up the Atlantic coast for Cape Cod and the home of Hallett. However, just as Bellamy reached Massachusetts, the skies darkened and the oceans started to churn. A hurricane swept through the Cape, launching the Whydah into a coastal sandbar. Its stern ran aground and the ship split in two, capsizing along the shore. Only two sailors survived the shipwreck. Bellamy was not one of them. He was lost in the coastal sands, never to see his beloved Maria again.

The wreckage sat under shifting sands for 300 years

— until Clifford moved back east following his graduation from Western. Working along the Cape, he spent free time exploring the coast for shipwrecks. Even in the early years, Bellamy’s ship was the

sole objective on his mind. For Clifford, discovering the Whydah meant uncovering a childhood story, and a treasure he dreamt about through college.

How a team of Gunnison boys discovered ‘Black Sam’s’ shipwreck

Barry Clifford (middle), John Beyer (left) and Rob McClung (right) sit in front of artifacts salvaged from the Whydah in 1984. McClung was a Crested Butte Marshal at the time, and Clifford’s roommate at Western.

Courtesy Barry Clifford Clifford

Golden ‘escudos’ coins and silver ‘pieces of eight’ lay among the Whydah’s treasure.

GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2023

He discovered the General Benedict Arnold that sank off Plymouth in 1778 just seven years after graduation. That same year he uncovered the Agnes Manning wreck. His success in underwater archaeology led to a friendship with the late John F. Kennedy Jr. who was also an avid diver. The two created a partnership and researched the ultimate prize: the Whydah.

By 1982, news of Clifford’s achievements had spread to Colorado. His former Western roommates Rob McClung and Trip Wheeler joined the hunt for Bellamy’s ship. The Crested Butte boys moved to the Cape, and the reunited classmates set out scanning the coastline with electronic sensing gear.

“At the time, nobody believed us,” Clifford said. “All these experts thought we were crazy. But those early years were a wild time. We were living every boy’s dream, looking for buried treasure.”

The team located a hot-spot of magnetized material below the sand in 1984. They began diving on the site, blowing away sediment and digging deeper into the ocean floor. Soon they retrieved a cannon ball and a

small coin dated 1684 — however, the wreck could not be identified. Concrete evidence appeared a year later. A ship's bell, covered in concretions, bore the words “The Whydah Gally.”

Barry Clifford had discovered the first pirate shipwreck in history.

Following the breakthrough,

Clifford began salvaging and preserving artifacts — a task that continues to this day. By 2022, Expedition Whydah had excavated over 200,000 artifacts from the wreckage, including gold and silver coins, over 60 cannons, cutlasses, pistols and a pirate’s leg bone. Clifford’s achievement is displayed at the Whydah Pirate Museum,

in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, however he reminisces often on the early days in the Gunnison Country.

“I have some great, great memories of that school and that valley,” he said. “It was such an incredible place to spend my college years. I want to put a small display together for Western one of these days —

just to bring in some treasure and artifacts for a small exhibit. I have a lot of great memories from Gunnison. I just love it there.”

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

Clifford sits on the Massachusetts coast with a treasure chest salvaged from the wreck.

Clifford poses with a pile of gold and silver coins, while diving off Cape Cod.

Courtesy Barry Clifford

Almont party a long time coming

Three Rivers Resort celebrates 40th anniversary in style

Jacob Spetzler

Photo and Sports Editor

From the pavilion alongside Hwy. 135 emanated the sounds of what could have been a raucous family reunion — cheers, jeers, shouts, exclamations of love — all for the 40th anniversary of Three Rivers Resort. Co-founder Mark Schumacher invited every employee who had put sweat into the business over the past four decades, and the result was a gathering of nearly 250 people at the headwaters of the Gunnison River, coming from as far away as Bangkok, Thailand.

Schumacher attended Western State College before buying the resort out of bankruptcy in 1983 with his father Ray and his brother, Alex. When the trio first purchased the 58-acre parcel, it held a small store, gas pumps and 16 cabins. In the years since, the resort has come to resemble its own small town and includes a rafting and fly fishing business, a mobile home park, a wastewater treatment facility and the Smokehouse restaurant, just to name a few amenities.

Schumacher’s family has grown with the resort. In 1985 he met his wife Mary Joe, whom he calls “the backbone of the operation” , and the two of them had three kids — Sarah, Luke and Dirk — between 1988 and 1994. Recently, Mark brought in Luke and Dirk as co-owners of the business. Dirk is also the outfitting manager.

In 1984, Schumacher was joined by John “Vito” Covelli, Ted Connor and Brock Smith in starting the commercial rafting business that continues to this day. In the same year, Roark Kiklevich and Dave Park started the fly fishing guide service, Willowfly Anglers.

Covelli is the only one who still does the occasional river trip. After decades of working as the head guide he has recently took a job driving buses with the Regional Transportation Authority and passed the baton to Ruth Monte. Monte moved over to Three Rivers in the early 2000s after guiding for over a decade with the only other commercial rafting operation on the Taylor River, Scenic River Tours.

It’s striking to think about how different the entire operation is now as compared to those early days, Covelli said. Three Rivers was founded before the popularization of self-bailing rubber boats, and the Upper Taylor River was considered “non-navigable.” Most

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of the first guides had never worked as river runners before. Covelli and Schumacher got to know each other three years earlier while working construction in Crested Butte.

“[Schumacher] said ‘do you want to be a raft guide?’ I had never been a raft guide in my life,” Covelli said. “But at the time there was no certification, so, boom, we were raft guides.”

They cobbled the operation together over those first few years out of pure force of will and youthful excitement, slowly getting to know the river better and better, while also collecting guide and safety certifications. In the late 80s, self-bailing boats made it to the Gunnison Valley and in 1988, Three Rivers acquired Crested Butte Rafting which, Covelli said, doubled their number of permits and gave the whole operation a new level of professionalism.

Fast forward three decades, and both the guide and fly fishing operations have solidified while the latter has become nationally renowned. Willowfly Anglers, the fly fishing arm of Three Rivers, which is currently headed by Pat Blackdale, was named the Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the year in 2022 out of 300+ North American operations.

Schumacher attributed the success of the resort over the years to a combination of a

strong work culture, continuous growth and change and a couple shrewd business decisions.

“One of the best things I did was I put a wastewater treatment plan in, in the late 90s,” he said. “So it helped me get some density where I could pay for the property, get some cash flow going.”

According to Schumacher, the number of employees has grown from three to 140 currently employed at different times over the course of the year. General Manager Jen Bickford said the number and the quality of employees is what defines so much of Three Rivers’ success.

“It’s truly like a family here, where we document the years with yearbooks and celebrate all of our employees,” Bickford said. “Someone remarked that it is a rare business where someone might work as a housekeeper for the summer cleaning cabins and then return again and then come back decades later for a reunion because those were some of the best summers they ever had.”

(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)

Top: The original crew of raft guides pose for a photo in 1987. (Back row, left to right) Chris Stauch, Ted Conner, “Doc,” Jerry Dwyer; (Front row left to right) Phil Martin, John “Vito” Covelli, Mark Schumacher.

Bottom: The same crew poses 35 years later.

Courtesy Three Rivers Resort

Jacob Spetzler

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Bring out the bugs

BLM hosts pollinator workshop for local gardeners

Jacob Spetzler Photo and Sports Editor

The conference room at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office outside of Gunnison filled with local horticulturalists hoping to turn their thumbs green on June 9 at the second pollinator gardening workshop.

Over the course of the afternoon, a series of speakers gave talks on a range of topics which focused on growing native species and seeds by creating environments that will attract beneficial insects. The workshop was a collaboration between Aleshia Rummel, a wildlife biologist with the Gunnison Conservation District, Marcella Taarantino, a private lands range ecologist for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and Rachel Miller, a natural resources specialist with the BLM.

While the workshop was aimed primarily at residential homeowners who are interested in gardening, Rummel said that spreading the knowledge could have larger effects.

“We usually work with agricultural producers so this is a bit different,” Rummel said. “But I think it's relevant because pollinators cover a much greater area than one person’s yard.”

The first speaker of the day, Steve Armstead, the Colorado pollinator conservation and nature-based climate solutions specialist for the Xerces Society, spoke on best management practices for pollinator habitat. He was followed by Melissa Schreiner, an entomologist with the Grand Junction CSU-Extension Office. Her talk focused on how to create gardens that will attract pollinating insects such as butterflies and bees.

After a short break, Gay Austin, a retired natural resource specialist for the BLM, gave tips on how to propagate native plants in home gardening — a difficult process generally confined to larger seed producing corporations.

“She is just a fantastic botanist that knows so much about the Gunnison Basin and the plants in it,” Rummel said. “In her retirement, one of her hobbies has been finding ways to propagate native seed which is, in my opinion, and from what I've heard from others, extremely difficult. The fact that she's doing it successfully just speaks volumes to how much she knows about plants.”

Later in the day, participants trooped outside to help putin a native plant garden in front of the new BLM building. In the near future, Miller said she plans to put in some signage to help further the knowledge

from the plant office.

Rummel said the workshop was a great success. The event, funded by grants, was free and participants took home packed gift bags filled with seeds, a gardening shovel and more. Grant funding came from the Colorado Native Plant Society, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.

Any future workshops will

depend primarily on funding and interest, Rummel said, but she hopes to hold at least one workshop every year.

(Jacob Spetzler can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or jacob@gunnisontimes.com.)

The class works to plans a new native plant garden in front of the BLM office.

Courtesy Rachel Miller

Melissa Schreiner, an entomologist with the CSU-Extension Office, gives a talk called ‘‘Gardening for Beneficial Insects.’’

Preserved butterflies.

Preserved butterflies.

PEOPLE & HAPPENINGS

People's Fair

Considered by many to be the finale of the Crested Butte summer season, the 37th Paragon People’s Fair will be held Sept. 2-3 on Elk Avenue in Crested Butte. Booth spaces are still available, so get your applications in by visiting paragonartgallery.com or pick one up at the Paragon Gallery, 132 Elk Avenue in Crested Butte.

Buddhist monk visit

We hope you will join us in welcoming the monks of the famed Gaden Shartse Monastery this June 14-17 for a series of special programs promoting compassion, unity and healing. The list of programs includes a talk and discussion on world peace and unity of all religions hosted by the Gunnison Congregational Church, a healing ritual hosted at the Gunnison Public Library, an Arts and Crafts of Tibet workshop for kids and adults at the GAC, as well as a White Tara Long Life Empowerment ritual at the theater in the GAC. For a full schedule of events with descriptions and suggested donations go to wocdc.org/ gunnison/.

Healing ceremony

A healing ceremony will be conducted by the Gaden Shartse monks at 215 N. Colorado St. in Gunnison on June 17 at 2 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

Farm tour

Join the Gunnison Valley Producers Guild for their annual farm tour June 25 from 12:306:30 p.m. The tour starts and ends at the train cars at 513 S. Main St. in Gunnison. Visit the farms of the Gunnison Valley including Iola Valley Farm, Gunnison Gardens, Gunni-gal Aquaponics and more. The cost includes a shuttle and a casual, home-cooked farm-to-table dinner. To register visit gvpg. org.

Blue Mesa tour

Take a tour June 26, with David Primus to explore what was beneath Blue Mesa. Primus has been researching this topic for over 20 years and recently published the book “Beneath Blue Mesa: The Gunnison River Valley Before the Reservoir.” He will stop at various locations to point out and discuss the three towns, 16 fishing resorts/hotels and 15 ranches that once existed along this 23-mile stretch of the Gunnison River. Register at Western's website: western. edu/academics/center-learning-innovation/, then click on "Local History."

Soltice run

The Crested Butte Mountain Runners are holding a Solstice run on Walrod Gulch on June 17 at 9 a.m. Meet at the Walrod Gulch trailhead on Cement Creek Road. For trail maps and registration please visit cbmountainrunners.org.

Immigrant Heritage Month

Bring a dish from your heritage to this community potluck June 15 from 6-8 p.m. at Legion Park in Gunnison. This event is hosted by the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, City of Gunnison, Inmigrantes Unidos de Gunnison, Gunnison County and the Hispanic Affairs Project.

Thursday night tennis

Starting June 15, the weekly intermediate and advanced tennis mixer will be held Thursday evenings at 5 p.m. in Crested Butte. No registration is needed, just show up at the town tennis courts located across from the visitor center. Mixed doubles is the game. No partner is needed to participate, and anyone is welcome. The cost is $5 per night or $20 for the season, with the cost going toward tennis balls. For more information contact Don Cook at 970.497.0123.

Father’s Day at Pioneer Museum

Spend a half-day and bring Dad to the Gunnison Pioneer Museum for Father’s Day. Antique cars, old machinery, Hartman Post Office and much more. Celebrate Flag Day by visiting the military buildings. Admission is $15 for ages 13+, $5 for ages 6-12 and under 5 free.

Lotuses for those no longer with us

Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) hosted its third annual Hospice Celebration of Life at West Tomichi Riverway Park on June 10. Denise Bryndal, GVH’s home medical services clinical coordinator, organized the celebration — an evolution of the Tree of Life event, a long-standing tradition which used to take place around Christmas.

During the pandemic, organizers moved the event to the summer so it could be held outdoors. This is now the third year it has been held in June. CEO Jason Amrich gave the opening remarks before Rev. Timothy Clark of the Union Congregational Church gave a short talk. The lotuses were then released into the pond while Bryndal and Dawn Stewart read the names of hospice patients and other community remembrances.

Lotuses are released into the pond.

Event organizer Denise Bryndal reads names from a list of community remembrances.

Jacob Spetzler

Pros help Cattlemen’s Days reach elite status

Ted Harbin Special to the Times

The foundation for success is surrounding oneself with the very best.

That’s the philosophy of local organizers of the Gunnison Valley’s biggest annual event, and it’s paying off. As the Cattlemen’s Days celebration marks its 123rd year this July, its rodeo has been honored nationally as one of the best. Fans will have the opportunity to witness it all during this year’s rodeo, Thursday, July 13-Saturday, July 15, at the Fred Field Western Heritage Center.

In 2019, cowboys in the PRCA Mountain States Circuit recognized the Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo as the best in its classification. Last year, the contestants and other members of the PRCA upped the honor, nominating the Gunnison rodeo for Rodeo of the Year among medium rodeos across North America.

“We have some dedicated volunteers who have given their time and their effort to make our rodeo as great as it can be,” said Brad Tutor, first vice president of the Cattlemen’s Days committee. “We decided a long time ago that we wanted to have the best in the business working our rodeo. That’s why we went out and hired Stace Smith, who is one of the greatest stock con-

tractors in rodeo. That’s why we brought in Andy Stewart, who has been nominated so many times as Announcer of the Year. That trend has just continued.”

The cowboys have recognized that. Only five rodeos in each of four categories receive nominations. Of the nearly 700 events the PRCA sanctions each year, Cattlemen’s Days was recognized as one of the top 20 overall. Gunnison’s name has been mentioned along with events like the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede, Cheyenne (Wyoming) Frontier Days, Rodeo Houston, the Pendleton (Oregon) Round-Up and several other highly honored events.

“Just to have your name in the same category with those rodeos is an amazing experience,” said Tyler Hanson, the volunteer group’s second vice president. “It says a lot about our committee to be in the same category as those rodeos. It says a lot about our community, too.”

From 2004-2014, nobody in rodeo was better than Texasbased Stace Smith Pro Rodeo, which was named PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year for 11 straight campaigns. The firm is just one of several pieces to an incredible puzzle that makes Cattlemen’s Days such a wellrecognized event. The committee has added several other award-winners to the mix.

Amanda Corley Sanders was recognized as the PRCA Secretary of the Year in 2017, and she handles the behindthe-scenes workload in Gunnison. Shawna Ray was the 2019 Timer of the Year, and she will return to the valley for the second straight year. Ted Harbin, a media award winner for both the PRCA and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, has been part of the team since 2017.

Funnyman Cody Sosebee, the 2018 Comedy Act of the Year, returns to showcase his brand of entertainment, while fellow Arkansan Robby Freeman adds his specialized eye to the show as the 2021 Photographer of the Year.

“Every person that comes to Gunnison to work with our rodeo brings his or her own talents with them,” Tutor said.

“When you bring in professionals with that kind of ability to

help you put on a community event like this, you are telling everyone that you care. We care about Cattlemen’s Days, and we care about our rodeo.

“These people become family to us, and we look forward to having them come home to us every year.”

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE

(Source: Ted Harbin is the Cattlemen’s Days media director.)

Contestants compete in team roping during the 2021 Cattlemen’s Days ranch rodeo. Jacob Spetzler

Community crafts in the garden

On June 10, Crested Butte’s Trailhead Children’s Museum and the Mountain Roots Food Project hosted a free event for kids to paint community pennant flags that now hang at Bill’s Park in Gunnison.

Knowing the ropes

A community cattle roping competition took place Friday night, June 9, at the Gunnison County Fairgrounds. Ropings are scheduled for every Friday night for the remainder of the summer season.

Morgan Raspanti

Flooding on the Gunnison River

Now that we have high water and nearly bank-full conditions for the first time in what seems like ages, many people are talking about flooding. This may still be a problem in other parts of the state, but was not here.

First of all, the runoff, up to now, has been running above long-term average, since April 17. It ran over 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) from May 15 through June 11, and it is still close to that now. That’s very good, and very welcome.

The peak discharge this year was recorded on May 18 at 3,420 cfs. Yes, peak flow in May is unusual, but not unheard of. Yes, we are in a drought cycle (the last three years have had peak flows much lower) and we really haven't had big water since 1997 when the Gunnison peaked out at 6,010 cfs (we did have a little over 5,000 cfs in 2019).

Those of you with good memories will also recall that we had a much better water year in 1995 when the discharge reached 7,620 cfs (fourth alltime highest flow rate) and stayed above 5,000 cfs for many days.

There is also good news about Blue Mesa Reservoir. Water level has been rising at the rate of about one foot per day since May 17. Inflows have been over 5,000 cfs since May 16, and it’s come up over 60 feet since the low water mark this year. It is now predicted to be 96% full in July.

Now let's look at some really big Gunnison River flooding. The all-time record flood on the Gunnison occurred on June 11, 12 and 13 of 1918 when a whopping 11,400 cfs was recorded on the gauge just upstream from the twin bridges at the west end of town. Actually, the river stayed above 8,000 cfs for 10 days in mid-June that year, which is phenomenal.

That number has only been exceeded once since then. However to be fair, it should be noted that this was before Taylor Dam was built, which theoretically, would diminish the flows on the Gunnison, if Taylor Reservoir were not full.

A review of the Gunnison News-Champion newspaper from June 14, 1918 shows that temperatures became very unseasonably warm on June 11 and 12 when the thermometer reached 89 degrees. The river reportedly flowed over the state highway bridge west of town and washed it out leaving a “huge mud hole.”

“Motoring tourists were stranded on either side of the wash-out but the railroad came to the rescue and seven cars were ferried across by rail since the railroad bridge was not washed out,” it reads. Yes, they were driving cars back then.

The second-largest flood on the Gunnison was in June and early July of 1957. The peak discharge occurred on July 1 (which is unusually late)

Special to the Times

when the gauge recorded 9,320 cfs. But the flooding really started in early June with rates over 5,000 cfs and lasted for nearly a month.

Pictures in the Gunnison News-Champion on June 5, 1957 show pictures of water lapping onto Long's Resort cabins on the west end of town. The water reportedly was only three feet below the bridge there and came close to washing it out again. Major fl ooding was also reported on Clark Stream, north of town, and Lou-Jay Resort (just north of present-day Garlic Mike's) flooded.

The June 12, 1957 edition of the News-Champion shows a great aerial photo taken by the famous Rocky Warren of flooding at the Palisades and Ohio Creek junction, and this was before the peak.

But this is ancient history for most of you. How about the "great" flood of 1984, which so many of you remember?

Surprisingly, the Gunnison "only" peaked at 7,570 cfs on May 25, putting it in fifth place on the all-time record flows and below the mark of 1995. The really astonishing figure for 1984 was actually reached on the Tomichi, which came in with a flow of 4,620 cfs, more than doubling any previous record.

A LIST OF THE TOP-10 RECORD FLOODS:

1. June 13, 1918 —11,400 cfs

2. July 1, 1957 — 9,320 cfs

3.

June 11, 1920 — 7,680 cfs

4. June 18, 1995 — 7,620 cfs

5. May 25, 1984 — 7,570 cfs

6. June 12, 1921 — 6,600 cfs

7. June 22, 1917 — 6,250 cfs

8. June 9, 1997 — 6,010 cfs

9. June 6, 1912 — 5,880 cfs

10. May 30, 1928 — 5,750 cfs

$35 SPORTS PHYSICALS AVAILABLE ON JULY 14 & JULY 17

SPORTS PHYSICALS AT THE GUNNISON VALLEY HEALTH FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC

FAMILY

ENSURE YOUR STUDENT ATHLETE IS READY FOR FALL SPORTS WITH OUR $35 SPORTS PHYSICALS.

The sports physicals clinic is scheduled on Friday, July 14 and Monday, July 17 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

offer medical care, treatment and rehabilitation plans for professional athletes, recreational athletes and everyone in between.

GUNNISON | 970-641-8899 CRESTED BUTTE | 970-349-5103 WWW.GVORTHO.NET

(Bruce Bartleson is a retired emeritus professor of geology at Western Colorado University. He spends most of his time now watching the weather.)

Bruce ‘Barometer’ Bartleson

WWW.GUNNISONVALLEYHEALTH.ORG

B8 • ROUNDUP • Thursday, June 15, 2023 Gunnison Country Times

BASEBALL: Gunnison Red takes second at Summer Slam, B10

GYMNASTICS: Youth gymnasts bring home roster of podium spots, B10 GUNNISON

•

Stingrays win Gunnison Invitational Swim Meet

Swimmers defend home pool

Alex McCrindle Times Staff Writer

The Rec Center pool was the center of action June 9-11, as teams from across the Western Slope competed at the Gunnison Invitational Swim Meet. A total of 42 athletes, aged 5-16, competed for the Gunnison Stingrays Swim Club. The Stingrays finished first place with a combined score of 708.

Assistant coach Kate Kula said the meet was a great opportunity for younger swim-

mers to gain competitive experience.

“My main highlight was seeing the little ones swim, and the joy on their faces when they finished a heat,” Kula said. “We’ve been working a lot on technique and just getting across the pool, and they all did really well.”

Jemma Petrie collected the most points for the Stingrays, finishing first in the 15-andover-1000 freestyle, 200-IM, 500-freestyle, 100-butter fly, 200 breaststroke and 50-freestyle.

Gracen Corey and Elora Jones dropped times in every event in the 11-12 and 13-14 age groups. Additionally, Vincent Bishop, Hadley Hill, Iliana Rhodes, Max Milski, Citrina Gerlock, and Everett Gerlock all competed in

their first swim meet.

“Gracen did really well, she just came back from a camp, and dropped in every single event,” Kula said. “Jasper Taramarcaz swam the 25 backstroke without touching a landline, which was really great to see. Hadley Hill did very well on her backstroke, and just blew everyone out of the water.”

The Gunnison Invitational is the only home meet for the Stingrays this summer. The team will continue practicing daily at the Rec Center pool, and prepare for the Montrose Summer Swim Meet on July 15-16.

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

Charlotte Cory

Abra Jones

Keaton Mickelson

Ruke Dyar

Photos by Jacob Spetzler and Abby Fostveit

Gunnison hosts ‘Summer Slam’ baseball tournament

12U Red team makes championship

Alex McCrindle Times Staff Writer

Over the weekend of June 10-11, swarms of baseball families arrived in Gunnison for the 2023 Summer Slam tournament. Jorgensen Park and Gunnison High School played host to the tournament — with 12U and 14U teams playing from all across the Western Slope. Despite the steep competition, the home teams still made an impact.

The Red and Grey 12U Gunnison teams faced each

other in the semifinals — with the Red team winning 10-5 and playing Olathe in the championship.

The Red team fell to Olathe 5-1, but Head Coach Jake Stone said the team can be proud of a strong outing.

“Th e goal of both teams was to see a Gunnison team in the finals,”Stone said. “I really loved the team’s reaction to the loss. They weren't satisfied, they were super bummed to not end up winning it all. But they battled and I’m so stinking proud of them.”

Against Olathe, the Red team made crucial defensive plays to stay in the game.

“We played a strong Olathe team that could really swing the bat,” Stone said. “But we made some incredible plays. Cody

Vick threw out a kid at second trying to steal. Gaivin Kibler fielded a base hit and got it to Wyatt Stone, who threw a kid out at the plate. There were some super high-level plays. For our kids to execute baseball fundamentals the way they did, and stay in the game, was just awesome.”

Despite the loss in the final, Stone was thankful for the hard work of Rec Center staff for coordinating the event, and bringing teams from across the state to the Gunnison Valley.

“I really want to thank Dan [Vollendorf], Wendy [Buckhanan], Ginny Baylor and all the employees of the city for working their butts off so our kids can play in a home tournament,” he said.

The Red and Grey 12U teams are now preparing for the 2023 Montrose Youth Baseball Tournament, which is scheduled for the weekend of June 23-25.

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

Gunnison gymnasts qualify for state

Last week, the Gunnison youth gymnastics teams competed at a meet in Carbon Valley. Both the compulsory and optional groups put together strong performances, earning a slew of podium placements. All 18 Gunnison gymnasts who competed qualified for the state meet, which is slated for July 22-23 in Broomfield. “The meet went amazing,” said Head Coach Sam Denham. “The girls came out fierce and ready to compete.” The team will compete again at a meet in Silverthorne on June 24.

Podium Placements

Compulsory 3 Group

Tesla Weske — 8.9 on beam placing second

Hattie Walker — 8.6 on floor placing first, all around score of 31.3 placing second

Tess Hemmert — 8.7 on floor placing first

Jamie Moran — 8.2 on floor placing second

Autumn Sample — 7.7 on beam placing fourth

Atlee Martinez — 6.7 on bars placing third

Lily McEylea — 8.6 on floor placing second

Grace Eisenbart — 8.5 on beam placing second

Luisa Leonard — 8.4 on beam placing third

Optionals

Kailyn Japuntich — 7.95 on floor placing second, all around score of 29.95 placing second

Carly Ezzell — 7.1 on floor placing first

Lili Davis — 7.8 on floor placing fifth

Emma Bogart — 8.0 on floor placing second

Jacob Spetzler

Joseph Stoeber plays first base.

Avren Hartzel trots to first base.

Gunnison catcher Asher Woytek tags out a runner.

Avren Hartzel swings.

Heath Talbort blows a bubble.

Sam Denham/Gunnison Gymnastics

The gymnastics team smiles for a photo in Carbon Valley.

Lemonade for sale

Signs kids may be struggling with hearing loss

Hearing loss is often associated with aging and understandably so. Individuals from all walks of life undoubtedly have an aging friend or relative who has experienced some degree of hearing loss, and millions of seniors across the globe would admit to having some difficulty with their hearing. But hearing loss also can affect children and, if undiagnosed, it can have an adverse effect on nearly all aspects of their lives.

The World Health Organization estimates that, as of 2021, approximately 34 million children present with hearing loss that requires rehabilita-

tion. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that hearing loss in children can be present at birth or develop later in childhood. Hearing loss that develops later in childhood is known as acquired hearing loss, and parents can look for various signs that kids could be losing their hearing. Th e American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) notes that the signs of hearing loss in children may include:

• Delayed speech or language development

• Speech sound disorder. The ASHA notes that speech sound disorders include any difficulty

or combination of difficulties with perception, motor production or phonological representation of speech sounds and speech segments.

• Difficulty in following or understanding instructions

• Frequent requests for repetition

• Use of increased volume on devices, including televisions, personal music players and tablets

• Difficulty effectively expressing themselves

• Frustration with communication breakdowns

• Feeling of exhaustion at the end of a school day

• Difficulties at school.

Children with hearing loss may experience academic, behavioral or social difficulties in the classroom and on campus.

The causes of hearing loss in children can be as simple as excess cerumen (ear wax) or as complex as damage to middle or inner structures after suffering trauma to the head. Overthe-counter ear wax removal drops can effectively clean ears and restore kids’ hearing, though such drops may need to be part of routine preventive health care measures.

Ear infections, encephalitis, excessive noise exposure,

meningitis, the presence of a foreign body in the ear and viral infections like measles or mumps also can contribute to hearing loss in kids. Physicians can direct treatment of hearing loss based on the cause of kids’ hearing loss, but it’s worth noting that some hearing loss may require long-term use of hearing aids, surgery or medication. More information about children and hearing loss can be found at asha.org.

(Source: Metro Creative.)

Jordan Gesaman, with help from his parents Jonathan and Selena, set up a lemonade stand on the corner of Colorado Street and Denver Avenue last Saturday with great success. The Gesamans said they weren’t sure how often the stand will be open, but the family hopes there will be more Saturdays filled with lemonade in the future.

Jacob Spetzler

John Keller buys lemonade from Jordan Gesaman.

Jordan Gesaman holds up a glass of pink lemonade.

ELDER BEAT

Upcoming eventS

June 14 (12:45 p.m.): Region 10 – Area on Aging Four-Year Plan. Come learn how Region 10 supports older adults in Gunnison County, and how you can engage with their programs! Light snacks provided.

June 20 (RSVP Required): Caves & Walrod Trails Loop. Rated Intermediate. This hike has great vistas, wildflowers and some cool caves to explore.

June 21 (12:45 p.m.): Beginning Origami Workshop. Join Judy Gazzoli, member of the “Origami Sisters” that have been making and teaching Origami art in the community for quite some time, to learn some basic

June 20 (RSVP Required): Walrod & Caves Trails Loop. Rated: Intermediate. Enjoy the wildflower explosion, incredible views and some cool caves on this beautiful hike.

SAVE THE DATE: June 30 – Social Hour & Community Meal! details to come!

FITNESS at THE REC CENTER -

Weekly Happenings

Monday

• Computer Use (9 a.m.)

• Bridge (1 p.m.)

Wednesday

• Book Club (1st Wednesday)

Thursday

SENIOR MEALS -

NEXT WEEK’S MENU:

• Weds., June 14: Taco Salad, rice, green beans, fruit

• Fri., June 16: Roast Beef, mashed potatoes, spinach, homemade bread, frog-eye salad

Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays – 11:30 a.m. arrival.

Pick-ups from 11 – 11:15 a.m. $5 per meal.

Advance orders encouraged: 970-641-8272. Homemade desserts with every meal!

• Bridge (1 p.m.)

Friday

• Art Club

• Mahjong (1 p.m.) AT

Foods that may reduce cancer risk

The prevalence of cancer is widely known. Affecting people of every ethnicity and across the socioeconomic spectrum, cancer poses a threat to people in all corners of the globe. And that threat could be more significant in the immediate future. Estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer indicate that the global population boom and the growth of the world’s aging population could result in more than 16 million cancer deaths each year by 2040.

The statistics surrounding global incidence rates for cancer are startling, which can give the impression that cancer is an inevitability for hundreds of millions of people across the globe. However, there’s much individuals can do to reduce their cancer risk.

According to experts, a healthy diet can help reduce cancer risk. A diet that focuses on plants and emphasizes healthy choices may not eliminate the threat of cancer, but it can be an integral component of a preventive health care regi-

men. With that in mind, the following are five fruits and vegetables associated with reducing cancer risk.

Berries. Berries contain antioxidants, which protect the body from cell damage that can contribute to various cancers, including skin cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer, among others. Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries make wonderful additions to anyone’s diet.

Cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, and brussel sprouts, among others. Studies have indicated that special plant compounds in cruciferous vegetables may protect the body from stomach cancer and cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus.

Garlic. This amazing food is often linked with reduced risk for heart disease, notably the prevention of atherosclerosis, which affects the arteries through the deposition of plaques of fatty acids along the arterial walls. However, antioxidant-rich garlic also helps the body fight off harmful free radi-

cals that can contribute to cancer.

Spinach. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the U.S.. Studies have found that spinach inhibits the growth of colon polyps that can develop into colorectal cancer.

Tomatoes. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives tomatoes their bright red color. According to the National Cancer Institute, though human studies have produced inconsistent results, various in vitro and animal studies have indicated that lycopene may have chemopreventive effects for cancers of the prostate, skin, breast, lung, and liver.

Eating these five fruits and vegetables is not the only way to use diet in the fight against cancer. Individuals are urged to speak with their physicians to learn about the many ways to utilize food in cancer prevention.

(Source: Metro Creative.)

Glitter all over Town Park

The Gunnison Valley Pride Picnic took place at the Crested Butte Town Park on Saturday afternoon, June 10. Events at this year’s celebration included pride yoga, a fashion show, a variety of performances and a crossfit challenge.

Women golfers kick off season with ‘par-tee’

The Dos Rios Women’s Golf Association hosted its second annual Kick-off “Par-tee.” This included a fashion show of the pro shop’s new softgood arrivals for the season. The nonprofit formed last year and presented a $500 scholarship to recent GHS graduate Blue Noble, who will attend Western Colorado University this upcoming fall. The Golf Association also plans to spend some of the money raised on course improvements and more social events. The next event will be July 7 and is

¡VengapararecibirlaProclamacióndelaCiudadde GunnisonydelalcaldeDiegoPlata,ycelebrarelmes deJuniocomoelMesdenuestraHerenciaInmigrante!

Jueves•15deJunio•6-8pm

JoinusfortheCityofGunnisonImmigrant HeritageMonthCelebrationandMayor Plata'sProclamation!

Thursday•June15,2023•6-8pm

Communitypotluck andMusic

LegionPark•500EVirginiaAve •Gunnison

VALLEY THEATRE FESTIVAL

Gunnison Valley Theatre Festival

Quigl W stern

Readings 6/9

Play

Clara Trezise

Gunnison

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