Middle bridge to close for repainting
County to address disruptions to wildlife corridor
Wiley Coyote Times Camera Geek
Almost exactly a year after the debacle first ensued, the Blue Mesa Reservoir middle bridge is expected to close for repainting. During an April 1 briefing, the Colorado Transportation Organization announced the bridge will be open to one-way traffic, with
Bridge A2
BARTLESON: Valley sets record for least number of weather records, A99
COMMUNITY: Real estate agent Ebner receives YouTube award, B38
SPORTS: Ice fishermen consult Maciejko for swim lessons, B18
Waffle House announces Gunnison opening
2024 prank inspires corporate investment
Allan MacCroidle Times Sports Guy
In April of last year, amidst the devastating news of the Blue Mesa middle bridge closure, a single thread of hope billowed from the building that formerly housed Taco Bell. A large vinyl sign read, “Hey Gunnison, hope you’re hungry — Waffle House coming soon.”
Upon inspection, the bottom line read, “It’s like Starbucks with more syrup.” The sign was
confirmed to be a hoax. But in the months that followed, a Facebook Marketplace discussion caught the attention of the Georgia-based diner chain. This spring, Waffle House announced its purchase of 310 W. Tomichi Avenue.
“Plain and simple, we haven’t seen this level of public excitement anywhere in the country for over a decade,” said Waffle House spokesperson Beau Gus. “Gunnison became an easy choice for regional development.”
The Waffle House craze began with a prank. Security camera footage identified local YouTuber, Shaffey Dimes as the culprit. The hoaxster, who has previously come under fire for
Waffles A2
County tables CB to CB South trail for now
Alternatives include electric scooters, fivelane highway
Belly Baloni Times News Wrangler
After years of bickering, Gunnison County has decided to place the long-awaited CB to CB South trail into its 40-year strategic plan.
With inflation expected to hold steady under the new presidential administration, the group decided to shelve the project for at least another decade or two at a regular meeting on April 1 after
six hours of discussion. The Unsustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee simply doesn’t have the bandwidth, and neither does the county, said county manager Michael Binrie.
“We’d be lucky if the trail was finished by 2050. We’ve decided instead that purchasing a fleet of electric scooters will have a more positive impact on local transportation,” Binrie said.
“This will relieve the RTA’s full buses on powder days, and help kids get to school on time, without the aid of school buses. The snow should slow the scooters down, so we won’t have to worry about collisions.”
The announcement resulted in an angry mob outside
Trail A2
A digital rendering of the repainted bridge, camouflaged to preserve the viewshed of Curecanti National Recreation Area, and promote wildlife crossings. (The Times is required to report that this use of digital AI removed 16 local journalists from their positions.)
full night-time closures beginning in early May.
Although the organization is yet to release an official timeline, transportation officials believe the painting should take
two to three months.
“What is time, really?” said spokesperson Noah Delay. “Just a made up construct we pretend to follow? It’s time we reorient our priorities.”
The repainting will offer Gunnison County an opportunity to address other public concerns, notably, disruptions to wildlife corridors and
obstructions to the viewshed overlooking Curecanti National Recreation Area. In response, the county elected to paint the bridge using natural hues to support elk migration patterns, and help it blend seamlessly into its surrounding landscape.
The county plans to enlist the help of a guerilla muralist group from Moab, using the project as
an opportunity to support local art, and wildlife conservation efforts.
“At this point, it may not take three villages, give us four, or maybe even a sizable metropolitan area to raise kids in this mess,” said Jocko Sherman, a disgruntled Sapinero citizen. “Little Blue Canyon might as well crumble in, tool.”
(beep beep) (Ah! There he is, Mariel!)
“geotagging” local locations and exploiting the small town for his own online viewership, was spotted wearing a reflective vest and toting a ladder in broad daylight.
His motives for purchasing the 15-foot vinyl poster, which sent shockwaves through the Gunnison community, are yet to be revealed.
“My students just weren't the same after the whole Waffle House rigamarole,” said kindergarten teacher Isabellius Jacobious. “Scented chapsticks usually snap them out of it, but this time it was different. They’d just sit and cry, and sometimes mumble scattered sentences about syrup or pancakes. But that was it.”
While many shared intense disappointment, the prank also sparked heated debate about the arrival of a competitor in Gunnison’s breakfast arena.
“I’ve been dining at The W Cafe since the roads were dirt and the reservoir was dry,” said Buffalo Hayday, a local of nearly six decades. “Heck, even when the W is closed on Wednesday, I’d rather sip coffee on the curb before ever stepping inside that damned chain.”
The Gunnison community will have plenty of time to reignite the debate, as Waffle House
“I’ve been dining at The W Cafe since the roads were dirt and the reservoir was dry. Heck, even when the W is closed on Wednesday, I’d rather sip coffee on the curb before ever stepping inside that damned chain.”
Buffalo Hayday Gunnison local
is yet to set a date for its grand opening. A spokesperson said the building is expected to be painted matte black, and left vacant for one, or maybe five years.
(Allan MacCroidle can be contacted at the back-left table of Tributary coffee roasters, or the Dos Rios driving range, if winter ever ends.)
Trail from A1
the courthouse holding signs that said “Build the trail.” The protesters wondered why the county didn’t just ask MetRec for money, as its budget was clearly big enough, said Bill D. Roades. Ski-mo bros, pissy that the Grand Traverse was canceled, had hoped to use the 15% grade to train for future races.
“Forget pavement, and forget gravel. The county should keep that prime ski line groomed seven months of the year,” said Timothie Koogler. “Heck, with the rippin’ Powder Chinchilla on hand, I’ll groom it myself.”
The project team had also grown impatient with the Colorado Transportation Organization, which requested the completion of Whetstoney and Starviews, and the nearby square roundabout recently announced in the CB News, before it considered approving preliminary project plans. With all of the development slated for the Hwy. 135 corridor, the engineering team suggested the county consider expanding the highway instead.
“On the way to Crested Butte
yesterday morning in a whiteout, I got stuck behind three cars going the speed limit so I went ahead and passed them,” a visitor said. His car had a Texas license plate, but he made it clear he’s definitely been living in CB (part-time) for more than 20 years. “Then I hit traffic near the school, and slid into a snow bank. I think a five-lane highway would solve most of your problems.”
(Belly Baloni spends her time giving out her personal cell phone number to strangers in the valley for “work purposes.” Please do not contact her on Sundays. Or, like, ever. Unless she’s on deadline.)
(Wiley Coyote, founder of ACME camera supplies, is yet to photograph a roadrunner, let alone see one … He runs quite fast!)
(Courtesy Aristotle A. Wheatthin)
Western trustees approve faculty housing project
36-unit development will alleviate hiring woes
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
In a unanimous decision on March 27, the Western Colorado University Board of Trustees gave final approval for a 36-unit housing project on campus at a cost of nearly $13 million. The move concludes a years-long effort to alleviate the university’s hiring difficulties due to a shortage of suitable housing in the valley.
“This is a huge day for Western,” Western President Brad Baca said after the vote. “This has been a long time coming and is going to make a remarkable impact on our ability to recruit and retain high caliber faculty and staff. To have our own housing complex at rates that our staff can afford is going to be a game changer for us.”
The housing will be available to staff and faculty members
Housing A9
INSIDE TODAY
BIZCENTS: Whammy Bar coming to Main Street, A17
COMMUNITY: Golden years of the Gray Hares, B1
SPORTS: GHS baseball top at home tournament, B4
OBITUARIES A4
A6 CLASSIFIEDS A18-22
B4
MetRec needs millions annually to keep free TV service
Still no firm decisions made
Bella Biondini Times Editor
Due to the condition of the over-the-air TV site on the top of Monarch Pass, the next snowstorm could be the tower's last, MetRec board director Earl Marshall said during a work session last week. If MetRec pulls the plug on this site, it would shut down a series of reliant towers that send signals to some of the most remote households in the special district’s service area.
The Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District’s (MetRec) aging overMetRec A8
DANCING QUEEN: Families hit the dance floor beneath a glittering disco ball at KBUT Community Radio’s annual Disco Inferno fundraiser on March 28. For more, see A15. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
970.641.1414
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LETTERS
Concerned Harmels neighbor
Editor:
OPINION
I just read your article about the expansive development of Harmels resort and am extremely concerned.
I have a small cabin south of Harmels and feel that the area would be irreparably impacted by the influx of people, buildings and traffic that such development would bring. A water treatment plant would be practically in our backyard, and a crowded mobile home park would be just up the road. The sewage plant would be practically on the banks of the Taylor and might very well impact the quality of water.
I feel that the expansion of Harmels is a bad idea for all of us who live there or own vacation houses around it, as well as for the tourist industry in Gunnison. I doubt that the owners of properties in the Wilder will be happy either.
John Bush Taylor Canyon
Colorado, the land of Medicaid
Editor:
The unexpected additional $600 million Medicaid paid by the State of Colorado in 2024 raises many questions as to why this occurred. It is expected to rise to another $208 million this year surpassing education as the largest line item in the state budget.
Is it due to poverty? Senior citizens’ long-term care? Health care for illegal immigrants?
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor must be 500 words or less. We favor local topics and discourage argumentative letters addressed to particular people. If you reference data, please include sources for fact-checking.
We will not print letters from candidates for public office.
Email letters to editor@gunnisontimes.com or send to 218 N. Wisconsin St., Gunnison, CO 81230. Include your full name, address and a phone number — for our internal use only.
The deadline is Tuesday at 12 p.m. Letters may be edited for grammar, clarity or length.
ance fees, which will be passed down to consumers in the form of $800-$1,200 higher premiums per family of four.
A better idea for a long-term solution is to bring from abroad and into Colorado, CD3 and Gunnison the factories that produce the goods that America consumes. Factories that provide long-term employment with high wages and premium benefits, including health insurance. This would remove the burden on taxpayer funded Medicaid for those employees. Offer them the tax relief to want to be proud to produce in our region and build back the middle class.
Adding another burden onto our families is not the solution. You get what you vote for.
Cori Dobson, Gunnison County GOP
Thank you!
Editor:
My sister and I are incredibly grateful to the GunnisonCrested Butte Association of Realtors for supporting our biggest venture yet—becoming homeowners! We would like to express our sincere thanks for the GCAR Homebuyers Assistance Program award, which helped us cover some of the closing costs. GCAR's efforts are truly special and demonstrate a strong sense of community. Thank you for your commitment to helping our little valley reach big dreams!
Hunter and Isabel Lucas Mt. Crested Butte
John Daley of Colorado Public Radio stated that Colorado’s Medicaid program, called Health First Colorado, covers 1.2 million people, about a quarter of the state’s population. In the Colorado 3rd Congressional District (CD3), of which Gunnison County is a part, we lead the state with the most Medicaid enrollments by percentage of its total population at 30% in 2024.
Each county health department oversees enrolling its citizens in Medicaid.
Poverty? Absolutely. Senior citizens, who don’t qualify for Medicare because they did not contribute to the Medicare fund, are moved into the Medicaid bucket. Families who don’t make a decent wage or have an employer’s health insurance go into the Medicaid bucket.
More than 14,000 illegal immigrant pregnant women and children are put into the Medicaid bucket. At the cost of $19.2 million next year.
Colorado Democrats lead the state legislature’s solution, House Bill 25-1297. It is out of committee and ready to be voted for approval. If passed, it will allow the insurance commissioner to hike health insur-
According to NPR, China continues to build about two new coal-fired energy plants per week, or six times more than other countries. In 2023, that country accounted for 95% of the world's new coal power construction.
Now to the next letter, "An unfortunate editorial." What can we say? The 1993's to 2001 were awesome according to the writer. Compared to the Democratic socialist Party of today, I'd have to agree with him.
Off to "Personal action taken." As the writer surely must know, federal audits of the government were called for in various degrees long before 2018. The Department of Defense was just the last one to do so. And to associate its failure by tying it into Trump's first term is rather deceptive on his part.
As to the writer’s clever nuance in regards to the local Republican Party not respecting us locals because of some alleged inaccuracies in their letter writings, one has to wonder where he's been for the past four years as our local and national Democratic Party has ignored former president Biden's obvious mental decline.
sentence of his response 100%, I want to see his supporting sources for the rest of his statement. I had to go back quite a few years to find a reputable source for information on the accusation of noncitizens voting. Here is my finding and source for information:
“In the aftermath of the 2016 election, the Brennan Center researched and rebutted claims of widespread noncitizen voting. The ensuing report found only about 30 incidents of suspected noncitizen voting that were referred for further investigation or prosecution out of 23.5 million votes tabulated in the 42 jurisdictions studied, which were selected because of their high rates of noncitizen residents. In other words, noncitizen votes accounted for no more than 0.0001 percent of the 2016 votes in these jurisdictions."
Justifying his actions by disinformation and malinformation is abhorrent. Congressman Hurd, you are our elected leader and this must stop.
In response to three letters from last week
Editor:
This is regarding the three letters, "The dictator's handbook," "An unfortunate editorial," and of course, "Personal action taken,” published in the March 27 edition of the Times. To the first one. Ashli Babbitt was the only person killed on Jan. 6 at the capitol. The "murderous mob" didn't kill anybody, but officer Michael Byrd did. He was promoted later on for his "brave actions" taken that unfortunate day. We could debate all day over the 2020 election being fair and secure, but it's over now, and Biden won.
And by the way, many of those "mostly peaceful protesters" ended up being arrested and incarcerated for months without a speedy trial, in violation of their 6th Amendment rights.
As to the concerns about the U.S. ceding "green energy industry" to The People's Republic of China, the PRC expects to "carbon peak" by 2030, and claims it'll reach carbon neutrality by 2060, if one actually believes them.
Since Mr. Dix brought it up in his letter, I'll conclude with the so-called MSMedia "Signalgate scandal." Was the mission a success? Yes. Were any American personnel killed? No. Should they have used it while rabid anti-Trump Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mysteriously included? Probably not. Was it as bad or worse than the August 26, 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal disaster where 13 American service persons were murdered along with 170 Afghans at Abbey Gate?
Evidently, if you're a Democrat and a Trump hater, the answer is yes.
Jon Matuszczak Gunnison
This must stop
Editor:
Since I was unable to get my phone call answered at Congressman Jeff Hurd’s TeleTown Hall a few weeks ago, I sent my request to his website. I asked him to say no to H.R. 22 Save American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. His email response to me included this:
“Voting is a sacred privilege reserved for law abiding American citizens and should be respected at every level of government. Unfortunately, some municipalities in this country have allowed illegal immigrants to vote in local elections in order to gain political favor. Allowing noncitizens or those who have lost their right to vote to cast a ballot diminishes the rights of all law abiding citizens and should never be permitted.”
While I agree with the first
Pied piper
Editor:
The Department of Education in D.C. is like a pied piper on steroids. Or should I say the department of social engineering, even usurping parental authority. The children being transitioned will be allowed to continue. There are 800-900 in this tri-state region. Children are being alienated from their parents if they disagree. It is sold as necessary to happen before puberty and if parents don’t agree, they are told they may well end up with a dead or suicidal child.
It is very telling that the Department of Education was voluntarily able to reduce its work force by half in an effort to survive DOGE. We pay one of the highest rates per capita for students in the world. See your property tax bill. The result is a dismal poor almost last rating among other developed countries. I think we just figured out why. And good teachers are paying for many things out of their own pockets and are forced to accept extreme left directives from the DOE, keeping their mouth shut, or risk being terminated.
No one in the private sector has any guarantee of future employment. They are subject to satisfactory job performance, or management will find someone willing to perform. Good teachers will tell you; many teachers don’t care about their student’s success. The job should be merit based. Competition breeds success. It's the American way. If your job is secure and no one holds you
Debbie Vitulli Gunnison
the-air TV system, powered by 12 signal towers scattered throughout the county, is limping along. While MetRec has not made any firm decisions about whether to discontinue the free TV service, it faces millions of dollars in annual operating costs to keep the whole system online, according to recent estimates.
Over the last few years, the district has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to maintain TV towers primarily in the Gunnison-Crested Butte corridor, where around 90% of the viewers live. But its more remote towers, which serve communities like Pitkin, Powderhorn and Ohio City, are falling apart. In the North Valley, MetRec faces expiring leases, while service changes from its corporate provider, Comcast, have meant the loss of popular channels.
Residents have decried the possible discontinuation of the TV service, but the cost and complexity of keeping it up and running is high. Problems have begun to stack on top of each other. And with a publicly visible investment in recreation, MetRec has found itself in a “situation of competing interests,” Marshall said. He said he foresees himself making a motion to shut down the remote system at the district’s upcoming April meeting.
“I think it needs to happen this summer. It's the only way the main chain [of tower sites] stands a chance of staying alive … You will not get a recommendation to the board out of me to fix that site based on the usership. It is a casualty of the state of rural over-the-air TV,” Marshall said during the subsequent board meeting.
The MetRec board has yet to make any final decisions on the fate of TV service. Since last fall, MetRec has grappled with how much the district is willing to invest in its television system. The district’s more remote
sites are in a more severe state of disrepair. But according to survey data, these areas have far fewer TV viewers compared to the “main chain” sites that run from Gunnison to Crested Butte. During the March 26 discussions, board members worried about irresponsible spending.
Cassia Cadenhead, who has been on the board for five years, said MetRec has reached the point where it “cannot keep pouring taxpayer dollars into this without confidence and a lack of regret.” Television technology has continued to advance at an incredible rate, and the organization has struggled to keep pace. Ultimately, the price tag is beyond what the district can afford, she said. At the same time, there are more than $150 million in unmet recreational needs, outlined in MetRec’s recently released regional plan.
“I've heard loud and clear, sitting through the public hearing and the work sessions, that the population served by our overthe-air TV finds a lot of value in this form of recreation, and I understand that the population would feel a loss if this was discontinued,” Cadenhead said. “I do not take this situation lightly. I was the kid watching PBS on over-the-air TV … But I do know that children will still play at playgrounds regardless of where the TV tech is at. Our trails are still going to need copious maintenance and love.”
The board started “paying more attention” to the issues of the system in late 2023 when it discovered major damage to the Monarch translator site, said Executive Director Derrick Nehrenberg. Without the active tower, Piktin, Powderhorn, Sargents and Sapinero would lose service. But the estimated cost to fix the facility, which serves less than 10% of the district’s households, exceeded $400,000.
In November 2024, the board voted to enter phase one of the “TV translator operation policy,” a process that outlines “how and when a translator site’s cost effectiveness will be assessed” and the steps that should be
“You will not get a recommendation to the board out of me to fix that site based on the usership. It is a casualty of the state of rural overthe-air TV.”
Earl Marshall MetRec board director
taken if it is “deemed appropriate” to decommission the site. Phase one involved a TV viewership survey and generating highlevel costs estimates of what it would cost to preserve the tower system.
In February, TV viewership surveys were sent to all 9,500 residential mailing addresses within the district’s boundaries. Of the 785 responses, more than half reported using the free TV services. According to the survey results, 95% of viewers live on the main chain, while few exist in the outlying areas. For example, only one person answered the survey from Powderhorn, one in Sapinero, seven in Parlin and 14 in Pitkin.
TV viewership, compared to the number of people MetRec serves across its entire district (encompassing all of Gunnison County and a small part of Saguache County), remains low. In comparison, the cost to maintain transmission towers and electronic equipment across the full TV system over the next decade — with adjustments made for inflation and unexpected expenses — is estimated at more than $10 million. Based on the number of TV viewers that took the survey, cost per
household for the repairing and maintaining the system is about $20,000 over 10 years.
MetRec’s budget constraints are real, Nehrenberg said. The district collects two types of property taxes: one that is district-wide that generates roughly $1.2 million per year and covers administrative expenses, TV operations and recreation; the second, created by the passage of ballot initiative 6B in 2022, generates $1.4 million annually and can only be spent on recreation grants and projects. Its 2025 budget sits at around $2.7 million.
The passage of ballot 7D in 2018, “for the purpose of defraying the operating expenses of the district, and providing funds to improve, maintain and expand television services and funding new recreational facilities and trails,” increased MetRec’s budget alongside 6B and property tax boosts. Over the past five years, the district has incrementally spent more on TV operations and upgrades. But the need is much greater to sustain the system in the long-term. Its TV budget this year is less than $400,000, nearly a fourth of what is available for recreation.
“MetRec is getting pulled into becoming more of a recreation provider, but we’re hearing from the community the need to provide the TV side of things,” Nehrenberg said. “So MetRec is in this tough spot because there’s not really going to be enough money.”
During the public meeting and subsequent board discussion, MetRec opened up the floor to residents who had gathered in person at the Fred Field Center and online on Zoom. Many reminded the board that the free TV service is the only way some rural households can afford to stay connected to the outside world. And with so much emphasis on building new indoor and outdoor recreation amenities, some felt forgotten.
“If the survey made it clear that supporting recreation might result in a discontinuation of TV service, I think that the results would have been different,” said
one member of the audience. Still, shutting down TV service may leave some in the dark, particularly seniors, residents with low incomes and those that live in some of the district’s more remote communities. A Sapinero resident said people take advantage of MetRec’s television service for two reasons. The first is to save money, as the average monthly cost of cable TV can be more than $100 per month. The second is that broadband is simply not available.
“Currently, I use my cell phone as a hot spot. That's the only way that I can get internet,” he said.
Another member of the audience asked why the TV system was allowed to deteriorate, putting MetRec in a “critical place where the expenses are too great.” Cadenhead said that MetRec has invested more than $1 million in TV improvements. The organization recently installed a brand new building and equipment at the Sunlight site, and added service to Cranor Hill.
“With our lease renewal struggles, I voted for something that's a six figure loss of taxpayer dollars, and I don't feel good about it,” she said. “There are a lot of problems coalescing at the same time and I don't feel like it's due to irresponsible maintenance.”
After receiving another round of public comments, board members asked for more time to consider their options. Marshall said he expected a series of decisions, rather than one to “cut or continue” TV service. More discussion is expected at MetRec’s board meeting on April 30.
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
MetRec’s remote TV towers, which serve communities like Pitkin, Sapinero and Sargents, are in poor condition.
Passion for fashion
Main Street bustled with activity during the Grateful for Gunni Gals fashion and wine walk on March 27. Stylish pedestrians perused a selection of Gunnison’s finest retail spots while enjoying a Buckel Family Wine tasting and hors’douvres. The community gathering marked the conclusion of the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s History Month celebration.
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
Lady climbers took over the Mountaineer Field House climbing wall during a women’s climb night on March 26. CB State of Mind organized the event to celebrate Women’s History Month.
annual Disco Inferno party at the Crested Butte Center
March 28. Dancers showed off their funky-fresh moves to disco beats at the KBUT Community Radio fundraiser.
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
G u n n i s o n r e g i s t r a t i o n b e g i n s A p r i l 1 . M a t r i c u l a c i ó n c o m i e n z a e l 1 r o d e a b r i l R e g i s t e r f o r C r e s t e d B u t t e b y A p r i l 1 1 . M a t r i c ú l e s e a n o m á s t a r d a r d e l 1 1 d e a b r i l
GUNNISONSCHOOLS.NET
Fish Fry Friday
FRIDAY APRIL 11
$12 ADULTS, $6 CHILDREN WINE AND BEER - $5 DINE IN OR CARRY OUT
5 PM-6:30PM
ST. PETER’S PARISH HALL
400 WEST GEORGIA AVE. GUNNISON
BAKED OR FRIED COD - POTATO - COLESLAW - HUSHPUPPIES
ST. PETER’S WEBSITE: WWW.GUNNISONCATHOLIC.ORG
Mobile veterinary practice proudly serving the Gunnison Valley
Specializing in:
Boss of the toss
Cornhole and pool aficionados got the chance to show off their skills during cornhole and billiards tournaments at the Gunnison Elks Lodge on March 29. After the games concluded, competitors and spectators came together for an evening of live music from the Sons of Sage.
• Animal Chiropractic Care
• Veterinary Acupuncture
• Animal Physical Therapy
• Help any animal with a spine!
Debby Burnett, DVM, PT | 970-396-8666
End of No Dig Moratorium
THE CITY OF GUNNISON ENDED ITS NO DIG MORATORIUM ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST.
All excavation within the City Right Of Way (ROW) requires an approved and signed City ROW Permit prior to beginning any excavation activities. Utility Locates are required per Colorado Dig Safely Law. Please call 811.
The City of Gunnison ROW permit is located on our website: www.gunnisonco.gov/ROWPermit
Spring saunter
Elizabeth Jakubauskas and her horse, Gypsy, enjoyed an afternoon jaunt down Virginia Avenue on March 28. The palomino mare “enjoys hanging out in town,” Jakubauskas said.
(Photo by Alex McCrindle)
(Photo by Mariel Wiley)
BIZ CENTS
Whammy Bar to open on Main Street
Live music venue set for summer opening
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
Blue Mesa Music owner
Matthew Grant is set to open a new bar and music venue on Main Street. The Whammy Bar, which will move into the former Rooted Apothecary storefront, is slated for a summer opening. After 15 years in Gunnison, and watching music venues close and nightlife sputter, Grant has made it a mission to revive the town's entertainment scene.
“My dream for Blue Mesa Music has always been as a 50% music venue, as well as a retail store,” Grant said. “I cut my teeth gigging at the Princess Wine Bar, and fell in love with its listening room environment. I wanted to bring something like that back to Gunnison. A
place where you can walk in, no matter what, and there will be live music.”
Grant announced his purchase of the building last September. His intent is to transform the space into a listening room. Named, “The Whammy Bar,” as a nod to the pitch-altering lever on electric guitars, the new venue plans to host live music every day of the week, and offer a new location for local musicians to gather and create music.
In recent years, Blue Mesa has hosted a weekly open mic night. Grant placed a small bandstand against his storefront window, and hosted small crowds that gathered amongst his guitar display walls. But in Grant’s eyes, the venue was only a temporary one, at least until a more suitable option hit the market.
The breakthrough came when Rooted Apothecary relocated in 2024, creating a vacant storefront adjacent to Blue Mesa. Grant jumped on the opportunity.
With renovations well underway, the Whammy Bar is likely
to open its doors in summer 2025. Grant said visitors can expect a cozy and comfortable vibe, framed by a rustic bar that runs the full-length of the building, and a bandstand tucked near the entrance.
Amidst the success of the neighboring Crested Bucha, karaoke nights at Double Shot Cyclery and Powerstop’s weekly “flip-night,” Grant said he’s excited to add a new venue to revive Main Street’s nightlife.
“I’m looking forward to having a place for local musicians to feel comfortable, and have an environment to come and create music,” Grant said. “It will be a place for people to come and hear all the talent that our valley has to offer.”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Faith Directory
Bethany Church
909 N Wisconsin St. (behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144
Two services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
FREE lunch for college students following the 10:30 a.m. service gunnisonbethany.com
9 a.m.: Family Service with nursery & children’s church
Check us out on YouTube at Gunnison Bethany.
B'nai Butte Jewish Congregation
PO Box 2537 Crested Butte, CO 81224 305-803-3648 bnaibutte@gmail.com
Serving the Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and surrounging areas in Colorado.
For more details and locations go to bnaibutte.org
Spititual leader: Rabbi Mark Kula is available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com bnaibutte.org
Community Church of Gunnison
107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925
Pastor Larry Nelson
Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.
Weekend Services 9:30 a.m.
Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry
Weekly Student Ministry
Weekly Adult LifeGroups
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-4
For more info: ccgunnison.com or email info@ccgunnison.com
Join us in-person, listen to our broadcast on 98.3 FM, or view online stream on YouTube Transforming Lives • Building Community
First Baptist Church
120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240
Pastor Jonathan Jones
SUNDAY
Sunday School at 10 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m. (during school year)
WEDNESDAY (during school year)
Truth Trackers Kids Club at 6:30 p.m.
Youth Group for Teens at 7:30 p.m. firstbaptistgunnison.org.
Gunnison
Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203
Reverand Ian Wrisley
Welcoming, Open and Affirming, Building a Just world for All. Sundays, 10 a.m.
Fridays Meditation, 12:30-1 p.m. “Come-as-You-Are” Worship gunnisonucc.org
Trinity Baptist Church
523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813
Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks
Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.
Adult Bible Study 8 a.m. trinitybaptistsgunnison.com
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church
711 N. Main • 970-641-1860
Senior Pastor Robert Carabotta
Assoc. Pastor Jacob With
Childrens Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Adult Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Divine Service of the Word – Sunday 10 a.m.
Starting March 5 - Wednesday night service at 7pm.
St. Peter’s Catholic Church
300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808 Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago gunnisoncatholic.org crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.
St. Peter’s - Gunnison Sat 5 p.m. & Sun 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. (Spanish) Mass
First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass 11 a.m.
Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30 a.m. Mass St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Communion Service, Sun. at 10 a.m.
Church in the Barn
8007 County Road 887
Waunita Hot Springs Ranch • 970-641-8741 Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Non Denominational Come as you are.
Church of Christ
600 E. Virginia • 970-641-1588
Sunday Morning Bible Class: 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Sunday Evening Worship: 6 p.m.
Wednesday Night Bible Class: 7 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Gunnison Branch 810 N 11th St. 970-648-4804
Sacrament Meeting 10 a.m.
Attending church each Sunday is a respite from fast-paced daily living. Join us to worship God, strengthen your spiritual connections, and focus on Jesus. Worship with a community of people who are trying to be more Christlike and learn from each other.
The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church
307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429
Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar First Sunday of each month –11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Alternating at Good Samaritan and All Saints in the Mountains
Check our websites for location Second Sunday-Fifth Sunday –9 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Children’s Sunday school –2nd and 4th Sundays, monthly Office hours: M-TH 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Taize – 1st Wednesday, monthly - 7 p.m. goodsamaritangunnison.org
Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Meeting Second-Fifth Sundays at 5 p.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite II 403 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte
Visit our website for location of 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, First Sunday of each month allsaintsinthemountains.org
Matthew Grant and Jill Dunn. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
PALISADES AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BLUE MESA RECREATIONAL
RANCH
is looking for housekeepers, maintenance, grounds-keeping and front desk customer service employees. If you would like to stay on-property with your RV, rent is only $150/month and includes all utilities. $15-$18/hr depending on experience. Full-time work, then enjoy this beautiful area on your days off. Must commit to the full summer season through 10/7. Call 970-784-6190 if interested.
GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT
See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net
Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. As they excel in academics, athletics and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”
HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES
CBES - Permanent Substitute Bus Drivers Food Service Substitute teachers
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
GHS - SPED Teacher
GHS - Math Teacher
GHS - Office Manager
GHS - Educational Assistant
GES - Music Teacher
GMS - Math Teacher
GMS - Office Manager
Lake - Kindergarten Teacher
CBSS - Science .57 FTE Teacher
CBSS - PE/Health Teacher District Psychologist
COACHING
CBHS - Head Hockey Coach
CBHS - Volleyball Coach
Please contact:
Superintendent’s Office JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@ gunnisonschools.net
GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $72,397.26 to $102,405.83 plus full benefits.
Take home vehicle & uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Heavy Equipment Operator
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $23.60 to $31.69 plus full benefits.
Deputy Finance Director
Finance: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range is from $9,071.59 to $11,028.17, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Jail Administrator
Sheriff: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range is from $6,778.80 to $8,240.87, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Motor Vehicle Supervisor –
Deputy County Clerk
Clerk/Recorder: 40 hours/week, monthly range from $4,825.07 to $5,493.46, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Communications Director
County Manager: 40 hours/ week, monthly salary range from $7,616.73 to $10,773.85, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Shop Foreman
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $34.81 to $39.63, plus full benefits.
Temporary Planner I Community Development: 30 hours/week, hourly range from $31.28 to $38.02, depending on experience, plus partial benefits.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.
WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY
seeks applicants for our fully benefitted Custodian I position. Full-time (40 hours/week). Starting pay rate $18.78/hour. Western’s benefit package includes PERA retirement and medical/dental/vision insurance plans (with generous employer contributions), employee and dependent tuition benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave, and 11 paid holidays per year. Employees receive basic life insurance and disability insurance at no cost. Employee wellness programs and professional development trainings are available for FREE!
To view the full job announcements and apply, visit western.edu/jobs and click on “View Careers” (EOE)
UNIVERSIDAD DE WESTERN COLORADO
busca solicitantes para Custodio I ¡Beneficios incluidos!
Tiempo completo (40 horas / semana). Tasa de pago inicial $18.78 / hora. El paquete de beneficios de Western incluye jubilación de PERA, planes de seguro (con generosas contribuciones del empleador para su seguro médico/dental/ de la vista), beneficios de matrícula en la Universidad para empleados y dependientes, vacaciones pagadas, tiempo de descanso pagado para enfermedad y 11 días festivos pagados por año. Los empleados reciben seguro de vida básico y seguro de discapacidad sin costo. ¡Los programas de bienestar para empleados y las capacitaciones de desarrollo profesional están disponibles GRATIS!
Para ver el anuncio de trabajo completo y entregar una solicituda, visite western.edu/ jobs y haga clic en “Ver carreras” (EOE)
Si tiene preguntas, envíe un correo electrónico a HR@ western.edu
benefit package including paid holiday, vacation, and sick days, generous employer contribution towards medical, dental and vision insurance for both employee and dependents, and 3% employer match to a Simple Ira. Preference given to bilingual candidates. This is a non-exempt position and pays $23-$26/hour. Please send resume to: hiring@gvrha.org. For more information, visit gvrha.org/join-our-team.
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR WANTED FOR ESTABLISHED LAW FIRM: Law of the Rockies, in Gunnison, Colorado. Candidate must be organized, detail-oriented, efficient, self-motivated, and able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Administrator will be primarily responsible for business management tasks, but will also be required to perform legal assistant tasks as necessary. Prior experience in a legal or accounting environment is preferred, but not mandatory. Microsoft-based environment. College degree required. Fulltime with benefits. Initial salary $55,00075,000, depending upon experience and qualifications. Long-term growth potential. Visit lawoftherockies.com to learn about our firm. Email cover letter, resume, and references to Marcus Lock at mlock@ lawoftherockies.com by April 7th.
BUSINESS MANAGER: Six Points seeks a FT or PT business manager to support the daily operation of business and financial functions, including bookkeeping, payroll, billing, and preparing financial documents. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent bookkeeping experience required. Wage range: $16.83 - $21.63/hr. DOE. Questions? Call 970-6413081. To apply, email resume and cover letter to Daniel Bruce at sixpointsemployment@ sixpointsgunnison.org.
GVRHA IS HIRING a FT/PT Bilingual Receptionist and/or Office Manager.
Bilingual is a requirement for the Receptionist role and preferred for the Office Manager position. Pay is $20-$26/hour depending on
Legals AGENDA
Regular Meeting April 7, 2025
5:30pm Lake School Conference Room
This meeting will be conducted in person and by distance using the video conferencing platform ZOOM Webinar. Please check the GWSD website for further instructions.
Call to order
Roll call
Pledge of Allegiance
Approval of agenda (ACTION, All)
• Oath of Office - for appointed board member Katya Schloesser
• Swearing in and execution of affidavit of confidentiality
• Commendations and celebrations (Information, Successful Students, Strong Employees)
• Public comment (Information, Engaged Community)
Please use the public participation form, or use the Q&A feature in Zoom, and indicate your name, address, and topic for comment.
Consent agenda (ACTION, All) Items in the consent agenda are considered routine and will be enacted under one motion.
There will not be separate discussion of these items prior to the time the board votes unless a Board Member requests an item be removed from the grouping for separate consideration.
• Board of Education Minutes
• (March 10, 2025 Regular Meetingminutes postponed) March 24, 2025 Special Meeting March 31, 2025 Special Meeting Finance: Approve for payment, as presented by the Director of Finance, warrants as indicated:
• General Account #44917-44985
• Payroll Direct Deposit #64582-64984
• Personnel
• Celeste Ackerman, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and AssessmentDistrict
• Zoe Smith, Secondary English - CBSS
• Stacie Vinchattle, MS CounselorCBSS
• Anna Gallowich, Secondary ScienceCBSS
• Dema Deslaurier, Social Studies - GHS
• Madison Caster, Life Skills - GMS
• Nick Jordan, Health/PE - GMS
• Christopher Rush, Resignation, MathGHS (end of 2024-2025 school year)
• Items for information, discussion, and action
• Board Organization (ACTION, All)
• Election of Board Secretary
• Facilities Improvement Program
Update (Information/Discussion, Functional Facilities)
Artaic Group: Chris Guarino, John Usery, Ryan Smelker, Matt Prinster, Austin Rosenthal
Consider adoption of GWSD Strategic Plan (ACTION, All)
Tristan Connett and Esther Valdez, Colorado Education Initiative
• Consider approval of 2025-2026
contract renewals/non-renewals (ACTION,
Strong Employees)
• Administrator contract renewals
• Special Service Providers contract
experience and responsibilities, and position can be FT or PT. Office experience, and computer proficiency is required. If you are interested in working with a highly engaged, compassionate and fun team, and want to help us make a difference in housing our community members, visit https://gvrha. org/join-our-team/ for more information. Excellent benefits for FT permanent employees.
FRESH MOBILE PANTRY LEAD: Gunnison
Country Food Pantry is seeking a Fresh Mobile Pantry Lead to help deliver fresh produce to neighborhoods in need on Saturday mornings.
Position Details:
When: Saturdays, May 10 – Nov 1, 2025
(8:30AM–12:30 PM)
Where: Deliver food to five locations in Gunnison
Pay: $18 per hour
English and Spanish bi-lingual candidates only
Responsibilities:
Gather, load, and distribute food along a predetermined route; Lead and assist volunteers with kindness and professionalism; Serve guests with confidentiality and respect; Collect and report data accurately
Qualifications: Friendly, reliable, and hardworking; Strong communication; Ability to work independently and with a team; Valid driver’s license; Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.
If you are dependable, compassionate, and eager to make a difference, apply today!
To apply or learn more, contact: Jodi at director@gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org or call 970-641-4156.
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a Deputy Marshal. The Deputy Marshal performs a full range of law enforcement duties necessary to ensure public safety, protect life and property, and enforce laws and ordinances. Compensation: No POST $32.51 - $38.25 per hour ($67,621 - $79,560 per year) / POST laterals negotiable. Requirements:
renewals
• Probationary Teacher contract renewals
• Probationary Teacher contract nonrenewals
School Board Policies
• GBFG - Federally-Mandated Family and Medical Leave (ACTION, Strong Employees)
Second reading of policy - consider approval
• JBB - Sexual Harassment Under Title IX and Other Prohibited Misconduct of a Sexual Nature (ACTION, Successful Students, Strong EmployeesSecond reading of policy - consider approval
• Other Administrative Report Items(Information, All)
Dr. Leslie Nichols, Superintendent Items introduced by Board Members (Discussion, All) Board committee reports (Information, All)
• Board/Student Engagement - Dr. Coleman
• School Board Policy - Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman
• Executive Committee for Bond ProjectMr. Martineau
• Superintendent Evaluation- Mrs. Brookhart and Dr. Coleman
• District Accountability Committee (DAC)School Accountability Committees (SAC)
GHS - Dr. Coleman
GCS - Mrs. Brookhart
CBCS - Mr. Martineau Gunnison County Education
Association Negotiations - Mr. VanderVeer
• Gunnison County Education Association 3x3 - Mr. VanderVeer
• Fund 26 - Dr. Coleman
• Gunnison Memorial Scholarship - Mrs. Brookhart
• Health Insurance Committee - Mr. VanderVeer
• Housing Advisory Committee-Mr. VanderVeer
• Gunnison Valley Education FoundationDr. Coleman
Upcoming agenda items and meeting schedule (Information, Engaged Community) March 24, 2025 Work
Session@5:30pm-GUN • April 7, 2025 Regular
Meeting@5:30pm-GUN • April 21, 2025 Work
Session@5:30pm-GUN • May 5, 2025 Regular
Meeting@5:30pm-GUN May 19, 2025 Regular
Meeting/Proposed Budget@5:30pm-GUN Adjournment
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of April 3. 2025 16826
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE
INTENT TO DISPOSE
Notice
high school diploma or equivalent, Colorado Driver’s License or obtain one within 30 days of employment, possess a valid Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification or obtain one within 1 year from date of employment, must be 21 at time of POST certification. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www. townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit your application, cover letter, and resume to jobs@ crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
HOT TUB TECHNICIAN: Part-time year round position with growth opportunities. Pay starts at $25/hr plus incentives. Prior experience, weekend shifts and skilled repair work pays more. AWD work van, work clothing and ongoing training provided. We respect and value our employees. Call CB Hot Tub at 970-275-5700.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT wanted for law firm located in Gunnison. Candidate must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing. This position will be responsible for tasks related to general law firm operations and assisting attorneys and support staff as needed. Experience in a legal or accounting office is preferred but not required. Some level of experience with Microsoft programs is required. Position is part time with flexible weekday hours. Initial hourly range is $19$23/hour, dependent upon experience and qualifications. Email cover letter, resume, and 2 reference contacts to Abigail at abigail@ gunnisonlaw.net. Position is open until filled.
PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON
VALLEY seeks a Director of Operations for a 32 hour/week position to provide bookkeeping and administrative support. To apply, send resume, cover letter, and 3 references to: director@hope4gv.org. See further info on our website at www.hope4gv.org/employment
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a Seasonal Recreation Program Assistant.
Unit 42
Wiliam Lockey Date of Redemption: April 10, 2025
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of March 27 and April 3, 2025 16716
PUBLIC HEARING
CITY OF GUNNISON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT, pursuant to Sections 6.7 and 12.5 of the Land Development Code of the City of Gunnison, Colorado, a public hearing will be held at the hour of 7:00 p.m. on the 23rd day of April, 2025 in the City Council Chambers, Gunnison Municipal Building, 201 West Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado on the merits of Major Subdivision application, Preliminary Plat, SB 25-1, submitted by the Western Colorado University Foundation and represented by the City of Gunnison to subdivide one parcel into two lots. The property is legally described as: A portion of Tract B lying west of the west line of the southwest quarter of Section 31, Wilson Subdivision, Reception No. 459307, City of Gunnison, Gunnison County, Colorado.
AT WHICH TIME AND PLACE you may attend and give testimony, if you so desire. The public may attend Public Hearings and Regular and Special Sessions in person or remotely. To attend the meeting remotely go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84936931024? pwd=BIgxFYXZpv6iv1qlu8EbaCFACi2HrJ.1 City of Gunnison, Colorado
Planning and Zoning Commission /s/ Andie Ruggera, Senior Planner
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of April 3, 2025
16796
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice of Auction:
This position is 24 hours/week and performs a variety of duties associated with the planning, coordination, and administration of Parks and Recreation programs and activities in a supporting role to the Recreation Program Coordinator. Requirements: must be at least 18 years of age, high school diploma or equivalent, must possess a valid Colorado Driver’s License, Current CPR & First Aid certifications or able to obtain within 30 days of employment. Pay: $21/hr. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www.townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit your application and resume to jobs@ crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
LOCAL LAWN CARE SERVICE COMPANY looking for full-time, seasonal employee, four 10 hr. shifts, Tues.-Fri., May through Oct. Zero turn mower operation, grass trimming and general yard maintenance experience preferred. Sprinkler system knowledge and maintenance a plus. Pay range $20-30 DOE. Submit resume or contact j2funke@gmail. com.
NOTICE
FLOOD INSURANCE: In the event of a flood, are you and your family adequately prepared? There is a 30-day waiting period for new flood insurance policies to take effect once they are purchased. Floodplain residents should purchase flood insurance, and any resident may purchase flood insurance if you think your home is vulnerable. Historically, about one-third of all flood insurance claims occur outside of the mapped regulatory floodplain area (for 100year floods). Generally, a less expensive preferred risk policy is available for these properties. For more information about flood insurance, contact your insurance agent. You can also visit floodsmart.gov or the Colorado Water Conservation Board cwcb.colorado.gov/
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of March 27 and April 3, 2025 16642
SUMMONS
SUMMONS
District Court Gunnison County, Colorado Court Address: 200 E. Virginia Ave. Gunnison, CO 81230
Plaintiffs: J. Craig Bryant and Luanna L. Bryant
v. Defendants: B.H. Jorgensen; the Board of County Commissioners of Gunnison County, Colorado; and any and all unknown persons who claim any interest in the subject matter of this action
Attorneys for Plaintiffs: Law of the Rockies Jacob A. With, Atty. Reg. #: 40546 525 North Main Street Gunnison, CO 81230 Phone Number: 970-641-1903 Facsimile Number: 970-641-1943 jwith@lawoftherockies.com
Case Number: 25CV30011
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED
DEFENDANTS:
You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the complaint filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court.
If you fail to file your answer or other response in writing within the applicable time period, the Court may enter judgment by default against you for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice.
focus-areas/hazards/flood-informationresources. For local flood hazard information and to find out if your property is located in a flood hazard area, please contact the Community Development Office of the jurisdiction in which you reside. - City of Gunnison Floodplain Manager Eric Jansen 970-641-8151 ejansen@gunnisonco.gov; or - Gunnison County Floodplain Manager - -Hillary Seminick 970-641-7930 HSeminick@gunnisoncounty.org, or visit Gunnisoncounty.org/1011/FloodplainDevelopment - Town of Crested Butte Floodplain Manager Mel Yemma 970-349-5338 Ext. 119 Melyemma@crestedbutte-co.gov - Town of Mt. Crested Butte Community Development 970-349-6632 - Gunnison County Emergency Management 970-641-2481 smorrill@gunnisoncounty.org or rwhite@gunnisoncounty.org
REAL ESTATE
is $2,750/month NNN - For
call Jordon Ringel at 817-733-6947 or
GunnisonMeadows.com.
given to the
will be sold or disposed of unless claimed prior to April 10, 2025
This is to advise that household and personal property belonging to the following: Heather Estes unit C9 at Gunnison Secure Storage located at 1018 highway 135 in Gunnison, CO; will be sold to the highest bidder at Gunnison Secure Storage on Friday, April 4th, 2025 at 10:00 AM to satisfy the owner’s lien for rent in accordance with Title 38. PROPERTY -REAL AND PERSONAL
This is an action to quiet title pursuant to C.R.C.P. 105 in favor of the Plaintiffs in and to the following property in Gunnison County, Colorado:
Township 49 North, Range 1 West, N.M.P.M.
Section 3: A tract of land located in the NE1/4SE1/4 of said Section 3, more particularly described as follows:
Beginning at the most Southeasterly corner of Tract No. Twelve (12) of Gunnison Island Acres Subdivision (Plat filed on 22 April 1954 – Gunnison County); thence along the Southerly boundary of said Tract No. Twelve (12)
a distance of
369.07 feet to the point of beginning.
SUBJECT TO the easement for the Board of County Commissioners of Gunnison County, Colorado for the existing travelled public access road commonly known as Park Drive or County Road 19 located on the above real property, which easement area as located on the above property is more particularly described as:
A parcel of land within the NE1/4SE1/4 of Section 3, Township 49 North, Range 1 West, New Mexico Principal Meridian, and also within the Bryant property as described by deed recorded in Book 741 at page 752 in the records of Gunnison County, Colorado, being more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the southeast corner of Tract No. 12 of Gunnison Island Acres Subdivision, according to the plat recorded April 22, 1954, bearing Reception No. 217277, thence N 80°52’00” West 23.20 feet along the south boundary of said Tract 12 to the easterly edge of the existing roadway of County Road No. 19, the POINT OF BEGINNING, thence the following courses:
1. North 80°52’00” West 23.80 feet along the south boundary of said Tract No. 12 to the westerly edge of said roadway;
2. North 29°10’03” East 37.64 feet along said westerly edge;
3. North 21°38’33” East 50.41 feet along said westerly edge;
4. North 12°45’36” East 60.57 feet along said westerly edge;
5. North 07°14’36” East 98.69 feet along said westerly edge;
6. North 07°16’49” East 30.24 feet along said westerly edge;
7. North 04°38’00” East 38.44 feet along said westerly edge; 8. North 00°33’21” West 55.39 feet along said westerly edge to the north boundary of said Bryant property;
9. North 89°55’00” East 7.03 feet along said boundary to the northeast corner of said property;
10. South 04°38’00”
Gunnison County, Colorado,
By: S:Jacob A. With Jacob A. With
Dated March 31, 2025
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of April 3, 10, 17 24 and May 1, 2025 16774
more or less to a point on the projected South boundary of Parcel No. Two (2) as described in Book 332 at page 185 of the Gunnison County records; thence North 89°55’ East along the above said South boundary and its projection Twenty (20) feet more or less to a point which is
‘Don’t be a drag, just be a queen’
Miss Shirley Delta Blow returned to the stage for some rousing rounds of bingo at Western Colorado University's Taylor Auditorium on March 28. The next day, the renowned queen returned to the stage wearing a rainbow-colored beehive wig for a cozy storytime gathering. Drag Queen Bingo & Storytime are fundraisers for the Gunnison Valley Theatre Festival, with a portion of proceeds donated to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Dance the night away
(Courtesy Heather Hughes/Western Colorado University)
(Photo by Bella Biondini)
April 7-12
The golden years of
Senior Nordic ski group celebrates 30th anniversary
Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor
It was a frigid February morning like any other in Crested Butte. But on this particularly cold day, skiers left their parkas at home. They opted instead for warm, yet whimsical, costumes. Amidst a horde of cowboys, aliens and abominable snowmen sidling up to the starting line during the annual Alley
Loop nordic race, one pack of racers stood out from the crowd with their sensible woodland critter attire.
These skiers, members of the Gray Hares Nordic group, donned silvery rabbit costumes to honor their namesake. As the starting bell rang, the Hares nimbly launched into motion, leaving narrow tracks behind in the snow instead of paw prints.
This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Gray Hares, a longtime Crested Butte Nordic Center program. While membership has remained steady over the decades, many of the group’s older members are eager to usher in future generations for the club.
Eligible Coloradans can get help paying for some heating costs!
Los habitantes de Colorado que cumplan los requisitos pueden obtener ayuda para pagar algunos gastos de calefacción
Applications available from Health & Human Services or the LEAP website
Las solicitudes están disponibles en los Servicios de Salud y Humanos o en el sitio web de LEAP
applications November 1- April 30 Aceptandao Solicitudes 1 noviembre - 30 abril
The Gray Hares group meets every Wednesday from December through March for skiing excursions around Crested Butte. (Courtesy Xavi Fane)
Backcountry potlucks are a favorite activity of many group members. Gray Hares B2
Gray Hares from B1
Former Nordic Center Director Cathy Frank founded the group in 1995. Frank created the Gray Hares after offering lessons to a few older skiers, an endeavor that quickly ballooned into weekly Nordic excursions for skiers over the age of 50. These days, the average age of club members ranges between the mid-70s through late 80s.
“We go out and chit-chat and stop and look at the view … It can be very aerobic for the young people, but the old people can just putz along.”
Ruth Berkshire Skier
Skiers Ruth and Skip Berkshire joined the group in 1998, not long after moving to the valley in their retirement. They discovered the Gray Hares while volunteering for the Nordic Center’s annual Grand Traverse ski race between Crested Butte and Aspen. The Berkshires, self-proclaimed “big mountain people,” were eager to connect with outdoor enthusiasts in their age bracket in their new home.
“We were just blown away by these super-athletes,” Ruth said. “When we moved here, most of the people were younger than us, and we thought, ‘We’ll deal with it.’ We’ve since learned that there are a lot of older folks, like the Gray Hares, that really get out there and enjoy it.”
Throughout her more than 20 years as a Gray Hare, Ruth has enjoyed the group’s social element just as much as its exercise benefits. Many of her favorite memories involve the club’s ambitious potluck excursions.
On one occasion, a group of nearly two dozen skiers made the trek out to the backcountry cabins dotting the old Elkton mining townsite north of Crested Butte. Once they arrived at their destination, the skiers clicked out of their skis to share a hearty meal and take in sprawling views of the Gunnison Valley.
The group is intentional
about planning meetups that suit each member’s different needs and physical abilities. Despite multiple knee replacements, Ruth still reaches for her skis as her go-to form of exercise, finding it easier than walking or downhill skiing.
“Nordic is a wonderful venue if you’re getting older. You can pick a flat course, and as long as you’ve got a bit of soft snow, it’s very gentle on your joints,” Ruth said. “We go out and chitchat and stop and look at the view … It can be very aerobic for the young people, but the old people can just putz along.”
For some, though, being a Gray Hare instills the courage needed to take the adventure of a lifetime. In 2004, Skip and fellow Gray Hare skier Charley Dumas took the plunge to compete in the Grand Traverse. The duo were in their 60s, and at the time, were the oldest competitors in race history.
“One of the things Skip always says is, ‘How hard can it be?’ … We realized that it could be really tough,” Dumas said.
The pair dedicated their entire winter to training. Dumas had been a competitive skier decades ago when he was a student at the University of Maine, participating in ski jump, cross country and alpine racing. He had to re-learn everything he knew about skiing that winter to prepare for the notoriously arduous, 40-mile endeavor.
Skip and Dumas skied parts of the route every week, making it the full distance twice during their months of training. They also had to fine-tune their gear systems and learn how to apply and remove ski skins without stepping out of their bindings.
As dusk fell on race day, the two Gray Hares crossed the finish line in Aspen covered in snow from head to toe and “dead-last,” but with a qualify-
ing time. Despite Dumas pushing through an injury, the team had made it through the journey. They felt exhausted, but eager to encourage older people to do what they’d accomplished, Dumas said.
Every year since, the Gray Hares and Nordic Center present the Grand Traverse team with the highest combined age with the “Grandest Team” award, a tradition that continues to this day.
“By gosh, these old people can do some pretty fun and exciting things,” Ruth said.
While the Gray Hares just wrapped up their weekly meetings in March, they’ll be back again in full force next winter.
(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Former Crested Butte Nordic Center Director Cathy Frank founded the group in 1995. In its heyday, more than 20 skiers were active members. (Courtesy Cathy Frank)
The Hares are oftentimes accompanied by canine friends.
Food Pantry volunteers
In 2024, the Pantry recovered and distributed 195,888 pounds of food from local grocery stores, and we need your help to keep this effort going. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 8:30-10 a.m. volunteers are needed to pick up donations from local vendors, such as Safeway, City Market, Wal-Mart and Gunnison Vitamin. Please contact the Pantry Manager, Angie, at 970.641.4156 or pantrymanager@gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org.
CO Native Plants
Join us for a talk about lawn conversion, seed starts, and native gardens on April 14 at 5:30 p.m. at the Gunnison County Library. For more information, contact gunnisonconps@gmail. com.
Montrose Wine and Food Festival
Join us May 31 at the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater from 1-4 p.m. for a wine and food festival to benefit the Black Canyon Boys and Girls club. For tickets or to donate contact Heather Simpson at heather@bcbgc.org or cat 970249-5168.
Public Lands awareness
Join us on April 12 at 11 a.m. to ski Snodgrass in Mt. Crested Butte. This event is to raise awareness by supporting conservation of public lands and the people who steward them. We will gather at the trailhead at 11 a.m. to hear a few words about the importance of public lands, snow and winter recreation to our local community and offer a show of support.
Human trafficking
WSAT and Western Colorado University present a showing of the film Docked. A film that features information about human trafficking on Colorado’s Western slope. The film will be presented at the WCU Theater on April 16 at 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information visit westerslopeagainsttrafficking.com.
League
of Women Voters
League of Women Voters of the Gunnison Valley meets April 8 at noon at the Gunnison County
Move the Butte Screening
Join us April 4, after the First Friday Art Walk at 7 p.m. for a special screening of the 2025
Move the Butte dance show.
Beginner Oil Painting
Join us April 7-28 for four Mondays of oil painting. Learn foundational techniques, from blending colors to creating textures, as you bring your artistic vision to life on canvas.
Library, 1 Quartz Street. Jessica Wurtz, Director of Philanthropy at Community Foundation of Gunnison Valley, will speak about "Braver Angels", a citizens’ organization uniting red and blue Americans to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic. Public welcome.
Bilingual family game night
Join us on April 11, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Gunnison Public Library where Gunnison High School students will be leading the Hourglass Lake Fire Challenge, an interactive wildfire response game designed to help families learn how to react in a wildfire emergency. Dinner will be provided, the event is free and all ages are welcome.
Sage Grouse meeting
The next meeting of the Gunnison Basin Sage-Grouse Strategic Committee will be April 16 at 10 a.m. via Zoom or in the Planning Commission Meeting Room at the Blackstock Government Center. For more updated information, including the most recent agenda and access to the virtual meeting, please visit https://www.gunnisoncounty.org/187/GunnisonBasin-Sage-Grouse-StrategicCom.
Free cooking class
Join GV-HEAT and Mountain Roots for a free, four-week community cooking class using portable induction stoves. As part of the class, we offer four free cooking classes, a free food giveaway, and a portable induction stove raffle at the end of class. The classes will be held on Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on April 15, 22, 29 and May 6 at the Fred Field Center, 275 S Spruce St. in Gunnison. Visit https://bit. ly/3FuyvMn to sign up, as space is limited.
Story Catcher Festival
Former US Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo, will speak at Western on April 10 at 7 p.m. as part of the 2025 Story Catcher Festival. The event honors writer and historian Mari Sandoz and celebrates storytelling, creativity and literary exploration. More information at western.edu/story-catcher-festival.
The Moonlight Concert Series
Join us April 18 at 7 p.m. for Jenny Hill Pankratz and Lizzy Plotkin. The pair have been making beautiful folk music together for over 10 years, inspired by the mountains. This special night will feature their performance, followed by Golden Shoals, who play lively old-time music with a modern twist.
ATTENTION
COUNTY ROAD 734/SLATE RIVER USERS
Effective March 18, 2025 County Road 734 (Slate River Road) will be under a 15-ton weight restriction from the intersection of CR 734 and CR 317 (Gothic Road) to the end of winter maintenance at the CR 734 trailhead, to protect the road from resource damage. The weight restriction will be lifted when conditions allow.
Please contact: Gunnison County Public Works Department at 970-641-0044 with any questions.
GUNNISON COUNTY LANDFILL SATURDAY HOURS UPDATE
Please be advised that the Gunnison County Landfill will RE-OPEN ON SATURDAYS effective April 5, 2025. We are currently still within the sage grouse restriction period so Saturday hours of operation will be 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. until May 15, 2025 then will change to 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
If you have any questions please contact Gunnison County Public Works Department at 970-641-0044 or Gunnison County Landfill at 970-641-5522.
ATTENTION
COUNTY ROAD 38/ GOLD BASIN USERS
Effective March 18, 2025 County Road 38 (Gold Basin Road) will be under a 10 ton weight restriction from just beyond the end of the asphalt beginning at the parking area known as “Bambi Parking Area” south to the Saguache County line. This restriction will be lifted when conditions allow or May 15, 2025.
Please contact Gunnison County Public Works Department at 970-641-0044 with any questions.
GUNNISON COUNTY LANDFILL SAGE GROUSE HOURS OF OPERATION
Please be advised that during the time period of March 15 to May 15, 2025 the Gunnison County Landfill will be temporarily changing its hours of operation. The Gunnison County Landfill will be open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. This change in hours is to reduce disturbance to Gunnison Sagegrouse during mating season and complies with the Record of Decision issued by the Bureau of Land Management.
If you have any questions please contact our office at 970-641-0044.
Cowboys coast at home tournament
GHS baseball undefeated thanks to hot bats
Following a warm weather tournament in Arizona over spring break, the GHS baseball team fired on all cylinders against rival high schools. The Cowboys went undefeated at a home tournament last week, and gained confidence ahead of a quick league game stretch. The results moved the Cowboys to a 5-3 overall record, having yet to open their campaign in the 3A Western Slope League. Despite struggling to notch a win in Arizona, GHS gained valuable experience against powerhouse teams. The Cowboys opened the trip with a game against Owyhee High School of Meridian, Idaho, who are three-time defending 6A champions. The Cowboys
Girl’s golf opens season in Junction
Aidan Tomlin finishes eighth with 85
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
Having yet to practice on an outdoor driving range or natural green, the GHS girls golf team still impressed at the season opening tournament on March 31.
The Cowboys faced high winds and tricky greens at Bookcliff Country Club in Grand Junction. Despite their early-season rust, the team still placed high on the leaderboard. Aiden Tomlin led the way with an astounding, eighth-place
score of 85, starting her junior season with heaps of potential.
“My main takeaway is we showed what we could be capable of with day-to-day, week-toweek improvements,” said Head Coach Kevin Mickelson. “But also, we need more experience to get into tournament shape, and tournament focus.”
The girls opened their rounds with low scores on the front nine. At the turn, the Cowboys sat in third place as a team, but slowly, fatigue started to creep in. Without having the built-up endurance from consistent play, the girls started to lose strokes on the back.
Although slowing down late in their rounds, the Cowboys still showcased massive potential. Mickelson said he is excited to see how low this group can
shoot, once the girls begin their routine practice schedule at Dos Rios Golf Club.
Tomlin finished top for the Cowboys, while 2024 state qualifier Faith Pederson shot a 98. Junior Kaylee Vincent and sophomore Althea Stansbery wrapped up with a 107 and 111, while Norah Abila missed out due to illness.
The Cowboys will return to action in Montrose on April 7 and 8, and will play at Cobble Creek Golf Course and Black Canyon Golf Course. The girls will host their only home tournament at Dos Rios on May 5, with tee times starting at 9:30 a.m.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Kaya Burnett, Althea Stansbery, Aiden Tomlin, Faith Pederson and Kaylee Vincent traveled to the opening tournament. (Courtesy Kevin Mickelson/GHS)
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
Baseball B6 The Cowboys rally in their home dugout. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)
Mountaineers secure
top-five finishes in Pueblo
Track and field shine in second outdoor meet
Gregg Petcoff Special to the Times
The Western Colorado University men's and women's track and field teams made their second appearance of the outdoor season at the Chuck Haering Invitational in Pueblo on March 29. The Mountaineers amassed several top-five finishes at Colorado State University Pueblo's ThunderBowl, topped by first-place finishes in the women's high jump and men's steeplechase.
Kyle Partin opened the day with a first-place time of 9 minutes, 30.26 seconds in the 3,000meter steeplechase. He was joined in the top five by teammate John Houdeshell in third place.
Late in the morning Sammie Bretz took to the apron in the high jump, clearing a height of 1.62 meters to claim the event title. This was Bretz' first competition since the 2025 NCAA
Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in midMarch where she finished 14th.
The Mountaineers picked up multiple runner-up finishes in other field events at the invite. Aaleiah Porter-Gyll cleared a height of 3.15 meters to take second in the women's pole vault event, while Robert Letsche took second with a 4.50 leap for the Western men.
Scoring a second place in the women's hammer throw was Rylee Blanton, whose fourth toss of the session landed at 51.56 meters. Logan Butterfield claimed fifth place in the men's event, registering a best throw of 53.11 meters on his fifth attempt from the circle.
Torrin Franklin and Tarryn Moore earned third- and fourth-place finishes in the men's high jump. Western's top finisher in the women's javelin was fourth-place Lindsey Osterfelt.
The Mountaineers provided a pair of third-place leaps in the long jump. Gabi Huggins landed in the pit with a jump of 5.65 meters in the women's event, and Moore added a third place in the men's event with a best leap of 6.85 meters.
On the oval, and early in the event schedule, Haley Wood and Jayda Nix scored second and fourth place, respectively, in the women's steeplechase. Wood posted a runner-up time of 11:30.54, and Nix crossed the finish line in 11:57.99.
James Duncan earned second place in the men's 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 14.74, less than a second behind the event winner.
Contributing two more thirdplace finishes from the women's side of the ledger were Peyton Weiss and Nellie Wartanian. Weiss took third in the 1500meter run with a time of 4:44.71, and Wartanian sprinted to a time of 25.56 to take third place in the 200-meter dash.
The Mountaineers will head to Grand Junction April 3-4 for the Maverick Invite, hosted by Colorado Mesa University.
(Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)
lost 14-0, but Head Coach Tom Percival said facing strong pitching and hot bats set the boys up for later success.
“Arizona was good, but it was tough,” Percival said. “We went down there to get better, and based on what we did this weekend, we did get better.”
The Cowboys returned to their home diamond for a tournament on March 28 and 29. Straight out of the gate, GHS impressed with not only a deep pitching rotation, but also an impressive batting lineup from top to bottom.
Taking on the Steamboat Springs Sailors in the opening game, the boys relied on smart at-bats to take advantage of the opposing pitchers. Talon Kibler opened a first inning rally with a poke to shallow centerfield, and Marshall Spann brought him home with an RBI shot to right. Ethan Pierce finished the inning with a two RBI singles past the second baseman to bring home Spann and Grady Buckhanan.
Armed with an early threerun lead, the Cowboys turned to pitcher Kellen Yoder to kick-
start the defense. Despite giving up an early single, the GHS ace steadied the ship with two pop flies and a strikeout.
Landon Miller crushed a triple to the centerfield wall in the second, but couldn’t cross home to extend the lead. But back-to-back doubles from Buckhanan and Kahne Chippiani gave the Cowboys a 4-0 edge in the third.
The Sailors drove home three runners to tease a comeback late in the game. But the Cowboys defense held firm, and walked away with a 4-3 victory to start the home tournament in the win column.
GHS capitalized on the scrappy win with double-digit victories against the Meeker Cowboys and Battle Mountain Huskies. Against Meeker, Cesar Marmolejo led from the plate with two triples and two RBIs, while Rylee Berry earned a double to left field. Buckhanan anchored the defense from the mound, and inspired a 15-5 win.
Kibler wrapped up the weekend with solid reps on the mound, keeping the Husky hitters off balance and getting ahead in the count. A double and single from Chippiani, and
two singles from Ethan Pierce coasted past Battle Mountain with a 13-3 victory, ensuring an undefeated record at the home tournament.
“Battle Mountain was our most complete game so far,” Percival said. “We were disciplined. Their pitchers had trouble throwing strikes, and we
Titans fall to league rivals
were able to get on base and get timely hits. And Talon did a really nice job on the mound.”
The Cowboys returned to action against Alamosa on April 1. Scores were not available by press time. GHS will face league leaders Coal Ridge in a doubleheader on April 5, and return home against Basalt on April 12.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
The Crested Butte Titans lacrosse team lost to league rival Durango in back-to-back home games on March 28 and 29. The defeats moved the Titans to a 2-7 overall record, and 0-7 in the 4A Mountain League. The boys will return home to face Montrose on April 10 at 4 p.m.
are searching for a STAFF WRITER to help record the history of our great Valley — as it is happening! Candidates should be:
Talon Kibler takes a pitch high and inside.
Colten Huisman duels a band of Demon defenders. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)
Greg Blanco celebrates with Ethan Suazo after beating the Durango goalie.
VETERANS’ VOICE
A veteran is — for life
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
There is a reason why we refer to service in the U.S. Armed Forces in the present tense, no matter when it technically took place. For example, I served in the U.S. Army from August 1980 to April 1988. After nearly eight years of being a soldier, I took off the uniform and in one afternoon of outprocessing went back to being a regular citizen. It was a clean break from “in” to “out.” But when describing that service nearly 40 years later I say: I am a veteran.
In thinking about why that is — and why it is fundamentally different from saying, for instance, I am an alum of Western Colorado University — I was reminded of something a fellow veteran said to me not long ago. He asked if I remembered taking the oath to defend the Constitution on day one of my enlistment. “Of course,” I said. “Vividly.” Then he wondered if I remembered the ceremony on the last day in which I raised my hand and took back the oath as my service ended? No, I don’t remember that — because it never happened. Not for me, and not for any veteran. In other words, being a veteran begins with a promise that has no expiration date. It is a mindset that outlives the actual obligation to stand in harm’s way for everyone else.
But, beyond that, for some it is obviously, even dramatically, true that the impact of service can last a lifetime. I’m thinking of veterans who reenter civilian life bearing the burden of physical and mental wounds. Those people we at least try to acknowledge a couple of times a year on national holidays set aside for that purpose.
But everyone who serves is transformed in some way, even if those effects are more subtle.
In 1980 it took just six weeks of basic training to turn me from a soft and aimless boy into someone who saw for himself the value of discipline, sacrifice and courage. I was still no hero, believe me, and a long journey lay ahead; but the decision to serve put me on a very different path from the one I’d have walked if I had stayed home.
I recently had dinner with two very close friends who are not veterans. The conversation turned to the question of how we each developed our particular view of the world. What experiences had the greatest influence, we wondered?
Like some kind of cinematic flashback, the question transported me to the night I arrived in Seoul, Korea in 1983 to begin a 13-month tour. It took less than an hour “in-country” to have the first of many experiences that had no equivalents in my middle class upbringing back home.
It was late, and, riding in the van to my new unit, I was reeling from a combination of jet lag and excitement. Up ahead I saw very bright lights coming from what I assumed must be a sports stadium. As we approached, I realized it was far too small for that, though I’d never seen anything else as brightly lit. Soon I could see it was no more than a modest substation of electric transformers and power lines. Back home these were practically invisible, not because they were hidden, but because they went mostly unnoticed. This looked like a top secret military installation straight out of a Hollywood thriller.
I said to my escort something along the lines of, “What the heck?”
He just smiled and said, “Welcome to Korea.” It turned out I’d landed in a country where all utility infrastructure
was heavily guarded all the time — for very good reasons. To begin with, the 9 million inhabitants of Seoul were just 38 kilometers from North Korea. That was just a couple of minutes of flight time for a Soviet MIG fighter aircraft.
If that weren’t enough, North Korean “commandos” with a mission of assassination and sabotage — I know how exaggerated that sounds to Americans raised on bad TV — posed a constant threat. While I was there, several were caught in scuba gear floating down the heavily-mined Han River with a list of targets.
Just weeks after arriving, on a day off I was swept off of a beach in Busan (along with everyone else) by a company of black-clad and heavily-armed South Korean special forces because a North Korean subma-
VETERAN EVENTS & LOCAL INFORMATION
• 4-5 GOLD STAR SPOUSES DAY. A DAY THAT HONORS SPOUSES WHO LOST THEIR MILITARY SIGNIFICANT OTHER IN THE LINE OF DUTY OR BECAUSE OF MILITARY SERVICE.
• 4-5 AMERICAN LEGION MONTHLY VETERAN BREAKFAST. PLEASE JOIN US FOR A MEAL AND ENGAGING CONVERSATION. THE AMERICAN LEGION, 9AM-11AM. ALL VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ARE WELCOME.
• 4-10 VIETNAM VETERANS RECOGNITION AT 10:00 IN THE GUNNISON HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.
• 4-16 AMERICAN LEGION MONTHLY MEETING. DINNER AT 1700, MEETING STARTS AT 1800. ALL VETERANS ARE WELCOME! PLEASE JOIN US AND CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER.
• 4-20 EASTER SUNDAY, IN LEGION PARK. 1:00 PM START, AGES 1-3, 4-6, 7-9. OVER 2000 EGGS! HIDDEN PRIZES!
• 4-23 ARMY RESERVE BIRTHDAY.
• 5-1 SILVER STAR BANNER DAY. A DAY
AND
rine had been spotted offshore and the troops were searching for infiltrators.
I participated in a blackout and air raid drill in Seoul, in which the entire city went dark and came to a standstill all at once. Atop every commercial skyscraper in the city, in batteries that were manned 24/7, anti-aircraft crews practiced shooting down incoming fighters and missiles.
I was in the country when Korean president Chun doohwan narrowly escaped assassination by North Korean agents while on a state visit to Burma. Seventeen members of his party were killed, including cabinet members — and the Korean peninsula went on high alert. We all thought the “big one” had arrived. The sensation of facing in real time (and far from home) what your “oath to
defend” might actually mean leaves an indelible mark.
I don’t have the space for similar stories about my time in Berlin, before the wall came down. But, by now you get the idea. A veteran is someone who has most likely seen the world as it really is — and stood personally in the path of America's all-too-real enemies. A veteran is a veteran for life because these are things that enter a person’s psychological and emotional DNA and, in one way or another, shape the rest of their life.
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)
Alan Wartes
Women’s Health Clinic
We o er comprehensive gynecological care including hormone replacement therapy, menopause care and Endometriosis treatment.
Specialty Clinic | 970-641-3927
Obstetrics
Dr. Maija Swanson, Dr. Laura Villanueva, Dr. Megan Tucker and Dr. Clinton McBride specialize in family medicine obstetrics providing full spectrum prenatal, labor and delivery and postpartum care.
Family Medicine Clinic | 970-642-8413
BREAST SCREENINGS
We provide a comprehensive set of breast screening services that includes 3D Tomosynthesis Mammography and Automated Whole Breast Ultrasound (ABUS).
Radiology | 970-641-7253
Mountain Mamas Cafe
Come meet other mamas and their little ones!
¡Ven a conocer a otra Mamas!
Monday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at The Grove, 304 West Tomichi in Gunnison
Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Grove, 304 West Tomichi in Gunnison (en Español)
Friday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Oh Be Joyful, 625 Maroon Ave. in Crested Butte
At Gunnison Valley Health we o er services designed to meet the specific health needs of women at every stage of their lives.
Gunnison Valley Health is Baby-Friendly designated which demonstrates that we are adhering to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.