Issuu

School board questions Wednesday early release in Gunnison

Parents remain split

Bella Biondini Times Editor

Nearly four years after the major schedule change, early-release Wednesdays at Gunnison schools still remain a point of contention for a number of parents.

The abbreviated school day, which has been in place in Crested Butte for a few years longer, was introduced to Gunnison schools during the fall of 2021. Each Wednesday, students are released from class roughly an hour and 45 minutes early. The short school day

Lift maintenance union reaches agreement with Vail

COMMUNITY: Power of the dogs, B1

New contract includes pay raise, improved training

Bella Biondini Times Editor

SPORTS: Maciejko wins swim coach of the year, B6

BIZCENTS: Signs of all kinds, A10 OPINION A4

A14-A17

After almost a year-long stalemate, Vail Resorts and the Crested Butte Lift Maintenance Union reached an agreement on Feb. 12.

The Crested Butte Mountain Resort lift mechanics, a group of 12, considered going on strike in January, citing low pay despite the physical demands and sometimes dangerous nature of the job, alongside high turn-

over. These employees, essential to the daily operations of the ski resort, are tasked with keeping the lift chairs spinning, making on-the-spot repairs and conducting daily inspections.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) lift mechanics unionized in June 2023, and are represented by the United Mountain Workers. This same union currently represents Crested Butte Ski Patrol and more than 1,000 ski industry professionals across the West. The mechanic’s union entered negotiations with Vail Resorts, the owner of CBMR, in January of last year, requesting a pay raise, stipends for work gear and access to more training and opportunities for professional

Union A6

Camp Gunnison welcomes nonmembers for first time

The Way International campus opens to Air Force Academy

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

Five miles north of town, the cottonwood-speckled banks of the Gunnison River give way to white-rock lettering on the hillside. Similar to the white “W” atop Tenderfoot Mountain

to the east, its northern relative is visible to the keen eye along Hwy. 135. The hill — which reads “Camp Gunnison” — marks an 150-acre campus, a towering lodge built of Engelmann spruce and rolling lawns, hidden from the public eye for half a century.

Camp Gunnison, a secluded campus of the religious ministry The Way International, opened its doors to non-members for the first time in its nearly 50-year history in January. The campus hosted a group of 100 cadets from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs Camp A8

School

GLITTERY GLIDERS: Aoba Matsunaga, Katelynn DeGroot, Camille Reaves and Allie Weatherill dance across the Jorgensen Ice Rink during the Western Figure Skating Club spring showcase on Feb. 8. For more, see B11. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)

QUOTE of the week

“For some reason we just had a lot of escapees. We were all too often chasing cows through town.”

— Seth Nienhueser, Veterinarian

See story on B4

BRIEFS

Housing Authority hosts Sawtooth lottery

On Feb. 18, the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority hosted a lottery for the final phase of the county’s income-restricted Sawtooth project.

Thirty two apartment-style units, with a mixture of studio, and one- and two-bedroom options, were made available to local renters. The project serves residents earning up to 120% of the area median income, which is just under $100,000 for a twoperson household. Rental rates, which include utilities and internet, range from $1,000 to $3,000 per month depending on an applicant’s income. Following some construction delays, moveins are not expected until April.

The Housing Authority received 75 applications for the phase two lottery, 52 of whom qualified. The organization held a private lottery at its office at the Gunnison County Courthouse with only staff and board members present. The process was recorded on video so it can be requested and reviewed by the public or for future reference. Staff are currently working to assign units based on the lottery results and the chosen applicants’ unit preference and income. Matching is expected to take a few days. The Housing Authority will begin notifying winners as it works down the list.

The Housing Authority team designed a lottery process that focused on privacy during what is often an emotional process, said Executive Director Melissa LaMonica. Each qualified applicant only received one ticket. And instead of pulling names, staff only saw numbers, which were then recorded. While the Housing Authority was already crafting its own process before the Crested Butte lottery glitch for Paradise Park in January, LaMonica said she took the situation in the North Valley into consideration.

“It’s not an easy process by any means as we’ve learned … [We] are trying to refine it into a way that is fair, transparent and private,” LaMonica said. “So far, everything looks like it went well.”

100years! Celebrating

The Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce has strong ties to the county of Gunnison. Since nearly the very beginning of our town’s existence, businesspeople have come together in a formal association to assist one another, market the area, be proactive in generating new opportunities and ideas and contribute to the preservation and sharing of our special valley.

It is our understanding that the Country Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce was officially incorporated in February 1925. The chamber has a handwritten document hanging in the chamber conference room that states “Incorporated February 27, 1925” and was signed by the Colorado Secretary of State Office.

In 2024, the Gunnison Chamber board reaffirmed its dedication to governance and organization.

To promote efficiency and productivity in 2024 and beyond, we set many goals, and we had to make some tough decisions to ensure that we stayed true to our mission, vision and values. As we look to the next century, we make this our compass for how we want to grow the organization.

The board is excited to launch the Chamber’s 100th Anniversary of incorporation this month. We are planning to celebrate this milestone all year long!

The Chamber has many events and activities scheduled throughout the year, including our Grateful for Gunni Gals campaign in March. We have

created a fun fashion show and winetasting event planned for Thursday, March 27, to showcase all of the fabulous female nominees.

Further details are available on our website. Please nominate a wonderful woman who has had a significant impact on you and our valley!

Additionally, please join us on Thursday, Feb. 27, for our official 100year kick-off event at the Gunnison Library for a community coffee with city staff and our elected officials at 8 a.m. Please see the ad for this event in today’s Gunnison Times. We look forward to seeing you there!

- Gunnison Chamber Board of Directors

School board applications open following Roberts’ resignation

Deadline to apply March 21

Bella Biondini Times Editor

The Gunnison Watershed School District is now accepting applications to fill an empty seat on the board following Mandy Roberts’ resignation this month.

The school district received a letter of resignation from Roberts, who was school board secretary, on Feb. 10. This initiated a 60-day window in which the board must accept and review applications and choose a replacement. The board held a special session on Feb. 13 on Zoom to formally declare a vacancy, kicking off the application period.

Residents interested in applying should send a letter and resume to the board stating their interest and qualifications. The deadline to submit

Fine lines

an application is Friday, March 21 at 3 p.m. Letters should be sent to administrative assistant JoAnn Klingsmith at the Gunnison Watershed School District at 800 N. Boulevard St. in Gunnison, or to klingsmith@ gunnisonwatershed.net. The board plans to interview prospective candidates in public at a regular board meeting on April 7.

Board candidates must be a resident of the school district, a registered Gunnison County voter for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the election and reside “south of Round Mountain” in the Gunnison attendance area. Candidates must also affirm they have “never been convicted of commission” of a sexual offense against a child.

The board consists of five members, one of which resides in and represents Crested Butte. The rest reside in the South Valley. Once an applicant is chosen, they will serve until

Skiers and snowboarders flocked to Mt. Crested Butte for some fresh powder riding over President’s Day weekend. Snowfall totals on the mountain reached 44 inches over the past week following a storm cycle that started on Feb. 14.

the next biennial school board election in November 2025. This fall, board president Tyler Martineau’s four-year term will also expire.

Roberts has served on the board since 2021. In a statement to the Times, Roberts cited personal conflicts with the needs of her family as the reason for her resignation. The remaining school board members thanked her for her service during a regular meeting on Feb. 10.

“I’m sorry to see Mandy leave. I think she added a really good perspective to the board, often one that I didn't always see readily myself,” said board member Mark VanderVeer. “So I understood her resignation, and I know that was a tough decision.”

For more information about how to apply, visit gunnisonschools.net.

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

in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Courtesy Taylor Ahearn/Crested Butte Mountain Resort)

970.641.1414

Publisher/Owner Alan Wartes publisher@gunnisontimes.com

Editor Bella Biondini bella@gunnisontimes.com

Staff Writer Abby Harrison abby@gunnisontimes.com

Photo Editor Mariel Wiley mariel@gunnisontimes.com

Sports Editor Alex McCrindle alex@gunnisontimes.com

Advertising Manager Steve Nunn steve@gunnisontimes.com

Advertising Assistant Bobbie Corn bobbie@gunnisontimes.com

Production Manager Issa Forrest issa@gunnisontimes.com

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

Hours:

Our town: Episode II

Ritchey Special to the Times

In the fall, I introduced Episode I of today’s subject, “Our Town,” inspired by a headline: “City to prop up Main Street with economic plan.” That plan, the story noted, will be made public this spring. Okay. But who will do the propping, and what will whoever it is prop up?

“There’s no shortage of great ideas,” said City Manager Amanda Wilson. Awesome. Great ideas. No shortage. But what are they? First, let’s call a consultant.

ly that some level of loyalty is required for a town to thrive, for a business corridor to be lively. I wonder if the consultant will reach the same conclusion. Will she point out that when a corporate outfit comes to town and we rush there to shop, we leave in our wake the store in which we had been shopping? A store owned by a neighbor, who had run that store on a shoestring for what seems like ever, before we ditched her for another stranger. Oh, the shame of our fickle behavior.

of groceries from Kroger’s or Albertson’s, two corporations which will be one humongous monopoly way sooner than the future. Conglomerates and big box stores have been the ruination of small-town community.

Cities seek tourists for sales tax revenue. And yet, in that first “prop up” news story, we read that even though sales tax receipts have been flat the last couple years, the plan, among other things, is to “link jobs to the booming tourism” industry. Go figure.

Wilson’s open house guests included Beth Wyman, Cattlemen’s Days secretary. Beth’s take on the situation?

“One of the best things about this community is you grew up here, you moved away for a little bit, you moved back and you raised your kids here. I’ve been doing it for four generations, but now that circle’s broken.”

numbers, were compiled by the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. Now, go back to the Feb. 13 edition and read Abby Harrison’s story. I am old and can remember similar numbers in front page headlines 20-25 years ago. So, will it ever be possible that Miller’s Furniture, closed now and painted black, really becomes a bowling alley? How can we attract a movie theater? It would not take much, say, 500 square feet for a “game room” in which Western student “gamers” could gather. Tourism is not working. Let’s turn our eyes to the real future, our young university students, who, the leader of the study pointed out, are “creating a future source of labor, people who want to stay here and live here and work here.” A typical college town. How about propping up that?

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday 2025 Member

Last November, the city hosted an open house for business owners and others to discuss the problem. My former colleague Chris Dickey compared our business sector to Salida’s. “Ours pales in comparison,” he said. County Commissioner Jonathan Houck’s view? “If I had to pick one word, I’d pick ‘stagnant.’”

George Sibley wrote recent-

LETTERS

Reject the Save Act

Editor:

The Save Act is a misleading piece of proposed legislation designed to further erode the voting rights of Americans and hits the working class and women even harder than most.

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.

First of all, it’s already illegal for non-citizens to register to vote, or ever vote in the United States. All Colorado driver's licenses and IDs that are issued to non-citizens are clearly marked with the words “not valid for federal identification, voting or public benefit purposes.” Additionally, nonresidents cannot register to vote in Colorado if they’ve resided in Colorado less than 22 days.

Shockingly, this legislation will require a passport, tribal or military card or birth certificate to be presented in person as identification for voter registration. Only about 51% of American citizens have passports; plus women and young people who may have last names differing from their birth certificates face an even bigger challenge in proving their identity.

This legislation could essentially exclude another 10% of Americans who don’t have

Here’s a thought: I am a person who loves almost everything and everybody — except the tourism phenomenon. Throw a match on it! Main streets today too often do not feature stores offering goods locals need or want to buy. Ours is in large part an exception and I thank, as we all should thank, the big-hearted operators of those cash registers which need to be ringing more often. The effort, the optimism to keep at it, must be a struggle. I am endorsing as much “propping” as possible.

Tourists wander along, moving just fast enough so they don’t topple over, looking at trinkets, moving on, pausing to catch their breath after gasping at the prices on posters in real estate offices. And maybe going back to the campground with a T-shirt — and a car full

access to documents like their birth certificates or naturalization papers. Many Americans who don’t have passports are likely to be working class or poor, so the cost of obtaining a passport is a huge burden. Most working people we know don’t realistically have time to spend on the application, providing the birth certificate and required photo, let alone making and getting to an appointment to submit the application and have the photo taken.

The GOP will be requiring hard-working Americans with already full lives and family and other responsibilities to find time for this extra burden. This includes finding the $130 or more to pay for it, and making sure they have applied in time for the election. Passports take four to six weeks to process and receive. And who’s going to be processing these additional applications? Who’s still working at the U.S. Dept. of State? The GOP is hoping that people won’t go to the trouble of getting a passport, or digging up a birth certificate in the first place.

Although we keep hearing otherwise, voter fraud is exceedingly rare in the U.S. and proven cases are “statistically

My idea of at least one way to see “broken” become “unbroken” is born of yet another headline, this one in last week’s paper: “Report reveals university’s local economic impact.” This same story has run again and again over the years. This time, research shows that Western generated $150 million in the years 2021 and 2023 in Gunnison County, not to mention “supporting over 1,200 jobs per year in Colorado.” These interesting, even encouraging

insignificant” as the Heritage Foundation has found over the last 44 years. This means that it would make no difference at all in any elections across the country. We owe it to ourselves and each other to protect every hard-working Americans' say in our government.

Remember, our representatives work for us, not for Musk or Trump. Take just a couple of minutes and call our western Colorado Rep. Jeff Hurd and demand a no vote on the Save Act. It wouldn't hurt to call all of our GOP representatives in Colorado and demand a no vote on this dangerous legislation. Please consider also calling our Colorado senators to thank them for working tirelessly to protect every Coloradan’s say in our government.

The number to call for all is 202.224.3121. Colorado voting information can be found at sos. state.co.us under the Elections and Voting tab.

Catherine Fisher Gunnison

Colorado state mushroom

Editor: With enthusiasm for mycol -

I know Wilson and Western President Brad Baca to be smart, dedicated and forwardthinking citizens. I have a feeling they might already be discussing this very subject.

(Mike Ritchey is a former publisher of this newspaper who lives without working in Gunnison. How in the world does he do it?)

ogy at an all-time high, a consortium of Colorado mycologists, societies and associations (Crested Butte Botanic Gardens, Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado Mycological Society, Pikes Peak Mycological Society and the Western Colorado Mycological Association) have spearheaded an effort to enact a state mushroom. Other states across the country already recognize fungi in their state emblems, and we have come together to launch the campaign to make Agaricus julius Colorado’s state mushroom. Why Agaricus julius?

• It associates with another Colorado state emblem, spruce trees, and relies on grows in our high mountain environments.

• It was first described in Colorado and grows throughout Colorado’s mountains. It was previously thought to be the “Prince” mushroom. However it was found to be a distinct species, which is now commonly referred to as the “Emperor.”

• It is a prized edible mushroom sought after by mushroom hunters and chefs and is easily identified by people of all ages

• No other state has a species

Mike

of Agaricus as its state symbol making it original to Colorado.

• The species is taxonomically “stable.” This means the species will not be re-categorized as a different species in the near future.

Colorado Rep. Jacque Phillips sponsored the bill, which was approved by the House of Representatives. It is now awaiting approval by the Senate. Please sign our petition at change.org/costatemushroom to show our state representatives that this issue matters to Coloradans.

Follow the effort on Instagram (@costatemushroom) and Facebook (Colorado State Mushroom) to stay current and learn how to get involved!

Amy Honan

Crested Butte Botanic Garden

How to advocate for MetRec TV service

Editor:

County residents who want the continuation of over-the-air television signals provided by the MetRec District, and paid by you as part of your property taxes, have a couple of opportunities to advocate for the service.

First, please complete the survey that was mailed to residents recently. Hopefully the survey is available by the time this goes to print. For those who don’t have capability to use the QR code on the survey, or who do not have internet access to complete the survey online (gcmetrec.com/tvsurvey), you can call 970.641.9148.

Surveys must be completed by March 19. Encourage your friends, family members, and neighbors to do the same. Second, there will be an election for two open seats on the MetRec board in May. The board needs better representation from individuals who use and advocate for continuation of over-the-air television. To self-nominate, get a selfnomination and acceptance form from the district website at gcmetrec.com or from the designated election official Sue Wallace at 710 S. 9th Street, in Gunnison (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4p.m.) The deadline for submitting a self-nomination is Feb. 29.

Kathleen Kinkema Gunnison

Attitude Adjustment a huge success!

Editor:

Thank you all so much for the support you showed this past Saturday making this year's Attitude Adjustment Fundraiser a huge success!

It looks like we raised more money than ever before, which will all go to community members in need. If you know anyone who might need some support please nominate them for a grant, the link can be found at our website cbsp.betterworld.org.

We would like to thank the

Crested Butte Center for the Arts for being an incredible host and Johnny Biggers and CB Builders for providing the support to make it possible to have such a great venue. We would also like to thank our awesome musical guests Boot Juice and Coal Creek Connection, for providing awesome entertainment, and Mark Ewing and the Secret Stash pizza for helping make it a great party.

This event has been supporting the community for 43 years and none of it would be possible without our sponsors, so a very special thanks to all of our event sponsors for making this happen year after year.

See you next year hopefully we'll be Wall to Wall by then!

Crested Butte Ski Patrol

All children of God

Editor:

The good old Bible. You can cherry-pick a passage anytime to support your own opinion. You can find stories and spin them to fit the ugliest and most hateful rhetoric that you want to share. Last week's letter to the editor regarding immigration did just that. But here's the good part: It works both ways.

"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in," Matthew 25:35. One of my favorites, but that's because it supports my personal opinion. Not necessarily anyone else's.

I suggest we all read the Bible while we still have the freedom to do so. Don't wait too long, it's been banned in the past and banning books is very popular right now. Interpret what you read but don't take it too literally because it was written a long time ago and not meant to be taken verbatim. For example, stoning is not an acceptable form of punishment today but, hey, it's in the Bible. Discuss it with people you respect, and then make your own analysis. Don't trust other people's versions. And finally, live the Bible the way you know in your heart that Jesus wants you to.

We are all children of God, made of Him. No one is better, or more deserving than anyone else, no matter where we lay our head.

"When a stranger resides with you in your land, do not mistreat them. Love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God," Leviticus 19:33-34. Whoops, I did it again.

Jane Thomas Gunnison

A response to letters

Editor:

I would like to comment on two letters in last week’s paper. Although the letter by Cori Dobson and Neil Watko had a partisan bent, I would like to thank them for reminding people that they must check the opt-in box to receive their TABOR refund. However, I

take exception to their critical remark “we are automatically registered to vote and receive mail in ballots.”

First of all, I would think that Cori Dobson as chair of Gunnison County Republicans would be aware that one is not automatically registered to vote in Colorado. One must be 18 years old, be a U.S. citizen and resident of the state. At that point a person must then physically register online, by mail, or in person.

For me personally, such a lack of understanding of basic rules makes me want to question any future statement that they might make. I am further perplexed by what appears to be their opposition to mail in ballots. Why in the 21st century should a senior citizen, or a working person, or anyone else for that matter, have to stand in line, in some cases for hours, in order to vote? Receiving ballots by mail has simplified the process and increased voter participation. Doesn’t that represent democracy at its best? So, would someone explain to me the downside?

In the second letter by Jo Laird, she discusses the importance of protecting our borders from illegal immigration. I couldn't agree more. We need to know who is coming into the country and we need to control numbers. What I take issue with is her justification. Our immigration laws should be based on our needs as a nation and be humane. They should not be based on one’s interpretation of the book of Joshua and the seven tribes of Israel.

Under the First Amendment we are a secular nation and our laws should respect everyone's beliefs and not be based on events that occurred 3,500 years ago, were written down 600-700 years later, and occurred 1,400 years before Christianity came about.

Charles Welch Gunnison

Lack of community support

Editor:

Once again the parents of the music students participating in the Gunnison Fire Department Benefit outnumbered the Gunnison County citizens at the concerts. A lack of publicity is perhaps one reason ( Gunnison Times , where were you?). However, is there any reason our citizenry cannot drop a small donation at the concerts to support our Fire Department?

Years ago, the Taylor Hall venue (capacity about 500) would be almost filled. Now the much smaller Quigley Hall facility is embarrassingly half empty.

Jim Gazzoli Gunnison

is intended to give Gunnison Watershed School District teachers and administrators the time they need for professional development, meetings and lesson planning outside of class time.

Over the past couple of years, the school district has struggled to weigh the benefits of districtwide, early-release Wednesdays against the downsides. The program has been a success in the North Valley, largely as the result of well-established after school programming for students. In Gunnison, parents are still torn. Some have argued the early release schedule is only an added burden on working families who must find child care in the middle of the week, or need to leave jobs early to pick up students from school.

“It has not been a great trial period in Gunnison … While I know Gunnison and Crested Butte are very connected, we are not the same place,” local employer Brett Atkins told the school board during a regular meeting on Feb. 10. “We have very different families and students involved. I think you really need to consider making a change.”

Still grappling with some Gunnison parents’ discontentment with early release, the school board hesitated when it came time to green-light the 2025-26 school calendar. This action solidifies dates like the first and last days of school, teacher workdays and holiday breaks. It also defines the weekly schedule, which at this time continues Wednesday early release district-wide for the fifth year.

Following an almost twohour discussion, the board postponed the approval of the calendar, and asked Superintendent Leslie Nichols to explore alternative weekly schedules in Gunnison. At a work session on Feb. 24, Nichols plans to present a list of ranked options that consider ideas like shifting early release to Friday, doing away with it entirely, or moving to a four-day school week. The plan is to approve the calendar, which may or may not look any different from last school year, in March.

During the meeting, Nichols said she preferred to keep the schedule as is, while continuing to find ways to reduce the

stress it puts on families. But after hearing of parents’ continual dissatisfaction and struggle to adapt, some school board members were not so sure. Mark VanderVeer, the most vocal in the group, worried that keeping the existing calendar would reduce the chance any changes are made in the future.

“There is no perfect solution … Again, I feel everyone's taking the easy way out with the status quo,” VanderVeer said.

Nichols acknowledged the many competing factors that make it difficult for the school district to find a class schedule that works for everyone. If the district caters to Gunnison parents who object to the current schedule, teachers may lose a valuable time slot for collaboration and professional development, Nichols said. Wednesday afternoons are also set aside for parent-teacher conferences and district-wide staff meetings (such as those for the mental health and special education teams).

The expectation that teachers should complete all of the work they need to do without students on their own time is unfair, Nichols said. While this is how it was when Nichols began her career, teachers need time during the week to work together and to be able to provide “quality instruction” to their classes, she said.

“We put in hours and hours and hours outside of our paid time, and it is a different world, and maybe a healthier world, where that shouldn't be the expectation,” she said.

For students, Wednesdays provide a mental health break, extra time to participate in athletics, catch up on homework and make up missed tests, Nichols said. This was proven by the results of a recent districtwide survey. Issued late last year, the survey asked staff, parents and middle and high school students to rate early-release Wednesdays on a scale of one (“Hate it”) to four (“Love it”). Both Gunnison and Crested Butte students showed strong support for the program.

But parents are still divided. In Gunnison, almost 70% of the roughly 250 parents that took the survey said they disliked Wednesday early release. In Crested Butte, the results were the opposite. For parents, the largest stressors have been a lack of child care, interruptions to work and after-school transpor-

tation. In the survey, some even cited reduced income and having to quit jobs due to the schedule. During the meeting, several parents encouraged the school board to explore other options.

“Yesterday in the grocery store I had a parent stop me. They said they had really hoped the school board would work to find a workable solution to the early release struggles as this was a topic that was brought forth last year,” said high school teacher and parent Shana Benson. “Mark, I think you've driven that home. That here we are, a year later.”

Ryan Romero, another parent, said the existing school calendar has “never worked for the Gunnison working class folks.” He also said he had spoken to dozens of Spanish-speaking families, none of which supported early release.

“That's a large portion of our population, and we're missing their thoughts about this,” Romero told the board.

Although Nichols was open to discussing alternatives, she said she preferred to avoid altering the school calendar. Board president Tyler Martineau agreed, and said he’d rather try to improve the existing structure, than remove early-release entirely. He also worried about the consequences of the delayed calendar approval, as it would impact how much time parents and teachers have to plan for the upcoming school year.

Board member Anne

Brookhart, also hesitant to attempt to make changes with such short notice, said the school district’s calendar committee and board members have already spent a great deal of time brainstorming. They have yet to come up with any viable alternatives, she said, and changing it may create more problems.

Board member Jody Coleman asked to postpone the calendar decision. She said she has continued to reach out to teachers, students and parents, and has received "powerful" anecdotal data. She offered to help Nichols explore the pros and cons of other options in the coming weeks.

“We have the largest school with the greatest population of students … We’re kind of damned if we do, and damned if we don’t,” Coleman said.

From a four-day school week to moving early release to Fridays, each alternative comes with its own set of problems that would need to be addressed. For example, moving early release to the end of the week may tempt students and families to start their weekends early. Since Covid, the district has struggled with student attendance. This year, it is spending money on a campaign to reduce chronic absenteeism in an effort to keep students in the classroom, Nichols said.

For educators, it's not uncommon for teachers to head out of town early on Friday afternoon for a medical appointment, to

beat incoming weather or to coach a sports game out of town. Missing faculty makes organizing meetings with district-wide employees — such as school psychologists, those that work at Pathways or in the transportation department — a challenge. Having differing school calendars within the same community is also a challenge, Nichols said.

“[The calendar committee] was not able to come to a consensus any more easily than this board,” Nichols said. “There are too many pressures to solve easily.”

VanderVeer said he feared that if the board approved the calendar as is, the district will have the same conversation again a year from now with no progress made. He recommended “nixing” early release Wednesdays in Gunnison, at least at the elementary and possibly middle schools.

“That's the only thing that's going to drive the action to a solution,” he said. “Some of the things that we should explore are going to have huge ramifications … But I'm willing to raise my hand and say the trial in Gunnison has not succeeded with a 50-50 acceptance rate.”

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

development.

At the time, lift mechanics — which fill highly-skilled jobs that require formal certifications or an apprenticeship — made $21 an hour. The union requested a boost to $23, but did not receive a formal reply for over nine months. Once negotiations began, Vail declined to raise any wages, said union president Thomas Pearman.

With Vail refusing to budge, the Crested Butte workers considered following in the footsteps of the Park City Ski

Patrol Union, which successfully secured a pay bump after a 12-day strike in January. The lift maintenance union passed a strike authorization on Jan. 20, a vote that precedes an actual decision to strike, at a “point of desperation,” Pearman said.

While the workers never formally went on strike, Pearman said the possibility created a “drastic change in response from the [ski] company.”

“We knew that strikes worked, but we'd never seen one against Vail and it seemed effective … It felt like it was our only option at that point if we wanted to actually get anywhere with this contract,” he said.

Following the strike autho -

rization, Vail relented at the union’s next meeting. The new contract, finalized last week, includes an hourly wage increase between $3.50 to as much as $9 for more experienced mechanics. The contract also secured an equipment and tool stipend that can also be used for ski gear. While Vail offers free rental equipment to employees that have to ski on the job — such as lift operators, on-mountain restaurant workers and ski instructors — only the resort’s unions have received gear stipends that help cover the cost of personal equipment.

The lift mechanics, who previously relied heavily on on-the-

job learning, will also receive access to in-person trainings from ski lift manufacturer representatives, as well as wilderness first aid (WFA) courses. During the winter months, crews must venture into avalanche terrain. When the snow melts, the mechanics do sometimes hazardous jobs in the mountain’s more remote corners.

“The EMS response time out there is pretty long compared to being in an office in the city,” Pearman said. “The [WFA] definitely gives us comfort to know the people that we're going to be working with have a little bit more training on how to handle those kinds of situations.”

After meeting in the middle

with Vail, Pearman described the new contract, good through August 2027, as “solid.” He said he believed the wage adjustment was “acceptable and competitive enough” to keep mechanics in the valley. CBMR managers agreed.

"As a company, we have made meaningful investments across all our maintenance teams to incentivize skill building and career paths for our unionized and nonunionized team members,” JD Crichton said in a statement. He is the new general manager and vice president of Crested Butte Mountain Resort. “With

Students play on the swingset outside the Gunnison Community School on the first day of the 2024-25 school year. (Photo by Bella Biondini)

this agreement, we are pleased to make an investment in the Crested Butte lift maintenance team to ensure the team’s wages are consistent with those of lift maintenance team members

outpouring of support from valley residents. The group raised almost $12,000 on its GoFundMe to cover lost wages if the group decided to go on strike. Pearman said the union plans to use the money to strengthen its union, and sup

tude to everyone for coming out and supporting us in every way that they did,” he said. “We feel like that truly makes a difference in getting this good contract this year.”

(Bella Biondini can be con

Current and former Crested Butte Mountain Resort employees picketed at the Crested Butte 4-Way on Jan. 24. (Photo by Mariel Wiley).

Grateful for Gunni Gals Women's History Month NOMINATIONS

During the month of March - Women's History Month - the Gunnison Chamber is celebrating our amazing community of Valley WOMEN.

We are seeking your nominations during February to honor a special someone to be included in the Chambers public recognitions in March!

To learn all about this fun new campaign and how to participate follow the link HERE: https://form jotform com/250196975865070 or this code!

Camp from A1

for a ski retreat. The cadets had relocated their annual ski trip from Breckenridge to Crested Butte this season, and the size of Camp Gunnison and proximity to the resort fit the bill.

Ohio-based Christian minister Victor Paul Wierwille founded The Way International in 1942. His ministry rapidly gained popularity amidst the 1960s “Jesus People” hippy movement in California. Boasting thousands of followers, Wierwille led under his claim that God taught him “the word as it had not been known since the first century,” according to Christianity Today.

Wierwille purchased Camp Gunnison as a family camp in 1976, and the campus was made accessible only to members of The Way who had completed its foundational course. But since its inception, the camp has been shrouded in local legend and hearsay. Today, the camp’s managers have stated their interest in opening up for future community events.

“In the past we have catered more to our ministry, but we have a massive property, and haven’t done a lot for Gunnison,” said Camp Gunnison General Manager Chandler Greene.

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen a huge open door where I’ve realized just how much we could do for our community.”

Camp Gunnison’s relationship with the city began on shaky ground when Wierwille and his wife Dorothea stumbled upon the site in 1976. The property, which stretches along the Gunnison River and is hidden from Hwy. 135, provided a secluded, yet accessible site for The Way.

At the time, the existing camp operated under the name “Sleepy Hollow.” To Wierwille’s amazement, locals notified him the owners were days away from listing the property. Wierwille knocked on the door unannounced, and purchased the camp on a handshake. He dedicated the site to “The glory of God and the outreach of his word,” on July 17, 1977, according to Camp Gunnison.

The Way opened Camp Gunnison that summer, and constructed a water tank capable of sustaining thousands. Then in 1988, the group built a massive lodge containing a library, auditorium and hotel-style suites to add to the existing guest cabins. The large-scale infrastructure “freaked out” the nearby Gunnison community, Greene

A welcome sign emblazoned with The Way’s insignia arcs over the campus driveway. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Chandler Greene visited Camp Gunnison as a child, and returned years later with his family after accepting the general manager position.

said. Persistent rumours swirled around town that the property hosted “white extremist groups,” or hired armed guards to patrol the gate, he said.

“At the time we still had the cult stigma as a newer ministry, and followed one leader, so we were ticking all the boxes,” he said. “Then, we had a ‘compound’ that didn’t let people come in. So, looking back, we were digging our own grave.”

The Way splintered into groups after Wierwille’s death in 1985. Membership declined, and the group was targeted by anti-cult organizations, according to a New York Times article following Wierwille’s passing. Despite the decreased following, members at Camp Gunnison continue to follow their founder’s teaching to this day, 40 years after his death.

According to Greene, Camp Gunnison simply acts as a mountain getaway for members of its ministry. Today, 16 staff members live and work at the camp year-round. They spend time maintaining the sweeping campus grounds and preparing the cabins and guestrooms for visitors. Alongside the permanent staff, the camp also hosts seven seminary students from around the world, who live and study on site.

Every month, Camp Gunnison welcomes visitors from The Way, who often travel from the ministry’s headquarters in New Knoxville, Ohio. Occasionally, large groups swarm onto the campus for events, such as a

recent Valentine’s Day couples retreat, or an upcoming “Spring Jam” music event.

But last month, after an internal decision to open up the property to community members, almost 100 Air Force Cadets came knocking. An Air Force Academy Presbyterian ministry, called Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), discovered the campus on a Google search while hunting for ski trip lodging. Camp Gunnison fit their criteria perfectly.

“We don’t expect our own theological beliefs to align perfectly with anyone,” said RUF campus minister Jeff Kreisel. “It’s more important about the staff we work with — and Chandler and his team were super receptive and respectful, and they created a really inviting environment. It was an amazing camp, the facilities were top notch, and we’re looking forward to bringing over 100 cadets next year.”

The Air Force visit seemingly cracked the seal on Camp Gunnison. While conversations have only just begun, Western Colorado University Associate Athletic Director Bree Hare has said she is interested in possibly hosting portions of the annual Junior Mountaineer Camp at the campus in future summers. With ideas about adding an overnight, expedition-based option to preexisting programming, Hare said the camp’s location could be ideal for the Western program.

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

Residents picket on Presidents Day

A group of roughly 50 Gunnison Valley residents crowded into IOOF Park on Feb. 17 to protest against the current administration. The group carried handwritten posters and a giant American flag as they marched around the Main Street intersection. That same day, thousands of people also gathered at the Colorado Capitol to protest against Donald Trump.

(Photos

Alex McCrindle)

via exterior stairs, presents exciting opportunities. Whether you need additional storage or dream of an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), the potential is yours to explore with City of Gunnison approval. Don’t miss the chance to make this new construction your forever home. Contact us now to schedule a viewing and witness the epitome of contemporary living!

TBD W Denver Ave. MLS# 816647 $599,000 Spectacular 2.5 acre level lot located in Gunnison’s new subdivision Elk Ranch. This parcel is located just outside City limits on the west side of town and seller has it set up to be built on immediately. Lot has a well permit already in place along with the required approval for well from the Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District which can be transferred at closing. Buyer of lot may also pay for tap fees to hook into the City water and sewer main that will be extended north by City this fall. There is a shared road/driveway into the subdivision and it will be completed by this fall as well. Lot has been surveyed and a building envelope has been established for a single family residence but other dwellings such as barns/sheds etc. will be allowed. Come enjoy some country living with incredible views of mountains up Ohio Valley and the Palisades while being so close to town.

457 Ute Dr. (Arrowhead) MLS# 820145 $40,000 Beautiful, secluded 1 acre lot located on the north edge of the Arrowhead subdivision off of the main road.

Gunnison Valley manufacturing business expands

Wood Product Signs, started in 1986, operating at new facility

Chris Dickey Special to the Times

sign rolling, wood working, CNC, painting and shipping-receiving. While the new shop is a reflection of the business’ growth, Hefftner explained that the philosophy has been to avoid getting too big, too soon.

“Our growth has been very slow, steady and maintainable,” he said. “This conservative, but proven technique helps ensure the viability and longevity of the business.”

If you’ve spent any time recreating on public lands — say, visiting a national park, or hiking on a U.S. Forest Service trail — you’ve likely seen the handiwork of Wood Product Signs.

The Gunnison Valley manufacturing business is nearly 40 years old, but has a brand-new 15,000 square foot facility a few miles east of town in the Vista Business Park right off of Hwy. 50. Wood Product Signs sells coast to coast and sometimes beyond, primarily to the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service, said owner Taylor Hefftner, a Gunnison Valley native. It also serves municipalities, like Gunnison, that have a lot of community recreation amenities, and hence, a need for signage.

Hefftner’s mother, Deb, started the business out of the family garage — while she was pregnant with Taylor, no less — in 1986. After a few years, the family built a shop, then other outbuildings, next to their home in the Quartz Creek Valley. Hefftner purchased the family business in 2020, and combined it with his existing Rocky Mountain Aluminum Sign and Supply enterprise.

Out of the modest beginnings of a garage, a woodworking shop has spawned a state-of-the-art sign fabrication facility, equipped with multiple CNC machines (computer controlled cutting machines) and the ability to produce signage on everything from cedar to aluminum, and plywood to plastic.

Wood Product Signs’ team of full and part-time employees are split among departments ranging from accounting, printing,

With a large amount of orders that leave the shop monthly — from small signs to large, multifaceted projects (Hefftner and other team members are currently in Florida on a multiweek installation at Big Cypress National Preserve) — the business has “found sustainability,” Hefftner said.

The new shop is 100% purpose built and immaculate. For those who have a mental image of a sign shop as a loud, messy space with sawdust everywhere, that is not Wood Product Signs.

With input from their team, Hefftner and director of operations Art Metcalf spent two years assessing their needs. The planning touched every detail of the new space, from the complex workflow involving a lot of sophisticated machinery and multiple production processes, to their own “smart” offices and a comfortable employee break room. Construction took another 15 months, and operations continued even during the big move last fall.

The new location allows Wood Product Signs to go from three roofs to one for operations and gives the business the ability to store raw materials and finished goods inside before they ship, Hefftner said.

“We added several machines and now have the ability to flex up or grow if the demand arises,” he said.

Operating a business that ships products across the United

The Wood Product Signs team: (Left to right) Jaycee Dillingham, Karyn Williams, John Parker, Taylor Hefftner, Oliver Parker, Craig Reinecke, Michael Ebert, Art Metcalf and Josh Frock. Not pictured: Trinity Meinders, Taylor Horalek, Paitra Clark, Amy Gillman and Jocelyn Metcalf. (Photo by Chris Dickey)

States out of the Gunnison Valley presents both benefits and drawbacks. For example, Gunnison actually makes for a fairly central location from which to ship from one coast to the other. One downside is the cost of living.

“It is a challenge to stay competitive in a national market with the cost of living so high in the Gunnison Valley,” Hefftner said. “We do our best to treat our employees very well, but it’s hard when some of our competitors live in much cheaper areas.”

Still, Wood Product Signs has proven to be one of those rare local businesses that actu-

ally exports products, rather than relying on tourism and the service-industry jobs it provides. In other words, it is the type of business economic development proponents dream of.

“It’s really neat that a manufacturing business can operate out of the Gunnison Valley successfully,” Hefftner said.

(Chris Dickey is the former editor, publisher and owner of the Gunnison Country Times . He and his wife, Kirsten, continue to own and operate OffCenter Screenprinting & Embroidery, the Gunnison T-Shirt Company and Spennie’s Ice Cream Stand.)

Volunteers crowded into the Gunnison Country Food Pantry on Feb. 5 to help unload a semi truck filled with food. The donation comes from Alamosa on the first Wednesday of each month, courtesy of Care and Share of Southern Colorado, and provides nearly 80% of the pantry’s staple goods, including both fresh produce and canned non-perishable foods. Care and Share is a nonprofit food bank based in Colorado Springs. The pantry usually expects to receive between 5,000 to 9,000 pounds of food, but has received upwards of 15,000 pounds on a few occasions.

Cancer Screening Access Fund Your pathway to prevention

The Cancer Screening Access Fund is a $75,000 resource for 2025, made possible through equal contributions of $25,000 from Gunnison Tough, the Gunnison Valley Health Foundation and Living Journeys. The fund is dedicated to covering the costs of prostate, colon, lung and uterine cancer screenings, offering up to $2,000 per applicant. This initiative aims to ease financial barriers for underinsured and uninsured community members, ensuring access to potentially lifesaving care.

For more information about the fund, contact the GVH Foundation at 970-642-8406.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

You’ve got a friend in me

Lake Preschool and Kindergarten students paid a visit to their “grand-friends,” the residents of the Gunnison Senior Care Center, on Feb. 12 to spread the love of Valentine’s Day. Sue Vincent read a story to the students before the group talked about the meaning of the holiday. Afterward, the group played a rousing game of balloon toss and shared sugar cookie treats.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Colorado oil and gas lobbyist to lead BLM

Red Lady remains protected

Chase Woodruff

Colorado Newsline

The head of a Denver-based oil and gas trade group that lobbies for expanded drilling on public lands is President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Kathleen Sgamma is the president of Western Energy Alliance, which represents independent oil and gas producers who operate in nine western states. In that role, she has been a leading opponent of efforts by conservation groups and public lands managers to restrict oil and gas drilling on federally-owned public lands, including the 245 million acres administered by the BLM. (Editor’s note: In Colorado, the BLM manages 8.3 million acres of public lands, most of which are concentrated on the Western Slope.)

Sgamma’s nomination to lead the agency was published in the Congressional Record late on Feb. 11, though no formal announcement had yet been made by the White House. Environmental groups were quick to denounce her nomination as a sign that the Trump administration “will hand the keys to our public lands over to oil and gas companies.”

“Sgamma will seek to lease every inch of our lands for drilling, no matter their recreational, scenic, ecological, or cultural value,” Rachael Hamby, policy director for the Center for Western Priorities, said in a statement.

“Her appointment is a direct threat to Western communities and wildlife that depend on healthy landscapes, clean air, and clean water.”

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Windsor Republican, called Sgamma’s selection a “major win for Coloradans.”

“I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with her on several efforts to responsibly manage

our lands while also allowing our oil and gas industry to thrive and bring back American energy dominance,” Boebert said in a press release.

Sgamma was the author of a section on energy policy in Project 2025, a controversial blueprint for the incoming Trump administration produced by the conservative Heritage Foundation. The plan calls for sweeping rollbacks of Biden-era public lands policies and a return to Trump’s “energy dominance agenda” by expanding oil and gas lease sales, expediting drilling permits and cutting the royalties and fees that producers must pay to extract publicly-

owned resources.

The plan specifically calls for reversing the lease withdrawal of 220,000 acres of national forest land along the Thompson Divide on Colorado’s Western Slope. This was a move that Sgamma and Western Energy Alliance lobbied against along with similar protections for areas including Chaco Cultural Historic National Park in New Mexico, and the Boundary Waters area in northern Minnesota.

(Editor’s note: Mt. Emmons, locally known as the Red Lady, was included in the recent Thompson Divide withdrawal. Recent reporting in the Feb. 14

edition of the Crested Butte News said the Red Lady should remain protected from future mining endeavors “due to the complexity of the agreements made between the Mt. Emmons Mining Company, the local governments and the Crested Butte Land Trust.)

Sgamma joins another Denverbased oil and gas advocate, newly confirmed Energy Secretary Chris Wright, as a key appointee in the Trump administration. Wright, former CEO of oilfield services company Liberty Energy, has served as a member of Western Energy Alliance’s board of directors since 2020. He was the recipient of the group’s “Wildcatter of the Year” award in 2022.

During Trump’s first term, the Bureau of Land Management’s headquarters were moved to Grand Junction as part of a controversial “reorganization” of the agency. Project 2025 calls for the agency’s headquarters to be returned to the West, a move that it describes as “the epitome of good governance.”

(Chase Woodruff is a senior reporter for Colorado Newsline. His beats include the environment, money in politics, and the economy. Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. Read the full story at coloradonewsline.com.)

DR. HINGRID KUJAWINSKI

Program Coordinator: Lillian Magrinelli

Guest Conductor, Mixed Choir: Dr. Hingrid Kujawinski

Guest Conductor, Treble Choir: Sean Stanton

Pianist, Treble Choir: Anna Bagley

Mixed Choir Pianist, Dir. of Choirs, Western Colorado University: Dr. Edgar Girtain IV

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27 • 7:30PM

SATURDAY MARCH 1 • 2:00PM

The Gunnison Field Office manages over 600,000 acres of public land in the upper Gunnison River Basin.

(Photo by Bella Biondini)

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

Special Services Ofﬁce Manager

CBES - Permanent Substitute Bus Drivers Food Service

Substitute teachers

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

GHS - SPED Teacher

GES - Music Teacher

GES - STEAM Teacher

GES - 1st Grade Teacher

GMS - Comprehensive Health Education Teacher

CBSS - Science Teacher

CBSS - Science/Health Teacher

Pathways Hospitality and Culinary Arts Teacher

Pathways Outdoor Education and Generalist Teacher (1FTE)

COACHING

GHS - Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach (C team)

GHS - Girls’ Diving/ Asst. Swimming coach

CBHS - Assistant Track & Field coach

CBHS - Head Hockey Coach

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

CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Utility Billing Clerk

Full-Time, $53,300-$62,600/yr

We’re looking for a Utility Billing Clerk to join our team! In this role, you’ll be responsible for processing utility bills, maintaining customer accounts, and assisting with payments and inquiries. Your ability to handle data with precision while delivering excellent customer support will make a direct impact on our community. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy working with numbers and people, this is the perfect opportunity for you!

Emergency Communications Specialist

Full-Time, $56,900-$66,800/yr

Make a difference in public safety! Responsibilities include receiving and relaying emergency and non-emergency calls, assessing situations, making critical decisions in life-threatening situations, and accurately processing requests for assistance. The role involves operating telecommunications equipment, including radio, telephone, and computer-aided dispatch systems.

Equipment Operator

Full-Time, $60,300-$70,900/yr

Operates a variety of City-owned heavy equipment, vehicles and tools in the construction and maintenance of City streets and alleys, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, traffic/street signage and other City infrastructure and services. Drives garbage and recycling trucks with hydraulic lifts on a rotational basis with other team members along designated routes.

Part-Time Openings Lifeguards: $23-$29.33/hr.

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

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

plan after one year of employment. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www.townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit application, cover letter, and resume via email to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ADAPTIVE SPORTS CENTER SUMMER

This position will ensure building code compliance, review plans and permits, manage energy efficiency programs, and enforce building regulations. Candidates with construction management experience may qualify for a higher-grade role involving design, planning, and construction management support for Town facilities. Must have or be able to obtain ICC Residential Building Inspector certification within one year with the ability to earn additional certifications. The hiring range for this position is $67,105 - $80,526 (Base), or $73,815 - $88,578 (With Construction Management). This year-round position includes an excellent benefits package with 100% employer paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, and contribution to retirement

INSTRUCTOR: The Adaptive Sports Center is seeking qualified adaptive instructors to facilitate exceptional adaptive sport and recreation activities for the 2025 Summer Season. Pay ranges from $21-$30/hour based on experience. Benefits for full time seasonal staff include pro-forms, certification and membership dues, exam reimbursement, paid sick days, 5-day stipend and a 401(k) match. More information and summer application is at https://www.adaptivesports.org/careers . Applications are due March 15.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATORAMERICORPS POSTION: Gunnison Country Food Pantry seeks a passionate Volunteer Coordinator. This AmeriCorps position (1520 hrs/week) involves volunteer recruitment, scheduling, training, and retention. Ideal candidates have strong organizational and communication skills, a commitment to community service, and a valid driver’s license.

Spanish language skills preferred. Benefits include a bi-weekly living allowance, education award and professional development opportunities.

Service Term: March 10 – Dec. 14, 2025. To apply, email healthyfutures@ mountainrootsfoodproject.org and director@ gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org

Make a difference in Gunnison County—join the team today!

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE is hiring one more amazing teacher to complete our team! Looking for someone who truly loves working with kids, is patient and kind, has a flexible schedule, is hardworking and reliable, and a team player! This position is part to full time and has some time with infants and toddlers and some time with 3-4 year olds. Come be a part of this rewarding career with awesome pay, benefits and a stable year round full time job. Please submit resume via email to Jessica at lilredschoolhouse1@gmail.com

THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following positions: Coffee Shop Attendant $20/ hr. + gratuity; Host $16/hr. + gratuity. Employee benefits include ski storage at the base area and discounts on merchandise. Applicants are requested to apply at theclubatcrestedbutte. com .

WE AT THE INN AT TOMICHI VILLAGE are seeking a friendly, professional and reliable Front Desk Associate to join our team. This part-time position will involve providing excellent customer service, managing front desk operations and supporting our team in creating a welcoming environment for our clients. To apply stop at the Front Desk at 41883 US Hwy 50.

GCEA JOURNEYMAN LINE WORKER

POSITION: Gunnison County Electric Association is currently accepting applications for a Journeyman Line Worker position. This is a full-time position that will be reporting to the Lake City, Colorado outpost location. Successful completion of approved Journeyman Line Worker 4-year training and certification program required. This program includes a minimum of 8,500 hours of on-the-job training and related instruction course work. This position will install, repair, and maintain overhead and underground electrical power lines and auxiliary equipment. This position is expected to know all aspects of journeyman duties. The pay range for this position is between $116,001 - $123,406 a year but starting pay may vary and will be dependent on qualifications and experience. This position is paid on an hourly basis. Pay increases over time are based upon progress. Being on-call on a regular basis as well as working overtime hours is required. On-call, outpost, and applicable overtime pay will apply. 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 and to learn how to apply please see our website at: www.gcea.coop (about tab, careers section). Deadline to apply is Feb. 25. THE TOWN OF MT CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a full time, year around, parks worker. This position has a wide range of duties from landscaping, maintaining playgrounds, cleaning up after events, installing and repairing sprinkler systems, operating chain saws, vehicles, power and hand tools, light equipment such as skid steer and lawn mowers, snow removal in the winter with hand shoveling, ice picking and using a bob cat. For a full job description please go to www.mtcb.colorado.gov. Schedule is 4 –10

winter required. Overtime is required based on weather and snow storms. Must have a sevenyear clean driving record, the ability to obtain your flagger certification, safety lift 80 pounds, good customer service, communication and team work skills, ability to work outside in the winter and summer for an extended period of time. Starting pay is between $44,000 and $66,000, 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. Contact Addison Ives at aives@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

PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON VALLEY seeks a Bilingual Advocate for a 25-27 hour/week position to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and/or stalking. To apply, send resume, cover letter, and 3 references to: director@hope4gv.org. See further info on our website at hope4gv.org/employment. THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring a Restaurant Manager. This is a full-time year-round position with medical, retirement and vacation benefits. The annual salary range is $65,000 to $70,000 DOE. For more information or to submit a resume please visit: theclubatcrestedbutte.com.

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE IN CB SOUTH is hiring a full-time teacher! This position is with 4 year olds and there is lots of potential to sub in other classrooms to create a full time position. This is a wonderful family environment with fabulous kids and teachers! Creativity, flexibility, and calmness under pressure are traits that help with success in this job. Multiple ways to grow in the field. Great pay, huge benefits, and year round stable employment. Please inquire with resume and interest letter to lilredschoolhouse1@gmail. com.

NOTICE

PARAGON ART GALLERY is currently seeking a new artist member to join our cooperative. Only artists local to Gunnison and Crested Butte are eligible to apply. Applications can be picked up in person

Case Number 2025PR30000

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

§1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-1102(3), 32-1-905(2), C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the electors of the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District, Gunnison County and a portion of the northwest corner of Saguache County, State of Colorado; NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on the 6th day of May, 2025, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, two directors will be elected to serve 4-year terms. Eligible electors of the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a SelfNomination and Acceptance form from the District website at www.gcmetrec.com and from the Designated Election Official (DEO):

Sue Wallace (Designated Election Official) Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District – 710 South 9th Street, Gunnison, Colorado Sue Wallace – 970-901-6851 Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District – 970-641-8725 DEO@gcmetrec. com

The Office of the DEO is open on the following days: Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form to the designated election official is at 4:00 p.m. on February 28, 2025 (not less than 67 days before the election). The deadline to submit an Affidavit of Intent

To Be A Write-In-Candidate Form to the designated election official is at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, March 3, 2025 (the sixty-fourth day before the election).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, an application for an absentee ballot shall be filed with the designated election official no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday preceding the election, April 29, 2025

Sue Wallace - Designated Election Official Signature

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

Publication dates of January 30, February 6, 13 and 20, 2025 16090

NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE

NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE:

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

All property will be sold or disposed of, unless claimed and/or all rent and fees paid prior to February 21, 2025

Units 217 & 220 – Renee Gulliksen

Unit 122 – Angelina Gonzales

Unit 57 – Brennan Grant

Unit 105 – Benjamin Johnson

Unit 224 – Ricardo Hernandez

Units A7 & L40 – Andrew Hoffman

Unit A35 – Jake Neil

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of February 13 and 20, 2025

16166

NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

Public Notice is given on January 24, 2025 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an Adult has been filed with the Gunnison Combined Court.

The Petition requests that the name of STEVEN ROY HAMILTON be changed to STEVEN RAY HAMILTON

Cinda S Fry Clerk of Court /s/ Cinda S Fry

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of February 6, 13 and 20, 2025 16112

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Gunnison, County, Colorado on or before June 20, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.

Edward P. Sammons, Personal Representative

c/o Law Office of Robert M. O’Hayre, LLC

P.O. Box 179

Gunnison, CO 81230

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

Publication dates of February 20, 27 and March 6, 2025 16256

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Gene Leon Mason

a/k/a Gene L. Mason a/k/a Gene Mason, Deceased

Case Number 2025PR30004

Barbara J. Mason

Personal Representative of the Estate of Gene Leon Mason

a/k/a Gene L. Mason a/k/a Gene Mason

50 Sandpiper Trail

Gunnison, CO 81230

Please contact through counsel: Jacob A. With, Atty. #:40546 Law of the Rockies

525 N. Main Street Gunnison, CO 81230 970-641-1903 ex. 2

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

The Estate of Paul E. Sammons, a/k/a Paul Edward Sammons, P.E. Sammons, and Paul Sammons, Deceased, Case Number 2025 PR 30005.

Publication dates of February 20, 27 and March 6, 2025 16251

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

In the Matter of the Estate of:

JESSIE MARIE WEAVER, a/k/a JESSIE M. WEAVER, a/k/a JESSIE WEAVER

Deceased

Case Number 2025PR30002

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Gunnison County, Colorado on or before June 13, 2025 or the claims may be forever barred.

Dale Weaver, Personal Representative c/o Hoskin, Farina & Kampf, P.C. Post Office Box 40 Grand Junction, Colorado 81502

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of February 13, 20 and 27, 2025 16171

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

In the Matter of the Estate of:

Ethel Marie Rice

Deceased

Case Number 2025PR1

Jonathan D. Houck Personal Representative 421. N. Boulevard St. Gunnison, CO 81230

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of February 13, 20 and 27, 2025 16174

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Sally Ann Duck a/k/a Sally A. Duck, Deceased

John J. Malensek, Personal Representative of the Estate of Sally Ann Duck a/k/a Sally A. Duck 3995 County Road 10 Gunnison, CO 81230

Please contact through counsel: Jacob A. With, Atty. #:40546 Law of the Rockies 525 N. Main Street Gunnison, CO 81230 970-641-1903 ex. 2

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of February 6, 13 and 20 2025 16118

PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING APPLICATION TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF LICENSE TO OPERATE A MARIJUANA RETAIL STORE LOGD, LLC dba LOOKOUT TOWER

PURSUANT TO THE MARIJUANA LAWS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO AND THE CITY OF GUNNISON, COLORADO, LOGD, LLC, dba Lookout Tower, 800 West Rio Grande Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado 81230 has requested that the licensing officials of the City of Gunnison transfer ownership of a Retail Marijuana Store License in the City of Gunnison.

A Public Hearing on the application will be held in the City Council Chambers located on the second floor of City Hall, 201 West Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at which time and place you may give testimony on the application. This public hearing may also be attended remotely by phone or computer by registering at https:// us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ mufdgK6MRyKbki40lOV8jg

Application Date: February 4, 2025 Applicant Name: LOGD, LLC Applicant Address: 2000 E Kentucky Ave,

A16

Ruston, LA 71270

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Primary Contact Person: Karl Malone, Jr, 2000 E Kentucky Ave, Ruston, LA 71270

Written comments may be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office located in City Hall, 201 West Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado; mailed to the City Clerk at PO Box 239, Gunnison, CO 81230; or emailed to eboucher@gunnisonco.gov until 12:00 noon, on March 11, 2025.

By order of Erica Boucher, City Clerk /s/ Erica Boucher, City Clerk, City of Gunnison

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado

Publication date of February 20, 2025 16253

PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING APPLICATION TO TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF LICENSE TO OPERATE A MARIJUANA CULTIVATION ESTABLISHMENT LOGC, LLC dba LOOKOUT TOWER

PURSUANT TO THE MARIJUANA LAWS OF THE STATE OF COLORADO AND THE CITY OF GUNNISON, COLORADO, LOGC, LLC, dba Lookout Tower, 800 West Rio Grande Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado 81230 has requested that the licensing officials of the City of Gunnison transfer ownership of a Marijuana Cultivation Establishment License in the City of Gunnison.

Application Date: February 4, 2025

Applicant Name: LOGC, LLC

Applicant Address: 2000 E Kentucky Ave, Ruston, LA 71270

Primary Contact Person: Karl Malone, Jr, 2000 E Kentucky Ave, Ruston, LA 71270

Written comments may be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office located in City Hall,

201 West Virginia Avenue, Gunnison, Colorado; mailed to the City Clerk at PO Box 239, Gunnison, CO 81230; or emailed to eboucher@gunnisonco.gov until 12:00 noon, on March 11, 2025.

By order of Erica Boucher, City Clerk

/s/ Erica Boucher, City Clerk, City of Gunnison

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of February 20, 2025 16252

PUBLIC NOTICE

Resolution to Declare a Vacancy of the Board of Education

Resolution # 02132570

WHEREAS, Mandy Roberts, a member of the Board of Education of the Gunnison Watershed School District RE-lJ, submitted a letter resigning from the board on February 10, 2025;and

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of the Gunnison Watershed School District accepted the resignation of Mandy Roberts from the board on February 10, 2025.

Be it resolved that, in accordance with state law, the Board of Education of the Gunnison Watershed School District declares a vacancy in this school director office.

Be it further resolved that this school director office will be filled within 60 days of the date of resignation from the board in accordance with the following procedure:

1. Interested persons are invited to send a letter and resume to the Board stating their interest and qualifications. The deadline for the board to receive such letters of interest and resume is Friday, March 21, 2025 at 3:00pm. Letters shall b-e delivered to JoAnn Klingsmith, Gunnison Watershed School District, 800 N. Boulevard St., Gunnison, CO 81230, or to jklingsmith@ gunnisonschools net.

2. The Board at its option may decide to interview prospective candidates in public at the regular board meeting on Monday, April 7, 2025.

3. To be eligible for appointment, a candidate must be a registered elector of the school district and a resident of the director

district informally known as the area south of Round Mountain for at least twelve prior consecutive months, as shown on the books of the Gunnison County Clerk and Recorder; and

Not have been convicted of, pled guilty or no contest to, or received a deferred judgment or sentence for a sexual offense against a child.

4. The appointee will serve until the next regular school biennial election in November 2025.

ADOPTED this 13th day of February 2025. GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado

Publication date of February 20. 2025 16249

SUMMONS

DISTRICT COURT, GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO

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

Plaintiff: SAW CONTRACTING LLC, a Colorado limited liability company, v. Defendants: ADAM MASONBRINK

Case No. 2024CV30050

Attorneys for Plaintiffs: HUCKSTEP LAW, LLC

Aaron J. Huckstep, Atty Reg No. 39898 426 Belleview Ave, Unit 303 P.O. Box 2958

Crested Butte, CO 81224

Telephone: (970) 349-2009

Facsimile: (970) 797-1023

E-mail: huck@hucksteplaw.com

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION

TO THE DEFENDANT NAMED ABOVE:

You are summoned and required to file with the Clerk of this Court an Answer or other response to the attached Complaint. If service of the Summons and Complaint was made upon you within the State of Colorado, you are required to file your Answer or other response within twenty-one (21) days after such service upon you. If service of the Summons and Complaint was made upon

you outside of the State of Colorado, you are required to file your Answer or other response within thirty-five (35) days after such service upon you.

If you fail to file your Answer or other response to the Complaint in writing within the applicable time period, judgment by default may be entered against you by the Court for the relief demanded in the Complaint, without any further notice.

The following documents are also served herewith:

District Court Civil Cover Sheet Complaint Exhibit A to Complaint

This Summons is issued pursuant to Rule 4, C.R.C.P., as amended. A copy of the Complaint must be served with this Summons. This form should not be used where service by publication is desired.

TO THE CLERK: If the Summons is issued by the clerk of court, the signature block for the clerk or deputy should be provided by stamp, or typewriter, in the space to the left of the attorney’s name.

Signed this 11th day of February, 2025

/s/ Aaron J. Huckstep

Gunnison Country Times

Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of February 13, 20, 27 and March 6, 13, 2025 16211

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 out our website for updates! Or download our app on the App Store by searching, 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.

For more details and locations go to bnaibutte.org Spititual leader: Rabbi Mark Kula is available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com

New Song Christian Fellowship

77 Ute Lane • 970-641-5034

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

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

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

Open and Affirming

Whole Earth · Just Peace Sunday, 10 a.m. Casual, Relaxed, “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.

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 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

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.

Heroic harmonies

Audiences enjoyed an evening of symphonic sound during the 73rd annual Gunnison Fire Department benefit concert at Quigley Hall on Feb. 13. The Western Colorado University Symphonic Band put on a striking show, complete with a firefighter waving the conductor’s baton. Six students from the Gunnison High School band also joined their peers on stage. Western’s upcoming choir showcase will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Quigley Hall on Feb. 27.

Grow Your Healthcare Career as a Medical Assistant!

Are you passionate about patient care and ready to make a di erence? Join Gunnison Valley Health’s Family Medicine Clinic as a Medical Assistant (MA) and become a vital part of our team, supporting providers with both clinical and administrative duties to ensure exceptional care for our community.

Why Choose GVH?

✅ Career Advancement: Develop your skills and grow with us! We’ll support you in advancing through our clinical ladder from MA I to MA II to MA III.

✅ Competitive Pay: Starting wage of $20.84/hour.

✅ Work-Life Balance: Enjoy a Monday to Friday schedule—no weekends or holidays.

✅ Comprehensive Beneﬁts: A ordable medical, dental, and vision coverage, employer-matched retirement, annual lifestyle spending account, and a dependent care match.

What You’ll Bring:

Education: High School Diploma or equivalent.

Experience: Family practice, clinic, or hospital experience preferred. Strong communication, customer service, and organizational skills required.

Take the ﬁrst step toward a rewarding healthcare career with a team that values your growth and well-being.

Apply today at gunnisonvalleyhealth.org/careers!

(Photos by Evan Bjornstad)

(Courtesy Keith Koepsel)

Lights & Sirens

GUNNISON POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT

FEBRUARY 12

WELFARE ASSIST — N. TAYLOR

ST. THEFT - LICENSE PLATE — 909

ESCALANTE DR.

ANIMAL - RUNNING AT LARGEMUNICIPAL — 220 S. IOWA ST.

HARASSMENT: STRIKE, SHOVE, KICK — N. COLORADO ST.

FEBRUARY 13

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — S. PINE

ST. ACCIDENT — N. COLORADO ST. INFORMATION — RIO VISTA RD.

FEBRUARY 14

ACCIDENT — 820 W. TOMICHI AVE.

ACCIDENT - HIT & RUN — 304 S. 11TH ST.

THEFT - LICENSE PLATE — 700 E. GEORGIA AVE.

FEBRUARY 15

PROPERTY - LOST — 600 N. 11TH

ST. INFORMATION — W. OHIO AVE.

CRIMINAL TRESPASS: SECOND DEGREE - FENCED AREA — 614 S. 14TH ST.

AGENCY ASSIST — CURECANTI

DR. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — W. TOMICHI AVE.

WELFARE ASSIST — W. DENVER AVE.

THEFT - LICENSE PLATE — 500 E. GOTHIC AVE.

AGENCY ASSIST — W. HWY. 50

FEBRUARY 16

ASSAULT: THIRD DEGREE - BODILY INJURY — 1010 W. VIRGINIA AVE.

DEATH INVESTIGATION — N. 12TH ST. INFORMATION — E. TOMICHI AVE. HARASSMENT:STRIKE, SHOVE, KICK — 108 S. 12TH ST.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE - ALCOHOL — 323 E. TOMICHI AVE.

FEBRUARY 17

AGENCY ASSIST — W. HWY. 50

GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORT

FEBRUARY 11

- Warrant arrest – out of county - Information report – suicidal subject

FEBRUARY 12

- Warrant arrest – in county - Information report – paper service

FEBRUARY 14

- Accident report

- Agency assist to Colorado

- State Patrol – single vehicle accident

- Unlawful possession of controlled substance

- Information report – fraud call

- Information report – juvenile call

- County ordinance #2018-30 –vicious dog

FEBRUARY 15

- Accident report – car vs car

- Identity theft

- Domestic violence arrest - Information report – found property

- Agency assist to Gunnison Police

- Department – dispute

- Agency assist to Colorado State Patrol – vehicle accident - Driving while ability impaired arrest

- Information report – welfare check

FEBRUARY 16

- Agency assist to Gunnison Police -Department – domestic dispute

- Information report – welfare check

- Information report

- Agency assist to Colorado State Patrol – single vehicle accident

FEBRUARY 17

- Information report

- Domestic dispute report

“THE

CRISIS HOTLINE: 970.275.1193

27 - MAR 1 & MAR 6 - 8

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, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at The Grove, 304 West Tomichi in Gunnison (en Español)

Thursday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Oh Be Joyful

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.

The power of the dogs

Keeping the tradition alive

Garrett Mogel Special to the Times

Dog sledding is one of humanity’s oldest means of transportation. Though modern technology has largely made mushing an antiquated mode of transportation, the practice has evolved over 9,500 years and endures among hobbyists, racers and tour companies. One such company — based in the remote mountain town of Ohio City — is keeping the spirit of mushing alive.

In Ohio City, just northeast of Gunnison, it’s not uncommon to see the dogs racing through the snow with sleds in tow. At the heart of the pack is founder Abigayil Crowder, who has been mushing for more than a decade. Crowder brought the dog sledding tradition to Ohio City in 2022 when she launched Mushing Mutts as a way to give adventure-seeking tourists a unique view of Colorado.

Crowder’s passion began with a single Alaskan husky puppy her parents shipped from Fairbanks to Maryland for her 15th birthday. Within seven months, Crowder started running her dog on bikes and a small sled.

What began with one dog and

a modest sled, has since grown into 44 dogs and four sleds. Crowder raised much of her current pack herself, and many of them share the same lineage.

“It’s so rewarding because then you get to see a puppy go from being just a puppy to being one of the best star athletes,” Crowder said.

When selecting traits for breeding, Crowder prioritizes big paws that provide greater traction; low-set tails that allow for greater muscle development in the hind legs; and light-colored coats, which fare better in the Colorado sun. She also seeks personalities that are playful, affectionate and sociable. She wants dogs that behave more like pets, but still enjoy the work of pulling a sled.

“I want dogs that can get along with everybody and everything,” Crowder said.

Two and a half years ago, Crowder expanded the Mushing Mutts team by bringing on Emery Petrozelli, a friend and now romantic partner. She met Petrozelli while working at a dog sledding tour company in Alaska in the summer of 2022. At the time, Crowder was already an experienced musher, while Petrozelli had been hired as a handler, who assists the musher by harnessing and attaching the dogs to the sled.

After meeting in Alaska,

Dog sledding B2

PHOTOS: Ice Addiction takes over Blue Mesa, B5

SPORTS: Roxie Uhrig wins second at state wrestling, B6

GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Founder of Mushing Mutts LLC, Abigayil Crowder, prepares her dog sled team for a tour in Pitkin, Colorado. (Photos by Garrett Mogel)

Honey, an Alaskan husky, looks back toward the sled.

Dog sledding

Crowder offered Petrozelli a job and he accepted. With the added manpower and some extra training, the pair can now take out two dog sledding teams and carry more people into the backcountry.

The dogs behind the team

As a musher and handler, Petrozelli helps take care of the dogs and keeps them in peak physical condition. Their diet is meticulously planned and features high-protein, high-fat kibble enriched with raw elk and deer meat, alongside jointsupport supplements. Each cup of kibble contains 750 calories. Depending on whether the dogs are training for a race or running tours, a sled dog may consume between 5,000 and 13,000 calories daily. They are fed at least twice a day, with more frequent feeding times when they are working harder.

At their physical best, each dog is capable of pulling up to 100 pounds and can cover over 60 miles in 24 hours. A dog’s performance can vary based on trail conditions, breed and individual size. A team of 20 dogs can pull half a ton or more, and some sleds travel over 1,000 miles in the course of a few weeks on the Iditarod trail in Alaska.

“They're running marathons,” Petrozelli said. “Think of it that way.”

In addition to their physical strength, the sport is a mental game for a lot of sled dogs, Petrozelli said. The dogs must have a desire to pull a sled and run for up to 16 miles, or about two hours, on the longest tour route the business offers in Taylor Park.

“If they don't have that, you don't want to run them because that would be cruel,” Petrozelli said. “And that's why we still do it. We have dogs that want

to do it. We do it for them [the dogs]. We do it for the people that want to see them happy. The dogs actually want to fulfill that experience and go out with [people] because it's always a great time. And they love to do it. They're bred to do it.”

“You never get a day off. It’s definitely not just a hobby, especially when you have as many as I do. These guys don’t know if you’re sick. They don’t know it’s a holiday.”

Abigayil Crowder

Mushing Mutts founder

During the summer months, when the dogs aren’t pulling sleds, they stay active by bikejoring (when the dogs pull a bike), hiking and playing in their spacious pens. But the work doesn’t stop, even during the off-season.

“You never get a day off,” Crowder said. “It’s definitely not just a hobby, especially when you have as many as I do. These guys don’t know if you’re sick. They don’t know it’s a holiday.”

Through their dedication and love for the team, Crowder and Petrozelli ensure the ageold tradition of dog sledding thrives, offering a glimpse into history.

(Garrett Mogel is a journalism student at Colorado State University.)

Crowder lifts one of her sled dogs, River, out of her transport truck before a sled tour.

Crowder and her partner, Emery Petrozelli, get Aurora ready to go home after a tour.

The Crested Butte School of Dance

The Crested Butte School of Dance will bring an exciting lineup of classes for Adult Block 3. This block will run Feb. 24 to April 11 and feature the following dance styles: Ballet, Tap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Contemporary, Aerial, Dance Conditioning, Belly Dance, Hooping, Dancercise, Fan Fundamentals and Empowered Pole. Most classes are open for full registration or drop-ins! Visit dancecrestedbutte.org to view schedules, create accounts, register for classes and purchase punchcards. Contact programs@ dancecrestedbutte.org for more information.

Call for muralist

The Gunnison Creative District seeks a muralist to design a new landmark public artwork on the High Country Floors building at 111 S. 10th St. Visit GunnisonCreativeDistrict.org to apply.

Melanin Mountain Project

Melanin Mountain Project would like to invite everyone to celebrate Black stories, voices and visionaries this month by joining us for our fourth annual Film Festival. This year, we are presenting six films at the Majestic Theater promised to inspire, uplift, challenge and entertain. We'll kick off with Annie on Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. and continue through the end of February. Trailer and full schedule at melaninmountainproject. com.

Summer reading program

Join The American Association of University Women and members of the community on Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. -noon at the Library, 1 Quartz Street, Gunnison for a fundraiser supporting the Summer Reading Program at the Gunnison and Crested Butte Libraries which encourages students read and get involved with family activities during the summer. For more information call Ronda at 970.641.2638.

GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS

SonofaGunn Presents:

‘The Errors Tour’

Join us for this hilarious show featuring pop icon Taylor Swiftly, stranded in Gunnison after the town’s bridges close. Chaos ensues with a local cult of obsessed Swifties and town officials trying to cash in on her presence. A mix of miscommunication, fan delusion, and a twist ending awaits! SonofaGunn dates are Feb 27, 28 and March 1, 6, 7 and 8. The doors open at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 show. The matinees are March 1 and 8. The doors open at 2 p.m. for the 2:30 p.m. show.

Quarter Mile Mule

Join us Feb. 22 At 7 p.m. for a night of original music from Quarter Mile Mule, the duo of Chris Coady and Kevin Doherty. Enjoy songs inspired by the Gunnison Valley and unique 12-string guitar sounds, with bassist Brian Camp rounding out the trio.

And Series: Clay Yoni’s + Cosmos

Join us Feb. 20 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. for a creative and empowering clay workshop with Hannah Willis and Cat Avila. Sculpt your

Pastry party

Western ski weekend

Join us on March 1-2 for the Western ski weekend. This event is open to the entire Western community-alumni, parents and families and friends of Western are welcome. Registration is $10. March 1 is Mountaineers Day on the Mountain at CBMR and Après-Ski Party at The Elevation Hotel Matchstick Lounge & Billy Barr and March 2 is Breakfast in the Backcountry at the Crested Butte Nordic yurt.

Barbara East painting unveiling

Join the Gunnison Valley Cattlewomen, the Gunnison County Stockgrowers' Association and the Gunnison County CSU Extension Office for an unveiling of Barbara East's painting, "For Many Generations to Come". The afternoon will feature an exploration of the historical significance of the painting with the artist, Barbara East. The unveiling will be held on Feb. 23 at 1:30 p.m. at the Gunnison County Public Library.

own clay yoni while enjoying a Cosmo, learning handbuilding techniques, and embracing selfexpression. For ages 21+ .

West African dance

Join us Feb. 27 for an energetic African dance class with Fara Tolno of the Kissidugu Foundation, accompanied by live drumming from his brother, Etienne Tolno. Enjoy a fullbody workout while connecting through movement.

The youth class is from: 4:305:15 p.m. and the adult class is 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Business owners from both ends of the valley met in the middle to share pastries and coffee at the Almont Resort with the Gunnison Country and Crested Butte chambers of commerce on the morning of Feb. 11. Almont Resort staff provided a spread of freshly-baked pastries, all made inhouse by chef Lyndi Cuellar.

(Photo by Mariel Wiley)

Backcountry bovines

Valley locals rescue two cows and a calf

from Taylor

Canyon

Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor

As the winter sun rose over Taylor Canyon, two cows trudged through deep snow far from their home and herd. Following close on their hooves toddled a newborn calf, his tawny head stuck out above the frozen drifts like a periscope. The trio had miraculously survived for months in the wilderness, facing subzero temperatures and the ever-lurking threat of coyote or mountain lion attack.

The cattle turned up missing during a routine roundup of the herd last November, when ranchers moved their livestock from the high country down to the valley floor. But a tipoff on the cows’ whereabouts from National Parks Service staff in mid-January set the ball rolling for a daring rescue, bringing an end to the bovines’ backcountry escapade.

Mountain Legacy veterinarian Seth Nienhueser led a capable crew of Gunnison Valley locals on the Jan. 25 mission, including rancher Justin McLain, all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) tracks expert Dan Locknickar and several members of the Cranor family, to whom the cows belonged.

The group met the night before their mission to work through the complex logistics needed to safely move two animals weighing around 1,000 pounds across uneven snowy ground. The team knew that they had no time to lose after park rangers reported spotting the newborn calf trailing behind the two adult cows, Nienhueser said.

Some cattle, McLain said, have a tendency to be more “antisocial” than others. These animals tend to be more flighty and often evade ranchers’ efforts to coax them down to lower ground. This much was true of the two missing bovines.

“The problem was that they were a little bit on the wild side. They’d taken Justin off of his snowmobile days previously,” Nienhueser said. “You’re trying to get close enough and not get run over by a cow, but then also successfully dart it.”

McLain had spent several days before the big rescue mission trying to nudge the cows out of their hideout in Taylor Canyon. But these cows refused to budge, and McLain called for backup from Nienhueser and Locknickar.

“We just made it a party,” McLain said.

Like many veterinarians that live in ranching communities, Nienhueser is no stranger when it comes to rescuing runaway

cows. Before he returned to his hometown of Gunnison in 2018, Nienhueser had spent six years wrangling escapees in North Dakota.

“We were all too often chasing cows through town,” Nienhueser said. “Some misadventures, we’ll say.”

On the morning of the rescue, the team spent a few hours searching the woods near where the animals had last been sighted. Upon locating their targets, Nienhueser broke off from the group to hunt the cows “like a wild animal,” Locknickar said.

The veteran veterinarian coaxed each bovine out into a clearing, where they could be safely tranquilized with a dart gun.

Once each animal was anesthetized, the countdown began. Throughout the entire ordeal, Nienhueser closely monitored the animals’ vitals, ensuring that they were stable while in transport. Tranquilizers are powerful drugs, and must be used with an abundance of caution so as not to cause permanent harm, Nienhueser said.

“Everybody had to work together as a team, and every second made a difference,” Locknickar said.

When each animal went down, Locknickar moved in on his ATV. Locknickar has spent

decades designing and building specialized tracks for ATVs that can traverse rugged, snowy ground, even when carrying heavy loads.

The group worked together to shift the hefty animals onto a mattress-topped trailer attached to the back of the ATV. They bundled each cow up with tarps and blankets to protect them from the cold on the ride. The young calf, already worn out from all the commotion, rode shotgun next to Locknickar in the front of the vehicle.

“Man, that little sucker was very enthusiastic for being four days old … He was a fighter,” Nienhueser said. “He looked great. No frostbite, very energetic, which is really encouraging.”

The daring rescue took the entire day to complete, from sunrise to sundown. Dusk had already fallen by the time the team arrived back on level ground with the second adult cow, where they loaded her into a waiting horse trailer.

“It was just a miracle,” Jana Cranor said. “It was wonderful that everything that happened went so well.”

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

The four-day-old calf rode in the passenger seat of Dan Locknickar’s Polaris all-terrain vehicle. (Courtesy Dan Locknickar)

The team covered the sedated cows with blankets and tarps to protect them from flying snow on the ride.

(Courtesy Nate Zelinsky/Tightline Outdoors)

Cowboy wrestlers finish season at Ball Arena

Alex McCrindle Sports Editor

After crowning five regional champions and smashing a program record, the Cowboy wrestling teams soared into the state championship at Ball Arena from Feb. 13-15. Roxie Uhrig led GHS from the podium. The sophomore star came up narrowly short in the championship bout and earned a teamleading, second-place title.

Seniors Brock Fry and Damyon Funk concluded their high school wrestling careers from the podium. After missing out on a podium finish last year, Fry earned redemption and placed fifth in the 132-lbs

Roxie Uhrig takes second at state Maciejko named coach of the year

Sam Jones leads GHS swim and dive at state

Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor

Boasting thousands of miles in the pool, and a tight-knit team culture, the GHS swim and dive team finished off its season at the state championship from Feb. 10-12 in Thornton.

Sam Jones closed her high school swim career with a team-high, fifth-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke. But the true highlight came when Head Coach Tami Maciejko was named Colorado High School Activities Association 3A swim coach of the year.

“It was honestly a really great state meet,” Sam said. “There were both happy and

sad things. We didn’t set any PR’s, so that was disappointing. It was bittersweet, because we had such a fun team this year. But we didn’t let the bad moments get to us, and were grateful for the final races we got to swim together.”

Despite suffering through illness, the Cowboys persevered against Colorado’s top athletes.

The 200-medley relay team of Kathryn Frey, Jemma Petrie, Audrey Meeuwsen and Catalina Schwab started the meet with a 12th-place finish. The event marked Meeuwsen’s first race at the state level, and opened an impressive meet for the Cowboy underclassmen. Meeuwsen concluded her inaugural season with a 12th-place time in the 400-freestyle relay alongside Maya Petrie, Frey and Sam. Frey finished her senior season with a 16th-place time in the 100 backstroke, alongside her two relay contributions.

Senior speedster Jemma concluded with a 16th-place finish

in the 200 IM, but missed out on the 100 breaststroke — an event she was expected to podium — after an entry error.

Sam still finished on the podium in the 100-breaststroke, despite competing without her “breaststroke buddy,” battling an illness and coming off a 13th-place finish in the grueling 500 freestyle. Her fifth-place time led the Cowboys to the only podium finish of the meet.

The 200-freestyle relay team of Catalina, Jemma, Maya and Sam added a 14th-place finish to the Cowboys tally. Senior Zia Schwab wrapped up the meet with a 14th-place score in the 1-meter dive, adding over 113 points from her semifinal tally.

Junior Aiden Tomlin gained state experience in prelim runs in the 100- and 200-freestyle, while underclassmen Elora Jones, Maya and Meeuwsen fueled excitement for the future of the GHS swim program.

The waterworks erupted when Maciejko was awarded

top honors for her coaching efforts this season. The swimmers smothered the veteran coach with tear-filled hugs after the announcement, tying a bow around an emotional finale for the Cowboy seniors.

“It sounds like such a big thing to say, but Tami really has changed my life,” Sam said. “She taught me how to swim. She

pushed me to be mentally and physically stronger, and gave me such an amazing four years of swimming. I will look back on these years with such happy memories.”

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

Wrestling B9 Brock Fry attempts to flip his opponent. (Courtesy Chad Richardson)

Tami Maciejko displays the 3A 2025 Coach of the Year award. (Courtesy Tami Maciejko)

Mountaineer women’s basketball surges past Fort Lewis

Cockman achieves double-double in away

victory

Drew Dunathan Special to the Times

The Western Colorado University women's basketball team defeated the Fort Lewis Skyhawks away on Feb. 15 with a score of 86-70.

Senior Rachel Cockman and junior Ivey Schmidt gave the Mountaineers a quick 6-2 advantage over Fort Lewis in the opening minutes. But the Skyhawks turned things around, took advantage on a run and edged ahead. Schmidt and sophomore Alyssa Eckroth tied the game 10-10.

A turnaround jumper and two free throws from graduate Jayde Tschritter put the Mountaineers ahead by four, until the Skyhawks took another advantage before the buzzer. Western rode high on momentum at the start of the second quarter, and bagged 10 unanswered points to jump ahead 28-20. With 5 minutes left in the

first half, junior Chloe Daniels assisted Eckroth to continue to push the Mountaineers’ advantage.

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) rivals traded possessions until Schmidt ended the drought and knocked down a shot from the free throw line. Fort Lewis tied the game at 34 with less than a minute in the half. A last-second jumper by Schmidt catapulted the ladies into the locker room ahead 36-34.

Straight out of halftime, the Skyhawks hit an opening shot to equalize. But multiple scores from sophomore Jayda Maves, Cockman and Tschritter gave the Mountaineers a 10-point cushion.

Cockman then hit a turnaround jumper and junior Natalie Jojola finished from behind the arch to move the Mountaineers lead to 19. The Skyhawks attempted to scrape back into the contest, but the Crimson and Slate maintained their lead, and finished atop their division rivals, 86-70.

Cockman led the Mountaineers with a doubledouble, putting up 24 points and grabbing 11 boards. Schmidt followed with 20

Senior send-off

Cockman pulls up for a jumper. (Courtesy Western Colorado University Athletic Communications)

points, and Maves and Eckroth both recorded 10.

The Mountaineer women's basketball team will return to the Paul Wright Gymnasium

on Thursday, Feb. 20 to take on Chadron State College in a 5:30 p.m. RMAC battle. Results were not available by press time.

(Drew Dunathan is the assistant athletics communications director at Western Colorado University, and can be reached at ddunathan@western.edu.)

The GHS basketball teams celebrated senior night with league victories over Olathe on Feb. 18. Senior girls Kylee McDougal, Sienna Gomez, Maria Sabas, Eden Williams and Yaslin Hernandez led the Cowboys to an electric, 51-20 win over the Lady Pirates. On the boys front, seniors Burk O’Rourke, Wolfgang Anderson, Jackson Dalleck, Tyler Richter and Holden Vickers sped away in the fourth quarter to win 70-56. The back-to-back home wins moved the girls to a 14-7 overall record, while the boys sit 10-10. The two teams will conclude their home campaigns at home against Roaring Fork on March 1. The girls will play at 1 p.m., and the boys will take on the Rams and recognize their seniors at 2:30 p.m.

Rachel

Althea Stansbery attacks the paint. (Photos by Mariel Wiley)

Coach Aguilar shares a message to the starters during a time out.

West Elk U14 hockey crowned Colorado Springs champs

(Courtesy Paul Tillger)

bracket. Funk battled through the 113-lbs consolation rounds and finished sixth. Future captain Cody Casebolt led the boys team with a third-place finish, while star-in-the-making sophomore Zach Benson took fourth.

Despite taking 14th as a team, and not claiming a coveted firstplace title, Head Coach Mike Seijo said the season finale will motivate the grapplers during the offseason.

“I’m proud of the way we finished,” Seijo said. “Now it’s time to hit the offseason running, get in the weight room, find opportunities to wrestle and get bigger, faster and stronger.”

Following the regional championship, eight Cowboys qualified for the big dance. Although stacking up with smaller rosters than other squads, GHS lived up to its pound-for-pound

reputation. Lincoln Hemmert opened up the show for the Cowboys, and despite falling in his opening round, the freshman earned a hard-fought victory in the first round of the consolation bracket.

Casebolt charged past the first two rounds of the 126-lbs bracket with back-to-back pins, and Funk joined him with a technical fall and decision in the 113-lbs tournament. Fry and Benson each fell in their respective second rounds. However, the early defeats triggered electric runs in the consolation brackets. Benson finished fourth in the 138-lbs bracket, while Fry took the 132-lbs fifthplace medal.

“Last season put a fire in me, to finish my senior year the way I wanted to,” Fry said. “I’m proud of finishing the season with a win, because I know a lot of guys don’t get that chance.”

Casebolt’s early run was stunted by Jordan Romero of Abraham Lincoln in the 126-

Futsal finale

lbs tournament. Still, the junior bounced back with two consecutive wins to finish third. After falling to Anthony Eugene Meder of Alamosa in the semifinal, Funk fell in back-to-back bouts to take sixth overall.

Once the dust had settled, Uhrig was the single Cowboy left standing in the championship bout. The sophomore earned two pins and a major decision in her opening bouts, and faced off against Vivienne Gitke of Strasburg, who boasted an intimidating 47-2 season record. Gitke earned an early takedown, and while Uhrig fought off a pin, she struggled to escape. The Strasburg grappler racked up near-fall and escape points, securing the championship with a 16-0 technical fall.

“I’m happy with my performance, and it was a really great experience to compete,” Uhrig said. “Next year I’m hoping to make it back, and compete with Romie. But I’m pretty hungry for another chance at state.”

Next season, the Cowboys will turn to incoming-senior Casebolt to lead the boys, and an exciting group of underclassmen and juniors.

“There’s a lot of state titles in the future for this program,” Fry said. “We’ve had four of five of the top ranked guys in the state in our wrestling room.

Practicing with those guys has made all of us so much better — and we may even have some team titles to look forward to.”

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

Two Gunnison soccer teams competed at a CSU Pueblo indoor tournament on Feb. 15 and 16. Both teams coasted through the bracket, and faced off against each other in a Gunnison vs. Gunnison duel. The team of Junior Medina, Zavier Drendel, Cristian Aguilar, Dawson Eastep, Sammy Serrano, Owen Powers and Dylan Boscaro scraped away with the championship, and secured first- and second-place finishes for the Cowboys.

Dear Neighbors in Gunnison, Hinsdale and Saguache Counties

Did you know?

DID YOU KNOW — that the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District, through support by property taxes, provides free access over the air television to our communities? To access this service, all you need is an antenna on your residence — no streaming fees, no cable subscriptions. It provides Denver channels and others.

DID YOU KNOW — that the District is considering decommissioning the service and has sent residents an instruction sheet on how to fill out a viewership survey as its first step?

This survey is only accessible via a web link, QR Code or a phone in op-

tion. No paper surveys were mailed out. It only asks if you use the service, yes or no, and where you live. There is no place to say why you don’t use it, if that is your answer.

The survey opened on Feb. 19 and closes March 19. As users ourselves, we encourage you to fill out the survey by going to gcmetrec.com/tvsurvey or calling 970.641.9148. If you do not use the service and respond with a no, we have a request of you:

Please, if you responded that you do not use the service, send emails to the board members and copy us on the message. In those emails, please tell

the board why you responded no. Is it because you never knew the service was even available? Is it because you don’t want the service? Is it because the service is unreliable?

Please send your comments to board member email addresses listed below (these are also publicly available at gcmetrec.com):

Dave Wiens — dave@gcmetrec.com Cassia Cadenhead — ccadenhead@ gcmetrec.com

Keith Bauer — keith@gcmetrec.com

Mary McAllister — mary@gcmetrec. com

Earl Marshall — earl@gcmetrec.com

Our email is cbhjtm@gmail.com. We will provide copies of emails we receive to the board in March to ensure they have received them. We will also answer questions about this ad or even help you navigate the survey.

We believe the District needs more data to make a well informed decision on the service it has been providing for more than 50 years.

This ad was paid for by users of the over the air television system and is, in no way, affiliated with the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District.

Cody Casebolt takes on an Alameda opponent.

The first-place team of Junior Medina, Zavier Drendel, Dylan Boscaro, Cristian Aguilar, Dawson Eastep, Sammy Serrano and Owen Powers are crowned champions. (Courtesy Susan Powers)

Edvin Juan Jesus, Jerico Espinoza, Santiago Altamirano, Joshua Espinoza, Saul Serrano, Miguel Juan Pascual and Pablo Lorenzo took second place.

¡INFÓRMATE! en español

Temporada de impuestos: lo que debe saber

Laura Cardozo Special to the Times

El Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS, por sus siglas en inglés) anunció que los contribuyentes tendrán casi tres meses para presentar la declaración de impuestos correspondiente al año fiscal 2024.

El calendario de la declaración de impuestos inicia en medio de una tensa situación social, por lo menos para miles de inmigrantes que no tienen seguridad sobre su permanencia en el país debido la ola de deportaciones reportadas desde que Donald Trump asumió la presidencia. La temporada de taxes inició desde el 27 de enero, y la fecha límite será el 15 de abril.

"La declaración de impuestos, más que una obligación, es una

responsabilidad cívica" enfatiza Guadalupe Halligan, Contadora de Operaciones del Condado, quien añade que es importante dar cumplimiento a las leyes tributarias.

¿Quién debe declarar impuestos?

Según explica la contadora, toda persona que reciba ingresos, como el pago de un trabajo, debe reportar cada año impuestos antes el IRS. "Declarar los ingresos es una responsabilidad para los residentes de los Estados Unidos, sin importar su situación migratoria. Además, muchos son elegibles para ciertos créditos que puede resultar en un reembolso de impuestos", comentó.

¿Se puede hacer una declaración de impuestos con ITIN?

"Sí, claro. Este número solo se usa para hacer la declaración de impuestos cuando una persona no puede obtener un Número de Seguro Social", explicó Halligan. El objetivo principal del ITIN es garantizar que las personas, independientemente de su estatus migratorio, puedan cumplir con las leyes fiscales estadounidenses.

Según Halligan, "es importante aclarar que el ITIN no es un permiso de trabajo, ni un documento que respalde la permanencia legal en el país. Sin embargo, obtener un ITIN es el primer paso para cumplir con las obligaciones fiscales de una persona que desea presentar sus impuestos por primera vez".

¿Por qué declarar impuestos? "Los impuestos recolectados ayudan a pagar programas del

gobierno que dan beneficios como a los jubilados, personas con discapacidad y a quienes necesitan apoyo en atención médica y también servicios públicos esenciales como educación pública, infraestructura, seguridad y defensa nacional", dijo Halligan.

La declaración de impuestos de este 2025 no debería estar asociada a la preocupación generalizada por el estado migratorio. El IRS no comparte información fiscal con las autoridades de inmigración con fines de cumplimiento. El propósito del sistema tributario es garantizar que todos los que obtienen ingresos en los EE.UU. cumplan con las leyes tributarias, no hacer cumplir el estatus migratorio.

En consecuencia, la omisión de reportar ingresos al

IRS puede generar intereses y multas a los contribuyentes. Además, podría ser una causa de negación en casos de arreglos migratorios.

Según Guadalupe Halligan, "en cualquier circunstancia, es recomendable contar con el apoyo de un preparador de impuestos para evitar imprecisiones en el reporte de los impuestos".

El IRS dispone de información en inglés y español en su página web, que puede consultar para enterarse de sus deberes como contribuyente y facilitar la presentación de su declaración de impuestos.

(Laura Cardozo es una escritora independiente que vive en Gunnison Valley.)

Tax season: What you need to know

Laura Cardozo Special to the Times

The tax filing calendar begins this year amid a tense social situation, especially for thousands of immigrants who are uncertain about their permanence in the country due to the wave of deportations reported since Donald Trump assumed the presidency. The tax season started on Jan. 27, and the deadline for filing is April 15.

"Tax filing, more than an obligation, is a civic responsibility," Gunnison County Operations Accountant Guadalupe Halligan said.

Who must file taxes?

Anyone who receives income, such as payment from a job, must report taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) each year.

"Reporting income is a responsibility for United States residents, regardless of their immigration status. Additionally, many are eligible for certain credits that can result in a tax refund," Halligan said.

Can you file taxes with an ITIN?

"Yes, of course. This number is only used for filing taxes when a person cannot obtain a Social Security number," Halligan said. The main purpose of the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is to ensure that people, regardless of their immigration status, can comply with U.S. tax laws.

“It's important to clarify that the ITIN is neither a work permit nor a document that supports legal permanence in the country. However, obtaining an ITIN is the first step in fulfilling the tax obligations of a person who wishes to file their taxes for the first time," Halligan said.

Why file taxes?

"The collected taxes help pay for government programs that provide benefits to retirees, people with disabilities and those who need healthcare support, as well as essential public services such as public education, infrastructure, security and national defense," Halligan said.

The 2024 tax filing should not be associated with widespread

concern about immigration status. The IRS does not share tax information with immigration authorities for enforcement purposes. The purpose of the tax system is to ensure that everyone who earns income in the U.S. complies with tax laws, not to enforce immigration status.

Consequently, failing to

report income to the IRS can result in interest and penalties for taxpayers. Additionally, it could be grounds for denial in immigration proceedings.

"In any circumstance, it's advisable to have the support of a tax preparer to avoid inaccuracies in tax reporting,” Halligan said.

The IRS provides information

in both English and Spanish at irs.gov, which you can consult to learn about your duties as a taxpayer and facilitate filing your tax return.

(Laura Cardozo is a freelance writer based in the Gunnison Valley.)

(Metro Creative)

Twizzle time

We have one board member seat available to serve through November, 2025. Interested parties may submit a letter of interest and résumé until Friday, March 21, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.

Tenemos un puesto disponible para servir siendo miembro del Consejo Escolar hasta noviembre del 2025. Las personas interesadas pueden enviar una carta de interés y currículum vitae a no más tardar del 21 de marzo del 2025 a las 3:00 p.m.

Risen Project Multi-Media Presents: “Cresta Alta” & “Northward” Films w/ Salem band in concert Saturday, March 15th

Friday, March 28th

Friday, April 18th

Tiger Electric Opening act Alden Burt

Jenny Hill Pankratz & Lizzy Plotkin w/ Golden Shoals

The Western Colorado University Figure Skating Club twirled in unison across the ice during their annual spring showcase performance at the Jorgensen Ice Rink on Feb. 8. The skaters performed individually and in a choreographed group number to ABBA’s Super Trouper.

(Photos by Mariel Wiley)

TV Viewership Survey

to present the survey results and the

DOES YOUR HOUSEHOLD USE METREC

The Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District (MetRec) faces numerous

At the MetRec November 2024 Regular Board Meeting, The Board approved entering Phase 1 of the TV Translator Operations Policy. The goals of Phase 1 include conducting a district-wide survey to determine the number of households currently using MetRec TV, calculating the estimated cost to continue over-the-air