Challenges to rural health care deepen
GVH focused on efficiency ahead of possible
cuts
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
In the face of potential federal funding cuts for health care programs, Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) administrators are doubling down on pursuing “operational excellence” as a way to prepare for what could be an increasingly challenging future for the county-owned health system. So far, available information about possible cuts to federal health care funding has been characterized by mixed messaging. On one hand, President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated — before the Health care A8 MARCHING ON: Demonstrators gathered outside the Gunnison County Courthouse for a non-partisan “Valley Rally” on March 22. For more, see A11. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
Cattlemen’s Days goes for Gold
New cancer support partnership to replace TETWP
Alan Wartes Times Publisher
The Cattlemen’s Days committee has announced an end to the collaboration with Tough Enough To Wear Pink (TETWP) at the annual Cattlemen’s Day Rodeo. Gunnison Tough is a new local non-profit that has evolved from its origins as Cattlemen’s Day TETWP to move in new directions as a cancer support provider in the Gunnison Valley. But while Cattlemen’s Days pink is headed into the sunset,
a new shade of gold will take its place — in a new partnership with the Golden Circle of Champions, an organization that focuses on raising awareness and funds in the fight against pediatric cancer. According to their website, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children under the age of 19.
“Gunnison Tough is going to carry on our long tradition of the Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign,” said Brad Tutor, Cattlemen’s Days president. “We wish Gunnison Tough the very best along their path to continue helping cancer patients.”
For the past 20 years, Cattlemen’s Days TETWP has raised funds to combat breast
Harmels on the Taylor plans major expansion
Neighbors worry about increasing volume of tourist traffic
in
canyon
Bella Biondini Times Editor
Last month, Gunnison County Commissioners approved the sketch plan for a large expansion at Harmels on the Taylor.
Just seven miles northeast of Almont, Harmels on the Taylor is a historic ranch resort that is
surrounded by national forest. The Taylor River flows nearby and trails zig-zag through the canyon, giving guests easy access to horseback riding, hiking, fly fishing and whitewater rafting. The nearly 150acre property houses the Bites & Brews restaurant, roughly 40 cabins, corrals and a stable, bunkhouses and a laundry facility.
Harmels has been a familyowned business for more than a century. During the mining boom in the late 1800s, the property served as a midway point for miners traveling between Gunnison and Crested Butte. The Roberts family, which managed the ranch for more than 40 years, made it
A7 Harmels A6
“We tried to cut deals with him, and told him, ‘No, you’re not getting on this [horse] at 12 years old. But, when you have a dream like that, it feels like it’s destiny.”
— Stephanie Shallbetter, Rodeo parent
OUR ECONOMIC ECOSYSTEM
City Council recently renewed their commitment to economic prosperity and formally adopted an initiative to embark on a clear strategy that effectively supports new and existing businesses. This conversation around economic prosperity is not new. Much of Gunnison’s history and success is rooted in a shared awareness that our economy is an ecosystem – an interconnected and dynamic network of businesses, institutions, and consumers.
See story on B1
TAPP prepares for leadership change
On March 20, the Tourism and Prosperity Partnership (TAPP) board of directors announced that Executive Director John Norton will retire in May 2025 after a decadeslong career.
“John’s contributions to TAPP and for that matter the entire Gunnison Valley throughout his 40 years in or near the Valley have been remarkable and are most appreciated,” the board wrote. “We wish him well as he transitions to a new phase.”
Marketing Director Andrew Sandstrom will transition into the role this June. The Times will follow with a more in-depth news story in next week’s edition.
LEAP still accepting applications
Gunnison County Health and Human Services still has room for 60 residents to apply for energy assistance, according to Community Resource Navigator Maddie Stokes.
The Colorado Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is a federally funded program that helps eligible Colorado families, seniors and individuals pay a portion of their winter home heating costs. The LEAP season lasts until April 30. Residents that make up to 60% of the state median income level may qualify.
Gunnison fire chief appointed to state commission
Hugo Ferchau, fire chief for the City of Gunnison, was recently appointed to the Colorado Fire Commission. The policy board is composed of 24 members, seven of which (including Ferchau) can vote. During his two-year term, he will represent volunteer firefighting departments like Gunnison at the state level.
You may recall the 2018 Downtown Vibrancy Initiative that brought the community together to focus on “proactively shaping a downtown that honors our past while embracing our future.” This Initiative resulted in tangible improvements such as enabling housing options downtown, adding wider sidewalk space for business uses, reducing speeds along Main Street with bulb outs on Main Street and Ohio Avenue, and enhancing connectivity from Western to downtown along the multimodal use design of Ohio Avenue. This effort also served as the catalyst for reactivating IOOF Park. Concepts from this Initiative that remain imperative to vibrancy in our downtown include strengthening the “University Town” atmosphere, additional bulb outs and/or other intersection improvements at Main and Tomichi, transforming South Main into a festival street, enhancing the aesthetics of downtown buildings, and the use of parklets to further activate liveliness along our Main Street. These recommendations were also included in the Gunnison 2030 Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2020.
Continuing momentum from the past, the City has been critically reviewing data and thinking more broadly about Gunnison’s economic ecosystem. Our goal is simple – generate a targeted, 5-year implementation strategy to clearly define “if we focus on these things, with these resources, these desired outcomes will be achieved.” To this end, the City engaged TIP Strategies, an economic development consultant, to collect and analyze data, listen and speak with the community, and propose practical and proven solutions.
From the initial onset of the process, it quickly became clear that there is no shortage of ideas. The challenge is to identify the specifics that are most viable and most likely to have the greatest return on investment. “The Economic Development Plan will be impactful if we remain intentional and ensure that every identified action provides who is doing what and how it is being funded” commented City Manager, Amanda Wilson. “This effort is an opportunity to bring our many partners to the table and collectively agree upon a focused and aligned strategy to advance economic prosperity and resiliency in Gunnison.”
Our community’s perception on growth varies widely. Shared consensus exists around the vision that “Gunnison is a great mountain town, where neighbors matter and growth is centered on community.” The list of our economic strengths and opportunities in Gunnison far exceeds our economic threats and weaknesses.
Three high-level draft goals have consistently surfaced throughout the process:
1. Invest in place: prioritize initiatives that build on existing community strengths for a more vibrant and resilient economy.
2. Grow the outdoor economy: support Gunnison’s outdoor recreation businesses, workforce, and assets.
3. Leverage science and technology: position Gunnison as a leader in science and technology that capitalizes on local competitive advantages.
Each goal is accompanied by a list of proposed actions required for implementation. Realistically, the City is not always best positioned to lead every action. Instead, it is imperative that the final strategy is targeted and aligned with our many partners, including but not limited to Western Colorado University, Tourism and Prosperity Partnership, ICELab, Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce, and many others that contribute and remain committed to economic vitality.
The draft strategy and associated actions will be available for community review and comment at the upcoming Economic Development Strategy, Public Open Houses on Wednesday, April 2nd from 9:00am – 10:30am and 6:00pm – 7:30pm at the Gunnison Public Library. Please stop by and share your thoughts. Public input is critical to the final steps of developing the strategy, as the City intends to finalize the Economic Development Plan by this May. Building a strategy with expert consultants, public input, and the character of our valley in mind will continue to support us all in our economic ecosystem.
What is the City doing to support economic vitality? A multi-faceted strategy forward has been drafted Your review and input is needed!
Economic Development Strategy Public Open Houses
Where: Gunnison Public Library 1 Quartz Street
When: Wednesday, April 2nd 9:00am-10:30am AND 6:00pm-7:30pm
Spanish Interpretation Provided Interpretación al español
Phil Klingsmith
Phil Klingsmith, passed away on March 22, 2025 in Colorado Springs, surrounded by his wife, JoAnn, son Pete, and daughter Kate.
Funeral arrangements have been made for Friday, April 4, at 1 p.m. at the Fred Field Center in Gunnison, Colorado. An obituary will be published in the newspaper next week before the funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Tough Enough to Wear Pink and Living Journeys.
BIRTHS
Sybil Lane was born to parents Quinn and Erin Langsfeld of Gunnison on March 13 at 6 p.m. She weighed 6 lbs. 1 oz. Her grandparents include Eileen Langsfeld of Gunnison, Keri Isernhagen of Milliken and David Langsfeld of Pagosa Springs.
Beck Roche Ober
On March 8, 2025 at 10:14 p.m. Beck Roche Ober was born
Ann ‘Obi’ Wegert
On March 9, the world lost a real all-star of a human with the passing of Ann “Obi” Wegert. She is remembered with full hearts by her children Rebecca Wegert (Bob) and Jess Wegert (Natalie) and husband, William Wegert. She leaves behind three much-adored grandchildren, Miller, Florence and Olive. She will also be missed terribly by her cat, Fudge-bot, who has found a wonderful new home.
Born on Dec. 13, 1951, Ann
to parents Aura Roche and Nate Ober of Gunnison. He weighed 8 lbs. 13 oz. and measured 20 inches in length. He has an older fur sister named Daisy Dog. His grandparents include Ivan and Trish Ober of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Jim Roche of Haverhill, Massachusetts.
Talon Oliver James
Talon Oliver James was born on Feb. 17, 2025 at 1:09 a.m. to parents Jessi Saffer-James and Jonathan James of Ohio City, Colorado. He weighed 6 lbs. 14 oz. and measured 20 inches at birth. His grandparents include Mike and Jinny Downing of Ohio City and Donald and Angela James of Suwanee, Georgia. His great grandparent is Yoneko James of Jonesboro, Georgia.
was an exemplar of the idea that a great life need not be complicated. She adored the simple beauty of gardening, a good book and time with family and friends. She was a community-builder, an animal-lover, an environmentalist and a genuinely good person. Ann was born in Gunnison and attended Western State College, now Western Colorado University. After spending time in Grand Junction, Colorado and Provo, Utah, she returned to Gunnison to cultivate Antelope Mesa Ranch and build a family. She proudly worked for Western Colorado University for more than 20 years and she was an active member of the Kiwanis club.
In 2016, she moved to Denver to be close to her daughter’s family and to spend some time
continued on A10
Pacey Ramona Ann Barber
On March 20 at 3:52 a.m. Pacey Ramona Ann Barber was born to parents Maricel and Justin Barber of Gunnison. She weighed 9 lbs. 5 oz. and measured 21 inches in length. She has an older brother, Bodie Barber, who is 1 ½ years old. Dad and big brother look forward to protecting their baby girl.
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Sybil Lane
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LETTERS
OPINION
The dictator’s handbook
Editor: I read Alan Wartes’ editorial in last week’s paper with some interest. I agree with some of his points. However, it seems as though he tends to cherry pick some of them and neglect others. For example, my biggest fear is not only what Donald Trump is doing, but how he is doing it. I like to think of it as what I call the dictator's handbook. Threaten your adversaries and the media, control the justice department, attack the judiciary, pardon convicted felons if they support you, etc. Worst of all, send a murderous mob to attack the capital in an effort to prevent the certification of a fairly won election and then pardon them after they are convicted of crimes.
Another issue that I feel should have further clarification, as he points out, is the “dismal” state of our finances. Thirty-six trillion dollars in debt is terrifying to me. How much do we pay daily for interest on that debt and how will that limit what we can do for our country in the future?
What he fails to point out is that under the Clinton administration, we had a budget surplus. When Bush took office, he managed to erase the surplus and balloon the deficit with his tax cuts that primarily benefited the already wealthy. Then during his term, we entered into the worst recession in our history which further fueled the deficit.
An
unfortunate editorial
Editor:
Alan Wartes’ editorial on March 20 supporting the fiscal policies of the Trump administration is unfortunate. Your opinion lacks historical perspective, as if other administrations have not tried to reform government spending.
The most recent successful attempt was the Clinton administration’s Reinventing Government initiative, or REGO. Launched just weeks after his inauguration on March 3, 1993, within six months a report was generated that detailed how the government could save billions over the course of five years.
Clinton, unlike Trump, also asked for Congressional authorization of buyouts to select employees who voluntarily left the government. By 1998, the REGO resulted in 370,000 fewer employees. This contributed to the last budget surpluses for the years 1998-2001. Unlike Clinton, Trump and his DOGE sycophants don’t have a rational plan. They have not given any rationale for these firings. The result has been chaos in every affected cabinet department. Was the firing necessary because your department was considered ineffective, incompetent, obsolete? What process was used to determine the queue of firings? There was never one provided.
25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit to help make this investment possible. In our region, which has significant older housing stock, weatherization assistance and purchase assistance for efficient heating technology is a lifeline to help our community reduce home energy costs. In Gunnison County, close to 20% of houses are heated by propane. Everyone knows there is a huge energy cost burden for homeowners and renters using propane gas. We all need options to ensure we will be able to combat future energy price inflation, especially the cost of gas heat.
Unfortunately, the current Congress is now considering eliminating the 25C tax credit. That would be a big mistake. We all deeply value the natural wonders that surround us in rural Colorado — transitioning to cleaner forms of home heating will help preserve the very landscape that makes our home special.
I applaud Rep. Jeff Hurd for signing his name to a House Ways and Means Committee letter, defending the 25C tax credit. I hope he will continue to represent Gunnison County interests, working to preserve “working class” tax credits for us all.
country rescues, trail maintenance to cleaning toilets, and protecting irreplaceable resources at the same time, federal employees are already being asked to do more with less. And now, their ranks are being devastated at multiple levels, with very real and frightening implications for the care of public lands, the experience of visitors and the integrity of economies that depend on safe, functional and inspiring park experiences.
Cuts to Park Service, Forest Service and BLM staffing and budgets could permanently change our national parks and open spaces. The recent moves by the administration are nothing short of devastating. Unless action is taken to reverse these cuts, communities across the Western Slope will be severely impacted this summer.
Sens. Hickenlooper and Bennet and Rep. Hurd, I urge you to speak up on the importance of national parks and public lands, and the threat of these federal worker directives on our open spaces.
Nicholas Monck Gunnison
Personal action taken
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.
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The deficit did increase under Obama, but at a slower rate. Under Trump’s first term, primarily through tax cuts that again went in large part to the ultra-rich, he managed to again balloon the deficit. Since what I have read seems to point out that no tax cut in history has paid for itself, it begs the question: What will happen with the deficit this round if the billionaires and largest corporations get the next big tax break that Trump and his MAGA supporters are pushing? The answer is that our kids and our grandkids will be paying for it with their hard work (ironically) for those same billionaires and corporations.
My final point is that yes, I agree we should not be accepting waste and fraud at the federal level. However, forcing indiscriminate and massive cuts to the needed services which benefit us all only harms those of us who are not billionaires. What I fear most for our children and grandchildren is the unmitigated damage this administration and its supporters are doing to the Earth. Why are they gutting green energy initiatives at the same time they are propping up the oil industry with its obscene profits? If we fear change instead of embracing it, we will cede another huge industry, the clean energy industry, to China.
John Hess Crested Butte
The current treatment of government professionals by Trump and the Republicans will have a negative impact on the functioning of government and create uncertainty for the current generation of students who might be considering a career in public service. We must push our Congressional representatives to challenge this usurpation of constitutional authority by the Trump administration.
Peter Gauss Gunnison
Defend the 25C tax credit
Editor:
Like many of us in Gunnison County, I'm very conscious about energy efficiency. I’m fortunate to live in a well-insulated house, and have seen firsthand how energy-efficient construction leads to greater comfort and lower energy bills.
Currently, my family is working to electrify our home to improve efficiency and further lower our monthly energy bills. In December, we replaced our gas stove with an electric induction stove — which we really love for its rapid boiling and precision temperature control. As a father, it helps to get dinner on the table faster! A $500 rebate cut the cost of our new stove in half, making it just as affordable as other options.
My next planned upgrade is a heat pump HVAC system. I’ve been counting on the
Eliminating the 25C tax credit would mean fewer options for homeowners and lost business opportunities for local contractors. I urge my fellow Coloradans to tell their representatives to protect these smart investments that keep our bills low and our air clean.
Andrew Arell Mt. Crested Butte
Protect our public lands
Editor: National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees are the heartbeat of national parks and public lands, and they are essential to the functional operation of the special places that millions of Americans visit every year. Visitors to the Western Slope public lands and forests are crucial to Gunnison’s economy and support hundreds of jobs.
But now, more than a thousand Park Service, Forest Service and BLM staff have lost their jobs just as visitors are planning their spring break and summer vacations to national parks. As the Gunnison Country Times noted on March 5, 2025, many of those fired lived right here in Gunnison and it will impact Hartman Rocks, the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Curecanti National Recreation Area, the Black Canyon, Taylor Park and the Alpine Loop. These jobs must be immediately restored for the sake of our parks, forests and local economy.
From guiding hikes to back-
Editor:
About a month ago, I wrote of the dangers to the jobs and careers of many American people perpetrated by Donald Trump, his administration, Elon Musk and the inaction of the Republican Congress.
Unrelatedly, this past Saturday here in Gunnison more than 100 people demonstrated against the Trump debacle. Some carried signs demonstrating displeasure with the Trump administration and the probable unconstitutional actions of his crony, Elon Musk.
For more than an hour, the group walked around the Main Street and Virginia Avenue intersection. I reckon the public response was 80-20 positive. There were some big-wheeled diesel pickups that “poured on the coal” as they passed, some rendering the middle finger salute. There were others that gave a thumbs-up. For me, this activity highlights several things: we have marginal organized, participatory democracy in our valley and much of what we do have is partisan or reactionary; neither local political party does much to solicit the views of the people; the publisher of this newspaper is increasingly openly supportive of the Trump agenda.
Republicans do write to local newspapers, making arguably inaccurate statements. If reader rebuttals are accurate and the Republican material is inaccurate, what does that say about the respect the local Republican Party has for us?
Democrats are arguably
Kattnig pleads not guilty
Trial set for October
Bella Biondini Times Editor
Thomas Kattnig, a former Gunnison High School math teacher and basketball coach, pleaded not guilty to 10 felony counts of sexual assault on a child by one in a “position of trust” in Delta District Court on March 10. He pleaded not guilty to two additional charges of misdemeanor harassment.
Kattnig worked in the Gunnison Watershed School
District for nearly 30 years. In late May 2024, he was charged with the first felony count. At the time of his arrest, he’d already been placed on leave by the district for nearly six months, following a report from a student that they may have been touched inappropriately. Soon after the charge came down from the Seventh Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Kattnig resigned.
The District Attorney’s office submitted a second and third amended complaint over the following six months. The number of charges grew to seven, and then 12. Several charges have language specifying a pat-
Effects of terminating TV signal are many
substantially absent from any discussion except to occasionally react to something the Republicans have written. Democrat campaign offices do appear around election times. Bottom line: neither party does much to understand the will of the people, or reach out to them to understand and advocate for their concerns.
Finally, let’s turn to Alan Wartes’ latest opinion piece supporting Donald Trump. Other than his usual philosophies, about the only factual thing the piece mentions is the Pentagon’s inability to pass an audit. What Wartes fails to mention is that the first-ever audit occurred in 2018, the year after Trump took over and continued unreconciled through his time in office. Also, either because of poor sentence structure, or for some other reason, Wartes conflates the Pentagon budget (which reportedly is just short of $850 billion) with its assets.
True, the Pentagon has trillions in assets that have never been detailed. When I was a Defense Department employee our budgets were classified for good reason. Does anyone think it a good idea to provide a detailed description of what we spend on our defense and intelligence systems so that our adversaries might get a picture of our capabilities?
Two very powerful Congressional committees exist to oversee our intelligence activities: The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. They regularly receive highly classified briefings on our capabilities. Maybe Wartes should educate himself on their duties and responsibilities. Which brings me to the news that our newbie secretary of defense and newbie vice president have just released our classified plans to contradict Yemen on a commercial messaging app that included The Atlantic magazine’s editor in chief. Maybe it’s time our president and his cabinet stop governing by tweets and instant messaging.
Joe Dix Gunnison
tern of abuse, or that the alleged victim is less than 15 years old. Two are harassment charges. At a plea hearing on March 10, Kattnig pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial. The eight-day trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 28, 2025 in Delta at 9 a.m. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Sept. 22 at 11 a.m.
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Editor:
The purpose of this letter is to voice my concerns regarding the removal of the TV translator. The following represents the number of reasons that this initiative is flawed.
The validity of the survey you are conducting seems to be inaccurate and questionable. The technique you utilize appears to be biased and lazy by requiring the public to reach out to you. This increases the chance of non-compliance and fails to validate true results of the survey.
The effects of terminating the TV signal are many. You are discriminating against residents that cannot afford cable nor satellite TV, as well as the disabled, elderly and additionally, the low-income populations.
The absence of TV denies residents important safety alerts, all sports events, weather alerts, as well as “free” air-TV broadcast channels. This overall infringes infrastructure rights to basic human needs, rights, safety, public knowledge and the pursuit of happiness.
You indignantly ignore a whole segment of our population and the use of our property taxes. Your plan contributes to the stagnation and broken heart syndrome which is accurately detrimental to the public. The fact that you are only leaving us with expensive cable and satellite TV options reeks of possible conflicts of interest. I implore you to do the right thing by not intruding into the rights we deserve regarding “free” TV.
Robert Helbig Gunnison
Broken windshield
Editor:
Someone broke our windshield using a pellet gun to do the damage.
I flew out of Gunnison last Saturday morning. It was an early flight, and I legally parked on 11th and Bidwell. I walked a city block to the airport to catch my plane. The street was open for others to park easily all about. I don't mind walking to
save a few bucks. The fresh air is invigorating.
The next day, when my wife was returning from an athletic event on the Western Slope that our son was competing in, she picked up the car as planned. She then noticed the damage that had occurred. She reported it to the Gunnison Police Department. We hope that they find the perpetrator of the crime.
I am writing this email as a warning for those that park in that area. I am also writing so that the powers that be recognize and act upon the message that this crime sends to all of us. I recognize the fact that it may have been a random act of destruction. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Jim Barney Crested Butte
into a modern resort that exists today. Dave and Terri Reynolds took over in 2021, and shortly after began renovating the property and cabins, and revamped restaurant service. In addition to being marketed as the perfect summer family getaway, Harmels is also now a wedding venue.
These small-scale changes are only the beginning for the Reynolds. Draft plans for the Harmels expansion include the construction of roughly 30 housing units, 35 RV sites, an upgraded bathroom and laundry facility, new, larger cabins, a shop, an area with storage units and a new wastewater treatment plant that will replace the old septic tanks.
“We are very excited about our proposed project as we believe it provides a genuine opportunity for the community to address existing infrastructure concerns, existing demands and plan for future growth in an area that is of unique beauty … Along with many of our neighbors, we look forward to preserving this wonderful area for future generations,” the owners stated in a press release. The Reynolds declined to speak with the Times about the project directly.
The proposal has incited mixed feelings from neighbors in Taylor Canyon and Spring Creek, in Almont and from the cabin owners scattered throughout the canyon. Some residents praised the new owners for pumping new life into the aging ranch resort. Others worried about increased traffic on County Road 742 and 744, impeded wildlife migration corridors and how the expansion could affect the water supply of nearby wells. While all of the investments the Reynolds family have made to date have been positive for the business, Timothy Heuer said he believed the project could further erode the “natural environment that is so special to the area.” He owns property on CR 744 (Spring Creek Road), which is directly across the highway from Harmels. Many neighbors viewed the proposal as a ticket to more crowding and congestion in the canyon.
“We continue to enjoy this wonderful and magnificent area even though the peace and serenity that was present during my childhood, and even recently, has been lost in many ways due to increased development and use of the land,” Heuer said in a letter to the county.
Because of the size of the proposed Harmels expansion, it is considered a “major impact land use change.” This means the draft plans are open to public comment and subject to a threestep review process before any building can begin. A sketch plan is a high-level concept, to be followed by more site-specific engineering, such as traffic studies. By the time a final plan is adopted, the exact size, shape and location of all of the individual projects will have been decided.
With nearly 50 written comments, in addition to the residents who spoke in person at
public hearings in November and January, there is a “high degree of public interest” in the Harmels expansion compared to other projects, Gunnison County Planning Director Hillary Seminick said during a county commissioner meeting in February.
The board approved Harmels’ sketch plan on Feb. 4. Despite the large volume of public comments, county commissioners believed that many residents' questions could not be answered this early in the process. More layers of detail have yet to be outlined, and Harmels’ earlystage design plans are still subject to change. The next stage requires the owners to develop an off-road vehicle management plan and draft deed-restrictions for employee housing and traffic and water use studies.
“It still leaves a wide, wide opening for public engagement … The project has enough of the ingredients to move into the phase where the level of detail — at the time, cost and expense of the applicant — becomes much deeper and really starts to paint a bigger picture,” said County Commissioner Jonathan Houck.
Since the Reynolds took ownership, the pair has refurbished much of the resort and brought the cabins “back to their original charm,” they stated in a press release shared with both the Gunnison Times and the Crested Butte News. The restaurant has also been completely redone with brand new appliances. Harmels is now turning its attention to accommodating increasing tourist traffic in the canyon, and addressing the housing needs for the area.
“The property has received a tremendous facelift and neighbors and guests continue to express appreciation for everything we’ve done … We want Harmels to be a great place to be, and that includes for our employees,” the press release said.
Harmels, listed as a “summer operation” on its website,
employs full-time wranglers, fishing guides, hosts, servers, cooks and bartenders, housekeepers and event managers. The business primarily employs college-aged staff from across the United States as well as some from other countries. Some employee housing options are offered, according to the webpage.
As part of the expansion, the family is “working hard” to add new housing for their employees during the summer and the off-season. The proposal includes the construction of four workforce housing lodges that can accommodate five to six employees each, and the conversion of an existing bunkhouse and lodge for roughly 30 new residential housing units.
Harmels has told the county it is willing to provide housing “not only for its employees, but also for the workforce housing needs of the community.” Harmels is central to Taylor Park, Spring Creek and Almont, all of which “will likely require increasing numbers of employees” in the future, according to Jacob With at Law of the Rockies, the applicant’s representative. Visitation to the nearby Taylor Park and Spring Creek reservoirs has increased steadily over years since Cottonwood Pass was fully paved in 2017. The area is a magnet for mountain off-roaders, campers and fishermen during the summer season.
The Reynolds said they have noticed a “very limited” number of RV sites in the canyon that provide fill-service hookups, many of which are dated. Because of the topography at Harmels, the Reynolds believed they could build a campground that is difficult to spot from outside of the resort, the press release stated. The proposed RV sites would capture more visitors, along with the addition of roughly eight larger cabins.
These RV sites would not only serve guests, but provide additional seasonal housing for staff, many of whom work else-
where during the winter months. Twenty storage units are also proposed to give employees and valley residents another place to store their extra belongings.
Some individuals, as well as the Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce, commended all the Reynolds family for all of the changes they have made to the resort since their recent purchase.
“The new owners of Harmels on the Taylor have taken a deteriorating and run down resort and, through hard work and the investment of a significant amount of capital, turned it into an attractive recreational asset for the public, Taylor Canyon and Gunnison County,” Pete and Susan Dunda of Almont wrote in a letter submitted to county commissioners and the Gunnison County Planning and Commission.
But in a large series of public comments, a number of neighbors worried about the rising popularity of the area as a mountain biking, camping and fishing destination. This has already increased the volume and speed of the traffic on County Road 742 (Taylor River Road), which winds from the Almont turnoff to Taylor Park, and CR 744. Susan Mendenhall, who owns a family cabin on Spring Creek Road, said she remained concerned about “precedent setting-impacts” of the project, traffic and noise.
“Logic tells me they will be significant,” she wrote.
The road from Spring Creek Campground up to Mosca Campground is narrow with blind curves, and many cars, pickups, RVs and side-by-sides tend to drift to the center at high speeds, wrote part-time residents Greg and Martha Harscher. During peak summer season, Harmels’ new RV sites could equate to 50-70 additional OHVs running up and down Spring Creek Road each day, their letter reads.
“Combined with increased ATV, pedestrian and mountain
bike traffic, there is an increased likelihood of accidents and people getting hurt,” the Harscher’s letter states.
Others believed the increased density on the property and storage units would impact the quiet and solitude the canyon offers, and the wildlife populations, such as black bear, elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep, that roam through the valley.
“This area is unique because it still has the same sense of wilderness for all who come here, including the Harmel’s guests as it has for generations … Developing Harmels beyond the fishing retreat that it has become, and the quaint ‘dude ranch’ from the past does not fit the area,” said Lorie Green Bobilya, a third-generation owner of the Foster-Green Canyon.
The Reynolds are working with the state and contracted engineers to receive approval for the final designs for a new wastewater treatment plant that will replace aging septic tanks. It is an improvement that is “long overdue and essential to environmental protection in the area,” the pair stated. Substantial engineering both on and offsite will also be required for traffic studies, and determining the final number of RV sites. Once these plans are complete, they will be reviewed by the county and open to another round of public comments.
(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@gunnisontimes.com.)
Located seven miles north of Almont, Harmels on the Taylor is a historic ranch resort that is surrounded by national forest. (Courtesy Harmels on the Taylor)
cancer, often becoming the top fundraising rodeo in the nation. That money has gone directly into programs and facilities to support cancer patients and their families in the Gunnison Valley. Now, however, Gunnison Tough has a broader mission.
“Gunnison Tough continues to take care of our community every day through all of our same programs, nothing has changed, except that the demand for help increases as we serve more and more people with all types of cancer,” Heidi Sherratt, Gunnison Tough executive director, wrote in an email. “Every day we are helping people and the Gunnison Tough programs are being used more than ever.”
On average, Gunnison Tough serves roughly 20 people a day, she said.
“A small group of people on the Cattlemen’s Days committee jumped on board with the national Tough Enough to Wear Pink crusade as a way of giving back to families who were being affected by breast cancer,” said Kevin Coblentz, an at-large member of the Cattlemen’s Days executive committee. He was instrumental in the foundation of the local pink efforts in 2005.
“That campaign did an amazing job over the years, and Gunnison was recognized year after year for its contributions on the national stage.”
That commitment to community service will continue in the new relationship with the Golden Circle of Champions, Coblentz said.
Sherratt also praised the move.
“[In the program] one local kiddo gets to go to Las Vegas for the weekend with his family to learn about and enjoy rodeo with a bunch of other kids going through the same scary health situations. It is powerful and all of the families we took in the past remain a big part of our lives. Thankfully our community does not experience many pediatric cancer cases, but when we do it is extra important to take special care of them.”
Traditionally the opening night of Cattlemen’s Days PRCA Rodeo was decked out in pink, but this year the Thursday performance will be “Gold Night,” helping raise awareness and funds for the Golden Circle of Champions.
In addition, Cattlemen’s Days is teaming with Kaitlyn Hayes and the Rocky Mountain Mini Broncs/KH Bucking Horses for
a special performance for young people on Thursday, July 3, at the rodeo grounds. The event will also benefit the Golden Circle of Champions.
“We want to offer a ray of hope to the families that are going through this journey,” said Cattlemen’s Days committee member and second vice president Karla Rundell. She took part in a Golden Circle of Champions event last December in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. “We had Colorado kids with us in Vegas, and that was such a blessing to be part of.”
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@ gunnisontimes.com.)
(Cattlemen’s Days Media Director Ted Harbin contributed to this report.)
Ephesians 3:19
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:20, 21
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end Amen.
Proverbs 3:6
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
STAND OUT IN A MOUNTAIN CROWD! Signs • Vehicle Decals & Wraps Store front signs and lettering Screenprinting • Embroidery Promotional Products • Stickers Banners • CANVAS PHOTO WRAPS
Michael Albers, foreground, and his mother, Shelly, pose with National Finals Rodeo bullfighter Dusty Tuckness, left, and NFR clown John Harrison last December in Las Vegas. (Courtesy Karla Rundell/Cattlemen’s Days Committee)
COURSE
1105 N Pine
#810392, $830,000. Welcome to your dream home in the picturesque Van Tuyl Village subdivision! This brand-new, 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom property is a testament to modern design and quality craftsmanship. As you step inside, you’re greeted by an open and inviting kitchen-dining area, adorned with cherry cabinets and equipped with state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances. The tiled shower and bathtub add a touch of luxury to the bathrooms, while the master bedroom boasts its own oasis with a reading nook or small office space. The 2-car detached garage features 8-foot doors and 10-foot ceilings inside, providing ample space for your vehicles and storage needs. The extra space above the garage, accessible via exterior stairs, presents exciting opportunities. Whether you need additional storage or dream of an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), the potential is yours to explore with City of Gunnison approval. Don’t miss the chance to make this new construction your forever home. Contact us now to schedule a viewing and witness the epitome of contemporary living!
TBD W Denver Ave. MLS# 816647 $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
Health care
election and since — he has no intention of reducing Medicaid and Medicare benefits for eligible Americans. It is less clear what changes he might support that would alter who is eligible, or how payment rates are set.
However, House Republicans, supported by the administration, have set the goal of trimming $1.5-2 trillion from the federal budget over the next decade. In February, the House passed a budget resolution that instructed the House Energy and Commerce Committee — which is responsible for Medicaid and Medicare — to reduce the spending it controls by $880 billion over the next 10 years.
In a March 5 report, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that goal to be impossible without substantial cuts to Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid provides health care coverage to low-income people, while Medicare is available to people over the age of 65. The programs represent the bulk of discretionary spending under the committee’s jurisdiction. In fiscal year 2024, Medicaid alone cost $607 billion.
According to Joshua Ewing, vice president for rural health at the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA), Colorado’s share of those cuts, if enacted, would be approximately $27.2 billion.
“There's just no way to make up that difference when Colorado is already struggling to close a $1.2 billion budget gap as a state right now,” he said. “You're going to see closures. You're going to see limited access to care. You're going to see people going without care, and ultimately, we're going to lose some folks.”
It is estimated that health care costs account for as much as one third of the state’s total appropriations spanning all funding sources, projected to be over $40 billion in 2025-26.
“Before, I would have said there's no way [federal cuts] are going to get through,” said Jason Amrich, CEO of Gunnison Valley Health. “It's like anything's possible at this point. There doesn't seem to be any restraint between the legislative branch and the executive branch anymore, and so it's really hard to tell who's going to do what.”
out and said, ‘Hey hospitals, we're not going to cut Medicaid this year. We're going to keep the rate the same.’ While that sounded good on the surface, it actually still is somewhat of a decrease in funding. Because guess what? My salaries go up. My supplies go up with inflation. So if Medicaid funding, even at the state level, isn't going up with inflation, I basically start losing money even on that,” Amrich said.
Gunnison Valley Health also receives some funding directly from the federal government in the form of grants. An example is a current grant from the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Agency for up to $600,000 to equip ambulances with access to Starlink internet service. Administrators have so far received no indication that it will be cancelled, but the possibility makes them cautious about spending on a program that could go away.
“When we looked at our grants, they were all stable,” said Joelle Ashley, GVH marketing and communications director. “What we started to worry a little bit about were some of the state funded programs. A good example is the Omni Salud program, which provides insurance for undocumented immigrants, which comes from federal passthrough dollars. So there are a lot of programs like that that we utilize to help people access care that could potentially be impacted, but we were fortunate that none of our grants that we have currently were impacted by federal cuts.”
To complicate matters, hospitals continue to struggle to get paid on time — or at all — by commercial insurers.
“[Big insurers] are able to dictate what and say yes or no to whatever a doctor is recommending, and it's changing the nature of health care,” Ewing said. “When my doctor submits for reimbursement, [the insurers] are denying or putting up roadblocks that make it really hard. And an independent doctor, or a small, critical access hospital like GVH, and frankly, even the larger hospitals at this point, just don't have the negotiating leverage to even compete with these multinational corporations.”
Already fragile
Among GVH patients, nearly half either depend on some form of federally-funded program, or are uninsured — 36% on Medicare, 11% on Medicaid and 4% that are “self-pay.” The rest are covered by some form of commercial health insurance.
That “payer mix” is better than for most rural hospitals, Amrich said, meaning the number of commercially insured payers is relatively high, lowering exposure to federal cuts. Even so, any loss of revenue from the federally-funded side of the equation could tip the scales. In fact, he said, hospitals have already seen a de facto drop in Medicaid revenue.
“The state of Colorado came
This uncertainty confronts a health care system in the U.S. that is already on shaky ground for a number of reasons. According to CHA data, roughly 70% of hospitals in Colorado operate below a 4% net income rate, considered to be the threshold of sustainability. That number climbs to 85% among rural hospitals. GVH is among them, at 3% last year. Its net operating income was -6% due to the disparity between lagging reimbursement and rising expenses.
Hospitals being under increasing duress is nothing new, but Ewing believes the situation kicked into a new gear in 2020.
“I think you can't have any of these policy conversations without talking about the elephant
in the room, which is that the Covid pandemic turned our health care system upside down and exposed and exacerbated some of the long-standing challenges that we've had,” he said.
First, the cost of everything that hospitals depend on — from labor to materials to medicines — increased dramatically and continues to rise. Second, Ewing said, people postponed routine care during the pandemic so that hospitals eventually wound up treating more serious — and therefore more costly — conditions.
In addition, the number of people who receive care but are unable to pay for it has risen 140% since 2019, according to CHA data. In September 2021, Colorado enacted House Bill 1198 which mandated significant changes in billing and care availability for “indigent” patients.
“This mandated a one-sizefits-all approach, expanded who was eligible for these charity care policies, and then required that hospitals, after 36 months, just write off whatever wasn't paid as a loss,” Ewing said.
One factor that may have contributed to the increase in demand for “charity care” is the number of people who were disenrolled from Medicaid after having been signed up under looser requirements during the pandemic. Colorado led the nation in the number of people who lost the benefit, cutting roughly 33% from the rolls starting in 2023.
A way forward
According to Amrich, GVH intends to meet all these challenges in the coming months
by pursuing what he calls “operational excellence” across the institution. That is mostly focused on improving the organization’s efficiency in allocating resources, but also in getting paid for services provided. Administrators are in the process of implementing a new consolidated patient records management system called EPIC they hope will streamline the ability to file claims with insurers more efficiently.
“We're on four different medical records systems right now across outpatient, emergency, inpatient and in our senior care center,” Amrich said. “That just creates a whole host of complications, of getting systems to talk to each other, to get things to bill correctly. EPIC will help with that.”
Other measures on the table include hiring a “revenue cycle” consultant to help streamline billing and improve reimbursement rates, and increasing GVH involvement in advocacy efforts at state and federal legislatures.
“Our health care leaders, particularly those who run and lead smaller, rural hospitals, continue to be some of the most creative and innovative folks in health care,” Ewing said. “One of the bright spots to come out of the pandemic that I think sets Colorado apart, is the collaboration that occurred. Care generally operated in silos before. We don't operate like that anymore.”
(Alan Wartes can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or publisher@gunnisontimes.com.)
Grateful for Gunni Gals
The Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce is celebrating Women’s History Month with a “Grateful for Gunni Gals” campaign. Community members can nominate a woman in their lives who has inspired them, who contributes to the health and wellbeing of others or is an “unsung hero.” One of this week’s nominees is Jen Bickford, general manager at Three Rivers Resort. Beyond work, Bickford has established herself deeply in both the Gunnison and Crested Butte communities, serving on boards for different organizations and helping to grow the Women’s Networking Program and the local Grief Support Group. “She approaches her job with enthusiasm, flexibility, common sense, respect and an inviting demeanor,” her nominator said. “Jen has been the perfect representation of all things good!”
(Courtesy Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce)
OBITUARIES
continued from A3
in the city. These years were filled with visits to the botanic gardens, sleepovers with her grandson and many festivals around the city.
She passed peacefully in her home surrounded by family, after living several years with appendiceal cancer.
She wouldn’t have wanted any unnecessary spending on her behalf, but if you knew her and you wanted to send love to something that she cared about, donations to Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden, Colorado or Humane Colorado would be perfectly appropriate.
James Royal White Jr. "Whitey"
It is with deep sorrow and love that we announce the passing of James Royal White Jr., lovingly known as "Whitey." Jim passed on March 20, 2025, at the age of 74 after a long battle with kidney disease.
Fame. His love for sports and his team spirit remained with him throughout his life.
Jim attended college at the University of Tennessee and the University of Nebraska. He was awarded a certificate from the United States Armed Forces in recognition of his honorable and faithful service and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on April 1, 1976. Additionally, Jim received an Army Commendation Medal for his service in Vietnam.
Jim and Barbara moved to Crested Butte in 1974. For many years he was the managing owner of Kochevar’s and Karolina’s Kitchen. As a businessman he earned the admiration and respect of all who knew him. His leadership and commitment to his work made him not just a boss, but a mentor and a friend to many.
Above all, Jim was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and brother. He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara White, his children, James Royal (Emily) White IV and Annie (Jacob) Parr, and his cherished grandchildren, Judah Parr, Colton Parr, Maddox Parr, James Royal White V, and Auden White — who affectionately called him "Poppy." He is also survived by his sister, Jeanni (Chuck) Hohnstein.
By Crested Butte Proper ty Management
Jim was born in Gordon, Nebraska, to Adele Lawless White and James Royal White Sr. on May 17, 1950. He spent most of his adult life in Crested Butte, Colorado, where he became a beloved member of the community. He was a man of unwavering loyalty, dedication and integrity — qualities that defined both his personal and professional life.
Jim graduated from Scottsbluff High School in 1968. He was a member of the state champion cross-country and track teams. Later these teams would be inducted into the Nebraska State Athletic Association and Scottsbluff High School Hall of
Jim was preceded in death by his beloved grandson, Levi Parr. Jim knew how to have fun, work hard and build community. He treated everyone he met with respect. He will forever be honored by the stories that he left behind, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
A celebration of Jim's life will be held April 27, 2025 at Dos Rios Golf Course, 501 Camino Del Rio in Gunnison, Colorado at 2 p.m., where we will honor his remarkable journey. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to KidneyCure or Gunnison Valley Mentors.
“My health may fail, my spirit grows weak, but God remains the strength of my heart: He is mine forever,” Psalm 73:26.
The Gunnison Valley Cattlewomen delivered food, including canned goods, boxed food and 20 pounds of beef, to the Gunnison Country Food Pantry on March 10. Pictured (left to right) are Cattlewomen member Sharry Redden, Food Pantry Executive Director Jodi Payne and volunteer Dustin McGuiness.
A rally for the valley
Protestors gathered outside the Gunnison County Courthouse for a “Valley Rally” on Saturday, March 22. The non-partisan group aimed to bring awareness to topics including “reinstating unlawfully fired federal workers, protecting neighbors from unlawful deportation, protecting LGBTQ+ neighbors, protecting public lands and releasing $5 million in federal grant funds allocated for reliable electric lines to Lake City,” according to a flyer. “It’s time for us all to come together and forget this whole “right, left” and realize somebody’s trying to ruin our democracy,” one of the organizers, Stefanie Reinhardt, said during the event.
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
BIZ CENTS
A community in conversation
Intermount Fluent Connections offers trilingual interpretation
Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor
Yamel Aguirre has a packed work schedule. Within the county’s Juvenile Services Department alone, she serves as an interpreter, educator and a family support advocate. Throughout it all, one goal rises above in her work: helping nonEnglish speaking residents and families access the resources, care and community support they need to thrive.
Aguirre’s latest business venture, Intermount Fluent Connections, now offers interpretation and translation services to individuals and organizations valleywide. Intermount is the first interpretation business of its kind in Gunnison.
“I was having this talk to myself, like ‘If you’re going to do this, you cannot drop anything that you’re in,’” Aguirre said. “‘I have to give my 100% in everything I do, so in [the] company, you’ve got to do 150%.’”
Aguirre had long dreamed of starting her own interpretation and translation company in the valley. She was inspired to finally take the leap when Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) leadership expressed interest in working with a local service, as opposed to their previous, Denver-based partner.
Earlier this month, Intermount signed its first year-long contract with the hospital. And as of this week, six Intermount interpreters, who are fluent in English and Spanish or Cora, have taken on their first projects inside the hospital. The interpreters accompany clients to their medical appointments, ensuring a clear line of communication between patients and doctors.
Crested Butte Land Trust translate their existing websites into an additional Spanish version, a service she’ll now offer through Intermount.
Each of Intermount’s interpreters speak English in addition to either Spanish or Cora. Some speak all three languages. Six staff members have completed 40-hour interpreting certifications, and six more are in training. They are all Gunnison Valley residents who work full or part-time jobs, and are taking on assignments with Intermount in addition to their other work or classroom responsibilities.
One of the team members is currently a senior at Gunnison High School who will be starting at Western Colorado University in the fall. By the time she graduates, she will already have four years of professional interpretation and translation experience under her belt, Aguirre said.
A long-awaited resource
To date, no city- or countywide language study has been conducted in Gunnison to calculate total numbers of different languages spoken, Ricardo Esqueda told the Times in an email. Esqueda is the community and policy liaison for the City of Gunnison.
Intermount does not offer the translation of private documents, such as medical records or court proceedings. Interpreters are also trained to stringent privacy standards when providing services for clients in medical or legal settings.
Beyond the health care world, Aguirre plans to expand services into the wider community. In the future, the interpreters could consult for organizations, businesses or schools, and review their flyers, signage, social media posts, documents or conversations to provide feedback. In the past, Aguirre has helped organizations like Gunnison Trails and the
However, data collected from the Gunnison Watershed School District last fall shows that out of roughly 1,230 total students, 23% speak Spanish or other languages indigenous to Mexico or Guatemala. These include Cora, Q’anjob’al and Popti. Mexican Cora is a dialect of the Uto-Aztecan language family, and is spoken by less than 30,000 people worldwide. More than 100 students in Gunnison speak Cora.
When these students and their families take jobs in the community, they are often expected to step in as interpreters when the need arises, even though it might not be in their job description, Aguirre said. While some are happy to help here and there, the task can quickly become a burden for multilingual speakers who aren’t professionally trained.
“It’s not fair, because honestly interpretations take a lot of your brain. I tell people my brain is soup after. To put that extra pressure on your bilingual workers could be a lot,” Aguirre said.
Simultaneous interpretation, which is the instantaneous interpretation of spoken word, requires intensive training and practice. Interpreters must take everything “in one ear and it needs to be out of your mouth right then and there,” Aguirre said. This must be done flawlessly, all while accounting for technical terms that might be confusing when translated word-for-word.
And although modern technology, such as Google Translate, can offer a baseline of conversational back-and-forth, navigating more complex topics in medical or professional settings requires a human interpreter’s awareness of cultural differences.
“It’s challenging. Even with physical therapy, they have funny names for their poses, and when I translated them, it sounded a little weird,” Aguirre said.
This requires interpreters to tap into what Aguirre calls “cultural translations,” cases in which translators do their best to rewrite content in a way that makes sense to Spanish speakers from different countries and backgrounds. Instead of translating the name of a pose wordfor-word, interpreters will often opt to describe the action itself before sharing the translated name.
For Aguirre, the extra hustle required to turn her passion project into a functional business has been worth it, she said.
“There have been a lot of nights where I’m going to bed at 2 or 3 in the morning … it was a lot of finding people from our community that want to do the work and do it right,” Aguirre said. “It will pay off.”
(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@ gunnisontimes.com.)
Yamel Aguirre in her office at Gunnison Juvenile Services. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
CPW offers $1 million to reduce human-bear conflicts
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) recently opened a new round of grant funding to provide Colorado communities with resources to reduce human-bear conflicts.
“By utilizing human-bear conflict avoidance grants, and investing in conflict reduction strategies we can reduce property damage and help Coloradans and bears successfully coexist in our high country, and across the state,” said Gov. Jared Polis.
Wildlife managers estimate that Colorado has between 17,000-20,000 bears, and the population is stable and growing. Of the 5,022 bear reports CPW received in 2024, more than 2,200 resulted in property damage to sheds, garages, homes, vehicles and fences. Over 50% were linked to trash cans and dumpsters as an attractant.
This year, CPW is offering $1 million for projects that reduce conflicts with black bears in local communities. This grant program strives to foster innovative solutions to human-bear conflict that can be replicated in other parts of the state. The funding will be distributed through a competitive grant process this spring.
Funding for the program was first made available through House Bill 21-1326, which passed the General Assembly and was signed by Polis in 2021. This program was so popular and successful that, in partnership with Polis, CPW decided to continue it. Local govern -
ments, NGOs, HOAs, community groups, businesses, tribes, universities and individuals are all eligible to receive funding. Applicants can apply for grants between $50,000 and $500,000.
Eligible projects include those that:
• Reduce the availability of attractants to black bears in communities experiencing human-bear conflict or disincentivizing black bears from entering areas of high conflict (i.e. hazing).
• Have local community support, or detailed plans to build local support.
• Are cost-effective investments that have the potential to last beyond the funding time frame (such as bear-proof trash cans).
• Utilize proven techniques for preventing conflict, or explore an innovation with a promise to prevent conflict.
Applications are available on CPW’s website and are due by May 30, 2025, at 5 p.m. For questions or application assistance, please contact CPW grant manager Travis Long at travis. long@state.co.us.
(Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife.)
We are pleased to welcome Adlai McMahon as the head of our Retirement Plan Services team. He started in the 401(k) industry in 2001. During that time, Adlai has designed 401(k) plans for more than 1,000 businesses.
Adali and his wife, Samantha, are raising their twins, Betsy and Connor, in Crested Butte where they enjoy the many things the mountains offer from hiking and biking to camping and skiing.
PALISADES AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY BLUE MESA RECREATIONAL RANCH
is looking for housekeepers, maintenance, grounds-keeping and front desk customer service
GUNNISON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Patrol Deputy Sheriff: Full-Time, 40 hours/week, the annual salary range is from $72,397.26 to $102,405.83 plus full benefits.
Take home vehicle & uniform allowance provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
Shop Foreman Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $34.81 to $39.63 plus full benefits.
BE YOUR OWN BOSS: Campground looking for someone to run a camp store. You bring the stock, you keep the cash. Looking for summer season 2024, MaySept. or Memorial Day-Labor Day. Call Lori for details. 970-784-6190.
LOCAL LAWN CARE SERVICE COMPANY looking for full-time, seasonal employee, four 10 hr. shifts, Tues.-Fri., May through Oct. Zero turn mower operation, grass trimming and general yard maintenance experience preferred. Sprinkler system knowledge and maintenance a plus. Pay range $20-30 DOE. Submit resume or contact j2funke@gmail. com.
GUNNISON WATERSHED SCHOOL DISTRICT
employees. If you would like to stay on-property with your RV, rent is only $150/month and includes all utilities. $15-$18/hr depending on experience. Full-time work, then enjoy this beautiful area on your days off. Must commit to the full summer season through 10/7. Call 970-784-6190 if interested. See GWSD website for details gunnisonschools.net
Gunnison Watershed School District believes that students thrive when they are connected to something bigger than themselves. That’s why we create learning experiences that spark curiosity, helping students discover who they are and how to make a difference in the world around them. As they excel in academics, athletics and the arts, students find the confidence to pursue any opportunity in life. Our team is “Driven to be the Difference!”
HOURLY OPPORTUNITIES
CBES - Permanent Substitute Bus Drivers Food Service
Substitute teachers
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
GHS - SPED Teacher
GHS - Office Manager
GHS - Educational Assistant
GES - Music Teacher
GMS - Life Skills Teacher
COACHING
CBHS - Head Hockey Coach
CBHS - Volleyball Coach
Please contact: Superintendent’s Office JoAnn Klingsmith 800 N. Boulevard 970-641-7760 jklingsmith@ gunnisonschools.net
DOE. Potential to become a year-round position for the right candidate. Employee benefits include employee discounts and complimentary golf. 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.
POLICE OFFICER: The Town of Mt. Crested Butte Police Dept. Full-time $69,876-$90,828/yr. - Performs general law enforcement duties to protect the lives and property of the residents and visitors of the Town of Mt. Crested Butte by enforcing laws
Heavy Equipment Operator
Public Works: Full-Time, 40 hours/ week, hourly range from $23.60 to $31.69 plus full benefits.
Deputy Finance Director
Finance: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range is from $9,071.59 to $11,028.17, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Detention Captain Sheriff: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range is from $6,778.80 to $8,240.87, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Treasurer’s Technician Treasurer: 40 hours/week, hourly range from $23.30 to $28.69, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Emergency Management Director
Emergency Management: 40 hours/week, monthly salary range from $7,616.73 to $9,018.73, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Communications Director County Manager: 40 hours/ week, monthly salary range from $7,616.73 to $10,773.85, depending on experience, plus full benefits.
Temporary Planner I Community Development: 30 hours/week, hourly range from $31.28 to $38.02, depending on experience, plus partial benefits.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, required qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCounty.org/jobs.
WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY
seeks applicants for our fully-benefitted Executive Assistant to the President position.
This salaried position (range of $60,000 - $65,000) is responsible for managing the daily operations of the President’s Office. This includes supporting Board of Trustees meetings, campus event planning/ execution, research and analysis on assigned topics and special project oversight. This position is FLSA exempt. Western offers an excellent benefits package including shared premiums for a comprehensive health insurance plan, dental insurance, retirement plan, life insurance, and other insurance options. After one year of employment, Western provides free tuition for dependents enrolled full time in undergraduate programs for up to four years.
To view the full job announcements and apply, visit western.edu/jobs and click on “View Careers” (EOE)
and ordinances, preventing, solving and detecting crimes, assisting with emergency services and maintaining peace and order. POST Certification preferred but not required. Opportunity for financial aid for housing. Employer paid health, vision and dental for employee and dependents. For more info go to www.mtcb.colorado.gov/ employement or call 970-349-6516.
INTERESTED IN A CAREER WITH BENEFITS? The Crested Butte Bank, a branch of the Gunnison Bank and Trust Company, has an opening for a full-time teller to join the operations side of our growing bank. Applicants should have strong customer service skills, the ability to multitask, and a willingness to learn. GB&T fosters a learning environment where you will gain exposure to multiple areas of the bank with a strong foundation in operations. Pay starting at $20. Robust benefits package includes 401(k), medical insurance, vision insurance, life insurance and disability insurance (ST and LT). Pooled transportation is available. Send resume to abrown@crestedbuttebank. com or lbeda@gunnisonbank.com.
CITY OF GUNNISON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Part-Time Openings: Lifeguards: $23-$29.33/hr.
Special Events/Project Assistant: $20.91 to $23.64/hr plus $1.78 incentive completion bonus.
Summer Ditch Laborer: $25.09 to $27.82/hr plus $1.78 incentive completion bonus.
The City of Gunnison offers a competitive benefit package, including 75% of medical, dental and vision premiums paid for the employee and their dependents, 5% of gross wages in a retirement plan, 3 weeks of vacation (increasing based on the years of service), 13 paid holidays and 12 days of sick leave per year.
For more information, including complete job descriptions, benefit packages, required job qualifications and application instructions, please visit GunnisonCO.gov/HR.
BUSINESS MANAGER: Six Points seeks a FT or PT business manager to support the daily operation of business and financial functions, including bookkeeping, payroll, billing, and preparing financial documents. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent bookkeeping experience required. Wage range: $16.83 - $21.63/hr. DOE. Questions? Call 970-6413081. To apply, email resume and cover letter to Daniel Bruce at sixpointsemployment@ sixpointsgunnison.org.
DOS RIOS GOLF CLUB is accepting applications for the 2025 season. We will be looking for full & part time line cooks, servers, cart barn, and maintenance. Experience preferred but not required. Apply in person Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm or contact Stacy at 970-641-1482.
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR WANTED FOR ESTABLISHED LAW FIRM: Law of the Rockies, in Gunnison, Colorado. Candidate must be organized, detail-oriented, efficient, self-motivated, and able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Administrator will be primarily responsible for business management tasks, but will also be required to perform legal assistant tasks as necessary. Prior experience in a legal or accounting environment is preferred, but not mandatory. Microsoft-based environment. College degree required. Fulltime with benefits. Initial salary $55,00075,000, depending upon experience and qualifications. Long-term growth potential. Visit lawoftherockies.com to learn about our firm. Email cover letter, resume, and references to Marcus Lock at mlock@ lawoftherockies.com by April 7th.
THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring part-time Group Fitness Instructors, pay rate is $50 per class. Employee benefits include employee discounts and access to the fitness center. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit: theclubatcrestedbutte. com.
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a Seasonal Recreation Program Assistant. This position is 24 hours/week and performs a variety of duties associated with the planning, coordination, and administration of Parks and Recreation programs and activities in a supporting role to the Recreation Program Coordinator. Requirements: must be at least 18 years of age, high school diploma or equivalent, must possess a valid Colorado Driver’s License, Current CPR & First Aid certifications or able to obtain within 30 days of employment. Pay: $21/hr. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www. townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit your application and resume to jobs@ crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for heavy equipment operators in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience of 1-2 years required. Must be able to assist laborer performing physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $30-40/hr depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction.com.
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a Deputy Marshal. The Deputy Marshal performs a full range of law enforcement duties necessary to ensure public safety, protect life and property, and enforce laws and ordinances. Compensation: No POST $32.51 - $38.25 per hour ($67,621 - $79,560 per year) / POST laterals negotiable. Requirements: high school diploma or equivalent, Colorado Driver’s License or obtain one within 30 days of employment, possess a valid Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification or obtain one within 1 year from date of employment, must be 21 at time of POST certification. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www. townofcrestedbutte.com. Please submit your application, cover letter, and resume to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
BUTTE-IFUL GARDENS seeks seasonal full-time employees for the 2025 garden season. Season is May- October. A boutique garden company whose focus is design, install and maintenance. We are looking for individuals who have prior garden experience, who have a current drivers license, ability to work independently and with a team, ability to have an extreme attention to detail, lift up to 50 lbs and a git-rdone attitude. Pay starts at 25$ DOE. There is some flexibility in scheduling but June is a must. For more information or to submit a resume please email: butteifulgardens@ gmail.com.
THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring an Accounting & HR Administrative Assistant. This is a part-time/full-time summer seasonal position, starting pay $22-$26/hr. DOE. Potential to become a year-round position for the right candidate. Employee benefits include employee discounts and complimentary golf. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com
GUNNISON LIQUOR (The Ghost) is currently looking for part-time help. Nights and weekends a must. Pay DOE. Stop by with a resume. 603 W. Tomichi Ave., Gunnison.
SEEKING A BOOKKEEPER with some desire to learn project management. text 970-765-7414 www.VuhausLLC.com.
THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE is looking for a Seasonal Open Space & Trails Assistant. This position is 40 hours/ week and is responsible for open space & trails monitoring and maintenance projects, including project organization, implementation, inventory of tools/ equipment, and other tasks as assigned. Requirements: must be at least 18 years of age, must possess a valid Driver’s License, must possess a high school diploma or equivalent, ability to spend full days outside in a variety of inclement weather hiking through off-trail, high elevation, rugged terrain while performing physical labor, ability to lift, carry, push, pull items up to 50 pounds unassisted, current First Aid & CPR certification or higher-level certification, and ability to utilize basic software in an office setting for tracking and reporting. Pay: $22/ hr. Full job description is available on the Town’s website at www.townofcrestedbutte. com. Please submit your application and resume to jobs@crestedbutte-co.gov. Position is open until filled. The Town of Crested Butte is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
ADVANCEMENT MANAGER: The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has an opening for a full-time advancement manager to lead strategic initiatives and new fundraising opportunities. The role is an integral member of the development team and is responsible for implementing and progressing strategic initiatives to grow and diversify RMBL revenue streams. These initiatives include alumni/planned giving campaigns, website development, cultivation of individual donors and private foundations, grant/proposal submissions, and capital campaign planning. Ideal candidates will be mission-driven, thrive in small organizations and prefer to work in teams rather than silos. We seek someone with an entrepreneurial mindset who enjoys working in a dynamic and fast-changing environment. A bachelor’s degree and experience in fundraising, sales, and/or marketing are required. This is a non-exempt position with a starting salary of $60,000 and additional benefits of a $6,000 annual taxable salary supplement, accrued vacation days, seasonal lunch plan, and flexible work schedule outside the summer season. To see the full job description and learn how to apply, please visit our website at rmbl.org/about-us-2/jobs/.
THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring the following part-time positions: Group Fitness Instructor, $50 per class; Front Desk Attendant, $18 to $22 per hour; Employee benefits include employee discounts and access to the fitness center. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.com
SPALLONE CONSTRUCTION has immediate openings for laborers in the Gunnison, Crested Butte area. Experience not required, but preferred. Must be able to perform physical tasks involved in construction activities. Must have a valid drivers license, references required. $27/hr
depending on experience, benefits available after one year of employment. Please submit resume to: office@spalloneconstruction. com.
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT: The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory is looking for a part-time development assistant to support communications and outreach, database maintenance and gift processing, event coordination, and other administrative duties. The role is an integral member of the development team and will report to the Development Manager. Ideal candidates will be detail-oriented, mission-driven, and capable of working independently on simultaneous projects. We seek someone who enjoys working in a dynamic and fastchanging environment, thrives in small organizations, and prefers to work in teams rather than silos. Professional experience related to administration, communications, data analytics, or related field is required. This position guarantees 10 hours of work per week, year-round paid at a rate of $26/ hour, with the opportunity to increase weekly responsibilities. The position includes a seasonal lunch plan and a flexible work schedule. To see the full job description and learn how to apply, please visit our website at www.rmbl.org/about-us-2/jobs/.
BE PART OF THE LOCAL ART MOVEMENT: The Paragon Gallery is always accepting applications for local artists to potentially become a working member of the gallery or as a guest artist. Currently we are looking for a floor display artist starting this summer. The application deadline for this jurying is March 29. Hurry in! Applications can be picked up at the Paragon Art Gallery, 132 Elk Ave., Crested Butte, Colorado. Open 7 days a week 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Application available at paragonartgallery.com.
GVRHA IS HIRING a FT/PT Bilingual Receptionist and/or Office Manager. Bilingual is a requirement for the Receptionist role and preferred for the Office Manager position. Pay is $20-$26/hour depending on experience and responsibilities, and position can be FT or PT. Office experience, and computer proficiency is required. If you are interested in working with a highly engaged, compassionate and fun team, and want to help us make a difference in housing our community members, visit https://gvrha. org/join-our-team/ for more information. Excellent benefits for FT permanent employees.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TREES AND LANDSCAPING now hiring for the summer season. Come join a team who’s deeply rooted in the Gunnison valley. Visit rockymountaintrees.com/employment/ to view available positions.
PROJECT HOPE OF THE GUNNISON VALLEY seeks a Director of Operations for a 32 hour/week position to provide bookkeeping and administrative support. To apply, send resume, cover letter, and 3 references to: director@hope4gv.org. See
at 4:00 pm. This meeting will include the President’s Report summarizing the activities provided to support the library and future plans. The Treasurer’s report will provide budgetary information for 2024 and 2025 The Annual Meeting will be held at the Gunnison Public Library, 1 Quartz St, Gunnison.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of March 20 and 27, 2025 16552
instructions.
Call to order Roll call
Pledge of Allegiance Approval of agenda (ACTION, All) Items for information, discussion, and action
• Conduct school board vacancy interviews (Discussion, Engaged Community)
• Four candidates, in alphabetical order:
• Aaron Clarke
• Quincy Knight
• Katya Schloesser Jessica Wurtz
Interviews will be in a panel format. The order of speaking will be determined by drawing numbers from a hat.
Each candidate will be given two minutes for an opening statement.
Six questions will then be posed, one at a time, for each candidate to answer in turn, with a three minute limit for answers.
• Candidates will then be given three minutes for a closing statement.
• Consider approval of appointment of a board member from the candidates interviewed (ACTION, Engaged Community) Adjournment
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27. 2025
16737
NOTICE
NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF GUNNISON STATE OF COLORADO
UNIFORM DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE ACT CONSOLIDATED PUBLICATION OF NOTICE
PETITIONER: Citlaly Noemi Altamirano Flores
RESPONDENT: Ronaldo Carillo Alvarez
CASE NO. 2024DR30029
NATURE OF ACTION: Allocation of Parental Responsibilities
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in the above proceeding filed in this Court, subsequent to those names in any previously published consolidated notice, under the Uniform Dissolution of Marriage Act, the above court has found that due diligence has been used to obtain personal service of process within the State of Colorado, and that the efforts to obtain same would be to no avail and has ordered one publication of a consolidated notice of said proceedings.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that a copy of the Petition and Summons may be obtained from the Clerk of Court during regular business hours and that default judgment may be entered against that party upon whom service is made by this notice if he or she failed to appear or file a written response within thirtyfive (35) days after the date of this publication.
further info on our website at www.hope4gv. org/employment
THE CLUB AT CRESTED BUTTE is hiring a full-time year-round Restaurant Manager. This position is eligible for medical, retirement and vacation benefits. The annual salary range for the role is $65,000 to $70,000 DOE. For more information or to submit a resume, please visit theclubatcrestedbutte.
com
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.
NOW HIRING: Seasonal help up beautiful Taylor Canyon. Looking for cleaning/serving staff with some gardening. Competitive pay and seasonal housing available (just for employee). Contact Rory or Becky (970) 641-2606.
POWERSTOP is looking for head cook. Pay is $50,000 minimum, position also offers paid time off and health insurance reimbursement. Pay is based on 40 hours a week. Applications must be able to work mornings or evenings and weekends. Resumes to be in a sealed envelope attention Sean. Drop off at Powerstop.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT wanted for law firm located in Gunnison. Candidate must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing. This position will be responsible for tasks related to general law firm operations and assisting attorneys and support staff as needed. Experience in a legal or accounting office is preferred but not required. Some level of experience with Microsoft programs is required. Position is part time with flexible weekday hours. Initial hourly range is $19-$23/hour, dependent upon experience and qualifications. Email cover letter, resume, and 2 reference contacts to Abigail at abigail@gunnisonlaw. net. Position is open until filled.
ADAPTIVE SPORTS CENTER SUMMER
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..
ELEVEN is seeking team-oriented and flexible Lodge & Prep Cooks to support the Colorado Culinary team with food preparations, transportation, and meal service throughout Eleven’s entire Colorado footprint. This position will systematically execute food prep and transportation with
Dated: March 18, 2025
CIRENDA FRY CLERK OF COURT GUNNISON COMBINED COURT 200 E. VIRGINIA AVE GUNNISON, CO 81230
By: /s/ Joy Case Deputy Clerk
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025 16597
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISPOSE
INTENT TO DISPOSE
Notice is hereby given to the following parties that their personal items stored at Brooks Fairway Storage 197 Ute Lane Gunnison, CO 81230 will be sold or disposed of unless claimed prior to April 10, 2025
Unit 42
Wiliam Lockey
Date of Redemption: April 10, 2025
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of March 27 and April 3, 2025 16716
NOTICE OF LAND USE CHANGE PERMIT APPROVALS
NOTICE OF LAND USE CHANGE PERMIT APPROVALS CREATING A VESTED RIGHT GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Gunnison County has approved the following Land Use Change permits with site-specific development plans(s) within unincorporated Gunnison County, which creates a three-year vested
quality and efficiency, as well as assist the team with managing food inventory and maintaining a clean, food-safe, and organized kitchen. This position requires at least 1 year of food and beverage experience. The ideal candidate will be team-oriented with flexibility and willingness to do what is needed to complete Colorado Culinary team goals and meet guest needs and expectations. These are full and parttime, seasonal positions starting at $21/ hour + tips, depending on experience and qualifications. The Summer season runs from May through October. The position will start on Monday, June 2nd, 2025. For more information and to apply, please visit elevenexperience.com/careers/.
HELP WANTED: Ranch in Powderhorn. General ranch maintenance and irrigation work. Competitive pay. Opportunity for advancement. Work outside in a beautiful environment. Drivers license with good record required. Call or text Chris for more details.970–209-0732.
THE TURD HERDER IN GUNNISON is Hiring a Seasonal Water and Wastewater Technician.
Job duties include septic system pumping and inspection, sewer line jetting and unclogging, sewer line camera and locate work, excavation for system installation, sewer line repair and replacement. Candidate must have a clean driving record. Class A CDL or Class B CDL with tanker endorsement preferred. Experience with septic tank pumping and heavy equipment operation. Knowledge of plumbing and electrical systems, equipment repair and maintenance, septic system function and septic system installation. NAWT Certification in septic system cleaning/ inspection will be provided. Starting wage of up to $35/hr. DOE, paid as salary. The job is considered seasonal, starting May 1, 2025, running through October 31, 2025. Potential 401K and paid vacation after meeting required criteria. Please visit our website @ www.theturdherder.com to apply or contact our office at 970-641-7450.
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT: The Development Assistant will support Crested Butte Land Trust’s fundraising and outreach efforts, communications, data entry, and event coordination. This role will also help with marketing and general administrative tasks, including maintaining records and supporting donor campaigns. The Development Assistant will be detailoriented, creative, and comfortable working both independently and as part of a team. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential. This is a seasonal (appx. May 1-Sept 30) part-time (appx 10-20 hours/ week) position with flexible work hours primarily Monday through Friday with some weekends. This position is based on Crested Butte, CO and reports to the Development Manager. For more information about the Crested Butte Land Trust, please visit www. cblandtrust.org. Cover letter and resume must be submitted to hiring@cblandtrust.
property right pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes, Article 68 of Title 24 C.R.S., as amended.
A “vested property right” gives the following applicant(s) the right to undertake the development subject to the condition(s) of approval of the site-specific development plan(s).
The Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution No. 6, Series of 2025 on February 4, 2025, approving Minor Impact Land Use Change Permit LUC24-00035. The resolution approved a request submitted by applicant Kevin Graham for a two-lot subdivision of a 2.19 acre lot into two lots: 1.12 acres (Tract A) and 1.09 acres (Tract B). The property is legally described as T49N, R1W, N.M.P.M. Section 14: a tract of land located in the NW¼ SE¼ of said section, and more commonly described as 225 Columbine Rd. Parcel No. 3787-140-03-049, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado. /s/ Hillary I. Seminick Planning Director Gunnison County Community Development Department
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025
16708
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
In the Matter of the Estate of KENNETH L. DARBY, aka KENNETH DARBY, aka KEN DARBY, aka KENNETH LLOYD DARBY, II Deceased Case Number 2025 PR 30003
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of El Paso County, Colorado on or before July 13, 2025, Catherine Anne Seal P.O. Box 6 Colorado Springs, CO 80901-0006
org by March 30, 2025. The Crested Butte Land Trust is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Pay rate: $21-23/hour DOE.
TOMICHI TREES IS HIRING: Ground Worker: $25/hr minimum, more DOE. Experience is a plus, but not required. Will be working with chainsaws, chippers, aerial lifts, ropes, loading grapples and dump trucks/trailers.
Certified Arborist: $38/hr minimum, more DOE. Certified Arborist will have a current ISA Certificate. Experience working with lifts, and climbing is mandatory. Call 970-901-6680
GOLDEN EAGLE is looking for CDL and nonCDL drivers. Pay is based on experience. Call 970-641-3230.
WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY invites applications for the full-time position of Academic Affairs Business Operations and Event Manager. This position ($24/hour) reports to the Executive Assistant in the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs, overseeing essential functions in event coordination, budget management, and personnel support. This is an on-campus position. This position is FLSA exempt. Western offers an excellent benefits package including shared premiums for a comprehensive health insurance plan, dental insurance, retirement plan,
REAL ESTATE
Financials available for serious buyers only. Call 970-989-8577. 235 N. MAIN REAR SPACE with great features in floor, fireplace gas burning, private office, entrance from Rear , will divide 1400 s.f. fro $1,400. 847-769-7800 or liskorinternational@gmail.com.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of March 13, 20 and 27, 2025 16429
PUBLIC HEARING
Notice of Public Hearing for Liquor License Application
The following liquor license application will be considered following a public hearing on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7pm at the Newcomb Community Center located at 801 State Street, Pitkin, Colorado: An application for a Retail Fermented Malt Beverage and Wine License was submitted on March 17, 2025 by the Silver Plume Store, LLC located at 204 9th Street Street, Pitkin Colorado, which is owned and managed by Cory Nasso, Stephanie Nasso, and Chris Nasso of Pitkin, Colorado.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025 16674
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION
GUNNISON RISING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 7 TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
NOTICE is hereby given that an independent mail ballot election will be held by Gunnison Rising Metropolitan District No. 7, in the City of Gunnison, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado (the “District”) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
This election will be conducted as an independent mail ballot election only. Mail ballots will be mailed to eligible electors between April 14, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
AND
A16 • NEWS • Thursday, March 27, 2025 Gunnison Country
Centennial, Colorado 80122
Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., April 14, 2025 through May 5, 2025, and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2027 (two seats to be voted upon):
THERE ARE NO CANDIDATES FOR THIS OFFICE
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2029 (two seats to be voted upon):
S. CARLENE CHRISMAN
Ballot Issue to be voted upon: Ballot Issue A (De-TABOR)
By: /s/ Ashley B. Frisbie
Designated Election Official
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025 16635
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION
GUNNISON RISING METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT NO. 4
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
NOTICE is hereby given that an independent mail ballot election will be held by Gunnison Rising Metropolitan District No. 4, in the City of Gunnison, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado (the “District”) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
This election will be conducted as an independent mail ballot election only. Mail ballots will be mailed to eligible electors between April 14, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
DROP-OFF LOCATION AND HOURS:
White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron Office of the Designated Election Official 2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122
Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., April 14, 2025 through May 5, 2025, and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2027 (two seats to be voted upon):
THERE ARE NO CANDIDATES FOR THIS OFFICE
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2029 (two seats to be voted upon):
S. CARLENE CHRISMAN
JEFFREY PROSAPIO
Ballot Issue to be voted upon: Ballot Issue A (De-TABOR)
By: /s/ Ashley B. Frisbie
Designated Election Official
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025 16638
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
for at least one year, (b) presently reside and own real property within the specific division applied for, and (c) be knowledgeable in water matters. Applications must be received by the Court on or before April 17, 2025. Contact the District at 400 S. 3rd St. Montrose, CO 81401, Tele 970.249.8707; Fax: 970.252.7168 for a description of geographical boundaries of Divisions I and III and a copy of the application form.
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication dates of March 27, 2025 16677
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION
GUNNISON RISING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 5 TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
NOTICE is hereby given that an independent mail ballot election will be held by Gunnison Rising Metropolitan District No. 5, in the City of Gunnison, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado (the “District”) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
This election will be conducted as an independent mail ballot election only. Mail ballots will be mailed to eligible electors between April 14, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
DROP-OFF LOCATION AND HOURS: White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron Office of the Designated Election Official 2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122
Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., April 14, 2025 through May 5, 2025, and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2027 (two seats to be voted upon):
THERE ARE NO CANDIDATES FOR THIS OFFICE
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2029 (two seats to be voted upon):
S. CARLENE CHRISMAN
Ballot Issue to be voted upon: Ballot Issue A (De-TABOR)
By:
/s/ Ashley B. Frisbie
Designated Election Official
Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025
16637
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION
GUNNISON RISING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 3 TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
NOTICE is hereby given that an independent mail ballot election will be held by Gunnison Rising Metropolitan District No. 3, in the City of Gunnison, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado (the “District”) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
This election will be conducted as an independent mail ballot election only. Mail ballots will be mailed to eligible electors between April 14, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
DROP-OFF LOCATION AND HOURS: White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron Office of the Designated Election Official 2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION
GUNNISON RISING METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT NO. 2
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
NOTICE is hereby given that an independent mail ballot election will be held by Gunnison Rising Metropolitan District No. 2, in the City of Gunnison, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado (the “District”) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
This election will be conducted as an independent mail ballot election only. Mail ballots will be mailed to eligible electors between April 14, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
DROP-OFF LOCATION AND HOURS:
White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron Office of the Designated Election Official 2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122
Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., April 14, 2025 through May 5, 2025, and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2027 (two seats to be voted upon):
THERE ARE NO CANDIDATES FOR THIS OFFICE
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2029 (two seats to be voted upon):
JEFFREY PROSAPIO
S. CARLENE CHRISMAN
Ballot Issue to be voted upon:
Ballot Issue A (De-TABOR)
By: /s/ Ashley B. Frisbie
Designated Election Official
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of March 27, 2025
16640
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION
GUNNISON RISING METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT NO. 6 TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
NOTICE is hereby given that an independent mail ballot election will be held by Gunnison Rising Metropolitan District No. 6, in the City of Gunnison, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado (the “District”) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
This election will be conducted as an independent mail ballot election only. Mail ballots will be mailed to eligible electors between April 14, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
DROP-OFF LOCATION AND HOURS:
White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron Office of the Designated Election Official 2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122
Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., April 14, 2025 through May 5, 2025, and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2027 (two seats to be voted upon):
THERE ARE NO CANDIDATES FOR THIS OFFICE
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2029 (two seats to be voted upon):
S. CARLENE CHRISMAN
NOTICE OF INDEPENDENT MAIL BALLOT ELECTION
GUNNISON RISING METROPOLITAN
DISTRICT NO. 1 TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2025
NOTICE is hereby given that an independent mail ballot election will be held by Gunnison Rising Metropolitan District No. 1, in the City of Gunnison, County of Gunnison, State of Colorado (the “District”) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
This election will be conducted as an independent mail ballot election only. Mail ballots will be mailed to eligible electors between April 14, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
DROP-OFF LOCATION AND HOURS: White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron Office of the Designated Election Official 2154 E. Commons Avenue, Suite 2000 Centennial, Colorado 80122
Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., April 14, 2025 through May 5, 2025, and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2027 (two seats to be voted upon):
THERE ARE NO CANDIDATES FOR THIS OFFICE
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2029 (two seats to be voted upon):
S. CARLENE CHRISMAN JEFFREY PROSAPIO
Ballot Issue to be voted upon: Ballot Issue A (De-TABOR)
By: /s/ Ashley B. Frisbie Designated Election Official Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025 16641
2025 at 10:00 AM to satisfy the owner’s lien for rent in accordance with Title 38.
PROPERTY -REAL AND PERSONAL LIENS Article 21.5. Self-Service Storage Facility Liens. All contents sold “as is” and by unit only.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Town of Mt. Crested Butte Municipal Court Judge Services
• INTRODUCTION
The Town of Mt. Crested Butte is inviting proposals from qualified individuals to provide Municipal Court Judge services to the Town. The Town of Mt. Crested Butte is a Home Rule Town, and the Home Rule Charter (Article VII(B)) addresses the Judiciary and Municipal Judge. Mt. Crested Butte Municipal Court is a Court of Record and meets as required but typically once per month for an hour.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, proposals should be prepared and submitted in a form that addresses the needs outlined herein. Late proposals will not be accepted. Proposals will be accepted until 5:00pm, April 11, 2025. Proposals shall be sent to:
Tiffany O’Connell, Town Clerk Town of Mt. Crested Butte P.O. 5800 Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225 toconnell@mtcb.colorado.gov
• OBJECTIVE
The objective is to choose a reliable and experienced individual with demonstrated knowledge in providing municipal court judge services in a comprehensive, timely, effective and efficient manner. Interested individuals should have significant experience in matters addressed by municipal courts. The Municipal Court Judge will work with the court clerk to preside over the Municipal Court.
QUALIFICATIONS OF APPLICANTS Attorney at law admitted (active) to practice in Colorado who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
• Ability, capacity, and skill as a prospective judge.
• Ability to meet the time requirements of the Town (approximately 1 hour or less per month).
Reliability, character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency. High performance quality in previous or current judge contracts, if any. Ability to determine compliance with applicable laws and ordinances. Availability and adaptability of services to meet the needs of the Town.
• Resident of Gunnison County, Colorado.
• SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Municipal Court Judge presides over
Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., April 14, 2025 through May 5, 2025, and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2027 (two seats to be voted upon):
THERE ARE NO CANDIDATES FOR THIS OFFICE
The names of persons nominated as Director to serve until May 2029 (two seats to be voted upon):
JEFFREY PROSAPIO
S. CARLENE CHRISMAN
Ballot Issue to be voted upon: Ballot Issue A (De-TABOR)
By: /s/ Ashley B. Frisbie Designated Election Official Gunnison Country Times Gunnison, Colorado Publication date of March 27, 2025 16639
Ballot Issue to be voted upon: Ballot Issue A (De-TABOR)
By: /s/ Ashley B. Frisbie Designated Election Official
Gunnison Country Times
Gunnison, Colorado
Publication date of March 27, 2025
16636
Municipal Court matters in which the Municipal Court has jurisdiction.
• POWERS AND DUTIES
• The Judge shall have all judicial powers and duties as provided in the Town’s Charter and ordinances and in the Colorado Revised Statutes applicable to municipal judges, except as otherwise provided by Charter or ordinance.
The Judge is authorized to exercise contempt powers, and enforce subpoenas issued by any board, commission, hearing officer, or other body or officer of the Town authorized by law or ordinance to issue subpoenas, and all other powers inherent with the office.
• The Municipal Court convenes for at least one (1) regular session of the Municipal Court on the first Wednesday of each month and more often as needed. Sessions of the Court are typically held at 9:00 A.M.
The Municipal Court complies with HB23-1182. Remote access is provided for the public to observe court proceedings.
TERM OF OFFICE
The term of office of the Municipal Court Judge would begin June 4, 2025 and expire on May 31, 2027, unless otherwise terminated by the Mt. Crested Butte Town Council.
• PARTICIPATION BY AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE TOWN
The Town expects that the Municipal Court Judge will preside over court in-person, keep abreast of current legislation and obtain
ongoing education and training, remaining current on all matters relating to municipal courts and municipal judges. Costs associated with these efforts may be shared with the Town with prior approval and as budgeted.
COMPENSATION
The Town will pay the Municipal Court Judge for judicial services rendered at a rate of $300.00 per court session or compensation set by the Town Council, the amount of which shall not be dependent upon the outcome or number of matters to be decided by the Municipal Court Judge.
• KEY-DATE (May 6, 2025)
The Town Council, at its discretion, may invite applicants to deliver a short presentation during the regular Town Council meeting on May 6, 2025 addressing the proposals submitted.
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED/ SUBMITTED
The following information must be included in your written proposal. It is important as it may be your only opportunity to present your qualifications.
• Name of the person who will be in charge of providing Municipal Court Judge services to the Town. This is the person who will be recommended for appointment to the position of “Municipal Court Judge” by the Town Council. A resume of this person’s background and experience should emphasize the municipal law experience of that person
and the level of responsibility in this area.
• Specific information on the certification, licensure/registration and continuing education training for the preceding calendar year, including such information as may be necessary to establish that the applicant is an active attorney at law admitted to practice in Colorado.
Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest that you may have in relation to the Town of Mt. Crested Butte.
Provide details regarding your existing workload and how you will fit this contract into your existing work priorities.
• Provide a list of references with whom you have worked in the past five (5) years. If you have provided municipal court judge services to municipal or government clients in the recent past, please submit municipal or government client references as well.
Each respondent’s proposal and bid should address the ability to perform this scope of work, along with the specific expertise, education, and experience.
The proposal should address the topics covered in Sections C and G and the municipal court judge’s ability to perform services within this operating framework.
• SELECTION
The Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive irregularities or informalities in proposals, and to re-advertise for proposals if desired. After considering proposals and information provided during the application process, the Town will select the
individual who is the most advantageous to the Town from the standpoint of service, previous experience, and ability to deliver or for any other reason deemed by the Town to be in the best interest of the Town.
The Municipal Court Judge Services Proposal must be received by the Town Clerk, Tiffany O’Connell, by 5:00pm, April 11, 2025, at PO Box 5800, Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225 or via email to toconnell@mtcb.colorado.gov.
Any proposal received after that date and time will not be accepted. In consideration of the environment, we request that your proposal should be black and white, two-sided copies without binders.
The Town of Mt. Crested Butte Judicial Subcommittee may perform an initial screening and may interview potential candidates. Finalist(s) will be selected for final interviews by the Town Council and may be asked to appear before Town Council on May 6, 2025.
The Town reserves the right to undertake its own investigation to evaluate any candidate.
The Town shall have the sole discretion to accept or reject any proposal. All proposals become the property of the Town upon receipt and will not be returned. Whether the proposal is accepted or rejected will not affect this decision.
The Town operates under applicable public disclosure laws. Proprietary information must be identified and will be protected to
the extent that is legally possible. Your costs in developing the proposal, attendance at any meetings relating to the proposal, and other costs relating to the proposal are your responsibility and will not be reimbursed by the Town.
The Town of Mt. Crested Butte thanks you for your interest in providing us with a proposal for Municipal Court Judge services. Please submit any questions regarding this RFP in writing and directed to the Town Clerk, as soon as possible after receipt of the RFP at the address below.
Tiffany O’Connell,
Paint pals
Artists crowded into the Gunnison County Library conference room for the March “Crafternoon” last Thursday. The group listened to soothing tunes while completing spring-themed paint-by-numbers artwork.
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
Faith Directory
Bethany Church
909 N Wisconsin St.
(behind Powerstop) • 970-641-2144
Two services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
FREE lunch for college students following the 10:30 a.m. service gunnisonbethany.com
9 a.m.: Family Service with nursery & children’s church
Check us out on YouTube at Gunnison Bethany.
B'nai Butte Jewish Congregation
PO Box 2537 Crested Butte, CO 81224 305-803-3648 bnaibutte@gmail.com
Serving the Jewish communities of Crested Butte, Gunnison and surrounging areas in Colorado.
For more details and locations go to bnaibutte.org
Spititual leader: Rabbi Mark Kula is available for you at RabbiMarkKula@gmail.com bnaibutte.org
Community Church of Gunnison
107 N. Iowa • 970-641- 0925
Pastor Larry Nelson
Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 a.m.
Weekend Services 9:30 a.m.
Nursery & Age-Graded Ministry Weekly Student Ministry
Weekly Adult LifeGroups
Office Hours: Mon-Thurs, 9-4
For more info: ccgunnison.com or email info@ccgunnison.com
Join us in-person, listen to our broadcast on 98.3 FM, or view online stream on YouTube Transforming Lives • Building Community
First Baptist Church
120 N. Pine St. • 970-641-2240
Pastor Jonathan Jones
SUNDAY
Sunday School at 10 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m. (during school year)
WEDNESDAY (during school year)
Truth Trackers Kids Club at 6:30 p.m. Youth Group for Teens at 7:30 p.m. firstbaptistgunnison.org.
Gunnison
Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
317 N. Main St. • 970-641-3203
Reverand Ian Wrisley
Welcoming, Open and Affirming, Building a Just world for All. Sundays, 10 a.m.
Fridays Meditation, 12:30-1 p.m.
“Come-as-You-Are” Worship gunnisonucc.org
Trinity Baptist Church
523 N. Pine St. • 970-641-1813
Senior Pastor - Joe Ricks
Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.
Adult Bible Study 8 a.m. trinitybaptistsgunnison.com
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church
711 N. Main • 970-641-1860
Senior Pastor Robert Carabotta
Assoc. Pastor Jacob With Childrens Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Adult Sunday School – Sunday 9 a.m.
Divine Service of the Word – Sunday 10 a.m.
Starting March 5 - Wednesday night service at 7pm.
St. Peter’s Catholic Church
300 N. Wisconsin • 970-641-0808 Fr. Andres Ayala-Santiago gunnisoncatholic.org crestedbuttecatholic.org or call the Parish Office.
St. Peter’s - Gunnison Sat 5 p.m. & Sun 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m. (Spanish) Mass
First Sunday of every month bilingual Mass 11 a.m.
Queen of All Saints - Crested Butte, 401 Sopris Sun 8:30 a.m. Mass St. Rose of Lima - Lake City Communion Service, Sun. at 10 a.m.
Church in the Barn 8007 County Road 887
Waunita Hot Springs Ranch • 970-641-8741 Sundays, 10:30 a.m. Non Denominational Come as you are.
Church of Christ
600 E. Virginia • 970-641-1588
Sunday Morning Bible Class: 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Sunday Evening Worship: 6 p.m.
Wednesday Night Bible Class: 7 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Gunnison Branch 810 N 11th St. 970-648-4804
Sacrament Meeting 10 a.m.
Attending church each Sunday is a respite from fast-paced daily living. Join us to worship God, strengthen your spiritual connections, and focus on Jesus. Worship with a community of people who are trying to be more Christlike and learn from each other.
The Good Samaritan Episcopal Church
307 W. Virginia Ave. • 970-641-0429
Rev. Laura Osborne, Vicar First Sunday of each month –11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Alternating at Good Samaritan and All Saints in the Mountains
Check our websites for location
Second Sunday-Fifth Sunday –9 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II Children’s Sunday school –2nd and 4th Sundays, monthly Office hours: M-TH 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Taize – 1st Wednesday, monthly - 7 p.m. goodsamaritangunnison.org
Visit our partnership church: All Saints in the Mountains, Crested Butte Meeting Second-Fifth Sundays at 5 p.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite II 403 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte
Visit our website for location of 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, First Sunday of each month allsaintsinthemountains.org
Lights & Sirens
CITY OF GUNNISON POLICE REPORT
MARCH 17
HARASSMENT: STRIKE SHOVE, KICK — 900 N. MAIN ST.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — VAN TUYL CIR.
MARCH 18
WARRANT SERVICE - OTHER JURISDICTION — E. OHIO AVE.
AGENCY ASSIST — CHIPETA CT. FRAUD - INFORMATION / WIRE — 720 N. COLORADO ST.
CIVIL PROBLEM — 401 S. BOULEVARD ST.
JUVENILE PROBLEM — E. TOMICHI AVE.
PROPERTY - FOUND — 910 W. BIDWELL AVE.
MARCH 19
PROPERTY - FOUND — 112 S. SPRUCE ST.
MARCH 20
CRIMINAL TRESPASS: FIRST DEGREE - RESIDENCE — 1418 ROCK CREEK RD.
THEFT: INTENDS TO PERMANENTLY DEPRIVE — 1005 W.
TOMICHI AVE.
ANIMAL - VICIOUS / DANGEROUS - MUNICIPAL — 710 N. BOULEVARD ST.
MARCH 21
THEFT — 306 N. 9TH ST.
JUVENILE PROBLEM — W. NEW YORK AVE.
MARCH 22
WELFARE ASSIST — E. TOMICHI AVE.
THEFT - UNDER $100 MUNICIPAL — 201 E. TOMICHI AVE.
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT: SECOND DEGREE-MORE THAN 24 HOURS — MM 158.6 E. TOMICHI AVE.
ACCIDENT - HIT & RUN — 711 W. RIO GRANDE AVE.
TRAFFIC - NPOI — 200 N. MAIN ST.
TRAFFIC - DISPLAY/POSSESS
FICTITIOUS NUMBER PLATES — 500 W. TOMICHI AVE.
MARCH 23
ANIMAL:WILDLIFE ISSUES — 15
IRWIN ST.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF - DAMAGE TO PROPERTY — 11TH ST.
GUNNISON COUNTY SHERIFF'S REPORT
MARCH 18
- Information report – paper service
- Agency assist to Colorado State Patrol – vehicle rollover
- Information report – citizens assist
MARCH 19
- Information report – panic alarm - Information report – landlord/tenant issue
MARCH 20
- Information report – VIN inspection
- Agency assist report to Gunnison Police Department
- Information report – welfare check
MARCH 21
- Agency assist report to Colorado State Patrol– car vs. deer
MARCH 22
- Agency assist report to Gunnison Police Department – stolen vehicle
MARCH 24
- In-county warrant arrest - Information report – vicious dog - Violation of protection order arrest
Preschool & LAKE SCHOOL OPEN
HOUSE
TUESDAY, APRIL 15 4-6:30PM
Preschool Registration Opens March 1. Kindergarten Registration Opens April 1. Tour the school - Come meet the teachers!
At the open house, technical and translation support will be available for those that need assistance applying for UPK preschool scholarships, kindergarten and/or preschool registration. For more info 970-641-7704
TO REGISTER VISIT: lake.gunnisonschools.net
Students must be 3, 4, or 5 years old respectively by August 1st to be eligible for our Preschool 3, Preschool 4, and Kindergarten entry.
La Inscripción Preescolar se abre el 1 de Marzo. La Inscripción para Kínder se abre el 1 de Abril. Recorre la escuela - ¡Ven a conocer a los profesores!
En la jornada de puertas abiertas, habrá apoyo técnico y de traducción disponible para aquellos que necesiten ayuda para solicitar becas de preescolar UPK, kindergarten y/o inscripción preescolar. Para más información 970-641-7704
Para registrarse visite: lake.gunnisonschools.net
Los estudiantes deben tener 3, 4 o 5 años respectivamente antes del 1 de agosto para ser elegibles para nuestra entrada a Preescolar 3, Preescolar 4 y Kindergarten.
UPK 4-Year-Old Scholarship Applications
Available Online Now AT upk.colorado.gov
JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF WINE, FASHION & FUN MARCH 27 AT 5 P.M.
Six downtown fashion stops with Buckel Family Wine tasting at each accompanied with curated bites provided by Natural Grocers. Honorees will receive a complimentary floral piece by Rocky Mountain Rose. Thank you to Kermode Consulting for assistance at the stops.
Congratulations to our 2025 Gunni Gals Honorees shown here. We are GRATEFUL for all you bring to the Gunnison Valley and for all our amazing ladies.
Stop by the registration table located in IOOF Park the day of starting at 5 pm to pick up your event entry form. Need more information, contact the chamber at 970 641 1501
COMMUNITY: Majestic raising funds to purchase building, B6
INFORMATÉ: Hispanic women who changed child care landscape, B8
The the in arena man
Shallbetter rises to professional rodeo stardom
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
Stephanie Shallbetter turned on the television and recited her prayers, one by one, in the same order she has since her son first climbed onto a bucking horse.
She fiddled with a piece of jewelry and watched as her boy, Coleman Shallbetter, mounted a bronco at the San Antonio Stock Show and wrapped his hand into the rope. But sitting there, eyes locked onto the screen, seconds before the horse erupted from the gate, she recalled memories of her
son cruising down the Western Colorado University sledding hill, wearing full chaps and spurs nearly 15 years ago.
“Buck off!” he’d yell while throwing himself into the air, pretending to ride a horse down the slope.
Eight seconds later and the cowboy wasn’t playing pretend anymore. Coleman celebrated a 90-point, first-place ride at one of the most prestigious professional rodeos in the nation last month.
This season, the 20-yearold has become a breakout star in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA).
He is currently leading the permit standings, racking in a total of $45,000 after taking firstplace in the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Now, he’s on
track to break records and kickstart his professional career.
Saddle bronc riding is a quintessential rodeo event, synonymous with the American frontier, and Gunnison’s cattlemen heritage. The sport began in the early 19th century, when cowboys broke wild horses, and competed to see who could stay in the saddle the longest. High scores were earned, not by clinging on for dear life, but by riding a thrashing horse with the most elegance and style.
The PRCA scores the event by awarding 50 maximum points to the horse, and 50 to the rider for a total combined score of 100. Horses earn points for how high they jump, how hard they kick and rapid directional changes. In order to earn a Coleman B2
GUNNISON COUNTRY TIMES • THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2025
Shallbetter drives his spurs forward at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver last January. (Courtesy Coleman Shallbetter)
Growing up on a Gunnison ranch, Coleman used La-Z-Boy recliners, barrels and fence posts to mimic broncos. (Courtesy Stephanie Shallbetter)
“THINKING LIKE WATER
WHEN Friday, April 18 5:30 pm WHERE Western UC Theatre University Center, Gunnison CO, 81230 (Parking Lot off Escalante Dr.)
FREE
EVENT
· DOOR PRIZES · EXHIBITS · REFRESHMENTS
FREE film screening of “Thinking Like Water, ” followed by a Q&A discussion & door prizes! The film, starting at 6:00 pm, highlights Upper Gunnison’s Wet Meadows Program, a multi-agency partnership working to build drought resilience in the Basin Join us to celebrate & learn more about restoring water resources in your Basin ! Come early to view exhibit tables & secure your free ticket to win a door prize ! Concessions will be available by donation & all proceeds will benefit the Food Pantry!
Coleman from B1
score, the cowboy must stay on for 8 seconds without touching the horse with his free hand.
The rider whips back and forth, using precise footwork, known as spurring, to find rhythm with the animal amidst the chaos. At its best, saddle bronc riding is a dance between expert horseman and powerful beast. But at its worst, an 8-second attempt can end prematurely with a mouthful of mud, and thundering hoofs whizzing past.
“Once you reach a certain ability, you can slow everything down in your mind. They might pull on you and pop your neck, and then you’re in time with the horse, and you can’t hear anything except you and the horse.”
Coleman Shallbetter Bronc rider
The rugged sport seemed to be embedded in Coleman’s genetics. He said he can’t quite remember a singular moment when his dream took root, but a hunger to compete atop a kicking horse has motivated him from his earliest years.
“Saddle bronc riding is more of a cowboy event, you have to be a better horseman and completely in tune with the horse,” Coleman said. “Once you reach
a certain ability, you can slow everything down in your mind. They might pull on you and pop your neck, and then you’re in time with the horse, and you can’t hear anything except yourself and the horse.”
Coleman grew up on a ranch, and practically in a saddle, on the outskirts of Gunnison. His father rode broncos in college, and by the age of 4, Coleman joined him branding cattle, breaking horses and riding long days on the ranch. As a child, he would climb high onto the arm of a La-Z-Boy recliner and simulate a bronco’s unpredictable movement.
Despite his parents best efforts to “delay” their boy’s dream of hopping on the back of a bucking horse, Coleman’s persistence proved fruitful at 16 years old when he started competing in high school rodeo. He hasn’t slowed down since.
“We tried to cut deals with him, and told him, ‘No, you’re not getting on this [horse] at 12 years old,’” Stephanie said. “But, when you have a dream like that, it feels like it’s destiny.”
Although Coleman’s saddle bronc career started later than other riders in professional rodeo, a crucial piece of
his master plan fell into place with a sponsorship. Gunnison business owners Brad and Judy Tutor began supporting the aspiring rodeo star in high school. The Tutors’ business, Turquoise Junction and the Gun Room, has been stitched onto his shirts since his early high school days.
“I could hardly stay on a bronc, and the Tutors were always backing me up,” Coleman said. “It’s always awesome to wear their patches, and say that’s where I’m from.”
Straight out of the gates, Coleman looked like a prodigy atop saddle broncs. He lit up high school leaderboards, and began earning top spots on the Mountain West Circuit in 2022. The cowboy scored a first-place 78 at the Colorado Deer Trail Rodeo, and an 87.25 at the State Pro Rodeo Finals in Montrose in 2022. The following year, he purchased his PRCA permit — an amateur status that allowed him to enter specific professional rodeos, and compete for money towards his PRCA membership.
Coleman’s blazing scores caught the attention of collegiate programs, and before long,
JESUS LORD
Coleman competes in front of his home crowd at the 2024 Cattlemen’s Days Rodeo in Gunnison. (Courtesy Coleman Shallbetter)
Coleman B3
The young cowboy removes a bridle from his horse on the outskirts of Gunnison. (Courtesy Francie Ivy)
the Gunnison kid hit the road for the heart of Texas. In 2024, he signed on to ride for Tarleton State University’s nationallyrecognized rodeo program in Stephensville.
Although only in his second semester of college, Coleman has balanced academics, collegiate competitions and now PRCA rodeos into his packed schedule. Yet somehow, the Gunnison native continues to raise eyebrows, and has gained a strong reputation as an electric up-and-comer.
“We’re insanely proud of him, and it’s been amazing to watch his skill and talent as a horseman,” Stephanie said. “But our pride comes from how hard he’s worked for this.”
Coleman opened his professional season with impressive results on the Colorado leg, earning a first-place score of 83.5 in Loveland last October. He achieved qualification for the San Antonio Rodeo with another first-place performance in Uvalde, Texas in November.
The ride of the year came last month in San Antonio. Coleman’s second-choice bronco, named Top Egyptian, burst out of the starting gate
Sled shred
and jolted clockwise, catapulting its four hooves high into the air. Coleman compressed backward, but found immediate unison with the animal. His legs whipped from the edge of the saddle all the way to the horse’s mane, and in 8 seconds, Coleman earned the slack-jaw score of 90 points. His performance secured first place in one of the top rodeos in the country, and a check for nearly $13,000.
Now on the edge of $50,000 this season, Coleman is on track to break the saddle bronc record for the most money earned on a permit. He plans to buy his PRCA membership card next year, and compete for a spot at the National Finals Rodeo, and ultimately, a national title as a rookie.
Despite the bright lights and growing fame surrounding the small-town kid, it seems it's his character, more than his skill on a bronco, that has made Gunnison the most proud.
“Coleman is an upstanding young man, with great morals and everything you want in a kid that’s representing your community,” Brad Tutor said. “Yesterday he was watching the big boys, but today he’s playing with them. The kid’s got this unbelievable drive, and he’s absolutely on fire.”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)
The sledding frenzy returned during the ninth annual Sleds and Kegs
for an afternoon of live
and local
and brews.
and
fundraiser party in Crested Butte on March 22. Over 100 attendees dressed in their wackiest attire
music
bites
Sleds
Kegs is a nonprofit that raises funds for local mental health initiatives, an animal rescue, Gunnison Valley watershed protection and scholarships for community members in need.
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
Practically raised in a saddle, Coleman helped out on the ranch as young as 4 years old. (Courtesy Stephanie Shallbetter)
ATTENTION
COUNTY ROAD 734/SLATE RIVER USERS
Effective March 18, 2025 County Road 734 (Slate River Road) will be under a 15-ton weight restriction from the intersection of CR 734 and CR 317 (Gothic Road) to the end of winter maintenance at the CR 734 trailhead, to protect the road from resource damage. The weight restriction will be lifted when conditions allow.
Please contact:
Gunnison County Public Works Department at 970-641-0044 with any questions.
GUNNISON COUNTY LANDFILL SATURDAY HOURS UPDATE
Please be advised that the Gunnison County Landfill will RE-OPEN ON SATURDAYS effective April 5, 2025. We are currently still within the sage grouse restriction period so Saturday hours of operation will be 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. until May 15, 2025 then will change to 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturdays.
If you have any questions please contact Gunnison County Public Works Department at 970-641-0044 or Gunnison County Landfill at 970-641-5522.
ATTENTION
COUNTY ROAD 38/ GOLD BASIN USERS
Philosophy meets fashion
Hausdoerffer brings ideas of kinship to PhotoVogue Festival
Seth Mensing Special to the Times
An environmental philosopher who owns two pairs of pants might seem like an odd person to help inspire the theme for Vogue’s annual photo contest.
But John Hausdoerffer’s ideas about the connections between the human and nonhuman world were the perfect fit for this year’s event, titled “The Tree of Life: A Love Letter to Nature,” which will celebrate the profound interconnectedness of humans, animals and ecosystems, according to the event’s website.
itself,” the event website says. “They will discuss how art — whether through words, photography, or movement — can awaken empathy and inspire us to care for a wildly entangled world of kin.”
As one of the photo contest’s judges, Hausdoerffer looked for photography that sees what others miss in the interactions between the human world and the life all around it.
“I really appreciate that PhotoVogue is honoring people who have made a lot of sacrifices to develop a craft and dedicate their profession to photographic art in a world where the photograph can get in the way of letting us see what's there,” he said. “Excellent photography enriches the way we see what's there.”
Effective March 18, 2025 County Road 38 (Gold Basin Road) will be under a 10 ton weight restriction from just beyond the end of the asphalt beginning at the parking area known as “Bambi Parking Area” south to the Saguache County line. This restriction will be lifted when conditions allow or May 15, 2025.
Please contact Gunnison County Public Works Department at 970-641-0044 with any questions.
The theme for Vogue’s ninth annual photo contest was inspired, in part, by the 2021 anthology “Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations,” which Hausdoerffer edited as part of a team from the Center for Humans & Nature, where he’s a fellow. In Kinship, Hausdoerffer and others explore the interconnection of all living things in five books through the lens of “Planet, Place, Partners, Persons, and Practice.”
During a panel discussion at PhotoVogue, Hausdoerffer and Gavin Van Horn, the executive editor at Humans & Nature Press, will talk about how having a relationship with the living things around us changes everything about how we exist in the world.
“Through shared stories, poems, and reflections, John and Gavin will illustrate how the practice of kinship is not only vital to our collective wellbeing but also a celebration of life
In addition to his role as founding chair of the philosophy department at Western, Hausdoerffer has co-founded several programs and initiatives at Western, including the Clark School of Environment and Sustainability, the Resilience Studies Consortium, the Headwaters Conference, and the Cold Harbour Institute.
As an environmental philosopher living on a severely altered planet, Hausdoerffer said he thinks photography that shows a sense of kinship is an important step toward helping people see that kinship is real.
“We know on a physical and ecological level that everything is interconnected. But we haven’t fully come to terms with it on a philosophical level,” he said. “How are we as humans part of the larger ecological community from which we evolved? We have continued to live out the illusion, with violent consequences, that we’re separate and above.”
(Seth Mensing is the media and communications manager at Western Colorado University.)
John Hausdoerffer speaks at a book signing event. (Courtesy Western Colorado University)
Budget basics class
Learn how to make the most of your money. April 24 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the NuVista Federal Credit Union. 205 N. Sydney St. To register call Karla Cline 970.497.5310. This class is free to attend.
Gunnison Rotary Club
Announcing the Gunnison Rotary Club Community Advancement Scholarship for Gunnison residents seeking advanced educational and/ or professional certification opportunities and need support with tuition. Applicants whose professional goals align with Rotary International Club priorities and plan to stay in Gunnison will be prioritized. Scholarships are available up to $3,000, and will be paid directly to the educational institution. Applications are due April 15 and can be accessed at bit.ly/ CommunityAdvancementApp.
Hands Off!
Join us April 5 from noon-2 p.m. at IOOF park for Hands Off! 2025. For more information visit handsoff2025.com.
Cheatgrass
Join us April 11 from 10 a.m.3 p.m. at the Gunnison Public Library to discuss the issue of Cheatgrass in the Gunnison Basin. Speakers include experts from various state and federal agencies. Topics will include biology, ecology and identification; treatment and restoration; practice calibrating and using a backpack sprayer. This is a free event and lunch is provided.
Wednesday Market in Lake City
In partnership with the Town of Lake City and Hinsdale County, Lake City DIRT Board of Directors is pleased to announce the summer 2025 Wednesday Market adjacent to Veteran’s Park from 9 a.m.2 p.m. for June-Sept. We are actively seeking vendors of fresh produce and handcrafted items. The application can be found at lakecitydirt.com. For more information, please email director@lakecitydirt.com or call 970.596.9071.
GUNNISON ARTS CENTER BRIEFS
The Moonlight Concert Series
Join us March 28 at 7 p.m. to rock out to Tiger Electric, a doowop garage, rock, surf, punk band from Gunnison Colorado. Our theater will be open and seats pushed back for a dancin’ good time.
Sculptural Ceramics Workshop
Join us March 29 and April 5 for 2 Saturdays of sculptural ceramics. This immersive session is perfect for those looking to explore the art of sculpting with clay. Guided by Hannah Willis’s expertise, you'll learn techniques for shaping, detailing, and firing clay to create a stunning, one-of-a-kind sculpture.
Mothers Day Broadway Bound Acting Camp
Join us for 6 Tuesdays starting April 1 through May 6 for a 6 week program for children 8-11 years old. In this 6 week program, kids will explore the world of live theater while developing foundational theatrical skills such as vocal projection, confidence and how to move meaningfully on stage. Together with instructor Macy Vinther, these performers will write, produce and perform in their own Mother’s Day themed play on the final day of class.
Beginner Oil Painting
Join us April 7-28 for 4 Mondays of oil painting for this beginner-friendly class
Sip Into Spring
Join Renee Newton of Montanya Distillery on March 27 at 6 p.m. for a hands-on cocktail seminar celebrating the bright, botanical side of rum. Perfect for cocktail lovers looking to refresh their repertoire, this session will leave you inspired to bring a little garden-to-glass magic to your next happy hour. The cost is $45.
Disco Inferno
Get ready to groove the night away at KBUT's annual Disco Inferno, happening on March 28. This community event invites you to don your most dazzling disco attire and dance
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a User’s Manual for Human Beings
to the hottest tracks spun by local DJs. The festivities will take place at the Center for the Arts, promising an awesome evening of music, dancing, and vibrant energy. All ages at 6 p.m. and 21+ at 8 p.m. The cost is $60.
Deadhead Ed’s End of Season Party
Get ready to groove, because the ultimate celebration is here on April 3 at 8 p.m. We're bidding farewell to the winter season with Deadhead Ed's End of Season Party with Easy Jim. All proceeds benefit the Crested Butte Community School Enrichment Program. The cost is $40-$60.
with Karolina Szumilas. Learn foundational techniques, from blending colors to creating textures, as you bring your artistic vision to life on canvas.
The Moonlight Concert Series
Join us April 18 at 7 p.m. for Jenny Hill Pankratz and Lizzy Plotkin. The pair have been making beautiful folk music together for over 10 years, inspired by the mountains. This special night will feature their performance, followed by Golden Shoals, who play lively old-time music with a modern twist.
On April 4 from 6-8 p.m. discover the diverse and elegant wines of France’s Loire Valley in this engaging class. We’ll explore the region’s unique terroir, learn about its famous varieties and discuss how its rich history influences winemaking. The cost is $50.
Wine Seminar: Wines of the Loire
Majestic Theatre to raise money for building purchase
Nonprofit seeks volunteers for new fundraising committee
Mariel Wiley Times Photo Editor
In Crested Butte, the transition between day and nighttime activities are separated by an evening lull. Skiers trundle home to peel off their soggy gear, while restaurant waitstaff muster up the energy for their late shifts. But some make the most of this twilight zone by settling in for a movie at the Majestic Theatre, popcorn in hand.
Following a pandemic-era closure, the Majestic Theatre reopened as a nonprofit in September 2022. The movie theater, located in Majestic Plaza next to Clarks, is coming up on its third lease renewal this August. But this year, the nonprofit hopes to raise funds to purchase their $3.4 million building, and is establishing a new committee to lead the charge.
“Where we live, we’re pretty cut off from the world in a lot of ways. A movie theater is a really simple way to make us feel like we’re not.”
Carrie Wallace Executive Director
Ownership would offer the Majestic some stability during what has become an uncertain time for movie theaters, especially small nonprofits in rural areas, said Executive Director Carrie Wallace. Ticket sales have been slow but steady, she said. The Majestic is not at risk of disappearing, but is always walking that “fine line” between recouping expenses and keeping costs affordable for customers.
“I really want it to be for locals first,” Wallace said. “Where we live, we’re pretty cut off from the world in a lot of ways. A movie theater is a really simple way to make us feel like we’re not.”
The cost of running a movie theater, especially a small operation like the Majestic, might seem shocking to some. Insurance and rent are the busi-
ness’ highest expenses, with an annual insurance bill totaling over $30,000 per year (and rising). Before Covid, monthly rent for the unit came in around $7,000 a month. Since then, it’s nearly doubled, largely due to the fact that the nonprofit rents most of their equipment as a part of their lease. This includes the projectors and popcorn machine, for which the Majestic still has to cover maintenance and upkeep out-of-pocket.
Despite soaring expenses, Majestic staff are dedicated to maintaining $14 movie tickets. Most single-item drinks and snacks available at concession range in price between $3.50 and $11. Rather than raise prices, the “plan of attack” involves establishing a volunteer-based committee to lead a fundraising campaign to purchase the property.
The committee is slated to meet for the first time in late March to start discussing different fundraising strategies. While Wallace is hopeful that members with fundraising, investing, commercial real estate or insurance backgrounds will share their expertise, all contributions are welcome.
“Anyone’s brain power to any amount is helpful to us,” Wallace said. “I had very little expertise when I started fundraising, and passion got us a lot of the way.”
Streaming vs. the silver screen
Like most theaters nationwide, the Majestic’s largest competitor is the prevalence of streaming platforms such as Hulu, Disney+ and Netflix. While live performances such as concerts and theater are nearly back pre-Covid turnout, movie theater attendance still has a long way to go, said Kate Markham, Managing Director of Art House Convergence.
Art House is a Chicago-based forum for small, independent nonprofit movie theaters across the country. The nonprofit has been an invaluable resource for the Majestic team, giving them access to educational webinars, data collection and conferences where they can connect and learn from other independent theater owners from around the nation.
Since the advent of streaming, theaters have struggled to compete with shorter premiere windows before new films are released on viewer’s screens at home. This compounded with the Writers Guild of America strike in 2023, which resulted in the delay of many original titles and a slew of sequels and remakes hitting theaters in their stead.
“The movie theater industry is in a really weird spot,” Wallace said. “Our community has demonstrated that there’s an intense need for the Majestic
and that people love having this space … We have all these things against us, and we either need people to come to movies 10 times more, or we need to figure out something so we can keep it the way we’ve been doing it.”
Theaters like the Majestic are a space where community members can come together — a benefit that steaming can’t provide. In addition to being a hub during the annual Crested Butte Film Festival, the Majestic offers private screening rentals year-round. These rentals are a crucial boost during slow seasons, whether they’re for a birthday party or business event, Wallace said.
“It’s just so heartwarming to me to watch the community
come together to watch something, whether it’s a new film or something old,” Markham said. “And then getting multiple generations of audiences in there … the grandma who was your babysitter when you were young, the kids from the cul-desac down the street. It’s just an incredible thing to observe.”
Going to a movie is a very “low-lift” activity that gets people out of the house and provides them with an opportunity to interact with their neighbors, should they choose to take it. A 2020 study equipped a theater full of strangers each with an Apple watch, leading researchers to discover that around the 40-minute mark of the film, all of the viewers’ hearts were beating in unison in response to the
shared emotional experience, Wallace said.
“It’s easy to overlook in this day and age, because we’re so bombarded with screens all the time,” Wallace said. “But I think there’s something really special about a movie and the shared experience”
More information about the Majestic’s new committee will be available by newsletter at cbmajestic.org.
(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@ gunnisontimes.com.)
The Majestic Theatre is located at 507 Red Lady Ave. Unit 110 in Crested Butte. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
Carrie Wallace assists customers during a November evening in 2023, shortly after the theater’s one-year reopening anniversary. (Photo by Jacob Spetzler)
(Photo by Bella Biondini)
Mujeres hispanas que cambiaron el panorama del cuidado infantil
Laura Cardozo Special to the Times
Paola Tapias ha transformado su casa en un espacio seguro y confiable para el cuidado infantil. Tiene bajo su responsabilidad el cuidado de doce niños entre cuatro y siete años.
Tras emigrar de México y experimentar dificultades para encontrar cuidado adecuado para sus hijos, decidió que cuidaría de ellos hasta que estuvieran más adaptados al cambio cultural.
Sin planearlo, la casa de Paola, se hizo popular dentro de la comunidad hispanohablante en Gunnison. "Algunos de mis vecinos y conocidos enfrentaban una situación similar y me pedían que por favor los ayudara cuidando a sus hijos", comentó.
Ahora, la casa de Paola abría las puertas para recibir a niños cuyos padres confiaban en ella para el cuidado de sus hijos. Pero ella sabía que esa responsabilidad debía ir acompañada de un respaldo que la acreditara para cumplir con este nuevo proyecto que se había planteado.
Fue entonces cuando por sugerencia y ayuda de su mentora, Mayte Burton, del departamento de recursos humanos del condado, Paola obtuvo su licencia como proveedor de cuidado infantil, convirtiéndose en la primera mujer hispana acreditada como "home daycare" en Gunnison.
Paralelamente, Mayte y Paola, identificaron una oportunidad para que las mujeres hispanas lideraran iniciativas comunitarias. Según Burton: "desde el departamento de recursos humanos, se gestionó una beca con la universidad, Colorado Mesa University, para
certificar a las mujeres interesadas en el cuidado de la primera infancia.
Fue así como Paola Tapias y Lorena Mosquera, abogada colombiana, comenzaron el proceso de acreditación en "Development Associate Bilingual Early Childhood Education" por su nombre en inglés, o en español "Asociada Bilingüe En Desarrollo y Educación Infantil".
Durante los ocho meses que recibieron clases virtuales, superaron destacablemente las barreras del idioma que pensaron sería su mayor desafío y cumplieron con todas las exigencias y evaluaciones que el programa requería para ser acreditadas.
Lorna Mosquera, encontró en esta acreditación nuevas posibilidades para ella y su familia, con quien había llegado desde Colombia hace poco más de tres años. Según cuenta la misma Lorena, agradece no haberse rendido a mitad de camino, pues esta acreditación le permitió comenzar a trabajar en Paradaise Place Preschool, un centro de cuidado infantil en Crested Butte y pronto fue propuesta por los mismos padres de familia como la directora general gracias a su disciplina y pasión.
"Como mujer inmigrante, no pensé que esta certificación me condujera a la posición que tengo ahora", comentó Lorena, quien continúa su formación a través de becas que ha obtenido.
Por otro lado, Paola logró ampliar su capacidad de atención. Actualmente cuida de doce niños para los que prepara actividades diarias de aprendizaje y recreación, adaptadas a las diferentes edades. "No solo cuido niños, intento enseñar-
les", Comentó.
Con el tiempo, Paola y Lorena han aprendido que el cuidado de infantil es una labor exigente, donde se juntan la educación, el cuidado físico y emocional de los niños.
Tanto Paola Tapias como Lorena Mosquera coinciden al afirmar que hay mucha demanda de personas que necesitan encontrar cuidadores para sus hijos. Invitan a las mujeres de la comunidad hispana a hacer parte de este tipo de proyectos que demuestran aportes significativos en espacios vacíos donde pueden ocupar un rol importante en el desarrollo comunitario.
¿Estás pensando en comprar o vender tu casa en Gunnison?
Soy tu agente local de bienes raíces. Hablo español y estoy aquí para ayudarte. ¡Contáctame hoy para una consulta gratis y sin compromiso!
(Laura Cardozo es una escritora radicada en Gunnison.)
Lorena Mosquera with her students. (Courtesy Lorena Morquera)
Hispanic women changing Valley child care
Laura Cardozo Special to the Times
Paola Tapias has transformed her home into a safe and reliable space for child care. She is responsible for the care of 12 children between the ages of 4 and 7.
After emigrating from Mexico and experiencing difficulties finding adequate care for her children, she decided to care for them herself until they were better adapted to the cultural change.
Without planning it, Tapias’ home became popular within the Spanish-speaking community in Gunnison.
"Some of my neighbors and acquaintances were facing a similar situation and asked me to please help them by caring for their children," she said.
Soon, her home opened its doors to receive children whose parents trusted her with their
care. But she knew that this responsibility should be accompanied by credentials that would accredit her to fulfill this new project she had set for herself.
It was then, with the suggestion and help of her mentor, Mayte Burton, from the Gunnison County’s Health and Human Services department, that Tapias obtained her license as a child care provider, becoming the first Hispanic woman accredited as a "home daycare" in Gunnison.
In parallel, Mayte and Tapias identified an opportunity for Hispanic women to lead community initiatives.
"From the human resources department, a scholarship was arranged with Colorado Mesa University to certify women interested in early childhood care," Burton said.
This is how Tapias and Lorena Mosquera, a Colombian
lawyer, began their accreditation process in "Development Associate Bilingual Early Childhood Education" or "Asociada Bilingüe En Desarrollo y Educación Infantil" in Spanish.
During eight months of training, they received virtual classes, remarkably overcame the language barriers that they thought would be their biggest challenge and met all the requirements and evaluations that the program required to be accredited. Mosquera found new possibilities in this accreditation for herself and her family, with whom she had arrived from Colombia a little over three years ago.
Mosquera said she is grateful for not having given up halfway, as this accreditation allowed her to start working at Paradise Place Preschool, a child care center in Crested Butte. She was soon proposed by the parents
themselves as the general director thanks to her discipline and passion.
"As an immigrant woman, I did not think this certification would lead me to the position I have now," said Mosquera, who continues her education through scholarships she has obtained.
Meanwhile, Tapias managed to expand her care capacity. She currently cares for 12 children for whom she prepares daily learning and recreational activities, adapted to the different ages.
"I don't just care for children, I try to teach them," she said.
Over time, both women have learned that child care is a demanding job, where education, physical and emotional care of children come together. They agree that there is high demand from people who need to find caregivers for their children. They invite women from
the Hispanic community to be part of these types of projects that demonstrate significant contributions in vacant spaces where they can play an important role in community development.
(Laura Cardozo is a freelance writter based in Gunnison.)
JOIN OUR TEAM!
Sienna Gomez and Angela Hindes hurdle over Shane Mensing and Jackson Dalleck. (Photo by Mariel Wiley)
Girls golf ready to tee off
Juniors Tomlin and Pederson to lead young core
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
Legendary golfer Bobby Jones is credited with comparing his sport to the game of life. Sometimes good shots end up in awful lies, other times terrible hooks and slices end up on the green. But ultimately, in the game of golf, it’s not about competing against others, but against the course, the conditions and yourself. These are the lessons the GHS golf team is aiming to learn from with a young roster this spring.
“I’ve learned that golf is such a mental game,” said junior captain Aiden Tomlin. “You can’t get into your head, because it will only stress you out. I always tell myself to only focus on myself, not what other girls are doing, not to overthink things and to have fun.”
The Cowboys bid farewell to multi-year captain Allie Schwartz last year. But before her departure, the former senior led the team at the state tournament in Loveland. Despite slick greens and difficult conditions, the tournament provided valuable experience to the two returning captains this season, Tomlin and Faith Pederson.
Though only juniors, Pederson and Tomlin put
together top performances last spring. Tomlin has already competed at the state level twice. She will use her experience, and team-leading scores to mentor an aspiring group of underclassmen, and hopefully, earn a spot on a collegiate roster one day.
“We really want to welcome everybody, even if you don’t have experience coming onto the team,” Tomlin said. “Having the muster to go out for golf is awe-inspiring in itself, so we’re all really inclusive and encouraging.”
Alongside the junior captains, Norah Abila returns to the links after an impressive showing her freshman year. The sophomore came narrowly close to breaking triple-digits last spring, and gained first-hand experience playing alongside veterans Schwartz and Tomlin.
With weather conditions cooperating this spring, the girls will return to the practice facility at Dos Rios Golf Club earlier than expected, and compete in the opening tournament on March 31 in Grand Junction.
But the warm temperatures aren’t the only morale boost. Last season, the girls’ home tournament was cancelled due to a heavy snowpack and the Blue Mesa middle bridge closure. The Dos Rios tournament will return on May 5, with tee times set for 9:30 a.m. It will be the Cowboys’ only home event of the season before the regional and state tournaments in May.
2025 GIRLS GOLF ROSTER
Juniors:
Aiden Tomlin
Faith Pederson
Anastasia Harvey
Kaylee Vincent
Sophomores:
Reese Japuntich
Althea Stansbery
Kaya Burnett
Abby Hulick
Natalia Sabino
Mia Rodriguez
Norah Abila
Abby Willett (CB)
Katie Maltby (CB)
Lily O’Connell
Freshmen:
Jaz Besecker
Adelaida Romero
Delaney Diamond
Addison Claus
Josie Vollendorf
Isabella Danni (CB)
Dalilah McDermott
Lily
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
byAlex
(Photo
McCrindle)
Chasing records and leading from the front
GHS track and field gears up for spring
Alex
McCrindle Times Sports Editor
After a multi-year rebuild, the GHS track and field team boasts a stout group of seniors hungry to finish on the podium this season. Fourth-year leaders Angela Hindes, Sienna Gomez, Jemma Petrie and Jackson Dalleck are ready to lead the growing program toward state championship glory.
Head Coach Stacey Mickelson said the team's balance between an experienced senior class, and a large squad of underclassmen makes an ideal recipe for program growth.
“This is a really important season for this group … It will be great for the younger kids to see how we run things, and for our seniors to show them how to be successful going forward,” Mickelson said.
Last season, star distance runner Madelyn Stice notched a seventh-place finish in the 1600meter, and 10th in the 3200. Petrie placed right behind her in the 3200, taking 12th overall. Jumpers Gomez and Lee Brunsting also finished high in the triple jump, finishing 12th and 17th.
Hindes achieved the top placement for the Cowboys in the high jump with a height of 5-feet, 1-inch. The senior has since signed a letter of intent to jump at Houston Christian University next fall, but still has high school goals to check off before making the collegiate leap.
“My goal since my freshman year is to break the school record in the long jump,” Hindes said. “I want to keep pushing myself, and have been hitting the gym trying to get up there.”
Unfortunately, Stice will sit out the majority of the season with a lingering foot injury. Whether she will compete this spring is yet to be determined. But still, Stice signed on to run with Colorado State University, and will work to recover before the fall collegiate season.
Without Stice, the Cowboy distance athletes will turn to cross country breakout star Jackson Dalleck to finish high on the leaderboards. The senior exploded during the cross country season this fall, and finished eighth at state. Now, Dalleck will hope to catch lightning in a bottle again, and return to the podium on the track.
The Cowboys shined straight out of the gates this month. Hindes took first in the high jump at the Banana Belt Classic in Pueblo on March 15, while Gomez finished second in the
2025 TRACK AND FIELD SCHEDULE
Date
March 8
March 15
March 29
5
April 18
April 25
May 2
3
May 9
15
16
17
long jump, and Petrie notched fourth in the 1600-meter. The fast and furious season will conclude May 15-18 at the state meet in Denver.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
PROUDLY SUPPORTING ATHLETES IN THE GUNNISON VALLEY
(Photo by Mariel Wiley)
GHS baseball aims for new heights
Stacked senior class eager for playoff run
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
This spring, the GHS baseball team is determined to break its nearly decade-long duck and make it past the first round of the playoffs. But whether or not the Cowboys reach their goal, Head Coach Tom Percival has set his standards clear.
“We try to get better every day,” Percival said. “We can’t control what the end result will be. But we can control what we do in the classroom and in the weight room. Our seniors will leave a legacy that way — because everybody wants to go to the state championship, but that won’t happen until we do the little things.”
Last season, scrappy seniors Hunter Vincent and Mason Williams led the Cowboys to a 12-11 overall record. The year ended with a first-round defeat to powerhouse Forge Christian. Despite the early-postseason exit, GHS put together strong showings against Roaring Fork in a 6-5 win, and went toe-totoe with an impressive Coal Ridge side.
This year, GHS turns to a burly group of upperclassmen. Cleanup hitter Grady Buckhanan, and battle-tested pitcher Talon Kibler will headline the senior class seven players strong. Fourth-year catchers Marshall Spann and Rylee Berry will lead the defense from behind the plate, and importantly, the Cowboys boast a deep pitching rotation. Senior Kellan Yoder returns to the mound, alongside junior Cesar Marmolejo and junior football quarterback Ethan Pierce.
“My goal this season is to create a family-like bond on this team, that everyone wants to be around,” Kibler said. “It has been hostile in the past, and we just want to come together and enjoy every moment together.”
Unlike previous years, the Cowboys enjoyed a longer preseason on the GHS baseball field because of the light snow coverage. Instead of catching fly balls in the parking lot, or hitting in batting cages, the boys have practiced ground balls on their diamond, and live pitches from the mound. The preseason made for an improved morale, Percival said, and also seemed to kickstart early performances.
Buckhanan opened the regular season batting five-for-five in an away win against Rye on March 8. In Percival’s memory,
Ethan Pierce
Talon Kibler
Ryder Vincent
Marshall Spann
Grady Buckhanan
Holden Vickers
Rylee Berry
Cody Casebolt
Kellan Yoder
Landon Miller
Jack Stone
Parker Vick
Nolan Frymore
Cesar Marmolejo
Kahne Chippini
Jorge Perez
Deegan Bennett
it was the first opening season game without any defensive errors. GHS capitalized three days later with a hard-fought win over Cedaredge, and traveled to a warm-weather tournament in Arizona over spring break. Scores were not available by press time. The Cowboys will open their home campaign against Basalt on April 12.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
(Photo by Mariel Wiley)
2025 BASEBALL ROSTER
A new era for Titans lacrosse
Postseason or bust for rising seniors
Alex McCrindle Times Sports Editor
The Crested Butte Titans varsity lacrosse program is only three years old, but this season, an exciting senior class aims to take it to new heights.
Despite an up-and-down 2024 season, where the Titans earned a 6-9 overall record, and finished fourth in the 4A Mountain League, Head Coach Carter Brock believes this year’s leaders could set a new standard for Crested Butte lax.
“We showed a lot of resilience, and there is a lot to look forward to in this upcoming season,” Brock said last season. “But it will be our junior and sophomore core that will gain
experience and grow the program.”
This spring, the same junior core suits up as senior leaders. Led by Fraser Birnie, Rowan Dishmon and Colten Huisman, the Titans are bonded by a single goal: to make the playoffs for the first time as a varsity program. But first, the boys must traverse a tricky league schedule and face the Grand Junction Tigers, and a Telluride Miners team that finished 10-0 in the league last season.
Now boasting three years of varsity experience, the Titans are confident their chemistry on the field will propel them forward.
“We have a strong brotherhood, compared to past seasons,” Dishmon said. “We want to build a culture of lacrosse in the valley. We’re working on our fundamentals and stick skills, and we have a lot of new guys, which is great for the future of the program.”
The Titans prepared for the 2025 season with a frosty scrimmage in the snow against the Western Colorado University club lacrosse team last month. The biting wind and seasoned opposition made for a strong showing in the first game against Eagle Valley on March 8. Birnie led the Titan attack with four goals, junior Dawson Eastep added a hattrick and Luke Walton beat the goalie twice in the 9-8 win.
The Titans fell in back-toback games against league rivals Fruita Monument and Montrose on March 13 and 15, and hosted Telluride at home on March 20. Scores were not available by press time. The losses moved the boys to a 1-2 start to the year, and 0-2 in the league.
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@ gunnisontimes.com.)
(Photo by Mariel Wiley)
Sunset sakka
A Japanese bridge women’s soccer team wrapped up its Gunnison visit on March 27 after playing scrimmages against the GHS boys soccer team, and Western Colorado University women’s team. The bridge program brings a group of college-aged, female soccer players to the U.S. every year. The players hosted a soccer clinic at the start of the week, and concluded it with classroom visits at Gunnison Elementary School.
Mustang wrestling stars at state
The Gunnison Middle School wrestling teams capped off the 2025 season in style, notching top placements at the state tournament on March 22 and 23. Tea Waggoner and Makayla Singer took fifth place in their respective weight classes. A sixth-place podium from Evony Orellana propelled the girls team to 10th place overall finish. Braedyn Anderson led the boys team with a fifth-place result, closing out a strong performance for the Mustang grapplers.
(Photos by Mariel Wiley)
(Courtesy Kenny Anderson)
Care designed for ... Healthy Skin
DERMATOLOGY SERVICES
Your skin deserves expert care. At Gunnison Valley Health, we’re excited to bring advanced dermatology services right here to the valley. From routine skin checks to specialized treatments, we’re here to keep your skin healthy and thriving.
Dr. Nickolas Poulos is a board-certified dermatologist with expertise in:
At Gunnison Valley Health, we’re making it easier than ever to prioritize your skin health with expert care, less wait times and convenient locations.
• Skin Cancer Treatment: Early detection and Mohs surgery.
• Medical Dermatology: Care for acne, eczema, psoriasis and more.
• Cosmetic Services: Botox® injections.
Dr. Poulos will have clinics in Gunnison and Crested Butte:
• GVH Specialty Clinic at the hospital: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
• Gunnison Valley Orthopedics in Crested Butte: Tuesdays