2020-07

THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO

July 2020

& Marble Times

TheCrystalValleyEcho.com

Free

Ready for a Sweet Treat?

FoxBerry Sweets now available for cookies, pastries, custom cakes and more! Turn to page 6 for the full story.

Photos provided by Katie Lowery.

Page 2 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

What’s your vision for REDSTONE PARK? Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is kicking off the redesign of Redstone Park! We need your input!

Please share your design thoughts for Redstone Park:

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1. Draw or label your ideas on the map.

2. Write your dream for the park in the idea bubble.

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3. Submit your ideas by July 31st: Email a photo of this page to jessie.young@pitkincounty.com OR Tear this page out and drop it off at Propaganda Pie. This is the first step in gathering community input. To sign up for project updates or if you are interested in serving on a Steering Committee, please submit your info below or visit: www.pitkinOSTprojects.com

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Skate Shed/Storage (can be moved)

Bathrooms

Pavilion (can be moved)

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Museum

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Bridge to Elk Park

Email (to stay informed):_____________________________ Name (Optional): _______________________________

Check if interested in being on the Steering Committee

July 2020 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 3

THE CRYSTAL VALLEY ECHO & Marble Times

Mission Statement: To provide a voice for Crystal Valleyites;

to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life.

Editor • Gentrye Houghton Publisher • Ryan Kenney CONTRIBUTORS Charlotte Graham • Amber McMahill

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DISTRIBUTION

The Crystal Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout the Crystal Valley.

NEWSPAPER BOX LOCATIONS:

Carbondale City Market (inside) • Village Smithy Carbondale Post Office • Redstone Inn Propaganda Pie • Marble Hub

We have buyers looking for properties.

Inventory is low. Interest rates are very good.

It’s a great time to sell and to purchase.

FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS

Chris Lawrence • 970.309.4605 | Jeff Bier • 970.379.0523

Please send $40 for print or $25 for digital editions along with address information to:

The Crystal Valley Echo 364 Redstone Blvd.

Redstone, CO 81623

TheCrystalValleyEcho.com

mountainproperties.com

Local Author Publishes Memoir A new book has been released from the author of This Cursed Valley, a historical novel set primarily in the Crystal River Valley in the heart of Colorado’s Western Slope.

Recently published, Larry K. Meredith’s Real, Rural: Growing Up Rural in the 1950s details life during the decade following the end of World War II, especially among individuals who were growing up in rural America during that time.

Built around incidents, memories and attitudes of Meredith’s own life in that decade, along with that of many of his friends and classmates, Real, Rural examines the issues faced by young people living in or near a very small town in central Kansas. It examines national issues such as Civil Rights, nuclear concerns, McCarthyism, the Korean War, and other issues. It compares rural life to urban living in terms of educational and recreational opportunities, exposure to the fine arts, and other life experiences including jobs and careers.

Real, Rural considers the whole of the 1950s, not only from a rural point of view, but also from the perspective of anyone who grew up during the decade and was concerned about national and international events, attitudes and conflicts, and how they affect the individual. The 1950s have been described by many as bland and unexciting. However, Meredith explores the many way the decade affected the quality of life in America in ways that continue to this day.

Prior to these changes, Lisa Wagner paddles out on Beaver Lake on a snowy morning.

Regulatory notification now located at Beaver Lake.

Regulatory Changes Affecct Beaver Lake Access A valid hunting or fishing license is now required for everyone 18 or older attempting to access any State Wildlife Area or State Trust Land leased by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, beginning July 1.

Beaver Lake in Marble is a State Wildlife Area acquired with the use of hunter and angler funds. According to the Marble Community Facebook, the relatively low cost of one of these licenses is a great way to show your support for places and space you love.

This means that all users, including Standup Paddleboarders and dog walkers alike, looking to access the lake must hold a current Colorado hunting or fishing license.

The rule change was adopted unanimously on April 30 by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.

During the meeting, Southeast Regional Manager Brett Ackerman told the commission that “this rule is aimed at curtailing non-wildlife-related use of these properties.”

Ackerman emphasized that “as with all new regulations, especially one as far-reaching as this, our policy is to first educate. Especially when talking to constituent users of state wildlife areas, we want to help people understand why we’re taking this action.

“We’re not seeking to catch people off guard and write them tickets,” he continued. “We just want to curtail Meredith, who now lives near Redstone, Colo., believes the ‘50s were a signifi- non-wildlife use of these properties and return them to their original intended purpose.” cant time in which the groundwork was laid for a prosperous and economically sound America.

Page 4 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

Vintage Valley

EARLY TRANSPORTATION EFFORTS IN THE CRYSTAL RIVER VALLEY

The Ute Indians, the only Native Americans indigenous to Colorado, became some of the first Native Americans to acquire the horse. They soon called themselves “people of the horse” and were able to explore their mountain kingdom, including the Crystal Valley, more easily.

PART I

All materials provided by the Redstone Historical Society.

As we cruise through the Crystal River Valley taking in the beautiful sights from the comfort of our modern vehicles it is easy to lose sight of the fact that it hasn’t always been quite this easy.

In fact, in the distant - and even not-so-distant - past it was downright difficult.

In the beginning, when the first humans explored the valley, it was done on foot. The first Native Americans to claim this area as their own were the Ute Indians, who were, of course, afoot.

Around 1637, as one story goes, some Utes were held captive by the Spanish in Santa Fe, New Mex. They escaped and took with them Spanish horses, thus making the Utes one of the first Native American tribes to acquire the horse. However, tribal historians often say the Utes acquired the horse as early as the 1580s.

The Utes soon called themselves “the people of the horse.” On horseback, they were able to move more easily throughout their mountain kingdom, including the Crystal Valley. Handling horses became not only a tradition and a survival skill but also a practical method of transportation.

Ferdinand Hayden passed through the Crystal Valley for the U.S. Geological Survey during his trek in the West in 1873 and 1874. He summarized all travel routes in the Colorado territory and concluded that the Ute Trail down the Crystal was “one of the principal Indian trails in the [Colorado] territory.”

Even the first mountain men and prospectors came on foot. They came long before they were “officially” allowed into the territory of the Utes, especially when valuable ore was discovered along the Front Range and later in the “Colorado Mineral Belt” which runs from the La Plata Mountains in southwestern Colorado to near Boulder. Nearly 800-tons of gold were extracted from this “belt” beginning in 1858.

Early roads in the area were rough and often dangerous. Some of them still are, as evidenced by this photo (taken by the author in the 1980s) of a Jeep trip on Schofield Pass above Crystal City.

The Ute’s territory had become smaller and smaller due largely to negotiated treaties, such as the 1863 agreement which granted the Utes permanent reservation lands which included the Crystal Valley “for as long as rivers might run and grasses might grow.” Even then, more and more “white men” were exploring the mountains in search of wealth. They came on foot and horseback.

In the mid-1880s, the Crystal River Toll Company built a road along the river toward Redstone. The ultimate goal was to reach Crystal City, a mining town far above Marble at the south end of the valley. However, that part of the toll road wasn’t completed until 1907.

The promise of the treaty was soon forgotten.

By then, another new and modern method of transportation in the valley was being considered. Railroads would soon be a common sight along the Crystal River and would herald a new and bold future for men with courage and vision – men like J. C. Osgood, who would make the town of Redstone and nearby coal mines his crowning achievement.

As early as 1859 the north-south boundary of the Ute reservation bisected the Crystal Valley and the area was officially off-limits to prospectors.

Colorado became a state in 1876 and the Utes were driven from the area in 1880. In May of that year, the Aspen Weekly Times quoted a County Commissioner: “Nothing is more important in the development of the resources of a county than good wagon roads,” he said.

“There are two important sections of our county that need wagon roads. These are Conundrum Gulch and Rock Creek above Hot Springs and we intend to do all we can for them this year.” (At that time, the Crystal River was known as Rock Creek.)

The following month, in June, the Weekly Times reported that the first Pitkin County Assessor had hiked up the Crystal Valley from Thompson’s Ranch (aka Sewell or Sunfire Ranch) to the [Penny] Hot Springs and noted that “the trail is in very bad condition, almost impossible to get over, and the Commissioners should do something in regard to fixing it.”

In 1890, a wagon road was constructed on the river above Marble, through the Devil’s Punch Bowl, to the town of Crested Butte.

Stagecoaches were by then the fastest, if not the most comfortable, form of transporting both passengers and mail. A stage line also ran from Carbondale, then called Satank, and the trip included a stop at a log building across the river from Penny Hot Springs at the north end of Filoha Meadow.

In the meantime, during the long winter months, snowshoeing was often the only means of travel.

PART II OF THIS SERIES WILL EXAMINE THE VALLEY’S RAILROADS. Larry K. Meredith is the author of This Cursed Valley, a novel about the Crystal River Valley from 1880 to the 1930s, Cast A Giant Shadow: Hollywood Movie Great Ted White and the Evolution of American Movies and TV in the 20th Century, and Real, Rural: Growing Up Rural in the 1950s.

WANTED The Redstone Historical Society Wants You!

Join Us! www.History.RedstoneColorado.org HistoryRedstone@gmail.com

July 2020 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 5

Dorias Way & Filoha Meadow Access Update Like many things this summer, access to Filoha Meadow along with the regularly scheduled explorations from the Roaring Fork Conservancy (RFC) have all changed. What makes these changes different is that they have very little to do with COVID-19.

Traditionally, Filoha Meadow Open Space has been accessible for public use from July 1 - September 30 through a route past the Redstone Campground and onto the trail easement through the Wild Rose Subdivision. Yet, last summer, the Rock Creek Association (RCA), consisting of 12 homeowners living along Dorais Way, just north of Redstone, acquired a deed from Mid-Continent Coal and Coke Company for the road. By early fall, new gates and signs had been installed alerting patrons that the road, and thus access to Filoha Meadow, was closed.

In January, Pitkin County filed a complaint in the local district court seeking to re-open the historic public access to this route.

“The complaint was dismissed by a motion put forth by the RCA due to a jurisdictional defect in the County’s claim,” said Ryan Jarvis, attorney for the RCA.

Redstonian Rob Hunker enjoying an early morning paddle on Beaver Lake after the last snow in June!

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“COVID does slow the court proceedings down, but the case is still moving forward,” Gary Tennenbaum, Open Space and Trails Director (OST), wrote in an email to The Crystal Valley Echo.

Last month, the County refiled its complaint in the federal district court.

The County is not currently encouraging the public to access Filoha Meadows via Dorais Way. “The Dorais Way gate will limit public access from Redstone,” wrote Tennenbaum. “The Roaring Fork Conservancy tours will be the main way to access Filoha Meadows this summer.”

RFC is offering three evening programs in the month of July as well as three daytime programs in August and September. “The biggest change is the access point, as you know,” said Liza Mitchell, Natural Resources Planner and Ecologist with OST, “so all programs will involve a longer walk, as well as smaller group size for public health precaution.”

These programs remain free to the public and registration for each event opens three weeks prior. Group sizes are limited to 6-10 people depending on the program, so register early by visiting roaringfork.org/events.

2020 Roaring Fork Conservacy Events at Filoha Meadows: • Evening Explorations July 6, 13, 20 Starting at 7:30 p.m.

• Family Explorations August 4, 12, and September 23 Starting at 9:30 a.m.

Great Sunday morning services AND SO MUCH MORE!

Marble Community Church Traditional Worship Sundays at 10:00 a.m. - Pastor Jon Stovall 970.9631464 - www.marblecommunitychurch.org

Page 6 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

Katie Lowery on FoxBerry Sweets If you know Katie Lowery, you might describe her as a multi-tasking pro, a woman who rarely sits still, and an artist. She’s vivacious, naturally fun to be around, her joy is infectious, and her voice transforms into a sultry purr when she’s feeling especially creative.

She has especially perfected the art of creating immensely delicate French Macrons. “Every batch comes out different,” Lowery’s eyes widen with anxiety. “I can totally bomb one batch and the next one will come out perfect.

“They’re particularly challenging at “As a kid, I can remember making our elevation,” she continued. “You cakes for my family and decorating can over whip them or whip ‘em too them,” Lowery explains but says little. There might be a little too much it wasn’t until about four years or too little humidity that day. You Gentrye Houghton ago, while she was working in the might over bake one day and under bakery at Whole Foods, that she gained the bake the next; you just never know, each batch confidence and experience to go out on her is totally different.” own.

Lowery said she looked at the little two-inch “I had just gotten a divorce and needed to cookies at Whole Foods that were selling for find a job,” she said. “I applied there knowing $3, and thought, I can do that!

I’d always wanted to work in a bakery, and I needed a new start.”

She came to Redstone in 2003 when her daughter was just a month old. These days In the beginning, she was baking bread, Lowery juggles working full-time as a Guest pastries, and cookies before progressing to Services Representative at Red Hill Animal cakes under her mentor, Anna.

Health Center in Lowery laughs, coyly, “Anna’s Carbondale; raisPolish, I think, but from Chicago, ing two teenagand I’ve never been to pronounce ers, Brook-Lynn much less spell her last name. and Sawyer, She was fierce! who both attend school online “Anna used to tell me to try and at home; she care less about what the customer helps out at the wants and do what I want. I can Redstone Inn still hear her when I make both behind the buttercream roses, ‘Always make desk and somean odd number of pedals,’ but times filling-in as then I don’t. And I make them a bookkeeper; all the way I want!” the while following her passion Logo designed by Aldon Laufeyjarson Lowery said that she thoroughly for custom cake enjoys producing custom cakes but that the decorating and fulfilling orders under her new process is extremely stressful. company: FoxBerry Sweets.

“It’s a challenge, and I love it. I get to overcome something every time I step into the kitchen.”

“Before, I had Katie’s Front Door and focused on wreaths, crocheted items, and candles,” she explains with an air of exasperation, “as I was

"Could be one of my favorite cakes I've ever made. This one turned out so cute!" comments Lowery on FaceBook.

realizing that cakes were my real passion, it all got to be too much with the crafting and I was just done with it.”

When asked about FoxBerry Sweets, she shifts to sit on the edge of her seat and says that she’s always had an affection for foxes which started with her great-grandmother Alice, who passed away when she was nine.

“After she was gone, I would visit her gravesite back in Dodge City, Kansas, and remember seeing an orange fox nearby, so I’ve always associated the two,” she extends her left forearm, lightly running her hand over the vibrant fox tattoo, and adds that this was the inspiration for this particular piece.

Lowery made a post on Facebook in May seeking ideas for rebranding Katie’s Front Door to focus on baked goods and stated that she wanted “fox” in the name. “Andrea Bembeneck is the Marketing Director at Red Hill, and she came up with the name,” says Lowery. “Once she said it, I couldn’t stop saying it!”

“It’s an actual berry you know,” she beams. “Foxberry is a lingonberry. I’ve never seen it, but I’d love to try it!” Lingonberries, or Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea, are short evergreen shrubs native to boreal forests and Arctic tundras throughout North America.

Last month, she hosted a launch party and gave out sample boxes of treats that included a fox decorated sugar cookie, blueberry French Macarons, a gluten-free vanilla raspberry mini bundt cake, and a lemon elderberry cupcake with blueberry filling and vanilla buttercream (this author’s favorite).

Before John Osgood and beyond his legacy, Redstone remains Crystal Valley Strong.

“Over two days, I handed out 25 boxes, and received seven orders that I’m still working on,” Lowery says giddily.

Hold the phone for a moment here. If you’ve ever sat down with either one of us while at the Redstone Inn, then you know it’s near to impossible not be interrupted by someone, and this interview was no different. www.theredstonecastle.com

(970) 963-9656

“Oh my gosh, Katie! Those fox cookies were adorable!”

Nicole Farrell suddenly says bursting into our interview,

July 2020 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 7

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Looking forward to seeing everyone soon! particular, but she said she wanted a fox cake. I made an amaretto spiced cake with amaretto filling, and the fox was made from fondant.”

This cake earned first prize during a contest put on by the Carbondale Historic Society. This is a lemon elderberry cake with raspberry filling and elderberry buttercream topped with French Macarons and vanilla meringues.

gushing praise and explaining that her youngest son Torin has already requested a shark cake from FoxBerry Sweets for his birthday. Not a bad endorsement from a 5-year-old!

“You are soaring in your abilities right now!” says Farrell as she headed out the door.

Getting back to the launch party, Lowery says she received one special order that weekend. “Doris Downey ordered a cake for her husband, Chuck,” Lowery explains, “for no reason in

“I could write a book on how delicious and beautiful it was!” replied Downey when asked about the cake. “The frosting was decadent and I ate every bite of the fox all by myself. Amaretto cake!

To die for.”

Lowery says she’d like to get to the point that she’s turning down orders because she’s too busy, and in 5-10 years to be out on her own. She said her ultimate goal is to have a storefront in Redstone. “I’d love to have a bakery with coffee, pastries, and custom cakes. I don’t ever want to lose sight of custom cakes; it’s when I feel the most creative,” she purrs, “and there’s a part of me in every single cake.”

If you’re interested in a sweet treat, you can place an order with FoxBerry Sweets by emailing foxberrysweets@gmail.com or by contacting Lowery through the FaceBook page, @foxberrysweets.

Lowery shared with us one little iota of advice before we parted ways, “If you have a passion, do it! Don’t hold back. Fail, then fail again, and just keep going!”

Page 8 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

Trouble in Paradise

Photos by Aldon Laufeyjarson.

A Gardening Column by Vickie Branson and Kari Duame

Now that you’ve got your dirt ready, your seeds are starting to pop up, and all you have to do is kick back and wait for the harvest. Right? WRONG!

weather crops like peas and brassicas need protection.

oil can also be used as a preventative, once a week.

In an effort to increase your yield, you may be thinking of trying a fertilizer. A common pitfall of using an off the shelf fertilizer is giving your plants too much nitrogen. If you notice yellowing or browning around the edges of the leaves, like scorching, you’ve likely burned them.

Time to face the music, you’ve got trouble in paradise!

Inside a greenhouse, a 40% - 60% shade cloth can be hung to control temperature and intense rays. Without a greenhouse, a light colored fabric is great for providing some protective cover to tender seedlings. It can be laid directly on top of garden beds or draped over small hoops. These are available commercially or you can make your own pretty easily with ½-inch PVC inserted into rebar that’s been pounded into the ground or secured to the wood of raised beds.

One of the most important parts of gardening is watering accurately. Soggy soil will cause root rot and encourage pests, but soil that is too dry will wither and kill your plants. You can go by feel to determine the moisture level of your soil.

Unfriendly insects will also wreak havoc in your garden.

Signs that you might have unwelcome pest issues include holes, curling or other damaged leaves, strange colored spots, shoots or fruits that appear to be nibbled upon, and small webs or egg sacs.

A good rule of thumb with adolescent-to-mature plants is to let the top two inches of the soil dry to the touch before watering again. Starting new seeds is the exception, however. Seeds that are sown at or near the surface need to be kept moist at all times until they are adolescents or they, too, will dry out and perish.

There are many DIY recipes available online to combat them, but neem oil can be extremely effective for fighting bugs. Beneficial nematodes can defeat many soildwelling problems. Companion planting flowers that encourage beneficial bugs and are unpalatable to harmful ones, such as Marigolds, can increase the overall health of your garden.

Check-in on your garden every day for unhappy plants.

Pull harmful weeds as you find them. Take time to notice new leaves, flowers, and fruits. You may find little holes forming, wilting, or yellowing plants. Is the garden of your dreams beginning to have nightmarish problems?

Watering at the right time of day is just as important as keeping the correct moisture level. Never water in the heat of the day as water droplets on the leaves with the midday sunshine will act as tiny magnifying glasses and burn plants’ leaves. Evening watering can encourage mold and fungi. Mornings, before 10:00 a.m., are your safest bet.

The sun can spell trouble with a capital T at our altitude.

A dry, hot wind combined with the intense sun can wilt, sunburn, or kill new plants. Fresh seedlings and cool

Other common issues in gardens are Fungi and mildew.

Powdery mildew often appears as fuzzy spots while fungi can cause rotten areas on the stems or roots of a plant.

There is a lot you can do to prevent fungi from taking hold: Don’t overcrowd plants, prune dead leaves, and don’t allow water to sit on the leaves overnight.

Prune affected leaves with scissors that are disinfected between each cut, and don’t compost diseased leaves. A very effective commercial product is Green Cure. Neem

Fertilizer burn is much easier to prevent than treat. Carefully read application instructions on products and pay attention to the nitrogen ratios. Natural products like plant and fish-derived fertilizers usually have lower nitrogen levels and will be safer.

If you accidentally spill too much fertilizer in your garden, scoop it out as best you can and replace it with fresh soil. Try diluting it for the next couple days by overwatering with a slow but steady method like dripping so that it won’t run-off, which, in turn, would burn other plants in the area.

In these difficult times when nothing is certain in the outside world and stress is high, caring for someone or something takes your mind off your problems. Add in the fresh air and mountain sunshine and there are more health benefits than just eating the great food that you grow.

After all, cultivation is what created civilization. In all of our wisdom and technology, most of us would starve surrounded by an abundance of food. Saving the earth and ourselves starts in our backyard. So, go out there and save the world.

Happy Gardening!

July 2020 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 9

Black Lives Matter Usually, the town of Marble seems a world apart from national politics. The slower pace of living and solitude often puts such conversations in the back of people's minds. You can know someone for years without knowing which political party they care about or align themselves with. It is easy to let the outside world and its problems flow by with little notice.

In a predominantly white community, it would have been a marker of our privilege to avoid the Black Lives Matter movement; conversations about systematic racism and white privilege could have Amber McMahill stayed safely tucked away behind talk of town happenings.

That isn't what happened.

It all started when a bright yellow stencil popped up at the bottom of a driveway in the middle of June.

Small enough to be mistaken for a surveyor's mark, the message was clear: Black Lives Matter.

property or compromise anyone's safety.

“It is incredibly important that small, rural, predominantly white communities have conversations on the issue around racism in America."

Things took yet another turn, however.

A week after the stencils appeared, they started to be painted over. At first, they were covered with black paint blending them back into the pavement, but after the newly blackened spots were painted over again with a multicolored red, white, and blue Black Lives Matter, the graffiti war intensified.

Soon only the word “Black” was crossed out or covered up, or the letter B was painted over with a white square. Some wondered if this method of blocking out the lettering was purposeful or if the white color was innocuous.

Then, someone painted Black Lives Matter repeatedly on a concrete barrier on County Road 3. It was blue and bold and impossible to miss. The next day, the word “Black” had been crossed out with “White” written over it, with "Trump 2022" accompanying alongside.

The next day another note showed up; this time the letters B-L-M were It was a message spray-painted on a that shook many in hay bale outside a the town, including home. In the days Bielski, "It makes me that followed, more sad and angry, knowing “tags” popped up that some of my neighas more and more bors and community community members A tagging war ensues in Marble, Colorado. members exhibit acts joined in support. of violence and hate Tagging informally refers to a mark or message through speech towards other people because of scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a public their skin color. It makes my heart hurt." wall or surface.

Not everyone in the town has been supportive of the Written in various styles and by a myriad of hands, spray-paint protest; several citizens reached out to they all carried the same directive: Black Lives Town Administrator, Ron Leach, to voice their Matter. They spread throughout the town like objections. "It wasn't the message they were Easter eggs tucked against speed bumps and markagainst,” Leach said, “or the Black Lives Matter ing driveways. movement; it was what they view as defacing public property."

Little by little, the conversation started to turn from who was tagging to why. This was precisely the outThis is true of another member of the community as come Emma Bielski, who painted the first yellow well. Resident Alex Kucharik who used some rare stencil, had hoped. "Honestly, I envisioned some time off from Slow Goovin' BBQ to paint over the cute stenciled signs scattered around town that tags on the barriers. "I saw it on my way to a caterwould support the movement and the message, and ing job and went and painted over it the next day,” would not create harmful or lasting damage to said Kucharik.

Alex Kucharik paints over the graffiti on CR-3 into Marble. Photo provided

by Nancy Fenton.

“It wasn't even a political thing,” he continued. “I didn't like the way it looked and didn't think that [the graffiti] needed to be here." He received a lot of gratitude from members of the community for his actions, and added, "It is strange to think of how much appreciation I've gotten for it."

Yet, it is now apparent that there are members of the community against the Black Lives Matter movement and messages, at least in part for ideological reasons. We spoke with one community member, who wished to remain anonymous, about an altercation with a man who remained nameless. "He was agitated and waving his arms. He said that someone had tagged his property and referred to the [Black Lives Matter] Movement as terrorists."

As the tagging war continues to unfold, one thing is clear, the conversation happening across the nation has even reached the hamlet of Marble. For Bielski, this is welcome news. "Hopefully,” she said, “this series of events can bring our community together to engage in dialogue around what the Black Lives Matter movement is about."

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Page 10 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

What's Up with Pitkin County?

The Pitkin County Commissioners hold weekly work sessions on Tuesdays and bi-monthly public hearings on Wednesdays in our BOCC meeting room at the Pitkin County Administration and Sheriff’s Building. Both meetings are televised live and repeated on locater CG12 TV. They are also streamed live and available on the county website.

Agendas are posted in the Aspen/Glenwood newspapers and on-line at www. pitkincounty.com. In this column, your District 5 Commissioner, George Newman, offers his take on current matters.

You can reach him at george.newman@pitkincounty.com.

George Newman

Pitkin County Comissioner District 5

BROADBAND EXPANSION CONTINUES

up-valley and down-valley.

In addition, Pitkin County has recently partnered with Garfield County to create the Garfield Pitkin Broadband Authority. This opportunity came about through the successful joint grant application awarded by the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA). This state grant will cover capital costs for construction of communication sites and wireless equipment infrastructure for each tower location as well as the Rifle “Meet-Me-Center,” which will provide redundancy and establish regional resiliency.

The Pitkin County broadband initiative continues to move forward in our ongoing effort to improve broadband across the Roaring Fork Valley. We currently offer services from three County tower sites (the Crown, Williams Hill, and Elephant Hill) which serve Basalt and the surrounding area, Old Snowmass and Redstone respectively. This year the County will include three newly rebuilt tower sites: Jackrabbit, Sunlight, and Ruedi to serve Snowmass Village, the Carbondale area, and the Lower Frying Pan.

The Authority will be comprised of a fivemember board including one Commissioner from each county, one community member appointed by each county, and one member jointly appointed. Terms will be four-years, initially starting with staggered terms. The purpose is to share resources and infrastructure to bring affordable and reliable broadband to residents in unserved and underserved areas.

The Forest Service has officially approved the construction of the Ruedi site and we plan to start work in early August, with completion expected by late September 2020. This site will support public safety, FM translator, and Broadband systems, allowing two-way radio communications for law enforcement, fire protection, ambulances, and first responders. The Broadband system will also provide wireless internet services for residents around the Ruedi reservoir. All communications to the Ruedi site will be through a high capacity microwave link that will originate at Sunlight Peak.

The Authority, rather than county jurisdiction, will be responsible for the long-term operation of the network. Neither counties are in the business of broadband, but rather, providing initial funding, through grants and subsidies, to build the backbone network to jumpstart efforts. The framework for the Authority will be designed to allow other jurisdictions to join; for

example, Eagle County and Holy Cross Energy may become future members.

The Authority will share operating costs and wireless revenues and, through the use of subsidies and grants, will provide the building of more fiber within our communities, focusing on the remote, harder-to-serve areas within Garfield and Pitkin Counties that still lack broadband. The counties are stepping in where the private sector is not offering services. The costs of warranties and software upgrades are capitalized upfront for the first five-years.

With an initial subsidy of $125,000 from each county, the Authority will have the ability to pursue further grants for equipment replacement over time. Our financial model shows a positive cash flow in year three, covering operating costs and repaying the initial subsidy by year seven.

The county broadband system is an open-access network and we have two local Internet Service Providers that have signed on. Internet packages include three options that range from 10 Mbps to 40 Mbps download speed.

For more information visit: pitkincounty.com/ 928/Broadband-high-speed-internet.

We plan to rebuild the Thomasville site in 2021 with approval from the Forest Service. This site will also support TV translators and Broadband systems. Through the rebuild of these two sites, the system will allow wireless internet services to residents both

PLEASE HELP PREVENT

Do not share personal objects

Occurrence of Covid-19 cluster outbreaks



Closed Spaces with poor ventilation

Do not share personal objects



Crowded Places

with many people nearby.

Keep objects clean



Close-contact settings Such as close-range conversations.

objects withKeep your Pitkin County Government online at clean

pitkincounty.com

AVOID the 3 C’s Do not share personal objects

Do not share personal objects

Watch Board of Pitkin County Commissioners Meetings LIVE online!

Also find help with: E L E C T I O N S — register to vote or change voter registration V E H I C L E S — renew motor vehicle registration L I B R A R Y — request a library book M A P S — design and print a custom map of the area M A R R I A G E — obtain marriage and civil union license

Keep these “Three C’s from overlapping in daily life.

In addition to the three C’s: all surfaces Do not shareClean and disinfect Do not share used by multiple people. personal objects personal objects

J O B S — find job openings R E C O R D S — research birth, death & property records

Keep objects clean T R A I L S — navigate to local trails

The risk of occurrence of clusters is particularly high when the 3 C’s overlap.

Pitkin County Administration & Sheriff's Office 530 E. Main Street

Do not share objects Together keepingpersonal Pitkin County safer.

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covid19.pitkincounty.com Pitkin County COVID Hotline: 970-429-6186

Keep objects clean

Aspen, CO 81611 Questions? 920-5200

THE MARBLE TIMES

July 2020 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 11

A LOOK AT LIFE AT THE MARBLE CHARTER SCHOOL

Congratulations to Our 8th Grade Graduates!

Zaida Leslie

This Page Sponsored in Part by

I have been at the Marble Charter School since kindergarten. entertaining summer program - it was a blast. Marja, thank I am really happy that I got to go to such a wonderful school! you for always being there to help when I needed it.

I will miss MCS. Nikki taught me to always challenge myself and never give My MCS experience for the past nine years has been fun, up. Amy, thank you for directing this school; you do an amazchallenging and exciting. I have learned many different ing job. You have taught me to respect others and myself. things from the teachers, volunteers and my peers. I have BJ, thank you for helping me overcome my speech issues. enjoyed these years alot. They have really been exciting. It has academically and personally helped in many ways. If MCS is a one-of-a-kind school you could find nowhere else. it weren’t for you, I would still have a Jersey accent no one could understand. Thank you all so much for making me the During my years at MCS I have both academically and person I am today. Also huge thanks to the support staff and mentally grown as a person. I have grown confident, I volunteers: Severina, Peggoty, Francie, Gary and Terry, Ron, challenge myself and always try to do my best. I have grown Sarah, Jen, Kristen, Andrew, Jamie and Kelly. more mature these past years, learned how to focus and have worked hard. I feel I am more responsible and can look out I have had a lot of memorable moments here at MCS. I met for others and myself. three of my best friends, David Good, Cormac Shanks and Mason Macek. I am so glad that I met you all.

I excelled in many different subjects at MCS. My speech therapy helped me so much academically and socially. I Recesses were the best. We had so much fun building forts, have learned to be more organized and prepared with playing on the playground and making up games. All of the supplies and schedules. I really enjoy Math and have thrived OE trips were amazing even when we got rained out and froze this year. I like learning a second language, Spanish, and our butts off. In second grade we went to the sand dunes. The hope to continue throughout high school. sand was so soft your feet would make little footprints in the miles and miles of sand. There are so many great memories I am confident heading into high school with all I have I'll remember my entire life. learned at MCS. I can't wait to experience a bigger school.

I don’t know what a big school feels like, but I am excited I would like to say to the students who are younger: keep to find out! MCS has given me the mindset to set goals and challenging and pushing yourself to succeed. Never give up achieve them. and always have that attitude that you can do it. Always feel free to ask a question to your teachers, peers and volunteers.

A lot of people have helped me grow and succeed as a All of these things will help you achieve goals throughout person at MCS. I would like to thank Gina who has taught your years. me to care, share and be kind to others. Mike taught me to think outside the box and always have a sense of humor. I am so fortunate that I got to go to such a wonderful school.

Karly showed me to take chances with creativity. Thanks Thank you Mom and Dad for bringing me here. Thank you for getting me up and down Highway 133 and for having an MCS; you have made me the person I am today.

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Page 12 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

Nina Leslie

I have been going to school at the Marble Charter School for almost nine years. My experience at MSC was a lifetime opportunity and I’m very fortunate because not every kid gets to go to school in the mountains and just be a kid.

Thank you Karly for helping me get in touch with my creative side and for fearlessly driving the bus for so many years.

Thank you Amy for your endless support, always looking out for me and keeping me on my toes. And a great big thank you to Ms. Jamie, Ms. Mary, Severina, Jen, Mr. Ron, Francie, Marble Carter School has taught me to be kind, thoughtful Gary, Terry, Peggoty, Kelly, Kristen, Izzy and Andrew. and to achieve my goals when I set my mind to it. I’ve learned to be organized, responsible and to be more mature and make Thank you to all the classmates through the years; there are good choices as I enter high school. I still remember the first too many memories with them to describe how they always day of kindergarten and how upset I was because I couldn't found a way to make me laugh. eat the hamburgers they served at lunch because my mom packed my lunch. I always thought how exciting it would be One of the most memorable moments was the 7th and 8th to graduate from Marble Carter School, but it's not as excit- grade trip to Chicago. It was so much fun going to a new city ing as I hoped it would be. It's actually sad for me. This has and exploring it and learning so much about Chicago. It was been my only school and now I'm going on to high school. also a good way to spend time with my classmates and get to know them better.

I want to thank the incredible MCS staff who have always supported and helped guide me to this point. Gina taught me Another memorable moment was climbing Marble Peak. It how to get along with others, to think of others and to always was a long hike, but it was so much fun racing up the side of share. She also taught me putting your finger in the pencil the mountain to see who could get to the top faster. I have a sharpener and sharpening it will not make it pointy. I am so scar on my hand to always remember it. grateful I got to spend the first three years with her.

My first OE camping trip is something I will never forget.

Thank you Mike for making learning fun. Thank you Nikki I remember being terrified of all the other older kids in my for showing me new perspectives in the classroom and to group; after spending five days with them I began to feel stick with a task. A great memory I have with you is from more comfortable and I wasn't scared anymore. last year when we had just finished with a snack and someone said something really funny. We couldn’t stop laughing. Now that I look at that now, in a way I taught myself a lesson You were trying to teach us a lesson and you were getting so not to be so afraid of the things around me. This is a lesson annoyed and irritated, so you told us to just let it out and we that I will take on with me throughout high school and in life. couldn’t stop laughing for a whole five minutes.

I want to thank my mom and dad for picking such an amazing I will always remember that. Marja, thank you so much for school and for also supporting us through everything. introducing me to my love of Science and Spanish. I’m definitely hooked for life. I remember this year you were trying Some advice I would like to give all the future graduates is to to get ready for a lesson and Dove found a spider on him. He not be afraid to ask questions and ask for help, stay focused flicked it off him and it landed on Zaida. She screamed super and work hard and try your best. I promise you, it will pay off. loud and fell out of her chair.

I came to Marble Charter School in second grade when I was being fostered by my soon to be adopted family.

When I first came, I was so scared to talk to anyone because I was new, and I didn't know anybody. Gina was my first teacher and she introduced me to my classmates.

Gina is one of the nicest teachers. It is going to be hard walking into school every day without Gina asking you how you are or how your day is or without a friendly hello from her. My first friend ever from this school was Nina.

At first Nina and I were best friends then we didn’t like each other very much but as the years passed we became very close and I am very thankful for that because Nina is an amazing girl she is nice and funny always there for you when you need her and she is very beautiful. A friend I could never forget about is Zaida. Zaida makes you laugh even when you are feeling down, she is someone you can have serious conversations with. With one joke from her and the rest of your day is going to be good. The year I went into sixth grade I thought i was going to have the best year ever. The being of sixth grade was fun and the start of the best year until an unexpected turn happened.

For the rest of my sixth-grade year I was not in a good state. I would cry all the time. But lucky for me I had my best friends Nina, Zaida and Conner to make me feel better. They made me happy when I was at my worst. And Amy would let me write down what I am feeling then we would shred the paper. She would always check on me to make sure I was ok. And sometimes she would crack little jokes and it would make me laugh so hard. I remember when we would have to read out loud in class and I was scared someone would make fun of me. I did not want to read out loud. I was very shy and did not want to do anything in front of the class. Nikki helped me with that. She pushed me a little bit to come out of my comfort zone and now I’m not as shy as I used to be, I’m still a little shy but

not shy enough to read in front of the class or share my ideas to the class. Marja has taught me so much in Spanish that I wish I did not have to leave. Spanish is so much fun with you and I cannot imagine Spanish without you. You are such a big help. I learned a lot from you and for that I want you thank you. Art is a special class because it is where you can go to express your feelings on a piece of paper. The art teacher is so amazing she is beautiful and kind and any time you said you weren't good at art she would just tell you that you're good at it and she brought too many laughs to class and her laugh would make you laugh. So, thank you Karly for putting a smile on my face every day. It was very fun when Gina was also the art teacher. Through the years I have been here, which is only like seven years, I have learned that people will love you for you and for trying to be someone else. I have made such good friends here. I'm going to miss making memories here. I can't wait to make more friends and memories in high school. And make more with Nina and Zaida. I am going to miss going on camping trips and field trips with you guys and most of all I'm going to miss all the kind and beautiful teachers and students.

Lastly, I would like to give a special thanks to my family for always being there for me and giving me a second chance. And to make me into the person I am today. Especially my mom from always making me happy. I know we have our ups and downs but that doesn’t me I don’t love you because I love you every single piece of my heart. I am very very thankful for you making the choice to adopt me and giving me the future, I deserve. I love you so much and I wouldn't trade the world for you. I am very sad to be leaving marble but happy to move on is what is in store for me.

Aniayh Wofford

July 2020 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 13

Marble Charter School

September 20, 2020

A tuition free, public charter school serving K-8th grade students in the Crystal River Valley.

Mission: Marble Charter School teaches a growth mindset in a unique and nurturing environment while exceeding state standards.

• Daily bus service to and from Carbondale Middle School • Homemade Hot Lunch prepared with fresh, organic ingredients served daily • Focus on Outdoor Education • Low student to teacher ratios

Now enrolling for the 2020-2021 School Year Two race courses—25k Lead King Loop & 2.5k Kids Race Please call or email for information and to schedule a tour of Get ready for a great day of running through the spectacular fall colors in the our school.

418 West Main Street, Marble, Colorado 81623 970-963-9550

heart of Colorado’s Elk Mountain range. Run, walk, or hike the 25k loop around Lead King Basin, zipping past the Crystal Mill and ghost town of Crystal. Cheer the kids on as they run the 2.5k loop around Marble, or linger in Thompson Park after the race and enjoy a delicious homemade lunch including Slow Groovin’ BBQ (lunch included with race entry).

Email: marblecharter@gunnisonschools.net Website: marblecharter.gunnisonschools.net

All proceeds benefit The Marble Charter School

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Cat-like paws alternate pressure down the spinal erectors, “With each breath in, let yourself sink into the table,” stopping at the hips and applying pressure away from the ears. My lips stretch gently across my face as an audible sigh of relief comes from below me; “Letting your thoughts come and go,” I say as I watch their chest fall once again.

Alternating pressure and then back to center, my hands, together, force the boney pelvic landmarks to touch the surface of the table. One hand finds the occipitals, just at the base of the skull, and pulls the spine apart, my mind's eye sees the distance between each vertebra. The body releasing, the mind letting go; this human now putty beneath my hands, we are ready for the real work to begin.

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Page 14 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

Redstone Community Association Bulletin RCAredstone@gmail.com www.RedstoneColorado.com

It is with heavy hearts that we will not be hosting our annual 4th of July celebration, but we look forward to seeing everyone next year with our regularly scheduled events.

From all the RCA Board members, we'd would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Independence Day.

Call for Nominees RCA's elections are just around the corner!

This non-profit organization is run by a board of nine volunteers, whose mission is to promote and stimulate both civic and business interests while preserving the small-town charm and historic character of Redstone.

Our main objectives are planning events that promote a sense of community as well as bringing patrons to our town. There's loads of new things going on within RCA! If you are interested in joining the board please send an email to RCAredstone@gmail.com.

Visit Redstone Marketing Committee Last fall, the Redstone Community Association (RCA) was awarded an opportunity from the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) to participate in a workshop through their Colorado Rural Academy for Tourism (CRAFT) program.

nalism in 2010 and has worked with such outlets at New York Times, Getty Images, and Reuters. Upon moving to Colorado, he began working with tech startups to develop media content and marketing materials.

Successful completion of the rebranding focused workshop took place in February, making RCA eligible for implementation funds via a non-matching grant through the CTO. During this timeframe, a small group of business executives came together to form the Visit Redstone Marketing Committee (VRMC), a subcommittee of the RCA, with the mission to promote Redstone’s accommodations, attractions, activities, and amenities to increase tourism revenues in Redstone. They will be responsible for creating, overseeing, and reviewing the tourism marketing program for the RCA.

Once he landed in Carbondale, Sohner rebuilt the website for local photographer Tyler Stableford as well as managed his marketing. This included working on campaigns for Wrangler Jeans and Canon Cameras.

Last year, Sohner moved to FootSteps Marketing where he was an SEO Marketing Specialist and handled everything from client relations to building websites as well as web development.

RCA’s Board asked the founding officers of the VRMC to pick the project in which these implementation funds would be used and to acquire proposals for such a project. The VRMC has chosen to rebuild the Redstone, Colorado, website, and selected a bid from Daniel Sohner.

Last month, RCA was awarded the full grant amount of Daniel Sohner $2,500 that will be used for rebuilding the website. VRMC Sohner has been a resident of the Redstone com- will host meetings starting at 5:30 p.m. bemunity since the summer of 2018. He graduated fore the regular RCA meeting at the Redfrom Ohio State University with a degree in Jour- stone Inn.

REDSTONE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gentrye Houghton President Josh Wambolt

Ron Phaneuf Vice President

Katie Lowery Treasurer

Sara Lewis Secretary

David (DJ) Johnson

Nathan Helfenbein

Steve Pavlin

Alternate Member: Cathy Montgomery

MEMBERSHIP FORM Name____________________________________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________________________ Phone #_____________________________E-mail:_______________________________________ ___ I would like to recieve emails concerning community news and events. ____ Individual/Family $45

_____ Business $150

_____ Multi-Business $230

Make Check Payable to: Redstone Community Association Mail to RCA: 303 Redstone Blvd, Redstone, CO 81623 or leave at Redstone Inn's Front Desk

Next RCA Board Meeting

July 7th Historic Redstone Inn 7:00 p.m.

Redstone is an unincorporated village that relies completely on donations and volunteerism spearheaded by the Redstone Community Association (RCA) Your membership dues directly fund RCA projects and events.

Thank You for your support!

July 2020 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • Page 15

Getting to Know You

Cyndi’s parents started coming up to Marble to camp in the 1940s. By the time she was a teenager, hanging out on Marble’s beachfront and exploring the empty marble quarry, where she swung out on the infamous rope over a vein opening, was stuck firmly in Cyndi’s mind.

jump out before it landed a couple of hundred feet into the Crystal River. ** Steve said he always finds a guest willing to be the point person to see around one certain, tight spot. “I’ve made sure I’ve never had to back up on that one.”

Steve also came out to Marble as a Cyndi said, “I was a medical assiskid, and he, too, remembered those tant ’forever’ but left when it became halcyon days the whole 27-years the more corporate. When Jaime turned couple lived in Denver. He said, “I 3-years-old, I went to cosmetology was 34-years as a USPS mail carrier. school. I have been doing hair and One of the people on my route was nails since 1983.” She knew she would a Delta airline pilot, who still has a continue after Steve retired so she had lot on the Ski Hill Road. But we’d a salon space built into the basement always vacation in northern Idaho Charlotte Graham of their Marble home. where Cyndi’s folks lived. One day, I told her that I wanted to take a “One day, where I was working at the time, I southwest Colorado vacation. went out to the back and found in the trash, with “I asked my friend who we should see about prop- a free sign, was all the equipment I needed: A erty in Marble. He recommended Gary Wagner, dryer chair, a hair wash sink and chair, a hydrauwho took us all around until we found our spot. lic pump hair cutting chair, literally everything. I We brought up a trailer where we’d stay during called Steve to bring the truck.” all the different seasons, and moved up full-time Cyndi’s entrepreneurial streak is wide-ranging, after I retired.” and one could say long. Besides her salon, that Cyndi added, “We met Kindra Parker one day at she started four years ago, SUPMarble, a standup the basketball court. I told Jaime, my daughter, paddleboard sales & rental business.

“Oh, you look about the same age.” Jaime was shy but after mom introduced the two girls, they “When we started, paddleboard was the numbecame best friends. “That is how we met Carol ber one water sport in the world. Now everyone and Charlie. He was a house builder, so we con- seems to have one. We mostly cater to vacation home renters and campground guests.” tracted him for ours. We love it!”

Steve said that after his “official” retirement, he has worked fourteen jobs since they moved to Marble. He started counting them off: “… the Redstone Inn, Avalanche Ranch, Roaring Fork High School, Tools for Living (owned by Marble-ites Alan and Pat Conway). His favorite is the ten years he’s been a driver for Crystal River Jeep Tours.

The tour route is Lead King Loop and Crystal City in some of the most beautiful backcountry in the United States. Steve said he’s had passengers from as far away as Russia and China.

Due to the remoteness of the route, accessed by four-wheel-drive only, and has become a mustsee trip for hikers, bikers, ATV/UTV riders during summer/fall seasons, Steve has “seen it all.” He shared how there are some scary spots, like Windy Point out of Lead King Basin, where meeting head-on traffic is, let’s just say, interesting.

First of all, as a reminder, Colorado's rule is that descending vehicles must give right-of-way to vehicles coming up. Meaning that drivers should be mentally, physically, and experientially prepared to back uphill on the narrow, rough road, sometimes up to 500-feet to the nearest pullout.

Since the 2020 season opened, just barely a month ago, there has already been one private truck that’s gone over the side. Supposedly, the driver didn’t want to scratch his vehicle, so he drove closer to the edge of the road. His passengers were able to

Steve & Cyndi Fowler

Most recently, she added another business to her repertoire. “HOK is the newest and hottest of winter sports. HOK is a hybrid of back-country skis and snowshoes.” Cyndi gets to spend time and work with now-married Jaime on both ventures. “We do ski demos, sales, and rentals.

It’s really fun.”

Are we getting that Cyndi loves the mountain outdoors? Another pleasure she’s had was her horses.

“Carol Parker and I bought two together—Peace and Phoenix—and we got Joaquin for free since Peace was pregnant. One year, we had 480-inches of snow. We had to snowshoe water up to their stables. Sometimes it was difficult to have them up here, but we loved it.”

Except for that one time.

“Carol and I were fixing fence when a 450-pound cinnamon bear came rolling down the side of the mountain. It was the first day of bow season and we guessed that something/ someone was chasing it. He was coming right toward us. When he got down in front of us, he stood up, shook his head, and growled. We knew we weren’t supposed to run, but ….” she shivered and continued, “I was never so frightened in my life.” When she demonstrated the size and width of the bruin, this writer shivered right along with her.

“I was shaking when I told Steve about it and I was still shaking when I went to bed that night.”

Steve and Cyndi Fowler with 24-year-old Tooey.

Photos provided by Charr Graham

All in all, Steve and Cyndi have found their forever home. “We don’t ever want to leave here,” Cyndi said, “Plus, my dad’s spirit is here with us.”

**A reminder to the adventurous: Tow truck costs are a minimum of $1,200. Also, AWD is no the same as 4WD vehicles and cannot necessarily make it around the loop.

Page 16 • The Crystal Valley Echo & Marble Times • July 2020

Parting Shot

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