This Week: 5 - CAVERN SPRINGS 8-9 - ENVIRONMENT 10-11 & 14 - GOVERNMENT 16-17 - HAPPENINGS 19-20 - OPINION Your nonprofit
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Volume 18, Number 27 | August 13-19, 2026
A family tradition The legacy of rodeo runs deep in the Etcheverry brothers’ veins. Their grandpa, Martin, was a bull rider and their dad, Marlin, was a professional rider in the Bull Riders Only and Professional Bull Riders circuits, as well as a member of the United States Rodeo team. These days, folks can find Cauy riding bulls and Cael fighting them at the Carbondale WIld West Rodeo as they pursue their pro-rodeo dreams. Photo by Paula Wood
Flip to page 7 for more scenes from the Carbondale Rodeo.
Love, serve and remember Monica Alvarez-Muniz is a hairdresser and caregiver for her deaf and special needs brother. She has raised an amazing, intelligent and ingenuitive daughter. She honors her Latin heritage through cooking and creating. She enjoys singing in the Aspen Choral Society, volunteering for community events, doing yoga, dancing and her deeply rooted spiritual practice in her daily life.
Mexico. Anything she would put her mind to she could do. When I came into the world, I was ready. I was born in Español, New Mexico, July 11, 1965. I had many Navajo, Zuni, Laguna, Pueblo Native friends. We used to go play out in the hills and would find shards of old native pottery and really cool rocks. I learned to speak a little bit of Navajo and enjoyed many native foods at the Flea I had a dream of being in the universe with hundreds of Market. The Hopi women would make their bread outdoors in babies. They were all different shapes, colors and races. They clay ovens; The Navajos would make roasted corn, roast mutton were so adorable. A few weeks later I realized I had not had my with green chili and fry bread. Growing up with natives and period. I did a pregnancy test and it came back Mexican Americans, I heard many stories of positive. I called my mom and told her I had the abilities of curanderas: the female healers a gift for her but she would have to wait nine and medicine men. months. She said, “Mija I had a dream of a little As a teenager, I started to become intuigirl pulling on your dress.” I thought, welp, I’m tive and through my dreams I would see the gonna have a girl. Mom always knows. When I good and bad of what was to come. It was told my dad he did one of his classic Mariano challenging for my family to relate to me. I responses: “Ijolamija!” “Oh my Goodness my would question everything. Their response sweet daughter!” of “because I said so” did not work for me. I When I went to the doctor, he wanted to wanted to know why. I wanted an explanation. schedule an ultrasound to see how many babies I wanted the truth. I started speaking my truth were growing inside me. The sound of her heartfrom an early age. That didn’t go too well when beat was a sound I’ll never forget. When the I started questioning the Catholic Church. I doctor asked if I wanted to know if it was a boy later learned that when you use malas or rosaVOICES or a girl, it was as if she was listening. She paused, ries you activate the pineal gland which can and flipped around. I know, it’s a girl. lead to heightened intuition, improved clarity RADIO HOUR I made a schedule of how I wanted my of thought and increased awareness. By Monica A. Muniz birthing experience to be. Starting with the My parents divorced when I was 8 years old. music — Vivaldi. To her father Eddie catching her and putting I helped raise my two younger brothers. Jose was born deaf and her on my chest. She arched back and looked straight at me. I has special needs. I was the first one in my family to learn sign looked into her eyes and said, “God is love and love is God.” As language. Jose and I have a special relationship. I am his dedishe laid on my heart, I was in a complete, altered state of blissful cated protector, and he is my greatest teacher. love as she filled the room with sparkling light. We moved to Colorado in 1988. Here was where I found I wanted a name from my Latin heritage, something unique. myself through belly dancing, fire spinning, singing, expressing We found the name Ixchel. Ixchel is the rainbow goddess of my creativity through hair styling and finding a deeply rooted harvest, fertility, business and love. She is also the patroness of spiritual practice that helps me in my daily life. the arts, textiles, painting, medicine and healing. We thought, The last two years of my mother’s life, she came to live with “Well that is a well-rounded name!” my husband and me. I knew that this was my chance to make I chose to raise my daughter with no fears. I didn’t realize that things right with my mom. For when we dance again in another I would still have to face mine through her. I had to teach her not life I would like our story to have more love than conflict. I was a to pick up black widows or anything else that was poisonous, rebellious teenager. because she was fearless. I raised her by telling her the truth, even We enjoyed many concerts, farmers markets, watching old when it made her uncomfortable when it came to finding out Westerns and cooking. She was a great storyteller. I took her to about menstruation and how babies were born. I also explained the Caverns to hear my husband’s band and when she saw the to her that her body was a temple. It was a gift and that when she alpine slide she said, “I want to ride that!” She was still fearless was ready to give … it was her choice and no one else’s. in her 80s! My favorite ritual was tucking her in at night and I come from a lineage of strong, fearless, intelligent women. cuddling. I cherished these tender, loving moments for I knew They loved to dance, cook, sing, play piano, crochet and embroi- my mom would not be here forever. der, and they knew how to heal. My great-grandmother Sabas I came home to have lunch with my mom. I found her on her was born in San Juan de los Lagos. When her husband started bed. Her eyes were open but she was not responsive. She was cheating on her she packed up her mother, Momma Damiana, going to need surgery on her heart. We discussed the possiand her two daughters, Dolores and my grandmother Juanita, bility of her not surviving the surgery. I knew she wanted to be and moved to the United States in the 1900s. cremated and wanted a cowgirl themed Celebration of Life. The My mother had a beautiful voice, and a great sense of style. day after her passing, I was sitting at the dinner table when I saw She went from being a secretary in an insurance company, wear- this shimmering light that looked like water. ing high heels, hat and gloves, to a wood-cutting, gun-slinging, I asked, “Is that you Mom?” It shimmered for a little while deer-hunting cowgirl when they moved from Texas to New longer, and then disappeared.
OPINION
LETTERS Ride for Wally Come Join Us in Downtown Basalt. Friends of Wally Dallenbach and the Town of Basalt would like to invite everyone to a Tribute Ride for Wally by Colorado 500 motorcycle riders during a Parade on Aug. 15 at 2pm in downtown Basalt. A dedication ceremony honoring Wally and Peppy Dallenbach will be held near Alpine Bank at the new Dallenbach Park following the parade. The riders will continue this week on the 50th anniversary of the Colorado 500 charity ride throughout the Western Slope. “Wally Dallenbach Sr. was more than a motorsports legend, he was a man whose life was defined by innovation, hard work, family, generosity and deep community
roots,” Janet Lohman stated perfectly. Wally and Peppy built a legacy in Basalt that continues to touch lives long after their passing. Friends of Dallenbach Basalt
AI data centers The ongoing drought and widespread water restrictions in Colorado should concern all of us, as should the proposed AI data centers in Colorado Springs and Windsor. Although companies have run centers for decades for basic storage and routing of data, today’s centers are larger in order to host file servers and networking equipment that store, process and analyze information. These capabilities are critical for expanded AI, which allows computers to do more than ever before.
2 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
Yes, data centers can provide tax revenue to a community, but depending on their size, they can use massive amounts of electricity (enough to provide power to 400,000 homes) to cool millions of gallons of water every day. That will lead to severely reduced local utility capacity and increased utility bills for homes and businesses. In addition, once built and operational, centers employ relatively few people. President Trump strongly supports the rapid buildout of AI data centers, framing them as vital for national security and economic dominance. His goal is to provide the computing power needed for defense innovations. However, it would introduce severe cyber, physical and energy grid vulnerabilities because continued on page 22
Editor James Steindler 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com Managing Editor Skyler Stark-Ragsdale Sol del Valle Editora Bianca Godina bianca@soldelvalle.org Digital Editor Ingrid Celeste Zúniga ingrid@soldelvalle.org Lead Editorial Designer Terri Ritchie Partnerships & Engagement Manager Luise Nieslanik Advertising Department adsales@soprissun.com Sol del Valle Marketing & Development Manager Margarita Alvarez margarita@soldelvalle.org Advertising and Special Section Designer Emily Blong Delivery Fred Kirschbaum Bartlett Proofreaders Lee Beck Tracy Kallassy Ken Pletcher Hank van Berlo Executive Director Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246 todd@soprissun.com Board Members / Mesa Directiva board@soprissun.com Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke • Eric Smith Roger Berliner • Elizabeth Phillips Anna Huntington • Loren Jenkins Carlos Ramos • Gayle Wells Jamie LaRue • Adele Craft
The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6pm on second Thursdays at the Third Street Center. The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible.
Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+ Kathy & Carter Barger Lee Beck & John Stickney Karen & Roger Berliner Emily & George Bohmfalk Kay Brunnier Michelle & Ed Buchman Sandy & Paul Chamberlin Frances Dudley Sue Edelstein & Bill Spence Deborah & Shane Evans Greg & Kathy Feinsinger Peter & Mike Gilbert Michael & Nancy Kish Gary & Jill Knaus Jan & Warren Koster Bob & Dori Libson Lee Mulcahy Donna & Ken Riley Eric Smith Patti & George Stranahan Gayle & Dick Wells Elizabeth Wysong
Legacy Givers for including us in their final wishes. Mary Lilly Linda Criswell
Donate by mail or online: P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #26 970-510-3003 soprissun.com/Donate The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District
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Send your scuttlebutt to news@soprissun.com
First snow? It’s hard to believe, considering the heat and near-unbearable drought, but it’s time to submit your guesstimates of when the first snow, dustings counted, will hit Mt. Sopris. Send your best guess of a date when you believe snow will first grace Mother Mountain this year to news@ soprissun.com And don’t forget to send entries, along with a photo and height measurements, for the tallest sunflower contest to the same address by Aug. 31.
OUR UNDERWRITERS AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS!
Artist opportunities
Alpine Bank Colorado Mountain College Nordic Gardens Hilary Porterfield Basalt Library
NONPROFIT PARTNERS Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist Carbondale Arts Colorado Animal Rescue
Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner? Email Todd@soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866
The Red Brick Center for the Arts is looking for Colorado-based artists who want their work featured among four gallery exhibitions next year. A committee will choose the work of artists who demonstrate “artistic excellence, originality and meaningful engagement with contemporary ideas and practices,” according to a press release. Additionally, Aspen Public Art and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies strive to hire teams to design and build a human-sized birdhouse at Hallam Lake: “Perch.” The three finalists will each receive $1,000 to create a display of the bird-house to be shown at the Red Brick. The public will vote for a winner, who will see a $50,000 budget to construct and exhibit the 120-square-foot bird house from May to October of 2027. Both applications are open at redbrickaspen.com until Sept. 30.
Bondale mountain man Carbondale’s own Chase Tesoro, 20, might have set a Fastest Known Time (FKT) on a 16.5-hour, 22.5-mile, 9,069-vertical-foot sufferfest, summiting seven Colorado 14ers in the Mosquito and Front Ranges. Tesoro set off at 4:15am on Aug. 8 from Kite Lake, knocking out the DeCaLiBron Loop (which includes Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross peaks) by 8am. He drove to Fourmile Trailhead at mid-morning and summited Mount Sherman,
The bridge is open! Redstone celebrated the completion of the Redstone Bridge on Tuesday night, Aug. 11, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new infrastructure was finished ahead of its Sept. 4 expected completion date, and replaces Pitkin County’s oldest bridge, which was built in 1947 and demolished in March. Photo by Tucker Farris, Crystal Valley Echo
before driving to Stevens Gulch at 4pm and summiting Grays and Torreys. He returned to his car at 8:45pm. Of the 16.5 total hours, he spent a total of eight hours and 38 minutes on foot. Tesoro is currently in the process of establishing this as an FKT, and claimed, as far as he knows, he’s the only person to complete the climbs in one day.
ACT Auditions The Aspen Community Theatre will host auditions at the Black Box Theatre Aug. 21–23 for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” The company is looking for actors, singers and dancers of all skill levels, as well as puppeteers. The show does not include roles for children. It will run from Nov. 13–22 at the Aspen District Theatre. Sign up to audition at aspencommunitytheatre.org/auditions
Clogged trails While the Mill Creek Trail north of Basalt is currently free of deadfall and “riding well,” the
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Basalt Mountain/Cattle Creek Loop is clogged with fallen trees and thistle, Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association stated in its newsletter on Friday, Aug. 7. The association said they would send a crew up to clear as much of Cattle Creek as they can, but encouraged any “trail agents” to head up to the Cattle Creek Loop with their own handsaws and “get after what they can.” The Cherry Creek trail north of Silt also has about 10 downed trees in its midst, the association said. Post any progress with the trails by reaching out to info@rfmba.org or on rfmba.org/ta/
310 Fire The wildfire that ignited on Aug. 6 about 3.5 miles southeast of Parachute burned 603 Acres and was 65% contained as of Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, according to the Grand Valley Fire Protection District. The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday that all evacuation statuses were
downgraded to “ready” from a higher evacuation status, which could still mean, at the time, a possible evacuation for various areas near the fire on Morisannia Mesa Road and County Road 302. Those in this evacuation zone should “prepare, monitor and pack your valuables,” according to the Sheriff’s Office. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/310fireinfo
They say it’s your birthday! Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Briana Boland, John Ginn, Larry Gottlieb and Sarah Overbeck (Aug. 13); Alex Fisher, Ariane Montez and Alejandra Rico (Aug. 14); Anna Broome, Jill Knaus, Cara Nieslanik, Maggie Seldeen and John Williams (Aug. 16); James Leonard and Jake and Heather Marine (Aug. 17); Rebecca Binion, Emily Good, Lindsay Gurley and Jonathan Shamis (Aug. 18); Kyle Bruna and Lance Norton (Aug. 19).
Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association
54th Annual CVEPA Event Sunday, August 23 at 4:00
THOMPSON BARN at River Valley Ranch
Keynote Speaker Acclaimed NPR and CU “Water Desk” Journalist Luke Runyon Followed by Slow Groovin BBQ GLENWOOD DERMATOLOGY, CO 919 Grand Ave Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 (970) 930-6490
JOIN US IN ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 3
Collaboration is key
New executive director of child care special tax district takes helm KATE PHILLIPS Sopris Sun Correspondent
Colorado’s only early childhood special tax district has announced that Glenwood Springs resident Samantha Markovitz will become the district’s first full-time executive director. Ready to amplify the community’s voice, Markovitz brings a wide breadth of skills and experiences to drive forth the district’s mission to expand access to early childhood care and education. “I really am excited and also really humbled and honored to serve our region in this way,” Markovitz said. “It’s a unique and new position … [and] to work alongside the community is a really humbling opportunity.” Formerly Confluence Early Childhood Development Special Service District, the district has recently been renamed Every Child Parachute to Aspen (ECPA). Coupled with a refreshing new logo, the rebranding is a direct reflection of the district’s commitment to serve every child, family and partner using funds collected by a November 2025 voter-approved 0.25% sales tax on nonessential goods. Markovitz officially began the role on July 27 and was preceded by Interim Director Kathryn Kuhlenberg, who helped stabilize and build the district’s core foundational systems. To fill the full-time executive director role, ECPA used Duffy Group, a third-party professional recruitment firm. Of the 68 candidates, eight were selected to present and answer questions in front of the district’s board. The process also included participating in a community open house. “We conducted a rigorous, transparent search, because our families and providers deserve leadership with both deep experience and a commitment to equity,” ECPA Board President Carly Kraemer said in a June 25 press release. “Samantha’s fiscal stewardship, collaborative approach and track record of building accessible systems make her the right leader to translate voter intent into measurable
results for children, families and our regional economy.” Markovitz’s new multifaceted role will include leading the district quickly and thoughtfully to establish clear and authentic avenues for community input, strengthen local partnerships, ensure legal compliance and spearhead long-term sustainable solutions. She will also prioritize the allocation of initial interim funding to address urgent needs. “It’s the balance between standing up a new government arm while also understanding and realizing the real need and pressure to get dollars out the door,” Markovitz said. Markovitz, who has a masters in social work with a specialization in organizational leadership and policy practice, has been a longtime advocate for access to early childhood education. While interning as a school social worker for kindergarteners, she recalled many 5-yearolds who needed significantly more emotional and developmental support than the schools could provide. Markovitz quickly realized that in order to help children and families, communities needed to invest earlier and creatively collaborate. “At my core I really, truly believe in the power of collaboration so that communities can equitably access and utilize the resources they need in order to thrive,” Markovitz said. “My whole career has been turning that belief into action.” Prior to ECPA, Markovitz was the Early Childhood Initiatives manager for Eagle County. There she directed a $6 million annual portfolio of early childhood public funds. Demonstrating fiscal accountability and alignment with county-wide strategic priorities, Markovitz helped establish Eagle County’s Early Childhood Workforce Stipend Program. The program was created as an investment effort to recruit and retain teachers by providing a $500 monthly stipend for qualified full-time early childhood educators participating in professional development. Noting the program’s success, Markovitz said numerous early childhood program directors expressed
Every Child Parachute to Aspen, Colorado’s only early childhood special tax district, has recently announced that Samantha Markovitz will take the helm as its first executive director. A resident of Glenwood Springs, Markovitz (and her pup Georgie) enjoy spending time on the river and collaborating with others to uplift communities. Courtesy photo
a marked increase in their teachers’ quality of life, including better nutrition and rest, which ultimately resulted in better outcomes for children. “Managing those public funds transparently and effectively yielded real community results. It’s something that I love doing and I took it really seriously,” Markovitz said. “I really hope to bring the community voice and those types of impactful initiatives and grants to our region.” continued on page 22
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Cavern Springs residents moving forward with mobile home park purchase JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
The families who call the Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park home are being lauded for their “can-do” perseverance, leading to yet another likely success story in the push toward resident-owned parks in the Roaring Fork Valley. After an extensive fundraising effort over the course of just a few months earlier this year, residents of the 98-home park between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale, organized as the Sopris Mountain Collective, put a $23 million offer on the property just in time to meet a June 13 deadline. That deadline was important, as it fell at the end of a 120-day period of time spelled out under Colorado state law for residents to put together purchase offers on their parks when they get put up for sale. The offer was accepted two days later by Cavern Springs’ corporate owners, Maryland-based Horizon Land Co., staving off an offer from another private investor that was put on hold, per state law, while the park residents attempted to come up with the money. As with most mobile home parks, the physical structures are owned by the residents but the land beneath them is leased from a private landlord. When a park gets sold to outside investors, rents often increase without much notice, and there’s no guarantee the property will even remain a mobile home park.
Children ride their bikes through the streets of the Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park located near the Garfield County Road 154 intersection at Highway 82 between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale at the start of the summer break. Residents of the 98-home park are under contract to buy the property. Photo by John Stroud
This was the Cavern Springs’ residents second attempt to buy the park, after another effort a few years ago was unsuccessful. Cavern Springs got a big boost in early June when the Colorado Health Foundation awarded a $4.5 million grant. Another $5.5 million came from local governments in the valley, including Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Snowmass Village and Pitkin County. On top of that were significant private donations made through the Mountain Voices Project, and indirectly
through the Aspen Community Foundation Housing Justice Fund. Residents are prepared to take on a $12 million loan arranged through Colorado-based Thistle ROC (Resident Owned Communities). Closing is slated for October, barring any unforeseen obstacles. It would become the fourth mobile home park between Basalt and Glenwood Springs to come into resident ownership in the last year. “For me, and for so many families who call Cavern Springs home, moving past this
hurdle brings hope and peace of mind,” resident and collective board member Maria Judith Alvarez said. “It means we are one step closer to ensuring that working families can remain in the community they have helped build. This isn’t just about purchasing property — it’s about creating long-term stability, dignity and opportunity for current and future generations. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has believed in this vision and helped us move closer to the finish line.” Board Vice President and 37-year park resident Monica Muniz said it was nice to be able to put the property under contract and enjoy some down time for a change after weeks of endless meetings. “We were so busy and hands-on involved in putting this together that it’s nice to see everybody just enjoying their summer before school starts again,” Muniz said. The work isn’t over, though, and once the park is in the residents’ hands the work will be ongoing as they become property owners in charge of everything from the water and sewer system to streets and other neighborhood infrastructure and operations. The collective is still working to raise another $1.8 million that will be needed to establish a capital improvements and maintenance fund for the park. As part of the closing, the residents are awaiting a capital needs report from the sellers to help determine all that needs to be done on that front. continued on page 22
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Coming together at the rodeo PHOTOS BY BOB RUGILE
The Carbondale Wild West Rodeo merges past and present, with youngsters goofing off under the bleachers and cold beer and barbeque filling bellies. It’s grown significantly, with four shuttles offering lifts about every five minutes to and from Carbondale. It’s a diverse gathering, too, with a mix of Latinos and Anglos watching and participating. There’ve been “lots of growing pains,” Jashine Wise, vice president of the Rodeo Association, told The Sun, “but we’re still trying to keep that down-home Carbondale feel.” She added that to introduce the grand entry every week, the volunteer-based crew rings a bell in memory of Rozzi Turnbull, as requested by her husband, Tom, after her passing. Missing the good ole days? Head on over to the Crystal Theatre on Aug. 19 at 7pm for a showing of “The Last of the Cowboys in the Roaring Fork Valley,” produced in 2006, for a glimpse inside of Carbondale’s ranching history. And there are two more chances to catch the rodeo, the evenings of Aug. 13 and 20, before it wraps for the season. For details, visit carbondalerodeo.com
(Left to right, from top left going down) Ava Trulove carries the American Flag during the grand entry; high schoolers enjoy the last days of summer break; a youngster hangs onto the mechanical bull, which Tim Nieslanik facilitates each week; kids take advantage of front-fence seats; family members Reymond, Nora and Angie hold down the entrance; slack starts out the rodeo as steers are rotated through the chutes. Working To gether For Pets And Their People 2801 Glenwood Sp CR 114 rings, CO (970)947-9 173
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 7
Living ground: The biocrust of Red Hill RED HILL COUNCIL Public Service Announcement
Before you take your next step on Red Hill, look down. That bumpy, dark crust beneath your feet might be thousands of years old. It’s called biological soil crust, or “biocrust” for short, and it’s a living skin over the soil made of cyanobacteria, lichen, moss and fungi working together. Cyanobacteria, one of the oldest life forms on Earth, lie dormant when dry, but, when wet, they move through the soil and leave behind sticky fibers that bind sand and dirt into a tough, cohesive layer. Over time, lichen and moss join in, and the whole community knits the ground into a continuous living crust. To spot it, look for spongy, bumpy patches darker than the surrounding soil, often rising in small pinnacles. It’s easiest to find along Sutey Ranch’s trails, where foot traffic has historically been lower, but you can also find great examples along all of Red Hill’s trails, including Mushroom Rock.
thin veneer can take five to seven years to return. Mature crust takes up to 50 years to strengthen, and the addition of lichens and moss can take centuries. At a recent meeting, longtime Carbondale locals reminisced about the crypto gardens that once covered parts of Red Hill decades ago, before they were disturbed — evidence of just how long recovery really takes.
The rule is simple: Thank you and pet footfor helping us keep Human prints belong only Red Hill’s trails, and the ON the trail and ground beneath them, nowhere else. Stay on the established healthy for generations path and keep your dog on it, too. to come. Why it matters Biocrust does more than sit there. It locks soil in place against wind and rain, which is a big part of why the Colorado Plateau’s high desert is a landscape of stone and crust rather than shifting sand dunes. It also holds and traps water and adds nutrients that desert plants depend on to survive. Without it, this landscape would look very different.
Handle with care
Thank you, volunteers
Biocrust is tough against wind and drought, but fragile against feet, paws and tires. A single footprint can kill it. A
During our recent trail work sessions, volunteers scattered branches to make short-cutting our trails more difficult for
Examples of biological soil crust, “biocrust,” along the Red Hill trails. Courtesy photos
off-leash dogs. Keeping your dog on-leash for your whole hike is the best way to prevent dogs from creating their own social trails through sensitive soils. If you are biking alongside your dog,
remember to slow or stop frequently so that your dog won’t be tempted to take short-cuts off the trails in order to catch up with you. This will be a big help in protecting the crust.
Practice is on!!! 5 pm at RFHS Come be a part of Carbondale history!! 9 Time Quarterfinalist 6 Time Semi-finalist 3 Time State Runner up 3 Time Winner State Championship We as a coaching staff are determined to bring back the culture and winning traditions that was Roaring Fork Football with two former Head Coaches on staff. We are aware of the changes in the game and are applying safe methods to teach our young men the game. We have invested heavily in the equipment worn to me be more protective and in our field equipment to practice the game in a safer environment. We are here to do our best to create the best place to play football. Many many graduates of Roaring Fork have played football and excelled in what they choose to do in live. We are creating an atmosphere of learning and learning about one’s self that carry on to every spect of life. Football is a great teacher. Come be a part of our new winning team. Please contact John Nielsen with any questions: 970-309-9539. Come to practive at the high school and see what the buzz is all about.
8 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
FULL VARSITY 1A WESTERN SLOPE SCHEDULE North Fork HOME 7pm
8/21 Gunnison HOME 7pm
10/9
9/11 Salida HOME 7pm
10/16 Moffat County HOME 7pm
9/18 Grand Valley AWAY 7pm
10/23 Cedaredge AWAY 7pm
9/25 Meeker HOMECOMING 7pm
10/30 Ellicot TBD
10/2 Olathe AWAY 7pm Full Fresh / JV Schedule to compliment the Varsity Schedule Weight Room is OPEN Monday- Thursday for players and alumni 4-6:30pm
Bear necessities
BE BEAR WISE
KATALINA VILLARREAL Sopris Sun Correspondent
It’s no secret, this summer the bears are extra active in towns throughout the state. So far, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) have received over three-thousand reports of bear activity across Colorado. Conflicts between humans and bears have risen due to drought conditions, causing the bears to source water and food closer to residential and downtown areas. “I am seeing bears active during the day this summer, which is not something I normally see until they enter hyperphagia in the fall. We need to secure our trash and our vehicles all day every day,” Lara Xaiz from the City of Aspen said. CPW, Pitkin County and the municipalities of Aspen, Basalt and Snowmass Village are collaborating on a regional campaign to educate the public about bears. The aim is to reduce human-bear conflicts in the Roaring Fork Valley. “We can be much more efficient when we work together, saving time and resources. We all learn great things along the way, so why not share that with other agencies?” Xaiz stated. “We all need to do our best to keep bears wild and people safe.” These entities are teaming up to create cohesive and consistent messaging to help communities understand bears, pooling their finances by placing ads about bear safety on RFTA buses, on the radio, in print and digitally. With fall approaching, officials say it is critical to remove human attractants before bears enter hyperphagia, their phase of intense eating before winter hibernation. They implore folks to secure food waste, trash and recycling with locked containers or put them indoors. If someone is concerned about a bear, there is generally someone to call (no, it’s not the Ghostbusters). “If it is a bear just moving through [Aspen], we don’t necessarily need to know about it. If it is getting into trash or if people are gathering around it, call 970-920-BEAR,” Xaiz said. “You will have options to get in touch with us through
A mom and two cubs descend a tree in an alleyway in Glenwood Springs on Aug. 11. Photo by Ryan Mead
dispatch, or to leave a message about anything non-urgent.” Anyone can call the hotline to be routed to CPW or the Roaring Fork Valley Bear Coalition. “If you are in Pitkin, Basalt or the Town of Snowmass Village, reach out to the non-emergency dispatch line 970-920-5310,” she continued. “If you are experiencing bear activity in other areas of the Valley, the local code enforcement or CPW would be the best options.” Bears will move through urban areas in search of food and become habituated to humans when they are rewarded with food. Bears will naturally return to the wilderness if there is no food source.
To keep bears from becoming comfortable around humans, here are six at-home BearWise tips: Never feed or approach bears: Intentionally feeding bears or letting them find food teaches them to approach homes. Secure food, garbage and recycling: Lock up trash, recycling and food scraps to eliminate odors that attract wildlife. Remove bird feeders: Birdseed and grains are highly attractive, calorie-dense foods for active bears. Never leave pet food outdoors: Feed pets indoors or clean up bowls immediately after outdoor feeding. Clean and store grills: Burn off grease and food particles after each use, and store grills in a secure area. Alert neighbors to bear activity: Share information with your community to prevent local conflicts. “Bears are only trying to survive year to year. Back in the day people thought we could just keep removing ‘problem bears,’ before realizing that there is always another bear who will be looking for food rewards, and that bears are not the problem,” Xaiz said. “We need to take steps that have proven to reduce human-bear conflict. We need to take responsibility to make sure we are not attracting bears to our neighborhoods.” The Sopris Sun reached out to CPW for comment for this story, but did not receive a response as of press time. For more information on bear safety, visit cpw.state. co.us/living-bears
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Now accepting new patients THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 9
GLENWOOD SPRINGS REPORT
Council votes 6-1 to pursue legal action against ICE facility landlord JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
A packed house greeted the Glenwood Springs City Council at its Aug. 6 regular meeting, as citizen activists lined up demanding, again, that the City take enforcement action against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in West Glenwood. Council ultimately voted 6-1 to file suit in Colorado District Court against ICE’s private landlord, JG Housing Solutions, LLC, for allowing the detention operation to continue, despite an April 28 Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission decision to revoke a special-use permit over repeated violations of a 12-hour hold limit. The decision came at the recommendation of City Attorney Karl Hanlon to pursue action in the state courts against the landlord, rather than going after the U.S. government in federal court — a move he maintained would be swiftly met with a motion to dismiss because the federal government is immune from local landuse codes. That’s not true of private property owners, he advised. JG Housing owns units 110 and 210 at the Midland Center, located at 100 Midland Avenue, where the ICE offices and detention facility are located. Hanlon said the impetus for finally enforcing the P&Z decision came July 24, when Glenwood Springs Emergency Medical Services got an ambulance call to the ICE facility. “At that time, it was confirmed that it was still being used as a temporary hold facility” in violation of the permit revocation, Hanlon advised City Council during the meeting. “This made it a ripe claim to bring back before you.” From a land-use and zoning code perspective, Hanlon compared it to a bank. If a decision were made to revoke a specialuse permit for a drive-through facility
that’s part of the bank, the bank itself could continue to operate, just not the drivethrough facility. The same goes for a holding facility that’s part of the larger ICE operation in the Midland Center, he said in support of pursuing the action. “Your job is to decide if you’re going to enforce your land-use code,” Hanlon told the council. After nearly an hour of public comments encouraging them to do so, and offering support in the legal effort, the council voted in favor of filing suit against the landlord. “Just because it appears we’re sitting here not doing anything, doesn’t mean we’re not doing anything,” Mayor Marco Dehm said of the length of time it took to get to an enforcement decision. “We just flat out had to wait for the right path forward, and the path presented itself on July 24.” Dehm said he feels “somewhat comfortable” moving forward against the landlord in state court over what amounts to a landuse violation. He said he does worry about “waking the bear,” and how the feds might respond. “If the buses show up with ICE agents, then we’ve made the wrong decision,” Dehm said. Councilman Ray Schmahl cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he can’t support Hanlon’s cost estimate of up to $500,000 to take the case through trial. “I find my definition of courageous local leadership is to not waste money, and I’m not willing to give an open checkbook for a futile effort,” Schmahl said. Hanlon did advise that the case enters “uncharted territory,” and the law isn’t necessarily on the City’s side when it comes to matters involving the federal government. How that might come into play remains to be seen, he said. continued on page 18
Protesters gather outside Glenwood Springs City Hall before the Aug. 6 City Council meeting to encourage City leaders to enforce an April Planning and Zoning Commission decision to revoke a special use permit for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility in West Glenwood over repeated violations of a 12-hour hold rule. Council followed through with a 6-1 decision to sue the landlord, JG Housing Solutions, for allowing the use to continue. Photo by John Stroud
10 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
MARBLE REPORT
Mixed-use zoning, part two DJ SUGAR MONKEY Sopris Sun Correspondent
The centerpiece of August’s Board of Trustees meeting was the second public hearing on a proposal to create a mixed-use corridor through Marble. On the Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra, heels of an executive session to photo by DJ Sugar Monkey discuss ongoing negotiations with Marble Water Company, Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra outlined the fundamentals of the proposal to the 30-or-so people present, many of whom had not attended the initial hearing in July. Trustees were first to share their perspectives on the issue. Larry Good explained that the proposal, affecting approximately 27% of existing lots, threatened to “change the entire DNA of Marble for the worse.” He highlighted the lack of infrastructure to support the zoning change, figuring the existing home occupation code sufficient to allow residents to run small businesses from their homes. Councilman Dustin Wilkey explained that, “No matter what happens here, the board can control the outcome,” adding that the measure “can be tailored to what this town is and represents.” Failure to adopt the proposal, he suggested, would be detrimental to economic growth. Being somewhat subdued, Wilkey later explained how his dog had been hit and killed that morning by a speeding motorist outside his home on West Park Street. The Board offered him their sincere condolences. East Marble resident Jamie Vogt was the first member of the public to address the board. An experienced practitioner in the field of land management, Vogt characterized the proposal as “really premature at this moment,” and the current zoning code as “wildly short,” cautioning that the proposition “had many tentacles that would touch life in the town in a multitude of ways.” Allowing businesses to adjust setbacks from the road, Vogt claimed, would adversely impact the rights of way, which are “integral to the charm and rustic appeal” of Marble. Vogt suggested updating codes and processes before making the change, advocating that a portion of the Town’s reserves be earmarked to hire consultants and grant writers and recommending the issuance of municipal bonds to address infrastructure needs before making any big decision. Vogt’s comments were met with murmurs of approval. Next up was Brian Souter, resident since 1993. Souter claimed that Marble had “always been mixed use.” Dismissing the risk of any immediate and adverse fallout from the proposed measure, he explained that there were only four “buildable” vacant lots along the proposed corridor. Clearly vexed that the board had again raised the issue of rezoning, Souter insisted, “I don’t think we have a problem; leave it the way it is.” His ensuing eulogy of cottage industry included a reference to Bill Gates, who had started his business (Microsoft) in a small garage in Albuquerque. “All we need to do is enforce existing rules and stop being so anti-business,” he pronounced. Claiming it to be “proof” that the Town of Marble already allowed mixed zoning, he then distributed copies of an undated letter addressed to “Vince” typed in all caps and signed by Wayne Brown, then-mayor pro tem. Of dubious origin, the letter is a fawning response to a building application made in November 2001 for a garage/shop/office on East 2nd Street. In it, Brown states that “the Town allows and encourages cottage industries,” and cordially advises “Vince” (who was then considering constructing a darkroom) to “put in a grey-water system to avoid all the photo water over-working the septic.” A few minutes later, Souter took umbrage at some comments made by Trustee Good on the topic of home occupation and the mayor stepped in with an appeal for civility. Unrepentant, Souter expressed his displeasure and left the meeting. Max Gibbons of East Marble questioned the sense of spending so much time on the issue of zoning when the priority of the Town lay in addressing infrastructure issues. Mayor Vinciguerra justified the urgency on the grounds that it had become increasingly difficult to enforce the zoning code in its current form, stressing the need to avoid the risk of litigation related to “spot zoning.” When Gibbons pressed him on the question of allowing the needs of individual businesses to supersede the broader interests of the Town, the Mayor offered his assurances that the board was “not ignoring the issues of water and septic systems.” Once the public hearing was closed, the board passed a motion to decline a proposal from the Marble Water Company offering to extend their existing water infrastructure to East Marble. Adjacent to this, a motion was passed to engage the services of Alan Leslie of Environmental Process Control to help the Town develop a strategy to solve the impending impasse it is facing with the Marble Water Company.
CARBONDALE REPORT
Trustees choose Town Center developer
SKYLER STARK-RAGSDALE Managing Editor
Carbondale is one step closer to fulfilling a commercial and residential need that it says the free market cannot. The Carbondale Board of Trustees on Tuesday selected workforce housing developer Bond/Brookside to build the Town Center project, a residential and commercial design set to be constructed on 1.4 acres of town-owned land surrounding the Thunder River Theatre Company. Bond/Brookside, founded in 2023, was one of four developers that the town selected to interview for the job. “I want to thank all of the developers who submitted,” Town Manager Ryan Hyland said in the Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday. “[They] gave us lots to think about, different approaches, and ultimately, though, we do have to make a decision.” Carbondale’s vision for the design would include a mix of residential and commercial units to target “needs for commercial and affordable residential space that are not currently served by the free market,” according to the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued on March 11. Bond/Brookside proposed including 42, two- and three-bedroom residential units in the build, ranging in price from $420,000 to $775,000 and targeted at those making between 80% and 120% Area Media Income (AMI). The town also set the goal in the RFP of creating 10,000 to 20,000 square feet of commercial space, which could be used
Glenwood Springs-based contractor Grand River Construction is making progress on the Weant Boulevard Pedestrian Crossing, creating a path from the Third Street Center to the northern corner of Triangle Park across Highway 133. The Town granted the $260,000-plus bid for the project, pictured here on Monday, in late May. Photo by Skyler Stark-Ragsdale
by Carbondale Arts, as a business incubator, as office space or be part of a Thunder River Theatre Company expansion, among other uses. Bond/Brookside’s design includes 3,324 square feet of retail space, although noted that homes could be combined with first-floor retail and commercial space for alternative live/work studios. The Town said it would consider changes to the design proposed by Bond/Brookside, but that the developer is responsible for updating the public with community outreach, as much of the design was created with a comprehensive outreach program by the Town and Artspace. Mayor Erica Sparhawk thanked Bond/ Brookside and the other developers that
submitted a bid for the project.. “It was an immense amount of work, and really the time that all of these groups took to help us get and achieve our big dream, I really, really appreciate,” Sparhawk said. “And I think our community is going to be glad with our selection.” Including design, entitlements and construction, Bond/Brookside proposed a project timeline ranging from 24 to 32 months. Visit their website at bondbrookside.com
Valley Meals and More The Trustees agreed to fulfill a $7,500 request on Tuesday to help Valley Meals and More fund its operations to help feed older adults in eastern Garfield County this
year from July through December. The organization delivers “ready-toeat meals to homebound and at-risk older adults” four days per week all year, according to its funding request. The request for funding comes after Valley Meals encountered nearly a $15,000 funding shortfall to aid the lowest-income older adults served by the program, 20 of whom live in Glenwood Springs and 20 of whom live in Carbondale. Valley Meals emphasized the need for the program in its request for funding. The organization serves home-delivery meals to 89 residents of Carbondale, which has 1,399 registered voters 60 or older, 543 of whom are 75 or older. The continuation of the program could mean the difference between “remaining safely at home and experiencing declining health, hospitalization, or premature placement in assisted living or long-term care” for older adults living independently, such as many in Crystal Meadows income-qualified seniors housing community, the organization said. Garfield County previously funded the program. This year it approved $35,000 in funding of the $50,000 requested by Valley Meals for 2026 operations, July through December. Glenwood Springs committed half of the outlying $15,000, before Carbondale pledged the rest on Tuesday. “I do believe we have room in our budget for this,” Sparhawk said before the unanimous approval, adding that the funding would come from the Town’s General Fund.
BASALT REPORT
Contested Southside development moves forward
WILL BUZZERD Sopris Sun Correspondent
An application for the construction of a residential and commercial storage development at 555 Basalt Ave. has, after many alterations at the behest of Town Council, been approved for a second reading and public hearing on Aug. 25. After an hour of deliberation on Tuesday, the council approved the application on first reading by a narrow vote of 4-3. The application has changed significantly over the course of its first five readings. Since the previous meeting on July 14, the applicant has amended its application at the request of Basalt Town Council to increase the proportion of deed-restricted units to 64% and include proposals to provide approximately $350,000 to make improvements to two roads adjacent to the development property. “I do think this project has come a long way, and I think that it could be a good fit for the neighborhood,” Councilor Angela Anderson said. In total, the application consists of 42 commercial storage units, 30 residential units, 12 live/work units and two community-serving commercial spaces. The increase in the proportion of deed-restricted units was achieved by changing the live/work units all to be primary resident units. Deed-restricted units will be offered first to Basalt workers or residents according to a phased-in priority system. For the first 60 days of the pre-sale period, priority will be given exclusively to Town of Basalt employees. For the following sixty days, priority will open up to full-time employees within Basalt. After that, sale will open to the general market. Improvements to nearby Fiou and Cody Lane have become a significant aspect of the application process as it has changed over the past several months. In order to meet both the existing and potentially increasing demands of traffic in the area, the applicant plans to offer $175,000 to rebuild the intersection between Fiou and
Councilor Anderson supported the applicant’s amendments to provide funding for the improvements to Fiou and Cody Lane, which she saw as improvements to the neighborhood as a whole. Councilor Elyse Hottel also supported the application as presented but suggested that one of the two units in the 800 square feet of commercial space in the current application be dedicated to a bodega or small food market such that residents in the Southside neighborhood can have easy access to basic groceries without needing to travel on Highway 82. Mayor David Knight and Councilor Greg Shaffran agreed that the development simply did not fit with the surrounding area. “I love affordable housing, but I don’t think this is the right place to do this project,” Knight said. “I see this being detrimental to the overall Southside neighborhood.” Councilors Anderson, Angele Dupre-Butchart, Elyse Hottel, and Hannah Berman voted in favor of the application. Mayor Knight and councilors Greg Shaffran and Rick Stevens voted against the application.
Town to commemorate Dallenbach Park
Located just south of the park-n-ride at the intersection of Basalt Avenue and Highway 82, the potential development will feature 42 commercial storage units, 30 residential units, and 12 live/work units on what was previously a steel fabrication mill tucked away in the east corner of Basalt’s Southside neighborhood. Commercial storage units are highlighted in blue. Courtesy of Town of Basalt
Alexander Lane. In addition, the applicant will construct access road and pedestrian sidewalk connections on East Cody Lane, as well as offer $180,000 to correct an existing drainage issue on that road.
In other news, the Town of Basalt has proclaimed the official dedication of Dallenbach Park on what is currently colloquially known as Codger’s Corner in a ceremony slated for this weekend. The new Dallenbach Park, to be located on the corner between Basalt Alpine Bank and Thunder River Market, is dedicated to Basalt residents Wally and Peppy Dallenbach. The park commemorates their generosity and dedication to volunteerism, and their legacy of philanthropy to Basalt and beyond will be celebrated with a parade and dedication ceremony at 2pm on Saturday, August 15. Motorsports legend Wally Dallenbach Sr. and his wife Peppy Dallenbach resided on their ranch in the Frying continued on page 23
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 11
CALENDAR
Our Town - One Table Celebrating Colorado’s 150th! SUNDAY, AUGUST 16 Location: 4th & Main St.
Table Check-In: 3:30 pm Dinner: 5:00 pm Clean Up: 7:30 pm
BRING YOUR OWN CHAIRS & FOOD FOR YOUR RESERVED TABLE(S). DECORATE YOUR OWN TABLE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A PRIZE! NO ALCOHOL PERMITTED To reserve your table(s) email Robin Jacober at: rjacober@carbondaleco.net Table reservations required. All are welcome!
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
FOUR PASS LOOP Get your hands dirty with four days of trail work alongside Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteer and Wilderness Workshop on the Four Pass Loop Trail Project, which runs until Aug. 16. Breakfast and dinners will be provided. Register at tinyurl.com/ fourpassloop2026 TECH CLUB Ages 10-plus are welcome to join the Aspen Science Center for “Tech Club” from 3:45 to 4:45pm at the Carbondale Library. Participants will learn coding languages and build hardware. Details at tinyurl.com/techclubdetails
CRYSTAL THEATRE The Crystal Theatre screens “SpiderMan: Brand New Day” at 7pm. The film will also screen at The Crystal at 7pm Saturday and 5pm Sunday (captioned). Tickets are available at the door. STEVE’S GUITARS Gillian Grogan performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
‘GODSPELL JR’ Sing about love with Stage of Life Theatre Company’s “Godspell JR” at 6pm at Thunder River Theatre. The event will run again at 6pm on Friday and Saturday, and 2pm on Sunday. Tickets at soltheatrecompany.org
COMEDY AT TACAW Head over to The Arts Campus at Willits for a laugh at 8pm with standup comic Sammy Anzer. Tickets at tacaw.org/ calendar/comedian-sammy-anzer
LIBRARY MUSIC Aspen Music Festival and School musicians play from 5:15 to 6:15pm in the Basalt Library Community Room. Details at tinyurl.com/librarymusic2026
CRMPI ACADEMY The Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute in Basalt hosts its four-day, immersive permaculture training, which runs until Tuesday. Details and registration at tinyurl.com/ crmpiacademy2026
LHAKPA SHERPA Response presents “Summit of Hope,” featuring Lhakpa Sherpa — a domestic abuse survivor, the first Nepali woman to summit Everest and the women’s world record holder for the number of summits to the tallest point in the world — at the Paepcke Auditorium in Aspen at 6:30pm. Tickets at Responsehelps.org/events ‘CLAY & MOONLIGHT’ Local and internationally acclaimed artist James Surls will be recognized at Carbondale Clay Center’s “Clay and Moonlight” fundraiser hosted at the Aspen Glen Club on Aug. 13 from 6 to 9:30pm. Tickets at carbondaleclay.org BIJA BEAT Tracy Straus hosts Bija Beat, a highenergy, all-levels dance experience, at True Nature from 6:30 to 7:30pm. Tickets at truenaturehealingarts.com GARCO REPUBLICANS Garfield County Republicans host a training session for the GarCo GOP Victory Team, which GarCo Republicans said will help members handle issues when they arise with voters, from 6:30 to 8pm on Zoom. RSVP at tinyurl.com/garcovictoryteam YOGA AND CHAIR MASSAGES Iron Mountain Hot Springs hosts Yoga with Cari from Kula Yoga from 6:30 to 7:30pm. The hospital will also host a yoga session with The Yoga Collective from 8:15 to 9:15am on Friday, as well as a pop-up chair massage from noon to 3pm on Saturday. STEVE’S GUITARS Will Overman performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
ART CAMP The Glenwood Springs Community Arts Center hosts a summer camp from 9am to 5pm. Kids will take home an art piece of their own creation by the end of the day. Register at tinyurl.com/ glenwoodsummercamp2026 STORYTIME The Basalt Library hosts Storytime Playgroup from 10:30 to 11:15am for children ages 0-3 to participate in large motor movements, experience sensory activity and engage with other children and caregivers. 12 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
ART CONTINUED The Glenwood Springs Community Arts Center hosts “Art Kids Friday Night” from 5:30 to 8:30pm, when participants explore art projects, sunnythemed games and more. Register at tinyurl.com/artkidsfriday
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
WATER SUPPLY The Water Supply Reserve Fund grant applications, which assist water users in critical need, are due. Details at cwcb.colorado.gov/funding/ water-supply-reserve-fund-grants COLORADO 500 TRIBUTE Colorado 500 Founders Wally and Peppy Dallenbach will be honored with a parade on Main Street in Basalt at 2pm, as well as with a tribute next to Alpine Bank at Dallenbach Park (137 Midland Avenue) at 2:30pm. “The 50th Colorado 500 Charity Invitational Ride,” an invitation-only, motor-powered trail ride across the Rockies, runs Aug. 16-21. ART OPEN HOUSE The Glenwood Springs Community Arts Center hosts an open house of its newly-renovated space from 3 to 6pm. MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN The Burroughs play at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park for Music on the Mountain from 5 to 9pm. MUSIC IN REDSTONE The Magical Moments concert series continues at Redstone Park, featuring country and classic rock artist Shawn Mayer, from 6 to 8pm. STEVE’S GUITARS The Heart Collectors perform at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
CURIOSITY AS A SUPERPOWER Jen Bouchet discusses the neuroscience of curiosity from 10 to 11:30am at A Spiritual Center, room 31 of the Third Street Center. DOG DAYS The Carbondale Library hosts Dog Days of Summer, when dog owners are invited to bring their pups to the library from 11am to 12:30pm for an event with pup cups, a raffle and more. Call the library at 970-963-2889 for details. ‘OUR TOWN, ONE TABLE’ The annual “Our Town, One Table” Community Potluck takes over 4th Street, from Main to Garfield Avenue, in Carbondale from 5 to 8pm. Bring food, utensils or non-alcoholic beverages and join the tradition, this year themed “Celebrate Colorado.”
OBITUARY
Lorraine Bormolini Lamoureux July 23, 1932 August 7, 2026
MAJOLICA The Carbondale Clay Center offers a seven-part “Art of Majolica” workshop on Sundays, today through Oct. 4, from 6 to 8:30pm. Register at carbondaleclay.org
MONDAY, AUGUST 17
MAGIC Head to the Glenwood Springs Library to hone your skills in the Magic the Gathering: Commander, at 5pm. No experience in the game is required to play, although experienced players are welcome. STEVE’S GUITARS Wax Monkey performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18
with The Center for Human Flourishing from 6:30 to 8pm at the Third Street Center. Details at tinyurl.com/ perkedpicnics
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
CRYSTAL RIVER LUNCHEON Wilderness Workshop and the Roaring Fork Conservancy host a “lunch and learn” session near the banks of the Crystal River, meeting at the Placita Trailhead, from noon to 2pm. Register at tinyurl.com/CrystalRiverLunch CARBONDALE ARTS OPENINGS Carbondale Arts hosts an opening reception for two new exhibitions, “The Tiny Print Showcase” and “You Don’t Have to be Perfect, but you could Try Harder,” from 5 to 7pm.
HEALING AFTER LOSS Sopris Lodge Hosts the “From Grief to Growth: Healing After Loss” series finale from 3:30 to 5pm. Register at tinyurl.com/healingafterloss2026
CRYSTAL THEATRE “The Odyssey” screens at 7pm at The Crystal, followed by a 7pm screening on Saturday, 5pm screening (captioned) on Sunday and 7pm screening on Monday.
TOASTMASTERS Improve your public speaking by attending Toastmasters’ next meeting from 5:30 to 6:30pm at COVENTURE.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
TUNES AT TINY PINE Common Ground performs at the Tiny Pine Bistro from 6 to 8pm. STEVE’S GUITARS Low Gap performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19
‘THE LAST OF THE COWBOYS’ The Crystal Theatre screens “The Last of the Cowboys in the Roaring Fork Valley,” a documentary about some of the original local ranching families, at 7pm. Find tickets at tinyurl.com/ lastcowboysrfv
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
‘STEAL THIS STORY’ Mountain Action Indivisible hosts “Steal This Story, Please!” at The Crystal Theatre at 7pm. The award-winning documentary revolves around Amy Goodman, a journalist and trailblazer who gives voice to those silenced by commercial media. Tickets at tinyurl. com/AmyGattheCrystal PICNIC PERK Join certified nutritionist and chef Ricki McKenna for “Perk up Your Picnics”
CLAY DRIP Head over to the Carbondale Clay Center for “Get Your Drip On,” a glaze-mixing workshop with Matthew Eames from 10am to 5pm. Participants will sign up for an hour-long glaze-mixing slot at the clay center on Sunday and talk about their finished pieces as a group from 1 to 2pm at Townline Trucks on Sept. 12. Register at tinyurl.com/ glazemixing ‘THE RIPPLE EFFECT’ Caden Smith, an intern for the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program, hosts a live podcast taping at 2pm at The Crystal Theatre. Smith discusses arts education in the Valley with Carbondale Arts Fashion Show co-directors Emily Fifer and Meagan Shapiro, as well as with youth songwriter and R performer Sean Hamilton. Tickets at E tinyurl.com/therippleeffect2026 TERRAPIN ROADSHOW The traveling music group Terrapin Roadshow lands in Glenwood Springs’ Two Rivers Park from 5 to 9pm. They’ll play at the park again from 2 to 6pm on Sunday. MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN The Petty Nicks Experience play at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park from 5 to 9pm for Music on the Mountain.
Find more upcoming events at www.soprissun.com/tag/curated-calendar
took pleasure in volunteering at senior lunches and many people around town may fondly remember enjoying her famous lasagna, savoring her delicious brownies, or receiving a pair of her lovingly handmade slippers. Among Lorraine’s most treasured traditions were her Friday lunches with Molly and Aidan. These special times with her great-grandchildren brought her immense happiness and created memories they will carry with them always. Lorraine enjoyed cooking, completing crossword puzzles, knitting, and shopping at Walmart. Above all, she treasured time spent with her family and friends. She will be lovingly remembered for her infectious smile, her beautiful blue eyes, and the warmth she brought to the lives of those around her. Lorraine’s family extends its heartfelt gratitude to the nurses and staff at Heritage Park Care Center for the kindness, compassion, and loving care they provided to her. A Rosary and Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at St. Mary of the Crown in Carbondale on Aug. 18 at 11am. A light lunch will follow. A celebration of life will be held in North Adams, MA at a later date.
Community Education Classes
Philosophical Tools
Introduces ideas and strategies from philosophers’ writings and explores values and moral principles in this changing world. Tues, 6-7:30pm, 8/25-9/15
Beginning Swing Dance
Adults learn the basics of the Jitterbug and more. Wed, 6:30-8:30pm, 9/2-9/23
Pilates Matwork w/Pamela
Increase core strength, overall muscle tone, and flexibility with focused and precise techniques Mon, 10-10:50am, 9/14-12/7
Pleasant Dogs What is Astrology
An introduction to astrology as a tool for self-knowing, personal growth, & quality of time. Thursday, 6-8pm, 8/27
Citizenship Basics - FREE
Prepares adults for the U.S. citizenship and naturalization exam and interview. Sat, 10:30am-12:30pm, 8/29-12/5
Carbondale
690 Colorado Avenue
970-963-2172
Bennett Bramson’s “Seven P’s...” basic and common-sense training tool for dog owners Online Tues, 6-8:30pm, 9/15
Oil Painting
Demos, tips and advice as you paint. Some supplies provided. Tues, 5:30-8:30pm, 9/15-10/27
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Colorado 500 motorcycle riders will honor the tradition’s late founder Wally Dallenbach and his wife, Annette “Peppy,” with a parade on Main Street in Basalt at 2pm, Aug. 15. At 2:30pm, a tribute ceremony will occur at the new Dallenbach Park (137 Midland Avenue) near Alpine Bank. Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Dallenbachs
Lorraine Bormolini Lamoureux, 94, of Carbondale, Colorado, passed away peacefully at Heritage Park Care Center on Aug. 7, 2026. Lorraine was born on July 23, 1932, in Adams, Massachusetts, to Serino D. Bormolini and Ida Demastrie. While attending Bliss Business College, she met the love of her life, George Roger Lamoureux. They were married on June 20, 1951, in North Adams, Massachusetts. A cherished mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt, Lorraine found her greatest joy in the family and friends she loved so dearly. She is survived by her beloved daughters, Yvette Lamoureux MacEachen (James) and Patricia Lamoureux Lopez (Jesse); her grandsons, Jason MacEachen (Meg) and Lake MacEachen; her precious great-grandchildren, Molly and Aidan; and her sister, Maria Rysz as well as her treasured nieces and nephew. Lorraine was preceded in death by her beloved husband, her parents and her brother, Serino Bormolini. During her nearly 30 years at Crystal Meadows, Lorraine made many dear friends. As a member of the “Crystal Belles,” she loved singing alongside her friends and daughters, joyfully belting out favorites such as “Shanty Town” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” She
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 13
GARFIELD COUNTY REPORT
‘Privileges have become rights,’ Vallario says of state jail standards JAMES STEINDLER Editor-in-Chief
Two of the three commissioners were present for the Monday, Aug. 11, Garfield Board of County Commissioners meeting, with the exception of Commissioner Mike Samson. Dale Whittington, a resident impacted by the flooding on Peach Valley Road, inquired about financial relief. He estimated the cost, including dump fees, would come out to about $20,000. “It’s bad,” Whittington said. The board and staff told Whittington that an action item would have to be added to the agenda for them to make a decision, on at least whether to waive the dump fees. This came on the heels of other nearby property owners making a similar request during public comment last week. Jeanne Golay returned for public comment on behalf of the Lower Valley (LoVa) Trail Association, again asking the commissioners to sign a letter of support for a federal grant to fund a project connecting two existing trails to “to make a complete, seamless path through South Canyon,” Golay said. She noted that her request to appear on the agenda was again denied. County Attorney Heather Beattie said that the letter of support would likely be altered to reflect that funding the county is applying for through the same program is its priority. The board said that it’d be on the agenda next week.
Jail standards Sheriff Lou Vallario appeared on behalf of the department to discuss jail standards adhering to the State of Colorado’s Jail Standards Commission’s guidelines that went into effect on July 1. “They’re trying to standardize jail management, jail treatment across the State of Colorado,” Lou said. He noted that
the county already meets many standards. Lou added that of the 22-person commission, only two are sheriffs. “We just felt like there were things in there that were not in the best interest of sheriffs managing the jails, and took more of an interest of the inmates and … their needs and wants,” he continued. “Now, more privileges have become rights and it makes it harder … for disciplinary issues.” As of Monday, the jail was implementing a tablet system, where inmates can take tablets to their rooms to “enjoy” during lockdown hours, Jim Brassfield, who appeared along with Lou and Detention Commander Kim Vallario, explained. “We’re hoping that is a new tool for behavior management,” he said. “It sounds more like a cruise ship than a jail,” Commissioner Perry Will joked. Meeting the new standards will come down to more “manpower,” Brassfield and Vallario echoed, considering increased tracking, documentation and processing, for everything from medical to the food services. “Do we need more staff for it, possibly, but we can’t hire to fill the vacancies that we have,” Kim explained. “I mean, our guys are great. They just do it. We give them more, and they do it. I’m impressed and proud of them, but I know we’re adding more on them and it’s going to be more difficult for them.”
Action items A short time later, the Sheriff was back in front of the board, along with Administrative Commander Cathy Dalla, asking for a $267,000 supplemental for overtime pay — the first action item on the board’s agenda. Jankovsky immediately stated that he’d like to wait until the full panel is there, otherwise “it very well could end continued on page 18
“Pedicures in five minutes, fellas.” 14 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
Last March, members of the GORP Act leadership campaign team flew from the Western Slope to Washington D.C. to discuss the bill with the office of Sen. Bennet prior to its first hearing on July 15. From left to right: Pete Kolbenschlag, Melissa Newell, Senator Michael Bennet, Hannah Stevens, Tiffany Savarese and Danielle Carre. Photo by John Fielder
Washington discusses protecting McClure Pass
GORP Act receives first people and made so many revisions,” Houck said in an interview. “The amount of public hearing before support [GORP] has gained across a wide coalition of people and businesses and Senate committee “We worked so long with so many
WILL BUZZERD Sopris Sun Correspondent
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet testified on July 15 before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining in support of the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act. This marked the first time the bipartisan bill — designed to protect over 730,000 acres of public land just over McClure Pass — has received a public hearing. The GORP Act, also known as Senate Bill 1791, represents a collaborative effort between outdoor recreation businesses, conservation nonprofits, Gunnison County and bipartisan congressional members over the past decade. Among other protections, the GORP Act aims primarily to establish wilderness and Special Management Areas (SMAs) across vast swathes of Gunnison County public land in order to protect these areas for both wildlife conservation and sustainable recreation. The bill was originally drafted in 2022 with the assistance of the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative (GLPI). In addition to the 10 organizations forming the GLPI, the bill is supported by Sen. John Hickenlooper, Rep. Jeff Hurd, seven counties, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, nine nonprofits and over 100 local businesses. “Over a decade ago, I stood on the banks of the Slate River in the Gunnison Basin and promised the local community that if they could agree on a shared vision to protect this landscape, I would carry a bill to help make that vision a reality, and they did,” Bennet said during his testimony in Washington D.C. According to Gunnison County Commissioner Jonathan Houck, the economy of Gunnison County doesn’t depend on any one particular industry in the same way other Western Slope counties might focus on agriculture, oil and gas or recreation. Because of that, he believes the economic success of the county depends on collaboration between a wide variety of shareholders and interests which might ordinarily find themselves opposed to one another, such as ranching and conservation.
organizations is what makes it unique.” The bill is designed to leave existing land uses primarily unchanged but will prevent further development. Gunnison County depends economically on its mountain biking, dirt biking and snowmobile trails, and while GORP will not close any trails, new trail building will be halted. “I’m sure you’ve seen this in your neck of the woods,” Houck said, referring to Garfield County, “but some of these [recreation] areas are getting really close to their carrying capacity.” Similarly, the legislation establishes special designation areas which are subject to valid existing rights, meaning that ranchers can continue to use lands for grazing, and the timber industry can continue at its current operation level. In terms of wildfire safety, GORP includes provisions so that federal land managers maintain their current discretion to fight wildfires and perform fuel reduction. While the bill primarily protects lands in Gunnison, it also protects other counties and jurisdictions. Approximately 124,000 acres in Delta County will be protected from oil and gas development. Motorized boating on the Gunnison River in Delta County is set to be protected and even upgraded with a new boat ramp. In addition, GORP transfers the 18,000-acre Pinecrest Ranch, owned and operated by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, from fee ownership to trust ownership, which among other boons makes the lands eligible for various federal tax benefits. Although the bill is approaching its final form, GORP remains true to its grassroots origins and continues to be directed by the consultation of stakeholders. The GORP Act leadership campaign team meets weekly and communicates frequently with members of Sen. Bennet’s staff, especially Western Colorado Director Hilary Henry. The team includes the Delta-based Western Slope Conservation Center (WSCC), which organizes an annual fly-in to Washington D.C., during which team members visit with Bennet. Team members flew into D.C. in March of this year, and also met with members of Hickenlooper and Hurd’s offices. continued on page 22
OBITUARY
Celia Rose Nieslanik November 4, 1940 - August 10, 2026 At the break of dawn on Monday, Aug. 10, our beloved Celia Nieslanik passed at her home in Carbondale, Colorado with family by her side. On the first Monday of November in 1940, Edith and Oliver Letey welcomed Celia Rose at the Glenwood Springs Sanitarium. Celia and her sisters were raised initially in Emma on the family farm, as the Letey family originally emigrated from the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps to work in the silver mines of Aspen, later farming in the midvalley. In 1947, after Oliver sold the farm, Celia’s family moved to Carbondale. Upon graduating from Carbondale Union High School in 1958, Celia worked at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs. On June 17, 1967, Celia married the love of her life, Paul Nieslanik, at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Glenwood. Together they welcomed five children: Tim, Tami, Kim, Karen and Ted. They raised them next to their dairy in Carbondale. In 1986, Stacey Patch joined their family. A lifelong cultivator, Celia grew and supported everything in her life, helping Paul with the ranch, growing a huge vegetable garden annually,
having a phenomenal yard with beautiful flower beds, seeing through lifelong friendships and, of course, raising her children. Longer summer days meant time in the garden, coffee chats, pickles, canning and feeding the crew during branding, haying and everything in between. In later years, being on their trailer at the Thursday night rodeos and trips to the diner were weekly highlights. Celia and Paul thoroughly enjoyed cheering their children and grandchildren on in their many sporting events. Rarely did Celia miss a game, match or race. Even when family was on opposing sides, Celia still showed up and supported them all, whether they were Rams, Demons, Spartans, Mountaineers, Mavericks, Pioneers or Team USA. When she returned home under hospice care, she made sure that her Detroit Tigers were on when they had a game. Never daunted by challenging seasons of her life, Celia’s resilience was extraordinary. She was faced with tremendous loss, overcame cancer multiple times and persevered through several health issues. Celia met every challenge and showed all of us what could be accomplished
through strength, determination and her steadfast Catholic faith. Celia’s family was by far her proudest accomplishment. By her example, she taught all of us to keep growing, help each other and have some fun along the way. Celia showed us what being human meant and how to live a purposeful life. She always had room at her table for everyone, sometimes offering a side helping of tough love when needed. Celia and Paul’s quiet generosity benefitted all aspects of Carbondale. Notably, Celia was an ardent contributor of St. Mary’s Altar and Rosary Society. She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Sylvia and Cecile, dear
family and friends and, of course, her soulmate Paul. Celia is survived by her 5 ½ children, Tim Nieslanik, Tami (Chris) Broadhurst, Kim (Colt) Cornelius, Karen (Jesse) Crownhart, Ted (Tammy) Nieslanik, Stacey (Mike) Bernot, 13 grandchildren, Shea, Tanner (Luise) and Lily Nieslanik, Andrew and Emily Broadhurst, Cooper and Ally Cornelius, Letey, Carley and Erica Crownhart, Emmit Nieslanik, Hayden and Kendall Bernot, great grandson Noah Nieslanik, sister Alice (Wince) Bershenyi, brother-in-laws Ray (Elaine) Nieslanik, Jim Nieslanik, sister-in-law Frances Mattivi and numerous cherished extended family. Foremost in her life was her Catholic faith, and right alongside it was Celia’s devotion to her family. Celia taught us all a myriad of lessons. Although she’s no longer here to nudge us in person, we can see those reminders reflecting back to us in her children and grandchildren. Rest easy, Celia, for everything you have tended in this life has borne tremendous fruit. Please join our family in celebrating Celia on Aug. 24. Rosary takes place at 10am and funeral mass at 11am at St. Mary of the Crown Catholic Church, 397 White Hill Road, Carbondale, Colorado. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery (White Hill), followed by a reception.
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 15
Local breath worker to host Breath and Soma retreat, Sept. 4-7 MYKI JONES Sopris Sun Correspondent
Dr. Lindsay Branham, one of many presenters at the 2026 Frontiers of Knowledge Symposium is a PhD researcher whose work investigates how reconnecting with trees can help heal the divide between humans and the natural world. Photo of mixed-forest on Mt. Sopris by Annalise Grueter
Frontiers of Knowledge 2026 to explore intersections of consciousness ANNALISE GRUETER Sopris Sun Correspondent
In late August, Frontiers of Knowledge will once again bring a day of conversation about human consciousness to the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. This year, after the presentations and storytelling on Sunday, Aug. 23, the discussion will continue Aug. 24 in Carbondale at True Nature, where participants will process the information together through movement and sound. The sophomore year of Frontiers of Knowledge focuses on the theme “Consciousness in the Living World: Exploring What it Means to be Human in a World of Infinite Intelligence.” Organizers have invited scientists, philosophers and writers to speak about how human consciousness developed through interactions with our environment, understandings of animal experiences and how to interact with artificial intelligence (AI) as it develops. Sunday’s presentations will be opened by Candice Carpenter Olson, who founded Frontiers of Knowledge and has an extensive background in the studies of cosmology, consciousness and social connection. Olson will introduce an initial segment on how to navigate artificial intelligence as society adjusts to the fast-growing technology. The facilitator for this first part, Scarlett Max, is the Founder and CEO of Harmonic Legacy Institute, pioneering frameworks for civilizational-scale AI safety innovation, placing coherence at the center of human-AI coevolution. Scarlett earned a Harvard graduate degree in anthropology and has 30 years of systems-building experience. She has done extensive work on the topic of human-AI coevolution. The second presentation will shift to consciousness within animal bodies, both human and non-human. Dr. Chantal Noa Forbes is a transdisciplinary scholar with expertise in trans-species consciousness and decolonial and Indigenous perspectives on human interactions with other species. Forbes also has a background in anthropology, and has contributed 20 years of work through social documentaries, environmental media and agricultural communications across Africa, Asia and Europe. For the third part, humanities scholars David M. Peña-Guzmán and Matthew David Segall will discuss the coevolution of human and animal consciousness, specifically exploring human understanding of animal consciousness. Peña-Guzmán teaches humanities and comparative world literature at San Francisco State University in California, and specializes in animal studies, the history and philosophy of science, theories of consciousness and 20th century continental philosophy.
Segall teaches within the philosophy, cosmology and consciousness departments at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Both are published authors. After a lunch break, the afternoon sessions will cover integration of consciousness and intelligence, beginning with a panel. Musician and conservationist Garth Stevenson will be in conversation with environmental scientists and writers Dr. Lindsay Branham, Andreas Weber and award-winning prose writer Carl Safina. All four have worked in the intersection of humans and other species — from whales to trees to owls. This year’s closing, “Deep Intelligence of Earth; Deep Capacity of the Human,” will be delivered by Tenzin Seldon. The cofounder of a net-negative infrastructure company, Seldon has worked with the United Nations Environment Programme and in climate technology scaling venture capital fields for decades. Frontiers of Knowledge offers different ticket packages for the Aug. 23 events. A $100 day pass is available for all of the Wheeler Opera House presentations. Organizers are also offering limited $350 patron passes, which includes dinner from 5:15 to 9pm at the Paul JAS Center and musical entertainment by Jess Magic, Daniel Walker, Johnathan Kay, Dr. John Robert Bagby and Garth Stevenson. Separate $75 tickets gain attendees access to the Aug. 24 “Integration” itinerary at True Nature, which runs from 2 to 7:30pm. After a movement session led by True Nature Yoga Director Nicole Lindstrom, participants can enjoy two hours of salon-style guided discussion of the previous day’s presentations. After a garden happy hour and appetizers, the True Nature sessions will conclude with another performance by presenter and double-bassist Garth Stevenson. Separate tickets are available through True Nature for those wishing only to attend the concert. The 2025 inaugural year’s presentations are available for viewing through Aspen Public Radio. Frontiers of Knowledge is presented with support from Center for MINDS and the California Institute for Integral Studies as well as the Mays Family Foundation.
IN A NUTSHELL What: Frontiers of Knowledge Part One: Aug. 23, 9am to 5pm, at the Wheeler Opera House Dinner & Music: Aug. 23, 5:15 to 9pm, Paul JAS Center Part Two: Aug. 24, 2 to 7:30pm, at True Nature Tickets and info: frontiersofknowledge.org
16 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
Vanda Ciceryova is best known throughout the Roaring Fork Valley community for her specialized one-on-one yoga therapy sessions and breathwork, in which she uses methods to help her clients regulate the intensity of the modern world through prolonged, intentional breathing techniques. Ciceryova, who has lived in the Valley with her family for nearly 20 years, first dove into the world of yoga in 2011 while living in Los Angeles with her husband. She has undergone major career shifts, but eventually chose to pursue her passions. “I worked my way up, and I got the job I wanted,” she said. But, “In the first month, I looked into the mirror and thought, ‘This is what I worked for. This sucks.” So, with some encouragement from her husband, she followed her heart. “[My husband and I] were walking in downtown LA and there was this little ‘for rent’ sign on this little building. I jokingly asked my husband, ‘What if I could just open a yoga studio?’” she recalled. She did. Then she opened another, and another. “Soon enough, 10 years went by,” she continued. Vanda Ciceryova, renowned for her somatic and yoga practices “We had kids and realized throughout the Valley, looks forward that living in a big city wasn’t to hosting a retreat at Elkstone Lodge, exactly what I would like for where those attending will learn how the kids to grow up in.” to reset their nervous systems through Ciceryova and her hus- guided breathwork. Courtesy photo band met and began their romance in Aspen, after all. Following some careful IN A NUTSHELL consideration, they set out What: Breath & Soma retreat to begin a life in the Valley. When: Sept. 4-7 During this shift, CiceryWhere: Elkstone Lodge, ova decided to move from group-class style yoga to Missouri Heights more personalized pracRegistration and info: tices. She compared vandaland.com one-on-one yoga therapy with having a shrink, yoga instructor and a friend all in the one. “It’s like somebody that really knows your body and story. We work together on realistic goals,” she explained. “Yoga therapy work is not quick work. I usually see people for at least three months to about a year-and-a-half or two years … seeing them through ups and downs.”
The retreat From Sept. 4 to 7, she will be offering her services during a retreat, when those in attendance will be guided on healing journeys, regardless of where they are starting, through four rebirthing breathwork mastery sessions. These sessions will include somatic movement exercises, spacious rest, nourishing meals and mutual support strategies. In discussing breathwork, Ciceryova explained that the process starts with participants, again, setting intentions and then taking time to connect with the subconscious. “Rebirthing breathwork is a way to connect with yourself outside of the noise of the ‘shoulds’ and ‘shouldn’ts.’ Because you’re breathing for 90 minutes, [there’s] a lot of time to settle and a lot of time to feel your feelings and sensations,” she said. “In my line of work, we believe that the subconscious lives in the body and communicates with us through body sensations.” In discussing what she hopes her attendees gain from the experience, Ciceryova expressed a hope that breathwork will become a part of their regular routines. The practice has been gaining popularity in holistic spaces for many years now, due to the ways it can positively impact the body’s nervous system. “I think that is the main reason people are coming back to breathwork sessions: because they feel a difference. They feel it working because that breath and your nervous system are intricately connected. Your nervous system changes your breath. But by changing your breath, you can change your nervous system’s response in the moment,” Ciceryova concluded.
Author of bestseller about a historic shipwreck to do live podcast at TACAW ALISON OSIUS Sopris Sun Correspondent
In July 1831, the whaleship Mentor set off from New Bedford, Massachusetts, with 22 aboard. The sailors traveled the Atlantic to the Azores and down the coast of Africa, rounding the Cape of Good Hope. In March they crossed the Indian Ocean to Timor, Indonesia, and then headed toward whaling grounds in the western Pacific. In May, the captain set sail for Guam and never arrived. Instead, in a heavy storm, the Mentor slammed into a reef in the Micronesian archipelago of Palau. The ship thudded three times, lost its rudder and heeled over. Ten men quickly cast off in a whaleboat later found capsized and empty. When the captain and four sailors tried to lower in a second boat, a giant wave smashed it, with one man lost and others barely making it back on board. After a long night, the surviving half of the crew reached a small cay near the island of Kayangel. In the morning, 20 natives in a canoe, carrying clubs and spears, approached. Things were to get worse and then far worse. And you, the
Courtesy graphic
reader, wonder throughout: Could I survive — endure — this? The sailors were buffeted not just among the seas but three nations, for years and on different islands, their fates influenced by prior castaways. The author pieces different histories together, while in his introduction acknowledging, “There is no getting around the reality that the main sources I relied on are penned by Westerners, the people who came to Palau,
unintentionally or not … Although I have used Palauan sources and oral traditions where possible, they are relatively few in number.” The castaways are at the mercy of the natives, but they are encroaching. The intrusions change a nation. The book is dense, involving a cast of nearly 80 characters and five boats or ships (not even counting the ill-fated Syren, of 1823). Among the 22 sailors on the Mentor, known ages were 15 to 32. Six were teenagers. In 1783, the Antelope, from England, had wrecked off the island of Koror, Palau. The Indigenous treated the crew warmly and helped them build a new ship from remnants, but coveted their weaponry. The sailors had to go to war against the residents’ enemies — hence the chief of Koror became dominant — and, in departing, to promise more firearms. Nearly 50 years later, the crew of the Mentor landed on Ngarchelong, a region on the island of Babeldaob. The Ngarchelongese also wanted muskets, while the people of Koror wanted the castaways. More peril at sea, enslavement, escapes, rescue missions and double dealings ensue.
The book, “The Wreck of the Mentor,” released in June, was an immediate New York Times bestseller. On Aug. 18, the author, Eric Jay Dolin, will speak with Mitzi Rapkin of Basalt for her podcast, “First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing” (firstdraftwriters.com), at The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) free with an RSVP (tacaw.org/ calendar). Rapkin has done over 600 literary podcasts, though none with Dolin. “This book sounded like a great combination of history, adventure and adversity,” she says via email, adding that she believes residents and visitors here “are attracted to stories of survival and cultural clashes” from an expert. Dolin, author of 17 books, has a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental studies from Brown University, a master’s in environmental management at Yale and a PhD in environmental policy from MIT, and has worked for the Environmental Protection Agency and National Marine Fisheries Service. He lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts. ••• This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Sun: At the end of the book, you say that the manuscript of Captain Barnard’s memoir, a key source, was accidentally discovered in 1979 in the Kendall
Whaling Museum (now New Bedford Whaling Museum), where it had been misfiled. The museum published it. How did it all happen? Dolin: The guy who transcribed the [handwritten] manuscript was Kenneth R. Martin [museum director]. He edited it and wrote an introduction. It’s “Naked and a prisoner: Captain Edward C. Barnard’s narrative of shipwreck in Palau, 1832-1833.” The way I found it was rather simple. Once I had decided I was interested in Edward Barnard and the Mentor, I just started doing searches on the internet … This little volume popped up, and I was able to find a used copy online. Sun: It seemed such chance. Dolin: No, because that wasn’t the first book I found. That first book was Horace Holden’s [“A narrative of the shipwreck, captivity and sufferings of Horace Holden and Benj. H. Nute”], published in 1836 … I don’t have a physical copy of continued on page 18
IN A NUTSHELL What :“First Draft” interview with author Eric Jay Dolin Where: TACAW When: Aug. 18 at 6:30pm Free RSVP: tacaw.org
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 17
SHIPWRECK from page 17
EDGAR MEYER bass & AMY YANG piano virtuoso duo… AUGUST 18 | 6:00 PM HARRIS CONCERT HALL
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that. It’s probably a rare book and hard to find. Google Books helped me a lot … I downloaded the whole PDF. After I read that, I said, okay, there’s gotta be other stuff written. I looked at newspaper and journal articles and quickly came upon this narrative by Edward Barnard. Then a guy on the [USS] Vincennes, the naval rescue mission sent by President Andrew Jackson, wrote a four-part series in a naval journal. In terms of original sources from the Palauans, there was nothing, because they don’t have a written history, at least back then, other than oral history. I used a couple of oral histories, but the thing that was more helpful was two or three books written by Palauans or the Palauan government that detailed their
own country’s history. All those books had sections on this event and early Western explorers. There’s a three-volume book put together by a Palauan agency, and luckily I was able to get all three volumes from the Harvard Widener Library and scan them. Sun: Did you feel you could’ve survived what these crewmen did? Dolin: I’d like to think that I could … I’m pretty tough. I’m very determined, but I guarantee that initially I would be incredibly depressed … But snap out of that and do everything I could. I don’t know if I could hold out for four years, crawling around an island and eating insects and leaves and whatever entrails were given to me. I literally don’t know.
GLENWOOD from page 10 The City will initially seek injunctive relief to have the detention facility shut down immediately while the case is being litigated. If that motion is not granted, the facility would be allowed to continue operating for the estimated 18 months to two years that it would take to get to trial, Hanlon said.
In other news … In other matters that came before the council at the Aug. 6 meeting, resident Laurie Chase expressed concerns about e-bikes and e-moto bikes on trails, especially when younger riders are at the controls. “I would like to see the City consider stronger education and reasonable regulations,” she said. Councilman Steve Smith said the Transportation Commission, for which he serves as the council liaison, is taking up the issue of trail conflicts and possible restrictions. Council also heard an appeal from Glenwood Park resident Cindy Svatos, whose renewal for a short-term rental
permit was recently denied by P&Z. On a 6-1 vote, the council agreed with P&Z that the unit in question was not being actively rented, and thus was not generating any lodging tax revenues for the City. Because Glenwood Springs does not allow short-term rentals to be permitted within 250 feet of each other, the inactive permit was preventing another nearby applicant from qualifying for a permit, the council determined. Additionally, the council passed, 7-0, a resolution supporting the recently introduced Glenwood Hot Springs Protection Act in Congress, which would prevent the Rocky Mountain Industrials limestone quarry from expanding; passed, 5-2, an inter-governmental agreement with the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority regarding the planned crossing of the Rio Grande Trail/railroad corridor for the planned South Bridge project; and approved 7-0 a $250,000 proposal to replace the climbing wall at the Glenwood Community Center. The work is to take place during the facility’s scheduled maintenance closure at the end of August.
GARCO from page 14 up in a one-to-one vote.” He also asked Finance Director Jamaica Watts if, rather than a budget supplement, the jail can transfer funds from its vacancy savings to the overtime budget. Because both fall within operating costs, the answer is likely yes, Watts said. Jankovsky asked that Watts get with the jail team and see if a supplemental request is necessary. Because Samson will be away again next week, if a supplemental request does come back to the commissioners it will be in September. The next action item was another supplemental request for $325,000 from the jail for its contract with Corrhealth. Lou said that due to not being able to hire enough local nurses, additional expenses accrue to bring medical support staff from outside the area. “That’s driving our costs above what’s in the contract,” Lou said. Jankovsky did some math, and surmised that if there are 80 inmates on average, then the $2,936,000 contract with Corrhealth should cover roughly 18 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
36,000 per inmate through the year, and the supplemental would bring that up to more than $40,000. He was curious how that money is spent and suggested inviting Corrhealth to a meeting before approving the supplemental request. Lou said that there were around 60 inmates in custody on Monday. Dalla brought up that “more like 2,000 inmates [are] processed throughout the entire year,” and that many come and leave and “all of them have to be medically reviewed.” The board plans to revisit the budget request during the Sept. 8 meeting. The last action item was a consideration to lease 170-acre-feet of water from the county’s holdings in Ruedi Reservoir to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. Of the 400-acre-feet the county owns, it already leased 200 to West Divide Water Conservation District earlier this summer. The county plans to reserve its remaining 30-acre-feet. The two commissioners on hand approved the release.
The masters of disinformation While campaigning for Proposition In the 1970s, Exxon scientists informed the board of directors of the deleterious 112, the 2,500-foot setback initiative, effects of burning their product on the in 2018, environmental groups learned climate. Did the bigwigs take the socially that the fossil fuel industry has deep responsible action and tell the world and pockets. Proponents were outspent immediately switch to power sources with $40 million to $800,000 by the industry and still lost by only 55% to 45%. no emissions? No chance. The industry made the capi- Seeing promotional television ads is a good sign an industry talistic move and kept the or a trade association scientific information a has too much money. secret. When word got out, Thirty second spots Big Oil took a page out of are pricey. the Big Tobacco playbook This year, the indusand commenced a massive try will have a “Right disinformation campaign. to Natural Gas” initiaGreenwashing became tive on the ballot, the order of the day, with which would prevent the industry advertising municipalities from minor projects toward enacting gas hookup net zero while focusing bans on new construcheavily on fossil fuels. tion. Crested Butte and Consumers were blamed Berkeley, California, for the proliferation of THE VIEW FROM already have gas bans. oil and gas. To a certain extent, this is true. If THE THERAPY POOL Get ready for a deluge By Fred Malo of ads for this proposal. we could eliminate the The fossil fuel indusdemand for fossil fuels, it try points out that China is still building would be left in the ground. An international economic catastrophe coal power plants. Indeed, they are, is predicted if Big Oil goes under. Is world- but China has also added more renewwide fiscal security dangling from such a able energy than the rest of the world combined. They can be excused for tenuous thread? When the Inflation Reduction Act was taking an all-of-the-above approach, passed in 2022, opponents said it picked since China has a lot of people to provide winners rather than letting market forces energy for. The industry claims renewables are prevail. What about the $37.5 billion in government subsidies the fossil fuel expensive and unreliable. Locally, Holy industry collected in 2025? What does an Cross Energy is 92% renewable, and they industry that raked in $3.3 trillion in profits provide some of the cheapest power in the state. And, I don’t know how you can in that year need with that? We need fossil fuels for jobs, the industry be more unreliable than the Xcel Energy says. They employ 1% to 1.8% of Colorado’s Comanche 3 coal-fired plant in Pueblo, total workforce, while renewables hire 2.4%. which has been up and down like a yoyo Methane gas is advertised as a “clean” since it came online in 2010. The property taxes the industry pays energy source and a bridge fuel to the future. This fails to take into consider- keep our schools open, so says the indusation the fact that methane emissions are try. They’d have you believe they’re doing roughly 84 times more potent as a green- that out of the goodness of their hearts, house gas than carbon dioxide and, when and not because they’re required to and extraction techniques like fracking are they’ll get favorable decisions from local taken into consideration, are just as dirty governments that way. Chevron tells us they’re protecting the or dirtier than coal. migration routes of antelope, as if they’d Rocky Mountain Institute did a study refrain from drilling if it interfered with of the myths surrounding methane gas. a pronghorn path. The American PetroThey found: leum Institute says it’s pheasant and quail • Myth: Gas leaks are normal and not they’re looking out for. too costly. Coloradans for Responsible Energy • Fact: Globally, 280 billion cubic Development actually claims extraction meters of methane leak each year, is environmentally beneficial despite the and Texas, alone, lost $1 billion in fact that drilling is responsible for 84% of wasted methane last year. all carbon dioxide emissions. • Myth: Gas loss is inevitable In the face of recent overwhelming • Fact: The industry can stop leaks evidence to the contrary (heat domes, when they want to. When gas prices droughts, wildfires, floods, etc.), the are up, methane capture goes up. Prevaricator-in-Chief says climate change When gas prices go down, methane is a “con job. ” That would indicate a profit leaks increase. motive. Who’s getting rich off warning • Myth: Gas is natural and clean. about climate change? • Fact: Methane gas contains toxic The truth is, fossil fuels would’ve hydrogen sulfide and carcinogenic died out decades ago if it weren’t for the benzene and contributes to sickening obscene amounts of money the industry smog. In its natural state, methane gas spreads around to influence politicians, is in the ground. voters and other industries. It’s time to • Myth: Gas prices are reliable. break those bonds and phase out the • Fact: Hardly. Wars in Ukraine and industry that seems hell-bent on phasing Iran and actions in Venezuela have us out. caused huge swings in gas prices.
OPINION
Third spaces “I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything or process anything as a career,” is a memorable quote from a very impassioned speech by Lloyd Dobler in the movie “Say Anything” (coincidentally available to check out on DVD by asking the staff at a library branch closest to you). The movie and Lloyd’s desire not to “sell out” was the prevailing ethos when I was growing up in the ‘80s in Des Moines, Iowa. The circuitous route that brought me from Iowa to the role as executive director of the Garfield County Public Library District (GCPLD) are breadcrumbs that I hope to describe when they are relevant to the topic at hand. As I was thinking about my first submission to The Sopris Sun, I thought a lot about how I wanted to introduce myself. I also reminisced about how when I started as the manager of the Glenwood Branch three years ago, that I would have bet you the cost of a mid-sized sedan that I would not be writing this column. Most of all, I thought about the privilege I have been provided by Garfield County Library trustees, my colleagues of the past three years and the residents of the county to be the caretaker of an entity that has been described as having firehouse levels of approval (80%) in a survey done this year. What I have the privilege of “selling” is an organization that positively impacts the quality of life through six libraries from Parachute to Carbondale. In these six branches, my approximately 100 creative and empathetic colleagues OPEN BOOK support a half-million-item checkout list, By Abraham Korah almost as many visits to our six branches and 45,000 members of the community attending programs — from storytime, holiday concerts, author talks and local history presentations. If I am declaring to the readers of The Sun that our libraries don’t need selling, I should refrain from turning this column into a written infomercial. Our daily lives are already inundated with constant sales pitches for products we don’t need. If you will indulge me, I plan to use this column to highlight my colleagues or the impact of the libraries on the community. More so, I would like to use this opportunity to address concerns the community has brought to my attention, provide insights into how our branches work (more hard work than magic), discuss local challenges and how we can be part of the solution, and as a way to introduce myself to you. I am a believer in providing the “why” behind the district’s decisions and priorities. One of these priorities is our six spaces. The idea of having a third space, a physical space outside of home (first place) and work or school (second place), where we spend time, continues to be an important role public libraries play. I am proud to represent and promote the safe and comfortable third spaces that make up our six branches open to Garfield County residents and visitors. In the three years I interacted with the community in Glenwood, I noticed how much the building itself impacted residents. It almost seems counterintuitive, but the more each of our lives recede into screens — from the second we open our eyes to when we finally close them at night — the more we need public spaces open to everyone. Our six library buildings allow all to come and go as they desire, with no costs for the use of the buildings, the programs or events or books and other materials. Although Garfield County voters reported visiting one of our six branches at least once a month, it would probably surprise most of our patrons to learn about the remarkable ways our library spaces are used by our residents. All six of our libraries have spaces for community meetings and smaller “study” rooms. The more than 17,000 yearly uses are a testament to their popularity. Although we informally refer to the smaller rooms as “study” rooms for their size and typically having a square table, four chairs and a whiteboard, I have observed a number of unique uses. In addition to individual or group work or study, I have seen patrons practicing musical instruments, recording podcasts and CPR training, just to name a few. The only requirement of a group using a meeting room is to put the room back the way it was found for the next group. Groups abide by the leave no trace ethos in a remarkable way. These community spaces are the same rooms our staff use to host events and programs, and sometimes for a staff meeting. The community spaces are used for training and education, by nonprofit organizations hosting events, by HOA residents, political party gatherings, homeschool families to come together and for hundreds of other purposes. If you are interested in reserving a meeting space or study room, ask the staff at the branch closest to you or by visiting gcpld.org Unlike Lloyd, if you ask me, I do want to sell everything about our libraries, buy ideas from staff on how to make the branches better, process patron input on ways GCPLD can contribute to the quality of life and do that as my career.
OPINION
If I am declaring to the readers of The Sun that our libraries don’t need selling, I should refrain from turning this column into a written infomercial!
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 19
ASPEN & SNOWMASS Pitkin county Library Hyman Avenue Box Wheeler Opera House Box Snowmass Town Park Station Aspen Valley Hospital Mi Chola Snowmass Clarks Market Snowmass Mall Alpine Bank in Snowmass Alpine Bank in AABC BASALT & EL JEBEL Willits General Store Alpine Bank ANB Bank Basalt Quick Lube Basalt Regional Library Big O Tires El San Miguel Box Casa Tequila CC’s Cafe Whole Foods Eagle County Courts Crown Mountain Express Lube El Jebel Mobile Offices El Korita Hightone Autobody El Jebel Laundromat Mountain Family Health Cazadores Scottie’s The Basalt Store Timbo’s Hightone Automotive and Tires CARBONDALE 3rd St. Center Alpine Bank Carbondale Library Main St. Box Catherine’s Store Food Truck Carbondale Recreation Center City Market Carbondale CMC Edna’s Hair Salon Gloria’s Boutique Garcia’s Jalisco Grill La Fogata La Perla La Placita La Roca Lift-up Sunburst Valley Meats First Bank GLENWOOD SPRINGS Glenwood Springs Library Centennial Park Box Comfort Dental Coin Laundromat Glenwood Recreation Center Glenwood CMC El Yaqui First Bank Frida’s Glenwood Hot Springs Yampa Hotsprings Valley View Hospital Impuestos Seguros La Michoacana Mountain Family Health Post Office Garfield County Human Resources Sal Mex Tequila’s Tony’s Bakery Super Taco Alpine Bank on Grand Ave New Castle New Castle Library City Market Carniceria Elias Hacienda San Miguel Post Office Tapatios Alpine Bank SILT Silt Library La Placita 2 La Placita Market LeMora Pizza Silt Roundabout RIFLE Cafe y Pasteleria Galea East Ave & 3rd St. Box City Hall Box E 12th St. Box El Patron El Rincon Jalisco Grill Mercado San Jose Momma’s Nachos Mexican Dining Paleteria La Korita Promex Bakery Remington Square Spyderwash Tapatios La Baja Espresso Rifle Library Imperio Variedades Dinora Diversity Salon Alpine Bank on 4th St Alpine Bank on Airport Rd PARACHUTE Nalini’s Taqueria Jalisco El Tapatio City Hall Box Parachute Library Running Burrito Lift-up Fifty Shadz Salon Sinclair Vero’s Mexican Bakery
Look for stories like this in this week’s Sol del Valle!
Looking for change
Full edition is available every Friday afternoon on newstands and at businesses from Rifle to Aspen
TE AMO
I LOVE YOU
If you’ll allow me to talk in very important ends and the loudness of abstract terms for a bit, I’ll hope to its urgency goes quiet, leaving you in impart some wisdom I’m finding in the gap between beats. Those gaps can By Raquel Rivera Lopez my late-twenties. be days or years depending on what There was a time when I more or you’re looking for and how honest I love you enough to grow old with you. less knew what was coming next. Life you’re willing to be with yourself about I love you to laugh out loud, used to have a sense of progression it. Be a little romantic about what’ll to enjoy an afternoon of limitless sex, marked by clear lines come next. But be but at the same time, to simply enjoy of change. Summer willing to accept that having you by my side. vacations, graduawhat you want it to be tions, first dates, first and what it actually jobs, moving away, becomes are almost I love you to walk hand in hand with you those kinds of things. never the same thing. and gaze at the starry sky at night. It was systems and If I can be egotistical tropes that pointed for a second, I think I love you, I love you, you in the direction the wisest thing I’ve I simply love you. your life was headever said is that life is ing. Change was like a scatter plot. A I love you to feel that there is someone who on its way and you life doesn’t amount listens to me, knew roughly when to anything; more so to know that you are there, paying attention and roughly what it it shapes into many CRÍTICAS to the most intimate details of my life. would look like. iterations before it By Hector Salas-Gallegos Goals and ambireaches its final shape, Just living life by your side, tion work best inside oblong, goofy and structure. That’s the whole design of beautiful. Stop stressing about what a peaceful life, school. Execute well, receive a grade, your life will add up to and consider a life with your love. advance. There’s a rhythm baked in. finding freedom in what you’re open to But once you leave that structure, it becoming. You have to live a lesson I love you to lull you, goals become abstract. There’s no to actually learn it but if I can offer any I love you to make you feel safe, one hovering over your life with a advice it would be to loosen your grip. to give you, with every step, rubric. Maybe that’s why people find Learning to close that gap a little piece of myself. solace in religion. between expectation and reality is What I found was that my goals one of life’s first real exams. And the I love you to touch your heart, had always been set for me by the hardest part of passing it is making to feel how it beats in your chest, structures I was inside. When I peace with mediocrity which is really pleading for compassion. left them I didn’t know how to set a derogatory word to describe our my own, which left me aimless. limitations. So if we can’t see our Setting goals can sound easy — just limitations as invitations for other I love you for who I am by your side; decide to dedicate yourself to be the people to be excellent, we’ll spend I am strong, “best this” or “most that.” Superlaour lives bitter and yearning. A bitter I am the one who clearly sees tive language in goal setting is the yearner waits for large chunks of everything that lies before me. cop-out answer and unfortunately their life for a chapter that never the default. comes, while everyone around them In that time, having that next step finds enough worthwhile to spend EDITOR’S NOTE: This translations was assisted with AI. mapped out made it easier to live in the time well. the present. If tomorrow is already planned out for you, it’s easier to indulge in the sweetness of now. One of life’s hardest lessons is learning we have free will and building the courage to use it. That realization arrives at different times for different people. Some find it in school, others in adulthood, some never. But I’ve noticed it tends to arrive only after you catch yourself waiting for the next thing to come and start wondering why it hasn’t shown up yet. There will be times when you’re Follow Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every week in Spanish. between chapters. Something
OPINION
Bianca Godina — Editor • bianca@soldelvalle.org | Margarita Alvarez — Advertising • margarita@soldelvalle.org www.soldelvalle.org • info@soldelvalle.org • 970-510-0234
20 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
Share your works in progress with readers by emailing illustrations, creative writings and poetry to fiction@soprissun.com
Always Envy The Rich Man
Comparte tus proyectos creativos aún en proceso con nuestros lectores. Puedes enviarnos un correo electrónico con tus ilustraciones, creaciones literarias y poesía a fiction@soprissun.com
By Daniel Spiller Glenwood Springs
Always envy the rich man hail the gold on his teeth Rolled his roads stoges and fields and I’m still stuck on my knees Begging at the bottom of his feet like a dog drooling to eat I have to stand up to something even if he breaks my knees Always obey the rich man work when he tell you to work He go’n make bread outta your hands and show you exactly what it’s worth Diving for the dimes at his feet Kill your brothers to make ends meet
Covet your lives Be no man’s device As the world freedom cries Won’t you sympathise No more envy the rich man No more hail to the chief You can make war with your own hands And leave mine in my peace You’re telling me who’s my enemies When you are the only one I see Covet your lives Be no man’s device As the world freedom cries Won’t you sympathise
Send Some Rain By Deborah Holt Williams
Feels like hell here, Colorado! Rocky Mountains shouldn’t get this hot. Warm and humid, more like West Virginia. Mother Nature gave us all she’s got. Send some rain! Cool our home! It’s the place we belong. Plants are thirsty, bears are hungry, Send some rain down mountain streams.
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0275 Castle Creek Road Call or email Maggie Gerardi to schedule a tour.
970.544.1530
mgerardi@aspenvalleyhealth.org
Discover how a little assistance can preserve your independence! Openings Available Now aspenvalleyhealth.org THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 21
LETTERS centers are being built faster than security teams can protect them and us. In addition, allowing mega-water users is reckless while Coloradans face strict conservation measures. Nancy Peterson Carbondale
The Good Fight Mark your calendars for THE GOOD FIGHT! A Rally to get out the vote, Saturday, Sept. 19, at 11 am at Paepcke Park in Aspen. It’s time to change the “regime” in D.C. We need to work together to safeguard our nation against Trump. Rally speakers will address the egregious actions of the Trump admini-
from page 2
stration, the shocking ICE offenses, the attacks on freedom of the press and civil rights, voter suppression, unnecessary wars, destruction of our National Forests, alienation of our allies, the death of affordability and healthcare and much more. The current situation is worse than we ever feared and we need to find a way back to the country we all still remember and love. Our speakers will look for a new path, and much-needed hope. Please join us! We need helping hands. Email laffertylinda@gmail.com to offer support. Linda Lafferty Carbondale
LETTERS POLICY: The Sopris Sun welcomes local letters to the editor. Shorter letters stand a better chance of being printed. Letters exclusive to The Sopris Sun (not appearing in other papers) are particularly welcome. Please, no smearing, cite your facts and include your name and place of residence or association. Letters are due to news@soprissun.com by noon on the Monday before we go to print.
ECPA from page 4 The executive director role is currently contracted for one year, but Markovitz is committed to the long term. While she will work closely with the ECPA board to establish priority and goal maps, Markovitz is already planning pathways for community engagement. In the short term, she hopes to streamline needs and interests by developing a formal advisory board, whereas in the future she envisions a public online dashboard where the public can access allocation of tax funds and the district’s impact. Ultimately, she wants the
district to be an approachable and beneficial entity the public can be proud of and see as an innovative leader. “Long term, the goal is that Every Child Parachute to Aspen is recognized as a trusted, essential community partner,” Markovitz said. “Early childhood does not exist in a vacuum. It touches housing, transportation, public health, economic development and more. I want this district to sit at the table with all of those sectors to make life in our region better for everyone.”
Every Child Parachute to Aspen invites the community to meet Samantha Markovitz for a Popsicle in the Park on Aug. 18 at Centennial Park Playground in Rifle. Please RSVP at tinyurl.com/ECPAmeetup
CAVERN SPRINGS from page 5 “We’ll have another big community meeting soon, because we are just learning how to navigate these next steps,” Muniz said. It’s a case study in what it takes for residents of mobile home parks to band together and take on such a daunting endeavor. That was echoed repeatedly during an Aug. 3 affordable housing forum at the Aspen Chapel, sponsored by Mountain Voices, the Aspen Jewish Congregation and Snowmass Chapel. “We are not developers, we are not investors, we are not housing analysts,” explained Muniz, who was part of the panel discussion. “What we have is the will to improve our housing situation.
“I do want to be clear, that the organizing itself, the decisions, the meetings, the personal sacrifices, the work of holding a hundred families together through a year of uncertainty, that is us!” Muniz said. Katherine Coe, project organizer for Mountain Voices, added that the Cavern Springs effort is “what broad-based community organizing looks like when it works.” However, she said more needs to change at the state level through legislation, including extending the time park residents have to come up with the funding to buy their parks. More cooperation between local entities also needs to happen to help park residents organize, Coe said.
An audio recording of the Aug. 3 affordable housing forum was generously provided by Aspen Public Radio and Aspen Journalism reporter Eleanor Bennett.
GORP from page 14 “The hearing represents the first formal step towards passing this historic piece of legislation that, once enacted, will safeguard our western Colorado landscapes for outdoor recreation, economic vitality and agricultural and ranching heritage,” the WSCC commented. “Senator Bennet’s powerful testimony was a strong testament to the bill’s bipartisan support, which brought together a diverse group of stakeholders that possessed a shared and balanced vision for what the Gunnison Basin should look like for generations to come.” Following testimony, the Senate committee meets privately to debate and vote on potential changes. Should the bill be approved by a majority vote within the committee, it will be moved to the full Senate. A committee vote on GORP has yet to be announced. 22 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026
PARTING SHOTS The “Colorado Capsule” made a stop in Glenwood Springs on Wednesday morning, Aug. 12, part of a state-wide initiative to collect and preserve Colorado items from 2026. The items will be buried in a 7-foot by 3-foot HDPE pipe in Loveland until 2076. Glenwood was stop number 16 of 24 on the time-capsule’s crossstate, item-collection journey, driven by Charles Lammers (pictured holding The Sopris Sun). Labeled “Colorado’s Largest Time Capsule,” the initiative was set up to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States and 150th anniversary of Colorado. The public is invited to contribute items and objects with the goal “to create one shared historical snapshot made up of thousands of personal stories, memories, and artifacts representing life across Colorado in 2026,” according to Visit Loveland. Photos by Bob Rugile
For you. For life.
BASALT from page 11 Pan Valley for 49 years where they raised their three children. In that time, Wally Dallenbach served as the president of the Colorado 500 motorcycle charity ride, which over the course of 50 years has both raised approximately $3.5 million in charity support for small town communities including Basalt and become the longest-running charity motorcycle event in the country. The parade will proceed from Basalt Elementary School, and the dedication ceremony will feature riders from the Colorado 500 along with vintage cars and Basalt’s first ambulance, which Wally Dallenbach purchased for the town in 1976.
Supporting Your Vibrant Life Don’t let life’s surprises get in the way of making the most of every moment. After-Hours Medical Care in Basalt is here for you, offering convenient and compassionate services for non-lifethreatening emergencies—7 days a week. After-Hours Medical Care
970.544.1250
Basalt 234 East Cody Lane
Weekdays: 2-10 pm Weekends: 8 am-5 pm
No appointment necessary, walk-ins welcome!
aspenvalleyhealth.org
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | August 13-19, 2026 23
The 55th Carbondale Mountain Fair was a beautiful experience of love and gathering of community. A big Thank You to all who made it happen. Chief of Operations Deborah Colley Entertainment Conductor Aly Sanguily Production Lead James Gorman Vendor Coordination Staci Dickerson Carbondale Arts Executive Director Jamie Abbott Carbondale Arts Staff Brian Colley, Staci Dickerson, Berry Hurst, Sarah Overbeck, Emily Reilly, Michael Stout Supervisor Support Veronica Lamaak Wise Elders Amy Kimberly, Laurie Loeb, Mark Taylor Production Team James Gorman, Emmet Hood Garcelon, Mark Taylor, Kevin Lundy, Jeff Britt, Darin Binion, Allen Porter, August Strelau, Blake McDonald, Darin Toy, Forest Fulker, Garret del Castillo, Jason Albert, Joey Doyle, Joey Stokes, Jeptha Hoffman, Kate Mcdonald, Lucien Pevec, Mark Wisroth, Matt Hoogenboom, Matt Kennedy, Brenden Peterson, Robert Burch, Ryan Jervis, Scott Levine, Teddy Lievois, Tee Conrad, Joey Staron, Taylor Green, Matt Sherman, Bodhi Albert, Megan VanZandt, Aubrey Hood, Dean McMichael Pete Rich Vendor Support Joanne Teeple, “Bernsie” Comey, Marianne Ackerman, Teri Bruna, Phyllis Smilack, Audrey Oberlin, Barb Fuller, Alta Otto, Amber van Berlo Electricians Bill Laemmel, Lance Dement, Rob Janssen, Sean Hartman Stage Management Jeff Britt, Darin Binion, Matt Hoogenboom, Charlie Noone Audio Visual SNOB Productions Band Liaison Leslie Johnson Backline Manager Charlie Noone Backline Support Josh Behrman, Ashton Taufer, SNOB Productions Drum Circle Laurie Loeb, Mona Newton, Dave Lewis, Nancy Thal, Lori Patrick, Eric Baumheier, Dave White, Jessie Lehman, Janice Barker Opening Blessing Gabriela Mejia Emcees Jamie Abbott , Aly Sanguily, Deborah Colley, Amy Kimberly, Rebecca Binion, Pedro Rivera, Landan Berlof, Marina Skiles, Andrea Harris, Paco NevarezBurgueño, Erica Sparhawk Park Perimeter Kelly Phillips, Jamie Nims, Jonathan Snodgrass, Ed Piccolo, Rodrigo Salcido, Hilary Salcido, Zane Kessler, Bryant Maggert, Cynda Larson Green Team Jason White, Malcolm McMichael, Kristin Mattera, Sarah Johnson, Jared Barnes, Erica Borum, Debbie Bruell, Cora & Adam Carballeira, John DiBenedetto, Laur Ebone, Seth Goddard, Kyle Leitzke, Betsy McMichael, Mona Newton, Ray Politowski, Dave Reed, Alyssa Reindel, Dave Reindel, Oliver Reindel, Rich Walker, Mark Weinhold, Bob Mineo, EverGreen ZeroWaste Water Coordination Richard Vottero, Scott Levine Poster Design Powan Brown Gazebo Stage Loren Wilder, Wilder Design, Corey Summers, Pika Furniture Studio, Gwen Garcelon, Candice Hart, Chris Hassig, Blake Linehan, Paul McQueeny, Matt Roeser, Corey Stasinos, Cody Kosinski, Matt Hays Floral Design Eagle Crest Nursery, Eric Baumheier Program Sopris Sun, Lee Beck Photographers Sarah Overbeck, Mark Burrows, Brent Moss, Carlyn Porter, Renee Ramge, Will Sardinsky, David Vasquez, Brenna McCurry Oasis Michael Stout, Emily Reilly, Morgan Williams, Joan Dizon, Brady Selvage, Christina Hippensteel, Emmet Hood Garcelon, El Vecino Shows, SoL Theatre, Eric Smith, Brian Harrier, Michael Halualani, Dance Initiative, Legacy Dance Company, Johier Begay, Quincy Gray, Alexandra Jerkunica, Angel Najera, Lizbeth Landa, Juan Peña, Joey Staron, Mtn Heart Brewing, Valley View Midwives, Little Blue Preschool, Carbondale Chamber, Mike Arnold, Main Street Businesses Live Broadcast KDNK, Tracy Strode Carbondale Arts Valley Artists Booth Brian Colley, Jen Roby, Teal Bowden, Joe Markham, Julie Grimm, Rita Overbeck T-Shirt Coordination Laura Stover, Marina Skiles, Pam Williams, Christine Helling, Rachael Sellers, Leah Swan, Aisha Weinhold, Vianne Cámara, Shawn Tonozzi, Caroline Iles, Monica Viall Volunteer Coordinators Kellyn Wardell, Sarah Kuhn, Brooke Bockelman, Isa Johnson, Helene Gude, Erik Wardell, Emily Reilly Raffle Coordinators Rebecca Binion, Cortney McDougall, Jill Napiwocki, Jonathan Stokely, Sara Porter, Annie Gonzales, Kerry Vandervoort, Sue Drinker Carbondale Arts Member Hub Raychl Powers, Katy Parr, Kathleen Sgambati, Andrea Harris, Miles Phillips Band Merchandise Veronica Lamaak, Sara McMillan Backstage Hospitality Patti Lemmon, Ethan Young, Hattie Johnson, Julia Morton, Shane Spyker, Lindsay Gurley, Delia Bolster, Bridger Langfur, Dan Shnider, Melissa Rivera, Pedro Rivera, Serena Kauffman, Renée Thibodeaux, Amy Stangl, Lucy Kessler, Marlin Gonzalez, Kristin Levey, Jessica Hood, Chaz Pratt, Erik Hesselman, Scott Yorko, Rachael Gillespie, Gabriela Mejia, Aubrey Hood, Veronica Lamaak, Tory & Jim Neu, Sopris Liquor & Wine, Phat Thai, Cocoa Club, Plosky’s Deli, Fat Belly Burgers, Qdoba, Sprazzo, Dooley Creek Farms, Bonfire Coffee, Dos Gringos, White House Pizza, Westbound & Down, Ming’s, Peppino’s, New York Pizza, Nieslanik Beef, Two Roots Farm, Wild Mountain Seeds, Matt Kennedy, Whole Foods, Pete Rich Backstage Security Mugsy Fay, Nathaly Camacho, Christian Stack, Caitlin Evans, Kat Hardy Backstage Design Aly Sanguily, Leslie Johnson, Claire de L’Arbre, Gabriela Mejia, Anders Carlson, Erik Hesselman, Vallee Noone, Caitlin Evans, Deja Hanson, Isa Johnson, Jackie Powers, Pete Bellande, Sonni Jackson, Miranda Cox, Amy Kimberly, Sheer Bliss Aspen, Habitat for Humanity of the Roaring Fork Valley, Prismatica Lanterns Trailer Support Amy Kimberly, Staci Dickerson, Steven Deliyanis Info Booth Bob Schultz, Amy Kimberly, Jean Marie Hegarty, Kat Rich, Mustang Molly Cantina Jeff Lauckhart, Evan Cree, Jeff Dickinson, Brett Nelson, Mike Mines, Cal Viall, Carrie Tippet, Trevor Clapper, Kayleigh Wisroth, Chris Whaling, Shawn Gerum, Avy Harris, Kyle Pieti, Isabelle DeLise, Bear & Bev Patera, Stephen Shapiro, Aaron Aeschilman, Matt Gwost, Drew Sorenson, Andy Zack, Suerte Tequila, Montanya Distillers, Marble Distilling, Odell Brewing Company, Big B’s, Stripped Mixers, Sopris Liquor & Wine Money Honeys Amber van Berlo, Amy Kimberly, Ben Bohmfalk, Cara Agran, Berry Hurst, Dan Giese, Seth Goddard, Erica Sparhawk Peace Patrol Michael Gorman, Dave Kanzer, Elissa Rodman, Carl Ellerbrook, Allie Cryns, Marcus Thackston, José Roman, Lawrence Bond, Adam Brown, Mark Mulligan, Tanner Hawkins, Hayden Reich, Camy Britt Rainbow Lounge AspenOUT, Janet Gordon, Steve Mills, Jessi Rochel, Rocio De La Cruz, Gay4Good Rocky Mountains, Free Mom Hugs, Thelma Thunderthighs, Pedro Rivera Pie Contest Carly DeBeque, Alta Otto, Amber van Berlo, David Lubrant, Heidi Hendricks, Hilary Hendricks Preston, Penelope Mathis, Delaney Jaeger, Shaggy Fink, Ken Lubrant, Ben Ludlow Cake Contest April Crow Spaulding, Bryce Pizano, Olivia Groth, Grace Flash Gallo, Phi Filerman, Hunter Popkin, Britni Johnson, Katherine Rushton, Kim Wells Potter’s Throwdown Carbondale Clay Center Limbo Dr. Limbo, Eric Baumheier, Jessie Lehman, Dave Kanzer, Dave White, John DiBenedetto, John Foulkrod, Ken Lubrant, Billy Hammond Wood Splitting Dan Giese, Kat Rich, Blake McDonald, Darin Binion, Matt Hoogenboom, Nic Degross, ACE Hardware, SavATree, Kenichi Woodworking, Sopris Liquor & Wine 4-Mile Fair Run Brion After, Kyle Jones, Independence Run & Hike Porcupine Loop & Bike Parking Darin Binion, Matt Hoogenboom, Nic DeGross, Stomparillaz, Aloha Mountain Cyclery, Pitkin County Open Space Horseshoes McCarra Baker Fly-Casting Gill Finn, Alpine Angling Singer Songwriter Shanti Gruber,Craig & Sheena Patterson, Meagan Goodwin, Steve’s Guitars, Cool Brick Studios, Glenwood Music, KDNK Community Radio Above & Beyond Business Support Alpine Bank, Aspen Sopris Ranger Station, Akomplice, Bethel Party Rentals, Blue Heron Forge, Builders FirstSource, Carbondale Chamber, Coldwell Banker Mason Morse, El Dorado, Haul It All, Hotel Colorado, Habitat for Humanity of the Roaring Fork Valley, Louie the Computer Guy, Live Loud T-Shirt Co., Main Street Businesses, Mountain Flow, Valley Hopper, Prismatica Lanterns, Quality Brands, Roaring Fork School District, SNOB Productions, SoL Theatre, Sopris Liquor & Wine, Sheer Bliss Aspen, Sunsense Solar, TRTC Couldn’t do this without 5Point Film, Ashley Buss, AspenOut, Blue Sky Woodwork, Carbondale Parks & Rec, Carbondale Police, Carbondale Public Works, Carbondale Fire District, Carbondale Trustees, Chief Kirk Wilson, Darin Binion, The Downtowner, El Dorado, Garrett Kennedy, Gay4Good, Jerry Gillespie, Geoff Guimond, KDNK, Kevin Schorzman, Liz Busch, Matt Hoogenboom, Matt McBrayer, Matt Soltesz, Marla Barnett, Marty Schlein, Mike Arnold, Mike Wagner, Monte Lutterman, Mountain Heart Brewing, Patrick Thibault, Peter Arlein, River Valley Ranch, Rock Leonard, Sopris Park Neighbors, Sopris Soarers & Stilting Sisters, The Sopris Sun, Town of Carbondale, Ryan Hyland Carbondale Arts Board of Directors Marina Skiles, Andrea Harris, Rebecca Binion, Lawrence Bond, Talya Dornbush, Dan Giese, Lety Gomez, Michael Gorman, Isa Johnson, Claudia Pawl, George Wear
24 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | August 13-19, 2026