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Volume 18, Number 35 | October 8-14, 2026
Aleza Najera performs during Noche Latina, an annual celebration during Hispanic Heritage Month, held at Bethel Plaza in Glenwood Springs on Saturday, Oct. 3. Photo by Klaus Kocher
Seeking truth Some 40 new students walked into our fall geopolitical stud- lands. I so appreciate how huge your hearts are — seeing your ies class last week. I love to see them come in — some quietly silent reverence for what PC was saying. Your thoughts and nervous, others boisterous and chatty, but all curious. We started articulate responses to our questions were right on. In short, with a trailer for a movie called “Eye in the Sky,” as the basis for you are my heroes. discussing decisions that involve taking lives to save lives. This is I’m often teased for touting the power of innocence — my one of my favorite, but brutal, exercises: measuring the benefits “Don Quixote”-like quest for a conscious, deliberate rejection of ends against the character and content of means. It presents a of the cynical, money-driven, corrupt and materialistic world scenario where two terrorists are donning explosive vests, while we live in (currently, our country makes 17th-century Spain a missile is ready and waiting to be fired by military leaders to kill look benign). Miguel de Cervantes mocked a romantic glorifithem, saving perhaps 80 to 100 people. The fix cation of war, exposing the illusions of chivalry looks easy, but a young girl is hula-hooping in and the true cost of combat. Cervantes was the yard next door. The politicians wrestle with a soldier brutalized by war, and knew that the slippery notion of ends and means and defending justice and the innocent through whether an indeterminate number of innocent battle is delusional, leaving us like “madmen” victims in an unknown place outweighs the tilting at windmills — forever bruised, battered cost of one known innocent life, hula-hooping and trapped in endless cycles of violence. on the screen. Despite all the mathematical My students are not tilting at windmills; attempts to place her outside the circumferthey seek real change. Like “Don Quixote,” they ence of collateral damage, the math can’t clean have big, beautiful dreams, and they have the the moral slate. The missile is fired; the terrorhunger and courage to question the nature ists and the girl are now dead, and potential of our being. What does it mean to be human victims are alive and well. today? What does it mean to live honorably? The following week, PC, a U.S. Marine offiTo pursue purpose takes deep self-awarecer, came to class to run a simulated war game ness, to pause and ask, “Is this life meaningful SEEKING mimicking these same issues. In the game, the to me?”—and even greater bravery to actually HAYSTACKS students represented four countries that realchange direction when the answer is no. By A.O. Forbes istically portrayed our world. The scenario My desire to ensure my students seek and featured a strait critical to energy access, as well find navigable routes to being moral selves as countries caught up in alliances and agreements that compli- rests on ideas of authors like Cervantes, Martin Luther King Jr. cate any honest exchange. Time was short, reliable information and his notion of self-purity, and Hannah Arendt’s assurances was scarce, and a skillful — much less humanitarian — response that true power is found in consent freely given, and that the was hard to find. power of innocence, dignity, choice and decency will outlive The PC then started to connect the simulation to real situa- warmongering, voracious greed and self-aggrandizement of tions. He implied the U.S. ideally operates within the notion of a political leaders (characteristics so brazenly displayed by our “just war” theory, a moral framework to evaluate when and how current administration). As Lincoln said, “The mystic chords of armed conflict can be justified. He became more somber and memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by started asking students about their knowledge of the mortal- the better angels of our nature.” ity rates of U.S. casualties and the number of civilians and The sheer physics of these “mystic chords of memory” call soldiers killed in countries that we have recently intervened in upon teachers and students to relentlessly put “the better angels or attacked. And the numbers were staggering: U.S. losses vs. the of our nature” into the arena, where we all learn to “dare greatly”: losses of foreign innocents and soldiers. The class went silent. dare to think, to speak, to expose our humanity, to find the courage I waited, then asked the class if they had noticed the dramatic to live together, authentically. And to be a part of this process with change in the room’s tenor. Hands shot up; no tentative concerns students and colleagues can only be described as miraculous. about right answers, just raw and human desire to not be part of Our Marine leader was honorably discharged the next day. this casual and fatal chain of taking lives. Their desire to be inno- I am grateful for his generous and honest contributions to our cent was so tender. I wrote them a note the next day: class that helped students feel the power — intellectually and I am still reeling from the profound nature of our class last spiritually — of seeking truth in a world of paradoxes. Barry night. PC was stellar, and your thoughtful engagement and Lopez wrote, “One must live in the middle of contradiction. heartfelt grasp of the conceptual implications of these complex There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing quessituations were impressive. I was awed by the compassionate tions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy silence in the room, with some 40 people stunned by the statis- expression of leaning into the light.” tics of casualties resulting from our interactions in foreign Because of who my students are, I know how to do that.
OPINION
LETTERS CORRECTION: Last week’s coverage of the Regional Candidate Forum held at the Ute Theatre misstated that the forum was on Tuesday, when it was in fact on Monday, Sept. 28.
Potato Days It happens a lot in Carbondale, feeling proud and grateful for a vibrant community that cares. And Potato Days bring that feeling in spades! A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who made it happen. Kay Clarke Carbondale
Re: Therapy Pool I don’t really agree with Fred Malo that the items he cites add up to “Happy Climate News.” Mostly “the climate” worldwide is deteriorating at an unexpectedly fast pace. In Colorado, it’s a bit disappointing to read or hear endless handwringing about water shortages with minimal mention of the connection to the combustion emissions from our cars, trucks, furnaces and boilers, and the belching of methane from
our gas-stripper wells and appliances, and even our cattle. Yes, wind and solar deployment accelerated for the past year in Colorado and the U.S., but the shift in our electricity supply from fossil fuel to wind and solar should be faster. Also, many of the solar and wind farms built in the last year, and nearing completion, started planning four or five years ago. Future plans could be stalled. The Republican party, from the top down, has been throwing sand in the gears of wind and solar and batteries and electric vehicles and electric heating and even energy efficiency. All of these are generally effective, mostly “affordable,” and their adoption is accelerating in the rest of the world. (I agree, that’s “Happy Climate News.”) In the U.S., the fossil fuel industry has been incredibly effective at spreading the opposite message. “Sand in the gears” includes denials and delays of permits, huge and unpredictable tariffs, bans on imports that target decarbonization technologies and more.
2 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
It includes propaganda that hypes impractical alternatives and vastly overstates any problems, including environmental side-effects of decarbonization. The federal government is even muscling our allies to accept more fossil fuels. We need to keep up the pressure to get back on track because even many Democrats seem to be bending to this pressure. Here in Colorado, our ballots include a vote for or against a “Right to Natural Gas” proposed by the fossil fuel industry. I’m sorry, there is no “right” to burn gas and further triple-glaze the planet. To me, it’s as if 50 years ago we were asked to vote for a “right to lead gasoline.” When I was raised in New Jersey, blood-lead levels of average kids were almost four-times above current limits. Federal requirements for unleaded gasoline solved that. Similarly, restrictions on “natural” gas will help reduce future heat and drought. So please vote “No” on that “right,” and don’t throw sand in the gears of the energy transition. Fred Porter Carbondale continued on page 22
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Sopris Stars costume contest The Sopris Stars Youth News Bureau is back in the office and working on their first issue, slated as an insert in the Oct. 29 issue of The Sopris Sun. Being the Halloween edition, The Stars are inviting all school-aged readers to participate in a costume contest. Submitted photos can be sent to youthnews@soprissun.com by Monday, Oct. 26, for consideration and the chance to be featured in the first Sopris Stars printing of the school year.
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Ditches off Town of Carbondale ditches will be turned off starting Oct. 15, and folks are advised to remove their pumps prior to that time. Utility crews will be working on ditch maintenance throughout the fall, according to a press release, to remove sediment and repair banks. Questions? Email ditches@carbondaleco.net
New SRO Carbondale Police Department officer Cameron Herrera has been selected as the incoming school resource officer for the Carbondale schools, the Town announced on Thursday, Oct. 1 in a press release. Once he completes the required training — “to further equip him with the skills and knowledge needed to foster a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for students, staff and families,” the press release stated — Herrera will begin his new role. Herrera has been a patrol officer with CPD for six years. “I look forward to meeting and learning about everyone and becoming part of your school community,” Herrera said.
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After a two-month hiatus for in-person services, Planned Parenthood in West Glenwood was scheduled to reopen on Monday, Oct. 5, according to a report from Aspen Public Radio on Oct. 1. As reported in The Sun in early August, the center closed temporarily after its former provider gave notice and to accommodate a training period for a new provider. According to the APR story, Planned Parenthood did not release the name of the new provider, but relayed that they are “from the Western Slope and previously worked for Planned Parenthood.”
Lethal removal on hold Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is rethinking how it manages gray wolves in the state. Agency management tools have included the option to kill, or lethally remove, wolves who kill three or more stock animals within 30 days. Since April, CPW has lethally removed five such wolves. Public outcry, concerns about gray wolf population growth
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Terry Glasenapp hosted an opening for his curated cultural history exhibit, “Paperboy Omnibus,” at Colorado Mountain College’s Lappala Center in Carbondale on Oct. 1. Glasenapp has an extensive collection of posters, mostly “good news” headlines and stories, playbills, album covers, collages and more from the late ‘60s to the present. His collection serves as a history lesson for the younger generation, and a walk down memory lane for the older ones. The exhibit will be up until Oct. 29. Photo by Bob Rugile
and the success of the state’s three-year-old wolf reintroduction program have given the agency pause to revise the chronic depredation directives. Therefore, CPW will suspend lethal removal until March 31, 2027. The agency plans to work with livestock producers on nonlethal wolf management methods, applications for permits to kill a wolf caught in the act of killing livestock and two wolf-related petitions in front of the CPW Commission. The agency said it will extend the range-riding season this year and explore options for further wolf translocations.
Kids First The City of Aspen and Kids First application period for childcare assistance, meant for families living within the Aspen Urban Growth Boundary or for parents working for an employer with an address within the boundary, is open through Nov. 1. Eligible families must also have a child in a participating Pitkin County-based childcare program and qualify financially. Assistance will begin on Dec. 1. For more information or to apply, visit aspen. gov/316/Financial-Aid.
Leaf drops The Town of Basalt is hosting a leaf drop off for its residents every Saturday, Oct. 10 through Nov. 7, from 9am to 3pm at the Public Works lot at 20536 Highway 82 (where Umbrella Roofing used to be, near the intersection of East Valley Road and Highway 82). Basalt residents can drop off small yard waste items, such as tree
Habitat volunteers Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley is looking for two people with experience in interior trim carpentry to contribute 20 to 40 volunteer hours over the next two to three weeks at The Confluence, an affordable, six-unit housing build in Glenwood Springs at the intersection of Midland Avenue and 8th Street, built in partnership between Habitat and home-builders Vederra Modular. Habitat is also looking for painting, caulking and cleaning volunteers. Reach out to Kourtni Wilmes, kourtniw@habitatroaringfork.org, to learn more about the volunteering opportunities.
They say it’s your birthday! Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Jody Ensign, Lani Kitching and Bo Persiko (Oct. 8); Sarah Graf and Melissa Nelson (Oct. 9); Charlotte Vanderhurst (Oct. 10); Brittany Biebl and Jake Kinney (Oct. 11); Rick Borkovec, Stephanie Deaton, Linda Giesecke and Paul Luttrell (Oct. 12); Janice Forbes and Bryce Pizano (Oct. 13); Michael Carter, Kay Clarke, Carrie Close, Gabrielle Greeves and Hannah Ross (Oct. 14).
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limbs, but only during the designated times. For details, visit tinyurl.com/BasaltLeafDrop Glenwood residents can drop off bagged fallen leaves at the old rodeo grounds, adjacent to the airport on Airport Road, Oct. 12 through Nov. 23. The Glenwood location does not accept other yard waste, including branches and rocks. For details, visit gwsco.info/yardwaste
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 3
Come for the enoki, stay for the smiles Fina Asian Market provides new eats
KATALINA VILLARREAL Sopris Sun Correspondent
Upon walking into the red brick building, customers are cheerily greeted by Owner Fina Rudianti. At the front end, Rudianti’s partner James Duffey helps answer questions patrons have about item locations and descriptions. It’s been just one month since Fina Asian Market opened, yet the new store is already a lovely third space for the community to rely on. “A lot of stuff in stock right now is from customer requests, like Filipino food,” Rudianti said. For years, Rudianti and Duffey have worked to bring this store to life. Duffey expressed how the whole place is Rudianti’s idea, and she has worked tirelessly to make it happen. The market space is next to Copy Copy in the brick building that was once home to the Army & Factory Surplus (also called Factory Outdoors). It is walkable from the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority parking lot and has great parking for patrons. Already, the market has regular customers. “There’s some people that are here almost every single day,” Duffey said. “And a regular set of businesses come by here too.” Fina regulars are seeking products that were previously unavailable in the Roaring Fork Valley. The store has regular items in demand, and Rudianti talked about the products that are constantly sold. “The soy sauce and a lot of the fish,”
Owner and name sake Fina Rudianti stands in front of packaged goods, fresh produce and sushi grade fish. All available at Fina’s Asian Market. Photo by Katalina Villarreal
Rudianti said. “I think in this valley we don’t have much fish. And also the dumpling wrappers. We have sushi grade fish.” Rudianti shared how this is an exciting product to have for the general public throughout the Valley as there are limited options for accessing quality sea food for personal cooking. “We have a wide selection of enoki mushrooms that people constantly come in for,” Duffey added. Not only does Fina provide quality goods for the public, they are also taking
order requests. When asked about how many order requests the public has made, Rudianti and Duffey looked at each other and chuckled. “Too many, too many,” Duffey said while laughing. “She’s going through it [the request list] now, and it’s a lot of different people asking for a lot of different things.” They explained that the list has been growing since opening day, some of which Fina has been able to source and some she is still working to find vendors for. Along with the order requests, Duffey is
working on creating QR codes for answering questions about ingredients and to help direct people throughout the store. “It is on the way!” Duffey said. They want to include print outs for the aisles that will not only explain what ingredients are, but also include recipes. “Caroline is our chef, she’s been with us for many years, and she gave us a few recipes,” Duffey added. There are many different kinds of products throughout the space, such as ramen, candy, frozen fish and fresh produce, all of which range from Chinese, Japanese, Korean and more Asian cuisines. From seasoning to quick snacks, there is something for everyone to try. Rudianti smiled when asked what her favorite items in the store are. “Fresh produce, that’s my favorite,” Rudianti said. “Fresh fruit I can’t get anywhere else. Right now, a lot of them are sold out, but more are coming like mangosteen, rambutan, and even bean sprouts.” Keeping up with the public and providing for a market niche that had been missing from the Valley has been tough work. Rudianti and Duffey have been overwhelmed by the positive public feedback. “The process has been difficult,” Rudianti added. “But we are here and that has made us happy that we are open.” Fina Asian Market is located at 2828 S. Glen Ave., Unit B, Glenwood Springs, and is open everyday from 9am to 8pm.
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Sunsense reborn A conversation with Scott Ely KEN PLETCHER Sopris Sun Correspondent
On Oct. 1, Sunsense Solar officially transferred ownership and management from Scott Ely to the newly established Sunsense Limited Cooperative Association (LCA). The Carbondale-based company thus became an employee-owned cooperative. As this process unfolded, Ely conversed with The Sopris Sun (via email) about the company he had founded and run since 1990 and about this new chapter in its (and his) history. Below are excerpts from that exchange.
Sopris Sun: You founded the company in Boulder, initially to build solar installations in small backcountry locales (like 10th Mountain huts)? Scott Ely: That’s correct. After working in the solar space for eight years prior to starting Sunsense – so I guess that means 44-plus years preaching the benefits of solar and renewable energy – I figured it was time to give it a go on my own. And yes, at that time the movement was focused on those off-grid backcountry locales and other “stand-alone,” remote applications. Ironically, I suppose, is the current [photovoltaic]-system donation Sunsense is
making for the new Green Wilson Hut in the Alfred Braun system outside Ashcroft. Given that my first installation was for the Harry Gates Hut in the 10th Mountain system, perhaps this is full circle? Sun: What prompted the decision to move to Carbondale? Ely: Having been schooled through the [Colorado Mountain College] CMC solar retrofit program and having lived in the Roaring Fork Valley, moving back was a no-brainer. Carbondale was geographically centered in the mountains where the off-grid market was strong. That, and my girlfriend (now wife, Chrissy Leonard) had enrolled in the CMC photography program.
Sun: Was Sunsense on the ground floor of the solar industry’s development? Ely: I would say we were more on the mezzanine. I have always viewed Sunsense as an “early adopter” from a business perspective. My logic has been reflected in the company name: “Using the sun makes sense.” I like to think we have grown up together with our forward-thinking and patient clients. Our two longest-tenured employees, Jeff Lauckhart and Steve Haines, have showed equal patience, as we have grown from the three of us to give-or-take 30 [employees] now. Sun: What is the balance of projects between residential and commercial? Has one of these become more important over time?
Ely: There are several variables that determine the thrust of our business from year-to-year. Certainly, with a host of incentives moving the market — thank you Holy Cross Energy and [Colorado Office for Resource Efficiency] — residential systems were the earliest driver. The commercial/industrial space opened up shortly thereafter, primarily via sustainable mandates initiated by municipalities — thank you Roaring Fork, Eagle and Colorado river communities — as well as schools and small businesses. Further, as one of the “all-theabove” energy-generating resources, utilities began to add solar. Currently, the proliferation of energy storage has become a primary focus. We have been fortunate to work in
The new Sunsense Limited Cooperative Association Board of Directors (left to right): Steven Haines, Nash Bealka, Chris Howard, Scott Ely, Kusuma Potvin, Daniel Duggan and Jeff Lauckhart. Photo by Crissy Leonard
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all these arenas. In concert, to ensure functionality and longevity of these systems is service and operations and maintenance. Sun: Do any projects stand out as company highlights or ones that you are especially proud of? Ely: Wow… How much space have you got? I would like to think that ALL our projects are sources of pride. Personally, I would point to a project at the Wayne Aspinall Federal Building [Grand Junction], which won us a national award. Additionally, the many school projects (Colorado Rocky Mountain School, Roaring Fork High School, the Riverview School, CMC [Spring Valley]) to our involvement in community and nonprofit efforts (Colorado Animal Rescue, 10th Mountain, Habitat for Humanity and several international projects). Sun: Why are you selling the company now and stepping down as president? Ely: With the milestone of 70 years old staring at me, I just feel it’s time to give the employees that have worked so hard to help us both survive and thrive a chance to grow and prosper. Having built a trove of connections and resources throughout the years, my goal is now to channel this into supporting and advancing solar and renewable energy projects in the nonprofit world — literally, the world. continued on page 19
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 5
Crystal Steering Committee releases report evaluating Wild and Scenic feasibility ANNALISE GRUETER Sopris Sun Correspondent
Last month, the Crystal River Wild and Scenic subcommittee released a report after spending years evaluating how a congressional Wild and Scenic River designation could protect the Crystal River as one of Colorado’s last remaining free-flowing rivers. While the Crystal’s waters help support many local agricultural endeavors, the river has never been dammed or otherwise had major diversions that significantly alter the river. Proponents of the Wild and Scenic campaign, including the subcommittee that produced the report, argue that a federal designation will help ensure that the Crystal River can still be used for recreation and agriculture and sustain the same wilderness and ecosystem benefits that it has for decades. The Crystal Steering Committee is chaired by Pitkin and Gunnison counties and the Town of Marble, and includes additional members like Carbondale-based nonprofit Wilderness Workshop, Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association and Colorado River Water Conservation District. Within the larger goal of preserving the river, the group aims to prevent the waters from any future risk of damming, any out-of-basin diversions and the risk of industrial pollution or other harmful impacts. “The Crystal River is the lifeblood of our communities,” said Michael Gorman of
Wilderness Workshop, a Wild and Scenic subcommittee member. “This report shows that Wild and Scenic designation is the strongest action we can take to make sure that the river continues to sustain us, through a plan shaped by the people who know the river best. It’s time to bring our whole community together to shape legislation that fits our local landscape and gives the Crystal the protection it deserves.” Many waters in Colorado and across the American West are facing increasing pressure from proposed impoundments and water diversion projects that would affect natural flow regimes and damage the ecological and recreational values they provide. These potential threats on water resources are a concern for Crystal River preservation activists and a major driver behind the years-long efforts toward a federal Wild and Scenic designation. The September report does not advocate for or against designation; members of the Crystal Steering Committee remain split on the usefulness of a federal Wild and Scenic designation. What the report demonstrates is that many of the questions, concerns and interests raised by community members — including water rights, private property, local control, agriculture, recreation and river management — can be addressed through carefully-crafted legislation and a locally informed planning process. The Wild and Scenic subcommittee of
6 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
The Crystal River and many of the agricultural uses it supports are visible from an EcoFlight plane passing over the watershed in late August 2026. Photo by Annalise Grueter
the coalition hopes that the report will serve as an opportunity to move forward on the next step in protecting and preserving the Crystal River. The committee’s long-term goal is a community-driven effort to develop a proposal that reflects the Crystal Valley’s shared priorities, regardless of whether a Wild and Scenic designation ends up being identified as the best option. In late May, the group achieved an earlier milestone in that process, when Gunnison County, Pitkin County, the Town of Marble, the Colorado River Water Conservation District and West Divide Water Conservancy District signed an intergovernmental agreement pledging to defend the river against dams or out-of-basin diversions. The committee’s desired goals for the Crystal River include maintaining it as a free-flowing river protected from dams and out-of-basin diversions, healthy river and riparian ecosystem function, sustainable recreation and tourism and locally-controlled water and property rights for agriculture and
irrigation. Some key findings of the September report include that a Wild and Scenic designation could be structured to address local priorities and protect existing uses, that already-designated Wild and Scenic rivers in the United States provide examples of customized legislative language to protect existing water rights and infrastructure and that the designation is one of the most durable protective mechanisms for rivers. “This report represents the culmination of years of meetings between diverse community stakeholders,” said subcommittee member Tait Andersen, who is also a board member of the Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association. “While there have been disagreements, at the heart of the dialogue, there has always been a shared respect for the river and for the valley that it flows through.” The Wild and Scenic feasibility report is available for public perusal online at tinyurl. com/wildandscenicfeasibility alongside links to related Crystal River preservation efforts.
Early voting, a ‘reliable option’ JAMES STEINDLER Editor-in-Chief
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tune into Everything Under The Sun on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 4pm on KDNK Radio (kdnk.org) for a recording of a mini-forum with Garfield County Commissioner District 1 candidates Eric Rudd (Republican) and Jonathan Godes (Democrat). Ballots have been mailed to all active registered voters in Garfield County; the Clerk and Recorder’s Office have sent out precisely 38,344, according to an Oct. 6 press release. Folks are invited to vote early by mail or at a drop box starting Oct. 7. In-person early voting begins on Oct. 19, and Election Day is Nov. 3. “This year’s ballot is one of the largest in Colorado history,” a press release from the Garfield County Clerk and Recorder’s Office stated. Yes indeed, it’s a hefty ballot, including 14 statewide measures. Voters are encouraged to do their research and not get duped by propaganda text messages, emails, campaign mail or even the confusing verbiage of measures on the ballot. Twenty-four-hour drop boxes
are available at Carbondale Town Hall, the Garfield County Courthouse in Glenwood Springs, New Castle Town Hall, Silt Town Hall, the Garfield County Administration building in Rifle and Parachute Town Hall. In-person early voting locations in Garfield County include the Community Center in Glenwood Springs and the South Hall of the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Rifle, which will both be open for
Returning your ballot before Election Day can provide peace of mind knowing the ballot has been received. - Jackie Harmon, Garfield County Clerk & Recorder
walk-ins Oct. 19 to Nov. 2, 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. Both locations will also be open on Saturday, Oct. 31 (Halloween), from 8am to 5pm. “Returning your ballot before Election Day can provide peace of mind knowing the ballot has been
received,” Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon told The Sun, adding that it’s not a bad idea to plan ahead in case something comes up on Election Day. The status of early cast ballots can also be tracked online via BallotTrax, by simply putting in your name, date of birth and ZIP code. A link is available at the Garfield County Elections webpage.* “Returning ballots before Election Day also allows the Elections Department to begin processing them according to Colorado law, which is especially helpful this general election because of the lengthy ballot,” Harmon continued. Early voting also provides folks time to sit with and review the ballot from home, Harmon pointed out. If voters don’t receive their mailed ballot by Oct. 13, they can visit GoVoteColorado.gov to check that their address is correct. Folks can also register there with a valid Social Security number, driver’s license or Colorado ID card, and update their party affiliation, should they wish. Oct. 26 is the last day to register or to update registration status online and still receive a ballot by mail. After Oct. 26, voters must visit a voting center to snag a ballot or vote in person. The same
Garfield County volunteer election judges participate in logic and accuracy testing prior to the Nov. 3 general election. Courtesy photo
information is available in Spanish at VayaVotarColorado.gov When asked if there are any drawbacks to early voting, Harmon replied, “Early voting is a convenient and reliable option,” noting that constituents should do what’s right for their schedule.
Voter cards Cari Shurman has been getting out the vote, particularly reaching young people, since 2018. Since 2022, one strategy she’s adopted is disseminating cards with voter information at Colorado Mountain College campuses, a few high schools and local libraries. The cards are available at the Carbondale Library or a stack can be requested by emailing ColoradoVotes20@gmail.com
Shurman stressed that the effort is nonpartisan and simply to get more folks to the ballot box. She also added that voters don’t have to vote for every measure on the ballot, and can leave an item blank that they may be confused about or if they’re on the fence. She also recommended visiting the League of Women Voters of Colorado website, wvcolorado.org/ballot-issues, a nonpartisan organization, to help better understand the statewide ballot measures. * The Garfield County Elections webpage includes helpful information for registered and prospective voters, and can be found at www.garfieldcountyco. gov/clerk-recorder/elections
Jonathan Godes is the ONLY candidate in the race with proven leadership experience.
Jonathan’s accomplishments include: • Transitioned Glenwood Springs to 100% renewable grid in 2019 • Led a community-wide fiber broadband buildout for every resident • Secured $8 million to retrofit the water plant after the Grizzly _Creek Fire torched the GWS's watershed • Fought the RMI mine and the Uintah Basin Crude oil train
“It’s time to move our county past one-party rule, backwards-thinking, and isolationism. ”
Join us in voting for Jonathan Godes for Garfield County Commissioner. THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 7
GLENWOOD SPRINGS REPORT
Grant for affordable housing land buy discussed; 2027 city budget presented JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
A proposal involving another unique way of using Glenwood Springs’ dedicated workforce housing funds went before City Council at its Thursday, Oct. 1, meeting. Tanner Crawley, the principal and founder of Trellis Housing Partners LLC, spoke on behalf of his housing development company and Denver-based nonprofit affordable housing charity, Sharing Connexion. Their plan is to buy property at 130 Midland Ave. in Glenwood Springs where they hope to build 36 deed-restricted affordable residential units that would be sold to eligible buyers based on income. The joint venture is seeking $265,000 from Glenwood’s Workforce Housing Fund, using revenue from a 2.5% accommodations tax that was approved by voters four years ago, to acquire the property and “land bank” it for the project. The deal would not commit the city to approve the project, which would have to go through the usual land-use approval process. The city’s money would be paid back if it ends up being a no-go, Crawley explained. If approved, the grant would be used to bolster $720,000 in Proposition 123 funding that’s already been awarded from the state to complete the $985,000 land deal, Crawley said. “These funds are difficult to win,” he said, noting that the state funds also must be paid back if certain development milestones are not reached within five to 10 years. “With this gap filler, we can close on the site, record a deed restriction, and begin predevelopment for a 36-unit income-restricted project,” Crawley wrote in a letter to City Council outlining the proposal. “Without it, the state award will most likely have to be returned.” Some City Council members expressed concerns about the speculative nature of the project, and were hesitant to tie up city funds for up to a decade that could be used for other workforce housing opportunities in the meantime. Council also plans to have a broader discussion about
the city’s housing goals in general during a scheduled Oct. 15 work session. For that reason, Councilor Sumner Schachter moved to continue the conversation and any decisions about the land-banking grant until that meeting. His motion was approved 5-0 (with Councilor David Townsley absent, and Councilor Mitchell Weimer recusing himself due to a conflict of interest). Crawley did say that they will need a decision on the city grant by that time, as certain deadlines need to be met by Oct. 30 to put the project in motion.
In other matters … Under the public comments portion of the meeting, City Council heard again from resident Lori Chase reiterating her concerns about the proliferation of higher-speed, non-pedal-assist e-scooters and e-motos being used by underaged operators on Glenwood Springs bike paths, sidewalks and streets. “A lot of them just don’t see that they’re going really fast compared to a pedestrian, and a lot of the time they’re giving no warning,” Chase said. City Councilor Steve Smith assured Chase that the city’s Transportation Commission, for which he serves as a council liaison, has been discussing it and expects to make some proposals about restricting the use of electric bikes and scooters. “I am encouraged that we are getting on this,” Smith said. Following an update about the River Bridge Center and a few statistics regarding its child abuse investigation and support services by Director Mary Cloud, council also heard a presentation from City Manager Steve Boyd on the proposed 2027 city budget. The total proposed budget for next year is $116 million. That includes 24 total funds, including five enterprise (self-supporting) funds, 12 special revenue funds, one vehicle fleet fund, three capital improvements funds, and a $32.8
An electric motorcycle rider traverses the 14th Street Bridge in Glenwood Springs on a sunny fall afternoon. The proliferation of non-pedal-assist electric vehicles on the city’s bike paths and pedestrian walkways is on the city’s radar for possible restrictions and enforcement. Photo by John Stroud
million general fund with 19 different departments. The general fund also has $10.6 million in reserve funds, Boyd explained. That’s in addition to $2.7 million in capital reserves and an $11.5 million reserve in the city’s special acquisitions and improvements (A&I) fund, he said. The general fund is expected to see a 15% increase in revenues compared to 2026, in part due to new revenues from Glenwood’s speed camera enforcement and fines, Boyd said. Glenwood Springs expects to carry a workforce of 123 employees into next year, with 67% of the general fund budget going to salaries and benefits. Also, 36% of general fund expenditures are public safety related. The budget proposal includes a 4% pay increase for fulland part-time staff, and covers an expected 7% increase in health insurance costs, said Boyd, who referred to the proposal as a “keep-it-running” budget for the coming year. The budget proposal will go through a series of work session discussions with the City Council before it considers final approval later this fall.
MARBLE REPORT
Show me the money, part 2 ANGUS BARBER Sopris Sun Correspondent
2027 budget discussions were at the heart of October’s brief and convivial meeting of the Town of Marble’s Board of Trustees, serving up an abundance of good news for residents and visitors alike. Presenting the Treasurer’s Report, Amy Rusby announced that, as of the end of the third quarter, town revenues stood at 97% of the projected budget for the full year, with expenses running at a mere 64%. This she attributed to an uplift in sales tax receipts and the emergence of a new income stream in the form of paid off-highway vehicle (OHV) parking. Coinciding with a drop in payroll costs and significantly lower expenditure for snow removal, the net result is that Marble’s cash position has swelled to $651,000, up an impressive 46% year over year. Rusby highlighted that Marble Fest, a popular event which has over the years struggled to break even, generated profits of $5,400. The board agreed in principle that this sum be allocated (along with a further $2,000 or so of town funds) to the provision of a water bottle-filling station adjacent to the Mill Site Park bathrooms. “How cool is that?” Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra said. The town’s budget setting process typically evolves over a period of four months from September to December. Presenting its second iteration, Town Administrator Ron Leach explained that 2026 sales tax, which habitually constitutes around 50% of
the town’s total revenue stream, is projected to reach $220,000, an increase of 29% from the budgeted $170,000. Leach proposed that 2027’s target be set at the same level, $220,000. “It’s amazing how much stuff people buy,” he said. After Sales Tax, the largest contributor to the town’s coffers is the Marble Campground, generating $55,000. Property taxes tallied $40,000, and the lease agreement with Colorado Stone Quarries produced $34,000. The paid parking program, a new income stream which was initiated only recently in 2024, is expected to gross $15,000. Trustee Amber McMahill reported progress she had made investigating a Colorado State Forest Service fire mitigation grant. The Forest Service offers a minimum of $50,000 assistance, with recipients required to contribute 50% in cash or in kind. When quizzed by the board on the restrictions imposed on the use of grant funds, McMahill emphasized the Forest Service’s insistence that they be earmarked for more technical projects than just picking up dead wood. She further explained that should the town wish to participate in the program, it should apply now for disbursement in spring 2028. Funding is also being sought for the multi-phase Mill Site preservation project to address the deteriorating structures in the park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Town Administrator Ron Leach said that he had received several letters of support from the community for
8 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
A truck was found upside down in Beaver Lake, just outside of Marble on Wednesday, Sept. 23, after it had allegedly been traveling fast downhill and around a bend, according to Town Administrator Ron Leach. Leach said nobody was hurt in the incident. Photo by David Smith
the undertaking. The initial planning phase will require a grant of $20,000, to which the town has already committed the requisite $5,000. Leach quipped that the project was “still in the mill.” There followed a brief discussion around planned expenditures for 2027. Trustee Larry Good voiced his concern that the sum budgeted for parks maintenance ($11,500) might prove too modest given the need for upgrades to the Mill Site park’s bathroom, coming against a backdrop of higher inflation and its associated impact on the cost of plumbing services. In response, Vinciguerra hinted that the quarry might be encouraged to pitch in. 2027 expenses will be discussed in greater
detail at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees on Nov. 5. In Old Business, Trustee Dustin Wilkey asked the board to commit to a final debate in November on the plan to establish a mixed-use “corridor” through the town. This he proposed be followed by a conclusive vote on the matter in December. Should the measure be approved, Wilkey proposed that language be included to preclude “chain businesses” from operating in Marble. The meeting was followed by an Executive Session to discuss the town’s ongoing negotiations with the Marble Water Company. At August’s meeting, Ron Leach characterized the topic as “The most important issue facing the town of Marble.”
GARFIELD COUNTY REPORT
Commissioners hear updates on election, water, AI and budget AMY HADDEN MARSH Sopris Sun Correspondent
The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) tackled some big issues in four hours on Monday for the first meeting of October, including election logistics, water conservation, AI use by government employees and more. All 38,000 ballots for the Nov. 3 general election went out to Garfield County voters on Tuesday, Oct. 6. And, it’s a big ballot. “For voters, they will receive two cards with questions on all sides,” explained Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon. “So please look front and back when you receive your ballot.” She added that voters must return the entire ballot. All 24-hour ballot drop boxes opened Oct. 7 at Carbondale Town Hall, the Garfield County Courthouse in Glenwood Springs, town halls in Silt, New Castle and Parachute and the Garfield County administration building in Rifle. Harmon said it will cost two stamps to return a ballot by mail and they must be mailed no later than Oct. 26. Early voting centers at the county fairgrounds in Rifle and the Community Center in Glenwood Springs open Oct. 19. Harmon added that 93 election judges are helping out this year due to the size of the ballot. “I feel real confident that we’re ready to go,” she said. More election information is at the Garfield County website on the clerk and recorder’s page.
AI and county budget month The county is taking a step into the artificial intelligence world by purchasing a 12-month subscription to Madison AI, provided by Carahsoft Technology Corporation, for $40,000. “[Madison AI] will ultimately save a lot of time and effort and provide a lot of assistance on research and providing reports,” said Gary Noffsinger, county IT director. According to the budget request, the subscription gives the Community Development department “its own Knowledge AI Assistant for zoning research, code lookup and report writing.” All county staff will have an AI assistant for staff reports and research. The funding is a supplement to the 2026 county IT budget. Speaking of budgets, October is county budget month. County Finance Manager Jamaica Watts and Budget Manager Shari Neuroth were on hand Monday to present an overview of the projected 2027 budget. Proposed total 2027 revenues are $125.9 million; proposed expenditures are $136.4 million. Fourteen positions countywide remain frozen and unfunded for 2027. Proposed capital and discretionary requests will draw down the fund balance by $9.7 million. The budget has several hearings to go before the final approval in November.
Water, water (not) everywhere Representatives of the Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD) pre-
“Our AI generated assistant is here.” sented a detailed update about West Slope water, Shoshone water rights and more. Taking a look at water conservation proportionality, Lindsay DeFrates, CRWCD public information officer, later told The Sun that the CRWCD believes that proportionality is critical as the state investigates how to implement the Contribution Program, which allocates Colorado’s share of federal money awarded to the Upper Basin states to conserve water. “It will pay people to use less water,” she said. At Monday’s meeting, CRWCD General
Manager Andy Mueller expressed concern regarding the disproportionate impact of water conservation on western Colorado agriculture. “If you don’t have state laws requiring proportionality from all Colorado River users, meaning the Front Range as well, all of that water not only comes off the West Slope, it comes out of West Slope [agriculture],” he said. Colorado’s conservation goal is 100,000 acre-feet of water. “If all of that comes out continued on page 15
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 9
The enduring legacy of the Roaring Forge, Carbondale’s blacksmithing cooperative RALEIGH BURLEIGH Field of Birds Media
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I was raised at the Roaring Forge, my imagination wandering among countless metal statues and functional ornaments decorating every shelf and wall. As a teenager, I helped my father, Joe Burleigh, with installations in and around Aspen. This report is informed from a deep sense of reverence for the place and its people.
T
ucked away on Buggy Circle, there is a building where change has come much slower than in the surrounding Carbondale community. Within the walls of the two-story log cabin, red-hot steel is hand forged by artisans commissioned to create railings, gates, light fixtures and tools — or inspired to make art that withstands the tests of time. From two large garage doors, flaking with orange and black paint from outworn murals, kinetic sculptures spill onto the surrounding yard, spinning and rocking with the wind. Objects created here adorn private homes and public spaces throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and far beyond. The Roaring Forge says something about a legacy of craftsmanship as an integral part of Carbondale’s economic and social fabric. Five self-employed blacksmiths each have a table and access to all the necessary tools to fabricate works big and small,
Ken Riley, art by Larry day
including a cooperative model to reduce their overhead costs. John Hoffman dreamt it up nearly half a century ago. Having worked with sculptors in the Denver area and moved to the Roaring Fork Valley to attend Colorado Mountain College, Hoffman acquired the land and began sketching plans while forging at the red barn between Weant Boulevard and 4th Street, just south of Carbondale’s Main Street. By August of 1983, Hoffman had a plan and a large stack of rough logs from Dotsero. Within six months, the building was under construction with help from other area blacksmiths including Will Perry, Franz Froelicher and Ken Riley. To this day, Riley has a table at the Forge. Steven Lock, the artist who created the “Helping Hands” sculpture which stood at the southwest corner of 3rd Street and Main for more than three decades, also worked from the Forge early
Joe Burleigh, art by Larry Day
10 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
on, as well as Vaughn Shafer. At the time, custom iron work was in high demand. Blacksmiths had easy access to coal mined and coked in Redstone and a burgeoning clientele had a taste for rustic flourishes at their
doesn’t always have to be lit. In the winter there’s extra motivation to fire it up for the collateral benefit of warming the building. In the summer, not so much. For several years, the blacksmiths would work together on large chandeliers. Selling one a month would help cover rent for everyone. A few of these chandeliers continue to hang from the ceiling of the workshop in varying stages of completion. The cooperative model also allowed the Roaring Forge to purchase heavy tools, like a Sahinler power hammer from Turkey, which brings tremendous, repetitive weight to shaping hot metal with the light press of a foot. Ever the pyromaniac, James Mason, a former Glenwood Springs fire chief, got his table at the Forge 15 years ago. He caught the blacksmithing bug at a two-day workshop in Loveland and moved in when musician-artist Olivia Pevec moved out. His
What’s pretty cool about being a part of the Roaring Forge is, if I have a question or need a little help with something, I get four different answers. - James Mason
mountain chateaus. Nowadays the Forge operates with natural gas. Oxyacetylene torches at each work station allow for spot heating smaller projects so the forge
Tom Semborski, art by Larry Day
focus is primarily on creating his own sculptures in addition to special commissions. “I don’t call myself a blacksmith yet,” he humbly stated. “What’s pretty cool about being a part of the Roaring Forge is, if I have a question or need a little help with something, I get four different answers,” he said, referring to the wealth of experience offered by Hoffman, Riley, Joe Burleigh and Tom Semborski. Burleigh hopped over to the Forge around 1994, after working for Myers & Co. Annually he mentors students from the Carbondale Community School. Tom Semborski joined the team in the early 2000s, soon after moving to the area. Turnover is rare, evidence that the model works. “The cooperative really does give us all an immense amount of freedom to do what we want to do, or not do anything if we don’t want to,” said Hoffman. “It’s such an amazing format.” continued on page 15
RAMS REPORT
Girls softball takes over league lead, boys soccer rises to No. 3 state ranking JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
The Roaring Fork High School boys soccer team continued its winning ways Tuesday night at Rams Field, earning a 4-1 victory over the reigning 2A state champions, Crested Butte, to improve to 8-2 overall on the season. It was the first time in three years that the 3A Rams have managed to defeat Crested Butte. They did it behind a hat trick from senior Cal Stone, who dominated the match from the Rams’ offensive front. Stone struck first in the match on a back-post finish assisted by senior Kevin Morales, and scored again on a 35-yard free kick to the upper corner that skipped off the Titans goalie’s hand. The Titans managed to make it 2-1, before Rams senior Ollie Shook found the net on a scramble in front of the goal to give Roaring Fork the 3-1 halftime lead. Stone added his third goal in the second half, and the Rams defense kept the Titans at bay for the remainder of the match.
“They’re the 2A reigning state champs, so they come in with some clout and they’re really well coached,” veteran Roaring Fork coach Nick Forbes said of the Crested Butte squad after the game. “We love having them on the schedule, because they’re really classy and they play really hard and they’re just a good team.” The win maintained the Rams’ undefeated home record as they move into the heart of the 3A Western Slope League schedule. Roaring Fork takes its 2-0 league mark to Middle Park on Thursday and is at Coal Ridge on Tuesday, Oct. 13 (4pm varsity start), before returning home to face Vail Mountain next Thursday, Oct. 15 (6pm). “That’s our last home game before the playoffs followed by a couple of long road trips (Gunnison on Oct. 20 and Delta on Oct. 22),” Forbes noted. Roaring Fork now holds the No. 3 ranking in Colorado among 3A teams, behind No. 1 Jefferson Academy and No. 2 Salida. “Our goal right now is to try to win out in the league and get
some home games for the playoffs, and then just win one game at a time,” Forbes said of the prospect of another deep playoff run for the Rams.
Softball Another hot team heading toward the postseason is the combined Basalt-Roaring ForkGlenwood girls softball team, now 12-6 overall and 7-1 in the 3A/4A Western Slope North League. The Longhorns moved into first place in the league with an 18-0 win at Aspen on Tuesday night. That came after an 9-8 extra inning thriller win over the previous league-leader, Eagle Valley, at home on Oct. 1. Stats for the Aspen game were not yet posted as of deadline for this story. Versus Eagle Valley last week, the Devils were up 6-5 after five innings before Basalt tied it in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to an eighth inning. Eagle scored two in the top half, but Basalt answered with three runs to earn the walk-off win. continued on page 15
Basalt cross country runner sophomore Scarlett Jones cruises to a seventhplace finish in the varsity girls race at the annual Aspen High School Chris Severy Invitational, held on the trails behind the high school at the base of the Aspen Highlands ski area on Saturday, Oct. 3. Photo by John Stroud
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CALENDAR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
TECH CLUB Aspen Science Center’s Tech Club returns to the Carbondale Library from 3:45 to 4:45pm, providing students in second grade and up an opportunity to learn coding languages and build hardware projects. Details at tinyurl.com/ aspensciencetechclub GARCO MINI FORUM Tune into Everything Under The Sun on KDNK Radio (kdnk.org) at 4pm for a recording of a mini-forum with Garfield County Commissioner District 1 candidates Eric Rudd (Republican) and Jonathan Godes (Democrat). ‘THE ART LAB’ Teens explore their artistic side, whether that be painting, drawing, watercolor, mixed media or another medium, during “The ART Lab” from 4 to 5pm at the Basalt Library. Details at basaltlibrary.org MUSIC AT THE LIBRARY The Basalt Library hosts Music at the Library from 5:30 to 6:30pm, featuring Marc Berger. Details at basaltlibrary.org CLAY CENTER The Carbondale Clay Center hosts a menorah-making workshop at 6pm. Details at carbondaleclay.org/events TRUE NATURE True Nature hosts a cosmic sound journey with Danielle Klein from 6 to 7:15pm. Register at tinyurl.com/ cosmicsound2026
On KDNK Community Access Radio 88.1 ~ 88.3. ~ 88.5. ~ KDNK.ORG
PLUS! Join us for an in-person kickoff party! 2-4 Saturday, October 10th in the KDNK classroom featuring performances by local youth bands and a silent auction!
To support our DJs and year-round youth radio programs, please visit
AZYEP.ORG 12 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
GHOST WALK The History Ghost Walk returns for its final fall weekend today and tomorrow from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Linwood Cemetery in Glenwood Springs. Proceeds from the walk benefit the Glenwood Springs Historical Society. Details and tickets at glenwoodhistory.org BONNIE PAINE Folk/Americana musician Bonnie Paine of “Elephant Revival” plays at 8pm at TACAW. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets at tinyurl.com/bonnietickets SUGAR SKULL The Wheeler Opera House presents “Sugar Skull! A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure” — “a bilingual story of remembrance and family” — at 7pm. Tickets at wheeleroperahouse.com STEVE’S GUITARS Jason McIntyre and Michael O’Connor perform at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
‘SACRED CINEMA’ Aspen Chapel kicks off its “Sacred Cinema” series with a screening of “The Mission,” featuring Robert De Niro, at 6pm.
BABYSITTING TRAINING Get first aid and pediatric CPR training at American Red Cross’ babysitting training from 10am to 4pm today and tomorrow at the Glenwood Springs Community Center. Participants must be at least 11 years old. Register at tinyurl.com/babysittingtraining2026
SPOOKTOBER Spooktober kicks off at the Crystal Theatre with a screening of “Weapons” at 7pm. Tickets at the door.
2pm Saturday 4pm Sunday October 10 through October 11
‘PRACTICAL MAGIC 2’ The Crystal Theatre screens “Practical Magic 2” at 7pm today, 7pm tomorrow, 5pm on Sunday (captioned) and 7pm on Monday. Tickets at the door.
UTE PHILOSOPHY Ute Tribe member Skyler Lomahaftewa leads a discussion about the culture of his ancestors and other Native American tribes at the Colorado Mountain College Lappala Center in Carbondale from 6 to 7:30pm. Register at tinyurl. com/UtePhilosophy
‘FIRST DRAFT’ Mitzi Rapkin speaks with Edwidge Danticat, author of “Dèy,” at TACAW at 6:30pm for an episode in Rapkin’s podcast series, “First Draft: A Dialogue in Writing.”
In celebration of 26 years of youth radio on KDNK, The Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program DJs will take over the KDNK airwaves for 24 hours with a goal of raising $24,000 for youth radio!
TRUE NATURE Take part in a breathwork and journaling workshop with True Nature’s “The Elemental Breath: Breathwork & Journaling” hosted by Adam Hutchison and Molly Armour-Carter from 6 to 8:30pm. Register at tinyurl.com/ breathworkjournaling
STEVE’S GUITARS The Saint Cecilia band performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9
SWEET JESSUP RELEASE Sweet Jessup & The Dirty Buckets release their new indie-folk album at 6:66am, “Haunted Hillbilly Halloween.” Find the band’s website at sweetjessup.com STORYTIME PLAYGROUP Storytime Playgroup returns to the Basalt Library from 10:30 to 11:15am, giving children ages 0-3 an opportunity to listen to stories, participate in large-motor movements and more. Details at tinyurl.com/ storytimeplaygroupbasalt EXPLORE BOOKS Aspen’s Explore Books hosts an author talk and signing with Katie Rizzo, author of “The Timesters of Grief,” from 5 to 6:30pm. RSVP at tinyurl.com/ explorebookskatierizzo
OCTOBERFEST The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park hosts an Octoberfest celebration from 10am to 6pm with live music and German-inspired food. Details at tinyurl.com/octoberfestglenwood
‘HANDMADE IN COLORADO’ Head over to Bethel Plaza from 11am to 6pm today and tomorrow for the “Handmade in Colorado Expo,” and find handcrafted art and goods from around the state, along with live music. Details at tinyurl.com/ handmadecolorado HUNTER SIGHT-IN Sight in your hunting rifle from noon to 4pm at the Glenwood Springs Gun Club in South Canyon (County Road 134) — first left after the landfill. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. RSVP by Oct. 7 at tinyurl.com/huntingglenwood Walk-ins are also welcome. LITERACY FESTIVAL Children and families will have the opportunity to enjoy books, art, music and hands-on activities at the fifth annual Children’s Arts and Literacy Festival from 2 to 5pm at the Glenwood Library. The event is bilingual. KIDS NIGHT “Kids Night at the Rec” takes place from 4:30 to 9pm at the Glenwood Community Center. Kids will be able to swim, rock climb, create crafts and more, while parents take the night off. Details and registration at tinyurl.com/ kidsnightattherec GLENWOOD FIRE The Glenwood Community Center hosts a “Fire Away” Q&A session with
ONGOING EVENTS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS The Meeting Place in Carbondale (981 Cowen Drive) offers “Hole in the Donut AA,” Monday through Saturday at 6:45am, plus “Daily Reprieve” at noon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Find a full schedule at meetingplacecarbondale.org
Join Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program (AZYEP) on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 2 to 4pm, at KDNK Radio (76 South Second St. in Carbondale) for its 24-Hour Takeover Kickoff, featuring live youth DJ sets, musical performances, refreshments, a silent auction and all sorts of fun. At 4pm, AZYEP DJs take over the KDNK airwaves for a full 24 hours of one-of-akind radio programming, with the goal of raising $24,000 to support free, year-round youth broadcasting and media programs. To learn more or donate, visit AZYEP.org Photo of youth DJ Mateo, courtesy of AZYEP
the Glenwood Springs Fire Department from 4:30 to 9pm. The event, which gives community members the opportunity to learn about the department’s operations and funding ballot measure, will happen again from 5 to 6pm on Oct. 16 at the Glenwood Springs Middle School and 2 to 3pm on Oct. 17 at the Glenwood Library. ‘SINATRA ON LOVE’ Jeff Schlepp takes the audience through a musical journey in “Sinatra on Love” at Thunder River Theatre Company as part of its Signature Cabaret Series. Doors open at 7pm. The performance begins at 7:30pm. Tickets at tinyurl. com/trtcjeffschlepp MRE W/ MATT JONES Aspen-based cover band MRE performs with Matt Jones at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at tacaw.org
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11
A SPIRITUAL CENTER A Spiritual Center hosts “An Easier Path: A Spiritual Journey of Joy, Expansion and Transformation” from 10 to 11:30am in Room 31 of the Third Street Center. SONGKEEPERS Songkeepers: Carriers of Ancient Melodies and Living Prayers, including local members Lisa Dancing-Light, Mindy Arbuckle and Pam Rosenthal, bring an interactive performance inspired by Kirtan and Native American songs to the Carbondale Library at 5:30pm. STEVE’S GUITARS The Birds of Play perform at Steve’s Guitars at 7pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY 350 Roaring Fork Valley and Roaring Fork Valley Circle host a community celebration to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day, beginning with a traditional dance, music and more from 3:30 to 5:30pm at Sopris Park. Afterward, at 6pm, bring a dish to the Third Street Center for a community potluck and catch the 7pm screening of “The Condor and the Eagle,” followed by a panel discussion.
‘POSTCARDS & POPCORN’ Pet Friendly Carbondale and Activate America host “Postcards & Popcorn” from 3:30 to 5:30pm at the Carbondale Library, when participants will write “Get Out the Vote” postcards to swingstate voters. RSVP at tinyurl.com/ popcornpostcards CARE FARE Families, caregivers, older adults and individuals with disabilities are invited to a care fair hosted by the Garfield County Department of Human Services Case Management Agency at the Glenwood Library from noon to 6pm. Attendees will get connected with resources, programs, health services and more. Register at tinyurl.com/ garcocarefair
for family members and caregivers of people living with dementia every second Tuesday from 3 to 4pm. More info at soprislodge.com/events. YARN GROUP Basalt Library hosts a weekly yarn group on Tuesdays at 5pm. All are welcome.
ROARING FORK ZEN A Zen meditation community gathers at True Nature to sit from 8 to 9am on Mondays and 7:30 to 8:30pm on Wednesdays weekly.
SPARK The Carbondale Library invites kids to “build, create, explore, concoct and invent together” every Wednesday at 2pm.
TAI CHI Community tai chi sessions are hosted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 to 10am at the Third Street Center. Newcomers are welcome. For details, email jhof@rof.net
RAGING GRANNIES All are welcome to join the Raging Grannies, singing for a healthy planet and a kind world, on Wednesdays at the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalists office at the Third Street Center from 4 to 5:30pm.
POWER PUNCH PARKINSON’S The Power Punch Parkinson’s classes are held every Monday from 9:30 to 10:30am at Defiance PT & Wellness in Carbondale (326 Highway 133, Suite 60), and the same time on Fridays at Midland Fitness in Glenwood (100 Midland Avenue). MOMMY MEET-UP The Glenwood Springs Library hosts a “mommy meet-up” on Mondays from 11am to 12:30pm for mothers and their babies ages 0 to 3. There will be play items provided for the little ones and coffee and conversation for the moms. IN STITCHES The In Stitches Knitting Club meets at the Carbondale Library every Monday at 1:30pm. DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP In collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association, Sopris Lodge hosts a monthly caregiver support group
ASK A LAWYER Alpine Legal Services offers a hotline clinic on Wednesdays from 5 to 7pm. Call 970-368-2246 and visit alpinelegalservices.org for the schedule of dates by legal topic. MARBLE MUSEUM The Marble Historical Society’s museum is open for the season from 11am to 4pm, Thursday to Monday, through Oct. 12. Call 970-963-9815 for a tour. UNDER THE SUN Join Sopris Sun correspondents and guests for “Everything Under The Sun,” airing every Thursday on KDNK at 4pm. REDSTONE LIBRARY A Pitkin County Library staff member brings services to the Redstone Inn every Friday from 10am to 2pm.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13
MEMORY CARE SUPPORT Sopris Lodge hosts a memory care support group from 3 to 4pm. Call 970-251-1635 for details.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
FAIR BOARD DEADLINE Today is the deadline to apply for one of the four open seats on the Garfield County Fair Board. LOW BACK PAIN Valley View hosts “A Guide to Low Back Pain” at noon with the hospital’s orthopedic spine surgeon Felipe Ituarte. Details at tinyurl.com/ lowerbackpain2026 EXPLORE BOOKS Aspen’s Explore Book hosts an author signing and talk with Anne Ireland, author of “Martin and Jamie: The Peace Process,” from 5:30 to 7pm. RSVP at tinyurl.com/anneirelandexplorebooks MENOPAUSE CLASS The Carbondale Library hosts an interactive class on menopause, “What is Menopause? Beyond Hot Flashes and Night Sweats,” at 6pm. Register at gcpld.org
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
LIBRARIES CLOSURE All branches of the Garfield County Public Library District are closed today for staff training. The libraries will reopen tomorrow.
Find more upcoming events at www.soprissun.com/tag/curated-calendar
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 13
Seventh annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration returns to Sopris Park
in environmental justice, climate action and the defense of cultural and intellectual freedom. More information on Parras can be found at bryanparras.com It’s recommended that attendees in Sopris Park bring a camp chair or blanket to sit on, a water bottle, wear warm layered clothes and be prepared in case of rain. Folks are also encouraged to bring along a drum or rattle if they have one. At Third Street Center, participants are asked to bring an appetizer, main dish or dessert to share, along with their own plate or bowl, eating utensils and a napkin. People can also bring non-alcoholic beverages. Hot tea and water will be available. For questions about either event in Carbondale, people can email 350RoaringForkTeam@350Colorado.org or steviek6@yahoo.com
ALEJANDRA RICO Sopris Sun Correspondent
350 Roaring Fork and Roaring Fork Valley Circle invite all community members to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, Oct. 12, with events in Sopris Park and at Third Street Center in Carbondale. A gathering will be held at Sopris Park from 3:30 to 5:30pm with a Seven Directions circle ceremony, readings of Nuche history, a drumming circle and comments from participants. Afterwards, a potluck dinner will be shared at the Third Street Center from 6 to 9pm, along with a screening of the documentary “The Condor and the Eagle” at 7pm, with film protagonist and community activist Bryan Parras as a special guest. “The Condor & The Eagle” is an award-winning 2019 documentary that follows four Indigenous environmental leaders on a transcontinental journey from the Canadian Boreal forests to the Amazonian jungle. The film highlights the collective struggle of Indigenous peoples across North and South America — against extractive economies, fossil fuel projects, pipelines and environmental injustices. The documentary emphasizes international cooperation and Indigenous-led resistance to protect ecosystems
Shining Mountains
Folks gathered in Sopris Park for Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2024. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
and confront the global climate crisis. Parras graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2000 with a degree in psychology and philosophy. This interdisciplinary education offered Parras a strong foundation in critical thinking, ethical analysis and a nuanced understanding of human behavior. These skills were critical to his later work as a community organizer, media producer and policy advocate. Parras’ advocacy has driven a narrative around pollution, equity and community power. His photos have appeared in Rolling Stone, Chemical & Engineering News and many other publications across the country. Parras has been recognized nationally for his leadership
14 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
Later next week, the eighth annual Shining Mountains Native American Film Festival will be taking place at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. That’s Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17. Eight Native American films will span three programs, each followed by a question and answer period with the respective film creators and actors. The weekend also features live dance by Grass Dancer David LaPointe and a flute performance by renowned Hopi silversmith Steve Wikviya LaRance, who will also be an official vendor. Shining Mountains was founded by the Aspen Indigenous Foundation and serves as a platform for showcasing and spreading the voices of the descendants of the first inhabitants of the Americas by portraying their rich culture, wisdom, traditional ways and beauty. This two-day festival of Indigenous films will explore resilience, identity, talents, untold stories and hope for future generations. For tickets and program details, visit shiningmountainsfilm.com For more on the Aspen Indigenous Foundation, visit www.aspenaif.org
Pink to Black returns with a cozy kick-off show REVIEW BY MYKI JONES Arts Correspondent
On Saturday, Oct. 3, Thunder River Theatre Company (TRTC) and El Dorado kickoff the third season of their Pink to Black series in the theatre’s black box. The opening act of this season was Roma Ransom and Western Medicine. Guests were met with a welcome cocktail from El Dorado’s bartenders, a French 75-inspired drink that not only tasted as though so much love had been poured into it, but also acted as a great tool to get the conversations going and loosen the hips of concertgoers. Roma Ransom, made up of the couple Grace Easley and Gordon Lewis, has been playing together since 2010 and has been a frequent guest performer at El Dorado for close to three years. Their music was enchanting and varied, creating a relaxed atmosphere through their bohemian folk instrumentals. Though their more dancey numbers came toward the end of their set, the packed theatre still found ways to move to what was being played. In a discussion with Roma Ransom before the season kicked
off, Easley and Lewis both expressed their excitement to participate in the season and work with the main act, Western Medicine. “I feel like some things we’ll play will end up vibing with [Western Medicine’s] style and genre because, from what I’ve listened to, I’ve gathered that they’re a little bit more on the Americana folk side, and we have a few songs that ring into those sounds,” Easley said. “I’m sure that some of what we do is going to be well-paired, and some of the other songs we do will be a nice kind of change up and mix up of style for the audience.” This prediction rang true throughout the duo’s performance. Once it wrapped, a brief intermission took place as more audience members trickled into the space, forming a lively crowd that welcomed original music by the headliner, as well as some covers of classic tunes, such as John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” and Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon.” The six-person Western Medicine headliner includes two Carbondale locals: Matt Palomino, who plays bass and guitar and provides vocals
and songwriting, and Lyle Luckett, who plays drums. Guitarist Matt Palamar and lap-steel player Scout Engbring hail from Telluride, and violinist Naveed Farhadi and vocalist Britley Red later joined the band while they were all living in California, a story they touched on with their closing encore song. Though their catalog required a lot of active listening, the band picked up the pace with more rockstyle songs as the set went on. And they never missed an opportunity to talk about their music’s background, the inspiration behind each original and their gratitude for the experience and toward Carbondale. Audiences can expect electronic music duo Deadtronica up next this season on Dec. 5, opening with local talent Heady Hooligan. The season will wrap on Jan. 5, 2027, with country band Rattlesnake Milk and local rock act Tommy the Animal as the opener. For more information or to get tickets for the upcoming shows, visit thunderrivertheatre.com
Vocalist Britley Red, pictured, and the rest of Western Medicine took the stage at Thunder River Theatre Company on Saturday, Oct. 3, as part of the opening show for the theatre’s third Pink to Black concert series. Photo by Myki Jones
RF FORGE from page 10
Carbondale favorite Sweet Jessup and the Dirty Buckets will release a spooky-season holiday album, “Haunted Hillbilly Halloween,” on Oct. 9 at 6:66am. It will be available on all major streaming platforms. Courtesy photo
Lately, there’s a preference for sleek, modern features among high-end clients. This requires less forging to make consistent decorative curves, but blacksmiths must take extra measures to hide welds and avoid leaving scratches. “Rust was a great finish,” Burleigh reminisced. Not long ago, Rocky Mountain Smiths hosted an annual conference at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS), gathering blacksmiths from throughout the region to trade techniques. The late Francis Whitaker, as a teacher at the school, was paramount to making that a possibility. Whitaker moved his shop from California to the Roaring Fork Valley in 1963 and helped build the Mountain Forge at CRMS in 1989.
GARCO from page 9
RAMS from page 11
of West Slope [agriculture], that’s a big hit to our local economies, to our small towns, to our agricultural industry, and it may be just the beginning of what we view as a permanent program,” Mueller added. As for the Shoshone water rights issue, CRWCD’s Strategy Chief Amy Moyer told the BOCC that the purchase price is $99 million and all but $1.6 million has been raised from the CRWCD, the federal government and state and local governments, including $3 million from Garfield County. “Our plan is to continue working with communities up and down the river,” Moyer said. “But we may want to sit down with you as we look to close that $1.6 million gap.”
Basalt had 13 hits to Eagle Valley’s eight, but the Longhorns had to overcome five errors in the contest. Roaring Fork student-athlete junior Sydney Ostberg went three-for-four from the plate, with two RBIs, and Liliana Santini was two-forfour with three RBIs. Junior Hadley Ivy was three for three with two RBIs. She also pitched a complete game to earn the win with 12 strikeouts and a 2.62 ERA. The Longhorns close out the regular season with a doubleheader at home against Moffat County on Thursday (2pm and 4pm) at the BHS field, and will await postseason playoff pairings early next week.
In other news … Garfield County Clean Energy put in a request for $150,000 annual funding, to be included in the 2027 county budget decision later this month. “People look at Garfield Clean Energy and say ‘Well, this is a climate change thing’ but that has not been the case,” Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky said. “It has been about our energy portfolio. It’s been about energy savings for our citizens and it’s been about economic development.” The BOCC approved $600,000 for the Parachute MOVES project and disbursement of $200,000 from the county’s 2026 discretionary fund for the Parachute Area Transportation System (PATS). For six years, PATS has provided regular, fixed-route bus service between Battlement Mesa and Rifle. Now, a pilot, on-demand service is available in Parachute and Rifle by app or phone for one dollar per ride. The program will be evaluated in 2027 for future use. The BOCC renewed a two-year lease with Gene’s Lock and Key in downtown Glenwood Springs.
State golf The combined Basalt golf team finished as the team runner-up at the 3A State Golf Championship in Alamosa on Monday and Tuesday. Senior Hudson Arnold, a Roaring Fork High student, rebounded from his 79 on Monday and shot 69 on Tuesday to finish tied with teammate Blair Didier for 11th place. Parker Strelecki was one shot back, tied for 14th.
The newest addition to the Roaring Forge is Axel Livingston, a young artist born in the Valley. Livingston studied fine arts at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit and incorporates blown glass with his metalwork. “I’d like to see a whole new group of people before we all die. Otherwise we’ll have to clean all this shit up,” Hoffman half-joked. “That’s very much the truth, though,” Riley said. “It’s so tricked out for what you can do in here that it’d be a shame to see it disassembled, but you need the people.” “I think there’ll still always be people that can afford the hand-done, individual, personal stuff,” said Mason. “I think you’ll hopefully always have blacksmiths around.”
Volleyball The Roaring Fork varsity volleyball team fell 3-0 at Aspen Tuesday night, and lost 3-1 at Vail Mountain (13-25, 26-24, 23-25, 21-25) on Oct. 1. The Rams are now 3-13 overall, and 1-7 in the 3A WSL. Next up, Roaring Fork hosts Moffat County at 6pm Thursday, and Grand Junction at 6pm on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Cross country Basalt-Carbondale and Colorado Rocky Mountain School cross country runners competed at the Chris Severy Invitational at Aspen High School on Oct. 3. Basalt sophomore Scarlett Jones took seventh with a 5-kilometer time of 22:56.6 on the rugged mountain course, behind CRMS runner, junior Kayla Steele in sixth (22:19.9). Sophomore Jude Tiernan was 14th (24:30.7). For the boys, CRMS senior Max Peterson took sixth (20:44.9), and Basalt sophomore Bode Schoenbrun was ninth (21:06.9).
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16 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
‘Courageous Libraries, Resilient Communities’ Abraham Korah is the executive director of the Garfield County Public Library District. One of the odd bits that most of us could promote volunteer opportunities don’t pick up on until we are adults is that in a festive environment, was a collabothere are conferences and conventions ration that APR developed and invited for almost everything. Whether it is the the library to join two years ago. I was International Astronautical Conference surprised and elated by the acknowledgor the North American ment. More so, I felt Saxophone Alliance (the motivated to identify other NASA), people ways to further cultivate in various industries the many partnerships gather to celebrate, that we have built with learn and solve probcommunity partners. lems in their field. This In addition to is no different for librarattending many infories and library workers. mative sessions, I also In addition to national had the opportunity gatherings, Colorado to lead a presentation brings library staff from with my colleague and across the state together Human Resources annually for profesDirector Kim Owens. OPEN BOOK sional development. The We led a session on state library conference, how libraries can By Abraham Korah CALCON, originates capture the wisdom Garfield County Public Library District director from the Colorado Assoand guidance of their ciation of Libraries. longest tenured staff. Along with several of our board Along with our colleague Nancy Barnes, members and staff, I had the opportu- the library district completed a survey nity to attend and present at the annual and focus group with a set of colleagues conference in Aurora. The theme of this with seven or more years of longevity in year’s conference, “Courageous Libraries, the library district. Resilient Communities,” felt particularly We wanted to understand how our poignant to me. I think many of us across staff maintained their resilience through Garfield County are having to find cour- challenging times (e.g., layoffs, COVID, age and resilience to navigate a variety contentious national political discourse) of stresses in our personal lives and to for the organization. Factors such as support our neighbors. career opportunities and benefits were Public libraries support community common among the responses. resilience and our six libraries dotted More surprisingly, staff described across Garfield County are no different. the importance of intangible factors Three of our staff members from our Silt that brought a great deal of meaning branch were met with an enthusiastic to their work. Staff were motivated by response to their CALCON presentation doing meaningful work that positively about creating connections for Silt resi- impacted their communities, while dents through programs and events. Shylo collaborating with colleagues with the Harlan, Paul Stanley, and Natasha same mindset. The long tenured staff Wolburg described how they brought members also described the feeling of the community together through “Shake community they felt in the workplace as Your Sillies Out,” a movement program a factor in providing resilience through for children and caregivers, the “Golden the challenging days. Hours Ice Cream Social” for older adults The conference also provided me and Lotería for Spanish speakers. They with the opportunity to listen and learn also described a Community Friendsgiv- from colleagues across the state. I espeing that brought Silt residents together cially appreciated the opportunity to regardless of age, socioeconomic status meet with colleagues in director roles or ideology, to build a sense of commu- across Colorado, especially those servnity instead of isolation. ing rural communities. Unsurprisingly, One of our neighbors, Breeze Rich- many shared common challenges such ardson, the executive director of Aspen as budget pressures and retaining Public Radio (APR), was one of the strong staff. keynote speakers. Richardson shared The pleasant surprise to me was to be her observations about the challenges reminded of the rare structure that our that public radio has faced in the past few library district has in how we are able to years and parallels she saw with public serve the residents of Garfield County. libraries. She described the challenges Many library districts have one or two to funding, intellectual freedom and the physical locations to serve a geographimpact of outside entities on the work ical area of a similar size to our county. of journalists. She also described the What a privilege it is for our staff to be importance of collaboration and part- able to tailor our services and supports to nership with community partners to meet the unique needs of each of our six create resilience. towns, while centralizing some functions An example of this collaboration that to reduce costs. Richardson described to the several I wrapped up the conference feeling hundred attendees was the Nonprofit energized and optimistic. If you don’t Volunteer Fair that our Glenwood Library leave the trees, you can’t see the forest. has been hosting in collaboration with I left Aurora reminded that our library APR. This annual August event, where district contributes to unity and resilience close to 30 nonprofit organizations for our community.
OPINION
The Anesthesiologist I’m walking into a four-story office remove eggs, fertilize them in a lab and building in Lone Tree, Colorado, hope they become embryos. Two for me, surrounded by other office buildings. It’s two for Carly. somehow both exquisite and completely Five embryo transfers, where you bland. There’s no life anywhere, which spend ten minutes in a procedure room feels fitting for a place where so many and then try to wait two weeks without people are desperately trying to create it. losing your mind to see if you get that The clinic occupies the third floor. second blue line. Butterfly artwork covers the walls. Seven IUIs. I’m taken back to the surgical area. Two failed transfers. A nurse pulls back Three miscarriages. the curtain to what I Zero children. assume used to be an Somewhere in office cubicle and tells there we spent more me to take off all my than $12,000 on donor clothes, put on a gown sperm alone, traveled to and wait for the anesTijuana for more affordthesiologist. Friends able treatment, crossed had warned me he was the U.S.-Mexico border a little kooky. They also chasing the same mentioned he was from dream, and eventually Michigan, so I figured returned to Denver for we’d have something to another chance. talk about. The financial side VOICES Looking back, I of infertility is almost probably should’ve as exhausting as the RADIO HOUR questioned why we emotional side. By Molly DeMarr had to bring a personal To afford more treatcheck made out directly to him for $300. ment, I took a second job at Lowe’s loading Not a company. Not a medical prac- toilets into people’s cars so I could get tice. Him. But fertility has a funny way of better insurance coverage. My wife and making strange things feel normal. What I both needed another egg retrieval, and was one more bizarre stop on the ride? that extra job ended up covering $60,000 This 50-something man walks in while worth of fertility care. I’m sitting in an office recliner wearI often wonder what people picture ing nothing but a gown. My wife hasn’t when they think about infertility. They joined me yet. We start talking about probably imagine doctors’ appointments Michigan, as Michiganders always do, and injections. They probably don’t until somehow the conversation shifts to picture border crossings, second jobs, his recent trip to the Philippines. political conversations with anesthesiWithout prompting, he launches into ologists or writing personal checks to a story about the Donald Trump shirt he strangers before surgery. wore there — guns, freedom, American But that’s the thing about this journey. flags — the whole package. According to It becomes your normal. him, everybody loved it. Fertility is living in perpetual uncerI gently remind him that I’m there tainty. It asks for patience exactly when with my wife. Wife. Carbondale. Colo- you’ve run out of it. Every blood draw, rado. I figure maybe he’ll connect a few shot, procedure and heartbreak feels like dots and realize we’re probably not on progress and nowhere at all. the same political wavelength. I don’t have a happy ending to this story. He doesn’t. Yet. Instead, he keeps going. Taxes. One day we’ll tell our children about Student loans. Housing. Guns. Then back the anesthesiologist who debated politics to the medication he’s about to push before putting me under, the borders we through my IV that will knock me out for crossed, the jobs we worked and everyfifteen minutes. thing we did to bring them into this world. My anxiety is through the roof. Because every single step has always Finally, I interrupt and tell him, “I been for one reason. think we’re just going to have to agree Them. to disagree.” Until then, we wait. Right then my wife walks in. I shoot Patiently. her a desperate look that clearly says, With hope, hard work, and more love “Get me the hell out of here.” than we know what to do with. She misses it. We’re saving all of it for you, earthside. A few minutes later I walk into the procedure room with my new best Molly DeMarr is a Carbondale local friend, black out for fifteen minutes, and who performed in the 2024 Queer remember nothing else. Voices show. She and her wife moved That was just one of my egg retrievals. here in March of 2020 and share life In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is already with two big goofy dogs. She’s worked surreal. Somehow that interaction made and volunteered for local nonprofits it even stranger. and has found joy in the small-town Carly and I began trying to have chil- life. She’s enjoyed coaching soccer dren in 2023. Here we are in the second throughout the Valley, specifically half of 2026, and we’re still waiting. the Basalt Girls Soccer team the past If fertility had a language, I speak it five years and now taking on the role fluently now. as executive director of Roaring Fork Seven attempts at Intrauterine Insem- United. Originally from Michigan, she ination (IUI) — better known as the does her best to bring that Midwest turkey baster method. steadiness and warmth to everything Four egg retrievals, where doctors she does.
OPINION
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 17
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Public Health: Rifle 970-625-5200, ext. 8116 Glenwood Springs: 970-945-6614, ext. 2030 Call to make an appointment for other dates.
garfieldcountyco.gov 18 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
The prophecy of ‘The Condor and the Eagle’ 350 Roaring Fork and Roaring Fork Valley Circle are partnering to screen the documentary “The Condor and the Eagle” in conjunction with Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, Oct. 12. The invitation reads: “According to the prophecy of the condor and the eagle, when, after hundreds of years of separation, the condor (the heart and intuitive knowledge of South America) and the eagle (the rational and technological mind of North America) reunite, the world will have an opportunity to re-enter a new era of peace and higher consciousness. This hopeful outcome is not guaranteed, but can be brought about with the assistance of humankind.” If only the Europeans had learned from the Native Americans rather than wiping them out. The Native Americans recognized themselves as being part of Mother Nature, not lording over her and attempting to defeat her. They’d never dream of puncturing the Earth Mother’s skin with drills, plow shears or backhoes. Not that Indigenous peoples didn’t contribute to agriculture. Where do you think corn and potatoes came from? Corn was first cultivated by Mesoamericans in southwest Mexico and potatoes in South America — both about 10,000 years ago. THE VIEW FROM Out of respect for the Earth Mother, seeds were placed gently under the soil. THE THERAPY POOL Native Americans have been characBy Fred Malo terized as nomadic hunters and gatherers, rather than farmers, but for many tribes, that’s only because they were chased off their farms by the whites. In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act that sent the Cherokee off their homes in many southeastern states on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. Drilling into the ground and sucking out Earth Mother’s precious bodily fluids, like oil and gas, was unthinkable to the Native Americans. The very idea of private property is blasphemous to Indigenous peoples. You can’t pay money for a piece of the Earth Mother and think that you own her like she was some kind of prostitute. It’s a reciprocal arrangement. You reside on the Earth Mother, receive her gifts and take care of her. As for money, the root of all evil, many original Native Americans had no use for it. They had a barter system. If your neighbor needed a tomahawk that you had and they had a piece of pottery that you coveted, a trade was negotiated. The conditions white Europeans have left for Indigenous people are horrible. I have visited the White Earth Ojibwe Nation in Minnesota, where unemployment is at 30% to 40% and illiteracy and alcoholism are high. On the Navajo Nation in the Southwest, trailers have replaced the hogans of the past, but living conditions aren’t much better. For four years in the 1970s, I lived on the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho, where the Indigenous are somewhat better off, owning fractional interests of rich farmland, but the abuses of the past live on. And the abuses continue. Native American women are being murdered and going missing in alarming numbers. The Navajo Nation experienced some of the highest rates of fatalities from the COVID-19 pandemic. Native Americans must laugh when they hear the European whites complain about immigration. To Indigenous peoples, the Europeans are all immigrants. For the most part, Native Americans welcomed the Europeans to their shores and the pale faces weren’t very gracious guests. Perhaps it was the Doctrine of Discovery, a series of 15th-century papal bulls declaring Christians should claim, conquer and colonize newly discovered lands and enslave or kill non-Christians. In a visit to Canada in 2022, Pope Francis repudiated that doctrine and apologized for the harm the Church has brought on the Native community, but it was about six centuries too late. Indigenous Peoples’ Day was recognized as an alternative to Columbus Day in 2021 under President Joe Biden. In keeping with the Doctrine of Discovery, Columbus killed or enslaved many of the Native Americans he encountered. Columbus didn’t discover anything, anyway. Native Americans crossed the land bridge 30,000 years ago.
OPINION
If only the Europeans had learned from the Native Americans rather than wiping them out.
Join 350 Roaring Fork and the Roaring Fork Valley Circle as it celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Sopris Park on Monday, Oct. 12 at 3:30pm. A potluck at the Third Street Center will follow at 6pm, then a screening of the documentary “The Condor and the Eagle” at 7pm, followed by a discussion with the film’s director, Brian Parras.
OBITUARIES
Martha Collison
January 18, 1934 - September 20, 2026 Martha Collison of Carbondale, Colorado, passed away peacefully on Sept. 20. She was 92. Martha spent much of her early life in California, where she built a career in education, real estate and public service. In 1985, Martha became the mayor of Laguna Beach, California. A longtime resident of Laguna, she had reluctantly stepped onto the political stage and served Laguna for four years. But she was already well known for her extraordinary leadership abilities and her very grounded sense of logic and fairness. Add her great sense of humor, and she accomplished a very successful and productive term. Her passion for the community was always boundless and full of zeal, as it was for life. Before and after her council service,
Martha was always very active with the same zeal and energy. With a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s degree from Whittier College, Martha became a teacher and guidance counselor in Temple City. She moved up to vice principal at Foothill High School in Tustin. In 1976, she entered the real estate business in Laguna and was very shortly the manager of Nolan Real Estate. After years of visiting and working in Colorado, it was no surprise that Martha and Dar opened a general store with a small café and gas station in her second home of Redstone, Colorado. She sold memorable T-shirts that read: “Stop, eat & get gas!” In 1996, they purchased Skyline Ranch in the Roaring Fork Valley of Carbondale, Colorado, which became their
retirement home. Both Martha and Dar shared a passion for animals, particularly their quarter horses. The ranch accommodated boarding facilities for horses and dogs, along with Martha’s personal accumulation of cats, mini horses and donkeys, chickens, rabbits and tortoises. But Martha’s bigger claim to fame was her two matching black Percheron draft horses that pulled a beautiful carriage,
Janette Rae Bier
October 6, 1942 - September 15, 2026 Janette Rae (Johnson) Bier, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, teacher, singer and friend, passed away peacefully on Sept. 15, 2026, at Sunfire Ranch in the Crystal River Valley near Carbondale, Colorado. Janette was born on Oct. 6, 1942, in Minden, Nebraska, to John O. and Selma Johnson. She grew up on the family farm outside of Hildreth, Nebraska, where she developed a deep appreciation for family, hard work, animals, church and community … values that remained part of her throughout her life. She graduated from Hildreth High School in 1960 and went on to graduate from Kearney State Teachers College in 1964. She later attended Colorado State University where she earned a masters degree in administration. Janette was a high school business teacher and administrator in Vail, Colorado, where she also raised her two children, Jon and Jaymeson Janske, with
their father James Janske. Teaching was an important part of who she was, and she brought to it the same patience, kindness and generosity that she brought her family and friends. Having sung professionally, Janette was also a well known singer in the Vail community and the Crystal River Valley. In 1990, Janette married her soulmate, Jeff Bier, and made her home in Carbondale and Redstone. Together they shared a life filled with family, community and the beauty of the mountains. Together they hiked, skied, biked, danced and immersed themselves in friendship and community. In Redstone, Janette was able to continue her love of singing, both in church and with various musical groups in the valley. Janette was a past president of the Redstone Community Association, co-founder of the Redstone Ice Rink and on the Board of Directors of the Redstone Historical Society.
Above all, Janette treasured her family. So proud of her roots, she adored her Nebraska relatives and all of her grandchildren. She was the grandmother, sister, aunt and cousin who showed up, encouraged, cared and gave her time so generously. Her family knew how deeply they were loved, and that love remains one of her most enduring gifts. Janette was preceded in death by her mom and dad, John O. and Selma Johnson; brother, Jerry; and son, Jon. She is survived by her daughter, Jaymeson
Grace Eleanor Holgate (Glassier)
is survived by her husband of 69 years, Bill, her two sons, Will and Craig, her three grandchildren, Will, Jr., Craig, Jr. and Becky, and her five great grandchildren, Greyson, Miranda, Penelope, Hannah and Walker. She was preceded in death by her youngest son, Bryan, and her parents, Louis and Mary Glassier. Grace had a special way of making everyone feel loved and welcomed.
SUNSENSE from page 5 Sun: Will you stay involved in the new LCA? Ely: I will stay connected to see several projects to the finish line, provide any needed guidance and serve on the new cooperative’s Board of Directors. Sun: Who will be taking over management of the company, and how will employee ownership be worked out?
A ceremony celebrating Martha’s life will be held at Skyline Ranch on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 3 to 6pm. (Jason) Sewell; her husband, Jeff; her stepchildren, Abbey (Nathan) Ziv and Oriana (Tyler) Moebius; daughter-inlaw Cindy Janske; her grandchildren, Cameron and Brody Leo, Asher, Lexi, Bella and Taj Moebius, Ollie and Amos Ziv, Audrey and Selma Janske and Rio and Stella Sewell; and her siblings, Jack Johnson, June Loschen and Joyce Albers. She leaves behind a family who will miss her deeply, along with the many friends, former students, church community and the people she touched throughout her life. Janette’s life was defined not only by what she accomplished, but by her infectious smile and how she made people feel: loved, welcomed, supported and cared for. Her kindness and generosity will live on in the people she loved and in the many lives she quietly made better. A memorial service celebrating Janette’s life will be held Oct. 12, 2026 at 10am at The Orchard in Carbondale, Colorado. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
animals, life itself or simply the warmth of her presence, she made the ordinary moments in life feel special. Her greatest joy was her family, and the love she poured into each of them will live on for generations. Though our hearts are heavy, we find comfort in the countless memories, traditions and love she leaves behind. Forever cherished, forever missed and forever in our hearts.
July 24, 1936 - September 26, 2026 Grace Eleanor Holgate, 90, passed away on Sept. 26, 2026, after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. She passed peacefully and comfortably with her family by her side, leaving behind a lifetime of love, cherished memories and a family who will miss her dearly. Grace was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother whose family was her entire world. She
which Martha drove. Martha did special events, weddings and parades with this team, whom she named “Tom and Dick…and she was Harry!” A lifelong horsewoman, Martha won her final buckle at the age of 83 during a Western Slope horse show. Martha was also very well known for her rather enthusiastic cooking and the literally thousands of meals she prepared, entertaining friends and family, and always with a party atmosphere. The stories of Martha, her many accomplishments, her antics and her huge circle of friends are significant, and we pay tremendous homage to her special legacy, catapulted by a huge and gentle heart. We also extend sincere condolences to her partner of 56 years, Darlyne Woodward.
Whether through her delicious homecooked meals and baking, her love of
Ely: Sunsense directors unanimously have chosen Matt Heck as our new CEO. As both a master electrician and with previous experience in an employee-owned cooperative under his belt, [Heck] brings a wealth of knowledge and work ethic to the new company. All current employees are eligible to become worker/owners with a very manageable buy-in and commitment to participation in its governance. Sun: One of the attributes that Sunsense is known for
For family condolences please refer to Callahan-Edfast.com In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to your local animal rescue or Humane Society in her honor.
is its family-like work environment. Ely: Someone asked me what I am most proud of as I step aside. Without hesitation, I responded: “The family-first and flexibility vibe. The trust in our people that the work we do is meaningful and that we treat clients with respect. In addition, it is the hope that regardless of how long you may have been at Sunsense, you found something positive to take with you into the future.”
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 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!
Full edition is available every Friday afternoon on newstands and at businesses from Rifle to Aspen
A mural by artists Maks and Kristof Kosmowski on the side of Glenwood Music gives King Kong energy. Photo by Ricardo Villa
A city as an emerging canvas What if our walls could speak again? Every time I drive along Grand Avenue and see the enormous neon gun at Doc Holliday’s Saloon and Restaurant, I think about how difficult it is to achieve something like that with an advertisement, to make people remember it. It may seem exaggerated, old-fashioned or extravagant, but it’s hard to imagine that corner of Glenwood Springs without it. That sign reminds me of an idea I proposed years ago in college: the city as an emerging canvas. The name sounds academic, although the question is simple. If in design we call the surface we work on a canvas, like paper, fabric, or wood, why not think of the city as a surface open to creativity? There was a time when outdoor advertising was made mostly by hand, like the painted signs and old advertisements that can be seen from the parking lot next to the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue. If you’ve parked there before, you’ve probably seen them. And if you haven’t noticed, they’re worth taking a look at. Before large-format printers, someone had to stand in front of a wall and work out by hand the size of the letters, their proportions and the spacing needed to make them readable. The sign painter’s craft brought together drawing, typography, composition and painting. Many of those signs gave businesses personality long before we talked about branding and brand management with such familiarity. Then there were marquees and neon signs, which for much of the 20th century lit up hotels, theaters and restaurants. Over time, many gave way to options that were cheaper and easier to maintain. This isn’t about idealizing that era. There were plenty of questionable
advertisements: cigarette ads presented as symbols of health or sophistication; miracle products making promises that were difficult to back up; and campaigns we would now consider sexist or steeped in stereotypes. Bad taste, and bad advertising, existed long before Photoshop. What interests me is the craftsmanship behind those pieces and the relationship between the work, the person who made it and the place where it ended up. Technology allowed us to produce faster, reduce costs and achieve extraordinary precision. As a designer, I value those possibilities, but I also wonder how much space we leave for things that take time and the marks of those makers. Now, with artificial intelligence, that wondering takes on a different meaning. We can generate in seconds images that once required long days of work; but perhaps that sparks greater interest in a visible brushstroke, a texture or two letters that are never quite the same. At least for me, those idiosyncrasies make me want to get closer and take a look. And I want to be clear: I’m in
favor of using artificial intelligence, as long as we understand that it’s a tool that can complement and enhance human creativity, not replace it. That is why I would like to revive that idea in our Valley. I imagine a coffee shop commissioning a local artist to paint a wall, a restaurant working with a muralist or a brand collaborating with a graffiti artist. Students, designers and craftspeople could also participate with storefronts and alleyways serving as meeting places. I would not want to see the Roaring Fork Valley turned into a page filled with pop-ups. We already have enough of those on our phones. I am interested in advertising that contributes something to the place where it appears; something that allows a business to tell people who they are, to pay an artist for their work and to leave behind a piece that neighbors can enjoy. We would have to think about what to communicate in each space and how to do it without overwhelming it. Besides, a blank wall can also be perfectly fine as is. The opportunity lies in recognizing
WITH OTHER EYES By Ricardo Villa where an intervention would make sense and allowing someone who knows the craft to propose something of their own. The next time you walk through your town, from Parachute to Aspen, look at the walls you usually pass without noticing. Which one would make you stop? What artist from the Valley could do something there? That is what I imagined when I talked about the city as an emerging canvas. Today, surrounded by images that appear simply by typing a prompt, I still find reasons to return to that idea. I would like our businesses to help create spaces and work for those who still have so much to say with their hands. Translation assisted by artificial intelligence, and edited by Owen McArdle
Follow Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every week in Spanish.
Owen McArdle — Editor • owen@soldelvalle.org | Margarita Alvarez — Advertising • margarita@soldelvalle.org www.soldelvalle.org • info@soldelvalle.org • 970-404-7208 20 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
Share your works in progress with readers by emailing illustrations, creative writings and poetry to fiction@soprissun.com
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
The oldest tradition The 117th annual Potato Days went off on Saturday, Oct. 3, with plenty of steaming spuds, harvested corn, marinated meats and a downtown full of smiling Carbondale community members enjoying the fall sunshine. Flags waved down Carbondale’s thoroughfare as residents lined the sides of Main Street to watch the Potato Days parade, followed by the gathering of hundreds for locallysourced lunch in Sopris Park. The Carbondale community was out in full force for Potato Days, including some young, aspiring tractor drivers catching the view from atop an antique John Deere. Photo by Bob Rugile
American Legion Post 100 members cruise down Main Street brandishing flags for the Potato Days parade. Photo by Bob Rugile
Horses and their riders joined the fray for the Saturday festivities, gaiting around the 117th annual Carbondale tradition with a pup included in the mix. Photo by Jane Bachrach
Hundreds of Potato Days-goers queued at Sopris Park for the annual Potato Days lunch, where corn and potatoes were buried in the park’s “pits” to cook, before being whisked to the lunch pavilion for service, along with meats, coleslaw, beans and more. Photo by Jane Bachrach
Potato Days volunteer and Sopris Sun Board Co-Chair Kay Clarke shows off one of the tin-foil coverings of a steaming tray of food, as community members filed through the lunch pavilion at Sopris Park. Photo by Jane Bachrach
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 21
LETTERS Indigenous Peoples’ Day Thank you for all the gifts the Indigenous peoples bequeathed us. We learned in first grade that the Mayflower Pilgrim colonists learned to plant corn from the Native people who inhabited where they landed in what became Massachusetts. I learned many decades later that these were the Wampanoag people who shared seeds and planting techniques for the native North American crops, corn, beans and squash. Only in graduate school did I learn that the people native to the area between Puebla and Oaxaca, brilliant agriculturalists, actually developed corn from a grass called teosinte. In adulthood, I read New York Historical Society articles on the Mohicans and Mohawks who gave some land to Queen Anne when they came to England in 1710 seeking help from the British forces to defend their lands from the French coming from Quebec into northern New York. The Native Americans wanted the Queen to send Protestant missionaries to New York because they did not like the French Catholics (evidently). My many times great-grandfather, Johannes Lawyer, came as a refugee from the French war against Lutherans in Palatine, Germany, and settled in 1710 in New York as a founder of Lawyerville, now part of Cobleskill. He established a trading post to do business with the Mohawks and was a founder of the Lutheran church there. Today, AI told me that his son, Johannes Jr., was involved in swindling land from the Mohawks, a case eventually settled by the Crown with payment to the Mohawks because it needed the military help of the Mohawks and Mohicans in the French and Indian War, and then again in the Revolutionary War. That phrase in the Declaration of Independence, “merciless Indian savages,” probably refers in part to these Mohawks and Mohicans who pledged to help the British if the British would help them defend their own lands from the French. Politics are never simple, and alliances change. Joseph Brant, the Mohawk who led the attack on Lawyerville during the Revolutionary War, spared the lives of the Lawyer men he captured when he saw them give a Mason’s handshake, because he too was a Mason, educated at the Native American College, now Dartmouth. Every day we can learn something new. I am relieved to know that I descend from Fredrick Lawyer, not Johannes Jr. On the maternal side of my family, I learned only a few years ago from my cousins that our Cord’homme grandfather’s life was saved by Guarani Native Americans in Paraguay when he was a child. His father, Gabriel, was the French consul to Paraguay and hunted with the Guarani and had great respect for their understanding of their environment. When European trained doctors could not cure my grandfather of a lung disease (I am guessing TB), his parents sent him
from page 2
to live with the Guarani. The Guarani plant medicine cured him. So, thanks to the Guarani and thanks to the Mohawks, I exist. That’s a big thank you! Join us at Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Oct. 12, at 3:30pm at Sopris Park and 6pm for a potluck at the Calaway Room in the Third Street Center, followed by a documentary at 7pm, “The Condor and the Eagle.” Bryan Parras, one of the film’s producers, who is also in the film, will be with us to introduce it and answer questions. Please join us. Illène Pevec Carbondale
Public lands & health Wilderness areas are critical to our mental and physical wellbeing. Despite their importance, they are being increasingly compromised. These losses have significant effects on our health. As a family physician, I encounter patients suffering from what is known as “nature-deficit disorder.” This term, coined in 2005, describes the symptoms that occur when people are alienated from nature and no longer enjoy the health benefits of spending time outdoors. Access to undeveloped regions encourages people to exercise, through activities such as hiking and biking, which directly improve health. Spending time in the wild also enables people to breathe fresh air, relax and peacefully enjoy their surroundings. These benefits diminish when access to the wilderness is lost. Nature-deficit disorder leads to decreased physical activity, and contributes to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Mental health conditions associated with nature-deficit disorder include depression and anxiety. Recently, there have been a number of threats to our public lands. The “Roadless Rule”— a longstanding federal regulation that protects tens of millions of acres of national forests — is at risk of being repealed. At least 20% of our national parks are significantly understaffed. Recent reports from the U.S. National Park Service show that $323 million has been routed away from parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon into other non-essential projects. In fact, there are plans to sell part of Yosemite to a private developer who wants access for his investors to prime real estate within our National Park. Right now, we have valuable opportunities to protect some of our most treasured natural sites. Each piece of wilderness that we preserve translates into better health for ourselves and our children and grandchildren. Please email or call your members of Congress, to ask them to protect the “Roadless Rule,” limit misappropriations of funds intended to maintain federal lands and prevent sale or trade of lands included in our public reserves. And please remember to vote in November! Maria Chansky Glenwood Springs
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. 22 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026
PARTING SHOTS
Carolyn Williams (pictured with her arms raised in the middle of the group photo), the owner of Neve, hosted a well-attended grand opening at her new location at 215 North 12th St. in Carbondale on Oct. 1. The women’s gym includes the latest technology and equipment, and, according to its website, is inspired by the latest research on women’s health and combines strength, power, conditioning, mobility and recovery to help women feel stronger, healthier and more capable through every stage of life. “Our opening night was an incredible success, with more than 150 people coming through the doors to see the new space, meet our coaches, tour the gym, enjoy pizza and experience the sauna and cold plunge,” Williams told The Sun. “It was an exciting evening and a wonderful show of support from the community.” For more information, visit moveneve.com Photo by Bob Rugile
LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Board of Trustees for the purpose of considering a Rezoning, Major Site Plan Review and Alternative Compliance request for the construction of a new mixed-use building at 155 Main Street. Project Description: The application includes the demolition of the existing building, rezoning the property from Commercial/Transitional (C/T) to Historic Commercial Core (HCC), the construction of a new mixed-use building with five rental apartments and commercial space. The alternative compliance request is to allow for increased building height exceeding 35’. Property Location: 155 East Main Street (Lots, 17-19, Block 1, Carbondale Original Townsite) Applicant: Land + Shelter Architecture Studio Owner: 155 Main Street, LLC; Patrick J. Keelty Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 6:00 p.m. on October 27, 2026. Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department
office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO, and may be examined during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be viewed on the Town’s website at:
If you would like to submit comments regarding this application, you must send them via email to jbarnes@ carbondaleco.net by 5:00 pm on October 27, 2026. The comments will be entered into the record. If you have questions regarding the application, please contact Jared Barnes, Planning Director, at 970-510-1208.
Failure on the part of the Claimant to make such verified statement, prior to the final settlement on the contract with Grand River Construction, will relieve the Town of Carbondale from any liability for such Claimant’s claim.
or corporation who has an unpaid claim against ADM, or its subcontractors, for labor and materials, may, at any time, up to closing of business the last work day prior to final settlement, that is, by October 29th , 2026, file a verified statement of the amount due with the TOWN OF CARBONDALE (Attn. Parks & Recreation Director-Eric Brendlinger) ebrendlinger@carbondaleco.net pursuant to Section 38-26-107, CRS, as amended. Failure on the part of the Claimant to make such verified statement, prior to the final settlement on the contract with ADM, will relieve the TOWN OF CARBONDALE from any liability for such Claimant’s claim.
Published by the order of Town of Carbondale.
PUBLISHED BY THE ORDER OF TOWN OF CARBONDALE.
Published in The Sopris Sun on October 8, 2026.
Published in The Sopris Sun on October 8, 2026.
Published in The Sopris Sun on October 8, 2026.
NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT
PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME
https://www.carbondalegov.org/ departments/planning/current_land_ use_applications.php
NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT Notice is hereby given that on October 27th, 2026, at 6:00 pm final settlement will be made with Grand River Construction Co, 817 Colorado Ave, Suite 101, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601, by the Town of Carbondale, 511 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO, 81623, on a contract for labor and materials for a project known as the Weant Blvd Pedestrian Crossing project and that any person, co-partnership, company, association of persons, or corporation who has an unpaid
claim against Grand River Construction, or its subcontractors, for labor and materials, may, at any time, up to closing of business the last work day prior to final settlement, that is, by October 26th, 2026, file a verified statement of the amount due with the Town of Carbondale (Attn. Kevin Schorzman) (kschorzman@ carbondaleco.net) pursuant to Section 3826-107, CRS, as amended.
Notice is hereby given that on October 29th , 2026, at 12:00 pm final settlement will be made with AD Miller (ADM), 7006 S. Alton Way, Bldg. E, Ste 100, Centennial, CO, 80112 by the TOWN OF CARBONDALE, 511 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO, on a contract for labor and materials for a project known as the Carbondale Aquatics Center and that any person, co-partnership, company, association of persons,
Public Notice is given on Sept. 25, 2026 that a Petition for a Change of Name has been filed with the Pitkin County Court. The petition requests the name of Alexandra Jerkunica be changed to Alexandra Erika Jerkunica. County Case Number 26C39. Published in The Sopris Sun on October 8, 2026.
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 8-14, 2026 23
Thank You
The October Health Fair was a great success! Thank you to all Health Fair volunteers for contributing to our community’s health and wellness.
THANK YOU CARBONDALE
FOR GROOVIN’ AT 2026 MUSIC IN THE PARK
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS WESTERN MOSAIC FUND -TOWN OF CARBONDALE SLOAN SHOEMAKER - STEVE’S GUITARS SOPRIS LIQUOR AND WINE- KDNK CARBONDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THANK YOU TO OUR ARTISTS STARFISH ENTERPRISE - BANSHEE TREE DANK CILANTRO-DJ CAMOKING DAVID JAMES & THE LOVE MITT SPICY & THE BLUES BANDITS ANTHONY GARCIA & LOS DIABLOS TEJANOS AGGIE FLORES & THE WILDFLOWERS TOMMY THE ANIMAL
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
For you. For life.
aspenvalleyhealth.org aspenvalleyhealth
24 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 8-14, 2026