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Volume 18, Number 37 | October 22-28, 2026
Jammed up in Bonedale
The lines of cars and trucks on West Main Street in Carbondale were at a standstill for quite a while on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 20, unable to make much of any forward progress. Motorists astutely attributed the delay to two large herds of cattle that were coming home from their summer pasture on public lands up North Thompson Creek.
Two of the cowpokes, brothers Tim and Ted Nieslanik, have made this same trek for years. But something has changed that isn’t helping keep the herd moving in the right direction. The traffic jams, honking horns and some impatient drivers even shouting obscenities, weren’t historically part of the program. That is, until recent years.
Townies love seeing the cattle drive come through, so, hopefully, the Old West tradition doesn’t disappear entirely, a piece of our heritage that has helped make Carbondale what it is. PHOTO AND TEXT BY JANE BACHRACH Sopris Sun Correspondent
Kicking the Kabuki habit Government is a core pillar of society. When choosing our leaders, there is a lot to unpack, and this column is intended to help readers do just that before election day.
and interviews can be useful for expressing ideas, the devil is in the details — and the work. On an elected board, even great ideas still need to be worked out by other board members, and possibly other jurisdictions. This is why I was grateful and impressed that Kabuki is a classical Japanese theater form dating back both Rudd and Godes were willing to have a true conversation with centuries and is known for its stylized gestures, bold makeup, me … and each other. elaborate costumes and dramatic frozen poses. A literal interOne of my most important takeaways is that I am cautiously pretation is ka (song), bu (dance) and ki (skill or art). Often the optimistic that neither candidate has any interest in Kabuki audience already knows the story, so the interTheater. Another takeaway was that even with est is in the performance. smart people and great ideas, there is still plenty Much to the chagrin of those who appreciate of work ahead. this cultural heritage, the term “Kabuki Theater” It’s one thing for a candidate to present has also become American political slang for an idea about transportation solutions, but it participants posturing for their base, the cameras takes true curiosity to actively listen and lead or donors, knowing the real issues won’t change. a community in implementing a funding soluSound familiar? Think Congressional debt-ceiling tion. It’s reasonable to point to the private sector standoffs, Senate confirmation hearings or just or to regulation as the solution to affordable about anything Secretary Pete Hegseth says. housing, but it takes courage to compromise Kabuki Theater has become commonplace to find common ground to have real impact. in national politics, and I am sad to say it finds It’s one thing to voice opinions about immigraits way into Garfield County politics on occasion. tion and law enforcement, but it takes integrity With only three commissioners and a historically to hold yourself and your peers accountable for “red” county, it becomes even easier to showtheir actions. And it’s fair to criticize the bickerDIG A LITTLE boat a populist opinion, or for a lone wolf liberal ing between the county and municipalities, but DEEPER to perform their own dance. I am going to go out it takes humility to eat a little crow sometimes in By Dan Richardson on a limb here and say I think most of us are tired the spirit of leading by example. of this version of Kabuki Theater, especially at the local level. As we dug into the issues, some differences and areas of agreeRecently I sat down with Eric Rudd and Jonathan Godes, the ment became clear, and there was curiosity to better understand two Garfield County Commissioner candidates, for a conversation how the other was seeing the problem. I also saw the potential for about the issues they have been discussing on the campaign trail. each of them to challenge the status quo, their colleagues and their For fun I asked them some “lightning round” questions: respective political parties. What I took from our conversation is 1. Would you support modifying TABOR to make it legal for that both candidates have the sincere desire and capacity to lead communities to vote on a real estate transfer tax? Godes: yes / Garfield County, and I for one welcome that. Rudd: yes True leadership is always helpful in elected office, but it’s hard 2. Would you support giving voters in unincorporated Garfield to argue that the challenges we face at this moment demand it. County the option to continue funding the Roaring Fork Trans- Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for elected officials to be exquiportation Authority? Godes: yes / Rudd: yes sitely attuned followers instead of curiously courageous leaders. 3. Would you support making Garfield County a “home rule” With elected office comes power, but for power to equate to leadcounty and adding two commissioners? Godes: yes / Rudd: no ership, it requires character too. 4. Do you think passenger rail in our region is viable in my The election will be over in a couple weeks, and that’s when the lifetime? Godes: yes / Rudd: yes real work begins. It’s when our elected officials can choose to sing 5. Do you think that AI will reduce the number of jobs in and dance, or to listen and compromise. And our work is to hold Garfield County within five years? Godes: no / Rudd: no them accountable, not by our own version of Kabuki Theater on This was fun and it helped illustrate some of their perspectives, social media, but with real conversations. I challenge the rest of us, but neither candidate can really move the needle on these issues including their soon-to-be colleagues, to be curious about the differon their own. So, while yes/no questions, Q&A forums, debates ent perspectives either one will bring, and kick the Kabuki habit!
OPINION
LETTERS Potato Days parade Big grey elephant came down Main. It got our attention, till we saw its intention, Vote GOP and elect Jeff Hurd. But this is CARBONDALE And we don’t want no more Corruption, destruction and war. So thanks for the show Mr. Hurd, But we’ve got to go for Romero, GO FOR ROMERO. Bill Jochems Carbondale
Yes on 5C
students. Homeowners would pay around $7 for every $500,000 of assessed property value every month. In other words, for the cost of a fancy coffee or a bad streaming service, voters can help keep our teacher salaries competitive, ensuring that qualified and experienced educators are able to stay in classrooms from Glenwood to Basalt. So when you open your novellength ballot before Nov. 3, flip to the local ballot measure section and make the simple choice: Vote YES on 5C. Lindsay DeFrates Glenwood Springs
In an election defined by complicated No on 82 Some of my favorite days in the Roarstatewide ballot measures, one thing is simple: Vote yes on 5C to use local dollars ing Fork Valley are plodding up Red Hill to support teachers in the Roaring Fork at first light with a gaggle of women chatSchool District. In our valley, the cost of ting, hooting-and-hollering down Plunge living has risen by 18% since 2023, becom- on my mountain bike or collapsing into ing the fourth highest in the state. While a booth at the Ale House for nachos with property values and the associated taxes extra pickled veggies after a sunny day have significantly increased as well, the hiking Highlands Bowl. These places, and State of Colorado proportionally reduces the people I share them with, are why I call their financial contribution, meaning that this valley home. I want our community to without a mill levy override (like 5C) the be able to protect them. Amendment 82 threatens our ability to school district does not directly benefit from higher property assessments. Ballot do that. Natural gas is already legal in Colomeasure 5C would generate approxi- rado. This amendment would put a right mately $5.5 million for teacher and staff to buy and sell natural gas into our state salaries, recruitment and retention efforts constitution, potentially making it harder and increased academic outcomes for all to regulate gas infrastructure and protect 2 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
our communities from pollution. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the cost of heating our homes all affect our quality of life. Expanding gas infrastructure can lock us into decades of pollution and infrastructure costs, even as cleaner energy options become more available. We shouldn’t give the gas industry special constitutional protections that could make it harder to protect our health and communities. Unlike an ordinary law, a constitutional amendment is difficult to reverse. We shouldn’t make a permanent change to our Constitution that could limit Colorado’s ability to adapt to future needs. I want to keep running and biking these trails, skiing these mountains and building a life with the people I love. Our Constitution should protect Coloradans, not give an industry more power over our future. I’m voting no on Amendment 82. Clare McLaughlin Carbondale
Editor James Steindler 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com Managing Editor Skyler Stark-Ragsdale Sol del Valle Editora Owen McArdle owen@soldelvalle.org Digital Editor Ingrid Celeste Zúniga ingrid@soldelvalle.org Lead Editorial Designer Terri Ritchie Partnerships & Engagement Manager Luise Nieslanik Advertising Department adsales@soprissun.com Sol del Valle Marketing & Development Manager Margarita Alvarez margarita@soldelvalle.org Advertising and Special Section Designer Emily Blong Delivery Fred Kirschbaum Bartlett Proofreaders Lee Beck Tracy Kallassy Ken Pletcher Hank van Berlo Executive Director Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246 todd@soprissun.com Board Members / Mesa Directiva
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Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+ Kathy & Carter Barger Lee Beck & John Stickney Karen & Roger Berliner Emily & George Bohmfalk Kay Brunnier Michelle & Ed Buchman Sandy & Paul Chamberlin Frances Dudley Sue Edelstein & Bill Spence Deborah & Shane Evans Greg & Kathy Feinsinger Peter & Mike Gilbert Michael & Nancy Kish Gary & Jill Knaus Jan & Warren Koster Bob & Dori Libson Lee Mulcahy Donna & Ken Riley Eric Smith Patti & George Stranahan Gayle & Dick Wells Elizabeth Wysong
Legacy Givers for including us in their final wishes. Mary Lilly Linda Criswell
Amendment 83 Amendment 83, the Right to Hunt and Fish, is the consequence of animal rightists changing laws they don’t like, slowly disenfranchising hunters. I am not a trapper or a hunter, but I view these actions much like I view the Trump administration as it attacks everyone and everything it does not continued on page 18
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In-person voting In-person early voting in Garfield County is underway as of Monday, Oct. 19. Voting centers are open Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, up through Election Day, Nov. 3, at the Glenwood Springs Community Center and the Garfield County Fairgrounds South Hall. The voting centers, along with in-person voting at the Carbondale and Parachute town halls, will be open on Election Day from 7am to 7pm. As of 8am on Monday, 3,523 ballots had been returned to the Garfield County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, according to a press release. Folks mailing in their ballot should do so no later than Oct. 26, which is also the last day to register and receive a ballot by mail. After Oct. 26, people can register and vote at a voting center. Ballot drop boxes are also available 24 hours a day at the Carbondale, New Castle, Silt and Parachute town halls as well as the Garfield County Courthouse in Glenwood and Garfield County Administration Building in Rifle through Election Day at 7pm. For more information, visit garfieldcountyco.gov/clerk-recorder/elections
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Public lands support All eight commissioner candidates running to represent Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties supported keeping federal public lands public, according to a nonpartisan voter education survey conducted by Wilderness Workshop. “Voters deserve to know where county commissioner candidates stand on the issues that matter to them,” said Erin Riccio of Wilderness Workshop. “I encourage everyone who is casting a ballot in Eagle, Garfield [or] Pitkin counties to read our candidate questionnaire to see how these candidates think about public lands.” Find the candidates’ responses at tinyurl.com/ publiclandsquestions
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Folks have rallied to support a Carbondale family who lost their home in a fire northeast of Catherine Store by donating to gofundme.com/f/help-lisa-kosow-after-house-fire As of Tuesday, Oct. 20, the fundraiser, launched by two friends of the family, had raised more than $52,000 out of the $55,000 goal. As the organizers write, the parents and their 9-year-old boy were “forced to leave with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” as the house, where the family also ran their business, was engulfed in flames. The fundraiser will help the family replace day-to-day essentials like clothes, food and other necessities.
Roan ‘protest period’ The Bureau of Land Management announced earlier this month that the federal government plans to lease roughly 5,000 acres of public land on the Roan Plateau for future oil- and gas-related drilling, and has opened a public “protest period” for those wishing to speak out against the decision. Protests can be made at tinyurl.com/ protestperiod until 4pm on Nov. 8. The decision comes as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to increase oil and gas development in nine western states, including Colorado, via the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
La Clínica del Pueblo La Clínica del Pueblo — a medical clinic located at the Third Street Center and “dedicated to providing high-quality, bilingual medical care and preventive health education to rural, uninsured and underserved communities,” according to the clinic’s website — is currently hiring a bilingual medical assistant. The candidate selected for the
If you haven’t traveled Hendrick Drive in Carbondale over the last few days, you’re missing out! Thanks to Rhiannon and Richard (pictured) Pappas of Creative Stripes, the road has become a lot greener. The new green-striped bike-access lanes are intended to make it safer for two-wheelers, which was the primary reason the Town of Carbondale called on the striping team. Photo and caption by Jane Bachrach
role will perform clinical and administrative tasks to support physicians and healthcare providers. The position comes with benefits. Find the job posting at bit.ly/4iuXuAi For more information, email ximena@peoplesclinic.care
C’dale leaf drop The Town of Carbondale set out the leaf-disposal dumpster in the dirt lot at 4th St. and Colorado Ave. on Monday, Oct. 19. Carbondale residents (only) are welcome to drop off branches (no more than 2-inches in diameter), yard and garden waste and, of course, leaves. The debris will be repurposed by local ranchers, so it’s very important, according to a town newsletter, that folks do not toss garbage or plastic bags in the container.
Death investigation The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and Rifle Police Department arrested Andres Fabian Vega-Morales, who was charged with first degree murder after deputies discovered a “deceased male who appeared to have sustained fatal stab wounds” on Friday, Oct. 16, at a “residence in the Silt Mesa area,” according to a press release. “This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” the release stated. “Based on information currently available, authorities believe this to be an isolated incident and there is no known ongoing threat to the community.”
They say it’s your birthday! Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Lisa Quint and Adam Ting (Oct. 22); JoAnna Caldwell, Babbu Cheema, Anderson Cole, Tamara Haynes-Norton (Oct. 23); Jeremy Cerise, Dave Kodama, Mary Kenyon, Olivia Savard, Ron Speaker and Alicia Zeringue (Oct. 24); Liesl Bellack, Crystal Beltz, Bill Dunn and Jocelyn Murray (Oct. 25); John Runne and Bob Vhrin (Oct. 26); Chip Brotzman, Julie Lang, Katrina Nelson, Annette Roberts-Gray, Kay Schaefer and Ellen Stapenhorst (Oct. 27); Kaden Kirk and Gina Murdoch (Oct. 28).
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 3
Aspen Glen eagle buffer zone hearing postponed to 2027 JAMES STEINDLER Editor
The Bald Eagle Nesting Site (Buffer Zone) in Aspen Glen has existed since 1992, when the planned unit development (PUD) and golf club were first established. Houses have continued to pop up ever since, but not on parcels 245 and 246 along the Roaring Fork River, where development was prohibited to allow for nesting. While there have been attempts to remove or modify the buffer zone, the can keeps getting kicked down the road. A current proposal to modify the zone has been set back, with the Garfield County Planning Commission hearing having been postponed from Oct. 28 to Jan. 27. According to Garfield County Public Information Officer Renelle Lott, the October hearing was “cancelled due to unmet public noticing deadlines.” In 1992, the Garfield Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution 92-056, approving the PUD along with a section about the buffer zone, noting that it cannot be altered without the approval of
the Colorado Division of Wildlife — known today as Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The buffer zone has not been changed since. In December of 2016, the two resident eagles abandoned the nest and built another one about a mile upriver, still adjacent to Aspen Glen, according to the current application, which added that in 2018, the tree with the original nest came down in a windstorm. The Sun spoke with Davis Farrar of Western Slope Consulting, LLC, who is recently retired, but submitted the most recent application on behalf of Aspen Glen Golf Company to modify the buffer zone. The Sun attempted to reach the applicant’s current attorney, Scott Grosscup with Balcomb & Green, but did not receive a response as of press time. Farrar originally worked with the applicant to apply to remove the buffer zone in 2021, when CPW agreed there was no longer a need for it, according to Farrar. He added that the Planning & Zoning Commission as well as county staff also recommended removal of the buffer zone at the time. Still,
The pair of bald eagles perch on a dead tree within the buffer zone in August, although their nest is now further upstream. Photo courtesy of Sibel Tekce
the commissioners ruled to keep it in place. The original PUD for Aspen Glen was for 630 units, Farrar explained, including 26 lots on the two parcels associated with the buffer zone. “The application as it was resubmitted proposes to reduce that density by 30%, so from 26 down to 18,” he said. The currently proposed modifications would entail some protections for wildlife in lieu of the stricter buffer zone, including, among others, building envelope restrictions to provide
spacing between lots for wildlife movement, fenced enclosures for domestic pets, lighting restrictions and a non-building buffer zone from the Glenwood Ditch approximately 75-feet wide, along with landscape screening “that will give wildlife the ability to traverse the property,” according to the application. Recently, CPW again lent its support to modify the buffer zone. “With the tree and eagles’ nest no longer existing in the area, CPW recognizes that the modification to the buffer zone is warranted due to no new nesting site being
inhabited within the area,” CPW Area Wildlife Manager Matt Yamashita wrote in a June 6 letter to Garfield County Community Development. The letter goes on to state that CPW would like to be involved in the planning process to address wildlife concerns.
Opposition Melissa McPherron, the secretary of the homeowners association in Aspen Glen, filled The Sun in on the opposition among community members to modify the buffer zone.
continued on page 14
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4 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
The Valley Journal blasts to the future
Former staff and readers celebrate completed archival digitization on Oct. 29 KATALINA VILLARREAL Sopris Sun Correspondent
With a titch of technology and support from the community, The Valley Journal lives on! The Sopris Sun’s predecessor and Carbondale’s 33-years-strong newspaper no longer prints issues, but its treasured archive has now been fully digitized. Carbondale Branch Library Manager Tracy Kallassy started the digitization process, funded by the library district, three years ago with the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Digitally preserving this newspaper means more people can access cornerstone stories from half a century ago. The Valley Journal was founded in 1974 by Becky Young, the newspaper’s black and white portrait photographer, and Pat Noel, the editor, when they were in their twenties. “The Valley Journal covers this piece of history that nobody would believe if we told them,” Young stated. “Nobody would believe what Carbondale was like in 1974, and we were extraordinarily lucky to live through that time. It was really special, and we were just smart enough to know it.” The Valley Journal cradles the deep history of Roaring Fork Valley residents in its pages. “I remember us doing a story on this lady who ran the Catherine Store –– which actually hasn’t changed too much, and that fig tree is still growing –– and she made dolls out of dried apples,” Young said. “She would dry the whole apple and they would get all wrinkly and she would paint their faces on them and make dolls out of them. Apple Dolls, she called them. It was absolutely unique.”
Both Young and Noel felt Carbondale’s “When I was growing up in Illinois a magical pull. Young had visited the area couple of my older siblings had already when she was in high school on a ski trip and moved out here to Carbondale. My sisterNoel had never stepped foot into Carbon- in-law at the time worked for The Valley dale before they moved. Carbondale, which Journal. And so she would send a subscripYoung and Noel explained had dirt roads and tion to us back in Illinois. So I grew up a population of 1,500, was ready for its own reading The Valley Journal even though I newspaper. Young mentioned that the wasn’t from Carbondale at that point Arts Council, founded by Laurie in time. I would say it really kind Loeb, was only three years of pushed me into journalold when they started ism,” Stroud said. the paper. The Valley Jour“Carbondale nal began as a two seemed to like person show, but the paper and Young and Noel we had a lot of were quick to local subscribstate that they ers,” Noel said. were never truly “We were fortualone in their nate. Hit town at endeavor. From the right time and the beginning, it - Becky Young, Valley Journal there were some took a village to get wonderful people the newspaper going. Co-founder here: old timers, coal “We had, right from miners, hippies, cowboys and the get-go, people like Cindy ranchers. It was a different time.” Shepherd [as] part of the crew. Gale Noel felt that the blend of identities Blinde, who was a friend of ours from Fort fostered a well of talent and resources and Collins, came over and was part of the crew,” Young noted that The Valley Journal reflected Young stated. “And then over the years, as the quirky people who created the Valley’s should happen with a newspaper, all of vibrant culture. These two spearheaded the these people came and went and contribnewspaper, but many more skilled people uted and held it together and perpetuated it came into the fray over the years. John Stroud, and put their own stamp on it.” who writes with the Sopris Sun today, was Noel said the same, “We had a big one such person. He joined The Valley Jour- composing staff, which produced some great nal in 1996, but his relationship with The graphic artists, like Mindy Miller, probably Valley Journal began long before. one of the best graphic artists I’ve ever seen.”
And then over the years, as should happen with a newspaper, all of these people came and went and contributed and held it together and perpetuated it and put their own stamp on it.
The Valley Journal was a vital organ to the Carbondale community and its impact is still felt today. Young and Noel paid homage to Bil Dunaway, who was the publisher of the Aspen Times and eventually a publisher at The Valley Journal, for inspiring them. “The Aspen Times was, at that point in time, the most fabulous newspaper you ever saw. Everybody wanted to be The Aspen Times,” Young stated. “I mean a slew of creative people came out of [the Aspen Times] and that’s what we’d hoped The Valley Journal might become,” Noel said. “And we were lucky; we had great writers, we had great photographers. Becky’s the best black and white photographer I’ve ever seen.” Both Young and Noel noted how different the technology was when they first began, especially with photography and printing in color. They were pleased to hear that their newspaper would be more accessible with the digitization. “The bound volumes. They were such a trip,” Young said. “We would scrupulously save them and then send them to Denver to be bound, and that’s what’s in the library, but they sure don’t last forever.” Archiving the local newspaper in this way provides the community access to history, the backbone of this town. Before the volumes were scanned and uploaded, Kallassy spent around six hours searching for specific information. “Shortly before they were digitized, I had someone reach out asking to find her father’s continued on page 19
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 5
GARFIELD COUNTY REPORT
County discretionary grant program ending, Mitchell Creek PUD advancing AMY HADDEN MARSH Sopris Sun Correspondent
this is their annual ask for county support. Twelve groups requested $5,000 with At the final regular Garfield County the remaining three coming in at $4,000, Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) $2,500 and $1,000. All commissioners meeting for October, commissioners heard voiced frustration about not being able to $67,500-worth of third- and fourth-quarter give the organizations the amounts they discretionary grant requests from 15 local wanted, although decisions will not be nonprofits. But, there is a problem. made until November. The county discretionary Commission Chair Tom budget started off 2026 Jankovsky also announced at $120,000, which is that this request cycle is supposed to last all the last for the discreyear at about $30,000 tionary grant fund. per quarter. County Period. Manager Fred “This is the last Jarman reminded year for discretionthe BOCC Monday ary grants from that, after the first Garfield County,” two quarters, they he said, adding that diverted $25,000 from this was discussed at the discretionary fund a recent county budget - Tom Jankovsky, to Valley Meals and More, work session. “We’re trying Commission Chair effectively eliminating third to tighten our budget, so these quarter funds. will not be available next year from this “So here you are in the fourth quarter,” board.” The BOCC decided to keep $50,000 Jarman said. “You’ve got 15 requests at a in the fund for youth organizations and activtotal of $67,500 and the dollars left in the ities. The budget has not yet been approved balance of the fourth quarter discretionary but once it is, the discretionary fund will no grants is $29,000.” longer be available, Jankovsky reiterated. For nonprofits including KDNK, the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment In other news… Program, YouthEntity and a dozen others, The BOCC approved various human
This is the last year for discretionary grants from Garfield County. … We’re trying to tighten our budget, so these will not be available next year from this board.
6 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
Garfield County Commissioners, illustration by Larry Day
services items, including the 2027 Human Resources grant recommendations and the county food assistance and benefits reimbursements for the month of September, which totaled close to $1.13 million. Commissioners reviewed the Intergovernmental Agreement with the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority for the Traveler service, which provides free rides for Garfield County residents 70 years and older who don’t drive or can’t use public transportation. The Traveler also serves disabled citizens under 65. Dean Perkins was reappointed to the Garfield County Fair Board. Kevin Constanzo, Luke Goolsby and rodeo athlete Tianna Davis were appointed as new board members. In the afternoon, the BOCC approved a major development sketch plan and
rezoning request for the Mitchell Creek Community PUD. The plan is to redevelop the existing Ami’s Acres Campground into 95 to 100 residential units ranging from 1,000 to 2,600 square feet in size with an average size of approximately 1,500 square feet. The land was rezoned from rural to planned unit development. Jarman reminded the BOCC that the library board of trustees interviews are scheduled for Nov. 4. The application window closed Monday at 5pm, but as of press time, the county had not yet released the names of the applicants. Two seats are open, including the at-large position and one representing Silt. You can find all archived BOCC meetings dating back to 1996 at the Garfield County website.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS REPORT
On-demand Ride Glenwood fare bumped to $3; workforce housing land grant approved JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
Users of Glenwood Springs’ Ride Glenwood On-Demand van service will soon have to fork over a couple more bills to grab a ride anywhere in town besides Glenwood’s two main valleywide bus hubs. Glenwood Springs City Council, during its regular Thursday, Oct. 15, meeting, voted 6-1 to increase the fare from $1 to $3 per ride, per person. Anyone using the on-demand app to catch a ride to or between the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) South Glenwood (27th Street) or West Glenwood (Wulfsohn Road) park-and-rides will still pay the current $1 fare per ride so as to encourage broader use of transit, council agreed. The new fare will not take effect until after the public is adequately informed about the change, explained Lee Barger, transportation engineer for the city. The move comes in an effort to recoup more of the $500,000 subsidy the city puts toward the door-to-door transit service, and to gather more data about the program’s worth to users. At $1 per ride, the city receives about $85,000 in revenue, while
the new fare is expected to generate something in the neighborhood of $140,000, despite an expected drop in ridership with the fare increase, Barger said. But the fare hike should better inform what trips are more necessary, while reducing non-essential trips, he said. Long term, once RFTA’s grant support for the on-demand service runs out after 2027, city council remains skeptical about the program’s value, versus planning ahead to extend the fixed-route Ride Glenwood bus service to underserved parts of Glenwood Springs. “We can do better with that money,” Councilor Mitchell Weimer said. “I have no support for this program, and we should shut it down as soon as we can. “There are a lot of sensible possibilities out there, but this is not one of them,” he added. Councilor Steve Smith referred to the on-demand service as a “government-subsidized taxi service,” but for the time being admitted it’s the only option for residents of South Glenwood and along the middle section of Midland Avenue where the regular Ride Glenwood buses do not run. It remains free to ride the fixed-
route buses along Grand Avenue and out to West Glenwood.
Land-banking grant for housing OK’d City council — after another lengthy discussion about the legal ins and outs of a unique approach to securing future workforce housing units — approved a $265,000 grant for a nonprofit housing partnership to place property at 130 Midland Ave. under contract. The property is to be landbanked for purposes of eventually building 36 deed-restricted units that would be sold to qualified buyers based on income. The proposal comes from Tanner Crawley, principal and founder of Trellis Housing Partners LLC, and Denver-based affordable housing charity, Sharing Connexion. Council first discussed the proposal at its Oct. 1 meeting, but wanted to wait to decide until after a housing goals workshop discussion prior to its meeting last week. Some council members had also expressed concerns about the potential speculative nature of the deal, and tying up the city’s workforce housing funds for a project that would need to go through
A Ride Glenwood On-Demand van navigates Grand Avenue traffic on Monday, Oct. 19. Glenwood Springs City Council voted last week to increase the fare of the transportation service. Photo by John Stroud
the normal land-use approval process first. The deal includes an anti-speculation clause that would prevent the property from being “flipped” for another use, City Attorney Karl Hanlon said. Council ultimately voted 6-1 to approve the grant, on the condition that the money be paid back, plus 5% interest, if the development is denied or the deal falls apart. “There are good guardrails in place to ensure the end product is what we are looking for,” Mayor Pro Tem Erin Zalinski said. Councilor David Townsley was still skeptical, and cast the lone dissenting vote. “I see this as putting the cart before the horse,” he said,
offering that the approval process itself is likely to bring up the usual growth concerns around traffic and other impacts.
Bear-proof trash containers coming Council also voted at the Oct. 15 meeting to hike trash-hauling rates through the city’s contract provider, Mountain Waste and Recycling, by what will amount to nearly $10 per month. In addition to a 6% rate increase, council unanimously agreed to tack on the extra cost of eventually providing wildlife-resistant containers to every residential and commercial customer who doesn’t already have them. continued on page 14
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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 7
BOOK REVIEWS
ANNALISE GRUETER Sopris Sun Correspondent
Bestselling author Shelley Read to visit CMC on ‘Go as a River’ tour
The words seem to whisper from the page. Elegant and precise. Beautiful even when describing all-too-fathomable tragedy, not glossing over pain but rather presenting the hurts to readers as if balm has already been applied to the injuries. Shelley Read has written a book for academics and farmers alike; her protagonist’s quiet joys in nature and agriculture speak to the Western Slope sensibility that helped inspire “Go as a River.” One need only to open the first few pages to feel the enchantment. “Go as a River” is more than just a captivating historical fiction story set in the mid-1900s in a cultural and physical landscape of change. The book is a love letter to Colorado, to its human history both positive and negative. The plot and characters touch on prejudice and societal stumbling blocks without being heavy-handed, and protagonist Victoria’s naivete serves well to present a minimally biased reflection on political issues of the time and setting. “Go as a River” was a 13-year labor of love for Read, who started writing the earliest pieces of the book on a solo camping trip in the West Elk Mountains. The descriptions of place hold strong in the narrative, from the retrospective imaginings of the lost town of Iola to the frequent visuals of wilderness and peach orchards.
A swath of the Uncompahgre Wilderness, formerly known as the Big Blue Wilderness, seen here, serves as the backdrop to much of the narrative of “Go as a River.” Photo by Annalise Grueter
While vivid enough to paint a scene for readers anywhere, the melodic words may inspire particular fondness among Western Slope readers who also know the real-life spaces. It’s no wonder that Colorado Mountain College (CMC) selected “Go as a River” as its 2026 Common Reader book of the year. First published in February 2023, the novel rocketed to bestseller status. In the three and a half years since, it has sold over 1 million copies and been translated
into 34 different languages. Set against the backdrop of the creation of the Blue Mesa Reservoir and the flooding of the town of Iola, this work of historical fiction explores themes of love, loss, resilience and finding home amid tumultuous change. CMC’s Common Reader program stocks free copies of the book of the year at its campuses across the state. “Go as a River” was chosen for 2026 not just by bestseller status, but because a story set in Colorado and written by fifth-generation Coloradan
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Read aligns with the celebration of Colorado’s 150 years of statehood. While copies have been available to students and community members at CMC front desks and libraries since June, many campuses still have copies available. Interested readers can contact the Carbondale and Spring Valley campus reception desks or Garfield County libraries. Ebooks and audiobooks of “Go as a River” are available through CMC Libraries on the Libby app. The second phase of each year’s Common Reader program is a tour of author talks at CMC campuses. Read’s book tour launches next Monday in Vail; she will visit CMC locations in the central mountains before moving further west. Read will arrive on the Western Slope on Monday, Oct. 26, to present at the CMC Rifle campus at 6pm. The next day, Read will speak and sign books at the CMC Aspen campus from noon to 2pm before heading to the Spring Valley campus for another 6pm presentation. Before “Go as a River” was published, Read spent nearly three decades as a senior lecturer at Western Colorado University. She taught writing, literature and environmental studies for the school. In addition to writing, Read spends her free time camping, climbing mountains and traveling. “Go as a River” has been recognized with the High Plains Book Award for Fiction, the Reading the West Book Award for Debut Fiction and le Prix de l’Union Interalliée.
BOOK REVIEWS
Art Burrows’ ‘Seven Dances Along the Wild Abyss’ examines risk, celebrates locals ALISON OSIUS Sopris Sun Correspondent
Victor Major, finishing a seven-mountain traverse alone after strong partners have emptied their reserves, is so tired he falls asleep with his head against the slope above his boot-pack stance. It is May 2022, and he is also about to see that his intended ski route down Pyramid Peak has fallen to pieces. Nika Meyers in 2021 endures not only 50-mile-average days for nine days on the Colorado Trail, but continual sleep deprivation. She gains 89,032.5 feet, cowers during the sky-splitting thunderstorms of that madly monsoonal summer and remains aware of birdsong and wildlife. In 1925, Albert H. MacCarthy completes years-long efforts to make the first ascent of the remote and stormy Mount Logan, the highest mountain in Canada. Three of the six first ascensionists lose their way on the descent, zigzagging across the summit plateau and scraping depressions in the snow during two nights in the open at minus 25. In “Seven Dances Along the Wild Abyss,” out Oct. 10, Art Burrows collates seven stories of uncertainty and hardship. He has written five chapters, with two by others, and his observations about the story by Meyers are representative. “It’s her voice,” Burrows says from his home in Snowmass Village, “which is very powerful because you can tell how difficult
it was, and what the weather was like, and how beautiful it was at the same time.” While the book is about risk, it is also about wonder and appreciation in people entering wild terrain with “a rare ability to live intelligently with consequence” and manifest “acts of awareness.” The most predominant motif espouses humility. “Humility,” the author writes, “may be the most important survival skill of all.” Burrows generously opens the anthology with ripping tales of others, when he certainly has his own such (i.e., trying to make it to morning on Mount Logan in a wind-blasted tent, scraping off surging interior hoar frost). The stories vary greatly, but with the exception of a piece by Jon Turk, are about people on the Western Slope, and it is positively fun to spot so many locals: Lou Dawson, Neal Beidleman, Ted Mahon, Christy Mahon, Jordan White. Chris Davenport, Chris Landry, Boots Ferguson and more. There is Fritz Carpenter who, with Morris Hogan, joins Major on his first four peaks, and Fritz Stammberger of 1970s Aspen, an early extreme skiing mountaineer. The photos are gorgeous, crystalline, and the book is deeply reported. Gathering information on Logan expeditions of 100 years ago or Major’s little-known Elk Mountains traverse in 39 hours means compiling history, gear
information and strategies; geological detail, much from the author’s own observations; times, distances and heights; and snow conditions from “smirt” (a new one for me) to penitentes, frozen troughs and “sun-abused chunder.” An account of a disturbing 2023 avalanche accident in the Elk Mountains contains striking details not found in the comprehensive, factual Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) account, such as how a buried skier, digging himself out for three hours, has nowhere to put the snow, so he packs it into snowballs to throw overhead. Burrows’ is a humane rendition. “It was horribly tragic and everyone suffered horribly,” he says in the recent phone conversation, “even though there were two survivors. And emotionally, can you ever recover from that?” A fifth-generation Valley resident, Burrows is a photographer, painter, gear designer and pioneer in telemark skiing. Lou Dawson, area ski mountaineer and scholar, most recently author of “Fourteeners Snow,” has written, “Art is an incredibly gifted athlete who was the big daddy of telemark racing in the 1970s.” Dawson says today of the book: “If it doesn’t win any awards, I’ll eat my shirt. “It’s quite a read. Lots of it is enjoyable but some of it is just scary and brutal, which still makes good reading. I like the way he
A skier descends across the valley from the Landry line on Pyramid Peak. Photo courtesy of Art Burrows
honors our home mountains. It honors a lot of history.” Burrows, who previously coauthored “Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America” with Davenport and Penn Newhard, came up with the idea for this book in 2020 under grim circumstances. “I had gotten COVID in January and actually had two strokes in Japan,” he says, “so had a lot of time to think … Nine months of recovery “was a good time to jog my memory and start writing things down.” A first story, about living through COVID, is not in the book, but after that he began work on the “Tenacity” chapter about Mount Logan, keenly interested in the historic research. Next came “White Sirens,” about the 2023 avalanche, and third was “The Opportunists,” from his experiences of bears in our area
during a time of deprivation. An anomaly in the lineup, that story ended up being one of my favorites, haunting and salient. All are real-life stories except for “The Neanderthal Echo,” in which one character represents the bowhunting experiences of two people, locals Zach Hayes and Jim Cardamone. Burrows calls the story interpretive, “but pretty close to the facts.” I learned much from this book: about MacCarthy in 1925, the 2023 avalanche and Major’s very major feat. For comprehension, see the map on the book’s inside front cover. The line starts at Capitol Peak and ends at a spot marked “Cold Pizza.” Burrows knows. See sevendances.org (185 pages, 130 photos, $62) for more info.
Stepping back in time with ‘As Long as Rivers Run’ RACHEL OWENS Sopris Sun Correspondent
Larry Ray Rather at his home in the Roaring Fork Valley. Photo by Rachel Owens
His depiction of the Ute characters is respectful, and he said that he strived to be true to their story and ways Larry Ray Rather is a longtime Roaring Fork Valley resi- of life. It was fascinating to learn the different names the dent. His family moved here in the fall of 1960, and his father Utes have for places, as well as about their culture; to see worked for the company that helped rebuild the Castle the land through someone else’s eyes. Creek Bridge. He is a rancher, a father and now a writer. “I want my novel to be both educational and provocHis debut novel, “As Long as Rivers Run,” hit the ative. Educational in the sense that it gives the reader shelves in August of 2025. [an] understanding of the environment, from the geolIt is a majestic, sweeping tale set in the Colorado ogy to the hydrology, and a peek into the culture and Territory in the year 1868. It follows Tom Dunagan and history of the Ute Indians and their interaction with his daughter, Brooke, deep into the territory, where they white settlers.” run into the Ute tribe, form a sense of friendship and live When Larry was going back over his notes for the alongside them for a while. book, he found that his earliest musings were from It is a story of adventure, love, life, birth, death, beauty, December 1991. As with anything, it takes time to create nature, celebration, survival and heartbreak, painting something and there are always ups and downs. He a genuine picture of what life was like back then. I visu- wrote the first chapter in one sitting, then a few years alized a side of Colorado that I didn’t know was there, later he lost all of his work. That set him back, but he and recognized other places, like Maroon Bells, Hanging eventually picked it back up again. Lake, Sopris and the Glenwood Hot Springs. He has written by hand, with a typewriter and on a Rather mentioned that he plans to create a map for the computer, and his favorite setting for work is a cafe. He next edition to better show the area covered in the book. draws from his own imagination, of course, as well as “Ultimately, it’s a romantic story about water and how dreams, real life experiences and research, including its life-giving qualities weave relationships between indi- works by other western authors and artists, such as James viduals and their love of the land,” Rather said. A. Michener, Larry McMurtry and Terry C. Johnston. It’s easy to tell that the author has a deep connection When Rather first started the book he said it was with the land himself. The book is not your typical west- going to be much bigger. There is a lot more to tell, so he ern, and Rather covers the spectrum of human emotion realized he could continue the story with another novel, and experience. so stay tuned. THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 9
CALENDAR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
HOUSING APPLICATION The application to apply for a spot in an affordable Glenwood Springs two-bedroom, part of Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley’s The Confluence build, closes today. Apply at tinyurl.com/ habitatconfluence
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MOVE WITH ME Children ages 18 months to 3 years old are welcome at the Basalt Library from 10:30 to 11:15am for Move with Me, where they’ll be introduced to the joys of dance. RFTA MASTER PLAN Learn about the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s 20-year Master Plan at an open house beginning at 1pm in the Glenwood Springs Community Center. Details at tinyurl.com/rftamasterplan AI AND MUSIC Join the Aspen Science Center at the Basalt Library for a community discussion on the relationship between music and AI from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Details at basaltlibrary.org/events TRUE NATURE Catch a sound journey at True Nature from 6:30 to 8:30pm with Dr. Zachary and Krista Cashin. Details at truenaturehealingarts.com ‘TRAIN TO BUSAN’ The Crystal Theatre screens “Train to Busan,” a film about a zombie outbreak in South Korea, at 7pm as part of its Spooktober series. Tickets at the door. ‘GIRL WINTER’ TACAW hosts adventure film “Girl Winter Film Tour” at 7pm today (underwritten by Aspen One) and 7pm tomorrow (underwritten by the Steadman Clinic). Details and tickets at tacaw.org
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
BILINGUAL SCIENCE FUNDRAISER The Aspen Science Center matching fundraiser, courtesy of the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation and an anonymous donor, ends today. With the $5,000 in matching funds, the effort could raise $10,000 for bilingual science classes from Aspen to Parachute. Donate at tinyurl.com/bilingualsciencefunds STORYTIME PLAYGROUP The Basalt Library welcomes children ages 0-3 from 10:30 to 11:15am for Storytime Playgroup, where they’ll listen to stories, take part in large motor movements and more. BOOK CLUB Head over to Aspen’s Explore Books for the “150ish Book Club,” this month discussing Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” from 5:30 to 7pm. RSVP at tinyurl.com/bookclubaspen A MYTHICAL LASER HUNT Teens are invited to the Basalt Library to participate in a search for mythical items in 15-minute increments from 6 to 7pm. Eight kids will participate at a time and be divided into two teams of four. For details, visit basaltlibrary.org/events HUMAN FLOURISHING The Center for Human Flourishing hosts filmmakers and authors Connie Baxter Marlow and Andrew Cameron Bailey for a film series sneak peek and book launch of “HOLO SAPIENS: Conscious Evolution In Action” from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Third Street Center. Details and tickets at tinyurl.com/booklaunchfilm RIVER SPELL River Spell plays at Townline Trucks at 7pm. River Spell is a jam band that delivers heartfelt songwriting and extended improvisation. Their timeless, yet 10 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
innovative sound encompasses elements of folk, rock, funk, psychedelic and bluegrass music. Featuring Grant Livingston (acoustic guitar and vocals); Charlie Milo (bass and vocals) and Roaring Fork High School alum Zack Ritchie (drums and vocals). Details at riverspellmusic.com ‘HEART OF THE BEAST’ Crystal Theatre screens “Heart of the Beast” at 7pm today, 7pm tomorrow, 5pm on Sunday (with captions) and 7pm on Monday. Tickets at the door. QUEER VOICES Head over to the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue for an original theater piece presented by Queer VOICES Project — “There is ______ here!” — at 7:30pm tonight, 7:30pm tomorrow and 2pm on Sunday. Tickets at tinyurl.com/ queervoicesvaudeville STEVE’S GUITARS The Intaglios perform at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at stevesguitars.net
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
CLAY CENTER RESIDENT Carbondale Clay Center resident artist Theo Hirschfield hosts an intermediate-to-advanced “Sculpture on the Wheel” workshop today and tomorrow from 9am to 1pm. Register at carbondaleclay.org BACKCOUNTRY SKI SWAP Cripple Creek in Carbondale (571 Highway 133) hosts a backcountry ski swap and demo sale from 9am to 5pm. Folks can drop off items to sell, for which they’ll receive 110% store credit, through Thursday, Oct. 22. This is a backcountry-only swap, so traditional alpine gear will not be accepted. For details and a list of acceptable items, visit tinyurl.com/ CrippleCreekSwap ‘BUILT FOR THE BARN’ Bring a team of three and compete in running, synchronized burpees and kettlebell throwing in “Built for the Barn,” a farm-centric event co-hosted by WindWalkers, Aspen CrossFit and Twin Acres at 1038 County Road 102 in Carbondale from 10am to 2pm. The event includes an open house. Register at tinyurl.com/ builtforthebarn2026 TRUE NATURE Join True Nature for “Reclaiming the Body: A Retreat for Acceptance, Intuition, and Self-Love” with Kat Libby and Marina Harmon from 1 to 4pm. Details at truenaturehealingarts.com HALLOWEEN BOO BASH Children ages 0-9 are welcome at Carbondale’s Mountain Sprouts Play Cafe for the Halloween Boo Bash, an afternoon full of games, goodie bags, crafts, indoor play opportunities, a raffle and more. Entry times are staggered at 2pm, 3pm or 4pm to keep crowds small. The event runs until 6pm. Purchase ticket at mountainsproutsplaycafe.com EXPLORE BOOKS CLUB Aspen’s Explore Books hosts a nonfiction book club discussion on “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion” by Jonathan Haidt from 3 to 4pm. RSVP at tinyurl.com/ righteousmind2026 ‘THRILL THE WORLD’ The Bonedale Flashmob brings the annual worldwide synchronized dance event, “Thrill the World,” to 4th and Main Street in Carbondale at 4pm. The Carbondale event also serves as a fundraiser for the Safe & Abundant Nutrition Alliance (aka SANA), and donations can be made at tinyurl.com/SANAfundraiser WILD & SCENIC FILM FEST The 12th annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival, celebrating “water, wild places and
The “No Kings: Vote Early Rally” at Sayre Park in Glenwood on Oct. 17, was like going through a timewarp back to a ‘70s-era protest, with rock music provided by the Freedom Rider Collective and melodies by the Raging Grannies, along with activist emcee Mugsy Seldeen who rallied up the fervent crowd with a focused message: to vote, and vote early. Several hundred gathered for the occasion, including Elvis and Lady Liberty. “This election is serious business,” organizer Debbie Bruell said in a press release. “It’ll have a huge impact on our daily lives and the lives of future generations.” Photo by James Steindler
the people working to protect them,” makes a stop at the Ute Theater today at 6pm, then at the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue on Oct. 29 at 5:30pm. A virtual streaming option will be available Oct. 29 to Nov. 4. Tickets at midcowatershed.org/events
HUMAN FLOURISHING The Center for Human Flourishing hosts a plant-based potluck and inspirational film from 6:30 to 8pm. Email info@tcfhf for details.
TACAW World music comes to TACAW with Kinan Azmeh, Kaoru Watanabe and Maeve Gilchrist of the Silkroad Ensemble performing at 8pm. Details and tickets at tacaw.org
BUSINESS CLIMATE Engage in open dialogue about the local business climate and economy with the Town of Basalt and Basalt Chamber at the Rocky Mountain Institute in the historic downtown from 8 to 10am, then again on Thursday at the Element hotel in Willits from 4 to 6pm. Register at basaltchamber.org
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
A SPIRITUAL CENTER A Spiritual Center welcomes the wisdom of Death Doula Akaljeet Khalsa from 10 to 11:30am in room 31 of the Third Street Center. CLOTHING SWAP Head over to the Pitkin County Library Dunaway Room, 120 N. Mill St. in Aspen, for “Swap, Don’t Shop,” a clothing swap from noon to 3pm. Details at tinyurl.com/clothingswap2026library CLAY CENTER Join the Carbondale Clay Center for a Día de los Muertos community event at 2pm and paint a calavera for your ofrenda in anticipation of the holiday. This is free and a bilingual community event. Details at carbondaleclay.org ‘THE CORPSE BRIDE’ TACAW screens “The Corpse Bride” at 4pm as one of its “Spooky Screens.” Tickets at tacaw.org ECSTATIC DANCE Join Alya’s Ecstatic Dance at 13 Moons Ranch, where you’ll hear uplifting world beats in a safe, connecting space, from 5 to 7pm. RSVP by emailing alya@alyasumbrella.com ‘ALIENS’ “Aliens,” another spooky screen, plays at 7pm in TACAW. Tickets at tacaw.org
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26
OPEN ART STUDIO The Basalt Library hosts an open art studio hour for kids 6-11 from 3:45 to 4:45pm. Details at basaltlibrary.org ‘AI: BEHIND THE MYTHS’ The Basalt Library hosts a “plain-language” presentation on AI, what it can and can’t do and how to use it responsibly, from 6 to 7:30pm. Details at basaltlibrary.org
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27
CHAT WITH COUNCIL Converse with Glenwood Springs City Council members in a casual environment from 5:30 to 6:30pm at RJ’s Bubble Tea and Bar, where residents are encouraged to bring up topics or issues that interest them. ‘MADRE CEIBA’ The Crystal Theatre screens “Madre Ceiba,” a short film by local filmmaker Sylvia Johnson about the fight to protect Costa Rican living forests, at 7pm. The screening will be followed by a Q&A panel discussion with Wilderness Workshop, Roaring Fork Safe Passages and Roaring Fork Bear Coalition. Tickets at tinyurl.com/madreceiba
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28
PUMPKIN CARVING The Garfield County Libraries host pumpkin carving and painting workshops for families, with pumpkins and supplies available while they last, at the Carbondale Library at 2pm and the Glenwood Library at 2:30pm. All are welcome. Details at gcpld.org ‘CREEPY CRAWLY NIGHT’ The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies hosts “Creepy Crawly Night” from 3 to 5:30pm at Sprazzo. Attendees will R learn about peculiar critters in an educa-E tion-oriented evening. Costumes are encouraged. Register at aspennature.org ORCHID 101 & REPOTTING Didi Lawrence, a self-taught orchid grower with years of experience, hosts a workshop around caring for and repotting orchids at the Botany Houseplant Shop (586 Highway 133 in Carbondale) from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Register at botanyhouseplantshop.com
Find more upcoming events at www.soprissun.com/tag/curated-calendar
Culinary Classes An affordable night out at the Aspen Campus - downvalley of the roundabout in the AABC VEGETERIAN: PUMPKIN CHILI Tuesday, 5:30-8:30pm, 10/27
HERBS Wed, 5:30-8:30pm, 11/18
AUTUMN SOUPS Tuesday, 5:30-8:30pm, 11/11
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS Wed, 5:30-8:30pm, 12/9
VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS Wed, 5:30-8:30pm, 11/4
PASTA ALFREDO Tuesday, 5:30-8:30pm, 12/2
Community Classes in Carbondale HEALING PROPERTIES OF GRIEF Thursday, 6-8pm, 10/15 FREE
CREATE A PERSONAL REFUGE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Mondays, 6-7pm, 10/19-12/7
BEGINNER ACRYLIC PAINTING
Tuesdays, 9:15am-12:15pm, 10/27-12/1
MORE SWING DANCE LINDY HOP
ZUMBA
WATERCOLOR SKILLS FUNDRAISING FOR NON-PROFITS
Tuesday, 5:30-8:30pm, ONLINE 10/27
EXPLORING LOSS, GRIEF, AND RECOVERY
Thursdays, 6-8pm, 10/29-12/10
CMC Lapalla Center
690 Colorado Avenue
Saturdays, 9am-12pm, 10/31-11/21 Tuesdays, 5:30-8:30pm, 11/3-12/8
Wed, 6:30-8:30pm, 11/11-12/9
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12 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
RAMS REPORT
Soccer scores two more wins; regional XC and state mountain biking on tap JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
Roaring Fork High School’s boys soccer team continues its winning ways, earning a pair of shutout wins over the past week to further support their No. 3 ranking among Class 3A teams in Colorado. On the road at Gunnison on Tuesday, the Rams won 3-0. That came on the heels of a 4-0 win over Vail Mountain in the Rams’ final home game of the regular season on Oct. 15. Against Gunnison, it was senior Michael Parada scoring two goals, while fellow senior Cristian Turcios scored the game’s third goal. Against Vail Mountain, senior Oliver Shook made the most of Rams Senior night, scoring a hat trick (three goals). Junior Felipe
Oliva scored the other goal for the Rams, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first half. The Rams improved to 13-2 overall and remain undefeated in the 3A Western Slope League at 6-0. Roaring Fork closes things out Thursday at Delta, and will await the first-round state playoff pairings for a likely home match next week.
Softball regionals The combined Basalt-Roaring Fork-Glenwood Springs girls softball team was competitive in its 3A state regional game where they came in as the 21 seed, falling 9-7 to No. 12 Delta on Saturday, Oct. 17, in Strasburg. The Longhorns were up 7-4 after five innings, but gave up five runs to the Panthers in the bottom of the final inning to take the loss.
Roaring Fork High School senior goalkeeper Quentin Galbraith palms the ball out of goal in the Rams’ 4-0 win against Vail Mountain during senior night on Oct. 15. Photo by Milo Berger, RFHS senior
Junior Sydney Ostberg and sophomore Elsie Mile both went 2-for-4 from the plate with two runs batted in. The Longhorns conclude their season at 14 wins, seven losses.
Volleyball Roaring Fork’s girls volleyball team lost its one and only match this past week, 3-0 at Middle Park on Oct. 17. Set scores were 14-25, 17-25, 15-25. The Rams fell to 4-15 on the season and 2-9 in the 3A WSL, ahead of a home match
against Coal Ridge on Thursday. Varsity game time is 6pm.
Cross country regionals Friday The combined Basalt-Roaring Fork cross country teams got a tuneup for this week’s Class 3A Regional qualifier for the state championship at the Delta Panther Invite on Oct. 16. The Longhorn boys won the team title, placing three runners in the top 10 and scoring 48 to Aspen’s 55 to win it.
Junior Levi Friday, a Roaring Fork student-athlete, took second to Aspen’s Jack Diaz, covering the 5-kilometer course at Delta’s Confluence Park in 17 minutes, 33.56 seconds — 13 seconds behind Diaz. Two other Roaring Fork runners for the Longhorns, sophomore Elliott Galbraith and junior Kaiden Werth, placed third (17:51.14) and sixth (18:24.51), respectively. Basalt runners junior Henry Ogburn and sophomore continued on page 14
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aspenvalleyhealth.org
Now accepting new patients THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 13
ASPEN GLEN from page 4 “We circulated a survey … and we had about 235 responses,” McPherron said during an interview on Friday, Oct. 16. “Of those, 88% were opposed to lifting the buffer zone.” The survey went out to all Aspen Glen property owners, she explained. “They still live in the neighborhood,” she said of the two bald eagles. Paul Schmidt, a conservationist consultant, wrote a letter explaining why the buffer zone should remain in place as is, and admonished that building 18 homes there could result in a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. “This federal statute strictly prohibits the ‘take’ of bald eagles, their nests or their eggs without a federal permit,” he wrote. “Under the Act, ‘take’ is broadly defined to include ‘disturbing’ the birds.” “While the bald eagle nest tree was lost due to storm damage in 2018, the area continues to be actively used by nearby nesting bald eagles for resting and foraging,”
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14 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
Schmidt continued. “Wildlife have adapted to the current level of activity in the area over the years, but a dramatic new influx of construction activity along with a permanent loss of this important wildlife habitat resulting from this development will no doubt have profound effects on the behavior and, potentially, the viability of the eagles and other wildlife.” Resident Sibel Tekce resides near the buffer zone and has been documenting the eagles’ activity since 2021, with the support of the Roaring Fork Audubon. Tekce noted that she’s observed the eagles in the buffer zone almost every day. “The eagle buffer zone is one of the last undeveloped areas, which is used by the bald eagles and other wildlife,” she said. “It is a sanctuary for the wildlife, which benefits the entire Aspen Glen community.” “Most important is that we want to be good stewards to the wildlife and nature we’ve been blessed with,” McPherron echoed.
GLENWOOD from page 7 The move comes in response to increased bear activity in Glenwood Springs this fall, and the usual problem of bears getting into unsecured trash. The new trash containers are expected to be received and distributed throughout Glenwood by next spring, when bears will be waking from their winter hibernation and out looking for food again. Council deferred until their Nov. 5 meeting a request to fund 100% of the city’s Tourism Management Board’s budget request for 2027.
Earlier this year, council had asked the tourism board to reduce its budget by 10-20%. Tourism board member Mike Mercatoris, listening in and commenting via Zoom, made a case for preserving the board’s full budget request. “Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas,” he said of the current tourism promotion efforts through Visit Glenwood, a third-party vendor that handles tourism promotion for the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association. Council will take up the request at the same time it is scheduled to approve the 2027 city budget next month.
RAMS from page 13
Mountain biking state preview
In other business …
Hunter Raymond rounded out the team scoring in 21st and 23rd places, respectively. Basalt’s girls placed second as a team in a close one, scoring 44 to Aspen’s low of 43. Sophomore Scarlett Jones was third overall in 20:26.29, sophomore Jude Tiernan was eighth (21:24.37) and senior Sadie Silcox from Roaring Fork was 10th (21:42.6). Rounding out the five scoring runners were senior Marin Weaver in 13th and sophomore Maggie Cole in 14th. Aspen hosts the 3A Region 1 meet this Friday, Oct. 23, where both Basalt teams are in the mix to qualify for the 3A State Championships on Oct. 31 in Colorado Springs. The regional meet will be held on Aspen Golf Course, with the girls starting gun at 11am and the boys at 11:45am. Working To gether For Pets A nd Their Peo ple 2801 Glenwood S CR 114 prings, CO (970)947-9 173
The trails at Colorado Mountain College Spring Valley again play host to the Colorado Cycling League’s State Mountain Biking Championships this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25. Freshman and JV races are Saturday, while sophomore and varsity riders take to the trails on Sunday. Varsity boys go at 11am and Varsity girls at 12:45pm. Colorado Rocky Mountain School in Carbondale has a trio of varsity riders in the hunt for a top finish, including senior points leader Drew O’Keefe for the boys, and junior Finley Nolan and senior Aurora Cherney for the girls. Find the state mountain biking championship website at coloradomtb.org/race
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OBITUARY
CHASE AWAY THE FLUES VISIT OUR CLINICS!
Thomas J. Cooney
November 29, 1950 – October 8, 2026 Thomas J. Cooney, 75, passed away on Oct. 8, 2026, surrounded by the family he loved so deeply. Tom was fully present in the lives of those he loved. Generous with his attention and appreciative of life’s simple moments, he had a way of making people feel like they mattered. He celebrated others wholeheartedly and turned ordinary moments into lasting memories. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1950, Tom was the oldest son of Irene and Thomas Cooney and a devoted big brother to Patrick, Maureen and Tim. He loved sharing stories of childhood mischief, card games and neighborhood adventures with his siblings. At the center of Tom’s life was Cathy, his wife, best friend and partner of 54 years. Together they built a life grounded in love, faith, friendship and unwavering support. Their marriage was the foundation of everything that followed. After serving as student council president and being elected Kansas City’s Youth Mayor, Tom attended Santa Clara University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, earning degrees in business and law before building a successful legal career. He brought honesty, humility and hard work to his profession, but always kept two feet firmly planted at home with his family. He was a proud father to Peggy and Kelly, teaching them to be independent and embrace life’s opportunities. He was their biggest supporter, bringing encouragement, perspective and fun to every stage of their lives. As “Papa” to Connor, Morgan, Everest and Shaelan, Tom found some of his greatest joy. He was the teller of bear stories, the wearer of family Halloween costumes, No. 1 roller coaster rider and the keeper of beloved traditions. A stop for root beer floats, a full moon
Walk-In Flu/COVID clinics
(6 months+) - Covid and flu vaccines All clinics open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., closed from 12-1 p.m. or a road trip were never just simple moments with Tom; they became our greatest memories. Tom loved golf, hiking, biking, camping and good conversation. He was a devoted sports fan, rarely missing a chance to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs or Notre Dame football. He had an Irish wit, a playful sense of humor and never took himself too seriously. He also gave generously and quietly, coaching youth sports, serving his church and community and showing up when support was needed. More than anything, Tom cared about people. He listened closely, encouraged generously and celebrated others wholeheartedly. Tom leaves behind a family shaped by his example. He will be deeply missed by his wife, Cathy Cooney; Peggy, Tommy, Connor and Morgan Ding; Kelly Cooney, Matt, Everest and Shaelan Echave; Patrick and Jessica Cooney; Tim and Mitzi Cooney; Maureen Gentry; Matt and Pam Bowen; John and Nancy Bowen; Patty Walsh; and many nieces and nephews. Please join us in celebrating Tom’s life on Nov. 7 at St. Mary of the Crown Catholic Church in Carbondale at 10:30am, lunch to follow at Aspen Glen country club. Donations can be made in his name to the Valley View Hospital foundation and to St. Mary of the Crown Catholic Church.
We don 't charge for obits The death of a loved one costs enough. The Sopris Sun is happy to publish local obituaries of a reasonable length, including a picture, for free.
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Email news@soprissun.com to submit one or for more information. THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 15
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
Bikes and politics In college, I rode my bike everywhere I went. It was this slick Give me a couple years and we’ll have this country fixed right up. These days, however, I’ve been feeling jaded. After so long, yellow roadster with checkered flag rim tape. I called it el italiano. some of that glossy sheen of passion wore off a bit. Enough to fall I’d take it to class, lunch, hangouts, wherever. It was effectively my into the routine of work. Or better put, my values and worldviews car. I loved this bike, but I never chained it up. The reason being a were laid out as tasks to complete. Enough tasks and you’ll lose quality chain is expensive. So instead of dipping into my savings, sight of the value altogether and over time you’ll only complete I decided to just place my bike on the rack alongside everyone tasks geared toward your values while you’re at work. And since else’s and just trust that it wouldn’t be stolen. With everyone else’s it feels like work, you want to detach yourself and bike wearing a chain, I could camouflage my bike almost forget the day behind you. In short, we among them — kinda like herd immunity. lost the forest among the trees. At first, I almost couldn’t stand the anxiety. I’d They’re calling this election the most importsit in class wondering if I’d return to find my bike ant of our time — again. This sense of magnitude gone. Or if I needed to run an errand in a buildhas me reflecting on whether or not the values I ing that wouldn’t let me bring it in, I would run hold are sincere or if they are simply aesthetics. down the halls so my bike wouldn’t be left out for I am the direct beneficiary of the progressive too long. aesthetic. I think people see me as a generally A belief soon formed within me. I should progressive guy, which comes with support and be more trusting of people because, if they are criticism. Of course, they’d have reason to think like me, they wouldn’t want to steal the bike in so. I work on progressive issues, afterall. But that’s the first place. And from there a much broader what keeps the lights on, no? My direct quality of concept sank in: I want to live in a world where life depends on me caring about these ideals. So, people don’t steal other people’s bikes. And that CRÍTICAS what am I doing outside of work that is idealistic? idea evolved into a conviction: It’s best to live By Hector Salas-Gallegos I recently turned 29 and, in my advancing age, idealistically, as we’re the only ones responsible if I’m not inching myself over to my idealized for creating the world we want to live in. world, then what am I doing? Voting is a right and it’s something I I went a year and a half like this before someone finally stole my take seriously. But it only comes around so often. bike. And I wasn’t even mad, because I gained a year and a half in “Live your values” sounds so simple. But when the world feels a world where I trusted people often and with confidence. so upside down, why even bother? I think that’s a question a lot With the midterms coming up, I’ve caught myself thinking of of us are asking ourselves these days. At least for me, it’s inspirthis bike a lot. ing when I see someone stick to their ideals. It makes me believe, I work in politics — I guess. I don’t run campaigns or shake yeah, the world we want to live in is possible, so long as we believe famous people’s hands or get anyone elected. What I’ve been in it. And as cliché as it sounds, that belief will lift me out of times doing for the last five years is digital communications around of weariness. I think we can do that for each other, I really do. progressive issues in Colorado. Think social media, email, ads, Of course! The ending of my bike story. Another year went by websites, that kind of stuff. and I’d gotten another bike — still no chain. One day, as I was I came into this line of work because I studied communicaentering the college’s main building, I spotted my old bike leaning tions in school, but more importantly, I don’t think I could have on the rack, chainless. So I calmly went over, mounted el italiano survived doing something that I wasn’t passionate about, like selland rode off, knowing the most valuable thing from all this was the ing soaps. No offense to the soapmakers of the world, my skillsets time I had trusting others. So I never bought a chain for it, since are what they are and that’s just not one of them. Anyway, I came that’s not the world I live in. into the work optimistically. Change is possible if we make it so.
OPINION
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16 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
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Phantom Radio By Chicago O’Hare Carbondale
The opening hook of “Maggot Brain” dragged me from my slumber and I cursed the clock. Joe’s show usually got me in the zone for my own late-night pilgrimage to the KDNK studio. Though still technically a volunteer like myself, he’d been slinging records longer than any of the paid staff, and his weekly set was all but required listening for new recruits. It was an intimidating act to follow, even knowing almost everybody tuned out when he signed off at 11. He’d been nothing but supportive, and always seemed to find a closing tune that transitioned perfectly to my hipper, rougher show. I’d usually be in the studio with him by then, ready for a little friendly banter during the transition. But his unusually melancholy set had lulled me to sleep sometime after the last trick-ortreaters had knocked on my door. It had started out dark and defiant, expertly blending five decades of rock to make it seem that Blue
Oyster Cult, Prince and Pink Floyd had always played alongside Radiohead, Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins. Somewhere at the start of the second hour, though, he’d shifted down into low with “Last Chance Texaco,” “Look on Down from the Bridge” and “Not Dark Yet.” Now it seemed I had the ten minutes it took Eddie Hazel to pour his soul into a guitar solo before I was supposed to be on the air. I sped down the backstreets of Carbondale, wary of costumed kids and drunks, and threw my bike down in front of the station just as Joe was signing off. You could tell he wasn’t wearing his dentures, and I could almost feel his breath in my earbuds as he leaned his once-robust frame up to the microphone. “You’ve been listening to ‘Hank to Hendrix’ on Carbondale Community Access Radio. I’m Joe, and it’s been a real pleasure spending this time with you. Happy Halloween.”
I burst into the building, raced down the hall and came to a sudden stop. The door was open and the studio was dark. No Joe. Not even the on-air light of a pre-recorded show. Just a note from the 5 o-clock DJ. “Hey, man, no sign of Joe, automation’s busted and I have a party to get to. Sorry.” I went to the board and pulled up the fader. “This is the end, beautiful friend,” Jim Morrison droned out of the speaker. They pulled Joe’s truck from the sinkhole at the base of his driveway around midnight. The cab was full of mud. It seemed he’d taken the hill too fast in his hurry to get to the station. My own show had been a blur, and it wasn’t until the next morning I thought to check the recording. From the 7 o’clock signoff to my shaky intro at 9, nothing. Just dead air.
THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 17
LETTERS like. Animal rightists have chosen to erode customs to prohibit what they don’t like. Locally, preschoolers are not allowed outside to play for days because a bear is nearby. A ranger watches the bear, but there is no negative stimulus to move it away. Our governor has appointed a majority of animal rightists to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission. They recently changed the law on furbearers without public comment and based on a commissioner’s hasty survey, and are attempting to limit public comment again. Animal rightists claim to be concerned that Amendment 83 would prioritize hunting over maintaining biodiversity, restoring habitat and managing diseases, but actually this is where the two groups share common ground. Hunters and trappers share these values, but the opposers of Amendment 83 are using scare tactics and claiming the spring bear hunt and leghold traps will return. The amendment does not change the state’s ability to regulate hunting, fishing and wildlife management. Unless CPW staff can regain their authority to make decisions based on science and specific situations, Amendment 83 is a better choice than allowing the governor and his majority appointed animal rightist board to make decisions that will result in decreased personal safety, open space and loss of private land essential to wildlife. Hunting is important to many people: a way to feed their family, enjoy the outdoors, connect with nature and friends. It is a viable way to balance wildlife populations as well. Marj Perry Carbondale
Two kids, one problem Picture two kids in this valley. The first is a girl on the Carbondale soccer team. She’s fast, she’s fierce and she wears her hair short because it’s easier. She scores a lot. Under Proposition 134, which writes a state definition of sex into law and uses it to decide who can play school sports from elementary school through college, all it takes is one parent on the opposing sideline to question whether she belongs. Then, someone with authority has to check: her records, her doctors, maybe her body. She doesn’t have to be trans for any of this to happen to her. She only has to be good and look different from what someone expects. In Utah, in 2022, a girl who won an event by a wide margin had her school records searched back to kindergarten, after other parents questioned whether she was transgender. Nobody told her family. She wasn’t trans. The second kid is a teenager whose family has spent a long time with one doctor working through a hard medical decision. They asked every question they could think of. The parents pushed back, waited, asked again. In the end, the family and the doctor agreed on a plan. Proposition 135 would tell them no. It bans gender-affirming surgery for minors in Colorado and cuts off Medicaid and other public money for it. Families with money could travel to another state and pay out of pocket. Families on Medicaid, the ones working two jobs and commuting an hour 18 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
from page 2
each way, would simply be out of options. Both of these kids lose for the same reason. A politician who has never met them, never seen their records and never sat in that exam room decided they knew better than the girl, her coach, the parents and the doctor. You don’t have to agree with every choice another family makes. We still leave each other alone to make them, because we’d want the same for our own kids. That’s an old idea in this valley, and it’s worth defending. Please vote no on 134 and 135. Ashley Stahl Glenwood Springs
Vote Godes When I compare candidates for Garfield County commissioner, I remind myself that we aren’t just casting a political vote — we are hiring someone for a job. Like any critical job, the role of county commissioner demands a candidate with a proven track record, relevant leadership experience and the practical skills to deliver results for our communities. That is why I am proudly supporting Jonathan Godes for Garfield County commissioner. Jonathan’s resume and extensive background in public service uniquely prepare him for this position. As a former city council member and mayor of Glenwood Springs, he has proven his ability to lead effectively at the local government level. During his tenure, he successfully balanced budgets, secured crucial infrastructure funding and navigated unprecedented crises — including guiding the community through the Grizzly Creek Fire and I-70 mudslides with steady, calm leadership. What truly sets Jonathan apart is his exceptional capacity for collaboration across jurisdictions. County issues do not stop at the county line, and Jonathan has a long-standing track record of building partnerships with neighboring towns, counties and regional stakeholders to tackle complex challenges like affordable housing, smart growth and water security. Furthermore, his deep experience as the director of the I-70 Coalition demonstrates his expertise in managing multi-jurisdictional transportation and mobility issues that directly impact our daily lives and regional economy. He understands how to bring diverse voices to the table to find common-sense, regional solutions. Garfield County deserves leadership that is pragmatic, experienced and focused on solutions rather than division. Jonathan Godes has the exact qualifications, work ethic and vision required to do this job well from day one. I urge my fellow residents to join me in supporting Jonathan Godes for Garfield County commissioner. Ben Bohmfalk Carbondale
Orphaned wells Ah the wisdom of greed and let ’em slide. The Bureau of Land Management proposes a HALVING of the bond currently required for clean up. As of July 1, Colorado has 996 orphaned wells across 2,156 orphaned sites. (Data from Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission. Richard Votterro Carbondale
PARTING SHOTS
Hundreds gathered sporting beer steins, fresh pretzels and lederhosen on Saturday, Oct. 17, across from Peppino’s on Main Street for Carbondale’s annual Oktoberfest, a celebration supporting the Carbondale Education Foundation. A stein-holding competition stole the evening spotlight, along with Sweet Jessup & The Dirty Buckets, who serenaded the boisterous, beer-drinking crowd. Photos by Bob Rugile
VALLEY JOURNAL from page 5 obituary,” Kallassy said. “I spent hours flipping through looking for obituaries in all of these huge volumes until I finally found it.” She noted that once digitized, she was able to find the obituary immediately. Digitization cost almost $43,000, but Kallassy said it was well worth it in the grand scheme of preserving this precious history. The newspaper reflects the heart of the community, as Young stated, and it should be a place for everyone in a community to feel seen. “I think [Young’s] goal, and Carbondale was small enough back then, was to put everyone in town on the cover so that for a week they’d be a star,” Noel said. “You know, where else are people gonna get their local news other than the local newspaper or local radio station?” Stroud said. “I feel for the communities that don’t have that because they don’t have that connection to their local government, their local schools, their libraries and all those things that make a community.” When The Valley Journal did transition ownership, a bit after Stroud took the helm as editor, there was still heart in the paper, but ultimately corporate decisions closed it down.
“We were a much smaller staff then. At the time that it closed, we were basically just a staff of two,” Stroud stated. Though The Valley Journal printed its last issue abruptly, Young noted that Carbondale went a matter of weeks without a paper before The Sopris Sun was up and running. “I’m really proud of The Sun,” Young stated. “All the people, once again, put their skills into it.” “The Sopris Sun is the last newspaper that can be said to be independently owned; the other newspapers are doing the best they can, too,” Noel said. “It just made a lot of sense for The Sopris Sun to rise out of the ashes of The Valley Journal, but in a nonprofit format because I think that’s probably the future of smalltown, community journalism,” Stroud said. “At the same time, The Sopris Sun carried on that same spirit The Valley Journal had.” Join the celebration of The Valley Journal’s legacy at the Carbondale Branch Library on Oct. 29 from 5 to 6:30pm. Visit the digital archives of The Valley Journal online through the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection website, coloradohistoricnewspapers.org.
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FINAL SETTLEMENT NOTICE is hereby given that on November 2nd, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., final settlement will be made with Excavation Services, 226 N 12th Street, by the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation., PO Box 2026, Carbondale, CO 81623 on a contract for labor and materials for a project known as 3 Mile Infrastructure Improvements Project and that any person, co-partnership, company, association of persons, or corporation who has an unpaid claim against Excavation Services 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 November 2nd, 2026, at 5:00 p.m, file a verified statement of the amount due with the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation (Attn. Chris Woldum info@roaringforkcdc.org pursuant to Section 38-26-107, C.R.S., as amended. Failure on the part of the Claimant to make such verified statement, prior to the final settlement on the contract with Excavation Services will relieve the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation from any liability for such Claimant’s claim. PUBLISHED BY THE ORDER OF Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation. Published in The Sopris Sun on October 22, 2026.
(Upper left going clockwise) Women contestants participate in a steinholding contest; Sweet Jessup & the Dirty Buckets get the crowd romping; Kay Clarke and Doc Phillip share a beer on the sidelines; and the winner of the men’s stein-holding contest gulps his just reward. KDNK radio & townline trucks present:
A FREAKY & FRIGHTENING FUNDRAISER FOR:
Halloween Bash and
Costume Contest
Hea n a d g i y Kid Hool ge Saturday Oct 31 knowled 8pm-Late
Plus a late-night KDNK DJ set at 11:30 pm
Costume Contest 9:30pm
$10 at the door
Cash Prizes for Best Costume
Be the Carbondale you love: outdoorsy, neighborly, connected! The Rio Grande trail is in full use! We’re strolling, biking, jogging, dog walking and pushing baby strollers. Announce yourself by ringing a bell or calling out “On your left!” as you pass. Wear a helmet, use a light at night and yield to folks on foot. Slow down and enjoy the scenery!
Carbondale’s Bike Ped Trails Commission THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | October 22-28, 2026 19
Sorry about the beans!
Los Potato Days brought to you by: Town of Carbondale Western Mosaic Fund Potato Days Committee Carbondale Library Carbondale Rotary Club Ross Montessori School Mark Gianinetti & the Pit Crew Our beloved Farmers Current Ritual KDNK Radio Sopris Sun
Thank you, Sponsors: Woody Creek Aquilla Cellars Cosecha Textiles Mountain Heart Outer Range Marble Distillery Rosie Wettstein Sheila Draper
20 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | October 22-28, 2026
Carbondale, thank you! We raised $20k through Sponsor donations and your Harvest Lunch, Pay It Forward and Bar purchases. If you missed Potato Days 2026, there is still time to help us close the $5k gap toward our $25k goal. The 2026 recipient of the Western Mosaic Community Impact Fund is Slow Money out of Paonia, Colorado. Find more info & make donations through the QR code. Proud to serve a locally sourced Harvest Meal https://community-impact-fund.cheddarup.com