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Volume 17, Number 13 | May 15-21, 2025

Growing together

Harper Kaufman, right, has led the crew at Two Roots Farm since 2016. Photos by Will Sardinsky

Ten years at Two Roots Farm KATE PHILLIPS Sopris Sun Correspondent

At Two Roots Farm the hum of intention is everywhere. From soil to table, joy permeates as the crew celebrates 10 years of nourishing the community. “This feels really bright and like the small piece in the world that I’m meant to do,” said Two Roots owner Harper Kaufman. Situated on 22 acres in Basalt, Two Roots is a regenerative farm that grows vegetables, herbs and flowers. The crew enables biodiversity through meaningful farming practices including organic, sustainable and chemical-free, minimal tillage, crop rotation and non-invasive pest management — like using oranges to rehome pill bugs from the greenhouse to the compost. “We really strive to be organized and efficient so that we can have a balanced and enjoyable life,” said Kaufman. “We all came here wanting to eat really good

food, and we do.” Musing over the complexities of soil life, Kaufman said that building healthy soil is foundational work. To increase soil fertility, the crew plants over-winter cover crops, minimizes soil turnover and uses compost built on-site or purchased from the Crawford-based Soil Not Dirt Farm. “Sometimes it’s more about farming the soil than anything else. That does mean there’s a lot of physical labor involved, but we’ve always wanted to do things in a way that makes the healthiest food for the soil, farmers and our customers,” Kaufman said. The results speak for themselves. Two Roots grows 60 crop varieties and flowers — tended by flower manager and floral design lead Marieta Bialek — that laden hundreds of tables. “They really focus on soil health and leaving the land better than when we came across it,” said Soil Not Dirt owner Micah Ross.

“Spending the money and time to build the soil and make it last and farmable without synthetic fertilizers helps farmers continue on.”

The beginnings of stewardship “The story of Two Roots Farm is definitely a communal story,” said Kaufman, who worked on various farms, including Aspen Center for Environmental Studies at Rock Bottom Ranch (RBR) where she was the agricultural manager. At RBR, Kaufman learned the inner workings of animal production and starting vegetable gardens. Soon she was inspired to start Two Roots and leased a plot of land from Allison and Mike Spayd of Spradley Farms in Missouri Heights. “They set me up in such an awesome way and they were so generous with their space, time and community,” Kaufman remarked. For the Spayds the timing was impeccable. Allison had just given birth to their second child and would need help in the garden. continued on page 5

Motherhood

Mother’s Day just passed, and I’m thinking about the moth- couldn’t say exactly what they wanted to see to know she was ers I met during my 35 years of work on behalf of neglected and ready. They tried delaying the inevitable by asking for one court abused children. continuance after another. But Mia and Amos had a compePatricia’s was the first case I assigned to myself after Humboldt tent attorney and a no-nonsense judge. Based on my testimony, County, California, hired me to develop its new Child Protective Amos was home three weeks after the first court review date. Services program. Her little girl was in foster care in Elk County, Happy Mother’s Day, Mia. Kansas. Patricia was born and raised in Humboldt but moved to Roberta was houseless by choice, part of a community of Kansas with Mia’s father. The relationship went badly, and Patricia creatives living an alternative lifestyle with a large “extended took to drinking. After daddy left, she kept drinking and neglected family” whose home was the streets and byways of Eureka. But the Mia. She understood why the Kansas agency Welfare Department considered Roberta inhertook Mia away from her. Now that Patricia was ently unstable and wanted to terminate Roberta’s back in her home community, Elk County asked parental rights so Oliver could be adopted by his us to check on her and let them know if/when foster parents. The Judge appointed Niki as his she was to resume custody. independent expert to evaluate and recommend. Patricia lived near her mother. She had repuDuring their first interview, Roberta pleaded table friends, a job, a home and had quit drinking with Niki to look at and understand her worldhalf a year before. She was active in the local view. She said she was part of a stable community Grange. She was open and cooperative with us. that welfare workers refused to become familiar I wrote and said she was ready. Elk County said with or understand. Stability was possible, she they wanted another three months “just to be asserted, without a house, though she recogsure she was stable.” We waited. Another court nized this might not be great for a small boy. She hearing came and went. They stayed unconpromised to keep a roof over Oliver’s head, but vinced, and I started getting annoyed. she wouldn’t give up her friends and her way of Mia had been away from her mother for 18 life because she needed a support system, and MATURE months. Just what would it take to prove readithis (mostly) houseless community was it. She CONTENT ness? I asked. We didn’t receive a clear answer. asked Niki to walk with her through her world By Ron Kokish After several increasingly angry letters and before making up her mind, something the phone calls, I asked our welfare director to intervene with Elk welfare workers had refused to do. County’s welfare director. He did, and after being apart for over two The day-long tour took them along hidden paths where years, Mia rejoined her mother. Happy Mother’s Day, Patricia. they watched kayakers and cormorants. Lunch with RoberFifteen years passed. My agency changed for the worse. Instead ta’s “extended family” consisted of surplus food put out daily by of preserving and reuniting families, we seemed intent on sepa- restaurants and markets with houseless people in mind. Behind rating them for as long as possible. After unsuccessfully resisting a department store, they searched a dumpster to find toys, tools, this trend for several years, I resigned and joined Niki Delson in her kitchenware and sealed gift boxes of food. Roberta’s tent, like most private practice as a family therapist. of the community, was ablaze with paintings and filled with handMy first referral was from a public defender representing a crafted items. The people they met were lucid, polite and kind. young mother who had voluntarily surrendered her infant son Homeless people, it seems, are not all alike. Niki saw no reason after violently shaking him. Though uninjured, Amos was now in Oliver couldn’t be raised in this community so long as Roberta had foster care as a ward of the court. Mom realized she needed time safe, indoor housing. Roberta promised to keep a safe home, and and help to become a competent parent, and the attorney gave the court returned Oliver to his mother. her a list of licensed therapists. She chose me because she recogSome twenty years later, Oliver contacted Niki on Facebook to nized my name from stories her mother told her about the social thank her for respecting his mother and allowing him to be raised worker who helped reunite them when Elk County seemed intent in this unusual, creative community. He had become a graphic on keeping them apart forever. designer and was about to have his first major showing. Happy I worked with Mia for six months. She took parenting classes. Mother’s Day, Roberta. She visited Amos regularly, and they spent weekends without And happy Mother’s Day to all those whose road through mothincident. It was time, I opined, to send Amos home, but now erhood has been more difficult and misunderstood by others. Humboldt had become more like Elk County. They wanted more time in foster care. They didn’t think Mia was ready, but they Mature Content is a monthly feature from Age-Friendly Carbondale.

OPINION

LETTERS CORRECTION: Last week’s Garfield County Report stated Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Chair Tom Jankovsky said the BOCC has jurisdiction over the library board and director. In fact, he affirmed the library board has jurisdiction over the library director.

Thank yous, all around I would like to say thank you to a few people and businesses. To EverGreen ZeroWaste, thank you for all that you do to keep our waste out of the landfill. Every spring we look forward to yard waste Saturdays starting up, not to mention your gift of compost to all your “spoiled” customers! To Bob and Kathy Ezra, thank you for the gift that is the Crystal Theatre and for the support that you give our town’s causes by opening (and manning!) your theatre for additional screenings of informative, entertaining films. 5 Point’s “Champions of the Golden Valley” was a serious delight! To the Village Smithy, thank you for 50 years of delicious, home-away-from-home comfort food with family and friends (we have thoroughly enjoyed 38 of those years)! To Eric Berry and Rotary, thank you

for the Herculean effort of organizing and putting on the Highway 82 cleanup day. I can’t say how good it felt, in this time of chaos and unraveling, to physically work at giving something back: to make our lives more pleasant along the highway that many of us travel every day. How nice it is to have Rotary in our lives. Dos Gringos, thank you for providing us all with lunch — it hit the spot, tasty fuel that carried us through our last two hours of trash collection! To Sarah Peterson and the Paonia Food Movement, thank you for the goodies: sourdough breads, fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs … that you offer à la carte and deliver weekly — a wonderful way to connect with and support growers and producers on the far side of McClure Pass (in addition to those in the Roaring Fork Valley)! To RFTA, thank you for providing mass transit. Thank you, too, for the Rio Grande Trail, for all of the maintenance work that is involved in keeping us exercising. We need that more than ever right now! The May 1 opening at Catherine Store bridge always brings a big smile to my face. To the Town of Carbondale, thank you, all of you, for everything that you do every day to keep our town safe and clean and

2 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

looking its best, our trees healthy, all of us (children and adults alike) active, exercised, entertained and engaged! To KDNK, Sopris Sun and Sol Del Valle, thank you/muchas gracias for keeping music in our lives and keeping us truly informed! To EVERYONE who gives and works and teaches and helps, making this town the remarkable, wonderful place that it is to live, THANK YOU! Jenny Tempest Carbondale

Fireball Drop Carbondale Rotary’s fifth annual Fireball Drop on May 2 was by far our best one yet! An enthusiastic group of spectators joined us at the Village Smithy this past First Friday to witness over 1,000 ping pong balls tumble from a fire ladder truck onto targets on the ground to select our winners. It was the perfect Colorado day and great fun! A huge thank you goes out to our lead sponsor, Alpine Bank, for their consistent, dedicated support. The Cowen Center, Glenwood Springs Post Independent, Mike Waski, Obermeyer Wealth, RJ Paddywacks Pet Outfitter, Rivers continued on page 22

Editor Raleigh Burleigh 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com Contributing Editor James Steindler Sol del Valle Editora Bianca Godina bianca@soldelvalle.org Advertising Rep Margarita Alvarez margarita@soldelvalle.org Digital Editor Ingrid Celeste Zúniga ingrid@soldelvalle.org Lead Editorial Designer Terri Ritchie Partnerships & Engagement Manager Luise Wollesen Advertising Designer Emily Blong Delivery Frederic Kischbaum Hank van Berlo Proofreaders Lee Beck Tracy Kallassy Ken Pletcher Hank van Berlo Executive Director Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Board Members / Mesa Directiva board@soprissun.com Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke Donna Dayton • Eric Smith Roger Berliner • Elizabeth Phillips Jessi Rochel • Andrew Travers Anna Huntington • Loren Jenkins Carlos Ramos

The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6pm on second Thursdays at the Third Street Center. The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible. Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+ Lee Beck & John Stickney Kay Brunnier Frances Dudley Michelle & Ed Buchman Sue Edelstein & Bill Spence Deborah & Shane Evans Greg & Kathy Feinsinger Gary & Jill Knaus Eric Smith Peter and Mike Gilbert Patti & George Stranahan Elizabeth Wysong Alpine Bank Emily & George Bohmfalk Kathy & Carter Barger Sandy & Paul Chamberlin Karen & Roger Berliner Donna & Ken Riley Gayle & Dick Wells

Legacy Givers for including us in their final wishes. Mary Lilly

Donate by mail or online: P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #26-B 970-510-3003 soprissun.com/Donate The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District

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Carbondale Arts

OUR UNDERWRITERS AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS! ASPEN VALLEY

H O S P I T A L

Carbondale Arts is seeking volunteers to help with First Fridays, from setting up to breaking down. Visit www.carbondalearts. com/first-friday to sign up. Carbondale Arts is also recruiting youth-oriented organizations to have a booth at Mountain Fair’s Oasis Block Party. Visit www.tinyurl.com/MountainFairOasis for more information and to register by May 28.

Picnic/plant parties Bee Friendly Carbondale invites you to help plant a pollinator garden at the Thompson House (301 Lewies Lane) this Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18. Both days will involve working and a potluck from 10am to 2pm, with music on Sunday. “Bring gloves, a smile and a dish to share.”

Supporting farmers Casey’s Fund Supporting Farmers is seeking wellness, medical and mental health providers to partner with to offer discounted or donated care to farmers in Eagle, Garfield, Pitkin and Delta counties. Learn more at www.seedpeace.org

FirstBank Alpine Bank Colorado Mountain College Nordic Gardens Hilary Porterfield Basalt Library

NONPROFIT PARTNERS Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist Carbondale Arts Carbondale Rotary Club Colorado Animal Rescue

Highway 82 grants The Colorado Department of Transportation awarded Pitkin County more than $2.6 million in federal funding for fiscal year 2028 for safety improvements at two intersections along Highway 82 at Lazy Glen and Smith Way/Juniper Hill Road. A modified reduced conflict u-turn configuration, commonly known as a “Michigan Left,” will be installed down the road from the original Smith Way and Juniper Hill intersection, ending a history of problematic left-hand turns directly onto the highway. A left-turn acceleration lane will be added at the downvalley Lazy Glen intersection, which should lower the risk of crashes by a projected 30%. The upvalley access point to Lazy Glen will be converted to a right-in/ right-out configuration to make room for the acceleration lane.

Cottonwood Pass

Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner? Email Todd@soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866

Cottonwood Pass, connecting Gypsum with the Roaring Fork Valley, opened to motorists on Monday, May 12. Drivers are urged to use caution when driving this curvy road, portions of which are not paved. Oversized vehicles require a permit to travel over Cottonwood Pass.

Mount up Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced that its Range Rider Program, meant to deter livestock depredation

Elizabeth Fullerton, a graduating senior at Roaring Fork High School, joined 35 Colorado Girl Scouts earning the Gold Award this year — the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the USA. Fullerton has been a girl scout since she was 6 years old. Her project involved a mural reminding Highway 133 motorists to “drive safely” with presentations at local schools and informative pamphlets. She will go on to study at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder this fall and is interested in practicing corporate law. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

as wolves settle in Colorado, is officially underway. Two Colorado Department of Agriculture riders will be joined by 11 range riders recently hired by the state to monitor for wolves and deploy hazing techniques during the summer months while livestock is grazing on public lands. Some of the state range riders got an early start helping producers during calving season. It’s estimated that the program will cost $500,000 this year, and some of that revenue comes from the Born to Be Wild license plate program.

Valley Journal archives

will transition to chief of human resources and talent for RFSD beginning June 13.

REAL ID ready As the federal REAL ID deadline takes effect, Governor Jared Polis and the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles proudly announce that 96% of all driver licenses and identification cards issued in Colorado are already compliant. Colorado has been a mandatory REAL ID state since 2013. A star in the upper-right corner of your identification card indicates as much.

The second phase of the Valley Journal digitization project is now complete thanks to the Carbondale Branch Library. Over 900 issues, from June 11, 1975 to Oct. 15, 1992, are now fully searchable at the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection (www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org) under “The Roaring Fork Valley Journal” and “The Valley Journal.”

Bear season

RFSD shuffle

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Jenny Cutright, Lindsay Dudycha, Kellie Land, Jonelle Luther, Greg Masse, Feénagh O’Donnell, Morgan Williams and Ana Vega Terrazas (May 15); Bartlett, Cynthia Butterfield, Aaron Luttrell and Fred Pulver (May 16); Terrie Geddes, Lisa Johnson and Steven Quint (May 17); Willa Bonzi, Mike Cassetty, Bonnie Earl and Gretchen Hofmann (May 18); Peter Frey (May 19); Eloise Clark, Jenny Garcia and Daniel Self (May 20); Tucker Farris and Wesley Niemer (May 21).

The Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) has appointed two new assistant principals for the upcoming school year. Missy Britton will serve as the interim assistant principal at Riverview School, where she has worked in a variety of roles since 2017. Nicole Johnson will join Crystal River Elementary School (CRES) as the assistant principal, moving from Fort Morgan High School where she filled the same role for four years after teaching for 10. Aimee Brockman, who served as principal at CRES

A mother bear and her cubs were spotted at Veltus Park in Glenwood Springs on May 7, reminding residents throughout the Valley to secure their trash and limit bear attractants. For a comprehensive guide to living with bears in Colorado, visit cpw.state.co.us/living-bears

They say it’s your birthday!

Your Mid-Valley Real Estate Expert Professionally Representing You with 16 Years of Experience

HILARY PORTERFIELD

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 3

Beneath 133 bridge, litter and more causing concern RALEIGH BURLEIGH Sopris Sun Editor

At recent Carbondale Board of Trustee meetings, members of the public have brought forth concerns about pollution accumulating beneath the Veteran Memorial Bridge. That bridge, connecting Carbondale with Highway 82, has long attracted homeless campers and gained extra attention in the fall of 2023 when a large group of migrants was found to be sheltering in the vicinity. A man from Basalt told the trustees on April 8, “I spend quite a bit of my time fishing the Fork, it’s my very favorite trout river in the world, and the changes I’ve seen down there under the bridge are really kind of heartbreaking.” He continued, “It seems like there’s nobody out there that really wants to address the problem, and that’s really concerning to me.” He said he’s seen littered spray paint cans, discarded plastic, broken bottles, beer cans, even “an abandoned love seat” scattered from the hillside to the water’s edge. He concluded, “It’s not what I think of when I think of Carbondale.” A mix of jurisdictions makes policing the spot difficult. The Town of Carbondale is responsible for law enforcement within town limits, south of the bridge and at the nearby Gateway RV Park. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) controls the Bob Terrell State Wildlife Area with river access and associated parking. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) governs the Highway 133 right-of-way and therefore the bridge itself. Garfield County is tasked with patrolling unincorporated areas of the county and was

The area beneath the Veteran Memorial Bridge has long attracted homeless campers. A mix of jurisdictions makes enforcement there a challenge. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

given authority by CDOT to charge campers with trespassing. “Problem is, can’t put people in jail for that level of trespassing,” Sheriff Lou Vallario told The Sopris Sun in October of 2024. It’s unlikely the demographic they may cite would even show up for court, he added. Vallario suggested sealing the area from access as a possible solution. David Johnson, the owner of Crystal Fly Shop in Carbondale, invited the Carbondale trustees to “take care of this problem, once and for all” at their regular meeting on March 25. He said, “Squatters have come and gone, and more have come again, and whoever the latest group is, they always leave more trash and show no respect for

4 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

our public property or its users.” He urged the Town to stop “enabling” homeless camps and left them a box of trash bags, stating, “I feel you share in the responsibility for this situation and you need to see the problem first hand, and you need to put in some time and help volunteer.” Johnson offered to join the trustees in personally cleaning up for “hopefully the last time we need to do this.” When The Sopris Sun followed up a few weeks later, he had yet to hear back. “The fishing and white water communities want to see an end once and for all to the camps and the pollution and the vehicles getting broken into and we want everyone to

feel safe when using this resource,” Johnson had stated, referencing an assault reported last year. On July 25, 2024, a 59-year-old man told the Carbondale police that he and a friend had been fishing and were approached by a group of unknown men at the boat ramp “who began throwing rocks at them without provocation,” Police Chief Kirk Wilson relayed to The Sopris Sun. “The victim sustained injuries to his knee and head before loading his boat and leaving the area that evening.” No suspects were identified. “We strongly encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses a crime to contact law enforcement immediately. Prompt reporting gives officers the best opportunity to identify potential witnesses, gather evidence and take appropriate action,” Wilson added. According to John Groves, Carbondale district wildlife manager for CPW, “That’s the only real instance I’ve heard of any issues on that end.” However, “There’s always trash in the river. Are there concerns? Yeah. Where are these folks necessarily bathing or defecating?” He said there’s a trail beaten from beneath the bridge to a portable toilet provided at the boat ramp, “So I know they’re using that.” Groves said, “Having one standard around there would be helpful, instead of a hodgepodge of different entities.” He thought a Memorandum of Understanding between the county, town, CPW and CDOT would provide helpful guidance for enforcement. “So there’s one standard so if we’re seeing issues we can address it and not let an issue prolong that impacts the surrounding area — basically the trash raining down onto the boat ramp that I end up having to deal with later on.”

TWO ROOTS from the cover Kaufman jumped right in growing vegetables for their CSA, local restaurants and the Aspen Saturday Market. Allison, also a former RBR employee, noted the challenges of farming and said Kaufman gracefully navigated many issues with her dynamic skill set. “Harper really understands what the plants need, can tend to the soil and can plan. Farmers, especially at the scale she does it, have to be amazing planners and realistic,” Allison said. “She’s great with people, marketing and managing a staff. That’s a hard combination, but she does it so well.” After two years, Kaufman secured a longterm agricultural lease on Emma Open Space through Pitkin County Open Space and Trails (OST). The opportunity was life-changing. According to Drew Walters, OST agriculture specialist, the lease is renewed every five years and provides a low-cost land option for farmers and ranchers in a fiscally difficult area. He said by supporting farmers, they can then support the community. “I think folks are realizing that local food production is really important,” he said. “Having local food security is important for everyone.” Today, Two Roots provides food for 200+ CSA members, local restaurants and its Friday food stand. They also share food with Lift-Up and Pitkin County Senior Center and have a sliding-scale CSA option to address food insecurity. Through all this growth, Kaufman is humbled to do this with her crew.

Growing together

Harper Kaufman runs irrigation down rows of garlic growing at Two Roots Farm. Photo by Will Sardinsky

On a recent visit to Two Roots, a sense of peaceful purpose was apparent. Farm pup Murphy hopped between garlic rows, farm manager Anna Weller worked on the irrigation system while Katie Hunter, crew leader

and data manager, tended to the collard greens. Nearby, laughter trilled from crew members — Emily Clausen, Payton Copeland, Haley Kasuls, Nick Owings and Jenifer Parker — prepping a new plot. Kaufman was greeting a neighbor who swung by to drop off supplies. “I am so lucky to have so many amazing people working for me now, and so many people over the last 10 years,” said Kaufman who credited former farm manager Emma Geddes for recruitment. “I think this work attracts really smart, genuine and ambitious people.” Clausen embodied this sentiment while sharing her farming roots. “I wanted to help feed the world,” she said. “Harper makes this really easy … and I really like that I work for a woman.” Owings and Kasuls — former Seed Peace and Sustainable Settings farmers, respectively — emphasized the collaborative spirit of the Valley’s farmers. “I always knew I wanted to get into farming and I knew I wanted to work here,” said Kasuls. “Brooke and Rose [co-owners of Sustainable Settings] encouraged me to pursue my interests, and they got me in contact with the right folks.” Overlooking the farm, Kaufman’s gratitude for the land, community and 10 years of intentional growing alongside dedicated farmers was clear. “Like me, they see these issues with the world and they want to do something tangible and honest,” she said. “Farming is a really good answer, especially if you’re strong, hardworking and passionate.” Two Roots Farm will reopen its farm stand this month. Be on the lookout for U-Pick Bouquets soon. Visit www.tworootsfarm.com for more details.

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 5

Gray wolf update: 29 on the ground, more pups could be on the way AMY HADDEN MARSH Sopris Sun Correspondent

This month marks two years since the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission (CPWC) approved the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan. A lot has happened since then in the struggle to return gray wolves to Colorado. Like it or not, 29 wolves have made this state their home. In December 2023, 10 gray wolves from Oregon were released into Grand and Summit counties, increasing the state total to 12. Five pups were born in June, forming the Copper Creek pack. Three collared wolves died in the state in 2024, including the father of the Copper Creek pups from a gunshot wound. Collared wolves took at least 30 livestock in 2024. Livestock producers in January this year unsuccessfully petitioned CPWC to pause wolf reintroduction, and 15 gray wolves were brought to Colorado from British Columbia. On Feb. 5, CPW received the first wolf predation claim of the year for $2,097 from a Jackson County rancher for the death of one cow. In early March, CPWC approved two claims, totalling $345,416.

the large swath across the south. “This is the movement of one individual animal,” he explained. A female, translocated from British Columbia, has traveled close to 1,700 miles on her own since she was released. “That’s essentially walking from Denver to Washington, D.C.,” he said.

Range Rider Program catching on

Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Three more confirmed wolf kills were reported in March, including one in Pitkin County. A collared wolf was found dead in Rocky Mountain National Park this year. Two wandered into Wyoming, where wolves are hunted as trophy game, only to be shot for killing sheep. At CPWC’s May meeting, Eric Odell, CPW wolf conservation program manager, reported that 24 of the 29 wolves in the state are collared. The agency is tracking up to four pairs that could be denning.

“When we have followed a couple of animals that are paired, male-female pairs, and then we lose contact with the female, potentially that means [she is] underground or she’s spent some time digging a den,” said Odell. Gray wolves have about a two-month gestation period and typically den in late April or early May. Collared wolves have now moved throughout the state, according to the most recent wolf location map. Odell pointed to

CPW has contracted 11 range riders to serve nine counties in Northwest Colorado, including Garfield. The program is part of the agency’s effort to provide non-lethal conflict management tools to livestock producers. Range riders stay with the herds from April to October. Four riders were dispatched to Routt, Eagle and Rio Blanco counties this spring at the request of ranchers. Brian Dreher is CPW’s assistant director for terrestrial wildlife. “We’ll work mostly nights to prevent highly localized wolves from coming in contact with nearby livestock,” he explained. “[Some] will be making landowner connections and riding in areas where wolves have been historically or have the potential to be in the near future.”

The range rider program is free to producers. The cost is covered by the Born to Be Wild License Plate Fund. “To date, over 16,000 plates have been distributed and raised approximately $819,000,” said Dreher. The agency estimates the range rider program will cost close to $500,000 this year, including a budget for materials, training and rider contracts. A producer’s guide to non-lethal conflict management methods is available at www.tinyurl.com/ CPWNonLethal Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CD4) introduced the Pets and Livestock Protection Act in January to remove federal Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in the lower 48 states and prohibit judges from over-ruling the policy. But Odell said that Colorado wolves have another layer of protection. “If they do become federally delisted for any reason, they still remain state listed and the take of wolves outside of the few very precise kinds of circumstances remains illegal and not allowable,” he said. More information about gray wolves and wolf management is available at the CPW website. The next CPWC meeting is scheduled for July in Grand Junction.

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Mountain Action Indivisible stands defiant LILY JONES KDNK Community Access Radio

On April 5, an estimated 2,000 people flocked to Sayre Park in Glenwood Springs for the Hands Off! rally organized by Mountain Action Indivisible, a political advocacy group operating from Parachute to Aspen. The spike in Indivisible protests across our region is part of a national trend of grassroots organizing that quieted during the Biden years, and is reemerging in the wake of the current presidential administration. Mountain Action Indivisible is the Valley’s branch of the nationwide Indivisible project. Indivisible started eight years ago with a document written by Obama-era Congressional aides Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, who saw conservative grassroots movements turning constituents’ ideas into policy. The updated document, available on the Indivisible website, provides a practical outline for Americans to understand their power as the people. Debbie Bruell, one of the founding members of Mountain Action Indivisible (MAI) and former chairperson of the Garfield County Democrats, said that community is an important political resource. “What the guide is really about is understanding the power we have as constituents,” said Bruell. “That’s what they witnessed with the Tea

Party. People were really organizing at the local level. They were putting pressure on their representatives. They were realizing the importance of school boards and county commissioners. So the guide was more about helping people understand the power that we have to influence our government.” Another founding member of MAI, Lori Brandon, emphasized that democratic government is a service to the people, not the other way around. “It really is a representative government that we live in,” said Brandon, “and that’s what it’s all about. The people who we elect are supposed to represent us. They work for us. It’s important for us to tell them what we want and how we feel.” Bruell and Brandon stated that everyone is welcome at MAI meetings, no matter who they voted for or if they voted at all. Their notion is that no matter who you are, you may eventually feel the negative ramifications of the Trump administration. “It’s the cost of living through the tariff problems, inflation, all the immigration problems, the lack of due process,” Brandon said. “That’s why people are getting upset and coming out.” MAI has subgroups in a variety of Western Slope towns. According to the national Indivisible website, there are over 2,200 local Indivisible

groups that cover more than 90% of U.S. congressional districts. “We have a wide variety of people showing up,” said Bruell. “We definitely saw some Latino people at our April 5 rally, but a lot of people specifically told me they have family members who don’t have the correct documentation and are afraid to show up.” New Castle resident Michael Podmore has been a MAI ambassador for two months. Before that, he canvassed for Democrats downvalley. Podmore said that most of the people he sees in meetings tend to be older and white. “I do wonder if the people who are over 50 kind of grew up in a time where they saw a lot of protests, and they saw the positive result of that,” he shared. “Younger people maybe haven’t really seen that, and I think they’re possibly a little more reluctant to take that step.” It’s a major goal for MAI to keep growing, in large part because its range is within Colorado’s Third Congressional District, represented by Republican freshman Jeff Hurd. MAI has called on both Democratic Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper as well as Congressman Hurd to contest the White House’s treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and demand support for Ukraine. “We’re putting a lot of pressure

on [Hurd],” said Brandon. “The goal is for representatives in Congress who are supporting Trump to start to feel more pressure from their constituents, and fear that they’re going to lose their [re]election.” Local interest and participation is integral to MAI for another reason: funding. So far, the only donations MAI has received have come from individuals. Local chapters can apply for grants from the national organization, but MAI hasn’t yet. “They do reimburse some things,” clarified Brandon. “Some general costs, like our website hosting costs, some room rentals or materials that we have to buy for flyers and things like that.” During the first Trump administration, Indivisible’s revenue

totalled over $7 million. The majority of this came from major gifts and foundation grants, but a significant portion was raised from small-dollar donations. The Indivisible Political Action Committee contributed over $145,000 to federal Democratic candidates. According to Bruell, MAI has raised nearly $4,000 since picking up operations in January. They have received a few bigger donations, but most people are sending in under $100. A statement on the national Indivisible website details a peaceful, nonviolent approach. The website says rejection of political violence is strategic, because leading with hope is more effective than motivating with fear. “Everybody is in agreement that nonviolent protesting is the continued on page 9

Mountain Action Indivisble organized a May Day rally in Glenwood Springs on May 1. Photo by David Rummel

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Valley View’s High Risk Breast Clinic expands early detection JAMES STEINDLER Contributing Editor

Brigid O’Holleran, MD grew up in Western Nebraska, where she also underwent her medical training at the University of Nebraska School of Medicine. Since January, she has served as the oncological surgeon and medical director at Valley View’s Breast Center. She moved from Durango with her family, all of whom enjoy the outdoor recreation opportunities the Valley offers — from Nordic skiing to biking, camping and more. She recalled when she was just a youngster telling her parents that one day she wanted to be a doctor. “As I grew older, I reassessed that desire to pursue a career in medicine. It really fit my interest in science and also combined the humanities element of taking care of people,” she told The Sopris Sun. She spoke highly of her colleagues at Valley View. “Everybody is really invested in the community,” she said. “There’s a very patient-centered approach to the care here that was really appealing to me. I wanted to be a part of that.” While attending a surgical

residency program at the University of Utah, she trained in a variety of surgeries, including breast surgery. She later went to work at Mercy Hospital in Durango, where she was a general surgeon and developed a special interest in breast cancer care.

to treat women and getting to treat them through a disease process that can be really scary … but also has really good survival [rates],” she explained. “There’s a lot of things about breast cancer care that are really rewarding to be a part of.” Breast cancer is quite common, in fact it’s the most common cancer in women worldwide, explained O’Holleran, with one in eight women being affected in their lifetime. She added that most women don’t get screened for breast cancer before age 40. “I do think it’s important for women aged 25-40 to we can talk with their primary care provider about performing a risk assessment,” she stated. On top of being a full-time breast surgeon, she started the - Brigid O’Holleran, MD High Risk Breast Clinic at Valley View to counsel women who have “I remember the first surgery I been flagged for being at higher was able to scrub in for … Some- risk. People determined to be at thing in my brain lit up and I knew high-risk can then set up a personin that moment that I wanted to alized screening plan so any cancer be a surgeon.” Part of the appeal can be detected promptly. was being able to find a problem “I wanted to develop and and fix it — having concrete solu- expand the High Risk Breast Clinic tions. In that sense, breast cancer because there is a lot of evidence can also be solved — cured — if that if we detect breast cancer early it’s detected early. we can achieve the highest survival “It’s the combination of getting rates for patients,” she stated.

I wanted to develop and expand the High Risk Breast Clinic because there is a lot of evidence that if we detect breast cancer early achieve the highest survival rates for patients.

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There are modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors, explained O’Holleran. Examples of nonmodifiable factors are family history, genetics, dense breast tissue or even height — things a patient can’t control. Modifiable risk factors include dietary and lifestyle changes, such as exercising and eliminating alcohol and tobacco use. Women with dense breast tissue, considered category C or D density, are at higher risk and that density makes cancer harder to detect with a mammogram, opening them up to other imaging options with increased sensitivity. People who have already been diagnosed with breast cancer will see O’Holleran for surgical consultations and treatment. Women with benign conditions

will also be referred to her for surgical evaluation. When it comes to breast cancer treatment, she said that she appreciates the team oriented approach at the Calaway-Young Cancer Center that integrates surgical, medicinal and radiation oncology. “I want to be a resource for patients providing guidance on cancer prevention, risk reduction and early detection of breast cancer,” concluded O’Holleran. “By working with a team of medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, we can make the optimal treatment recommendation for patients.” For more information about Valley View’s Breast Center and the High Risk Breast Clinic, visit www.vvh.org/ valley-view-breast-center

Brigid O’Holleran, MD, courtesy photo

Check Out What’s Happening at Your Carbondale Branch Library Poets and Writers Group Sunday, May 18 at 3:30pm

Adults are invited to join us to engage in writing prompts that ignite the imagination, learn new craft strategies, and be inspired by other writers in the group.

Introduction to Tai Chi

Tuesday, May 20 at 5:30pm

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Compassionate Care: A Roundtable Discussion on Aging & End-of-Life Thursday, May 22 at 3:30pm

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In this four-part series, participants will learn the basic movements and postures of Tai Chi.

Join regional care experts for a thoughtful and interactive discussion on aging and end-of-life care.

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8 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

Conservationists raise alarm about endangered black-footed ferret ANNALISE GRUETER Sopris Sun Correspondent

The black-footed ferret is hard to find. That wasn’t always the case. The species is endemic to North America, and in the early 1900s was commonly found in the Great Plains and semi-arid grassland habitats across the American West. A century ago, the population was estimated in the millions. By the 1970s, the carnivorous rodent was already listed as endangered, and one of the first species listed in the Endangered Species Act. It was even declared extinct for almost a decade until a small population was found in Wyoming in 1981. Today, thanks to extensive conservation work, the wild population of black-footed ferrets is estimated to be between 300 and 500. Part of the issue is that the ferrets are specialized predators, shared Chamois Andersen, a representative of the conservation nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife. Black-footed ferrets primarily hunt and eat prairie dogs. The latter rodent, often considered a nuisance and in many states classified as an agricultural pest, constitutes some 98% of the ferret’s diet. Human eradication of prairie dogs has had significant effects on black-footed ferrets and other species that coexist in semi-arid ecosystems. Black-footed ferrets are “one of the most endangered species in North America,” said Andersen. Given the still precarious status of the small predators, she emphasized that conservation work with the species requires boots on the ground, program funding and personnel. “We could lose half the population in a year without federal funding,” she said. Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation advocates are making noise about the importance of the

Once prolific, less than 500 black-footed ferrets live in the wild today. The species is one of many at risk. Conservationists hope to ensure government resources for protecting the tiny predators. USFWS courtesy photo

Endangered Species Act (ESA) for individual species and their broader ecosystems. Andersen and colleagues point out that the ESA is highly effective, citing that almost all the species listed by the act as endangered have not gone extinct and that the populations of many are rebounding. Among those is the American Bald Eagle, which had plummeted to about 400 nesting pairs in the 1960s. Conservationists credit ESA approaches for helping bring the bald eagle population back into the hundreds of thousands today. “We need Congress to step up and fund the Endangered Species Act,” Andersen said when asked what human actions can help protect the black-footed ferret. “Federal cuts have serious implications for wildlife conservation”, and Defenders of Wildlife hopes to protect conservation funding in order to support countless at-risk species, healthy ecosystems and, by extension, agricultural and tourism economies. The main ferret food source, prairie dogs, are less at-risk than their predators. Of the five North American species of prairie dog, only two are listed as endangered. Yet these species have declined significantly over the last century. “We’ve lost 95% of prairie dogs across their range,” Andersen

said. Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species for prairie grassland ecosystems. “Prairie grasslands are one of the most threatened ecosystems on the continent,” Andersen explained. In fact, prairie dog connections with the habitat is a major focus of ongoing Colorado State University research. “A healthy population of prairie dogs means ferrets and other species will do well,” said Andersen. In addition to being a food source for ferrets, raptors, coyotes and other species, the rodents are a kind of landscape architect. Their tunnels create habitat for many other small and medium species, and affect soil characteristics. Andersen and her colleagues hope to encourage people to advocate for the ESA. “Our call to action is for people to contact their representatives and ask them to continue funding the ESA,” she said. They also hope more people volunteer for conservation work. “Volunteer where you can, look for opportunities in your community,” she said. Andersen also pointed out that for people concerned about prairie dogs as risks to horses or livestock, there are alternatives to poison or pellet guns. Defenders of Wildlife hopes to promote non-lethal alternatives like capture and relocation for the sake of wild ecosystems.

ACTION from page 7 American way,” said Brandon. “It’s the safest way and it’s the most effective way. There’s been research to support that.” MAI has active members in Aspen, Silt, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, New Castle and Parachute. Local leaders receive regular email updates and can tune in for a weekly Zoom call hosted by Indivisible. Apart from this, Indivisible chapters are locally led and vocal about issues significant in their area. According to Podmore these are uniting causes that reach across party lines. “We need candidates who are going to put partisan stuff aside and [prioritize] saving democracy and saving our freedoms,” said Podmore. “That doesn’t seem like a partisan issue to me … That seems like an American value that we all grew up with.” For more on Mountain Action Indivisible, visit www.mountainactionindivisible.org

UPCOMING

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THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 9

RAMS REPORT

Roaring Fork track sends quintet of athletes to 3A state championships JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent

It was all on the line for the Roaring Fork High School girls 4x800 relay team at the Montrose Invitational on Saturday, May 10. The “last chance” meet was their final shot at qualifying for the 3A State Track and Field Championships. The team, senior Isabella Moon, junior Caroline Cole, sophomore Sadie Silcox and freshman Kinley Richmond, delivered, shaving 23 seconds off their previous best time and shattering the school record yet again, clocking in at 10 minutes, 20.17 seconds to take fourth in the event. Moon anchored the relay with an impressive half-mile time of 2:27, matching her season best in the open 800 meters and vaulting the Rams relay team into the 13th state qualifying position out of 18 teams. Moon also heads to the state meet as a 3A qualifier in the 800 as the 17th seed. Her qualifying time of 2:27.72 was set at last week’s 3A Western Slope League Championships in Grand Junction on May 2. She just missed qualifying in the 1600 meters with a season-best time of 5:32.64, also at the league championships. However, Moon’s Basalt cross

country teammate, junior Addison Raymond, did make it in for the 1600, running a 5:30.07 at Montrose to ultimately claim the 18th state qualifying spot. Also headed to the state track meet for the Rams is junior Nikki Tardif, who goes as the 11th seed in the 300-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 48.83 set at the league championships; just off the school record mark. The state championships take place this Thursday, May 15 through Saturday, May 17, at JeffCo Stadium in Lakewood. The 4x800 relay is set to run Thursday afternoon, Tardif will be in the 300 hurdle prelims Friday morning, and Moon runs the 800 Friday afternoon.

Soccer, lacrosse playoffs Meanwhile, the Roaring Fork girls soccer and lacrosse teams each won their opening state playoff games last week before falling in the second round on Saturday, May 10. Entering the 4A playoffs as the No. 7 seed and earning a first-round bye among 24 teams, Roaring Fork lacrosse defeated No. 10 Mullen at home in the second round, 12-4, and fell in

10 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

the quarterfinals to No. 2 Green Mountain on Saturday, 20-7. Points leader for the Rams against Mullen was senior Hailey Wolfe with eight, and versus Green Mountain it was Wolfe and junior Jordyn Miller with four each. The team finished at 12-5 overall and had its best regular season ever, graduating seven seniors: Wolfe, Ella Gunning, Josie McKinley, Meredith Gardey, Ana Aguilar, Claire Gillen and Lilu Illouz. “I am super proud of our squad,” head coach Drew Kitchell said, reflecting on the season. “Our defense really stepped up towards the end of the season and held a tough Front Range team in Mullen and several other strong outings.” Wolfe set a new high points record for the program with 91 on the season, and McKinley set a new goals record with 73. Gunning, the team goalie, had a whopping 224 saves. “We should have several players who make the All League squad and perhaps All State,” Kitchell said. “It was super gratifying for me as many of the kids who were on the squad I have coached since they were young, so it was a special season to graduate kids that I have coached

Roaring Fork Ram seniors were recognized ahead of the home game versus Aspen on May 7, including Cole Fenton who was awarded this year’s Trent Goscha Memorial Scholarship, $2,700 in honor of Goscha’s jersey number. Fenton also received a $1,000 scholarship from the American Legion and signed on to play baseball at Mesa Community College in Arizona during a ceremony at the high school on May 14. Fenton is pictured here with Goshcha’s parents, Mike and Jayme. Photo by James Steindler

since the fifth or sixth grade.” The 3A soccer playoffs saw the Rams enter as the 19th seed out of 32 teams, when they upended No. 14 Montezuma-Cortez 8-2 in Cortez on May 8. They bowed out in the second round with a Saturday loss at No. 3 Delta, 6-0. Goals against MontezumaCortez came from sophomore Riley Bevington (four), senior Carley Crownhart (three) and senior Maddie Anderson (one). Roaring Fork finished at 8-6-3 overall on the season, and graduated nine varsity seniors.

Baseball Roaring Fork’s baseball team concluded the season by splitting a pair of games with 3A WSL rival Aspen, losing 16-7 at home on Wednesday, May 7, and winning on the road 10-0 on Saturday, May 10. The Rams concluded the season at 7-16 overall, as senior Cole Fenton was named as the Rams’ Trent Goscha Player of the Year on senior night. In addition to Fenton, the Rams baseball team graduates seniors Westin Sherman, Ethan Gardiner, Teo Manconi, Josiah Wheeless and Matt Fischer.

First-ever Colorado Youth Climate Summit hosted in Carbondale LOU GALL Youth Correspondent

From May 2 to 3, Wild Rose Education, the Carbondale-based environmental education and action organization, hosted Colorado’s first-ever youth climate summit, bringing together 75 young people from across the state to the Third Street Center. During the two-day summit, students from the Front Range to Durango, and nearly everywhere in between, partook in activities and worked alongside their peers to develop climate action plans to tackle the world-wide crisis from within their own communities. On the first day, youth gathered information regarding climate change and participated in hands-on activities and workshops that helped create a better understanding and what’s already being done. Young people from a couple of different Colorado communities presented on successful projects they were involved with, showing their peers that what they do matters. As the summit continued, youth-led discussions and presentations of past and present climate action plans took place. A few examples included: creating schoolwide composting, climate-friendly pest control and more accessible public transport. A step-by-step method helped guide the youth in developing their own action plans. At the end of the summit, various community-based groups were asked to

e th

present their action plans and explain what the initial steps towards implementation would look like. Rylan Jaramillo, a student from Silverton — a very small town north of Durango — who attended along with her entire high school, spoke to the importance of continuing the summit. “I think it’ll make a big impact and more and more people will come because young people have voices and want to be heard,” she said. Throughout the summit, this sentiment was shared, and there was a collective hope for future sessions. “The hope is that this is the first launch of a Colorado Youth Climate Summit program, and that there will be a Youth Climate Summit for years to come,” Sarah Johnson, founder of Wild Rose Education, said during a Sopris Sun interview on KDNK Community Access Radio. Johnson explained that the first goal she suggested to the kids at the summit was to make at least one new friend. “What the world needs is more connections,” she said. “I think that we accomplished that in a really big way.” Participating in the summit could also lead students to achieve Colorado’s Seal of Climate Literacy, codified in the Colorado legislature in 2024. One of the requirements for the seal is to complete an experiential project, explained Johnson, which the

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Youth discussed the future of the planet and developed plans to counter climate change in their home towns during the inaugural Colorado Youth Climate Summit hosted at the Third Street Center. Photo by Lou Gall

climate action plans can grow into. Some of the youth-developed action plans included convincing school districts to opt into offering the Seal of Climate Literacy, building school gardens, getting rid of styrofoam in lunchrooms and more. Kenzie Jackson, a student from Yampa Valley High School, shared her thoughts on what the summit offered. “It gives younger people a bigger perspective on what we can do.” She added, “It’s now or never.” Speakers shared their work on climate action, each of whom drove home the importance of “intergenerational climate action” — which begins by including the youth. One of the facilitators from Lyra, an education organization with a focus on climate based in Denver, Elizabeth

Harbaugh, put it this way: “We are in a moment where young people are being told that they are the generation that needs to make the change, and we’re not always giving them the tools they need to make it.” By creating an opening for a youth perspective within the climate action community a whole new level is achieved that includes innovative ideas from Generation Z. This helps tackle emission problems at the root and carves a path for the climate activists of tomorrow. “We’re on a mission to make the world a better place, together,” concluded Johnson. To listen to the radio interview, visit www.kdnk.org/podcast/ everything-under-the-sun

SOPRIS SUN YOUTH JOURNALISM PROGRAM Starting next school year, The Sopris Sun’s youth journalism program will roll out The Sopris Stars section of the newspaper, where all content generated by its high school interns will be placed beneath a banner complete with this logo, designed by intern Arthur Cherith. High schoolers are invited to join The Sopris Stars team starting this September. Interns learn from professionals in the industry and are paid a stipend for each piece of content they have published in the paper — gaining professional experience in the trade. Starting next semester, Roaring Fork School District students will be eligible to receive class credits through its Work Based Learning curriculum.

THE SOPRIS SUN IS YOUR WEEKLY NONPROFIT NEWSPAPER. Please consider a donation to help support this youth journalism program at www.soprissun.com THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 11

CALENDAR

Send your scuttlebutt to news@soprissun.com

THURSDAY, MAY 15

TEACHER APPRECIATION Local teachers are invited to sip wine and spin clay with Matt Johnson and the Carbondale Clay Center from 5 to 7:30pm. This event is free for teachers on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration: www.bit.ly/May16CCC

CAREGIVER SELF-CARE A free caregiver self-care event takes place at the Garfield County Administrative Building in Rifle (195 West 14th Street) in the Grand Valley Room (210) from 10am to noon with a keynote by mental health specialist Meghan Backofen, followed by lunch and pampering.

30th Birthday Bash! Celebrate 30 years with us with great discounts for you! 15% OFF ALL PET FOODS 30% OFF STOREWIDE

MAY 24 & 25 400 E Valley Rd #I-K, Next to City Market in El Jebel (970) 963-1700 Mon - Fri 09:00 AM - 06:30 PM Sat - Sun 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM

BOOK CLUB The Third Thursday Book Club discusses “Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson at the Carbondale Library from 2 to 3:30pm. CARE FOR CAREGIVERS True Nature continues its Care for Caregivers monthly support series from 5 to 6:30pm. Find details and registration at www.truenaturehealingarts.com POSTCARD PROJECT Middle and high school students create multi-media postcards for Heritage Senior Living residents, connecting the often disassociated generations, at the Basalt Library from 4 to 5:30pm. More details at www.basaltlibrary.org BREAD BAKE The Carbondale Community Oven behind the Third Street Center hosts a Bread Potluck at 5:30pm. Bring a dish to share and happy bakers will provide homemade bread fresh out of the wood-fired oven. Search “Carbondale Community Oven” on Facebook for more details. SPEAKEASY Lynn Aliya leads a public speaking workshop, incorporating her Speakeasy Method and complete with cocktails (and mocktail options) provided by Marble Distillery, at the Basalt Library from 5:30 to 7pm. Bring an ID if you plan to imbibe. More details at www.basaltlibrary.org 350 ROARING FORK 350 Roaring Fork screens “Water is Love: Ripples of Regeneration,” a documentary about a youth camp which learned that managing water cycles can lead to climate restoration, at the Carbondale Library at 5:30. REPOTTING 101 Leslie Buettner guides a repotting workshop at the Botany Houseplant Shop from 6 to 7:30pm. Register at www. botanyhouseplantshop.com FUNDRAISING RUN Independence Run & Hike invites you to support three local runners and their fundraisers for the Chicago Marathon with a 5K fun run beginning at Mountain Heart Brewing, 1841 Dolores Way, at 6:30pm. MOVIE NIGHT KDNK screens “The Commitments” at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm. “Featuring a triple-platinum soundtrack, the classic cult comedy-drama of a ragtag soul band in ‘80s Dublin comes back to the big screen!” TRTC Thunder River Theatre Company’s production of “These Shining Lives” concludes this weekend with shows at 7:30pm Thursday to Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. Find tickets at www.thunderrivertheatre.com

FRIDAY, MAY 16

Don’t miss out Come celebrate with us! 12 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

PEACE GARDEN Help wake up True Nature’s Peace Garden from 10am to noon. Register at www.truenaturehealingarts.com ALL-AGES DANCE PARTY Kids, parents, grandparents — one and all — are invited to an intergenerational dance party at the Basalt Library from 4 to 5pm.

SNIFFING THREATS Roaring Fork Conservancy presents “Dogs Are ‘Sniffing Out’ Threats to Rivers,” sharing how dogs are being trained to protect aquatic ecosystems, at 22800 Two Rivers Road from 5 to 6:30pm. Register for free at www.roaringfork.org/events TRAIL RUNNING FILMS Independence Run & Hike hosts the Trail Running Film Festival as part of its family-friendly Mt. Sopris Run-Off weekend. Doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm. ROARING FORK RISING The Wheeler Opera House’s Roaring Fork Rising series, highlighting local talent, kicks off with Emery Major and David Uhlfelder at 7pm. Find tickets at www. aspenshowtix.com CRYSTAL THEATRE The Crystal Theatre shows “The Penguin Lessons” at 7pm tonight and tomorrow. “The Ballad of Wallis Island” returns for a Sunday show at 5pm. “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning” opens May 23. EDIE CAREY Steve’s Guitars presents Edie Carey performing at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net NATALIE SPEARS Catch a performance of “Hymn of Wild Things” by Natalie Spears, backed by a string quintet, at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SATURDAY, MAY 17

CRMS PLANT SALE Colorado Rocky Mountain School hosts its annual plant sale from 9am to 3pm today and tomorrow. BYOBox to fill with goodies. To preview the plant list, visit www.crms.org/plantsale KIDS SAFETY FAIR Valley View Hospital hosts its annual Kids Safety Fair — featuring fire and water safety tutorials, a bike rodeo and more — from 10am to noon at its upper parking lot. More details at www.tinyurl.com/VVKidSafety RUEDI RESERVOIR Ruedi Reservoir is scheduled to open today after the typical May 1 opening date was delayed due to maintenance at the boat ramp. Boat inspections, available at the boat ramp, are required to help prevent the spread of zebra and quagga mussels. UPLIFT HeadQuarters and Roaring Fork CrossFit team up for a physical and mental wellness workout at 9am at 23400 Two Rivers Road #46, Basalt. Register online at headq.org/support/events OPEN GREENHOUSE Mountain Valley Developmental Services welcomes the community to tour its greenhouse with a picnic party from 11am to 1pm at 700 Mt. Sopris Drive, Glenwood Springs. An on-site plant sale will begin at 9am. MARBLE MUSEUM Help move items from the Marble Historical Society’s museum to a temporary home across the street from 9am to 3pm. Email srichingsgermain@gunnisonschools.net to learn more. PLANTING PARTY Bee Friendly Carbondale welcomes the

‘RIGHT TO READ’ The Rifle Library hosts“It’s Your Right to Read: A Conversation with Jamie LaRue on the Organized Ambush Against Libraries” at 7pm.

TUESDAY, MAY 20

BLOOD DRIVE Vitalant and the Chris Klug Foundation partner with Basalt Regional Library to bring the bloodmobile to town from 11am to 3pm. Sign up for a slot at donors. vitalant.org GUIDE TO AGING Debby Sutherland and Kappe Stutsman from the Garfield County Older Adult Program offer an informative presentation and mini fitness demonstration at Sopris Lodge at 2pm. The 4th annual Shining Mountains Pow Wow takes place at Aspen High School May 24-25 in loving memory of Anuk Lloyd Bald Eagle, founder of the Aspen Pow Wow and Shining Mountains Film Festival. Find details at www.aspenaif.org Courtesy photo

PAWS TO READ Young readers, from kindergarten to fifth grade, are invited to practice reading with a four-legged friend with 15-minute slots at the Carbondale Library beginning at 3:30pm. To register, call 970-963-2889.

community to help plant a pollinator garden at the Thompson House Garden (301 Lewies Lane) from 10am to 2pm today and tomorrow. Both days will include a potluck!

GRIEF AND FAITH A Spiritual Center welcomes Sean Jeung for a conversation on what grief teaches us about faith, from 10 to 11:30am at the Third Street Center (Room 31).

PRIMARY CARE The Valley Health Alliance hosts an informative event at the Wheeler Opera House to help you maximize your primary care experience from 3:30 to 5pm.

PEN & THE PETAL True Nature offers a creative garden design workshop with Laura Kirk and Megan Miller from 10am to 4pm. Registration is at www.truenaturehealingarts.com

JOHN SEIDEL A celebration of life for John Seidel, a long-time resident of Carbondale, commences at 2pm at the Old Thompson Barn in RVR.

TEEN BOARD GAMES Basalt Library hosts a monthly tabletop and board game night for high schoolers from 4 to 6pm.

STEPPING STONES Calling all pickleball enthusiasts! Stepping Stones is hosting a spirited tournament at the Young-Calaway Alpine Bank Courts in Carbondale beginning at 11am. Find all the details and register a team at givebutter.com/xJ7wxi

GIRLS ON BIKES Roaring Fork Cycling invites middle school girls to experience the joy of mountain biking at Crown Mountain Park from 3 to 5pm. This is the first of four opportunities offered over the summer. Bikes are available to borrow and the cost is free with registration at www.roaringforkcycling.org/ girls-on-bikes

BACKCOUNTRY SYMPOSIUM TACAW hosts a free backcountry symposium in partnership with Aspen Public Radio from 11am to 5pm, including a resource fair, panel discussions and more. Register online at www.tacaw.org ASPEN POLYNESIA Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Month with Dance Initiative and Aspen Polynesia offering a free Tahitian dance class at The Launchpad from 5:30 to 6:30pm followed by a performance at 7pm. Registration is at www.danceinitiative.org SOPRIS SISTERS The Sopris Sisters perform folk music at the Wheeler Opera House with Rai Omri opening at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com 5 POINT ENCORE Relive 5 Point with an encore screening of this year’s favorite films at TACAW at 7:30pm, complete with special guests and a gear giveaway. Tickets at www.tacaw.org ANGEL CORSI Angel Corsi performs at Steve’s Guitars with special guest Mugsy Fay at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

SUNDAY, MAY 18

SOPRIS RUN-OFF Independence Run & Hike’s Mt. Sopris Run-Off 25k and 10-miler races begin at Flying Dog Ranch at 8am and conclude with a party at Rock Bottom Ranch. Find registration details www.mtsoprisrunoff.com MOTHERHOOD SHIFT Lindsay Gurley guides a workshop for working mothers to rediscover their identities from 9:30am to 1pm. Registration is at www.truenaturehealingarts.com

BIKE-IN MOVIE Celebrate the kick-off to Bonedale Bike Week with a screening of “Building Off the Grid” featuring local legends Aaron Humphrey, Darin Binion, Steve Novy and the Stomparillaz at the Third Street Center from 4 to 9pm. Drink sales will benefit the Carbondale Bike Project. RECOVERY BREATHWORK David Cowles leads a ceremonial breathwork session, a nourishing reset for the body and mind, at The Meeting Place in Carbondale at 4pm. For a list of regular recovery meetings, visit www.meetingplacecarbondale.org MORE BREATHWORK Allison Alexander guides a breathwork session at True Nature from 6 to 7:30pm. Register at www.truenaturehealingarts.com ECSTATIC DANCE Join Alya Howe for a guided ecstatic dance at 13 Moons Ranch (6334 Highway 133) from 6 to 8pm.

MONDAY, MAY 19

BONEDALE BIKE WEEK Enjoy free coffee, tea, hot chocolate and breakfast snacks at 4th and Main from 7 to 9am all week in celebration of commuting via bicycle.

SPOKE’N WORD Join Bonedale Bike Week at Ragged Mountain Sports for a bike-themed poetry contest starting at 6:30pm. The party gets rolling at 6pm with drinks and snacks. Bring your own chair.

CONCENTRIC RECOVERY The Concentric Recovery group, which combines physical practice with promptbased discussion and connection around the central questions of addiction and recovery, meets for its monthly rendezvous at True Nature from 5:30 to 6:45pm.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21

STEM The Aspen Science Center invites kids ages 5 to 11 and their families to enjoy hands-on STEM activities at the Basalt Library every third Wednesday from 2:30 to 3:30pm. MARACA MAKING Join The Art Base at the Basalt Library f or a free bilingual maraca-making workshop for youth and teens from 2:30 to 4pm. KIDS’ BIKE EXTRAVAGANZA Bonedale Bike Week and YewFlow host kids’ pump track time trials at Carbondale’s North Face Bike Park with registration beginning at 3:30pm. The time trials will begin with strider riders ages 3 and under at 4:15, followed by ages 3 to 5 at 4:30pm, pedal bikers 5 and under at 4:35pm, pedal bikers 6 to 7 at 4:45pm, ages 8 to 10 at 5pm, 10 and up at 5:15pm. From 5:30 to 7pm there will be a bike cleaning station, a skills course, pizza and snacks and a jump jam for advanced riders (contact andrew@ yewflow.com to participate). BIOGRAPHICAL APPS Strengthen your intergenerational connections as you learn to use an autobiographical app to document and tell your personal story with a lesson at the Basalt Library from 5 to 6pm.

At Unitarian Universalist congregations, we celebrate spiritual curiosity and honor many paths to truth.

In times of personal or collective turmoil, poetry can be a lifeline— offering clarity, comfort, and the courage to continue. This Sunday, we explore the resilience and beauty found in language, and how poets help us navigate uncertainty with grace, grit, and wonder.

Speaker: Florence Caplow Music by Micha & Paul

Sunday at 10 AM Third Street Center

SIX AT THE BEACH Bonedale Bike Week invites you to don your best beach attire and mosey on over to the Third Street Center at 6pm. This inaugural event will conclude with a bonfire at SAW beginning at 8pm.

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 13

CARBONDALE REPORT

Undergrounding powerlines tops Tuesday’s agenda RALEIGH BURLEIGH Sopris Sun Editor

After a couple of weeks without a meeting, the Carbondale trustees returned to a packed agenda. All were in attendance minus Colin Laird. The approved consent agenda included meeting minutes from April 22, event permits for the Carbondale Bike Project and Thunder River Theatre Company, liquor license renewals for Beijin Tokyo and Izakaya, outdoor seating for Phat Thai, accounts payable, plus a diving board, climbing wall and volleyball nets for the new pool at $114,586, a $27,580 maintenance contract with The Jump Doctors for the North Face Bike Park this summer and, lastly, appointment of Sam Koebrich to the Environmental Board. Doug Goldsmith was also appointed to the Environmental Board after some discussion given his employment with Mountain Waste & Recycling, the sole company responsible for trash hauling within town limits. Matt Gworek’s application to remain on the Bike, Pedestrian and Trails Commission was also briefly discussed. Both were approved. For general public comments, Fred Porter recommended the Town get ahead of potential noise complaints once heat pumps are installed at the new aquatics center. Patrick Hunter suggested forming local improvement districts to fund updates along 133 and also collecting sales tax on short-term mini-storage rentals. A third commenter requested something be done to address Xfinity outages affecting hundreds of customers due to underground equipment needing replacement at 8th and Main. During trustee comments, Christina Montemayor spoke about the Latino

Students of the month (left to right): Yhoenni Candela, Teagan Rice, Valentina Baez, Yahir Rosales Bernal, Christian De Booy. Not pictured: Michael Cisneros Hernandez. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

Advisory Board meeting on May 5 with attendance by many residents of the Mountain Valley Mobile Home Park. Of note, Town Manager Lauren Gister informed the trustees it was discovered a deed restriction requires that property remain a mobile home park “into perpetuity” when it changes hands. Other trustee comments included many accolades for Dandelion Day and the Town’s recycling event over the weekend. Ross Kribbs announced that the Public Arts Commission recommended approval for bringing Bill Morrow’s “Insane-A-Cycle” — a large sculpture which long stood near the Roaring Fork Valley Coop — back to Carbondale as a donation. Moving along to action items, trustees approved the purchase of a skid loader for

$76,643 using surplus funds from $400,000 budgeted for the replacement of a motor grader which cost less than anticipated, for a nice change of pace. Trustees again met with Joe Farstad, mountain region vice president at Wember, for an aquatics center update. Farstad presented updated documents and addressed trustee questions. Brian Froelich, a Rec Department employee with experience managing pools, made the case for underwater lighting and exterior lights, saying they will be necessary for an extended season and occasional nighttime activities. Kribbs asked that neighbors be approached regarding the idea for afterdark hours at the new pool. Trustee then approved a $200,000 contract with re:LAND to complete

construction documents for redevelopment of Chacos Park and the 4th Street Plaza. Dan Bullock, chair of the Tree Board, made it known he felt public outreach was insufficient with a 50% design presented only to the trustees and Parks and Rec Commission, instead of all boards and commissions. Parks and Rec Director Eric Brendlinger contested this, saying, “We had a 14-month process.” The project will proceed beginning with the undergrounding of utilities using a dedicated Xcel Energy fund which allocates 1% of gross electric revenues from Carbondale customers toward that purpose. Along those lines, Chester White, owner of a new restaurant being built at 522 Highway 133, returned to request an amendment to project approval documents which had the restaurant spending $272,000 toward undergrounding utilities in the vicinity. White since learned from Xcel Energy this would be more complicated and costly than previously indicated, approximating an estimated $1 million. He and his team argued the Unified Development Code requiring the undergrounding of utilities is not feasible in this instance. As an alternative, they offered to dedicate $186,000 toward undergrounding utilities along that portion of Highway 133 with a 10-year sunset clause, covering the estimated cost for their section should the Town proceed with all the additional work required to make it possible. With the exception of the sunset clause, the trustees accepted. Lastly, trustees had brief discussions about housing for Town employees and the search process for a new town manager. Next Thursday, May 22, the board will narrow a pool of applicants down to four finalists who will be invited to visit Carbondale and meet the public.

BASALT REPORT

Divided council passes short-term rental fee WILL BUZZERD Sopris Sun Correspondent

Over the past two months, Basalt Town Council has been discussing a hotly contested ordinance that would establish a fee on short-term rentals (STRs) in order to generate funding to address the affordable housing crisis in Basalt. After several public hearings and despite continued pushback from the community, as well as divided outlooks among council members, the final vote was 4-3 in favor of the ordinance. The ordinance establishes a $2,532 per-bedroom annual fee for STR operators. This value was determined through an economic report written by contractor Economic and Planning Systems. The report measured STR guest spending, how that spending supports local employees and the gap between the cost of housing and what local employees can afford. The

$2,532 figure is 50% of the maximum fee that could be charged for STRs, according to the report. Until this ordinance, the Town of Basalt only charged a licensing and inspection fee adding up to a $460 annual cost. Of the many Basalt citizens who have participated in public hearings, most have voiced their opposition to the ordinance. Many have argued that a flat, per-bedroom fee has a disproportionate impact on more affordable STR rental properties. Another argument is that STRs enable property owners to live in Basalt. . At previous public hearings, Council has vigorously debated the fee, proposing to reduce the cost of the fee or abandoning it altogether and opting for other affordable housing strategies instead. Other proposed

14 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

strategies included increased lodging and sales taxes to spread the burden of the affordable housing crisis among all Basalt residents and visitors. Councilor Angèle Duprè-

cannot support it.” Duprè-Butchart instead proposed lower fees and more comprehensive strategies for affordable housing, such as higher sales and lodging taxes. Councilor Angela Anderson argued that opposition to the ordinance makes up a very small proportion of Basalt residents. “Debating the comfort of a small group that is able to earn money from their assets at the expense of many who earn a living with their labor … is what special interest lobbying looks like,” she stated. “When we say that the cost of this ordinance is too high, who is it too high for?” Councilor Ryan Slack, while acknowledging that he voted yes on the ordinance the past two sessions, argued that more comprehensive, broader measures need to be taken beyond the STR fee that do not put Basalt community members at risk. He ended up voting against the ordinance.

If this ordinance harms even one current, long-time local homeowner and forces them to be in a financially precarious position where they have to consider selling their home … I cannot support it. - Angèle Duprè-Butchart, Basalt Town Council Butchart took a hard line against it. “If this ordinance harms even one current, long-time local homeowner and forces them to be in a financially precarious position where they have to consider selling their home … I

Councilor Richard Stevens agreed with Slack and DuprèButchart and argued that other measures should be considered to address housing instead of acting too hastily on the STR fee. Stevens instead supported a $750 fee or lower, and higher lodging taxes. He voted against the ordinance. “I don’t think there’s a policy that would create affordable housing that doesn’t land on someone,” said councilor Hannah Berman, who emphasized her own running platform to support affordable housing projects in Basalt. She voted for the ordinance. Councilor Dieter Schindler kept his statement brief. “The movement here needs to be bold,” he said. “We are trying to address the indirect costs of STRs in our community,” said Mayor David Knight. “Right now, we are all paying those costs every single day, vis-à-vis people sleeping in cars, mental health ... How much is connected to housing? It’s staggering.”

GARFIELD COUNTY REPORT

Positive library vibes, landfill gas, wolf study confusion AMY HADDEN MARSH Soris Sun Correspondent

The best recipe for a short meeting is a short agenda, and that’s just what the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) served up on Monday. But, first the public comments. John Mallonee of the Garfield County Library District Board of Trustees offered an update on general library news, making it clear that he was not representing the board. He pointed to the Glenwood Springs Post Independent Locals’ Choice award of top librarian that went to library director Jamie LaRue with New Castle branch librarian Ana Gaytan as a finalist. “These Locals’ Choice awards matter,” he said. The district was also a finalist for Best Customer Service (non-restaurant) and for the summer reading program. Mallonee continued with an update about library trustees. “We have four new trustees,” he explained. “We’re working to gel. We’re learning about each other and trying to enable the communication that is required to have debate.” Mallonee said that library finances are in good shape. He added that the Parachute and New Castle branches are undergoing construction but remain open for patrons. He said refurbishing projects are set for all six branches. The BOCC approved the consent agenda and awarded grant requests for the Glenwood Springs Historical Society, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra, Bookcliffs Council on the Arts and Humanities and the Glenwood Springs Chamber Foundation at $5,000 each. The CMC Foundation

received $2,500. Karla Distel, executive director of Community Counts (CC), a nonprofit that has been connecting residents with the oil and gas industry for two decades, requested $3,000 for annual support. “Our main function is we coordinate a hotline that any individual can call and reach one of our operators immediately for concern or a question,” she explained. The hotline number is 866-442-9034. Hotline activity has dropped in recent years, reflecting the decrease in natural gas production. “Previously we had been asking for $10,000 a year in funding,“ she said. But for the past two years and again this year, the ask is $3,000. Commissioners approved her request. Next up, commissioners approved Danell Kelly as a new Garfield County Housing Authority board member. She will complete two years of a previous board member’s term. Dave Roberts was approved for another five-year term. The BOCC also approved $428,826 for the annual operational supplement funding agreement between Garfield County and the Colorado State University Extension Office for staffing and operations. They took a first look at the county budget calendar with all kinds of deadlines until the final budget presentation in October.

County landfill methane capture The state Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) is scheduled for a rulemaking in August about reducing methane pollution from municipal solid waste landfills. This comes from the state health department’s

April proposal. It’s all a part of the state’s efforts to reduce methane gas releases. Deputy county manager Bentley Henderson and county landfill manager Deb Fiscus want to have what’s called “party status” with the state to participate in the rulemaking. On Monday, they asked the BOCC to authorize that request, which was granted. Henderson said that landfills contribute about 1.2% of all methane released in the state. “[The AQCC is] creating rules around how that can be managed at the individual landfill level,” he explained, adding that methane monitoring and capture infrastructure could be a big financial lift for local governments — up to an estimated $3 million at the county landfill, according to Henderson.

$60,000 for a grey wolf study? Commissioners were unsure about spending $60,000 for a wolf study that County Manager Fred Jarman said they had already instructed staff to pursue. It is unclear when the BOCC directed the staff to do so; although it may have come out of an executive session.

“You were interested in obtaining some professional expertise both on the biology of the reintroduction as well as the socio-economic impacts to the county,” Jarman explained. “The point of this is to capture your intent on what you had asked us to provide for you so we can kick this project off.” He added that he and county attorney Heather Beattie have begun work on it and presented what he called Part One — two scoping documents for a biologist and economist, outlining the needs and purpose of their services. He explained that the study would give the BOCC hard facts to back up their concerns. Information on impacts from wolf reintroduction would come from other places in the West that are similar to Garfield County to see if those impacts could happen here. The BOCC seemed unprepared to move forward with the study. Commissioner Mike Samson questioned what the second step would be. Beattie said, “I think we’ve discussed a second step in an executive session, right?” No word about what that second step might be. The discussion was tabled without a vote.

RFTA REPORT

CEO shares internal reports and responds to public comment ANNALISE GRUETER Sopris Sun Correspondent

The May 8 Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) board meeting focused on presenting results from internal monitoring reports and updates. The meeting was hosted at its usual location: Carbondale Town Hall, with some attendees online. RFTA CEO Kurt Ravenschlag presented several internal reporting methods for tracking how well the organization interacts with the public and staff. Resolutions 2025-19 and 20 detail goals for how employees relate with, and are perceived by, riders and fellow staff. Resolution 2025-19 focuses on whether the public feels safe and comfortable using RFTA services and facilities. According to Ravenschlag’s report, annual monitoring indicates that the organization is in compliance with these objectives. Resolution 2025-20 focuses on internal safety and comfort. Its main objectives are to ensure a safe work environment for all RFTA employees and verify that staff are well trained and informed on regional emergency response plans. As with the previous resolution, internal monitoring indicates that RFTA is in compliance. For the final section of the consent

With spring moving quickly into summer, WeCycle locations are opening back up throughout the valley. Courtesy photo

agenda, Director of Finance Paul Hamilton presented a resolution authorizing the CEO and financial delegates to open a new account at Alpine Bank. This is in response to a recommendation from the bank to close the organization’s old general account, which has been open since 2005, and replace it with a new general account. Ravenschlag, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Michael Yang

and Hamilton will have authorization status for this account and RFTA’s payroll and short-term investment accounts. Ravenschlag responded to public concerns expressed during the April board meeting. In April, bus operator Edward Anderson stepped forward on behalf of colleagues to raise concerns about a safety metric: the AlertMeter test, which drivers must take at the beginning of shifts.

Anderson shared that the test does not accurately assess cognitive awareness or account for people who may be poor test takers but reliable drivers. “Fatigue is one of the major concerns amongst commercially licensed drivers, and a number of new technologies have been developed to help battle fatigue amongst safety sensitive jobs,” said Ravenschlag. “For certain job classifications, RFTA has implemented the AlertMeter fit-for-duty system to help employees and RFTA detect and respond to potential situations where an employee may be experiencing difficulty with alertness or distraction due to fatigue, medical conditions, illness, emotional stress, the influence of drugs or alcohol or other reasons.” However, Ravenschlag emphasized that the AlertMeter is not a medical test and that it is not intended to be used as a disciplinary measure. “It is only designed to detect if an employee is performing outside of a baseline alertness range that is individual to each employee and based on the employee’s past AlertMeter results,” Ravenschlag said. If a result flags attention, the intent is to create an opportunity for a supervisor or manager to check with continued on page 18

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 15

aspenvalleyhealth.org

For you. For life. Welcome to Aspen Valley Health. For over a century, we have been focused on what truly matters most—your health and the wellbeing of our community. Today, we remain a community-supported, not-for-profit healthcare system, and we are proud to unveil our new name, symbolizing our steadfast commitment to providing comprehensive, whole-person healthcare that is accessible to all in the Roaring Fork Valley. To our staff, this promise is only made possible by your talent and compassion for others in our times of need. We express our sincere gratitude and commend you for your unwavering commitment to patient care, empathy and excellence in service. Your expertise is invaluable and greatly enriches the quality of life we all cherish in this beautiful place we call home. Please join us in honoring the everyday heroes at Aspen Valley Health, and all medical professionals in our community, during this year’s National Hospital Week celebrations, May 11-17. Together, we can show our appreciation and let them know that they touch countless lives—including our own!

16 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

OBITUARY

Judy Merritt Pratt Welch April 28, 1930 - March 14, 2025

Blake Novy in the namesake role of last year’s Summer Stock production of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Courtesy photo

SoL’s summer stock sets the social stage MYKI JONES Arts Correspondent

SoL Theatre Company is preparing to showcase a slew of summer productions. The youth theater nonprofit, which hosts multiple camps and other programming throughout the year, will produce Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins,” John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “Cabaret” and Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s “The Sound of Music,” all of which involve themes of resistance in the face of oppression, societal unrest, freedom and the condition of the human spirit when faced with threats to life and human rights. According to Jennifer Austin Hughes, executive director of SoL, these production choices were made at the end of the 2024 summer stock season. Though all the shows have very charged themes surrounding political topics — with “Assassins” telling the stories of six infamous assassins and the motivations behind their actions, and “Cabaret,” and “The Sound of Music” playing out the rise of fascism in Nazi Germany — the productions were already on the company’s radar well before the current political climate. “We’re really excited about everything we’ve selected,” affirmed Hughes, “but it ended up feeling like we were choosing these pieces in response to the political climate. It’s not beneficial or bad, it’s just what happened.” “Cabaret,” she said, has been a dream show to direct for SoL’s summer artistic director, Luke Ryan, who will be choreographing in addition to directing. “The Sound of Music” has been a highly requested show from past and current participants which also brings together adult and youth performers. “[It’s] a show that my kids and even some of my adults have been asking to do for years,” Hughes explained. “We’re not displeased with the fact that we’ve got a summer that is responding a little bit to the temperature of things right now, which is something I believe theater has a responsibility to do.” Hughes maintains that theaters have a responsibility not only to storytelling but to use storytelling as a vehicle to shine light on current issues, enlightening new

perspectives and delivering those messages in a safe environment. “I don’t think it is only the responsibility of a theater company, and I don’t think it’s a theater company’s only responsibility, but I do think in the world that we’re living in currently, it is the responsibility of theater to educate, to enlighten and to show maybe a perspective that you hadn’t thought of before,” Hughes continued. “Also, to humanize issues that have been dehumanized in the public eye. Maybe giving an opportunity for someone in a dark theater to hear an opinion that is different than theirs, and safely absorb that information.” Each of these productions has had separate runs in different theaters in the Roaring Fork Valley. Discussing what SoL intends to do to make their renditions of these classics stand out, Hughes said it is by bringing a sense of community to the stage and inviting audiences to share in that. “The sense of community that ends up happening within our casts is so integral to what we do,” she said. “I think the thing that I am most proud about is that we still primarily cast our entire summer from local actors, which is our goal. This includes local former students who have gone away and are now working in this industry.” One of these local talents is Maura Fawley, who now lives in Chicago and recently wrapped up filming for Northrup Studio’s “Aspen Christmas Conspiracy.” She will join the cast of “Cabaret” as the leading lady, Sally Bowles. Hughes looks forward to challenging and empowering her casts and students with these shows and continuing the work of SoL’s junior programs. The elementary performance, costume and tech camps for “Peter Pan Jr.” take place June 9-27 and are all already sold out, but slots are still available for the middle/high school camps for “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” taking place July 14 to Aug. 3. “Those who come out to audition are doing it because they want to make a difference, and if being in a show, even with a small part, and performing is how they can do that, then that’s the peak,” Hughes shared. For show dates, to donate or to get involved, visit www.soltheatrecompany.org

Judy Merritt Pratt Welch of Carbondale, Colorado, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2025, at Heritage Park. Judy was born April 28, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois to Colonel Merritt Pratt and Juanita (Mitchell) Pratt. Judy was married to the late Walter Welch for almost 40 years before his passing in 1997. They were both members of Sports Car Club of America in the 1950s and at one of the race car rallies, Walter found himself without a navigator. A friend introduced him to Judy. They won the race and the rest, as they say, is history. They moved to Carbondale in 1972 from their home in Des Moines, Iowa. Judy became an active member of the community; she volunteered at the Near New in Carbondale and the Aspen Thrift Store, she was a volunteer at Mountain Fair, a contributing member of the Thunder River Theatre Company, sat on the board of the Colorado Rocky Mountain School, was a member of the Rebekah’s and was once named Carbondale’s “Woman of the Year.” In addition, she became an accomplished interior designer at Walter Welch Interiors. She is survived by her two children, Tod Welch of Carbondale and Dana Welch of Denver, and their respective spouses, Bonnie Welch and Zaher Bou Hassoun. She is survived by her two granddaughters, Morgan Welch (Mark Pinter) and Kaitlyn Welch (Ryan Moreau) and her great granddaughter, Makiya Moreau. She is also survived by additional family of her choosing: Cathy Crenshaw of Cedaredge, Joshua Thompson of Lyons, the Iannios Family of Marble and the sister she never had, Emma Danciger, of Carbondale. Everyone who knew Judy knew about her love of books and art. Donations can be made to the Wish You Well Foundation that supports adult and family literacy in the United States, www.wishyouwellfoundation.org, or to your local library.

Edie Carey brings comforting songs to Steve’s Guitars MYKI JONES Arts Correspondent

On May 16, singer-songwriter Edie Carey will make her Steve’s Guitars debut as she performs in Carbondale for the first time. Based in Colorado Springs and having been influenced by a plethora of singer-songwriters in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois, Carey brings a sound all her own to the genre of folk which is sure to help those listening find comfort in a world that seems so chaotic. “I never feel like a song is truly done until it is shared with an audience, because they are the other half of the equation,” Carey told The Sopris Sun. “You sing the song and it goes out to a certain space in front of you, and then the song is complete when each person takes their own life experience and steps inside the song.” She continued, “The song gets to be like a prism or a reflective mirror of where they are in their lives, in their own individual. So the song sort of becomes like a million different things to whoever happens to hear it. That has to happen in the gathering together that you do at a live show.” In listening to any of Carey’s 12 records from the past 27 years, audiences can expect to be taken on nostalgic journeys through songs that tell the stories of childhood, love, loss and grief, reflection and growth. She is currently touring two of her most recent records, “The Veil,” released in 2022, and “Lantern in the Dark: Songs of Comfort and Lullabies,” which she released as a collaborative project with fellow musician Sarah Sample in 2024. In the title song for the 2022 record, Carey captivates the listeners with her visual and poetic descriptions of memories she shares. In the opening line she sings, “We thought that we could catch the moon, In the window of the way back, Diamond stars on velvet blue, In the window of the way back, Daddy carried me to bed, my arms heavy round his neck, If I wasn’t sleeping, I’d pretend.” The song goes on to paint a picture of a mother and her child and how there are moments she wishes she could relive but can no longer now that her child is getting older. It’s a bittersweet ballad which is sure to leave folks reminiscing. Carey drew inspiration from many artists, including Jeff Buckley, Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Colvin and the Indigo Girls. She expressed gratitude to these artists for helping her to figure out her own sound as she Singer-songwriter Edie Carey performs at Steve’s continued on page 19

Guitars on May 16 at 8pm. Courtesy photo

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 17

aspenvalleyhealth.org

It is your civic duty to be rich Resist the temptation to continue other than lower your stress level, huzzah. struggling and stressing. It is selfish and What the world needs is less stressed out places the burden of meaningful change people. We need you at your most peaceon others. No one gives you a prize for ful, centered, relaxed and creative. Wealth being the most exhausted when you die. makes this possible. Does the new hospital wing have your As we know, being good with money name on it? If not, why? Is one of the many isn’t necessarily about having more of it. Roaring Fork nonprofits working for a It’s about being in a conscious relationcause you subsidized? Have you recently ship with it. It’s about knowing what’s donated a huge chunk coming in, what’s going of money to The Sopris out, and making sure all Sun just because you of it is assigned to a good can and it’s important home. Tell your money and it feels fabulous? where it’s going now Why are you making rather than wondering impulse buys? Why where it went later. are you indulging in Game plan: fast fashion/fast food/ 1. Get clear on what fast anything? Because comes in and what you’re still struggling goes out. and/or stressing finan2. Make smart choices cially. It’s time to stop. and pay for things that End of story. bring you to life and Stray from your MONEY JUICE cut out things that comfort zone. Abandon By Megan Janssen deplete you. your convenient excuses. 3. Ensure your money Stop saying, “It’s just so is growing for you and not for someone hard to get ahead.” else at your expense. Being wealthy isn’t about luxury; 4. Find more money. it’s your duty as a human. Complaints, a. Create passive income based fatigue, lack of confidence, blaming “the system,” blaming anyone or anything for on something you create once and sell that matter, staying broke, staying fearful, continuously. hoarding, clinging, knee-jerk spending… b. Invest in the stock market. These are all ways to keep you safe and c. Raise your prices. sound. They are familiar to you. They are d. Negotiate a raise. your patterns. And they aren’t helping us e. Sell your expensive car and drive thrive as a gorgeous, miraculous, highly something cheap that works until you’re sophisticated and joyful species. in the black with all your goals. “I can’t invest right now because the f. Do something you love once per president is too reckless.” Well, guess year, invite people and charge for it. what? Options traders are having a heyday Call it a “special” and put a high ticket because options love volatility. “I didn’t price on it. get that terminal degree, so I can’t move up the ladder.” Go get the degree or do As our world becomes more and something else you adore and charge more divided and less and less healthy, people money for it. It turns out people the option to take care of yourself finanlove spending money. They will pay you. cially ceases to be an “option.” It is what is We need you to be able to be the most required of all of us if we want to see our you possible. What would it take for you lives bloom into the visions we hold in to be able to pay for someone’s groceries our heads. Having a stacked emergency spontaneously or singlehandedly fund the savings account could be the differentirepair of a local soccer field? Have you ever ating factor for your health, your safety or purchased a first-class flight for someone someone else’s. The choice to feel stressed because they’re special and they deserve is just that — a choice. Make a different it? Maybe you want to send a local kid to choice, make some money and make an space camp and — tada! — you can. Even impact in your one ephemeral life. It is if you don’t do anything with your money your civic duty.

OPINION

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RFTA REPORT from page 15 that employee confidentially about their wellbeing. Ravenschlag also provided an update about the Iron Mountain Place employee housing project. He shared that the 42 studio units were already being rented out early this year. Finance staff is working on lease financing plans to replenish RFTA’s fund balance and recover costs. Finance aims to complete this process by November 2025, and will share additional details in board meetings over the next six months.

(970) 963-3013 APPOINTMENTS OFFERED MONDAY-THURSDAY 9A-4P 60 S 8th ST, #201 Carbondale, CO 81623 18 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

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The next board meeting will occur June 12 at 8:30am in Carbondale. The public is also able to join via Webex. An agenda will be available at www.rfta.com a week ahead of the meeting.

Love at first hit! I vividly recall the moment when my life divided into a before and after. It’s a muggy summer evening. The sun hangs low, casting the basketball court in burnt orange and penny. I’m playing a pickup game on a blacktop court in a dead-end playground. I’m 14, six-foot-four, and indestructible. Basketball is my religion. I’m running — really hauling — my feet pounding the court like it owes me something. I call for the ball, fake, rise and release. Swish. Game over. Day over. I didn’t choose basketball. It chose me. My father died of cancer when I was 10. I didn’t even know he was sick. One drizzly May afternoon, my mother walked into the house, looked at me, and said, “Patrick, your father died this morning. Get dressed. We have things to do.” No explanations. No questions. For a year, I ate. I slept. I watched TV. One afternoon, I wandered into our basement and found a beat-up leather basketball behind the coal bin. I found a nearby court and started shooting. Then I started running. I ran until I threw up. I did it again. Every day for three years.

Basketball erased my pain. After the last game, I’m leaning against the fence, sipping a quart of cold chocolate milk, when I hear them. A bow-legged man and a kid. They carry a burlap sack of tennis balls, a tennis net and a bunch of wooden rackets. I recognize the kid — Eddie — from my short, disastrous stint in Little League. He never missed a chance to remind me of my failures. Eddie caught my eye. “Wanna play?” he calls. “Bet you can’t win a point.” That grin — I recognize it. Smug. Cocky. Hormonal rage kicks in. I pick a racket and step onto the court. Eddie serves. I swing. I miss. He serves again. I swing harder. The ball hits the frame of my racket and shoots over the fence. I lunge, flail, and barely make contact. Eddie has me on a string, like a puppet master. But point by point, I’m getting closer to hitting the center of the strings. And then, it happens. I catch the sweet spot — smooth, pure. It rockets over the net, out of Eddie’s reach. I look at my racket like it’s a magic wand. Something shifts deep inside of me. I feel alive. Real joy for the first

OPINION

VOICES RADIO HOUR By Patrick Curry time since my dad died. Eddie proceeded to take me apart that day, and nearly every day for the next two months. But I was hooked. Basketball drifted into the rearview mirror. I had found the love of my life, and nothing would stop me. Or so I thought. In August, a man came to the courts and informed me that Father Deviney — the pope of basketball for our school — wanted to see me. Right now. Minutes later, I walked up the steps of our parish rectory, a huge, white mansion with three-footwide pillars, reminiscent of the

pearly gates. As I approached the door, a grim-looking secretary awaited me. “Father Deviney is expecting you.” I sank into a chair, Father Deviney leaned in. “Patrick, I hear you’ve been playing tennis.” I gushed, “Oh yeah, Father. I love it. It’s the best sport—” His hand sliced the air. “Enough!” I gulped. “Basketball is the lifeblood of St. Gabriel’s revenue. You’re the tallest kid in the school. You’re obligated to play.” I sat, stunned. He continued. “Tomorrow, you’re going to basketball camp. Tennis is forbidden. Tennis’ll never get you anywhere. You’re dismissed.” My tennis career was over before it began. I did as told, completing my obligation, and played basketball through college. After my last game, I sprinted to the tennis courts, and it was like I’d never left. It took three years, but I scraped together enough money to follow my dream to Europe. I played on fire-red clay in France, cliffside at Lake Lugano, and on silky grass in England. On July 4, 1976, I stood on the Champs-Élysées under the glow of the Eiffel Tower, fireworks

What is leadership? Jamie LaRue is the executive director of the Garfield County Public Library District.

Patrick Curry is a storyteller, teacher and entrepreneur based in the Roaring Fork Valley. He recently founded Sopris.ai, a company focused on making AI accessible to adults and helping them navigate technology confidently. With a background in tech startups and digital education, he now spends his time teaching, writing and exploring the power of stories to connect people. He’s an avid tennis player and cyclist.

CAREY from page 17

(1980-81) and later the chief executive officer (1992-94). I met her when she was in her late 80s, but she was still going strong, incisive and funny. Her definition of leadership was My partner and I just finished co-teaching a leader- pithy: “Figure out where you want to go, then do stuff that ship institute for librarians in the Western States. But I keep gets you there.” thinking about it. The more I think about it, the more powerful it gets. Some people, I know, think leadership “Where do you want to go?” is usually some is all about power. But I always wonder: variant of “where do we want to go?” That is, power to do what? To make or to break? direction is not just the independent judgOver my 40-odd years of administrative ment of the putative boss. Ideally, it’s the best experience — and some of them have been thinking of an informed and thoughtful staff, very odd indeed — I’ve boiled my idea of facilitated and contributed to by the leader. leadership down to three things. If that staff and leader have any smarts at all, Know thyself. That is, have a relatively direction is grounded in user (customer/ clear-eyed assessment of your strengths. member) needs or aspirations. To reverse that Build on those strengths. But also learn how flow: who do we serve, what have we learned to recognize in other people the strengths about how best to serve them, and what are that you do not have. the key directions that matter? Play well with others. Leadership begins The point: leaders should be able to say, with listening and paying attention. Then succinctly, based on thoughtful analysis, LITERATE it moves into emotional intelligence — the “Here’s where we’re going.” LIFE ability to read and respond appropriately to “Does this take us there?” is equally importBy Jamie LaRue human communication. The good news is ant. Every institution has legacy programs and that emotional intelligence is a skill set. It Garfield County activities. We get invested in them, both finanPublic Library District can be learned. The bad news is that a lot of cially and emotionally. But do those programs people don’t bother. and activities move us in the direction we Make it better. There’s no point in leadership that makes need to go? And if not, will we have the honesty and courthings worse. Good leaders don’t worry about status, age to let them go? Will we have the creativity to spin out although they do consider reputation. The job of leadership new ones? And will we hold ourselves accountable to the is improvement. It’s not perfection. vision of powerful and effective service? Too many leaders make the mistake of hiring people If leaders can’t answer those questions, and with answers just like themselves — which means they haven’t added that assert real agency (here defined as the ability and will to anything new to the organization. Diversity of background, act on our own behalf), they’re not leading. insight, experience and approach helps organizations see things that one person alone would miss. It makes for a “When you’re going through hell, keep going.” better decision-making team. Winston Churchill. Another formulation of leadership comes from my late friend, Peggy Sullivan. Peggy was a library luminary, an “A leader is best when people barely know he educator, a university dean, a scholar of library history, exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they the elected president of the American Library Association will say: we did it ourselves.” Lao Tzu

OPINION

painting the night sky. I was in the sweet spot of life. Back from Europe, reality set in. I became a teaching pro in the Poconos, sharing my love of tennis with thousands of people. Eight years later, I got a call offering me a job as the head pro of the Aspen Club. This month, 40 years ago, I moved to Aspen and never left. Without tennis, I wouldn’t be here today. Where’s the sage wisdom in this? There is none. A random opportunity presented itself to a kid sipping chocolate milk on a dead-end playground, and he said, “Yes.” So, Father Deviney, so much for tennis never getting me anywhere.

has navigated her career over all these years. In addition to these artists, some of whom she has opened for in the past, Carey said she first found true inspiration from a concert she and her third grade class performed. “One of my best friends when I was growing up had this incredibly soulful voice, one of those voices that just gave you goosebumps the minute you heard it. I remember sitting in school assembly, and she got up and sang a Whitney Houston cover. I had chills kind of up and down my arm, and I had tears in my eyes,” Carey recalled. “I think that was the first time that I was like, ‘Oh my God. She’s just singing and it’s eliciting this strong emotional reaction.’ I think this sort of light went off in me that was like, ‘I want to make people feel that way when I sing.’” Discussing her upcoming performance at Steve’s, she said the venue came on her radar because a number of friends in the local music scene had raved about their own performances there. When she reached out to the staff, she said she felt confident in the success of the show due to how easy they were to work with. “Anytime I asked friends about it, they raved about it and how it’s like a marriage between a really sweet, formal listening room merged with the intimacy and connection you get at a house concert. Ralph [Pitt] and I had the most hilarious exchange back and forth, which is often not the case with a lot of venues. He heard a lot of the influences in my music of artists he’d worked with over the years. It makes me that much more excited to go and experience the crew there in-person,” Carey shared. For more information on Edie Carey, visit www.ediecarey.com To purchase tickets for this and other shows at Steve’s Guitars, visit www.stevesguitars.net

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 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 Skotties 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 Carbonaldale 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 Gafield 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 Remignton 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

Colorado appoints its first community coordinators for environmental justice FELIPE PEREZ Sol del Valle

EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) has set a precedent by appointing its first community coordinators for environmental justice: Steven Arauza, from Rifle, and Yesica Chavez, from Denver. These new positions were established under a recently enacted state law and regulations adopted in 2024, which require government agencies and companies in the energy sector to expand opportunities for community participation in the development of rules and processes related to energy development. The purpose of these regulations is to consider so-called “cumulative impacts,” meaning the combined — past and present — effects that oil and gas activities may have on human health and the environment. Special emphasis is placed on disproportionately impacted communities which, in many cases, face higher environmental risks. Sol del Valle spoke with Steven Arauza to learn more about his new role and how communities can participate in these processes. Below are some highlights from the interview. Can you tell us a little about your work? Steven Arauza: Of course. I’m a geologist with over 13 years of experience in regulating the oil and gas industry, with a strong focus on environmental protection and justice. My work also includes community organizing in the Colorado mountains region and more than three years of service on the Environmental Justice Advisory Board of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, where I’ve worked to address the disproportionate impacts that vulnerable communities face in terms of health and the environment.

What does “environmental justice” mean to you in the context of Colorado’s energy regulations? Arauza: Environmental justice in Colorado means making sure that all communities — especially those that have historically been disproportionately affected — have a voice in decisions that impact their health and surroundings. Yesica Chavez and I will organize and attend community meetings in areas where oil and gas development may have a direct impact. In those locations, if a development plan is near a community, the operator must organize meetings so that residents can voice their concerns. What are some of the main environmental concerns faced by disproportionately affected communities? Arauza: For a long time, low-income communities, communities of color and people living in mobile homes have faced more pollution and health issues due to energy projects. With the new rules, that’s beginning to change. Now, community voices are not only being heard, they’re finally being integrated into the decision-making process. Can you give us an example of how cumulative impacts might affect a community in our region? Arauza: A good example is the Bella Romero Academy, located in Greeley, near oil and gas extraction facilities. Neighbors have

Steven Arauza

voiced concerns about emissions from these operations and have requested more research into the possible health impacts, especially for students and their families. A similar case is happening in Commerce City, and we must not forget what is happening in Parachute, where concerns focus on air and water pollution. What kind of support or resources are being provided to help community members engage with the ECMC process? Arauza: Our team is working on a community outreach plan that will guide our future efforts and coordinate with state agencies to help communities better understand regulatory roles. The goal is to build and maintain trust within communities in Colorado, ensuring they can fully participate in the process. How can the community get involved in this process? Arauza: The community has several ways to express their concerns effectively. They can do so through the environmental

justice commissioner — in this case, I am one of those channels to amplify their voices. In addition, the resources available in the state, such as participation platforms and community hearings, are a great opportunity for community concerns to be heard and considered in regulatory processes. Active participation in these spaces helps highlight issues and contributes to the creation of more inclusive and fair policies. Is there anything else you would like to remind the community? Arauza: One of the challenges we’ve faced in the state is the lack of information in languages other than English, which creates a language barrier and prevents many communities from being heard, fully participating and accessing important resources. We are working to provide adequate translation and interpretation services so these underserved communities can get involved in the processes that affect their lives. Residents of communities experiencing significant environmental impacts can contact Steven Arauza and Yesica Chavez through the ECMC website or by email: steven.arauza@state.co.us and yesica.chavez@state.co.us The coordinators are available to receive concerns related to air quality, noise or energy development near residential areas, and to support community participation in decisionmaking processes.

Follow Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every week in Spanish.

Bianca Godina — Editor • bianca@soldelvalle.org | Margarita Alvarez — Advertising • margarita@soldelvalle.org www.soldelvalle.org • info@soldelvalle.org • 970-510-0234

20 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

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

Share your works in progress with readers by emailing illustrations, creative writings and poetry to fiction@soprissun.com

What in the … Ginny Parker doesn’t spend as much time on the ranch off Emma Road these days, where she spent most of her life. But her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren still keep an eye on things. A peculiar sheep has been spending some quality time with the family after saying hello over the fence. They like to call her Blueberry and she’s become a frequent visitor. Blueberry is a Valais blacknose, a sheep breed hailing from Switzerland and new to the United States. These ultra-fluffy sheep are known to be quite friendly, which explains Blueberry’s proclivity to socialize with her neighbors. Males and females both have horns and their wool grows to be quite thick — also demonstrative by Blueberry’s coat. If you know a sheep shearer, she could surely shed some layers ahead of summer!

Blueberry the Valais blacknose sheep, courtesy photos

-The 54th Annual Mountain FairPhoto Credit: caitofosterphotography.com Photo: David Vasquez

Photo: David Vasquez

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CONTACT: Todd Chamberlin I adsales@soprissun.com I 970-510-0246 24 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 8-14, 2025

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 21

LETTERS Dentistry, and Sopris Liquor and Wine stepped up as our supporting sponsors. Annual sponsors included: ANB Bank, Crystal River Customs, Modern Day Media, Nordic Gardens, Pain Center of the Roaring Fork, Reese Henry, Roaring Fork Oral Surgery, Six Productions, Skip Behrhorst and Mike Sturhan at State Farm. Our single event sponsors were: Carbondale Car Care, Herschel Ross Family Dentistry, Jack McKay, LB West, Robin Tolan, Karen Pierson at Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s Real Estate at RVR, RK Wolff Safety Consulting, Roaring Fork Valley COOP, Whitsitt Law Office and Z Group Architecture and Interior Design. Thanks also to the local businesses who donated this year’s prizes: Meridian Jewelers, Avalanche Ranch Cabins & Hot Springs, Sure Thing Burger and Lulu’s Thrift Shoppe. We would like to especially thank the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District. They brought the equipment, manpower, expertise and good energy that made it all possible. Thank you also goes to our event partners: the Village Smithy, Carbondale Parks and Recreation Department, the Carbondale Chamber, The Sopris Sun and everyone at City Market Carbondale. Congrats also to the Family Block Party for another wonderful community event. Lastly, many thanks to all of you who bought balls from us, our local Rotary high school scholarship recipients, our exchange students and Ascendigo Autism Services. You’ve helped us raise much needed funds for our community service projects, scholarships and exchange programs. We cannot thank you enough! Alan Cole & Rachel Hahn Carbondale Rotary

Healthcare scare I am a family physician writing to share health issues that our community may soon face as a result of legislative changes. Proposed Medicaid cuts, recently passed in the House of Representatives, could reach $880 billion and significantly reduce coverage for single mothers, children from low-income families and individuals with diagnoses such as spinal cord injuries and Down syndrome. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation estimates that proposed cuts could result in approximately five-million people being denied Medicaid, including at least 100,000 Coloradans from each Congressional district. The repercussions of such a loss could include 34,200 more deaths each year. Without Medicaid payments supplementing their finances, community hospitals, especially in rural areas, may find it difficult to maintain services. This will diminish their ability to care for all patients. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enables working families to access insurance. Proposed legislative changes would shorten enrollment periods, make it more difficult to enroll and make plans more expensive. Two-million people could lose insurance coverage next year alone. The ACA currently requires that insurances cover preventive care such as screening labs and mammograms. This benefit may not survive challenges which would reduce preventive services for 150 million privately insured Americans. Women are at particular risk for loss of healthcare. Funding freezes have led to Planned Parenthood closures, limiting access to birth control, pap smears, cancer screening and infection treatments. Funding for childhood immunizations are expected to be cut by $2 billion, in the 22 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025

from page 2

midst of a measles outbreak that has caused more than 800 confirmed illnesses and deaths of two unvaccinated children. 2025 already has the highest number of measles cases in the past 25 years. The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that if vaccination rates drop even 10%, there will be 11 million more measles cases in the next 25 years. If vaccination rates drop 50%, there will be 50 million more measles cases, 10 million more rubella cases, four million more polio cases, 10 million additional hospitalizations and 158,200 more deaths. Prescription drugs may also be significantly affected by proposed laws. Food and Drug Administration cuts will lead to limited medication safety monitoring and decreased information about drug side effects and recalls provided to physicians. Studies developing and evaluating valuable new medications are being cancelled. Import tariffs are expected to raise medication prices by almost 13%, or $51 billion annually. These tariffs may particularly raise the prices of generic medications. Any of these changes will significantly undermine the quality of American healthcare and are extremely concerning. Eventually, they will impact a friend or family member of every person reading this letter. We have the power to express our concerns on proposals, cuts and legislation that will affect the health of our communities. All of us must reach out to our senators, representatives and governor to express our opinions on these critical issues! Maria Chansky, MD Glenwood Springs

Attn: Red Hill Lofts I live in the condos next to Red Hill Lofts. The community gardens are such an amazing asset and it is sad to see so many boxes going unused. I am reaching out to see if any tenants are looking for help maintaining their boxes or are interested in renting out any unused boxes. Meredith Janos Meredith.L.Janos@gmail.com

Writing Constitution by hand I spent April tutoring my daughter-inlaw, Devika, for her citizenship test. The information she needed to learn was about our U.S. Constitution, considered the law of the land. We all learn about it in school but for me that was long ago. Inspired by a social artist who is copying it out by hand and my daughter-in-law, who passed her citizenship test on her birthday, I am now at the Carbondale Library with a new notebook, two new pens and an American flag to copy our U.S. Constitution by hand. This is what every president and elected official must swear to defend. Come join me if you wish to participate in this activity to honor our nation’s commitment to “liberty and justice for all.” Illène Pevec Carbondale LETTERS POLICY: The Sopris Sun welcomes local letters to the editor. Shorter letters stand a better chance of being printed. Letters exclusive to The Sopris Sun (not appearing in other papers) are particularly welcome. Please, no smearing, cite your facts and include your name and place of residence or association. Letters are due to news@soprissun.com by noon on the Monday before we go to print.

PARTING SHOTS Dandelion Day was especially vibrant this year, with gorgeous weather and stellar attendance. Alas, the Parade of Species got a little too literal with four four-leggeds joining the festivities in Sopris Park. Dogs are not allowed in Sopris Park, but the memo was missed by many. Police Chief Kirk Wilson called it a “complete flub” which organizers tried to address from the stage. Otherwise, the day was nearly perfect. KDNK served a record number of drinks, performers entertained, a copious number of vendors sold wholesome goods including happy, healthy plant starts.

A smiley pet owner strikes a selfie with her dog, while Megan and Sean Passmore take a rest in the grass. Photos by Jane Bachrach

Jenna Wirtz and other stilt walkers flowed through the crowds inspiring glee. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

Organizer Kat Hardy led the Parade of Species down Main Street. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

Jillene Rector enjoyed a Señor Mango. Photo by Tommy Sands

Liza Mitchell snapped this photo of her son napping with a tomato plant. Courtesy photo

Above left: Sopris Soarers aerial silks performers awed their audience.

Bonedale Ballet ballerinas began the day’s entertainment from the gazebo, which later featured local bands The Jazzmonauts and Down Valley Sound, as well as a educational panel. Photo by Jocelyn Essler

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Photo by Tommy Sands

THE VALLEY HOPPER

Above right: Daniel Weston pressed shirts with Inkswell Screen Printers featuring original designs by Heather Quinn.

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Bonedale Flashmob joined forces with Village of Peace dancers and drummers for a lively procession to Sopris Park. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

THE SOPRIS SUN | Your weekly community connector | May 15-21, 2025 23

R IRT S! U O SH ENT Y T EK EV GE WE LL A KE Y/ I B AN AT

MAY 18 - 23, 2025

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE EVERY MORNING, MONDAY - FRIDAY, 7-9AM Free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and breakfast snacks for all cyclists on the corner of 4th & Main Streets (Chacos Park)

SUNDAY, MAY 18, 4-9PM Bike-In Movie Night with The Carbondale Bike Project @The Third Street Center (520 South 3rd Street)

MONDAY, MAY 19, 6-9PM "Six at the Beach", a progressive studio tour through some of Carbondale’s most illustrious artists' spaces. Start at the Third Street Center (520 South 3rd Street, Carbondale), then end with a bonfire, open studios, and more at SAW (Studio for Arts + Works, 525 Buggy Circle) around 8pm.

TUESDAY, MAY 20, 6PM Spoke'N Word Bike Poetry Event @Ragged Mountain Sports (810 Hwy 133)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 4-7:30PM YewFlow and Bonedale Bike Week Kids’ Bike Extravaganza! @North Face Bike Park (Meadowood Dr. near the high school)

THURSDAY, MAY 22, 5:45PM Bike Scavenger Hunt and finale party, get your teams of 2-6 ready! @Aloha Mountain Cyclery (580 Hwy. 133) 5:45 pm registration, event begins at 6:00 pm...prizes for costumes & more!

FULL DETAILS + UP TO DATE INFO CAN BE FOUND AT

BONEDALEBIKEWEEK.ORG FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @BONEDALEBIKEWEEK

24 THE SOPRIS SUN | soprissun.com | May 15-21, 2025