Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers celebrates 30 years of stewardship
MYKI JONES Sopris Sun Correspondent
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and after all of this time is just as dedicated to maintaining a culture of stewardship for the benefit of recreational lands in both the Crystal and Roaring Fork valleys. Founded in 1995 by a group of locals — David Hamilton, Kevin O’Brien and Michael Hutton — after seeing a need to help public land agencies, the organization has become increasingly important as of late, considering federal layoffs at the National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. RFOV will celebrate the milestone with volunteer project opportunities and a “Toast to Trails” party at Spring Creeks Ranch on June 4.
“We’ve grown quite a bit in the last five years. For 25 years, we were relatively small and operated
on a shoestring budget,” Executive Director Becca Schild told The Sopris Sun. “We did a strategic plan and also responded to the impacts from the pandemic, [so] we’ve more than doubled our budget and operating capacity.”
With that exponential growth in the past five years, volunteer numbers have also nearly doubled. “I’m really excited to solidify this new size,” said Schlid. “And we’re excited to celebrate this community that has supported us for 30 years … [by] showing up to volunteer, donating money and partnering with us in other ways. ”
To usher in its third decade, RFOV will host commemorative projects this month where the organization has been historically active, including at Red Hill on May 22 from 4 to 8pm and the Maroon Creek Wetlands on
May 31, 9am to 3pm. Participants will have the chance to honor the history of stewardship at each location while performing various restoration tasks.
“What we’re doing this year is revisiting some of the earlier project sites that we worked on in our first five years,” explained Schild. “What the commemorative projects are aiming to do is really bring together the partners who were part of these projects originally and showcase to the community RFOV’s lasting presence and how that has made a difference in those areas.”
On June 4 at Spring Creeks Ranch, from 5 to 9pm, the organization will host “A Toast to Trails,” an evening to mingle with RFOV staff, founders, land managers and volunteers while also fundraising for RFOV programming.
Then, on June 7, which happens
to be National Trails Day, following a day of restoration at Coal Basin Ranch, from 9am to 3pm, jam band River Spell featuring Roaring Fork alum Zack Ritchie will perform on site at 4pm simultaneously kicking off Redstone’s Magical Moments Summer Concert Series.
And the celebration doesn’t stop there. According to Marketing and Communications Manager Sophie Ahava, events recognizing the 30 year mark will span the season. “We have about 20 or so projects throughout the season, from May through October, [when] we’ll be talking about our 30th year and all of the work that we do at each [location].” Ahava looks forward to celebrating the plethora of volunteers with all sorts of backgrounds, and some of whom have been around since the beginning. In 2024,
RFOV saw over 2,000 volunteers — including over 1,000 school-aged students — who completed a total of 8,000 hours of land stewardship. “We’re trying to honor all of the work that’s been done over the last three decades, and shout out the volunteers who have been with us for 30 whole years and that continue to come out to these projects,” concluded Ahava. “We have folks from four years old all the way up to 80 years old working on our projects. One of our goals is to introduce young stewards to our work so that they can keep coming back and, hopefully, continue being adult stewards of our land as well.”
To sign up for volunteer opportunities or snag tickets for the “Toast to Trails” celebration on June 4, visit www.rfov.org
For three decades, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers has helped maintain the Valley’s most beloved trails, inspiring an ethic of responsible recreation and productive camaraderie. Courtesy photo
Some thoughts about Eugene Grubb, Charles McClure and Casey Piscura
Since the time of initial European settlement, our valley has attracted the attention of some brilliant agrarians. These visionaries are sometimes called “bioneers.” One such man was Eugene Grubb, who in 1912 characterized the Valley’s fertility as follows:
“No part of the world is better fitted by nature for growing potatoes than the mountain districts of Colorado… The Roaring Fork and Crystal River Valley section of Colorado is as nearly perfect in soil conditions as can be found, and the potatoes grown there are not excelled anywhere in the world, and are equaled in but a few places.” -Eugene H. Grubb, “The Potato: A Compilation of Information from Every Available Source” (1912)
Two years prior, another “bioneer” named Charles McClure had bred the “Red McClure” potato in the Crystal Valley. The high pass to Paonia would later be named in his honor. The work of nurturing new crops required passion and acute powers of observation. These people thought deeply about our climate, soils and water. The early farm census for Pitkin County bears them out. Between 1910 and 1945, Pitkin County annually produced 120,000 to 220,000 bushels (6,000,000 to 11,000,000 pounds) of potatoes.
remaining irrigated acres and available public grazing lands. Relying on a diet very heavy in beef and potatoes, two foods we know we can produce, we concluded that the local “foodshed” could sustain about 12,000 people annually. With multiple times that now living in our valley, it is obvious that we’re way past our local carrying capacity.
OPINION
While we can no longer strive to feed our current valley population entirely with local production, the preservation of what we have left remains important. If perhaps even 20% of our nutritional needs could be supplied locally, I believe we would all be healthier and happier. Local food systems contribute to public wellbeing in multiple ways, such as:
Through the insights of Grubb, McClure and many others, the Crystal Valley farming economy exploded rapidly in the wake of Ute removal, feeding Valley residents and, with the arrival of the railroads, markets outside the Valley. In the “quiet years” after the collapse of silver mining, the agricultural economy shifted more into beef production, with quite a large dairy component as well. Eggs were bartered among Valley residents.
By Dale Will
The fertility of our mountain valleys remained steadfast even as a postwar real estate boom was fueled by Aspen’s resurgence as a year-round resort. Suburban sprawl appeared as the nemesis of the Valley’s irrigated fields. Local rancher Bill Fales once told me, “People say this isn’t a good place for agriculture. They’re wrong. It’s a great place for agriculture, if we can just save the land.”
The loss of agricultural lands was identified decades ago as a significant issue. As reported in Environment America’s “Losing Ground: Colorado’s Vanishing Agricultural Landscape” report from 2006, our central mountains lost 655,000 acres to suburban sprawl from 1987 to 2002. American Farmland Trust’s “Strategic Ranchland in the Rocky Mountain West” reported 4.9 million acres at risk in Colorado in 2001.
Some years ago, I was tasked with organizing a board retreat on local food production for the Pitkin County Open Space & Trails board. I became curious how many people the Roaring Fork Valley might feed if we immediately stop paving food producing lands. My buddy Malcolm McMichael worked up an analysis based on
LETTERS
Let’s dive in Growing up in the Roaring Fork Valley, the Carbondale pool was more than just a place to cool off. It was where I learned to swim, to trust my body and to feel strong in the water. Years later, I watched both of my kids take their first strokes in that same pool, with giggles, goggles and proud splashes I’ll never forget.
For nearly a decade, I’ve served on Carbondale’s Parks & Recreation Commission, and I’ve seen firsthand how much this space matters. It’s where families connect, kids build confidence and friendships are formed, often over swim lessons or lazy afternoons in the sun.
But it’s also about safety. In Colorado, where rivers and lakes are part of daily life, knowing how to swim isn’t just fun … it’s essential. Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death for young children and, tragically, the Roaring Fork Valley is not immune. Every child deserves access to swim lessons. Every parent deserves peace of mind.
That’s why I’m inviting our community to help us reimagine the Carbondale pool.
• Human health and nutrition
• Regional economic vitality through local employment and dollar recirculation
• Protection of open lands and habitat
• Cultural, historic and educational inspiration
• Food security
Our historic ranching has come down through the generations in the care of families like the Nieslaniks, Granges, Fales-Perry and the Jacober brothers. To my palate, nothing tastes better than local grass fed beef. In recent times, bioneering farming, of the likes of Grubb and McClure, has also returned to our valley. The Sopris Sun’s recent cover story about Harper Kaufman and her brilliant work at Two Roots Farm in Emma is a keystone example.
Sadly, this February, we lost one of the most passionate and brilliant minds to re-enter this arena. I feel quite blessed to have spent time with Casey Piscura, listening to him describe his work with seed breeding and plant adaptation up at Sunfire Ranch. It pains me deeply that the stresses of finance, of personality disputes or perhaps even deeper and mysterious tragic voices led to his choice to leave this earth. As one who has endured such a loss within my own home, I can but pray that his death be a catalyst for all of us to reach harder to heal the wounds of our histories, and advance the worthy things we hold most dear.
Casey’s fascination with soil, light and temperature most certainly rivaled that of Grubb and McClure. His breeding program created a legacy of mountain adapted tomatoes and other crops, still available through Wild Mountain Seeds. Like McClure, I would certainly hope that one of Casey’s locally bred varieties will come to bear his name.
To learn more about and to support The Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association, visit cvepa.org or follow us on Facebook.
The new Aquatics Center will be a sustainable, all-electric facility built to serve the next generation. We’ve secured a major bond and generous donations, but we still need your help to close the final gap.
We’re in the home stretch, and every dollar gets us closer. If the pool has ever touched your life, or if you believe that every child should have the chance to feel safe and strong in the water, please consider donating.
Learn more at www.carbondale connect.org/pool Let’s build something beautiful, together.
Rose Rossello Parks & Rec Commission
From Capitol Hill
Endangered Species Day is celebrated on the third Friday of May, this year marking the 52nd anniversary of the monumental congressional act. My connection to endangered species began early in my life, in rural Missouri where botanists annually studied and monitored the tiny threatened geocarpon plant on a neighboring limestone glade. Witnessing
their dedication, I learned that even seemingly obscure tiny species are vital and that science is crucial for effective conservation. This understanding helped shape my career as a science educator based in Colorado, where I teach about our unique landscapes and advocate for community involvement in environmental issues such as climate, clean air, water and biodiversity.
In Colorado’s high country, I’ve particularly championed the Canada lynx, an apex predator essential to our watershed’s health. Just as the lynx is integral to this ecosystem, I, too, am part of the Roaring Fork Valley community — interconnected with the land and all its inhabitants. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects these connections by ensuring that science guides land management and not shortterm gains.
Weakening the ESA would have dire consequences for Colorado and the Rocky Mountains region, including habitat destruction and increased vulnerability to climate change, harming both wildlife and our recreation-based economy. We must defend and strengthen the ESA to safeguard
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ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL
SCUTTLEBUTT
GarCo Report
The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met on May 19 to discuss human services, public health, Aspen Glen bald eagle monitoring, water rights and more. During the general public comments section, about 16 members of Mountain Action Indivisible asked the BOCC to endorse a resolution asking Congress to not cut Medicaid funding. The U.S. House of Representatives is considering what the Congressional Budget Office estimates will amount to $650 billion over 10 years, leading to a decrease in Medicaid enrollment by 10 million people nationally. In Garfield County, 14,000 residents depend on Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program. “The bill hasn’t been passed, we don’t know what it is, it’s really tough for us to do a resolution on the local level on something we’re just not up to speed at,” responded Board Chair Tom Jankovsky. “You’re telling us to look at something that’s not our purview.” Commissioner Mike Samson offered to invite Congressman Jeff Hurd to visit Garfield County to provide insight.
Carbondale Historical Society
The Carbondale Historical Society is trying out some new summer hours with opportunities to tour both its museums! Stop by the Dinkel Mercantile Museum (499 Weant Boulevard) from 6 to 7:30pm Friday evenings beginning in June, followed by a first-floor tour of the Thompson House. Email info@carbondalehistory.org for more information.
Basalt parking
FirstBank Alpine Bank
Colorado Mountain College
Nordic Gardens
Hilary Porterfield
Basalt Library
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Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner? Email Todd@soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866
The Town of Basalt is encouraging more parking turnover downtown and the use of alternative transportation by instituting a two-hour parking enforcement in select areas of Midland Avenue and Two Rivers Road. Two-hour parking will be enforced Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, including holidays. Town Council also updated the code to change 72-hour parking to 24-hour parking, which will be enforced all year. Find details at www.parkbasalt.com
Rifle Creek body recovery
The Rifle Police Department is investigating the appearance of a deceased adult body found in Rifle Creek at Centennial Park on Sunday, May 18. Investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death is ongoing. “At this time, there is no threat to the community,” a press release stated. “The Garfield County Coroner’s Office will release the identity of the deceased at an appropriate time, pending notification of next of kin.” Anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to contact 970-625-8095 or visit www.rifleco.org/1044/Submit-an-Anonymous-Tip
South Canyon
Crews will perform wildfire mitigation work at South Canyon due to an ongoing underground coal mine fire there. Surface areas at two hot spots have reached temperatures between 600 and 900 degrees and are near enough vegetation to warrant the work. The City of Glenwood Springs will temporarily close the upper portion of the Tramway and Lightning Bug trails during work hours (7am to 5pm, Monday through Friday) from May 19 through May 23; intermittent closures will pick up again from June 8 through July 1. For more details, visit www.glenwoodrec.com/320/Trail-Dates-and-Closures
Gray wolf death
On May 15, Colorado Parks and Wildlife received a mortality alert for a female gray wolf in Northwest Colorado, one of the wolves relocated from British Columbia, Canada earlier this year. No details regarding the manner of death were released, but because wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act, an investigation is underway.
Streets of Glenwood
West 6th Street in Glenwood Springs is completely closed to vehicle traffic from Maple Street to Pine Street. The closure will extend west to the roundabout starting May 27. The road is scheduled to reopen on June 13. A detour will route vehicles to 5th Street to circumvent construction. All 6th Street businesses will remain open and foot traffic will be permitted throughout the project. Phase 2 of the Blake Avenue project commenced on May 19. No street parking will be permitted on 23rd Street or on the west side of Blake Avenue from 21st to 23rd Street. No through traffic will be allowed on 23rd Street from Blake to Bennett Avenue for a one to two week period. For more information, visit www.cogs.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=939
Wellness Award
The County Sheriffs of Colorado recognized Dr. Adam Ward, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) Peer Support Team commander and Victim Response Team leader, as the recipient of the 2025 Prestigious Wellness Award. Through these roles, Ford assists both responding officers and victims of violent crimes or tragedies on their paths towards recovery and wellness. Ford is also the leader of the statewide Law Enforcement Wellness Ambassadors Group. “We are proud to have Dr. Adam Ford as a part of our team at the GCSO,” read a press release. “We join in celebrating his outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of law enforcement professionals across the state.”
They say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Arn Menconi, Steve Beckley, Charlie Chacos, Mila Fomina, Frank Markoya and Bonnie Pletcher (May 22); Tai Jacober (May 23); Patti Hall, Hannah Horn, Steve Kuhl, Tom Mercer and Diego Rubio Ureña (May 24); Sean Connors, Charlie Cook and Paul Dankers (May 25); Dena Barnes, Amber Frisbie and Sue Hopper (May 26); Lacy Dunlavy, Richard Glasier, Jennifer Johnson and Myki Jones (May 27); Louis Meyer, Alex Salvidrez and Amanda Seubert (May 28).
Volunteers turned out en force to help with The Great Marble Museum Move, transporting historic contents from the Marble Charter School to a temporary home on Saturday, May 17, so renovations may begin on the 100-year-old building. Photo by Lynn “Jake” Burton
Carbondale’s 2nd Street braces for summer construction
RALEIGH BURLEIGH
Sopris Sun Editor
On March 25, the Carbondale Board of Trustees (BOT) approved a bid for replacing about 1,000 feet of the sewer main pipe beneath 2nd Street, from Capitol Avenue south to Snowmass Drive. The infrastructure has been noted as “significantly degraded” during annual operations and maintenance work.
Excavation Services Inc. was awarded the bid for $1,192,325, exceeding the project budget by about 63%. Excavation Services Inc., however, was the only formal bid despite public advertisement and direct solicitation. The scope of work was also expanded to replace six manholes along the route with eight new ones. The project will be funded from the Wastewater
BASALT ANNOUNCES
Fund, projected to carry a $4.6 million reserve at the end of 2025, even with the greater than expected cost of this project.
The sewer line replacement has been scheduled for the summer months, while school is out of session, to minimize impacts to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. From June 2 until possibly Aug. 20, there will be lane closures, impacts to street parking and construction noise.
Access to all properties will be maintained, but residents should anticipate short delays. They will be notified in advance.
According to a memo to the BOT from the Utilities Department, “In the segment, many pipe joints are separated showing visible gravel and/or roots.
Several areas of sagging pipe are evident, as well as significant
SUMMER MUSIC LINEUP
The Town of Basalt’s Wednesday night free summer concert series will return to Basalt River Park on June 18. All concerts include more local supporting acts from 5:30 to 6:30pm, with headliners beginning at 7pm.
pipe cracking and holes in the main pipe.” The segment has been designated as having the highest priority need for replacement by wastewater operators.
This section was installed in the early ‘70s — around the time of the Sopris Meadows development — and “the pipe material used at the time was a thin-walled PVC inner and outer wall with ‘truss’ structures
June 18 - Taylor Shae supporting Ipecac
June 25 - Down Valley Sounds supporting Co-Stanza
July 9 - Tommy the Animal supporting Marfa
July 16 - Jill Andrews supporting Langhorne Slim
between the wall, filled with low density cementitious material,” the memo continued. A pipe liner system was installed in the mid-1990s on Marble Court and Crystal Circle, but not on 2nd street.
Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman did not recommend lining the failing pipe, which would extend its lifespan by about 20 years, compared with
July 23 - Mama Lingua supporting Bella Rayne and Friends
July 30 - Cruz Contreras (solo) supporting Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
August 6 - May Be Fern supporting Rootbeer Richie and The Reveille
50 years with a new, stronger pipe material. Taking no action was not recommended. Updates on this project and others can be found on the Town of Carbondale Facebook page — “Town of Carbondale, CO” — and www.CarbondaleConnect.org
You can also sign up to receive monthly emails from the Town of Carbondale, as well as timely notices, at www.carbondalegov.org
August 13 - The Confluents supporting Graham Good and the Painters
August 20 - Grupo Ascenso supporting 8th St Bus Stop
August 27 - Sopris Sisters supporting Big Richard
The sanitary sewer main on 2nd Street runs from Capitol Avenue to Snowmass Drive. Courtesy image
ANNALISE GRUETER
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Local bird species at a tipping point
Local birders are issuing a warning call in solidarity with national groups like the National Audubon Society. In March, Cornell University issued its annual “State of the Birds” report. The study adds yearly field data to decades of trend tracking within ecosystems across the United States. Some local species on the radar are recognizable even to non-birders due to their popularity and distinctive appearances.
Pinyon jays are a smaller member of the corvid family. The medium-size birds are a striking dusty blue with bright matching heads and medium-length, dagger-like beaks. They favor scrub oak, chaparral and pinyon-juniper woodland habitats, so are typically seen in drier, mid-elevation areas of the valley. Pinyon jay populations have been dropping for decades, but ecologists are hopeful that attention and careful management may stabilize
the population in the coming years.
Rufous hummingbirds are another species known in the Roaring Fork Valley, of which adult males are known for their copper-red coloring and perceived feistiness as particularly territorial and semi-aggressive hummingbirds. The small pollinators are one of 37 species (and three regional species) on the “Orange Alert Tipping Point” list. This classification means that the population has been declining for decades and that decreases have been accelerating in recent years.
Brown-capped rosy finches with their short yellow beaks, soft-pink bellies and dark-brown tails have long been sighted at local bird feeders, particularly around Snowmass Village. The species is a cliff dwelling alpine finch adapted to cool climates and snow. It is on the “Red Alert Tipping Point” list because of its historically low numbers and continued steep decline.
management practices could slow or halt population decreases. Striking a balance may be the silver lining amid evidence that a third of American bird species have seen concerning declines over the last several decades.
The report credits citizen scientists and recreational birders for contributions toward the field data. These observations provide a more conclusive scope for analyses conducted by career scientists, which later inform conservation strategies.
- Rebecca Weiss, ACES
Species considered to be at the “Yellow Alert Tipping Point,” like Pinyon jays and the green and pink Lewis’ woodpecker (sometimes seen at Glassier Open Space), have seen 50% drops in population size in the last 50 years. Species on the orange and red lists have seen even more concerning decreases in the last half a century.
Local conservation groups, birdwatchers and land managers are working to raise awareness about declining species. “As a birder myself,” began Rebecca Weiss, a birding guide with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), “over time I’ve been able to feel these declines. It’s real everywhere and it’s real here in the Valley.” The all-volunteer Roaring Fork Audubon Society has tracked shifting numbers of local populations for years.
The 2025 “State of the Birds” points to some potential mitigation options. Its figures demonstrate that over 50% of western forest species are declining due to habitat degradation — from things like timber operations and even fire suppression practices. This suggests that adjusting land
In the Roaring Fork Valley, there are many opportunities for birdwatching, even if you have never done so before. Both ACES and Roaring Fork Audubon lead multiple birding programs each summer. ACES programming includes arts and music sessions in addition to frequent guided birdwatching outings. Likewise, non-birders can also help protect at-risk species. Mitigating nighttime lighting helps decrease migration disruptions. Window collisions are a major hazard for avian species, which cannot see glass the same way humans can. Special glass with human-invisible ultraviolet patterns or decorative frosted patterning can help prevent collisions.
Another way to protect bird species is to discourage domestic cats from hunting them. Small cats are responsible for billions of bird deaths each year. While around two-thirds of those are attributed to stray or feral cats, over 30% are attributed to domestic indoor/outdoor cats. Domestic cats hunt by instinct even when well fed, but their predatory drive negatively affects bird populations in addition to exposing themselves to wild predators and passing vehicles.
The full “State of the Birds” report is available for exploration at www.stateofthebirds.org/2025 Pitkin County Open Space and Trails published locally relevant details from the report and additional resources online at www.tinyurl.com/PitkinBirds
Lewis’ woodpecker is among local bird species in decline. Courtesy photo from Pitkin County Open Space and Trails
Your Local Family Dental Office
Three Mile navigates transition to resident ownership
JAMES STEINDLER Contributing Editor
As of late, local mobile home communities have increasingly come under pressure as park owners list properties, such as Mountain Valley, Aspen-Basalt and Mountain mobile home parks, for sale. The latter, located in West Glenwood, was recently listed for $4.5 million and the City expeditiously committed $1.5 million from its 2C workforce housing fund to aid residents in purchasing the land themselves. Mountain Valley and Aspen-Basalt mobile home parks, located in unincorporated Garfield and Eagle counties, respectively, were originally priced at $42 million combined — a much steeper hill to climb. Both are owned by Investment Property Group.
The fear of displacement among mobile home park residents has, perhaps, been somewhat assuaged by Colorado laws favorable to those communities and at least one local success story — albeit still in the midst of its own narrative.
Since Three Mile Mobile Home Park was purchased from the previous owners, the Krueger family, by the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation (RFCDC), a nonprofit and former arm of MANAUS, in 2023, it’s kept on track to transition ownership, as planned, to the residents of the park.
“It’s actually kind of funny because when we were growing up … we always talked about how we would love to own the park,” Gabby Jimenez, age 24 and a lifetime resident of the park, told The Sopris Sun — an elusive idea she and her siblings entertained as kids.
Since RFCDC bought the park as the interim landlord, community leaders there have made sure every step of the way that the train stays on the rails. Back in October, Jimenez, who is also the secretary of the park’s resident leadership committee, along with her neighbors implored the Garfield County Commissioners to opt into Proposition 123, a measure passed by Colorado voters in 2022 designating tax dollars for affordable
housing projects. Because the commissioners agreed to do so, RFCDC was able to apply for a grant — which was just approved on May 13 — from the State Housing Board for $935,000.
The Proposition 123 grant was also contingent on whether or not a floodplain development permit would be approved by the commissioners, which it was in late April. The funding will go towards a “major modernization of the infrastructure at the Three Mile Mobile Home Park,” said Kelly McNicholas Kury, executive director of RFCDC, including: floodplain mitigation and bank stabilization along Three Mile Creek, replacing vehicle pedestrian bridges and water and sewage systems
insider tips for outdoor adventures
upgrades.
And it’s been a long time coming. Jimenez recalled helping her dad stack sandbags along the creekbank to prepare for flood season when she was a youngster.
The goal is that they’re fully prepared to understand the budget and implement the rules and regulations when they’re the owners of the park.
- Kelly McNicholas Kury, RFCDC
The park also received a $671,000 grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board that will go toward flood mitigation and creekbank stabilization. But they’re still shy of covering the $2.3 million estimated cost and working to fill the approximate $500,000 gap. “If we don’t fully fundraise the $2.3 million, we’ll have to reduce the scope of work that we hope to do,” explained Kury. “That would be
The vehicle bridge connecting both ends of Three Mile Mobile Home Park will be replaced as part of a larger project to modernize the infrastructure there. Photo courtesy of Gabby Jimenez
Bringing the beach and mountains together in Carbondale Mountain Tide Provision Co.
MYKI JONES
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Carbondale local Greg Morrison is preparing to open a new retail space — Mountain Tide Provision Co. — at 423 Main Street (previously Strange Imports),
“Whether it’s music or a business after-hours event with the Chamber of Commerce, or whatever the events may be, that would be the purpose of the lounge,” Morrison stated.
Discussing his long-term goals for the
“Carbondale is an awesome community, and I want to add to Main Street and give people more reasons to come to Main Street. I really want it to be a place for people to buy things for everyday use. There are many good retailers in the Valley, but I’m looking to be something more casual, yet nicer, for an everyday life-
His daughter, Sage, will also be involved with the business. As a junior at Roaring Fork High School, she elected to help her father with the store as its social media manager as a part of her capstone project.
Speaking further on what he looks forward to, Morrison said, “I really look forward to being part of the community as far as being the business owner goes, and learning what people want, like and need provided.” You can check out Mountain Tide Provision Co. on June 6 for a grand opening celebration for First Friday and June 21 for an open house, where Mountain Tide Music on Main will be taking place with Hanna von Bernthal from 3:30 to 6pm.
For more information, visit www.mountaintideprovision.com
The official grand opening for Mountain Tide Provision Co. is First Friday, June 6 with a photo booth in the store from 5 to 8pm — however, the store owner says they hope to open as soon as next week! On Saturday, June 21, Hanna von Bernthal will perform music in the space from 3:30 to 6pm. Courtesy photo
A Venezuelan Celebration defies prejudice
Sopris Sun Editor
“I will be surprised if there are people still in seats after the concert,” MinTze Wu told The Sopris Sun. “This music just comes through your body.” Wu is the founder of BenFeng Music Productions, concluding its Barn Music Series this season with A Venezuelan Celebration on May 29-30. “We are still going to have seating for those that need it,” she clarified, but unlike the other concerts in this series, “there will be space to stand and dance.”
For this fourth and final movement of the series this season, Wu has gathered a few of the most renowned Venezuelan musicians living in the United States to deliver “a heartfelt tribute to the Venezuelan spirit, a celebration of cultural heritage and a message of hope,” Gonzalo Teppa, the bassist and program curator stated. “In times of transition and uncertainty, music becomes a home for the heart.”
The idea came more than a year ago, when Wu and her daughters went to deliver food to Venezuelan migrants taking shelter at the Third Street Center in the winter of 2023-2024. Wu was astonished by the politeness and gratitude she encountered. She and friends, Natalie Spears and Mateo Sandate, played music for the migrants, “and they were so happy,” Wu relayed. “One person came up and asked if I knew the Venezuelan national anthem. I did not, but that was the time in my mind I wanted to do a concert for them.”
The concert is now coming to fruition with performers Manuel Rojas, flute, Victor Mestas, piano, Héctor Molina, cuatro, and Teppa, bass, transporting audiences into “the soul of joropo and the rhythm of gaita, to the tenderness of merengue caraqueño and the driving pulse of Afro-Venezuelan traditions,” Teppa elaborated.
Wu will also perform a few songs alongside these virtuosos. “I think art is our most vocal resistance,” Wu described.
“Artists often are the frontline of speaking from our flesh, of who we are, what we aspire to be.”
On May 19, the Supreme Court upheld President Donald Trump’s cancellation of temporary protected status for Venezuelans. The 2023 designation protected some 350,000 immigrants from deportation.
“This relentless effort from our administration to label a group of people a certain way, I think we need to continue to open that up and say, ‘There’s so much more, and let’s not close our eyes. Let’s not close our hearts.’”
BenFeng is planning precautions in case the concert attracts unwanted attention from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Wu said of newcomer Venezuelans interested in attending, “We want them to know it’s here, and we want them to feel like they are welcome, but I can’t promise they’re safe.” She continued, “It’s so disheartening. On this soil, we can’t just say, ‘You’re welcome.’ We can’t even say, ‘You’re safe.’”
She continued, “We forget this is a people. They occupy the space of the most virtuosic of musicians, engineers, brilliant minds, compassionate poets.” The concert is dedicated to “every Venezuelan carrying their homeland in their heart while paving a path forward for their children and future generations” and it is made possible thanks to Carbondale Arts and Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty.
A Venezuelan Celebration audiences will also get a sneak-peek into the next Barn Music Series season, which begins in September and will include three shows.
“The growth is so evident,” Wu said, reflecting on the four concerts this previous season will have produced. “People want to be in this journey together. People want to see a music series that touches on many different aspects of our life.” Wu expressed special gratitude to Brian Leisure
with Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty for lending just the right space to this cause. “The acoustics, the history, the warm-welcoming ambiance, it all just feels so right,” she concluded.
IN A NUTSHELL:
What: A Venezuelan Celebration
When: May 29-30, 7pm
Where: Old Thompson Barn Cost: $40 for seated, $30 for standing/dancing, free for youth 17 and under Website: www.benfengmusicproductions.org
RALEIGH BURLEIGH
The Old Thompson Barn in River Valley Ranch provides the perfect ambiance for this concert series.
Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
THURSDAY, MAY 22
END-OF-LIFE DISCUSSION
Sopris Lodge hosts a thoughtful and interactive discussion on aging and end-of-life care at the Carbondale Library with a panel of experts from 3:30 to 5pm.
REDSTONE ART TALK
Acclaimed local painter Linda Loeschen speaks to her process and more at the Redstone Gallery (173 Redstone Boulevard) from 4 to 6pm. Details at www.redstoneartfoundation.org
SCAVENGER HUNT
Bonedale Bikeweek concludes with a scavenger hunt beginning at Aloha Mountain Cyclery at 5:45pm, followed by music, pizza, fizzy waters and beer while the vibes last.
CEREMONIAL BREATHWORK
Davis Cowles leads a ceremonial breathwork session to move stuck energy in our bodies and lives from 6:30 to 8:30pm at True Nature. Register at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
FRIDAY, MAY 23
WOMEN’S RETREAT
Jamie Butemeyer and Alyssa Troob lead a three-day women’s retreat, “Liberate,” at True Nature where participants will move through the trinity of transformation and master the art of embodied expression. Register at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
YOUTH ARTS SHOWCASE
Carbondale Arts presents “Youth Arts Showcase” at The Launchpad on display through June 26 featuring works produced from the Carbondale Arts Creative Apprentice Program and Stepping Stones Artist Residency Program. An opening reception is planned for First Friday, June 6, from 5 to 7pm.
BRIDGES GRADUATION
Bridges High School celebrates its graduates with a ceremony at The Orchard at 5pm.
SAGE VOICES
Youth performers act out the stories of local sage elders at Thunder River Theatre tonight and tomorrow at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets at www.voicesrfv.org/sage-voices
CRYSTAL THEATRE
drumming and dancing and native vendors from noon to 5pm and 6 to 9pm today and 11am to 4pm tomorrow at Aspen High School.
SALMON DAZE
Feeding Giants opens for Salmon Daze at the Wheeler Opera House at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
FLAMINGOSIS
Get your dance funk on! Flamingosis performs with Diastrata and Quervo at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
SUNDAY, MAY 25
A SPIRITUAL CENTER
A Spiritual Center hosts Shayla Paradeis presenting “The Response Ability of a Storyteller” at the Third Street Center, Room 31, at 10am.
STORYTELLING
Storytellers, writers, journalers, listeners … all are welcome to a workshop at the Basalt Library led by Jessica Barnum designed for adults to share their stories from 3:30 to 5pm.
THE CLOSE
Steve’s Guitars presents “An Evening with THE CLOSE” beginning at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net
MONDAY, MAY 26
MEMORIAL DAY
Most government offices will be closed today in observance of Memorial Day.
TUESDAY, MAY 27
ANIME CLUB
Middle and high school students are invited to join the new Anime Club from 4 to 5:30pm at the Basalt Library. Register at www.basaltlibrary.org/calendar
DRAWING CLUB
The Roaring Fork Drawing Club meets up at Bonedale Tattoo, 818 Industry Place, at 6:30pm.
SONG AND STORY
Shayla Paradeis will perform songs with Mateo Sandate and read passages from her book, “Footprint of a Heart,” before setting out for another Appalachian Trail thru-hike this Summer. Meet at the Third Street Center’s Round Room at 7pm.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28
“Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning” opens at the Crystal Theatre tonight and continues tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm. Sunday’s show is at 5pm.
DAN SHERIDAN
Valley Roses opens for Dan Sheridan at the Wheeler Opera House at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
SATURDAY, MAY 24
GRADUATIONS
Glenwood Springs High School celebrates its graduates at 9am, Basalt High School at 10am and Roaring Fork High School at the Carbondale Middle School Auditorium at 10:15am.
ART + INSIGHT
Mellie Test guides “Art + Insight,” a soulful, hands-on workshop where folks explore their intuitive gifts through the joyful, meditative practice of creating their own tarot or oraclestyle cards, from 1 to 3pm at True Nature. Register at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
ASPEN POW WOW
The Shining Mountains Pow Wow returns to Aspen with traditional
CLIMATE
In partnership with Wilderness Workshop, The Aspen Chapel Gallery presents “CLIMATE,” a special photography exhibit, with an opening reception from 4 to 7pm. There will also be a conversation with the artists and Will Roush, Wilderness Workshop executive director, moderated by Andrew Travers on June 11 at 6pm. The exhibit runs through July 6 and 10% of sales and 20% of sponsorships benefit Wilderness Workshop.
LAND+SHELTER
Land+Shelter celebrates 20 years of refined architectural design at Colorado Mountain College’s teaching kitchen at the Aspen campus, 255 Sage Way, from 5:30 to 7pm. RSVP to info@landandshelter.com
THURSDAY, MAY 29
CMC AT THE LIBRARY
Colorado Mountain College hosts open office hours at the Basalt Library informing people about ESL, high school equivalency and other resources from 4:30 to 5:30pm.
Congratulations CLASS OF 2025 BRIDGES HIGH school
Home of the Frogs!
Adamaris Aguilar
DalaynAguilar Gonzalez
Paige Altomare Magnolia Bokenko
Meet Our Seniors
Keaton Wesseling
JeffreySanchez Lopez
Jordan Sorensen
Yeri Vazquez
Jerick Sorensen
Saul Ramirez
StefanyRegalado Montanez
Charlotte Prosser
Leticia Moreno Puc
Jasiel Martinez Gomez
Juan Lemus Pena
Valeria Perez-Vega
ready for the world
CLASS OF 2025 Congratulations
Christian Claassen
Rams!
CLASS OF 2025 Congratulations ROARING FORK HIGH SCHOOL Homeofthe
Ambitious, hardworking, and ready to take on the challenges ahead, the Class of 2025 stands out for its resilience and drive Whether entering the workforce, heading off to college, enlisting in the military, or traveling and exploring, these graduates are boldly stepping into the next chapter.
Highlights
This is an impressive group, and their achievements have not gone unnoticed. Colleges and scholarship committees across the country recognized their talent and potential. The Class of 2025 earned admission to a wide range of impressive colleges, with nearly half being the first in their families to attend. This year, more local valley scholarships than ever have extended their generosity to Roaring Fork High School seniors, awarding over $230,000! Jane Taylor was a Boettcher Scholarship finalist. Ruby Lough was a National Merit Scholarship finalist, and Morgan Fink and Jane Taylor were National Merit Commended Scholars
Morgan Fink, Emerson Kennedy, Hank Cerrone, and Andrew Huang took CMC Emergency Medical Technician classes to complete their EMT certificate. Spirit Bohlender and Adonay Cruz have committed to serve in the U.S. Army. Tanner Kaegebein and Seamus Gohery will begin their college journeys abroad through Verto Education, gaining global perspective as they continue their studies. The following 15 students earned the Colorado State Seal of Biliteracy, demonstrating their advanced literacy in two or more languages: Angie Aguilar, Luis Andrade Uribe, Yesenia Benavides Burgos, Maysa Cubias, Brooke (Elizabeth) Fullerton, Jorge (Nuny) Gomez-Mata, Jackelyne Hernandez, Melanie Lopez Garcia, Felin Marin-Trinidad, Angela (Angie) Mata-Tarin, Fernando Rodriguez, Gladys Santiago Nieves, Harper Stone, Nicola Stringham, and Tomas Vazquez Ibarra College acceptances
All Colorado public institutions, University of Alaska Anchorage, American, Arizona State, University of Arizona, Auburn, Bates, Baylor, Cal Poly, California State University Channel Islands and San Marcos, University of California, Irvine, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western Reserve, Chapman, College of Charleston, Claremont McKenna, Colorado College, Columbia College Chicago, Cornish College of the Arts, University of Denver, Drexel, Duke Kunshan, Elmhurst, Elon, Emerson, Evergreen, Fordham, Gonzaga, Grand Canyon, Guilford, Idaho State, Ithaca, Kalamazoo, Kansas State, University of Kansas, Lake Forest, Lindenwood, Macalester, MIT, Merrimack, Michigan State, University of Michigan, Middlebury, Millikin, University of Missouri, Montana State, University of Nevada Reno and Las Vegas, University of New Mexico, North Dakota State College of Science, Northern Arizona University, Northwestern, Nova Southeastern, Oregon State, Pepperdine, University of Puget Sound, Purdue, Regis, University of Rhode Island, Rowan, Rutgers, San Diego State, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara, Art Institute of Chicago, St. John’s, Seattle University, St. Lawrence, Syracuse, University of Tampa, University of Tennessee, The New School, University of Oregon, University of Utah, Washington State University, Western Washington University, Westminster, and Whitman.
To the Class of 2025: We are proud of your courage, your persistence, and your heart You have left a lasting mark on this community, and we can't wait to see how you shape the future Go forth with confidence; you are ready
CLASS OF 2025 Meet Our Seniors
Luis Andrade Uribe
Angie Aguilar
Madeline Anderson
Juniper Anderson
Alondra Avila Salgado Yesenia Benavides Burgos
Alex Avila Candela
Annika Anslyn
Jordy Carrillo Tapia
Jeffery Candela Arellanes Yesis Canales Abarca
Samuel Brennan Noah Brockman
Sean Braudis Spirit Bohlender
Lowry Camp
Adonay Cruz
Keisy Cruz Quintanilla
Erica Crownhart
Antony Cruz Portillo
Carly Crownhart
ters
Drake Cornett
Oliver Cisneros
Cole Fenton
Geovana De Moraes Haueisen Ruas
Maysa Cubias
Eric Figueroa
Austin Fotion
Yessi Fuentes Portill
Matthew Fischer
Victor Gallegos
Emiliano Galindo
Brooke Fullerton
Hank Cerrone
Ethan Gar
Jorge Gomez-Mata
eamus Gohery
i l k
Briston G
Henry Haag
Jekson Herrera Abarca
Samuel Hernandez
kelyne Hernandez
Hunter Gifford
Phillipe Huang
Katherine Huttenhower
Camila Huerta
Aberdeen Kennedy
Tanner Kaegebein
Robert Jones
Enzo Katzenberger
Andrew Huang
Anthony GallegosBecerril
Emerson Kennedy
Lawson Kreiling
Ananda Lavender Liza Logan
Balarama Koss
Eleanor Knaus
Magnus Knable
Lauren Latousek
Finnegan Madden
Melanie LopezGarcia
Ruby Lough
Briana Lopez
Campbell Maybon
Rodnny Marinero Cruz
AngelaMata-Tarin
Felin Marin Trinidad
Jordan Ramos
Juniper Reindel
Gus Richardson
Candace Samora
Margaret Russell
Gabriel Salas Mena
Fernando Rodriguez
Gladys SantiagoNieves
Bridget Serrano
Alexy Sanchez
Westin Sherman Aaron Sida
BryanMeraz-Villarreal
Justin Morales Beltran
Hunter Noll
Blake Petersen
e Taylor
Hannah Thomoff
Chase Tesoro
Bronze Urfrig
Tomas VazquezIbarra
Baltazar Uribe
Josiah Wheeless
Hugo Wilsher
John Ward
Coleman Streater
Nicola Stringham
Oliver Skagen
Steven Sosa
Harper Stone Ruby Strait
It’s Bonedale Bike Week in Carbondale! Enjoy free coffee, tea, hot chocolate and breakfast snacks for cyclists at 4th and Main through May 23. Among the many peripheral activities, artist Brad Reed Nelson led a studio tour on a tall bike beginning at the Third Street Center and ending with a bonfire and beer at S.A.W. on Monday, May 19. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
CU AT THE LIBRARY
Simultaneously, the CU Department of Psychiatry will be at the Carbondale Library at 4:30pm with an introduction to behavioral health services and a presentation on psychedelics and cannabis in Colorado. RSVP for free at www.bit.ly/CUCDALE
RANGE TO HOME
Volunteers from Friends of the Mustangs and the Piceance-East Douglas Heard Management Area present “Wild Mustangs of Colorado: From Range to Home,” an informative event about wild horses that are removed from the range and placed in an Bureau of Land Management adoption program, at the Glenwood Springs Library from 6 to 7:30pm. More details at www.gcpld.org
A VENEZUELAN CELEBRATION
BenFeng Music Productions presents a concert featuring Venezuelan musicians playing Venezuelan music at the Old Thompson Barn in River Valley Ranch at 7pm tonight and tomorrow. Tickets at www.benfengmusicproductions.org
MARTY STUART
TACAW presents Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives at 8pm. Find tickets at www.tacaw.com
FRIDAY, MAY 30
PEACE GARDEN
Laura Kirk leads a botanical tour of True Nature’s Peace Garden from 8 to 9am. RSVP at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
BARD AT THE WHEELER
Olivia “The Bard” Pevec performs with John Hatanaka at the Wheeler Opera House at 7pm. Tickets at www.wheeleroperahouse.com
MICHAEL LILLE
Steve’s Guitars presents Michael Lille performing at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net
THE CLEVERLYS
Enjoy some bluegrass and comedy with The Cleverlys at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
SATURDAY, MAY 31
RIVER FLOAT
Roaring Fork Conservancy invites river rats to join its educational 2025 River Float from Basalt to Carbondale starting at 8am. After the float, participants will be shuttled back to the
River Center in Basalt for a provided lunch. Tickets and more details at www.roaringfork.org
SPRING GULCH WEEDING
The Mount Sopris Nordic Council invites you to help pull weeds at Spring Gulch from 8 to 11am beginning at the Marion Lot. “Please bring a hat, work gloves, sunscreen, sturdy shoes and a water bottle. If you have a heavy-duty garden spade or weed fork, please label it with your name and bring it along!”
QIGONG WELLNESS
The Red Thread Institute offers medical Qigong healing sessions at True Nature from 10am today through 5pm tomorrow. Donations are recommended but no one will be turned away. Book a 90-minute session at www.redthreadinstitute.org/ medical-qigong-treatments
SUMMER READING KICKOFF
The Basalt Library hosts a Summer Reading Kickoff Party, replete with an inflatable water slide, obstacle course, face painting and more, from noon to 3pm.
THUNDER BALL
Thunder River Theatre hosts its “Thunder Ball” gala, to include yard games, such as “Thunderput,” food trucks, a “Drunken Shakespeare” halftime show, a best sports gear costume contest, a dance party and more, all beginning at 5pm. Tickets at www.thunderrivertheatre.com
PATIO NIGHT LIVE
Local comedians Beth Brandon, Miller Ford, Garrett Hall, Michael Coyle and Zoë Rom perform at the Wheeler Opera House at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
BRIDGING BIONICS
Bridging Bionics hosts a sold-out fundraiser at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm featuring Dusty, “a troubadour of the six-string, weaving tales of love, life and the occasional misadventure with a wink and a smile.” There may be a few standing room tickets sold on show night.
SUNDAY, JUNE 1
MONTHLY MEDITATION
The Carbondale Meditation Circle of Self Realization Fellowship, based on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, meets the first Sunday of every month from 9 to 10:30am in the meditation room at True Nature.
ONGOING EVENTS
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
The Meeting Place in Carbondale (981 Cowen Drive) offers “Hole in the Donut AA,” Monday through Saturday at 6:45am, plus “Daily Reprieve” at noon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Find a full schedule at www.meetingplacecarbondale.org
MOVE WITH ME
Little ones, 18 months to 3 years, move to the grove and gain an early appreciation for dancing at the Basalt Library every Monday at 10:30am.
MOMMY MEET-UP
The Glenwood Springs Library hosts a “mommy meet-up” on Mondays from 11am to 12:30pm for mothers and their babies ages 0-3. There will be play items provided for the little ones and coffee and conversation for the moms.
BOARD GAMES
Kids (5 and up) play board games in the Treehouse Room at the Basalt Library Mondays at 4pm. Snacks provided.
ENGLISH IN ACTION
Volunteer English tutors and developing learners meet for informal conversational practice at the Carbondale Library every Monday at 6:30pm. Interested in becoming a tutor? Email angela@englishinaction.org or call 970-963-9200.
PILATES
Coredination offers weekly pilates mat classes for all levels at The Launchpad in Carbondale. Tuesdays from noon to 1pm intermediate/advanced students are welcome. Beginners are encouraged to attend on THursdays from 8 to 9am. For more info, call 970-379-2187.
STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT
with Travis Wilson
Youth ages 12-18 will learn to block, sing, dance and act a number as a character in a musical.
BIKE PROJECT
The Carbondale Bike Project Shop helps people repair their bicycles on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 6pm and Sundays from noon to 6pm on the east side of Third Street Center.
SENIOR LUNCH
Every Wednesday at noon, Garfield County Senior Programs provides a nutritious meal for seniors at The Orchard. To reserve a place at the table, call 970-665-0041.
SPANISH CLUB
Practice Spanish and enjoy specials at Bodegón in Carbondale every Wednesday from 5 to 7pm.
LINE DANCING
Learn to line dance at the Carbondale Community School from 5:30 to 6:30 every Wednesday.
NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION
Talia Starwood is offering Nonviolent Communication in Action on the last Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8pm. To RSVP, text 970-309-1120. Donations will be gratefully accepted.
FARM DAYS
Wild Mountain Seeds invites you to volunteer at Sunfire Ranch every Thursday from 12:30 to 4pm. Bring a water bottle and gloves and leave as early as you need to.
GROUP RUN
Independence Run & Hike leads a weekly group run on Thursdays departing from the store’s location, next to the Carbondale City Market, at 6:30pm.
STORYTIME
Both the Carbondale and Basalt libraries host storytime for youngsters and their caregivers every Friday at 10:30am
Fridays, 2-3:30pm, 5/30-8/8
Adult Classes in Carbondale
APOCALYPSE 101: SURVIVING Saturday, 10am-1pm, 5/31
CARBONDALE PLANT WALK Sunday, 5-7pm, 6/1
SEWING - REPAIRS & ALTERATIONS
Mondays, 6-8:30pm, 6/2-7/7
SOMATIC YOGA WORKSHOP Monday, 9-11am, 6/2
BEGINNER WATERCOLOR Tues 5:30-8:30pm, 6/3-7/15
INTRO TO ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
Wed 1:30-3:30pm, 6/4-6/25
CREATIVE WRITING Thurs 6-8pm, 6/5-7/3
INTRO TO SOUND HEALING Thurs 6-9pm, 6/12
BEG SKETCHING & DRAWING Tues 10am-12pm, 6/17-7/15
Kids’ Classes
BEGINNING SKETCHING Mondays, 10-11am, 6/9-6/30
SKETCHING AND DRAWING LEVEL II
Mondays, 10-11am, 7/14-8/4
*Credit Art Classes
*METAL CASTING - ASPEN Tues, 5:10-9:30pm, 6/3-8/5
*ADOBE FOR ARTISTS -ASPEN Tues, 5:10-9:30pm, 6/3-7/1
* Senior Tuition Discount applies. Contact campus for info and registration.
Two Basalt athletes take bronze at state track meet
JOHN STROUD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Several local athletes competed at the Colorado Track and Field Championships in the Class 3A division, held May 15-17 at JeffCo Stadium in Lakewood, to conclude the 2025 season.
A pair of Basalt High School athletes made the podium, including senior Jared Tannenbaum, who took third place in the 300-meter hurdles on the final day of competition.
It was sweet redemption for Tannenbaum who, as a junior, broke his arm when he fell in his preliminary heat of the hurdles event at state and was unable to proceed.
This year, after missing the finals in the 110-meter hurdles on Thursday, he rebounded to run 40.72 seconds in Friday’s prelim of the 300 hurdles. Saturday afternoon, he went 39.38 seconds (a new personal best) in the finals to bring home the bronze.
Also collecting bronze was Longhorns junior Towler Scott in Friday’s 3,200-meter run final. A strong headwind on the backstretch that day made for a tactical approach.
“I kind of just wanted to bring it out slow on those first two laps and stay at the back of the pack and let the others do the work and key off them,” Scott said after the race.
After the first four laps, he began to make his move, eventually pushing up to the lead pack and settling into chase pace.
Then it was go time.
“With two laps left [Alamosa freshman Ethan Clark] took off, and I tried to go with him,” Scott said. “I got passed on the last lap [by Berthoud senior Scott Clark], but it still felt pretty good to finish third.”
- Jared Tannenbaum
His time of 9:49.75 ended up being a personal best. On Saturday, Scott placed 15th in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:37.74.
“It’s a good feeling, especially since last year not making anything and breaking my arm,” Tannenbaum said as he soaked it all in one last time on the infield after his race. “Just getting back here was a big step, so it was good to finish my senior year off strong.”
Carbondale’s Roaring Fork High School was represented by senior Isabella Moon, who moved up a few spots from her qualifying position to finish 13th (four spots off the podium) in the 800 meters on Friday in a 2:27.91.
Moon was joined on Thursday by junior Caroline Cole, sophomore Sadie Silcox and freshman Kinley Richmond in the 4x800 relay (17th, 10:41.09).
Rams junior Nikki Tardif finished 11th
Basalt’s Towler Scott settles in behind a pair of runners from Alamosa and Berthoud going into the final laps of the 3A boys 3200-meter run during last weekend’s Colorado Track and Field Championships at JeffCo Stadium in Lakewood. Scott ultimately took third.
Photo by John Stroud
in the 300-meter hurdles on Friday in 48.94 seconds.
Also competing for Basalt at the state track meet were:
Junior Addison Raymond in the 1,600 meters (13th, 5:29.56); junior Sidney Barill in the triple jump (16th, 32 feet-0.75 inches); and, for the boys, senior Lorenzo Salazar Tedin in the 110 hurdles (10th, 15.99) and 300 hurdles (10th, 41.06), and three relay teams — 4x400 (14th, 3:31.58), 4x200 (17th, 1:38.38) and 4x800 (18th, 9:12.63).
Photo: Sydney Yllanes
Photo: David Vasquez
Photo: David Vasquez
Photo: Will Sardinsky
Gottlieb and Knickerbocker release new book
TOM MERCER
Sopris Sun Contributor
Carbondale authors — and romantic partners — Larry Gottlieb and Katherine Knickerbocker have written a new book that combines philosophy, adventure and the great outdoors. The book is called “Secrets of the River: A Parable for Our Times.” It is being published by Di Angelo Publications, with a book launch at the Carbondale Library in concert with White River Books on June 4 at 5:30pm.
A river carries the reader through the story, just as readers were transported by river in “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Apocalypse Now.” Rivers are a proven literary vehicle to “move the reader through a story,” Gottlieb remarked.
The characters in “Secrets of the River,” strangers to each other, have joined together for a rafting trip down an unnamed river in America’s Southwest. The rafting company is called Insight Rafting Adventures, which should serve as a strong hint about the nature of the experience to come.
Each member of this rafting group is successful in their professional lives but are feeling that something is missing. Annie owns a second-hand bookstore in a Victorian building (and has been urged by a coworker to “Get away from it all and to do something new”). Malcolm, who is handsome, clean-cut, athletic and smart, is vice-president of a manufacturing company. Jeremy, an architect, works for a successful design firm. And Benjamin is a water attorney. Last, but not least, is Margaret, who has climbed the corporate ladder of a large printing company.
Each member of the group signed up for the adventure for different reasons. They did not know each other prior to their adventure, but they would soon know each other very well.
This group of city dwellers learn that their trip will be more than a vacation when they meet their river guide, “Skip” (short for Skipper), who advises them to “Think of the next ten days as a floating survey of what we believe about our world and ourselves.” The guide promises the rafters personal discoveries that might make a lasting difference in their lives.
The rafters also meet “The Professor” who encourages them to question everything they
OBITUARY Richard Kirk
Richard Kirk of Carbondale, age 99, passed away May 5, 2025, one month away from his 100th Birthday. Richard was surrounded by dear friends and caregivers. Born to Frances and Richard Kirk of Jersey City, New Jersey, his parents and older brother, Frank, and younger sister, Rosemary, preceded him in death.
Richard joined the Navy at age 18 in 1943 and became a flight engineer. The Navy piqued his interest in engineering and he received a degree at the University of Maryland and went on to to work for Washington, D.C., electric utilities.
Richard was influenced by Billy Graham to pursue a masters in divinity at Princeton University, where he was the oldest student. Upon graduation from Princeton, he became pastor of the Memorial Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for six years. In 1964, he was called to be the pastor of the Woodland Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia for 26 years. The congregation there granted Richard to become Pastor Emeritus, and named its fellowship hall in his honor.
After years of backpacking and skiing in the Aspen area, Richard followed his longtime dream of moving West permanently where he became a beloved and integral part of the community. He was
deeply connected to the Snowmass Chapel and frequently gave sermons as a visiting minister.
He was an ambassador for the Aspen Skiing Company where he loved guiding people on Snowmass Mountain tours. He was highly revered and respected among all his friends and acquaintances in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. He was known for his quick wit and heightened sense of acuity. His friendships were deep and enduring. His wonderful spirit and friendship will long live in our hearts. There will be a loving celebration of life, details to be determined. Memorial gifts can be made to Hospice of the Valley or a nonprofit of your choice.
Carbondale’s pioneering entrepreneur OPINION
In July 1944, “The Colorado Magazine,” an arm of the state’s Historical Society, published “A Pioneer of the Roaring Fork,” as told to Ivah Dunklee by William M. Dinkel. A footnote explained that though Dinkel died in 1918, his stories were relayed to Miss Dunklee in many after-dinner chats at his home in Carbondale.
Dinkel’s story begins:
“In the spring of 1880, the first day of April, my brother and I, with high hopes, bade a cheerful goodbye to kinsfolk in the home where we were born on the beautiful plantation in Virginia. We had decided to go to the Rockies in pursuit of gold. We had known only the accustomed comfort of our youth and all that we had heard or read about the West seemed [like a] delightful adventure.”
With Montana goldfields as their aim, the brothers set out, arriving in Colorado with the summer storms.
After making camp at timberline on the Arkansas River, the Dinkel brothers’ adventures began.
“[We] engaged in prospecting, and found a promising placer… Thirty days were consumed in building the trail, the sluice and the ditch. When all was completed, my brother and I worked just one day! In the afternoon of that memorable day, the clouds began to roll
up until they were a fearful sight to behold. Finally, it began to pour. An avalanche of water belched forth as though a mighty dam somewhere above had suddenly gone smash.
“Becoming anxious to know how our sluice was holding out, we ventured into the downpour to investigate … There was not a sign of the sluice. The timbers had been broken to splinters and swept away! Our hearts and our purses were broken by that storm.
“Disappointed … I was more ready than ever to push on to Montana, but was obliged to earn some more money before I could hope to go very far.”
Dinkel worked for two months in O.B. Carroll’s store, within a mining and railway workers camp on Hayden Creek, before moving to Bonanza at the north end of the San Luis Valley — where gold had just been discovered.
“At Bonanza, I was hired to pack ore for an outfit. The man I was working for was unable to pay me, and the smelting company refused to pay the charges … so I left the town with little money and much experience.”
In Buena Vista, the Dinkels heard about a lack of flour in the silver mining town of Aspen. They purchased 800 pounds of flour for $24 and packed it on two horses
and three mules, then trekked over Cottonwood Pass, through the Elk Mountains and over Taylor Pass to the small mining town of Ashcroft, and then on to Aspen. There, they sold the flour for $400.
Still intending to make their way to Montana, the brothers found temporary work to raise extra money for the journey.
“[We] went on up the Roaring Fork to seek work on the Aspen and Twin Lakes toll road, which was then being built [Highway 82 over Independence Pass]. The paymaster started with money from Leadville … but on the way he got into a poker game and lost the money … The Superintendent would not stand for the money being gambled away and refused to make the loss good. I, then and there, made the mental resolution that I would never again work for anybody else, and I have kept that vow.”
William Dinkel never made it to Montana, nor did he make his fortune in prospecting. He eventually became a wealthy entrepreneur, later known as “The Daddy of Carbondale.” But he started from humble beginnings and hard work.
“Arrival in the Roaring Fork and Rock Creek valleys was the beginning of my continuous residence in what afterward became
Carbondale. It was the 25th of September, 1881, when we began erection of our quarters for the winter. We worked diligently for five days to complete our house.
“Hunting then was the only means of livelihood, and it was our business. It meant soap, salt, sugar, pepper, bacon, lard, even bread.”
They sold the meat in Independence, a 140-mile round trip from their cabin, on foot leading pack burros. Eventually, they made enough money to buy two horses, a plough and some oat seed. That was the beginning of an agricultural enterprise that led to the opportunity for William Dinkel to build his empire.
“[In 1883], a toll road was built from Jerome park to Emma … opening the stage route between Aspen and Glenwood. Carbondale’s Main Street is located on that stage line.
“During the summer of 1884, we cut logs from the slopes of Mt. Sopris and built on this thoroughfare, an eight-room house, a barn to shelter 60-head of horses, a store 16 by 25 feet and opened the first inn in the valley. ‘Dinkel’s’ was the only passenger stop between Aspen and Glenwood. My brother and his wife operated the inn, and I tended to the store.
“Our store had the reputation of carrying as choice groceries as
HISTORIOGRAPHY
By Sue Gray
could be found in Colorado. We furnished French mushrooms, pate de foie gras, choice cheeses, the finest coffees and cigars. [It] was the clubhouse of the region, the meeting place of men after work, the hobnobbing point for commercial travelers.”
The fire of 1893 consumed the entire east end of downtown Carbondale, including the Dinkels’ building. But William Dinkel had already invested in a one-block piece of property at Fourth and Main, and constructed a two-story brick building housing the Bank of Carbondale, of which he was president, a livery stable, a hotel and the Dinkel Mercantile.
After William Dinkel’s death in 1918, the Dinkel Mercantile remained an important commercial cornerstone of Carbondale into the 1930s, operated by his daughter Anne and her husband Wallace de Beque II.
We are delighted to offer you, our community, the opportunity to take advantage of low-cost blood tests
June 6 & 7
Aspen Valley Hospital Campus Hosted at Aspen Ambulance 0403 Castle Creek Road
June 8
Lab Tests Offered
• HealthScreen w/CBC – $79 Includes CBC, CMP, Ferritin, Iron Panel, Lipid Panel, TSH and Uric Acid (Fasting Required)
• hsCardio CRP – $42
Records fall at second annual Mt. Sopris Run-Off by Independence Run & Hike
GUEST REPORT
Courtesy photos
Under nearly perfect running conditions on Sunday, May 18, nearly 200 runners took part in the second annual Mt. Sopris Run-Off hosted by Independence Run & Hike. The race began at Flying Dog Ranch in Carbondale and followed singletrack trails to the finish line at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES)
Rock Bottom Ranch in Basalt.
Participants chose between two distances: a challenging 25K or a fun and fast 10-mile route. The field was split almost evenly between the two races.
In the 25K race, Keegan Oldani of Carbondale claimed victory with a time of 1 hour 51 minutes and 14 seconds, edging out runner-up Mitchell Day from Arkansas in a tight finish.
Oldani also broke the previous course record by nearly 13 minutes. In the women’s division, Ariel Rittenhouse defended her title and bested her own course record from last year by just over a minute, finishing in a time of 2 hours 18 minutes and 3 seconds.
The 10-mile race also saw record-breaking performances. Brett Wachtendorf of Basalt cruised to victory in the men’s division with a time of 1 hour and 13 minutes, beating out 2nd and 3rd place runners Watkins Fulk-Gray (1 hour 18 minutes 11 seconds) and Danny Whelan (1 hour 18 minutes 42 seconds), while Rock Bottom Ranch local Cameron Mackenzie won the women’s race in 1 hour 25 minutes and 53 seconds, just breaking the course record and beating out podium finishers Anna Garvilova from Glenwood Springs and Jenya Berino of Aspen.
While most participants hailed from the Roaring Fork Valley — from Aspen to New Castle — others traveled from the Front Range and as far away as Michigan and Arkansas to compete.
The event wasn’t just a win for the athletes. Independence Run
& Hike donated $30 from every race entry (for a total of $4,800) to Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV), a nonprofit dedicated to promoting stewardship of public lands through community-driven education, restoration and conservation projects.
“This is a great event to kick off the summer trail season,” said Brion After, owner of Independence Run & Hike. “I’m thankful to all the athletes, volunteers, community partners like RFOV and ACES, and our generous sponsors — First Bank and Microcosm Coaching — who help make it happen.”
June Book Clubs at Your Carbondale Branch Library
Nonfiction Book Club
Second Thursdays at 2pm
Read a nonfiction book of your choice around a theme and then join us as we discuss. June theme: Adventure
Club de Lectura en Español
Segundo Jueves a las 6pm
Reúnase con otros lectores para discutir novelas escritas en español. Libro para Junio: "Corazón tan blanco" por Javier Marías
Books in Bars
Thursday, June 12 at 7pm
Join your local librarians at Beer Works as we discuss “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Third Thursday Book Club
Third Thursdays at 2pm
Explore a mix of fiction and non-fiction.
June selection: “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova
970-963-2889
www.gcpld.org
Independence Run & Hike donated $30 from every race entry to Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers, totaling $4,800.
Keegan Oldani completed the 25K in 1 hour 51 minutes and 41 seconds, setting a new course record.
Brett Wachtendorf won the 10-mile race with a time of 1 hour and 13 minutes.
Rachel Bachman was among nearly 200 runners from near and far who took part in the Mt. Sopris Run-Off on May 18.
La Clínica del Pueblo upgrades space to strengthen community medical care
DANIEL TORRES Sol del Valle
La Clínica del Pueblo, currently located at the Third Street Center in Carbondale, has operated independently since the year 2020 as an effective, free and bilingual option for people who cannot access traditional medical services in the Valley.
Judith Alvarez, co-founder and program director, is a doctor who graduated from the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. Her career includes work alongside Valley Settlement, another Carbondale-based nonprofit she collaborated with to collect data regarding the needs of the local Latino community. It was there that she became aware of the barriers that many people, especially women, face accessing medical services: from language to high costs to distrust in institutions.
Faced with this reality, in 2016, Alvarez and Dr. Michael Lintner began offering free or low-cost consultations at Mountain Family Health Center. The improvised office only had a donated massage bed and operated the first Saturday of each month, attending up to eight patients per session. Thus, the foundation was laid for what we now know as La Clínica del Pueblo.
In an interview with Sol del Valle Alvarez recalled, “At the beginning it was not easy at all. We had many patients who wanted to pay for the consultations. However, we told them the only payment [we wanted] was to follow their treatment, because some didn’t follow the instructions or simply stopped attending.”
It was four years later, in 2020, when the opening of La Clínica del Pueblo at its current location in the Third Street Center was made official, thanks to the support of Dr. Greg Feinsinger,
a retired family physician who proposed the name in English: The People’s Clinic.
Since then, the team has grown and strengthened. Currently, it includes professionals like Isabel Almeida, Julianne Doherty and María Pérez as medical assistants, Yolanda González as a psychologist, Jenny Lang as medical director and family nurse practitioner and its board of directors. Thanks to this team, up to 16 people are seen daily and more than 500 each month. It’s worth noting that 99% of patients are Latinos.
One of the most important milestones in its development has been the remodeling of its
facilities within a new space at the Third Street Center, financed by the Colorado Health Foundation since 2023. This change of space not only represented an improvement in infrastructure but also a significant expansion in the services offered, which now include general medicine, psychology, nutrition, counseling, laboratory resources and follow-up for chronic illnesses. This allows the clinic to cover almost all of a patient’s primary health care needs.
When it comes to the future of the project, Alvarez shared, “The dream of having this space has taken us more than nine years.”
She continued, “During this time
I’ve met wonderful people who have contributed with donations for infrastructure and equipment. This is a collaboration that continues to grow. Our next goal is to open a dental office, because we consider it an urgent need for our community.”
Currently, La Clínica del Pueblo is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am to 1pm, Tuesdays from 4:30pm to 7:30pm, and the first and third Saturdays of each month from 9am to 1pm. To make an appointment, visit their website laclinicadelpueblo.care or call 970-591-1820. Services are completely bilingual.
Follow Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every week in Spanish.
Mark Taylor, facilities manager at the Third Street Center, pays Judith Alvarez a visit at La Clínica’s news space.
Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
Share your works in progress with readers by emailing illustrations, creative writings and poetry to fiction@soprissun.com
And There Were Roses
By Nancy McAtavey Carbondale
Churchill Downs, The first Saturday in May
“This is it,” I thought as I entered the main concourse of the Louisville International Airport. I was ready to cross this item off of my bucket list, ready for “the most exciting two minutes in sports” — The Kentucky Derby’s Run for the Roses.
As long as I can remember, my family and friends gathered around the TV for this famous race. We listened to everyone: the weatherman who described the track conditions and the clouds in the area, the sportscasters who analyzed the horses, trainers, owners and jockeys, the statisticians who explained the odds board and the post positions.
But no one listened more intently than my mother. This was her day. She dictated the volume of the room, when we could shout and when we needed to just watch. And she decided the wagering — always “a buck a bet.” We threw our dollar bills on the coffee table, eager to see who would take home the big prize money when the winning horse crossed the finish line and was draped with a blanket of roses. Red roses.
From the time we arrived to our departure on Monday, red roses were everywhere. Urns, filled with dozens of long stems, flanked both sides of the airport walkway. The lobby of the Galt House, the official hotel of the Derby, showcased a massive arrangement of roses on a pedestal beneath the main chandelier. Tall copper vases filled with the deep reds marched down the divide of our dining spot at the Butchertown Grocery. And even the window of the hotel’s boutique featured a tuxedo jacket fashioned from a red rose printed fabric. These were the flowers that defined my
Photo by Nancy McAtavey
mother’s life. She was a rose grader/packer from the time she was widowed at the age of 25 until the day she retired in 1987. She sloshed water buckets from the walk-in coolers to the long grading tables where they were measured, cut and checked for mildewed leaves or deformed bullheads. Her hands were water-shriveled with thorn-punched fingers and broken nails. She handled thousands and thousands of roses of every color: yellow, white, lavender, pink. And the king of them all, the long-stemmed red.
The day of the race was gray and drizzly. Women donned plastic ponchos or dry cleaner bags to protect their dresses and hats. Flip-flops replaced high heels. Men paired their everyday baseball caps with their suits and jackets. Umbrellas popped up and down as the shuttle buses, taxis and limos pulled up to the front door. Chatter and laughter mixed with requests for another mint julep or cold beer.
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
Under the cover of the grandstand, I’m studying my racing program and the names of the horses I’ve either crossed out or circled for race #12. I’m second guessing the wagers that my husband is on his way to place at the window. I am living my dream: sipping a glass of white wine, people watching everyone around me and down in the mud-covered infield.
There’s a tap on my shoulder. I turn around to find my Grandfather, my “Papa,” seated behind me. The man who helped my mother raise me. The man who died some 55 years ago. I blink to make sure I am still here at Churchill Downs, that I can still smell bourbon and the smoke from the mens’ fat cigars.
“Is that you, Papa? What are you doing here?” I ask. But there’s no mistaking him The bushy gray eyebrows above those deep blue eyes. The long face with the prominent nose, the deep wrinkles that frame the thin-lipped smile.
“Of course, it’s me.” He tips his straw bowler and gives me a wink. He’s dressed in his best navy blazer with white flannel pants and sports a white shirt and red tie. “I came to check on you. To make sure you got here alright, that you have a good seat. That you remember how to read the program and place a bet.”
I look around again. “But Mama? Where is she?”
“She’s down there in the infield, in all that commotion, having a beer and a smoke. She’s here watching after me, just like in the olden days when she would drive me home in the truck after the races. Sometimes I would have too much whiskey and she would take the keys and push me into the passenger seat. She drove the back road from the fairgrounds and we always made
it home safe, even though she was too young for a license and her skinny legs barely reached the gas pedal.”
“But why didn’t she come up here with you? To see me?”
My grandfather looks down toward the infield. “Well, she was never one for fancy dresses. And I don’t ever think I saw her wear a hat. She didn’t want to come up here and embarrass you wearing her flannel shirt and corduroy pants.”
“Well then, I’ll go down there to see her.”
“No, little one. There’s no time for that.” He reaches for his gold pocket watch. “It’s almost post time.”
“But is she alright, Papa?”
“Don’t you worry. I keep my eye on her. She took care of me all those years.”
The rain has not let up. The track is puddled, muddy. And then comes the call“Riders Up” as the jockeys mount their horses and take to the track.
“Ladies and Gentlemen. Please stand for the singing of ‘My Old Kentucky Home.’”
I turn to the song printed on my program as the first few bars of the song echoes across the track.
“Will you sing with me, Papa? Do you remember the words?”
“No, I have to go now. Your mother’s down at the rail waiting for me. I bet on that #4 horse for her.”
I start to sing along with the other 160,000 fans. There’s another pat on my back but when I turn he’s gone.
The horses were loaded into the starting gate and then came the two words I’d been waiting to hear: “They’re off!”
I looked across to the infield. Was that Papa’s straw hat? Mama’s plaid flannel shirt? I waved and then focused on the track and the Run for the Roses.
May 31, 12-3PM
Have a blast sliding down the giant inflatable water slide, racing through the obstacle course, getting colorful face paintings, and enjoying so many
LETTERS
our species, communities and Colorado’s very essence. I was on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. last week speaking with our congressmen about this critical issue alongside conservation advocates organized by Defenders of Wildlife. I was recommended to participate by Wilderness Workshop. I encourage you to call our congressmen and tell them that you are concerned about biodiversity and this crucial conservation protection, the ESA , that is being brutally threatened by our current federal administration and members of Congress.
Sarah
R. Johnson Carbondale
Holy Cross endorsements
When was the last time your electricity utility asked you to participate in guiding their future? If you get your electricity from Holy Cross Energy, you should have received your ballot for this year’s board election as well as an invitation to their annual meeting. This is participatory democracy at its finest. As members of Holy Cross Energy, you have the ability to vote for board members who will guide your energy future.
Holy Cross provides, quite literally, the lines that tie our disparate communities together for the good of all. They keep those electrons flowing to over 44,500 members in five counties. By the end of 2025, Holy Cross hopes to provide 90% of those electrons from renewable sources. By 2030, 100% of those electrons will be from renewable sources! By supporting your electrical cooperative and its forward-thinking mission you are supporting actions that will have a positive effect on the planet and its climate.
Attending the electric cooperative’s annual meeting is your chance to sit with your community, share a meal, learn about what your co-op is doing for you and our planet and feel a sense of pride for the folks who send electricity your way. I started attending many years ago, sitting with neighbors united by power lines who told stories of how their lives were changed when electricity first came to their homes. In the future, I hope to sit next to our next generation of electron consumers who can’t even imagine an electrical grid that isn’t powered by 100% renewable energy sources.
Two candidates in this year’s board election have the background, commitment and experience to ensure that Holy Cross Energy does more than just “keep the lights on.” Please support Robert Gardner and Kimberley Schlaepfer to lead us to a renewable energy future.
Susy Ellison Carbondale
A spear through my heart
I’ve written about violinist MinTse Wu and what a treasure she is to Carbondale. Now, I’m inspired to tell you about Natalie Spears, another local accomplished multi-instrumentalist and beautiful person, inside and out.
I saw Natalie at The Arts Campus at Willits last Friday doing a revised version of “Hymn of Wild Things,” her compact disc and show from last year. Unlike MinTse, Natalie’s genre isn’t classical, though she is performing with a quintet of local classical musicians, like violinists Camille Backman
and Ross Kribbs, violaist Delaney Meyers, cellist Sarah Graf and bassist Carl Meinecke.
Some call Natalie’s musical style Americana. I don’t know what that is, so I just call it folk. She writes most of her own music with lovely themes. Natalie intersperses sounds of nature in her music, like bird songs and rushing water, reminding us the most beautiful music on the planet isn’t always produced by humans. She is an avid hiker and nature lover.
The evening began with the quintet performing bird-themed numbers. Then, Natalie came on stage and sang and played. As usual, I teared up when she did “He Still Knows,” the song she wrote about her father’s struggle with Alzheimer’s.
Natalie has lived in Carbondale for 15 years. She performed with Ellie Barber in a duo called Pearl & Wood. After Barber moved to the West Coast, Natalie joined with Paonia’s Lizzy Plotkin. Now, Natalie is a solo act. She can be seen on June 8 at the Palisade Bluegrass Festival and at Mountain Fair in July.
Fred Malo Jr. Carbondale
Thank you!
After the wonderful, informative article by Kate Phillips in the April 17 edition of The Sopris Sun, the community now knows the story behind the Basalt-Carbondale Chapter HC, P.E.O. Sisterhood and our 45 years of donating to the Valley — including through scholarships to further women’s educational opportunities.
Our Wine Tasting Fundraiser was a huge success with ample attendance and gracious donations from sponsors: Poss Architectural, Downtown Liquors, Alsco Uniforms, The Orchard and Bryan the Wine Guy. Music was provided and donated by Jennifer Gary and Karen Tafejian.
A big thank you to all of you folks who donated and for the valley-wide silent auction items from businesses and individuals. Thanks for your loyal and generous support. Our four scholarship recipients and members of P.E.O. say, “Thank you, community!” Sisters of P.E.O. Basalt-Carbondale
Hotel Colorado
Kudos to the staff and owners for preserving the grandeur of The Hotel Colorado, a magnificent gem modeled after an Italian palace.
Having enjoyed countless events here, we were thrilled to learn its rich history. Walter Devereux, a Columbia and Princeton engineering graduate, was recruited by Jerome Wheeler to manage Aspen’s mine and build a smelter. After he quit Aspen, Walter envisioned the hotel as America’s most luxurious spa, opening it on June 10, 1893, after two years of construction.
Recently, the Aspen Melville family of Mountain Chalet fame, formerly led by the kind and humble Ralph, a dear friend of our little family’s patriarch, Bud, acquired the hotel.
Ralph and Marian, rest in peace. Your Hotel Colorado team honors your legacy with pride.
Lee & Sandy Mulcahy Basalt
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
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of considering an Administrative Site Plan review for modifications to the site plan for 522 Highway 133.
Project Description: The application requests approval of design modifications to the approved plans for a new restaurant to modify the exterior building materials. The modifications proposed to replace stone veneer with architectural concrete.
Property Location: 522 Highway 133 (Lot 1 Section: 33 Township: 7 Range: 88)
Applicant: Forum Phi
Owner: Chester’s Food and Bev, LLC
Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 7:00 p.m. on June 12nd, 2025.
Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be viewed on the Town’s website at:
https://www.carbondalegov.org/departments/planning/ current_land_use_applications.php
If you would like to submit comments regarding this application you must send them via email to jbarnes@ carbondaleco.net by 5:00 pm on June 12th, 2025. The comments will be entered into the record. If you have questions regarding the application, please contact Jared Barnes, Planning Director at 970-510-1208.
Published in The Sopris Sun on May 22, 2025.
SERVICE DIRECTORY
Members of the Roaring Fork High School boys and girls basketball teams recently received their official plaques recognizing 3A Western Slope League and All State honors. From left, Erica Crownhart (WSL Honorable Mention), Riley Bevington (First Team WSL, All State Honorable Mention), Ethan Wilson (Second Team WSL), Kiko Pena (WSL Player of the Year and First Team, All State Honorable Mention), Lucas Carballeira (First Team WSL, All State Honorable Mention), Nikki Tardif (Second Team WSL) and Carley Crownhart (First Team WSL, All State Honorable Mention). Boys head coach Jason Kreiling was also recognized as WSL Coach of the Year. Photo by John Stroud
MILE from page 7
our preference, rather than increasing the residents’ costs to cover it.”
The project is part of the larger end-goal of resident ownership because, as explained by Kury, the improved infrastructure will make the park that much more appealing to a lender when the time comes.
Originally, RFDC secured a loan to purchase the park for $2.4 million through the Impact Development Fund, a nonprofit organization that funds affordable housing projects in Colorado at low interest rates. The rents collected by residents each month, $825 per lot, go toward paying off that loan. There is still $2.196 million due as of the beginning of May.
The resident leadership committee, appointed by Three Mile residents, takes part in community organizing and finance training. It had to register as a cooperative with the Secretary of State, open a bank account to collect HOA dues and write the rules and regulations for the park. “The goal is that they’re fully prepared to understand the budget and implement the rules and
regulations when they’re the owners of the park,” said Kury.
Jimenez described the leadership committee as a “bridge” between RFCDC and the residents. The committee hosts community meetings every other month.
The goal is to transition ownership to the residents by the spring of 2028 — when the current loan term is due “to either refinance or sell,” said Kury. While they haven’t yet reached that phase, optimally, RFCDC and the residents will raise funds to buy down the purchase price.
Kury has met with residents at both the Mountain Valley and Aspen-Basalt mobile home parks, but the organization cannot commit to helping these larger communities in the same way it’s assisting Three Mile. She said that, ideally, under the community development corporation model, it would, but it comes down to capacity constraints. Kury herself is only a part-time employee.
“We’re really trying to make sure that Three Mile is a success and what our lessons learned are before taking on more,” she concluded. AUTHORS from page 13
already know, and May, a mysterious fellow traveller who assumes a pivotal role as the trip goes on.
Clearly, this journey was intended to be far more than a typical rafting trip downstream. It differs greatly from the typical rafting trips that many of us have enjoyed on the Roaring Fork River! Rather than encouraging a member of the rafting group to pass the water or a beer, Skip wants the rafters to know that their world is magical and mysterious, awesome and unfathomable. What follows is a journey of growth and introspection.
Each rafter benefits from deep, thoughtful discussions, and over the course of the rafting trip these discussions have a genuinely positive impact. Skip offers metaphysical insights that will make a real difference in the rafters’ lives, and their worldviews are broadened and enhanced by these life lessons.
Think of it as psychoanalysis while “going with the flow.” The people on the rafting trip experience personal growth and a better understanding of the universe in which we all live. Skip is like a guru, and is certainly an effective spiritual adviser.
One particularly interesting feature of the book is that the unseen narrator, referring to itself as “We,” travels within the characters, guiding their decisions and actions, and that dear reader, makes me wonder who is guiding my decisions.
THREE
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.
