On Tuesday, Sept. 2, Crystal River Elementary School students, donning yellow, blue and black, formed the image of a Ram for an aerial photo taken by Daniel Dancer of Art for the Sky, an organization that engages communities to come together and create symbolic art viewed from above. And it took some work! Leading up to picture day, students helped prepare the design and the day of, with direction from Dancer, teachers wrangled students into their positions, instructing them to keep their “heads down and backs to the sky.”
The 427 figure at the top of the photo signifies the parts-per-million carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere today. When Dancer started Art for the Sky, in 1999, that number was 385.
“The safe level scientists have determined is 350,” Dancer told The Sopris Sun. “The last time it was 427 was several million years ago, [with] no humans on a very different planet.”
Photo courtesy of Daniel Dancer, Art for the Sky
Photo by James Steindler
Daniel Dancer (left) and Principal Kendall Reiley (right). Photo by James Steindler
Irish democracy, making the federal government impotent
Apparently, I have a doppelganger. And no, it’s not my sister. Years ago, before my younger sister moved back to town, I would get random questions like, “Why didn’t you wave back at me?!” Or, “Hey, when did you start working at NAPA?” And recently, a friend told me she was calling my name across the street, but I wouldn’t respond. When she approached, she realized it wasn’t the real me. My friend said this woman is shorter, but otherwise a dead ringer.
I am curious, and I hope to meet the other me someday, but I have to admit I don’t really believe she looks exactly like me. I mean, we all want to feel recognized for our individuality, singled out in a crowd and really seen, valued. A funny paradox of human existence is that we each want to be unique, yet our herd mentality is what keeps us alive.
This is Trump’s specialty. Although I believe him to be a charlatan savant, he makes a lot of people feel important, as though he will protect them: protect them from the immigrants, protect them from the gays, protect them from all the single ladies … But the problem is, he says he’ll protect them from the majority of us, and the majority of us are Dunkin; we keep this country running.
OPINION
But if we have to separate, then I vote for an Irish democracy; all the states decide for themselves which federal laws to follow and which to ignore. Just like marijuana is illegal on a national level, yet completely legal in progressive states — you know, states that like to use tax revenue to pay for healthcare and education. It’s simply a choice between having the American Dream and sharing it with people who don’t look/sound/act like you, or living in a restricted Stepford state with nothing but the peanuts your climate can produce. Look, I understand the need to feel safe and secure in our own country but turning on the people who pick all the lettuce every day, instead of going after these billionaire cronies who avoid paying their taxes, is self-sabotage. And the fact that this is why we are ready to end the democratic experiment, formerly known as the United States of America, is pathetic.
Ps & Qs
By Jeannie Perry
California’s GDP is the fourth largest in the world. Not the country, the world. So, without California (and New York, Illinois, etcetera, i.e. all the democratically minded states) this country will not function, much less be great. The southeast, while beautiful and delicious with mad grace in hospitality, cannot afford to pay the bills. And without income tax from the “blue states” our federal government quickly becomes impotent. It won’t matter how many proud boys want to mask up and kidnap their fellow Americans, if We, The People of these United States, decide to stand together. The power of our country lies in our Constitution and our unity.
“Allowing ourselves to be splintered is how we are defeated.”
- Naomi Klein
LETTERS
CORRECTION: The Sopris Sun mistakenly noted that the anonymous source for the Aug. 21 article, “Is recess enough?”, did not respond for additional comment. The source did follow up, but their correspondence went unnoticed ahead of press time.
Reelin in the years
It has been two years since Bob and Kathy Ezra first told me they were selling the Crystal Theatre, and one year since Kate Schwerin and I started seriously considering putting together a nonprofit to buy it. And now, suddenly, they’ve had their final weekend of shows and there’s a great deal to be done before the Crystal Theatre Alliance reopens the doors with “The Roses” on Sept. 12. But before I can tackle that, I need to take a moment for gratitude.
First and foremost, I want to thank the Ezras for their monumental effort in reviving the Crystal and running it tirelessly for 40 years. They have forged the path and all we have to do is walk it.
And I also need to express my appreciation for a community that has supported the theatre every step of the way. Our campaign to Keep the Crystal Theatre Rolling has raised more than $300,000 out of our $500,000 goal. The Third Street Center’s fiscal sponsorship got us started, and Kate, our founding board and cabinet of consultants have made the tremendous push to get our own 501(c)(3) up
At least an Irish democracy will be more peaceful than a civil war involving AI. Sure, there will still be pain and suffering, and I feel for the children born in “red states” through no fault of their own. Don’t kid yourself, if these United States do splinter and fracture, it’ll be much harder on the children born to people who don’t believe in background check requirements for gun sales. Especially if the progressive states stop subsidizing them. The southeastern states will feel more like a developing country: good food and crazy weather with an unpredictable political climate and piss-poor medical care.
It’ll be a horrid doppelganger situation — which is a great read by the way! In “Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World,” Naomi Klein does a good job of explaining what has happened to US. Two worlds in one country, fighting each other over what exactly? Whether or not the children can share a bathroom while they hide from the school shooter …
If you consider yourself a Republican, and a good, upstanding citizen at that, then I am begging you to think of the next generation and take a stand against Trump’s regime. We’ve had enough.
and running. We’ve had helping hands at every turn, from making buttons to serving popcorn. We still need help, financially and practically, to survive and thrive, but we have enough to get started.
You won’t see too many changes right now. Expect a similar selection of first-run films at 7pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 5pm Sunday. We’re working on an array of older flicks on select Wednesdays, including more ‘80s classics and some spooky offerings in October.
And tickets remain just $10 — though it will be much easier to pay with a card. We’re also adding some requested concession items, like Swedish Fish and seltzers.
There will be quite a few new faces, and we hope you’ll be patient as we train up a great group of volunteers — or even consider joining their ranks! Visit crystaltheatrecarbondale.com to stay in the loop, learn more or get in touch. See you at the movies!
Will Grandbois
Crystal Theatre Alliance
Housing security: priceless
I write this as a concerned community member, not in my capacity as a Glenwood Springs councilman.
Cavern Springs mobile home park is between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. It is the home of about 300 people and 98 homes — working families, seniors, children and people with disabilities.
It is for sale for about $26 million. This
pending sale has, perhaps, been somewhat overshadowed by three other mobile home parks for sale and in the process of becoming resident-owned communities.
These other mobile home parks will likely be owned by their residents thanks to the residents’ organization and efforts and the coordination of loans and grants from Thistle ROC and valley governments and organizations. Cavern Springs has formed a co-op and residents are seeking to become owners of their community. Thistle ROC and various traditional governmental and nonprofit sources of assistance have been strained by prior successes and demands and are currently limited in assistance available to Cavern Springs.
Cavern Springs represents both an urgent opportunity and a test of our valley’s commitment to workforce housing, housing stability, resident empowerment and self determination and social justice.
Mobile home communities offer some of the most affordable and naturally occurring workforce housing in our valley. Preserving workforce housing and providing housing stability is a high goal of all the communities and government entities. It is essential to the health and safety of our workers, to the stability of our school systems and finances, to shortening auto trips and commutes, to keeping the businesses and services we depend on — construction, landscaping, hotels and restaurants, health care, home services, retail.
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Delivery
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Lee Beck
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Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246 todd@soprissun.com
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The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6pm on second Thursdays at the Third Street Center.
The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible.
Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+
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is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District
SCUTTLEBUTT
Volunteer at TRTC
Carbondale’s Thunder River Theatre Company is celebrating 30 years of offering award-winning theatre to the community. Opening the season is Sam Shepard’s “True West,” which runs through Sept. 14. The late Lon Winston, TRTC’s founder, directed the play in 1995 as part of the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities (now Carbondale Arts). And you can be part of putting on the show by signing up to volunteer! Volunteers get a free ticket to the performance. More information is at www.thunderrivertheatre.com/volunteer
Carbondale brush fire
FirstBank Alpine Bank
Colorado Mountain College
Nordic Gardens
Hilary Porterfield
Basalt Library
NONPROFIT PARTNERS
Two Rivers
Unitarian Universalist
Carbondale Arts
Carbondale Rotary Club
Colorado Animal Rescue
Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner? Email Todd@soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866
Three small brush fires in the median of Highway 82 between Mile Markers 10 and 11 near Carbondale closed the highway at about 4:30pm on Sept. 1. The fires were quickly contained and the road re-opened about an hour later. The total area burned was less than one acre. The fire is under investigation.
Mobile home support
Last week, the Basalt Town Council committed another $100,000 toward the purchase of the Aspen-Basalt and Mountain Valley mobile home parks. In July, the council voted to contribute $500,000. The Aspen Times reported that the Pitkin County Board of Commissioners also increased the county’s contribution last week by $250,000, bringing its total commitment to $3.25 million to date.
Deck the Walls
Only 113 days until Christmas! And Carbondale Arts is taking applications for the Deck the Walls Holiday Market. Every holiday season, the Carbondale Arts gallery transforms into a Christmas market filled with local and regional artisan goods. This year’s event opens Nov. 14 and runs through Dec. 24. Applications are open through Sept. 22. To apply, visit www.carbondalearts.com
Church to LIFT-UP
Several area churches are encouraging folks to make donations of food to LIFT-UP during the month of September. Collection bins will be set up at St. Mary of the Crown and The Orchard in Carbondale; St. Peter’s of the Valley and St. Vincent in Basalt; and St. Stephen in Glenwood Springs. According to LIFT-UP, the most popular items are canned fruits and vegetables, rice, beans, ramen, peanut butter, jelly, dry potatoes, mac and cheese, shelf-stable milk, cereal, crackers, nuts, snack items, flour and masa.
Wildfire updates
The Derby Fire, burning north of Dotsero, is at 5,475 acres and is 23% contained. The Lee Fire, between Rifle and Meeker, has burned 137,758 acres and, as of Sunday, Sept.1, is 99% contained. The Elk Fire near Meeker is 100% contained and burned 14,518 acres. Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in effect in Pitkin and Garfield counties, Gunnison County, the White River National Forest (except for the Dillon Ranger District) and Bureau of Land Management lands within the Colorado River Valley Field Office’s jurisdiction.
Bear-proofing boost
Several Roaring Fork and Crystal River Valley neighborhoods will be better bear-proofed this fall. Local recipients of the state’s Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Grants included: $68,000 to
Close to 300 people turned out for Carbondale’s version of the national Workers Over Billionaires protest on Labor Day. “We have an unaccountable president serving his billionaire friends over us,” said Will Hodges, Mountain Action Indivisible (MAI) organizer. MAI will host a community meeting, featuring “concrete ways to fight the authoritarian take-over,” at the Third Street Center on Sept. 10 at 6pm. More information is available at www.mountainactionindivisible.org Photo by Amy Hadden Marsh
Aspen’s Ute Condos, $22,000 to Holland Hills Townhomes and $9,000 to Redstone Water and Sanitation — all for various bearproof trash enclosures. The City of Glenwood Springs received $58,000 to offer a reimbursement program to residents who want to upgrade to bear-resistant trash receptacles. Distributions across the state totaled close to $1 million.
Conservation and recreation survey
The Roaring Fork Outdoor Coalition (RFOC) encourages locals to take a survey to help identify regional conservation and recreation priorities for Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties. RFOC is a group of local, state and federal partners working together to develop a conservation and recreation plan for the Roaring Fork Watershed. You can find the survey at www.tinyurl.com/RFOCsurvey through Sept. 14.
They say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Terry Kirk, Andrea Slaphake and Ralph Pitt (Sept. 4); Heather Craven, Stephanie Dibacco and Janelle Johnson (Sept. 5); Linda Bishop, Brisella Escalante, Ben Hoffmann, Randy Lowenthal, Lora Meraz, Jesse Payne, Peter Robinson, Nancy Taylor, Haley Thompson and Mindy White (Sept. 6); Gabriela Alvarez Espinoza, Richard Hart and Mario Tarin (Sept. 7); Jane Bachrach, Janet Boyle, John Bruna, Tris and Tag Speaker, Whitney Will and Halle Zander (Sept. 8); Ben Bohmfalk, Clay Hawkins, Kathleen Shannon and Annie Worley (Sept. 9); John Colson, Suzanne Fitzgerald, Brent and Brian Perkins and Aimee Yllanes (Sept. 10).
Keeping it old school in Carbondale’s OTR
MYKI JONES
Historic Preservation Commission aims to update design guidelines
Sopris Sun Correspondent
On Oct. 3, during the First Friday festivities, the Town of Carbondale and its Historic Preservation Commission will answer questions regarding updates, still in the works, to its historic preservation design guidelines for properties within the Old Town Residential (OTR) zone. Additionally, the commission will share a booth with the Carbondale Historical Society at this year’s Potato Day celebration on Oct. 4.
“We’re really hoping that by the time both those meetings happen, we will have some more tangible things to digest and to provide feedback on, not just concepts,” Jared Barnes, the Town’s planning director, told The Sopris Sun.
The project aims to preserve the historic nature of these residential blocks and encourage consistency when new development occurs. The OTR stretches from South 8th Street, between Euclid Avenue and the south side of Sopris Avenue, to South 2nd Street, between Sopris and Garfield Avenue.
“The ultimate goal of the project, I think, is to adopt a new set of design guidelines that would be applicable to this OTR zone district that could help inform architects, property owners and developers of how to design the kind of buildings that are compatible,” said Banes. “Some of the elements that the [commission] has been looking at are
right-size scale and massing to maintain the feel of the neighborhood, without being overly restrictive on materials and architectural style, and to consider relaxing the district’s zoning codes to allow a greater variety of accessory dwelling units.”
“The feedback from the community was largely supportive of the efforts. Many of the questions centered on the processes for their property,” added Barnes. “For example, some folks asked: ‘What’s the process that I’m going to have to go through if I want to do an addition, make a change to my house, or, if I sell my house, what’s a future property owner going to have to go through?’”
Courtesy graphic
things like the siting of buildings on a property [and] massing of buildings.”
The idea for the updates, and the subsequent conversation around them, surfaced in 2022, when the Town amended its Comprehensive Plan. In March 2024, the Town received a grant to update the guidelines and later put out a request for proposals for consulting services. The Town retained the help of Reid Architects, which has helped outline changes to the guidelines through work sessions and a site visit
with the commission.
On July 15, the commission hosted an open house for private-property owners within the OTR and gathered input from those residents.
According to the Town’s August newsletter, “Feedback from this meeting generally supported the idea of a mandatory, albeit non-binding, courtesy review for projects while retaining the neighborhood’s creative and unique atmosphere.” The newsletter continued, “Other comments encouraged …
According to the Carbondale Connect website, a host page for Town projects, drafts of the design guidelines and the proposed code amendments are due by Sept. 15, but the final design guidelines aren’t due until April 1, 2026.
Barnes said he anticipates hearing more from the community during the upcoming meeting opportunities, and is grateful for the opportunity to grow understanding.
“Probably the biggest question is more related to a lack of understanding as to what this project is and how it may or may not affect somebody’s property,” he concluded.
For more information and to engage in the conversation, visit carbondaleconnect.org
Principal ponderings: Becky Oliver begins role at Carbondale Community School
KATE PHILLIPS Sopris Sun Correspondent
EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been edited for clarity and space.
Last spring, Carbondale Community School (CCS) announced Becky Oliver as their new principal. A lifelong educator, Oliver spent 23 years in the Aspen School District, including 17 years at the elementary school and six years at the high school. During her expansive career she has been a special education teacher, second grade teacher, intervention specialist and most recently Aspen High School’s assistant principal. Between back-to-school meetings and final summer adventures, Oliver sat down with The Sopris Sun for a chat.
The Sun: How are you feeling about the upcoming school year?
Oliver: I am super excited. I have a passionate group of teachers and staff who are fun and excited to support kids. I love the spirit of CCS and what they have done and continue to do.
TS: What inspired you to become an educator?
Oliver: My two older sisters had
learning disabilities and really struggled in school. They were in special education and I saw teachers who were life changers and [some] absolutely detrimental to their growth and well-being. In middle school, I decided I wanted to be one of those life-changing teachers, so I volunteered at my old elementary school. We’re here to make this place better and I really think education is a great opportunity to do that.
TS: You became Aspen High School’s (AHS) assistant principal during the height of COVID. What were some of the challenges and how did you navigate them?
Oliver: One of the biggest challenges both me and my principal, Sarah Strassburger, had was that we were both new to our roles and navigating a time that was completely uncharted. But what got me through everything was remembering that at the core of education are the people. We had to keep the people — our students, our staff, our families — at the forefront of all decision making.
There’s a quote from Bob Chapman of the Caring Community Foundation, “You don’t have to justify caring, you have to justify not caring about the
people you have the privilege to lead.” That is what I am rooted in and how I approached that time.
TS: How do you think your experience working with children across the age spectrum will help you as the CCS principal?
Oliver: After working with high schoolers, I learned that the decisions we make with our younger kids can have a massive impact on them in high school. I always believed in early
intervention, but now I am able to say I’ve watched this and walked this and we can be bold enough to do the hard and right things while they’re young. Another thing I noticed is our community’s relationship with substances and party culture. I think our valley has a high suicide, depression and substanceuse rate. How do we create a culture where our kids can see us thrive and have fun without substances? Walking alongside students and families at the high school gave me a whole new level and insight to this and how to support and empower all kids.
TS: You have been part of the Aspen School District (ASD) for so long. Why did you transition to CCS?
Oliver: I never thought I would leave the ASD! I spent half my life there and feel fortunate, and yet this move feels so right. I lead and serve with my whole heart, and I really wanted to get back to a grassroots, community approach to help raise a generation of kids who are going to make this world better. As I started diving into CCS’s mission, to foster lifelong learning, community and social justice, I realized it aligns with me as a person and who I am at my core.
TS: What are some interesting CCS events?
Oliver: On a weekly basis, we have an all-school meeting. I am excited to learn more about it and to see everyone come together. On that same day there is a community meal, El Tioga, where each learning center cooks a meal for
continued on page 19
Becky Oliver, Carbondale Community School’s new principal, brings a breadth of wisdom, creativity and a heart-centric approach to build upon the school’s mission of fostering lifelong learners.
Photo courtesy of Brandy Keleher
Roarin g Fork
Yout h Activi ti e s
Ac t i v i t i e s
EXPLORE CREATE CONNECT
The Sopris Sun is excited to introduce programs that let kids try new activities, build skills, and connect with their community in fun and meaningful ways.
COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE
Kids’ Classes on Wednesdays in Carbondale
BEGINNING SKETCHING Ages 10-17
Learn how to loose sketch characters starting with the basics. Students will sketch simple characters including some from Disney.
Wednesdays, 3-4pm, 9/10-10/1
STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT Ages 12-18
Join Travis Wilson to learn how to block, sing, dance and act out a number as a character in a musical of your choice.
Wednesdays, 4:30-6pm, 9/17-12/10
ADDRESS: 690 Colorado Ave, Carbondale For more info and to register: www. coloradomtn.augusoft.net Or call 970-963-2172
GARFIELD COUNTY LIBRARIES
Children of all ages can explore, play, and learn through a wide variety of our engaging programs o ered each week.
From storytimes that spark a lifelong love of reading—whether for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, or the whole family—to active sessions like “Get the Wiggles Out” and “Shake Your Sillies Out,” there’s something for every energy level. Creative minds can dive into hands-on fun with “Spark” and “STEM Exploration” events, while bilingual and sensory-friendly programs ensure every child feels welcome and included.Across all six library branches—Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Silt, Rifle, and Parachute—families will find opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together.
Whether you’re looking to introduce your little one to their first storytime, inspire curiosity with science and art, or enjoy enriching cultural experiences, the libraries are here to help your child’s imagination soar.
FOR MORE INFO: www.gcpld.org
MOUNTAIN SPROUTS PLAY CAFE Explore, Discover, and Connect!
COMING SOON
play areas, to climbing walls and foam pits, to imaginative play zones, each section is designed to encourage physical activity, creativity, and social interaction. 578 CO-133, Carbondale, CO 81623
CALL FOR MORE INFO: 970-319-0584
CRYSTAL RIVER BALLET SCHOOL Fall Registration Now Open!
Crystal River Ballet School is now enrolling students for the 2025–2026 academic year! O ering classes for children, adults, and pre-professional dancers, CRBS welcomes new students and families while celebrating the return of their dance community. Students can look forward to a year of technical growth, artistic development, and the excitement of full-length ballet productions — both in the studio and on stage. Since 1999, Crystal River Ballet School has been inspiring dancers of all ages in Carbondale. Secure your spot today and join the tradition!
76 South 4th St @ The Launchpad, Carbondale CALL FOR MORE INFO: (970) 987-4880
CARBONDALE REC CENTER: Registration for Youth Climbing Now Open!
Youth Beginner Climbing (Ages 6-8)
Dates: September 2, 9, 16 Day: Tuesdays Time: 4-5pm
This is an introductory climbing class for younger children and first-time climbers. This course focuses on building confidence and basic technique through games and fun activities while teaching safe practices, fundamental vocabulary, and an age-appropriate introduction to climbing equipment.
YouthClimbing (Ages 9-13)
Dates: September 4, 11, 18 Day: Thursdays Time: 4-5pm
This course is designed to review and build on skills learned in previous climbing classes, introduce older children to those concepts, and allow students to have fun and build confidence as they progress at their own pace through technical skills practice and technique-focused activities. This course is open to all ability levels. Please note each month is its own session and must be registered for individually.
CARBONDALE CROSSFIT
Get Your Kids Moving at Carbondale CrossFit
Carbondale CrossFit is excited to offer a special promotion for our Kids classes. Designed for children aged 5–12, our CrossFit Kids program introduces young athletes to the fundamentals of movement, basic gymnastics, safety etiquette, mobility, and flexibility—all while having fun with their friends. Classes are held on Mondays and Fridays at 4:00 PM, providing a great opportunity for kids to stay active and healthy. To make it easier for families, we offer a $20 drop-in rate or a 10-class punch pass for $145.
INFO AND REGISTRATION: carbondalecrossfitco.com or CALL: 561-972-1240
Drought conditions persist and scorch local flora
ANNALISE GRUETER
Sopris Sun Correspondent
After a winter in the bottom decile of historically documented precipitation, Western Colorado did not need more dry weather. Only in the past few weeks did monsoon patterns return to more typical levels. Moving into September, it is unlikely that precipitation or low pressure weather systems will significantly mitigate drought levels ahead of winter.
As of last week, the United States drought monitor ranked all of Northwestern Colorado as experiencing either D3 or D4 drought levels: extreme drought or exceptional drought, respectively. Characteristics of extreme drought include city landscapes withering, infestations of grasshoppers and other dry weather insects, large wildfires, deterioration of pasture lands, decreased fish populations, due to low water levels and high water temperatures, and mandatory water restrictions becoming necessary due to extremely low reservoirs. In exceptional drought, additional characteristics include largescale agricultural and economic losses and increase of dust storms and topsoil erosion.
The majority of Garfield
County is experiencing exceptional drought conditions, while Eagle and Pitkin counties remain largely in extreme drought. The Western Slope last experienced exceptional drought conditions in May of 2023.
An Aug. 10 Aspen Times article reported that the first half of 2025 was one of the driest recorded seasons for Pitkin County in 131 years.
One of the many results of warmer temperatures and low precipitation can be color change and dormancy of local flora. These color changes can
resemble early autumn foliage shifts, but the cause is heat and lack of moisture rather than cold and decreased daylight. According to research from the University of Maryland, drought and extensive heat can cause plants to go dormant, shutting down sugar and oxygen cycles to preserve energy. This can be observed as scorching of leaves on trees and shrubs, such as the yellow and orange hues that started appearing in stands of scrub oak, serviceberry and other native flowering shrubs in late July and into August.
Local fire chiefs have observed that the last time widespread heat scorching was so prevalent was during the drought and fire season of 2020. Five of the 20 largest wildfires in state history occurred that year, including the three largest recorded fires. With these drought conditions and so much dry and dormant plant life, emergency response experts recommend that people have go-bags accessible and evacuation plans ready in case of a wildfire. If weather patterns remain dry through autumn, it is likely
that drought severity could increase. In such circumstances the likelihood of additional fish die-offs, such as the 200-plus dead fish observed at Pitkin County’s Grizzly Reservoir last month, becomes more certain. Counties and municipalities through the region have already implemented water and fire restrictions. It is possible that additional levels of restriction could become necessary without significant precipitation.
The White River National Forest and BLM Upper Colorado River District enacted Stage 1 fire restrictions on June 27 and went to Stage 2 on Aug. 8, which means a fire ban for the area’s public lands. Pitkin County entered Stage 1 on June 27 and Stage 2 on Aug. 8, as well. Eagle County has adjusted Stage 2 fire restrictions based on red flag warnings. Garfield County entered Stage 2 restrictions on July 17. Stage 2 restrictions prohibit most open flames. Various jurisdictional fire restrictions can be found at roaringforkfire.gov/wildfire.
“It took the whole summer of hot, dry, windy, no moisture to put all the stress on the land,” stated Roaring Fork Fire Rescue Chief Scott Thompson. “It’ll take just as long to come out of it.”
In mid-July, local flora such as gambel oak, sagebrush and serviceberry already showed signs of color change.
Photo by Annalise Grueter
ANNALISE GRUETER
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Policy discussions and a Crystal River Elementary art project
On Aug. 27, the Roaring Fork School District Board of Education discussed the start of the school year, considered policy adjustments in response to state legislation and reviewed academic strategies.
Following adjustments due to unexpected challenges last school year, the district will move forward with a strategic plan put in place at that time. Notable goals within the plan include academic growth and minimizing student demographic achievement gaps.
Superintendent Dr. Anna Cole shared that navigating financial challenges continues to be top of mind for the administration. The topics of concern included enrollment levels, cost of living, staff health insurance and federal and state funding. She expressed optimism in the district’s ability to navigate the challenges. Cole also reminded those present about the upcoming board elections in November, and noted that the district will co-host a candidate forum in October.
Cole also previewed themes for upcoming board meetings. In September, the focus will be on attendance expectations and goals, details regarding year two of the strategic plan and election information about board candidates and ballot items related to school meals and the formation of an early
childcare taxing district. In October, the board will address healthy reading habits,parent-teacher conferences and a staff-housing master plan. November and December objectives include student wellbeing, financial review and training of new board members.
After a quick review of some staff changes and minutes from the June meeting, the board approved its consent agenda, which included the emergency
approval of policy adjustments, prompted by state Senate Bill 25-276. The first addressed the release of information on students. The next two were policies articulating district relations with state and federal agencies for the sake of student safety and, more specifically, relations with federal immigration officials.
According to Jonathan Landon, the district’s senior project manager, the temporary verbiage included in the
emergency policy approvals, required by law to be in place by Sept. 1, will be adjusted during upcoming board meetings per board governance policy.
The meeting proceeded to other policy reviews, including: name changes; nondiscrimination and equal opportunity; harassment and discrimination investigation procedures for students and employees; sexual harassment investigation procedures; and student interviews, interrogations, searches and arrests.
The board also reviewed a resolution to adopt a Section 125 Premium Only Plan for pre-tax employee health benefits, including various insurance options, health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts. While this had been communicated to staff prior to July, the board had not yet officially passed the resolution due to limited summer meetings.
On Sept. 2, Crystal River Elementary School hosted a program called “Art for the Sky” with artist Daniel Dancer, when students created a collective design for an aerial photo and video. For a glance of the photo, check out this week’s cover!
Roaring Fork School District Board of Education meetings occur every other Wednesday at 6:15pm at the Carbondale District Office and are livestreamed on YouTube. The next regular meeting is Sept. 10.
CARE. PRIMARY REGION’S LARGEST NETWORK OF
Crystal River Elementary School students do their best to be still while Daniel Dancer, of Art for the Sky, takes an aerial photo with a drone camera. See the cover for the final result.
Photo by James Steindler
Rams volleyball grabs first win of season in home opener
JOHN STROUD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Home, sweet, home: That’s what it took for the Roaring Fork High School girls volleyball team to finally earn their first win of the season.
That, and some solid play Tuesday night, Sept. 2, against
the visiting Gore Rangers of Vail Mountain School.
After dropping the first six matches of the season, including a 3-1 loss in the 3A Western Slope League (WSL) opener at North Fork on Aug. 28, the Rams looked strong against 2A Vail Mountain en
route to the 3-1 win (25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-21).
Senior Nikki Tardif, whose power hitting was key in claiming the victory, said she feels like things are finally coming together for a team that’s gone through some big adjustments coming into this season.
Not only did they lose some key players to graduation, including four-year starting setter Carley Crownhart and twin sister Erica, who played the libero position, the team also has a completely new coaching staff led by co-head coaches Rod Taylor and Canace Finley.
“We were really working together and I think we finally collected ourselves as a team,” Tardif said. “It’s been hard for us to come together, but I think we really brought it tonight.”
away with a smooth putback over the net on the volley.
Vail Mountain controlled the third set from early on, but the Rams battled back from seven points down before losing by only three points.
The fourth set was also close throughout, but the Rams’ power hitting, consistent serving and some scrappy play when needed helped control the pace and close out the victory for Roaring Fork.
“I’m really proud of our players,” coach Finley said. “We’ve switched it up on them a lot this season and had some of the girls playing positions they hadn’t practiced. We played cohesively as a team for the first time in a while, and our serves were great.”
The win was some needed stress relief for the whole squad, coach Taylor said.
RFHS FALL SPORTS HOME GAMES
(All times are for varsity)
BOYS SOCCER
Wednesday, Sept. 3 vs. Basalt, 6pm
Thursday, Sept. 11 vs. Rifle, 6pm
Saturday, Sept. 20 vs. Timnath, 12pm
Wednesday, Sept. 24 vs. Grand Junction Central, 6pm
Thursday, Oct. 2 vs. Delta, 6pm (*Homecoming game)
Thursday, Oct. 9 vs. Glenwood Springs, 6pm
Thursday, Oct. 16 vs. Coal Ridge, 6pm
Tuesday, Oct. 21 vs. Montrose, 6pm
Friday, Oct. 24 @ CRMS, 4pm (*cross-town rivalry)
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Tuesday, Sept. 16 vs. Soroco, 6pm
Thursday, Sept. 25 vs. Aspen, 6:30pm
Friday, Oct. 3 vs. Gunnison, 6pm (*Homecoming game)
Tuesday, Oct. 14 vs. Basalt, 6:30pm
Thursday, Oct. 16 vs. Olathe, 6pm
JV FOOTBALL
After cruising to the opening set win, the Rams had to battle from being down early in a back-and-forth second set before coming out on top, capped by a tough hit from senior Elleree Richmond to get it to set point. Tardif put it
“It was good to see some players playing next to each other and making it work a little better than we have so far,” he said. “I’m just excited to get away with that first win.”
*No varsity this season
Monday, Sept. 29 vs. Delta, 5pm Monday, Oct. 6 vs. Basalt, 4pm
Next up for the 1-6 Rams is another 3A WSL contest at Basalt on Thursday, Sept. 4 (6pm varsity game time), followed by a trip to play 5A Grand Junction on Sept. 11.
Tuesday, Oct. 14 vs. Palisade Monday, Nov. 3 vs. Rifle, 5pm
Senior Ram Nikki Tardif sends a shot over the net Tuesday night against Vail Mountain School Gore Rangers. Photo by Landan Berlof
Revel Bikes and Miller roll again
KEN PLETCHER Sopris Sun Correspondent
An April 17 email from Revel Bikes’ senior management stating that the Carbondale-based company was going out of business sent shockwaves throughout the cycling world. In its roughly decade of existence, the company had become widely known for its innovative mountainbike designs, especially with the introduction of its first carbon-fiber Revel frame in 2019. As Devin McCoy of BIKE Magazine wrote that day, “This news is saddening for the industry and larger MTB community.”
Literally at the eleventh hour, in came Adam Miller. He had founded the company in 2015, moved it to Carbondale in 2017, sold it in 2021 while staying onboard and then left in 2024. In late May, it was announced that he was buying it back.
The Sopris Sun recently sat down with Miller to see how he and the company have been doing since he reacquired it. Here are excerpts of that conversation.
The Sun: I’m guessing that these past several months have been quite a ride.
Adam Miller: That’s a good way to describe it. To say the least, I feel wildly fortunate. Since 2015, I’ve been putting all of my effort into this business. I sold the business at the end of 2021, [when] we were considered the fastest-growing mountain bike company of all time. I kept [the sale] really quiet, because not much was supposed to change. I was going to keep
running the company, but we would just have private equity backing the business.
TS: But that didn’t work out so well?
AM: After a few months I realized that the private equity company and I saw things a little bit differently. They wanted to take the business in a different direction than I did, so I started working my way out of the company … and then I left the business.
I want to build this company for the long haul and make the best possible bikes we can and share that with as many people as possible.
- Adam Miller
TS: When did you learn that Revel would be closing?
AM: I got a call the night before. I was just floored; it was just the worst news of all time. So, then I decided to buy the company back.
TS: Since you have been back, how is the company doing?
AM: They downsized pretty excessively before they closed, and unfortunately a lot of people were let go. It took just over a month for me to go through the process of buying the business back and starting the new company. We’ve hired several people since then. Within the first month, we were cash-flow positive.
It’s a different business model: we’re more direct-to-consumer focused, so we’re able to lower our prices, have a more sustainable business model; and it’s going kind of better than I could have hoped or expected.
TS: What about the Taiwan operation?
AM: We set up this Taiwan facility in 2022. Taiwan is at the heart of the bike industry. Think of Silicon Valley is where tech companies are; Taichung, Taiwan is where bike companies are. It’s a big way that we can make business in Carbondale work. Because of the expenses here, we’re able to warehouse more of our inventory over there. Because of the tariff situation, it’s the only way a bike brand can sell bikes to other countries and have any kind of reasonable pricing for those products.
TS: What about tariffs?
AM: It’s a truly atrocious method of trying to make businesses successful in this country.
(Miller then described the pre-Trump bike tariff structure, with relatively low duties on frames and somewhat higher ones on assembled bikes, which encouraged companies to assemble bikes here. The current administration has added a 20% tariff on top of those rates. Speaking for the bike industry, he commented, “Not a single company is saying, ‘Okay, we’re going to ship our manufacturing to America.’ No one is; there’s just not an option for it.”)
TS: How does that work for Revel?
AM: [It] takes a team of people in Carbondale to design and create the bikes, a few places in Asia to manufacture
the products and ultimately get assembled in a few places in Asia and here in Carbondale. Most of the carbon comes from Vietnam, then assembly and components are made in Taiwan. With the current tariff structure, there’s no business model that makes sense for a bike [destined for sale outside the United States] to touch American soil. We can sell a bike to someone in Canada, and it just ships direct from Taiwan. If we didn’t have the tariff issue, it would come here to Carbondale and go to Canada. The way we’re adapting is expanding our footprint more globally and working to sell our bikes to other countries to diversify our customer base. And, unfortunately, we’ll be increasing prices, but slowly.
TS: You now have e-bikes too, right?
AM: Yeah, we just got them here three or four weeks ago, so a brand-new bike for Revel. When I started working on this in 2022, the idea was [that] we want the perfect e-bike for the Roaring Fork Valley — the bike that you could take up after work and do two laps on Ajax Mountain.
TS: What are your plans for the future?
AM: We have more bike-development projects going on right now than the company has ever had. For me, personally, … I’m here for a long time … I want to build this company for the long haul and make the best possible bikes we can and share that with as many people as possible.
Adam Miller, photo by Will Sardinsky
ANNIVERSARY
Snowmass Balloon Festival
September 12-14, 2025
Friday, Sept. 12
Adult Community Education Classes
HAND MENDING FOR KNITS AND WEAVES
Repair your sweaters, socks, hats, and jeans using hand darning, patching, and stitching. Fridays, 4-6pm, 9/5-10/10, CB
EXPLORATIONS IN MIXED WATER
Explore watercolor, acrylic, casein, and gouache, with different materials and papers.
Mon, 9am-12pm, 9/8-10/20, CB
INTRO TO THE BUSINESS OF ART
Practical info, resources, and computer tech that artists can use to develop business plans. Mon, 5-7pm, 9/8-10/20, CB
COLOR MIXING IN WATERCOLOR
Focus on certain mixing combos and how you can use them to create amazing paintings.
Tue, 5:30-8:30pm, 9/9-10/7, CB
SPANISH - INTER. STORYTELLING AND CONVERSATION
Conversations that support and build confidence in your comprehension and fluency.
Thursday, 5-7pm, 9/11-11/13, CB
FOOD GARDENING IN THE ROCKIES
Everything you need to know to successfully grow your own food in our mountain environment. Saturday, 1-4pm, 9/13, CB
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
BUILDING SYMPOSIUM
The first annual Colorado Building Symposium West takes place at the Glenwood Springs Library today and tomorrow. For a schedule and details, visit www.tinyurl.com/ BuildingSymposiumGWS
ELECTRIC VEHICLES 101
With federal electric vehicle incentives set to expire, Clean Energy Economy for the Region and Drive Clean Colorado offer two back-to-back events: a “pizza-fueled” workshop today at the Third Street Center, from 4 to 7pm, and a test-driving event tomorrow at the Town Hall parking lot from 3 to 7pm. More details at cleanenergyeconomy.net/recharge
MEET PETE
Meet Aspen city manager finalist Pete Strecker at The Vault from 4 to 6pm.
MEN’S GROUP
The Common Roots men’s group discusses this month’s theme, “emotional bank account,” from 6 to 7:30pm at HeadQuarters in Basalt. For details, visit www.headq.org All who identify as men are welcome.
‘MUSIC DU JOUR’
BenFeng Music Productions presents “Music du Jour” — “an evening of original compositions celebrating our time and our stories” — at the Old Thompson Barn at 7pm. For details, visit www.benfengmusicproductions.org
‘BILL’S ROOM’
William H. Macy hosts the second ‘Bill’s Room’ at TACAW, an evening of songs and stories with guests Natalie Spears and Frank Martin, at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
BONEDALE BALLET
OAK SHRUBLAND WALK
Learn how to ID medicinal and edible plants and their ethnobotanical history and uses. Sunday, 5-7pm, 9/14, CB
WINTERIZE YOUR GARDEN
Learn to prepare your forest garden for winter. In-person in Basalt or online Wednesday, 6-8pm, 9/17
QUICKBOOKS PRO I
Intro-level. Topics include entering data, invoicing, writing checks, using AP and AR. Taught on PC using desktop v. 2021.
Kids Classes
BEGINNING SKETCHING
Kids age 10-17 learn how to loose sketch simple characters starting with the basics of sketching. Wed, 3-4pm, 9/10-10/1, CB
STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT
Youth age 12-18 work with Travis Wilson to block, sing, dance and act a solo piece from a musical. Wed, 4:30-6pm, 9/17-12/10, CB
CHRISTMAS COOKIE DECORATING
Learn pro techniques and take home your own special cookies. Instructor is bilingual. Wednesday, 4-5pm 12/13, Carbondale
Opera House at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
MEDITATION AT TRUE NATURE
True Nature hosts the Self-Realization Fellowship’s monthly meditation session from 9 to 10:30am. More details at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
GRANDPARENTS DAY & CLAY
Celebrate Grandparents Day by creating ceramic art with your grands at the Carbondale Clay Center from 10am to noon. Register at www.tinyurl.com/ GrandsClayDay
SPIRIT CONVERSATIONS
“Ponder with other truth seekers” at A Spiritual Center, room 31 of the Third Street Center, from 10 to 11:30am.
SHAMANIC JOURNEYING
Shamanic healer Meghan Gilroy guides a day-long retreat where attendees gain clarity, without the means of psychedelics, at True Nature from 10am to 4pm. This retreat is ideal for empaths, coaches, healers and seekers. Register at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
‘THE MANE EVENT’
Head on up to the Snowmass Rodeo Grounds for “The Mane Event,” featuring a collection of equine demonstrations, from horse shoeing to trick riding, from 11am to 2pm. More details at www.gosnowmass.com
ART OF CONVERSATIONS
Pick up a meaningful conversation with a stranger at the Carbondale Library from 6 to 7pm every first Sunday.
ECSTATIC DANCE
The Heart Barn at 13 Moons Ranch, south of Carbondale, hosts an ecstatic dance, featuring DJ Lydia Bain, at 6pm. For details, email alyahowe@me.com
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
Bonedale Ballet instructs 3 to 5 year olds at the Launchpad from 10:30 to 11:15am on Fridays through Oct. 17. For details, call at 970-379 2187.
MUSIC UNDER THE BRIDGE
The Hell Roaring String Band performs at Bethel Plaza, under the Grand Avenue Bridge in Glenwood Springs, from 4:30 to 7:30pm.
BONEDALE FLEA
The inaugural Bonedale Flea opens on First Friday, from 5 to 8pm, featuring a variety of local makers, vintage goods and culinary delights. Catch live music by Tommy the Animal at Chacos Park, DJ sets by KDNK, street buskers and offerings from local businesses. Carbondale Arts needs volunteers for the event; sign up at www.carbondalearts.com/ first-friday
TRUE NATURE FIRST FRIDAY
Connect with community and sip select wines and beers at True Nature’s Peace Garden from 6:30 to 8pm.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
SUPERHERO RUN
Court Appointed Special Advocates hosts its seventh annual CASA Superhero Run 5K, in support of children who have been abused or neglected, starting at 8am at Two Rivers Park. More details at www.tinyurl.com/CASARun
YARD WASTE DROP-OFF
Dispose of yard waste at the dirt lot across from Carbondale Town Hall from 9am to noon today and Sept. 20. Bring proof of residency.
ALEX EDELMAN
Critically acclaimed comedian Alex Edelman performs at the Wheeler
‘PLAYFUL POTTERY’
Shana Salaff’s solo exhibit, “Playful Pottery,” will be on display at Main Street Gallery & The Framer through Oct. 25. More details at www.carbondaleclay.org
BUDDY CLASSIC
The annual Buddy Classic Golf Tournament, benefiting the Buddy Program, kicks off at Ironbridge Golf Course at 11am and wraps up with post-tournament cocktails and appetizers from 4 to 6pm. Arrive as early as 9:30am to practice your swing. Register at www.buddyprogram.org/buddyclassic
BONEDALE BALLET
Bonedale Ballet is offering beginning classes every Monday through Oct. 13, 4 to 5pm, at the Third Street Center. For details, call 970-379-2187.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
YOGA AT THE LIBRARY
Devika Gurung guides a yoga session at the Carbondale Library from 7:30 to 8:30am. Beginners welcome.
ART OF YOGA
The Powers Arts Center hosts a rejuvenating outdoor yoga session from 10 to 11am. For details, call 970-963-4445.
INTRO TO YOUTUBE
Learn the nuances of posting videos to YouTube and how to limit or increase viewership at the Basalt Library from 2:30 to 3:30pm.
CODING CLUB
Seventh through 10th graders are invited to Aspen Science Center’s Coding Club at the Carbondale Library today and Sept. 23 from 3:45 to 4:45pm.
MIREYA MAYOR
World-renowned scientist and National Geographic explorer Mireya Mayor speaks at the Wheeler Opera House from 7 to 8:30pm. Tickets at www.wheeleroperahouse.com
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
CREATIVE WRITING
Jessica Amber Barnum guides a creative writing club for kids at the Basalt Library, 3:45 to 4:45pm, today and Sept. 24. Barnum then heads to Glenwood Springs Library for sessions, 2:30 to 3:30pm, on Sept. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 12 and Dec. 17. For details, call the library at 970-945-5958.
SING FOR JUSTICE
Folks gather every Wednesday, 4:30 to 5:30pm, to sing songs inspired by social justice and environmentalism at the Third Street Center.
RESISTANCE GATHERING
Mountain Action Indivisible hosts a “Community Resistance Gathering” imparting on participants the dos and don’ts of hosting like gatherings intended to “develop action plans for local resistance,” at the Third Street Center from 6 to 8pm.
PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE
Country-rock band Pure Prairie League performs at the Wheeler Opera House at 7pm. Tickets at www.wheeleroperahouse.com
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
CONSULATE FORUM
Colorado Mountain College provides an opportunity for folks to engage directly with consular representatives from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Peru at Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs from noon to 1:30pm. There is a virtual attendance option. Register at www.tinyurl.com/ CMCConsulateForum
NONFICTION BOOK CLUB
The Nonfiction Book Club discusses books about sports and athletes at the Carbondale Library from 2 to 3pm. For details, call the library at 970-963-2889.
BANNED BOOK CLUB
The Banned Book Club discusses “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou at the Basalt Library from 4 to 5pm.
SPANISH CLASS
Colorado Mountain College begins a multiweek storytelling and conversational Spanish class at the Carbondale campus on Fridays, 5 to 7pm, through Nov. 13.
More details at www.coloradomtn.edu/ community-education
BACK TO SCHOOL
Parents are invited to FocusedKids’ virtual workshop, “From Chaos to Calm: Back to School Routines that Actually Work,” from 7 to 8pm. Register at www.focusedkids.org
CHAPARELLE
Chaparelle — “a harmonious union” of singer-songwriters Zella Day and Jesse Woods — performs with Harley Ellis at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
MUSIC UNDER THE BRIDGE
Local Celtic band Oran Mor performs at Bethel Plaza, under the Grand Avenue Bridge in Glenwood Springs, from 4:30 to 7:30pm.
LIT ON THE LAWN
Listen to some music and hang out with fellow book lovers on the lawn of the Basalt Library from 5 to 7pm. Bring whatever you’re reading!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
‘FRONTIERS OF KNOWLEDGE’
Aspen Public Radio presents “Frontiers of Knowledge,” — “a gath ering of world-renowned scientists, philosophers and visionaries” — at the Wheeler Opera House from 9am to 5pm. For details, visit www.frontiersofknowledge.org
LATINO CONSERVATION
In recognition of Latino Conservation Week, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers hosts a restoration project at Veltus Park in Glenwood Springs from 9am to 3pm. Register at www.rfov.org
ART, HEALING & HOPE
Sheri Gaynor, in partnership with the HeadQuarters, guides an art class meant to be healing and fun at The Art Base from 9:30 to 11:30am. Register at www.theartbase.org
TAI CHI FOR KIDS
Author Cari Shurman introduces her new book, “Tai Chi for Kids,” and guides a movement session for elementary students and their adults at the Carbon dale Library at 4pm. For details, call the library at 970-963-2889.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
FILOHA MEADOWS
Help control invasive plants, for the sake of native stream orchids, at Filoha Meadows with Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers from 8:30am to 3pm. Regis ter at www.rfov.org
Garfield County residents can receive a free home energy assessment and up to –$500 in energy-saving upgrades installed at no cost.
Join yoga instructor Devika Gurung for movement and mindfulness at the library. Beginners welcome. Please bring your own mat. Free.
T uesdays in September 7 :30 - 8:30 am Carbondale Branch Library
Aspen Public Radio hosted its 2025 Nonprofit Volunteer Fair at the Glenwood Springs Library on Aug. 27, inviting local nonprofits, including Sol del Valle and The Sopris Sun, to wave their banners and inform the community about the invaluable services they offer.
Photo by Klaus Kocher
Healthcare in Aspen: A Journey Through Time
Join Aspen Valley Health and Aspen Historical Society for an inspiring evening of storytelling, history and community connection.
Thursday, September 18
4:30 pm Welcome Reception
5:30 pm Presentation led by Amy Honey from Aspen Historical Society
Aspen Valley Health Medical Center, Main Entrance
Enjoy light bites and refreshments
FREE and open to all
Explore Aspen’s rich healthcare history through images and a lively conversation featuring longtime locals whose dedication has helped shape healthcare in our community for generations to come.
Panelists
· John Sarpa, Moderator
· Dave Ressler, AVH CEO
· Barry Mink, MD
· Bud Glismann, MD
· Annette “Nettie” Kremer
Celebrate the past and glimpse the future of healthcare in our valley!
The best little running and hiking store in Carbondale
… and beyond
Inde Run & Hike honored as one of top running stores in the U.S.
JOHN STROUD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Independence Run & Hike has been the right fit for Carbondale going on 20 years now, and vice versa, just as they’ve worked to assure the right fit for countless feet when it comes to running and hiking shoes.
From day one back in 2006, serving the Roaring Fork Valley’s ever-growing community of avid runners and hikers with the perfect fit has been a primary goal, founding owner Brion After said.
“I’ve always taken the fitting process very seriously,” he said. “I train every single employee to sit down with the customer, measure their foot, talk to them about shoes, talk to them about their foot, and what works.”
That attention to detail in the customer service department, along with a big focus on fostering the running, hiking and general outdoor culture that’s already ingrained in the local community is now being recognized on a national level.
Earlier this summer, Inde Run & Hike was listed among the 65 Best Running Stores of 2025 in the U.S., as determined by The Running Event (TRE), an industry trade group.
To finally make the list after several years of trying, out of 7,967 applicants this year and especially as a small-town store up against much larger, highvolume stores, is extra special, After said.
Large chain stores that sell running shoes are exempt,
but many of the independent specialty stores that made the list are in urban communities and have been around since the running boom of the late 1970s.
One new criteria this year may very well have worked in Inde Run & Hike’s favor — a secret shop at each of the 100 finalist stores by an industry representative.
“They actually sent someone out to shop the stores and get that customer experience,” After said. “They also wanted to know more about how stores engage with the community, and some of the other things that really make independent running stores unique.”
After happened to be on the biggest vacation his family had ever taken, visiting Paris in late July, when the announcement came.
“I joke that it took me 20 years and leaving the country to finally get some recognition,” he said.
TRE Director Christina Henderson stated in a July 29 press release, “Each year, we’re blown away by the dedication and heart these stores bring to their communities. The caliber of past years’ nominees inspired us to evolve the program in 2025, invest more deeply and raise the bar for how we evaluate and celebrate this incredible industry.”
Honorees will be celebrated at an Industry Awards Dinner on Dec. 4, during a TRE trade show in San Antonio, Texas. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2025 Store of the Year, for which Inde Run & Hike is in the running.
For After, it’s affirmation that what he set out to accomplish 20 years ago has come to fruition. It’s also cause to reflect on all those years serving the local running and hiking community.
The store’s namesake was After’s dog at the time, Inde, who was a regular on the weekly group runs that the store organized.
Matt Oates was his first store manager when they opened at the southeast corner of Highway 133 and Cowen Drive, in the space now occupied by the La Fogata restaurant.
Both Inde and Oates have since passed, Oates in a tragic car crash in Arizona where he had relocated for a new job.
“I always like to recognize him, because he was a big part of our early success,” After said.
The store has evolved since then, including two moves,
first to La Fontana Plaza, and now in the City Market plaza.
A string of store managers and staff also doubled as avid and often accomplished competitive runners, helping to foster that running culture. Zack Russell is the current shop manager, overseeing a staff of about half a dozen employees.
After moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2000. He worked in retail shops, including the Ute Mountaineer in Aspen, and as a rep for Adidas before deciding to open his own retail store.
An aspect of Inde Run & Hike that’s unique is its equal emphasis on trail running, alongside road running shoes and true hiking shoes and boots.
“I think we stand out in trail running shoes, but also on the apparel side where we’ve really expanded and take our lifestyle
apparel seriously,” After said.
The store along the way also expanded into cross country skis and Nordic gear, tapping into another element of the Valley’s outdoor enthusiasm.
In addition, the store supports the local high school cross country and track teams by hosting fitting days and providing shoe and apparel discounts for student athletes.
Inde Run & Hike hosts a weekly group run on Thursday evenings, has a Nordic demo day at Spring Gulch in the winter and sponsors four local running races throughout the year — the 5 Point 5K during the 5 Point Film Festival in April, the Sopris Runoff trail race on the Prince Creek and Crown trails in May, the Mountain Fair 4-Miler road race in July and the Jingle Bell Run 5K in December.
Brion After, founder and owner of the Independence Run & Hike shoe and apparel store in Carbondale, fits a customer for some running shoes. The store was selected among the top 65 running stores in the U.S. by The Running Event. Photo by John Stroud
Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist launches children’s program
MYKI JONES Sopris Sun Correspondent
On Aug. 17, the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalists (TRUU) congregation revived its children’s program and featured a musical performance consisting of John Denver songs in conjunction with the sermon. Run by longtime friends and collaborators Thelma Zabel and Cindy Nett, who previously taught together at Colorado Mountain College’s (CMC) Mini College Preschool in Glenwood Springs, the children’s program will entail the youth of the congregation leading psalms and other musical performances, hands-on creative projects and a discussion-based lesson when attendees will be encouraged to explore age-appropriate questions about the Seven Unitarian Universalist Principles.
Those principles include: 1) the belief that each and every person is important; 2) that all people should be treated fairly and kindly; 3) that people should accept one another and keep on learning together; 4) that each person must be free to search for what is true and right in life; 5) that all persons should have a vote about things that concern them; 6) the importance of working for a peaceful, fair and free world; 7) caring for planet Earth — a home shared with all living things.
“What we’re hoping to do is let the children find out more about our beliefs and let them question and explore as we present them with the Seven UU Principles,” Zabel told the Sopris Sun.
According to TRUU’s website, children begin the 10am service on Sundays “with their families and then head to their own program after the opening.” They rejoin the congregation at the end of the service for a closing moment. Zabel, who in her retirement has continued to teach art classes at CMC, intends to carry over her teaching practices into her lesson planning for this program. The
layout of each lesson will begin with either a book or a story focused on a topic or information about a local or famous artist whose catalog will serve as a focal point of inspiration for an activity.
“I plan to show artwork from my dear friend who has since passed away, Mary Noone, who did mountain pictures. Mary didn’t stick to what you might call traditional colors, and her work is really fun for children because it’s so colorful,” said Zabel. “You can let their minds just go wherever they want to go, with the colors of the mountains and the trees or, you know, the meadows and even the sky. So that’s what we’ll be doing, just as an example.”
According to Zabel, the lesson plans will always be flexible, due to the numbers still growing and the ages spanning from 2 to 17.
Nett first became involved with the children’s program after helping TRUU with a booth at August’s First Friday, where colored pencils and markers were passed out to youngsters who illustrated to their little hearts’ content.
“At first, it started out very slow, but then gradually more and more families and young kids showed up,” she explained. “It just reawakens that joy and connection that you have with the kids when they see something that they can put their hands on and start messing with and creating and interacting with us.”
In speaking with Paul Dankers, one of TRUU’s two music directors and its community steward, he said he looked forward to the children in the program having a chance to delve into new perspectives, while maintaining their childhood and building community.
“From my perspective, people, and especially children, need community. They need to be raised in community. It takes a village to raise a child and I think that is why so many gravitate towards a church, or something like it,
in order to provide their children with the experience of being part of a community,” explained Dankers. “I think a lot of parents, especially around Carbondale, want to give their children a chance to be children, but they still want the community. TRUU threads that needle because it gives them a moral background, a moral fiber and a community that has a spiritual sense to it. But not a spiritual sense that says, ‘These are the creeds that you have to subscribe to.’”
To learn more, visit www.truu.org or stop by TRUU’s booth at September’s First Friday in Carbondale.
Sopris Lodge was in full swing during its Senior Prom on Thursday, Aug. 28. The late Art Ackerman, who lived at Sopris Lodge, was on people’s minds and they boogied to some jazz in his memory. KDNK Community Access Radio Underwriting Director Tracy Strode brought the tunes with a DJ set and Sopris Sun board members lent a hand to help pull off an afternoon to remember.
Photos by Klaus Kocher
Local youngsters let their minds and markers wander at TRUU’s booth during August’s First Friday in Carbondale. Courtesy photo
A new month, a new meaning
Why my prostate cancer story is a call for screening, advocacy and hope
For years, September meant the end of summer, celebrating birthdays and all the little rituals of a season changing. But this year, September carries a very different meaning: it’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Month — and decision time for me to select a treatment.
In July, I shared publicly that I had been diagnosed. I wrote about how I see life as a kind of musical — full of unexpected plot twists, quiet interludes, moments of sorrow and bursts of joy. This chapter has been quieter, more like a solo: listening closely, facing hard decisions and choosing how the next verse will go.
When you’re told you have cancer, there’s no script.
For weeks, I weighed my options: surgery, radiation or newer procedures. I spoke with doctors, survivors and researchers. I asked hard questions. I lost sleep. I cried. And yes, I sprouted a few more gray hairs. None of the choices were easy — and all of them would change my life.
In the end, I have chosen TULSA Pro, a minimally invasive treatment that uses ultrasound
and real-time MRI to ablate the prostate. It offers the chance to treat my cancer while reducing long-term side effects. It also addresses my enlarged prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) — a condition that nearly cost me my life during a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon when I went into urinary retention and had to be airlifted out by Flight for Life. As a former park ranger and EMT, becoming the patient that day was deeply humbling.
Why TULSA Pro? Because I want the best chance not just to survive, but to heal and thrive — to keep showing up for the community I love, doing the work I care about and living with dignity.
that likely means I’ll have to pay the full $35,000 out of pocket. As I scramble to come up with the money for this procedure, I can’t help but think—this isn’t the first time I’ve had to fight.
have to push back, hold them accountable and insist on the care that gives you the best chance at life. It’s a sad reality that we have empowered our political leaders to allow this to stand, leaving patients to battle both illness and a broken system.
For me, September no longer marks just the turn of a season. It marks a new chapter — one I hope to meet with courage, hope,and the belief that the music of life still has many verses left to be sung.
That’s why Prostate Cancer Awareness Month matters. It’s about more than statistics — it’s about conversations that save lives. The insurance system may be frustrating and unfair, but one truth is undeniable: When prostate cancer is caught early, the survival rate is nearly 100%. Caught late, the story can be tragically different.
OPINION
OPEN LETTER
By Todd Chamberlin
But choosing a treatment isn’t just about medicine — it’s also about money. Even though TULSA Pro is FDA-approved and showing strong results, many insurers still classify it as “experimental.” To make matters worse, it isn’t yet offered in Colorado, and some of the clinical studies have closed. For insurance purposes,
CARE currently has 11 dogs, 9 cats, and 1 Bunny ready for adoption!
Working Together For Pets And Their People 2801 CR 114 Glenwood Springs, (970)947-9173CO
Over the past several months, I’ve appealed coverage decisions through the Colorado Division of Insurance just to get basic tests approved. And the truth is, insurance companies often deny claims in the hope that patients will give up and pay. I’ve learned you have to be your own advocate — you
One in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetime. Look around your dinner table, your workplace or your community gathering — statistically, one of those men will face this disease. Awareness means making sure that when it happens, it’s caught early enough to change the outcome.
So here’s my invitation: Use this month as an opening. Remind the men in your
life to get screened. Share stories — yours or mine — so no one feels they have to carry the silence alone. Support the research and treatments that give us better options and fewer compromises. And most importantly, have the hard conversations with your fathers, brothers, partners and friends.
For me, September no longer marks just the turn of a season. It marks a new chapter — one I hope to meet with courage, hope, and the belief that the music of life still has many verses left to be sung.
RJ PADDYWACKS offers a “C.A.R.E. package” for new adoptive families, including a “Paws for Points” plan and a first time 15% discount for your new pet.
PADDYWACKS offers a “C.A.R.E. package” for new adoptive including a “Paws for Points” plan and a first time 15% discount for your new pet.
Meet Selene! The world’s cutest, 5-year old blue heeler. She’s smart, extremely lovable and fun to hang out with. Selene has heartworm disease and is taking special meds provided by C.A.R.E. She’s looking for a place to relax while she gets better. Can you share the couch with her? RJ Paddywacks in El Jebel
RJ Paddywacks 400 E Valley Rd. # I/J Next to City Market in El Jebel 970.963.1700 rjpaddywacks.com
and use bug spray. Dawn and dusk are when mosquitoes are most active.
Deborah Ratiu Bannon
September 29, 1958 –August 20, 2025
After a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, Debbie passed away at home in Carbondale, Colorado on Aug. 20.
Debbie was born in Royal Oak, Michigan on Sept. 29, 1958. She had a happy childhood with 11 siblings, loving parents, doting grandparents and a large extended family. With so many people in her orbit, life was full of joy, laughter and warm memories. Although resources were modest, her home overflowed with love and togetherness.
In the early 1980s, she made her way to Colorado in an old, rickety pickup truck. She stopped and cried at the summit of Independence Pass. So overwhelmed by the breathtaking beauty, she knew at that moment that if there was a heaven, it was here. And she never left.
She married and built a family in Colorado. Her daughters, Katie and Megan, were the loves of Debbie’s life. She cherished motherhood — playtime, bedtime stories, crafts, travels and doing her best to give her girls a better life. She never had a Barbie growing up, so she made sure her daughters had every one they wanted. These little acts of love became lasting memories.
She enjoyed a successful 45-year career as an independent bookkeeper. Debbie also found joy in bringing people together through her cooking. During a brief but meaningful catering venture, her beautifully crafted cakes graced the tables of over 500 weddings. As one of her last endeavors, she started the Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce travel program. Her trips around the world brought hundreds together with memories to last a lifetime.
Debbie took a new path in 2017. She hiked the Camino de Santiago in Spain — a pilgrimage that changed her forever. There, she met Eugene Brady — her love, her partner, her husband. They built a life filled with laughter and joy that beautifully blended their Colorado and Irish families.
Though life had its challenges, she faced them all with a sense of humor, grace and a commitment to kindness. She made it a practice to greet strangers, to smile often and to strike up conversations wherever she went. She had a wonderful life (her favorite movie!).
She is survived by her mother; her daughters, Katie Bannon (Scott Levine) and Megan Bannon (Jason Mills); her cherished granddaughter, Isabelle; numerous brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews; her Irish family; and, most of all, her true love, Eugene Brady.
To Eugene: Please know I’ll always be with you. I might be the bird who takes food from your hand, the warm air that caresses your face on a summer evening or that star that twinkles in the night sky.
A celebration of life will be held at the Old Thompson Barn on Sept. 27 from 2 to 5pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider growing an indoor or outdoor plant that could live on in her memory.
OLIVER from page 5
150 people. It’s a great way to serve and build community.
TS: How would you describe your education philosophy?
Oliver: For me, it’s empowering students with the academic and life skills they need to be joyful, successful, contributing members of society. The best way to do that is to genuinely love and care for our kids.
TS: Who has inspired you?
Oliver: My high school math teacher, Ann Conaway. She would watch me shut down during class and point to the door, which meant I had to run two laps around the school. When I got back I could solve the problem. She brought humor and met us where we were.
TS: What’s on your reading list? And what do outside of being an educator?
Oliver: You’re going to laugh at my reading list. I love southern women fiction by Mary Alice Monroe and Mary Kay Andrews. I also love fly fishing, mountain biking and skiing, but mostly anything on the water with my husband, CJ, and hanging out with our yellow lab, Lyla.
KEYNOTE
Colorado
Dr. Matt Gianneschi
STATE
CO Department of Labor & Employment
Carolyn Tucker
Regional Business Service Coordinator
GARFIELD
County Manager Fred Jarman
TOWN
Mayor Ben Bohmfalk
Town Manager Ryan Hyland
Healing is an act of love
BIANCA GODINA
Interviews Under el Sol
EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been edited for clarity and space.
Alejandra Rico is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico and has been living in the Valley for 20 years. She offers free yoga classes, though donations are welcomed, every Thursday at 6:30pm at Stepping Stones.
What led you to yoga?
A deep desire to heal from a tragic loss I experienced in 2007. I was married to a man who worked for Catholic Charities. We got married in 2004, separated in 2006 and in 2007, on his birthday, he hiked up Maroon Bells. On the way down, in a scree field, he slipped, fell and died.
His funeral, coincidentally, was on my birthday. His was Aug. 9, mine is Aug. 14. I fell into a deep depression, a very dark hole I didn’t know how to climb out of.
What was your goal when you started taking yoga classes?
To bring calm, containment and presence.
That practice felt like a lifeline in a sea where I was drowning. It was the beginning of my healing process. The discipline, the connection with myself, with the divine … transformed me.
I trained in Hatha and Kundalini yoga, but once I became a mother I found that restorative yoga was the practice I truly needed.
Motherhood changes our nervous system so much. Our children need us to be calm and present. It’s a blessing to be able to share this practice, especially with other mothers, though men and young people come sometimes too.
What do you enjoy about teaching yoga?
I love being nurturing to others. During final relaxation, I use lavender oil and give a gentle neck massage. I want them to feel cared for, like they’re receiving a therapeutic massage.
What advice would you give to someone who hasn’t tried yoga yet?
Give yourself the space to try it once or twice — it can be a powerful act of self-care and connection with yourself.
Follow Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every week in Spanish.
“Give yourself the space to try [yoga] once or twice — it can be a powerful act of self-care and connection with yourself.” - Alejandra Rico Courtesy photo
Alejandra Rico, courtesy photo
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
FOR FIRST FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Where ancient Ute once walked with grace, they felt the earth’s own sacred space. A spinning force beneath the ground, where healing energies are found.
Now Eastern wisdom meets the West, in gardens where the spirits rest. Where cherry blossoms catch the light, and stones are
The mountain people knew this power, long before this peaceful bower. They sensed what modern seekers feel — the vortex
Seek where garden meets the sky, where ancient wisdom still runs high. The chest rests where two worlds unite, above the In Carbondale’s most sacred ground, where healing and peace can both be found.
The treasure chest awaits its discoverer.
If Cavern Springs is sold to an outside investor the outcomes are predictable. Rents will likely go up dramatically — often 40% in the first year and no ceiling year after year. Rents may become unsustainable for many and residents will be severely housing-cost burdened and/or forced to move.
Moving may likely mean a loss of equity in their home, housing instability and relocation out of the Valley or a longer commute. If, with the assistance of a lender like Thistle ROC, Cavern Springs can be purchased by its residents, housing stability and affordability are likely. Yes, lot rents are likely to increase and there will be costs to bear, but the residents will manage the finances and rents of their park and not be subject to predatory increases or return-on-capital
Time is running out; a resident offer must be made in weeks. And $12 to $20 million is likely needed to “save” Cavern Springs (with the help of Thistle ROC). It is a huge ask, and a risky one. But the benefits all outweigh the risks. With traditional sources of assistance strained, there may be other private and public resources. If there are any organizations, government entities, nonprofits, church and synagogue congregations, foundations, philanthropists interested in impact investing, social justice and housing security benefiting those who help us live in and enjoy the Roaring Fork Valley, this is a time to step up. Our valley must have the resources-somewhere, somehow. A recent real estate listing for a single home: $57 million. Cavern Springs’ 98 homes: $26 million.
Please contact Maria Judith Alvarez Quiroz at mariajudithalvarezq@gmail.com or Tim Townsend at ttownsendroc@thistle.us if you wish to help fund the resident purchase of Cavern Springs and help provide housing security to hundreds of our neighbors.
Sumner Schachter Glenwood Springs
Don’t speed
CDOT cites that roadway deaths are up and speeding is a major contributing factor. The following is a quote from their safety bulletin:
“A common misconception is that speeding saves time. According to a study conducted by AAA Colorado, a motorist moving at 80 mph instead of 75 mph would have to travel 100 miles to save roughly five minutes.”
In fact, the average driver saves just 26 seconds per day by speeding.
Diane Reynolds Take a Minute, Slow Down in Town
Crime in D.C.
There’s a crime wave in Washington, D.C., but it’s not taking place in the streets. It’s centered in the White House, where laws are being shredded, sometimes quasi-legally, like a felon pardoning the January 6th insurrectionists. Republicans tough on crime? What about the corporations that don’t pay their taxes, the pedophiles in the Epstein report, the blatant ICE policies that can result in the round up of legal residents?
Trump wants to look tough, so he calls in the National Guard to a Democratically controlled city, with violent crime at a 30-year low, so that trees can be mulched and litter picked up. Let the National Guard go home to their families and rehire the federal workers who used to have these jobs. Everything about this administration is a distraction from the disastrous job they are doing. It’s obvious, because Republicans wouldn’t be so panicked about redistricting if they thought they had the support of Americans.
Peter Westcott Carbondale
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.
Sopris Sun board member and Chris Klug Foundation Executive Director Jessi Rochel (left) met up with Margaret and Quinn Donnely in Sydney, Australia, when Rochel participated as an Abbot World Marathon Major, for the first time, in the Sydney Marathon. Rochel and Margaret used to work together for Carbondale Rec, and the latter moved to New Zealand earlier this year. Of course, Rochel brought the latest issue of The Sun! Courtesy photo
PARTING SHOT
Local nonprofits, including several recovery organizations and High Rockies Harm Reduction, held an event in Sayre Park in Glenwood Springs in observance of Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. In the mid-afternoon, more than 50 people walked the entire perimeter of the block wielding purple flags in remembrance of friends and family lost to overdose.
Photos by James Steindler
SERVICE DIRECTORY
LEGAL NOTICES
Town of Carbondale
REQUEST FOR BIDS-2025 TOWN HALL ROOFING INSTALLATION
The Town of Carbondale is accepting bids from local, qualified contractors to install a new roofing system on the flat-roof portion of Town Hall (511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO). Sealed bids will be received until 11:00 am September 15, 2025, by the Town of Carbondale, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado 81623, at which time the bids will be opened and read aloud. Specifications and contract documents can be found on the Town of Carbondale website, or at Town Hall. Work on this project must be complete by October 31, 2025.
The Roofing System Installation consists of removal of the existing roofing system, inspection and repair of existing roof deck as needed, installation of tapered insulation systems for proper drainage and cover board to provide a suitable surface for the roof membrane, installation of a new roofing system, cleanup and protection of the work site.
The new roofing system will cover board that is mechanically fastened with a minimum 60 mil, fully adhered single-ply TPO roofing membrane system. All work shall meet, at a minimum, the Town of Carbondale Specifications, local building code requirements as well as any material manufacturer or supplier’s requirements. The listed square foot measurements are estimates for bidding purposes only and the final square footage will be determined as stated in the specifications. Interested contractors should call Aaron Kuhns, (970)-510-1211, to schedule a site visit prior to submitting a bid.
The successful bidder will be expected to enter into an Agreement for Professional Services with the Town. Bids shall be submitted on the bid form attached to the request for proposals.
Published in The Sopris Sun on September 4, 2025.
ORDINANCE NO. 4
SERIES OF 2025
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, APPROVING A FINAL PLAT FOR 1348 BARBER DRIVE LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF CARBDONALE, COLORADO
NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on August 26, 2025.
This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication of this notice. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www.carbondalegov.org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours.
