Basketball season tips off with Brenda Patch
Photos by Ray K. Erku
Roaring Fork senior Lucas Carballeira dribbles in the back court against Fort Lupton.
Roaring Fork sophomore Annelise Bumgarner shuffles on defense against Rifle.
Roaring Fork junior Riley Bevington concentrates on making a free throw against Rifle in Carbondale on Friday.
How The Sopris Sun changed my life
I am originally from the German countryside and grew up in Hamburg, a bustling city. In 2012, when I was 15, I first experienced the slow pace of mountain life as a youth exchange student living in Glenwood Springs. From a concrete jungle to camping in the woods and outdoor activities like skiing, I quickly fell in love.
I continued returning to the Valley for holidays, once as a Fulbright Scholar at Colorado Mountain College in 2019 and later for a wedding. Then, in 2023, I met Tanner Nieslanik, my now husband, by introduction of my host dad, who used to work with Tanner. Our first date was hiking the Highlands Bowl. Luckily I had enough practice to get down! We stayed in touch and he visited me in Germany. At the time, I was working for a corporation with over 3,000 employees. Here, I built expertise in cooperative marketing, partnerships and stakeholder engagement. However, I began feeling drained by the constant hustle, pressure and reporting cycles. I was ready for change and the Valley had a pull on my heart.
OPINION
the Valley, now employed by The Sopris Sun. Working for a community-focused nonprofit, I enjoy getting to know so many people. And I feel fortunate to work for a local newspaper, because they’re becoming rare, even in Germany. It’s a great team and I feel really supported. That support was crucial when Tanner and I welcomed into the world baby Noah Larson Nieslanik on Oct. 22, 2025. The flexibility of the job allowed me to stay home and take care of my son. Also, whenever I meet with someone and bring Noah along, they are always excited. I’m happy for Noah being welcomed into the Valley in this way. I’m sure when he’s older, like Tanner, it will take him twice as long to get through the grocery store as me, because he’s stopping to say hello to so many people.
GUEST COLUMN
While visiting Tanner, I met Sopris Sun Lead Editorial Designer Terri Ritchie at a River Spell concert at the Belly Up in Aspen. I was telling Terri about my desire to move to the Valley and take on a new job, and she mentioned that Sopris Sun Executive Director Todd Chamberlin was looking for help with ad sales and sponsorships.
By Luise Nieslanik
I contacted Todd and had an interview just a week later. I talked about the requirements for a visa and researched all the necessary steps. It wasn’t simple. An international agency helped arrange everything and five months later I was back in
LETTERS
Thank you, RFHS
Next time you meet a Roaring Fork High School (RFHS) student, shake their hand and offer them a heartfelt thank you. Over a period of three weeks, RFHS students filled the shelves at the LiftUp pantry. They collected more than $1,000 and nearly 3,000 food items. A month ago, the pantry was struggling to meet the growing needs of the community. But thanks to these students, our shelves are overflowing and those we serve are incredibly grateful. If their efforts are any indication of the future, this community is indeed in good hands. So a hearty thank you to the students, teachers and administrators for their hard work and generosity.
Kathy and Frank Sgambati LiftUp Volunteers
Sing
for justice
Who Are the Raging Grannies? Join us Friday Dec. 12 at 12:15pm for a half-hour of standing and singing for justice on the sidewalk in front of the Carbondale Post Office, across from the Forest Service building. A beautiful inner awareness grows when we become grandparents; we can see that all children are precious, not just our own. We want to leave the world a better place for these young people who bring so much love to us.
We Raging Grannies in Carbondale invite all people concerned about the current U.S. administration’s illegal actions to join us in song. We will have a sign to thank the federal workers at the Post Office and the Forest Service. We will have signs to protest the illegal actions by
I am now a proud member of the extended Nieslanik family, a Carbondale ranching family with deep roots in the community. Little Noah is the first of the new generation of Paul and Celia Nieslanik’s family and the youngest addition to The Sopris Sun family, as well.
It took me 13 years to finally make the Roaring Fork Valley my home, to give back to a place that helped shape me, and The Sopris Sun helped make it happen. I feel like the luckiest person and I am grateful to the entire team and board for believing in me, supporting my visa and welcoming me into this community. It’s special to be part of something rare, local and deeply meaningful: a community-owned, independent newspaper. On behalf of my family, I urge everyone to include this life-changing newspaper in your end-of-year giving. Donate online at www.soprissun.com/donate
Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Pete Hegseth’s bombing of boats SUSPECTED of drug smuggling.
We have a Constitution that guarantees human rights, including free speech, free peaceful assembly and trial by jury with legal representation. We need to stand up and sing for those laws. If you don’t want to sing, come anyway. Make a sign, take a stand for the U.S. Constitution.
Thank you. May the spirit of inner light, the heart of Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa be with you all.
Illène Pevec Carbondale
Library autonomy
This Friday, Dec. 12, in a complete reversal of policy, the Garfield Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will appoint three new trustees to the library district board. Since the founding of the Library District in 2006, trustees (who are volunteers) have been appointed using the process outlined in its bylaws: Candidates were interviewed by the Library Board of Trustees and recommended to the BOCC for appointment. In the new process, the BOCC interviews and appoints new trustees, and the library board has no check on that power.
In Colorado, a library district is a separate political subdivision of the state with a high degree of autonomy, operating independently from the direct management of county commissioners. Transparency and non-partisan governance are crucial to the continued success of our libraries. Please contact the commissioners and urge them to codify a method of selecting
and reappointing trustees that leverages the experience of current trustees and provides checks and balances.
Bonnie Draina Carbondale
PUC to phase out methane
Ever since I moved to Carbondale, I’ve been advocating for the town to ban methane gas hookups in new construction, as has been done in Berkeley and San Francisco, California, New York City and Crested Butte and Louisville, Colorado.
We don’t need methane gas. Gas heaters and ranges can be replaced by cheaper, more efficient, healthier and safer heat pumps and induction stoves. Further, methane is a powerful, fast-acting greenhouse gas that is ruining our climate.
Lo and behold, who comes along with a plan, that’s not as sudden as an outright ban but more far reaching, but the state’s Public Utilities Commission? They’re telling the utilities (Xcel, Black Hill, Atmos and Colorado Natural Gas) to cut back natural-gas-heating emissions 41% by 2035 and 100% by 2050.
This covers not just new construction, but existing buildings as well. The utilities and the state will help with rebates for the cost of the switch to electric appliances. The Sierra Club estimates this will result in the elimination of 44.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
As for the Trump administration’s determination to promote fossil fuels, we’re ignoring their ignorance.
Fred Malo Jr. Carbondale
continued on page 26
Editor Raleigh Burleigh 970-510-3003
news@soprissun.com
Contributing Editor
James Steindler
Sol del Valle Editora Bianca Godina bianca@soldelvalle.org
Digital Editor Ingrid Celeste Zúniga ingrid@soldelvalle.org
Lead Editorial Designer Terri Ritchie
Partnerships & Engagement Manager Luise Nieslanik
Advertising Department adsales@soprissun.com
Sol del Valle Marketing and Development Manager
Margarita Alvarez margarita@soldelvalle.org
Advertising Designer
Emily Blong
Delivery
Frederic Kischbaum
Youth Journalism Instructor
Skyler Stark-Ragsdale
Proofreaders
Lee Beck
Tracy Kallassy
Ken Pletcher
Hank van Berlo
Executive Director
Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246
todd@soprissun.com
Board Members / Mesa Directiva board@soprissun.com
Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke
Donna Dayton • Eric Smith
Roger Berliner • Elizabeth Phillips
Jessi Rochel • Anna Huntington
Loren Jenkins • Carlos Ramos • Gayle Wells
The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6pm on second Thursdays at the Third Street Center. The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible.
Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+
Lee Beck & John Stickney
Kay Brunnier
Frances Dudley
Michelle & Ed Buchman
Sue Edelstein & Bill Spence
Deborah & Shane Evans
Greg & Kathy Feinsinger
Michael & Nancy Kish
Gary & Jill Knaus
Eric Smith
Peter and Mike Gilbert
Patti & George Stranahan
Elizabeth Wysong
Alpine Bank
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Kathy & Carter Barger
Sandy & Paul Chamberlin
Karen & Roger Berliner
Donna & Ken Riley
Gayle & Dick Wells
Legacy Givers for including us in their final wishes. Mary Lilly
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is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District
Photo by Mallory Williams
OUR UNDERWRITERS AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS!
SCUTTLEBUTT
Carbondale burglary
Just after midnight, Dec. 3, Carbondale police responded to a residential burglary in the area of Garfield Avenue. The homeowner was awoken by the sound of someone inside their house and confronted the intruder, who fled with several stolen items. Carbondale officers located a vehicle connected to the suspect based on the homeowner’s descriptions. At a residence associated with the vehicle, police contacted the suspect. Felix Gutierrez-Gnecco was arrested without incident. Searching his residence, stolen items were recovered. Suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
FirstBank
Alpine Bank
Colorado Mountain College
Nordic Gardens
Hilary Porterfield
Basalt Library
NONPROFIT PARTNERS
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Colorado Animal Rescue
Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner?
Email Todd@soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866
Snowpack Report
Roaring Fork Conservancy sent its first Snowpack Report of the season on Dec. 4, gauging snowpack in the Roaring Fork Watershed at 49% of normal for this time of year. Snowpack is measured at SNOTEL sites at the top of McClure Pass, Schofield Pass, North Lost Trail, Independence Pass, Ivanhoe, Nast Lake and Kiln. Find daily, statewide updates at www.bit.ly/CO-SNOTEL
Riverside Botanical Gardens
A community group, Glenwood Springs Riverside Botanical Gardens, seeks to relocate the historic Glenwood Gardens greenhouse and establish a riverside botanical garden in the heart of Glenwood Springs, at the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers. Phase one involves dismantling and relocating the historic greenhouse, commissioned by John Cleveland Osgood in 1903 and originally located at his Redstone castle. To learn more and make a donation, visit www.glenwoodspringsriversidebotanicalgardens.com
Spring Gulch
Last week’s snowfall was sufficient for Spring Gulch to open on Sunday, Dec. 7 for Nordic and skate skiing. Keep up with the Mt Sopris Nordic Council and consider making a donation at www.springgulch.org/membership
Clay Center grant
The Carbondale Clay Center was awarded $35,000 from the Boettcher Foundation to go toward its “Shaping the Future” campaign, intended for the design and construction of a new building at the Clay Center’s current location. The center has raised $3.6 million toward the campaign’s goal of $10 million.
Outdoor equity grants
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced Dec. 5 recipients of $2 million in
Aspen Public Radio went to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to testify in the United States District Court against President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal entities to withhold funds from NPR due to what the administration labels “biased” reporting. The executive order also prohibits stations from using federal funds for NPR content. The lawsuit argues that the entire public media system has a First Amendment right to be free from government attempts to control private speech as well as from retaliation aimed at punishing protected speech. “When the government tries to decide what news can or can’t be broadcast, every American should be concerned,” said Breeze Richardson, executive director of Aspen Public Radio, pictured far-left with Tami Graham, executive director of KSUT, Steve Zansberg, legal counsel representing the Colorado stations, and Stewart Vanderwilt, president/CEO of Colorado Public Radio. Courtesy photo
equity grants supporting outdoor experiences for youth, including $78,000 for Stepping Stones in Carbondale and $48,580 for Outward Bound in Leadville. CPW is currently recruiting new members to serve on the Outdoor Equity Grant Board. Applications are due by Dec. 21. Learn more at cpw.state.co.us/ committees/outdoor-equity-grant-board
Coroner’s
award
The Garfield County Coroner’s Office received prestigious accreditation from the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners. “This distinction marks a significant milestone for our office and underscores our unwavering commitment to excellence, professionalism and compassionate service to the Garfield County community,” explained the press release. Eight other coroner officers in the state hold this accreditation, with Summit County being the only other one on the Western Slope.
Aspen Valley Health CEO
Dr. Richard Becker has been named CEO of Aspen Valley Health, effective Jan. 26. Dr. Becker brings nearly three decades of healthcare experience to the role and will be transitioning to Aspen from his current position as systems executive in residence at
Northwell Health, New York’s largest healthcare system. Current CEO Dave Ressler will remain at the helm through the transition.
PCOST calendar
The Pitkin County Open Space & Trails (PCOST) 2026 wall calendar is now available, featuring scenic images donated by local photographers. Free copies are available while supplies last throughout Pitkin County, including at post offices in Meredith, Old Snowmass and Snowmass Village, the Basalt and Pitkin libraries, Pitkin County Administration Building and Redstone General Store. They say it’s your birthday! Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Marc Bruell, Gerald DeLisser, Leslie Johnson and Lea Linse (Dec. 11); Teresa Fink, Mackenzie Gates, Sarah Kelly, Beth Mohsenin, Sarah Moore and Andy Weidmann (Dec. 12); Amy Broadhurst, Ericka Crampton, Claire Markoya and Sander Olson (Dec. 13); Alex Curtis, Steve Keohane, Brianda Cervantes and Natalie Spears (Dec. 14); Lynn Burton, Rachel Filter, Alya Howe, Frank McGuirk, Arturo Ortiz, Anthony Ortiz and Chip Winn Wells (Dec. 15); Deborah Anderson and Tamarah Howard (Dec. 16); Aiden Knaus and Cooper Marshall (Dec. 17).
West Slope wildlife finds care at PSSWF
WILL BUZZERD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
It’s wintertime at the Pauline S. Schneegas Wildlife Foundation (PSSWF) in rural Garfield County, and as the season sets in, educational visits and wildlife caretaking shift toward repairs, ruminations over a challenging year and meditations on the future of its operations.
When Nanci Limbach founded the wildlife rehabilitation center over 40 years ago, it began with the care of bears and other mammals in her backyard. Limbach’s grandmother Pauline S. Schneegas supported the aims of the center, and following her death in 1991, the center received its current name and funds left to Limbach were used for the construction of the center’s first flight cage for the rehabilitation of birds.
Now, PSSWF has the facilities to care for all sorts of species both as permanent educators and as visitors in need of temporary care before re-release, ranging from eagles to tortoises, bobcats, bears and deer.
PSSWF typically finds animals through individual callers or through Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Because operations are dependent on which animals come in, year-by-year work and financial needs at the rehabilitation center can vary significantly. Furthermore, each critter comes with its own set of needs — some requiring more care, food, funds and creative problem-solving than others.
According to Limbach, the most intensive animals to take care of aren’t bears or lions like one might expect. Instead, it’s beavers. Unlike bears, beavers stay active through the winter and require pools and heated dens. Since beavers defecate in water, the pools need constant cleaning. Beavers also have the rather costly tendency to gnaw around the machinery, require a constant supply of wood to gnaw on instead and expensive food pellets. In other words, if PSSWF is rehabilitating beavers, it’s going to make a dent in the yearly budget. This year, PSSWF is wintering several beavers along with three bear cubs, a juvenile bobcat, several dozen raptor, and some songbirds.
PSSWF won’t have their bears through
to the springtime. Instead, best practice for rehabilitating bear cubs is a mid-winter release. In this technique, cubs are tranquilized partway through hibernation and carefully delivered to a preconstructed den in their natural habitat. PSSWF is working closely with CPW to build a den for the cubs.
The cubs have already begun to pack down their bedding for the winter at PSSWF, and if all goes according to plan, they should be waking up this spring in the mountains, when they should be large and strong enough to fend for themselves.
With only two paid employees, PSSWF is primarily operated by a dedicated team of volunteers, including trained veterinarians at external practices who donate their time and expertise to caring for PSSWF’s residents. PSSWF’s vice president, Dr. Paul Bingham, is also an employee at Western Slope Animal Hospital and donates the use of his own home in Montrose as one of the center’s rehab facilities.
Limbach’s late husband, Paul, also operated Western Colorado Honey Company, which keeps over 3,000 bee colonies on the same property as PSSWF. Sadly, Paul passed away from a long battle with cancer in July of this year. Without his hands supporting operations at the rehabilitation center, Limbach looks toward the younger generation to eventually take up PSSWF’s mission in what she refers to half-jokingly as her “sustainability plan.”
Presently, much of Limbach’s sustainability plan is made up by Erin Romero and Sky Kendrick, PSSWF’s sole paid employees who assist in all operations — both technological and rehabilitative. Additionally, the hives of Western Colorado Honey likewise found good care in the hands of Derrick Maness, who has been working for the company since 1997, and now operates the hives in conjunction with his own business, Colorado Mountain Honey. Because of the lengthy, expensive process of becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and the current size of PSSWF, Limbach continues to rely on and seek out dedicated volunteers to keep the
center going strong.
PSSWF also sustains itself through continued donations, primarily through private organizations and animal lovers
across the Western Slope. Those interested in donating or taking a tour sometime this spring can find more information at www.psswf.org
Town of Carbondale
Special Event Task Force Meeting Announcement
The Special Event Task Force reviews special events within Town Parks, Streets and Facilities.
Review of 2025 special events on Wed. Dec. 17th, 5:30-7:00 pm
Proposed 2026 events reviewed on Thurs. Jan. 29th, 5:30-7:00 pm
Both meetings take place at Town Hall. These meetings are open to all interested citizens.
Earlier this year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife placed three bear cubs in the care of PSSWF. The two organizations are working together to release the trio in an artificial den later this winter. Courtesy photo
A pygmy owl released from PSSWF earlier this year. Courtesy photo
Lolli, one of PSSWF’s resident ambassador bobcats. Courtesy photo
CPW seeks public input on beaver conservation and management strategy
KEN PLETCHER
Sopris Sun Contributor
In mid-November, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) released the draft of its “Beaver Management and Conservation Strategy” (“Beaver Strategy”) study and invited the public to review and comment on it. As stated in the document’s Executive Summary, the strategy’s purpose “is to increase and sustain the prevalence of beaver and beaver-influenced wetlands in suitable habitats for the benefit of Colorado’s stream and wetland ecosystems and the array of wildlife species that utilize them.”
Beavers are recognized as a keystone species, what the document calls, “hav[ing] a disproportionate influence on an ecosystem, relative to their abundance.” It continues, “By constructing dams and lodges, and excavating ponds and canals, beaver slow the flow of water, create aquatic habitat, connect streams and rivers to their floodplains, and collect sediment and organic matter in the calmer water upstream of dams,” in addition to other factors.
Beavers were once widespread across the state, including the mountains and eastern plains. However, white settlement eventually dramatically reduced their population through depredation and habitat loss. Only in recent decades have
researchers investigated the extent of their absence on the degradation of the streams and wetlands they once occupied.
Dallas May, a rancher in eastern Colorado and CPW commissioner, told The Sopris Sun, “When I joined the commission, beavers were considered a nuisance. I wanted to show how beneficial they can be.” He has done so by managing beavers on his property by “stay[ing] out of their way.” The result is a 4,000-acre wetland on Sand Creek before it joins the Arkansas River that has greatly improved water retention and storage in a dry landscape and weathered recent wildfire and flooding incidents.
CPW’s change of heart was echoed by Joseph Livingston, its statewide public information officer, who told The Sun, “A broad spectrum of folks are becoming more interested” in developing a strategy to constructively manage beavers.
Initially, several internal CPW groups met last fall and winter, after which a broad spectrum of external organizations and interest groups were engaged in discussions. Included among those were representatives of the two Ute tribal communities in Colorado. This was followed by a public comment period in August.
Finally, the draft Beaver Strategy document was written during the fall “by the core team and reviewed by designated
CPW staff members … before being released for public feedback” in November. Links to the draft document and to the public comment form are at the end of this article. Comments will be accepted through Dec. 17.
Ecologist Delia Malone, of Redstonebased ColoradoWild, was one of the external stakeholders involved with formulating the document. Although she felt that, “We need [beavers] everywhere,” she would “focus on the Western Slope” on public lands and “the remaining natural habitat.”
While much of the Beaver Strategy document is focused on reintroducing and managing beaver populations into “suitable habitats” (per Livingston: “improving habitats where it’s beneficial to the ecosystem”), it also addresses issues of beaver-human conflict, notably in rural communities where roads may be flooded or drainage ditches blocked through beaver activities.
Both Livingston and Malone agreed that beaver-human conflicts need to be resolved through nonlethal methods. These can include protecting trees from beaver cutting, installing flow devices to reduce flooding and, when necessary, relocating beavers using live traps. Trapping can be used in conjunction with reintroducing animals into areas they previously occupied. Malone participated in one such project on the North Fork Gunnison River watershed this summer, saying, “We had a nice introduction of beavers on private property.”
Crucial to the success of the new management strategy will be improving data on beaver populations. Until now, much of the information on the animals’ whereabouts has been through hunters. (CPW allows permitted beaver hunting annually from October through April). Although the department got some idea of
A beaver looks up at the camera after being released into new habitat in the North Fork Gunnison River watershed, summer 2025. Photo by Delia Malone, ColoradoWild
Roaring Fork Ski Fair Coop sets sail
JAMES STEINDLER
Contributing Editor
The Roaring Fork Ski Fair Coop surfaced over the summer by way of an online petition advocating for lower pricing of Aspen Skiing Company (Ski Co) season passes for the local workforce.
It all started with Anna Rosenberg. Before coming West, she grew up on an organic farm in Cincinnati, Ohio, where her parents did what they loved at the expense of having higher-paying jobs. Rosenberg watched other kids at Walnut Hills High School, whose parents could afford it, regularly bus to the nearest downhill mountain about 45 minutes away. Rosenberg eventually followed her mother to Colorado and learned how to snowboard at Sunlight Mountain Resort.
Fast forward to this summer.
When Ski Co’s super-early Chamber Pass pricing came online, Rosenberg was displeased to discover that it had not only gone up by $100, which she expected, but by $125 compared to the super-early deal for the 2024-2025 season of $1,899. This was the impetus for the petition.
“I’m the kind of girl who will get in a fight over $25,” Rosenberg
told The Sopris Sun. Recognizing that she was not alone in her frustration with the wider issue of affordability, she created the petition.
Rosenberg has some history with the company and said she is an “inactive” employee of Ski Co’s catering department — she hasn’t picked up a shift in over a year. She took on this effort outside of her role there, but said she wants to work with the company to accomplish the Coop’s goals.
“We want to absolutely be working in unison with [Ski Co],” she said. “We exist in a mutually beneficial relationship: The Roaring Fork Valley does not thrive without Ski Co because of the tourism it brings in, and Ski Co does not thrive without the Roaring Fork Valley because we have created this really awesome place that tourists love to come see.”
The petition includes four asks: “1) Introduc[ing] a new community-tiered premier pass for full-time Roaring Fork Valley locals who are not affiliated with a chamber-member business … 2) Implement[ing] long-term safeguards on chamber premier pass pricing — including: A) capping annual price increases at no more than 3%, aligning with
typical inflation; B) rolling back the Chamber Pass price to $1,745 by the 2026–2027 season (the inflation-adjusted rate based on the 2016–17 price of $1,299); C) preventing further hikes that outpace the local cost of living. 3) Increase transparency around how pass pricing is determined and the rationale
What do you think of Roaring Fork Ski Fair Coop’s mission to bring down ski pass pricing for working-class locals? Join the conversation on Mountain Perspectives:
behind annual increases for locals. 4) Uphold the commitment to local access by acknowledging that affordability is essential to maintaining the soul and inclusivity of our ski community.”
As of Wednesday, 1,420 verified signatures were recorded. When asked where the 3%
average-inflation figure came from, Rosenberg said it was the cumulative average of the past decade and likely gleaned from an online search. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index (CPI) for “all items” rose 3% in 12 months as of September, but peaked at 9.1% in June of 2022. The last time the CPI leveled out at 0% was in 2015.
The 10-year average is around 3%.
In a statement from Aspen One, Ski Co’s umbrella company, Sara Roston, the vice president of corporate and brand communications, said that the company met with Rosenberg twice “in good faith to understand her concerns.”
“Our business is one that is increasingly complex and costly,” Roston said. “Everything we do
continued on page 22
Anna Rosenberg goofs off on the mountain with partner Trevor Leahy (left) and pals (continuing left) Garrett and Derek Lapp. Courtesy photo
Under the moonlight at Sunlight
sually, skiers can’t wait for the first turns of the season; lift lines are long and stoke is high. But for a growing number of snow sliders in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys, it’s not the downhill that has them chomping at the bit — it’s the climb.
Uphill skiing — also known as skinning or skimo — has shifted from the fringes to the mainstream in the last decade. And on Dec. 18,
that uphill enthusiasm will converge again for the kickoff of the Moonlight Race Series at Sunlight Mountain Resort.
The four-part evening skimo series, created and run by Cripple Creek Bike and Backcountry (CCBB), turns five this winter, though, as co-founder Doug Stenclik notes, “We’ve tried a few iterations of this for over a decade.
This is actually the 14th season if you count the early days.”
From half-dozen to full-blown
The Moonlight Race Series hasn’t always been a valleywide get-together on snow. The series began with a handful of early-morning and late-night experiments, long before Sunlight had designated uphill routes or official patrol support.
“In the early days, we had Sunlight’s permission to do this before they had an uphill route or pass,” Stenclik says. “When
CARBONDALE Revolving Loan Fund
they launched the uphill pass, we thought it was a good way to bring the community together and raise awareness around the uphill policy.”
Turnout back then was modest.
“We’d get 12 and that would be a good turnout,” he says.
“Sometimes six.”
The race took a couple years off, changed days and formats, and then solidified during the pandemic winter.
Sunlight’s support has grown
IN A NUTSHELL:
What: Moonlight Race Series
Where: Sunlight Mountain Resort
When: 6pm on Dec. 18, Jan. 15, Feb. 19 and March 19
Registration: www.tinyurl.com/ MoonlightatSunlight
Participants can sign up for single events or purchase a discounted four-race bundle. As always, Sunlight will make the call on conditions. “We just have to hope for a lot more snow in the next two weeks,” Stenclik says. Alternative routes exist if needed.
steadily, along with that of mountain gear brand Dynafit and the uphill community itself. Now, the series regularly draws around 60 skiers on race nights.
Welcoming
Part of the Moonlight Series’ growth comes from its deliberately inclusive format. While the races are timed, Stenclik says they were never meant to be just for elite skimo athletes.
The Town of Carbondale developed the Carbondale Revolving Loan Fund (CRLF) to enhance the ability of local busine secure the necessary capital to finance start-ups, operations, or expansion The loan fund was set up in 2002 with a partnership with the USDA. The Town and USDA both contributed $50,000. In addition to providing access to cap CRLF is designed to help stimulate job creation and retention Loans are available to new or established businesses within the town limits of the Town of Carbondale To-date, the fund has $150,000 to loan to for-profit and no businesses based in Carbondale
CRITERIA
Loan proceeds may be used for business reasons, including real estate acquisition, construction, and equipment
Funds cannot be used for the refinancing of existing debt Applications will be considered on the basis of the character of the applicant, the applicant’s capacity to repay the loan, collateral and/or other sources of capital, and conditions affecting the applicant’s ability to repay the loan
The guideline for the amount to be requested is $5,000 to $25,000 The interest rate will depend on several factors such as the type of collateral, financial strength of the applicant, and the overall risk Fixed rates of interest will range from 3% to 5%
The term of each loan will depend on repayment capabilities and the purpose of the loan Repayment is monthly and loans are usually no longer than a 36-month term (3 years)
CONTACT
Scan QR code for more information or contact the Carbondale Chamber: 970-963-1890, chamber@carbondale com
The CRLF is made possible by the Town of Carbondale The Carbondale Chamber is not affiliated with the Town of Carbondale, rather assisting the Town by overseeing the marketing & promotion, and certain aspects of the administration of this program The loan funds are in no way exchanged with the Carbondale Chamber
BETSY WELCH Sopris Sun Correspondent
Scenes from the Moonlight Race Series’ January 2023 event. Photo courtesy of Cripple Creek Bike and Backcountry
diving and documenting locations of and stories surrounding sunken slave ships. Her memoir “Written in the Waters” tells the story of this work, as she and a group of other Black scuba divers document the global slave trade through their diving. Roberts also documented the work in a six-part National Geographic podcast, “Into the Depths,” which covered details of the group forming and training in addition to the dives, research and documentation. At least 12.5 million Africans were forced to cross the ocean during the centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Dives took the group to locations including Thailand, Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, Costa Rica and St. Croix. During the project, Roberts also explored her own roots
and notions of home, and the intersections of that social research and personal learning went into “Written in the Waters.” Her writing has been compared to Cheryl Strayed and Jesmyn Ward.
All three Aspen Winter Words events will be live-streamed. The virtual season pass to watch the live-stream costs $35, while a ticket to attend each evening in-person costs $35. The 2026 season title sponsors are Michael and Lisa Cader, Beth and Josh Mondry, Helen Obermeyer, Garfield & Hecht. Additional sponsors include the City of Aspen, Aspen One, The Aspen Times, TACAW, Explore Books, Alpenglow Books and Gifts and Les Dames d’Aspen, Ltd. For tickets, visit www.aspenwords.org/winter-words
The 2026 Aspen Winter Words season focuses on memory and connection, with author talks by journalist Susan Orlean, novelist Lily King and National Geographic explorer-in-residence Tara Roberts. Last winters’ authors were playwright Ayad Akhtar, non-fiction adventurer Kevin Fedarko and novelist Lauren Groff. Photo by Annalise Grueter
New Castle’s new gallery — small works, big beginning
MIKE DE LA ROSA
Arts Correspondent
Last Friday, a new exhibit titled “Mini-Masterpieces” opened at GogoArts, a new gallery in New Castle. The gallery sits on Main Street in a well-lit space that holds the promise of exceptional local art on its walls. It is the first gallery of its kind in town, and this exhibit features seven contemporary artists exploring painting, printmaking, sculpture and various intersections of these media. At the opening a local attendee, Tim Finholm, remarked, “We are really excited to have everybody come downvalley, into New Castle and to show off our town.”
The gallery was founded by the artist Nicole Nagel-Gogolak, a long time resident with deep ties to the local art scene. “I have always been interested in a space where I could design my own programming and provide learning experiences for the larger community,” she said. After returning to the Valley three years ago, following a period in Las Vegas so her daughter could attend a competitive dance school, Nagel-Gogolak fell into this opportunity organically.
“I was not planning to do this, but my realtor, who is community-oriented, wanted to introduce something vibrant into the space. We talked about it for about two years, and he finally said it is ‘now or never,’” she recounted. “It feels like a collaboration. We had to re-level the floor, strip the popcorn ceiling, replace the tube lighting and redo the bathroom … We split the development costs. He is very supportive.”
Nagel-Gogolak is no stranger to the region’s creative networks. Early in her artis tic career, she was a resident at Anderson
Ranch. After the residency, she collaborated with the Ranch and became their outreach teacher in Garfield County schools, teaching kindergarten to third grade with the aim of engaging the creative confidence of local kids who lacked access to an arts education. Nagel-Gogolak still reflects on the lasting influence of those early Ranch connections.
She said, “Some of the people in my residency cohort are amazing contributors to our community. I am inspired by people like Sam Harvey with his gallery, and Alleghany Meadows who started S.A.W.” Nagel-Gogolak’s hope is that various art organizations in the Valley can deepen their bonds and serve a broader community together.
Incidentally, the curator for this recent exhibition, the third at GogoArts, was
Megan George, a resident artist at S.A.W. She first encountered the gallery at its previous opening. “The opening before was Matt Hays, and I came to support my friend. That is when I met Nagel-Gogolak, who was like, ‘I need your help,’” explained George. Her curatorial concept for this exhibit is exploratory at heart. “Mini-Masterpieces” is a collection of small works that introduces the community to a wide range of styles and media. It’s an exhibit meant to fish for engagement and see how locals respond. George, who works at a brewery down the street, met many of the exhibiting artists on the job and hopes to continue to expand her network in ways that reflect the community’s makeup.
This approach mirrors Nagel-Gogolak’s
guiding principle for the gallery, which is rooted in a willingness to adapt to community needs. “I want it to evolve organically and surprise me. I think the most exciting things happen without expectations.”
An ethos she thoroughly engages with, including in her studio art practice: “I love taking materials and revealing them in unexpected ways. An adventurous use of materials, like sewing with metal or beadwork with rocks.” The gallery seems positioned to grow in a similar fashion, malleably shaped by participation.
Nagel-Gogolak’s belief in the social importance of art underscores the entire project. “Art is so valuable. It is how we find our voice, how we learn to believe in ourselves, how we learn to see ourselves within our community and the greater world,” she said. “Everyone should have the opportunity to see what makes them feel good when they are creating.”
The space is already embracing this idea. It offers a place to gather with purpose, such as the New Castle Painting Society, a watercolor group that meets on Sundays and often runs past its allotted time due to the demands of participant enthusiasm.
The gallery marks an important blank slate for art engagement in a commuter town that is beginning to find its cultural footing. The central questions, what kind of work the community responds to and which artists it chooses to support, are still developing. The future of the space and whether it becomes a hub for meetups, classes or a broader cultural mission, depends on the people who show up and shape it in their own image.
Curator Megan George, in front of her art on display at GogoArts Gallery. Photo by Mike de la Rosa
Bonedale Winter Bonanza
Enjoy o erings from:
Beerworks | Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District | Carbondale Arts
Carbondale Clay Center | Carbondale Public Art Commission | Cocoa Club | Dance Initiative
El Bajon | El Dorado | Kahak Fine Arts and School | KDNK | Lulubelle Main Street Gallery and the Framer | McMission Presents | Mountain Heart | Mountain Tide Nido | Sopris Liquor | Sprazzo | Spring Pilates | Thunder River Theater Company Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist | White River Books and MORE!
Basalt Police Department deploys AI technology to save time doing reports, paperwork
RAY K. ERKU Sopris Sun Correspondent
Christmas came rather early for the Basalt Police Department (BPD) this year.
For about the past few weeks, the midvalley law enforcement agency has been using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help its patrol officers knock out otherwise time-consuming paperwork. Called Code Four, an AI assistant launched eight months ago by 19-year-old MIT dropouts George Cheng and Dylan Nguyen, the program automatically transcribes body camera footage into clear, department-ready police reports.
The reports are then reviewed and edited by the officers.
“It’s slick,” BPD Lt. Aaron Munch, a 24-year law enforcement veteran, told The Sopris Sun this past week. “I wish I could’ve used this for my entire career. I definitely wish I had it on a lot of cases over the years.”
The trial run of this technology comes at a time when BPD, which typically responds to an average of 7,000 calls each year, is short-staffed by five patrol officers. So for the six patrol officers and one
GINGERBREAD CONSTRUCTION
community resource officer currently on roster for the department, spending less time behind a desk and more time on the streets is more critical than ever before, according to Munch.
Chen said Code Four is capable of cutting an average of about “two hours every single day on high beat reports.”
“If we can’t find a way to budget for this,” Munch said, “we might be shedding some tears.”
BPD began considering the use of body cameras in 2018, with anticipated cost to the taxpayers at about $7,000 a year, according to an Aspen Public Radio report in September 2018. Meanwhile, the State of Colorado implemented mandatory use of body cameras by July 1, 2023.
Basalt police officers wear body cameras from a company called Axon. According to Cheng, the content captured from these existing body cameras end up in the Axon ethernet cloud, and from there Code Four essentially clones all this content and, thus, the transcription is automatically produced for any given officer.
“Think of us as a layer above — we are
Kids age 8+ Saturday, 12/13, 1-4pm
Unleash your creativity decorating a classic Gingerbread House— sweet, fun, and guaranteed to bring holiday cheer. Supplies provided. Parent participation is welcome with your younger students.
Kids Drawing
DRAWING FOR KIDS AGE 10-17
Wed, 3-4:30pm, 1/14-2/4
Adult Classes
CROSS-COUNTRY SKI LESSONS AT SPRING GULCH
Fridays/Saturdays starting 1/3
INTRO TO TAI CHI
Mon, 10:30-11:30am, 1/12-3/30
PILATES WITH PURPOSE
Mon/Wed, 12-1pm, 1/12-3/4
AIKIDO
Tue/Thur, 6-7:30pm, 1/13-3/5
QIGONG
Wed, 10:30-11:30am, 1/14-4/1
PILATES BLEND Wed, 9-10am, 1/14-3/4
ARCTIC CRISIS: BEYOND THE ICE FREE: Thursday, 1/15, 6-8pm
SPANISH... BEGINNING Thursdays, 5-7pm, 1/22-3/19
“We can’t besiege at our leisure, sire. The cops hired AI to do their paperwork.”
a software system above their system,” Cheng said. “We’ll get it set up for you in five minutes.”
According to Cheng, Code Four currently provides services to 36 law enforcement agencies across the U.S. In addition to Basalt, the Meeker Police Department is testing out its AI technology.
“I believe that everyone in the future will have an AI report writing system in their departments,” Cheng said. “I think the benefits definitely outweigh the cons, and it’s about making the technology good enough to the point where agencies will take a look at it and be like, ‘Yeah, this is good stuff and this will actually help us
EXPLORING LOSS, GRIEF, AND RECOVERY Thurs, 6-8pm, 1/22-2/26
ZUMBA Mon, 5:30-6:30pm, 1/26-3/16
PEACEMAKING IN COMMUNITYMEDIATION TRAINING Mon, 5:30-8:30pm, 1/26-5/4
ARCTIC CRISIS: BEYOND THE ICE FREE: Thursday, 1/15, 6-8pm
*Credit Art Classes
BOOKMAKING AND COLLAGE Wed, 10:10am-1:50pm, 1/14-2/11
INTRO TO PRINTMAKING Thurs, 9-11:50am, 2/19-4/30
ART OF THE POSTER Mon, 5:10-8:50pm, 2/23-5/4
*Senior tuition discount applies. Call for registration information. Campus Closed 12/19-1/4
save time writing our reports.’”
Since BPD is currently in “demo mode” with Code Four, Munch said the Town has yet to identify long-term budgeting for the program. When the lieutenant, however, was asked if the AI technology will help save time in the long-run, he chuckled and said, “Hours and hours and hours.”
“I think the biggest benefit is my officers can get on the street and go do more things. They can be more visible instead of having to sit there and type away on a keyboard,” Munch said. “It just frees them up a lot quicker and they’re not bogged down by more paperwork.”
Roaring Fork girls win Patch tournament for second straight year
JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
Roaring Fork High School’s girls and boys basketball teams kicked off the 2025-26 season with the annual Brenda Patch Tournament Dec. 4-6 on the home court in Carbondale.
The Lady Rams emerged as the tournament champions for a second straight year, taking care of business in convincing fashion, and affirming their top-10 state ranking in the process.
“The girls played one of their best games that I’ve seen since I’ve been the coach at Roaring Fork on Saturday afternoon against Palisade,” third-year head coach Mike Vidakovich said.
Fast starts in the first and second half propelled the Rams to a 67-42 win in the tournament final.
Junior Riley Bevington leads Class 3A in scoring at 29.3 points per game through the three tournament games, in which she scored 30, 26 and 32 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, senior Nikki Tardif and junior Hazel Jenkins dominated the inside game.
Tardif averaged 10.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, and had numerous blocked shots (4.3 blocks per game), according to stats provided by the coaching staff. Jenkins turned in an average of 9.6 rebounds per game, and sophomore Annelise Bumgarner tallied 29 points for the weekend to balance the Roaring Fork offensive attack.
The Roaring Fork ladies scored a 60-40 win over Steamboat Springs to open the tournament on Thursday, and returned to the court on Friday to defeat Rifle by the same score.
In the boys bracket, Roaring Fork opened with an 89-63 win over Plateau Valley on Thursday before falling 72-65 to Fort Lupton on Friday. The
Rams returned to defeat Plateau Valley a second time on Saturday, 64-48, to claim third place.
Winning the boys tournament were the Banning Lewis Stallions, who rolled to wins of 65-25 over Basalt, 79-14 over Grand Valley and 94-34 over Fort Lupton in the final.
Leading scorers for Roaring Fork through the tournament were senior Ryder Tezanos with 22 in game one, and senior Lucas Carballeira with 17 against Fort Lupton and 19 in the rematch with Plateau Valley.
The Rams were in control of the Fort Lupton game, holding a 17-point advantage at one point and taking a 57-51 lead into the fourth quarter, before giving up a 21-8 stretch through the final eight minutes of play.
Both Roaring Fork teams close out the pre-holiday slate of games this weekend at a tournament hosted by Weld Central High School in Keenesburg.
Girls swimming
Also opening their season this weekend was the Glenwood Springs High School girls swim team, which combines student-athletes from Glenwood, Roaring Fork and Basalt high schools.
continued on page 13
Roaring Fork junior Oliver Shook fends off a Fort Lupton defender.
Photo by Ray K. Erku
Roaring Fork girls head coach Mike Vidakovich instructs his players during a timeout.
Photo by Ray K. Erku
RAMS
from page 12
The Lady Demons hosted a meet at the Glenwood Springs Community Center pool on Friday, Dec. 5. Glenwood won as a team with 261 points to Durango’s 159 and Summit’s 154.
Event winners for Glenwood were Maya Valean in the 100 Breast stroke, Sylvia Duchscher in the 100 Fly, and the Demons’ 400 Free and 200 Medley relay teams.
Ellie Rippy was third in the 100 Free, Valean second in the 100 Fly, Duchscher second in the 200 Free, and Isla Friel third in the 200 Individual Medley and fourth in the 100 Breast.
Glenwood also competed at the Southwest Conference Relay Meet in Grand Junction on Saturday, Dec. 6. Results were not immediately available.
Carbondale’s Grace Freeman competing at Jr. National Rodeo Final in Vegas this week
JOHN STROUD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
A pair of Carbondale teenagers took their show to Las Vegas this week, rodeo-style.
Roaring Fork High School junior Grace Freeman and her 17-year-old horse, John Henry, recently qualified for the Junior National Finals Rodeo (Jr NFR) in Barrel Racing.
The Jr NFR event takes place annually in Las Vegas in conjunction with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, gathering top young athletes from across the United States to compete in Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Breakaway Roping, Team Roping and Rough Stock competitions.
Freeman does both Barrel Racing and Pole Bending through the Colorado State High School Rodeo Association, as a member of the Northwest Rodeo Club. She concluded the fall season ranked in the top 10 statewide for Barrel Racing, out of more than 80 riders.
She also competes each summer in Barrel Racing and Dally Ribbon Roping at the Carbondale Wild West Rodeo, and is proudly wearing her Carbondale Rodeo logo patch at this week’s national competition as a show of gratitude for their
SKIMO
from page 7
“After the first year, we started doing a recreation element,” he says. “We offer free demos with Dynafit so people can try lighter-weight uphill gear for the first time. We get a lot of juniors and others who’ve never tried uphilling on a light setup.”
The demo gear and the “group skin” have become signature features of the Moonlight Series. Everyone sets off together, creating a rare scene where first-timers and top racers share a start line. The recreational skiers peel off before the summit, unless they’re confident skiing down by headlamp; meanwhile, the competitors charge through the long and short courses.
The long course climbs under the Segundo lift with kick turns and what Stenclik calls “a pretty heinous bootpack,” then descends and climbs back up Sunlight’s main uphill route, with a short diversion into the trees. The short course completes only the initial climb under Segundo. Reflectors mark the route, and the layout stays the same all season so racers can track their progress.
Who shows up?
sponsorship and support.
After two unsuccessful tries at qualifying for the Jr NFR at events in Montrose and Farmington, New Mexico, the third time was a charm for Freeman and John Henry when they finally finished in the top two at a qualifier event in Castle Rock.
The horse/rider relationship is key in rodeo equine skill events.
Freeman has been riding for over 10 years, but only started doing rodeo in 2020 and began competing in 2021.
“I was doing English [style], and then in 2019 I bought my first horse and ran her until I sold her before this season,” Freeman said.
She acquired John Henry in April of this year, and throughout the summer and fall season got used to the faster, veteran competition horse.
“He’s 17, so he’s been running his whole life and he knows what he’s doing,” Freeman said. “It took me a little bit to get used to him and adjust to that kind of horse.”
She continued, “He knows his job, so I just kind of hang on and let him do his thing.”
Their training typically involves riding five or six days a week, with rest days for John Henry.
“He is older, so it’s important
that I keep him in better shape so he’s more resilient and can hold up,” Freeman said.
Freeman added that she likes the competitive nature of rodeo, and the community of people that it attracts.
“I have a lot of really good friends that do rodeo. It’s just a different lifestyle, and I like it.”
Her enthusiasm for the sport has also served to bring some of her friends into the rodeo, she said.
“Now they’re doing Barrel
Racing, too, so that’s fun,” Freeman said.
Freeman went into the Vegas event hoping to make it into Thursday’s final round. She sat in 43rd place out of 62 riders after the first of two preliminary rounds on Tuesday, 1.13 seconds off the lead pace.
“I just want to have clean, safe runs, because a lot can go wrong,” she said.
Results from the event can be found at the www.saddlebook. com rodeo events website.
Participants come from Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, the mid-valley, as well as a steady contingent from the Vail Valley and Aspen. Stenclik estimates turnout grows around 15% each year.
The vibe is ultimately what defines the series, he says. Ski touring is often a solitary pursuit — early mornings, cold headlamp starts, long solo climbs. Solidarity is part of the Moonlight Series’ appeal.
“It’s pretty rare to have 70 people together who all ski tour in one place,” Stenclik says. “It’s the only way to bring the community together.”
And it wouldn’t be skiing without the option to apres. On race nights, Todd’s Tavern — Sunlight’s singular bar — stays open late and offers employee pricing on beer for participants.
The Moonlight Series dovetails with two other valley skimo institutions: the Heathen Challenge, held on Sunlight’s terrain and one of the longest-running skimo races in the country, and the Power of Four in Aspen.
“I always say the Moonlights are the prep for the Heathen, which is the prep for the Power of Four,” Stenclik says.
Roaring Fork senior Lucas Carballeira dribbles outside of the 3-point line against Fort Lupton. Photo by Ray K. Erku
Roaring Fork High School junior Grace Freeman and her horse, John Henry, qualified and are competing this week in the Junior National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Photo by Boaz Elkes
“We
- Shannon Meyer, Executive Director, Response Response works with the community to end domestic and sexual abuse and to support survivors in achieving their own safety and empowerment and is a grant recipient of the Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund.
The voter supported Healthy Community Fund assists the Pitkin County community by providing grants to nonprofit organizations that provide critical health and human services and community resources.
Learn more at: pitkincounty.com/hcf
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11
ARTIST CONVERSATION
The Aspen Art Museum hosts “In Conversation with Jacqueline Humphries and Glenn Ligon,” two featured artists, from 4 to 5pm. Register at www.aspenartmuseum.org
BANNED BOOK CLUB
The Banned Book Club discusses “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher at the Basalt Library from 4 to 5pm.
WINTERSKÖL IN FILM
Kick off the Wintersköl weekend at the Wheeler Opera House with a selection of “retro films,” courtesy of the Aspen Historical Society, at 5:30pm followed by a screening of ‘90s favorite “Aspen Extreme” at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
HANDLEBAR TRIVIA
The Homestead Handlebar (303 River Valley Ranch Road) hosts trivia night from 6 to 8pm.
ELDER WISDOM
The Center for Human Flourishing welcomes Woo Du-An for conversation, silence, meditations, music and movement. Tickets and more at www.bit.ly/3Kk1ipX
CONSENSUAL CHRISTMAS
TACAW presents “A Consensual Christmas” tonight and tomorrow at 8pm — blending original comedy sketches with holiday-themed improv, digital shorts and more. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12
FISH AND CHIPS
The Hook food truck parks outside the Dollar Tree serving fish and chips from 11am to 7pm.
PHOTOS WITH SANTA
The Carbondale Police Department invites families to stop by The Orchard Church from 3 to 8pm for photos with Santa. Proceeds benefit the Shop with a Cop program which helps local children and families in need experience the joy of the holidays.
150ISH
Explore Books in Aspen launches a new book club featuring critically recognized novels around 150 pages from 4:30 to 6pm. The first book is “Orbital” by Samantha Harvey.
BAKING SANS OVEN
Participants bake cookies, without using a conventional oven but with other appliances, such as toaster ovens and microwaves, at the Basalt Library from 5:30 to 7pm. All supplies will be provided.
CRYSTAL THEATRE ALLIANCE
Catch “Eternity” tonight and tomorrow at 7pm and Sunday, Dec. 14 at 5pm (captioned) at the Crystal Theatre.
CUP AUCTION
location in Snowmass Village (49 Wood Road) from 5 to 9pm with a DJ, tacos and more!
“BOTH/AND”
The Wheeler Opera House welcomes back Visual Opera for a performance of “BOTH/AND” by LUCIA, contraposing the beauty and hardship of mountain living from 5:30 to 9:30pm. This event is free and open to all.
SWEEP JESSUP
Sweet Jessup & The Dirty Buckets perform at Mountain Heart in Basalt from 6 to 8pm. Better yet, it’s an ugly sweater contest!
AI WEATHER
Roaring Fork Conservancy presents Joel Gratz of OpenSnow on AI innovations for weather, snow and avalanche risk at Bristlecone Mountain Sports from 7 to 8:30pm. Register at www.roaringfork.org
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
The Aspen Choral Society presents its 49th annual rendition of Handel’s “Messiah” at 7pm at the Wheeler Opera House tonight, Basalt Middle School tomorrow night and St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Glenwood Springs Sunday.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13
PAPER ROSE WINDOWS
Jill Scher teaches making paper rose windows that imitate stained-glass using tissue paper at Colorado Mountain College’s Carbondale location from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Registration is required at coloradomtn.augusoft.net
HOLIDAY SING-ALONG
The Silt Branch Library hosts Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra for a holiday singalong concert from 10am to noon.
FREE-FOR-ALL BOOK FAIR
Discover brand-new and gently-used reads for every age at the Free-for-All Book Fair at the Glenwood Springs Community Center from noon to 5pm.
SATANK HOLIDAY MARKET
Take Dolores Way through Satank and toward the river and you’ll find a holiday market along County Road 106 from 1 to 3pm.
GINGERBREAD BASH
Colorado Mountain College’s Carbondale location hosts gingerbread construction for kids 8 and older from 1 to 4pm. Registration is required at coloradomtn.augusoft.net
SAWLIDAYS
The Studio for Arts + Works (SAW) hosts its annual SAWlidays open house and sale at its headquarters (525 Buggy Circle, Carbondale) from 1 to 5pm. Paintings, sculpture, ceramics, glass, prints and jewelry by SAW artists will be on view, and each artist’s studio will be open. There will be an art auction and a food drive benefiting Lift-Up. Details at www.sawcarbondale.com
HOLIDAY MOVIES
The Carbondale Clay Center’s annual cup auction takes place at the Old Thompson Barn (333 River Valley Ranch Road) from 6 to 8:30pm with an afterparty featuring DJ Benny from 9 to 11pm.
GLENWOOD GRAND HOLIDAY
Glenwood Springs welcomes families to meet Santa (and the Grinch) at Bethel Plaza with live music, craft vendors and more from 3:30 to 7:30pm.
BASALT BLOCK PARTY
A Band Called Alexis performs at Basalt’s Merry on Midland block party from 4 to 6pm (with a tree lighting at 5:15pm).
SNOWMASS & HATCH
Slope & Hatch, a Glenwood Springs favorite, celebrates the opening of a new
Continuing its holiday run, the Crystal Theatre shows “Elf” at 3pm today and Wednesday, Dec. 17, followed by “It’s a Wonderful Life,” also on Dec. 17 at 7pm.
LOL
In celebration of Aspen’s Wintersköl, local comics Beth Brandon, Dan “Gonzo” Machanik, Greg Studley and Mike Hammock perform stand-up at the Wheeler Opera House at 5pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
CONTRA DANCE
Swing on over to the Carbondale Community School for a contra dance with live music from 7:30 to 9:30pm. No need to bring a partner. Lessons at 7pm.
Every year, the Buddy Program builds around 400 gingerbread kits — half support fundraising sales and the other half go directly into programming so families, youth and Big Buddies can enjoy the experience at no cost. Gingerbread House Workshops, held the first weekend of December in Carbondale and Aspen, are one of the only opportunities where families can bring everyone along to decorate together, with Big Buddies always welcome to join. For many Buddy Pairs, it becomes “their” holiday tradition, something they look forward to doing side by side each year. And for families, it becomes a way to welcome their Big Buddy into their own holiday circle, connecting as one big group over candy, icing and creativity. Pictured: Big Buddy Lindsey Bischoff and Little Buddy Zammy, paired since 2023. Courtesy photo
CHAD GOES DEEP
Following local comics, Chad and JT (known for viral antics at city council meetings) perform a live show at the Wheeler Opera House at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies invites folks to take part in the 126th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, covering a 15-mile diameter around Aspen. Participants meet at Hallam Lake at 7:30am and wrap up at 3pm. Register at www.aspennature.org
METAPHYSICAL FIELDS
A Spiritual Center (room 31 of the Third Street Center) hosts Carmen Iacino speaking on the challenges and limitations of three-dimensional physics, rules and procedures from 10 to 11:30am.
MEET THE MYSTERY
True Nature hosts Erin McElroy for guided breathwork and more from 10am to 4pm. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
MOVIE MARATHON
TACAW screens “The Polar Express” at 1pm, “Elf” at 3pm and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (PG-13) at 5pm.
WHITE ELEPHANT EXCHANGE
The Meeting Place in Carbondale hosts a white elephant gift exchange at 981 Cowen Drive at 3:30pm. Gifts should be valued at $15 or less and dinner will be provided.
ECSTATIC DANCE
Join Alya Howe for a special birthday ecstatic dance with DJ Alejandra (and friends) providing tunes at 13 Moons Ranch (6334 Highway 133) from 6 to 8pm.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 15
SMALL WONDERS
The Aspen Chapel Gallery has a
current owner, at the Aspen Institute’s Bayer Center from 2 to 3pm.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18
TAROT READINGS
Todd at Crystal Tuning in Glenwood Springs (802 Grand Avenue) offers tarot readings every Thursday from 1 to 3pm.
MOONLIGHT RACE
Sunlight and Cripple Creek Backcountry team up for an uphill race up the mountain! With races at 6 and 8pm. Find details at www.sunlightmtn.com/events
FUNGI FILM FEST
The Western Colorado Mycological Association presents the sixth annual Fungi Film Fest, to include 14 short films “that are often funny, intriguing, bizarre and always strange,” at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm.
HOLIDAY CABARET
Theatre Aspen and TACAW present “All I Want for Christmas: A Holiday Cabaret,” “featuring a special performance starring the best of Broadway,” at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19
SOLSTICE AT THE LIBRARY
The Basalt Library hosts a celebration of the shortest day and longest night of the year from 5:30 to 7pm, featuring storytelling, warm beverages and more.
‘THE NUTCRACKER’
reception for its “Small Wonders” exhibit from 3 to 5pm. All sales benefit the Holiday Baskets nonprofit.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16
GRIEF SUPPORT
Join Sopris Lodge and HomeCare & Hospice of the Valley at the Carbondale Library for grief support on the third Tuesday of each month at 3:30pm. This session will be led by Thom Jones, worship pastor at Grace Church of the Roaring Fork Valley. RSVP at www. soprislodge.com/events or by calling 970-432-8772.
VISITING ARTIST
Meet artist Joel Mesler at Anderson Ranch in Snowmass Village as he shares about his paintings from 4:30 to 5:30pm.
NORDIC SOCIAL
Members of the Mt Sopris Nordic Council are invited to kick off the Nordic and skate skiing season with a toast at El Dorado. Members will receive a drink ticket between 5 and 7pm.
DRAWING CLUB
The Roaring Fork Drawing Club gathers this week at the Crystal Theatre in Carbondale at 6:30pm.
CHANGEMAKER SPEAK
For its next Changemaker Speaker Series event, the Wheeler Opera House presents “Exploring our Wild Nature: Wolves, Chimps & Gorillas,” featuring wildlife biologist Ronan Donovan, at 7pm. Tickets at www.wheeleroperahouse.com
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17
REINDEER AT THE LIBRARY
A pair of reindeer from Noel Productions will be hanging at the Carbondale Library from 2 to 4pm. All are welcome to come see.
HERBERT BAYER
Andrew Travers speaks about the bird and death of Herbert Bayer’s “Walk in Space Painting” which disappeared in 2024, apparently destroyed by its
Crystal River Ballet performs “The Nutcracker” at Basalt Middle School tonight and tomorrow at 6:30pm. Catch a 2pm showing tomorrow or Sunday. Tickets at www.tinyurl.com/ CrystalRiverNutcracker
Due to a personal emergency, Thomas Friedman is unable to make his annual holiday trip to the Valley this year. Tickets purchased for the Dec. 23 “Coffee with Tom Friedman” event will be promptly refunded. The Sopris Sun and TACAW look forward to rescheduling a talk with Mr. Friedman later in 2026, as schedules permit. Thank you for your continued support.
Wary of costs, Town considers dialing back Basalt PD/Public Works construction plan
WILL BUZZERD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
During this week’s regular meeting, Basalt Town Council held a public work session to discuss updated plans for a proposed combined Public Works and Police Department building. After months of revision, planning now focuses on reducing costs in a manner that will still meet the original goals of the project.
Wold Architects and Engineers, an architecture firm specializing in public works and municipal building construction, was contracted by the Town of Basalt over a year ago to design the new building.
Wold identified issues with the police headquarters from its overall unwelcoming atmosphere to the public to a lack of secure parking, holding space for detainees and evidence storage. In terms of Public Works, its current office space is a temporary structure past its useful lifespan, which has no room for parking or an employee break area. In addition, much of Public Works’ vehicles and equipment are spread across five different locations, leading to inefficient operations as employees need to travel to different sites to reach their vehicles.
Wold toured police departments in similar mountain communities, including Aspen, Avon, Firestone and Timnath, as well as public works facilities in Pitkin County, Frederick and Windsor, in order to compile ideas for best solutions in Basalt.
For the project, the Town purchased a parcel on the south end of the Highway 82-Original Road intersection — a site that would have high visibility and easy access for both citizens and employees. Public accessibility was one of Basalt’s initial priorities with the renovation of the Police Department, in order to foster positive relationships between officers and citizens.
Wold’s preliminary plan would have increased the area of the police facility more than five times over — from 2,484 to 14,526 square feet. Public Works’ office space would have increased from 1,127 to 3,483 square feet. However, after a revision meant to save
construction costs, the new planned area for the Police Department has been reduced by more than 2,500 square feet, and the Public Works office by 1,245 square feet.
The original plan also included a combined lobby space for visitors to both the Public Works offices and Police Department. That space has now been removed, and the two departments now have separate entrances both for security reasons and cost considerations. While the general area has been reduced, the new plan is factoring in another possible expansion down the road.
Wember Capital Construction, which helped coordinate the Midland Streetscape Project, had given a preliminary estimate of $28.5 million for the originally planned building, considering an average construction cost of $902 for every square foot. With the new changes, the total project cost would be reduced to an estimated $25.4 million.
For comparison, Aspen’s 18,515-square-foot police headquarters (which is not combined with its Public Works office) cost $18.1 million to build.
While the Town has yet to sign a contractor, Wold recommended a phased approach, with prices for the first phase not exceeding $15 million. If the council decides to move forward with Wold’s new plan, the next step is to complete a land-use application.
While no action was necessary on Tuesday, Basalt Town Council was left to consider possible options. Councilor Angela Anderson suggested pursuing additional grant funding, and Councilor Ryan Slack suggested the conversion of an existing building.
Town Finance Director Doug Pattison pointed out that it would be possible to draw money from two of Basalt’s restricted funds for capital improvement projects such as this one. Overall, however, Pattison was skeptical of the Town’s ability to presently fund such a plan, and stated that if the total cost for the project remains at around $25 million, he believes a sales tax increase will be necessary. Reducing project costs could prevent a possible tax hike.
Graphic courtesy of Basalt PD
Budget approved, $ 500,000 pledged to Cavern Springs, Artspace exits
RALEIGH BURLEIGH
Sopris Sun Editor
Trustees approved a final draft of their 2026 budget at the Dec. 9 meeting which reinstates Park and Rec amenities previously removed. But first, they approved a consent agenda consisting of meeting minutes, accounts payable, a snow removal agreement with Excavation Services and appointment of Brenda Rivera to the Latino Advisory Board.
During trustee comments, Chris Hassig remarked on how the Rio Grande Trail tends to accumulate snow and ice over weekends and requested this be addressed. He also commented on how in-town light pollution diminished the Northern Lights viewing experience and said Carbondale made a YouTuber’s list for top places in the nation in terms of storage square footage per capita. He suggested focusing there to bolster public funds.
Trustee Christina Montemayor summarized a recent Latino Advisory Board meeting which touched on the Downtowner service now operating under the Ride Roaring Fork app. This new app allows users to summon a Downtowner transportation van in Carbondale, Basalt, Glenwood Springs and Aspen.
Town Attorney Mark Hamilton announced that former Town Manager Jay Harrington, now working for Routt County, was declared County Manager of The Year by Colorado Counties Inc.
The first big item on the agenda involved a Town Center update. Artspace President and CEO Will Law and project director Andrew Michaelson joined in-person to formally conclude their organization’s work with the Town. Law assured that Artspace will remain a resource as the Town seeks to develop donated parcels surrounding the Thunder River Theatre.
“Part of this is the timing dynamic around resources,” he said, explaining how national resources for affordable
housing have been gutted on the national and state levels. “I don’t see that changing in the next three years,” he added. “There’s nothing inherently wrong with your zoning, it just didn’t fit in a box the state regulatory environment created for us to access those funds.”
Michaelson emphasized that the design documents, created with robust community outreach, will remain an adaptable template as the Town proceeds. “I absolutely don’t think scrapping those drawings would be useful to anybody,” he said. It was acknowledged that the site is inherently constrained.
Next, two dozen residents of the Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park, consisting of 98 lots and situated halfway between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, asked the Trustees for a commitment of $250,000 or more toward acquiring their park for $26 million, plus $10,000 to help with legal representation. Carbondale gave $1.1 million toward helping to acquire two other parks earlier this year.
“In the context of the discussion we just had about the Town Center,” said Hassig, “I’m less inclined to try to hold my breath around saving too much money for building things if we can immediately help people.” He proposed pledging $500,000 if the Cavern Springs residents can raise the remaining funds.
“I’m always more in favor of preserving affordability than trying to create it,” said Trustee Jess Robison. “It’s less expensive [and] we keep the people here who have been invested in our community.”
With the exception of Mayor Ben Bohmfalk, who also voted against $1.1 million for the other parks, trustees were in favor of pledging $500,000. Bohmfalk joined the rest of the board for unanimous approval of an immediate $10,000 to help with legal representation. Trustee Erica Sparhawk suggested formulating a plan for the remaining two trailer parks closest to Carbondale in
case those also go on the market.
Trustees then granted a liquor license to the Crystal Theatre Alliance. Executive Director Kate Schwerin explained that most independent, nonprofit movie theaters depend on this option to stay viable. Revisions to licensing procedures were also approved, expediting the process for local businesses by enabling staff to issue certain licenses.
Lastly, trustees turned their focus back to the 2026 budget. They began by reconsidering certain Park and Rec amenities — new volleyball sand and pickleball shade and bleachers — removed from the budget by a split vote in November. Parks and Rec Director Eric Brendlinger answered questions and several volleyball enthusiasts including coach (and geologist) Laird Little made their case.
continued on page 22
Bodie Schard and Leilani Candela were the proud recipients of December’s Students of the Month awards.
Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
City Council increases financial support for Canyon Vista housing project
JOHN STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
Consideration of a request to up Glenwood Springs’ financial contribution to the Canyon Vista affordable housing project in West Glenwood to what would amount to $3.8 million total occupied most of the Thursday, Dec. 4 City Council meeting.
All Council members were present in-person for the first regular meeting of December.
After about two hours of discussion during the meeting, which lasted more than three, Council voted 7-0 to increase the City’s support, from $2.3 million already committed last year, to the new amount for the 80-unit, below-market rental project.
The project aims to house individuals or households earning between 20% and 80% of the area median income (AMI) — currently about $84,500 at 100% of AMI for a household size of two, according to Colorado Department of Local Affairs data for Garfield County.
Tenant rents are to range from about $396 per month for a one-bedroom unit for an individual or couple earning 20% of the AMI, up to $1,920 for a three-bedroom unit for those earning 80% AMI. That would be
accomplished using federal housing assistance vouchers that have been approved for the project, explained developer representative Kyle Ervin.
Mayor Marco Dehm commented upon calling for the vote that, while it’s a large outlay of public funds, it’s also “unheard of” to see a housing project target that income range.
“We can’t pass up that opportunity,” he said.
Canyon Vista was approved earlier this year to be built on the four-acre former Glenwood Gardens site just east of the Elks Lodge along Highway 6 & 24 in West Glenwood.
With the additional City support, Ervin said it puts the project within 60 days of closing on the property so that construction could begin next year.
The project has run into some increases in hard costs related to site work needs and asbestos removal from the old structures that are now on the property, Ervin said.
The funding pitch involved an extra $785,000 City contribution to the project, on top of the $2.3 million already approved, and reworking an approximately $730,000 fee waiver agreement, where the City would backfill that amount to the general fund
and credit the developers. The per-unit contribution comes to about $48,000. Money would come from the City’s new workforce housing fund, created when Glenwood voters approved Question 2C a couple of years ago.
Council members took the extra time to grill Ervin about the project’s overall feasibility, and if this would be the last ask for City funds.
“You say this will get you to the finish line. Why should we believe you now?” Councilor David Townsley asked pointedly. To which Ervin replied that the City’s support goes a long way to reassure the other financial partners.
“If you have to come back for more money, I would say scrap the project,” Townsley said.
Townsley also asked two members of the City’s appointed Workforce Housing Board who were at the meeting about dedicating such a large chunk of money to one project. They said the housing board discussed that, and was unanimous in recommending the additional money be approved.
In exchange for the extra support, Council did ask to double the number of units reserved for Glenwood Springs workers from 20 to 40.
In a semi-related matter, Council also unanimously approved a
resolution affirming the City’s intent to follow the provisions of Colorado Proposition 123 having to do with state housing funds.
The provision requires that applications for affordable housing projects that meet the state’s criteria for funding would have to be processed within 90 days, Senior City Planner Watkins FulkGray said. He said that’s possible during most of the year, though applications submitted in late September could be difficult to process that quickly.
The City would also need to secure 65 new units of affordable housing by the end of 2026 to meet the criteria. Between Canyon Vista and the City’s recent contribution to put a West Glenwood mobile home park into resident occupancy, that goal should be met, Fulk-Gray said.
In other news
Council agreed 6-1 to allocate $160,000 of the City’s marijuana and tobacco tax funds to the Roaring Fork School District in support of mental health counseling services.
Councilor Ray Schmahl voted against the amount, saying annual funding should be reduced in proportion to the district’s enrollment, which has been declining.
Council also took the opportunity to ask several questions of Superintendent Anna Cole related to everything from student mental health and the impacts of social media and cell phone use in schools, to pedestrian safety for Glenwood Springs High School students crossing Grand Avenue during lunch.
Beyond
The former Glenwood Gardens site in West Glenwood is where an affordable housing developer plans to build an 80-unit rental project targeting households earning between 20% and 80% of the area median income. Photo by John Stroud
Library trustee interviews set for Friday, Dec. 10
AMY HADDEN MARSH
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Maybe it’s because we’re coming up on the winter holidays and everyone is ready for some time off. Maybe it’s because we’re coming up on the end of the year and no one wants to start anything new. Maybe it’s the early-morning icy roads that are keeping the December Garfield Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meetings short. Monday’s meeting adjourned by 9:30am. But, unlike last week’s meeting, it included public comment. Garfield County resident Bonnie Draina described herself as a “frequent patron of the library.” She expressed concerns about the proposed intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the Garfield County Public Library District and the county commissioners that’s been a controversial flashpoint since John Martin was in office. Resolution 24-12, which put the library Board of Trustees appointment process in the hands of the BOCC, was passed in March 2024.
“[It] reverses nearly two decades of practice for trustee selection,” said Draina. “We have an award-winning library district that serves all residents regardless of politics, and a nonpartisan government is crucial for its success.”
Draina pointed to the BOCC’s recent history with the library Board of Trustees, including how it changed when the library district was formed by popular vote in 2006 and that the influence of a few members of the
public threatens the district’s independence.
“The library district board has no check on the power of the commissioners,” she added. “And while you gentlemen may be honorable and acting with the best of intentions, we have no idea who will be sitting in your seats in the coming decades.”
She urged the BOCC to not reverse the appointment process and to provide checks and balances.
“I urge you to continue to find a way forward that promotes nonpartisan governance of our library district to ensure access and uphold intellectual freedom for everyone,” she said.
“We’ve gone through this whole process numerous times, many hours of discussion,” responded Commission Chair Tom Jankovsky. “So thank you for your comments.”
The IGA was supposed to be negotiated between the two entities, but the BOCC shelved discussion on Oct. 8, 2025. “It means that the BOCC have no intention of negotiating an agreement,” said the library district’s executive director, Jamie LaRue, in an email to The Sopris Sun. Resolution 24-12 remains in effect.
Later in the meeting, the BOCC discussed the library trustee candidate interviews, scheduled for Friday Dec. 12 at 8am. County staff returned applications from those who live within the 81652 zipcode, encouraging them to apply for the Silt trustee seat that opens up next year. That leaves 13 candidates for one Rifle position
“I think the process has worked out well.”
and one in New Castle. “You’ve got a good pool,” said County Manager Fred Jarman. “There was a good response so I think the process has worked well.”
In other news
The BOCC approved a request from the County Public Health Department to hire two positions: an environmental health specialist and a public health nurse manager. They also approved a new $225,000 contract with Shamrock Foods to feed those in the county jail and renewed a $100,000 contract with BrewZone to feed Community Corrections inmates.
The BOCC also voted to opt out of the state’s Graywater Control program, put in place in 2015. Last year’s HB24-1362 states that as of Jan. 1, 2026, the use of graywater is authorized statewide unless a municipality or county opts-out. That means local governments must pass a resolution or ordinance prohibiting graywater use.
It’s sort of an all or nothing thing. If the county does not opt out, graywater use for indoor residential purposes in new homes, such as flushing toilets, automatically becomes legal. On the other hand, if the county opts out, residents cannot legally use graywater from kitchens or laundry.
The BOCC stated it was following direction from Routt County. They are not interested in the requirements and permits for graywater systems that they said would increase construction costs.
Finally, Carl Stephens, executive director of the Garfield County Emergency Communications Authority, presented the agency’s 2026 budget, stating that he expects less sales tax revenue than last year. He also said that in 2025, they replaced a generator and added four new dispatch positions. He added that for 2026, employees will get a 3% cost-of-living raise and up to a 3% bonus. On paper, the budget shows projected revenues of $5,660,382 for 2026 match expenditures.
The dark feathers of intelligence
I woke this morning to a snow-dusted mesa, a couple of finches at the feeder and a raven rising up like a vision from the ravine. I was reminded of a recent trip to Yellowstone. Yes, there were waterfalls, breathtaking views, antelope, elk and hundreds of bison but it was raven who returned my gaze, raven who engaged me in conversation, raven who captured, like a thief, my imagination.
To glimpse this great corvid in flight is to glimpse the open mind of the sky, a flicker of charisma and contradiction seems to animate each turn. Few creatures command air as ravens do — they soar, glide, tumble, dive with an acrobatic thrill and perform somersaults mid-air.
All this grace seems impossible for a bird with a chunky neck, a heavy beak and shaggy, unkempt throat feathers. This is a bird carrying an iridescent darkness, a lightness of being and an intelligence that feels both prehistoric and new, a bird of both myth and neuroscience.
myth, Odin’s two ravens are named Huginn (Thought) and Muninn (Memory). Inuit hunters speak of ravens as guides; where the raven flies, the caribou may follow. Clearly, the raven has captured, not just my imagination, but the collective imagination.
OPINION
Even the raven’s voice is a kind of chthonic landscape of prophesy: croaks, clicks, beak-clacks, gurgles, shrill cries, rebuttals, mimicries of wind, wolves, human voices and machinery issue forth and onto the air wherever the raven is near. Whether in the white wilds of the Arctic or the dry mesas here in the Southwest, the raven arrives to say: I am here and I am watching you as you watch me.
The raven is forever wed to the split-second moment, the blessing and the curse and to the deep mysterious folds of the multiverse.
GUEST COLUMN
As a child of the desert, the raven, much like the coyote, always seems to follow me around, reminding me of myself, sometimes appearing as a form of solidarity, other times appearing as some kind of croaking omen.
By Wendy Videlock
Scientists study the raven with measurement tools; the poets and myth-makers look to the same creature with jaw-dropping awe. Perhaps the raven resides in both realms and challenges both science and art in large part because it refuses to be only one thing.
Science tells us the raven can solve problems, Edgar Allen Poe tells us the raven knows things we don’t and many First Nations peoples believe Raven is the trickster deity who created the world.
In Judeo-Christian tradition the raven was sent by God to feed a starving Elijah, lost in the wilderness. In Norse
Yes, science has confirmed what the artist’s intuition has long suggested — ravens are thinkers, problem solvers, planners of the future, and even seem to understand the crafty nature of deception. In experiments, ravens stash away food while others watch — only to return later to move the stash once the observers have left the scene. This behavior requires imagining the perspective of another being, which is a skill once thought uniquely human.
A study from the University of Vienna shows that ravens can remember individual human faces for years. A raven wronged will never forget your face. A raven treated kindly might reciprocate by bringing shiny gifts. The mind behind the raven’s eye is not a blank bead of instinct but a complex system of memory, learning, emotion and curiosity.
Study after study shows a raven’s cognition is not mere mimicry, but rather a consciousness of relation, projection and possibility.
As a visual artist, I think I’ve probably sketched and
painted the raven more than any other creature. The raven has likely never heard of shiny object syndrome or Edgar Allen Poe and so I paint her on the canvas a mystic and an alchemist.
Yet, for all their intelligence and grace, perhaps the most marvelous thing about ravens is that they play. Unabashedly. Wildly. In remarkable displays they roll around in snow, they drop sticks midair and then drop down to swoop and catch them. They surf wind currents with what can only be called expressions of joy. Ravens slide down rooftops (on plastic lids, no less) again and again, like children on sleds.
And of course they stash away shiny objects they cannot eat or use for nest-making: coins, buttons, pretty stones, even bits of glass. Scientists are stumped as to why — can a bird be inspired by shiny things? I say, why not?
When a raven rises up from the ravine on a cold December morning, it can change your day.
And when a raven turns her head and returns your gaze it can change your life. In this gaze we find perhaps a recognition of kinship. I’ve come to see the raven as a mirror of survival, living across time, deserts, forests and tundra, revealing all manner of experience, feeding on what remains and what might be newly discovered.
In her beautiful book, “The Painted Drum,” Louise Erdrich tells us that ravens are the birds she’ll miss most when she dies. She goes on to say, “If only the darkness into which we must look were composed of the black light of their limber intelligence. If only we did not have to die at all. Instead, become ravens.”
Indeed! If I were a raven, I’d silence myself and make a fuss, alighting here, on this delicate arch exquisitely weightless and robust.
Your ultimate holiday money play
Check this out: According to Nerdwallet, three-quarters of American shoppers plan to use credit for holiday shopping this year. Meanwhile, 31% of 2024 shoppers who used credit cards still haven’t paid off the balance. Did you read that? Almost a third of American shoppers still have holiday debt from last year. Buuuhhh!
OPINION
MONEY JUICE
By Megan Janssen
Let’s look at this holistically and remember my favorite savings calculation of all time: $100 removed from your monthly budget now saves you $30,000 in retirement. More on this in a sec.
Does $4,230 sound about right?
According to the same Nerdwallet study, Americans will spend an average of $1,107 on gifts and $2,586 on travel. And Beveragedaily.com tells us that alcohol spending goes up to about $537. Does $4,230 sound about right for holiday spending?
Ok so let’s reduce this number by $1,200. $1,200 is $100/month into your savings. $4,230 - $1,200 = $3,030. This is still a great amount to work with. Here’s what you’re going to do:
Drink less alcohol (gasp!!!) Aside from improving your physical health, relationships and meditation routine, not drinking alcohol is one of the best financial hacks of all time. If you simply must bring a bottle of wine to a holiday dinner party, find your favorite inexpensive bottle now and buy a case online to get a discount. My favorite cheap mocktail? Bubbly water, splash coconut water, big squeeze of lime, sprig of cute winter greenery, add a splash of rose water if you’re feeling fancy. So festive! Use good ol’ Chappy (ChatGPT or Claude.ai or whatever your fave is), give it a list of names, and tell it your budget. As a side note, people don’t want more crap. Even if they think they do, they don’t. So do everyone a favor and put your money toward something else. Tell Chappy what kinds of things these people value and ask for ideas for gifts that will be meaningful. You guys, I loved this exercise and am going to start working on my list now. Some of my favorites that Claude.ai came up with for me:
• Custom jersey with name and favorite number for my 3-year-old nephew.
• Tickets to a baseball game with family for my 79-yearold dad.
• Dragon kite for my niece Celine who loves chaos and dragons.
• Planetarium tickets for my daughter who loves space.
Once you have your gift list sorted, move on to travel. Tell Chappster where you want to go, what credit cards and travel benefits you have, how much you can spend — let’s say $1,800 after gifts? — and what’s important to you. Ask Chappywappy to include a couple bonus activities to help you reduce holiday stress and maximize your health and wellness.
When calculating your financial independence, you can reduce it by $30k if you can take $100 out of your monthly budget now. If you’re smart and invest that $1,200 each year, it could be worth more than $58,000 in 20 years.
Now comes the awesomeness. You’ve saved yourself $1,200. If you recall from a previous newsletter, reducing $100 per month from your budget removes $30,000 from the number you need for financial independence. In short, when calculating your financial independence, you can reduce it by $30k if you can take $100 out of your monthly budget now. If you’re smart and invest that $1,200 each year, it could be worth more than $58,000 in 20 years, assuming a 7%-ish rate. We all know you’re more generous when you’re not financially stressed. Wouldn’t it be awesome to be super wealthy when you’re 55 so you can buy first-class tickets for your family to Greece? Invest that $1,200 now and it will be the best gift for everyone.
Megan Janssen is the founder of Money Juice (www.money-juice.com) and a financial advisor with Forum Financial Management, LP. The ideas and language written here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Forum. This column is never written by AI.
BEAVERS from page 5
beaver numbers, Livingston pointed out, “We don’t get any location data.” He continued, “Data collection will be a really big part” of the management strategy going forward. Likewise, identifying suitable habitat — especially degraded areas of former beaver occupation — is also a high priority. Malone recently undertook a survey of Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument with the goal of “restoring the ecosystem” that was significantly altered in the former military installation. The original stream channel through the camp will be restored, which will raise the water table and reestablish the meanders and wetlands — all, of course, with the help of reintroduced beavers.
The survey document can be found at www.bit.ly/CPWbeaver-survey and the public comment page is at www.bit.ly/CPWbeaver-comment
OBITUARY
James Doenges
June 14, 1953 - October 24, 2025
A friend of many from the 1970s Carbondale days, Jim Doenges passed away on Oct. 24 in the home he was raised in in Colorado Springs. Jim was exemplary in his strength of character and courage as he worked with an aggressive pancreatic cancer the past 12 months. Jim was born in the Springs on June 14, 1953 and came to this valley as a photography student at Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley campus in 1971. The lanky man was unmistakable at 6-foot-4 with, in the day, very big hair. His personality extended to his signature two-tone 1949 Chevy truck.
Settling in Carbondale, Jim’s old miner’s house on 3rd Street was the social hub for many of his peers and he hosted many a newcomer, helping them get oriented to the Valley. Jim was known for his easy going disposition, generous soul and quirky, fun sense of humor. Always the artist, Jim maintained this passion to his final days.
He worked for the Carbondale Water District. Later as a volunteer fireman he ascended to the rank of fire chief for a short time in the late ‘70s. It was with a heavy heart that Jim left the valley he loved to return to Colorado Springs in the early 1980s. Through his art and a thirst for knowledge Jim always stayed connected to academia, working in art at Pikes Peak Community College.
Jim will always be remembered for his kindness and heart and will not be forgotten by his friends in the Crystal Valley. Rest in the peace of the colorful palette of a Carbondale sunset, old friend.
on and off-mountain — from snowmaking to lift infrastructure and maintenance, from upgrading our food and beverage outlets to mountain safety and operations, from increasing employee benefits to building employee housing — relies on revenue generated in large part by pass and lift ticket sales.”
Ski Co “offer[s] 10 pass products available at a variety of price points ,” Roston added, “with many discounted pass options for groups that include seniors, students, teachers, members of the military, Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club and more.”
One hurdle for the Coop’s proposed non-chamber locals discount for season passes is a Forest Service (USFS) regulation that bars “discriminatory pricing … based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or place of residence.”
“Guidance from the USFS is we cannot discount season-long access by location/zip code of the purchaser,” said Roston, which partly explained why its seven-day Valley Pass is permissible — an offering that’s also extended to the general public for in-person purchasing one week every October.
“The Chamber Pass is offered to a group (members of the chamber of commerce), not individual consumers, which allows us to provide the access we do through that product,” Roston explained, “which is also extended to member spouses/partners.”
To get in touch, email rfskifaircoop@gmail.com SKI COOP from page 6
REPORT from page 17
Regarding transparency, Rosenberg said that if Ski Co doesn’t disclose specifics in how it calculates annual increases, the Coop would like to bring its own research, but needs help collecting reliable data. Therefore, the Coop is seeking specialized assistance in that analysis.
It is also in search of a fiscal sponsorship and is hoping for support from an attorney to thoughtfully navigate legal parameters, such as the USFS regulation.
“Ski Co does a lot of great things for their community. They are probably the leader in ski resorts in what they do for their community,” said Rosenberg. “We see that they are contributing a lot. We are asking for them to look at the Average Joe, and we want them to contribute more.”
Playing off of the “Fair” in the Coop’s name, Rosenberg is encouraging supporters to wear fairy wings or tutus to display their support, particularly while on one of the four mountains.
Regular-season pricing went into effect on Dec. 6. As of now, a full-season Chamber Pass costs $2,704 and a nondiscounted adult Premier Pass is $3,834.
For more from the Roaring Fork Ski Fair Coop, visit its petition page at www.tinyurl.com/RFSkiFairCoop
“Once we put this sand in,” promised Little, “all you gotta do is rake it and cut the grass and that sand will last 100 years.”
All trustees voted in favor of the new sand for $30,000. All minus Trustee Ross Kribbs voted to reinstate the $80,000 for shade and bleachers at the pickleball courts. Kribbs argued for a deeper conversation around appropriations from the general fund, considering other Town boards and commissions would benefit from similar sums of money to elevate their work. That conversation was scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026.
With those additions back into the proposed 2026 budget, trustees gave unanimous approval. There will be one more regular meeting on Dec. 16 to conclude 2025 business.
SPRUCE UP THE SUN ART CONTEST!
It’s that time of year, when e Sopris Sun invites young people to submit artistic entries for its annual Spruce Up e Sun contest. e winning illustration(s) will be featured on the cover of the Dec. 25 holiday issue. Contestants, or their parents, can submit scanned submissions to news@soprissun.com or place a hard copy in the submission box outside of e Launchpad in Carbondale (76 South Fourth Street). Preschoolers through high school seniors are welcome to submit.
¡EMBELLECE EL SOL!
Ha llegado la época del año en que Sol del Valle invita a los jóvenes a presentar obras de arte para su concurso anual Embellece el Sol. La(s) ilustración(es) ganadora(s) aparecerá(n) en la portada de la edición navideña del 25 diciembre. El tema de este año es Armonía Navideña, las obras deben re ejar el tema, y, por favor, abstenerse de utilizar brillantina.
Theme:
Holiday Harmony
Temática: Armonía Navideña
Deadline extended to Wed., DEC. 17 midnight Deadline: DECEMBER 12 Fecha Límite: 12 DE DICIEMBRE 17 17
RULES:
• Students from kindergarten to high school are invited to enter
• Paper size: 8 1/2” wide x 11 high”
• A variety of media is permitted, but not glitter or three-dimensional elements
• Bright, bold colors are recommended
• Please write the child’s name, age, grade, school and a parent’s contact information (on the back of the page)
REGLAS:
• Estudiantes de kindergarten a high school están invitados a entrar
• Tamaño de papel: 8 1/2 x 11”
• Se puede utilizar una variedad de materiales, pero no destellos ni elementos tres-dimensionales
• Se recomienda colores brillantes
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Last Year’s Winner
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INTERVIEWS UNDER EL SOL LOCAL Kitchen and Coffee Shop
BIANCA GODINA Sol del Valle
Margarita Alvarez Flores is the owner of LOCAL Kitchen and Coffee Shop in Glenwood Springs and French Pastry Café in Aspen. Originally from Querétaro, Mexico, she has lived in the Valley for 17 years, building a path marked by effort, consistency and a passion for cooking.
Tell us a little about your journey. I came from Mexico without speaking English, just “hi” and “bye,” and I spent months working in housecleaning, hotels or temporary jobs until I discovered French Pastry. I started as a dishwasher, and after 11 years learning the kitchen and the line, the opportunity to buy the shop came up when my employers decided to sell it. I took the chance, and today I run this small French bakery that has allowed me to fulfill a dream that began with a lot of struggle and learning.
Alvarez has been at the helm of French Pastry for nine years, continuing the legacy of the previous owner, Franck Thirion, with whom she maintains a close relationship. “I’ve always been grateful to him,” she said, “because he has never left me on my own. He wants the place to keep going.” She has also owned MK Exclusive Café for five years and, finally, it’s been four years since she opened LOCAL in Glenwood Springs.
On long days, what keeps you motivated?
The desire to make things work. There are hard, very busy days, but in the end, when we balance one thing against another, we see whether it will be worth it. And yes, it’s worth it.
What makes LOCAL different?
We have a big and varied menu. Today I can have a salad and come back on Saturday for tacos or a burger. Plus, the place is pleasant and people enjoy it.
What core values guide your businesses?
I always make sure my employees maintain the flavor of the food and the customer service. This is our livelihood, and we have to offer the best service: be kind, maintain
quality. I love cooking, making my desserts. Sometimes I’m stressed or tired, but I’ll happily go make bread.
Alvarez shared that one of the greatest gifts of her work is the comments from her customers. “When they come up to the counter after eating and congratulate us, that motivates me, and it also allows me to motivate my employees.”
What advice would you give someone who dreams of having their own business?
Lose the fear. Sometimes, because
of fear, we stop trying. When I started, I didn’t speak English well and I didn’t know how to make coffee drinks, but the important thing is not to throw in the towel. When you truly want something, everything starts to flow and fall into place. I never imagined having a restaurant here, but wishing for it with all my heart and not giving up made it happen.
LOCAL Kitchen is located at 722 Cooper Avenue, Glenwood Springs. To visit French Pastry Café, head to 111 Aspen Airport Business Center G, Aspen.
Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every week in Spanish.
Margarita Alvarez Flores owns LOCAL Kitchen in Glenwood Springs and French Pastry Café in Aspen. Courtesy photo
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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
No place like Glastonbury for the holidays
Photos & text by Amy Hadden Marsh
From Glastonbury, Somerset UK
Winter holiday celebrations in Glastonbury, United Kingdom, also known as “the heart chakra of the world,” are a joyous mixed bag. It’s two months of pilgrimages and parties.
After the Wild Hunt, heralding Hallowe’en and Samhain (SOW-en), the beginning of winter in the old Celtic traditions, comes Carnival. Floats the size of semi-trucks are pulled by John Deere tractors disguised as part of the float. Each display is like a rolling Broadway show with music, dancers, costumes and sets that light up the town — all lovingly crafted by regional clubs that spend most of the year on these works of art. Sixty clubs participated in this year’s parade, touring the countryside during late November. Glastonbury was the last stop.
After Carnival comes the Frost Fayre in early December, full of folks from all over the summer country, plying their wares. The medieval fair features homemade mead, clothes, jewelry, Viking attire (real fur pelts) and accessories like swords, woolens and more. You can also learn how to wield a sword and throw large hatchets … at targets. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of the Glastonbury Horde.
LEFT: Ceillidh Ap-Farenda, the leader of the Glastonbury Horde, takes part in the 2025 Frost Fayer.
Animals vulnerable in winter
Snowmass Creek Incident – On Thursday, Dec. 4, a friend and I were driving to a Christmas party, when, in the middle of the road, we saw a very old crippled dog and two goats. Other cars stopped to inquire why these creatures were loose, alone and out at night when
My friend is a dog walker/caretaker. She was extremely upset to see these poor abandoned animals. We followed them into a driveway where there was a small structure with warmth and lights, but no one was home. We picked up the old dog and transferred him from our warm car into the heated one room in
We called a neighbor who identified the owner of these poor souls. Apparently the owner was out of town and his animal caretaker was nowhere to
Then, we called the sheriff and reported the situation. The dog was at least warm, but the two goats were outside without shelter or water. At 18 degrees, water would be frozen, so they would be eating snow for fluids.
People who do this should never be allowed to own animals. We have called the Sheriff’s Department numerous times to check on the animals’ well-being. We also called the Pitkin County Animal Safety officer, who will record this animal abuse. The reality is that our law enforcement is limited with animal abuse problems that occur on private property. The best we can do is to make numerous reports, especially of repeated offenses, so the department can eventually take possession of abused pets.
If you own animals, make sure they have shelter, heated water and food. Some pets need warm quarters. Even with shelter, other outdoor animals might need blankets to keep their body temperatures up, and prevent them from using essential calories to keep them warm. Older animals are especially susceptible to winter conditions.
Do the right thing: Care for our four-
same people that voted for him voted for Trump and his ruining of our country. It’s time to move these people out and get with the times.
Ken Fry Glenwood Springs
Build with community Recognition is due to Aspen Journalism, and specifically Kari Dequine, for the recent informative article in Aspen Daily News, “Private ski area proposal near Steamboat divides community.” The issues highlighted in the piece resonate deeply within our valley community. The acquisition of land by affluent newcomers and local developers is increasingly prevalent throughout the area. Marketing materials from these entities often emphasize the purported benefits of their projects, yet frequently overlook community concerns. While companies introduce initiatives that seem to offer community benefits, such gestures rarely offset the broader consequences for the community’s structural integrity and cultural fabric.
Efforts to address the housing challenge have persisted for three decades, without conclusive resolution. Even with the introduction of affordable units as part of market-rate developments, the Valley continues to experience substantial rises in median home prices. Each new project further increases the demand for workforce housing during both the construction phase and ongoing property maintenance, thus exacerbating the affordability crisis. Consequently, residents shoulder secondary costs, including higher taxes, increased living expenses and greater congestion. This ongoing cycle demonstrates that simply adding affordable units alongside high-end housing does not adequately meet the needs generated by these developments.
Water scarcity and drought remain significant challenges in our region. Arizona’s 2025 water crisis, driven by the prolonged drought of the Colorado River Basin and declining groundwater reserves, affects both urban and agricultural sectors. Ongoing large-scale development does little to alleviate these critical water issues.
I totally agree that people in public office need to be turned over. It’s totally absurd a county commissioner would be in that position for 20 years. All that is is job security. And the public are the losers. Right now, we have three aging-members serving as the Garfield County Commissioners. The demographics have changed drastically. Their ideology is antiquated. I understand why some of them commented that it took some time to understand the job. That detriment comes with age. One commissioner commented that he hoped the county would never become Democratic leaning. The
It is important to consider how much longer we can disregard the efforts of those committed to preserving our Valley’s rural and agricultural character, as well as its sense of close community. Sustainable development that prioritizes the interests of current residents and supports family life should be pursued. Additionally, it is crucial to uphold our responsibility to protect the environment before irreversible damage occurs.
Join us in opposing megadevelopment at www.cattlecreekcc.com
Rosemary Burkholder Cattle Creek
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 NOTICES
NOTICE OF
LAND USE CHANGE
PERMIT APPROVALS
CREATING A VESTED RIGHT GUNNISON COUNTY, COLORADO
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Gunnison County has approved the following Land Use Change permits with site-specific development plans(s) within unincorporated Gunnison County, which creates a three-year vested property right pursuant to Colorado Revised Statutes, Article 68 of Title 24 C.R.S., as amended.
A “vested property right” gives the following applicant(s) the right to undertake the development subject to the condition(s) of approval of the site-specific development plan(s).
LUC-24-00008, on December 4, 2025, the Gunnison County Planning Commission approved Minor Impact Certificate No. 7, Series 2025, approving a land use change permit application for minor impact land use change pursuant to Lur Section 6-102:A 2-4 Units To Projects That Propose More Than Three Residential Units
On A Single Parcel And Lur Section 13-105:G Impact Classification And Required Findings For Coverage Exceeding Standard at the properties owned by Treasure Mountain Ranch Inc., Commonly Known As 3881 Forest Service Road 314, Crystal Townsite Vicinity; Legally Described As Inez 4 Lode Mining Claim Ms 11450, Crystal Mill Site, Ms 5708b, Home And Protection Lode Mining Claims, Ms 7085, Wanderor, Ms 7849, Gray Copper Mill Site, Ms 5209b, Lost Horse Mill Site, Ms 6239b; And Lots 1 And 2, Block B, Lots 1-8, Block C And Lots 7 And 8, Block D, Johnson’s Addition To The Town Of Crystal, County Of Gunnison, Colorado.
/s/ Hillary I. Seminick, AICP Planning Director, Gunnison County Community Development Department
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 11, 2025.
NOTICE
PURSUANT TO THE MARIJUANA LAWS OF COLORADO
PIONEER INTERESTS
D/B/A LOVA CARBONDALE HAS REQUESTED THE LICENSING OFFICIALS OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE TO APPROVE A RETAIL MARIJUANA LICENSE LOCATED AT: 303 MAIN ST CARBONDALE, CO 81623
HEARING ON THE APPLICATION TO BE HELD AT: 511 COLORADO AVE. CARBONDALE, CO 81623 OR EMAIL PTHIBAULT@CARBONDALECO.NET FOR A LINK TO THE MEETING TIME AND DATE: 6:00 PM, DECEMBER 16,2025 DATE OF APPLICATION: NOVEMBER 11, 2025 OFFICERS: MATTHEW SHIFFRIN (OWNER) & AMANDA FOX (OWNER) BY ORDERS OF: PATRICK THIBAULT, TOWN CLERK
ADDRESS OF THE PLACE AT WHICH PETITIONS OR REMONSTRANCES MAY BE FILED: Town Clerk’s Office, 511 Colorado Ave., Carbondale, CO 81623
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 11, 2025
ORDINANCE NO. 5
SERIES OF 2025
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, AMENDING THE CARBONDALE MUNICIPAL CODE TO ALLOW THE TOWN CLERK TO ADMINISTRATIVELY PROCESS CERTAIN LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATIONS AND TO REINSTATE CERTAIN ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES FOR LIQUOR LICENSES
NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on December 9, 2025.
Old Man Winter treated Carbondale to a First Friday blizzard just as Santa arrived to light the town tree. Neither children nor adults were deterred by the weather and festivities continued through the night, including sleigh rides, KDNK’s annual auction, live music, DJs and more.
Photos by Raleigh Burleigh
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.
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 11, 2025.
ORDINANCE NO. 6
SERIES OF 2025
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, CONCERNING THE PROHIBITION OF THE USE OF GRAYWATER AND THE INSTALLATION OF GRAYWATER TREATMENT WORKS
NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on November 25, 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.
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 11, 2025.
ORDINANCE NO. 7
SERIES OF 2025
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, APPROPRIATING SUMS OF MONEY TO THE VARIOUS FUNDS AND SPENDING AGENCIES,
IN THE AMOUNTS SET FORTH, FOR THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, FOR THE 2026 BUDGET YEAR.
NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on December 9, 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.
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 11, 2025.
ORDINANCE NO. 8
SERIES OF 2025
APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL SUMS OF MONEY TO DEFRAY EXPENSES IN EXCESS OF AMOUNT BUDGETED FOR THE HOUSING FUND AND TRASH FUND OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, 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 December 9, 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.
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 11, 2025
LOCAL NEWS
Is a gift we give each other
Thanks to supporters who have already given this season, we’re closer to ensuring that free, bilingual, community-powered journalism continues to serve everyone in our valley.
But there is still important work to do. Fewer than 10% of our readers contribute financially — and that isn’t enough to sustain this work through 2026.
Independent, communitycentered reporting our valley can trust WHEN WE INVEST IN LOCAL NEWS, WE INVEST IN EACH OTHER. YOUR SUPPORT TODAY WILL ENSURE:
Free English + Spanish local news that everyone can access Youth journalism programs growing the next generation of storytellers
That’s why we are seeking 250 new donors by December 31 to help close our projected $250,000 budget gap for 2026 and meet our year-end challenge match.
Right now, your gift will be
2022forover$24millionwiththepriceincreasingweekly.Ittopped outat$33,333,333.33andisnowdeemed“priceless.”Accordingto co-founderBrookeLeVan,thesalewasalwaysapublicitystunt. Whenwethinkof“developedland”ourmindstypicallyjumpto buildingsandinfrastructure.AtSustainableSettings,developingthe landhasentailedenhancingthesoilwithpracticalandspiritualwork. LanceGunderson,directorofsoilhealthatRegenAgLab,professed, “WehavefoundSustainableSettingssoilstobeinthetop1%ofsoil healthgainsintheover140,000farmsoilteststhatwehaveconducted.”
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conlastierraspúblicas másmenospersonal, comunidadespresiónylocales asumiendolacarga.
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builtonfreespeech,and,Imean,lovingeach other.Nowadays,itseemsthataspolitical violenceisontherise,youcanbekilledfor yourvoice,”saidGusCerrone,ajuniorwho considershimselfaRepublican.“Andifwe can’tspeakaboutouropinions,thiscountry willnotbecomegreater.Itwillonlybecome moredividedandmoredivisive.” ratedSamStableford,aleft-leaningsenior,elabo onhisownexperienceafterCharlieKirkwaskilled.
SoprisStarsCorrespondentseveralvotingdistricts.Itincludesmembersofall majorpoliticalpartiesaswellasawidevarietyof lifestyles.Doesthisdiversitybreedadivide?Nation ally,aclearsocialandpoliticaldivideisemerging betweengenerations,gendersandthetwomajor politicalparties.Withthisincreasingdivide,severalactsofpolit icalviolencehavesurfaced,transformingdi ering opinionsintodangerousterritory.FromAspento Parachute,thingshaveremainedrelativelypeaceful innationalcomparison.Therehavebeenaseriesof protestsinrecentyears,including“NoKings”marches andarallyforCharlieKirk—therightwingpoliti calin uencerwhowasshotandkilledinSeptember.Throughthiscleardiversityinpoliticala liation andbeliefs,isitpossibletopreventdi erencesfrom
“Eveniftheviolencewasagainstsomeone whoIfundamentallydisagreewith,likeChar lieKirk,itmakesmenervousandsad,”hesaid. “Peoplewhoareinpowertendtouse[political violence]asatooltofurthercorrupt,blameand divideournation.Ithinkitdoessomuchmore
The first $50,000 donated will be matched dollar for dollar, and may go even further through statewide incentive funds.
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