the event, see page 15.
We’ve only scraped the surface of the Epstein files and it’s already like I can’t get the water hot enough to feel clean. How I long for the good ol’ days, when Dick Cheney shooting someone on a hunting trip was the Big Coverup. Nothing so innocent with these guys. Not like Paul Newman and Robert Redford hiding out in a cabin together and riding a bike in flirtatious circles, no sir. I’ve seen the pictures of Jeffrey and Donald flying private to party with the rich and famous.
Apparently, what they lacked in morality, they more than made up for with greed and perversion. Newsflash: pedophiles are the lowest rung on the ladder of human condition — just ask anyone who has been to prison. It’s rape every time it’s not consensual, especially when the victims are under the legal age of consent. Yet here we are, watching the wealthy rape and pillage Americans.
They are acting like those little whistle pigs who freeze while looking at you with side-eye, in complete denial of the fact that they are facing imminent death from Dad’s gun.
My dad just turned 85, and whenever someone asks how he’s doing, I say, “He’s good. He retired from Ski Patrol, now he sits on his porch shooting varmints in the yard — and no, that’s not a metaphor.”
It isn’t enough that we work 40 hours a week, some of us piecemealing more than one job at a time to make ends meet. (That way, the companies we work for aren’t required to pay benefits.) And it isn’t enough that we fill our homes with so much holiday flair on a seasonal schedule to keep the juggernaut of useless consumerism running. It isn’t even enough that we pay our taxes but have to start a GoFundMe whenever someone in our community gets injured or sick. Trump will never be satiated. He just keeps squeezing America by the throat, tighter and tighter.
By Jeannie Perry
The demented narcissist is using our tax money to pay private security firms like Allied Universal* to kidnap people and detain them indefinitely. And the conditions of these human warehouses are much worse than most of us can even imagine. People packed into standing-room-only: held for days, weeks, months, without adequate food or medicine, and not allowed outside. Our country is at DEFCON 1 for authoritarian takeover and even some of Dick Cheney’s cohorts are realizing we might not be able to hold it together for free and fair midterms.
I can’t really understand what happened to congressional Republicans. Did they all drink from the same water cooler?
Re: Bruno Kirchenwitz
To address vehement hatred in woke folks Bruno spoke of, I’ll focus on ICE; however, there are many aspects of the Trump administration that are cause for alarm. Congress worked out bipartisan immigration reform in 2024. Trump called senators to block this reform so that it could be a primary campaign topic. Trump likes to make immigrants out to be the cause of all our problems so that he can get your vote. Undocumented workers pay social security tax and income tax but do not receive benefits; they pay more into our system than what they receive. This is fact. From the Cato Institute: “Our analysis in this paper shows that immigrants generated a fiscal surplus of about $14.5 trillion from 1994 to 2023, that the average immigrant is much less costly than the average US-born American, and that immigrants impose lower costs per person on old-age benefit, education, and public safety programs.”
During his campaign, Trump promised to deport the worst of the worst: murderers, rapists and thieves. To meet quotas, DHS is rounding up people and sending them to detention centers without due process. ICE agents are not well trained, do not wear name tags or uniforms, do not have body cams and their faces are covered. In my estimation, this does not equate to proper law enforcement.
In their zeal to round up illegal aliens, ICE agents have murdered three U.S. citizens, deported a 2-month-old sick baby, captured a little 5-year-old boy wearing a
I remember the first (and only!) time my dad took me hunting. We got up super early and headed up Mt. Sopris in his truck, which always had random tools, rope and ski boundary tape bouncing around by my feet. But I couldn’t give that my full attention, because I had to concentrate on not hitting the back of my head on the gunrack mounted to the window behind me.
We parked the truck and started walking into the aspen trees. I followed him closely, so excited to be going hunting with Dad that I didn’t even complain about how far we had to walk through the brush and bramble. I was never what you would call a tomboy, let’s be honest. Nature can be so uncomfortable, unforgiving in her disdain.
Finally, we stopped and hunkered down in the tall grass, waiting and watching… Then I saw it: a deer walking hesitantly towards the creek, her path crossing right in front of us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad start to bring his rifle up to his eye and I instinctively called out in horror, “Daad!”
Both my dad and the deer looked at me before the deer leapt off into the trees and Dad shook his head slowly, starting to pack up to go home. In my naïve little imagination, I had not thought “hunting” all the way through. Hard to imagine, at the same age I was empathizing with Bambi, other kids are kidnapped and trafficked. Meanwhile, the people charged with protecting us all — and our country, do nothing.
*Allied Universal, the nation’s third-largest private employer, provides vehicles and armed security guards to ICE through its subsidiary, G4S Secure Solutions.
bunny hat and left a partially blind refugee on the streets of Buffalo, New York. I’m sure there is more.
I’ve heard arguments that illegal immigrants are not entitled to due process due to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRAIRA) which allows for expedited removal without a formal review or judicial hearing. However, what is going on today in our country goes beyond what has happened in prior administrations. Clearly, we need comprehensive immigration reform, but what is occurring under the Trump administration is reprehensible. Horrified is a better word to describe how I feel about the immoral Trump regime.
In order to really understand us woke folks, I encourage you to read “Letters from an American” by Heather Cox Richardson. You can find her on Substack and Facebook. She is a respected historian, documenting with facts what is happening today.
Valerie Gilliam Carbondale
How is Congressman Hurd NOT protecting the people of Colorado? By removing ineligible people from Medicaid? By removing ineligible people from SNAP (food stamps)?
Then you go into the tired trope… giving tax breaks to the wealthy (who create jobs), cut funding on alternative energy (only the unsustainable), and ruin any credibility you
might have with the “funding a runaway gestapo” comment.
If “ordinary citizens” are fearful of those unidentified (never mind ID on their vests, badges and jackets) masked federal officers, then it appears THEY have a problem. Those federal officers are masked because those fine citizens attacking, impeding and assaulting them are also doxing them and their families with death threats. So, you support death threats?
I would also posit that Congressman Hurd IS representing US, maybe just not YOU.
Cheryl Rust Carbondale
I attended the Harvest Roaring Fork PUD hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 25 before the Garfield County Planning Commission. At a time when hundreds of residents showed up in good faith to voice their concerns about a large-scale development that would dramatically change our mountain community, we witnessed outrage by one of the planning commissioners, John Kuersten, directed not at the developer behind the proposal, but at the assistant county attorney, Kelly Cave. His behavior was very childish, disrespectful and unacceptable. Public comments had not even been heard when in his rage at the assistant county attorney, he stated he is now going to vote YES for this development!
Disagreements are part of governance, but responding with visible anger toward legal counsel during a public forum does continued on page 22
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Aspen Valley Land Trust announced that 31 acres at Teller Springs, a neighborhood between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs and across the river from the Cattle Creek and Roaring Fork River confluence, has been protected through a conservation easement. The wetland area is a critical refuge for wildlife, and one of the few open spaces on the mid-tolower valley floor that hasn’t been developed. “Protecting land along the valley bottoms like this is essential to the health of our rivers, wildlife and communities,” AVLT wrote in a press release. The conservation group recently came out with its 2026-2028 Strategic Plan, which can be viewed on its website: www.avlt.org
The Garfield County Public Library District Board of Trustees is considering placing a 1.00 mill levy extension on the November ballot. A recent survey of likely county voters conducted by Magellan Strategies showed that the district has an 80% approval rating county-wide, according to a press release, and that two-thirds indicated their “probable” or “definite” support of a mill levy extension that would maintain current funding without increasing the current tax rate. The press release stated that property owners of median-value homes ($611,000) would continue to pay $38 a year.
The Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District is requesting help from residents of Carbondale and neighboring communities to inform wildfire modeling to guide evacuation planning, mitigation efforts and long-term resilience. Basic information is needed from every home. The survey takes just a few minutes to complete. Take action here: www.bit.ly/Cdale-fire
Film contest
Aspen Film’s Independent by Nature video challenge invites creators of all ages to create a 35-second video on the theme “what does freedom and independence mean to you?” The top prize is $150 plus a Think Tank 30-liter backpack and YETI gear case; second place will earn $100 Think Tank store credit
Attentive listeners watch an on-screen presentation as an estimated 600 people showed up for the Garfield County Planning Commission meeting at CMC Spring Valley on Wednesday, Feb. 25, regarding the proposed 1,500-unit Harvest Village PUD (previously Harvest Roaring Fork) between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. The crowd spilled from the main meeting space into 10 overflow spaces including classrooms and common spaces. Despite this massive turnout, public comment was not reached and the hearing was continued to March 11 at 6pm, which will reportedly begin with that commentary. According to an Aspen Daily News article, planning staff recommended denial, but the planning commissioners “signaled that they would ask the project developer to make some changes to its proposal and then seek approval once more.” The developer would then present to the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners, which could confirm or deny the Planning Commission’s recommendation. Photo by Alison Osius
and a packing cube. Submissions are due by March 22. Find details at www.bit.ly/AF-comp
CFK nominations
Know someone deserving of the Chris Klug Foundation’s Hero, Bounce Back Give Back and Community Champion awards? Submit a nomination honoring trailblazers in the transplant community at www.bit.ly/CFK-2026 — recipients will receive an invitation (plus one) to the Wine & Dine Gala (date tbd).
Open Space and Trails hiring
Want to work outside? Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is hiring full-time and seasonal staff. Positions include natural resource management, open space operations and ranger duties. Learn more at www. governmentjobs.com/careers/pitkin
Forest Service employment
Forest Conservancy is partnering with the White River National Forest Service to hire someone to manage the partnership’s 30-week volunteer visitor information pilot program. The seasonal position is full-time and based at the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District office in Carbondale. Funding for the position is made possible by the National Forest Foundation, Roaring Fork Stewardship Fund, City of Aspen, Eagle County Open Space and
Natural Resources, Aspen Chamber Resort Association, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails and Carbondale Tourism. For application details, visit forestconservancy.com
Gray wolf necropsy
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) confirmed that the recent death of a gray wolf during collaring operations was due to acute cardiogenic shock possibly exacerbated by hyperthermia, myopathy, respiratory distress and/or drug reaction. The wolf was captured along with his mate and a pup and CPW animal care guidelines were followed. Once delivered to a processing location, it was noted that the wolf’s temperature was high. Neither respirations nor a pulse were detected and CPW attempted to revive the wolf. The female and pup were collared and released without complications.
They say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Kelly Field, Amy Hadden Marsh and Meg Plumb (March 5); Gwen Garcelon, Sheila Liston and Bobby Mason (March 6); Carol Fabian and Diane Johnson (March 7); Greg Meredith, Gracie Oliphant, Sidney Thomas and Jordan Tribble (March 8); Laura Kuhl (March 9); Vicky Browne and Pat Curry (March 11).
RALEIGH BURLEIGH Sopris Sun Editor
Del Craig has lived at Thompson Corner in River Valley Ranch for over 20 years. His back patio faces the Crystal River. Across the river, he sees activity at Riverfront Park.
Until recently, Riverfront Park was somewhat secret. One of several park spaces acquired by the Town of Carbondale when River Valley Ranch was approved in 1994, Riverfront was the focus of restoration efforts in 2023 that involved revegetation and deepening of the river’s channel where one of the Town’s historic ditch diversions had gradually widened the banks making fish passage at times impossible. The work also created easier access for fishermen and an outdoor classroom visible from Crystal Bridge Drive. A winding wheelchair ramp was installed beside steep stairs to the park’s entrance.
Along with these improvements, Craig has witnessed an uptick in park visitation and some disregard for the posted rules. The half-mile, out-and-back trail is closed every winter for bald eagle nesting, and dogs and bikes are always excluded. Users are asked to stick to the trail and keep group sizes to less than four people at a time. These measures help keep the habitat tranquil for birds and other wildlife.
Parks and Recreation Director Eric Brendlinger noted that temporary irrigation will remain in place for at least one more season while native plants get established. Then, fencing and sprinklers will be removed. Just outside the park, removal of the irrigation system will create a space for designated bike parking and possibly more signage.
In 2025, the restoration project was awarded the Colorado Open Space Alliance’s Blue Grama Award for Outstanding Achievement in Ecological Restoration. According to a press release, “This recognition celebrates the project’s success in restoring ecological integrity, improving water infrastructure and enhancing community access along the Crystal River.” In addition to improving instream flow and aquatic habitat, the project replaced the Weaver Ditch headgate employing new technology to automatically adjust water intake in response to river levels.
The project resulted from more than a decade of planning and was executed by River Restoration and DHM Design in collaboration with Roaring Fork Conservancy, Pitkin County Healthy Rivers and Streams, Aspen Valley Land Trust, Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Watershed Assembly, Redoubt Restoration, the Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado River District, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Trout Unlimited. Together these partners contributed funding, technical expertise and outreach, raising over $1 million to pull it off.
True to the educational intent of the park, a Roaring Fork High School ecology class has been granted access to conduct water sampling just beyond the entrance to the park. Otherwise, Riverfront remains closed to the public through March 15. The local birding community requests that visitors be especially sensitive to the presence of nesting birds through the spring and early summer.
Quinn Whitten was born an adventurer. His introduction into this world was in itself a wild ride: His parents racing in a friend’s suburban through the mountains of Idyllwild, California, and meeting a police escort partway to leapfrog every intersection and just barely make it to the hospital in time. That innate spark took him to far-off places, including Alaska, where his untimely disappearance last December has left his family grasping at thin air for answers.
“He came in on a huge adventure and he never slowed down,” his father, Tom Whitten, told The Sopris Sun.
“Alaska was his next frontier,” added Quinn’s sister, Ali Whitten.
learning,” said a longtime friend, Danielle Prall. “But he was one of the most self-studied [people], as if he had a craving for knowledge and information. I don’t know that I’ve met a more voracious reader.”
“He lived as if the boundary line was an invitation,” said fellow snowboarder and friend Heath Bollock. “The places he traveled, the oceans he crossed, the mountains he carved, the pavement he punished beneath wheels — all of it lived on the edge.”
- Tom Whitten
Quinn and his roommate, Josiah Bracken, reportedly left Back Beach in Sitka, Alaska, bound for Quinn’s floathouse on Camp Coogan Bay in a 14-foot skiff boat the night of Dec. 13. It wasn’t until Dec. 15 when authorities were informed that the men were overdue.
There’s been no sign of them since.
“Quinn was pure wit and chaos,” Ali said. “He just had the most amazing mind and was just so personable. But then he also had that edge about him that if anyone told him he couldn’t do something, he would do it, no matter how dangerous or extreme it was … That was the punk rock, anarchist within him.”
Quinn and his mother, Sky Quarto, moved to Breckenridge to live with his uncle, Joe Quarto, but he ended up in the Valley before the peak of his adolescence. At 6 years old, Quinn got on a pair of skis, but in 1984, when Breckenridge first allowed snowboarders on the mountain, he dropped the skis, picked up a board and learned to fly.
He grew up pushing against the grain as a rogue skateboarder and snowboarder, a subculture stigmatized by polite society at the time. Having dropped out of school, acing his GED and getting partway through Colorado Mountain College course work, he went on to start a construction company and own five properties across the map — from Sitka to Panama.
His curiosity was unbound. “He had tremendous motivation toward traditional
“I was a Glenwood kid, but spent a lot of time hanging out with the cool kids and punks in Carbondale,” recalled Rebecca Binion, a close friend back then, but who later in life became Quinn’s partner of 10 years. The two lived on Crystal Circle in Carbondale with Binion’s two children, Alex Fisher and Lily Nichols, and, eventually, Quinn’s little sisters, Ali and Cait, who Quinn took in when they were still in high school.
“Our family was Alex and Lily and Cait and Ali,” Binion stated.
Much of their time was spent working on the house, from nurturing its garden, a passion of Quinn’s, to building an in-ground, concrete pool in the backyard — strictly for skateboarding.
Aside from his family, Quinn provided just about anyone in need with a place to lay their head. “He helped people and he was very non-judgemental,” his mother said. “It was very important to him to support people that are usually invisible in society.”
It was a party house, and all that came with that, but it was also a family home. While Quinn wasn’t one to back down from an argument, or even a fight, he was also a committed caregiver.
Quinn was last in Carbondale for Alex’s wedding in August. His sisters convinced him to stay the night at their house. He cooked a family recipe with fish from Alaska, they caught a flick at Movieland in El Jebel and finished the night talking trash about boys.
He was expected to be getting ready to come home for Christmas, when his family heard the news. “He was coming back that week,” Cait said. “The holidays were always spent together.”
According to a spokesperson with the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS), a report was received on Dec. 15 that Quinn and Josiah Bracken were overdue after shoving off from Back Beach and heading to Camp Coogan Bay — about five nautical miles — on Dec. 13. According to the DPS incident report, Bernadette Kibby reported that she had seen them off at Back Beach around 11-11:30pm, but neither showed up for work on Dec. 15. The spokesperson said that the weather was “poor with high winds and snow” at the estimated time of their disappearance.
The Coast Guard relayed to DPS that Quinn’s phone had last pinged on Dec. 15 at 12:52am — just over 24 hours after their supposed departure. A Coast Guard small boat had deployed the night of the 15th, but had to turn back due to weather, while one
“good Samaritan” was still out searching. DPS Search and Rescue postponed a search until the morning of Dec. 16, when multiagency efforts continued, coordinated by the only local DPS trooper on duty at the time, Kyle Ferguson. “Search and recovery efforts halted at dusk on Dec. 17 with negative results,” stated Ferguson’s report. On Dec. 17, according to the report, Sitka Mountain Rescue tallied “independent indications from multiple [search] dogs” in
KATE PHILLIPS Sopris Sun Correspondent
Since the Confluence Early Childhood Development Service District was established last November by way of ballot measure 7A, the district’s newly elected Board of Directors has been busy laying the groundwork for a strong start to represent a diverse community.
“It’s a really exciting time to be involved in local government,” said Carolynne “Carly” Kraemer, board chair and Seat 4 representative. “On a national level people are becoming more involved and the voices that haven’t been historically represented or heard are showing up. This is a great time because that will carry forward and show up here.”
Proposed by the nonprofit Confluence Early Childhood Education Coalition (CECE) and approved by 60% of regional voters, the special tax district will expand and improve access and affordability for early childhood care and education by leveraging funds from a 0.25% sales and use tax. Spanning the Parachute to Aspen corridor, the district is a government entity, separate from CECE, and will coordinate efforts between county, municipal and school district boundaries to maximize impact.
That same ballot, regional
voters also elected five directors. Together they will oversee implementation of the district’s service plan, manage funding — including grant and tuition assistance allocation — expand existing programs and strengthen support for families.
Larimer County is the only other Colorado region that has approved a similar initiative. Ultimately, the board is operating with extra intention while navigating new terrain.
“The [district’s] service plan has some very specific parameters, but the implementation piece is very broad. We want to make sure we’re very intentional with what that piece looks like,” said Kraemer. “Before we figure out where and how we want to go, we have to get our board
director of Basalt Library), Seat 2 representative Paul Stanley (Garfield County Libraries’ Youth Services Coordinator), Seat 3 representative Adley Larimer (a former coach with Early Childhood Network) and Seat 5 representative Stefan Reveal (a loan officer at Alpine Bank and co-chair of the Kids First Advisory Board).
“We come from all these different backgrounds and it’s so great we have different strengths to bring,” said Kraemer, who serves on the Basalt Elementary School Accountability Committee and is a former board member of Growing Years preschool. “We’re working hard to make sure we have a foundational understanding of everything.”
Since early December, the
drafting and approving the budget and continuing to gather community feedback. The board also appointed Glenwood Springs-based law firm Karp Neu Hanlon for legal counsel. As a volunteer board that must operate with complete public transparency, Kraemer recognized that progress seems slow right now; but with a strong foundation the district can operate more effectively. Notably, anticipated funds are arriving into the district earlier than expected — March rather than June. However, because the systems are still being finalized, a timeline for distribution has yet to be confirmed. Kraemer did confirm that this year’s funds will only be allocated for early
“I found our new executive director.”
childhood education capacity and quality grants to address the lack of spots. Tuition subsidies for families will begin next year.
“There’s an urgency, but we need thoughtful execution,” said Kraemer. “We need to go slow to then go fast. I’d rather be thoughtful about a system than to hurry up and create one for the sake of execution and then have to backpedal.”
To assist with building the district’s programmatic infrastructure, the board recently selected Kathryn Kuhlenberg to serve as the interim executive director. Subject to final board approval on March 12, Kuhlenberg will help the board “maintain momentum, stabilize operations and build core infrastructure during the district’s initial formation.” This transitional independent contractor role is expected to begin in early 2026 and bridge a six to 12-month period before a permanent executive director is appointed.
“It’s not a permanent position, but it’s foundational and really important. We need to capture the public’s priorities from the get-go,” said Kraemer.
Moving forward, Kraemer emphasized the need to continue encouraging community collaboration.
continued on page 16
Sopris Sun Correspondent
In May of 2025, the Town of Basalt held a series of contested public hearings on a potential $2,532 per bedroom per year fee for short term rental (STR) operations in order to generate revenue for affordable housing. The fee was approved by a vote of 4-3, but not without hours of debate between councilors and dozens of citizens coming to the podium to voice their support for or concerns with the new measure. Town staff were directed to hold off on charging the fee until the new year began. For at least one household, the new fee has stretched their finances too far.
From Berlin to New York, housing studies have found correlations between STRs and decreased housing availability and increased rents. It intuitively makes sense — one bedroom held for tourists is one less bedroom available for the local workforce, and in the Roaring Fork Valley, tourism can be highly lucrative. However, due to those very housing costs, income from STRs is the only thing keeping some locals afloat.
Michael Schoepe and his husband, Paul Dankers, have been a part of the Roaring Fork Valley’s community for many years, closely involved with the Aspen Choral Society, VOICES, Challenge Aspen and other organizations as a pair and individually. In 2024, the two became music co-directors at the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist congregation. For years they have worked long hours to make ends meet, offering rooms in their home for both an STR and long-term rentals.
Schoepe was one of multiple Basaltians
Basalt’s STR licenses exploded in the years following the pandemic. This marks the first year of Basalt’s new $2,532 per bedroom per year fee. So far, the new fee has generated around $50,000 in revenue for affordable housing, but it remains to be seen whether the new measure has discouraged STR operations in Basalt overall. Courtesy graphic
who came to the podium during last May’s public hearing to voice concerns about the proposed STR fee. Schoepe, like others, communicated to Town Council that his STR operation made life in Basalt possible, and that a new fee on top of the current cost of living would be the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back.” That prediction has become reality, and Schoepe and Dankers have made the difficult decision to sell their home and leave Basalt indefinitely.
Basalt’s first STR license was issued in 2017. In the four years before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Basalt issued an average of 9.75 STR licenses per year. In 2022, the number of licenses tripled to 31.
The quantity steadily increased in subsequent years, peaking in 2025 at 47 licenses.
In response, Town Council attempted to address affordable housing needs via a flat per bedroom per year fee for STRs. Town Staff and Council landed on a $2,532 rate based on a study by Economic and Planning Systems (EPS) which stated that this value was half of the maximum amount that could be charged. EPS calculated this total value measuring the gap between the housing local employees can afford and the average cost of housing in Basalt.
As of Feb. 9 of this year, only 22 licenses have been issued, 20 of which are renewals. While data is unavailable for how many
bedrooms are being rented per license, a majority of Airbnbs listed online in Basalt are only one bedroom. At a minimum, Basalt has generated $55,704 from the new fee thus far. Notably, Schoepe did not pay the license fee and instead plans to stop operating his Airbnb after using the 60-day primary residence exemption.
In 2025, before the fee was active and when the quantity of licenses was twice as high, the Town would have hypothetically generated at least $119,004. Some concerned citizens were quick to opine at hearings that this did not appear to be a significant amount of revenue considering the median home price of a single-family residence in Basalt was over $1.8 million in 2024 according to a separate housing needs assessment by EPS. In addition, multiple STR-operating citizens stated that the fee would discourage them from operating in the new year, implying less revenue would be generated by this fee.
Other mountain communities have employed other methods of using STRs to produce revenue. The Town of Carbondale imposes a 6% tax of the gross rental price paid by customers, a 2% lodging tax and a variable license fee depending on the number of bedrooms and whether the property is owner occupied. The maximum licensing fee in Carbondale, which would be for a four-bedroom property that’s not owner-occupied, is $875 (less than a third of Basalt’s standard per-bedroom fee). The minimum is $100.
Schoepe explained in an interview that it’s not always as simple as increasing the
continued on page 16
AMY HADDEN MARSH Sopris Sun Correspondent
Public comments at Monday’s Garfield County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting took on some heavy local issues, but had to wait until a presentation by Western States and Tribal Nations (WSTN) finished up. Lobbyist Andrew Browning, WSTN president and founder, gave the BOCC an update on the global energy climate, liquid natural gas export facilities, including Costa Azul in Mexico and what all that could mean for future natural gas extraction in Garfield County.
Next came public comments, which included a potential ballot measure that would involve the county library district, plus Sheriff Lou Vallario and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and how the BOCC needs to let go of its dreams of a natural gas revival in the county.
About a dozen people in red t-shirts were in the audience. Jankovsky assumed they wanted to talk about the library, which is why he opened the meeting with Browning’s presentation. Jankovsky asked those with comments “not library-related” to go first. Glenwood Springs resident Sue Lavin asked commissioners for some oversight of the Sheriff’s Office.
“I was extremely upset to read that there was an arrest at Walmart of a undocumented person, and that Sheriff Vallario had cooperated with [ICE] to make that arrest,” she said. “I have followed this over the years to see that, for example, in 2011, there was an arrest of an undocumented alien at the Strawberry Days parade in front of his family and hundreds of citizens.”
Lavin mentioned state laws that prohibit local law enforcement from certain kinds of ICE interactions. One of those, HB191124, “prohibits a law enforcement officer from arresting or detaining an individual solely on the basis of a civil immigration detainer.” The law allows officers to assist federal immigration enforcement officials
with executing warrants but only if issued by federal judges. They can also transfer people from jail or prison into the custody of immigration officers, if they have a court order.
“At that time, a handful of sheriffs, including Sheriff Vallario, said that they intended to defy that law,” said Lavin. “And I don’t think it’s hard to see that we live in a county where there’s a lot of distress about ICE right now.”
Other state laws further restrict cooperation between state employees and federal immigration agents, like SB20-083, which prohibits civil arrests outside a courthouse when someone is going to and from court proceedings, and SB21-13, which prevents the state from disclosing personal identifying information or immigration status to ICE. “To have our chief law enforcement officer disobeying the law and also have a record of blatant connection with ICE and support of ICE is very disturbing to me,” Lavin added, requesting that the BOCC encourage Sheriff Vallario to follow the law.
Jankovsky told Lavin that the only oversight the BOCC can provide in this case is through the Sheriff’s Office budget. “Some of the responsibility of what’s going on in this country belongs to the [Joe] Biden administration when they let 13 million people come into this country,” he said. “We’ve had 10,000 murders from those people.” Those numbers came from President Donald Trump’s most recent State of the Union address. ICE has a docket of noncitizens convicted of murder, the majority of whom entered the country prior to the Biden administration.
Lavin said that the issue here is community safety and that the Biden debate is for another time. She asked who is responsible for holding the sheriff accountable if he is breaking the law. Jankovsky responded, “Well, I don’t believe the sheriff is breaking the law.”
continued on page 19
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MYKI JONES
Sopris Sun Correspondent
The Basalt-based mental health nonprofit HeadQuarters is currently winding down operations after announcing in early February that it would close its services. The organization was founded in 2016 with a focus on connecting people with preventive mental health services, resources, peer groups and workshops. HeadQuarters also raised money to directly help clients access professional services.
Executive Director Angilina Taylor prompted a “mental fitness” approach, helping people build skills and healthy habits before mental health struggles reach the level of crisis. Taylor ran the organization with the help of Programming Director Lindsey Lupow.
“I believe that mental fitness is the answer to curbing the mental health crisis that we see in the nation,” Taylor told The Sopris Sun. “It’s arming people with information and tools and connection and feeling vulnerable — talking about it with our families, friends and strangers at peer support groups.” She added, “So many of us, we’re conditioned to mask up and pretend that everything’s okay when it’s not always okay.”
Mental fitness focuses on four pillars of wellness: social, emotional, physical and financial. These elements were points of discussion throughout all the work the organization did due to how interconnected they are with mental health struggles, such as anxiety and depression.
“Little things that can happen with those four quarters can really trip us up
in a really big way,” Taylor stated. “If we’re feeling off because we’re emotionally dysregulated because something’s going on at work, within our family system, or something’s going on within our friendships, and then those are hindering us and showing up in other areas of life, things can start to snowball.”
She continued, “We worked on having a mental fitness toolkit, and worked on having awareness over what those things are that are triggering you, that are making you feel that way, that are then becoming that slippery slope that takes you down to using unhealthy habits to fix your problems. So your mental fitness toolbox helps to tap into healthier coping mechanisms you have at your fingertips.
The toolbox was implemented at Basalt High School shortly before the organization announced its closure. The Longhorn Lounge, as it was dubbed by Basalt High School students, was created in partnership with Youthentity. This “mood booth” grants students a space for emotional and nervous system regulation activities.
“The mood booth was born out of trying to reach youth in a different way,” Taylor said. “For years, we’ve been called to come into the health classes and do a talk on mental fitness and found a lot of times when I would go in and do those talks, there were a lot of kids that were disengaged. It was an uncomfortable topic.” The mood booth affords privacy, with a tablet inside with appropriate apps installed and some music, some meditations and resources for who to call if in need of help.
The project is currently under aesthetic build by the students and should launch shortly.
In the final newsletter from HeadQuarters, data and demographics showed that in 2025 more than 1,831 therapy sessions were funded and 211 clients were served. Of these clients, 64% resided in Garfield County and 54% worked in Pitkin County. Additionally, more than 300 community members participated in workshops in 2025.
Discussing the tough decision to close HeadQuarters, Taylor said that funding and competing with a wide network of nonprofits in the Valley played a major role.
“We have a region that is pretty rich in nonprofits, and so there is a lot of
competition, not just among the mental health organizations, but among all of the organizations,” Taylor stated. “I think mental health is a less sexy thing to fund than, say, the arts or public lands. The conversations that you have are less challenging around those topics.” She added, “Then, as a preventative [approach], it was always really hard to quantify our data and to qualify it.”
Though the doors are closing at HeadQuarters, Taylor and Lupow are still offering their services as coaches and will host a plethora of events throughout the remainder of the year. To stay informed about this work, visit www.bit.ly/Form-HeadQuarters
“No matter how I’m feeling going into a session, I am happy in Mishe’s presence and feel better when I leave.”
THURSDAY, MARCH 5
EXTRATERRESTRIAL ESCAPE ROOM
Teenagers attempt to solve a spacethemed escape room at the Basalt Library space from 4 to 6pm. Register at www.basaltlibrary.org
AIRPORT DESIGN OPEN HOUSE
The Aspen-Pitkin County Airport presents a schematic design during an open house at the Hoffman Hotel from 4 to 7pm. Details at www.aspenairport.com
NATURALIST NIGHTS
Colorado State Forest Entomologist Dr. Dan West presents “Douglas Fir Beetle in the Roaring Fork Watershed: Current Conditions and Future Outlook” at Hallam Lake in Aspen at 5pm, the final Naturalist Nights event of the season. Details at www.aspennature.org
SPANISH CONVERSATION CLUB
Beginner to intermediate Spanish learners practice together at the Carbondale Library every first Thursday from 6:30 to 8pm.
‘THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB’
Ceasefire Now RFV presents “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” an Oscar-nominated film about Palestine Red Crescent Society medics, at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm.
FILM AND CONVERSATION
TACAW screens “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It” followed by a conversation with executive producer Daniel Shaw beginning at 7pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
BANFF
Catch the 2026 Banff Mountain Film Festival on tour at the Wheeler Opera House at 7:30pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
FRIDAY, MARCH 6
SENIOR ART STROLL
Seniors are invited for a stroll through the Powers Art Center from 11:30am to 12:30pm. For details, call 970-963-4445.
SKETCH, PAINT, PLAY
Artists of all sorts are invited to open studio hours at the Carbondale Library from 1 to 3pm every first Friday. Artists are encouraged to take a project they’re working on, and must bring their own materials.
MARK NUSSMEIER
Mark Nussmeier performs at Townline Trucks from 3:30 to 5:30pm.
FIRST FRIDAY
This month’s First Friday theme is “Fire & Light,” featuring a bonfire and other illuminated activities at Chacos Park. Carbondale Arts will host an opening reception for “Sweet Excess” by William Lanzillo and “Structures Inachevées” by Ludivine Gérard from 5 to 7pm. Marcel Kahhak will paint members of the Hell Roaring String Band at his studio/gallery (411 Main Street) beginning at 6:15pm.
INTAGLIOS
Catch The Intaglios performing at Townline Trucks from 6 to 9pm.
MARKETING SNAPSHOT
TACAW presents “Selling Your Story: The Marketing Snapshot 2026” with Katherine Roberts of Carington Creative at 6pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
GUITAR WORKSHOP
Kaki King leads a creative guitar workshop at the Wheeler Opera House at 6:30pm. The workshop is free but registration is required! More at www.aspenshowtix.com
CRYSTAL THEATRE
Catch “Blue Moon” at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm. Tomorrow’s 3pm showing is captioned. “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” opens tomorrow at 7pm and repeats on Sunday with a captioned showing at 3pm. Oscar-nominated live-action shorts show on Sunday at 7pm, animated shorts on Monday at 7pm and short documentaries on Tuesday at 7pm.
STEVE’S GUITARS
Jamie Dooley and Frank Martin perform at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net
CAJUN MUSIC
TACAW presents BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet performing cajun music at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
SATURDAY, MARCH 7
NATIONAL SKI PATROL DAY
Celebrate and engage with ski patrollers from around the state at Sunlight Mountain Resort. This is an all-day event.
ARTFUL STORY HOUR
Enjoy a story that’ll ignite your inner artist and then use that inspiration to create a masterpiece at the Powers Art Center every first Saturday from 11am to noon. Details at www.powersartcenter.org
SKI JORING
Leadville’s ski joring tradition continues this weekend on Harrison Avenue. The two-day event is free to attend and kicks off at high noon today and tomorrow.
SOUL-GUIDED LISTENING
True Nature hosts “Return Home to Yourself,” a daylong retreat for women with Meghan Gilroy, from 10am to 4pm. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
SOURDOUGH
The New Castle Library hosts a bilingual, beginner-friendly crash course on making a sourdough starter from 10am to noon. Register at www.gcpld.org
‘GLITCH, BUGS’
Kaki King presents “GLITCH, BUGS” at the Wheeler Opera House at 4pm. This multimedia show for young audiences blends guitar projection mapping, drum-triggered effects and playful storytelling. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
ASCENDIGO GALA
Ascendigo Autism Services’ signature gala takes place at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen from 6 to 11pm. Tickets at www.ascendigo.org/blue
KRIS HARMONY
Kris Harmony performs at Townline Trucks from 6 to 9pm.
WALKER WILLIAMS
The Walker Williams Band performs at Spring Creeks Ranch from 7 to 10pm. Tickets at www.springcreeksranch.com
COUSIN CURTISS
Steve’s Guitars welcomes Cousin Curtiss for a performance at 8pm.
BIRDS OF PLAY
Birds of Play performs at the Thunder River Theatre at 8pm. Tickets at www. thunderrivertheatre.com
KAKI KING
Dubbed by Rolling Stone
“a genre unto herself,” Kaki King brings her innovative guitar work and multimedia artistry to the Wheeler Opera House at 8pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
In response to the economic strain caused by low snowpack, the Wheeler Opera House announced last week its “Community First” initiative offering any patron the opportunity to purchase two tickets for $25 each to a single performance scheduled now though the end of April. The offer expires March 15 and can be redeemed in-person or by calling 970-920-5770. The Wheeler hosted International Guitar Night on Feb. 27 featuring (left to right) Alexandr Misko, Taimane, Lucas Imbiriba and Thu Le. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS
Clocks “spring forward” at 2am, providing more daylight in the evenings while making mornings feel earlier.
BIODYNAMIC TREE CARE
Sustainable Settings invites you to broaden your understanding of fruit trees with a workshop from 10am to 3pm at the ranch. To register, call 970-963-6107 or email rose@ sustainablesettings.org
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
The Glenwood Springs Library hosts a teen-specific D&D campaign every second Sunday from 2 to 5pm. Space is limited. Registration required! Call the library at 970-945-5958 to embark on the journey.
DAVID PARKER
Hummer and strummer David Parker performs at Townline Trucks from 3 to 6pm.
INTRO TO ZEN
Explore the Zen tradition with Billy Wynne at True Nature from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Register at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
STRING MUSIC
The Last Revel and Susto Stringband perform at TACAW starting at 7pm. Tickets at www.tacw.org
YOUTH ART ACADEMY
The Art Base invites young artists (third grade and up) to explore and create mosaics during a three-part Youth Art Academy series held each Monday through March 23 from 3:30 to 5pm. Register at www.theartbase.org
TRISHA YEARWOOD
Trisha Yearwood brings “The Mirror” tour to the Wheeler Opera House with a performance at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
SONGWRITING SHOWCASE
Songwriting students of Oliva the Bard debut originals at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm, joined by other local musicians including Olivia herself.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10
TUESDAYS WITH BEN
Do you love Bartender Ben? He’ll be at El Dorado every Tuesday starting at 4pm, curating a specialty drink each week.
ARTIST LECTURE
Anderson Ranch visiting artist Diana Heise, “a research-based artist working at the intersections of performance,
eco-feminism and experimental lensbased image practices,” presents at the ranch from 4:30 to 5:30pm. Register at www.andersonranch.org
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11
‘TROLLS’
As part of its Modern Classics series, the Crystal Theatre shows “Trolls” today at 2:30pm and “Sing” at the same time next week.
AUTHOR TALK
The Aspen Institute welcomes Sebastain Junger, author of “In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife” at Paepcke Auditorium at 5pm. Register for free at www.aspeninstitute.org/events
ART AFTER SCHOOL
Youngsters let their creativity flourish at The Art Base each Wednesday through March 18, from 3:30 to 5pm. Register at www.theartbase.org
WOMEN IN LITERATURE
Celebrate women writers with a spot of tea and a round of literature-themed Bingo — inspired by books written by women, of course — at the Basalt Library from 5 to 6:30pm.
ASPEN LAUGH FESTIVAL
The Aspen Laugh Festival kicks off at the Wheeler Opera House with Pete Correale at 5pm, followed by Anjelah Johnson-Reyes at 8pm. The laughs continue through March 15. Learn more at www.aspenshowtix.com
HARVEST HEARING
The Garfield County Planning Commission’s continued hearing for the Harvest Village (previously Harvest Roaring Fork) PUD is at 6pm at CMC Spring Valley. Public comments top the agenda.
DRAWING CLUB
The Roaring Fork Drawing Club previews the fashion show, sketching a dress rehearsal at the Carbondale Rec Center beginning at 6:30pm.
BINGO WITH CARE
Carbondale Beer Works hosts a Bingo night benefiting Colorado Animal Rescue at 7pm. Cards will be available for purchase at 6:30pm.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12
SOL THEATRE
Catch SoL Theatre Company’s production of “James and the Giant Peach” at Roaring Fork High School at 6pm today, tomorrow and Saturday and at 2pm on Sunday. Tickets at www.soltheatrecompany.org
A locally-owned hangout spot in a renovated miner’s shack
111 MAIN STREET, CARBONDALE
7 DAYS A WEEK COOKING FROM 11 AM-11 PM
LIVE MUSIC EVERY WEEKEND NO COVER
FIRST FRIDAY, MARCH 6: MARK NUSSMEIER + INTAGLIOS SATURDAY, MARCH 7: KRISS HARMONY SUNDAY, MARCH 8: DAVID PARKER A REVOLVING LINEUP OF FOOD TRUCKS FIND TODAY’S MENU ONLINE
Pruning and Grafting Series with Vanessa Harmony
Sharpen your tools, learn pruning principles and how to collect scionwood and propagate by grafting. Saturdays 3/7, 4/4 and 5/2 in Carbondale or ONLINE
PEAK STATE: PERFORMANCE, PRESENCE, AND PURPOSE
Lead, live and perform with grounded clarity from within. Wed, 4-6:30pm, 3/11 ONLINE
HERBAL ENERGETICS
Explore the plants that warm, cool, dry and moisten. Thursday, 6-8pm, 3/12
AIKIDO TRY IT FOR FREE Redirect, neutralize or avoid attack with non-violence. Tue/Thur, 6-7:30pm, 3/17-5/7
PLEASANT DOGS AND PLEASED OWNERS
Basic and common sense guidelines for dog owners. Tue, 5:30-8:30pm, 3/17 ONLINE
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE II
Use AI for your more complex projects, analysis and tasks. Wed, 1:30-3:30pm, 3/18-4/8
PILATES BLEND with Natalie
A full-body workout to improve balance, strength and stability. Wed, 9-10am, 3/18-5/6
SCULPTURE
Learn to design in 3-D and create different sculptures. Sat, 10am-2pm, 3/21-5/2
EXPLORATIONS IN
MIXED WATER MEDIA
Explore watercolor, acrylic, casein, and gouache. Mon, 9am-12pm, 3/23-4/27
UKRAINIAN EGG DECORATING
Decorated eggs with colored patterns using beeswax resist. Saturday, 10am-3pm, 3/28
Scan to browse and register
JOHN STROUD
Sopris Sun Correspondent
It’s been more than two decades since there was this much dual excitement around the Roaring Fork High School basketball programs, and the Carbondale faithful will get a chance to help it unfold this weekend.
The boys and girls teams both earned the right to host a regional round of the Class 3A state playoffs after finishing the regular season ranked No. 8 in their respective 32-team playoff fields.
The top eight teams serve as hosts for the first two rounds, with four teams each playing Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, for the right to advance to the “Great 8” of the state tournament at the University of Denver on March 12-14.
The Rams boys took care of business to close out the regular season, taking the 3A Western Slope League (WSL) title outright at 12-0 with a 82-68 win over Cedaredge at home on Feb. 25, a 64-52 win at Grand Valley the
following night, and winning 70-56 at Gunnison on Saturday.
The Rams, 20-3 overall, open regionals against No. 25 Brush (11-12) at 7:30pm Friday. A win sets them up to play the winner of No. 9 Wiggins (16-7) versus No. 24 Monte Vista (12-10) game at 12:30pm Saturday.
Likewise, the Lady Rams cruised through the final three games of the regular season, winning 71-44 over Cedaredge, 51-27 at Grand Valley, and 70-42 at Gunnison, to claim a share of the league title with North Fork, both at 12-2.
At 21-2 overall, Roaring Fork hosts No. 25 Manual (13-7) at 6pm Friday; the winner playing either No. 9 Thomas MacLaren School (20-1) or No. 24 Strasburg (11-12) at 11am on Saturday.
The three co-captains for both Rams teams took some time at the conclusion of a practice session last week to reflect on
the ups and downs of the season, and what it will take to make a run for a state championship.
“It’s all about trust right now,” senior Ethan Wilson said.
That goes all the way down the bench, he said.
“We know that anyone who subs in is going to have an equal, if not better impact when they come into the game,” Wilson said. “We all really trust each other, and heading into the postseason, that’s a big thing.
“We’ve also gotten so much better throughout the season,” he said. “We’re quicker, and more athletic. Some of that credit goes
to our coaching staff; they push us super hard in practice every day.
But it’s also each other. We keep each other accountable.”
Senior Lucas Carballeira, the team’s scoring and assists leader (19.9 points and 4.2 assists per game), recalls some early lessons learned.
“We took those two losses to start the year [72-65 against Fort Lupton in the home Brenda Patch Tournament, and 81-65 to Regis Goff] and noticed what we did wrong in those games — ball pressure and speed — and really worked on that,” Carballeira said. “We’re going to see more of
that again in the playoffs, and we’re ready for it.”
The Rams were without senior rebounding leader Kiko Pena (10.4 per game) for the last five games of the season due to a facial fracture, but he’s expected to be back for the playoffs.
“I’m really excited to be back out there,” Pena said.
“Every year, it seems we have found something special that works,” he said of a group of players who have been playing ball together since elementary school.
“We just have to be ready for faster play. These bigger teams
continued on page 18
JONATHAN SUNI
Special to The Sopris Sun
Professional snowboarder Shaun White created The Snow League (TSL) to give athletes the opportunity to shine and thrive season-long, not just every four years at the Winter Olympics. With the slogan “The future of winter sports competition,” TSL aims to provide a high-stakes, high-energy environment for snowboarding halfpipe competition fans to celebrate their love of the sport. With stops around the world, Olympians headed to Buttermilk Mountain for the penultimate event on Feb. 27-28, just a week after competing in Italy for a weekend of exciting competition.
The world’s greatest snowboarders, including 24 Olympians, battled on the Buttermilk Mountain halfpipe during two days of fast-paced competition.
The men’s field was headlined by 2026 gold medalist Yuto Totsuka and featured four Colorado natives, while the women’s field also showcased strong Colorado representation with two athletes from Steamboat Springs. While the Japanese snowboarders continued their halfpipe dominance, USA’s Maddie Mastro earned a spot on the podium alongside Boulder’s own Jake Pates.
The weekend included musical performances from Neil Frances and Wyclef Jean, along with big-name spectators like Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarrett Stidham.
Learn more at www.thesnowleague.com
“I hope that we lay a really strong foundation for operations that are centered on systems and the person — data-driven and also honoring the individual experience,” said Kraemer. “It’s our responsibility to keep the public’s interests centered; and not just the public’s interests, but the children and the families … Every person in this valley is part of the fabric of our community … When we help everyone we are strengthening that fabric.”
Regular board meetings occur the second Thursday of each month at 9:30am at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs. Visit www.confluencedistrict.org or email general@ confluencedistrict.org for more information.
STR from page 8
rental rate to factor in the new fee. For his modestly-sized operation, prices need to be comparatively low to remain competitive on the local market. Other STR operators in hearings argued that a flat per-bedroom rate disproportionately affected more affordable operations.
Schoepe also emphasized that when he and his husband sell their home, they can’t determine whether the buyer will be a full-time Basalt resident or whether they’d use part of the property for a rental, short or long-term — the latter of which the pair had offered to members of the local workforce.
While Schoepe and Dankers will continue to contribute to the Roaring Fork Valley’s musical community through the summer after finding temporary residence downvalley, they are preparing to begin a new chapter of their lives after a measure meant to promote affordable housing inadvertently made their own housing unaffordable.
Freeing oil and gas deposits from its shale, tight sand and coalbed methane coverings was first done with explosives in 1865. Using pressurized fluid and sand, hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, was invented in 1947 and commercialized by Haliburton in Kansas in 1949.
Beginning in the 1990s, the process, combined with horizontal drilling, started the methane gas and oil boom we’re still experiencing today. The United States is the leading exporter of liquified methane gas and produced more oil in 2024 than any country in history.
During this time, fracking has remained remarkably exempt from regulation. The 2005 Safe Drinking Water Act made no mention of fracking. Fracked oil and gas cleared $3.5 trillion in 2012 to 2014. In a capitalistic society, that’s some serious scratch and makes it immune to regulations, even those that protect human health.
By Fred Malo
Don’t look to the current federal administration to restrain fracking in any way. President Donald Trump has appointed, and Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper have confirmed, Coloradan Chris Wright to be Secretary of Energy.
Wright was the CEO of Liberty Energy, which has fracked 20% of all U.S. onshore wells, and was the founder of Pinnacle Technologies, which developed fracking and horizontal drilling. Guess which kind of energy Wright is going to favor.
Fracking fluid is so toxic the industry won’t reveal what’s in it. They say it’s a trade secret. Earthworks provides a list of 75 fracking fluid chemicals with 10 or more negative health effects.
A single fracked well can use 1.5 to 40 million gallons of
water per year. That’s 250 billion gallons total, much of it in the parched West. And once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. Used fracking fluid has no other use.
Fracked oil is lighter than the product from non-fracked wells. Most U.S. refineries aren’t set up for it. That’s why fracked oil is generally exported, while the heavier material from Venezuela, Canada and Mexico is imported.
I’ve learned recently that some geothermal wells may be fracked. That gives me another reason to oppose that process of puncturing the Earth Mother’s skin to suck out her precious bodily fluids.
Longmont in Boulder County attempted to ban fracking in 2016, but was shot down by the Colorado Supreme Court with justices appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper, a former geologist for the industry, earning him the moniker “Governor Frackenlooper.”
Fracking has been banned in Vermont, New York, Washington and California. Plans by 350 Colorado and Safe and Healthy Colorado to put an initiative on the ballot to ban fracking by 2030 were derailed by Governor Jared Polis’ agreement with the industry to stop the “ballot measure wars.” Now, these nonprofits will wait until Polis is out of office before they move forward with such a ballot issue.
Mind you, nobody’s proposing “defracking” existing wells. Any ban would apply only to new drilling. Make no mistake about it, banning all new fracking would mean halting all new oil and gas extraction. Drilling without fracking wouldn’t be economically feasible. Wouldn’t that be a shame?
Steven Seagal returns as ex-Navy SEAL captain, anti-terrorist expert and culinary specialist, Casey Ryback, in this pacy and entertaining sequel to “Under Siege” (1992). The setting has shifted from a battleship to a train, the luxury Denver to Los Angeles Grand Continental no less.
Taking a well deserved break from his job at a Denver restaurant, Ryback boards the train to accompany his sassy teenage niece, Sarah, to the West Coast. She is grieving the loss of her father — Ryback’s estranged brother — who coincidentally was also a Navy SEAL.
While the two are getting reacquainted, a heavily armed gang of a dozen or so criminals descended on the Grand Continental in two helicopters stolen from a search and rescue base in Leadville of all places. The team of hijackers is led by Travis Dane (Eric Bogosian), a disgruntled computer expert who faked his own death after being fired from the military. Dane’s claim to fame is the creation of the Grazer One satellite, an orbiting space weapon equipped with a particle beam capable of destroying large targets on Earth. He wastes no time gaining control of his invention from the comfort of the train, via a laptop and clunky satellite dish, after which he establishes contact with his former superiors at the Pentagon via video link. Unsurprisingly, they are dumbfounded by Dane’s apparent resurrection from the dead and irritated at the loss of connection with their prized asset.
Dane cockily demonstrates the weapon’s potential, flattening a Chinese weapons factory. He then threatens to destroy the Pentagon, the whole of Washington, D.C.
and a large swathe of the Eastern Seaboard, unless the Government agrees to stump up $1 billion — a mere trifle in today’s money. Bogosian puts in an impressive performance as the insane Dane. He exudes a comic arrogance and is equally dismissive of his former employers as he is to his band of goons. Dressed in a hideous combination of loud tie, denim shirt, tweed coat, smirky face and greasy perm, he controls Grazer One from a laptop with an entertaining flourish of one-handed typing. In a strangely prescient moment he declares “technology can be used for beauty or debasement.” No prizes for guessing which one he opted for.
By DJ Sugar Monkey
With the exception of Ryback (who gets sidetracked in the baggage car teaching a young porter how to shoot), all the passengers are corralled together in a single carriage. The galley is then mercilessly strafed with machine guns under the command of a ferocious leather-jacketed ex-soldier by the name of Mr. Penn (Everett McGill). This is very triggering of course for Ryback who takes the vandalism of kitchens very personally. Immediately he springs into action to take back control of the Grand Continental, taking the thugs down one by one.
“This, I am trained for,” he reassures his charge.
In contrast to Dane’s shabby chic appearance, Ryback cuts a dashing figure. He is perfectly coiffed and suited and booted in black satin. Many moons have elapsed since training with the SEALS, and I wondered if there was a hint of a corset keeping our hero tucked in.
Despite all the running around on the roof of the train, perching on and hanging from the greasy couplings, clinging to sheer cliff faces and innumerable dances with death, Seagal’s ensemble remains immaculate throughout. That’s Hollywood for you.
His impressive martial arts skills are on full display throughout the movie, hands as speedy as ever. Of the numerous violent confrontations with Dane’s goons, the highlight for me was the scene in which the glowering Mr. Penn sprays mace into his own mouth, “breath-freshener style,” in an absurd display of machismo to convince Ryback’s niece that he is immune to pain. Ironically, this persona is shattered when in a later scene he gets upset when Ryback slashes his leather coat.
The love interest in the movie is provided by two treacherous government agents who are caught canoodling in their compartment by one of Dane’s crew. Once it is ascertained they are of no further use to the gang, they are unceremoniously thrown from the train. The
shot of an obviously fake body hurtling down into the river far below is comical. Vintage tech fans will be impressed with Ryback’s use of a PalmPilot to make contact with his colleagues back in Denver who patch him through to the top brass back at the Pentagon, all of whom are portrayed as hapless buffoons caught off guard by the devious Dane.
Movie aficionados will recognize actor Jonathan Banks, who plays the murderous but oddly cute looking train driver. Banks, who has enjoyed a long and successful acting career, is best known for his role as Mike Ehrmantraut, Gus Fring’s head of security and “fixer” in the TV series “Breaking Bad.” More recently, he has appeared in Netflix’s “The Beast in Me” as Martin Jarvis, the odious father of the protagonist, Nile. Some of the spacecraft featured in the opening titles are genuinely impressive, and Travis Dane’s tripod-mounted communications device is a delight to behold.
“Under Siege 2: Dark Territory” is an enjoyable action flick with plenty of silliness thrown into the mix. I do not wish to spoil your enjoyment by revealing the denouement, except suffice it to say that things do not end well for Dane or Mr. Penn. Despite all his brooding and whispering, Seagal is fun to watch and unquestionably very skilled with a blade. Lest we forget, nobody beats Casey Ryback in the kitchen.
The DVD is available to borrow from Garfield County Libraries. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Seagal always puts in a good shift.
September 28, 1943 - February 25, 2026
Norman Henry Sisco passed away wrapped in comfort and love at Hope West in Grand Junction, Colorado on February 25. 2026.
Norman was a simple man. Nothing came easy for him. He worked hard for everything life brought his way, but man did he have tenacity. Right and wrong were important to him, earning him the nickname Neighborhood Watch Dog. Norman’s outer shell was tough. He came on strong, but if you won his trust, he would adorn you with “as-seen-on-TV” items. It was his way of sharing his love.
Dressed in a Carhartt jacket, his cowboy hat in place of a helmet and riding his three-wheel bike, Norman rode all around Carbondale. And even though it was time for this cowboy to ride away, maybe we could all learn from Norman. Trust and honesty. If you have these qualities, then love will follow.
Dressed in a Carhartt jacket, his cowboy hat in place of a helmet and riding his three-wheel bike, Norman rode all around Carbondale.
A memorial celebration for longtime Carbondale local Thane Lincicome will be held in the Calaway Room of the Third Street Center on Thursday, March 26 at 5:30pm. T-shirts with clever sayings or Hawaiian shirts are encouraged.
Lincicome’s obituary was printed in the Jan. 15 edition of The Sopris Sun.
RAMS from page 14
from eastern Colorado, they’re a lot faster and play way different than how the Western Slope plays. So, we’re just going to have to adjust to that,” Pena said.
The Lady Rams also had to adjust when their senior rebounding leader, Nikki Tardif, was out due to injury for a stretch of games when a loss to North Fork allowed the Miners to pull even with the Rams in the league standings.
That experience made the team better, co-captains Tardif and juniors Riley Bevington and Hazel Jenkins agreed.
“It was really hard to play without Nikki, but we also found a way to do it,” said Bevington, who is the team’s scoring and assists leader [25.9 points and 3.5 assists per game]. “Everybody stepped into a role to cover what she does for us … I think it helped us find our rhythm.”
Added Jenkins, “Nikki is a really strong, aggressive player, and when she was out we needed to step up and rise to her aggression level. And when she came back, we were all able to continue to play at that level, which made us even better as a team.”
Though it was tough to be on the bench, Tardif said she definitely noticed the positive effect.
“Watching from the sideline, you could just see how Hazel’s shots and her moves under the hoop, and her rebounds just
skyrocketed from where she started at the beginning of season, and Abby [Harris], even though she’s a freshman and is still learning, she really stepped up,” Tardif said. “It was pretty fun watching them develop and continue to grow.”
Pack the stands
What’s been building over the past two seasons, with regional bids that took the Rams on the road and ended in secondround losses, has a different feel now that they’ll be playing on the home court.
There’s a huge prize on the line for both Rams teams — a coveted trip to play in the state championship tournament.
“Our goal the whole season has been to host that regional, and it hasn’t been done here in like 20-something years,” Wilson said. Added Carballeira, “It’s just easier to play in your own gym. You know, you’ve got your fans behind you, and it’s just much more comfortable for us.”
Pena is also looking forward to a final throw-down on the home court.
“I had to miss playing on my senior night, so that was pretty hard for me,” he said. “So, having the chance to play back here, I mean, that would mean the world to me and the whole team.”
That’s Friday night, 6pm for the Roaring Fork ladies and 7:30pm for the boys.
“We’re aware of the arrest that you talked about,” said county attorney Heather Beatty. ”And so it’s our position that he is following the law.” Beatty also said that her office received a cease-and-desist order from a nonprofit legal firm in Denver.
Comments then addressed the potential ballot measure that would take money from the library to pay for RFTA’s Hogback bus service in the western part of Garfield County. It all started at a BOCC work session with Rifle City Council and the Silt town manager in February. They gathered to talk about public transportation among other issues, and who pays for the RFTA Hogback service. According to the Post Independent, Rifle is contributing $80,000 this year and, for the first time, the Town of Silt is throwing $40,000 in the pot. But the county has paid the lion’s share to keep the Hogback line in service. The county decided this year to contribute $250,000 to the route, down from $750,000 per year from 2002 to about 2020.
Jimm Mann, the Silt Town Manager, floated the idea to mayors and the BOCC of a ballot measure that would essentially take some of the sales tax money that goes to the library district and use it to pay for the Hogback service. No one has written anything yet, but local library patrons are worried that the idea will gain traction and showed up Monday to try to convince the BOCC not to support it.
Jankovsky said that one of the drivers of the ballot measure idea is that the library district has over $25 million in reserves,
from page 5
the same area of Cannon Island (about 325 yards from where they departed at Back Beach), but a dive search was delayed until Dec. 20-21, due to weather and a lack of volunteer divers.
The Sun also spoke with Josiah’s mother, Brande Bracken, who said that she talked with her son the day they reportedly left Back Beach, who told her that he was not going out to the floathouse due to the weather.
To further conflate matters, a friend of Quinn’s, Stephanie Two Two, was charged with burglary and several counts of theft for allegedly facilitating the stealing of multiple firearms from the floathouse after the men’s disappearance. That case is set for trial the week of April 27. The Sun reached out to Two Two’s attorney, but has not received a response.
Because of a slew of mysterious circumstances surrounding the case, parts of the family are left ruminating over what-if scenarios. That said, it’s not irregular for people to go missing off the coast of Alaska. In fact, Ali recalled a text her brother sent about a year ago regarding a group of his friends whose boat capsized, and only three of the five bodies were recovered. “It really spooked him,” she said.
saying that people in the western end of the county want to know if some of that is going to be returned to the public. “How is it used in your five or 10-year master plan?” he asked Trustee board chair Adrian RippySheehy who was in the audience.
For the second time in a year, the first being when the library board appeared in front of the BOCC to review the budget, Rippy-Sheehy talked about how that money is being spent. “We had the money that came from the oil and gas, and we very judiciously saved that,” she explained. “And we have that earmarked for [branch building] refreshes.”
Carolyn Howard of Carbondale praised Jamie LaRue, outgoing library district director, for leaving the district in better shape than he found it. “In April, he will leave behind a library district that is financially solvent, enjoys six solid branches across the county and benefits from an array of community partnerships,” she said, adding that community leadership demands innovation. “Garfield County is growing and has been for the last five years, and yet we have a budget shortfall that threatens to limit services,” she explained.
“This, in my opinion, is most likely because of a lack of innovation amongst our county leadership who’s failed to diversify our revenue stream over a decade-long decrease in oil and gas funding.” Howard added, “Insinuating that library district funds are up for grabs to cover budget shortfalls highlights the lack of forward thinkers amongst you.”
Quinn earned his master captain’s licence a few years ago, according to his uncle, after spending a year captaining a tuna-fishing boat with a Filipino crew. Uncle Joe knew several master captains when he lived in Alaska in ‘90s, some of whom lost their lives at sea.
Desperate for closure
Ali recalled a sociology course in college that covered missing persons at sea and grieving families being offered gifts from the ocean — items of their lost loved ones — which brought some closure.
“I remember being so mortified by that story,” Ali said. “But maybe the ocean will give us something back, eventually.”
“One of the saddest things to me is that Quinn had such great plans for the future, and, in his nature, very inclusive,” his mother said. “ I hope his credo of radical freedom lives on through all [who] knew him.”
Binion is organizing a tribute day of riding at Sunlight Mountain Resort coined “Live to Ride, Ride to Live” — a saying tattooed on Quinn’s calves — in his honor on April 4.
Quinn was known to jot down notes, including this entry copied verbatim. Sept. 7, 2024
Spending first night at Camp Coogan floathouse I hauled a 30” x 69” exterior door and a cool old 16? X 72” cabinet door out. When I arrived, I saw the most amazing jellyfish display of my life! It was so cool to see the intricacy and delicate movements of the creature. It had tentacles trailing at least 8’ in the most ephemeral, ghostlike movements. The symmetry of the jellyfish certainly exemplifies fractal kaleidoscopic geometry. So grateful! Amazing life.
WED MAR 11, 8PM
THU MAR 12, 5PM
Hosted by Gabby Bryan Wed–Sat, 10:30 PM at the Hotel Jerome Presented in association with Justice for Migrant Women ANJELAH
Late Night Lounge at Bad Harriet
BIANCA GODINA Sol del Valle
Kicking off the State of the Community Business Luncheon, an event that brings together leaders and community members from across the Colorado River Valley, Erin Hunt, executive director of the Colorado River Valley Chamber, emphasized the importance of the gathering, a tradition that has been part of the organization for decades. Hunt underscored that the value of the event lies in promoting clarity and communication among different sectors. “Communities benefit when there is transparency, shared understanding and open communication about where things are headed,” she said.
The three-hour meeting took place on Tuesday, Feb. 24, with representatives from Garfield County and the communities of Parachute, Battlement Mesa, Rifle, Silt and New Castle to share key data and updates.
The first to present was Fred Jarman, Garfield County manager, who provided a general overview of the county. “We are 3,000 square miles big, we are the fourth largest county in the state,” he explained. He added that two-thirds of the county consists of public lands, primarily managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service, leaving roughly 1,000 square miles of private land.
Jarman noted that the county remains the second-largest producer of natural gas in the state and emphasized the importance of expanding fiber broadband connectivity. “The importance of fiber in growing communities … It lifts all sectors, from education to healthcare, public safety, certainly economic development, business growth. This is the highway we want to build so that these great things can happen,” he said.
Regarding the county airport, Jarman stated that it remains the third busiest in the state for general aviation, with approximately 20,000 flights annually. Through its master plan and business plan, the county aims to secure the airport’s
development over the next 20 years, particularly in light of the temporary closure of the Aspen-Pitkin County airport in 2027. “We are trying to make smart decisions to be able to brace for that,” he said. The airport also plays a critical role in wildfire response. It is home to the state’s center of excellence for advanced aerial firefighting technology, as well as single engine air tankers. During the Lee and Elk fires, which burned nearly 140,000 acres, the airport received Black Hawk helicopters that helped prevent the fires from crossing county lines. The goal, Jarman explained, is to work with the state and federal government to “permanently locate this asset on our airfield.”
In terms of development, Jarman reported that in 2025 the county closed the year with 539 building permits, approaching levels seen before the pandemic. Proposed projects include a development of 1,500 housing units with commercial space and a hotel of up to 150 rooms, as well as the Nutrient Farms PUD, a mixed-use project that would include an RV park, amphitheater and restaurants. Both projects remain in the planning phase.
Among community initiatives, Jarman highlighted progress in affordable housing, including the groundbreaking of 88 units in Glenwood Springs. He also mentioned
the distribution of funds from the statewide opioid settlement: $100,000 to YouthZone and $25,000 to Yampah Mountain High School, resources he described as “critical to serve our youth … for mental health and dependency issues.”
The county is also working with the organization Our People/Our Community to strengthen civic engagement and promote clear communication between Spanishand English-speaking communities. Public access and capital projects
After 10 years of litigation, the county prevailed in the High Lonesome Ranch vs. BOCC case. Jarman described the outcome as “an enormous win for Garfield County,” as it preserved public access to 50,000 acres of BLM land and 14 miles of County Road 200.
The presentation concluded with a review of capital projects planned for 2026, totaling approximately $13 million. These include improvements at the county jail, such as elevator and security system upgrades, as well as updates at the Garfield County Fairgrounds, including a mobile stage to enhance future community events.
A shared vision for the Valley
Following presentations from the other municipalities, Hunt emphasized, “Each municipality in the Colorado River Valley has its own priorities, projects and challenges, and those differences are meaningful. The detailed presentations allow each community to clearly share what they are working on and where they are headed.”
Share your works in progress with readers by emailing illustrations, creative writings and poetry to fiction@soprissun.com
By Sophia Jackson Raging Grannies of Carbondale
The Raging Grannies of Carbondale, a local chapter of a nationwide movement that protests through music, sang an original song to the tune of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” during the Feb. 5 Garfield County Planning Commission hearing on the Harvest Village (formerly Harvest Roaring Fork) development proposal.
Land called Cattle Creek, Roaring Fork Valley Elk Mountain, Southeast Garfield County Life is sacred here, treasured by us all Home of elk and marmot, hear the eagle call
(Chorus)
Valley strong, stand up tall And preserve, this place for all Mountain families, we strike the gong Protect the land, stop this wrong
Not just memories, gather ‘round us
But our future, clean water, land and air Over developing, erasing star-lit skies
Halt the needless building, heed our anger cries
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
(Chorus)
Valley strong, stand up tall And preserve, this place for all Mountain families, we strike the gong Protect the land, stop this wrong
There is a voice, and you know she is a calling Reminding us we are the hope today, yes today Walking down this path, we get the feeling We are home and this is precious Earth, precious Earth
The Raging Grannies ensemble was scheduled during the public comment period, but performed their song impromptu during a break, as that portion of the meeting was continued to March 11.
(Chorus)
Valley strong, stand up tall And preserve, this place for all Mountain families, we strike the gong Protect the land, stop this wrong
(Repeat)
Mountain families, we strike the gong Protect the land, stop this wrong
not inspire confidence. It distracts from the issues and undermines trust in the process. Our community deserves thoughtful leadership, respectful dialogue, and decisions grounded in transparency and accountability, particularly when facing a development of this magnitude.
I urge our county officials to approach this matter with seriousness, professionalism, and the respect it demands.
John Kuersten should now recuse himself from further participation in the proceedings in this application.
Maria Maniscalchi
Glenwood Springs
American Legion love
I want to sincerely recognize and thank Mike Adams, the new American Legion Post 100 commander in Carbondale, for expanding and hosting community on Feb. 20. Mike grilled local beef burgers while Olivia the Bard and Bridger Langfur played a number of original tunes and over 30 community folks stopped by and stayed a while. It was genuine community building and quite fun. Our local veterans so generously served our country, and now they are welcoming and serving our community. Mike, we’re looking forward to the next community night. Thank you!
Sarah R. Johnson
Every time I walk past the corner of 4th and Main St. I feel gratitude for the owner of the Dinkel Building. The renovation of the building probably did not make economic sense and the effort to honor what is probably the most important building in town is
I do not know the owner so I can only say it through the media, thank you!
Greetings to my beloved community of In George Orwell’s novel, “1984,” the totalitarian government (“The Party”) uses the “Ministry of Truth” to rewrite history, destroy documents, and use a language called “Newspeak” to eliminate words that could facilitate rebellious thought. The Trump administration, a Republican-controlled Congress, and a conservative media are orchestrating a non-fictional production, “2026,” to express this prophetic narrative. Initiated in 2025, the No Kings Day protests were a series of widespread, peaceful, and massive demonstrations across all 50 U.S. states, aimed at opposing the authoritarianism and executive overreach of the Donald Trump administration. Held on Oct. 18, 2025, the second No Kings Day protest drew an estimated 7 million people across more than 2,700 rallies nationwide to defend our democracy against a “king-like” presidency. The third national No Kings Day protest is scheduled for March 28, 2026.
The 3.5% Rule, formulated by Harvard Kennedy School professor Erica Chenoweth, is a concept that states that when 3.5% of the population of a country protests nonviolently against an authoritarian government, the government is likely to fall from power.
The March event may very well surpass the 3.5% threshold, which is approximately 11.75 million people.
Jim Coddington III New York
Thanks
On behalf of the Aspen Daily News Journalism Fund, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to the women of the Aspen Thrift Shop for their generous support of our paid summer internship program. Their investment allows us to continue bringing a talented student journalist to the Roaring Fork Valley each summer — not only to learn the craft of local reporting, but to meaningfully contribute to the civic life of this community. Our 2025 intern accomplished so much during her time with us that she was able to graduate early, a testament to both her hard work and the real-world opportunities made possible through this program. That kind of impact begins with community partners who believe in the importance of local journalism.
The Aspen Daily News Journalism Fund exists to strengthen independent reporting and invest in the next generation of storytellers who will carry this work forward. We are deeply grateful to the Aspen Thrift Shop for sharing that vision and for supporting a program that helps ensure our valley continues to be served by thoughtful, engaged, and well-trained journalists.
Megan Tackett
Aspen
Double thanks
Daily
News
The Soldner Center for the Arts and Innovation would like to thank the Aspen Thrift Shop for their support for our nonprofit and the Ginny Soldner Poetry Collaborative. Through sales of donated, gently-used items, over 200 hard working volunteer women are helping to fund more than 125 nonprofits in the Roaring Fork Valley. Their belief in and commitment to our community and to those who make lives better is remarkable and truly needed. Thank you for all that each of you do for us in the Roaring Fork Valley!
This year the Aspen Thrift Shop is helping to support the second year of the Ginny Soldner Poetry Collaborative in the inspiring, natural setting of the historic home of Paul and Ginny Soldner. Our May 29 to June 30 in-person workshop will be followed by semimonthly Zoom sessions guided by published poet and teacher Heather Swan and a new writing community for the next 11 months. The Zoom gatherings will be generative spaces for expanding poetry writing and will feature a wide variety of guest poets throughout the year.
Because of the ladies of the Thrift Shop’s support, for the first time the Soldner Center and Heather Swan will be joined by nationally known and beloved poet James Crews, for a free openhearted public poetry reading in the Aspen Chapel sanctuary. Please plan to join us May 30, 7 to 9pm, followed by a reception and book signing. For more information, please go to www.soldnercenter.com/a-year-of-poetry Stephanie Soldner Soldner Center for the Arts and Innovation
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.
The Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club hosted Best Buddies for rugby drills at a soggy Wagner Park in Aspen on Sunday, March 1. Best Buddies International provides peer-to-peer matches for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in more than 35 countries. “Here in the Roaring Fork Valley, we mastermind friendship, connection and inclusion in the schools and beyond,” Kim Magee with Best Buddies told The Sopris Sun. “It’s all about participation, fun and eliminating loneliness!” The Buddies and the Gentlemen teamed up with Viceroy Snowmass, Paradise Bakery and Timberline Bank Aspen for an afternoon of music, steak sandwiches and tons of fun.
Courtesy photos
TOWN OF CARBONDALE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of considering a subdivision exemption request for the adjustment of a building envelope for a vacant residential-zoned lot at 0 South Third Street.
Project Description: The current building envelope was established based on protecting a mature tree that is now gone. This request is to change the building envelope to reflect the zone district’s standard setbacks.
Property Location: 0 South Third Street (Block 14 Lot B Section: 34 Township: 7 Range: 88)
Applicant: Confluence Architecture
Owner: Nicki Cannon
Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 7:00 p.m. on March 26th, 2026.
Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be viewed on the Town’s website at: https://www.carbondalegov.org/departments/ planning/current_land_use_applications.php
If you would like to submit comments regarding this application you may send them via email to epeterson@carbondaleco.net by 5:00 pm on March 26th, 2026. The comments will be entered into the record. If you have questions regarding the application, please contact Ellie Peterson, Planner at 970-510-1212.
Published in The Sopris Sun on March 5, 2026.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of considering a subdivision exemption request for a lot split for a vacant residentialzoned lot at 202 Euclid Avenue.
Project Description: This project proposes demolishing the current structure on site and subdividing the lot into two.
Property Location: 202 Euclid Avenue (Block 7 Lot 1 Section: 34 Township: 7 Range: 88)
Applicant: Joel Rem & Lynn Siodmak
Owner: Joel Rem & Lynn Siodmak
Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 7:00 p.m. on March 26th, 2026.
Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be viewed on the Town’s website at:
https://www.carbondalegov.org/departments/ planning/current_land_use_applications.php
If you would like to submit comments regarding this application you may send them via email to epeterson@carbondaleco.net by 5:00 pm on March 26th, 2026. The comments will be entered into the record. If you have questions regarding the application, please contact Ellie Peterson, Planner at 970-510-1212.
Published in The Sopris Sun on March 5, 2026.
TOWN OF CARBONDALE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Board of Adjustment for the purpose of considering a variance request for building height for a vacant lot located at 1393 Main Street.
Project Description: The property contains a depression in the southwest corner of the lot close to the intersection of Main Street and Hendrick Road. The application requests adjusting the baseline (natural grade) elevation to use the predominate lot elevation of 6171 feet and allow future development to better respond to the existing roadways.
Property Location: 1393 Main Street (Parcel 1, Resubdivision of Velasquez Property, parcel #239333400042)
Applicant: re:LAND
Owner: Crystal River Marketplace LLC
Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Rec Center, 567 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 6:30 p.m. on March 25th, 2026.
Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application may also be viewed on the Town’s website at:
https://www.carbondalegov.org/departments/ planning/current_land_use_applications.php
If you would like to submit comments regarding this application you may send them via email to jbarnes@ carbondaleco.net by 5:00 pm on March 25th, 2026. The comments will be entered into the record. If you have questions regarding the application, please contact Jared Barnes, Planning Director at 970-510-1208.
Published in The Sopris Sun on March 5, 2026.
Alpine
Clark
Hollis & Anne-Marie
RuthAnn Spidell
Bank of Colorado
Bighorn Toyota
Ted & Ruth Edmonds
Fine Things Jewelry &Collectables
Holy Cross Energy
Konnie Krahn-Prosence at Coldwell Banker
Mason Morse
Kathy Kline & Bill Wood
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Iron Mountain Hot Springs
The Sopris Sun*
Tapp & Associates, Inc.
19th Street Diner
Carter & Kathy Barger
Copy Copy*
Dr. Greg & Kathy Feinsinger
Patricia & Gerry Hittinger
Judy Huston
Jim Campbell & Sandy Jackson
Nancy KahnSue & Bob Ludtke
Maggie Pedersen & Bob Millette
Carol Nofziger
Leonard & Nancy Nordell
James & Carolyn O'Donnell
Jack & Sharon Petersen
Artie & Maureen Rothman
Cindy Lundin & George Shaver
Patricia Trauger