The Carbondale Fashion Show once again awed spectators, bringing a circus-themed, theatrical production roaring to life at the Carbondale Rec Center, March 12-14. This year, Emily Fifer and Meagan Shapiro took the directorial reins with great success. Landan Berlof played ringmaster, energetically weaving together the carnival-esque creations of dancers, aerialists and designers — all carried by more than 60 volunteer models. An event of this size is made possible thanks to a large team coordinating every little detail. Find the show program archived at www.issuu.com/ soprissun
See page 21 for more photos
Photo by Bob Rugile
Photo by Will Sardinsky
Photo by Will Sardinsky
Photo by Will Sardinsky
‘All Used Up’
We’re all “aging.” From our neighbor turning 10 to friends turning 80, if you manage to stay alive, aging happens. For a time, that process means gaining abilities. Then, slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the gains stabilize. Eventually, they become losses. When 55-year-old Susan moved back to the Valley, and Ron made his Valley debut at 68, losses were underway, but not yet noticeable enough to cause much concern. Ron was riding centuries on his bike, and Susan was skinning mountains to earn untracked powder. But as the years passed, things changed. Susan recently celebrated 70 cycles around the sun by e-biking 200 miles on rails-to-trails routes, and Ron celebrated becoming 85 by having an asthma attack in Thailand and learning the value of prednisone, a reminder that bodies have their own ideas. Then they both went home to rest (and rest, and . . .)
OPINION
For years now, injuries, surgeries, drugs and carefully orchestrated recoveries have often kept them from much of that good Roaring Fork stuff we live here for. Still, they’re lucky. They’re still aging. But even without those medical interruptions, their “performance curves” would have dropped; and every ability we lose, every activity we cut back or give up, leaves holes in our lives. Those holes need filling.
MATURE CONTENT
By Ron Kokish and Susan Rhea
add up, how do we fill the empty spaces they leave? Susan, giving a visitor directions to one of her favorite runs during a chairlift ride, wondered: When was the last time SHE skied there? But she had that conversation on a chairlift. She was still skiing. No hole yet. Ron gave up scuba diving once he was no longer sure he could track all the numbers that kept him breathing. That left a hole. But he hasn’t given up biking. He bought an e-bike to help him climb hills. Sometimes, technology can plug holes that aging creates. When Susan’s broken ankle healed, she danced again, until a meniscus tear sent her back to surgery. And there she was, taking another unwanted break from dancing. Now, the meniscus is fixed, and she’s back once more, but at a different level. Everybody has to find their own way to fill the holes that aging leaves. Ron’s mother, who once loved long walks, stopped leaving her home at age 88 after her husband died. When Ron asked her if she wanted to continue living, she unhesitatingly said, “Yes.” When he asked her what she was living for, she answered, “to have lunch, watch some television.” Not a satisfying answer for Ron, but it was her life and her hole to fill.
Two of Susan’s elderly friends came for a visit. (We can’t really say “old” anymore — too much confusion in that word.) A few days before they arrived, Susan looked at her house and quickly wrote to them, “Can you manage my stairs? All my bedrooms are upstairs. Should I rent a room for you nearby?” They replied they could manage if there were good handrails. (The guy used to run marathons.) Susan’s antique dining table chairs are a little fragile. Surprisingly, none of them were damaged, despite her 6’5”, wellbuilt friend having to push his chair against a wall and then push the wall to get up. But though the chairs survived unscathed, the toilet tank developed a leak when he tried the same trick to stand from the commode. His wife was Susan’s running partner. Now, they are looking at being walk-around-the-block partners. “The time has arrived,” she told Susan, “to find mutually interesting sedentary activities.”
These are mostly small losses. We can live with them. So far. But they add up, creating holes in our lives. At cancer centers they often say, “It is what it is. Accept it and move on.” But as our losses
LETTERS
Carbondale gymnastics
We, the members of Age-Friendly Carbondale, fill some of our holes with causes and projects, creating existential meaning by making some of our dreams come true for the sake of someone else’s future. Having been flower children, protesting hippies and such, we are not growing old in the world we expected to grow old in. (There’s that “O” word again.)
We expected more economic and social equality, equal justice under fairly applied law, maybe even some swords becoming plowshares. We made but a little progress, and now it seems we are losing much of it. So, we are filling some of our holes by going back to our political roots, intent on leaving at least our little corner of the world better than we found it. At age 30, we thought we could win the fight, but now, we think it’s engagement that matters; the process of working for what we care about can make life more worth living, regardless of the successes, setbacks and failures.
Ron once had a mentor who said that she wanted the inscription on her headstone to read “All Used Up.” She wanted people to know she had used up everything life gave her. Filling the holes aging creates is one way of doing that.
Mature Content is a monthly feature from Age-Friendly Carbondale.
Last year, The Sopris Sun asked an important question about the former City Market building: “Is anything happening?” If the answer is still “not yet,” I’d like to offer a suggestion — could it become a gymnastics facility for the mid-valley?
Right now, families in Glenwood, Carbondale, Basalt and the surrounding communities have very limited options. Aspen Gymnastics offers an excellent program, but it’s a significant drive upvalley and not always realistic for many families, especially during winter weather or heavy traffic. There is also a program in Silt, which is equally far in the other direction. For many mid-valley kids, regular participation simply isn’t feasible.
Carbondale does have a small grassroots gymnastics program that operates out of the Bridges High School, but it’s limited in space and equipment. From what I understand, the program is wonderful but modest, with a beam, a portable mat and aerial silks, but not the full set of apparatus — such as full-sized uneven bars, spring floor or vault — that are standard in a dedicated facility. The interest is clearly there; the infrastructure just isn’t.
The former City Market space seems like a natural fit. Gymnastics facilities typically
require large, open, warehouse-style buildings with high ceilings — exactly the kind of structure that already exists there. Instead of sitting vacant, it could become a vibrant youth recreation hub serving kids from across the mid-valley.
Beyond athletics, gymnastics builds strength, coordination, confidence and discipline. It’s also one of the few sports children can begin at a young age and continue for years, building strength and coordination that benefit many other sports as well. A centrally located facility in Carbondale would make participation far more accessible for local families.
Of course, converting a building like this would require leadership, funding and organization. But before anything else, it requires the idea — and perhaps the right person or group to run with it. Could someone turn the old City Market into a gymnastics facility?
And if not gymnastics, then perhaps something else. I’m not a developer, city planner or engineer, but it seems like a shame for such a large, centrally located space to sit empty when it could serve the community. What’s the hold up?
Chloe Barrett Carbondale
Preserve our valley
Water scarcity and drought remain significant challenges in the Roaring Fork Valley. Current reports emphasize low water forecasts, dry conditions, minimal snowpack and growing concerns at the Colorado River District meetings. If this development continues, it will strangle the Valley’s water issues. Affluent, out-of-state developers are buying the last parcels in the Valley. These corporate initiatives rarely address the deeper impacts on community structure and culture. After years of efforts to add affordable units to market-rate projects, home prices keep rising and workforce housing remains scarce. Residents deal with higher taxes, living costs and congestion, showing that simply building more units isn’t enough. The global housing demand can’t be solved by construction alone. We need targeted, responsible solutions that support lasting community stability.
Wildlife habitat is disappearing, forcing animals to adjust to reduced winter range. They struggle to adapt and herd sizes dwindle because the land can no longer support them. Animals always lose in these encounters. It is essential we focus on protecting and conserving remaining habitat. continued on page 22
Editor Raleigh Burleigh 970-510-3003
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Drought Task Force
Governor Jared Polis activated Colorado’s Drought Task Force and Phase 2 of the state’s Drought Response Plan on March 17 given record-breaking warm temperatures and low snowpack. As reported by Aspen Journalism, snowpack in the Roaring Fork River Basin is at 65% of normal as of March 13 and 75% of days from November through February were warmer than average.
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Democrat Jonathan Godes, former mayor of Glenwood Springs, announced on March 16 his run for the District 1 seat on Garfield County’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). That seat is currently occupied by Chairman Tom Jankovsky, a Republican serving his fourth term on the BOCC. Godes will run against Republican Eric Rudd, who announced his candidacy last month. “With energy revenues declining and families feeling squeezed, this is a turning point for our county,” Godes said. “The decisions we make right now will shape whether working families can afford to stay here and whether our kids can build their future here.” A campaign launch party takes place on March 19 at Down Valley Brewing in New Castle at 6pm.
Town Center
The Town of Carbondale is seeking a development partner to lead design, permitting, financing and construction of the Town Center property surrounding Thunder River Theatre. The Town envisions a vibrant infill development featuring 45-60 residential units, primarily serving households earning 80-140% of the area median income (AMI), along with 10,000-20,000 square feet of commercial and creative space. The Town will offer a long-term ground lease for a nominal fee and has secured $2 million in federal funding to support the project. Proposals are due by May 15. Learn more at www.bit.ly/ Town-Center-RFP
Breaking bread
The Carbondale Community Oven needs help to make its summer season happen! Email comoven@gmail.com to become a firemaster or join the organizing team.
Basalt Public Art
The Town of Basalt has issued an open call to sculptural artists to apply to display their work for up to two years in Willits. The deadline to apply is May 1, with the goal of a June-July installation. Selected artists will receive a $1,500 honorarium. The art will be installed for two years with an option for the
The Sopris Sun is pleased to announce Skyler Stark-Ragsdale as its next managing editor, officially slipping into the shoes Monday, March 23. Stark-Ragsdale brings a plethora of experience, holding a bachelor’s in film and media studies from Colorado College as well as a graduate degree from Emerson College in journalism. After an 18-month stint at The Aspen Times, where Stark-Ragsdale worked as a senior reporter and assistant editor, he has made his way to The Sun. He isn’t completely new to the team, however, having guided the paper’s Youth News Bureau and the formation of its monthly insert, The Sopris Stars, since August 2025. Photo by James Steindler
Town to extend the display or purchase the art piece for its permanent collection. Apply for free at www.basalt.net/bpac
Roaring Fork Fencers
The Roaring Fork Fencers Club snagged a triple-podium finish at the Regional Open Circuit of the Rockies in early February. This regional competition took place at the Denver Fencing Center with a new “adult” category for fencers 18 to 39. Congratulations to Asher Rudow, second place, Div III Men’s Foil; Zoe Dillon, third place, Div III Women’s Foil; Caitlyn Tivy, tied for third, Adult Women’s Foil. Learn more at www.RoaringForkFC.com
Scam alert
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is aware of scammers sending fraudulent texts impersonating the agency. These texts falsely claim recipients have unpaid tickets and face consequences. The DMV does not initiate contact via unsolicited text messages. Scams can by reported at www.ic3.gov and reportfraud.ftc.gov
Culvert replacement
Construction to replace an existing culvert under JW Drive at its intersection with El Jebel Road is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 23. The project is anticipating five days of single-lane closures and should be completed by April 24. Motorists are asked to slow down, be patient, stay alert and always drive distraction-free.
I-70 construction
Work has resumed in the Glenwood Canyon to replace bridge joint structures and improve guardrails along 17 miles from Glenwood Springs to Dotsero. Traffic impacts will include single-lane configurations and reduced speed limits.
Closing day
Sunlight Mountain Resort announced March 18 that due to unseasonably warm temps and historically meager snowpack, the mountain will close on Sunday, March 22, two weeks sooner than scheduled.
Gray wolf mortality
Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported another gray wolf death on March 11. Investigation into the death of the maternal member of the King Mountain pack in northwest Colorado is underway. The wolf’s mate succumbed unexpectedly during a collaring operation on Jan. 28. This marks the third wolf death this year and the 13th death among 25 wolves brought to Colorado as part of voter-approved reintroduction efforts.
Scholarships fundraiser
The Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO) Carbondale/Basalt chapter has served the Valley for 46 years and is excited to announce its Sip for Scholarship wine-tasting fundraiser, March 20 from 5 to 7pm at The Orchard (110 Snowmass Drive, Carbondale). Tickets are available at the door with proceeds providing four scholarships to local young women graduating this spring. PEO’s emphasis is to “educate, celebrate, motivate” women to achieve their highest aspirations. The event includes appetizers, entertainment and a silent auction.
They
say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Matthew Eames, Sophia Higbie, Katie Hunter and Michael Schneiter (March 19); Leigh Kauffman (March 20); Judy Bartels, Kerwin Hirro and Miles Phillips (March 21); Tanner Hawkins and Evan Piccolo (March 22); Erin Danneker (March 23); Martin Gerdan and Jammin’ Jim (March 24); Ben Canady and Alta Otto (March 25).
GarCo Planning recommends denial of Harvest Village
On Wednesday, March 11, the Garfield County Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend denying the application for a proposed 1,500-unit development in unincorporated Garfield County, between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs.
The commission denied the application at nearly 11:30pm, after hundreds of citizens came to the meeting in opposition to the project. Much of the time was reserved for public comment, which had not been reached at the likewise well-attended initial meeting on Feb. 25.
Held at the Colorado Mountain College Spring Valley campus’
Ascent Center, dozens of citizens raised their hands to stand at the podium to voice their opinions. Speakers ranged from locals living adjacent to the property, former local government officials, representatives of conservation groups and musical activists.
The development was originally titled Harvest Roaring Fork but was recently redubbed Harvest Village due to a local catering company already operat-
ranch and the home of the old “U76” barn. The development would be the size of an entire town, housing between 3,000 and 5,000 people and offering 55,000 square feet of retail space.
The application was filed by Texas-based developer Realty Capital, which bought the property in the spring of 2024.
Developer Richard Myers spoke on behalf of the company, pointing out the area’s housing needs and presenting Harvest Village as an effective solution.
Ten-percent of the units would be designated as deed-restricted affordable housing, which is the minimum required by Garfield County. An additional 300 units would not be price-restricted, but would be set aside for workers in Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties.
While the commissioners acknowledged the need for housing, many expressed reservations towards Harvest Village’s current high-density blueprint.
Lani Kitching, a former Carbondale trustee and chair of the State of Colorado Wildlife Council, came to the podium to speak of her own accord. Kitching argued that installation of road
upheaval in and around the Roaring Fork River.”
Kitching pointed out that the region’s diminishing water supply would be further burdened by the development. She said it could be especially problematic in the event of “unforeseeable circumstances,” such as wildfire.
Members of the Cattle Creek Confluence Coalition (CCCC), an organization formed in opposi-
a representative of CCCC, said.
“It’s far too dense and urban for this area. It’s incompatible with surrounding land uses. It will exacerbate traffic congestion rather than alleviating it, and it threatens the safety and well-being of our community.”
Olsen emphasized that, according to a traffic report released by Realty Capital, daily trips through that section of High-
Andrea Tupi, an ecologist from Roaring Fork Conservancy, weighed in on the ecological concerns of the development. Roaring Fork Conservancy currently manages the Cattle Creek Conservation easement adjacent to the developer’s property. She claimed that the proposed utility line for the development would be significantly disruptive.
“This crossing would pass
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
In the foreground, Marty Schlein of Carbondale reaches out to comfort a toddler who had just begun to fuss at the hours-long public-comment meeting for the Harvest Village proposal, held Wednesday night, March 11. A continuation of a previous meeting on Feb. 25, the event saw another strong community turnout. Here, in front of the packed room,
Siri Olsen of the Cattle Creek Confluence Coalition speaks of concerns with fire-evacuation issues. In the end, the Planning Commission voted 6-1 recommending denial of the application. Photo by Alison Osius
Carbondale candidate questions
1 What inspires you to run for election/re-election?
2 What qualifies you to represent the interests of Carbondale residents?
3 What’s one thing you’d like to see completed with a four-year term?
4 Is there anything about Carbondale’s current trajectory that worries you, which you’d hope to address?
Ballots are in the mail for Carbondale’s municipal election. These are due back by April 7 and can be dropped off anytime at the ballot box outside Town Hall. Two candidates are running for the mayor’s seat and four are running for three open trustee seats. Join The Sopris Sun and KDNK News for a candidate forum on March 25 at 6pm at Town Hall. Suggested questions can be submitted in advance at www.tinyurl.com/CarbondaleCandidates or emailed directly to Raleigh@SoprisSun.com Until then, we present a few getting-to-know-you questions and candidate responses.
ERICA SPARHAWK
Mayoral Candidate
1 In my last nine years as a Carbondale trustee, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a lot of really challenging issues, from large planning efforts (like the new pool) to ones we didn’t anticipate (the pandemic). What inspires me is seeing creative solutions I’ve helped design come to fruition, by working with fellow trustees, town staff, and residents alike. One example is when we implemented the tobacco tax, we created a solution that both addresses usage of tobacco products while providing a revenue stream to fund mental health counselors in our local schools — highlighting what can happen when we listen to the kids, partner with community partners, and think creatively about solutions.
2 I have seen the community through several different lenses — as a kid who grew up here, a parent, soccer coach, town trustee, employee of local nonprofits, and now as CEO of a company I co-founded. I have spent my entire professional career focused on protecting the environment and sustainability. I have seen this community grow and change over the last 40-plus years and believe I’m exactly the type of person who can represent Carbondale. In addition, I’ve had the honor of serving two consecutive terms as trustee, with experience as mayor pro tem, giving me exposure to a host of issues from housing and public transportation, to
budgeting constraints and our water supply and dealing with drought.
3 If there’s anything I’ve learned over the last nine years as trustee, it’s that there will be issues that will arise which we cannot predict. Therefore, we need leaders who have experience and are able to ask the right questions and collaborate with all different people to tackle a range of issues. I’m confident that I can be that kind of leader for our community.
I want to make sure our entire community feels connected and safe. The greater world might feel unsafe right now, and people might feel growing divisions in an increasingly digital world. Therefore, I want to make sure our community members feel safe walking and biking in town, feel connected through arts or sports in our public parks, and feel like our local government is a resource here to help them thrive.
Additionally, in the next four years, I will commit to helping create more affordable housing options for our community, and help streamline our planning and building regulations to make it easier for businesses — like new childcare facilities and restaurants — while also maintaining our mixed and funky feel in town.
4 I am deeply concerned about housing and want to ensure that those who work in Carbondale can afford to live in Carbondale. Whether it’s our own town staff, public employees, restaurant and construction workers, or nurses and artists: it’s the
people who have always made Carbondale the town we all love who deserve to be able to live here. But importantly, as mayor, I want to hear from you. I intend to engage the community, whether taking walking meetings, or morning coffee chats, because my vision for Carbondale is that everyone feels represented. Succeeding in this role is going to take partnerships and collaboration and I invite everyone’s ideas to help me shape the best-designed, most durable solutions, tailored to this one-of-a-kind town we all know and love.
PATRICIA SAVOY Mayoral Candidate
1 I’m inspired to run for mayor because I care deeply about the future of our town. Carbondale is growing rapidly, and we must ensure that growth does not outpace our infrastructure, public services, or quality of life. I believe in responsible, thoughtful planning that protects what makes our community special while preparing for the future. We need practical solutions to manage traffic, support our local economy, and invest in sustainable, clean energy. I want to help guide growth in a way that keeps Carbondale livable, balanced, and strong for current residents and future generations.
2 I’m qualified to represent the interests of Carbondale residents because I have lived in the same home here since 1997 and have been part of the local business community since 1999,
running a successful upholstery business in ET Plaza. I’ve also driven a bus for RFTA for over 15 years, giving me firsthand knowledge of our region’s growth and traffic patterns. Carbondale is truly home to me. My long-term connection to this community and understanding of its challenges motivate me to protect what makes our town special and keep it the quaint, welcoming place we all love.
3 One thing I would like to see accomplished within a four-year term is stronger planning that ensures growth pays for itself. Carbondale is growing quickly, and our infrastructure must keep up. I would work to establish policies where developers contribute fairly to the roads, services, and infrastructure their projects require, so the burden doesn’t fall on Carbondale taxpayers. At the same time, I want to slow growth to a responsible pace and ensure we have the resources our community needs. My goal is to protect Carbondale’s character while making sure development is thoughtful, balanced, and financially responsible.
4 What worries me about Carbondale’s current trajectory is the pace of growth and the strain it puts on our infrastructure. We essentially have only two main routes in and out of town — Highway 133 and Main Street. If there were a major emergency, evacuation or access for first responders could become a serious concern. As Carbondale continues to grow, we must carefully consider
traffic, safety, and emergency preparedness. I believe we need thoughtful planning that slows growth to a manageable pace and ensures our infrastructure and safety systems can support our community now and in the future.
JOANNE TEEPLE
Trustee Candidate
1 As I have followed the Board of Trustees through the years, I am repeatedly impressed by the decisions made by this body as well as how these decisions have shaped our town. These are the results of our friends and neighbors stepping up to create our quality of life and our future. I am humbled by their well-considered actions.
I believe that I have the skills and ability to contribute to this process.
2 I am an engaged citizen of Carbondale. I use my critical thinking skills. I find collaborating to be an effective means of solving issues. I am acquainted with a wide swath of our town population. I like to entertain a variety of viewpoints in making decisions. I am willing to make the time commitment and effort to serve on this board. I have some background in accounting and budgeting. I served on several local committees through the years pertaining to our Garfield County Public Library District and the Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District. I read extensively across a broad range of topics.
3 I walk/take the bus/ bicycle/use the Downtowner/
drive. I understand that how one navigates Carbondale influences one’s perceptions of safety and civility.
Our town is overdue for a true circulator bus route. The current CC Circulator is a shuttle between the Carbondale Park & Ride and Main and 7th streets downtown. There is no regularly scheduled transit service beyond this route.
The Downtowner is not a predictable transit service. Wait times often exceed 40 minutes for a pickup. Pickup times often shift to longer waits once service is requested. For a commuter this defeats the purpose of the system. When the bus connection is missed it results in an additional wait time of up to 30 minutes for the next departure.
There have been comments that younger people using the service create these issues. What are their alternatives, especially during inclement weather?
4 I am not a worrier.
As the past several years have shown us, we are better served by responding to issues as they present themselves. Remember the COVID conundrum? The Venezuelan humanitarian situation? Our Board of Trustees made thoughtful and sound decisions.
A robust town government serves as a foundation to negotiate various circumstances. Two examples of current challenges are fire and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). These are two issues that we know of. Every day is a different day.
Chris Hassig Colin Laird
Kade Gianinetti
Joanne Teeple
Patricia Savoy
Erica Sparhawk
Apple Tree ‘welfare’ water quality concerns linger
JAMES STEINDLER
Contributing Editor
After handwashing at her kitchen sink, Brenda Ramos loads water-stained dishes into a dishwasher that’s solely used as a drying rack. Her husband, Oscar Ramos, saunters into the kitchen with a blue casing, unsealing the cap and pouring out dark-brown water before removing a filter caked with sediment.
“It’s like pure gasoline,” Brenda said of the water.
The Ramos’ live in Mountain Shadows, a subdivision outside of New Castle immediately neighboring Apple Tree Mobile Home Park, which shares the same water source. The Ramos family invested in the personal Aquasure filtration system for their home, but it’s done little to fix the issue, they say. Oscar replaces the filter every few months.
They still don’t drink the water from the tap and most often do their laundry, especially whites that inevitably stain, outside of the park. They use store-bought water for drinking, to make ice and sometimes just to brush their teeth. The tap water is used for bathing, and has permanently stained the tub under the spout and jets. Brenda claimed that her daughter’s eczema is exacerbated by the water, which, after spending some time away, cleared right up.
For years, the water quality in Apple Tree has been of concern. In 2023, The Sopris Sun reported on the issue, which was brought to a head following the transfer of ownership from the previous owners, the Talbott family, to Investment Property Group (IPG) in 2020. As of late, concerns have been aired over Facebook and among neighbors.
Kim Cassady has lived in Apple Tree for 28 years, and said the water quality has gotten worse since IPG took over.
“I love the ladies in the office, and Henry, who has been a longtime manager here. They’re all really good people,” Cassady said. “But it doesn’t feel like the umbrella of IPG really cares about the community.”
Apple Tree management regularly carries out community-wide flushes of the water system, and residents are generally advised to flush their home lines afterwards. Many residents also flush their hot water heaters regularly. Cassady said she flushes their hot water heater at least every few months, and that the community-wide flushes have become more frequent.
Jenelle Vega has been an Apple Tree resident for 20 years. “My lot rent when I first moved in was $257 a month,” Vega explained. She said that her rent is expected to go up $48 in April, to around $720. She doesn’t pay for sewer, water or irrigation “because [she] is grandfathered in.” But IPG’s website advertises base-site rent at $1,045 for prospective renters, plus additional costs for water and sewer.
Since she’s lived there, Vega said her family has gone through four washing machines, six toilets (between two bathrooms), two bathtubs and three dishwashers. “I currently do not have a dishwasher and refuse to buy a new one,” she said. “We don’t drink the water. I do not cook with the water.”
The residents The Sun spoke with can only speculate why the water seems to have gotten worse.
continued on page 16
Oscar Ramos empties water from a personal home filtration system before changing the filter on March 8. Photo by James Steindler
One year after founder’s tragic death, Seed Peace and Wild Mountain Seeds continue strong
RALEIGH BURLEIGH
Sopris Sun Editor
Casey Piscura took his life on Feb. 2, 2025 — a Sunday. That week the news broke slowly, then quickly rippled through the community, opening a chasm of grief shared among the people who knew and admired this seemingly unstoppable farmer. Several memorials were held in the weeks that followed, including a gathering of hundreds at Spring Creeks Ranch on Feb. 12, 2025. The question of his legacy loomed large. What of Wild Mountain Seeds and Seed Peace?
More than a year later, the community can take heart knowing that these projects, in service of regenerative agriculture, remain strong thanks to family and friends.
Bob and Debbie Piscura and Gina Piscura-Herndon, Casey’s loving father, mother and sister, have taken the nonprofit Seed Peace into new territory. Casey initially founded Seed Peace to complement the work of his seed-breeding business, Wild Mountain Seeds. He aspired to nurture communities, farmers and soil toward a more sustainable future for the industry. Eventually this nonprofit merged with another, The Farm Collaborative.
In the wake of Casey’s death, Seed Peace was separated from The Farm Collaborative and given a new purpose: To connect farmers with wellness resources, including eye and dental care, primary care doctor visits, specialized mental health counseling, emergency grants and alternative care like massage therapy and yoga. Farming is often done from a passion for serving people and caring for the earth. Nonetheless, farmers face unique challenges that can lead to burnout, isolation and financial stress, all of which contribute to depression and anxiety.
“When you have a need, think of Seed Peace,” Bob tells farmers. “Contact us.” He gave the example of a young woman who caught salmonella and faced a $750 charge for medicine. Working with Thrive Osteopathy, the primary care practice of Dr. Emily Zerba, Seed Peace was able to obtain a coupon and pay $155. Other local care providers include Valley Vision in Glenwood Springs, Rivers Dentistry, The Yoga Collective, Inner Space Wellness, Pathfinders and the Colorado Agricultural Addiction and Mental Health Program (CAAMP).
“We’ve definitely had some additional
uptake,” Gina said, “but it has been slow.”
For now, Seed Peace serves Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Delta counties, as well as parts of Virginia, where Casey grew up. Farmers receiving any government aid like SNAP or Medicaid, or making less than $75,000 a year, are eligible for Seed Peace benefits. Some services have a “pay it forward” fee to build the fund, but many are 100% covered. For $360, Seed Peace can connect farmers with a year’s worth of primary health care.
“The goal is for Seed Peace to be sustainable financially, so farmers can be sustainable,” Gina explained.
CAAMP offers six free therapy sessions with a mental health counselor trained to better understand the plights of agricultural workers. Seed Peace can provide an additional six free sessions. A contact with National Farmers Mental Health Alliance has told Bob it’s sometimes difficult for farmers to accept help, but if a trained therapist meets with them, within four sessions, “usually, they’ve given these farmers the tools and they can pat them on the back and maybe go on maintenance visits,” Bob relayed.
Farmers practicing regenerative agriculture, as well as prospective donors and care-providing partners, can learn more about Seed Peace at www.seedpeace.org Wild Mountain Seeds
Meanwhile, at Sunfire Ranch, owners Jason Sewell and Jaymeson Leo, with ample help from Justin Blumenthal and Adam Ting — friends and farming
confidants of Casey — as well as interns and volunteers, picked up the pieces last spring and successfully took Wild Mountain Seeds through the summer growing season. Together they delivered vegetables through a community-supported agriculture model (CSA) and at the Carbondale Farmers’ Market. Additionally, a partnership with Lift-Up continues to make the locally-grown crops more accessible.
“The goal was really just to keep things status quo in terms of continuing to save seed and continuing the vegetable production,” Leo said.
This year, on Jan. 15, seed sales resumed. Casey used to say that diverse produce from the farm was a delicious byproduct of his true passion — seed breeding. He collected plant varieties from around the world to test and strengthen at high altitude with a relatively narrow growing window. His seeds gained renown for their resiliency, as well as colorful and flavorful fruits.
Sewell compared the idea with performance athletes who train at elevation. Farms around the country and world see it working, with Wild Mountain Seeds hardened and adapted to thrive in this and milder climates.
After Casey’s death, Leo focused on fulfilling outstanding seed orders then pressed “pause” on new sales. Ting, who spent many summers working with Casey, knew which crops to flag and seeds to save so that the business could resume. Leo organized what was left and is now seeing to it.
A CSA will again be offered, this time with a flower add-on, and Wild Mountain Seeds will return to the Carbondale Farmers’ Market. The ranch is now hosting volunteers on select Fridays and Saturdays and is in the process of hiring crew members. Blumenthal, now directing projects with help from a newly-hired crew leader, is optimistic about the season. “We’re trying to make Casey proud,” he said. Stay apprised at www.wildmountainseeds.com
Mental health
“Agriculture is not a financially-beneficial choice,” Sewell admitted. “We do it because we love it. It fills our hearts.” He aims to make Sunfire Ranch a hub for local agriculture, with housing for farmers, a commercial kitchen and extensive refrigerated storage. He dreams of cultivating generational labor, housing families on the ranch building toward long-term community. “Really from a structural standpoint,” he said, “with a foundation, a framework, so that people are satisfied in all walks of their life: mind, body, spirit.”
As Stella, Sewell’s daughter, wrote in an assignment for her sixth grade class at Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork: “Casey P. was one of the smartest people I have ever met. Sometimes his mind would race ahead of his body, leaving him overwhelmed thinking about how to make the world healthier. The challenges seemed endless. Casey felt that there could always be more to do. Living on a 1,200-acre ranch, with a five-acre garden, was no small task. There was always more work to be done, especially without using herbicides and/or pesticides to make things faster.”
Regarding Casey’s suicide, Bob said, “We think often about how this happened and why this happened. There’s no answer to that. But one thing I’ve learned is: You can be on top of your game, the most loved person — and jeez, I can’t believe how many people loved Case — but then still, mental health issues are tough.”
Seed Peace and Wild Mountain Seeds remain intrinsically tied. Every packet of seeds includes a Seed Peace sticker, so farmers are aware of that revolutionary model for delivering benefits to the hardworking people who most literally put food on the table.
Justin Blumenthal is taking advantage of the early spring to start completing tasks ahead of the next growing season at Sunfire Ranch. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh
Public lands and greenhouse gas regulations threatened by D.C.
Sopris Sun Correspondent
Only three months into 2026, the nomination of a new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) director and the repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, which regulates greenhouse gas emissions, pose new threats to Western Slope public lands, as well as public health.
On Wednesday, March 4, former New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce was controversially approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, by a narrow 11-9 party-line vote, to direct the Bureau of Land Management. Pearce, supported by President Trump, has historically advocated for the sale of public lands. Should Pearce receive a majority vote in the Senate, he will ascend to the role.
Conservation groups criticized Pearce following his nomination in November of 2025, dubbing him “Sell-Off” Steve due to his history advocating for the sale of public lands.
In 2012, Pearce co-authored a letter to then-House Speaker John Boehner to “dispose of unneeded land” in order to balance the deficit, similar to Utah Senator Mike Lee’s attempt last summer to work public lands sales into the Big Beautiful Bill.
“Over 90% of it is located in the Western states and most of it we do not even need,” he stated in the letter in reference to federallyowned land.
Carbondale-based nonprofit Wilderness Workshop strongly opposes the appointment of Pearce.
“‘Sell-off’ Steve Pearce’s confirmation
would represent yet another insult to the best and highest uses of Colorado’s 22 million acres of national public lands, and the communities that depend on them,” said Juli Slivka, senior director of policy and programs at Wilderness Workshop.
A series of bipartisan polls conducted by RABA Research in January found a strong majority of voters in Idaho, Montana and New Mexico opposed his nomination by 76%, 75%, and 71% respectively.
However, Pearce did receive the support of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association ahead of his appointment.
The Department of the Interior has also proposed rescinding BLM’s Public Lands Rule, which designated conservation as an official use for public lands.
“Without this rule in place, it will be much more difficult to protect wildlands, wildlife, water and backcountry recreation on our public lands,” said Slivka. “We’ll feel immediate effects of this short-sighted decision in western Colorado, where the BLM is currently working on an updated resource management plan for the North Fork Valley and Uncompahgre Plateau.”
Endangerment Finding
On Feb. 12, the climate and conservation world was also rocked by a decision to overturn the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, a clause that provided the legal basis for federally regulating greenhouse gas emissions.
The Endangerment Finding was released under the Clean Air Act and stated that “The
current and projected concentrations of the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases [including CO2 and methane] in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations.”
The EPA is legally obligated to act to prevent air pollutants from endangering public health and welfare. In essence, the 2009 Endangerment Finding had made climate change a public health issue and required the EPA to function accordingly.
The Endangerment Finding also specifically targeted the emissions produced by vehicles. According to the official rescission, published on March 4, “As a result of these changes, engine and vehicle manufacturers no longer have any future obligations for the measurement, control and reporting of [greenhouse gas] emissions for any highway engine and vehicle.”
The White House called it the “largest deregulation” in history.
The rescission runs contrary to an effort among multiple Roaring Fork Valley municipalities to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A significant portion of these efforts specifically target emissions released by vehicle trips.
Experts argue that efforts to reduce climate change could be adversely affected over the next several years, as the EPA would now need to perform a new endangerment finding that could potentially be subject to lawsuits.
In turn, more than a dozen health and environmental justice nonprofits, including the American Public Health Association and the Sierra Club, have sued the EPA over its decision.
Conservation advocates caution that public lands may be in jeopardy in the wake of federal changes. North Fork Gunnison River photo by Jon Mullen
Public has until March 25 to comment on BLM proposal permitting e-bikes on local trails
BETSY WELCH
Sopris Sun Correspondent
A proposal from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) could significantly expand where electric mountain bikes are allowed on public trails across the central Colorado River Valley — and the idea is drawing strong reactions from local trail users.
At a public meeting in Eagle on March 11, staff from the BLM’s Colorado River Valley Field Office (CRVFO) outlined a plan to consider allowing class 1 electric bikes on all trails currently designated for mechanized use within the field office’s jurisdiction. The proposal would affect roughly 200 miles of trails stretching along the Interstate 70 corridor between Wolcott and Parachute and into the Eagle and Roaring Fork River valleys.
Before making a decision, the agency has begun an environmental review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Officials say the proposal is still in its earliest
environmental assessment.
Jacob Casey, a planning and environmental specialist with the CRVFO, said public input during the scoping period helps determine what issues the agency will study.
“If there are concerns about soils, wildlife habitat, vegetation or user conflicts, this is the time to tell us so we can analyze those impacts before making a decision,” Casey said.
The Eagle meeting was the first of two public meetings hosted by the field office as part of the 30-day scoping period, which runs through March 25.
The CRVFO manages more than 220 miles of mechanized trails on BLM land, often in partnership with local governments and trail organizations. Those systems include popular trail networks near Eagle, Gypsum, Rifle and Carbondale.
Currently, only about 18 miles of trails within the CRVFO allow class 1 e-bikes, all located in the Grand Hogback trail system outside Rifle. Meanwhile, all
e-bike is defined as a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only while the rider is pedaling and that stops providing assistance at about 20 miles per hour.
Because e-bikes include a motor, federal land managers must evaluate whether allowing them on certain trails would change environmental impacts or user experiences.
According to CRVFO field manager Lisa Dawson, the process will likely take about a year — “although our hope is it would be sooner than that,” she said — meaning any changes to trail access would likely not occur until seasonal trail closures lift in the spring of 2027.
While the agency emphasized that no decision has been made, the proposal has already sparked debate among trail users.
Some residents who attended the Eagle meeting expressed concern that allowing e-bikes on more trails could lead to increased speeds, safety issues or pressure to allow additional types
trails to one category of e-bike could create a “slippery slope.”
“Once you open up the trails to class 1 e-bikes, then the other ones will start to follow,” she said. “And speaking of slippery slopes, if you get someone on an e-bike coming up on walkers or other bicyclists, and they think, ‘I’ll just go around them,’ suddenly they’re off the trail creating a new path.”
Others see the technology as an opportunity to make trails accessible to a wider range of people. Nick Brummer, also of Eagle, said that allowing class 1 e-bikes on area trails will create a more welcoming environment for both visiting and local riders.
Eagle resident Annie Eagan said she worries that opening
“I don’t ride an e-bike, but my wife — who’s had three knee
surgeries — does,” he said. “This allows us to ride together, which would otherwise never happen.”
Supporters also emphasize that class 1 e-bikes differ significantly from motorcycles or throttle-powered electric bikes, which don’t require users to pedal, and can reach higher speeds.
The Grand Hogback trail system outside Rifle offers one example of a trail network where class 1 e-bikes mingle with unmotorized mountain bikes. Part of an early BLM pilot project, the network has allowed class 1 e-bikes since its inception five years ago.
Alison Birkenfeld, a board member and former vice president of the Rifle Area Mountain
continued on page 23
At the March 11 meeting in Eagle, local trail users looked at maps of trails that would be affected by the BLM’s proposed e-bike land use change. Hilary Boyd, assistant manager for resources for the Colorado River Valley Field Office, was on hand to answer questions. Photo by Betsy Welch
GARFIELD COUNTY REPORT
Property value complaints, South Bridge permit dispute, CPW Commission woes
AMY HADDEN MARSH
Sopris Sun Correspondent
The Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting opened Monday without public comment. The board jumped right into five property valuation abatement hearings, three of which were resolved in the appellant’s favor due to distinct, clerical errors. County Assessor Jim Yellico and his team denied two requests that did not involve clerical errors. Remember, we’re looking at valuation appeals, which means the owner believes their property has been over-valued, which can increase property tax. But, said Alicia Smith, senior licensed appraiser, “You’re not allowed to protest your taxes. You’re allowed to protest your classification and your value.”
Next up, the consent agenda, which included a letter to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission. At its most recent meeting earlier this month, the Commission voted to consider a citizen petition that would ban fur sales in the state. The Center for Biological Diversity, a conservation group, presented the petition, which asks for “an amendment to 2 CCR 406-018” that would “prohibit the commercial sale, barter or trade of wildlife fur in Colorado.”
It does not seek to ban hunting or trapping. “The proposed amendment covers only the for-profit sale of furbearer parts, including hides, pelts, skins, claws and
similar items, with limited exemptions, and does not impose any restrictions on the hunting or trapping of furbearers.”
Garfield County Commissioner Perry Will signed a letter on behalf of the BOCC that stated, “The events of [the March 4] meeting made it clear that political considerations are taking precedence over biological expertise,” pointing to how the CPW Commission voted 6-4 to advance the petition despite recommendation for denial from CPW staff and director Laura Clellan.
The letter suggests that the process prior to the vote was “perfunctory” and accuses CPW commissioners Jess Beaulieu and John Emerick of having “clear and substantive conflicts” that could erode the public’s trust.
Will wrote, “Commissioner Beaulieu previously worked for the Center for Biological Diversity” and “Commissioner Emerick is married to Delia Malone, whom he said ‘argued for the petition.’” Long story short, Will wrote that they did not share what he considers conflicts of interest with the CPW Commission, nor did they recuse themselves from the vote.
Commissioner Beaulieu told The Sopris Sun that she has never been employed by the Center for Biological Diversity. “I was an unpaid intern/fellow over nine years ago and conducted research on habitat development issues,” she wrote in an email. “I have never litigated any cases involving the Center for Biological Diversity, and have
never represented them as a client. There is no conflict of interest.” She also sent a link to the CPW Commission’s conflict of interest regulations. Commissioner Emerick declined to comment.
In other news, the BOCC, acting as the county Human Services Commission, heard updates from Betty Lucas, executive director of Advocate Safehouse, and Marian
McDonough, regional director of Catholic Charities Western Slope. Lucas reported, among other things, that of the 525 domestic violence survivors assisted in 2025, 481 were from Garfield County. Annual funding from the county allows for emergency housing for adults and children. McDonough reported more than 1,149 people, most of them in Garfield County,
continued on page 23
I’m running for re-election to build on successes over the last 4 years:
Affordable Housing
Helped support resident purchase of two mobile home parks—protecting homes for 139 families (about 500 residents)—and helped over 20 families create affordable housing units.
Livability
Invested in safer streets with crosswalks and bike lanes, and expanded mobility through WeCycle and the Downtowner.
Community Resilience
Upgrading water and wastewater systems, transitioning town facilities to cleaner energy, and working with the fire district to reduce wildfire risk.
Community Investment
Smart planning and fiscal responsibility to keep Carbondale a thriving place to live, work, and raise a family.
I’d appreciate your vote!
Rifle and Garfield board members appointed, comments heard on Hogback funding
ANNALISE GRUETER
Sopris Sun Correspondent
The March Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) meeting moved forward several easement resolutions, created new board member positions for representatives of Garfield County and the City of Rifle and considered funding strategy options for Hogback transit services beyond November 2026. While RFTA has assured Hogback commuter routes until November, the organization is seeking collaborative solutions with Silt, Rifle and Garfield County to ensure sustainable funding for those routes moving forward.
During public comment, Glenwood Springs homeowner Claire Graff stated that RFTA has the opportunity to take action on a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Glenwood Springs. Graff asked that RFTA, as a tenant of offices in the 100 Midland Avenue building, call for an investigation into the ICE facility in suites 110 and 210. Graff asserted that the ICE location’s missing permits and practices threaten RFTA staff and riders, and emphasized that given the transit organization’s role in the community, she felt it is obligated to speak on the matter. The City of Glenwood Springs is investigating alleged permit violations and other building-compliance issues of the federal offices in the Midland complex.
During board member comments, New Castle representative Art Riddile announced that it was his final RFTA meeting, resigning his position after 12 years serving on the board. Riddile is stepping down from the board and other leadership positions in New Castle to teach full-time at Coal Ridge High School. Board Chair Greg Poschman followed the announcement with a formal recognition of Riddile’s service on the board and in other community venues.
The board moved forward several resolutions on its consent agenda. These included an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for services in unincorporated Garfield County and non-member municipalities for 2026, permanent easement agreements with Eagle County to support the El Jebel Intersection Improvements Project, formal approval for the legislative and communications protocol presented at the February meeting, a settlement agreement with the Colorado Department of Revenue (which will pay RFTA back $44,000 or half the taxes collected from the organization during the Iron Mountain Place renovation project) and authorization for RFTA to apply for Congressionally Directed Spending funds to purchase two new electric buses.
The board then moved to authorize two new non-voting board of director member positions, one each for Garfield County and the City of Rifle. Garfield County has had a provision for a RFTA board member position through an existing IGA for 20 years, but had not exercised the provision previously. The County recently asked to designate a representative. RFTA approved and appointed Tom Jankovsky to the new role. While the City of Rifle is not currently a RFTA member government, RFTA staff have recommended creating a non-voting board role to represent Rifle residents who use the Hogback services. Alicia Gresley was appointed to fill this new seat, which she had been unofficially representing since January. The Town of Silt has been invited to join the board if they are interested. CEO Kurt Ravenschlag then presented an update on Hogback service funding. The current multi-stakeholder funding for the routes is confirmed through Nov. 22. The services have faced an increasing funding gap due to a combination of rising operating costs and decreasing Garfield County funding contributions. The County had until recently been the primary funder of the routes but signaled an end to funding after 2026.
Crystal Valley Echo readers may be familiar with DJ Sugar Monkey’s former synopses of Marble’s Board of Trustee meetings. The pen-named author has offered to add a Marble Report to The Sopris Sun’s robust mix of local government meetings coverage.
Those interested in the latest from Crystal were in for some answers during the Marble trustees meeting in early March. Two representatives from Treasure Mountain Ranch (TMR), Stuart Gillespie and Philip Supino, came along to solicit local support for their plans to develop the area. TMR owns a total of 700 acres in Crystal and its environs, encompassing three miles of river frontage, most of the buildings there and the jewel in its crown, the Crystal Mill, which attracts an astonishing 30,000 visitors annually.
Large sections of forest on Bear Mountain belonging to TMR, Gillespie reported, are unhealthy and overcrowded as a result of clearcutting from former mining days. He explained that this posed extreme fire risk and compromised habitat for wildlife. TMR has worked in conjunction with Colorado State Forest Service to develop a comprehensive forest management plan to include thinning and patch cutting operations. Using a combination of land exchanges and conservation easements, TMR plans to divest all but five acres of its holdings and establish a high-end community ranch for 20 owners, offering enviable summer recreation and catskiing opportunities.
It is envisaged that the community will provide seasonal employment for a dozen staff, and there are plans to create pools fed by mineral springs. The mill would go into a conservation trust and Forest Service Road 314 would remain open to the public. Funding would come from the proposed land exchange. Gillespie and Supino requested that the Board of Trustees and town residents write in support of the project to the Forest Service, Gunnison County commissioners and their congressional representatives.
A brief Q&A followed, in which concern was voiced over a proposed staging area for heavy equipment at the foot of Daniel’s Hill, and the issue of heavy tourist traffic on 314 came up. TMR insisted there are no plans to improve the road. Town Administrator Ron Leach agreed to draft a letter of support for the idea on behalf of the board.
Next on the agenda was a Dark Skies presentation from Jessa Young. A regular and cherished visitor to Marble hailing from Utah,
Young has organized several stargazing walks over the last few years in collaboration with Mayor Pro Tem Larry Good. Her slideshow featured outdoor lighting tips and photos of photosensitive wildlife, including a Lunar Moth, one of nature’s most prolific pollinators. Trustee Dustin Wilkey quipped that perhaps it was time to unplug his bug zapper. Long-term Marble resident and night owl Tim Hunter voiced his support for the Dark Skies initiative, listing an impressive array of nocturnal creatures to be found on his riverside property.
Additionally, the adoption of the Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code was discussed. Leach pointed out that the measure ran the risk of increasing building costs in town, and would have to be adopted by early July.
After an exceptionally dry winter, there is high anxiety over fire risk. Hunter confessed that he “had a bad feeling about this year,” adding that he intended to construct a “rain curtain” over his home. He warned residents “to think about what you’ve got to do to get the hell out of here quickly.”
The board agreed to stage a fire mitigation day on April 18. A chipper and a trailer or two will be made available for townsfolk to dispose of any dead debris on their property. The Town will focus on clearing congested public rights of way.
Then came the inevitable debate around a mixed-use corridor, an agenda item that has hung around like a lingering smell for at least the last several months. Wilkey led the charge with a brief presentation, recommending that all property lining the main drag through town be granted mixed-use (residential and commercial) zoning status. This, the board has argued, would protect the Town of Marble from legal action stemming from “subjective” spot zoning. The issue of use by right versus use by review would also need to be ironed out.
Trustee Amber McMahill highlighted the significant expense involved in getting up to (commercial) code. Mayor Ryan Vinciguerra added that Marble was a hard place to start a business. Good struck a more conciliatory tone, recognizing that four out of the five board members were all local business owners and proposed that the issue might be better decided at the ballot box.
It was agreed that Leach draft an ordinance on the matter in conjunction with the Town’s lawyer and let the county commissioners know by June if it is to be on the ballot in November.
The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Thursday, April 9 at 6pm.
DJ SUGAR MONKEY
Special to The Sopris Sun
RFTA board members approved several easement agreements with Eagle County for mid-valley trail oversight and bikeway management in addition to intended construction in El Jebel. Photo by Annalise Grueter
Trustee Dustin Wilkey has championed the designation of downtown Marble as a mixed-use corridor.
Photo by DJ Sugar Monkey
Local Mayors Forum
Invited mayors include: Rachael Richards, Aspen; Alyssa Shenk, Snowmass Village; David Knight, Basalt; Ben Bohmfalk, Carbondale; Marco Dehm, Glenwood Springs; Art Riddile, New Castle; Keith Richel, Silt; Clint Hostettler, Rifle.
March 19
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Free & open to the public
Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
Morgridge Commons en Glenwood Springs 815 Cooper Ave., Glenwood Springs More
Panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities our region faces.
This is not a campaign event, but an educational forum for the public and elected officials.
Ukrainian Egg Decorating
with Jill Scher
Learn this traditional method to create beautiful eggs with colored patterns using beeswax resist. Saturday, 10am-3pm, 3/28 Register Today
Spring Classes
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
BEGINNER OIL PAINTING
Learn the basics of painting and mixing water-based oils. Tues, 5:30-8:30pm, 3/31-4/28
FUNDRAISING FOR NON-PROFITS
Learn development tools to build your resource base. Tues, 5:30-8:30pm, 4/7 ONLINE
SWING DANCE - LINDY HOP
Build on the basics with Charleston, Lindy Hop. Wed, 6:30-8:30pm, 4/8-4/29
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
THIRD THURSDAY BOOK CLUB
The Carbondale Library’s Third Thursday Book Club discusses “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel from 2 to 3:30pm.
ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
Anderson Ranch Arts Center welcomes 15 new artists to its residency program with a slide night for them to share their artwork from 4 to 5pm. Attend in-person or register for a link to the livestream at www.andersonranch.org/events
FIGURE DRAWING
The Art Base welcomes you to explore figure drawing with a live model from 5 to 7pm.
RFOV KICK-OFF
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers kicks off the 2026 project season with a party at the Third Street Center from 5 to 8pm. RSVP at www.rfov.org
CARE FOR CAREGIVERS
True Nature hosts its monthly Care for Caregivers support series, sponsored by CASA, Lead with Love and the Connection is the Medicine Foundation, from 5:30 to 7pm. Registration at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
MUSIC AT THE LIBRARY
The Basalt Library presents a musical mash-up with Jaerv, a folk group from Sweden, and OK Factor, a classical string duo, at 5:30pm.
MAYORS FORUM
PLANTING A NATIVE MEDICINAL POLLINATOR PARADISE
Plants that attract beneficial insects, and improve soil. Thursday, 7-8pm, 4/9
MEDICINE OF OUR TREES
Learn the healing properties of several RF Valley tree species. Thursday, 6-8pm, 4/23
UTE AND INDIGENOUS CULTURE CONVERSATION FREE TALK Tuesday, 6-7:30pm, 5/19
US CONSTITUTION FREE TALK Wednesday, 6-8:30pm, 5/20
WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP: EN PLEIN AIR Wed-Thurs, 1-5pm, 5/20-5/21
Scan to browse and register
The CoWest Noticias Collaborative and Colorado Mountain College’s Center for Civics Education & Engagement have teamed up to host mayors from Aspen to Rifle for a panel discussion at Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The event will include live interpretation and remote-viewing options via the Post Independent and Radio La TriColor Facebook pages.
‘UNKNOWN TALES OF THE 10TH’
Historian Lance R. Blyth presents “Untold Tales of the 10th,” bringing to light little known stories he discovered while researching and writing “Ski, Climb, Fight: The 10th Mountain Division and the Rise of Mountain Warfare,” at TACAW at 6:30pm. The event, organized by the Aspen Historical Society, is free. RSVP at www.tacaw.org
NEPSA AWARDS
The Wheeler Opera House hosts the 2026 NEPSA awards, featuring local photography and short films, at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
COMEDY NIGHT
Miller Ford hosts another comedy night at Steve’s Guitars at 8pm featuring Michael Robinson, Dr. Parm, Glory Ugalde and Max Pociask. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net
FRIDAY, MARCH 20
SIPS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
The Basalt-Carbondale P.E.O. hosts its annual Sips For Scholarships fundraiser, supporting trade school and college scholarships for young women graduating from Basalt and Roaring Fork high schools, from 5 to 7pm. Tickets at www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/ sips-for-scholarships
COSMIC SOUND JOURNEY
True Nature hosts a healing sound journey with Danielle Klein at 6pm. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
REDSTONE OPEN MIC
The Pitkin County Library returns to Joy & Wylde in Redstone for another open mic from 6 to 8pm.
EQUINOX EVENING GATHERING
The Center for Human Flourishing hosts an equinox gathering with cacao, breathwork and a sound journey at the Third Street Center from 6:30 to 9pm. Register at www.tcfhf.org
DAN WILSON QUARTET
The Paul JAS Center welcomes the Dan Wilson Quartet with special guests Nigel Hall and Jessica Yafanaro for performances at 6:30 and 8:45pm. Tickets at www.jazzaspensnowmass.org/event
CRYSTAL THEATRE
“Project Hail Mary” opens at the Crystal Theatre at 7pm and continues tomorrow and Monday at 7pm. Sunday’s show at 5pm is captioned. This schedule repeats next week.
BEATLES TRIBUTE
The Wheeler Opera House presents “Yesterday,” a Beatles tribute band at 7:30pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
CONSENSUAL IMPROV
Consensual Improv returns to TACAW tonight at 8pm. This show is for ages 18 and up.
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
EQUINOX MORNING GATHERING
True Nature welcomes the spring with a community gathering from 9 to 11:30am. The morning will feature guided art-making and a labyrinth walk. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
CHILI COOKOFF
KDNK’s annual Chili Cookoff takes place at the station from 4 to 6pm. Email chris@kdnk.org for details.
FRIENDSHIP BALL
Best Buddies hosts its Sky is the Limit Friendship Ball at the Viceroy in Snowmass from 5 to 8pm. Tickets are donation based and the event is meant for ages 10 and up. Register at www.tinyurl.com/SkyistheLimitBall
PETE MCBRIDE
National Geographic photographer Pete McBride delivers a multimedia presentation and book launch for “Witness to Water” at the Wheeler Opera House from 6 to 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
SOUTHERN AVENUE
The Paul JAS Center presents concerts with Southern Avenue at 7 and 9:15pm. Tickets at www.jazzaspensnowmass.org/event
NATALIE SPEARS
Local songwriter Natalie Spears, accompanied by Carl Meinecke, shares her music at True Nature at 7:30pm. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
TEEN NIGHT AT TACAW
Teen bands [SALT] and Lamb Spit perform a show exclusively for teens beginning at 7:30pm. Free with an RSVP at www.tacaw.org
PINK TO BLACK
Multi-genre beat wizard Dank Cilantro opens for Houseplant at Thunder River Theatre at 8pm. Tickets at www.thunderrivertheatre.com
SUNDAY, MARCH 22
SOCIAL JUSTICE SERVICE
The Two Rivers Unitarian Universalists congregation presents “Who We Become When It’s ‘Just Us’” at the Third Street Center from 10am to noon.
CACAO RITUAL
Nicole Lindstrom guides a heart-led cacao ritual at True Nature from 11am to 1:30pm. Tickets at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
“Caption This!” returns to The Art Base in Basalt on March 26 from 6 to 8pm. Sopris Sun cartoonist Larry Day will draw one-panel comics on the fly, based on audience suggestions. Participating teams will then compete to compose the best, funniest caption. No need to pre-register, just show up!
MILLER & THE CONGREGATION
The Paul JAS Center presents a special brunch with Sammy Miller & the Congregation performing at 12:30pm. Tickets at www.jazzaspensnowmass.org/ jas-center
TRUE NATURE TOUR
True Nature co-founder Eaden Shantay guides a tour of the True Nature campus, sharing personal stories, from 2 to 3:30pm. Registration at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
ASHCROFT APRÉS
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies invites you to grab a drink at the Ashcroft Ghost Town, travel to the Kind Cabin for sherpa stew and enjoy a fireside hangout at Toklat. The event takes place from 3 to 6pm. Tickets at www.aspennature.org/activities
SENIORS SERVE AT HOMESTEAD
Roaring Fork High School seniors serve dinner at The Homestead in RVR from 5 to 7:30pm, benefitting Project Graduation. Reservations are required and can be made by emailing knardecchia@gmail.com
BREATHWORK
In partnership with Pathfinders, True Nature offers a community breathwork session facilitated by Allison Alexander from 6 to 7:30pm. Registration at www.truenaturehealingarts.com
BILLY PRESTON
Catch “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It” at the Isis Theatre at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org
TUESDAY, MARCH 24
VIDEO TRIVIA
The Crystal Theatre Alliance invites you to gather a team of four and prove your knowledge of movies and television with Video Trivia at 6pm. Tickets at the door.
DRAWING CLUB
The Roaring Fork Drawing Club travels to Down Valley Brewing in New Castle for casual art-making with friends and strangers at 6:30pm.
GREGORIAN CHANT
Catch Gregorian’s Pure Chants World Tour at TACAW at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25
PUBLIC ART
Aspen Public Art announces its 2026 season with a free community event exploring how public art gets made, from 5 to 7:30 at the Red Brick Center for the Arts. RSVP at www.aspenpublicart.com
CARBONDALE CANDIDATES
The Sopris Sun and KDNK host a candidate forum at Carbondale’s Town Hall featuring two mayoral and four trustee candidates from 6 to 7:30pm.
VALLEY VIEW WEBINAR
Valley View University hosts a free webinar, “Strengthening Your Lower Legs and Ankles” at 6pm. Registration at www.bit.ly/VVU-legs
‘CLAIM’
Aspen Film presents “Claim: The Greatest Ski Movie Ever!” at the Isis Theatre at 6:30pm with special guest Kim Reichhelm. Tickets at www.aspenfilm.org
MTN BIO
Mtn Bio showcases “Women of Carbon” and “Journey Beyond The Grid,” films about reimagining how we build homes and communities given climate challenges. Join happy hour at Townline Trucks from 5:30 to 6:30pm before catching the films and a discussion at the Crystal Theatre from 7 to 9pm.
NAKED MAGICIANS
The Wheeler Opera House hosts The Naked Magicians, an adults-only show, at 7pm. Tickets at www.aspenshowtix.com
DONAVON FRANKENREITER
TACAW presents Donavon Frankenreiter and The Sunday Spins beginning at 8pm. Tickets at www.tacaw.org
OKAN
DanceAspen improvises to AfroCuban music performed by OKAN live at the Paul JAS Center tonight at 8:30pm, tomorrow at 6:30pm and Friday at 8:30pm. Tickets at www.jazzaspensnowmass.org/jas-center
THURSDAY, MARCH 26
CLIMATE WEEK
Rocky Mountain Institute is kicking off the second annual state-wide Colorado Climate Week, hosting two panel discussions from 3 to 5pm followed by happy hour at the Tipsy Trout. Register at luma.com/eav0x6ej
WHISTLING COMPETITION
JC Food Truck and the Crystal Theatre Alliance host the Valley’s first-ever whistling competition at 6pm. Register to compete at JC Food Truck.
CAPTION THIS
Larry Day returns to The Art Base for another “Caption This!” contest from 6 to 8pm. Participants will compete to think of the best caption for an original cartoon drawn on the fly. No registration necessary!
Playoff run ends in quarterfinal loss
for girls basketball; spring sports underway
JOHN
STROUD Sopris Sun Correspondent
Roaring Fork High School
senior Nikki Tardif attempts a shot over a Denver Christian defender during the Rams’ 3A State quarterfinal loss to the Thunder on March 12 at the University of Denver’s Hamilton Gymnasium.
Photo by Rich Allen/ Aspen Daily News
It was a little bit further than they’d gone before, but a lesson in what it will take for the Roaring Fork High School girls basketball program to compete at the state championships level.
The No. 8 Lady Rams bowed out in the quarterfinal round of the Class 3A Championships at the University of Denver’s Hamilton Gymnasium on Thursday, March 12, falling 70-31 against the mighty No. 1 Denver Christian Thunder.
Adding a big “what if?” to the experience was the fact that Denver Christian proved they are beatable, when eventual state champion Salida knocked off the Thunder in the semifinals, 50-47.
The Spartans scored one for the Colorado public school sector, defeating another public school, Yuma, 48-38, on Saturday to win the 3A Championship.
Early turnovers were a big factor in Roaring Fork’s loss to the Thunder, who opened a 24-12 first-quarter lead behind an aggressive half court pressing defense that rattled the Rams.
“They definitely capitalized on that,” head coach Mike Vidakovich said of Denver Christian, which went on to outscore the Rams 21-3 in the second quarter for a 45-15 halftime advantage.
“But the girls never threw in the towel,” he said. “They played hard, just like they always have, until the final buzzer. I’m always proud of them, whether in victory or defeat.”
Vidakovich put some of the blame on himself for not having the team prepared enough for the big stage, and the intensity level of that first game.
“I take the consequences for that; it wasn’t on the kids,” he said. “I needed to have them a bit better prepared for the speed of [Denver Christian’s] defense, and the trapping. The kids did a good job, we just needed to have them in some
It was the final game for the team’s lone senior, Nikki Tardif, who finished the night with 15 points. Juniors Riley Bevington and Hazel Jenkins had 12 and four points, respectively.
“Nikki has really meant a lot to this team,” Vidakovich said. “She’s the anchor in the middle, and the team leader.”
But with co-captains Bevington and Jenkins back next year, and a core group of sophomores with another year of solid experience, the Rams should be well-positioned for another strong run next season.
“Filling that void in the middle will be a tall order, but Riley and Hazel are a good duo to have out there,” Vidakovich said.
And, now they know how it tastes to be in that state championship environment, and what they can improve on, he said.
“There’s no substitute for the experience of being there, and hopefully it will be a motivating factor for all of them.”
Spring sports
Meanwhile, spring sports saw their first action of the season this past week. Here are a few results.
Baseball: March 14 at home, Roaring Fork 5, Kent Denver 4. The Rams were at Colorado Academy for a game on Wednesday, March 18.
Girls soccer: March 13 at home, 2-2 against Fruita Monument. Next up, at Battle Mountain on Thursday, March 19.
Girls lacrosse: March 7, Roaring Fork 12, Steamboat Springs 10; March 10, Roaring Fork 18, Montrose 0. The Rams were at Battle Mountain for a game on March 17.
Track & Field: The Rams scored points in two girls events at the Rifle Invitational on March 13 — the 4x800 relay of Sophia Warner, Isla Friel, Kinley Richmond, and Miley Stuart, seventh (11:50.88); and Richmond in the open 3200 meters, eighth (14:34.72).
Mark Winters makes his Steve’s debut
MYKI JONES Arts Correspondent
Singer-songwriter Mark Winters left a career in engineering to pursue music. This is a fairly-new endeavor for the Sugarland, Texas-based artist, who has a background in aerospace engineering, applied physics, mathematics and computational fluid dynamics. However, he describes art as one of the greatest potentiators in his life, which always served to enhance a myriad of experiences.
“I was pretty occupied in things non-creative when I was a kid, with one teeny exception,” Winters told The Sopris Sun. “I was spending time with my grandmother when I was around 5. Somehow, I woke up in the middle of her sewing room, and we were writing poetry together about lilies of all things. She and I have been poetry pals and painting pals for my whole life. And that little bit of creativity walked along with me, as I grew up in this world of math and sports and science,” Winters shared with The Sopris Sun.
He continued, “I wasn’t doing anything that was purely out of artistic creation other than writing poetry with my grandma or writing a few poems for some friends, as I felt the need to do it. Music has always been the potentiator
of my life. It enhanced all these experiences, whether I was surfing, rollerblading, playing tennis or studying. It didn’t matter. I always had some music cooking in the background.”
His journey as a professional musician began in 2011, when he decided to pursue a musical project. He landed on learning to play a guitar he bought from a local shop and sang a song for his wife on their anniversary that year, all with the help of the music shop’s owner, who agreed to teach him.
“Since I’d done nothing musical before, it was a yeoman’s effort for him to get me ready. I thought I’d allow plenty of time, like six weeks, to do the thing. Six weeks, I found, is not very much time in the world of learning something new. When I sat across the table from my wife in our favorite Italian restaurant, and I sang her a song, it lit me up,” he recalled. “I had never had anything like that in my life. I could feel this almost mystical connection flowing between us in the moment of this song. I felt like, ‘Wow, where has this been my whole life?’”
Since then, he has played with a number of different bands before diving fully into his solo career. He released his first album, “Slipstream,” in 2019 and began touring shortly thereafter. This stint was cut short due to COVID,
but he adjusted and began hosting Zoom shows while awaiting the world to open back up.
Winters combines rock, blues, pop and poetry to create a sound that is both nostalgic and uplifting, cutting through the most existential questions we have all asked ourselves at one point or another.
He also makes nods to his love of science and how it ties into the human experience and condition. This is most apparent in his song “Fake Gravity,” which narrates the story of a lover who professes his love to his partner. Their bond, in the best way, makes him question everything he knows.
“You lift me up, you hold me down. It don’t make sense, but it’s truer now than any force on Earth, too strong to break, and if you’re really real, maybe gravity’s fake.” The chorus goes, accompanied by a sound that can be compared to tides changing with the moon phases.
Winters looks forward to his upcoming show at Steve’s Guitars on March 30 and hopes to connect with the audience and community while taking in the sights and activities Carbondale has to offer.
“I’ve never been to Carbondale, and I love coming into a new community to connect with my fellow positive energy people.
IN A NUTSHELL
Wh:o Mark Winters
There’s a lot of rich history there, and I’m fortunate to be part of such a great venue,” Winters said. “The chance to connect with people who love a bit of nerdy positive energy, and who want to walk away with a little extra positive energy, maybe from the show, that’s what I’m looking forward to most. And, if there’s a good spot to roller blade while I’m there, I’d love to check it out.”
What: Positive-vibes music
Where: Steve’s Guitars
When: March 30, 8pm
Tickets for the show are available online at www. stevesguitars.net and at the door. To stay up to date with Mark Winters, visit www.markwintersmusic.com
Texas musician Mark Winters performs original music from his new album, “Boundary Layer,” at Steve’s Guitars on March 30. Courtesy photo
CANDIDATES
from page 5
KADE GIANINETTI
Trustee Candidate
1 I was born and raised here in Carbondale, in a community where I got to experience real connection — through schools, sports, neighborhoods, the arts. What’s so clear to me now is the service and effort that individuals quietly put into the system to make that possible. The coaches, the board members, the neighbors who just showed up. That didn’t happen by accident. I feel like it’s my time to give back — to be one of those people for the next generation of Carbondale.
2 I care deeply about this place, and I’m already doing the work. I serve as treasurer of the Carbondale Historical Society and founded Western Mosaic Fund, which is bringing programs like Potato Days, The Long Conversation, and the Valley Abundance Project to life this year. Between that and my time on the Planning and Zoning Commission, I’ve built relationships across sectors — nonprofits, businesses, government, and neighbors — and I’ve learned how to listen, build consensus, and move things forward.
3 I’d love to help create an environment where adaptive reuse can thrive in Carbondale — starting with a project like the old City Market building. At the same time, I want us to recognize the urgent need for missing middle housing. We’re losing young families who are being priced out, and that hollows out what makes Carbondale special. A four-year term is enough time to move policy, build partnerships, and demonstrate that we can grow thoughtfully without losing what brought people here in the first place.
4 What worries me most is the pull toward scarcity thinking — the idea that our best days are behind us or that every change is a threat. I want to bring an energy of abundance and possibility to how we talk about Carbondale’s future. Now more than ever, we need to focus on the small, steady work that builds momentum — showing up, solving problems, and letting the wins compound.
COLIN LAIRD Trustee Candidate
1 I am running for re-election because I find the democratic process of working with other trustees and staff to provide necessary services
and make Carbondale the best it can be both meaningful and inspiring. I have enjoyed my four years serving as a trustee. I believe my efforts on the board have helped us make important progress on affordable housing (Good Deeds, resident ownership of mobile home parks), livability (community safety, WE-cycle, Downtowner) and infrastructure improvements. I want to build on these efforts.
2 I’ve lived in the Roaring Fork Valley since 1990 and in Carbondale for more than 25 years, where my wife and I raised our family. Over that time, I’ve been involved in many local and regional initiatives and have experienced firsthand the challenges our community faces around affordability, mobility, and livability. Professionally, my career has focused on developing practical solutions where market forces and public policy alone haven’t delivered the outcomes communities need. That experience has helped me understand how partnerships, smart policy, and community collaboration can address complex challenges and move projects forward.
3 Town Center. This project can add needed affordable housing and additional vitality to our downtown.
4 I’m concerned that the economic and climate headwinds affecting communities like Carbondale are becoming harder to address due to uncoordinated — and sometimes counterproductive — state and federal policies. While we are working hard to make Carbondale more affordable, livable, and resilient, I’ve represented Carbondale within the Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) and Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA) to advocate for more effective state policies. Our local efforts will be far more successful with stronger coordination, smarter policies, and support from state and federal elected leaders.
CHRIS HASSIG Trustee Candidate
1 I care deeply about my hometown and believe I can continue to be a valuable contributor to the work of its governance. I am proud of the mutually respectful and collaborative culture we have sustained and of the work we have accomplished since I joined the council in 2022. I bring preparation, ideas, an open mind, and a good strategic sense to discussions,
an appropriate willingness to dig into the details when they serve that larger strategy, and a commitment to fiscal restraint in pursuing our goals. I would like to build upon my experience to continue serving you.
2 I think the work I have accomplished with this council speaks for itself. That includes an iterative process to determine mitigation and fair taxation of short-term rentals, 133 and streets biking/walking safety work, a framework housing plan and involvement with the new West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition, increase to 25% affordable requirement for free market projects, launching WE-cycle and Downtowner car–free options, responding fairly to the newcomer situation in 2023, managing cost overruns on the pool while sticking to our environmental goals, hiring a new town manager, assisting resident buyout of local trailer parks, and long-term capital, revenue, and strategic planning in anticipation of Town Center/Bonanza and other future projects.
3 The 6% short-term rental tax voters passed at our request is Carbondale’s only current revenue for affordable housing. With many other options now off the table, I want to explore a voter question for excise taxes on mini-storage units. This will improve our capacity to act more flexibly, bond, or form partnerships from a place of strength, most specifically at the Town Center/ Bonanza site.
There are other issues I hate to overlook, such as protecting dark skies and pollinators, fire planning, aiding the creative district, supporting the area food and ranching economy, and continuing work in land protection, climate adaptation and local resourcefulness.
4 Maintaining an affordable, authentic, and humble town character remains our thorniest issue. It is not easy for the town government to mitigate larger macroeconomic or political changes but we can do better. I always keep preserving community cohesion and balance top of mind and consider that in all projects and decisions. A Carbondale motto used to be “Don’t Change Carbondale, Let Carbondale Change You.” That may sound a bit strident to newcomers, but Carbondale does still have a unique, inclusive spirit with the power to positively change people. I think that’s worth working to keep.
OBITUARY Brackett (Baer) Denniston
March 27, 1983March 7, 2026
Our beloved son, brother, uncle and friend, Baer, passed away on March 7, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer. Baer spent his final days surrounded by love with his family and friends.
Baer, of Carbondale, was born March 27, 1983. He was the son of Brackett and Kathy Denniston of Duxbury, Massachusetts. He grew up in Duxbury where he developed his deep love of the ocean and the outdoors, working at Back River Fish Market and farming oysters. He graduated from Holderness School, where he formed lifelong friendships, and Columbia University.
Baer touched so many lives. He was beloved by his friends, who cherished his ready smile, booming voice and boundless humor. He befriended strangers everywhere he went.
Baer was a passionate outdoorsman and loved to fish, ski, bike and hunt with his dog, Indie. He was happiest skiing on a bluebird powder day or casting his fly rod in Colorado and the Caribbean.
Baer was the proudest uncle to his four nieces and nephews, Grace, Henry, Sam and Lily. He adored them, and the feeling was mutual. Upon every arrival, they would fly into his arms shouting
“Uncle Baer” and Baer’s face would light up. To them, he passed along his love for the outdoors, teaching them to fish and boat in Maine and on Duxbury Bay.
Baer is survived by his parents, Brackett and Kathy Denniston, his sisters, Alex and Elizabeth Denniston, his brothers-in-law, Caleb Schillinger and Seth Palmer, his nieces and nephews, Grace and Henry Schillinger and Sam and Lily Palmer, his dog, Indie, and many aunts, uncles and dear friends.
We will miss this extraordinary man. He leaves us with profound sorrow, but his friends and family will always remember his love and zeal for life.
A reception to celebrate Baer’s life will be held on March 29, 2026, from 1 to 4pm at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School in Duxbury, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, donations in Baer’s memory may be made to the Conservation Fund.
APPLE TREE from page 6
State intervention
Nicole Rowan, the director of the Water Quality Control Division at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said that since Colorado’s Mobile Home Park Water Quality Act (MHWQA) was implemented, the department has routinely monitored drinking water in communities like this throughout the state, including Apple Tree. Because it’s a public water system, regular testing is also required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
The last test, on Feb. 11, checked for bacteria which came back negative. Rowan said that the owner has a certified operator running the system, who carries out testing in accordance with the SDWA.
“The park is meeting all health-based standards of the SDWA,” Rowan said. However, additional sampling is required under the MHWQA.
“What we’ve really been working with them on is what the MHWQA refers to as ‘welfare issues,’” Rowan explained. “The water is quite hard and has really high levels of total-dissolved solids … and also has high iron levels.”
Colorado House Bill 26-1145 is currently being considered, which would clarify that remediation addressing welfare water quality issues is a requirement, on top of testing, under the MHWQA.
The state department has worked with the park operator to flush the system “on a routine basis,” Rowan stated. “That has really helped some, we think, but the concerns are still there.”
The Water Quality Control Division created a screening tool for welfare water quality concerns. “Apple Tree has kind of the highest score on the screening tool out of the [388] parks we’ve tested so far,” Rowan said. “We think there [are] significant impacts, negative impacts, to the residents based on that screening tool.”
IPG declined to comment for this story.
Fire & Water takes cinematic journey along Colorado River and through wildfire
ANNALISE GRUETER
Sopris Sun Correspondent
The Middle Colorado Watershed Council (MCWC) will host the second event of its 2026 Fire & Water Speaker Series next week. The Rifle-based nonprofit organizes events each spring to engage community on topics around water, wildlife and humans within the Colorado River Basin.
The first event, hosted last month, introduced hydrologist and writer Robert R. Crifasi, who led a conversation on the history and politics of water in the American West. Crifasi shared stories and insights from his book, “Western Water A-Z,” and spoke to how infrastructure and laws around water affect communities today.
The second installment takes place Saturday, March 28 at the Vaudeville Revue. MCWC will screen the documentary “The American Southwest” by Tucson-based filmmaker and conservation biologist Ryan Olinger. Released in autumn 2025, the film takes audiences from the alpine headwaters of the Colorado River to desert deltas.
“The American Southwest” is narrated by Indigenous environ-
mentalist Quannah Chasinghorse, and covers both the biodiversity of the river’s ecosystems and the environmental destruction created by the many dams which have been built along the watershed. Sequences include beavers building wetlands, condors recovering from the brink and the return of jaguars to American soil.
The third and final event of the series is scheduled for April 30 at Rifle’s Ute Theater, 5:30 to 8pm.
The event, “Firewise Futures: Readiness and Resilience in the West,” will include a showing of the documentary “Elemental,” followed by an expert panel discussion on wildfire risk and preparedness. “Elemental,” released in 2023, was filmed across the Western United States, and opens with an escape from 2018’s catastrophic Camp Fire in Northern California. The fire, started by downed powerlines following high winds, burned 19,000 structures and decimated the city of Paradise.
“Elemental” highlights other devastating wildfires in Oregon, Colorado and California in the early 2020s, and includes interviews with fire-behavior
researchers, climate and ecosystem scientists and Indigenous peoples’ historical fire management practices across the region. The film is narrated by Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor David Oyelowo, who played Martin Luther King Jr. in the 2014 drama “Selma.”
“‘Elemental’ is an outstanding film that deserves the widest possible viewing,” said former Forest Service Chief Michael Dombeck.
“In a visually stunning manner, it distills what we’ve learned about wildland fire over the decades and provides a road map for badly needed changes that will benefit thousands of people, particularly in fire-prone communities.”
In addition to the screening and the panel, the event will feature a hands-on, family-friendly fire safety simulation offered by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. The simulator is intended to help instill wildfire preparedness among attendees. The event offers admission by donation, but does request advanced RSVPs, which can be made at midcowatershed. org/events/2026/firewisefutures
This year’s MCWC Fire &
Water Speaker Series has several sponsors, including the Colorado River District, the Greater Rifle Improvement Team, Holy Cross Energy, Kissner General Contractors, Inc, Chevron, Alpine Bank, Garfield & Hecht and Wright Water Engineers. Additional sponsors include Balcomb & Green, Gearheads Outfitters, Spheros Environmental, The Ute Theater, Glenwood Hot Springs, Kumar & Associates and Stifel.
MCWC brings together communities, businesses and other cross-jurisdictional stakeholders to sustain water quality and quantity for users in the 2,200-square-mile watershed along the 75 miles of the Colorado River between Glenwood Canyon and De Beque. The nonprofit gathers and shares water quality data, coordinates educational campaigns and participates in Colorado River District work,
including the State of the River community meetings.
The State of the River meeting for the Middle Colorado Watershed is scheduled for Thursday, April 9 from 6 to 8:15pm at the Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs (upstairs from the library). Two weeks later, the Roaring Fork State of the River meeting will be held at the Pitkin County Library (Thursday, April 23, from 6 to 8:15pm). Both events are free with registration and include a light dinner in addition to river flow forecasts and relevant watershed project updates.
Tickets for the upcoming Fire & Water event on March 28, 5:30 to 8:30pm, at the Vaudeville Revue in Glenwood Springs can be purchased in advance for $20 at midcowatershed.org/ events/2026/the-americansouthwest or at the door for $25.
While the Colorado River’s headwaters are recognized as starting in Rocky Mountain National Park along the Continental Divide, the river is fed by many high mountain tributaries, including the Roaring Fork River, flowing from Independence Lake. Photo by Annalise Grueter
Spring Health Fair
We are delighted to offer you, our community, the opportunity to take advantage of low-cost blood tests
June 5 and 6
ASPEN
Aspen Ambulance Building
Aspen Valley Health Medical Center 0403 Castle Creek Road
June 7
EL JEBEL
Eagle County Community Center 20 Eagle County Drive
By appointment only 8-11:30 am
Lab Tests Offered
• HealthScreen w/CBC – $79 Includes CBC, CMP, Ferritin, Iron Panel, Lipid Panel, TSH and Uric Acid (Fasting Required)
• hsCardio CRP – $42
• Hemoglobin A1C & EAG –$44
• PSA, Total – $47
• Vitamin D – $54
• T3, Free – $32
• T4, Free – $32
• CBC (Complete Blood Count) –$32
Visit aspenvalleyhealth.org/health-fair or scan the code for complete details.
Make your appointment starting April 22.
Got cows?
I am occasionally asked how many cows I have, or where my cows are, or something along those lines. It occurs to me that such folks are trying to be smartasses, implying that I shouldn’t be wearing a cowboy hat if I don’t have cows — which they, apparently, consider necessary to be a cowboy.
My standard reply to such folks is that I’ve never owned a cow, but worked for several cattle operations during my younger years, have owned scores of horses, mules and donkeys and have worked off and on as a wrangler, trail guide and hunting guide throughout my life. This generally qualifies me as a cowboy in their minds, and could end the conversation right there. But I always feel obligated to enlighten these folks about cows and cowboys and such things, so that they might be more effective in their efforts to be smartasses.
high-country grazing leases on federal lands, where cattle are free-ranged during summer months. The summer and winter pastures are often close enough that driving the herd on horseback is the most cost-effective means to move cattle. The summer grazing is, in part, managed by the placement of salt and mineral blocks, which the animals crave and are delivered by pack horse to remote areas otherwise inaccessible.
GUEST OPINION
By Jim Duke
First off, I tell them that many folks who own cows are referred to as dairy farmers. They don’t often wear cowboy hats. They usually wear ball caps, which doesn’t necessarily mean they are ball players either. They are not likely to own and ride horses, or sit around camp fires on the range drinking coffee and singing cowboy songs. Very few working cowboys own any cows and generally refer to bovines as cattle.
I then remind these aspiring smartasses that I am enlightening them out of concern for how they might be perceived by others, because it is fairly obvious what a smartass would amount to without the smart part.
Actually, I’m not a cowboy. I’ve been working cattle and breaking horses since my early teens, but that doesn’t mean I did it well or correctly. I don’t pass my own standards to qualify as a cowboy. I do have many cowboy skills. Having worked for a large animal veterinarian and rancher in Texas, I learned a lot about handling cattle and emergency veterinary care. The large Charolais bulls having been introduced to the slender Brahma cows taught me plenty about pulling calves, and I became passable at roping a cow in a corral on foot, but not on horseback.
So what is a cowboy? The definition does not often include the typical stereotypes such as rodeo or dude ranch cowboys, although some real cowboys might dabble in such trades. I believe the notion of a cowboy is inseparable from that of a horseman. Love of horses and freedom, pretty much one and the same in some eyes, are key ingredients. That and the love of a rugged lifestyle in the great outdoors. This leads me to believe that the most genuine cowboys nowadays can be found in the mountainous West. While many cattle operations in the plains and deserts still use horses out of tradition, pleasure or sport, the mountains provide the terrain that actually requires the horse in an irreplaceable fashion.
A typical cattle operation in the intermountain West will involve some private land, where cattle are kept and fed during winter and calving season, and some
The fall round-up is when a good cow pony really proves its worth. Locating and moving cattle through mountainous wilderness is extremely challenging. This is where the keen senses and athletic abilities of horses become invaluable. The value of a horse to a cowboy is largely based upon its “cow sense,” an ability to find and outwit cattle to drive them out of their inaccessible safe havens.
The work of a cowboy involves some of the longest hours in often the toughest and most dangerous conditions possible. Any day might involve subduing an angry beast 10 times your weight and that would rather gore, kick or stomp you than be subdued. Most cowboys will enjoy this kind of action and consider it to be a perk. The day always starts before daylight and ends only when the work is done, which might take all night. Calving season always involves many sleepless nights, usually in frigid conditions.
Going back to my teen years helping the vet pull a Charolais calf out of Brahma cow, I was once so exhausted after several nights that while holding down a cow’s head as the vet reinserted and stitched up a prolapsed uterus, I passed out and woke up to find afterbirth and part of a placenta plastered to the side of my face. While most don’t fall asleep in that sort of muck, every cowboy has worn his share of all kinds of slime at some point. Do cowboys love their horses? You bet! Are they fond of cows? Probably not. I’m sure dairy farmers used to form strong sentimental attachments to cows, especially in the old days when there was much more personal interaction. But even as an extreme animal lover, and having had lots of exposure to cattle, including cute little calves, I’ve never developed much affection toward one. Right about the time they start looking almost cuddly, with their big brown eyes and soft looking muzzles, they demonstrate how their tongue is perfectly designed to reach far into a nostril and clean out the mixture of snot, hay dust and whatever other goobers might reside there — not an attractive sight.
So no, being a cowboy isn’t so much about cows. It’s about horses and cattle, wide open spaces, dense forests and woodlands, deep canyons and tall mountains, river crossings and quick sand, intense thirst and hunger. It’s about a free-ranging lifestyle full of hardship, danger, beauty and wonder. But all of that isn’t really necessary just to wear the hat.
Libraries explore mill levy extension
A famous Wyoming bumper sticker reads: “Lord, Please Give Me One More Boom — This Time I Promise Not To P*ss It Away.”
Boom and bust defines the West. Some of us get caught on the wrong side of each end of the cycle. The smarter ones learn from it. They hedge their bets. They invest their money in things they can sustain.
I’ve been a library administrator for almost 45 years. This is the first time I’ve worked in a district that got 50% or more of its revenue from the natural gas sector. It makes you cautious. It encourages you to save. In 2026, library revenues fell by over $830,000, all due to a decrease in natural gas valuation.
“welcoming, safe and inclusive” space that goes “beyond books,” with technology access, digital resources and programs for adults and children.
OPINION
The Garfield County Libraries are a cornerstone of our community. These survey results demonstrate the deep trust and appreciation Garfield County residents have for their libraries.
LITERATE LIFE
By Jamie LaRue Garfield County Public Library District
In 2006, Garfield County voters approved a 1.0 mill levy for libraries. Its purpose was to build or renovate branches in each of the county’s six municipalities. The money also provided some operational support.
That’s why we have six beautiful libraries, one in every town in the county. We keep them up, too.
In 2027, those bonds (basically mortgages for public buildings) will be paid off. The mill levy sunsets. With it goes a loss of $1,000,000 a year we rely on to help maintain our collections, support our helpful staff and keep our buildings clean, well-maintained and open.
Before letting it go, the library hired Magellan Strategies to survey Garfield County voters. We asked about several things: How often did people actually use the library? How did they rank various services? Would they support a continuance of the modest mill levy? What did they approve or disapprove of?
To take the last first, we have an approval rating of 80%. Our disapproval rating was just 6%. Given some of the wilder claims I’ve heard at public meetings, that was reassuring.
Two thirds of voters indicated support for a potential mill levy extension to continue funding library operations and facilities — without increasing the current tax rate.
The survey also showed high self-reported usage of core library services, with approximately 60% of voters using the library at least once a month. Survey respondents described the library as a
HARVEST VILLAGE
There were many outpourings of praise and gratitude for the staff at all of our branches. One message came through loud and clear: Our citizens greatly value our existing services. They want them and the money to pay for them to continue.
So the GCPLD Board of Trustees is considering placing a 1.00 mill levy extension on the November 2026 ballot. The measure would not increase the current tax rate, but simply extend the 2006 voter-approved mill levy.
What would it be used for? In brief, our libraries would continue: maintaining safe, clean and accessible facilities; recruiting and retaining qualified staff; providing books, technology and material; partnering with local organizations addressing food insecurity, mental health and domestic violence; supporting ongoing programs and services.
All funds from the potential measure would remain under local control, audited annually and dedicated exclusively to GCPLD operations. Homeowners would continue paying about $38 per year (based on the median assessed value of a home).
I’ve participated in several studies over the years that calculate the return on investment for library funding. On average, for every dollar patrons put in they get between $5 to $8 back. If you use the library for an online subscription to the Wall Street Journal or tap into various streaming services you can save thousands of dollars per year.
But what we heard from our respondents was something more. For the majority of voters the library is a “third place.” It’s where they go between work and home to relax, to check out what’s happening, to connect to others.
Between work and home, between boom and bust, the library builds community.
from page 4
Tupi also pointed out the vibrant, green character of many of the developments’ digital renderings. “Our dry climate does not support this type of landscape without significant supplementation of water, fertilizers and chemicals,” she said. Presently, the unused property serves as winter grazing habitat for deer and elk as well as a wildlife corridor.
A local chapter of the Raging Grannies, an international organization of musical activists, performed a locally-flavored and relevant rendition of John Denver’s “Take me Home, Country Roads” with lyrics that opposed the project. Only one citizen came forward to speak in favor of the project.
Myers stated that he intends to consider the commissioners’ comments when he resubmits a renewed application. The Board of County Commissioners has yet to schedule a public hearing following the Planning Commission’s recommendation.
• General Surgery • Breast Surgery • Cancer Surgery
• Laparoscopic Surgery • Robotic Surgery with the latest da Vinci 5 • Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
Chris Roseberry, MD
Alexandra Kovar, MD
MAGA up front, Nicaragua behind
This weekend I decided to revisit my youthful nostalgia and go to a concert. Not just any concert, but a punk one. And I want to clarify something: Although I love this band’s music, there is a story that went viral that also motivated my attendance.
Of course I like them, especially on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, for their Celtic influence, their Irish bagpipes, flute, banjo, accordion, fast guitars, agile drums and that street voice that chants working-class anthems. But this time there was something more.
I also wanted to see Dropkick Murphys because of their recent media exposure.
The Boston group has been in the news not only for their music, but for their stance: social justice, defense of the working class, human rights. They’re anti-establishment to the core, unafraid of backlash from the audience. Unafraid that some of their own fans come from the conservative wing.
made in the United States — supporting local workers — or was it manufactured in another country to cut costs?
“Turn around and let’s check the label,” Casey said. “Nicaragua. It’s made in Nicaragua!”
For the band, the contradiction was exposed: a discourse promising to protect local workers while outsourcing production. The message wasn’t aggressive; it was surgical. As Casey later told a major outlet, “Always with respect … because that’s what this music is about. What’s worrying isn’t that someone thinks differently — it’s that they might not be able to say it freely.”
ANCHORS AWEIGH
Their singer and spokesperson, Ken Casey, has appeared in interviews drawing a clear line in the sand, “standing up for the rights of people.” On tour they have supported war veterans abandoned by the state, pointed out injustices in Minneapolis and denounced abuses without hesitation. They even offered a free concert in this midwestern city, very close to the memorials of Renée Good and Alex Pretti.
The viral challenge
Perhaps the most iconic moment involving the band’s singer was what went viral as the “MAGA Challenge.”
Punk music is something I can speak about more closely. It’s not a genre that became anti-establishment because of fashion or political opportunism. It didn’t emerge yesterday, nor from easy populism like some movements in the urban mainstream. Punk has spent decades opposing power through fast chords and uncomfortable lyrics. Green Day made that opposition mainstream with “American Idiot,” even on stages as massive as the Super Bowl.
Always with respect … because that’s what this music is about. What’s worrying isn’t that someone thinks differently — it’s that they might not be able to say it freely.
While on stage, Casey spotted a fan wearing a “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) campaign shirt and, instead of ridiculing him, proposed a bet — a win-win.
-Ken Casey, Dropkick Murphys singer and spokesperson
“We’ve always supported products made in the United States. If you accept the bet, you can’t lose. If I win, we swap shirts. If you win, I’ll give you a shirt from my band and $100.”
The question was simple and brutal:
Was that shirt promoting “Make America Great Again” actually
Recently, a major genre festival — Punk in the Park — was cancelled after it became public that its organizer had donated to the current government’s campaign in 2024. About 85% of the bands withdrew. Among them were Dropkick Murphys, who after their show in Denver in 2025 announced their immediate exit from the event. A collective vote of coherence that you don’t see every day. An opposition that doesn’t fire bullets, but rather sharp verses and the occasional, controlled hit in the mosh pit. A community that insists on social justice made up of mostly white Americans who, paradoxically, inspired generations of minorities on the other side of the pond, as we say. Tattooed punks, with stretched earlobes and tight pants, who today function as amplifiers of awareness. Maybe that’s what I really went to see that weekend: not just a band, but the persistence of a stance. Because punk, when it’s authentic, doesn’t age.
It transforms and it keeps making people uncomfortable.
Leonardo Occhipinti’s “Nuevo Mundo” in Sol del Valle every
By Felipe Perez Sol del Valle
Beneath the big top, the Carbondale Arts Fashion Show displayed a kaleidoscope of imaginative designs displayed by models who moved like living art.
Photos by Will Sardinsky
Are we ready for 12,000 more new vehicle trips per day, years of construction traffic affecting safety, congestion, noise, traffic delays, decreased quality of life and structural integrity of roads? Driving on our already maxed out Highway 82 presents significant safety risks for all who travel it. Intersections already rated “F” by CDOT, will only get worse if Harvest
Our concerns consistently highlight incompatibility, inadequate infrastructure, limited services, water resources and a lack of understanding regarding development on the proposed Harvest parcel. Do the math, it will create more of a deficiency than it proposes to correct, and property taxes will climb. Taxpayers build our communities and ultimately bear the consequences of incompatible development.
This land needs our protection. I advocate for preserving the Cattle Creek confluence and Roaring Fork River by supporting responsible land use, including conservation and parkland agreements, safeguarding wildlife habitats and opposing unsustainable development that only benefits a few high-rolling investors.
On March 11, the Garfield County Planning Commission voted 6-1 to deny the application. The applicant stated that they would work at resubmitting the application. Stay informed. Stay involved. Continue the momentum at cattlecreekcc. com If this development happens, the land
Rosemary
Burkholder
We want to thank the many people who wrote letters and attended meetings to support the potential ban on the senseless and nearly unlimited hunting of wildlife simply so their fur could be sold.
For years, countless foxes, coyotes, pine martens, beavers, bobcats and other animals have been killed so their pelts could be shipped overseas to distant markets. Many people in Colorado had no idea this relentless killing was happening until a petition — presented by the Center for Biological Diversity and supported by hundreds of citizens — brought the issue before the Colorado Parks and Wildlife
We are deeply grateful to the CPW Commission for the courage and thoughtfulness they showed in supporting this petition.
Special thanks go to Delia Malone of Colorado Wild and Samantha Miller of the Center for Biological Diversity for their leadership and determination in bringing this issue to light.
Our wildlife thanks you.
Nolan, kindergarten animal protector, thanks you.
Mary Harris Carbondale
E-bike proposal
There has been growing concern in the Roaring Fork Valley that allowing class 1 pedal-assist e-mountain bikes on local trails will ruin the experience or create dangerous conflicts. As someone who has been mountain biking for decades, I would like to offer another perspective.
Many of us in the Baby Boomer generation helped build the mountain biking community in this valley. We rode in the
early days of the sport when there were no purpose-built trails — just Jeep roads, Forest Service routes, and the occasional hiking path. Over the years we have watched the sport evolve alongside the incredible trail systems we now enjoy.
Today there is a large population of riders between the ages of about 60 and 80 who still love getting out on those trails. For many of us, class 1 pedal-assist e-mountain bikes allow us to keep riding. These bikes do not turn anyone into a Tour de France racer. Riders must still pedal, and the assistance simply helps offset age, sore knees, or reduced lung capacity. The climbs still require effort — but they become possible again instead of forcing riders to push their bikes uphill.
Some worry that e-bikes will create conflicts with traditional “analog” mountain bikes. Yet in many places where class 1 e-bikes have been allowed for years — such as British Columbia and much of Europe — there has been little evidence of widespread conflict on the trails. Riders are still riders. Trail etiquette, courtesy, and common sense still apply.
Closer to home, the North Fruita Desert trail system opened many trails to class 1 e-bikes some time ago. By all accounts from riders and local bike shops, it has not been controversial and has allowed more people — especially older riders — to continue enjoying the sport.
For many of us, pedal-assist bikes are not about going faster or dominating the trails. They are about staying active, staying outdoors, and staying connected to a sport we have loved for decades.
Mountain biking has always been about adapting and evolving. Class 1 pedal-assist bikes simply allow an aging generation of riders to remain part of that tradition.
Greg Fitzpatrick
Carbondale
No racism, No Kings
On Sunday, March 22, the Two Rivers Unitarian-Universalists (TRUU) Social Justice Committee will present insights on white fragility, white privilege and white supremacy, and how those practices contribute to how we arrived at this troubling time in our history. That service will take place at 10am in the Calaway Room of Carbondale’s Third Street Center.
On Saturday, March 28, from 1 to 3pm, many members of the TRUU will join the No Kings march at Sayre Park in Glenwood Springs to help protect our democracy.
On Sunday, March 29, again in the Calaway Room, we will have discussion groups about race concepts and how we can take action to strengthen our democracy in an inclusive manner in which all benefit.
Please join us!
Two Rivers Unitarian-Universalist Social Justice Committee
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.
Bike Organization (RAMBO), said some stakeholders initially had concerns.
“Admittedly, some of us were skeptics because we didn’t know how e-bikes would interact with traditional riders, and we worried about trail damage,” she said. “But we’ve had zero issues, and some of us have been proven wrong.”
“We’ve also seen the economic benefits of welcoming e-bikers to our town and trail system,” said RAMBO president Lindsey Williams. “Most of our e-bikers are older analog bikers who just want to keep riding.”
Still, other advocacy groups believe in a cautious approach to major land use changes.
The Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Alliance (RFMBA), which builds and maintains trails throughout the Roaring Fork Valley — including networks like Red Hill and the Crown that could be affected by the proposal — said it supports a careful public process to determine where class 1 e-bikes make sense.
In a statement, the group said pedal-assist bikes can help more people access the outdoors, but that some trails may not be appropriate for the technology. “We understand the benefits that class 1 [e-bikes] can provide for people seeking improved health and exercise through pedal-assist technology. At the same time, we believe it is appropriate to have
GARCO
from page 10
were served in 2025, including emergency services and prescription assistance. Over 200 Garfield County residents moved from homelessness to housing.
She added that some immigrants with work visas have been treated unfairly, mainly by landscape contractors who don’t pay. “Contractors know when the visas run out,” she said, “and stop paying [the workers].” Catholic Charities helps with mediation between employers and workers, and makes referrals to other agencies.
Catholic Charities also provides visa and citizenship assistance, and helps immigrants know their rights and how to work with law enforcement. Some immigrants are leaving the area. “They’re nervous and tired of being on-edge,” she said. “Or maybe someone in their family is here without proper documentation and they are going to leave.”
The county Department of Human Ser-
from page 11
Ravenschlag shared that RFTA has been meeting extensively with representatives from Garfield County, Rifle, Silt and the Colorado River Valley Transportation Forum in recent months. He said the discussions have shown momentum toward a potential collaborative solution. Silt Town Manager Jim Mann suggested two ballot measures for November, which would allow Garfield County to redirect library funding to fund the commuter service without creating new taxes. If successful, the proposal would enable Garfield County to continue contributing $250,000 annually to support the service. Silt and Rifle would increase funding commitments, and RFTA would commit to the remaining gap of $400,000 to 500,000 per year. The stakeholders have discussed this potential solution as a short-term tactic to cover service funding for around five years, with the suggestion for western Garfield
some mountain bike trails where class 1 [e-bikes] access remains prohibited.”
RFMBA suggested that trail design and user patterns should factor into decisions about access. “For example, a directional trail primarily used by mountain bikers may be a better location to allow class 1 [e-bikes] access than a high-use, two-way trail where most users are hikers, runners and dog walkers,” the group said.
Conservation groups have also raised concerns about the scope of the proposal.
“While many of us enjoy the benefits and fun that e-bikes offer, the BLM’s proposal essentially provides blanket approval for a new motorized use across all trails open to mountain bikes in the [CRVFO],” said Juli Slivka, senior director of policy and programs for Carbondale-based Wilderness Workshop.
Slivka said the group believes potential impacts to wildlife and recreation experiences should be evaluated on a caseby-case basis, rather than applied across the entire trail system.
BLM officials say the scoping process is designed to review exactly those types of concerns before any decision is made. Members of the public can submit comments on the proposal through March 25 via the BLM’s NEPA project website: www.bit.ly/blm-e-bikes
vices monthly update included a total of $1,140,608 disbursed for food assistance and other government benefits for February.
At one point, the BOCC voiced frustration with the City of Glenwood Springs, stating that the City has failed to file an application for a 1041 permit for the portion of the South Bridge Project that will be on County land. Commissioners directed County Attorney Heather Beattie to draft a final request to the City to file the 1041 application. If the City continues to refuse, the County will file an injunction. “So this is really a motion about procedure in our land use code,” said Jankovsky. “It is not a ‘for-oragainst’ the project.”
The BOCC also approved the purchase of trucks for the county Road and Bridge Department and discussed the possibility of leasehold mortgages at the Rifle Garfield County Airport.
County communities to pursue full RFTA membership within the next five to six years. There was energetic conversation on the topic from community members, including library representatives in opposition to Mann’s proposal. Ravenschlag emphasized that RFTA must make decisions by August 2026 regarding 2026-2027 winter season service. If ballot initiatives prove to be the best option, that may require RFTA to budget for full service for the winter without a guarantee of ballot items being approved by voters.
The next board meeting is on April 9 at 8:30am at Carbondale Town Hall. The public can also join online via Microsoft Teams. An agenda will be available at www.rfta.com a week ahead of the meeting. Community members can listen to meeting recordings via the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority YouTube channel.
PARTING SHOTS
and
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE GUNNISON COUNTY LAND USE RESOLUTION FOR THE CREATION OF A SHORT TERM RENTAL LICENSE PROGRAM
HEARING DATE, TIME AND LOCATION: The Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners meeting room, Gunnison County Courthouse, 200 E Virginia, Gunnison, CO, to hear public comment concerning proposed amendments to the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution.
PROPOSAL: The Community Development Director has recommended amendments to the Gunnison County Land Use Resolution to create a Short Term Rental License program as specified by BOCC Strategic Business Plan Goal D. DELIVER HIGH QUALITY SERVICES: 2. “By December 31, 2025, Gunnison County will implement licensing procedures for short-term rentals”.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: The public is invited to submit verbal or written comments at the hearing, or to submit written comments by email: planning@gunnisoncounty.org or letter (Community Development, 221 N. Wisconsin, Suite D, Gunnison, CO 81230), so long as they are received by 5 p.m. the afternoon before the date of the meeting so that they may be submitted for the public record during the hearing. A copy of the application is available online at: https://www.gunnisoncounty. org/436/Permit-Database. Select “projects” and type in LUC-26-00005 to view the file. Additional information may be obtained by calling (970) 641-0360.
ADA ACCOMMODATIONS: Anyone needing special accommodations as determined by the American Disabilities Act may contact the Community Development Department prior to the day of the hearing.
/s/ Hillary Iza Seminick, AICP Planning Director
Published in The Sopris Sun on February 26, March 19 and Aprl 2, 2026.
Because we love you,
Carbondale Arts, and all the fashion show fanfare, here is one more photo to enjoy by Will Sardinsky… until next year.
RFTA
Attentive Care When You Need it Most
Don’t let life’s surprises get in the way of making the most of every moment. After-Hours Medical Care in Basalt is here for you, offering convenient and compassionate services for non-life-threatening emergencies—7 days a week.
After-Hours Medical Care
Basalt
234 East Cody Lane
No appointment necessary, walk-ins welcome!
970.544.1250
Weekdays: 2-10 pm
Weekends: 8 am-5 pm
MOTHER’S DAY IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING
All local mothers who have welcomed a baby into their lives this past year are invited to have a portrait taken to run in The Sopris Sun’s May 7 edition.
Our professional photographer is taking reservations now for photo sessions:
• Sunday, April 19 and Saturday, April 25 from 9am-1pm at The Sopris Sun o ce at the Third Street Center, 520 S. Third Street, #26 in Carbondale
• Sunday, April 26 at the Glenwood Springs Library from 10am-12pm. Please email Terri Ritchie at terrir@soprissun.com or call 970-510-3003 to schedule. Llame a 970-274-6513 Klaus Kocher o mande un correo electrónico a klauskocherfotograf@gmail.com parahacer una reservación. Se habla español. Please reserve by Friday, April 17.
aspenvalleyhealth.org Can't make any of these dates? Reach out and we'll see what we can do.
