2025 Annual Report:
TAKING A NOTE FROM THE CONSTITUTION
In this line of work, as we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it’s hard not to re�lect on the First Amendment (rati�ied in 1791) and its promise of a free press to ensure government accountability through an informed citizenry.
The Sopris Sun is proud to present its 2025 Annual Report on the precipice of the semiquincentennial occasion.
In 2025, The Sun stepped up to the plate to ful�ill this duty, through consistent reports of government meetings, from the Basalt and Carbondale reports to the newly introduced Glenwood Report and the longstanding Gar�ield County Report. We’ve invigorated the watchdog component of the paper in 2026, inviting the Marble Report to keep Crystal Valley residents and the periphery apprised of issues at the headwaters of the Crystal River.
In the current climate of media and journalists being scrutinized, it’s worth mentioning what sets credible, community journalism apart. While the intention behind freedom of the press is to keep government in check, it’s equally as important to have an accountable newsroom. One good indicator of a trustworthy publication is listing corrections. When The Sun gets something wrong, readers can expect a correction in the following issue, always printed in the same place above the letters to the editor.
Sol del Valle continued its mission in 2025 to extend the right to information to the monolingual Spanish-speaking community of the Valley. Sol is unique in that its pages are powered by eight newsrooms in the Valley, a partnership known as the CoWest Noticias Collaborative. In 2025, Sol translated approximately 240 stories from English to Spanish from members of the collaborative, including The Sopris Sun (101), The Post Independent (63), Aspen Daily News (39), Aspen Public Radio (34) and The Aspen Times (3). Latino Sol del Valle contributors keep a �inger on the pulse of their readers, and collectively dished out 271 pieces of original Sol content — from articles to opinions to comics — over the course of the year.
After �ive years of incorporating content generated by The Sopris Stars Youth News Bureau into the pages of The Sun, the intern team, made up of nine budding high school journalists, printed its �irst issue of The Sopris Stars newspaper as an insert in October 2025. From there, the Stars worked hard to meet deadline and produce a fresh issue every last week of the month during the school year.
Two of our Stars were recently recognized for their work by Aspen Daily News’ inaugural student-journalism Peak Press Awards, with Star Vivienne Shapiro receiving the Best News Story award for her piece, “Everyone’s a Ram,” about the school walk-outs in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Star Hana Creyts receiving the Best Feature Story award for her Valentine’s Day-focused story, “Infatuation to in�lation.”
The Sopris Sun, Sol del Valle and The Sopris Stars will shine a light on the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful for years to come, as long as we have your support.
Consider making a donation to continue this work at soprissun.com/donate
Happy Fourth of July!
