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Volume 12, Number 26 | August 6 - August 12, 2020
Lavender Haze
Photo and text by Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff Karen Crownhart-Nieslanik comes from a long line of local ranchers, but she may be the first in her family to start a love affair with lavender. This summer’s crop was far from a record breaker, but as she joined Jose Leon and Tito Portillo on a cloudy July morning to try to harvest as much as possible before it rained, that seemed secondary to the swish of sickles and the buzzing of bees. She’s been working with landowner Betsy Considine to cultivate the fragrant flower for seven or eight years, and knows how fickle crops can be. “We all really like lavender, so we planted some to
experiment,” Crownhart-Nieslanik explained. “Then we put a patch up high with the varieties that did well and started marrying growing something beautiful with incorporating it into some unique foodstuffs." It’s a philosophy Considine gleaned from her grandparents and is busy passing on to future generations. “Both my grandfather’s were farmers — one did everything from turkeys to blueberries and the other was instrumental in getting sod farming commercialized,” she said. “One grandmother taught me to love nature… and my other grandmother would ‘put up’ everything. What they could produce in the summer and put up in the winter is what they ate.” In addition to essential oil, floral water, sachets and
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bouquets, they also offer lavender peach jam and honey — visit etsy.com/shop/CarbondaleCorp or swing by Susan’s Flowers. While it’s not exactly the blended aroma you might associate with commercial products, the folgate lavender that thrives on the plot also happens to be particularly suited to culinary applications. Crownhart-Nieslanik has been working on refining her palette with sommelier training, and has even entered the oil in a handful of competitions. “I think we’re developing enough of the food science part of it, now we need to get into the business side,” Considine said. See page 9 for more floriculture!
Aspen. Basalt. Carbondale.
A picture says a thousand words GUEST
OPINION
By Tucker D. Farris The cover of the issue of the Sun that appeared June 18, 2020 (Volume 12, Number 19), in solidarity with marginalized people of color across this nation boldly read “I Can’t Breathe”. It was adorned with photos of Black Lives Matter protests that took place in town in support of communities of color across the country, and in response to the death of George Floyd. George Floyd was yet another victim of the longstanding historical and systemic oppression of Black Americans. Our town, in response to this horrific act, came together in a show of our unique and cherished sense of community. We have, for the majority of my lifetime been a town centered on the idea of “community”.
Growing up through the Carbondale Community School, the four main points of the philosophy informing every day of our education were: Community, Lifelong Learning, Respect, and Social Justice. From these early years of both focusing on these four ‘compass points’ in school, and living in a town that always prided itself on embodying at least one, if not all of these points in a given time granted me a unique perspective on how a community of people from all walks of life could come together in service to one another. Later on, as I studied sociology in college and grad school, I found that the word for this pervasive sense of ‘community’ was called in the professional circles “solidarity.” Or rather, those positive traits that bind a society together, that give meaning to the connections we establish with one another, both big and small. It lends to the overall feeling of collaboration, affirmation, and a universal sense of care and acceptance. It is with this history, both as someone who has grown up deeply rooted in our town’s values, and as someone who has gone beyond the walls of our valley to study the mysteries of human interaction and social connections that I feel compelled to put words to print in response to the radically different Sopris Sun cover that appeared on July 30, 2020 (Volume 12, Number 25).
For me, the “I Can’t Breathe” cover represented that sense of community that we as a town hold to be a strong core value. It represented people “showing up” and embodying that dedication to their fellow people and the equitable treatment of all people. It represented the idea that our town can and will care about issues bigger than itself, and that it will stand up in the face of the horrors of police brutality, systemic racism, and the continued cultural violence against people of color. This feeling waned somewhat sharply upon viewing the July 30 cover of The Sun. This cover features the “Next Generation” of the Carbondale police force in their “ceremonial” Mountain Fair costumes (bright tie-dye). The cover depicts these officers all excitedly posing for the camera and suspending one of their fellow officers in a sort of way reminiscent of bachelor party photos. This photo, and the decision to highlight it so prominently as the cover of the Mountain Fair issue of The Sun, strikes me as quite a contrasting move considering the previous feature of Black Lives Matter protests several weeks prior. The questions that arise from such a decision are plentiful: what is the message of this picture, what is the intended symbolic meaning, why this photo and not one of the fair? For me, these questions emerged around the real question of
LETTERS Shadows Dear Editor: Today I feel the immense sadness of a people’s grief. They grieve even for ones they never knew. “The Act” itself was sufficient to see to thatfor decades to come. Shadows burned onto the ground, into walls. Silhouetted remnants of man’s limited perception of himself and his world. From the depths of my heart, I hope that the time when only peace can be remembered, will come to be. Jeff Finesilver Aspen/Carbondale
Thanks for the cover Dear Editor: As a proud former Chair of Colorado Mountain College’s (CMC) Foundation Board and now as a member of its Board of Overseers, I want to thank The Sopris Sun for recognizing members of the Carbondale police force with the joyful photo on your front page of last week’s paper. All but one of the officers pictured are graduates of CMC Spring Valley’s Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy
(CLETA). The CLETA program at Colorado Mountain College has been training peace officers for over 30 years. Since CLETA’s beginnings, more than 1,400 officers have graduated and joined over 100 Colorado law enforcement agencies. Nearly 90 percent stay and serve in our mountain communities. The overwhelming number of our students come from rural backgrounds and want to work within the mountain communities in which they live, either with local police departments or their local sheriff ’s department. As we know, the nation is currently grappling with recent conflicts between law enforcement and community members. How wonderful to see our local officers join in the celebration of Mountain Fair with their tie-dye T-shirts lifting one of their colleagues up off the ground in playful jest. CMC has a strong commitment to inclusivity and civility, and this is a cornerstone of the CLETA program as well. This is just one more reason we are fortunate to call this valley home. I thank these officers for their commitment to service. Please join me in wishing them well on their journey of support for this most wonderful community. Connie Calaway Carbondale
Editor's Note:
what it means to grant both BLM protestors and the police force a similar spot on the front page of the town’s newspaper. The featuring of BLM protests reflected a sense of solidarity in our community, while the decision to feature the police force adorned in tie-dye (under ballistic vests laden with spare magazines, tasers, extra handcuffs, sidearms, etc.) feels almost directly counter to the sentiments of the previous cover. The central struggle of the entire Black Lives Matter movement has always been in direct response and in direct conflict with the sharp abuses of power by police in this nation that is overwhelmingly targeted at minorities and people of color. Which is why I find it hard to reconcile the messaging of the previous cover. Upon the cover hitting the digital community of Facebook, what I immediately noticed was an overwhelming outpouring of adoration for our police force. This came from both Black Lives Matter supporters, in addition to people on the other side of the political aisle. This highlights our biggest issue as a community, in my view. That, for a vast majority of us we live in a world where the fear, violence and constant anxiety of police brutality is not something we must engage with in ‘real life’. We are ‘safe’ from it and that safety affords us the ability to either deny its existence entirely, Continued on page 13
As you can see from this opinion page, the response to last week’s cover was mixed. Both supporters and detractors may be under the misapprehension that featuring police officers so prominently was an endorsement of the department or law enforcement in general. Through such a lens, criticisms of tone-deafness or mixed messages with June’s BLM cover are well warranted. But that’s not what the cover means to us. We work hard to showcase a broad cross-section of our community. We thought the photo was topical, timely and thought provoking. It fit the space well and didn’t seem to fit in the photo page. In retrospect, it could have used more context, such as the fact that the average Carbondale
Police officer has only been on the force for three years. Over the next few months, we’ll both be featuring the departing leadership and covering the Town’s attempts to update its policing policies — which will likely mean stirring up some problematic incidents in the department’s past. Our role as a public watchdog hasn’t changed, and we hope your faith in us hasn’t, either. Instead of seeing a contradiction, you might consider our cumulative coverage as an attempt to tackle a complex world one piece at a time. No single article or photo can tell the whole story — although a culturallydiverse mix of men and women in tie dye and tactical gear, sporting masks ranging from the thin blue line to the Mexican flag, clearly says a lot.
The views expressed in opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The community is invited to submit letters up to 500 words to news@soprissun.com. Longer columns are considered on a case-by-case basis. The deadline for submission is noon on Monday. 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • August 6 - August 12, 2020
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Donate by mail or online. P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #32 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Editor Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 news@soprissun.com Advertising Todd Chamberlin • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com Graphic Designer: Ylice Golden Reporter: Roberta McGowan Delivery: Tom Sands Proofreader: Lee Beck Current Board Members Raleigh Burleigh, President Marilyn Murphy, Vice President Linda Criswell, Secretary Klaus Kocher, Treasurer Kay Clarke • Carol Craven • Lee Beck Megan Tackett • Gayle Wells Donna Dayton • Terri Ritchie The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on second Mondays at the Third Street Center. Contact board@soprissun.com to reach them. Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young Colin Laird • Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell
The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible.
Corby Anderson new captain at KDNK. By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff After an intensive nationwide search, Carbondale’s public service radio station has brought in local media honcho Corby Anderson to serve as its executive director, a position that expanded the role of general manager to one that is more involved in community service. Anderson, who has lived in the valley for 20 years, brought a wealth of experience to this new position. He previously served as news host, sportscaster and DJ at KDNK. He was station manager at GrassRoots television for eight years and then helped spur the growth of the Colorado Mountain College(CMC) Isaacson School for New Media. He taught radio, audio, film and video production and also was station manager for the school's Radio CMC, which Anderson described as a professional training ground where students could have real, on air experiences.” Anderson praised KDNK staff for rising to the disruptions brought to town by the COVID-19 pandemic. “They were well prepared, and everyone pitched in while navigating the evolving state orders, public health guidance and local ordinances. They worked hard to fulfill the station’s mission: To connect community members to one another and the world. The station strives to serve, reflect, and belong to you — our community,” he said.
KDNK welcomes Corby Anderson as its new executive director. Photo by Roberta McGowan
Anderson's role will involve managing finances, promoting grants, fundraising, human resources and serving as KDNK’s public face. “I see KDNK as being the heart and soul of Carbondale,” Anderson declared, “And that makes me the heartbeat.” “I’ve always wanted to have a radio career,” Anderson recalled, “I love radio with a passion for its presentations of storytelling, sports and music.”
Carbondale Arts would like to extend our sincerest gratitude for all of our wonderful Mountain Fair volunteers, sponsors and donors.
With a special shout out to... Deborah Colley Michael Gorman James Gorman Laura Stover Laurie Loeb Holly Richardson Jade Meyer George Wear Mark Burrows Carrie Vickers Sue Van Horton Devon Blanke MinTze Wu Morgan Williams Rebecca & Darin Binion Jill Napiwocki Jane Bachrach Emily Bennett Sydney Yllanes Lesly Cruz Hernandez Elizabeth Hanke Shawn Tonozzi
As a child, Anderson enjoyed listening late at night with his transistor radio tuned to a mixture of jazz, blues, sports and talk shows. Later, his brother Ody, had a high school radio show which featured heavy metal music. Corby found his niche. Born in North Carolina and raised in San Francisco, Anderson chose the Roaring Fork Valley as the place to put down long term roots. “This place brings a sense of peace,
quiet and a slower pace of life,” he noted. “Carbondale has a strong sense of community as people who move here and often become mountain people themselves.” “I had spent about a year traveling around the world as concert director for ‘Florence and the Machine,’ an English indie-rock band, but it was time to go home,” he said. Anderson described KDNK’s three goals as “educate, inform and entertain” in its community access role. KDNK first went on the air in 1983 and has grown to broadcasting 24/7 with an eclectic mix of reggae, hip hop, news, public affairs, sports, soul, dusty folk and southern roots. Anderson points to the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program as one important community effort that KDNK supports. Designed for kids eight to 18, from Aspen to Rifle, it encourages children to express themself and develop leadership skills to help youth find their adult voices. Other public affairs programs include Geek Speak, Aspen Business Connect and Financial Planning. If you go to KDNK.org, you will find the complete lineup. In other KDNK changes, Raleigh Burleigh added public affairs to his duties while being part time reporter and All Things Considered host. Award-Winning Amy Hadden Marsh became news director and hosts “Valley Voices.” As Anderson said, “My door will always be open to the community. Just call and we can chat.”
Seth Goddard Raychl Keeling Leah Swan Joe Scofield Brian Golden Sarah Murray Brooke Brockleman Eaden Shantay Deva Shantay Anderson Bohmfalk Perkins Bonnie Abercrombie Wes Boyd Jorie Devilbiss Ben Mackin Nancy Williams Bill Flanigan Christy Sanzaro Robin Haugland Drea Marsh Maggie Seldeen Hollie Hardwick Bill Laemmel
Jason Jones Ben Diamong Kat Rich Alta Otto Kevin Lundy Jason White Wylie Chenoweth Faith Lipori Peppino’s Pizza Batch Carbondale Beerworks Roaring Fork Beer Company Idylwilde Brewing Company Aspen Tree Service Sustainable Settings Marble Distilling Co. Carbondale Historical Society Bonedale Flash Mob
RJ Paddywacks Carbondale Animal Hospital Skyline Ranch and Kennel The Shaggy Dog High Tails Dog & Cat Outfitters Alpine Animal Hospital Carbondale Recreation Center KDNK Radio Town of Carbondale Carbondale Police Department Carbondale Public Works Eastwood Carbondale Investors Roaring Fork Valley Coop Social Distance Jazz Band The Naked Bike Riders *Anyone we’ve forgotten- you know who you are
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • August 6 - August 12, 2020 • 3
SCUTTLEBUTT Where there’s smoke Red sunsets and even some reports of ash falling in Carbondale seem to be byproducts of the Pine Gulch Fire near DeBeque. As of press time, it was 5 percent contained at 5,685 acres of remote, rough terrain, in pinyon, juniper, oak, and sage brush — visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6906/ to keep up-to-date. Incidentally the C-130s that buzzed the area early in the week were not related to the firefighting effort, but were rather part of military training.
On display Carbondale Arts presents two exhibitions which will open Aug. 7 and, for the first time in a long time, will host an outdoor artist talk with both exhibiting artists from 5:30 to 7 p.m. that evening. Up to 10 masked, physically distant guests will be allowed in at a time to view "Motion" — new works by Crestone-based painter and mixed media artist Philip Tarlow — and "Intimate Geographies" — featuring Carbondale-based metalsmith Natasha Seedorf, whose work is about inner landscapes; about memory and emotion; about place and a sense of belonging to it. Both exhibitions will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through August 28.
Livin’ like Ribich A special screening is slated for 8:30 p.m. Aug. 11 at Buttermilk Ski Area to celebrate the legacy of Tyler Ray Ribich — a multitalented Basalt student who died in a car accident a week before he
would have turned 17. Pathfinders, Aspen Ski Co, KDNK, Basalt Area Gives and Grassroots all pitched in to make sure that the comedian, radio DJ, movie maker and head of school is properly honored.
the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Anthony added that anyone with questions can also contact Vegetation Management at (970) 945-1377, ext. 4305.
Sign of the times
Growing up On the second floor of the CoVenture building in Carbondale, Producer Stefano Da Fre and Emmy-award-winning editor Krysia Carter-Giez are nearing completion of the documentary “The Day I Had To Grow Up’ which focuses on six youth activists as they discuss their hope for change in America and their efforts to influence high stakes policy issues, including the student debt crisis, political action on climate change and legislation to prevent gun violence. The documentary will air on NBC’s streaming platform in the run up to election. Post production sound and color correction for the project is being handled by Dave Taylor of Cool Brick Studios.
Feed me, Seymour! Garfield County Vegetation management is asking the public to be aware of strange seed packages that have popped up in mailboxes in all 50 states in recent days. The seeds are unsolicited and appear to originate from China. Garfield County Vegetation Manager Steve Anthony said one resident in rural Carbondale has received a seed packet. Anthony took possession of the packet on Wednesday and is working with the CDA to determine the next steps. He reiterated not to plant the seeds, but also not to throw them away and to contact
The Cardiff Coke Ovens, located south of Glenwood Springs along a stretch of Airport Road, are registered on the National Register of Historic Places and are a popular area of interest for locals and tourists alike. Unfortunately, the informational marker installed by the Glenwood Springs Historical Society has gone missing. As it would be even more difficult than usual to replace it during a pandemic, folks are asked to keep an eye out for it and email history@rof.net or call 945-4448 with any information. Barring its successful recovery, donations toward a new sign would be appreciated.
If you have had library books and movies on your shelves for a couple months, now is the time to bring them back. Overdue charges will once again be assessed for any outstanding library books, DVDs, and other materials from the Garfield County Libraries starting on Aug. 15.
Make a request Town of Carbondale Community Request Applications are now available at carbondalegov.org and submittals are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 18. Call 510-1206 with questions.
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4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • August 6 - August 12, 2020
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Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Carly Merriott (Aug. 6) ; Charlotte Graham and Ed Engelki (Aug. 7); Amber Sparkles and Chris Peterson (Aug. 8) ; Dru Handy (Aug. 9); Jeanne Souldern and Louise Holgate (Aug. 10) Tripp Adams and Bill Hofto (Aug. 11).
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Miles Phillips —“I just like making things”
By Ken Pletcher Sopris Sun Correspondent
The Sopris Sun is conducting a series of interviews with folks you may not have seen in the paper before – a sort of introduction to your neighbors. This week we caught up with Miles Phillips, musician, instrument maker and metal worker. Q: You and [step-brother James Steindler] grew up on Flying Dog Ranch? A: Yeah, we grew up in Woody Creek. We spent a number of years in childhood there and then moved throughout the Valley. Q: Were you interested in music as a kid? A: I grew up playing in a band. We had about a gig a week from fifth grade through graduating high school. We started the band at the end of fourth grade for the battle of the bands and won six years in a row. My biological father, Biff (or Chris) Phillips, is a pretty amazing musician, and I was lucky to pick up the music gene from him. Q: What got you interested in guitar making? A: In high school I got interested
in woodworking and made a bass my sophomore year. I asked [the woodworking teacher] what was something that nobody had made before, and he’d seen only one acoustic guitar. So, my senior year I made two acoustic guitars, one steel string and one nylon string. After that I didn’t really want to go to college.
Q: So, what did you do? A: I tried to ski bum for a little while, but my family said you gotta do something with your life. I found a guitar-making school on Vancouver Island, which is where my mom had grown up. I was very fortunate to … go to that school. Q: How did the guitar-making shop come about? A: I was really lucky. My mom was friends with Heather and Franz Froelicher, the owners of Blue Heron Forge, and heard that a shop space was available [above the forge]. I came back [from school], got the shop space, and have slowly been putting everything I can into [it] over the last eight years. I started framing houses … learned the ropes … and that was my funding for this shop. Q: Do you have a steady amount of work in the guitar shop?
A: I’ve always had one build going and a number of instruments in and out the door consistently for guitar repair. I have a full-service repair shop here and can offer whatever your instrument needs.
Q: Have you made any notable instruments? A: After I got back from guitar school, I built a violin-style solid-body bass for the bass player of the band Thievery Corporation. After he toured Europe with it for a year, I started on round two for him, which was a Fender P-base body mixed with a Gibson headstock and neck. He’s been playing that ever since. Q: Is that one of your basses on the wall there? A: That was the first bass I made in high school. I bought the neck and made the body in wood shop. I used to [play it at gigs], but now I have a six-string bass. I made the entire instrument, aside from the tuning machines and the bridge, and wound the pickups. Q: Any other well-known musicians have your instruments? A: I’m working with a few other musicians right now. One thing that happened [from my work], though, was I went on tour as a guitar tech with
Luthier, Miles Phillips has been handcrafting guitars since 2012. Photo by Laurel Smith Michael Franti and Spearhead for a doing a restoration on an amazing old year. I learned a lot and made a lot of mandolin for one of the old members of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The really cool connections. sticker in it was not accurate to the date of production, so I sent these two Q: You’ve done some really neat stuff. A: I’ve been very fortunate to be part clients a photo. One got back to me of this Valley … [it’s] got a unique right away … and said that’s probably intimacy with fame that you don’t a 1917 oval-hole Gibson mandolin. find in other places. You can’t sneak That was really cool. backstage in Las Vegas or L.A. and meet Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, but Q: How did you get started in the I can say I’ve done that at Belly Up by metal shop downstairs? just hanging out [there] after the show. A: Franz asked me for some help I’m very thankful to be here in this and offered to teach me some metalworking, and I got hooked! I community. I recently picked up two clients … the prefer to be making guitars, but making owners of Gibson [Guitars]. I was anything is fun.
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • August 6 - August 12, 2020 • 5
What does the fall look like at CMC? By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff As the fall semester quickly approaches,Colorado Mountain College is on track to implement the changes needed to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The college has created “Fall 2020 Trail Map” on its website’s home page to help students navigate the new educational reality. Curriculum advisors are available by phone. Classes begin August 24, and early registration is strongly recommended. Heather Exby, Ph.D.,CMC vice president and campus dean of Glenwood Springs and Spring Valley, explained, “We have been able to develop a flexible plan which includes three options.: The first option is “Flex”, described on the CMC website as having a designated class schedule with virtual meetings on zoom. Flex may include optional in person portions. The instruction will be presented in real time. Second is “In Person” and refers to courses that can’t be delivered online and will be offered face-to-face at a specific day, date, time and location. while following safety guidelines. Some portions may be online. Students are required to attend in person for all or part of the course. “These courses include firefighting, nursing, vet tech and some of the sciences,” Exby said. The third method is “Online
Anytime”, which continues many online courses already established. “These are available at any time as they are prerecorded,” Exby noted, adding “We have students from all around the nation and some living in other countries.” “You can jump online at 2 a.m. while in your PJs,” she smiled and added, “If things change, some may be offered on campus or others changed to all online learning.” CMC Spring Valley also is home to several new additions for 2020: One is the Outdoor Leadership Center and Field House. Amenities there include a 38-foot climbing wall, free weights and assisted weight machines plus cardio equipment. For more information, call 947-8195. Also new is the Ascent Center, which serves as the welcoming portal to the campus with a one-stop shop for student services and admissions, bookstore, coffee shop, multipurpose classrooms and meeting and gathering spaces. CMC President Carrie Besnette Hauser, Ph.D., has stated, “All leaders will remain in close collaboration and coordination with local public health officials,” and with county and state public health partners plus the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC). Also notably, CNN/Money ranked CMC as number 17 in the nation for student success among more than 800 two-year colleges. The college was also rated number one among Colorado’s
two year colleges for graduation plus transfer rates. CMC also offers a variety of fouryear Bachelor's Degree programs including business administration and sustainability studies with additional degrees being considered. The 11 campuses are in Aspen, Breckenridge, Carbondale, Dillon, Glenwood Springs, Leadville, Rifle, Spring Valley, Steamboat Springs and Vail Valley at Edwards. The newest campus is in Salida, which just recently joined the college district. All in all, CMC district serves areas in nine state counties cover 12,000 square miles, three national forests, six wilderness areas and the majority of Colorado's major ski resorts. Exby also announced the residence halls at Spring Valley, Leadville and Steamboat Springs will offer housing with limited capacity in single occupancy rooms only. In addition, CMC is waiving the first-year liveon-campus requirement at the three campuses with residence halls for the 2020-21 academic year. Priority for on campus accommodations will go to those whose course work requires in-person attendance and then for those who live far away. Dining halls, while open and operating, will at first be limited to grab-and-go policies. Several common areas, like libraries, will be available with safety guidelines.
CMC graduate Rodrigo Perez and community member Christina Cappelli pose with Swoop the eagle at the CMC Spring Valley bouldering wall in the new Outdoor Recreation Center and Field House. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Stocking
Learning styles CMC is offering three types of learning during the pandemic: Flex, a combination of scheduled online and in-person courses. In-Person courses which require students to be on campus, and Online-Only classes available 24/7 with-pre-recorded content. Go to the CMC Trail Map at coloradomtn.edu for more information.
Registration CMC is currently unable to provide in-person resources and visits, but is offering virtual one-on-one meetings for admission and financial aid, as well as digital campus tours. Visit coloradomtn.edu for more information. Retail Marijuana| 21 +
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6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • August 6 - August 12, 2020
SNOWMASS VILLAGE MALL
• CARBONDALE
• SILT • PARACHUTE
Roaring Fork graduates plan for college in a pandemic
By Isabel Hicks Sopris Sun Correspondent
Instead of walking across a stage, Lucia Penzel, 18, graduated high school from inside her car. She is one of the many members of the Class of 2020 whose education has been turned upside down by the coronavirus, having to finish senior year online and begin college in a time of widespread uncertainty. “My friends and I were talking, and we think since we don’t really know what [college] is like, we won’t be too bummed out or feel like it’s too different,� Penzel said. “It’s not as bad [for us] as it is for the people who’ve been there and experienced the regular college life. We know nothing else, so I think it will still be different and exciting.� The lack of federal guidelines has led to a patchwork of different college plans for reopening. Madison Thompson, 18, plans to attend Western Colorado Community College in Grand Junction, which is part of Colorado Mesa University. Her school is planning to have in-person classes up until Thanksgiving break, and then move classes online for the remainder of the semester. Mesa is paying for each student and faculty member to take a COVID test when they arrive on campus, Thompson said. Masks are required inside any building, but they can be taken off outside as long as people are six feet apart. “The bigger classes they’re going to do online, but they’re [trying to] limit the class size so that they don’t have to do as many online,� she said. Penzel plans to attend Colorado College in Colorado Springs. The college plans to do a staggered reopening of campus, inviting freshmen back in August but having all other students take their classes online until the end of September. If students leave the state for break, they are not allowed to come back. Just last Thursday, CC announced its plans to test all students once they arrive on campus. “We have to be immediately tested, and then quarantine up until you get your
results back,� Penzel said. That means you can only go into your residence building, you have to wear a mask, and you can’t leave campus, she explained. Caroline Wisroth, 18, plans to attend Marquette University in Wisconsin. Her school is doing a hybrid model, with large lecture classes online and smaller classes, like labs, in person. “We have to wear masks 24/7, unless you’re in your room with just your roommate, but if anyone else is in your room you have to wear masks,� Wisroth said. “We have to have a thermometer and an asthmometer at school, and we have to take a COVID test five days before we get there to go. They also have empty rooms so if you do get Corona... you [can] quarantine yourself.� All three say their schools have changed their plans for reopening many times. “[Mesa was] saying that it was going to be in person all year, and then that changed as COVID went on,� Thompson said. But even with precautions in place, some students aren’t convinced schools will be able to reopen safely. “I just feel like we’re going to get there, and it will be fine, we’ll have our classes, and then people will start getting sick,� Penzel said. “Then they’ll be like okay, it’s time to go home.� “I have a very strong feeling that we’re all going to get there and something [will] happen, and we’re going to... get sent home,� Wisroth added. Even still, none of them decided to defer their enrollment a semester or year. “There's not a job that would really make sense for me [to have] for that amount of time,� Wisroth said. “So [my parents] just said let’s give it a shot, and if it doesn’t happen then it doesn’t happen.� “I just didn’t want to wait and not do anything, because there’s not a whole lot we can do on a gap year right now. I’m just ready to leave the house and leave this town, even if it’s just for a little bit,� Penzel said. For now, all three students are scheduled to move in the coming weeks, unless plans abruptly change again. “It’s all going to be crazy, but [we] can’t do anything about it,� said Wisroth.
Welcome
“I would just say make the best of it, and realize that we’re all in this together,� added Thomspon. “Just enjoy as much as you can.�
Author's note: When Colorado College shut down in midMarch, students were given a week to pack up their things and get out. My friend Sam’s band, Tiny Tomboy, organized a socially-distanced final jam on Yampa Field the night before everyone left. Unfortunately, it was shut down ten minutes into the performance due to a noise complaint.
ADVENTURE - CREATE SHOP - DINE - AD ENTURE
TO THE CARBONDALE CREATIVE DISTRICT
TOWN-WIDE ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Carbondale Mask Ordinance: Mandatory wearing of masks or facial coverings in public spaces including stores, restaurants, and the Wednesday Farmer’s Market. Please practice social distancing and frequent hand-washing.
WWW.CARBONDALECREATIVEDISTRICT.COM WWW.CARBONDALE.COM
Work in Progress Mural by Stanley Bell & Chris Erickson. PC: Lewis Cooper
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • August 6 - August 12, 2020 • 7
Want to advertise your business, but fear you might have to shut down? The Sopris Sun is here to help! If you advertise with us and your business is shut down or an event is canceled due to Covid-19 after the paper is published (between Thursday and Wednesday), we will credit you with a new ad when you reopen. No questions asked. Todd Chamberlin Advertising Manager 970-987-9866 adsales@soprissun.com Deadlines, Rates and Specifications: www.soprissun.com/advertise/
8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • August 6 - August 12, 2020
Floriculture grows roots at Juniper Farm Zlotnick encourages people to add flowers to their home gardens. In addition to attracting pollinators and beneficial insects “they can produce a great bounty in just a small amount of space,” says Zlotnick.
Abby Zlotnick started Juniper Farm last year as a way to combine her expertise with produce with that of a flower farmer friend. Now that she runs the farm on her own, she continues floriculture, attracting both pollinators and new members to her growing CSA.
Zlotnick reflects on how flowers have added value for her CSA members. “My CSA members have really enjoyed having flowers in their shares! Flowers can really brighten the mood of a home, much like fresh food, and people are excited to bring more beauty into their homes,” she says.
Zlotnick harvests flowers for her community supported agriculture (CSA) members. Just like with her produce, members receive different varieties of flowers depending on what is in season.
Nigella variety or Love-in-a-mist are currently in bloom. “When the flower dries it makes an interesting dried pod in the middle, so I have personally nicknamed it an alien flower because the pod just looks so out of this world,” says Zlotnick. Zlotnick prepares floral arrangements for her CSA members.
Photos by Laurel Smith
SENIOR MATTERS OF CARBONDALE
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • August 6 - August 12, 2020 • 9
GOVERNMENT BRIEFS Local gets GarCo vet role Garfield County has appointed David Pruett as new veterans’ services officer for a two-year term that began on July 13, 2020. A request for qualifications yielded five interested individuals, of which Pruett was determined to be the best fit for the role. An honorably discharged Navy veteran (Navy Special Warfare), Pruett was active duty for almost five years before injuries ended his military career prematurely. He works as an appraiser in his hometown of Rifle and has volunteered in the past as a firefighter for the Rifle Fire Protection District, ski patrol at Sunlight Mountain Resort and Garfield County Sheriff ’s Office Search and Rescue.
County adds $500k to quarry expenses The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners has approved a supplemental budget request of $500,000 to cover expenses for legal matters related to the limestone quarry operated in Garfield County by Rocky Mountain Aggregates, Inc. and RMR Industrials, Inc. (collectively, “RMI”). The county is supplementing its previous allocation, in light of the expanding scope of legal matters related to RMI’s quarry. As Garfield County
And
Attorney Tari Williams explained to the board, the additional funding was requested “to cover some of the expenses we are incurring for the various efforts in relation to the limestone quarry.”
Constitution of the United States, only Congress has the power to move or change a presidential election date. County clerks will begin sending ballots to every registered voter starting on Oct. 9.
CMC endorses Gallagher Amendment repeal
Bennet looks to limit federal police
At a special meeting held virtually on July 29, the Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees unanimously voted to endorse SCR 20-001, a measure that will appear on Colorado’s Nov. 3 ballot. If approved by Colorado voters, the Gallagher Amendment Repeal and Property Tax Assessment Rates Measure would repeal the most restrictive aspects of the Gallagher Amendment. It was passed by a bipartisan majority of the Colorado legislature in 2020 and certified for the ballot on June 12 this year.
Colorado’s Michael Bennet was one of several U.S. Senators to introduce the Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America’s Streets Act, which would block the Trump Administration from deploying federal forces as “a shadowy paramilitary against Americans.” It would require individual and agency identification on uniforms of officers and prevent unmarked vehicles from being used in arrests; limit federal agents’ crowd control activities to federal property and its immediate vicinity, unless their presence is specifically requested by both the mayor and governor; require disclosure on an agency website within 24 hours of deployments specifying the number of personnel and purposes of deployment and make arrests in violation of these rules unlawful.
Griswold confirms Nov. 3 election Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold reaffirmed that the state’s General Election will be held as scheduled. This comes in response to President Trump’s assertion that the election could be moved or delayed due to COVID-19 and unfounded claims related to vote by mail. As explicitly stated in the
Gardner backs childcare U.S. Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado has introduced the Back to Work Child Care Grants Act, which would provide critical
resources to help child care providers safely reopen and help support working parents. The act supports the economic recovery and helps parents go back to work by providing resources to help child care providers reopen and stay open, offers nine months of financial assistance, allows states to design their own plans and sends funds to child care providers more quickly without administrative red tape.
Senators push for physician training U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) are behind a bipartisan effort to support physician training programs in rural communities to strengthen and maintain a physician workforce for the future, especially in rural areas. In a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, the Senators request the administration release approximately $100 million in targeted funding from the Provider Relief Fund established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to fund rural hospitals that train physicians and commit to maintaining training programs for at least three years.
Want to get involved? Contact your elected officials about the issues that matter to you Senator Michael Bennet 261 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-5852
Senator Cory Gardner 354 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-5941
Congressman Scott Tipton 218 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-4761
CO Senator Bob Rankin 200 E Colfax, 346 Denver, CO 80203 (303)866-5292
CO Rep Perry Will 200 E Colfax, 07 Denver, CO 80203 (303)866-2949
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Carbondale, CO
Longstanding Thompson Divide issue heads to the senate By James Steindler Sopris Sun Correspondent
Heave ho, here we go. The long stasis of uncertainty surrounding the fate of Thompson Divide yet again has a chance to cross the seemingly elusive finish line. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act is in the midst of federal legislation and if passed would protect 400,000 acres of land in Colorado, including the majority of the Thompson Divide. Those who have been around Carbondale awhile have likely heard of the Thompson Divide Coalition (TDC); a group whose aim is to preserve 221,500 acres of federal land in Garfield, Pitkin, Gunnison, Mesa and Delta counties. According to the organization’s website, there are currently “61 active lease holdings [oil and gas] in the area covering approximately 105,000 acres.” The CORE Act was introduced by Senator Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse in June 2019. It has passed the House and is on its way to the senate floor. If passed, the CORE Act would prevent any future oil and gas leases from being issued on 200,000 acres of the Thompson Divide land. Existing lease holders would have the option of relinquishing their leases and in turn be compensated for nearly all expenditures, sans legal fees. Wilderness Workshop (WW) in Carbondale has also been a key part of the fight, on the side of preserving Thompson Divide. WW’s Executive Director Will Roush acknowledges that even if the bill
Protection has long been sought for the "Thompson Divide" — a swath of recreationally and environmentally important land on the eastern margin of Grand Mesa. Photo courtesy of Brandon Jones passes, which he is more than hoping for, “There are also existing leases in the Thompson Divide that would be unaffected by the CORE Act,” he states, “so more work to do there as well to protect the place.” The CORE Act is being pushed through as part of a larger bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The last significant public lands bill that passed by way of the NDAA was
FOOD DISTRIBUTION • CARBONDALE: Mondays:
AUGUST FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Third Street Center 8/3 (5–7PM) • 8/10 (2–4PM) • 8/17 (5–7PM) • 8/24 (2–4PM) • 8/31 (5–7PM)
• PARACHUTE: 201 E. First Street NEW DAY Tuesdays: 8/4 (5–7PM) • 8/11 (2–4PM) • 8/18 (5–7PM) • 8/25 (2–4PM) • NEW CASTLE: Wednesdays:
NEW LOCATION Cristo La Roca (880 Castle Valley Blvd.) 8/5 (5–7PM) • 8/12 (2–4PM) • 8/19 (5–7PM) • 8/26 (2–4PM)
• GLENWOOD: Thursdays:
Glenwood Springs High School 8/6 (5–7PM) • 8/13 (2–4PM) • 8/20 (5–7PM) • 8/27 (2–4PM)
• DEBEQUE: Thursday:
Community Center Parking Lot 8/20 (noon–2PM)
• RIFLE: Fridays:
Rifle Middle School 8/7 (5–7PM) • 8/14 (2–4PM) • 8/21 (5–7PM) • 8/28 Location TBD
in 2015 and protected the Hermosa Creek Wilderness in SW Colorado. “Senator Bennet has twice before introduced a similar bill to protect the Thompson Divide and neither bill passed the Senate,” says Roush. Another purpose of the portion of the bill concerning the Thompson Divide is to, as it reads, “Promote the capture of fugitive methane emissions that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere.”
“If implemented the methane capture provisions in the bill would have a significant benefit to our climate by reducing methane pollution which is 86 times more potent a greenhouse gas than CO2,” says Roush. The existing methane emissions largely come from abandoned coal mining operations. Not only would the methane program be beneficial against climate change but it can also provide an energy supply. “The existing Coal Mine Methane project near to the Thompson Divide was developed by Oxbow Mining LLC, Vessels Coal Gas, Gunnison Energy LLC, Aspen Skiing Company and Holy Cross Energy at the Elk Creek Mine near Somerset in Gunnison County,” Roush states. “This project co-locates a 3 MW power plant and a thermal oxidizer that destroys the remaining methane emissions.” A separate bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Cory Gardner known as the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) recently passed in the House after passing in the Senate in June. On Aug 4 it was signed into law by Donald Trump. GAOA is meant to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and allocate up to $9.5 billion to a National Park and Public Lands Legacy Restoration Fund which is to be used for overdue maintenance projects mostly within National Parks Service lands. Senator Gardner has yet to commit to the CORE Act but has said, “We’re trying to figure out a way forward for it. I think there is certainly a way that it can pass.”
FITNESS
IS ESSENTIAL! OUTDOOR CLASSES ARE HERE!
FEATURING: YOGA, CORE CARDIO, INTERVAL TRAINING, FOAM ROLLING, TAi CHi, AND ZUMBA!
• ASPEN & BASALT: Please visit PitkinCounty.com for Aspen & Basalt Food Distribution information and updates.
EXTENDED TABLE (Soup Kitchens)
Grab-n-go meal at the below locations. • GLENWOOD: Mon.-Fri. 5–6PM First United Methodist Church (824 Cooper Ave.) • RIFLE:
Tues. & Thurs. 5–6PM
Rifle United Methodist Presbyterian Church located in the Lovell Building (200 E. 4th St.)
LIFT-UP THRIFT STORES
LIFT-UP is working to re-opening the Rifle Thrift Store in August. The LIFT-UP Parachute Thrift Store will remain closed through 2020 to provide space for Food Bag preparation.
VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are needed to help with stuffing food bags, the distribution of food from drive-through distribution sites and Thrift Store in-take. Please call the LIFT-UP volunteer hotline at 970.456.2804.
FINANCIAL DONATIONS NEEDED!
Visit LIFTUP.org for secure online donations Or mail to: LIFT-UP, P.O. Box 1928, Rifle CO 81650
WORKOUT TIME SLOTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE REC CENTER
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8 AM, 10 AM, 12PM and 2PM
FOR RESERVATIONS AND MORE INFORMATION:
VISIT CARBONDALEREC.com OR CALL (970) 510-1290
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • August 6 - August 12, 2020 • 11
Take a walk on Emma’s wild side Where strange critters abide By Roberta McGowan Sopris Sun Staff Have you ever met a zonkey? Probably not. This zebra/donkey cross is considered extremely rare. Some say these critters are so hard to find that the odds of seeing a unicorn are better. But, as luck would have it, the Roaring Fork Valley boasts two, living happily together in Emma. Both three years old, these sweet, gentle animals are an incredible sight. They are named Ariele (from the mischievous sprite in Shakespeare's fantastical play “The Tempest”) and Carmen (the larger of the two). These delightful equines are the result of a zebra stallion and two female donkeys — called Jennys — getting together romantically. “I once had a pet buffalo who lived to a ripe old age,” said zonkey owner Bryan Edgington, “But one day he just keeled over and was gone.” “A friend thought I should consider zonkeys,” Edgington said, “So I did.” “That friend, who lives in Grand Junction, told me there was a zebra stallion in that area, and once I
connected with the owner, the process began.” he recalled. The mares, he explained were also from that area. Zonkey pregnancies last 12 months, “So we had to wait a while before bringing the mares here, as myself and the stallion owner agreed it would be good if the foals were born here,” Edgington continued. Carmen, one of the foals, was quite large at birth. “We were concerned about the stress on the mare,” Edgington said, “And were quite relieved when everything turned out okay, Emma is their home.” The zonkeys were halter trained early as it was hard to catch them at times. “Now at age three, they have decided humans could be trusted so halters are not needed most of the time,” he said. Instead, Edgington makes an unusual whistle sound to call them. As Edgington explained, “Zonkeys are long lived — up to 25 or so years, like a horse — so they’ll be around quite a bit more.” The four-acre property is set up to be quite zonkey-friendly. “We have a very large pasture with a small slow-running ditch right inside the area so water is not an issue,” he said. “Plus, we move an electric fence to surround grassy areas that the
zonkeys have chewed down, like what goats do. Another portion of the property has a small pond where the zonkeys like to wallow,” Edgington smiled. They are moved to a back pasture at night and more often in the winter, he added. Most zonkeys are now seen in zoos or at private ranches and were also discussed in Charles Darwin’s “Origin of the Species” published in 1869. So, what exactly does a zonkey look like? Zebroids physically resemble their non-zebra parent but are striped like a zebra. Zonkeys are primarily either tan, brown or grey with a lighter underside and can reach three and a half to five feet tall, carry 500 to 700 pounds of weight and gallop up to 35 miles per hour. Although usually calm, zonkeys are half wild and not very rideable, although that’s been tried with mixed results. For fun, take a look at “Racing Stripes,” a 2005 American sports comedy film about Stripes, a circus zebra who is accidentally abandoned in Kentucky and raised on a farm next to a racetrack. Believing he is a racehorse, Stripes dreams of training for and competing. And he does. From wideopenpets.com: “If you
“Ask a Lawyer” Free Legal Advice Mediation Hotline for Tenants and Landlords
970-230-3935
Mon-Fri 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 5 p.m.
Two quite rare zonkeys (donkey and zebra hybrids) are living in Basalt, much to the delight of locals and visitors. Photo by Roberta McGowan ever come across a zonkey in real life, you're very lucky. These zebra hybrids are rare but are totally fascinating examples of cross-breeding.” Edgington’s zonkeys are a bit of
a tourist draw, and he doesn’t mind visitors coming to see the animals. “People walk or bicycle through here, and say they’re thrilled at the unusual sight and then take lots of pictures.”
Please read below to learn about an upcoming project in Carbondale.
Wednesdays 5-7 p.m.
970-368-2246
SERVING PARACHUTE TO ASPEN This community ad space is donated by Cool Brick Studios
Cool Brick Studios
Land+Shelter Architects
PROJECT DETAILS
photography • film • video 360° virtual tours
world-class multimedia studio CoolBrickStudios.com
86 S 3rd St. Carbondale, Colorado
Audio and visual excellence all under one roof ! 12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • August 6 - August 12, 2020
• Site located just north of electrical substation on Hwy 133. • Currently located in Garfield County, site is designated as Phase I Annexation zone in Carbondale Master Plan. • Limited right-in/right-out access unsuitable for retail or multi-family housing. On site employee housing. • Landscape design provides sidewalk across this site and extending one block north and south of site for pedestrian/bike users along the west side of 133. • On site rooftop solar for a net-zero energy design, in line with Carbondale’s Energy & Climate Action Plan.
• Proposed partnership with Carbondale Creative District for a combination sculpture/mural walk on site, creating a northern gateway to Town. ONLINE PUBLIC MEETINGS Planning & Zoning Aug 13 & 27 Board of Trustees Sep 22 PROJECT RENDERINGS www.landandshelter.com/portfolios/ eastwood-133-self-storage/ QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? eastwood133selfstorage@gmail.com
OPINION
Ps & Qs
By Jeannie Perry This summer it seems everyone packed up the family truckster and headed for Colorful Colorado… While I can’t blame them, it has caused me to experience some road rage. Whether running errands around town or getting out into the wild, everywhere I go, there are humans in my way. On more than one occasion I counted over 60 cars! parked along the side of the narrow dirt road leading to my favorite trailhead. Fortunately, my sister gave me some helpful advice to deal with all these terrific out-oftowners. She told me to picture each driver as a different breed of dog. So now, whenever I’m stuck behind a nervous Golden Retrievadoodle, I just smile and give her extra time to make that hazardous left-hand turn. Or when a Rottweiler sticks his oversized head
Dog days of summer out of his oversized truck to bark and growl at the rest of us, I simply wave. It really does work. I stay calm, cool, collected, and everywhere I go I see loveable mutts behind the wheel. Dogs sure do know how to live the good life: eat, walk, sniff stuff, sleep, and everything else is just an excuse to take a joyride in the car. Although small-town living usually promotes friendly encounters, it has been interesting to notice how differently we act when we don’t know each other (or when we can’t quite recognize each other because of the masks.) In my whole life, in all the bizarre scenarios I imagined, I never thought I would one day walk around my hometown and not see a familiar face. I have done my best to socially distance during these strange days, but I still walk my dog in public places. For those of you who have never owned one, let me just tell you that I wouldn’t wish a stay-at-home order on my worst enemies if they had a Border Collie. Recently, I was walking my dog on what used to be a lonely road not too far out of town, when I came across a truck parked on the side of the road with gear streaming out of the tailgate. I looked ahead to see three dirt bike riders among the cows in the field. The riders were jumping over rocks and doing figure eights in the grass, and while the cows didn’t seem particularly concerned, I was annoyed. “Tourists,” I thought to myself. As I walked, I made up their back story in my mind; a family from somewhere in southern California, they had just sold their home and moved here to experience the Rocky Mountain Lifestyle, as seen in Dodge truck commercials… And with the sale money they were able to buy a brand-
AFTER-HOURS MEDICAL CARE ASPEN VALLEY HOSPITAL
Picture from page 2
new house and a bunch of toys. Now they would be up here all the time, interrupting my peaceful dog walks. I took a deep, middle-aged breath and thought to myself, “there goes the rural.” As I approached, two riders were still driving their bikes around the obstacle course of cows, but the third rider had stopped to take off their helmet… “Oh! It’s you!” said a friendly, familiar voice. I looked closely to find my neighbor smiling at me, completely unrecognizable in all her Mad Max gear. “Hi!” I said, my annoyance melting like ice cream on hot asphalt. “Whatcha doin?” “Just testing out my new bike!” She was grinning from ear to ear. “We didn’t have time to go far today, but I had to get ‘er out and go for a ride.” Suddenly the whole thing made sense and I regretted my concocted scenario. “So glad it’s you,” said my neighbor, “When I saw someone walking a dog, I thought, ‘Oh great! Probably new to the area. For sure she’s going to yell at us.” I smiled and kept her accuracy to myself. “Hey, did you hear Carbondale is getting a lumber yard?!” my neighbor asked. “No- what?! Where??” “Right by the new City Market. And they’re closing one in Glenwood, so we’ll get all kinds of up-valley construction traffic during the week and everyone else on the weekends. Ugh.” “Great.” I said. “The Aspenification of Carbondale continues...” “Yep,” said my neighbor. “We’ve gone to the dogs.”
or to only support it performatively. I would argue that both are equally damaging to the real communities that face this constant battle of life and death on a daily basis. In closing, I must say that our key responsibilities as engaged community members is to be engaged community members. We must pull ourselves beyond doing what looks good for the optics of the day, and instead ‘show up’ and put our money where our mouths are, so to say. Our community is not free of police brutality. Our police force is not a benevolent force for good. Rather, our community is free of police brutality with a benevolent police force for some of us. Our community has a large percentage of Latinx community members — many of whom do not have the comfortable life of a large house, disposable income, and the ability to feel safe when interacting with a police officer. A portion of our community feels safe when they see police officers wearing tie-dye under their tactical vests. A portion of our community feels terrified of that reality. The part that gives me pause and makes me reflect on where we have “gone” as a community, is those same people that feel safe are the ones protesting, are the ones saying they want real change. What they do not realize is that even the act of feeling safe itself is inherently part of the problem and that it continues to replicate the systems that enact violence on people of color every single day in this country. As a direct reflection of this, I will offer this small piece of personal confession: Even as I write this from a relative place of safety, to criticize the police force in our small town in any way fills me with an immense amount of fear of retribution, be it small or grand in scope.
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234 Cody Lane, Basalt Monday - Friday 3:00 – 11:00 pm Saturday & Sunday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm aspenhospital.org |
TEACH ONLINE WITH COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE The CMC Community Education Department in Carbondale seeks online instructors.
SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE AND PASSION! To discuss opportunities, email mackerman@coloradomtn.edu
AspenValleyHospital
THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • August 6 - August 12, 2020 • 13
wants to
Shopping locally is now more important than ever. To show our appreciation, we have partnered with Carbondale Creamery and Cafe, Carbondale Beer Works, and Dos Gringos Burritos. We will be awarding a $25 gift card to the first 5 customers to visit each business every Friday in the month of August!
$25
PARTING SHOT
Thank you for shopping local! NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO WIN. Certain restrictions apply. FirstBank employees and their immediate families are not eligible. Limit of one (1) gift card per customer and per household for the duration of the promotion. Winner(s) may decline the prize. Gift card cannot be substituted for cash prize. Contact the FirstBank — Carbondale at 970.476.3500 for more details.
14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • soprissun.com • August 6 - August 12, 2020
Frank Sgambati spent his time in quarantine designing a Lego city in his kitchen. He suffered a head injury in March and describes the two-month long project as a therapeutic part of his recovery. Photo by Laurel Smith
National Parks By Tiernan Pittz Edited by Dan Pittz
Across 1. Chop, as a tree 5. First three letters 8. Smoothie berry 12. Italian novelist Vittorini 13. Exclamation 14. “Sea ___” 15. Chaco rival 16. “We __ the Champions” Queen 17. Kiss, in Scotland 18. Shampoo brand 20. Golf goal 22. Fraction necessity 23. Krasinski COVID show, abbr. 25. Engineer, Monarch, Indy, e.g. 27. Flexible price indicator, abbr. 30. Geological period 32. “The Dollhouse” author 35. Famous Nat’l Park in CO 38. Truths 39. __-Fi 40. Stocks basis 41. Texas college 43. Heart restarter 45. Tree’s blood 47. Mouse’s cousin 49. Goes on angrily 53. ___ exam Down 1. Type of cheese 2. Marker of height, abbr.
3. Exist 4. Piles, esp. into a truck 5. “Found it!” 6. Side effect of drinking soda 7. Opposite of pricey 8. Venomous snake 9. New Mexican caves 10. Actor Baldwin 11. Thing 19. Yellowstone’s Old Faithful is one 21. Washington National Park 24. __ du plume 26 Plane faster than sound, e.g., abbr. 27. Disease caused by a parapox virus 28. Constrictor 29. One who is in (a chair) 31. Yes’ opposite 33. “Old MacDonald had a farm, Ei __” 34. Compass direction 36. Intntl. radio, internet broadcast 37. California college, abbr. 42. “___ with” (lets go) 44. Fig relatives 45. Zoological body 46. Extra seed-covering 48. Rip 50. African river 51. It has a trunk 52. Push the arrow 54. Three letter astrological sign 56. Two, in Spain
Answers; 1a. FELL; 5a. ABC; 8a. ACAI; 12a. ELIO; 13a. HUH; 14a. SALT; 15a. TEVA; 16a. ARE; 17a. PREE; 18a. AVEDA; 20a. PAR; 22a. LCM; 23a. SGN; 25a. PASS; 27a. OBO; 30a. EON; 32a. ISBEN; 35a. ROCKYMOUNTAIN; 38a. FACTS; 39a. SCI; 40a. DOW; 41a. UTEP; 43a. AED; 45a. SAP; 47a. RAT; 49a. RANTS; 53a. ORAL; 55a. RED; 57a. TIRE; 58a. MINE; 59a. TAO; 60a. ELEN; 61a. ALTO; 62a. SRS; 63a. SEED; 1d. FETA; 2d. ELEV; 3d. LIVE; 4d. LOADS; 5d. AHA; 6d. BURP; 7d. CHEAP; 8d. ASP; 9d. CARLSBAD; 10d. ALEC; 11d. ITEM; 19d. AGEYSER; 21d. RAINIER; 24d. NOM; 26d. SST; 27d. ORF; 28d. BOA; 29d. OCCUPANT; 31d. NOS; 33d. EIO; 34d. NNW; 36d. KTT; 37d. UCA; 42d. PARTS; 44d. DATES; 45d. SOMA; 46d. ARIL; 48d. TEAR; 50d. NILE; 51d. TREE; 52d. SEND
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LEGALS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Board of Trustees for the purpose of considering a Petition for Annexation submitted by Eastwood 133, LLC. The address is 0430 Highway 133 (Parcel #2393-284-00-011). It is the 2.602 acre parcel along the west side of Highway 133, just north of the Public Service electrical substation. The property is legally described as follows: A parcel of land situated in Lot 16 of Section 28, Township 7 South, Range 88 West of the Sixth Principal Meridian, being more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point on the Westerly rightof-way line of Colorado State Highway No. 133, whence the East Quarter corner of said Section 28 bears North 24°43'21" East, 2372.8 feet; thence South 01°16'00" East, 511.89 feet along said Westerly right-of-way line; thence leaving said Westerly right-of-way line along the boundary of that Exception Parcel described in that document recorded as Reception No. 232893 South 88°44'00" West, 195.0 feet; thence continuing along said boundary South 01°16'00" East, 49.14 feet to a point on the Northeasterly right-of-way line of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad; thence leaving said boundary North 33°10'35" West, 47.30 feet along said Northeasterly right-of-way line; thence leaving said Northeasterly right-of-way North 01°16'00" West, 520.88 feet; thence North 88°44'00" East, 220.00 feet to the point of beginning. Containing 2.602 acres more or less. Said Public Hearing will be held at 6:00 p.m. on September 22, 2020. You may watch a live streaming of the meeting on You Tube. Search Town of Carbondale 22, 2020 meeting. Please be aware that you will experience a 15-30 second delay. If you would like to submit comments regarding this application, email your comments or letter to msikes@carbondaleco.net by 3:00 p.m. on September 22, 2020. This email or letter will be entered into the record. You may also call Mary Sikes at 510-1210 to find an alternative way to submit a letter.
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If you would like to comment during the meeting, email msikes@carbondaleco.net with your full name and address by 3:00 p.m. on September 22, 2020. You will receive instructions on joining the meeting online prior to 6:00 p.m. Also, you may contact msikes@carbondaleco. net to get a phone number to listen to the meeting, however, you will be unable to make comments. WiFi will be available in the lobby of Town Hall and a phone will also be available in the lobby for the public to listen to the meeting. Please email Janet Buck at jbuck@carbondaleco. net or call 970/456-3036 by 3:00 p.m. the date of the public hearing if special accommodations are necessary to participate in the meeting. Copies of the Petition and Annexation Plat are available on the Town's website at www. carbondalegov.org. Please contact msikes@ carbondaleco.net or at 970/510-1210 if you are unable to view the application on the Town's website and would like to request an alternate method of review. Janet Buck Town Planner ORDINANCE NO. 7 SERIES OF 2020 AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE, COLORADO, AMENDING CHAPTER 17 OF THE CARBONDALE MUNICIPAL CODE (THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE) NOTICE: This Ordinance was introduced, read, and adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Carbondale, Colorado, on July 28, 2020. This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication of this notice. The full text of said Ordinance is available to the public at www. carbondalegov.org or at the office of the Town Clerk, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado, during normal business hours. THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE By: s/s Dan Richardson, Mayor
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THE SOPRIS SUN • Carbondale’s weekly community connector • August 6 - August 12, 2020 • 15
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