20231019

Who you gonna call?

Amy Hadden Marsh Sopris Sun Correspondent

Let’s get this straight right off the bat. Clarissa Vazquez and her cadre of nine volunteer ghostly phenomenon investigators are not ghostbusters. “Ghostbuster is a fictional term that implies some sort of captivity, same as ghost hunter,” she told The Sopris Sun. “We don’t hunt anything.”

She considers herself an afterlife researcher. “We research reports of paranormal phenomena, ghostly phenomena,” she explained. “Although the term ‘paranormal’ encompasses anything that’s not scientifically explainable, including extraterrestrials and cryptids.” Cryptids? “Like Bigfoot,” she said. “But, our primary research focus is ghosts.”

Vazquez and Colorado Coalition of Paranormal Investigators (CCPI) are giving a four-part presentation about their research and methods at the Carbondale Library on Monday nights this month. Accompanying Vazquez so far are CCPI tech manager Erik Mazur, his wife, Sarah Babb-Mazur, the group’s historian, and case manager Susan Herwick.

Vazquez got her start with paranormal research 27 years ago while on active duty in the Air Force. Her home base was converting its former morgue into a physical therapy area. She was sweeping up dirt and debris, and saw the apparition when she came back from a lunch break.

“I saw a gentleman standing in this gutted room and he looked just as tangible as you and I sitting here,” she explained. She approached the soldier, asking him if he needed help. “I got within 10 feet of him,” she said. “He looked at me and looked away, and walked through a cinder block wall and disappeared.”

She never saw him again but started reading up on paranormal activity. “I ultimately started practicing with a big, old, chunky analog tape recorder and a Polaroid camera,” she said. In 2004, she and a friend began investigating together. Word spread and CCPI was born from the need for more help. Vaquez has also written several books about her experiences.

None of CCPI’s volunteers proclaim to have psychic powers; although some are sensitive and two are ordained ministers. Mazur admitted to the audience during the first session that he’s a “complete skeptic.” In fact, the whole idea behind CCPI is to approach ghostly encounters with a hefty dose of critical analysis — which leads to more debunking than

They're not the Ghostbusters, they're the Colorado Coalition of Paranormal Investigators: (from left to right) Erik Mazur, Sarah Babb-Mazur, Susan Herwick and Clarissa Vazquez. Photo by Amy Hadden Marsh

confirmations.

When researching a possible phantasmic presence, Vazquez said it’s important to rule out non-paranormal activity first. She cautioned against pareidolia — seeing familiar objects or patterns in random, unrelated objects or patterns such as the Man in the Moon or animal shapes in cloud formations — and how it can interfere with paranormal research. “The brain finds the familiar in objects and tends to anthropomorphize,” she said. “You have to look at the whole picture.”

Common pitfalls include dust, moisture, bugs, pollen, swamp gas, ball lightning and Vazquez’ pet peeve: orbs. Most of them are what she calls Ordinary Random Bits of Stuff. “A true orb could be valid if you can see it with the naked eye, if it has its own illumination, if it moves and interacts with you and casts its own shadow,” she explained. In other words, a true orb is not a reflection of dust molecules, jewelry or those tiny green lights appearing in your cell phone when taking photos of bright objects at night. It’s actually there . And it’s CCPI’s job to prove that it’s there.

So just how does one move past fake orbs and pareidolia to find something undebunkable? The proper equipment helps. Clarissa and her crew brought along tubs full of digital and film cameras and audio, video and sensory equipment. Plus one Boo Buddy® — a sophisticated, multi-sensory device, specifically designed for paranormal research and disguised as a small, stuffed teddy bear. It measures motion, vibration and temperature fluctuations, and responds with verbal observations and questions — often directed to the ghost. “We use it mainly when working with ghosts of children,” said Susan.

Vazquez isn’t one for bells, whistles, or sensationalizing. “We do not utilize boards, dowsing rods, or psychics,” she explained. “We follow the concept that you cannot prove the paranormal with the paranormal.”

The next class is Monday, Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. The final class on Jan. 30 will be a mock investigation at the library. More information is at www.gcpld.org or 970-963-2889. You can find CCPI online at www.coloparanormal.com

By Ron Kokish

I met Niki when I was 21. She was 19. She enjoyed our first date, so when I asked her to a toga party the following week, she said yes. Then she had second thoughts. “A toga party? At a frat house? Ugh!”

She decided to back out, but her mother leaned on her. I was a nice guy. My feelings would be hurt. She had promised, and it was wrong to back out. Niki’s kid sister agreed with Mom and said she’d stand in for Niki as a clothing dummy during toga creation. Niki didn’t back out.

Six months later, Niki and I were looking at furniture ads in the Sunday paper when her mother walked in and said, “Looks like you kids plan to get married.” (It was a statement, not a question.) We had fantasized about it, but planning? Not hardly! We didn’t plan much of anything back then.

“We’ve talked about it,” I replied lamely. Niki’s mother called out to her husband, “Irving, the kids are getting married!” I don’t remember the ensuing conversation, but Niki and I are celebrating our

LETTERS

To plan or not to plan, that is the question

59th wedding anniversary this month.

Fast forward two years: I hated my middle-school teaching job and had no real plans, but my best friend and his wife were at Rutgers University and loving graduate-student housing for families. We visited frequently and it looked like fun — kind of a summer camp for immature married people. We wanted to live there too.

We were already a family so all we had to do was become graduate students. Lyndon Johnson had recently declared war on poverty, and the government was throwing money at people who would become social workers.

During college, I’d had fun at part-time jobs, working (playing?) with teenagers in settlement houses, where I mostly liked my social worker bosses. Off we went to summer camp on the government’s dime.

Five years, two children and three jobs later, I was licensing foster homes in Concord, California, and was thoroughly bored with it. I applied for a different job in rural Humboldt County, which I thought would be equally boring, but at least we’d be living in the country.

As we were eating dinner one Sunday evening, Dave Kelly, Humboldt’s welfare director who was to interview me on Wednesday afternoon, called to tell me his plans had changed. Could he see me the

Insurance and construction

Future generations will look back on the insurance industry of today with the same contempt we view the money changers of days gone by.

“How did they get away with it?” our descendants will ask. “They made a fortune selling air.”

Insurance companies have actuaries examine the risk a potential client would pose for filing a claim. If that possibility is high, the company will either refuse to write the policy or charge prohibitively expensive premiums. Since the unprecedented wildfires of 2020, Colorado has been adjudged to be a state with high fire probability.

In Colorado, this practice is preventing the construction of the much-needed affordable housing, or any dwellings for that matter. Banks won’t approve a mortgage for a home that’s uninsured. How many of us can afford to pay cash on the barrelhead for a new home? This issue is particularly acute here in the high country where affordable housing is scarce.

One year after the Marshall Fire that destroyed over 1,000 homes in Boulder

following morning instead? Sure! Then he said he needed to be in Sacramento by 8, so I should be at his motel by 6 a.m. I have never been a morning person.

When I arrived, sleepy and still stunned, Dave did not have the decency to offer me coffee. Instead, he said, “You have a degree in social work, so I know you can talk psychobabble. Let’s see if you can talk English. A client has taken your advice to track her spending with a checking account. Explain to her how to balance her checkbook.” Instantly, I decided I wanted to work for this man. I didn’t care what the job was. I wanted to work for Dave Kelly.

Dave hired me, Niki and I bought the only rundown house we could afford, and I worked for Humboldt County for 15 years, becoming an expert in child sexual abuse along the way. Then I worked as an independent expert for another 22 years. My work was never boring again. I loved it. We raised two children and helped raise two grandchildren in that house.

The point of these stories is that the two most important things in my life, family and career, turned out well due to decisions made at critical moments that I didn’t recognize as critical. Sometimes I didn’t even make the decision.

Niki’s mother and sister persuaded her to go to a

toga party. We looked at furniture ads on a particular Sunday morning. A friend went to graduate school, and we joined him because it seemed like summer camp. (It was.) We became social workers because scholarships were easy to get. I enjoyed a fascinating career based on child sexual abuse because I wanted to move to the country and was able to explain how to balance a checkbook while I was still half-asleep.

I blundered into happiness and success. I was somewhat prepared, of course, by character and education, but a lot of big decisions were made in small moments, they weren’t necessarily made by me, and when I did make them, I often made them for reasons that had nothing to do with how things eventually turned out.

The late Barbara Walters once conducted a series of interviews with leaders in their fields who were happy in their careers. She concluded that they had one thing in common: none of them had planned those careers. All of them had simply pursued their interests. Parents, if you pray for your children, pray for them to get lucky in small moments while they are following their hearts.

Mature Content is a monthly feature from the Carbondale AARP Age-Friendly Community Initiative

County, only one family has been able to rebuild and move into their new home. High construction costs have a great deal to do with this, but insurance problems have played a role.

The state legislature has convened and Representative Judy Amabile of Boulder will propose a state supported “last resort” fire insurance plan. Colorado is one of only 13 states that doesn’t have one. For a steep price, it’ll provide fire coverage for homeowners for whom private insurance is unavailable.

If you’re facing this issue and could benefit from a state supported homeowner’s insurance, contact state Sen. Dylan Roberts and Rep. Elizabeth Velasco and ask for their support.

Fred Malo Jr., Carbondale

Thompson Divide

One of the main reasons I am raising my kids in the Colorado high country is because of access to our incredible and beautiful public lands. I am grateful and humbled that we get to call these lands “our backyard.” I want to ensure that these lands are protected so my kids and

future generations have the opportunity to explore, enjoy and admire these amazing lands as well. There is nothing better than the smile, giggle or inquisitive question from my toddler about something we’ve seen while we’re out hiking, skiing or rafting in our public lands.

The Thompson Divide, nearly a quarter of a million acres just outside of town, is one of our favorite areas to explore and enjoy. I am relieved to hear that there’s a proposal by the Biden Administration to temporarily protect it from new oil and gas leasing. I would like to see permanent protection for the area, but this is a good first step. I’ve seen lots of yard signs around town asking for the protection of Thompson Divide, so I know many of my neighbors feel the same way.

By protecting the Thompson Divide we will safeguard multiple watersheds, vast forest lands and keep air quality pristine. Clean water, lands and air are critical to raising healthy kids and healthy communities. As a CSA shareholder from the North Fork Valley, the produce we get to enjoy every summer is grown from the

Editor Raleigh Burleigh 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com

Contributing Editor James Steindler

Editorial Graphic Designer Hattie Rensberry

Advertising Graphic Designer Emily Blong Delivery Frederic Kischbaum Bartlett Proofreader Lee Beck

Executive Director Todd Chamberlin 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com

Youth Program Coordinator Jeanne Souldern

Current Board Members board@soprissun.com

Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke Lee Beck • Gayle Wells

Donna Dayton • Terri Ritchie

Eric Smith • Roger Berliner Jessi Rochel

The Sopris Sun Board meets at 6:30 p.m. on second Thursdays at the Third Street Center.

The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inform, inspire and build community by fostering diverse and independent journalism. Donations are fully tax deductible.

Sincerest thanks to our Honorary Publishers for their annual commitment of $1,000+

Lee Beck & John Stickney

Kay Brunnier • Frances Dudley Michelle & Ed Buchman Eric Smith

Sue Edelstein & Bill Spence

Deborah & Shane Evans

Greg & Kathy Feinsinger Gary & Jill Knaus

Peter and Mike Gilbert

Carly & Frosty Merriott

James Noyes • Megan Tackett

Patti & George Stranahan

Anne Sullivan & John Colson

Elizabeth Wysong • Alpine Bank

Emily & George Bohmfalk

Kathy & Carter Barger

Sandy & Paul Chamberlin

Karen & Roger Berliner

Mama Sandy & Lee Mulcahy

Legacy Givers for including us in their final wishes.

Mary Lilly

Donate by mail or online: P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 520 S. Third Street #26-B 970-510-3003

soprissun.com/Donate

The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District

RJ Paddywacks

Cool Bricks Studio White River Books

Alpine Animal Hospital Novus Glass

Nonprofit Partners

Wilderness Workshop 5point Film Festival Basalt Library Aspen Strong Carbondale Rotary Carbondale Animal Shelter Carbondale Arts Carbondale Chamber of Commerce

Interested in becoming an Underwriter or Nonprofit Partner in 2023? Email Todd@ soprissun.com or call 970-987-9866

Drought reprieve

Snowpack in the Roaring Fork Watershed is 136% of “normal” for this time of year, the Roaring Fork Conservancy reported on Jan. 12, with Crystal River headwaters snow water equivalent measurements at 147-171% of normal. Statewide, snowpack is at 129% of the 1991-2020 median, lifting 40% of Colorado, including our region, out of drought conditions.

Cannabis sales dropping

The Colorado Department of Revenue is reporting a decrease of nearly $100 million in 2022 marijuana sales tax revenue compared with 2021. This major drop follows a continued downward trend and affects public programs that the tax funds including housing, mental health and education. The Marijuana Industry Group blames financial and administrative challenges driving consumers to the unregulated market.

Emergency SNAP benefits

Coloradans who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will see a reduction in their monthly benefit amount after February. Temporary additional benefit amounts (emergency allotments) will end following the passage of the Omnibus Bill signed into law on Dec. 30, 2022. More than 290,000 households will be affected by the change with an average reduction of $90 per person per month.

Citizens’ Alliance update

The Glenwood Springs Citizens’ Alliance (GSCA) informed its newsletter subscribers that the Bureau of Land Management is reviewing a second attempt at a modified plan of operations by Rocky Mountain Industrials (RMI) for its limestone quarry above Glenwood Springs. RMI received a Notice of Noncompliance and Noncompliance Order in August 2022 for mining outside its permit boundaries and faces a possible shutdown order if its revised plan is not accepted. Meanwhile, a proposal to expand the quarry from 16 to 321 acres is on hold with a mineral examination report anticipated this spring. Follow the GSCA’s updates at: www.LoveGlenwood.org

Here’s to the first 50! On Jan. 13, Alpine Bank celebrated its 50th anniversary in Carbondale — where it all began in 1973 (learn the whole history at www.bit.ly/Alpine50th). Although founder Bob Young was unable to attend in-person, he sent an audio message thanking the community for its support. The bank then gave five $10,000 gifts to local organizations: Carbondale Arts, the Mount Sopris Nordic Council, English in Action, Ross Montessori School and Stepping Stones. Pictured here, community relations manager Helene Gude lights the “cake.” Photo by Jessica Hedges/JJ Photography

Helping unhoused neighbors

Volunteers are sought for the annual Point in Time Count of individuals experiencing homelessness in the Roaring Fork and Eagle valleys. The count will occur on Jan. 24, 2023 to better understand the region’s needs and thus acquire funding for assistance. Register to help online at www.bit.ly/ RFVhomelesscount

RFVRPC

Eagle County continues to seek persons willing to serve as alternates on the Roaring Fork Valley Regional Planning Commission (RFVRPC). The RFVRPC makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding land use within the Roaring Fork Valley, Missouri Heights and Frying Pan Road areas of unincorporated Eagle County. They meet on the first and third Thursday of every month at 2:30 p.m. Applications are due by the end of the month; learn more at www.eaglecounty.us/planning/ planningcommissions

Public art

The Carbondale Public Arts Commission is seeking new members with a passion for art and interest in marketing, event planning and

public outreach. Contact llindberg@ carbondaleco.net for more information. The commission is also accepting entries for the 2023-2024 Art Around Town sculpture show. Interested persons must apply by Feb. 6 at: artist.callforentry.org

Now hiring

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) has openings for several positions: trail crew member (seasonal), field coordinator (seasonal), Youth in Nature program coordinator (year-round, parttime). Additionally, RFOV is seeking spare rooms to house seasonal employees during the 2023 field season (April 17-Oct. 15). Chainsaw crew volunteers are also sought and must attend a training May 19-21. Find details at www.rfov.org

They say it’s your birthday!

Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Joe Flores, Tarie Lahet, Katie Montie and Shannon Pelland (Jan. 19); Brooke Bockelman, Olivia Emery and Lewis Cooper (Jan. 20); Maisa Metcalf (Jan. 21); Melissa Missy Elzey, Peter Green, Wick Moses, Taylor Wagner and Abriah Wofford (Jan. 22); Josie Cruz, Jack Green, Bear Matthews, Becca Rogers, Christine Hill Smith and Hone Williams (Jan. 23); Linda Lafferty and Marty Silverstein (Jan. 24); Felina Cruz (Jan. 25).

New year, new COVID update

By James Steindler Contributing Editor

COVID-19 will be remembered as the bane of the 2020s. Unfortunately, it’s a monkey yet to be shaken from the world’s back. With 2023, comes an executive order extending Colorado’s COVID-19 disaster period, a new Omicron variant sweeping the country and state-run testing sites closing.

On Sunday, Jan. 8, Governor Jared Polis issued an executive order extending the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration.

In the same order, Polis ended the disaster declaration — issued on Nov. 11, 2022 — for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (commonly known by its acronym, RSV), influenza and other respiratory illnesses. In the Jan. 8 order, Polis details that having included these illnesses within the disaster declaration helped contain and treat the increase of those infections which also led to an increase in hospitals’ capacities.

“The additional provisions incorporating RSV, influenza and other respiratory illnesses in Colorado into the disaster declaration are no longer necessary. However, we must still continue the recovery efforts for COVID-19,” the order reads. “This Executive Order removes the disaster declaration for RSV, influenza and other respiratory diseases, but continues the declaration for COVID-19 and ensures that the state maintains access to federal funding and that our healthcare facilities have access to additional resources.”

Omicron variant

There is a new variant taking hold, XBB.1.5, which may be more contagious than its Omicron predecessors.

According to Carrie Godes of Garfield County Public Health, “XBB.1.5 has already become predominant in other parts of the

United States and CDPHE [Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment] anticipates that this variant will also eventually become dominant in Colorado.”

Godes said that early studies indicate that the new variant “has additional advantages in immune escape and may be more transmissible due to its new mutations.”

Vaccines are considered the most effective way to prevent infection or at least worst-case-scenarios, such as hospitalization and death.

“Anyone six months and older who has completed a COVID-19 primary vaccine series should get an Omicron dose,” Godes told The Sopris Sun, “including people who received any number of original booster doses.”

People interested in getting an Omicron vaccine are supposed to wait two months after their most recent booster or primary series to do so.

In Garfield County, 14.7% of the population has received their

Volunteers Needed!

CASA of the Continental Divide guides volunteer advocates who ensure a child’s safety, best interest and well-being are at the forefront of legal proceedings. We believe that every child should be given the opportunity to thrive in a safe and loving home. Change a child’s story by volunteering with us today! Apply to volunteer at mtncasa.org or call us at 970-513-9390.

Omicron booster, said Godes. CDPHE’s vaccine tracker indicates that 73.2% of Garfield County’s population has received at least one dose.

For statistics regarding COVID-19 strains and vaccine rates in Colorado, visit www.covid19. colorado.gov

Testing sites close

Following the state’s decision to shut down all state-run COVID-19 testing sites by Jan. 15, the staterun testing site behind Carbondale Town Hall followed suit. The Affinity Community Testing Site at the Aspen Airport’s cell phone lot permanently closed on Jan. 14.

“Coloradans have continued to rely more on at-home tests and the demand for testing at community sites has dropped consistently over the last several months, fluctuating between 3-6% of overall capacity since November 2022,” a press release from Garfield County Public

Health explained.

Part of Colorado’s new “Roadmap to Moving Forward” focuses on normalizing COVID-19 diagnostics and treatments in primary care.

“It’s … time to normalize the treatment of COVID-19 back into the healthcare system like every other disease and condition, which means transitioning many emergency response functions including diagnostic testing, distribution of therapeutics and routine vaccinations to traditional healthcare provider settings,” the roadmap reads. “Normalizing testing and connecting patients who test positive with access to therapeutics in the traditional medical system will drive better patient outcomes and lower hospital utilization.”

Colorado’s “Roadmap to Moving Forward” can be viewed in its entirety at: www.bit.ly/ColoradoRoadmap

A former COVID-19 mobile testing unit sits and collects snow in the Downtown North industrial area of Carbondale. Photo by James Steindler

Hot return to hoops season

By Luke Wander Sopris Sun Correspondent

For most residents of Carbondale, mid-January signals a slow return to the structures of everyday life after a few weeks of holiday cheer. Students, parents, workers: we tend to creak back into our daily rhythms and forgive ourselves for taking things one slow step at a time. Not so for Roaring Fork High School’s basketball program.

With six games in the space of ten days, the Rams have no choice but to start the year at a sprint. Last Friday night, the Rams played host to the Bruins of Cedaredge in front of a noisy crowd packed evenly with fans of both teams.

Lady Rams stumble

The Lady Rams entered the contest with a 2-4 record, hoping to recover from a loss to Meeker two days prior. The Lady Bruins also came into the game with an overall losing record, but they had the momentum of a two-game winning streak, including victories over Plateau Valley and Aspen.

The game got off to a scrappy start, with freshman Nikki Tardiff getting into early foul trouble, but the Lady Rams rallied to take an early lead halfway through the first quarter. Once the Lady Bruins settled into the game and began to create open looks for Carley Malinowski and Libby Brooks in the post, they went on a run that saw them up 20-11 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was a sloppy affair. Both teams employed a three-quarter press on defense, resulting in more errant passes, more turnovers and more fouls. Cedaredge shot well from the foul line, and by halftime enjoyed a 13-point lead.

In the second half, the Lady Rams looked more aggressive, and sophomores Carley and Erica Crownhart each put their bodies on the line to stop the Lady Bruins’ momentum. Despite their efforts, they could not stop Cedaredge from getting rebounds and easy points in the paint. Foul trouble made a comeback look even less likely for the Lady Rams, especially as the Lady Bruins kept sinking free throws. The final period

saw the visitors continue to dominate the younger, less experienced hosts for a final score of 67-36.

Rams overcome feisty Bruins

As the boys teams took the court, the crowd charged itself up for the final game of the evening. The Rams came out of the blocks quickly, charging ahead in the opening minutes with precise perimeter shooting and plenty of hustle on defense. Seniors River Byrne and Eddie Hernandez were a constant menace to the Cedaredge guards, and Hernandez took advantage often with a series of crucial layups in transition.

The Bruins countered with a few gutsy runs of their own, especially when pointguard Luke Maxey was able to connect with center Gideon Gilmore. At the half, the Rams held a six-point advantage, due to their superior shot selection and scrappier defense.

The Bruins made a few defensive changes to start the second half, switching up man-on-man assignments and employing a more aggressive threequarter press. The Rams didn’t seem to feel the pressure, though, and junior guard Noel Richardson was the calm presence they needed to weather the storm. “He’s got a pretty cool head when games are on the line,” Coach Jason Krieling said of Richardson, who led the Rams in scoring with 22 points.

Despite a nine-point deficit going into the fourth quarter, the Bruins refused to give up. Luke Maxey led Cedaredge on a remarkable run that gave his team a slender lead with five minutes remaining. With tensions running high, Noel Richardson hit a pair of clutch field goals, senior Diego Loya scored in transition and senior Ryan Metheny riled up the student section with a big bucket in the paint.

From there, Cedaredge had no choice but to foul the Rams on nearly every possession. River Byrne and Noel Richardson were happy to step up to the line and sink their free throws, and the Rams ended the night on top by a score of 57-51.

“We try to put them into situations where free throws count, even in practice,” said Coach Krieling. All of

that preparation clearly paid off for this group of experienced players, and the Rams deservedly celebrated the win over their conference rivals.

Contrasting fortunes

The Rams followed up Friday’s victory with a narrow 48-46 road win at North Fork on Saturday, an effort led by Hernandez with 17 points and Byrne with 12. On Tuesday, they dispatched the Grand Valley Cardinals at home by a score of 62-41 in a game that provided Coach Krieling a chance to rest his starters and give valuable minutes to his second string. After dominating the first half, the Rams allowed the Cardinals to make a game of it early in the second half. Whatever Krieling said to his team during the brief pause before the fourth quarter worked, and the Rams reasserted themselves to finish the game as clear and comfortable winners.

Their 4-0 start to conference play is the best start to a season for the Rams since 2013. “Our main goal is to have a winning season,” said Coach Krieling, “but winning the League would be a huge accomplishment.” Setting aside the big picture, the Rams are focused on one game at a time. “We need to be prepared,” stressed Krieling, “and tweak things from previous games and continue being consistent.”

For the Lady Rams, two subsequent losses to North Fork and Grand Valley give the squad an 0-4 start to League play. Coach Juan Quintero and his young team will look to hone their defensive self-discipline and stop their opponents in the paint in games to come, but in the long run, they will hope the experience gained this season will pay dividends in years to come.

Up next, Roaring Fork will host Olathe on Friday evening and Gunnison on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Rams will tip off against Olathe at 5:30 p.m. Friday, and on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against Gunnison. The Rams will then put their winning streak to the test at 7:00 p.m. Friday and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Junior Lelaney Gardasani (3) attempts a shot against the Lady Bruins on Friday night. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Junior Noel Richardson (5) soars to the basket. He led the Rams with 22 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Photo by Sue Rollyson

Sheriff cuts ties with PitCo jail, new gravel pit, rising insurance costs and more

By Amy Hadden Marsh Sopris Sun Correspondent

It looks like short commissioner meetings are already a thing of the past. This week’s agenda was full, including a comment from the public on the proposed, controversial Sweetwater State Park.

Mary Stevens, member of the Sweetwater Lake Working Group, expressed concern that the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife could approve the park before a biological survey by the Colorado Natural Heritage Foundation has been made public. Stevens is against the creation of the new park due to potential noise, crowds, land and wildlife disturbances. “The decline and disappearance of species are affected by people and recreation,” she said. “We need to hold the United States Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife accountable, and they must conduct an environmental impact statement. If these entities have nothing to hide, then no decision should be made before the biological survey study becomes public.”

Commissioners voiced frustration with how the creation of the park has been handled so far, calling it a “travesty” and stating that Governor Polis has done a “terrible job as governor.” Commissioner Jankovsky said that the Board will support the citizens of Sweetwater in opposing the park. “The federal government can’t break its own rules, which it’s trying to do right now,” he said. “The U.S. Forest Service is trying to push this through without proper [National Environmental Policy Act environmental analysis].” He added that this will probably end up in court.

Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario spoke to commissioners about severing a courtesy agreement to hold Pitkin County inmates. Last week, local media reported that Vallario sent emails to Pitkin County

Sheriff Michael Buglione and County Manager Jon Peacock about his decision. This week, Garfield County Commissioners made it official. Vallario and thenPitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo signed the original intra-governmental agreement in 2021 for three years.

But, Vallario ended it just shy of two. At Monday’s meeting, The Sopris Sun asked him why.

“The agreement all along was that the commissioners of [Pitkin] County would move toward substantial progress toward building a new jail,” said Vallario. “Two years later, the newly elected sheriff, a couple of county commissioners and people in the community have made it clear that they don't think they need a new jail.”

Vallario said he did not want to get in the middle of what he called a tug-of-war between those who want a new jail and those who don’t. He said that Garfield County pays over $100 per day to house inmates. “We're being reimbursed [by Pitkin County] at the state rate of about $60 a day.” He added that one Pitkin County inmate who was housed in Garfield County filed a lawsuit against the jail, which is an additional cost to the county. “I see no reason for the Garfield County taxpayers to continue to foot this bill on behalf of Pitkin County.”

In other news, the Board approved the consent agenda as well as a supplement of $392,157 for county insurance due to rate increases. The county budgeted for $250,000 to insure buildings, vehicles and more, but this falls short of the total $622,157 bill from County Technical Services, Inc, which includes a $20,000 claims deposit. Jankovsky suggested exploring a new insurance company for next year.

Keith Rice, county risk manager, provided a safety committee update, stating that the committee has returned to the six meetings per

year pre-pandemic schedule. He said that fire drills are a priority for this year. County building safety inspections will rotate monthly.

County human services introduced new employees and discussed EFT/EBT reimbursements. Jankovsky was concerned about how those enrolled in federal entitlement programs will face a reduction in benefits when the federal COVID emergency funds end in April 2023. The Board approved EBT disbursement of $3,299,987, renewed agreements with Rio Blanco and Pitkin counties, and approved extending three full-time human services staff positions until the end of 2023.

Commissioners revisited the guardrail proposal for Rocky Point, a deadly curve on County Road 113. Wyatt Keesbery, county road and bridge foreman, said that cost estimates range from $40,000 to $50,000 for the guardrail plus end caps. He stated that the guardrail may make the road appear narrower in that section and installation may require embankment cuts or drilling into rock. Commissioners advised him to put the project out for bid since it will cost more than $25,000.

The Board adjourned for executive session regarding the purchase, lease, transfer or sale of real property interests related to Garfield County Search and Rescue and to receive legal advice related to the proposed state park at Sweetwater Lake.

After lunch, the Board listened to presentations by county staff and mining company IC Scott, Inc, about a proposed 12-acre gravel pit between Silt and Rifle.

Commissioners unanimously approved the wet-mining venture with conditions, including removing Russian olive trees and tamarisk on the property. A berm around the pit will also encroach 10 feet into the 35foot setback from wetlands.

The next regular meeting is Monday Feb. 6 at 8 a.m.

History is made as Colorado General Assembly convenes

By Jeanne Souldern Sopris Sun Correspondent

When the 74th Colorado General Assembly convened on Jan. 9, it made history with the largest-ever class of female legislators. Fifty-one of the 100 seats in Colorado’s Senate and House are held by women — 44 of whom are Democrats and seven Republicans. Nevada is the only other state to hold a female legislator majority.

One of those women is House District 57 Rep. Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs) who, last November, defeated Rep. Perry Will in his re-election bid. Velasco won with 53.6% of the vote to Will’s 46.4%. She became the first Latina to represent the recently-redrawn district encompassing Garfield and Pitkin counties and a portion of Eagle County.

However, Will had barely stepped out of the Statehouse when he was enlisted to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Bob Rankin’s (R-Carbondale) resignation announced on Dec. 1. The Republican State Senate District 5 Vacancy Committee named Will as Rankin’s successor. On Jan. 12, Will was sworn in to represent Senate District 5, which encompasses Pitkin, Gunnison and Hinsdale counties and parts of Eagle, Garfield, Montrose and Delta counties.

Velasco caught up with Will during a joint session the day after his swearing-in ceremony. She said of her former election opponent, “I congratulated him and said, ‘I look forward to working together.’”

In attendance for her swearing-in were Velasco’s husband, parents and “a small group of leaders from the mountains came to celebrate with us.” As the first Latina to represent the Western Slope in 40 years, Velasco said, “It was definitely very emotional.” She added that having House Speaker Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon), also from the Western Slope, in House leadership is “totally amazing.”

Velasco serves on the three House committees: the Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources; Appropriations; and Energy and Environment Committees.

Her first piece of legislation, co-sponsored with Sen. Julie Gonzales (D-Denver), is a consumer-protection bill titled “Language Access In Insurance Documents” (HB23-1004), which would “require insurance providers to offer professionally-translated documents in any language that they advertise in,” she explained.

When asked what came as a surprise to the freshman legislator, Velasco shared, “We won on a Tuesday [Nov. 8] and on Thursday [Nov. 10] I was already in Denver with the new leadership, starting the work, and we haven't stopped since. We definitely hit the ground running.”

Her introduction to bustling legislative life has been swift, Velasco said. “The process of reaching

out to your colleagues and getting to know all the stakeholders and the staff, we got a lot of training and orientations to learn about the process. I think that we're learning by doing.”

Currently, Velasco said legislators are in SMART (State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent Government) Act hearings, which are updates on how the bills passed last year are being implemented.

Last week, the Colorado Sun news outlet based in Denver hosted an online legislative session preview, which included a handful of legislators discussing their legislative priorities this session.

In the House, Democrats hold 46 of the 65 seats. McCluskie, the first woman speaker from the Western Slope, said of one of our region’s most significant concerns: “Water will be the centerpiece of our policy conversations this year.”

Among those priorities for McCluskie is addressing wildfire mitigation and prevention, which includes problems faced by Coloradans in obtaining homeowners’ insurance from private insurers due to the state’s growing wildfire risks. Some homeowners find their insurer is not renewing their coverage or cannot find insurance at a competitive market rate. In some cases, if they live in a wildfire-prone area, no coverage is available to them at all. McCluskie and Rep. Juby Amabile (D-Boulder) are working on a bill to create a home insurer of last resort program, limited to those who had been denied coverage by private insurers.

Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia offer state-run or state-created insurers of last resort programs. These nonprofit programs, some established in the 1960s in the coastal regions of Florida and Louisiana, provide Americans with coverage remedies when private insurer solutions prove inadequate. “The Commissioner of Insurance [Michael Conway] has encouraged people to take the time and shop. It’s been a challenge in our mountain communities. I have talked to so many HOAs (homeowners associations) about being sure that they are looking at every possible product. But I think there is a need for that type of insurance product available for everyone in these situations,” McCluskie explained.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, signed into law by President Biden in November 2021, in part, awarded funds to various wildfire mitigation plans, including community wildfire protection plans. Along with available state-level funding, Velasco is seeking input from Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources and Department of Public Safety to see what's needed and what can be done to access funding.

“I'm also looking forward to chatting with our local fire departments. There's a coalition of a fire group with multiple counties with Eagle, Pitkin,

Garfield and Gunnison that are already working together, so I would love to chat with them and see what they need and if I can facilitate access to those funds for rural communities,” she shared. She is also working on a bill to require public evacuation warnings to be broadcast in Spanish and English.

Velasco said she wants to hear from constituents. You can contact her by sending an email to: elizabeth.velasco.house@coleg.gov

RJ PADDYWACKS offers a “C.A.R.E. package” for new adoptive families, including a “Paws for Points” plan and a first time 15% discount for your new pet.

PADDYWACKS offers a “C.A.R.E. package” for new adoptive families, including a “Paws for Points” plan and a first time 15% discount for your new pet.

You may remember reading a few weeks ago about a lovely dog named FREYA. She is still patiently awaiting her forever home at the shelter, so we want to give her another spotlight! Freya is a McNabb Collie mixed breed. She is fantastic with other dogs, and is a local fetch champion. She is intelligent, loyal, goofy, and would make a wonderful adventure partner! If you are looking for a new best friend and family member, look no further! Please scan the code to find out more about Freya.

# I/J Next to City Market in El Jebel 970.963.1700

RJ Paddywacks # I/J in El Jebel 970.963.1700

rjpaddywacks.com

rjpaddywacks.com

Rep. Elizabeth Velasco's family, including her father, Alfredo Velasco, brother, Alfredo Jonas Velasco, and mother, Genoveva Lopez de Velasco, joined Elizabeth on Jan. 9 as she took the oath of office. Courtesy photo

Rep. Velasco shared this selfie with The Sopris Sun from her first day on the new job. Courtesy photo

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

“6 X 17” remains on display at the Aspen Chapel Gallery through Feb. 11. The show features works by local high school students. Although the art is not for sale, patrons can “adopt” a piece for $25 and 75% will support the high school art departments. Courtesy photo

THURSDAY, JAN. 19

BOOK CLUB

The Third Thursday Book Club discusses “The Lions of Fifth Avenue” by Fiona Davis at the Carbondale Library at 2 p.m.

FIREFLY JARS

Fifth through 12th graders are invited to the Basalt Library Treehouse to make LED “firefly” jars at 4 p.m.

PARTNERING WITH BEAVERS

The Booksher Watershed Institute, in partnership with Roaring Fork Conservancy, presents “Partnering with Beavers to Restore Colorado’s Mountain Wetlands,” a discussion led by Mark Beardsley and Jessica Doran, the founders of Ecometrics, at the Basalt Library at 5 p.m.

LUNAR NEW YEAR Ring in the “Year of the Water Rabbit” with a new moon ceremony and sacred aromatherapy hosted by Sheridan Semple at True Nature from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets at truenaturehealingarts.com

FRIDAY, JAN. 20

VVAS

The 44th annual Valley Visual Art Show opens at The Launchpad and continues through Feb. 23. There will be an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m.

QUEEN BEES

The Queen Bees perform during “Friday Afternoon Club” at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park at 5 p.m.

COSMIC SOUND BATH

True Nature offers a cosmic energy sound bath, to release trapped emotions, quiet an overactive mind, melt away stress and more, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Tickets at truenaturehealingarts.com

BOY BAND PROJECT

The Wheeler Opera House presents “The Boy Band Project” at 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets at aspenshowtix.com

CRYSTAL THEATRE

The Crystal Theatre screens “The Fabelmans” at 7 p.m. tonight, tomorrow and Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday at 5 p.m. “The Banshees of Inisherin” returns with captions tomorrow at 4:45 p.m.

SATURDAY, JAN. 21

BREATHWORK

The Center for Human Flourishing offers a daylong NeoShamanic Breathwork workshop at the Third Street Center, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find details at www. thecenterforhumanflourishing.org

PRINTMAKING

Learn to create greeting cards by combining two printmaking techniques: Gelli-printing and linoleum block printing. Pam Porter leads the workshop at her Third Street Center studio from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and March 11. To sign up, visit www. thecreativeflowstudio.com

RFV YARN CLUB

The Roaring Fork Yarn Club gathers at Sopris Park at 10 a.m.

ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY Learn digital and analog practices in cyanotypes with The Art Base from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and tomorrow. Registration at www.theartbase.org

ALL�AGES ART

People of all ages create art together at the Basalt Library at 2 p.m. Visit www.basaltlibrary.org for more info

LEARN TO SEW

Fifth through 12th graders are invited to learn to sew at the Basalt Library at 2:30 p.m.

FIRE AND ICE FEST

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park hosts the Fire and Ice Festival, complete with live ice sculpting, fire performances and more at 4 p.m.

LET IT BE

The Wheeler Opera House presents Classic Albums Live performing “Let It Be” by The Beatles at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at aspenshowtix.com

DINNER AND COMEDY

TACAW hosts dinner at 6 p.m. and comedian Beth Stelling begins her routine at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SUNDAY, JAN. 22

CLAY PLAY

Did you know that throwing clay can reduce stress? Learn how by taking this workshop at the Carbondale Clay Center with Matt Eames today at 10 a.m. Visit www.carbondaleclay. org to register and for more info.

Damien Sneed

Justin Austin

Janinah Burnett

3D PRINTING

Fifth through 12th graders witness 3D printing in action and get to design their own prints at the Basalt Library at 2:30 p.m. Visit www. basaltlibrary.org for more info.

ROCK AND ROLL

The Roaring Fork Rock and Roll Academy, made up of middle school students, performs its Winter Rock Concert at TACAW at 3 p.m. Visit www.tacaw.org for tickets and more info.

BE CALM

Cara Maiolo leads a self-regulation workshop at Kula on Main from 3 to 5 p.m. Register online at www.kulayogaonmain.com

RANDOM CONVERSATIONS

The Lost Art of Random Conversations returns to the Carbondale Library from 6 to 7:30 p.m. No need to register, just show up!

MONDAY, JAN. 23

HEALING COURSE

Kimberlie Chenoweth will teach a seven-week course on the principles and practices of healing on Mondays, Jan. 30-March 13. A free intro will take place today at 4 p.m. at the Third Street Center. Questions? Email Kimberlie@kimberliechenoweth.com

GHOSTLY PHENOMENA

Clarisa Vazquez, founder of the Colorado Coalition of Paranormal Investigators, continues a four-part series about investigating paranormal activity at the Carbondale Library on Mondays through Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m.

PLANT�BASED POTLUCK

The Center for Human Flourishing welcomes everyone to a plantbased whole foods potluck from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Third Street Center. Find details at www. thecenterforhumanflourishing.org

TUESDAY, JAN. 24

SCREEN PRINTING

The Art Base and AspenOut host a screen printing workshop for LGBTQIA+ community members from 6 to 8 p.m. Register online at www.theartbase.org

EARTH MEDICINE

The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies partners with Cambridge University to present Lindsay Branham and her workshop, “The Wisdom & Medicine of the Earth” at Hallam Lake in Aspen from 6 to 8 p.m. Details at www. aspennature.org/activities

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 25

NATURALIST NIGHTS

Naturalist Nights continues with Roaring Fork Safe Passages and “Where Wildlife Meets the Road” at the Third Street Center at 6 p.m. and on Jan. 26 at Hallam Lake in Aspen at 6 p.m.

OUR SONG, OUR STORY

The Wheeler Opera House presents Damien Sneed performing “Our Song, Our Story” with opera singers Justin Austin and Janinah Burnett and a string quartet at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at aspenshowtix.com

THURSDAY, JAN. 26

FAMILY MUSIC

Miss Tammy of Aspen Music Together invites families to the Basalt Library to sing and dance together at 3:30 p.m.

CODING CLUB

Learn to use Python, a popular coding language, at the Carbondale Library at 4 p.m. This club meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month and is “perfect for eighth to 10th grade students.”

WOOD BURNING

Fifth through 12th graders learn to safely burn designs into wood at the Basalt Library at 4 p.m.

BILINGUAL STORIES

Spanish and English speakers share their travel experiences and practice one another’s language at the Basalt Library at 5 p.m.

INTUITIVE POWER

True Nature offers a workshop to activate the inner voice and invite intuition from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets at truenaturehealingarts.com

STRING QUARTET

The New York Philharmonic String Quartet performs at TACAW at 8 p.m. Visit www.tacaw. org for tickets and more info.

FRIDAY, JAN. 27

SPIRIT OF THE PEAKS

Beyul Retreat and 5Point Film host an overnight backcountry adventure and film screening with Connor Ryan. Book your stay at www.beyulretreat.com

GERRY GOODMAN

Gerry Goodman performs during “Friday Afternoon Club” at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park at 5 p.m.

SOUND JOURNEY

Dr. Zachary Cashin leads a sound journey at True Nature from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets at www. truenaturehealingarts.com

SATURDAY, JAN. 28

FAMILY CONSTELLATIONS

The Third Street Center hosts a Systemic Family Constellation workshop to unwind ancestral trauma from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more info, visit carolshure.com/events

LOTUS LANTERNS

Garfield County Libraries celebrate Lunar New Year with a lotus lantern workshop. Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and Silt branches will provide the materials and guidance at 2 p.m. Registration is necessary at www.gcpld.org

STAINED GLASS

Lindsay Latva teaches an introduction to stained glass creation at The Art Base from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and 1 to 4 p.m. tomorrow. Register online at www.theartbase.org

CREATIVE WRITING

Basalt Library hosts a creative writing session for middle and high school students from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Register at www.basaltlibrary.org

OPTIMISM & ACTIVISM

The Launchpad hosts a Salon at 6 p.m. with six performing artists from Iran, Nigeria, Mexico and the U.S. Tickets and details at www.carbondalearts.com

STEVE’S GUITARS

AlpenGlow, a five-piece jam band from Boulder, performs at Steve’s Guitars at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.stevesguitars.net

EMOTIONAL RESCUE

Peach Street Revival opens for Emotional Rescue at TACAW at 8 p.m. Tickets at www.tacaw.org

SUNDAY, JAN. 29

MAKING STICKERS

Basalt Library teaches middle and high school students how to make stickers from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Snacks provided! Register at www.basaltlibrary.org

Sealed bids for the construction of the 8th St Improvements Project will be received from invited Bidders by the Town of Carbondale (“OWNER”) at Town Hall, 511 Colorado Ave, Carbondale, CO 81623, until 1:00 PM on February 13, 2023, at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. The project consists of constructing approximately 1000 LF of curb, gutter and sidewalk; curb extensions; drainage structures; and other street improvements. Bids will be received for a single prime Contract. Bids shall be on a unit price basis as indicated in the Bid Form. Bidding Documents will be provided to prospective Bidders as electronic PDF files. The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is Roaring Fork Engineering (RFE), 592 Hwy 133, Carbondale, CO, 81623 (Contact: Anthony Alfini, PE (970) 618-7073, AnthonyA@rfeng.biz). Prospective Bidders may examine the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office on Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM and may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from the Issuing Office as described below. Bidding Documents are available as electronic portable document format (PDF) files. Alternatively, printed Bidding Documents may be obtained from the Issuing Office via in-person pick-up, for a nonrefundable charge of $75 per set. Checks for Bidding Documents shall be payable to Roaring Fork Engineering. The date that the Bidding Documents are transmitted by the Issuing Office will be considered the date of receipt of the Bidding Documents. Partial sets of Bidding Documents will not be available from the Issuing Office. Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of Bidding Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the Issuing Office. A pre-bid conference will be held at 2:00 PM on February 2, 2023 at the intersection of 8th St and the Rio Grande Trail in Carbondale, CO. Attendance at the pre-bid conference is highly encouraged but is not mandatory. A 5% bid security shall be furnished in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. Bidders shall submit proof of qualifications to perform the Work as described in the Instructions to Bidders.

In its 13th year, the 5Point Dream Project is a community outreach program that encourages high school students to develop projects that they believe will make a difference in the lives of others as well as their own. The Dream Project continues to support and believe in young people and the diversity of the projects they choose to pursue. This year, six ambitious students from the Roaring Fork Valley (Aspen to Parachute) will receive a $2000 scholarship to push and explore their personal boundaries while living their own best adventure. Additionally, three students received micro-grants ranging from $500-$1,000.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2022-2023 RECIPIENTS

Justin Douglas

Jamie Tisch

Sol del Valle

Asamblea General de Colorado hace historia

Por Jeanne Souldern Traducción por Dolores Duarte

Cuando la 74ª Asamblea General de Colorado se reunió el 9 de enero, hizo historia con la mayor clase de legisladoras que ha existido. Cincuenta y uno de los 100 asientos en el senado y la cámara de representantes de Colorado están ocupados por mujeres - 44 de las cuales son demócratas y siete republicanas. Nevada es el único otro estado que cuenta con una mayoría de legisladoras.

Una de ellas es la representante Elizabeth Velasco (D-Glenwood Springs), del distrito 57 de la cámara de representantes, quien el pasado noviembre derrotó al representante Perry Will en su intento de reelección. Velasco ganó con el 53.6% de los votos frente al 46.4% de Will. Se convirtió en la primera latina en representar el distrito recientemente rediseñado que abarca los condados de Garfield y Pitkin y una parte del condado de Eagle.

Sin embargo, Will apenas había salido del capitolio estatal cuando fue enlistado para ocupar el asiento vacante por la renuncia del senador Bob Rankin (R-Carbondale) anunciada el 1 de diciembre. El Comité republicano del senado estatal del Distrito 5 vacante nombró a Will como sucesor de Rankin. El 12 de enero, Will fué juramentado para representar al Distrito 5 del senado, que abarca los condados de Pitkin, Gunnison y Hinsdale y partes de los condados de Eagle, Garfield, Montrose y Delta.

Velasco se reunió con Will durante una sesión conjunta al día siguiente de su ceremonia de juramentación. Dijo de su antiguo oponente electoral: "Lo felicité y le dije: 'Espero poder trabajar juntos'".

A su ceremonia asistieron el esposo de Velasco, sus padres y "un pequeño grupo de líderes de las montañas que vinieron a celebrarlo con nosotros". Como primera latina en representar a la ladera oeste en 40 años, Velasco dijo: "Fue definitivamente muy emotivo". Añadió que tener a la presidenta de la cámara Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon), también de la ladera oeste, en el liderazgo de la cámara es "totalmente increíble."

Velasco forma parte de los tres comités de la cámara: el de Agricultura, Agua y recursos naturales; el de Apropiaciones; y el de Energía y medio ambiente.

Su primer proyecto legislativo, copatrocinado con la senadora Julie Gonzales (demócrata de Denver), es un proyecto de ley de protección de los consumidores titulado "Acceso a otro idioma en documentos de seguros" (HB23-1004), que "obligaría a los proveedores de seguros a ofrecer documentos traducidos por profesionales en cualquier idioma en el que se anuncien", explicó.

Cuando se le preguntó qué fue una sorpresa para la legisladora principiante, Velasco compartió: "Ganamos un martes [8 de noviembre] y el jueves [10 de noviembre] ya estaba en Denver con el nuevo liderazgo, empezando el trabajo, y no hemos parado desde entonces. En definitiva, comenzamos a trabajar inmediatamente”.

Su introducción en la ajetreada vida legislativa ha sido rápida, dijo Velasco. "El proceso de

ponerte en contacto con tus colegas y conocer a todas las partes y al personal, recibimos mucha formación y orientaciones para aprender sobre el proceso. Creo que estamos aprendiendo sobre la práctica".

Actualmente, Velasco dijo que los legisladores están en SMART (State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent Government) audiencias de ley, que son actualizaciones sobre cómo se están aplicando los proyectos de ley aprobados el año pasado.

La semana pasada, el medio de noticias Colorado Sun con sede en Denver organizó un avance de la sesión legislativa en línea, que incluyó un reducido número de legisladores discutiendo sus prioridades legislativas de este período de sesiones.

En la cámara de representantes, los demócratas ocupan 46 de los 65 asientos. McCluskie, la primera mujer oradora de la ladera oeste, habló de una de las preocupaciones más importantes de nuestra región: "El agua será la pieza central de nuestras conversaciones políticas este año".

Entre las prioridades de McCluskie figura la mitigación y prevención de incendios forestales, que incluye los problemas a los que se enfrentan los habitantes de Colorado para obtener un seguro de vivienda de las aseguradoras privadas debido al creciente riesgo de incendios forestales en el estado. Algunos propietarios de viviendas encuentran que su aseguradora no les renueva la cobertura o no pueden encontrar un seguro a un precio competitivo en el mercado. En algunos casos, si viven en una zona propensa a los incendios forestales, no disponen de ningún tipo de cobertura. McCluskie y el diputado Juby Amabile (D-Boulder) están trabajando en un proyecto de ley para crear un programa de aseguradoras de hogar como último recurso, limitado a quienes las aseguradoras privadas les hayan denegado cobertura.

Treinta y dos estados y el Distrito de Columbia ofrecen programas de aseguradoras de último

recurso gestionadas o creadas por el estado . Estos programas sin fines de lucro, algunos creados en la década de 1960 en las regiones costeras de Florida y Luisiana, ofrecen a los estadounidenses recursos de cobertura cuando las soluciones de las aseguradoras privadas resultan inadecuadas. "El comisionado de seguros [Michael Conway] ha animado a la gente a tomarse su tiempo y buscar. Ha sido un reto en nuestras comunidades de la montaña. He hablado con muchas HOA (asociaciones de vecinos) para asegurarme de que tienen en cuenta todos los productos posibles. Pero creo que es necesario que ese tipo de producto de seguro esté disponible para todos en estas situaciones", explicó McCluskie.

La Ley bipartidista de infraestructura, promulgada por el presidente Biden en noviembre de 2021, concedía en parte fondos a diversos planes de mitigación de incendios forestales, incluidos los planes comunitarios de protección contra incendios forestales. Junto con el financiamiento disponible a nivel estatal, Velasco está buscando aportaciones del Departamento de recursos naturales y del Departamento de seguridad pública de Colorado para ver qué se necesita y qué se puede hacer para acceder al financiamiento.

"También estoy deseando conversar con nuestros departamentos de bomberos locales. Hay una coalición de un grupo para incendios con varios condados con Eagle, Pitkin, Garfield y Gunnison que ya están trabajando juntos, así que me encantaría hablar con ellos y ver lo que necesitan y si puedo facilitar el acceso a esos fondos para las comunidades rurales", compartió. También está trabajando en un proyecto de ley para exigir que las advertencias públicas de evacuación se emitan en español e inglés.

Velasco dijo que desea escuchar de sus electores. Puedes ponerte en contacto con ella enviando un correo electrónico a elizabeth. velasco.house@coleg.gov

Volumen 1, Número 47 | 19 de enero de 2023 - 25 de enero de 2023

Conectando comunidades desde 2021

La representante Elizabeth Velasco durante el día de su ceremonia de juramentación para la 74ª Asamblea General de Colorado en Denver. Foto de cortesía

Volver a lo Esencial

Por Triny Rochin

¿Qué viene a su mente cuando escucha la frase, “sacar el mayor provecho del tiempo"?

Se piensa que administrar bien el tiempo significa seguir el ritmo de algún régimen riguroso de productividad, pero, ¿es realmente así? ¿Cómo saber si se está haciendo buen uso del tiempo? En realidad, uno no puede administrar el tiempo como hacemos con el dinero.

El dinero puede guardarse, el tiempo pasa y no regresa. Al tiempo no podemos guardarlo para usarlo después, tampoco podemos detenerlo o apresurarlo. Pero ¡sí podemos aprender a sacar el mejor provecho de él!

Tiempo, es una de esas palabras difíciles de definir. Según la física, el tiempo es “la magnitud con la que se mide la duración o la separación de acontecimientos”. Un espacio de tiempo se mide desde el amanecer hasta el anochecer y se refiere al correr de las horas, días, meses y años en el reloj y el calendario.

¿Hace usted buen uso de su tiempo?

Nuestro tiempo en esta vida es limitado, razón por la cual debemos enfocarnos en las prioridades correctas y aprender a sacar cada día lo máximo de este valioso recurso que nos ha sido dado. Sabemos que estamos haciendo uso apropiado del tiempo cuando tenemos prioridades bien establecidas.

El escritor Horacio Piccardo afirma que todos, “nacemos en un lugar y un tiempo específicos con un propósito específico”. Tener propósitos y metas claras en la vida nos ayuda a invertir nuestro tiempo en las actividades y los métodos correctos.

No se trata de hacer muchas cosas sino más bien de eliminar todas aquellas cosas que no nos ayudan a cumplir con nuestro propósito o no nos orientan hacia una determinada meta. Con frecuencia nos detenemos demasiado tiempo en los entretenimientos mientras posponemos un trabajo importante.

Debemos aprender a invertir nuestro tiempo de manera productiva y disciplinada, guardando siempre un balance en lo que hacemos. Un ejemplo de esto es, el equilibrio que debemos guardar entre el descanso y el placer, habrá

tiempos en los que necesitamos dejar de trabajar para descansar suficiente y gozar de salud de manera integral.

El no tomar descanso para divertirse en familia o no dormir lo suficiente por estar demasiado ocupado pone en riesgo la salud y el bienestar de la persona y su familia. Para todo hay tiempo, hay tiempo para trabajar y tiempo para descanzar.

Tal vez este sea un buen momento para detenerse y examinar cuantas de las dificultades que ahora está enfrentando tienen su raíz en el manejo inapropiado de su tiempo, tal vez está llevando un estilo de vida indisciplinado. Muchas veces y con buenas intenciones nos ocupamos demasiado en una actividad descuidando otras ocupaciones y causando desbalance y conflictos en nuestras relaciones.

La causa de una mala administración del tiempo es no escoger administrarlo. Usted puede elegir manejar su horario, o permitir que sea su horario el que lo maneje.

Solemos decir con facilidad, "No tengo el tiempo para hacer todo lo que quiero hacer”, y vamos apresurados y estresados por la vida. En

realidad a todos se nos ha dado la misma medida de tiempo, solo que algunos saben sacar lo mejor de cada momento.

Debemos ser conscientes de la importancia del tiempo y ser diligentes en usarlo sabiamente. Hemos también de ser equilibrados y prácticos. Veamos las maneras que en el pasado hemos malgastado el tiempo, aprendamos y corrijamos esos errores.

Elimine de su vida todo aquello que solo le roba el tiempo. Invirtamos tiempo de calidad con nuestros seres queridos. Años atrás mi esposo me regaló un reloj de oro, que por cierto con el tiempo dejó de funcionar, pero como tenía un valor muy especial para mi, no iba a deshacerme de él, sino que lo lleve a un relojero para que lo arreglara.

¿Qué arreglos necesita hacer este año en cuanto al uso de su tiempo? ¿Cómo puede manejar mejor su tiempo a manera de obtener lo máximo de él? ¿Cuántas de nuestras frustraciones se arreglarían si solo hiciéramos mejor uso de nuestro tiempo? Aprendamos a manejar el tic tac del reloj a nuestro favor en vez de que sea él quien nos gobierne.

Donaciones por correo o en línea P.O. Box 399 Carbondale, CO 81623 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com

Editor

Raleigh Burleigh • 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com

Editora Contribuyente Vanessa Porras Directore Artístico Hattie Rensberry

Diseñadora de anuncios Emily Blong

Traductoras

Jacquelinne Castro y Dolores Duarte Distribucion Frederic Kischbaum Bartlett

Executive Director

Todd Chamberlin • 970-510-0246 adsales@soprissun.com

Miembros de la Mesa Directiva

Klaus Kocher • Kay Clarke

Jessi Rochel • Lee Beck

Gayle Wells • Donna Dayton

Terri Ritchie • Eric Smith

Roger Berliner • Megan Tackett

el Sol del Valle agradece por su apoyo a: MANUAS, FirstBank y Alpine Bank

The Sopris Sun, Inc. es una 501(c) (3) organización benéfica sin fines de lucro. Contribuciones financieras son deducibles de impuestos.

¡ESCRÍBENOS!

Para contribuir ideas y contenido al Sol del Valle, escribiéndonos a: sol@ soprissun.com

Para comprar espacio publicitario en español, inglés, o ambos, mándanos un correo electrónico a: adsales@soprissun.com

También se puede contactarnos llamando a 970-510-3003.

Es la época del año en que muchas personas están pensando en las resoluciones de Año Nuevo, uno de los más comunes es perder peso no deseado, particularmente después de ganar unos cuantos kilos de más durante los días festivos. Los siguientes son 22 consejos, del libro de 2000 basado en evidencia del Dr. Michael Greger, "Cómo no hacer dieta".

1) Coma alimentos con una densidad baja en calorías, como verduras, frutas y granos integrales, que también son altos en micronutrientes que promueven la salud.

2) Las nueces y las semillas tienen una densidad alta en calorías, pero las

Consejos para una vida más sana y larga

cantidades limitadas son importantes para una óptima salud. Limite las nueces a un puñado de nueces crudas y sin sal (lo mejor) al día. Limite las semillas a una cucharada de linaza molida todos los días y espolvoree semillas de girasol y/o calabaza sin sal en su ensalada. Los aguacates contienen algo de grasa saludable pero son altos en calorías, por lo que el límite es un cuarto al día.

3) Coma leguminosas, lentejas, garbanzos, guisantes. Producen una sensación de plenitud, por lo que comerás menos calorías el resto de la comida. Además, alimentan a las bacterias en tu intestino (microbioma) causando un “segundo efecto de comida,” lo que resulta en saciedad y en la ingesta de menos calorías durante horas después.

4) Evite alimentos de alta densidad en calorías, como productos de origen animal incluyendo los mariscos, y el aceite agregado.

5) Evite los alimentos adictivos, como la sal, el azúcar o la grasa (a menudo en forma de aceite agregado).

CHISME DEL PUEBLO

Alivio de sequía

La nieve en la cuenca de Roaring Fork es de 136% más de lo normal para esta época del año, Roaring Fork Conservancy reportó el 12 de enero, las medidas equivalentes de agua de nieve en la cabecera de Cristal River es del 147-171% más de lo usual. En todo el estado, la caída de nieve está al 129% más del punto medio de lo que fue entre 1991 y 2020, elevando a Colorado un 40%, incluyendo nuestra región, de condiciones de sequía.

Ventas de cannabis bajan

El Departamento de Ingresos de Colorado ha reportado la disminución de casi $100 millones en ingresos por impuestos de la venta de marijuana en el 2022 comparado con el 2021. Esta gran caída sigue una continua tendencia en declinación y afecta a los programas públicos que reciben fondos de impuestos incluyendo alojamiento, salud mental y educación. Marijuana Industry Group culpa a los desafíos financieros y administrativos que llevan a los consumidores al mercado no regulado.

Beneficios de emergencia SNAP

Los residentes de Colorado que reciben beneficios de Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP por sus siglas en inglés) verán una disminución al monto de beneficios mensuales después de febrero. Las cantidades de beneficios adicionales temporales (asignaciones de emergencia) terminarán después de la aprobación del proyecto de ley Omnibus en cual se convirtió en ley el 30 de diciembre del 2022. Más de 260,000 hogares serán afectados por este cambio con una reducción promedio de $90 por persona al mes.

Actualización de Citizens’ Alliance

Citizens’ Alliance de Glenwood Springs (GSCA por sus siglas en inglés) informó a los suscriptores de su

6) Coma solo comida entera; evite los alimentos procesados (como pasteles, galletas, pastel, chips, cereales en una caja y la mayoría de las galletas).

7) Precarga cada comida con dos tazas de agua fría o fría sin sabor.

8) Comience cada comida con una taza o un tazón pequeño de sopa de verduras bajo en calorías y coma lentamente, con una cucharita. Esto causa la saciedad para que tome menos calorías durante el resto de la comida. Otra opción es una ensalada baja en calorías (sin aceite).

9) Incorpore dos cucharaditas de vinagre con cada comida, lo que aumenta la saciedad y disminuye el azúcar en la sangre y niveles de insulina. Si lo bebe directo, asegúrese de diluirlo con agua.

10) Coma conscientemente, no se distraiga con su teléfono, tableta o TV durante las comidas.

11) Pase al menos 20 minutos comiendo cada comida, lo que le permite a las hormonas que le digan que ya está lleno. Mastice bien su comida y no tome

sus nutrientes (esto se refiere a batidos, que permite que las personas tomen inconscientemente las calorías rápidamente, antes de darse cuenta de que están llenas).

12) Coma ¼ cucharadita de comino negro (Nigella Sativa) diariamente, que se ha demostrado que ayuda a la pérdida de peso. La mitad de una cucharadita de comino regular con almuerzo y cena hace lo mismo.

13) El polvo de ajo, al menos ¼ de cucharadita, se ha demostrado que reduce la grasa corporal.

14) El jengibre molido (al menos 1 cucharadita), especialmente si se toma por la mañana, reduce el peso corporal.

15) Dos cucharaditas al dia de levadura de cerveza o la levadura nutricional facilita la pérdida de peso.

16) Manténgase hidratado bebiendo suficiente agua u otras bebidas sin calorías para mantener su orina transparente a amarillo pálido. Sin embargo, evitar los edulcorantes artificiales, que se asocian con el aumento de peso.

17) Evite los alimentos hechos de harina. Como dice el Dr. Greger, en su libro, que carece de la fibra y el almidón se necesita para alimentar a los organismos que promueven la salud en tu microbioma intestinal.

18) Carga delantera tus calorías: desayuno como un rey, almuerce como un príncipe, cena como un pobre. Dr. Greger explica que “debido a nuestros ritmos circadianos, la comida consumida por la noche es la que más engorda que la misma comida exacta consumida en el día.”

19) Otro paso importante para obtener su horario de comer sincronizado con su biorritmo natural diario, lo que resulta en la pérdida de peso, es no comer en una ventana de 12 horas y no comer después de 7 p.m. 20) Ejercicio: para la salud y el peso óptimos, participe en un ejercicio moderado, como caminar enérgico por 90 minutos al día o ejercicio intenso, como correr durante 45 minutos al día. Aunque cualquier ejercicio ayuda.

21) Pesarte a diario.

22) Obtenga siete a ocho horas de buen sueño por la noche.

boletín informativo que la Oficina de Administración de Tierras está revisando un segundo intento de modificación del plan de operaciones de Rocky Mountain Industrial (RMI por sus siglas en inglés) para su primera mina de piedra caliza encima de Glenwood Springs. RMI recibió un aviso de incumplimiento y una orden de incumplimiento en agosto del 2022 por la actividad minera fuera de los límites del área de permiso y enfrenta una posible orden de cierre si su plan revisado no es aceptado. Mientras tanto, una propuesta para expandir la excavación de 16 a 321 acres está en espera con un reporte de inspección mineral el cual se espera esta primavera. Sigua las actualizaciones de GSCA en www. LoveGlenwood.org

Ayudando a los vecinos sin vivienda

Se buscan voluntarios para el recuento anual Point in Time Count donde se busca individuos viviendo sin un hogar en los valles de Roaring Fork y Eagle. El recuento ocurrirá el 24 de enero del 2023 para

entender mejor las necesidades de nuestra región y así adquirir fondos para asistencia. Para ayudar, inscríbase en línea en www.bit.ly/RFVhomelesscount

Justicia restaurativa

YouthZone ofrece un entrenamiento restaurativo de justicia gratuito y bilingüe el 1 de febrero de 4 p.m. a 6 p.m. por medio de Zoom. Este entrenamiento está diseñado para los padres, maestros, fuerzas policiales y para la comunidad más amplia. Para inscribirse, envíe un correo electrónico a mbolling@youthzone.com

Arte pública

Carbondale Public Arts Commission está buscando nuevos miembros con pasión por el arte e interés por marketing, plan de eventos y alcance público. Contacte a llindberg@carbondaleco.net para más información. El comisionado también está aceptando solicitudes para la exposición de escultura 2023-2024 Art Around Town. las personas interesadas deben inscribirse antes del 6 de febrero en artist.callforentry.org

el Sol del Valle • Conector de comunidad • 19 de enero de 2023 - 25 de enero de 2023 •

Por Maria Judith

Desde La Clínica

¡Regocijo para los primeros 50! El 13 de enero, Alpine Bank celebró su 50o aniversario en Carbondale — donde comenzó en 1973. A pesar de que el fundador Bob Young no fue capaz de asistir en persona, envió un mensaje en audio agradeciendo a la comunidad por su apoyo. El banco tiene cinco regalos de $10,000 para organizaciones locales: Carbondale Arts, The Mount Sopris Nordic Council, English in Action, Ross Montessori School y Stepping Stones. Fotografía por Jessica Hedges/JJ Photography

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

The 2 Forks Club met for its annual dinner and loan recipients selection on Jan. 11 at the Aspen Art Museum. This not-for-profit investment club makes 0%-interest loans available to farming and food entrepreneurs in the North Fork and Roaring Fork valleys. The club was founded by Woody Tasch and Susan Brady and delivered its first loan in 2015, to Zephyros Farm and Garden in Paonia. Once a loan is paid back it returns to the pot for future applicants.

As explained by Eden Vardy, executive director of the Farm Collaborative, the concept came out of the Slow Money movement, “rooted in bringing money back down to Earth.” The “2 Forks” refers to the club serving as an education platform and source of financing, available in two river valleys and supporting the “dining fork” as well as the “pitch fork” to support our local foodshed.

Vardy was managing the 2 Forks Club for years before convincing its board to merge with the Farm Collaborative to more efficiently leverage both organization’s resources. This occurred just before the pandemic.

For its first in-person convening since the pandemic began, members were

business, using local ingredients — some of which were provided by loan applicants. Bouquets of dried flowers at each table were also grown by one of the loan applicants.

With some $900,000 circulating for loans, and 37 delivered to date, this “regenerative philanthropy” model has inspired at least six other clubs nationally. This year, four applicants, selected from a larger pool by a committee of club members, each received their full loan ask, bringing the total number of loan recipients to 41.

Tony Prendergast of Sunshine Beef in Crawford asked for $6,000 to purchase a heavy-duty electric bike designed for hunters. He irrigates 300 acres and practices rotational grazing, finishing lean calves purchased from other area ranchers. “Ranchers cover a lot of ground,” he stated, “and mobility is always an issue."

Tired of burning gasoline while irrigating and moving fencing, Prendergast will equip his bike with a quiver for fence posts. He hopes that being visible to other ranchers will help encourage the electrification of the industry and promised he'll ride the bike in local parades. “I believe in it, if it works good,” he said.

Next up, Harrison Patrick, born and raised in the Roaring Fork Valley,

seeking to restore the Valley’s potatogrowing heritage. His intention is to invest in equipment after working mostly by hand all of last summer. “I have potato shoulders still,” he commented, eliciting laughter from the audience.

Abby Zlotnick of Juniper Farm, soon to be Juniper Flowers, is transitioning her business to work in concert with Two Roots Farm. Zlotnick will focus on organic flower production, rotating with Two Roots vegetables to provide steady pollinator habitat at that farm. In recent years, her flowers have been in high

demand at markets and for weddings. She asked for $20,000 toward expanding her business.

Lastly, Laura Parker of High Desert Seed + Gardens received $30,000 for key infrastructure as she moves her production from Montrose to Paonia. Parker saw a huge boost in her seed business beginning at the onset of COVID-19. She promotes biodiversity while adapting species to thrive in Colorado’s climate, selling in bulk to farmers and also to gardeners.

“For the first time, we have enough money to fund all applicants,” Vardy told the crowd.

“Fund them all!” the crowd responded.

At $76,000 funded, with some money leftover, an additional $40,000 was raised then and there so that — another first — 2 Forks Club can host a second loan cycle in a single year.

Vardy said that it is possible the second cycle will occur this spring, depending on the needs of farmers.

“The intention of our loans is always to service our farmers and our food entrepreneurs and if that turnaround time is difficult, we’re happy to wait and do it later. Our intent is to serve and to get the money deployed where it’s needed as quickly as possible.”

Despite providing what traditional funders may consider many “risky” loans, 2 Forks Club’s payback rate is high. Prior to one recent delinquent loan, it was 99.6%, Vardy said.

“It’s really a testament to the trust principles of being in a community, and

Farm Collaborative executive director Eden Vardy helped raise an additional $40,000 for the 2 Forks Club at their loan recipient selection dinner at the Aspen Art Museum on Jan. 11. Photo by Raleigh Burleigh

CO energy cooperatives file complaint against Xcel

By James Steindler Contributing Editor

Four energy cooperatives in Colorado have filed a complaint before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission alleging that Xcel Energy’s mismanagement practices led to significant losses for each of the cooperatives.

The complainants — Holy Cross Energy, CORE Electric Cooperative, Grand Valley Power and Yampa Valley Electric — “seek an order requiring Xcel to refund a substantial portion — at least $6.9 million — of the approximately $17.5 million in fuel cost charges it passed on to its wholesale customers in February 2021,” a media release from the cooperatives details.

Some readers may recall Winter Storm Uri, which hit the country on Feb. 12-17, 2021.

The petitioners claim that “Xcel failed to obtain the natural gas resources that its own advance plan determined would be necessary to meet its February 2021 electric requirements.”

The release goes on to explain that, “This failure left Xcel suddenly and unnecessarily dependent on natural gas purchases in a volatile and

expensive energy market.”

Cindy Newsome of CORE explained to The Sopris Sun that it’s typical for Xcel to project its reserves ahead of time. Only, this time around, “they [Xcel] have not proven that they did their due diligence in terms of having the appropriate level of reserves according to our contractual agreement,” she stated.

Amber King, also with CORE, echoed her colleague, stating that Xcel’s planning was imprudent leading up to February 2021. This, coupled with Storm Uri, she argued, left Xcel dependent on a volatile energy market, the cost of which was passed on to its customers.

“The cooperatives found that there was not enough natural gas … for the month to begin with,” King stated. “Then, we had Storm Uri which made the energy needs exponential...”

At that point, King added, Xcel was faced with purchasing natural gas on the market at 10-times or more than what it would typically cost.

“The whole point of having those reserves is so they [Xcel] can tap into them when energy needs exceed the typical demand,” said Newsome. “Instead they went out to the

market, passing that risk onto us, burdening us with the additional expense … and then, when they resold, we were not reimbursed for any of that.”

Upon a closer look, the cooperatives noticed that Xcel sold some of the excess fuel it ended up with. According to the complaint, those profits were shared with Xcel’s retail customers but not with its wholesale customers (which includes the four cooperatives).

The complaint wraps up with an assertion that Xcel was not fully transparent during the cooperatives’ investigation

of the February 2021 charges.

According to the cooperatives’ press release, Xcel “continues to withhold information critical to understanding the event.”

“This is some of our challenge … We are not getting access to the detailed information to be able to discern the nature and time of all of their transactions,” Newsome elaborated.

Holy Cross chimes in

Holy Cross serves roughly 45,000 locals within Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties.

It utilizes multiple sources of energy, from solar to hydroelectricity. “The diversity of these power supply resources helped mitigate the impacts of relying on Xcel for our energy during Winter Storm Uri,” President and CEO Bryan Hannegan told The Sopris Sun.

The CEO further explained that Holy Cross has long-term power supply commitments through contracts with the Public Service Company of Colorado — a subsidiary of Xcel Energy.

Holy Cross Energy is the closest-to-home cooperative that is party to the FERC complaint. This map details its service territory in the Tri-County area. Courtesy graphic

On Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, Leonard C. Truesdell, Jr. of Socorro, New Mexico, passed away after a brief illness. Born in Kansas City, Missouri on Oct. 6, 1937, Len grew up in Winnetka, Illinois and attended New Trier High School.

After graduating from Stanford University with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Len went on to complete his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio. He worked for many years with Shell Oil Company in California, Louisiana, Texas and New York.

Following his time at Shell, Len began a second career as a professor in Michigan, Colorado and finally in Socorro, New Mexico at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Len lived in Socorro for the last 24 years with his wife, Mary Joan Kilgen Truesdell (Joan), where they both loved hiking the mountains and watching the wildlife at their cabin getaway in nearby Mountainair, New Mexico.

Len was a proud member of The Rotary Club of Carbondale (Colorado) and Socorro (New Mexico). Len was a true outdoorsman. In Colorado, he loved hiking, cross-country skiing and mountain biking. In Houston, he participated in the first Houston Marathon with his daughter, Robin, and continued running throughout his life. He and Joan especially enjoyed birding at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and traveling to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Len was predeceased by his mother, Maudine Truesdell, father, Leonard C. Truesdell, and brother, A. Bruce Truesdell. Len is survived by his wife, Joan, his two daughters, Kelly Truesdell and Robin Sher, and their spouses, Christopher Robbins and Jeffrey Sher.

Poppy was loved by his five grandchildren, Chance and Paige Robbins and Olivia, Schuyler, and Annie Sher. Len also enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews, Michael, Tom and Claire McGraw, Jonelle Mireles, Daniel and Ryan Camp, and their families.

A celebration of Len's life will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, at Epiphany Episcopal Church, 908 Leroy Place, Socorro. A luncheon will follow in the social hall at 4 p.m. Donations may be made in his memory to Friends of the Bosque del Apache, PO Box 340, San Antonio, NM, 87832.

Arrangements are being handled by the caring professionals at the Noblin Funeral Service Belen Chapel, where an online guest register is available at www. noblin.com

Marc Grandbois

September 23, 1962January 12, 2023

Marc Gilles Louis Grandbois was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec and grew up in Chatham, Ontario until he accompanied his parents on assignment to Kamsar, Guinea then Edea, Cameroon. These early experiences earned him an open view of the world and led to relationships that lasted through his life.

He attended Colorado Rocky Mountain School outside of Carbondale for his senior year of high school, which only whet his appetite for the outdoors. After a year at the University of Montana in Missoula, he was drawn back to Carbondale and it remained his core community for the rest of his life.

Gregarious, jovial, and kind, Marc was a well-loved figure in the community. With his ex-wife, Rebecca Young, he raised two sons — Michael, whose disability called for a special sort of parenthood — and William, both of whom he loved fiercely.

He was a KDNK disc jockey from the station’s early days, hosting blues/rock show “Black and Blue” on Wednesday nights for many years. Even when he was off the air, he was a constant listener and frequent caller. He had an insatiable appetite for live music and was a regular at local performances.

A self-proclaimed motorhead, he was known by many as a salesman at Bighorn and Berthod Motors, and later Napa Auto Parts. In his offhours, he spent a lot of time collecting

and tinkering with bicycles, both for getting around himself and gifting to others.

Marc lived in the present and never hesitated to share what little he had. A lifelong struggle with alcohol brought both challenges and new connections in his later years. He made many friends through Alcoholics Anonymous and The Retreat Recovery Center in Minnesota.

He died in his Glenwood Springs home on Jan. 12 while trying to get back on the wagon. He was preceded in death by his father, Louis, and is survived by his sons, his mother Aline, and sister Chantal.

The Brown Baggers AA group will host an open remembrance at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs, and a broader celebration of life will be held at 1:30 p.m. April 2 at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. Donations can be made in his memory to KDNK Community Access Radio or A Way Out, Inc.

Leslie Buettner plants new business in La Fontana Plaza

By Raleigh Burleigh Sopris Sun Editor

Stepping off the sidewalk and through the door of Botany Houseplant Shop is like stepping into another world. Immediately, one’s senses are engrossed in the pleasure of verdant colors, a boost of oxygen and the overall peace imparted by a thoughtfully curated space.

Owner Leslie Buettner knows well the life that plants lend to indoor places. She opened her store in August 2022, and reports that in its first few months her store has been well-received.

“Initially people would open the front door and just stand there — awestruck, scanning the store,” Buettner told The Sopris Sun. It’s a far cry from Independence Run & Hike, which inhabited the same space prior to moving next to City Market. “I want people to experience enjoyment just from walking in, for it to be a calming yet stimulating experience.”

With years of experience in retail and a love of plants derived from 14 years living in Portland, Oregon, Buettner moved to the Valley keen to share her enthusiasm for houseplants. This is the first business that she has owned.

The room is arranged such that cacti and succulents enjoy ample natural light from the west facing window. Her plants also benefit from supplemental fullspectrum LED lights. A humidifier hums in the back, though the species are intentionally selected to thrive in Colorado’s dry climate.

There is a work table in one corner and a sitting area in the middle of the room “for people not interested in

looking around for a long time accompanying someone who is,” informed Buettner. The aesthetic invites a person to linger, enjoying plant-inspired artwork and puzzles for sale, and the inspiring plants themselves. “I definitely would love a revolving flow of different local artists and makers related to plants, directly or indirectly.”

A few of her favorite plants in the shop include Rhaphidophora decursiva, a vining plant that naturally grows sideways; Hoya, another vining plant that flowers in dramatic clusters; and Philodendron brasil, a vigorous hanging plant with three distinct shades of green in its leaves.

Buettner noted that a surprising number of people wander in; whether returning from a meal at Dos Gringos or 450 Teppanyaki, visiting a professional office upstairs or perusing the other stores that comprise La Fontana Plaza, the store pulls in curious customers that often plan to return and purchase a plant.

Shelves not holding living members of the vegetable kingdom display all the essentials for responsible plant ownership, including many pots of different sizes and styles, environmentally-friendly pest control products, misting tools, plant food, pruning scissors, soil and cute watering cans. “You gotta have a watering can, might as well make it a cute one,” said Buettner.

“A lot of plants are ready to be bumped up in size,” she explained, “and potting mixes are not intended to be a plant’s long-term home.” She encourages buyers to ditch the plastic and select a new pot for their purchases, offering to do the potting in-store with a

custom blend of soil. “Fresh soil and a new space will lead to a happier plant with stronger growth.”

One shelf is dedicated to gorgeous handwoven, hand-dyed baskets to nest these pots within. The company that provides them, Amsha, sources from artisan co-ops in Africa to help women achieve economic independence.

Botany Houseplant Shop (586 CO-133) is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The business also hosts events, including the Roaring Fork Drawing Club and a natural dyes workshop guided by Katie Browne. “Houseplants 101” will be taught on Feb. 1 and “Succulents 101” on Feb. 8; both take place from 5 to 6 p.m.

An artistic depiction of Botany Houseplant Shop by Sofie Koski

Hazardous Lunch

By Deborah Holt Williams Glenwood Springs

I packed myself lunch back on Friday, but then I bought pizza instead.

My nose just detected the lunch I neglected.

I sniff toward my locker with dread. The stench emanates down the hallway. Even zombies would gag, and then run!

Squid sushi forgotten, now toxically rotten.

Call it compost, or call 911?

Marble, as seen on Martin Luther King Day at around one o'clock in the afternoon. The snow cover there is about the same as last year, says photographer Lynn "Jake" Burton.

LETTERS

clean waters of the Thompson Divide — healthy foods equals healthy kids.

The protected lands will also support healthy animal populations and the area is a favorite location for my family to look for wildlife while recreating on public lands. For all these reasons and more, I support the Thompson Divide mineral withdrawal.

I hope the proposal to protect Thompson Divide goes through and that it will be followed by permanent protection in the not-too-distant future!

Lindsay Fallon, Carbondale

Holiday Basket thanks

Although this letter is somewhat tardy, the message of gratitude remains. The Holiday Baskets Program, run entirely by more than 300 volunteers, was once again a joyful community effort. For over 40 years, this program has provided new toys, gifts and food for people in need in our valley.

The response this year was extremely generous and heartwarming, with many individuals and groups participating for the first time, enabling us to serve 265 families (1,144 individuals). This includes gifting over $50,000 worth of City Market food cards.

In addition to all our volunteers, I especially wish to thank our Steering Committee: Elaine Bonds, Marsha Cook, Kathy Dreher, Suzi Jenkins, Elizabeth Parker and Bobbi Teliska — they spent many, many hours and lots of energy matching families with Holiday Angels and making sure all the gift bags were

ready on pick-up day.

continued from page 2

We also thank the 14 agencies who referred the families and delivered their gift bags. We are extremely grateful to Mike Garbarini who once again entered all the applications online so that the committee could operate virtually. We greatly appreciate the Aspen Chapel for serving as a drop-off site for gift bags and wrapping and St. Peter’s of the Valley in Basalt for providing space in which to coordinate and distribute the thousands of gifts and gift cards.

A quote from Angela Hanley, English in Action staff member, summarizes the hopes of the Holiday Baskets Program: “We are grateful to all the Holiday Baskets volunteers and donors for their generosity, and the greater message of care and compassion this program communicates in our valley.”

Anne Blackwell, Carbondale

Letter policy: Please limit your letters to 500 words. We are committed to including all perspectives in The Sopris Sun. If your letter does not appear, it may be because of space limitations in the paper or because other letters we printed expressed the same idea or point of view. Letters are due by noon on the Monday before we go to print.

this notion of sharing the risk. It's all of our collective responsibility, not just putting all of it on the farmers to grow all the food and do it all and take care of the soil.”

Anyone can join the 2 Forks Club with a minimum donation of $250 (or $150 for farmers and teachers). Loan applicants don’t have to be members, however around twothirds of previous loan recipients have become members.

Vardy also announced at the dinner that the Farm Collaborative will receive $965,000 from the federal government’s omnibus budget package toward its farm

Xcel complaint

According to Hannegan, the local energy cooperative paid Xcel an additional $2.5 million “in power supply costs as a direct result of Winter Storm Uri and the higher-cost natural gas purchased by Xcel during that time.”

He noted that the extra cost was incorporated into Holy Cross’ operating budget for the year, Therefore, “Holy Cross members saw no increase on their monthly bills.”

Xcel to respond

Replying to The Sopris Sun, Xcel delivered a statement claiming that the company did in fact uphold prudent purchasing practices before and during

center and specifically a community kitchen at Cozy Point Ranch.

In a press release, Senator John Hickenlooper was personally thanked and Vardy announced that construction on the building is anticipated to begin this spring.

On top of that, the region-wide farmer support ecosystem in development will receive a $100,000 grant from the Three Sisters Charitable Foundation. And that’s not all — Vardy is preparing to make a big announcement soon about the Farm Collaborative’s future. To stay in the loop, sign up for their newsletter at www.thefarmcollaborative.org

continued from page 14 2 Forks fundraiser continued from page 15

February 2021.

“Winter Storm Uri … was a massive storm impacting many states — including Colorado — causing the market to respond dramatically,” the statement reads. “Our gas purchasing practices before and during the storm were prudent, consistent with the law and our contractual obligations…”

The company’s spokesperson expressed disappointment that they could not come to a resolution with their wholesale customers, but added that they “remain hopeful we can find a resolution.”

Xcel intends to respond to the complaint “with a full description of the prudent measures we took to serve our customers during Winter Storm Uri.”

El sábado por la tarde del 14 de enero, voluntarios y personal de Alianza de nutrición abundante y segura (SANA por sus siglas en inglés), una organización abordando la inseguridad alimentaria desde Aspen a Parachute, se reunió en la biblioteca de Glenwood Springs para celebrar a sus voluntarios de todas las edades. Estudiante de la preparatoria de Glenwood Springs, Ismael Vázquez, quien ha sido voluntario para SANA por mas de tres años, le dijo a The Sopris Sun que él disfruta ayudar, "a distribuir comida- como pan, carne, y algunas verduras". Cuando le preguntamos como se sentía al contribuir a su comunidad, Vázquez contesto, "¡Se siente genial!" (Izquierda hacia abajo) voluntario de SANA, Alejandra Sandoval sirve un delicioso pozole. Y, claro, había pastel. Para aprender mas sobre SANA, visite su pagina en Facebook. Fotos por James Steindler

The evening of Saturday, Jan. 14, volunteers and staff of the Safe and Abundant Nutrition Alliance (SANA), an organization addressing food insecurity from Aspen to Parachute, gathered at the Glenwood Springs Library to celebrate its volunteers of all ages. Glenwood Springs

High School student Ismael Vazquez, who has been volunteering for SANA for more than three years, told The Sopris Sun that he enjoys helping “to give out food — like bread, meat and some vegetables.” When asked how it makes him feel to give back to his community, Vazquez replied, “It feels great!” (Bottom left) SANA volunteer Alejandra Sandoval dishes up some delicious posole. And, of course, there was cake. To learn more about SANA, visit its Facebook page. Photos by James Steindler