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Because every town needs a park, a library and a newspaper

Carbondale’s weekly

community connector

Volume 10, Number 53 | February 7, 2019

Sopris Sun seeds

By Trina Ortega

Winter 2009 was probably the worst time to start a newspaper, much less take on the role of editor. Across the country, large daily newspapers like the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Denver’s Rocky Mountain News were going out of business and Carbondale’s own Valley Journal suffered the same fate in December 2008. I was working as the Arts & Entertainment editor at the Journal but was let go right before Christmas. I had one son in grade school and another less than a year old. What was a low-paying journalist with no other skills set to do? Only a week or two passed before longtime Carbondale local and former Valley Journal Editor Becky Young got in touch with me to talk about the town’s state of affairs. She said she and some other residents were considering launching a newspaper to highlight all the good stuff

going in on the community they loved, but also to keep tabs on town council and planning and zoning. She asked if I could put together a list of the news stories that were left “hanging,” so to speak, as a result of The Valley Journal’s demise. I started making a list. From aspiring singersongwriters and local business owners to development projects and town budget concerns, there was so much worthwhile news to cover in Carbondale. The list grew. When I sat down with Becky and some of other community members who came together with the seed to start a newspaper, I think the list was at least two pages long. Some readers know the story of how The Sopris Sun was started; others may not, but it’s worth knowing about the grassroots effort that, to this day, is a stellar representation of the strength of the Carbondale community. SEEDS page 14

OUR OWN BEER!! We’ve teamed up with our friends at

ROARING FORK BEER COMPANY to present:

“CERVEZA SOPRIS” THE PERFECT MEXICAN LAGER

A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN 10 YEARS… Like Potter Treadway growing from a baby to a young man. He was first photographed for the LA Times by his dad, Marty, hanging out while his mom, Trina, put out the first issues of The Sun in 2009 (bottom). We decided to recreate the shot to show how time flies (top, photo by Will Grandbois).

970.963.5880 On the SE Corner of Hwy 133 and Main Street in Carbondale

ONLY AT

SLW !


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