2010 01 14

Sopris Sun THE

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 48 • JANUARY 14, 2010

Up, up and away Carbondale bids farewell to three of its favorite folks Virginia “gina” Sterrett Sept. 6, 1931 – Jan. 3, 2010 Known for her youthful spirit, quick wit and a contagious giggle, Virginia “gina” Frances Sterrett Weaver (lower left) died Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010, at her home in Carbondale.

She was 78.

At a memorial service Jan. 9, friends and colleagues reflected on Sterrett’s “Let’s get it done” attitude, which helped her found Carbondale’s senior housing and Senior Matters.

Sterrett was regarded as Carbondale’s leading advocate for seniors, forming Carbondale’s Senior Matters … “because seniors matter!”

“Seniors need to get up in the morning and have a place to go.

They need to get dressed and go out,” Sterrett said in an interview with The Valley Journal in September 2007 when she was spearheadgiNA page 7

Carol Rothrock Sept. 1, 1953 – Jan. 5, 2010 Friends and family gathered at the Carbondale Community School on Sunday to remember teacher Carol Rothrock (upper left), 56, of Carbondale — a gardener planting bulbs, as artist painting landscapes, and a woman adding color to the world every day of the year.

Rothrock was born Sept. 1, 1953, in Augusta, Ga., to Henry and Doris Simon. She died Jan. 5, 2010.

Rothrock is survived by daughter Ashley (Rothrock) Bass; sons Chris Rothrock and Colt Mingledorff; life partner Gerry Michel; siblings Lynn Fleischer, Sandi Johnson, Julie Callandt, and David Simon; one niece; six nephews; and former husbands Tony Rothrock and Ross Mingledorff.

Surrounded by bright drawings

Ron Robertson Longtime Carbondale resident Ron Robertson passed away on Jan. 10, 2010 A celebration of Ron Robertson’s life is being planned for Jan. 23 at the Church at Carbondale.

Next week’s edition of The Sopris Sun will include further details and an obituary.

CAROL page 7

At the celebration for Carol Rothrock on Sunday, Jan. 9, a flight of balloons was released bearing messages in tow. Photo by Jane Bachrach

Bankruptcies boom

Roaring Fork bleeds brokers

Give a dog a bowl

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Carbondale Commentary Letters

The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 400 words. Letters exceeding that length may be edited or returned for revisions. Include your name and residence (for publication) and a contact email and phone number. Submit letters via email to letters@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623.

Rethink Main Street dispensaries Dear Editor: Having grown up in this valley, and as a parent, I am disturbed about the allowance of a dispensary on Main Street. I am concerned about the wellbeing of all children in this community. I see how teenagers are struggling to find what is right – struggling to fit in and establish values for life.

I understand that marijuana has been legalized with a prescription, but without a prescription it is illegal. Drugs are usually sold in pharmacies. If someone who shouldn’t have marijuana has it, the ramifications are far greater than someone caught with Valium, Quaaludes or cough syrup.

As a town, we have worked hard to find ways to draw people that might otherwise pass us by. We have a clientele, which only continues to grow. They enjoy the town’s beauty, great food, exquisite rivers and wonderful art. We even have a sign welcoming everyone to Carbondale, a historic town.

A dispensary on street level Main Street is offensive to a great deal of people and is like a billboard sending a wrong message 24/7, a message that says that as a town, the consensus of everyone that lives here supports the sale of marijuana. As I interact with several of the teenagers, their rationale is that it is legal – that it is not a bit deal.

How convenient for kids to watch the comings and going of individuals and to maybe score some marijuana. We all know, in general, that teenagers have a hard time understanding in the moment what the consequences of succeeding in such an act

might be. We also know that there are people with less honorable values that would make it much more accessible to our youth for an extra buck.

Right before writing this letter, I found out we have six dispensaries, albeit discreet.

Do we not have a moratorium on the number of dispensaries allowed in our town?

Isn’t there a cap on how many there can be? Is this the image we want to portray of our town?

For the wellbeing of our children and our town, shouldn’t we rethink having a dispensary on Main Street?

(Name withheld upon author’s request)

Don’t forget the wormwood Dear Editor: As Marble tackles the bark beetle infestation, its citizens may be less likely to notice another species that has made huge inroads in their town and surrounding area.

This invader is rapidly crowding out native plants and affecting biodiversity. Absinthe wormwood looks like sagebrush (without the central trunk). It smells like sagebrush. It is in the same family, but it is a non-native plant that is all over the Marble area. It can be treated with Milestone (a less harmful herbicide as herbicides go) during the summer. It could be stopped in several years if all property owners worked on it. Milestone does not have to be applied by a licensed applicator, but consultation with a Garfield or Pitkin county weed management person is a good idea especially as it requires extremely small amounts per gallon. When the

snow melts, check out your yard. You may be surprised to find absinthe wormwood.

Marj Perry Carbondale

Thanks from Novel Tea Dear Editor: Novel Tea Books would like to take the time to thank the locals for supporting the store through Christmas. I saw people that I haven’t seen in years. Thank you for all the special orders. I know that instant gratification has to be put aside to order from us and I appreciate you taking the time to think ahead and stick with me. I only know two people that I disappointed, but even one of those people has been very understanding. Thanks, Trina!

I’d like to share with Carbondale locals a story that is what makes this town so special. I was at the co-op purchasing a tea one beautiful December morning, and when I returned to my store I noticed that there were checks and cash lying on my counter.

Imagine my surprise! Evidently, while waiting for me, one of the customers decided to ask The Lift what the sales tax is in Carbondale so that all three people could leave the correct amount of money for their purchases. It just warmed my heart. So, I’d like to personally thank the following three people: Tom Blank of our very own Main Street Spirits, Nicole and David MaClean, and finally Gwen Garcelon. What a gracious and understanding thing to do. It’s very difficult to be a one-person storeowner.

I’d also like to personally thank Anne Jeffreys for a donation of $2,000 to Novel Tea so that Carbondale will continue to have a bookstore.

Anne will be paid back, but what a beautiful thing to do for the store and for this town. You are a wonderful spirit with a giving heart. So, once again my friend, thank you from my heart to yours.

Two more people that I’d like to recognize are Ian and Anne from Alpine Bank.

Without you two, 2009 would have been incredibly more difficult. Hopefully, 2010 will be better.

So to conclude, I will be here next year. Thank you to all of you that helped to make that possible. Also, thank you to those of you who shop here all year long. I can’t write more than 400 words in this letter, but I want you to know that I know who you are. God bless!

Lori Hutchens Novel Tea Books

Heathen gratitude

KDNK co-hosts and local personalities Chameleon and Merle dispatched this photo from the land down under, where the toilets flush counter-clockwise, the Southern Cross lights up the night sky and, apparently, The Sun shines upside down. Photo courtesy of Chameleon.

Correction: In our Jan. 7 edition we wrote that Carbondale is home to four medical marijuana dispensaries. In fact, the town has issued six sales tax licenses to dispensaries. Three are located on Main Street, one is on Village Road, one is in La Fontana Plaza, and one is located on Dolores Way. The Sopris Sun regrets the error.

2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010

Dear Editor: There are magic moments that happen in our lives, times when a sense of place and self come together so completely. Friday night with The Band of Heathens at the Church at Carbondale was one of those moments. When a community suffers the loss of someone special, when the economy presents challenges, when the winter winds blow below zero, there is no better way to heal than through music.

Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities has many people to thank for helping to create this magic. First and foremost we must acknowledge The Church at Carbondale, the facility itself is astounding and

the staff gracious and helpful, especially Pastor Doug Self, Scott Robinson and Jerry Alcorta. We must also thank our sponsors who make these events possible. These include the Valley View Hospital Foundation, The Town of Carbondale, Dos Gringos Burritos, Catherine Store Wine and Liquor, Main Street Spirits, The Gay and Lesbian Fund for Colorado, David and Sandy Burden, I3 Graphic Design, Alpine Bank, The David Lawrence Foundation and KDNK Community Radio. Volunteers are the heart and soul of most every CCAH event. There are some that went way beyond the call of duty, especially Carol Klein, Jeff Britt, Bill Laemmel, Nelson Oldham and Cody Lyon.

Of course all our volunteers are spectacular. One reason The Heathens love Carbondale is the hospitality they receive here.

Thanks to Nelson and Julie Oldham and John and Sarah Villafranco for opening their homes and hearts to these fine musicians. Last, but not least, there would have been no night without the fantastic music of The Heathens and Carbondale’s own Hell Roaring String Band. Thanks!

Of course, the deep CCAH support comes from all of you, who came out and had a good time. Stay tuned for a slew of CCAH events coming your way in February: a chamber music concert on Feb. 12, an Ellie Davis performance piece called “Secrets” on Feb. 18 and an evening with authors Art and Allison Daily and Pam Houston on Feb. 25. Go to carbondalearts.com for more details.

The CCAH Staff Amy Kimberly, Ro Mead and Holly Gressett

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Bankruptcies boom in Roaring Fork, western Colorado

By Jeremy Heiman The Sopris Sun As the recession has left many Roaring Fork Valley residents searching for work, Bill Phillips has watched his workload swell to almost overwhelming levels. That’s because Phillips is one of the only lawyers in the valley who specializes in bankruptcies.

“There are a whole lot of bankruptcies being filed right now,” said Phillips, whose office is in Glenwood Springs. “It’s been that way for a year, and there’s not an end in sight.”

Federal records indicate that statewide, the number of bankruptcy filings rose from 20,943 in 2008, to 25,624 in 2009. That’s an increase of around 18 percent, though figures for December, 2009, are not yet available.

But in the western region of Colorado, which includes most of the Western Slope, the figures rose from 833 cases in 2008 to 1,311 in 2009, a 36 percent increase even without including December’s filings.

Though no one keeps statistics for Carbondale or Garfield County, Phillips says it’s at least as bad around here.

“I think we’re suffering more than the average, because real estate prices have declined so much,” he said. People are stuck with real estate because the market is down and, in many cases, borrowers are “upside

down” — the appraised value of their house is now less than the amount they owe on it.

“The biggest change now is I’m filing for people who have a lot more to lose,” Phillips added, describing formerly wealthy people who are losing very expensive homes in foreclosure.

“These are people who have been living a very decent lifestyle,” Phillips said.

“They’ve done everything right, except maybe having all their eggs in one basket.”

Some local residents are having difficulty repaying home equity loans, secured by equity that is no longer theirs, once the value of their homes plummeted.

“You can’t use your house as a credit card any more,” Phillips said.

Another important factor is that so much employment in the area is dependent on construction, and construction has declined steeply.

“A significant cause of bankruptcy is job loss,” he said.

Inability to pay big medical bills is another reason people are filing.

“A large contingent of people locally are uninsured,” Phillips said. Many are in the construction industry, uninsured because they are working as independent contractors rather than as payroll employees, and unable or unwilling to pay high premiums on an individual policy.

Phillips is seeing both individual bankruptcies and business bankruptcies. Businesses are going under primarily because business is down, he said, but some small businesses are also having trouble because their customers are not able to pay.

“Frequently, businesses get stiffed in a real large way,” Phillips said.

Brad Bolton, clerk of the court for the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Colorado, noted this as well.

“There may be a ripple effect,” Bolton said. In the case of business bankruptcies, unemployment after a business closing may lead to personal bankruptcies, and pensions may be lost or diminished in business bankruptcy proceedings, leading to more filings, he continued.

The region last saw a similarly dramatic surge in bankruptcy filings in 2005, in advance of a federal rule change that made it more difficult to file for bankruptcy. That rule change required bankruptcy courts to take added measures to ensure that a debtor qualifies for bankruptcy, Phillips said.

In October, 2005, just before the rule change, 798 bankruptcies were filed in the western region of Colorado. In the following month, only three cases were filed in the entire region. Colorado’s total for 2005 was 43,125, but in 2006, the number for the entire state dropped to 9,741.

The numbers have increased gradually since that time, but even with the bad economy, the number of cases statewide in 2009 promises to fall thousands short of 2005’s total. It’s different in the Roaring Fork Valley, however.

“Locally, we’ve been busier than [we were] at that time,” Phillips said.

Governed by federal statute, bankruptcy is a legal method to get out from under an impossible level of debt, and to gain protection from creditors. But it doesn’t come without a downside.

“It’s a black mark on your credit,” Phillips said. “But usually, by the time people see me, their credit is shot, anyway.”

“Your credit will be restored much faster if you file than if you don’t,” he continued.

Phillips said sometimes bankers will loan money to individuals shortly after bankruptcy, partly because they are a relatively good risk, because the law won’t allow them to file for bankruptcy again for several years.

The time it takes to get free of debt through bankruptcy is usually short: about four months, Bolton said.

But bankruptcy proceedings may last longer if the creditors involved file an objection. And Phillips added that selling a debtor’s assets and dividing them up among creditors can sometimes take years.

Recession means fewer Realtors working in the region

By Terray Sylvester The Sopris Sun The downturn in the housing market has sent local real estate brokers scrambling to adapt, and many have left the field altogether.

That’s the message in the latest data from area Realtors’ associations, which, with 2010 underway, have been rounding up annual membership dues.

The deadline to renew a membership with the Aspen Board of Realtors fell on Jan. 4, and 630 brokers paid their dues.That represents a decline of about 100 brokers from early 2009, and a 20 percent decline from the 805 brokers who were members of the Aspen board at the height of the real estate boom in 2008.

The Glenwood Springs Association of Realtors won’t finish collecting annual dues until the end of the month, but CEO Sheryl Burns said that the organization has budgeted for memberships to decline 15 percent from the roughly 300 brokers who were members in the beginning of 2009. Memberships at the Glenwood association peaked at just over 330 brokers in 2008.

The Aspen Board of Realtors enrolls brokers who work downvalley as far as Carbondale. The Glenwood Springs Association of Realtors draws brokers who work from Carbondale through Glenwood Springs and down the I-70 corridor to the Garfield County line.

At the Vail Board of Realtors, which mainly attracts brokers who work along the I-70 corridor between Vail and Gypsum, 2010 renewals were due Jan. 1. The board is starting out the year with 688 members, down from about 740 in early 2009.

“It’s a tougher market. There are fewer

deals to go around with the transaction volume down,” said Matthew Fitzgerald, president of the Vail board.

Ryan Anslyn, president of the Aspen board, said the decline in membership is a result of brokers trying to adapt to the larger turmoil in the industry.

“There’s such a variety of reasons why Realtors would drop their memberships,” Anslyn said, explaining that he knows brokers who have left the area altogether; some who had been in business a long time and decided this is a good time to retire; and still others who have started their own offices, signed on with larger companies, or broken off to “go independent.”

“I can guarantee you it’s been the most transitional year that we’ve probably ever seen in the Aspen Board of Realtors,”Anslyn said, pointing in particular to the first months of 2009, when several large firms in Aspen merged.

But despite the tumult, Anslyn said memberships haven’t fallen as far as the board had feared – around the 600 mark.

Regional Realtors associations, and the National Association of Realtors of which they are a part, are trade groups that require not only dues from their members, but ethical and brokerage training beyond the Colorado requirements. Those requirements represent an added cost to local brokers, who are otherwise required only to hold a license from the state.

Dues at the Aspen board add up to about $1,100 per year. At the Vail board, the annual membership due is roughly $700, plus additional fees that Fitzgerald of Vail de-

A snowy street scene in Carbondale this winter. Photo by Jane Bachrach

REALTORS page 9

THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010 • 3

Obituaries George W. Gleason

Arthur A. Cerre

Feb. 20, 1923 – Jan. 1, 2010

April 18, 1922 – Dec. 30, 2009

George W. Gleason, scientist, skier, and Colorado native, died Jan. 1 at his home in Boulder. He was 86.

He will be remembered for his sensitive nature, love of skiing and adventure, orderly habits and household administration, and devotion to his wife and seven children.

He was born Feb. 20, 1923, in Denver to George and Augusta (Wall) Gleason but soon moved to Pueblo, his mother’s hometown, where his family was well known and regarded.

He graduated from Centennial High School in Pueblo and attended Colorado School of Mines before serving in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946, where he was trained in aviation electronics. In 1948, Gleason earned his engineering degree from Denver University.

Gleason worked for the Martin Company in Denver and Ball Brothers Research Corporation in Boulder. His work included development of the Titan Rocket, instrument design and mission control for the Apollo space program, and design of the mounting telescope and coronagraph for Skylab. He retired from Ball Brothers in 1984.

In high school Gleason read an article about Sun Valley in Life Magazine and was determined to try out skiing. Then an uncle gave him $25 for Christmas. At a Pueblo hardware store he purchased leather boots, cable bindings and seven-foot hickory skis.

He drove with a friend to Rye, climbed a hill, and learned by trial.

On one of their first dates, Gleason took his future wife, Mary Jean Anthony, skiing at Berthoud ski area, an activity that would knit together generations of the family for decades to come. The couple later wed on Dec. 29, 1943, in Denver.

In 1961 he built a ski cabin near the base of Aspen Mountain. For 25 years the family journeyed over the mountain passes every other weekend in winter to ski. After retiring, George and Mary Jean moved to Aspen where George created a ski program, and other programs, for active seniors at the Aspen Senior Center. He convinced the Aspen Skiing Company for a time to offer free passes to skiers over age 70.

Music was an important part of his life as well; he played the clarinet and saxophone, sang in the church choir, and for many years hosted a weekly big band radio show for KAJX radio station in Aspen.

In their retirement, George and Mary traveled extensively in their motor home and to Elderhostels across the U.S. and abroad.

Gleason was honored for his service to Pitkin County seniors and the Rocky Mountain Senior Games. In Aspen, the couple served as Winterskol king and queen, and Dec. 29 is George and Mary Gleason Day by proclamation of the mayor.

Gleason skied until he was 82 years old. In 2005, the couple sold the beloved “cabin in Aspen” after 45 years and moved to a Boulder retirement community.

He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and sisters Augusta Peaker and Eleanor Schooley. He is survived by sons Jim Gleason of South Bend, Ind., Bob Gleason of Telluride, Patrick Gleason of Alma, and Gary Gleason of Aspen; daughters Judy Wright of Littleton, Nancy Warren of Golden and Marilyn Gleason of New Castle; and 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial mass was held Jan. 13 at Saint Mary’s Church in Aspen. A reception for friends and family at the Boulder Meridian will take place on Jan. 16 at 11:30 a.m. at 801 Gillaspie in Boulder.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, 2594 Trailridge Drive East, Lafayette, CO 80026 or hospicecareonline.org. Visit ahlbergfuneralchapel.com to share condolences.

Longtime Snowmass Village resident Arthur A. Cerre, AKA “Big Art,” passed away on Dec. 30, 2009, in Denver, surrounded by his loving family. He was 87. Big Art had big enthusiasm, big ideas, big dreams, big generosity, big gratitude and most of all, a big twinkle in his eyes. He made friends wherever he went and lit up every room he walked into.

Born on April 18, 1922, and raised in Detroit, Mich., he was a graduate of St. Thomas College in St. Paul, Minn., where he met and married his wife of 66 years, Elizabeth Nolan Cerre.

The former advertising executive and avid skier first came to the Aspen/Snowmass area in the 1960s and eventually became a resident of Snowmass Village in the early 1980s. Art embraced the Snowmass community with great passion and volunteered his time with the Aspen Camp School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, among other community activities.

After serving in the US Army as an infantry captain in the South Pacific during World War II, he started his career with the Detroit Free Press and GM Photographic.

A longtime resident of Grosse Pointe, Mich., he founded The Cerre Company, which developed major sales promotions for the automobile industry. He later became the General Manager of Naegele Outdoor Advertising and Senior Vice President of Visual Services and the J. Walter Thompson Company.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Susie Godin Livengood and her husband Peter of Mill Valley, Calif.; son, Michael Nolan Cerre and wife Gina of Sausalito, Calif.; and daughter Julie Ann Kennedy and husband Michael of Carbondale. His daughter Betsy Cerre Cross preceded him in death. He had four grandchildren: Jamie Godin Touchstone of San Francisco, Calif., Lauren Ferris Cerre of Los Angeles, Calif., Lee Egan Cerre of New York, N.Y., and Hayden Michael Kennedy of Carbondale.

A memorial service and mass will be held at St. Mary of the Crown church in Carbondale on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 2:30 p.m. A celebration of his beautiful life will follow at the Aspen Glen Clubhouse from 4 to 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers donations in his name can be made to the Cardiac Rehab Center, Aspen Valley Hospital.

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Show leaves you begging for more

By Trina Ortega The Sopris Sun Just like the four-legged creatures they’ll serve, the ceramic dog bowls in an exhibit opening Friday at the Carbondale Clay Center come in all different shapes and sizes. Best of all, each is handmade, with the markings of each artist.

Among them are Peg Malloy’s beige, wood-fired dish with subtle swoops of gray where ash settled on the clay during the firing; Kelly McKibben’s dish adorned with bas-reliefstyle hearts around the outside and an engraved spiral on the inside; Ginny Beesley’s distinctive orb-like chunk with a clean square cut into it; Sandie Gardner’s bright blue dish with a dog bone and the words “SPECIAL TREAT” in the middle; and Holly Curcio’s square “tiles” with clover shapes cut into them to hold the food.

The bowls are each so beautiful and colorful that it’s hard to decide: Is it for the canine or human?

“Give a Dog a Bowl” opens with a reception from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, and runs through Feb. 1. Fifty percent of the proceeds will benefit Colorado Animal Rescue (CARE). Each dog bowl purchase includes a homemade dog biscuit and a discount coupon to RJ Paddywacks.

Opening night also will feature some of CARE’s adoptable animals, along with food, live music, and a silent auction of pet-related items donated by RJ Paddywacks, Skyline Kennels, Red Hill Animal Health Center, Jane Bachrach from Bonedale Productions, Roaring Fork Valley Co-op, and other area businesses.

Clay center resident artist and studio tech Kelly McKibben has been scratching at the door to do a benefit show for canines since attending graduate school, where a friend had organized a printmaking exhibit to benefit a local shelter.

The show is a chance for local nonprofits that have been hit hard by the economy to work together, McKibben said.

“I wanted to do something where one nonprofit could help another nonprofit to bring everybody together.”

“CARE is such a great organization. I’ve been really impressed with all the adopted dogs from CARE,” McKibben said of the friends she’s made while walking or at the dog parks. “There are a lot of good dogs out there that need homes.”

Growing up, McKibben’s family always had rescue animals, and her dog, Millie, was a pound hound. The show is bittersweet for McKibben, however, because Millie died unexpectedly in fall, 2009.

“I think with dogs, they’re like your little spirit guardians.

Millie taught me a lot about unconditional love.… She really helped me get through some tough times; she was my lifeline.”

Although you may not find yourself laying belly up on the carpet squeaking incessantly on a rubber toy, doggies remind us to slow down and let loose every once in a while, she added.

“Dogs remind you to play and have joy and be happy in your life,” McKibben said.

While shaping a coffee mug on a recent Friday, Donie Hubbard talked about Chai, her “Ursula Shepard dog” of about 12 years. An Ursula Shepard is not a breed (although longtime valley residents like to think of it that way). Shepard has fostered dogs through Valley Dog Rescue for more than two decades.

A terrier mix, Chai is an energetic dog with a “fun face,” said Hubbard, who is donating a dog bowl for the show.“She jumps in the bed in the morning and sticks her cold nose into my neck if I sleep in.”

Additional participating artists include Steven Colby, Sam Harvey, Mark Harro, Diane Kenney, Elliot Marquet, Sarah Moore, Sara Preston and Alex Watson.

Who wouldn't be happy with such a smorgasboard of dog bowls? Photo by Jane Bachrach

Be bowled over:

For more information about the “Give a Dog a Bowl” show, visit carbondaleclay.org. Go to coloradoanimalrescue.org to learn about CARE and search for adoptable pets online.

THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010 • 5

Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to Scuttlebutt@SoprisSun.com.

In honor of Ron

Brett McKenzie, Jan. 11. And Jan. 12 was a busy day: Barry Sheehan, Gentri Engelke, Lou Dawson, Barbara Peckler and Trevor Stroud. The 13th was almost as busy: Steve Smith, Heidi Kimmel and Steve Weaver.

A memorial service for Ron Robertson is in the planning stages and we’ll let you know any further details as they become available. So check next week’s Sopris Sun.You can also keep up to date by visiting caringbridge.org/visit/ronrob.

Also, members of the Downtown Preservation Association are establishing an RFHS scholarship fund in Ron’s name.According to Chris Chacos, the scholarship will be for a student who wishes to continue his or her education either as an architect, or by pursuing a business degree. Anyone that would like to contribute to the fund will receive a receipt, and will be listed on a card that will be sent to the family. Donations can be sent to: Chris Chacos, 11022 North Indigo Drive, #105, Fountain Hills, Ariz., 85268.

And speaking of goats…

Here’s a New Year’s prediction from the Sopris Sun’s clairvoyant, who predicted the local and national“raise your own chickens” phenomena last year: Goats.

Although chickens will continue to be big this year, goats will be a close second. They can mow the lawn, eat the weeds and the does can provide you with milk and cheese. They’re also funny. A few locals are blazing the trail. They are Sarah Moore, Clay Shiflet and the clairvoyant that The Sopris Sun consults for some of its information.“Goat talk”will debut on the Jake and Jane show on KDNK in the near future.

It’s gotta be the water Carbondale continues to produce smart offspring, even after all these years.This week we’d like to congratulate Ruby Kimberly, who, despite fracturing her tibia playing hockey a week ago here in Carbondale, left for Colorado Springs last Friday on a full scholarship to Colorado College where she will major in Latin American studies. High fives also go out to Abigail Lane who made the 2009 fall Dean’s List at U.C. Boulder’s College of Arts and Sciences.

And speaking of predictions…

gordy Quist (lead guitar), John Chapman (drums) and Seth Whitney (bass) of The Band of Heathens played some pagan tunes at the Church at Carbondale on Jan. 8. Photo

by Jane Bachrach

A Hidden Gem Actually, it’s not really hidden. It’s been right out there in the open for a few years now, but other than being recognized as a non-denominational house of worship, its amenities haven’t been discovered… until now.

Thanks to The Band of Heathens concert at the Church at Carbondale, some of us are now aware that going to church, any day of the week ‘cept Monday, can be a religious experience – but not the kind you might expect. From free Wi Fi, to a coffee bar and from great views to a comfortable community room where you can sit and work on your computer,

6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010

meet a friend for coffee or just enjoy the view, the Church at Carbondale is an oasis of peace. The best thing about it however, will remain a secret that will be revealed later in The Sopris Sun. Stay tuned.

Birthdays: some sooner, some later Here’s some more old and young goats that are celebrating or have celebrated their Capricorn birthdays this week: Today, January 14, happy birthday to Anne Marie Zanca and Kathy Williams; Mary Finley and Nancy Vories, Jan. 10;

This wasn’t really a prediction – it was gossip. But it was reported by one of our best sources. In the Dec. 17 Sopris Sun, we published a rumor in Scuttlebutt that an employee of the Black Nugget by the name of Carrie was going to purchase the Nugget and would open her business on Feb. 1. It’s now fact. Carrie’s last name is Allen and she has bought the Black Nugget which will open, as we reported, on February 1. Wait for more information regarding the grand opening.

Original “sticky boy” makes good Jeremy Abbott, son of former KDNK station manager Allen Scott, who was the original “Sticky Boy” at the first KDNK Labor of Love Auction, was on the front page of the sports section in Sunday's Denver Post.Twenty-four years old, he is the defending U.S. figure skating champion from Aspen and is making his bid for the Olympic team. He recently left his former coach and moved from the Front Range to Michigan to sign on with two new coaches. Good luck to Jeremy!

Virginia “gina� Sterrett continued om page 1

Carol Rothrock continued om page 1

ing the effort to ďŹ nd a permanent home for a seniors activities center.

In early 2009, Sterrett and Senior Matters made history again when the group moved into a new home at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. “She connected with everyone. She made sure we seniors were represented,�said friend and Senior Matters volunteer Diane Johnson. “She was focused and intent on accomplishing what she set out to do.�

Sterrett could be seen carrying a little notebook with all of her contacts, appointments and information. She didn’t email or use computers, which she considered the downfall of communication; she preferred doing business over the phone or in person. “gina was tenacious when it came to Senior Matters ‌â€? said current Board of Directors Chairperson Randy Vanderhurst. “She would chew me out many times because I didn’t spell out the whole name, â€˜â€Ś because seniors matter!’ She grabbed people from every facet of Carbondale life and asked for their help, their money and their support of Senior Matters. ‌ I am glad that she lived long enough to see her dream become a reality,â€? Vanderhurst said.

Sterrett was the director emeritus on the Senior Matters board and worked for Senior Matters’ Council on Aging. She hosted a KDNK radio show that covered senior news and helped establish the station’s Audio Stories to document Roaring Fork Valley history.

In the 1980s, Sterrett worked with other volunteers to raise money for senior housing.

The resulting project was Crystal Meadows,

and clay sculptures created by Rothrock’s students, longtime friend Lynn Kirchner talked of her “soul sister,� whom she met after Rothrock moved to the area from Hilton Head, Ga. “She brightened up the room with her smile,� Kirchner said. “She got along with everyone. She had a way of drawing people to her. Her smile and personality were magnetic.�

The Sunday sky was a deep blue outside the school, and the sun sparkled on the snow.

It was a perfect day to be outside, and Rothrock would not approve of her friends spending the day indoors. “She did not want people to worry about her. ‌ She would be telling us: ‘Y’all should be outside doing something fun,’â€? Kirchner said with a southern accent, imitating her close friend. “So, the next time you’re in your garden, taking a run on the slopes, a dip in your kayak, listening to Bob Marley, doing your homework, dancing, painting or being creative in your own way, say,‘Thank you, Carol.Thanks for being with me,’â€? Kirchner implored.

Rothrock taught art at the Carbondale Community School, where she started the successful annual fundraiser, the Artist Studio Tour. She was described as a passionate educator, who was accepting of all students and found talent in those often overlooked.

Rothrock’s lifelong partner, Gerry Michel, will continue her work at the school.

In their uninhibited nature, some of the young students said it best in a poem titled “We Know.�

We know she was beautiful, nice, awesome,

now a 79-unit neighborhood on the southwest side of town.

Sterrett’s other love was bridge. Only days before her passing, she played with bridge partner Ed Perregaux and friends Betty King and Colleen Rominger. “She was a master bridge player. That was her love,� Rominger said, noting that Sterrett was never afraid to make risky bids despite the odds. “She was very intelligent.

She had an amazing wit. She made me laugh with her wonderful sense of humor.�

In addition to playing, Sterrett also taught bridge and started the Wednesday Night Club.

She was born Sept. 6, 1931, to Roaring Fork Valley homesteaders Bailey and Beulah Sterrett and loved to share stories about her hometown.

Diane Johnson recalled a birthday “presentâ€? from Sterrett in which she drove Johnson around the valley, showing her where she was born, her schoolhouse and potato cellars. “We would sit on her deck and look out over the valley. She never stopped loving the beauty of this place,â€? Johnson said. “She would say, ‘Isn’t Mt. Sopris beautiful?’ ‌ ‘Isn’t Mt. Sopris majestic?’â€?

Sterrett is survived by sons Tim, Shane and John Weaver; daughter Leigh Ann Weaver; and ďŹ ve grandchildren. She was preceded in death by brother Bailey Dunlap Sterrett Jr. and sister Annie Wallace Stevens.

Burial took place Jan. 11 at White Hill Cemetery in Carbondale. In lieu of owers, contributions can be made to Senior Matters, P.O. Box 991, Carbondale, CO 81623.

the children recited.“We know we are sad.�

Another student had this tosay: “Even if I didn’t appreciate my art, [Rothrock] would say, ‘If you look at it a different way, it looks beautiful.’�

Rothrock volunteered with or donated her art to beneďŹ t the Rotary Club of Carbondale, the Carbondale Clay Center, Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities, Carbondale Community School, Mount Sopris Montessori School, KDNK and the Mount Sopris Nordic Council. “Carol loved her life here and ďŹ lled it with the things she loved,â€? Kirchner said.

Rothrock was a woman who trusted in life and, as taken from the book “Notes From the Universe� that she’d recently read, she lived her days as though she might just be the luckiest person alive.

She spread warmth in that manner, too.

Even in her last moments, Rothrock told Kirchner: “I feel damn good about my life.�

To conclude Sunday’s ceremony, friends wrote farewell messages attached to white helium-ďŹ lled balloons then released them into the crisp winter air.

Next Steps:

The Carol Rothrock Fund has been set up at Alpine Bank, Carbondale. Donations can be made at any Alpine Bank (Account No. 2291). Funds will help pay off the high deductible for Rothrock’s health care. Remaining funds will go toward an educational fund for her youngest son, Colton.

The Web site, caringbridge.org/carolrothrock has been set up as a place to share stories, memories and laughter.

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THE SOPRIS SUN â&#x20AC;˘ JANUARY 14, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ 7

Community Calendar

Further Out

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday.

Events take place in Carbondale unless noted.

THURSDAY Jan. 14 PARENTING PRESENTATION • Dr. Joanne Stern gives a presentation on her new book, “Parenting Is a Contact Sport: 8 Ways to Stay Connected to Your Kids for Life,” at 7 p.m. at the Carbondale Community School. Free and open to the public. More info: 963-9647.

CRYSTAL CAUCUS MEETS • The Crystal River Caucus meets at 7 p.m. at the Church at Redstone. Agenda includes the Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal, Thompson Divide Coalition and more. More info: 963-2143.

P&Z MEETS • The Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission meets at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

NATURALIST NIGHTS • The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies presents Kayo Ogilby discussing the tectonic geomorphology of the Himalaya at 7:30 p.m. at the Hallam Lake campus in Aspen. Free. More info: 9255756, aspennature.org.

FRI. – SUN. Jan. 15-17 LIVE MUSIC • Heart of the Rockies performs from 3 – 6 p.m. at the Conservatory at the Silvertree Hotel in Snowmass Village. More info: (970) 923-3520.

XC EXTRAVAGANZA • The Aspen XC Ski Center in Aspen hosts the free Cross Country Ski Extravaganza from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free equipment demos, rentals, food, lessons, waxing and raffle. More info: 925-2145.

MONDAY Jan. 18 OPEN HOUSE • Colorado Rocky Mountain School hosts a Community Visit Day for interested parents and students from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. RSVP at admission@crms.org or 9632562. More info: crms.org.

TUESDAY Jan. 19 TRUSTEES MEET • The Carbondale Board of Town Trustees will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall and is scheduled to discuss the Thompson Park development.

WEDNESDAY Jan. 20 ROTARY SPEAKER • The Rotary Club of Carbondale presents Walter Gallagher with Immigrant Stories.The weekly meeting starts at 7 a.m. at the fire station building at 645 Meadowood Drive. More info: Jay Leavitt, (970) 379-1436.

FRI. – SAT. Jan. 15-16

PIZZA TUNES • General Dixie and the Bad Habits will play high-energy backyard bluegrass sing-along tunes at 7 p.m. at White House Pizza at 801 Main Court. Free. More info: 704-9400.

LIVE LATIN FUSION • The Kimera Ensemble plays upbeat Latin American and Spanish music at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 15 at CMC’s Spring Valley Center in Glenwood Springs. They will play on Jan. 16 at CMC’s West Garfield Campus in Rifle. Tickets available at the door and at 947-8367.

POTBELLY PERSPECTIVES • The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies presents Pete McBride with a journalistic perspective of the “American Nile,” the Colorado River.

7:30 p.m. at the Hallam Lake Campus in Aspen. $4 for non-members. More info: 925-5756, aspennature.org.

Jan. 21

WETLANDS SNOWSHOE • The Roaring Fork Conservancy offers a morning snowshoe from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the James H. Smith Northstar Open Space. Free. Register at roaringfork.org. More info: 927-1290.

FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS • Mountain Family Health Centers conducts free public health screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, heart disease risk and more from 2:30 - 7 p.m. at Rifle Public Library, 139 W. Third Street, Rifle.

More info: Sharla Gallegos 618-3159 or sharla@mountainfamily.org.

DIVORCE CLASS • Alpine Legal Services sponsors a Do It Yourself Divorce Clinic at 5 p.m., at the Garfield County Courthouse in Glenwood Springs. Small donation requested but not required. More info: 945-8858.

NATURALIST NIGHTS • The Aspen Center for

Environmental Studies presents Jason Beason discussing owls of western Colorado at 7:30 p.m. at the Hallam Lake campus in Aspen. Free. More info: 925-5756, aspennature.org.

Jan. 23

FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS • Mountain Family Health Centers conducts free public health screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, heart disease risk and more from 11 a.m.

- 4 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Library, 413 Ninth Street, Glenwood Springs. More info: Sharla Gallegos 618-3159 or sharla@mountainfamily.org.

STIMULUS RAFFLE • The Go Green-Get Green economic rejuvenation campaign hosts a raffle from 1-4 p.m. at Ute City Cycles, 580 Highway 133. Prizes include a cargo cruiser bicycle, cash and other items. More info: 9631890 or Carbondale.com.

Ongoing ART CLASSES • The Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts offers a pastel class, Wednesdays from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Also offered: Theatrical Tap class, Wednesdays at 7:15 p.m. First class free.

More info and to register: 945-2414 or glenwoodarts.org/ classes.

mas trees in the designated area at the parking lot due east of Town Hall. More info: 963-1307.

PREGNANCY YOGA • Pixie Byrne offers a Yoga for Pregnancy Series to moms who are at least in their second trimester. Classes take place from 12:30-1:45 p.m. on Tuesdays through Jan. 19 at True Nature Healing Arts, 549 Main Street. Info: Pixie at 948-6971.

NONE OF YOUR BEESWAX • Encaustic beeswax creations by five artists from the Anderson Ranch Arts Center will be on display during the None of Your Beeswax! exhibit through Jan. 26. Colorado Mountain College Gallery, Ninth Street and Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs. More info: abeauchamp@coloradomtn.edu or 947-8367.

XMAS TREE RECYCLING • Carbondale residents may recycle clean and once-live Christ-

PILATES • Coredination Pilates offers mat classes from 5 – 6 p.m. on Mondays, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m on Wednesdays and 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. More info: 379-2187.

FRIDAY Jan. 15 FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS • Mountain Family Health Centers conducts free public health screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, heart disease risk and more from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. at Mountain Family Health Center, 1905 Blake Avenue, Suite 101, Glenwood Springs. More info: Sharla Gallegos, 618-3159, or sharla@mountainfamily.org.

MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Invictus” (PG-13) at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15-21; and “Pirate Radio” (R) at 5 p.m. Jan. 16.

NON - STOP FLIGHTS Denver Atlanta Chicago Los Angeles Salt Lake City San Francisco

SOCCER SIGNUP DEADLINE • The Carbondale Soccer Club is accepting spring-season registrations for boys and girls in pre-K through 12th grade. For more information and to register, call 704-1838 or visit carbondalesoccerclub.org.

SATURDAY Jan. 16 NUTRITION TALK • Fred Pulver will present a free talk on macrobiotics and healthful living from 2-4 p.m. at the Third Street Center. Topics will include: getting off the meat-and-sugar merry-go-round; raw vs. cooked foods; and more. More info: 963-0229.

YOGA WORKSHOP • Joann Connington teaches Iyengar-influenced yoga from 4-6 p.m. at Aspen Health and Harmony, 401 Tree Farm Drive. Cost: $30. Pre-registration required: 704YOGA or info@aspenhealthandharmony.com.

SUNDAY Jan. 17 ETOWN IN ASPEN • KDNK presents a live taping of the nationally syndicated variety radio show, ETown, with guests Brandi Carlile and John Hiatt at 7 p.m. at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. Tickets $45 - $95. More info: etown.org.

YOGA WORKSHOP • Faith Lipori teaches restorative yoga from 4-6 p.m. at Aspen Health and Harmony, 401 Tree Farm Drive. All levels welcome. Cost: $25. Pre-registration required: 704-YOGA or info@aspenhealthandharmony.com.

8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010

TRUE NATURE Healing Arts

connecting with the truth of who we are CONVENIENT Four miles from

Aspen and ten miles from Snowmass Village.

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8-9 am 9 am-12 noon 5:30-6:45 pm

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8:30-10am 11am-5pm

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8:30-9:45 am 10:15-11:15 am 4-6 pm

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8:30-9:45 am 4:30-5:45 pm

YOGA FLOW YOGA WITH GRACE

COMPETITIVE Served by Delta,

Frontier and United Airlines.

ASPEN/PITKIN COUNTY AIRPORT

ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE

Thanks for flying local!

Year-round noise monitoring, wind power purchase and recycling deicing fluids.

visit us at aspenairport.com

The People of the Carbondale Community United Methodist Church Invite you to

Rethink Your Spirit Walk Sunday 10:30 a.m.

8:30-10 am YOGA FLOW SCHEDULE 10:30 am-12 noon MUSES

THURS

FRI SAT

Childcare Available

Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors It’s what we do.

SUN

385 So. 2nd Street, 963-4461 Rev. Wallace D. (Wally) Finley, Pastor, 379-5686 Rev. Dr. Richard Lyons, Pastor 987-4034 Carbondale’s Historic “Mainline” Church Where we take the Bible seriously but not literally.

Drop-in $12 with Punch Pass $10

549

www.truenature.us main st. • carbondale, co 963-9900

Community Briefs Parenting is a contact sport This evening, Jan. 14, the Carbondale Community School will host a lecture to help parents stay close to their kids and build strong, trusting relationships that will last for life.

Dr. Joanne Stern will give a presentation on her new book,“Parenting Is a Contact Sport: Eight Ways to Stay Connected to Your Kids for Life.” Dr. Stern writes that parents need a game plan to avoid losing their children to their peers, sex, drugs, alcohol, technology and the media. She will offer strategies for effective parenting couched in stories gleaned from her life and work. Dr. Stern has been a psychotherapist for 20 years and a parent for 34 years, including five years as a single mom. The presentation is open to the public and starts at 7 p.m. at the school. For more information visit ParentingIsAContactSport.com, and call the school at 963-9647.

Visit CRMS On Jan. 18, Colorado Rocky Mountain School will host its annual Community Visit Day, a chance for interested students and parents to tour the campus, sit in during classes, and meet school administrators, teachers and current students. The day begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 2:30 p.m. To RSVP, email admission@crms.org or call 963-2562. For more information, visit crms.org.

Audition for “Rock ‘n’ Roll” Colorado Mountain College will hold auditions for its upcoming production “Rock ‘n’ Roll” at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 17-18, at the Spring Valley Center in Glenwood Springs. The play,

by Tom Stoppard, sets the struggles of Soviet-era Czechoslovakia in the context of the revolutionary implications of rock ‘n’ roll. It moves between the lives of Jan, a Cambridge graduate student returning home to oppression in communist Czechoslovakia, and his Cambridge mentor, Max, an ardent Soviet supporter. Performances will be held March 11-13 and 18-21. To audition, prepare a one- or two-minute monologue of your choice and be prepared to read from the script. For more information and to audition, call 947-8252.

Child sexual abuse seminar The Children’s Rocky Mountain School will offer a seminar on child sexual abuse prevention Jan. 23 at town hall. From 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., clinical social worker Feather Berkower will offer insights to help parents communicate with their children, and empower their children to set and maintain boundaries. She will also offer tips for interviewing childcare providers, among other topics. Berkower has focused on child sexual assault prevention for 21 years, and has worked with over 70,000 children.

Registration and breakfast are at 8:15 a.m. For more info, call Lisa at 963-4983. $50 admission fee.

Grants available to housing nonprofits

The Glenwood Springs Association of Realtors is now accepting grant applications from nonprofits that provide moderate- to low-income housing service. Applications are due Feb. 5. The Realtors association distributes such grants twice a year. Past recipients have included Habitat for Humanity of the Roaring Fork Valley, Catholic Charities, Feed My Sheep and Mountain Valley Developmental Services. To be eligible, organizations must be based in Colorado, have a housing-related request and be a public agency or a nonprofit organization with a 501(c)3 tax status. For more guidelines and applications, visit carhof.org. For information on the local grants call Mandy Murray at 618-3444.

Realtors continued om page 3 clined to provide.

Burns declined to state the cost of dues at the Glenwood association.

By being Realtors, brokers gain access to catalogs of properties in a given area.

They also benefit from being tied into the network of local brokers.

Membership numbers are still significantly higher than before the recent real estate boom, which, according to Anslyn, really took off in 2004. He said that at the beginning of the decade, just 500 brokers were registered with the Aspen board.

And Anslyn doesn’t expect to see membership numbers wobble by more than 10 percent over the coming year, explaining that the number of properties on the market, their prices and the current number of transactions, leave him thinking that the market will continue to be strong enough to prevent numbers from

plummeting further.

In part, the decline in memberships also represents a shakeout in an industry that many thought had promised easy money.

“There is absolutely a speculative aspect. We’re definitely not seeing people jump in as actively as they were when they thought this is easy money and this is an easy job,” Anslyn said.

Burns, of the Glenwood Association, said that between 2001 and 2008 she didn’t see many brokers signing on to sell real estate parttime. Instead, she saw people switching careers.

The Glenwood association had about 230 members in early 2001, and Burns predicted that the majority of those Realtors will remain for the long haul.

“When the dust settles, I think the majority of the members who were here in 2001 are still going to be here.”

THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010 • 9

Young Lady Rams are strong in spirit Kayla Henley Sopris Sun Student Correspondent The Ram basketball teams have dribbled into yet another season. This year, Girls’ Varsity has been showing a high level of enthusiasm and a never-quit attitude, especially considering all of the young students who are playing on the team.

“All but five kids are freshmen and sophomores,” said head coach Nancy Zeigel.

That is unusual for a varsity team, which is normally reserved for the more experienced players – typically juniors and seniors. But due to a shortage of seniors and an absence of juniors, many of the younger players have had to step up to the plate.

Though they are young, the 9th and 10th graders are right up there with the seniors, putting in a great deal of effort to play at the 11th- and 12th-grade level.

During the ’07-’08 season, a large group of seniors graduated, leaving the team shorthanded last year. The varsity team has since had another two seniors graduate.

Yet Zeigel also commented on the great deal of leadership the seniors on the Varsity team have shown throughout the season thus far.

Adrianna Romero – known as “A.D.” by her teammates – is one of three seniors on the team, and spoke optimistically about the young players.

“We haven’t all had the chance to play together, but I’m glad that they have the opportunity to step it up.”

The Lady Rams have had a difficult

start in the season, not having experienced the sweet victory of a win yet this school year, but the second half of the season has just begun, and the ladies—9th through 12th graders—are putting in everything they’ve got during the practices held every day.

“It’s not going to be easy,” Romero admitted. “We’ve had a rough start, but we all took a break [during Christmas vacation] to collect ourselves, and as a team we decide what the season will bring.”

“We’re getting better every day,” coach Zeigel added. “The girls are passionate and will soon win some games.”

The RFHS Lady Rams had a few winning seasons for a couple of years after the ’04-’05 season when they fought their way to state. They have not had any since, but “there’s always room to improve and they’re willing to put in the effort,” pointed out assistant coach Justin Perdue.

Yet Romero made one of the most important observations of the team: “There’s one thing about Roaring Fork basketball: we play with heart. We’ve never been the best team, but we have heart.”

And in the end that’s what people remember, not the scoreboard.

(Meeker); Jan. 8 vs. Basalt: 54-37 (Basalt); Jan. 9 vs. Hotchkiss: 52-26 (Hotchkiss).

The RFHS varsity boys’ basketball team has won three games and lost five in overall play this season. The team is 3-2 in league play. The boys are currently tied with Grand

Valley and Gunnison for third place in the 3A Western Slope League. Aspen and Hotchkiss are tied for first.

Recent scores: Jan. 5 vs. Meeker: 60-53 (Meeker); Jan. 8 vs. Basalt: 46-44 (RFHS); Jan. 9 vs. Hotchkiss: 78-53 (Hotchkiss).

The season so far With a relatively young crew of three freshmen, three sophomores and three seniors on the team, the varsity girls’ basketball team has yet to win a game this season.

Recent scores: Jan. 5 vs. Meeker: 51-35

Twin Lady Rams Megan (#12) and Hattie gianinetti go for the rebound against Basalt’s Emily Morley on Jan. 8. Photo by Jim Ryan

GARFIELD COUNTY CITIZENS DROP OFF YOUR ELECTRONIC WASTE AT THE FOLOWING FACILITIES: ON THE 2ND THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 1:00 - 3:00 ONLY! AT THE Road and Bridge Cattle Creek Facility, Glenwood Springs (Use CR 114, the CMC turnoff, and turn right, go to end of frontage road to facility) DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS AT THE WEST GARFIELD COUNTY LANDFILL (0075 CR 246, I-70 to the West Rifle Exit, go west on frontage road, follow signs) WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING E-WASTE AT THE ROAD & BRIDGE FACILITY LOCATED IN RIFLE!

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ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED ARE: LARGE OFFICE COPIERS, APPLIANCES, TRASH, SOFTWARE, OR MANUALS PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL HAULER FOR DISPOSAL OPTIONS. This advertisement is subject to change without notice.

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010

Are you inter Are interested nt ested in n lear ning ng more more about learning attending ending the valley’ vall s valley’s pr emier mier i e independen indepe iindependent d nt premiere high h school h l Colorado Colo C l o school, Roc ocky Mountain Sc Scho ool?

Rocky School?

C RMS ccombines ombines ccollegeollegeCRMS p re p a r a t o r y a cademics, preparatory academics, u nparalleled o utdoor unparalleled outdoor a nd w ork e xperiences, and work experiences, a rts, ccommunity ommunity sservice, ervice, arts, a nd ccampus ampus llife. ife. and

P lease jjoin oin u or C ommunity V isit Please uss ffor Community Visit D ay o nM LK D ay ((January January 1 8, 2 010) Day on MLK Day 18, 2010) ffrom rom 9 :00 a m tto o2 :30 p m.

9:00 am 2:30 pm.

The day’ day’s ’s event events ts w will inclu include: lude: Registration iin Registration n JJossman ossman A Academic cademic B Building, uilding, R oom 9 Room

Welcome ffrom ro m H ead of of S chool JJeff e ff L eahy Welcome Head School Leahy

Campus T our Campus Tour All-School Meeting CRMS

All-School M eeting iin nC RMS Barn Barrn Morning Class Visit 2//

Morning C lass V isit ((Geology/Algebra Geology/Algebra 2 P hysics //Spanish Spanish 2 /Silversmithing/Int. M usic) Physics 2/Silversmithing/Int. Music) Lunch and Speakers Leahy and Grady

Lunch a nd S peakers ((Jeff J e ff L eahy a nd G rady L enkin – 1 2th g rade sstudent) tudent) Lenkin 12th grade

Afternoon C lass V isit ((English English 9 /American Afternoon Class Visit 9/American H istory/Spanis i h1 /Be Beg. Mu M sic/Spanish 3 History/Spanish 1/Beg. Music/Spanish 3))

Please P lease RSVP RSVP admission@crms.org a d m i s s i on @ c r m s . or g o orr ccall all 9963-2562 63-2562 tto o jjoin oi n u us. s. F For or m more ore information on on Colorado C olorado Rocky Ro cky Mountain Mountain School S cho ol please please go go to to www.crms.org w w w.crms.org information

A few New Year’s resolutions for foodies Happy New Year! I hope you had safe and happy holidays and that everything you ate was interesting and delicious.

About this time last week, you may have thought about making a few New Year’s resolutions. In addition to the old standards of losing weight, spending more time with your loved ones, and smelling the roses, consider making these culinary promises to yourself:

1. Eat more good stuff There is so much mediocre and bad food around. When we’re hungry, most of us have great difficulty turning our backs on anything edible, even a cold doughnut lying around the office break room. We eat boring, unhealthful junk food without thinking. Groaning restaurant and party buffets lure us over, even when we know their plentiful offerings may not taste particularly good.

Many really good foods are fairly expensive, such as Prime-grade beef, fresh tuna, and foie gras. When we partake of those extravagances, we usually eat fairly small portions because of their cost. There are at least two benefits to eating such good stuff: we enjoy and remember those special dining occasions much more than when we gorge on mundane French fries or spaghetti, and we usually take in fewer

By Chef George Bohmfalk calories.

A good role model was the always-trim playwright, Oscar Wilde, who boasted, “I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.”

Develop a mindset about what you will and won’t eat and revel in the freedom expressed by George Bernard Shaw: “I never resist temptation, because I have found that things that are bad for me do not tempt me.”

The Fork

that Roared

2. Try some new stuff I have mixed emotions when people tell me they’ve just tried a fairly commonplace item, like artichoke or fresh asparagus, for the first time. I’m happy for their new experiences, but I’m sad that they’ve missed out on those simple pleasures all those years. It’s so easy to get into ruts in every aspect of life. Seek out new tastes this year.

When eating out, instead of a predictable chain restaurant, go to a place you’ve never tried. You may not return, but it may become your new favorite. When you travel, seek

out ethnic cuisines that aren’t represented locally. One of my many fond honeymoon memories is going to our first Chinese restaurant together and boldly ordering things we’d never heard of. Years ago I was intimidated by the exoticism of Vietnamese, Korean, Indian, and Middle Eastern foods. With some trepidation I learned that, like almost every style of cooking in the world, they can be fabulous. Do you know about pho?

Try new things at home. I recently met someone who had never eaten mashed potatoes with anything in them besides butter and milk. If that sounds like you, chop up and stir some rosemary, chives, or any of a number of other herbs into your next batch. I always add a good dollop of sour cream for a flavor boost. If you’d like to try the popular garlic mashed potatoes at home, quickly roast some chopped garlic in a small skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and beat both the garlic and oil into your potatoes. At the extreme, some upscale restaurants serve mashed potatoes with pricey bits of caviar, crab or lobster. You can buy a small bottle of truffle oil and experiment with a few drops of it in your potatoes, pasta, scrambled eggs, and salads. If you find yourself fixing something plain to eat, think about how you might jazz it up.

3. Educate yourself about a few unfamiliar food items Information is so readily available these days on the Internet that we no longer have an excuse to wonder about most things. After repeatedly hearing mention of the oddsounding celeriac, I decided to find out what it is. A Google search promptly enlightened me about this variety of celery that is grown specifically for its ugly, bulbous root. I bought one, fixed it a few different ways, and now I know why it’s a traditional favorite of the French. Learn about it yourself this year, along with Belgian endive, fennel bulb, jicama, unfamiliar cheeses, and anything else that strikes your curiosity.

Happy and adventurous cooking and eating in 2010!

Valley Opportunities

Parachute - Valley View Townhome $145,000

Multi Family Opportunity - Rifle $522,000

Bright, sunny townhome with views from every window.

3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, master suite with walk-in closet.

4-plex offers steady income and great location.

Three 2 bed/2 bath units and one 1 bed/1 bath unit.

Town of Carbondale Business Revolving Loan Fund ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Elk Springs Building Site $297,000

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Buy this lot, get your building permit and you are ready to go.

Completely remodeled 4 bed/3 bath home on lot 6.

Other options: house on 3 lots $999,000 Lots 7 &8A only $349,000

Loans available for new or expanding businesses located within Carbondale town limits For more information: http://rfbrc.org/accesstocapital/carbondaleloanfund.html Roaring Fork Business Resource Center

945-5158

970.963.5155 lynnk@rof.net

711 Main Street, Carbondale, CO 970.963.5155 www.amorerealty.com

rlowenthal@rfbrc.org

THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010 • 11

Unclassifieds

Sports Briefs

Submit Unclassifieds to unclassifieds@soprissun.com by 5 p.m. on Friday. $15 for up to 30 words, $20 for 31-50 words. WiNTER SPECiAL: $10 off for three consecutive weeks paid in advance!

About 230 middle and high school competitors turned out for the ski race at Spring Gulch on Saturday, Jan. 9. The event was a qualifier for the state championships.

BEDROOM with SOPRIS VIEW in beautiful, quiet, nearly new 3BR/2-1/2BA house, two blocks to Main St. Share kitchen & living room with female artist & adorable cat.

Another cat considered. Walk to bus. $675 includes utilities. Partial rent trade for housecleaning possible. Anne 379-5050 or anne@soprissun.com.

1st: Lauren Zdechlik, Vail Mountain School: 23:43 Top five local finishers: 24th: Tatiana Armstrong, Aspen High: 30:24 25th: Jacqueline LaRouche, CRMS: 30:35 26th: Brianna Morse, Aspen: 30:53 27th: Kelsey Tofany, Aspen: 31:04 31st: Linnea Carver, CRMS: 32:06

LOG HOUSE DOWNTOWN C’DALE 3BR/2BA for rent. Fenced yard, no smoking, pets. neg., walk anywhere. $1500/mo. plus utilities. mkstrang@earthlink.net or 963-2319.

LOST: Silver bangle bracelet some time around 12-27-09.

HUGE sentimental value. If found please call Amy Harvey 310-280-8309.

S.O.U.L. COOKING CLASSES - Sustainable, Organic, Unprocessed & Local. Wednesdays 10am - 2pm., $40 includes lunch! Fresh & Wyld Farmhouse Inn, Paonia. January 20: Italian Sauces; January 27: Homemade Ricotta Cheese.

February: Indian Cooking. Call Dava 970-527-4374. 30% off overnight rates for participants. We’re at Willits Farmers Market, Saturdays 11am-5pm!

PROFESSIONAL WRITER AVAILABLE for press releases, annual reports, letters and special projects. Call Lynn Burton at 963-1549.

SPORTS REPORTER. The Sopris Sun seeks a volunteer to cover prep sports. Call 618-9112.

High School Girls 5-kilometer

High School Boys 5-kilometer 1st: Tucker McCrerey, Summit High: 19:59 Top 5 local finishers: 7th: Riley Heald, Aspen: 21:40 11th: Gus Griffin, CRMS: 22:38 20th: Brett Gordon, Aspen: 23:58 25th: Gunnar Ohlson, Aspen: 24:40 31st: Luke Smith, Aspen: 26:43

An Aspen competitor charges toward the finish line.

Photo by Jane Bachrach

Legal Notices NOTICE

TO SELL MALT, VINOUS,AND SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS FOR CONSUMPTION ON THE PREMISE AT 135 MAIN STREET CARBONDALE, CO 81623 ON MARCH 5, 2010

PURSUANT TO THE LIQUOR LAWS OF COLORADO CARBONDALE CLAY CENTER 135 MAIN STREET CARBONDALE, CO 81623

HEARING ON APPLICATION TO BE HELD AT: CARBONDALE TOWN HALL 511 COLORADO AVENUE CARBONDALE, COLORADO DATE AND TIME: JANUARY 26, 2010 AT 6:30 P.M.

HAS REQUESTED THE LIQUOR LICENSING OFFICIALS OF CARBONDALE TO GRANT A SPECIAL EVENT LIQUOR LICENSE

DATE OF APPLICATION: JANUARY 4, 2010

BY ORDER OF: MICHAEL HASSIG, MAYOR

APPLICANT: SARAH MOORE, EVENT MANAGER Information may be obtained from, and Petitions or Remonstranceʼs may be filed with the Town Clerk Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO 81623.

Published January 14, 2010 in The Sopris Sun.

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Dr. Albrecht, and his wife, Laura, have raised 3 wonderful children, and now as “empty nesters,” decided to sell everything, and go west. They traveled all the mountainous areas of Colorado during September, settling on the “wonderful people,” beauty, and unlimited outdoor recreation offered in Carbondale.

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12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • JANUARY 14, 2010