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Murder threats

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Volume 7, Number 9 | April 9, 2015

Tight moves in a tied game

During a hard-fought game in Carbondale on March 31, Roaring Fork High School soccer player Ruby Lang (#14) moves to intercept as Basalt High School’s Callahan Card gets in a head shot, with Roaring Fork’s Valerie Loertscher (#1) standing by to block an unidentified Basalt player. The game was a close contest that ended in a 0-0 tie in overtime. Roaring Fork and Basalt each have a hefty schedule of games coming up in the next week: April 9 – Vail Christian @ RFHS, 4 p.m.; Moffat County @ BHS, 4 p.m.; April 11 – RFHS @ Eagle Valley, 1 p.m.; April 14 – Grand Valley @ BHS, 4 p.m.; April 16 – Rifle @ RFHS, 4 p.m.; CRMS @ BHS, 4 p.m. Photo by Sue Rollyson

1030 Highway 133 CARBONDALE 704--1104 1104

Carbondale Commentary The views and opinions expressed on the Commentary page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The Sopris Sun invites all members of the community to submit letters to the editor or guest columns. For more information, e-mail editor Lynn Burton at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.

An open letter from the Carbondale Fire Board

Weekly in print; daily online

forms its duties, analyzing staffing levels and service delivery alternatives, capital replacement programs, and whether the Department is meeting all relevant national fire and safety standards in an efficient manner. We will also be examining the District finances, taking into consideration what changes are desired by the citizens or suggested by consultants, and what sources of financing (if desired) may be needed.

A Master Plan is not just about technical studies and what standards are being met or not met. It is also about what people want in terms of services, the staffing level they would like to see, what they want to pay for, what they like and what they don’t like about the Department.

This is about you and what you want to see from us in the coming years.

Sincerely, Gene Schilling, President Board of Directors Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District

The Sopris Sun keeps you informed all week long with special content on the web; including breaking news, photo galleries, calendar events and much more.

We are happy to inform you, the citizens of the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District, that the Carbondale Fire District Master Plan is under way and we want to invite you to attend a Neighborhood Outreach Meeting. We will be holding a number of meetings in the next seven weeks.

The Meetings start at the Marble Fire House on April 7 and the Church at Redstone on April 9. We will be following those two meetings up with three Neighborhood Meetings to be held in Carbondale on April 13, 15 and 21. These three meetings will be held at the Third Street Center and will begin at 7 PM. A full listing of these Neighborhood Meetings is being advertised in various newspapers, on our website (www.carbondalefire.org) and on Facebook.

We, the Board of Directors, welcome your input and want to hear what you think about the Fire Department, the services we provide and how we can improve those services. Most important, we want to hear what

level of service you want us to provide in the coming years. While we will have our consultants present to facilitate these meetings, we will also have at least one Board and Staff member in attendance to answer questions that you may have.

In the early summer, we will also be hosting five town hall style meetings to go over input that we have obtained from the citizens as well as sharing the results of other information we will find out during the Master Plan process.

There are many other tasks involved in the Master Plan besides the Neighborhood Meetings. FootSteps Marketing will be enhancing the district website, Facebook platforms and start helping us communicate more efficiently with you. We will be sending out a survey that we hope you will participate in. A consulting group from Florida, Almont Associates, will be here in late April and will be analyzing from a technical perspective how the District per-

OPINION

Letters

Help us keep the website fresh:

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 news@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. The deadline to submit letters to the editor is noon on Monday.

A sleeping giant Dear Editor: As last weeks article in the Sun justly noted, Carbondale has a sleeping giant slowly awakening several miles north of town. That sleeping giant is what most people might know (if they’ve given it much notice at all) as Sanders Ranch. Now being hawked as “River Edge,” it is second only to gas leasing in the Thompson Divide as the worst possible development prospect in the Roaring Fork Valley. What we have on our hands is El Jebel version 2.0 — thoughtless suburban sprawl, nightmarish traffic, sales tax homicide against Carbondale and the final eradication of any presumption that we possess a rural landscape.

If you opposed the Village at Crystal River or some of the other proposed projects in town, you have a duty to speak up against the commercial component of River Edge, not to mention the whole damn boondoggle. This has no redeeming qualities. The county commissioners may be warranted in resisting our desire to lay down growth control on a county that stretches all the way to Utah, but they should also be sensitive to what’s a different reality in the Roaring Fork Valley. It’s time to demand respect for our existing communities over an insatiable ideology of greed and consumption.

As a postscript, maybe there is a solution to this that involves Leslie Wexner.

Add a Sanders preservation buyout to his deal and it would make that BLM swap undeniably attractive.

Chris Hassig Carbondale

Shopping locally thanks Dear Editor: I would like to thank the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, the town of Car-

bondale Recreation Department, Evergreen Events, Dancing Colors, Ragged Mountain Sports, Peppino’s, Roaring Fork Leadership, The Sopris Sun and the Carbondale Branch Library staff for hosting a wonderful Business After Hours last Wednesday. The event celebrated the Shop Locally, Support Libraries campaign and is sponsored by Garfield County Libraries and Roaring Fork Leadership. We had a great turnout from the local business community.

The Shop Locally, Support Libraries campaign highlights the fact that public libraries in Garfield County depend on sales tax. We appreciate the support of residents who shop locally and encourage everyone to drop off their receipts from Carbondale businesses at the Carbondale Branch Library through April 3. Every receipt earns an entry into a drawing for a chance to win some fabulous prizes from local merchants.

Thanks for shopping locally. It makes a difference in our communities!

Amelia Shelley Executive Director Garfield County Libraries

Food for Fines thanks Dear Editor: How do you know you are part of a community? I’m not just talking about the boundaries of a town or a county, but instead the essence of a group of people who come together to become more than just individuals.

Anthony J. D’Angelo said “without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.”

I can attest to the caring that resides here in Garfield County.

For the past eight years, the Garfield County Libraries have held an annual Food for Fines campaign. It has coincided with

2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • APRIL 9-15, 2015

We are collecting Mt. Sopris images for our online gallery.

Library Lovers’ Month each February, and encouraged people to bring in non-perishable food to donate in exchange for libraryfine forgiveness.

Over the years we have witnessed many forms of giving, from a small child carrying in a can of corn and using all his might to hoist it onto the counter, to adults bringing in boxes full of assorted items. People have even brought in food to pay off strangers’ fines, or simply to donate without request for reciprocity.

During the first year of the program we collected 990 items. This year we were just two items shy of 4,500 cans of food.

So what do we do with all this food? It’s donated to local LIFT-UP pantries. In the eight years of the program, a total of 28,656 items have gone to families around the county in need.

“Hunger is an ongoing problem for many and we are very grateful for all of the help that the libraries have provided over the past several years,” said Kimberly Loving, executive director of LIFT-UP. “It is with the communities help that LIFT-UP is able to serve so many individuals and families that need a hand up.”

On behalf of everyone at the Garfield County Libraries, I would like to thank all who donated food this year. Every item of food helps. It makes healthier children, happier adults, and a better community.

Lindsay Fox said, “If you believe you can make a difference, then you will make a difference. Believe in yourself, your family, and your community, and you will win.”

I believe we are building a great community in Garfield County, which is a win for us all.

Emily Hisel Garfield County Libraries LETTERS page 16

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970-309-2053 or claird@soprissun.com.

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Donations accepted online or by mail. For information call 510-3003 Editor: Lynn Burton • 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Bob Albright • 970-927-2175 bob@soprissun.com Reporter: John Colson Photographer: Jane Bachrach Graphic Designer: Terri Ritchie CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS board@soprissun.com Barbara Dills, President Denise Barkhurst, Vice President Debbie Bruell, Secretary Colin Laird • Sue Gray • Craig Fulmer Cliff Colia • Diana Alcantara Honorary Board Members David L. Johnson • Laura McCormick Jeannie Perry • Trina Ortega • Frank Zlogar Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young • Colin Laird Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell

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www.soprissun.com Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 non-profit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation.

Murder suspect threatened wife’s life last year

By John Colson Sopris Sun correspondent The Carbondale man accused of slashing his wife to death with a machete on Feb. 16 had threatened to kill her at some point late last year, and to then kill himself by crashing his car, according to an interview with the victim’s sister.

The sister told authorities that the two had separated for a couple of months last year and that, during that separation, Arturo Navarrete-Portillo, 46, had sent an email to his wife, the late Maria Carminda Portillo-Amaya, 30, containing those threats.

Court documents also seemed to offer conflicting information about whether Navarrete-Portillo and his wife were alone in the apartment where the victim died.

According to a police report, there were two children in the apartment when officers got there to investigate.

And while there have been some indications that others were in the apartment, located at 30 Cooper Pl. on the west side of town, on the morning of that day, the suspect in the case at one point told police there was no one there but him and his wife.

“No one else was hurt but Maria,” stated an affidavit in support of an arrest warrant for Navarrete-Portillo, who currently is being tried for first degree murder in the death of his late wife. “There was nobody else there.”

But at a point later in the affidavit, the suspect is quoted as saying, “Nobody saw what he did or knew what he did, they were all asleep.”

The presence of the children came to light when an unnamed woman told police she was the renter of the apartment where Portillo-Amaya died and, after telling the

Murder suspect Arturo Navarrete-Portillo.

Photo provided by Garfield County jail. police to stay out, went inside and found the victim in a bedroom.

Returning to the front door with two children in tow, the woman was “in obvious distress” and told the officers, “She’s dead” and “she’s not breathing,” and then allowed the police to enter the apartment.

Police first became involved in the case after Navarrete-Portillo crashed his tan Toyota 4Runner into the back of an empty livestock truck on Highway 133 at shortly after 7 a.m. on Feb. 16.

It was while Navarrete-Portillo, who indicated he is from El Salvador, was being flown to Grand Junction for treatment of injuries to his legs and body, that he allegedly told a Spanish-speaking crew member in the plane that he, Navarrete-Portillo, had killed his wife in Carbondale just prior to the accident.

The affidavit, written by Carbondale Police Officer Luke Blue, is a 14-page document that relates what Navarrete-Portillo and others told authorities about the incidents that lead to his being hospitalized and, after two weeks of treatment at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, to his being arrested.

A Feb. 17 interview in Grand Junction was translated from Spanish into English

by Grand Junction Police Officer Steve Cowgill, working with FBI agent Rosa Perez, and the details of the conversation were later told by Perez to Blue.

In the document, Navarrete-Portillo is quoted as saying he killed his wife with a “large knife,” and the document reports that a machete covered in blood and dark, bloody hair was found in a closet off the room where Portillo-Amaya died.

Navarrete-Portillo also is reported as saying he and his wife “drank two inches of wine before it happened” but that “neither of them was drunk” and that neither of them “use illegal or prescription drugs.”

Although he “said he was really mad at her,” Navarrete-Portillo told Perez he could not recall why he was mad, and that “it wasn’t about another man or money.”

When asked if they had any prior domestic difficulties before this incident, he “said he doesn’t want to talk about that any more,” according to the affidavit.

Navarette-Portillo also reportedly described the places where he cut his wife with the machete, which coroner Robert Kurtzman, who performed the autopsy on the victim, said amounted to between five and 10 heavy cuts to the mouth and neck areas.

Kurtzman told Officer Blue that it is likely the victim was not killed by the first strike of the blade.

The suspect, in his interview with Perez, told her that after the attack “he went out into the street and wanted to kill himself,” and predicted that once he is convicted and has served his sentence “he will be deported back to El Salvador.”

Authorities on Feb. 18 questioned Mirium Delcid-Delcid, described as Navar-

rete-Portillo’s former common-law wife and the mother of the suspect’s six-yearold son, concerning whom the couple have shared custody.

According to Delcid-Delcid, the child was with Navarrete-Portillo on Sunday, Feb. 15 and was to have stayed with him until the evening of Monday, Feb. 16.

But at about 4 a.m. on Monday, DelcidDelcid told Colorado Bureau of Investigation Jim Fuller, Navarrete-Portillo tapped at her bedroom window to awaken her and get her to open the door to her house to admit Navarrete-Portillo and their son.

After entering the home, according to Delcid-Delcid, Navarrete-Portillo told her, “I have just committed a big mistake and I am going to turn myself in to the police.”

Delcid-Delcid told Fuller she could smell alcohol on her former husband’s breath, and that he “appeared to be intoxicated.”

She said she did not see any blood or injuries on Navarrete-Portillo during that conversation.

On Feb. 23, agents Perez and Fuller together interviewed the victim’s sister, Maria Arely Portillo-Amaya, who told police that Navarrete-Portillo and the victim had fought last August or September over his belief that the victim was being unfaithful to him, and that he had kicked her out of their shared home at one point for more than two months.

During their two months of separation, according to the sister, the accused threatened to “commit suicide by crashing his vehicle if they didn’t get back together.”

The sister also said she had seen emails sent to the victim, by Navarrette-Portillo , which stated “something to the effect of, ‘I’m going to kill you where I see you’ and ‘after, I’m going to go to crash to kill myself also.’”

Highway 133 rumble strips rile C’dale motorcyclist

By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent As state highway crews continue working on improvements to Highway 133 between Redstone and Carbondale, at least one proposed change — the planned installation of “rumble strips” in the center line of the roadway — has a Carbondale motorcyclist concerned.

Bob Krueger, who has lived in the Roaring Fork Valley for decades and recently moved to Carbondale, is a dedicated motorcyclist who frequently has ridden Highway 133 over McClure Pass between Marble and Paonia. He characteristically rides a motorcycle more than he drives a car in the warmer months of the year.

Krueger worries the rumble strips might be a problem for him and others on two wheeled vehicles, maintaining that the strips can destabilize a motorcycle traveling at highway speeds, particularly if they are ground into the pavement parallel to the direction of travel rather than “crosscut,” or ground into the surface perpendicular to the highway lanes.

“I don’t want anything in the center,” said Krueger, maintaining that either kind of rumble strip is bad for motorcycles.

“It’s not more or less problematic,” he said of the difference between the two types of rumble strips. “It’s just different.”

He recalled that the Pitkin County Road and Bridge Department, at one point in the 1990s, installed parallel-style rumble strips on Lower River Road in the Woody Creek area, between Snowmass Canyon and McLain Flats, which he said outraged twowheeled travelers.

“Nobody liked them, and they never did perform any useful purpose,” Krueger declared. He said that the rumble strip disappeared when the county repaved Lower River Road in the early 2000s.

But any rumble strips are a problem for motorcyclists, Krueger continued.

“It just upsets the two-wheeled vehicle,” he said of rumble strips cut into the center line. “And the narrower the tire, the more the upset. You lose the contact patch (the part of the tire that touches the pavement).”

Plus, he said, rumble strips may or may not be effective in preventing head-on collisions, but they undeniably pose real problems for motorcyclists.

“You don’t solve one problem by creating another,” he argued.

Colorado Department of Transporta-

“It just upsets the two-wheeled vehicle, and the narrower the tire, the more the upset.

– Bob Krueger

tion spokeswoman Tracy Trulove told The Sopris Sun that the rumble strips will be of the cross-cut variety.

“They are not cut parallel, they are horizontal strips,” she said, adding that she hoped this would reduce any problems for motorcyclists.

The decision to install rumble strips at all was influenced by the highway’s history of head-on collisions after motorists fell asleep or for other reasons crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic, and in particular an accident that occurred last August and killed 21-year-old Meleyna Kistner of Illinois, Trulove confirmed.

Christine Tinner, 47, of Basalt, has

pleaded guilty to charges of careless driving causing death in that case, and faces a sentencing hearing on April 21 that could put her in prison for a year, although a judge recently indicated that that long a sentence is not likely.

Kistner’s family members, who have been vocally critical of the court’s reluctance to deal harshly with Tinner, contacted CDOT with questions about the safety of Highway 133, Trulove said. She added that the family’s concerns have played into the agency’s decision to go ahead with installation of rumble strips at several points along the highway.

“Centerline rumble strips are definitely a safety improvement,” Trulove told The Sopris Sun on Tuesday.

Krueger, however, disagreed, and was critical of highway engineers and studies that consider only the effects of their work on four-wheel vehicles.

“These engineers,” he said, “don’t take two-wheeled vehicles into account in anything they do.”

A meeting to discuss the Highway 133 improvements is scheduled for April 23 at Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Ave., starting at 6 p.m.

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • APRIL 9-15, 2015 • 3

Town Briefs Cop Shop Spring preparations dominate town news As the town’s work crews prepare for spring and summer, Town Manager Jay Harrington wrote in his weekly memo to the trustees and employees that the controlled burn at the Nature Park was ďŹ nished successfully and that “we now need a good rain to get the grass growing.â€?

Harrington wrote that the parks department has installed additional “No Dogs Allowed� signs at Miners Park as part of a continuing effort to control dogs and their owners.

He added that last week the parks crew “spent a lot of time picking up trash from a very large picnic/party at Miners Park,� and cleaning out fecal matter from the Mother Tree at Sopris Park.

In addition, crews have continued work to clean out the town’s ditch system in advance of the scheduled April 15 date for opening up the head gates and letting the ditches ow.

Harrington reported that on Friday a motorist crashed into the new rapid-ash pedestrian beacon at Highway 133 and the intersection of Sopris Avenue and Hendricks Drive. Staff is working to get a replacement ordered, the cost of which Harrington said should be covered by the motorist’s insurance.

The town is getting set to begin a chip-seal program on local streets, and Harrington reported that the low-bid cost of 33,000 square yards of pavement will be $2.60 per square yard, compared to $2.39 per square yard last year.

Bids to do crack-ďŹ ll work on the local streets were due to be opened this week.

On the recreational side of things, Harrington reported that little league practice started on the Bill Hanks, Tiny Nightingale, RVR and Ron Patch ball ďŹ elds, as well as practice sessions of the Carbondale Soccer Club and the Roaring Fork Lacrosse Club on other ďŹ elds around town. Games

were scheduled to start last weekend for the little league and soccer club.

Harrington reminded the trustees and town employees that the Carbondale Recreation & Community Center’s summer brochure is being published in this week’s Sopris Sun. The brochure also has been mass-mailed to addresses in the 81623 Zip code, and is available on line for registration in all summer programs.

Although sales tax revenues for 2015 so far are averaging 4.7 percent above collections for 2014, Harrington reported that collections for March (based on sales in February) came in at 2.4 percent below collections for the same period last year.

The town’s planning department has received a PUD amendment application for the Martinez Planned Unit Development (White House Pizza), seeking permission to expand the existing building.

In other administrative news, Harrington reported that the town currently is processing applications for two new retail cannabis shops and two new medical marijuana infused product manufacturing operations, to be reviewed by the planning and zoning commission for recommendations to the board of trustees.

A letter to GarďŹ eld County concerning a rezoning application for 43.25 acres of the River Edge PUD, located halfway between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, is now available for public review on the town’s website, www.carbondalegov.org.

Some time on the night of April 6, Harrington reported, someone slashed the tires of several vehicles on Merrill Avenue and in the Colorado Meadows subdivision. The victim vehicles included the one driven by the police department’s School Resource OfďŹ cer. The matter is under investigation.

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From March 27 to April 2, Carbondale Officers handled 178 Calls for Service, according to a report compiled by the police department and delivered to the town administration. The following are “cases of note� submitted by the department to the Sopris Sun.

FRIDAY, March 27: At shortly after noon, an ofďŹ cer took a report of what police termed “an IRS scam,â€? though no details were supplied.

FRIDAY, March 27: At 10:10 p.m. police were dispatched to a “family disturbance� at a home in Carbondale. A juvenile was arrested and “processed by Youth Zone,� according to the department.

MONDAY, March 30: At 3:44 p.m. police responded to a REDDI (Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately) call from the Comfort Inn on the north side of town. A man was arrested on a charge of violating a protective order from the courts.

TUESDAY, March 31: At 5:36 p.m. police reported, “two mechanics were involved in an incident of harassment.� One of the men was summoned into court, charged with harassment.

WEDNESDAY, April 1: At 3:34 p.m. police were informed that a bicycle had been stolen in the 200 block of Main Street.

THURSDAY, April 2: At 1:23 a.m. police were informed of a vehicle driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of Highway 82. A Carbondale ofďŹ cer at the intersection of Highways 82 and 133 observed the vehicle still driving in the wrong lane, and pulled the vehicle over. No further information was supplied.

THURSDAY, April 2: At 11:06 a.m. a woman living on Colorado Avenue called to inform police that her landlord had entered her room without permission. No further information was supplied.

THURSDAY, April 2: At 10:21 p.m. a local mom called police to report that her child had run away from home.

The child’s name was entered into the runaway ďŹ les.

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Hoping to prevent the extinction of endangered species, as part of a CRES/ACES class, were (left to right) SoďŹ a Voss, Maddie Anderson, Morgan Fink, Aria Cuthbertson, Erica Crownhart, Harper Stone, Carley Crownhart, Campbell Maybon and Liza Logan. Photo by Debbie Bruell.

CRES kids take action for endangered animals Sopris Sun Staff Report After learning about endangered animals in 1st grade, a group of nine students at Crystal River Elementary School returned to 2nd grade determined to do something to help these creatures. “They are beautiful and I don’t want them to be gone,� reads a quote

by Campbell Maybon posted on the classroom wall.

The kids approached their teacher, Marie Voss-Patterson, asking if she would help them organize some kind of project which would contribute to saving endangered animals.

While her schedule was completely full, VossPatterson volunteered to spend her lunch hour once a week on such a project if any of the kids wanted to come in during their lunch and recess time. All nine kids jumped at the opportunity—and the 2nd Grade Lunch Bunch was born.

Voss-Patterson is the Coordinator for the CRES PEAK Program (Program for Educationally Advanced Kids) and also the districtwide director of the Gifted and Talented Program. While the endangered animal fundraising project grew out of her work with students in the PEAK program, she told The Sopris Sun that the whole district is mov-

FROM OUR TANKS TO YOURS!

ing toward doing more project-based learning: groups of students working together on projects which have a real-life purpose.

These types of projects require kids to draw on a wide range of skills, such as research, math, oral-communication, and art.

They require an extended period of time and multiple revisions to complete, and they result in some kind of presentation or product for an “audience� beyond the classroom walls.

The 2nd Grade Lunch Bunch began by deďŹ ning their objectives—to educate people about endangered animals, persuade them to care about these animals and raise funds to help protect these animals. Then they brainstormed possible ways to meet those objectives. Their plan evolved from organizing a lemonade and cookie stand and giving speeches about endangered animals to designing, producing and selling note cards, keychains and temporary tattoos of endangered animals in their habitats, and creating brochures about endangered animals to hand out at their sales table.

Once this plan was in place they embarked on some research along with some math work: How much would it cost to turn

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their artwork into notecards, etc.? Which companies for producing the note cards would be most cost-efďŹ cient? How should they price their products in order to maximize their proďŹ t?

For the design of their products, each child created a drawing of an endangered animal in its natural habitat. They solicited critical feedback on their drawings from CRES art teacher Sue Annabel. Each child’s drawing went through multiple revisions before the ďŹ nal designs were completed. “I think I did 5 or 10 or 15 drafts before I got it how I liked it,â€? said Harper Stone about her drawing of a Sumatra Elephant.

The kids also spent a long time writing and revising paragraphs about their animals for the brochure, and providing peer critiques of each others’ writing. Their brochure includes detailed information about the animals, why they are endangered and what people can do to help them. “The green sea turtle...is endangered because everyone around the world pollutes the seven seas with trash,â€? reads a section in the brochure written by Aria Cuthbertson. “Plastic bags look like jellyďŹ sh...often turtles eat plastic bags and choke. Another reason sea

turtles are endangered are artiďŹ cial lights on beaches attract baby sea turtles to crawl toward the road instead of following the moon to the ocean.â€?

The brochure also includes “cool factsâ€? about each of the endangered animals. For example, we learn that the tongue of a blue whale can weigh as much as an elephant, snow leopards are so good at camouage that they can remain unseen from 3 feet away, and green sea turtles ďŹ nd their way to land to lay their eggs by detecting the magnetic pull of the earth.

The kids sold their products and passed out brochures outside CRES on March 19th and 20th. They earned a total of $287 through their sales. Voss-Patterson plans to continue working with these kids to develop a powerpoint presentation, create a Google website and provide presentations to other CRES students using these tools.

When asked what kinds of projects they might want to work on next the kids all shouted, “We want to do this again!�

For more information about purchasing any of their products you can contact VossPatterson at mvp@rfschools.com. All proceeds beneďŹ t the World Wildlife Foundation.

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Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to news@SoprisSun.com.

Have a beer and a poster in one Fans of the exclusive “Mountain Fair Beer,” planned for the second year in a row by the Roaring Fork Beer Co., will for the first time be drinking from a can or a bottle sporting the same image as this year’s Mountain Fair Poster. The beer company sponsored the poster contest and will be involved in picking out the winning design, which will mean $500 to the winner as well as having their art displayed in such a unique way. This year’s brew is a new one, and the recipe and style has yet to be made public, but the RFBC told the Sopris Sun that it will be donating 1 percent of all sales of the beer to the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities.

Get your high heels now

Swap the skis for a fly rod. Spring temperatures have convinced locals it is time to trade in the skis for a fly rod, and the area’s rivers are filling up with anglers. This fellow was caught trying his luck in the Roaring Fork River just east of the Satank Bridge, where he either was trying to set the hook and land a fish, or pulling back on the line to recast into another spot and hope for better luck next time. Photo by Lynn Burton.

Overnight Sleep Support

Part-time position open in Carbondale. Overnight Support works 9pm until 6 or 7am.

Position helps adults with disabilities evacuate in case of emergency.

HS Diploma or GED required.

EEO. Interested applicants e-mail Sarah Simms at sarahsimms@mtnvalley.org.

See mtnvalley.org for more info.

There’ll probably be a run on high-heel shoes at the thrift stores so you guys had better start shopping now for the upcoming Men In Heels Relay Race. The race is scheduled for the June 5 First Friday event on Main Street in Carbondale to benefit Response and Advocate Save House, two organizations that offer help for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Mandy Owensby of Response told The Sopris Sun this week that this is the first-ever such race in this area, and that it was inspired by six years of similar events in Grand Junction, where up to 20 teams of five men have competed at a single event. She also noted that Response has borrowed high-heeled shoes in mens’ sizes from the Grand Junction organizers, just in case the proper footwear proves to be too scarce in the Roaring Fork Valley, and that the “baton” in the relay race will be “a very special purse.” The entry fee is $20 per team member, and registration can be made at 920-5357.

Feeling chirpy?

The annual Roaring Fork Valley spring bird count is scheduled for May 24, covering the area from El Jebel to Glenwood, asking anyone with a bird feeder or active nest to

! s om

register so we can visit and record species at your home. To register your home or to participate in the count, contact Mary at smnharris@gmail.com.

Show your work at Valley Artists’ Gallery booth The Valley Artists’ Gallery is offering a way for local artists to exhibit and sell their artwork in a cooperative, inexpensive way at this year’s Mountain Fair. Artists who are current CCAH members, live in the 816 zip code, and turn out handmade artworks are invited to apply. Gallery space is limited, and artwork will be juried. All applications must be received

by May 1 and are available at carbondalearts.com. For more information, please call (970)963-1680 or e-mail brian@carbondalearts.com.

Recent library titles Here are some recent titles now available at the Carbondale Branch Library: • “Funny Girl” by Nick Hornby; • “The Siege Winter” by Ariana Franklin; • “Crash & Burn,” by Lisa Gardner; • “A Necessary End,” by J. M. Gregson; • “Phantom Angel,” by David Handler; • “The Nightingale,” by Kristin Hannah; • “Condemned to Death,” by Cora Harrison; • “Smoke Jensen the Beginning,” by William W. Johnstone; • “Motive,” by Jonathan Kellerman; • “Shame and the Captives,” by Thomas Keneally

They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating their birthdays this week include: Marty Treadway and Herschel Ross (April 10); Susan Shirley (April 12); Nicole Levesque, Rusty Burtard, Bill Lamont, Jane Munsell and Vicki Peterson (April 13); Ed Brown (April 14); and Deloras Pulver (April 15). Congratulations to all, and best wishes.

CHILD’S COMMUNITY DEBUT!

M

FREE PORTRAIT SITTINGS April 11 and 18 from 2-7 p.m.

Third Street Center, Carbondale

Portraits of moms and their babies born within the past year or children adopted since last Mother’s Day will be featured in The Sopris Sun’s traditional Mother’s Day edition on May 7.

FT position managing group home for adults with developmental disabilities in C’dale.

40 hrs/wk, mostly admin.

To schedule your photo session contact Mark Burrows 970-379-4581 mark@rfvphoto.com

Free sittings also available for your whole brood. Walk out with a memory.

All mothers with kids of all ages welcome.

6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • APRIL 9-15, 2015

RN Residential Manager

Oversee program services, supervise staff, coordinate medical appts, & provide health support for adults with developmental disabilities. Excellent interpersonal skills, organizational skills and computer proficiency a must. Available immediately.

Clear MVR and criminal record req’d. 2 yrs. management exp. req’d. Salary DOE. Great benefits package.

Interested applicants contact Staffing Manager Sarah Simms at sarahsimms@mtnvalley.org.

For more info go to mtnvalley.org.

Pistols ok, but follow the code of conduct

By John Colson Sopris Sun correspondent A recent decision by the Garfield County Library District board, which permits concealed-carry gun permit holders to pack heat in the county’s library branches, was welcome news to some in the county but frightening to others, depending on where their personal beliefs fall on the “right-to-beararms” spectrum.

But the matter raised other questions, aside from why library patrons might want to carry a gun while perusing the stacks. Among them was curiosity about the library district’s “Code of Conduct,” which governs the behavior of patrons in all six of the branch facilities in the countywide library district.

In general, the code of conduct covers two and a half pages of text, which were written “to assist staff, volunteers, and patrons in promoting safe, healthy and barrier-free access to all the resources and facilities the District has to offer,” according to a copy of the code that was included in a packet of information for tonight’s (April 2) meeting of the library district board in Glenwood Springs.

At the top of the Code of Conduct, the code encourages patrons to: • Ask staff for assistance as needed to locate materials, use computers or interpret rules.

• Inform staff if you need accommodation for your full use of the library.

• Be responsible for the safety, well being, and conduct of children in your care.

• Cooperate with the requests of library staff.

What follows is a listing of prohibited activities, termed “illegal behavior,” which covers verbally or physically abusing or threatening staff or patrons; unwanted sexual advances to patrons or staff; the open carrying of firearms (or concealed carry of other weapons) while in the library; smoking of any kind either inside or within 15 feet of the library’s doors; and leaving children “or other persons in need of supervision” unattended while in the library.

Anyone committing an illegal act can be prosecuted or lose their library privileges, among other specific punishments.

In a second section, labeled “Library Misconduct,” patrons are not permitted to bring animals into the buildings, sleep or otherwise refuse to leave the library when asked to do so, or commit any “misuse” of the public lavatories, “including bathing or laundering,” the code states.

Another line notes that it is considered misconduct to be in the library while “having body odor that is so offensive as to unduly interfere with others’ use of the library.”

Users of the library facilities also may not solicit for funds in any manner, or engage in “distribution of literature or promotional materials, collection of signatures for a petition, or sale of goods by any person or agency other than the library,” ride a skateboard, scooter or bicycle inside the building, or bring in “large bundles of personal possessions that are too large to be stashed easily.”

The “consequences of misconduct,” according to the policy, can range from a verbal warning to eviction from the premises and loss of library privileges, or even prosecution if police must be called in to resolve a situation.

Anyone found in violation of the code, and subject to some form of punishment as a result, can appeal to the district administration.

A populous farewell Well-known local ranchers Roz and Tom Turnbull, pictured here, were joined by as many as 500 people crowded into the sanctuary at the Orchard Gathering Center in Carbondale on Monday to bid a fond farewell to Roz’s mother, Ruth Brown “Ditty” Perry, who died peacefully at her home on March 24 at the age of 96. The service featured a blend of musical and spoken tributes to the woman known to her numerous descendants as “Gammy,” starting with summary remarks by Pastor Bruce Gledhill, who called her “an amazing woman who lived a life of great diversity and depth.” Moving stories about her adventurousness, kindness, deeply held religious faith and generosity of spirit were interspersed with such songs as Carrie Underwood’s “See You Again,” sung by Katalina Villarreal and “I’ll Fly Away” performed by local musical legend Twirp Anderson. The songs often were accompanied by the voices of many of those seated in the audience and overflowing in the balcony, as a way of honoring the passing of an important and loved local resident.

Photo by Jane Bachrach.

3rd Thursdays – April 16 @ 7pm Music by Valle Musico Elegant guitar based music with jazz, classical, latin and smooth worldbeat music elements.

3rd Thursdays @ Third Street is a new monthly series highlighting community artists, music, ideas & interests.

Adults – $5 cover (all proceeds go to the band) CASH ONLY, Children under 12 free

Beer from Roaring Fork Brewery Wine and soft drinks

See the 3rd Thursday Schedule @ www.thirdstreetcenter.net/events/3rdthursdays/

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • APRIL 9-15, 2015 • 7

Ready…Set…Go! Last Saturday in Sopris Park (which some participants dubbed “the battlefield” after everything quieted down), kids and parents waited eagerly as the countdown for the annual town of Carbondale Easter egg hunt began.

As usual, by the time the countdown reached “1” the hunt was underway, and it appeared as if all 6,000 eggs had been picked up within a minute or so.

In reality, “the hunt” is really a race, and each year it seems to get more and more competitive among both the kids and the parents.

So, don’t let those cute baskets and bunny ears bounding all over the park fool you next year — it’s “bunny eat bunny” out there, and let the best bunny win.

All in all everybody had a hoppin’ good time, and congratulations to Gen Messner-Vickers, who ended up with the golden egg.

Photos and text by Jane Bachrach

8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • APRIL 9-15, 2015

Saturday is annual Spring Clean-Up Day in C’dale

By John Colson Sopris Sun correspondent

Giveaways, according to the town website, will include reusable shopping bags and ďŹ nished compost (please bring your own bag or container) while supplies last.

For general household waste (including appliances, though refrigerators must be certiďŹ ed Freon-free) the cost to town residents is $10 per regular pickup load, or $20 for large pickup loads. For nonresidents, the fee is $25 and $35 respectively.

Certain kinds of e-waste can be disposed of for free by town residents, including up to three “large items� such as televisions, CRT monitors and copy machines, and such smaller items as laptops, CPUs, phones, computer accessories, stereo equipment, DVD and VHS players, and cables.

Additional “large items� can be disposed of by residents for a fee of 25-cents per pound.

For non-residents, the charge for disposing of e-waste in general is 25-cents per pound.

For tire disposal, the ďŹ rst 100 tires up to 18-inches without rims brought in by Carbondale residents will be accepted for free.

Beyond that, there are fees for disposal of different sizes and types of tires, all of which is available on the town website, along with a variety of other information concerning what is being accepted and what it will cost.

For example, no liquid hazardous wastes will be accepted, the website states.

Saturday, April 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., is Carbondale’s annual Spring Clean-Up and Waste Diversion Day, when the town accepts a variety of trash, recyclables and electronic waste for free or very low charges.

The day-long event is sponsored by the town’s public works department and the Environmental Board, known as the E-Board, (made up of volunteers Richard Scott Mills, Matt Gwost, Jeff Lauckhart, Jason White, Christopher Paul Ellis, Patrick Hunter, Julia Farwell and Sasha Williams).

According to the town website (www.carbondalegov.org) the funding that makes the cleanup day possible comes from revenues generated by the town’s disposable bag fee.

The receiving site is the vacant lot at the northeast corner of 4th Street and Colorado Avenue, and Carbondale residents get the best deal for disposal, with non-residents paying slightly higher amounts.

In addition to the waste receiving sites and arrangements, the lot will feature educational booths from the E-Board, the Community OfďŹ ce of Resource EfďŹ ciency and EverGreen Events regarding how citizens can reduce and divert their waste year round.

E-waste is focus for newest E-Board member

By Steve Jundt Special to The Sopris Sun Appointed to Carbondale’s Environmental Board on February 24th this year, Julia Farwell wasted no time on what she felt were urgent matters of “waste,� and immediately got to work organizing enhancements to the Town’s annual “Spring Clean Up Day.�

On March 31, Farwell submitted her proposal, approved by the Environmental Board, to the Carbondale Board of Trustees requesting $8,000 from the “Disposable Bag Fee Fund� to be used for waste diversion en-

hancements and educational components for the day.

The fund, a result of 2012’s Bag Ban Ordinance, represents an innovative use of revenues accumulated when City Market grocery shoppers forget to bring along their reusable bags.

Farwell, a Colorado Mountain College student studying for a degree in Sustainability, has said that e-waste she sees dumped on thrift stores (including Basalt Thrift, where she works) as well as on her town’s streets has long been a source of angst. In her Foundations of Sustainability class

she researched various solutions to the Ewaste problem. “I learned that by taxing what isn’t desirable and subsidizing what is desirable is one way to bring about positive change,â€? Farwell said. “Customers are charged a fee when they buy a disposable bag at City Market and those funds are now being used to provide our town residents with a way to safely divert their electronics, rechargeable batteries, tires, and textile waste away from our landďŹ lls.â€?

Farwell said she has been working closely with Laurie Lindberg and Smiley Wise at

Public Works on this project. “This year’s event should be the most comprehensive and diverse clean-up day the Town has ever hosted,� said Lindberg. “It’s great to see the Environmental Board be involved and take recycling to a new level in Carbondale.�

Public Works also hosts a “Household Hazardous Waste Dayâ€? every 2 years where they collect paints, chemicals, and e-waste, as a way of keeping Carbondale and its citizens actively involved in ďŹ nding solutions to the problems posed by waste disposal. Â

Town of Carbondale

SPRING CLEAN UP & WASTE DIVERSION DAY When: Sat. April 11, 8 AM-4 PM Where: 4th & Colorado, across from Town Hall

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Attention Carbondale Residents – For special pricing & free offers bring a photo ID + a utility bill or vehicle registration.

General Household Waste Fees Items include general household waste, appliances, etc. No liquid hazardous waste accepted.

Refrigerators must be certified freon free. • Regular pick up load- Carbondale Residents $10/non-residents-$25 • Large pick up load-Carbondale Residents $20/non-residents-$35

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Visit www.carbondalegov.org for complete details and pricing. • Electronic Waste- Up to 3 TV’s, CRT monitors & copiers plus unlimited smaller items & cables FREE for Carbondale residents. Non-Residents-$.25/lb. • Tires- First 100 tires up to 18� w/o rims FREE for Carbondale residents. • Rechargeable batteries (auto, phone, etc.) FREE • Yard waste & other organic materials-Price included in pick up load • Metals-Price in included in pick up load • Textiles- FREE -Clean clothing, bedding, shoes & other textile waste. Torn & stained items ok. Receive a 20% coupon to Basalt Thrift for textile diversion. • Light bulbs- FREE -Carbondale residents receive 1 free LED bulb per household while supplies last for bringing in CFL or regular light bulbs.

Educational Booths & Giveaways Visit our educational booths for information on how you can reduce & divert your waste year round. Giveaways include reusable shopping bags & finished compost (bring a container please) while supplies last.

Funding for diversion efforts & giveaways comes from revenues generated by the disposable bag fee. Subsidizing these activities circulates that money back into our community.

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • APRIL 9-15, 2015 • 9

Community Calendar THURS.-SUN. April 9-12 SHORTSFEST • Aspen Film continues the 24th annual Shortsfest at both the Wheeler Opera House and Crystal Theatre. Tickets for Crystal Theatre shows are available at Boomerang Coffee (1150 Highway 133).

Info: aspenfilm.org, aspenshowtix.com and 920-5770. At the Crystal on Saturday, April 11, will be the 60-minute Family Fun screenings at 6:30 p.m. (Tickets $7), followed by the 90-minute Program A at 7:30 p.m. (tickets $15.) On Sunday, April 12 at the Crystal, the 90-minute Program B plays at 5 p.m., followed by the 90-minute Program C at 7:30. Tickets for each are $15.

THURSDAY April 9 BULL MOUNTAIN • The Crystal River Caucus discusses Bull Mountain oil and gas development near Paonia from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Church at Redstone. Info: 920-5206.

LIVE MUSIC • Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs presents The Cover Up, a rock/blues/reggae band with a twist plays from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Rivers Restaurant, 2525 S. Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs, no cover charge.

CRES OPEN HOUSE • A pre-kindergarten and kindergarten open house is slated for Crystal River Elementary school at 5:30 p.m. On April 16 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., it’s registration day at the school.

Parents must bring a birth certificate, immunization records and deposit for fulltime kindergarten (there is no fee for part time kindergarten).

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is noon on Monday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted. For up-to-the-minute valley-wide event listings, check out the Community Calendar online at soprissun.com. View events online at soprissun.com/calendar.

ROTARY • The Mt. Sopris Rotary meets at Mi Casita at noon every Thursday.

FRIDAY April 10 MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Big Eyes” (PG-13) at 7:30 p.m. April 10 and 14-16, also showing Aspen Shortsfest April 11-12.

Closed April 13.

STATE OF ABSTRACTION ARTIST BEAT & HAPPY HOUR • A Conversation With The Artists from 5:30-7p.m. at The Launchpad, 76 S. 4th St. Join the artists of State of Abstraction, the current exhibition at CCAH’s R2 Gallery in The Launchpad, for happy hour refreshments and an intimate conversation about the process behind their work. Learn how each artist visualizes their artwork before bringing it to fruition and come away with a better understanding of abstract art and its relevance in the art world today. CCAH will supply light happy hour libations and snacks. For more information visit www.carbondalearts.com or call (970) 963-1680.

LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars in the old part of the Dinkel Building presents live music every Friday night. Info: 963-3304.

to help runners prevent or overcome injury and help with recovery, will be held April 1011 at Ripple Effect, 580 Main St., Suite 110, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and finishing at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Cost is $275 per person. For information contact Elinor Fish at 970-987-2050.

LIVE MUSIC • Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs presents the Leonard Curry Trio from 9 p.m. to midnight.

No cover. Coming up Dry Hollow (April 17) and Valle Musico (April 24). Info: 928-8813.

SUNDAY April 12 PRESENTATION • A Spiritual Center located at the Third Street Center, 320 S 3rd Street, Suite 31, is featuring speakers and presentations at its Sunday gatherings, which start at 9:45 a.m. This Sunday’s presentation is live music by Ellen Stapenhorst. For more information, call Golden at 970-812-2120.

SATURDAY April 11 VVH HEALTH FAIR • Valley View Hospital will hold a Community Health Fair on Saturday at Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, 32270 Highway 133, from 7-11 a.m.

WEDNESDAY April 15 CULTURE CLUB • The Carbondale Culture Club presents “Of Sound Mind and Body” at noon, pianist Elizabeth Gauger playing old faves and new (April 22), Claire O’Leary on profound journaling (April 29).

CORNHOLE • The second annual Roaring Fork Beer Company cornhole tournament takes place at the Carbondale Recreation Center at 5 p.m. Registration is limited to 20 teams of two each. The fee is $30 per team and it’s for ages 18 and older. Info: 319-2957 or bkirkland@carbondaleco.net.

ROTARY • The Rotary Club of Carbondale presents holds a club assembly at 6:45 a.m. at the fire station. On April 22 it’s Debbie Wilde (Insight to Impact). Info: rotarycarbondale.org.

SPRING CLEAN UP • The town of Carbondale holds is annual spring clean up day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your items to the parking lot across from town hall. Hazardous waste will not be accepted.

LIVE MUSIC • The Third Street Center features Valle Musico at 7 p.m. in the gym. Valle Musico is described as “elegant guitar-based music with jazz, classical, latin and smooth worldbeat elements.

REVIVE YOUR RUNNING • a workshop

CALENDAR page 11

THURSDAY April 16

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Neighborhood Input Meetings

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aspen shortsfest Short films. World stories.

Carbondale Fire District Master Plan The Carbondale Fire District will be holding 11 Neighborhood Input meetings over the next 2 months.

Please come out and let us know what you think about the District at a location convenient for you.

Meetings start at 7 PM. Proposed Date 7-Apr 9-Apr 13-Apr 15-Apr 21-Apr 28-Apr 29-Apr 4-May 11-May 18-May 19-May

Contact

Neighborhood Marble Redstone/Crystal Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Missouri Heights Missouri Heights (CMC/turnoff/Elk Springs) Aspen Glen/109 Rd Volunteers 100 RD/RARF/ Blue Creek/Preshana Ranchers/ large land owners

location Station 3 Church at Redstone 3rd St Center 3rd St Center 3rd St Center Station 5 Station 4 Aspen Glen Station 1 Aspen Equestrian Estates Fire House

Mark Chain at 970.309.3655 for more information.

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • APRIL 9-15, 2015

7-12 APRIL 201 5

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Community Calendar Save the Date SATURDAY April 18

FUND-RAISER • There’ll be a fundraiser for Mary Margaret O’Gara and Steve Standiford, owners of Steve’s Guitars, from 5 to 10 p.m. at The Orchard. Mary Margaret was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and is undergoing treatment, according to a press release. but the bills are mounting. Her friends have put together a great musical line-up, food from local restaurants and a HUGE silent auction — everything from ammo to artwork. Tickets will be available at the door for $15 and beer, wine and soft drinks will be available for purchase. Info: Julie Puchkoff at 925-3356.

Further Out FRIDAY May 1

GALLERY PROPOSAL DEADLINE • May 1 is the deadline to submit proposals to CCAH for shows in its R2 Gallery. Proposals may be for an exhibition of an individuals work, or a group show (juried or invitational). Two and three dimensional works, as well as video installations will be considered. Preliminary proposal forms are available online at carbondalearts.com or may be picked up at The Launchpad.

Notifiactions will be sent by July 15.

Info: 963-1680.

continued from page 10

Ongoing MAYOR’S COFFEE HOUR • Chat with Carbondale Mayor Stacey Bernot on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Village Smithy.

days, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please bring your own cushion or chair. Info: meditationcarbondale.weebly.com.

CLAY CENTER • The Carbondale Clay Center continues “Elina Jurado: New Work.” The show features Jurado’s brightly colored earthenware pottery. Info: 963-2529 or carbondaleclay.org.

CCAH SHOW CONTINUES • The CCAH show “State of Abstraction” continues at the Launchpad through May 1. The show features Shelley Bogaert, Amy Butowicz, Judy Hancock, Nancy Kullgren, Suzannah Reid, Mark Brendon Smith and Ellen Woods. Info: carbondalearts.com or 963-1680.

PATHFINDERS • The grief and loss support group Pathfinders meets at Core Healing Arts 1101 Village Road, Suite 2D) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Monday of the month.

Pathfinders is a non-profit, psychosocial support program for people dealing with chronic illness, disability, bereavement. Info: pathfindersforcancer.org or 319-6854 or 925-1226.

FREE COUNSELING • Davi Nikent facilitates free, one hour counseling sessions about heart attack, stroke and diabetes prevention from 8 a.m. to noon every Monday at the Third Street Center.

For an appointment, call Greg Feinsinger, M.D. at 379-5718.

MINDFULNESS GROUP • The Mindful Life Program hosts a weekly meditation and mindfulness group on Mondays from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. in Suite 28 at the Third Street Center. All are welcome. Info: 970-633-0163 or mindfullifeprogram.org.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION • Discussions about mindfulness meditation and Buddhist philosophy take place from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Sundays at Carbondale Community School. All are welcome and mats/cushions are available. Info: 970-618-1032.

MEDITATION • Silent meditation is held at the Launchpad from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. on Mon-

tinues at the Third Street Center Round Room from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The cost is $8 per person/$14 per couple. Info: meetup.com/RFVDance/events/219969549.

LUTHERANS MEET • Faith Lutheran Church holds worship services at the Carbondale Middle School auditorium: traditional service (9 a.m.), educational hour (10 a.m.), living praise worship (11:30 a.m.). Info. Faithcarbondale.com and 925-7725.

KOROLOGOS SHOW CONCLUDES • The Ann Korologos Gallery in Basalt continues the show “Angus Wilson: A Singular Vision” through April 10. Info: 927-9668.

JAZZ JAM • The Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs continues Jazz Jam Mondays from 7 to 9:30 p.m. All abilities are welcome. Info: Hunter Damm at 319-7853.

HASSIG SHOW CONTINUES • The Wyly Art Center in Basalt presents Chris Hassig’s show “Close In and Far Away” through April 25. At the Wyly Annex, it’s Sam Harvey and Alleghany Meadows in “The Language of Making.” Info: 927-4123 and wylyarts.org.

LUNCH • Crystal Meadows senior housing hosts a lunch followed by Bingo every Wednesday.

PHOTOGRAPHY • The CMC ArtShare Gallery in downtown Glenwood Springs presents a show of students’ work through April 28. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Info: 947-8367 or cmcartshare.com.

SOUL DANCE • Core Healing Arts presents Soul Dance at the Launchpad on Sundays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Dance experience is not necessary and drop-ins are welcome. The cost $15 per session.

Info: 319-6854.

LIVE MUSIC • Dan Rosenthal hosts open mic nights from 8 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday at Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs.

TWO-STEP TUESDAY • Foot stompin’ fun con-

BRIDGE • The Carbondale Bridge Club meets at the Senior Matters room in the Third Street Center Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. You must have a partner and the fee is $3 per person. Info: 963-0425.

LINX • The Linx Networking group meets each Tuesdays at 7 a.m. in the Aspen-Sotheby’s real estate office on Midland Avenue in Basalt. Info: Keith Edquist at 928-8428.

WEEKLY RUNS • Independence Run & Hike holds runs group runs at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and 6 p.m. on Thursdays. Info: 704-0909.

TAI CHI • Senior Matters offers tai chi classes at the Third Street Center on Mondays and Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. Classes are $48 per month or $8 for drop ins. Info: John Norton at 379-1375.

TAI CHI • Senior Matters presents Simple Tai Chi in room 33 of the Third Street Center from 11 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Info: 379-1375.

MT. SOPRIS ROTARY CLUB OF CARBONDALE

Not Just a Restaurant Draw to benefit local charities 1st Place: Over $1800 in Gift Certificates* 2nd Place: Over $1300 in Gift Certificates* 3rd Place: Over $900 in Gift Certificates* 4th Place: Over $700 in Gift Certificates* 5th Place: Over $400 in Gift Certificates* *and other items from Local Merchants BUY YOUR TICKETS FROM MT. SOPRIS ROTARIANS One ticket for a $10 donation, 3 tickets for a $20 donation, 8 tickets for a $50 donation Tickets available for sale while they last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ace Hardware every Saturday in April

Winners announced at KARAOKE NIGHT May 2, 7 p.m. at MiCasita 580 Main St. Carbondale

mtsoprisrotaryclub.com THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • APRIL 9-15, 2015 • 11

Community Briefs

Please submit your community briefs to news@soprissun.com by noon on Monday.

Thompson Divide deal in the works Opponents to gas drilling in the Thompson Divide area west of Carbondale are cautiously embracing a proposed swap of gas drilling leases that could provide a solution to the long-fought dispute over more than two-dozen leases in the region.

The proposal, offered by energy companies S.G. Interests and Ursa Resources at a meeting of the Garfield County Commissioners on April 6, would involve swapping approximately 40,000 acres worth of existing leases, currently held by the two companies in the roughly 221,500-acre Thompson Divide region, for similarly-sized leasable lands in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, as well as land in Rio Blanco County.

“This is an important first step for a process that could result in the retirement of undeveloped leases in the Thompson Divide,” said Zane Kessler, director of the anti-drilling Thompson Divide Coalition, in a written statement. “It is our hope that the coming negotiations will lead to meaningful, long-term protections for public lands in the Thompson Divide, and for the livelihoods these lands support.

But Kessler and others who have worked to eliminate gas drilling in Thompson Divide also expressed concerns about the effects of this proposal on “receiving” areas, to which the companies would transfer their gas exploration efforts under the proposal.

“If the industry’s proposal does move forward, it will be imperative that counties on the receiving end of this exchange, and their constituents, have a seat at the table,” Kessler said in his statement.

The Garfield County Commissioners reportedly directed county staffers to draw up a letter of support for the proposal, which is to include language reflecting the concerns about those living in areas where SG Interests and Ursa would be getting new leases under the proposal.

Softball registration is open Registration is open for the Town of Carbondale Recreation Department’s Men’s Softball. The season will begin the first week in June and run through September, culminating with a double elimination tournament. Early registration $650 (ends May 1), late registration $750 (ends May 15). For ages 18 and up. Games are Tuesdays, 6pm-10pm.

For more info, call 510-1290.

USFS reinhabits historic building The White River National Forest Supervisor announced this week that he and his staff are moving back into the historic USFS building at 900 Grand Ave. in Glenwood Springs, following a two-year renovation project.

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The upgrade has increased the capacity of the building from its historic limit of about 32 employees, to as many as 50 today. There will be an open house to show off the building later in the year.

BLM wants your thoughts on trails The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is seeking public input on the agency’s plan to review its road and trail inventory for BLM lands in northwestern Colorado, which includes route data on 650,000 acres of the 1.5 million acres managed by the White River Field Office. To review the route inventory, download maps and submit comments, visit the White River Field Office home page at www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/wrfo.html. Comments also may be mailed to the BLM, White River Field Office, 220 E. Market St., Meeker, CO 81641. Comments are to be submitted by May 31, 2015.

KDNK offers broadcasting training There will be a live mixing training for engineering live broadcasts from the KDNK Broadcast Learning Center on Wednesday, April 22 from 6-8 p.m. This will cover the basics of broadcasting and mixing a live musical performance with multiple inputs using the Macki DL 1608 for mixing. Space in the workshop is limited to five, so those interested must RSVP to STEVE@kdnk.org to sign up. There will be other opportunities in the near future, according to station manager Steve Skinner.

911 emergency calls Here are the emergency 911 calls for the weeks of March 29 to April 4: • Medical emergencies (14); • Trauma emergency (1); • Motor Vehicle Accidents (2); • Smoke alarm responses (2); • Fire alarm responses (4); • Carbon Monoxide response (1); • Citizen assist (1); • Request for Standby (1); • Downed power line response (1); • Tree fire response (1); • Wildland fire responses (3).

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RFTA’s Monday, April Plan your your commute commute changes accordingly accordingly and preview preview the RFTA RFTTA A Spring Spring Season Season schedules Plan now at at www .RFTTA.com. now www.RFTA.com.

SERVICE CHANGES INCLUDE: INCLUDE: SPRING SEASON SERVICE VelociRFTTA-BRT will have have reduced reduced frequency frequency and discontinue discontinue on the w eekends.

• VelociRFTA-BRT weekends.

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Carbondale Sundays.

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• Aspen City service have Monday-Saturday, Sundays).

Crosstown Shuttle Shuttle & Galena Galena Shuttle Shuttle service service will discontinue discontinue on April April 19th.

• Crosstown NEW WEEKEND VALLEY VALLEY SERVICE SERVICE DURING THE SPRING OFF SEASON: NEW New Glenwood Glenwood to to Aspen Aspen Rush Rush Hour Hour service service with connection connection to to Snowmass Snowmass Village: New Starting at at 5:30AM, 6:30AM AM and 7:30AM; 1:30PM,, 2:30PM, and 3:30PM Starting New Aspen Aspen to to Glenwood Glenwood Rush Rush hour service service with connection connection to to Snowmass Snowmass Village: New Starting at at 7:45AM, 8:45AM and 9:45AM, 3:45PM, 4:45PM and 5:45PM Starting New Snowmass Snowmass departures departures to to the Intercept Intercept Lot Lot at at 6:45 (to (to Aspen Aspen only) 7:45AM, 8:45AM New (to Aspen Aspen only), 3:45PM, 4:45PM and 5:45PM and 9:45AM;; 2:45PM (to New Intercept Intercept Lot Lot connections connections at at 7:00 (to (to Aspen Aspen only) 8:00AM, 9:00AM,, 10:00AM, New (to Aspen Aspen only), 4:00PM,, 5:00PM, 6:00PM. 3:00PM (to

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CAMBIOS DE SERVICIO SERVICIO PARA PARA LA PAR LA TEMPORADA TEMPORADA DE PRIMAVERA: PRIMA AVER VE A: VER CAMBIOS VelociRFTTA BR endrá rreduccion educcion de frecuencia frecuencia y discontinúara discontinúara durante durante los fines de de semana. semana.

• VelociRFTA BRTT ttendrá • El discontinúara El Circulador Circulador de Carbondale Carbondale disc ontinúara durante durante los fines de semana semana yy los los autobuses autobuses locales locales entraran entraran al centro centro de Carbondale Carbondale los sabados y domingos. domingos.

• Servicio Servicio de Hogback Hogback tendrá tendrá reduccion reduccion en frecuencia frecuencia los fines de semana. semana.

• Servicio Woody Creek discontinuará Servicio de W oody C reek disc ontinuará hasta el verano. verano.

• Servicio Servicio de la ciudad de de Aspen AAspen tendrá tendrá horario horario reducido reducido (7am-12am Lunes-Sabado, Lunes-Sabado, 9am-9pm Domingo).

Domingo).

• Servicio Servicio Crosstown Crosstown Shuttle Shuttle & Galena Galena discontinuará discontinuará hasta el 19 de de Abril.

Abril.

NUEVO HORARIO PARA SEMANA EN EN PARA PRIMAVERA. NUEVO HOR ARIO P ARA LLOS OS FINES DE DE SEMANA ENAAUTOBUSES AUTOBUSES LLOCALES OCALES P PAR ARA PRIMA AVER VERA. Nuevo servicio Glenwood Aspen durante horas trafico Nuevo ser vicio de G lenwood a A spen dur ante hor as de tr afico con con cconneccion onneccion a Snowmass Empezando 1:30, Snowmass Village: Emp ezando alas 5:30,, 6:30 y 7:30 7:30 AM; AM; 1:30 0,, 2:30 y 3:30 PM. Nuevo Aspen Glenwood horas trafico Nuevo SServicio ervicio de A spen a G lenwood en hor as de tr afico ccon on conneccion conneccion a Snowmass Empezando 9:45 AM, AM, 3:45,4:45 y 5:45 Snowmass Village: Emp ezando de 7:45, 8:45 y 9:45 5:45 PM. PM. Nuevo el In Intercept Nuevo Servicio Servicio de Snowmass Snowmass ccon on salidas a el tercept LLot ot alas 6:45 (solo Aspen) Aspen) 7:45, 8:45 y 9:45;; 2:45 (solo Aspen), 5:45 PM. PM. Aspen),, 3:45, 4:45 y 5:45 Nuevas Intercept 7:00 (solo (soloAAspen) Nuevas conecciones conecciones con con el In Intercept LLot ot a las 7:00 spen) 8:00, 9:00, 10:0 AM y 3:00 (solo (solo Aspen), Aspen),, 4:00,, 5:00, 6:00 PM.

12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • APRIL 9-15, 2015

PUBLIC NOTICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Town of Carbondale Barber Drive Reconstruction Project

The Town of Carbondale is soliciting bids for the Barber Drive Reconstruction Project. The project consists of complete removal of asphalt roadway, partial removal of concrete curb and gutter, adjustment of manholes and valve boxes and pouring new concrete curb and gutter and paving new asphalt pavement on Barber Drive. Visit the Town website for additional information.

Sealed bids are due April 17, 2015 at 1 p.m.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 7, 2015, at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado, Carbondale, CO. Contact Larry Ballenger at lballenger@carbondaleco.net for questions.

First Friday: Getting well Building on the theme of “Spring Into Wellness,” local citizens, businesses and organizations celebrated the idea of healthy living, exercise and eating habits all over Carbondale on the First Friday of April.

Featured activities included a Main Street demonstration of Tae Kwan Do and the use of ropes for fitness movements at the Fourth Street Plaza, along with live music and a wide range of booths offering organic and locally produced foods at the Third Street Center.

Photos by Lynn Burton

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • APRIL 9-15, 2015 • 13

EAT. SHOP. PLAY CONFLUENCE OF RIVERS, RECREATION & CULTURE

ri Store’s mission — sustainable agriculture and a truck

By Lucille Peters The Basalt Thrift Store located at 180 South Side Dr. is entering its 8th year of business. Their showroom offers both the usual and the unusual that typify a good thrift store experience and has gained a faithful following for their stock of higherend clothing.

Jullia Pratt, a retired architectural designer and Basalt Thrift Store’s founder, knew that she wanted to develop a successful store from the start, but it was the corporate mission that was behind her reasons for achievement.

“Local sustainable agriculture is integral for our valley’s future,” said Pratt, “and that’s the basis for our mission.”

Basalt Thrift hosts local organic farmers and ranchers through a co-op at the store. The co-op is set to expand this year to include a commercial soup kitchen and juice bar.

But the interests and reach of their operation does not stop there.

Realizing there was a serious problem to resolve in the valley’s excess of unwanted goods, Basalt Thrift began a recycle warehouse to interrupt the flow of used items destined for local landfills. Their efforts result in over a half million pounds of good useable items being kept out of valley landfills each year.

“We want you to know,” said Pratt, “that the goods you donate to us get used. If we don’t sell them through the store we find them a home somewhere in the world, they are not simply thrown away.”

Recycling is more than separating aluminum cans and plastics, she added.

“We’ve worked with the local school children in our ‘Soles for Africa’ campaign,” Pratt explained, “which ships thousands of pairs of shoes to select villages where the local kids can attend school but are required to have footwear. When children understand the impact they can have in choosing to recycle even one item it’s a wonderful eye opener for them.”

Basalt Thrift’s salvage efforts have been hampered this past year by the demise of their box truck, which was used to pick up salvage goods from many organizations throughout the valley.

“The truck is our workhorse,” says Jullia, “and we have been forced to rent a U-haul each week to continue our program. We are on a serious mission to have a caring individual or foundation recognize the good we do and gift us with another truck new or used to help continue our community efforts.”

You can learn more about Basalt Thrift’s organization by visiting: www.basaltthrift.org or by visiting their showroom located on South Side Dr. in the Basalt Business Center.

“When children understand the impact they can have in choosing to recycle even one item it’s a wonderful eye opener for them.”

Coffee with the

Mayor

The Town of Basalt is taking applications for the newly created

On Wednesday mornings, after a Tuesday night Council meeting, visit in an informal setting with Basalt Mayor Jacque Whitsitt for coffee and a chat at Saxy’s Coffee Shop, 104 Midland Avenue.

Public Arts Commission (PAC) through Monday, April 20, 2015.

Some members may reside outside of the Town limits.

This is a great opportunity to share your thoughts, make comments and catch up on what’s happening in Basalt.

All issues and topics welcome.

Please visit our website at www.basalt.net.

The next Coffee with the Mayor is:

Select the Community tab at the top, then select Board Openings for more information and how to apply for the Public Arts Commission.

Wednesday, "QSJM at 8 a.m.

Hours:

NOW ACCEPTING SPRING CLOTHING ITEMS FOR CONSIGNMENT Also accepting furniture, jewelry, art, housewares and gift items SPIRIT LIFTING CONSIGNMENT

970-927-4384 144 Midland Avenue, Basalt, Colorado 81621 14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • APRIL 9-15, 2015

Scoops

Ice Cream

Open daily Basalt’s Only Ice Cream Shop

Mon-Sat 10- 5

Sun 12-5

Ensuring technology meets a businesses needs The Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, with more than 450 members in the Carbondale area, works together with business and the community to provide leadership, education, and support for members in order to make the Carbondale area a more vital and dynamic place to live, work, and visit.

In keeping with this goal, the Chamber announces a By the chamber new member beneďŹ t, the Business Spotlight! Each month, an article in The Sopris Sun will highlight a current member of the Carbondale Chamber. For more information on how to be selected, contact the Chamber at (970) 963-1890 or stop by the ofďŹ ce in the Third Street Center.

Business Spotlight

and management planning for technology.

Businesses, take note! Do you process credit cards? Is your network PCI compliant? Credit card processing companies require that if you take credit cards you must be PCI compliant. Mitchell and Company can ensure your network meets all PCI guidelines.

According to DTI/Price Waterhouse Coopers, 70% of small companies that experience major data loss go out of business within a year. Each year, one or more of Mitchell and Co.’s clients suffer major data loss due to ďŹ re, ooding (broken pipe), hacking, or other major disaster. The clients stay in business however, because Mitchell and Co. provides them with a backup and disaster recovery plan that minimizes the losses.

Mitchell and Company, LLC Mitchell and Co. has been doing business in the valley for 18 years. They are located at 2619 Dolores Way, Carbondale, CO 81623, and can also be found online at www.mitchandco.com.

Mitchell and Co. is named for the primary founder of the company, Kelley Mitchell. The company’s intent is provide consultants whose task is to make technology work for the client.

The ďŹ rm specializes in providing information technology solutions to residential, business and public sector customers throughout Western Colorado.

In line with the company’s mission, it specializes in networking, ďŹ rewalls, virus and spam protection, wireless, IP telephony, risk management,

Dale Ahrens is the operations manager, and one of the owners at Mitchell and Company, which has its ofďŹ ces at 2619 Dolores Way on the northwest side of Carbondale. Photos by Jane Bachrach.

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Basalt Chamber Business After Hours Every 3rd Thursday, 5-7:30 p.m.

165 Southside Drive | Basalt In Basalt’s Southside: Turn off of Highway 82, then right past Big O Tires, Roots RX is 1/2 block on left.

Store hours: Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Last call 6:45 p.m.

970.539.WEED Visit our Eagle Vail Location For All Your Medical Needs and our Edwards Location For Our Holistic Care

May 21 Basalt Mountain Inn 220 Midland Avenue

August 20 Aspen Rent-All 24451 Highway 82

June 18 Ann Korologos Gallery, Sotheby’s International Realty, Windows and Doors by SolarGlass & Neighbors 211 Midland Avenue

September 17 Willits Town Center Block Party

November 19 Eagle Crest Nursery with the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce 400 Gillespie Drive (just past El Jebowl)

October 15 Basalt Fitness & Friends 82 Duroux Lane

December 17 Basalt Chamber Member Holiday Event

Complimentary for Basalt Chamber Members. Non-members: $15 with reservation.

RSVP for all events to Info@BasaltChamber.com

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • APRIL 9-15, 2015 • 15

Letters continued om page 2 Snooze and lose Dear Editor: I do hope that our trustees take note of how much tax money is generated from Glenwood Meadows. According to the Post Independent this shopping mall has generated 28 percent of the money that the town uses. At the same time, we are still that quaint little town of Carbondale that struggles to make ends meet.

Pretty obvious that we need something to spark this town. In the meantime, shoppers are enjoying the bargains that are there in the Glenwood Meadows. Sure a lot of tax revenue lost because we go to Glenwood to shop, Basalt to shop and Willits to shop. If you snooze, you lose.

Jane Spaulding Carbondale

Mini College thanks Dear Editor: The Children’s Mini College would like to extend a hearty thank you to the business, artists and individuals that contributed to our 12th annual Chocolate Extravaganza.

The pre-school had over 180 donations for our silent auction this year! We could not have raised the $7,300 without the participation of the donors and everyone that attended our event. We recognize your investment in our community and will continue to support these businesses.

These funds help us meet our operational costs, provide

tuition assistance and maintain the overall quality children’s mini college preschool has provided for the past 37 years. It is wonderful to see the following this fun event receives year after year. It is through community support that children’s mini college can continue its mission of providing a school of learning where observation, risk taking, lis-

tening and wondering are encouraged and valued and where children, parents and teachers collaborate to make learning possible in a safe, nurturing and engaging environment regardless of a child’s socio-economic status.

A BIG thank you also goes to Luis Polar, Wes MacCachran, Jennifer Cramer, Alpine Bank and Colorado Mountain College for their help with this event. It is heartwarming that children’s mini college continues to receive such great support!

Joan Chovanec CMC Mini College

Preserving Carbondale’s wildlife Dear Editor: We now have a sweet little fox living in the vicinity of White Hill that seems to be unafraid of contact with humans. I think we, the people of Carbondale, need to adopt this beautiful creature and protect it.

Small predators such as this precious animal help keep the rodent population down, and for this reason, they deserve to be protected. In Australia, so many dingoes were killed that the lemming population took over and caused widespread damage to farmer’s grain stores. I feel we are called on as wise stewards of the local ecosystem to manage, not destroy it.

There is immeasurable benefit to every adult as well as our children to preserve as much of the flora and fauna as possible. The sight of such amazing life forms enriches our understanding of ourselves, our environment, and the important place of all creatures in the local ecosystem.

Granted, small predators like foxes can and do menace chicken populations, but by fox-proofing pens and enclosures, fox predations can be minimized. Domesticated cats kill around 1 billion birds a year, and making sure cats are

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not allowed to hunt birds is widely accepted as a way to stop such predation.

I urge the people of Carbondale, our mayor and our town trustees to consider banning the current practice of poisoning, hunting or trapping wildlife species such as foxes that are not a direct threat to humans. If we do not do this, future generations will hold us responsible for destruction of the wildlife that once helped make our area uniquely interesting, uniquely special, and uniquely beautiful.

There is also another good reason to actively promote wise stewardship of natural habitat and the species that make it special: naturalist tourism. In many areas where local support of ecosystem revitalization and preservation has been embraced, local economies have been positively enhanced. After all, those who enjoy observing nature buy things while they are here, they eat in our restaurants and stay in our inns. They buy gas and food at our local filling stations and grocery stores. They also buy souvenirs and spend money on entertainment when they are not out enjoying nature.

They can also spawn or enlarge new types of enterprises — being tour guides, writing and publishing guidebooks, building and maintaining nature trails and so on — all of which are healthful enterprises.

When it comes to industries that have the least impact on the pristine environment we all came here to enjoy, ecotourism has to be way up there as having minimal impact on preservation of the natural environment, since the objective is to preserve the natural environment in the first place.

Saving our precious wildlife is not only the right thing to do; it is the wise thing to do. And this sweet little fox that has decided to share our community with us deserves to be protected, not destroyed.

Fred Pulver Carbondale

Unclassifieds Submit to unclassifieds@soprissun.com by Friday 12 p.m. Rates: $15 for 30 words, $20 for up to 50 words. Payment due before publication.*

LOST: Lady’s wedding band. REWARD! Heirloom several generation. 963-9096.

NURSERY/LANDSCAPING SUPPLIES (new) by the Piece or in Bulk. Pulp pots 24", 21", 18". Moss Baskets 16", 18", 20" Make an offer! 970-379-9127.

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS for kids and teens to promote their businesses enterprises. Thirty word maximum.

Please send to unclassified@soprissun.com. *Credit card payment information should be emailed to nclassifieds@soprissun.com or call 948-6563. Checks may be dropped off at our office at the Third Street Center or mailed to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. Call 618-9112 for more info.