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Volume 7, Number 14 | May 14, 2015

Music series returns to Sopris Park Sopris Sun Staff Report fter a year’s hiatus, a free summer music series returns to Sopris Park starting June 14 and concluding Aug. 9.

With the working name of “Summer Music in the Park,” Steve’s Guitars, the town of Carbondale and others have teamed up for the free series, which will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. on the second Sunday of those months.

“All of the shows will be family friendly and there will be no alcohol sales,” said Steve Standiford, co-owner of Steve’s Guitars. “We hope the earlier start times will also encourage families to come out … the earlier start times will also be kinder to neighbors living around the park.”

The town of Carbondale contributed $7,000 for the series and is the title sponsor, according to Carbondale Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Jackel.

“The town board felt it was important to continue the long-standing tradition of music in Sopris Park, which was previously hosted by CCAH and many volunteers,” Standiford said.

Marty Silverstein and Carol Bruno, from the town’s Special Events Committee, are also involved with soliciting other sponsors and rounding up volunteers.

In keeping with the Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities early roots of bringing free music to Sopris Park many years ago, three of the acts are local.

So, without further adieu, here is this summer’s lineup.

June 14: The Hell Roaring String Band kicks off the series at 4 p.m., followed by the North Carolinabased Fireside Collective at 5:30 p.m. The Fireside Collective weaves an original blend of bluegrass, funk, rock and blues, and are playing Carbondale on their way to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival where they will take part in the band competition.

July 12: Let Them Roar opens the second show of the season, followed by the Front Range band Halden Woffard and the Hi-Beams. Woffard has been called “part Hank Williams and part Johnny Depp.” He and his band have played Red Rocks and other well-known venues.

Aug. 9: Valle Musico opens for the Los Angeles-based Show Ponies. The five-piece group plays an original blend of Americana, bluegrass and folk with a fiddle, banjo, drums, two guitars and what Standiford describes as “some gorgeous vocals.”

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Mama carrot Rose Rossello and her baby pea, Alma, were major cuties in the Dandelion Day Parade of Species. After the parade, folks swarmed over to Sopris Park for food, drink, music, sustainable talks and presentations, organic produce and a plant sale. For more pics, please turn to page 7. Photo by Jane Bachrach

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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.

How to navigate the new Highway 133 roundabout Roundabout … rotary … whoop-dee-loop … whatever you may call it, we have one so now how do we use it?

We’re talking about the roundabout at the intersection of Highway 133 and Main Street.

We’ve had a few months to get used to the basic framework of the intersection and how it generally works. As the weather warms up and final landscaping is installed along this corridor, we wanted to revisit the project, provide some handy user tips, and outline the pedestrian friendly aspects that support walk-ability and bike-ability in our community.

Pedestrians: • Always use the designated crosswalks to cross at roundabout. Median islands have been provided for additional safety.

• Use the push button activated flashing beacons to reinforce your presence to approaching vehicles and bicyclists. Ensure vehicles and bicyclists slow and either yield or stop before entering crosswalk.

Bicyclists: When traveling within the roundabout on the roadway: • Occupy the full lane.

• Yield to vehicles and other cyclists to your left.

• Yield to pedestrians in the crosswalks.

• Use hand signals to indicate your intentions of slowing, stopping or turning.

When riding on the multi-use path on either side of the roadway: • Yield or stop for pedestrians at driveway and street crossings.

• Yield or stop for vehicles at intersections and street crossings.

• Use designated crosswalks when crossing at the roundabout.

• Once beyond the roundabout, do not ride on town sidewalks. Main Street has been painted with shared-use paint markings (aka sharrows) to indicate to vehicles that cyclists will be using the roadway.

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 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.

The truth about CR106 Dear Editor: Thank you for John Colson’s excellent coverage of the latest chapter in the County Road 106 drama. It stands in stark contrast to a Post Independent editorial (May 11) loaded with factual errors. I want to highlight just two of those errors.

What led to Garfield County’s “stop work” order was the construction, over the course of a Saturday evening and Sunday morning, of a concrete sign in the County Road 106 right-of-way. Although Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) did initially have a permit for the sign, that permit was invalidated because CRMS misrepresented the sign’s location in their permit application. They answered “yes” when asked if the sign was on their property.

When applying for the permit, CRMS agreed to follow the county code, which dictates that “sign is located on private property and shall not be located in a public right of way or easement.” A sign constructed within the right-of-way is clearly not permitted.

At last week’s meeting, Garfield County Manager Andrew Gorgey asked CRMS Finance Director Joe White why he answered “yes” on the application, and White said it was because the right-of-way is on CRMS property. This is the misconception at the heart of CRMS’s refusal to compromise on CR 106. They still don’t get that this is public property.

The Post Independent also opined that Satank’s concern is coming from a vocal minority. This strikes me as absurd. There are about 57 homes in Satank, and residents of 18 of those homes, or 32 percent, have spoken out against CRMS’s moves to exclude the public from the right-of- way.

Most of those people have attended county commissioner meetings during the work

day. Imagine if 18,100 Garfield County citizens, or 32 percent, took the time to attend an evening public meeting, let alone a meeting at 8:30 on a Monday morning, to protest something: would anyone call that a vocal minority?

It is also important to note that this vocal minority includes the Carbondale P&Z, Carbondale Town Trustees, and the Garfield County Planning Commission, who all advocated not vacating the rightof-way after hearing testimony from many quarters of the community.

Thank you, Sopris Sun, for keeping that community informed.

Nancy Smith Satank and Gateway Colorado

Stop driving so much Dear Editor: Please stop driving so much. You’re wasting gas. Americans waste 1.9 billion gallons of gas waiting in traffic. People should ride the bus, walk or bike.

Gasoline is really expensive. Americans spend way too much money filling up their gas tanks. Driving is bad for the environment and for your wallet! That’s why you should bike, walk and scooter instead.

Cars give off gasses that make air dirty.

According to scientific experts, car exhaust can cause cardiovascular disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Parents, did you know that car exhaust fumes affect children the most?

The exhaust also affects older people.

Walking and biking are healthier choices that still get you where you need to go.

We want to encourage you to ride the bus or go with your friend, carpool, ride your bike or walk instead of drive. What we do not want to hear from people is “I am driving to work and I will meet my

2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MAY 14-20, 2015

friend there.” No, no, no! What you should do is carpool to not waste gas.

Imagine this: A car is sitting still with the engine running, getting negative miles per gallon and that causes smog. When you roll down your window, it really stinks. When you choose to drive and not carpool it also causes traffic. Biking, walking and scooters cut down on traffic and pollution, which will help the environment.

As you can see, driving is really bad for the environment. Are you willing to make a change? All it takes is just walking or biking to one more place. Please think about driving less — you can be healthier and protect the environment.

Fernanda Ruiz Devon Blanchard Josh Hernandez Marquez Third grade students Crystal River Elementary School Carbondale

5Point thanks Dear Editor: We would like to send out a heartfelt thank you to the 5Point Film Festival for organizing a special Friday afternoon film program during the festival for the middle school students of the valley. We attended the program with our students and were truly impressed with the quality of the films, the messages within and the dedication of the 5Point founder and staff to inspire and help youth to follow their dreams. Thank you!

Waldorf School teachers: Chris Mullally Matt Johnson Carla Comey Soozie Lindbloom (movement teacher) Carbondale

Motorists: • Yield to pedestrians and cyclists in the crosswalks. They have the right-of-way. It’s also state law.

• Slow down upon approach to, and while traveling within, the roundabout and always yield to your left. Vehicles or bicycles within the roundabout have the rightof-way.

• Yield or stop for pedestrians and bicyclists that are within driveway and street crossings along the corridor. They will be on both sides now.

Submitted by the Carbondale Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trails Committee.

Editor’s note The Sopris Sun accidently left out several mothers and their babies in last week’s Mother’s Day issue so we are running them on page 9 of this week’s paper. We regret the mistake and apologize to the mothers who were affected.

The Sopris Sun’s policy is to publish all mothers and babies born since the previous Mother’s Day who attend our photo shoots in the days leading up the annual Mother’s Day issue.

To inform, inspire and build community.

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

Sopris Sun, LLC • P.O. Box 399 520 S. Third Street #36 Carbondale, CO 81623

970-510-3003

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.

LeClarann’s Sew Shop closing aer 30 years

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer Ann Samuelson has been hearing a lot of this in the past few weeks: “No you can’t … I’m glad for you … but what am I going to do?”

The comments and pleas come after friends and customers learn the Carbondale native is closing her LeClarann’s Sew Shop after mending and altering everything from prom dresses to men’s suits and jeans for the past 30 years.

“It’s been pretty interesting,” she said softly earlier this week at her windowless shop in the Centennial Building at 502 Main Street.

Samuelson and her niece, Wendy Glassier, will not be accepting any items after May 15 and will lock their doors on May 29.

“It’s been a wonderful 30 years working for the people of Carbondale … . I’ve seen a lot of people come and go and that’s the sad part, but I’ve made a lot of friends.”

Soon after saying that, a young guy needing buttons sewed on a shirt opened the door, squeezed in and said “I heard you’re closing … the buttons are in the right pocket.”

“Do you want to take your dad’s pants,” Samuelson asked as she stood to greet the young man, who reported he is now working across the street at Bonfire Coffee.

Samuelson, 70, was born in Glenwood Springs and grew up on Missouri Heights. She and her sister, Clara Garner, opened their shop after Clara moved back to Carbondale from Oregon. For 10 years, they operated from a space near what today is Fatbelly Burgers at the east end of Main Street. In those days, they also operated a book exchange there, and the phone book listing still has the shop as “LeClarann’s Sew Shop and Book Exchange.” Customers could trade three books for a new one, or buy them outright. “Once we rented a bunch of books to an outfit that was making a movie in Aspen. That was pretty interesting.” When LeClarann’s moved to its current location, the books did not make the trip.

Through the years, Samuelson and her employees saw a steady stream of customers who brought in items for mending or alterations. There was also an unusual job every now and then, such as the Aspen man who was building his own airplane. He asked Samuelson to sew the

Wendy Glassier (left) and Ann Samuelson (right) will stop accepting items for mending and alterations after May 15 and will close their doors on May 29. If you’re wondering, they use Bernina sewing machines. Photo by Lynn Burton canvas fabric on the airplane wing frames. Years ago, a guy had a photography company, called Long Shots, that used a camera that was 16 feet long. “I made a cover for it.” Recently, she made a cover for a remote controlled drone. “It was interesting to see what it was.”

LeClarann’s started serving the public just a couple of years after Carbondale paved Main Street and west Garfield County was still feeling the effects of the oil shale bust. Carbondale’s population more than tripled and real estate prices more than quadrupled. Samuelson said that

2014 has probably been her best year to date.

When asked who is easier to work with – men or women – Samuelsson smiled, mouthed “men” then laughed. “But I grew up with five brothers, so that could be part of it.”

Samuelson has been fielding other questions of late, such as “What are you going to do?” She reports that her kids built a wood shop at her house with a sewing room, and put in some gardening beds. “I’ll have plenty to do I never had time for … I was always here.”

Makeover in the works at Roaring Fork Valley Co-Op

By Nicolette Toussaint Sopris Sun Contributor Curious about what’s under that new peaked roof that has peeked up above the Co-Op on Highway 133?

The steel roof structure crowns a new entrance that leads into 2,800 square feet of new retail space. The added area increases the interior footprint by about onethird, and it will allow the Co-Op to relieve congestion inside the store while offering a broader range of products and adding an indoor convenience store that sells soft drinks and snacks.

During an average month, 10,000 customers use the Co-Op’s inside facilities, and another 7,000 use its outdoor services.

While the Co-Op is still discussing what products to add, General Manager Allen Robinson said, “We’re looking at adding some things like kitchenware, more lawn and garden supplies and increasing our sporting goods offerings.” The remodel will open up the store, adding light and windows. “It will be much better organized. We will still have an entry on the west side, but it will be a more open store. The appearance on the outside will enable people to see what’s on the inside.”

While most of changes will occur in-

doors, the Co-Op is also working on some outdoor upgrades that will relieve congestion in the parking lot and add services for horse owners, hunters and bicyclists.

Bicyclists will be pleased to hear that the Co-Op may add a bike rack, and that it will continue to be one of the few places in town where they can fill their tires for free.

“You know where the air compressor hose is now?” asked Robinson. “When we’re done, the air compressor will be on the other side, and it won’t be a pay hose.”

The construction, which is being done

by D.M. Neuman Construction of Glenwood Springs, started in January. Robinson commented, “We had originally hoped to start last August, but it took longer than we anticipated to get permits.” Robinson said the delays gave the Co-Op more time for its planning process.

Currently, most of the interior changes — and the dust — are tucked behind plywood sheets that have been erected on the southeast side of the store. Behind them is an expansive, concrete-floored space that was formerly used by a two-bay auto shop. The Co-Op’s new entrance leads into the completely remodeled space. New bathrooms that comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act are located

Construction workers recently turned their attention to a new entrance for the Roaring Fork Valley Co-Op. Upon completion, the remodel will increase the store’s interior footprint by about onethird and allow for a broader range of products. Photo by Jane Bachrach at the back.

The target date for completing the remodeling is October, but the finish date depends on what construction workers find as they open up older, existing parts of the structure. The southern half of the current building is the original store, built in 1974.

The northern half of the store was built in the 1990’s.

Robinson declined to divulge the price

tag for the building’s remodel, saying, “we don’t even know yet” and noted “it’s been 20 years since much has been done.” Some aspects of the two older buildings may fall short of current building codes and could require additional work.

The remodel has been under consideration for a couple of years, and it was initiated by the Co-Op’s board of directors.

The Co-Op’s board is elected by the CoOp’s local members.

“You know, those 10,000 customers that come in every month? They are our owners,” commented Robinson. “We are a cooperative. If customers don’t belong to the Co-Op, they should. We share the profits back with them. The money goes to the community. It doesn’t go to France or to Germany or a big oil company. It stays right here in Carbondale and it supports our community.”

“Most people who shop here or buy gas here don’t know that we are part of a much larger co-op that owns refineries.

Our owners get to share in that as well.

Most of the crude oil we sell is North American oil,” he added.

The Co-Op employs approximately 25 full-time workers who live in the Carbondale area.

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MAY 14-20, 2015 • 3

Town Briefs Recreation center cleaned; vents dusted Sopris Sun Staff Report Carbondale town ofďŹ cials reported that the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center got a spring cleaning and underwent considerable maintenance work last weekend, which explains why the center was closed May 8-10. Among the projects accomplished were a reďŹ nishing of the cardio room oor, deep cleaning of the gym, lobby and kitchen oors as well as the bathrooms, replacement of light bulbs and a thorough dusting of the HVAC vents and piping, according to a weekly memo from the ofďŹ ce of Town Manager Jay Harrington sent to the Board of Trustees.

According to the memo, Aquatic Manager Bill Kirkland held head lifeguard training last week, as preparations continued for the opening of the John Fleet Municipal Pool for the summer. Only ďŹ ve students had signed up as of May 8 for the ďŹ rst lifeguard training session, set to start on Wednesday, with room for ďŹ ve more if they signed up by the deadline on May 11.

The annual Kids’ Bike Rodeo and Bikeathlon was to be held on Monday, May 11, at which kids were invited to learn about safe bicycling practices and practice their biking skills, and to get a bike-safety passport stamped at the six bike-safety stations, among other activities.

This Saturday, May 16, is the occasion of the ďŹ rst-ever North Face Bike Park

Bonedale Bike Jam. Pre-registration is available at the recreation department website (www.carbondalerec.com), and participants can register at the bike park on the day of the event. The entry fee is $10, and parental waivers are needed for competitors under the age of 18, and all participants are to sign similar waivers regardless of age. Helmets are mandatory.

The event will feature pump-track time trials, a jump line competition and a trick jam session, among others.

Town ofďŹ cials were set on Wednesday to appoint one or more members to serve on a Carbondale Weed Management Plan subcommittee, organized by the E-Board and other community members. No further information on the subcommittee was available as of the Sopris Sun's press time on Tuesday.

The town’s Parks and Recreation Commission was scheduled on Wednesday to honor commission member Marty Silverstein for his four and a half years of service on the board, as well as to meet local resident Camy Britt, who had expressed interest in serving on the commission.

Utility workers continued the process of fine-tuning the production of “biosolids,� looking for the most efficient way to haul and apply biosolids to area properties.

And the Water Department expects to

soon begin the process of jetting and camera inspection of sewer lines on the Miners Park section of town. The department has been locating lines, changing out meters and conducting other maintenance work on the lines.

Recent rains and warmer temperatures have increased the ows on South Nettle Creek, where the town gets much of its potable water, which made for hectic moments last week due to rapid changes in water levels. No change in the water quality delivered to the town's water system was detected, however, which town ofďŹ cials took as proof “that our procedures for these seasonal occurrences are working,â€? according to the memo.

Artists have begun working on the removal of artworks installed last year for the Art aRound Town program, and new artworks are to be installed in the ďŹ rst week of June.

The Carbondale Historic Preservation Commission has selected Tatanka Historical Associates, Inc. to conduct the next survey of historic structures around town, a requirement for completion of a grant application to the History Colorado state agency to fund the project.

Charlie Kees has resigned from the town planning and zoning commission after lengthy service, and the open position on the P&Z will be advertised.

Cop Shop From April 30 to May 7, Carbondale officers handled 201 calls for service.

During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note, according to a summary report provided by the police department: FRIDAY, May 1 to SATURDAY, May 2: Starting at 7:35 p.m. on Friday and continuing through 4:20 a.m. on Saturday, police arrested ďŹ ve individuals on charges of drunk driving, one of whom was a juvenile. In addition, two juveniles in one of the vehicles stopped by police were cited on a charge of being a minor in possession of alcohol.

SATURDAY, May 2: At four minutes before midnight, ofďŹ cers responded to the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center, in response to a call about a man urinating in public and being uncooperative with security personnel at a quinciniera celebration. A male was arrested and taken to the GarďŹ eld County Jail.

MONDAY, May 4: At 7:25 a.m. police investigated a case of theft involving a truck parked on Oak Run Road, in which approximately $1,800 worth of back-country skiing equipment was reported stolen. The items included a Black Diamond Avalanche backpack ďŹ lled with gear, a pair of Voile skis and a pair of Crispy ski boots.

COP SHOP page 15

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Students the bees knees in “Flapper” Roaring Fork High School presented “Flapper” (a madcap musical comedy tribute to the 1920s) to enthusiastic audiences on May 8-10. The plot twists included the 18-yearold Polly Pepper inheriting a famous diamond necklace, gangsters intent on stealing it, her aunt getting swindled, a swashbuckling airplane pilot and more. Students started weekly rehearsals in January with extra days added as show time came closer. Top: “Ev’rybody Charleston” from the first act, Polly blowing kisses to her aunt Augusta Grandville (Ellie Tomasso), news girls ripping through the day’s headlines (left to right: Lilly Adams, Maggie Eagleton, Ellie Tomasso and Bella Bailey), and the dastardly Duke and Duchess of Milford (Cal Branigan and Emilyna Johnson) explaining their stocks and bonds scheme. For more pics, please visit The Sopris Sun website at soprissun.com.

Photos by Lynn Burton

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MAY 14-20, 2015 • 5

Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to news@SoprisSun.com.

Rampagers rule Roaring Fork High School students went on a rampage of sorts, with 10 students winning a total of eight awards in Colorado High School Press Association competition in the small school division (up to 849 students). Their work appeared through the year in the school’s monthly Rampage newspaper (which is inserted in this week’s Sopris Sun). And the winners are: • First place, facing pages design: Kayla Derby, James Long, Fiona Laird and Tavia Teitler; • Second place, in-depth news coverage: Tavia Teitler and Fiona Laird; personality profile: Emily Bruell; environmental portrait (photography): Grace Brown; • Third place, sports feature: Roy Benge; lifestyle news feature, Caitlin O’Gorman; editorial cartoon, Justice Bouchet; • Honorable mention, staff editorial: James Long.

Important RFHS dates The 2014-2015 school year at Roaring Fork is either quickly coming to an end, or not coming quickly enough, depending on whom you talk to. In any case, here are some upcoming dates you might want to mark on your old-fashioned wall-mounted calendar, smart phone or other electronic device: • May 18-20, Art Show, at the school, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., closing night 6 to 8 p.m. on May 20 with live music and snacks; • May 18, 7 to 8 p.m., Awards Night at the school;

• May 19, 7 to 8 p.m., Spring Concert at the school; • May 22, seniors last day; • May 26, Baccalaureate; • May 30, 10 a.m. to noon, Graduation at the school.

Save the date Leonaitis memorial gathering

Summer is still a month away but here’s the first Save the Date alert. The second annual Mount Sopris Historical Society and Thompson House Museum hold their second annual Shindig from 5 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 9.

Last year found old-timers, newcomers and folks in between mingling, munching barbecue and enjoying music on the Thompson House lawn, much as Carbondale area residents would have enjoyed during Hattie Thompson’s heydays more than 100 years ago.

The memorial gathering location for Larry Leonaitis has been changed to the Pan & Fork restaurant at River Valley Ranch from 3 to 6 p.m. on May 16. The gathering is no longer a potluck. The original location was the community bread oven at the Third Street Center.

For more information, call 618-1711.

Science Channel features Meier The Science Channel will feature Meier Skis on its “How It’s Made” series at 7 p.m. on May 14, according to a press release. Meier, located between Carbondale and Glenwood on Highway 82, handcrafts skis made of Colorado aspen and pine beetle kill wood. “We are extremely proud to be part of the ‘How It’s Made” series as the only handcrafted ski ever featured,” said Meier Skis co-owner Ted Eynon. “We pride ourselves in handcrafting each and every ski to the highest level of workmanship using the finest quality materials available, resulting in a bomber ski that makes for a fun and poppy ride,” said founder and co-owner Matt Ducmore. The Science Channel reaches 75.5 million U.S. homes, and is also broadcast in the U.K., Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, India, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Turkey and other countries.

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Potvin will participate, with a fundraising goal of $2,800. Funds raised will support CCL’s grassroots efforts to pass federal carbon fee and dividend legislation. To learn more, e-mail ccl.rfv@gmail.com.

Early Deadline for

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This just in

Chris Ford is the winner of the Mountain Fair poster design contest for this piece of original art. The artwork will be tweaked a bit to create the poster; this year’s Mountain Fair theme is “Eyes of the World.”

Check out other design contest entries at the Carbondale Branch Library

CCL volunteers go hiking This summer, 30 Citizens Climate Lobby volunteers from around the country will meet for five days and 50 miles of hiking in Glacier National Park. Local chapter leader Amelia

Ironbridge Director of Golf Doug Rohrbaugh will play in the 76th Senior PGA Championship in French Lick, Indiana on May 21-24. Rohrbaugh, a long-time Roaring Fork Valley resident, earned his berth following a strong performance in the Greater Gwinnett Championship in April. The tournament will be televised on the Golf Channel and NBC.

They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating their birthday this week include: Doc Philip and Steve Standiford (May 14); Greg Masse (May 15); Cynthia Butterfield and Fred Pulver (May 16); Terrie Geddes (May 17); Peter Frey (May 19) and Jenny Garcia (May 20).

Ladies Fly Fishing Clinic Learn the basic skills of Fly Fishing!

A Fund Raiser for Casting for Recovery

Beginners to Intermediate

Is Eating an Ethical Act?

Saturday, May 23 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

with Rev. Stephan Papa

Dallenbach Ranch in Basalt

Join us Sunday, May 17, 2015 – 10:00 a.m.

Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist (TRUU) @ Third Street Center

www.tworiversuu.org Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist

Reverend Stephan Papa Inspirational, Contemporary Music by Jimmy Byrne Heather Rydell, Youth Program Minister Childcare Provided

6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MAY 14-20, 2015

Photo by Marlene Collins $100 Minimum Donation (tax deductible) All proceeds benefit Casting for Recovery and to establish a Western Slop Retreat in Western Colorado 501C3 educational non profit to benefit women survivors

To join us Contact: Paula Fothergill 970-379-2102 or 970-230-9300 or Scott @ Taylor Creek Fly Shop 303-884-4305

Another Dandy Day Gray skies and the threat of rain didn’t dampen the turnout at Saturday’s 17th annual Dandelion Day. In fact, after the Parade of the Species at 10 a.m., Sopris Park started to fill up and kept filling up, until long-timers said it looked like Mountain Fair from 30 years ago. Part of the Mountain Fair vibe came from the fact that this year’s park action, which is now billed as a sustainability fair, attracted a record 69 vendor booths, some from as far away as Boulder and Durango. Local booths and vendors included: Osage Gardens, the Roaring Fork Food Policy Council, Merrill’s Family Farm and Roaring Fork High School. The ducklings and chicks from Sustainable Settings (center left) were a hit with kids.

Below, town trustee Katrina Byars (left) presents Thompson Divide Coalition Outreach Coordinator Lindsay Gurley with the Order of the Dandelion award.

Photos and text by Jane Bachrach

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MAY 14-20, 2015 • 7

Fire district weighing impact of increased property values

By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent Property values jumped this year by an average of 25 percent within the boundaries of the sprawling, 320square mile Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District, according to Garfield County Assessor Jim Yellico, but it is not clear whether the resulting rise in fire district revenues will be enough to avoid a tax-hike ballot question in November.

Yellico, who issued notices of assessed valuation more than a week ago, stressed that the new propertyvalue numbers must be viewed as an average, meaning some property values rose more and some less than that average.

Plus, Yellico emphasized, the numbers at this point are preliminary, subject to change due to a variety of factors over the coming months — factors that will include challenges to the assessed values assigned to particular residential or commercial properties, and the possibility that errors in the assessor’s data could result in revisions before the final numbers are known in late summer.

According to the chairman of the fire district’s board of directors, even considering the recent increase in property values, and the resulting boost to the fire district’s annual income, that may not be enough to prevent a third ballot question in five years to persuade fire district voters to approve a tax hike meant to increase the district’s revenues.

Gene Schilling, in a telephone interview this week, noted that the district lost approximately 40 percent of its annual revenues due to the slump in property values — the district’s main source of funds — over the course of the last half-dozen years or so.

Schilling reasoned that a rise of 25 percent or so in district property values would result in a recovery of roughly the same percentage in tax receipts for the district’s coffers, which he estimated could amount to $450,000 or so.

“I don’t think that will get us back to even,” he said.

The district budget stood at about $3 million prior to the drop in property values, Schilling said, adding that the budget subsequently shrank to its current level of about $1.8 million, representing a loss of approximately $1.2 million.

Assuming the newly increased property values would mean an injection of about $450,000, Schilling said, “We’re still about $800,000 shy” of regaining the totality of lost revenues.

Over the last few years, Schilling said, the district has nearly depleted its reserve account — money the district had saved to deal with emergency needs — in order to maintain its levels of service in both fire-fighting capabilities as well as its expensive, paramedic-level ambulance service.

District officials have said the level of budgetary reserves is deemed to be too low to provide enough to maintain services at their pre-recession level.

Personally, Schilling continued, he feels the district needs to boost its revenues, meaning “we would probably want to look at some sort of tax question in November,” though he conceded that is up to the board of directors.

Schilling said the board is awaiting completion of a new master plan for the district, which is being put together by a team of consultants and a steering committee, that are analyzing the district’s operational financial needs as well as holding community meetings to gauge voter sentiment about precisely what kind of emergency fire and medical service is supportable or desired by the district’s constituents.

Local consultant Mark Chain, who is one of those working on the master planning process, said on Tuesday that a survey of district voters is expected to be conducted later this month to determine what level of service the people want from their fire department.

Real estate rebounding aer Great Recession

By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent Property values in Carbondale rose dramatically this year, on average 23 percent, according to Garfield County Assessor Jim Yellico, a development that is taken as yet another sign that Colorado and the Roaring Fork Valley are pulling out of the economic slump caused by the recent Great Recession of 2008-2010.

Yellico was careful to stress in a recent interview that the valuation numbers are preliminary and may change due to several factors in the coming months.

These factors can be a result of protests filed by property owners, which would trigger an examination of the rationale for the change in value of the affected property as indicated on the notice, or as a result of errors discovered in the calculations made by the assessor’s office.

The assessor’s office recently sent notices of assessed valuation to property owners in Garfield County, for property classified as residential, commercial or vacant land.

Yellico noted that, although the average increase in value is approximately 23 percent for Carbondale properties, some notices may reflect changes that are either well above that figure or below it.

Yellico declined to give out the actual dollar value of the current assessment cycle, referring a reporter to the assessor’s office website for the most recent dollar value of property in Carbondale.

According to the assessor’s office website, which is linked to the Garfield County website (www.garfieldcounty.com), the 2014 abstract of property values within the county recorded Carbondale’s total valuation as $100,797,120, a figure that determines how much a government or taxing district can take in depending on its tax rate.

The 2014 valuation was down considerably from the VALUATIONS page 15

FIRE DISTRICT page 15

Town considers whether smart meters are a dumb idea

By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent

Lisa Speaker and Tris (one of her twins) attended the Mother’s Day tea at Mount Sopris Montessori Preschool on May 8. Students made gifts for their moms, and teachers presented them before the children headed outside to play. A table full of desserts was enjoyed by moms and preschoolers alike. Photo by Jane Bachrach

Carbondale may soon join a growing contingent of cities and towns resisting the installation of so-called “smart meters” by utility companies, out of concern that the new-fangled meters might pose health hazards, privacy violations and other problems for residents.

For their part, according to a wealth of online reports, utilities are hoping to modernize their distribution of and billing for electricity and natural gas supplies, by creating a metering system that more closely monitors energy use in homes and businesses.

The issue arose at Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting, when local naturopathic doctor Jody Powell urged the trustees to consider passing a moratorium on the installations.

She said the new metering system revolves around meters installed on the outside of homes and businesses that sends out energy-use information via radio waves, which she said are suspected of posing risks for cancer and behavioral problems for residents of homes where the meters have been installed.

She also said the meters are suspected of causing house fires in some instances, where the meters are said to have caught fire that went undetected by smoke detectors installed inside the homes in question.

Powell referred the trustees to a website, www.bioinitiative.org, for more information about the hazards that electromagnetic radiation can pose to human health.

“A lot of local governments have passed ordinances, passed moratoriums against this,” she told the trustees, speaking during the meeting-time allotted to “persons

8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MAY 14-20, 2015

present not on the agenda.”

Powell’s testimony was backed up by Gary Duncan, director of the Smart Shelter Network, based in Oklahoma but with an office in southern Colorado, that also is opposed to the smart-meter movement.

“My personal recommendation is that you put a stop to these meters being installed right now,” he told the trustees. “It’s being railroaded” by the utility industry.

And while the trustees did not immediately climb onto the anti-smart-meter bandwagon, they did call for more information.

The trustees also went along with an invitation to Holy Cross Energy, the utility that serves about a third of the town and either plans to start installing the meters soon or has already begun, to come to the next trustee meeting to discuss the issue.

Mayor Stacey Bernot, following Powell’s remarks, said that as far as she knows Holy Cross is the only locallyserving utility that is planning to install smart meters, and that the utility has offered an “opt-out” provision for property owners.

“Having the ability to opt out is good,” Bernot commented, though she added that she was not sure how involved the town government should or could be in limiting the use of the devices.

Town Manager Jay Harrington reported that officials had heard that any such installations would come “much later in Carbondale,” but added, “that schedule has changed.”

He said that he has heard that some locals already have taken the opt-out alternative, and reported that Holy TOWN COUNCIL page 15

2015

Celebrating Moms Cynthia Thompson and Jayden

Thea DeRudder and Gwendolen

Photos by Mark Burrows, rfvphoto.com See more online at www.soprissun.com

Tami Suby and Teddy

Kelly LeMere and Selah Gorman

Katie Dehler and Noah

Andrea Harris and Olive Rose

A special thank you to Mark Burrows for taking all of the wonderful photos and to all the moms and babies who grace the pages of our special issue.

We are honored to share their special moments with you.

Suzanne Stephens and Harbour Grace

Tessa Maize and Lily

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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MAY 14-20, 2015 • 9

Community Calendar THURS.-SAT. May 14-16 BONEDALE BIKE WEEK • The eighth annual Bonedale Bike Week continues on May 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. with a digital scavenger hunt at Aloha Mountain Cyclery. Helmets are required; costumes are strongly recommended. From 5 to 9 p.m. on May 15, the Finish Line Grande Finale Extravaganza Super Fun Celebration takes place at Roaring Fork Brewery. On May 16, the Bonedale Bike Jam takes over the North Face Bike Park with a free ride contest open to everyone from striders to pros. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. with events starting at 10:30 a.m. The entry fee is $10. Preregister at carbondalerec.com. Info: 510-1290. There will also be a trail work day on Red Hill.

THURSDAY May 14 OPERA • Opera Colorado performs “Romeo and Julietteâ€? at the Third Street Center starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 for CCAH members, $22 for non-members and $10 for youth.

Patron tickets are $125. To reserve a ticket, go to carbondalearts.com or call 963-1680.

FUND-RAISER • Davi Nikent hosts a special gong meditation fund-raiser for Mary Margaret O’Gara at the Third Street Center starting at 7 pm. The night will be “a concert with planetary gongs, crystal and Tibetan singing bowls and harmonium. These are instruments that align with sound frequencies of earth and sky. The sounds and vibrations alter space and time, interrupt our internal dialog and heal our energy bodies,â€? said a press release. Barry Chapman, Karen Connington and Elizabeth Ward will head the session. The

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.

suggested donation is $20. Bring a mat and pillow. Info: info@davinikent.org.

MEZCIA SOCIAL • Practice sessions for salsa, bachata, meringue, cumbia and more are offered at the Launchpad on Fourth Street Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. The suggested donation is $2. Info: Claudia at 963-8425.

CR106 TOUR • The GarďŹ eld County commissioners hold a public meeting at Colorado Rocky Mountain School at 9 a.m. to observe and discuss County Road 106 as it passes through the school campus. Discussion will continue at the county commissioners meeting in Glenwood Springs at 1 p.m. on May 18. Info: 945-8212.

RFOV • Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers conducts trail work at Wulfsohn Open Space starting at 7 p.m.

HEART TALK • Aspen Valley Hospital starts its Heart Smart lecture series at noon with Dr. David Borchers and a discussion about hypertension and stress. On May 21, Dr. Gordon Gerson will talk about exercise and the myths associated with extreme exercise and health. Info: 544-1389.

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

FRIDAY May 15 MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Ex Machinaâ€? (R) at 7:30 p.m. May 15-21 and “While We’re Youngâ€? (R) at 5:15 p.m.

May 16-17.

LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars in the old part of the Dinkel Building presents members of

Let Them Roar, Shawn O’Neil, Matt Johnson and others at 8:30 p.m. Don’t tell anyone, but it’s Steve Standiford’s 65th birthday.

Info: 963-3304.

WOLF FILM • The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Roaring Fork Group presents the award winning wolf documentary “OR7, The Journeyâ€? at the Third Street Center at 7 p.m. Director Clemens Schenk will be on hand for a Q&A session after the ďŹ lm. Doors open at 6 p.m. for refreshments and social time. Admission is free; donations will be appreciated.

ECSTATIC DANCE • The Dance Liberation Project holds a community ecstatic dance from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Launchpad on Fourth Street. The event is open to those from all walks of life and dance experience is not necessary. Sounds and rhythms will be provided by Alejandra Rico and David Starbear.

A $9 donation is suggested. Info: kiryndelaluna@gmail.com.

SKATEBOARDING • Carbondale Recreation Department skateboard lessons with Chris Johnson continue at the Carbondale Skate Park on on May 15, 22 and 29. The lessons are for beginners (4:30 to 5:30 p.m.) and intermediates (5:30 to 6:30 p.m.) from 5-12 years old. The fee is $60. Info: 510-1290 or carbondalerec.com.

SAT.-SUN May 16-17 CRMS PLANT SALE • The Colorado Rocky Mountain School plant sale returns from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 16 and 1 to 3 p.m. on May 17. All garden starts are organ-

ically grown and are well suited to the Roaring Fork Valley climate. Bring your own box.

Info: crms.org/plantsale.

SATURDAY May 16 LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars presents Ashley Raines and the New West Review at 8:30 p.m. Raines, who has toured with Cracker, plays authentic Americana music on a Weissenborn hollow neck lap steel guitar like Ben Harper’s. His vocals are sometimes compared to Tom Waits. Info: 963-3304.

SOLAR ROLLERS • The Solar Rollar Trophy race takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Roaring Fork High School. A total of 12 teams from GarďŹ eld, Pitkin, Summit and Eagle counties will race their remoted-controlled solar power vehicles in several races and the public is invited to cheer their faves. There will also be booths from the Aspen Science Center, SunPopwer/Sunsense Solar, Solar Energy International and the Rie Remote Control Park.

GOLF TOURNEY • The Sons of the American Legion holds its 20th annual scholarship golf tournament at River Valley Ranch. The shotgun start is at 9 a.m.; four players per team; $100 per player; best ball and closest to pin for men and women. A barbecue and awards ceremony follows at American Legion Post 100 on at 97 N. Third St. Sign up at the American Legion. Info: 963-2381.

PRINCE CREEK CLEAN UP • The Prince Creek cleanup takes place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Meet at McIntyre’s red barn (1625 Prince Creek Road) and bring gloves and

Purge Your Spurge Get rid of this highly invasive noxious weed and get FREE landscape plants!

THE REWARD IS: A $20 Mountain Valley Greenhouse voucher for each garbage/trash bag of pulled spurge.

Now – June 5, 2015 How: Pull and bag your spurge. Contact a sponsor, see list below. They’ll come to you and verify it’s spurge (Myrtle or Cypress), and give you a voucher for Mountain Valley Greenhouse.

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Collect the plants in plastic bags. Dispose of bagged spurge in your trash. DO NOT COMPOST!

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10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MAY 14-20, 2015

Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Carbondale Community Food Co-op Carbondale Recreation Department Dancing Colours Downhill Boardshop ECOS EverGreen Events Indoor Garden & Brew Supply Mindful Life Program The Orchard PeppinoÂ’s Ragged Mountain Sports Roaring Fork Leadership RFTA Sopris Liquor and Wine

CALENDAR page 11

Community Calendar shovel or rake. The BLM will provide trash bags and soft drinks. Info: the Turnbulls at 963-2888 or BLM at 876-9000.

MS WALK • The Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the MS Society holds its annual fundraising walk in Glenwood Canyon, starting at the No Name rest stop. There is also a 5K run option. Info: 1-800-FIGHT MS.

SUNDAY May 17 FAMILY MINDFULNESS • Inward Bound Colorado holds a family mindfulness event from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Sopris Park. Activitiues include yoga, dance, a labyrinth walk, art projects and more. The cost is $40 per family. To register, call 970-765-6057. Info: inwardboundcolorado.weebly.com. Proceeds will go to Inward Bound Colorado summer camp scholarships.

ASPEN SCIENCE CENTER • Explore molecular gastronomy and mixology with the Aspen Science Center from 4 to 7 p.m. upstairs at Jimmy’s restaurant (205 S. Mill St.).

Local personalities and their teams of chefs, high school culinary students cocktail experts will be creating delicious dishes and drinks.

Tickets are $20 at the door; it’s a fund-raiser for ASC and Aspen High School’s ProStart team. Info: aspensciencecenter.org or jfrancis@aspensciencecenter.org.

MONDAY May 18 PLANT-BASED FOOD • Folks interested in Dr. Greg Feinsinger’s 28-day plant-based meal program meet up at the Third Street Center Board Room at 7 p.m. Info: 303-3059664 or ardishoffman@gmail.com.

continued from page 10

FIRE PLAN MEETINGS • The Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District continues its series of input meetings to help it draft a master plan at 7 p.m. at Aspen Equestrian Estates on and concludes the series at the Carbondale fire station at 7 p.m. on May 19.

PATHFINDERS • The Carbondale group of the Pathfinders grief and loss support group meets at Core Healing Arts (1101 Village Road) the first and third Monday of the month. Info: 319-6854.

KDNK BOARD MEETS • The KDNK Board of Directors meets at the radio station’s offices (76 S. Second St.) at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and an agenda is posted at KDNK. Info: 963-0139.

TUESDAY May 19 BLOOD DRIVE • Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs holds its monthly blood drives from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month. Info: 384-6657.

WEDNESDAY May 20 CULTURE CLUB • The Carbondale Culture Club presents Trina Ortega and other writers and poets at the Third Street Center at noon. On May 27, John Norton presents “Sound Healing Therapy.”

ROTARY • The Rotary Club of Carbondale holds a club assembly at the Carbondale Fire Station at 6:50 a.m. Coming up May 27: Peter Wallison, author of “Hidden in Plain Sight” and former White House counsel; on June 3, Carbondale Mayor Stacey Bernot.

Info: rotarycarbondale.org.

Save the Date SATURDAY June 20

SATURDAY June 27

ROTARY HAPPENING • The theme of this year’s Rotary Club of Carbondale Happening is “Viva Mexico.” The night will be filled with a celebration of music, culture and cuisine from Mexico. There’ll also be a silent auction.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and tickets are $125.

To snap one up, e-mail Steve Skinner at steve@kdnk.org or call him at 963-0139. It all takes place at the Orchard (110 Snowmass Drive). Info: carbondalerotary.com.

CAJUN CLAY NIGHT • Music will be supplied by Electric Lemon, gumbo by Andreas Fischbacher and bowls by Carbondale Clay Center students and teachers at Cajun Clay night starting at 6 p.m. There’ll also be a silent auction, libations, crazy costume contest, kids fair and the CCC’s famous gator cake. Info: carbondaleclay.org.

Further Out THURSDAY May 21

SUNDAY May 24

CHIEFS CHAT • Carbondale Police Chief Gene Schilling and Fire Chief Ron Leach meet the public over cups of coffee at the Village Smithy the third Thursday of the month. Get there from 8 to 9 a.m.

OPEN HOUSE • The Community Preschool in Woody Creek (formerly the Early Childhood Center) hosts an art party and open house from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Woody Creek Community Center. The preschool serves kids from toddler through pre-kindergarten.

BIRD COUNT • The Audubon Society’s Spring Bird Count from El Jebel to Glenwood Springs takes place. This is for residents with a bird feeder or active nest who are willing to let someone come count the various species who visit. To register your home, e-mail Mary at smnharris@gmail.com.

FRIDAY May 22 LIVE MUSIC • The Beatles tribute band Doctor Robert kicks of the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s Music on the Mountain series at 6 p.m. Starting at 4 p.m., tram rides are free in exchange for a canned food donation for LIFT-UP.

WEDNESDAY May 27 BASALT LIBRARY • Aspen Words presents young-adult author Jandy Nelson for a talk and book signing from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Basalt Regional Library. Her book “I’ll Give You the Sun” won the 2015 Printz Award for Excellence in youth adult literature. Aspen Words will be giving away copies of the book as part of its Catch & Release program. Come early, as books are limited.

Info: 925-3122 ext. 5 or Aspenwords.org.

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MAY 14-20, 2015 • 11

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

Ingram earns ELD Teacher of the Year award Sopris Sun Staff Report Basalt High School teacher Leticia Ingram has been awarded the English Language Development teacher of the year for the 2014-2015 school year by the Colorado Department of Education’s Office of English Language Development, according to a press release.

She was honored at the Language Culture and Equality Academy awards dinner on April 30 at the Marriott Hotel in Golden. Basalt High School Principal David Schmid introduced her at the awards dinner.

The Colorado Department of Education and The BUENO Center at CU Boulder annually cosponsor the Language, Culture and Equity (LCE) Academy. All 178 Colorado School districts are invited to send two coordinators, directors or ELD/Bilingual Specialists to the Academy. Each year the Academy honors a director and an ELD Teacher of the year.

Leticia Ingram (left) accepts the English Language Development teacher of the year award from Basalt High School Principal David Schmid (right).

Courtesy photo

“Leticia just wowed the audience, which represented about 80 school districts in Colorado, by sharing who is her inspiration — her students!” said Schmid. “Her speech was so moving and profoundly demonstrated that an ELD teacher does much more than teach English. An ELD teacher’s work is about relationships with students and families.”

Said Ingram, “I believe an ELD teacher’s work is about equity, holding high expectations and believing students can achieve more than what we can imagine despite the hardships and challenges that they may face. An ELD teacher’s work is about culture, and it is about valuing and incorporating students’ experiences, strengths and cultures into the classroom to make learning relevant and meaningful. It is also about reciprocity. Our students teach us. When we intentionally learn from our students everyone benefits.”

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12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MAY 14-20, 2015

+

Community Briefs CMC budget hearing slated The Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees holds its ďŹ rst public hearing on the FY 2015-2016 budget in Edwards at 2:15 p.m. on May 15. The ďŹ nal hearing is slated for June 18 at the Spring Valley Campus.

KDNK getting exterior facelift KDNK community radio in downtown Carbondale is getting ready for a makeover and will host a volunteer “Demolition Dayâ€? starting at 8:30 a.m. on May 17. Planted Earth landscape designer “Gigiâ€? Villamizar will be on hand to direct volunteers as they pull weeds, clear and level the grounds, remove junk and do her “bidding,â€? according to a press release. “I am excited to design a welcoming, usable space demonstrating KDNK’s long term community presence,â€? said Villamizar, who recently won an award from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers for Genny’s garden in Carbondale. “The award was for how the landscaping cultivates community and reects the true spirit of the space and reects our western roots,â€? she said. After the work day, professional crews will install infrastructure for an irrigation system. The volunteer work day will kick off with breakfast snacks and conclude in early afternoon, at which time lunch (and possibly beer) will be offered. Volunteers are asked to bring tools such as shovels, rakes and pickaxes. “We are also looking for a vehicle with a winch that can pull out some stubborn shrubs,â€? said station director Steve Skinner.

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

“This is a beautiful design from Gigi. It all ties together beautifully and the area out back will be reminiscent of a really cool campground.

We are thrilled,� Skinner added. To RSVP, call 963-0139 or e-mail steve@kdnk.org.

Softball registration under way The registration deadline for the Carbondale Recreation Department’s men’s softball is May 15, according to a press release. The season will begin the ďŹ rst week in June and run through September. The league is for players 18 and older; games are Tuesdays from 6 to 10 p.m. Registration is $750 per team. For details, call 510-1290.

Recent library titles Here are some recent titles now available at the Carbondale Branch Library: • “Funny Girlâ€? by Nick Hornby; • “The Siege Winterâ€? by Ariana Franklin; • “Crash & Burn,â€? by Lisa Gardner; • “A Necessary End,â€? by J. M. Gregson; • “Phantom Angel,â€? by David Handler; • “The Nightingale,â€? by Kristin Hannah; • “Smoke Jensen the Beginning,â€?

by William W. Johnstone; • “Motive,â€? by Jonathan Kellerman.

Ruedi tour returns Roaring Fork Conservancy offers a tour of Ruedi Reservoir as it relates to the Roaring Fork watershed from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on May 20. Mark Fuller, from the Ruedi Water and Power Authority, will lead the tour and explain trans-basin water diversions and how

Basalt Mayor Jacque Whitsitt (with big scissors) snips the ribbon at Rock Canyon Coffee’s new roastery in the Mid-Valley Business Center as owners Craig Fulmer and Heidi Johnson (left) look on last Friday. The Carbondale couple started Rock Canyon three years ago in their garage. Today, they roast coffee beans for 20 businesses from Palisade and Paonia to Aspen, including Boomerang Coffee in Carbondale. Photo by Lynn Burton Ruedi Reservoir works. Meet at Basalt Town Hall and carpool to Ruedi. Dress appropriately. Participation is limited. The tour is free for RFC members; $10 for non-members. To register, go to roaringfork.org/events. For details, call 927-1290.

Emergency 911 calls Here are the emergency 911 calls for the

week of May 3-9, as provided by the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District. • Medical emergencies (5); • Trauma emergencies (4); • Motor Vehicle Accident (1); • Citizen assist (1); • Smoke check response (1); • Carbon Monoxide response (1); • Standby request (1).

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Saturday May 16th Container Planting Workshop Bring in a pot or choose from the hundreds of beautiful containers available at Eagle Crest. Members of our staff will be on hand to guide you in building a unique and creative container garden.

We’ll provide the soil and know-how and just charge you for plant materials and/or container used.

Thursday May 21st -BEJFT /JHIU t QN

STORE HOURS

Monday-Saturday 8AM-6PM Sundays 10AM-5PM

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165 Southside Drive | Basalt

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 Rec. Needs and visit Holistic Health Care for your Medical needs!

970-963-1173

H Help elp you yourself, rself, help you yourr town, town, help you yourr neighbor neighbor

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

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right here; and you help your neighbor because most of Carbondale’s store and businesses are locally owned.

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MAY 14-20, 2015 • 13

Marble Distilling poised to boost east Main Street Already hosting guests

By John Colson Sopris Sun Correspondent A bit overdue, but eagerly anticipated by local lovers of a good drink, the pending opening of the Marble Distillery Company will create a new kind of anchor business at the east end of Main Street in Carbondale.

“I think it’s a really good bookend,” said Carbondale Chamber of Commerce director Andrea Stewart on Monday, regarding the opening of the distillery at 150 East Main St. “I think it will bring a lot of people down there.”

Conceding that a shortage of business activity has long stunted the eastern end of Main Street, Stewart noted that existing businesses such as the Carbondale Clay Center, the Travel Bees travel agency and Harmony Scott Jewelry, all located in the 100 block of East Main, have managed to hold their own.

With the distillery bringing new life to the block, she said, “All of those businesses will really benefit.”

While the distillery is not yet fully open for business, one of the owners said this week that already there have been guests in the hotel rooms, and that the tasting room could be open to the public as early as the end of this week, although the Grand Opening is scheduled for the First Friday celebration of next month, June 5.

“We have a big bash planned,” said part-owner Connie Baker, explaining that the Grand Opening plans call for Main Street to be closed and for live music, samples of the distillery’s signature beverages and other activities.

Starting out slowly, the distillery is expected to produce 1,200 cases of bottled vodka in its first year of business, along with perhaps 500 cases of specialty liqueurs, which at this point are limited to a Gingercello (vodka infused with ginger and lemon zest) and Moonlight Expresso, made with Guatemalan coffee supplied by the Bonfire coffee shop on Main Street. The products initially will be distributed through the facility’s tasting room as well as area restaurants and liquor stores, but ultimately the plan is to expand the market for their products throughout Colorado and further.

Baker noted that the goal is to branch out from simply making vodka, adding such whisky varieties as bourbon and a “single malt” similar to Scotch, and perhaps special “botanical” types of gin using equipment already on hand.

The intent also is to keep the products original and unique.

“Small local distilleries are coming up with products that are really beating out the major companies,” Baker said.

“They’re more innovative because they have the flexibility [to] be a little more creative” than bigger brands such as Grey Goose, Tanqueray or Jim Beam.

Long time brewing Baker, who has lived in the area since 1992, launched a pharmaceutical marketing company with offices in Carbondale and New York City. She ran the company until she and her brother in law, Rob DiPangrazio, attended a boutique-distillery course in Washington state and returned to Carbondale in 2011, determined to put their new-found skills to work.

The two-story Marble Distilling building, which complies with Carbondale’s Green Building Code, has been under construction since the middle of last year, and was originally projected to open last December, until complications of one sort or another delayed things.

The current staff comprises Baker and her husband, Carey Shanks, DiPangrazio and his wife, Dorian, and a few friends.

Ultimately, she said, she expects to hire three employees — a housekeeper for the hotel, a bartender for the tasting room, and a bar manager.

The facility boasts an eco-friendly distilling system as well as the determined use of recycled materials in the building and a water management system that recycles the water used in the distilling process through two, 5,000-gallon heat-exchange tanks that will provide both heating and cooling to the building as a whole.

Highlighted among the recycled materials used in the proj-

Marble Distilling features five guest rooms, a tasting room, the Barrel Club and facilities to produce vodka on site. A Grand Opening is slated for June 5 during First Friday. Lynn Burton photo

“Small local distilleries are coming up with products that are really beating out the major companies.”

Connie Baker Co-owner ect are the many types and sizes of Yule Marble that greet visitors throughout the building, including the use of crushed marble to filter the water used in the final finishing process of the vodka, and gleaming slabs fashioned into countertops, low tables and the large bar in the ground-floor tasting room.

“I think it looks like Aspen trees,” said Baker, pointing to the marble pieces that front the lower part of the bar and, indeed, have linear markings vaguely reminiscent of a grove of Aspens.

The marble, she continued, comes from a historic quarry in the village of Marble, located about 30 miles up the Crystal River valley from Carbondale, which also happens to be where Baker and her partner/husband now live.

The marble, which is different from the brilliant white marble that the quarry typically produces for sale, was sitting unused on a lot in Marble until being claimed for the distillery. Baker said the marble was cut and finished by Roberts Stone in Grand Junction, an example of the use of local materials and Colorado-based craftspeople.

Other examples of the recycling of building materials, Baker said, are visible in the brick wall behind the bar in the ground-floor tasting room, which came from a small building Baker calls “the stable” that occupied the lot prior to construction of the distillery.

Plus, she said, a nearby, very old shed was scooped up by one of the principals of Environmental Process Control, the Carbondale-based company managed by Scott Leslie of Silt, which built the distillery’s water filtration system.

The ancient shed was taken to the Leslie ranch property in Silt and turned into a small guest building, Baker said.

“Now, that’s recycling,” she added with a grin.

Also on the ground floor is a warm-looking room with glassed in shelving nooks to one side, known as the Barrel

14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • MAY 14-20, 2015

Club. A limited number of patrons will be able to buy and store a three-gallon barrel of the distillery’s whisky (one of several beverages planned as part of the establishment’s output) in the shelving arrangement and come in to taste it periodically during the two-year maturation period.

Rounding out the ground floor are the distilling rooms themselves, where Baker predicted the initial batch of vodka would be placed this week for its final, finishing rounds in the facility’s Vendome copper pot-still. Made in Kentucky, the still bears a plaque on the front that states it is number 1,453,410 of the stills manufactured by the company, which Baker said attests to the popularity of American-made alcohol products and equipment.

Rooms with views The establishment’s five lodging rooms are all are oriented to the back, or south side of the building — one on the ground floor that is ADA compliant, and four upstairs with private balconies that boast differing views of the iconic massif of Mt. Sopris.

The rooms, appointed in a modern style with large bathrooms, king beds (two have pullout sofa beds) and a wet bar, are being offered at off-season prices of $179 to $199 now, with a locals’ discount of 15 percent through June.

Once the summer starts in earnest, DiPangrazio said, the rooms will go for $219 to $239.

In order to avoid clashing with Carbondale’s busy restaurant scene, Baker said the hotel will offer a limited amount of food, mainly “small bites” from the Silo restaurant on Dolores Way. “We want to promote all that Carbondale has to offer, not compete with it,” she explained.

Already, there have been guests in the hotel rooms, ranging from visitors from the Front Range who heard about the establishment through the Marble Distillery website or through the Carbondale chamber website, to Aspen residents on a downvalley excursion to Steve’s Guitars to hear some live music.

“They didn’t want to drive home so they asked if they could get a room for the night,” Baker recalled, adding with a grin, “a room here is cheaper than a DUI.” She expressed the hope that the rooms will be in highest demand during the summer months, both for “staycations” by locals and as a lodging alternative for those traveling to the valley from elsewhere.

Fire district om page 8

Valuations om page 8

Chain also said the consultants are working toward completion of the master plan in late July, which would give the ďŹ re board time to decide whether to go for another tax election this year.

District voters in 2011 approved a two-year “mill levy override� that raised district revenues by approximately $775,000 annually. But due to a “sunset clause,� that override expired in 2013.

When the district asked voters in 2013 to approve an open-ended tax-rate hike to make up for the lost tax revenues of the previous few years, the electorate turned the district down.

At the time, observers contended that the lack of a sunset clause — a legal mechanism that puts a time limit on the tax increase — was the reason the ballot question was defeated in 2013.

Voters were concerned, according to some, that property values would rebound over time, and that the district could not be counted on to scale back its tax rate in response to the rising property values.

Schilling, speaking for himself and not the board as a whole, mentioned that he would not be opposed to having a sunset clause as part of a ballot question in November, if that is how the ďŹ re board wants to proceed.

   Town Council

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Cross has indicated it is willing to send a representative to the next trustee meeting to talk about the matter.  Other trustee actions on Tuesday included: • Approval of the ďŹ nal round of documents needed for the start of initial construction of the Thompson Park residential development project along Highway 133. • Approval of changes to Carbondale’s cannabis regulations, extending a cap on local cannabis businesses to 2017 and modifying the rules about licensing procedures, personal possession, cultivation, processing and storing of commercial cannabis supplies  • A liquor license renewal for the Beijin-Tokyo restaurant, and a liquor license transfer from the defunct Taste Gar den restaurant to a new business in the same location, Ming’s Cafe, operated by Michael Zhang. • The hiring of Frontier Paving to perform street repairs in the Barber Drive section of town at a cost of $237,477.

Unclassifieds

town’s assessed valuation of $175,778,170 in 2009. That year’s numbers, due to the state-mandated, two-year cycle of assessments, reected property values from two years earlier, just before the beginning of the Great Recession.

For the town government, however, the increase in property values will have only a minor impact in terms of affecting the town’s budget or providing relief from the town’s chronic budgetary constraints. “It’s not a windfall for us, but it’s a help,â€? said Town Manager Jay Harrington about the rise in property values. “Everything is, with our ďŹ nancial challenges.â€?

He commented, however, that the valuation increase will help special districts in the area, such as schools and ďŹ re districts (see related story).

This year, Carbondale’s budget was approximately $6.3 million in the general fund, which accounts for most town operations, and about $15 million overall when all funds are taken into account.

The town’s revenues come mostly from sales taxes, with property tax collections making up 3.2 percent of the town’s overall annual income (in 2014), according to Finance Director Renae Gustine.

According to budget documents available for review on the town’s website (www.carbondalegov.org), the town has a total mill levy of 3.594 mills (a “mill� is equivalent in value to one-tenth of one cent, as applied to the assessed value of a home of other property).

Carbondale’s mill levy, according to the town’s website constitutes “approximately 6 percent of the average citizen’s property tax bill.�

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 A GROWING BUSINESS concern with  interest in insurance products, is recruiting to ďŹ ll the position of: Customer Service / Field Assistant. Interested candidate  should possess related discipline. Please email your resume to laurenfrost001@outlook.com.

HELP WANTED. The Town of Carbondale is accepting applications for Administrative Technician (Building & Planning). Applications for employment and job descriptions can be downloaded at carbondalegov.org, picked up

at Town Hall, 511 Colorado Ave., Carbondale or call 970-963-2733. The Town of Carbondale is an equal opportunity employer. Salary range is $17.84-$25.91. Closing date 5/26/15.

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MONDAY, May 4: at 2:51 p.m. a man appeared at the police station to retrieve a set of keys belonging to his mother. Police learned of an outstanding warrant in the man's name, for failure to appear in court, and arrested him. He was taken to an ATM machine, in order to obtain cash to bond out of jail, and then was taken to the GarďŹ eld County Jail, according to a police report.

TUESDAY, May 5: Police contacted a local man on Main Street “on a possible motorist assist,â€? but then arrested the man on suspicion of being under the inuence of drugs.

WEDNESDAY, May 6: A local couple reported to police that their income tax paperwork was stolen. No other information was available.

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THURSDAY, May 7: At 12:28 p.m. a local man was ticketed over reports that his dog was barking too much, and creating a public nuisance, on Wheel Circle.

Another barking-dog complaint, this one on Jacobs Place at approximately 1:10 p.m., was received by police, though there was no indication a ticket was issued as a result of that complaint.

THURSDAY, May 7: At 2:16 p.m. two cars collided after one of then turned from the alleyway between Main and Colorado Avenues, onto North 4th Street, and clipped the right front bumper of the other car. A ticket was issued.

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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • MAY 14-20, 2015 • 15

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