Sopris Sun THE
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 29 • AUGUST 27, 2009
Crystal River Elementary
Opening Day A peek into the new year at Carbondale schools By Trina Ortega and Terray Sylvester
While enrollment has “eked up” in first through fourth grades at Crystal River Elementary School (CRES), kindergarten numbers are down. But Principal Karen Olson said she expects more students to continue to enroll over the next two weeks. “I know I’ve enrolled a lot of kids in the last week and a half, a whole lot,” Olson said. “The kinder numbers are down a little bit. I can speculate it’s because Ross [Montessori School] added another kindergarten class.” But at the first-grade level, CRES has added another class to accommodate all of its students. There are now six first-grade teachers at the school. Last year, the school enrolled about 450 students. Despite criticisms that the school has too many children and is too large, Olson said the teacher-to-student ratio is still ideal, at 17 students per teacher. A big focus for the school is the districtwide “Closing the Achievement Gap” initiative that was launched last year. The school has made progress toward narrowing test scores between Latino and Anglo students. “Our Anglo numbers are going up and our Latino achievement is up. Yeah, we still have a distance to go but so does everyone else,” Olson said. The school has adopted new curriculum for English language learners and monitors “real-time” results of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAPs) to identify areas of focus for individual students. Parent volunteers worked this summer with district landscapers to complete muchneeded work on the school grounds, including planting trees and seeding grass. “They never get enough kudos. The grounds look great. I can’t thank those folks enough,” Olson said.
Ross Montessori
With his mother and baby brother in tow, Braden Stainton arrives for his first day at Crystal River Elementary School. Photo by Jane Bachrach
Ross Montessori School began the year on Tuesday with an added classroom for its preschool and kindergarten students. Director Mark Grice said the additional classroom will allow the school to enroll more kinder-age students, as well as accept more siblings. Grice estimated that 37 children will be enrolled at that level. “We had about the same number of kids apply but we were able to take more,” he said. The staff of the public charter school considered keeping the preschool and kinder levels separate, as they were last year when the preschool opened at the school. “We’ve just been finding — and everyone tells us this, including the Montessori gurus — that multi-age classroom is advantageous,” Grice said. Having kids of various ages helps the older kids fulfill their roles as mentors and also provides a goal for the younger students, who will be challenged to be role models as they age, he said. Including those classrooms, the charter school will enroll about 210 students this year.
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Carbondale Commentary
A “bear-ly” modest proposal All the bear talk going on around here has gotten us going. Bear right, bear left, bear in a tree, bear in the trash – it’s getting unbearable. Here in Carbondale, things aren’t as dire as they are up in Aspen and elsewhere in the West: It’s still safe to leave food in cars overnight; homeowners haven’t been forced to buy bear-proof containers for their trash; when you toss a load in a local Dumpster after dark you don’t need to worry that there’s a bear inside. That’s good news, but it doesn’t take a whole lot of imagination to guess which way Carbondale is headed if the community doesn’t start pulling in its bird feeders and pet food, locking up trash and scrubbing off its barbecue grills. Fed bears are dead bears, after all. But will Carbondale change its ways? Somehow the odds seem slim. It’s hard for an entire town to make itself unappetizing to bears, even when most of the necessary changes will take bearly any time at all. So we recommend that Carbondale get a little more creative. After all, this is an issue of life and death. We fully support ear tags and radio collars, traps and deportations. In fact, we think they should be used more frequently – the benefits of public humiliation should never be underestimated. That’s right, keep the tags and the deportations, just slide them along to the human crowd. Ear tags could be issued as a stiff reminder to anyone who gets careless and leaves out a barbecue grill or forgets to bear-proof his trash cans. A few trips to City Market or the Food Co-op with a bright red earring, and we think most folks will shape right up. Just embarrass them a bit and they’ll comply. And, for those repeat offenders who just can’t wean themselves off of their bear-attracting ways, well, there would be no choice but to roll out the metal cage, the pickup truck, and a one-way ride to a distant locale where bears aren’t a problem: maybe Nebraska… or Death Valley.
Letters
The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 400 words. Letters exceeding that length may be edited or returned for revisions. Include your name and residence (for publication) and a contact email and phone number. Submit letters via email to letters@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623.
Be bear-aware Dear Editor: Downtown bears have not been an issue for many years, but they are here now and they are hungry. Frosts and early wet conditions have reduced the natural supply of berries and fruit, resulting in a search for easy people food. Please help keep the bears from being put down by wildlife officers by considering a few proactive measures at your household. We realize that a lot of folks keep their trash out in the alley all the time, but if you have a garage option, please bring the cans inside until trash day. The town waste ordinance states that on trash day, you should not put your trash out for pickup before 6 a.m. and the cans must be brought back in before 8 p.m. This one precaution can go a long way in deterring bears from your property. Other precautions include securing all trash bins with good lids; keeping food out of your car and locking it; keeping pet food indoors; cleaning barbecue grills; managing compost piles with a 2-to-1 dry-to-wet ratio; locking your house windows and doors at night and locking deep freezers or refrigerators in sheds. If your communal Dumpster already has a bear chain, please make sure that it is properly latched. These proactive measures will not only benefit the bears, but the town budget as well. If this issue escalates, the town will be faced with either mandating or purchasing bear-proof refuse containers, which can cost upwards of $250 each. Thank you for tak-
ing some responsibility in bear country and remember that a fed bear is a dead bear. Carbondale Environmental Board
Nonprofit, government health insurance… now Dear Editor: I want a nonprofit, government-run health insurance plan. This makes the most sense for consumers. Consumers need to have health care decisions made, not by the CEOs of private health insurance companies, but by their own doctors. A nonprofit government-run health insurance plan will be the best way to bring the ever-spiraling costs of health care under control. It is the only way to make sure that everyone can obtain health care security. It is the only way to make sure that every one of us will have the following essential health care protections: (1) no discrimination for preexisting conditions; (2) no exorbitant outof-pocket expenses, deductibles or co-pays; (3) no cost-sharing for preventive care; (4) no dropping of coverage if you become seriously ill; (5) no gender discrimination; (6) no annual or lifetime caps on coverage; (7) extended coverage for young adults; (8) guaranteed insurance renewal so long as premiums are paid. A nonprofit, government-run health insurance plan is the best way to achieve all this. It is time for all of us to demand an end to the private health care fiasco. Jim Gaw Carbondale
Correction The rider pictured with our Aug. 20 story on the Carbondale Wild West Rodeo was Madilyn Kuhl, not Emily Schwaller. The Sopris Sun regrets the error.
THE
Sopris Sun The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 nonprofit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation, P.O. Box 1582, Carbondale, CO 81623.
The mission of the Sopris Sun, LLC is to inform and inspire community members of Carbondale, Colorado. Editor: Terray Sylvester • 618-9112 or news@soprissun.com Advertising: Kristin Algren • 379-0455 • kristin@soprissun.com Anne Goldberg • 379-5050 • anne@soprissun.com Tim Kurnos • tkurnos@gmail.com Reporters: Trina Ortega • Jeremy Heiman • Photographer/Writer: Jane Bachrach Page Production: Terri Ritchie • Ad Production: Barbara New Paper Boys: Russ Criswell, Mark Burrows The Sun peeks out in Scotland Ardent sun readers liam and Fiona laird — and their parents, colin and Alice — dispatched this photo from Edinburgh.
2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009
Sopris Sun, LLC Managing Board of Directors: Russ Criswell • Peggy DeVilbiss • Allyn Harvey • Colin Laird • Elizabeth Phillips
Sopris Sun, LLC • P.O. Box 399 • Carbondale, CO 81623 www.soprissun.com
Local mountain bikers push wilderness alternative By Terray sylvester A mountain bike advocacy group is working to preserve mountain biking access in the face of formal wilderness designations proposed for more than 150,000 acres of local backcountry. The Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association (RFMBA) is proposing alternative designations for most of the public lands that the Hidden Gems campaign is seeking to protect in the Roaring Fork and Crystal River valleys. RFMBA hopes those alternatives can protect the terrain in question from industry and motorized uses while leaving open mountain bike access that a formal wilderness designation would cut off. “We’re doing our best to bring some realities to the table: I think a lot of people are not clear with the fact that wilderness equals no bikes,” said Mike Pritchard, a founding member of RFMBA. “For a tourist-based place where it's all about recreation, this is just, it's wild that we would consider bringing the wilderness down so close to our towns.” But the coalition behind the Hidden Gems Proposal says it cannot support such a broad departure from the formal protections offered by wilderness designation. With a few exceptions, all mechanized travel, including mountain biking, is prohibited in wilderness areas. Some mechanized access is allowed, including wheelchairs, search and rescue vehicles and some agricultural equipment. Sloan Shoemaker, executive director of the Carbondale-based Wilderness Workshop – a member of the Hidden Gems campaign – said the coalition is open to further discussion about keeping specific areas open to mountain biking, but that “a blanket application of alternative designations for all of
these landscapes is not something we’re will- wilderness designation,” Pritchard said. ing to entertain.” “The nice thing is that it’s 2009, we’ve got Shoemaker said that alternative designa- other tools.” tions are more appropriate for land that The potential alternative designations are doesn’t possess the untrammeled qualities similar to wilderness in that they result from required for protection under the Wilderness federal legislation. But they differ from Act. But his main beef with the alternative wilderness designations, in part, because any designations revolves land they pertain to would around the fact that be managed by an indithey do not include vidualized resource manuniform management agement plan formulated standards for the pubthrough a public input lic land in question. process on the local level. The Hidden Gems Shoemaker says that Wilderness Coalition is compared to a wilderness developing a proposal designation, the alternato apply formal wildertive designations don’t enness designations to as sure adequate protection many as 154,000 acres against future logging, enof mid-elevation terergy development, motorrain in the Roaring ized recreation, and new Fork and Crystal River road construction. Those Valleys. activities are specifically Arguing that the barred under the Wilderproposal would block ness Act. access to some existing “I guess our fundaMike Pritchard, RFMBA trails and preclude mental concern there is mountain bikers from that these alternative desbuilding new trails in certain areas, RFMBA ignations are not a guaranteed means of prois pushing for all but about 30,000 of those tecting landscapes,” Shoemaker said.“There acres to be protected under alternative con- is no standard of what can and can’t happen servation designations that would permit in a [national conservation area].” bicycles. The Roaring Fork Mountain Bike AssoAs yet, said Pritchard, the members of ciation and Hidden Gems Coalition have RFMBA aren’t familiar with the ins and outs been negotiating the Hidden Gems proposal of specific alternative designations, but the since late 2007. The negotiations have genmore likely options for the lands in question erally focused on adjusting proposed wilderinclude the national conservation area, na- ness boundaries to accommodate certain tional recreation area and national protec- areas and trails. But Pritchard explained that tion area designations. RFMBA members realized they would need “Mountain bikers in general want to see to adopt a more general strategy toward land protected, but we're not interested in maintaining access to trails that run through closing off access in perpetuity by using the the proposed wilderness designation.
We’re doing our best to bring some realities to the table: I think a lot of people are not clear with the fact that wilderness equals no bikes
“It's more broad at this point, because we’re just not going to get to a resolution on those [contested] trails,” Pritchard said. He said some of the contested trails go through the middle of the Hidden Gems proposal areas, and that on those trails in particular RFMBA doesn’t see a workable compromise on the horizon. He emphasized that RFMBA is still open to negotiating. Pritchard said that as the Hidden Gems proposal now stands, it’s unlikely that most Carbondale-area mountain bike riders would see their regular, after-work rides affected. Popular trails in the Red Hill, Prince Creek, Crown and Hay Park areas aren’t included in the proposal. Contentious areas include some trails in the Thompson Creek area, the Dexter Creek connection to Coal Basin, an incomplete trail on the north flank of Mount Sopris, as well as areas farther up the Roaring Fork Valley. These are places where RFMBA hopes to maintain access, and potentially see more trail development in the future, Pritchard said. Shoemaker said that though the Hidden Gems Coalition is working to introduce the Wilderness legislation to congress before the current session breaks for the holiday recess. He said it’s anyone’s guess as to when the legislation might actually become law. The Hidden Gems Wilderness Coalition is composed of the Wilderness Workshop, Colorado Mountain Club, Colorado Environmental Coalition and the Wilderness Society. The coalition is currently pushing for Wilderness designations on roughly 400,000 acres of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land in Pitkin, Eagle, Summit and Gunnison counties. The proposal aims to protect ecologically rich terrain lower in elevation, and closer to populated areas, than most local, existing wilderness areas.
Town trustees accept a few more pieces of the Overlook By Jeremy heiman The developers of the Overlook Neighborhood and their representatives are gradually chipping away at Carbondale’s objections to their plans for a mixed-use neighborhood with about 145 residences. In a special meeting Aug. 19, Overlook attorney Larry Green and the Carbondale Board of Trustees checked off some of the trustees’ concerns from a list Green provided and another from Doug Dotson, head planner for the town, but not without considerable discussion on nearly every point. A hotel is a major feature of the project, and both the developer and the trustees want to see it completed. But because finding a willing hotel developer is expected to be somewhere between difficult and impossible, the town has agreed to allow the developer to convert the hotel site to residences if no hotelier has been contracted by the time all the other phases of the development are completed. Each phase represents a different type of housing, for example, single- and multi-family, higher and lower density, higher and lower income. They won’t necessarily be completed sequentially, and it may be years before the housing for each one is actually built. Suspicious of any vague wording, trustees
haggled over how to determine when a phase is “done.” Green told the trustees he thought a phase of the development is effectively finished when infrastructure for utilities is buried and the streets are completed. Mayor Michael Hassig disagreed, saying the developer could, in bad faith, put in such “horizontal”construction throughout the development, and move directly to building residential units on the hotel site. “This is not likely, from this side of the table,” Green objected. He said he’s not familiar with the kind of “gamesmanship” implied by Hassig’s suggested scenario. “All I can say, from this side of the table, is we’ve been gamed,” Hassig replied. He hastened to add that he wasn’t referring to the Overlook’s representatives, but other developers in the past. After more discussion, the trustees agreed to allow town planning staff to work out language that provides the assurance they want. Affordable housing has also been contentious in the Overlook’s appearances before the trustees. A recent proposal from the developer would have augmented the number of low-income units by allowing the developer to build four townhouses on property owned by the town of Carbondale overlook-
ing Delaney Park. Hassig said the town might have a use for that property, which he called “premium land,” in the future, and said that proposal doesn’t have any benefit for Carbondale. “I can’t go for the ‘You’ll build ’em on our land and get credit for ’em.’” Hassig said. “That’s overreaching.” Trustee John Hoffman called for 20 percent of the dwellings in the development to be within the affordable definition, rather than the 15 percent required. He said the Planning and Zoning board, in its review of the project, had agreed to sacrifice lower density to get more community housing. “If we’re not getting 20 percent, then we’re just cramming people together to benefit the developer,” Hoffman said. The board and the developer agreed to work with an affordable housing plan prepared by Kay Philip, a planner for the town. The trustees appear to be nearly satisfied with the amount of open space and parks in the plan since the Overlook’s designers floated a new open space proposal July 28. But there was still some disagreement about a couple of issues. Carbondale’s code calls for a new development to provide public parks equal to 15 percent of its total area and common open
space equal to 25 percent of the total area. Public parks are open to all town residents, while common space is for use by residents of the area. One of the ways the developer’s plan achieves the 25 percent open space is by providing an extra strip of landscaping four feet wide along all street right of ways, in addition to the standard planting strip within the right of way. Trustee Stacey Bernot said she doesn’t think that strip should count for open space on the same basis per square foot as parks and other open space, but when Hassig conducted a straw poll, Bernot said she could live with the overall quantity of open space. Trustee Pam Zentmyer said she thinks the big park, at 1.2 acres, is good, but the smaller “outlots” and strips aren’t adequate. “The rest of your open space is all made up of bits and pieces that aren’t all that useable,” she said. The poll resulted in “yes” responses from Bernot, Frosty Merriott and Ed Cortez, and “no” responses from Hoffman and Zentmyer. The Overlook was again the subject of discussion before the trustees in their regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 25, which concluded after The Sun’s press deadline. THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009 • 3
Trustees mull proposed zoning changes Cop Shop to historic downtown district By Jeremy heiman Carbondale’s town council has submerged itself in discussions of a plan to revamp the zoning code affecting Carbondale’s downtown, known as the Historic Commercial Core, or HCC zone district. The proposal is what town planning staffers titled the “Downtown Overlay” – the old zoning code will largely remain in place, and new regulations will be added to help shape the growth that is inevitable downtown. According to Carbondale’s zoning code, “[t]he purpose of an overlay district is to address special concerns [that] are unique to a specific situation when such concerns do not effect entire zone districts and may cross zone district boundaries.” The Downtown Overlay is being brought to the trustees by the P&Z, but that board’s interest in the matter was gen-
News Briefs
Police Department still short handed The Carbondale Police Department is still short staffed by one full-time officer, and has not been successful, so far, in getting a grant to fund more officers. “We’re down one, right now,” said Police Chief Gene Schilling. “We’re still getting it done as much as we can, with the staffing we have. “We still do our core work, but some things, there’s just not as much time for,” he continued. Secondary priorities such as traffic patrols and having an officer at high school sports events might not get as much attention, he said. The department applied in April for a staffing grant of approximately $618,000, to fund three positions for three years. Schilling said the department has been informed that the application was not successful in the first round of funding, but an application is still in place for a second round. The second round results are expected in a month or so, he said. In addition to beefing up the patrol staff, the grant money would permit hiring of a school resource officer, a position that has been vacant for over a year. The department was successful in getting a lesser grant, however. An $11,284 grant, for radio equipment, was awarded to Carbondale in mid August. Schilling said the department has also applied for a $1.9 million technology grant, and expects to learn whether that application was successful in the next few weeks. The Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, an arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, administers all the grants the department has applied for.
Public comment sought on gas development near Silt The Bureau of Land Management Glenwood Springs Field Office is seeking public comment on an oil and gas exploration and 4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009
erated by the owners of Town Center, a mixed use subdivision that is sitting mostly vacant across Colorado Avenue from the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center. Town Center’s owners are asking for an increase in allowed building height from the existing 35 feet to 42 feet, and greater residential density (with considerations for parking and other zoning requirements) in order to spur development. That proposal launched the P&Z into a discussion of broader zoning considerations that could apply to other future development projects downtown. Realizing that an overlay would provide an opportunity to make the downtown comply better with Carbondale’s Comprehensive Plan and provide several other benefits, the board called for public input and eventually developed a recommendation to the trustees for an overlay district. The trustees sank their teeth into the
P&Z proposal Tuesday, Aug. 18. The overlay, as drafted, reflects the Town Center owners’ call for taller buildings, (with a limit of three stories) and eliminates a minimum lot area per dwelling, which would allow for smaller dwellings and greater density. Further, the proposal would require the tops of taller buildings on the south side of Main Street to be stepped back to reduce shade on the street. It would also prohibit residences on the first floor of buildings, and would require that the front 25 feet of building fronting on a street be used for retail display areas or, in office buildings, for lobby area. To read the complete wording of the proposed Downtown Overlay, log on to carbondalegov.org, select the “Town Meetings, Agendas & Minutes” link, click on “2009 Meeting Packets,” and choose “Trustee Meeting 8-18-2009.”
development proposal on federal leases three miles southeast of Silt. Bill Barrett Corporation has submitted the Gibson Gulch Master Development Plan to BLM. The plan details Bill Barrett’s proposal to develop up to 136 new wells from 10 proposed well pads on approximately 2,700 acres during the next five years. Approximately 4.2 miles of new access roads and 4.3 miles of pipelines would be constructed, and directional drilling technology would be used. BLM will prepare an environmental assessment on this master plan. Before it completes the assessment, the agency wants to hear specific issues, concerns and comments from the public. Submit comments by Sept. 18. Written comments and questions should be directed to the Glenwood Springs Field Office at 2300 River Frontage Road, Silt, CO, 81652. Electronic comments may be submitted to gsfomail@co.blm.gov. For detailed copies of the proposed development plan log on to blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gsfo/ GSFO_MasterPlansOfDevelopment.html.
chance to learn about the area and the Thompson Divide Coalition, meet steering committee members and get involved. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 at the Carbondale Fire House, 301 Meadowood Dr. The fire house is on Highway 133 across from the second entrance to River Valley Ranch.
Thompson Divide Coalition organizing town meeting The Thompson Divide Coalition, a group of ranchers, landowners, local governments and others concerned about energy development in the federal lands near Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, will convene a town meeting on Sept. 3 to discuss gas and oil leasing in the area. All members of the community are invited. There are currently 81 gas leases in the Thompson Divide area, which is comprised of more than 200,000 acres in the Thompson Creek, Four Mile Creek, and Divide Creek drainages above Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, and on the northwest side of McClure Pass. Most leases are currently undeveloped. The coalition is exploring ways to retire existing leases and protect the area from further leasing. The Sept. 3 meeting will give people a
GarCo Public Health to offer flu vaccinations In mid-September, the Garfield County Public Health department will begin offering this year’s flu vaccines. The vaccine will contain the three influenza strains that have been determined to be the biggest threat to global health, based upon research and surveillance conducted year round. According to the health department, the vaccine will offer protection for the entire flu season. It is particularly important for those over 50 years of age; children between 6 months and 18 years of age; pregnant women; people who live with or care for those at high risk of complications from flu; and any child or adult with a chronic health condition such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma. A new H1N1 vaccination will be available in October or November. A health department release stated that it is especially important for everyone between 6 months and 24 years of age. The elderly have not been shown to be particularly vulnerable to H1N1. Garfield County Public Health Flu will hold flu vaccine clinics for seniors during the weeks of Sept. 15 and 21. For those seniors who have a difficult time traveling to vaccination sites Public Health will be available to make home visits. Public Health will be offering a host of clinics throughout Garfield County beginning Sept. 23. For information on flu clinic locations and times, and vaccine availability and pricing, call the Garfield County Public Health department in Glenwood Springs, 945-6614, or Rifle, 625-5200.
Friday, Aug. 14 Maybe it was time for the Colbert Report.At 9:22 p.m., a resident of a local assisted living facility called Carbondale police and complained that staff wouldn’t change the T.V. channel for her. An officer called the facility and asked someone to clear up the problem. Saturday, Aug. 15 At 3:20 a.m., a woman called to report that she had woken up to find that a suspicious man had entered her house and was standing over her bed. When officers arrived he was crouching by her front door. They took him to jail. Sunday, Aug. 16 At 10:40 p.m., an officer pulled a man over who was doing 52 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone on Highway 133. The man said he was sorry, and explained that he was rushing to make it to the gas station before running out of gas. Tuesday, Aug. 18 At 5:48 p.m., a man called the police to report his friend was missing. Dispatch advised him that his friend hadn’t gone missing, he’d gone to jail. Tuesday, Aug. 18 At 6:13 p.m., police received a report of a transient man sleeping in the intersection at Main Street and Hendricks Avenue. By the time an officer arrived on the scene, the man had evidently roused himself and found somewhere a little safer to sleep.
School roundup With a matching grant from the Daniels Foundation and support from parents, the school will spend $35,000 toward a new science component for all of its levels. The school will purchase self-contained science experiment modules called FOSS (Full Option Science System) units to study subjects ranging from air pollution to arachnids.
Carbondale Community School Roaring Fork Re-1 School District’s public charter school, the Carbondale Community School, enrolls a small number of students. Only 133 kids will attend the K-8 school this year, which is located on Dolores Way, near Satank. School administrators try to keep enrollment capped at 135. “We’re right where we want to be for budget reasons,” said Principal Tom Penzel. Penzel said that like other state-supported schools, it is often a challenge to maintain lower numbers because it amounts to fewer dollars per student. The charter school also receives fewer dollars per student, though. So the school community must raise an extra $1,400 per student through grants and fundraising initiatives, Penzel estimates. Events such as the annual Artists Studio Tour, which raised about $28,000 this summer, are“huge” for the school, Penzel said.At the 2009 tour, students and adult artists with-
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out their own studios had a chance to display their work in the school. This year, the school will partner with the district to offer a satellite hot lunch program. Penzel expects up to 30 students to take advantage of the lunches that will be prepared at Carbondale Middle School. The school is seeking volunteers to help deliver the lunches four days per week. Penzel invited community members to learn more about the school, which sometimes appears to be on the fringe of Carbondale. “Come over and visit us to see what’s going on in the classroom,”Penzel urged.“I’m always surprised at how many opinions are out there from people who’ve never visited the school.”
Carbondale Middle School At Carbondale Middle School the new school year has brought new computers, a new class schedule and an uncommonly large incoming fifth grade class. Ninety-five students showed up at opening day said Principal Rick Holt. Holt called that number the school’s “largest class.” In the upcoming weeks, students and teachers will find their way around a course schedule designed to provide students with instruction that matches their abilities, not just their grade level. Under the new schedule, a seventh grader might end up taking sixth, sev-
enth or eight grade math courses. Holt was optimistic about the program, but said it made for a somewhat more hectic first day. “We have a rather complex schedule,” he said. “We’re trying to get every student learning at their own level, instead of just at grade level.” The school has recently added a new computer lab filled with 24 laptop computers. A new technology class will take place in the lab. This year, students will have more to choose from when school lets out in the afternoon. The middle school has added variety to its after school programs, which this year will include Spanish, music, and art courses, as well as intramural sports such as soccer and flag football. And though school just started, some students are already looking forward to a vacation of sorts. During the week after Labor Day, the entire 75-student eighth grade class will embark on their annual trip to Leadville for, among other activities, a hike to the summit of Mount Elbert.
Roaring Fork High School Roaring Fork High School Principal Clif Colia says his ice cream scooping muscles are sore. This year, his school welcomed an exceptionally large freshman class – 100 students compared to last year’s 80 – which means that Colia piled together about 340 ice cream sundaes during freshman orientation last week. All those added students, and those who are returning, will have several new classes to
choose from this year. In partnership with Colorado Mountain College, the school will offer a new set of constitutional law and criminal justice classes. The school has also expanded its digital photography and investment courses and, with the addition of a new greenhouse and garden on the premises, will be offering new biology courses as well. With budgets around the district expected to tighten this school year, Colia said that the high school will likely feel a pinch. Not so much because funds will be missing, but because funding will not increase as it usually does. Colia said that a new facilities plan is in the works, which will add a handful of sports fields to the site. As yet, the timeline for that project is uncertain, but in the meantime, he is trying to raise funds and attract volunteers to install a beach volleyball court and Frisbee golf course on the premises. “These are separate from the facilities plan,” Colia said. “We think we can get [them] going with a minimum of money and maximum of free elbow grease from concerned citizens.”
School schedules shift
The Roaring Fork School District bell schedule will change significantly this year. Beginning on Sept. 14, students will report to school at 9 a.m. on Mondays, instead of the usual 8 a.m. start time. For more information, contact your child’s school or the district transportation department for bus information at 384-5780.
High school hits the airwaves By Terray sylvester As school kicks off this fall, a handful of local students will be trading their desks for discs – which they’ll be spinning. And as the semester gets underway, they’ll be facing down fears somewhat larger than the usual jitters that might be inspired by a class presentation. Instead, they’ll gear themselves up to speak to the whole Roaring Fork Valley. This year, the Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program will host another round of semester-long radio broadcasting classes, and give local students the tools and skills they need to produce quality, community radio programming, from news to music to narratives. The program kicked off in the high schools last year, and it’s hard to believe that the class hasn’t yet generated wait-lists in the registrar’s office and sent kids scrambling to find an open spot for it in their schedules. “I think it’s still pretty under the radar. Not very many people were signed up last year,” said Tony Mendez, currently a senior at Roaring Fork High School and the only student who signed up for both semesters last year. “But I'm sure that once they find out they actually get to be on the radio there will be more excitement.” The class will be held once a week after school at the KDNK offices in Carbondale. Students show up at 4 p.m. and stay for three hours. For the first hour or so of the class, explained Stacy Stein, executive director of the program, students will set off with recorders in hand to gather sounds from the community. They might stop into a local shop or restaurant to gather the sounds of daily business for an “audio postcard;” or they might interview passersby, asking them to read scripts for KDNK station IDs or other assignments. The remain-
ing hours of the course will generally be devoted to editing and production work in the KDNK studio. Stein says she hopes students gain a variety of marketable skills from the class, from editing, production, and interviewing techniques to public speaking skills and experience with meeting deadlines. And she thinks the course builds character as well. “I’d say that the confidence is probably the biggest thing, just realizing that they’re really OK: They broadcast on the radio; they do great shows with great music; people can call in and give them that feedback and it really just helps them with being comfortable with who they are,” Stein said. That’s a sentiment that Mendez echoed. “It makes the interviewing process – talking to people you don’t know – a lot easier,” Mendez said. “You just don’t know how to approach someone once you first start off. It definitely gets you out of your comfort zone.” The class is open to high school students from throughout the lower Roaring Fork Valley and so far, the names on the sign up sheets for this year’s class are about half Latino, half Anglo. That’s just as Stein would have it. Part of the mission of the Andy Zanca program is to foster communication between the different cultures in the valley. Stein says that the high school broadcasting class is perhaps the most effective social mixer that the empowerment program offers. Stein also facilitates regular youth radio programming not associated with the schools, but the young DJs who collaborate for those shows tend to be uniformly Latino or uniformly Anglo. “I'm really glad about this class, because it is really a chance for kids to have mean-
These smiles must show up over the radio waves. here is one of last year’s radio broadcasting classes in front of the KDNK studios. Photo courtesy of stacy stein ingful multicultural interactions,” Stein said. “It is really core to our program.” This year, the curriculum will receive some tweaking. Stein teaches the course with Steve Skinner, general manager at KDNK, and says that last year she and Skinner
steered the kids toward certain subjects. This year the two instructors will give the students a little more leeway to chase the leads that grab their interest.“We’re trying to see what topics come out of their imaginations and let them pursue those in class,” Stein said.
Don’t touch that dial
The Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program broadcasts on KDNK in English on Sundays 1:30-2:30 p.m. and Mondays 2:30-4:30 p.m.; and in Spanish on Thursdays 7-9 p.m. Pieces produced in the broadcasting class will air occasionally during those time slots. On Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m. the empowerment program will present a youth panel titled, “Multicultural Relationships in the Learning Environment: What’s working, what’s not and where do we go from here to create a unified community?” The panel will be moderated by former mayor of Aspen John Bennett and broadcast live on KDNK. Keep your ears open for the broadcasting class’ end-of-semester project as well. The two-hour, NPR-style broadcast will include live interviews and prerecorded content, music, news, and a remote broadcast – all engineered and run by students. For more information about the program log on to kdnk.org/youthradio.cfm.
THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009 • 5
Scuttlebutt It wasn’t an apparition In last week’s Scuttlebutt we reported that there was a possible sighting of veterinarian Martha Rideout at the Moonlight Cruisers concert. We are now happy to report that it was not an apparition and that the real Martha Rideout has moved back to Bonedale from Wisconsin after earning her masters of science degree in agroecology. No, Martha hasn’t gone agro – as in, totally crazy nuts over ecology. “Agro” in this context means agricultural ecology. For all of you Martha fans out there – and there are plenty – she is back at Alpine Animal Hospital practicing part time. Ultimately, she would like to practice veterinary medicine half the time and spend the rest of her hours working with sustainable agriculture and possibly training veterinarians that work with organic livestock. Welcome home, Martha! Photo by Jane Bachrach
Blues, BBQ, Johnny and Howard
Are you aware that Carbondale has an organic community vegetable garden and that those veggies are yours for the pickin’? When Public Works Director Larry Ballenger (shown above) came out on Saturday morning to help Carbondale’s garden club, Pardon My Garden, pull weeds in the landscaped area behind the recreation center, he casually mentioned that he had planted an organic veggie garden for the community, but wasn’t sure how to get the word out. So here we are getting the word out. Ballenger told The Sopris Sun that the sugar snap peas and radishes are ready for pickin’ and the green beans and some of the lettuces are coming on, so go check it out and take some before the “critters” do. Thanks to Wendy Anderson for providing the organic seeds that Larry used for the garden.
We have to say that those of you that missed the Blues and Barbecue KDNK fundraiser should feel regret. Why? Because the music was amazing and the crossroads jam between Howard Berkman and Johnny O was awesome. Aside from the likes of Lonnie Johnson and Muddy Waters, you would be lucky to ever see a guitar duel on stage as good as the one we saw on Saturday night. Those guys got down. And to top it all off, Johnny O’s drummer, Marion Edwards, sang “Mustang Sally” with such soul that a few of the women tried to climb up the front of the stage to get to him.
Come ’n get your veggies
Wonderful Opportunities!
Following the jam, folks went down the block to Steve’s Guitars to catch Lipbone Redding and his band. They didn’t disappoint, according to a reliable source.The guys rocked and rolled and strummed and hummed a beat that was so sweet that nobody’s feet could stay under their seat. So Steve moved all the chairs and people danced ‘til the wee hours. Station manager Steve Skinner said Blues and BBQ was hugely successful for KDNK, and don’t forget, KDNK’s fall membership drive begins on Sept. 23.
Have a voice in People’s Choice! There are ballots and little green boxes located in town hall and many Main Street businesses so that you can vote for your favorite public sculpture in town. The voting concludes at the end of the month.The winning sculpture will receive the People’s Choice Award, and the winning artist will receive $1,000.
Food for a friend in need Doug Margel, who works at the Carbondale Community Food Co-op on Main Street, was recently in a car accident and seriously injured his spine. He could use a little support from the community, and to that end the co-op will be taking donations for the “Doug Margel Food Fund.” The idea is to provide Doug with a steady supply of healthful food while he recovers. To make a donation, look for the jar on the counter at the co-op.
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6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009
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Community Briefs Storytelling training scheduled The Spellbinders storytelling group will offer a three-part volunteer training workshop. Spellbinder trains volunteers in the art of oral storytelling and places them in schools, libraries and other facilities that serve children in the Roaring Fork Valley. “The eye-to-eye contact and the gestures that accompany oral storytelling increase aural comprehension, vocabulary and sense of story structure,” states a press release. “Storytelling stimulates children’s imagination and visualization. All of these skills are critical to reading comprehension and writing.” The workshop will be held on Sept. 9, 11 and 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Eagle Valley Community Center in El Jebel. For more information, log on to spellbinders.org.
Unitarian Universalists gather The new Mid-Valley Unitarian Universalist Gathering will host nationally known speaker Rev. Robert Latham for a series of six meetings beginning Aug. 30 at the WIN Institute. Rev. Latham describes himself as a Baptist-born “humanistic, spiritual, mystical liberal!” The first talk of the series is titled, “Lessons about Learning Lessons (How Do I Open Myself Up to Gain Insight from My Experiences?).” Upcoming talks will take place from October through February. The gatherings will begin at 10 a.m. Childcare will be available. Unitarian Uni-
versalism encourages people to seek their own spiritual paths. UUs draw on many religious sources.They welcome people with different beliefs and are united by shared values, not by creed or dogma. For more information contact Bill or Sue at 963-2163 or log on to uua.org/visitors/index.shtml.
Buddhist classes in Carbondale Michael Gregory, a trained Buddhist meditation instructor and director of Coloradobased Summit Dharma Center (SDC), will conduct a six-week teaching tour with a stop in Carbondale. The Buddhist teachings and meditation sessions are open to all. Gregory will teach practitioners about karma and how to work with it to create a more fulfilling, peaceful and meaningful life. Classes will be offered in five Colorado towns, including Carbondale, one evening each week. The Carbondale classes will be from 6-8 p.m.Tuesdays at the Carbondale Community United Methodist Church, Second Street and Sopris Avenue. The suggested donation for all weekly classes is $15. Visit summitdharmacenter.org or call (970) 390-4318 for information on these and other classes.
Trail work set for White Hill Crystal River Elementary School (CRES) is seeking volunteers to help build the White Hill Nature Trail east of the school. Through a partnership with Roaring Fork
Outdoor Volunteers, Aspen Skiing Company’s Environment Foundation, Rock Bottom Ranch and the Carbondale Trails Committee, CRES is building a quarter milelong trail on Roaring Fork School District property. The trail will be open to the public. “It will promote outdoor education and environmental stewardship,” said parent volunteer Christie Jensen. Kids will be able to immerse themselves in a pinon-juniper ecosystem, observe the natural world, and find time for quiet reflection in CRES’s newest classroom, stated a press release. The community trail workday will be held on Sept. 26, which is also National Public Lands Day.Training for crew leaders will take place on Saturday, Aug. 29. To register, call Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers at 927-8241 or sign up online at rfov.org/2009-projects.
Dance with AVLT to save the land Aspen Valley Land Trust’s sixth annual Save the Land Dance will take place Sept. 12 at the Tybar Ranch on the Prince Creek/ Dinkle Lake road two miles outside of Carbondale. The festivities will start at 5:30 p.m. and will include dinner, dancing, an auction and an opportunity to meet and thank area landowners who have conserved their properties. Join the Tybar hands, as well as your friends and neighbors, to support continued conservation in the Roaring Fork and Col-
UU Minister ROBERT LATHAM: “LESSONS ABOUT LEARNING LESSONS”
Federal, state and local fire officials are teaming up with Colorado Mountain College to teach locals about how to protect their homes from wildfires. “A large number of homes in this area are at risk because they are adjacent to undeveloped lands susceptible to wildfire,”said Doug Paul, fire mitigation and education specialist for the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit. The workshop will feature presentations about wildfire history and behavior, creating defensible space, and the fuel qualities of local vegetation types. The workshop will take place Aug. 29 from 9-11 a.m. at the Colorado Mountain College West Garfield Campus located at 3695 Airport Road in Rifle. For more information, contact Doug Paul at (970) 244-3106.
Senior driver safety classes offered
RSVP and Colorado Mountain College will be sponsoring two AARP Driver Safety classes in September. Classes will cost $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members. The price includes a workbook and handouts. The program is a driver refresher course directed toward drivers age 50 and over. Most automobile insurance companies in Colorado offer a discount to those who coMMUNITY BRIEFs page 11
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Rev. Latham, who is a very serious man with a great sense of humor, describes himself as a Baptist-born “Humanistic, Spiritual, Mystical Liberal.”
roll on in
His “Lessons” series will continue: October 11: The Jewel In The Garbage Can (How Good and Evil Become Each Other) November 22: The Camel Who Wanted Horns (Vengeance and Forgiveness) December 13: How Odd of God (Reflections On Grace) January 10: Give A Little Whistle (The Good of Guilt) February 14: The Wizardry of Worth (The Great Cultural Con)
10:00 a.m., WIN Health Institute, Basalt Behind Mid-Valley Medical Center at Hwy 82 and Original Rd. Child Care Provided +++ Casual or Sports Dress Welcome For More Infomation Call Bill or Sue, 963-2163 With support from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Glenwood Springs
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THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009 • 7
First bucks, then buckles – e sun sets on the 2009 rodeo season By Kayla henley The sun was beginning to set over the horizon, casting its golden rays upon the rising sand that spirited horses kicked up. They galloped within the arena last Thursday at the final rodeo of Carbondale’s season. It’s strange to think that the first rodeo of the summer was held on June 4, not even three months ago. Seeing that date printed in black and white gives one the notion that ages have passed since then, but deep down we know that not much time has elapsed at all. June. It was the time when the essence of summer was still beginning to dawn on us. Children were ecstatic about school being finished – their minds temporarily retiring from academic labor – and could be seen gleefully wandering about the rodeo grounds or devouring a rodeo taco on numerous occasions throughout the summer. Twelve rodeos have now come and gone and we have not only met the end of the rodeo season, we are also nearing the end of the summer of 2009. Kids are preparing for another nine months of school, and some are already planning for the skiing and snowboarding season. Even the lush, green trees are beginning to surrender their leaves as the intrusion of autumn fills the air. Yet none of this prevented Carbondale from enjoying one last night of joyful entertainment. More people attended the last
rodeo than usual, for townsfolk were determined to pass one more evening with their neighbors. Old friends were reunited unexpectedly. The sandy grounds – usually vacant – filled with life as competitors poured all they had into the last performances of the season, and spectators cheered and applauded vigorously. Hues of crimson and maroon imposed on the usually azure sky, and without a cloud in sight, the final rodeo progressed almost too quickly. Then the sun disappeared altogether and the stars came alive, twinkling in the distance as the final events of the rodeo approached. Smiles were seen on every face and a renewed vigor was noticed in every step – but in the background the tension mounted as the competitors waited anxiously for the winners of the belt buckles to be announced. The belt buckles are awarded to participants who compete in all 12 rodeos. Throughout the season, competitors win prize money for their performance at individual rodeos. At the end of the season, each participant’s winnings are tallied up.Whoever has earned the most is awarded the belt buckle for that event. It is this awards ceremony that competitors strive to be honored in, and on Thursday night the results were finally revealed. Marcelo Cruz, after riding ferocious bulls
But, but, but... but what do mean this is the last rodeo? This year there were more events for kids and teens at the rodeo, like junior barrel racing and steer riding. These young spectators are just waiting to get their butts kicked next year. Photo by Jane Bachrach all summer, was awarded the bull riding belt buckle; the steer riding buckle went to Colton Fritzlan; Lindsay Soucie received the barrel racing buckle; Mackenzie Long the junior barrel racing buckle; and Nate Nieslanik was awarded the breakaway roping buckle. In the team events, Max Macdonell was awarded the dally ribbon roper buckle, and Sonia
Marzec the dally ribbon runner. We look forward to the day when the snow is finally melted, school is out and our new rodeo royalty is established – and new and experienced competitors are ready to do their thing. The rodeo season of 2009 has passed, but 2010 waits patiently, shining brightly off in the distance, obscured from sight.
Thanks rodeo patrons and participants It’s been a great ride! Thanks for stoppin’ in.
Our door is always open at the
8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009
Located on the sunny side of Main Street in Historic Downtown Carbondale
963-3553 www.skipspourhouse.com
e dust settles at Gus Darien Arena The 2009 carbondale Wild West Rodeo is history, but what an incredible season it was. The bull riders, barrel racers and ropers were the main attractions inside the arena, but there was a lot happening just on the other side of the fence as well. clockwise from left: caitlin Kinney takes a ride on the Gus Darien rodeo grounds; Paul Nieslanik enjoys a moment; a group of spectators take in the events in the last light of the sun; and Marcelo cruz, belt buckle winner of the 2009 bull riding season, dives clear of the impact zone.
Photos by Jane Bachrach
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Community Calendar THURSDAY, Aug. 27 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED • Volunteers are needed now to help organize and hold the “Potato Bake Off” at the 100th Potato Day scheduled for Sept. 18-20. Farmer’s market vendors also are needed. For more information, call 963-3744. ARTS CLASSES • The Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts is enrolling for its fall classes for all ages. Call 945- 2414 or visit www.glenwoodarts.org/classes for details. ECO-GODDESS TUNES • Eco-Goddess at 335 Main St. presents Meagan Goodwin and Shanti Gruber of The Tippetts acoustic folk band. The restaurant also serves up organic cuisine and drinks. Music is from 7-9 p.m. with no cover. For more info, call 963-7316, visit www.eco-goddess.com or email goddess@eco-goddess.com. LIVE MUSIC • Ann Federowicz and John Sommers will play live at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Cooper Street Mall in Aspen. P&Z MEETS • Carbondale Planning & Zoning Commission meets at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Town Hall. On the agenda: Village at Crystal River. MOUNTAINSUMMIT • A joint festival by Mountainfilm in Telluride and the Wheeler Opera House will be Aug. 27-29. Documentary films, lectures, art exhibits, breakfast talks, and a symposium on food. For more information, go to www.wheeleroperahouse.com.
FRIDAY, Aug. 28 REDSTONE CASTLE TOURS • Guided tours of the Historic Redstone Castle are at 1:30 p.m. Fridays through Mondays. For group tours or more information call 963-
To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Events take place in carbondale unless noted.
9656 or go to redstonecastle.us. MOVIES • Showing at 8 p.m. Aug. 28-Sept. 3 at the Crystal Theatre “Julie & Julia” (PG-13). MUSIC AT STEVE’S • Felonius Smith, with a unique brand of acoustic roots-of-the-blues music, performs at 8:30 p.m.Aug. 28 at Steve’s Guitars, 19 N. Fourth St. Visit www.stevesguitars.net for further details. DANCE CLUB • Deejay Deeogee spins for the under 21 crowd from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday at The Lift on Main St. in Carbondale.
SATURDAY, Aug. 29 FIRE MITIGATION INFO • The Bureau of Land Management and the Interagency Fire Management Team will present a workshop for homeowners to learn about protecting property from wildfires.The workshop is from 9-11 a.m.Aug. 29 at Colorado Mountain College’s West Garfield Campus Clough Auditorium. Call 625-6902 for more information. GROUP RUN • Independence Run & Hike holds its regular Saturday group run at 7:30 a.m. Rain, snow or sun. Tuesday night trail runs are at 5:45 p.m. Call 704-0909, email independencerun@sopris.net, or stop by 995 Cowen Drive for details. EDIBLE LANDSCAPES • The Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute will hold the Edible Landscaping Workshop with Jerome Osentowski from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop will introduce the concept of edible landscaping and its unique application in the unpredictable Rocky Mountain climate. Cost is $50 and includes lunch. Call 927-4158 or email info@crmpi.org to register. YOGA EXPLORATION • Yoga therapist Kristine Myers will help participants explore
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the benefits of yoga techniques and philosophies from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 29 at True Nature Healing Arts, 549 Main St. CLAY WORKSHOP • The Carbondale Clay Center workshop “Magic & Mystery: Carbon-trap Shinos on Porcelain” with Malcolm Davis will be Aug. 29-30. Visit www.carbondaleclay.org for full details. OLD TIME MUSIC • The Last Minute String Band will hold a free acoustic concert of old time, Celtic, and American hoedown music from 7:30-10 p.m. at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. For more information contact: justuspaines@sopris.net or call 945-0350. CHALK IT UP • Snowmass is hosting a sidewalk art competition for all ages and abilities on Aug. 29. To register, go www.snowmassvillage.com/chalk-it-up. For more info, call (800) SNOWMASS. SCUBA CLASS • The Snowmass Village Recreation Center is offering a P.A.D.I. Open Water Scuba Course from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 2930. Space is limited. Call 922-2240 to register.
SUNDAY, Aug. 30 UNITARIANS MEET • The new Mid-Valley Unitarian Universalist Gathering will host nationally known speaker Rev. Robert Latham for a series of six gatherings, the first of which is at 10 a.m. Sunday at the WIN Institute. Child care will be available. For more information, contact Bill or Sue at 963-2163 or visit www.uua.org/visitors/index.shtml. HERB WORKSHOP • Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute hosts the Medicinal & Culinary Herb Workshop with Jerome Osentowski and herbalist Mary O'Brien. This workshop will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug.
30 and covers the basics of growing and preparing herbs by drying, tincturing and making salves. Cost is $50 and includes lunch. Call 927-4158 or email info@crmpi.org to register. POETRY NIGHT • A Live Poetry Night & Fundraiser will take place from 7:30-10 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Hotel Lenado, 200 S. Aspen St., Aspen. The evening includes live music with singer/songwriter Dan Sheridan, open mic for poets and featured poet, M.K. Cobb. Open to all listeners and poets. For more information, call 379-2136 or 309-4828. AUDITIONS HELD • Colorado Mountain College Theatre will hold auditions for “Pride and Prejudice” on at 7 p.m. Aug. 30-31 in the New Space Theatre at Spring Valley, 3000 County Road 114 in Glenwood Springs. Performances are Oct. 15-17 and Oct. 22-25. Call 947-8252 to schedule an audition.
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2 FARMER’S MARKET • The Carbondale Farmer’s Market is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday through Sept. 30 at the corner of Fourth and Main streets. Fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese, bread, coffee, wine, flowers, prepared foods, crafts and more. Free entertainment. WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE • High Country Security will offer a free women’s self-defense class at 7 p.m. Sept. 1 at the Glenwood Springs Community Center. Registration and signed liability waiver required at High Country at 318 Eighth St. Call Tami Lacy at 945-HELP (4357) with questions or for additional information. LIVE MUSIC • White House Pizza presents live music from 7-10 p.m. Wednesday. For more information, call 704-9400.
Community Briefs continued om page 7 complete the course. Classes will be held Sept. 15-16 and 2223, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the CMC Blake Center, 1402 Blake Ave., Glenwood Springs. To enroll, call 384-8747 and leave a message with your name, phone number, any questions and the class you would like to take.
Nominate a man, woman of year Don’t forget to a nominate a man or woman of the year. The town of Carbondale
and Zeta Epsilon Sorority co-sponsor the annual award, which goes to someone who has made outstanding contributions to the community through volunteerism.Awards will be presented at the town Board of Trustee meeting on Sept. 8, and the Man and Woman of the Year will serve as the grand marshals of the 100th Potato Day Parade on Sept. 19. Nomination forms are available at Carbondale Town Hall. The deadline for submitting them is Aug. 28. Nominations may also be faxed to 963-8084. For more information, call 963-0161.
Art Briefs CMC Theatre announces fall performances The Colorado Mountain College theatre department has released its fall 2009 schedule of performances. Productions include: “Pride and Prejudice,” Jon Jory’s stage adaptation of the 1813 classic by Jane Austen; with performances on Oct. 15-17 and Oct. 22-25; The one-woman show,“The Good Body,” by Eve Ensler who also wrote “The Vagina Monologues,” set for Nov. 13-15; and “A Walk in the Woods” by Lee Blessing, with performances on Dec. 3-5 and Dec. 1113. CMC Theatre will hold open auditions for “Pride and Prejudice” at 7 p.m. Aug. 30-
31 in the New Space Theatre at Spring Valley. The campus is located at 3000 County Road 114 outside Glenwood Springs. Those auditioning are asked to prepare a one- to two-minute monologue from the script. Scripts are available for reading at the CMC Spring Valley Quigley Library or the CMC Glenwood Center, 1402 Blake Ave. If you’re going to audition, tell the theatre department in advance by calling 947-8252.
TRTC’s 15th season opens with “Virginia Woolf” Thunder River Theatre Company’s 15th season will open when “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” hits the stage in September. The play was written by three-time Pulitzer
Johnny o (left) and howard Berkman (right) shared the stage for a much ballyhooed jam session last saturday night at KDNK’s Blues and Barbecue fundraiser. Their guitar riffing sent the crowd into a frenzy. Photo by Jane Bachrach
Prize winner Edward Albee in 1962, and helped establish him as a major American playwright A TRTC press release describes “Woolf” as “funny,”“turbulent” and an attempt to reveal the “raw, human truth” behind the often phony exterior of Leave-it-to-Beaver American life in the 1950s. The production will run Sept. 24-26, Oct. 2-4 and Oct. 8-10. To purchase tickets, download a season
brochure or read about upcoming plays, log on to thunderrivertheatre.com. For more information, call 963-8200. And keep your theatre glasses handy for the other productions of the ’09/’10 season, including: “Visiting Mr. Green” by Jeff Baron, playing in December; “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams, playing in February and March; and “Bernice/Butterfly: A Two-Part Invention” by Nagle Jackson, scheduled for July.
THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009 • 11
Local 4-H kids compete in statewide shooting competitions This summer over a dozen youths aged 11 to 18 participated in the local Pan & Fork 4-H Shooting Club. Seven of these students mastered shooting disciplines at the county level to qualify to compete at the state level. The state competitions are held over two weekends on the Front Range. The ďŹ rst of the shooting competitions – .22 rie and air rie – took place last weekend in Pueblo. Over Labor Day weekend the youths who qualiďŹ ed in the shotgun disciplines of skeet, trap and 5-stand will gather in Colorado Springs to test their skills against other top shooters in the state. All in all, 773 shooters from 34 different Colorado counties will compete in the 2009 4-H State Shoot. Local volunteer 4-H instructor Dean Wagner was quick to point out that the by Sue Melus program is not all about the shooting. “The kids learn responsibility and life building skills. Foremost, we teach safety. Safety is our number one priority. The rest is all fun. It’s a really great program for the kids.â€? The young shooters dedicated each Monday night during the summer to shooting at the Roaring Fork Valley Sportsman’s Association range in Basalt. The adult volunteers, who were required to complete an intensive threeday shooting instructor course and background check, oversaw the youths and instructed them in their shooting skills. They learned marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of ďŹ rearms, the principles of hunting and mental training techniques. Additionally, each youth was required to identify a summer project, set goals, and keep a performance journal in which they logged their obstacles and accomplishments. Additionally, the students tracked and recorded all their costs associated with the program – hearing and eye protection, ammunition and travel expenses – in order to effectively budget their expenses. The participants presented their performance journals and their projects at the GarďŹ eld County Fair. The program and the support of the adult leaders provided the young shooters the opportunity to de-
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12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • AUGUST 27, 2009
seven local kids who participate in the Pan and Fork 4-h shooting Program are competing at the state level. Photos by sue Melus velop their life skills, self-worth and conservation ethics. Mackenzie Small, a 9th grader at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, qualiďŹ ed for states in skeet, trap and 5stand. 5-stand is another shotgun game that can be compared to a combination of skeet, trap and sporting clays. “I started the program last summer and I really enjoyed shooting with people my own age. It gave me a new sense of competition,â€? stated Small. “I also learned a lot about mental training. Shooting at the county competition was difďŹ cult. We were shooting at a totally new place with new people and a new backdrop. It gave me a chance to transfer the fundamentals I learned to another location and practice my mental training. I think it was a really good experience for all of us.â€?
Local valley youths age 8 to 18 who are interested in getting involved with the 4-H shooting program should contact Dean Wagner at (970) 927-3001. Likewise, the program is always in need of adult volunteers who can commit to completing the weekend of mandatory training. Those interested in volunteering should contact Wagner or the GarďŹ eld County Extension OfďŹ ce in Rie at (970) 6253969 for more information. Note: To view an online video supplement go to http://www.deerydiaries.com. sue Melus has a degree in natural resources. she is a freelance writer and also specializes in public relations for the outdoors industry and resource conservation groups. Read her blog at www.deerydiaries.com.
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PROFESSIONAL WRITER AVAILABLE for press releases, annual reports, letters and special projects. Call Lynn Burton at 963-1549. SEEKING COMPANIONSHIP? Three wonderful dogs found in Carbondale are looking for good homes: (1) “DUALLYâ€? is an 8-year-old neutered male Australian Heeler mix who is a very sweet, well behaved dog, deserving of a happy home. (2) “JDâ€? is a red & white, handsome neutered male Pit Bull age 2 who is great with people and would like a fenced yard. (3) “McNAIRâ€? is a 2 year old Boxer/Rottweiller mix neutered male; he’s a good-looking, black and brindle fellow with high energy and loves to play. To visit with these ďŹ ne companions, call 704-0403 or
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