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Carbondale’s weekly

community connector

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

Sun

Volume 9, Number 31 | September 7, 2017

A day of firsts Her first first grade day Keira Spiess brought her mom, Erin, along as she made her way to a new year and a new class at Crystal River Elementary School on Sept. 5.

Photo by Jane Bachrach

It’s the first time in a while that Roaring Fork School District has waited until after Labor Day to bring the kids back, reportedly to provide an opportunity to gauge the potential impact of the Grand Avenue Bridge closure. It’s also, incidentally, the first year of classes at the new Riverview preK-8 across from Westbank.

For the first in a set of articles on new school leadership, turn to page 3. For more first day photos from CRES, Carbondale Middle and Roaring Fork High School, check out page 16.

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, email editor Will Grandbois at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.

Kate the Cattle Queen Each time I make an appointment for a haircut I tell myself I while to realize there isn’t anyone at the helm (or the desk to anwill try something new; bangs perhaps, or a pixie cut. Although, swer the phone) but when the wheels do come off, then what?

I’ve never been what you would call pixieish. I come from a long Every man for himself, I suppose, which brings me back to my ulline of large-boned, well-over-six-foot, whiskered timate crafting daydream of learning how to make highlanders named Horace who lived for 90 years. In candles, vodka, and soap so I can live off my stockpile fact, I’m not even sure what a ‘pixie’ is… sort of like in the woods. an elf meets a bird-boned girl from the rainforest?

I will also need to channel the help of a ghost; specifAnyway, I think it sounds adorable! But, in much the ically, the ghost of Kate Lindvig, known as the Cattle same way I promise myself I’ll order something exotic Queen. Kate was a woman who knew how to get ’er the next time we go for Mexican and then find mydone when it came to surviving in the Rocky Mounself ordering a quesadilla for the gazillionth time in tains. My grandparents bought Snowmass Falls Ranch my adult life, I just get a trim. from Kate in the 1940s and made it their summer cow Ahh, the safety of routine. The trick is keeping the camp. But Kate had lived there year-round since the routine positive, especially as I enter the early stages of turn of the century, renting cabins to hunters and trapCronedom — which I’m looking forward to, by the pers, raising livestock and living off the land. The story way. I recently joined the Great Old Broads as a Traingoes that she was a mail-order bride from Denmark, ing Broad and my mantra of late has been “Stay in the but when she got off the train in Nebraska she took light, Carol Anne.” Of course, the actual quote is “Do one look around and got back on the train, making her not go into the light, Carol Anne” in reference to the way west to settle in Snowmass, Colorado.

1982 movie Poltergeist where the youngest child of a One of my favorite places in the world, I love to suburban family starts channeling ghosts through hike in and around Kate’s throughout the year, just

By Jeannie Perry their television set. Whenever I watch TV these days I watching the seasons change — both in Nature and in want to stockpile soap, vodka, and candles, and head for the hills… myself. I find a sense of peace and tranquility in the woods, away I want to rise above the talking heads and their fearful babble, from the things of man, along with my other favorite mantra: and think, act, and write about recent highlights (— no, I never Everything will be alright in the end, so if it’s not alright, it’s not the even get those!) in a positive light. Great things are happening in end. And I like the comparison of a single life to the annual rotaour world, despite the ever-present corporate Greedy Gusses and tion of our planet; Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter = Maiden, Mother, their sycophants, but it’s a struggle to keep my focus on the light, Warrior, Crone. I like to imagine Kate working up there through instead of the giant cloud of shit that’s headed our way. The Trump all the stages of her life, in all the Colorado seasons, just because she administration is gutting our government, leaving a huge chunk of wanted to. I admire her strength and endurance, but mostly her reSwiss cheese where there used to be programs in departments that fusal to settle for her society’s standards. My plan is to still be up in are kinda essential to our security and safety, like the Department the hills, hiking around in my “new” haircut and staying in the light, of Energy and the Department of Agriculture. I think it will take a well into the winter of my own life.

OPINION

Ps & Qs

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.

Ascendigo thanks Dear Editor: On behalf of my colleagues at Ascendigo Autism Services and the clients we serve, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Cowboy Up Carbondale Committee for a very successful and fun event last Friday,

August 25th! We greatly appreciate your hard work and dedication to support nonprofits in our community. The proceeds of the event will support Ascendigo’s yearround ranch program for children and adults on the autism spectrum.

We also want to thank the businesses and

Four Carbondale residents brought The Sopris Sun to help keep them warm in their recent travels to Iceland. Margarent Donnelly and Jessi Rochel ran the Reykjavik Marathon as part of the Challenge Aspen Marathon Team, while Quinn Donnelly and Nic DeGross joined for the travel adventures! This photo is taken at the Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Courtesy photo 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017

individuals who so generously contributed to this year’s Cowboy Up Carbondale event — partners, table sponsors, live and silent auction donors, media donors, volunteers, attendees, and all of those who bid on auction items and services. It was a great event!

Special thanks to our Cowboy Up partners: Premier Party Rentals, Roaring Fork Valley Co-op, Mountain Waste & Recycling, Swire Coca-Cola, and Orrison Distributing.

We also appreciate members of the local media who helped us promote this event— KSNO, KMTS, and the Aspen Times.

We are grateful for our table sponsors: Devlin Financial Service, Alpine Bank, Coldwell Banker Mason Morse, Nieslanik Horses, Nieslanik Beef, Precision Tile & Stone, Mat Dog Towing, R & A Enterprises, Katie Grange from Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty, Tom & Sallie Bernard, Land Title Guarantee Company, Casey Concrete, The Churchill Group, The Eric Small Family, and Martin Ranch.

Last, but certainly not least, we want to tip our hats to the Cowboy Up Carbondale Team — Erin Bassett, Cassie Cerise, Scott Haycock, Rob Whalen, and Ashley Jammaron. They volunteer tirelessly to stage this spirited celebration of Carbondale’s western heritage that also supports nonprofit organizations.

LETTERS page 18

Sincerest thanks to our

Honorary Publishers for their generous, ongoing commitment of support.

Jim Calaway, Chair Kay Brunnier Bob Ferguson – Jaywalker Lodge Scott Gilbert: Habitat for Humanity - RFV Bob Young – Alpine Bank Peter Gilbert Umbrella Roofing, Inc. Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein Greg and Kathy Feinsinger

ank you to our SunScribers and community members for your support!

It truly takes a village to keep e Sun shining.

To inform, inspire and build community.

Donations accepted online or by mail.

P.O. Box 399 520 S. Third Street #32 Carbondale, CO 81623 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Editor Will Grandbois • 970-510-0540 news@soprissun.com Advertising: Kathryn Camp • 970-379-7014 adsales@soprissun.com Reporter: John Colson Photographer: Jane Bachrach Graphic Designer: Terri Ritchie Delivery: Tom Sands CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS board@soprissun.com Barbara Dills, President Debbie Bruell, Secretary Cliff Colia • Diana Alcantara Matt Adeletti • Olivia Pevec Faith Magill • Stacey Bernot Raleigh Burleigh • Marilyn Murphy The Sopris Sun Board meets regularly on the second Monday evening of each month at the Third Street Center. Check the calendar for details and occasional date changes.

Founding Board Members Allyn Harvey • Becky Young • Colin Laird Barbara New • Elizabeth Phillips Peggy DeVilbiss • Russ Criswell Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a proud member of the Carbondale Creative District The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible.

New leadership at Roaring Fork High, Crystal River Elementary

By Debbie Bruell, Sopris Sun Correspondent

Brett Stringer, RFHS principal

Liz Meador, CRES vice principal

When Brett Stringer, the new Roaring Fork High School principal, was a high schooler himself, he jumped at the opportunity to take a creative approach to his education. His history teacher offered students the option of writing papers or creating videos, and Stringer and his brother began shooting movies of themselves rolling down the street inside of a “time machine” (made out of a trash barrel) which would depart in a trail a flames (á la the movie Back to the Future) as it left their Colorado Springs neighborhood to transport them to another time and place, such as the landing of the Mayflower.

Stringer went on to study film at the University of Denver, where Brett Stringer. Photo by Jane Bachrach he created videos of his friends snowboarding. After graduating college he moved to Los Angeles to oped with their students. pursue film-making, but quickly realized that MLK was designated as an innovation the cutthroat competition and flashy culture school, which meant they had some flexiweren’t for him. bility in terms of complying with state and After returning to Colorado, he was district mandates. For example, Stringer and drawn to the field of education through a colleague designed a reading intervention friends. He first considered teaching cre- program, rather than using the commerative writing at the college level, but decided cially-produced program purchased by that teaching younger students felt like a other schools in the district. Stringer said the better fit. program was “wildly successful and has been taken to two other schools.”

Previous positions After one year at MLK, the school disStringer has worked in schools with trict asked Stringer to take the position of very diverse populations his entire career. assistant principal at Merrill Middle School.

He began as an English as a Second Lan- When he first began at Merrill in 2011, it guage teacher at South High School in was ranked as the worst middle school in Denver — a magnet school specifically de- Denver. By 2015, it was ranked as the top signed to provide extensive support for traditional middle school (i.e., not a charter English language learning. Over 35 lan- school or innovation school) in Denver — a guages were spoken at the school, with ranking it has continued to hold for the past Spanish being the most common. Many of three years.

In 2016, Stringer left Merrill to be the the families were refugees who had just reprincipal of North Middle School in Aucently arrived in the country.

In an interview with The Sopris Sun, rora, a school with 850 students, 85 percent Stringer noted that he sees diversity as a Hispanic and about 80 percent from low instrength for any school. “Kids gain so much come families. North is ranked as a “low performance school.” from hearing each other’s stories,” he said.

Stringer told The Sun that he was not Stringer taught at South for seven years before moving into a teacher coach position, looking to leave his post at North, but he which he held for two years at that school. and his wife Mandy had dreamed of movHe then began working as a teacher-coach at ing their family out to the mountains, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College, a 6th when he learned of the open positions in through 12th grade school in Denver with a the Roaring Fork Schools, the opportunity heavy focus on college preparedness and con- felt too good to pass up. Stringer explained current enrollment, providing kids with col- that Carbondale seemed like the perfect fit for them: a small mountain town with a dilege credit during their high school years.

In 2005 MLK Early College was ranked verse population and a community with as one of the worst schools in the country. “the same vision” that has guided his work By the time Stringer began working there in as an educator: the idea of “supporting one 2011, the school had undergone a radical another regardless of background.”

One of Stringer’s goals this summer has transformation, with a graduation rate of 100 percent and a college acceptance rate of been “figuring out the story” of RFHS. He’s 100 percent. According to Stringer, the key met individually with RFHS teachers to to turning around MLK had been the teach- have informal conversations about the ers and the strong relationships they develSTRINGER page 17

After many stops along her journey through the field of education, Liz Meador has found her way back to the schools of the Roaring Fork Valley to start this fall as assistant principal of Crystal River Elementary School.

Meador first came to the valley in 1985 to teach kindergarten at Aspen Community School. After three years of teaching there, she spent the next 12 years working in school leadership. She was principal of Aspen Community School and Yampah High School; assistant principal at Horizons K-8 School, a public charter school in Boulder; and director of the Watershed School, a private middle and high school in Boulder.

Meador lived in the valley Liz Meador. Photo by Jane Bachrach from 1985-2001, except for three years during which she lived in Boulder, from 1992-1995, pursuderstand how to work with the cultural and ing her PhD in education at the University language diversity of their students. of Colorado, Boulder.

“We try to teach teachers strategies to From 1997-2000 she directed the Roar- engage students who have strong language ing Fork Teacher Education Project — a background in their native language, but are project started by George Stranahan and learning another language,” Meador exfunded by the University of Colorado to ad- plained in an interview with The Sopris Sun. dress the teacher-shortage in the area by “How can teachers make sure that all kids bringing in student-teachers. have access to the curriculum?”

After completing her PhD in 2000, Meador told The Sun that most of the Meador began working as a professor of students and teachers she has taught have education on the West Coast. She worked been eager to learn the skills and knowledge at four different colleges over the next 13 they need to reach their students with limyears: California State University, Monterey ited English ability. “It’s been inspiring to Bay; Lewis & Clark College in Portland, talk with teachers who are so open and willOregon; California Polytechnic State Uni- ing to embrace all the kids in their classversity in San Louis Obispo; and University rooms, “ Meador said. of California, Santa Cruz. Most recently, for Growing up in California and having the past three years, she held the position of lived there on and off for the past 15 years, director of the teacher education program Meador explained, she has experienced at UC Santa Cruz. first-hand the value of bilingualism. Most During her summers she has taught as ad- of her students at UC Santa Cruz have been junct faculty at CU Boulder, CU Denver and bilingual, including many students from Boise State University, travelling back and Latin America and Asia, as well as other forth between the central coast of California, parts of the world.

Boulder and the Roaring Fork Valley.

Meador’s first teaching job was on Dou“I enjoy working with the whole spec- glas Island in Juneau, Alaska, where she trum of teachers,” Meador said, from college taught first grade. The majority of her stustudents who are in the beginning stages of dents were from low income families whose pursuing their teaching degree to those who primary language was their Native Amerihave taught for many years. She’s looking can language. forward to working once again with veteran When Meador first lived in the Roaring teachers, as well as “the bonus” of working Fork Valley in the 1980s, “there was very litdirectly with small children again. tle diversity,” she told The Sun. “I love being back and seeing how the culture has changed Multiculturalism and equity here. It’s a very multicultural community Meador’s area of expertise at the college now in every positive sense of the word.”

Meador said she’s looking forward to level has been multicultural education and equity issues in schools, especially regarding bringing her experiences from California, emergent bilingual students. She explained where “diversity is normalized,” to her work that, in recent years, historically-white, rural here in the valley. She believes that much of schools have experienced a huge influx of the success in terms of the extent to which refugee and immigrant families, yet teachers diversity has been embraced in California tend to be white and middle class. According can be attributed to the schools. to Meador, these teachers often don’t unMEADOR page 17

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017• 3

Town Report

Fall rec. schedule out in print and online The fall recreation brochure prints as an insert in this very issue of The Sopris Sun and is also available as an online flipbook at www.carbondalerec.com, Town Manager Jay Harrington noted in his weekly report to staff, trustees and others.

If you have any program specific questions, contact Jason Thraen at 510-1279 or jthraen@carbondaleco.net.

Meanwhile…

• Roaring Fork School District has begun site work on the teacher/employee housing along Third Street (between the library and the Third Street Center).

• The Alpine Bank Western Slope Pickleball Tournament takes place on the Darien Tennis and Pickleball courts and the Triangle Park Courts on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The tournament is produced by the Carbondale Recreation Department, The Roaring Fork Pickleball Association and sponsored by Alpine Bank, Peppino’s, The Village Smithy and Bonfire Coffee.

• A Roaring Fork Ranch Roping event will take place at the Gus Darien Rodeo Arena on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8, 9 and 10.

• The streets crew continued work on the Highway 133 street light project and worked with utilities on dry wells and ditches.

• Public works staff worked on 2018 budget preparation, pedestrian and bicycle signs and pavement marking locations, and plan review for proposed development between Main and Colorado on the east side of the roundabout.

• Town Hall and the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center was closed on Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day. Monday also happened to be the last day of the summer season at the John M. Fleet Pool.

• The Town of Carbondale Parks & Recreation Department submitted two grant applications to the Garfield County Federal Mineral Lease District: a mini-grant for Bonnie Fisher Park and Sopris Park improvements that includes a fence and playground equipment replacement, and a traditional grant collaborating with the Third Street Center for the east building entrance and parking lot upgrades.

• Parks crews replaced two solenoids at Third Street Center, fixed a sprinkler head at Glacier Park, replaced light bulbs in Hendricks Park men’s bathroom and recoded the door, and mowed Hillcrest Cemetery for Labor Day visits.

• Town staff is preparing the packet for the Colorado Historic Preservation Commission meeting on Sept. 7. Mark Rodman from History Colorado will visit with the CHPC at the meeting and go over the benefits and responsibilities of being a Certificated Local Government (CLG).

• Finance continues to work on the 2018 Budget.

• Mountain Fair sales tax revenues were down 4.2 percent from 2016.

• The Crystal well startup had issues which the contractor is working to address, before performing a pressure test to verify the corrections. The Nettle Creek project continues with the siding and insulation being installed. It is anticipated that the siding will be in place prior to the end of September.

• A recent storm caused a primary line breaker to fail on the Holy Cross primary line at the wastewater treatment plant; Holy Cross has attended to this and has the power back on.

The electrical outage caused a cycle on the backup generator which set off an alarm on low fuel level at the of the run.

• The police issued a citation for violating the bear trash municipal ordinance.

WE GIVE A DIME Whatever your passion, change starts with you.

Each time you use your debit card, Alpine Bank donates 10 cents to local nonprofits and community organizations. Small change. Big difference. #WeGiveADime

38 LOC ATIONS FROM DENVER TO DUR ANGO 4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017

Cop Shop From Aug. 24 through 30, Carbondale Police handled 248 calls for service.

During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note:

FRIDAY Aug. 25 at 6:51 a.m. An officer took a report of a hit and run on Sopris Avenue.

FRIDAY Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. Suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol after failure to obey a traffic signal, a local man submitted to a breath test and was released with just the first citation.

FRIDAY Aug. 25 at 9:19 p.m. Following up a call for a citizen assist, officers discovered a car parked across several handicap spaces and noticed that the front tire had apparently been slashed.

SATURDAY Aug. 26 at 1:08 a.m. A 56-year-old man was cited for speeding and driving under the influence.

SATURDAY Aug. 26 at 4:07 p.m. A woman reported a stolen bike.

TUESDAY Aug. 29 at 5:21 p.m. An officer noticed a group of people apparently drinking in Miner’s Park and issued one citation for minor in possession of alcohol.

WEDNESDAY Aug. 30 Police took a report of a potential sex assault on a minor.

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Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to news@soprissun.com.

Onward and upward

Fine art

Marble distilling is hosting a fried chicken and donut fundraiser in support of the Perseverance Project from 6 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 8. A $25 entrance covers your dinner and helps cover the costs of getting a ďŹ lm crew, their gear and support personnel to Nepal. There, they’ll document the journey of Snowmass Village local Steve Furman, who has incurable cancer in his attempt to summit an unclimbed 6,000 meter peak, as well as others who have their life’s premature end in sight, and use that revelation to do extraordinary things. For more information or to donate, visit tinyurl.com/perseveranceproject.

Carbondalians Cate Tallmadge and Brian Colley will be among several artists showing work in an exhibit titled "Off the Leash" at the Red Brick in Aspen, with an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 7.

No term limits Sunlight Mountain Resort’s mini mayor campaign is underway, with incumbent Gabby Noyes, 9 of Silt already announcing her bid for reelection (youtube.com/watch?v=upXe2A8k6P8).

She’ll be challenged by an array of kids under 12, each angling for a free season pass, new skis or snowboard, and a seat at the executive table. The the winner announced Nov. 7; more information at www.mini-mayor.com.

Rodeo rewards In case you weren’t aware, Carbondale’s Wild West Rodeo is a nonproďŹ t with a wide array of beneďŹ ciaries and awards. This year, the rodeo team proudly awarded $5,000 to the Calaway Young Cancer Center and Valley View Hospital from the Tough Enough to Wear Pink rodeo, a $1,000 scholarship each

I like Ike

Smoke from wildďŹ res in the northwest lingered on the Western Slope on Sept. 5 and 6, turning the sun and moon orange. Photo by Laurel Janeen Smith to Shannon Weeks and Nate Hoey, and with donations from friends, family, and volunteers, the Trent Goscha Sportsmanship award to Lydia Hanrahan, the Spirit of Court Will Buckle Award to Walker Lassiter, the Court Will Saddle for High Money Winner to Nate Hoey, and a brand spankin' new cowboy hat and lariat to long-time arena volunteer Tanner Hawkins.

Gone ďŹ shin’ Colorado Parks and Wildlife has authorized an emergency ďŹ sh salvage at Harvey Gap Reservoir, removing minimum size, bag and possession limits for all species. Overnight ďŹ shing is allowed to encourage the take of channel catďŹ sh. All other ďŹ shing regulations are in effect and will be enforced, and the reservoir remains closed to any watercraft

normally requiring an aquatic nuisance species inspection, including boats and trailers. The Silt Water Conservancy District will lower water levels in Harvey Gap Reservoir this fall to allow the inspection of the dam’s outlet structure. Once the reservoir is permanently reďŹ lled, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will restock the popular ďŹ shery with approved species. A valid park pass is required, available at self service stations at Harvey Gap State Park or at the Visitor Center at nearby Rie Gap State Park.

Farmers Irrigation Company owns Harvey Gap Reservoir. The Silt Water Conservancy District is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the reservoir and associated irrigation water delivery infrastructure. CPW leases the surface of the reservoir and manages the park's trails, day-use areas and ďŹ shery.

It’s been a couple of years since “stop� lyrics appeared on a handful of stop signs around town (collect them all: “don’t STOP believin’, “STOP: Hammertime� and “STOP in the name of love�). The Bush / Quayle bumper sticker on the stop sign coming into town on Catherine Store Road is a new one on us, though. Politics aside, we have to wonder who’s been holding on to the thing all this time — or did they actually go through the trouble of having a new one printed?

They say it’s your birthday Folks celebrating another year of life this week include: Richard Hart and Mario Tarin (Sept. 7); Jane Bachrach, John Bruna, Whitney Will, Hailey Thompson, Tris and Tag Speaker, Marian Perregaux, Gayla Tippett Auten and Janet Boyle (Sept. 8); Annie Worley and Ben Bohmfalk (Sept. 9); John Colson, Casey Piscura, Brian and Brent Perkins (Sept. 10); Aaron Garland and Debbie Crawford (Sept. 11); Anita Witt, Dominique Jackson, Chrissie Leonard, Allyn Harvey, Adam Carballeira and Andy Bohmfalk (Sept. 13).

Third Annual Second Sunday

Carbondale Farmer’s Market Your local source for September’s harvest:

Every Wednesday until September 27 corn, potatoes, zucchini, winter squash, 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. carrots, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, Fourth & Main Street melons, tomatillos, and onions.

WOW! You Know How Good It Feels September’s Special Raspberry Body Wrap, Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage, Private Mineral Bath, Day pass to Our Historic Vapor Caves. “A DAY AT THE SPA� $1 5

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Summer Music in The Park Sunday, Sept. 10

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Thanks to all of our sponsors: Town of Carbondale, Steve’s Guitars,The Sopris Sun, KDNK, Alpine Bank, American National Bank, Poss Architecture, Jaywalker Lodge, Equus Wealth Management

Vera Diemoz celebrates 106 years in the Valley

By John Colson Sopris Sun Staff Vera Diemoz was the picture of contentment and joviality while talking with a reporter recently about her 106th birthday, as she sat at a table on the outdoor patio of the Heritage Park Care Center in Carbondale, where she has been living for about three years.

A native of the Roaring Fork Valley, Vera until three years ago was still doing all her own shopping and cooking, among other chores while living at one of the Manor senior citizen residences in Glenwood Springs.

She reached the impressive milestone of five-score-and-six years on Sept. 1, greeting family and friends when they would appear after trips from various points of the compass.

Asked how she felt as the sun warmed her in the late morning, Diemoz smiled, looked up and declared, “I feel like I could just get up and … start on a good walk.”

She was born Vera Montover in 1911, to Aline and Joe Montover, one of 12 kids who were raised initially in Old Snowmass, where St. Benedict’s Monastery is now located.

Vera has spent time up and down the Roaring Fork over the decades, including a stretch in the 1920s in the Carbondale area, once at a ranch known as the St. John’s place on Prince Creek (now part of the Two Shoes

Ranch) and a longer time on part of the old Thompson Ranch (now the River Valley Ranch subdivision) raising potatoes and livestock, fixing fences and milking cows alongside the rest of her family.

She also lived for a while in the Silt area, where she landed after marrying her then husband, Fred, in 1930 and moving onto his ranch, where she kept chickens and turkeys and raised her only child, a son named Stanley, who passed away in 2006.

Vera recalled divorcing Fred a number of years ago, and in recent years was largely on her own other than the constant companionship of her grand-nephew, Vern Arbaney, who died on Aug. 13 at the age of 81. A friend, Diane Welter, has taken on the role of companion in Vern's absence, as her surviving brothers — Peleno, 94, in Clifton near Grand Junction and Leno (she could not recall his age) in Parachute, live far enough away to preclude frequent visits.

Vera confirmed that hers has been a longlived family, noting that her mother lived to the age of 98.

“They lived a long time,” she said smiling, perhaps at the memories evoked by the conversation.

(A more complete recounting of Vera’s life from a previous issue is available at soprissun.com/news-general/150827_veradiemoz.)

Our reporter caught up with Diemoz on her last day as a 105 year-old.

Photo by John Colson

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WHOLE AND HALF LAMBS Available for sale this fall through the ranch.

www.strangranch.com

ONE-TIME SPECIAL Saturday, September 9

LAMB CHOPS $13.50 / # GROUND LAMB Stocked at the Market

1310 HIGHWAY 133

(next to Rhumba Girl Liquors)

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017• 7

PUBLIC NOTICE RESOLUCION NUMERO 10 SERIE DE 2017 UNA RESOLUCION DE LOS MIEMBROS DEL FIDEICOMOSARIO DEL PUEBLO DE CARBONDALE CLARIFICANDO POLIZA RELACIONADAS AL ESTADO MIGRATORIO Visto que, el Pueblo de Carbondale reconoce lo importancia de las personas a pesar del estado migratorio; Visto que, el Pueblo de Carbondale busca aclarar la póliza del Pueblo con respecto a la comunidad inmigrante en el Pueblo; Visto que, el Pueblo de Carbondale continuara esforzándose por encontrar la mejor manera de apoyar todos los miembros de la comunidad del Pueblo mientras reconociendo el imperio de la ley;

Harper Kaufman checks the harvest at Two Roots Farm. Courtesy still

Visto que, la comunidad inmigrante en el Pueblo de Carbondale contribuya al desarrollo social, educación, y vida económica del Pueblo;

Documentary on local farmers submitted to Sundance Film Fest

Visto que, Pueblo de Carbondale apoya un camino para que los inmigrantes puedan legalmente vivir, trabajar y convertirse en ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos. La seguridad pública y bienestar de todos los residentes del Pueblo no se sirve cuando los inmigrantes tienen miedo de denunciar crímenes, atestiguar y buscar servicios esenciales por temor a ser deportados; Visto que, el Pueblo de Carbondale se compromete a fomentar y asegurar la igualdad y libertad de la persecución sin importar el estado migratorio.

AHORA, POR LO TANTO, QUE SE RESUELVA CON LOS MIEMBROS DEL FIDEICOMISARIO DEL PUEBLO DE CARBONDALE: (1) Póliza del Pueblo con respecto a la comunidad inmigrante: (a) Ningún empleado del Pueblo averiguara el estado migratorio de la persona al menos que un servicio se solicite y se tenga que preguntar o la información es requerida para un servicio del Pueblo. (b) Ningún empleado del Pueblo tomara acción solo basado en el estado migratorio de la persona. (c) Participación y/o asociación en acuerdo de cualquier tipo con o que cumplan la función de oficiales federales de inmigración, ya sea formal o informal, requerirá la aprobación de los Miembros de Fideicomisario al menos que la participación sea parte de una investigación criminal.

(2) Establecimiento de un Programa de Asistencia Pública. El Pueblo desea proveer más oportunidad para los miembros de la comunidad migratoria y los oficiales del Pueblo para interactuar y fomentar una cultura de comunicación. Con ese fin, el Pueblo establecerá un programa para asistencia pública donde miembros de la comunidad podrán reunirse con los oficiales del Pueblo y hablar sobre la póliza actual de la policía con respecto al estado migratorio, explicar el papel de la policía del Pueblo sobre la aplicación de la ley y explicar cómo mantener nuestra comunidad segura, ningún residente del Pueblo debe temer la deportación por reportar un crimen.

(3) Oficial de Relaciones Publicas. El Pueblo desea que el Jefe de Policía designe un oficial o empleado como “Oficial de Relaciones Publicas”. Tal oficial se encargara de participar en el Programa de Asistencia Publica establecido en parte (2) de esta resolución y ser la persona indicada al respecto de interactuar con y explicar la póliza del Pueblo a la comunidad migratoria del Pueblo. (a) El Pueblo proveerá entrenamiento y apoyo que el Jefe de Policía considere necesario para cumplir la meta de esta póliza.

(4) El Pueblo apoya el Estado de Colorado proporcionando lugares y empleados para implementar SB 13-251 para tener conductores con licencias válidas para manejar en nuestras carreteras que es un problema para la seguridad del publica en todo el estado.

(5) El Pueblo considera esta resolución necesario para proteger y mantener la seguridad de todos los residentes de Carbondale.

(6) Nada en esta resolución se interpretara para prohibir o restringir cualquier departamento del Pueblo o personal de cualquier de los siguientes con respecto a la información sobre el estado migratorio de cualquier individuo: (1) mandar información a, o solicitar o recibir información de la Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos y las agencias subsidiarias incluyendo United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); (2) mantener información; o (3) intercambiar información con cualquier otro estado, federal, o entidad gubernamental local.

INTRODUCIDO, LEIDO, Y PASO este 22 día de Agosto, 2017.

PUEBLO DE CARBONDALE ________________________________ Dan Richardson, Alcalde ATESTIGUAR: ________________________________ Cathy Derby, Secretaria de Ayuntamiento

8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017

By John Colson Sopris Sun Staff Instead of subjects, they are called “protagonists,” and they are featured in a new documentary film project as a group of local young farmers who are changing the world of food production, one growing season at a time.

The documentary, entitled “How We Grow,” is in the post-production phase, according to co-director Tom Zuccareno, and has been submitted to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival even as Zuccareno and his partner in film, co-editor Haley Thompson, were busy raising money at an event at the Batch tasting room on Main Street in Carbondale on Sept. 6.

Zuccareno, 49, who lives in the Missouri Heights area north of Carbondale, grew up on a small family farm in New Hampshire, while Thompson, in her mid30s, is the daughter of architect Michael Thompson, who has gained some fame in farming circles for building “climate-battery greenhouses,” which Zuccareno described as “a way of maintaining a more steady temperature and humidity inside a greenhouse, greatly extending our season here in Colorado.”

Zuccareno explained to The Sopris Sun that the documentary “is a story of how this community, the Roaring Fork Valley, has built systems that support young people making the decision to become farmers,” despite the well documented obstacles facing anyone who wants to farm in a high-altitude, resort-oriented region where land values generally have outstripped the financial wherewithal of the agriculture industry.

Aside from the financially shaky status of farming and ranching, Zuccareno said, there is the fact that “the average age of a farmer is 58 in this country. Many of those

farmers’ children are not following in their parents’ footsteps, because “big agriculture” is really tough on the family groups, their health, finances etc. People who own 4,000 acres of soybeans are not convincing their children to get into it.”

And as the young get out of farming, and the industry becomes more mechanized and heavily dependent on chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other influences that some say are ruining the food we eat, the prospects can look bleak for our nation’s food supply, according to Zuccareno and others.

But, he said, the stories of the “protagonists” in the documentary have given him hope that the current trends can be reversed.

“We, as a culture, are really disconnected from where our food comes from,” Zuccareno declared, noting that this realization was a big part of the making of the movie.

“When we understand that our food comes from healthy soil, clean air and clean water, we can’t deny how important a healthy planet is,” he continued, predicting that it is precisely these kinds of concepts that can lead to reform and improvement of the agriculture industry.

In the meantime, he said, a group of local farmers already have begun taking steps to revolutionize agriculture.

An April 23 article in the Aspen Sojourner magazine listed a dozen or so small farms whose work is mentioned or described in the documentary — Two Roots Farm, Wild Mountain Seeds, Erin’s Acres, Roaring Gardens at TCI Lane, The Heritage Fruit Tree Project, Merrill’s Family Farm, Aspen T.R.E.E., Sustainable Settings, DOCUMENTARY page 9

Documentary om page 8 ACES at Rock Bottom Ranch, Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute, Eco Systems Design, and Roaring Fork Farmers and Ranchers.

Zuccareno, however, focused on just three in an interview with The Sun: • Two Roots Farm, run by Harper Kaufman and Christian LeBar, on Missouri Heights; • Wild Mountain Seeds, operated by Casey Piscura and Kirsten Keenan on the Sewell ranch just south of Carbondale; • and Erin’s Acres, run by Erin Cuseo and Jimmy Dula on a midvalley parcel of land owned by Pitkin County Open Space & Trails.

“How come they’re winning here?” asked Zuccareno rhetorically. “Farmers all over the country are losing money, and six farmers and three farms that we picked are crushing it,” meaning they are turning a profit, regardless of how small it is, against high odds.

For instance, in a recent story about Wild Mountain Seeds, Piscura told The Sopris Sun that the farm is in its fourth season of profitability.

While the profits are slim compared to the amount of work that goes into the operation, “Profitability to me is a sign of your value to the community,” Piscura said. “We can still do what a nonprofit does, we’re just not asking for donations.”

One reason for the success of local small farms, Zuccareno said, is that local governments have taken steps to make it easier for young farmers to stay on the land, as highlighted by the fact that Pitkin County leases some of its open spaces to small farming operations.

Plus, a financing organization known as the 2Forks Club, which operates both in the North Fork Valley and the Roaring Fork Valley, makes interest-free loans to operators who meet the 2Forks conditions, and is working on putting together a coop funding plan to help small farmers lease farm equipment that they otherwise would not be able to afford.

“It’s not free money,” stressed Zuccareno, “you have to pay it back,” and the repaid amount goes back into a revolving fund to be loaned out to other farmers.

In addition, he said local restaurants

are shifting over to use of locally produced farm products to make their meals, such as town restaurant in Carbondale, which Zuccareno said “plans their menus according to what local farms have available.

And there have been efforts by legislators to craft laws in support of local farming, he said, specifically mentioning former Colorado State Sen. Gail Schwartz and current State Rep. Diane Mitch Bush (both Democrats). Mitch Bush, incidentally, has announced she is running for the Colorado Dist. 3 Congressional seat currently held by Rep. Scott Tipton in the 2018 midterm election.

As the Sopris Sun went to press the evening of Sept 6, Zuccareno informed a reporter that his team had achieved their Kickstarter goal of $20,000 to cover the post-production costs of making the film, a day in advance of the deadline set for midnight between Sept. 7 and 8.

Now that the first goal has been met, Zuccareno said, “We will continue to raise money for marketing and distribution, so we can get this in front of audiences all over the world.”

He said the total budget of the documentary, including everything from shooting the film to post production, marketing and distribution costs, is estimated at about $280,000.

Prior to the Kickstarter campaign, he said the team had raised $50,000, and reaching the Kickstarter target brings that to $70,000, leaving a lot yet to be raised as Zuccareno and Thompson reach for their ultimate goal — getting the documentary into film festivals around the country and, ultimately, into educational programs where the film can inspire more young people to take a chance on farming as a way of life in the 21st Century.

“You don't make a million bucks selling a nonfiction documentary,” Zuzzareno said with some chagrin, “you make $20,000 or $30,000,” selling it to cable channels or other outlets once it has made the rounds of the film festivals.

But money is not the object, he said: “I work in a space that tries to move the needle” and improve the world for the future in big or little ways.

PUBLIC NOTICE RESOLUTION NO. 10 SERIES OF 2017 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE CLARIFYING IMMIGRATION STATUS RELATED POLICIES WHEREAS, the Town of Carbondale recognizes the importance of all the persons in the community, regardless of immigration status; WHEREAS, the Town of Carbondale seeks to clarify the Town policy with respect to the immigrant community in the Town; WHEREAS, the Town of Carbondale continues to strive to find the best way to support all members of the Town’s community while recognizing the rule of law; WHEREAS, the immigrant community in the Town of Carbondale contributes to the social, educational, and economic life of the Town; WHEREAS, Town of Carbondale supports a clear path for immigrants to legally live, work and become citizens of the United States. The public safety and wellbeing of all residents of the Town is not served when immigrants are afraid to report crimes, bear witness, and seek essential services for fear of deportation; WHEREAS, the Town of Carbondale is committed to fostering and ensuring equality and freedom from persecution regardless of immigration status.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE BOARD OF THE TRUSTEES: (1) Town policy with respect to the immigrant community: (a) No Town employee shall inquire into a person’s immigration status unless such inquiry directly relates to a service request or the information is required to provide a Town service. (b) No Town employee shall take action solely based on a person’s immigration status. (c) Participation and/or partnership in agreements of any type with or that serve the function of federal immigration officials, whether formal or informal, shall require Board of Trustee approval unless such participation is part of an on-going criminal investigation.

(2) Establishment of Outreach Program. The Town desires to provide more opportunity for the members of the immigrant community and the officers of the Town to interact and foster a culture of communication. To that end the Town will establish an outreach program where members of the community can meet with the officers of the Town to discuss the current policy of the police with respect of immigration status, to explain the role of the Town police in the enforcement of immigration law and explain how, to keep our community safe, no resident of the Town should fear deportation for reporting a crime.

(3) Public Relations Officer. The Town desires that the Chief of Police designate one officer or employee as a “Public Relations Officer.” Such officer will be charged with participating in the Outreach Program established in part (2) of this resolution and being the point person with respect to interacting with and explaining Town policy to, the immigrant community of the Town. (a) The Town shall provide such training and support as the Chief of Police deems necessary to fulfill the goal of this policy.

(4) The Town supports the State of Colorado providing locations and staff to implement SB 13-251 as having properly licensed drivers on our roads is a statewide public safety issue.

(5) The Town deems this resolution necessary to protect and maintain the safety of all residents of Carbondale.

(6) Nothing in this resolution shall be construed to prohibit or restrict any Town departments or personnel from doing any of the following with respect to information regarding the immigration status of any individual: (1) sending such information to, or requesting or receiving such information from, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its subsidiary agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE); (2) maintaining such information; or (3) exchanging such information with any other federal, state, or local government entity.

INTRODUCED, READ AND PASSED this ____ day of August, 2017

Town of Carbondale, Colorado By: ________________________________ Dan Richardson, Mayor

ATTEST: ________________________________ Cathy Derby, Town Clerk

Cole Spayd surveys the chickens at Spradley Farms. Courtesy still THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017• 9

Community Calendar

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is noon on Monday.

Events take place in Carbondale unless noted.

THURSDAY Sept. 7

SATURDAY Sept. 9

HARMONY • The Honey Dewdrops play Steve’s Guitars (19 N. Fourth St.) at 8 p.m. or thereabouts.

SALON • A mix of everything from piano and dance to poetry to stand up comedy takes place from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m at The Lauchpad (76 S. Fourth St.).

THU Sept. 7 & MON Sept. 11 COLLEGE INFO • Former Dean of Admission Peter Van Buskirk presents “The Down & Dirty of College Admissionâ€? at Colorado Rocky Mountain School (500 Holden Way) at 7 p.m. Sept. 7 and at The Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.) at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11.

FRIDAY Sept. 8 MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Maudieâ€? (PG-13) at 7:30 p.m. from Sept. 8-14.

LADIES ARM WRESTLING • Put your elbows down and your hands together as a character or yourself in KDNK’s special event from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Phat Thai (343 Main St.).

INSTALLATION • Carbondale Arts presents “Homecoming: A site-speciďŹ c installation

by Lara Whitley� and “Pattern Recognition: Observations and Explorations by Lindsay Jones� with a 6 to 8 p.m. opening at the Launchpad (76 S. Fourth St.).

WOODCUTS • The Charles J. Wyly Gallery at the Art Base (99 Midland Spur, Basalt) and Poss Architecture + Planning and Interior Design present a solo exhibition of “Woodcuts of the Roaring Fork Riverâ€? with a 5 to 6 p.m. opening reception.

SETTINGS • The Carbondale Clay Center (135 Main St.) hosts a special dinner for 200 guests from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. complete with plates created speciďŹ cally for the event. Call 963-2529 to reserve your place at the table.

FILOHA EXPLORATION • Bring your family to Filoha Meadows from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and learn about the local bat population, collect aquatic insects, and go on a scavenger hunt to explore this unique place. Registration is required for the free program at www.roaringfork.org/events.

ALICE MARCH • Wear white in the name of love, peace and harmony for a trek from The Goat (995 Cowen Dr.) to the roundabout and back starting at 10 a.m.

MUSIC BENEFIT • Seven bands play from noon to 9 p.m. at the Gianinetti Spring Creek Ranch. BYOB and set up a picnic. Suggested donation of $20 per person will beneďŹ t YouthZone - a local nonproďŹ t that has been helping at-risk youth since 1976.

Gianinetti Spring Creek Ranch $PXFO %SJWF t $BSCPOEBMF $PMPSBEP ,JET 6OEFS o GSFF t "HFT o BYO Chairs & Picnic Blankets

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017

PHOTO SHOW • The Ann Korologos Gallery (211 Midland Ave., Basalt) shows off an array of photographers with a 5 to 7 p.m. reception.

FABRIC SALE • The Roaring Fork Quilt Guild will offer a fabric sale during its monthly meeting from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the El Jebel Community Center (20 Eagle County Rd.).

SAT & SUN Sept 9-10 TRAIL WORK • Help reverse a summer’s worth of damage to Hanging Lake while getting a chance to experience the area without the general public. Work starts at 8 a.m. both days and attendees have the option of camping at the rest area Saturday night.

SUNDAY Sept. 10 MUSIC IN THE PARK • Free music continues in Sopris Park from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with the Drunken Hearts.

MONDAY Sept. 11 HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION • Free opportunities include‌ • One-hour consultation about heart attack prevention, plant-based nutrition, other medical issues. Call retired family doctor

Greg Feinsinger, M.D. for appointment (379-5718). • First Monday of every month catch a powerpoint presentation by Dr. Feinsinger about the science behind plant-based nutrition 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the board room Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). • Fourth Monday of every month, plant-based potluck 6:30 p.m. Calaway Room Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.).

All events supported by Davi Nikent, Center for Human Flourishing. More information at www.davinikent.org.

TUESDAY Sept. 12 DOCUMENTARY • The Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) presents a special 6 p.m. showing of “Before the Floodâ€? — a National Geographic ďŹ lm about climate change.

SINGER SONGWRITER • Heather Maloney plays Steve’s Guitars (19 N. Fourth St.) at 8 p.m. or thereabouts.

Further Out THU Sept. 14 – Sun Sept. 17 NO MAN’S LAND • The flagship outdoor film festival for, by and about women takes place at the Crystal Theatre (427 Main St.), with a range of other activities around town. Tickets range from $15 to $35 and are available in advance at nomanslandfilmfestival.org.

CALENDAR page 11

Community Calendar

continued from page 10

Ongoing WRITERS GROUP • Wordsmiths of all experience and abilities gather at the Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of the month.

FARMER’S MARKET • Local produce and more available at the Fourth Street Plaza from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays.

HIGH NOON • Bring your compliments, complaints and ideas to Sopris Sun Editor Will Grandbois at 12 p.m. Thursdays at the Pour House (351 Main St.).

MINDFULNESS • The Mindful Life Program in the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.) offers group sessions Mondays at 7:30 p.m. Admission is by donation and registration is not necessary. Info: mindfullifeprogram.org and 970-633-0163.

RUN AROUND • Independence Run & Hike hosts a run around town Saturdays at 8 a.m.

Meet at the store 596 Highway 133 (in La Fontana Plaza) and run various distances, with different routes each week. Info: 704-0909.

IMMUNIZATION CLINICS • GarďŹ eld County offers immunization clinics at the Carbondale Family Resource Center (in the Bridges Center at 400 Sopris Ave.) the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. To schedule an appointment, call 945-6614, ext. 2030.

SENIOR RADIO • Diane Johnson talks about senior issues and services on KDNK at 4:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.

BRIDGE • The Carbondale Bridge Club hosts duplicate bridge (not sanctioned by ACBL)

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from 6:30 to 10 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.). $6/per pair.

ROTARY â&#x20AC;˘ The Carbondale Rotary Club meets at the Carbondale Fire Station (300 Meadowood Dr.) at 6:45 a.m. Wednesdays.

The Mt. Sopris Rotary meets at Mi Casita (580 Main St.) at noon every Thursday.

STORY ART â&#x20AC;˘ Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.), in partnership with the Aspen Art Museum invites kids to learn about artists and create masterpieces of their own at 4 p.m. the ďŹ rst Tuesday of each month.

COMMUNITY MEAL â&#x20AC;˘ Faith Lutheran Church (1340 Highway 133) hosts a free community meal from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the ďŹ rst and third Saturdays of the month.

Info: 510-5046 or faithcarbondale.com. Carbondale Homeless Assistance also has its meeting on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

BOOK CLUB â&#x20AC;˘ Join friends and fellow readers to discuss great books at Carbondale Branch Library (320 Sopris Ave.) at 4 p.m. on the ďŹ rst Wednesday of each month; call 9632889 for this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selection.

LIONS MEET â&#x20AC;˘ The Carbondale Lions Club meets the ďŹ rst Tuesday of the month at the Gathering Center at the Orchard (110 Snowmass Dr.) starting at 6:30 p.m. Info: Chuck Logan at 963-7002 or Chris Chacos at 379-9096.

Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;DALE TRUSTEES â&#x20AC;˘ The Carbondale Board of Trustees holds regular meetings the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at

Town Hall (511 Colorado Ave.) starting at 6 p.m. The trustees usually hold a work session at 6 p.m. on the ďŹ rst and third Tuesdays. Info: 963-2733 or carbondalegov.org.

POETRY WORKSHOPS â&#x20AC;˘ Release your inner poet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the ďŹ rst and third Mondays of each month a the Basalt Regional Library (14 Midland Ave.).

YOUR STORY, YOUR LIFE â&#x20AC;˘ A free facilitated workshop for adults, writing your personal history, one story at a time. Facilitated

by Shelly Merriam, historian/writer/genealogist. First and third Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon at the Glenwood Springs Branch Library, (815 Cooper Ave.). Info at 945-5958 or gcpld.org.

MEDITATION â&#x20AC;˘ Free silent meditation sessions are held at the Launchpad (76 S. Fourth St.) from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Additionally, The Monday Night Meditation Group meets from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at True Nature (100 N. Third St.) and offers instruction in the Buddhist practice of Vipassana. Also at True Nature, everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s invited for SRF meditation from 10 to 11 a.m. on the ďŹ rst Sunday of the month and 5 to 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month.

BLUEGRASS JAM â&#x20AC;˘ Bring the instrument of your choice or just your voice for a weekly jam session ďŹ rst and last Sundays at 6:30 at Steveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guitars (19 N 4th St.) and all other Sundays at the Glenwood Springs Brew Garden (115 Sixth St.).

SENIOR MATTERS â&#x20AC;˘ The nonproďŹ t Senior

Matters, based in the Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.), offers numerous programs for senior citizens, including: tai chi with John Norman at 8:30 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday; tai chi with Marty Finklestein at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; Alaprima Painters at 11 a.m. on Thursdays; the Senior Matters Book Club at 4 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the month; and the Roaring Fork Brain Train. Info: seniormatters.org; Diane Johnson at 970-306-2587; and Senior Matters, Box 991, Carbondale CO, 81623.

TRIVIA NIGHT â&#x20AC;˘ Gather a team of up to six and head to Marble Bar (150 Main St.) on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. to compete for the chance at $50 off the team tab, plus show off the custom made marble Trivia Trophy for a while.

GRIEF AND LOSS â&#x20AC;˘ PathďŹ nders offers a grief and loss support group every other Monday at 6 p.m., and a caregiver support group every other Wednesday noon. An RSVP is required to Robyn Hubbard at 319-6854.

PathďŹ nders offers support groups from Aspen to RiďŹ&#x201A;e and is located in Carbondale at 1101 Village Rd. Info: pathďŹ ndersforcancer.org.

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JUST DANCE â&#x20AC;˘ Catch a free lesson with Wild Bill at 7 p.m. then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $8 to get out on the dance ďŹ&#x201A;oor at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at The Third Street Center (520 S. Third St.).

No partner or experience necessary. Questions? Call 970-366-6463 or email BillyPat4@gmail.com.

LUNCH â&#x20AC;˘ Crystal Meadows (1250 Hendrick Dr.) senior housing hosts a lunch every Wednesday.

Curious about Paonia real estate?

Give me a call.

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With REMAX Mountain West offices in Carbondale and Paonia, consider me your local North Fork Valley real estate connection.

Sara Samuels Broker Associate Carbondale, Colorado (970) 948-4050 (970) 963-1940 www.sarasamuelsrealestate.com

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Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District

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is accepting letters of interest for two open seats on the Board of Directors to serve terms that end in May 2018.

Seats are available due to two Board members moving out of the area.

Interested Parties must be a registered elector in the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District.

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Letters of interest can be submitted to: Gene Schilling, President, Board of Directors gschilling@carbondalefire.org

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weekly community connector â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017â&#x20AC;˘ 11

Making a bunch of dough on Labor Day weekend Photos and text by Jane Bachrach Labor Day has different meanings for different people. Expectant moms, in particular, might be thinking of something completely different, but we weren’t able to connect with any of them — nor the folks who took the opportunity to get out of town with the kids on the last day of summer vacation.

We did, however, go behind the scenes a bit to catch up with the folks who worked when most folks were playing. From making a buncha dough at town. to sorting boxes of food at City Market, we found plenty going on. For ranchers it’s rare to have a day off especially during haying season when the hay is ready to bale, so they can’t. For others, their work is a labor of love — so a holiday is no reason to stop using their knowledge and creativity to create art.

For animal caregivers, unless it’s an emergency, it’s a day when they can attend to simple tasks like trimming nails.

12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017

Counterclockwise from above: Antonio Martinez making dough at town.

Ted Nieslanik, bailing hay Thomas Barlow, sculptor Preston Windfeldt, shucking corn at town.

Michelle Gorton holding Rylie the dog with Marilyn McDonnell doing a pedicure – both are Vet Techs at Carbondale Animal Hospital (CAH) McDonnell at CAH waiting on a customer with the famous Thunder Cat looking on Behind the scenes at City Market

Many town staff come from ‘beyond the bridge’

By John Colson Sopris Sun Staff

having Friday (as a bonus day off for three months) is golden.”

It has not been a month yet that the Grand Avenue bridge in Glenwood Springs has been closed to traffic, while construction crews have worked on building a new bridge and taking down the old one and dramatically snarled the daily commute of some area workers in the process.

In Carbondale, the reactions mostly have been resignation at a necessary bump in the road (the idea being that the modern bridge will add efficiency and a new sparkle to the interconnection between I-70 and the streets of the city).

This accepting mood has mingled with a hint of frustration as the daily grind has gotten a little more, well, grinding on the nerves of those who live “north and west of the bridge,” a zone that stretches from West Glenwood Springs to Cattle Creek, and the towns of New Castle, Silt, Rifle and Parachute that are strung along the interstate in the western portion of Garfield County.

That cavalcade of stressed-out commuters includes a growing number of Carbondale workers forced to find more affordable housing in Glenwood Springs or beyond, as the cost of buying or renting a home in Carbondale has outpaced their financial wherewithal.

This rising tide of people who work here but can’t afford to live here currently is being accommodated, at least in part, by a variety of actions taken by the Town of Carbondale to help its employees through the threemonth closure of the bridge, which is supposed to end around Thanksgiving.

The shuttle Town employees themselves who live “beyond the bridge” have the option of using a combination of shuttle services, driving themselves as they traditionally have, or riding out the three-month project by living with friends or at the Gateway RV Park adjacent to the Highway 133 bridge over the Roaring Fork River.

The Ride Glenwood bus system picks people up around 5:30 a.m. or a little later in West Glenwood and delivers them to Two Rivers Park, on the north side of the Colorado River.

From there, the commuters walk across to the Glenwood Springs City Hall, where they are picked up by Carbondale’s own shuttle

The RV park

The Building Department got the best seats in the town employee shuttle on Sept. 5, with John Leybourne driving and John Plano graciously lending his spot for the photographer — but getting in on the action anyway. Photo by Will Grandbois van, which typically carries 10-13 people to different stops in Carbondale — Town Hall, Public Works and the Utilities Department — a process that is reversed in the evenings.

One positive outcome of the revised commute, according to Carbondale Finance Officer Renae Gustine, has been the ability to keep tabs on the bridge deconstruction / construction work.

“You get to see everything, because you’re standing right above the activity,” she said of the walk across the pedestrian bridge from one shuttle to the other.

Gustine, who has lived in West Glenwood for about four years since moving back to the area following a hiatus, had mostly driven to work prior to the bridge closure, typically arriving at around 7:30 a.m. and leaving late on some nights (especially on Tuesdays, when she stays for part or all of the Board of Trustees meeting.)

With the town on a modified schedule of four 10-hour days to alleviate some of the hassle for workers, Gustine said, “It’s been fun. This is like real urban living, and I don’t have to pay for it (the shuttle is free during the project’s duration).”

“It’s not a big deal,” she said, though she is concerned about the coming winter snows.

“Then it could become a big deal,” she mused.

Help you Help yourself, rself, help you yourr to town, wn, help you yourr neig neighbor hbor

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To carry a change of clothes and other gear for the day of work, Gustine said, she bought a backpack, noting, “It’s my first backpack ever.”

Overall, she said of the new commuting reality, “I think it’s great. It’s a good way to appreciate a familiar situation in a different manner, where you have to re-evaluate everything. I’m a lot more receptive to riding RFTA (the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority’s buses), when I learned how truly easy it is to get around on it.”

She also said it has been fun to get to know some town employees she had not met before, and to use the van-riding time to talk with her son, who is working in Tokyo, Japan, across the International Date Line and in a radically different time zone.

Another town employee, Parks & Cemeteries Dir. Russell Sissom of New Castle, also has given up his car for the time being, though he expects he will drive himself to work again once the bridge project is finished.

“I’m not an early riser,” he explained concerning his disinclination to ride the town’s shuttle prior to the bridge project, which cost $25 .

Plus, he said, he’ll be glad when the municipality returns to its old five-day work week.

“I don’t like four-tens,” he said, “but

To offer another break to its employees, the town has made some of its Gateway RV Park spaces available free to town workers.

One of these hardy souls is Streets Foreman Smiley Wise of the Public Works Dept., who lives in the town of Mack west of Grand Junction and, at two hours each way, has had the longest commute in town for years. But he said he decided to live in his RV “when they first started getting serious about blocking that bridge,” which would have boosted his commute by another hour or two due to delays during rush hour.

Wise lives in the RV from Monday through Thursday and on Thursday night returns to his small ranch, and his wife, leaving the RV in the park over the weekend.

“I think it’s real nice of the town,” he told The Sopris Sun. “It’s not something I can’t live with,” particularly since his wife stays home to manage the ranch and the livestock.

The ‘safety lane’ Carbondale Police Lt. Chris Wurtsmith, who also lives in West Glenwood, said the van trip was disturbingly long at first, but that it has been shortened by the creation of a “safety lane” on the shoulder of Highway 82, along which shuttles and High Occupancy Vehicles can drive to bypass the daily traffic jams that have arisen thanks to the bridge project.

“The first two days, we were over two hours getting to town,” Wurtsmith said, meaning the drive from Glenwood Springs to Carbondale.

But once the Colorado Department of Transportation designated the “safety lane,” he said, the drive-time dropped to a little more than half an hour.

Wurtsmith also said he had twice commuted to work on his bicycle, along the Rio Grande Trail that connects Glenwood Springs and Carbondale, and added, “I see a lot of folks commuting on bicycles.”

(Editor’s note: Next week, The Sopris Sun will take a look at how Carbondale’s private sector is weathering the difficulties of commuting while the bridge project is underway.)

LuLu’s

@

THRIFT

*Y You help yourself by insuring Carbondale businesses stay in business so you don’t have to shop out of town; you help the town of Carbondale by keeping your sales tax dollars

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

570 Highway 133 La Fontana Plaza Carbondale, CO 963-1984

THE LULU’S THRIFT EFFECT

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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017• 13

This Land … is your land.

Trump nixes DACA U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Sept. 5 announced a decision to kill the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program initiated by former President Barack Obama — a program which has prevented deportation of some 800,000 young Hispanic immigrants who were brought here illegally as children and have grown up in this country.

Immediately afterward, local immigrant-rights activists hurriedly staged a demonstration opposing the president’s decision and calling for a solution to keep the program intact and alive. Immigrant-rights activist Shawna Foster, minister of the Two Rivers Unitarian-Universalist Church in Carbondale, condemned the president's action.

“It goes against our nation’s principles,” Foster said, “and that’s (the opinion of) a majority of the American people.” She said the TRUU members “are here for students in DACA and their families, and will work to ensure that they are here to stay.”

The demonstration, at the Colorado Mountain College offices in Glenwood Springs, mirrored numerous similar rallies in Denver and other cities around the country, even as supporters of the program condemned Trump’s decision.

The president ordered that DACA end in six months, unless Congress passes legislation to keep the program alive and give it a legal basis that Trump and his administration said was lacking when Obama created the program by executive order in

Connect

2012. According to an NBC News story published on the Internet on Sept. 5, Trump’s order to end DACA next year includes provisions allowing DACA recipients with a permit set to expire before March 5, 2018, to apply for a two-year renewal. The program always has required permit recipients to check in every two years and apply for a new permit.

Otherwise, according to NBC, no new applications for DACA permits will be accepted by federal authorities. According to published estimates, there are roughly 17,000 DACA permit holders living, working and attending school in Colorado.

GarCo awards grants Garfield County announced its thirdquarter discretionary grant awards last month, with $33,750 awarded to local nonprofits and governmental organizations out of the $41,150 requested from applicants. From the discretionary fund, Garfield County 4-H received $5,000 to participate in the state’s National Shooting Sports Competition, and the Garfield County 4-H Council was awarded $2,250 to attend the National 4-H Western Round-Up and to compete in a national parliamentary procedure contest. The Rifle Area Chamber of Commerce received $5,000 toward its annual Hometown Holiday event; the Glenwood Springs Downtown market was awarded $3,500 for holiday events and marketing; and the Roaring Fork Mountain Biking Association rode away with

$5,000 toward expanding local trail systems and operations.

Approximately $15,000 is remaining for the fourth quarter grant cycle.

CMC to pursue ballot issue At its August 30 meeting in Steamboat Springs, the Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution to put a ballot issue before the voters of the district in November 2017. If passed, this ballot issue will authorize the trustees to maintain college services in the future by adjusting the CMC mill levy if needed in response to statewide revenue reductions caused by the Gallagher Amendment, which requires periodic rebalancing of residential and commercial property taxes by lowering statewide residential assessment rates.

Understanding Medicare and Social Security High Country RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) will help answer your questions on Medicare and Social Security in a special class from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sept. 13 at 1402 Blake Ave. in Glenwood Springs. Learn about how and when to enroll, the benefits of additional coverage, survivor benefits, your earnings record and more. The class if free but there is a $5 requested donation for copied materials. For more information call 947-8461.

Want to get involved?

Contact your elected officials about the issues that matter to you.

US Sen. Michael Bennet Washington, D.C. Office 261 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-5852

US Sen. Cory Gardner 354 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-5941 US Rep. Scott Tipton 218 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-4761

CO Sen. Randy Baumgardner 200 E. Colfax Denver, CO 80203 (303) 866-5292

CO Rep. Bob Rankin 200 E Colfax, RM 307 Denver, CO 80203 (303) 866-2949

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Gate squashes illicit access to Hubbard Cave

By Will Grandbois Sopris Sun Staff My first trip to Hubbard Cave could probably stand in for most visits over the last hundred odd years.

I was maybe 6 years old when my family piled into whichever SUV my dad happened to be driving and made our way up a fourwheel-drive track to the rim of the Glenwood Canyon. Whether the cave was our actual destination or not I’m not sure, but we ended up taking the narrow trail to the mouth of one entrance with one flashlight among us. I’d like to say it made an instant caver out of me, but in truth I barely made it past the drip line before fear of getting lost like Tom Sawyer drove me back.

It would be a couple of years before the Fairy Caves reopened and a couple of decades before I’d have a chance to go beyond the tour and take to caving (spelunking, while fun to say, has negative connotations these days). By then, white nose syndrome had decimated bat populations across the east and prompted cave closures throughout the country. While many have since reopened on a seasonal basis, Hubbard is not among them. That’s because, as White River National Forest wildlife biologist Phil Nyland explained, “it’s the largest known hibernacula in Colorado on public land.”

Last month, I had a chance to accompany Nyland up to the cave, where a gate has been

installed to give the closure some teeth. He discouraged me from taking my Grand Cherokee, so I signed a waiver and took the copilot position in a beefed-up golf cart of an OHV. The prison crew that did the construction had used a full sized vehicle as well, he told me, and had had to chain up a few times to get out.

We found the road as rough as I remembered it, with little evidence of use aside from a set of bike tracks with what we inferred to be the prints of a faithful hound following behind (or else a mountain lion was providing some major motivation). I probably would have driven right by the start of the trail, marked by a somewhat dated and defaced sign with cave closure information.

That didn’t stop several groups of people from continuing on during the month work was taking place, Nyland informed me. None of them were cavers with proper gear, which is both comforting because it means National Speleological Society Members are obeying the rules and concerning with respect to safety.

The hike, with several views almost straight down on Interstate 70 and the sound of rafters on the Colorado River echoing up from below, reminded me that I was probably a bit on edge before I ever made it to the cave as a child.

According to veteran caver and author Richard Rhinehart — who is, incidentally as soft spoken as they come in person but scathing in some of his letters to government offices — the cave was “discovered” by William Henry

Phil Nyland checks the lock on one of the new gates to Hubbard Cave.

Photo by Will Grandbois Hubbard and his brother-in-law, Griffith Jones, during a prospecting expedition in 1892. They were far from the first visitors, however, as they found an array of fire pits, projectile points and other artifacts of regular Ute occupation. The subsequent years have added some graffiti, steps, a rough stone wall and, now, three sturdy metal grates.

Designed to Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety Standards, they sport concrete footers to prevent digging around and bars wide enough for bats but too narrow for even the most skilled and skinny caver.

“We’ve put a lot of thought into a design that minimizes impacts,” Nyland explained.

“We tried to really learn some lessons from the input we got on Spring Cave.”

That’s another popular amateur caving destination near Meeker, which had a gate installed for seasonal closures last year — drawing some flack from cavers. Securing three large entrances on Hubbard proved to be an even bigger process, particularly compared to older gates like the one on Groaning — the longest set of passages in the state — which blocks a squeeze a short distance into the cave itself.

There’s also the matter of helping folks who have been visiting the cave for years understand why it’s suddenly covered with a HUBBARD page 17

Of the Many Waters, One Annual gathering of waters from attendees’ journeys, homes and sacred places A four-part ritual and blessing Join us Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017 - 10 a.m.

Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist (TRUU) @ Third Street Center

www.tworiversuu.org Presiding Minister

Rev. Shawna Foster Inspirational, Contemporary Music

Jimmy Byrne Religious Exploration

Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist

Heather Rydell Childcare Provided

THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017• 15

Most students, parents, teachers and small kids at CRES seemed happy to be back, and there were lots of smiles as they walked toward the front door on the first day.

No more horsin’ around! … Except on the first day of school of course, which for students at CRES, CMS and RFHS was Tuesday, Sept. 5.

There was a welcoming assembly at RFHS, where the cheerleaders led the school in cheers and the high school band, Sleepy Justice, played a set for the student body. Surprisingly, one of the band members was a guitarplaying horse.

Carbondale Middle School, meanwhile, had new lockers to contend with. They were installed over the summer and although students seemed to take it in stride, others were frustrated while trying to open them and maneuver around one another due to the uppers and lowers.

Photos and text by Jane Bachrach

16 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017

Stringer om page 3 school: what they love about it, what they want to continue, and what they’d like to make better. He’s also looking at school surveys, achievement scores, and attendance data.

“I really don’t want to make any assumptions coming into this,” Stringer told The Sun.

Moving to Carbondale Moving to the Western Slope was a bit like a trip in a time machine for Stringer and Mandy. As a child, Stringer spent his sum-

Hubbard om page 15 mers in Avon and most winter weekends skiing in Vail.

Mandy’s family has roots in Glenwood Springs from generations ago. In fact, as the Stringers were signing the lease for their new Carbondale home, the landlord mentioned the name of the man who originally built their house in the 1940s or 50s — and he appears to be one of Mandy’s relatives. He originally built the home in Glenwood Springs, later decided to move his family to Marble, and loaded the house onto the train.

The house made it as far as Carbondale,

but couldn’t quite make the turn toward Marble. The family relocated to where their house landed in Carbondale instead, and the Stringer family is now living in this (somewhat remodeled) house beside the Rio Grande Trail, where the railroad tracks used to run.

Mandy will be teaching ceramics and graphic design at Aspen High School this year. The Stringers have two children: Sully, who will be a 6th grader at Carbondale Middle School, and Lucy, who will be a 3rd grader at Crystal River Elementary School.

students are not as sophisticated, she noted, “but it’s certainly just as powerful.”

A home-owner in Glenwood now, she plans to do plenty of biking and hiking, and to get out on the rivers on her stand up paddle board and perhaps a duckie.

Referring to the many different positions she’s held since she first moved to the valley in 1985, Meador said, “I follow my heart…as a result I’ve had a non-traditional journey.” She explained that there have been various pulls taking her from one position to another. Meador’s two adult daughters and her first grandchild live in Glenwood. It’s her 18-month-old grandson, August, she said, who pulled her back to valley once again.

mesh of vertical and horizontal bars.

Nyland hopes an interpretive panel will do the trick.

“We want to share our story and the science behind it,” he said. “Putting in the gate was our best way of addressing the potential for human to bat transmission.”

The closure will give the Forest Service, Parks and Wildlife and Colorado State University a chance to study things in a controlled environment. Before I get my hopes up for something more than a quick nip beyond the gate to snap a picture, he warns me that recreation won’t be on the table anytime soon, if ever.

“The science and the monitoring are still evolving, and we need to take a longer view on management,” he said. “If people want an answer now, the answer is no. But that doesn’t mean it’s the final answer.”

“There are dozens of other caves that are accessible through the permit process,” he added.

He’s right, of course. White River National Forest is home to some of the biggest and prettiest caves in the state, and until white nose syndrome rears its ugly head here, I plan to discover them as safely and responsibly as I can through the local grottos (caving clubs through the NSS — visit www.nssio.org/find_grotto.cfm to get in touch with one).

And maybe someday, if I’m lucky, I’ll have a chance to actually explore the depths of Hubbard Cave. Third time’s the charm, right?

Meador om page 3 Meador said that CRES also feels like a good fit for her because of their commitment to project-based learning. As director of Boulder’s Watershed School for grades 6-12, she learned to appreciate how “motivating and engaging” this approach to education can be. As she explained, “Students would go out into the community and interview experts about where our water comes from…They would do huge projects that would explain their learning around some essential questions.”

One reason this approach is so effective for students, she said, is that it “activates their whole brain — emotional and cognitive… They’re learning something they’re really interested in.”

Project-based learning can be harder to do at the elementary level since the younger

California roots Meador grew up in La Jolla, Calif. Her parents now live in San Diego. She’s a selfproclaimed “surf-chick at heart.” Although she’s given up surf boarding, she loves body surfing and stand up paddle boarding, and clearly has close emotional ties to the ocean.

All of the colleges where she worked in California were located on the Monterey Bay which, she told The Sun, “I happen to think is one of the most beautiful places in the whole world.”

When she lived in Santa Cruz, her house sat right on the bay. From her backyard she saw blue whales and gray whales — sometimes just 30 feet from the shoreline.

____________________________________ NExT WEEK: Big changes at Carbondale Community School.

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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017• 17

î&#x201A;&#x160;ereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pole in the road!

From the archives of the Roaring Fork Valley Journal (Available for public perusal at the Carbondale Branch Library)

Sept. 8, 1977

Sept. 11, 1997

A Grand Junction contractor had little to no luck moving the old Carbondale bridge, which had been sold to Pitkin County the previous year. The 10-story crane brought out for the job apparently exceeded its 27-ton limit and almost tipped into the Roaring Fork, prompting workmen to put it back and try to think of a new plan.

In other newsâ&#x20AC;Ś Area vets were combating an apparent outbreak of encephalitis in horses from Carbondale to Basalt.

A survey conducted for Carbondaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comprehensive plan revealed that more residents worked in town than commuted to Aspen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a surprise at the time. With 383 completed surveys, 34 percent of respondents worked in or around Carbondale, 26 percent in the Aspen area, 9 percent in Glenwood, 6 percent in Basalt and less than two percent in the Crystal Valley.

In other newsâ&#x20AC;Ś River Valley Ranch was considering ripping out a large swath of freshly planted trees and replacing them with new landscaping.

Sept. 10, 1987

Sept. 13, 2007

Residents on Willow Lane east of Carbondale turned out en mass to revegetate a section of the then one-lane road which had recently been widened by Larry Gerbaz, who lived at the end of the road. Gerbaz contended that the so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;bottleneckâ&#x20AC;? was a hazard and made snow removal difďŹ cult. His neighbors balked at the change of character without consultation, particularly since it left a utility pole in the middle of the route.

In other newsâ&#x20AC;Ś Brothers Jim and Jerry Tylich had recently opened up a Radio Shack outlet in the Crystal Village Shopping Center, and were pictured helping a young Heidi Hendricks with a Walkman.

Some trustees had concerns about a plan for affordable housing along the south end of Third Street, citing problematic precedent in rezoning the 14-acre school-district-owned property without a formal development plan. Mayor Michael Hassig, in turn, expressed fears that the process could be â&#x20AC;&#x153;stumbling into paralysisâ&#x20AC;?. (Indeed, the original plan for up to 89 residential units never materialized, although a much smaller version just broke ground.)

In other newsâ&#x20AC;Ś White House Pizza celebrated its 10th anniversary. (We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice anything about its founding in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;97 issue, nor have we heard about any 20th anniversary celebrations.)

Letters î&#x2C6;&#x2021;om page 2

We live in an amazingly generous community and because of the special people who live here it makes it a wonderful home for our organization and the many individuals we serve. Thank you Carbondale and the surrounding community!

Peter Bell Ascendigo Autism Services President & CEO

A letter to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our Town One Tableâ&#x20AC;?

Dear Editor: All I can say is â&#x20AC;&#x153;WOWâ&#x20AC;?. What a great town we are. We gathered together on a beautiful day on 4th Street. We broke bread together, met new friends, strolled the street to check out the creative, wonderful costumes and table decorations, hugged old friends that we hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen for awhile, ate good food, listened to the wonderful voices of the Cowboy Corral and again felt the magic of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our Townâ&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CARBONDALE. We often use the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;It takes a villageâ&#x20AC;? and this event certainly did. It is with heartfelt thanks to the following people whose efforts were vital.

The Town of Carbondale that now proudly claims ownership to this event-your support is valued by all. To the Carbondale Rec. Dept. under the leadership of Eric Brendlinger, Jamie Wall, Special Events Director and Jason Thraem, Rec. Coordinator that worked diligently with me to make this day happen.

We salute the J-Walkers that have worked with us for three years to set up and break down the 98 plus tables. Bless you.

Our table decorations Judges under the able leadership of Ami Maes were Peggy DeVilbiss, Joy Rosenberg, Melissa Miller, and Jeff Jackel.

It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an easy job to judge those tables that were all so great. Congratulations to the winners â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Celestial Eclipse. We also welcomed our ďŹ rst childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s table under the leadership of Diana Alcantara. The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden Club grew the vegetables that they ate and came as butterďŹ&#x201A;ies and bumble bees.

Thanks to the following for delivering their tables to us: The LETTERS page 19

The Town of Carbondale is now accepting applications for the position of

Arborist/Horticulturist $47,300 to $58,000 DOQ. For application and job description visit: www.carbondalegov.org

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Letters om page 18 Carbondale Fire Dept., KDNK, The Orchard, The Rec. Dept., The Launchpad, the Methodist Church and Pam Williams.

A special thank you to Melissa Miller for hosting the Community Tables and providing great coffee and lot’s of spirit.

We also want to thank The Sopris Sun and KDNK for their help in promoting this community event.

To Mark Luttrell, for his help with gathering tables, Linda Criswell, table reservations, Carole Klein, Katie Marshal, and several other volunteers that helped you locate your tables, and Amy Kimberly for helping to orchestrate an efficient cleanup.

If I left your name out I apologize.

Last, but certainly not least, I applaud those of you that attended and enjoyed another magical community dinner.

Mark your calendar for next year — Sunday, August 19, 2018. ’Till next year, Sondie Reiff Carbondale

Before The Flood Dear Editor: I have lived in the Roaring Fork Valley since February, 1993, and have always been very proud to participate in numerous projects to protect our natural surroundings, wildlife habitat, the quality of our water and air, progressive efforts to work with renewable energy sources and alternative fuels, and many amazing displays of responsible citizenship. There is a lot to be proud of here. We have an amazing network of “grass roots” organizations that work tirelessly to preserve our quality of life.

Some of the reasons we live here, such as the hiking, rafting, fishing, hunting, and general recreational opportunities we all enjoy. I feel it is more important than ever for us to pay attention to living more green. Our ski seasons are getting shorter, forest fire season has expanded beyond the normal summer months to nearly a year-round threat, and pollution issues threaten our clean air and water, long term. I think most of us in this

valley value our quality of life, and want to see it preserved for our grandchildren and all future generations.

National Geographic worked with major film makers on a massive undertaking to show sites all around the world that are being impacted by climate change.

Actor/ activist Leonardo DeCaprio narrates, “Before The Flood”, which aired on the National Geographic Channel on my Comcast Cable station last winter. What was particularly good about this film is that DeCaprio approached the project with the attitude of: “teach me, show me, help me learn what I need to know about all aspects of the Climate Change issue.” The entire film was shot on locations all around the world, showing first-hand what the ice melt in Greenland is doing, the islands in the South Pacific that are underwater at high tide, what a tar-sands oil recovery site in Canada looks like, and how alternative fuel sources can help slow climate issues.

A Non-Profit group called, “350 Colorado” which focuses on lessening our carbon consumption, and using alternative and renewable fuels, is going to show the film, “Before The Flood”, at the Carbondale Library, on Tuesday, September 12, at 6 p.m. The event is free, and we invite everyone to attend! Wilderness Workshop is supporting our effort to put this film on, as well as a few other local groups who have posted the information on their websites.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with the film starting promptly at 6 p.m. Our group leader, Julia Williams, grew up in Carbondale. She will lead a short discussion and Q&A after the film. We would like to talk about what is going on in our own communities, how we have made choices in our own lives to help reduce our carbon footprint and live more green.

We hope you will attend!

Jennifer Moore 350 Colorado Volunteer Glenwood Springs

Survival of the fittest Dear Editor: Cooperation rules.

Repubs like to think that survival of the fittest means the lion rules the savannah, popping antelope chips and having his way with the ladies of his choice.

My own observation is that evolution favors those that adapt to a changing envi-

Parting Shot

These buskers settled in Friendship Park on Main Street to make some music for folks wandering around on Sept. 1 during Carbondale’s First Friday. What intrigued our photographer was the fact that the guitar player’s strap was made out of string — thus, he was literally playing a string guitar.

Photo by Jane Bachrach

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ronment and the ruler of the jungle is the species that is the most cooperative. Maybe just to to unchanged the environment.

That is our lesson from Harvey in Houston, and the con-current flooding in Mumbai, Ontario, Macau, Niger, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Ireland, and Sierra Leone. We survive because at the very least, humans help humans.

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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • SEPTEMBER 7-13, 2017• 19

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