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Volume 8, Number 45 | December 15, 2016
Thunder River Theatre’s “The Last Romance� features Wendy Perkins (left) as Carol, Willie Moseley (right) as Ralph, Peaches the dog (center) and Chip Winn Wells (not shown) as Ralph’s sister, Rose. The play was written by Joe DiPietro, who is best known for the Tony-award winning musical “Memphis.� He also wrote the long-running off-Broadway hit “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.� Tickets are available at thunderrivertheatre.com and 963-8200. Photo by Jane Bachrach
“e Last Romance� shines brightly at TRTC By Lee Reed Special to The Sopris Sun Thunder River’s winter show will surely warm you, heart and soul. “The Last Romance,� written by Joe DiPietro, is a lovely way to spend a chilly Colorado evening. This romantic comedy is the newest show to grace the boards of Carbondale’s own Thunder River Theatre (TRTC). And we get the
extra bonus of knowing we are supporting Colorado Animal Rescue (C.A.R.E), since C.A.R.E. has provided precious doggies to appear in the show and, hopefully, ďŹ nd forever homes. Directed astutely by Mike Monroney, “The Last Romance,â€? is about ďŹ nding the big moments in our ordinary lives and cherishing the small ones. It’s about life in the simplest
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and also the more challenging times. It is about a dog that brings two strangers together. It’s about lying and telling the truth. It’s about family. And it’s about change. This is a story that will spark laughter and open your heart. Set in Hoboken, New Jersey, the play opens at the local dog park where Ralph Bellini, playfully acted by Willie Moseley, rests
on a park bench under a shade tree. Dogs bark in the distance and the city looms gorgeously on the horizon. Soon Rose enters, played strongly by Chip Winn Wells, worried and admonishing Ralph for being late for dinner. These two have spent a life together and it shows. The acting here is multi-layered, moving the action forward nicely. TRTC page 15
Bring in any used sleeping bag or snow limited : 3 customer jacket and get an ounce for $200 * per
BRONCOS FANS: Come in on Sunday in any Broncos gear & get 15% off your purchase! ,/#!4%$ /. 4(% 2$ &,//2 !"/6% -) #!3)4! s -!). 34 #!2"/.$!,% s -/.$!9 35.$!9 s s &!#%"//+ #/- $/#4/23'!2$%.--* s s 50
Carbondale Commentary The views and opinions expressed on the Commentary page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The Sopris Sun invites all members of the community to submit letters to the editor or guest columns. For more information, e-mail editor Lynn Burton at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.
MSHS needs your help to implement grants $165,000 in 2016 By Beth White The year 2016 has been an exciting one for the Mt. Sopris Historical Society (MSHS) and Thompson House Museum (THM). Thanks to the generosity of town, county and state agencies, MSHS has been able to secure $165,000 for the following preservation projects at the Historic Thompson House Museum. • $125,000 from the State Historical Fund Grant for stabilization and preservation; • $25,000 from the Federal Mineral Lease District to reinstate the glass enclosed porch; • $5,000 from the Garfield Board of County Commissioners to reinstate the pond
and lattice work; • $2,500 from the Garfield Board of County Commissioners for UV protection window shades; • $5,000 from the Town of Carbondale to reinstate pond and lattice work; • $2,500 The Thrift Shop of Aspen for UV protection window shades. Having secured the House’s listing to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, we are eager to implement the monies above, but we cannot do so without the necessary operational funds. While these grants that we have worked so hard to secure represent an unparalleled opportunity to protect our communities’ unique cultural heritage, they are reserved for capital improvements only. As we are a small grass-roots organization, we need and ask for your help to con-
tinue operating so that we may implement these grants and expand our related educational programs. To that end, our dear friend Jim Calaway has offered to match up to $25,000 in donations to the Mt. Sopris Historical Society and Thompson House Museum to help us fully implement these considerable grant opportunities! Because you are the key to our history, we need and ask for your help to make this possible. To make a donation, please visit our website at www.mtsoprishistoricalsociety.org or mail a contribution to MSHS, PO Box 2, Carbondale, CO 81623. Thank you for your consideration. Beth White is executive director of The Mt. Sopris Historical Society and Thompson House Museum.
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.
Concerning the Tweester
Dear Editor: I wish to thank the RE-1 School Board and superintendent Rob Stein for passing the Safe Haven resolution to guarantee all students access to an excellent education in an environment free from fear and intimidation. All children’s well being at school is a shared responsibility of all community members. Together we create school communities based in mutual respect and caring. Thank you to the leaders of our school district for reiterating these important principles of a healthy learning environment for all students. Illène Pevec Carbondale
Dear Editor: It is clear to my dim wit that the President Elect Tweetster is being Billy Bushed into carrying water to the swamp for the Moneyed, the no nonsense Military and the Fanatical Right. Meanwhile the AP is already getting us accustomed to the idea of losing public housing funding, living with dirtier air/water and having health, safety and welfare laws rolled back that protect the now stagnant minimum wage chumps. Of course the 1 percent are very happy about this direction. But why would any of the 99 percent be? Maybe we should follow the smart money and use our minimum wage
Bob Anderson recently brought some Carbondale Sun to gardens in Kanazawa, Japan. Courtesy photo 2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016
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 James Surls Umbrella Roofing, Inc. Bill Spence and Sue Edelstein
Letters
Thanks to RE-1
Sincerest thanks to our
to buy stock in private prisons. John Hoffmann Carbondale
ank you to our SunScribers and community members for your support! It truly takes a village to keep e Sun shining.
Searching for action Dear Editor: The divisive general election has left many in our community, myself included, desperately searching for some action to take to make Carbondale and the Roaring Fork Valley as kind, inclusive and beautiful as possible. For those seeking a way to make a positive impact, consider joining the Carbondale Arts board of directors. Carbondale Arts, formerly CCAH, was founded in 1974 by community members who saw the arts as essential to the heart and soul of Carbondale. Carbondale Arts curates and hosts gallery exhibitions, plans vibrant and diverse events like the Green is the New Black Fashion Show and Mountain Fair, prioritizes art education through collaborations with schools and other organizations (coming soon: the retrofitted Rosybelle Art Bus, a fully equipped mobile maker space bringing arts education and creative experiences up and down the valley) and much more. Carbondale Arts also manages the Carbondale Creative District. The Creative District was designated by Colorado Creative Industries, a division of the state Office of Economic Development and International Trade, in 2016. Now, more than ever, we need to support creativity in our communities. Children need a positive outlet, artists need venues to share their ideas, and locals need a reason to gather and some respite from negativity. Carbondale Arts meets all these needs and more. If you’re interested in being part of positive change by joining the Carbondale Arts board of directors, get in touch with board president Pam Rosenthal at LETTERS page 15
To inform, inspire and build community. Donations accepted online or by mail. For information call 510-3003 Editor: Lynn Burton • 970-510-3003 news@soprissun.com Advertising: 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 Colin Laird • Cliff Colia Diana Alcantara • Matt Adeletti • Olivia Pevec The Sopris Sun Board meets regularly on the third 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 Honorary Board Members Denise Barkhurst • Sue Gray David L. Johnson • Laura McCormick Jeannie Perry • Trina Ortega • Frank Zlogar
The Sopris Sun, Inc. • P.O. Box 399 520 S. Third Street #36 Carbondale, CO 81623 970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Donations to The Sun are fully tax deductible.
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Mayor, trustee clash over some housing regs Trustee applications due Jan. 13
In the end, the board approved the changes to the housing guidelines, by a vote of 5-1, with Byars dissenting.
By John Colson Sopris Sun Staff Writer
Also at the Tuesday meeting, the board gave its blessing to a proposal by Natalie Rae Fuller of the advisory Environmental Board (also known as the E-Board), to drastically reduce the maximum allowable time for a car to be idling while sitting still. Fuller told the trustees that she was acting on her own in bringing the idea forward, but that it had been discussed by the E-Board in the past. The current ordinance allows for 10 minutes of idling time before a driver can be subject to a ticket, which town officials have said is not really enforceable. In the new version, which has yet to be formalized into an ordinance and brought before the trustees, the idling limit is to be cut to two minutes, which the trustees hoped would prompt police to be more proactive with enforcement of the law. In addition, the fee that goes along with the ticket, which now starts at $100, is to be slashed to the same amount associated with a parking ticket — $25, with a $2 surcharge. Richardson directed Fuller to obtain the EBoard’s endorsement for the proposal before it comes back to the trustees for a formal vote.
The Carbondale Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved amendments to its affordable housing guidelines, but not without some disagreement about certain provisions governing who qualifies to buy or rent subsidized housing in Carbondale. The dispute arose after Trustee Katrina Byars, an outspoken advocate for subsidized housing in town, argued that some of the qualifications for applicants for affordable housing might exclude the very people who most need the housing. For example, she said, a requirement that applicants be employed “full-time” at a job in the valley might be a problem for some, particularly during economic downturns when jobs are hard to find. For example, she said, many people work two part-time jobs to make ends meet, which might not meet the qualification requirements as laid out in the amendments. “There have been times when I would not have qualified,” she told the board, referring to past difficulties she has had in finding housing for herself and her child. She suggested the qualifying language should be amended to “employed regularly” or even “half-time.” She also argued that the list of documents required for qualification should not include a driver’s license, explaining that she has a relative who “has never had a driver’s license.” Other objections Byars raised to the proposed amendments included the board’s agreement that, where affordable rental housing is concerned, it would be a good idea to require that utility costs be part of the rent. Byars said that would make it very difficult for low-income renters to apply for various kinds of assistance in paying utility bills. Town Manager Jay Harrington told the board that many of these difficulties could be addressed by a special review committee, provided for in the guidelines, which will look at cases where applicants are disqualified, “to see whether they meet the intent of the regulations” and should be reconsidered. And, Mayor Dan Richardson maintained that the list of documents required of applicants has sufficient “flexibility” that any such problems would be ironed out or worked around. Appearing perturbed by the resistance to her ideas, Byars said at one point, “My suggested changes to this document is the only reason I’m in this meeting,” adding that if none of her changes were taken seriously she might as well leave the meeting. Richardson replied that numerous changes had been discussed at this and other meetings, and chastised Byars for bringing up this many issues at the point where the board had expected to be able to approve the amendments. He also expressed the hope that the housing amendments were not really Byars’ only reason for being at the meeting, as she has other obligations to fulfill in her role as an elected trustee. Other trustees, who in some cases were swayed by Byars’ arguments, nevertheless wanted to pass the amendments at Tuesday’s meeting and then make changes at a later date if they were deemed important. Town planner John Leybourne agreed to talk with the Garfield County Housing Authority about some of the issues raised by Byars and others, and to bring it up again at a future trustee meeting.
Other action
In other action, the trustees: • Agree to appoint a replacement to fill the trustee seat vacated by recently elected Mayor
Richardson. The deadline for applications to fill the post will be on Jan. 13, and applicants are being asked to gather 25 signatures from voters supporting their application, as a way of making the appointment a more citizen-based process. • Approved the 2017 town budget, which calls for a 2.5-percent raise for town employees, general fund revenues of $6.3 million and general fund expenditures of just over $6 million. The budget includes a transfer of $500,000 out of reserves to cover some of the town’s spending, which will leave the town with a general fund balance of $5.1 million at the end of 2017. Overall, with all of the town’s funds accounted for (including water and wastewater, capital projects, and others) the budget comes in at about $13.9 million. • Approved increases in a number of fees assessed by the town for services, including water, wastewater, and private lesson and training charges at the Carbondale Recreation and Community Center, among others. Most of the affected fees can be found in Appendix A of the municipal code. • Approved the purchase and installation of earphones for use by citizens attending meetings of the Board of Trustees, at a cost of approximately $2,600. • Agreed that the final meeting of 2016 will be held on Dec. 27 at 6 p.m., and that it will be a very short meeting to vote on a consent agenda (numerous items grouped under a single heading for approval by a single vote of the board), and approving the accounts payable list as presented by the finance department.
When you walk into Martin’s vacuum store in Carbondale, the last thing one would expect is to see a wall and table filled with clever hand-sewn gifts created by Ron’s talented wife, Margie. Although it happens to be the holiday season, Margie’s gifts are available year-round. Aunt Pansy’s is the name of Margie’s line of gifts, which include everything from kitty beds filled with catnip (washable and refillable, shown here) to pot-holders to traveling reversible jewelry bags and more. Her daughter’s jewelry line and hand-knit hats are also available. Martin Central Vacuum Systems and Aerus Electrolux is located at 0534 Highway 133. Photo by Jane Bachrach THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016 • 3
Town Briefs
Cop Shop
Rink flooded; town waits for ice
From Dec. 2-8, Carbondale officers handled 204 calls for service. During that period, officers investigated the following cases of note:
Sopris Sun Staff Report
It’s ice skating time again for Carbondale, after town employees on Dec. 5 finished installing the liner of the rink at the Gus Darien Riding Arena and flooded the rink for freezing, according to a Dec. 9 memo from Town Manager Jay Harrington to the Board of Trustees, town employees and other recipients. Harrington also reported that, as of Dec. 5, town crews also had installed LED lights beneath the liner which “will make the ice glow” at night, although at that point the water was still only partially frozen and he wrote that the rink would remain closed until it freezes solid. In addition, Harrington wrote, the town planned to finish framing the 4th Street Plaza ice rink last week, and to flood the structure on Monday, Dec. 12, adding that the hope is to get the in-town rink ready for skating by the time local school kids are off on the Christmas break. “Please stay off the ice and let Mother Nature freeze a solid slab prior to skating,” Harrington wrote in his memo, noting that walking on the partially frozen surface can leave dirt and salt on the ice, which interferes with the freezing process. Ice rink programming for January, according to Harrington, will include hockey lessons for kids aged 6-14 years, and registration for those lessons can be found on the town’s website (www.crbondalerec.com). In addition, the town’s broomball league will be using the ice on Wednesday and Friday nights in January, Harrington reported. The deadline for signing up is Dec. 30, either on the web site or by emailing Jason at jthraen@carbondaleco.net. In other town news, Harrington reported, the streets crew finished a patching job on Main Street between 3rd and 4th
streets last week, as well as finishing repairs on a sidewalk along 2nd Street between Crystal Circle and Marble Court. Crews also have been busy with snow removal and sanding, Harrington noted. At the Carbondale Recreation & Community Center, the wintertime array of recreational programming is available for registration on the website or in person at the CRCC, at 567 Colorado Ave., next to Town Hall. In particular, Harrington’s memo called attention to the Base Camp Cycling classes in starting in January. These indoor cycling classes cost $60 per participant and take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m., or from 67 p.m.; and to the SAHN Tae Kwon Do martial arts courses for children and adults, on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6:30 – 8 p.m. In addition, according to the memo, the SAHN instructors will be offering free community self-defense seminars in February, April and May. Turning to the parks department, Harrington reported that last week was consumed by snow and ice removal on the town’s network of trails and on the downtown “core” sidewalks. In addition, the parks crew removed a damaged redwood bench from its Main Street location, repaired the bench and installed it at the 4th Street Plaza, and removed pine-wood boards from the Hendrick Park bleachers and replaced them with stained cedar planks. Sales tax revenues (the main source of income for the town’s General Fund) came in for November at 6.3 percent above revenues at the same time last year. Overall, revenues for the year have been up by an average of 4.1 percent, Harrington reported.
4 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016
FRIDAY, Dec. 2: At 7:43 a.m. police received a report about a vehicle on Ivy Lane that had been spraypainted, presumably by vandals. SATURDAY, Dec. 3: At 1:42 a.m. police observed a truck driving north in the southbound lane of Highway 133 for approximately two blocks. When the police pulled the vehicle over, it reportedly went in exit side of the Wells Fargo Home Mortgage lot, driving over some rocks and knocking down a sign. After investigating, the officers arrested the 49-year-old male driver on a charge of drunk driving. SATURDAY, Dec. 3: At 2:06 a.m. police contacted a vehicle reportedly sitting in the middle of Highway 133, to see if the driver needed assistance. After investigating, the officer arrested the 22-year-old male driver on a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. SATURDAY, Dec. 3: At 3:09 a.m. police stopped a vehicle at the intersection of Highways 133 and 82 for speeding and failing to stay in its proper lane. After investigating, the officer arrested the 42-year-old male driver on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. SATURDAY, Dec. 3: At 11:24 a.m. police were dispatched to an address on Crystal Bridge Road to “recover a small baggie of cocaine that was left in the vehicle of [an] Uber driver,” according to a report.
MONDAY, Dec. 5: At 11:30 p.m. police stopped a vehicle on Euclid Avenue regarding “suspicious behavior” of a nature not described in a report. After investigating, the officer arrested the 42-year-old male driver on suspicion of drunk driving.
THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016 • 5
Scuttlebutt
Send your scuttlebutt to news@SoprisSun.com.
Lisa Singer shows in Aspen
dog Cerberus are also expected to show up. There’ll also be a bonfire, spiral dance, treats and more. Admission is free.
The Aspen Jewish Community Center opens a show of Lisa Singer’s collection of new paintings titled “Storm & After” from 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 21. During the turbulence of 2016, Singer’s art captured the safety and security within the Storm. “Now her inspiration moves us to what happens AFTER the Storm,” said a community center spokeswoman. Singer said that the very human process of staying balanced as the energies of life move around is what interests her. The objects in this series are all personal symbols of safety and hope, mingled with layers of texture and emotion. “Storm & After” continues through Feb. 26. The Aspen Jewish Community Center is located at 435 W. Main St. Info: JCCaspen.org.
PBS features Locke, Surls Rocky Mountain PBS (KRMA) features local scuptors Charmaine Locke and James Surls at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 16, according to a press release. Both sculptors have simultaneous shows at Colorado Mesa University and the Western Colorado Center for the Arts in Grand Junction before traveling to the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs.
KDNK board news The KDNK Board of Directors meets at the station at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 19. The board is starting its search for a new station manager. If you have any questions you’d like the board to ask the candidates, send them to board@kdnk.org.
Holiday Art Bazaar Studio 10 (Jill Scher, Pam Porter, Eliza Rogan and Dave Durrance) host their Holiday Art Bazaar at the Third Street Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 17. There’ll be refreshments, face painting, window star and card making, kids activities and affordable holiday gifts made by local artists.
BLM names Jankovsy to council
Tournament champs. The Roaring Fork boys won last weekend’s Trace Young Memorial Tournament at Weld Central High School. In winning the tournament, the Rams beat the 3A Lotus School for Excellence, 3A Liberty Common, and 5A Northglenn High School. All-Tournament Team selections included seniors Jassiel Petatan and Aldo Pinela, and junior Justin Thompson. In other Roaring Fork basketball news, the Ram girls and boys swept the Aspen Skiers 39-19 and 49-40 at home on Tuesday night. Senior forward Cindy Salinas led the Ram girls with 14 points. Courtesy photo
The Bureau of Land Management recently named Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky to its Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council, which advises the federal agency on public land management issues, and is composed of members with diverse interests and backgrounds.
Broomball news The deadline to register for the Carbondale Broomball League is Dec. 30 at carbondalegov.org or jthraen@carbondaleco.net.
They say it’s your birthday Cupcake wars
Family Winter Solstice
Teens and kids are invited to arm themselves for cupcake wars at 2 p.m. on Dec. 27 at the Carbondale Branch Library. Combatants will team up with friends old and new for friendly competition, fun in the kitchen and delicious crafty cupcakes. To register, go to gcpld.org.
Davi Nikent and TRUU present their fifth annual Family Winter Solstice at the Third Street Center starting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 17. The celebration will include a costumed story of the goddess Demeter and her daughter, Persephone. Hades, the god of the underworld and his three-headed
Folks celebrating their birthday this week include: Ciarra Bristol, Lynn “Jake” Burton, Arturo Ortiz and Anthony Ortiz (Dec.15), JR Burton (Dec. 16), Ralph Wanner, Daisy Tena and Kathy Ezra (Dec. 18), Frances Lewis and Shirley Bowen (Dec. 19), Don Butterfield, Tyler Thompson, Terry Glasenap and Prema Trettin (Dec. 20), and Paula Fothergill (Dec. 21).
PRESENTS
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES
The Town of Carbondale is soliciting proposals and statements of qualifications from qualified civil engineering firms to provide municipal engineering services. The Town is interested in receiving proposals from local engineering firms. Local engineering firms are interpreted to be firms located between Aspen and Rifle, Colorado. A complete Proposal packet can be obtained at Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado 81623, or downloaded from the town website at www.carbondalegov.org. Proposals must be received on or before 2:00 p.m., Friday, January 6, 2017. Inquiries can be directed to Kevin Schorzman, Public Works Director, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, Colorado 81623. Phone 970-510-1217, email kschorzman@carbondaleco.net.
6 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016
ANNUAL ASP EN
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ASPENFILM.ORG
CRMS hosts high school climbers A dozen Western Slope high school climbing teams converged on Colorado Rocky Mountain School for a Western Slope competition on Dec. 10. Local teams included CRMS, Glenwood, Aspen, Yampah and Coal Ridge. Other teams came from as far away as Telluride and Silverton. Competition among the 140 climbers was “fierce but friendly,” said coach Dave Meyer. CRMS came out on top overall. Callie Rominger placed a close second in the girl’s category, followed by Anja Simpson in third and Lauren Murphy in fourth. Sarah Teague rounded out the top 10 with a ninth place finish. On the boy’s side, Colin Daniels bagged another first place finish, followed by Elliot Vaughn in second and Toby Meyer in fourth. Flynn Blake placed seventh, Will Newton ninth and Whitton Feer tied for 10th. Climbing action continues at the Vail Athletic Club after the holidays.
CRMS climbers clockwise from upper left: Callie Rominger, Flynn Blake, Viola Bortan and Wayne Qiu. The season ends with the state championships in Grand Junction.
Photos by Lynn Burton
THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016 • 7
8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016
Kevin Schorzman takes the helm at public works A licensed engineer By John Colson Sopris Sun Staff Writer For a little more than a month now, there’s been a new face at Town Hall as Kevin Schorzman, recently hired to replace retired public works director Larry Ballenger, has been getting to know his new beat. Since starting his new job on Nov. 7, he has been meeting with staff in the streets and utilities departments “to get a feel for things that are happening in each department,â€? as well as attending meetings of various town committees and the Board of Trustees. In particular, he mentioned that he is getting up to speed on several planned projects the town has in the works, including redevelopment of 3rd Street between Main and the Third Street Center; overseeing construction at the new City Market store on Highway 133; and working on restarting the currently off-line Crystal River well ďŹ eld, among others. Schorzman, 46, came to Colorado from Minnesota, where he had been the city engineer for the town of Farmington since 2006. Divorced and the father of “two great kidsâ€? — a 21-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter — he currently is living with his uncle’s mother and uncle in the Fryingpan River Valley east of Basalt, Schorzman informed The Sopris Sun in a written summary of his life. He wrote that he was born on a farm in
northwest Kansas (where his parents still live) in the summer of 1970 and got a degree in civil engineering from Kansas State University in 1994. He reported that he currently is licensed as a professional engineer in Kansas, Minnesota and Colorado.
â€œâ€Ś(I) have been very impressed by the fact that even though folks don’t always agree, they have a civil debate about the issue and then can move on without trying to subvert one another.â€? He has been coming to Colorado for visits “all of my life,â€? Schorzman noted, and for the past several years has been visiting the Centennial State for as much as a month each year — two weeks in the spring, and two weeks in the fall. As a result, he wrote, “I have always wanted to move to the areaâ€? and has regularly checked for job postings in the Roaring Fork Valley, some of which he passed up
Kevin Schorzman, Carbondale’s new public works director, was born on a farm in northwest Kansas in 1970, and most recently was city engineer for Farmington, Minnesota. He has two grown children, 19 and 21. Photo by Jane Bachrach until last July, when he saw an ad for someone to replace Ballenger. He recalled “visiting briey with Jayâ€? (Harrington, town manager) and talking the idea over with his family before applying for the job. Regarding his impressions of Carbondale so far, Schorzman said he has “really enjoyed the diverse perspectives that exist in the town, and (I) have been very impressed by
the fact that even though folks don’t always agree, they have a civil debate about the issue and then can move on without trying to subvert one another.â€? He wrote that in his encounters with town staffers, “the dedication and care for the town ‌ is truly amazing and should reassure residents and business owners that all staff members are looking out for the best interests of the town.â€?
Saturday, Dec. 17 7:00 PM Third Street Center
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Indoor Ceremony & Pageant Music & Bonfire Spiral Dance Cookies & Cider
Sponsored by Two Rivers Unitarian Universalists and Davi Nikent
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Admission: Please bring a non-perishable food or pet food item for donation to LIFT-UP.
Two Rivers Unitarian Universalists
TwoRiversUU.org
www.davinikent.org
THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016 • 9
Community Calendar THURSDAY Dec. 15 YAPPY HOUR • Colorado Animal Rescue and the Marble Distilling Co. team up for Yappy Hour from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Shelter dogs will be available for adoption. RON & GENE • Carbondale Fire Chief Ron Leach, and Carbondale Police Chief Gene Schilling, meet the public over coffee from 8 to 9 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at the Village Smithy. LIVE MUSIC • Carbondale Beer Works serves up a jazz group from 6 to 8 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday of the month. ROTARY • The Mt. Sopris Rotary meets at Mi Casita at noon every Thursday.
FRI.-SUN. Dec. 16-18 MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Moonlightâ€? (R) at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16-22 except Dec. 18 showtime is 6 p.m and “A Man Called Oveâ€? (PG-13, subtitled) at 5 p.m. on Dec. 17. THEATRE • Thunder River Theatre presents “The Last Romanceâ€? in Carbondale on Dec. 16-18 and Dec. 22-24, and the Snowmass Chapel on Jan. 20-21 and 2728. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. except for 2 p.m. matinees on Dec. 18 and Dec. 24. The play is a romantic comedy by Joe DiPietro that revolves around a senior couple (Ralph and Carol) who fall in love during a series of humorous and heartwarming meetings in a New Jersey dog park. Some of the dogs in the play are adoptable dogs from Colorado Animal
To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is noon on Monday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted. For up-to-the-minute valley-wide event listings, check out the Community Calendar online at soprissun.com. View events online at soprissun.com/calendar.
Rescue (C.A.R.E.). Ticket info: thunderrivertheatre.com and 963-8200. LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars in the old part of the Dinkel Building presents music every Friday night. Info: 963-3340.
SATURDAY Dec. 17 COMMUNITY MEAL • Faith Lutheran Church (south of Main Street on Highway 133) hosts a free community meal from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month. This month’s meal is co-hosted by Carbondale Homeless Assistance. Donations such as gift cards from City Market, Subway, BonďŹ re and White House Pizza, plus RFTA bus passes and Carbondale Recreation Center shower passes will be accepted, as well as winter clothing. Info: 510-5046 or faithcarbondale.com and lynnk@rof.net or 379-4766. MOONLIT TREK • Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass Village hosts a moonlit cross-country trek and dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. Info: 923-3181. PET PICS • Bring your pet and get their picture taken with Santa Paws from 9 a.m. to noon at the Roaring Fork Valley COOP, 0760 Highway 133, Carbondale. Featuring door prizes and adoption specials to beneďŹ t for C.A.R.E. Colorado Animal Rescue.
Tis the Season ... to pay it forward to community members in need
Faith Lutheran Church
The holidays can be very hard if you have lost Free Community Meal someone you love area.m. seriously ill. Saturday, December 17, or 11:30 1340 Highwaywants 133, across Wellswe Fargo Carbondale Pathfinders you from to know areinhere to support you Bring item for Carbondale Homeless withangroup andthe individual counseling atAssociation. a low cost. Please consider gift cards to City Market, shower & bus punch passes, or warm jackets, gloves, hats, scarfs, & thermal underwear. Cash donations are used for accommodaPlease Allison Daily 970-379-5276 tions during severecontact weather, showers, vehicle repairs, gas, and other essentials.
you or know could support. If youifcannot joinsomeone us but wishyou to give, donations canuse be dropped off at AmorÊ Realty, 711 Main Street, Carbondale – 963-5177 . Our goal is to create a safe place for those in need. THIS COMMUNITY AD SPACE DONATED BY COOL BRICK STUDIOS.
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December’s Special Cranberry-Pomegranate Body Wrap Private Mineral Bath Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage Day pass to Our Historic Vapor Caves “A Day at the Spa�� $135
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SUNDAY Dec. 18 POETRY • The Aspen Poets’ Society holds its Winter Celebration at Victoria’s CafĂŠ in Aspen starting at 6:30 p.m. There’ll be live music with singer/songwriters Bobby Mason, Dan Sheridan and John Hatanaka, plus an open mic for poets. The books “A Democracy of Poets of the Roaring Fork Valley and Beyond,â€? “Journey Home: Poems & Stories of Catherine Garland,â€? and custom APS mugs will be available for sale. Info: 379- 2136. ASC • A Spiritual Center in the Third Street Center presents Deirdre DewittMaltby (“While I Was Outâ€?) at 10 a.m. There’s no service on De. 25.
MONDAY Dec. 19 KDNK • The KDNK Board of Directors holds its monthly meeting at the station (76. S. Second) at 5:30 p.m. Info: 963-0139 or kdnk.org.
TUESDAY Dec. 20 DANCING • A free dance is held in the Third Street Center at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 and Dec. 27. Dances include two-step, waltz, double-two, East and West Coast swing, cowboy, cha-cha, line dancing and more. Free classes are offered from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Info: 948-3006 or 366-6463.
OPEN HOUSE • Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass Village hosts a holiday open house from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Dinner is $20 at 7 p.m. (the RSVP deadline is Dec. 16). Info: 923-3181. GROUP EXHIBIT • Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass Village opens the group show “Reections on Synthetic Actionâ€? with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY Dec. 21 YOGA • Himalayan Yogini Devika Gurung teaches yoga at the Launchpad every Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. LIVE MUSIC • Dan Rosenthal hosts an open mic night at Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs every Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. FILM • Aspen Film’s 25th annual Academy Screenings takes place at the Wheeler Opera House through Jan. 21. More than 20 will be featured, including “Fences,â€? “The Founder,â€? “Jackie,â€? “Hidden Figures,â€? “La La Land,â€? “Lion,â€? “Loving,â€? “Manchester by the Sea,â€? “Moonlightâ€? and more. Info: aspenshowtix.com or 920-5770. ROTARY • The Carbondale Rotary Club meets at the Carbondale Fire Station at 6:45 a.m.
Ongoing LUNCH • Crystal Meadows senior housing hosts a lunch followed by Bingo every Wednesday. CALENDAR page 11
Community Calendar
continued from page 10
Ongoing KOROLOGOS GALLERY • The Ann Korologos Gallery in Basalt continues “Collectors Holiday” through Jan. 10. The show features Paula Schuette Kraemer, Leon Loughridge, Joel Ostlin and Sherri York. Info: Korologosgallery.com. ABA • The Art Base Annex in Basalt (174 Midland Ave.) continues the Isa Catto show “Taking Inventory: New Works” DECK THE WALLS • Carbondale Arts’ Deck the Walls sale continues at the Launchpad Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Dec. 30. Come by from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne. Info: CarbondaleArts.com. EMPATHS MEET • The “RFV Empaths Unite” support group meets at the Third Street Center (Room #31) from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Donations are accepted. Info: Kelli Welsh at 417-893-8578. GRIEF AND LOSS • Pathfinders offers a grief and loss support group every other Monday at 6 p.m., and a caregiver support group every other Wednesday (starting on Oct. 5) at noon. An RSVP is required to Robyn Hubbard at 319-6854. Pathfinders offers support groups from Aspen to Rifle and is located in Carbondale at 1101 Village Rd. Info: pathfindersforcancer.org. MEDICAL CONSULTATIONS • Dr. Greg
Feinsinger gives free medical consultations Monday mornings at the Third Street Center. To make a reservation, call 379-5718. LUTHERANS MEET • Faith Lutheran Church on Highway 133 holds worship services at 9 a.m. (traditional service), educational hour (10 a.m.), and living praise worship (11:30 a.m.). Info. Faithcarbondale.com and 925-7725. C’DALE TRUSTEES • The Carbondale Board of Trustees holds regular meetings the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at town hall starting at 6 p.m.; the trustees usually hold work session at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday. Info: 963-2733 or carbondalegov.org. IMMUNIZATION CLINICS • Garfield County offers immunization clinics at the Carbondale Family Resource Center (in the Bridges Center at 400 Sopris Ave.) the second and fourth Thursday of the month. To schedule an appointment, call 945-6614, ext. 2030. MEET THE MAYOR • Carbondale Mayor Dan Richardson holds his weekly “Office Hours” session at the Village Smithy from 7 to 8 a.m. on Tuesdays. Drop by and say hi. COMMUNITY MEAL • Faith Lutheran Church (south of Main Street on Highway 133) hosts a free community meal from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month. Info: 510-5046 or faithcarbondale.com. LIONS MEET • The Carbondale Lions
Club meets the first Tuesday of the month at the Gathering Center (the Orchard on Snowmass Road) starting at 6:30 p.m. Info: Chuck Logan at 963-7002 or Chris Chacos at 379-9096. SILENT MEDITATION • Free silent meditation sessions are held at the Launchpad from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The public is invited. BRAIN TRAIN • Senior Matters’ early memory loss program Brain Train continues Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program is operating at capacity but is accepting applications for the wait list. Info: Diane Darling at 970-987-3754. SENIOR MATTERS • Bring a partner to Senior Matters bridge at the Third Street Center at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Info: Diane Morgan at 963-0424. SENIOR MATTERS • The Senior Matters Board of Directors meets the third Wednesday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon at the Third Street Center. SENIOR MATTERS • Diane Johnson talks about senior issues and services on KDNK at 4:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. LINX • The Linx Business Network meets Tuesdays at 7:15 a.m. at the Sotheby’s International real estate office (201 Midland Ave.) in Basalt. Linx is a networking organization whose members work together to grow and promote their businesses, according to a press release. All dues not used for
administration are given to local non-profits each December. Info: Keith at 970-390-8401 or kedquist@usa.net. RUN AROUND • Independence Run & Hike hosts a run around town Saturdays at 8 a.m. Meet at the store in La Fontana Plaza and run various distances, with different routes each week. Info: 704-0909. MINDFULNESS • Mindful Life Program holds a group meditiation followed by an offering of mindful practices at the Third Street Center at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays. Admission is by donation and everyone is welcome. Info: mindfullifeprogram.org, laura@mindfullife.org or 970-633-0163. IMMUNIZATION CLINICS • Garfield County Public Health offers immunization clinics at the Carbondale Family Resource Center (400 Sopris Ave.) the second and fourth Thursday of the month. To schedule an appointment, call 945-6614 ext. 2030. MEDITATION/DHARMA TALKS • Every Wednesday, the Way of Compassion Dharma Center in the Third Street Center offers a short meditation (24 minutes) and dharma talk led by John (Chophel) Bruna) from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The teachings are offered freely; donations are tax deductible. Also, Way of Compassion offers weekly support for those wishing to establish a Buddhist practice with the focus of Chenrezig. The practice incorporates meditation, purification, contemplation and lojong (mind training). It’s held at the Third Street Center from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays. All are welcome.
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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016 • 11
CMC: A time to finally finish what you started Gros said she’s enjoying the liberal arts curriculum she’s taking at Colorado Mountain College Aspen, which includes classes in modern literature, humanities and art. “I’m not as concerned about what I get a degree in, I’m just getting my degree,” she said. The first 50 eligible in-district students at each of CMC’s seven campuses (some locations are grouped into a campus) plus online will receive the discount, paying as little as $31/credit for in-district students working to complete their associate degree. Finish What You Started runs through fall semester 2017 – which marks the college’s 50th year of serving western Colorado – or until the scholarships are gone, whichever comes first. Details about Finish What You Started are available at coloradomtn.edu/finish. Anyone interested in applying or learning more is encouraged to make an appointment with a counselor at any CMC campus.
Fiy-percent discount By Carrie Click Colorado Mountain College Kendra Gros is a successful stylist with a thriving business at Full Circle Salon in Aspen. Now 30, she’s also, finally, finishing her college degree. Thanks to a Colorado Mountain College discounted tuition program — Finish What You Started — Gros and students like her throughout the college’s six-county district are going back to school. In honor of CMC’s 50th anniversary, returning in-district college students – who have stopped for at least a year from attending any college or university – are eligible to complete their first associate degree at a 50 percent tuition discount. The innovative program began this past fall to qualified students who currently do not have a two-year or higher degree and who have not attended college for a year or more. So far, a total of 60 students including Gros, from all seven CMC campuses – and through online learning – have enrolled in the program.
Spring semester registration has begun
Motivated to get degree Gros graduated from Bridges High School in Carbondale, where she took a few free CMC classes through concurrent enrollment. After she graduated from high school, she said she wanted to get her college degree, but work and life got in the way. That’s until she heard about Finish What You Started, which makes an already affordable education an extraordinary bargain. “It’s really motivating,” she said. “And I can still work and go to school in Aspen.”
Ste
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Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is: 1) a bone 2) another bone 3) a person to supply bones 4) a cozy spot to chew on a bone 5) a home to hide the bones I’m going to eat later With love, from your six-year-old lab mix pal, Ruger
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We have 12 dogs, 34 cats, 1 rabbit available for adoption this week!
RJ Paddywacks offers a “C.A.R.E. Package” for new adoptive families, including a Paws for Points plan and a first-time 15% discount for your new pet. RJ Paddywacks Pet Outfitter 400 E Valley Rd. # I/J Next to City Market in El Jebel 970-963-1700 rjpaddywacks.com
Kendra Gros is a stylist at Full Circle Salon in Aspen. She’s also a Colorado Mountain College student who is finishing her college degree, thanks to a discounted tuition program called Finish What You Started, which provides an incentive for students to complete an associate degree. The initiative is part of the college’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Courtesy photo
Working together for pets and their people
Colorado Animal Rescue 2801 County Road 114 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 970-947-9173 coloradoanimalrescue.org
Registration for the spring semester is now under way at all Colorado Mountain College locations and online. Classes begin Jan. 16 and throughout the semester. More information and registration instructions are available at coloradomtn.edu/register or by visiting any CMC campus. Colorado Mountain College is located in Aspen, Breckenridge, Buena Vista, Carbondale, Dillon, Vail Valley at Edwards, Glenwood Springs, Leadville, Rifle, Spring Valley at Glenwood Springs, and Steamboat Springs. The college also offers courses in Parachute and Salida, and online. For more information, call 800-621-8559 or your local campus.
‘tis the season, to make new friends and keep the old. The Sopris Sun
like you
Ad spots in our holiday editions will sell out. 12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016
Standing Rock update: “Water protectors” still at it By John Colson Sopris Sun staff writer According to news reports and local accounts, despite the first round of bitter winter weather that has swept through the Dakotas, an unknown number of people remain in the various camps in the Standing Rock area, preparing to wage their protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) into the New Year and beyond. And it appears that supporters from the Roaring Fork Valley, who have been delivering supplies and assistance to Standing Rock for months, will continue to do so, starting with a meeting scheduled for tonight (Dec. 15) at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. According to various news accounts, there have been between 400 and 700 Native American tribes represented at the Standing Rock Lakota Sioux reservation, where a standoff started seven months ago between the tribes, the Energy Transfer Partners company (which is building the pipeline) and their security forces, regional law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, among others. The confrontation concerns a pipeline nearly 1,200 miles long that would carry roughly 470,000 barrels per year of crude oil from the Bakken fields in North Dakota to a pipeline junction in Illinois, and then on to refineries and shipping points in other parts of the country. The $3.8-billion pipeline is more than 95 percent completed, but a final segment — under Lake Oahe, a reservoir on the Missouri River near the Standing Rock reservation, where the tribes get their water from the river and related underground sources — has been held up due to resistance by tribal “water protectors” and their supporters. The latest setback for the project was a Dec. 4 Corps announcement that it would withhold the permit needed to authorize drilling for the last segment of the pipeline. In addition, the Corps has been making plans to flood that last, unfinished part of the pipeline route, after critics argued that Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) might simply finish the pipeline even without the permit and happily pay a $50,000-per-day fine rather than lose out on millions of dollars per week in oil revenues. Flooding the site, the Corps believes, would prevent ETP from doing further work illegally. And last Friday, Dec. 9, a federal judge at the Washington, D.C. District Court rejected a motion by ETP for a quick approval of the final permit, according to the Wall Street Journal. Dist. Judge James Boasberg opted instead to seek legal briefs from the different factions in the case, which are due at the end of January. A hearing on the facts of the case is expected in February.
Local linkage
In this November photo, a “water protector” is giving an orientation talk to recent arrivals to a Standing Rock camp in North Dakota. In the weeks that followed, the numbers in the camps have dwindled but they have not completely cleared out. In a recent update, the Army Corps of Engineers has discussed flooding the remaining section of the Dakota Access Pipeline route, to prevent the pipeline owner (Energy Transfer Partners) from finishing the $3.8 billion project without the necessary final permits. Legal briefs on the permit issue are due in January; a hearing on the facts of the case is expected in February. Jennifer H. Catto photo that he feels are blocking the industry’s projects as quickly as possible. Plus Brogdon said, those who have chosen to stay in the camps believe they can handle whatever the winter throws at them, although they have expressed gratitude to tribal leaders for concerns about protestor safety. One faction that Brogdon said is particularly adamant about staying is the International Indigenous Youth Council, an organization formed earlier this year following a call for support from young Native Americans staying at the Sacred Stone camp. “We are youth from all nations, tribes and races,” the group states on its web site. “We know that each of us everywhere have our own struggles to protect our land,
propane heaters, chain saws, winter wear and a Dutch oven, among other materials, was driven to Standing Rock by locals Moses Greengrass and Jonah Fueschel. According to Brogdon, the meeting scheduled for tonight (Thursday) in Carbondale is to discuss the current situation at Standing Rock and to plan the Roaring Fork Valley’s continuing response to that situation. The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Calaway Room of the Third Street Center, Brogdon said.
Struggle continues Even as supporters rethink their efforts to provide support for Standing Rock, many of the tribal members who have been at the site for months have stiffened their resolve to cast the struggle in broader terms than simply the concerns of the Sioux tribes most directly involved, and to keep the momentum going. “A lot of interest fell off with the news of the permit being denied,” Brogdon said, citing a significant decline in news coverage of the ongoing confrontation. “But there’s still people fighting.” According to tribal elder Rachel Figueroa, 65, who was featured in a National Public Radio story about those who plan to remain at the site, the effort definitely will go on, though it may change in nature. “It’s going to be hard to get people back on track,” Figueroa conceded, “but it’s the women that will do it. It’s the women that will stand up and say enough is enough. We’ve had enough of that. Anger, fear, all that doesn’t work. What works? Love, compassion, forgiveness, all those things work.” And 21-year-old Alexander Howland, who traveled to Standing Rock from the Jicarilla Apache reservation in New Mexico, said he plans to stay for as long as it takes to protect the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River tribes’ water resources. “We are made up of water, we are born in water, we come from water. Water is an essence of our being. That’s why a lot of us are here,” Howland told NPR. “I’m going to stay as long as it takes to ensure the safety of our future generations, to make sure that they have water for their children, for my children, for my future generations to come, for everyone’s future generations to come. I’m not going anywhere until I see the drilling equipment leave.”
“It’s the women that will stand up and say enough is enough. We’ve had enough of that. Anger, fear, all that doesn’t work. What works? Love, compassion, forgiveness, all those things work.”
For several months, a couple of dozen Roaring Fork Valley residents have put together a kind of pipeline of their own — filling up trucks, cars and other vehicles with supplies, gear and people headed north to Standing Rock to help out in whatever way they can. According to organizer Tim Brogdon, that effort is still underway. “It’s very strongly connected,” he said of the link forged between here and Standing Rock, “but it’s becoming more refined.” Brogdon acknowledged the factional splits among tribal leaders, tribal members and non-tribal supporters at Standing Rock, noting that the leadership last week asked protesters to go home following the Corps’ decision to hold off on the final permit. Many have left, according to reports, but others have decided to stay on at one or another of three camps — known as Sacred Stone, Rosebud and the Oceti Sakowin (which means “seven council fires,” the name the Sioux nation uses for itself) — in part because they worry about such matters as how president-elect Donald Trump will deal with the situation when he takes office on Jan. 20. Trump has indicated he supports the oil and gas industry in general, and that he wants to eliminate any hurdles
water and people. We follow in the tradition of our elders and the American Indian Movement in coming together nationally and internationally to form a solidarity movement that builds people power.” The group has renamed Oceti Sacowin camp, which Brogdon reported had mostly emptied out following the elders’ calls for people to leave. The new name of the camp, which Brogdon said currently holds about 800 people, is Oceti Oyate camp, which means “all nations” or “all peoples.” Brogdon said the Carbondale contingent of supporters for the Standing Rock effort remains committed to doing all it can, including sending supplies and people to the protest site as often as is practical and needed. Last week, he said, a truck loaded with firewood,
THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016 • 13
Carbondale Homeless Assistance reaches out to “housing challenged” Sopris Sun Staff Report Glenwood Springs and Aspen each have year-round or seasonal homeless shelters, but what about the midvalley? Who helps the homeless there? Well, a year ago Lynn Kirchner and others saw a need to help the homeless, especially during Colorado’s cold winters. The upshot is Carbondale Homeless Assistance (CHA), now in its second year. “We recognize the fact that there are different kinds of homeless,” Kirchner told The Sopris Sun. “There are the working homeless (those with a job but sleeping in their car because they just can’t seem to make ends meet), there are the transients, and there are those who have been affected by addiction.” Kirchner stressed CHA isn’t trying to take on the larger issue of housing itself. “ … we do aim to find a warm space for these individuals to lay their heads at night.” There are several ways for individuals or organizations to get involved with helping the homeless through CHA: • Donate goods to sell through consignment shops: Miser’s (account: B-152) Ragged Mountain Sports (account: CHA). • Take cash donations at any Alpine Bank branch or Amoré Realty located at 711 Main Street in Carbondale (cash will be used to purchase things like shower punch passes at the Carbondale Recreation Center and rooms at local hotels). • Donate gift cards from businesses such as City Market, Subway, Dos Gringos, Peppino’s, Bonfire and White House Pizza (the recommended amount is $15 or more). • Donate RFTA bus passes. • Volunteer time or donate dishes for the free community lunches at Faith Lutheran Church on the first or third Saturdays of each month. The church provides the facility and we typically feed around 30 people. Carbondale Homeless Assistance’s Facebook page (“carbondale homeless”) is also used to share information, raise awareness and to help organize the efforts of individuals who would like to lend a hand. “We currently have 305 followers on Facebook, many of whom have participated in some way,” Kirchner said. A recent posting on CHA’s Facebook page says in part, “PUBLIC APPEAL CARBONDALE. In Search of Immediate Place for an older homeless woman and her service dog to stay for the Winter months so she is out of the cold … . She also has serious dental needs and is in need of surgery so that she can be eventually fitted with dentures. (sic)” A formerly homeless man sent CHA a note that said, “Thank you – you cared when no one else did. The shower passes helped me to make a good presentation for my job interview. I am now working full-time and have an apartment. Without your help, I’d still be homeless. God Bless you all for what you are doing.” An inventory of CHA accomplishments provided by Kirchner include: • Opened a conversation with the habitat chal-
lenged in our community; • Created awareness of who these people who are in our community; • Established a reputable fundraising process to support our efforts; • Help get people back on their feet and self-sustaining; • Provided annual membership passes for our habitat challenged community members to take showers at the Carbondale Community Center; • Provided gas/repairs for vehicles; • Provide veterinarian care for pets; • Provided assistance for safe and legal camping, including but not limited to, sleeping bags and tents. For Carbondale Homeless Assistance’s next big push takes place at the Faith Lutheran Church from 11:30 to 1 p.m. on Dec. 17 (across from Wells Fargo Bank). The entire community is invited to come out and share lunch, and is asked to bring items to donate to CHA (see the ad on page 10). For more information on Carbondale Homeless Assistance, call 963-5177 or email lynnk@rof.net.
“Thank you – you cared when no one else did. The shower passes helped me to make a good presentation for my job interview. I am now working full-time and have an apartment. Without your help, I’d still be homeless. God Bless you all for what you are doing.”
D E L L E C N A C
14 • THE SOPRIS SUN • www.SoprisSun.com • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016
Two mayoral candidates file campaign reports By John Colson Sopris Sun Staff Writer According to campaign spending reports filed by the three mayoral candidates in last month’s municipal election, Mayor Dan Richardson was the biggest spender in the race, although Trustee Katrina Byars apparently raised the most money of the three, and overall the candidates appeared to be close to each other in their spending totals. According to the reports, which are on file at Town Clerk Cathy Derby’s office, Byars raised $1,125, mostly from a single, $1,000 check from financial broker Bill Shepherd of Carbondale, which was augmented by a $100 check from Byars to her own campaign, and a $25 check from another contributor. As of early November, Byars reportedly had spent $821.82 of her war chest, according to her campaign finance filings. Byars’ total tally in contributions and spending, however, could not be determined for this story, as she missed the Dec. 8 deadline for filing the third and final spending report, and had not filed it by Dec. 14. Byars was late in filing both earlier reports, which had deadlines on Oct. 18 and Nov. 4, as well, according to the town clerk. Richardson raised $1,055 in his successful bid for the mayor’s job — $800 in the first filing period, and $255 in the second filing period. According to his spending reports, he spent everything he raised, using the funds for everything from yard signs to printing invitations for a campaign event to web site services. Coming in third was candidate Ed Cortez, who spent a total of $956.59 of his own money on the campaign. Cortez did not report a single contributor in his campaign finance filings, which state law interprets to mean he used only his own personal funds. Both Richardson and Cortez met the three deadlines for filing their finance reports, according to town records.
Classical pianist Amanda Gessler motors down from Aspen for her second of two holiday recitals at the Carbondale Branch Library starting at 3 p.m. on Dec. 17. Gessler made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2014. She is known across the United States and Europe for her insightful and emotionally charged performances. In Carbondale, she’ll present a range of Beethoven works. Admission is free. A library spokeswoman said Gessler is not charging the district for her appearance. Courtesy photo
TRTC om page 1 Next we meet Carol Reynolds, generously played by Wendy Perkins. If you are a dog owner, you will relate to Carol’s relationship with her beloved Peaches. From her sweet baby talk to her stern vocal commands, it’s clear this is a woman very attached to her dog. We see her reluctance to engage with Ralph and Ralph’s infectious, persistent irtation of Carol. This play is a “slice-of-lifeâ€? piece. The play features snippets of Italian arias sprinkled throughout, adding to the fun and sung boldly by Chris Cascketta, who is classically trained and making his impressive TRTC debut. The arias add a magical, otherworldly element to the basic humanness of the show. They provide the spice and the cream that give this simple story added avor. The music creates a deeper invitation into the characters and their lives. The set and lighting design by technical director Sean Jeffries add greatly to TRTC’s production. The simplicity of the bench and shade tree on one side are balanced by a comfortable living room chair and window representing Ralph and Rose’s home. All of this is framed by the beautiful cityscape skyline in the distance along the back wall of the theatre. We get the intimacy of the park and the separate home as well as the grand setting of the big city. Well done! This play hits on big themes about getting older and about love. “The Last Romanceâ€? doesn’t shy away from the deep human desire to connect and be loved, no matter what our age. Paraphrasing Ralph, “Lovers just want to be in love. But it ain’t ever that simple. Life always gets in the way.â€? Wendy Perkins cuddles Peaches (who goes by the name Charlie in real life) in Thunder River Theatre Company’s production of “The Last Romance.â€? Charlie is a Colorado Animal Rescue (C.A.R.E.) dog and is up for adoption at the shelter near the CMC Spring Valley campus. As for “The Last Romance,â€? the play continues in Carbondale on Dec. 16-18, Dec. 22-24, and Snowmass Village on Jan. 20-21 and Jan. 27-28. Photo by Jane Bachrach
Letters continued om page 2 pamr@carbondalearts.com or 319-0108. Learn more about Carbondale Arts by visiting www.carbondalearts.com. Jessica Cabe Carbondale Arts board member Basalt
From the library board Dear Editor: Your libraries have come a long way. Over the last 10 years since voters approved the formation of our special library district and a 1.0 mill property tax levy, GarďŹ eld County Libraries have accomplished the following: • Witnessed an increase of 93 percent in checkouts of books, movies, eBooks, and other library materials. On average, each GarďŹ eld County resident checked out 12 items in 2015. • Experienced a doubling of the number of visitors we see each year, from 303,535 to 653,420. • Added 26,861 new library card holders – more than the populations of Glen-
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What: Thunder River’s “The Last Romance� When: Dec. 16-18 and Dec. 22-24, and Jan. 20-21 and Jan. 27-28 Where: Thunder River Theatre Company in Carbondale in December and the Snowmass Chapel in Snowmass Village in January Curtain time: All performances at 7:30pm except matinees December 18 & 24 at 2pm Tickets: Available online at www.thunderrivertheatre.com or by calling the theater at 963-8200.
wood Springs and Rie combined. • Constructed six state-of-the-art library buildings on time and under budget. Looking at this level of success, it is difďŹ cult to imagine that your libraries will be laying off staff, eliminating some services, and reducing open hours before the end of the year. Wait times for new books and DVDs will increase as the budget for library materials is cut by 50 percent. You may notice fewer public Internet-access computers at our branches. Why is this happening? Next year, your libraries will experience a $1.2 million decrease in operating revenue — a reduction of 30 percent — due to decreased economic activity and lower property tax revenues from the oil and gas sector in our county. This cut comes on top of the $2.18 million of revenue lost in sales tax refunds related to the Noble Energy settlement over the past ďŹ ve years. These decreases in funding are occurring outside of the library district’s control and, despite your libraries’ dedication to responsible ďŹ nancial management, these cuts in funding cannot be avoided.
In spite of these challenges, the library management team, staff, and the Board of Trustees have worked together to create and approve a balanced budget for 2017. Reaching this balance, however, will require your libraries to make tough changes. On Dec. 6, some staff members were laid off. A reduced schedule of hours at each of our six library branches began on Dec. 7. The coming years will be a trying time for your libraries. While we remain dedicated to our mission — connecting our communities to a world of possibilities — we will need your help and support more than ever as we develop a recovery strategy for the future. Visit www.gcpld.org/changes for more information. GCPL Board of Trustees Todd Anderson (acting president), Alice Bedard-Voorhees, Michelle Foster, Monica Miller, Adrian Rippy-Sheehy, Sandi Kister, Perry Sweeney
Legal Notices PUBLIC NOTICE
Lafarge West, Inc c/o Lafarge North America Inc; 1687 Cole Blvd Suite 300, Golden, CO 80401, 303-985-1070, has filed an application for a Regular (112) Construction Materials Operation Reclamation Permit with the Colorado Mine Land Reclamation Board under provisions of the Colorado Land Reclamation Act for the Extraction of Construction Materials. The proposed mine is known as the Powers Pit, and is located at or near Section 26, Township 7, Range 88, 6th Prime Meridian. The proposed date of commencement is October 1, 2016, and the proposed date of completion is February 1, 2018. The proposed future use of the land is rangeland and commercial/industrial. Additional information and tentative decision date may be obtained from the Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, Denver, Colorado 80203, (303) 866-3567, or at the Garfield County Clerk and Recorder's office; 109 8th Street, Suite 200, Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601, or the above-named applicant. Comments must be in writing and must be received by the Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety by 4:00 p.m. on January 18, 2017.
Please note that under the provisions of C.R.S. 34-32.5-101 et seq. Comments related to noise, truck traffic, hours of operation, visual impacts, effects on property values and other social or economic concerns are issues not subject to this Office’s jurisdiction. These subjects, and similar ones, are typically addressed by your local governments, rather than the Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety or the Mined Land Reclamation Board.
Published in The Sopris Sun on December 15, 2016.
Unclassifieds Submit to unclassifieds@soprissun.com by Friday 12 p.m. Rates: $15 for 30 words, $20 for up to 50 words. Payment due before publication.* CHILDREN’S ROCKY MOUNTAIN SCHOOL on Main St. needs storage shelves less than 8 feet tall to donate? Call 963-9175. FREE CLASSIFIED ADS for kids and teens to promote their businesses enterprises. Thirty word maximum. Please send to unclassiďŹ ed@ soprissun.com. GET THE WORD OUT IN UNCLASSIFIEDS! Rates start at $15. Email unclassiďŹ eds@soprissun.com. *Credit card payment information should be emailed to unclassifieds@soprissun.com or call 9486563. Checks may be dropped off at our office at the Third Street Center or mailed to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. Call 510-3003 for more info.
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THE SOPRIS SUN, Carbondale’s weekly community connector • DECEMBER 15-21, 2016 • 15
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