February 2014

Tony Award-winning poet/playwright Lemon Andersen makes his Carbondale debut in “Project Verse” at the Crystal Theatre at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14.
Carbondale wordsmith Wade Newsom, along with a select group of local poets, will warm up the stage for Andersen.
In “Project Verse,” Andersen will share stories and poetry that create a vivid portrait of his adverse yet often humorous coming-of-age experiences while growing up in Brooklyn in the ’80s and ’90s. “Andersen’s poems touch on young love, sibling rivalry, juvenile crime, addiction and, ultimately, personal triumph toward self-discovery and redemption,” said a press release.

An independent, peer-reviewed geologic and economic analysis released on Feb. 12 by the Thompson Divide Coalition finds “little to no economic viability” for the drilling of oil and gas leases currently held in the Thompson Divide, according to a press release.
Among the assessment’s key findings is a conclusion that oil and gas exploration in the Thompson Divide “will likely fail… and would leave lasting visual scars on a pristine landscape” that currently supports 300 jobs and nearly $30 million in annual economic activity, according to independent economists.

The following is not a typo or really bad play on words: The second annual First “Fat” Friday Mardi Gras parade rolls down Main Street at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 7.
Most folks probably understand dates (Feb. 7), times (4:30 p.m.), locations (Main Street) and know what a parade entails (in this case floats, paraders and spectators).

Renee Maggert, a 27-year resident of Carbondale, first started noticing symptoms at least two years ago: fatigue when hiking or rafting, not as strong as in the past, weight loss and more. Today, she suffers from double vision and cannot drive; she has also moved in with friends because she often chokes when eating or swallowing; if her weight drops to 88 pounds she’ll have to use a feeding tube.
Maggert’s COBRA insurance expired recently and she faces mountains of medical bills. To help her out, friends have organized a sweetheart dinner and dance at the Orchard from 6 to 10 p.m. on Feb. 14 (see the ad on page five for details).
Kim Velasquez, who is helping to organize the event, said her kids went to school with Maggert’s. They and a few others were always at Roaring Fork High School serving and preparing food for sports teams. “But Renee was the person the coaches and teachers would call. If they needed someone to organize and get the job done, she was always eager to help,” Velasquez said.

This is the second in a two-part Q&A article on the state of Carbondale. It leads off with questions for the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District)