August 2018

This past weekend, blacksmiths from all over the United States and Canada converged on Colorado Rocky Mountain School for the Rocky Mountain Blacksmithing Conference. The ringing sound of a hammer being brought down upon steel in the shop kept rhythm as Scott Kretschmer and I watched the demonstration and walked through the section of campus […]

It’s one thing to hear that the lower Crystal River is running at less than 5 percent of its seasonal mean and quite another to stand in less than 10 cubic feet per second. The Sun invited Jaime Fiske of SUP Marble, Collin Szewczyk of the local Trout Unlimited chapter and youngsters Leon and Magnolia […]

Sheryl Barto describes herself as an “autism mom who loves horses.” So when she discovered the Horse Boy Method, an equine therapy model tailored to ease some of the burdens associated with autism, it inspired her to found the Smiling Goat Ranch in 2015. “I think with Horse Boy, it’s specifically designed for autism,” Barto, […]

“Nobody understands me. Nobody cares about me,” is a common utterance among kids who habitually skip or are expelled from school.  With a one million dollar grant providing funding for at-risk students over the next four years, the Roaring Fork Schools are committing to a new approach to discipline and conflict resolution with the hope […]

Fred Malo was taken aback when he was asked by a Mountain Fair volunteer to leave Sopris Park premises. He was collecting signatures for the Colorado Rising coalition effort, which seeks to increase the required distance between oil and gas wells and occupied buildings from the current 500 feet to 2,500 feet via Initiative 97. […]

A lot can happen over a cup of coffee — even cultivating common ground between Democrats and Republicans. That has been Diane Mitsch Bush’s philosophy throughout her three-term tenure as a state representative, and it will continue to be her mentality in Washington, D.C. if she is successful in unseating Rep. Scott Tipton this November. […]

From the archives of the Roaring Fork Valley Journal Aug. 10, 1978 Kenny’s Pharmacy was closing its doors after 16 years as “Main Street’s top commercial attraction.” Owner Kenny Wieseler sent out letters to account holders, put up signs in the window and dispensed free coffee to those who came in to express dismay at […]

In the wake of a winless season, it’s a hard sell for Roaring Fork boys to come out even for junior varsity football, but once-and-future coach Dave Close isn’t going to give up easily. “I don’t want to see it die, but you can’t do it without the kids,” he said, looking down on the […]

Carbondale as we know it is built on layers of philanthropy, and Mary Lilly’s estate is the latest example. Lilly died in 2016 not long after celebrating her hundredth birthday, and included provisions for numerous local, state and national institutions — including The Sopris Sun — in her estate. “She loved this place and she […]