In film, as in rock and roll, some things age poorly and some resonate. Old songs by the Rolling Stones still sound great. Last week I was reminded that the 40-minute “A Line Across the Sky,” from 2015, is one of the best climbing films ever. On Dec. 11, the Crystal Theatre in downtown Carbondale […]
December 2025
Posted inSports
Rams Report: Ladies roll to Weld basketball tournament title; now 6-0
Roaring Fork High School’s girls basketball team continued to impress at the Weld Central tournament last weekend, running the slate on a trio of Class 5A, 4A and 3A teams to win the tourney title and remain unbeaten going into the holiday break. “The girls are playing very well right now and at a fast […]
Posted inColumns
Literate Life: Deep state or mob rule?The lessons of history
Jamie LaRue is the executive director of the Garfield County Public Library District. When my grandfather died, I inherited his collection of “The Story of Civilization” by Will and Ariel Durant. This 11-volume series, 50 years in the making, stretches from “Our Oriental Heritage” (volume 1) to “The Age of Napoleon.” The prose is magisterial. […]
Posted inColumns
Mature Content: Joseph and Gerard
George Santayana was right when he wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In 1960, my friend John and I drove to Miami for spring break and came home with a tiny alligator we named Gerard Swope. We wanted to be cool. We thought having a pet alligator would make […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: ‘Merry Christmas to the Sheriff’s office’
Monday’s Garfield County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting was the last one of 2025. First up was an anti-climactic presentation on mill levies for the 2026 budget year. Juby Cummings of the county assessor’s office requested certification of mill levies, but did not have the exact numbers. “We are waiting on five certifications of mill levies from […]
Posted inLocal Government
Carbondale Report: Three trustee plus mayor’s seat up for election
Dec. 16 marked the final Town of Carbondale Board of Trustees meeting of 2025 and all trustees were present. During general public comments, Sue Zislis with Age-Friendly Carbondale thanked the board for prioritizing Highway 133 safety improvements and renewing (and enhancing) the Downtowner microtransit service. She asked that accessibility at Town Hall (specifically the front […]
Posted inLocal Government
RFTA Report: Budget approved, priorities discussed
The Dec. 11 Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) board meeting took place exclusively online. While the main order on the agenda was to host a public hearing for final approval of the 2026 budget, the meeting covered several other topics. Following roll call, Chair Greg Poschman welcomed Alicia Gresley, who has been appointed by the […]
Posted inLocal Government
Law enforcers in Roaring Fork, Colorado River valleys play ‘leap frog’
One thousand seventeen dollars per month. That’s a whopping $12,204 annually. This was a starting salary offered to anyone interested in becoming a Thornton, Colorado police officer in March 1978, according to a classified advertisement printed in an old edition of the Rocky Mountain News. By December 2025 — 47 years later — starting annual […]
Posted inBusiness
Glenwood’s Downtown Drug, more than just a place to get your prescriptions filled
Several little Santa secrets live along the main strip in downtown Glenwood Springs for those last-minute gifts, including on the shelves of a long-time Grand Avenue staple — Downtown Drug. Margie and Pete Crow founded the pharmacy and gift shop a few doors down from its current location at 825 Grand Avenue in 1998. In […]
Posted inNews
Library board candidates chime in on restricted access
On Friday, Dec. 12, the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC), along with three members of the Garfield County Public Library District Board of Trustees — President Adrian Rippy-Sheehy (Silt), Vice President Michelle Foster (Parachute) and John Mallonee (at large) — interviewed a dozen candidates, four for each of the three open seats representing New Castle, Rifle […]