Free wood chips
The Town of Carbondale is giving away free wood chips created from the recycling of Christmas trees. The chips will be available until Feb. 8 (while supplies last) from the dumpster container in the dirt parking lot at 4th and Colorado.
Harvest Roaring Fork
The Jan. 28 Garfield County Planning Commission public meeting to review Harvest Roaring Fork’s application for a new development between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs — with 1,500 residential units, 450 accessory dwelling units, 55,000 square feet of commercial space and a 120-room hotel — was rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley campus in the Ascent Center beginning at 6pm.
Conservationist of the Year
The Colorado Wildlife Council is accepting nominations for its 2026 Conservationist of the Year award, which recognizes individuals and organizations making significant contributions to wildlife conservation, sustainability and public education in Colorado. The application is due by March 31. For details email dnr_wildlife.council@state.co.us
Fourmile forest treatment
The White River National Forest released a draft proposal and environmental assessment on Jan. 29 for forest treatments in the Fourmile area, 16 miles south of Glenwood Springs. The proposal involves selective thinning and vegetation clearing on 2,617 acres “to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk and provide timber,” a press release described. A 400-foot fuelbreak would be created on either side of the road for strategic fire planning and management. Public comments are due by Feb. 27. Find details at www.bit.ly/WRNF-Twin-Peaks
Ginny Soldner Poetry Collaborative
The Soldner Center in Aspen is launching A Year of Poetry and Introspection beginning in late May with a four-day immersion led by author Heather Swan and poet James Crews, followed by an 11-month online exploration with twice-a-month Zoom gatherings. Twelve poets of varying experience will be selected to participate with limited scholarships available. Applications are due by March 1. Learn more at www.soldnercenter.com/a-year-of-poetry
Ollella on NPR
Former Carbondale resident Ellie Barber, once part of Pearl & Wood with Natalie Spears, recently fulfilled a personal dream by performing a Tiny Desk concert at NPR’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The archive hit YouTube on Jan. 30 and quickly began accruing tens of thousands of views. Check it out at www.bit.ly/Ollella-NPR
Fashionista
The Sopris Sun is proud to announce that Maeve Murray, a member of our very first Youth News Bureau cohort, has received a $10,000 award from the competitive Fashion Scholarship Fund as a fashion management student at Savannah College of Art and Design. Murray grew up in Glenwood Springs and graduated from Roaring Fork High School in 2023.
Math standards
The Colorado Department of Education is asking educators, parents, families, students and community members to share their feedback on proposed revisions to academic standards for high school math. The public can comment on proposed revisions (www.bit.ly/CO-math-revisions) by: attending a focus group over Zoom on Feb. 5 at 5pm, Feb. 9 at 5pm, Feb. 11 at 4:30pm or Feb. 12 at 5pm (registration at www.cdeinfo.org/focusgroup); completing a web-based survey (www.bit.ly/CO-math-survey); or emailing feedback to costandardsrevision@cde.state.co.us
Populous
According to the Census Bureau, Colorado’s population exceeded 6 million on July 1, 2025. “The secret is out,” said Governor Jared Polis. “Colorado is the best place to live, work, play, start a family and grow a business.” He added, “I look forward to welcoming even more people to Colorado as we move further into the new year.”
They say it’s your birthday!
Folks celebrating another trip around the sun this week include: Patrick Hunter, Sandra Lopez and Andrew Scott (Feb. 6); Kelly Rinick (Feb. 7); Michael Kinsley, Ashton Taufer and Amanda Villalobos (Feb. 8); Charley Hill, David Lubrant and Ellen O’Gorman (Feb. 9); Diego Gonzales, Sara McAllister and Pam Rosenthal (Feb. 10); Sara Berry, Georgia Chamberlain, Linda Criswell, Anne Goldberg, Thomas Mack, Sydney Courier McBrayer and Hamilton Pevec (Feb. 11).