Justin Patrick

The new year will mark the end of a lingering relic of the Prohibition days, that much-confounding “3.2” lower-strength beer that has surely been the folly of many an unsuspecting tourist and recent transplant. Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, grocery stores statewide that hold licenses to sell 3.2 beer will be able to sell full-strength beer. […]

In the past couple of years (and seemingly intensifying over the summer), the labor market in Carbondale has become very tight. The numerous “help wanted” signs posted in windows around town are perhaps the most visible symbol of employers’ struggle to attract — and retain — high quality employees in the Roaring Fork Valley. The […]

The Redstone Castle is once again open year-round for tours, overnight stays, and weddings and private events. The mansion was constructed in the early years of the 20th century as a winter retreat for coal mining magnate and “fuel king of Colorado” John Osgood and his wife “Lady Bountiful.” As a member of the social […]

Diners at Free Range Kitchen & Wine Bar in Basalt on Nov. 7 were surprised and delighted to discover that their tabs were being picked up by FirstBank as part of an awareness campaign for Colorado Gives Day (coming up on Dec. 4). Instead of handing them a bill for their meal, bank employees posing […]

There are only an estimated five historic homes in America that contain a full collection of the very possessions that once belonged to the original residents. Carbondale’s Thompson House, which was added to the National Historic Register in 2013, is one of them (Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is another). While most people tend to get rid […]

Since 2009, Access AfterSchool has been providing valley middle schoolers with a captivating array of enriching after-school activities. For only $2.50 per class, students can spend up to three afternoons per week engaging in instructor-led activities with their peers. While the offerings are always changing in response to feedback, past programs have included outdoor survival, […]

The Carbondale ditch system that runs through town looks about the same as it did in the early 1900s when agriculturally dependent residents built it to conveniently and reliably access water diverted from the Crystal River. The flow is now more precisely controlled with headgates and maintained with modern machines like backhoes, but the concept […]

Carbondale’s neighborhood liquor store just got a whole lot bigger, though without giving up any of its small-town charm. After an extensive remodel, Sopris Liquor and Wine is gearing up for a Grand Reopening celebration on Oct. 6. The store acquired a next-door lease this year and added significant square footage, becoming one of the […]

The fate of the Basalt Public Shooting Range is still undecided as state officials, local representatives, and members of the public continue to grapple with the many questions left smoldering in the aftermath of the Lake Christine Fire. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) held the second of two professionally facilitated public forums Monday evening at […]

Tucked away in an unassuming unit in the storage facility just past the Carbondale rodeo grounds heading out of town is perhaps the largest and most impressive private collection in the world of all things skiing. Vintage Ski World boasts a dizzying inventory of skis, poles, sleds, snowshoes, clothing, posters, accessories, and memorabilia dating from […]