Most residents of the Roaring Fork Valley either know or have heard of Louie Girardot, and the lucky ones have enjoyed his music over the years. I had the pleasure of playing music with Girardot, and I thought that Sopris Sun readers might like to know more about him. He has performed all over the […]
Tom Mercer
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Gottlieb and Knickerbocker release new book
Carbondale authors — and romantic partners — Larry Gottlieb and Katherine Knickerbocker have written a new book that combines philosophy, adventure and the great outdoors. The book is called “Secrets of the River: A Parable for Our Times.” It is being published by Di Angelo Publications, with a book launch at the Carbondale Library in […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Our Town: John Riger, a musical legend
Most residents of Carbondale have driven by the Crystal River Fish Hatchery hundreds of times. The hatchery always assures us an abundance of fish in our local streams. But how many Carbondale residents know that the man who managed the hatchery from 1978 to 2008 also provides great musical entertainment for the Roaring Fork Valley?The […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
The Music in Our Lives By Tom MercerCarbondale-ish My first exposure to music occurred when I was four or five years old. I lived on the banks of the Illinois River in Rome, Illinois. There was only one store in Rome. That store was where my mother would occasionally buy 45 rpm children’s records for […]
Posted inNews
‘Avalanche Dreams, A Memoir of Skiing, Climbing, and Life’ by Louis Dawson
Louis “Lou” Dawson describes “Avalanche Dreams” as “a work of creative nonfiction” and he advises the reader that “while autobiographical in nature,” the book is “an approximation of the author’s lived experience.” The author, well known to most alpine and sport climbers, has changed some names in his book to protect people’s privacy. He notes […]
Posted inFiction
Works in Progress
One Night Before ChristmasBy Tom MercerForever Carbondalian It was “that time of year again.” To Santa and Mrs. Claus, it seemed only weeks had passed since the previous Christmas, but both knew that as the days grew shorter it meant that Christmas was just around the corner (although there were no actual street corners in […]
Posted inNews, Uncategorized
Local NASA scientist recalls Apollo 13 ‘close call’
According to The History Press, Apollo was the Greek God of almost everything, including music, poetry, art, prophecy, archery, healing and the sun. But for those of us who followed NASA’s Apollo launches and subsequent space shuttle missions, the exploratory events were far more than a nod to Greek mythology. They were truly “epic.” I […]
Posted inNews, Uncategorized
Shining Mountains Pow Wow returns to Aspen
There is a very special event scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend at Aspen High School in the Big Gym. It’s suitable for the whole family, it’s inexpensive, and it’s both educational and great entertainment. Deanne Vitrac-Kessler, local organizer of the upcoming Shining Mountains Pow Wow and co-founder of the Aspen Indigenous Foundation, said: “This […]
Posted inNews, Uncategorized
A seriously close call
Lynn Hazzard, a long-time resident of Carbondale, recently survived a serious medical emergency, thanks to her attentive neighbors Cheryl and Bruce Hasselbring. The Hasselbrings were accustomed to seeing Hazzard enjoying her morning coffee outside on her deck, but one morning, Hazzard was nowhere to be seen and her window shades were still closed. Concerned for […]
Posted inColumns, Opinion, Uncategorized
Book Review: Stories of the American West
“Stories of the American West, Volume 1” by author Daniel Parliman provides the reader with a detailed description of commercial group trail rides and hunting expeditions on Colorado’s Western Slope over a period of many years. The detailed accounts of the group rides and hunting trips are rich with the flavor of the times in […]