Stuff by Tom Mercer

  • Locations: Columns, Opinion Published

    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… read more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Surviving Hurricane Ian

    Growing up in Central Illinois, I witnessed first-hand the damage that tornadoes could do. They could carve a path of destruction through any terrain. There was a tornado warning siren on the water tower that stood just 300 feet from our brick home on Walnut Street, and it was not… read more →

  • Locations: News Published

    KDNK’s Geekspeak turns 18

    Reportedly, Mark Burrows put forth the idea of a KDNK radio program that would offer helpful advice to computer users in 2004.  Now, 18 years later, Geekspeak continues to solve problems, answer questions, and assist KDNK listeners who are challenged by modern computer technology or software. read more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Local musician delves into scifi with “Ed Pinley Paranormal Investigator”

    I have known Lester Rogers as a local Western Colorado musician for many years, but I was genuinely surprised to discover that he had recently authored a book. The title of the book is “Ed Pinley Paranormal Investigator”, and it takes the reader on a wild ride, featuringread more →

  • Locations: News Published

    TACAW to feature Songwriters’ Round

    The Roaring Fork Valley is rich with entertainment opportunities. The Valley supports a wealth of options in music, drama and the fine arts. One venue in particular has proven to be a dependable option for a varied selection of live entertainment: TACAW (The Arts Campus at Willits).

    On Sept. 1,… read more →

  • Locations: Columns, Opinion Published

    Local author quenches SciFi thirst with “THING: First Contact”

    This reviewer has been an avid reader of science fiction novels ever since discovering them in a small-town library in Illinois. Those books were “a ticket out of town” and transported the reader to different worlds, thereby broadening imagination and creating a literary thirst for more of theread more →

  • Locations: Columns, Opinion Published

    A transplant’s tale from Florida-land

    Last autumn, my partner and I said goodbye to Carbondale. We packed our belongings into a rental trailer and began the long drive to Florida. 

    We left Carbondale at 3 a.m. Glenwood Canyon had just been cleared of fallen rock and the pavement was stillread more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Tyler Stableford lends a helping hand

    There is a small building near Sopris Park in Carbondale that is easily overlooked. It is unassuming, much like the award-winning photographer/director that conducts his successful business from that location. In fact, Tyler Stableford, the owner of Tyler Stableford Productions, is better known by his national clients (whoread more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Bear-roping and jewels at Four Mile B&B

    I am certain that I have driven past Four Mile Creek Bed & Breakfast more than 100 times, often at the maximum allowable speed limit. However, that changed recently when I stopped in to visit with owners Jim and Sharill Hawkins. My visit resulted in much more thanread more →

  • Locations: News Published

    It all started with The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad

    When this reporter first arrived in Carbondale, the trains transporting Mid-Continent coal were still active, and automobile drivers would often have to sit in their idling cars for several minutes, waiting for a train to clear the crossing. But that minor inconvenience was destined to disappear.
    The “last hurrah”… read more →