This November, regional voters will decide whether or not to pass the Early Childhood Service District ballot measure proposed by the Confluence Early Childhood Education Coalition (CECE). If approved, it would become Colorado’s first special taxing district meant to improve access to early-childhood care and education — another is being explored on the Front Range, […]
Local Government
Posted inYouth News
What’s the difference between service and emotional support animals?
This article was written by Sopris Sun youth reporter Arthur Cherith. Emotional support animals and service animals are two different things. But what fully defines each? Service animals are dogs that, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) website, ada.gov, “are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Under […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Medicaid changes and a public land use ally from Utah
As the Lee Fire on Monday was closing in on 137,000 acres and the dubious achievement of becoming the state’s 4th largest wildfire in history, Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) had a public conversation promoting natural gas drilling and timber sales with Jacey Albaugh, legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) on the U.S. Senate […]
Posted inLocal Government
Basalt Report: Proposed Emma Road development forges ahead
During this week’s meeting, the Basalt Town Council held a reading and public hearing for a preliminary PUD for a residential development at 431 Emma Road. The applicant, Jadwin Park LLC, seeks to construct 64 dwelling units and 12 commercial-lodging cabins. The site for the proposed development is a nine-acre parcel located between Highway 82 […]
Posted inLocal Government
Glenwood Report: Updates on housing, unhoused
The Glenwood Springs City Council convened for its first of two August meetings on Aug. 7. All council members were present, including six in-person and one attending remotely via Zoom. A late afternoon work session covered topics ranging from a community-led initiative to protect bees and other pollinators to issues with recycling collection in public […]
Posted inLocal Government
When First Amendment rights blur harassment allegations
Editor’s note: The Sopris Sun elected not to list a party’s name in this article, out of respect for their privacy, but did reach out for comment without success. The Carbondale Historic Food Forest doesn’t seem like it’d be the place for a controversy to unravel. It’s off the beaten path, tucked away compared to […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Town hall with Hurd, new natural gas pad, nonprofit grants
After thanking firefighters for their work on local fires and praising Aspen’s gondola transit system idea, Steve Kuschner of 350 Roaring Fork asked the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) Monday to support an in-person town hall with Congressman Jeff Hurd (R-CD3). Hurd has been on the hook with constituents since last March for having tele-town halls […]
Posted inLocal Government, News
Library Report: Trustees dismiss age-restricted library card idea
Garfield County Public Library District trustees voted on Aug. 7 to keep the status quo of current library cards without introducing a new age-restricted one, saying they could discuss the issue again in the future if desired. The vote was 4-1, with trustee Tony Hershey giving the dissenting vote and trustee Stephanie Hirsch absent. Following […]
Posted inBreaking News
Carbondale Report: New pedestrian crossing — and a major detour — coming to 133
Beginning Monday, Aug. 18, work will begin on a Highway 133 pedestrian crossing with a detour simultaneously rerouting north and southbound traffic for about a month. The new crossing, located at Nieslanik Avenue — from the Dollar Tree to FirstBank, approximately — was unanimously approved during the regular Board of Trustees meeting on Aug. 12. […]
Posted inLocal Government
Dr. John Emerick of Redstone appointed to CPW Commission
The opportunity of a lifetime has arrived for Redstone resident Dr. John Emerick as he was recently appointed to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission on July 3 by Governor Jared Polis. Filling the member at large position, Emerick, a retired professor of environmental biology, will use a scientific lens to help set regulations […]