Last Wednesday, the Basalt Police Department responded to reports of a wildfire caused by a lightning strike located above Pinion Drive. Roaring Fork Fire Rescue personnel hiked into the area and successfully controlled the spread. While Basalt PD was notified of the fire by multiple 911 calls, responders were also notified by its Pano AI […]
Local Government
Posted inLocal Government
RFTA Report: E-bikes, holiday bus capacity and Transportation Coalition dominate July meeting
This month’s online meeting started quickly with approval of the June minutes. During public comment, community member Kathleen Brehm spoke up about her injuries and experience stemming from a collision with an e-biker. She requested the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) and Pitkin County establish a self-report database for accidents and mechanisms for enforcement around […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: Hiring freeze, horse poop, MLK Jr. Day, unfunded mandates and more
Public comment in the afternoon of Monday’s Garfield County Commissioner (BOCC) meeting included West Glenwood Springs resident Jamie Darien with complaints about an unnamed neighbor who is apparently collecting fire hazards in his backyard. Darien said there is brush, dry grass, palettes and 30 to 40 hot tub covers that have also attracted mice and […]
Posted inLocal Government
Carbondale solicits input regarding temporary traffic features
It seemed like it was almost overnight that the streets of Carbondale were transformed with various temporary features installed throughout town. The designs align with Carbondale’s Mobility and Access Plan (MAP) and mimic some possible solutions to slow traffic and make Carbondale more friendly for all types of transportation — even if that’s your own […]
Posted inLocal Government
GarCo Report: New property tax payment option, landfill faces methane capture regs
With no public comments Monday, the Garfield County Commissioners (BOCC) jumped right into a meeting that lasted less than two hours. County Assessor Jim Yellico and Deputy Assessor Juby Cumming presented the 2024 annual recap of the results of the property tax appeal process and what valuations look like. Yellico told the BOCC that his […]
Posted inLocal Government
Library Report: No decision from trustees yet on new age-restricted library card
The Garfield County Public Library District’s (GCPLD) Board of Trustees is not ready to make a decision on whether to create a new card for minors that would restrict their ability to check out certain books. At the board’s July 10 meeting in Glenwood Springs, some headway was made in discussing the new card and […]
Posted inLocal Government
Commercial recycling in Carbondale explained
The Sopris Sun recently received an anonymous news tip from a resident in the Valley expressing concern about a local business failing to separate its recycling. The tipster wanted to know: what are the regulations around commercial recycling in Carbondale? The Sopris Sun spoke with Kevin Schorzman, the Town’s public works director, to get some […]
Posted inEnvironment
Threat to public lands surfaced bipartisan resistance
Last month, Coloradans rose in solidarity against a proposed section of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. While the bulk of the controversial legislation ultimately passed with a tie-breaking vote by Vice President J.D. Vance on July 1, the final draft of the bill removed text regarding public lands sales. Senator Mike Lee of Utah […]
Posted inLocal Government
Carbondale Report: Town enacts voluntary water restrictions to avoid crisis
Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman acted as interim town manager during the July 8 meeting. All trustees were in attendance with Ross Kribbs joining via Zoom. A quickly-approved consent agenda included meeting minutes, special event licenses for a Stepping Stones fundraiser (Sept. 19) and Cowboy Up (Aug. 22) and accounts payable. During general public comments, […]
Posted inEnvironment
Pollinator Conservancy abuzz with intention
The Pollinator Conservancy has had a busy year. Flitting between community events and speaking before local municipalities, founder and Valley resident Lisa McKenzie is on a mission to raise critical awareness and education about our most vulnerable creatures: the pollinators. A vast collection of species, pollinators consist of bees, butterflies, moths, birds, bats and others […]