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No shortage of opportunities to shop local on Saturday — and beyond

Martin Central Vacuums Systems at 534 Highway 133 is in an unassuming shopping strip and is an unlikely location to find handmade catnip pouches.“I mostly do the odd, unusual things,” said Margery Martin of her fabric-focused novelties. Her husband Ron runs the vacuum business and she displays and sells her wares from the same storefront. While perusers will find placemats and pot holders that are more familiar, most of Margery’s collection feels like a hodgepodge of items you didn’t know you needed. “These are the catnip mats. Cats love them,” she said.

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Behind the scenes: Carbondale’s water system

At first glance, it’s an unassuming boulder filled draw on the flank of Sopris. The few obvious trickles of water are nowhere near enough to supply a town, but there’s a rushing sound just under the surface. Open a trapdoor in the concrete catchment, and you’ll find a steady flow of 400 gallons per minute even in drought, which can more than double during runoff.

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Teacher Story: ‘Chalk dust in my bones’

Teaching has been my passion since I can remember. Kindergarten or first grade is probably when my obsession for everything teaching started. It has always been a huge part of my life. My first memory of wanting to be a teacher came in second grade. I was picked by my teacher, Mrs. Nolan, to be the teacher for a lesson using the overhead projector. The memory of standing in front of the class and pretending I was the beautiful, soft spoken teacher that I idolized everyday, is as clear as if it just happened yesterday. I remember so clearly using the vis-a-vis markers that wrote so smooth with handwriting so neat.

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Legion, others help veterans survive and thrive

The distinct camaraderie that is such an intrinsic part of military culture is an oft-cited perk of serving, and losing it can be one of the hardships of transitioning into civilian life. That’s why opportunities like the Veterans Day dinner at Carbondale’s American Legion Post 100 are so popular — but vets don’t have to hold out for November to enjoy a space to call their own.

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A student led fundraiser for youth radio

Maija Petterson’s passion for radio would be noteworthy even if she wasn’t a senior at Glenwood Springs High School. She listens to NPR every morning, DJs on KDNK whenever she gets the chance and has recently launched a fundraising campaign for the station’s Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program (AZYEP). It all started five years ago, when AZYEP co-director Beth Wysong invited Petterson to spend some time on the air.

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GlenX unveils coworking space at TSC

In 2005, the United States boasted one coworking space, according to the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. By 2016, there were more than 11,000 worldwide, with nine on the Western Slope. And now, one exists at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. GlenX — which started as a play on TedX because the company organized speaking engagements in Glenwood Springs — has evolved as a subsidiary of Social Bridge into a full coworking space and, eventually, a business incubator.

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Fotion’s Gym owners are stronger together

There’s always another goal on the horizon for Steve Fotion. It hasn’t even been a month since winning the coveted America’s Strongest Man 50+ title at America’s Strongest Pro and America’s Strongest Masters competitions, and he’s already training for the future. “Now we’ve gotta repeat, that’s all,” he said about his victories in Phoenix. “That way it’s not a fluke.” The Oct. 14 and 15 events were not Fotion’s first — he’s competed four times in as many years. The first time, he came in 13th place. Each year, he placed a little higher before earning the first-place title, jumping from seventh place last year to the 2017 champion in his age bracket