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  • Locations: News Published

    Obamacare: deadlines, misunderstandings and such

    If you missed the December deadline to buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, you can breathe a small sigh of relief. The open enrollment period to get coverage for 2014 continues through March. But local insurance brokers are advising individuals who still need to sort out their coverage or who need new plans altogether to sign up for a plan sooner versus later. “Don’t wait till the last minute,” said April Trulove of Martin Insurance Group in Carbondale. “This is a yearlong decision; you don’t make a decision like this on the fly. You want to make sure you’re making the right decision for your needs.” read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    Jump-starting English language instruction in RE-1

    “It’s like we’re at the starting line and we’re ready to floor it.” That’s how Amy Galicia describes the RE-1 school district’s readiness to address the needs of English language learners. Galicia was hired this past summer as the new coordinator of the district’s English Language Development program (ELD). read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    Ivone Muñoz: Remembrances from friends, co-workers, students

    Ivone Munoz, most recently an English Language Learner teacher at Roaring Fork High School, died on Dec. 27 following a long battle with cancer. Muñoz, 40, was a Carbondale native and mother of four, with an extended family that included her grandmother, parents, brother, sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Here are some recently compiled remembrances and those included in a Sopris Sun article: “I have a single word to describe Ivone: graceful. The way she advocated for her students, made her disagreements known, led her life, accepted her illness, and left this world were done with a grace that few people share.” — Sharon Moya read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    After almost 10 years, Russets closing its doors

    The rumors have been confirmed. Sunday, Jan. 5, will be the last day of business at Russets restaurant. After just shy of 10 years of operation, including the recession’s rough years, owners Sue and Claude Van Horton are hanging up their hats. The decision is, according to Sue, purely economic. Although billed as a “neighborhood restaurant and bar,” the establishment has a reputation for fine dining that has been both a blessing and a curse. When the eatery opened in February 2004, times were good and people had income to spare. When things got tough, Sue surmises, people didn’t think of Russets as a place to just grab an appetizer and glass of wine. Since word began to get out that they’re closing their doors, they’ve been packed almost every night. Folks are eager to get one last taste of their favorite dishes. In particular, the wild mushroom soup and lobster bisque have been in great demand. read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    "Let Them Roar": The Band Formerly Known as "All The Pretty Horses"

    When Carbondale band "All the Pretty Horses" announced the retirement of their old name at their Dia de Los Muertos concert in November, some folks drew comparisons to Prince's 1993 moniker change. But by the time this issue hits the stands, fears that the band will adopt an unpronounceable symbol as their new name will have proven unfounded. After nearly two months of input and discussion; Oliva Pevec, Mateo Sandáte, Ashton Taufer, Frank Martin, Aaron Taylor, and Sophia Clark will be known collectively as "Let them Roar". read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    Scuttlebutt

    Secret revealed on Dec. 31 “It’s a secret,” according to vocalist Olivia Pevec. The band that she founded, formerly known as All the Pretty Horses, will perform at Steve’s Guitars on New Year’s Eve. Not only will the band reveal its “secret” that evening, it is also the official release of their new EP, which they’ve been working on for the last two years. “Actually, it’s the coming out party for our new name,” Pevec told The Sopris Sun in an exclusive interview. Although she won’t reveal the moniker before the night of Dec. 31, she did say that “it’s inspired by audience participation and it contains a local reference.” The reason the band changed their name, she said, is mostly for Internet search reasons but also because they have grown a lot from their beginnings. Band members include Pevec, Mateo Sandate, Aaron Taylor, Ashton Taufer, Frank Martin and Sophia Clark. read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    Pot a no brainer, voters nuke fire-tax hike

    An interesting year: 2013 Even for Carbondale — which in recent years saw residents slap a 20 cent fee on paper bags at City Market in order to protect the environment, and hammered shopping-center developers so badly they have yet to return – the year 2013 was an interesting one. While other towns and counties dithered, dathered and weaseled around with whether to allow licensed stores to sell marijuana, the Carbondale Board of Trustees barely nodded to each other before plowing into an eventual nine-month discussion that would result in ordinances that allow up to five “pot shops” to sell limited amounts of the still federally-banned plant in 2014. Meanwhile, a special taxing district (in this case the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District), got the word from voters loud and clear they did not want to pay more money in the form of increased property taxes, even though it could mean emergency response times might be slower than in previous years. On a sunnier note, Carbondale Mountain Fair started charging for folks who want to enjoy the festivities under private shade tents; town trustees gave an internationally known sculptor the old library building for $1 a year so he can display his work under the auspices of a museum; and the 100+year-old Thompson House received federal historic designation status. read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    Firefighters knock down blaze

    Dec. 15 at 6:37 p.m., the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District was paged for a report of a structure fire at 251 Bobcat Lane, (Redstone Ranch Acres subdivision) Redstone, according to a press release. Upon firefighters arrival, flames were visible outside the chimney chase. The first fire officer on scene worked with a neighbor and they were able to keep the fire from spreading until the first fire engine arrived. read more →
  • Locations: News Published

    Fire district slashes budget, cuts services for 2014

    Faced with a projected $1 million decrease in property tax revenues for 2014, the Carbondale Fire District will dip into its reserves to the tune of $700,000 next year and also cut services or programs, such as the Wildfire Patrol that puts crews on the ground to locate and fight fires before they spread. The cuts come after the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District’s five-member board approved a 2014 budget of approximately $2 million on Dec. 11, down about $1.2 million from 2013 due to a decline in property values. read more →