Clothes to Ukraine?
Does anyone know where I can donate clothing to be sent to Ukraine? At one time there was a group in Carbondale collecting clothing and shoes to be sent directly to Ukraine. Please call me at 970-963-8244 with any leads. Thank you.
Janet Johnson
Carbondale
Re: Western Watersheds Project
Western Watersheds Project (WWP) on conserving public lands misses the mark on appropriate management of federal lands. Their website proclaims, “Together we can protect public lands from the destructive effects of livestock grazing.”
The Taylor Grazing Act was signed into law in 1934 to manage livestock grazing. If WWP is concerned about overgrazing, they may want to turn their attention to the wild horse overpopulation across the West. The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) appropriate management level is 27,000 horses, but the agency estimated there were 74,000 as of March this year — which, undoubtedly, has gone up. Wild horse herds expand their population approximately 20% annually. Groups that cry foul on overgrazing of domestic livestock ignore BLM and Forest Service regulations to prevent overgrazing.
There is also an intent to target domestic sheep. We all cherish Colorado’s iconic bighorn sheep, but to solely blame domestic sheep for compromised bighorn health is disingenuous at best and, at worst, damaging to bighorns by hampering legitimate research efforts to help them. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is endemic to bighorn herds in Colorado with or without the presence of domestic sheep. It has been identified in mule deer, white-tail deer, bison, caribou and moose, which poses the question: Do other wildlife species serve as a pathogen conduit that negatively impacts bighorn health? Let’s not forget that weather, nutrition, population herd density and recreational pressure all serve as stressors that can exacerbate respiratory illness in bighorn sheep.
Some groups are not shy about blithely shelling out advice on livestock management and wolves. The forced wolf recovery program has gotten off to an abysmal start, with wolves being dumped into a complex and challenging environment. Colorado Parks and Wildlife brought in wolves with a known history of livestock depredation. The predictably high rate of livestock losses (three dogs, 12 sheep and 28 cattle recorded since December 2021) has shown that non-lethal deterrents do not work all of the time.
Wishful thinking about non-lethal deterrents ignores the cost, efficacy and on-the-ground applicability of these practices. One deterrent that is of particular concern is the use of dogs that are now thrust into the spotlight. Our brave and valiant dogs protect our flocks from coyotes, mountain lions and bears, but wolves are a whole different ball game. Wolves hunt in packs, are very territorial and typically kill guardian dogs they encounter.
Omitting facts to “prove” your point undermines collaboration for federally-mandated multiple uses of federal lands.
Bonnie (Brown) Eddy
Colorado Wool Growers Association
GarCo candidates
I am so grateful to Steven Arauza and Caitlin Carey for stepping forward to give us a Board of County Commissioners that can reflect the ideals and demographics of county residents, and finally see to our needs. For too long, we have focused on the needy, out-of-state fracking drillers. We have tended to drillers’ every desire and whim to the degradation of the health, safety and welfare of folks in the county. Perhaps now, the millions of dollars accrued from oil and gas taxes can be used to improve the lives of residents and their overall health.
I’m sure the old commissioners will benefit from a healthier environment too, and not need to leave the county to find clean air and water to retire in. Steven and Caitlin are a breath of fresh air over good-old-boy politics. Best of luck to you Steven Arauza and Caitlin Carey in resisting the iron hand and hardball influence of oil and gas.
John Hoffmann
Carbondale
Plastic Kamala
Kamala Harris has reversed her stance on many formerly stated policies. Folks base their policy opinions on their values. How does one change so many opinions without changing their values? She sounds as plastic as the swamp-controlled puppet she is.
Bruno Kirchenwitz
Rifle
Library interference
Do you know that the current three members of the Garfield Board of County Commissioners hijacked the process to appoint the people who run our wonderful library system? Do you want the commissioners or library trustees to decide for parents what books should be read by their children?
The commissioners initially directed the county’s library board to ensure “pornographic materials” aren’t accessible to children at public libraries and can’t be checked out by young people. Commissioner Tom Jankovsky then acknowledged in an interview with The Denver Post that the Garfield County Public Library District (GCPLD) Board of Trustees is an independent body that doesn’t have to follow the county’s directive. But, he said, “The reason that motion was made is because we do have the ability to remove all board members from the library board.” The commissioners “don’t want to go there,” Jankovsky said, but it is an option.
Jamie LaRue, executive director of the GCPLD, called the commissioners’ directive “political intimidation.” He said there is no legal definition of pornography and that, historically, the term has been used to describe all kinds of titles, from “The Grapes of Wrath” to children’s books about where babies come from. (See www.tinyurl.com/DenverPostGCPLD)
The commissioners stepped in and took control of how the trustees of our libraries are selected and who, therefore, can decide whether to start banning books in our libraries. The commissioners are bullying the trustees into complying with their unprecedented interference. They are attempting to remove the independence of our library system through intimidation and coercion.
Two trustee positions will need to be filled in the next few months. Do you want Commissioners to appoint a majority to the board who are in favor of book banning? I don’t.
We have a chance to elect two new commissioners to reverse this dangerous trend. Elect Steven Arauza and Caitlin Carey as our new Garfield County commissioners. They respect the independence of our library system and trust in parents to choose what their children read.
Ellen Dole
Glenwood Springs
‘Normalcy bias’
Here’s something to ponder: “normalcy bias.” My definition is that it’s the psychological tendency for people to dismiss things that scare them. We don’t want our boat rocked, especially if it’s a nice boat … a yacht, maybe. The better off we are, I believe, the more power this bias has over our minds.
We like things the way they are. So when we hear that over 32,000 migrant children have just disappeared into this country (from a recent Homeland Security Inspector General’s report), it’s too horrendous to contemplate and our “normalcy bias” kicks in once again.
The “normalcy bias” chatter continues until, thankfully, another distraction diverts our attention. We’ve adapted this psychological mind game for our emotional survival, but NOW, at this pivotal time in history, we need to become aware of its power over our minds. NOW, we must speak up and do the right thing even when circumstances are ugly or hard. The soul of our country and the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent children are counting on our mindfulness. “Normalcy bias,” be aware that it’s there.
Jackie Chenoweth
Carbondale
Vote for Steven
We need young people serving as Garfield County commissioners; people who are raising their children now in our county, care about the county’s future and want to develop clean energy jobs and energy sources. Join me in supporting Steven Arauza for commissioner because he meets important criteria: he is well educated, a man working in regulation of the oil and gas industry, a father raising his children in Rifle using the public school system and is willing to address the need for affordable housing rather than bowing to development for millionaires who want more vacation homes.
We are at a critical juncture not just in our county, but on our planet. We need to recognize and support creating clean green energy locally and realize that this new way forward also creates good jobs that can support families. The skills to work in oil and gas development are transferable to solar and wind power jobs. There is no loss in doing all we can to create clean energy. When we stop using polluting coal and oil we improve our water, soil, air and families’ health simultaneously.
Steven Arauza comes from a humble background. He grew up with the challenges his single mother faced raising him and got a good education. He knows the value of unions and is an officer in the public employees union of Colorado. He understands the housing needs for working people in our county. We need his new energy and dedication for the wellbeing of our county’s people and natural resources.
We need a change and Steven Arauza can provide what we need.
Illène Pevec
Carbondale
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