Dear Community,
Thank you all for helping me through my difficult time. The outpouring of love last Sunday was the best thing I can imagine for me, my family and, I think, our community.
I know Linda appreciated the gathering as much as I did, and she sends her love to all.
Russ Criswell
Carbondale
Theater review at large
Sol Theatre Company’s production of “The Prom” is a joyous, polished and emotionally resonant musical that captures the heart of Broadway while showcasing the remarkable talent in our community.
Under the direction and choreography of Luke Ryan (local theater student) trained in New York City’s American Musical and Dramatic Academy, this production is visually stunning and deeply moving.
Jennifer Austin Hughes, executive director of Sol Theatre, commands the stage as Dee Dee Allen. She embraces the larger-than-life Broadway diva, while revealing the character’s humanity as the story unfolds.
Local Jennetta Howell is a standout as Angie Dickinson, lighting up the stage with her vibrant comic personality and Fosse-inspired choreography.
New York professional Kurt Perry is delightful as Barry Glickman — warm, witty and heartfelt — providing us with funny moments and reminding us of the emotional stakes of the story.
At the center of the show is Rachel Grodek’s moving portrayal of Emma Nolan. She brings honesty, vulnerability and quiet strength to the role. Her performance is the emotional anchor for this story.
Ryan, as director and choreographer, has crafted a Broadway ensemble with outstanding professional Broadway singers and dancers in this spectacular theatrical event.
While filled with laughter, dazzling dance numbers and showstopper Divas, it also delivers the message about acceptance, compassion and the impact prejudice can have on our young students.
This show deserves full houses. To experience “The Prom,” audiences must make at least one of four remaining performances on July 23, 24 and 25 at 7pm, and July 26 at 2pm. Treat yourself to one of the finest musical productions of the season and discover why Sol Theatre continues to raise the bar for professional theater. Tickets at soltheatrecompany.org
Jacquie Johnston
At-large Critic
Small, friendly mountain town
Carbondale is known for being a small mountain town with a friendly and vibrant community. This reputation is maintained by a constant adherence to Town rules and building codes.
A major cornerstone to our friendly, small-town atmosphere is the long-standing code that limits all buildings downtown to a maximum of 35 feet. Buildings at this height are capable of developing three levels, which easily fulfills any reasonable business plan.
Thirty-five feet has been plenty for previous developers on Main Street. The 35-foot building limit in downtown contributes to the overall nature and character of our mountain town by maintaining a small-town feeling, yet keeping a vibrant and active population.
Once this height restriction is cracked open, it can never be closed! Even a small increase will change the downtown atmosphere, because future developers will follow and raise it higher and higher. You know they will!
Come tell your Board of Trustees on Tuesday, July 28, at 6pm in Town Hall: “Please do not raise downtown Carbondale’s building height even an inch.”
John S. Williams
Carbondale
Re: Ponderosa
We have, what we believe, is the tallest Ponderosa pine in Basalt. Unfortunately, I do not know the height or circumference. It is my understanding that our neighborhood was once a ponderosa pine forest. The trees were harvested to use in the nearby coke ovens to fuel the trains connecting in Basalt. Honestly, I do not know if it is a Champion Tree contender but it is a magnificent tree! Enjoyed the article in the Sun.
Miki Klahn
Basalt
Concern for a fellow citizen
I am deeply disappointed by your coverage of Jonathan Ford. If he was told the story would focus on one thing but was instead portrayed in a completely different light, that is not ethical journalism.
Every person deserves honesty and transparency from reporters. When someone agrees to be interviewed or photographed, they should be given a truthful understanding of how their words and image will be used. Misleading someone to get a story damages trust — not only with that individual, but with the entire community.
Jonathan has spent countless hours encouraging people with messages of hope, patience, prayer and perseverance. Whether people agree with his methods or not, reducing his story to a discussion about panhandling without accurately representing his intentions paints an incomplete and unfair picture.
The public deserves reporting that is fair, balanced and truthful. If Jonathan was led to believe the article would highlight his positive message and community outreach, only to have the focus shifted elsewhere, your readers deserve an explanation and, if warranted, a correction.
Journalism should inform the public with integrity — not at the expense of someone’s trust or reputation.
Andrea Koenig
Editor’s note: The Sun did explain the nature of the story to Jonathan Ford ahead of him agreeing to have his photo taken for the July 9 Glenwood Report.
Let it grow
Turf requires copious amounts of water on a daily basis to appear healthy in our hot, dry, windy summer climate due to very high evapotranspiration rates.
Mowing turf short on a set weekly schedule regardless of need immediately exposes the underlying ground surface to the sun’s intense radiation, allowing direct evaporation down about 4 inches below the surface and resulting in the turf’s root zone being solarized and baked with immediate moisture loss through direct evaporation.
Now that the Town of Carbondale and its residents are not watering every day to conserve water, this problem is almost immediately evident as large brown areas appear, especially in turf areas that receive a lot of sun and have south-facing slope aspects.
Since landscape maintenance and irrigation have for decades been tailored to meet turf needs, tree roots of established specimen trees that dot the landscape are also likely quite shallow. So existing tree health may be compromised as well, especially since deep soil-building mulch layers (leaves, etc.) have been routinely gathered each year and sent to the landfill.
Simply leaving the lawn to grow to at least 3-4 inches in order to help shade the ground, conserve soil moisture and protect soils and roots is probably the best short-term solution. And, of course, we can also hope and pray for clouds and rain.
In the longer term, science tells us that transitioning to a much more shady forest-like landscape, using various design strategies, with turf where it actually serves us, would make for a much more sustainable, resilient and regenerative landscape in terms of conserving water and energy, sequestering carbon and providing a buffer against existing and future climate instability, including seasonal dry spells, high winds, and flooding. And this would be consistent with the Carbondale Board of Trustees’ recent approval/adoption of Colorado Communities for Climate Action 2026 Policy Statement.
Craig Kafura
Carbondale