Library board
Jocelyn Durrance was the Carbondale Branch Library’s trustee to the Garfield County Public Library District (GCPLD) board for five years and involved in library sciences for 30 years. Yet, she was recently replaced on the board for what appear to be strictly political reasons by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Commissioner Tom Jankovsky explained he “wanted to see more diversity and less groupthink on the board.” Diversity! Tom, you’re going to lose your MAGA stripes using words like that. I guess diversity is okay as long as it’s diverted toward the right.
This all seems to be inspired by the efforts of a group called Garfield County Patriots to get GCLD Executive Director Jamie LaRue fired. In a Facebook post, western Garfield County firebrand Trish O’Grady said that could be accomplished if conservatives had a majority on the library district board.
Durrance said, “I think there is a group within Garfield County who is making a huge effort to stack the board with trustees who represent an ideology not consistent with the mission of public libraries.” I would add, not consistent with the sentiments of Carbondale, either. Library staff isn’t “a babysitting service,” Durrance said, and parents should be in control of what their children read.
Until recently, the library board chose their own trustees, but the BOCC has taken over that authority and wielded it with a heavy hand. In November, Hanna Arauza, wife of Commissioner Mike Samson’s political opponent Steven Arauza, was rejected for the Rifle library board trustee position by the BOCC even though she was approved by the library board.
All this is part of a concerted effort by the right wing to take control of the centers of learning. They took a hit in August when Re-2 school board member Tony May was recalled for promoting the American Birthright social studies program.
Fred Malo Jr.
Carbondale
Our forests need you
Whether you are a trail user, homeowner, visitor or work in the tourism and outdoor recreation industry, you know how important healthy public lands are to the vitality and well-being of our communities. The management of these public resources is only possible through the work of passionate, experienced professionals, and we are disheartened by the unprecedented funding freezes and layoffs of our friends at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
In our 30-year history, the work of Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV) has never been more critical or relevant. Since its founding in 1995, RFOV has been a trusted partner to the White River National Forest, providing important support for the Forest’s management goals. In 2024 alone, RFOV contributed 3,830 hours to the stewardship of Forest lands, the equivalent of almost four full-time seasonal positions. As Forest Service capacity decreases while recreation numbers continue to increase, RFOV is prepared to nimbly respond to the growing need for community-powered stewardship. Our 2025 season schedule includes work on some of our most beloved trails: Linkins Lake, Avalanche Creek, the Four Pass Loop, Hanging Lake and many more.
Beyond the USFS, RFOV is a close partner of land managers at all levels — including municipal, county, state and federal agencies. Our long-standing relationships with the agency staff in our region are the bedrock of the work we do. Whether it is a change in funding, staffing or other barriers faced by these land managers, RFOV stands ready to mobilize our professional staff and volunteers to help care for the places we care about.
We do not yet know the full impacts of these actions and how they will affect our community and environment. What we do know is that we need your help. Together we can continue to support our land-manager partners and ensure our treasured public lands do not go into disrepair.
VOLUNTEER ON A PROJECT. In the coming months, you can join us for a project on local public lands! Our project season begins in May, with weekday, evening and weekend projects suited for volunteers of all ages and abilities.
SPEAK UP. You can call or write your local representative or support local nonprofits, such as our friends at Wilderness Workshop, who work tirelessly to promote policy changes at all levels of government.
INVEST IN COMMUNITY-POWERED STEWARDSHIP. Your donation today will ensure RFOV can respond to the best of our ability to the challenges brought on by decreased Forest Service capacity — www.rfov.org/donate
Thank you for being part of our community-powered stewardship movement.
Becca Schild
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers
It’s personal
Recently, a friend said that if I really want to make a difference in our political environment, I need to tell people how the Musk/Trump Dual-Dictatorship directly and personally impacts me.
This is how:
TRUMP’S TARIFFS — Horse feed and ranch-product prices are already high. Potash (for fertilizer) comes from Canada, along with gas, oil, steel, wood, aluminum and many raw materials that we use for everything we do. Prices will greatly rise, affected by Trump’s Tariffs!
My family farm in Pennsylvania grew wheat and soybeans in the 1960s through the 1990s. What little I know about farming gives me great sadness for my friends impacted by DOGE’s destroying and closing USAID.
I have a friend in Longmont, Colorado who grows grain for USAID. He and many Colorado farmers are out of luck. Their wheat, rice and soybeans are rotting in silos, instead of providing humanitarian aid, food assistance and health support across more than 100 countries. These farmers depend on this income.
I am also angry and sad about removing USAID’s “soft power diplomacy” which made nations look up to America as a kind and caring leader in the world.
I am ashamed of our president, a man of low intellect and character, who cares nothing for anyone or anything other than his own personal wealth and bullying power.
THEN THERE’S MUSK — One of Musk’s old friends, who has disavowed him, said that he bought the U.S. government (for $250 million) to further his goal of being “the first trillionaire in history.”
Welcome to the “New World Order” of the Musk/Trump White Nationalist Criminal Dual Dictatorship. THIS IS PERSONAL!
Holly McLain
Carbondale
Defending Trump
Trump gets Putin to discuss a ceasefire and Democrats cry, “Putin’s puppet.” Biden weakly watched while Russia invaded Ukraine and didn’t even talk to Putin in 3.5 years.
Trump decreased illegal immigration 90% in his first month in office, while Dems wail that he’s scaring foreign nationals who are here illegally.
Trump is fulfilling his promise to cut government waste, fraud and corruption. Dems whine that he’s doing it too fast.
Trump says there are two sexes and biological men shouldn’t compete against women in sports. Dems preach DEI doctrine where equity is achieved through the lowest common denominator.
Dems are an endless campaign of hatred for Trump and derision for the majority of Americans who overwhelmingly elected him. They have no solutions or policy.
For the good of the USA, I hope Dems don’t change their behavior. Keep thinking it was the messaging instead of your woke message. Common sense will keep winning.
Bruno Kirchenwitz
Rifle
American politics
Millions of Americans live in fear of losing their jobs, their healthcare, their citizenship, their nursing homes placement and their stewardship over their children’s education. It is hard to imagine that any voter expected that their actions could result in the denial of these rights and services. But if you think you won’t be affected by these and other cuts, think again.
Case in point — the deliberations of the federal budget regarding Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance program. Eighty million Americans depend on these services. These draconian measures will directly affect healthcare for the elderly, pregnant women, children, low-income citizens and people with disabilities. But these reductions will affect everyone.
Healthcare needs do not disappear because of funding cuts. The costs of care are simply shifted to all of us. Providers cannot afford to absorb all of the costs for uncompensated care. If someone cannot pay their doctor or hospital bills, those costs will simply be shifted to all other payers, both public and private. If care is delayed, it will eventually result in care provided in higher cost settings, all for want of primary care coverage. And we will all pay in the form of higher insurance and medical bills as well as paying increased state and local taxes.
Care for our most vulnerable citizens should not be optional. Instead, it should be considered an obligation and a reflection of our values as a nation. While Elon Musk, who receives $8 million a day in federal contracts, has said that anyone receiving federal assistance is a pariah, it is fair to ask who the pariah is here. He calls those in need pariahs, I call them fellow Americans.
Call your congressional offices and make your voice heard.
Kathy Sgambati
Carbondale
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