Letter to The Sopris Sun
What an amazing gift you are to the community of Carbondale and beyond! Your wonderful support of a well-known artist and his contributions to Carbondale in the past years and recently has brought many people to know how wonderful you are in supporting him and his legacy. Who do I speak of? None other than the Insane-A-Cycle creator, William Morrow.
Raleigh Burleigh and the Sopris Sun staff have helped this legendary artist bring his last works to the community in a long-awaited auction of his amazing art. Your true spirit of community has uplifted Bill and his family more than you know.
Although we had hoped to see all the items off into the area, we were not able to complete that task, as of yet, and hope there is still a way to benefit the community of Carbondale with some of the remaining “one and only” metal sculptures from Bill Morrow aka William Morrow.
Many people of Carbondale have mentioned that they miss the iconic Insane-A-Cycle at the Roaring Fork Coop, which was hosted by them for many years. We are hoping to bring awareness to the community that it is available at this time to be purchased and possibly donated to the city or to another city in the area to live on in our wonderful valley, where it was created and beloved by many!
It would be an honor to Mr. Morrow to have it here and any other items he has created while being a member of this amazing community. We hope his art lives on for many decades into the future and the incredible spirit of this masterful artist, William Morrow!
To see other works still available, check out www.WilliamMorrowSculptures.com and help us turn a legendary artist into the true legend that he is, all while benefiting his family as his last wishes are granted.
With deepest gratitude,
Nancey Glass
“Girl Friday” for William Morrow
FEMA future
Before the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was created in 1978, individual agencies at local, state and federal levels were left on their own to coordinate their responses to disasters, resulting in slow, bureaucratic and disjointed relief efforts. The National Governors Association specifically asked President Jimmy Carter in 1978 to create a single federal agency that would coordinate all disaster relief efforts, resulting in the creation of FEMA. This agency has led the response to Hurricane Helene resulting in the current deployment of over 3,300 federal employees across the disaster area.
If elected, Trump plans to slash FEMA. Now imagine the response to a future hurricane under Trump with this reduced workforce. And to top this off, Trump also plans to stock federal agencies with federal employees who are not selected for their competence but by their loyalty to him. History has shown that these “appointees” are often incompetent at best and, at worst, only interested in lining their own pockets. “What’s in it for me, (governor of state of your choice), if I send you relief?” The response would be nowhere as effective as the current response to Helene.
This is only one example of an agency that does much public good and that the Republicans would like to shutter or muzzle.
Jerome Dayton
Carbondale
Fact checking
At a candidate’s forum in Rifle last week, Garfield County commissioner candidate Perry Will made a claim that needs fact checking. He contended wind farms have as many carbon emissions as fossil fuel power plants. No, it’s not even close, Perry.
Even when manufacturing and construction are taken into consideration, wind turbines emit only 11 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour. For coal plants, it’s 980 grams and methane gas 465. All Will knows about fossil fuels is the industry has deep pockets. And no, wind turbines don’t kill whales, very few birds, and they don’t cause cancer.
On the subject of fact checking, why is it the Republicans are the only ones with a problem with fact checks? GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump pitched a hissy fit when the ABC moderators repeatedly fact checked him in his debate with Kamala Harris and his vice-presidential running mate JD Vance complained loudly when CBS’s Margaret Brennan broke her promise not to point out his lies during the vice-presidential debate.
Now, Trump refuses to do a 60 Minutes interview unless Scott Pelley swears not to correct his prevarications. Democrats certainly fib, just like all politicians, but I’ve never heard them object to fact checking. Could it be Democratic lies are of a lighter hue than Republican ones?
Fred Malo Jr.
Carbondale
‘Enter Ghost’
Aspen Words is betraying the community and their own mission by not holding a discussion of the book they chose for their 2024 Community Read, a book they awarded their $35,000 literary award to. In July, Aspen Words and the Pitkin County Library distributed free copies to members of the public of the book “Enter Ghost” by Isabella Hammad. “Enter Ghost” is about a company of actors producing “Hamlet” in the West Bank at risk of discovery and cancellation by the Israeli government. It is about a British-Palestinian actor returning to her family’s homeland and coming to terms with her feelings of having abandoned her people and their struggle under occupation.
The Community Read program promised two screenings of “Hamlet” and a subsequent “Book Celebration,” presumably where the community would get to discuss the book. Instead of a discussion, Aspen Words is now having a conversation with Aspen Public Radio’s Breeze Richardson and NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly this Wednesday. I am told they won’t be discussing the book.
Aspen Words’ mission reads, “to encourage writers, inspire readers and connect people through the power of stories.” Executive Director Adrienne Brodeur stated at the award ceremony, “the goal of this prize is to spotlight works of fiction that have enduring literary value and also illuminate the critical social issues they raise and… expand our perspectives and spark conversation and understanding.”
As Israel now does to Lebanon what it is doing to Gaza — bombing residential areas and hospitals — displacing a fifth of a poor country with American weapons, turning pagers into bombs, killing dozens, including children and blinding and maiming hundreds, civilian or not, expanding a war the Biden Administration claimed it desperately wanted to avoid, it seems that Aspen Words doesn’t trust our community to capably discuss some critical social issues.
Will Hodges
Carbondale
Pizza party
To my dear Republican brothers and sisters, on Potato Days (Oct. 5) my 3.5-year-old son and myself watched as the Republicans handed out Peppino’s pizza to kids and adults alike. I think they were from the Caleb Waller campaign because I saw him eating pizza with the kids. My son turned to me and said, “I want pizza, Papa.” So my wife and son walked over and asked for a slice for my small son. The man handing out the pizza asked my wife, “Who are you going to vote for?” She replied, “I cannot vote.” She is not yet a citizen and is in the process of getting her U.S. passport. He said, “Well, if you could, who would you vote for?” She replied, “I don’t know.” The man said, “This pizza is for Trump supporters only,” and refused to give a 3.5-year-old some pizza! The biggest irony here is that Potato Days is about celebrating the harvest! To me this sums up the entire nature of the conservative “right.” It is just wrong to deny food to a hungry child. WWJD!?
Hamilton Pevec
Carbondale
Vote for Carey
Caitlin Carey, my wife, is running for Garfield County Commissioner, and I wholeheartedly support her.
Caitlin is running because she cares deeply about her community and every person who is lucky enough to call Garfield County home. This is not a bucket list item for her. Caitlin is running because as a nonpartisan local elected official serving on New Castle Town Council, she discovered a passion for using her diverse life experience, law degree, and superpower of being able to talk to anyone to provide responsible governance. If you want to see effective government on a tight budget, check out New Castle.
Caitlin is running because women deserve representation on a commission that has not had a woman in 14 years. Looking at Caitlin’s opponent’s record, he consistently votes against women’s rights. Caitlin is running because it is time for the next generation of leadership.
Our parents are of the same generation as the current commissioners and Caitlin’s opponent. As much as we want our parents to be unchanged from 30 years ago, that is just not the reality of life. My dad recently gave me an envelope with memories he compiled from his life. He understands how important it is to pass knowledge to the next generation. He was a high school teacher for more than 40 years — a leader for thousands of teenagers. He also showed leadership recognizing it was time to pass the reins to the next generation when he retired three years ago. He is very much enjoying retirement, traveling and playing with grandkids.
Caitlin will do an excellent job. Her opponent told her so himself while Caitlin was visiting the floor of the Colorado Senate to pitch a bill she drafted to help children. Leadership change is inevitable either by choice or by passage of time. Choice usually works better. Caitlin’s opponent represents the same brand that has been in the seat for nearly 30 years. This election Garfield County can choose to pass the reins to the next generation of leadership. Please join me in voting for Caitlin Carey for Garfield County Commissioner.
Jamin Heady-Smith
New Castle
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