In retrospect: Last week’s report, “One year after unhoused newcomers influx, regional response coalescing,” left out an important quote by Mayor Ben Bohmfalk. The following paragraph was added to the online version:
“What became clear to us last year is that our small Carbondale municipal government and staff are not equipped to be the lead provider of services. We don’t ever want to find ourselves in that position again,” Bohmfalk said. “What we want to do is help people access services through groups like the Valley Alliance to End Homelessness.”
Halloween thanks
Here is a great big spooky “thank you” to the Missouri Heights Pumpkin Goblin(s) for keeping the Halloween spirit alive and well. We all love seeing all the pumpkins in all the places.
Davis Farrar & Family
Missouri Heights
Re: Peace
A recent article in The Sopris Sun recounts a conversation between reps from Ceasefire Now RFV and the local Jewish community. Several congenial follow-up meetings were held. It seemed from the reporting that most were glad about the experience. I attended a couple of meetings at local city councils where requests were made for an official statement requesting a ceasefire in Gaza. Glenwood agreed. The others did not. One reason for declining was the probability that such a letter would create “division.” It would and it did.
The problem with having such conversations is the two sides do not start from an even point. Here is a thought experiment. Imagine now that in Israel every public building and most residential ones are in ruins. There is no shelter. Imagine there is not enough food, water, medicine. The Israeli people are starving, dehydrated, and people are sick in every way. Imagine there are 200,000 dead and almost half are children. Everyone is trapped inside the borders, but the people are forced to move every few days. Planes are bombing, drones are hunting and killing, and rockets are screaming in. Plus tanks and infantry. Foreign humanitarian aid workers get blasted and shot by the thousands. Trucks carrying food, medicine and injured people are blown up.
A recent survey of the Israeli people from Pew revealed that 19% of Isralis believe their country’s military response has gone too far; 39% say it’s “been about right” and 34% say it’s “not gone far enough.” The remaining 7% responded with “don’t know.”
I suspect few people in the U.S. know that the 1947 U.N. agreement that created Israel out of the place known as Palestine also called for a new smaller state of Palestine next to Israel. That never happened. And that is the exact reason that Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, 2023.
So, how can this situation be fixed?
Patrick Hunter
Carbondale
Hurricane relief
Hurricane Helene first made landfall on the evening of Sept. 26 in the Big Bend area of Florida Gulf Coast as a Category 4. Its largest impact was in the southern Appalachians, creating a 500-mile path of destruction. Water flooding inland 500 miles is unheard of in this area. It’s being referred to as a 500-year flood, meaning only two events like it have occurred in the past 1,000 years. Basically, what that translates to is that nobody has seen a storm like this, with water coming that far inland into the mountains in this lifetime.
Helene blindsided everyone on all fronts. Consider that for hundreds of years people in Appalachians have not had to board up their windows for typical storm alerts. Multiple entire hollers with populations in the hundreds washed away and were buried in massive mudslides. The hills and valleys channeled water into a more confined area, adding to that the downhill force of the water. In addition, the large amounts of quartz and granite in that area do not absorb water.
I joined a group called “2024 Hurricane & Tropical Storm Updates” on Facebook. I saw post after post of people begging for rescue and help. That’s how I got connected to Steven Lambert a few weeks ago. He made a post asking for livestock feed at 2am, his time. I had just seen a post of volunteers loading their truck with feed heading out. I connected them on Messenger. That began my journey with calling, reaching out and making connections. I don’t know to this day whom he actually got the feed from. The past weeks have been a complete blur.
Steven Lambert is part of the primary grassroots Search and Rescue Disaster Relief Team in Swannanoa I’ve been focused on helping. As a 20-year EMT and fireman, he has extensive experience in disaster relief. He is local to North Carolina and arrived intending to help for a few days when the storm first hit. He set up in a parking lot behind a church, sleeping in the back of his U-Haul. Quickly gaining the trust of locals, a team of around 70 Appalachians was formed. Sleeping in tents and campers in the parking lot, Steven organized a way to feed them up to three times a day and provide coffee. He organized a vet onsite to treat animals and began running up to 40 rescue missions a day. Although still performing recoveries, they have simultaneously moved into the rebuilding phase and are setting up volunteer-run medical clinics.
It’s been a challenge to raise funds to support these grassroot teams’ efforts because people understandably need to trust where their donations are going. Restoration Church has an established 501(c)(3) and is funding his efforts. Donation links are on the “Restoration Church Disaster Relief” Facebook page. I can’t convey how many people you would be reaching with your support. Truly, I want to explain the magnitude and how these resilient, proud Appalachians need us.
Karen Etheredge
Carbondale
Deja vu
“It’s deja vu all over again,” -Yogi Berra
It’s uncanny how history can repeat itself, especially when a new generation doesn’t recognize that history is in replay mode.
In the late 1930s a convicted criminal promised his nation, during a time of runaway inflation, that he would restore his people to their former greatness. His promise included getting rid of those citizens that he did not think were the true members of the “master” race.
The end result of his rhetoric and policies was wholesale genocide and a horrible war that destroyed most of Europe and much of Russia; and also brought about the death of millions of his own nation’s civilians, soldiers, pilots, and sailors, as well as the total destruction of his cities and country.
I hope that all Americans, despite their differences on various controversial issues, will be aware of the frightening repetition under way in our great country and wake up to the potential threat to our greatest gift — our democracy.
Clay Boland Jr.
Carbondale
Budget woes
Once again, our three aging county commissioners have a budget deficit ($12.5 million according to an Oct. 9 Post Independent article) as oil and gas revenues continue to decline. Given that our three county commissioners are earning $104,567 to $109,374 each, one would hope they would have had the foresight to diversify away from a major budget line item of oil and gas income which has been declining since 2003! Now the local nonprofits that address the issues of Garfield County may see grants cut 10% due to the shortsightedness of our current commissioners.
Incumbent Mike Samson (age 70) and Republican candidate Perry Will (age 69) have voting records that do not reflect what is important to the diverse residents of Garfield County (affordable housing, traffic congestion, women’s health, nonpartisan library trustees, protecting our air, land and water) — see voting records at: www.garcodems.org/elections#candidates
The first time I heard Mike Samson speak was at the 2021 Garfield County Humanitarian Awards ceremony where the county recognized outstanding citizens. Mr. Samson rambled on for 10 minutes about how great his wife was who was not even a nominee. Not once did Mr. Samson acknowledge the important work done by the nominees. We deserve better from our county commissioners.
It is time for Garfield County residents to invest in a younger generation of leaders that understand the issues facing the county and have the energy and tenacity to put solutions in place. Caitlin Carey and Steven Arauza are today’s leaders that will move Garfield County into a prosperous, inclusive community. Please vote for both candidates by Nov. 5 and invest in the future of Garfield County.
Mary Wiener
Glenwood Springs
Consider your commissioners
As we cast our votes for county commissioner, it’s easy to be fatalistic. After all, Republicans have controlled the board my entire life (and the same trio for most of my adulthood). So it’s just the status quo, right?
No, their hostile takeover of the library system has raised the stakes. The vote you cast this week will determine policies for the next decade. The Republican candidates have made it clear that they’re comfortable with censorship. They have handed the Democrats the high ground of free speech and small government.
Their victory is not a foregone conclusion. The last few elections have been close. We can show them that we’re paying attention and their actions have consequences. Even a lone voice of dissent could make a difference.
Will Grandbois
Carbondale
Who do you trust?
Who do you trust? I trust Perry Will and Mike Samson to be our Garfield County commissioners. They have a proven track record and love this community because they are Colorado natives. I also trust the county commissioners to perform their duty to appoint a New Castle resident for the vacant library board trustee position.
I do not trust children to always pick age-appropriate material while at the library. The library has internet controls in place so why not all their materials? There are plenty of hazards that put our children at risk and this is one of them. Commissioner Samson has expressed his concern with the American Library Association because it promotes no censorship for children and was directed by a self-proclaimed Marxist. He is also in favor of having adult materials relocated within the library away from a child’s reach. This would include only materials with warnings such as, “explicit content” and “rated mature.”
The county commissioners have always had the duty to appoint a library board trustee. This year they advertised directly to reach more potential candidates. The library board was only presenting one candidate and it took them months to do so. The library does not need protection from book bans, no one is calling for that, including myself. Yet our children need protection from these materials that include drawings — not words — depicting rape, orgies, torture, demonic characters, drug use and imprisonment. Look for yourself, go to the adult and teen graphic novel section. Anything written by Garth Ennis is extreme. I pray you will join me in voting for Mike Samson and Perry Will.
Trish O’Grady
Rifle
Latino leadership
I am writing to express my strong support for two remarkable leaders in our community: State Representative Elizabeth Velasco and county commissioner candidate Steven Arauza. Both embody the values of hard work, dedication, and a deep commitment to serving working families, making their public service vital to the future of our community.
Representative Velasco is Colorado’s first Mexican-born state representative and the first Latina legislator from the Western Slope. Her inspiring journey began in low-income mobile home parks in the Vail Valley, where she worked multiple jobs to support her education and family. This firsthand experience motivates her to advocate for policies that prioritize affordable housing, language access, community resiliency, and access to clean air and water. Her legislative efforts, like the Water Quality in Mobile Home Parks bill and initiatives for wildfire resiliency, demonstrate her passion for environmental justice and commitment to a healthier, more equitable future for all.
Similarly, Steven Arauza offers extensive experience and an important viewpoint in his county commissioner candidacy. He grew up in a single-parent, working-class household, so he understands and centers the real-life challenges faced by working families. His dedication to championing workers’ rights and improving working conditions comes from his personal experiences with food insecurity and childcare challenges. As a parent, I am encouraged by his motivation to build a better future for his young children and to improve the quality of life for all county residents. His commitment to public service and advocacy for our kids, workers, and working families makes him an exceptional candidate for county commissioner.
Both Elizabeth and Steven are committed to ensuring that the needs of our community and our kids are prioritized in their respective roles. Their leadership is not just about addressing immediate issues but about building a foundation for a stronger, more resilient community for generations to come.
Let’s continue to support leaders like Representative Elizabeth Velasco and Steven Arauza, whose public service is essential to shaping a better future for our community and, most significantly, for our kids.
Vote to re-elect Representative Elizabeth Velasco to continue championing for us at the Capitol and vote for Steven Arauza for county commissioner for a more promising future in Garfield County.
Jasmin Ramirez
Glenwood Springs
Support for Samson
The best government has always been local government as is certainly the case in Garfield County. This is true because we have elected good public servants over the years. And it is true because we have continued to re-elect the servants who have done excellent work in managing our tax dollars and providing the public services we need and want to the best of their abilities.
Mike Samson is one of these people. For many years he has lived in this county, has taught our children, led our school administrations and has been our solid, honest, fair-minded county commissioner working hard on our behalf. I have known Mike and his family all these years and am proud of the way he has lived and worked for us. Mike has educated himself over these years of change in Garfield County and continues to grow with these changes. He has sat through the tough debates among worthy competing public interests, listening to everyone’s point of view, and has always aimed to find the best balance that serves the greatest number of us. He has made the hard choice for us every time and will continue to do so.
I doubt that anyone else around us has better foresight or broader understanding of the challenges ahead for Garfield County in these complicated and worrisome times. I am comforted to have Mike leading us because I know and trust his values, virtues, strength and wisdom. I am voting for Mike Samson. Please join me in doing so.
Russell George
Rifle
Buerger for District 5
As a lifelong resident of the Roaring Fork Valley and a Carbondale town trustee, I am enthusiastically voting for Cole Buerger for Colorado State Senator for District 5. I have known Cole for years and he has proven himself to be thoughtful, principled, policy-minded, and smart. Cole is a fifth generation Coloradan and a small business owner. He understands what it takes to go to Denver and fight for what rural families and businesses need on the Western Slope.
Cole grew up on a ranch near Silt and his family has lived and ranched in this region for generations. As a local kid who also grew up on a ranch up the Fryingpan, I believe that Cole is the only candidate that truly understands the challenges our communities face. He is ready to address the increasing cost of living, protect our water and forest health, and support our small businesses, our ag producers, and increase funding for infrastructure and schools.
Cole has the support of community leaders across the district — Republican, Democrat, and unaffiliated alike. Cole will work with people from all parties and all walks of life to ensure that District 5 thrives. I hope you will join me and vote for Cole Buerger for State Senate.
Jess Robison
Carbondale