News

Nov. 17, 1977: The Journal featured the work of Ray Adams, then the area’s only registered music therapist. Through Wildwood School in Aspen and his Carbondale home, he worked with handicapped and neurotypical children in what was then an emerging field. “Music is a very natural thing to use in a therapy situation.

There’s always another goal on the horizon for Steve Fotion. It hasn’t even been a month since winning the coveted America’s Strongest Man 50+ title at America’s Strongest Pro and America’s Strongest Masters competitions, and he’s already training for the future. “Now we’ve gotta repeat, that’s all,” he said about his victories in Phoenix. “That way it’s not a fluke.” The Oct. 14 and 15 events were not Fotion’s first — he’s competed four times in as many years. The first time, he came in 13th place. Each year, he placed a little higher before earning the first-place title, jumping from seventh place last year to the 2017 champion in his age bracket

Teaching has been my passion since I can remember. Kindergarten or first grade is probably when my obsession for everything teaching started. It has always been a huge part of my life. My first memory of wanting to be a teacher came in second grade. I was picked by my teacher, Mrs. Nolan, to be the teacher for a lesson using the overhead projector. The memory of standing in front of the class and pretending I was the beautiful, soft spoken teacher that I idolized everyday, is as clear as if it just happened yesterday. I remember so clearly using the vis-a-vis markers that wrote so smooth with handwriting so neat.

The distinct camaraderie that is such an intrinsic part of military culture is an oft-cited perk of serving, and losing it can be one of the hardships of transitioning into civilian life. That’s why opportunities like the Veterans Day dinner at Carbondale’s American Legion Post 100 are so popular — but vets don’t have to hold out for November to enjoy a space to call their own.

Maija Petterson’s passion for radio would be noteworthy even if she wasn’t a senior at Glenwood Springs High School. She listens to NPR every morning, DJs on KDNK whenever she gets the chance and has recently launched a fundraising campaign for the station’s Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program (AZYEP). It all started five years ago, when AZYEP co-director Beth Wysong invited Petterson to spend some time on the air.

It’s officially open enrollment season, and those “hunting” for affordable healthcare plans in the Valley may be in for less-than-pleasant, though not surprising, sticker shock: premiums for plans not sponsored by an employer are about 27 percent higher than last year — and that’s just on average. It’s a symptom of a systemic issue, at least according to Drs. Lauren Whittaker and Jade Wimberley, co-owners of Lux Wellness Center in Carbondale.

Nov. 10, 1977: A soft spoken outlaw with “some kind of accent” was still on the loose after walking into Roaring Fork Bank (now Alpine Bank) with a .375 magnum revolver and getting away with a day-pack full of bills. Bank president Lynn Pittman refused to divulge the exact amount stolen, but the Journal estimated it at between $5,000 and $15,000.

While interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers declines nationwide, local schools and organizations are finding ways to take potentially stuffy topics and make them engaging and hands on. Case in point, Family Science Night from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 10 at Basalt Middle School. It’s a five year tradition made fresh by a new partnership with the Aspen Science Center. For $10 — register in advance at eventbrite.com — fourth through eighth graders and their families will have a chance to answer questions like…

Unofficial preliminary results are trickling in for the 2017 coordinated election, according to county websites and clarityelections.com.

Ballot Issue 4B, which would have authorized the Colorado Mountain College Board of Trustees to increase its mill levy to offset revenue losses in the event of a Gallagher-mandated tax assessment rate decrease, has apparently failed. The preliminary results, which totaled at 32,334 votes, show a 47 to 53 percent defeat for the measure.