News | May 4 Before Arnie’s Antiques and More had a storefront It beat through late-night sorting sessions with coin jars and magnifying glasses It echoed in conversations about gold certificates and silver eagles passed between Carl Garza and his kids as they sat cross-legged on the living room floor inside three storage units and across nearly every inch of the Garza home that pulse has found a permanent home — and a front door — in Glenwood Springs Arnie’s Antiques and More quietly opened in early April but the roots of the business go back decades It’s a continuation of something they’ve been building their entire lives “This has been a passion of mine since I was 13,” Carl said I’d buy bags of change from banks and stay up late going through them And snowball it did — into a collection that took over their home “We had antiques everywhere,” Cynthia said ‘We’ve got to do something with all of this.'” What they did was build something that feels both nostalgic and new — a place where history is honored It’s all captured in their motto: “Preserving the elegance of the past It’s a tribute to Carl’s grandfather a man who played a central role in his upbringing and whose values helped shape the store’s identity “My grandfather meant the world to me,” Carl said “Naming this after him just made sense.” That tradition of honoring family is woven throughout the Garzas’ story they’re continuing to build something rooted in legacy every item has been researched and tagged with care You won’t find mass-produced replicas passed off as vintage “I don’t want someone buying something that looks old but was made last year,” she said “These items were crafted with skill and intention What started as a childhood hobby grew into something that filled entire rooms “Carl would bring home coins all the time,” she said going through rolls we picked up from the bank watching YouTube videos about what to look for the Garzas began collecting more than just currency Their travels around Colorado — mostly work trips for Carl’s asphalt company — became opportunities to stop at antique shops glassware — anything that told a story came home with them “Our house was overflowing,” Cynthia said even the walls were part of the collection.” It was how much of it there was — and what to do next “Our collection outgrew everything,” Carl said “Even our first attempt at a storefront on Grand Avenue was too small before we finished moving in.” That’s when they found their current location at 251 Soccer Field Road near Glenwood Springs Middle School — a large open space that offers more than just room to display From the moment you step inside Arnie’s Antiques and More it’s clear it isn’t a resale shop Typewriters with keys that still click like they did 80 years ago The walls are lined with pieces that feel like they’ve waited decades to be noticed again “This isn’t stuff you find at a thrift store,” Cynthia said The Garzas are exploring plans to expand the space into a local auction house — something the valley currently lacks They’re also considering event rentals for weddings “We’re not just trying to sell things,” Carl said “We’re trying to keep things from being lost — to landfills the mission has always been about giving items the space they deserve — and giving people the chance to experience them “There’s something special about seeing someone light up when they connect with a piece,” she said “You can tell it reminds them of something That’s what this is all about.” The Garzas have received a warm response from the community even before hosting a formal grand opening One longtime acquaintance recently visited the shop You’re going to do great,'” Cynthia recalled “And that just stuck with me.” who has seen firsthand the weight this project has lifted from her mother “My mom’s cried to me more times than I can count about the amount of stuff they had to go through,” she said I can see it in her face — she’s proud Their Grand Avenue location remains open by appointment only while the main showroom on Soccer Field Road is now open to the public as they continue preparing for a full grand opening the store is fulfilling its mission: preserving the past and making it accessible to anyone who walks through the door “We want people to feel something when they’re here,” Carl said or just appreciation for how things used to be made.” “This isn’t just our story anymore Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage are you considering any property transactions this spring View Results Interstate 70 eastbound reopened at mile marker 116 near Glenwood Springs after a truck hauling cattle crashed onto its side at approximately 8 a.m according to the Colorado Department of Transportation The interstate reopened shortly after 2 p.m ending the detour through Steamboat Springs Road conditions and travel information can be found at COtrip.org Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible News | Apr 29 Canadian performer Jim Witter doesn’t remember every town he’s visited during his decades-long music career — but he remembers Glenwood Springs Shows tend to blur together after performing for over 30 years and touring prolifically. But eight years after his first performance for the Glenwood Springs Community Concert Association his fond memories of the charming mountain town still persist “(The association) sent us to the hot springs passes and we had the day off the next day and we were able to go enjoy that I remember the committee,” Witter said “It’s not everywhere that we get that kind of treatment where they’ll say would you like to enjoy a local attraction…to so many places we’re just another show for them.” Now Witter and his band — drummer Jimmy Boudreau guitarist and vocalist Ian Tanner and multi instrumentalist Dave Wiffen — are preparing for a show they’ve eagerly anticipated they’ll close the Glenwood Springs Community Concert Association’s 2024-2025 season with a Billy Joel tribute “The hospitality was wonderful and the people were incredible,” Witter said “I wish we had the day off there but we don’t — we’re just coming in to do the show and then back out again — because we absolutely remember (Glenwood Springs).” You’re the Piano Man,” the tribute Witter created in 2024 holds a special place in his heart — inspired by the “magic” of a Billy Joel concert that first ignited his passion for music at just 12 years old “He made you feel like you knew him when you left there like he had really given not just his musical talents but he’d let you in to know him personally,” Witter said “It was a brand new experience for me It was like looking up at the night sky for the first time and seeing billions of stars and going wow I really think that’s what it was for me “I just got bit by the bug that night.” engagement and wonder that he aims to recreate for audiences today Witter is the latest high-caliber musician to join this season’s impressive lineup presented by the concert association From jazz virtuoso Nayo Jones to Los Angeles’ Orchid Quarter the Glenwood Springs Community Concert Association’s performances are “A unique opportunity to experience high quality music that we don’t often get in Glenwood,” association president Kathy Kline said “It’s a good way to interact with fellow music lovers in the community.” The 2025-2026 season lineup includes five diverse and talented groups from guitar and clarinet duo Jâca to Dan Miller’s AmeriCoustic The Mexican Brass will kick off the new season on September 25 “It’s the opportunity to come together and listen to high quality (live) music,” Kline said when asked how the association contributes to the Glenwood Springs community “We’re so used to getting music on all of our devices and the car radio “But I love going to watch live music,” she added “I think it’s a really good thing to bring into the community — an opportunity to experience live music.” How much: $30 a ticket for non members. Included in 2024-2025 memberships. Renew a membership ($60 for a single adult) or join for next season at the concert and attend Jim Witter’s performance as a bonus. Visit gsconcertassn.org for more information Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible Colorado has seen five known cases of measles this year View Results A couple hundred people protested at Sayre Park in Glenwood Springs Thursday for May Day National Day of Action The movement draws inspiration from labor and community movements of the past and is dedicated to fighting for the needs of working families and their neighborhoods As American families face cuts across public programs and immigrants are targeted during President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office local organization Mountain Action Indivisible organized the protest bells and whistles rang out from the protestors gathered at the park along Highway 82 commuters from upvalley to downvalley honked in support Signs said “The Pilgrims Were Immigrants Too,” “Abuelas Over Autocrats” and “We Shouldn’t Make Our Neighbors Unhappy,” reflecting the sentiments of the protesters gathered: disagreements with the administration over public program cuts attacks against immigrants and Canadian tariffs Susan Use was holding a “Support Garfield Public Libraries” sign along Highway 82 She is the co-founder of Protect Our GarCo Libraries and a former Garfield County library board member and she feels like it is her civic duty to speak up against this administration “If we’re silent people think we’re in the minority “Most Americans are level headed common sense.” and the Glenwood Springs High School graduate said he felt the need to protest because the past 100 days have been shocking “It seems like every single day there’s something new popping up on my phone,” he said “I feel like there’s something happening everyday that is not for the betterment of our country.” Ganley attended Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Denver protest in Denver on March 21 She and Labar worry that their friends and other people their age are not showing up because it is easier to comment on a social media post than to protest “A lot of kids need to get out and do stuff that’s active and promotes change in our world and not just sit behind a phone screen and think that’s enough because it’s not,” Ganley said Other countries hosted their own May Day protests around the world GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 are closed near Glenwood Springs after a vehicle hauling a trailer of cattle crashed on its side west of the Grand Avenue exit The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said the crash happened around 8 a.m the Glenwood Springs Police Department and other first responders are working at the scene as of 10 a.m Local traffic is allowed to continue eastbound up to exit 114 for West Glenwood CDOT said this will likely be "an extended closure for clean-up operations." A reopening time is not yet available as of publishing time It's not clear if the cattle were injured in the crash Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right lending a helping hand and following through on promises News | May 1 Celebrate all forms of literature with a fun-filled day of action-packed activities at the Garfield County Libraries’ Fourth Annual Comics Festival on Saturday Presented by the Garfield County Libraries the festival will transform the Glenwood Springs Branch Library — and an area under the Grand Avenue Bridge — into buzzing zones of festival fun on Saturday with everything from a cosplay contest to jewelry making “It’s really a unique event,” Branch Manager Abraham Korah said it’s the only one of its kind that takes place.” including a bird’s nest necklace crafting event in the library community room attendees can learn about the importance of alternative literacy at 12:30 p.m author of the fantasy “Void Sleep Walker” series will walk through his process of creating an imagined world while dealing with ADHD and ADD “That’s something that a lot of people deal with so it’ll be interesting to see how someone takes something that might be considered a challenge but uses it to be productive and put their energy into something,” Korah said there’s a tangible result…when they publish a book.” There will also be screen-printing stations for free festival T-shirts and a chance to meet the Star Wars 501st Legion in costume “It’s a cool exposure to some technology that you’ve maybe heard of and haven’t had a chance to experience,” Korah said attendees can head to the Grand Avenue Bridge for a comic giveaway Some of Korah’s personal favorites — classic action-packed adventures like Spiderman and Batman comics — will be available Attendees can also snap a photo under the bridge with the famous science teacher Ms “We want to get the comics in the hands of everyone so they have a chance to read them,” Korah said Attendees can also take part in a bingo scavenger hunt — with prizes from the library’s coveted prize basket — and adults and children alike have a chance to win $75 $50 or $25 in Glenwood Gold at the cosplay contest Cosplayers who need to repair their costume or those who just need to grab a drink or snack and relax can head to the library’s lobby entrance “I am most looking forward to just having people in the library especially kids that are not coming in here very often or maybe this is their first time in the building,” Korah said “So they’re coming in because they’re excited about getting a free comic book or to check out the 501st Legion and…they’re like whether it’s a study room and just a place to spend some time or some of the other materials that we have — we check out video games…park passes the festival was designed as additional programming for middle and high school students The annual event is a way for the library to foster a connection with age groups that may not visit as often as younger children as someone goes from middle to high school it’s usually when they stop coming to the library it’s usually when they don’t think of the library as a place that’s interesting or cool or particularly something that they want to do,” Korah said “This is our way to really make sure that we stay connected with those ages.” It also serves as a reminder of the importance of literature in all its forms particularly for those who may be reluctant readers National reading test scores for fourth and eighth graders have steadily declined since 2015 according to Harvard Graduate School of Education Professor Martin West Reading skills in sample groups of both grades nationwide fell five points below pre-pandemic levels in 2024 according to National Assessment of Educational Progress results “Typically towards the end of elementary school which means that it’s going to affect their literacy their ability to focus and pay attention and their vocabulary,” Korah said “Because (comics) are such a visual medium as well it’s a way to stay connected with that population.” What matters is they’re engaged and reading “Whether it’s the graphic novels or other forms of nontraditional not everybody needs to engage in a physical chapter book There are other ways in which you can engage in literacy,” Korah said “It’s just a reminder that not everything is straightforward and the whole idea is to engage and help young people find their passion and interests.” Visit gcpld.org/comics-festival/ for a complete festival schedule News | May 1 Fire districts in Colorado reeling from revenue cuts and workforce challenges could see a $50 million lifeline under a last-minute plan being proposed by state lawmakers in the final days of the legislative session.  the bill’s grant provisions were stripped in favor of a no-interest loan program to help local fire districts pay for trucks would be financed from the unclaimed property trust fund within the state treasurer’s office the bill would tap that fund to create a no-interest down payment and mortgage assistance program for firefighters to buy homes.  “We know that housing continues to be an issue on the Western Slope and in my district,” said Rep “This is just another support for our fire districts to be able to continue to keep us safe.”  The push to aid fire districts comes amid compounding challenges.  Districts reported losing a combined $100 million in property tax revenue following a series of tax cuts from the legislature last year according to Colorado State Fire Chiefs Executive Director Ken Watkins.  Property taxes are the primary revenue driver for local fire agencies accounting for upwards of 90% of their budgets with some districts seeing between a 20% and 25% increase in call volume “Some of the districts have been in a pretty big bind because of the cost to provide services and the reductions in revenue,” he said.  Layoffs in the United States Forest Service earlier this year could also further strain local resources, as officials raise concerns over gaps in critical wildfire prevention and mitigation work.  Watkins said the latest proposal from lawmakers will provide needed support but added the $50 million in loans likely won’t be enough to fully relieve the pressure on fire districts.  “A new fire engine today costs about $1 to $1.2 million,” he said “If you have 25 fire departments that need to buy a new fire engine and use this money for that that’s half of the funding already.”  Fire chiefs remain in talks with lawmakers and Gov Jared Polis to find more ways to help local agencies diversify their revenue streams and recruit and retain critical workers in their communities.  A bill that passed last session gives fire districts the ability to ask voters in their jurisdiction to approve a sales tax to help fund their operations Several districts in Colorado have since held elections on sales tax hikes with some measures successful and others failing.  we’ve helped the fire chiefs and state legislature identify and develop a number of potential opportunities that they may further develop and expand upon,” said Shelby Wieman (HB) 1078 is an example of this ongoing work.” Watkins said other ideas may include allowing fire districts to levy new fees to further bolster their revenue Because fees are not subject to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights they could go into effect without a vote.  With only days left in the current session those proposals will likely be punted to next year.  “There’s going to have to be more options available than just (HB 1078),” Watkins said Still, the bill is an important breakthrough for lawmakers seeking additional investments in firefighting resources amid a tight budget year By leaning on the treasury’s unclaimed property fund lawmakers are able to avoid dipping into the general fund which is the state’s discretionary spending account and the source of this year’s budget cuts.  “We have about $1.2 billion in the (unclaimed property) fund and we think this is a responsible use,” Velasco said “We know that it’s in the interest of the state to continue supporting our fire districts.” HB 1078 passed the House in a 37-27 vote and is currently pending in the Senate The legislative session ends on May 7.  Jonathan Godes is now the director of the I-70 Coalition following his eight year tenure as both the Glenwood Springs mayor and a city council member His last day on council was April 17 and he has been in his new role for 19 days But it’s not his first time working with the organization Godes was city council’s liaison for the I-70 Coalition She announced she was stepping down in March He decided to take the role when he saw the potential impact of regional collaboration “The only way to tackle some of these issues is not community by community but as a large network of people all rowing in the same way,” he said The coalition is made up of almost 40 towns including the cities of Aspen and Glenwood Springs Godes said that although Aspen is 40 miles from the interstate especially as the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport will close for spring airfield pavement maintenance on Monday “That's a pretty big deal for a majority of the month to not be able to get a large portion of your visitors into your community that's kind of reliant on that tourism,” he said He added that there are vulnerabilities to this closure An accident involving a cattle truck last week closed an eastbound I-70 lane near Glenwood Springs at mile marker 116 for several hours “Being able to get people to and from these resort communities without having these six hour long closures the state loses $1.5 million per hour in economic activity “closures last year hit the state’s economy for somewhere around $300 million.” These numbers come from a letter the town of Vail sent to Gov The letter also cited safety hazards for emergency personnel and drivers stuck in their cars “detrimental efforts on the quality of life of Colorado residents Godes said he will work to minimize these closures by reducing the number of single occupancy vehicles on the road and incentivizing ride shares Godes was the regional grant navigator for the Northwest Colorado Council Of Governments helping communities in the region apply for federal grants he said the Trump administration is making it harder to secure federal funding “The new administration immediately started canceling grants started revoking funding from grants that had already been awarded,” he said town of Snowmass Village and the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport Department of Transportation Multimodal Options for Decarbonization which supports planning and innovation in transportation would have enabled Pitkin County and its partners to advance multimodal initiatives at the airport through various studies The project would have focused on alleviating traffic congestion reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and piloting new transportation technologies “The condition of our aging airport has reached a point where action is necessary,” Pitkin County Commissioner Greg Poschman said in a news release in January “This redevelopment is an incredible opportunity to create modern infrastructure that better serves both our traveling public and local community Godes said the grant was revoked by the administration While the I-70 Coalition is not solely a grant-obtaining or grant-writing organization it is an advocacy group that looks for ways to improve the I-70 corridor Godes is trying to be more selective in what grants to apply for “Which is kind of tough because a lot of our grants that are that strong have to do with climate,” he said “So it's not a great time in that world,” Godes said as President Donald Trump targets climate organizations and cuts funding for related infrastructure But Godes said that he has seen this before and there will be more federal support at some point He also said there is going to be less funding from the state government as it has to come up with $1.2 billion – some of which will come from multi-modal transportation The Colorado Sun reports this shortfall is the result of the state’s budget not growing enough to cover the rising costs of state programs which is complicated further by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights This puts constitutional limits on public spending limiting government revenue to the equivalent of 2008 levels after adjusting for inflation and population growth the Glenwood Springs Fire Department has set aside a spring day to strengthen the bond between public servants and the tight-knit community that they serve — and usher in the summer spirit the department will host its annual open house from 10 a.m The fire department will offer family-friendly fun in the sun with food “(My favorite part) is getting out and seeing all the families,” Glenwood Springs Fire Department Fire Marshal Robin Pitt said “Seeing all the families from around town getting out with all the firefighters It’s a great way to kick off summer.” and the local Coca Cola suppliers will once again supply food and drink during the event The GSFD doesn’t look at the annual open house as a fundraising opportunity rather a good chance to educate and connect with the community.  get to meet the community and meet your firefighters,” said GSFD Fire Inspector Steve Sandoval “Because (Glenwood) is a changing environment We’re getting so many new faces here that when they see us out and about ‘I don’t know that one.’ So it’s a good way to get to meet people.” Sandoval said the event has grown significantly over the past decade “When we started doing this consistently around 10 years ago we would just open the bays and people would meet the firefighters Compare that to what today’s show is like; we close down the street and the kids can play firefighter for a day it has grown into the show it is today.” One of the most popular additions is the water rescue demonstration which boasts a 12×12 porter tank that can hold 2500 gallons of water “Most people don’t really get to see us in the river,” Pitt said “It is cool for people to see the different aspects of being a firefighter.” Other highlights include fire extinguisher presentations,water safety training and a demonstration of the “jaws of life” a rescue tool used when required to cut through vehicles The fire department’s “smoke trailer,” which simulates real fire conditions The open house isn’t just a meet and greet with public servants but also a hands-on learning experience for all ages.  “It’s really quite cool to see how fast the equipment can peel apart a car,” Pitt laughed.  The open house will take place from 10 a.m News | Apr 24 — Interstate 70 eastbound has reopened at mile marker 116 in Glenwood Springs after a Thursday morning crash involving a cattle truck shut down the highway for more than six hours when a commercial vehicle hauling cattle tipped over just west of the Grand Avenue exit the Glenwood Springs Police Department and other first responders responded to the scene local traffic was allowed on eastbound I-70 up to Exit 114 in West Glenwood CDOT warned of an extended closure and recommended northern and southern detours Original: A cattle truck crash has shut down Interstate 70 eastbound at mile marker 116 near the main Glenwood Springs exit blocking both lanes and prompting an extended closure Thursday when a commercial vehicle hauling cattle rolled onto its side just west of the Grand Avenue exit I-70 eastbound remains open to local traffic up to Exit 114 in West Glenwood Glenwood Springs Police and other emergency responders remain on scene No timeline has been provided for when the interstate will reopen Columns | May 1 I play golf most Tuesday mornings in the men’s club event at one of the local golf courses I look forward to the cheeseburger and fries on the scenic deck of the clubhouse much more than I do the actual process of spending part of my morning swinging hopefully at that elusive yellow ball I start out fresh and with very lofty goals like I’m really going to do something special my goals get evaluated down to basically where I am now — and I am faced with confronting the limits of my oftentimes suspect golf game I look forward to the beautiful walk up and down the fairways of this old I know that with Father Time lurking around each pond and sand trap that I will soon be relegated to riding in a cart so I stay determined to walk from the first tee to the ninth green All of the people up at the old course are the reason I keep coming back each week but mostly it’s the enjoyment I get from being with my regular golfing foursome One is my buddy since we were little kids growing up in this town and riding our bikes to the elementary school together We played little league baseball and high school basketball on the same team and he has stuck with me even in times when I may not have always been the most reliable fellow around He helped coach my basketball team this winter and it’s the most time we have spent together in several years I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him and having his help Playing basketball in a Sunday night league at the middle school years ago is how I first came across one of my other playing partners he stuck to me like glue and ran me into the ground He happens to be one of the nicest young men I have ever met and a pretty fair golfer to boot provide me with mild amusement every Tuesday you have to like a guy who shows up in mid-April adorned in a Christmas sweater and then when the chill of the morning warms into early afternoon he dons a collared shirt with a gorilla driving a golf cart is the gentleman who strolled up from the course parking lot to the first tee box in early summer last year but he asked if we could squeeze him in with our group I not only got to hang out with one of the best golfers I have ever played with but also a retired golf coach and English literature teacher who will talk about books and authors from Pat Conroy and Kurt Vonnegut to Richard Brautigan and Mitch Albom as we stroll toward our next shot He has read all the classics and possesses a picturesque golf swing Little does he know that I regard him as a classic We’ll be missing one for a bit while he gets some medical concerns cleared up standing on that first tee as confident as ever I think it was Mark Twain who once said that golf is a good walk spoiled I don’t know where I could find such pleasant company Glenwood Springs native Mike Vidakovich is a freelance sports writer His column appears monthly in the Post Independent and at PostIndependent.com Glenwood Springs High School junior Allie Allred has always been passionate about climate issues but she’s never had the opportunity to attend one of the many Youth Climate Summits held around the globe each year — until now Allred and over 90 other Colorado high school students — many from rural areas — will head to Carbondale’s Third Street Center for the inaugural Colorado Youth Climate Summit cost-free climate intensive is an opportunity for students to delve into regional climate issues build connections and learn how to make an impact Modeled after the Youth Climate Summit created by the Wild Center in New York the Colorado Summit joins a network of over 60 past and present summit sites around the world.  The event is funded by Lyra Colorado, a Denver-based education nonprofit, and organized in partnership with Carbondale’s Wild Rose Education diverse education opportunities to urban and rural communities through immersive The nonprofit also actively supports the development of green skills for the modern workforce.   “We are very interested in climate literacy,” Lyra CEO Mary Seawell said “We want youth to have economic opportunity in their communities and believe that a ranching kid is going to need to know how to do different ranching practices or a youth that is very involved in  recreation and will potentially get a job in the recreation industry Students at the summit will spend Friday and Saturday building friendships and learning about climate issues and solutions They’ll even have an opportunity to choose plan and execute a local climate action project.  The summit can also help eligible students fulfill the experiential learning requirements they need to earn a Colorado Seal of Climate Literacy. The seal is a diploma endorsement championed by Lyra and created by Colorado Senate Bill 24-014 A handful of designated youth leaders won’t just attend the summit — they’ll help lead it “(The summit) was something we believed was needed because we’re working in so many rural communities and seeing the interest from youth there,” Seawell said to come in and say what they should be doing or should be interested in So we’re basically facilitating their work.” the student leaders have met bi-weekly to organize the summit choosing everything from the event’s date to the agenda They rounded up hosts for over two dozen activities and workshops from a simulation game led by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to community composting with Evergreen Zero Waste.  The students even decided to bring elected officials and policymakers to the summit they’ll get a chance to ask state and local leaders questions and receive feedback on their climate action project plans Officials attending the summit include Pitkin County Commissioner Jeffrey Woodruff a Constituent Advocate from the office of Congressman Jason Crow and Kathy Gebhardt a Colorado State Board of Education member a science teacher at Yampah Mountain High School is one of the advisors who guided the youth leaders throughout the planning process.  “My role isn’t to lecture them “I’m behind the scenes,  more of a mentor-type so to say connecting the dots between climate science and real world action and guiding students to dive into partnerships think through complex systems and navigate how to launch their projects So rather than just thinking about it and learning about it making sure that they could get those done.” The list of speakers Allred invited includes Jacelyn Downey from the Audubon Rockies Nature and Our Climate Future.”  Although Allred is looking forward to several workshops she’s most excited to meet new mentors and connect with her peers and community.  It’s also a rare chance for Allred to have honest conversations about climate issues with her peers “I feel like some kids are interested in it so it’s not something that we just talk about,” she said Okula has seen a lot of climate anxiety, or distress about dangerous climate changes, in her students. According to a 2022 environmental impact survey by the Harris Poll and the National 4-H Council around 89% of teens regularly think about the environment and most are more worried than hopeful.  Okula encourages her students to transform climate anxiety into climate agency.  “Their curiosity has grown and they’re really connecting what’s happening in our world with thinking about the future,” she said Instead of thinking about what’s happening now it’s looking 20 years into the future and seeing how they can make the world a better place.” students are expected to walk away with minds primed for action and a renewed sense of learning and hope — ready to carry lessons from the weekend back to schools and communities across the state “The sense of learning doesn’t end at the classroom door explaining what she’s most looking forward to at the summit knowing that they have that pathway to get to and seeing the overall project and how they execute everything and honestly knowing that they did such a huge thing.” Visit coyouthclimatesummit.org to join the youth wait list for this year’s summit or for potential presenters and workshop leaders News | May 3 Students from across Colorado clambered onto chairs in the community hall of Carbondale’s Third Street Center on Friday It was the first morning of the inaugural Colorado Youth Climate Summit and they were playing a chaotic round of “Simon Says.” Tilly Testa, a Boulder Valley School District student and co-president of Fairview High School’s Sunrise club — part of the national Sunrise Movement — stood on stage laughing into her microphone while throwing increasingly ridiculous commands at the crowd of around 80 high school students.  Simon says take your shoes off and expose your “dogs,” then stand on your chair and drop your phone on the ground Only three students played along with that final command.  energetic game wasn’t just a brain break after a sobering “Climate 101” presentation by Colorado State Climatologist Russ Schumacher theatrical lesson about power — who has it and how they get it — by Testa and her co-presenter Fairview Sunrise co-president Rylan Neumann “People don’t inherently have power you give them power,” Testa told the crowd once the game ended “You all gave me power when you were doing what I said in the beginning the majority of you had sat down and I didn’t have any power anymore.” The first of many youth-led activities during the two-day summit Testa and Neumann’s presentation was a crash course on how high schoolers can use their agency to spark change in a world that’s “all messed up,” as Testa put it Glenwood Springs High School junior Zenobia Todd said the presentation left a lasting impression.  “How the two girls on the stage presented how much of a difference they’ve made in their school and in their community it made me feel like I could do that too,” Todd said.  Inspiring others to make a difference was one of the core goals of the inaugural Colorado Youth Climate Summit funded by Lyra and organized in partnership with Wild Rose Education Wild Center Climate Network Manager and a summit workshop leader has attended around 20 youth climate summits across the country Vermont to Carbondale for Colorado’s inaugural event which was modeled after the Wild Center’s program in New York Barg sees summits like Colorado’s as the beginning of a journey for the passionate motivated and climate-focused students who attend.  “I see youth climate summits as the spark for a lot of students to see that they’re not alone in climate work,” Barg said “To get exposure to experts who are working on this in their communities who they might be able to actually see as a mentor or maybe they see themselves in that future career path.” “And really as an idea generator,” they added “I think that’s what the purpose of the summit is Although students came to the summit from different towns their core motivation for attending was the same — to learn how to help the world Glenwood Springs High School junior Addison Godes served as a youth summit leader alongside her classmate Allie Allred and seven others.   the reason I decided to become a leader in the summit was because the climate change issue is very important to me,” she said “I wanted to do something that I felt could make a difference a senior at Fountain-Fort Carson High School and president of the school’s Green Sustainability Club discovered her passion for climate justice after watching natural disasters tear through her old neighborhood in Louisiana “I grew up in a poor neighborhood,” Banks said in a joint interview with junior classmate Aden Kirby “It was always way too hot or way too stormy Then eventually a hurricane came through and wrecked almost my entire neighborhood and I think that’s why I became more interested in climate justice and things of that nature.” Climate issues caught Kirby’s attention around five years ago “When the media started talking more and more about the impacts that we’ve been having on our climate it made me want to try and help make some sort of impact,” Kirby now the sustainability club’s vice president or making a bigger impact that could hopefully affect more than just our town.”  Both Banks and Kirby said they plan to bring what they learned at the summit back to their high school and use it to inspire both new and returning club members.  As Yampah Mountain High School science teacher and summit youth leader advisor Monika Okula told the Post Independent last week, “The sense of learning doesn’t end at the classroom door Garfield County has dedicated $20,000 to restarting the local Women Infants and Children Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program this summer The program operates under the WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. To qualify, participants must earn less than 185% of the federal poverty level — about $28,952 annually or less for one person, $39,172 for a two-person family and $49,302 for three, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Colorado families must include either a pregnant woman a mother breastfeeding a baby that’s less than a year old a new mom who had a baby or was pregnant in the past six months or children less than five years of age to be eligible Any caregiver can sign up on behalf of a child. WIC programs also do not ask for information about citizenship or visa status, according to WIC Colorado Eligible farmers’ market participants are issued coupons in addition to their regular WIC benefits They can use the coupons to buy food from state-approved farmers Congress established the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program to support farmers’ markets while providing fresh locally-grown vegetables and fruits to WIC participants Garfield County participated locally for over a decade beginning with a $1,500 pilot program in 2009 that grew to a $20,000 service by 2015 The county continued funding the program until 2021 when the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program was adopted state-wide the farmers loved it because they were able to participate in a program that created relationships with local families,” Garfield County Public Health Nutrition Programs Manager Christine Dolan told the county commissioners in a meeting on April 21 combined with a high administrative workload were the driving factors behind the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s decision to shut down the program according to program co-leader Nourish Colorado “What we were hearing from (the state) was that they didn’t get a lot of money to administer the program they got more food dollars,” Dolan told the Post Independent on Thursday sent to people and in the hands of people and to get the vendors engaged they didn’t have the staff to make that happen real efficiently and broadly.” “There were just a lot of barriers that we don’t have locally that prohibited people from getting their vouchers in a timely manner and from getting the farmers enrolled and trained,” she later added we are able to develop those relationships,” Dolan said we were running this program and some of the vendors we dealt with were the same through all those years Community farmers’ markets in five municipalities — Glenwood Springs Rifle and Parachute — have expressed interest in participating in the program this summer families enrolled in the county’s WIC farmers’ market will begin receiving paper vouchers for a total of $30 per family The vouchers can be used to purchase eligible produce at participating markets vendors or market managers submit the vouchers for reimbursement Past voucher redemption rates in Garfield County have been as high as 75% “People love to be able to buy local produce If you think about how you might feel about a particular fruit or vegetable this summer it’s a real highlight — peach season or apples at the end of the summer or something like that,” Dolan told the Post Independent on Thursday “Not being able to include that in your budget is hard “So participating in the market to buy produce and as a night out… it’s just a good overall feeling,” she added “And the growers or the farmers are really receptive to talking to the families and engaging with the kids.” according to a Tuesday news release from the county “This falls into our goal of having a safety net for low-income families and food supply,” Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said on April 21 while deliberating restarting the program “I think that’s one of our goals is that everybody in Garfield County can have access to food Commissioners unanimously approved allocating up to $20,000 from the county’s general fund to bring back the local WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program during the board of county commissioners meeting on April 21 it’s a win-win situation — we help people who need to be helped…plus we’re helping our local farmers,” Commissioner Mike Samson said Visit coloradowic.gov for more information on women infant and children supplemental nutrition programs available throughout the state Opinion | Mar 12 and I’m running for the City Council seat in Ward 5; that’s south of the Sunlight Bridge and west of the river Living here for 30 years showed me what a special place Glenwood Springs is We have a quality of life that’s the envy of anyone mountain-town charm that makes Glenwood special I’ll work to protect and preserve this way of life for future generations – and keep Glenwood a place where people act like neighbors with trust That’s what inspired the KEEP GLENWOOD GLENWOOD campaign We gathered petition signatures and campaigned hard and the voters of Glenwood Springs got a voice in important growth decisions that were affecting our quality of life I worked to preserve the airport for firefighting and medical evacuation who donated the land to the city.  Keeping our word seemed like the Glenwood thing to do I felt the great disconnect between what people wanted It’s time for some new faces on Council If something makes life better for the people who live in Glenwood Springs now We need growth and development to have a vibrant community But I’ll focus on making Glenwood Springs better We are all stewards of Glenwood’s future Our people should decide the scale and pace of growth that’s right for us I want to be part of a council that operates honestly and transparently A council that is accountable to the people.  We know that many of the concerns regarding Glenwood are universal: traffic and we owe it to the people to spend it wisely I hope we’ll look at what other resort cities have done If we make Glenwood Springs wonderful for us A four year term on Council is a big commitment But not as big as the commitment I’m asking you to make I’ll be the first to tell you … I don’t have all the answers Does what we do make life better for the people who live in Glenwood Springs Jon Banks is a Ward 5 candidate for Glenwood Springs City Council. Ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. April 1. Go to cogs.us/346/Elections for more information on how to vote News | Apr 27 Glenwood Springs senior Eli Meyer started this season with a few quiet goals Breaking a 33-year-old school record was one of them Meyer raced across the finish line in 14.76 seconds breaking the 110-meter hurdles record of 14.88 set by Trent Peabody in 1992 that was kind of one of my goals,” Meyer said “I thought it was maybe something I could obtain but I didn’t really know if it was going to happen.” Meyer came close to the mark at Glenwood’s home meet but could not quite get there. It all came together in Craig “I ran close to it at the Demon Invitational but wasn’t able to break it,” Meyer said I broke that barrier and got through.” He knew he had something special the moment he leaned through the line I looked at the clock and it said 14.9,” Meyer said “The record was 14.88 so I thought maybe Then they posted it as 14.76 and I went and hugged my coach.” Head coach Parker Kennedy said it was a moment the whole team celebrated “When someone showed us the time on their phone we all jumped up and started yelling,” Kennedy said “I looked over to the bleachers where the team was and yelled Meyer’s road to track was anything but typical He played baseball his freshman year but got cut his sophomore year after skipping a tryout to go skiing “I went skiing with a friend instead of going to the last baseball tryout,” Meyer said so I emailed the track coach and joined two weeks late.” “I sucked really bad sophomore year,” Meyer said who coached hurdles last season before becoming head coach he already looked fast and strong,” Kennedy said “The other coaches told me he had made huge strides from the year before.” Kennedy said Meyer’s success comes down to hard work disciplined and the hardest worker on the team,” Kennedy said “He’s also one of the most coachable kids I have ever had.” Meyer fought through challenges even on race day he broke his finger playing spike ball with friends “He had a splint on his finger and then his starting blocks slipped when he pushed out,” Kennedy said Meyer said he found his rhythm after the first few hurdles “I heard my coach yell ‘your leg’ and I knew I had to push harder,” Meyer said “Once I got over those last six hurdles I could feel it was going to be a fast time.” Meyer competes in more than just the 110 hurdles competes in the long jump and runs on the 4×200 and 4×400 meter relay teams “I’m hoping to train for the decathlon this summer too,” Meyer said “That’s my long term goal.” Meyer and teammate Dylan Parch both ran strong times in the 300 hurdles “Both Eli and Dylan are right near qualifying for state,” Kennedy said “And our four-by-four relay team is close too.” Meyer said the idea of going to state feels almost unreal “It feels like imposter syndrome a little bit,” Meyer said “I feel like I’m not actually that good but it’s crazy to think about.” Meyer has kept his focus on academics.He ranks high in his class at Glenwood Springs High School and serves as president of the Aerospace Club he will attend the Colorado School of Mines in Golden “I’m excited to go to Mines,” Meyer said “It’s a great school and it fits what I want to do.” he still loves getting outdoors every chance he gets “I just love being outside,” Meyer said The Glenwood Springs track and field team will compete at the 4A Western Slope League meet this weekend in Grand Junction they head to the Windjammer Invitational in Lakewood for a final tune-up before the CHSAA State Championships May 15-17 at Jeffco Stadium Kennedy said the team is aiming to send multiple athletes to state “It’s competitive this year but our kids are right there,” Kennedy said “We are excited to see what they can do.” “I’m excited for what’s next,” Meyer said “I just want to keep getting better every day.” News | Apr 22 For the first time in 25 years, Glenwood Springs-based EnviroTextiles is opening its doors to the public and offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the sustainable textile company in celebration of Earth Day The hemp-focused company produces natural fiber fabrics yarns and non-woven textiles using sustainable materials including hemp Some of its creations — including a hemp-silk wedding gown — are on display in the Glenwood Springs Art Council’s newest exhibition “Woven: An Adventure in Textiles,” until May 27 who co-founded the company with her mother first heard the words “industrial hemp” when she was 10 years old “It’s captivating when you learn that a single plant can create food industrial goods and a multitude of industries to shift away from toxic materials and to natural products,” Haeske said “There’s really no question of is (hemp) something to support now.  “When we started EnviroTextiles 25 years ago I was 19 and I had watched (Filippone) fight for a plant material that had a lot of controversy,” she added The answer was a resounding “yes,” — Haeske has now been in the hemp business for 30 years.  EnviroTextiles’ headquarters will be open to the public for the first time from 11 a.m It’s a chance for visitors to see the company’s international sample facility finished products and a hemp seed sizing and processing manufacturing line It’s also a time for EnviroTextiles to explore the idea of opening a local retail store to supplement the company’s income as it navigates newly imposed tariffs on imported goods — a heavy hit for the family-owned business that sources much of its material from China and Mexico goods in other countries are also a concern EnviroTextiles shipped its products out of Glenwood Springs to brands in 72 different countries.  “It’s going to be a way for us to make some retail and extra funding because we’re going to be shifting all of our manufacturing to many of the other countries that we’ve developed over the years,” Haeske said “Many of which we didn’t continue doing big productions with years ago because either the quality wasn’t up to our standard or there just wasn’t enough hemp fiber to go around…so now that we’re having to shift things it’s going to be a real challenge.” Haeske says they’ve been trying to bring industrial hemp to the U.S. for 40 years, but the tariffs — introduced by the Trump Administration to increase U.S. manufacturing and address trade imbalances — will halt their efforts unfortunately in the U.S there is no infrastructure So for this tariff war to be across products of all categories it’s detrimental to so many businesses,” Haeske said “It’s also including the raw materials that feed the manufacturing of so many products and brands that are produced in the U.S “To think that this could be done overnight is insane,” she added “It really takes time and years and investment to build out factories Oftentimes we need to import the equipment that’s needed to build our factories and the tariffs on the equipment are more than the tariffs on commercial goods.” EnviroTextiles has one message for the Roaring Fork community: it’s here “I don’t think anybody has realized how many times hemp has saved the day of these high-end weddings in Aspen because the people’s materials didn’t show up in time Aspen Branch Design will call us and go ‘Oh my gosh we need 200 yards of this beautiful ivory muslin cloth to complete this tent for this wedding because their fabric didn’t show up,'” Haeske said “Hemp saved the day because we were right down the street “So to be able to build this community supply chain that is not only there to help each other if it’s needed or to simply be part of the creation of other products and people knowing that we’re here to be able to service them is really huge,” she added Many trails are Garfield County are now open for recreational use — what is your favorite early(ish) season place to go View Results News | Mar 25 A plan to bring a Barnes and Noble bookstore to Glenwood Meadows will move forward — if at all — without taxpayer support from the city Glenwood Springs City Council voted 6-0 Thursday night to deny a sales tax rebate request totaling $750,000 over seven years The incentive was pitched by Glenwood Meadows developer Steve Shoflick of Miller Weingarten Realty who has led the shopping center’s development for more than two decades reached a unanimous decision after over an hour of discussion and public comment The proposal would have returned a portion of future sales tax generated by the bookstore to the property owner No current tax revenue would have been affected Shoflick said Barnes and Noble had agreed to lease the 24,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Bed Bath & Beyond He said the company was drawn to Glenwood as a regional hub but that the financials were difficult to close without help “We will do everything in our power to make it happen regardless,” Shoflick said “But can I tell you we can bridge that gap The lease under consideration included a 10-year base term with three five-year renewal options Shoflick described the new Barnes and Noble concept as a community hub — not just a place to buy books He said it would include a Paper Source gift shop and flexible seating to encourage gathering “This is not your old bookstore anymore,” Shoflick said “They have recast themselves as entertainment and gathering.” He argued that the Meadows development is still missing a central hangout spot “What we don’t have is a gathering place,” he said Shoflick said bringing Barnes and Noble to Glenwood would elevate the center’s tenant mix and draw more consistent traffic from locals and regional shoppers He cited Glenwood’s changing retail landscape and noted that many big-box tenants — such as Sports Authority and Bed Bath & Beyond — have closed due to bankruptcy He also said most municipalities in Colorado offer some form of incentive for national retailers and pointed to examples in Avon “Incentives are part of the landscape in which we operate,” Shoflick said “It’s just the competitive landscape we live in.” expressed concern over offering public money to a national chain especially in the absence of a formal policy or consistent standards “That’s not fair to the community,” Councilor Jonathan Godes said something that didn’t compete — that would be a different conversation.” “We don’t pick tenants,” added Councilor Sumner Schachter “Whether we subsidize or not may become our role but picking tenants is not our job.” said she didn’t dislike incentives in general — but wanted to see them used in a more transparent and equitable way “I didn’t know that I could apply for anything when I opened my business,” Zalinski said “We should use incentives sensitively and with thought.” She and others pointed out that most small business owners don’t know city support programs even exist Councilor Mitchell Weimer said that without a clear process council risks making subjective decisions that feel unfair — both to developers and local shop owners “I think ultimately we have to say no until we have more structure,” Weimer said “So that we’re not flipping a coin every time.” several community members opposed the rebate request co-owner of Alpenglow Books in downtown Glenwood said the proposal would directly harm her small “I closed my store an hour early today so I could be here and present my case,” Hake said “I think it is obvious that this proposal would directly and negatively impact our business.” She said she and her husband opened their shop in 2024 without any financial help from the city “Spencer and I spent months constructing sanding and staining bookshelves in our driveway,” she said “We did that instead of asking the city to subsidize us.” Hake said giving money to a corporation backed by a hedge fund while local retailers are left to fend for themselves “If they cannot make enough money here and need taxpayer money to justify moving in then they should not be here,” Hake said “You would send a clear message to local small businesses and entrepreneurs you are not a priority and you are not valued.” The Glenwood Meadows development is one of the city’s largest tax generators It operates under a public improvement fee which helped fund infrastructure like roads and traffic signals when the project was first built Glenwood Springs Community and Economic Development Director Hannah Klausman said the city has historically supported a limited number of incentives when the city approved a rebate to bring in Marshall’s and expand Natural Grocers Thursday’s vote followed another incentive denial earlier this month council rejected a $2 million sales tax rebate tied to a proposal to redevelop the former Safeway site on Grand Avenue with Harbor Freight and Arc Thrift Store Despite the council’s unanimous vote the door remains open for the project to proceed without city assistance “This only relates to the tax initiative that was being requested,” Klausman said “Barnes and Noble as a tenant — that decision is between the business and the property owner.” Whether the bookstore ultimately opens in Glenwood Meadows will depend on what happens next in private negotiations “We don’t decide that,” Klausman said “It’s a matter between the developer and the business at this point.” News | Apr 6 Nearly 2,000 people filled Sayre Park in Glenwood Springs on Saturday in a powerful show of local resistance to Project 2025 and other far-right policies joining millions across the country for a national “Hands Off!” day of action was one of more than 1,200 events held in all 50 states Organizers estimate over 5.2 million people took part nationwide “We had about 400 people pre-registered,” local organizer Debbie Bruell said It really shows how eager people are to express their outrage and hope.” protestors stretched across the western half of Sayre Park waving handmade signs and lining Grand Avenue with messages like “Silence is complicity,” “Hands off due process,” and “Democracy dies in silence Make some noise!” Drivers honked and waved in steady support throughout the afternoon “We’re not waiting for a superhero to save us,” Bruell said that will stop the authoritarian takeover we’re witnessing That’s why our theme was ‘Activism is our superpower.'” Bruell also delivered a direct message to the crowd “We’re here to demand a stop to the Trump-Musk regime’s assault on our freedoms,” she said “We’re here to demand a stop to their looting of our social programs for the benefit of their billionaire backers and we’re here to demand a stop to their constant scapegoating of immigrants and trans people in their attempt to divide and conquer us.” Speakers from around the region took the stage offering emotional and personal testimonies about what’s at stake Former Garfield County Library trustee Jocelyn Durrance warned of political interference at local libraries Glenwood Springs Middle School science teacher and 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year Autumn Rivera urged the crowd to embrace inclusive education “Education is better when we celebrate diversity,” Rivera said She then handed the microphone to her student “She’s smart and funny,” Greener said “If they cut the Department of Education Greener was honored at the end of the rally with Mountain Action Indivisible’s “Everyday Superhero” award — a moment that brought cheers and a few tears from the crowd “Many people think rural communities don’t organize like big cities do,” Rivera said “But Saturday showed just the opposite This valley is full of people who care — and who are willing to stand up together.” retirees and even a few political figures from across the aisle Former Republican state house candidate Caleb Waller said he attended not to protest “I see people here I know — business owners election judges — these are good people,” Waller said but we all care about our community.” Waller said growing division in the country is worrying “It’s not OK that we’ve started shopping at stores based on political beliefs,” he said The real choice is whether we divide ourselves into sides or do the hard thing — recognize that good Republicans and good Democrats both love this country.” The event’s visual centerpiece was a red reinforcing the rally’s call to action One woman wore a denim jacket painted with the phrase “HANDS OFF WHAT YOU NAME IT…” with others writing in words like “Books,” “Our allies” and “The press” in black marker Rally-goer Jane Huyser said the energy was unlike anything she’d felt in a long time “The positivity was a joy to behold.” Bruell said the crowd far exceeded expectations Steering committee members Jess Richardson and Lori Brandon helped coordinate the event Brandon said the creative signs and peaceful tone reflected the spirit of the community Bruell said the rally was proof that a broad cross-section of the Roaring Fork Valley is ready to push back — and move forward “We’ve organized a few events now and every single time we’re blown away by the response,” she said “There are so many people out there who share these values News | Apr 20 From operating out of the old gas station at Grizzly Creek to becoming the “confluence of adventure in the Roaring Fork Valley,” Blue Sky Rafting has had courtside seats to the evolution of Glenwood Springs over the past 50 years.  The first guided rafting company in the Glenwood Springs area is celebrating its 50th anniversary of helping the community and visitors experience the region’s unmatched outdoor opportunities Blue Sky is offering discounted raft trips retro 50th anniversary gear at its downtown Glenwood Springs location “We are going to do a huge 50th anniversary celebration on July 12,” said Patrick Drake a Glenwood Springs native and co-owner of Blue Sky Rafting “We are inviting anyone and everyone who has had ties to Blue Sky over the years to our private takeout in West Glenwood We’ll also be doing different specials and activities throughout the season.” Drake said photo packages will be 50% off all summer to celebrate the occasion “We have customers who come back after 25 years and can tell you exactly who their guide was and the story behind the trip,” he said “Being able to share memories in that way is very special.” became second-generation owners in 2007 after purchasing the company from Pat and Gary Hansen They’ve carried on the “customer-first” philosophy that the Hansen’s established “Glenwood Springs is known for its welcoming and friendly atmosphere,” said founder Gary Hansen “The entire rafting business depends on relationships—with customers It’s a network of everyone working together for the benefit of Glenwood Springs customer service should always be the top priority.” Though the Hansen’s are no longer running the day-to-day operations they still see the company as a part of themselves—and they’re proud to see it thriving after five decades “I don’t think you ever lose the passion and protective attitude you have for the river,” Gary Hansen said “The current owners have the same mindset and they’ve helped Blue Sky stay relevant as times change.” Drake said putting community first has never been a question “It’s just the lasting way to build a business,” he said “Pat and Gary Hansen started Blue Sky in 1975 with those values at the foundation That’s an integral part of our company and continuing that legacy is important.” Blue Sky began as a modest rafting company at Grizzly Creek and has since grown into a pillar of Glenwood’s tourism economy The company spent more than 40 years operating out of the Hotel Colorado—taking over Glenwood Canyon Bikes during that time—before moving to its current home on West Sixth Street “It’s bigger than our company,” Drake said “Our mission is to make sure Glenwood Springs not only lives up to being an attractive tourist destination but also that we’re holding true to our local community.” Blue Sky has expanded its brand under the parent company Hanging Lake Adventure Co-op In partnership with other Glenwood businesses all-in-one experience for visitors planning a full day of activities “It helps facilitate access for visitors to work with other partners,” Drake said “That’s our ultimate goal—a cooperative where people can book everything they need to plan a complete Glenwood Springs adventure.” the more cost-effective the experience becomes for guests “People can go online and find the confluence of adventure in the Roaring Fork Valley and they’re not just looking for rafting when they come here Being able to offer so many activities is awesome.” News | Mar 7 The long-vacant Safeway building in Glenwood Springs is set to become home to an ARC Thrift Store and a Harbor Freight. The property at 2001 Grand Ave. has been empty since 2019, when Safeway closed after more than 50 years at the location Despite securing tenants and moving forward with renovations the project hit a roadblock Thursday when Glenwood Springs City Council denied a $2 million tax incentive request The renovation will divide the former Safeway into two separate retail spaces a Colorado-based nonprofit with more than 65 locations statewide provides support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities operates more than 1,500 locations across the U.S Both businesses have signed 15-year leases and will bring about 60 full-time and part-time jobs to Glenwood Springs Glenwood Springs Community Development Director Hannah Klausman introduced an economic analysis on the potential impact of the new businesses The data compiled showed that thrift stores often take business away from existing ones with about 68% of new sales shifting from other stores in the first year demand for thrift stores in Glenwood Springs remains high “We did see about a 68% cannibalization from existing stores within that opening year,” Klausman said But that did really level off after that first year.” She noted that hardware stores were expected to have less of an impact as many residents currently leave the area to buy certain products requested a 50% sales tax rebate over 15 years to help cover building upgrades and stormwater improvements required by the city told council members the property had been in disrepair for years and required significant investment and I’m pretty transparent,” Miller said despite this property being on the market for five or six years I came around when there was competition on it I suspect the hospital would have likely bought the property… which would have likely resulted in zero sales tax revenue perhaps some freeze or forgiveness on real estate taxes as well.” Miller explained that the purchase price alone was $6.5 million and structural updates — would add to the cost “The percentage of the sales tax revenue that we’re asking for is half and I understand that that’s somewhat customary on similar incentives that have been agreed to and approved through the municipality,” Miller said this is coming based upon the sole success of the property We’re not asking for any additional money or revenue that otherwise was not created from the actual development and project that we are creating ourselves.” Council members debated whether the request fit within the city’s economic incentive policies Some expressed concerns about the impact on local businesses while others questioned whether a tax rebate was appropriate for a development that was already moving forward Sumner Shacter said the incentive was too large and lacked a formal policy framework “This is a big ask,” Shacter said based on the projections and the unknown cannibalization the payback period — albeit we have zero sales tax now — the payback period is pretty long for the size of the ask.” Councilor Mitchell Weimer questioned whether the city should offer financial support to a project that would compete with existing businesses we’re talking about a hardware store and a thrift store and the town is chock-a-block with both already,” Weimer said “Businesses have worked really hard to get to where they are and hardware stores and thrift stores that are within almost a stone’s throw of the Safeway building I think we owe it to our existing partners and our local business owners to prioritize them versus newcomers.” Councilor Marco Dehm proposed a smaller rebate focused only on stormwater improvements but the council ultimately voted unanimously to deny the request Mayor Ingrid Wussow and council members Jonathan Godes and Matthew Simms were not in attendance redevelopment of the former Safeway will continue as planned confirmed that permits have been secured and work will begin immediately “We start construction on Monday,” Williams Construction co-owner Mike Lamb said “The city’s building department has been great to work with and we’re excited to transform this site into something beneficial for the community.” Lamb said the project includes significant structural work beyond simple remodeling and a 2-millimeter asphalt overlay for the parking lot A new stormwater treatment system will also be installed to prevent runoff from reaching the Roaring Fork River “We’re putting in an elaborate stormwater treatment plan,” Lamb said “As a fisherman who loves the Roaring Fork River I want to make sure it’s taken care of.” city officials said Millco Investments could reapply for a smaller Tier 1 sales tax rebate which is capped at 20% and applies only to system improvement fees “We’re here for the long haul,” Miller said “This property has been sitting empty for too long and we’re excited to bring new energy and jobs to Glenwood Springs.” News | Apr 2 Glenwood Springs voters leaned into experience and community connections Tuesday night selecting three new City Council members in the city’s latest municipal election Two candidates ran unopposed — David Townsley for the at-large seat and Raymond Schmahl in Ward 2 — while the Ward 5 race drew the city’s only head-to-head matchup between longtime local Jon Banks and civic volunteer Steve Smith “I think our themes of careful listening better housing opportunities and protection of our natural environment really resonated,” Smith said Smith credited a wide base of support for the campaign’s success “We had a very diverse group of neighbors and supporters who recruited voters knocked on doors and waved on street corners,” he said It wasn’t just one person — it was a big group effort.” Smith said he hopes to carry that energy into his new role on council “Everyone I spoke with during this campaign was passionate about living here,” he said “Now it’s about translating that care for people and care for place into good governance.” who led the “Keep Glenwood Glenwood” campaign and emphasized slowing down large-scale development “Steve ran a good campaign,” Banks said “I’m really excited to see some fresh faces on council and I look forward to them taking this in a new direction.” previously said he wants to protect Glenwood’s character and ensure growth benefits locals first A mortgage professional with deep ties to the housing conversation in Glenwood Springs Townsley said he hopes to bring creative thinking to the city’s affordable housing challenges 1,139 ballots were cast in the April 1 election Results remain unofficial until the completion of the canvass and certification process Newly elected council members are scheduled to take office at the April 17 regular meeting Opinion | May 4 Concern over Colorado’s new gun laws “Hands off.” I love that new liberal buzz phrase which heavily restricts semi-auto firearms purchases that restrict gun shows and prevent anyone younger than 21 from purchasing ammunition but now you can’t buy ammunition for it These are obviously generalized summaries of the laws Feel free to read the actual verbiage for yourselves these laws are only hurting law-abiding citizens so why would anyone think they will obey these new ones incremental means of subversive gun control I guess — it’s happening right under our noses The ultimate goal is the eventual outlawing of firearms in this country altogether How does this stack up in terms of upholding our Constitution Gardner seeks reelection to Holy Cross Board I am running for re-election to the Holy Cross Energy Board of Directors representing the Southern District in the upcoming election I live in Basalt and have been a lifelong resident of this region Thanks to the leadership of the board of directors and Holy Cross staff Holy Cross Energy’s residential electric rates are in the lowest third of all Colorado utilities Holy Cross provided 61,500 homes and businesses in our area with 75% of their power supply from clean Holy Cross provided 80% clean power on the way to 100% in 2030 You might ask how Holy Cross can keep its electric rates so affordable while providing 75% clean it is due to long-term power supply contracts negotiated prior to 2020 that are less expensive than carbon-based power Those contracts also make carbon-based power and capacity available when needed An important part of our clean power supply is the nearly 3,000 net-metered consumers with rooftop solar Holy Cross’s current residential electric rates have increased only 12.5% since 2019 while the CPI increased 25% during the same period Holy Cross is less expensive than the surrounding electric utilities of Glenwood Springs (+5%) Ballots for this election will be mailed to members on May 7 You may vote by paper ballot or online on or before June 3 For more information, please see http://www.holycross.com/elections or http://www.gardnerbradford.com Due process is foundational to American law Due process — it’s a guarantee made in the Fifth and 14th Amendments to the Constitution The Supreme Court since the late 1800s has made clear that due process applies both to citizens and noncitizens Reasonable notice and the opportunity to be heard in a court of law It allows one to defend oneself against government prosecution It is more than a piece of paper with allegations written in English given to a Spanish speaker and it requires more than 24 hours to respond due process applies to those whom the government believes to be criminals Remember the basic principles of innocent until proven guilty Appellate Judge Wilkinson recently said it best in the Garcia case: “The government asserts that Abrego Garcia is a terrorist and a member of MS-13 he is still entitled to due process.” If we abandon the rule of law — that which makes us special among nations — we are truly in a constitutional crisis Endorsing Kim Schlaepfer for Holy Cross Energy Board I am writing to enthusiastically endorse Kim Schlaepfer for the Holy Cross Energy (HCE) Board of Directors Having followed Kim’s career over these past years and reviewed her extensive qualifications I am confident that her experience and vision will be invaluable to our community’s energy future Kim’s background in energy planning demonstrates a deep understanding of the complexities and opportunities facing HCE affordable and reliable electricity aligns perfectly with the needs of our region her dedication to community engagement ensures that the voices of HCE members will be heard and considered in crucial decisions As we navigate the evolving energy landscape strong and knowledgeable leadership on the HCE board is essential Kim Schlaepfer possesses the expertise and the collaborative spirit necessary to guide Holy Cross Energy toward a sustainable and prosperous future I urge my fellow Holy Cross Energy members to join me in supporting Kim Schlaepfer in the upcoming election She is the right choice to ensure a bright energy future for our community News | Mar 4 The Glenwood Springs Demons varsity hockey team watched their title dreams drift away Monday night swallowed by the tide of Steamboat Springs Sailors in the 4A CHSAA State Championship 2 Sailors at the University of Denver’s Magness Arena on Monday night falling just short of hoisting their first state title banner Steamboat Springs rode the momentum to a 4-2 victory in the 4A CHSAA state championship The Demons had beaten the Sailors by a combined score of 7-1 in two matchups earlier this season “It hasn’t really set in yet,” junior Brady Luetke said “To have all the work we put in — six days a week every week since June — just ripped out of our hands like that but despite outshooting Steamboat by eight Glenwood couldn’t get enough breaks to turn the tide “I honestly felt like we played better,” Luetke said but the puck didn’t go our way tonight The bounces just weren’t there for us but I thought we played our hearts out.” Senior captain Jacob Roggie tied the game early in the second period taking a pass from freshman Weston Jacober and firing it past the Steamboat goalie to make it 1-1 Steamboat struck twice in just 12 seconds midway through the second period flipping a tight contest into a 3-1 Sailors lead in an instant “The bench was pretty quiet during that moment,” Demons assistant coach Bryan Gonzales said “They were trying to rile each other up telling each other that they’ve been here before Glenwood fought back late in the second period Luetke took a feed from sophomore Cash Hilgeford behind the net and slipped it past the goalie’s left skate “I felt like I was there for a reason and we could pull it out after that.” The Demons battled through every second of the third period but Steamboat delivered the final blow with three minutes remaining anchoring their lead and igniting their fan section “I saw a lot of hard work,” Gonzales said “I thought we outworked them most of the game but we just didn’t have any luck today Sometimes you just don’t win a game.” The Demons have made two state championship apperances in the past three years holding the top seed in the tournament each year “We wear that Demon on our chest to show the Glenwood spirit and we know our town has our back,” Luetke said I have to give all the credit to Coach Cota He’s the best coach I’ve ever had and the best coach I’ll ever have.” The Demons will look different next season after saying goodbye to 10 seniors Monday night Gonzales reflected on his veteran defensemen who made his job as defensive coach “easy.” “We had arguably four of the best defensemen in the state and coaching this entire senior class over these past four years has been such a pleasure,” he said They made my job really easy and a lot of fun.” Glenwood’s younger players got valuable experience Thirteen underclassmen played key roles throughout the season “We are going to use this as motivation,” Hilgeford said “I think this might be what we need to push us over the hump.” Freshman goalie Issac Zevin kept it short and simple News | Apr 18 The Glenwood Springs City Council ushered in a new era Thursday night as Marco Dehm was appointed mayor and three newly elected council members took their seats The transition follows the departure of Ingrid Wussow At-large Councilor Erin Zalinski was named the city’s new mayor pro tem “I’ve got very big shoes to fill,” Dehm said “We just had two excellent former mayors say goodbye to us tonight I intend to continue what we started two years ago We have increased communication with the town been more transparent and listened better.” Dehm moved to the Roaring Fork Valley from Switzerland in 1991 and settled in Glenwood Springs in 1993 he has served the city in various volunteer roles including multiple terms as chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission “I have full confidence this council will carry that work forward,” Dehm said “I hope we can improve in areas where we’re lacking Councilor Sumner Schachter made the motion to nominate Dehm and Zalinski for the council’s two leadership positions who has served and led the city formally and informally with great dedication for decades — not years not days — for decades,” Schachter said who has broken through the new ceiling of city councilor with so much speed and grace and community goodwill and taught us so much.” Also sworn in during Thursday’s meeting were three new council members Raymond Schmahl fills the seat in Ward 2 and David Townsley holds the at-large position Smith won the city’s only contested race defeating fellow candidate Jon Banks by 129 votes Wussow reflected on her time in office with a message rooted in stoic philosophy “‘It’s impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows,'” Wussow said I encourage you to continue to come in not knowing with the humility of learning when you get here.” Wussow was appointed to council in 2020 and elected in 2021 she spent more than four years on the Planning and Zoning Commission and served as a mediator with the 9th Judicial District who served on council for eight years and as mayor from 2019-2023 addressed the new members with clear guidance “Base your decision on these documents,” Godes said input from our volunteers — those should guide you They have guided this council and councils past.” He urged councilors to broaden their view beyond their immediate social circles “This new council is going to be a lot of retired people who live in single-family homes That group is not the whole community.” He also spoke candidly about the responsibilities that come with elected office I got some news for you — it’s the wrong job.” Godes reflected on a period of progress and resilience noting projects like the South Midland rebuild short-term rental rules and affordable housing tax measures “We’ve had so many things come at this community We’ve also taken the opportunity to be so proactive,” Godes said “I got to hit this golden eight-year period.” Dehm shared a quote that he said will guide his time as mayor “I was reading a quote the other day and it was said by Teddy Roosevelt,” Dehm said ‘Do the best you can with what you have where you are.’ I think that’s going to be my motto for the next two years.” News | Mar 13 Jon Banks has lived in Glenwood Springs for 30 years and is known for leading the “Keep Glenwood Glenwood” campaign which focused on preserving the city’s character With experience in radio and TV technical work and community advocacy Banks is running for City Council to ensure Glenwood Springs continues to be a place where residents feel at home and valued I’ve been lucky to call Glenwood Springs home for 30 years was able to grow up in this incredible community I had a career doing technical work for radio and TV stations People know me as a leader of the “Keep Glenwood Glenwood”  campaign and I serve on the city’s Charter Committee Running the “Keep Glenwood Glenwood”  campaign was a great experience were so encouraging that I decided to carry the message on and run for city council What makes Glenwood special is the quality of life we all share I’ll work to protect and preserve this way of life for future generations — and keep Glenwood a place where people act like neighbors But we should make Glenwood Springs better We’ve got a workforce housing committee that’s doing good work and trying different strategies to spend the affordable housing money effectively They’ve talked about helping mobile home park tenants buy their parks That preserves naturally affordable housing without increasing traffic or other impacts It’s a proven model with a good track record that turns renters into owners and helps them build equity and financial security It creates a strong neighborhood of people committed to Glenwood Springs we’ll be losing affordable housing faster than we can create it Editor’s note: The candidate combined the following two answers in his Q&A responses and we don’t mind sharing Glenwood with the tourists on the three-day weekends That’s good for us—it makes Glenwood vibrant Tourists come because Glenwood is a wonderful place If we keep it wonderful for the people who live here and I’m sure we’ll have discussions about how to get the amount and type of tourism that’s right for us Our police and fire departments are the experts on emergency response and evacuation planning 2024.The Colorado River is starting to swell with spring runoff Avi Stopper clocked a gap in the Western United States' most important water supply Stopper was driving back to Denver from an event in Carbondale Heading east on Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon he saw the Colorado River perform a curious trick.  “What I would consider the lower part of Glenwood Canyon had the Colorado River in its normal state: Raging amongst the stones and rapids and that sort of thing,” Stopper said “And then as we drove a little farther east Stopper found the observation curious because he was traveling upriver “Maybe there's some sort of pipe or workaround or something like that,” Stopper theorized in his question to Colorado Wonders “But something that consumes the entire river and then empties it out farther downstream Stopper is onto something with his theory.  division engineer for the Colorado River Basin for the Colorado Division of Water Resources says Stopper most likely witnessed a roughly two-mile stretch where up to 1,400 cubic feet per second of water takes the scenic route through Xcel Energy’s Shoshone Hydro Electric Generating Plant If that diversion is happening during high-water months like May the difference can be seen by drivers heading east the power plant can divert every single drop of water that's in the Colorado River and other times a year the stream flow is significant and it's hardly noticeable what the power plant's actually diverting off the stream system,” Heath said Have a question or curiosity about the Centennial State? Ask us, and we may answer your question in Colorado WondersThe water rights are considered “nonconsumptive,” which means there’s no water lost in the process That’s also why the river disappeared and reappeared a short time later on Avi’s drive Water leaves the river at a diversion dam near the Hanging Lake Tunnel and then reenters the river at the Shoshone plant Heath said it’s about a 2-mile stretch and there’s little entering the stream during that period.  “There's a little bit of gate leakage there at the diversion dam There are a couple small minor tributaries that come in between the diversion dam and the returns from the powerhouse but it's a small trickle at times during the year,” Heath said.  It’s not the only place on the Colorado River where such a phenomenon can happen if the conditions are right there’s a point where water is diverted for irrigation and hydropower they're diverting both for power and for irrigation operations They can divert the entirety of the river,” Heath said.  The Shoshone plant is notable not only for the vanishing point it can create in Glenwood Canyon but also for its importance in water conservation efforts and the water rights that feed the plant are among the oldest on the Colorado River a group of Western Slope entities have been working to purchase the water rights for close to $100 million in order to prevent them from possibly being bought up for diversion to the Front Range Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now. © 2025 Colorado Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy News | Apr 17 The Rifle Bears varsity baseball team took the first of two matchups from their I-70 rival but Glenwood evened the series with a massive 11-1 home win on Wednesday afternoon.  Two of the top three 4A Western Slope League teams faced off at Glenwood Springs Middle School on Wednesday afternoon as Glenwood strolled to evening the series at one game a piece Glenwood got even with Rifle on Wednesday with an explosive 9-run first inning.  “I couldn’t have asked for a better response (after Monday’s game),” Glenwood head coach Rob Norville said The Demons fell to the Grand Junction Tigers 15-0 in 4 innings on Monday “We needed to bounce back in a strong way.” The Demons sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first The extended half inning took nearly 30 minutes to complete but Glenwood senior pitcher Jackson Irving kept throwing the ball as if it was a 0-0 game.  “Staying confident in my pitches is really important,” Irving said after the game striking out 11 while only allowing 4 hits and one earned run “My curveball felt great in the bullpen and it was big that I was able to establish getting those down while ahead in the count When you can get a curveball down when you’re ahead in the count the fastball plays a lot better for the rest of the game.” He was the first of eight straight batters to reach without recording an out Glenwood senior catcher Josh Doll got the Demons started driving Irving in with an RBI triple as the second batter to step up to the plate then capped the massive inning with an RBI double when he came back up with two outs in the first “I really liked the approach that we took in the first inning making sure to put the ball in play instead of striking out,” Norville said Glenwood’s next player up mentality was on clear display on Wednesday afternoon The Demons struck out just one time through five innings the Demons are averaging 8.5 runs per game When the Demons have scored more than five runs this season “We’ve been preaching the ‘pass the baton’ mentality since I took the job,” Norville said Hopefully we can put together a little win streak to finish the season.” The Demons are starting to find their stride as they turn the final corner of the regular season The Demons look to turn their mini win streak into a real tear down the stretch as they host the Aspen Skiers on Saturday at 11 a.m. After jumping out to a 7-3 record through their first ten games Rifle has scuffled over their past five with a 3-2 record Rifle falls to the same 8-5 record as Glenwood but maintains a slim division lead with a 4-2 record but will have a tough opponent to do so against The Summit Tigers will travel to Rifle on Saturday for a powerful doubleheader between the number one and two teams in 4A Western Slope division Colorado will have one of the strictest gun laws in place in 2026 requiring people to attend classes before they could purchase most firearms with removable magazines View Results News | Apr 15 Heroism doesn’t mean competing with those around you but rather serving them in ways both large and small.  It can mean taking swift action to protect the lives of those around you in the face of an armed suspect or stabilizing a patient at the scene of a crash.  Yet it can also be as simple as doing yard work for an elderly resident no longer able to do it herself Or working to help law enforcement in their charitable efforts such as Shop with a Cop Law Enforcement and Family night and more.  Such was the span of heroics recognized and honored at a Glenwood Springs Police Department ceremony on Sunday at Valley View Hospital.  It was the fifth year such a ceremony had been organized which brought together police department officers and staff their families as well as members of the community One individual honored Sunday was not a police officer but a resident of Glenwood Springs — and a doctor at Valley View Hospital whose swift actions following a crash on Grand Avenue in 2024 helped save the life of a woman Deputy Chief John Hassell said the Life Saving Award is typically reserved for officers and those of first responders on the scene helped save a woman’s life after she was gravely injured in a catastrophic crash near Glenwood Springs High School Peery heard the crash while at Espresso Hut and immediately went to the scene to help One of the drivers involved was upside down in her vehicle and Peery quickly determined that her airway was obstructed which could’ve resulted in permanent brain damage.  “He raised her head while securing her spinal column which opened her airway,” Hassell said “When emergency personnel from the Glenwood Springs Fire Department arrived keeping her secure and breathing until she was able to be cut out of the vehicle delegation of resources and immediate medical attention definitively saved this woman’s life and preserved the scene for officers to investigate Peery for his selfless acts as he thrust himself into this chaotic situation.” The next person to receive an award Sunday night accepted it as humbly as is humanly possible Deputy Police Chief John Hassell was honored with the Terry Wilson Special Merit Award which was established and named on behalf of Glenwood Springs’ former police chief who retired in 2020 which is exactly how Hassell conducts himself as an officer After code enforcement received reports of a blighted property in 2024 and let her know that her property required some work to bring it into compliance.  “(He) learned of this situation and went to her home and spoke with this lady,” Deras said she told him she did not have financial resources to compensate him for the work; he told her he was not interested in any compensation.” Hassell went over to the woman’s house on his day off and completed the necessary work.  “John never mentioned this to anyone and he’s not one to seek recognition,” Deras said This act of kindness and concern for a neighbor is exactly why the Chief Terry Wilson Award has been initiated.” Two Glenwood Springs officers were recognized Sunday for their quick response on Labor Day 2024 to an armed suspect at Glenwood Meadows Evan Wagstrom and Officer Cameron Williams were both honored with the Medal of Valor the department’s second-highest award for their actions when suddenly facing an armed man at Glenwood Meadows What originated as responding to a man with an outstanding warrant escalated dramatically when the man pulled out an AR-style rifle and confronted the officers the suspect produced an assault-based weapon with every intention of attacking these officers,” Deras said both officers took evasive measures.” Williams was able to keep track of the suspect’s location while Wagstrom coordinated communication to bring additional resources to the scene as quickly as possible With hundreds of other people in the Meadows facing danger from the armed suspect critically wounding the suspect and keeping Wagstrom and everyone else at the Glenwood Meadows safe Wagstrom spoke personally about Williams’ swift actions and heroism that day.“Like most I couldn’t recall what I did on any of the past Labor Day celebrations but it is doubtful that I will ever forget the Labor Day of 2024,” Wagstrom said “That is the day I witnessed Officer Cameron Williams save my life and the lives of possibly countless others at the Meadows shopping center.” Williams’ heroic actions originated in a deep spirit of service to others “Arthur Ashe describes heroism as ‘Remarkably sober It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost but the urge to serve others at whatever the cost.’ … “Officer Williams’ selfless actions embodied the very best of our profession as he engaged our suspect without delay at the risk of his own life.” Two individuals were also recognized for the work they do to help promote and support community relations and engagement: Cory Madsen and Paul Kapturkiewicz two of Target’s loss prevention officers “They have been very instrumental with a lot of our events,” Lt citing their work they’ve done in helping host Shop with a Cop GSPD’s newest additions were recognized as well as all officers who received new assignments promotions or hit a milestone in their years of service Glenwood Springs Fire Department’s new Battalion Chief who attended the ceremony with plans to begin something similar for firefighters in the near future Glenwood Springs High School’s JROTC cadets fresh off of their win at the Rocky Mountain Western Classic Drill Competition in Denver presented the colors at the beginning of the ceremony News | Apr 7 the long-discussed Canyon Vista housing project cleared its final local hurdle Thursday night earning unanimous approval from Glenwood Springs City Council proposed by Kansas City-based affordable housing developer Cohen-Esrey will rise on nearly four acres at 51993 U.S still holds remnants of an old plant nursery and a few aging residential structures Canyon Vista will provide income-restricted rentals for residents earning between 20% and 80% of the area median income with studio units starting as low as $358 per month “This is simply an opportunity for people to have a home,” Mayor Ingrid Wussow said “We’re talking about community members who are barely hanging on — and Canyon Vista will give them a landing pad.” The council vote included approval of the project’s major site architectural plan and a 1041 land-use review A 1041 land-use review refers to a permit for development in areas and activities of state interest required under Colorado law for certain projects located near state highways Because Canyon Vista is adjacent to Highway 6 it triggered this additional layer of review to ensure the project meets state and regional planning criteria Cohen-Esrey’s financing package includes low-income housing tax credits vouchers from the Garfield County Housing Authority and city support through Glenwood’s workforce housing fund The city also approved a forgivable loan for the project last July Developers expect to break ground in September with construction projected to take 18 months The plan includes two main residential buildings each with a mix of studio to three-bedroom units It will exceed city parking requirements and provide extensive bike parking A relocated RFTA bus shelter and sidewalk access to Donegan Road will further integrate the site into the neighborhood Because of the site’s steep grade and irregular layout the project requested seven design flexibility allowances permitted by city code for income-restricted housing These included reduced widths for landscaped islands and buffer strips and exceptions to retaining wall appearance standards Staff said these adjustments were well within code allowances and would not negatively affect surrounding properties “This is what we call capital-A affordable housing,” city planner Carl Watkins said “These are units the free market simply cannot provide.” Although the buildings approach 40 feet in height nearby elevation changes limit their visual impact on adjacent properties The project also includes a solar array mounted on terraced retaining walls which staff said would be minimally visible and not disruptive to nearby homes Council members raised questions about long-term affordability Developers confirmed the project meets affordability requirements under a 40-year covenant and is financially structured for long-term sustainability City staff confirmed that fire flows will be sufficient if served by city water One unresolved issue is the fate of a historic greenhouse on the property originally built at the Redstone Castle and moved to Glenwood Springs in the 1930s Council expressed strong interest in preserving it but no viable plan or willing taker has emerged The estimated cost to relocate the structure exceeds $1 million “I feel this greenhouse is in jeopardy,” Councilor Marco Dehm said “We need to figure out how to preserve it before it gets rolled into dust.” Public comment centered on an ongoing dispute between the city and Mitchell Creek Water District which claims a 1985 agreement prohibits Glenwood from providing water to properties within its boundaries without consent Several residents and water shareholders urged the city to delay approval The city declined to respond publicly due to active litigation Mayor Wussow acknowledged the concern but kept the discussion focused on the housing project “I learned of a young girl in this community living in someone’s garage right now This is the type of place where she might be able to find a landing pad.” Both the site plan and the 1041 permit were approved in 6-0 votes News | Apr 8 The Glenwood Springs Ice Queens women’s hockey team finished second after five grueling games in last weekend’s season-ending Mountain Division championship tournament at the Eagle Pool and Ice Rink The Women’s Association of Colorado Hockey sanctioned the 2024-25 tournament which featured eight teams from mountain towns including Breckenridge the Ice Queens had a target on their backs from the first puck drop They opened strong on Friday night with a 4-0 win over Breckenridge’s Fatty’s Fury Paige Pulliam broke the seal at 6:38 in the second is an alumna of the Grizzly Youth Hockey Association Additional goals came from Carbondale’s Sophia Jacober newcomer Julia Koch and another from Pulliam the Ice Queens tied the Violent Femmes 2-2 Jacober scored off an assist from Galen Hoover while Kristen Sutera Dumoulin added another Tucker also served two minutes for interference the Ice Queens routed the Vail Twin Peaks 7-2 Vail struck first at 12:53 in the opening period but Hoover responded just 30 seconds later and Glenwood poured in five more goals in the 15-minute period Kristen Davis and Lawrenz again found the back of the net with Glenwood’s defense holding strong Carbondale’s Charmian Featherstone served a two-minute penalty for holding late in the third Sunday morning’s semifinal saw Glenwood face Highway 82 rival Aspen MPs in front of a smaller crowd Glenwood opened with goals from the mother-daughter duo of Molly and Sophia Jacober Aspen answered with two goals to tie it at the end of the first They added one more midway through the second but that would be their last of the tournament The Queens responded with six unanswered goals then scored the game-winner just 57 seconds later Pulliam again and Koch once more rounded out the scoring Dumoulin served a two-minute minor for hooking in the third The championship game began at noon against the Steamboat Springs Panic the Ice Queens ran out of steam against the younger and highly skilled Steamboat squad falling 4-0 despite outshooting them 29-21 Goalie Kristen Fawcett of Edwards stopped 60 of 71 shots faced and stood tall in net all weekend Glenwood outshot every opponent and landed 21 goals on 152 attempts Pulliam led the team with 10 points overall Koch and Hoover each contributed five points defenseman Featherstone gave credit to the new champions “They’re a good team and deserved to win,” Featherstone said “It was challenging to play against some of their younger players.” News | Mar 2 4 Summit Tigers delivered a hockey game to remember on Saturday sending the 2024-25 CHSAA Class 4A state semifinals into an overtime thriller It took an extra period to determine a winner with both teams creating scoring chances in overtime securing its second state championship appearance in three years Senior defenseman Sam Rosenberg scored the game-winner though he didn’t realize it at first “I didn’t even know it went in until everyone started cheering,” Rosenberg said Summit’s season ends after an impressive 14-5 run winning eight of its last nine games before falling to the Demons “The message all season was don’t let the game come down to bounces or the refs and we kind of let that happen today,” Summit head coach Chris Miller said The two Western Slope teams faced off at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs on Saturday morning The contest was highly competitive from start to finish Glenwood found a way to win despite struggling in the first two periods controlling the pace in the first 25 minutes The Tigers’ fast and physical play forced Glenwood onto its heels early the momentum appeared to be in Summit’s favor Summit senior Eli Powers and junior Owen Lewis connected to put the Tigers up 2-0 with six minutes left in the second period We knew it was going to be a battle,” Glenwood head coach Tim Cota said “We got stronger as the game went on Momentum shifted with three minutes remaining in the second period when Glenwood scored twice in an 11-second span Glenwood senior captain Wylon Deter scored three seconds into a late second-period power play senior Beck Weatherred capitalized on a loose puck in front of the net “Those 15 seconds changed everything,” Miller said “Going up 2-0 put us in a good position but a couple of mistakes and some poor net-front coverage can do that That’s the way hockey goes sometimes You never really know what you’re going to get.” Summit senior goalie Matthew Tater made several key saves to keep the score tied even after Glenwood found its footing ‘Get another one while they’re on their heels,’ and they did,” Cota said The third period showcased both teams at their best with both goaltenders making critical saves to keep their seasons alive Zevin and Tater proved why they were their teams’ last line of defense The final two periods featured strong forechecks and numerous odd-man rushes “(Tater) was great,” Miller said “He made all the saves he was supposed to and the ones he had no business saving It’s just unfortunate it had to end this way.” proved why he earned the starting role for Glenwood He finished the regular season with the lowest goals-against average in the state at 1.33 — fifth-lowest in the nation “I just love being out there competing with the boys,” Zevin said Glenwood is now one win away from its first state championship win in program history 2 Steamboat Springs on Monday at Magness Arena on the University of Denver campus Opinion | Apr 30 Helping Walt Geister fulfill his final wish I’m reaching out on behalf of a beloved longtime local going through an extremely hard time Walt Geister moved to Aspen in 1970 and worked at the Village Pantry He was also a raft guide back in the day and an avid fly fisherman Walt is facing an uphill battle with a staph infection which is likely not reversible He is currently at Valley View Hospital and is paralyzed from the waist down He has a goal of going to his home outside Silt to be with his rescue cats for his remaining time He has a huge team helping him try to accomplish this last wish These include those from his ’70s and ’80s early days as well as his friends and colleagues from his 26 years as a dedicated detention officer at the Pitkin County Jail Walt gave so much to the valley so we’re hoping you can give back to him There is a GoFundMe page titled Support Walt’s Recovery and Accessibility Needs There is also an open fund at Alpine Bank to drop off donations he will need antibiotics during his hospice time which are not covered by his insurance Please consider donating and/or passing this message on to folks you think may help the Glenwood Springs Elks Lodge 2286 donated 10 recliner chairs and eight TVs to the Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home in Rifle Steve Thompson raises money through donations from individuals and businesses in our community to provide the veterans in the Rifle home what they need Support of veterans is one of the principal goals of the Benevolent Order of Elks in Glenwood and nationwide Thoughts on immigration enforcement and national priorities We should be able to express our opinions freely Our country is going down the path of ruin due to our national debt We cannot afford to pay more on our interest on our debt vs and it will probably grow immensely trying to deport over 10 million our country was flooded by anyone that crossed the border illegally with our previous administration knowing that so many people would flood the legal system and they totally ignored the laws that they were elected to uphold The previous administration lied and said the border was secure or just a way to flood the USA until another Democrat party comes in and passes amnesty to all of those to get them to vote for them The deportation is focused on violent criminals Why is the left so adamant in protecting these criminals vs They came into the country without legal due process of the law that our immigration agents couldn’t even vet them We made the cartels filthy rich charging these people thousands of dollars to enter the U.S It didn’t matter that many of these people didn’t have money The previous administration lied and said that “their hands were tied and needed legislation to make a change.” Now our borders are secure with about 100 crossing a day Obama deported over 3 million illegals without taking them to court Every president that I can remember said that they would go through spending line by line but none of them did that after being elected We have a president that ran on eliminating waste The bowls are now truly empty – but our hearts are full Thank you to everyone who helped make the ninth annual Empty Bowls Luncheon on April 16 our most successful yet and nearly 100 silent auction art items — including contributions from Dean Bowlby and many other talented local artists—this event continues to be a cherished highlight of the year This incredible gathering reflects the strength of our ten-year partnership between Grand River Meals on Wheels and Colorado Mountain College – Rifle Campus It is a shining example of what is possible when creativity From the hundreds of hours donated by local potters to the culinary artistry that filled our bowls (one guest enjoyed eight different soups) this year’s event truly warmed both body and soul From humble beginnings in 2015 — featuring fewer than 100 bowls and a handful of soups — Empty Bowls has grown into a cornerstone event supporting Grand River Meals on Wheels (GRMOW) which has served as a vital resource for nearly 50 years GRMOW delivered more than 25,000 meals to older adults from Parachute/Battlement Mesa to New Castle marking an astounding 1,200% increase in service over the past two decades it offers daily wellness checks and meaningful social connection to homebound seniors These volunteers not only deliver food — they deliver comfort these visits are the highlight of their day this year’s Empty Bowls event raised nearly $15,000 to support GRMOW’s mission As we look ahead, we are thrilled to announce that next year’s event will be even more special: the 10th Annual Empty Bowls will coincide with GRMOW’s 50th Anniversary (1976–2026). If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, donating to the art auction, or volunteering as a meal delivery driver, please reach out to Kaaren Peck at kpeck@grhd.org or 970-625-6423 Grand River Meals on Wheels is more than a meal delivery program — it is a lifeline Thank you for being part of that community Warmly,Kaaren Peck and the entire Grand River Meals on Wheels Team News | Mar 27 Glenwood Springs residents will head to the polls next week to elect three members to the City Council Ballots for the April 1 election have already been mailed out and must be returned by 7 p.m Three seats are up for election this cycle: Ward 2 Ray Schmahl is running unopposed for the Ward 2 seat David Townsley is also running unopposed for the At-Large seat where Jonathan Banks and Steven Smith are vying for the open seat All registered voters in Glenwood Springs are eligible to vote in the at-Large race but only residents living within Ward 2 or Ward 5 can vote in those respective races Residents with questions about their ballot or ward can contact the Glenwood Springs City Clerk’s Office at 970-384-6406 or visit http://www.cogs.us for more information News | Mar 16 A new resource aimed at strengthening financial stability for residents across the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys officially opened Thursday in Glenwood Springs The Financial Empowerment Center of the Rockies the first rural financial empowerment center in the nation celebrated its grand opening Thursday at Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs bilingual financial coaching to residents of Garfield “This is a game-changer,” said Barbara Freeman founder and CEO of the Savings Collaborative “By providing financial coaching at no cost to our residents we aim to build greater financial stability in our beautiful region.” The center is the result of years of collaboration between the three counties and the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund It follows a model proven successful in urban areas but is uniquely designed to serve rural communities where access to financial services can be limited Eagle County Assistant Manager Regina O’Brien said the center aligns with the county’s long-term goals of creating a thriving “The Financial Empowerment Center of the Rockies is a shining example of these principles in action,” O’Brien said this organization is helping individuals and families gain the knowledge and confidence they need to build a brighter future.” Pitkin County Commissioner Kelly McNicholas Kury pointed to growing income disparities in the region and how financial stability remains out of reach for many “The pandemic really brought into even more focus how these disparities hit people at home,” McNicholas Kury said “A tool like this is going to be really important for being able to close those gaps.” Pitkin County Deputy Director of Human Services Sam Landercasper who played a key role in launching the center said the need for financial support is real despite the area’s reputation as a wealthy resort region “There’s this stigma that Aspen and Vail are places where everyone is rich and everything is fine,” Landercasper said “The reality is we have a whole different set of problems brought about by the high cost of living This center brings recognition to that and provides real solutions.” The center’s services will be especially valuable to those who fall into what Landercasper called the “living wage gap” — residents who don’t qualify for traditional assistance programs but still struggle to afford basic expenses “This is just something that I think these services are going to be so impactful for people,” Landercasper said “We’re hoping this is going to be a service and it’s gonna be really helpful for them to help build credit The project has also drawn support from state and national leaders who sent a recorded message congratulating those involved “Congratulations to the FEC of the Rockies on this exciting milestone opening our country’s first rural regional Financial Empowerment Center,” Polis said I’m focused on saving Coloradans money and expanding opportunity and prosperity for everyone and this new hub connects Coloradans to valuable financial resources building on our work to help Coloradans hold on to more of our hard-earned money.” director of the Colorado Office of Financial Empowerment said the center will be instrumental in helping residents gain long-term financial stability “Our goal is to support financial coaching and counseling professionals in doing this work with excellence and to connect more Coloradans with the tools and resources they need to build financial security and generational wealth,” Lass said Freeman said seeing the project come to life after years of work was an emotional moment which means everyone can now have access to this,” Freeman said “We have built something that will truly change lives.” The Financial Empowerment Center of the Rockies is now open to residents, offering free financial coaching as a public service to help individuals and families secure their financial futures. Those interested can visit fecrockies.org News | Mar 11 David Townsley has been a resident of the Roaring Fork Valley for 35 years spending most of that time in Glenwood Springs he helped many local families achieve homeownership he is running for the at-large City Council seat to give back to the community that has given him so much Townsley believes in balancing growth with maintaining Glenwood’s quality of life ensuring the city remains a great place to live for years to come I’ve been a resident of the valley for 35 years were born in the old Valley View Hospital and both graduated from Glenwood Springs High School Although I live in Ward 1 at the top of Walz Avenue with my partner I was in the mortgage banking business until April of last year working for numerous banks as well as partnering in my own business It was a pleasure helping people achieve homeownership and I still have people remind me how I helped them buy their first home — a very rewarding career the community and city have been such a wonderful place to live I’m fortunate to be in a position where I can give back in a small way for all that I’ve received If I can continue to make a difference for residents — both now and in the future — that would be very rewarding I firmly believe that a City Council member’s job is stewardship just as much as handling day-to-day issues the biggest challenge is balancing the needs of growth with the quality of life for current residents This is an ongoing issue for many small mountain towns in Colorado as well as other tourist destinations across the country and even globally we need to strike a balance in the types of growth we want to see while maintaining the aspects of Glenwood that make it such a wonderful place to live in the first place Housing prices and affordability are issues that won’t be solved anytime soon Glenwood is a unique town where more people want to live than there are homes available Our town is geographically constrained — land is limited in all directions City council’s role is to take input from residents and determine how the government can or should play a role in local housing needs Economic development and tourism are both large parts of our economy Balancing these with the needs and desires of full-time residents while maintaining the character of Glenwood is crucial Valley View Hospital is becoming a strong regional medical hub and traditional manufacturing is not a major factor we are fortunate to have a thriving economy Many towns have to sell themselves to maintain economic growth — we don’t We should use long-term vision to decide what we want Glenwood to be and how we want to grow For those who lived through the Storm King City staff has been working to ensure plans are in place I’d like to see the city and county work more closely where their boundaries overlap — such as addressing the encampments on the south end of town AdProof | Apr 10 Finding a Roaring Fork Valley native that hasn’t benefited from Factory Outdoor is like trying to turn left into their parking lot while headed south on Colorado Highway 82 — easier said than done.  Factory Outdoor was born into Glenwood Springs nearly 50 years ago and will be remembered long after they close their doors They kicked off their massive liquidation sale on Thursday and will close their doors once their backstock safely finds new homes within the Roaring Fork Valley community.  The closure of the store will serve as the fourth and final step in the retirement process of longtime owners and brothers Pat and Shannon Long but always felt a special connection to their Glenwood store.  “I’ve always loved this store,” Pat Long “It’s getting pretty hard to compete with things like REI and Amazon When you’ve worked in retail as long as we have it becomes a little easier to know when it’s time They are holding a sale to deplete their stores starting on Thursday and finishing on Wednesday but the store plans to remain open until mid-May To help honor the community that the store flourished in for nearly half a century everything from tough Sorel work boots to Makita brand power tools to NRS life jackets to Oakley goggles are on massive discount Co-owner Shannon Long reiterated how much the community meant to the success of the store “The community has just been so amazing,” he said “Just look around.” Cars were pushed out onto South Grand Avenue and lines wrapped around the entire store as people scrambled to squeeze one last resource out of the metaphorical giving tree.  Longtime local Mark Feinsinger said he was sad but not surprised when he received the letter announcing the sale and closure of the Glenwood outdoor community.  “That’s the retail business world It’s just the way it goes sometimes,” he said Feinsinger shopped at Factory Outdoor when it opened in 1977 and can still remember when it was called Factory Surplus He bought his daughter gear at the same place he was shopping while Jimmy Carter was president.  “The thing about this place was how unique their items were There are still things that you can’t find anywhere but here,” he said Shannon didn’t blame REI for the closure but couldn’t ignore the shifting retail worlds realities.  “I don’t think REI impacted our loyal customers,” he said but competing with next day shipping is a whole different battle It’s honestly a little frustrating that we have to do this but hopefully everyone gets a good deal.” the bittersweet feeling has subsided a little bit.  but I think that since we have done this a couple times now it’s a little easier to manage,” he said “One door closes and another one opens.” The store will be open through its normal hours 9 a.m Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that Factory Outdoor Outlet plans to remain open until mid-May With housing costs soaring and renters struggling to keep up the City of Glenwood Springs is hosting a free housing symposium on Thursday aimed at giving residents the tools they need to find relief take the next step toward homeownership or support their employees The event is part of National Fair Housing Month and focuses on real Organizers say the symposium is for anyone affected by the housing crisis — renters employers and community members looking for support “This event is about connecting people with the actual programs that exist today,” Public Information Officer Bryana Starbuck said “There are renters and potential buyers who just don’t know these opportunities are available.” The housing market in Glenwood Springs has shifted dramatically in the past two decades The average single-family home value rose 333% Condo values have increased 391% in that time That growing gap has made homeownership feel out of reach for many “We’ve developed some really creative programs since voters passed the 2C affordable housing tax,” Economic and Community Development Director Hannah Klausman said “But people need to know they exist in order to benefit from them.” The 2C measure, approved by Glenwood Springs voters in 2022 added a short-term lodging tax to fund workforce and affordable housing initiatives The dedicated revenue stream allows the city to launch new housing programs and partner with employers and developers to increase access to housing for locals The city’s affordable housing efforts are funded by the 2C lodging tax Several programs have launched in the last two years to provide down payment help Renters continue to be among the most cost-burdened — 44% of Glenwood Springs renter households spend more than 30% of their monthly income on rent the city is rolling out a new rental assistance pilot program in 2025 Local businesses within city limits can apply for support on behalf of employees who pay more than 30% of their income on rent The program splits costs between the city’s 2C fund and the participating employer “This symposium is a transparent effort to show the community what has been created with their support,” Klausman said “Even if you don’t directly qualify you probably know someone who would benefit.” The event will include informational booths from Habitat for Humanity the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition and more Local realtors and city staff will also be on hand to walk attendees through available programs “This isn’t just a discussion,” Senior Planner Watkins Fulk-Gray said “This is a high-value opportunity for people to get real answers and find real opportunities.” Short films about the Fair Housing Act and national housing trends will be shown followed by a panel discussion with local experts There will be opportunities for the public to ask questions and connect one-on-one Attendees can also sign up for a free HUD-certified homebuyer education course Offered by a nonprofit based in Grand Junction mortgage lending and the full homebuying process “This class is extremely useful for anyone interested in buying a home,” Starbuck said “It helps prepare people financially and makes the process a lot less intimidating.” The city also recently launched a housing website at cogs.us/housing which provides a breakdown of current housing programs and affordable apartment listings “Housing is where jobs go to sleep,” Starbuck said “It impacts everything from the economy to schools to our overall quality of life.” Light snacks and refreshments will be provided The Glenwood Springs Housing Solutions Symposium will take place from 5-7:30 p.m The JROTC program is based on helping high schoolers grow as leaders and the Glenwood Springs High School Color Guard teams demonstrated those values to perfection during the 2025 Rocky Mountain Western Classic Drill Championships bringing home the gold while competing against top programs throughout the country.  The Rocky Mountain Western Classic Drill Championships is one of the biggest drill events in the state programs from all over the country made their way to the Centennial State on April 12 to compete in the competition The color guard traveled to the Front Range to showcase their months of hard work and their unwavering commitment to JROTC values carried them all the way to the top—earning them the coveted Golden Eagle trophy The win came just mere weeks after their command caller had to drop out of the competition.  “This is a story of resilience and determination,” JROTC Senior Master Sergeant and Aerospace Science InstructorGreg Pfieffer said “A great example and lesson about overcoming adversity and pressing forward with a shared goal.” Following a performance in 2024 that left the program unsatisfied “We were humbled with the results,” Pfieffer said so we made the deliberate decision: ‘We need to really start putting in the work We want to come back next year (this year) and see if we can place in the top five.'” The color guard routine requires an intense amount of attention to detail The deciding factor between first and second place can be as miniscule as the positioning of one’s feet or a noticeable notch in their uniform.  attention to detail and the highest level of discipline are all essential to being successful during the color guard routine,” Glenwood Springs Cadet Mateusz Obrochta said Obrochta stepped up to call commands in place of the missing cadet Obrachta said that losing their command was a huge blow but in the end they just wanted to see how far their hard work would take them.  “There wasn’t a lot of motivation at first but as a group we decided to find a replacement and go do this thing,” Obrochta said “Calling commands for the first time in competition was different but it showed me that I could step up and do it but through so much practice and dedication I’m just so proud of our team.” The team only had a few weeks to practice with Obrochta at the helm and went to the competition without a solid idea of how competitive they would actually be.  Over 50 schools from all over the country travel to Denver every year to participate in the Rocky Mountain Western Classic Drill Championships Some schools bring as many as 100 cadets and participate in events ranging from exhibition to regulation Schools with larger JROTC programs are able to compete for the Commander’s Trophy.  The color guard competition was fought between over 30 schools with Glenwood Springs  coming out on top behind the leadership of Obrochta Obrochta held the national colors while Cadet Grace Anson carried the Colorado flag Cadets Ethan Thomson and Barrett Dell were the two riflemen.  News | Jan 17 Glenwood Springs residents will soon vote to fill three open seats on the local city council The positions up for election include Ward 2 For those looking to throw their name into the hat, forms and signatures are due to City Clerk Ryan Muse by 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20. Learn more at cogs.us/346/Elections Here’s a closer look at the candidates and their plans for the city’s future Jonathan Banks, a 30-year resident of Glenwood Springs, is running for the Ward 5 seat. Banks previously led the “Keep Glenwood Glenwood” campaign, which successfully advocated for passing Ballot Question A in a spring 2024 special election He currently serves on the city’s Charter Commission “I’ve heard too many people say the council doesn’t listen and that’s no good,” Banks said “We need to protect our mountain-town way of life where people act like neighbors with trust and kindness.” He emphasized the importance of addressing growth responsibly to maintain Glenwood’s small-town charm Banks said he is focused on quality of life and fiscal responsibility.  “We need to spend tax dollars wisely and look at what other cities have done — copy their successes and avoid their mistakes,” he said.  he supports partnerships like Habitat for Humanity but stresses the need for long-term agreements that don’t overburden the city Banks plans to address what he sees as a disconnect between the council and residents.  “There are a number of major votes in recent years that showed citizens wanted a different direction than council was going,” Banks said “We need to work on being more responsive to people We need to make sure we are listening to them even when we don’t like what they are telling us.” Since moving to Glenwood Springs in 1984 for the Glenwood Canyon construction project Raymond Schmahl has remained committed to the community A former member of the Glenwood Springs Planning and Zoning Commission who carries with him decades of experience in heavy civil construction he emphasizes efficient decision-making and a hands-on approach to problem-solving “My priority is representing the voices of my constituents,” Schmahl said “Direct communication is the most effective way to ensure the community is heard.”  Schmahl said he plans to stay in close contact with residents and involve them in decisions before they are finalized Schmahl values the town’s character and aims to preserve its sense of community.  “It’s about continuing the spirit of this town while navigating its growth responsibly,” he said Schmahl believes the general welfare of the community should guide the council’s decisions Schmahl intends to rely on his experience in managing large-scale projects to ensure Glenwood Springs adapts to change without losing its identity Matthew Simms has filled Glenwood Springs City Council’s At-Large seat stepping in after Shelley Kaup’s departure Simms also served on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission “I believe I bring a fresh perspective as a relative newcomer with years of experience making tough decisions about investment and allocation of scarce resources,” Simms said He noted that his volunteer work with Valley Meals & More helped him learn about the city and its people “It’s how I learned Glenwood,” he said Simms wants to focus on the redevelopment of the West Glenwood mall and reintroducing community services like the Spring Cleanup.  “We need to acknowledge and preserve the unique character of the area while still growing in a way that provides for all of us,” he said Simms emphasized the importance of transparency and community outreach.  “City council needs to be a faithful steward of the tax dollars collected and prepare for the curve balls that are going to come at us,” he said.  Simms aims to balance sustainable growth with fiscal responsibility has been heavily involved in local transportation and environmental issues He currently serves on the city’s Transportation Commission and was a founding member of the River Commission Smith currently works as a independent contractor working on rivers and public lands protection measures “I’ve spent years learning about transportation and housing and how they’re connected,” Smith said “Where you live impacts how you travel and transportation shapes housing opportunities.”  Smith said that he plans to prioritize solutions that integrate these two areas Smith sees council’s role as ensuring city services improve the quality of life for all residents.  “It’s essential to ensure people feel heard and involved,” Smith said He believes fostering engagement and collaboration is key to making stronger decisions using Glenwood’s unique landscape as a guide.  “We’re in a valley with transportation choke points,” he said “Mass transit will have to play a role in handling future growth.”  Smith emphasized his willingness to learn and adapt as part of the council David Townsley has lived in the valley for more than 35 years and is running for the At-Large seat With extensive experience in the mortgage and finance industry Townsley is focused on transportation and housing as Glenwood Springs grows “Transportation is one of our biggest challenges,” Townsley said and there’s Grand Avenue and Midland — it’s a choke point.” He believes expanding mass transit and improving infrastructure are critical steps for the city Townsley also plans to prioritize public engagement in council decisions.  “Reaching out to the community and listening to their ideas is essential,” he said and it’s important we make decisions that preserve what makes Glenwood special.” Townsley emphasized the importance of long-term planning particularly as it relates to growth and maintaining the city’s identity.  “The council needs to make decisions today that will stand the rest of time,” he said News | Mar 5 Four candidates for Glenwood Springs City Council gathered Tuesday night at Glenwood Springs City Hall to discuss their positions on housing hosted by the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association KMTS and the Glenwood Springs Post Independent featured Ward 5 candidates Jon Banks and Steve Smith Schmahl and Townsley are running unopposed Candidates tackled major topics affecting the city’s future Candidates were asked whether Glenwood Springs is taking the right approach to addressing the high cost of housing and what more could be done Schmahl said affordability is a challenge across many communities and won’t be solved overnight “It’s a big problem,” Schmahl said “The demand to live in Glenwood Springs is always going to be way higher than what the supply can satisfy if you want to have people working for you and that includes making sure they can afford to live here I don’t believe that we are ever going to build our way out of this problem because demand will always outpace supply The best we can do is find ways to mitigate it and support workers who are already here.” Smith said the city needs to create more paths to homeownership “I will prioritize opportunities and support for those who want to purchase their first home and informing good governance,” Smith said “Housing support should prioritize local workers for shorter commutes and more engagement in schools and community they need to see a path to stability.” who has worked in mortgage financing for 30 years noted that Glenwood’s housing market has changed drastically you could buy a nice house in downtown Glenwood for $60,000 to $70,000,” Townsley said The idea of buying a home here for under $100,000 is impossible now and that’s a tough reality for people who want to settle down I don’t know if Glenwood is on track but we can look at opportunities and see what others are doing to help make housing more attainable for working families a lot of people feel like homeownership here is out of reach and that’s something we need to address.” Banks said the city should take lessons from other communities while avoiding costly missteps “We have $1.7 million annually to fund affordable housing and I think we need to be smart about how we spend it,” Banks said “One thing I’m really enthusiastic about is helping mobile home park tenants become mobile home park owners and keeps us from losing naturally occurring affordable housing If a mobile home park gets redeveloped and those residents lose their homes This kind of solution gives people stability without requiring massive new developments.” Candidates were asked how Glenwood should approach economic growth Smith said new development should align with the needs of the community “Development decisions have got to come back to city council or smart ideas have a representative body that will be responsive to them.” Townsley said Glenwood should focus on balancing its tourism-driven economy with the needs of longtime residents the pool — these are institutions in this town and they help drive our economy,” Townsley said ‘How do we support them while also making space for new opportunities?'” Banks raised concerns about monopolies in the local economy “Tourism drives our economy,” Banks said “We want to have a vibrant downtown with shops and restaurants but monopolies — like having only one grocery store — worry me and that’s something I want to be mindful of when thinking about economic growth.” Schmahl suggested mixed-use developments to make better use of existing space “A retail center with housing above it could work well at places like the Glenwood Springs Mall,” Schmahl said “It would allow us to support local businesses while also addressing housing needs.” With Glenwood Springs relying heavily on tourism for the local economy candidates were asked how to maintain a balance between attracting visitors and preserving residents’ quality of life Smith said tourism benefits the community when managed well “Much of the vibrancy of Glenwood Springs comes from its natural recreation,” Smith said art — these are things we enjoy just as much as visitors do Townsley said tourism should not come at the cost of local comfort “There’s a reason places like Venice are rethinking how they manage tourism,” Townsley said “We have to balance the needs of the people who live here and the businesses that rely on tourism but it’s one we need to be mindful of moving forward.” Banks said keeping Glenwood desirable for residents will naturally benefit tourism it will be good for the tourists,” Banks said Schmahl acknowledged that some residents feel overwhelmed by tourism but said it remains vital to the economy “It would be nice if we could just close the gates sometimes,” Schmahl said tourism is what keeps this town running.” Candidates were asked how Glenwood Springs could increase Latino involvement in city government and civic life Schmahl said representation should be based on open access rather than targeted outreach “I think our city government should be open and blind to race “We need to treat everybody equally across the board.” Smith said outreach efforts should be intentional “Somewhere between 35 and 40% of our population is Latino,” Smith said “We need to be more deliberate about reaching out and ensuring they feel encouraged to participate in government.” Townsley said increased civic engagement often happens naturally when people put down roots in a community that’s when they start engaging in the community more,” Townsley said “We should make sure there are no barriers keeping people from participating.” Banks said government should be welcoming but allow individuals to decide their level of involvement “Anyone who wants to get involved should feel encouraged and welcomed,” Banks said “That’s the most important thing.” A recording of the forum can be viewed at postindependent.com Steven Smith has lived in southwest Glenwood Springs for 36 years and has been actively involved in shaping the city’s neighborhoods and policies He has served on the city’s river commission and transportation commission advocating for better care of local rivers and improved transportation options With a background in community planning and policymaking Smith is running for City Council to focus on transportation I have lived in southwest Glenwood Springs for 36 years I worked to influence each of those developments advocating for safe routes to the new school and smart lighting — all to make new neighbors welcome and to ensure vibrant I served on the city’s River Commission fostering better care and appreciation for our local rivers I now serve on the Transportation Commission promoting new thinking about how we travel and how to do so safely and with less traffic I have three priorities: (1) Increase and enhance transportation options and (3) ensure every city policy and decision protects the natural environment and the climate City Council needs members who will think across those issue lines and can craft integrated policies and solutions that address them all That cross-discipline approach has always been my style and my skill Glenwood Springs residents need to be respected and heard That is what makes me the better candidate We must think of housing and transportation as one interwoven topic and craft integrated policies that address both in tandem Delivering more local transportation options and more local housing options will be more effective than dealing with them separately I will work to bring bus service back to southwest neighborhoods I will support housing policies that help the people who work here to also live here so their transportation needs are simplified we can cut congestion and improve quality of life I support increased opportunities for renters to purchase a home more engagement in schools and neighborhoods City policymaking also will be better if more of us have time to participate We should stop approving large rental housing projects We should convert excess rental stock into owned homes reform state laws that unduly prefer rentals and provide qualified loans for down payments Housing support should prioritize local workers we can accomplish much with the housing we have Glenwood Springs has an abundance of jobs and often faces a shortage of workers The days of Glenwood Springs needing to recruit new businesses are long gone We should not approve new commercial development until and unless we can make it possible for more local employees to actually live here This approach will benefit both workers and existing local businesses Additional grocery shopping options will increase convenience We should carefully consider applications if and when they appear Much of the appeal of Glenwood Springs comes from its natural and recreational features Towns this size in less appealing settings do not have the amenities that we enjoy Nor do those towns have the sales tax revenue that supports the reliable modern municipal services that we enjoy here Promotion of local tourism should focus on visitors and activities that are sustainable and that continue to enhance our own experience living here I support active neighborhood outreach about the city’s new emergency evacuation plan to help all residents understand its details and be ready when we need to be The plan guides emergency services in traffic management It outlines command structures and coordination with other response agencies least-cost measures that protect our community and neighborhoods from wildfire and extra care when handling fire and flammables Spring finally arrived in the Roaring Fork Valley on Saturday and 14 schools took full advantage of the sunshine during the  44th annual Demons Invitational track and field meet at Glenwood Springs High School Yellow school buses lined the GSHS parking lot as student-athletes from across the region—from Aspen to Kremmling—gathered at Stubler Memorial Field for one of the valley’s signature track and field meets The host team delivered a strong performance The Glenwood Springs boys finished second overall with 97 points while the girls team placed fifth with 48 points “Running on the home track is always a little extra special,” Glenwood senior Ty Hesse said “Knowing you are running with your friends and family in the crowd is definitely an extra motivator.”  Hesse and his teammates had impressive showings in the 100 Hesse and his teammates excelled in the sprints CSU Pueblo football commit Mason Markovich placed third in the 100-meter dash (11.66 seconds) while Hesse took third in the 200 (22.93) and first in the 400 (50.76) Senior Emma Gavrell also had a standout day placing second in both the 200 (27.60) and the 400 (1:01.73) She finished just behind Rifle junior Rylan Petree in the 200 The Glenwood boys dominated the relay events winning the 4×100 (44.65) and 4×400 (3:31.32) and finishing third in the 4×800 (9:28.30) “I’m really excited for the rest of the season,” Hesse said “I think we are going to do great things at regionals and then hopefully states after that.” Glenwood wasn’t the only school to find success Roaring Fork senior Isabella Moon found bronze twice during Saturday’s event finishing the 800 meter sprint in 2:45.64 and the 1600 in 5:49.24 Basalt senior Jared Tennenbaum squeaked his way onto the podium with two third place finishes during the 110 meter (15.38) and 300 meter hurdles (41.20) Rifle junior Yadier Loya swept the throwing events winning the boys discus (138-2) and shot put (47-6.5) “We just have to keep up with the training regiment that our coach lays out for us,” Hesse said “If we keep our noses to the grindstone then the results will be excellent.” Glenwood Springs and other area teams will flock to Coal Ridge High School on Saturday to participate in the Coal Ridge Invitational trying to grind through the last meets of the season before the state track championship tournament held on May 15 at the Jeffco Stadium in Lakewood Glenwood Springs – Senior Dylan Partch second boys 300 meter hurdles (41.16); senior Morgan Kelly second girls pole vault (8-10); senior Maria Angeles Roaring Fork – First girls 4×800 (10:51.65) third boy pole vault (11-4); sophomore Effie Fletcher Success on the baseball diamond is all the more rewarding when playing the game built on failure—and four Glenwood Springs seniors are savoring every moment Glenwood Springs Demons senior core of Joshua Doll and Max Mazur are all looking forward to continuing their baseball careers after tossing their graduation hats in late May.  “My favorite aspect of the game is the bond you make with teammates,” Glenwood senior pitcher and third baseman Max Mazur said not only for being able to play with the same people since I was 8-years-old but for all of my teammates I’ve gotten to know over the last four years.” The longtime teammates will soon head in different directions across the country and Doll will stay together at Dawson Community College in Glendive Godfread is headed to Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix while Mazur will pitch for Rainy River Community College in International Falls Minnesota — just shy of the Canadian border “I am thrilled to continue the game of baseball,” Glenwood’s starting catcher Joshua Doll said “It has been a part of my life since the day that I could even pick up a ball The end of my high school season is only the beginning of a new chapter and I can’t wait to see what that future holds I think trying to soak in every moment of my senior year of baseball rides side by side with the focus of being successful.” After playing various positions throughout their childhoods while Irving and Doll will continue to hone their skills in the field Doll said he’s especially excited to improve his game calling while Irving looks to step up as an infielder “I’m going to be pitching in college,” Mazur said “I am very excited to see how I face up against the next level of competition I can’t wait to get better and see where I’m at in two years.” Finding success on the baseball diamond doesn’t commonly show up on the agenda The best players in the world succeed just three out of 10 times — so when the players do find success Baseball players are often made up of unique personalities and intense workers which helps weed out the players who aren’t as serious about the sport.  “Each of these boys is not only a good baseball player but also well-rounded individuals who take care of their business in the classroom and contribute positively to their community,” Demons head coach Rob Norville said “That is something that I try to instill in my players – they are students first and the lessons they learn through the game of baseball can be applied to many other aspects of life.”  Seeing four players from the same small mountain town team reach the collegiate level is rare It speaks not only to their individual talents but to their commitment and passion for the game “My favorite part about the game of baseball is the technicality of it Baseball is a game that not many people tend to understand and to be able to have such a unique input on how the game works is astonishing,” Glenwood senior catcher Joshua Doll said “Every minute aspect of baseball that people often overlook is what draws this game so close to me An elevated level of understanding for the game I love.” Although graduation season and the high school seniors’ next life steps are just around the corner they are still laser focused on finishing the season on a strong note.  “I have found that not taking any moment for granted has been super important for me,” Mazur said “Not only to make memories but I find that being supportive and upbeat whenever my teammates find success is essential to building team chemistry It enhances our game and makes us all better.” while adding that being in the trenches alongside teammates is a comforting feeling.  “I have a very deep passion about this game,” he said “Putting in every ounce of effort I can to try and give my team a shot at succeeding is how I collect the best moments out of the season I enjoy the grind and the struggle because I know that my team and I benefit from times when things look like they are going south There is nothing that beats the feeling of your entire team going at it with as much energy and effort as they can for a full seven innings.” 3-2 in the 4A Western Slope League which places them second in the rankings After dropping three of five games earlier in April Glenwood has bounced back with a three-game winning streak The Demons will go on their last road trips of the season over the next week and a half They face the Montrose Red-Tailed Hawks on Saturday in Montrose before facing league opponents in five of their last six regular season games The seniors will be honored on senior night during their last home game against the Eagle Valley Devils on Saturday News | Feb 26 Mind Springs Health will close its Glenwood Springs withdrawal management facility on March 10 The decision follows financial struggles and upcoming state and federal regulatory changes. The $1.8 million facility was funded through a collaboration of local governments, hospitals, and grants, including $200,000 from the city of Glenwood Springs. In May 2024, Garfield County commissioners approved a $49,500 grant to Mind Springs Health for operational costs The county also supplied $100,000 through its share of Colorado Opioid Settlement funds Glenwood Springs Mayor Ingrid Wussow said the closure is frustrating after so much effort went into the project “It was vetted by so many different organizations,” Wussow said “The community was behind this and it’s just so unfortunate that the execution did not play out to be such a success.” Garfield County Commissioner Mike Samson said officials spent years working to bring a detox facility to the area only to see it disappear less than a year after opening its doors “And now the wheels fall off the bus.” those experiencing withdrawal will need to rely on hospitals or other regional services “We return to what we were doing prior to this facility opening,” Wussow said “We’re fortunate Valley View and Grand River are capable but they were already holding us up before this facility even existed.” The closure comes a little more than three months after Mind Springs entered into a management agreement with Florida-based Larkin Health System Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said new laws requiring higher standards for withdrawal management centers contributed to the closure “That was a shock to us,” Jankovsky said “We went through this whole planning process then found out all detox facilities will have to meet a new standard The detox facility isn’t the only Mind Springs facility shutting down the only inpatient psychiatric hospital on the Western Slope Jankovsky said the county wasn’t given much warning about either decision “We were completely caught off guard,” Jankovsky said The withdrawal management program in Grand Junction will remain open News | Mar 30 the Boettcher Foundation has invested in Colorado’s next generation awarding over $110 million in scholarships to the state’s top students the foundation selects 50 of the most promising high school seniors from nearly 2,000 applicants across the state Those chosen receive a full-ride scholarship to any Colorado university of their choice The foundation partners with Colorado universities to split the cost of the four-year scholarship The program’s goal is to keep Colorado’s top students in-state with the hope they’ll continue to contribute to their communities after graduation “Boettcher Scholars are selected for their academic achievement and service and leadership in their schools and communities,” Boettcher Foundation President and CEO Katie Kramer said in a press release “The Boettcher Scholarship is an investment in our state’s doers and difference makers It not only recognizes their past achievements but their future impacts to the State of Colorado.” two of the 50 recipients are seniors at Glenwood Springs High School: Ty Hesse and Amanda Madden “I’m so proud to be even in the running,” Hesse said just thinking back on the application process and how many people first applied I just feel so grateful to be a member of this group of 50 and to be representing the Glenwood community.” Hesse and Madden stood out for their dedication to serving their hometown Both have shown an extraordinary commitment to improving the Glenwood Springs community in unique ways a three-year volunteer with Sunlight Ski Patrol has spent countless hours on conservation projects—building and maintaining trails and taking down barbed wire fences to allow wildlife to migrate more freely “I think the foundation took notice of how I am a Western Colorado kid,” he said and I love to take the time to give back to my community Growing up in Western Colorado is really unique especially in Glenwood where we are so connected to the outdoors.” Madden has made her mark in a different way She’s a member of the state champion Glenwood Springs mock trial team captain of the volleyball and tennis teams a costumer for four consecutive high school theater productions and the youth representative on the Glenwood Springs Parks and Recreation Commission Along with strong academics and a long list of extracurriculars Madden has also delved into professional tailoring As part of Sew Chic for the past three years she’s developed a passion for creating sustainable clothing Inspired by her family’s military background she donates 20% of her proceeds to the Western Slope Veterans Coalition “My dad and grandparents were in the Navy,” Madden said “I’ve always wanted to help the veterans I also work as their social media manager.” Madden was also awarded a Navy ROTC scholarship which offers a full ride to any college in the country She received acceptance letters from Penn State University and Brown University she is leaning toward attending the University of Colorado Boulder “I was going to take the Navy scholarship I don’t think I am going to take it,” she said “The whole point of the Boettcher is to keep students in Colorado and I think that is really important.” Since academy students don’t pay tuition he’s now deciding between the academy and CU Boulder “The fact that the two schools are so different makes this process fairly unique,” he said “I know I can get a great education at both institutions and I’m really grateful that we have such great schools in Colorado.” He said neither school has emerged as a clear front-runner as both offer strong communities and future opportunities “Having the Boettcher Scholarship program by my side CU Boulder would supply a great cohort and community of scholars and that would be wonderful to go along with the alumni network,” Hesse said “But there is a fairly similar community at Air Force and the opportunities that being in the Air Force provide on its own are hard to ignore Either choice will give me incredible opportunities.” Both students first learned about the Boettcher Scholarship through family members Hesse’s mother was awarded the scholarship in the early ’90s “I’ve always known about it through her,” he said “I figured once it got to be my turn to apply to those sorts of things Madden said she wasn’t initially focused on applying but was encouraged by her school counselor “My sister was a semifinalist when she was in high school,” she said “I wasn’t even really concerned with it but my school counselor said I should apply Neither student has made a final decision on where they’ll attend but both are expected to make a major impact wherever they go News | Mar 6 Glenwood Springs has been missing a certain type of community connection since the legendary Gear Exchange on sixth street closed.  manager and ReplayGWS co-owner is stepping up to fill the role and help the Glenwood Springs community access valuable and affordable sporting gear.  is committed to supplying every member of the community with sporting gear trying to fill the glaring void created by the absence of the Gear Exchange.  “Honestly I started this place because I started to run out of room in my garage,” Fishman said with a smile because he has a lot of business knowledge and I have a lot of gear knowledge There has been a void in the community ever since the Gear Exchange went out of business everyone has had to drive to other places for gear There was a real itch in the community for this type of business.” ReplayGWS will host a grand opening on March 8 and 9 with food and a store wide 25% discount cherry on top from 10 a.m “The store is just going to eat the deficits because we want to get as many people in here as possible we’ll have food and drink and fun,” Fishman said The store ran a soft opening in February and the community has already shown the need of a sporting consignment store in Glenwood Springs.  “We want to get people outdoors without having them pay an arm and a leg to get out there,” Fishman said “We want to make this a community spot and we want to keep stuff out of the landfill we can accomplish all three of those goals.” the biggest constraint for youth in many sports is price and access to equipment their gear only gets a year or two of use before becoming too small “You know how fast they grow,” Fishman said “It’s great because they can get skis here and then they can bring them back and get a taller pair when they outgrow the initial pair They can go through their whole growth without actually having to buy a pair of new skis.” Fishman said he can already feel the community’s need and is already growing his clientele “I’ve already gotten a ton of support,” he said “My client list is already huge from people who have already cosigned stuff Everyone is just so excited that they don’t have to drive anywhere and they do consignment right here in town Everything is priced very fairly and we’re always taking donations.” ReplayGWS opened in the heyday of winter sports but will take on a different face when spring and summer begins to show their face ReplayGWS is selling any and all types of winter sporting gear News | Mar 12 The Smith and Duffy families have helped shape Glenwood Springs since the 1930s Nelly and James Duffy purchased three parcels of land became the first female mayor of Glenwood Springs and the first woman to serve as a Garfield County commissioner the pasture directly north of the Glenwood Springs Colorado Mountain College campus has been a staple of Blake Street longer than the street has been paved CMC recently took ownership of three parcels of land that stretch from mountain to Grand Avenue and are in the preliminary stages of setting up a park and affordable housing in a prime location.  Duffy Smith expressed her wish for the land to go to CMC to support the college and the broader Glenwood Springs community The college took ownership of three parcels of land behind City Market starting near the Doc Holiday trailhead and finishing on the sidewalk of Grand Avenue the three parcels were all transferred in one transaction The relationship between family and school remained strong after a seamless transaction.   so that’s what we were trying to do,” CMC President Matt Gianneschi said.  preliminary plans promise to keep the pasture as an outdoor area potentially an extension of their early childcare center The other two parcels are in the toddler stages of investigations digging for the reality of affordable housing built up on currently untapped land.  “Our plan for the pasture next to the campus is to keep it as open space,” Gianneschi said “We are working with Aspen Valley Land Trust to keep that as permanent open space It’s one of the few remaining original open spaces that looks like it did 200 years ago We are looking at the open space on the west side of Blake for affordable housing for faculty and staff that we are able to develop that to be an area where professionals or young families in the area who are having to deal with the very high cost of housing in our region The college and Marian worked together through her final years CMC acquired the land to invest in the future of Glenwood Springs.  “My mom had talked to CMC about possibly working with the college so they could purchase the land it never really took off,” Marian’s daughter Maylinn Smith said “It wasn’t until after my mother and uncle passed when they reached out again and asked if we were still interested They fully reflected the goals that my parents have expressed so we were interested in doing it.” Gianneschi reiterated the college’s commitment to upholding the strong relationship between the school and family.  “We feel both a sense of permanence and community,” Gianneschi said “We are deeply connected to every community we serve it allowed us an opportunity to fulfill what we believed while simultaneously upholding our relationship with the community.” After acquiring the land just two months ago and tangible evidence may not be visible until 2026 “Sometimes you plan and it never happens and then sometimes you sort of have an idea everything comes together,” Gianneschi said “So it’s hard to know exactly what may or may not happen but I would say our goal is to have a formal plan within the next 18 months.” News | Feb 13 Glenwood Springs High School is gearing up for its spring production “Anastasia.” The curtains will first open on Friday The musical tells the tragic tale of Anastasia Romanov the fourth daughter of Russia’s last imperial family Glenwood Springs High students will bring the story to life over the final two weekends in February.  The show is directed by longtime local theater figure and current GSHS theater director Amy Moritz with music directed by GSHS choir director Shanti Mae Gruber.  “It’s been kind of on a bucket list for both Amy and I,” Gruber explained “We decided to do a different show that wasn’t as ensemble heavy last year But we have a terrific freshman and sophomore class that came up So we have the numbers and talent in our ensemble to do a bigger show like Anastasia.” GSHS sophomore Audrey Trask will take center stage as Anya She will be joined in the lead by junior A.J and Andrew Schleep playing Vlad and Gleb.  The play brings you back to the overthrow of the Russian oligarchs and the transformation of royal Russia into the Soviet Union She was said to be the only member of the family to make it out of the revolution and the audience follows her from royalty to orphanhood and then ultimately the GSHS theater department put their heads down and have been working their tails off to put on an amazing performance for the community.  So we’ve been rehearsing basically since November,” Gruber said “There’s still some fine tuning but we’re going to be ready for opening night for sure.” With the final week of rehearsals approaching Gruber said she is ultra confident in her students as they head into the final stretch Dress rehearsals will feature live musicians to help the cast adjust to the full production experience “It’s just that nervousness of We’ve got a lot of work to do.'” Gruber said “But I’m not nervous about the students and we’re probably in the best shape we’ve ever been at this point before our final week.” The play opens Friday, Feb. 21, at the Jeannie Miller Theater at Glenwood Springs High School and will run throughout the final two weekends of the month. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students, children, and seniors. Tickets can be reserved in advance at Cur8.com and will also be available for purchase at the door with cash or credit card