2019-10

Composting and Recycling

Composting Continues

in Redstone

Pitkin County has agreed to support the continued collection of compost in Redstone using an honor system. The dumpster is in its usual location behind the fire station but is now available anytime to individuals who wish to deposit materials. Access is secured only by carabiners, so please pay attention to rescuing them as well as double-checking the closure of the carabiner gates to ensure that animals stay out!

Acceptable Materials:

• Food scraps: Vegetables, fruits, peelings, grains, beans, meats, bones, fish, cheese, pasta, coffee grounds, tea bags

• Non-recyclable paper: Coffee filters, pizza boxes, paper egg cartons, paper towels, paper plates and cups, tissue and shredded office paper

• Small plants: Flowers, leaves, grass clippings, mulch, twigs, branches no thicker than your little finger and no longer than your arm

Materials NOT Accepted: Plastic, metal, glass, styrofoam, larger branches

Recycling to Begin in Marble

The Marble Town Council is scheduled to vote on a recycling program during their regular meeting on Thursday, October 3, 7:00 p.m. at the Marble Community Church. If approved, the program will begin mid-to-late October, and Ryan Vinciguerra, Mayor of Marble, would like to extend an invitation to all valley residents to participate. Please check back in the November issue of The Crystal Valley Echo for more information.

Redstone

Senior Days

TUESDAY 10/8

• Tai Chi is canceled

• 11:30 am – Yoga ($5)

• 12:30 pm – Lunch (RSVP by Friday prior, $5)

• 1:00 pm – Program: Acoustic Guitar with Dwight Ferren

PLEASE RSVP: (970) 920-5432

Senior Spooktacular

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22nd at the Redstone Inn

BLIZZARD BOXES 9:00am - 2:00pm

• 3-day supply of shelf-stable food to have on hand in winter

• For Pitkin County seniors in rural areas, at no cost to you

• Order your Blizzard Box by calling (970) 920-5432

FLU SHOTS 9:00am - 11:30am All ages welcome!

• Regular: $30, High-dose: $50

• Covered by Medicaid, Medicare and some insurance; bring your card.

SMILES FOR SENIORS 9:00am - 4:00pm

• Call for an appointment (970) 309-2064

• Comprehensive Cleaning and Screening $85 (financial assistance available)

COLORADO WEST AUDIOLOGY 9:00am - 2:00pm

• Free hearing exams in a mobile audiology unit

• Call to schedule a 30-minute test (970) 920-5432

ADDITIONAL SENIOR SERVICES 9:00am - 2:00pm

• Consultations on Care Navigation, Economic Assistance, Veterans Services, and Medicare

CHAIR MASSAGE with Gentrye 10:00 am - 12:30 pm

LUNCH 12:30 pm Please RSVP (970) 920-5432

• ($5) followed by dessert and Halloween treats

WANT TO BE KEPT IN THE LOOP?

Send us your email address: (970) 920-5432 • seniors@pitkincounty.com

Mission Statement: To provide a voice for Crystal Valleyites; to bring attention to the individuals and local businesses that are the fabric of the Crystal Valley region; to contribute to the vitality of our small town life.

Editor • Gentrye Houghton

Publisher • Ryan Kenney

Contributor • Charlotte Graham

ADVERTISING SALES

Gentrye Houghton • 970-963-1495

GentryeH@hotmail.com

DISTRIBUTION

The Crystal Valley Echo is published monthly, and is distributed throughout the Crystal Valley.

NEWSPAPER BOX LOCATIONS:

Carbondale City Market (inside) • Marble Hub

Carbondale Post Office • Redstone Inn

Redstone General Store • Marble Gallery FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS

Please send $40 for printed or $25 for Digital along with address information to:

The Crystal Valley Echo

364 Redstone Blvd., Redstone, CO 81623

FOR THE GRILL

Everday from 8 am to 11:30 am Until mid-October, call to confirm -LUNCH Everyday from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm -DINNER in the Grill Daily!

DINING ROOM is now open -Thursdays - Saturday's 5:30 - 8:30 pm • POOL CLOSED for the season

Helen Kline and I sat down in The Marble Hub’s upstairs meeting room so I could catch up with this prolific writer-author living in the Crystal River Valley.

With five novels already on the Hub’s “Local Authors” bookshelf, Helen talked about her sixth book due out soon. Black Raven is the last in a trilogy featuring Marshal Kidd, an Indian U.S. Marshall. “I’m half-way done. And I’m really excited about the cover of Black Raven. Right now, I’m just anxious to find the time to stop everything I’m doing and lock myself in my sewing room for a week. Just leave me alone so I can do this.” Jack Nichols couldn’t have said it better.

Getting to Know You

oh well, get up. Never quit. Never give up.”

Pretty sage advice eh, from a maybe not-soboring-after-all writer-grandma? But wait! There’s more!

Charlotte Graham

What got her started in this vein of writing? “My books are all set in the 1800s. I like that era. Grandma Ada is my best seller. It piques the interest of all ages. I admired her so much and wanted something said about her. All my books are fast-reading. Because I talk in simple language. I don’t know any big words, so I don’t use any big words. And I don’t put them in my books. I keep it simple. But they are constantly moving.

Helen, like most of us, came here from “somewhere else.” She likes to refer to her life as just so many chapters.

“I look at everything I do as I’m ready to start a new chapter. Mine started in Minnesota, then to Illinois, to Arizona, and, ultimately, to Marble,” Helen said. “Married at 16, I was determined to get my High School diploma, and I got my two-year college associate degree.”

At one time, she drove a tandem-trailer milk truck. She was a vocalist in a Country-Western band. Nowadays, her kidsBrian, Brad, and Pat - all play music in one form or another. “Eventually life brought me to Marble.”

Helen claims, “I’m just a little old lady with five kids and a bunch of grandkids. I’m boring.” However, her life tells another tale.

“I’m not afraid to try something new. If you want something in life, you just work until you get it. And you don’t say you can’t. You just keep going. If you’re afraid to take a chance, you’re lost. Because everything you do is a chance. If you fall on your face,

“My first house in Marble was an old broken-down place, only half-finished. I lived in it with a wood cookstove and blue-tarped roof for two years. It was on a corner lot across from the firehouse. That’s how I met Roger.”

Helen’s significant other, Roger Ball, has been a firefighter for the Carbondale Rural Fire and Protection District (CRFPD) for 28 years.

“The house was so dilapidated, the only way to clear the lot was to burn it down. So CRFPD used it as a training event for their volunteers. I still say to Roger, ‘The only reason we’re together is because you burned my house down.’ To which he replies, ‘Burning your house down was the only way I could get your attention.”

We also talked about aging. “I don’t listen when someone says, ‘at your age, you shouldn’t do’ … this or that. When you think about the number of your age, [65, 75, etc.] interfering with anything you are doing or decisions you make, you are handicapping yourself. I don’t think there is any age limit. I don’t think about how old I am. I feel like there’s not a whole lot I can’t do; physically maybe, but mentally, I don’t handicap myself by my age. When I hear ‘I’m retired so I don’t have to do this,’ or ‘I can’t do that,' you are making a fool of yourself because you are silly. Would you want your kids to quit when they turn 65? Where are they gonna go?”

Before Helen can lock herself in her sewing room this winter, she’ll head to Deadwood for the annual South Dakota Festival of Books in October.

“It is a new experience for me. Huge. Indoors. 122 authors this year. Very wellknown authors. I have a booth there but I’m going with the idea to learn.”

Then it’s off to Quartzite, Ariz., where she will be displaying her artwork along with her plethora of books.

All of Helen’s books are available at The Marble Hub. I just bought Grandma Ida

Helen Kline

Campfire Confessions

On September 6, 2009, Ryan and I married in his parents’ backyard in Amarillo, Tex. Six weeks later, we opened the doors to an indoor rock climbing gym, Amarillo Rock Climbing House (ARCH), and ultimately began the journey that would bring us to Redstone.

We started climbing in a little rundown gym in Tulsa, Okla., while Ryan was attending Law School and I worked traveling with an American Saddlebred horse publication, reporting on shows and selling advertisements. After returning from a work trip, Ryan shared an idea he’d been thinking about, “Let’s check out New Heights and learn to rock climb!”

At the time, New Heights was mostly being run by some high school kids while the owner was going through Nursing School; the gym was in a state of neglect and needed a massive facelift, which it eventually received.

endeavor. I’m not going to lie, my father was hurt by this decision; however, it was his dream for all three of his children to own businesses, and without his generosity, we wouldn’t have been able to fund this undertaking, for which I am eternally grateful.

In August, we signed a lease on a 9,000-square foot industrial building with a 25-foot pitched roof that was full of heavy-duty shelving, once home to an electrical parts warehouse, equipped with front office space, bathrooms, and a 400-square foot apartment in the back. This building couldn’t have been a better fit for what we were looking for, as young college graduates moving “home” to start a business, it would have been difficult for us to afford both a commercial and residential lease.

“If this gym can sustain itself, I think we could do this,” Ryan said, one afternoon as I placed my toes on some holds to start up a route. We’d already been talking about trying to start a business together once he graduated, and were searching for ideas that we were passionate about.

So, we lined out a few key traits while picking a city for such a business: We were looking for cities that didn’t already have an existing gym or University with a wall, one that offered centralized access to outdoor climbing, and a population of around 100,000. Ultimately, we chose to return to our hometown, a city twice as large than what we wanted, but since we both grew up there we’d have access to a network of family and friends that we wouldn’t have elsewhere.

We diligently created a business plan, taking us over a year to finalize and perfect. After he graduated in May, we returned to Amarillo and started painting houses to raise capital. When I graduated from Oklahoma State with a degree in Journalism in 2007, I was very fortunate to have been gifted a 1969 LeMans Blue SS Camaro with white SS-stripes and houndstooth interior (I loved that car!), that I deemed “The Great Gonzo,” and used the sale of the vehicle to largely fund the gym

An engineering friend of the family drew up our wall plans so that we could acquire the proper permits, and another family friend spent an extra week with us after our wedding to teach Ryan how to frame the climbing walls. The tallest sections for top-roped climbing occupied the space along the pitch and allowed for 24-foot routes that we surrounded with shorter bouldering walls, for approximately 5,000-square feet of climbing surface.

As the walls began to take shape, the Amarillo climbing community came out of the woodworks to help us with the construction. They helped us pound thousands of t-nuts into sheets of plywood that would eventually be used to attach climbing holds, lay flooring, painting, and even setting our first climbing routes. They would work late in the night with us when we needed it and even ordered pizzas for all of us. Without this new [to us] tightknit community, we would have never been able to open ARCH’s doors in the timeframe that we did, and many from this small group remain some of our closest relationships to date.

Towards the end of that first month of construction, I took a job with a local television news station working nights and producing an hour and a half of morning news content. It was pretty exhausting writing, planning, and editing video all night, sleeping a portion of the day, and waking up to hammers and circular saws in the afternoon. I left the news station that following year; as the demands of owning and operating a climbing gym in-

creased, I couldn’t sustain juggling the schedule of both.

We watched the balance of our bank account dwindle, and towards the beginning of October picked an opening date based on the estimation of when funds would run out. Ryan and I put a call out on Facebook that we’d be

opening soon, and began the hiring process.

One girl showed up to an interview in metallic pink stiletto heels with her bum hanging out of her skirt, which was only the first of many indications that she was not a

good fit. Ryan and I were aware that one of our weaknesses in starting this business was our lack of climbing experience, so we opened our doors with a handful of employees all with various levels of climbing skills and all more knowledgable than either of us.

On October 19, 2009, we stood behind our front counter with two employees, twiddling our thumbs for the first couple of hours and praying to the climbing gods for at least a few people to show up. We ended up being overrun with business; not only did we gain about 20 members, but a church youth group surprised us with over 80 eager climbers.

For almost five years, we and the gym continued to grow and change. We learned that birthday parties were our bread and butter, and both became certified Climbing Wall Instructors so that we could offer classes, including one offered through the local community college as well as creating climbing teams in which our kids received Physical Education credits (not an easy feat in the state of Texas!).

We went through our instructor training in 2010 during the annual Climbing Wall Association Summit in Boulder, Colo. It was there that we first met Duane Raleigh, a Redstone resident and Owner/Publisher of Rock and Ice magazine with their office in Carbondale. Ryan and I knew we didn’t want to stay in Amarillo forever, so from my conversation with “D.R.,” I applied for an Editorial Internship. It took over two years before the timing

would work out, and I arrived at the Rock and Ice office just after our wedding anniversary during the Fall of 2012. Up to this point, I’d only visited the Front Range a few times and was completely in awe during my solo drive out to the Western Slope. This area is what I’d always dreamed of when thinking about Colorado, and I fell in love with the climbing community of the Roaring Fork.

Ryan, of course, stayed behind to manage the gym but shared the same enchantment I experienced when he came up a few weeks later to visit. We daydreamed together about what a luxury it would be to live somewhere with the same access to quality climbing routes, trails, and peaks, as well as a community that shares the same priorities in the outdoors.

He visited a month later, and we decided to create a three-year plan to leave Amarillo and move somewhere in the mountains. Upon the next visit another month later, Ryan asked, “Do you think you could find a job here?” Before Christmas, I accepted a job running the climbing program at the Carbondale Recreation Center.

The next step was to find a place to live. When the colors changed that fall, we'd driven down Highway 133 on our way to climb in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. I’d never seen that color of golden yellow before, and we’d wondered what were those beehive things; ironically, the home we found within our budget was the Rock House in Crystal River Park, and officially moved to Redstone in February 2013.

Without the chaotic opening of our little climbing gym, we may have never found this little gem that we get to call our home. We sold the business in 2014, and it again changed hands just this spring but continues to serve the climbing community of our hometown.

Happy 10th Anniversary, ARCH… what a wild ride that endeavor has sent us on!

OCTOBER 2019

Oct. 1: The Redstone Community Association meets for their regular board meeting. Agenda items include Halloween, Grand Illumination, and more. 7 p.m. at the Redstone Inn.

Oct. 2: Bennet Staff Listens to Gunnison County

Do you need help dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs, IRS, Social Security Administration, or another federal agency? Or a suggestion for Congress that will help your family or community? If so, then Senator Michael Bennet invites you to meet one-on-one with a member of his staff during the upcoming office hours.

Gunnison

Wednesday, October 2nd, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Gunnison County Courthouse Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room 200 East Virginia Avenue Gunnison, CO 81230

Crested Butte

Wednesday, October 2nd, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Crested Butte Town Hall Building Meeting Room Junior 507 Maroon Avenue

Crested Butte, CO 81224

To schedule an appointment during Janet’s office hours, send an email to janet_wolf@bennet.senate.gov. Please include a brief description of the issue you want to address, as this will help her assist you. If you are already working with someone in Bennet’s office, please include that information in your email, as well.

Those without email access can call (970) 259-1710. Constituents do not need to wait for listening session dates to ask for help or share opinions. Please call any Bennet office at any time for assistance.

Oct. 3: The Town of Marble holds their regular council meeting at the Marble Community Church, 7 p.m.

Oct. 8: Lisa Wagner's Body Fusion class resumes. 8:30 - 10 a.m. at the Redstone Inn. All are welcome!

Oct. 8: The Penny Hot Springs Steering Committee is scheduled to meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the meeting room at Carbondale Town Hall. The committee will be developing strategies that will be used to create a draft plan. All meetings are open to the public. More information may be found at www.PitkinOSTprojects.com.

Crystal Calendar

Send event information to gentryeh@hotmail.com

Oct. 8: The Redstone Water & Sanitation District meets for their regular board meeting at the Redstone Inn, 7 p.m. For more information, please e-mail ryan.e.kenney@gmail.com

Oct. 12: Second Saturdays in Marble. Live artists demonstrations and classes. Various places throughout town. Please check out the Marble Hub on Facebook or visit their website: TheMarbleHub.org

Oct. 13: Remember that really fun “Art Heist” event Carbondale Arts and Dance Initiative hosted back in 2017 where guests were able to “steal” artwork right off the walls of the R2 Gallery? Well, get ready, this evening of thrilling high jinks is coming back! The event was a HUGE success and will be happening again on Sunday, October 13. However, this time, instead of thieves sneaking into a museum, we’re going to the Wild Wild West with train robberies, cowboys and the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

If you’re unfamiliar with the event, guests are admitted into the gallery in secrecy with the chance to “steal” artwork (donated by artists and art collectors) hanging on the walls of our R2 Gallery. In addition to the heist, guests will enjoy cocktails by Woody Creek Distillers, hors d'oeuvres by Slow Groovin’ BBQ, alluring entertainment, dinner and after-party at The Way Home with live music and black jack. It’s also a great opportunity to pull out a fancy dress and your cowboy hat as theme appropriate or cocktail attire is encouraged.

To purchase tickets visit: http://www.launchpadcarbondale.com/artheist

ONGOING

Redstone Castle Tours: Guided tours of the recently restored and renovated Historic Redstone Castle. Reservations required online at TheRedstoneCastle.com, by phone at 970-963-9656, or at the Redstone Inn. $25 adults, $20 Seniors(65+), $10 children (5-18).

Propaganda Pie: Monday Night Football Pizza Special at Propaganda Pie. Receive 10% off all large specialty pizzas. With the NFL Ticket, we have every single game all season long. For more information: (970) 963-9515

Starting in October: Locals Night at Propaganda Pie. An all you can eat buffet ($15) every Friday night,

5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Menu will vary week to week all winter long. For more information: 970-963-9515

October 18: Spaghetti and Meatballs

October 25: Taco Night

November 1: Meatloaf

The Redstone Knitting Group meets every 1st, 3rd, and if there is a 5th, Wed. of the month at the Redstone Inn from 4-6 p.m. All levels welcome, or just come to visit. Call Kay at 970-963-9811 for questions.

Slow Groovin BBQ has live music on Fridays 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Look for the food truck at the Thursday Rodeo in Carbondale and the glenwood Music in the Park. 101 W. 1st St. Marble. slowgroovinbbq.com. 970-963-4090

Steve's Guitars in downtown Carbondale offers a range of live music in an intimate setting. Carbondale Recreation Department offers classes and programs for kids and adults. carbondalerec.com. 970-704-4190.

Body Fusion Class with Lisa Wagner. Meets every Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30-10 am at the Redstone Inn. All are welcome!

The Redstone Community Association board meets the First Tuesday of the month at 7pm at the Redstone Inn. All meetings are open to the public!

Country Dancing every Tuesday night in the Round Room at Third Street Center in Carbondale. Lesson at 7, open dance 7:30-9:30. $8 per person. No partner or experience necessary. BillyPat4@gmail.com. 970-366-6463.

First Fridays in Carbondale celebrates the arts, shopping, dining and music from 5 pm on the first Friday of every month downtown. carbondale.com

New this Season. Second Saturdays in Marble with a variety of activities at multiple locations throughout Marble. Please check out the Marble Hub for more information.

Ongoing events at The Marble Hub include art studio tours, cooking classes, outdoor movies, community dinners, MarbleFest, Marble Living History Day, book club, and other activities. Watch the Hub website for more information. themarblehub.org. All events meet at the Marble Hub. 105 West Main St. Marble. 970-963-1141.

If you have any good stories, submissions, pictures or events please send them to us at:

Redstone Art Show

used to work together for Marble

It was sort of a accidental mini reunion as Patti and Pam we’re both artists in the show; Patti now lives in Grand Junction and the Yarrow’s in Glenwood Springs.

Picking to Repurpose by Charlotte Graham

When we met up, Craig Stifter, co-owner of Tiffany of Redstone, could barely contain his excitement to reveal their new half-hour TV show, Picking2Repurpose (P2R) on Rocky Mountain PBS, debuting Saturday, November 2nd at 4 p.m. MT.

Not only locals but anyone who’s ever visited or even just passed through Redstone will want to mark this date. This totally “real deal, live, and in color” Colorado-centric program

is not one to be missed. “We have five more episodes in the can plus a holiday show,” Stifter added.

Got it? P2R Debut. RMPBS. 11-2-19, 4:00 PM. That’s the When.

Here’s Why you should tune in: To check out P2R’s dynamic team consisting of Stifter, the visionary, and his co-host and sometimes-maybe nemesis, Deborah Taylor, also

of Redstone.

Film and music production pros, props, and scenery from the Crystal River Valley have helped these two bring P2R to life: Chris Tribble of Versatile Productions Inc., and Larry Good, music composer and producer, provided the P2R’s theme song “The Junkman’s Comin’.” Clark Heckert also provided his 1957 Willys pickup truck. Not to mention, there’s Colorado’s finest-ever scenery.

Now for the Who and What

“Dream. Believe. Do. Three words every entrepreneur lives by,” Stifter explained. “P2R has been a long-time dream of mine that I always believed in. And, finally, this year — we’re doing it!”

As all entrepreneurs learn, he acknowledged, “The actual ‘Do’ is easier said than done.”

While feeding his passion along with a talent for picking and repurposing, he also recognized his needs: his yin needed a yang. Although, some might call it the Yank, as in: A Reality check — How good is the merchandising selling? What works? What sells?!

That’s when Taylor walked through the door. She was one of his father’s, Bob Stifter, good friends, “Her extensive background as a successful vintage dealer, designer and creative retail merchandiser,” Stifter said, “was a natural fit to co-host our P2R show.” Her talent and reputation for “doing” was the final element needed to bring Stifter’s dream to reality.

“This year has been filled with us trying new ideas,” explained Stifter excitedly, “proving concepts, and putting it all together for our first season on Rocky Mountain PBS.”

As Stifter talked on, Taylor sat quietly stitching up moth holes in a vintage blue cashmere cardigan. When he paused to take a breath, she spoke up. Auburn eyebrows arching, making a hatchet-slash motion with her hand, “I’m always telling him, ‘Cut!’”

Listening to their ‘back and forth’ banter, the compatibility of the quirky, funny aspects of their personalities and perspectives was clear, just as you’ll see in their shows: The two love to talk about Colorado treasures they find and repurposing them.

In the episodes, Stifter leans more towards a sense of order, while Taylor is totally off the cuff. “I don’t do ‘scripted,’” she scoffed.

Where did their mutual passion of all things vintage and antique begin?

relax + soak massage + yoga

“I ‘blame’ it all on my parents!” Stifter says. “Growing up in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago in the 1970s, … I tagged along with my dad on picks ranging from the infamous Maxwell Street Market to the enormous M&R Double Drive-In Flea Market and all in between, all the usual junk jaunts: Estate sales, garage sales, alley dumpster-diving, and doing what Dad referred to as ‘checking the traps’ a.k.a. hitting his favorite junk stops,” Stifter remembers. “Criss-crossing Chicago in my Dad’s old pick-up truck full of junk, people would comically yell out ‘Hey Sanford and Son!’ What fun for a young child.”

“I’m from New York originally,” Taylor said. “My background from the Fashion Institute of Technology was always in interior design. All my life, I’ve been attracted to fashion— Big Time. My mother knew every fabric there was, so I was groomed and educated about tactile things.”

Immediately evident to this writer entering the 20-year-old store was Taylor’s hand in the newer sense-of-time-and-place. Oftentimes, antique stores can become jumbled, dusty, and in disarray. Not here! The energy experienced upon walking across the threshold was of a refreshingly palpable rhythm and flow. Paying tribute to the passage of times and eras that transports one through this indoor/outdoor space perched on the Crystal River. Every nook and corner, curve, and wall are tastefully coordinated to display objects in creative ways that enliven one’s memories and connections.

Stifter states, “What makes repurposing so exciting is you are always discovering old items that can be reimagined into a new usage. You’re picking to repurpose and also repurposing too. It’s a never-ending journey."

Bob had a sign hung out in front of the store — We buy junk, We sell antiques. “My father [was] a man always ahead of his time!” Stifter laughs. “My mother never did like the sound of that, but this is the basis of today’s Repurposer.

“Repurposing is all about connecting with your home surroundings,” he says. “Mass-produced furnishings have no soul, substance, or story. On the other end of the spectrum, the antiques and art world have a reputation for being lofty and pretentious, an image that has run aground with today’s consumers.

“As more people yearn to do new, unexpected, and creative things with vintage items — choosing possessions that have

required.

a backstory and making them their own, [for them] P2R–Picking2Repurpose was born,” Stifter concludes.

“P2R is showing people another generational point-of-view of what’s going on now,” Taylor added. “We enlighten people of how great it was when things were real and didn’t fall apart. I like the sustainability of our things that we repurpose.”

Stifter agrees, “Not only do we have finished repurposed items, but we also have a vast offering of relics and salvaged material just waiting for your spark of repurposing creativity.

“Tiffany of Redstone will no longer be called an antique store," he added. "Going forward we will be known for finding the most unique vintage and salvaged items and giving them a new life.”

Remember now! P2R Debut-Saturday, November 2nd, 2019, 4 p.m. on Rocky Mountain PBS.

Tiffany of Redstone dba P2R, 225 Redstone Blvd. Open Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Ph. 970-963-1769. Find Picking2Repurpose (P2R) on Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest.

$195,000 | .20 Acres

Vintage Valley

THE UTE INDIANS

Part 1of 3 by

Larry Meredith

Author

of "This Cursed Valley

The Ute Indians were the first residents of the Crystal River Valley and claimed the Crystal and lower Roaring Fork valleys until the early 1880s when they were expelled to reservations in southwest Colorado and Utah following the infamous Meeker Massacre.

They had spent countless summers relishing a vast area of prime hunting and fishing grounds and many of them wintered at a camp between Rifle and Silt, along the Colorado River. They enjoyed what is now called Penny Hot Springs on the Crystal River and considered Yampah Hot Springs (today’s Glenwood Hot Springs) to be a sacred place of healing.

Majestic Mt. Sopris, which guards the northern entrance to the narrow valley, was hallowed by the Utes. In fact, Ute historians say the valley’s early inhabitants called the mountain “Wemagooah Kazuhchich” or “ancient mountain heart sits there.”

However, the Utes were not confined to this part of the central Colorado Rockies and their forebears can be traced far into the dim early history of this country. Their ancestors were hunter-gatherers who roamed the plains and western plateau around

14,000 years ago. Intriguing and mystical evidence of the existence of those early people is plentiful, such as the cliff dwellings in the Mesa Verde region. These settlements offer glimpses into their lives around four centuries before Columbus arrived.

Some historians and archaeologists speculate that the Utes are the descendants of the Anasazi people, who, in about 1276, deserted their pueblos and cliff dwellings to begin wandering in four directions. It is within this probable migration that the thread of ancient Ute culture may lie.

It is just as probable that some of those people found their ways into the Crystal Valley.

As the Utes established themselves in Colorado, claimed hunting grounds and attached themselves to such current popular locales as Penny Hot Springs, they claimed a domain that once covered about 150,000-square miles. Rulers of what they called “The Shining Mountains,” by other tribes the Utes were known as the “Blue Sky People.”

Author Charles S. Marsh claims they are the only tribe truly native to the state of Colorado; calling themselves “Yuuttaa” and, more familiarly, “Nuche” meaning “the people” or “we the people.” Marsh says the Spaniards called them “Yutas,” the Cheyenne called them “Black People” and they were known as the “Rabbit Skin Robes” by the Omaha and Ponca and “Deer Hunting Men” by the Zuni.

As hunter-gatherers, the Utes established seven major subgroups – the Uintahs, Yampas, Parianucs, Uncompahgres, Weeminuches, Capotes and Mouaches with each group claiming a specific part of what is now Colorado.

The Utes practiced a universal religion in a natural sanctuary of mountains, rivers, and forests whose bounty allowed them a comfortable life. Basing their spirituality on the natural world around them they prayed to spirits representing floods, thunder and lightning, and wild game, and appealed to a spirit of the blood to ward off sickness.

They did not fear death but believed in an afterlife of fair skies where there were great mountains, endless forests, grassy plains, fleet horses, beautiful women, strong men, and sweet rivers that would flow forever.

Such were the people who inhabited the Crystal River Valley long before the white man discovered it, leaving it forever changed.

To Be Continued Next Month…

Material from a wide variety of sources including “Elk Mountains Odyssey” by Paul Andersen and Ken Johnson, Published by the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway.

What's Up with Pitkin County?

The Pitkin County Commissioners hold weekly work sessions on Tuesdays and bi-monthly public hearings on Wednesdays in our BOCC meeting room at the Pitkin County Administration and Sheriff’s Building. Both meetings are televised live and repeated on locater CG12 TV. They are also streamed live and available on the County website. Agendas are posted in the Aspen/Glenwood newspapers and on-line at www.PitkinCounty.com. In this column, your District 5 Commissioner, George Newman offers his take on current matters. You can reach him at george.newman@pitkincounty.com

NOVEMBER 2019 BALLOT QUESTION: PITKIN COUNTY TOBACCO SALES TAX

At our August 28, 2019, regular meeting, the BOCC approved a Ballot Question for a Tobacco Sales Tax as recommended by the Pitkin County Board of Health to replicate the City of Aspen’s ordinance and to support similar recent actions by other local municipalities.

Reports show that tobacco use remains the most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in Colorado, killing more than 5,000 Coloradans each year. Smoking kills more people than alcohol, HIV, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined. Although there has been a decline in cigarette smoking statewide, there has been an increase in e-cigarette use, especially among youth. Colorado has the highest rate of youth use of e-cigarettes in the nation, and Pitkin County high schools have some of the highest rates in the State. Pitkin County also continues to rival the state average for adults who use chew tobacco, and there remains a disparate burden for those most addicted to tobacco products.

ple can go to stores in unincorporated Pitkin County to access tobacco products where these restrictions and deterrents do not apply.

Price increases have been shown to have the largest impact on youth initiation and use, and are considered “equity positive”: for every 10% increase in the price, there is a 7% decrease in youth use with an overall 4% decrease. To maintain their benefit, tobacco taxes must increase over time to account for normalization and inflation. Currently, eight states, the District of Columbia, and three territories have tobacco taxes over $3.00. The highest combined state-local tobacco tax is $7.16 per pack in Chicago (City $1.18; County $3.00; State $2.98).

As a strategy to decrease initiation and use of addictive nicotine-containing products, the BOCC has approved asking Pitkin County voters for a tobacco unit price (sales tax) increase utilizing the following Ballot Question language:

Ballot Issue 1A: A Dedicated Sales Tax on All Cigarettes, Tobacco and Nicotine Products

SHALL PITKIN COUNTY TAXES BE INCREASED IN AN AMOUNT UP TO $700,000 IN 2020 AND BY SUCH ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS AS MAY BE GENERATED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY THE IMPOSI-

TION OF NEW TAXES BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2020, BY A NEW COUNTY SALES TAX OF THREE DOLLARS AND TWENTY CENTS ($3.20) PER PACK OF TWENTY CIGARETTES SOLD AND INCREASING BY AN AMOUNT OF TEN CENTS ANNUALLY THEREAFTER UNTIL THE TAX IS FOUR DOLLARS ($4.00) PER PACK OF TWENTY CIGARETTES; AND BY A NEW SALES TAX OF 40% ON THE SALES PRICE OF ALL OTHER TOBACCO AND NICOTINE PRODUCTS; THESE TAXES SHALL APPLY TO ALL INVENTORY UNDER THE POSSESSION AND CONTROL OF ANY RETAILER AS OF JANUARY 1, 2020; THE TERMS "TOBACCO PRODUCTS" AND “NICOTINE PRODUCTS” HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS IN C.R.S. § 18-13-121(5) EXCLUSIVE OF CIGARETTES; THE TAX REVENUES SHALL BE USED GENERALLY FOR TAX COLLECTION, ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS, SUCH AS TOBACCO AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS; AND THAT THE COUNTY MAY COLLECT, RETAIN AND EXPEND ALL OF THE REVENUES OF SUCH TAXES AND THE EARNINGS THEREON, NOTWITHSTANDING THE LIMITATIONS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?

Vote YES on NOVEMBER 5, 2019: Ballot Question 1A

Nicotine exposure during childhood and adolescence rewires brain development, predisposing young people to further addiction and disrupting learning, memory development, and attention for the short and long-term. One potential explanation for Colorado’s high rates of youth tobacco use is that Colorado has relatively lenient tobacco policy - retailers are not required by state policy to hold a license, the state tobacco tax (at $.84/pack) is one of the lowest in the country (ranked 39th), and e-cigarettes are not included in the tax code.

Fortunately, there is a wealth of research and experience that indicates what works. A 2017 report titled "The Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Control” by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and World Health Organization (WHO) concluded “A substantial body of research, which has accumulated over many decades and from many countries, shows that significantly increasing the excise tax and price of tobacco products is the single most consistently effective tool for reducing tobacco use. Significant increases in tobacco taxes and prices reduce tobacco use by leading some current users to quit, preventing potential users from initiating use, and reducing consumption among current users.” This follows a 2014 Surgeon’s General Report that recommends increasing tobacco taxes to reduce or prevent tobacco use. Specifically, that report states, “Evidence shows that large tax and, hence, price increases will decrease tobacco use each time they are implemented.”

Increasing the legal minimum age of sale, requiring retailers to hold a license to sell tobacco, increasing the price of tobacco products, and restricting the sale of flavored products have all been shown to significantly reduce youth initiation and use. Municipalities in the Roaring Fork region have recently passed many of these policies, including Aspen, Snowmass Village, and Basalt. However, there are still gaps - young peo-

ELECTIONS

VEHICLES

MARRIAGE — obtain marriage and civil union license

JOBS — find job openings

RECORDS — research birth, death & property records

TRAILS — navigate to local trails

THE MARBLE TIMES

Marble Charter School

A tuition free, public charter school serving K-8th grade students in the Crystal River Valley Mission: Marble Charter School teaches a growth mindset in a flexible, unique, and nurturing environment that empowers our learning community to explore significant ideas and exceed state standards.

• Common core curriculum with an emphasis on growth mindset and character building

• Focus on Outdoor Education

• Low student to teacher ratios

• Daily bus service to and from Carbondale Middle School

Please call or email for information and to schedue a tour of our school. 418 West Main Street, Marble, Colorado 81623 970-963-9550 Email: marblecharter@gunnisonschools.net Website: marblecharter.gunnisonschools.net

This Page Sponsored in Part by THE MOBILE MECHANIC, LLC 963-3845 mobilemechanicllc@gmail.com

This Page Sponsored in Part by BEAVER LAKE LODGE 963-2504 BeaverLakeLodge.com On Thursday, September 5th the Amazing Aspen Trees (K-2) had their Outdoor Education trip to Paonia. Students, teachers, parents and bus driver all enjoyed fresh raspberries and blackberries from Austin Farms.

This Page is Sponsored in Part by the Generous Donations from our Readers. Thank you Diane Owens!

At Delicious Orchards the kids were able to have a grand ol’ time picking peaches and swinging on the swings; the Trees also got to explore Ule Creek Falls.

The Outdoor Education experience was memorable and will probably stay on the participants taste buds for awhile!

The last stop was the Elevation Tea Company, where students were able to taste yummy and refreshing teas. We also listened to an interactive story created by the owner and her daughter of the tea company.

Written by Amber McMahill

Lead King Loop Race

Racers, volunteers and community members gathered in Thompson Park in the early morning hours of September 15, 2019, for the 16th Annual Lead King Loop Charity Races. The LKL Charity Races started in 2004 by Debbie and Craig Macek, both teachers at Marble Charter School, who wanted to help raise extra funds for the school and preschool. Both their families were instrumental in supporting them in this charity event, an occurrence that has become the top fundraiser for MCS. On average the race raises $20,000 in much-needed operational funds for the small school. Not to mention it is also Marble's largest happening of the year.

Putting on a Race

Such a large event for such a small community is a major affair. Planning for the race begins the previous spring when school board members and director, Amy Rusby, divvy up tasks. This includes recruiting over 80 volunteers, obtaining all necissary permits from the forest service, gathering around 100 prizes, and securing over 25 sponsors from local businesses. A new feature this year, a beer tent sponsored by Slow Groovin' and Roaring Fork Beer Company, required even more planning and licensing. Collectible glasses and shirts are unique each year. This year Jeremy Dwiggins, a Marble local, designed a bright 'race bib' on a white background.

All the parts and pieces come together on race day, where set-up starts during the dark hours of early morning; the various helpers recognizable only by their headlamps as they go through the work providing aid stations and registration for the race with breakfast and lunch for the hungry runners, their supporters, and the large team of volunteers.

Over 280 people are fed with a huge potluck supplied by MCS's parents and community members. Slow Groovin' supplies sausage and brisket sandwiches to supplement the 15 pots of chili, 26 salads, endless bowls of fruit, chips, bread, and over 50 dozen cookies and brownies.

Running the Race

In addition to the volunteers at the starting line, aid station workers are staged along the 25K trail to provide water, encouragement, and help to runners. The course travels around Beaver Lake and up a steep climb through rocky terrain, reaching an elevation of 11,000 feet in Lead King Basin before dropping down past the Crystal Mill and along the Crystal River. This year 148 runners braved the course, many of them previous participants who return year after year, often with other returning racers. For Helmut Linzbichler, second-year participant, this meant traveling from Austria. "I ran it for the first time last year and met a man named Gary. This year I got to see him again, we greeted each other like old friends. Sometimes he was ahead, sometimes I was. At one point in the race, going up the switchbacks, I looked down as he was looking up and we saw each other and waved. We both beat our best times pushing each other. That is how it goes, your best friends are your fiercest opponents in the race. After the finish line, you are best friends again.”

Last year’s winner, Joseph Demoor, 29 of Carbondale, once again was the first to cross the finish line breaking the record with a time of 1:51:13. Runner up was Timmy Parr, 37 of Leadville, who also came in under the previous record set in 2008. Stevie Kramer, 35 of Crested Butte, earned the top spot for the

women’s division.

The sense of community abounds through participants, organizers, and all who gather each year for the love of running, and the small tight-knit school and town. This year's race was dedicated to one of the driving forces behind the Lead King Loop Race Community, Ceci Ashley Wells, who passed on April 8, 2019.

Results

Overall Men's

1) Joseph Demoor, Carbondale, CO (29) 1:51:13 - New LKL Record!

2) Timmy Parr, Leadville, CO (37) 1:56:53

3) Grant Crist, Boulder, CO (26) 2:10:38

Overall Women's

1) Stevie Kramer, Crested Butte, CO (35) 2:15:22

2) Becca Percy, Glenwood Springs, CO (34) 2:15:24

3) Meredith Cook, Minturn, CO (26) 2:35:05

Halloween

Redstone will be the place to be this year for Halloween! RCA will be hosting the following events on Thursday, October 31st:

• 5:00 -Pumpkin Carving with wood sculpting by Thomas Barlow (location TBA)

• 5:30-Costume Show at Redstone Park

• 6:00-Halloween Parade from Red stone Park to the Redstone Inn

All followed by Boulevard Trick-Or-Treating!

Redstone is an unincorporated village that relies completely on donations and volunteerism spearheaded by the Redstone Community Association (RCA)

Your membership dues directly fund RCA projects and events.

Thank You for your support!

Bonfire Wood Collecting

Bonfire burn pile donations can be dropped off at the lower parking lot at the Redstone Inn starting October 15th.

Please check in at the front desk prior to unloading; please no metal!

OKTOBERFEST 2019

Oktoberfest this year was hosted at the Redstone Castle on Saturday, September 14th. Tickets were completely sold out prior to the event, and the band, Alpine Echo, entertained a crowd of over 100 with the Bavarian tunes and games that our community has grown to love. Bavarian fare as well as two specially brewed beers provided by the Glenwood Canyon Brewpub. "We brewed an Oktoberfest Lager, which was a traditional German Marzen," explained Brewpub Brewmaster, Todd Malloy, "and a Castlefest Bier, which was proper 'Fest Beer.'"

A special thanks to Steve and April Carver as our gracious hosts for this event, as well as their generous donation from the proceeds. We’d also like to thank Jennifer Pazour as this event would not have happened without her excellent coordination.

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