The reimagined property offers six types of lodging options designed to accommodate a wide range of travelers—from rugged campers to comfort-seeking families:

• Premium Cabins with private bathrooms and decks, ideal for couples or small families looking for an upgraded basecamp.
• Primitive Cabins that offer simple, rustic shelter for adventure-seekers.
• Full Hook-Up Pull-Through RV Sites perfect for RV travelers who want ease and convenience.
• Deluxe Patio Pull-Through RV Sites with additional space and upgraded picnic areas.
• Electrified Tent Sites offering power access for modern campers.
• Creekside Primitive Tent Sites that put guests close to nature and the soothing sounds of the river.

The A-Lodge ethos goes beyond just a place to stay—it’s about building community around outdoor adventure, local events, and creative culture. In Boulder, A-Lodge has become a gathering point for trail runners, climbers, and backcountry skiers. In Lyons, the on-site Rock Garden hosts live music, food trucks, and yoga events that support the local economy and enrich the town’s vibrant personality.

We’re excited to bring this same community-first mindset to Salida, with plans for public events, local collaborations, and a guest experience that highlights the best of the Arkansas River Valley.

For more details, lodging info, or to contact us directly, visit:

👉 https://a-lodge.com/salida/

Because of Covid these past two plus years, Walden has been able to fulfill all of its missions but is now financially stressed. Walden asked Women Who Care for this grant of $13,750 to, among other things, allow it to provide a free ticket ($20 value) to any adult accompanying one child or more to any given concert. Walden has always given free tickets to students.

Walden plans to use a good portion of this award to expand its “Helping Hands” mini grants of $300 for music teachers in our local schools who all too often find their budgets leaving no margin for extras. These mini grants have helped teachers get band instruments repaired and sent students to state competitions. One of Walden’s dreams has been to expand these grants to help financially strapped families to be able to afford to rent a band instrument for their student.

Walden always awards one or two scholarships to valley students pursuing further studies in music, music ed, or music therapy. This money will help bolster that mission as well.

Foremostly, though, Walden is excited to have this money to pay their concert musicians to go to the BV and Salida schools to perform live for the students at least once, if not twice. In the past, when Walden was able to do this, the students were wildly enthusiastic. There is nothing like a live concert.

Walden Chamber Music Society is profoundly grateful to Women Who Care.

CCI’s first project, The Schoolhouse, began through collaboration with Chaffee County Early Childhood Council, Alpine Achievers Initiative, and the Town of Poncha Springs. With grant funding, including support from Chaffee County Women Who Care in 2019, CCI was able to renovate the Historic Schoolhouse in Poncha Springs to become a licensed and operating child care center. 

The Schoolhouse opened in September of 2020 and has served the childcare needs of more than 20 families in our community. CCI is looking forward to expanding care at the Schoolhouse in the near future, and is always working to identify ways to create more child care opportunities to help meet the needs of Chaffee families. 

The funds donated from Chaffee County Women Who Care will go directly into the classrooms to help provide high quality learning materials, and to the staff, to establish better wages and benefits for their professional qualifications. We are always looking for community support, so if you are interested in joining the Board or have any questions, please get in touch through our website at ChaffeeChildcare.com

CCWWC's new leader Marilyn Bouldin, CCI Amy Lavato, CCWWC Pam Groebner

Chaffee County Women Who Care has been awarding grants to local charities since October of 2018. For non-profits that may be interested in presenting at future meetings or any Chaffee County women who are interested in joining can send an email to marilynbouldin@gmail.com to request more information.

Peak to Peak Pickleball Club's mission is to promote and facilitate the sport of pickleball in Chaffee County.  Pickleball is a fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and can be played by all ages and abilities. It is said to be the fastest growing sport in the United States and is especially popular with our aging population.

In partnership with the Town of Buena Vista and Chaffee County, the Club is currently fundraising for a new pickleball facility in Buena Vista. The new courts will be adjacent to the existing tennis courts at the River Park and will include six courts dedicated to pickleball play. Phase 1, clearing and leveling of the site is complete. Phase 2, the concrete foundation and Phase 3, the court surface, nets and fencing, are expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

For more information on Chaffee County Women Who Care, contact Beverly Van Kampen at beverlyvankampen@gmail.com.

For more information on Peak to Peak Pickleball, contact Jennifer Eggleston at jenegglestoncpa@gmail.com.

ED Position Overview:

Our ideal candidate is a passionate trail user who inspires, motivates, leads, and sets a collaborative inclusive tone for the organization to advance our mission of maintaining existing and creating future trail development of our Arkansas Hills and Methodist Mountain Trail systems. Our ED will have qualifications and experience as detailed below under ‘ED Qualifications’, and will report to and take direction from the Board of Directors. SMT has 2 key committees lead by board members and supported by volunteers (Fundraising Committee and Trails Committee), and our ED will work closely with and fully support those committees to achieve their goals. Our ED will need to demonstrate high initiative and a quick learning curve in fulfilling each of the leadership/management, fundraising, trail planning, and communication responsibilities - as detailed below under ‘ED Responsibilities’. Lastly, this position will certainly be challenging, but we also want it to be fun - as there is much potential for growth, fulfillment, and satisfaction in working for a great organization doing awesome things for our community! Status/Compensation:

The ED position will be considered as half-time (1040 hours per year) and will enter a 1099 independent contractor agreement with SMT – not employee. Contract can be terminated by either party at any time. Starting compensation will range $25,000 - $35,000 (works out to a range of approximately $25 to $33 per hour) based on applicant qualifications and experience. Approved expenses such as vehicle mileage will be reimbursed. There is also future potential for more hours and/or compensation based on SMT’s financial stability and growth over time. Payment will be equal monthly amounts, but our ED will be required to manage work load over more vs. less demanding months of the year (summers busier the winters).

ED Qualifications:

1. Nonprofit and organizational leadership experience - highly desirable.
2. Demonstrated ability to fundraise, set/manage budgets - highly desirable.
3. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking and writing for publication. This position will
4. be the voice for the organization.
5. Ability to balance competing objectives and possess/demonstrate excellent time and project management skills. Stays
6. organized, meet deadlines.
7. Skills and capability to plan/lead/facilitate meetings and complete all related follow-up.
8. A passion for human powered trail use/experience, and a passion SMT’s mission and vision.
9. Proficient in MS Office, google docs, social media applications, and other relevant computer applications.
10. Tact and respect in timely response to common inquiries, suggestions, or complaints from community members, local
11. media, local business community, city/county leaders, or land managers.
12. Good driving record, must hold a valid driver’s license and maintain a reliable vehicle for travel.

ED Responsibilities: Leadership & Management

• Support, develop, and maintain, a strong Board of Directors. Engage with each responsible board member to execute the goals of the organization’s Trail Committee and Fundraising Committee, and set and achieve short, medium, and long- term goals for each committee.

• Plan and execute board meetings and committee meetings and be responsible for task follow-up, take/publish minutes.
• Engage and involve new interested people both as future board members and volunteers.
• Engage with the board to develop a strategic long-term plan with achievable and attainable goals, and work to meet those
• goals.
• Actively participate in regional groups that the board deems appropriate/important for our growth and viability.
• Examples: Recreation in Balance and regional trail advocacy groups/organizations.
• Fundraising
• Take direction from the Fundraising Committee as necessary to actively support and grow those efforts.
• Maintain and execute existing revenue generating sources and fundraising activities.
• Expand fundraising sources – private donations, businesses, foundations, grants.
• Work with city and county to maintain and expand funding.
• Write, obtain, administer grants to fund new trail and infrastructure projects. Trail Planning
• Take direction from the Trails Committee as necessary to support their efforts and provide follow-up as needed to support both trails maintenance and planning efforts.
• Learn and participate in the land manager approval processes. Communication
• Provide effective communication to the board – keep all informed of pertinent/timely info.
• Provide timely public communication via social media, email, web, and printed media.
• Provide ‘thank yous’ as appropriate to high level supporters, sponsors, and partners.
• Seek out and provide PR opportunities to keep our volunteers and funders engaged.
• Maintain/update webpage and Facebook page.
• Maintain/manage online SMT document storage.
• Communicate with volunteers to record volunteer hours and provide to land managers annually.
• Application/Proposal Process:
• This is not a simply send us your resume to apply deal. You will need to submit a proposal as follows. Proposals will be accepted until end of day, Friday April 30, 2021. Send your proposal to salidamountaintrails@gmail.com For any questions or further information regarding this process, also email this same address. The heart of your proposal will directly address the 9 ‘ED Qualifications’ as stated on the first page of this document by describing how your skills, interests, and experience directly relate/apply to each of the 8 ED Qualifications.
• Application Format:
• Your application must include the following 4 items in the order listed:

1. Cover letter - The letter should include contact information and your introduction, including why you want the ED
2. position.
3. ED Qualifications - Describe your qualifications, skills, and experience as it directly relates and applies to each of the 9 ‘ED
4. Qualifications’.
5. Work History – List previous employers, duration, duties, and reasons for leaving.
6. References – Provide 3 references (name, relationship, contact information) for two professional references and one
7. personal reference.

Selection Process:

• SMT Board of Directors will review all proposals received and rank the proposals with respect to ability to meet SMT needs.
• The three top ranked proposers will be notified and asked to complete an interview with the SMT Board.
• The SMT Board will then select the proposer considered the best to successfully meet the qualifications and complete a
• contracting agreement.
• SMT reserves the right to make no selection and restart the proposal process.
• SMT provides equal employment/contracting opportunities to all people regardless of race, age, sex, disability, marital

Curious as to why I was excluded, I began looking into what happened. I learned from Clerk MitchelI that no poll watchers served during the 2020 election. I requested a list of the Election Judges. There were 29 Democrats, 12 unaffiliated, and 13 Republicans. Seeing that Republicans were underrepresented, I requested a copy of the Election Judge Duty roster by party. The duty roster was not provided by the Clerk.

I then informally requested a copy of the surveillance video of the Counting Rooms. In a 10/16/20 article in the Mountain Mail, Clerk Mitchell describes a surveillance video (mandated by law) which is recorded 24/7 in the counting rooms. Since the Clerk and Staff have unfettered access to the counting rooms where ballots are kept, this video is key evidence as to the integrity of the election process.

Once I requested the surveillance video, the Judge's duty roster which had been withheld, was immediately produced. This appeared to me to be an attempt to deflect attention away from my informal request for the election video. Curious and suspicious, I filed a formal CORA Request for the video on 12/16/20.

After a variety of delays, I was told that it would cost up to $6,500 to obtain a copy of this video! I was offered a less expensive option; namely, to come in and watch the video on the County’s equipment. Since there are hundreds of hours of footage to be reviewed, this was not a desirable option. Nevertheless, I went to the Courthouse to attempt to watch the video on 1/6/21. The equipment was not ready. The technician went into the next room to get the video machine, which serves as both storage device and player. Crash! Boom! Bang! I was told that the video machine had been dropped from the "high shelf" where it was stored.

We subsequently tried to play the video, but the machine did not work. The video data on this machine is uniquely encrypted to this specific (now damaged) device. It is unlikely the data will ever be viewable. I recently was given a copy of this encrypted video, but there is little hope of deciphering it.

The 10/16/20 Mountain Mail article also said that Clerk Mitchell and her staff count the votes. Colorado election law CRS 1-7-5.201.1 does not allow the Clerk to count your paper ballots. The Clerk should not even be in the room while counting is taking place, CRS 1-7-307.4. Ballot counting by the Clerk violates Colorado election law and I have filed an affidavit with the District Attorney to that effect. I also filed a complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State.

I was content to let the legal process churn, until I saw a letter to the Editor in the Mountain Mail from a recently re-elected Chaffee County Commissioner, dripping with contempt for anyone who would dare question the last election.

In response, I submitted a letter to the Editor to the Mountain Mail and the Chaffee County Times on 1/26/21, which are both owned by Publisher Merle Baranczyk. Here is my letter in its entirety:

"In his January 12, 2021 letter, County Commissioner Keith Baker states, "Members of the public need to understand the truth. The Democratic candidate won the presidency in a free and fair election. There was no voter fraud that affected the outcome of the election." Is his statement based on evidence, or on belief?

Let's ask Commissioner Baker to look closer to home, to the 2020 Chaffee County elections.

On October 16, 2020, the Mountain Mail printed an interview with Chaffee County Clerk Lori Mitchell describing the 2020 election process. The article says that Clerk Mitchell and her staff feed your paper ballots through the optical tabulator to count votes.

Colorado election law CRS 1-7-5.201.1 does not allow the Clerk to count your paper ballots. The Clerk should not even be in the room while counting is taking place. Ballot counting by the Clerk violates Colorado election law and I have filed an affidavit with the District Attorney to that effect.

The election law says that the Clerk must appoint at least three counting judges, not more than two of whom shall be from any one major political party to count the ballots. However, in Chaffee County, we have a partisan, elected official handling and counting the paper ballots.

Per Colorado law, a poll watcher can be assigned by a political party or candidate to observe activities at a polling place to guard against illegal voting, fraudulent counting of ballots, and other violations. I trained as a poll watcher for the 2020 election. My political party submitted my credentials to Chaffee County, but could not get approval back from the County Clerk.

As it turns out, there were no poll watchers at the 2020 Chaffee County election. Zip, zero, none. There was no voter fraud reported in Chaffee County because there was no oversight of the election.

On December 16th, I placed a CORA request for the election surveillance video. I was initially told that it would cost up to $6,500 to make a copy, but I could come to the Courthouse and view the video for free. When I arrived at the Courthouse, the election footage could not be played on the equipment. The County now says they will give me a copy of the “native format” video; however, it will be encrypted and may not be able to be viewed.

Back to Commissioner Baker. The national election result is the conglomeration of many thousands of voting jurisdictions like Chaffee County. Chaffee County's election, under Baker and the Democratic Committee’s jurisdiction, was terribly flawed. How can you say there are no problems anywhere else when your own house is not in order?

I request a hand recount of the paper ballots. If this result closely matches the reported election results, Commissioner Baker will have affirmed his commitment to an open and fair process in Chaffee County. If not, it shows that his letter was nothing but empty, partisan bluster."

You have not seen this letter because the Mountain Mail and the Chaffee County Times have refused to print it. When I asked Editor Paul Goetz why he would not print the letter, he said, "Jerry, your letter is being rejected because of libel issues and he said, she said content. We looked into some of your accusations and found nothing that jumped out and said “illegal” actions by the clerk. The Oct. 16 article you refer to in the letter does not say Mitchell or her staff count votes. There is nothing in state or federal law that specifies the clerk cannot go into the room while counting is taking place. The county had judges and the county had ballot watchers. Your best bet is to continue forward with the DA. If anything comes out of that let us know."

Every statement in this rejection letter is patently false. My interpretation is that the "she said" is County Clerk Lori Mitchell telling the Mountain Mail that my statements are untrue. I am telling the truth and have offered proof, which the Mountain Mail declines to examine. Why am I writing to you? The Mountain Mail has thwarted my ability to inform the public.

Be aware that there was no independent oversight of the 2020 Chaffee County election. Email me if you have information about the election, or want to help.

Jerry Raski, Salida

RaskiJerry@gmail.com

In summary, Nestle reps were questioned about the company being sold, and they denied knowing anything about it. But later that evening, the news dropped that Nestle has agreed to sell their bulk water bottling businesses to a billionaire investor (Dean Metropoulos) and a private equity firm (One Rock Capitol).

This is not good news! It’s like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Our group, Unbottle and Protect Chaffee County Water, is not alone in this. We stand in solidarity with other grassroots groups in Ontario Canada, Maine, Florida, California and Michigan. Here is a must-read link to our joint statement about this sale situation:

https://www.storyofstuff.org/blog/press-release-transfer-of-water-to-private-equity-firms-stirs-opposition-in-u-s-and-canada/

Basically, as bad as Nestle is, allowing this water mining operation to continue via shadowy companies with even less accountability and transparency is worse!

Commissioner Felt is on record saying he would not vote in favor of a permit transfer during this permit extension period. Watch the video from 2:33 to 2:43. (The permit expired in Sept 2020 but is currently extended until mid-August 2021 while we wait for an economic analysis).

There is a lot of uncertainty now. Will the sale agreement actually go through? Will Nestle still be a partial owner? (The permit language allows a permit transfer to a 51% or more Nestle-owned company). If the commissioners deny this now, will new owners reapply or sell the property? Are the new owners even aware of the commitments Nestle has made to our community, which they have failed to complete, such as a conservation land easement and investment in a truck driver training program through CMC?

There is a very real fear of lawsuits, but Nestle has failed to meet legal permit requirements (such as providing jobs, and submitting their wetlands/grazing land use plans for review). Although little oversight was provided, the permit allows the commissioners to simply deny the permit renewal at their discretion.  

The pending economic analysis may provide even more ammunition for a denial, proving the benefits to the county do not outweigh the losses (this is permit criteria). Our new county comprehensive plan can also be leveraged because “consistency with county plans” is part of the 1041 permit criteria. In the new comp plan, there is quite a bit of language about sustainability, including the goal of being a “model county for sustainability.”

Considering the current extreme drought conditions and the climate crisis, we need to insist on enacting a moratorium on water mining operations in our county!

It’s time to get active in this issue! Please help spread the word! We need to stand up for what is right and prove that Chaffee County has heart, and won’t sell out!

* Heads up! On March 9th Nestle presents their 2020 annual report to commissioners. March 16th is the continuation of the 1041 permit hearing. Zoom in: www.chaffeecounty.org

If you missed the last Nestle meeting, here is the one-hour video from Jan. 19th: https://chaffeecoco.civicclerk.com/Web/Player.aspx?id=538&key=-1&mod=-1&mk=-1&nov=0

In a nutshell, Nestle was given the opportunity to give a presentation about their sustainable packaging efforts, but they failed to impress any of our commissioners.

Keith Baker lectured Nestle about the classic “R”s “reduce, reuse, and recycle” adding “refuse and rot” to them. He could have also added another “R” for “responsibility” - it should be the responsibility of the producer to be accountable for the waste they create.

Although also seemingly unimpressed by Nestle’s excuses about why they can’t use biodegradable bottles, Greg Felt said the issue of plastics is outside of the commissioners’ 1041 authority for considering whether or not to renew Nestle’s permit. Rusty Granzella disagreed with Greg Felt. Granzella spoke up at the end of the meeting to say that plastic pollution SHOULD be considered because a 1041 permit weighs impacts vs. benefits, and plastics are definitely an impact.

Commissioners asked Nestle about the fact that their North American Water division is for sale (this includes the Arrowhead brand bottled water that Chaffee County water is bottled for) but the company offered little information, simply saying they are in the middle of a “strategic review.”

Greg Felt also brought up the branding of Chaffee County, and his disappointment in Nestle for not offering more opportunity to partner with the county to create biodegradable packaging for a more positive image.

We, citizens of Chaffee County, need to make the point that Chaffee County has a goal of being a “model county for sustainability,” per the newly adopted county comprehensive plan. So clearly, doing business with Nestle, who has been found to be the third largest plastic polluter in the world, is not consistent with our plan.

(Per the 1041 permit regulation 3-303(1)(b), Nestle’s industrial water project must be “consistent with relative provisions of adopted land use or comprehensive plans of the county, municipalities within the county, state, federal and regional land use regulations, comprehensive plans and water quality plans).”

Let’s ask questions and encourage the county to engage in more discussion about environmental impacts while we are waiting for the economic analysis to be completed (the economic report is estimated to be completed mid-March). Letters to the editor of local publications would be great to keep this in the news while we wait! Then once the economic analysis is published, and Nestle has time to rebut it, another public hearing will take place (estimated to be mid-May). This meeting will again allow public comment as part of the official record and we will need another big turnout of community opposition.

The next meeting between the commissioners and Nestle is scheduled for Feb. 16.th. The agenda of what specifically will be discussed at the Feb. 16th meeting is unknown at this time, but please Zoom in and participate live via the chat box because the county staff sees our comments. Unfortunately, the exact time is not published. The commissioners meet as the 1041 permit authority after their regular 9am meeting, so it will likely be before or after their lunch (11am or 1pm). The Zoom link is found on the right-side column of the Chaffee County webpage.

Nestle’s permit, which actually expired in Sept. 2019, has been extended through August 11th, 2021, with the idea that if they are voted out of here in mid-May, the company will have 90 days to pack up and get out of Chaffee County! Let’s do this!

Check out www.Nestleave.org

Join us on Facebook Unbottle and Protect Chaffee County Water 

https://mailchi.mp/299d4c16d80f/update-on-railroad-threat-browns-canyon?e=544e39bfc3

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Check out the Guest opinion in last Friday's Mountain Mail (7/17) for the details of the concerns of the CR 190W residents.

Dial into the P&Z meeting on Tuesday, July 21st @ 6pm.
Planning Commission meetings will be held via Zoom.
ID # 432 829 0633
Phone # 1 699 990 6833 ID# 109 079 543 or 1 408 638 0968 ID# 109 079 543
https://zoom.us/j/4328290633#success

Sign our letter to the Commissioners (in blue ink) and drop me an email j.raski@gmail.com. I can pick it up from you at any time or place.

Thanks.

Kitchen aid mixers, pots/pans, outdoor gear (skis - atomic race set up, black diamond crash pad - rock climbing, new scarpa climbing shoes, skateboards, cycling gear, skates, basketballs, Kelty pack, and more), lawn mower, grill, bike bag, wheel box, Tule roof rack system - load bars and fairing, bike trays for roof rack (tule and rocky mounts), sports memorabilia, Patagonia fleeces, vintage shirts, clothes, shoes, book shelf, desk, 55 in Vizio TV, RCA TV, iPad, DVD player, microwave, speakers, decor, jewelry, book bags, backpacks, large mirror, purses, and more!

First come, first serve! We will not reserve any of the items.

Saturday - 8am to 4pm
Sunday - 10am to 2pm

If you are the person who bought the Kenmore machine, I believe you will have no use for these Bernina parts and the box they were in, and I am willing to buy them back. I will also pay for shipping to my new location. The missing parts include: button hole foot, zipper foot, darning hoop, bobbins, several presser feet, and a Bernina screwdriver. I would be extremely grateful - if you are reading this - if you would be willing to return the parts to me! Contact Diana at 719-221-3015.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2018

STATEMENT on investigation into Secretary Zinke being referred to Department of Justice
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is facing at least six open investigations into his conduct

DENVER—In response to today’s reporting by The Washington Post that the Department of the Interior’s Office of Inspector General referred an investigation into Secretary Ryan Zinke to the Department of Justice, the Center for Western Priorities released the following statement from Executive Director Jennifer Rokala:

“Since stepping into his role as interior secretary, Ryan Zinke has repeatedly leveraged his office for personal gain, attracting unprecedented scrutiny from government investigators. We are glad to see Interior’s Inspector General take these matters seriously and refer the investigation into the secretary’s conduct to the Department of Justice.

“The timing of Secretary Zinke’s attempt to remove Interior’s acting Inspector General and replace her with a political appointee earlier this month raises serious questions about whether the secretary was trying to dodge scrutiny. If Interior’s Inspector General is unable to hold Secretary Zinke accountable without political interference, it’s time for career prosecutors at the Justice Department to take over.”

Secretary Zinke is facing at least six investigations into his conduct, the most serious of which involves a land deal with the chairman of Halliburton.

Learn More
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s conduct attracts unprecedented scrutiny from government investigators [Westwise]

_For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. To speak with an expert on public lands, contact Aaron Weiss at 720-279-0019 or aaron@westernpriorities.org. Sign up for Look West to get daily public lands and energy news sent to your inbox.
_

#

The Center for Western Priorities is a conservation policy and advocacy organization focused on land and energy issues across the American West.
Center for Western Priorities | 820 16th Street Ste 450, Denver, CO 80202 | 303.974.7761
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Please join me in supporting 1A.

 Daniel Smith
 Salida, CO

Mary Hay
Elect Phil Weiser Committee Member

Here are some of the ways wildfires are better than eruptions : (Photos at bottom)

1. Before a wildfire ever starts, you can plan and prepare for such a contingency. You can trim trees, cut a buffer zone around your home, and use fire-resistant building materials. As a fire approaches, you can put a sprinkler system in place, wrap or gel some things, and hope that the fire-fighting crews succeed in protecting your structures.

There is no realistic way to prevent lava from engulfing everything in its path. The only thing you can do is evacuate.

2. Evacuation orders for wildfires generally span only a few days.

For an eruption, an evacuation order may run for weeks or months and, in extreme cases, may NEVER be lifted. Residents may be allowed into some less-dangerous or currently inactive zones, but moving back permanently may not be possible because services are out (and out for a long time). Even with a careful permitting process for locals, checkpoints on all roads and frequent police patrols, the exclusion zone in a rural residential area will have a porous border. Looting abandoned homes has apparently become a problem that won’t disappear for as long as areas remain uninhabited.

3. If your home burns in a wildfire, chances are good that insurance will cover the loss. This is true even if it is a vacation home.

Some 600-700 homes have already been destroyed by flowing lava in Hawaii since May. I asked various people about insurance coverage and was told that most homeowners did not have insurance. A bit of research on the subject backed that up (see below).

From Jerry Bump, chief deputy insurance commissioner at the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs : “There’s no such a thing as volcano insurance or lava flow insurance. Damage could be covered if the homeowner had purchased a policy that covers all risk, but that kind of coverage is rare, hard-to-find and might be very expensive. It is unclear if any of the affected residents had All-Risk insurance. For people who live in designated USGS lava zoned areas, trying to get (insurance) coverage would be difficult. From the insurer's perspective, it's what we call anti-selection -- the risk is just too high.” He noted that a general homeowners policy might cover losses in SOME cases, such as if they can prove that the house burned due to lava damage, but this is iffy.

From USA Today : “Apparently many people whose homes have been destroyed don’t have insurance, and FEMA officials are working with local authorities to get disaster assistance to those who qualify. Many won’t: FEMA payments generally won’t cover second homes or vacation property or buildings erected without proper permits, and many of the properties in the path of the lava fall into those categories.”

4. After a wildfire, you can be certain that road access and utilities will be restored, probably quite quickly.

After an eruption, roads may never be restored. In fact, it may be years or even decades before a flow zone becomes inactive. Likewise, utility restoration may be considerably delayed and may never happen in some spots. In the case of the current eruption in Hawaii, the local geothermal energy plant was partly destroyed by lava and is now in an inaccessible location. So, not only are the poles and lines gone, the plant itself will have to be rebuilt in a new location.

5. If your property is one of the green (unburned) oases in an otherwise burned area, you can breathe a sigh of relief – you are one of the lucky ones.

Flowing lava may encircle some land, cutting it off entirely. Even once the flow cools enough to walk across, it is unlikely that road and utility access will be extended to these orphan parcels. Thus, even if your land is untouched, it may be essentially unusable. Even if you were willing to live off-the-grid, it would probably not work well to live there.

6. Once the wildfire is out, you are generally clear to enter the area. Even before it is out, short visits may be allowed.

With a widespread eruption like this one, the lava may stop flowing in your area but the evacuation order may not be lifted. A shift in the wind could bring toxic clouds of sulphur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, particulates and more across your land. Even a short visit could prove deadly without proper breathing apparatus.

The USGS and Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff kept stating that fissures could reactivate at any time, new fissures could form without warning, flow rates could change dramatically, and break-outs could occur from apparently “safely” channelized flows. They also warned that a larger earthquake in the ongoing swarm of quakes could affect all of the above.

7. A wildfire probably won’t exacerbate homelessness or poor race relations.

These were some of the least visible and most sad discoveries I made while talking with officials and local media about the eruption. As presented to me, here are a couple of the areas of conflict.

A. Media interviews with persons who have lost their homes have apparently tended to be with white folks who have retired to Hawaii or who had a vacation home in the affected area. Local Hawaiians who have lived in the area for generations have seemingly not been well represented in interviews and the images of yet another rich white person wringing their hands have not been well received. Relations between long-term locals and newcomers have often not been good and this is making it worse.

B. The land in the affected area was the cheapest land available on the island due to the recognized risk. As such, it attracted the poorest of the locals as well as vacation homeowners who could afford to speculate on the location. The vacation homeowners can generally afford the loss (even if they whine on national news about it). The local poor are considerably less able to weather the loss. Even with disaster relief funds, they may not be able to afford land anywhere else and their current land may be unusable. The divide between rich and poor is thus being made worse by the eruption.

8. After a wildfire, your waterfront property is still on the water.

In Hawaii, any new land created on the shore by lava entering the ocean becomes property of the state. Thus, your waterfront property could literally become land-locked even if it was still usable due to some vagaries in lava flow patterns.

9. After a wildfire, you can generally rebuild and replant and your land will probably regain much of its pre-fire value.

After being covered by a lava flow, your land may take decades to recover any value, if it does at all. It is unlikely that you will live long enough to see it recover much value or utility. In addition, the current flow in Hawaii has covered a number of recreational resources beloved by all the locals (not just those directly affected by the flow) : an entire bay favored for snorkeling, a lake surrounded by a ring of hills, favorite hot springs and more.

May this perspective piece help you stay in a happy frame of mind as Colorado’s fire season progresses. Let it rain!

Just a friendly reminder to lock or safeguard your propane tanks. Over the weekend I had two 20lb tanks stolen from my camper. No vandalism etc...they just stole the tanks.

I want to recognize the members of the city staff— our dedicated workers we are so fortunate to have here in Salida. Without you, this city would not — could not function at the level it does. A huge shout out of thanks to each and every one of OUR city employees — for your unheralded dedication to the important duties, large and small, that make living in Salida so special.

Also I want to recognize Salida’s citizens, both those living within the city boundaries and those who live in rural Chaffee County — and especially those citizens living in the three mile circle surrounding our city. Together, Salida’s citizens’ dedicated service to Salida is huge — your daily contributions, large and small, your commitment to and support of our economy, the thousands of volunteer hours that you donate — YOU, ALL of OUR citizens, have made Salida what it is today. Thank you for allowing me to work on your behalf.

And, I want to thank ALL of the elected officials with whom I have worked these past eight years. Your commitment of time, talent and treasurer has been generous. The learning curve has been vertical for all of us. Our challenges have come in all sizes, tiny and gargantuan. Your commitment to public service is appreciated and to be commended. Thanks — everyone.

So, what happened with our local elections? Could the results have been predicted weeks ago?

Let’s just jump right into one easy deconstruction: The Mountain Mail is out of touch with our community. This is nothing new, but it’s gotten worse. So, what’s up over at The Mail? Has the community finally moved too far left of Merle’s rightward leanings? Perhaps, but hasn’t much of the country shifted left, at least socially? Regardless, you don’t need to be a social scientist to get the pulse of Salida these days. So, is political ideology really the reason our newspaper is adrift of local sentiment?

Frustrated by Merle’s control over the tone and direction of local issues, Trey and I started the Citizen almost ten years ago to give the people a voice, and sometimes this role allows us to peek under the hood of the community. Especially offline, where people on the left, and right, explore essays and ideas. The debates and discussions are enlightening. The Citizen represents our town square and allows for everyone to have a voice, so I was saddened that incumbents didn’t use it as a vehicle to communicate with the peoples, and to share their motivations, visions and aspirations. The Citizen Facebook page alone has 2400 followers and growing, many of whom Mr LeVecchi and his people needed to activate.

Would those fine folks who were handed their walking papers in this election have been beat up in The Salida Citizen comments section? Maybe. People are tired of divisive politics and a lack of humility in our elected officials, and they didn’t see a vision under Mayor LeVicchi. However, our outgoing Mayor could have used the Citizen for a dialogue with the community, to explain the deficit, and to ask for input. He might have used The Citizen to ask people for one piece of advice to be a better Mayor. He could’ve driven the conversation, demonstrating leadership, flexibility and humility. Maybe even humor? Or, how about a video? How far would a smile and an apology to Eileen have gone? It would’ve cost nothing and the vehicle was there for him. It still is.
These are not just tactical campaign ideas. Humility, transparency and decency are the most basic behaviors that we want people in public office to demonstrate, regardless of the medium.

The people who are wondering why they, or their candidate, lost so badly may or may not identify with Trump. But, Trump is a highly-effective disrupter, and his presidency has taken its toll on the American psyche. Salida’s citizens have been similarly impacted in the last couple years by our council's transgressions, and [we] were desperate for calm, effective local leadership. The community is changing fast, and the tension in council chambers has been palpable. Sure, our election was about experience and better ideas, but there was more going on. Respect for the whole community was a pre-requisite to run in this election. But, in the current political climate, humility was a baseline.

Consider, Justin Critelli, at the League of Women Voters “Candidating” event. Justin’s stated position was that he simply wanted to give back to Salida. He was clear that he had a lot to learn, but he was willing to dedicate himself to serving the community, and if elected, would get up to speed. He was articulate, and his platform was basically one of humility and integrity—civic service in its purest form. Yet, there in the crowd is old man winter, clapping for the candidates who ended up losing, and attacking Justin for his lack of preparedness and knowledge (Justin’s opponent was not even there). We hope for expertise in these thankless public positions, but most of us are cool with basic proficiency and curiosity. Lacking either quality, people will demand humility. Justin had all three.

In addition to the macro-cultural insecurities and a need for some self-abnegation, this election was clearly based on fears of our community’s rapid change. Many people said they appreciated the experience of PT and Harold specifically, with nearly twenty years of Planning and Zoning between them. With their small business backgrounds, one has to wonder why Merle was unable to acknowledge the inherent economic conservatism found in these candidates?

Refreshingly, this election was not about political ideology. However, because of Trump, people are more attuned to recognize behaviors by elected officials who seem to eschew decorum or do damage to our institutional processes—intentionally or otherwise. So, watching Eileen Rogers get shutdown was likely a watershed moment in the election.

With talk of a growing deficit during these economic boom years, people wanted to know what’s going on, and they were not finding answers in The Mountain Mail. Watching City Hall be gutted in the last few years has been, at best, a slow abhorrent pain in the ass during a time when citizens needed functioning government. Our Mayor tried to explain that it was under control. But, with the elections looming, hard questions were being asked.

Instead, they got a dirty-political (radio) ad that smeared PT, a 30-year local with a solid reputation in the community—and, boom, the election was over. The ad was simply not Salida, and represented the antithesis of what people were asking for in today’s political environment.

In the end, none of the elections were even close, in large part because Salida is not as divided as some people would have us believe—just as Trump’s rally’s are not indicative of a wider American divide. For those who did not win, they will remain our neighbors. The disagreements will fade.

This is a time of rapid societal change, and it’s hard to get our footing. But, I’m hopeful for America because of Tuesday’s results.
The winners won because they had experience and good ideas. But, they won big because the people want civility and leadership.

E Pluribus Unum. -bd

I believe this election has shown that the cloak of divisive politics that dwell on the past has worn thin and it is time for a new blanket, one that we can all gather under and share.

As we start the new council, I look forward to working toward a productive, thoughtful and deliberative city government that will make all citizen’s proud. But I have a challenge for everyone in Salida as well, seek out people that are not in your circle of friends, neighbors that don’t share your point of view, folks you know you disagree with, and have a conversation. In that conversation listen to each other, find common ground, be empathetic, understand that their views are valid. If we can do this we will be on the road to bringing civility and productive discourse to our interactions, lifting us all.

The challenges we face are numerus but not insurmountable and the good news is we have an amazing town, a solid economy, a supportive community, and we live in the most beautiful place on earth.

Thank you for your trust and faith. I ask that if I stray you will correct me and when we have victories you will celebrate with me.
I hope you lift your glass with me and toast to a new day of thoughtful governance for all of Salida, Cheers!

PT Wood, November 7, 2017

In a letter to the editor, published 11/2/2017, Dick Leavitt was allowed a response to a political cartoon. In that response, Mr. Leavitt claimed that he is not a “one issue candidate”. That may be true, but it is hard to tell where he stands on the issues when he has been noticeably absent at many of the forums.

He did not appear at the League of Women’s Voters “candid-dating” forum, where his seat at the table was given to the two school board candidates who were in attendance. He was absent at the Housing Advisory Forum, held at city hall on 10/25/2017, to discuss his ideas about housing (the mayor and councilperson Hallett also failed to appear at this forum).

The Mountain Mail recently sent a series of question to the candidates, and their responses have been appearing in the paper. The mail reported that Mr. Leavitt “did not respond”, then, suddenly, he was granted a page to display his tardy responses.

In his letter, Mr. Leavitt called it “cowardly” that the cartoon depicting him, and his young opponent, was unsigned. The cartoon, however, DID display the artists signature (bottom right corner) and it was the Mountain Mail who failed to properly caption it.

He may disagree with the characterization depicted, but that does not give him the right to call names and demean character. This is a tactic we have seen far to much of from the mayor and the current council majority. Demean, deny, blame, all in the name of truth and justice.

We live in a consumptive society, the materials for roads and such has to come from somewhere, and until someone identifies an alternative source for the materials needed for Chaffee's rampant growth, the Holman / ACA pit is going to become a permanent reality.

Has little to do with Frank, or Paul Moltz, wouldn't matter if it was Bill Donovan and Hard Rock paving, the issue here is a gravel with a high clay content. Many in Chaffee seem to want to distract from an issue by making someone or something the "bad guy", which does very little to solve the problem and distracts from the issue.

I get that you don't want dust and trucks on CR 140, I grew up a a rural area that had a sand pit 5 miles down our road, trucks were a daily occurrence, and families worried about their children on the road with the trucks. Certainly not an idyllic setting or a perfect situation, but none the less, the sand was needed, it was profitable to sell it, so business did what it does, and folks dealt with it.

You want to solve this problem ? Fine, instead of putting all your efforts into vilifying folks, find an alternative source for the aggregate and your problem will be solved. Certainly Holman's property can't be the only source for this product.

My 2¢, your mileage may vary