In brief: Book signing in Basalt; new Aspen art installation; rebate offered for e-bike purchases

Lynn Aliya Book signing

A local broadcaster and speaking professor from Colorado Mountain College will be hosting a special book signing and public speaking workshop event at the Basalt Regional Library in partnership with Marble Distillery. 

Lynn Aliya will be signing her newly released book titled, “SPEAKEASY: A Radically New Approach to Public Speaking (Less Fear More Fun),” which delves into a public speaking method she calls “Speakeasy” that she developed with her students at Colorado Mountain College. At the signing on Thursday, May 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Basalt Regional Library, attendees will also receive a hands-on public speaking session featuring her Speakeasy method. 

According to Aliya, the method captures scattered thoughts, gathers them together, and arranges them in a sequence that allows prospective speakers to put them on paper. The method builds a framework for speech that functions similarly to “Madlibs,” Aliya says. 

“In under five minutes, anyone can present, whether you’re presenting, pitching, or giving an extemporaneous wedding toast,” said Aliya. 

This event and all events at the Basalt Regional Library are free of charge. 

Public art installation

A monumental new public art installation by internationally renowned artist Sanford Biggers will debut this summer in Aspen’s Paepcke Park.

Titled “Unsui (Mirror),” the project is presented by Buckhorn Public Arts in partnership with Aspen Public Art and co-commissioned with Desert X, the California-based organization celebrated for its site-specific desert exhibitions. The installation will be on view from June through September, anchoring Aspen’s summer arts season with one of the largest-scale public artworks ever exhibited in the downtown core.

The sculpture, composed of two towering sequin forms that shimmer under the open sky, draws its title and aesthetic from the Japanese word “unsui,” meaning “clouds and water.”

To celebrate the launch, a public artist talk with Biggers will take place in Paepcke Park on June 30 at 3:30 p.m., followed by a private reception at Sant Ambroeus. 

Rebates offered for e-bike purchases

Any Basalt resident who purchases a new commuter e-bike is eligible to receive a $500 rebate from the city, according to a Tuesday news release.

The effort aims to promote the town’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additional rebate funds are available from the state of Colorado.

E-bikes may be purchased at any retailer between now and October 31, 2025. Proof of residency and receipt of purchase is required, according to the release. Residents must also fill out a W-9 to get reimbursed. E-mountain bikes do not qualify.

“Basalt’s Strategic Workplan identifies reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing climate leadership as primary goals for the Town,” the release states. “Ground transportation is now Basalt’s largest contributor to carbon emissions since Basalt first began tracking in 2014. Basalt is the perfect size – from Willits to historic downtown – for residents to travel by e-bike.”

More information about E-Bike rebates and how to apply can be found at basalt.net/ebikerebate.