In Brief: Newbery winner at TACAW; promotion at R+B; Banker Exchange opens Basalt office

Aspen Words presents Kwame Alexander at TACAW

Poet, educator, producer, and Newbery-winning author Kwame Alexander will be discussing his career and most recent young-adult novel, “The Door of No Return,” as part of the Aspen Words winter series of talks from 6-7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15, at TACAW in Willits.

Tickets are on sale in advance and at the door. Livestream tickets also available. Doors open at 5:30. People in line for the book signing afterward will be asked to wear medical masks.

For more information: aspenwords.org.

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Alexander is a New York Times bestselling author of 36 books, including “Swing”; “Becoming Muhammad Ali,” co-authored with James Patterson; “Rebound,” which was shortlisted for the UK Carnegie Medal; the Caldecott Medal and Newbery-winning picture book, “The Undefeated”; and his Newbery-winning middle grade novel, “The Crossover.”

A regular contributor to NPR’s “Morning Edition,” he has won numerous awards, including The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, Three NAACP Image Award Nominations, and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award.

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In 2018, he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program he co-founded. He is the writer and executive producer of “The Crossover” TV series on Disney+. His latest release, “The Door of No Return,” is the first book in a trilogy that tells the story of a boy, a village, and the epic odyssey of an African family. 

Banker Exchange opens Basalt office

Banker Exchange LLC, based in Greenville, S.C., has opened an office in Basalt to provide 1031 Exchange Intermediary services to the Roaring Fork Valley and surrounding areas along the I-70 corridor.

The company’s founder and chief education officer, John W. Boyd, is based out of the Basalt office. He has been providing 1031 services for over 30 years. After moving to Basalt in September, he said he noticed a lack of 1031 firms with a physical presence nearby.

“Investors’ closest options were Denver, California, or their title company underwriter from who knows where,” he said. “People are content ordering merchandise online from Amazon, but when it comes to their money and investments, I believe they want the ability to meet in person to discuss their thoughts and concerns. That’s the void I hope to fill.”

Boyd said he plans to educate investors and their advisers on the benefits of 1031, so an exchange becomes a planning technique and not a last-minute decision at the closing table.

He can be reached at (970) 987-6628, or john.boyd@bankers1031.com.

Architecture firm promotes a project manager

Rowland+Broughton Architecture / Urban Design / Interior Design announces the promotion of Greg Ingalls, AIA, NCARB, to project manager.

In his new role, his key areas of responsibility include project design and coordination from concept to development, managing client relationships, studio leadership, and mentorship. 

Originally from Newbury, Mass., he received his Master of Architecture Graduate Degree from Southern California Institute of Architecture and Bachelor of Environmental Design with an Emphasis in Architecture from University of Colorado at Boulder. He also participated in a Semester at Sea program, which included site visits in Brazil, India, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Japan. Prior to joining R+B, Ingalls was a project manager and job captain at Gensler in Los Angeles.

As an advocate for sustainable design, he is a board member of the Colorado Green Building Guild. Most recently, he was part of organizing the Build Forward Workshop + Expo, focused on educating trade professionals about rebuilding homes affected by the 2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder County.

Glenwood Springs to share housing plan with public Monday

Glenwood Springs community members are invited to an open house for the update of the city of Glenwood Springs Strategic Housing Plan on Monday, Feb. 13, at the Community Center. Two sessions will be offered: noon-2 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.

The Strategic Housing Plan is a planning document that provides housing and demographic data and possible strategies to increase the availability of affordable housing in Glenwood Springs. City staff would work toward implementation of the top priority strategies within a year of completion of the planning effort. 

At the open house, display boards will be present with details about the plan-update process. The public is invited to participate in activities in which they can learn about and prioritize housing strategies and engage with City staff. Individuals unable to attend the meeting in-person will be able to view open house boards and submit comments online at cogs.us/742 beginning Feb. 13, officials said.

“The housing needs in Glenwood Springs are broad and include owner-occupied housing, senior housing, workforce housing, and affordable/low-income housing,” said Senior Planner Watkins Fulk-Gray. “Bolstering opportunities for the people of Glenwood to live in the same community where they work, participate, and play supports social vibrancy, quality of life, and economic vitality. The City is seeking to expand our toolbox to promote the production of affordable housing to meet these critical needs.”

In 2022, the city of Glenwood Springs received a $45,000 Innovative Housing Strategies grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs with a $15,000 local match to fund this plan update.

Virtual presentation on top questions for radiation oncologists

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m., Drs. Peter Rossi and Lauren Kropp, radiation oncologists at Valley View Calaway•Young Cancer Center, will present “Top 5 Questions with Radiation Oncologists,” a virtual discussion via Zoom. The presentation is part of Valley View University, a series of free educational webinars hosted by Valley View. 

In this 20-minute webinar, followed by an open Q&A, they will discuss the top questions breast-cancer patients want to know before starting radiation therapy, Valley View officials said. This webinar is aimed at women of any stage of life who want to learn more about breast health.

Rifle animal shelter cared for 300 strays in 2022

Now that Garfield County’s animal-control program doesn’t exist, the Rifle City Council requested in late December to see just exactly how many animals are being cared for by the city’s animal shelter. 

Numbers revealed last week by the city show the Rifle Police Department impounded 143 animals in 2022, which went under the care of Journey Home Animal Care Center. This accounts for $8,590 in impound fees.

Journey Home also did the following in 2022:

• Sheltered and cared for 300 stray animals brought in by good samaritans in Rifle
• Re-united 106 strays with their families
• Sheltered and cared for 198 owner-surrendered animals
• Spayed and neutered 307 community-owned animals
• Vaccinated 396 community-owned animals