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Local Briefs: Thrift shop distributes funds, Coal Basin hike, concert

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Aspen Times staff report

Aspen Times wins nine state press association awards

The Aspen Times won nine journalism awards this past weekend from the Colorado Press Association for work published in 2021 in a ceremony capping the 144th annual convention of the organization in Denver.

Members of the Michigan Press Association judged the entries, and awarded only first- or second-place honors in each category.

Neighboring Swift Communications sisters the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent and Rifle Telegram combined for seven awards, and the Vail Daily took 20, including the sweepstakes for tops in its category in the state.

The Aspen Daily News won one, Aspen Journalism six and the Sopris Sun six in journalism categories.

Scott Condon won firsts in agriculture and environmental reporting.


Kelsey Brunner won first in feature photography and seconds in news photography and breaking news coverage with David Krause.

David Krause won first in feature writing and seconds in environmental and breaking news coverage with Kelsey Brunner.

Andrew Travers won second in feature writing.

Kaya Williams won second in humorous column writing.

Aspen Thrift Shop distributes funds

Once a month the Aspen Thrift Shop volunteers meet to distribute their hard-earned funds.

This month the local nonprofit recipients are Aspen Hope Center, Aspen Fringe Festival, Aspen Youth Center, CASA of the 9th, Thunder River Theater Company, Aspen Indigenous Foundation, Aspen Historical Society, Aspen Strong, Bridging Bionics, Carbondale Community Oven, Challenge Aspen and Raising a Reader Aspen to Parachute

Volunteers said the Aspen Thrift Shop is able to continue the funding through the support of the community, and expressed thanks to all who volunteer, donate and shop.

Coal Basin hike gives overview of methane problem

The Community Office for Resource Efficiency invites the public on a hike at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, from the Coal Basin Trail Head to the Coal Basin mine complex above Redstone, which once provided jobs and an economic engine to our community.

Now abandoned, these mines are still venting an estimated 9,000 metric tonnes of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases (25 times more potent than CO2) annually, according to CORE. They emit more harmful greenhouse gas emissions than residential and commercial buildings, transportation, aviation and waste in Pitkin County combined, officials said.

With Chris Caskey of Delta Brick and Climate Company and Mona Newton of Energy Smart Solutions leading the charge, CORE is committed to learning more about the extent of these emissions and finding a solution to the problem. This project is one of the most significant opportunities to lower carbon emissions in the region, equivalent to taking 500 cars off the road a day, CORE officials say.

Contact Newton at monalouisenewton@gmail.com to attend or have any questions.

Top 40 singer to honor John Denver with concert

Vocalist Laura Angelini, a Billboard Top 40 recording artist, will support the Aspen Camp for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with a performance at Aspen Camp on Oct. 2.

Her first single — “Share that Love/What The World Needs Now Is Love” — recently reached No. 36 on the Billboard Dance Charts. 

She also is the founder of ShareThatLove.org Charitable Foundation, which focuses on providing resources and awareness to help people and the environment.

In honor of John Denver’s legacy and his long-running support of the Aspen Camp, Angelini’s upcoming CD features some of Denver’s songs, which she will perform at the concert.

E-bike webinar explores Colorado’s efforts

Gov. Jared Polis declared Wednesday E-Bike Day and state officials promoted a webinar on the topic while crowing that Colorado leads the nation in public funding for electric bike programs, opening up new transportation options for residents and business owners statewide.

The webinar will discuss how e-bikes are an equitable transportation strategy for personal health and the climate with insights from government leaders alongside stories from individuals who have purchased e-bikes through Denver’s rebate program.

You can register for the webinar on Zoom at 1 p.m. on Sept. 21 at this link.

Panelists:

  • Will Toor, director, Colorado Energy Office.
  • Dr. Ash Lovell, electric bicycle policy and campaign director, People for Bikes.
  • Piep van Heuven, government relations director, Bicycle Colorado.
  • Elizabeth Babcock, deputy director, city of Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency.
  • Darnell Robinson, CAN DO Colorado Mini Pilot Bike Program recipient.

The host is Bicycle Colorado and Colorado Public Interest Research Group.

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