News briefs
Rescue on the Roaring Fork River
Carbondale and Basalt emergency responders Tuesday afternoon pulled a raft out of a strainer in the Roaring Fork River.
None of the three boaters were injured, which is fortunate considering none were wearing a flotation device when they hit the strainer just downstream of Aspen Glen and their boat capsized.
A strainer is a tree branch or collection of branches in the river, which is dangerous because it can flip a boat or hang up a swimmer and keep them under water.
In this case, two of the boaters went under the strainer, where the boat became lodged. Emergency responders from Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection District and Basalt and Rural Fire Protection District were dispatched at about 2:15 p.m. to the scene, where the three boaters were stuck on a sandbar.
By about 4 p.m. they had dislodged the raft and the boaters were able to finish their trip, said Rob Goodwin, deputy fire chief at Carbondale and Rural Fire. Assisting in the river rescue were seven responders from Carbondale and seven from Basalt.
Fundraiser appeals to do-it-yourselfers and event planners
Looking for upscale home decor or planning a party soon?
Come to Decor Days at the Aspen Community School gymnasium and community hall in Woody Creek, where a plethora of new and gently used party items and home goods — furniture, flooring, linens, fabrics, pillows, planters, candles, ceiling fans, rugs and much more — will be available for purchase.
Decor Days runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Aspen Community School is located off Woody Creek Road on Woody Creek Mesa.
The bazaar is a joint venture of the school, which will receive 100 percent of the proceeds, and The Aspen Branch Floral Arts, which has long supported the school’s efforts to bridge the gap between its tax funding and what it actually takes to educate an Aspen Community School student.
“This kind of collaboration speaks to our fundraising philosophy,” said Jeffie Butler, a board member of Compass, the nonprofit that runs the public charter school. “Someone from the extended community offers us a service or goods and we are able to parlay that into a community event that benefits us financially.”
The bazaar will include refreshments and an opportunity to win a “spring bounty basket” that includes locally harvested food, garden gift certificates, wines and more. A “freecycle” area also will feature various unwanted but still usable items at no cost.
Many local families miss the Aspen Community School Garage Sale in Willits, where all sorts of second-hand furniture, sports equipment, tools, gear and other deeply discounted items were sold. Beth Gill, owner of The Aspen Branch, first suggested Decor Days as a new, upscale version of the Garage Sale fundraiser.
For more information, call Butler at 970-923-1170.
Construction rules session scheduled
The city of Aspen’s Engineering Department will provide updates on its construction regulations at a meeting set for noon May 17 in the basement of City Hall, 130 S. Galena St.
The session will cover noise limits, monitoring, waste management, encroachment zones and traffic-demand management details. Snacks will be provided.
For more details, call 970-920-5080.
Golf course gets accolades
Aspen Golf Club recently retained its designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.
Course Superintendent Steve Aitken led the effort to maintain the status, according to a city statement. Aspen Golf Club was designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 1999 and is one of 906 courses in the world to currently be designated as such.
“The city started working with Audubon International right after I was hired to manage golf course operation in 1993,” Aitken said in a statement. “This is one of my most valued achievements. It aligns so much with how we manage the golf course and the city’s core values we hold so strong.”
Crown trails cleanup this Saturday
Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers will host a cleanup of trails in the Basalt area from 8:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
The cleanup will take place at the Crown, a network of trails between Carbondale and Basalt. Volunteers will work on sections of several different trails including Highline, Monte Carlo and Creekside.
Volunteers will be provided with dinner and beverages after the cleanup.
For more information, visit http://www.rfov.org.
AspenOUT names new executive director, president and other board members
AspenOUT, serving the LGBT community of the Roaring Fork Valley, elected new board members, officers and named an executive director at its March meeting, the organization recently announced.
• Past President Kevin McManamon became the executive director of AspenOUT.
• Melissa Temple was elected president of the board.
• Vince Johnson was elected administrative vice president.
• Chris Walker was elected legal counsel vice president.
• Reed Strathdee Lewis remains treasurer.
• Karen Kurt remains secretary.
• Todd Chamberlin remains as a board member.
• Kristi Kavanaugh remains as a board member
• Natalyn Cumings was elected to the board
“AspenOUT and its annual fundraiser, Aspen Gay Ski Week, will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2017,” McManamon said. “It will be our largest event to date. We are adding special 40th anniversary events to the schedule and have amped up our national marketing and media plan to bring more attention to the area and our cause.”
With Logo TV as its presenting sponsor, this year Aspen Gay Ski Week drew 4,000 attendees from Jan.17 to 24. The 2017 Aspen Gay Ski Week will be held Jan. 15 to 22.
