Top 5 most-read articles: Basalt police file ‘red-flag’ petition, Skico pleads couple not entitled to refund
We’ve rounded up the top five most-read stories on Aspentimes.com from last week.
1.) Skico: Couple who canceled Aspen wedding due to COVID restrictions not entitled to refund
A family’s decision to cancel a wedding event at The Little Nell because of COVID-19 restrictions did not entitle them to a deposit refund of nearly $60,000 for the ceremony and festivities, according to a recent pleading from Aspen Skiing Co. in Pitkin County District Court.
The filing by Skico — which owns the luxury resort hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain — also seeks to dismiss an Iowa family’s lawsuit that accused the company of wrongfully keeping their deposit for a wedding event scheduled June 3 that they cancelled late last year.
“Now, in an attempt to recoup their deposit — which (Skico) was contractually permitted to keep — Plaintiffs allege that they cancelled based on COVID-19 restrictions, which made the wedding ‘impossible,’ ” argued Denver lawyer Hannah E. Armentrout in Skico’s Nov. 18-dated written response to the lawsuit.
— Rick Carroll
2.) Resident making threats with gun prompts Basalt police to petition court under red-tag law
Two potentially violent incidents involving a Basalt resident recently prompted a town police sergeant to file a “red flag” petition seeking a judge’s order to seize his firearms, according to court filings.
“This case is why the statute exists — to ensure that people who show a significant risk of causing harm to themselves or others don’t do it,” said Glenwood Springs lawyer Jeffrey Conklin, who also serves as Basalt’s town attorney, on Tuesday.
Since the Colorado’s Violence Prevention Act, also called a red-flag law, took effect Jan. 1, 2020, it has been used in Pitkin County courts twice, according to online data from the Colorado Judicial Branch. The Basalt case was the second instance.
— Rick Carroll
3.) Belly Up announces first ever Palm Tree Music Festival
It’s official, folks: The lineup for the inaugural Palm Tree Music Festival — produced by Belly Up, alongside Kygo’s Palm Tree Crew and live-event production company C3 Presents — has been released, and there is a lot of great music to look forward to.
“We are two kids from Aspen that want to have fun and bring fun stuff to the community we love,” said Danny Goldberg, who co-runs Belly Up with his older brother, David Goldberg, and father, Michael Goldberg.
Headlining Friday, Feb 24, is 12-time Grammy Award winning, singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Jack White. White, credited for being one of the key artists in the garage-rock revival of the early 2000s, is considered one of the most innovative guitarists of all time.
— Sarah Girgis
4.) More snow in the forecast for Aspen Snowmass mountains
There are powder days in the future for Aspen Snowmass resorts that are open, and a fresh layer of snow for the ones opening in the coming weeks.
With a winter storm warning in effect from midnight through 5 p.m. on Friday, all four mountains are getting a heavy dose of some much-needed snow.
According to OpenSnow, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass can expect 7 inches on Friday and 2 inches on Saturday. Aspen Highlands, which opens Dec. 10, has 8 inches forecast for Friday and 3 on Saturday. Buttermilk is expected to get a little less new snow, with only 5 inches on the forecast for Friday and 1 for Saturday.
— Audrey Ryan
5.) Respiratory illnesses on the rise nationally, including Pitkin County
Colorado state officials have warned that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is on the rise across the state, including Pitkin County.
RSV is a common respiratory illness that comes around in the fall and winter and usually presents mild symptoms. But this year, health officials have said they’re seeing an unprecedented number of cases, with more severe symptoms affecting toddlers and children, according to The New York Times.
The virus is the most dangerous for children under 2 years old, especially those born with underlying conditions, according to Dr. Catherine Bernard, Aspen Valley Hospital’s chief of medical staff.
— Kristen Mohammadi
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