Top 5 most-read stories: Benchmade Knife Co. sets media campaign at Highlands; FAA lays out position on airport

We’ve rounded up the top five most-read stories on Aspentimes.com from last week.

1.) Aspen Highlands sets the Benchmark for commercial shoot with ski patrollers

Benchmade Knife Co. isn’t made or headquartered in Aspen, but it sure as heck wants to associate its brand with some of the most elite and experienced ski patrollers in the nation at Aspen Highlands.

That’s why they chose Aspen Highlands for their latest media campaign. 

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“We spent two disparate days on the mountain with two team members from the Aspen Highlands Ski Patrol,” said Benchmade Vice President of Marketing Joe Prebich. “One day was the gnarliest winter storm of this season, and the next day — true to Aspen’s mercurial weather patterns — was a pristine bluebird day.”

—Julie Bielenberg

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2.) FAA tells Pitkin County and airport that restrictions on safety and access are not allowed

In a meeting as much for the public as for Pitkin County and the Airport Advisory Board, the Federal Aviation Administration laid out its position on the airport: Widen the taxiway runway separation or forgo the bulk of FAA funding for airport renovations.

The Pitkin Board of County Commissioners and the Airport Advisory Board have long wanted the FAA to come answer a series of questions related to the FAA’s regulations for the land- and air-side renovations for the airport. 

At a special meeting Tuesday morning, the Denver Airports District Manager John Bauer answered nearly three hours worth of commissioner, board, and community questions, driving home that the FAA rarely allows restrictive, discriminatory policies at airports that receive federal funding.  

—Josie Taris

3.) Fit uneasy among new Aspen City Council

Aspen’s new City Council got right into it Tuesday with some fire from new councilmen and veterans, as well.

New Councilman Bill Guth went on at length over his issues with the spring supplemental budget presented to the council by Finance Director Pete Strecker.

“I’m highly opposed to the $200,000 supplemental budget request for upgrades to interiors of Armory for a five-year lease term to ACRA for their offices,” Guth said. “This building should be redeveloped into a food hall, functioning as an incredible community gathering space. Tying it up as office for the next five years would be a tragedy.”

—Julie Bielenberg

4.) Aspen/Pitkin County Airport FBO decision on the horizon: A look at applicants and the selection process

With the contract set to expire later this year, Pitkin County is nearing the final stretch of its process to award a bid to a fixed base operator at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. 

The county expects to announce its first choice this week, narrowed from a list of seven to a shortlist of three providers. Those three are current FBO provider Atlantic Aviation, Signature Flight Support, and Modern Aviation.

Atlantic Aviation is headquartered in Houston and operates 106 FBOs nationwide. Signature Flight Support is headquartered in Orlando and operates more than 200 FBOs internationally. And Modern Aviation is headquartered in New York City and funded by private equity firm Tiger Infrastructure Partners. They declined to be interviewed for this article. 

—Josie Taris

5.) Is there a loneliness problem in The Roaring Fork Valley?

Three years ago, COVID-19 emerged, straining our health-care systems, social fabric, and economic stability. Loneliness became a necessary companion to lockdown, as we socially isolated ourselves for the health and well-being of our communities.

Some lost loved ones, their jobs, and, for many, their sense of community. We all may have forgotten what it’s like to live in “precedented” times.

The implications of the pandemic are still unraveling as we begin to navigate a post-pandemic world, as the infection still spreads.

—Kristen Mohammadi