Roses and Thorns

Aspen Skiing Co. gets a bouquet of roses for rallying its troops to ready Aspen Mountain to open 12 days ahead of schedule on Saturday and Sunday. Over recent years, due to a lack of snowfall, there have been worries over the mountain even opening on time. This weekend’s early opening is reason to celebrate, and Skico’s staff gets the credit (and the roses).

A thorn goes to Willits Town Center owner Mariner Real Estate Management for posting a two-hour parking limit on 30 spaces near the new Roaring Fork Transportation Authority bus station. Mariner obviously wanted to send RFTA a message after negotiations for buying or leasing parking spaces in an unused garage beneath Whole Foods didn’t work out. We get it. That’s capitalism. But how about warning RFTA that the parking spaces would be limited and preserved for shoppers in, say, six months if no deal could be arranged? The bus station is a great asset for Willits Town Center employees and some shoppers. Many of the commuters parking in the 30 spaces are also shoppers. Mariner is cutting off its nose to spite its face by limiting parking there.

A rose to Aspen and Snowmass officials for bringing the USA Pro Challenge back for another run in 2014. Aspen will host two legs of the race and further cements its spot as one of the hubs of the cycling world.

A thorn to Roaring Fork Valley voters who didn’t bother casting a ballot in Tuesday’s election. Only 45 percent of Eagle County voters overall and 30.5 percent of Pitkin County voters bothered to vote. A rose to those who made the effort.

A rose to the community for its huge turnout at Friday’s Flamingo A-Go-Go fundraiser for the Aspen Education Foundation at the St. Regis Aspen Resort hotel. This is the foundation’s premier fundraising event, and by all appearances, Aspen’s educational system will get a shot in the arm from the high-dollar winning auction bids made that night.