GCEA is serving people all over the county

By Mark Reaman

There are nearly 11,000 electric meters operating under the Gunnison County Electric Association. The power is delivered by GCEA over about 1,100 miles of lines that stretch throughout Gunnison and Hinsdale counties and into a part of Saguache County. The GCEA covers 3,500 square miles and provides electricity to thousands of people and businesses. It is a big operation.

GCEA chief executive officer Mike McBride recently gave an update on the distribution cooperative to the Crested Butte Town Council members and brought them up to speed on what the co-op is doing and where it is getting its energy.

“The GCEA is one of 22 electric co-ops in Colorado,” McBride explained. “We have six board members representing specific districts and one at-large member. For the north end of the valley, Greg Wiggins represents the town, Chris Morgan represents Mt. Crested Butte and Bart Laemmel represents Crested Butte South. The board has a healthy mix of experience and turnover, with four of the seven members having served on the board less than four years.”

The GCEA was formed in 1938 and serves most of the county but not residents of the city of Gunnison or the coal mines in the North Fork. The primary supplier of electricity to the GCEA is Tri-State Generation and Transmission, a wholesale power supplier cooperative that serves 43 distribution co-ops, including GCEA.

McBride said Tri-State purchases power that is generated from the Blue Mesa and Morrow Point dams and since the GCEA is the closest co-op to that generation, it counts itself as receiving electricity, both physically and contractually, from that source. GCEA customers use a total of about 116,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity a year, which is a small portion of what the dams produce since they generate more than 500,000 MWh annually.

GCEA has a long-term contract with Tri-State that runs until 2050. That contract allows the local co-op to carve out and supply 5 percent of its own energy needs. The GCEA has dipped into that by experimenting with some solar power projects in Crested Butte and plans for two solar farms near Gunnison that could each generate .5 (one half) MW of power. There is also movement to see if a small project at the Taylor Reservoir dam can potentially supply some hydropower.

Crested Butte mayor Jim Schmidt asked about some regional co-ops that were leaving Tri-State so that their electricity could be generated more cleanly through renewable energy sources.

McBride emphasized that cutting off Tri-State was not as simple as some would have you believe. For example, he said, Tri-State owns the transmission lines in the county and that would add a huge cost to the local co-op if they left Tri-State.

“This year they did a lot of work repairing and maintaining the transmission line to Lake City,” McBride said. “There were big crews and a helicopter came in to remove trees. It was an expensive project. There is more to it than just the costs of generating electricity. The operating and maintenance costs that Tri-State provides are significant.”

GCEA chief operations officer Roger Grogg concurred and noted that Tri-State kicked in $1.3 million for the Alkali substation that gives Crested Butte some redundancy in terms of electric supply in case of an extreme situation where the transmission line feeding Crested Butte is out of service.

McBride informed the council that in 2017 about 50 percent of the Tri-State electricity was generated from Tri-State’s coal-fired plants but that percentage is decreasing every year. He said 30 percent of the electricity generated in 2017 was from renewable sources, with most of that coming from hydropower. Hydro provided 56 percent of the renewable source, while wind was 35 percent and solar under 10 percent. Most of the renewable energy is purchased from private developers by Tri-State.

“The renewable percentage is growing,” said McBride. “Wind is growing fastest, given federal incentives, and wind currently has the best prices.” Tri-State is signing more such contracts and looking at various opportunities.

The GCEA has a program where customers can sign up for the “Green Power Club” where they commit to have their electricity offset by renewable energy. It is slightly more expensive than the general electric charges. McBride said 5.4 percent of the meter base has signed up for the Green Power.

“That is actually up substantially from 2017 and it came when Crested Butte took a leadership role and signed on as the town,” McBride explained. “It was only a little above 3 percent before that. But that sends sort of a mixed signal to the GCEA board, who hears a lot from some people that everyone wants more renewable energy but only that many people have signed up for the green energy program. Signing up for the Green Power Club is a powerful way for members to cast a vote in favor of renewable energy.”

Schmidt said that low number “shocked” him (no pun intended), given the minimal cost difference.

McBride said the use of so-called EV or electric vehicle cars was growing but in 2017 there were only 22 all-electric vehicles registered in the county and the GCEA owned one.

McBride said Crested Butte now has another charging station at the Elk Avenue and First Street parking lot to complement the one at the Four-way Stop. There are also charging stations in Almont and the Elk Creek Marina at Blue Mesa. CBMR has several charging stations and McBride said the opportunity for charging a car throughout the area is increasing. He also reminded the council that any GCEA customer could request to try out one of the co-op’s electric vehicles for a test run for up to a week.

McBride said the electric co-op follows general growth trends in the valley but even though the co-op has added meters every year, total electric consumption has been flat since 2009. He said when growth is declining such as in the 2009 recession, it is a challenge for the co-op. “Growth helps keeps some costs down so we prefer to have some,” he said.

The GCEA has a franchise agreement with the town of Crested Butte that runs into 2027.

Goal: 50 percent renewable by 2030

By Kristy Acuff

The Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) is pursuing construction of two 500-kilowatt solar arrays to provide locally produced power to valley residents. The solar project fits into GCEA’s long-term goal to supply 50 percent of its power needs through renewable sources by 2030.

Currently, GCEA is one of 44 members of Tri-State Transmission and Generation, which generates approximately 30 percent of its energy through renewable sources. The GCEA board of directors approved funding for the solar projects, each of which will cover approximately three and a half acres of land, according to Mike McBride, CEO for GCEA.

“The prices we are looking at for the solar power will actually be a bit less expensive than what we currently pay for Tri-State power,” says McBride. “We will actually save a bit of money with these solar arrays.”

GCEA will hire Colorado-based Microgrid Energy to construct and install the solar facilities in a location to be determined. GCEA staff has been working together with the Boulder-based Rocky Mountain Institute to analyze potential sites for a solar array.

According to its contract with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Company, GCEA may self-generate only 5 percent of the total power it distributes to customers; the remaining 95 percent must be purchased from Tri-State suppliers. The planned solar array would be 2 percent of GCEA’s total power distribution, thus falling well within the mandated cap imposed by Tri-State members. The 5 percent cap has generated controversy among some of Tri-State’s 44 member co-ops throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska and Wyoming.

According to cleancooperative.com, 13 of the member co-ops are at or approaching the 5 percent limit but when asked to increase the cap to 10 percent, one cooperative, the LaPlata Electric Association, was told no by the Tri-State Board.

Tri-State senior manager of communication Lee Boughey said the Tri-State members voted in 2000 to impose the 5 percent self-generation cap in order to ensure that fixed costs for transmission lines and power plants would continue to be shared among the members. Basically, if a member generated more than the 5 percent, they would buy less of their power from Tri-State and consequently, contribute less money than other members.

“The 5 percent cap ensures that each member fairly and equitably pays their share of fixed costs,” said Boughey. “If any member self-supplied beyond that 5 percent, they would be shifting costs from their cooperative onto other members of the association.”

Boughey said there are a number of members that would like to see the cap increased, but so far, the 44-member board of directors has voted to keep it at 5 percent.

In order to reach its goal of 50 percent renewable by 2030, GCEA will pursue this solar project, and utilize Tri-State’s 30 percent renewable power as well as increasing the voluntary green power program. This program allows customers to pay a bit extra for blocks of “green” power.

And finally, GCEA recently installed 20 solar panels in the town of Crested Butte to be leased by community members. If you lease a panel, you get a credit on your electric bill based on the production of that panel for the month. So far, 13 of the panels have been leased and GCEA plans to present to the Crested Butte Town Council to expand the project with more panels this summer.

A dozen local artists to hold opening on Saturday

Come see the inaugural exhibit of the Artists of Crested Butte at the new Piper Gallery, featuring twelve local artists. An artist reception will be held Saturday, Aug. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m at the CB Center for the Arts. Everyone is welcome to attend.

FREE yoga at the Library 

The Crested Butte Library will offer a free yoga class on Saturday, August 26 at 9:30 a.m. The guest instructor Ashley Sargent, will lead a Hatha yoga session. This is a great chance for you to try out a different yoga instructor or a new style of yoga. All levels are welcome. Call (970) 349-6535 or email lisa@gunnisoncountylibraries.org for more information.

Cabaret: Wild, Weird & Wonderful at the GAC

Sit back relax and enjoy an evening of costumed cabaret-style song and dance entertainment for ages 18 and over on August 25-26 at the Gunnison Arts Center. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the curtain goes up at 8. This summer’s show is the latest in the GAC’s series of saucy and sizzling cabaret evenings featuring piano, song, and dance by all local performers.

Celebration of Life

A Celebration of Life for Art Olsen, long time Crested Butte resident, will be held at Oh Be Joyful Church on Sunday, August 27 at 2 p.m. Please come and share in the celebration with your thoughts and stories of Arthur.

Mountain Theatre holiday play auditions

The Crested Butte Mountain Theatre is giving the holiday season a little extra cheer, with a December production of HO! HO! HO! The Santa Claus Chronicles for grades K through 12 and Gift of the Magi for grades 9 through 12. Auditions are September 9 and September 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Mallardi Cabaret, on Elk Avenue at Second Street. Performances are on December 2, December 9, and December 16 with a special appearance by the Crested Butte School of Dance Company dancers. For questions, please contact directors Jesse Buchanan or Harmony Dawson at CBMTholidayextravaganza@gmail.com.

DJ Sean Back to School Party: Friday, September 1, 9 p.m. 

Let it all hang out at a full-blown dance party celebrating the end of summer and back to school with DJ Sean. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, DJ Sean immersed his musical talents into the business of spinning tunes at the ripe age of 15. From that time forward he committed himself to two things. First, he vowed to never DJ using a computer. Second, he strives to always make tight transitions from one song to another, guiding dancers through an experience of non-stop music seamlessly blended together. He’s a Chicago mainstay in the DJ scene, traveling as far as Las Vegas to ply his craft. Remixes, beats, samples and scratches—he will get your body moving! Ages 18 and up. Call 349-7487 for more info.

Birthdays:

August 24- Trudy Yaklich, Perdie Linehan, Pam Bode, Montana & Dakota Wiggins, Madeline Pulley, Karen Hoskin

August 25- Sigrid Cottrell, Jerry Bigelow, Mary Chandler, Jessica Rutherford, Val Jaquith

August 26- Kerri Councilman, Wyatt Ewert, Lee Olesen, Chris Ladoulis

August 27- Nancy Wicks, Mick Osmundson, Read Hunker, Kiara Cottrell, Terry Vaughn, Craig Burbank, Monica Harrington, Kay Peterson Cook, Wayde Hollis

August 28- Betsey Friedman, Susan Parker, Charlie Reamer

August 29- Sam Evans, Jon Morrissey, Mary Baim, Scott Moss, Ben Pritchett, Dianna Dickerson, Sierra Brooks, Summer Lambro, Carter Beesley, Olivia Reamer, Lisa Cramton

August 30 – Steve Jennison

Cameo Question: How did seeing the eclipse make you feel?

Renewable green power is really inexpensive right now

By Mark Reaman

In an update to the Crested Butte Town Council last week, Gunnison County Electric Association CEO Mike McBride made it clear there were some easy ways to gain environmental brownie points without breaking the bank. In fact, given current costs, he said the average GCEA residential member could sign up for the green power program that would purchase renewable power offsets and see less than another $1 per month on their bill. It would add just 84 cents on 700 kilowatt hours, which is the average residential usage.

“Our co-op thinks a lot about energy-saving actions,” McBride told the council at the August 8 meeting. “We look at three core areas including conservation and efficiency, renewable energy and environmentally beneficial electrification, which is changing a fuel source to electricity when that has greater environmental benefit. We have several member programs to reach those focus goals, including providing free energy audits to members, offering rebates on things like LED lighting, and offering discounts on some appliances like certain water heaters,” he explained.

McBride said the GCEA has tried to offer weatherization projects but that had been “challenging.” The co-op is offering paperless billing but right now only about 20 percent of the membership uses it. Councilman Chris Ladoulis expressed absolute disbelief that so few people were taking advantage of the offer and still getting paper bills. GCEA board member Greg Wiggins said the GCEA membership was “varied” and included people who were not familiar with paperless alternatives or were located in a place without reliable alternatives. About 40 percent of the membership does take advantage of online payment options.

McBride said a current focus was trying to get people to understand that when you use power matters as much as how much power you use.

“With our time-of-use-rate our peak costs are quite a bit higher than off-peak costs,” said McBride. “Our peak is only from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday so really, 19 hours a day is off-peak. If people would use more power then, it would save the co-op and ultimately the members a lot of money.”

McBride and Wiggins said the commercial power supplier, Tri-State, is a decent user of renewable energy. In fact, they said, 26 percent of the annual Tri-State load in 2016 came from renewable resources. “Tri-State has more solar capacity than other similar suppliers in the country,” said McBride.

He pointed out that locally, GCEA now has several charging stations at both ends of the valley for electric vehicles, provides solar arrays at the schools in both Crested Butte and Gunnison, has a wind turbine in Doyleville, and is studying feasibility on things such as hydropower at the Taylor dam.

Mayor Glenn Michel asked what it would take for the town to run completely on green power offered through the GCEA. “I think the town could buy offsets for about $1,500 more a year,” answered McBride.

“That seems like a no-brainer,” responded Michel. And in fact the council later decided to direct staff to make that move.

“It has become very reasonable to opt-in on the green energy offsets,” said Wiggins. “It is a lot cheaper now so it is a no-brainer. In Crested Butte just 9 percent of the people use them and for only about 84 cents more a month they can get green energy.”

“So the average user could use 100 percent green power and it would cost them 84 cents a month? That is incredible,” said Michel.

Wiggins told the council he was a bit disappointed the community solar panels had not leased well in Crested Butte. “People screamed for it and the board provided it but the people didn’t sign up. There are a lot of hypocrites in the community,” he said. “But it happens everywhere. Hopefully with more education and awareness we can get more people to participate.”

Jessie Earley of the town building department updated the council on the Crested Butte Energy Action Plan at the same work session. The plan was put in effect in 2009 with the goal of the town to reduce its carbon footprint.

“Our buildings contribute to the biggest output of energy so our goal has been to make them more efficient and we are actively working toward that,” Earley said. “We as a town have adopted measures to make that happen.”

She said the town government has purchased electric and hybrid vehicles and put a lot of money into supporting the Mountain Express and RTA public transportation systems. She said it is probably time to update the plan and establish new goals based on present circumstances.

Michel said the original goal was to decrease carbon emissions in town by 20 percent by 2020. He suggested staff pursue engaging a consultant to update the town’s carbon emission baseline and update the energy action plan. That will likely be part of the 2018 budget.

“I think we should also create a position in town hall to oversee all of this,” Michel said. “That way there will be someone who is constantly monitoring this as councils come and go.”

“I like it,” said councilwoman Laura Mitchell. “I think people need more awareness about things like the 84-cent green power issue.”

“One thing to consider is that there are more houses in town now compared to 2009,” said councilman Jim Schmidt. “How does that work with the reduction goals? I agree that the energy action plan should be a budget item next year.”

“Not only should we establish a new baseline but we should get annual reports on the progress,” suggested councilman Roland Mason.

Expect the council to see a line item addressing the issue in the fall budget discussions.

THURSDAY 10
• 7 a.m. Core Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8 a.m. Ecumenical Meditation at UCC.
• 8-9:15 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8:30 a.m. Women’s book discussion group at UCC.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9 a.m. Historic Walking Tour, meet at the Crested Butte Heritage Museum at 4th and Elk.
• 9:30-10:30 a.m. Outside Yoga at the Center of the Arts with Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Forrest Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 10 a.m. Mothering Support Group at Oh Be Joyful Church. (last Thursday of every month)
• 10:30-11:45 a.m. Yoga Basics at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 11:30 p.m. Duplicate Bridge at UCC. 349-1008.
• noon All Saints in the Mountain Episcopal Church Community Healing Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church. 349-9371.
• noon-1 p.m. BUTI Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• noon-4 p.m. Mt. Crested Butte Farmers Market at the CBMR base area. (runs thru Aug. 31)
• 1-5 p.m. Paint Your Own Pottery at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage, a free thrift store. 300 Belleview, Unit 2, on the south end of 3rd Street. 970-318-6826.
• 4:30-6 p.m. Crested Butte Community Food Bank open at Oh Be Joyful Church. (first and third Thursday of every month)
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30 p.m. Bridge Night at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Vin-Yin Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Hatha Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 5:45-7 p.m. Freestyle Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Kundalini Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6:30 p.m. AA Open Meditation at UCC.
• 7 p.m. Women Supporting Women Group Discussion at the Nordic Inn.
• 7:30 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous meets at 114 N. Wisconsin St. in Gunnison.

FRIDAY 11
• 6:30 a.m. All Levels Iyengar Yoga Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30-8:30 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8 a.m. Alanon at UCC Parlour (in back). 349-6482.
• 8:45 a.m. Core Power Yoga Class at the Pump Room.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Yoga for the Flexibly Challenged / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Iyengar Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 9 a.m.-noon Open Wheel Throwing at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mountain Manners Wildflower & Natural History Hike. Registration at
www.crestedbuttewildflower.com
• noon Closed AA at UCC.
• noon-1:15 p.m. Restorative Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• noon-1 p.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 1 p.m. Art group meets at the Senior Center. 641-4529.
• 1-5 p.m. Paint Your Own Pottery at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 2-5 p.m. Paint Your Own Pottery in the Gunnison Arts Center Clay Studio. (runs thru Sept. 1)
• 3-4 p.m. Kids Yoga (ages 6-12) at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 4-6 p.m. CSA Box pick-up for Mountain Roots at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535. (thru Oct. 17)
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. Happy Hour Yoga at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Pottery & Glazing Date Nights at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 6-7 p.m. Poi Playshop at the Pump Room.
• 7-9:30 p.m. Salsa Rueda & Rum in the Gunnison Arts Center Courtyard.

SATURDAY 12
• 7:30 a.m. Open AA at UCC.
• 7:45 a.m. Weights and Indoor Biking Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8-9 a.m. Mindful Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 9 a.m. Shofar Fellowship meets at 1825 N. Hwy. 135, Gunnison. 349-1899.
• 9-10:30 a.m. Community Yoga at the Sanctuary Yoga & Pilates Studio, Gunnison.
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 9-11 a.m. Everyone Programs! with Bruce Eckel at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 9 a.m.-noon Plein Air Watercolor Painting with the Gunnison Arts Center.
• 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mountain Roots Food Project collecting household scraps at the Community Garden at Red Mountain Park. 970-964-8823.
• 10-11 a.m. Hip Hop Community Dance Class at the Pump Room (above Fire House on 3rd & Maroon). 415-225-5300.
• 10:30-11:45 a.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage, a free thrift store. 300 Belleview, Unit 2, on the south end of 3rd Street. 970-318-6826.
• 11 a.m. Narcotics Anonymous meeting at 114 Wisconsin Street. 970-201-1133.
• 1-5 p.m. Paint Your Own Pottery at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Guided Sound Meditiation at 405 4th Street.

SUNDAY 13
• 7-8 a.m. Meditation at Yoga for the Peaceful, by donation.
• 8:30 a.m. Mass at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 8:30 a.m. Worship Service at Oh-Be-Joyful Church.
• 9 a.m. Worship Service at Union Congretional Church. 349-6405.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Masters Workshop on the Foundations of Painting at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts (thru Tuesday, August 15). 349-7044.
• 9:30-11 a.m. Free Community Class / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 10 a.m. Worship Service at Oh-Be-Joyful Church.
• 10-11:15 a.m. Vin-Yin at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Crested Butte Farmer’s Market, first block of Elk Avenue.
• 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 4-5:15 p.m. CBCYC Community Book Club at 405 4th Street.
• 5-6 p.m. All Saints in the Mountain Episcopal Eucharist at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church. 349-9371.
• 5-7 p.m. Pick-up Adult Basketball. HS Gym, CBCS.
• 6:30-7:45 p.m. Restorative Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 6 p.m. AA meets at UCC.
• 6 p.m. Evening Service at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 711 N. Main St., Gunnison.
• 6:30 p.m. Duplicate Bridge at UCC. 349-1008.
• 7 p.m. Gamblers Anonymous meets at the Last Resort.

MONDAY 14
• 6-7:15 a.m. Sunrise Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 7 a.m. Barre Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30-8:30 a.m. Pranayama and Namaskars / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 7:30-8:30 a.m. Intro to Ashtanga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8:45 a.m. Pilates at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Prana Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• noon Adult Children of Alcoholics open meeting at Union Congretional Church.
• noon-1 p.m. Lunch Break Vinyasa Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 12:45 p.m. Bridge at the Senior Center. 641-4529.
• 2-3:15 p.m. Hatha Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 4-5:30 p.m. Wisdom Women Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30-7 p.m. Moms in Motion class at the GVH rehab gym.
• 5:45-6:30 p.m. Zumba in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studio. (runs thru Aug. 28)
• 6-7:15 p.m. Yin Yoga Nidra at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Slow Flow at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6:30 p.m. WellBeing Connection Workshop at the CB/Mt. CB Chamber of Commerce.
• 6:30-8 p.m. Women’s Domestic Violence Support Group at Project Hope. Childcare available upon request. 641-2712.
• 7:30 p.m. Open AA at UCC. 349-5711.
• 7:30 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous meets at 114 N. Wisconsin St. in Gunnison.

TUESDAY 15
• 6-7 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful, by donation.
• 6:30-7:45 a.m. Intro to Ashtanga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 7 a.m. Core Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7:30 a.m. AA/Alanon Open at UCC. 349-5711.
• 8-9:15 a.m. Intro to Ashtanga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Vinyasa Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9 a.m. Historic Walking Tour, meet at the Crested Butte Heritage Museum at 4th and Elk.
• 9:15 a.m. Core Flow Yoga donation class with Mary in Totem Pole Park. 970-275-1271.
• 10:15-11:30 a.m. Hatha Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 10:30-11:45 a.m. Yoga Basics at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 11:30 a.m. League of Women Voters meeting at 210 W. Spencer in Gunnison.
• noon AA Closed at UCC.
• noon-1 p.m. Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 1:30-3:30 p.m. Tech Tuesdays at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage, a free thrift store. 300 Belleview, Unit 2, on the south end of 3rd Street. 970-318-6826.
• 5 p.m. An hour of German conversation at the Princess Wine Bar, all levels welcome. 303-746-1999.
• 5:30 p.m. Communion Service at Queen of All Saints Church.
• 5:30-6:45 p.m. Slow Flow at Yoga For The Peaceful.
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Canvases & Cocktails with the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7487.
• 5:45 p.m. All Levels Iyengar Yoga Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 5:45-7 p.m. Gentle Restorative Yoga / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 6-7 p.m. Piyo at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6-8 p.m. Figure Drawing Sessions with a live model in Downtown Crested Butte. 349-7228.
• 7 p.m. Alanon meeting at the Last Resort.
• 7-8:15 p.m. Yoga for Men at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 7-8:30 p.m. Blessing Way Circle support group at Sopris Women’s Clinic. 720-217-3843.
• 7:45-9:45 p.m. Drop-in Adult Volleyball, CBCS MS Gym.

WEDNESDAY 16
• 6:30 a.m. All Levels Iyengar Yoga Class at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 7-8:15 a.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 7:30 a.m. The Crested Butte / Mt. Crested Butte Rotary Club breakfast meeting in the Shavano Conference Room at the Elevation Hotel.
• 8 a.m. T’ai Chi for experienced participants in the northeast corner of Rainbow Park.
• 8:45 a.m. T’ai Chi for beginner participants in the northeast corner of Rainbow Park.
• 8:45 a.m. Mat Mix at The Gym. 349-2588.
• 8:45-10 a.m. Mindful Flow / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 9-10:15 a.m. Prana Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Kaiut Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Two Buttes Senior Citizens van transportation. Roundtrip to Gunnison. Weather permitting. Call first for schedule and availability. 275-4768.
• 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cooking in the Kitchen with Tim – Knife Skills Lunch with the Center for the Arts. 349-7487.
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Middle School Art Workshops: Drawing Skills at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• noon Closed AA at UCC.
• noon – 1:15 p.m. Kundalini Bootcamp Yoga  / CB Co-op at Town Hall.
• 12:15-12:45 p.m. Yoga Nidra Relaxtion at Yoga for the Peaceful. ($5 donation)
• 1-5 p.m. Paint Your Own Pottery at the Art Studio of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 3-5 p.m. Home Winemaking with the Center for the Arts. 349-7487. (runs through Aug. 23)
• 3:30-5 p.m. ICELab tours at Western State College University with Patrick Rowley.
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 5 p.m. Mass at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church.
• 5:30 p.m. Prenatal Yoga class in Crested Butte South. 349-1209.
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Adult Ultimate Frisbee pickup at Rainbow Park.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Kundalini Yoga at Yoga for the Peaceful.
• 6-7:15 p.m. Vinyasa at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 6-9 p.m. Containers with Lids in the Gunnison Arts Center Clay Studio.
• 6:30 p.m. Alanon at UCC Parlour (in back). 4th and Maroon. 349-6482.
• 7-9 p.m. “GriefShare,” a grief recovery seminar and support group, meets at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 711 N. Main St., Gunnison. 970-349-7769.

KIDS Calendar

THURSDAY 10
• 9 a.m. Munchkin’s Music & Dance Class in the High Attitude Dance Academy in Gunnison.
• 10 a.m. Munchkin’s Music & Dance Class in the High Attitude Dance Academy in Gunnison.
• 4-5 p.m. Kids Yoga (ages 8-12) at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.
• 5:15-7:30 p.m. Maker Fun Factory Adventure Camp for kids ages 4-11 at Union Congregational Church. 349-6405.

FRIDAY 11
• 9-9:45 a.m. Art N Dance (ages 2-3) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studios. Drop-in.
• 10-10:45 a.m. Art N Dance (ages 4-6) in the Gunnison Arts Center Dance Studios. Drop-in.
• 11 a.m. Big Kids Storytime (ages 3-7) at the Crested Butte Library.
• 12:30-2 p.m. Art Fusion Fridays (ages 7-13) in the Gunnison Arts Center Art Studio. (runs thru Aug. 25)
• 4-5 p.m. Tang Soo Do Martial Arts classes for youth with West Elk Martial Arts, Town Hall Fitness Room. 901-7417.

MONDAY 14
• 3:30-5 p.m. Messy Mondays at the Crested Butte Library. (ages 5-12, kids younger than 8 must be accompanied by an adult)
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 4:45 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for juniors at Town Hall. 901-7417.

TUESDAY 15
• 9:30 a.m. Munchkin’s Music and Dance Class in the Fitness Room at Town Hall. 349-9639.
• 3:30-5 p.m. Tween Scene (ages 9-12) at the Crested Butte Library.
• 4-5 p.m. Kids Yoga (ages 4-7) at Yoga for the Peaceful in CB South.

WEDNESDAY 16
• 9:30 a.m. Munchkin’s Music and Dance Class in the Fitness Room at Town Hall. 349-9639.
• 11 a.m. Baby & Toddler Literacy Time at the Crested Butte Library.
• 4-7:30 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for children and adults with West Elk Martial Arts, Jerry’s Gym at Town Hall. 901-7417.
• 4:45 p.m. Tang Soo Do classes for juniors at Town Hall. 901-7417.

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THURSDAY 10
• 9 a.m.-noon The World Peace Game for fourth to eighth grade students in Gunnison. 943-2248.
• 10 a.m.-noon Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s Geology Van Tour, meet at the Four-way stop. 349-7420.
• 4 p.m. Magician Ann Lincoln performs in Jerry’s Gym. 349-6535.
• 6 p.m. Down to Earth Harvest Dinner and Pottery Showcase in the Gunnison Arts Center Courtyard.
• 6 p.m. CAMP Advisory Group meeting in the CB South P.O.A. meeting room.
• 6-8 p.m. Wine Tastings Off the Beaten Path: South Africa at the Crested Butte Library.
• 6:30-9 p.m. Straight Shooting about Straight Bourbon at Elk Avenue Prime. 349-1221.
• 7-10 p.m. Rachel VanSlyke plays at The Princess Wine Bar.
• 8 p.m. Ladies Night at the Red Room.

FRIDAY 11
• 5 p.m. Chefs on the Edge – Battle of the Valley 2017 at the Center for the Arts. 349-7487.
• 5-8 p.m. AWE ArtWalk through the galleries of Crested Butte.
• 5-8 p.m. Erin Dickie Artist Reception at the Art Studio Gallery of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 9-11:30 p.m. Rachel VanSlyke plays at High Alpine Brewing.
• 10 p.m. Jocelyn and Chris Arndt Band play at The Eldo.

SATURDAY 12
• 8:30 a.m. Games begin for the16th annual Crested Butte Ball Bash, at all three fields. 349-5338.
• noon-5 p.m. Valley Wide Hydro and Garden Center Grand Opening Party, 110 Andreas Circle, Riverland.
• 1 & 3 p.m. Jack and the Beanstalk plays in the Gunnison Arts Center Black Box Theatre.
• 5:30 p.m. Home Run Derby for the 16th annual Ball Bash at Tommy V Field.
• 7:30 p.m. Red Molly Benefit Concert at the Center for the Arts. 349-7487.
• 10 p.m. Steady Flow play at The Eldo.

SUNDAY 13
• 8:30 a.m. Games begin for the16th annual Crested Butte Ball Bash, on Tommy V and Gothic. 349-5338.
• 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Rachel VanSlyke plays at the Crested Butte Farmers Market.
• 3 p.m. Championship Game for the 16th annual Ball Bash at Tommy V Field.
• 3-6 p.m. Happy Hour Music with Beckett at The Eldo.
• 6-8 p.m. Sundays @ 6: Nine Mile Hill in Legion Park, Gunnison.

MONDAY 14
• 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Coldharbour Sustainability Camp for first to twelfth grade students, drop off and pick up at the Gunnison Library. 943-2248. (runs thru Aug. 18)
• 5:30 p.m. Alpenglow: The Here and Now play on the Center for the Arts Outdoor Stage. 349-7487.
• 8 p.m. Open Mic Night at The Eldo.

TUESDAY 15
• 9 a.m. Socrates Cafe: Whose job is it to teach civility to children? at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.
• 6-8 p.m. Kathryn Barry Artist Reception at the Piper Gallery of the Center for the Arts. 349-7044.
• 6:30 p.m. Alan Ray & The Coconut Telegraph plays Burgers & Brews at the I Bar Ranch.
• 7 p.m. Electricity! Energy Efficiency with GCEA CEO Mike McBride at the Crested Butte Library. 349-6535.

WEDNESDAY 16
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Live! from Mt. Crested Butte: Shinyribs on the Red Lady Stage at the base of CBMR.
• 7:30 p.m. Public Policy Forum: Climate is Energy: Energy is Climate with Tim Wirth and John Harte at the Center for the Arts.

But there are ways to keep your costs down…

by Mark Reaman

Your Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) electric bill will see a small jolt starting this summer as a new rate increase will come into effect starting May 1.

The last GCEA rate increase came in May 2016. This latest 2 percent rate increase will be implemented to help cover the rate bump from GCEA’s wholesale power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission. Tri-State raised its rate for wholesale power by 3.7 percent and that translates to an overall estimated increase of $352,000 to the GCEA co-op.

“GCEA’s retail rate increase was designed to recover the amount of revenue needed to offset the additional cost increase from Tri-State going forward,” explained GCEA chief executive officer Mike McBride. “However, it is important to note that while Tri-State increased its rates on January 1, 2017, the GCEA board opted to defer the pass-on of that rate increase until May 1. This means that GCEA absorbed approximately $140,000 of the year 2017’s additional wholesale power expense.”

For residential customers, the increase will amount to a little more than $2 on average. According to GCEA, the average residential member used 652 kWhs per month. In 2016, the average residential member’s bill was $108.55. Based on the average usage of 652 kWhs, the average residential member’s bill will be $111.01 per month, an increase of $2.46 per month under the new rate.

McBride noted that Crested Butte customers would initially see the new rate increase on their June bill. “Members who have electric service in the Crested Butte area will first see a partial impact of the rate adjustment on the bill they receive the first part of June,” McBride said. “This bill will be for approximately 10 days usage under the old rate and 21 days usage under the new rate. The full impact of the rate adjustment to members who have electric service in the Crested Butte area will be reflected on the bill that they receive the first part of July.”

The last GCEA retail rate adjustment was a year ago on May 1, 2016 and overall was 4 percent. McBride said that increase was necessary due to a wholesale rate structure change by Tri-State, planned system improvements and increased operating expenses for GCEA.

McBride emphasized that the electric co-op is always happy to visit with individual members and help with ways customers can better manage their energy use to save costs and help the environment.

“GCEA is currently working to communicate with and educate members on ways they can help reduce GCEA’s overall wholesale power costs, which will keep everyone’s costs lower for the long-term,” McBride said. “One way members can help lower GCEA’s overall wholesale power costs is to reduce their electric use during GCEA’s on-peak hours of 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. GCEA pays more for power during this time because that is when power is most in demand and requires more generating resources. Any electric load that can be shifted off-peak has the potential to save considerable costs over the long term. Members are encouraged to contact GCEA for more information on how they can make a difference.

“Those members who are willing to take a few steps to shift some of their usage from on-peak to off-peak hours could possibly recognize some savings on their power bill by choosing the optional time-of-use rate,” McBride continued. “Even if a member doesn’t choose the time of use rate, they can help us keep rates down for everyone by shifting usage off-peak, especially if they try to reduce usage in the two to three hours after sunset.”

Sets standard for future commercial developments

The Gunnison Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution on Tuesday, November 4 adopting a set of regulations governing the development of commercial geothermal power production in the county. Read More »

Increase of almost 5 percent expected January 1

In case you missed the notice, the price of power is going up next year. As of January 1, the average residential user can expect the electric bill to rise by almost 5 percent. But with an energy audit of your property or by cashing in on one of the local energy cooperative’s rebate opportunities you can ease the pain of an increase.

Read More »

Title game this Tuesday at Gothic Field

[  by Than Acuff  ]

 The Talk of the Town faced the Bangers Tuesday night at Gothic field in the elimination round of the playoffs and what started out as a slugfest, quickly turned into a slaughter.

Both teams were loose and pumped prior to the showdown with players from each side using the phrase “rock and roll” in reference to their readiness. But, in the immortal words of AC/DC, “it’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll,” and only one team showed the staying power to continue to “rock and roll.”

It was also a star-studded affair in the stands as the Starr family was there as well as pitching wizard Rich Driscoll and even former Hills Brother and town sheriff Tommy Martin. And it was somewhat ironic that both Tommy Martin and I were at the Talk of the Town game because Tommy, God Bless him, showed me some leeway during my Talk of the Town times back in the day and was always willing to negotiate when I would amass a stack of parking tickets over the course of the winter due to my Talk of the Town times.

The Talk of the Town took the bull by the horns early racking up a sizeable lead through the first two innings. Eric Ervin started it off with a RBI triple, Dave Mac McGuire followed with a sac fly RBI and Garret McBride had the Talk up 3-0 with a solo shot over the rightcenter fence.

Kelly McGuire, Ervin, Mac and McBride did additional damage in the top of the second inning with some help from Hollywood and Nate Miers and the Talk was out front 8-0 before the Bangers finally put their gloves on and started punching.

It took the middle and bottom of their batting order to light the fire as Carey Willette and Adrienne Weil connected for back-to-back base hits and Joe Coburn cleared the bags with a three-run home run to straightaway center. Sophie Hall, Ian Baird and Gracie Coburn then promptly loaded the bases with a string of hits and Mikey Weil cleared them with a grand slam earning the accolades a Dietrich Dirtworks dump truck passing by at the same time. Abby McGee and Heather Culley then combined for another run to put the Bangers on top 9-8 until the Talk stopped the bleeding turning a foul pop into a double play.

Big Bangers D retired the Talk of the Town 1-2-3 in the top of the third and their bats remained hot pulling ahead 15-8 including a two-run inside the park home run from Willette channeling more of that magic that had them winning nine of their last 10 games coming into the game.

The Talk regrouped to start punching back in the top of the fourth inning throwing in a couple MMA moves in the process. Ervin got it going again with a two RBI triple to centerfield. A couple of base hits mixed in with a couple of walks then had the Talk chugging. They tied the game back up 15-15 and then started pulling back out ahead thanks to some slight mishandlings by the Bangers defense and some lucky high pops that dropped in weird areas for additional runs. In the end, it took the rules to stop the Talk from getting out of control, just like it often does, as they reached the 10-run limit and were on top 18-15.

While only down three runs, it felt like much more after the battering they just received, and the Bangers bats went strangely silent while the Talk just kept on swinging. 

McBride cracked another solo shot, Jessica “Turnip” Boman slapped a two RBI double, Ervin, Mac and Barb Winter continued to knock runs in with base hits and Boman capped it all off with a RBI single as the Talk reached the 10-run limit for the second inning in a row to pull ahead 29-15

But they weren’t done yet. Much like that magic bourbon night buzz during the early to mid-90’s at the Talk of the Town between the hours of 11 and 12:30 where everything you said was funny and every pool shot dropped in. 

Or so I’ve heard.

At this point, a Bangers comeback, while not impossible, probably wasn’t possible. But, not even the return of Mikey to the mound could slow the Talk down as they proceeded to tack on four more runs in the top of the sixth inning making a Banger comeback officially impossible. Sure, they did push four more runs across in their final at bat, but nothing was going to turn the game around as the Talk finished with a 35-21 win and remain alive, and a little concerning for opponents, with the championship game slated for Tuesday, August 9 at Gothic Field.

Still, they must get through Psycho Rocks, Elevate and then Pita’s Meatsticks in the next week. So, again, in the words of AC/DC, “it’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.”

Colorado License Plates

[  by Than Acuff  ]

Good to be back down the first base line at Pitsker field with green valleys climbing up to snowcapped peaks as the backdrop for Crested Butte town league softball.

But before we go there…

I am a huge fan of the new Rockies uniforms, designed as a shout out to the Colorado license plate. That said, Colorado should go back to the 1958 license plate design with a skier (Dick Durrance?) on it.

And finally, a big shout out to the CBCS graduating class of 2022. No doubt I will be seeing some of them on the local fields as the years go by, just like I see my fair share of CBCS graduates from past years on the fields now. That said, pick me up and toss me and my chair in the closest dumpster if I am still covering softball when 2030 graduates start playing. Unless I’m in a hover chair. Wait a minute, call Elon Musk, “hover chairs” at sporting events. It’s scary how accurate the Jetsons were.

Speaking of CBCS graduates, they were in full force Tuesday night when the Bangers faced the Talk of the Town in the season opener at Pitsker field. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the Bangers have a direct line to the CBCS, so much so that they should change their name to the Titans. In fact, every player on the team is either a Titan or related to a Titan or coached the Titans. 

Meanwhile, the Talk of the Town remains the Talk of the Town, built for years around the Ervins or people married to the Ervins or friends of the Ervins, and how could you not be, they’re friendly people.

It was all Titans, I mean Bangers, most of the time through the first five innings as their bats were relatively hot, relative to the air temperature, while the Talk of the Town remained their own worst enemy with a handful of rally-crushing base-running errors and some rally-enhancing fielding errors. But hey, it’s the first game of the season.

Case in point was when a squib hit by Mikey Weil turned into a two RBI double, those two RBIs compliments of previous errors. Joseph Stock then connected for a two RBI triple to the gap in right center and Sophie Hall pushed another Banger home with a single for a 6-1 lead. It was bound to get worse too had it not been for Dave McGuire’s stretching grab between first and second base to end the inning. Just like he’s been always doing for the past 40-plus years. The kid’s still got it at age 60. Even more so, as you will see, if you keep reading.

Stock and Hall combined again in the top of the fourth to score two more runs and when Slater Weil stroked a solo single walled bat, warning track power inside the park home run, the Bangers were up 10-3 and in the zone…ish.

Then things got a little loose.

Robbie Vandervoort, birthday and all, brought some hope back to the Talk team with a double and scored on a single by Kelly McGuire and Dave pushed home another Talk run before another base running error quashed the team’s effort.

 But the Talk wasn’t done and saved their best for last… call… much to the chagrin of umpire Pip Bailey’s bladder, as if a bladder is capable of chagrin.

Garrett McBride got the Talk back on track with a double in the top of the sixth inning, Courtney Bock followed with a single of her own and the next three Talk runs walked home as the Bangers’ pitcher struggled. Kelly, Eric Suazo and Dave tacked on three more runs with base hits and, suddenly, we had ourselves a game as the Talk were down 12-11 heading into the seventh inning.

Hits from Abbey McGee, Carey Willette and Adrienne Weil pushed two insurance runs home for the Bangers to go up 14-11 but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

The Talk bats remained hot in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game 14-14 until Dave stepped to plate with 40-plus years of experience in the local leagues, to drive in the game-winning run sealing the 15-14 Talk of the Town win.