For folks in the Gunnison Valley, the word “continuous” is as important as that first cup of coffee in the morning. 

This is home to the longest-running continuous rodeo in Colorado and one of the oldest events of its kind in the United States. This year marks the 125^th consecutive Cattlemen’s Days rodeo, and that sentiment brings such great pride to the people in this community since they’ve fought to make it happen. 

Cattlemen’s Days began in 1901 as a way for those in the valley to gather and celebrate their Western way of life. The dates were chosen to conduct the event just before the busy haying season. It has continued through two world wars, several other international conflicts and two pandemics. When COVID threatened the rodeo’s cancelation five years ago, community members bonded together. It occurred because a select few realized the rodeo’s impact to the folks in the valley

The show must go on, they said. Nothing had stopped Cattlemen’s Days before, and they weren’t about to let it happen in 2020. Local businessman Kevin Coblentz, who had already served as president of the volunteer-based organization two years, stepped in for another and led the charge to ensure the streak continued. He had help from several others and a proud group of residents who found the dollars to make sure there was a rodeo. 

“Kevin and Brad Tutor were a huge part of that,” said Roger Johnson, a longtime Cattlemen’s Days committee member and a past president. “There were others on the committee that put in their two cents worth and fought to have that.” 

That’s why the community will celebrate another milestone 125 years after the celebration began with a rodeo on Main Street. This year’s Cattlemen’s Days will take place Thursday, July 11-Saturday, July 13, at Fred Field Western Center in Gunnison, and there’s no better way to honor the event than to look at its legacy. 

Johnson is a bit of a historian for Cattlemen’s Days. He was president in 2000 during the festival’s centennial celebration and helped organize a video commemorating it. He’d done his research and continues to expound upon the growth and development of Gunnison’s marquee event. 

“Like everything else, it got started in the late 1800s but wasn’t officially recognized as an organized rodeo until the 1900s,” he said. “The first ones were held just across from my house on the highway here where the railroad tracks split. It featured all sorts of things, but mainly it was bronc riding and horse racing. Those two events stayed for the longest time until horse racing ended a few years ago. 

“But the rodeo has been continuous even through world wars and the Korean War and the Vietnam War and everything else. We’ve always had a rodeo every year.” 

Cattlemen’s Days started on the dirt streets downtown. Folks from all over made their way to town, whether by horse and buggy or horseback or any way they could make the trek. Livestock for the rodeo was driven into town from Mergelman Flats, similar to the cattle drives that paved the way for westward expansion of the United States. 

“That was the only time that herd ever saw a human, so you can just imagine what that was like,” Johnson said. 

There was a shindig in town, and it may be the only time some families and ranch hands would see friends annually. 

From 1913-’28, the rodeo and races took place at the Colorado Normal School, now Western Colorado University. It returned to downtown for a few years before the Cattlemen’s Days committee was established in the mid-1930s. The western center that houses the annual gala was created in 1938 and has served as the home of Cattlemen’s Days since. 

“We’ve had the college’s economics department do our studies for us, and Cattlemen’s Days is still the largest moneymaker of the year for the community,” Johnson said. “They’re saying tourism is taking over as the main staple for Gunnison, but a lot of tourism comes in July when we have Cattlemen’s Days. I still think it’s an extremely important part of the Gunnison community.” 

The economic impact to the town is important, but there are bigger things at play. This is the community’s jubilee, its county fair. It’s the time of year for class reunions and family gatherings. Children work all year on their 4H projects to have them ready for Cattlemen’s Days. It’s the perfect setting for longtime friends to honor one another and to showcase their pride in Gunnison. 

“Everything still centers off the rodeo,” Johnson said. “If you didn’t have the rodeo, none of the other things would have taken place in the style they do now.”

Johnson served on the committee for about 20 years but continued to volunteer his efforts, working on the timed-event crew until a couple years ago. He’s offered his post to the younger generation, opening opportunities for others to learn the importance of Cattlemen’s Days and what it means to serve the community. 

Since joining the committee 29 years ago to his status today, Johnson has seen the development of the town’s rodeo. He’s witnessed the growth of the sport from his younger days as a rodeo cowboy originally from Minnesota to the professional athletes competing for more prize money than ever. He’s seen his hometown rodeo go from a small event to one of the top events of its size in the country. 

Gunnison’s rodeo has an incredible history that has outlived generations of community servants and continues to thrive. Its foundation was laid on the dirt-and-gravel streets along Main Street and has been built into a magnificent showcase of athletic talent and a community’s fortitude to continue that legacy. 

Cattlemen’s Days remains a staple in Gunnison, and it’s the perfect reflection of everything that’s right in this picturesque Rocky Mountain community.

Becky Mitchell and Douglas Kenney will kick off the 2025 CB Public Policy Forum Summer Speaker Series, June 24, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Center for the Arts. They will be joined on stage by Julie Nania in a moderated discussion on The Colorado River, big river issues and water scarcity.

On Tuesday, we hope to engage our experts in educating the community about these issues and sharing the current state of discussions about the future of the Colorado River.

Becky Mitchell is the State of Colorado’s Commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission. Mitchell took on this upgraded role in July 2023 to enhance the state’s position in Colorado River interstate issues and negotiations on the operations of Lake Mead and Lake Powell. She is an accomplished water leader with more than 20 years of experience in the water sector and is highly knowledgeable in Colorado water law. Mitchell was also appointed director of the Inter-Basin Compact Committee (IBCC) in 2023. Mitchell’s appointment has strengthened and integrated water policy discussions happening across the state and the Colorado River Basin.

Doug Kenney has been with the Getches-Wilkinson Center at the University of Colorado Law School since 1996, where he is the director of the Western Water Policy Program, the chairman of the Colorado River Research Group and the host/organizer of the summer water conference. He researches and writes extensively on water-related issues, including law and policy reform, transboundary resource management and climate change adaptation. Dr. Kenney has served as a consultant to a variety of local, state, multi-state and federal agencies, including several Interior Department agencies, EPA, the U.S. Forest Service and special commissions (e.g., the Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission); and national governments and non-governmental organizations in Asia and Africa.

Julie Nania is the executive director of the Coldharbour Institute and a faculty chair at Western Colorado University and teaches in areas that address water, restoration, and land management practices. She graduated from University of Colorado School of Law in 2011 and received her B.A. in International Studies from the University of Washington in 2007. Her career began as a fellow at the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment at the University of Colorado Law School, where she worked with federal Indian tribes on federal reserve water rights issues. This early experience set the stage for her love of water resources. Since moving to the Gunnison Valley in 2014 she has served on the Gunnison Basin Roundtable and, for eight years, as a dedicated board member for the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District.

The Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District is co-sponsor of this event.

The Public Policy Forum is free and open to the public and takes place each Tuesday beginning June 24 and culminating on August 12. All events take place at the CB Center for the Arts.

By Mark Reaman

Summer parklets!

The summer seating parklets on Elk Avenue will be set up on June 17. The parklets provide opportunity for outdoor seating during the summer months. The Bruhaus, Wooden Nickel and Elk Avenue Prime, properties all owned by Mark Walter, will be providing their own parklet infrastructure. 

Solar Farm lease approved

With a 6-1 vote, the Crested Butte town council approved a 30-year option and lease agreement with the Gunnison County Electric Association (GCEA) for town land near the Baxter Gulch trailhead. The property will be used for a 1.62 MW DC solar array on the Avalanche Park property. Councilmember Anna Fenerty voted against the ordinance. 

Town manager Dara MacDonald said the contractor, Outshine Energy, plans to build the solar array outside the high avalanche hazard zone so the town will not be doing avalanche mitigation on the site. She also reminded the council the site is named “Avalanche Park” for a reason and thus there is limited opportunity to place habitable structures on the site as has been suggested by some people.

“So this energy will cost more to us than it would without the solar but it meets our climate action goals and that’s why we’re willing to do this, right?” asked councilmember John O’Neal.

The answer was yes, and the council approved the lease.

Lose the holiday lights — it’s June!

The town has contacted businesses that have yet to turn off their holiday lights. Some residents have complained about the lights still being on and town manager Dara MacDonald said compliance has increased after the contacts were made but no citations have been issued. 

“It feels like a bit of a blow to have the local businesses not complying with the code,” said mayor Ian Billick.

Chamber of Commerce executive director Heather Leonard said she has touched base with some businesses with lights and there has been some confusion over the regulations. “There seems no intent by businesses to violate the code, they are just trying to understand it better. I was even confused.”

If businesses do not ultimately comply and turn off the lights, they will be issued citations that could lead to dealing with municipal court and possible large fines.

Federal grant limbo

The council expressed some concern with federal grant funding, particularly with potential transit grants given uncertainty with federal budget cuts. Plus, the fact the Colorado Department of Transportation is in a legal squabble with the feds over some provisions in grant documents adds to the uncertainty. Additionally, Gunnison County was listed as a so-called “sanctuary community” with no clear explanation and the federal government is threatening to not provide grants to any such government entity, which also adds to the uncertainty.

“Right now, nobody knows what’s going on with federal grants,” concluded town attorney Karl Hanlon.

Alley history survey

The town’s consultant with Tatanka Historical Associates will pick up in mid-June where he left off last fall with the historic survey work within town alleys. Ron Sladek is surveying existing outbuildings from the current “period of significance.”  The survey data will help with the Design Standards and Guidelines update slated for later this year.

Stuff:

—Council sent a letter to the Western Colorado University Foundation, owners of the 40-acre parcel along the town’s east border, asking them to explore the possibility of reopening a trail segment connecting the Rec Path Bridge to McCormick Ranch Road.

—Council agreed to enter into a professional services agreement with Kimley Horn engineers for 60% design services associated with the Red Lady Roundabout.

—Sales tax for April was up 5.5%. For the year, sales tax revenues are up about 3%.

—Town street crews will be crack sealing through June. Striping will begin as soon as weather allows.

—The barn at Town Ranch is being disassembled. Materials will try to be salvaged for a future town project.

—Council approved an ordinance cleaning up some language in the town code addressing vacation rental licenses.

—Many of the town’s summer recreation programs are already full and have wait lists.

Adjusting to decreased visitation last winter

By Katherine Nettles

As the Gunnison County Tourism and Prosperity Partnership (TAPP) transitions from spring to summer marketing, it is also making staff transitions and even some marketing adjustments for a changing economic landscape among locals and visitors. 

During a work session update on Tuesday, Gunnison County commissioners heard about the takeaways from winter and spring visitation numbers, local economic trends, staff transitions, summer marketing and ongoing efforts to promote both Western Colorado University (WCU) and Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL).

Outgoing TAPP executive director John Norton described the transitions taking place with his retirement only days away. He reviewed the process by which he informed the TAPP board of directors about seven months ago of his retirement plans, and recommended that marketing director Andrew Sandstrom take on the role from within the organization. After due diligence the board had agreed, and TAPP’s current marketing manager Katy Mooney is now also moving in to fill Sandstrom’s marketing director position. Norton said he has been surrounded with “A-level people” who will do a fine job with TAPP in the future. “I’m happy to be able to oversee a completely no-drama transition…everybody’s happy. There’s no anxiety, no second guessing,” he said.

Commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels thanked Norton for his foresight and for nurturing his team well to be ready to take over.

Sandstrom then reflected on TAPP’s main purpose of bringing economic vitality to the Gunnison Valley, including bringing household income up. He shared a graph indicating that the mean household income in the county has gone down when adjusting for inflation, while rent and home prices have gone up sharply. 

Lower demand for the valley

The data that TAPP collects around visitation shows that since peak visitation of 825,000 visitors to the valley in 2022, it has dropped to about 660,000 visitors last year. Occupancy is also beginning to drop, said Sandstrom, having peaked at 36% on average with July occupancy around the mid 60% mark in 2024.

However, tax collections for the Local Marketing District (LMD), which funds TAPP, have continued to grow except for a slight adjustment in 2022 and 2023 after the record COVID sales tax collections. Much of that has been driven by lodging rate increases, as TAPP staff have been clear about. “A pizza costs more than it used to; a hotel room costs more than it used to,” summarized Sandstrom.

However, he reported that so far in 2025, commercial lodging is bringing prices down a bit to drive up occupancy. “As we look at summer, rates are still up at the moment,” said Sandstrom, partly because the drive market does lead to more last-minute bookings.

“We’ll see how that pans out,” he said.

The breakdown of specific municipalities in the valley shows a variation in LMD revenue in recent years. Revenue has decreased in Crested Butte, likely due to the limits on STRs; revenue has increased in Mt. Crested Butte and stayed flat in Gunnison.

Mooney said winter visitation was down 8%, which she attributed to low snowfall, bad press for Vail Resorts due to the Park City strike and economic and political volatility. She said TAPP had run an ad campaign similar to previous years, marketing to drive and air visitors and to downhill skiers. And while their audience showed interest online, they did not act as often as hoped. Other areas reported steeper drops in visitation, particularly areas more sensitive to the national downturn in international visitors such as Breckenridge and Aspen. 

This spring TAPP promoted the South Valley activities like gravel biking and Hartman Rocks mountain biking. But responding to the winter lack of action, TAPP is changing its ad campaign this summer to show the more straightforward logistics of what a trip to the valley would look like, including the costs, activities and transportation logistics for visitors. The marketing leans into bike trails, hiking trails, gravel roads, public lands and “cool towns.” 

Its sustainable tourism and land/trail stewardship messaging is staying consistent with previous campaigns in various online forms such as social media, email blasts and tourism websites.

“We’re hoping to get people over that hurdle to travel,” said Mooney.

So far, flight bookings are 33% ahead of last summer, which has been a consistent trend despite a drop in the drive market.

Other initiatives

Sandstrom also highlighted the continued innovation at WCU in the Rady School of Engineering and computer science, among others. He said a focus on getting more professors could bring in more students, and more tuition means more money circulating in the community and leads to more innovation. These concepts as well as a partnership with RMBL and work for business development at the ICELab circle back to creating a more prosperous community, he noted, maintaining sustainable tourism but diversifying economic development in other ways beyond tourism.

“There are lot of opportunities for Rady students and even a recruiting tool with computer science students,” he concluded. “There’s a synergy there.” 

•CBCS Art Show exhibit at the Center for the Arts May 2-16.

THURSDAY 15

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

FRIDAY 16

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•Noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•6-9 p.m. Opening Night in the Tropics at Montanya with happy hour all day.

•7-9 p.m. One-night-only staged reading of Jaston Williams’, Joe Sears’, and Ed Howard’s rip-roaring Texan farce Greater Tuna at the Center for the Arts.

•7-10 p.m. Freshly Sprouted Improv Comedy Feat. Subject2Change at the Mallaradi Theatre.

SATURDAY 17

•7:30 a.m. Open AA Big Book Study UCC Church 4th and Maroon 970.349.5711.

•9 a.m. Town Cleanup at the Four-Way stop. 

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•4 p.m.-9 p.m. The I Bar hosts a Public Lands Party with the Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Featuring live music by Bard Edrington and Bruce Hayes & Ragged Mountain Bluegrass.

•6 p.m. Karaoke at Montanya.

•7-10 p.m. Freshly Sprouted Improv Comedy Feat. Subject2Change at the Mallaradi Theatre.

SUNDAY 18

•2 p.m. Gunnison High School Graduation — at the Paul Wright Gymnasium at Western Colorado University.

•5 p.m. Eucharist service at the UCC.

•6 p.m. Open AA Discussion Meeting  UCC Church 4th and Maroon  970.349.5711

MONDAY 19

•noon Scrabble Club at the Crested Butte Library. (every month on the first and third Monday)

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 20

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:00 p.m. CBCS high school jazz and guitar concert at the CB Center for the Arts.

•6:30 p.m. Women’s AA Open Meeting QAS Parish Hall DOWNSTAIRS 401 Sopris Ave  970.349.5711

WEDNESDAY 21

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•5:30-7:30 p.m. Professional Development Workshop: Branding and Marketing with Liza Scher at the Center for the Arts

•6 p.m. Cocktail Seminar: The Tipsy Typewriter at the Center for the Arts.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

• 7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at CBCS High School gym.

Expect busy roads and restaurants 

By Seth Mensing 

Western Colorado University will hold its 112^th commencement ceremony at the Mountaineer Bowl on Saturday, May 10, at 10 a.m., when more than 400 graduates will walk across the stage to receive a diploma.

The ceremony will be streamed live in the University Center Theater and available through a link on the University’s website, allowing family and friends, as well as the broader community, to share this special day with the students.

“As athletes and artists, grocery clerks and trail crew members, these students have been an essential part of our community,” said Western’s president Brad Baca. “Commencement is a moment to honor their accomplishments and recognize the impact they’ve had both on campus and in the Valley.”

With guests visiting for the ceremony, there will be noticeably more people in the towns and on the roads during the commencement weekend. Restaurants and hotel rooms will be full, and on what might otherwise have been a quiet shoulder season weekend, the Valley will be busy again.

Most Western students will prepare to leave campus during the first week of May. The weekend’s festivities will start on Friday, May 9, with the presentation of the Alumni Awards for Excellence in the West Wing of the Leslie J. Savage Library and continue through the reception following the commencement ceremony.

This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Dan Gibbs (’02), executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. “It is a great honor to come back to the school where I studied and have such great memories and long-lasting friendships and relationships,” Gibbs said. “It has had a real, positive impact on me, and I always enjoy coming back and seeing how the school has grown.”

After commencement, Western’s summer session begins, and the campus will be quieter until faculty and students return the week before classes begin on August 25.

•CBCS Art Show exhibit at the Center for the Arts May 2-16.

THURSDAY 8

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•5 p.m. Gunnison Country Food Pantry “Donations for Discounts” at Tullys. gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org.

•6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

FRIDAY 9

•noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•Noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

•Noon Free financial literacy class about fraud in the conference room at the Community Banks of Colorado in Crested Butte.

•4 p.m. Gunnison Country Food Pantry “Donations for Discounts” at the Wooden Spoon. gunnisoncountryfoodpantry.org.

SATURDAY 10

Happy Mother’s Day!

•9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mother’s Day flower bar at the Trailhead Children’s Museum.

•7:30 a.m. Open AA Big Book Study UCC Church 4th and Maroon 970.349.5711.

•10 a.m. Western Colorado University will hold its 112th commencement ceremony at the Mountaineer Bowl.

•10:30 a.m. Super Saturday Storytime at the Crested Butte Library.

•10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•Noon-5 p.m. Community Carnival at Gunnison High School to benefit men’s mental health in our valley.

SUNDAY 11

•5 p.m. Eucharist service at the UCC.

•6 p.m. Open AA Discussion Meeting  UCC Church 4th and Maroon  970.349.5711

MONDAY 12

•noon Scrabble Club at the Crested Butte Library. (every month on the first and third Monday)

•5:30-6:30 p.m. Sound Bath with T. Helen Sage at Sage Transformations, 311 5th St, CB. Donation based. Everyone welcomed!

•6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.\

•7-8:30 p.m. CB State of Mind Workshop with local author, speaker, coach and marathoner Erica Rasmussen at the CB/Mt. CB Chamber conference room.

•7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

•7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 13

•7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

•10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

•11:30 a.m. The League of Women Voters of the Gunnison Valley meets at the Gunnison County Library, 1 Quartz.The program will feature talks about vaccines.

•noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

•6:30 p.m. Women’s AA Open Meeting QAS Parish Hall DOWNSTAIRS 401 Sopris Ave  970.349.5711

WEDNESDAY 14

•7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

•noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

•2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

•6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

•7-8:30 p.m. CB State of Mind Workshop with local author, speaker, coach and marathoner Erica Rasmussen at the ICELab Conference Room at Western.

•7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at CBCS High School gym.

“Our efforts to train nurses…resonated with The Colorado Health Foundation”

By Seth Mensing, WCU 

Western Colorado University’s new Nursing Education Program is gaining momentum this spring, with major funding support and a new director. 

The Program received a $560,000 grant from The Colorado Health Foundation, which will be distributed over the next three years. 

Western first started to explore the possibility of developing a nursing program focused on the unique needs of rural communities in 2023, after it received a $50,000 planning grant from the state’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). The planning grant was followed by a $1.5 million Opportunity Now grant.

Emily McMahill, one of two faculty members helping launch the Nursing Program, said the award recognizes the importance of supporting programs that serve underserved populations, like those in rural areas. 

“Our efforts to train nurses who understand the unique demands of rural healthcare resonated with the Colorado Health Foundation,” McMahill said. “The funds provided will help us build a nursing education program that garners awareness about the unique needs of our patient population and how to best support their health.”

Roten hired to be inaugural director 

During the Program’s earliest days, a small and dedicated team of faculty and staff shouldered all of the many administrative tasks required to start a nursing program from scratch. As the program began to take shape, the team turned its attention to leadership.

In March, McMahill announced that Beth Roten had been hired as the founding director of Western’s Nursing Education Program. Prior to arriving at Western, Roten was the associate chief nurse of outpatient services at the Grand Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center and chief of organizational development and education for the Western Colorado Health Care System.

AmeriCorps slashed this week…

[  By Mark Reaman, Kendra Walker and Katherine Nettles  ]

Federal budget reductions, many through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, are having impacts throughout the country as well as here in the valley. Locally, cutbacks in backcountry rangers on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land has gotten the most attention, but other federal cutbacks are suddenly coming without much warning and are also impacting local programs. These include nonprofit programs, government programs, school and child services and more.

AmeriCorps slashed

The federal government announced last week just before the weekend that contracts associated with AmeriCorps were being terminated. Local non-profit organizations like Mountain Roots and local government including the town of Crested Butte employ AmeriCorps personnel.

As reported in the Washington Post on April 25, “Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service has ordered AmeriCorps to terminate close to $400 million in grants — roughly 41% of the national service agency’s total grant funding. It’s the latest blow to the organization, which deploys thousands of young people to work on community service projects across the United States. The decision to eliminate millions of dollars in grants affects 1,031 organizations, and 32,465 AmeriCorps members and senior volunteers…”

Across the Gunnison Valley, AmeriCorps members are embedded in organizations like GV-HEAT, Western Colorado University’s Center for Cold Climate Food Security and Gunnison Country Food Pantry, filling gaps where staff capacity and resources fall short. 

Mountain Roots was hit especially hard. Executive director Holly Conn said the move puts these and other local non-profits into a state of deep uncertainty. 

“Mountain Roots Food Project currently hosts 25 AmeriCorps members across six rural Colorado communities — with 18 members serving right here in the valley,” Conn explained. “These members are the boots on the ground: coordinating food distribution, cultivating school and community gardens, educating youth, managing conservation projects, supporting low-income families and building resilient local food systems.”

Conn continued “One of their most visible impacts is food security. Every week, AmeriCorps members help pack and deliver more than 100 boxes of fresh, healthy food to local neighbors in need. People don’t realize how high the need still is. We’re still serving twice the number of households we did before the pandemic — and it’s rising again.”

Mountain Roots AmeriCorps members described the work they were doing as not always easy, but fun. They noted they helped harvest 3,000 pounds of food last season and helped at-risk households secure food. They also mentioned the importance and success of building trust with local immigrant families.

“In a small rural community like ours, AmeriCorps members aren’t just helping — they’re essential,” concluded Conn. “The need for services is growing, not shrinking. If this program disappears, our neighbors — children, seniors, immigrant families — will feel it immediately.”

Another such AmeriCorps member impacted is Alexa Luger who is working in the Crested Butte town hall through CivicSpark, which is a subset of AmeriCorps focused on community identified priorities such as sustainability. Her work is largely focused on establishing CB data tracking for energy use and emissions.

Crested Butte town manager Dara MacDonald said that because the Crested Butte Sustainability department is a one-woman department, they knew Dannah Leeman Gore who heads it up would be out on maternity leave this summer. 

“We brought on Alexa to keep some of these ongoing sustainability efforts moving forward during Dannah’s leave that starts in May,” explained MacDonald in an email this week. “Her work is largely focused on establishing our data tracking for energy use and emissions. She is also taking on a number of smaller projects such as outreach on things like the composting program, Town clean-up and rebate programs. Alexa’s work is ongoing in the Town’s exploration of possible steps to reduce single use plastics in the community. She will also be helping Astrid this summer as we go into the building code update to compile data and report back on the impact (good and bad) of the electric-only code that we adopted almost three years ago.”

MacDonald said that Luger is from Greeley and a recent graduate of the University of Colorado. She heads back to grad school in the fall. “It’s been a win/win as she has been able to get some on the job experience and we have benefited from her bright mind and hard work for a very low cost to the Town. She really wants to stay and finish out the summer and the various projects she has underway so we are looking at ways we can find the needed money to get her through the summer.”

On Wednesday, the State of Colorado filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s abrupt cuts to funding and services that help Colorado prevent wildfires, support student success, and ensure Coloradans’ access to mental health care through AmeriCorps. 

“In Colorado, AmeriCorps members are on the front lines: supporting wildfire mitigation, helping students succeed in school, and expanding mental health access. Their work touches every part of our state and these cuts are taking important services away from Coloradans and our communities,” said Governor Jared Polis.  

Other impacts

Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority (GVRHA) executive director Melissa LaMonica said another federal budget cut impact being felt at the food pantry is that a Mountain and Plains Environmental Justice (MAP EJ) grant GVRHA’s GV-Heat program was awarded has been put on hold. “It is a new EPA grant that we have never applied for, and was not budgeted or allocated internally yet, so it only effects potential program expansion,” said LaMonica.

The GV-Heat program facilitates several energy assistance programs in the valley, including energy assessments, energy efficiency upgrades and rebates and weatherization improvements for income-qualified households to help reduce energy bills in an extreme climate. 

The Gunnison Watershed School District has also seen support services pulled back and as an example, the Gunnison Valley Mentors program had to cut two full-time staff positions this week and two additional staff are slated to phase out over the summer due to funding cuts. Gunnison Valley Mentors’ School-Based Mentoring program provides support to students where they are matched with a mentor who works closely with them to improve attendance, study habits, communication, organization and homework completion.

Prior to the cuts, Gunnison Valley Mentors executive director Tina McGuinness said the organization employed eight paid mentors, three full-time and five part-time. One mentor is dedicated to Crested Butte, two mentors work with youth in both Gunnison and Crested Butte and the remaining five work with Gunnison youth.

“We will be reducing paid mentor hours in the fall unless we can find funding to replace what’s been lost,” she said.

McGuinness said their current budget loss of $8,000 per month does reduce the amount of funding available for school-based mentors, but doesn’t eliminate it. “Right now, with no additional cuts, we can continue working in the schools with limited capacity. Each full-time school mentor works with about 12 students, so we’re looking at 24 fewer students receiving services,” she said. 

However, McGuinness said there is possibility of losing another $10,000 a month. “If we lose this funding, combined with what’s already been cut, we’ll likely be forced to eliminate any paid mentoring that is specifically in the schools,” she said. “We’ll still (hopefully) have some paid mentoring staff in community-based matches who can provide limited support for their mentees in school.

“We are all trying to keep our boats afloat with holes breaking out unexpectedly,” concluded McGuinness. “None of us are untouched by the changes, regardless of industry, and all of us are working hard to make the necessary pivots. Like everyone, we’ll have to make adjustments, and also like everyone, we will continue to do the best work we can with the resources we have.”

Gunnison County is dealing with contract reductions in their health and human services department, and general lack of clarity on what is coming.  

“At the end of March we received a stop work order for three contracts from CDPHE [Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment],” said Gunnison County assistant county manager for health and human services Joni Reynolds.  “In early April, we received a suspension for the issued stop work orders.  We have heard potential impacts to local public health and human services funding but have not yet seen correspondence or direct information on any impacts for Gunnison County,” she summarized. 

“We work closely with many State and Federal agencies,” continued Reynolds. “We have heard about staffing cuts and federal organizational changes but are unclear on the direct impacts for Gunnison County.” 

County manager Matthew Birnie commented that while the county has yet to see major impacts, “We remain concerned given the lack of clear communication and clarity.”

• Western Colorado University Art Exhibition at the Center for the Arts through April 30th.

THURSDAY 24

• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

• 6:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: 11 Step Meditation at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

FRIDAY 25

• noon Open AA meeting: Readings from Living Sober at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• Noon-2 p.m. Oh Be Joyful hosts a Mountain Mamas meeting at 625 Maroon Avenue. Contact Kelsey Weaver at kweaver@gvh-colorado.org or 970-648-7071 for info.

SATURDAY 26

• 7:30 a.m. Open AA Big Book Study UCC Church 4th and Maroon 970.349.5711

• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Responsible Vape Disposal at Gunnison Public Works. 195 Basin Park Drive. 

• 10 a.m.-Noon Legs, Kegs & Eggs 5km Fun run from The Dive to the I Bar Ranch to benefit Gunnison Valley Mentors.

• 10:30 a.m. Super Saturday Storytime at the Crested Butte Library.

• 10:30 a.m.-noon St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

• 7:30 p.m. Free screening of the High Country at the Majestic Theatre.

SUNDAY 27

• 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Responsible Vape Disposal at Gunnison Public Works. 195 Basin Park Drive. 

• 3:30-4:30 p.m. CB State of Mind presents Mindfulness for Everyone at Thrive Yoga. Ages 12 and up, free.

• 6 p.m. Open AA Discussion Meeting  UCC Church 4th and Maroon  970.349.5711

MONDAY 28

• noon Scrabble Club at the Crested Butte Library. (every month on the first and third Monday)

• 6:30-8:30 p.m. Open table tennis in Jerry’s Gym at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

• 7-8 p.m. Cultivating Hope Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 3rd Monday)

• 7-8 p.m. Conscious Caregivers Cancer Support Group, livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 1st Monday)

• 7-8 p.m. Navigating Grief & Loss Bereavement Support Group, www.livingjourneys.org/calendar, free. (every 2nd Monday)

•
7:30 p.m. Open AA meeting: Favorite Big Book Reading at Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

TUESDAY 29

• 7:30 a.m. Open AA meeting: Mediation AA & Al-Anon at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• 9 a.m. Socrates Café, a philosophical discussion group, at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535. (1st and 3rd Tuesdays)

• 10 a.m. Storytime at the Crested Butte Library, 970-349-6535.

• noon Closed AA meeting: Readings from Came to Believe at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349 5711.

• 4-5:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Garage is open for shopping and donations. 421A Sopris Avenue, stmarysgaragecb.org.

• 6:30 p.m. Women’s AA Open Meeting QAS Parish Hall DOWNSTAIRS 401 Sopris Ave  970.349.5711

WEDNESDAY 30

• 7:30 a.m. Crested Butte Rotary’s weekly speaker series in the Matchstick Lounge at the Elevation Hotel, Mt. Crested Butte. (2nd and 4th Wednesdays)

• noon Closed AA meeting: 12 Step & 12 Tradition Study at the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-5711.

• 2-3 p.m. Nicotine Anonymous for Young People meeting in the Young Life building next to Ace.

• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Al-Anon Meeting for families and friends of alcoholics in the back room of the Union Congregational Church, 970-349-6482.

• 7:30 p.m. Adult pickup basketball at CBCS High School gym.