Many questions surround Woody Creek racetrack plans
Kim Baillargeon — Dear Pitkin County commissioners, I am writing as a concerned county citizen regarding the members-only...
Aspen News
Government
Racetrack proposal incompatible with community values
Kate Spencer — Dear Pitkin County commissioners, I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed development...
Time Machine: 70 years ago, Eagle County’s only capital punishment recipient receives death sentence
30 years ago July 12, 1996 Following news of the Surface Transportation Board’s denial of a request from the Union and Southern Pacific Railroad to abandon the Tennessee Pass line, officials from East West Partners called off plans to redevelop the 62-acre railroad property...
Where Pitkin County (and Colorado) sits in the context of state bans on M-44s
Editor’s Note: After originally declining to comment by the time of publication, Commissioner Francie Jacober has responded to questions with regard to the lifting of the M-44 ban on BLM lands. This article has been updated to reflect her comments. Back in 1998, the federal ag...
Friday letters: Clerk response, library funding concerns and hopes for national unity
Clerk responds to ballot delivery concerns A public response from Jacklyn K. Harmon, Garfield County clerk & recorder, to Mr. Donald Kaufman’s letter to the editor I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns regarding the delivery of mail ballots for the 2026 p...
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Alexa Daverio, left, and Lucas Begala paddle down Roaring Fork River through North Star Nature Preserve on their stand-up paddleboards on Wednesday afternoon....
PitCo commissioners seeking to pool additional water rights
Healthy Rivers board weighs cost and benefit as others tout ‘cumulative’ impact
Why can’t Basalt planning commission just say no?
Susan Sullivan — I recently attended the Basalt Planning and Zoning Commission meeting regarding the proposed Marriott Residence...
PitCo commissioners voice initial approval for another water buy
Against the recommendation of an advisory board, Pitkin County commissioners on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to buy more water to boost flows in the often-depleted Roaring Fork River. Commissioners approved on first reading a resolution and ordinance to spend $442,500 t...
Aspen Chapel sees success with request to update site plan
The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners approved on first reading Wednesday an ordinance to amend the Aspen Chapel Property Restrictive Covenant and accept a Nordic Easement. The Aspen Chapel of the Prince of Peace Board of Trustees requested to amend the covenant in o...
Sullivan: Why can’t the Basalt Planning Commission just say no?
I recently attended the Basalt Planning Commission meeting regarding the proposed Marriott Residence Inn at the old Movieland site in El Jebel, and I left utterly baffled. During the hearing, a clear consensus emerged: each and every planning commissioner expressed major reser...
Kane: Colorado’s Constitution isn’t a wildlife management plan
Colorado has amended its Constitution many times in its 150-year history. Its strongest amendments established enduring principles of government, not policy questions better left to statute and science. Initiative 302 asks voters to cross that line. Before signing a petit...
Eagle County commissioners approve assistance letter to pursue an open space tax ballot item. But in which election could Eagle County voters see it?
On Tuesday, July 7, Eagle County Commissioners agreed to let the Trust for Public Land assist in the Open Space Program’s pursuit of an open space tax ballot item. While some hope to see it at the polls this November, others are pushing for a 2027 campaign. Members from the O...
Public vote necessary for Theatre Aspen project, says city council
Land use application remains unsubmitted for permanent venue
andrew duhon
Andrew Duhon will perform with his trio Saturday at The Arts Campus at Willits. Duhon has built a devoted grassroots following over a career that spans nearly 20 years....
Colorado joins nearly 2 dozen other states urging U.S. Postal Service to drop plan to restrict mail-in voting
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, alongside lawyers from nearly two dozen other states, is urging the U.S. Postal Service to abandon efforts to fulfill President Donald Trump’s executive order that aims to restrict mail-in voting for the 2026 midterm elections. Trump sig...
How Western Slope voters helped reelect Hickenlooper amid Colorado’s wave of progressive upsets
Amid a wave of wins for anti-establishment candidates, Colorado’s rural mountain towns were more likely than the Front Range to vote for veteran incumbents, helping to secure a win for U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper against a progressive challenger. Western Slope residents predom...
Snowmass receives update on Childcare Specialty Tax District
Snowmass Town Council received an update Monday on the Childcare Specialty Tax District that was established in November 2025 by the voters in Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties to fund early childhood development services through the collection of a 0.25% sales and use tax. ...
Tuesday letters: Ballot delivery concerns, Harvest questions and BikeThere thanks
Voters deserve answers on ballot delays I am writing to request a public explanation from Garfield County Clerk and Recorder Jackie Harmon and Glenwood Springs Postmaster Adele L. Lujan concerning what appears to have been a significant delay in the delivery of mail ballots du...
Aspen Snowmass offers chance to bid on Nell and Bell chairs
The Bell Mountain and The Little Nell chairlifts, which have carried skiers and snowboarders up Aspen Mountain for nearly 120 combined years, are coming down to make way for the new Nell Bell lift — and heading to auction for a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the public to take one...
Eagle County Commissioners to decide on assistance for an open space tax ballot item
Eagle County Commissioners on Tuesday will decide if they want to approve a technical assistance to pursue an open space tax in the county. In a commission meeting on June 7, the Trust for Public Land will look to jumpstart assistance to get an open space property tax into a ...
Glenwood Springs City Council delays on-demand fare increase
Glenwood Springs City Council members delayed action Thursday on a proposed fare increase for Ride Glenwood On-Demand, saying they wanted more data before deciding how much riders should pay and how the service fits into the city’s broader transportation system. The on-demand ...
Miller: Democracy depends on active participation
As the November elections approach, we are reminded that democracy depends on active participation. Voting is one of the most important ways citizens can make their voices heard and help shape the future of our country. But civic engagement should not stop at the casting of our o...
Rifle eyes memorial project, business incubator partnership
Rifle City Council’s work session on Wednesday featured an update on the Veteran’s Memorial Renovation Project and a possible partnership with the Grand Junction Business Incubator Center. Veteran’s Memorial Renovation Project Rifle Public Works Director Brian Prunty provi...
Hickenlooper, Glenwood officials speak out against proposed RMI Quarry expansion
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper joined Glenwood Springs city councilors, Garfield County commissioners and members of the Citizens Alliance on Transfer Trail on Friday to speak out against Rocky Mountain Industrials’ (RMI) latest quarry expansion proposal. Although there haven’t ...
‘Climate resiliency’ goals help Nordic skiing adapt to shorter, warmer, drier winters
Pitkin County OST Board adopts 2026 version of management plan
David Hoffmann
David Hoffmann believes newspapers are vital to the health of a local community. He became chairman of the Lee Enterprises Board of Directors in February....
Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate a goal by right wing Anthony Mantha. The National Hockey League Board of Governors in June approved the Hoffmann Family of Companies acquiring the team....
Lo-Fidelity: It’s America’s birthday, and I’ll cry if I want to
In my travels around Aspen, I’ve been asking fellow townsfolk about what it really means to be an American. The answers have ranged anywhere from seeking the “American Dream,” being patriotic, the right to vote, citizenship and the inalienable right to “Life, liberty and the ...
Victor Marx pulls ahead of Barb Kirkmeyer in GOP governor primary, but race is still too close to call
Ministry leader Victor Marx is currently leading state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer in the Republican primary for Colorado governor, but the race is still too close to call. After holding a narrow advantage over Marx on election night and into Wednesday afternoon, Kirkmeyer’s lead eva...
Doyle and Ittner look to Pitkin County District 1 Commissioner seat
John Doyle and Rob Ittner are heading into campaign season for the Nov. 3 election after winning 40.6% and 39.2% of votes, respectively, for the position of District 1 Pitkin County Commissioner, which will replace Commissioner Patti Clapper. According to the unofficial resul...
Eagle County advances draft zoning map as part of Land Use Regulation Rewrite
Eagle County is in the process or rewriting its land-use codes, and the Eagle County Planning Commission made a significant step to that end in June, reviewing a draft zoning map from the Eagle County Land Use Regulation Rewrite Advisory Committee. The draft map is a remapping...
Phil Weiser wins Democratic primary for Colorado governor
Phil Weiser, who has served as Colorado’s attorney general since 2019, beat three-term U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet in Tuesday’s Democratic primary election for governor. The Associated Press called the race around 7:55 p.m. on Tuesday. Preliminary results as of Wednesday morning ...
Colorado lawmakers celebrate Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold birthright citizenship
Colorado Democratic lawmakers are celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold birthright citizenship, rejecting one of President Donald Trump’s first executive orders from the president’s first day in office. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected the order with a ...
Dwayne Romero beats fellow Aspenite Alex Kelloff in 3rd Congressional District Democratic primary
Romero had 55.2% of the vote to Kelloff’s 44.8% when the Associated Press called the race for Romero at 8:01 p.m.
Hickenlooper wins Colorado’s Democratic Senate primary election
Incumbent U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper took the victory in Colorado’s Democratic Senate primary race against state Sen. Julie Gonzales. The Associated Press called the win at 7:36 p.m. Tuesday. Unofficial results from the Colorado Secretary of State’s office show Hickenlooper l...
Dwayne Romero declares victory
At an election watch party held Tuesday evening at Rock Island Oyster Bar & Grill in Snowmass Village, Dwayne Romero declares victory in the Democratic primary for U.S. House District 3....
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The three candidates for the Pitkin County District 1 commissioner seat are John Doyle, Rob Ittner and Torre.
How the Western Slope voted in Colorado’s primary elections for governor
Colorado’s urban-rural divide was on display in Tuesday’s primary elections for governor. Amid a surge in voter turnout, the bulk of candidates’ votes were largely concentrated either along the populous Front Range corridor, or in smaller western and eastern communities. O...
Baker pulls away in unofficial Garfield County sheriff results
Brent Baker holds a wide lead over Dan Loya in the Republican primary for Garfield County sheriff, according to unofficial election results from the Garfield County Clerk and Recorder’s Office. As of 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, Baker had 4,961 votes, or 67.6%, while Loya had 2,378 vo...
Ittner, Doyle will advance to Nov.3 election
After three rounds of election returns Tuesday night, John Doyle and Rob Ittner emerged as the top two candidates in the Democratic primary for the District 1 seat on the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners, advancing to the November general election. Former Aspen Mayor T...
Kelley Anne Dennison wins GOP race for Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District
Estes Park massage therapist Kelley Anne Dennison has won the Republican primary in a race to represent Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District. The Associated Press called the win at 7:57 p.m. Tuesday. Unofficial results show Dennison leading with 58% of the vote over her oppon...
Army veteran Dwayne Romero wins Democratic primary for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District
Dwayne Romero, an Aspen-area resident and Army veteran with decades of local political experience, won the Democratic nomination for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District seat in Tuesday’s primary election. The Associated Press called the race for Romero around 8 p.m. on Tues...
Sparlin: Human safety must be a top priority
As the first priority of elected officials is to keep the public safe, it was suggested to the Board of County Commissioners last Wednesday that they invest in production of Highway 82 motion sensors, powered by solar at the critical elk migratory areas of the Highway 82. These s...
A last-minute guide to voting in Tuesday’s primary election
Colorado’s primary Election Day is here as Democratic, Republican, Unity and Libertarian candidates face off to represent their parties in a number of key local, state and federal elections this November. While it’s too late for Coloradans to return their ballots by mail, res...
A last-minute guide to voting in today’s primary election
Colorado’s primary Election Day is here as Democratic, Republican, Unity and Libertarian candidates face off to represent their parties in a number of key local, state and federal elections this November. While it’s too late for Coloradans to return their ballots by mail, res...
790 castle creek road
This home at 790 Castle Creek Road is under construction. The property’s homeowners requested a fee waiver from the Aspen City Council last year because of the high cost of fees, which launched a conversation about fee deferrals for local…...
Garfield Re-2 budget reduces planned deficit
The Garfield Re-2 school board approved a $90.3 million budget for the 2026-27 school year on Wednesday, reducing its planned General Fund deficit. Finance Director Jason Lynch told the board that the district’s financial outlook has improved from earlier projections, though ...
Confluence tax district names first executive director
The Confluence Early Childhood Development Special Service District has named Samantha Markovitz as executive director, following a nationwide search. Markovitz will begin July 27, according to a news release from the district. The district, approved by voters in November ...
Delk ready to learn, increase efficiency
Appointee named RFSD board president
Aspen old-timer endorses Doyle for BOCC
Jim Wingers — I am a certified “Aspen geezer,” since I am over 80. I am a non-affiliated voter who leans right. John Doyle is my...
Vote Torre, who stands up for locals
Lisa Markalunas — Torre is excellent and he is my choice for Pitkin County commissioner in District 1. He is well-versed...
Romero has earned a place in Congress
Erin Rigney — Please vote for Dwayne Romero for U.S. House District 3. I cannot say enough positive things about Romero’s integrity...
Ireland: No need to whine — just vote
Celebrate the 250th for what really counts. Better than a cage match on the White House lawn. More important than...
voting
In-person voting for the primary elections is available at the Pitkin County administration building, 530 E. Main St., today from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and also on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ballot drop-off locations (deadline is…...
Spencer: Vote John Doyle
John Doyle has a proven record of presenting practical solutions to solve our valley’s transit and housing issues, and he prioritizes our natural environment in all decisions. He is a public servant who listens, does his homework and consistently puts the community’s best interes...
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From left, Aspen Skiing Co. CEO Geoff Buchheister, Aspen One CEO Dave Tanner, and Aspen One Vice President of Sustainability Chris Miller present to the Snowmass Village Town Council and mayor on June 15....
Climate change could shutter ski resorts
Patrick Hunter — Leaders of Aspen One recently held a meeting with the Aspen City Council. The ski company leaders said they need support from the community......
Pitkin County vacancy rates exceed Garfield
A report on the Regional Housing Needs Assessment for the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys was presented during a joint meeting between Aspen City Council and the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners last week, the first step in a process to identify current afforda...
Friday letters: ICE facility enforcement, Weiser support and Highway 82 concerns
City should enforce its own codes After the City of Glenwood Springs Planning and Zoning board voted to revoke a permit for the operation of an ICE detention facility in Suite 210 in the commercial center at 100 Midland Avenue, I assumed City Council would follow the law and s...