News

Author Christopher McDougall’s best-seller “Born To Run” looked at what an obscure tribe of elite runners in Mexico could teach ultra-marathoners. He’s in town Tuesday to discuss what it's like to run with a donkey.

• Crystal River Erosion Mitigation Begins
• Aspen Art Museum's 'Learning Lab' Invites All Ages To Learn About Contemporary Art

Welcome to another week in the Roaring Fork Valley! This is Week in the Arts, a curated list of upcoming exhibitions and events.

Work begins Monday to hold back erosion along a stretch of the Crystal River, where Pitkin County Open Space and Trails says the river is undercutting the Crystal Trail.

The construction site is at highway 133 and Thomas Road, south of Carbondale, where the Crystal River bends toward the highway. The project will see heavy machinery in the river to modify the river channel, stabilize the bank and plant native vegetation.

A new space at the Aspen Art Museum aims to help people of all ages learn about contemporary art.

Elizabeth Strunk is the school, youth and family programs manager at the Aspen Art Museum. She says the Learning Lab on the museum's main floor is designed to be welcoming and educational.

"What we want this space to be," she said, "is a place where everybody can gain the knowledge and learn about at least one exhibition in the museum."

• High Occupancy For Valley Hotels During Presidents Day Weekend
• Why Is The HOV Lane On The Right Side Of Highway 82?

Presidents Day weekend marks one of the busiest on the calendar for Roaring Fork Valley hotels, and this year is no exception.

The Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association says the long weekend lines up with Valentine’s Day and attracts Front Range visitors looking for a romantic getaway. Lisa Langer, the chamber’s director of tourism promotion, says she heard from about nine hotels that plan to be at or near capacity for part of the weekend.

• Carbondale Moves Forward With 8th Street Improvement Plan
• Will Breman From NBC's 'The Voice' Brings Music And A Message About Autism To Aspen
• National Environmental Policy Act Turns 50 Amid New Challenges To Public Process

Carbondale is moving forward with plans to reduce traffic and improve bike and pedestrian access on 8th Street, which intersects Main Street near the end of downtown. The town says people raised concerns about narrow sidewalks and limited access for bikes on a street with plenty of car traffic in residential areas.

The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, turned 50 years old on Jan. 1. A fundamental component of the law is public involvement. Projects such as a new ski lift, trail or natural-gas lease each receives a NEPA review, and most of the time the public weighs in. NEPA has evolved over the years, but the biggest change may come in a new proposal from President Donald Trump.

Will Breman, a semi-finalist on NBC’s reality singing competition “The Voice,” visits Aspen Saturday to perform at the annual Ascendigo Blue Aspen, hosted by a local nonprofit that supports those with autism and their families.

He brings with him a message about reshaping expectations for those on the spectrum. 

Ever wonder why the high occupancy vehicle lane is on the right side of Highway 82? Aspen Public Radio's community advisory board member Ziska Childs did, and so she asked us to find out why. 

Most highways have HOV lanes set aside for multi-passenger cars and buses on the left-side, but not Highway 82, which runs from Basalt to Buttermilk.

• Glenwood Springs Hosts Ribbon Cutting For 27th Street Bridge
• Aspen Chapel Gallery Honors Local Rita Hunter With 'Passages'
• 2020 Presidential Primary To Include Most Registered Voters, Regardless Of Party Affiliation
• As Employees Struggle To Find Affordable Housing, One Business Builds Its Own

The Aspen Chapel Gallery is packed to the gills for the new exhibit “Passages,” which opens Wednesday.

Work from seventeen local artists is on display; the gallery normally only exhibits work from around ten.

In the Roaring Fork Valley, it can be tough for people to find a place to live. Finding a place that is affordable and close to their workplace is harder still. That housing crunch means that businesses can have trouble retaining workers.

Glenwood Springs holds a ribbon cutting ceremony for the 27th Street Bridge at 2 pm. Wednesday. The bridge reopened in late December after months of construction and delays. Now, the city says things are running smoothly so far, and all that remains are a few finishing touches.

Colorado is holding its first presidential primary in 20 years on March 3.

Ballots were mailed to registered voters on Feb. 10. If you are a registered as a Democrat or Republican, you will receive that party's ballot. If you are not registered with a party, you will be sent both party's primary ballots and will be allowed to only return one. 

• Visiting Writers Teach Roaring Fork Valley Students The Power Of Poetry

Four professional poets hold writing workshops in area schools this week. The goal is to get students to see poetry -- and themselves -- in a new light. 

• Officials Say Colorado's Switch Back To Presidential Primary Will Bring Several Benefits

Welcome to another week in the Roaring Fork Valley! This is Week in the Arts, a curated list of upcoming exhibitions and events. 

• Artists Scott Keating And Nancy Lovendahl Find Freedom In Collaboration For 'Open Juncture'
• Coloradans Are Number One When It Comes To Attending Art Events

A new study from the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Census says that Colorado tops the nation when it comes to attending arts and culture events, like plays, concerts and art exhibits. 

The State‐Level Estimates of Arts Participation Patterns study, conducted once every five years, looks at how many adults participate in a wide variety of arts activities in each state.

Nancy Lovendahl and Scott Keating have been partners in work and life for... well, even they can’t agree on how long. 

"Being two artists married for 45 years," said Keating, "and working together all that time—"

"Well, it’s more like thirty years," said Lovendahl.

• PitCo Health Officials Say 'Risk Is Extremely Low' For Contracting Coronavirus
• Glenwood Springs Welcomes New Police Chief

Novel coronavirus, a respiratory illness, has been making headlines around the world, leading to fears about its spread. Pitkin County health officials say risk of contracting the virus is low, especially for those without a history of travel to areas where it is being spread.

• Incoming State Historian To Discuss Marble's History At Museum Open House
• Aspen School District Looks To Reflect Community In Superintendent Search

This weekend, visiting academics discuss how the geology of Marble and the Crystal River Valley shaped the area’s history at the Marble Museum Winter Open House. Five professors and authors will lead talks on everything from the Ute Indian and Redstone coal eras, to the geology of the West Elk Mountains.