In an effort to foster civic engagement and understanding among its residents, Colorado Mountain College is set to host a community conversation 5:30-7:30 May 1 at the Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs. The event is part of the “Rediscovering Common Ground” series. The free event is a key component of CMC’s 2024 Common Reader program, which this year features “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens” by Richard Haass. Community members from all backgrounds are encouraged to attend, engage and listen as the nation navigates a year marked by political division. The conversat ..read more

Editor’s note: It is the Post Independent’s policy to not name those accused of sex crimes unless they are a person of public trust such as a teacher, counselor, pastor or other similar positions. The person in this case is named because they held a position of public trust. Glenwood Springs Police Officer Sean Tatro faces numerous charges including felony sexual assault stemming from “alleged acts (that) occurred while the officer was off-duty and outside the city of Glenwood Springs,” a city news release states. Tatro was serving as a school resource officer in Glenwood Springs at the time o ..read more

The City of Glenwood Springs will be turning management of its municipal airport over to a newly-formed nonprofit on May 1, after approving a near-final version of the Airport Lease and Concession Agreement during their April 4 regular session.  The lessee, who will soon be managing part of the nearly 64-acre Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport, is KGWS Sumers Airpark, a group of pilots and airport supporters represented by former Airport Commission Chair Gregg Rippy. The city did not provide the number of acres the nonprofit will be managing before press time) “We’re very excited about it ..read more

A local scholarship designed to boost college attendance among Rifle High School students is growing, thanks to new partnerships and increased funding. The Levi Scott Dunlap Foundation Memorial Scholarship, established by Daniel Dunlap, aims to assist students with limited financial resources pursue higher education. Colorado Mesa University (CMU) has recently pledged to match the scholarship amounts awarded by the Dunlap Foundation to any of this year’s recipients who choose to attend CMU.  “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that Colorado Mesa University immediately agreed to help ..read more

Glenwood Springs Elementary School Principal Jessica Schwarz announced that she will step down from her position, according to an RFSD news release. Schwarz took the helm of GSES in the 2022-23 school year. “After an exciting three years at Glenwood Springs Elementary and the district instructional team, I have decided to pass the torch to a new leader for GSES to continue the forward momentum of our school,” Schwarz said in a letter to the RFSD community. “In order to support our leadership team with a successful transition as well as focus on my health, I will not be returning to GSES.” Duri ..read more

Greater burdock (Arctium lappa) is an herb with a long history of use. Primarily the root is used, but other plant parts have reported traditional uses. It is native to Europe and parts of Asia with introduction to North America in the 1600’s. Burdock can be found along roadsides, old fields, stream banks, and the edges of lawns and woodlands. Frequently cultivated areas discourage its growth. It produces a large seed with tiny hooks and has leaves similar to those found on the rhubarb plant. Burdock has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for a large ..read more

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Roaring Fork PreCollegiate Program, a college access and preparation program for motivated Roaring Fork School District students who would be the first generation of their family to go to college. The program provides mentoring, summer college exploration programs, and support with college readiness and application processes. The program also provides education and resources for families. The goal of PreCollegiate is to ensure that regardless of socio economics, race, or home language, students are well prepared for a wide-range of post-secondary opt ..read more

Happy trails to retired Glenwood fire chief I learned that the Chief of Glenwood Springs fire department retired after a career of more than thirty years. I was very fortunate to have had opportunity to work with Chief Tillotson for more than a decade. He is a humble man that never sought credit for all the things he has done for the community. He dedicated his life to do what ever it takes to help his fellow man on and off the job. On emergency call he would move mountains to help a person that required emergency services to the community. He was a class act and a dedicated fire officer. I ha ..read more

What is going on with Colorado’s snowpack right now?  The expert consensus is in: It’s all up in the air (or, more specifically, on the ground).  In late March, the Roaring Fork Basin showed signs of ample snowpack, measuring 115% of the median annual snowpack water equivalent. As of April 23, snowpack is at 95% of normal. Snowpack is the accumulated snow covering an area, which melts in the spring. Snow water equivalent determines the amount of water available in the snow.  The Roaring Fork Watershed is located in central Colorado on the west side of the Continental Divide. Sno ..read more

Garfield County Commissioners have scheduled interviews for the Garfield County Public Library District Library Board Rifle position on April 30. Initially, there were 17 applicants, but the BOCC narrowed the list down to 11, ensuring that candidates met the Rifle residency requirement. In recent years, the Library Board would nominate a candidate for a board vacancy, presenting them to the BOCC for approval. However, commissioners have opted to conduct interviews themselves, selecting a candidate from a broader pool of applicants. “We felt it necessary to have a larger pool of applicants for ..read more