Students from Carbondale Community School, Keeley Riley and Madeline Lucks, had the opportunity to shadow the Glenwood Springs Post Independent as interns for a few days, and the newspaper staff made sure to feed them straight to the wolves. 

Riley spent the majority of the week with the newspaper staff, conducting her own interview with Glenwood Springs Mayor Jonathan Godes and writing an article, and Lucks joined for two days, doing a joint article with Riley after interviewing local gem store owner Patti “Rockstar” Neuroth.

Here is what the young journalists reported.

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— Cassandra Ballard, Post Independent

Mayor loves his community, carbs

By Keeley Riley

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Glenwood Springs Mayor Jonathan Godes said he thinks people miss what makes a community a community.

“It’s a lot of really good people and good neighbors,” he said.

When the mayor isn’t working, here are some of the interests he does in the Glenwood Springs community outside of his job.

He enjoys doing outdoor activities with his family, and they like rafting, biking and climbing. They also go to a lot of concerts and events. His favorite band is The Avett Brothers. 

For Thanksgiving, he’ll be grubbing on turkey, stuffing and all the carbs, which are his favorites. 

If the mayor had to be an animal, he would choose to be a predator.

“It’s just so I didn’t have to worry about getting eaten,” he said. “So probably a tiger or a lion. Because just hanging out waiting all day for somebody to eat you would kind of suck.”

She stone cold loves gems

By Keeley Riley and Madeline Lucks

Hanging out in a crystal store has done Patti “Rockstar” Neuroth some good.

Neuroth owns High Country Gems and Minerals in Glenwood Springs, and for someone past her retirement age Neuroth seems very grounded and in touch with her senses. Her energy can be felt as you walk in the door.

She is definitely no grinch.

“We are fortunate because we are the second oldest business in Glenwood Springs,” Neuroth said. “So, we’re a legend already.”

Next time you’re in the rock shop, make sure to see her prized geode and ask her the history. 

She doesn’t let anyone leave without seeing it because it is the most amazing geode she’s ever seen in her whole entire life, she said. 

Unfortunately, she is selling the shop in the next year, but that won’t be the last of Patti Rockstar. 

“When I wanted to be cool, I wasn’t,” she said. “Now I’m super cool. And I don’t even believe that.”

But she is.