Automotive tech programs ‘take a village’

Well, it’s about time. CMC and RFSD are re-opening the Auto Tech program at what used to be the Career Center. I taught the program through the ’90 and into the current century. The district shut down the program due to financial constraints shortly after I retired. Teaching automotive tech is expensive.

The “state of the art facility” was actually the result of the generosity of some of our local dealerships and repair facilities. John Haines of Haines Chevrolet donated several shipping damaged cars over the years so the students would have modern, up-to-date vehicles to work on. John Fitzpatrick, of Hightone Auto in Basalt donated the drive-on alignment lift, along with a (then) state of the art alignment machine and an automotive oscilloscope. I purchased the two rotary lifts in the ’90s through grants from, I believe, the Automotive Service Excellence folks, the people who run the ASE testing and certification program.

It takes a village to run an effective, well supplied auto technology program. I hope local auto dealerships and repair facilities see the advantages of a local supply of technicians and find it in their hearts to donate used equipment to the program. It’s a win-win for everybody. I have my own Toyota serviced by one of my old students who is, as he likes to say, “livin’ the good life” with a solid, well-paying, interesting career. Beats the heck out of graduating a liberal arts college with $100,000 of student loan debt and no job.

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Bob Shettel, Carbondale

Stand up to Trump at March rally

Roaring Fork Valley Locals: It’s time to stand up and stand together to save our nation. And quite frankly to offer hope as we watch our precious Democracy endangered, dismantled policy by policy, action by action by Donald Trump.

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We need to be heard—but even more, we need to find ways that we can be effective in facing our nation’s problems.

Mark your calendars for March 8, 3:30-4:30, Paepcke Park, Aspen, for a Protest offering some hope and alternatives…a different kind of protest, but a protest, nonetheless. 

We will have speakers who are experts in their field and who will outline problems and offer solutions we can pursue right here, right now. We will address the local environment, Freedom of the Press, Immigrant Rights, Rule of Law and Defending the Constitution, Youth Voices. We are still confirming Agenda, but these speakers will address all the above. (5 minutes each, outlining the problems, proposing solutions.)

The Good Fight! A Protest against the Trump Administration

• Introduction: Linda Lafferty, Author (and former Aspen High School teacher)
• Local Environment: Greg Poschman, Pitkin County Commissioner 
• Freedom of the Press: Andy Stone, long-time columnist/editor/publisher of The Aspen Times. 
• VOCES UNIDAS: A local organization providing help and information to our migrant neighbors
• Rule of Law/ Defending the Constitution: Cheryl Niro (pending schedule), from Lawyers Defending American Democracy, 
• Youth Voice: Still unassigned
• Introduction to Mountain Action Indivisible, our local chapter of Indivisible (This local protest is organized by Linda Lafferty and Blanca O’Leary, VERY concerned citizens of the Valley).

We welcome your support, mostly by organizing friends and neighbors to participate. March 8. Aprés Ski? 

Linda Lafferty and Blanca O’Leary, Carbondale

Colorado lawmakers need to pass Senate Bill 3 on guns

Regarding the story “A bill banning certain semi-automatic guns in Colorado is gaining momentum,” my son is currently serving in the Navy in a shipyard in Japan. 

The whole family went. One of the many remarkable experiences they’ve had so far is realizing they have no fear for their children’s safety (ages 7 and 10) as they travel to and from school or while they are in school. There are no active shooter drills, there is no concern about their children being killed at school today from someone with a gun, let alone an assault rifle. 

Seriously America, we can’t have this for our parents and children?

Of course pass Senate Bill 3; assault rifles have no purpose but mass killing.

Susan Rhea, Carbondale