Caverns must own responsibility in Wongel Estifanos case

The Glenwood Caverns statement on the tragic death of Wongel Estifanos at the hands of Glenwood Caverns employees completely reeks of bad faith and is pretty disturbing to read. It’s also blatantly telling about how Glenwood Caverns operates their company. Based off the statement alone, I see why the Caverns were sued for so much money and why the jury found so in favor of the family whose little girl was so tragically taken by something completely avoidable had the ride operators been properly trained.

Nowhere in the statement do the Caverns take responsibility for their role in the death — how employees failed to ensure the girl was properly restrained — but instead attempts to redirect and refocus the complete blame on the ride manufacturer.

Glenwood Caverns also states the company “offered the family all our available insurance money” — without specifying an amount — and then subsequently blames them for suing — also disingenuous and a lousy attempt at redirection.

The judgment puts Glenwood Caverns’ existence in jeopardy? Good. The family deserves every penny, and to be frank, the Caverns aren’t a big enough local business or employer to be worth saving. Another entity could easily run the park if it was sold in bankruptcy, which wouldn’t be a bad thing. If Glenwood Caverns wants to survive, it needs new leaders, to give up the victim act, and to own what they are responsible for — the wrongful death of Wongel Estifanos.

Nathan Stewart, Carbondale

Fiscal responsibility matters in Re-2 school board

When it comes to managing taxpayer dollars, trust matters. Megan Heil has owned and operated more than one business, and she understands budgets, accountability, and transparency. She knows that growth in our district requires careful planning, not careless spending. Megan will make sure resources are used wisely so students get the benefit without taxpayers feeling the burden.

Vote Megan Heil for Re-2 School Board.

Shirley Starr, Rifle

Personal character is what sets Megan apart

What impresses me most about Megan Heil isn’t her résumé — it’s her character. She is approachable, genuine, and willing to listen. She doesn’t just talk about community, she lives it. That’s the kind of leader who brings people together and makes real progress.

Robyn McMillen, New Castle

Positive experience with Glenwood service

Recently my wife and I experienced car trouble while visiting the Glenwood Springs area. Mountain Chevrolet, and specifically Sammy Pimentel, went out of their way to provide great professional service in a timely manner. We appreciated the excellent evaluation (and reassurance provided as we had a 1,000-mile trip home ahead of us) of our disabled truck and the courtesy of keeping us in the loop on how things progressed.

The experience left us with a wonderful impression of the city of Glenwood Springs.

Arne Graff, Pequot Lakes, Minnesota

Strong schools build strong communities

Vote Megan for Re-2 School Board. Strong schools build strong communities. Megan understands this truth deeply since she was a school resource officer for 13 years. She knows that when schools succeed, families thrive, businesses grow, and neighborhoods strengthen.

She is running because she believes in our community’s future, and I believe she is the right person to help shape it. Come to a board meeting and see for yourself, as she has been serving since August of this year.

Trish O’Grady, Rifle