Endorsing Kim Schlaepfer for Holy Cross Energy Board

I am writing to enthusiastically endorse Kim Schlaepfer for the Holy Cross Energy (HCE) Board of Directors. Having followed Kim’s career over these past years and reviewed her extensive qualifications, I am confident that her experience and vision will be invaluable to our community’s energy future.

Kim’s background in energy planning demonstrates a deep understanding of the complexities and opportunities facing HCE. Her commitment to supporting clean, affordable and reliable electricity aligns perfectly with the needs of our region. Furthermore, her dedication to community engagement ensures that the voices of HCE members will be heard and considered in crucial decisions.

As we navigate the evolving energy landscape, strong and knowledgeable leadership on the HCE board is essential. Kim Schlaepfer possesses the expertise and the collaborative spirit necessary to guide Holy Cross Energy toward a sustainable and prosperous future.

I urge my fellow Holy Cross Energy members to join me in supporting Kim Schlaepfer in the upcoming election. She is the right choice to ensure a bright energy future for our community.

Jeanne McQueeney, Eagle County commissioner, Eagle

Thanks to Aspen Thrift for supporting Mountain Valley Developmental Services

Many thanks to The Aspen Thrift Store for its continued funding of Mountain Valley Developmental Services’ programs with its recent donation. MVDS serves children under 3 years and adults throughout their lives with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Lake Counties. We provide support for these IDD individuals, their families, guardians, work colleagues, neighbors and friends to promote independence, quality of life, and rights protection. We also operate two retail locations: the Mountain Valley Greenhouse and the Mountain Valley Weavers, both in Glenwood Springs, that employ our IDD participants.

Operating for over 50 years with help from funders like The Aspen Thrift Store, MVDS is looking forward again to its Greenhouse’s growing and sales season. We recently launched the “Grow With Us” capital campaign focusing this spring on the Mountain Valley Greenhouse. It will include a Colorado Gives fundraiser for much needed general maintenance improvements, a booth selling seasonal plants at Dandelion Day, Saturday, May 10, in Carbondale’s Sopris Park, and on Saturday, May 17, we will host an Greenhouse Open House & Picnic, 11am-1pm, at our main offices, 700 Mt. Sopris Drive in Glenwood Springs. Plant sales start at 9am. All are welcome and games, drawings, snacks and drinks will be provided. 

Sara Sims, Glenwood Springs

‘Doing Putin’s bidding’

The President is doing Putin’s bidding.

By trashing the US economy and isolating the US from long-time allies, we will have ourselves where he wants us in a short time—slowly wading into a murky world dictated by a demented old man. An old man in the throes of a power-hungry delirium, thrilled by the pain he is causing, and it threatens to swallow him whole.

Meanwhile, a Republican majority in the House and the Senate, which could be used to legalize his unconstitutional decrees, is sitting on its hands and hoping they don’t get called on.  Hilariously pitiful is the only way it can be described. And to think that it is a year and a half before we can vote the Republicans out of office and take over the House and the Senate, to begin the work of ripping out the tariffs and neutralizing as much of the Trumpian nightmare as we can. Trump needs a massive wall of noise to slow him down. That’s all we’ve got until a vote comes up, and then we’ve got to be sure that every able voter knows the truth and votes. 

John Hoffman, Carbondale

Kim Schlaepfer for Holy Cross board

Holy Cross Energy began the transformation to clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable energy over 20 years ago. That is important for our environment and our climate. But they are a national leader simply because that is a better way to run a utility for its owners and customers.

As a customer, you are also an owner of this innovative co-op utility. And as an owner, you vote for its board of directors, who are responsible for ensuring that sustainability and innovation into the future.

The elected leadership of Holy Cross must understand both technical utility operations and the complex balance of resources to continue delivering that affordable, renewable, and sustainable energy to its customers.

That’s why I hope you’ll join me in supporting Kim Schlaepfer for the Holy Cross Board of Directors, Northern District. Kim has spent her career in Eagle County analyzing and implementing technical business energy solutions that stand the test of time and ensure the most economical outcomes that also preserve and protect the environment.

Keep an eye out for your election materials in early May. Don’t throw them away! Vote as soon as you can and at least by June 3.

Holy Cross’s bold leadership in energy has benefited us in Eagle County. I believe Kim Schlaepfer will ensure that bold leadership continues to benefit us all in the future!

Matt Scherr, Minturn

America’s greatness grows from immigration

“If America ever restrains immigration in any way, it will cease to be great.”

Who said that? Joe Biden? Kamala Harris? Nope, those words were spoken by Ronald Reagan. My source is Reagan’s son, Michael, in a column that appeared in the Post Independent many years ago. Our 40^th president knew a major reason America was so great is it brought in peoples and ideas from all over the world, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

It’s too bad this country didn’t have an immigration crackdown at the turn of the 20^th century when the pimp Friedrich Drumpf, deported by Germany, deposited his dredge on our shores. Once here, he changed his name to Fred Trump and today his grandson is persecuting immigrants.

Currently before the Colorado legislature is Senate Bill 25-276 which prohibits violating immigrants’ civil rights regardless of status. At a demonstration in support of that bill I saw a sign that caught my eye. It read, “No one is illegal on stolen land.”

As for America’s greatness, John McCain’s daughter Megan expressed it best. “America doesn’t need to be made great again. It has always been great, is great, and will always be great.” I would add as long as we keep authoritarians like Friedrich Drumpf’s grandson out of positions of responsibility.

Fred Malo Jr., Carbondale