Aspen gas prices hit new high

by Troy Hooper, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Shhh! Don’t tell President Bush, but gasoline prices just hit $4 a gallon in Aspen.

Fuel at the Shell station, aka The Aspen Store, on Main Street was fetching $4.109 for a gallon of regular unleaded, $4.329 for premium and $4.499 for diesel on Tuesday. Down the road, Main Street Gas demanded $4.079 for regular and $4.279 for the premium grade.

Thrift Shop to move to Gracy’s space

by Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

The Thrift Shop is moving to what used to be a secondhand shop.

While a formal lease hasn’t been signed yet, volunteers with the Thrift Shop of Aspen have a verbal agreement to rent the former Gracy’s consignment store space next to the Crystal Palace at a below-market rate.

East of Aspen Trail coming through

by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

A proposed trail that passes within footsteps of some homeowners’ patios but provides a connection in an area where pedestrian amenities are lacking was approved by Aspen City Council at a work session Tuesday.

What’s being called phase one of the East of Aspen Trail will follow the route of the Salvation Ditch and connect the Snyder Park Trail to further trail connections off of Highway 82. The city is projecting a cost of $90,000 for the connection.

Base Village could finish two years early

by Catherine Lutz, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
SNOWMASS VILLAGE — Base Village is projected to be finished two years earlier than anticipated.

Base Village developer Related WestPac presented a construction schedule on Monday to the Snowmass Village Town Council that shows an accelerated construction time frame for the base project, which was up until recently scheduled to conclude in 2013.

Sparks fly over candidate questions for Basalt election forum

by Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

A Basalt Town Council member, acting as a private citizen, has accused the president of the Basalt Chamber of Commerce of acting in his own self-interest in regard to a chamber election forum scheduled for tonight.

Chris Seldin — a Basalt resident, a member of Basalt Town Council and the assistant county attorney for Pitkin County — wrote to Basalt Chamber President David Fiore that two questions slated to be put to Town Council candidates tonight were related to Fiore’s interest in a land parcel in Basalt.

Aspen testing out hybrid patrol car

by Andrew Travers, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

The Aspen Police Department has a shiny-new green toy. This week, the department started testing out a 2008 Toyota Highlander hybrid gas/electric-powered squad car.

“We had a lot of concern about how it would handle all of our equipment,” said Sgt. Brian Nichols, who picked up the cruiser in Denver on Friday. “But so far we’ve had no problems.”

Homeless shelter extended one month

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Aspen’s homeless will have warm, dry beds to sleep in through the month of April, a full month more than previous years.

Local officials involved in the valley’s Homeless Coalition announced Tuesday that the Community Church in Aspen has agreed to host the shelter one month beyond its traditional March 31 closing date at St. Mary Catholic Church.

Police search for alleged flasher

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Police are searching for an unidentified man who allegedly exposed himself to three teenage girls in a Snowmass Village parking lot Saturday night. The girls say they took this picture of the man as they drove away. Anyone with information on his identity or whereabouts should contact the Snowmass Village Police Department at 923-5330

Midday Update: Snow fears replaced with snow records

From the Associated Press

VAIL — A balmy, dry November had Colorado’s ski resorts, other major water users and even weather experts on edge. A return to drought seemed possible.

“It’s too early to get worried,” Colorado State University climatologist Nolan Doesken recalls thinking. But he conceded there were anxious moments.

Three decades later

by Catherine Lutz, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

In a county known for its intense scrutiny of land-use plans, and a certain level of distrust for real estate developers, Chaffin Light Associates have enjoyed a more amicable acceptance than most. In fact, the company's founders, Southerners Jim Chaffin and Jim Light, were welcomed with relatively open arms when they arrived in Snowmass in the late 1970s.

With a resume including resorts and golf clubs all over the country - and developments like the Snowmass Club and the Roaring Fork Club locally - they're also known for being community minded, having helped establish such local institutions as Anderson Ranch Arts Center and the Roaring Fork Conservancy.

Vail Resorts makes epic move

by Damien Williamson, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Vail Resorts is predicting that next winter will be just as epic as this season — and even more so when it comes to pass prices.

The Broomfield-based company announced Tuesday that starting next year it will offer the new Epic Pass, which will provide unrestricted access to all five of its mountains for $579. The pass will be good on all four Vail-area mountains - including Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone - as well as Heavenly Mountain Resort in Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border.

One the money: It's a lousy time to retire

by Ellen Alt Powell, Mountain Business Journal Columnist
Retiring can be a scary proposition, especially knowing that you're going to have to rely on Social Security and savings instead of a regular paycheck to cover day-to-day expenses.

It can be even scarier if you're retiring as the stock market is dropping, which has been the case since late last year, and dragging down your account balances.

Eco economy: Vegas' green building boom

by Allison Rutter, Mountain Business Journal Columnist
You've probably heard the phrase, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." But does that apply to more than hotel hijinks?

All Business

by Rachel Beck, Mountain Business Journal Columnist
Fear drives markets today, as investors worry what bank will be next to fall

NEW YORK — It will be difficult for the economy to grow or for the market to reverse its course while fear is stalking the financial world.

Digital Slob: Hulu.com could be tipping point for cybervision

by Curt Brandao, Mountain Business Journal Columnist
In the 1969 Elvis movie "Change of Habit," Mary Tyler Moore plays a nun who has to make a tough call.

As the iconic crooner sings his last song, she finds her loyalties split between him and a nearby statue of Jesus. The camera cuts back and forth to illustrate her melodramatic dilemma. Jesus or Elvis? Jesus or Elvis?

Face time: Jill and Jim Pomeroy

Aspen Daily News Staff Report

Resort report: What's happening in other resort communities

Aspen Daily News Staff Report

Movers & Shakers

Aspen Daily News Staff Report

Driving the Hwy. 82 wildlife park

by Lynn Burton, Aspen Daily News Columnist
There’s a school of thought not widely known concerning Highway 82. It has to do with driving and wildlife.

In the stretch of Highway 82 from El Jebel to Catherine Store, late at night, if your car’s brakes are gone it’s OK to drive as fast as you want. At high speeds — 60, 70, 80, 90 — it doesn’t make much difference. That’s because without brakes, at high speeds you’re probably going to plow into just about everything that crosses your path (deer, elk, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes) regardless of how fast you’re going because you can’t stop anyway. At 45 and slower without brakes, you might be able to swerve, miss the wildlife and not roll your car.

Obama/Dukakis 2008

by Ted Rall, Aspen Daily News Columnist
NEW YORK — If Americans were represented by an animal, it wouldn’t be an eagle. It would be a tiny shrew, nervous and paranoid and living in constant terror of being attacked by predators.

Our national prey mentality doesn’t have much basis in reality. The last attack on U.S. soil took place two-thirds of a century ago; Hawaii wasn’t even a state at the time. Before that, you have to go back to 1846 — and we provoked that one. Whatever the historical basis — or lack thereof — for this innate fearfulness, U.S. voters look to their president as a father-protector figure — someone who, if threatened, will ferociously defend what is now called, stupidly and horribly, das Homeland.

Basalt chamber defends candidate forum

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Columnist
Editor:

This letter shall respond to Chris Seldin’s e-mail to the Basalt chamber’s Board president dated March 18, 2008, regarding questions for Wednesday’s Basalt Candidate Forum.

Petition particulars

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Columnist
Editor’s note: This letter was originally addressed to Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder Janice K. Vos Caudill.
Editor:

Seeking cancer support volunteers

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Columnist
Editor:

Have you ever been touched by cancer? Do you have a family member, co-worker or loved one going through it and want to help but are not sure how? Whether you are cooking dinner this evening or running to the store, you could make a big difference by making extra food, or picking up a few groceries for your neighbor. Your Friends for Life, a program of 24 Hours of Aspen Foundation, offers support, nurturing and encouragement to cancer patients, their caregivers and family members from Aspen to Rifle regardless of where they seek treatment. We are looking for volunteers in all communities to help our fellow friends and neighbors. This is a perfect opportunity to get the entire family involved in volunteering. Please contact Your Friends for Life at 970-309-5293.