SkiCo looking for buyers at Keator Grove

by Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

The national mortgage crisis has had an impact on sales for an affordable housing project in Carbondale.

To help make the 52-unit Keator Grove employee housing project a reality, Aspen Skiing Co. stepped in earlier this year with a guarantee to buy eight townhomes and 22 single-family homes. SkiCo, the valley’s largest employer, felt there would easily be enough buyers within its own ranks. But now it is offering some of the homes for sale to interested members of the general public.

Aspen P&Z approves AVH plan

by Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

The city of Aspen’s planning and zoning committee last week recommended approval of a conceptual plan for a $100 million expansion and renovation of Aspen Valley Hospital.

“Needless to say, we thought the meetings went very well from the standpoint that we were granted approval to proceed to the City Council,” said AVH CEO Dave Ressler. “But, also, in the course of arriving at the resolution, there was a considerable amount of constructive discussion that will serve the hospital well as we move toward final approval.”

Countdown on for Sunlight plan

by David Frey, Aspen Daily News Correspondent

GLENWOOD SPRINGS — The countdown is on for the massive Sunlight Mountain Resort base project to have its first public presentation.

After a round of community hearings, developers plan to appear before the Garfield County Planning and Zoning Commission one month from now. They are planning a base village at the foot of the family resort outside town, with a mix of homes, condominiums, shopping and restaurants. They say the development is critical to bringing long-overdue upgrades to the aging ski area.

NEWS BRIEFS

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Correspondent
Residents concerned about Krabloonik

A local citizens group is organizing volunteers to address concerns about the treatment of dogs at the Krabloonik dog-sledding kennel in Snowmass Village. To learn more, contact Bill Fabrocini and Lee Ann Vold at helpkrabloonikdogs@q.com. Fabrocini and Vold can also be reached individually at fabrocini.bill@comcast.net and leeannvold@comcast.net.

City Council members — $4,000 a month?

by Sheldon Fingerman, Aspen Daily News Columnist
This morning, my girlfriend asked me what I was going to write about, and I said, “Maybe I’ll write about city council asking for a raise, like, double their current salary?”

“And what have they done to deserve a raise?” she asked. “Bingo,” I replied. “That’s what the column is about.”

Try this test at home

by Gene Weingarten, Aspen Daily News Columnist
Did you read how a Bush administration official broke the law by asking extraneous, blatantly political questions of applicants for nonpolitical jobs in the Justice Department? In trying to load the department with knee-jerk political conservatives, Monica Goodling inquired about the applicants’ views on abortion and same-sex marriage, and also extracted political loyalty oaths, such as asking, “What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?”

As I see it, the problem here was not that these questions had no bearing on how well the applicant could do the job. On the contrary, extraneous questions can provide valuable guidance in the hiring process. It’s just that Ms. Goodling — a rock-ribbed, stiff-necked, ham-handed fundamentalist zealot — was asking exactly the sort of questions designed to get the wrong people hired: people like her.

Reporter's Notebook: Monday

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Columnist

Editor's note: Aspen Daily News Reporter Andrew Travers and Photo Editor Zach Ornitz are down in Denver all week to report on the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Check here for ongoing daily dispatches from the convention and see our print edition or the main page of this Web site for localized coverage coming out of the DNC.

 

Notes from Ute Avenue

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

It wasn’t that many years ago that the protective mother fox raised her kits down near the park. We’d see her at dusk sitting on the little hillock watching us warily as we walked home from town. She’s been gone for a while now. Perhaps soon, way too soon, other things will be gone from this little street as well. Hopefully not the clip-clop of the draft horses returning from another night’s work. But it’s hard to predict such things.

Kudos to Vold, Fabrocini

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

Kudos to Lee Ann Vold and Bill Fabrocini: Finally, someone is actively doing something for the Krabloonik dogs.

Kids retain teachers

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

I think that Matt Bergdahl touched on many good points in his letter to the editor on Aug. 18 regarding management as the biggest factor in employee retention.

Double City Council’s pay?

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

Double City Council members’ salaries and add city health care benefits? Surely Councilman Jack Johnson is not serious about asking the voters to approve this!

City Council should back off

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

As long as Aspen City Council chooses to micro-manage every decision in this town, sadly, there will be few residents able to make the huge sacrifice of time to serve on council.