Volunteers recognized by Pitkin County

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
Ten Roaring Fork Valley residents are being honored for their volunteer work in Pitkin County, according to a press release from the county.

The residents were nominated by citizens to receive the Pitkin County Cares Volunteer Service Awards. The goal of the awards is to honor individuals and groups in Pitkin County for their outstanding service, leadership and civic involvement.

City Council nixes pay raise question

by Catherine Lutz, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Aspen City Council on Tuesday scrapped a proposal to ask voters this November to raise the council and mayor’s pay, but did set the wheels in motion for a “compensation committee” to look into the issue.

In the face of some opposition from his colleagues, Councilman Jack Johnson withdrew the proposed ballot question, plus one that would allow council members to receive pay changes while in office and require all proposed pay increases or decreases be approved by voters.

Ski towns get attention at DNC

by Andrew Travers, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Vail sponsors greening efforts with Aspen program

DENVER — If you’re looking to get some exposure, the Democratic National Convention is a prime place to be, what with 15,000 media representatives humming around town and all. If you have something to promote or protest against, this is a good spot to get noticed.

There are pro-lifers, pro-choicers, anti-war folks and anarchists. Tuesday outside of the state Capitol building there was a “meditate-in” protesting Chinese persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. On the 16th Street Mall a pair of absurdists with a bullhorn and a stack of pamphlets decried bird-watching (“Stop the Bird Porn,” read their placard).

Solutions, though tough, exist for trailer park dilemma

by Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

“You all can do this if you choose to do this,” consultant Walter Kieser told elected officials from the town of Basalt and Pitkin and Eagle counties Tuesday night. “We think it is a solvable problem.”

Kieser was talking about how to replace the 88 mobile homes that sit in two trailer parks in the flood plain of the Roaring Fork River and within the haphazard and intersecting boundaries of the town and the two counties.

Aspen voters to weigh in on three housing questions

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Aspen voters will not be asked this November to approve $16 million in bonds to repay land purchases made last year for affordable housing.

They will, however, weigh in on how city money and planning is spent with regard to employee housing.

High steaks

by Christine Benedetti, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Though ranching has gone the way of mining in this valley, in recent months Aspen has surprisingly become a steak-lover's haven.

Looking for something with Argentinean flair? Walk no farther than the one-month-old Buenos Aries Grill.

Aspen rental vacancy rates up, statewide rates vary

by Damien Williamson, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Real estate analysts expected the nationwide mortgage crisis to have a direct effect on rental unit vacancy rates across the country. But the indirect relationship between mounting foreclosure rates and plummeting rental vacancy rates didn't quite go according to plan, suggesting that rental real estate is driven as much by local factors as it is by the national economy.

According to a recently released report by the Colorado Division of Housing, the overall composite Colorado state vacancy rate for multi-family housing was 6.1 percent for the first quarter of 2008, down 1.4 percent from the first quarter of 2007. The rates of individual market areas in the report -which included the Denver metro are, Alamosa, Aspen, Buena Vista, Canon City, Colorado Springs, Durango, Eagle County, Fort Collins/Loveland, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Greeley, Gunnison, Lake County, Montrose, Pueblo, Salida, Southeastern Colorado, Steamboat Springs, Sterling, and Summit County - varied dramatically, however.

'Shadow inventory' skews housing data

by Rachel Beck, Mountain Business Journal Columnist
As if the housing market wasn't scary enough, the record-setting surge in foreclosures could be distorting some of the closely watched housing data used to gauge the market's health.

The foreclosure glut is making listings of homes for sale a less reliable indicator, because much of the distressed inventory might be left out. In addition, fire-sale prices for such properties may also be skewing volume figures.

Borrowing from retirement accounts a costly mistake

by Jason Alderman, Mountain Business Journal Guest Columnist
The current housing crisis and other economic woes are taking their toll on people's wallets. Caught between escalating mortgage payments and rising fuel and food costs, many folks are having difficulty paying their bills. Not so long ago, some people probably would've just taken out a home equity loan, but with property values plummeting, their equity may already be exhausted - not to mention, those loans are now harder to get.

Which leads me to cite a disturbing behavior that's on the rise: Tapping long-term retirement savings accounts to pay short-term bills.

Control the urge and hold off on pre-Labor Day tech

by Curt Brandao, Mountain Business Journal Columnist
Patience is a virtue. For everything there is a season. We will sell no wine before its time. Leggo my Eggo. Relax, don't do it.

Throughout history, it seems every generation has coined a phrase specifically designed to simply calm itself down.

Resort report: What's happening in other resort communities

Aspen Daily News Staff Report
GYPSUM: BENEFITING FROM SALES TAX SWITCH

Though Eagle is the county's seat, and home to more retail and downtown development, in Eagle County the town of Gypsum is now bringing in more revenue than Eagle from sales tax as a result of annexing the Eagle County Airport and the construction of a Costco, the Vail Daily reported. Last year, Gypsum's sales tax revenues topped $5.3 million. The most visible result of the increased revenue is the $12 million Gypsum Recreation Center, of which the town contributed $8 million toward construction. Though Eagle hasn't seen the same jump, the town is still reporting steady increases in revenue.

StockWatch

by Damien Williamson, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
All three stock indices continued a two-week decline this week with the local stock index leading the charge with 2.13 percent drop, finishing at 504.79 by Monday's close. The Nasdaq dropped .82 percent to 2,364.31, and the Dow slipped just .82 percent to 11,383.56.

Compounding the already weak economy is Hurricane Gustav, which caused a rise in the price of crude oil as it threatened oil infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico. The price per barrel of crude oil now sits at $113.11, up 1.32 percent from last week.

Movers & Shakers

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
KAVANAUGH-BRADLEY NEW GROUP SALES DIRECTOR

Kristi Kavanaugh-Bradley has been hired by the town of Snowmass Village's special events, marketing and group sales department as the new director of group sales. She most recently worked for the St. Regis Aspen, where she was named the sales leader of the year in 2007 for all Starwood hotels in North America.

Face time: Our weekly profile of a local business community member

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer
Jesse Wright, Wright Visions Marketing

Title: Founder/Director Sales & Marketing

More Mayor Mick moments

by Lynn Burton, Aspen Daily News Columnist
This one will come as no surprise to Mayor Mick watchers. Here it is: The mayor tends to slip into hyperbole, spin, exaggeration or truth stretching at times.

One Mick moment came during the Aug. 8 Friday Luncheon at Aspen Meadows during his comments on the city’s Burlingame Ranch affordable housing project. Mayor Mick left many folks at the luncheon with the impression the city has nailed down firm commitments with Aspen Valley Hospital and the school district for the purchase of units at Burlingame.

Preserving the Bush legacy

by Nat Hentoff, Aspen Daily News Columnist
In his last months, the president is working to ensure that his successor, whomever that may be, will have the greatly expanded power of the executive branch (unprecedented in American history) that Bush instituted after 9/11. Bush’s current chief enabler in this ever-increasing surveillance of American citizens in our daily lives is Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

Aware of Mukasey’s plan for new FBI guidelines that could begin national security and criminal investigations of racial and ethnic groups without any evidence of wrongdoing, the heads of the Senate Judiciary Committee — chairman Patrick Leahy and ranking member Arlen Specter — have asked the attorney general to delay the implementation of these echoes of the regime of J. Edgar Hoover until Congress is able to review these changes. Mukasey agreed but wants the expanded surveillance of us to begin Oct. 1.

Sen. Ken Salazar searches for a seat

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Columnist
Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., looks for a seat in the Pepsi Center on Tuesday evening prior to Sen. Hillary Clinton's keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention

Hillary Clinton

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Columnist
Former presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton faces a sea of flags expressing a message that was perhaps not evident during the primary as she addresses the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Tuesday night

Bill Clinton in the crowd

Aspen Daily News Staff Report, Aspen Daily News Columnist
President Bill Clinton enters the Democratic National Conventional hall at the Pepsi Center in Denver on Tuesday night to attend the speach of his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y

Castle Creek trail meeting today

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

It would be a grave mistake on the part of the Pitkin Board of County Commissioners to vote to exempt themselves from their own land-use code for county road and trail improvements. Everyone knows this ordinance came into effect to build a controversial trail on Castle Creek Road. There are many more serious issues at stake in building this trail, other than its safety in benefiting a few students in the summer. The cost and environmental degradation far outweigh the concern some commissioners might have in wanting this trail built.

Krabloonik dogs treated as athletes

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

It saddens me to see the negative article (ADN, Aug. 21) and letters written about the Krabloonik kennel. The inspection by the Colorado Department of Agriculture (that occurred last May) did not allege any abuse of Krabloonik’s dogs. Dan MacEachen is one of the more respected sled dog breeders in the country. He is regularly honored by his peers for his decades of professionalism, dedication to and promotion of the time-honored tradition of dog sledding. His sleds are made the same way they have been for hundreds of years and the pulling dogs are raised with the same care and attention to the art.

Easy on the planet at River Days

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

The waters of the Fryingpan and the Roaring Fork splash downvalley happily together these days. And part of their celebratory song may be that more and more of us humans are doing something about the throwaway culture that threatens the health of Earth.

Candidate proposes youth advisory council

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

The young people of Eagle County need a voice in the future of our county. Establishing a youth advisory council will give the youth of Eagle County an opportunity to have a say in that future. The council should consist of at least one student from each high school in the county, including both private and public schools. In addition, there will be a position on the council for a home school student. The council should be a diverse group by sex, race, background and extracurricular interests, so they can represent all young people from Eagle County.

Concerning nuclear power

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

The USA Today editorial “As energy demands grow, nuclear deserves new look” (Aug. 14) deserves a new or scrutinizing look itself. In its statement about safety and nuclear waste disposal, it suggests that skeptics insisting on resolving these issues before building new plants are disingenuous. On the contrary, we need to be absolutely candid when planning to increase the distribution and use of the most dangerous materials to humankind.