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Aspen Public Radio’s Winter Pledge Drive is here—it’s a quieter, gentler pledge drive. Your favorite programs, uninterrupted. This year not only will we not interrupt your favorite programs, we will offer one daily drawing and a grand prize at the end of the Winter Pledge Drive. Read full contest rules here. APR continues its great local, national, and international programming seven days a week, 24-hours a day, covering all that matters to you and your life in the Roaring Fork Valley. Our...

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No ETA on New Year’s Day avalanche report

By Elise Thatcher • 8 hours ago

There’s no expected release date for a review of an avalanche accident on New Year’s Day next to Aspen Mountain. The slide injured a ski guide with Aspen Mountain Powder Tours while he was making turns with clients. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center says its report on the accident isn’t like most, because the review was requested by a private company, rather than the CAIC trying to figure out what happened during a backcountry accident.

Skadron figuring out next steps for uphilling development

By Elise Thatcher • 8 hours ago

The push continues to create economic development in Aspen centered around hiking uphill on ski or snowboard gear, also known as uphilling. Mayor Steve Skadron has spearheaded the effort and met last weekend with ski manufacturers, members of the Italian consulate, race organizers, local gear and guide services, and others. It was part of the Aspen Uphill festival on Saturday.

Aspen teen in forceful arrest pleads guilty to charges

By Carolyn Sackariason • 23 hours ago

The attorney who represents the teenager who was taken down forcefully in Aspen last month believes the police officer did not have probable cause to arrest him. Aspen Public Radio’s Carolyn Sackariason reports.

Instead of fighting the charges of underage marijuana possession and resisting arrest on the argument that Aspen Police officer Adam Loudon didn’t have probable cause to handcuff the high school student, he pleaded guilty on Monday.

Garfield County fatalities highlight the Valley's problem with domestic violence

By Marci Krivonen • Mar 3, 2015

On February 10th, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call at a residence near Parachute. They discovered a woman whose face was bloodied from being struck repeatedly. Later, the suspect - her husband - was shot to death by authorities after a high speed chase on Interstate 70. The fatal incident was one of two in Garfield County in February, where domestic violence played a role. As Aspen Public Radio’s Marci Krivonen reports, the problem of domestic violence is growing in parts of our region.

Eagle County to make mariuana grow operation official

By Elise Thatcher • Mar 3, 2015

When Eagle County Commissioners meet today, they're expected to make a marijuana cultivation facility in Missouri Heights official. The plan is for RFSC, LLC, to build a marijuana cultivation facility in the Pleasant Valley Ranch subdivision, about ten miles north of the El Jebel area.

Sled dog advocates argue against tethering at Krabloonik

By Elise Thatcher • Mar 3, 2015

Snowmass Village Town Council is considering how detailed it should be in requiring changes at Krabloonik Fine Dining and Dogsledding. At a meeting Monday night, Council heard from the new owners and advocates about how to prevent animal cruelty charges from happening again. Those were leveled against the previous owner.

Layoffs announced at largest natural gas company in Garfield Company

By Marci Krivonen • Mar 2, 2015

The largest natural gas company in Garfield County announced layoffs on Monday. WPX is eliminating 11 of 231 positions at its office in Parachute. Twenty-five employees at the company’s Denver office are also losing their jobs. Company-wide, WPX is laying off 83 people. It operates in three major basins: in New Mexico, North Dakota and Colorado.

First Draft - George Saunders

By Mitzi Rapkin • Mar 2, 2015

George Saunders is the author of four collections of short stories: the bestselling Pastoralia, set against a warped, hilarious, and terrifyingly recognizable American landscape; CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, a Finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award, In Persuasion Nation, one of three finalists for the 2006 STORY Prize for best short story collection of the year, and Tenth of December. Pastoralia, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, and Tenth of December were all New York Times Notable Books. Tenth of December was nominated for the 2013 National Book Award in Fiction. The Boston Globe lauds Saunders’ ability to “construct a story of absurdist satire, then locate within it a moment of searing humanity." In 2014, Saunders' graduation speech at Syracuse University will be published as the book Congratulations, by the Way.

Non-Profit in the Spotlight: River Bridge, Part 1

By Cornelia Carpenter • Mar 2, 2015

Blythe Chapman, the Executive Director of River Bridge Regional Center, discusses the center's history and importance in the Roaring Fork Valley Today. The nationally-accredited child advocacy center helps survivors of child abuse in Pitkin, Eagle, Garfield, and Rio Blanco counties. It is the only child advocacy center on the I-70 corridor between Denver and Grand Junction.

CAIC: Avalanche watch, updated accident report

By Elise Thatcher • Mar 2, 2015

There’s an avalanche watch for Aspen and surrounding areas, from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The CAIC says new snow and winds from an ongoing winter storm make natural and human triggered snow slides likely on steep slopes with an angle of more than thirty degrees.