Author Archives: Curtis Wackerle

A high-stakes stalemate, ICE access, Harvest housing, fracking with nukes, Schweitzer’s legacy.

Recently at Aspen Journalism, we published a story about the last Mass at St. Benedict’s Monastery that captured the moment in all of its context and complexity. This day has been a long time coming — preordained, if you will, back in 2022, when the Trappist order responsible for the monastery voted that it would […]

This newsroom often publishes stories that reflect crossroads — not only for our communities, but for the future of the Western Slope, our mountains, rivers and towns. Paul Andersen’s reporting on public‑land transfers in “Cutting up the Commons” reminds us that history continues to shape the future. By uncovering decades of land giveaways and mining […]

Plus, breaking down the issues and donors in a contested board race for Roaring Fork Schools.

Wilderness watersheds and wildfire risk. Murky legal territory around river access. Increasing immigration enforcement netting more people without criminal records. In this edition of The Roundup, we bring you a trio of in-depth features all unique in the topics they cover, but united in their fidelity to analyzing complex issues of deep cultural, economic and […]

Across the Roaring Fork Valley, change is testing the systems and values that define our communities. Recent reporting from Aspen Journalism featured in this edition of The Roundup touches on themes ranging from insurance-company-hired fire crews protecting homes in the face of wildfire to the loss of another high-level leader at the White River National […]

A canceled party didn’t stop local community from planting roots “Latino Conservation Week” saw families planting trees and rafting, though this year’s event was scaled back and did not include the White River National Forest’s official participation amid federal DEI rollbacks. In addition, safety concerns over increasing immigration enforcement led organizers to hold smaller gatherings […]

As summer turns to fall, Aspen Journalism remains focused on reporting the most urgent challenges and opportunities shaping Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley. Seven recent stories trace a common thread: the effects of climate change are intensifying, our institutional capacity is stretched, and yet our community continues to search for innovative, collaborative solutions. Drought, […]