A high-stakes stalemate, ICE access, Harvest housing, fracking with nukes, Schweitzer’s legacy.
Author Archives: Curtis Wackerle
Curtis Wackerle is the editor and executive director of Aspen Journalism and the editor and reporter on the Connie Harvey Environment Desk. Curtis has also served as editor, managing editor, and reporter at the Aspen Daily News, where he covered Aspen’s city hall. He has a journalism degree from the University of Montana.
The Roundup | The needs of the locality
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 […]
St. Benedict’s Monastery sale a pivot point for land stewardship and cultural heritage
This week, the sale of St. Benedict’s Monastery — where for nearly 70 years Trappist monks had been living lives of work and prayer, caring for their 3,700 acres of the Capitol Creek Valley while welcoming the community for religious services and spiritual renewal — made national news. Kaya Williams, an Aspen Journalism freelancer who […]
The Roundup | Deciding what the future will look like
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 […]
The Roundup | A deadline with no deal, protecting peak flows
Plus, breaking down the issues and donors in a contested board race for Roaring Fork Schools.
The Roundup | Wildfire risk, stream access debates, local ICE detentions
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 […]
The Roundup | Sustaining the lifelines we share
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 […]
The Roundup | Rights on the line: Pay, water and community
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 […]
The Roundup | Confronting our urgent climate and environmental challenges
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, […]
Aspen Journalism recognized with six awards in 2024 Better News Media Contest
Aspen Journalism recognized with six awards in 2024 Better News Media Contest AJ claimed three first-place awards, including best news story and best public service project Dear friends of Aspen Journalism, Aspen Journalism received six awards in the Colorado Press Association’s 2024 Better News Media Contest. The awards, announced on Aug. 24 at the Local […]
