Recently at Aspen Journalism, we continued our water and urban landscapes series in collaboration with Big Pivots, with part four providing a look at what it takes for a homeowner to kill their traditional turf in favor of something more water wise. Writing for our environment desk, Elizabeth Stweart-Severy checked in on Colorado Parks and […]

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 | Wringing water from urban landscapes
The genesis for the five-part series currently underway exploring water use devoted to urban landscapes came last winter when Allen Best, a longtime Colorado journalist who has contributed to this news organization since 2013, approached Aspen Journalism to see if we would be interested in collaborating on a project he had long wanted to pursue. […]
The Roundup | Reintroducing wolves, eliminating turf, protecting the Crystal
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The Roundup | Values on a collision course
Recently at Aspen Journalism, we published a story looking at how a proposal to build teacher housing in a rural area of Pitkin County clashes with existing zoning and, potentially, neighborhood values. The piece by Rick Carroll, writing for our environment desk, broke news about a plan by longtime Aspenite Dick Butera to donate land […]
The Roundup | Improving resilience, tracking record appreciation
What’s especially interesting is that while this area tends to have higher vaccination rates overall, we also have higher numbers of families who have received vaccination exemptions for their children, compared to state averages. And there is almost no “noncompliance” here — referring to those who have not submitted proof of vaccination or a qualified exemption — while statewide that number averages as high as 8%.
The Roundup | East Mesa Ditch collapses into a sinkhole
In early September, 30-foot sinkholes caused the East Mesa Ditch – which pulls up to 41.8 cfs of water from the Crystal River – to collapse, cutting off about 34% of the 740 acres of hay and alfalfa it irrigates south of Carbondale from water. Laurine Lassalle created an interactive map showing parcels irrigated by […]
The Roundup | John Stroud on the social justice beat
This week’s letter from the editor and roundup of original stories gives insight into growing concerns about corporate takeover and creeping unaffordability at the dozens of mobile home parks that make up a significant portion of our community’s affordable housing stock. John Stroud, writing for our social justice desk also unpacks what state officials and community organizers are doing about these concerns.
The Roundup | Health, wealth and water
This week, Aspen Journalism published three stories from our environment and water desks that highlight connections among resources, climate change, infrastructure, growth demand and environmental impact.
The Roundup | UBR court challenge, methane-capture woes, Boomerang neglected
Aspen Journalism has made the most of these last few weeks of summer. Since the last letter from the newsroom, Aspen Journalism has published a total of six in-depth stories showing the depth and range of our talented staff and freelancers. Water Desk Editor Heather Sackett gave us three bylines, including the latest in a […]
The Roundup | What’s flying at ASE and an environmental Pandora’s box
An astounding number of private planes at Aspen Airport, and an environmental Pandora’s box as Aspen Ski Company readies for expansion.