Author Archives: Curtis Wackerle

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 […]

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%.

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.

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. 

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 […]

An astounding number of private planes at Aspen Airport, and an environmental Pandora’s box as Aspen Ski Company readies for expansion.

Recently at Aspen Journalism, we published Water Desk Editor Heather Sackett’s report on the conclusion of two studies looking at backup-water-supply options for the Crystal River, where late-summer low stream flows threaten water availability for some residential subdivisions with junior water rights.

A three-part series on the history of the Northern Utes, this region’s indigenous peoples, from Aspen-based history writer Tim Cooney.

As someone who has lived my entire life in the American West — between a childhood in Portland, college years in Montana, and the time since in the Roaring Fork Valley — I’ve grown to be shocked and saddened over how little we as a society understand and acknowledge the extent of what took place […]