Noticias

• Norwood hires new administrative director
• Amazon Lockers arrive in Mountain Village
• Telluride’s top reads of 2024

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Norwood hires new administrative director
The Town of Norwood finalized its hiring process for a new town manager last week. After the abrupt departure of former Town Manager Deanna Sheriff this past summer, the town is confident in its new hire, Sara Owens.

Owens, a 20-year Norwood local, raised her daughter in the area and has previously worked for San Miguel County in the clerk’s and HR departments. Owens was excited when the administrative director position became available. She said:
“To be quite honest, Norwood has been so good to me for the past 20 years, and when the opportunity became available again, I thought, ‘Why not? I have a lot to offer my community.’ Having lived here for so long gives me great insight into where we’re going and what we want to do. It also helps me have a pulse on what my community wants and deserves from me.”

Owens brings deep community knowledge and a strong commitment to Norwood residents. When asked about the focus for the new role and the year ahead, Owens said, “It’s all about streamlining how to be productive.”
“The first thing I noticed coming into this role is we really just need to streamline our processes and get our workflows dialed in. We need to make sure we’re flowing efficiently and productively. We need to do things in the most productive way possible.”

The administrative director role differs only slightly from the previous Town Manager position, offering more independence in how time is spent on Town Trustees, the Water Commission, and the Sanitation Department. For Norwood’s future, water and development are top priorities, Owens said:
“In order for us to develop as a town, we can’t unless we have the resources to water. We can’t bring in more people if we can’t flush toilets or provide drinking water. So, I’m already looking into water workshops to educate myself more on how to secure more water. Then, as a town, we can start developing in other ways.”

Owens also spoke about Norwood’s strong small-town culture. She was previously involved with the Norwood Food Hub, a nonprofit that connects people to local food, community, and agricultural practices. Owens said:
“I was part of the Fresh Food Hub, and that was such a great experience. I got to see how just a few people with an idea can come together and create something amazing. I believe if I were in a bigger area, those things would be hard to accomplish because there are more hands in the pot, and it gets more convoluted when you’re on a larger scale. Getting to be part of that was an amazing experience.”

Owens said she’s excited about the new position:
“I’m really excited to serve my community in this way. I’m humbled they picked me, to be honest.”

With new grant funding for water infrastructure and an abundance of community events and projects, Owens seems ready to take on the challenge as the new administrative director of Norwood.

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Amazon Lockers arrive in Mountain Village
Last summer, something new appeared at Clark’s Market in Telluride: Amazon shipping lockers.

“We saw that and thought it was a great idea,” said Amy Ward, Mountain Village’s community development director.
“So, the town reached out to Amazon to see if we could replicate that model here in Mountain Village.”

Just six months later, after a few months of negotiations with Amazon, another set of lockers appeared at the Market Plaza in Mountain Village. The Mountain Village location currently has 42 lockers.

“We did plan for expansion if necessary. Amazon wants to ensure the lockers are fully utilized before we plan a logical expansion. We could double or even triple them,” Ward said.

Using the lockers is easy. Ward explained, “when you make a purchase on Amazon, instead of having it shipped to your house, you can choose an Amazon locker as your pickup location. The pickup location here is called Dew.”

Afterward, you’ll receive a code and QR code on your phone or device. You can scan the code or enter the number, and the locker will open to reveal your package.

Ward said the lockers support both the post office and the community. “The makeup of mail over the last 10-15 years has changed dramatically. It used to be primarily letters, but now with internet shopping, there’s so much more packaging. We don’t have home delivery in Mountain Village, so allowing folks to use the lockers helps relieve some of the burden on the post office.”

The Mountain Village Amazon lockers, named Dew, are located at the Market Plaza between the Gondola Station and El Rhino Taco & Coffee.

Amazon lockers are also available at Clark’s Market in Telluride.

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Telluride’s top reads of 2024
A “best of” list is no surprise at the end or beginning of the year, and the Wilkinson Public Library has one of its own, featuring the most popular books of 2024.

“In fiction, it was interesting. We didn’t predict it,” said Tiffany Osborne, programs coordinator at the Wilkinson Public Library. “Remarkably Bright Creatures was our most checked-out book last year, and it carried over into this year.”

Why was a book from several years ago the top read of the year? Osborne thinks readers are seeking connection.
“I think ultimately what we’re looking for is connection. It’s one of those books that creates an emotional connection that we don’t get every day,” she said.

In fact, all three of the library’s most checked-out books for 2024 were from previous years. After Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, the second most popular was Go As a River by Gunnison local Shelley Read, which tells the story of the Blue Mesa Reservoir. “You have some local history, a love story. It’s very Colorado,” Osborne explained.

The third-most checked-out book was Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.

For nonfiction, the top reads were: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko, and Magic Mine by James R. Doty.

The hottest biographies of the year included The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne, Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney, and The Art of Power by Nancy Pelosi.

Looking at younger readers, Peppa Pig dominated the most popular picture book category with Dentist Trip, Camping Trip, and Pizza Party.

In YA books, Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series took the top spot. The titular book from the series came in first, followed by A Court of Mist and Fury in second, and A Court of Silver Flames in third.

If you’re looking to find new books for the new year, Osborne suggests checking out three books at a time to get a varied selection. She mused, “it’s so hard to say what people should read because it depends on you, but we have something for everyone.”

For staff recommendations:
“Dennis’ favorite was Stop Time. Claudia said Open Water. Jill recommended I’ll Show Myself Out.”

For those with “read more” on their New Year’s resolution list, Osborne encourages them to chat with a librarian.
“There are so many staff members who love to talk about what they’re reading, and everyone has a different genre, so if it’s not your genre, they can direct you to something else. That’s what we like to do at the library.”

Outside of books, top DVDs included Oppenheimer, Barbie, and Deadpool & Wolverine.

A “best of” list from the Wilkinson Public Library wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the most popular unusual items: hotspots, bicycles, and Chromebooks.

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All In Ice Festival
The All In Ice Festival in Ouray begins tomorrow, Jan. 3, and runs through the weekend.

Created to highlight marginalized communities and adaptive athletes, the festival fosters a sense of belonging for all participants and aims to inspire future generations of climbers while strengthening community bonds.

Registration is open, and clinics on first aid and various levels of ice climbing will take place all weekend. Community gatherings, speakers, and celebrations will be held at venues across Ouray.

Interested participants and volunteers can visit allinicefest.com or visit the Ouray Community Center for festival information

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Blue Mesa Lake Trout Tournament
The annual Blue Mesa lake trout fishing tournament began in the new year. Sponsored by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the tournament has a $10,000 prize purse.

While the tournament draws thousands of ice fishing enthusiasts, it’s not just about catching the most fish.
The tournament helps CPW maintain a healthy Kokanee Salmon population by encouraging the harvest of lake trout under 24 inches.

The tournament runs through April 30, with prizes for the top three anglers who catch the most lake trout under 24 inches. Fish head collection sites are located throughout the Blue Mesa Reservoir recreation area.

Recreationalists are urged to be cautious of ice depths across the reservoir, but there’s plenty of time for fishing and ice to form over the next five months.

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New State Laws
Nineteen new state laws took effect Wednesday. One law tightens rules for storing guns in vehicles. Handguns must now be locked in hard-sided containers, and the vehicle must be locked. Other measures increase the state minimum wage and restrict certain “forever chemicals” in consumer products.

Colorado is also expanding passenger safety rules for children. Kids under 9 must use booster seats while riding in a car, and teens under 18 must wear seat belts. Children under 2 must use rear-facing car seats.

It is also now illegal for Colorado drivers to hold or touch their cell phones while driving.