News

• Jazz Shakes Things Up
• A Telluride Historical Museum Update
• Cat Movie Fisher with Risho Unda

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Remembering William Frownfelter III

Telluride lost a member of its extended community.

William “Willy” Frownfelter III passed away suddenly March 14 near Durango. He was 31.

Frownfelter was born in Montrose and lived in Telluride for his first 15 years before moving to Durango.

A talented athlete, he was competitive in hockey and skiing, but his true love was his art. He is remembered as a “Master of All Trades” with a thirst for knowledge.

Frownfelter is survived by his parents, Sally and William; his stepmother, Teresa; his siblings, Jake and Caitlin; and his girlfriend, Abby.

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Jazz Shakes Things Up

The Telluride Jazz Festival is shifting things up this year.

“We’re going from three days down to two days in a more streamlined format,” said Jake Bomersback, marketing director for SBG Productions, which puts on the festival.

Bomersback said the shift comes as organizers see changes in the way people are consuming music and participating in festivals. He said they want to stay grounded in their roots while moving with the times.

“We wanted it to be flexible enough for people to be able to experience the full festival. Two days is a little more approachable than three days. Streamlining it, having a continuous flow of music all day long — these are all things that take a part of this new identity of jazz. It harkens back to this idea of tradition and evolution. We’re trying to change with the times and continue our core programming and continue evolving for the future,” Bomersback said.

This year, the festival will feature two stages in Town Park — the Main Stage and the Foundations Stage — with music bouncing back and forth between them for an immersive two-day experience.

“We like to use the word immersive format. You’re not going to have a lot of down time in the park. You’re going to be really immersed into the music,” said Patrick Shehan, SBG director of partnerships.

“The idea is the Main Stage will feature a lot of diverse programming, some genre-blending artists. The Foundations Stage will feature more traditional, straight-ahead jazz to honor our roots, keep the traditions going,” Bomersback added.

The theme of tradition and evolution is also reflected in this year’s artists.

The Disco Biscuits: Powered Down will headline on Friday.

“This is a rare, Colorado exclusive, stripped-back, piano-driven, improvisational set that’s perfect. It really does blend a lot of genres together,” Bomersback said.

Saturday will feature Lettuce headlining with a Miles Davis tribute. Don Was & the Pan Detroit Ensemble will perform a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead’s Blues for Allah album.

“A lot of people say it’s the best Dead tribute going around right now. I think that will be a really special one to see. I think there are like nine band members in that one, so it’s going to be big,” Shehan noted.

Adrian Quesada’s Trio Asesino, one half of the Black Pumas, will also perform.

“This is his psychedelic Latin project. It’s going to be really rooted in Latin jazz and really cool guitar playing,” Shehan said.

Other performers include Robert Randolph, Endea Owens & the Cookout, Theo Croker, and DTF: Deitch, Teitel, Fribush.

The festival will also feature a traditional second-line parade down Main Street, jazz after dark, and an opening show and Sunday jazz brunch in Mountain Village.

The Telluride Jazz Festival takes place Aug. 7-8 in Telluride Town Park. Tickets and volunteer sign-ups are available at telluridejazz.org.

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A Telluride Historical Museum Update

It might have been a bad winter for snow, but up at the top of Fir Street “on the whole, 2025 was a fantastic year for the museum,” said Telluride Historical Museum Executive Director Kiernan Lannon.

“We ended with an operational surplus in our budget of just under $50,000 — which is the most in my tenure. So, all around, very good,” Lannon said.

Lannon provided an annual update to Telluride and Mountain Village town councils last week.

Lannon said admissions and program participation are getting back to pre-pandemic levels, and membership and donations are at an all-time high.

In 2025, the museum hosted an Evening with Ken Burns, fireside chats featuring local astronauts, cemetery tours and hikes into history.

It also opened its annual exhibit.

“‘A Rare Medium, Well Done: 50 Years of KOTO-FM.’ It’s an incredible exhibit. Molly Daniel, our curator of collections and exhibits, did an incredible job with it. It’s been really well received by the community. We had 141 people come out to the opening in June — which is a record for us. Additionally, we had an increase of 79% in terms of our locals and members who came — so it resonated with the local community very much,” Lannon said.

Moving into 2026, the museum is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and Colorado’s 150th anniversary.

Programming for the year includes a Becoming Southwest Colorado magazine, a children’s Passport to Southwest Colorado, Sing Colorado, The Power of Place, an oral history project and a community art project with Telluride Arts.

The museum’s exhibition for this year will be “Moments that Made US.”

“That looks at themes from the Declaration of Independence — five themes from the Declaration of Independence — that has impacted the 250-year history of the United States. Then, we’re making a hyperlocal [version] that talks about how those same themes have permeated our local history,” Lannon said.

The museum is also partnering with KOTO on a Historic Harmonies segment.

“Which looks at songs throughout history that deal with history, and the history behind those songs. We’ve done ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire,’ ‘Strange Fruit,’ and ‘9 to 5,’” Lannon said.

Following Lannon’s presentation, Town Council congratulated the museum on a good year, with Telluride Town Councilmember Elena Levin adding the importance of leaning in to what the museum can offer to diversify the economy.

“I think this is really exciting, and I think the silver lining of this winter season has been leaning in to all the other attractions that make Telluride special. This is the conversation we need to be having — what are the other draws to Telluride? What are the other things that make this a tourist destination? I think our history is huge. I’m glad to see you’re seeing that in your data, but also, I think it’s an opportunity for us to really highlight what you guys do,” Levin said.

More information on the regional recognition of Colorado’s 150th anniversary is available at colorado150southwest.org.

“‘A Rare Medium, Well Done: 50 Years of KOTO-FM’” will be up in the Telluride Historical Museum until April 4. Admission is free for locals on Saturdays.

Check out the Telluride Historical Museum’s Historic Harmonies each month, and find the archive at koto.org.

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Cat Movie Fisher with Risho Unda

It’s Wednesday and time for another installment of Cat Movie Fisher, a segment where Telluride High School’s Risho Unda chats with members of the community about their favorite movie.

This week, he’s talking with school psychologist Emily Carlson.

Story beings at 14:35.

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Telluride Arts Opens 2026 Grant Applications

Creativity is busting at the seams in the box canyon, and Telluride Arts is looking to support artists who need a little extra help through its Telluride Arts Artist Grants.

Applications will open for the 2026 cycle March 30, and individual artists, collaborative groups and nonprofits are encouraged to apply.

Work will be showcased through solo, group and pop-up shows at the Telluride Arts HQ Gallery, the Wilkinson Public Library and Citizens’ State Bank Gallery.

Grant applications open Monday, March 30, at telluridearts.org.

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Gelato and a Happy Life at the Wilkinson Public Library

Sergio Dondoli is a master gelato maker in a small Tuscan town. His gelato is world-renowned, with flavors including crema di Santa Fina (cream with saffron and pine nuts), champelmo (pink grapefruit with sparkling wine) and Dolcearamro (cream with aromatic herbs).

Dondoli is also the subject of the documentary Sergio Dondoli’s Happy Life.

Next week, the Wilkinson Public Library will host a screening of the documentary, capturing Dondoli’s delights in food, creativity and a life well-lived.

The screening of Sergio Dondoli’s Happy Life will take place at the library Monday, March 30, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. There will be gelato.

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Environmental Groups Seek to Revive Refinery Lawsuit

A coalition of environmental groups is asking a federal appeals court to reinstate a lawsuit against Colorado’s only petroleum refinery, located in Commerce City near Denver.

The suit alleges Suncor has repeatedly violated the Clean Air Act, with significant impacts on the health and environment of nearby neighborhoods, many of which are predominantly low-income.

A district court previously dismissed the case, saying citizen groups cannot bring this type of lawsuit if state or federal regulators have already taken action over similar violations.

Ian Coghill, a senior attorney with Earthjustice, which represents the groups, said that ruling was flawed.

“Confusingly, the district court concluded that 20-year-old settlements between EPA and the companies that used to own the refinery, not even Suncor, still counted as a lawsuit in court that blocked our case. There are lots of problems with that, some of which are that a lot of the limits that Suncor are violating didn’t exist when those consent decrees were entered. And so they really couldn’t possibly have been dealing with the same thing, even if somehow they could continue over time,” Coghill said.

The appeals court could take several months to issue a ruling. Coghill said the plaintiffs are hopeful the case will be sent back to district court so it can move forward.

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Colorado Lawmakers Face $1.5B Budget Shortfall

Colorado lawmakers are working to finalize the state’s budget and address a $1.5 billion shortfall.

As the Colorado Capitol News Alliance’s Bente Birkeland reports, the state’s latest economic forecast showed a worsening economy. Coupled with much higher state costs for Medicaid, Colorado is facing steep cuts. Republican Assistant House Minority Leader Ty Winter blamed Democratic policies that he said make it harder for people to find good-paying jobs.

“They have to be hooked on government money and government subsidy like a drug. And they don’t want to be, they’re proud people, they want to work, but when you have nowhere to go and no job to be in, then you’re relegated to be on these programs,” Winter said.

Democrats say higher costs for medical care and more Medicaid recipients using programs are driving the increases. Lawmakers are expected to debate the budget in the coming weeks.

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ICE Detention Centers Under Scrutiny in Colorado

Small detention centers operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have come under increased scrutiny in the past year, as people are being detained longer and in questionable conditions.

One of those holding facilities is in west Glenwood Springs on Colorado’s Western Slope.

ICE appears to have violated its own policy — and its city permit — by detaining people there for too long.

For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, Aspen Public Radio’s Halle Zander spoke with social justice reporter Eleanor Bennett to learn more.

Story beings at 22:15.