Monday letters: Postal concerns, traffic, support Ascendigo, canyon solutions, water woes

Restore our postal service

In June 2020 Trump appointed Louis DeJoy as Postmaster General. He is a UPS and FedEx investor, according to the USPS site. He then sabotaged the U.S. Postal Service prior to the first national, mail-in ballot election ever. 

DeJoy’s first act was to remove hundreds of drop boxes in Democratic states. That created long lines and longer distances to travel for poorer voters. 

Then, down-budgeting, uninstalling automatic sorters, along with personnel reductions, decimated this once proud U.S. service. The USPS has bound together our society, economy and communications since inception and is much more than any private corporation that must profit its investors. Its mission — “to provide the nation with reliable, affordable, universal mail service” — is meant to serve and strengthen the abilities and voices of the American people. 

DeJoy’s actions show he would shut that down if he could. Trump lost to President Biden that November, but his postal scourge lives on. Judge Emmet Sullivan wrote in his 65-page opinion Oct. 6, 2022, “The evidence demonstrates that [the states and localities] suffered harm by impeding their ability to combat the spread of COVID-19, impeding their ability to provide safe alternatives to in-person voting, and by imposing costs and administrative burdens on state and local governments.”

The solution is a public call to retire DeJoy and re-fund our precious Postal Service, restoring its ability to serve America as it is meant to.

John Hoffmann, Carbondale

Growth brings traffic

We live in a “car culture” that was the intentional creation of the energy and car companies. Much of our country depends on individual cars to function. 

Years ago, many communities, including Denver, had trolley systems. They were bought up and removed. The trolleys were competing with cars. 

Car-dependent suburbs grew out from the towns and cities.  Same in the Roaring Fork Valley. Growth increased traffic. Like in Denver today, more lanes and roads are built for the new traffic; only to spur more growth, and the new streets are soon packed.

What to do about the entrance to Aspen? Hire traffic engineers and you get the “build roads” answer. 

But look at the opposite view: growth increases traffic. So — how can traffic be reduced? Why not have that discussion?

Patrick Hunter, Carbondale

Stoked to support Ascendigo

 “What’s your dream job?” We’ve all been asked this question before. It is a question I struggled with for a long time. Until I found Ascendigo. 

I have been working with Ascendigo for a little over a year and a half, and throughout my time with the organization, I have experienced a plethora of highs and “mission moments.” As I have helped clients reach milestones, I have grown to new heights within myself. My confidence has flourished as Ascendigo has entrusted me to create and lead outdoor adventure programming for individuals on the autism spectrum. 

The therapeutic reward that comes with finding that flow state while participating in your favorite sport provides an unmatched level of confidence and utter stoke. For me, there is no better feeling in the world than helping others find that stoke — especially those that have been told their whole life that their disability would hold them back from achieving their goals. 

My biggest mission moments have always been what seem to be the small moments from the world’s eye. That first time linking a ski turn, trading bracelets with a friend, a high five, watching someone stand on a paddleboard in the middle of the lake — despite those who said they couldn’t do it. Hugging a horse. Smiling with pride. Doing something just for themselves for the very first time. The flow state. 

It’s an incredible feeling. And it is a feeling that I have learned feels better when shared. Hearing “I did it!” will never get old, and working at Ascendigo, I know that it’s a phrase that will always be on the horizon, and I cannot wait for the stoke that is to come. Adventure Awaits!

I hope our community will support more mission moments by attending Ascendigo Blue Aspen on Feb. 18! http://www.ascendigo.org

Kayla Holthouse, Carbondale

Reasonable canyon solutions

The cause and solutions for accident closures in Glenwood Canyon should be obvious. Excessive speeds, distracted drivers and drivers with little experience behind the wheel. CDOT should save their time and expenses gathering data.

Solutions exist. Set speed limits for trucks at 35 mph, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. Restrict travel to the right lane only with no passing. This is a reasonable burden for a short stretch of roadway.

CSP will say there are no funds or staffing available for enforcement. Speed cameras could be deployed to enforce traffic laws. That technology already exists.

Unfortunately, those in control are far away and are not burdened by these avoidable and tragic closures, so keep your expectations low for meaningful solutions. And we probably shouldn’t expect solutions to make it past the trucking lobby who have great power at the government level.

Dan Walsh, Carbondale

Don’t give water away

A response to Mr Stude’s letter, Water action (2/8). The Colorado River and its needs and uses reach far back, before Colorado was a state. The federal government can’t control themselves now, if you haven’t noticed the state that this country is in. Inflation, healthcare, the southern border, education and let’s not forget the deficit we’re leaving future generations just to mention a few. 

And you want to hand them the Colorado River. It has tributaries from not just Colorado but Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. This just from the Upper Basin. Water is a commodity like anything else. The “physical reality” is although more crops can be raised in a calendar year than, let’s say, Colorado, and the “demand” is greater because it’s more populated in the lower basin, doesn’t constitute taking from the few and giving to the more. 

Many chose to move and live there. There’s at least 48 more states they can live in. But they choose to live there. So us up here on a seven-generation ranch and all the other inconsequentials should be forced to give up our way of life to accommodate them. That’s Robber Barons, stealing from the poor and giving to the rich. 

Before it should even be considered there should be no lawns, casinos, car washes, air conditioning, parks or even better, only one child per household, like communist China. Makes about as much sense. It took 14 years to fill Lake Powell and you think draining it “temporarily” is the answer? It would be eliminated permanently, period. All of this for California and Nevada. Sprinkling will grow a crop or lawn but doesn’t give back to the sustainability of this natural resource.

If you leave your faucet constantly running your water source will dry up and this is the start of their consequence. We all have the responsibility of not wasting this resource and water rights are essential. there is no blanket answer, including not giving it up to the federal government.

Mary James, Carbondale