Rockin' Rifle

It's been a while since I've been down to Rifle - with the Ideas Festival, and the summer hustle and bustle, I've had too much to do UP valley. But this week, I got the chance to visit one of my very favorite towns.

I love visiting Rifle because I always try to do a series of interviews and stay all day. The people are friendly, the downtown is clean and inviting, and the views are breathtaking.

This week, I visited the city's Public Works director, Rod Hamilton, who talked to me about the city's new work crew. Rifle is a very organized place, and with mayor Keith Lambert at the helm, surrounded by tons of capable people, infrastructure projects and forward planning are humming along.

Rod and I visited for a while, talking about the work crew. Then we went out to the city's new wastewater treatment plant construction site to visit the workers themselves. What a bunch of hardworking guys! They barely wanted to stop their machines and take a break to chat.

The new wastewater treatment plant is just another example of how Rifle is working ahead. The city has been growing rapidly over the past decade, and they need to rebuild a lot of their current infrastructure to support the population. But the city is also thinking with the environment in mind: the wastewater plant, when it it complete, will become the first in the nation to be powered entirely from solar panels. That's right. The city of Rifle has a solar array that is even larger than the array in Carbondale at Colorado Rocky Mountain School. Surprised? Well, I told you Rifle is a pretty organized and thoughtful place.

Speaking of visiting, I also took a little walk around the downtown while I was in between interviews. They've got new businesses opening up and old standbys that are doing just fine despite the economic gloom we keep hearing about in the papers.

This trip, I discovered a month-old bakery that has the most delectable selection of pastries, cookies, and homemade artisan breads. It's called, aptly enough, "The Bakery." It's just off Railroad Avenue, and I recommend you stop in if you've got the time! Perfect for a snack after a hike in Rifle Gap State Park or a walk around town.

In other Rifle-related news, the RE-2 school district is already preparing for the school year to begin. They've hired 40 new teachers for schools from New Castle to Rifle. Stay tuned for a story about one school in particular, next week.

That's the news from Rifle, for now. Keep listening, and keep exploring our beautiful valley!