Things were already looking up for this year’s Jazz Aspen Snowmass June Festival. Then Trey Anastasio, the emperor of the jam band universe, signed on. Phish heads, start swimming upstream.

Anastasio, the former Phish frontman, joins other luminaries. Also in the hopper: Elvis Costello & the Imposters with Allen Toussaint; Costello’s wife, celestial jazz crooner Diana Krall; funk master Maceo Parker and bluesman Delbert McClinton.

So does an Anastasio appearance in Aspen mean a Phish reunion? Not so phast, says JAS executive producer Jim Horowitz. “Not here. It is not a Phish show,” Horowitz tells the Aspen Times. “I don’t think the venue is so suitable for a Phish show anyway.”

read the rest of this article by David Frey of Newest Front Page

Monday, February 06, 2006
HANK BOSCO HONORED
Lifelong Glenwood Springs resident Hank Bosco was honored Saturday night as the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association’s citizen of the year at the chamber’s annual ball. Bosco, who grew up at Glenwood’s old Star Hotel and managed the Hotel Denver, has served as president of the Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge and Pool for 30 years.
-GS Post-Independent, 02.05.06

(more…)

Thursday, February 02, 2006
X GAMES: FINAL NUMBERS IN
The Winter X Games attracted a five-day attendance of 69,650, falling just 100 short of last year’s 69,750. On Saturday, The Winter X Games set a single-day attendance record of 28,250 visitors, while Sunday’s attendance was about 2,000 fewer than the same day in 2005.
-Aspen Daily News, 02.02.06
(more…)

Wednesday, February 01, 2006
X GAMES: CROWDS DOWN
On Saturday and Sunday, which are typically the busiest days of the Winter X Games, crowds were down about 1,000 people, compared with last year. Saturday there were huge crowds, with about 28,250 people in attendance, but Sunday there were “only” 15,800. Through Monday, 62,150 had attended the games.
-Aspen Times, 02.01.06
(more…)

Monday, January 30, 2006
PITCO REAL ESTATE: TORRID
Real estate sales in Pitkin County in 2005 reached $2.24 billion, shattering the previous record set in 2004 of $1.60 billion by 40%. Sales in December totaled $190.58 million, in increase of a whopping 126% over December 2004. The sales trend continued downvalley as well, with Garfield County sales last year hitting $855.97 million, an increase of 43% over the $599.50 million in 2004.
-Aspen Times, 01.29.06
(more…)

On Saturday, January 28, the Aspen Writers’ Foundation’s Winter Words presents a reading and a talk by author Frank McCourt.

McCourt is best known for his first book, “Angela’s Ashes,” which won a Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the L.A. Times Book Award. Most recently, he authored a memoir titled “Teacher man.” The memoir chronicles his 30-year teaching career in New York City high schools.

Tickets cost $20, $15 for students and educators. Buy tickets at the Wheeler Box Office or call 920-5770.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006
X GAMES: RECORD BOOKINGS
The 10th version of the Winter X Games begin in Aspen this weekend, and virtually every bed of the 14,800 available beds in Aspen/Snowmass is booked for Friday night. According to Bill Tomcich, president of Stay Aspen Snowmass, the resort’s central reservation agency, “This Friday night we are facing the biggest single sell-out in my 11 years here.”
-Rocky Mountain News, 01.25.06
(more…)

The Aspen Writers’ Foundation’s annual Winter Words opens today, at 5:30 p.m.
Massachusetts writer Charles C. Mann will talk about his new book, the New York Times bestseller, “1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus.” (more…)

Wintersköl, Aspen’s annual winter celebration, is going on this weekend, January 12-15.

This celebration of cold and snow features more than 40 events that take place in downtown Aspen and at all four ski areas: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass Mountain. Events include the Canine Fashion Show, Snowmass Splash, the Fashion Show, the Buttermilk Uphill Race, Wintersculpt, and a torchlight descent and fireworks over Aspen Mountain.

This year marks the 55th Wintersköl, which started in 1951 when local Aspenites celebrated its Nordic lifestyle with a weekend full of festivities which were comprised mostly of floorshows at local taverns. Today, Wintersköl is an elaborate, well-organized festival with corporate sponsors and international talent.

Click here for a detailed list of events!

Friday, January 06, 2006
HOUSE OF THE WEEK
Today’s Wall Street Journal has as its Friday feature “House of the Week” a five bedroom, five bathroom, home on 14.8 acres in Castle Creek owned by Doug Rivers, which is offered for $14.5 million. The property has 10 small units, the owner calls the “pavilions”, connected by enclosed glass links or walkways.
-Wall Street Journal, 01.07.06

(more…)