VAIL — Battle Mountain High School celebrated its 63rd commencement on Saturday, graduating a class of 183 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. The event also represented a farewell to teacher David Cope, who was selected by the class as the commencement speaker. Cope delivered a light-hearted speech, reminiscing...

Mr. James W. Lawrence of Gypsum Colorado died April 7, 2023 at the age of 81. He was born June 12, 1941 in Montevideo, Minnesota to Robert and Ivy Lawrence, both whom pre deceased him. James is survived by his sister Millie Hull, daughter Shannon Rambo and sons Todd and...

GYPSUM — Devils dance to their own music. That was apparent Saturday on the hot turf at Hot Stuff Stadium for a commencement ceremony that was equal parts eclectic, offbeat, moving and flat-out rocked. If there was one moment that captured the spirit of this Eagle Valley High School...

Numerous current and former Ski and Snowboard Club Vail athletes have been nominated to 2023-24 U.S. Ski and Snowboard squads. Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, CO; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) headlines the women’s Alpine A team and is joined again by the up-and-coming Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN; Buck Hill Ski Team/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/University of Vermont). Shiffrin and Moltzan went 1-2 at the Semmering, Austria slalom in December, the first 1-2 World Cup finish for an American duo since 1971.

Eagle Climbing and Fitness has qualified six climbers to the Lead/Top rope Division 4 championships in Albuquerque on June 3-4. Dylan Hewitt, Ella Regjo, Iris Sheldon, Reese Manley, Sofia Salazar and Waylon Larson all placed within the top 13 at the Region 42 championships — which covers southern Colorado, most of Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle — on May 13 at Gripstone Climbing in Colorado Springs. If they can place in the top 13 at the divisional meet, which will add Region 41’s best, they would advance to the USA Climbing national championships July 9-16 in Salt Lake City.

It was a sunny Saturday morning in Beaver Creek paired with a bit of bustle as vendors stocked the tents across the village and barbecue masters tended to their smokers for the Blues, Brews and BBQ festival. Meanwhile, there was a formal flood of foot traffic pouring underground into the Vilar Performing Arts Center, dressed to the 10s for a very special occasion as 47 Vail Christian High School seniors and their families celebrated the esteemed Class of 2023.

In my travels, I have been to well over 50 countries, and no place felt more “foreign” to me than Japan. It’s not bad, just different. If you want to get a glimpse into Japan, I recommend the movie “Lost in Translation.” While it’s hilariously funny for those who have been to Japan, it may prove challenging to follow for those who haven’t.

VAIL — A celebration of life for Vail local Nick Courtens took place on Friday in the same location where Courtens arranged a memorial for his friend Spencer Cooke eight years earlier. Courtens, 34, died in a paddling accident in Glenwood Canyon on Sunday. Courtens was the Betty Ford...

VAIL — Vail Mountain School celebrated its Class of 2023 on Friday afternoon at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater as families, friends, teachers and classmates gathered to celebrate the graduating seniors and provide them a proper sendoff into the next chapters of their lives. Throughout the commencement ceremony that wrapped...

Important elections take place outside of the regular spring and fall cycles and the Holy Cross Energy Board of Directors election is currently underway. There are four ways to vote now through June 15 and that information can be found at http://www.holycross.com/elections/. I hope you will be involved in your local energy co-op and exercise your voice and right to vote.

Elections for your electricity provider’s board likely fly under the radar for many of us, but the upcoming election to Holy Cross Electric’s Board of Directors deserves attention. All account holders have been sent instructions on voting; the deadline to vote is June 15. It matters who sits on this board: thanks to its direction, Holy Cross has made remarkable progress in transitioning the electricity we use every day to clean, renewable energy sources.

Outdoor Recreation (from our view) refers to fun, leisure activities that take place in a natural setting (such as on trails) and benefit the body, mind and/or spirit. Conservation is the protection of natural resources and the environment for current and future generations. Recreation and conservation are two highly important...

Avon on Friday announced that Nottingham Lake and its beachfront are open for the 2023 summer season. Nottingham Lake opened for swimming on Thursday with stand-up paddle board and pedal boat rentals available through Stand Up Paddle Colorado on the north shore of the lake. Guests are also welcome to bring their own boats or paddleboards. Non-motorized vessels less than 16 feet in length are allowed and personal floatation devices are required for all passengers. The designated areas to launch are located adjacent to the docks on the north and south sides of the lake.

I can write short sentences. I can write with basic vocabulary. I was once in third grade. I worked on building paragraphs. I learned how to write a thesis sentence. I read a heap of books. I read almost constantly. I read novels, not random internet musings. I read long-form articles, not tweets. I have been surrounded by words since a very young age. Writing is entertainment. Writing is therapy. Writing is my life’s work. I take it very seriously and also not seriously at all. I want to find joy everywhere. So, I seek joy in writing.

By the numbers • 30: Graduates in the Red Canyon High School class of 2023. • 15: Students in the World Academy graduating class of 2023. • 5: Students graduated with a High School Equivalency diploma. — WOLCOTT — Most high school seniors put in a lot of work before turning their tassels from left to right on graduation day. But graduation is a little sweeter for graduates of Red Canyon High School.

UPDATE (4:23 p.m.) The road has now reopened, please drive safely. I-70 is closed westbound at milemarker 168 in Avon due to a motor vehicle accident, according to EC Alerts. There is no estimated time of reopening. Expect delays and please move over for responders.

Editor’s note: Each year, high school students in Eagle County compete in the Voice of Democracy essay contest organized by the VFW Post in Minturn. This year’s essay prompt was: Why is the veteran important? The Vail Daily is running a sampling of winning essays, with permission from the authors, for Monday’s national day of remembrance.

Women’s raft (overall place, rider 1, rider 2, raceTT time) Elizabeth J. Martin Dilley, Caroline Davis – 1:42. Men’s raft (overall place, rider 1, rider 2, raceTT time) Women’s kayak (overall place, rider, raceTT time) Tessa Prince – 1:17. Natalia Gray – 1:15. Karen...

Editor’s Note: The Vail Daily’s Tricia Swenson searched the valley for alterative wellness modalities that are lesser-known and have proven benefits. Follow this series and take steps to improve your well-being and see which offerings work for you. You may see a lot of people walking around with...