PEAK TO PEAK - This paper wouldn’t be here for you all to read, without the incredible people who make it happen every week. Here is a current list of contributors, staff and volunteers that work hard to make your newspaper the very best around.
Management
Publisher Christian Vanek owns Mountain Vale Media, LLC., which purchased The Mountain-Ear on January 2, 2023.
Managing Editor Barbara Hardt joined The Mountain-Ear in October 2006. Living in the Peak to Peak region since 1986, Barbara has unique perspectives and brings a network of talent to the newspaper by hiring local journalists and staff members who live in the area.
Editors
Editor and journalist Sara Sandstrom came to The Mountain-Ear in October 2017. Sara is a long-time educator and she enjoys covering news at our local schools. What started out as editing a few hours a week quickly became full-time. Sara is an advocate of local journalism and understands the importance of community news.
Editor Lynn Hirshman has been with the paper off and on since April 2004. A former reporter of various government meetings, she now focuses on editing excellent write-ups of current county, regional, and municipal government meetings and events. She also contributes the occasional article to The Mountain-Ear.
Graphic Design
Jessica LaFone is a Colorado native and has been a Gilpin County resident for over fifteen years. She graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design from RMCAD. She specializes in branding, layout, print publication, and information visualization. Jessica joined us in August of 2024.
David Sockrider is a creative freelance illustrator, print/web designer, and video editor based out of Ward, Colorado. He brings over 30 years of experience in visual communications in advertising, education, banking, and industry. David started in July of 2024 with The Mountain-Ear.
Administrative
Brittney Wagner joined The Mountain-Ear in October 2023 as an administrative assistant. Brittney eventually took on the full responsibilities of circulation and subscriptions as well. She also writes up our weekly Cracker Barrel and school schedules and completes administrative tasks.
Celia Wilson is our front desk assistant. She started in November 2024. Celia helps with copies, correspondence, organization of the office, and minor editing.
Ad Sales and Marketing
Amanda MacDonald joined us in November of 2024 and has been involved with the Nederland community working with the Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Nederland, and various local businesses since 2005 coordinating events. Amanda is excited to help folks connect and stay informed. Amanda leads our advertising sales and marketing department.
Bookkeeping
Terri Vernon joined The Mountain-Ear in October of 2022 in Circulation and moved into bookkeeping upon the purchase of the paper by Mountain Vale Media, LLC., in January 2023.
Circulation
Rick Rudstrom started volunteering some time during Covid. Back then we were all at Brightwood Music, stuffing papers and labeling. Rick would show up darn near every week and help us along with the process.
Yuliya Savich joined us in August 2024, when her daughter moved out of state. Yuliya labels papers and also delivers the north route. Her daughter, Polina attends Washington State University now and also still works with us on social media.
Journalists
Omayra Acevedo joined The Mountain-Ear in May of 2018. She started by contributing columns for Discover Colorado. She contributes north area features of the Peak to Peak, business stories, health and wellness stories, fitness stories, and works a lot on our Special Sections.
Brian Alers writes history columns. He has been a contributor since June 2015. He loves the mining history of the local area and loves to share his knowledge with the community.
James DeWalt is a professional photographer who has contributed a photo and story twice per month to The Mountain-Ear since January 2022. We love our nature in the Peak to Peak and James brings it to life with his words and photos.
Dave Gibson is a long-time local journalist and photographer. He has worked at The Mountain-Ear since June 2019. Dave contributes feature stories including sports, events, news, and yearly articles about visiting other countries.
Curt Halsted contributes school photos and stories from the Gilpin school. He is the art teacher at the Gilpin County School and shares great local information. Curt joined us in September of 2021.
Wes Isenhart has been a contributing journalist since February of 2023. Wes is deeply connected to the community and the area. He loves to cover news about the environment and political events.
Alexander Joseph has submitted poetry since March 2020. He has also covered business stories and community news. He tells us about our lives through his poetry.
Christopher Kelley jumped right into covering politics in Nederland in January of 2021. This is not always an easy or glamorous part of a newspaper, but Chris covers it with honesty and class. Coming to Nederland from the eastern US Chris has enjoyed the Colorado mountain life.
Jamie Lammers, Media Specialist, first joined the paper as a high school intern in April 2019, primarily writing school stories and local events. Since 2021, he has been the primary writer for the column Music of the Mountains, and he currently serves as the primary host, editor, and producer of The Mountain-Ear Podcast. Jamie grew up in the Peak to Peak region, living in Coal Creek and attending school in Nederland, and still loves connecting with the community through his stories.
Mindy Leary, Senior Journalist, began with The Mountain-Ear in November 2018. She covers government meetings, breaking news, features, and new business profiles. She enjoys living and working in Gilpin County.
John MacKay writes Mountain Folk Tales, Mountain Folk Tails, humor, and serious columns. He adds a personal touch to every story he writes and shares a unique perspective of mountain life.
Polina Savich started as an intern journalist in June of 2023. Polina now takes care of our social media posts and writes business stories on occasion.
Anne Scarffe joined our circulation team in 2011. She moved from circulation to photography and supplies photos for stories submitted by her husband John Scarffe.
John Scarffe is a long time reporter with The Mountain-Ear. He joined the staff in January 1991. John has covered every region of government over the years. He covers feature stories and community news, as well as Golden Gate Fire Department news.
Columnists
Karen Anderson contributes the Mountain Spirit Astrology column each month to The Mountain-Ear. Karen has been doing this diligently since January of 2000. She reads the stars and keeps our feet on the ground.
Doug Armitage has been part of The Mountain-Ear since September 2010. He writes humor columns, music related columns and has helped with circulation for over a decade.
Denise Boehler contributes to our Pet of the Week column and other pet and human rights articles. She has been with the paper since November of 2022, but has been contributing letters since long before that.
Richard Brandon joined in November 2021, and contributes photographs to the monthly counseling column. As a local business owner of Peak to Peak Counseling and mountain resident since 2016, his photography highlights nature scenes from the surrounding area.
Mark Cohen has been writing humor and serious columns since September of 2015. Mark has a wonderful sense of humor and submits stories that make you think. He uses his life experiences as an attorney and JAG lawyer to share thoughts that are on point with current events in the region.
Lorena DeSanta is a photographer and takes photos to accompany John MacKay’s stories. She has been with the paper since September of 2021.
Frank Sanders contributes the monthly column Nederland Night Skies. Frank started with the newspaper in October 2022. He is a veteran, 45-year government career spectrum scientist who has published professionally on topics from radar design to paleontology. He updates the community on current astronomical events and general-interest topics in astronomy.
Amy Skinner joined in November 2021, and contributes the monthly counseling column. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and local business owner of Peak to Peak Counseling since 2008, Amy offers a unique perspective on community mental health.
Interns
Annika Marschke has been an intern for The Mountain-Ear since August of 2022. As a homeschooled student she writes about the events in her community and sometimes her travels.
Clementine Miller is our first Videographer and Photographer intern from CU Boulder. She also graduated from Nederland High School in May of 2021 and has lived her life in the Peak to Peak region. She has been with the newspaper since December 2024.
Mason Novak joined The Mountain-Ear in August of 2024. He writes local stories from a teen perspective, giving the reader insight on how the town is for youth. He is an intern from Chinook West High School in Nederland.
Haven Vernon joined as an intern from Chinook West High School in Nederland in February 2025. Haven writes local stories as a young local of Nederland. Offering a different perspective and appreciation of Nederland as a teenage point-of-view.
As well, thank you to our advertisers and subscribers. We do this for you. Literally. If you’re not an advertiser or subscriber, ask us how to change that. We reach more people in the Peak to Peak region.. every single week.. and year.. than any other print publication. Hands down.
The Mountain-Ear is YOUR community source for news, covering what you want to read, and what you need to know, since 1977. Reach us anytime by phone at 303-810-5409 or email at info@themountainear.com. For advertising call 720-960-2900 or email adsales@themountainear.com.
