NEWS Notes from your editor, 4/29/21
If there ever is an emergency in town, or timely news
needing to be distributed, you can trust the Lyons Recorder
to put it online immediately.
This week will be long remembered because of a gasoline tanker rollover near the St. Vrain River and the Apple Valley bridge. Some of the gas seeped into the river and caused hundreds of fish to perish, and local residents to fear for the safety of their water systems. Multiple government agencies jumped into action to start containment and recovery operations. The Town of Lyons officials immediately started putting out informative bulletins on the matter. We at the Lyons Recorder put out an article on the day of the incident, and then did a follow up article two days later. They include residents’ reactions and comments, and multiple photographs. We will continue to keep you informed of any important updates.
The Front Range continues to have sporadic “Springtime in the Rockies” weather, with it snowing one day and getting up to 70 the next. With the CDC announcing that people can now go without masks when outdoors (unless in crowded venues), dozens of maskless people can be seen walking trails around town (with or without a dog!) and walking down Main Street, making it almost look like normal again. However, with the steady increase in cases of COVID-19, most people are keeping their masks at their fingertips to whip up for protection at a moment’s notice. While the U.S. and Colorado are around the 40 to 50 percent mark of getting people vaccinated, it still appears to be another couple of months until we will truly be back to normal. Numbers are increasing fast in our school-age kids, so please be extra cautious around them.
Part of enjoying the outdoors includes seeing the many “public gardening volunteers” working around town. We had almost a hundred tree seedlings planted in town by these helpful citizens. I drove around Lyons on Wednesday, and it’s still a struggle to see flowers blazing across town. I even stopped and asked a landscaper if he could recommend a house on his route, and he said we still have a couple of weeks before that will start. It looks like Mother’s Day may be our goal.
Let’s get to the news…
GENERAL NEWS & BUSINESS=====
WANTED: FOOD WRITER – our food writer is stepping away to take care of family business for a while. If you are experienced at food/recipe writing, or know of someone local who might be interested, please contact the Lyons Recorder Editor.
TOWN BOARD MEETINGS: Some of you may know that LaVern Johnson has been attending Board meetings for decades, and many years as Trustee. When she retired from the Trustee position, she was given a chair with her name on it to be able to sit in the Audience and partake in the meetings. == Being in her 90s, her hearing isn’t what it use to be, and she is urgently asking someone to take over writing up NOTES from the Board meetings. — You will not be doing intricate “minutes” on everything that happens. You can consult with her as to which “half dozen”? items are of the most importance and write a couple of sentences on that. Please send your inquiry to the Editor/or/ LaVern for more information. It is a great way to learn “first” about what is happening in Town.
US CENSUS: Just announced! Our population went up about 15 percent, from 5 million to about 5.8 million. That will give us an extra Congressional seat in Washington. This 8th district House seat will be decided by a commission, which will help prevent any sneaky politics or jerrymandering.
CAN’D AID: Thank you to local Oskar Blues’ subsidiary “Can’d Aid” for all their volunteer work. (1) helping to build bikes for underprivileged school kids. They had two events this month of April: one in Denver and one in Longmont. (2) Trash bags will be provided by Can’d Aid and American Rivers for the St. Vrain River Clean up Day in May. (3) The town partnered with Can’d Aid for two volunteer projects–hosting a Bohn Park Tree Planting on April 22 and a trail access project near Stone Canyon on April 26.
Gasoline Pipe Break==Town of Lyons experienced a gasoline break at 2nd Avenue and Park Street on Monday, April 26. Xcel Energy was notified and came out immediately for on-site work to repair the break.
HAVE A SWARM OF BEES? Contact:
Boulder County Beekeepers Assoc Swarm Hotline Direct Line. 970-213-3099
Colorado State Swarm Hotline 844-779-2337 (844-SPY-BEES), Option 3 // or Facebook-PM to local woman: Martha Gilbert Jones who would love to help.
DAMAGE to RESTROOMS in Lyons Parks = There has been reported at least $3,000 in damage to restroom fixtures and gross (feces) damage in our newly renovated restrooms in our Lyons Parks. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.
1. The restrooms are closed at 6:30pm when there is no Park Host… yet these are happening during the daylight hours.
2. No one should be in the Parks after dark. Please call the local Sheriff’s department immediately, whether there is a car or just a group wandering around.
3. Parents – ask your kids where they have been. Have a sit-down talk with them about responsibility. Help them find productive ways to have fun. Don’t assume anyone, adult or youth, could not be influenced by bad friends.
**CALL the Non-Emergency: 303-441-4444. — if you see something happening: some kind of commotion going on, …a car outside, take the number down, whether you think it belongs to the culprits or not; let the police decide. –remember as much as you can about their descriptions — dont confront them — call from a safe spot/don’t wait till you get home!
ACTIVITY====
Spring Seed Exchange and Library Seed Bank Start-Up- Friday, May 14th, 1-4pm and Saturday, May 15th, 10-1pm Come join the Lyons Library and the Lyons Community Farm Project for a spring seed event! Bring any Non-GMO and organic seeds or starter plants that you don’t need to use this season. Donate them to the Library Seed Bank or exchange them with friends and community members. For example, you can bring your extra beet seeds and pick up some arugula seeds that someone else dropped off. The Lyons Community Farm Project will have seeds and plants to share as well. All extra seeds which are not picked up will go to the Library Seed Bank, a free community resource for all! Our town is lucky to have two seed bank options- one at the Library and one at Ralph’s! Donations of organic seeds for the Library Seed Bank are welcome throughout the growing season and beyond and can be dropped off at the library. == I asked them if they would accept any seed (not just non-GMO) and they said “yes.”==
SIGN UP FOR BASEBALL by FRIDAY == Joshua Schnabel = Hey all – Just putting out the word that the deadline for kids baseball sign-ups is midnight on Friday. I spoke with staff at the Longmont Baseball League today and, as I understand it, they need another few Lyons sign-ups in the 7-8 age group in order to hold practice and games here. It would be pretty great if Lyons kids got to use their own brand new ballfields this season. You can call for more details. They were super helpful answering my questions: 720-684-6286. == the 11-12 year old league also needs sign-ups. They have about 5 to 7 already. == click on FLASH NEWS for more details ==
Teen Blackout Poetry take-and-make kits are still available through the end of this week! (Grades 6-12)
Pick one up and submit a poem to the Lyons Arts and Humanities Commission’s inaugural Poetry in Public Places contest: Deadline to submit is May 24th.
More info: https://www.townoflyons.com/…/Lyons-Poetry-in-Public…
Teen enrichment programming offered at YMCA of the Rockies this summer. More info available here: https://ymcarockies.org/summer-day-camp/
EXERCISE: Coach Kern has been offering inexpensive exercise classes in LaVern Johnson Park. He and his wife have resigned their job as Park Hosts; therefore, the Town will be treating his business like any other business, and it would require people to sign up and pay through the Town’s Parks and Recreation Department. He has declined the offer, and hopes to re-open his classes at a different grassy venue in town.
American Legion in Estes Park has Tuesday Trivia Night, along with music 5-6 p.m. and Trivia at 6 p.m. “till it ends.” Bar food and drinks. Bring friends. Groups up to six people. Prizes.
Poudre Wilderness Volunteers
Are you interested in volunteering this summer to help with the Cameron Peak fire restoration? We have several Public Work Days you can choose from. Register at https://pwv.org/events
**SENIORS** There are two Town ACTIVITIES and several of TALKS coming up — The Town sponsored ones are listed in BOTH “FLASH NEWS” (briefly), and in this month’s SENIOR NEWS. As usual we have a TON of tips, links, and more in the MONTHLY article!
GOVERNMENT NEWS====
President Biden has completed his first 100 days in office on April 28. He gave his first Address to a joint session of Congress for the first time on television on Wednesday, April 29, stating his accomplishments, as promised, and laying out his near-future plans for the country.
4/27/21 President Biden is expected to propose giving the IRS an additional $80 billion and added authority in order to facilitate his plan to target high-earners who avoid paying taxes,, which could bring in between 700 and 780 Billion dollars in tax revenue.
Gun Bill being introduced in COLORADO congress: bill that would temporarily prohibit people convicted of a violent misdemeanor from purchasing a firearm in Colorado == include a measure closing the so-called Charleston loophole, which allows gun sellers to transfer a weapon to a buyer after three business days, even if a background check hasn’t been completed. === to eliminate a law prohibiting counties and municipalities from enacting gun regulations that are more strict than what’s in state statute. ==to include money dedicated to gun violence prevention efforts, including a public education campaign to inform Coloradans about the state’s “red flag law.”
The “red flag law” allows a person’s firearms to be ceased if that person is at risk to themselves or others. Since that was passed 1/20/20, 113 people have filed a petition. == FBI research shows that 25 percent of active shooters have been diagnosed with a mental illness. == This week, our “Person on the Street” question concerns how to address the “mass shooting” problem.
COVID-19 NEWS=====
*** SEE THIS MONTH’s “APRIL COVID NEWS” *** Includes Restrictions Lifted in Boulder/Larimer County =and= Medical/Scientific Discoveries… and more.
==President Biden Administration has completed the promised 200 million vaccines administered within his first 100 days in office.
==The new focus is on: (1) people who are not sure they want to get a vaccine, and (2) those who are not returning for their second dose, and (3) those in outlying areas that have difficulty in getting to the vaccine sites.
==As of 4/18 half of the US has had one shot (130 million) in four months!
Vaccination Assistance:
==free ride to vaccine center: While the Town of Lyons has been offering Z-tickets to low-income people to get free rides in taxi-like vehicles for more than a year, Kaiser has now joined with VIA Mobility and are offering free rides to those who cannot drive. You just need to register with them.
==The state of Colorado’s three mass vaccines sites now allow for “walk up” vaccines. The closest one to Lyons is the Ranch in Loveland.
==Estes Park just had another mass vaccination day at the convention center. Contact town hall to get more information on future ones.
==Dr. Moma Clinic (Colorado) was shut down in El Paso County mainly for not properly keeping their vaccines cold enough and monitored.
==JOHNSON & JOHNSON vaccine use has been reinstated 4/24/21.
==GLOBAL: INDIA has gone from 200,000 new cases a day for more than a week, to 300,000+ cases a day for about five days, and then to 345,000 on Sunday. === 15.9 million cases Global cases at 143 million. Brazil has 14 million cases.
==CDC NEW RECOMMENDATIONS ON MASK WEARING: 4/27/21 – The new recommendations say fully vaccinated individuals can engage in the following activities without wearing masks:
Walking, running, hiking or biking outdoors alone or with members of their household. Attending small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated family and friends
Attending small outdoor gatherings with a mixture of fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people
Dining at outdoor restaurants with friends from multiple households.
Fully vaccinated people can also attend “a crowded, outdoor event, like a live performance, parade, or sports event,” as long as they remain masked, according to a CDC infographic of the new guidelines.
4/22/21: CDC says vaccines are safe for pregnant women. They have the same risks for illnesses as they would if they got no vaccine.
COLORADO
As of 4/26 there are 606 hospitalizations. Last spring there were 900; in December 1200.
There is a rapid increase in cases among youth, particularly middle and high school age.
BOULDER COUNTY 7-day positivity rate dropped this week to 4.3 percent.
SCHOOL NEWS
TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD:
===Lyons Elementary • Pamela Browning • Donna Evans • Sara Pike
=== Lyons Middle Senior High • Karen Gregg • Carolyn Smith
We will have an article on this in an upcoming issue.
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These items “will be” added to our MONTHLY “SCHOOL NEWS” article:
== yearbook sales have been extended to April 28th.
==Principal Andrea says: We had a great week wrapping up our Season C volleyball season! The girls got a victory late last night, and our senior players went out on top.
SCHOOL NEWS: PTO president Chastidee Bolkovatz said 4/27/21: We are still trying to fill our Secretary role on the PTO Board for the 2021-2022 school year. === This upcoming school year will be such an important one as we come out of a very challenging time. We are financially stable and will have upwards of $80K to allocate! We need doers, parents that will bring joy and willingness to help with our traditional events along with being willing to follow through on new ideas. Please consider stepping forward and making time to serve our school. We really need you!!
NEW OFFICERS: President: Chastidee Bolkovatz. VP: Julie Adair; Co-Treasurers Douglas Bell and Regan Bullers. Communications: Kate Schnepel. Volunteer Coordinator: Yelena Huges. Member-at-Large: Heidi Dunn. = Congratulations! =
LYONS BOOSTER CLUB (Middle/High School): Donations Needed
Please help us provide an awesome Prom + After Prom (Single event this year on May 15)!
We normally have corporate sponsors & many individually donated gifts by this time but due to covid, we’ve had to delay planning & outreach. We’re sooo thankful that junior/senior Prom + After Prom will happen this year but we’re behind & NEED YOUR HELP!
Here’s how:
1. Make a quick donation through the link below. -or –
2. Help us provide large prizes. Do you have connections that may be able to provide these at a discounted rate? Laptop, TV, AirPods, iPad or tablets, Apple pencils, Bluetooth speakers
We appreciate your help so that we can provide a safe event with food, games, activities & prizes for our Lyons juniors & seniors!
https://checkout.square.site/…/FESWNP2NKXH7NBGEZ3JLS3N
This Week’s Articles:
==Tuesday 4/27/21 == Article on the gasoline tanker rollover accident, including photographs
==Thursday 4/29/21 == Follow up article on what has happened regarding the recovery at the site, and the St. Vrain River. Includes both resident comments and actions, and that of our government officials. Plus photographs.
==Final poem for National Poetry Month. “Be the Seeker Who Does Not Follow” by local artist & poet Daniel McKenna.
==It’s that time again — our Golden Eagles are building their nest, going thru mating, and will soon be having babies. Read this articles to learn about the intricacies of eagles’ mating lives. (NOTE, no drones are allowed in the park during this time)
==Tree Seedling Planting: on Saturday a group of volunteers planted almost 50 trees in the cemetery, and on Sunday more volunteers planted almost another 50 in the Botanic Garden. Check out this article for details and fun photos! Plus information on ARBOR DAY.
==Our popular question-and-answer monthly article “PERSON on the STREET” brings up the topic of “mass shootings” and what can we do to prevent this from continuing.
==The US Small Business Admin. has a new Disaster Recovery small loan program ($5,000); check out the details.
==*UPDATES* School News
==*UPDATES* COVID News
==*CORRECTION* Senior News (“gratitude” section had copy-and-paste transition errors)
MY WEEKLY MESSAGE OF CARE:
Ampt Biking is an outreach with the purpose of encouraging and empowering amputees through biking. Whether is be road, Mountain, BMX, or any other kind of riding, life does not end after the loss of limb. Often this is the perception of an amputee, especially right after surgery. Ampt’s goal is to show that life is not done and that we can still get out there and live!
We do that by hosting events where participants can come up to Estes Park and ride on roads with breath taking views or hitting trails that are rough, rugged, and radical. Our sponsors are out there with us to make sure our day of riding exceeds our expectations.
Message from director Matthew Beall: “We did our first event last year over at the YMCA and had a great response, especially during pandemic. This year we are expanding to 3 events across the country! Rogue River Oregon, Moab Utah, and Estes Park. We are looking to spread the word to any amputees that might want to come out or to anyone that feels led to help. amptmtnbiking@outlook.com
“So far we have had incredible support, but we are still looking for help financially, volunteers, and some miscellaneous supplies needed. If you want to participate, please PM me. Thank you all.”
Editor’s Note: This organization is in the process of getting their 501(c)3 nonprofit status.
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Estes Park DUCK RACE is May 1st ! Don’t forget to buy a duck to support your favorite local charity. Go to our article for more info.
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Thank you for being steady readers of the Lyons Recorder. We hope you benefit from our articles each week, and have some fun, too! ………..Your Editor, Kathleen
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