NEWS Briefs & NOTES from your editor, 1/6/22
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.
What a roller-coaster we have been on these past two months. Our lives have been on a precarious ride…In mid-November we had the nearby wildfire evacuations due to the Krueger wildfire in Hermit Park, near Estes Park. At the end of November, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 hit our state, which proceeded to quadruple in numbers in a month, breaking all records. And, we ended the year with a major wildfire in Boulder County towns of Louisville and Superior, leaving 1,000+ homes in ashes. Yes, all of this in just two months.
Many people balanced this with happily travelling to see relatives for the first time in a year. But many not getting entirely free of the aggravations due to 12,000 flights being cancelled between Christmas and New Year’s Day!
In Lyons, we brought back our Parade of Lights, and opened our new large auditorium with two concerts, and we lit up our Parks and streets with 1,000s of lights. The Town maintenance workers did a great job attaching them, as we were hit with up to 100 mph winds last Thursday.
And this week we are living with the prayed for snow, which hit us twice — last Friday and this Wednesday, bringing treacherous roads to maneuver.
We can hardly seem to get a chance to catch our breath. I hope that you had some Holiday fun that gave you some joy and peace! We need to treasure the good times, our sweet home, our loving family. And, never take them for granted. Instead of listing New Year’s Resolutions, let’s list what we are Grateful for!
………….Your Editor, Kathleen Spring – Happy 2022 New Year!
Wildfires hit Boulder County
Our loyal readers know by now that when there is a major disaster, we publish information/and/ resources immediately online! The day after the “Marshall Fire” happened, we published a full article (1.) stating the time line of the 4 incidents (2.) giving the Boulder Sheriff and Colorado Governor’s reports (3.) listing resources on where to go, what to do, how to get help — and (4.) how you, our Readers could help.
https://lyonsrecorder.org/2021/12/31/hurricane-winds-fires-boulder-county/
Wednesday we got a letter from Boulder Community Foundation regarding their collection of funds so far and when and where they will be distributed. You will find it in this week’s edition.
++++++++++++++++ LINKS/RESOURCES:
All residents affected by the fire should go to the Resource Center in Lafayette and register. There are many reasons to do this, even if you were not displaced. File with your insurance company first before approaching FEMA.
For those who want to see the State of Colorado resources, go to:
https://www.colorado.gov/governor/news/6996-resources-coloradans-impacted-marshall-fire
For Boulder Office of Emergency Management /and/
Boulder County Resources & Status go to: https://www.boulderoem.com/emergency-status/ This is the #1 place to go for updated information, and links. Bookmark this page!
For official updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/boulderoem. You can keep up with up-to-date road closures, evacuation areas, maps, power outages, and more.
Community Call Center for fires impact is 303-413-7730 (NOT 911). Call center closes at 11:30 p.m. and reopens at 9 a.m.
Non-Boulder County residents are encouraged to contact their county of residence for emergency information.
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MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS – Sandra Wong, a violinist living in Pinewood Springs, posted this on Facebook:A guitar teacher friend posted this-spreading the word: Several of my guitar students lost everything in the Marshall fire. If anyone has 3/4 size nylon string guitars or full-size nylon string guitars that they wish to donate, please email me at fmguitar@yahoo.com I could also use music stands, even if they are just the folding wire type. I can pick up guitars anywhere in the Denver metro area. Thank you!
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Reminder: sign up for emergency alerts www.boco911alert.com (Boulder County – you do not have to live in Bo Co to sign up).
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MENTAL HEALTH HELP (LEAF) — Natural disaster events cause stress and stimulate PTSD responses in many. LEAF offers free or low-cost mental health counseling, referral, and resources. All talks are completely confidential. Email mentalwellness@leaflyons.org for options.
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UNDERGROUND LINES proposed in Lyons: Mark Browning comments on Facebook:
We quintupled the initially-proposed fire risk mitigation budget, but how to most effectively spend the money needs further study. Cleaning up the Martin parcel was identified as a priority, along with hiring grant writers (as recommended by the task force) to try to multiply local resources. We need to study carefully what grant funds will provide the most benefit. Seems to me, admittedly a non-expert, that so many of these recent fires have a common source: downed power lines. The recent Estes fire, the fire today, multiple CA fires. We’ve undergrounded lines when we could along with other projects, but it’s a very expensive process. I’d like to look at how much that effort could be expanded if funding sources can be found.
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Help Yourself — Check out our article on what to do, and pack in a Fire Emergency. (Go to middle of page for KIT lists)
Check out our article on how to check to make sure you have sufficient insurance coverage.
General News
ICY SNOW STORM HITS COLORADO & LYONS 12/31/21 New Year’s Eve
Some postings from Facebook:
3:00-3:30 pm – Longmont to Pinewood Springs.=====Longmont to Lyons is icy highway with people having trouble at stoplights and signs. Lyons to Pinewood Springs is absolutely treacherous with ice covered with slush covered with wet fresh snow. It’s likely to be closed soon and if you have only 2wd it’s likely you won’t make it up the steep and curvy sections.
3:30 pm Just drove 36 Estes to Lyons.=====Roads are bad, almost worse in Lyons. Several cars off the road in the canyon, one all the way down in the river, lots of cars struggling on the way up. One 2wd rental car was just spinning in place coming uphill in the passing zone beyond Pinewood. Snowing hard and wind blowing in Lyons. Stay home if you can!
3:35 pm – Hwy 7 west of Lyons=====It is a mess with multiple cars sliding off the road and others stopped attempting to help. Avoid if you can.
For the snow storm on Wednesday, January 5, motorists were better prepared, as the weathercasters were predicted early 6 to 12 inches of snow for the area. While driving was slow on Highway 36, with snow-packed street and no plows, there were no accidents reported. Two posting at approximately 5 and 6 p.m. said: Hwy 36 at 5pm. Visibility down to 1/8 mile (less with kick up from passing cars). 3-5” of snow on the road in areas and rutted tire tracks. No plows in sight. Not a night to travel unless you are prepared. “Valley” (Longmont) was starting to get hammered as well with traffic backed up on Hwy 66. 12-20″ of snow expected in areas. Be safe.
ACTIVITY====
(this paragraph is a repeat) ========click on each link to learn more=======
==see “THINGS TO DO” for lots of activities and events! and more details than you’ll find here in NEWS BRIEFS. Plus deadlines.
==JANUARY SENIOR NEWS. As usual we have a TON of tips, links, and more in the MONTHLY article!
==LYONS LIBRARY
COVID-19 NEWS=====
FDA authorizes COVID-19 boosters for young teens.
=====RAPID SPREAD of OMICRON / STATISTICS=====
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant detected in the United States. On November 26, 2021 (also the day it was confirmed in Colorado).
Omicron has displaced the once dominant Delta variant in a matter of weeks. The US now counted 400,000 a DAY on Monday, ==and 500,000 a day on Tuesday == and a pandemic record of more than 1 million new infections reported on Wednesday, It now accounts for 95% of new cases. (the number was slightly affected by a backlog of people reporting cases slowly from their holiday breaks). One month ago, omicron made up just 0.6% of new COVID-19 infections.
Schools in the US – 3,556 schools have gone to remote learning or delayed openings, including many colleges. The number of children going into hospitals is 4x what it was in just one month.
The President has just increased the order of 10 million Pizer antiviral pills to 20 million, but it will take at least a month to deliver them to the warehouses.
12,000 airline flights have been cancelled between Christmas and New Years DAY.
===COLORADO===
12/28/21: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 227 people were admitted to hospitals for COVID-19 on Monday, compared to 66 a week ago. “Omicron has arrived in Colorado and it’s spreading like wildfire,” Carlton said. 22,658 new cases in the week ending Sunday. The last time the state found more cases was in early December 2020. She believes that since it is spreading so fast, that it will run out of people to infect, and it will last weeks instead of months, and therefore, people should be more willing to weather it out and wear high quality masks.
Colorado had over the 3-day weekend 25,000 cases; on Tuesday around 8,000; and Wednesday, January 5th, Colorado had 8,748 new cases. – At the height of Delta they had 1,600 cases a day.
As of Tuesday, Colorado had a 7-day positivity rate of 24.24% (The goal has always been below 5%).
NEW QUARANTINE PERIOD:
The CDC issued new guidelines December 23, which said that a person can limit their quarantine period to 5 days, but should continue to use a mask everywhere for the next 5 days. The details are confusing and criticized by many of the public and some experts.
The CDC says this was based on (1.) the new Omicron variant having a shorter contagious period (5 days), plus other factors; and (2.) this will help businesses, airlines, hospitals, and more who are shorthanded due to the fast spread of Omicron operate at a higher capacity; and (3.) it is difficult to get a test, so they did not put in their initial new rules that you needed to get a test at the end of the 5 day period, but are considering adding that requirement now.
TEST KIT PRICES to GO UP. Kroger and Walmart had a three month agreement with the government to keep the prices at $14, but will now raise them to approximately $24.
BOOSTER SHOTS in LYONS – January 7, noon to 6 p.m. at the Lyons library, by: mobilevax.us site. Go to their web page and click to make an appointment for ages 5-11; and walk-up adult boosters available while supplies last.
Government News
Also see LaVern Johnson’s “ABOUT TOWN” this week with many more details, including the bid for the hotel has been accepted and now the process of review begins.
WORK STATISTIC See saw! == according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics just out
== A record 4.5 million Americans voluntarily left their jobs in November. This pushed the rate to 3%, matching the high from September. The highest numbers can be found in the hospitality industry, which had by far the highest rate at 6.1% in November, as well as health care. Both categories have been in the news for experiencing high rates of burn out and/or abuse. Note, this was before the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus began.
== Private sector employment in the U.S. surged by much more than expected in the month of December. It added 807,000 jobs in December. Companies were hiring at the fastest pace in seven months.
Help Wanted, Lyons Recorder=====
TECH HELP — Can you spare a day each month to help with Tech work on our newspaper?
SALES HELP — are you an experienced ”ad sales person”? Would you like to help a non-profit? or sell by commission?
FEATURE WRITERS: Join our crew of 33 local writers!
Write once a month, once a quarter, or once a year!
Send us your ideas for consideration.
Our next series will be on local artists.
And, LaVern would love to have someone take over her Board of Trustee meetings, as her hearing isn’t as good as it use to be, and it is very tiring to try and hear them speak. You only need to write up major discussions, not basic agenda items. You’ll be “in” on all the Town business news, who/what/where/when!! Call her at 303-823-5925. Or write LyonsRecorder.Editor@gmail.com
For more information, write to: LyonsRecorder.Editor@gmail.com
This Week’s Articles:
==SENIOR NEWS – our award-winning column is one of our most popular columns. Lots of good tips, warnings, advice, wellness, activities, and more.
==SCHOOL NEWS – what are the new COVID-19 rules now that kids are returning to school? What does the School District Director, the Boulder County Health Dept., and our Principals have to say about it?
==BOULDER COUNTY WILDFIRES — read the “time line” of what happened; the reports by Boulder County Sheriff and our Governor; Tips/links/explanation of Resources Available.
==LACC (Arts Commission) postpones 1st Quarter shows – read their news
==Boulder Community Foundation – letter on the funds they received fro Wildfire Relief, and how it will be distributed
==IRS – Guides for NEW Business start ups
==Boulder County’s Sustainability Grants are awarded – read details
==New “2-1-1” phone line activated – learn all the great ways you can use it to improve your life situation
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==NEWS BRIEFS & NOTES from your editor – “News Announcements” that are too short to have their own article.
Government, Covid, Activities, Town, Businesses, School, and Town ”gossip”.
==”Your To Do List” – find out details about upcoming activities, classes, deadlines, and more.
==ABOUT TOWN by LaVern Johnson, tid bits of news from around town. And Board Meeting notes.
ENJOY!
MY WEEKLY MESSAGE OF CARE:
Boulder County Wildfires – 1,000 homes destroyed
How you can help
DONATIONS: The Community Foundation of Boulder County has set up a fund to assist those impacted by the wildfires in Boulder County. Please visit their website to make a donation. (Please be patient, as their phone lines were overwhelmed.)
CLOTHING, FOOD & TOILITRIES ETC. — within three days, all of the major sites were overwhelmed with donations, and have closed their doors to further donations. They do not want to have to toss out goods that you could be donate to other causes.
VOLUNTEER at www.ColoradoResponds.org and www.RedCross.com
LODGING: If you are a private homeowner and want to help, you can sign up to be a vetted host through AirBNB. Anyone who signs up will be alerted through the AirBNB Open Homes Program, if needed. The Colorado Apartment Association has put up a Directory of apartments for those displaced by the fires, broken down by such things as “fees waived,” “lowered rent,” “speeded up processing time,” etc. Update your listing if you want to help.
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Thank you for being steady readers of the Lyons Recorder. We hope you benefit from our relevant articles each week, and have some fun, too! ………..Your Editor, Kathleen
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