NEWS Briefs & NOTES from your editor, 9/7/23

WEATHER: We finally had a week without a weather disaster in the USA. Of course, folks are still recovering — as Lyons “flood victims” know! It can take years to fully recover. // Our weather was warmer than usual for our first week of fall. Some Denver schools closed because of the heat. Monday was cooler, by about 20 degrees. A good time to grab your shovel and work outside, or heat up your oven and bake a great meal! Nice weather around 90 degrees this week ahead. 

Obituary : Jody Clair shared: Lyons Jr/Sr High Friends: Our classmate and friend, Frankie Atkins (Class of 1978), passed away over the weekend…Rest in peace, dear lady…

CLASS: Local sculptor Christine Knapp is having a 5-day serious “animal or figurative” sculptor class, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Loveland in October. Check it out. She is the artist who is doing the life size sculpture of LaVern Johnson for our parks. www.ChristineKnappSculputre.com

TEMPLE GRANDIN spoke at the 150^th anniversary celebration at MacGregor Ranch, Estes Park, last week (which I had an article on, it’s history), and talked about how kids should be exposed to as much variety of learning opportunities as possible. She said that is how she got interested in livestock. — This week, she was installed into the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame. — To many, she was the first person who they got introduced to who was an adult with autism, and had succeeded in accomplishing great things, including creating a more humane way of treating cattle that were being lead to the slaughterhouse.

8/31 crash on Hwy 36 near the Apple Valley wooden bridge. About 7 emergency vehicles responded.

CALLING LOCAL ARTISTS: The LAHC’s fourth quarter Town Hall Art Show is themed, “What all is out / up / over there?” Area artists of all ages and abilities are encouraged to deliver up to five pieces of ready-to-wall-hang art to the Shirley F. Johnson Council Chamber at Town Hall between 5 and 7 p.m. on Friday October 13th. This themed work will be viewable through January 12th — when all work must be picked up between 5 and 7 p.m.. === the “solo” art show at the library will have two artists this time: Carol Groves and Ruth Wilson. More info to come.

The BUSTANG is back for the Bronco’s games, starting this Sunday, 9/10/23. Take a bus and skip the parking hassle, and “for clean air.” $30 roundtrip! Discount for seniors and kids. https://ridebustang.com/

==Remembering 9/11==    This coming Monday, we recognize the somber anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. There are a number of local commemorations, including 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs in Denver, Estes Park, and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.— Denver is also hosting a panel discussion about threats to US security with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Admiral James Stavridis, and CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen—part of the Colorado Remembers 9/11 Event at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver

FLOOD 10 years//LONGMONT: The City of Longmont will be commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Front Range Flood of 2013, highlighting all the ways our community emerged stronger, safer, and more resilient from this devastating event. We will have a Flood Commemoration Tour, a flood photo exhibit at the Longmont Museum, and the Motus Playback Improv Theatre’s “Stories of The Flood.”==Thurs 9/14 and Satur 9/16. www.longmontcolorado.gov/flood

LaMariposa will be having CU Boulder Football game watches with food and drink specials. Go Prime Buffs!

EGGS: there are several people in town who sell their “farm fresh eggs” but this person seems to be “in the business” of selling eggs, as she has A LOT! (plus some ‘farms’ don’t have their chickens laying as many during the winter months) – here are her comments: Sarah Dooley Miller — I have more than that available weekly. Switching soon to organic food from Fehringer and rotated pasture grazing. I add additional hens to my flock every 6 months, so have a bunch just coming into laying now. Should have plenty of winter supply.

GAS STATION: The people who have taken over the U Pump It gas station will be selling hot food off the grill, just outside of their store, probably in the coming week. I asked if it would be Indian or American food, and they said American.

BUSINESS UPDATE: We have an article coming out on 7 stores with “news”, but we have been keeping you informed “here” in our News Briefs on tid bits, so we feel ok with delaying the full article until after our “Special Flood Editions”.

FIRE REMINDER / Catalytic converter: Steve and Gerry Pearson want to remind folks: The Big Elk Fire of 2002 started on Hwy. 47 to Big Elk Meadows, when a jeep pulled on to the shoulder that was high dead brush. The hot catalytic converter started the fire. For those of us that were here, it was a tense week. Two slurry bomber pilots died when their plane lost a wing; and a helicopter pilot also died in a crash fighting the fire. There is a memorial near the Hermit Park Pavilion that honors them as well as other pilots who died fighting local wildfires. Everything may be still green but it will die soon and be as dead as the brush that caught fire in 2002 just from a hot catalytic converter.

FALL RECREATION PROGRAMS , including SPORTS, are now open! == Registration for fall recreation programming is happening now. == Kid’s mountain biking and soccer.  ==The adult softball Fall Free-For-All Tournament. (this is not a league or season long game) == Activities for all ages. Don’t miss out!  Sign up today!

Lyons Arts & Humanities Commission NEWS:  (1.) Update on the Lavern Johnson Commemorative Sculpture Project… scale-up progress being made by local sculptor, Christine Knapp. Cast objects to add to this realistic interpretation include a pair of LaVern’s glasses, her chain belt, her shoes, & a microphone! (NOTE: Christine is offering a 3 day intensive class; see her for more details) – (2.) Thanks The Lyons Farmette for the fabulous Blackbelly Farm Dinner that benefited regional arts via Lyons Arts & Humanities Commission & Boulder County Arts Alliance. Huge appreciation! This fundraiser sells out pronto every year.(3.) Kevin Shaffer’s work, “Transitional Piece,” is now installed on Lyons’ Town Triangle. Melinda Wunder, the heARTS of LYONS / LAHC connector, & the Town of Lyons team assisted with this. Stop & take a close-up look; the welding work is masterful.

LONGMONT DISCOVERY DAYS: === Mayor Peck declared this week Discovery Days Week to help spread the word about the changes to the program, such as offering Saturday sessions (designed to serve working families), and our scholarships that make it accessible to anyone. === Discovery Days is an early childhood education program that invites children ages 2 to 6 and their parents or caregivers to engage together in hands-on art, music and movement activities. In addition to fun and creativity, Discovery Days teaches important school-readiness skills, such as language development, attention, concentration, fine motor skills and emotional regulation. No registration is needed for this program, which is offered five days a week with three sessions per day. This season, the Longmont Museum has added Saturday classes in order to accommodate more working families. Each week of classes has a new theme, such as “under the sea,” “dinosaurs” or “fairytales.” — Classes are only $2.50 per person, and scholarships are available thanks to support from the Dodge Family Fund and Stewart Family Foundation. — Fall classes run September 5 – December 16. — To learn more about Discovery Days and see the full fall schedule, visit: LONGMONT RECREATION or call 303-651-8374. 

BUS CDOT – 1 in, 1 out: The two month “Zero Fare for Clean Air” is over. – but, there is a new program: Zero Fare for Youth — Youth 19 and under ride at no cost September ’23 – August ’24!  *Proof of eligibility required.  Click HERE to learn more. == For more information on Discount fares (eg, Senior, Disability, Medicare, Veterans, etc) and proof accepted, go to: DISCOUNT FARE SCHEDULE

LYONS LIBRARY: hosting two astronomy events called ‘After Dark in the Parks with NatureDeb’. In partnership with retired environmental educator Deborah Price. == Our first event, Astronomy:Seasons of Change will take place at Bohn Park on Friday September 15th from 7-9pm. As we near the Autumn equinox, we will learn how the Earth’s tilt and rotation around the sun causes our seasons. As the position of the Earth changes throughout the year, different planets and constellations come into view. NatureDeb will point out what celestial bodies are visible this time of year and help us view them through a telescope. We expect to see Saturn as well as many other constellations! ==The second one is on the evening of September 29th for a Full Moon Fun Walk (stroll). More info to come, or check it out on the library’s webpage. REGISTER.

FLOOD MONTH/Week: PTSD – MENTAL WELLNESS HELP, group sessions = reminder – every Tuesday 7-8:30p.m. in September. Put on by LEAF. Takes place at the Lyons Community Church “hall.” Free.

Lyons restaurants with outdoor venues have posted on Facebook that they need people to know that (1.) they cannot bring in their own food or drinks (it’s the health law) and (2.) kids should not act like it’s their own backyard and crawl and jump around people and throw rocks. (3.) The venue PAYS the band and depends on your purchases to do so. == thank you.

===SENIORS===    The SEPTEMBER monthly issue is out today! Check out the fun or educational activities and news that most seniors are interested in knowing about! …includes wellness tips, scams, medical news, senior trips, birthdays, and more.

 ===NATURE===

Black bears in Colorado are entering hyperphagia (preparing for hibernation), and will spend up to 20 hours a day trying to eat more than 20,000 calories to fatten up for winter. Don’t leave food out for wildlife and birds. And watch out when taking a walk around town, or coming home late at night. Do NOT make them welcome, but sound off loud ‘scary’ noises!

On Sept. 10, Cemex Lyons and Cal-Wood Education Center will come together again for the largest tree planting volunteer project to be held at the facility thus far. Cemex Lyons volunteers will plant thousands of donated trees in support of the center’s restoration and revegetation efforts. === Since 2021, the Cemex Lyons team has supported Cal-Wood Education Center with its restoration initiatives, including immediate volunteer support to clear debris and apply seeds for revegetation. Cemex Lyons has also donated, and continues to donate, thousands of native-species trees for revegetation and coyote willows (Salix exigua) for use in erosion control within Cal-Wood’s streams. The willows help slow the passage of post-fire sediment, which degrades water quality.

MT LIONS Talk: The presentation on Thursday, November 2, “Mountain Lions, A Keystone Species” is now FULL. Based on the demand we are offering the program on Friday, November 3, 2023 at the same time, 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Lyons Community Center. At this point we have 80 seats left for the second night. If you’d like to switch your seat(s) to Friday night, simply send me an email with a subject line (Friday Presentation) and note the name and email address that was used to register. Either night works for us. But if Friday is better for you, go ahead and let me know. Simply reply to this email. —-Thanks again to the Western Stars Gallery for sponsoring the first night! If you are interested in sponsoring a second night or know of a local business that is interested, please contact me. The cost to sponsor a presentation is $200.00.

YELLOW JACKETS – Deb Merrill Lewis has a tip: Due to the incredible plague of wasps and yellow jackets this year I thought I would share this. I did some research and found that 2 tsp. of garlic powder in a spray bottle with water keeps these nasties away. I spray it outside around doors, windows, garage doors, and anyplace else I see them trying to nest or come into my home. So far it is working well. Hope it helps others. === If you want to kill them, Warren Musselman says to put Dawn dish soap with a little water in the spray bottle.

BLACK BEAR HUNTING Season started Sept. 1^st… they might be moving out of the mountains and into the town and tourist areas more.

===SPORTS===

It’s homecoming week and we’d love invite you all out to our Homecoming Parade and Football Game this Friday! The parade kicks off at 3:45p and will go from the school down McConnell Drive to Bohn Park and back! We’d love to see our community show up to celebrate our programs and our awesome kids. And of course, we’ll have Candy to hand out along the way! Our football game kicks off at 7:00p! GO LIONS!

Thurs. evening drop in adult basketball starting tonight (9/7/23) at Lyons elementary gym from 8:00 pm – 9:30, $5 on site (less with prepay). Get the liability activity waiver on town rec site.

Lyons Booster Club wants to remind you that you can watch the middle/high school teens playing football is on “streaming:”== FINAL 46 – 0 Lyons Lions! == LIVE STREAM link

BUFFS WIN first game! – CU football Coach “Prime” has proven his worth. “Westword” has a detailed article about him this week. It shows how he has whittled down the original list of players, and added some new people. He says his first criteria is “They must love football. They must live football.” His son scored some big points, etc… too many to list here, but he will be a star in the football world.

BRONCOs first game is this weekend. The bars in Lyons will have it on their screens. Let’s see if Payton matches Prime in fulfilling all the hype.

===GOVERNMENT===

LOWERING DRUG COSTS: Starting this coming week, the agency that runs Medicare will be negotiating drug prices on 10 widely used prescription drugs. Republicans are fighting the credits, and they and other groups have filed 8 lawsuits to block it. Nine Million people used one or more of these 10 drugs last year. It is part of the Inflation Reduction Plan. More negotiated prices will be reduced next year; and more in 2026.

The Boulder County Commissioners have adopted a six-month moratorium on processing applications for development in higher intensity (Commercial, Business, Transitional, and General Industrial) zone districts within a three-mile radius of the Town of Lyons in unincorporated Boulder County. The moratorium will allow the county to determine if the existing county zoning map and regulations meet the needs of Boulder County and the Lyons community. The moratorium does not apply to residential and by-right agricultural development applications or to any complete development applications currently being processed by Boulder County’s Community Planning & Permitting Department. The moratorium affects only unincorporated properties and will not affect properties within the Town of Lyons.   A public hearing on the temporary moratorium is set for Sept. 19 at 11:45 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room (3rd Floor, 1325 Pearl Street, Boulder). The hearing can be attended in person, online through Zoom, or by phone. Written comments should be sent to hhippely@bouldercounty.gov. Comments can also be made during the Sept. 19 public hearing. Meeting registration details will be available in the Commissioners’ Advance Agenda on Friday, Sept. 8. 

Mark Browning commented on the “moratorium on processing applications for development”, as follows: Commercial development of the Eastern Corridor has been a goal of Lyons in its Comp Plans for decades. There are only about 60 developable acres there, due to floodplains, ditches, topography. Even if some development occurs in that limited area eventually, the Town in annexation agreements can carefully control what goes there. It would hardly change the places we all cherish … unless one cherishes the beautiful Eastern Corridor as it sits today. A total “no growth” policy for Lyons — including no commercial growth in the EC — will make Lyons an even more expensive place to live than it already is, because residential property owners will have to foot a huge percentage of costs.

==See our THINGS TO DO==     for events this coming week /plus/ a full calendar of more activities and events. See the Library calendar page for children’s events. See local bars Facebook pages for bands performing.