Visit The May 2023 Safety Fair For Family Fun And Education

Kids and adults are invited to the annual Estes Park Public Safety Fair Saturday, May 13, sponsored by the Estes Park Police Department. This fun, family event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Estes Park Event Center located at 1125 Rooftop Way. Estes Park Police Officers will be serving free hamburgers, hot dogs, snacks and beverages, donated by local businesses, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for all attendees.

More than 20 regional public safety agencies will converge on Estes Park for the Safety Fair, bringing equipment and apparatus including a bomb robot, medical evacuation helicopters, dive rescue apparatus and more. Agency representatives will be on hand for demonstrations and to answer any questions attendees may have. Other local agencies currently signed up to participate include the Estes

Valley Fire Protection District, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Larimer County Sheriff.

Local businesses have generously donated door prizes, including movie tickets and bowling games. Families can enter to win free giveaways from the Estes Park Police Department. Children can register to win one of multiple bikes to be given away at 1 p.m.

Donations provided by Walmart, Reel Mountain Theater, The Bull Pin Bowling and Sports Bar, Estes Park Rent All, Ice of Estes Park, Safeway, El Mex-Kal Family Mexican, Poppy’s and McDonald’s. For more information or to make a donation to the Safety Fair, please call Officer Paul Mieszala, event coordinator, at 970-577-3837.

The charge(s) are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

On 4/08/2023 at 6:17 p.m. police contacted a male in a vehicle in the 1800 block of Fall River Road pursuant to a report of a disturbance in the vehicle. On scene, police charged a 35 year old male from Longwood, FL with third degree assault, DUI, careless driving, false imprisonment, domestic violence and a warrant

EVFPD firefighters generally respond to medical calls in their personal vehicles, allowing for a faster response. On other incidents, firefighters respond to a fire station to respond in department apparatus with specialized equipment.

During the week of April 2, the Estes Valley Fire Protection District (EVFPD) arrest for a misdemeanor/traffic violation. He was arrested and transported to the Larimer County Jail. responded to 8 calls for service. This included:

On 4/06/2023 at 5:04 p.m. police stopped a 35 year old male from Estes Park in the 1400 block of S. St. Vrain Avenue who was attempting to elude an officer while being contacted for a traffic violation. The male was charged with vehicular eluding, arrested and transported to the Larimer County Jail.

• Gas Leak: 1

• Alarm Activation: 1

• Motor Vehicle Crash (MVC): 4

• Illegal Burn Investigation: 2

A Special Thank You To Local Newspapers For Publishing This Piece And To Dave Thomas For Translating It From English To Spanish

When I became mayor three years ago, COVID-19 was a full-blown pandemic. Worldwide the situation was dire. Millions of people were getting sick, many were dying. To keep safe, the townspeople of Estes Park, like their counterparts elsewhere, were sheltering in place. Out of necessity, Zoom meetings and conference calls were replacing the in-person— board meetings, study sessions, hearings, meetings and so on— processes of the Town. Having pledged to represent all the townspeople and keep them apprised about the workings of their town government and mayor, I knew the replacement approaches of the Town would be insufficient for fulfilling my pledge.

In my heart of hearts, I knew the townspeople and knew they needed something more personal. Something in addition to the typical press releases and news reporting. So I set about writing a weekly report out about what the Town and I were doing…a message from the mayor. And, each week, Kris and Gary Hazelton at the Estes Park News and Mike Romero, Wendy Rigby and most recently Patti Brown at The Trail Gazette stepped up and published the messages I had written. Every week, Dave Thomas voluntarily translated each piece from English to Spanish and posted it on Facebook at Recursos: Valle de Estes. My sincere appreciation to each person for their kind attention to this undertaking and humble apologies for whatever inconvenience doing so may have caused you.

To date, the papers have published over 150 messages from the mayor. Most per- tained to the strategies, plans and challenges of the Town. Many either spotlighted the efforts of town staff (snow removal) or people of the town (Big Duck). Some described the unique work I do as mayor, such as liaisoning with the Platte River Power Authority. And a few recounted my memories of the bygone days of Estes Park. Regardless of their focus, all pieces promoted the common good, were non-political, and painted Estes Park in a positive light.

Lately, I’ve been considering my weekly pieces. Are they worth the time it takes to write them? What impact have they had? Considering these questions, I recall the direness of the pandemic, the impersonal nature of the remote processes of the Town, and my desire to foster a better connection between the reader and town government. And conclude, yes they seemed worth the effort, and yes they appeared to have an impact. Then, I think about the present, with COVID-19 being more manageable now and the Town using in-person processes again. I wonder, going forward will writing them be worth the effort? What difference might they make? Being honest with myself, I realize that I can’t answer either question. However, I do want to believe that readers will likely continue to benefit from what I write and having a personal connection between themselves and their town government. And that’s more than enough to keep doing what I’ve been doing and hope you do the same.

Estes Park EDC To Showcase Base Program Graduation Pitch Competition

The Estes Park Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is excited to announce its upcoming BASE Program showcase event on Thursday, April 27, from 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. This event will be held at The Ridgeline Hotel, 101 S. St. Vrain Ave., Estes Park, and will feature presentations by participating businesses that have accelerated their growth through the BASE Program.

The BASE Program, short for Business Accelerator Services of Estes, is a unique program offered by the Estes Park EDC. It provides participating businesses with customized support to help them accelerate their growth. The program includes access to expert mentors, specialized training, and resources to help businesses expand their reach and impact.

At the showcase event, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from businesses that have successfully completed the six month BASE Program. The event will also feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for attendees to connect with other entrepreneurs and community leaders.

"The BASE Program has been a great success for the Estes Park EDC and the businesses that have participated in it," said Adam Shake, President and CEO of Estes Park EDC. "We're excited to showcase the impact that this program has had on local businesses and the community at large. We believe that this event will inspire other entrepreneurs to get involved and support the growth of our local economy."

A BASE Program graduation ceremony will be held on May 3.

About Estes Park EDC: The Estes Park EDC is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the growth and development of businesses in the Estes Valley.

The Estes Park EDC provides customized support and resources to help businesses thrive and contribute to the local economy.