Volume 14 • Edition 14
July 21, 2021
Delivering to over 10,000 homes & businesses in rural Adams, Morgan, and Weld Counties
“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light” George Washington “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed” Thomas Jefferson
Fair Royalty Present Fair Book to Weld County Commissioners
WELD COUNTY, CO - As the 103rd Weld County Fair, which runs from July 24 through August 2, approaches, the Weld County Board of Commissioners were recently presented with the fair book - continuing a time-honored tradition. During 2020, the Weld County Fair looked a bit different, however, the fair royalty court persevered, continuing its reign into 2021. “We’re honored to watch the growth from each one of you,” said Weld County Chair Steve Moreno. “The events at the Weld County Fair showcase the best of agriculture leadership in Weld County. Agriculture is our heritage, it’s who we are. Thank you for representing who we are.” The royalty court is charged with representing the Weld County Fair at events throughout the county and around the state. Such duties include participation in parades, hosting the Royalty for a Day Program, held July 25, to encourage and grow youth in Weld County to one day become fair royalty, and handing out ribbons to competitors at multiple activities throughout the week of fair. This year, Shelby Tveten of Johnstown continued her reign as queen. Tveten is active in the Calico ’N Jeans 4-H Club as well as the Colorado FFA where she just ended her one-year term as state secretary. This year, Tveten will be participating in market swine, heritage arts crochet, visual arts drawing and beekeeping at the fair. Emerson Lobato of Windsor is a member of the Horse Whisperers 4-H Club where she serves as the president. She is also the treasurer for Windsor High School’s FFA chapter and plans to show horses at this year’s fair. Ella Niccoli of Greeley was chosen to serve as a second fair attendant this year and is active in the New Horizons 4-H Club. She will be showing market goats and exhibiting in cake decorating, home design and décor, restoration, shooting sports and scrapbooking at the 103rd Weld County Fair. For more information about this year’s Weld County Fair, visit www.weldcountyfair.com/Home.
66th Annual Brush Rodeo 2021
Hosted by the Brush Rodeo Association a Member of the Colorado Rodeo Association Results on Page 8
Brush Annual Fourth of July Parade Celebrates Agriculture in America
Brush, CO – Scores of residents gathered in their front lawns with hundreds more spectators and visitors lining the streets in Brush on Sunday morning, July 4 to celebrate Independence Day and recognize the importance of agriculture in Morgan County. The Annual Brush Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July Parade saw nearly 80 entries, which ranged from local farms and youth organizations to area businesses and emergency vehicles. This year’s theme for the annual event was ‘Ag – The American Way’. Spectators began appearing along the parade route and gathering at the East Morgan County Library at 500 Clayton Street more than an hour ahead of the parade’s 11 am start time. The Brush Lions Club held a pancake breakfast at the library prior to the parade.
City of Brush
Crowd gathered in front of East Morgan County Library
Page 14 for more pictures
Pictures by Braydon Ryan
See results and more pictures on page 8
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE:
Page 2: Way of the World Page 3: Remember Denise Helen Jakel Page 8: Brush 4th of July Rodeo Pictures & Results Page 9: Colorado River Drying up Faster than Expected Page 10: Colorado Mountain Towns Struggle with Tourists Page 12: Morgan County Clays & Skeet Shoots Page 13: Fort Morgan City Council Petitions Ready August 3rd Page 14: Brush 4th of July Parade Pictures Page 16: Fort Morgan Fire Department Celebrates the 4th of July
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– Way of the World –
Lost Creek Guide
Article by Bob Grand Accountability is defined by Meriam-Webster as “the quality of being accountable, an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility to account for one’s actions.” Not a foreign concept but one that certainly has been ignored by many people in today’s world. Elected officials are supposed to be accountable to the citizens. That only works if the politicians have an expectation that someone will hold them accountable. Does that happen anymore? Washington bureaucracy grows and grows because no one holds anyone accountable. We appear to solve a problem by allocating monies to help all those folks that need assistance. Does anybody ever ask how much of the monies appropriated actually gets down to the people who really need it. Or do we just create more bureaucracy, fully staffed and officed to deal with the problem at salaries that attract government workers to transfer to the new opportunity to wait until the next opportunity to solve problems arrives at a higher pay grade? The key point being the next opportunity, not based on performance related to the problem that was supposed to be addressed. Is the effort to make it appear that something is being done to help real people? Or is the real plan to just continue feeding the bureaucratic beast in Washington. A new twist is that the new efforts have generated so much money that the federal government has had to allocate it to the states to work on solving the targeted problems. Well guess what, are we seeing a replication of the Washington solution by creating more bureaucracy, with well paid staff and offices to deal with the problem. Does anybody have any idea what the results are supposed to be or what are the measurements of performance of attaining those results? Or is the important thing to be able to say we are throwing money at the problem and move on, with no effort to define expectations of performance. No accountability. This is a scenario, I would call it a serious disease, that is spreading throughout our government at the federal, state, county, and local levels. Not at all but far too many locations. No one holds anyone accountable. In President Dwight Eisenhower’s farewell address, he said” In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military – industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist…” . Eisenhower was focused on the military – industrial complex, a formidable union of defense contractors and the armed services. He had no idea of the expansion of that threat to include so many other areas of government. We, the voters, have allowed that to occur by virtue of leaving the management of government to our elected officials who have abdicated that to the bureaucracy of government and lobbyists. The 10th amendment to the United States Constitution limits the responsibilities of government to those things specifically written in the Constitution, all other responsibilities are delegated to the states and ultimately the citizens. So, who has authorized the establishment and what has amounted to unlimited growth of the bureaucratic masses? Having the states responsible brings it closer to the voters, but again only better, if there is some reasonable level of accountability at that level. We have delegated the management of our lives to people that do not necessarily have our best interests at heart. Wake up! This is not a Democratic or Republican issue; it is our issue. In today’s world of either you are with us or against us, on both sides, is a path to destruction for our country. Unaffiliated voters are becoming the majority of voters in many, many, states, yet, for all intent and purpose, they are ignored as both parties, Democratic & Republican are controlled by a ridiculously small group of people whose main interest is maintaining control over their respective organizations. Is that what being America is all about. Both parties would do well to learn from each other because neither offers a complete solution. As always, your thoughts and comments are appreciated, and thank you to the many that have shared their thoughts. We are really not alone. publisher@lostcreekguide.com
Support Your Local FFA and 4H Clubs THE LOST CREEK GUIDE, LLC Bob Grand - Publisher 303-732-4080 publisher@lostcreekguide.com OUR DEADLINE IS 7 WORKING DAYS BEFORE PUBLICATION
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July 21, 2021
We’re All in it Together – Or Were We?
The very people who were so earnestly leading the “we’re all in it together” chant, were not in it at all. And quite frankly, were major beneficiaries of the economic shutdown.
Editorial in the Torch by Rick Manning We’re all in it together! That was the shaming slogan shouted from every celebrity, the media, compliant multi-national corporations and most politicians as they shuttered dissent over draconian economic lockdown rules enacted to flatten the curve of the China-originated and manufactured Coronavirus. The message was clear, we are all suffering so anyone who complains just needs to suck it up and take the medicine the federal and state governments were prescribing like good little boys and girls. But were we really “all in it together?” United States Labor Department Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that we weren’t. While the private sector lost 22 million jobs from February 2020 to April 2020, and state and local government cut about 1.6 million jobs in response to the pandemic, one group of people prospered during the pandemic – the federal government workforce. The federal workforce actually grew slightly during the pandemic never dipping below the 2.63 million employed at the employment high water mark of the Trump administration and indeed our nation’s history in February 2020. That’s right, the very people who were so earnestly leading the “we’re all in it together” chant, were not in it at all. And quite frankly, were major beneficiaries of the economic shutdown. Another example, beyond the fact that federal workers were the only major work group in America which did not see massive job losses, is that the Nancy Pelosi-led Congress acted to pass extended paid leave for COVID affected federal employees which, if fully utilized, could mean as much as $21,000. Did workers in the private sector adversely affected by COVID get similar benefits? Nope. And of course there is that “famous” federal bureaucrat work ethic. Since the pandemic, a June 10, 2021 memo from the federal Office of Management and Budget and the federal Office of Personnel Management reports that 60% of the federal workforce is telecommuting, while praising the “many thousands of Federal employees with responsibilities that could not be performed remotely have continued to undertake missioncritical duties at their workplaces and on the frontlines of the national response, day-in and day-out through the pandemic.” Anyone who has been in Washington, DC in the past few months knows that the once busy, bustling downtown remains a virtual ghost town as the hundreds of thousands who would normally inhabit the dozens of federal buildings in the city remain at home, presumably working. State and local governments, which cannot just print money to pay employees, cut payroll positions pretty aggressively, as the federal government just rolled along as if nothing was happening – employees unaffected with the exception that they did not have to go into the office. The hidden effect of this perverse situation was that the very federal government bureaucrats making recommendations about the balancing act between the economic and public health needs of the nation never felt the economic consequences of their decisions. They had no skin in the game. What’s more, the political class of congressional staff and presidential appointees were also insulated from the pain as their neighbors, friends and family members who worked for the federal government were largely economically insulated from the economic devastation that their shutdown decision wrought. A simple truth in life is that if a problem is distant it can be ignored, but if it affects your immediate family and neighborhood it becomes a crisis. For public health bureaucrats in D.C., the economic crisis of the pandemic caused by policies they promoted and fought tooth and nail to impose in D.C., was an inconsequential side effect rather than a deadly result of their public health prescriptions. Fortunately for America, very early in the pandemic, President Trump advocated for a balance between the health and economic needs of the country early in the crisis and never forgot the tens of millions of people who lost their jobs, the millions of businesses that were shuttered, some to never re-open, and the devastation to Main Street which shutdowns created. Trump’s willingness to stand up to the public health know-it-alls who consistently were wrong both about the disease and how to deal with it (hint: staying inside rather than going outside was the wrong answer) was directly responsible for the 15.6 million jobs that have been restored since the shutdown began. And next time the Chinese decide to unleash a pandemic on the world, let’s make certain that the federal bureaucrats in DC who drive policy responses, at least feel some of the pain of their own recommendations. Only then will we all truly be in it together. Richard Manning is President of American for Limited Government.
July 21, 2021
State Fair Seeks First Ever Statewide Youth Master Showmanship Champion
Lost Creek Guide
The Colorado State Fair, known for classic events like livestock and horse shows, is adding a new competition to its roster this year: the inaugural Colorado Master Showmanship Competition. The competition will give 4-H and FFA members the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and versatility as they show five different livestock species and take a written exam demonstrating their industry knowledge of each species and overall agricultural expertise. The new competition category is open only to entrants between the ages of eight and 18 who have won their county’s Master Showmanship class or equivalent to participate, which means the competition will be fierce. Participants will be asked to show a market steer, goat, lamb, hog, and horse as well as take a written exam. A Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Master Showman will be selected based on the highest combined scores of the live show classes and written exam. The Master Showman award winner will be announced on Saturday, September 4 at the fairgrounds. “The Colorado State Fair is proud to support the next generation of farmers and ranchers and the youth competitions bring out Colorado’s most talented and promising young agriculturists,” said Scott Stoller, the General Manager of the Colorado State Fair.
After a pared down event in 2020, this year the Colorado State Fair returns as a favorite family destination. Families can purchase tickets online or at the box office to enjoy this year’s fair food, live music, carnival rides, and more. In addition to offering traditional fair fun for guests, the Colorado State Fair hosts more than 50 contests and hundreds of different competition and participation opportunities for young people. Fairgrounds admission grants guests access to all agricultural shows, including the Master Showmanship Competition. The theme for this year’s State Fair is “All Roads Lead to the Colorado State Fair.” The event will take place August 27 through September 6, 2021. For more information, visit the website, Facebook or call 719-404-8484. For more information on how to enter the Master Showmanship competition, please visit the Livestock Market Shows page.
Trey Jackson Graduates from ENMU
PORTALES ,NM (06/14/2021) - Trey Jackson og Keenesburg, CO (80643), graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in spring 2021. An in-person commencement ceremony was held at Greyhound Stadium on May 15. ENMU is a state institution offering associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree options. For more information, contact the Office of Communication Services at merit@enmu.edu
- Obituary -
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DENISE HELEN JAKEL On June 14, 2021, Denise Helen Jakel of Fort Morgan, Colorado went home to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Denise was born June 20, 1963 in Fort Morgan, Colorado to Bill and Eleanor Holloway. She graduated from Weld Central High School and received an Associate’s Degree from Aims Community College. Denise’s organizational skills were surpassed by no other. Law firms, school districts and oil and gas companies alike all benefited from her exceptional skill set. Denise retired from the RE3J school district in 2012 after 25+ years of service. On January 12, 1985, Denise married her best friend and husband, Randy Jakel, who, together, joyfully devoted their lives to their Lord, family, friends and community. Denise never tired or wavered in giving of herself to those who she loved or others who may have been in need. Additionally, Denise had a very competitive spirit and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of sports, whether actively participating herself or simply being an enthusiastic fan on the sidelines. In this way, she was a huge Avalanche Hockey fan and never turned down an opportunity to watch them play. Denise’s interests were many. Along with sports, she enjoyed gardening, pickling, sewing, and antique hunting with family and friends always, in some way, lovingly benefiting from her many talents. Denise’s overwhelming love for her family and friends also extended to working with youth and children’s clubs at church for years. Denise was adored and touched by all who were most fortunate to know her and is survived by her devoted husband, Randy Jakel of Fort Morgan; sons Brett Jakel of Roggen and Joel Jakel of Brighton; sisters Sherry Klein of Aurora, Patti (Jim) Amaya of Pueblo; brothers Edward (Renee`) Holloway of Timnath, David Holloway of Steamboat Springs, Richard (Tami) Holloway of Fort Collins and Paul (Jeannine) Holloway of Greeley; mother-in-law Pat Jakel of Roggen and brother-in-law Brian Jakel (Chris) of Greeley. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews who all loved her dearly. Denise was preceded in death by her father, Billy George Holloway; mother Eleanor Agnes Holloway (Nee Caspar); brother William Lawrence (Butch) Holloway; sister Annette Kay Holloway; and father-in-law Johnnie Jakel. Denise’s Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 23, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at Christ Community Church, 11120 Weld County Road 73, Roggen, Colorado. Interment will be at the Heart of Plains Cemetery, 38044 Weld County Road 16, Roggen, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Berean Bible Church, address 211 West Beaver Avenue, Fort Morgan, Colorado 80701.
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Lost Creek Guide
USDA to Provide Pandemic Assistance to Livestock Producers for Animal Losses
July 21, 2021
Farm Service Agency Will Begin Taking Applications for indemnity program July 20th
WASHINGTON, July 13, 2021 - Livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack announced the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) in [recorded] remarks at the National Pork Industry Conference in Wisconsin Dells, WI. The announcement is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Livestock and poultry producers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) July 20 through Sept. 17, 2021. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, authorized payments to producers for losses of livestock or poultry depopulated from March 1, 2020 through December 26, 2020, due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. PLIP payments will be based on 80% of the fair market value of the livestock and poultry and for the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animal. Eligible livestock and poultry include swine, chickens and turkeys, but pork producers are expected to be the primary recipients of the assistance. “Throughout the pandemic, we learned very quickly the importance and vulnerability of the supply chain to our food supply,” said Agriculture Secretary Vilsack. “Many livestock producers had to make the unfortunate decision to depopulate their livestock inventory when there simply was no other option. This targeted assistance will help livestock and poultry producers that were among the hardest hit by the pandemic alleviate some financial burden from these losses.”
Additional Assistance Planned
The previous administration proposed pandemic assistance using flat rates across the industry, which does not take into account the different levels of harm felt by different producers. Pork industry supported analysis projected that disruptions in processing capacity in the pork supply chain create a situation with small hog producers and especially those that sell on the spot market or negotiate prices, bear a disproportionate share of losses.
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USDA has examined the difference between the negotiated prices for hogs and the 5-year average and documented a significant drop during April through September of 2020 due to the pandemic. USDA has set aside up to $50 million in pandemic assistance funds to provide additional assistance for small hog producers that use the spot market or negotiate prices. Details on the additional targeted assistance are expected to be available this summer.
PLIP Program Details
Eligible livestock must have been depopulated from March 1, 2020 through December 26, 2020, due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. Livestock must have been physically located in the U.S. or a territory of the U.S. at the time of depopulation. Eligible livestock owners include persons or legal entities who, as of the day the eligible livestock was depopulated, had legal ownership of the livestock. Packers, live poultry dealers and contract growers are not eligible for PLIP. PLIP payments compensate participants for 80% of both the loss of the eligible livestock or poultry and for the cost of depopulation and disposal based on a single payment rate per head. PLIP payments will be calculated by multiplying the number of head of eligible livestock or poultry by the payment rate per head, and then subtracting the amount of any payments the eligible livestock or poultry owner has received for disposal of the livestock or poultry under the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) or a state program. The payments will also be reduced by any Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 1 and 2) payments paid on the same inventory of swine that were depopulated. There is no per person or legal entity payment limitation on PLIP payments. To be eligible for payments, a person or legal entity must have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Applying for Assistance
Eligible livestock and poultry producers can apply for PLIP starting July 20, 2021, by completing the FSA-620, Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program application, and submitting it to any FSA county office. Additional documentation may be required. Visit farmers.gov/plip for a copy of the Notice of Funding Availability and more information on how to apply. Applications can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means. To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-locator. Livestock and poultry producers can also call 877508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance. As USDA looks to long-term solutions to build back a better food system, the Department is committed to delivering financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers and businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions. Since USDA rolled out the Pandemic Assistance initiative in March, the Department has announced over $7 billion in assistance to producers and agriculture entities. For more details, please visit www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance. USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
UNC Receives Colleges of Distinction Recognitions
GREELEY, CO: - The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) recently received several recognitions for its commitment to engaged, hands-on education by Colleges of Distinction. Colleges of Distinction recognizes schools like UNC whose student-centered education prevails in applying theory to practice while fostering a dynamic learning community. In addition to being honored as a College of Distinction for its high-impact approach to education, UNC also received special recognition for its business and nursing programs, and for its specialized student support services in career development and equity and inclusion. “I am pleased that UNC has received this recognition as a College of Distinction school,” said UNC President Andy Feinstein. “We pride ourselves on being a students first institution that prioritizes student success. Once a student enrolls at UNC, it’s our responsibility to do everything we can to help them graduate on time and ensure they are prepared to work in their desired field after earning their degree. This recognition from Colleges of Distinction affirms that we are well-equipped to do that.” The selection process comprises a sequence of indepth research and detailed interviews with schools about each institution’s freshman experience and retention efforts alongside its general education programs, career development, strategic plan, student satisfaction and more. Only colleges that adhere to four key distinctions: engaged students, great teaching, vibrant communities and successful outcomes are accepted. “It’s inspiring to see UNC commit to the learning styles and community involvement that will best allow their students to succeed in and beyond their college years,” Wes Creel, the founder of Colleges of Distinction, said. UNC was one of six higher education institutions in Colorado named to the 2021-22 Colleges of Distinction list.
July 21, 2021
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Lost Creek Guide
Opinion: Unemployment May Be Dropping in Colorado, but for at Least One Vulnerable Group It’s Rising
Article by Lloyd Lewis Here’s a challenge to all business owners and business leaders in Colorado: Seek opportunities to employ people who have disabilities. In April, May and June of last year, Colorado’s unemployment rate was well over 11%. Thankfully, as we have started to come out of the pandemic, that number has fallen considerably, down to 6.2% as of May. Soon, I hope, we will return to pre-COVID numbers — between 2.5% and 3%. However, there is a population in our state with unemployment figures that are not decreasing, and in fact, are on the rise. Here is the sobering truth: Today, 80% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed. As president and CEO of Arc Thrift Stores — one of the state’s largest employers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) — this is deeply troubling, but sadly nothing new. Despite the advances put forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits discrimination based on a disability and affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, there is much work to be Lloyd Lewis is the president and CEO of Arc Thrift Stores. done. And it starts with a challenge I would like to propose to all business owners and business leaders in Colorado. It’s a simple one: Seek out opportunities to employ people in our community who have disabilities. I know from over 15 years of advocating for the disability community — and as a proud father of a young man with Down syndrome soon to be entering the job world — that employing people with IDD is a smart business strategy with big time benefits. At Arc Thrift Stores, we employ 350 people with IDD at our 31 stores across the state. These amazing individuals — some of whom have Down syndrome, autism, or other intellectual or physical or developmental disabilities — are our Ambassadors. They work in many different positions in the stores, including as donation coordinators, clothing hangers, and room attendants. But more importantly, Arc Ambassadors serve as examples of the organization’s mission in action — to have people with intellectual and developmental disabilities gain self-respect, self-determination, and independence in their communities and professional workplace. Perhaps you have been to one of our stores and met some of these remarkable people. Maybe you have met Seth at our JCRS Shopping Center store in Lakewood who is a wiz on the cash register. Or Beth at Green Mountain, who handles the production line like a pro and is always quick with a smile. Or Myles at Central Park, who may be singing R&B while he stocks shelves at our Central Park Store. If you have, I am sure that you consider yourself lucky. READ: Colorado Sun opinion columnists. I know I do. As a CEO, I want a team of people working for me that is dedicated, loyal, and that bring their hearts to their job every day. I can say that about all Arc employees, but this is most true about our Ambassadors. These are people who are dedicated to providing great service and willing to assist customers and co-workers with their whole hearts. By employing people with IDD, we are giving these deserving and capable people purpose and encouraging a positive sense of self-worth. But the truth is, they give back so much more. Frankly, it’s difficult to be frustrated at your job when the person working alongside you who happens to have Down syndrome wears a contagious smile and believes that this is the best job they have ever had. Employment diversity, equity, and inclusion — in both the public and private sectors — means accommodations, connections, and awareness, and it means breaking down barriers. TODAY’S UNDERWRITER As we begin to slowly return to the New Normal in this post-pandemic age, and as we begin to need to hire new employees, I am issuing a challenge to my fellow CEOs and business owners. Take this leap of faith and seek out and employ a person — or two or more! — with a disability. I promise that the rewards outweigh any downside. Because the truth is, employing people with IDD is smart strategy and only makes us all more successful. When employers create a culture of belonging, they gain competent, dependable employees and help workers with disabilities to stretch their limits. The dividends that are paid back to a company – and to the community – are beyond measure. The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places, and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
Vacancies Coming Up on Historic Preservation Board Openings to occur in August, applicants urged to apply soon
Fort Morgan’s Historic Preservation Board is looking for applicants interested in serving on this unique city advisory board. The Historic Preservation Board exists to help preserve and protect the heritage of the city through the identification, evaluation, rehabilitation, adaptive use, restoration and public awareness of Fort Morgan’s historic and architectural resources. The terms of two current members are scheduled to expire Aug. 11, and two other vacancies already exist with one being for a partial term and another being for a full term on the board. City residents who are interested in serving on the board are urged to submit applications as soon as possible. The board members have principal responsibility for matters of historical preservation of historic sites and districts within the municipal boundaries of the city. The board advises and makes recommendations to the City Council on these matters. The Historic Preservation Board was established in 2009 and consists of between five and nine members who serve three-year staggered terms. Members must reside (or own real property) within the City limits. For more information, contact Sandy Schneider-Engle, Economic Development Specialist, at (970) 5423924. Other opportunities also open up occasionally on other city advisory boards and commissions. For more information on openings and applications, call Deputy City Clerk Jill Westhoff-Curtis at (970) 542-3964. Like Us On Facebook! www.facebook.com/cityoffortmorgan
Happy Sweet 16th Birthday Savannah Kendal Loose
Savannah’s birthday wish was to spend time with her family painting ceramics I Fort Collins and then go out to supper. We had so much fun painting! Savannah painted dog, also painted were flower pots, a camper, a hat, mushroom house, a chicken and a mermaid. Savannah’s younger brother, Brewer Quint had a fun time too but probably painted a little bit of himself as well. We all need to make sure we take the time to enjoy those memorable moments in life as time goes by very quickly.
Samantha Kendal Loose
Brewer Quint Loose
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Lost Creek Guide
CDA Begins Rulemaking Process for Agricultural Worker Variance for Hand Weeding
Broomfield, Colo. - On June 25, Governor Polis signed into law SB 21-087, the Agricultural Workers’ Rights bill, which requires the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to set up new rules and regulations for workers in the ag industry. Additionally, the law requires the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) to promulgate the specific rules related to the allowance of hand weeding and hand thinning crops by workers. CDA’s responsibility is to first establish a procedure for agricultural employers to seek a certificate of variance to allow for more than occasional or intermittent hand weeding of agricultural or horticultural products. Next, CDA must promulgate a rule to establish an allowance on limitations of hand weeding and hand thinning for an agricultural employer actively engaged in the transition to certified organic agriculture. These rules must be proposed by Oct. 31, 2021 and promulgated by Jan 31, 2022. CDA will hold three virtual meetings to gather feedback and input from stakeholders to develop the rules required by SB 21-087. Public input and participation are encouraged. Those who cannot attend any of the meetings are encouraged to submit their feedback through the online form below. SB 21-087 Stakeholder Meetings Meeting 1: Thursday, July 22, 9:00-10:30 a.m. MST (Register) (printable link: bit.ly/sb87-1) Purpose: to discuss the bill and draft a basic outline of the rule Meeting 2: Thursday, August 12, 9:00-10:30 a.m. MST (Register) (printable link: bit.ly/sb87-2) Purpose: To review draft of the rule and provide feedback Meeting 3: Thursday, August 26, 9:00-10:30 a.m. MST (Register) (printable link: bit.ly/sb87-3) Purpose: Review near final version of the rule SB 21-087 Online Feedback Form Members of the public can submit their general feedback through this online form (printable link: bit.ly/sb87-form). The information gathered through this form will in form the first draft of the rule. Other feedback forms will be created to give specific feedback once the rule has been drafted. The Colorado Department of Agriculture exists to support the state’s agriculture industry and serve the people of Colorado through regulation, advocacy and education. Our mission is to strengthen and advance Colorado agriculture, promote a safe and high-quality food supply, protect consumers, and foster responsible stewardship of the environment and natural resources.
Harvest Is Here
July 21, 2021
by Morgan County REA It is that time of year. After anxiously watching weather forecasts, preparing equipment and gathering crews, farmers across the area have embarked on the 2021 wheat harvest. Reward for nearly a year’s worth of work is attained in just a few short weeks. While harvest time is rewarding, it is also a busy and stressful season—making safety more important than ever. Morgan County Rural Electric Association would like to remind farmers to take all safety precautions while in the field. Watch out for overhead power lines, especially when moving large equipment. Keep yourself and equipment at least 10 feet away from power lines in all directions at all times. Never attempt to raise or move power lines to clear a path. If power lines near your property have sagged over time, call your utility provider to repair them. Safety extends beyond equipment. Though harvest is well-known for long days and little rest, fatigue can often intensify stress during this time and lead to injury. Prioritizing rest when possible is important, as it helps crews avoid reduced reaction time and lapsed concentration. This can help prevent injury and maintain production, two of the main goals for a successful wheat harvest. MCREA is proud to be part of such a strong agricultural community. After all, many of the same principles that drive agriculture also led to the electrification of rural America in the 1930s. MCREA relies on the cooperative model just as many of our agricultural producers do. It is no coincidence that both the agriculture and power industries utilize cooperatives, as they each provide something that everyone needs—food and electricity. The responsibility of providing such necessities is no small task. Therefore, the cooperative model helps ensure that both power and agricultural goods can be provided affordably and responsibly. Strength in numbers is what allows many farmers to continue a livelihood that has existed in their families for generations. This same strength allows rural electric cooperatives like MCREA to provide safe and affordable power to its memberowners. The voices of many speak louder as one. A collective voice achieves results, as was made clear in recent light of Colorado Initiative 16 (PAUSE Act). After igniting strong opposition from the agriculture industry and a series of grassroots efforts advocating against the legislation, the Colorado Supreme Court voted unanimously that the initiative cannot proceed in its current form. Grassroots efforts work. They benefit those who are part of them. That is why MCREA urges members to join its own grassroots program, in order to make the needs of our rural community heard when future legislation and regulations regarding power are being discussed. Signing up is easy and can be done online at www.mcrea.org/GrassrootsSignup. As a rural power provider, MCREA’s mission is simple. Our member-owned cooperative is dedicated to serving our members by providing safe, reliable energy with a strong tradition and vision for the future. Farmers work to feed and clothe the world with that same strong tradition and vision for the future in mind. MCREA proudly supports our area’s farmers and wishes all a safe and successful harvest.
MCREA wishes all our farmers a safe and successful harvest
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July 21, 2021
Lost Creek Guide
Researchers and Biologists Begin Study of Bald Eagles Along Colorado’s Front Range
Bruce Snyder of the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies releases a bald eagle that researchers placed a GPS-GSM transmitter on in Golden on June 5, 2021 (photo by Jason Clay/CPW)
DENVER - Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) along with numerous project partners have embarked on a four-year study to help better understand current population trends, habitat use and impacts of human disturbance on bald eagles along the state’s most densely populated corridor. The Front Range corridor of northern Colorado is an area that is experiencing rapid human population growth -- up 18 percent since 2000. Between 2019 and 2029, the state is forecasted to grow by 832,000 people with 87 percent of that taking place in the Front Range. Amazingly, this densely developed area also contains a high concentration of bald eagles. In CPW’s raptor-nest database, as of 2020, there were more than 90 breeding pairs of bald eagles in this corridor from the Denver metro area to the Wyoming state line. “The reason we are focused on this area is the concentration of bald eagles along the Front Range, juxtaposed with the concentration of humans and human infrastructure along the Front Range,” said CPW Avian Researcher Reesa Conrey. “That intersection is a huge part of this project, in addition to monitoring what the eagles are doing in terms of their nest numbers and nest success.” Populations of the American bald eagle — the bold national symbol of the United States — have quadrupled since 2009, according to a new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its partners. However, eagles did not always thrive in this urban corridor. By the end of the 1970s there were only three known bald eagle nests in Colorado with none on the Front Range. Bald eagle populations declined in the early- to mid-20th century due to pesticides (primarily DDT), human disturbance, land conversion and loss of trees for nesting habitat. Thanks to protections implemented for the species and DDT being banned for general use back in 1972, the slow recovery process started. In Colorado, that rebound has accelerated over the past few decades, concurrent with human population growth along the Front Range. The bald eagle was delisted from Endangered Species Act protection in 2007, although they still are protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under both the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. CPW classifies the bald eagle as a Tier 2 “Species of Greatest Conservation Need.” Off-setting some of the urban development over the years was the construction of numerous reservoirs, which provide potentially usable habitat. Reservoirs, rivers and large streams surrounded by large cottonwood trees and riparian areas provide most of the conventional nest sites in the South Platte River Basin where the Front Range lies. However, discovery of new nest locations has revealed the presence of bald eagles nesting in upland locations far removed from conventional nesting locations. CPW’s study could help explain why bald eagles chose such unconventional settings. And though reduced in area and number, prairie dog colonies in this region still serve as an important year-round food source for raptors. Now, Colorado is home to eagles that live here year-round as well as a wintering population that breeds elsewhere. Researchers, biologists and volunteers from CPW, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies (BCR), along with numerous city and county agencies have been working together for years to monitor Colorado’s bald eagles to better understand their environmental needs and disturbance tolerances. These partners are coming together to help with this new research project that launched in the second half of 2020 and is expected to have management implications to help conserve bald eagles in a region that will continue to see rapid human development and land use conversions. The study is expected to last four years and will be the most comprehensive bald eagle monitoring project ever done by CPW. “We are looking at nest sites along a gradient of human activities and disturbances from urban to rural areas,” Conrey said. “We are especially interested in comparing areas expected to remain stable with those expected to see new development within the next few years. We can use spatial data over the past several decades to get at land use change as this area has been developed for residential and commercial uses, agricultural conversions, sand and gravel mining and energy, including oil and gas wells, solar, and wind energy facilities. We’re getting more transmission lines, cell towers, road traffic, use of trails and boating areas and all the other things that go along with human activity and an increasing human population.” Researchers will mark a sample of bald eagles nesting along the northern Front Range with GPS-GSM transmitters. The transmitter data will allow them to intensively monitor habitat use and eagle movements year-round, dur-
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ing both the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. At the same time, staff and a large number of dedicated volunteers will continue to monitor reproductive effort and success by conducting observations at nest sites. “The transmitters that we are using for this project are different from what typically have been used,” Conrey said. “Previous generations of wildlife transmitters required biologists to use antennae to pick up the signals or they connected to satellite networks. But these transmitters connect to the cellular communications network. It allows our transmitters to be lighter in weight. That reduces potential stress on the eagles and it was a good choice for us in the Front Range because we have a lot of cell towers in this area.” The transmitters can provide frequent location data - with time intervals as little as four seconds between locations. They’ll be placed on 25-30 bald eagles. The original transmitters plus harness weighed under 70 grams (0.15 pounds), but with continued innovation, the new units deployed in 2021 weigh less than 50 grams (0.11 pounds) – which is about one percent of the body mass of an average adult male. Each captured eagle is weighed, carefully inspected to assess its health and fitted with a numbered leg band as an identifier. The first transmitter went out in July 2020 and the second in October. Further deployments continue, but most of the 14 marked eagles to date were captured from May to early July, the time of year when many adults are feeding large, hungry “teenage” eaglets preparing to fledge from the nest. An army of volunteers, many from the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and staff from city, county, state and federal agencies will all play a crucial role in data collection for this study. “We’re thrilled to see data collected by our volunteers contribute to this research effort,” said Matt Smith, outreach biologist with BCR. “Bird Conservancy has been monitoring the expansion of the bald eagle nesting population across the Front Range for 30 years and while eagle numbers have steadily increased during that time, so has the human population of the region. This gives us an opportunity to put those data to work and learn more about how eagles are adapting to the changes we’re making to the landscape. Hopefully, this will tell us more about what the future looks like for bald eagles in the years to come and what management actions can be undertaken to ensure a healthy population of this iconic bird in our state in perpetuity.” BCR’s Bald Eagle Watch (BEW) program has a volunteer citizen science network that monitors nesting bald eagles along the Front Range and elsewhere. The program has been steadily increasing its number of citizen volunteers as well as its scope and intensity of monitoring. “Observations from the BEW program complement the data gathering and population evaluations performed by CPW,” said Bruce Snyder, who began as a BEW volunteer in 2013 monitoring the bald eagle nest that at the time was located at the Applewood Golf Course. “BEW volunteer information fills gaps that CPW is unable to acquire because of resource and manpower limitations, but is important for making wise protection and mitigation decisions. CPW is able to more efficiently plan and implement its GPS tracking study because of the detailed observation information BEW observers provide. “The things that continually have impressed me are the adaptability, hardiness and dedication of the bald eagle during the nesting phase,” Snyder added. “As one example, almost all nesting eagles continued incubating their eggs during the March 2021 snowstorm that dropped two feet of snow across much of the Front Range.” Results from the monitoring effort will be used to model the bald eagle population trajectory and expected impacts of predicted future land use change. Biologists will then make data-driven recommendations on minimizing and mitigating disturbances of the bald eagle’s environment essential to its survival. It is anticipated that study results will identify opportunities for conserving and possibly developing key habitat conditions during the planning, permitting and implementation of various human developments along the Front Range. “The study will give us a better understanding of this species’ tolerance of and adaptability to human activities and land use changes,” Conrey said. “The results will greatly improve long-term bald eagle monitoring, conservation and management efforts in Colorado.”
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66th Annual Brush Rodeo
Lost Creek Guide
July 21, 2021
Brush Rodeo Association Rodeo Results
July 4th, 2021 Member of the Colorado Professional Rodeo Association
Pictures by Braydon Ryan
Bareback Results 1. David Streweler 2. Tyler Ferguson 3. Liam Hofsteede 4. Creede Guardamondo Steer Wrestling Results 1. Agustus Cross 2. Tyrell Cline 3. Jd Robson 4. Wyatt Rechenburg
Tie-Down Roping Results 1. Perry Dietz 2. Dillon Holder 3. Chance Wall 4. L.D. Meir 5. Trey Hall Breakaway Roping Results 1. Mackenzie Wilson 2. Olivia Lay 3,4 Amanda Terrell 3,4 Cara Jolly 5. Konnar Knotwell 6. Graycee Lay Saddle Bronc Results 1. Ira Dickinson 2 ,3 Joe Whitelock 2,3 Clay Shannon Mixed Team Roping Results 1. Hadley Furnival 2. Lakota Elkins 3. Shyanna Reeves 4. Amber Coleman 5. Lori Shepard Willow Nicholas
Team Roping Header Results 1. Garrett Tonozzi 2. Eric Martin 3. Calyton Van Aken 4. Jake McCullough 5. Joe Pullara 6. Jay Jay Ellerman Jake McCullough Team Roping Heeler Results 1. T J Watts 2. Ryan Tittel 3. Gralyn Elkins 4. Tyler Mahlandt 5. Jory Vanbochove 6. Jesse Jolly Tyler Mahlandt Barrel Racing Results 1. Perry Dietz 2. Dillon Holder 3. Chance Wall 4. L.D. Meir 5. Trey Hall Breakaway Roping Results 1. Shyanna Reeves 2. Kelley Schnaufer 3. Cara Jolly 4. Tanaye Maez 5. Bristan Kennedy Bull Riding Results 1. Tyler Bunton Tyler Bunton
FINANCIAL FOCUS
The Right Emotions Can Be Useful in Investing You may have heard that it’s important to take the emotions out of investing. But is this true for all emotions? Certainly, some emotions can potentially harm your investment success. Consider fear. If the financial markets are going through a down period – which is actually a normal part of the investment landscape – you might be so afraid of sustaining losses that you sell even the investments that have good prospects and are suitable for your needs. Greed is another negative emotion. When the financial markets are rising, you might be so motivated to “cash in” on some big gains that you will keep purchasing investments that might already be overpriced – and since these investments are already expensive, your dollars will buy fewer shares. In short, the combination of fear and
Kyle S. Bernhardt
Financial Advisor 606 Grant St. Ft. Morgan, CO 80701 970-542-6401
greed could cause you trouble. But other emotions may prove useful. For example, if you can channel the joy you’ll feel upon achieving your investment goals, you may be more motivated to stay on track toward achieving them. To illustrate: You may want to see your children graduate from college someday. Can you visualize them walking across the stage, diplomas in hand? If so, to help realize this goal, you might find yourself ready and willing to contribute to a college savings vehicle, such as a 529 plan. Or consider your own retirement: Can you see yourself traveling or pursuing your hobbies or taking part in whatever activities you’ve envisioned for your retirement lifestyle? If you can keep this happy picture in mind, you may find it easier to maintain the discipline needed to consistently invest in your IRA, 401(k) or other investment accounts.
Timothy R. Guggenmos Financial Advisor 228 Main St. Ft. Morgan, CO 80701 970-867-2441
Mark A. Hough
Financial Advisor 513 Main St. Ste A Fort Morgan, CO 80701 970-542-3048
Another motivating force is the most powerful emotion of all – love. If you have loved ones who depend on you, such as a spouse and children, you need to protect their future. One key element of this protection is the life insurance necessary to take care of your family’s needs – housing, education and so on – should something happen to you. Your employer may offer group life insurance coverage, but it might not be sufficient, so you may want to supplement it with your own policy. Furthermore, you may need to protect your loved ones from another threat – your own vulnerability to the need for long-term care. Someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of eventually needing some type of long-term care, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This type of care, such as an ex-
Wes Cable
Financial Advisor 611 Edison St Brush, CO 80723 970-842-2252
tended nursing home stay or the help of a home health aide, is extremely expensive, and, for the most part, is outside the reach of Medicare. So, to pay for long-term care, you might have to drain a good part of your resources – or depend on your grown children for financial help. To keep your financial independence and avoid possibly burdening your family, you may want to consult with a financial professional who can recommend a strategy and appropriate solutions to cover long-term care costs. By drawing on positive emotions, you can empower yourself to make the right financial moves throughout your life. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC
Forrest Hough
Financial Advisor 129 S. 4th Ave Brighton, CO 80601 303-659-2301
July 21, 2021
Lost Creek Guide
The Colorado River is Drying Up Faster Than Federal Officials Can Keep Track. Mandatory Water Cuts are Looming
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Article by Michael Booth Plummeting reservoir levels at Mead and Powell solidify Arizona cutbacks next year and near-future threats to all the Compact states, from Colorado to California
Lake Mead, as seen from Hoover Dam, on June 12, 2021. Years of drought along the Colorado River have left Lake Mead water levels at historic lows, as evidenced by the bathtub ring around the lake. (Larry Ryckman, The Colorado Sun)
The so-called bathtub ring around Lake Mead now measures about 140-feet high. Lake Mead, and its counterpart, Lake Powell, have not been this low since they were filled. (Larry Ryckman, The Colorado Sun)
• Credibility: • Original Reporting • Sources Cited Ablunt new report based on June runoff conditions from the Colorado River into Lake Powell and Lake Mead shows the reservoirs fast deteriorating toward “dead pool” status, where stored water is so low it can’t spin the massive hydroelectric power generators buried in the dams, and large swaths of Arizona farmland going fallow. The enormous, life-sustaining buckets of water in the drought-stricken West are emptying so fast that the Bureau of Reclamation added a new monthly report – on top of three already scheduled this year – to keep up with the dam The bureau said the loss of water is accelerating, confirming projections that massive water restrictions will begin in 2022 for the three Lower Basin states in the sevenstate Colorado River Compact. Conservation groups believe Arizona will lose more than 500,000 acre-feet of water usually delivered by the Colorado in 2022 through voluntary and mandatory cuts, forcing significant reductions to irrigated farming in the desert state. Some, but not all, of Arizona’s share will be replaced in trades using water already “banked” in the reservoirs. The bureau’s report for June, added on to previously scheduled reservoir updates for January, April and August, paints a dire picture. As snowpack runoff disappeared into dry ground instead of hitting the reservoirs, engineers calculated a 79% chance Lake Powell will fall below its minimum target water height of 3,525 feet above sea level next year. That minimum provides only a 35-foot cushion for the minimum water level of 3,490 feet needed to spill water into the electric turbines. The bureau said there is now a 5% chance Lake Powell falls below the minimum needed to generate any power in 2023, and a 17% chance in 2024 — the odds are going up with each new report. Lake Mead, which feeds the three Lower Basin compact states of Nevada, California and Arizona, is in even worse shape. The compact requires declaration of restrictiontriggering “shortage condition” if Mead hits 1,075 feet or lower. Mead is falling now, and the bureau affirmed the shortage declaration will happen in August. Las Vegas, a short drive from Mead and Hoover Dam, hit 117 degrees on July 10, and longtime local users are alarmed at how fast the pool is evaporating into desert skies. Mead is also in great danger of hitting “critical” elevations of 1,025 feet, a sort of emergency-stop minimum, and the minimum pool for generating power at 1,000 feet, the bureau’s new report said. The chances of draining past the minimum by 2025 are now 58%, and the chances of falling below a power pool that year are 21%.
Upper Basin states face future cutbacks in water use as well if they can’t deliver agreed-upon amounts of water to the basin separation point at Lee’s Ferry, Arizona, just above the Grand Canyon. Colorado water engineers, agricultural interests and utilities are in ongoing discussions and experiments on how best to leave more in the Colorado should those downstream treaty calls eventually come. Mexico is also part of the historic compact. Some states are negotiating with Mexico to build ocean water desalinization plants near the Pacific Ocean, so that Mexico could use that water and the states could keep more river water.
Colorado tries to refill the Yampa
Colorado water managers, meanwhile, are working quickly to mitigate some of the intense near-term impacts of recent drought, including along the severely depleted Yampa River in northwest Colorado, which is a tributary of the Colorado River. On July 8, the Colorado Water Trust bought 1,000 acre-feet of water in Stagecoach Reservoir, with an option to buy 1,000 more, for releases over the rest of the summer into the Yampa to keep fish alive and keep the river basin healthier in hot temperatures. The Water Trust has made similar purchases in other years, but will likely have to release the water far earlier than usual this season in order to prevent high water temperatures and stagnant flow that stress fish and hurt their spawning chances. After spending about $46,000 on the July purchase, the trust has spent just under $500,000 to buy water from Stagecoach’s reserve since 2012. In announcing the deal, the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District noted the late-May stream flow into Stagecoach was at less than 10 cubic feet per second, when it should have been more than 100 cfs. The district said it has separately released more than 1,500 acre-feet of its own water from Stagecoach so far this year in order to support river health. Cash donors to buy the Stagecoach water include the Yampa River Fund, the Yampa Valley Community Foundation and the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, among others. Tri-State operates coal-fired electricity generating units down the Yampa to the west of Stagecoach. The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places, and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
Weather plus climate change
Long-term climate change is being exacerbated by a short-term drought lasting more than 20 years in the West, scientist and water engineers say. Even with a future snowpack bonanza – not currently in the forecast – the compact reservoirs will remain in deep trouble, said John Berggren, water policy analyst for the nonprofit Western Resource Advocates. The Colorado River basin’s latest snowpack was just about 100% of normal, Berggren noted, but delivered only 50% of normal runoff into the river and the giant reservoirs. Water is soaking into parched ground or evaporating entirely before it can contribute to stream flows. “It’s startling how with each new projection, you had thought it can’t possibly get worse,” Berggren said. “Even just a year or two ago, most people would have thought these projections are pretty far away from ever happening.” Major water cutbacks for the Lower Basin states are now an unavoidable reality, Berggren said. “This just shows that we no longer have the luxury of thinking it’s a decade down the road.” “The June five-year projections for the Colorado River System reaffirm this is a serious situation,” Wayne Pullan, Upper Colorado Basin regional director for the Bureau of Reclamation, said in a statement about the latest river modeling. “We are actively engaged with the Colorado River Basin states and other partners to respond to changing conditions to avoid critical elevations at Lake Powell.” The original compact between Upper Basin states – Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming – and the Lower Basin was negotiated in 1922. It was given real teeth in 2019 with a Drought Contingency Plan that first penalizes Lower Basin states if levels and inflows into Powell and Mead fall below trigger points.
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Lost Creek Guide
July 21, 2021
Colorado Mountain Towns Say They Can’t Handle Any More Tourists Amid Labor, Housing Crises
Article by Jason Blevins Colorado tourism cheerleaders hasten their transition from destination marketing to management as resort town locals call for more housing and less promotion. • Credibility: • Original Reporting • Sources Cited Crested Butte has pulled its summer ads as businesses struggle to accommodate crowds. A Telluride councilwoman wants to redirect tourism funding toward housing. The Colorado Tourism Office is without a leader. Chaffee County commissioners rejected Visitors to Crested Butte, Colorado patronize restaurants a 20,000-person annual music and businesses along Elk Avenue with “Help Wanted” festival. signs posted in the windows and doors on June 19,2021. Angst over tourism is grow(Dean Krakel, Special to The Colorado Sun) ing as mountain communities emerge from crowd-restricting pandemic closures. Overlapping waves of visitors and new residents are amplifying an unprecedented labor shortage and housing crunch. And with that seasonal distress comes a growing call to silence the statewide promotion of Colorado as a vacation wonderland. “It’s a carrying capacity issue,” said Geneva Shaunette, a Telluride town council member who wants to redirect $2 million a year to workforce housing from tourism-campaign spending. “With the drastic situation we are experiencing with housing and a lack of employees we simply cannot handle that many people. We need to ease off the gas of marketing. Telluride already is on the map. The whole ‘Come to Telluride because how great it is,’ we physically can’t handle that anymore. And we have many better and more important things to spend our money on.” Tourism is in the crosshairs in mountain towns in Colorado while state economic development champions are offering a total of $10 million to organizers who bring groups and events to the state. This story first appeared in The Outsider, the premium outdoor newsletter by Jason Blevins. Become a Newsletters+ Member to get The Outsider at coloradosun. com/join. (Current members, click here to learn how to upgrade) Vacationers are pouring into Colorado resort communities, and overworked and underhoused locals feel the crowds are pushing their valleys beyond capacity. Resort town tourism leaders, who long ago began transitioning away from pure marketing toward resource-protecting destination stewardship, are adjusting their messages to not just the visitors, but also locals. And many of the state’s 100-plus Destination Marketing Organizations — or DMOs — are finding themselves defending the role of tourism in economies that were created by vacationing visitors. “Tourism, like any industry, should be evolving, and I think the evolution now is how do we amplify the positive things about tourism and mitigate the negative impacts that come with it. That becomes the new role of the DMMO,” said Lucy Kay, a Colorado tourism industry veteran who directs the Breckenridge Tourism Office, which a few years ago rebranded itself as a destination marketing management organization, or DMMO. “Where do we draw that balance?” The questions surrounding tourism promotion are not unique to Colorado. Hawaii lawmakers are battling with the state’s governor over the future of tourism funding amid complaints of overcrowding. Sedona, Arizona, officials have paused marketing efforts. European destinations are struggling with mass tourism as cruise ships and visitors flock. And tourism champions, who years ago began taking on a role as destination stewards, are fighting to defend their industry’s economic contributions. Traditional tourism marketing — a scattershot invite to as many visitors as possible — is long gone. Today, marketing efforts target visitors who spend more and arrive during slower periods. And this year, destination marketing groups are spending more time talking with locals and enlisting residents to shape how communities can balance tourism with the lifestyle that makes mountain towns such attractive places to live. “I believe all of these mountain towns that are being quote-unquote ‘destroyed’ by visitors, they are at a crossroads right now,” said Telluride Tourism boss Michael Martelon. “If they make the right decision, working on sustainability and collaboration, it can make their future forever, and if they make the wrong decision, it will change their future forever.”
Destination marketing to management
The conversations around the role of tourism in hot-spot destinations is not new. Sustainable tourism has been the buzz for several years. But the pandemic-spurred migration toward outdoor recreation in Colorado’s high country, coupled with growing numbers of people moving to mountain towns, has amplified the focus on how destinations market themselves and manage tourists. Destination marketing organizations have spent the past several years moving toward managing visitor impacts. Ads, social media campaigns and messages have focused on embracing local culture and protecting natural resources — like the state tourism office’s Leave No Trace ads. The idea is to lay out local expectations for visitors before they arrive. “So people can understand what’s important in these communities,” said Breckenridge’s Kay. All DMOs across Colorado are talking about how they can better manage both visitors and local resident expectations. They are critical intermediaries between vacationers and residents, Kay said. “We are in the best position to connect guest expectations, guest reviews and resident sentiments,” said Kay, whose recent Breckenridge work shares information about fire safety and consults locals on better Locals and visitors alike soak in the Ouray Hot Springs pool in Ouray Colorado, Saturday December 29, 2018. management of the town’s busi(William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun)
est days. “We are finding our new space and seeing how much the pendulum may swing toward management.” In the private sector, businesses easily link marketing with operations. That is difficult in the public sector, Kay said, where elected leaders, local city staff and lodging-tax supported tourism boards have to work together to support a visitor-based economy. The Gunnison Crested Butte Tourism Association in 2019 changed its name to the Tourism and Prosperity Partnership as part of an expansion beyond tourism promotion to include broadening the economic base of the region, encouraging sustainable tourism and supporting Gunnison’s Western Colorado University. That focus on valley health and prosperity made it “a no brainer” to kill summer ads and direct funds toward more critical uses, said John Norton, the partnership’s executive director and longtime Colorado tourism industry veteran. “We have the option to spend more in other directions and stay within our mission,” Norton said. “All we are doing is recognizing that we are not put on earth to keep building business and building business and stressing people out. This is less of an anti-guest issue than it is a capacity issue. At this time, we are at capacity. We do not need to throw more gasoline on the fire.” “Visitors may always anchor the resort economy, but as these communities add year-round residents, tourism may become a less dominant economic driver,” reads the survey commissioned by the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments and the Colorado Association of Ski Towns. Tweaking the tourism tax in Telluride Visitors to Crested Butte, Colorado walk along crowded sidewalks Telluride town councilwoman on Elk Avenue, the town’s mainstreet on June 19, 2021. With the Shaunette wants to cancel her lessening of COVID-19 restrictions and the arrival of summer vacation time, visitors are flocking to this small mountain town in town’s lodging tax — which state law says must be directed torecord numbers. (Dean Krakel, Special to The Colorado Sun) ward tourism promotion — and install an excise tax on rented homes and hotel rooms that can be used for building affordable housing. There is a growing concern in Telluride, Shaunette said, about how the Telluride Tourism Board spends $2 million a year reaching visitors. “They collect far more money for marketing than we spend on affordable housing,” she said of the lodging tax on roughly 740 short-term rentals and many more hotel rooms in the Telluride and Mountain Village region. “Right now we don’t get to touch that tax money and we don’t get to have influence over how it’s spent. People are upset about that.” Shaunette, who last month offered a proposal to her fellow town council members that would shift tourism taxes toward housing, said Telluride needs to slow down its marketing “because town is overrun by people.” State law requires county lodging taxes to be used “only to advertise and market tourism.” In 2018, Colorado legislation that would have allowed county voters to allow lodging taxes for other uses did not pass. Tourism boosters warn against going dark in the tourism landscape. Other states will pounce and fight for visitors who are considering a trip to Colorado. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, for example, is proposing a $95 million boost to the state’s tourism industry after revenues from Golden State visitors fell to $65 billion in 2020, from a record $145 billion in 2019. “We are going to compete with that,” said Martelon, the president and CEO of the Telluride Tourism Board for the last decade. “Tourism is not an on-and-off light switch.” Martelon suspended Telluride advertising on March 13, 2020, and ran his first ad in late April. This summer, the community’s tourism dollars are focused on messaging to visitors who are already in town, and about flights into the nearby Montrose airport. A sort of mad professor of tourism numbers, Martelon tracks dozens of metrics collected from area businesses along Campers fill up the festival grounds for RIDE Festival with geo-locating mobile phone 2016 in Telluride. (Provided by RIDE Festival) data to measure who, where, when of Telluride’s visitors plus how much every vacationer is spending. He draws a distinction between tourism advertising and marketing. Marketing needs to be redefined, he said. Too often people think it means spending money to get more visitors. It’s not about more, Marleton said. “Marketing is putting the desired message in front of the desired audience. That’s consumers who are coming here. Consumers are here. And the locals who live here,” he said. “That messaging for locals is important. A lot of time the locals need reassurance and training as well.” Telluride, like many of Colorado resort destinations, does not use ads or marketing to lure daytrippers, who spend a fraction of the amounts spread by overnight visitors from afar. But day tripping tourists arrived in record numbers last year as mostly Colorado residents escaped urban areas. The flood of new visitors — alongside part-time residents moving fulltime into their vacation homes — buoyed sales tax revenues for Telluride and Mountain Village, which were down only 5% in 2020 compared with 2019. So Telluride tourist leaders changed their message to help these newcomers lessen their impacts and “visit right,” Martelon said. The most recent campaigns — focusing on mobile phones within the Telluride area — include messages like “Live Like a Local,” which asks visitors to pick up trash, save water, put out campfires and pick up after their dogs. The recent messaging represents the Telluride Tourism Board’s yearslong transition from marketing into a role where it helps develop and manage the vacation experience alongside
July 21, 2021
Lost Creek Guide
local residents, Martelon said. And that “visit right” message, he said, is “needed now more than ever.” “People think we are in a new reality right now and we are not. We are in this freaking limbo where we don’t know where reality is actually going to settle in,” Martelon said. “This is not a new reality. This is a mirage. We don’t know how it’s going to end up. No one does.” Tourism communities need to work with tourism businesses to measure things like the health of the residents, the quality of trails, the traffic on public transportation and the vibrancy of local art and culture, Martelon said. That’s on top of typical measurements, like occupancy rates, lodging revenues and room rates. Tourism and real estate are more than a $1 billion indus- Kayakers compete in the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail’s try in Telluride and supporting Gore Creek on June 13, 2021. The Vail Valley Foundation it requires only $2 million in estimated close to 60,000 spectators and athletes gathered tourism management, Martelon for the four-day event. (Jason Blevins, The Colorado Sun) said. Most of that is spent reaching overnight visitors, which are down to 217,000 through June 2021, according to Martelon’s early estimates. That compares to 597,000 in all of 2019. Now is not the time to “kill the golden goose,” said Martelon, who sees a dark tourism effort eventually reducing overnight visitors to a level where the Telluride economy relies solely on second-home owners and wealthy residents. “These are not normal times. We are walking on quicksand and should not be making decisions that threaten our economy,” Martelon said.
“The Rise and Fall of Colorado Tourism”
In May 2020, Colorado lawmakers briefly considered slashing the Colorado Tourism Office’s budget by 87% as the gambling taxes that support tourism marketing in the state collapsed during the early months of the pandemic. Tourism champions across the state rallied to upset a timeworn argument that Colorado sells itself and advertising is unnecessary, ultimately carving out $15.8 million for tourism promotion in the fiscal year 2021, down from $18.6 million in fiscal year 2020. The board that governs the Colorado Tourism Office has not finalized the fiscal 2022 budget. The office spends about $11 million a year on advertising and marketing, roughly 66% of its budget. Almost all of that goes to MMGY Global, the Colorado Tourism Office’s media partner. In 2018, the Colorado Tourism Office spent $8.02 million on ad campaigns. The office’s research shows the state’s national “Come to Life” campaign inspired 2.33 million additional leisure trips to Colorado and an additional $3.84 billion in spending. The office has supported its ad spending by showing every dollar it invests in tourism marketing returns $479 in visitor spending, making its ad campaign among the top five most effective state tourism campaigns in the country. In the last half of 2019, the Colorado Tourism Office spent $2.1 million on a new winter campaign, dubbed “Wow.” Even though the winter season in Colorado was cut short in March 2020 with pandemic closures, the tourism office said its “Wow” campaign inspired 887,000 winter visits that generated $1.73 billion in spending. If COVID-19 had not forced the closure of ski resorts in March, another 107,500 visitors who had seen the campaign were ready to come to Colorado and spend $206 million, according to tourism office research. The tourism office is still compiling its 2020 visitation research detailing the impacts of the pandemic on the state’s tourist industry. Early reports show that Colorado lost $10.8 billion in travel spending between January 2020 and May 2021. In 2019, visitors to Colorado spent $24.2 billion, generating a highest-ever $1.5 billion in local and state taxes. Tourism advocates have reams of research showing big returns on investment in tourism campaigns, including a detailed analysis of the last time the state’s tourism promotion went dark. Colorado voters in 1992 rejected a tourism tax and state lawmakers the next year pulled the plug on vacation marketing. When Colorado tourism promotion funding went from $12 million to zero in a year, the state became a case study showing the value in tourism investment. Colorado’s share of U.S. vacationers fell to 1.6% in 1995, down from 2.7% in 1992. The Colorado tourism industry lost $1.4 billion in those early years and, as the state’s share of American vacationers slipped, the loss grew to more than $2 billion annually before lawmakers reinstated $5 million in tourism funding in 2000. It took nearly 20 years for the state to reach that 2.7% mark Breckenridge’s closed Main Street on June 22, 2020. (Andy Colwell, Special to The Colorado Sun) again. “The Colorado saga provides a cautionary tale for financial decision-makers who, in these difficult economic times and an unprecedented pandemic, are naturally looking at major cutbacks in all areas, including promotion,” reads an April 2020 note by tourism-tracking Longwoods International founder Bill Siegel introducing his 2006 report “The Rise and Fall of Colorado Tourism.” “It clearly illustrates that marketing is an essential net generator of revenue and profits to the organization, not a cost.” Brady Johnson, the president-elect of Destination Colorado’s board who works as head of sales and marketing for the C Lazy U luxury guest ranch, said the success of the state’s tourism communities last year was built over decades of promotional work. “This is not an overnight success story, like out of nowhere an amazing player gets into the NFL. Well they were not an overnight success story. They have been building up to that point for their whole life,” Johnson said. “The way we have been spending on tourism and
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our brand for the last 20 years is the same. We have an amazing brand and we have built it up over many years and now is not the time to let off the gas.” The state’s DMOs have spent recent years growing meeting business and driving traffic to so-called shoulder seasons in resort communities. That’s helped create a more yearround tourism business, with groups coming in fall and spring months. Taking out the seasonality in mountain-town tourism traffic helps local businesses keep staff on payrolls for the entire year. That kind of off-season traffic is a result of statewide tourism promotion spending, Johnson said. “We have spent lots of money to get people to focus on our state in a positive way … and give them a year-round ability to enjoy the state,” he said. “It’s a chicken-egg thing. Do these communities exist for the tourists or vice-versa? We need both to be in harmony and it’s a careful balance.” The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places, and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
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Fair Shoot for Sporting Clays and Skeet Held Near Akron
Lost Creek Guide
July 21, 2021
Report: $500 Million Investment into PERA Could Save Colorado Taxpayers Millions
The 2021 Morgan County Fair 4-H Shooting Sports Contests kicked off with the 4-H Five Stand and Skeet shoot on Saturday morning south of Akron. Ten senior shooters and five junior shooter delivered several exciting rounds of competition on July 10. Five Stand results for the senior division were Grayson Johnson, 1st, with a score of 29 out of 50; Odin Nilsen, 2nd; Americo Lorenzini, 3rd; Talan Hall, 4th; and Wiley Eicher 5th. Also competing in the Senior Division was Chloie Cuckow, Ceri Dixon, Riley Hughes, Dylan Martin, and Madison Thomas. Junior Travis Hall placed first, scoring 22 out of 50; Riley Thomas, 2nd; Carston Johnson, 3rd; Chad Schilling, 4th; and Tenleigh Lorenzini, 5th. In the Skeet contest, Senior Odin Nilsen came in 1st with a score of 40 out of 50, Grayson Johnson, 2nd; Americo Lorenzini, 3rd; Dylan Martin, 4th; Wiley Eicher 5th. Also competing in the Senior Division was Chloie Cuckow, Ceri Dixon, Talan Hall, Riley Hughes, and Madison Thomas. From the Juniors, Carston Johnson came in 1st with a score of 27; Travis Hall, 2nd; Chad Schilling, 3rd; Riley Thomas, 4th; and Tenleigh Lorenzini, 5th. The top five in the Skeet Contest for both the junior and senior age division will represent Morgan County 4-H at the Colorado 4-H State Shoot. Superintendents and coaches for five stand and skeet are Levi Dixon, Andy Larrick, and Paul Oliveira. Youth will receive their awards at the Shooting Sports Banquet on Tuesday, July 20 at 6 pm at the Mark Arndt Event Center at the Morgan County Fairgrounds. Equipment and supplies for the 4-H shooting sports program have been provided through a NRA grant given in 2021. Cutline: Team 2: Morgan County 4-H Shooting Sports Five Stand and Skeet Shooters, and coaches. Americo: Senior Americo Lorenzini competing in the Morgan County 4-H Shotgun Skeet Contest Thomas: Junior Riley Thomas competing in the Morgan County 4-H Shotgun Trap Contest Colorado State University Extension is your local university community connection for research-based information about natural resource management; living well through raising kids, eating right and spending smart; gardening and commercial horticulture; the latest agricultural production technologies and community development. Extension 4-H and youth development programs reach more than 90,000 young people annually, over half in urban communities.
(The Center Square) — A onetime investment into Colorado’s Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) using funds from the state’s increased revenue could mean substantial long-term savings for taxpayers over the next decade, according to a new report from Common Sense Institute (CSI). In 2018, legislative reform put the retirement program on an improved financial path by Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) offices in Denver. committing an $225 million a year from the state into the association, but it also increased contribution rates for employees and taxpayers, the report from the free enterprise think tank noted. Due to state issues including a missed payment of $225 million, state residents and public employees will now be forced to provide a combined additional 2% to make up the loss, the report explained. This will also affect PERA retirees whose benefits will slow by .5%, amounting to a $180 million additional cost annually, according to the report. CSI partnered with the Pension Integrity Project at the Reason Foundation and Secure Futures Colorado to examine the benefits of the state providing $500 million up front so association members and taxpayers don’t have to bear the cost, at least for the next 10 years. The state would also benefit from the move as long as their annual investment returns stayed around 6%, the report said. “Colorado has a unique opportunity to make bold investments in its future,” said Chris Brown, CSI’s vice president of policy and research. “State leaders can use the recent surge in both federal and state revenue, to save PERA member and Colorado taxpayers more than $870 million over the next decade.” State general fund revenues in 2022 are expected to grow by $936 million, which is where the extra funding would come from, along with an anticipated influx in federal financial assistance through the American Recovery Plan Act. If the state decided to proceed with the long-term investment, not only would Coloradans save $870 million with a fixed contribution rate for the next 10 years, but it would also improve the state’s financial outlook while simultaneously making up the missed $225 million payment that occurred in 2020, the report’s authors argued. “A one-time payment to PERA of $500 Million would have clear long-term benefits,” Brown continued. “By rolling back one of the recent rate increases charged to teachers, state workers and their employers, both taxpayers and public employees can save real money every year, all while improving the financial outlook of the state’s pension fund.” The report said the average teacher would save $267 per year and state employers would save $164.21 million over the next decade. The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places, and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
4-H Shotgun Shoot, First Pre-County Fair Event
Matt M., Journeyman Lineman
www.unitedpower.com 303-637-1300
YourSource_LostCreek_4.625x6.875.indd 1
Odin Nilsen and Travis Hall captured the first place awards in the senior and junior divisions at the 2021 Morgan County Fair 4-H Shotgun Shoot. Twentyeight youth competed in the contest on July 11, 2021. Placings in the senior division were Odin Nilsen, 1st with a score of 45 out of a possible 50. Dylan Martin placed 2nd; Riley Hughes, 3rd; Talan Hall, 4th; and Americo Lorenzini, 5th. The alternate for the State 4-H Shooting Sports Contest is Grayson Johnson. The other youth competing in the senior division were Chloie Cuckow, Cole Curtis, Ceri Dixon, Wiley Eicher, Baylei Kembel, Maddie Kembel, Stephen Linton, Jace Meyer, and Madison Thomas. Top award in the junior division went to Travis Hall who shot 35 out of a possible 50 score. Second place went to Riley Thomas, Chad Schilling, 3rd; Carston Johnson, 4th; and Ellie Koch, 5th. The alternate for the State 4-H Shooting Sports Contest is Aysli Kembel. Other junior shooters were McKenzie Cuckow, Karson Koch, Redmond Linton, Tenleigh Lorenzini, Axel Lorenzini, Chase Pollart, and Seth Whitney. Superintendent for the 4-H shotgun shoot was Paul Oliveria. Oliveria was assisted by Levi Dixon, Dave Martin, and Jay Marshall. The trap shoot was held at the High Plains Trap Club. The next 4-H Shooting Sports contest will be Saturday, July 17 at 8 am where youth will compete in .22 rifle, .22 pistol, and muzzleloading. Equipment and supplies for the 4-H shooting sports program have been provided through a NRA grant given in 2021. Shooting sports awards will be presented at an awards dinner on Tuesday, July 20 at 6 p.m. The banquet will be held at the Mark Arndt Event Center at the Morgan County Fairgrounds. All shooting sports participants, families and supporters are invited. 4-H shooting sports families are asked to bring a potluck dish. Cutline for the pictures: Team: Morgan County 4-H Members that participated in the 2021 Morgan County Fair 4-H Shotgun Contests. Hall: Junior Champion, Travis Hall, participating in the contest. Nilsen: Odin Nilsen, Senior Champion 4-H Shotgun Contest. Colorado State University Extension is your local university community connection for research-based information about natural resource management; living well through raising kids, eating right and spending smart; gardening and commercial horticulture; the latest agricultural production technologies and community development. Extension 4-H and youth development programs reach more than 90,000 young people annually, over half in urban communities. 1/8/2019 9:34:18 AM
July 21, 2021
City of Fort Morgan Candidate Petitions for City Council Election Ready Aug. 3 Signed petitions due Aug. 23 for Mayor, City Council hopefuls
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Lost Creek Guide
Nominating petitions for candidates seeking election to the Fort Morgan City Council in November will be available starting Tuesday, Aug. 3, at City Hall. The City of Fort Morgan conducts its municipal elections as part of the coordinated election conducted by Morgan County. The Nov. 2 general election will be an all-mail ballot election. This year’s municipal election will have five candidate contests, one more than usual due to two members being appointed to fill partial terms after resignations. In addition to the mayor’s position, which is contested every two years, there will be four council seats up for election – one each in Wards 1 and 3 and two seats in Ward 2. Nominating petitions and candidate packets containing other information on running for city office will be available beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, at the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall, 110 Main St. To be eligible to run for the city council, candidates must be U.S. citizens, qualified electors of the City of Fort Morgan and residents of the city for at least one year prior to election day. They must currently reside in the election ward in which they’re running but there is no separate time of residency requirement within the ward. Potential candidates picking up packets should expect to spend a few minutes having the documents and the process explained to them. They will also be required to provide contact information including phone numbers and e-mail address so they can be reached and advised on any election issues. Petitions can only be circulated between Aug. 3 and Aug. 23, and must be returned to the City Clerk’s Office before 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 23. Candidates for City Council seats must obtain the signatures of 20 registered voters who live within the boundaries of the election ward for which the candidate is seeking office. Mayoral candidates must obtain 50 signatures from registered voters who live anywhere in the city limits. The signatures on the petitions will be checked against voter registration and address lists, so it is advisable for candidates to secure more than the minimum number of signatures required in case some are found to be invalid or ineligible. Council seats are normally contested in each ward for four-year terms, while the mayor is elected at-large to a two-year term at each municipal election. This year, two council members will be elected from Ward 2 – the area east of West Street and south of the railroad tracks. The candidate who gets the highest number of votes in that ward contest will receive a four-year term, while the candidate with the second-highest vote total will be given a two-year term. Anyone with questions about the municipal election process is encouraged to contact Deputy City Manager/City Clerk/PIO John Brennan at 542-3963 or john.brennan@ cityoffortmorgan.com. For more information about voter registration and other general election issues, contact the Morgan County election office at 542-3521, option 5. Voters can check their own voting status and/or update their voter information by visiting the Colorado Secretary of State’s website at www.sos,state.co.us/Voter. Like Us On Facebook! Www.facebook.com/cityoffortmorgan BRIEF: Nominating petitions for candidates seeking election to the Fort Morgan City Council will be available starting Aug. 3 at City Hall. The seats of the mayor and four councilmembers will be on the ballot in the Nov. 2 general election. Nominating petitions and candidate packets containing other information on running for city office will be available beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3, at the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall, 110 Main St. Petitions can only be circulated between Aug. 3 and Aug. 23, and must be returned to the City Clerk’s Office before 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 23. Anyone with questions about the municipal election process is encouraged to contact Deputy City Manager/City Clerk/PIO John Brennan at 542-3963 or john.brennan@ cityoffortmorgan.com.
Study: Colorado Schools Received ‘Incredible Influx’ of Federal Funding from Stimulus
Article by Michael Booth
(The Center Square) - A recent study examines how Colorado allocated the federal stimulus dollars it received for the state’s K-12 school system. The study found that Colorado’s schools received nearly 10-times the federal funding they would normally see because of the stimulus funds. “Colorado has seen an incredible influx of funding for education as a result of the pandemic,” said the report’s author, Dr. Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner, a fellow at the Common Sense Institute. “Leaders at the state level and at school districts are having to make choices on how to use the $2.5 billion of one-time funding in a way that maximizes impact and contributes to sustainable improvements in the system.” According to the study, Colorado sent approximately $1.6 billion of the $2.5 billion that it was allocated to schools that serve students from low-income families. CSI calculated school funding from the state’s School Finance Act was down $368 million, from $7.6 billion in fiscal year 2020 to $7.23 billion in fiscal year 2021. Last year, lawmakers took a total of $1.3 billion from the state’s education coffers to balance the $3.3 billion budgetary shortfall created by local public health orders. To help local schools, lawmakers made school funding a priority during the 2021 legislative session. They passed a bill increasing funding through the School Finance Act by 10.4%, and another bill that requires school districts to receive their pre-COVID level of funds. Colorado’s Department of Education (CDE) received the remainder of the stimulus funds, according to the study. Of that total, CDE still holds nearly $150 million with $117 million still left to be allocated from its Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSERF) dollars. ESSERF dollars must be spent on three things. First, school districts must invest in finding evidence-based interventions to COVID-19-like events. The remaining funds must be split between increased summer school and after school programs. The report said CDE plans to conduct a “listening tour” this summer to decide how the funds should be spent.
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$1.55 per gallon will call or route
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Lost Creek Guide
Brush Annual Fourth of July Parade Celebrates Agriculture in America
July 21, 2021
Bank of Colorado
Brush Recreation Department
Brush Rodeo Association
Colorado Cowgirls Performance Team
Colorado Land Company
Cub Scout Pack 25
El Jabel Shriners
McCracken Farms
Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association
Morgan Marlins Swim Team
Mutts & Pups Grooming
July 21, 2021
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Lost Creek Guide
SERVICE DIRECTORY Computer Support REPAIR, SERVICE & SALES Reliable, Local, Professional
ROGGEN TELEPHONE COMPANY
303-849-5260
Thomas J Croghan DDS Independent Insurance Agency 22 Years of Experience in the Industry Auto, Home, Business, Workers Comp, Life, Farm, Disability, Annuities, Wills, Renters, Dwelling Fires, Condos
Family Dental Practice
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NOTICES To Wiggins Rural Fire Protection District Residents, A vacancy on the Wiggins Rural Fire Protection District board will become vacant on June 30, 2021. To be eligible, you must be a resident of the district for at least 90 days. Letter of intent must be received by August 1, 2021. Please send your letters of intent by August 1, 2021. These letters must be sent to WRFPD, P.O. Box 339, Wiggins, CO 80654 This term will last until 2022 and then the apppointed board member will need to be electied in the WRFPD Election by all residents of the district. Interviews will be held August 12, 2021 at 5:00 pm. For more information, please call Val at 970-768-1044
Keene Clinic
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303-732-4268
Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Water Heater Replacement Video sewer inspection Sewer & drain locating
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First Baptist Church, Keenesburg, Food Pantry
Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry Assistance for Roggen, Keenesburg, Prospect Valley, & Hudson
Family Medical Care for All Ages
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Appointments: 303-377-8662 Appointments Available in Keenesburg and Denver
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Self Storage
1401 County Road 153 Strasburg, CO 80136
Phone: (303) 622-4142
Managers: Garold & Geraldine Middlemist
For emergency needs, please contact 720-480-6428 or email us at: http:// www.fbca.church
Donations are welcome to help us defeat hunger in our community
SERVICES Creixer Farming Services Wheat Harvesting Services Offered. With all the time and costs you have put into your wheat, you have got to get all you can out of it, so getting your wheat combined right and on time is crucial. At Créixer Farming Services, we do good, timely work and we stand by it. Decades of experience. Price is $250.20-.20 please, call Craig at 970-467-1284.
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SERVICES Dave Haney Painting & Dry Wall Interior - Exterior Cabinets, Fence Staining Located in Platteville 720-217-2089 McCarthy Trucking Recycled asphalt, concrete Great for driveways & parking areas. Also sand & gravel. Reasonable Prices Call Kevin for free quote 303-901-5034
HELP WANTED Truck Driver-Part-time Dairy Farm, located in eastern Colorado, needs a dependable and hardworking driver and willing to jump in where needed. Duties will consist of hauling commodities to the facility, hauling manure to fields, harvest driving, and anything that may need hauling. It will be local driving and home every night. Pay will be determined by experience, and retired drivers welcome to apply. - Solid experience preferred - Need to be self-motivated as well as having good communication skills with staff and ownership - Must have CDL Class A with a clean driving record - Able to pass a drug and alcohol screening - Most trucking is within a 200-mile radius, home at night. 35895 CR 18 Roggen, Co 80652 303-849-6222
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Go to: www.ourtowncolorado.com
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Lost Creek Guide
July 21, 2021
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $307 Million in Rural Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements in 34 States and Puerto Rico Water Infrastructure Projects to Address Barriers Communities of Color Face Accessing Public Health in Rural America
2 PERSON TEAMS (Cancellation Scoring) WINNING TEAM GETS 50% OF ENTRANCE FEES
ENTRANCE FEES
HUDSON MEMORIAL PARK June 10th, July 8th, August 12th & September 9th 6:00 pm-8:30 pm Teams of two can be anyone! Couples, co-workers, chamber members… doesn’t matter, just make sure you are ready for a great time outside and that your throwing arms are ready! Register today! Food, soda and water provided. Brought to you by the South East Weld Chamber and the following sponsors:
CHAMBER MEMBER $30 PER TEAM NON-CHAMBER $40 PER TEAM You must pre-register your team by email. You will be contacted for payment once you have registered.
FOOD AND Deadline to enter is the Thursday WATER/POP WILLprior. Be at the before 5:50pm or lose BEParkAVAILABLE your slot! To Register, email: SEWCCornhole@gmail.com To become a Chamber Member visit the SEWCC Website: https://southeastweldchamber .wpcomstaging.com
OHKAY OWINGEH, N.M., July 7, 2021 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $307 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 34 states and Puerto Rico (PDF, 224 KB). The investments being announced today follow President Biden’s announcement last week of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework that will make the largest investment in clean drinking water in American history. The Framework will replace all of the nation’s lead pipes and service lines, helping address barriers faced by communities of color, Tribal communities, and people who live in rural America. “Every community needs safe, reliable and modern water and wastewater systems,” said Secretary Vilsack. “The consequences of decades of disinvestment in physical infrastructure have fallen most heavily on communities of color. This is why USDA is investing in water infrastructure in rural and Tribal communities that need it most – to help them build back better, stronger and more equitably than ever before.” USDA is financing the projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. The investments will help eliminate outdated pipes and service lines to safeguard public health and safety in rural communities. They will improve rural infrastructure for 250,000 residents and businesses. USDA is announcing investments today in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Puerto Rico. For example, as part of today’s announcement: • The Red Rock Rural Water System in southwestern Minnesota is receiving a $905,000 loan and a $445,000 grant to build a water treatment plant in Great Bend. It will also build an onsite ground storage reservoir and replace outdated control equipment. These improvements will help provide safe drinking water for nearly 16,000 residents. • In New Mexico, the Ohkay Owingeh is receiving a $610,000 loan and a $1.6 million grant to build a wastewater treatment plant on Pueblo lands in Rio Arriba County. This project will help expand water treatment from 235,000 to 350,000 gallons per day and extend services to Pueblo residents who are not currently connected. These improvements will benefit 1,143 residents. • Ohio’s Gallia County Board of Commissioners is receiving an $887,000 loan and a $1.5 million grant to provide additional financing for a wastewater collection system in portions of Green and Springfield townships. This project is expected to improve water quality and economic development opportunities for 1,154 residents in the rural Appalachian communities of Rodney and Quail Creek. Background: The Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage. The program serves households and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less. To learn more about these and other resources for rural areas, contact a USDA Rural Development state office. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page. USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the BidenHarris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Fort Morgan Fire Department Celebrates Independence Day
The Fort Morgan Fire Department celebrated Independence Day on July 4th with this patriotic display outside their department headquarters at the corner of Main Street and Railroad Avenue in Fort Morgan.
4th of July Fort Morgan Fire Department