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By Joe Neguse, U.S. Congressman Redstone Review
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BOULDER – As many of you know, a few weeks ago on Saturday March 26, the NCAR Fire burned near the City of Boulder. This fire forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of families in our community, many of which are still reeling from the impacts of the Marshall Fire, which was the most destructive fire in our state’s history.
In our community, we are no longer witnessing wildfire seasons, but instead, wildfire years. And as the summer months approach, we must redouble our preparedness efforts for these dangerous and unrelenting disasters. That is why we are working to do all we can to increase investments in preparation and mitigation, while supporting families across Boulder County and the Rocky Mountain West.
In Congress, we are taking bold steps to fund wildfire suppression, resiliency, mitigation, and recovery. We are also working to better support our wildland firefighters and address the root causes of climate change, which is the fundamental reason for the pervasiveness, frequency and intensity of these wildfires.
As the Founder and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, last year I introduced the Western Wildfire Support Act, which funds state-of-the-art firefighting equipment and programming, including aircrafts, heat sensors, cameras, air tankers and more. And to bolster climate resiliency, I’m continuing to lead an effort in Congress to launch the Twenty First Century Climate Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC will make historic investments in our forests and put a new generation to work in our public lands.
We also need to ensure that our first responders and firefighters are properly taken care of. These men and women risk their lives to suppress the flames and protect our neighbors, but still struggle to find housing and must fight for fair compensation. To remedy this, we introduced Tim’s Act, named after a brave smokejumper who tragically lost his life fighting a fire in New Mexico last year. This bipartisan legislation raises federal wildland firefighter pay and ensures access to mental health services, affordable housing, and retirement benefits.
I know that the frequent reminders of these disasters open wounds for victims still charting their roadways to recovery. It is with that sentiment that, alongside Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, we recently unveiled the Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies (REPLACE) Act. The REPLACE Act will waive the fees for the replacement of passports, visas, proof of citizenship and other documents, in case of a major disaster.
As a whole, these efforts are important first steps towards equipping our firefighting personnel, making major investments in wildfire resiliency and mitigation, and helping us to reduce the threat of climateinduced natural disasters.
From the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires in 2020, to the Marshall, NCAR, and Soul Shine Fires in just
Neguse the past few months, I know this topic weighs heavily on everyone’s minds. I hope that by making headway with these undertakings in Congress we can better serve our state and the people that call it home.
Additional fire fighting air tankers are part of what will be funded by the Western Wildfire Support Act.
Congressman Joe Neguse represents Colorado’s Second District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected to his first term in November 2018, becoming the first African-American member of Congress in Colorado history. He serves as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
Lorraine Bayard de Volo to speak on gender and Cuba; adults can learn salsa dancing, plus a fiesta
By Kara Bauman Redstone Review
LYONS – The Lyons Community Library extends our thanks to the Lyons Arts and Humanities Commission for their coordination of another successful Tandem Art Show Opening on Wednesday, April 6. Visitors enjoyed the musical stylings of Lyons favorite Enion Pelta-Tiller and snacks courtesy of Moxie Mercantile.
Stop into town hall to view locals’ artistic interpretation of Joy – Where Do You Find It? and then pop over to the library to view Anita Miller’s Perpetually Creative before the end of June. Mark your calendars to visit the library during the first week of June when we will host Miller’s traveling Eyes of Freedom Lima Company Memorial.
After school on Friday afternoons, area students are invited to stop into the library for Drop-In Nintendo Switch play. It’s a great way for kiddos to wind down the week and stimulate creativity, focus, visual memory, and teamwork skills.
The next installment of the elementary school-age Hooked on Books Book Club will take place on Wednesday, April 20, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Copies of Wishtree by Katherine Applegate are available at the library. Come discuss the book and learn more about Islamic culture and Ramadan.
Adult Programming and Communications Librarian Vicky Reinold has been hard at work coordinating a wonderful series of cultural programs to connect cultures. On Thursday, April 7, the library welcomed Carmen ReinaNelson who taught about the spiritual and historic roots of popular Latin American and Caribbean dances.
The first in a series of three Baile Latino dance classes took place April 9. Two more sessions follow on Saturday, April 16 and 23, between 4 and 5 p.m. Dance instructor Elisa Garcia instructs in both Spanish and English and en-
courages participants to learn and speak Spanish. The classes will focus on learning popular Latin and Caribbean dances, including salsa, the cha-cha, and the bachata. Boulder musicians Leo Munoz-Corona and Kyle Perez will play percussion during the dance classes which maximizes the dancer’s connection to the music while supporting local artists. The dance series culminates in a celebration fiesta on Saturday, April 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. complete with a live band, the Colorado Mambo Orchestra, and catering by Frida, who will offer delicious empanadas for purchase. You do not need to have taken the previous dance classes to participate in the fiesta. The fiesta presents an opportunity for more than an evening out in Lyons; it’s also anBauman opportunity to celebrate diversity within our community, create opportunities for Latin music to be enjoyed, for Spanish to be spoken, and for residents to dance together to syncopated rhythms. Registration for each dance class session and the fiesta is required. Baile Latino dance programs are presented by the Lyons Regional Library, with financial support from the Friends of the Lyons Library, conceived of and organized by Brightheart Productions. We welcome Dr. Lorraine Bayard de Volo on April 20 at 7 p.m. She will discuss her work studying gender and revolution in Cuba and Nicaragua. With a focus on Cuba, she will share how women’s roles in these revolutions challenge the notion that social change is a predominantly male sphere. There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the presentation. Join us to discuss Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton on April 27 at 7 p.m. After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman traveled to Havana where she discovered the roots of her identity and unearthed a family secret hidden since the days of the Cuban revolution. Copies of Cleeton’s book are available through the library.
Dr. Lorraine Bayard de Volo is the author of Mothers of Heroes and Martyrs: Gender Identity Politics in Nicaragua, 1979-1999 and Women and the Cuban Insurrection: How Gender Shaped Castro’s Victory.
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