Redstone February / March 25

BOCO County Commissioners meet in Lyons

LYONS – Residents are invited to join the Boulder County Commissioners in Lyons for a Town Hall meeting to discuss wildfire mitigation in the county, on Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Lyons Town Hall, 432 Fifth Ave. Wildfire Mitigation Manager

Jim Webster will present followed by a question and answer session with the board about this and other topics. To request an Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accommodation, please email the ADA Coordinator at ADA@bouldercounty. gov or call 303-441-1386.

Protecting home from wildfire

LYONS – Living in the wildland-urban interface, as we do in Colorado, where homes and other structures intermingle with wildland vegetation, is a risk of being affected by wildfire. Planning ahead and taking action can increase the likelihood your home survives when a wildfire occurs. Learn more from the Colorado State Forest Service on how to protect your home better and create defensible space. Also contact the Lyons Regional Fire District to get more information on fire mitigation at their website, lyonsfire.org.

Join Mayor Hollie Rogin for Mondays meet and greet

LYONS – Mondays with the Mayor will continue on the second and fourth Monday of each month, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Moxie Mercantile, 442 High St. in Lyons. Join Mayor Hollie Rogin for her next Monday with the Mayor.

Lyons Community Theater presents Almost Maine

LYONS – Lyons Community Theater will offer dinner theater performances of Almost Maine at Oskar Blues Grill and Brew at 303 Main St. in Lyons, on Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15, as well as a matinee performance on Sunday, February 16 for those who wish to enjoy the play without a meal. For tickets and more information, visit the Lyons CommuniContinue Briefs on Page 5

Edie is all smiles at Lyons Valley Preschool, proudly showing off her

friendship, gratitude, and the warmth of our community.

Lyons Town

Board

discusses which

parcels will go into the IGA planning area and other issues

By Susan de Castro Redstone Review Editor

LYONS – At a recent meeting, the Lyons Town Board spent a few hours discussing and deciding, to some extent, what properties surrounding the town would be a good fit to include in the proposed Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Boulder County.

The IGA is a document which, after it gets approval from the Boulder County Commissioners and the Lyons Board of Trustees, would define certain properties around Lyons’ borders to be included in the IGA planning area. This gives the town more control over how the property is used.

The properties that the town is looking at are currently in the county and if the town decides to include them in the IGA planning area, they would need the approval of the county and the land owner to become part of

the IGA planning area. The procedure is complicated and it has many layers.

There are many reasons why either the land owner or the town would want these parcels to be in the planning area. Some of the land owners want the ability to annex their properties and some want their properties to remain as wild preservation. Some properties are seen as sensitive ecological properties to be permanently protected. Mayor Hollie Rogin pointed out that in some cases the land in the planning area might be used for a park or to keep it from being sprayed with noxious chemicals by the county, or for other means of preservation. In other cases, the land owner might want to develop the land and put in housing. For the most part the board chose to follow the recommendation of the IGA Task Force; this is the group that evaluated each of the parcels and offered a detailed recommendation to the board.

The board looked at eight parcels and considered the pros and cons of each one. They started with the Harkalis parcel, which is a very small parcel, and decided by a 4 to 3 vote to include it in the IGA planning area. This is also known as the Bee Hive property.

The Loukonen property is one of the largest properties at 96 acres and possibly the most controversial. The property has three parts which the board labeled A, B and C. The board began discussing the aspects of each part separately, but then Town Administrator, Victoria Simonsen, told the board that it was an all or nothing deal with the Loukonen’s, which was a surprise to the board.

According to Trustee Greg Lowell, “Through all the IGA talk they have always been treated as three separate parcels. Loukenen C is especially controversial as Boulder City shows it as ‘critical wildlife habitat’ and should not be developed. Doing so would go

against Lyons Comp Plan that says environmentally sensitive areas should be protected. Loukenen A is (IMO) undevelopable: a mere 20’ wide access – far, far below town standards and only one way in. Pretty sure fire dept would never allow. Loukenen B is the stone yard sloping up from Hwy. 36. Has potential but tough to run water and sewer.” The trustees voted 5 to 2 to list it in the group to be included in the IGA planning area. Trustees Lowell and Mark Browning dissented. The board voted by a wide margin to include the Blue Mountain and Hawkins parcels into the IGA planning area.

Then the board switched gears and voted not to include the Connor (all 7 voted no) and the Carpenter (4 to 3 vote) parcels into the IGA planning area. Next they removed the Walters parcel from the list to be considered and returned it to Rural Preservation designation.

The last item was the Boone property, which has some buildable and some not buildable areas. The board did vote 4 to

B R I E F S

handmade Valentine! February is the sweetest season—a time to celebrate love,

CATHY RIVERS

How to sustain community: Keeping our small-town values

By Victoria Simonsen Redstone Review

LYONS – Our small town has a charm that’s both accepting and forgiving, quirky and unique. It’s a place where people anticipate you’ll be friendly, ready to help, and generous with your time. The rustic beauty of our town, its size, the river, the music, the art, and the diversity of people, combined with our values, make it a sought-after community. It’s no wonder we all love it here. We feel safe here, and our resilience is something special. Even though there might be differences between us, it’s important that we don’t lose the wonderful qualities that make our community so special. The town hall’s stout red sandstone blocks, graced with vibrant electronic art, tell the world that we respect our history yet embrace the future.

Our town employees and their commitment to serving the public are at the heart of our operations. Every week, our staff welcomes new residents to Lyons from places very different from ours. Newcomers look to be a part of a close-knit community where everyone plays a role in keeping our unique lifestyle and spirit alive.

However, our beloved town is not immune to the stresses and changes of the modern

world. As uncertainty surrounds us and new challenges arise, we can sometimes feel the strain. The pressures of adapting to new dynamics, balancing the old with the new, and addressing the inevitable conflicts that surface can test our resolve.

During these times, the values of civility and kindness become even more crucial.

Our ability to treat each other with respect and understanding, even among disagreements, will decide how well we navigate these changes. To sustain our sense of community, we must reflect on what “community” truly means. A community is not just a group of people living in proximity; it is a tapestry of relationships woven with threads of shared values, mutual support, and a collective identity. It embodies a sense of belonging and a commitment to the welfare of all its members. Civility is the cornerstone of our interactions, allowing us to engage in mean-

ingful dialogues and find common ground. Kindness, on the other hand, is the glue that binds us together, fostering a sense of belonging and support. By embracing these values, we can ensure that our community is still a haven of warmth and collaboration, even as we face the challenges ahead.

A poster at town hall shows us the little things we can do to sustain our community as the special place it is. It’s a call to action for everyone, encouraging us to contribute in our own ways. It is a simple yet poignant reminder of how fragile “community” is.

Turn off your TV. Leave your house. Know your neighbors. Look up when you are walking. Greet people. Buy from local merchants. Fix it even if you didn’t break it. Pick up litter. Dance in the street. Organize a block party. Turn up the music. Turn down the music. Seek to understand.

As we come out of our winter hideaways and enjoy the promise of spring, we have choices to make throughout our day. Let’s remember Maya Angelou’s words: “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter their color.” These words remind us that everyone in our community is important, and each person’s contribution strengthens our town.

Let’s celebrate our quaint streets and quirky traditions, our artistic expressions, and our colorful heritage. Let’s keep being friendly and helpful, generous in spirit and action. Let’s make sure our town stays safe and resilient. By doing this, we honor the essence of our community and keep its heart beating strong.

In this shared commitment, we find the true meaning of being part of a close-knit community. Every smile, every act of kindness, every moment of resilience adds to the rich tapestry of our town. Together, we can make sure our small town stays vibrant and unbroken, a rare example of what it means to be a true community

Victoria Simonsen has served as the Town Administrator for the Town of Lyons since 2010. During her tenure as Administrator, she led the town through the flood of 2013, Covid in 2020 and numerous fires close to Lyons and various evacuations. She and her family live in Lyons.

Teams are on hand to help navigate crises in Boulder County

By Kay Sparks Redstone Review

LYONS – In May 2023 Boulder County created two programs focused on supporting the mental, behavioral and substance use treatment needs of county residents: WellMind Connection, and Crisis Assistance and Treatment team (CAT). They serve anyone in Boulder County looking for a behavioral health, mental health, or substance use treatment service. The Crisis Assistance and Treatment (CAT) team has mobile response teams which provide on-site (home, school or wherever you are) mental health assistance, and engage individuals experiencing mental health crises to de-escalate, assess, decriminalize, and determine a plan with the hope of keeping individuals in their community whenever possible, and helping them understand how to navigate the system by eliminating barriers.

your side.”

In addition to connecting residents with the CAT Team, WellMind Connection serves to connect residents to bilingual resource navigators (English and Spanish) who can provide information about appropriate behavioral health and substance abuse teams and referrals to those services. The goal of both services is to create the right door to community services, and to supplement the other comprehensive mental health services in the community. While these programs are not emergency services, both WellMind Connection and CAT are intended to complement emergency services. For residents in need of critical emergency support, contact 911 or 988 for an urgent behavioral health need.

Areas the CAT team can address include: parenting conflicts, relationship issues, substance abuse, anxiety support, school-related distress, difficult family dynamics, caregiver stress, loss and grief, trauma and communication issues. CAT is accessed when appropriate through WellMind Connection. “We are a team of caring friendly professionals by

Main Street, PO Box 217 Lyons, CO 80540

meets monthly on the second Monday of the month from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Lyons Regional Library. For more information, contact Kay Sparks at 509-881-8096.

Kay Sparks is the Chair of the Housing and Human Services Commission in Lyons. HHS is an advisory commission that works on housing services problems to advise the Lyons Town Board of Trustees.

Connect with WellMind Connection in two ways: via phone (303-4411300, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), via email (hubreferrals@bouldercounty.org), or via the website (https://wellmindconnection.org). Emails will be responded to within two business days.

Housing and Human Services Commission Opportunity

If you find the information and activities of the HHSC helpful and would like to become involved, there are two openings on the commission. Prospective members can be a resident of Lyons or the greater Lyons area. The HHSC

MAYOR’S CORNER

Impacts of Federal Executive Orders on Lyons

By Hollie Rogin, Mayor of Lyons Redstone Review

LYONS – Since January 20, there has been a flurry (some might say blizzard) of Executive Orders from the White House. Trying to determine exactly how these orders affect us here in Lyons could be someone’s full-time job. As a small town with a small staff, we certainly don’t have the capacity for that. Staff and local, regional and state elected officials and organizations such as the Colorado Municipal League (CML) and the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) are doing our best to identify and hopefully mitigate the potential impacts on local municipalities. Here is what we know now; of course, this is subject to change at any moment.

Grant Funding

Lyons relies heavily on grant funding for many kinds of projects, including infrastructure. We receive grants from many different entities: Boulder County, the State of Colorado through agencies like the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), regional organizations like DRCOG, the Federal government, and many others. Any of the regional or state agencies may or may not receive their funding from the Federal government. Determining where the money originates, and whether its distribution would be affected by a Federal freeze, can get com-

plicated. For example, part of the funding for the St. Vrain Trail Extension comes from DRCOG, part from Boulder County, and part from Congress. The DRCOG money comes from the Federal government, as does the Congressionally Directed Spending. We have been awarded this funding, but we are not sure whether that money is “in the bank” of a granting organization and can therefore be spent.

Right now, initial estimates are that the potential impact of a Federal funding freeze on Lyons is between about $4.5M to more than $14M, depending on how FEMA may be affected. That number represents grants we have been told were awarded, work that is in process, and flood recovery projects that FEMA has not yet closed out. Projects in process include:

FEMA Flood recovery projects, for between $1.5M and $5M at risk.

Projects awarded but not yet started include the Third Avenue Stormwater BRIC/FEMA grant for $185k at risk.

And pending a decision on our grant application is the project that, from what

I can tell, is nearest and dearest to our hearts: the new Safe Routes to School grant for the area surrounding the elementary school, from CDOT via the Federal Highway Administration, for $600k at risk.

town also means fewer folks will be buying lunch from our restaurants and stopping at our gas stations. This will lead not just to a reduction in sales tax being collected, but also and perhaps more critically in my opinion, a further slowdown for our local businesses.

Adding to the challenge is the fact that tariffs would significantly impact the cost of all of the above infrastructure projects and will make it more expensive and difficult to begin or complete projects like the hotel and the redevelopment of 402 Main St., or in fact any construction project.

Please know that the Board of Trustees and Town staff will continue to persevere and fight for the best outcomes for our community.

The St. Vrain Trail Extension, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, Congressionally Directed Spending, the Federal Department of Transportation (DOT), and Stimulus money, for a total of $2.0 Million, $400,000 of which (Stimulus) has already been spent.

Highway 36 (Broadway) Improvements, funded by DRCOG via DOT was a $2M project, most of which has been paid; there is $82k in retainage at risk.

Safe Streets for All, funded by the Infrastructure Act, for $100k at risk.

It is a challenge to know how to responsibly proceed with projects that are currently underway. We also don’t know how or whether to proceed with projects that have been awarded but have not yet begun. And we certainly don’t know exactly how and to what extent this will impact our community, though I think we can draw some logical conclusions.

Local Impacts

From frozen grant funding to potential tariffs, the effects on a small community like ours are outsized and go beyond simply not doing the improvements. For example, if we cannot proceed with infrastructure projects, the contractors we normally would hire for those projects will not get those contracts. If those contractors don’t have work, they will need to reduce their workforces. No construction projects in

Can Lyons build ten affordable homes by 2026?

By Tanya Mercer-Daty Redstone Review

LYONS – Over the last decade, Lyons has been devastated by a historic flood, has faced a global pandemic, and has experienced an exponential rise in housing costs. In response, Lyons’ residents volunteered their time to rebuild, support those in need, and find ways to move forward.

Despite these efforts, the quality of life provided in Lyons and housing shortages across the Front Range have also increased the cost of housing in Lyons. Many residents have expressed concern that Lyons is becoming less and less accessible to the essential workers and lower-income residents who are a vital part of the community. The Colorado State Affordable Housing Fund: Proposition 123 hopes to solve the housing crisis that communities like ours are facing.

Thanks to the enactment of Proposition 123 by Colorado’s voters in 2022, approximately $300 million in affordable housing funding is now available. For a project to be eligible for Proposition 123 funding, any county, municipality or tribal government within the state must first file a commitment to increase affordable housing within each jurisdiction by 3 percent per year, for three years, for a total of a 9 percent increase.

The previous Lyons Board of Trustees

filed a commitment with the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) at the end of 2023. For Lyons, this means that we will need to build ten homes over the next three years. Specifically, we have until December of 2026 to submit a building permit for these

After two years of public input, the previous board of trustees (2022 to 2024) adopted a comprehensive plan called Lyons Thrive!, a road map for our community for the next ten to fifteen years. This plan is a guide for accomplishing the community’s

homes. Finding a location to build these homes has not been easy as we do not have a lot of available land to develop. Luckily for us, the Town of Lyons was deeded two lots on Carter Court in exchange for some fees due by Summit Housing. These lots represent an incredible opportunity to build more affordable/attainable housing in a subdivision intended for this very purpose.

aspirations of becoming an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable community that values and supports education, the arts, recreation and quality of life. It includes several housing goals such as:

Policy HN-1.1: Housing options

Support the incremental diversification of housing options available in Lyons through targeted infill and redevelopment or future annexation. Encourage a mix of housing types, tailored to different areas of the community, including but not limited to small homes, accessory dwelling units, townhomes, live/work units, and apartments or condominiums.

Policy HN-2.2: Affordable Housing

Continue to seek opportunities to facil-

If you are a post office regular, you may have noticed that the display box containing town information is now empty. The USPS policy regarding the information displayed in post offices has changed; only federal information may be displayed. It’s important to note that this was not our local postmistress’ decision.

Please continue to be kind to yourselves and to each other. Community is so vital, especially in times of uncertainty.

Hollie Rogin was sworn in as Mayor of Lyons on April 18, 2022. Before that she was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees for the term of 2020 to 2022. In 2015, Rogin created the foundation for what is now the City of Boulder’s Commercial Affordability program on a pro bono basis. While serving as a Lyons Trustee, she was the Board liaison to the Economic Vitality Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission.

itate the development of permanently affordable housing units that provide options for Lyons’ lower-income residents and replace units that were lost during the 2013 flood in accordance with the Town’s goal of maintaining approximately 12 percent of the total housing stock within the Town limits for affordable.

Policy HN-2.3: Workforce housing

Work with the development community, area housing organizations, property owners, landlords, and the community to preserve and expand housing options, including existing mobile home parks, which are affordable to workers earning below average wages in the community.

Policy HN-3.1: Retention of existing housing stock

Encourage ongoing maintenance and promote reinvestment and improvements in Lyons’ central neighborhoods for both owner- and renter-occupied units.

You may ask what is the difference between affordable and attainable (workforce) housing. The Boulder County Regional Housing Plan defines affordable and workforce housing as follows:

Affordable housing is any housing that is subsidized by the federal, state and local government, or any housing where units are subject to long-term covenants or deed restrictions which require that the units be sold or rented at levels that preserve them as affordable housing for a specific period of time.

The Town of Lyons further defines affordable housing as units that meet the needs of residents earning 60 percent or less of Boulder County Area Median Income (AMI). Maximum Qualifying Incomes of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Boulder County for 2024 are $70,000 for a household of two people and $88,000 for a family of four.

Workforce housing is affordable housing

Rogin

Mercer-Daty

OPTIONS

Read all about it: A history of Lyons newspapers

By Monique Sawyer-Lang Redstone Review

LYONS – Congratulations are certainly in order for the Redstone Review, its Editor and Publisher Susan de Castro Gierach, and her hardworking staff: Sara Neustadtl, Julie Hamilton, Bonnie Chaim, Kathleen Massini, Cathy Rivers and Jen Deiley. Celebrating their 25th Anniversary of publishing a newspaper in a time when local print newspapers are disappearing daily is no easy task. Since Lyons’ earliest days newspapers have been a part of the fabric of the lives of its residents. Many newspapers have come and gone over the years and few have had the length of success of the Redstone Review. Let’s take a look back at the newspapers that have been a part of Lyons’ history.

Newspapers are a disposable entity, once read they are thrown away or repurposed. The Lyons Redstone Museum is fortunate to have an extensive, although not complete, collection of newspapers dating back to 1890. The existence of some early newspapers is only known because of saved family clippings or mention in other publications. Our collection is used frequently by many for research.

The earliest known Lyons newspaper, founded by Carrie Byrd, was the Lyons News which began publication March 5, 1890. The paper was short lived, possibly as a result of her marriage September 2, 1890 to town founder E.S. Lyon.

An unkind mention in the December 12, 1890 first edition of the succeeding newspaper Longs Peak Rustler notes its demise in an article about a masquerade ball held in earlier that month: “Some of the costumes were grotesquely loud in their funniness. One young lady represented the defunct ‘Lyons News’ in a costume of shreds of paper, a la fringe, tacked on to a man’s undershirt. As that paper is busted into slivereens, the costume was exceedingly appropriate.” One wonders if the young lady mentioned was Carrie Byrd Lyon herself?

In an unfortunate twist of fate, “Sole Rustler and Proprietor” Benjamin Durr’s tenure of the Longs Peak Rustler was also short lived. He died March 28, 1891 of tuberculosis while residing in the Mountain View Hotel located on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Seward. The tag line for his newspaper was “The Pen is Mightier Than the Gun, ‘Ceptin for Grizzly.” Durr was a fierce champion for Lyons and encouraged its residents to seek incorporation. The vote was held March 31, three days after his death, and passed 128 to 39. Lyons officially incorporated April 10,1891.

This paper continued to be published under the leadership of E.B. Lollar, who changed its name in 1894 to Lyons Topics, with the Longs Peak Rustler included as a subheading. It ceased publication three years later. In quick succession were the St. Vrain News under the editorship of L.A. Holdrige until August 1898, and then the Lyons Herald, which operated under the ownership of W.H. Phelps from April 14, 1889 to October 13, 1899.

These transitory newspaper endeavors were followed by a

nearly 43 year period of stability when father and son O.H. and H.C. Knight established The Lyons Recorder on June 7, 1900. During this tenure the newspaper changed ownership numerous times but ultimately could not survive the economic difficulties of World War II. The January 1, 1943 issue stated the need for community support if the paper was to continue. The paper ceased publication March 26, 1943 and its subscription list was sold to the Longmont Ledger. There the news of Lyons was published in a weekly column edited by a series of female editors including Georgia Cumberford, Marjorie Cinnamon, Jeanette McFadden, Dorothy Stevens, and Ada Lou Hammans. In 1967 the column expanded to a special pull-out supplement called The New Lyons Recorder

During this time period a short-lived newspaper, reviving the name The Lyons News, was published from June 7, 1946 until October 31, 1947. The original publisher and editor was Donald R. Sisler who started the paper upon graduating from Lyons High School. Sisler joined the Marines in August of that year and his brother Willard took over as publisher.

In September 1969 Ada Lou Hammans and her husband Max purchased the rights from the Ledger and began operating The New Lyons Recorder until March 1979. The paper continued under a series of owners, Paul and Elizabeth Massey, Walt Kinderman, James Hansen, Jim Woods, Gary Wamsley, and Lora Gilson and Joseph Lekarzcyk. The Lyons Recorder ceased publication as a print newspaper August 15, 2019. This paper continues as an on-line-only endeavor under the editorship of Kathleen Spring.

The Redstone Review, a monthly publication, began FebruContinue Read on Page 14

Is this intelligence? A history of computing

By Peter Butler Redstone Review

LYONS – In the last week of January a small Chinese company called Deepseek launched a new artificial intelligence platform that created uproar across the U.S. The stock market got cold feet and did a serious nose dive with the biggest victim being the stock of Nvidia, which plunged about 18 percent in a matter of minutes. Warm socks did not help.

This new AI caused such an upset because the Deepseek approach is different from the other U.S.-based companies like OpenAI, with the ChatGPT offering, which demand huge resources of money, electricity and computing power. Over the last few years the stock of Nvidia had risen to become the most valuable company in the world based on a tidal wave of spending by the social media companies as well as Apple and Google. Nvidia was founded, and is still run, by Jensen Huang who could be called a genius in the same mold as Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.

His team designed graphics cards that satisfied the new trend in computer games for humungous number crunching. Every time a game triggered, say, an explosion, there were myriads of calculations needed to figure out where all the glowy bits should fly. They perfected microprocessor chips called graphical processor units, or GPUs, to do these calculations more quickly than the computer’s central processing unit or CPU.

During the rise of gaming, an Nvidia graphics card was the one to have, even though it was a cooker smothered in cooling fans that made a whooshing noise inside your PC. While the money was still rolling in from gaming, cryptocurrency arrived. Bitcoin was here and it was hungry. It wasn’t based on gold, or on trust but on “proof of work.”

Not useful work but maybe the stupidest work ever devised. Every transaction had to

lars have been spent building AI service stations all over the country that each need as much electricity as 50,000 homes. That’s half of Longmont or 25 Lyons. Of course fortunes were made by holders of NVDA stock.

So imagine the panic when this upstart Deepseek says that they can do it do cheaper and simpler.

Back in the early days of computing, the

be validated by a computer that attempted to calculate a number that was very difficult to find. It might involve thousands or millions of attempts to get the right type of answer until some clever clogs realized that this proof of work could be done quicker using Nvidia GPUs. So then they were top of everybody’s wish lists.

And now here is AI asking for even more power, which the latest Nvidia Blackwell chip can satisfy, for a mere $35,000 a pop. So for the last year or two, billions of dol-

only entities using computers were universities and big companies like banks. They programmed in languages with names like Fortran and BASIC, which did the trick, but they were ugly and brutal. All the instructions were stacked on top of each other and executed in sequence – sort of.

The ugliest command was “GOTO.” Like, for example, add these numbers then go to line 89, do something, then come back. If someone was trying to determine how the code worked, or how to fix a bug, it was a

nightmare. Then a lifesaving genius implemented the “function,” sometimes called a procedure or method. You could encapsulate a few lines of code together, with an understandable name like getDiscount, which did just one thing, like calculate a value. It could be called whenever necessary, without duplication, and it made the programming code more like English and much easier to create and maintain. New languages like C and Pascal were invented to take advantage.

After the easy-to-read code was written, it was “compiled” into efficient but gobbledygook machine language optimized for each type of computer. Processing power was still precious and programmers did clever things to use less memory and less CPU grinding. Eventually people realized that clusters of functions could be bundled together to make a library and then other teams could refer to these libraries to write new applications without having to reinvent the wheel every time. When you load an app onto your home PC these days, most of the waiting is from loading of thousands of these libraries. But it had an insidious effect, which nobody talks about.

It meant that programmers were writing code that they didn’t fully understand. They would do some logic, applied to their own problem, and then ask the libraries do to the tough stuff like draw a graph or get data from another network. But as CPUs got more powerful and networks got faster, nobody cared about saving resources any more. There were floods of power handy so let’s just open the sluice gates. Compiled languages like C and Java were replaced by

Continue AI on Page 14

1900 The Lyons Recorder.

1890 Longs Peak Rustler

1946 The Lyons News

Butler

Sawyer-Lang

Colorado’s state “tiger” is really a cool salamander

By Deborah Huth Price Redstone Review

LYONS – One of the last Colorado state symbols I’m highlighting is the state amphibian, the western (or barred) tiger salamander. As the only salamander in Colorado, it beat out native frogs and toads in the amphibian class, to be designated as a state symbol by Governor John Hickenlooper on March 16, 2012. It also holds the state amphibian title in Kansas.

According to the WorldAtlas.com website, the western tiger salamander was promoted by John Babiak, a teacher in the Denver public schools, with his family and his students. The site states, “Babiak and his children picked the western tiger salamander because it inhabits all 64 of Colorado’s state counties, from the Eastern Plains to the alpine tundra. Additionally, numerous fossils found in Colorado confirm that the history of the western tiger salamander in the state dates back more than 150,000 years.”

The tiger salamander is one of the largest salamander species in North America, and can reach over 13” in total length. As adults, they tend to burrow underground, sometimes taking over abandoned burrows left by other animals. They are generally nocturnal, and are found near ponds, small pools, drainage ditches, under moist logs, and other

devoid of fish, which voraciously predate on the larval salamanders. I have not found a larval salamander at Mud Lake years now and I suspect it is because of the overabundance of crayfish.” Mud Lake is near Nederland; Myers had previously seen larval salamander there.

Like other amphibians, salamanders begin their lives as eggs before hatching into larva in the spring, experiencing metamorphosis until they are full grown in late summer. While darker in color when going through metamorphosis, adults have dark bars or spots across a yellow-colored upper body (although this can vary and appear to be yellow spots on black), giving the appearance of a tiger-like coat.

In the Colorado House of Representatives, the northern leopard frog was also suggested to represent the state but was apparently dismissed because it only inhabits 58 of Colorado’s counties.

ty Theater website. Don’t miss out on this heartwarming and humorous celebration of love. Reserve your tickets today.

Town of Lyons utility billing customers

LYONS – In an effort to reduce billing costs and to move forward with sustainability goals, the town is converting to paperless billing. A one-time $5 credit will be issued to customers who enroll with paperless billing through March 31, 2025. If you are already enrolled and receive your bill online, thank you. There will not be a retroactive credit.

The move to online billing will take effect April 1, 2025. Effective April 1, 2025 there will be a $2 monthly charge for those customers who do not convert to paperless billing and continue to receive a paper bill. Payment may still be made with check, cash, direct checking account transfers as well as credit and debit cards. The online system also provides the ability to set automatic monthly payments, if desired, as well as access to the monthly billing history of your utility account. Customers may sign up at: townoflyons.com/onlinebilling.

Customers eligible for low-income utility services, may request an exemption of the $2 per month fee by contacting the Town directly at 303-823-6622.

Fast charging EV Project for Lyons LYONS – Don’t miss an informational meeting on the new fast charger planned for the southeast corner of Sandstone Park

CONCERTS MUSIC FESTIVALS EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

JANUARY-MARCH

First Sundays Lyons

Explore downtown Lyons on first Sundays

cool and moist locations, but are usually missing from ponds containing carnivorous fish, bullfrogs, or crayfish. Salamanders eat insects, worms, small amphibians, and anything else they can find.

Roger Myers, a Colorado herpetology enthusiast, shares that these salamanders are “found throughout the state up to 11,000 feet wherever they can find suitable habitat

(near the Post Office and Lyons Fire). The meeting will be held on Monday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lyons Community Library, 451 Fourth Ave.

Thanks to a grant from the Colorado Energy Office, in partnership with Jule and local contractor IPOWER Alliance, the Town of Lyons is in the final application process to bring four Level 3 DC fast chargers to the community. Learn more about the project, local electric vehicle usage and the growing number of electric vehicles on the road. We look forward to the community’s input on this project.

Email info@ipoweralliance.com or visit www.ipoweralliance.com/LyonsEVchargers for more information.

Input Requested on LED streetlights LYONS – We all like to have our voices heard. Share yours. The Town of Lyons received a Boulder County Sustainability grant to explore the conversion of town-controlled inefficient streetlights to LED streetlights. The study includes an analysis of the type of lights needed to minimize the effects of light pollution and also help develop a standard for what street lighting in Lyons could be going forward.

We will use community feedback along with other analysis and safety factors to provide recommendations for this study. Please provide your input by looking up LED streetlight feedback on the Town Hall website. Or call the Town Hall at 303-823-6622.

Continue Briefs on Page 14

Lucky Lyons 5K and 10K

Races start at 10 a.m. on the beautiful paths of Lyons, CO

FEBRUARY

Old Man Winter Bike Rally & Run

APRIL

Orchard Blossom Festival and Bloomin’ Bets Concert Live music and an orchard blossom festival

JUNE-AUGUST

Sandstone Summer Concert Series Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Raul

Salamanders have some cool tricks up their sleeves. One is that they have the ability to regenerate lost body parts, including limbs, tails, and organs. Also, in a study at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2021, a group of scientists observed biofluorescence in tiger salamander larva at Lily Lake. Biofluorescence is the ability to absorb light waves and emit it at lower levels. Under blue light (like twilight conditions) the salamanders glowed green.

While our state amphibian is currently sleeping through the winter, keep an eye out on the ponds and ditches in your neighborhood this spring for this beautiful little “tiger.”

Deborah Huth Price is an environmental educator living in Pinewood Springs. You can email her at debhprice@gmail.com or visit her blog at www.walk-the-wild-side.blog.

Meet Treat, a 2-year-old bundle of joy ready to steal your heart! This sweet, adventurous pup loves making his humans smile and is always up for exploring, hiking, or simply snuggling at home. Loyal and affectionate, Treat is eager to share his love and energy with his forever family. If you’re looking for a smart, enthusiastic companion, Treat is waiting to meet you!

To see all our adoptable animals or get more details visit longmonthumane.org . Or stop in at the shelter at 9595 Nelson Road.

Join Lyons Neighbors4Democracy! Concerned about anti-democratic actions? Join fellow Lyons citizens every Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. on the Broadway side of Sandstone Park as we stand together for democracy

Vasquez Stage in Sandstone Park

June Pride Event

Lyons celebrates PRIDE month with in-town activities

RockyGrass

Old-time traditional bluegrass festival featuring well known bluegrass musicians

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival

The nation’s top singer-songwriters gather for a three-day music festival

OCTOBER

Halloween Spooktacular

Costume parade, trick or treating, kids’ games and more downtown

DECEMBER

Artisian Market and Holiday Parade of Lights

Holiday artisan market Sat. and Sun., 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; parade on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Downtown Lighting Ceremony Holiday tree lighting and downtown lights ceremony, 5 to 8 p.m.

LOOKING UP

Feeding the birds: Good for them, good for the soul

By Greg Lowell Redstone Review

LYONS – I’ve always put out bird feeders in the winter – a habit I acquired from my mom. She’d hang feeders and as a child I’d watch the parade of nature from my window: flocks of yellow grosbeaks, woodpeckers drawn to the suet and the occasional hawk taking hapless starlings. This nature-at-my-doorstep started my outdoors passion, and I’ve pondered at times who benefits more from bird-feeding, the birds or us?

A recent study by the Wild Bird Feeding Institute Research Foundation (its very name says something about the pastime’s popularity) found almost 50 million households in the U.S. and Canada buy wild birdseed each year.

This mammoth undertaking raises questions about the effect that hundreds of millions of pounds of seed has on the birds; is it beneficial or it is creating an artificial environment that compromises their natural instincts?

Boon or bane?

The answers, it turns out, aren’t obvious. Considering the hundreds of species of birds and their distinct niches and habits, there are just too many variables. Severe or mild winters, boom or bust cycles of natural food sources and manmade influences like habitat loss all make any studies of the effect of artificial feeding inconclusive.

But some facts are known. It’s obvious, and studies have shown, that winter feeding of birds can help with the survival of certain species. When winter storms roll in, snow blankets natural food sources and subzero nights burn up calories, a well stocked feeder or suet block goes a long way to helping birds survive these hard times.

The flip side is: does feeding favor one species over another? When spring rolls around and there’s competition for nesting sites, is it wise to have helped aggressive house finches fattened on sunflower dominant over another bird species?

Can birds, once habituated to artificial feeding, otherwise survive if that feeding is

stopped? Dr. Emma Greig of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology said, “Birds have an assortment of places they can check for food in their winter habitat and if one source disappears, they have others that they can rely on.”

Of course, with 50 million households putting out bird banquets, they can also just move on to the next feeder. Despite Dr. Grieg’s reassurance, it’s probably best to keep those feeders full once you start.

Feeders can also attract natural predators like the bird-snacking Cooper’s hawks, but

spread of disease feeders should be cleaned regularly, particularly of any feces buildup (see accompanying article).

Natural connection in comfort

Short of strapping on binoculars and trudging out into the cold, there’s no better way to connect with the natural world than from the warm comfort of your home. The sheer number and variety of birds drawn to handouts is far greater than what a birdwatcher might normally see on a winter field trip.

they’re birds, too, and who doesn’t enjoy seeing some nature – red of tooth and claw – close up and personal?

Unnatural predators, on the other hand, like free-roaming housecats, are also attracted to feeders. Should you or your neighbors allow your cats outside, it’s probably best not to feed the birds and thereby set an avian smorgasbord for Tabby.

In some cases, forcing birds to feed together at common places can lead to increased disease transfer. But realistically, in the wild birds often feed in groups, including mixed-species flocks. To minimize the

Max: A homeless legend

By Marcia Moore Redstone Review

LONGMONT – I’m a family nurse practitioner at Hopelight Clinic in Longmont, where I also consult with the City of Longmont’s community health program. Part of my work involves conducting medical outreach for the homeless population.

A couple of years ago, on a hot summer afternoon, I met Max, a homeless man, behind the King Soopers parking lot

Feeding birds offers a connection to nature through the investment of a feeder and a 20-lb. bag of sunflower seeds. People learn to identify birds and their habits. When the feeders and trees in the yard are crowded with birds, there’s a personal sense of caretaking and responsibility – a positive interaction with the natural world. And with that often comes a greater advocacy for the environment.

The writer Jonathan Franzen said in a 2021 National Geographic article that “birds are good for the soul,” and I have to agree with him. The birds benefit from our largesse and we run for the Sibley guide when an unfamiliar bird shows up. It’s a unique symbiotic relationship not often experienced in our everyday dealings with nature.

Greg Lowell is a Trustee on the Lyons Town Board. He is a fisherman, hunter and environmentalist. He is a liaison to the Lyons Ecology Advisory Board.

off Main Street. He was in his mid-60s, a wiry guy with sunburned skin, a constant smile, and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Max was towing two trailers with his bicycle – one was a “sleeping cart” he had built himself, and the other carried a lawnmower motor he was trying to use to power his entire setup. It was clear to me that he was a unique and interesting person, someone I wanted to get to know. Max was well known in the homeless community, and after some conversation about his inventive ride, he opened up about an ongoing health issue – frequent urination. For someone without a permanent home, this was a serious concern, as he was always worried about getting arrested for “taking a leak” in public. We made arrangements for him to visit the clinic.

After some tests, Max was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. The diagnosis was terminal, but Max took it in stride, joking, “I thought I was going to die of cirrhosis like the rest of my family.” He underwent a brief course of treatment, but eventually, he fell off the radar. For the next couple of years, I only saw him in passing.

A couple of months ago, I received a call from a case manager at HOPE (a homeless organization in Longmont). Max had developed a chronic infection from an old wound and was feeling very weak. When I found him walking around town with only a guitar on his back, he told me he was tired and couldn’t do it anymore. Max had been living on the streets since 1999, and he was tough, but this time, he seemed worn out. Within a month, he was hospitalized,

New strain of bird flu poses little threat, but . . .

Many people are concerned about the current outbreak of avian influenza, or bird flu, that has affected domestic poultry, waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, other species of birds, and some mammals in many parts of the world. How does this affect backyard feeding of birds in the winter?

This particular strain of avian influenza virus affects a wide variety of wild birds, especially waterfowl such as Canada geese. Lyons residents will recall the 2022 bird flu that killed more than 20 Canada geese in 2022-2023. During that winter, the geese congregated in large numbers on the Lyons Valley River Park ponds and spread the virus among flock members. The virus is shed in the saliva, mucus, and feces of infected birds and is transmitted to other birds via ingestion or inhalation.

While there has been concern about whether it’s safe for people to feed wild birds, as of January, there is no official recommendation to take down bird feeders, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Diseases Program. Transmission to songbirds and other typical feeder visitors has been low; only about 3% of all avian flu cases have been reported in wild birds.

But there are some precautions to observe.

Anyone who keeps domestic poultry on the same property as bird feeders should take down the feeders. Poultry is much more vulnerable to the flu and there’s a chance that a rare individual songbird could pass on the virus.

Clean bird feeders regularly with a diluted bleach solution. In addition to avian flu there are also other communicable bird diseases, such as avian conjunctivitis that is common in house finches and can be spread to other birds. Dispose of any dead birds carefully. Place it in a sealed plastic bag and throw it in your regular household trash. Always wear gloves when handling the bird and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

his cancer had spread, and he was placed on hospice care. I visited him in the hospital, holding his hand, feeling relieved that he was warm and cared for indoors. Still, I could tell he wasn’t used to being inside. He passed away just before the first cold snap, which, in a way, felt like a blessing.

I attended his memorial in Roosevelt Park, surrounded by case managers, friends, and fellow members of the homeless community. That’s when I learned more about Max’s past – growing up in Nebraska, losing his dad to cirrhosis, and his wife a decade ago. But what stood out the most was the stories of his music – his gravelly voice and his love for playing guitar and singing like a rock star mainly to grunge music. He was also known for his toughness, having survived countless bike crashes, and for always standing up for those who were being picked on in his community.

I was honored that Max considered me the “only doctor” he trusted. Despite the harsh judgment often cast on the homeless, Max had a spirit and positivity that left a lasting impression on me. He will always hold a special place in my heart.

Marcia Moore is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Hopelight Clinic in Longmont with over 20 years of experience in healthcare. Her specialties include serving homeless, refugee, immigrant, and uninsured populations of all ages. Hopelight Clinic is a safety-net clinic based at the Church of Christ in Longmont.

A female and male house finch dine at a local bird feeder.

ROLF REISER

Who will save the democracy?

Browning

By Mark Browning Redstone Review

LYONS – This was written about a Republican president after his big election win: “A broken little bully who would sacrifice us all to save himself.”

“[A] borderline psychotic with the brain of a small-time chiseler and the power to literally blow up the world never more than 60 seconds away from his gnawed-red fingertips, doing everything he can to force a hellish confrontation with the highest judicial and legislative authorities in his own country.”

Trump in 2025?

No. Nixon in 1974, written by Coloradoan Hunter S. Thompson.

Unlike Donald Trump (49.9 to 48.3 percent popular vote; 312 to 226 electoral college), Richard Nixon truly beat George McGovern by a landslide in 1972: 60.7 to 37.5 percent popular vote; 520 to 17 electoral college, the second largest margin since George Washington.

Nixon, returning for a second term, with a majority Republican Supreme Court including four justices he appointed or promoted, and with a smart, loyal support team (Bob Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, Attorney General John Mitchell, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger) was in firm control.

Less than two years later, Nixon was gone in disgrace.

Could it happen again with Donald Trump?

Let’s look at the three institutions that brought Nixon down.

The Press

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post were the journalists most responsible for Nixon’s demise, with some assists from CBS and the New York Times.

Woodward still lives. And writes. In fact, he’s written four classic Woodward-style (unimpeachable inside sources) books

involving Trump: Rage, Fear, Peril and War

Toward the end of the latest book (War), Woodward breaks character and editorializes: “Donald Trump is not only the wrong man for the presidency, he is unfit to lead the country. Trump was far worse than Richard Nixon, the provably criminal president.”

Does it matter that Woodward has spilled the beans on Trump, as he did on Nixon?

I think not. In the early 1970s, there was no Fox News (started in 1996), no Breitbart (2007), no X , no Truth Social. Indeed, no

nearly unrecognizable now, its influence reduced and fading. It won’t bring down Trump.

Congress

Nixon won by a landslide, but Congress was still Democrat-controlled: 54 to 44 in the Senate, 254 to 180 in the House.

Two key Congressional committees played big roles in Nixon resigning: “Senator Sam” Ervin’s Select Committee on Campaign Activities and Peter Rodino’s House Judiciary Committee.

It was before Ervin’s committee that White House counsel John Dean told the truth about Nixon and presidential aide Alexander Butterfield revealed the existence of the White House tapes.

The Last Safeguard? With Congress and the press weakened, the rule of law may be the only remaining check on presidential power.

internet.

Now, the former “three major networks” lag far behind Fox News’ ratings. Many Americans get their news from social media. Newspapers are in trouble.

It’s no accident Trump Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt broke protocol in her first press briefing by first calling on an Axios news website reporter, then a Breitbart reporter for questions, rather than the Associated Press, as tradition dictated. The White House is issuing press credentials for bloggers and social media hosts. The obvious intent: drown out the mainstream press, some of whom Trump has called “criminals.”

The press as it existed in Nixon’s time is

LCF welcomes new board member, prepares for Lucky Lyons Run and seeks volunteers

By Rachel Pickarski Redstone Review

LYONS – The Lyons Community Foundation is pleased to introduce Grace Simonsen as the newest addition to its Board of Directors. Simonsen has deep roots in Lyons, having moved to town with her family in 2011. She attended Lyons Elementary, Middle, and Senior High School, graduating in 2017. After high school, she spent time abroad volunteering in Tanzania, Nepal, and Costa Rica, where she also became a certified yoga instructor.

In 2023, she and her partner returned to Lyons after finding housing through the newly completed affordable housing project. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and serves on the Lyons Historic Preservation

Commission. Simonsen works in town and appreciates the strong sense of community that comes with living in a place where neighbors connect daily. A resident of Lyons during the 2013 flood, she witnessed the town’s resilience firsthand and is honored to give back through her work with LCF.

Lace Up for the Lucky Lyons 5K and 10K Runners, walkers, and community supporters are invited to participate in the Lucky Lyons 5K and 10K on Saturday, March 8. The race will take place at 10:00 a.m. in Bohn Park and is a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day while supporting the Lyons Community Foundation.

Participants are encouraged to dress in festive green attire as they take on the scenic course, which includes a mix of paved, gravel, and dirt sections. Registration is open through Thursday, March 6, at 11:59 p.m. and race fees include finisher tokens, aid station treats, and post-race refreshments. For more details and to register, visit ultrasignup.comw

Get Involved: LCF Seeks Volunteers for 2025

The Republican majority Supreme Court then shocked Nixon by ruling 8 to 0 to release the tapes. Less than a month later, Nixon was gone.

Could courageous lawyers and federal judges (who, thanks to the Founding Fathers’ wisdom, have lifetime tenure) corral blatantly unconstitutional Trump actions like an executive order purporting to end Constitutionally-protected birthright citizenship?

The Rodino committee recommended an historic impeachment, with seven Republicans joining 21 Democrats on at least one count. (Imagine that today.)

It’s delusional to suggest the current Congress would investigate or impeach Donald Trump. As shown by confirmations of Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard to key positions, Trump controls Congress, not the other way around.

Trump has nothing to fear from the current Congress.

Lawyers and Judges

Lawyers and judges played critical roles in dethroning Nixon.

John Dean’s testimony was the initial blockbuster moment before the Ervin committee. First Archibald Cox (canned in Nixon’s “Saturday Night Massacre”) then Texas lawyer Leon Jaworski served as special counsel, leading to release of the fatal tapes.

U.S. District Judge John Sirica tried the Watergate burglars, using creative sentencing to entice them to reveal who was really behind the break-in. He later ordered release of the tapes, rejecting executive privilege claims.

As LCF looks ahead to 2025, the foundation is seeking passionate volunteers to support its mission of enhancing the Lyons community. There are opportunities for people with a variety of interests for all of our fun and community events this year.

If you’d like to make a difference in Lyons by volunteering with LCF, please reach out to Pete Hinzy at pete.hinzy@gmail.com and we will be in contact with you.

Volunteer for the Stone Canyon Fire Recovery Project

Our partners at Lyons Elevating All Fund (LEAF) are launching an initiative to restore the burn area affected by the 2024 Stone Canyon Fire. This project will focus on planting trees and native plants to help stabilize the land, support local ecosystems, and bring new life to the impacted area.

This effort will require strong community support, and LEAF is seeking volunteers to assist with planting and restoration efforts.

If you’d like to get involved, please fill out the volunteer interest form available on the web at leaflyons.org.

Every helping hand makes a difference. To learn more about LCF’s work and upcoming initiatives, visit lyonscf.org.

Rachel Pickarski is the Marketing and Communications Consultant for LCF. She works at the Colorado Press Association in Denver and lives in Lyons.

As a retired lawyer with years of experience in federal courts, I can only say, “I don’t know.” Some would say the six to three conservative Supreme Court majority – with three Trump-appointed justices –will never stand in his way. They can point to the presidential immunity decision as “proof.”

I’m not so sure. Nixon’s court was majority Republican, too, though more evenly split. (And one Nixon appointee recused himself from the tapes case.) Trump did win much of the immunity case, but not a complete victory. The Court carefully left open possible prosecution for non-official conduct, partially rejecting Trump’s absolute immunity arguments.

Dear God, Hunter S. would say, are we down to putting the fate of the Republic in the hands of lawyers? And Republican judges? Cazart! We’re probably doomed. Or are we? Are there still enough principled lawyers and judges to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution? A few district judges have already done so in initial rulings. Maybe more will follow. Maybe. Shakespeare famously wrote in Henry VI, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” But not so fast. That line was uttered by a criminal seeking to overthrow the government, rejecting the rule of law. Could lawyers and judges (who are lawyers) save us from Trump if we don’t kill them all first? I’m skeptical, but with the press and Congress out of the picture, what other real hope do we have?

Mark Browning is a Lyons resident and retired attorney. He serves as a Trustee on the Lyons Town Board and he is active with the Lyons Volunteers and Lyons Elevates All Fund (LEAF).

Jagger is a 2.5-year-old pup who may be shy at first, but once he trusts you, he’s a true gem. Playful and loving, he proudly carries his squeaky chicken toy on walks. Smart and eager to impress, he knows commands like sit, down, shake, stay, and rollover.

Jagger’s ideal family is patient and kind, ready to help him blossom. If you’re looking for a loyal, intelligent companion, Jagger is your guy!

To see all our adoptable animals or get more details visit longmonthumane. org. Or stop in at the shelter at 9595 Nelson Road.

Pickarski

Grace Simonsen, Board Member

Lyons Community Theater presents Almost, Maine for Valentine’s Day

By Jim Ramsay and Patty McNichol Redstone Review

LYONS – Are you looking for a unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your partner this year? Lyons Community Theater has the perfect answer.

Join the theater lovers at Oskar Blues for a special dinner theater performance of Almost, Maine, written by John Cariani.

Almost, Maine is a quirky, almost-mythical town situated so far north that it’s nearly in Canada. Its residents never quite got around to organizing, so it’s not officially a town – and it almost doesn’t exist. On one cold winter night, as the northern lights illuminate the sky, the residents of Almost, Maine experience love in its many unexpected and humorous forms. This isn’t a typical rom-com; it’s a poignant, witty, and refreshing look at love and relationships.

Dining guests will enjoy a choice of three delicious entrée options, including a vegetarian choice, along with a specially crafted dessert. Oskar Blues will also feature special Valentine’s Day cocktails to enhance your experience.

Lyons Community Theater will offer dinner theater performances on Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15, as well as a matinee performance on Sunday, February 16 for those who wish to enjoy the show without a meal. For the evening performances, doors will open at 6 p.m., with curtain at 6:30; the matinee performance will begin at 1:30 p.m., with doors open at 1 p.m. The final curtain will be early enough for patrons to enjoy other Valentine’s Day events in town.

Ticket prices for the dinner performances are $55 per person, and tickets for the matinee are $20. Don’t miss out on this heartwarming and humorous celebration of love –reserve your tickets today.

the

Iowa, Iran,

and

studied English at CU in Boulder and taught English as a Second Language in Tanzania, Botswana, the University of Illinois and the Economics Institute at CU. An affinity for computers led him to technical writing, and he wrote manuals for tech companies up and down the Front Range. He and his wife Deborah moved from Boulder to Pinewood Springs, where they shared a dream of mountain living until her death at the end of 2020. He’s still up there.

Lyons Library offers music, songs, ebooks, and geology programs for cold winter days

By Kara Bauman Redstone Review

LYONS – Winter in Lyons always brings a mix of cozy indoor days and those occasional surprise warm spells that remind us spring is just around the corner. Whatever the weather, your Lyons Community Library has plenty to keep you engaged over the coming month, whether you’re looking to make music, learn something new, give back to the community, or shape the library’s future. Discover the joy of music with the Lyons Library Ukulele Group with Kay Miller of the Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra. Play and sing songs from

various genres in a welcoming environment. Bring your ukulele and your enthusiasm, or use one of our ukes – while supplies last; first come, first served. While all abilities age 16+ are welcome, a basic understanding of ukulele chords and techniques is helpful. Prior to each monthly session, registered attendees will receive a chord chart of the songs via email. Join us on Wednesday, February 19 at 6:30 p.m. to get your groove on and shake off any lingering winter blues. Did you know that the Libby reading app has thousands of ebooks and eaudiobooks that you can check out for free with your library card? In this casual drop-in program on Monday, February 24 at 6 p.m., you’ll learn how easy it is to get started with the app. For the best experience and hands-on learn-

ing, bring your preferred digital device, such as a tablet, smartphone, Kindle, or laptop. Whether you’re a seasoned reader looking for a new way to enjoy books or just getting started with digital reading, this session will set you up for success. The need for blood donations is constant, and what better way to give back to your community than by rolling up your sleeve at our blood drive, cohosted with the Town of Lyons and our friends from Vitalant, on Friday, February 28, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The library is honored to serve as a community hub for this life-saving effort, and we encourage eligible donors to sign up in advance through Vitalant’s website (location code A069) or simply stop by if space allows. Donating blood only takes a short time but makes an

immeasurable difference to those in need.

If you’ve ever wondered about the unique rock formations around Lyons or the stories they tell about our region’s ancient past, don’t miss our upcoming geology program with Boulder County volunteer naturalists on Thursday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m. From sandstone cliffs to fossilized remnants of prehistoric life, our local landscape holds fascinating clues about what Lyons looked like millions of years ago. Whether you’re a rock hound or just curious about our natural surroundings, this talk is sure to deepen your appreciation for the land we call home.

At the heart of every great library is the community it serves, and as we embark on our strategic planning process, we want to

IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY

Patty McNichol works with

Lyons Community Theater. Jim Ramsay was raised in

Nigeria

Afghanistan. He

Love and laughter take center stage in Almost, Maine! GUATAM BHAN

Bauman

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Performance of Almost, Maine, written by John Cariani. GUATAM BHAN

REDSTONE 25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

The first issue of the Redstone Review was published 25 years ago this month

Susan

de

Castro McCann Redstone Review Editor

LYONS – When I was in graduate school at University of Colorado, Boulder in the journalism department, most of my classmates were guys and most of those guys wanted to start their own newspaper.

I would listen with interest to their ideas when we gathered for coffee in the student union or some coffee shop and then I would walk away thinking, what idiot would even think about starting their own newspaper in this environment. Newspapers were beginning to decline even back then. Computers were widely used but still pretty new.

USA Today had recently come out and was marketed everywhere. As students we followed its progress and learned that they were losing thousands of dollars a day. But they had the cash and they just kept printing and distributing it and eventually it made money.

Even with modern technology, I had no interest in starting a newspaper, none. I saw myself as an essayist, writing feature stories like Mollie Ivins or Susan Stamberg or Cokie Roberts. They were radio personalities, but I wanted to do that in newspapers.

I went to work initially at the Longmont

Times-Call and worked my way into the Business Editor position and eventually quit to freelance for several of the business publications in the area.

A few friends in Lyons felt that I had free time on my hands and they asked me to start a newspaper in Lyons. They were upset with the owner of the Lyons Recorder at that time, a

graduating class who started a newspaper and the only one who was dead set against starting a newspaper. Most of my school colleagues took jobs in public relations or marketing; some left the field altogether.

I thought that the Redstone would be a very short-term venture. I expected that when Walt saw that he had some competition he

guy named Walt, who was fond of editorializing and trying to attack his enemies in print.

I ignored my friends requests as long as I could, but they wore me down and I could no long tolerate Walt’s attacks on people in the paper. It was too offensive.

As luck would have it, I had just sold my cabin in the mountains, which I had built with some friends. I had to finance the sale myself and the buyer gave me a $3,000 deposit. I took the check to the bank and opened up a bank account in the name of Redstone Review

Ironically, I became the only one in my

would shape up and start running a respectable newspaper, but no. He doubled down instead. It was the old Hunter Thompson rule, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”

Almost everything went wrong in the beginning, the presses at our printer broke down often. By the second issue the Lily Tomlin factor kicked in: “Things are going to get a whole lot worse before they get worse.”

I was never ready to quit, however. Working in a newsroom is brutal. The hours are horrible, deadlines are impossible and then there was the time that some disgrun-

tled cop started shooting bullets at us on the second floor of the newsroom from the street outside. One went directly over my head into a wall. If I had stood up one second sooner, it would have lodged in my brain. I didn’t take it personally, he didn’t know any of us. He was just upset about a story someone wrote.

Things eased up a little for the Redstone. I eventually found a mentor in Tony Ripley, a former New York Times National Desk reporter, who had recently moved to Lyons with his wife Ann Ripley, the murder mystery writer. Tony said to me, “Make your newspaper so attractive that people will want to pick it up and look at it; then make it so interesting they won’t want to put it down.” Now 25 years later, I have come to appreciate everything I have learned along the way. Mostly it has been fun and interesting. The people I have met in Lyons and the surrounding area are intelligent, fun, interesting, hopeful and kind. I can walk in the parks and on the trails, watch the eagles nest, feed the humming birds and tanagers, see the bears and bobcats in the yard, take pictures of the elk and snowshoe with the deer.

I’m grateful for all of our readers, advertisers, contributors and friends. Thank you for the journey.

Redstone Review celebrates 25 years in print as Lyons’ locally owned newspaper

The Redstone Review staff thanks all of our advertisers who have made it possible for us to put out the newspaper each month for 25 years; who have supported us through the 2013 flood, through Covid, through the raging fires, through good times and rough waters..

Thank you to those who have written stories, columns, contributed letters, photos, story ideas, editorials, essays and paintings.

Thank you for your donations, subscriptions, support and wisdom. You have helped us create an essential bond among the people in our community.

Benjamin Franklin, the founding father of journalism and newspapers in the U.S., started the process. He gathered the news around his town and published a broadsheet called A Marketplace of Ideas

A special Thank You to our faithful readers, you are the reason why we have survived for 25 years.

Susan

de

Castro Gierach Editor and Publisher

Wild animals are looking for love

By Cindy Leikam Redstone Review

LONGMONT – Valentine’s Day is near and love is in the air. But it’s not just humans looking for romance. For many native Colorado species, February is either at the tail end of, or marks the beginning of the breeding season.

And for some, it is right in the middle of the mating mayhem. Mating seasons vary among species, but can range from just a few weeks to a few months. Striped skunks, bobcats, raccoons, coyotes, cottontails, bald eagles, and great horned owls are just a few of the species that are on the move and looking for that special someone.

During this time of year, sightings of nocturnal critters like raccoons and coyotes in daylight hours become more common, which can lead to increased conflicts between wildlife and humans. Animals in heat can be more bold than usual, exploring human-dominated landscapes like suburban parks, backyards, and even urban spaces. They can be unusually territorial, and surprise encounters with wild critters can result in harm to people, pets, and property. However, following a few simple tips can reduce conflicts with urban wildlife during the breeding season.

Remember, mice can squeeze through an opening the size of a dime. Carefully seal up any entry points after ensuring no animals have taken up residence. If uninvited guests have already moved in, consider hazing methods to evict them. Flood the area with lights, play loud music, and place apple-cider-vinegar-soaked rags near the entry to deter them from overstaying their welcome. Under those unpleasant condi-

loud noises and bright lights. Protect your pets from becoming prey. Small dogs, cats, chickens, and ducks are easy targets for hungry animals. Keep dogs safe by supervising them closely when outside and leash up in parks and natural areas. If confronted by a wild animal, pick up small dogs and cats to keep them safe. Make sure all household pets are up to date on vaccinations. Keep kitties inside for their own safety and to reduce predation on migratory birds. Ensure poultry coops and runs are predator-proof. Reinforce flimsy shelters with more sturdy building materials, and cover runs with a solid roof. Particle boards or corrugated plastic roofing are inexpensive options to stabilize coops. Use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire to enclose the run. And after birds have gone to roost at night, an automatically closing door keeps predators out. Although wildlife may be out at any time of day during the mating season, dawn and dusk are their most active hours, so use extra caution and be aware of surroundings.

Love is in the air – and so is this raccoon! February marks the height of mating season for many Colorado species. Keep an eye out and give wildlife space as they search for their special mate!

tions, it usually doesn’t take long for them to seek out a more suitable home.

First and foremost, winter wildlife proof your home. Attics, basements, crawlspaces, chimneys, and under decks are all very appealing shelters for cold critters looking for a warm den to raise their young. Brush piles are also attractive abodes for many animals. Clean up branches and debris around the property to eliminate hiding holes and natural homes. Walk the perimeter of the house, garage, sheds, and other outbuildings to check for any gaps, cracks, or holes along the exterior that critters could enter.

Once your property is properly wildlife-proofed, don’t invite them back with food sources. Food is scarce this time of year, and even something as simple as a bird feeder can attract a range of creatures. The simple act of bringing in feeders at night removes the temptation to seek food on your property. Always feed dogs and cats indoors, and never leave pet food or water outside overnight. Store trash and recycle bins in the garage if possible, or secure their lids with bungee cords or locks. If a wild animal wanders into your yard, haze it with

As humans continue to expand into natural areas and encroach on habitats, the likelihood of conflict with wildlife increases. Although it’s rare for a coyote or any wild animal to attack a human, if you encounter a coyote that appears emboldened, make a lot of noise, wave your arms, and throw rocks if necessary.

Protect pets and property, but when it comes to our wild neighbors, keep in mind they also deserve a chance to find love. Most mammalian mating seasons are starting to wind down by mid-March, so for the next few weeks, stay alert and vigilant to peacefully coexist with our wild neighbors. Show wildlife some love this Valentine’s Day. Give them space and a chance to thrive.

Cindy Leikam is the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center intern. Greenwood Wildlife is located at 5761 Ute Hwy., Longmont, CO 80503 and can be reached at 303-823-8455.

Exercise: The cornerstone of knee health

By Brownwyn Muldoon Redstone Review

LYONS – Knee problems are very common and occur in people of all ages. Knee problems can interfere with many things, from participation in sports to simply getting up from a chair and walking. Any limitation of this joint can have a big impact on your life.

Exercise plays a vital role in both preventing and treating knee pain. The right combination of strengthening and stretching exercises can improve the way the joint moves and functions.

Prevention does the following:

Strengthens supporting muscles: Strong muscles around the knee (quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves) provide crucial support and stability, which reduces stress on the knee joint itself, making it less susceptible to injury.

Maintains healthy weight: Excess weight puts significant strain on the knees. Regular exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, reducing this pressure.

Improves flexibility: Flexibility exercises improve range of motion, allowing for smoother movement and reducing stiffness, a common symptom of knee problems.

Enhances balance and coordination: Improved balance reduces the risk of falls, which can lead to serious knee injuries.

Treatment does the following:

Reduces pain: Exercise can strengthen weakened muscles, improve joint stability, and increase blood flow to the area, all of which can significantly reduce pain.

Improves range of motion: Exercises like stretching and specific mobility drills can help restore and maintain flexibility, reducing stiffness and improving overall function.

Strengthens weakened muscles: Targeted exercises can rebuild strength in muscles that may have atrophied due to inactivity or injury, improving support and reducing strain on the knee.

Improves function: By improving strength, flexibility, and coordination, exercise helps individuals regain confidence and return to their desired activities.

Why physical therapy is key

Physical therapists are the movement experts of the medical world. They can identify underlying the causes of knee pain thorough assessments of strength, balance, flexibility and/or cardiovascular issues that might contribute to your symptoms. If needed, they can also order any imaging such as X-rays or MRIs.

Kiss-Keep it Simple

By Sally King Redstone Review

Seventy percent of the fights between couples are perpetual. Repetitive and emotionally projecting In other words – not resolvable.

Self and Other. Over and Over Again, In a twisted knot

But if we can own our difficult feelings, At the end of the day (they go so quickly) We can say “Let’s kiss: job done?”

Sally King is a local artist who believes it’s imperative that each of us pop our head up out of the collective trace, to bring through our creative gifts. You can find her on her blog and website, hersoupot. net and sallywhiteking.com or e mail sallywhiteking@live.com.

By incorporating exercise into your routine and working closely with a physical therapist, you can effectively manage knee pain, improve your overall knee health, and enjoy a more active and fulfilling life.

Search for knee-strengthening exercises online to get started! Dr. Bronwyn Muldoon, PT, DPT, SCS and Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist, has extensive experience in sports medicine, orthopedic injuries and the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal conditions. She is committed to continually advancing her knowledge of human movement, striving to meet each patient’s individual needs and goals. She particularly has an interest in working with athletes, coaches and parents in preventive care such as ACL injuries, concussion rehab, and return to sport post injury. Her continual advancement in education demonstrates her commitment to providing the best possible care to her patients. She opened Lyons Physical Therapy in 1999.

Learn about Lyons Area History: Quarries/ Quarry Town, Lyons Pioneers, Lyons 1900s, Isabella Bird Welch Resort

S Lyon Billings Family Blue Mountain, Old Stone Church, Meadow Park, Chopin Through the Window by Franciska Stein

Muldoon

All About Town, a little book about LaVern’s family and her time in Lyons

By Sally King Redstone Review

All About Town is a short, illustrated story with historical photographs about LaVern Johnson and her tireless efforts to shape the history of Lyons, Colorado. While LaVern’s story is unique to a tenacious woman, in a small town, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, it is universal in its themes and message. All About Town is a lighthearted story, with a timely and important message about caring for the place you live. The book is meant to inspire people of all ages, but especially young people, to get involved in their community. While hard work and perseverance are necessary to create change, being involved in one’s community can also be rewarding and fun.

This charming little book written by Julie Smith and illustrated by Kim Murton will be coming soon. Watch for information about the book launch party because you are invited.

Your impact on Lyons’ businesses is huge

By Kim Mitchell Redstone Review

LYONS – Here we are Lyons, halfway through the long, dark days of winter. The good news is that we are on the upswing with over two minutes of daylight added each day. In two weeks, that’s more than a half hour of daylight and in one more month, we will nearly be at the spring equinox. Phew.

With winter temperatures and shorter days, the seasonality and slowness of winter days can add challenges for our locally owned, independent small businesses. These businesses are at the heart of our overall community success, contributing to Lyons with local jobs, unique products, local sales taxes, delicious foods and drinks, and improving our community character. We are proud to note that nearly all our retail store fronts are owned and occupied by people in the local community.

When the world wearies

When the World Wearies and Society Ceases to Satisfy

There is the Making of Art

High winds and turbulence in the country

My nerves frayedIt was time to craft I rolled up my sleeves and got to work A glue stick in hand and scissors

Blissfully creating ValentinesHot pink cardstock alone Is enough to warm the heart And how about glitter?

It was a delightful afternoon (much needed)

Relaxing on an invisible pink cloud

Dreaming of a few dear people to mail a card

My sister in N. Carolina, so elderly now and Our ancient ones in Maine (how did this happen?)

I made a total of six cards

But the satisfying mess I’d made of the dining room

The pure chaos of it

Bright bits of paper everywhere. Now that was inspiring.

Wishing you a Happy Valentines Day February 14, 2025. Love more, hug a librarian, make art, not war.

port that fosters a sense of belonging and connection.

Spending locally and supporting our small businesses has numerous positive benefits and impacts for our community.

The hashtag #shoplocal is more than just a social media trend or a temporary cause to support. It’s a vital practice with real power to boost the economy, strengthen our community, foster entrepreneurship, create and sustain jobs, and more. We believe in the power of community and want to highlight the impact you can make by spending and shopping locally.

1. Our small businesses create jobs. Local, small businesses in Lyons hire our local high schoolers, and provide jobs for adults in Lyons as well.

2. Our small business owners are risk-takers; they’re innovative and passionate about their services and offers.

3. Local businesses often take an active role in our community events, supporting local charities, our schools, and youth sports. The economic impact of shopping locally creates a cycle of community sup-

4. By supporting local businesses, you are providing incentives for more entrepreneurs to invest and locate their innovative ideas in Lyons.

How can you make local a habit? Consider a local option before looking elsewhere. This could be any simple thing; treating yourself to a massage, taking a local fitness class, new tires for your car, a tune-up for your bike, or a funky creation to hang in your home. Drop in to our restaurants for happy hour or make your date night a Lyons-style outing. Perhaps you can make a conscious commitment to buy one meal a week, a special birthday gift, or work with a local business for a service you need for your home. It’s likely right here for you in Lyons. Our local services and shops have something for each of us. Plus, they would love to see you.

During the winter in Lyons, we might spend less time outdoors, but there are options to gather with friends and neighbors. On Saturday, March 8, we will host the fifth year of the Lucky Lyons 5k and 10k based in Bohn Park. Learn more, start training and register or sign up to volunteer; geminiadventures.com/run/lucky-lyons. Later that afternoon the town will kick off a spring concert with Shauna Lee and Stone Soup Revival on March 8 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Bohn Park. This new, spring-themed, Blooming Beats Concert Series highlights the best of Lyons: talented local artists, great music, neighborhood connection, and community building. The concert series is powered by the Lyons Community Foundation. Speaking of locally owned, independent businesses, did you know that the Redstone Review is one of the very few remaining printed independent newspapers? The Redstone is celebrating 25 years of service in greater Lyons. Despite the challenges of distribution,

WHAT’S COOKIN’

How to make thin wheat crackers

By Barbara Shark Redstone Review

LYONS – Homemade thin wheat crackers are a simple treat to make. Guests are amazed at the wonderful taste of these morsels. “You made these?” They make a nice gift with a hunk of favorite cheese. But be careful. These are

very more-ish! Make a batch for game day snacks or dinner hors d’oeuvres and watch them disappear.

Combine one cup unbleached flour, one cup whole wheat flour, a quarter cup sesame seeds, a quarter cup sugar, and one half teaspoon salt. Cut in four tablespoons butter. Stir in a half cup of milk or enough to make a workable dough. I find I need about three quarters cup, but add slowly. Dough should be pliable but not sticky.

Divide into three pieces and roll, one at a time, extra thin – 1/16 inch if possible – between parchment sheets. Slide the bottom parchment with the dough onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with Maldon or other flaky salt, then roll over lightly to press into dough. Cut with a rotary cutter into one-and-a-half-inch pieces. Bake at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes until a little browned. Cool on a rack.

Barbara Shark is an artist and author of How I Learned to Cook, an Artist’s Life. Read her blog at www.howilearnedtocookanartistslife.blog.

A fermented tonic for winter – Romanian meatball soup with borș

By Catherine Metzger Redstone Review

We’re officially halfway through winter and though we’ve had a few spring-like days, there is colder weather ahead. Since we need to stay hydrated regardless of the season, we can consume our fluids in a delicious way in winter by making every day a soup day.

And here comes a delightful food-for-the ages soup: Romanian Meatball Soup, a.k.a. Ciorbă de Perișoare, which is made with a wheat bran-based fermented liquid called borș (the Russians call it borscht and use fermented cabbage instead). With your choice of homemade beef or chicken stock, the resulting soup is delicious, sour, deep and rich.

The borș liquid – made with wheat bran, corn meal and water – melds the flavors of the soup and is good for your gut. According to any Romanian grandma, drinking straight borș will cure anything.

If you want to make a simpler, faster soup without the borș foundation, you can just use beef or chicken broth and water and add three tablespoons of lemon juice to sour the soup. However, I highly recommend that you make the borș, which requires preparation three days ahead of making the soup itself.

I have to agree with Grandma that borș is a life-changing beverage, and Romanian Meatball Soup with borș makes it all worthwhile it on a cold day.

Make the borș

2 cups wheat bran

1 cup cornmeal

1 slice of good sourdough bread, or pumpernickel bread

2 quarts of warm water

A few cherry leaves from your tree (optional)

Rinse the wheat bran and strain through a sieve and place into a two-quart jar with a lid. Add the cornmeal to the bran and fill the jar with two quarts of warm water. Stir thoroughly and add the bread to the mixture then tighten the lid. Label the jar with the start date and the end date: three days later. Keep the jar on the counter at room temperature where you will see it and stir it

several times every day.

On day three, when you open the lid, it should smell sour but not rancid. Then pour the borș through cheesecloth to remove the solids. (If you’d like to make borș again, make patties of the solids and freeze them. They will help start the fermentation on your next batch of borș.) Set the liquid aside and begin preparing the soup.

Romanian meatball soup

Serves eight, preparation time is 45 minutes.

Make the meatballs

2 pounds ground beef

2 large eggs

¼ cup chopped dill

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

½ cup uncooked, rinsed rice

½ cup breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

In a medium-sized bowl, mix all meatball ingredients together. Shape into approximately 36 to 40 meatballs to one-inch size.

Set aside.

Make the soup

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large, chopped onion

2 large, chopped carrots

2 stalks chopped celery

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups borș

1 cup beef stock

1 cup water

1 teaspoon beef bouillon

2 tablespoons chopped lovage (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley as garnish Sour cream (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a seven-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook for about eight to ten minutes until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one minute, stirring. Add the beef broth, bouillon, borș and water. Bring the soup mix to a boil and add the meatballs, one at a time, so that the boiling is not disturbed. Boil gently for ten minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Add lovage, if you are using it.

Let soup simmer for another 20 minutes. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Catherine Ripley Metzger has been cooking professionally and privately since 1979. She was a French cuisine journeyman at the celebrated Henri d’Afrique restaurant in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Today she is the proprietor of the food blog www.foodfortheages.com and cooks with curiosity from the ground up in her log cabin home on the Western Slope of Colorado.

Working with Ian as first-time home buyers was one of the best decisions we made during the entire process. Ian made a challenging and stressful real estate market feel less overwhelming. His depth of knowledge steered us away from what would have been the “wrong home” multiple times. Including an early morning phone call where Ian provided us with a much needed sanity check on a property laden with red flags and would have been a “nightmare” had we continued forward. We told Ian during our closing that our experience would have been entirely different without his help. I still feel that way and because of that I can write this from the comfort of our new home and think back on the entire experience as a wild but good memory with a happy ending.

Jon R.

LEAF counts up achievements for 2024,

Lory Barton Redstone Review

LYONS – We have compiled LEAF’s, Lyons Elevating All Fund’s, outputs and impact for 2024, and the results reflect the challenges and the hope that many of us experienced last year. Here’s what we found:

Food Pantry

• 292 local people visited our Food Pantry a total of 4,712 times. This is a 21 percent increase in participation over 2023.

• We distributed 61,080 pounds of food, which is a 5 percent increase over 2023.

• Our teams ensured that everyone received plenty of food, but this value reflects the difficulties we face in sourcing food each week.

• Our team of 16 dedicated volunteers delivered 2012 hot meals and warm “hellos” to 16 of our community’s most vulnerable members. This is a 5% increase over 2023.

Basic Needs and Resource Matching

• We served 68 local people last year.

• We were able to meet more needs through our partnerships, particularly with the OUR Center.

Lyons Volunteers

• The teams undertook 12 individual projects and 43 Weed Posse deployments.

• Lyons Volunteers is growing this year. To learn more visit our website a leaflyons.org.

Mental Wellness and Addiction Recovery

• We served 482 individuals in 2024, a 325% increase over 2023.

• We provided 325 individual therapy sessions.

• We provided 182 group therapy sessions, a 314% increase over 2023.

• We provided 494 hours of work in the community, and 202 hours of case management, assessments, and referrals for higher levels of care.

• We expanded services to youth, offered suicide education and prevention training, and introduced community-based wellness.

All told, LEAF served 900 local people last year. This is a 27 percent increase over the number of people we served in 2023. Our 228 dedicated volunteers, who gave nearly 5500 hours of their time, along with nearly 300 donors and partners, made all of this good work possible. Indeed, our participation levels – of guests, of volunteers, and of supporters – were incredibly robust last year. These values are simply reflective of this caring and unified community, and proof that we are Better Together. And we’re not finished.

Now that we have moved to our new home at 304 Second Ave., we have more opportunities to serve, care, heal, support, and engage together. If you could benefit from LEAF’s services, please check us out. You are welcome at LEAF. If you have time and a desire to help, please consider volunteering with us. And if you have resources and a heart to give, please consider donating to LEAF.

What’s coming next? Do you remember LEAF’s Front Porch? The Front Porch was our summer sampler of community-based wellness offerings. From therapeutic drumming to equine therapy to nature-based wellness to art groups, there was something for everyone. Over 100 local people attended and loved these groups last summer. Lyons loved the Front Porch so much, in fact, that we’re back with more.

Welcome to the Fireplace. The Fireplace is our cold season-based sampler of free wellness offerings, designed to foster connection, health, and compassion in our community. Watch for a flyer in the mail, or check out our website at leaflyons.org. Over the next few months, LEAF will offer a terrific variety of community-based and community-growing wellness activities.

The Fireplace includes:

awareness with Dr. Cynthia Garner, learning to navigate challenging conversations, build a toolkit for healing in a traumatized world, and foster intentional engagement in polarized environments.

• Aging Masterfully – Cultivate health and longevity, improve mental wellbeing, strengthen community bonds, and learn behaviors that lead to lifelong rewards in this fun group led by Linda Scott, LPCC.

• Qi Gong Movement, Mindfulness, Intention – Combine gentle movements, breathing techniques, and mindfulness to build a peaceful state of mind, increase flexibility, grow self-awareness, and more, with certified instructor Lana Reed.

• Someone You Love – A confidential and supportive group for people who care about someone experiencing addiction, led by James Hart, CAS-III.

• Equine-Assisted Personal Development – Focus on mindfulness and stress reduction with equine coach Jackie Hibbard and her horses.

• Lyons Brotherhood – Local men’s coach Sonny Smith leads this group for men to share, discuss, and give support to fellow men around topics like relationships, communitybuilding, mentoring, and leadership.

• Sleep Hygiene and Seasonal Affective Disorder – Learn to plan for better sleep patterns and navigate the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder with Cherie Maureaux, LPC, LAC.

• Adult Art Workshops – Awaken creative energies with projects that explore emotional intelligence, relationships, and other topics, led by art therapist Jennifer Jarrett.

• Kids and Teen Art Workshops – Art groups for kids, designed to foster relationship building, connection, emotional development, and decision-making skills, led by art therapist Jennifer Jarrett.

• Mindful Action in Divisive Times – Cultivate mindful

• Strengthening Families – Caregivers and children come together to bond and communicate more effectively in this fun series, led by LEAF’s own certified family coaches. Includes dinner.

• Recovery and Sobriety Support

– Join addictions recovery specialist Corina Miller, MSW, LAC and her certified therapy dog, Charlie, for these confidential group meetings for those seeking or engaging in recovery.

• Sparks of Beauty, Seeds of Wonder – This self-actualization group uses guided visualization, wilderness wanders, and group counsel to foster and restore a sense of awe and wonder at the world and our own uniqueness, led by LEAF’s therapist Chris Peraro, LPC.

Truly, this depth of wellness resources is rare in a small community like ours. The Fireplace is for anyone (and everyone), regardless of income or insurance status. Thanks to grant funding, we are able to offer the Fireplace at no charge to participants. If you’d like to attend and make a donation to LEAF, we will gratefully accept your generosity. Regardless, we hope you’ll plan to join us at the Fireplace. Let’s gather for warmth and wellness together this winter. Of course, our core programs – Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, Lyons Volunteers, Basic Needs and Resource Matching, and Mental Wellness and Addiction Recovery – are ongoing. Visit our website to learn more, and to get involved. We are better together, after all.

Lory Barton is the Executive Director at LEAF, Lyons Elevating All Fund. Having previously served with local and international non-profit organizations, she’s glad and grateful to partner with so many at LEAF to change our small corner of the world in the Greater Lyons area. She will celebrate six years with the organization this month.

Barton

for households with earned income that is insufficient to secure quality housing in reasonable proximity to the workplace. The Town of Lyons further defines workforce housing as units that are available to residents earning 80 percent or less of Boulder County AMI. In Lyons, workforce housing is targeted toward employees who are vital for the everyday function of the community, such as teachers, public safety workers, first responders, Town staff, and workers in retail, food/beverage, and other core industries.

Despite the Housing and Human Services Commission working hard to ensure every person affected by the 2013 flood filled out an application with Highland Property Management for the newly built affordable two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes, the qualifying criteria was so narrow that many did not qualify. For instance, I heard of local firefighters and parks staff who overqualified. Some single-family households struggled to meet the minimum requirements.

Worst of all, I personally know of a family of four whose desire to return to Lyons was not feasible. I worry about the day our beloved teachers retire and their successors are not able to find attainable housing in Lyons. I worry about hiring town employees who cannot afford to live in the community where they work. I worry about our businesses finding employees so that they can stay open.

New York Federal Reserve president, John Williams said last month, “Housing affordability affects the ability of communities to attract businesses, and it affects the ability of employers to attract and retain workers and grow their businesses.”

I have a dream for Lyons where people who work in the community can also live here.

Tanya Mercer-Daty is a Trustee on the Lyons Town Board. She was born and raised in Canada. She has lived in Lyons for the past ten years after immigrating to the U.S. from France with her family in 2011. Feel free to contact her at tdaty@townoflyons.com.

“interpreted” languages like JavaScript and Python that force the machine do to all the work on the fly.

Easier and quicker and who cares if it wastes energy. So this was the mentality across the world as programmers worked on AI. You could write some code that would teach itself by trawling the Internet for knowledge and perform something called generative pre-training, which could cost $50,000 to build one large language model.

Smarter than humans? At least the gray matter in our heads is cool and self-contained and doesn’t heat the planet.

Peter Butler was born in India and lived in a house facing a giant kapok tree. Growing up in England there were trees but never quite enough. After qualifying as biochemist there was a gradual evolution into being a graphic designer. He and his wife Deirdre moved to the States in 1997 and to Lyons in 2000. Finally there are enough trees.

industry consolidation and printing costs, the paper brings you a free issue every month. Shopping and supporting local is more than a call to action using a trending hashtag. It is an intentional practice that makes a big difference in Lyons. Our small, independently owned businesses are the meeting places for bringing the community together, sharing news and stories and fostering a positive vibe. Many of them have fun gathering events planned for their winter and spring calendars too. Be sure to check them out. They are counting on you.

Kim Mitchell is the Community Relations and Communications Director for the Town of Lyons. She has called Lyons home since 2009.

Read Continued from Page

ary 2000 under publisher and editor Susan de Castro Gierach. The front page of the inaugural issue contained articles about art in town, whether the town should invest in upgrading or replacing the water treatment plant, and if the Lyons Elementary School should be remodeled or a new school be built. For 25 years the newspaper has con-

tinued to convey current information, news, opinions, and topics of local interest.

This brief history illustrates that owning and publishing an in-print newspaper was and still is never an easy venture. Those, like Susan de Castro Gierach, who persevere are to be commended for taking on that commitment to their readers.

Additional information about the history of Lyons newspapers can be found in the Lyons Newspapers: A History exhibit at the Lyons Redstone Museum. The museum will open to visitors on weekends in May and then daily through September. If you would like to explore more about Colorado newspapers, the online Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection (https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org) is a great resource and time capsule of Colorado history.

The Lyons Historical Society relies entirely on grants and donations to fund our operations and your support is greatly appreciated. You can donate online at https:// coloradogives.org/organization/Lyons-Historical-Society. If you prefer to donate by check please mail to Lyons Historical Society, PO Box 9, Lyons, CO. 80540.

Monique Sawyer Lang is the Collections Manager of the Lyons Redstone Museum. She is also a volunteer with the Lyons Food Pantry and a former member/chair of the Lyons Community Foundation Board. She lives in Spring Gulch.

hear from you. What do you love about your library? What could we do better? What services or programs would you like to see in the coming years? Your input will directly influence the library direction, ensuring that we continue to meet the needs and aspirations of our growing town.

Our Community Survey is open now, and we encourage everyone, whether you’re a frequent visitor or not, to share your thoughts. You can find the survey link on our website, in the library, and in an advertisement in this issue of the Redstone Review. Your voice matters and we truly appreciate your time helping shape the future of library services in Lyons. Your Lyons Community Library opens at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday. We close at 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. on Fridays, and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Our online catalog is available 24/7 at lyons.colibraries.org and we’re always open for digital downloads on the Libby, CloudLibrary, and Kanopy apps. Give us a call at 303-823-5165 or email info@lyonslibrary.com with any questions. Please see the calendar of events on our website for additional programs, program information, and registration instructions.

Kara Bauman is the Director of the Lyons Community Library and holds an MLIS from the University of Kentucky. She’s an avid fly angler, enjoys craft beer, and travels extensively to see her favorite band, Widespread Panic.

Old Man Winter Bike and Run

LYONS – This past weekend, the Old Man Winter Bike Rally and Run celebrated its 11th anniversary. This year’s epic winter festival was a huge success and had over 1,600 participants with even more at the event between the races and after party.

Along with several others, the Cemex Lyons Cement Plant sponsored the event for the sixth year in a row, including the second year of the Kids Kick Bike Race, which welcomed participants aged two to five years old.

During the Old Man Winter Rally, Cemex also promoted its Safer Roads Together initiative, a program that encourages road safety among pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

Boulder County Area Agency on aging LYONS – The Lyons Regional Library has partnered with the Boulder County Area Agency on Aging to bring you weekly dropin office hours. Stop by Wednesday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. to chat with our local resource specialist Amy Shoffner. If you are 60+ or caring for a senior, come learn about available services and supports. No appointment is needed.

3 to place the property in the IGA planning. The Boone family wrote a letter to the board asking to be included in the IGA planning area, suggesting that the areas that were not acceptable for development could be used for something like a town water tank and gave several other ideas for the land that was not buildable.

Trustee Glen Dalman was the deciding vote. The IGA Task Force said in notes to the board, “(The) Boone parcel High risk zone is not suitable for density development. May offer non-vertical development (infrastructure) or low water using light commercial opportunities.”

Mayor Hollie Rogin said she wanted to discuss the Boone parcel with the Boulder County Commissioners. The Boulder County Commissioners will be in Lyons for a Town Hall meeting at 432 Fifth Ave. in Lyons and the town board and others will be able to ask questions of the commissioners.

In other matters, Lyons Town Attorney

Sign up today for Smart911

LYONS – The Town of Lyons and Boulder County Sheriff’s Office encourages all residents to sign up for Smart911, a free service that helps emergency responders better assist you during emergencies. Creating a safety profile with important details such as medical information, household members, pets, and property details gives 911 dispatchers and first responders the information they need to provide quicker and more effective help. You can also receive emergency alerts and notifications for severe weather, traffic, and other local emergencies.

In an emergency, having your Smart911 profile on file can save valuable time and ensure that responders are aware of your specific needs. Whether it’s a medical condition, mobility issues, or details about your home, the information you provide is only accessible to dispatchers when you call 911.

How to sign up:

1. Visit www.smart911.com or download the Smart911 app.

2. Create your secure profile with as much or as little information as you like.

3. Rest easy knowing you’re giving first responders the tools they need to keep you and your family safe.

Brandon Dittman told the board that the Tebo Annexations will be postponed until April 7 because the town does not have a draft of the annexation agreement.

Mayor Rogin asked the staff to impress on Mr. Tebo how much time this takes our staff to deal with all these delays. It was noted that the town pays its attorney for doing the work he does each month on the annexations to prepare for the town board’s vote on the annexations and that time is wasted by the delays.

Administrator Victoria Simonsen updated the board on the federal grants and loans that the town uses for projects, now that President Trump has halted the funding that goes to the states. Attorney Dittman said that the former administration was prepared for this and they pushed all the federal funding for the states through as fast as they could. He said all the money that is currently with the states ready to be distributed to the municipalities can be distributed and can be used. He said that the government cannot “claw back” those funds.

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