Redstone Review sends a reminder to subscribe or donate
LYONS – Thank you to all of you who have donated or subscribed to the Redstone Review. Your contributions are greatly appreciated and also help us to survive going forward. No donation is too small.
We want to offer our donors and subscribers a way to pay whatever amount they choose to pay by using a credit card. We have a payment method set up through our accountant Julie Hamiton, who owns Scope Accounting here in Lyons. She can take your credit card number over the phone whether you are paying for an ad in the paper, a donation, or a subscription.
Julie Hamilton can be reached at Scope Accounting, Monday through Friday, at 303-3242869. Please also think about buying a subscription for one of your family members in another state, so that they can learn about the town you live in and see the wonderful pictures of our beautiful area.
February is the 25th year anniversary of the Redstone Thank you for your support.
Trash and recycling on highwind days
LYONS – The Town of Lyons wants to remind you that it is your responsibility to properly manage the waste leaving your home or property. In the summer, you must be bear aware, and in all seasons you need to be aware of our high-wind events. If your trashcan or recycling bin tips over and spills you must clean it up as soon as possible. Check with your waste hauler to ensure proper pickup during high wind events and make sure you do not set your bin out in unsafe conditions. Never put your trash out the night before. You should bag all trash contained in the bin so that a tipover is less risky, and you might also consider bungee cords, weighing down your trash can, or skipping the trash on days with high winds. Remember to check in with your waste hauler so that your technique will not create an inconvenience for the haulers or their machines.
Continue Briefs on Page 4
Town board makes fire mitigation a No. 1 priority, discusses lodging tax change
By Susan de Castro Redstone Review Editor
LYONS – LYONS – Lyons Town Board members have set their sights on items that carried over from last year and items to address and plan for in the new year. The board has been keenly aware of the current events, especially the wildfires in Los Angeles. Lyons and the surrounding area are in a wildfire area.
At a retreat held over the weekend before the general meeting, the board discussed changing to wildfire mitigation and infrastructure planning instead of affordable housing as a number one priority and workload.
Work on the St. Vrain Trail project is continuing. Work is currently being done on the Palmerton and Rough and Ready Ditch crossing structures. Work on the Highland Ditch bridge abutments should begin next week. The estimated project completion date is July 31, 2025.
Prior to its meeting in early January, the town board asked staff to look for some used electric vehicles to replace some of the aging vehicles in the current fleet. The board allocated $50,000 for the purchase of used electric vehicles from Boulder County.
Staff was able to purchase three used electric vehicles from Boulder County to upgrade the fleet. Administrator Victoria Simonsen said she was able to purchase two Ford Explorers and one other vehicle for under $50,000 for all three.
The board spend a lengthy amount of time on a discussion regarding the town’s lodging tax, which is always a sticky issue.
Town Attorney Brandon Dittman gave a review of the history of the lodging tax, which he explained was extremely complicated. Dittman said that what the staff wanted was some
sort of guidance document drawn up by the board as to how to administer the fees, because there was some confusion.
Back in 2021 a lodging taskforce was formed and it was decided that the town would charge a $2 fee/lodging tax on each campsite. Then the board had to decide how to define a campsite, and that decision was five people. But for some reason the ordinance never went through a second reading. So sometime later that oversight was discovered and rectified by the board going through a second reading keeping the original ordinance intact.
During the November 2022 election, the voters approved a ballot measure to change from a per-night $2 fee per accommodation (room or campsite) to a percentage-based tax. After the ballot measure was passed by the voters, the Board set this percentage at 5 percent (it can go up to 8 percent).
The issue before the BOT at the last meeting was one of interpretation. Should Planet Bluegrass remit payment per campsite or per pass sold? Planet Bluegrass has been remitting payment per campsite since the tax went into effect. Starting in 2026, it will be remitting payment per pass.
In the discussion that followed Attorney Dittman’s review, Mayor Hollie Rogin listened to all the board members comments and then she did a summary of the comments. “There seems to be a four to three decision to change the way the Planet calculates and remits its revenue, and it seems like the four folks who would like to see that happen are willing to wait until 2026 to make any changes,” she said.
The three board members who want to keep the same system in place by charging the campsites (consisting of five people) are Mayor Hollie Rogin and Trustees Tanya Daty and Glen Delman. The four trustees who want to change
the way the Planet calculates and remits its revenue by charging the number of passes sold are Trustees Greg Lowell, Mark Browning, Dave Hamrick and Paula Williams. But the change would not occur until next year.
Mayor Rogin said that staff will write a memo to Planet Bluegrass explaining the decision by the board and why the decision was made.
Trustee Browning pointed out that lodging taxes are local. He said he is not sure if the state cares about how lodging taxes are administered.
In other news, the town received the updated Special Use Permit from CDOT (Colorado Department Of Transportation) to include chairs and tables along the CDOT Right of Way on Main Street. An agreement with the adjacent property owner is under legal review. Main Street staff will aim to have these signed by each owner prior to Memorial Day.
The board moved on to discuss directions to staff on the Additional Dwelling Units (ADU) code revisions. The state passed some new regulations on ADUs and the board wanted to see if they were in compliance with the new regulations. The board discussed trying to make things simpler rather than piling on more regulations.
Mayor Rogin asked the board if they wanted to change their vacation rental policy. Trustee Mark Browning said, “Absolutely not.” He pointed out that the strict limitations on vacation rentals have been helpful in preserving the character of Lyons and have avoided the rentals being misused. The board members agreed.
Administrator Victoria Simonsen pointed out that the Town Hall is not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.
Cranes gather amid the fading glow of sunset
JANE SELVERSTONE
Learn from LA, and be proactive in Lyons
By Rob Stumpf Lyons Fire Chief Redstone Review
LYONS – Sometimes we firefighters feel pretty helpless too. I have been watching the fires in California, likely with greater interest than the lay person, since they started.
As the footage of the scale of devastation came to light, we started to hear of crews and engines deploying from neighboring agencies in Colorado to go and help. Circumstances currently don’t permit us to assist this time, though our staff has in the past gone across the country to render aid. Staying home when a major disaster unfolds is pretty uncomfortable for anyone, and especially for the helpers that I work with everyday.
I think the first taste I had of this discomfort was early in my career on September 11, 2001. My inclination, probably yours too, is first to sympathize, or empathize, followed quickly by wanting to know what you could do to help. That is where I was the morning of 9/11, and again in August/September of 2005 after Hurricane Katrina hit.
I did get to deploy on that one, and I am grateful to have been able to assist. The reality is that none of us can be there for every-
one, all the time. So as I watch Lefthand Canyon, and Mountain View, and Greeley and others rush to help, I am left here to ponder, but also to remain vigilant against our own threats.
I’ve been asked by a few to share my thoughts about Colorado’s risk and season, and what you can do about that. If you are reading this, you have some tie to Lyons, as a resident or business owner or friend or family, and there are things you can do.
First, have a plan. We live and work in an area highly susceptible to wildfire, and all of us should have a plan. Secure your essential documents (policies, IDs, etc.), have a go-bag ready, have a destination in mind and communicate it with your loved ones.
If you have pets or livestock, you need a plan for them too. During Stone Canyon we were overwhelmed by trailers trying to get in, while we were trying to get people out and firefighters in.
Leaving sprinklers attached to hoses in full view of our crews is a huge help. I know for a fact of at least two homes in Lyons still standing today because we were able to use their own garden hoses to create defensible space without risking the engine or lives of the crew. There is a ton of information online about preparedness, specifically at: wildfirepartners.org; csfs.colostate.edu/livewildfire-ready; and wildfireprepared.com.
Another thing you can do is respond to
the wildfire survey we’ve sent out with the help of Chiara Forrester and the Watershed Center so we can update our Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Our return rate on the survey is currently sub 30 percent. Let’s fix that.
Mitigating your properties, making it a neighborhood-wide project, supporting your local FDs, and heeding evacuations
in Lahaina, and in LA. I don’t know anyone in Colorado (me included) who hasn’t enjoyed a good joke or ribbing at the expense of a California transplant, but maybe we go easy on the next one we meet or the car in front of us with Cali plates trying to merge in front of us. Do what you can proactively to prepare your home and your family, and let the fire
all are things you have control over. Things you can do now. I try to stay apolitical as much as I am able, but I would ask you to not contribute to the misinformation and vitriol on the socials about who the LA Fire Chief is, or how the fires started or social media heroes’ best guess at how water supply works. It isn’t doing anyone any good. Homes built in the WUI with winds that exceed 60 to 100mph can create an unstoppable fire event. The only viable remedy for that kind of conflagration is to remove lives from the path. It was true for the Marshall Fire, and
LEAF Food Pantry moves to new digs on 2nd Avenue
By Lory Barton Redstone Review
LYONS – The Lyons Community Food Pantry has officially moved to its new location at 304 2nd Ave., marking a big step forward in LEAF’s (Lyons Elevating All Fund) work to address food insecurity in our community. Four years in the making, it’s incredible to see our community’s investment in one another’s health and wellbeing as LEAF settles in to its new home.
This transition not only solves longstanding logistical challenges but also paves the way for innovative collaborations, expanded services, and a brighter future for all who call Lyons home. Indeed, LEAF’s new home will make it more possible to grow health and wellbeing in Lyons, together.
Our teams and so many local people showed up recently to help us move and begin to get settled. Who saw the Food Parade, as many volunteers rolled rack after rack of food through town from our old home to the new one?
The Food Pantry has already begun serving from our new home. On the first day we welcomed 75 people, and everyone was thrilled to be part of the first day. Food Pantry attendance was up 21percent in 2024 over 2023, so this move could not come soon enough.
In the short term, our hours will remain Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Donations can be dropped off
Cell: 303-918-8400
Email: siddallteam@gmail.com Website: www.gateway-realty.com 324 Main Street, PO Box 217 Lyons, CO 80540
department focus on the reactive. And if you’ve done all you can, and still want to help, go here: https://www.redcross.org. Be safe, be well, be good to each other.
Chief Rob Stumpf came to LFPD in February 2023 as the Deputy Chief of Operations. Late in 2023 he became the fire chief at LFPD. He has 27 years of experience in the fire service, the last 12 of which he spent in Colorado. He served as a firefighter, engineer, Battalion Chief, and Operations Chief in small jurisdictions such as Lyons and Berthoud, and larger ones in Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana.
from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Over the coming weeks, we’ll continue to set up the rest of the space for our other programs and teams’ use. Look for LEAF to be open more hours and more days very soon.
Speaking of getting organized, we’re so fortunate to have a grant that completely covers the costs of furnishings and equipment – even including a medical exam room where LEAF clients can receive medical care. We think everyone will be thrilled with the community space that comes to life in our new home.
A space that meets the need
For years, LEAF and the Food Pantry operated out of a space that we rented from our friends at Lyons Community Church. Over the years, it became a strain to meet the growing demand for services. With our new space, we hope to provide a wider variety of fresh, nutritious food and to offer services and opportunities in an even more organized
and welcoming environment. The new facility also features parking and accessibility upgrades, ensuring that everyone can get to LEAF. These changes are not just logistical; they also represent our commitment to inclusivity and dignity. Unlocking potential: partnerships that build community This move is about more than just a larger space. It’s also a chance to reimagine how the Food Pantry and LEAF’s other human and behavioral health services work in Lyons. We look forward to collaborating with local busi-
Stumpf
Barton
MAYOR’S CORNER
Wildfire mitigation is top-of-mind for Lyons BOT
Rogin
By Hollie Rogin, Mayor of Lyons, Redstone Review
LYONS – Happy new year, Lyons.
After the current board was seated in 2024, we gathered for a Saturday morning retreat to set our priority areas for our two-year term. This past Saturday, January 11, we once again gathered to review these priorities and set some goals for the remainder of our term. The retreat was facilitated by Dr. Florine Raitano, the Director of Partnership Development and Innovation at Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG).
The priorities the board agreed upon at the outset of our term were housing, wildfire mitigation, and infrastructure planning, with economic development as an alternate and still vitally important issue. These remain our priorities; however, the majority of the board expressed an interest in shifting the bulk of our (and thus staff’s) workload from housing to wildfire mitigation and infrastructure planning.
This is not to say that we will not be doing some work on housing; with limited time and resources, we unfortunately can’t do it all, all of the time. And with the county’s
recent purchase of the 224 Seward mobile home community, we are assured that at the very least, we are preserving a small amount of housing that’s affordable. The 224 Seward community will be managed by the Boulder County Housing Authority, (BCHA) and they are in the process of determining which critical health and safety upgrades should be made in the near term.
Wildfire mitigation is unsurprisingly top-of-mind for the board and staff, as it is for the community as a whole. Particularly with the wildfires raging in Los Angeles at the moment, the board is carefully considering how to prioritize the work that needs to be done. This is always tempered with the reality that being surrounded by open space and mountains, no in-town mitigation efforts could stop an extreme fire event the likes of which we’re witnessing now in California.
We were extremely fortunate in so many ways last summer that conditions conspired to even make it possible for the talented, brave, and hard-working firefighters to save Lyons. That having been said, we are not without options. This board created a Wildfire Task Force led by Trustee Greg Lowell and Trustee Mark Browning. They have been working diligently with our partners, including the Lyons Fire Protection District, to create recommendations and a plan, and we look forward to seeing the results of these efforts. In the meantime, the board will
likely be considering Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building codes and more ways to incentivize defensible spaces, among other initiatives.
We recognize that creating defensible spaces can be costly. Boulder County, through its Wildfire Partners program,
The life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King
By Jim Ramsay Redstone Review
LYONS – When the Rev. Michael King, pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, attended the Baptist World Alliance in Berlin, Germany in 1934, he was so inspired by the story of 16th century Augustinian monk Martin Luther’s brave launch of the Protestant Reformation that he decided to change his name, and that of his son, from Michael to Martin Luther.
Though the compelling tale of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg is apocryphal, Luther’s insistence that the Bible is the source of religious authority and that salvation is achieved through faith instead of actions sparked a revolution in the Christian church. Armed with the name of a reformer, both Martin Luther King, Sr. and his son Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. went on to spark their own revolution in America: the Civil Rights Movement.
As pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Martin Luther King, Sr. was a pillar of his Atlanta community. He was an early member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and an outspoken supporter of rights for African
Americans. It comes as no surprise that his son became a celebrated spokesman in the movement. When he joined his father as co-pastor of Ebenezer Church, he used the pulpit to persuade his congregation, and African Americans throughout the nation, to confront racial inequality using the non-violent strategies he had learned from Indian activist Mahatma Gandhi. His techniques were so effective that they attracted the attention of FBI leader J. Edgar Hoover, who had Martin Luther King, Jr. under surveillance as a suspected communist for the rest of his life.
The success of his techniques also attracted the attention of James Earl Ray, a fugitive escaped from prison, who assassinated Dr. King at age 39 on a hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was always an exceptional student. He graduated high school at age 15 and was admitted to Morehouse College, where he received his BA in
1948. He went on to Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he received his BD in 1951, then enrolled in graduate school at Boston University where he received his doctorate in 1955. In Boston he met and married Coretta Scott, with whom he was to have two sons and two daughters. King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where he became involved in the Montgomery bus boycott to protest the arrest of black women who refused to give up their seats to white men. The boycott went on for over a year, during which the Kings’ home was firebombed and Dr. King was jailed for a minor traffic violation.
As a result of the boycott, the U.S. District Court ruled against racial segregation on public buses and King became nationally famous as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement.
As a national hero, Martin Luther King had attracted the attention of President John F. Kennedy and his successor Lyndon B. Johnson, but their admiration was mixed with mutual distrust. President Kennedy had actually authorized the FBI surveillance of King’s activities because of Hoover’s claims that he was a communist, even though Kennedy’s brother Robert, Attorney General at the time, had intervened on King’s behalf when he was arrested and sentenced to four months of hard
offered a $500 rebate for becoming certified in 2024. We have been told this will continue in 2025, and thanks to Trustee Browning’s suggestion, the town will match that with an additional $500 paid to the first ten private properties that become certified through this program. I believe there are additional incentive programs to investigate, including applying for 1A (wildfire mitigation sales tax) funding to increase the amount of these rebates, help offset the costs associated with potential WUI codes and help offset the costs (including retroactively) associated with installing sprinkler systems in new construction.
As we’ve seen, wildfire prevention is sometimes half the story. Being prepared is vitally important. The Housing and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has been working diligently to create ways to help residents prepare for potential evacuations, including creating go-bag backpacks for our most vulnerable residents. Look for more information on their specific activities soon. We have also been working with the county on evacuation planning for residents who live in BCHA properties. As a reminder, evacuations are determined by Boulder County, and not by the Town of Lyons.
This brings us to infrastructure. Lyons has an overwhelming need for infrastructure improvements, and it can be difficult to prioritize projects due in part to the immense costs involved. Our small tax base
labor for participating in a sit-in at an Atlanta restaurant.
After President Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Dr. King and President Johnson met behind closed doors to strategize on the 1964 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Civil Rights Act, both passed during Johnson’s presidency. However, King’s vehement opposition to the Vietnam War prompted him to withdraw his support for Johnson’s 1968 presidential campaign, and Johnson withdrew from the race. He nevertheless continued to admire King and was deeply saddened by his assassination.
Dr. King received a number of awards during and after his lifetime, most notably the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, the 1977 Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 2003 Congressional Gold Medal. The civil disobedience events he is associated with include the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, the 1963 March on Washington and the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965. During the March on Washington D.C., he delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech in which he revealed his vision of an America free of discrimination with equal rights for all.
In 2003 Congress declared the third Monday in January a Federal holiday in honor of Dr. King’s leadership and many accomplishments. This year this is January 20. If you have the day off, enjoy the slopes, but don’t forget that Martin Luther King Day is a celebration of the life and accomplishments of a remarkable man.
Ramsay
OPTIONS
Stories from the cemetery: Louis Jensen
By Monique Sawyer-Lang Redstone Review
LYONS – Perhaps the most distinctive gravestone in the Lyons Cemetery is that of Louis Jensen who was born August 5, 1860 in Sobale, Denmark. His gravestone is a large tree trunk with an ax, wedge, and maul at the base; it has an inscribed scroll at the center and it is entwined with ivy vines.
He and his wife, Abelona, who was originally from Sweden, immigrated to the U.S. in 1890 with their children Christine and Rasmus. A second son, Charley, was born in Lyons in 1895. Louis was a stone cutter and worked in the local quarries. Louis Jensen died at the age of 38 years, 6 months, and 7 days on February 12, 1899; the cause of death is unknown.
His daughter Christine married Herman Bohn on April 25,1906. They were members of the Old Stone Church and she served as a Sunday school teacher and church treasurer. Herman passed away in 1955 and Christine in 1978. She had lived in their home on Stickney Street for 63 years at the time of her death. They are both buried in the Lyons Cemetery just west of Jensen’s gravesite. Bohn Park in
Lyons is named after the Bohn family who came to Lyons in 1892.
Jensen’s wife Abelona passed away November 8,1906 in Pueblo, Colorado where she had been living for several years. She is buried in the same plot in the Lyons Cemetery as her husband Louis but does not have a gravestone.
The tree-shaped gravestone identifies Jensen as a member of Woodmen of the World. Woodmen of the World (WOW) Life Insurance Society is a not-forprofit fraternal benefit society based in Omaha, Nebraska. The organization was founded in 1890 by Joseph Cullen Root and operates a large privately held insurance company for its members.
After hearing a sermon about “pioneer woodsmen clearing away the forest to provide for their families,” and taking his own surname to heart, Root started a society that “would clear away problems of financial security for its members.”
The history of this organization includes numerous philanthropic efforts and community outreach projects.
An early benefit of WOW membership was burial insurance. Although this program was abandoned in the late 1920s as it was too costly, one physical legacy of the organization is gravestones incorporating symbols of the organization.
Typically, the headstones would include a depiction of a maul, wedge and ax which represent industry, power, and progress.
As Woodmen “do not lie,” a common inscription was “ Here rests a Woodman of the World .” The Latin phrase often seen on WOW gravestones, Dum Tacet Clamat , means “ though silent, he speaks. ” All of these traditional WOW elements are present on Louis Jensen’s gravestone. The above two phrases, along with Louis Jensen’s name, place and date of birth, death date and age, and the inscription “Gone But Not Forgotten” are inscribed on a stone scroll. The scroll symbolizes a
Seeing sparkles through the fog: Clouds of Sila Maria
By Peter Butler Redstone Review
LYONS – One of my favorite movies is Clouds of Sila Maria starring Juliette Binoche. She plays a famous movie star so the process of getting into character is not too hard for her. The story is described as a psychological drama. There is much handwringing about past glories, accompanied with plentiful gadding about various showbiz galas, with glitzy photo ops and dealmaking.
She has a personal assistant, played by Kristen Stewart, of whom a lot of the narrative involves. They spend a few days in a remote part of the Swiss Alps where they hear of
reminder of climate change. But as soon as 2025 made its debut we were back to the familiar 20°F sunrises and 40°F lunch times.
Friday January 3 dawned particularly special. I scraped the ice off my old Jeep in clear sunshine before setting off for Rabbit Mountain trail with the dog. But then entering town, the visibility got shorter as a blanket of freezing fog shaded everything gray. It reminded me that when we first arrived in the U.S. it took me a while to realize that fog, in the South, and here in the West, is a rarity. In England, as in Oregon or Minnesota, fog can settle in for days or weeks. It makes driving hazardous as visibility reduces to a handful of feet.
a local weather phenomenon called the Snake. One morning, they rise early and hike to a lofty overlook and experience a stream of frozen fog rolling down the deep U-shaped valley below flowing from right to left.
The cloud stream creeps down the valley like a serpent, looking spooky and mysterious and unique. I sometimes wonder how many times the production crew had to get up early and haul heavy cameras up there, facing disappointment day after day, before they got a stroke of luck.
But every winter we get our own snakes in Lyons. Crotalus Viridis and his linear chums might be hibernating deep in a crevice but our climate has substitutes. Sometimes they flow down Antelope Trail or other mornings flow over the top of Steamboat Mountain. Standing outside with a cup of coffee offers a few minutes of free entertainment. The last days of 2024 foisted a succession of dawn temperatures on us that were much too warm to be normal – a scary
There used to be hideous car wrecks on the M1 motorway from London to Birmingham where dozens of cars and trucks would plow into each other and forge a tangle of bent metal a quarter mile long. But then the legislators mandated super bright rear-facing red lights to the back of all cars to give some early warning to following drivers. It took me ages to realize that those lights don’t exist on our vehicles here.
At Rabbit, Tal the Border collie and I set off uphill through the cold and bracing mist into a monochrome scene as if the whole mountain had been fed into Photoshop, and the slider for color saturation dragged all the way to the left. But after a few minutes we emerged into clarity like swimming to the surface of water. Looking back, to the south and west was a luminous spectacle with the morning sun energizing the once-drab mist into a glowing ghost. As we proceeded upwards, the mountain gifted us fields of frosted grass.
Snow and frost are the great equalizers. The pastel shades of autumnal sepias and russet tones were spray painted to a uniform white crispness. Blades of grass, each laboring under the extra load of hoar frost, drooped in looping arcs across the prairie, and everything dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
As we arrived at the top, where we could finally see toward the east, we seemed to be floating above an ocean of frozen fog tiding in from Longmont and beyond. As this milky mass arrived at our smaller canyons such as the Little Thompson, heading toward Blue Mountain, there were snakes pulsing like slow-motion whipping cream heading north and west.
Then, slowly as the sun rose higher in the mid-morn-
person’s life: the past rolled up at the bottom, the present (name, birth and death dates) on display in the center, and the future in the afterlife yet to be revealed is rolled up at the top. Ivy vines, which symbolize sincerity and sorrow, wrap around the gravestone.
There are a number of less ornate WOW gravestones throughout the Lyons Cemetery. They are identified by a simple tree log laying across the top of the gravestone or by a round carving of the WOW symbols on the face of a gravestone.
If you would like to learn more about the history of the Lyons Cemetery and the stories of some of those buried there go to: https://virmuze.com/m/lyons-redstone-museum/. Additional information about WOW tree gravestones can be found at: https://blog.billiongraves.com/treegravestones-for-woodmen-of-the-world/. 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.
ing sky, it was as if someone were wiping a steamed up bathroom mirror and the tiny details of peaks, trees, crags and dwellings on the horizon came back into focus. Bit by bit, the pastel tones reclaimed their birthrights from the interloper frost king. The rare and precious super magic retreated to its secret hiding place of cosmic quantum entanglement in the sky, and our normal, ordinary, day-today magic resumed.
As we returned and looked north and west, the middle distance moped in gloomy shades of umber and gray, but in the distance Meeker, Longs and their gleaming white shark’s teeth neighbors, the Indian Peaks, were shining like diamonds. South to Pikes Peak the view was a blaze of sundrenched low-lying cloud. A mystical moment to remember. Many of us travel all over the world to see marvelous sites and enjoy bucket list experiences, but we should never forget that here in Lyons we are surrounded by wonder and can experience it merely by walking out of our front doors.
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.
B R I E F S
Disposal of items on the sidewalk
LYONS – The Town of Lyons asks you to please remember that you should not dispose of items on the sidewalk or street in front of your home or on town property. While we understand this is a common way to give away items, it does not mean that this is a proper way to do so. Consider advertising your free item online or elsewhere so you can find it a new home, or consider donating the item. If your item is in poor enough condition that it may not be accepted as a donation you will like-
ly need to pay to dispose of it properly. We see many items left outside long-term or in harsh conditions which means your item likely has lost its value and you are creating a nuisance within the town or for your neighbors. Thank you.
Snow and ice accumulation and you
LYONS – The Town of Lyons reminds you that winter is here and that snow and ice accumulates along walking paths when we get a winter storm. Streets and sidewalks are public spaces. It is important to remember that as a
Louis Jensen Tree Gravestone by Baiba Lennard
Sawyer-Lang
Butler
E L
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LOOKING UP
Special places gone, special places saved
By Greg Lowell Redstone Review
LYONS – I talked the other day to my friend back home, and he related to me how the woods behind his home were being ripped up for a new subdivision smack in the middle of a beautiful piece of land we’d hunted for more than 30 years.
I sympathized but told him quite frankly I was surprised it hadn’t happened sooner and that we should both be used to it by now. That forest was among the many outdoor places I once knew that are no longer. Woods, fields, wetlands are now gone to roads, houses and worse.
The artist and nature writer David Carroll wrote of the loss of wild places to development, “I have long witnessed the invasion that takes the heart from the landscape, and it has taken much of the heart from me.”
If I’ve learned anything in my more than 70 years, it’s that nothing stays the same. Some change is for the good, but most change that involves loss of natural areas is bad. In an unenlightened time, this loss was termed “progress.” Then we (at least some of us) got smart and realized that progress for some is deterioration for others.
Growing up, I had a hayfield across the street and a millpond down the road for my childhood adventures. The hayfield is now buried under houses and a street, and the millpond is gone as the dam that formed it was removed. Where my friends and I fished and floated rafts is now gone and soon will return to forest, then likely development.
And then there was Chester. It was a small town in southern New Hampshire we moved to quite by accident. After four years of being away, my new job took us
back to our native state, and in a year of 18-percent mortgages, the only house we could afford was the fixer-upper where we raised our children and lived for nearly 30 years. It was on a sparsely populated (at the time) back road surrounded by woods with a pond and marsh behind it. We were constantly surprised with the richness of life that surrounded us – the nesting turtles in the yard and the chorus of frogs that filled our spring nights.
But then came the 1990s high tech boom and thousands of Massachusetts workers found rural New Hampshire attractive and within commuting distance of the Boston beltway. Our rural town of 1500 people tripled in population. Pink surveyor ribbons fluttered in the woods and new subdivisions ate up large tracts of woods and fields.
At first there was rage over these insults to the land, then there was sadness and only remembrances of what once was. But there was never resignation.
I fought it as much as I could. As a longtime member of the town’s conservation commission, my fellow members and I fought the developers, and we won battles but never the war. I led an effort to conserve land in town and was surprised when my fiscally conservative neighbors approved millions of tax dollars for land preservation. Alarm over the land-gobbling growth apparently knew no party lines.
In the end, much was saved but many places I cherished are gone to McMansions and asphalt. Eventually we moved on, but I still think fondly of my days afield there rambling through woods and fields and wondering if the rare turtles and the springtime pools they frequented survived the bulldozers.
If there’s a sad lesson in all of this, it’s that we shouldn’t become too attached to any one place. Because unless it’s a national
park or conserved land, it’s going to break your heart, as Carroll says. Only in your memories will those places be as they were. Here in Lyons, we are fortunate to be surrounded by land that will never be developed. Heil Valley and Hall Ranch open spaces are preserved by Boulder County with the support of our tax dollars, and the Roosevelt National Forest at our back door is protected in one way or another.
development.
More good news in the Lyons area is the preservation of 196 acres (part of the Little Thompson area) just across the county line in Larimer County. The land abuts 320 acres that are already protected and abuts the Rabbit Mountain Open Space.
We should all thank Boulder County Parks and Open Space (as well as the landowners who had the foresight to preserve their land through them) that the hogback from Lyons to Nelson Road isn’t covered with houses and that that land is among the more than 107,000 acres in the county they’ve preserved and which they continue to work to preserve.
The most recent BCPOS land conservation efforts include the county exercising its option to buy the development rights to 153 acres of Cemex property and the expected mid-2025 purchase of the 613acre former quarry, which is currently being reclaimed. Haystack Mountain – the distinctive peak between Longmont and Boulder – became the county’s latest acquisition in October, saving the 105-acre parcel from
Hygiene Feed and Mercantile serves the community
By Jim Ramsay Redstone Review
PINEWOOD SPRINGS – Hygiene Road has always been one of my favorite back roads home from Longmont, providing a low-speed country alternative to the Ute Highway with the possibility of seeing bald eagles hunting prairie dogs at Bashor Farms along the way. I even got caught in a cattle drive on that road once, my car surrounded by bellowing moms and their calves being driven from one pasture to another by real cowboys waving lariats.
But recently I had the good fortune to stop at a venue along the road that has been there for over 40 years, the Hygiene Feed and Mercantile store at the southwest corner of the hamlet of Hygiene.
Last summer, Jay and Mea French took ownership of the feed store, and they are committed to serving the needs of their community (not just Hygiene, but also Lyons and Niwot, towns that have recently lost their local feed and hardware stores.)
About all they inherited from the previous owners was the big sign in front with the old name of the store, Hygiene Feed and Supply, and a nearly-20-year-old cat named Smudge, who is in charge of solar energy collection and keeping mice out of the feed.
The store offers animal feed for pets and livestock, a wide selection of bird seed, miscellaneous hardware for doing repairs around the house, baby chicks and even Christmas
trees in season. If you can’t find what you want, please ask because they are committed to supplying what the community needs. They are even thinking about offering delivery to serve nearby customers. They are proud to be the only small feed store around.
Jay and Mea live two miles outside of town on an acreage with their two daughters, a son, and some horses, goats and chickens. Their kids are active in 4H and Future Farmers of America, and they help out at the store when they can.
Jay’s father attended Hygiene Elementary School many years ago, and one of their daughters also attended there, so they have deep roots in the community. Before they bought the Hygiene Feed and Mercantile, they ran Table Mesa Hardware in Boulder. But they are not planning to turn the Hygiene store into a hardware store. They’d prefer to think of it as a local alternative to the big box stores in the cities.
You can visit Hygiene Feed, 7455 Hygiene Rd. in Hygiene, from 8:30 until 5:30 Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday. They’re closed on Sunday. After winding up the interview and starting to climb into my car, I was startled by a cacophony of honking, quacking and wings beating the air. The surface of the lake across the road from the feed store seemed to rise up, pivot and head south. So come to Hygiene for the feed and hardware, but
While these newest conservation efforts are laudable, development continues to gobble up huge swathes of the Front Range – one of the fastest growing regions in the state. It’s not always the land we lose but the quiet woods and the uncrowded hiking paths. It’s one thing to preserve land, quite another to protect the ecosystems on that land. But those are the tradeoffs we make; preservation takes public support, and the public often equates preservation with increased recreation potential. It’s a gift to live here in the Lyons area, surrounded by a protected landscape. But there are those who insist that the greater good would be to develop every available piece of land to accommodate everyone who wishes to live here. The developers and those who see land as nothing but dollars are more than willing to ally their interests with this philosophy.
So, in the end we all need to fight for the preservation of places we know and love and if that makes me a NIMBY I’ll wear that label proudly. Brand me as antigrowth, so be it. In my book, the developers and hucksters who have long told us “Growth is good” have had their say. Now it’s our turn.
Greg Lowell came west from New Hampshire and is currently a Trustee on the Lyons Town Board. He is on the Ecology Board and writes on ecology issues.
stick around for the birding. It’s amazing.
Jim Ramsay was raised in Iowa, Iran, Nigeria and Afghanistan. He 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 moved from Boulder to Pinewood Springs in the early 1990s to follow a dream of mountain living, and he’s still up there.
property owner, businesses owner, renter, or responsible party, you are the one who is in charge of removing snow and ice around your property. It is unlawful to allow snow or ice to accumulate or remain upon any sidewalk alongside your property for longer than 24 hours from the last accumulation of snow or ice. Please help keep Lyons safe and ensure the sidewalks near you are cleared within the given time frame.
2025 Budget: Where do your property taxes go?
LYONS – The Board of Trustees (BOT) approved the 2025 budget and mill levy at its November 18 and December 2 meetings. The
The BOT
to
the mill levy at the 2024 level of 15.137 mills. Curious where your
erty taxes go? For each one dollar paid in property taxes: •SVVSD receives 48.79 cents; •Boulder County receives 18.14 cents; •Lyons Fire Protection District receives 13.12 cents; •Town of Lyons receives 12.9 cents; •Lyons Regional Library receives 5 cents; •Lefthand Water and Northern Water receive 2.05 cents.
B
Jay and Mea French, proud owners of Hygiene Feed and Mercantile.
Smudge keeps a watchful eye on all the comings and goings!
CONSENSUS
The Dog Spaw Spa and Divine Truth Hub welcomes pups and people
By Jim Ramsay Redstone Review
SPRINGS
PINEWOOD
–
When Jenaé Sigg says, “Dogs are my life,” it’s no exaggeration. Dogs were her solace through a difficult childhood, and when Dr. Jolene Duncan of the Lyons Veterinary Clinic “discovered” her on the ski slopes of Lake Eldora, Sigg brought the grooming skills she had developed from a lifetime of loving dogs from Nederland to Lyons.
At first, she operated her dog grooming service out of the Lyons Vet Clinic at 412 High St., and eventually she found her own space in 402 Main St., and Lovely by Nature, the all-natural dog-grooming spa, was born. But misfortune struck when a fire gutted the building, leaving Lovely by Nature and the other tenants without a venue.
Fortune smiled on Sigg once again when a friend suggested she might find a location
for her grooming service across the street at 419 Main St. It was a much bigger space, so Sigg decided to use the extra space as a boutique where customers could purchase dog bones and treats. The boutique never quite materialized, but this summer she was inspired to turn it into a meeting place where like-minded people could get together in the evening to discuss their life journeys, and the Divine Truth Hub was born.
The front room of the Dog Spaw is where
Sigg invites people to enjoy a cup of herbal tea while they discuss their spiritual journeys. The room is decorated with artwork from local artists, and an altar in the corner holds a deck of tarot cards and a deck of oracle cards she makes available during her evening sessions. She prefers the oracle cards to the tarot cards and uses the cards more to facilitate discussion than to predict the future.
While researching the healing properties of sound, she discovered that the dogs she was grooming responded positively to the sounds on the podcasts and playlists she was listening to, so she decided to include healing sound in her evening sessions. She has also been exploring making “vision boards,” collages of words and pictures pasted onto foam boards, as a way for participants to focus on their goals and aspirations.
My housemates recently invited me to a “sound bath” at the Divine Truth Hub. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had heard Tibet-
Lyons HHSC offers help to pay home heating bills
By Kay Sparks Redstone Review
LYONS – There is Heating Cost Help from Lyons HHSC (Housing and Human Services Commission.) The Colorado Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is a federally funded program that helps eligible Colorado families, seniors and individuals pay a portion of their winter home heating costs between November through April.
Assistance includes help with heating costs, equipment repair and/or replacement of inoperable heating tools. The program is not intended to pay the entire cost of home heating, rather it helps alleviate some of the burdens that come in Colorado’s colder months.
The energy assistance benefit is paid directly to the household energy supplier or
primary heating fuel vendor and a notice will be sent to you informing you of the benefit amount. Other benefits provided by LEAP include repair or replacement of a home’s primary heating system, such as a furnace or wood-burning stove. The program does not provide financial assistance for any type of temporary or portable heating.
If the family income is up to 60 percent of the state median income level, the family may qualify for heating assistance through LEAP. Sixty percent of the state Area Median Income varies by family
an singing bowls before, so I knew about the healing properties of the vibrations they produce. When we arrived at the Divine Truth Hub, Sigg had about six singing bowls positioned around the room, and when she brought out an enormous tuning fork, I knew we were in for a treat. The bowls are played by alternately striking them with a mallet and running the mallet around the rim of the bowl. Each produces a different vibration. Soon the room was awash with resonating sounds and vibrations, and when a young man who
size. In Colorado, for one person, it is $36,983; for two persons – $48,362; for three persons – $59,742; for four persons – $71, 122; for five persons – $82,501; for six persons – $93,88.
The amount of the energy assistance benefit varies depending on a variety of factors, including the primary heating fuel costs, total household income, the amount of the LEAP Program funding and applications received. LEAP pays the highest benefits to those with the highest primary heating fuel costs.
To apply, submit an application online through the Colorado PEAK website or apply over the phone (1-866-432-8435). An interview is not required for LEAP. Most non-emergency applications are processed within ten to 25 days.
For help with any of the following, call 1-866-HEATHELP (1-866-432-8435): If you’re looking for assistance outside of LEAP season; if your heat is about to be shut off and you qualify; if heat is included in your rent and you do not live in subsidized housing.
If you do not qualify for LEAP, help may still be available. If you qualify for LEAP you may also qualify for the heating system repair/replacement program. Please call FOR MY HEAT (1-855-469-4328) for additional information.
Continue HHSC on Page 14
Lyons Regional Library offers learning experiences, creative tools, and fun
Bauman Ramsay
By Kara Bauman Redstone Review
LYONS – Have you ever wanted to learn a new craft, watch an acclaimed film, or stay up-to-date with breaking news?
The Lyons Community Library is your gateway to all these experiences and more, right at your fingertips.
We’re thrilled to announce the addition of Creativebug to our suite of digital offerings. If you’ve ever dreamed of picking up knitting needles, mastering watercolor, or creating handmade gifts, Creativebug’s expertly led, on-demand video classes are for you. With unlimited access to thousands of
to offer full digital access to The New York Times . With your library login, you can enjoy award-winning journalism, in-depth reporting, and opinion pieces that help you stay informed about world events and cultural insights, all without hitting a paywall. Try your hand at the Saturday crossword puzzle if you dare.
We also have a fantastic lineup of upcoming events for the community to enjoy.
On Friday evening, January 31, bring the whole family to Noches en Español for dinner and kid-friendly activities that will be conducted 100 percent in Spanish.
This month, Anima Arts will lead guided movement explorations, games, music, and storytelling to inspire our spirit of discovery.
high-quality tutorials, you can learn at your own pace, experiment with new techniques, and unleash your creativity from home or on the go. Find Creativebug under the Online Resources tab of our website.
But that’s not all. Remember that your library card also grants you access to Kanopy, a premier streaming service with a diverse catalog of films and documentaries. Whether you’re in the mood for thought-provoking indie films, classic cinema, or family-friendly programming, Kanopy’s ad-free experience is sure to entertain and inspire. For readers and news buffs, we continue
It’s already time to being thinking about spring planting. Join us on Saturday, February 1 to share information about each other’s’ projects and swap seeds. Bring your own seeds, or we will have some to use, and we’ll work on stocking the community seed library. No experience required and all ages welcome. Special thanks to our local partners Beauty Beyond Belief Seed Company, Botanical Interests, and Simply Bee Organics for their contributions to this project.
On February 3, join us for an adult paint-and-sip event where you can create a whimsical winter scene while enjoying warm beverages. No prior painting skills needed: just bring your creativity and enjoy a cozy evening.
Join us on February 12 for the next installment of our Pints and Pages Book Club at MainStage Brewing when we’ll discuss Hard By a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili. Vardiashvili’s Kafkaesque debut follows a Londoner’s dark journey home to Georgia, his native country, to search for his missing father and brother. It will a great opportunity to enjoy a pint and connect with fellow readers.
The next hands-on clinic in the Winter Series with our friends from the Rocky Mountain Conservancy will be February 28 when you’ll learn how to build your own first-aid kit from scratch. Experienced instructors will guide you through selecting essential items for your kit based on your activity, duration, number of people in your party, and distance from further care. Whether you want to build your own first aid kit from scratch or modify a kit you already have, don’t miss this opportunity to take control of your safety and be prepared for whatever comes your way. Spots fill up quickly. Our January session was fully booked, so be sure to reserve your spot soon. Whether you’re a lifelong learner, a film aficionado, or a news junkie, the Lyons Community Library’s digital services and events bring the world to you. And best of all? It’s all free with your library card.
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 Satur-
days. 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.
Jenaé Sigg at Dog Spaw, here love for dogs and a passion for spiritual journeys come together.
ART & ENTERTAINMENT
Don’t miss Wild Things from the works of Maurice Sendak at the DAM
By Staff Reports Redstone Review
DENVER – Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak presents more than 450 artworks created by Maurice Sendak.
One of the most versatile artists of the 20th century, Sendak is best known for picture books, especially the award-winning titles Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen, Outside Over There, and Nutshell Library. He also designed theater sets and collaborated on films.
The show is now on exhibit through February 17 at the Denver Art Museum, in the Hamilton Building, 100 W 14 Ave. Pkwy., Denver, CO.
Wild Things is named after Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, the beloved children’s book he authored in 1963 that became a cultural touchstone. The exhibition’s title signals to all the beauty, whimsy, and mischief that his art inspired over his 65-year career. Sendak uses his own boyhood memories and experiences to form the character, Max, who tames the wild beasts and becomes the king of the wild things.
Visitors will see unique examples of Sendak’s timeless art, such as the final artworks for Where the Wild Things Are, and get a sense of his extraordinary skill and his deep understanding of the process of creating picture books and designs for the stage, television, and film productions.
The show will include a wide array of drawings, paintings, posters, and mockups for books. It will also include set designs for the Where the Wild Things Are opera and the costumes for the live-action, feature-length film.
Alongside Sendak’s work, Wild Things will showcase works by other artists that Sendak collected throughout his life, tracing the origins of his creativity to William Blake, Winsor McCay, Beatrix Potter, George Stubbs, and Walt Disney. Sendak’s collaborations with distinguished directors, composers, writers, and choreographers such as Carroll Ballard, Frank Corsaro, Carole King, Spike Jonze, Tony Kushner, among many others, are also illuminated throughout the exhibition.
Tickets are required for this exhibition. The museum staff recommends planning to spend at least 90 minutes in the exhibition to ensure you see it all. For more information go to the DAM website or call 720-865-5000, Denver Art Museum, Primary Phone and Call Directions 720-9130130 Denver Art Museum, Alternate Phone.
By Rachel Pickarski Redstone Review
LYONS – On Sunday, November 10, 2024, the Lyons Community Foundation (LCF) held its annual Grantee Reception at the Lyons Farmette. This gathering celebrated the community’s dedication to local projects that contribute to the vibrancy and resilience of Lyons. Local partners, including Mojo Taqueria, Spirit Hound Distillery, and Lumber Liquors generously provided food and beverages; the LCF team is grateful for their support.
During the event, LCF announced that it had awarded just shy of $85,000 in grants for 2024. The grants support a broad range of initiatives that embody the foundation’s mission to enhance the quality of life in Lyons. The funded projects span human services, environmental sustainability, youth enrichment, and cultural engagement.
This year’s recipients include organizations that address critical community needs and foster growth, such as: Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, St. Vrain Valley Education Foundation, Lyons Lions Booster Club c/o Lyons Middle Senior High School, Lyons Elevating All Fund (LEAF), Lyons Fire Fund, Lyons Historical Society/ Lyons Redstone Museum, Lyons Arts and Humanities
denverartmuseum.org
Commission (LAHC), Lyons Valley Preschool, Lyons Community Theater, Town of Lyons, Town of Lyons Parks and Recreation, Simply Bee Conservation, Lyons Pride, Lyons Elementary School (LES), Lyons Backer Football Club. The evening underscored the deep community support that makes this level of philanthropy possible. Guests shared stories of impact and expressed gratitude for LCF’s
A Breakdown of LCF grants awarded for the 2024-2025 grants season by category
Meet Edith, a 9-year-old bundle of sunshine wrapped in soft fur. This sweet, sassy gal is ready to fill your home with love and a touch of charm. She’s a cuddle enthusiast who will happily snuggle by your side, greeting you with gentle tail wags and soulful eyes that say, “You’re my favorite person.”
Though she’s wise with age, Edith’s heart is youthful, and her love knows no bounds. She dreams of a home where she can enjoy cozy naps, soak up affection, and show off her spunky side when the mood strikes. Could Edith be your perfect companion?
To see all our adoptable animals or get more details visit longmonthumane.org. Or stop in at the shelter at 9595 Nelson Road.
enduring commitment to strengthening the fabric of Lyons.
Transitioning into new developments, LCF proudly welcomed its newest board member, Dr. Helena Yardley. Dr. Yardley, who has called Lyons home since 2018, brings a wealth of experience in both scientific research and community-oriented initiatives.
Originally from Vancouver, BC, she moved to Colorado to complete dual doctorates in Neuroscience and Integrative Physiology, along with a Certificate in Behavioral Genetics. Her dedication to philanthropy extends beyond her professional life; in 2019, she founded a company focused on supporting those in need, which she successfully led until 2023.
Dr. Yardley is also an active part of the local community, running a small farm where she and her family care for various animals and promote eco-friendly practices by cultivating native flowers. She is excited to contribute her expertise and passion to LCF’s initiatives, bolstering the foundation’s mission to serve and uplift the Lyons community. For more information about LCF’s programs and future events, visit lyonscf.org.
Rachel Pickarski is the Marketing and Communications Consultant for Lyons Community Foundations.
Looking back on 2024 at Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
By Cindy Leikam Redstone Review
LONGMONT – The start of a new year is a time of reflection and resolution, rest and renewal. In 2024, Greenwood Wildlife took in a total of 4,316 patients, comprising 137 different species. Birds made up the largest group of intakes at 2,022, followed by squirrels 723, waterfowl 478, raccoons 269, and 134 other mammals. Orphans made up the top reason for intake, followed by attacks from domestic pets or wild predators, and vehicle collisions.
Each year brings the usual array of critters, robins, squirrels, ducks, and bunnies, but occasionally, the unusual species enter our care. Some of 2024’s most unique patients included a pelican caught up in fishing line, seven orphaned Yellow-bellied Marmots, two baby North American Beavers, an American Mink, orphaned Horned Larks, and a Western Kingbird fledgling that refused to eat unless his Eastern Kingbird buddy fed him. There are so many more heart-warming tales of rescue that we see on a daily basis that it is impossible to chronicle them all.
One major milestone of 2024 was the opening of our lagomorph facility, affectionately coined the Bunny Hotel. After years of construction and preparation, the rabbit ward accepted nearly 700 patients. This additional rehabilitation space, separate from the main building, is critical to keep a quiet environment, which reduces stress on lagomorph patients. Wild rabbits can die from exposure to loud noises and stress. Because the Bunny Hotel is in a separate building, noise and foot traffic are kept to a minimum. Desert
Cottontails made up the majority of patients, followed by Eastern Cottontails.
Behind the scenes, staff set lofty goals to bring Greenwood’s mission to more people in Northern Colorado. Through the tireless work of our Outreach and Education team, 8,014 adults and 5,945 children were reached through 37 educational programs and 48 outreach events. As for fundraising events, 2024 was the debut of Birdies and Bogeys, Greenwood’s charity golf tournament, which kicked off the summer season on the greens. Meanwhile, the annual gala, Wild Night for Wildlife, was a huge success at a new venue, Nissi’s Event Center in Lafayette.
Another notable event of last year was one of the many wildfires of the season that affected many in Boulder County. The Stone Canyon Fire started days after the Alexander Mountain Fire and was so close to Greenwood that all onsite staff, volunteers, and interns were forced to evacuate. Thanks to their quick work, over 600 animals were evacuated in less than six hours. A broad network of animal shelters, in-home licensed rehabilitators, and other wildlife rehabilitation facilities stepped up to provide temporary housing and care to the hundreds of animals in need. Fortunately, the fire was quickly contained, the wildlife center was unharmed, and animals and staff were able to return within a week.
Looking through the lens of a fresh new year, some resolutions and goals for 2025 include raising enough funds for a Greenwood cargo van to assist with transporting animals in the case of evacuations. Several enclosures also need to be upgraded. To help meet the needs of a growing community and increased potential for conflicts with wildlife, we will help more rehabilitators get licensed to provide in home care for needy animals. By expanding education and outreach efforts more people will know what to do in case of a wildlife emergency, and where to find help. While we relish the quiet of the season at Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center this winter, we look forward to another year of saving lives and making a difference in the community.
Here’s to another year of working hard for the precious creatures of the wild.
Cindy Leikam is an intern for Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, on Colorado Hwy. 66 east of Lyons.
Colorado’s state turtle spends the winter buried in mud
By Deborah Huth Price Redstone Review
PINEWOOD SPRINGS – As I sit in a warm house watching the falling snow, it often crosses my mind how difficult it must be for wildlife to survive the winter. Nature provides adaptations for every creature, but one of the most interesting survival mechanisms is that of turtles.
The western painted turtle is one of our more recent official state emblems, adopted as the Colorado state reptile in March 2008. It is probably one of the most beautiful turtles.
The name is fitting – it actually looks like an artist used a paintbrush to decorate its neck, legs, and under its shell with swirling colorful patterns of yellow, orange, and red.
Fossil records indicate that painted turtles have been in North America for 15 million years, so obviously they have been good at surviving many winter seasons. Being reptiles, they are cold blooded and depend on environmental temperatures to keep their bodies warm. When the temperatures start to drop in late fall, the turtle’s metabolism slows down, along with its heartbeat. This means that it needs less oxygen to survive.
tion, reproduction, and also as a cool breathing apparatus. Some birds, other reptiles and a few mammals also have a cloaca but it’s mainly the turtles that utilize it for the additional function of breathing.
When a turtle is underwater, the cloaca takes in water, extracts oxygen, and expels the water back into the pond. A turtle’s hibernation means that it lies buried under water or in the mud, allowing its cloaca to provide oxygen for several months, while the turtle lies dormant without eating. Deep pond water retains a more stable temperature than the air above, so as long as there is enough oxygen in the water, turtles can spend the winter buried under the ice.
The turtle’s next defense is to go under water, or burrow into mud to spend the cold months. While its skin and mouth can absorb some oxygen, the neatest trick it has is a multi-functioning orifice called a cloaca. This opening is found near the rear end of the turtle and is used for urina-
In the event oxygen runs out, painted turtles can switch their metabolism to a state where they don’t need oxygen. This can be a lifesaver, but also builds up lactic acid in their system. Amazingly, calcium in their shells can help neutralize this acid, just like chewing an antacid for heartburn. Still, the lactic acid buildup causes muscle cramps so when they reemerge in the spring, they may be a bit stiff. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, a painted turtle female will nest in sunny areas up to several hundred yards from the water. “Most hatchlings overwinter in the nest and emerge the following spring,” according to the CPW website, and “painted turtles reach sexual maturity at two to nine years for males and six to 16 years for females.” Painted turtle shells can reach a length of about ten inches. Not as big as the more ferocious looking snapping turtle, painted turtles do gain more protection
Trip to France
By Sally King Redstone Review
There’s a trip planned for Southern France March 24 through April 2.
Organized by two local women, Valerie Combs who hails from France And Deirdre Butler, of Big Round World, Walking tours in beautiful places.
Val is so excited to share her native region with its Good food, history, art and adventure (we will be riding electric bikes through the countryside on two occasions)
Side trip to Uzes and Pont du Gard when we are based out of Nimes And while in Arles, the land of Van Gogh and Gauguin, A class in the art of Provençal cuisine And a visit to Camargue and the Black Madonna.
It’s been 20 years since I have traveled to Europe And at 75 it seems like a wildly fun idea to get out there. I’m taking my travel set of watercolors.
I hope that you might consider joining us: Deirdre at 303-214-8303 or through www.bigroundword.com; Val at the Corner Studio Frame Shop on Main Street.
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. King
WHAT’S COOKIN’
Latest hotel news and updates from Moss Rock Development
Rey-Giraud. At that Feb. 2022 meeting the town board passed the resolution approving the development plan for the proposed hotel on Main St.
Recently, Edna Johnson replied to a request from the Redstone Review to give an update on the current status of the hotel. This is her update.
By Edna Johnson Redstone Review
We’ve seen the new fence around the construction site. Does this mean building is going to begin soon?
We don’t know though we remain hopeful that we’ll kick off the construction phase later this year. The two main factors impacting timing are the cost of capital and the cost of construction, which will likely be impacted by the overall federal economic agenda.
Why hasn’t construction begun?
Cost or, more accurately, overall project return. Since we began the project, interest rates have risen, making the project expensive and the return below what hospitality investors expect.
The hotel would be built on three lots that the developers purchased at 343, 349 and 355 Main St. for the hotel. Three structures were removed and a fence was built around the property. Moss Rock Development LLC is owned by Edna Johnson and Agnes
Editor’s note: In early February of 2022, Moss Rock Development, LLC, presented a development plan for a three-story, 79-room hotel to the Lyons Town Board to approve at their regular meeting. The hotel would include a lobby bar/café, rooftop terrace bar, and indoor and outdoor dining facilities available to the hotel guests and to the community. There was a public hearing and most of the comments were about having enough parking for the hotel, with some concerns about traffic.
No, the fence is intended to improve the appearance of the site as we progress on the project. What’s more, it secures the site more effectively. The site remains a construction lot, which means there is some debris that could be unsafe for pedestrians.
When do you expect construction on the hotel to begin?
The federal government has lowered interest rates. When will rates be low enough to begin construction?
We were hopeful that would occur in 2024 as the federal reserve decreased its base rate. However, the federal rates decrease has not been fully passed to borrowers like us yet. We
Vegetable Cottage Pie – A delicious way to use your root vegetables
By Catherine Metzger Redstone Review
LYONS – I joined our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) food co-op this winter so we could enjoy farm-fresh meat, milk and produce while supporting local farmers, ranchers and dairies.
You never know what you’re going to get with each week’s allotment, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the fantastically gnarly roots of celeriac that seemed alive and clamoring for attention on my countertop. With a little online research, Jamie Oliver’s recipe for a vegetable Allotment Cottage Pie happily swam into my search algorithm.
By Barbara Shark Redstone Review
LYONS – My new year has arrived with resolutions and menus that include dishes made with simple winter ingredients. We received some wonderful food gifts for Christmas – jams and salsa from daughter Zoë and a Spanish food assortment from friends – to add to the beans, grains and root vegetables of the season.
Included in our Spanish gift box was a jar of tuna belly packed in olive oil. Eager to
The recipe includes the mysterious and bulbous celeriac – a rather underappreciated root vegetable harvested in fall and winter, also known as celery root or knob celery. Happily, the results were superlative. Here is a delicious vegetarian recipe interpreted from Oliver’s Allotment Cottage Pie, a worthy dish easy to make and which the whole gang can enjoy.
Vegetable Cottage Pie
Serves eight; preparation time is 90 minutes.
Ingredients
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, rinsed
Two large leeks
Two large carrots
Two celeriac
Three medium turnips (or 500g Swede/ rutabagas)
I teaspoon cumin seed
10 g dried porcini mushrooms, sliced
2 ½ cups very hot water
One small, quartered onion
1 teaspoon of Marmite or vegetable Better
Than Boullion
3 tablespoons tomato paste
One, 14-ounce can prepared lentils
2 large russet potatoes
4 ounces butter
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper
taste it, I fashioned a tuna and bean salad, with white cassoulet beans from my Rancho Gordo stash.
White bean and tuna salad
Warm the cooked beans so the dressing will be easily infused. For two cups of beans, I combine the juice and zest of half a small lemon, a tablespoon of olive oil, a small clove of garlic, minced, and a teaspoon Dijon mustard. Add two stalks of thinly sliced celery and three julienned radishes, then the broken up tuna with its oil. I like to add a soft-boiled egg to each plate. I use an excellent, quick method for cooking the eggs – steam them. This method is thanks to Kenji López-Alt in the New York Times
In a pot with a steamer basket bring an inch of water to a boil. Add the eggs, straight from the fridge. Steam for 8 minutes for a jammy yolk, 9 or 10 minutes for a hard-boiled egg. I find this method fast and dependable, especially when I want a softly boiled egg.
Garnish the salad with chopped parsley, dill, and shaved parmesan. Serve while the beans are still a bit warm.
Barbara Shark is an artist and author of How I Learned to Cook, an Artist’s Life. She lives near Lyons, Colorado. For more recipes, read her blog at www.howilearnedtocookanartistslife.blog.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat the olive oil in a10-inch cast iron skillet and cook the rosemary in it until it’s crisp. Remove rosemary and set aside on small plate.
2. Trim, wash and slice the leeks into large pieces. Add into hot skillet with rosemary-flavored oil. Sweat for 5 minutes. Wash and peel all root vegetables except the potatoes and dice to a similar size. Add carrots, celeriac, and turnips/swede and cumin seed to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook together for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a blender: Soak 10 g dried porcini mushrooms in 2 ½ cups hot water for ten minutes. Add to the blender the onion, Marmite/bouillon and tomato paste. Blend until smooth. Then add contents of the blender along with one, 14-ounce can prepared lentils, juice and all, into the skillet. (I prepared my own from dried lentils I had on hand a cup of which I cooked along with a bit of celery, carrot
and onion and two cups of water in a small saucepan.) Cook until contents of skillet are caramelized, about 20 minutes more. Stir frequently, lifting up sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Meanwhile, peel and roughly cut the potatoes and cook in a pan of salted water for 25 minutes or until tender, drain well and mash with the butter and milk and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the contents of the skillet and place skillet on a tray in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and bubbling at the edges. Sprinkle with crisped rosemary and serve.
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.
A winter salad with white beans and tuna
Shark
A proposed new construction hotel in the heart of downtown Lyons. Lyons Urban Renewal Authority
Lyons Health & Wellness
With an integrative focus, we take an evidence based approach that combines western medicine with complementary and alternative therapies, resulting in care that is holistic and treats the whole person. We are excited to bring healthcare back to Lyons and to serve the community that we belong to and love!
Josh and Megan reside and practice here in Lyons. As board certified nurse practitioners, they can perform all functions of a primary care provider, including but not limited to:
Diagnosing, Treating, Prescribing medications, Ordering labs and imaging, and Giving referrals
SERVICES
Primary Care, Annual Physicals, Sports Physicals
Minor Illness & Injury such as in-house testing for flu,strep,mono,UTl’s, wound care, braces and splints
Jeuveau/Botox Anti-Wrinkle Skin Injections
Skin care for dermatologic issues
Medically Assisted Weight Loss with Semaglutide
Women’s Health/Bio-Identical Hormones for Menopause/Perimenopause
Men’s Health/Testosterone Replacement for Andropause
Sports Performance
Mental Health Medications and Management of ADHD/Anxiety and Depression
In person: Tuesday & Friday 8:30am – 5pm Saturday 12 – 2pm Serving patients two years and older
Megan Foreman MSN, FNP-C, CWHS Owner and Family Nurse Practitioner
Joshua Tueting MSN, NP-C Nurse Practitioner and Men’s Health Specialist
nesses and artists, the Town of Lyons and other partners, our volunteers, donors, and guests in this step that transforms LEAF’s location into a hub of community. All of these partnerships strengthen local ties and allow everyone to contribute meaningfully to the wellbeing of their neighbors and our community. While we’re dreaming, we also envision the new space to feature rotating art exhibits showcasing local talent, creating an inviting and inspiring atmosphere for everyone.
A vision for the future
This long-awaited move represents a turning point for LEAF. Beyond meeting immediate needs, the new location will enable us to launch services aimed at long-term solutions. We’re exploring ways to host community meals and seasonal events, using the property as a space to foster connection and unity. By strengthening these bonds, we’re building more than just a safety net; we’re creating opportunities for a resilient community to take care of one another.
This move and the vision for the future are only possible with the support of our incredible community. Whether you’re a local business owner, an artist, a neighbor who wants to make a difference, or someone who needs a hand of support, there’s a place for you at LEAF.
•Donate: Contributions of food, funds, or supplies are always welcome.
•Volunteer: Join our team and make an impact through hands-on service.
•Partner: If you’re a business, artist, or community leader, let’s work together to amplify our reach.
•Check out what we do: Visit our Food Pantry, sign up for Meals on Wheels or other services, request support from Lyons Volunteers, or learn about our robust mental health and wellbeing offerings. You are welcome at LEAF.
A new chapter
This new location for LEAF and our services is not just a change of address: it’s a fresh chapter in the story of our town. Together, we’re addressing immediate needs while planting the seeds for a future filled with hope, creativity, and community spirit. Let’s make this move not just a solution to today’s challenges but the foundation of a stronger, more connected Lyons.
For more information or to get involved, visit our website www.leaflyons.org or send an email to info@leaflyons.org. As we get unpacked and settled in our new home, you’ll soon be able to stop in to visit, too. Together, we will grow health and wellbeing in this special community that we share.
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.
Parade of Lights thanks you
LYONS – Thanks to all those who were able to attend the Artisan Market at the Lyons Elementary School and the Parade of Lights. The entries and floats were spectacular this year. The top three winners were: Best Representation of Theme, St. Vrain Magic featuring Bonnie Payne and Father Time Drum Line and Mayama Dancers; Best Use of Lights, Lyons Portable Welding; Overall Parade Winner, Unicorn Magic – local artists –Ann Hall and Jacob Leeuwenburgh.
makes it difficult to budget for large projects; the financing alone can be extremely complex. Trustee Hamrick suggested, and the board agreed, that we should focus on creating a plan, or roadmap, that could serve us and several future boards. This, along with the new infrastructure sales tax, will help move projects forward. In the meantime, the board agreed that staff should work on completing the design of stormwater improvements on 3rd Avenue, make improvements to the wastewater treatment plant, and install the sidewalk near the elementary school. At our next meeting on January 21, the board will hear the results of the Safe Streets for All study, and we’ll be able to discuss whether and how to implement those suggestions.
One of the great benefits of having an experienced third-party facilitator at retreats such as this one is that we are offered an outside-in perspective on opportunities that we might not otherwise see. Dr. Raitano, who has vast experience in local government (she was the two-time mayor of Dillon, CO, among many other leadership positions), suggested that town boards in Lyons may see more progress were we to change the length of our terms from two years to four years, and stagger them so that we don’t run the risk of losing institutional knowledge overnight. This is something I think is worth consideration.
Finally, I’d like to remind folks of the recent changes to the way we accept public comment. Due to the vulnerabilities of Zoom, the board agreed that public comment should be taken either in-person at meetings or via e-mail. Our agendas and packets are posted the Thursday afternoon before our meetings. If you would like to submit public comment via email, please do so by 9 a.m. on the day of the meeting by sending it to Town Clerk Delores Vasquez (dvasquez@townoflyons.com). Any comments submitted by that deadline will be added to the online packet prior to the meeting.
As always, feel free to reach out if there’s an issue you’d like to discuss. I’m happy to meet in person or chat on the phone: hrogin@townoflyons.com.
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. She was re-elected mayor in the April 2024 election. 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 Trustee, she was the Board liaison to the Economic Vitality Commission and the Historic Preservation Commission.
Elk Droppings
By Sally King Redstone Review
Like elk droppings – aren’t we all being composted?
Thrown out on the ground like rough jewels
That will assist the next generation, Honoring the jeweled star that we hail from By activating our inner essence, Much is liberated, including me And all that I have gathered and won, Nutrients that get into the eco system.
Feeding life, effortlessly.
Affordable housing availability – Lyons and Longmont
Highland Property Management has two units available in Lyons: one three-bedroom townhome ($2152/month), and one two-bedroom townhome ($1871/month).
In Centennial Park in Longmont they have one two-bedroom apartment ($1,545/ month) and two three-bedroom apartments ($2163). Application fees are waived. Water, sewer and trash are included. To learn more: contact Highland Property Management at 720-600-4278.
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 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 509-8818096.
Kay Sparks is the Chair of the Housing and Human Services Commission.
the larger they grow, and can live 25 years or more if they avoid road traffic, predation, and other environmental dangers.
Colorado hosts at least five other species of turtles in addition to the painted turtle. These include the snapping turtle, yellow mud turtle, ornate box turtle, spiny softshell turtle, and red-eared slider. (Note: the redeared slider is an introduced species here, released from pet owners).
As spring approaches in another few months, the painted turtles along with their turtle cousins will be emerging from the depths, ready to catch a fresh nibble of an insect, fish, or tasty plant. Until then, they are encased in mud, letting their rear end do its lifesaving work.
Deborah Huth Price is an environmental educator and a resident of Pinewood Springs. Email her at debhprice@gmail.com or visit her website at www.walk-the-wild-side.blog
believe that it will require another .25 percent federal rate decrease to see the construction loan rates where we need them to be.
You said you “believe” you need another .25 percent reduction in federal interest rates. Does this mean you’re not certain? That’s correct. In addition to interest rates, the building cost is likely to be impacted by the tariffs that the new administration will implement. The incoming president has proposed tariffs that could result in higher prices for construction materials, such as lumber and steel. Right now, this is a serious concern for the project, and we do not have full visibility into the financial impact yet. One disappointing scenario could be that federal interest rates and borrowing rates are lowered by .25 percent, but prices rise, making it necessary for rates to decline further before construction can begin.
Have your plans for the actual hotel changed in any way?
No. We still plan on an 80-room hotel with a restaurant, bar and meeting space.
Does the town of Lyons – town government – still support the project?
We certainly believe so. The town has been very supportive and easy to work with, which is one of the reasons we are determined to see this project to fruition. We’re deeply grateful for the town’s help as well as for the many residents who have voiced encouragement.
called himself a water shaman picked up the tuning fork, struck a note on it and twirled it in the air like a baton, showering us with vibrations, I realized that a sound bath is like forest bathing with waves of sound washing over you instead of the alternating shade and sun.
So if you’re looking for a place to take your dog for a truly loving all natural grooming, or if you’re yearning for a safe space in which to expand your experience of divine truth, make an appointment at the Dog Spaw or Divine Truth Hub. See http://www.lovelybynaturegrooming.com for details.
B R I E F S
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