Redstone March/April 2024

Lyons creative outlets

LYONS – The Lyons Arts & Humanities Commission (LAHC) is pleased to announce that six utility boxes throughout the town have been creatively painted by local artists, as part of the Lyons Creative Outlets program, with more to come.

The Lyons Arts & Humanities Commission (LAHC) continues the Creative Outlets program to enhance the community through art in public places. The program goal is to bring beauty to unexpected places through painting utility boxes. Artists interested in being a part of this exciting program can visit Town of Lyons Creative Outlets application webpage. Applications for artists for Creative Outlets 2024 are being accepted now.

Candidate Forum will be held at Lyons Regional Library on March 13

LYONS – On Wednesday, March 13, 2024 the Lyons Recorder and the Redstone Review will be hosting a candidate forum, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., at the Lyons Regional Library. The public is welcome to ask candidates about any issues of importance to Lyons residents with respect to the April 2, 2024 municipal election. The event will be recorded if you are unable to attend.

TABOR notification for a notice of election to increase taxes on a referred measure

LYONS – The Town recently mailed the required TABOR notification, informing residents that the local Lyons Municipal Election will include a referred ballot measure regarding local sales tax. This notification is required to be sent via mail and is NOT a ballot. Official ballots will be mailed the week of March 11, 2024 to all registered voters who live within the limits of the Town of Lyons. Ballots must be returned and received by the Town before 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. As a reminder, the Lyons Municipal Election will be a mail ballot only election. Voters may return their completed ballot to the ballot box in front of town hall.

Redstone stands with President Zelensky and the people in Ukraine

This month’s page one photograph is courtesy of Charles Glatzer. In the photographer’s words: “An encounter I will never forget: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. We had photographed this bachelor herd of bighorn sheep for the past two days...On the third day...we decided to take a break, sitting down in the field we took in the wonder of our surroundings...Now the amazing part: a few minutes later, as we sat there quietly relaxing the herd slowly made its way over to us, many laid down a short distance away putting their head in the grass to sleep (some even snored), others simply chilled and chewed their cud. We all just looked at each other in disbelief, it was as if we were part of the herd! Or, perhaps a just reward for a job well done...”

Chas has been a world renowned, full time professional photographer and teacher / lecturer for more than 40 years. Chas owns and hosts Shoot the Light ® Instructional Photographic Workshops throughout the United States and abroad. You can reach him at www.shootthelight.com. We at Redstone are most grateful for the use of this stunning image.

IGA with Boulder County takes center stage at BOT meeting

By Greg Lowell Redstone Review

Editor’s Note: The author of this article is a candidate for the Lyons Board of Trustees in the coming election and is a party to the CORA open records request mentioned in the article.

LYONS – The Town of Lyons’ negotiations with Boulder County on a pending intergovernmental agreement (IGA) was the highlight of the March 4 Board of Trustees meeting.

The IGA with Boulder County is currently in draft stage with plans to complete it in early April. The IGA is a contract to plan for and regulate land issues within the town’s future planning area outside town limits. The IGA calls for cooperation between the two entities in part “to minimize the negative impacts on the surrounding areas and protect the environment.”

The IGA under negotiation replaces the present 2012 agreement.

Several residents spoke at the beginning of the meeting under “Audience Business.” All of them were critical of the town’s current IGA process.

The residents’ cause for concern was the proposed change of some Boulder County properties abutting the Town of Lyons from a “rural preservation” designation to a “municipal interest area.” The county’s zoning on the properties remains “agricultural” but the new designation pinpoints them for possible annexation and development.

Most of the speakers live nearby the largest parcel considered a candidate for annexation in the IGA – the 56-acre Boone property at the end of 5th Avenue. The property is being actively marketed and at least one developer has expressed an interest in purchasing it, or may have already purchased it – the transaction record is unclear at this time. Another

nearby property also to be redesignated as of interest to the town is the nearly 30-acre Conner property. The owners of these properties, their real estate agents and at least one developer have been in contact with town staff over the possible use of their properties for housing, both affordable and market-rate.

These two properties and five others designated in the IGA, if annexed for development, must have some percentage of homes designated as “Affordable Residential” or qualified for those making 30 to 60 percent of Boulder County Area Median Income (AMI).

Most of the speakers decried the lack of transparency in the IGA negotiations, questioning why the Board met in executive sessions to discuss the agreement. Others asked why the IGA was being rushed through without a public process before election of a new

town board in April.

To address residents’ concerns and better explain the IGA process, the board later addressed the possibility of a future public information session.

Mayor Hollie Rogin emphasized the IGA is voluntary and outlines land use in the town’s primary planning area for the next ten years. She said the IGA will provide “peace of mind to the community to know where and how changes will occur.” She also explained one reason executive sessions were used by the board to negotiate the IGA is “to prevent dissemination of information” taken out of context.

The consensus of the board was to hold a March 5 public information session and one other session at a later date (see related article).

Continue BOT on Page 15

Town Board steps back, slows down and proposes including citizens in annexation discussions of the IGA with BoCo

By Susan de Castro Redstone Review Editor

LYONS – After some citizen backlash at the Lyons Town Board meeting on March 4 and two subsequent follow up meetings, the town board suggested that they would like to slow down the discussions of eligibility for annexing county land designated in the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA).

Typically Boulder County creates a buffer zone around all the municipalities in the county for a number of reasons. The buffer is supposed to protect open space, stop sprawling growth where it is inappropriate and allow cities and towns some room to grow. Boulder County tries to create a 3 mile buffer zone around municipalities in the county.

At the last informational meeting on the

IGA on March 11, Lyons Town Planner Andrew Bowen did a presentation for the audience, using maps to show the locations and size of the parcels under discussion. Usually every year the county updates their IGAs and works with the towns and cities to see if they want to begin the process to annex some land and if it is eligible to meet the qualifications. Lyons has 6 land parcels that might qualify for annexation. The largest is the Boone property of 56 acres at the upper end of 5th Avenue. The second largest is the Conner property of 36 acres and the other smaller parcels are, Hawkins, Loukonen, Carpenter and Harkalis. Not all of these would necessarily meet the qualifications for annexation. Mayor Hollie Rogin said, “We are not currently talking about annexation. As far as I

Mayor Hollie Rogin: A visionary leader for Lyons

As Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission for the town of Lyons, I am thrilled to endorse Mayor Hollie Rogin for her outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to our community. Mayor Rogin’s dedication to serving Lyons has been nothing short of inspirational, and her visionary approach to governance has had a profound impact on our town’s progress and well-being.

I had the privilege of witnessing Mayor Rogin’s exemplary leadership firsthand. I have been on the Parks and Recreation Commission for five years and Mayor Rogin has been the only mayor to reach out to me. We met and discussed how she could support the commission and gave me feedback that made me a better citizen

Hello,

I am writing to share my strong support for Hollie Rogin for Mayor. Hollie is an experienced, engaged, and motivating leader who has accomplished a lot for Lyons in her first term as Mayor. She secured $2.4 million (!!!) of unexpected additional funding for Lyons – for a town whose entire general fund is around $3.4 million a year, this is a major increase of the funds available for important town projects.

She is also a champion for local control of local issues and helped push back on the Governor’s attempts to place control of local issues such as zoning in the hands of the state. Her advocacy and testimony at the Capital helped ensure that the people of Lyons control what happens in Lyons, not the bureaucrats in Denver.

Her focus on issues like affordable housing, wildfire mitigation, and renewable energy for our town are completely in line with what I want for Lyons today and in the future – a safe, affordable, and sustainable community. She has forged deep and meaningful relationships with elected officials across the board, ensuring that the

Redstone Review, Lyons’ monthly news and opinion publication, is looking for one or two graphic designers to join our staff. We are one of the few remaining publications to still be proudly supplying our content on paper. Positions for Ad Designer and for Page Designer/Production Manager are both opening soon. A solid working knowledge of CMYK print production is a must.

The Ad Designer works closely with our ad sales department, but selling space is not required for this position. Contact with our advertisers, most of them local, is often part

leader. I will always remember this outreach and her invitation to connect whenever needed.

Recently, Mayor Rogin had the distinct honor of representing the Town of Lyons at the inaugural Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver. As part of this prestigious event, she participated in a panel discussion convened by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) titled “Place-Based Initiatives for CommunityLed Futures.” Through her insightful contributions, Mayor Rogin showcased Lyons’ innovative approach to community development and underscored the importance of grassroots initiatives in shaping resilient and equitable urban landscapes.

Furthermore, Mayor Rogin’s selection for the New Mayors Cohort is a testament to her trailblazing leadership and commitment to advancing equity and representation in

voice of Lyons is heard at a state and national level.

In addition, Hollie has worked hard to hold CEMEX accountable for its many violations of state regulations and will continue to do so. Giant corporations thrive when they can ignore environmental regulations and can freely pollute the land they operate on, and their business model depends on paying off the local folks through donating trees and sponsoring events, all while they emit poison into our air and land.

Hollie knows better than to look at the short-term gains and instead is focused on protecting us, today and in the future, from multinational corporations whose only interest is their bottom line profits.

Finally, and importantly, Hollie is willing to engage with the people of Lyons on a personal basis. She doesn’t spend time getting caught up in the swirl of exaggeration and misinformation on social media, and she treats her constituents with respect. Unlike her opponent, who resorts to insults and demands for respect when challenged, Hollie seeks conversations and meaningful interactions with the people she serves, trying to forge connections

of the job. Good creative chops in a small space is a plus.

The Page Designer/Production Manager must have excellent typesetting, photo retouching, and layout skills. Creating a properly constructed file for press and interfacing with our printer to deliver the file is the production part of the job.

These two people work very closely together, and, if interested, a single artist could be considered for both positions. Contact redstarnews5@gmail.com for more information on either or both.

local government. As a member of this esteemed cohort, Mayor Rogin will have the opportunity to enhance her leadership skills and amplify Lyons’ achievements on a broader stage. Her participation in this program not only reflects her dedication to personal growth but also highlights her role as a pioneer among first-term mayors.

Over the past two years, Mayor Rogin has achieved remarkable milestones that have transformed Lyons for the better. From securing critical funding for infrastructure projects to advocating for wildfire mitigation efforts and climate change resilience, her proactive approach to governance has yielded tangible benefits for our community. Mayor Rogin’s leadership has been instrumental in completing essential projects such as the Lyons Valley Townhomes and the redevelopment of affordable housing units, underscoring her commitment to fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.

Mayor Rogin’s collaborative spirit and

and understanding of our interests and concerns and looking for solutions, not trying to shut down people who may disagree with her.

Lyons needs thoughtful, respectful, engaged, and forward-thinking leaders to

Dear Editor,

As a member of the Lyons Board of Trustees, it has been my privilege to serve for the past two years with Mayor Hollie Rogin. I have been on boards for the better part of 40 years, and it is rare to work alongside someone as thorough, thoughtful, steady, and competent as Hollie.

Mayor Rogin looks at all sides of an issue, and does not arrive with presupposed assumptions. Able to hold multiple, competing perspectives without prematurely drawing conclusions, she allows the needs of the entire community to guide her decisions.

In tandem with the town staff, Hollie provides the information the Board of Trustees needs to make timely decisions that serve the best interest of all the residents of Lyons. She has the paradoxical strengths of

dedication to public service have earned her the respect and admiration of her peers, as well as the trust and confidence of Lyons residents. As Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, I have seen firsthand the positive impact of Mayor Rogin’s initiatives on our parks and recreational facilities. Her advocacy for public participation and community engagement has strengthened our sense of belonging and unity, making Lyons a truly vibrant and welcoming place to live.

In Mayor Hollie Rogin, Lyons has found a dedicated and visionary leader who embodies the spirit of service and innovation. Her commitment to advancing equity, sustainability, and community empowerment has set a high standard for leadership in our town. I am confident that Mayor Rogin will continue to inspire positive change and lead Lyons towards a brighter and more prosperous future.

Yelena Hughes

take us into the future. Hollie fits the bill perfectly. Please join me in voting for Hollie Rogin for Mayor.

Be well,

Sean Dunn

confidence coupled with humility, a rare combination in public officials.

During her first term Hollie guided the BoT in procuring a large settlement in our lawsuit over deficiencies in the sewage treatment plant, worked to get $600k in funds for extension of our trail system, spearheaded initiatives in wildfire mitigation, firearm safety, and green energy, among others. She has a great working relationship with government agencies and officials in county, state, and national government. Her tireless work has been a joy to observe.

I highly recommend that you vote for Mayor Hollie Rogin and allow her to continue to serve your needs and the needs of all of us who are privileged to call Lyons, Colorado home.

Sincerely,

Trustee Paula Stone Williams

The IGA and the annexation process

By Hollie Rogin, Mayor of Lyons Redstone Review

LYONS – The Boulder County Land Use Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) is a voluntary agreement between Boulder County and the Town of Lyons that outlines land use in our Primary Planning Area for the next ten years. Having an IGA provides peace of mind to the community because we know where and how changes may occur over the next ten years. Absent an IGA, a future Board of Trustees can approve annexation and zoning of any contiguous property (subject to the fiveacre and ten-acre vote).

The current IGA was entered into in 2012, and has been extended until November of 2024. The reason it was extended was to allow time for the Town of Lyons to adopt our new Lyons Thrive! Comprehensive Plan so that we could be sure any IGA would comport to what we adopted as part of the Comprehensive Plan process.

Comprehensive Plan adoption was the

culmination of an intense two-year effort spearheaded by Mayor Pro Tem Jocelyn Farrell, the Planning and Community Development Commission, and town staff. This process included community engagement at every step, and included many online surveys, discussion groups, and gatherings at the library. The finalized and adopted comprehensive plan can be accessed at: https://www.townoflyons.com/195/TownComprehensive-Plan.

As with many contract negotiations, Board discussions regarding the IGA were held in executive sessions, which is allowed by law and which were recommended by our town attorney. One reason this is a good idea, in my mind, is because it can prevent dissemination of incomplete, uncontextualized information that may cause distress. Unfortunately, a misstep during a public PCDC workshop in February did just that. The Board had not seen some of the working documents discussed in that workshop.

Outside of executive sessions, town staff members worked collaboratively and extensively with their counterparts at Boulder County to create an IGA that would satisfy our requirements and meet

Boulder County’s needs. The resulting draft is an agreement that the Board believed delivers overall on what our community requested. Not everyone may agree on every aspect of the IGA, and that’s to be expected. If we truly want to retain local control of whether, how, where, and when we change, we must be willing to negotiate.

At the time of this writing, a resolution to approve the IGA has not been introduced. Based on community feedback we’ve received, we have hosted one community meeting, with another scheduled for Monday, March 11. The full Board will decide on March 18 how to move forward. I intend to suggest that we slow the process down.

Because the IGA dictates what properties may or may not be annexed into the Town of Lyons, it’s important to understand the annexation process. For a property to be annexed into Lyons, the property owner must first make an application. That is, we cannot annex land against the wishes of a property owner.

Any property owner applying for annexation must present a concept plan, must present a plan for bringing utilities (water, sewer, electric, roads) to the property at their expense, present water rights information, and provide many other details.

The Fire District, who of course focuses on safety, must approve all plans.

If the property is five acres or more (ten in the Eastern Corridor), Lyons voters must approve the annexation. It’s not a simple process, it is not fast, and it doesn’t happen often. In fact, in my four-year tenure on the Board (two years as a Trustee and two as Mayor) and one year on the PCDC, there has been only one annexation, and that was to annex the Martin Parcel, which is property the Town already owned. The owner requests zoning at the time of annexation, and the town must approve the zoning for the property to be annexed. In the Martin Parcel example, we zoned the property as Parks and Open Space.

I hope this information helps set minds at ease. And no matter how you vote in the upcoming municipal election, please remember to exercise your right to do so.

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 – 2022. In 2015, Hollie 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.

Federal support coming for childcare services, wildfire mitigation and more

By Joe Neguse, U.S. Representative Redstone Review

BOULDER – For the first two months of this year, I’ve been working in Washington D.C. to implore my colleagues to find common ground and chart a bipartisan path forward to keep the government open and keep critical services up and running.

As we continue to make progress on that front, I’ve also been laser-focused on the work we’re doing – together – to tackle the issues of critical importance to Coloradans, including lowering costs, growing the middle class, making our communities safer and stronger, and defending our fundamental freedoms. We’re making great strides to do exactly that.

In recent months, we’ve been able to deliver numerous investments for Boulder County, including federal funding for wildfire mitigation and preparedness efforts, support for improving roadway safety, broadband infrastructure and connectivity, and building more reliable and accessible public transportation for everyone.

One recent action is to grant to more than 100,000 American families federal support for affordable childcare services. In fact, the new Biden-Harris Administration rule

limits the amount that families pay for these services to 7 percent of their household income. That means more money in people’s pockets and more families that are able to find childcare that meets their needs.

After visiting with the individuals that run a local Head Start Child Care Center in Lafayette late last year, I know just how much this news will benefit our communities. During this visit, we spoke of the importance of supporting our state’s workforce by expanding access to quality childcare for families in Lyons, Louisville, and across the state.

In addition, last year, I was proud to submit requests for numerous communitycentered projects that work to improve the lives of Coloradans in our district. I am overjoyed to announce that we’ve finalized support for 14 projects – advancing more than $11 million in federal funding for the initiatives championed by our office, including those to support our local law enforcement and first responders, and expand efforts to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable access to public transportation, affordable child care, workforce housing, clean drinking water, and so much more. Through these investments, we are also taking action to rebuild our roads and make our communities safer.

Together, we are making a real difference for families and households from the

Travels with Redstone

Micah Rothstein and Katy Kline below the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland in January of this year.

Take the Redstone with you on your next trip and send us your photos showing where the Redstone has traveled. Send your photos to redstarnews5@ gmail.com

Front Range to the Western Slope. Our work is only beginning. News and advancements like this continue to make me hopeful for the year ahead. We must keep working to make improvements for families and workers in our state, keeping in mind that working in good faith to solve the challenges that face our families and our communities is how we make real change.

To the editor

As developers of the proposed Lyons hotel, we’re often asked about next steps for the hotel and about its timeline. We’d like to take this opportunity to offer an update.

Most recently, we’ve allowed the company hired by the town for the Broadway Street project to stage its equipment on the future hotel’s site. In the next few weeks, we will begin the required asbestos mitigation of the building on the corner of Main and Fourth. After mitigation is complete, our next step will be to secure the demolition permit of the building and, once approved, to demolish it. At the same time, we’re looking at ways to enhance the site’s fencing so that it’s more attractive and, perhaps, more interesting.

Congressman Joe Neguse represents Colorado’s Second District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected to his first term in November 2018, becoming the first African-American member of Congress in Colorado history. He serves as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.

Actual construction of the hotel depends on several factors, most significantly federal interest rates. These rates have risen regularly in the past two years, as have the construction costs.

This said, we’re determined to move forward. Interest rates will decline, and we are looking at ways to reduce the total cost of the project, allowing us to proceed. Several noted hotel investors are interested in investing in the project, and we remain optimistic.

We are immensely grateful for the words of encouragement that we hear from many residents and for the support of the Lyons Board of Trustees.

Rest assured, our goal is to create a beautiful hotel that is a source of pride and prosperity for Lyons.

Agnès Rey-Giraud

Edna Boone Johnson

Rep. Joe Neguse at left, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark second from right, and representatives from the Dagny School Head Start Center.

Neguse

Rogin

OPTIONS

Lark Bunting represents diversity in Colorado

Price

By Deborah Huth Price Redstone Review

LYONS – It’s somewhat surprising that colorful Colorado has a black and white state bird, but there is a story behind that, and the lark bunting is a true beauty in its own right.

Most Coloradans wouldn’t be able to identify a lark bunting, and have probably never seen one. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife webpage doesn’t even list the state bird in its bird species list. So how did this little sparrow get designated to represent the state?

It all stemmed from a battle of passion and individuality – passion from one man who deeply cared about this prairie-dwelling bird, and the desire to have Colorado represented by a bird that no other state tagged on to.

Some of the other birds in the running for the state symbol back in 1930 were the meadowlark, bluebird, and robin, but all three of these are claimed by several other states. According to research done by the Denver Public Library, a Fort Collins man named Roy Langdon drove the cause for the lark bunting, enlisting Larimer County school children along the way. School children had also helped to choose the columbine as the state flower and the blue spruce as the state tree.

One of Langdon’s arguments to the state legislature was that most of Colorado’s emblems reflect the mountains. He felt that the state needed a representation from the prairie as well. One of his quotes from the Fort Collins Express-Courier in 1929 declared, “We are agricultural and should be proud of it. The Mountain Bluebird can have no meaning for the farmer. The Lark Bunting, on the

other hand, typifies the farm and therefore should be added to the emblems of the state.”

Lark buntings are only in Colorado from May through September, to breed and nest, before returning to Texas and Mexico. They are only seen in the United States in the central part of the country upwards to Montana and North Dakota, thus making them less widespread than some of the other bird species that were considered. They

nest on the ground, similar to meadowlarks and other prairie birds, and eat mostly insects and seeds.

Male lark buntings are mostly black with white-lined wings and white beaks, while females are covered in streaks of brown that blend in to their surroundings. Their simple coloring was also used to promote the lark bunting to critics of its state status, by suggesting that its drab colors were more economical to use in logos and letterheads.

LEAF launches suicide prevention effort for Lyons

By Lory Barton Redstone Review

LYONS – LEAF welcomed 50 guests to its recent screening of The Paradise Paradox. Produced by Bode Miller, the film explores the mental health crisis affecting America’s mountain towns and the innovative solutions that are being developed in response. Following the film, I shared updates about Leaf Emergency & Assistance Fund’s (LEAF) work around mental health, and our guests engaged in a frank and open conversation with LEAF’s Mental Wellness and Addiction Recovery Program Director, Cherie Maureaux, LPC, LAC, and our other team leaders, Ellen Keane, LPC and Kim Hinzy, LCSW. Through opportunities like this,

clear that they want to be part of the solution, too.

Mental illness is at an all-time high in the United States, and it is one of the primary causes of suicide. We often see substance abuse or addiction go hand-in-hand with mental illness, which is why LEAF also provides local addiction recovery services. The Lyons community is fortunate to have access to high quality, local, community-based behavioral health and addiction recovery care through LEAF.

The reality is, most communities of our size do not have dedicated community-based mental health care. Here’s a fun fact: Seeing the deep need, and with the support of LEAF’s brave Board of Directors at the time, Cherie and I made a video on our phones and showed it at a LEAF pancake breakfast in 2019. We raised $14,000, and Mental Wellness and Addiction Recovery was born.

our hope is that stigmas can start to melt away as we open up these conversations locally.

And we are just getting started.

You may have heard that the Lyons community is experiencing a crisis related to deaths by suicide. In fact, the rate of suicide in our community is 1,500 percent higher than one would expect for a community the size of ours. At LEAF, we are leading the therapeutic response to this tragic trend. The local people who attended the film screening made it

And our efforts have continued to grow since that day.

Today, we offer individual counseling, addiction recovery groups, art therapy groups at the middle/high school and at Lyons Elementary, topic-specific groups and classes, outreach, and education. And the care at LEAF is truly accessible: 95 percent of clients last year paid nothing for the services they received at LEAF.

As we move forward together to address this local crisis of suicide, what can you do? Here are a few options. You

In the Lyons area, it would be difficult to come across a lark bunting. In fact, Boulder County Parks and Open Space only documents 20 sightings of lark buntings on their properties from 2004 to 2022, according to wildlife biologist Michelle Durant. Most recently, sightings were on the Coalton Trail, Two Creeks, and Rabbit Mountain open spaces – more prairie habitat than other locations. Areas like the Pawnee Grasslands east of Fort Collins, Soapstone Prairie Natural Area between Fort Collins and Wyoming, and Barr Lake near Brighton are a few locations to see these “stately” birds, as well as any open prairie in the eastern part of Colorado.

A birding friend from Fort Collins, Sue Kenney, told me she loves lark buntings because of their song. After seeing and hearing male lark buntings “skylarking” at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area 15 years ago, she made their song her cell phone ringtone. During breeding season, males ascend and then dive down while singing a little tune of repeated notes and tweets.

While the lark bunting may not have been the choice of many Coloradans for the state bird, it certainly helps remind us of the diversity in our state, and that we are indeed unique.

Deborah Huth Price is an environmental educator living in Pinewood Springs. You can follow her nature blog at www.walk-the-wild-side.blog or contact her at dhprice@comcast.net.

can always find more information about all of these services and more at our website, leaflyons.org.

• Sign up to receive our communications around this effort. Email me at lory@leaflyons.org and I’ll be sure you get information and updates.

• Help us understand local needs and wants related to mental health and suicide education and prevention by completing our mental health needs assessment. You’ll find it on our website, or check local social media for links. We will design and offer training/education and services in direct response to the feedback we receive.

• Be on the lookout for training and education opportunities. We’ll help you learn about the warning signs for suicide risk, what you can say and do to help, and what resources are available.

• Sign up for the Grief Support Group that we’ll launch next month. These groups have been incredibly helpful and appreciated by attendees in the past.

• If it would be helpful for you, come to our addiction recovery group. Or tell someone about this opportunity.

• Send your middle schoolers to our Wednesday art therapy group. (Unfortunately, the elementary groups filled up immediately and have a waitlist. We’re exploring ways to expand capacity, so stay tuned.)

We are looking to get creative, and we’re looking to build community. Let’s bust the stigmas that have kept people from getting help for too long. Because, with help there is hope. Everyone can make a difference and do something. Won’t you join us?

I want to offer thanks to the Town of Lyons and to Lyons Community Foundation for recognizing the critical need for this work and providing funding that makes it possible. Thank a Trustee or an LCF advisory board member when you see them.

Finally, if you are in crisis, there are resources available for you. Call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Go to the 24/7 Walk In Crisis Center at 3180 Airport Rd. in Boulder. And if you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. You can also find a comprehensive list of mental health resources on our website.

Everyone in this community matters. Let’s make a plan and work together to learn and grow, to equip ourselves to provide support, and to ensure everyone who needs help in Lyons is able to get it.

Lory Barton is the Executive Director at LEAF, Lyons Emergency & Assistance 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.

LEAF’s Executive Director Lory Barton and Mental Wellness & Addiction Recovery Program Director Cherie Maureaux speak to guests at LEAF’s screening of The Paradise Paradox.

CONTRAST

Early Lyons prohibited dogfights, nudity; fines topped out at $50

Sawyer-Lang

By Monique Sawyer-Lang Redstone Review

LYONS – Last month’s Redstone Review article from the Lyons Redstone Museum focused on the incorporation of the town and highlighted some of the first ordinances passed by the town board in its efforts to bring law and order to Lyons. This month we take a look at what the results of that first year of governing were like and what the town board turned its attention toward in the second year.

From the 1891 police docket it appears that town officials had a major task in front of them in trying to bring civility to this quarry town. There were 36 arrests made during that first year. Many of the arrests in the newly incorporated town were for being drunk and disorderly, fighting, selling liquor without a license, using obscene language, and carrying a concealed weapon. There were a few instances of public nudity as well.

The newly appointed Marshall William Thorne wasted no time in making the first arrest. The police docket records the first person officially arrested in Lyons under the new government was Audy Johnson. He was charged on May 21, 1891 for being drunk and disorderly, a violation of Ordinance No. 2, which had been passed into law only eight days prior. He was found guilty and paid $9.90 in fines and court fees.

Those arrested and found guilty for selling liquor without a license were only charged $4.90 in fines and court fees, compared to the $9.90 in fines and fees charged to those who imbibed in the liquor. Sadly, in another instance, one of the arrests made on June 12,1891 was for a man who threw a dog in the river and drowned it.

As the first town board and mayor were ending their terms and a new mayor and town trustees moved into a second year of governing, their focus shifted from passing ordinances, licensing businesses, and legislating morality to dealing with larger issues of town infrastructure and appropriations for funding the government.

On the ballot for the April 1892 election, in addition to the election of trustees and mayor, was the question of bonding the Town of Lyons in the sum of $25,000 for the purpose of establishing water works to supply the town

with water. The voters approved the issuing of bonds for the water works making way for the town board to pass Ordinance No. 22 on July 8, 1892. Section 1 of the ordinance stated the following:

“That an indebtedness be created in the principle sum of twenty-five thousand dollars each, in the name of the Town of Lyons, in the State of Colorado, to be called ‘Water Bonds,’ for the purpose of obtaining money wherewith to pay for the construction of Water Works for fire and domestic purposes, and for supplying water for irrigation in the Town of Lyons.”

Later, Ordinance No. 25 was passed on September 27, 1892 with its 64 sections, officially establishing the Water Works department and detailing the responsibilities of the superintendent and the residents of the town with regard to the access and use of water. Several sections of the water works ordinance were concerned with conservation

and stressed avoiding the wasting of water.

Additional ordinances passed in the second year of governing appear to correct oversights from the first year of governance. With regard to Ordinance No. 1, on the licensing of businesses, Ordinance No. 19 required auctioneers to also get business licenses. Ordinance No. 18 also cleared up some confusion with regard to business licenses by enacting the following: “No provision of this Article shall be construed to apply to any person or persons coming into town with teams or otherwise, for the purpose of selling any domestic animal or fowl, or wild game, or fish, or the products of any farm.”

In their first year the town required dogs to be licensed and in 1892 they followed up with Ordinance No. 23 concerning dog fights and vicious dogs. That ordinance stated: “Any person who shall cause, instigate or encourage a dog fight in any public or private place in this Town, or who shall permit to run at large any dog owned or controlled by him, of either a vicious or fighting character or disposition, without muzzle, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction shall be fined not less than one dollar nor more than fifty dollars.”

Also of importance in 1892 was the passage of an appropriations ordinance to fund the government at $2,395 to be distributed over seven categories: Street and Ditch Fund $500, Salary Fund $1,320, Police Department Fund $100, Stationary Fund $25, Printing Fund $50, Old Debt Fund $200, and Contingent Fund $200.

The amount of money appropriated rose significantly in 1893 to $3,850. It did go down in 1894 to $2,250. Perhaps that belt tightening was in response to the Silver Panic and resulting financial depression that hit the country in the spring of 1893.

The police docket books, the town’s history records, and other documents are part of the Redstone’s Museum’s collection. They provide interesting research opportunities and perspectives on the shaping of our town.

The Lyons Redstone Museum will reopen to visitors on weekends in May and daily beginning in June. We look forward to visiting with you in 2024.

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.

Teens to celebrate St. PIEtricks and more at Lyons Library

By Kara Bauman Redstone Review

LYONS – Spring is just around the corner and our library is blossoming with exciting events for everyone to enjoy. Mark your calendars for these enriching and entertaining gatherings throughout the rest of March.

St. PIEtrick’s Party for Teens: Why celebrate either Pi(e) Day or St. Patrick’s Day when area tweens and teens can enjoy both at the same time? Those in grades 6 through 12 are invited to wear green and come hungry to our St. PIEtrick’s Party from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 15. We will be hanging out, playing games, searching for leprechauns, and making mini pies for dessert. Those in attendance might even get lucky and “pi” a librarian. Pizza and pie will be served; registration is required.

Artist Trading Cards Art-Making Playshop: Step into the captivating world of miniature masterpieces at our Artist Trading Card Playshop. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting your creative journey, this event offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the art of making and sharing. Watch experienced artists craft their own ATCs and then create your own and discover the joy of ex-

pression in compact form. Each participant will make several cards, one to keep and plenty to trade. Let’s trade art and inspire one another between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday, March 16.

Cookbook Book Club: The British Isles: Join fellow food enthusiasts for a delightful evening celebrating the culinary traditions of the British Isles. From Irish stews to Scottish short bread, bring a dish inspired by these rich cultures to share with the group. Don’t forget to bring along the recipe source and any infor mation on allergens.

If cooking isn’t your forte, come anyway and share your fa vorite cookbook or recipe. Come hungry at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 25.

Amazing Grasses of Boulder County: the beauty and importance of the grasses that thrive in our local ecosystem. Join volunteer naturalists to learn about the diverse variety of grasses found in Boulder County. From preventing erosion to providing food for wildlife, these oftenoverlooked plants play a crucial role in

our environment. Let’s explore and appreciate the wonders of native grasses together at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26.

Preparing for the Solar Eclipse: Get ready for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8 with our informative session on understanding and safely viewing this celestial event. Learn why eclipses occur, where to witness the spectacle, and how to observe it without damaging your eyes. Eclipse glasses will be available while supplies last. All ages are welcome to join this fascinating exploration of the wonders of the cosmos at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27.

High school students and their families are invited to join Professor Emerita Manette Ansay for valuable insights and tips on navigating the college application process. With her wealth of experience in academia and as a bestselling author, Ansay will share strategies

for crafting compelling essays and building standout applications. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable advice from a seasoned expert at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 30.

Throughout March, dive into the inspiring stories and achievements of women throughout history with our curated collection of books celebrating Women’s History Month. From biographies of trailblazing women to insightful analyses of feminist movements, we invite you to explore and celebrate the contributions of women in shaping our world. Check out our materials display and discover new perspectives that will inspire and empower you.

Your Lyons Community Library opens at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday. We now 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 both the Libby and CloudLibrary 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, film titles, 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.

William M. Thorne, first Marshal in the Town of Lyons appointed April 1891.

Bauman

Doggerland – the real Atlantis

By Peter Butler Redstone Review

LYONS – There was a time in England, when, if you were a night owl and still listening to the BBC on the radio at midnight, you could revel in the joy of the shipping forecast.

Imagine a man’s rich voice with the most plummy British accent you have ever heard. The gentleman we are considering sounded as if he were the Queen’s elocution coach. This elegant deep voice, with perfect vowels, provided weather information to help navigators around the coasts of the British Isles, especially in the bleak North Atlantic, and the North Sea

The North Sea is the salty wet barrier that has given the Anglo Saxons their independence for a few thousand years and kept them feeling like “almost Europeans.”

For location, various maritime zones are divided into places with distinctive names, such as Viking, Fisher and Humber: mysterious enough to evoke distant seascapes and tough sea captains staring steely-eyed toward the black horizon at night, steering by the stars and those names on their charts. “New high expected Biscay at 2100. Mallin, Faroes, South Utsire. Southerly five or six at first, good, occasionally moderate.”

One of these names was Dogger. Which brings us to my topic, Doggerland.

Dogger refers the Dogger Bank, a shal-

By Ron Gosnell Redstone Review

LYONS – A Lyons community volunteer tree planting project at the Lyons Cemetery will be conducted Saturday April 13, beginning 9 a.m. The project will last to noon or until all 85 seedlings are successfully planted, surfaces mulched, and trees are protected from animal damage and watered. Refreshments and a ticket to redeem a delicious St. Vrain Market sack lunch will be provided to all volunteers.

Many of the cemetery’s mature trees have died and been removed for reasons including age, insects, harsh dry weather plus wind damage. This will be an opportunity to fill tree voids and initiate tree cover beauty to grow over time at this historic cemetery on the hill. A new cemetery irrigation system is also in the works.

Lyons Lions Club is in partnership with the Lyons Cemetery Board to organize the project. Other organizations have been invited to participate as well, as planting teams and individuals are needed too. In

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on whatever issues our community members wish to see the

low area of the North Sea between Scotland and Denmark. The word dogger stems from an old Dutch word for a type of fishing boat, and in the 17th century the denizens of the Netherlands exploited this excellent cod fishery.

were on the Dogger Bank hauling in their nets when they found a big lump of peat amongst the fish. On examining the soggy specimen, they found inside it a harpoon head made from whale bone, hand carved, with a serrated edge and a striated tang for mounting a handle. This was a man-made object a long way from any modern coast. It couldn’t have been dropped off a boat because it was embedded.

Atlantis has long been the apex of mysterious and fabled locations. Only trouble is: the exact location has only been narrowed down to somewhere in the western hemisphere. If you go searching for it – allow plenty of time. But Doggerland is getting more and more real and more localized, too.

In 1931, the trawler Colinda’s crewmen

the event of very bad weather, the planting will be moved to the next Saturday April 20, same time. Organizers hope for at least 30 to 35 total planting volunteers for the project.

Colorado blue spruce, ponderosa pine and pinyon pine will be planted. Each selected tree planting location is designated with a small colored-coded flag noting the intended species. Locations to plant exist at tree voids all across cemetery grounds and a map will show designated locations to help planters organize.

Volunteers need to bring a good digging shovel and work gloves plus wear appropriate dress for working outdoors in that morning’s weather.

For those wanting to help, please reserve the planting day on your calendar and tell others about this event. One suggestion is the formation of two-to-four member planting teams of friends, to work together. There will be several necessary tasks for individuals too, however. Brief instructions will be covered starting right at 9 a.m. on planting day.

LFPD address over the coming year. It’s a good opportunity for us to find out what people think about the LFPD’s ongoing efforts to provide service, and also a chance to open up a solid dialogue on whatever new efforts the Lyons Fire Protection District’s residents identify as necessary. Please mark your calendars and plan to drop in at Station #1 on March 23. Easter egg hunt at Planet Bluegrass on March 31

LYONS – The annual Easter egg hunt this year will be at Planet Bluegrass on Sunday, March 31, at 11 a.m. The crews from the Lyons Fire Protection District again are help-

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In the not-quite-one century since, many other bones and artifacts from this area have revealed a tantalizing picture of a busy stone age hunting ground that is now under the sea.

Twelve thousand years ago, the ocean levels were lower due to more ice at the poles and in the glaciers, so more land was exposed. Britain was not an island but a peninsula connected to Northern Europe by huge swathe of fertile land full of vegetation and wildlife: a great place to live. But eventually there was sea level rise from melting ice caps, but also due to an event called the Storegga Slide, where almost the entire coastline of Norway slipped into the sea. Talk about tsunami. If you’re living in about 6200 BC stay off the beach. So what had been the best hunting grounds in Northern Europe were inundated and disappeared forever.

Then, today on the radio, at the end of

February, there was an announcement of a man-made wall recently discovered underwater in the Baltic Sea just north of Germany. It is suspected of being a stone age corral for controlling reindeer. They never mentioned the word Doggerland, which caused me to be rude to my radio, but it seems that this is just the latest squiggly shape to add to the Doggerland jigsaw puzzle.

The radio people made jokes about cavemen been not so stupid as we thought. Grrr, don’t even get me started. We seem to think that, just because we can watch dancing cats on our phones, we’re smarter than people who could make a spear head from a lump of flint by working it with a tool made from an antler.

Soon, my beloved wife will be leading a trip to the Orkney and Shetland islands, north of Scotland, where she will visit a UNESCO World Heritage site there called Skara Brae. This is the remains of a small village of maybe 50 people, built of stone, dating from 3180 BC, 5200 years ago. Doggerland would have been mostly flooded by that period, but maybe the Skara Brae villagers descended from people who hunted on the fertile plain before they were left high and dry. I find it intoxicating to imagine what their lives were like.

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 U.S. in 1997 and to Lyons in 2000. Finally there are enough trees.

please register with the Planting Project Form to Lion Larry Quinn at lquinn1134@gmail.com to confirm expected participant name(s) and to receive any project updates if necessary.

For those unfamiliar, the Lyons Cemetery is situated at the north end terminus of 3rd Avenue. There is a beautiful volun-

entry. Project organizers hope for a good volunteer turnout as has happened at other Lyons volunteer planting events. Expect a rewarding experience for all participants. Many hands will make light work.

For questions, call or text Cemetery Manager Dave Orback 303-709-7803 or forester Ron Gosnell 303-746-0142.

Green areas show Doggerland as it was from 16,000 to 7000 B.C. Brown indicates land areas today.

Better old than old, demented, and evil

By John Gierach Redstone Review

LYONS – Lately Democ-

rats have been wetting their pants over Joe Biden’s age, but I’m not sure why. We knew how old he was when we elected him, we knew our presidents serve four-year terms – eight if they’re reelected – and we could do all the calculations on the fingers of both hands. Still, there are those who voted for him enthusiastically when he was 78, are now astonished to find that, a little over three years later, he’s 81 and they now want someone younger, even though it’s clearly too late for that.

Whenever the age divide comes up, I think of Jerry Rubin, the 60s radical who said, “Don’t trust anyone over 30,” which briefly became a kind of counter-culture battle cry. When Rubin himself turned 30, the senior journalist Walter Cronkite wished him a happy birthday on his evening news program. Just that without further comment – unless you count that sly little editorial half-smile he was famous for that in this case seemed to say, “Time went faster than you thought it would, didn’t it, kid.”

I also think of the first doctor I went to when I moved to Colorado in the 1960s. Dr. Wolf was in his late 70s or early 80s with white hair and liver spots. He reminded me of Doc on the old western TV series Gunsmoke: gruff, homespun, picturesque and, more than anything, practical.

I was in my late 20s at the time, working as a garbage man and went to see him about my aching back. He poked, prodded and interrogated, but instead of prescribing pain pills or muscle relaxants, he gave me a short course in how to lift heavy garbage cans without hurting myself and then gave me some advice. He said that if something was too heavy to lift, it wouldn’t make me any less of a man to go get help, adding – and this part I remember verbatim – “You’re young and strong now, but you won’t always be and you’re already showing the early symptoms of recklessness, so don’t be stupid.” That was

some of the best advice I ever got. Too bad I didn’t follow it.

More to the point, when he finally retired, I asked him if he’d recommend a new doctor. He wouldn’t, but gave me his last piece of good advice. He said it was entirely up to me, but that I should keep in mind that while a young doctor would be up on

always been suspicious of people who expect career-spanning consistency from their politicians. It’s only dumb people who don’t change their minds in 50 years, while smart people adjust their opinions and beliefs according to whatever valid new information comes along.

Biden does sometimes seem physically frail at 81 while Trump, at 77, often comes off as downright deranged. At 77 myself, I’ve come to see that at some point,

ident is an idealistic bureaucrat with the experience to understand how government works and the perspective to think things through and take the long view.

I don’t have to point out that Donald Trump’s one term as president was disastrous. He ruined everything he touched, did damage to our institutions and our reputation that will take generations to repair – if it can be repaired at all – capped it off by trying to violently overthrow a free and fair election, putting the United States of America on the level of a banana republic, politicized and corrupted the Supreme Court and, well, why waste any more ink? You already know all this.

all the latest medications and techniques, an old doctor would have seen it all.

Viewed in the best light, Biden is that old doctor who’s seen it all. He was elected to the Senate in 1973, served for 36 years during which he learned the hard way how the Senate and the government in general work from the both the parliamentary and the political sides. (He’s one of the few people who could easily answer all my “How the hell can they do that?” questions.)

Then he spent eight years as vice president under Obama and has now served the better part of a term as president: a political career spanning half a century.

He hasn’t always made what I’d have called the right choices and he’s changed his positions over the years, but then I’ve

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chronological age doesn’t mean that much anymore because one person can be sharp and vigorous in their 80s while another is a doddering basket case in their 50s. I’m also now more likely than I used to be to believe that age can bring wisdom, although not automatically.

I think some Democrats are still nostalgic for Barack Obama, who could bound up to a podium like a young stallion and speak in the complete, concise sentences and paragraphs that were such a relief after George Bush. I remember Biden trotting to the podium a few times early in his presidency – and doing a serviceable job of it, too – but it was clearly theatrics and didn’t come off well. The fact is, we’re not auditioning an athlete. What we need as pres-

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ing in organizing the egg hunt. Please plan to attend, bring the family, and plan to participate with us. Happy Easter to all.

Hall Ranch main trailhead closures start soon

BOULDER COUNTY – A major construction project is scheduled for the Hall Ranch Trailhead beginning as soon as Monday, March 11. All trails and the Antelope Trailhead parking area will remain open unless otherwise closed due to muddy conditions or prescribed burns. Visitors can use the main trailhead upper and lower parking areas when periodically open as described below. Dates and the timeline are tentative and subject to weather delays.

• March 11 to April 4: Full main trailhead closure.The entire trailhead will be closed for construction. Visitors can walk or bike through designated areas at the trailhead. No parking will be available at the upper or lower parking areas.

• March 11 to June 13: Equestrian parking and shelter closed. There will be no horse trailer parking. The shelter will be closed.

• April 4 to June 13: Upper parking area closed. The lower parking area will be open but the upper parking area will remain closed.

• June 13 to July 18: Lower parking area closed. The upper parking area will be open but the lower parking area will be closed. The goal of this project is to improve the drainage, road surface, and overall efficiency of the trailhead. Many sections have faced erosion and need repairs to prevent additional damage to the road, make vehicle access easier, and reduce impacts on the surrounding area. Water pooling in parking spots has caused the deterioration of wood timbers over time. To fix this, the wood parking timbers will be replaced with new stone curbing, which is a more sustainable solution. The stone curbing will be installed with drainage gaps to avoid water pooling, making the trailhead more resilient. Project updates and any changes to the

The fact that Trump and his henchmen tried to mount an insurrection once and are poised to do it again should be reason enough to vote against him. If not, pick any issue – Gaza, women’s health, the economy, the border, the environment – and ask yourself if Trump or Biden would do a better job or, for that matter, even fully understand the issue.

It’s easy to get exhausted and want to throw up your hands, but remember that a throwaway vote for a protest or thirdparty candidate amounts to a vote for Trump, and so does not voting at all. This could not only be the most consequential vote of your lifetime, but if it goes the wrong way, it could be your last chance to vote, period.

John Gierach is an outdoor and fly fishing writer who writes books and columns for magazines including a regular column for Trout Magazine. His books include Trout Bum, Sex Death and Fly fishing, and Still Life with Brook Trout. He has won seven first place awards from the Colorado Press Association for his columns in the Redstone Review. His latest book, All the Time in the World, was released in March 2023 and is available at book stores and fly fishing shops everywhere including South Creek Ltd. on Main Street in Lyons.

timeline will be posted to the Hall Ranch webpage. For questions and additional information, please contact Bethani Puzo, Lead Project Manager, at bpuzo@bouldercounty.gov or 303-678-6188.

Lions Club holds a tree planting project on April 13

LYONS – The Lyons Lions Club and Lyons Cemetery Association are doing a tree planting project at the Lyons Cemetery on April 13 at 9 a.m. Volunteers are needed and welcome.

The Lyons Cemetery, a favorite community walking and visiting spot, has lost a number of trees over the years. Cemetery caretaker David Orback asked the Lions Club for help to replace lost trees and beautify cemetery grounds. The Lions Club agreed to provide financial support and volunteer labor for the project, with a goal of planting 85 new trees.

Volunteers should show up at the cemetery by 9 a.m., when Lions Club member Ron Gosnell, a retired forester, will give instructions on how to plant, mulch and water the small trees being planted. Bringing shovels would be helpful and gloves are recommended.

The Lions Club will provide sack lunches, featuring St. Vrain Market sandwiches, for all volunteers.

For more information, contact Lions Club member Larry Quinn at lquinn@gmail.com.

Allenspark Church Holy Week services

ALLENSPARK – Aallelujah. Christ the Lord is risen. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Holy Week begins on Sunday, March 24 with a Palm Sunday service at 10 a.m. lead by Pastor Ralph Patrick.

Something new at the church this year will the addition of two services during Holy Week. Pastor Patrick will facilitate a Maundy Thursday communion service on March 28 at 6 p.m. and also a Good Friday service at noon on March 29.

Easter Sunday, March 31, begins with a Sunrise Service at 7 a.m. followed by breakfast. The men of the church will prepare pancakes and we ask that if you attend the

Gierach

President Joe Biden delivered the annual State of the Union address on March 7. Biden has served at a federal level for more than 47 years.

CANDIDATES

Candidates express their views for the upcoming election in April

Each candidate was asked: What is the most pressing issue facing Lyons today? And, Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so where should it be located? Their answers appear below.

Hollie Rogin, incumbent candidate for Mayor

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

Lyons has several pressing issues: housing costs, infrastructure, business viability, wildfire mitigation, long-term independence, lack of essential services such as medical care. So how do you choose what’s most pressing?

When it comes to challenges and opportunities, there are those that are urgent, there are those that are important, and there are those that are both urgent and important. I’d say all of the above issues are important, but when it comes to the next two years, I look at those that are also urgent to see what rises to the top.

We’ve made great headway in housing affordability, and there is more to do. Wildfire mitigation is of course urgent, and it is being addressed by State, County and Fire District efforts, as well as local taxpayer-funded fuel reduction.

I think that for the next two years, we should focus first on creating a long-term, sustainable infrastructure improvement plan, which necessarily also supports climate goals. Some of our infrastructure was upgraded over the decade following the flood, and much of it was not. We saw the effects of this recently with the Eagle Canyon water line.

The town upgrades existing infrastructure as it can: for example, if a road is opened, lines can be replaced and electric can be undergrounded (also important for fire mitigation and to reduce line loss). That’s a good start. But now that flood recovery is complete, we need a prioritized plan, complete with funding options. The first step in this process should be revisiting existing plans and current infrastructure information to create a long-term, comprehensive map for upgrades. Then, we should prioritize those upgrades and begin the process of applying for grants and/or discussing bonds. If the sales tax measure passes, we’ll have funding dedicated to infrastructure, and that can make it easier to go out for a bond.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

“Affordable Housing” can mean a few different things. There’s “Capital A” affordable housing, which generally means housing that’s subsidized and available to people who make 30 percent to 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). For context, the current AMI for a single person in Boulder County is $93,000. For a family of four, it’s $132,800. So, in order to qualify to live in “Capital A” affordable housing, a single person would need to make less than $55,000 per year. Teachers at the beginning of their careers make about $50,000 per year. Our state legislators make about $44,000 per year. Lyons Valley Townhomes is an example of “Capital A” affordable housing.

Then there’s “small a” affordable housing, also called attainable or workforce

housing, which is not subsidized and is generally meant for people who make 60 percent to 120 percent of the AMI.

I believe that Lyons needs both types of affordable housing. More importantly, the community is asking for it. Housing affordability is a key piece of the Lyons Thrive! Comprehensive Plan, which was created with two years of community input.

To get to specifics, I believe Lyons needs a limited number of one-bedroom “Capital A” housing units to address the folks who make 60 percent AMI and don’t require or want larger, more expensive residences. We also need “small a” housing. We can debate the details, but we probably won’t debate that we want our workforce to be able to live here, we want our kids to be able to have homes here, and we want to age in place in the town we love, among the people we love. Workforce housing can look like paired homes, small-footprint single-family homes under 1,500 square feet, or condominiums (if the condominium defect reform bill passes the legislature, which is a topic for another day). And while rentals are necessary, so are deed-restricted ownership opportunities so that the people who make this the town we love can put down permanent roots.

What happens if we don’t build more affordable housing? I can see a few outcomes:

One, we wind up a community that contains “Capital A” affordable housing and million-dollar homes, with nothing in between, an extremely limited local workforce, a struggling downtown commercial district, and a net loss of the folks who make this town the creative, fun place it is now.

Two, the State continues its efforts to remove land use control from local governments and thus hamstrings us when it comes to deciding what works for our community. There are two bills currently moving through the legislative process that we should all be aware of. One would make Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) a byright use in all zoning districts, including in HOA communities, and the other would remove all occupancy limits statewide, also including in HOA communities.

We simply can’t ignore the fact that Lyons is not an island. We are subject to the same pressures facing other municipalities in Boulder County and Colorado. We must address those pressures and direct any growth the way we want it to go, in ways that make sense when it comes to safety, transportation, utilities, and access to services.

There are a number of possible locations for creating housing. As we saw with 317 Evans, we can redevelop parcels into residences that fit well within existing neighborhoods. The Eastern Corridor area is well-suited to net-new housing, and other potential housing sites are currently in the process of being identified.

the Northern tier.

In addition there are suggestions regarding increased density in older neighborhoods that may be fully implemented. Increasing density and occupancy will overburden the infrastructure which was not designed for such a load. The economics do not make sense if we are required to plan and build higher capacity infrastructure while we currently have debt payments that must be met.

We should take a deep breath, relax and enjoy Lyons as it is after the arduous task of flood recovery.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

Lyons has nearly met its post-flood recovery goal regarding affordable housing. We should be able to meet that goal having changed the building of Accessory Dwelling Units to a use by right, thereby streamlining the process.

This is a difficult question to answer because without substantial assistance from the State, plus waivers from the town, which is not economically sound, it will be impossible to build truly “affordable housing.” Affordable housing locations normally are located near transportation corridors, not half-way up a mountain that necessitates a long climb to get home.

One of the first proposals brought before the town was a mixed-use development on the Eastern Corridor. In addition, “any” development approved in Lyons should contain a percentage of affordable units.

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

I think the most pressing issue facing Lyons is revitalizing our downtown core. Between the loss of several businesses due to the fire at 400-402 Main Street and the delay in construction of the hotel due to high interest rates, Main Street is a priority. During the time I served as the liaison to the Economic Vitality Commission, I realized that Lyons needs to become a destination not a gateway to the Rockies. We need people to stop and shop and eat in Lyons. Last year, sales tax generated $1,735,787 (down 2 percent from 2022), on average 50 percent of that is local. Taxes make up 39 percent ($3,038,400) of overall town revenue. Sales tax revenue is a big deal for a small community like ours. Providing locals and tourists alike with options for dining, shopping and lodging all while generating revenue to help sustain our municipal budget is key.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

As liaison to the Housing and Human Services Commission for the duration of my term on the Board of Trustees, I have become quite passionate about affordable housing. When the HHSC held information sessions for Lyons Valley Townhomes last spring, I realized that some locals did not make enough to qualify for these affordable homes (60 percent of AMI). About a third of all interested parties needed a one-bedroom home, which Lyons Valley Townhomes did not offer.

Not only do we need affordable homes, we also need attainable or workforce homes (80 to 120 percent of AMI) so that people can live and work in Lyons. We also need “middle housing” or housing for empty-nesters who no longer need a 3,000 square foot home but would like to stay in Lyons once they are ready to downsize. We have yet to replace the housing that was lost during the 2013 flood. We would still need to build 40 homes to reach the housing stock we had before the flood. The need is obvious. The location is less obvious. Several properties have been identified. Small parcels of these properties could be used for development. We need to work together to find a location that works for everyone.

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

I feel the most pressing issue Lyons is facing is substance abuse and mental health. My eyes were opened to how prevalent this issue is in Lyons after attending the suicide loss in our community orientation and action plan meeting at the library in January.

This subject hit a personal note with me since I have lived through a parent attempting suicide and the after aftermath and recover.

I would like to bring this to the forefront and work on ways to prevent these types of tragedies from occurring as a community.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

I feel the current affordable housing did not accomplish the goal that was originally intended. Due to the laws governing affordable housing and the strict income guidelines some town employees and families were turned away who could have benefited and prospered in our community.

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

Wildfire mitigation is the biggest issue faced by the Town of Lyons. Having experienced both flood and fire over the past 11 years, this is abundantly clear. Climate

Nick Angelo, candidate for Mayor

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

The biggest issue facing Lyons to remain a quaint, small, front range mountain town. The growth planning is out of hand. The Comprehensive Plan which was completed was ignored in regard to density on

Tanya Daty, incumbent candidate for Trustee

Ted Elson, incumbent candidate for Trustee

Paula Stone Williams, incumbent candidate for Trustee

HOLLIE ROGIN

NICHOLAS ANGELO

TED ELSON

TANYA MERCER-DATY

PAULA STONE WILLIAMS

change is the biggest problem of our generation. As a TED Speaker’s Ambassador, I have worked with some of the world’s leading experts on climate change, and have learned much from these extraordinary leaders. Moving to 100% green energy in our contract with MEAN has been one of the most important milestones the Board of Trustees, Utilities and Engineering Board, and town staff has achieved. The town must pursue every possible avenue to protect our town from wildfire, and to do our part in the essential work of saving the planet.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

When it comes to affordable housing, I am greatly concerned that our current governor, whose policies I generally support, has proposed programs that would take housing density approvals out of the hands of local governments and place them under the purview of state government. There has even been talk of removing all occupancy limits in Colorado housing. Decisions about housing should be local. I support House Bill 24-174 that was introduced this week that keeps those decisions in the hands of local governments.

We do need to find ways to increase affordable housing, but we do not want to change the character of our town. Large affordable developments are not advisable or even possible. Looking at various available lots within town where affordable housing could be built is one possibility. Allowing accessory dwelling units would be another. The Board of Trustees has already streamlined the ADU approval process.

Glen Delman, incumbent candidate for Trustee

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

What is the most pressing issue facing Lyons right now and does Lyons need more affordable housing, I think are related questions. I do think Lyons needs more affordable housing, however I don’t think it should supersede the need for other housing. Most of us enjoy the businesses in town, but it’s a really hard place for a business to survive year-round. If we have more housing, that creates more people shopping in town during the slow winter months. However, most of us, including me, live here for the small town feel, and we don’t want to see our town change. So the addition of new homes has to be done carefully. Especially in a town like Lyons that has difficult terrain for new homes.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

Yes Lyons does need more affordable housing. I think the eastern corridor is the best place to put that. I don’t think that putting dense housing in the possible annex properties is the right move. Another option is the part of the Luokonen property that is adjacent to the new Summit Housing Development.

Mark Browning, candidate for Trustee

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

Fire risk mitigation. Lyons needs to do a better job protecting our high fire risk town, including: (1) adopting a long-overdue Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Code, (2) working with Boulder County and the Fire District to create and maintain accessible fire breaks on surrounding land, (3) removing combustible fuels (dead trees and brush) from Town-owned land, and (4) reinstating twice-a-year curbside limb/brush pickup, which should not have been cut back.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

In 2016, the Lyons BOT set an affordable housing goal of “approximately 10 percent” of housing units. That goal has now been met. More affordable “workforce” housing is desirable and would benefit Lyons, but it shouldn’t be done in “above the blue line” locations or other places that would be too costly for taxpayers. Nor, unless voters approve it, should it be done on annexed properties carved out from larger tracts to end run the five-acre rule. Voters initiated that rule to require voter approval of >five-acre annexations. The voters’ will must be respected. The recent Housing Futures Plan is seriously flawed and should not be followed.

Greg Lowell, candidate for Trustee

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

The most pressing issue Lyons faces is the false illusion that we can operate like every other Front Range municipality. Town staff, particularly planners, and the Board of Trustees must recognize Lyons’ unique situation. We are but 1.6 square miles surrounded by protected open space (Heil Valley and Hall ranches, Steamboat Mountain, etc.) and limited by the floodplain. In the name of growth and accommodating more housing, we keep trying to pound a square peg into a round hole.

I defy anyone who has witnessed the unbridled growth in communities along the Front Range to list the benefits of growth. More traffic, more pollution? More people?

Strain on infrastructure? Higher taxes? Does anybody think Longmont is somehow a better place now with literally hundreds of housing units going up each month? Here in Lyons, we have an opportunity to avoid the crush of growth around us by admitting we cannot be a Longmont or, heaven forbid, a Boulder.

There is an effort underway now via the County-Town IGA to designate properties outside Town limits for annexation and housing development. Lyons is approaching the point where we must simply say there is no more room. It's not an attempt to exclude potential residents, it’s not NIMBYism, it’s simply a fact. Lyons is unique in many ways, but most of all in its geographical limitations. We are a small town tucked inside a bowl with a temperamental river running through it and we should defeat any foolhardy efforts that deny this reality.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

There’s a need for affordable housing in every Front Range town, but the larger question is what should a small town with limited land and resources do about it? Lyons has added or will shortly add 49 affordable housing units, the largest being Summit’s 40 units in Lyons Valley Townhomes. The addition of these units brings Lyons’ AH stock to around ten percent, fulfilling a 2016 Board of Trustees goal. By contrast, Longmont’s percentage is seven percent (but is eventually aiming for 12 percent).

The difference between Lyons and Longmont is that the latter has huge swathes of easily buildable land around it and a housing authority to oversee large developments. Lyons is very limited; we are built out within Town limits, and any large AH developments outside of Town would be difficult because of topography and require voter approval of annexations over five acres. Moreover, a huge infusion of federal or state money, like the $4M DOLA grant Summit received in the wake of the 2013 flood, would be needed. Any large AH developments would also require monetary concessions from the town; this means taxpayer dollars.

That money is better spent taking care of infrastructure issues, like leaking water and sewer lines and degrading streets. Developments like Summit’s will not come again; it’s simply not possible to build any large developments of affordable housing in the price ranges the town needs (those in the 30 to 50 percent Boulder County AMI income range). A solution being proposed is “densification” and rezoning of single-family zones to multifamily. Sounds like a good idea on the surface, but it will impact only the old town portion of Lyons. Subdivisions like Stone Canyon, Longs Peak, Lyons Valley Park and Eagle Canyon are under the covenants of HOAs that do not allow more than single-family residences. If implemented, this densification will unfairly affect only the older Lyons neighborhoods.

David Hamrick, candidate for Trustee

Most pressing issue facing Lyons?

Most pressing issue facing Lyons in my opinion, there is not only one single pressing issue for Lyons but a myriad of ones that need to be addressed by the next Board of Trustees. Issues such as housing (both affordable and attainable), economic viability, aging infrastructure, climate change and community resiliency are just a few of the critical topics. The common theme across all these issues is they require a strong, financially viable Town to begin to tackle these problems.

Since only 13 percent of the real estate taxes we pay go directly to the town (about $720/yr./household), the town’s budget is highly dependent upon sales tax revenue. Hence, a strong economic base is required to address these issues and should be a focal point of the next Board of Trustees. The town should lean heavily on input from the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Vitality Commission and provide leadership on enacting recommendations from both these organizations.

A few ideas that come to mind include 1) explore ways through incentives and/or zoning to change the mix of businesses from service-based to retail-based to generate more sales tax revenue; 2) investigate ways to halt revenue leakage to other towns: this could include attracting broad-based businesses like a general store or installing drop boxes for online orders to keep this type of sales revenue local; 3) encourage/incent RMNP tour companies to make an extended ‘shopping’ stop in town and 4) employ a contract grant writer to go after local, state and federal grants that Town doesn’t have the time or resources to pursue.

Does Lyons need more affordable housing? If so, where should it be located?

Yes, Lyons needs to work toward creating more affordable and attainable housing to support its workforce and to encourage a diverse population. I am in favor of responsible growth along the major corridors in town (Hwy. 66, Main St., Eastern Corridor, etc.) including increasing density, reducing ADU restrictions, investigating ways to lower cost of water shares, and other avenues to increase availability of lower-cost housing. However, each property needs to be independently assessed to ensure it’s a good fit for the intended use; and if over five acres put to a town vote. If recent state legislation (HB24-1152, Section 4) doesn’t pass to prohibit HOAs from banning ADUs, the burden for new ADUs would likely fall on Lyon’s historic neighborhoods (Old Town, Confluence, Nortonville, etc.) and as such, should only proceed with extensive public input.

Unless there is substantial public benefit, I am not in favor of building medium to high density housing on properties near and/or above the Blue Line. Building on these properties would be difficult and thus costly, would be far from public transportation, is exposed to increased fire danger, and would add additional stress to the existing fragile road infrastructure. Getting utilities to these sites would be expensive and the Town would be better served having a plan to fix existing infrastructure before adding additional liabilities. Even if the developer is funding utilities, we’ve seen examples (i.e. Summit Housing) where there were cost overruns due to the difficult build environment that prompted the developer to appeal to the Town for financial concessions.

GLEN DELMAN

MARK BROWNING

DAVID HAMRICK

LCF offering more scholarship opportunities

By Kate Schnepel Redstone Review

LYONS – Cory Pierce joined the all-volunteer Advisory Board of Lyons Community Foundation in 2023. He is now serving as LCF Co-Chair, alongside Gil Sparks. Pierce spent the first part of his career as an educator, and has more recently been a small business owner. Since he joined the board, Pierce’s passions for education and for supporting local students have inspired him to grow LCF’s scholarship opportunities for graduating seniors right here in Lyons. Under his leadership, and with the approval of the advisory board, LCF has increased both the number of scholarships available, and the financial amount of each scholarship.

In fact, this year LCF plans to award up to 14 scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 each. Applications were due last week, and our all-volunteer review committee is currently in the process of scoring the applications so we can award the scholarships in May.

To help students navigate the potentially confusing college scholarship application process, Lyons Middle Senior High School and LCF partnered in February to provide an exclusive scholarship and college funding support session led by the seasoned expert, Evan Jones.

During a decade at the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation in Florida, Evan Jones sharpened his expertise

By Rob Stumpf, Lyons Fire Chief Redstone Review

in college finance. Managing a $1 million annual scholarship program, he reviewed extensive financial documents – FAFSA forms, tax returns, aid and award letters, loan documents – guiding countless local students and parents through the intricacies of funding education. With insider knowledge of selection processes at Selby and other collaborating foundations, Jones understands the criteria reviewers seek and the decision-making dynamics.

In the two-hour session at Lyons Middle Senior High School, the 40-plus students and family members in attendance gained invaluable insights and one-on-one guidance on completing scholarship applications. They also learned how to prioritize their funding search and uncover hidden scholarship opportunities.

The session was well attended and feedback was very positive. The plan moving forward is to hold another session next fall for juniors and seniors. We will share details of that session once we have them.

In other news, LCF is pleased to welcome Mary Reaume to our Advisory Board. If you would like to inquire about becoming a board member, please contact us at info@lyonscf.org.

Planet Bluegrass has generously given LCF the opportunity to bring in donations during the Lyons Community Easter Celebration. The event will feature a service by Higher Ground Ministries, live music, a food truck, and an Easter egg hunt. In 2023, between bar proceeds, and donations at our baked goods tent, we brought in more

than $1,200 in just a few hours. Please plan to attend this year’s celebration, set for Sunday, March 31. It is a wonderful community event, and all money raised by LCF will go back into the community in the form of grants to nonprofits and scholarships to local students. Thanks in advance for your support.

Kate Schnepel is the Marketing and Communications Associate for Lyons Community Foundation. Kate has worked in the non-profit sector for more than two decades. She moved to Lyons in 2019 with her husband and daughter, and spent nearly three years as a member of LCF’s Advisory Board before moving into her current consulting role.

Lyons awarded a grant for joint project to update community wildfire protection plan Stumpf

LYONS – Anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring, lots to tell you about the goings on at Lyons Fire. We are turning our clocks forward on March 10, and though you’ll read this after, it’s also a great time to check the condition of your smoke detectors around the house. Dust, batteries, age, all can contribute to their need for attention, and we’d like to encourage you to do a quick lap around the house to make sure they are in working order. A simple little device often overlooked, but an absolute lifesaver.

The Town of Lyons has been awarded

a grant for a joint project with Lyons Fire to update our community wildfire protection plan (CWPP), and we have started building the team that will facilitate that outcome. Assistant Chief Steve Pischke oversees our Wildland program, and he, along with Director Paul Davidovich, Wildand Program Lead Nichole Palestro and Engine Boss Rich Palestro will be working with the town, county, and subject matter experts (like fire behavior analysts) to update this critical plan for Lyons.

Mapping, fire behavior estimation, evacuation planning, structure protection measures, and mitigation projects will all be gleaned from this effort. Did you know Assistant Chief Pischke started his fire career in 1972? What an incredible legacy of service, we are so fortunate to be able to

lean on his expertise.

March is Women’s History Month, and I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate some of our staff. The fire service has been a male-dominated field since its inception, and nationally, women make up around eight percent of firefighters in the U.S. LFPD, on the other hand, has 21 percent female staff on our roster.

This is a pretty remarkable group of women made up of volunteers, parttimers, paramedics, and career staff. One of our career driver/operators, Kim Carvajal, works full time for Lyons Fire, attends full time paramedic school, and is a single mom. Kim Carvajal, Megan Platz, Courtney Malone, Faith Doig, Halina Cope, Anne Reid, Nichole Palestro, Ella Koertgen, Liz McGavin, Courtney Murphy: Thank you for rising to the challenges of

succeeding in our field, and for choosing Lyons as the place you've chosen to serve others. I couldn’t be more proud.

A couple of don’t miss calendar items: March 23, Meet the Fire Chief, at station 1, 9 to 11a.m. Come by and say hello, tour the station, meet the crew. And March 31, Lyons Fire will again be helping with the Easter egg hunt at Planet Bluegrass. This is a huge family event, so come out and enjoy this community gem.

If you don’t already, follow us on social media; we are on Facebook, and now Instagram as well, at Lyonsfireco Happy Easter.

Chief Rob Stumpf came to LFPD in February of 2023 as the Deputy Chief of Operations. Late in 2023 he became the fire chief at LFPD. He has 26 years of experience in the fire service, the last 12 of which he spent in Colorado.

LCF Co-Chair Cory Pierce volunteering at the 2023 Easter celebration at Planet Bluegrass.

Schnepel

Lyons PT has been working on our bodies for 25 years

By Tamara Vega Haddad Redstone Review

LYONS – Achieving a quarter-century milestone in the fiercely competitive landscape of independently run businesses is a remarkable feat, and Bronwyn Muldoon, PT, DPT, SCS, is proudly joining this elite group this month.

Opening her Lyons Physical Therapy practice at 428 Main St. in 1999, she has continuously propelled her business forward, defying the odds that only 5 percent of independent businesses reach the 25year mark, according to the Small Business Administration.

The genesis of Bronwyn Muldoon's journey to Lyons can be traced back to a serendipitous visit to the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in 1998 with her husband, Jake. Little did they know, this outing would plant the seeds for a life-changing decision just a year later.

“We just knew we wanted to be in Lyons,” Muldoon reflects with a smile. Their intuition led them to this small community, drawn not only by its quaint charm but also by the intangible sense of belonging it exuded. “We wanted the small community and everything it came with,” Muldoon recalls.

Reflecting on Lyons in 1999, Muldoon reminisces about a community dominated by blue-collar workers such as farmers, stonemasons, and construction workers, engaging in physically demanding occupations. “Lyons was unique when I started out,” she recalls. “We often worked in trade or cash, and my clients lived and worked here.”

Initially focusing on general physical therapy, Muldoon’s practice gained widespread acceptance in Lyons. Beyond providing adjustments, she dedicated a significant portion of her time to offering advice and educating clients. As Lyons underwent a transformation into a white-collar town with an emphasis on outdoor activities like mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking, Muldoon adapted her expertise to specialize in sports therapy.

Muldoon’s commitment to professional

growth was evident as she earned her Doctor Physical Therapy in 2014, followed by achieving Board Certification as a Sports Clinical Specialist in 2017. “I focused on sports therapy from experiences I was having with my kids,” said Muldoon, mother of four. “I wanted to learn and share about key strategies for sports injuries: prevention!” A testament to her dedication, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) had certified only 3,210

the overarching goal of prevention and rectification.

Muldoon’s expertise has opened doors to prestigious opportunities, including working with the U.S. Summer Olympics team and collaborating with renowned athletes. However, her passion for sports is rivaled by her deep connection to the Lyons community. Whether raising her children with her husband or dedicating countless hours to volunteering, Muldoon’s impact on Lyons has been profound and enduring.

sports specialists as of June 2023. Expanding her reach, Muldoon opened Longmont Physical and Sports Therapy in 2017 to serve a broader community.

As a Board-Certified Sports Clinical Specialist, Muldoon’s work is all-encompassing. Her practice revolves around a holistic approach, addressing treatment, rehabilitation, and education tailored to individual needs. This specialized field dives deep into the intricate facets of active people’s well-being, encompassing physiological, psychological, pathological, and performance-related challenges with

For Muldoon, the community is more than just a geographic location. It’s the heartbeat of her success and fulfillment. “I have a successful business because of this community,” she emphasizes. “My family and I get back what we put in.” This symbiotic relationship between Muldoon and Lyons speaks volumes about the power of community and the reciprocity it fosters. “Community is why my practice thrives in Lyons,” Muldoon affirms, highlighting the twofold evolution where you receive what you give.

In Lyons, the fabric of community intertwines with every aspect of life, including healthcare. Muldoon recognizes the deeply personal nature of healthcare, emphasizing the importance of connection. “Healthcare is very personal, a lot of emotions, trust,” she reflects.

The tight-knit nature of Lyons amplifies this sentiment, as residents rally around each other during times of need. “Being involved in the community helps me understand the physical and mental health of my local patients,” Muldoon explains.

Muldoon’s dedication to Lyons extends far beyond her professional endeavors. She

actively participates in various community initiatives, recognizing the profound impact of volunteerism. “You have to volunteer to engage on a deeper level,” she asserts. From supporting local businesses to bartering with uninsured artists and musicians, Muldoon’s commitment to serving others reflects the ethos of Lyons, a place where kindness and compassion are woven into the fabric of daily life.

Reflecting on her experience in Lyons, Muldoon expresses gratitude for the enriching environment the community provides. “Seeing someone, knowing their kids, their ups and downs, it’s all part of being human,” she muses. In Lyons, authenticity reigns supreme, transcending superficial perceptions to reveal the depth of human connection. “What you see on the outside is not half of what you get,” Muldoon observes, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and authenticity in fostering meaningful relationships.

As Lyons continues to evolve, Muldoon remains steadfast in her commitment to preserving its unique character and supporting its residents. “Lyons was smaller than now,” she reflects, acknowledging the demographic shifts and economic changes that have shaped the community.

Despite these transformations, the spirit of solidarity and mutual support endures, serving as a testament to the resilience of Lyons’ residents.

In the tapestry of Lyons, Dr. Bronwyn Muldoon’s story serves as a shining example of the transformative power of community. Through her unwavering dedication and heartfelt contribution, she embodies the essence of Lyons, a place where neighbors and patients are more than just acquaintances; they’re family. All of which are invited to Bronwyn Muldoon’s 25th anniversary in April. For up-to-date details follow Lyons PT Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/LyonsPhysicalTherapy/ or stop by her office at 435 High St., Lyons.

Tamara Vega Haddad is an advocate for small businesses and Lyons economic development. She has an Interior Design Certificate, specializing in Biophilic Design, and works with Tucker Real Estate Group as an agent.

Dr. Bronwyn Muldoon is the owner of Lyons Physical Therapy, located at 435 High St. in Lyons.

CREATIVES

Lyons robotics teams shine brightly at VEX competition

By Yelena Hughes Redstone Review

LYONS – The VEX Robotics Competition, held at Mead Middle School on February 10, 2024, showcased a remarkable display of talent, innovation, and sportsmanship from teams across the region.

The VEX Robotics Competition, presented by the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, is the largest and fastest growing middle school and high school robotics program globally with more than 20,000 teams from 50 countries playing in over 1,700 competitions worldwide.

at the competition. Among the awardees at the competition was Team Mercedes Benz, with Forrest Hughes, August Swanger, Greyson Lorang, and Davyn Smith. This team exemplified sterling conduct, gracious professionalism, and a positive attitude, earning them the prestigious Sportsmanship Award.

Middle School Teams: The following middle school teams from Lyons stood out with their outstanding performances:

Team 70569A – Not the Golden Girls, comprised of Rose Murdoch, Maddy Denney, and Kinsley Romero, were recognized with the Build Award (VIQRC) and the Think Award (VIQRC). Moreover, their successes earned them a coveted spot in the State Robotics Championship Tournament.

Team 70569B – The Riled Up Robots, with Niko Rauker, Ari Sands, Eli Brast, Rowan Gantzer, and Jeffery Muth, won the Think Award (VIQRC) and qualified for the State Robotics Championship Tournament.

Team 70569D – Cyber Crusaders Sergei Anderson, Jones Quinn, and Connor Wray exemplified sportsmanship and teamwork, earning them the Sportsmanship Award (VIQRC). Additionally, they secured a spot in the State Robotics Championship Tournament.

Team 70569E – Devious Doggos’ standout team of Avery Gibson, Leah Bear, and Margot Spencer were honored with the Judges Award (VIQRC) for exceptional teamwork and creativity.

Lyons High School had two teams competing in a separate high school competition. One of these teams won an award.

Among the standout performers were the teams representing Lyons Elementary School, and Lyons Middle High School, whose exceptional achievements left an indelible mark on the event.

Behind the success of each Lyons team stood dedicated coaches who provided invaluable support and mentorship. At Lyons Middle School, Coach Goran Rauker and Shannon Carheden nurtured talent and fostered a culture of collaboration, while at Lyons Elementary School, Coaches Ryan Hughes, Justin Spencer, and Martijin Bolster inspired their teams, instilling a passion for robotics and STEM education.

Lyons Elementary School’s Teams: The enthusiasm and determination of Lyons Elementary School’s teams were palpable as they showcased their creativity and resilience

Senior team: Team 23906A – Shake ‘n Bake, with Aleksei Anderson, Mike Ping, Wyatt Waters, Lance Schweiger, Jason Curton, and Marc Andreson.

Judges Award (VRC/VEXU/VAIC/ADC/VAIRC) Team 23906B – Mechanical Menaces with Sage Glover, Jasper Bolster, Niko Sparks, and Adam Walker.

These remarkable achievements underscore the dedication and talent of Lyons Robotics teams. With their outstanding performances, they not only brought recognition to their schools but some also secured places in the highly anticipated State Robotics Championship Tournament. As they continue their journey in robotics and STEM education, they serve as shining examples of perseverance, innovation, and collaboration within the Lyons community.

Yelena Hughes is Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission for the Town of Lyons.

Like a detective

By Sally King Redstone Review

Like a detective

I paw through the contents of my heart

Attempting to clarify, dear readers

The constant bombardment of the emotionally sticky material

We find ourselves collecting every single day.

The planet Pluto is in the same configuration it was

When the Declaration of Independence was signed. The dragon’s smoke can be seen on the horizon.

Is it a warning or a call to a quest?

During a lengthy tooth repair, the dental assistant, Someone I’ve known for over 20 years Said to me, “Do you want to see my tattoo?”

She seems an unlikely person for this art form.

Pulling up her sleeve, a Tooth Fairy

Saying, “Isnt she cute?”

It’s the oddity of every day that amazes me

Gives me hope.

The many areas of life that require our attendance… The body, a sense of purpose, Relationships, community, our country, the world.

It’s easy to get spun out

So savoring the unexpected details is an anchor. My older sister locked the door

When her daughter came to see her.

A dementia, an attempt at control when so much is changing.

Can I stay on the balls of my feet, responding (not reacting).

We too, in Lyons are in the thick of it, Changes are on the horizon, decisions to be made (not easy).

Coming together is our potential.

I threw the I Ching for Lyons. Number 64

It’s called “Before Completion.”

Getting past a period that is dangerous to our perserverance.

We must be like an old fox crossing on thin ice.

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.

FOX BY SALLY

Middle School Team the Devious Doggos with their award winning robot. Left to right: Margot Spencer, Avery Gibson, and Leah Bear. The team received the award for exceptional teamwork and creativity.

WHAT’S COOKIN’

By Barbara Shark Redstone Review

LYONS – We enjoy a wide range of foods but I often weary of meat-based meals and instead make dishes with grains and vegetables, cheese and eggs. These meals are particularly easy to make from pantry items and a well stocked vegetable bin. A favorite is this quinoa salad. It is savory and spicy with a touch of sweetness. And quinoa, a seed, provides a good amount of protein – eight grams in a cup of cooked quinoa.

Boil one cup of quinoa in a generous amount of water until tender with a tiny curl visible in each seed, about 12 minutes. Add hot water if necessary to keep the quinoa covered. Use a medium large pot as sometimes the quinoa

boils over. Taste often to prevent overcooking and mushy quinoa. Drain in a fine sieve.

Combine the cooked grain with this vinaigrette: the juice of a lime, one teaspoon freshly ground cumin, a big pinch of hot red pepper flakes, a half teaspoon salt, three tablespoons olive oil. Add two tablespoons of dried currants, a chopped red or yellow pepper and a handful of roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems.

I serve this over a bed of salad greens, sometimes with a softly boiled egg on the side. (I use a steamer to cook these eggs. Bring an inch of water to a boil in the steamer, add eggs, cover, and cook for eight to nine minutes for an extra-large, jammy egg.)

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.

Make your own Rueben sandwich – the millionaire’s delight for less

By Catherine Metzger Redstone Review

March is

month for the beef briskets to arrive at a market near you for the annual New England Boiled Dinner, a.k.a., corned beef and cabbage. Here’s a recipe for Rueben sandwich that expands the original dimensions of the lowly corned beef – but that’s only if, with the luck of the Irish, you have enough left over after St. Patrick’s Day.

The inspiration for this recipe came after my sister Sarah and I were perusing where you can purchase a Rueben kit starting at a mere $150. There are endorsements on the website from Oprah and Obama attesting to the deliciousness of a

Zingerman’s Rueben sandwich. This goes to show you that you can buy anything online and have it delivered to your doorstep for a premium price. But you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy a good Rueben sandwich. This homemade recipe will cost you a lot less with just-as-satisfying results.

Rueben Sandwich

Serves 2; Preparation time: 20 minutes

For the sandwich:

1/2 lb. corned beef (or pastrami), thinly sliced

1/4 lb. Swiss cheese, thinly sliced 1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained 4 slices good rye bread

Russian Dressing

Butter

Salt and pepper

For the Russian dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chives or scallions, chopped 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons chili sauce or ketchup (or more, to your taste)

1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish or gherkins

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon horseradish

Continued from Page 7

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

A shake of paprika

To make the Russian dressing:

• Using a food processor, first drop the onion and then the remaining ingredients through the feed tube while the machine is running. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dressing should keep for a week in the refrigerator.

To make the sandwiches:

• Bring a large frying pan up to medium heat. Add corned beef and stir until heated through. Remove to a warm plate.

• Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and lay two pieces of rye bread on the melted butter. Divide the corned beef and lay it on top of each slice of bread then top each sandwich half with slices of Swiss cheese. Cover each sandwich with a slice of rye bread. Lower the heat and remove the sandwiches from the pan to a warm plate. Melt more butter then return the sandwiches to the pan with the cheese side nearest the heat.

• Meanwhile, heat the sauerkraut. Once the cheese has melted, flip the sandwich over and lift the bread above the corned

breakfast to please bring an egg or potato casserole to share.

The Easter Festival Service will follow at 10 a.m.

The Allenspark Community Church, located at 16 Washington Street in Allenspark, extends a special invitation to everyone to join us in any or all of the services of this special time, and wishes everyone a very blessed Holy Week.

Cemex awards four scholarships to St. Vrain Valley students

LYONS – The Cemex Lyons cement plant is awarding four $1,000 scholarships to students in the St. Vrain Valley Schools district through the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation scholarship program.

beef. Cover the surface of the corned beef with sauerkraut and a dollop or two of Russian dressing. Replace the bread tops and flip the sandwiches, continuing to cook them until they are golden brow to your satisfaction. Serve hot.

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.

Students are encouraged to apply if they plan on completing a degree for trade or vocational occupations that include Advanced Manufacturing, Construction Manager, Electrician, Engineering, Journeyman, Mechanics, Plumbing or Technical Studies, the company said in a news release.

One of the $1,000 trade scholarships is already dedicated to a current senior at Lyons Middle Senior High School, according to Michael Clausen, corporate social responsibility manager at Cemex Lyons. The remaining three $1,000 trade scholarships are open to any current senior attending a St. Vrain Valley Schools high school.

More information about the scholarships, eligibility requirements, and guidelines to apply can be found by calling Cemex in Lyons or go to their website, https://www.cemexusa.com/.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, March 5. The scholarships will be awarded to the selected students in May.

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1/2 LB EACH CORNED BEEF AND SWISS CHEESE

DIVIDE THE WARMED CORNED BEEF ONTO THE TWO SLICES OF RYE TOP EACH WITH SWISS CHEESE AND A SLICE OF BREAD FLIP TO ADD SAUERKRAUT AND RUSSIAN DRESSING

CORA release

In an IGA-related issue, the board acted on whether the town should release under a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request filed jointly by former Trustees Mark Browning and me, Greg Lowell, a housing buildout analysis that was based on the recently accepted “Housing Futures Plan.”

The spreadsheet – generated by town planning – was one of various documents relating to the town’s IGA negotiations. While the request was largely fulfilled, Town Counsel Brandon Dittman claimed the spreadsheet shown at the Feb. 12 Planning and Community Development Commission meeting by town planner Andrew Bowen was privileged information and could not be released.

Brown and I, Greg Lowell, challenged Dittman’s denial, insisting that the spreadsheet was shown and discussed in a public meeting, is now available to the public as a video recording, and should not be denied.

The spreadsheet lists 11 Boulder County properties and

IGA Continued from Page 1

know, no one has applied for annexation because the properties are not currently eligible,” she said. In order to apply for annexation the parcels first have to be eligible and that is what the board is discussing, she said. Also Rogin pointed out that the county has to agree on the eligibility of the parcels.

At the second informational meeting on the annexations, held on March 11 at the Lyons Library, Mayor Rogin said, “I believe we need to slow this process down. I realize now that we should have included the public input from the beginning. We have heard you loud and clear.” She added that there is NO provision on the agenda for the Monday March 18 board meeting to approve the IGA.

The second meeting drew a large crowd with people standing in the back of the room. The people were still asking the same questions as they did at the March 4 board meeting and the March 5 information meeting. They asked about the comprehensive plan had the some

their potential for a total of 214 housing units. All of the 11 targeted properties were shown as five acres or less, despite the fact that five of the properties greatly exceed five acres, such as the Boone and Conner parcels.

Dittman advised the board that they had the power to approve releasing the document. Mayor Rogin and the Trustees agreed to its release but wanted assurance it would be noted as a “working copy” and “not a board-approved document.” Mayor Rogin called for civility.

Near the end of the meeting, Mayor Rogin commented on the recent tenor and tone of social media conversations during this town election cycle, citing the “rancor, insult and name-calling” and said she “will not stand for it.”

“We can disagree agreeably,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with debating issues. There is something wrong with abuse.”

Lyons’ resident Greg Lowell is a former Lyons Town Board Trustee and serves as the chair of the Ecology Advisory Board. He is currently running for the Lyons Board of Trustees in the April election.

of the properties such as the Boon and Conner properties designated as rural areas with one house per acre, but the IGA showed them as allowing 12 houses per acre.

Others asked if the 5 acre rule in the comp plan stating that any land designated to be annexed into the Town of Lyons that was over 5 acres and not owned by the town had to go to the vote of the people would still apply. Mayor Rogin addressed that question and said, yes, parcels over 5 acres, if they were approved for annexation, would go to a vote of the people.

Mayor Rogin proposed creating a working group of citizens, board members and staff to go over the IGA and work collaboratively discussing which properties would qualify for annexation if any. This committee would be created under the new board after the election is held in April.

Mayor Rogin said she completely understands where the public concern is coming from and has worked on committees in other towns that did not want more growth.

“The only agenda I have is what is best for the town and if they don’t want growth, that is fine with me,” she said.

SRO at IGA info meeting

By Greg Lowell Redstone Review

About 150 people turned out Monday, March 5, at the Lyons Library District building for an informational meeting on the Town/County intergovernmental agreement and to ask questions of town officials.

Mayor Hollie Rogin, Town Administrator Victoria Simonsen and Lead Planner Andrew Bowen explained the IGA process and then entertained questions from residents.

Residents weighed in on the IGA process, saying the information was withheld from them and some complained they were not aware that properties near them had been earmarked for possible annexation. Mayor Rogin defended the executive sessions the Board of Trustees held on the IGA saying they were both legal and were standard for contract negotiations like the IGA. But she promised to be more forthcoming and said that the present session and another the following Monday are part of that information sharing.

One focus of the meeting was the discrepancy between the town’s comprehensive plan and the notional plans for the Boone, Conner and Carpenter properties. Critics pointed out that the Comprehensive Plan had tabbed them for “rural neighborhoods” with one house per acre, yet the IGA has designated them as “low or medium density” that allows up to 12 houses per acre.

Other criticisms of the subject properties were wildfire danger and how residents could escape, drainage, and the water needs of potential developments.

On the possibility of circumventing the town’s fiveacre annexation vote, Dale Case, Planning Director for Boulder County, revealed that a property owner could seek annexation of a portion (less than five acres) of their larger property without County approval. Such a move would negate the town’s residents’ approval.

Nila is a gentle soul who navigates the world in her own unique way. She is 3 1/2 years old and, although deaf, she has an uncanny ability to connect with those around her. Nila’s shyness adds to her charm, revealing a dog who simply needs time to trust and open up. In the right environment, she will flourish, and she plays well with most dogs. Nila will do best in a home with high school age children, and she will need to meet everyone in the house before going home. To see all our adoptable animals, visit longmonthumane.org, or come to the shelter at 9595 Nelson Road.

Local, family-owned, and proudly serving the Boulder & Lyons area since 1983 siddallteam@gmail.com• www.gateway-realty.com

SWEET LITTLE LOG CABIN ON HIGH STREET IN DOWNTOWN LYONS

RIGHT NEXT TO MOXIE MERCANTILE

(FORMERLY THE STONE CUP)! Currently leased as a residential unit ($1,500/mo.). Commercial zoning offers tremendous potential both in the cabin and the 10,000 square foot lot + double tandem garage. Beautiful and spacious backyard. Formerly leased as executive suites and an accounting office. Zoning allows for mixed use. Cabin is in good shape with many recent improvements, including a deluxe bathroom.

Tremendous opportunity for the visionary owner-occupant or investor!

436 High Street, Lyons / $725,000

PERCHED ON A HILLSIDE IN LYONS PARK ESTATES, 3 MILES FROM DOWNTOWN LYONS, THIS CUTE MOUNTAIN HOME

PROVIDES ALL THE ROMANTIC ASPECTS OF LIVING IN LYONS WITHOUT THE MILLION DOLLAR PRICE TAG OR HOURS OF WEEKLY YARD MAINTENANCE. Enjoy the mountain breeze, deer wandering in the yard and watching hummingbirds from this serene slice of paradise. This 3 bedroom (1 bedroom non-conforming), 1 bath does have a modest size, but packs a lot of character and potential to add a carport or larger garage on the lower portion of this 3 acre property. LISTED BY IAN PHILLIPS 276 Sandstone Drive, Lyons / $635,000

Continued from Page 14

$550,000 in grants available for climate innovation projects

BOULDER COUNTY – Boulder County is now accepting applications for Climate Innovation Fund grants, aiming to award a total of $550,000 to projects focused on carbon dioxide removal, and landscape resilience and restoration. Individuals, teams, and organizations are encouraged to submit short-form proposals for regional projects designed to effectively remove and securely store carbon dioxide and deliver measurable benefits to our community’s resilience and environmental

health in response to climate change impacts. Short-form proposals can be submitted online through the Boulder County website, https://bouldercounty.gov/, until the March 21, 2024. Submissions that meet the county’s criteria will be invited to provide a detailed project plan, including expected outcomes and a comprehensive budget, during a subsequent four-week application phase starting in April 2024. This two-step process ensures thorough evaluation and support for the most promising initiatives.

The application period for short-form proposals is now open and will close March 21, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. MT. Visit Boulder County’s Climate Innovation Fund webpage, https://bouldercounty.gov/climate/innovationfund/, for more details and to apply.

Dan Siddall broker/owner Colleen Dickes associate broker Dot Fears associate broker

GORGEOUS, LUSH 1- ACRE LOT IN THE BEAUTIFUL

ROLLING HILLS WEST OF LOVELAND! Located in regulatory floodway, so building footprint will be limited. Older mobile home with 2 additions and a 2-car garage presently on property, all in original condition— rehab potential unknown. Contact Larimer County Building Division @ (970) 498 -7700 for info on what is allowed. This is a gem!

6755 W County Road 24, Loveland / $300,000

SWEET THREE BEDROOM UNIT IN SOUTH

LONGMONT SUPER CONVENIENT TO EVERYTHING: SCHOOLS, PARKS, SHOPPING!! This townhome is in brand new condition, with very light usage and includes a two-car attached garage, high efficiency heating and cooling, open floor plan with lots of light and southern exposure. Enjoy mountain views from the second floor!

1474 Sepia Avenue, Longmont / $449,000

RARE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A COMMERCIAL

STOREFRONT/BUILDING/BUSINESS IN HISTORIC, VIBRANT DOWNTOWN LYONS! Currently the home of the famous Pizza Bar 66 restaurant. Trade name, marketing materials and FF&E are included in the offered price— no separate valuation. Building is in good shape and in compliance with current codes. Don’t miss this opportunity! Restaurant Seats 120. Pizza Oven, full bar, 3 large office spaces; Liquor/office space for managers. 2 large