LYONS – The Lyons Spooktacular parade and kids’ events are planned for Saturday, Oct 26, 2024 at the Lyons Elementary School and along Main Street. The schedule is:
4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Kids’ activities and games will start at 4 p.m. at the Lyons Elementary School;
5:45 p.m. - Line up for the parade;
6 p.m. - Parade along Main Street starts promptly;
6:30 to 7 p.m. - Trick or Treat at the businesses will be after the parade finishes; Don’t forget the Chili Cookoff at 4:30 p.m. at Main Stage Brewing, brought to you by the Lyons Garden Club.
Trick-or-treating families are encouraged to follow these safety tips: Costumes should be highly visible with reflective materials. To prevent tripping, costumes should not drag on the ground. Props should not have sharp edges that could cause injury. Carry a flashlight after dark. Walk, don’t run.
Remain bear aware
LYONS – During hyperphagia Black bears in Colorado are entering hyperphagia and will spend up to 20 hours a day trying to eat more than 20,000 calories to fatten up for winter. As bears start to prepare for hibernation and hunt for food, there might be increased bear activity in Lyons. Keep your trash in the garage or secure it until the morning of your trash pick up. Do not put it out the night before.
Town board accepts IGA Task Force recommendations; water plant up for sale
Locking up trash and other potential food sources from bears is important to prevent them from becoming reliant on these sources for food. Bears become more of a risk when they associate humans with a food source. Garbage kills bears.
Emergency, non-emergency and resource numbers
LYONS – The 911 dispatchers are equipped and well trained
Briefs on Page 5
By Susan de Castro Redstone Review Editor
LYONS – The Lyons Town Board had a lengthy meeting in mid-October and waded through a myriad of issues.
The board held a discussion on the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Boulder County and unanimously agreed to accept the IGA Taskforce’s recommendation to remove the density component from the IGA. This is a major win for the townspeople who were concerned that the town would annex land surrounding Lyons for development thereby increasing the density.
The IGA Task Force was formed to allow Lyons residents to participate in the process of
deciding which county land, if any, surrounding Lyons should be annexed to the town.
Boulder County created a buffer zone surrounding all its municipalities to make an attempt to control and/or regulate the wild, out of control growth that some counties have experienced. Cities and towns in the county can apply to annex parcels of the county land through an IGA.
Lyons was in the process of having discussions with BoCo about annexing certain parcels of land when residents became concerned about the lack of open discussions, and so the town board formed the IGA Task Force to create a plan to look at the properties that were under discussion and report back to the board.
“We are still working on the IGA with Boul-
der County, it is not done yet,” said Mayor Hollie Rogin. “The board agreed on having a special meeting on the IGA. It will be a public meeting and all discussions on the IGA from here on out will be open to the public to attend.”
This is another win for the people of Lyons who had concerns about the lack of getting all the information on proposed annexations. In other matters, the town board also decided to put the old Lyons water treatment plant up for sale. The property is located at 2186 Apple Valley Rd. It has not been used to treat the town’s water for many years and has been standing empty while the board discussed numerous options. The plant is in a rural residential district. It is owned by the town but it is in Boulder County. The board asked if the county wanted the property but the county said no. The board then voted to direct staff to list the property with a public access easement
Cemex shutdown battle will last into 2025, as neighbors seek reclamation relief
By Michael Booth Environmental writer for The Colorado Sun, Redstone Review
LYONS – Boulder County awaits the Lyons cement plant’s appeal of show-cause orders, as activists fight the industrial site on multiple fronts.
Boulder County officials delivered a clear directive last spring on the future of the economically vital but highly polluting Cemex cement plant in Lyons: Shut it down. The county’s planning director Dale Case sent the Cemex plant an April
order to terminate its current operations or show cause, because the county believes Cemex is no longer following the conditions of its nonconforming use permit.
Six months later, Cemex is still pumping out cement for buildings and roads, and neighbors claim the company is still pumping carbon dioxide into the skies at the rate of 300,000 tons a year and dust storms into surrounding communities on a regular basis.
No resolution will come until 2025 at the earliest, those neighbors now add. The county is not expect-
ed to issue a decision on Cemex’s closure appeal until December.
Cemex is likely to appeal any negative action in December, kicking it to the full county commission for an early 2025 hearing and vote.
“Cemex is maximizing its cash flow by delaying as long as possible, while substantial fugitive dust events occur regularly,” said Sarah Lorang, one of the leaders of a community coalition that has won surprising victories in fighting the company’s operations. “Many community members are frustrated by the seemingly unnecessary delays
initiated by Cemex, and their disregard for public health and safety.” Neighbors have documented 70-plus “fugitive” dust events – dust storms sweeping off the property into nearby neighborhoods – since May, Lorang said.
The neighborhood advocates, who are filing complaints and objections to Cemex operations on multiple fronts at various regulatory agencies, did manage to force a major increase in Cemex’s reclamation bond for the kiln property and a former quarry on the site.
Lorang, who researches and files objections for the nonprofit Good Neighbors of Lyons, first complained about underfunded land reclamation bonds for Cemex to
This beautiful family from Greeley enjoying a perfect Colorado fall day at Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch BY CATHY RIVERS
Remembering John Gierach
By Ed Engle Redstone Review
My friend John Gierach passed away on October 3, 2024. A few of you may only know him as a columnist for the Redstone Review. Most of us remember him as the guy whose pockets were always stuffed with dog treats and was often greeted by passersby with a salutation of “How’s the fishin’?” Neighborhood dogs greeted him enthusiastically knowing a treat was coming their way.
I first met John in the early 1970s at a Boulder Free University poetry class and knew we’d be friends. Later on we met up at his place on Grove Street in Boulder to play our guitars where I quickly learned he was a far more talented guitar player than I was. He lived there with his black and tan coon hound “Plug,” who he’d taken under his wing when he worked at the Humane Society. Plug was famous in the neighborhood for stealing Frisbees from students at the nearby University of Colorado campus and bringing them back to Grove Street. There was a pile of them in the yard. John left them there as a tribute to Plug’s moxie.
John and I fancied ourselves hermit poets in the Chinese tradition and would meet up everyday to hike Gregory Canyon. Our favorite hikes were on the misty, cloudy days that we dubbed “Sung Dynasty days” after a style of Chinese painting that often featured misty, mountain days.
always had a well placed stone or tripod over the coals to hold the coffee pot. John loved coffee. Somewhere along the way John was introduced to fly fishing and it fit him like a glove. There was poetry in the casts, art in fly tying and trips and camps that were full of stories. Before long he was writing outdoor columns for the Longmont Times-Call, where he met his future wife, Susan de Castro, who was the business editor. He also wrote articles for fly fishing and outdoor magazines.
John saw any adventure, road trip, hike, hunt, or fishing trip as raw material for an article or essay. He carried a notebook where he scribbled ideas down and, in the beginning, often took his typewriter on fishing trips so he could get a day of fishing in and meet a deadline when the day’s angling
Most of all what we had in common was an urgency to be outside and write about it. This quickly morphed into hunting and fishing trips. And the camps that go with them. John was most at home in camp. It didn’t matter if we threw our sleeping bags on the ground and slept under the stars or made a more formal tent camp.
Every camp has a fire builder and in ours it was John. He carefully placed every piece of kindling so the fire would get plenty of oxygen when he lighted it much like the way he chose and placed the words in his essays. Those campfires
Meet Raina, a 4-year-old sweetheart who’s more than just a dog—she’s your future best friend! With a gentle heart and loving nature, she’ll always be by your side. Raina gets a bit anxious when left alone, so she’s looking for a home where someone can be her constant companion.
She’s eager to learn, easy to train, and great with kids of all ages. Whether it’s cuddling on the couch or exploring the outdoors, Raina is ready to be your loyal friend for life!
was over. No matter what, the writing always came first for John and he honed his skill with iron-willed discipline that saw him at his desk every day unless he was out fishing. John’s enthusiasm for fly fishing was so strong that it wasn’t long before he converted me. Next thing I knew I was at Sawhill Ponds, fly rod in hand, with John teaching me to cast. A few months later he taught me to tie flies. John was always learning. He figured out how to make popper bugs from wine bottle corks for bass fishing, developed a life-long fondness for bamboo fly rods, learned to Spey cast and tie
Spey flies, while all along making sure to get an article or essay out of it.
It was inevitable that he would publish a book. The first was a chapbook of poetry titled Motel Thought in the 70’s The second was a larger volume of poetry, Signs of Life. Flyfishing the High Country, published by Pruett Press, came next. Ostensibly, it was a “how-to” book but it doesn’t take long when you read it to see there’s a lot more to it. Consider this sentence from the book: “The ancient Chinese philosophers used the qualities of water to illustrate what human enlightenment should be like.” You didn’t find sentences like that in any other how-to fishing books. Next came Trout Bum also published by Pruett Press in 1986. This was John’s first hardcover book. John coined the phrase, Trout Bum and even without any internet or social media, it went viral.
It was revolutionary and its popularity spread by word of mouth among anglers across the country. By the time they finished reading the book most were secretly longing to quit their day jobs and become trout bums. The rest is history. John went on to author more than 22 books about fly fishing. All of them were eagerly waited for by his loyal readers. Maybe I should leave it there, but on a more personal note I should say John saved my bacon any number of times. Once I lived in his attic for several months while working through some marital stuff. John just said, “Stay as long as you want.” Neither of us had any money then, so we spent a lot of time at McCall Lake fishing for bluegills that we filleted to make fish tacos.
I admired John for this kind of selfless generosity backed by his famously dry sense of humor and one-liners. I’ll miss him.
Ed Engle is a flyfishing and outdoor writer. He and his friend John spent many years fishing, hunting, camping, hiking and hanging out together. Engle’s books include: Seasonal; Flyfishing the Tail Waters; Splitting Cane: Conversations with Bamboo Rodmakers; Fishing Small Flies; Trout Lessons; Fly Fishing the Tailwaters; Tying Small Flies. He lives in Manitou Springs, CO.
To see all our adoptable animals or get more details visit longmonthumane.org. Or stop in at the shelter at 9595 Nelson Road.
CORNER
Fall into voting season
By Hollie Rogin, Mayor of Lyons Redstone Review
LYONS – If you’re registered to vote and haven’t received your ballots yet, you soon will. Our November ballot is a long one, with many statewide questions. I won’t go into the details on any of the ballot measures here, but I will encourage you to do your own research on the pros and cons of each and note that the “blue book” you hopefully didn’t recycle yet should come in handy as you think about how to vote.
As we’ve seen on a national, statewide, regional and even local level, emotions can run high during election seasons. No matter your personal opinions on any issue or candidate, I think we can all agree that we make the best decisions for ourselves and our community when we are fortified with facts. Information spreads more rapidly than ever before; social media and digital plat-
GUEST • EDITORIAL
Protect Your Right to Vote on Lyons’ Future – Vote YES on Ballot Question 2B
Right now (as early voting has already started), voters in Lyons have a unique opportunity to shape our future. Before Lyons voters is a ballot question asking us to affirm and expand citizens’ rights to govern development and land uses around town. This summer, after considering personal testimony and support from well over 200 town residents from across all neighborhoods, the Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously approved an amendment to town code that expands our right to vote (under previously enacted town code) on future land development annexations. Since this has such significant meaning to the future of Lyons, the BOT wanted Lyons’ voters to have the final say. Ballot Question 2B reads: “Should the Town of Lyons have an ordinance requiring a vote of Lyons citizens to annex any property of less than five (5) acres that was subdivided from a larger tract after September 2000?”
We agree, and support a YES VOTE on protecting and expanding our right to vote on important land use and annexation proposals.
Since approved by a large majority of
forms mean we don’t have to wait for tonight’s newscast or tomorrow’s paper for the latest news. That can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s a complex landscape and can sometimes be difficult to discern what’s true, what’s a rumor with a glimmer of truth, and what’s just factually incorrect. This holds true at every level of society, from the macro to the micro.
I think we’ve all seen, to some extent, how trust can get eroded and polarization can become more pronounced.
We may have differences of opinion, but we’re all friends and neighbors. Personally, I know I learn the most from people I can profoundly disagree with, and I am grateful for those conversations. But those conversations are most useful when they’re based on factual information.
Unfortunately, we’re all seeing a rise in misinformation of all types. Here’s how they’re generally segmented:
ately provide incorrect information about voting procedures, such as dates, locations, or eligibility.
Malinformation involves the use of accurate information to deliberately inflict harm. This can include the strategic release of confidential information, such as someone’s personal details, with the aim of causing physical harm or inciting fear. It can also include spreading information about a crisis without any context or supportive actions to take. Unlike misinformation and disinformation, malinformation often stems from a genuine piece of information that is used to serve a harmful agenda.
Misinformation refers to false or misleading information that’s shared without harmful intent. For example, someone could post the wrong date for a community event. There’s no malicious intent; instead, it’s just an honest mistake. Errors like this can certainly have an impact (people might show up to the right place at the wrong time) but mistakes certainly do happen.
Disinformation is the deliberate spread of false information with the intent to deceive. Disinformation can include manipulated images, fabricated quotations, or misleading narratives. For example, if someone wanted to increase confusion to suppress voter turnout, they could deliber-
So what can we do? It turns out, quite a bit. First, when you see a piece of information that seems extreme, take a look at the source. Is its author reputable? Is the information independently verifiable? Is there a specific agenda or viewpoint someone is promoting? A little digging can save a lot of heartburn.
Educating ourselves can also go a long way. Reading up on topics from trusted sources to better understand facts and contexts can be extremely helpful. And then, if and when you want to engage or decide to address misinformation publicly, respectfully share correct information and provide sources. If you see misinformation on social media, consider reporting it to the platform or moderators; many have policies against spreading false information.
The currently seated Board of Trustees has spearheaded initiatives to increase transparency and keep you more informed
about current issues, including synopses of board meetings and advance notice of agendas (which are always publicly available on the Town website).
We just had our first quarterly Town Hall. We unanimously agreed that we will hold no executive sessions regarding the land use IGA with Boulder County. We’re focusing on proactive communication to make sure you’re receiving accurate information. And when mistakes happen, as they sometimes do, we own up to them. All of our workshops and meetings are posted on the town website and are open to the public, as are board and commission meetings. We invite you to come in person or watch online. And we are always open to hearing any suggestions you may have about how we can do better.
Now, go fill out and return that ballot. As someone once said: In a democracy, voting is literally the least you can do.
Hollie Rogin was sworn in as Mayor of Lyons
ILLUSTRATIONS BY PRISCILLA COHAN
on April 18, 2022. Before that she was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees for the term of 2020 to 2022. She was re-elected mayor in the April 2024 election. In 2015, she 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.
Concerning ballot question 2B for Lyons voters
town voters in 2000, annexations at/over 5 acres are subject to the approval of Lyons’ citizens. Annexations are the way our town limits are expanded, or not, for residential and commercial development. Earlier this year, in documents uncovered during the development of the Town-County Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), which governs future land development around Lyons, the public found out that it would be allowed that developers could subdivide and carve-out under 5-acres properties, from much larger acreages (some over 50 acres), prior to proposing annexations, so that the annexations would avoid the 5-acre citizens vote rule. The county called this a “Subdivision Exemption.”
A YES VOTE on Ballot Question 2B simply makes sure that large properties currently outside the town cannot be artificially subdivided into less than 5 acres to avoid the citizen vote. Properties under 5 acres would not be affected.
When this came to light, Lyons residents packed the library earlier this year, in two public meetings, to protest against this scheme. In addition to the many heartfelt statements from residents at those events, well over 200 residents from neighborhoods across town agreed to be listed as supporters of the amendment before the
BOT, which then unanimously approved the amendment to town code that would prevent this circumvention of our citizen vote rights. The question now before town voters is whether to re-affirm this very wise amendment.
A YES VOTE on this issue ensures that the public vote is protected. Protecting our citizen vote rights makes sense. This is especially true after the Stone Canyon Fire, as development in firerisk areas needs to be carefully scrutinized. It ensures the ability of town residents to vote on annexations, while at the same time does not limit the ability of developers/landowners to propose annexations. This includes proposals for affordable/ workforce housing, which would be presented for voter approval.
Some may argue that a YES vote, affirming the new improvement to the 5-acre vote rule, is not needed, as such carvedout annexation proposals have yet to be formally proposed (although this was contemplated by the draft IGA earlier this year). But if that is the case, then there is no harm in including this, to make sure that the citizens’ vote rights are protected. If such a pre-annexation carve-out/ subdivision never occurs, then this vote/ amendment does not adversely affect any
person/property. But if such a carve-out is attempted, then the developer/landowner is on notice that the proposed annexation would still be subject to the citizen vote. Either way, the rights of the citizens of Lyons are protected.
We urge the Lyons community to support citizen say on such important issues – decisions that directly affect public safety, environmental values, the town’s fiscal health, and the quality of life of town residents.
We urge our Lyons neighbors to VOTE YES on 2B to protect our right to decide our future. Thank you.
Robin and Peter Cowdery-Corvan
Amy and Brian Donnell
Mimi and Larry Elmore
Liz and Brian Erley
Michelle and Roger Flynn
Tracey Holderman and Patrick Wroblewski
Kathy and Scott Leiding
Lesley and Jens Lundeen
Lori and Doug Mathews
Anita and Robert Miller
Lindsey Milliken and Mark Magaldi
Fernande Vervoort and Peter van Oevelen
Laura and Mike Priess
Patricia Romero and Matthew Vavrina
Kelly and Daniel Sproul
Rogin
In 2024 Lyons Redstone Museum welcomed worldwide visitors, unique acquisitions
By Monique Sawyer-Lang Redstone Review
LYONS – The 2024 Lyons Redstone Museum season has come to a close. We welcomed visitors from all over Colorado and the U. S., some from as far away as Hawaii and Vermont. Our overseas visitors included people from England, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and Romania.
Our primary visitors over the winter will be students from Lyons Elementary School. During the school year every class will make at least one visit, engaging in activities in line with the School District Curricula. The fourth graders, who are
our Museum Stewards, will make multiple visits to the museum. They will gain an in-depth understanding of the museum and Lyons history which will inspire them to create interactive activities for children that will be installed in May. Visitors are welcome by appointment over the winter. If you are doing family research or would like to browse our gift shop and bookstore for holiday gifts leave us a message at 303-823-5271 or contact us at redstonehistory@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. We will reopen on weekends in 2025 starting May 3 and will open daily on June 1.
During this past year the museum recorded 40 new acquisitions into its collection containing over 140 objects, documents, and photographs. These included a tandem pair of early school desks, a 1931 advertising brochure extolling the virtues of the Town of Lyons, and autographed copies of books by Jack Moomaw, a former Lyons resident and one of the first park rangers at Rocky Mountain National Park.
The museum also received several items of Lyons High School memorabilia including a 1972 cheerleader uniform, pennants, Lions Booster buttons, and yearbooks. This was also the year of the sign. We received the following Lyons commercial signage donations: Richardo’s Liqueur,
Orkney – A center of the ancient world
By Peter Butler Redstone Review
LYONS – There are so many wonderful places in the world you can visit. But then there are locations that suck you in and squirt you down a time tunnel. Treasures of the planet like Florence or Angkor Wat can take you back a few centuries, but Orkney can take you back a hundred years, a thousand years, or all the way back to 3000 BC.
Look at the map of the United Kingdom and you can see Scotland with some small blobs at the very top, like some sort of afterthought. They seem so far way away but they are at a center of the ancient world. When the small plane lands and you get your first chance to twirl a panorama, the contrast with our own backyard on the Front Range is a surprise.
Soft rolling hills in the leafiest emerald green you ever saw but with nary a tree for a puffin to perch in.
being at 59 degrees North, offered them.
The Gulf Stream moderates the climate and the Orkneys see hardly any snow or even frost in the winter. Although it is windy, the weather is mild and rainy, producing the greenest grass for the happiest sheep. There was also fish, fresh water and maybe the best natural building stone in the world. The islands are founded on a bed of laminar sandstone which is visible at every part of the coastline. This stone can be cloven into blocks of almost any size with nothing more than a small wedge and some neolithic muscle.
The Neolithic period was the last part of the Stone Age, spanning from 10,000 B.C. until about 2,000 B.C., when the Bronze Age began. It marked the transition when human hunter gatherers started to settle and farm. These early farmers needed a cooperative climate which Orkney, despite
The rock has variable resistance to erosion, so the sea has scoured a crinkled coastline with rocky coves that are called geos. Neolithic newlyweds didn’t need a downpayment for the mortgage, just some strong friends to venture down to the geo to carry back some building blocks. So maybe this is why Orkney is scattered with myriad ancient structures, such as Scara Brae, which was occupied from 3180
B.C., long before the pyramids were built.
The Ring of Brodgar is in the center of the largest island called Mainland. It sounds like an episode of Harry Potter, but is a henge with a stone circle which is 4200 years old. It’s not the stones that define a henge, but the flat open area with a circular ditch. It’s on a low hill and if you stand and look around in a circle you realize
Pizza Bar 66, and Lyons Cafe. Even though the museum is closed there is still plenty of work happening behind the scenes. A group of museum volunteers, consisting of Jerry Johnson, Dave Brininstool, Steve Lang, Clark Hodge, Rolf Hertenstein, and Emily Walker recently replaced the metal roof of the storage shed behind the museum which houses a collection of large farming implements.
to provide an engaging, educational, and welcoming atmosphere at the museum.
In early October the museum received a grant from the Lyons Community Foundation (LCF) to begin the process of assessing every exhibit and display in the building. This assessment will facilitate the updating of our long-range plan and serve as a roadmap for the creation of future exhibits, both permanent and temporary. We appreciate the Lyons Community Foundation’s support of the Lyons Historical Society’s efforts to preserve the history of Lyons and
Mark your calendars for two important upcoming dates. First, the Holiday Artisan Fair is December 7 and 8 at the Lyons Elementary School Gym behind the school on Stickney. The museum will be selling history books, holiday items, and Mrs. LaVern’s Never Fail Fudge made by her son Jerry Johnson. Stop by our booth to say hello and pick up some holiday gifts. Shortly thereafter, December 10, 2024 marks Colorado Gives Day, the annual day of charitable giving. This is the perfect opportunity to donate to the Lyons Historical Society. The museum relies entirely on donations, grants, and gift shop sales to fund our operations. Your support is greatly appreciated.
If you would like to explore more of Lyons’ history over the winter, visit our website at www.lyonsredstonemuseum.com to access the Lyons Historic District Walking Tour, the Lyons Cemetery Tour, and three online virtual exhibits.
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.
that there is a rim of hills on the horizon about four miles away and you are in the middle of a perfect circle. These hills roll down in green meadows to water, in the mid distance, and this also surrounds you in an almost complete loop, and then up close there is more land and then the henge ditch. It must be one of the few places in the world where this circles inside circles phenomenon occurs. No wonder they thought it had spiritual forces.
Not only are there very many Neolithic, Iron Age and Viking sites to see, but for many of them you can just walk there and enter. Or in some cases crouch as low as you can and crawl. My wife and I took the ferry to the island of Hoy, which would easily fit between Lyons and Longmont, with a population of about 400.
Usually the one-man bus company will take you to the standard bucket list item: the old man of Hoy, a tall and narrow sea stack 400 feet high just off the coast. But the driver had to go to a family gathering so
we had to rethink. We set off on foot to the Dwarfie Stane, that’s “small person stone” in Orkney brogue. Two hours walking on a super quiet narrow road and a rolling moor led to a 180-ton slab of sandstone halfway up a hillside, 28 ft. long, 8 ft. high and 13 ft. wide. But this stone had been hollowed into a chambered tomb 5000 years ago with a human-carved cave big enough for a few seated people. A sacred space created to carry the bodies of ancestors. We crawled in and bonded with the spirits of people from 200 generations ago and absorbed some ancient energy to bring home.
Peter Butler was born in India and lived in a house facing a giant kapok tree. Growing up in England there were trees but never quite enough. After qualifying as biochemist there was a gradual evolution into being a graphic designer. He and his wife Deirdre moved to the States in 1997 and to Lyons in 2000. Finally there are enough trees.
The Lyons Redstone Museum acquired a vintage tandem pair of early school desks. A beautiful glimpse into the history of education.
Sawyer-Lang
Butler
Local conservancy district pairs with ditch company to rescue trout
By Greg Lowell Redstone Review
LYONS – One of the side effects of the 105,000 irrigation structures on Colorado rivers is the accidental death of millions of trout and other fish species. The fish become “entrained” when they are sucked into irrigation ditches from the river or instinctively follow the diverted current. When the water diversions are shut off fish are trapped in rapidly shrinking pools and die or become easy prey.
tant team stepped in to rescue more than 200 trout shortly after Highland Ditch’s headgates from the St. Vrain River in Lyons were shut down after the irrigation season. Under contract with the District, commercial aquaculturists Rod Beavers and his sons Brayden and Brendt used dip nets to capture the entrained fish. The fish were counted, measured and then quickly returned to the St. Vrain River. The majority of the fish were brown trout but there were also rainbow trout rescued. At the end of the project, all fish entrained in the pool
potentially in other parts of Colorado,” said Jenny McCarty, the District’s watershed program manager.
Healthy fisheries are essential not only for the ecological health of local streams but also for supporting the recreational fishing economy, she added.
The Highland Ditch Company has been diverting water from the St. Vrain River since 1871, using the water to irrigate 35,000 farmland acres.
But a pilot project by the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District in collaboration with the Highland Ditch Company could be the first step in a statewide program to save valuable sportfish and safeguard the ecological health of local rivers and streams.
The pilot kicked off Sept. 27 when the Conservancy District’s staff and a paid consul-
By Sarah Lorang Redstone Review
project can be scaled up across the district, and
CEMEX Lyons update
LYONS – As you may recall, Boulder County issued a Notice of Termination to the Cemex Lyons cement plant in April, citing increased traffic hazards and improper expansion of its use. Many community members are now wondering why Cemex is still operating. The April notice gave Cemex 30 days to respond by either: 1) providing evidence that the director’s decision was incorrect, 2) reducing the plant’s expansion, or 3) appealing the decision to the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners.
It’s important to note that Cemex can continue operations as long as its appeals are ongoing. Instead of appealing immediately, Cemex chose to challenge the director’s decision and requested a 60-day extension to submit a new traffic study, intended to counter the one used by Boulder County. It’s worth noting that the traffic study used by Boulder County was originally conducted by Cemex, which submitted it without objection to CDOT in August 2023 to obtain a new access permit. Cemex also filed a large Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request with Boulder County, estimated to take 400 to 500 hours to complete, effectively granting Cemex an additional four-
“This initiative is an example of the symbiotic relationship that can exist between local agriculture and environmental health,” said Wade Gonzales, Highland’s Ditch and Reservoir superintendent. “This pilot project shows how we can work together toward common goals.”
The St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District (www. svlh.gov) was created in 1971 as a local government, non-profit agency dedicated to safeguarding water resources for all and promotes and partners on local water protection and management strategies.
or withdraw the Notice of Termination. If the County upholds the decision, Cemex will have 15 days to either reduce the plant’s expansion or appeal to the County Commissioners. Cemex has indicated it will appeal if the decision isn’t in its favor. A representative from Boulder County shared that, assuming the decision to terminate is upheld, it would take about 45 days to schedule a public hearing before the Commissioners, likely pushing this process into February or March 2025.
In January 2024, the community provided feedback to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) on the renewal of Cemex’s Title V (Air Quality) Permit.
CDPHE has since indicated it plans to make changes to the permit, which is encouraging, but the process has been slow. CDPHE should have an additional response by the end of the year. Another ongoing issue is Cemex’s reclamation bond, intended to cover environmental cleanup costs when it ceases operations. The bond hadn’t been updated in 20 years and was set at $8.9 million. While the process of adjusting this bond has stalled for over a year, we’ve managed to secure an increase to just under $22 million.
However, our estimates suggest that cleanup costs would exceed $30 million, so we continue to push for a higher bond. If Cemex walks away without fully reclaiming the site, Colorado taxpayers could end up covering any expenses above the bond – a scenario that’s happened multiple times before.
Lastly, Eagle Materials in Laramie, Wyoming – the company from which Cemex bought its limestone mine in 2018 – recently announced a $400 million investment to expand and modernize its cement plant. This upgrade will increase production by 400,000 tons per year, reduce carbon emissions by switching from coal to natural gas, and lower cement costs in the Denver market. Cemex has claimed its cement is necessary to keep prices low, but Eagle Materials is already proving that’s not the case.
For the latest updates on Cemex Lyons, please subscribe to our newsletter at goodneighborslyons.com.
Sarah Lorang volunteers her time as Co-Founder of Good Neighbors, serves as Chair of Lyons’ Historic Preservation Commission, and regularly volunteers at Lyons Elementary, where her two children go to school. Professionally, she works as a consultant with a wide variety of businesses to optimize their client experiences, both internal and external.
each community is experiencing and possibly qualify for resources, such as a Resource Officer.
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to determine the level of urgency, the agencies that should be dispatched and notes to the responders for that specific situation. Dispatchers will start to send out help even before the call is done so it’s best to call 911 immediately. The Boulder County Communications Center has algorithms built into its system to help the dispatchers know what services to call. Calling 911 actually helps BOCO build data and understand what needs
Use 411 as a non-emergency number. This will get you to the same dispatcher but will just delay the process going through prompts. Use this number if you have more time and don’t think it’s a life or death situation. A good example: illegal camping within town limits or sleeping in a vehicle after dark.
Use 211 as a resource number. You will receive a lot of useful information from a live agent. You can be on hold for a long time waiting for an
agent and their hours are only Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so it’s limited to business hours only. It is for resource information only. Staff keep all information current and are the first to know of any new programs being offered and have an extensive outreach system. Some examples of information: vaccination sites, housing, tax services, food pantries, hygiene needs, including footcare, transportation, child care, senior care, suicide, new parents and pregnancy assistance.
Lyons resident Greg Lowell is a Lyons Town Board Trustee and serves as the liaison of the Ecology Advisory Board.
Lowell
Ditch and Reservoir superintendent. “This
Continued
A heroic fish salvager carefully nets fish to be relocated to safer waters, ensuring their protection and survival.
LOOKING UP
John Gierach –an appreciation
Butler
By Peter Butler Redstone Review
LYONS – Shortly after the Lyons flood of 2013, some progress had been made on restoration work, and Governor Hickenlooper came and stood by the Rainbow Bridge at Apple Valley Road and gave a speech.
I don’t know what he said because I was too busy grabbing photographs for the Redstone. In those days, Hwy. 36 was still closed and I would run with Zen the dog along the deserted tarmac and chat with the road workers. One of them had given me a tip that the governor was on his way. Later I processed my images and set off for John and Susan Gierach’s house with a disk.
Susan was away but John was there and it was the first time I had approached him individually. It was a beautiful autumn morning and he was very welcoming. I blurted something along the lines of “Hi, I’m so and so and I’ve got pictures” and John said, “Yes I know who you are.” I still get an upwelling of adrenaline just thinking of it. As I wondered back to the car I thought to myself “Wow – John Gierach knows who I am,” and polishing my smirk – “THE John Gierach”.
people wanted that same magic whether on the river bank or at a book signing.
Being an introverted sort, he would prefer to retreat to some secret idyll to revel in his solitude for as long as possible. Once he revealed a story that although he was a self-confessed computer and social media Luddite, occasionally there would be threads of gossip on some fishing group’s website that, “Gierach had been spotted on some water or other.” He had a quiet smile about that.
My humble jottings eventually settled on a left hand page of the Redstone Review opposite John’s monthly ruminations on the right hand side of the double page spread. Every month I would peer across the gutter, read his piece, and hope that I was worthy. It was a poignant juxtaposition
and Schuster, one of the five giants of global book production. They saw something special in his work and he continued with them. That global marketing machine helped give him the wider audience that he deserved, and he became much loved. When I first read some of his works I was expecting all sorts of wisdom about reading the water and choosing such and such a fly. But it was much more about his thoughts and musings, the Gierach philosophy but with some fishing in the background. That approach made him so much more approachable by a lay audience and is surely the root of his success.
I knew a few of his fishing titles with dry and witty titles like Death, Taxes and Leaky Waders, Standing in a River Waving a Stick and Another Lousy Day In Paradise but I was surprised to learn that his total life’s work amounted to more than 30 publications ranging to poetry as well. His last fishing title that was published in March 2023 is called All the Time in the World. At our last meeting, when I looked at this Gandalf of the dry fly with his deeply weathered face and tired eyes, I could tell that there was a large dose of irony in that choice of words. He promised to sign a copy for an angling friend of ours but sadly we were too slow.
John had always had local superstar status amongst anybody with any sort of literary or artistic aspirations. After all he was “The most famous fishing writer IN THE WORLD” which is how I always describe him. Later on, as I came to contribute more regularly to the Redstone I was warmly welcomed into the team and had the chance to spend more time with John.
Being the gratuitous hero worshiper that I am, I always angled to sit opposite, or next to him, and tried to glean some sort of rubbed off wisdom about great prose. He was very gracious, but later, when he relaxed, he would reveal that in his position as fly casting guru, myriads of other
for me. His writing was so straight forward and clean and without any pretension, but always to the point and clearly thought through. He would write as if he were talking to an old friend across the table, but make clear arguments that the rest of us might fumble over. He would cast a fly and catch a fish but he could cast an eye across humanity, in all its triumphs and agonies, and catch the drift of the moment. A lifetime as a local journalist had polished his filtering skills. Louis Pasteur said that chance favored the prepared mind and John had that advantage. He had previously been published by a local publishing house and had some success when the company was acquired by none less than Simon
John was a vital contributor to the Redstone Review newspaper and much wider afield, but fate stole him from us suddenly and unexpectedly. We may not have his monthly column to enjoy any more, or his company at the table for some of us lucky ones, but his Trout Bum will be on the same library shelves, all over the world, as the giants of American literature like Herman Melville.
After all, Moby Dick is a book about human nature with some whaling in the background. In fact, Melville devotes a whole chapter to discussing whether a whale is a fish or not. So it’s psychological analysis with fishing in the background. They’re virtually blood brothers. But let’s wander down the library a few aisles and here are Plato and Shakespeare. John Gierach will be amongst his coworkers for eternity.
And we locals will have fond memories of a great friend.
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 as a gradual evolution into being a graphic designer. He and his wife Deirdre moved to the States in 1997 and to Lyons in 2000. Finally, there are enough trees.
Colorado’s state fish represents the importance of conservation
By Deborah Huth Price Redstone Review
LYONS – Colorado is often known for its conservation efforts, and the preservation of our state fish, the greenback cutthroat trout, is a great example of the coordination needed to conserve the natural world around us.
This native trout species displays two colorful blood-red stripes on each side of its throat under the jaw, providing the name. During spawning season in late May to mid-July the cutthroat’s whole belly may become red.
Greenback
Cutthroat Trout (GBCT) were thought to be extinct by 1937, when several wild populations were discovered in the South Platte and Arkansas river basins in the late 1950s. They are now listed as a threatened species. The species was designated the state fish in 1996.
found in a single stream outside their native range. Since 2014, aggressive recovery efforts have been striving to increase this population.
Greenback cutthroat trout are one of four species of cutthroat trout in Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is currently growing some of the original strain in its hatchery system and is working on reintroduction efforts.
Mac Kobza, senior wildlife biologist with Boulder County Parks and Open Space, said there are no true strains of GBCT in Boulder County, but there are a couple of places where hybrids with enough important genetic makeup are being preserved. These locations are not publicized but Kobza said they are usually small mountain creeks that have a dam or blockage that keeps GBCT separated from nonnative trout.
Fish and Wildlife, and Trout Unlimited, among others, are working diligently to help restore habitat for our state fish. It’s a process that requires the help of many committed staff and volunteers.
As individuals, there are things you can do to help. Here are a few of the suggestions from Kobza:
Recent genetic work, however, has brought to light that true native cutthroat trout in the South Platte basin were only
Cold, clear headwater streams and mountain lakes are the preferred habitat for GBCT. The loss of habitat, and competition or predation from other nonnative trout and other fish, contribute to their decline. A number of agencies across the state, including Boulder County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, U.S.
and in a greater variety than brook trout in the same streams, a large portion of prey being terrestrial invertebrates.
OF A CUTTHROAT TROUT
• Never transport and release any trout (or any fish or bait) between waterbodies or streams;
• Always practice catch-and-release for greenback cutthroat trout;
• Respect closed natural areas when posted;
• Write supportive letters to elected leaders and vote to support Colorado Parks and Wildlife funding for native species conservation efforts;
• Volunteer to help with habitat restoration projects.
According to Life-History and Ecology of the Greenback Cutthroat Trout by Mark Coleman and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, GBCT consumed more prey overall
“Having them (GBCT) is a sign that all the right habitat ingredients are present and that natural processes are working,” said Kobza, adding, “I believe the loss of the cutthroat trout is before its time, it’s correctable, and it needs to exist in order to preserve the natural fabric of our lands.”
Most importantly, GBCT deserve a chance to live, just for their own sake. They bring a beauty to Colorado’s landscape that we can appreciate.
“It’s part of what it means to live in Colorado. It’s the moose or elk or wolf of the water: you see it and you can feel more fulfilled and happy,” said Kobza. “Just knowing it survives gives you and your children hope for the future.”
Deborah Huth Price is an environmental educator living in Pinewood Springs. Her blog is at www.walk-the-wild-side.blog. You can email her at debhprice@gmail.com.
CHARACTERISTICS
Honoring the Friends of the Lyons Library and remembering a beloved supporter
By Kara Bauman Redstone Review
LYONS – Libraries are the heart of small communities and offer more than just books. They’re hubs and catalysts for vibrant, informed, connected, and engaged communities in which everyone thrives. Behind every strong library is a group of dedicated support ers, and for the Lyons Community Library, that group is the Friends of the Library.
The Friends help support us by promoting public awareness of our services, sharing enthusiasm for learning, and enhancing the library’s service to the community.
Last week, October 15 to 21, was National Friends of Libraries Week, a time to recognize the invaluable contributions of these groups across the country.
Here in Lyons, the Friends of the Lyons Community Library work behind the scenes to enhance what the library can offer.
Friends group. A retired insurance professional and master gardener, he was known in the Lyons community for many things, but perhaps most of all for his tomato and geranium plants. Every spring, Williams would grow tomato and geranium plants and donate the proceeds of his sales to the Friends of the Library, with the express purpose of purchasing physical materials for the collection.
Thanks to the generosity of the Friends, library patrons of all ages benefit from an enriched library experience.
The Friends of the Lyons Community Library help fund summer reading prizes, a motivator for kids and teens to keep up their reading habits during the break from school. Throughout the year, they sponsor snacks for the Teen Advisory Group (TAG), ensuring our teens are fed as they gather to plan events and suggest materials that matter to them. They also recently sponsored a well attended Enneagram workshop, which offered attendees an opportunity to learn more about themselves and their relationships.
In addition to their financial contributions, the Friends coordinate the library’s ongoing book sale shelf throughout the year. They graciously sort through donated books, ensuring that those contributions can find new homes while generating additional revenue for the library. This vital effort helps support a circular economy within the community.
At the Lyons Library Celebration and Community Gathering on October 16, the Friends facilitated the drinks and snacks table, making sure everyone who came to celebrate had a warm welcome, a cold drink, and a cupcake.
But the Friends of the Library aren’t just about funding events and programs. Sometimes they also invest in physical materials for the library. And this is where a very special community member comes in: David Williams.
Williams, who passed away peacefully on July 22, 2024, was a longtime supporter of the Lyons Library and the
His donations helped put new books on the shelves and ensured that the Lyons Library could continue to meet the community’s reading needs, especially at a time when the District was squirreling away money for the capital expense of the new building. His passion for gardening and his generosity left a lasting impact on us, and he will be deeply missed.
In honor of his legacy, and to continue supporting the library in the spirit of his contributions, the Friends of the Library are seeking new board members. The Friends are currently looking for four new members to join their board and help guide their work in the coming years. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who is passionate about the library and wants to give back to the community in a meaningful way.
The Friends of the Lyons Community Library will hold their annual membership meeting at Ranch House West on November 7 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. This meeting is open to current Friends members as well as those interested in learning more about becoming a member or volunteering. It’s a great opportunity to meet the people who help make
the Lyons Library such a dynamic resource for our town.
As we remember David Williams and his many contributions, we are reminded of how important the Friends are to our library. Whether through plant sales, book donations, or funding for programs and incentives, the Friends of the Lyons Community Library continue to make a difference. For more information on the Friends of the Lyons Community Library and how you can get involved, stop by the library or visit their tab on our website.
To learn more of what your Lyons Community Library has in store, please visit us in person or on the web. We open at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday. We close at 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. on Fridays, and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Give us a call at 303-823-5165 or email info@lyonslibrary.com with any questions.
Kara Bauman is the Director of the Lyons Regional District Library and holds an MLIS from the University of Kentucky. She’s an avid fly angler, enjoys craft beer, and in non-COVID times travels extensively to see her favorite band, Widespread Panic.
Lyons child lands TV Role as a good guy serial killer
By Jim Ramsay Redstone Review
PINEWOOD SPRINGS – My wife and I were never really horror film fans, though we had longstanding tradition of watching Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining every year to celebrate the first snow. That had more to do with the local flavor of the tale than a love of the horror genre.
But when the TV show Dexter came out in the early 2000s, we couldn’t tear ourselves away. We had become fans of Michael C. Hall from the dark comedy Six Feet Under, where he played a gay funeral director, and we followed him into his new role as a forensic technician for the Miami Police Department.
What kept us watching Dexter was its portrayal of the secret life he led as a serial killer, one who only killed murderers that had slipped through the fingers of the justice system. He was a hero whose superpower was the Code his detective stepfather had taught him when he realized his adopted son would never be able to resist the urge to kill. Before he meticulously prepared his kill rooms and stalked his victims, Dexter was bound by the Code to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that his prey was an unrepentant killer. Only then could he satisfy his dark passenger’s lust for blood.
A new prequel to the original Dexter series, Dexter: Original Sin, stars a very young beginning Lyons actor, Eli Sherman, as the young traumatized Dexter. Dexter: Original Sin takes place in 1991 and follows Dexter (Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. This series, the prequel, shows the viewers how the young boy Dexter became a serial killer, his motivations and how he learned to at least stay on the safer side of his revenge habit.
Per the official synopsis, “When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Christian Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcement’s radar.” This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.
Eli Sherman’s mom Lindsey said that Eli takes his role very seriously and seems to love his acting role. This is the first TV drama or play he has performed in. Eli has his own trailer on the lot to go to and relax between scenes, as do the adults on the set.
This role must be quite an exciting challenge for a six year old. The new series premieres on the Paramount+ streaming service on Friday the December 13 and goes live on December 15. The prequel revisits Dexter’s childhood with a new cast: Eli plays the youngest Dexter discovered in the shipping container, Patrick Gibson plays the youthful Dexter learning to be a blood spatter expert in the Miami Metro forensics lab, and Michael C. Hall returns as a narrator. “They say it takes a village to raise a killer,” he says chillingly. Dexter had been baptized in blood as a young boy when his father found the boy had been locked for days in a shipping container where his mother and her cohorts had been brutally butchered by drug runners. This experience permanently warped the young boy’s psyche. Pretty grisly stuff.
Bauman
Ramsay
CONCENSUS
Words can heal
I have spent most of my life as a writer and editor in various venues and it is unusual for me to be at a loss for words. But the outpouring of support, encouraging words, offers of help, hugs, food, flowers, cards, emails, phone calls and much more have left me without words to express my gratitude to all the people helping me cope with the death of my husband, John Gierach.
John died unexpectedly on Oct. 3. He was 77. One of the things that happens to people who suffer a great loss is that it becomes abundantly clear that you are vulnerable, unbalanced, trying to make sense of things that don’t make sense.
But when friends, family, or even total strangers, come to your aid and offer any amount of help great or small, even a helping hand or a hug, it feels like you are wrapped in a warm blanket and you begin to feel safe.
Although it doesn’t take away the pain of the loss, it does give you a light on the path when you are in a dark place. It gives
Hot
By Sara Erickson Redstone Review
LYONS – This year the Chili Cook-Off will be held Oct. 26 (That’s tomorrow if you’re reading this on Friday). The Lyons Garden Club will be spicing things up at the annual Chili Cook-Off.
Do you have a chili recipe that is beyond compare? It’s not too late to enter it in the Cook-Off and win a great prize. We will award a gift card from a local restaurant to the winner in the red, green, vegetarian and four-alarm categories. And there is no entry fee.
you a place to rest and the knowledge that you can find your way.
I am most grateful for all of it, even though I’m at a loss for words to express my gratitude for the outpouring of help and encouragement from so many people. Friends from high school have found me, friends from college and places I’ve lived across the country, people who knew and loved John and some who only knew him through his books and magazine articles, people who read the Redstone , John’s editors and publishers of his books and magazines. Friends from across the ocean have contacted me. I can’t believe the news spread so far, so fast. How did they know? Many people in Lyons have been so generous with their time to help me wade through the many tasks.
Our little cat Cokie sits in his chair waiting for him. His keyboard is silent now, but his many books, his famous sayings, his articles in magazines will remain for people to read well into the future.
Judging and sales will begin at 4:30 p.m. The cook-off will end at 7 p.m. or until we run out of chili, which happens.
John’s ashes will be scattered, at his request, by his fishing buddies far and wide on the many rivers they have all fished together. They contact me often to check in and see how things are going. I can tell how painful this is for them because I can hear it in their voices.
I was unaware of how many people were touched by John’s books and were always looking forward to a new one. A neighbor came over to offer help. He told me that he just returned from a fishing trip in Alaska and when the news of John’s death reached the fishing lodge where he was staying, he said everyone gathered to talk about how much they enjoyed his books and his stories about his trips to fish in Alaska.
John would be so pleased to know that so many people are offering to help me and so am I. It means a lot. Thank you.
Susan de Castro Gierach
By Rachel Pickarski Redstone Review
LYONS – The Lyons Community Foundation (LCF) has awarded a total of $83,000 in grants for 2024, supporting a variety of projects that reflect the community’s commitment to human services, local ecology, youth investment, and community connectivity.
This year, LCF received requests amounting to nearly $94,000 and was able to award most of that amount, $83,000, through their annual Community Support Grants program.
A broad range of grantees are receiving funding to support critical local initiatives. Among them are projects aimed at bolstering human services, such as Lyons Elevating
You can register online at the LGC website (www.lyonsgardenclub.com) or register in person on the Oct. 26, starting at 3:30 p.m. Bring your chili in a crockpot with a label attached to the back, a labeled ladle, and complete the ingredients card.
Tastes are available for $1 each ($5 for five tastes), or you can purchase a bowl for $5. Participants often purchase several tastes and then settle in on a bowl of their favorite. Beverages will be available for purchase at Mainstage. Many thanks to Mainstage for its support of this event. The more entries, the more chili, the more fun. All proceeds from the Chili Cook-Off will go to the Lyons Fire Fund. There will also be a donation bucket for attendees to
contribute. The Stone Canyon Fire left a big impact on our community. We are also making plans to contribute to the reseeding effort for properties affected by the fire. This will happen during the spring of 2025.
In addition, the Friends of the Lyons Library will be holding its annual book sale on Oct. 25 and 26. Then of course there’s the fabulous Spooktacular Parade. Indulge your literary, parade-loving and culinary
sides all in one day.
For more information, please contact Sue Wratten at 720-580-2475 or Sara Erickson at sarae403@gmail.com. Messages can also be sent through our website at www.lyonsgardenclub.com. Check out our website to see our projects and events.
Sara Erickson is a member of the Lyons Garden Club.
Public art and art events benefit Lyons’ bottom line
By Kristen Bruckner Redstone Review
LYONS – Did you know that the creative industry generates three times more revenue than that of the ski industry in Colorado? On a national scale, art makes up 4.2 percent of the U.S. GDP and for every $5 billion dollars invested in public art, $29 billion is generated and $1.6 million jobs in an export economy. Simply said, art is real business. A vibrant art and cultural scene can generate significant economic value. In addition to adding value to the tourist economy, when you support local artists, you are also supporting a small, independent business and injecting real dollars into the local, circular economy.
The Town of Lyons and the Lyons Chamber of Commerce both embrace these concepts and continue to work on events and activities that support both Lyons’ creative culture and its unique, eclectic small businesses and historic downtown business district.
The Lyons Chamber of Commerce launched a “first Sundays” program in September. The goal is to have an ongoing monthly event that features local artists, musicians, restaurants and downtown businesses. The idea is to give residents and tourists a reason to come to town yearround. In October, the event combined forces with the Lyons Arts and Humanities Commission (LAHC) to feature a public unveiling and golf-cart guided tours of the 2024 heARTS of LYONS sculpture additions and other public art. The event was a big success and drew lots of visitors and locals to enjoy live music on Main Street, an artisan market at Main Stage Brewery, cider and donuts from YaYa Farm, and even an early Halloween costume party.
It was a great sneak peek to the upcoming town-sponsored Spooktacular parade and other festivities scheduled for October 26.
The sculpture tour featured nearly three dozen stops including eight new installations through the heARTS of LYONS sculpture loan program, curated by local art expert Melinda Wunder. The tours also featured a Meet the Artist element. Local legendary kinetic sculpture artist John King was available to discuss his inspiration for his two new works Soaring Bird on Crystal Way near Bohn Park in the confluence, and Lollipop at the end of Main Street in front of the St. Vrain Market.
Town Hall
the finishing touches on the hardscape for this last remaining parcel of land to be addressed post-flood. Also on the tour was artist Shohini Gosh, whose work Day’s Catch is proudly displayed on Main Street in the heart of downtown Lyons.
The public art tour is something that you can do any time through a self-guided walking tour available here: https://theclio. com/tour/1091. The tour features over four dozen stops that include sculptures, murals, creative outlets, painted public utility boxes and of course the one-of-a-kind Lyons Community Clarifier Mosaic. The Clarifier was just designated as a World Peace Site.
As a small community with a limited budget, it would be easy to discount the importance of allocating resources to community-enriching activities such as public art. Lyons has always been known as a Mecca for creative types: musicians,
actors, performers, painters, and sculptors. It is a source of civic pride and connectivity amongst our residents. Additionally, the eclectic, non-cookie-cutter character of Lyons is what makes visitors and neighboring communities continually say, “I love Lyons.” We are fortunate that the Town of Lyons, in cooperation with entities like the Lyons Chamber of Commerce as well as benefactors such as the Lyons Community Foundation and private entities such as Cemex and Planet Bluegrass, continue to support Lyons creative scene.
For more information on the Lyons Chamber of Commerce, visit www.lyonschamber.org
For more information on public art in Lyons, visit: www.townoflyons.com/769/ public-art.
Kristen Bruckner is the Arts and Cultural Services Coordinator for the Town of Lyons. She has lived in Lyons for 20 years, raising three kids and participating in town activities. She may be reached at Kbruckner@townoflyons.com.
refurbished
Plaza in front of local landmark, the Lyons Historic Depot. Blue Mountain Stone is currently putting
Christine Knapp, the Lyons-based sculptor who created the newly commissioned commemorative statue of our own beloved matriarch Mrs. LaVern Johnson , was stationed near her work in the newly
Shohini Gosh during Lyons Sculpture Tour
Savor warm chili on a crisp fall day. Proceeds benefit the Lyons Fire Fund. BY GAUTAM BHAN
Pickarski
The “Flame Dance” sculpture in its new location, capturing attention with its striking form and vibrant presence.
LYONS – Seicento Baroque Ensemble’s new Artistic Director Coreen Duffy’s debut concert with Seicento will bring a rarely heard work to the Front Range –
that would have been the style when the oratorio debuted in 1747 in London.
The three-act oratorio, one of Handel’s most popular works during his lifetime, tells the story of the Jewish people’s successful opposition to attempts to crush their religion in a series of actions in 170 through 160 BC. The Judas Maccabaeus performances will meld Handel’s inspiring choral work with Seicento’s trademark focus on music of the Baroque era (the late 17th and early 18th centuries).
George Frederic Handel’s oratorio Judas Maccabaeus. This work celebrates the origins of Hanukkah. It will be a rousing performance utilizing a full baroque orchestra. The shows will feature vocal soloists, the full Seicento early-music chorus, and a large orchestra wielding baroque instruments
What compelled us to watch Dexter was not so much the lurid details of his violent kills as the beautifully executed twists and turns of the plot and the skill with which the cast of characters was performed by some of television’s finest actors. The show went on for 96 episodes over eight seasons, and we watched them all. When Dexter moved to a small fictional town in upstate New York, a new series Dexter: New Blood was born, and I watched all ten episodes. And there are rumors that a new series, Dexter: Resurrection, is in the wings for next year.
Dr. Duffy, also the director of choral activities for the University of Colorado Boulder, will lead Seicento in performance Nov. 15, 16 and 17 in Longmont, Boulder, and Denver. Tickets range from $55 for VIP tickets to free for students less than 18 years of age.
Full information on performance venues, concert dates, and ticket purchase are available on Seicento’s website at www.seicentobaroque.org. To contact Seicento directly, go to www.seicentobaroque.org/contact/.
John Butterfield is a member of the Seicento Baroque Ensemble.
So get a grip on your squeamishness and check out the new series in support of local talent.
Jim Ramsay was raised in Iowa, Iran, Nigeria and Afghanistan. He studied English at CU in Boulder and taught English as a Second Language in Tanzania, Botswana, the University of Illinois and the Economics Institute at CU. An affinity for computers led him to technical writing, and he wrote manuals for tech companies up and down the Front Range. He moved from Boulder to Pinewood Springs in the early 1990s to follow a dream of mountain living, and he’s still up there.
A Poem for John
My friend died this week
A tidy exit, like a well ordered tackle box.
No fuss . . . Just John
Awaiting his ride home from the hospital.
He’d been released and was going home
Perfect metaphors for what happened next.
His big heart decided to call it quits.
He was alone as fly fisherman often are
When he got the urge to enter the wide river
Casting his perfect line
Into the water to catch a rainbow.
Time to exit, while things looked pretty good.
It’s funny how people touch your soul.
They are so themselves that
They become- part of you.
Sally King
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.
(granting access to the river) and put it on the market for sale.
The access easement will lower the price of the property somewhat. The vote for the public access easement was four trustees for the access easement and three trustees against the public access easement.
Switching gears, the board agreed to write a letter of support to make a property located at 224 Seward and 3rd Avenue in Lyons into a Boulder County Housing Authority property. This property has some mobile homes, and some attached and some detached housing units, and is up for sale. The property has 14 units altogether. The board and some members of the community want the property to stay on as a affordable housing project and want the county to take it over and renovate it.
The letter to Boulder County Housing
states, “This development is crucial for the families and individuals who call 224 Seward St. home and the broader community housing stock. Affordable housing is an essential component of a healthy and thriving community. It provides stability for residents, allowing them to pursue education, employment, and other opportunities without the constant stress of housing insecurity. This neighborhood has been a vital resource for many, offering an affordable housing option within Lyons.”
On another topic, the town board approved a liquor license for Indian Bites restaurant located at 432 Main St. in Lyons. The application was submitted by Gitanjali Shrestha, owner of Indian Bites.
The town had a discussion on rezoning four town owned lots which were left to the town by Keith Bell when he died a few years ago. Bell was a developer who built a lot of housing in Lyons about 20 years ago.
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TALK OF THE TOWN
A new documentary for and by Lyons residents to debut soon
By Jerilyn Patterson Redstone Review
LYONS – The Lyons Community Library is pleased to announce the upcoming screening of Talk to US LYONS, a documentary by, for, and about the people of Lyons, Colorado. The screening will take place on November 2, 2024 at the Laverne Johnson Auditorium inside Lyons Middle/ Senior High School. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow. All are invited.
Produced in partnership with R&R Vision, the documentary centers on interviews and conversations with civic leaders, business owners, visitors, and residents within Lyons, and highlights various viewpoints and experiences of the people who shape this community. The seeds for this project were planted when I met Dr. Courthney Russell, owner of R&R Vision, at the library’s LitFest in June. Dr. Russell is a social entrepreneur and civil activist whose company uses photography and videography to engage communities. With election season fast approaching, our Children’s Librarian, Becki Loughlin, and I wanted to find a way for the library to engage the community in civil discourse. The idea for the documentary grew as we considered our objectives along with the unique skillset R&R Vision offers. Dr. Russell and his team contributed invaluable insight throughout the film-
ing and editing process.
This opportunity to engage with the community on a deeper level aligns perfectly with the library’s mission, which is to “provide equitable access to resources, education, and experiences to empower individuals and enrich the Lyons community.” Libraries have become so much more than buildings filled with books – they are hubs of resources and information, as well as spaces that provide opportunities for free and accessible community engagement and education.
Filming for the documentary began in August, and many community members have been supportive and enthusiastic of the project. Speaking of her experience with the production of the film, Loughlin says, “Throughout this process, we could really feel how much residents and business owners love living and working here, and how much they care for and support each other. I especially enjoyed hearing from kids and teens about the reasons they love their community.” Indeed, the documentary showcases the deep commitment and investment residents of all ages share for this community, while also speaking to a myriad of experiences, challenges, and viewpoints within Lyons.
“I began the filmmaking process hoping to find out why there is such a lack of diversity [in Lyons] and if the community wanted it that way or hoped to attract other people of
differing cultures,” Russell says. “As the process progressed, it was clear that there were dual sentiments. Firstly, many loved Lyons for what it is, and secondly, due largely to the high cost of living, Lyons has difficulty with diversity. However, many people we interviewed, including business owners, community members, students, and even the mayor, spoke to the importance of this project in light of the homogeneous nature of Lyons and a desire for more perspectives. My hope is to highlight this great community while also starting the conversation on how it can become better.”
Early in the filmmaking process, it became apparent that we would not have enough time to hear from as many people in Lyons as we wanted. Like Russell, our hope moving forward is that this is only the beginning of the conversation, and that this documentary will bridge divisions rather than widen them. While we worked to portray individuals and groups with as much authenticity and integrity as possible, we hope this also creates an opportunity for community members to see themselves and their neighbors with compassion and humanity. We hope you’ll join us for the screening on November 2. The evening promises to be entertaining as well as thought-provoking as we consider what our obligations are to ourselves and each other as citizens and as humans, and what it means to be part of a community such as Lyons. This is our story, and it’s one you won’t want to miss.
Jerilyn Patterson is the Adult Programming Librarian at the Lyons Community Library. She can be reached at the Lyons Community Library, 303-823-5165 or at jerilyn@lyonsregionallibrary.com.
LEAF shifts into holiday mode for Thanksgiving and Christmas
By Lory Barton Redstone Review
LYONS –
The end is near, the end of 2024, that is. I’m aware that I sound more and more like my mother as I lament the swift passage of time each year. Speaking of time, I’m here to provide a timely update about LEAF’s, Lyons Elevating All Fund, year-end activities. Here we go. How about the 10th annual Rave To The Grave? Thanks to everyone who came out to make this signature event one to remember.
Holiday Giving Tree
Lyons Community Food Pantry
Lyons’ Holiday Giving Tree tradition is back. The Giving Tree is an opportunity for the Lyons community to ensure LEAF clients receive a holiday gift. If you’d like to show some holiday love, you will soon find Giving Trees posted at Lyons Community Library, Moxie, Uniquely Lyons, Oskar Blues, and the Holiday Bazaar. Choose a tag, purchase a requested gift (maximum $40), and return your wrapped gift to Oskar Blues by Tuesday, December 10. Our holiday elves will deliver gifts to over 100 local folks on December 14. Check out our website or social media for more information.
15 Days of Giving is coming. Sourcing sufficient quantities of food is an ongoing challenge for our food pantry. How can you help? Collect much-needed items for the pantry in early November, and we’ll get them into the hands of local people for the holidays. We’ll publish a list of the top 15 most-needed pantry items soon. Participating in LEAF’s 15 Days of Giving is a great way to remind ourselves and to teach children about generosity and giving to others.
Our Thanksgiving Food Pantry is Wednesday, November 20 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Our team works hard to provide plenty of holiday items that will make Thanksgiving feasts special. Anyone who lives or works in the greater Lyons area, or whose children attend local schools, is welcome. Find us in the lower level of Lyons Community Church at 350 Main St. The pantry will be closed on November 27, so be sure to stock up on November 20.
The Super Duper Holiday Food Pantry is Wednesday, December 18. The community and our teams work extra hard to make this day a special and fun one. Since we won’t be open the following weeks on December 25 or January 1, we make sure that everyone receives plenty of extra provisions. Stay tuned for additional details. If you have food to donate to the pantry
– thank you. You can always drop it off on Wednesdays between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the lower level of Lyons Community Church, or drop shelf-stable items in the boxes at the library or St. Vrain Market. Questions? Email foodpantry@leaflyons. org and we’ll get right back to you. We’re
looking for volunteers, too, and would love to hear from you if you’re interested.
Mental Wellness and Addiction Recovery
Ninety-eight people participated in LEAF’s Front Porch, our no-cost, innovative offering of short-term, healthful opportunities to Lyons. Bringing us together to foster connection, health, and compassion through the Front Porch was met with overwhelmingly positive feedback by facilitators and participants alike. Feedback was so positive, in fact, that we’ll host another round this winter. We’re calling it the Fireplace. Be on the lookout for opportunities to gather to create
warmth and wellbeing together at LEAF’s figurative fireplace.
Our new mental health therapist, Chris Peraro, will offer a free six-week group called Re-Writing Your Holidays: An Invitation to Live into a New Narrative. This artful support group includes practices to help you more skillfully manage the stress of the holidays as well as opportunities to “compost” the old storylines that haunt you, and use that transformational energy to re-birth new storylines that support vitality and empowerment. Together, we’ll utilize the power of ritual, myths, and poetry, as well as the wisdom of our group, to help each other into a new holiday narrative. Meetings will be on Thursday evenings starting November 7, with a break Thanksgiving week. More information is soon to come; email mentalwellness@leaflyons.org in the meantime with questions or to sign up.
Update on Renovation and Relocation
We’re approaching the completion of the interior finish of our property at 304 2nd Ave. I remember when our contractor, Charlie Gau, stopped by the Super Duper Food Pantry last December to let us know that our roof permit had been approved and the work could commence. And now, as we approach the one year anniversary of that big day, the interior work is nearly complete. Walls are up.
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Dr. Courthney Russell
Lukas Chin and Dr. Russell
Jerilyn Patterson, Dr. Courthney Russell, and Becki Loughlin.
Barton
Winter wildlife proofing now saves time and money
By Cindy Leikam Redstone Review
LONGMONT – Shorter days and cooler weather are here, which means this is the perfect time for winter wildlife proofing. Don’t wait until the snow falls to protect your home from unwanted visitors. Once inside, critters get comfortable quickly and can wreak havoc on a home, chewing through wires, scratching wood, burrowing in insulation, spreading disease, and even turning your home into their own private nursery.
Repairing the damage done by a family of squatting wildlife can be expensive, inconvenient, and time consuming. A little time spent now on prevention will save headaches and money in the future. Additionally, evicting established creatures is difficult and often requires the help of a professional. Humane trapping and hazing are needed to resolve these problems. Pest removal can result in young animals being separated from their parents, and sadly, some don’t survive the process. Every year, Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center takes in dozens of orphans from situations like these, most of which could have been avoided by following these
winter wildlife proofing tips. Frigid weather triggers the overwhelming instinct to find warmth, and for the wild critters living near humans, our cozy, well insulated homes are very inviting. Before the first cold snap, walk the perimeter of your dwelling and look for any holes, gaps, cracks, vents, or any other openings in the exterior. Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime, and insects can get in even smaller openings. Make sure gutters, siding, soffits, and fascia are properly connected and sealed. Improve energy efficiency and keep critters out by sealing gaps around windows and doors. Don’t forget to include garages, sheds, and other outbuildings when winter wildlife proofing.
Chimneys and other exterior vent openings are very appealing as roosting and nesting areas for raccoons, bats, squirrels, birds, and other critters. Cap chimneys and cover vents with a heavy duty wire mesh. There are products made especially for this purpose that come in all shapes and sizes. Most local hardware stores carry a variety of options, or they can be ordered online.
Window wells are not just cozy places to hunker down during adverse winter weather, but can also be deadly traps for smaller animals that are unable to get out. Greenwood receives dozens of calls every
year about all types of wildlife that become trapped in basement window wells. Fortunately, covers can be purchased for every size and shape of window well, and are made of a variety of materials, including clear, durable plastic, wire mesh, or solid wood or metal. Although it’s a more expensive option, converting standard basement windows into larger egress windows can provide a safe escape for humans in case of fire or other emergency, and an easy exit for trapped animals.
Seal gaps under decks, patios, crawlspaces and basement entries to keep critters from burrowing under these structures. Extensive denning and tunneling can cause serious foundation issues down the road, which are costly to repair. Mice, rats, chipmunks, ground squirrels, skunks, and foxes all may find the space under the deck a cozy place to set up and raise a family. Blocking these areas can be achieved by attaching a wire mesh cloth over the openings to keep animals from moving in. For concrete patio slabs, stoops, and shed bases, bury the wire mesh cloth six inches deep around the perimeter to prevent critters from digging under to establish colonies, which can destabilize the ground under the concrete, causing the slab to buckle, crack, or shift. Sipping a hot beverage by a toasty fireplace in the chilly months is a great way to enjoy the season. But the wood pile that fuels winter fires is a cozy hideaway for little creatures, like mice, rats, rabbits, and snakes. Move wood and brush piles far away from primary dwellings and outbuildings like garages and sheds. This creates an ample barrier between their home and yours. Secure garbage containers and bring
pet food and bird feeders inside at night to avoid attracting unwanted guests.
In conclusion, take a little time now to winter wildlife proof your home. Small steps to fill gaps, seal under decks, cap chimneys, cover window wells, relocate woodpiles, and remove food sources will save headache and money in the long run. It may also save a wild life.
Leikam is
Cindy
an intern for Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, on Colorado Hwy. 66 east of Lyons.
Richard Cargill receives Boulder County Healthy Communities Award
By Staff Reports Redstone Review
HYGIENE – For many years, Richard Cargill fought to force the Cemex plant near Lyons into compliance with the Clean Air Act. He led the group, Save Our St. Vrain Valley.
The group won several court cases and Cemex eventually made some changes and modifications to its plant. Cargill’s work with the St. Vrain Watchdogs and SOSVV encompassed political, legal, and community action.
Cargill’s activism has been recognized by the Boulder County Health Department. Gabi Hoefler, from the Health Department, recently notified Cargill that he would be a recipient of a Boulder County Healthy Communities Award in 2024.
The award was presented to Cargill at a luncheon at the Avalon Ballroom located at 6185 Arapahoe Rd. Boulder, on October 30.
“Our community is forever indebted to Mr. Cargill and the work he has done to preserve the biodiversity and integrity of the natural heritage along the St. Vrain River and its critical floodplain, and we are pleased to see him recognized by Boulder County Public Health Department,” said Kristin Powell, a 27 year resident of Lyons.
Richard Cargill, M.A., is a pioneer in environmental activism. Through his high school course Man in Harmony with Nature and his sponsorship of “Students for a Better Environment,” he mentored hundreds of teenagers to make this planet a cleaner, greener, and less blighted place to live.
Cargill retired from teaching in 1996 and moved to rural Boulder County near Lyons and Hygiene. When he witnessed uncontrolled fugitive dust storms from the CEMEX cement plant, he organized a community group called the St. Vrain Valley Watchdogs that turned up the heat on the regulatory agencies to take appropriate actions that would bring the plant into compliance with the Clean Air Act. The Boulder County Health Department created a task force to address the issues at the plant and invited the St. Vrain Valley Watchdogs to participate.
Ultimately, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stepped up, filed lawsuits and levied fines on the plant for its failures to abide by good air pollution control practices. Today, there is cleaner air in the adjacent communities.
Cargill recently retired from the Board of Directors of Save our St. Vrain Valley (SOSVV), after decades of related volunteer work in the area.
Stone Canyon Fire fund gives $16,000
By Kelly Hoskinson Redstone Review
LYONS – Earlier this week, four Lyons residents impacted by the Stone Canyon Fire received $4,000 each at a check presentation held at Spirit Hound Distillers. These donations were made possible through the funds raised from the Stone Canyon Fire Fundraiser led by the Lyons Lions Club, Spirit Hound Distillers and Cemex in August. In total, the fundraiser raised $16,000.
Thank you everyone who participated on behalf of the Lyons Lions Club, Cemex and Spirit Hound Distillers. Here are some thoughts from fundraiser representatives: “It was incredible to see the Lyons community come together last month to help raise funds for those directly impacted by the Stone Canyon Fire,” said Jerry Tabor, president of the Lyons Lions Club. “I want to thank Cemex and Spirit Hound Distillers for partnering with us and donating their time and resources to make the fundraiser possible.”
“This fundraiser was a reminder of how special the Town of Lyons is, with neighbors willing to step up and help those in need,” said Michael Clausen, Cemex Corporate Social Responsibility Manager. “We know the impact from the Stone Canyon Fire will be felt for years to come and hope these donations help these impacted individuals and families begin the rebuilding process.”
Kelly Hoskinson works in public relations.
HHSC Commission has two openings LYONS – The Town of Lyons Housing and Human Services Commission has two openings. The mission of the Lyons Housing and Human Services Commission, as established in the Lyons Recovery Action Plan, is to provide coordination and communication with various private, non-profit, and county entities in an effort to assess and fill the gaps in human service provision and identify unmet needs in the Lyons and greater Lyons (80540) area. The commission meets monthly on the second Monday of each month from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Lyons Regional Library. This is a volunteer position. If you would like to be a member of the commission, you can apply through the Town of Lyons website: https:// www.townoflyons.com/FormCenter/Boards-and-Commissions-13/Boards-and-Commissions-61. The next HHSC meeting is Monday, November 11.
Richard on his Longmont property during an L.L.Bean photoshoot, embracing the natural beauty of Colorado.
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B R I E F S
Gathering at Spirit Hound Distillers to celebrate the $16,000 raised for Stone Canyon Fire victims
WHAT’S COOKIN’
Baking warm waffles on cool mornings
By Barbara Shark Redstone Review
LYONS – There’s a chill in the morning air. As fall settles in, my cooking habits change. On cool mornings I sometimes prepare a hot breakfast rather than serve our usual granola with yogurt and fruit. Weekends are a perfect occasion to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of eggs and toast, pancakes or these special waffles. By using whole grains and serving the waffles with yogurt and fruit I ensure that we have plenty of nutritious food to keep us satisfied all morning. The aroma of baking waffles is a pleasure that’s hard to resist.
Combine ½ cup unbleached flour, ½ cup wholewheat flour, ½ cup cornmeal and a ½ cup rolled oats. Add one teaspoon salt, a tablespoon baking powder, two tablespoons
brown sugar. I sometimes add a handful of granola for crunchy texture.
Stir in 1 ½ cups milk (any kind), two large eggs, lightly beaten, ½ cup safflower or other vegetable oil, and one teaspoon vanilla (optional). Use one cup of batter for each waffle. Bake in a waffle iron until brown and crisp. Serve with yogurt, berries, pears or other fruit, and maple syrup. Makes about six waffles. The recipe is easily cut in half for two or three servings.
If you find it hard to deal with a recipe first thing in the morning, assemble the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl the night before. Store the eggs, milk, optional vanilla, and oil in a covered container in the fridge. In the morning simply mix together and bake the waffles.
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.
Easy chocolate almond biscotti ring all the bells
By Catherine Metzger Redstone Review
SAN MIGUEL COUNTY – As the weather cools down, we at Food for the Ages are feeling the need for some extra calories to get through the day. Chocolate almond biscotti fits this bill and pairs perfectly with coffee or just as a snack in the lunchbox. This is a prized recipe from our baker friends in Norwood, Colorado, and is a breeze to make, freeze and portion out as needed. These biscotti are as good as the ingredients you mix into them, so don’t be stingy. Get the good chocolate: I used Callebaut chocolate chips, Dutch cocoa and fine butter.
Ingredients
1 ½ cup slivered almonds, grind ½ cup
3 cups flour/500g
2/3 cup Dutch cocoa (I used Cacao Bliss.)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 ¼ tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Pull out a baking sheet and cover with a piece of parchment or a silicone baking mat. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Add eggs, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
In a medium bowl, stir together ½ cup ground almonds, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture, combining thoroughly. Mix in chocolate chips and slivered almonds.
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3 bedroom, 3 bath, 3 vehicle garage with additional workshop. 2,985 SqFt, 1 acre. Impressive 20 ft Great room, Easily accessible driveway, Mountain living and sunrise views.
Listed at $850,000 $32,800 below the county assessed value!
Listed at $1,230,000 Seller offering concessions. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, 3 car garage. 3743 nished sqft. with a 1,400 un nished basement. Amazing upgrades and mountain views in town.
Scrape bowl out onto baking tray. Form an approximate 12 inch x 1 ½ inch log down the center of the tray and smooth out the top.
Place in preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. (Do not scorch bottom.) Cool for one minute then slice into 15 slices. Let cool and serve. Freeze what you don’t eat and use over the next month or so.
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.
Listed at $1,139,999 3 bedroom, 2 bath, Of ce space, attached garage and additional, workshop/studio space. 2,236 SqFt, 12.78 Acres withamazing views, hiking and camping spots.
at $660,000 Sold at list price.
Shutdown Continued from Page 1
the state Division of Mining, Reclamation and Safety in January 2023. The state’s review resulted in an increase of Cemex’s reclamation bond to $21 million from $8.9 million.
Neighbors believe the much higher bond is still vastly inadequate for eventually cleaning up decades of potential chemical contamination and environmental damage, and Lorang filed an 18-page rebuttal detailing costly potential problems.
“I would like to see it funded to a minimum of $30 million, but believe the actual cost to reclaim is likely significantly more, $60 million or more,” Lorang said, in an email interview. State officials at multiple agencies are going too easy on Cemex, she said.
Cemex gained time for its appeal of the Boulder County shutdown order by filing an extensive open records request with county officials. The county finished responding to that in late September, spokesman Richard Hackett said. The deadline for Cemex’s full appeal is Nov. 8, Hackett said, and the planning office will then begin a review.
Asked to comment on the appeals process, Cemex external communications manager Maryssa Silva said, “We continue to work with Boulder County Community Planning and Permitting and do not have an update to share at this time. We remain committed to serving the community and providing high-quality materials essential to infrastructure and urban development throughout the state.”
Mine reclamation officials “would have happily accepted Cemex’s $11 million bond proposal ‘recalculation’ had we not intervened,” Lorang said.
If Boulder County succeeds in shutting down the cement kiln and reclamation of the site begins, Lorang said, there will be unpleasant surprises.
“There is 30 years of totally unregulated waste burial at the plant,” from before the Cemex acquisition, she said, “so we don’t have any idea what the real environmental damage is, but it’s likely very significant.” Asbestos in buildings alone could cost $20 million or more in mitigation, based on costs at similar industrial areas, the neighbors say.
Cemex responded to the bonding issues in a statement: “Cemex regularly works with the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety, the regulatory authority that oversees reclamation bonds. We have recently worked with the DRMS to update reclamation amounts and provide updates.”
Cemex had posted a separate, multimillion dollar reclamation bond for the now-closed Dowe Flats mining site on the north side of Colorado Hwy. 66, and reclamation work has begun, Lorang said.
Despite their frustrations, community members are still much further along in the Cemex battle than they’d envisioned a couple of years ago. Their campaign began by fighting a proposed deal between Boulder County Open Space and Cemex to trade surrounding park land for a county extension of Cemex’s materials mining privileges, across the highway from the cement kiln.
The county commissioners eventually nixed the deal, and the Cemex mine closed. When the company had to truck in materials from long distances, neighbors launched a campaign saying the new traffic, noise and dust violated Cemex’s other county permits.
A county review of the changed operations and Cemex’s own traffic study eventually led to officials moving to revoke Cemex’s special land use permit.
In addition to pushing mine reclamation officials, neighbors have found success demanding the state health department crack down on Cemex operations.
Colorado air pollution control officials in May fined the cement plant another $1.3 million for fugitive dust and emissions in the growing area of Boulder County.
State inspectors flagged 2021 violations with a $357,000 fine last year. They found similar violations during inspections in 2022 and 2023; the $1.3 million penalty is those violations, and the state is ordering Cemex to “take quick actions to reduce air pollution and improve compliance.”
This story is based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Michael Booth is The Colorado Sun’s environment writer, and co-author of The Colorado Sun’s weekly climate and health newsletter The Temperature. He and John Ingold host the weekly SunUp podcast on The Temperature topics every Thursday. He can be reached at booth@coloradosun.com.
LEAF Continued from Page 10
Cabinets and fixtures are installed. Lyons’ own color expert (and Weed Posse Sheriff) Cathy Rivers is guiding the beautiful interior palette. Moving day will be here before we know it. We’re eager to welcome everyone to LEAF’s new home. It will be the best place for our community to grow health and wellbeing together. If you can help make this resource a reality, please reach out. We’re so close.
Ending Strong 2024 has been a tough year, with high levels of local need. And yet our teams have found creative ways to meet needs, and nobody has been turned away. We’re working on our 2025 budget, and it looks like it will be a bit less than 2024’s budget – and this, even when we’re operating from our new home.
LEAF runs lean! With serious funding cuts from the County for 2025, we ask our community to stand with us in generosity. LEAF’s presence in Lyons is vital to the community’s strength and diversity. As you consider your year-end giving, please think of LEAF.
Lory Barton is the Executive Director at LEAF, Lyons Elevating All Fund, since 2019. 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.
Cemex Cement Plant near Lyons. BY HUGH CAREY, THE COLORADO SUN
The Friends of the Library to host two events
By Donna Guest Redstone Review
LYONS – Fall is a busy time in Lyons, and the Friends of the Lyons Community Library (FOL) is jumping right in. Save the dates of October 25 and 26, and November 7, for two of the Friends’ biggest events of the year – the Annual Used Book Sale at the end of October and the Annual Library Meeting in November.
First, make sure to swing by to shop at the FOL Annual Used Book Sale. You have to see it to believe it. It’s quite an impressive display of books from all genres and in all sizes. The books will be set up in the community room of the library and will be arranged on tables by categories.
There will be: cookbooks, mystery novels, large coffee table books, graphic novels, young adult novels, children’s books, do-it-yourself books, non-fiction, etc., as well as DVDs (as we’ve had in the past), you name it, you will most likely find it there.
You may have seen the Used Book Sale bookshelf, on the wall, as you enter the library. Sara Erickson, Friends Board member and Book Sale Committee member, reports that these book donations, which have been coming in all year, are sorted by Friends’ Board members who store the best for our annual sale. She notes that the Used Book Sale is the Friends’ largest fundraising event, so, by purchasing these gently used books at bargain prices; donations of any amount are welcome and appreciated, you are helping to support
library programming for the upcoming year.
The Friends of the Library Annual Used Book Sale will be held on Friday, October 25, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lyons Community Library, 451 4th Ave., Lyons.
Yes, Saturday, October 26 is also the day of the Lyons Garden Club Chili Cookoff and the Spooktacular Halloween events and parade, so we’d love to see you at the library while you and your family are out and about in Lyons on that fun Halloween celebration weekend.
The next event that you don’t want to miss is the Friends of the Library (FOL) Annual Meeting and Social that will be held on Thursday, November 7, at 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Shauna Lee’s beautiful gathering place, Ranch House West at 304 Main St., Lyons. The evening’s agenda will include a mix and mingle social (with appetizers to enjoy and cocktails for purchase), a short presentation sharing what the FOL has been up to this past year, and an opportunity to meet the candidates who would like to run for our open board positions. Everyone is welcome, and we’d love to see you there.
Have you ever wondered what the Friends of the Library does? We help support the Lyons Community Library when the staff requests, and we provide funds for library materials, programs, and equipment. Here is just a snapshot of how we’ve spent our money recently on our fabulous library: Summer Reading Program supplies; guest
speakers; music concerts; the children’s garden; equipment for more efficient computer and audio use in the community room; and snacks for the Teen Advisory Group (TAG) meetings.
We would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank you” to all of you who are members of the Friends of the Library. The Friends want to remind all of their current members to renew their memberships; October is renewal time. If you would like to become a Friend, we’d love to have you join us so you can be added to our email list to get news updates and learn about ways to
support the Friends. Please go to the Lyons Community Library website, and then go to the Friends tab for more information. https://lyons.colibraries.org/friends-of-thelyons-regional-library-district/.
If you have ever wanted to be on the Friends of the Library Board to be part of the team that makes all the decisions to support the Lyons Library throughout the year, then the annual meeting is your opportunity to throw your name in the hat to run for the three, possibly four, open board seats this year. Prior to the Annual Meeting, please contact Donna Guest @ dkg@gbhan.com if you’re interested or have questions about the FOL Board elections. So “Book it on Down” into Lyons on October 25 and 26, and on November 7. The Friends of the Library look forward to seeing you at both of our annual fall events.
Donna Guest is a Friends of the Library Board member. Friends of the Library is a non-profit fundraising and support group for the Lyons Community Library.
Well-built and
LCF Continued from Page 8
All Fund (LEAF)’s programs for the local food pantry, Meals on Wheels, and addiction recovery services. LCF also continues to support youth enrichment, with grants awarded to the Lyons Elementary School Robotics program and STEM initiatives. Environmental stewardship is another key focus this year, with Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Simply Bee Conservation receiving funds to continue their vital work in wildlife protection and pollinator gardens. Community connectivity projects, such as the Lyons Pridefest and the beloved Sandstone Summer Concert Series put on by the Town of Lyons, are also receiving grants to enhance cultural and community engagement.
This year’s grants breakdown includes: $36,179 dedicated to human services; $27,599 toward community connectivity; $9,000 for local ecology; and $10,222 focused on youth investment. Each of LCF’s grantees contributes to enhancing the quality of life in the Lyons area, a mission at the core of LCF’s work.
LCF would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the local citizens whose contributions make this grant program possible. Your generosity ensures that Lyons remains a vibrant and resilient community, continuously growing through creativity, care, and connection.
For more information on these projects or how to get involved with the LCF, visit lyonscf.org.
Rachel Pickarski is the Marketing and Communications Consultant for the Lyons Community Foundation.
you on your next trip. Send photos to redstarnews5@gmail.com.
alley access, 2 car detached garage/shop and carport. Original hardwood floors, gas range/oven, beautiful stone top kitchen island, eat-in kitchen, tankless hot water heater, radon mitigation system, sewer line replaced in 2011, furnace and AC replaced in 2017, 6’ cedar fully fenced back yard in 2017. Located on the interior of this amazing old town neighborhood with tree line streets, parks, close proximity to shopping and schools. Don’t miss this opportunity to take advantage of this amazing value. LISTED BY: Bernadette Morrissey, The Colorado RE Group LLC
Travels with Redstone Suzan Grenier enjoying the Redstone Review all the way from her charming bungalow in Hyeres, France! Take the Redstone with
Log Home
Contractor Special
Paradise Magical 2.49 acre riverside retreat with historic cabin and bunkhouse. Great river frontage, private bridge, rock outcroppings, pond, detached garage + workshop.
Listed to sold in 16 days Remodeled 3-BR home with ADU potential in the heart of downtown Lyons Walk everywhere!
