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LYONS, COLORADO
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OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
B •R •I •E •F •S Halloween is near LYONS – The Halloween Spooktacular Parade will be held on October 27. Lyons, and tigers, and bears – oh my! The spooky season has arrived. Grab your costume and join the community for the 2018 Lyons Halloween Spooktacular. This year’s activities include the Stone Cup Chili Cook-off, music, Bongo the Balloon Man, live performances by the Pride of the Roaring Lyons Show Choir, tricks, treats, and games for ghouls and goblins, all leading up to the parade through Town. Games and activities will be held at Lyons Elementary School east playground, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. It’s new this year. Help support the Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF) by donating new and unused toiletries. Please bring donations to the spooky games and activities at Lyons Elementary. Downtown parade and trickor-treating. All are welcome to be a part of the parade. The parade lineup will begin at 5:45 p.m. at Third and High Street in front of the elementary school. The parade will go down Third to Main Street, down Main Street then up to High Street It will begin promptly at 6 p.m., followed by downtown trickor-treating at 6:30 p.m. We would love volunteers to help. The shifts are short, one to two hours, and mostly at the Lyons Elementary School to help with the games. We are looking for about 10 volunteers. Go to https : / / signup. com / client / invitation2 / secure / 2510537 / false# / invitation. Join us for a spooktacular evening in Lyons. A good time will behead by all.
Reels on the River: The Addams Family movie LYONS – The movie, The Addams Family, will be shown on Friday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m. at LaVern M. Johnson Park. Bring Continue Briefs on Page 12
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I •N •D •E •X MAYOR’S CORNER
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Graham and Miles Wilson of Longmont search for the perfect pumpkin at Rocky Mtn Pumpkin Ranch
Town Board looks at music venues, sales tax, shooting range noise and other issues By Susan de Castro McCann Redstone Review Editor LYONS – Many residents showed up at the Town Board meeting in mid-October to say to the town board, “Don’t mess with our music.” Lyons is known for its music venues, mostly bluegrass, blues and folk, and in the spring and summer months it is normal to find musicians playing outside at the local coffee shops almost any day of the week. Some are playing an actual gig and some are, well, just strumming. And people come from all over to listen. But somehow, the town board found itself dealing with a complicated set of zoning ordinances, with an overlay district, and that all seemed more than a little confusing. Caught in middle was a local coffee shop, the Stone Cup at 422 High St., which found itself in violation of the town’s ordinance for allowing outdoor music on Sundays. Although the Stone Cup, owned by Sam and Mindy Tallent, have been offering outdoor music on weekends in the summer since 2002, the Tallents were unaware of the ordinance and so was almost everyone else. The Stone Cup is in an overlay zone listed as Restricted Outdoor Activity Overlay (ROA) where outdoor music is not allowed on Sunday. Almost all the properties along Main Street are in the Open Outdoor Activity Overlay (OOA) and a few proper-
ties along the south side of High Street are in the OOA where outdoor music is allowed on Sundays. But the properties on the north side of High Street, where the Stone Cup is located, are all in the ROA where outdoor music on Sundays is not allowed. Residents showed up to ask the board to allow the outdoor music at the Cup. Brian Eyster from Planet Bluegrass said, “It is hard to make money on music in this town. I would hate to restrict the music at Sam and Mindy’s. There aren’t that many gigs where we can get together and make music.” Doug Powell from Pinewood Springs said, “I love the music in this town and I love hearing the music at the Stone Cup.” Sam Tallent asked the board to change the zoning for the Stone Cup to OOA. Mindy Tallent told the board that she has so many requests from musicians coming to town that she wants to schedule music on Mondays. The music on weekends at the Cup usually runs from about 10 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. Town Planner Paul Glasgow said that the purpose of the ordinance and Overlay District is to protect the existing neighborhood from noise. However the town staff told the board that there have been no complaints about noise at the Stone Cup. The town board members decided that they wanted to take a different approach. Mayor Connie Sullivan said, “I think that the problem is not with the business, the Stone
PHOTO BY CATHY RIVERS
Cup, it is with the ordinance. I think we need to clean up the ordinance. We need to have another workshop (to redo the ordinance).” Trustee Barney Dreistadt said, “I think we need to take another approach and we should base this on complaints and not on decibels.” In the end the board members decided that they did not want to deny outdoor music on Sundays at the Stone Cup, but could not fix the problems with the ordinance at the current meeting. They voted to continue the ordinance to the Dec. 3 meeting, giving staff time to make changes in the ordinance and to hold a workshop. The board had a discussion on Boulder County’s proposed shooting range at the corner of Colorado Highway 66 and US Highway 36 on the Loukonen Property. Mayor Sullivan said she wanted to have a survey sent to all residents to ask their opinion on the shooting range. The mayor said she wanted to know if residents wanted the range and what their concerns are, if any. Trustee Jocelyn Farrell said she wanted the county to do a new sound test. “The county test was not well advertised and did not involve the whole community.” Farrell said she was watching the Internet conversations and what she saw the most chatter about was noise and using green bullets (bullets with an environmentally friendly material that replaces lead). Trustee Barney Dreistadt was angry. “I am extremely disappointed that they used a hand held device for the sound test. I am very disappointed that they have not kept us informed (on their current actions on the shooting range). They backed down on the Continue Town on Page 14
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Rave to the Grave, the biggest party of the year By Kate Kerr Redstone Review LYONS – It’s almost time to party at the biggest epic rockin’ benefit of the year Rave to the Grave, on Friday, October 26 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Wildflower Pavilion at Planet Bluegrass, 500 W. Main St. This event is only for ages 21 and up. Dig out that Halloween costume: goblins, ghosts, witches and warlocks are all welcome. Or come as your favorite political candidate, movie star, garden flower, or robot. Everyone, no matter what age, is required to show an ID because we will not be able to identify people since everyone will be in costume. Admission is free but donations are encouraged to benefit the Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund, (LEAF), our Lyons non-profit that operates the Food Pantry and Meals on Wheels, and also offers basic needs and assistance to those who need help. Rave to the Grave is LEAF’s only fundraiser for the year. Donations will be accepted at the Rave by cash, check and credit card. Doors will open at 7 p.m. with live music from 7:45 p.m. until 11 p.m. As you enter the Rave, learn more about LEAF from the art installation by photographer extraordinaire Peggy Dyer of One Million Faces. Continue on inside to the Medieval Magic created by enchantress Kahlie Sue Pinello and her sirens. Heraldic banners emblazoned with the names of local sponsors will lead the way to the Wildflower Pavilion, which will be transformed into an ancient castle. Sir Arthur Lee Land’s mad guitar wizardry, along with his legendary band gogoLab, will incite a dance move Renaissance. Watch for Arthur Lee Land’s cadre of surprise musical guests and spruce up your most creative costumes for the costume contest at break time. Cash-only bars, to be found on both sides of the pavilion, will serve libations including: Oskar Blues beer, assorted red and white wines, White Claw hard seltzers, hard ciders, as well as non-alcoholic drinks. A water station will be located outside the pavilion. A variety of sweet and savory snacks will be available for purchase prepared by the Lyons Leos – the teen portion of the local Lions Club. This will be the only food available. All proceeds will go to LEAF. Extra special thanks go to Planet Bluegrass for donating use of the incredible Wildflower Pavilion venue. Still want to party on? Well, you are in luck. After Rave to the Grave, head over to the Pizza Bar 66, 430 Main St., for the after-party. A costume karaoke contest will take place with judging at 12:30 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to first place and runner-up. Pizza ovens will be fired up and the bar will be hopping. LEAF provides a human services safety net to those in need in the greater Lyons area. Services include the Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, and Basic Needs and Resource Matching. Currently the vast majority of LEAF’s work is funded through local donations. To contact LEAF, call 720-864-4309 or email info@leaflyons.org. Kate Kerr moved from Virginia to Lyons with her husband, Jim, partly to live near their daughter in Boulder – who got two temporary housemates during the flood evacuation. She enjoys playing fiddle, quilting, yoga, Nia, hiking and shopping local. She is a member of the Lyons Depot Library Advisory Board.
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REDSTONE • REVIEW
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MAYOR’S CORNER Vote “Yes” on Proposition 110 and “No” on Amendment 74 By Connie Sullivan, Mayor of Lyons Redstone Review LYONS – In my nearly seven years on the Lyons Board of Trustees (BoT) I don’t recall the board Sullivan ever feeling so strongly about a statewide ballot initiative that a resolution was passed taking a formal position on the issue. This November, there are two ballot initiatives that earned this distinction. The BoT passed two resolutions at the October 1, meeting taking positions on Proposition 110 and Amendment 74. Proposition 110 authorizes a sales tax increase of 0.62 percent to raise funding for transportation improvements, and Amendment 74 is a disastrous measure drafted by special interests (oil and gas) with the potential to paralyze and bankrupt local governments. These two questions are among several others appearing on this November’s ballot; all the more reason to call them out and ensure their local impact is understood. Colorado voters will need to set aside a significant amount of time to research the seemingly endless number of questions on this November’s ballot. I recommend not waiting until the last minute to begin researching the issues. The bar for placing a question on the state ballot in Colorado is relatively low; therefore our state has earned a reputation as being somewhat of a petri dish for new policies and programs. This election is no different, and it seems several advocacy groups are looking
to take advantage of what they are guessing may be a strong turn out, hoping it will bode well for getting their issue passed. There are 13 statewide ballot measures for voters to consider in November, and several could have significant impacts on Lyons. Six of the measures are constitutional amendments referred by the legislature, and seven are citizen-initiated measures. Proposition 110 Colorado has a major funding gap where transportation is concerned. Since 1991, Colorado’s population has increased by 60 percent, while transportation spending per driver (adjusted for inflation) has been reduced by 50 percent. Anyone who drives to the mountains on I-70, or commutes to Denver or Fort Collins, knows the congestion has increased substantially over the past decade. Without a significant investment in funding for new infrastructure, traffic congestion will only get worse as the Front Range is expected to add another one million residents over the next 20 years. Proposition 110 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to increase the state’s sales and use tax rate from 2.9 percent to 3.52 percent for 20 years. Under the measure, the average amount of sales tax paid by a Colorado family with an average income of $74,374 is estimated to be $131. The revenues raised will be distributed as follows: 45 percent to the state; 40 percent to local governments (with 20 percent to counties and 20 percent to cities and towns); and 15 percent for multimodal transportation projects. Lyons will directly benefit from this source of transportation funding. Approximately $75, 000 of new
revenue would come to Lyons for projects such as fixing roads, expanding pedestrian walkways and trails, making crosswalks safer, and introducing traffic calming measures. The funds allocated to local communities are completely flexible to be used as the community sees fit. This funding can also be used as matching funds for grants that make larger projects possible, such as the recent improvements to Main Street. Currently, local funding for transportation improvements comes from the town’s general fund (property and sales tax) and the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF). HTUF is sourced through the gas tax, registration and licensing fees and traffic fines. The 22-cent per gallon gas tax has not been increased since 1991, and the HUTF fees have not generated sufficient revenue to fund the statewide needs for many years. Lyons gets less than $75,000 annually from HUTF, which does not go very far toward funding the local maintenance and improvements that are needed. Additionally, Lyons will benefit from the portion of the new revenue that goes to CDOT, as they are responsible for highways that run through and intersect in Lyons.
Transportation funding needs a statewide solution, and several studies have shown that an increase in the state sales tax rate is the best way to fund improvements to our infrastructure. Alternative sources for funding have been thoroughly vetted and dismissed as insufficient or infeasible, and this measure has bipartisan support from mayors and county commissioners across Colorado. For these reasons, the BoT voted unanimously to approve a resolution taking a position of support for Proposition 110, and is asking voters in Lyons to support this measure. Amendment 74 Amendment 74 expands the circumstances under which the state or a local government is required to provide compensation to a property owner for any law or regulation taken by the government that results in any decrease in the fair market value of a property. Special interest groups are proposing this amendment as a means of fighting off regulations that would limit where oil and gas development can occur. For example, if a government limits natural gas development, an owner of the mineral rights could file a claim against the town or city for the reduced value of his or her property. This amendment is unnecessary and will almost certainly result in local governments shifting money away from services to fund legal claims related to reductions in property value. Continue Mayor on Page 14
Lyons Garden Club Chili/Soup Cook-off heats up By Sara Erickson Redstone Review
Debbie Sims dishes up chili at last year’s cook-off.
LYONS – The Lyons Garden Club Chili Cook-off, to be held just before the annual Lyons Halloween Parade, is the major fundraiser for the Lyons Garden Club. The Chili Cook-off will be held on Saturday, October 27 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Stone Cup parking lot, 442 High St. Stop by before the parade to sample the finest chili and soup and then cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award. Every October, folks come to enjoy generous samplings from some of the best cooks in the Lyons area and experience one of the greatest Chili Cook-off events around. Entries for chili and soup are welcome. Enter: No entry fee is required. Bring a crockpot of chili or soup with a ladle to the Stone Cup parking lot on Saturday. Make sure that your chili or soup is clearly marked with your name on the back. Fill out an entry form at dropoff. We will start accepting chili entries at 3:30 p.m.
Win: One entry will receive a People’s Choice grand prize of a $50 gift certificate to Living Arts Floral. The winner will be announced at 6:30 p.m. Sample: Chili sales begin at 4:30 p.m. Samples will be sold for 50 cents per taste and each bowl will be $5. Toppings will be provided. Beverages will be available at the Stone Cup for purchase. Whether you’re a casual chili or soup fan or a chef perfectionist, it’s certain your taste buds will be thrilled. So don your costume, it’s bound to be clever And march in the best town parade ever Stop by the Stone Cup and fill your bowl There is soup and chili to warm your soul Some are hot and some are mild, Something for every adult and child Sara Erickson lives in Lyons and is a member of the Lyons Garden Club.
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REDSTONE • REVIEW
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INTEREST Youth Mental Health First Aid trains you to be comfortable talking to youth about their feelings By Janaki Jane Redstone Review LYONS – In 2017 in the St. Vrain Valley School District, 36 percent of high school students experienced sadness or Jane hopelessness for extended periods, while 15 percent had contemplated suicide. Another 33 percent said they don’t have good ways of managing stress, and half reported not feeling comfortable talking about their feelings. Staggering numbers, aren’t they? That’s over a third of our students. They need someone who knows how to notice the signs that they are struggling, and who knows how to approach them to talk about it. They need someone who knows what to say and do. That’s why people get certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid, and you have the opportunity to be one of them on November 10.
You might have heard that the Lyons Regional Library is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) classes as a part of the Mental Health Awareness, Education and Engagement program, and thought, “I don’t have kids between nine and 24, it doesn’t apply to me,” but that’s where you might be wrong. Do you have friends, cousins, nieces, grandchildren, or neighbors in that age group? Somewhere in your life there are young people. So if you live across the street from a young person, or know a family that has a youth, chances are good that they could use an adult who is trained to talk to them about how they are feeling. Youth Mental Health First Aid gives you that training and the confidence to apply it. Youth Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour certification course for caring adults who want to help youth who may be in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. It is a safe, interactive, classroom
Smokey – This handsome eleven-year-old kitty is a truly special guy! Smokey is an extremely affectionate and social kitty. He loves being in the company of people and also gets along well with other cats as well as polite dogs. He is lovely to spend time with and will make a wonderful addition to your cat-loving home. Come in for a visit with Smokey today. More than 200 animals are waiting for forever families at Longmont Humane Society. Visit them at www.longmonthumane.org, and then come meet them at the shelter at 9595 Nelson Road.
experience, with lecture, videos, exercises, and open, (and confidential) talk about the issue. Participants learn the tools necessary to recognize unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents and young people between the ages of 9 and 24. The class provides participants the chance to practice appropriate actions, including a fivestep action plan, to help. Participants must be at least 18 years old to attend the course. It is not therapy, or anything approaching therapy. It is an opportunity to learn and practice skills of noticing, asking, listening, and acting. Mental health issues are at least as common as physical health problems, but twothirds of people with mental health challenges never seek treatment. One third of our youth are dealing with a mental health issue, and most of them are dealing with it silently and alone. They don’t reach out, but evidence shows they respond if someone else does. One way to help is to take YMHFA. Research has shown that the training enhances behavioral health literacy, reduces stigma, increases knowledge of professional and self-help resources, increases participants' confidence helping in a crisis situation, and improves behav-
ioral health of participants. YMHFA is implemented around the U.S. and the world. It is evidence based and updated every couple of years. The Lyons Regional Library got a grant from the Town of Lyons Goodwill Fund for a program on Mental Health Awareness, Education, and Engagement. The program is also collaborating with many other organizations and programs to be able to offer what is included. For the YMHFA classes, assistance has also been
received from Longmont’s Supporting Action for Mental Health (SAM), from the St. Vrain Valley School District and both Lyons schools, and from Boulder County Department of Public Health. The next Youth Mental Health First Aid class in Lyons is Saturday, November 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Lyons Town Hall Council Chambers. The costs are covered. All participants who are present for the entire class receive a certificate that is good for three years. Mental Health First Aid is as important to take as First Aid/CPR. Take a day to take this class, and you may save a life.
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OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
REDSTONE • REVIEW
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OPTIONS OCTOBER IS NATIONAL WOMEN’S SMALL BUSINESS MONTH
Bella La Crema is open for business By Tamara Haddad Redstone Review LYONS – A buttery? We asked ourselves, what’s a buttery? Will it only sell butter? Is buttery even a word? As it turns out, yes it is a word, but the buttery here in Lyons, Bella La Crema, 405 Main Haddad St., is much more than luxurious grassfed butter rolling over the tongue. It’s where founder and owner Shawna Strecker creates unique culinary offerings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Bella La Crema comes with southern French charm, including the smell of rosemary, cinnamon, and coriander, and then a whiff of lemon and saffron. On the wall
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behind the glass counter are family quotes painted by renowned muralist, Tommy Nahulu, known in Denver for his Johnny Cash piece. Diners sit in plush chairs at hardwood family-style tables. Whimsical vignettes, comical and romantic in turn, describe the butter offerings, and give an insight into the inner workings of a butter-er’s brain, which in this case is also a glimpse into the mind of a musician. One reads: “Songs of India – I laughed with Cardamom when he told me Cinnamon made Anise of himself professing love for his Honey in the Orange grove.” Bella La Crema first opened in Nashville, Tennessee as a wholesale businesses selling to markets and restaurants. It was another passion to complement Strecker’s music career, where you will find her as Katoorah Jane (www.katoorah.com). “Music, art, and food have a synergy because they all hit the pleasure centers of the brain. They are comforting to our minds and souls. It’s the universal sandwich or the trifecta sandwich,” said Strecker. Always mindful of someday having a brick and mortar business she looked into Colorado’s landscape and found Lyons to be the perfect mixture for music and food. Rooks, Shawna’s 12-year-old son, served us a specially composed charcuterie platter designed for me, a carnivore, and my vegetarian fellow diner. Rooks shows early entrepreneurism with his eye for hospitality and penchant for both sweet and savory butter. He spoke of his early days working with his mom: “I turned the butter, I still turn the butter, and I came up with the Lemon Fennel Butter when I was six years old.” Not until I read the Bella La Crema website did I realize just how involved Rooks is with the business. It is one of the few industries where a mother can own a business, take her child to work, and help, not hinder, the family/work transition. In Shawna’s case, taking her son to work was a necessity. Months after she gave birth to Rooks, Shawna’s husband, Sebastin, went into open heart surgery and came out into a seven-week coma, which led to permanent brain damage. Sebastin and Rooks learned to eat, talk,
Happy Fall!
and walk together. Shawna focused on a business that leveraged her experience in the wine and food industry and gave her the ability to work with her child and her new family lifestyle. While teaching her child and husband the nuances of navigating the simplest survival skills, she joined an increasing cohort of American women at the helms of their establishments. In a time when a number of well known male chefs and restaurateurs are being accused by former employees of making unwanted sexual advances and encouraging hostile work environments, women are entering as chefs and owners, recreating the narrative of the restaurant industry and what it means to family and community. Shawna made the opportunity with sustainable food practices and family involvement into a boutique-style restaurant, which elevates the farm-to-table concept into a where-else-would-you-get-your-food way of dining. Bella La Crema butter market is open seven days a week 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The restaurant is open is open Mondays, Thursday through Saturday for lunch/brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner 4:30 p.m. to closing. Sunday brunch is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
720-666-5234 Dana Richards
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REDSTONE • REVIEW
OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
OPPORTUNITY LCF annual “Groovy” Gala to support community grants By Kristen Bruckner Redstone Review LYONS – Lyons-area grant applicants will be notified of their awards this week. All told, close to $30,000 in Community Support Grants will be given to community activists, school leaders, Town of Bruckner Lyons departments and other area nonprofits who all submitted grant proposals during the Lyons Community Foundation’s annual community support granting cycle. As of press time, we can reveal a few highlighted grant awardees. The Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF) continues to be the largest recipient of LCF funding. The Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels and LEAF’s general operating fund will continue to be heavily funded. As our public safety net for those in need, supporting this effort closely aligns with LCF’s mission. Projects that also enhance locals’ work in building community and enhancing lives include Lyons Elementary School’s integrated garden program, which is flourishing and growing. A grant awarded this year will expand efforts to allow kids to work on the complete garden life cycle in science-based exploration, with the bonus of teaching sustainability practices and generating produce that is delivered to the Food Pantry. Other funded projects support public art installations, and free summer concerts, local history and citizen-initiated ecology work. The annual gala, which will be hosted on Friday,
November 16 at Lionscrest Manor, is the only major fundraiser hosted by the foundation. All proceeds from the event go to supporting next year’s projects. For the last ten years, the gala has gathered Lyons residents for a great night out, while also ensuring that important community-based work continues. LCF is mixing up the gala format this year. The event will have a retro 1960s style vibe that features a more casual, party atmosphere with a heavy emphasis on community socializing. There will not be a formal sit-down dinner, and instead there will be 1960s inspired cocktail food served at stations and passed out by staff from Lyons’ own A Spice of Life Catering. There will also be fun specialty cocktails that reflect the 1960s theme. Entertainment will be a special performance by the Mayama dance team. Sixties rock and roll will be spun by a professional deejay and a professional auctioneer / host will orchestrate the program. The gala will continue to offer silent and live auctions, but there are a few more new twists. A lucky resident will have the opportunity to commute around Lyons in style by taking home a Blix Aveny electric bicycle, courtesy of Tom Wilson and Small Planet e-bikes in Longmont. LCF supporters will also have the chance to bid on perennial favorites such as certificates to local restaurants and services, exciting get-away vacations and one-of–a-kind experiences such as an aerial plane ride, beer-pairing events, private catered dinners and more. Tickets for the gala will be on sale October 17. The ticket price of $75 covers food, drinks, entertainment
Tom Wilson (pictured) and Small Planet e-bikes in Longmont have generously donated this Blix Aveny electric bicycle to be auctioned at the annual LCF gala fundraiser. and of course contributes to fundraising efforts for the diverse span of LCF community-based philanthropy. The work of the foundation is supported by a wide range of community volunteers and local businesses who generously offer their services, time, energy and talents. We are grateful for all of their contributions. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to lyonscf.org.
All are invited to groundbreaking ceremony for new library building By Darcie Sanders Redstone Review LYONS – Construction for the new library building has begun. Join us for the Groundbreaking Ceremony on Friday, October 19 at 3 p.m. at the corner of Fourth and Railroad Avenues. Groundbreaking is a notable moment, and we were curious as to what the long Lyons history of our site has been, back before recent memory when it held the skatepark, RTD lot, and recycling center. Photo research by Christina Wells of the Friends of the Library, and Monique Sawyer Lang, co-director of the Redstone Museum, turned up some wonderful early 20th century documentation of it as the bustling waiting area connected to the old depot, full of pedestrians, travelers on horseback, railcars, and Stanley Steamers waiting to take the disembarking tourists the rest of the way up to Estes Park. To quote Wells, “This site has been the hub of activity in Lyons for a long time.” Everybody is invited to attend the ceremony as we move this historic hub into its next phase. We’ll have about 20 shovels, but feel free to bring your own if you have a favorite. Garden shovels and beach shovels are perfectly acceptable. Light refreshments will be available courtesy of the Friends of the Library, and arrangements have been made for an aerial drone camera to document the event. Remember to wear close-toed shoes, especially for the children. Also, please note that the storefront library on Main Street will be closing early that day at 2:30 p.m. so that staff can also attend the ceremony. Upcoming Programs: In other news, the library is busy planning programs for next month’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). NaNoWriMo is not just for novels anymore. Whether you’re a fiction writer, poet, memoirist, essayist, or just want to get words down on paper or screen, NaNoWriMo is for you. On Saturday, November 3, Kayann Short will lead a workshop dedicated to writing of all shapes and sizes, at Stonebridge Farm, 5169 Ute Hwy., from 9 a.m. to12 noon. Then on Saturday, November 17 there will be a teen workshop led by Grey Havens, also at Stonebridge Farm. This will be an evening workshop from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with pizza provided courtesy of the Friends. Details are available on the library website calendar. Trekking-to-raise-funds opportunity: For those of you who enjoyed following the Blister Sisters’ coast-tocoast fund-raising trek across England this past summer, now there is an opportunity to try it for yourselves, thanks to Lyons local Deirdre Butler and Big Round World. Big Round World is designating its June 24 to
Historic photo, courtesy of The Redstone Museum, of the old Lyons Depot, which became the library until the flood caused it to relocate. Used by permission July 7, 2019 trip, “Hike Across England including Hadrian’s Wall,” as a fundraiser for the Lyons Regional Library. This trip combines England’s coast-to-coast with a visit to Hadrian’s Wall, the UNESCO World Heritage
Site of Europe’s largest remaining Roman fortification marking the northernmost limit of the Roman Empire. Details are available at www.bigroundworld.com. New Director search update: The district is still taking public input to help develop a profile of the ideal candidate for our new director. We would love to know what strengths or qualifications you think a new library director should possess in order to be successful in our community. Please send your comments to LyonsLibraryDirectorSearch@gmail.com by the end of October. We are on track for opening the position for candidate applications in November. You can stop by the library Mondays through Saturdays at 405 Main St., call us at 303-823-5165, like our page on Facebook, or visit us online anytime at www.LyonsRegionalLibrary.com. Darcie Sanders is a Lyons Regional Library District Trustee. She writes columns for the Lyons Regional Library.
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OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
REDSTONE • REVIEW
PAGE 7
INSIGHT The confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court By John Gierach Redstone Review LYONS – There’s been plenty to dislike about our current administration and Brett Kavanaugh’s recent appointment to Gierach the Supreme Court is just the latest item. For one thing, he’s a blatantly political choice. Of course that’s happened before, but in the past there’d at least been the pretense of fulfilling the Founders’ vision of a Supreme Court justice as a highly qualified and objective jurist who – because of the lifetime appointment – would be above politics and therefore make decisions based on the law alone. That pretense – played out in public hearings – was often just enough to seat justices that might lean liberal or conservative, but still fell short of being outright political hacks. Not so with Kavanaugh. The Republican majority on the Senate Judiciary Committee kept most of his official papers secret, even from its own Democratic members, but the few we’ve seen reveal him as unambiguously hardline conservative, staunchly Republican, and anti-abortion. No surprise there, since during the presidential campaign Trump promised that he’d only appoint Supreme Court Justices who would vote to repeal Roe v. Wade. It also helped that Kavanaugh said he thought a sitting president couldn’t be indicted or even investigated because it would distract him from his job – never mind that it’s hard to imagine our current president being any more distracted than he already is. Trump’s calculation here was completely transparent, as usual. Not only will Kavanaugh bring him a step closer to setting women’s reproductive rights back 45 years, it’ll give him a powerful ally when the Mueller investigation finally works its way up the food chain to the president and the whole steaming mess inevitably lands in front of the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh’s confirmation process itself amounted to nothing less than a power play. The same Republican-controlled Senate that for nearly a year refused to confirm,
vote on, or even meet with President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, nonetheless rushed their own much less qualified guy through in a hurry, simply because they had the votes, although just barely. (Kavanaugh was confirmed with the smallest majority of any Supreme Court justice in the last 130 years.) They didn’t even let Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s accusations of sexual assault slow them down for more than a few days. At first they didn’t want to hear from her
not only begin to look like basset hounds, but also become completely tone deaf. And Kavanaugh’s own testimony would have been outright disqualifying in any other circumstances. He came off as spoiled, petulant, whiny, privileged and angry, with a penchant for conspiracy theories (the charges were clearly a revenge plot on behalf of the Clintons) and a taste for retribution in his warning to Democrats that “what goes around comes around;” So much for objectivity.
at all; then they relented under public pressure, but hired a woman prosecutor to do the questioning in behalf of the Republican senators, apparently terrified of the spectacle of old white men grilling a woman about sexual assault. That fear was justified, since the Republicans had already telegraphed their punches early on when Judiciary Committee Chairman, Chuck Grassley said he though Ford was “mistaken” about being sexually assaulted (you know how confused those women can get) and then later, when asked why there were no women on the Judiciary Committee, said it was because the work was too hard. Poor Chuck hasn’t been much of a spokesman for white male privilege since he reached the age when male politicians
Much of his testimony involved evasions, distractions, counterattacks, and pouty silences. His only real defense was that he went to prep school and Yale Law, worked hard and liked beer, but it was never clear whether that meant that he couldn’t have done such a thing or that men with his pedigree get to do what they like. The only thing that was clear is that Kavanaugh, like his benefactor, Donald Trump, acts guilty when cornered. Kavanaugh had made much about his Catholic upbringing and Jesuit education, but his performance in front on the Senate Committee was so egregious that the magazine of the Jesuit order in the U.S. withdrew its endorsement, along with the American Bar Association and the Washington Post reported that “...more
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than 2,400 law professors signed on to a letter saying that Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh displayed a lack of judicial restraint at a Senate hearing – behavior that would be disqualifying for any court nominee.” The Post continued, “Afterward, law professors across the country began discussing, ‘with great distress, the unprecedented and unfathomable demeanor of Judge Kavanaugh,’ said Bernard Harcourt, a professor at Columbia Law School.” At his Alma matter, the Yale Law School faculty called for a “full investigation” of the charges. What they got instead was a cursory review during which the FBI declined to interview Ford or Kavanaugh, along with no less than 40 other potential witnesses. And investigation or not, after his public tantrum former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said that Kavanaugh was too partisan and didn’t have the temperament it takes to sit on the Supreme Court. In the end Kavanaugh was confirmed anyway – which didn’t really surprise anyone – and it amounted to a weird flashback to the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearing in 1991 when Anita Hill brought charges of sexual harassment against Thomas, only this time it was worse. As it turned out, Dr. Ford was ignored just like Anita Hill was, but at least Hill got a fair hearing and a real FBI investigation, and after Thomas was confirmed anyway, then-President George H.W. Bush called for conciliation and cooperation. This time, our current president ridiculed Ford at a rally, encouraging thousands of his followers to laugh at her on national television – a clip the networks replayed endlessly for days afterwards. I can’t imagine what women must be thinking now that we’ve confirmed the second Supreme Court justice in less than 30 years who was accused of sexual misconduct, this one appointed by a president who’s not only been accused of multiple sexual offenses of his own, but has actually bragged about them publicly. I do sympathize, but I also understand that the hollowest thing a man could say to a woman about sexual assault right now is, “I know how you feel.”
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REDSTONE • REVIEW
OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
COMMUNITY New improved ponds take shape By Greg Lowell Redstone Review LYONS – For anybody who fondly remembers the McConnell Ponds before the flood of 2013, take heart. What was once will be again – with some slight variations. Work on the new ponds, now renamed Lyons Valley River Park, began last month and will continue through the winter with an anticipated finish date of summer 2019. The project’s cost is $2.4 million, funded through a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant. The ponds will be “roughed out” and all earthwork is scheduled to be completed by spring 2019, said Amy Willits, project manager. Seeding and planting of restoration vegetation on the ponds’ shorelines will then occur in the spring and early summer. Other work included in the scope of the project – the restoration of the October and November kayak holes in the river south of the ponds and some river restoration – was completed earlier this year. The current work will also include redirection of the Lyons sewage treatment plant outfall pipe from its present location above the Black Bear Hole to below the Highland Dam. The City of Longmont requested that the outfall pipe be moved further from its water intake on the river. The ponds and approximately 14 acres that surround them were deeded to the town in 2006 by the developer of the Lyons Valley Park subdivision. Community input drove final design The final design of the Lyons Valley River Park was the result of community input in 2015 through a series of meetings and solicited comments. In the early public planning stages, several amenities were considered. A footbridge across the river, an art park near the Clarifier, a parking area, playground and shelter were initially included but eventually were discarded because they were not flood recovery items and not funded under the FEMA grant. They could, however, be considered in the future if the town decides to finance them. “Additional features of the river park will need to be planned for and funded as
future projects if they are prioritized by the town,” said Dave Cosgrove, Director of Parks and Public Works. The new ponds will very much resemble the previous ponds. There will be two distinct ponds: a smaller one to the north with a causeway at its lower end to allow a trail,
river, and they’ll be armored to prevent failure during an extreme flood event,” said Nathan Werner, project engineer for S2o Design and Engineering, whose firm designed the ponds. There were no such spillways on the previous ponds. The 2013 floodwater simply washed away the embankment between the ponds and the river and then overtopped the old beaver dam at the
Recreation, too As before, the ponds will be available for recreation, although on a muted scale. There will be two small beaches on the east end of the lower pond for access to the water. An encircling pathway around both ponds will connect to the area by the Clarifier and Black Bear Hole. The path will be very similar to the previous paths. Kayaking, fishing and other on-
AFTER AND BEFORE: At left: The western shore (the right side) of the lower pond of the Lyons Valley River Park has already been roughed out. PHOTO BY GREG LOWELL At right: The lower McConnell pond, with the old bridge in background, as it was during the 2013 Lyons Outdoor Games – three months before the September flood. PHOTO BY ED BRUDER and a larger one to the south. The upper pond (as before) will be about five or six feet higher than the lower pond. The depths of each pond will be a maximum of nine feet during times of high water with a gradual slope from the bottom to the shore. New berms and flood dissipation One important difference between the old and new ponds is the addition of three reinforced berms. River water entering and exiting the ponds at 25-year flood levels will now be over armored berms. The berms will be constructed of center concrete walls with stone riprap sloping downward on either side. The concrete and riprap will be over-planted with grass and shrubs to create a more natural appearance. There will be a berm at the upper end of the north pond where the St. Vrain River bends eastward. The second spillway will be between the two ponds and the third will be at the lower end of the south pond. “These berms are designed to convey water through the ponds and back to the
southern end. The redesigned ponds will now allow floodwaters to spread out and pass through the ponds in a predictable way, said Werner. The floodwater will pass under the new McConnell Bridge (unlike the old bridge, which was damaged in 2013). Armoring at critical points around the ponds will allow the power of the flood to be dissipated throughout the pond area. How will the ponds fill? The ponds will be filled through the natural groundwater level and run-off. Even now as excavation is underway the ponds are filling with groundwater. The current construction has the advantage of being done during these times of low water. As spring arrives and with it runoff, the ponds should fill to their designed capacity then the level will recede as the summer and fall progress. This is nothing new; the old ponds similarly filled and receded seasonally, except of course for that September of 2013 when it took hardly any time for the ponds to overtop and collapse.
water recreation are incorporated in the design, and mesh with the project’s goal of a more natural area that encourages bird and wildlife to use the pond and its perimeter area. The wetlands that formed over the past five years in the ponds’ remains were removed (by permit), but the half-acre of wetlands destroyed will be recreated at various areas around the ponds’ perimeters. During construction, public access is not allowed. The east side of the October and November kayak hole area remain open to the public. The complete set of technical plans for the ponds can be found on the Town of Lyons website (townoflyons.com) by searching, “Lyons Valley River Park final plan set.” Greg Lowell is a member of Lyons Ecology Advisory Board and has been involved with land conservation issues for more than 25 years. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire and now lives in Lyons.
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REDSTONE • REVIEW
PAGE 9
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Arts and Entertainment in the Lyons area By Chrystal DeCoster Redstone Review LYONS The Stone Cup has another great lineup for music this coming month. On October 20, DeCoster Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon Sugar Moon will perform bluegrass; on October 21, Sunday, from 10 a.m. to noon Billy Shaddox plays American folk; on October 27, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon Ben Knighten plays acoustic / folk rock; on October 28, Sunday, from 10 a.m. to noon Finding Phoenix plays acoustic / blues / folk; on November 3, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon Antonio Lopez plays modern folk / acoustic soul; on November 4, Sunday, from 10 a.m. to noon Dahlby and Nadine play Americana / folk; on November 10, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon Caleb Martin and Nathan Stanley play roots and Americana; on November 10, Saturday, from 12:30 p.m. Aaron Dunn plays progressive pop / rock / jazz; on November 11, Sunday from10 a.m. to noon Anna p.s. plays Indie / Folk; on November 17, Saturday, from 10 a.m. to noon John Mieras plays folk / singer-songwriter; on November 18, Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon Joe Teichman plays alt country / folk / Americana. At the Stone Cup gallery, imagery created from photos of Kahlie Sue Pinello’s Costume Catwalk by local Hiku Graphics studio owner, Jessica Kutrumbos, will show through the end of the month. Pamela Cuming of Longmont will present her paintings in November and December. Cuming is a self-taught artist and her love for Aspen trees and animals has been described as whimsical, fun, colorful and raw. She is also a produced screenwriter and award winning playwright and filmmaker. Lyons’ Bank of the West Art Show features artists from Red Canyon Art. The Bank of the West generously began these quarterly art show rotations in 2017 to help promote and celebrate local arts-centric businesses. The current show at 303 Main St. hangs through Friday, January 4 and features the “Pesce” by Charlotte wide variety of Zink is a newly artwork repre- installed heARTS of sented by Red LYONS sculpture. Canyon Art. Stop by at 400 Main St. to shop from their large selection. If any arts-centric
Paintings by Pamela Cuming of Longmont will be shown during November at the Stone Cup. business has interest in installing a new exhibit of work to hang January 4 through Friday April 5, please contact chrystaldecoster@gmail.com. Lyons Arts and Humanities Commission’s heARTS of LYONS program continues to expand all over town. New installations continue to pop up from an assortment of Colorado artists. Charlotte Zink has provided the Town of Lyons with a fun new sculpture entitled Pesce, which recently replaced Bruce Campbell’s Totem in front of St. Vrain Market on Main Street through the help of Lyons volunteers, Jacob Leewenberge and Ann Hall. For inquiries regarding the sponsorship or purchase of these select pieces, or for more information on the LAHC, contact Melinda Wunder at 303818-6982 or melinda@creativeconvs.com. The Lyons Arts and Humanities Commission’s current Autumn exhibit hangs through January 4 at Town Hall, 432 Fifth Ave. Viewing of these LAHC shows is possible when Town Hall’s chamber room is otherwise vacant during weekday business hours. For more information and to submit ideas and / or volunteer for 2019‘s shows please email chrystaldecoster@gmail.com.
Children’s winter and holiday colorful drawings are needed for a special display at Town Hall. This art (of any shape and size) will be accepted at Western Stars Gallery, 160 East Main St., through Saturday November 17. Artwork must have the child’s name and phone number written clearly on the back. Hours for drop off are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. For additional details please email info@westernstarsgallerystudio.com or call 303-747-3818. November 17 is the Third Anniversary Open House Sale and Celebration at Western Stars Gallery. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. there will be featured artists, tempting new offerings and special savings at 160 East Main St. Wine, refreshments and music are slated from 2 to 6 p.m. Sultry songstress Kim Crecelius of Boulder will perform from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Songbird Amy Francis will return to town to play for her fans at 4:30 p.m. The gallery is currently open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays; special open daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. holiday hours are from November 17 through December 23. For more info contact info@westernstarsgallerystudio.com or 303-747-3818. Local poets will gather for Word by
Word Journeys on Sunday October 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. This informal writers’ roundtable event will be held at Western Stars Gallery at 160 East Main St. For details contact CoCo Gordon at 917-7743538 or cocogordon@mindspring.com. Bella la Crema, 405 Main St., is accepting cow or cow-related art for the Cowllery, a divine bovine gallery. Submit wall creations for display and or sale after 10:30 a.m. daily (except Wednesdays) at the bustling new bistro and butter bar located next to the temporary library Call 303-823-UMOO for more details. Join the Second Wednesdays Leathercraft Workshop Series with Holly Beck at HJB Designs, 436 Main Street. These classes, where children can learn the craft, skill and patience it takes to make functional leather items will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. with light snacks. Minimum enrollment of four, maximum of eight. Register at www. townoflyons. com / registration for individual classes or the whole series. Next up: on November 14 learn to create a personalized leather bound journal / sketchpad and feather quill by learning lacing and embossing techniques, $30, ages ten and up. Art on Main Street: The Corner Studios, Western Stars Gallery and Studio, and Red Canyon Art Gallery all proudly showcase a wide variety of work by Colorado artisans. Stop by to explore their eclectic consigned offerings and shop for holiday gift giving. Watch for pop-up events at NOW Gallery. Artsy vintage finds can also be discovered at Rosey’s Rescues, 343 Broadway; Ralston Bros. Antiques, 426 High St.; and the arts and antique shop near the intersection of Highways 36 and 66. Shop locally to support area painters, ceramicists, sculptors, framers, collectors, woodworkers, and craftspersons.
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PAGE 10
REDSTONE • REVIEW
OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
EXPRESSIONS Restoring balance to government By Richard A. Joyce Redstone Review
ly false information and, perhaps worse, information that has some truth to it mixed in with myriad inaccuracies, the net result of which is to fan the fires of any fascist, i.e. totalitarian radical, elements in the base, and confuse the undecided so they lean right. This phenomenally widespread misinformation is crafted using such illogical premises and fallacies as to prevent rational folks from understanding much
tions go unnoticed by a public and media that have repeated the falsities many times before the one-time refutation of each false element ever hits the brief spotlight of publication, including broadcast. Take Trump’s recent op-ed piece in the USA Today trashing Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) “Medicare-For-All” bill, which has some significant support in both the House and the Senate among Democrats. Trump made sweeping statements about how it would raise costs and lower quality of care, etc., and lead to socialism, with no actual point-for-point data
PUEBLO – It is the stated aim of the Republican Party national elite and that party’s deep-pockets financial backers to take Joyce control of the three branches of the national government, and of as many state governments as possible. To paraphrase Steve Bannon’s words after Trump’s and the Republican Party’s victories in the 2016 elections, “If you think we’re going to give the government back, you’re dead wrong.” Even thought Bannon has left the U.S. stage, it’s not likely he or those who believe as he does in the Republican Party have abandoned that mantra. They are still working slowly, inexorably, to accomplish it. Of course, Democrats would like to do that, too. The difference is that until recently, most Democrats believed it was not possible for one or the other party to dominate completely the federal government. Now that it has happened, especially “Everyone is talking about the “Blue Wave” making things right when the ballots are counted after now that the Supreme Court is November 6, but even if Democrats take back the Senate, they’re not likely to have a super majority, an almost certainly locked-in, five-vote conservative court and even if they make great gains in the house they’re not likely to have a majority at all in that CARTOON BY JEFF DANZIGER (and Republicans are putting body.” more conservative justices on lower federal courts as I write this), of it, much less refuting it. It has the to back him up except for a half-truth Democrats are in a steep uphill battle to equivalent effect on voters that the cre- about the cost to the government over reset the balance of power in the nation. ation of doubt has on a jury, but with a ten years, yet millions read what he said. Everyone is talking about the “Blue jury, the doubt must be reasonable. The Sanders op-ed the next day, plus the Wave” making things right when the bal- In the current social media political USA Today’s own fact-checking on the lots are counted after November 6, but arena, the doubt can be completely bill, both of which refuted most of even if Democrats take back the Senate, unreasonable and sway millions toward a Trump’s allegations, will be read by fewer, they’re not likely to have a super majori- political verdict that will, if continued, and will be read with already unreasonty, and even if they make great gains in probably gut the two-party system in the able doubts in the minds of those who the house they’re not likely to have a very near future. read the Trump piece. Republicans, of majority at all in that body. Yes, the lies and inaccuracies, the false course, will pick up Trump’s flawed analyAnd in all of this, the Republican Party premises and fallacious arguments are root- sis and run with it. is energizing its base through its polished ed out and exposed by some great factIn the end, it’s not enough in the face ability to manipulate media, especially checking organizations, but the damage has of such stratagems for Democrats and social media, into promulgating absolute- already been done by then, and the correc- progressive independents to hope for a
Chamber of Commerce: Business news in Lyons By Mike Porter Redstone Review LYONS – The next Chamber Social will be held on Thursday, October 18, at 5:30 p.m. at the new event space behind the Stone Cup. This upscale space is available for rent for your next event, offering in-house catering and bar service. Come see for yourself and find out more. This social is for members only, but there are a few guest spots available. Email us and we’ll get you in if there’s room. “Love, Lyons” campaign fall graphics now available. You are welcome to use the fall “Love, Lyons” campaign graphics in your own marketing. Ask Mike Porter for more information. Stillwater Healing Arts and Apothecary goingson. This is the last month of Stillwater’s fall communitysupported herbalism shares. Empower your healthcare with resources and instruction for routine herbal medicines fresh from Stillwater Clinic and Hart Family Farm. Also, herbal medicine making classes this month include Full Moon Flower Essence Making, on October 24 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Stillwater at 418 High St. or call 303-823-9355. Square Dancing At Oskar’s. Are you missing your hoedown, now that the Red Rock Ramblers’ season has closed? Don’t despair! Saturday, November 3 at 7 p.m. in the Oskar Blues event room, Bob Zuellig will call with oldtime string band Run Down Boot. The Lyons Old-Time
Square Dance features old-time reels, mixers, squares, waltzes, and flat-footing to live fiddle and banjo music. All dances are taught and are beginner and family friendly. Dances are easiest earlier in the evening and become more complex as the evening progresses. No experience, partner or special shoes required. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for a child and $25 for a family. Join the Lyons Chamber. Contact Mike Porter at admin @ lyons - colorado. com for more information.
blue wave on November 6. They must commit to securing it, first at the ballot box, and (win OR lose there), through every legal means available to the people as a follow-up to the election. Violence will never lead to anything but violence, and that will play into the hands of those who would shackle protestors and lock them up. They have been looking for an excuse to do that since President Richard Nixon drew up plans for the detention of Vietnam War protestors in the 1970s. The November 6 vote is critical, but so is planning for what comes after, and the Democratic Party must plan for winning as well as losing in November. Liberals, Democratic Party members and progressive independents must in either case unite behind the Constitution and its rational, reasonable implementation, using every peaceful and legal avenue to continue the fight to restore dynamic balance in government. In June, at a restaurant in Salida, Colorado, a man at a table was overheard telling a companion that the insanity being practiced by Trump, with the support of the Republican Party, had led him to conclude that, for the rest of his life, he would never even consider voting for a Republican or supporting any of that party’s programs. Democrats may cheer that, but it’s not the way to go. By restoring balance and perhaps along with it the notions of compromise, civil debate and left, center and right wings within both parties, we may have a chance to save the democratic republic known as the United States of America. November 6 is the first step.
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OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
REDSTONE • REVIEW
PAGE 11
HOUSING Summit Housing Group purchases land in Lyons Valley Park for affordable housing COMMENTARY: AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LYONS
By Amy Reinhold Redstone Review
LYONS – Town Administrator Victoria Simonsen told the Lyons Board of Trustees on October 1 that Summit Housing Group has closed on the purchase of Tract A of Filing 8, and 11 single family home lots, in the Lyons Valley Park subdivision. Summit wants to build 12 buildings of duplexes and triplexes (a total of 29 residences) on Lyons Valley Park Tract A Reinholds of Filing 8, and 11 single family homes on the 11 adjacent single family homes lots, all rental homes for people who earn about 40 to 60 percent of the area median income. Simonsen said that Summit president Rusty Snow called on Friday, September 28, to talk about some next steps with the town and the fire department for the proposed development, and he said that Summit had closed on the purchase of the land from Keith Bell of Lyons Valley Park Inc. The next steps are a site plan development review process for building the multifamily homes on Tract A, which is a public process and requires data such as a traffic study. The process begins with a public hearing before the Lyons Planning and Community Development Commission and later goes to a public hearing before the Lyons Board of Trustees. Nearby homeowners and all community members can submit public comment either in person or in written comments for all the public hearings. Simonsen said that Summit is also working on a site plan review for the public improvements (road and utilities), which is an administrative review. She said Summit is initiating discussions with officials from the Lyons Fire
Protection District about roads and public safety access. The development process for the single-family lots is like all others already platted in the subdivision and elsewhere in Lyons, requiring a permitting and development process with the Town of Lyons. Summit, based in Missoula, Mt., is a development company that specializes in low-income tax credit and mixed-use developments. It develops and manages rental
Summit Housing Group proposes duplexes and triplexes on Tract A of Lyons Valley Park Filing 8, less dense than the existing Lyons Valley Village co-housing community, pictured here. properties in six states, including Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, all which include portions affordable to people who make 60 percent of the area median income or less. The latest homes in Colorado are Centennial Park Apartments at 1205 Pace St. in Longmont. The property management site for Summit buildings, www.leasehighland.com, shows what the applications are like for other rentals built by Summit, including the homes in Longmont.
At a community meeting at the Lyons Middle and Senior High School on September 11, Summit gave updates to the public about a preliminary concept plan for the proposed homes. Snow and Denver-area architect Elizabeth Johnson presented updates and answered questions from neighbors in Lyons Valley Park and the broader community. Snow gave examples of rents for someone who earns 40 percent of the area median income (about $36,000 for a single person or more for a larger household size) as approximately $906 a month for a two-bedroom rental home, or $1045 a month for a three-bedroom rental home, depending on family size. Flood-displaced residents are prioritized for these proposed homes, and Snow said he planned to work with the Lyons Emergency Assistance Fund (LEAF) to reach out to possible future renters. The density of the proposed 12 multifamily homes is actually less dense than the current Lyons Valley Village homes that are already in Lyons Valley Park. According to information from Simonsen, Lyons Valley Village has 18 buildings on two acres, with about 30 total residences. The multifamily units that Summit is proposing are 12 buildings on four acres (about 2.9 of those acres are buildable), with a total of 29 total residences. Snow and Johnson said that the 12 buildings of duplexes and triplexes would be two stories and not higher than 25 feet, and the 11 single family homes would be one story. They said they were interested in getting a copy of the Lyons Valley Park Homeowners Association (HOA) design guidelines so the buildings match the existing neighbors’ homes. Snow also said he was willing to discuss whether Summit would join the HOA. Federal disaster recovery funds in the form of Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing are available to Summit at a maximum of $100,000 per rental home, up to $4 million for the total 40 residences (29 homes in duplexes/triplexes, and 11 single family homes). Total funds awarded must be spent by September 2019, and Snow said that there will not be an issue spending those funds on land acquisition and tap fees. He also said that Continue Housing on Page 14
BRIAN MCCANN REAL ESTATE GIVES BACK Brian McCann
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PAGE 12
OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018
CONCEPTS Some ballot issues to pay attention to in November By Susan de Castro McCann Redstone Review Editor
Amendments Y and Z LYONS – Voters will be asked to vote on Amendments Y and Z, which ask people if they want to change the Colorado Constitution in the way the U.S. Congressional Districts and the Colorado Legislative Districts are drawn up. These two amendments propose creating both congressional and legislative reapportionment commissions to be appointed by retired judges in Colorado. The commissions would each have 12 members with specific qualifications and the two commissions would have onethird Republican affiliates, one-third Democratic affiliates and one-third independents. No elected officials, lobbyists or campaign committee employees would be allowed to serve on the commission. The purpose of the commission is to remove elected officials from the redistricting process and to form two commissions that would have a more balanced point of view regardless of the makeup of the state house and senate. It would potentially prevent gerrymandering and any undue political influence
B •R •I •E •F •S Continued from Page 1
your chairs and blankets and join us for our first Reels on the River outdoor movie, hosted by River Cliff Realty. The inaugural showing will be the popular film, The Addams Family. Help kick-off fall in Lyons with your community spirit. Tickets available in advance at River Cliff Realty at 419 Main Street or at the event, for a $1 donation per person.
November 6, 2018 election LYONS – The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. All active registered voters will be automatically mailed a ballot to the address on their voter registration record, beginning Monday, October 15. Election Dates: • October 15 – Ballots mailed to voters and 24-hour ballot boxes open. • October 21 – Voter Service Centers open. Visit these if you would like to vote in person. • October 29 – Last day to register and still receive a ballot in the mail (otherwise you need to vote in person). • November 6 – Election Day. Last day to vote or drop off ballot by 7 p.m. (but please do it earlier!).
Big Round World offers hiking trip to raise money for Lyons library LYONS – Next summer hikers with Big Round World will spend two weeks raising money to benefit the Lyons Regional Library as they traverse England from west to east. The hike crosses three national parks. Highlights include tramps along Hadrian’s Wall, private concerts, and local pub dining. Participation is limited to 14 people. The trip will take place from June 24 to July 7, 2019. Big Round World will donate all profits from this adventure to the Lyons Library. Early bird price for this trip is $3,585.Visit https://www.bigroundworld.com/upcomingtrips for more information or call Deirdre Butler at 303-823-8649.
Town board documents LYONS – The Lyons town budget (all 50 pages) and all other town documents, building permits, zoning, town board agendas,
from any one party. The idea is that there would be less need for judicial review by the state supreme court for partisan disagreements. Voters will have to decide if they want to have an equal group of experienced non-elected officials decide on the redistricting process or if they want to the state legislature to remain making the decisions on how the state districts should be divided.
Proposition 112 Proposition 112 asks voters to approve changing the Colorado revised statutes to approve a requirement stating that any new oil and gas drilling be located at least 2,500 feet from any structure intended for human occupancy or any other area designated by the state or local government. This proposition is being heavily fought by the oil and gas industry. The proposition was generated in part by an accident in Firestone last year when a house blew up and two people were killed and two people went to the hospital from a gas leak by an unground uncapped gas line that was left unattended. The oil and gas industry does not want any restrictions on oil and gas drilling including mandatory boundaries around structures. In retaliation they are giving funding and support to Amendment 74 (please see Mayor Sullivan’s column on pg. 3), which could potentially bankrupt cities and nearly did in Oregon. Voters will have to decide if they want to have gas and oil drilling near schools, houses, property or other areas or not. meeting minutes, etc. are on the Town of Lyons website and the budget is updated every time the town board makes changes at their meetings within a few days by town finance director Ana Canada. At the town website it is listed under Finance. The link is https://www.townoflyons.com/ArchiveCente r/ViewFile/Item/155. You can view videos of the BOT meetings at this link: http : / / www.townoflyons.com / 588 / Board-of-Trustees-Meeting-Videos.
Updates from Lyons Middle Senior High School LYONS – Last week included the PSAT NMSQT for juniors, our internally organized practice PSAT 9 and PSAT 10 for freshmen and sophomores, and college and career readiness workshops for seniors. As a school, we make the decision to pay for every junior to take the PSAT NMSQT, which allows them the opportunity to qualify for scholarships and prepare for the SAT in the spring. Very few high schools are doing this, and we feel it is a great way to support our students in post-secondary success. Just one way that Lyons Middle Senior High School is small and mighty. Our cross country runners dominated the Mile High League Conference Meet. Great job, Lions. Our science and leadership program has tripled in size this year and includes 9th through 12th graders. Students were recently trained in the Outward Bound leadership curriculum to support elementary students. We are expanding our CSU online course offerings. We will now offer 14 guaranteed transfer CSU online classes. This is almost triple what we have offered in the past. Students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade who are interested in taking college classes while in high school should attend the concurrent enrollment meeting on Wednesday, October 17 during lunch in the library. Sophomores can take CSU online classes if they have a cumulative 3.5 GPA. Thank you to our Booster Club for supporting everything we do. Check out the Booster Club website. We are focusing efforts on reducing tardies. Please help us support teaching and learning by getting students to school on time.
OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018 G TIN LIS
ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A VERY SPECIAL PIECE OF LYONS HISTORY — THIS IS THE ONE EVERYONE DREAMS OF OWNING! 1890s Victorian 4-bedroom home on a quadruple lot in great condition; remodeled kitchen and baths; 588 sq ft guest house with full bath and kitchenette + 306 sq ft detached studio + 175 sq ft storage building; huge & private yard, professional landscaping, water feature, numerous trees, garden & chicken pen. You will be captivated by the warmth and charm of this unique property! 418 Seward Street, Lyons / $995,000
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AWESOME CUSTOM-BUILT CONTEMPORARY MOUNTAIN HOME ON 22 ACRES W/ STUNNING 180 DEGREE VIEWS INCLUDING BACK RANGE! Passive solar design hand-crafted in 2000 by professional owner-builder with numerous hidden features & top-notch quality! Designed for low-maintenance; in-floor radiant heat, hickory cabinets, Pella windows. Unfinished 21x21 bonus room above garage + 357 sf unfinished outbuilding — either space perfect for office, shop, studio, guest. Well 9 gph + 2500 gal cistern. Massive vault built in basement. About 12 minutes from Lyons. 788 Sunrise Drive, Lyons / $750,000
AWESOME MOUNTAIN PROPERTY ON 40 ACRES W/ BEAUTIFUL VIEWS & SEASONAL STREAM JUST 15 MINUTES FROM LYONS! Main house features an open floor plan, remodeled kitchen and baths, newer master suite addition, private patio, 3-car garage in basement. High gpm well. Fabulous separate 2520 sf outbuilding. Add’l 12x24 storage building. Beautiful private setting w/ some usable terrain & great sun. 2 backup generators. A find! No sign. 1200 Ponderosa Hill Road, Lyons / $750,000
RARE TOWN OF LYONS BUILDING LOT WITH SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF THE BACK RANGE OF THE COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE TOWN AND ST. VRAIN RIVER VALLEY! Over 1/4 acre within walking distance to downtown, schools, parks. Easy commute to Boulder or Longmont. Build your dream home here and now! 617 1st Avenue, Lyons / $247,000
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WHAT’S COOKIN’ Ricotta pancakes with berry coulis – and not a speck of wheat By Catherine Metzger Redstone Review WINTER PARK – Gluten-free sometimes means flavor-free, especially when it comes to pancakes. There’s a grainy feeling on your tongue that signals the healthy benefits of gluten-free baking, but alas, with unpleasant texture and dull taste. There is, however, hope. With ricotta, almond flour and rice flour, these pancakes are the superlative exception without a speck of wheat: light, tender, rich and delicious. This recipe feeds four, but between the two of us this morning, there were only three left over, even with eggs and ham alongside. We bundled these three into the fridge and we’ll see if they taste as good on the reheat in the toaster tomorrow.
Berry Coulis 2 C frozen or fresh mixed berries 1/4 C turbinado sugar 1/2 of a cinnamon stick Several drops of lemon oil or 2 T fresh lemon juice • Place the berries, the turbinado sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon in a small saucepan. • Cook over low heat until syrupy, about
15 minutes. • Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Set aside the berry mixture. 1/2 C sour cream mixed with 1 t sugar • Set aside. Ricotta Pancakes, wheat-free 4 eggs 1 15 oz. container of ricotta, whole or part skim 2 1/2 T rice flour 4 1/2 T finely ground almond flour 1/4 C turbinado sugar 1/4 t vanilla extract 2 T canola or sunflower oil • In a medium-sized bowl blend ricotta, eggs, turbinado sugar, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and the almond and rice flours. The batter will be supple, glossy and creamy. • Place a large sauté pan over mediumhigh heat. Once the pan is hot, add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan. • Pour approximately 1/2 cup of batter for each pancake and evenly space them across the pan. Set your timer for four minutes. • Flip each pancake when you see small bubbles on the top and the surface appears to be drying. Cook another minute or two on the other side. • Serve topped with berry coulis and slightly sweetened sour cream. 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 Facebook.com/Food for the Ages. Though she cooks every day in a tiny kitchen with a two-burner stove, her recipes are expansive and she dedicates her craft to living large by cooking well in tiny kitchens.
L E T T E R •T O •T H E •E D I T O R
SWEET LITTLE COTTAGE ON OVERSIZED LOT IN ONE OF LYONS GROOVIEST NEIGHBORHOODS! Home suffered flood damage in 2013, then elevated approximately 4’, stripped to the bare walls, and rebuilt. All new drywall, floor coverings, doors, cabinetry, bathroom, appliances, and more…designed for wheelchair accessibility. 427 Park Street, Lyons / $385,000
Property Management Services Available
PAGE 13
I am writing to both town newspapers to advocate a change in your editorial focus. Social media are awash in pictures of children attending school, teams playing sports, wildlife, birthdays, etc. Recipes, puzzles, poetry and other pastimes are widely available on internet sites. Instead, we residents need reporting of relevant town news that is not widely available, particularly concerning town government activities and their fiscal impacts. The Press in our democracy has a crucial role to inform voters about matters they might otherwise overlook. The Press is not a cheerleader for government but should be a vigilant watchdog, offering praise or criticism as the facts it uncovers dictate. It should shine a light into the dim corners that officials may prefer not to highlight at public meetings. In support of this request, here are four examples of reporting I'd like to see: (1) The town budget published each year, not in complete detail, but at least broken out into 15 – 20 categories. Follow this with periodic (quarterly?) updates, highlighting deviations, overruns, projects whose start have been delayed, and the reasons. (2) If a controversy emerges, such as recently seen with Lyons Properties LLC and its utility charges, dig into it. Get copies of the public documents using the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) authority if
needed, review the Lyons Municipal Code (LMC), explain the key parts and specify where the disagreement lies. Interview the parties. (3) When Lyonssponsored events are held, publish the town-incurred costs, including staff time invested, and revenues received. Events that incur a deficit may be warranted by favorable public relations, community spirit, or merchant benefits, depending on the extent of the red ink. But we need the numbers to even have a discussion. (4) Present the value of incentives, in the form of waived taxes and fees plus donated property and other town costs, provided to projects carried out by third parties. Recently these include the Library District and the Habitat for Humanity houses under construction. What incentives are foreseen for the new affordable housing proposed in Lyons Valley Park neighborhood? How do the lost revenue and assets impact town finances and utility ratepayers? In the interest of total disclosure, as the saying goes, I have not had a paid subscription to either town newspaper for several years. If I see a new editorial approach, as I’ve outlined, I will gladly undertake subscriptions in the future. In short, my request can be summarized as more meat, less fluff. I want my watchdog to growl more. Steve Wratten, Lyons
PAGE 14
Town Continued from Page 1 bullets (using green bullets), they backtracked on the insulations. I’m very disappointed.” Mayor Sullivan also was not pleased. “They said that they would make us a partner and they said they would seek our support.” Sullivan said the county has not contacted Lyons on its plans. She added, “I am extremely disappointed in the county. They are creating a really intense use for that parcel and that is a very important parcel in our planning area.” Trustee Farrell said, “I think the survey
REDSTONE • REVIEW is important because I think the town is really divided based on what is being said on the Internet.” In other news, the town board discussed Ordinance 1040 pulled from the consent agenda. This ordinance would increase the service and rate charges for wastewater utility service. The ordinance was found to be confusing and at the request of the board, Town Attorney Brandon Dittman will divide the ordinance into three ordinances, one to set the rates, one to enact the pretreatment program and one to include miscellaneous changes to the town municipal code.
Mayor Continued from Page 3 Under the current Colorado Constitution, a property owner already has the right to seek compensation from state or local governments if they feel they have been treated unfairly with regard to property decisions, however Amendment 74 expands this well-established concept by requiring the government – i.e., the taxpayers – to compensate private property owners for virtually any decrease whatsoever in the fair market value of their property due to any government law or regulation. Just about any municipal action, or inaction, could result in a lawsuit if the effect is even the slightest drop in an individual property’s fair market value. Additionally, the obligation to compensate is triggered without regard to how long someone has owned the property or what the intentions or actions of the property owner are. For example, if the BoT were to vote to turn down an annexation request, the owner of the property could sue the town for denying the landowner an increase in market value for their property as a result. Local governments make decisions to improve the
A&E Continued from Page 9 Methodist Church in Boulder; performances are at 7:30 p.m. Seicento is a combination of voices and strings performing music of Baroque era composers. For tickets go to info@seicentobaroque.org. The Boulder Chorale will perform Viva Cuba on October 27 at 7:30 p.m. and October 28 at 4 p.m. at Boulder Seventh-day Adventist Church, 345 Mapleton Ave. Cuban music is a synthesis of traditions of music from Africa to European immigrants. Vocalist Suzanne Morales will perform with a band of Cuban music experts. The chorale will perform Switch on the Holidays Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. on the Pearl St. Mall to help illuminate the Court House. For tickets call 303-554-7692. This Remembrance Day, Sunday, November 11, the Boulder Bach Festival Chorus and Orchestra will perform J.S. Bach’s mystical masterpiece, the B Minor Mass, at 2 p.m., at Macky Auditorium. Soloists include Jennifer Bird-Arvidsson, soprano; Abigail Nims, alto; Peter Scott Drackley, tenor; and the incomparable Ashraf Sewailam, bass. Zachary Carrettin will conduct.
Housing Continued from Page 11 Summit is not requesting discounted or waived tap fees from the Town of Lyons for building affordable homes. Summit also plans to apply for federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), which give investors a reduction in their federal tax liability for every dollar they invest in financing to develop affordable rental housing. The investors’ equity contribution subsidizes the development, allowing housing units to rent at below-market rates (required to be 60 percent of area median income or lower). Renters complete applications and re-certify each year (and some income growth is allowed each year). Lyons lost about 76 to 94 flood-
Trustee Mark Browning discussed requiring Planet Bluegrass to turn in its sales tax numbers to the town board after every major event the Planet holds so that the trustees can make better budget decisions. Mayor Sullivan said, “This is a bad idea and a dangerous precedent. I do not believe that any trustee can go to a private business and find out their sales tax information. We got a good presentation tonight from Planet Bluegrass and I would not be in favor of opening this Pandora’s box. I agree that they need to be presenting their figures to the town, but I think that means the town staff.
health, safety, and general welfare of all citizens, and to ensure the town has the means to continually provide local services. These local services (i.e. police services, parks, utility infrastructure) will be harmed by the passage of this amendment. The State of Oregon serves as an example of the potential damage this measure could do. Oregon voters briefly enacted a similar statute, which led to thousands of individual claims, totaling several billion dollars. Three years after the statute passed, Oregon voters overturned the measure. Local governments currently make land-use decisions that are based on the local zoning code and land-use planning documents, which are founded on community-wide planning and public notice / hearing procedures. If Amendment 74 were to pass, local governments will be paralyzed by having to exhaustively evaluate what potential legal risks exist from various property owners who may have grounds to sue the government based on even the smallest loss in value. If you are asking yourself, “If this measure is so awful, then how and why is it on the ballot?” The answer is: Proposition 112. Proposition 112 is also on the November ballot and would mandate that new oil and gas develop-
Carrettin has transformed the Bachfest since his tenure began; don't miss the show. For tickets contact the Macky Auditorium box office at 303-492-8423. Brews and Bassoons Wind Symphony will perform a free concert at Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road in Boulder at 1 p.m. on Oct. 20. The concert will be performed by CU’s College of Music Wind Ensemble. The ensemble will perform music from Jazz to Vaudeville. The Rayback Collective, a former plumbing supply warehouse was converted into a bar, food truck, and small venue music gathering place. Clarinet master student Ellen Kennedy will return to Rayback for its second year performing in a clarinet quartet. Last year the Wind Symphony concert at Rayback drew a full house at its first concert at that location. This year it is expected to do the same. “Little kids are fascinated by the instrumets,” said Kennedy. And it allows us to connect with the audience in a way we can’t in a concert hall.” The final weekend of Open Studios Tour is October 20 and 21 from noon to 6 p.m. This countywide tradition is a free self-guided tour that invites the pub-
destroyed homes due to the 2013 flood. In March 2015, a proposal for using part of Bohn Park to build subsidized, affordable Boulder County Housing Authority rentals and some Habitat for Humanity for-sale affordable homes (a total of 50 to 70 homes) was rejected in a town vote, 614 to 498. After that vote, a few concepts for subsidized affordable rentals have been pursued, and now Summit Housing Group’s purchase of land in Lyons Valley Park is the first step toward the building process. So far, the only postflood, permanently affordable housing actually in the construction phase is at 112 Park St. where Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley is building three duplexes (a total of six, for-sale homes) on six residential lots.
OCTOBER 17 / NOVEMBER 14, 2018 Sales tax figures are sacred to a business. ” The board also discussed a request from the Dave Miller Ditch board to rebuild an irrigation ditch, relocate the intake/diversion and construct a new photovoltaic array on town property. The solar structure would be near the town’s former water treatment plant near the Apple Valley Rainbow Bridge. The solar array would be 78 feet by 13 feet; it is intended to run the pump for the ditch. The town board decided to take more time to look at the site where the array would be placed and to see if the size of the array would be a hindrance.
ment be a minimum distance of 2,500 feet from occupied buildings such as homes, schools, and hospitals (Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Amendment_74,_Com pensation_to_Owners_for_Decreased_Property_Value_D ue_to_State_Regulation_Initiative_(2018).) By proposing Amendment 74, oil and gas companies could sue local governments for approving setbacks that limit where they can drill. Regardless of how you feel about fracking or farming, Amendment 74 is a broadly written legislative change that serves as a blunt tool to essentially remove all government control over land use. For this reason, the Lyons BoT has passed a resolution in opposition to this measure and encourages voters to say “no” to 74. The election this November is critical for local, as well as national issues. While Coloradans have a unique ability to participate in direct democracy through the initiative process, the success of this process depends on whether voters take the time to research the issues and make informed choices. So grab a warm blanket and a glass of your favorite beverage, and relish your ability to participate in democracy by thoroughly reading the guide to November’s election ballot that recently arrived in the mail ...and then, vote.
lic into 147 artist studios. For 23 years, this event has connected artists with people who love art by encouraging conversations, developing understanding
between art appreciators and creators, and creating relationships that extend far beyond the tour itself. Visit www.openstudios.org for details.
outh
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COUNTRY LIVING!
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3001 W County Rd 6, Berthoud $248,000 Great investment west of Berthoud! Lovely, private lot with mature trees and scenic views. Remodel or build new.
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668 Colard Ln, Lyons $650,000 Incredible views from this close-in Spring Gulch home on 12+ acres. Rock outcrops, horse amenities, borders a conservation easement.
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12637 N 66th St, Longmont $592,250 Updated 3BD/2BA ranch home with mountain and lake views! Park-like yard, hardwood floors & 3-car garage. Sweet!
2863 Kansas Dr. D, Fort Collins $320,000 Move-in Ready, beautifully updated & meticulously maintained corner unit with awesome foothills & greenbelt views!
SOLD 20648 Cholla Ct, Johnstown • 420 Prospect St, Lyons • 191 B 2nd Ave, Lyons 2874 Eagle Ridge Rd, Longmont • 362 Blue Mountain Rd, Lyons • 1601 Fish Creek, Estes Park
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Rave to the Grave - Friday, October 26th - 7pm benefitting LEAF (Lyons Emergency & Assistance Fund)
Jonelle Tucker 303-902-6250 jtucker@realtor.com www.tuckergroupinc.com