Miles and Miles of Glass

Fiber Optic Cable Ready to be installed

Fiber Optic Cable Ready to be installed

A contractor for CenturyLink has been in the process of laying fiber optic cable in parts of Grand County and in the Fraser Valley as part of Federal Communications Commission’s Connect America Fund (CAF) contract, a contract that is said to bring “high-speed” Internet services to more than 53,000 rural households and businesses in Colorado.

CenturyLink plans to offer internet service with speeds of at least 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload to approximately 1.2 million locations in FCC-designated, high-cost census blocks. According to Eden Recor of Grand County Internet Services, “This is not the future of broadband, although it is a start.”  Recor added, “The average household needs 40-meg today and businesses need “that much and more” both ways, up and down, to compete in the changing marketplace.”

Century Link is accepting a total of approximately $500 million a year for six years to connect Colorado.

“We’re pleased to help bridge the urban-rural digital divide by bringing high-speed broadband to more than 53,000 households and businesses in high-cost markets in Colorado,” said Terry Beeler, CenturyLink mountain west region president. “While CAF II funding does not address all markets in our footprint, our company investment for CAF II is significant, and we look forward to working closely with Colorado policymakers to find funding and deployment solutions for additional markets.”

“Over the last few years, we have worked together with the Legislature and stakeholders to update our telecommunications laws so that Colorado is investment ready,” said Gov. John Hickenlooper. “We applaud CenturyLink’s decision to utilize Connect America Funds from the FCC in order to spur broadband investment in rural areas. This is a strong step toward improving broadband access across our state and we are hopeful that the funds will be used expeditiously and efficiently to have the greatest impact in rural Colorado.”

SuPeR DuPeR LIFE HACK

Re: Hummingbirds.  It is a little late in the year for this, but remember this one for next year.  If you have trouble with wasps and bees at your feeders, use fingernail polish to paint over the yellow “flowers”.  The color yellow attracts them.  Once I did this, they abandoned my feeders immediately, but the hummers kept coming.  After all, think about this – if you buy a wasp trap they are colored yellow.  Keep feedin’ –  Connie Clayton,  Fraser

Still Time to Get your Ducks

The Annual HTA Duckie Race.  Come get your ducks in a row and purchase some duckies for our 2nd annual HTA Duckie Race. This is a fantastic opportunity to participate in a fun event while giving back to the multi-use trails throughout Grand County! We will be racing 1,000 ducks down the Fraser River. The Proceeds from purchased ducks will go directly toward the maintenance of the many trails of Grand County. With your purchased ducks, you will have several chances to win some fantastic prizes donated by a number establishments throughout the County. The odds are great, and the race is fun!

Cost of Ducks 1 duckie= $5, Cluck of Ducks (3) =$12,  Flock of Ducks (12) = $40

Meet us at the HTA office at 120 Zerex Street, Fraser, CO 80442.

Saturday, August 26..  Race starts at 11 a.m.

You do not need to be present for your purchased duckies to win, but your duckies will need some encouragement and cheering to help them cross the finish line. We hope to see you there!

Town of Winter Park Joins the Compact of Colorado Communities

Winter Park Town Council passed a resolution for the Town to join the Compact of Colorado Communities. Through this partnership, Winter Park pledges to develop innovative ways to address climate change, build community resilience and stimulate the local economy. Winter Park joins 27 cities and 6 counties throughout Colorado that have joined the initiative.
“What really drew us to the organization was that it can help us increase our energy conservation and efficiency efforts, and, find cost saving opportunities for the Town and our taxpayers,” commented Winter Park Mayor Jimmy Lahrman. “Our ultimate goal is to make a positive impact on the community, and ensure that it is sustainable.”
By being a member of the Compact, Winter Park can receive extra support in executing projects that focus on clean energy, contribute to job creation and economic development, and increase the community’s resiliency. That support can come in the form of technical guidance, access to pro bono resources and tools, new partners and funding sources, online trainings, etc.
General requirements of joining the Compact include:
Contributing $1,200 per year (annual cost is based on municipal operating budget); having one elected official and one Town staff member serve as liaisons to the Compact; and attend required training sessions and meetings.
The Compact of Colorado Communities was founded in May 2017 by Mayor Steve Skadron from the City of Aspen. The Compact was established to bring cities and counties together in taking constructive and practical climate action. The organization’s mission is to build capacity of Colorado cities and counties in developing and implementing aggressive climate change and clean energy initiatives, thus ensuring the security and economic prosperity of its member communities. Learn more about the organization at www.compactofcoloradocommunities.org.

Emergency Crews of Grand County

The emergency crews of Grand County were busy this summer in the backcountry and out on the roadways.  East Grand Fire District Chief

Chief Holzworth Assisting on an accident call in Tabernash.

Chief Holzworth Assisting on an accident call in Tabernash.

Todd Holzworth said, “The traffic has been growing and the demand on emergency crews has reached record numbers.”

The marketing and popularity of Rocky Mountain National Park has contributed to the number of calls, and as the communities of Grand County continue to grow, “We don’t see it getting any better in the future.”

Greg Foley with Grand County Search and Rescue said, “People are enjoying the backcountry more than ever but our calls are down slightly over last year”. Foley was not sure exactly why the number declined but tipped his hat to Summit and Pitkin counties as their numbers have been over the top.  “I think we have been lucky so far”  We have a great crew and are ready when needed.    

Free Chipping Day Aug. 26

“Junk the Junipers” Free Chipping Day will take place on Saturday, August 26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Grand Fire in Granby. The first 20 attendees bringing at least one load of slash to our FREE chipping site (located behind the fire station), will receive a $100 voucher to use at participating local landscaping/garden stores to purchase more fire resistant “Firewise” plants or noncombustible landscaping materials. It is a win-win deal for all of us! You get to replace hazardous vegetation with new plants, flowers or rocks, and everyone benefits from the decreased risk of wildfire in your neighborhood! Vouchers are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Thank you to the Grand Foundation for their generous grant for this program! Thank you to Granby Ace Hardware, Cold Springs Greenhouse and Greenscaping for your support!

Go to www.bewildfireready.org for details or call 970-887-3380. #junkthejunipers #firewise #freechippingday

Colorado Governor Candidate visits Granby

Mike Johnston, Democratic candidate for governo,r made strong points during his visit at Midtown Cafe in Granby on Saturday, August 19, according to attendee Tallie Gray.  He showed an understanding of the many issues Coloradans face.  Johnston is a teacher, principal, business owner, state senator, family man and a coach.  During the meeting, he gave clear explanations of Colorado problems, what caused them, noted mistakes made by both parties, and gave logical ideas on how to solve those issues with bipartisanship.

Some of the issues discussed were Colorado ranking in the bottom 5 states in education and pay (thanks to TABOR – Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, one of the most restrictive in the U.S.), health care reform, low-income housing, focusing on challenges faced by service careers like teaching, firefighters, police and nurses. He also discussed water rights, rural concerns, transportation and civil rights, and those in attendance expressed interest in learning more about his platform and ideas in the coming months.

The Grand County Democrats meet every third Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Silver Creek Steakhouse in Granby. All are welcome.

Spruce Saddle Adventure Zone Grand Opening Celebration

YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch and Denver-based architecture firm, Design Concepts are excited to announce the grand opening of Snow Mountain Ranch’s new Spruce Saddle Adventure Zone. The public is invited to attend the grand opening celebration for Spruce Saddle Adventure Zone, located at 1101 County Road 53, Granby on Sunday, August 27 at 2 p.m.

The playground includes a bouldering wall, slide, climbing features, zip line, pendulum swing, ropes course and more.

The playground was built as the third phase of Snow Mountain Ranch’s Family Fun Park. The first phase was the summer tubing hill, also designed by Design Concepts, and the second phase was a four-acre dog park.

Trueman Hoffmeister, Snow Mountain Ranch Center Director explains, “We built Spruce Saddle Adventure Zone to give our guests and our community even more to do together when they come to Snow Mountain Ranch. It’s not a typical playground; its unique activities and opportunities for adventure are great for children of all ages. Spruce Saddle Adventure Zone is another way to connect many generations through adventuring together!”

Housing Woes Solved

Combo Greyhound / Boeing 737; A tiny home done right!

One of the toughest scrambles each season is finding enough pillows for the new workforce. Just about every business in Middle Park is in need of some help and the pillows are thinner than ever.  Charlie Johnson, WC Johnson LLC, Developers out of Denver and owner of Cooper

Creek Square said, “We are converting as much of our unused space as possible into apartments this fall.”  One of the ways the development company secured new tenants is to offer some type of housing on premise.  Our towns are bulging at the seams and housing is only getting tighter, despite the efforts of each town to bring something to the table. Housing plans in each town are on track for the coming years, but this is going to be one of the tighests seasons yet, according to town officials. One solution gaining in popularity is to “Bring Your Own”, with the greatest challenge being where to park your “home”.  

Bulls, Boots and BBQ

The Grand County Rural Health Network hosted their fundraiser on Thursday night, the 5th Annual Bulls, Boots, and BBQ. The event was held at a new location, the B Lazy 2 Ranch in Fraser. Over 200 people attended the fundraiser, enjoying appetizers, a BBQ dinner, and silent and live auctions.

(L to R) Jen Fanning GCRHN ED. Darcy Selenke, MD, GCRHN board chair. Wade Walker, RPh, award recipient

(L to R) Jen Fanning GCRHN ED. Darcy Selenke, MD, GCRHN board chair. Wade Walker, RPh, award recipient

Attendees also got to ride a mechanical bull and dress up in old-fashioned costumes for pictures. The event was a success, according to Executive Director, Jen Fanning.  Preliminary numbers show the event raised $23,500, and, the goal was $25K.  “We were very pleased with the continued support of the community” Jen said,”We did better than ever”.  

The Network also presented an Award for Excellence in Healthcare Service at the event. The goal is to highlight the hard working people in our community that go above and beyond and provide exemplary service or make a difference in the health of the people in our community. This year’s award recipient is Wade Walker, RPh, pharmacist at City Market Pharmacy in Granby.  Wade said, “Being a pharmacist in Grand County has been a very special experience!  When you’re a pharmacist in a large city, you are often regarded as nothing more than a pill counting and dispensing machine. The customer is the real reason that I am there, and I love and pride myself on my ability to make each and every customer feel welcome and appreciated. Here you get to know the patients and feel like you are really making a difference.”

Grand County Rural Health Network would like to extend sincere gratitude to all who attended and supported this great event. Funds raised at this event go to support our greatest need as an organization.

Fanning said, “This year, we have been very successful at getting grants and contracts to support our programs. But our administrative and operations work is the place of the greatest need.” The Network’s administrative and operational budget is already nearly half that of nonprofit industry standard (15 percent of total budget spent towards operating compared to industry standard of 25 percent), illustrating “we already run a lean operation.” Jen added, “But the Network needs supervisors, grant writers and reports, and general operating support to support the great work of the program staff.”  Because of the support around the community we are able to continue improving the local healthcare system and advocating for your health!

For more information, please contact Jen Fanning at 970-725-3477 or jfanning@co.grand.co.us

Back to School!Back to School

West Grand students returned to school on Monday, August 21, and East Grand Schools are back in session starting Monday, August 28. Please, watch your speeds in school zones and be sure to stop for any School Bus’ flashing lights.

Colorado Peaches

This years Colorado peaches have been some of the sweetest juiciest peaches in years.  The monsoonal moisture helped the crop reach a pinnacle in August that could be enjoyed in every bite. Aloha Farms in Palisade, Colorado is owned by The Burtness family – which includes three active daughters – continues the “aloha” tradition of putting their hearts and efforts into something meaningful, with careful stewardship for good health of the land, life and water.

Say good-bye to this year’s Colorado peaches

Say good-bye to this year’s Colorado peaches

Heather Morton Burtness grew up on one of Colorado’s first organic farms in Palisade. Her parents David and Mary Morton were pioneers, exploring how to grow high quality peaches without the frequent 2–3 week spray schedule that was typical of the time. In 1993 Morton’s Orchards were Certified Organic by the state of Colorado, and in 1996 by the USDA. As Farmer’s Markets became popular across Colorado, more health-conscious people wanted certified organically grown fruit from Morton’s.

As Heather says, “It is our life’s work to feed people. It is with decades of experience that we care for the earth and choose organic, sustainable agricultural practices to feed people well.” Heather added, “Our crop this year is one of our finest and we are almost sold out.”  Aloha Farms will continue to pick peaches into mid-September, but they won’t be coming to the Farmers Market in Granby next week.  However, many vendors will be there, including local honey and fresh produce from Morales Farms. Friday, September 1 will be the final Farmers Market of the season.  The Market opens at 2 p.m. with live music starting at 4 p.m. Stop by the Parking Lot next to Brick House 40 and enjoy the experience.

Eclipse 2017 Follow-up

SHARE YOUR ECLIPSE EXPERIENCE.  What did you do? Did you travel to see it? Were you lucky enough to find some eclipse-viewing glasses, or did you use another method? Was it the best thing ever, or, a big fat disappointment? Send us your story to submit@winterparktimes.com .  We want to print your thoughts in upcoming editions of the Winter Park Times.