Rare Harvest Moon rises Friday the 13th

Tonight, the full Harvest Moon will reach its fullest at 10:33 pm. At its apogee, at 252,511 miles from Earth’s center, the ‘micromoon’ will actually appear 14% smaller than a super moon, of which we have had a few in the last few years. 

The last time the U.S. saw a full moon on Friday the 13th was October 13, 2000, and it won’t happen again until August 13, 2049. 

The combination of a full moon with Friday the 13th is a double-whammy for the superstitious (as well as law enforcement and hospital emergency room staff). Avoid black cats, walking under ladders and dudes in hockey masks and enjoy this rare event!

New logo design search

Grand County Communities that Care is searching for a new logo design! Open to all Grand County students, Kindergarten through 12th grade can submit a logo design that incorporates elements of CTC’s unique community and expresses youth perspective of a positive community. Prizes will be given to the top 3 designs. Design submissions are due by September 30th. For official rules, entry form, and how to submit a design, visit: co.grand.co.us/934/Communities-that-Care

Library District Board of Trustees seeks to fill board vacancy

The Grand County Library District (GCLD) Board of Trustees immediately seeks interested candidates for a trustee position representing District 2, but open to any Grand County resident. District 2 encompasses the central portion of the county, including Granby and Grand Lake.

Trustees participate as a member of a team to protect and advance the interests of the broader library community by effectively advising the executive director in the policies, promotion, and development of GCLD. Terms are two years long and there are no term limits.

Preferred qualifications of a Trustee include a strong desire to preserve and promote the library as a public forum for the sharing of information and ideas without prejudice, willing and able to give time and talent to the library, schedule permits participating in monthly meetings, occasional committee meetings, special library functions, and other community events at which the library is promoted, and the ability to assess information and make important decisions. A full trustee job description can be found at www.gcld.org/trustees.

Fall foliage expected to peak in the next few weeks

The summer’s weather conditions are expected to result in a spectacular showing of fall colors in the next few weeks. Precipitation, warm days and cool nights have provided the perfect combination for prime viewing. The leaves have already begun to change, and as a result, ‘leaf peepers’ will soon be out in full force, especially on weekends. Take some time to enjoy the beautiful colors of the season. Remember, ski season is only two months away!

Fraser Valley Rec looking for Field Trip locations

The popular Fraser Valley Rec youth field trip program is looking for local businesses interested in hosting field trips over the course of the next year, and into the future. If you’ve got a place for the kids to tour, arts & crafts or pizza/food to make, contact emily@fraservalleyrec.org.

Historical Happenings

October 17th, 2019   6:30 pm The next “Happening” with dessert and great history stories, will be a happenin’ at the Station, the Grand Lake Fire Station! It will feature the stories of Patricia McLean Rust and her daughter Heidi Daly. They are related to just about every pioneer in the Grand Lake and Grand County areas, and have got good ones to share. Don’t miss this!

Plus, now thru mid-2020  The special exhibit at the Grand County Historical Association’s Pioneer Village Museum in Hot Sulphur Springs continues: “Down the River” about the John Wesley Powell expedition to map the Colorado River.

Granby Rec after school

The Granby Recreation Department is offering an After-School Adventure! This after-school program is offered everyday after-school from 4:10 to 6:00 PM. Any child age Kindergarten through grade 5 is welcome.  We meet in the Granby Elementary Lunchroom. The cost is $8 per day, pre-registered. Activities include; arts & crafts, sports, games, homework help, and free play. If you have any questions or would like to register your child, call the Rec Dept at (970) 887-3961.

Autumn begins early in Rocky Mountain National Park

Autumn begins on September 23, but it arrives earlier than that at Rocky Mountain National Park. Autumn is a time of changes, especially weather-related changes, across all the altitudes in the park.

At the lower altitudes of about 8,000 feet, around headquarters in Estes Park, weather in mid September has ranged in temperature from freezing to 80 degrees. The park can experience rain events, frost, hail, and many lovely fall days.

At the Alpine Visitor Center, at almost 12,000 feet, both snow and hail may fall. This results in both overnight and short term closures of Trail Ridge Road for safety purposes. The tundra turns to fall colors, with browns, golds, and russets replacing the vibrant blooms of summer.

A few flowers, mostly yellow and purple asters, still bloom at lower elevations. Elk gather in herds as the bulls bugle to entice cows to join their harems. Migratory birds flock and head southward.

If you plan to visit the park in at this time, bring your camera to capture the spectacular changing colors, but also bring many layers of warm clothing and rain gear to accommodate the changing weather conditions. We really want your trip to be both safe and enjoyable. To find out more, visit nps.gov/romo/.

FTC sends warning letters to companies advertising CBD-Infused Products as treatments for serious diseases

As part of its regular monitoring of health-related advertising claims, the Federal Trade Commission today sent warning letters to three companies that sell oils, tinctures, capsules, “gummies,” and creams containing cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical compound derived from the cannabis plant. The letters warn the companies, which the FTC is not identifying publicly, that it is illegal to advertise that a product can prevent, treat, or cure human disease without competent and reliable scientific evidence to support such claims.

Each company has advertised that its CBD products treat or cure serious diseases and health conditions. One company’s website claims CBD “works like magic” to relieve “even the most agonizing pain” better than prescription opioid painkillers. To bolster its claims that CBD has been “clinically proven” to treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), fibromyalgia, cigarette addiction, and colitis, the company states it has participated in “thousands of hours of research” with Harvard researchers.

Another company’s website claims that CBD products are proven to treat autism, anorexia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), stroke, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injuries, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, MS, fibromyalgia, cancer, and AIDS. The company also advertises CBD as a “miracle pain remedy” for both acute and chronic pain, including pain from cancer treatment and arthritis.

The third company’s website promotes CBD gummies as highly effective at treating “the root cause of most major degenerative diseases, including arthritis, heart disease, fibromyalgia, cancer, asthma, and a wide spectrum of autoimmune disorders.” The company also claims its CBD cream relieves arthritis pain and that its CBD oil may effectively treat depression, PTSD, epilepsy, heart disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and asthma.

In the letters, the FTC urges the companies to review all claims made for their products, including consumer testimonials, to ensure they are supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence. The letters also warn that selling CBD products without such substantiation could violate the FTC Act and may result in legal action that could result in an injunction and an order to return money to consumers. The letters instruct the companies to notify the FTC within 15 days of the specific actions they have taken to address the agency’s concerns.

In March 2019, the FTC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued similar joint warning letters to three CBD sellers.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

Press Release Reference: 

FTC Joins FDA in Sending Warning Letters to Companies Advertising and Selling Products Containing Cannabidiol (CBD) Claiming to Treat Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and Other Diseases