XII-622 Locally owned and originated in 2000 FREE COPY Friday, October 26, 2012 Sprague Lake Sunrise Photo by Dick Orleans raremoment.com Fun Downtown See More On Pages 24-25 Photo by Kris Hazelton

Page 2 Friday, October 26, 2012 www.estesparknews.com Estes Park NEWS,Inc. Your Hometown News 7,800 copies distributed FREE every Friday to hundreds of Estes' popular locations. FREE ON-LINE VIRTUAL PAPER! at www.estesparknews.com Ph: (970) 586-5800 Fax: (970) 692-2611 Opinions of our columnists are not necessarily the opinions of this newspaper. Publishers: Gary & Kris Hazelton Estes Park residents and owners. Editor: Kris Hazelton Ads & Website Design Specialist: Andrew Donaldson ads@estesparknews.com Classifieds/Reception Deanna Szuter Press releases to: kris@estesparknews.com All editorial, photographic content and graphic design is copyright of Estes Park News and can not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of Estes Park News, Inc. ©2012 For subscription information contact us. EP NEWS Deadlines Monday: Space reservations today! Tuesday: Copy deadline by 4:00 p.m. Classifieds: Phoned in-12 p.m. Wed Submitted to website - Weds. 1 pm go to: www.estesparknews.com Our office/studio is located at: 1191 Woodstock Drive, Unit B Just down the road from B&B Food I've been Estes Park's Town Administrator for just five months, but we've been through a lot together. The most impactful event for our community was undoubtedly the June 23 Woodland Heights Fire, which burned 27 residences. We're grateful that everyone was safely evacuated and only buildings were lost. And along with the entire community, we're making great efforts to ease the burden of recovery for the families who lost their homes. While we hope there isn't another tragedy in their future, we're certain that the Woodland Heights Fire will not be our last community emergency. And so we're using the details of the Woodland Heights Fire as a model to improve our overall emergency response, striving for a higher level of service the next time a fateful call comes in to Dispatch. So you ask, what exactly is being done to improve Estes Park's emergency response? The primary response agencies were the Estes Valley Fire Protection District, Larimer County and the Town of Estes Park, and we received critical support from Rocky Mountain National Park and other fire districts. We gathered just days after the fire to evaluate and compile a list of items we want to improve. The majority of the fire took place outside of Town limits and was under the operational control of the Fire District and the Larimer County Sheriff 's Office. Raising the Bar For Emergency Response As I review this list, however, I want to focus on the efforts and perspectives of the Town of Estes Park. And since Larimer County's staff and resources were directed to the much larger High Park Fire, the Town provided a large number of staff to assist at the onset of the incident. Our list of goals boiled down to communications, both internally and with the community. The County's High Park Fire Joint Information Center was utilized for the Woodland Heights Fire. It was overrun with calls and the relay of information was not as fast as we would like. In the future, we hope to keep this function local when an incident affects the community so greatly, even if it is under County jurisdiction. Our Visitor Center is now set up to serve this purpose and we're working to train more of our staff to handle this responsibility. We've set up a line at 970-577-3716 for recorded emergency information and have already used it during the first hours of the Fern Lake Fire in the national park. This line will be staffed during extended emergencies. Our reverse notification system provided by the Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority, www.leta911.org, was used to inform residents in a defined geographic area of pre-evacuation and evacuation orders. It remains one of our most powerful tools. We continually work to get more people to sign up for alternatives to landlines including cell phones, texts and emails. We are also taking steps to establish business and lodging call groups within the system - because they can help us quickly relay emergency information to visitors, who are the most difficult people to reach in any emergency situation. In another effort to reach our guests, we developed and distributed emergency preparation materials for businesses and lodges, including important emergency messages such as "avoid excessive use of your cell phone so that towers do not become overloaded during an emergency," and "motorists should avoid the area surrounding the emergency." This information, at estes.org/emergency, has been distributed to local businesses/lodges with help from Visit Estes Park, the Estes Area Lodging Association and Estes Valley Partners for Commerce. We will also guide businesses to create their own emergency plans at programs planned for next spring. Speaking of cell phones -- the Town's Emergency Manager, Police Commander Eric Rose, is advocating for expanded bandwidth with cell service providers so towers aren't overloaded like they were on June 23. And because even our emergency responders and information officials could not make vital phone calls, he is also establishing priority phone service for emergency services officials to facilitate emergency communications. We're increasing our online communications, and you will soon see our staff communicating through social media. Many people depend on social media such as twitter and facebook to get timely information. You can follow me on Twitter @EstesTownAdm. I'll be posting information about Town issues and will certainly be active during any emergency. We also have a Twitter account for the Town that we will be using more in the future. You can follow the Town @TownofEstesPark. And, since the simplest systems are sometimes the most reliable, we're looking for grants to fund a government advisory radio station to serve the Estes Valley. Perhaps most importantly, we continue to place priority on training our staff since the investment in their knowledge of best practices and new technology will return benefits to our community tenfold. Our Emergency Manager, police officers, Public Information Officer, and senior administration have trained at FEMA's Emergency Management Institute as well as at the state and regional levels. We train with our fire, medical, ambulance and law enforcement partners to plan for all types of emergencies, and we collaborate with them on communications and critical response plans such as evacuations. We continue to develop our emergency operations and business continuity plans, and modernize our information technology contingency plans, so a major community emergency will not stop the everyday functions of your Town services. Emergency management is an everevolving function, and new goals must continually be set. Like the Woodland Heights Fire, the next incident will become the model we use to improve our response. And we'll keep raising the bar with you and your family in mind.

www.estesparknews.com On The Other Hand by David Tavel Charles K. Harris! Sounds like a normal name. Maybe there's even one in the Estes Park phone directory. Can't be the one I'm thinking of, however, because he was born in 1867 into a family of ten children. His father was a fur trader who moved his little army to the upper Midwest and probably never dreamed that this son would move back to the New York of his birth. Charles did return, and became very active in what late in the 19th century was called Tin Pan Alley, the area of New York City populated by songwriters, music publishers, and promoters of popular music. John Philip Sousa would play some of his music, and he wrote for Oscar Hammerstein. Most of Harris' hit tunes are now all but forgotten: Hello Central: Give Me Heaven (which reached number One in the rankings); I'm Trying So Hard to Forget You; Mid the Green Fields of Virginia; For Old Times Sake. If you remember one or more of those then, as the song goes You're Much Older than I. But you don't have to be old to remember, hum, even sing, at least the chorus of what was THE Number One hit song in 1891. Composer Charles Harris. The lyrics are of an old man telling his niece of the love he long ago lost. They may, too, now be pretty much forgotten, but the chorus . . . it never will be. Evidence? Hmmm. Let's see what happens. AFTER THE BALL (chorus) After the ball is over, After the break of morn, After the dancers leaving, After the stars are gone, Many a heart is aching, If you could read them all, Many the hopes that have vanished, By: Scott Zurn, Public Works Director Kate Rusch Public Information Officer The Town of Estes Park is beginning to install a temporary ice rink in a portion of the East Riverside parking lot, located at Elkhorn Avenue and East Riverside Drive. The installation will be complete in the days prior to Thanksgiving. It is expected to operate through February. The Town is planning to partner with the Estes Valley Recreation and Parks District to operate the rink and ice skate rentals. Now through February, approximately half of the East Riverside parking lot will be closed to accommodate the ice rink. Town Administrator Frank Lancaster commented, "We're excited to have this new amenity for our residents and to attract guests to Estes Park during the winter." The possibility of adding an ice rink has been discussed in the community for After the ball. OK!!! So much for Charles Harris. Keep humming the tune as we jump ahead to the 2012 presidential election. After the campaigns are over, After the election's done, Will it really make a difference Which of the candidates won? If it's President Obama He won't have much time to carouse Because under our law-making system He'll have to work with a hostile Republican House. (Still humming?) ON THE OTHER HAND if it's Mitt Romney We'll have somebody else to blame When other than losing Medicare (thanks to Ryan?) We'll find things look much the same; And soon to the pages of history Will be relegated Barack What's His Name, And most of us will go on doing just what we did Before the presidential election game. Ah! Ancient proverb "Quit while you're ahead." But it seems that after the lines you've just sung, hummed, or merely read, I have room to squeeze in a final verse. So I'll ignore the proverb and take advantage of the fact that within two weeks it will be Election Day. (Still humming?) Complain not if you do not vote, No matter what happens next year, If --- by surprise --- things get better, Feel free to stand up and cheer, For we will have done better Than the Colorado Rockies --- Well heck, how could we do worse? And that, dear readers, may be The simplest way To wind up this bi-weekly verse! Temporary Outdoor Ice Rink To Be Installed Downtown several years, including during the planning for Bond Park's renovations. The Town was able to secure the lease of a temporary rink from the City of Fort Collins, which usually puts the rink in Old Town Fort Collins. Lancaster noted, "This is a great opportunity for us to try one out, and hopefully stimulate our winter economy." Facility details including prices, hours of operation, skate rentals and more will be shared with the community once they are available. For more information, please contact the Town of Estes Park Public Works Department at 970-577-3587. To receive Town news and/or meeting agendas by email, please email townadmin@estes.org. For this and other Town news, please visit www.estes.org/news. Friday, October 26, 2012 Page 3

Page 4 Friday, October 26, 2012 www.estesparknews.com Wage Your Battle Against Pine Beetles This Fall And Winter By: Jen Imber Public Works Department & Kate Rusch Public Information Officer Now is the best time to protect your neighborhood trees by removing pines infested by mountain pine beetles this past summer and fall. This is according to Town of Estes Park Public Works Director Scott Zurn, who adds, "You can tell which trees were attacked by beetles this summer by the entry holes and pitch tubes they cause as they bore into the tree." He added, "That makes fall and winter the best time to cut down infested trees and destroy the beetles inside them before next year's flight." Pitch tubes are globules of resin resulting from a tree's attempt to reject beetles. The tubes look like wads of bubble gum or pieces of popcorn stuck on the trunks of infested pine trees. They may be reddish or white in color. Since the tree may have been successful in rejecting the beetles, pitch tubes alone do not mean that a tree is infested. Infestation is confirmed at this time of year only by removing small sections of bark and discovering live beetles. The Town's Beetle Busters, a group of volunteers and Town employees, are trained to do this. Call the Town of Estes Park Public Works Department at 970- 577-3587 to arrange a visit. Inspecting your trees at this time of year has many advantages according to Estes Park Mayor Bill Pinkham will hold the next Coffee-Chat with the Mayor on Wednesday, November 7 at 8 a.m. at the Estes Park Senior Center, 220 Fourth Street. Coffee-Chats offer an opportunity for community members to discuss local projects and issues with Town officials in an informal atmosphere. Coffee and pastries are provided. The meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month at 8 a.m. at the Senior Center. For more information, please call the Town of Estes Park Public Information Office at 970-577-3701. To receive Town news and/or meeting agendas in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. Zurn, especially for those who would like to use the wood for heating. Evidence suggests that felling trees now and leaving them on the ground during the winter will kill most, if not all, of the beetles. For this method to work, the downed trees must be cut into firewood lengths or left whole and scored lengthwise with a chainsaw, preferably in several places on the sides and top. Both the Colorado State Forest Service and the U.S. Forest Service endorse this mitigation method. Infested wood may also be taken to the Town of Estes Park's free air curtain burner, located at 666 Elm Road, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Trunks must be stripped of branches, have no needles, and be cut into sections no longer than three feet. Only trees infested by pine beetles within the Estes Valley will be accepted. Residents are encouraged to begin cutting and hauling wood to the air curtain burner now instead of waiting until spring. That will help keep the site from becoming overloaded with more beetleinfested wood than can be burned by Town staff. Finding infested trees now also makes it easier to secure help from tree service companies, which are often too busy in May and June to remove trees in a timely fashion. Discovering infested trees often prompts people to spray their trees, and checking them at this time of year offers plenty of time to locate a spraying com- pany and secure an appointment on its spring calendar. Removal of infested trees is required by state, county and local ordinances, but it's also the smart thing to do. Beetles fly from infested trees to the nearest susceptible trees, often on the same property or that of neighbors. Each tree produces enough beetles to infest three to four other trees of similar size. Trees that are attacked are generally on properties that have not performed any sort of mitigation, such as thinning, spraying, pheromone packets or removal of brood trees. For several years, the Beetle Busters have helped Estes Valley property owners identify brood trees so they can be removed before the annual beetle flight. The Town recommends calling for a free inspection. To help stem the ongoing epidemic, the Beetle Busters have expanded their efforts to include educating larger groups of property owners, such as homeowners and road associations, on how to identify and manage beetle infestations in their own neighborhoods. Requests for inspections, presentations or educational materials may be made by calling the Public Works Department at 970- 577-3587. For more information on mountain pine beetle mitigation, visit www.estes.org/publicworks. To receive Town news and/or meeting agendas in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. For this and other town news, please visit www.estes.org/news. Next Mayor's Coffee Calling All Floats And Characters For Catch The Glow Parade! Chat November 7 From: Lexy Jacobson, Events Coordi- nator and Kate Rusch, Public Information Officer It won't be long until the lights and festivities of the holiday season are here - along with the Town of Estes Park's Catch the Glow Parade. Preparation is underway for the 2012 parade, which will travel along Elkhorn Avenue beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving. The Town of Estes Park's Events staff are calling for float entries as well as recruiting community members to volunteer with Catch the Glow pre-pa- rade festivities. Businesses and organizations are encouraged to enter a float in the parade. Applications are available at www.estes.org/events and should be submitted to the Events office by Nov. 14. For more information, please call 970- 586-6104. Volunteers are needed for Catch the You can add to the magic of Catch the Glow by volunteering as a costumed character. Glow festivities taking place around downtown prior to the parade. Volunteer to be a costumed character that strolls along the downtown streets, bring smiles to the faces of kids, and visits sponsoring businesses. Costumes are provided and help is needed from noon until 3:30 p.m. Or, volunteer to be a character on a float during the parade. Those interested should contact Lonnie Erskine at erskinefamily@gmail.com or 970-690-7891. To receive Town news and/or meeting agendas in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. For this and more Town news, please visit www.estes.org/news.

www.estesparknews.com The Estes Park NonprofitResourceCenter (EPNRC) Board of Directors is pleased to introduce Jill Lancaster as their second director. Lancaster has a wealth of nonprofit experience; as an employee, board member and volunteer, and will work part-time to continue the Jill Lancaster, new EPNRC Director valuable work of the organization. "I am excited about getting to know the Estes Park nonprofit community and look forward to providing beneficial programs and services to meet their needs," stated A Celebration of Nonprofits, Volunteers and Philanthropists National Philanthropy Day is the special day set aside to recognize and celebrate philanthropists, donors and grantmakers who have made a difference in our lives, our communities, our nation and our world through their support. We invite you to help us celebrate this amazing, giving community by attending National Philanthropy Day in Estes Park is on Thursday, Nov. 15, 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the YMCA of the Rockies in the Willome Building. This event will recognize the nonprofits that serve the Estes Valley, and the volunteers who give their time and talents. It is jointly sponsored by the Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center (EPNRC) and YMCA of the Rockies. The organizers are asking you to please RSVP for planning purposes only (info@epnonprofit.org, 970-480- 7805). Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center Hires New Director, Jill Lancaster Lancaster. EPNRC was founded in 2004 and serves nonprofit organizations in the Estes Valley. They offer training and resource assistance in a variety of topics including governance, fund development, fiscal management, volunteer management, strategic planning and much more. The Board of Directors and team of trainers and consultants include professionals who are national experts with significant experience working with organizations. In addition, the EPNRC in collaboration with the Estes Valley Library is fortunate to be a Cooperating Collections site for the Foundation Center. Cooperating Collections (or CCs) offer funding information to nonprofits at no charge. This includes a very powerful database, the Online Directory; materials, access to online resources, and trainings. Sally Park, board president of EPNRC stated, "Lancaster will be a gift to the nonprofit community because she brings valuable experience as both a board member and an employee, and a lot of enthusiasm for our nonprofit community." For more information about the Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center, please visit the website at EPnonprofit.org or contact director Jill Lancaster at director@EPnonprofit.org or call 970-480-7805. National Philanthopy Day In Estes Park November 15 th Nonprofits are invited to attend and display information that tells their story and describes their services. Space is limited so please notify the EPNRC about your interest in table space. Contact Jill Lancaster at EPNRC, director@epnonprofit.org, 970-480- 7805. Would you like to recognize a philanthropist that goes above and beyond in their giving? The nomination deadline for Individual Philanthropist of the Year and Business Philanthropist of the Year is Friday, October 26. Nomination forms can be found on the EPNRC's website or obtained by contacting the EPRNC at director@epnonprofit.org. On Tues., Nov 13, the Mayor and Town Trustees will present a National Philanthropy Day in Estes Park Proclamation during the town meeting at the municipal building. We welcome your attendance. Thanks to the supporters, nonprofits and volunteers who make our community great! Friday, October 26, 2012 Page 5

Page 6 Friday, October 26, 2012 By: Scott Zurn Public Works Director and Kate Rusch Public Information Officer Frost has been in the air more than once in recent weeks, signaling winter weather is just around the corner. To prepare, the Town of Estes Park has been busy readying its fleet for snow and icy conditions. While many communities do not plow residential streets or prioritize them last, the Town of Estes Park plows all of its approximately 225 residential streets within Town limits, after emergency routes are clear. That means plowing approximately 57 miles of streets, 12.5 miles of sidewalks, 12 miles of trails and 15 parking lots. When sufficient snowfall or icy conditions exist, a snow removal team comprised of Town employees from Public Works and several other Town departments is called into action. There are 12 plow drivers assigned to the routes, with 16 back-up drivers trained to fill in when needed. Emergency routes are the team's first priority and they include access streets to hospitals and schools, downtown streets including MacGregor Avenue, Big Horn Drive and Riverside Drive, as well as Peak View Drive, Scott Avenue and any other streets that must remain accessible for police or fire emergencies. Plowing along emergency routes typically begins between 4 and 7 a.m. Drivers make a first pass along each route, which takes about five hours, and then make additional passes as needed. If snowfall ends, plows generally stop running by 3:30 p.m. State-managed highways U.S. 34, U.S. 36 and CO Highway 7 are plowed by www.estesparknews.com Town's Snow Removal Team Ready For Winter the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). This includes Elkhorn and Moraine Avenues. Residents and business owners also have responsibilities during snowy and icy conditions. Things to remember: * When plows begin clearing snow, vehicles parked along designated snow routes will be towed at the owner's expense; signs are posted along these routes. * Plows must push snow to the roadway edge, which may cause a ridge of snow to be deposited at private driveways. The Town's snow removal team cannot clear private driveways. Residents who are unable to clear their own driveways are encouraged to contact local private contractors who provide this service. * Downtown business owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks in front of their businesses. By law, snow removed from any sidewalk or driveway may not be deposited into the roadway. Doing so can create dangerous conditions for drivers. * Keep in mind that snowplows are less maneuverable than other vehicles; other motorists should give them plenty of room. * Drive safely and use vehicle headlights during winter weather conditions. For more information on snow plowing, please contact the Town of Estes Park Public Works Department at 970- 577-3587. To receive Town news and/or meeting agendas by email, please email townadmin@estes.org. For more Town of Estes Park news, please visit www.estes.org/news. WEEKLY POLICE REPORT From the Estes Park Police Dept. The charge(s) are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. On October 18 at 9:18 p.m. there was a traffic accident at Big Thompson Highway 34 and Lone Pine Drive between a truck and a car that resulted in a fatality. The driver of the truck was a 39 year old male from Estes Park who was charged with careless driving resulting in death and a drivers license violation. On October 15 at 7:48 a.m. police stopped the driver of a vehicle at Fourth St. and S. St. Vrain for speeding. The driver was a 43 year old female from Greeley, CO and she was charged with falsifying a report to authorities, speed- ing and driving without a valid driver's license. She was cited and later released. On October 15 at 8:41 p.m. police received a report of a motor vehicle accident in the 100 block of Virginia Dr. A 48 year old male driver from Estes Park was found to be under the influence of alcohol with a BRAC of .298. He was charged with DUI, DUI per se and careless driving and later released to a sober adult. On October 16 at 9:09 a.m. police received a call to 2115 Fall River Road on a report of an assault. Upon arrival, police charged a 66 year old female from Evergreen, CO with third degree assault against a 58 year old female victim from Denver, CO. She was later released on a summons.

www.estesparknews.com By: Kris Hazelton Even though we're now into late fall, be aware that not all of the bears have hibernated yet. Just last week, Lisa and Dave Devine had their vehicle broken into and destroyed by a hungry bruin, looking for food. The car was parked in the driveway of the family home in Glen Haven when it was broken into. As evidenced by paw prints, the bear popped open the door and hopped in, looking for food. The bear clawed at the dashboard, glove box and door panels, ripped the seats and chewed on anything he could as he searched the vehicle for anything edible. When the family got up in the morning, they noticed their car sitting in the driveway with the doors wide open and wondered what had happened. Imagine their shock when they found the interior of their car torn to shreds! It didn't take long to figure out that a bear had done all of this damage to their car, which left the car undrivable. According to the Devines who know about bears and keep the interior of their car free of food items, there wasn't any food in the car but they did have Bear Breaks-Into Vehicle some scented lotion in the back seat which is most likely what attracted the bear to their vehicle. After having the car towed to the body shop, the estimate the family got was over $13,000 to have it repaired! According to the body shop, several other vehicles have been broken into by bears this week as well. This is a good reminder for us all to always lock your vehicle (though some bears have even learned to open locked doors) and make sure that you don't leave any food of any kind in your vehicle that might attract a bear. All windows should be rolled up tight, with no open gaps so a bear cannot put his paw into the opening and shatter your window to gain entry. Even non food items you might have in your car such as chapstick, gum or gum wrappers, soaps, lotions and air fresheners will attract a bear. It is also extremely important to keep your car interior clean to prevent bear break-ins. Look under seats, vacuum, and make sure there are no leftover foods or food containers in your car. The incident is a good reminder for us all to be bear aware at our homes and with our vehicles. Photos courtesy Lisa Devine Friday, October 26, 2012 Page 7

Page 8 Friday, October 26, 2012 www.estesparknews.com The Fine Arts Guild of the R ockies pr presents: Southe ern Com mforts TICKETS: Advance tick ets av vailable at Macdonald Book Shop, 152 E. Elkhorn in Estes Park, 970-586-3450 $12 Adults, $10 Seniors, $6 Child Add $2 foor tickets purchased at-the-door Purchase Online At: www..fineartsguild.org (senior tickets prices not available online) BBA ACK K BY BY POPULAR PULAR DEMAND! DEMAND! f b by KKathleen Kathlee hl en Clark Cl Clark k Hempel Audit orium - YMC A of the R Rockies STA ARRING: Rich Mitchell Nancy Thomas DIRECTED BY: : Barb Boyer Buck A SS SSTT. . DIREC T OR: Kathy Littlejohn . www.fineartsguild.org For Amanda and Gus, it's never too late ffo or true lovv e... but living together is another story! Nov ember 2, 3, 9 &10 - 7:30 p.m Nov ember 4 & 11 - 2 p.m Shoow hoow ww us yyo our ou our ur r RRRo RRRo Roockky ooc y Carrd d d or o a same-daay -d da daay ay yy yy yy rr rre re eeceipt i fr fr fro ro om om a aa local l rre estta aura a rant a and gget et tt t $2 $2 off off ff the the att-t -the he-door d r admission adm price! price Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., New Yoork New Yoork premiere produced d b y Primar P i y St Stages in i New Yoork City October 2006; Casey Childs, Founder and Executive Producer; ; Andr Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director. This week, Rick Spowart, Wildlife Manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife had to drug immobilize a bull elk that was caught up in a hammock. Bull elk and mule deer bucks will spar with anything that moves and Spowart is now urging all residents to please bring in your swings, tetherballs, hammocks, ropes, anything that a deer or elk may become entangled with and pose a threat to their lives. Also, outdoor lighting and decorations can pose serious hazards to deer and elk. Unfortunately, not a year goes by without wildlife officers being called to rescue animals caught up with something stuck on their horns, antlers, heads or legs. Most of these incidents can be prevented by following a few simple tips. * Wait to put up outdoor lights on posts, shrubs or small trees until after the peak of the elk and deer rut, sometime after the first week of December. * Trees with trunk diameters of two to six inches are most likely to be rubbed by bulls and bucks which entangle lights in their antlers --only string lights on larger diameter trees. * Use multiple short strands of wire plugged together versus one long strand so that if animals become entangled they will have less cord to deal with. * Avoid stringing lights "clothesline" style across areas -- firmly attach lights to tree limbs, gutters, or fence posts. * Place flagging along the wired decorations so that the animals can see where the wire is and avoid entangle- Looking Back... Moving Forward... Residents Encouraged To Check Their Yards For Possible Entanglement Risks EP NEWS/ Kris Hazelton file photo ment. These ideas can also apply to general yard planning year-round. Wildlife can also benefit from: * Removing volleyball nets from their posts during the winter-- don't wrap nets around the post, as animals may still be enticed to rub their antlers on it and become entangled. * Disconnecting and storing water hoses, tomato cages and other garden materials (netting, stakes, ties, etc.) until spring. * Taking down and storing hammocks and swings when not in use. * Flagging or removing empty clotheslines until they are needed. If you do spot an entangled animal, do not approach or try to help. Greater injury to the animal or injury to the person may result. Call the Estes Park Police non emergency number at 586-4000 and they will page Rick Spowart or another CPW official who will come to asses the situation and decide whether or not to tranquilize the animal to get the entanglement off. Colorado Parks and Wildlife will remove objects from animals if the object is impeding the animal's movement, has completely blocked the animal's vision, or is around the animal's jaw, neck or chest where constriction will affect survival. In the case of deer and elk with other non-life threatening materials on the antlers, the problem usually comes off in mid-winter when antlers are annually shed. Do our wildlife a favor and check your yards today! November 15, 2012 6:00 pm-7:30 pm 170 MacGregor Avenue, Board Room Town of Estes Park, Colorado The Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership would like to invite you to attend our 10 year birthday celebration! This community-wide event will be dedicated to celebrating the achievements of the organization and all of its participants!

www.estesparknews.com The Thunker by Sarah Holdt Someone tried to call me the other night. I'm guessing they didn't "dial" the number and I know for sure my cell phone didn't "ring." Phones don't ring anymore don'tcha know. They sing and rap and yell and ding dong and chant and vibrate. (Yes, all cell phones have the option to vibrate. We wouldn't know it by the number of inappropriate phone alerts we hear when we are in public places and have been asked to silence the devices, but it's true. We could live in a world without audible cell phone interruption if we all so chose.) Lately I've been sensing my phone vibrating in my front left pocket but when I pull out the phone to answer it, no one is there. This has happened often enough that I've switched the phone to my right pocket to eliminate the problem. It hasn't helped-I still feel the vibration against the opposite leg. I've left the phone charging on the kitchen counter and gone away, yet within minutes I've sensed that familiar and distinct bzzz-bzzz-bzzz against my left thigh. Is it my imagination? Has the cell phone's wireless current imbedded itself into my leg? What's going on here? I turned to Bing for answers. (Nearly half of the 250 million daily queries are directed to Google. This means Google determines what information is fed to us and what is withheld from us. So I've switched to the less-frequented Bing to avoid getting Googlized-not to be confused with google-eyes, a symptom of infatuation.) I was surprised by what I found. I discovered that I suffer from a common malady that actually has a name. I came upon a Wikipedia page dedicated to it and Website devoted entirely to the disorder: phantom vibration syndrome. Whoda thunk! I was relieved to learn I'm not a lone sufferer of this odd affliction. Wikipedia compares it to when we use our index finger to push a pair of glasses up the bridge of our nose when we aren't wearing glasses, or when we suddenly awake at 2:00 a.m. because we heard the doorbell when in reality, the night is still and silent. Neuropsychology studies show that I have become so used to having my phone in my pocket that the boundaries between reality and imagination have become blurred, similar to the pain an amputee experiences in a limb that is no longer there. The part of the brain that contains nerves related to touch has been stimulated so often by the vibration of my phone, it have begun to anticipate the stimulation. Vibranxiety, they call it. One communications expert says these fauxcellarms (don't you love it?) are simply proof of how important constant communication is to those of us who experience them. "It's like when e-mail first came out," he said, "and we constantly checked our inboxes because getting new messages was so exciting." Thing is, I am not a cell phone fanatic. I'm cellective, you could say. I don't rely on it as my main source of communication. I don't text incessantly, and I rarely use it in our home where we still pay for a landline. Why am I afflicted with ringxiety when other, more cell centric folks who have a permanently bent elbow from holding the device to their ear and engorged thumbs from texting nonstop, aren't? I blame it on the hug. I grew up sensate by nature. My sisters and I massaged each other's hands in church, we all gave back rubs at the kitchen table, and we have always greeted each other morning and night with heartfelt hugs. Ergo, my HypoVibroChondria is related to affection. I am wired to be attentive to sensations such as electronic hugs, otherwise known as cell phone calls. How lucky I am! I can feel wanted and needed and important each time my left thigh buzzes whether somebody is thinking of me or not. Who needs the real deal when we have phantom vibrating cell phones to make us feel loved? You may let The Thunker know what you think at her e-mail address, donoholdt@gmail.com. Friday, October 26, 2012 LONIGANS Special WEEKEND Page 9 DJ-DANCE Night KARAOKE Night with Bard Griffin Special Guest DJ & KJ Host CASH PRIZES for best costumes BOTH NIGHTS and a Special SCARYOKE Night on with Special KJ Host Justin D Witches Brew Shots for a $1.00

Page 10 Friday, October 26, 2012 www.estesparknews.com Another Slice of Life! by Laurie Button Shoes. Through the years I've had more than my share of friends who have fallen prey to an addiction involving stylish footwear. And while I've always found shoes somewhat intriguing, I've never really given them much thought. That is until now. To be honest, my fascination with shoes has evolved slowly the past few years. Many ladies out there are probably familiar with those inexpensive, pressboard shoe storage shelves sold by most chain stores. I started with two of the stackable units in my walk-in closet. I could comfortably line up 20 pairs of shoes and sandals on their four shelves and that seemed sufficient. At least it did until recently. If you've ever assembled units like that, you know they come with a disclaimer telling you that you can only stack them so high. I think I've hit the limit: five units. That means I have 10 shelves and that doesn't accommodate the boots on the floor left with nowhere else to go. Meanwhile, Joel is perfectly content with two pairs of boots, a pair of athletic shoes, walking shoes, water shoes, and a pair of sandals. Go figure. People my age and older may remember the scandal in the late 1980s when it was revealed that Imelda Marcos, wife of ousted Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos, had 2,700 pairs of shoes in her wardrobe. I'm guessing that might be a record unsurpassed for a long time, and I certainly don't intend to challenge it. But if you've seen shoe commercials lately or watched any number of red carpet award shows on television, it's hard to ignore the towering, spikey and glamorous heels monopolizing today's marketplace. Why I ever thought I could wear a pair of them myself must have been a complete lapse of judgment. I'm blaming it on the dress I found for this year's holiday party. Most years I simply recycle and rotate dresses or outfits from previous years in the holiday season. But for whatever reason, this year I wanted something new, something special and exciting. I spent hours searching sites on the Internet and fell in love with one particular dress. After ordering it, I started looking for just the right pair of shoes - shoes that even Cinderella would have been proud of. I found them on Kohl's website. The shoes had garnered five stars from 72 reviewers and I read every one of them word for word. The common thread was how comfortable the shoes were. One wearer proclaimed with pride that she'd walked the streets of Los Angeles for four hours and then danced the night away in total comfort. What more could you ask for? Imagine my excitement when I happened to be in Kohl's and discovered those very shoes on a display in the shoe department. I tried them on; they fit perfectly; and they came home with me to Estes Park. A note that will become important later: I didn't try to walk on them. The anticipation was hard to contain as I waited for my dress to arrive from Nordstrom's. But then one day, the prized box was on the doorstep. Racing in to try on the dress with the shoes, I carefully strapped them onto my feet and started to walk to the full-length mirror in the guest bedroom. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that I stumbled to the other end of the house. The first three or four steps instantly propelled me back to another place and time. Suddenly I was on the deck of a cruise ship rocking relentlessly in the mid-Atlantic. I needed support to stand upright. So maybe pencil-thin, five-inch heels weren't the way to go for someone who normally wears flats, low heels or wedges. The insole of the shoes resembled an Olympic ski jump descending dramatically from the heel to the toes. Joel's immediate reaction as he tried to ignore the fact I could hardly stand upright? "You look really tall." Needless to say, it was back to the drawing board when it came to shoes for my perfect dress. Did you know that DSW offers 1,626 pumps and heels on its website? And I looked at each and every one of them. Twice. In the process, I think I found a pair that will accentuate my dress perfectly. The heels are a little lower, stylishly thicker, and have a wide ankle strap to provide what I hope will be extra support. It's kind of funny what we women will do at times to try and look nice. Having mentioned the shoes, I won't even go into the waist cincher I got to look just a little slimmer in the dress. We women can be kind of silly when it comes to things like this. But you know what? I can't wait until that holiday party and the opportunity to wear my special dress. Just don't ask me to dance unless there's something or someone to hold onto. You may contact Laurie and let her know what you think at grenadagirl@me.com. Happy 12 th Birthday Alicia! From everyone in the family! "Cuteness"