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Page 2 Friday, September 28, 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 Chloé Hazelton 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 Let's Keep Them Wild An abundance of wildlife is one thing that makes Estes Park such a wonderful place. Being blessed with diverse wildlife comes with a responsibility for those who live and visit here to exist in harmony with these wild creatures. This summer we've experienced a few very unfortunate incidents with bears. Many factors have contributed to an increase in bear/human interactions in the valley the past few months. After several residents expressed their concerns at a Town Board meeting in July, we at the Town scheduled a community meeting to open a dialogue around bear/ human interaction and what we can all do to improve this relationship and keep our bears wild. At the standing room-only community meeting on August 9, a number of specific issues and recommendations were put forth by community members. To follow up, we assembled an ad-hoc working committee representative of those who attended the community meeting. The committee met on September 10 to come up with potential actions that the community could take to ensure both human and bear safety. The committee identified possible solutions within three categories: Education, Town Operations and Regulations. Education The actions of Estes Valley residents, businesses and guests have a serious effect on bear safety. Poorly managed garbage attracts bears to an easy meal, lures them into the human environment, Fireworks Rescheduled For November 24 th , 2012 Following More Holiday Activities Businesses invited to join holiday decorating contest Due to fire danger early this summer, the annual Independence Day fireworks display over Lake Estes was postponed. The fireworks have been rescheduled for Saturday, Nov. 24 at 8:30 p.m. over Lake Estes. Other holiday activities that week include the annual Catch the Glow Parade at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 23. And, this year's Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place in Riverside Plaza from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 17. and invites conflict. An education campaign aimed at specific audiences could teach people how to "bear-proof " their properties and eliminate the attraction to bears. Messages need to be aimed at several audiences including residents, visitors, lodging facilities, and restaurants. To implement this educational effort, the Town, through the Public Information Office, is coordinating a Bear Education Task Force comprised of diverse community representatives. Invited to join us in this effort are citizen representatives, business/lodging owners, Waste Management and other trash haulers, Estes Area Lodging Association, YMCA, Rocky Mountain National Park, Bears Are Us, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Estes Valley Recreation and Parks District, Association for Responsible Development, Visit Estes Park, and the Estes Valley Library. Together, the members of this task force will develop an outreach plan to use throughout the community. This plan will be ready for the spring of 2013, when bears come out of their winter dormancy. Town Operations The Town owns and maintains approximately 140 trash receptacles within Town limits. We feel it's important that our operations set a good example for businesses, residents and guests alike. We have already altered some practices, such as emptying public trash cans more frequently, and doing so later each night. With 140 containers, we estimate that it could cost approximately $168,000 to replace them with bear-resistant containers. So, we will be pursuing grant funding to help offset the cost of this expensive conversion. We may have to New this year, the Town of Estes Park is inviting businesses to participate in a Christmas/holiday storefront and window-decorating contest. Interested businesses are asked to register by phone with Fairgrounds and Events staff at 970-586-6104 no later than Monday, Oct. 29. There is no entry fee. Judges will visit participating businesses the week of Nov. 12, and the winning businesses will be announced during the Nov. 17 Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Town is also seeking vendors for do this replacement in phases, starting in areas with more bear activity. We're also going to talk with leaders in other mountain communities, to learn from their experiences and see what types of containers worked best, both for bear-resistance and ease of use for humans. Regulation I think the Town can do a better job of enforcing the trash-related regulations we already have in place. The Police Department is increasing its enforcement of current trash ordinances. And, existing development requirements for more recent developments require bear-resistant trash containers -- yet some of these places are not in compliance. So, we will increase inspections to ensure compliance with these existing development regulations. In researching what other communities have done, there is a large spectrum of options that the Board of Trustees could consider to allow enforcement of best practices with trash management. These range from no regulation, to requiring everyone in Town limits to have bear-resistant trash containers. Nothing will be a magic silver bullet to solve the problem, but the Town Trustees have a menu of options to consider. We need to remember that the real solution rests with each of us. We need to do everything we can to not attract bears. Don't put your trash outside until the morning of collection. Otherwise, secure your trash in a bear-resistant container or structure. Don't leave pet food outside. Don't leave up bird feeders if you have bears in your area. We're a friendly lot here in Estes Park, and the bears are our neighbors. But this is one time when it's not OK to invite the neighbors over for supper. the Tree Lighting event. This is an opportunity to showcase local businesses to event participants. Interested business owners and managers should contact Fairgrounds and Events staff at 970-586- 6104 by Monday, Oct. 1. For a complete schedule of Town events, visit www.estes.org/events. To receive Town news in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. For this and other Town news, please visit www.estes.org/news.

www.estesparknews.com Bond Park And MacGregor Avenue Construction To Begin October 1 st , 2012 Bond Park improvements are scheduled to begin Oct. 1 and conclude by Memorial Day weekend in 2013, with a winter break in construction between Nov. 21 and March 2013. Fall construction will include sidewalk renovation and a seating wall along the Elkhorn Avenue perimeter, and renovations to the southwest and southeast entry plazas. Construction will resume in the spring of 2013 with a pavilion in the southwest corner and the planting of landscape elements. To reduce public disruption, the fall stage of Bond Park improvements will occur in conjunction with repairs to the 100-block of MacGregor Avenue. After it was determined that the road was not built to specification in 2011, the contractor agreed to repair the road at no additional cost to the Town, with the exception of any changes the Town may make to contract specifications. These repairs will take place Oct. 1 through Nov. 21. These projects will necessitate traffic and pedestrian closures along the 100-block of MacGregor Avenue, with limited access to the west side entrances of Town Hall. Visitors are advised to watch for detour and accessibility signage. Pedestrians should be prepared for sidewalk closures and detour signage along the west and south sides of Bond Park bordering Elkhorn Avenue and Riverside Drive. During the construction period, the parking stalls and bus turnout bordering Elkhorn Avenue will be reserved for heavy equipment, as will some parking stalls on MacGregor Avenue north of Town Hall. The sidewalk along Park Lane on the north side of Bond Park will remain open, as will parking along both lanes of traffic on Park Lane. This year's redevelopment of Bond Park will include some features outlined in phase five of the Bond Park Master Plan. In 2009, the Town initiated a public process to redesign Bond Park to make it a more user- friendly space for residents and visitors. The resulting Bond Park Master Plan divides Bond Park's redevelopment into six possible phases that the Town can consider and complete as funding becomes available. Construction began in 2011 with significant infrastructure improvements and the reconstruction of the 100-block of MacGregor Ave. and Park Lane to accommodate special event tents, removing them from the grass, as outlined in phases one and three of the Master Plan. 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. Town Board To Review Proposed 2012 Budget In October; Budget Hearings In November From: Kate Rusch Public Information Officer A municipality's annual budget isn't just an accounting document, it serves as a guide for how the Town should best use its resources to benefit the citizens. With a budget of $32 million (in 2012) for all services including the electric and water utilities, the Town of Estes Park has a limited pool of resources that it can utilize to perform the necessary functions. With that understanding the Town Board must decide which items should be included in the annual budget. The Town Board will review the proposed 2013 Town budget during study sessions on the first three Fridays in October. The public is encouraged to attend study sessions, although public comment is not part of the process until the Nov. 13 and 27 Town Board meetings. One exception is the Community Service Grants discussion, scheduled for Oct. 12, when public comments are encouraged. Study sessions will be held from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. in the Town Board Room of Town Hall, 170 MacGregor Ave. Each October study session will include presentations on different funds within the Town government. The Oct. 5 study session will focus on Community Reinvestment, Fleet, Information Systems (IT), Vehicle Replacement, Legislative, Judicial, Executive, Administrative Services, Finance, Community Development, Protective Inspections, Medical and Employee Benefits. The Oct. 12 study session will focus on Community Service Grants, Police, Parks, Streets, Engineering, Buildings, Transfers, Conservation Trust and Larimer County Open Space. The Oct. 19 study session will focus on Community Services including Transportation, Visitor Center, Museum, Senior Center, Facilities and Marketing, Special Events, Conference Center, as well as Light and Power, Water, Theater and Employee Compensation. The public is encouraged to attend and comment at the budget hearings during the Nov. 13 and 27 Town Board meetings, which take place at 7 p.m. in the Town Board Room of Town Hall. Each year, the process begins with creating a budget schedule in April. Next, departments review their budgets and potential needs for the following year. The departments then meet with the Town Administrator and Finance Officer to begin assessing their needs. Pre-budget work sessions are held in July with the Mayor and Board of Trustees to determine priorities and give guidance in budget preparation. The Finance Department then crafts the draft budget to be reviewed with the Town Board during the October budget study sessions. After the budget is approved in November, it is printed and submitted to the State of Colorado by the end of January. Town of Estes Park financial information, including budgets and the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, are available at www.estes.org/finance. For more information, please call the Finance Department at 970-577-3560. To receive Town news in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. For this and other Town news, please visit www.estes.org/news. Friday, September 28, 2012 Page 3

Page 4 Friday, September 28, 2012 www.estesparknews.com Public Feedback Needed On Updated Draft Water Conservation Plan By: Kate Rusch Public Information Officer The Town of Estes Park Water Division is seeking comments from residents on the proposed update to its current Water Conservation Plan. The proposed plan is available for review at Town Hall in Room 100 and at www.estes.org/Utilities > Water > Water Conservation. Comments must be submitted by Nov. 19 to the Town Clerk's office, Room 130 of Town Hall, at 170 MacGregor Ave. The updated Water Conservation Plan will go before the Town Board on Nov. 27 for consideration. The Town's Water Conservation Plan is If You Spot A Herd Of Elk This Weekend, Please Call! Members of the Elk Fest Committee have a lot to do this weekend and they are seeking your assistance. During the Elk Fest celebration in Bond Park, tour buses take curious visitors out to our local elk herds, along with an experienced wildlife guide and tell folks what they want to know about elk behavior and the elk rut. Some years the elk cooperate, some years they don't. We want to make sure we have a place to take the buses to so we're asking for your help in locating the elk herds on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Please, if you see a herd of elk, especially if there is a bull or two, or several, exhibiting typical rut behavior, please call one of these numbers below and alert us. Your help is very much appreciated! Call Bo at 577-3901, or Gary 443-3138, or Kris at 231-2635. Next Mayor's Coffee- Chat Is October 3 Estes Park Mayor Bill Pinkham will hold the next Coffee-Chat with the Mayor on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 8 a.m. at the Estes Park Senior Center, 220 Fourth Street. Coffee-Chats are opportunities 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. For this and other Town news, please visit www.estes.org/news. designed to promote water efficiency through improved practices, techniques, and technologies by both the system demands and customer water demands. Under Colorado Revised Statute 37-60- 126(2), The State of Colorado Water Conservation Board requires water suppliers to develop, adopt, and implement a water conservation plan to help identify where future planning efforts need to be focused and to encourage its customers to use water more efficiently. Conservation measures outlined in the plan pertain to actions the Water Division can take to conserve more water, thereby extending water supplies and lowering operational costs, as well as From: Kate Rusch Public Information Officer The Town of Estes Park continues to adjust its Free Shuttles program to meet the needs of Estes Park residents and guests during the busy summer season. This year, more than 58,800 people rode the Town's Free Shuttles, a 3.5 percent increase over 2011, which was a record year as well. Each year, more local workers utilize the free shuttles to get to and from work, reducing the amount of cars on the road and freeing up valuable parking spaces. This year marked the seventh year of service, with shuttles operating the weekends of June 15-17 and June 22-24, as well as daily from June 29 through September 9. Four shuttles transported passengers to more than 50 stops on four routes throughout downtown and the Estes Valley. Enhancements to the shuttles this year included extended service hours, six additional service days, and new stops chosen to help local residents and guests gain easier access to the free transportation. The addition of a Real- Time Passenger Information Service allowed riders to see the shuttle's estimated times of arrival at each stop. And, new this year, a Shuttle Coordinator at the Estes Park Visitor Center facilitated the program. In order to evaluate and improve upon the system, in 2011 the Town gathered a group of Trustees, employees, volunteers, citizens, and representatives from local businesses, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the contracted shuttle company to form the Shuttle Committee. This committee provided guidance for 2012 service levels and operations. The committee recently reviewed data and comments from this past season in order to formulate recommendations for next year's services. These recommenda- programs to help consumers reduce consumption, such as using the free watersaving fixtures available from the Town. More than 5,000 customer accounts are served by the Town Water Division, which operates with a capacity of four million gallons per day. This accommodates the vast influx of visitors each year. With 10 employees, the division maintains water treatment facilities, more than 100 miles of distribution lines and 670 fire hydrants. For more information, contact the Utilities Department at 970-577-3588. To receive Town news in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. Town's Free Shuttles Saw Another Increase In Riders This Year tions will first be reviewed by the Town Board at the Oct. 19 budget study session, which begins at 8 a.m. in the Town Board Room of Town Hall, 170 MacGregor Ave. Partnerships with the Estes Area Lodging Association and Visit Estes Park allowed for extensive promotion of the shuttles to local businesses, guests and potential visitors. The Town, the National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and the Colorado Department of Transportation continued a program to provide shuttle and transit information through highway message signs and radio along U.S. 36. FHA also assisted the Town in developing a new shuttle map. For more information on the completed 2012 shuttle season, routes and stops, please visit www.estes.org/shuttles. To receive Town news in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. For this and other Town news, please visit www.estes.org/news.

www.estesparknews.com Collector Holiday Ornament Features Hallett Peak; Honors Estes Park Woman's Club Each year since 1986, the Town of Estes Park employees' Helping Hands Committee has created commemorative holiday ornaments for purchase by the public. Proceeds from ornament sales provide scholarships for high school seniors and assistance for local families in need. The 2012 ornament commemorates the 100 th anniversary of the Estes Park Woman's Club and features a photo of Hallett Peak taken by local photographer James Frank. Ornaments are available for $10 each at the following locations: Estes Park Town Hall at 170 MacGregor Ave.; The Estes Park Museum at 200 Fourth St.; The Estes Park Senior Center at 220 Fourth St.; The Estes Park Visitor Center at 500 Big Thompson Ave.; and Peak Hallmark in Upper Stanley Village. Various orna- ments from previous years are also available at Town Hall. Ornaments may also be ordered by mailing your request and payment (checks only, please) to the Town of Estes Park Helping Hands Committee at P.O. Box 1200 in Estes Park, CO 80517. Please calculate your order total to include shipping costs. Shipping for one ornament is $3.50; shipping for two ornaments is $4; shipping for three ornaments is $7; shipping for four ornaments is $7.50. For more information, please contact Karen Thompson in the Community Development Department at 970-577-3721. The 2012 ornament may be viewed at www.estes.org/communityinfo. Next Drug Collection Event This Saturday Police encourage safe disposal of unwanted prescription and over-thecounter drugs This Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. the Town of Estes Park Police Department will offer Estes Park's fifth Drug Take Back Day to collect unused, unwanted and expired prescription and over- the-counter drugs for safe disposal - no questions asked. This free service will be held at Rocky Mountain Pharmacy, located at 453 East Wonderview Ave. in Upper Stanley Village. Police officers will collect the drugs, which will remain in the custody of law enforcement officers until they can be incinerated. Estes Park's Drug Take Back Day is part of the Drug Enforcement Administration's national campaign to provide a safe way for people to empty their medicine cabinets of unwanted and potentially harmful prescription drugs. Police Chief Wes Kufeld commented on the success of the collection last April, saying, "We col- lected 72 pounds of pills which is the most to date." Kufeld continued, "This is a very simple way to protect your family and loved ones." To find participating collection sites in other communities, visit www.dea.gov. Misused and abused prescription drugs containing controlled substances can lead to cases of accidental poisoning, overdose and addiction. The most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that prescription medicines are the most abused drugs by Americans, next to marijuana. Seven of the 10 drugs most commonly abused by teenagers are prescription medicines and three- quarters of teen prescription drug abusers obtain the drugs from family and friends - often from a home medicine cabinet. Ridding homes of these substances greatly reduces the potential for abuse and accidental poisoning. Items which cannot be accepted at the Drug Take Back Day collection sites are needles and sharps, mercury thermometers, oxygen containers, chemotherapy/radioactive substances, pressurized canisters and illicit drugs. For more information, please contact the Town of Estes Park Public Information Office at 970-577-3701. To receive Town news in your email inbox, please email townadmin@estes.org. Friday, September 28, 2012 Page 5

Page 6 Friday, September 28, 2012 (Just Sa Satur da day, , Sep Sept ember 29th 8am 2pm House w ar es , t ools, book s, smal small furni tur ture and appli ances Unit ed Me thodis thodist Chur ch 1509 Fi Fish Hat che chery R oad (970) 586 586-4153 4153 off f the t Hwy 34 Bypass/Fa all River R oad on the way to R MNP) ) All pr oc ee ds t o bene fit Pu r a Vid a Minis tries - a 50 1(c) (3) nonpr ofit organiza tion w working t to promote hea health and educa tion in the Q uiché region of Guatemala, particularly the John Wesley Schoo School and s tuden tudent scho lar larships. The Town of Estes Park has been awarded a $100,000 grant through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program by the Upper Front Range Regional Planning Commission. The grant will assist with construction of a parking structure at the Town-owned Estes Park Visitor Center, 500 Big Thompson Ave. The project enhances the Town of Estes Park's efforts, in collaboration with Rocky Mountain National Park, to improve transit while reducing congestion and emissions in the Estes Valley and in Rocky Mountain National Park. The construction site is a parking lot located east of the Estes Park Visitor Center. A convenient location for the structure, the Visitor Center serves as a hub for the Town's free summer shuttle service, which operates each summer and transports residents and visitors to stops throughout the valley. It also serves as a stop for the Rocky Mountain National Park Hiker Shuttle. The Visitor Center and its staff served approximately 400,000 visitors in 2011. The future parking facility is estimated www.estesparknews.com Town Of Estes Park Awarded Third Grant For Parking And Transit Project Free guided hike on Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 29 The Rocky Mountain Nature Association (RMNA) and Rocky Mountain National Park are pleased to announce the completion of the four-year project to rehabilitate and improve three miles of trails in the popular Alberta Falls and Lake Haiyaha region of the park. Work on a few finishing touches is wrapping up now and a celebratory, free, interpretive hike is scheduled for Saturday, September 29, which is also Public Lands Day. This trail network, which links Alberta Falls and Lake Haiyaha, is easily accessed from the popular Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge trailheads, and is a popular area in the park. The trail continuing on to Lake Haiyaha was unimproved, and hikers had difficulty finding the route to the lake. This section of trail was never formally designed or constructed, and increasing use caused significantly deteriorating trail conditions, resource degradation and erosion. These problems have been carefully corrected. The project greatly increased visitor safety and improved the trails' usability and beauty, while protecting the area's fragile and valuable natural resources and retaining a primitive character. The properly constructed trails, which incorporate significant sections of labor-intensive dry-laid stone, are expected to last for at least 100 years. Over the last four years, the Rocky Mountain Nature Association (RMNA) raised more than $400,000 to support this ambitious trail restoration and construction project. Contributors included nearly 1,000 generous private donors, the Colorado State Trails Fund, the Gates Family Foundation and more. to provide approximately 300 spaces, whereas the current lot provides approximately 86 spaces. The complex also includes an existing parking area to the north and northwest of the Visitor Center, as well as an additional parking lot south of the Big Thompson River. With the project tentatively scheduled to begin construction in late 2013, final project details will be determined through a public process. This process will consider future expansion as well as a design that preserves the aesthetics of Estes Park. Additional grant funds supporting this project include a $228,000 CMAQ grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation, and $3 million from the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation. This program addresses the challenges of increasing vehicle congestion in and around national parks and other federal lands. The parking structure is also supported by numerous local studies and surveys that indicate a need for improved transit and/or parking in Estes Park. Celebrate The Completion Of The Alberta-Haiyaha Trail Project Rocky Mountain National Park staff, volunteers, and RMNA's own American Conservation Corps worked hard to make the needed improvements. This was a tremendous group effort-many thanks to all who pitched in time and money. "There can be no better use of our collective efforts on behalf of Rocky Mountain National Park than to enhance the opportunity for public enjoyment of this pristine landscape while also improving its protection," said the Rocky Mountain Nature Association's Executive Director, Charles Money. According to park superintendent Vaughn Baker, "We appreciate the support of our partner, Rocky Mountain Nature Association, to fund much needed projects like this. The park's trail crew with critical assistance from a variety of other groups like the American Conservation Corps, the Texas Trail Tamers and the Southeast Utah Group National Park Service trail crew accomplished great work. Hikers will be pleased with the end-result." Please join RMNA and park staff on Saturday, September 29 at 8 a.m. for a free, guided, interpretive hike on these improved trails. Learn about the work that was done, the challenges involved, and how it will protect this resource for the enjoyment of all! This event is free, but reservations are required and space is extremely limited. Please call 970-586- 0108 to learn more and reserve your spot. RMNA is now working to secure funds for the next high-priority trail project in the park. Details will be announced soon. To learn more, become a member, or make a donation, visit www.rmna.org.

www.estesparknews.com Fish Creek Trail Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Construction on the new extension of the Fish Creek Trail is complete! Please join us for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, September 29 th at 2 p.m. Festivities will begin at the south end of the trail -- in the parking area located at the intersection of Fish Creek Road and Cheley Camp Roads. We will have guest speakers and refreshments. Come on out for an afternoon celebration and walk along the new trail! In April 2010, the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District received a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to assist with trail development costs. The scope of the project was to complete the 2.43-mile portion of the Fish Creek Trail from Scott Avenue to the parking lot on the road to the Cheley Camp. The new trail crosses Fish Creek Road at Scott Avenue and follows the right-ofway along the east and south side of Fish Creek Road to the Cheley Camp Road. The completion of this trail section creates a continuous nine mile pedestrian trail from downtown Estes Park to the Lily Lake trailhead -- connecting the Town's River Walk Trail to the Lake Estes Trail, to Stanley Park and the Fish Creek Trail, and then to the Homer Rouse Trail (via Cheley Camp Road) to Lily Lake. The new trail is constructed of soft surface materials that meet the needs of a variety of users - hikers, bikers, joggers, dogs and horses. The soft surface is durable enough to withstand equestrian use and is economical -- requiring mini- 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 September 18 at 6:05 p.m. police were called to Safeway food market on a report of a shoplifting. Upon arrival, police charged an 18 year old Estes Park male with theft. They also charged another 18 year old male from Estes Park with theft, underage possession and consumption of alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia. A 17 year old Estes Park male was also charged with theft and underage consumption. They were all charged and later released. On September 20 at 12:05 a.m. police stopped the driver of a vehicle at 920 Big Thompson Ave. for failure to signal a turn. Upon further investigation, the 25 year old female driver from Estes Park was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol with a BRAC of .227. She was charged with DUI, DUI per se and EP NEWS/ Kris Hazelton mal trail maintenance. Cornerstone Construction Concepts, Inc., Cornerstone Engineering and Surveying, Inc., and Kearney & Sons Excavating, Inc., served as the design-build team for the project. Thomas Beck and Frank Theis served as Owner's Representatives. Retired EVRPD Executive Director, Stan Gengler, in conjunction with the District's Board of Directors and the Estes Valley Trails Committee, directed the majority of the project. EVRPD's new Executive Director, Skyler Rorabaugh, directed final project completion. A group of citizens concerned about beaver habitat was involved in the design of the trail section that passes by the beaver ponds area. The Town of Estes Park and Larimer County were also involved in the project. Property owners along Fish Creek Road who granted trail easements include: the Petrie family; the Repola family; the Ritschard family; the Sweet family; the Uplands at Fish Creek; and Cheley Colorado Camps, Inc. The trail was built with $450,000 from a GOCO trails grant, $50,000 from the Town of Estes Park, and mill levy funds from a 2008 voter-approved bond issue that allocates $175,000 annually for trail development and maintenance. Without such great community support, this project would not have become a reality. Please join us on September 29 th to celebrate the trail completion and to thank those who made this project a success! failure to signal and later released to a sober adult. On September 20 police arrested a 15 year old juvenile male from Estes Park on a warrant. He was transported to the HUB, a juvenile detention facility in Fort Collins. On September 21 at 12:27 p.m. police contacted two 15 year old juvenile males for possession of tobacco by minors. The youth were both issued a summons and later released back to school officials. On September 21, police were called to 1110 Woodstock Drive on a report of a shoplifting. On scene a 15 year old juvenile female was issued a summons for theft and later released to the custody of a parent/guardian. On September 22 police contacted an 18 year old male from Estes Park who was found to be wanted on a warrant. He was also cited for underage possession and consumption of alcohol and transported to Larimer County Detention Center. Friday, September 28, 2012 Page 7

Page 8 Friday, September 28, 2012 www.estesparknews.com 50 th Anniversary Of The Estes Park Museum Open House Celebration October 27 th 5-7 p.m. Please join us in celebrating the Museum's 50 th anniversary, Saturday, October 27 th 5-7 p.m. at the museum. The museum will shine with an outstanding program featuring a memory wall by volunteers of the museum from past years, a time capsule for the next fifty years and a peek at a few of the most valued treasures in the museum's collection. Come hear stories from the past and help honor all those who have contributed to our outstanding museum. So save the date for this very special celebration. Cake and champagne will be served and memories shared. Fifty years ago members of the Estes Park community had the foresight to save our history for generations to come and the commitment to make it happen. Spurred by the Park Service's Mission 66 which was removing the early home- Live Music From Seven Nations This Sunday! Special Event! Sunday, September 30 th only! A Live Musical Performance! 7 Nations is performing a Benefit Concert for the Historic Park Theatre. This will help us raise money to go digital this winter. We have to raise enough money to purchase a digital projector. They run over $70,000. So come enjoy 7 Nations with us on this special benefit concert day. Seven Nations is a Celtic rock band that formed in New York City in 1993. The name comes from the seven Celtic nations, including Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Galicia. Through its touring schedule and dynamic live performances, Seven Nations has become one of the fastest growing live acts nationwide. They have logged in more than 300,000 touring miles trying to make the music universal for old and new fans alike. To the five member band, that means being on tour 85 percent of the year, melding guitar and vocal elements of American pop and rock with Highland bagpipes steads and tourist facilities in Rocky Mountain National Park, volunteers collected artifacts which would have been destroyed or dispersed and housed them in a cinder block building, which they Original concrete block building, constructed by volunteers and completed in 1966. Photo courtesy Estes Park Museum Estes Park Museum as it looks to today, after four additions. Photo courtesy Estes Park Museum built on land donated by the Town of Estes Park. If you or your family members participated in the creation of the museum in 1962 we want to honor you now. If you were a volunteer or contributed in any way in those early years, we'd like to hear from you. If you love and care about our Estes Park Museum please join us in this celebration. We are also seeking photos of the museum, events, exhibits and volunteers. If you have a story or memorabilia from our early years please e-mail downinge@colorado.edu or call 586-6413. Just as those in 1962 attempted to save the history of the early settlers in Estes Park and the National Park we want to save and preserve the history of the Museum itself. Come join us as we reflect on our past, honor those who made it happen and look to the next fifty years. and fiddle. The result is a high-energy performance that has fans jumping out of their seats, and has sparked interest industry-wide. Continuing their tour this September, Seven Nations will be performing live at the Historic Park Theatre for this special benefit concert. Event times are 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are only $15. To purchase tickets via credit card, call the theatre at 970-586-8904.

www.estesparknews.com The Thunker by Sarah Holdt Tuesday's dining-out experience was not one enhanced by romantic lighting or mood music. The food wasn't served on grandma's fine china nor the drinks in sparkling crystal. But it was a luncheon taken in a cozy little spot-a place so snug we could talk in whispers, bumping elbows as we nibbled our sandwiches. I had a hard time enjoying the meal however, because the fellow sitting next to me, in 23F, had nothing to eat so with each bite of my hoagie I felt a twinge of guilt. It is not polite to eat in front of others, my mother taught me. Should I tear off one end of my sandwich and offer it to our row mate, I wondered? What about the travelers across the aisle? They looked hungry too. At least we tried to be discreet as we ate our mild turkey and cheddar on wheat. Some airplane diners carry on containers of pungent Mexican or Asian fare and make their fellow passengers' eyes water when they open up their Styrofoam containers and dig in with flimsy plastic forks. There oughta be a law-against flimsy forks, Styrofoam, and smelly food on aircraft. We ate quickly, avoiding eye contact with our neighbors, and then waited an hour for the beverage cart to come down the aisle. I asked for a soda water with lime, hoping the stewardess-I still call them stewardesses-would give me the whole can, which she did. Used to be they filled a three-ounce plastic cup with ice and poured an ounce of beverage over it and that's all you got-to wash down a decent-sized bag of peanuts in the old days, which got reduced to a palm full of pretzels in the recent past. Now they skip the pretzels altogether but at least they let you have the whole can of pop/water/juice. Later when our stewardess came back down the aisle collecting empties, I tossed my sandwich wrapper, paper napkin, plastic cup and aluminum can into her bag. After years of asking if the airline recycled and being told they do, I grew tired of not believing them so I quit asking. I had a hard time picturing someone dressed in scrubs, face mask and rubber gloves going through each of those garbage bags after each flight, separating the trash from the recyclables. Maybe I just don't have a very good imagination. There is a thing or two I don't trust about flying. Airlines win awards for on- time departures but all they have to do to meet the requirement is push away from the gate. Tuesday we logged an on-time departure, then we parked 50 yards away and sat for almost an hour before we finally taxied to the runway. The captain tried to comfort his cramped subjects by announcing that we would take off "momentarily." But what did that tell us? His comment reminded me of the times when my husband heads out the door and calls to me, "I'll be home as soon as I can." What does that mean? Before dinner? Before dark? Before bed? Momentarily? Instead airlines should win awards for on-time arrivals. Wouldn't that be telling! Once our airplane was in the air and leveled off at 30,000 feet, a movie came on and a voice over the very loud intercom asked us to pull the shades down over the windows to shut out the light in order to make cinematic viewing more pleasurable. When they made this request I didn't say anything, I didn't roll my eyes, I didn't sigh mightily even though I wanted to do all three. I just slide the shade down over the window and reach up to turn on my reading light. But here's the thing: I am solar powered. The less darkness in my day the happier I am and the more pleasant I am to be around. On an airplane, the dark makes me sleepy so instead of getting lots of reading done in the 30,000foot light, the shades come down and I get drowsy. I lose my place, then read the same sentence over and over until I fall asleep like a baby seduced by a lullaby. I look forward to the day when screens-movie, camera and cell phone screens-can be seen in broad daylight. Fortunately we'd just spent three days in sunny Seattle (yes, you read it right. Sunny Seattle) so my solar battery was charged (but that doesn't mean I didn't sleep on the plane). We'd eaten plenty of fresh seafood, enjoyed great company with old friends, and gotten lots of exercise from walking all over the hilly city. Our flights were uneventful, our drive home from DIA was stressfree and we were greeted with snow on our beloved mountains when we topped the rise on 36 before coming down into Estes Park. It's good to get away and it's great to come home. You may let The Thunker know what you think at her e-mail address, donoholdt@gmail.com. Estes Park Community Thrift Shop To Donate Funds By: Dottie Baumgardner The Estes Park Community Thrift Shop will distribute funds in December of 2012. The total amounts of money distributed will be based on the net profit of merchandise sales from January, 2012, through November 30, 2012. Information sheets requesting a specific gift for a program or project of any non-profit organization in the Estes Val- ley will be available on September 26, 2012, and will be accepted through October 22 nd on any Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, or the form may be mailed to P.O. Box 2255 in Estes Park. Please attach a copy of the 501(c)3 to the application. Our address is 428 West Elkhorn Avenue in the West Park Shopping Center in Estes Park, Colorado, 80517. The phone number is 970-586-2844. Friday, September 28, 2012 Page 9 Best in Live Music & Entertainment Great Fun, Food & Drink in a Friendly Atmosphere KARAOKE Every with KJ Justin D Every with KJ Colleen OPEN "MIC" N9pm with Host Justin Faye rr r L UPCOMING LIVE MUSIC SHOWS NIGHTOWL 9pm THE MARVELEOUS MARMOTS 9pm

Page 10 Friday, September 28, 2012 www.estesparknews.com Welcome To The World Rhylie Annalise Valarie Barleen and Zackery Ornelas are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Rhylie Annalise. Rhylie was born on September 5, 2012 at McKee Medical Center in Loveland, CO. At birth, she weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and she was 20 1/2 inches in length. Grandparents are Chuck Barleen of Rapid City, SD, Colleen and John Hannig II, JoAnn Ornelas and Troy Cox, all of Loveland. Great Grandparents are Jim and Karen Barleen of Estes Park, Mary Alice Chaffin, John Hannig, Albert and Eufenia Ornelas and Sharon Tucker, all of Loveland, CO. Rhylie is also blessed to have her Great-Great Grandfather, Lloyd Barleen of Mesa, AZ making for five generations of Barleens! Congratulations to the family!