Estes Valley Voice 2026 General Election Voters’ Guide – Ballot Measures Buckle up, Estes Valley Voters: your ballots were mailed on Friday, Oct. 2, and they’ll hit mailboxes this week. Your ballot includes 16 measures, plus questions about candidates for federal, state, and county offices, plus judicial retention questions. Estes Valley voters can click the nonpartisan Estes Valley Voice Voter Guide…

You can take the girl out of Iowa, but you can’t take the Iowa out of the girl. I have degrees from both the University of Iowa and Iowa State, which makes me a Hawkeye and a Cyclone. A CyHawk, if you will. It also means I know pie is a perfectly reasonable reason to get together. Estes Park is full of people who came from somewhere else, including plenty of Iowans.

UCHealth makes community grants Four Estes Park nonprofits — Crossroads Assistance Ministry, The Bridge of Estes, Harmony Foundation, and Estes Dementia Day Center — will share $20,000 in grant funding from UCHealth to support health, wellness, and residents in need across the Estes Valley. The Estes Park organizations are among 76 nonprofits across Colorado receiving UCHealth grants this year. The grants support programs that provide essential services and address social and economic factors that can affect health.

Seven raffle winners walked away with prizes totaling $15,000, while more than 3,000 hungry festivalgoers polished off more than 1,800 brats and hot dogs during the 2026 Autumn Gold Music Festival in Bond Park. Jim Horst of Estes Park claimed the $10,000 grand prize in the annual Autumn Gold Raffle. Sharon McNicol of Geneva, Florida, won the $2,500 second prize.

Every 10 years, the United States undertakes one of its largest civic exercises: counting who lives here. The next census may seem distant. It isn’t. The 2030 Census is only four years away, and decisions being considered now could substantially change who is counted, where people are counted, and what we learn about our communities. The U.S. Census Bureau published proposed regulations Sept.

Located about 20 minutes outside Fort Collins in Weld County, northern Colorado’s largest solar energy complex is officially open for business — four months early.  The complex is expected to generate about 608 gigawatt-hours of clean energy annually, enough to power more than 73,000 homes and businesses in Platte River’s owner communities: Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont and Estes Park.

The Estes Park Housing Authority has acquired the 10-acre Tiny Town property on Moraine Avenue for $3.6 million, securing a large, relatively flat site for future affordable and workforce housing. The Housing Authority announced Wednesday that it had completed the purchase of the property at 830 Moraine Ave. and secured $3.35 million through Colorado’s Proposition 123 Land Banking Program to help pay for it.

The phone rings. The caller says he is with law enforcement and there is a warrant for your arrest. A text says you owe a toll. Someone claiming to be from your bank says your account has been compromised. A grandchild calls in distress. Or someone you met online says they love you — and eventually asks for money. Different stories.

The Colorado River begins quietly at La Poudre Pass Lake in the Never Summer Range in Rocky Mountain National Park. From there, water gathers from smaller streams, moves west through mountains and canyons, and eventually becomes the river that sustains communities, farms, and ecosystems across the American Southwest. For Estes Park filmmaker Nick Mollé, the journey raised a question that became the heart of his final film:

Vicki Haan came to Estes Park eight years ago with $200, no car, a small suitcase, and a dream of opening her own restaurant. She didn’t have a culinary degree or deep pockets. But she knew how to cook, had learned from chefs she worked alongside over the years, and was willing to start small. Since arriving in 2018, Haan has built a following through several ventures, including her Kissing Moose food truck, Mountain Berry Bakery, and Mountain Berry Event Center catering business.

Estes Park is celebrating its elk this weekend, but another enormous ungulate is increasingly stealing some of the spotlight. Moose have become a familiar sight in and around the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park, where visitors and locals delight in spotting — and photographing — them at Sheep Lakes, Sprague Lake and in the Endovalley area, often with their heads buried in stands of willow.

HOURS Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Click here to register for most programs. Please note that access to the building and collections is limited due to renovation. Learn more here. BOOKS AND AUTHORS Monthly Writing Group Monday, Oct. 5, 5:30–7 p.m., Presbyterian Community Church of the Rockies…

This weekend, Bond Park hosts the free Elk Fest, which features wildlife education, vendors, live entertainment, and an elk bugling contest.

Fall is in full swing in the Estes Valley. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, fall officially began just over a week ago at 4:05 p.m. Mountain Time, the precise moment of the autumnal equinox in Mountain Daylight Time. The 90-day season ends on Dec. 21 with the Winter Solstice at 1:50 p.m. local time. There are plenty of reasons to FALL in love with Estes Park, but autumn may make the most convincing case.

Elk Fest, First Friday art, karaoke, comedian Adam Carolla, and live music fill Estes Park's October 2-4 weekend.

The Estes Valley Fire Protection District will automatically dispatch resources to assist neighboring fire departments on confirmed fires under new agreements approved by the district board Monday, while district officials also continue working to reconstruct the history of a $900,000 capital reserve fund established nearly a decade ago. The board approved intergovernmental agreements with the Pinewood Springs and Allenspark fire protection districts that expand existing mutual-aid relationships to include automatic aid.

“You can’t be born here, and you can’t die here anymore,” Carolyn Wills says it with a touch of humor, but behind the observation is a painful reality for an 87-year-old woman who never planned to leave Estes Park. On Tuesday morning, with the help of family, Carolyn and her husband, Ken, 88, left the community they have called home since retiring here in 2003.

While reading a book recently, I mindlessly reached over to grab a chocolate from the candy dish. I always tell myself dark chocolate is good for me. I picked a chocolate with DOVE written on it, opened it, and popped it in my mouth, savoring the delicious morsel. I started to wad up the wrapper when I noticed there was a message inside.

There are many who do their part to conserve and protect our natural resources. I applaud those who take those steps. Each is doing their part to combat an enormous, progressive problem. There are some who amplify those efforts by networking with other people of like mind. Our Estes Recycling team is a good example. Some join organizations that are dedicated to protecting our world and improving our methods of doing so.

Phyllis Ann Zwart passed through life bringing joy to those around her. Her Down syndrome condition, combined with a lovely face and beautiful strawberry blond hair, created a striking appearance. Her sweet, fun-loving disposition lent charm to all interactions. Phyllis left this life shortly before noon on Sept. 22, after a deep, comfortable sleep of several days. Fortunately, she experienced little pain while bedridden for several months. 

Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley marked a milestone Friday on its second Estes Park home, gathering volunteers and community supporters for a barbecue lunch as crews worked to get the two-story house under roof before fall weather arrives. The trusses went up Friday morning at the home in the 1700 block of Raven Avenue, and crews planned to have the roof sheathed by the end of the day.

Sales tax collections in Estes Park continued to run ahead of last year in July, with strong restaurant activity helping offset declines in grocery and retail collections, according to data released this week. The town collected $3.41 million in sales taxes for July 2026, up 2.49 percent from $3.33 million in July 2025. Through the first seven months of the year, total collections reached $13.18 million, 5.57 percent above the $12.49 million collected during the same period last year.

For older adults hoping to remain independent, healthy aging may depend on paying attention to two things that are often dismissed as inevitable casualties of getting older: hearing and vision. Alison Abraham, a University of Colorado epidemiologist and biostatistician who studies sensory loss and healthy aging, says declining eyesight and hearing can affect nearly every part of an older person’s life — from driving and avoiding falls to maintaining friendships, staying physically active, and protecting cognitive health.

What’s happening in your neighborhood? What should more people know about your business? What questions do you wish local reporters would ask? The Estes Valley Voice is hosting a series of community conversations in October, and we’d like you to join us. Bring your questions, ideas, and concerns. We’ll bring the coffee and listen. Our first conversation is this Thursday, Oct.

Estes Park Trustee Mark Igel sent the Colorado Department of Transportation a list of 18 questions about the cameras being installed along US 36 between Lyons and Estes Park. The email exchange shed light on the project, including why the cameras are spaced closely in some areas and what they can — and cannot — do. The Estes Valley Voice also sought clarification from Lynn Martens, Owner of HeyRed Communications, LLC, and the public information manager for CDOT’s US 36/CO 66 project, and Jared Fiel, DOT Communication Manager, Region 4.

The Estes Park Town Board appointed three housing authority commissioners, filling vacancies that had prevented the Estes Park Housing Authority from taking action at its previous meeting. Three commissioners had recently resigned from the board at the same time, leaving the board without a quorum. “They really need to get people appointed,” Trustee Frank Lancaster said. “At the meeting last week, they didn’t have a quorum, so they couldn’t take action on anything.”

Some connections are just meant to be. My first connection to Donald Gibbs came in California many years ago, when I was a reporter for the local newspaper, and he was a professor at the University of California, Davis.  I was impressed by his knowledge, enthusiasm, and love of China and became a fan. In 1996, I was able to travel to China with Don and his Chinese wife, Loretta.

Escucha aquí/ Listen here: An Estes Valley nonprofit that supports people in crisis received statewide attention this week. Meanwhile, plans for a new wastewater treatment plant are moving forward, the Town is seeking input on the future of its parks, and debate continues over the hospital district’s agreement with UCHealth. Crisis Advocates featured in statewide campaign 9NEWS journalist Kyle Clark featured Estes Valley Crisis Advocates in his…

The Park Hospital District board voted Wednesday night to reaffirm its affiliation with UCHealth, then declined to advance a proposal from Director Tom Leigh to change the agreement’s budget provisions. The resolution, prepared by Mayo Alao, a lawyer at the Hall Render law firm at Steve Alper’s request, says the board does not support efforts to challenge or undermine the affiliation.

Estes Park residents can weigh in on how the Town cares for its 11 parks and four open spaces, 16 miles of town trails, 16 bronze statues, 12 pika statues, 53 flower beds, and 10 small picnic and daily-use areas over the next 20 years. And, yes, your opinion really does matter. The Town is seeking public comment on its final proposed…

At Home in the Estes Valley is a new feature column in the Estes Valley Voice by the Estes Valley Board of REALTORS®. When mortgage rates rise, people understandably become more careful. Buyers reconsider their monthly budgets. Sellers wonder whether their asking price is realistic and how long finding a buyer might take. These are reasonable questions, and they deserve thoughtful answers.

The First Amendment belongs to everyone Today, on September 25 — First Amendment Day — the Estes Valley Voice celebrates the five freedoms it protects: religion, speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. As a news publication, we are especially grateful for the freedom of the press. It allows us to report the news, ask difficult questions, and hold government accountable without government interference.

ESTES PARK — People who raise money, organize volunteers, and advocate for national parks gathered in Estes Park this week for the National Park Friends Alliance’s annual conference, where a discussion about supporting park employees brought the national conversation close to home. The conference at the Holiday Inn Estes Park on Sept. 23 and 24 drew a record-breaking 390 registrants, the largest number in the organization’s history.

Construction of Upper Thompson Sanitation District’s new $100 million wastewater treatment plant could begin the first week of November, Steve Ravel, project engineer with Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC, told the district board at its September meeting Tuesday afternoon. Ravel said he expects finalization of the remaining state and Larimer County approvals by the end of October. RN Civil Construction…

HOURS Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Click here to register for most programs. Please note that access to the building and collections are limited due to renovation. Learn more here. BOOKS AND AUTHORS Connect With the Classics: "Walden" Wednesday, Sept. 30, 5:30–7 p.m., Wasson Board Room…

A family waits for news of a missing hiker. A survivor of domestic violence needs a safe place to stay. After a serious crash, someone needs help understanding what happens next. Estes Valley Crisis Advocates responds to people facing moments like these. This week, the nonprofit is featured in 9NEWS journalist Kyle Clark’s “Word of Thanks” campaign, which invites viewers to make small donations to a Colorado nonprofit.

The longtime Estes Park festival will charge admission for the first time as organizers contend with rising production costs.

The two-day mountain biking and trail running event has roughly tripled registration since its 2025 revival.

Autumn Gold, Oktoberfest, the Estes Epic, live music, movies, and more are happening around Estes Park September 25-27.

At its Sept. 7 special meeting, Park Hospital District directors again clashed over mounting legal bills and how to address them. Treasurer Brigitte Foust called the special District a cash cow for its law firm, Hall Render, and Director Tom Leigh again questioned legal expenses, which have exceeded $200,000 since the beginning of the year — more than four times the $50,000 budgeted for legal services.

Members of the Estes Valley Public Information Network – The PIN – met Monday to discuss emergency communication systems in Estes Park. During the luncheon at the Dannels Fire Station, Lori Hodges, director of emergency management for Larimer County, presented to about 20 public information officers and media representatives from the Estes Valley Fire Protection District, Estes Park Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Estes Park Schools, Estes Valley Library, UCHealth, Estes Valley Amateur Radio Club, the Upper Thompson Sanitation District, Estes Park Sanitation District, Estes Chamber, Estes Park Trail Gazette, and Estes Valley Voice.

According to market share reports recently released by the FDIC, the Bank of Estes Park — the long-term historical leader in local market share — has significantly widened its lead over the past year, growing to more than 40 percent. The Bank of Estes Park's deposit base grew 10.2 percent in dollars and rose from 38.77 to 40.03 percent in market share over the past 12 months.

Escucha aqui / Listen here: Fiesta Latina draws more than 200 as Estes Valley marks Hispanic Heritage Month More than 200 Estes Valley residents gathered at Cleave Street Commons on Saturday for the first annual Fiesta Latina, an afternoon of music, food, and community during Hispanic Heritage Month.

The bagpipes will skirl, the fiddle will fly, and the walls of the Historic Park Theatre will get a workout when Seven Nations returns to downtown Estes Park for two nights of Celtic rock. The internationally known band will perform at 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 23 and 24. The concerts will mark the group’s 11th appearance at the theater, where it has built an enthusiastic following over the years.

Estes Park may have its elk, but Allenspark is all in for the turkey. The mountain community will celebrate its resident gobblers — and perhaps a few humans dressed like them — during the free Allenspark Wild Turkey Fest from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. The festival will feature a pancake breakfast, live music, a farmers market, turkey legs, a scavenger hunt, and a trio of contests devoted to the finer points of calling, dressing, and strutting like a turkey.

This week’s topics will likely be familiar to many families. In September, several important causes are highlighted, including Alzheimer’s disease. The Estes Valley Voice has published two recent articles about dementia during World Alzheimer’s Month. I also want to highlight two other important observances this month: National Recovery Month and National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It is impossible to talk about suicide prevention without also looking at the often-precipitating factors of mental health and/or substance use challenges.

Drivers traveling between Estes Park and Lyons should expect delays of up to 15 minutes this week as crews continue installing traffic cameras along U.S. 36. Single-lane closures are scheduled Tuesday through Thursday on the eastern end of the project near Lyons from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Flaggers will alternate traffic through the work zones. The Colorado Department of Transportation announced the following schedule:

Students and teachers from Estes Park High School’s career and technical education programs gave the Park School District R-3 Board of Education a look at their hands-on work during the Sept. 16 regular board meeting, highlighting programs designed to connect classroom learning with careers and everyday life. The “Spotlight of Success” presentation focused on career and technical education, including automotive, engineering, construction, welding, manufacturing, and other technology-related courses.

“We the people.” Those are the first three words of the preamble to the United States Constitution. They are among the most powerful words ever written about self-government. The Constitution begins with us. Constitution Day, observed each Sept. 17, commemorates the day in 1787 when delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document they had spent months negotiating. It is a day to consider the remarkable system of representative government, divided powers, checks and balances, and individual liberties created by the Constitution.

Two hundred and thirty-nine years ago — on September 17, 1787 — thirty-nine men walked up to a table in a stifling, shuttered room in Philadelphia to sign their names to four sheets of parchment. They were exhausted. They had argued bitterly for four months. Some delegates had packed their bagsandgonehomeindisgust.BenjaminFranklin,eighty-oneyearsoldandinfailinghealth, looked at the draft before them and admitted: “I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them...