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Morning Brief: Wibby Brewing Releases New Brew: Pura Vida Lager

Wibby Brewing released a new beer on Thursday, May 17, called Pura Vida Lager. "Pura Vida Lager is a wheat lager that has some caramel chewiness with a pungent hop aroma derived from Simcoe, Glacier, and Horizon hops.
pura vida lager wibby
Wibby Brewing’s Pura Vida Lager (Photo by Macie May/ Longmont Observer)

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Wibby Brewing released a new beer on Thursday, May 17, called Pura Vida Lager.

"Pura Vida Lager is a wheat lager that has some caramel chewiness with a pungent hop aroma derived from Simcoe, Glacier, and Horizon hops. This beer is 6% ABV with 35 IBU's which makes it a perfect beer for summer.  It was brewed in honor of a good friend who has "the purest of hearts," states Ryan Wibby in an email to the Longmont Observer.
Wibby Brewing has set a goal to release a new beer every month. Being released on June 8, is Wibby's barrel aged 9 Toed Nihilist which is 8.5% ABV and 5 IBU's.
"There are 4 different versions being released that day, a bourbon barrel version, a rum barrel version, a version with coffee, vanilla beans, and cacao nibs aged in a bourbon barrel, and finally a version with coffee, vanilla beans, and cacao nibs aged in a rum barrel," says Wibby. This is a limited release of this beer.
Wibby Brewing is located at 209 Emery St., Longmont.

Boulder County to test ballots and equipment for upcoming primary election

This is a press release by the Boulder County Clerk & Recorder's office and is published by the Longmont Observer as a public service. 

Boulder County, Colo. – The Boulder County Elections Division will conduct a logic and accuracy test beginning on Wednesday, May 30 on ballots and equipment to be used for the 2018 Primary Election.

The test ensures equipment properly tabulates votes. Each type of ballot and all ballot styles will be tested to make sure ballots are properly printed and to verify the scanning equipment properly reads ballots. The test will also confirm that scanning equipment settings are properly calibrated for the ballots. Testing is open to the public.

What: Logic and Accuracy Testing – Testing of ballots and equipment for upcoming election.

When: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30;

Testing will continue on Thursday, May 31, if needed,

beginning at 9:30 a.m. Anticipated Test Board Review

of results, sign-off, resetting, and resealing of equipment

is on Friday, June 1 from 1 – 3 p.m.

Where: Ballot Processing Center, Boulder County Clerk & Recorder’s Office, 1750 33rd Street in Boulder

Visitors will need to check in at the front desk of the Elections Office, Suite 200, to be escorted to the test area.

After testing concludes, documentation and results will be available online.

Boulder County voters can also visit www.BoulderCountyVotes.org to register to vote, check and update their voter registration, view ballot content, and learn more about local elections. They can also call 303-413-7740 for more information or visit one of three Boulder County Clerk & Recorder's office branches: 1750 33rd St. in Boulder; 529 Coffman St. in Longmont; or 1376 Miners Drive in Lafayette. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week: Colo. Updates & Tips

This is a press release from the Colorado EAB response team and is published by the Longmont Observer as a public service. 

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) awareness week is May 20th - 26th. Please see the following news release from the Colorado EAB response team regarding what cities and towns are doing to combat this invasive pest as well as some tips for homeowners.

17,000 Front Range Trees Already Treated, Removed to Manage for Tree Pest

A score of cities and towns along the Front Range have already treated or removed more than 17,000 public trees in preparation for – or response to – the arrival of emerald ash borer (EAB), a highly destructive tree pest. These same municipalities also have already planted more than 17,000 ash replacement trees as part of their EAB management plans, and along with Boulder County have collectively spent more than $9 million on the management of a tree pest that in Colorado has thus far only been detected within Boulder County.

These figures, which provide only a conservative estimate of what Colorado’s cities and towns are doing as they ramp up community forest management efforts related to EAB, do not include any expenses or current actions HOAs or homeowners are similarly taking.

“The fact that our communities are spending so much already to prepare for EAB is telling,” said Keith Wood, urban and community forestry manager for the Colorado State Forest Service. “It’s a good indicator that we all recognize the potential environmental and economic impacts of losing a significant portion of our urban tree canopy in the years to come.”

He says that with this week being National EAB Awareness Week, the interagency Colorado EAB Response Team wants to highlight the actions communities are taking in the state, and prompt homeowners, HOAs and other property owners – particularly along the Front Range and in northeast Colorado – to determine now if they have ash trees, watch them for symptoms and consider early management options for EAB. These may include removing unhealthy trees before they die and planting new trees near ash that could ultimately replace trees lost to the pest.

Along with Boulder County, municipalities currently taking significant actions to manage or prepare for EAB include Arvada, Aurora, Berthoud, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Erie, Fort Collins, Golden, Lafayette, Lakewood, Longmont and Loveland. In addition to its urban tree

management efforts, the City of Denver also is running a broad EAB awareness campaign under the tagline “Be a Smart Ash.”

EAB, a non-native pest responsible for the death of millions of ash trees in more than 30 states, was confirmed in the City of Boulder in 2013, and has since been detected throughout Boulder County. The exotic insect has become a concern for communities all over Colorado because an estimated 15 percent or more of all urban and community trees in the state are ash, and each year EAB can fly up to a half-mile to infest new trees. There also is the ever-present risk of the pest spreading much faster through human transport of firewood and other raw ash wood.

“As we head into summer and camping season, one of the best steps all of us can take is to not move firewood,” Wood said. “This all-too-common practice is one of the primary ways destructive tree pests like EAB are spread.”

For more information about ash tree identification and the symptoms of EAB, go to csfs.colostate.edu/emerald-ash-borer. For EAB quarantine, reporting and chemical treatment information, go to eabcolorado.com.

EAB tips for Front Range/Northeast Colorado Residents:

  • Determine now if you have any ash trees. Identifying features of ash trees include compound leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets; leaflets, buds and branches growing directly opposite from one another; and diamond-shaped bark ridges on mature trees. Information about an ash tree identification app for mobile devices is available at csfs.colostate.edu/emerald-ash-borer.
  • If you have an ash tree, start planning. Decide if the overall health of the tree

    merits current or future treatment or if it would be best to remove and replace it with a different, non-ash species. If you aren’t sure, contact a certified arborist. If pesticide treatment is the preferred option, the applicator must be licensed by the CDA as a Commercial Pesticide Applicator.

  • Recognize signs of EAB infestation. Property owners with ash trees should be on the lookout for thinning of leaves in the upper tree canopy, 1/8-inch D-shaped holes on the bark and vertical bark splitting with S-shaped tunnels underneath. Report suspect trees by calling the Colorado Department of Agriculture at 1-888-248-5535 or filling out the EAB Report Form at https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/agplants/eab-identification-and-reporting.
  • Be aware of EAB

    impostors.

    Other insects like lilac/ash borer, ash bark beetle and flat-headed apple tree borer may look like EAB or cause similar tree symptoms. For more information, visit www.eabcolorado.com.
  • Help prevent further spread of EAB. Do not transport ash or any hardwood firewood, or any other untreated ash wood products, to other locations. Boulder County and some surrounding areas remain under a federal EAB quarantine, allowing for significant fines for those who move untreated wood from the area.

For more information about ash tree identification, the symptoms of EAB and treatment options, go eabcolorado.com or csfs.colostate.edu/emerald-ash-borer.

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a non-native, wood-boring beetle that is responsible for the death or decline of tens of millions of ash trees in the United States and Canada. This insect was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, and since then it has spread to at least 33 states, including Colorado. As a non-native insect, EAB lacks predators to keep it in check. EAB only attacks ash trees in the genus Fraxinus, but has also been documented infesting white fringe tree. Mountain ash and other tree species are not susceptible.

The Colorado EAB Response Team includes members from the following agencies/organizations: Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State Forest Service, City of Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado State University Extension, Colorado Tree Coalition, Green Industries of Colorado, University of Colorado, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and various Front Range municipalities.

Longmont Observer News:

By Macie May

Memorial Day: In observance of Memorial Day, the staff for the Longmont Observer will not be working on Monday, May 28, 2018. There will not be an editorial meeting.

Volunteer Opportunity: The Longmont Observer has a volunteer position available to report on city council. City council meets most Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, located at 350 Kimbark St., Longmont. The requirements for this position include:

  • Must plan to attend all regular/study sessions of the Longmont City Council
  • Must be willing to write/take photos/record the session
  • Must meet fast-paced deadlines

The Longmont Observer will train you on how to write city council articles and how to run the video equipment for the meeting. To apply please send your name, contact information and a brief statement as to what interests you the most about this position to [email protected].

Editorial and Volunteer Meeting Information: The Longmont Observer holds open to the public editorial meetings every Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. in the conference room at TinkerMill, 1840 Deleware Pl., Longmont. 

Do you want to volunteer but can't make it to the 10 a.m. meeting? We hold a volunteer meeting every Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. in the TinkerMill conference room.