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September 9, 2021
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 126 | ISSUE 30
Community center needs roof upgrade Elbert Woman’s Club raising funds for necessary changes BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
The Elbert Woman’s Club has started a fundraiser through GoFundMe to raise money for a much-needed roofing upgrade to The Russell Gates Mercantile Co. building. Built in 1906, the historic building is now owned and operated by the Elbert Woman’s Club and currently serves as the Town of Elbert community center. The building is a cultural focal point for the people of Elbert, serving as a gathering place for locals for over a century. In addition to holding Elbert Woman’s Club events, the building currently provides a meeting space for the Boy Scouts and local 4-H clubs. It provides a space for receptions, birthdays, anniversary SEE CENTER, P14
‘Vast majority’ of hospitalized virus patients are unvaccinated BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Russell Gates Mercantile Co. building serves as the community center for the PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON Town of Elbert.
Elbert County libraries get the word out Pines & Plains announces fall programs at all locations BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Elbert County’s Pines & Plains Libraries has released its fall programs for all four libraries across the system. Wendy Walp, Pines & Plains Libraries administrative assistant, said the fall programs are meant to
INSIDE: LIFE: PAGE 10 | CALENDAR: PAGE 13
As COVID cases rise, local hospital ICUs fill up
combine community outreach with education. “We hope to enrich the minds of people who participate in the programs while also letting them have fun,” said Walp. “We want fun and education to be all wrapped together.” Many of the library programs are geared toward kids and teens. Walp said some kids find the library to be a big, scary place, but the programs for young people are meant to cultivate a love for reading and the library. “We love to get the kids involved and let them know that the library isn’t
as intimidating as it seems,” said Walp. “The library programs are also great to help them learn many life skills.” The following are the Pines & Plains Libraries fall programs divided by location. Districtwide Sept. 13-18: Hello Fall Sign Activity to Go. See signupgenius.com/ go/904044AA9AD2AA1FE3-hello Elbert Library 24489 Main St. SEE LIBRARIES, P5
As COVID-19 cases continue to go up across the metro area due to the highly-transmissible delta variant, hospitals are admitting more patients to ICU beds, and UCHealth and Kaiser Permanente are postponing non-urgent medical procedures. According to the Tri-County Health Department, as of Sept. 1, hospitals in Douglas County had reached 95% capacity for ICU beds. Inpatient beds were exceeding 85%. In neighboring Arapahoe County, ICU beds were at 83.4% capacity to start the month of September. Adams County increased to 91.3% capacity. As hospitals are dealing with the increase in cases, UCHealth made the call last week to postpone nonurgent surgeries as the system faces the highest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients since January, when cases neared 500. At the start of September, UCHealth reported more than 260 hospitalizations due to confirmed or suspected COVID patients. UCHealth has 12 hospitals. In the Denver metro area, UCHealth has hospitals in Highlands Ranch, Aurora and Broomfield. SEE HOSPITALIZED, P15
PAGING READERS Book clubs a fine way to get literary
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