FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6
VOLUME 33
VOLUME 117
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ISSUE 27
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2021
W , Up, up and away in a beautiful balloon THE SEASON FOR SHARING EDNESDAY
NOVEMBER 25 , 2020
ISSUE 48
Reporter Belen Ward rides the friendly skies over Frederick BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Frederick’s annual In Flight Hot Air Balloon Festival was canceled in 2020, but it was back in full force on June 25-June 27 at the town’s Centennial Park. This year, the colorful hot air balloons were back and filling the skies of Frederick as spectators across town took photos. Normally, I’d be right there among them, craning my neck -- and my camera -- up to get a nice, colorful shot. Not today. Today, I’d be joining the crew up in the air, taking photos looking down. It was the first time in my whole life taking a ride on a hot air balloon and I was nervous. No, I was scared. I arrived at 5 a.m. to get check-in and met the pilot with “Air Hawk,” husband and wife team Steve and Carol Libel. The Libel’s are from originally Kansas, retired and living in Naples, Florida. The Libel’s have been married for over 50-years and fell in love with hot air ballooning after their first ride and decided to buy a hot air balloon and having been floating the skies every since. “I enjoy it, it’s very peaceful,” said Steve Libel.
Balloons in flight at the Frederick in Flight Hot Air Balloon Festival. PHOTO BY BELEN WARD
“After 50 years of marriage, I still chase him. That’s the only reason he has me around,” said Carol Libelhumorously. Steve Libel is a registered pilot to fly a hot air balloon instead of a fixed-wing. “We have to do a biannual certification every two years. In other words, take a ride with another commercial pilot and get signed off for certification every two years. You have to be current and fly within 90 days to take passengers up with you. You are required to go out and
do three touches and goes in 90 days and then you’re good to go,” said Libel. Steve gave me a briefing on what to expect in flight and how to position myself for landing -- basically, hanging on and bending my knees while expecting some drag. Carol job is to act as the central command and helping with assembling and inflating the hot air balloon. While Steve Libel is in flight, the two communicate by walkieSEE BALLOON, P6
Reporter Belen Ward with pilot Steve Libel taking off for her first hot air balloon COURTESY PHOTO flight.
RE-8 board composition stays the same Membership drops to five with Griego’s departure
cus would be teacher retention and the lines were drawn does not enShe was not available for comment. overall student success. sure that Dacono would have repreBut a letter read into the record by “In my career, I have to maintain sentation in the district,” said board board President Susan Browne said confidentiality,” she told the board member Jaime Sierra. “Dacono Griego resigned because of busiduring public comment. “I’ve seen could be represented in the director ness-related reasons. district proposal, but it would not be firsthand the impact the board has The board was leaning toward a BY STEVE SMITH on the community, and I thought required. And because one of our five director, two at-large member SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM this would be a chance to make a five schools makeup for most of the spring. But positive impact.” is in Dacono, I believe representathe board turned that idea down by On a night when the Weld Re-8 The deadline to apply for Griego’s tion should be required.” a vote of 3-2 during a June 24 meetboard of education couldn’t agree Every year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothingspot Bank provide community on the board is Tuesday, July The board heard from one proing. on what its future composition members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert 26. Email with Change 4 Change, spective candidate for Griego’s spot “While I am not opposed to the should look like, it announced it had dmontoya@weld8.org. The board on the board. Cassie Rodriguez is a idea of two at-large positions, I 2. to fill a vacancy, too. that helps with the another organization food drive. See more on Page set public interviews for Thursday, Fort Lupton High School graduate. agree with director (Cody) Leblanc Board member Kehle Griego Aug. 12. She said two of her main areas of fothat the way stepped down earlier this month.
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