Over 75,000 are expected to celebrate the 32nd annual Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highland Festival. Leave your passport at home, as the largest Scottish Irish Festival in the United States is held right here in Estes Park Friday, September 4th through Sunday, September 7th at the fairgrounds in Estes Park.

With over 50 events running throughout the weekend, the festival provides fun for the entire family. Visitors will experience the thrill of the International Jousting Competition, while watching competitors battle for the worlds largest purse. Nightly concerts will fill the majestic mountains with music and dance. Top athletes from around the world will be competing in events such as the Caber Toss, Hammer and Stone Throw. The Festival Fairgrounds in Estes Park will be transformed by the all day festivities including pipe bands, 1,000 + Irish/Scottish/Welsh dancers, food, clan exhibitions, dog competitions, 100 + Celtic importers and crafters and much more.

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Rocky Mountain National Park was pleased to host the park’s first-ever Mycoblitz, held in partnership with The Colorado Mycological Society last weekend in the park. Up to 100 citizen scientists participated.

This biodiversity study event was designed to sample fungi from habitats throughout the park. Rocky Mountain National Park is typical of many national parks. It has a comprehensive inventory of its animals and flowering plants, but little knowledge of its fungal biota.

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DVD Cover

The Rocky Mountain Nature Association has released an updated DVD edition of Rocky Mountain National Park, Spirit of the Mountains, the official park film shown in visitor centers.

Winner of a prestigious Telly award recognizing outstanding local, regional and cable productions, Spirit of the Mountains is now available in an attractive new DVD package featuring English narrative, Spanish narrative, English subtitles and audio description for the visually impaired.

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By: Kris Hazelton

Local bird expert and rehabilitator Scott Rashid released four beautiful Cooper’s Hawks at MacGregor Ranch last weekend.

The birds, four juvenile males, born this year, had been injured flying into windows while trying to capture their prey.

They were taken in by caring citizens and cared for at the Birds of Prey Foundation in Broomfield, CO. During that time, Birds of Prey workers provided medical and support care in order to give these birds a second chance at surviving in the wild. According the Rashid, “The Birds of Prey Foundation has received and cared for 30 injured Cooper’s Hawks just this year.”

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The Estes Park Public Library will be open on Saturday, Aug. 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, Aug. 31, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Library will be closed all day on Monday, Sept. 1, for the Labor Day holiday.

On Tuesday, Sept. 2, the Library begins its fall hours. Fall hours are:
Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For information about library programs and services, call 586-8116 or visit   www.esteslibrary.org.

Estes Park resident Wayne Rankin died at his home on Saturday, August 23, 2008. He was 74 years old. Wayne Goodwin Rankin was born on May 19, 1934 in Alhambra, CA. Arrangements are pending.

A complete obituary will be published at a later date.

Robert Stanley Pieper, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, died on August 23, 2008 at home in Estes Park, CO.

Bob was born on August 31, 1927. He graduated from Mitchell High School in 1945 and then served overseas in the armed forces during the Korean War. When Bob returned from service he married the love of his life, Donna Jean Blough on February 11, 1953.

Bob returned to the Pieper family farm with his new wife and began a farming career that would span nearly a half-century. At the farm, Bob watched his family grow, welcoming Deborah, Susan, Cindy, and Rob into the folds of his family.

Aside from his family life, Bob served his community as a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Mitchell Valley school board and the Nile Valley board. Bob was also a devoted member of the Saint Theresa’s Catholic Church in Mitchell.

In 1974 Bob bought a cabin for his family in Estes Park where he and his family spent many happy vacations. In 2000 Bob retired and made Estes Park his home with his wife Donna.

Bob was preceded in death by his father and mother, Emil and Helen Pieper, and his brother, Vic Pieper.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Pieper of Estes Park, CO; his children, Deborah (Steve) Barlow and Rob (Julie) Pieper of Estes Park, Susan (Jeff) Weitzel of Mitchell, NE, and Cindy Wagner (fiancé, Bruce Johnson) of De Pere, WI; sister, Marge Meeker of Fort Collins, CO; five grandchildren, Melissa Bieker, Rebecca Thorp, Andy and Dan Weitzel, and Roger Pieper; and seven great-grandchildren with one on the way.

Bob selflessly committed his life to his family. He lovingly worked the soil of the Pieper farm for seventy years. He faithfully dedicated his time to his church and his community. He will forever be in our memory.
Services were held on August 27, 2008 at the Saint Theresa Catholic Church in Mitchell, NE. Memorials contributions can be made to either St. Theresa Catholic Church in Mitchell, NE or Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Estes Park, CO in care of Allnutt Estes Park Chapel, 1302 Graves Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517.

Estes Park resident Geraldine Elizabeth (Gerry) Meyer died at her home Tuesday, August 26, 2008.  She was 90 years old.  Geraldine E. Meyer was born April 16, 1918 in Clifton, KS.  Her parents were Nicholas C. and Emma B. (Mayer) Wurtz.

Gerry married Robert H. (Bob) Meyer on December 9, 1943 at St. Charles Catholic Church in San Francisco.  She taught 8 grades in a one room school house in Washington County Kansas rural schools for 12 years.  During World War II, Gerry worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Housing Agency in San Francisco.

Bob and Gerry settled in Mankato, KS where they resided for 33 years and raised their family.  In 1983, Bob and Gerry moved to Estes Park, CO.  In Estes Park, Gerry was a member of Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, Ladies Altar and Rosary Society, Villagers, Estes Park Christian Women’s Club, Red Hatters, and the Minerva Garden Club. While in Estes Park, she worked for many years at Grandpa’s Gift Shop.

Gerry is survived by her children Mike and his wife Nancy of Cordillera, CO, Roanna April of Colorado Springs, CO, Roberta Hoffman and her husband Henry of Joplin, MO, Adrian and his wife Ellen of Beloit, KS, Angela Moxter and her husband Lowell of Hays, KS, Camilla Saint and her husband Larry of Estes Park, CO, Sylvia Hoyt and her husband Richard of Centennial, CO, as well as 15 grandchildren and one great grandson.  She is also survived by her brother-in-law Lyle Lange and sister-in-law Valora Wurtz, both of Clifton, KS, and by sister-in-law Ruth Meyer of Topeka, KS.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Robert H. Meyer, her sisters Vernus Lange and Marie Hartman, and by her brothers Ralph Wurtz and Herman Wurtz.  She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother.

Visitation was held on Thursday, August 28 followed immediately by an evening vigil service.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church Friday, August 29 at 10:00 a.m. with burial at Estes Valley Memorial Gardens. Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church Building Fund in care of Allnutt Chapel at 1302 Graves Avenue, Estes Park, CO 80517.

See www.allnutt.com to see Gerry’s obituary on-line and to send a message to her family.