By Amber McIver-Traywick

The Surveyor

***The 66^th annual Berthoud Day celebration has a tentative rescheduled date of July 4. Continue following the Surveyor for updates on the event.

***The 2^nd annual fireworks display scheduled for the Town of Berthoud will tentatively be held July 3.

****The Berthoud Habitat for Humanity 5K race scheduled for June 1 has been canceled.

*** Larimer County Department of Natural Resources will open camping to existing reservations (self-contained hard sided units with restrooms only) beginning Friday, May 1, until further notice.

Camping will be allowed based on the following criteria:

• All existing reservations already booked in system regardless of residence
• All campgrounds open including Hermit Park Open Space
• Campers must have self-contained “hard-side” units (defined as camping units with bathrooms)

    No secondary units or tent camping will be allowed as well as no walk-up camping reservations. Cabins and tipis remain closed as do all restrooms, shower houses, group picnic sites and pavilions. Carter Lake Area and Horsetooth allow a maximum of 8 people per unit. Hermit Park allows a maximum of 6 people per unit

****Resources are available for older adults, caregivers, family members, neighbors and friends of older adults now and after COVID-19 from the Larimer County Office on Aging.

During the COVID-19 crises, the Larimer County Office on Aging [LCOA] staff are staying abreast of the changing resources and services available to older adults in Larimer County. As needs and services for older adults in the community change it can be confusing to know where to find help and how to get connected to services. 

If you need help connecting to resources for financial assistance, help with grocery shopping, picking up meals or prescription, call the LCOA. 

Whether you live in your own home, a senior housing complex or in a long-term care facility, and whether you are an older adult or a relative or friend, you can always count on the Larimer County Office on Aging to provide assistance and support.  Call [970] 498-7750 or visit  larimer.co.networkofcare.org/aging/  or larimer.org/humanservices/aging/ooa 

**** If you are a SSI or VA beneficiary that did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 and have dependent children in your care you must register with the IRS by noon Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 5, to be eligible for an additional $500 economic impact payment. If you do not register you’ll have to wait until you file your 2020 tax return in order to receive the money.

If you miss this deadline, you will still get your $1,200 payment, but not an additional $500 per dependent child under 17. Instead, you will need to wait to get the additional payment when you file your tax year 2020 return.

However, do not use this tool if you will be filing a 2019 return. According to the IRS, if you are required to file a return, using this tool will not speed up your economic impact payment. Instead, it is likely to slow down processing of your tax return and receiving any money.

To access this form visit irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here.

*****The state of Colorado has received $10.3 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide additional funding for epidemiological work and lab testing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act, which provides assistance to state, large city health departments, and tribal governments navigating the impact of the COVID-19 disaster. It is part of the CDC’s existing Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases cooperative agreement.

The CDC will provide further guidance to the state on the specific spending parameters. Generally, it is intended to improve COVID-19 case investigation, contact tracing and outbreak response, improve surveillance and reporting, enhance laboratory testing, workforce capacity and improve health care information systems between state and local public health agencies.

****The Stay At Home order issued by Governor Jared Polis expired on Sunday, April 26,. The new initiative, a public health order, “Saver At Home” has begun. Highlights of this next phase of the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic includes trying to maintain at least 60 to 65% of Coloradans social distancing and staying home unless they leave for a necessary reason such as going to the pharmacy or the grocery. It also includes wearing a face covering while in public. The recommendation is that those over 65 and vulnerable populations continue to stay at home.

Retailers can open beginning Friday, May 1, to limited numbers of in-store customers and are encouraged to continue curbside pickup. Store employees must wear masks and gloves. Real estate agents can once again conduct house showings but no open houses are allowed.

Salons, tattoo shops, personal trainers, dog groomers and other one-on-one personal services are also allowed to reopen on May 1. Both the person receiving services and the service provider must wear a mask and ensure no more than 10 people are in the business or the location is not above 50% of its total occupancy. Services that require the provider or customer to remove their mask are not allowed.

Offices can bring employees back in-person up to 50% of their workforce beginning May 4 if social distancing can be maintained as well as other precautions being taken like monitoring temperatures and other COVID-19 symptoms. Bars and restaurants will remain closed except for those who are providing take-out and deliver. Business who ignore the restrictions can be issued a cease-and-desist order and potentially have their business license revoked.