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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 32

WEEK OF DECEMBER 1, 2022

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 , 2020

VOLUME 117

S Eerent A S O Nlevel F O R of S Hinterest ARING A different game,T Ha Ediff BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On the Eastern Plains, football is a special breed of cat. Or eagle, as the case may be. Tucked away north of Interstate 70, an hour or so east of Limon and two or so stops away from the Kansas state line sits the town of Stratton. It occupies half a square mile of land and is home to 658 people and 175 businesses. More than 450 people work in town. Some of the larger industries in town? Pumpkin patches, professional services and crop preparation services. There are Realtors and dentists, a post office, a bank and a hotel. There’s an auto parts store, three restaurants and a combo inn and winery. An RV park occupies space on a county road. One-tenth of 1 percent of the town’s population plays at any one time on the high-school football team, one that residents, parents and alumni have rallied around for years. “The whole town comes to watch them,” said head football coach and Stratton alum Jesse McConnell. “They see them at the gas station. They’re always asking the kids how the season is going. They are really invested in Stratton football, and that’s great to see.”

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ISSUE 48

Brighton veteran takes honor flight Trip brings back memories of service BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

An October trip with Rocky Mountain Honor Flight brought up a lot of memories for Vietnam veteran Steve Newton, of Brighton. “When I saw the Gold Star panel of the casualties of World War II, I cried, deeply appreciative. Did not know any of those young kids, it bothers me about my situation and it gives you some survival guilt,” said Newton. Now 75 years old, the Brighton veteran flew to Washington, D.C. in October to visit all the veteran memorials. It brought him back, he said, to the war itself and the time before. It was his junior year of high school in Iowa and Newton said he kept informed on what was happening in North Vietnam. “The North Vietnam warships attack the United States warship U.S.S. Turner and U.S.S. Maddox off the coast of North Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin, it got my attention and raised the amber flag,” Newton said. In Newton’s senior year, news stories about the seventh cavalry’s fight campaigns in Drang Valley really stood out. That’s what cemented his motivation to go into the service. “I didn’t have any money or academics, I knew I was going to wear some kind of uniform at some point,” he said.

Pre-pregame Before you ever arrive in town, one thing you notice is the high school’s mascot. An eagle. He (or she) is all over the town’s business pages – automotive businesses, health care, and restaurants. The names, addresses, phone numbers, they’re all there. So is the eagle. Otis’ Taylor Ringlein in this pass for very short yardage, thanks in part to the defense of There are well-wishes from the Stratton’s Cyler Notter (24) during the semifinals of the state six-man football playcity on a billboard just south of offs Nov. 19 in Stratton. Notter scored twice as the top-seeded Eagles rolled to a 46-13 downtown. At the corner of InterPHOTO BY STEVE SMITH win and a berth in next week’s state finals in Pueblo. state 70 and state U.S. Highway 24 will sound the siren when Stratton sits an open field. During postseason breakfast for the kids four hours Born on the Fourth of July scores a touchdown.” play, you’ll find decals, wishing the before the game. That’s carried on “We have had much success on the involved team well in its upcoming for years. A group of parents used When Newton turned 18 on July Every year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton gridiron and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank provide community practically the entire time game. to have Thursday night dinners 4, 1965, he didn’t wait for his draft members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert I’ve lived here,” said Rod Thompbefore the games. These are tradi“They hang green-and-white orders. with Change 4 Change, son, who graduated from Stratton tions that haveSee been carried on for “I decided I might as well get it fl ags up and down Main Street,” another organization that helps with the food drive. more on Page 2. 20 or 30 years. Depending on who’s said former Stratton football coach driving the driving, an ambulance Dave Gottmann. “The parents cook SEE GAME, P8 SEE HONOR, P3

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