Happy New Year!2023 marks the beginning of The New Falcon Heraldís 20th year. In January 2004, we published our first ìnewspaper,î which was actually a four-page newsletter. Our only advertiser was Frankieís Bar and Grill ó and it hadnít even opened yet.Some of you know the story, after we sent our newsletter out, we received numerous phone calls inquiring about advertising in our newsletter. So, by February, we had graduated to a real newspaper format. Falcon was ripe for something like The New Falcon Herald. A long time ago, when Falcon was a booming railroad town, a newspaper existed called The Falcon Herald; thus, our name. Ever since that initial venture, we have been consistent publishing every first Saturday of the month.As newspaper businesses go, weíve had our ups and downs, but we have always been able to keep our heads above water. I am proud of that. We had a lot of people who helped us along the path, from writers to sales people to designers to advertisers to readers and so on. We will certainly celebrate our anniversary next year. Meanwhile, keep on reading.Jan. 16 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I wonder what he would think about us today. Dr. King was all about a forward movement that was peaceful and inclusive. He truly was one of the greatest champions for civil rights. We have interspersed throughout this issue some of this cultural iconís famous quotes.January is also our annual health care issue. This year, we focused on community health and interviewed El Paso County Public Health. We also addressed water quality (Land & Water), weight loss and related programs (Markís Meanderings); we touched on firefighter health issues in Robin Widmarís The Politics of Wildland Firefighting. And Deb Risden provided us with an inside look during and after her experience related to her own heart attack. Itís an important read for everyone. Thank you to one of our readers who sent in two heart healthy recipes.We would love more input this year from our readers. Perhaps you have a story you want to tell, a community issue you might want to write about. Parents and athletic directors ó send in your photos of the accomplishments of our student athletes or academic achievements. (See the D 49 board meeting write-up for news on D 49 athletic efforts that have led to championships statewide.)Colorado is doing something about waste and litter. Starting in January, a new Colorado law will require everyone to pay 10 cents to use a single-use plastic or paper bag at the store. Some cities throughout the state have already required fees for the bags. Next month, weíll look at how those fees have made an environmental difference.Make a New Yearís resolution to use those cloth bags that are readily available in about every store. Youíll save money!So, good-bye 2022 and hello 2023. Hereís to a healthy new year for everyone!See you in February!– Michelle
