Boulder County CROP
Hunger Walk recruiters, walkers, sponsors, organizers, and friends are handing over a check
for almost $15,000 to Community Food Share in
It’s the largest
amount the
ever raised for Community Food Share in the walk’s 24-year history. About 480
walkers — also a record number — walked up to six miles around
Oct. 18. The walk is held each year not only to raise funds for relief
agencies, but also to heighten awareness of hunger and poverty locally and
globally.
In all, the event
raised more than $60,000 to help people suffering from hunger and poverty. The
total is divided as follows: 75 percent to national and international
organizations like CARE, Heifer International and Church World Service; 24
percent for Community Food Share of Boulder and
for the World.
Community Food Share,
like other food banks around the nation, is currently seeing more demand for
its services than ever before.
CROP Hunger Walks are
sponsored by Church World Service (CWS), which has provided millions of dollars
in emergency aid and assistance to those in need. Go to www.bouldercropwalk.org
for more information.
BeadforLife founder
honored
Torkin Wakefield, co-founder of BeadforLife, has won the
14th annual International Human Rights award, given annually by the United
Nations Association of Boulder County. She was honored at a private reception
at the Leanin’ Tree Museum on Dec. 16.
BeadforLife is an organization of African women, principally
in
who make beautiful decorative beads from waste paper and other found materials
and create jewelry and other items from them. The jewelry is then exported and sold abroad at prices designed to allow
the women to make a living wage. Co-founded by
blossomed into a major economic force for tens of thousands of Ugandans. The
profits return to fight extreme poverty, specifically in areas of health care,
housing and business training initiatives. More information is available at www.BeadforLife.org.
The Board of Directors of UNA of Boulder County recognized
Torkin as its International Human Rights winner for her arduous and inspiring
efforts to improve the lives of these women.
To be eligible for the award, nominees for the award must be
residents of
major contributions towards the support of one or more of the rights found in
the Universal Declaration. The award was created in 1995 as a means of
recognizing the often unreported efforts of people who care enough about the
dignity and value of people everywhere to labor in the international human
rights field.
Nominations are solicited annually in August, and the
reception is held each December.
Work on Hwy. 66 almost
done
The Colorado
Department of Transportation (CDOT) has completed concrete resurfacing on State
Highway 66 between U.S. 36 and US 287, but some minor work remains and will
take place over the rest of December.
“The main goal of
this project was to resurface a deteriorating segment of SH 66 in order to
extend the life of the roadway,” said James Flohr, CDOT resident engineer.
“Improving the roadway surface also means improving curb and gutter and other
roadway elements, which is the work we are completing now.”
Since the concrete
work is complete, SH 66 has reopened to bicyclists. Some work will still be
under way during daytime hours, so CDOT is reminding motorists and bicyclists
to pay attention to construction signs and flaggers and to “Slow for the Cone
Zone.” The speed limit is reduced to 45 MPH.
The entire project
involved rotomilling eight miles of asphalt on SH 66 and resurfacing the highway
in concrete. The project did not include rotomilling and paving the SH 66/Hover
Street intersection, as the City of
reconstructed the intersection in the summer of 2009. The entire project will
be complete by the end of December, weather permitting.
Library offers meters
for checkout
The Boulder Public
Library began offering Kill-A-Watt meters for checkout to patrons on Dec. 15 as
part of the “Power Check” program. The program is a collaboration with Xcel
Energy and the joint city and
Power Check encourages residents to use the meters in their homes and learn how
much energy appliances and devices consume. The meters come with instructions.
The Kill-A-Watt
meters will be available at the main Boulder Public Library, as well as the
Meadows and Reynolds branches. The meters can be checked out for three weeks
and must be picked up at the front desk. The meters can be placed on hold in
the library system using a library card. Users may search for the meters in the
library catalog using “Power Check.”
For information,
visit www.boulderlibrary.org, or call 303-441-3100.
Ferro heads land-use
review division
Following a
competitive process, the City of
announced that Charles Ferro has been promoted to the position of manager for
the city’s Land Use Review Division in the Department of Community Planning and
Sustainability. Previously, Ferro held the position of senior planner within
the division.
Ferro has significant
work experience in current and long-range planning, including working in the
areas of development review, physical planning and comprehensive planning
policy development in both
City of
in 2005 and has served as senior planner on a number of highly visible community
planning projects, including the Crestview East Annexation, Recycle Row and the
recent interim land use regulations related to medical marijuana. He has a
master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the
The Land Use Review
Division is part of the city’s Planning and Development Services (P&DS)
workgroup, which oversees the development review process. The land use review
manager works closely with other managers in P&DS, including engineering,
building review and comprehensive planning.
Ferro has served as
acting land use review manager since September. The position was previously
held by Robert Ray and remained open while the department underwent reorganization.
Police seek civilian
volunteers
The Boulder Police
Department is looking for two community volunteers to serve on the Professional
Standards Citizen Review Panel.
The panel reviews
investigations into allegations of serious misconduct by members of the police
department and makes recommendations to the chief of police.
Applicants must be at
least 21 years old; must be
citizens; must have lived within the city limits for at least three years; must
have no felony convictions; and must have no misdemeanor convictions in the
past five years.
Volunteers will be
required to attend a nine-hour training class on Feb. 6, and are asked to make
a service commitment of two years. The panel meets as needed. Although the
number of meetings can vary, the panel historically has met fewer than 10 times
each year.
All applications are
due no later than Jan. 7. Qualified applicants who reflect
the CU community are encouraged to apply.
Anyone wanting more
information or an application should contact Sgt. Kerry Yamaguchi at
303-441-3312 or [email protected].
Fringe fest seeking
applications
The 2010 Boulder
International Fringe Festival began accepting applications online on Dec. 15.
The first 25 percent of slots in each category are being awarded on a
first-come, first-serve basis. The rest will be entered into the general
lottery to be drawn in February at The Big Fringe Lottery Party. The final
deadline is Jan. 30 at 11:59 p.m. The Sixth Annual Boulder International Fringe
Festival will run Aug. 18–29 in
NCAR director tapped by
FSU
Eric Barron, director
of the
position to assume the presidency of
An alumnus of FSU, Barron was recently selected by its Board of Trustees to
lead the university.
“In his brief tenure
at NCAR, Eric has made a large positive impact,” says Richard Anthes, president
of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which manages
NCAR for the National Science Foundation. “He has begun a number of significant
initiatives that will continue to guide the future of this organization at a
critical time for weather and climate research. We are sorry to lose him, but
thank him for the thoughtful leadership and ability to build consensus that
will also serve him well in the leadership position at
Barron says that
although it was a difficult decision to leave NCAR, he is excited to return to
his alma mater.
“
world,” he says.
Barron took over as
NCAR director in July 2008.
Cats need homes
The Longmont Humane
Society is continuing its “Name Your Price for a Kitty” event through December.
Through the end of the month, all cats 1 year old and over are available at the
Longmont Humane Society for whatever adoption fee patrons wish to pay.
Adoptions include a spay or neuter, a microchip and vaccinations. Currently
there are 182 cats seeking good homes at LHS. The normal adoption fee is $115.
For information, go to www.longmonthumane.org.
Dog park closes for
construction
The dog park at
adjacent to the
Center
, was closed on Dec. 14 and
will remain closed through spring 2010. The closure of the temporary park will
allow for the second phase of construction at the park to begin, which will
include a permanent dog park, as well as multi-purpose athletic fields and
other infrastructure improvements.
Dog park improvements
will include new surfacing and drainage upgrades, improved fencing and
trash-receptacle access, pond-shore enhancements and additional parking.
Other city dog parks
that remain open include the
and
and
;
and the
of
(un-fenced dog park; voice and sight control tag required).
Firefighters brighten
holidays
To help brighten the
holidays for 150 local, low-income families, the City of Boulder Parks and
Recreation Department’s Youth Services Initiative (YSI) program and the Boulder
Fire Department teamed up to host holiday parties and distribute gifts this
week. Program participants and their families are being given holiday parties
sponsored by YSI, and
firefighters will attend to deliver donated gifts.
Members of the
Boulder Fire Department and the International Association of Fire Fighters
(IAFF) Local 900 will also donate money to help purchase gifts for children
served by the YSI program, who are living at
Boulder Housing Partners. The firefighters say the partnership with YSI allows
them to personalize their gift-giving.
“The kids write a
letter to Santa, and then the Fire Department does our best to get them the
gift that they want. We shop with a name and a specific kid in mind. We know who
the kid is and what he or she likes,” said Lt. John Nunez, who has been
involved in the toy-giving drive for 17 years. “YSI is involved with these kids
every day. They know them. It really is awesome what they do.”
Residents can make
donations to the program by visiting www.BoulderParks-Rec.org and clicking on
“Youth Services Initiative Toy Drive.” New toys and gifts may also be dropped
off at any City of
recreation center. Suggested gift cost is $15. For more information about YSI, call Alex Zinga at
303-413-7204.
Reptile shelter seeks
donations
The Colorado Reptile
Humane Society (CoRHS), located in Longmont, is seeking donations of money and
supplies that improve its facilities, help to rehabilitate injured reptiles,
enable it to expand its foster parent program and increase its outreach and
education programs.
CoRHS provides for
the nutritional needs of both carnivorous and herbivorous reptiles, keeps them
warm in cold
and makes sure they have spacious enclosures appropriate to their species while
they are in foster care. Some reptiles come to CoRHS with serious injuries that
require extensive veterinary attention.
Donations can be
mailed to Colorado Reptile Humane Society, 13941 Elmore Rd. Longmont, CO 80504.
Or call the shelter at 303-776-2070 to schedule a drop-off time.
