WEEK OF AUGUST 8, 2024
VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 32
Weed it and reap
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Federal water projects dream big Federal funds to address drought, water conservation in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming
• Vestas to lay off 200 employees •27J Schools moves online-only Dec. 1
can be found on the city’s website. A yard can be nominated by a neighbor, friend, family member, or oneself for consideration, but you can only nominate one yard per month, and you can only win once per year. When submitting a nomination, provide a 500-word reason for the nomination as well. Residents who seek to don the “Yard of the Month” crown must meet some specific criteria. Only the front and side yards are considered in the judging process; whatever is visible from the street. The yard should be well-maintained with neatly trimmed lawns, pruned trees and shrubs.
The federal government has planned since 2022 to spend $450 million on water projects in four Western states, including Colorado. Last week, water officials finally learned which projects are eligible — and they’re planning to dream big. The funding is part of the federal government’s plan to address the impacts of drought in the overstretched Colorado River Basin. It will, in part, be used for projects that restore habitats and ecosystems or offer other environmental benefits, according to an announcement from the Bureau of Reclamation July 22. A second application period, which opens later this year, will focus on longterm water conservation efforts using the same bucket of funds. The door seems to be wide open for larger-scale projects — with more flexibility and fewer hurdles for applicants, several groups said. “Normally we’ll see somewhere in the ballpark of $20 million to $30 million annually for ecosystem restoration work through WaterSMART for the Upper Colorado River Basin,” said Alex Funk, director of water resources and senior counsel at Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “Never have we seen $450 million come online all in one (request for proposals).”
SEE CLEAN UP, P7
SEE WATER, P5
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BUSINESS LOCAL
BY SHANNON MULLANE THE COLORADO SUN
July’s winners: (clockwise from top) Ward I: 4295 E. 69th Ave, Ward II: 6421 Glencoe St., Ward IV: 17252 Parkside Drive, and COURTESY PHOTO Ward III: 10061 Joplin St.
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Commerce City’s ‘Yard of the Month’ awards encourage homeowners to clean up
BY LONDON LYLE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
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LOCAL OBITUARIES LEGALS CLASSIFIED
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Commerce City takes great pride in its neighborhoods and the hardworking folks who make the community special. To help showcase this pride, the city’s community development office recently launched the “Yard of
the Month” program. As part of the MyC3 Initiative, the program recognizes and rewards residents who go above and beyond in maintaining beautiful and well-kept yards, benefiting the city both aesthetically and environmentally. The program began in June and will run through Oct. 30 each year. Each month, four yards are selected (one winner per ward) as winners, and receive gift cards, a sign to display in their front yards, and public recognition. A big congratulations to July’s winners: Ward I: 4295 E. 69th Ave, Ward II: 6421 Glencoe St., Ward III: 10061 Joplin St., and Ward IV: 17252 Parkside Drive. June winners
OBITUARIES: PAGE 5 | CLASSIFIEDS: PAGE 12 | LEGAL: PAGE 14
COMMERCECITYSENTINEL.COM • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
POWER GRID FAILSAFE
United Power unveils power back up system P6