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January 31, 2014 Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 12, Issue 14 A publication of
parkerchronicle.net
Mayor launches fitness campaign Facebook forum gives advice, encouragement By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@coloradocommunitymedia.com Three things inspired Parker’s mayor to issue his most recent challenge to the community. Mike Waid devised the concept of the mayor’s challenge after taking office in December 2012, and his first — encouraging residents to leave Parker a better place than they found it by shopping local and volunteering — was a resounding success. This year, Waid is inviting Parkerites to get involved in a fitness challenge with the motto “Get healthy, Live happy.” Among the
catalysts for the campaign is the upcoming expansion and renovation of the Parker Recreation Center on Lincoln Avenue, a project prompted in part by public demand. “The reason why we’re doing that is because recreation and health and fitness have consistently been a top priority and top quality of life thing (residents) ask the town to provide,” he Waid said. Waid was also motivated by his wife, Pam, who set a goal of running her first marathon and ended up running two within a year of making that pledge. She now has her sights set on a half-ironman. The mayor, taking a cue from the mis-
sus, has dropped 32 pounds in recent months, Log on to Facebook and type which he ‘The Mayor’s Fitness Challenge credits for a 2014’ into the search field. Click higher enthe ‘join group’ icon. ergy level and more personal happiness. “I figured the best gift to my family would be to take my health seriously again,” he said. Waid, a former certified personal trainer, admits that desk jobs and expense accounts got the best of his waistline. It’s a common theme among people looking to get back into shape. Michele Ebedes, a Parker resident of 10 years, said health reasons are what caused her to start working out more
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than two years ago. The mother of four kids, ages 8 through 15, got bogged down with a hectic schedule, but she found a DVD series that allowed her to sneak in regular fitness routines at home. Ebedes was one of the first people to take on the 2014 Mayor’s Fitness Challenge after Waid created a Facebook group just before Christmas. She has since posted updates on her progress and says the social media interaction provides encouragement. “It makes a difference instead of doing it all on your own all the time,” Ebedes said. “I got ideas from other people, like yoga, and a type of running I hadn’t tried before. It makes you think of things in a whole different way.” Fitness continues on Page 10
Wildfire Group pursues prairie dog relocation legislation rolled out A COMMUNITY EFFORT
Residents petitioning Adams County to approve move
Key recommendations by governor’s task force absent
By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@coloradocommunitymedia.com A grassroots group is hoping to convince Adams County officials to approve a request to relocate the last surviving prairie dog from an exterminated colony in Parker. Longtime Parker resident Nancy Steel created a petition on Change. org asking the Adams County Board of County Commissioners to approve a permit that would allow the move to take place. Steel’s group says Colorado Parks & Wildlife cannot officially approve the relocation until obtaining permission from the Adams County commissioners. The group has not heard from the board since trying to m a k e contact a month ago, and Steel says time A last remaining prairie dog is of the esfrom an exterminated colony sits in a vacant field northeast of sence. “This Mainstreet and Twenty Mile Road lone surviin Parker last fall. File photo vor prairie dog has been forced to weather the Colorado cold and snow all by himself — for months — with no family of warm prairie dogs with whom to share his burrow,” the petition says. Steel, with support from the Humane Society of the United States, is asking sympathizers to sign the petition and send an email to the three commissioners requesting their support (the petition can be viewed by going to www.change.org/petitions and typing “prairie dog” into the search field). An Adams County resident has agreed to take the prairie dog onto his property, where other colonies already exist. Companies that perform relocations have techniques to carefully introduce outsiders into a new colony. It appears a lack of communication and incorrect protocol could be hold-
By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com Gov. John Hickenlooper and state lawmakers unveiled a package of bills on Jan. 23 that is “aimed at improving Colorado’s ability to mitigate and fight wildfires.” However, Hickenlooper and legislators spent most of a Capitol press conference answering questions having to do with wildfire mitigation options that are not part of the eight bills that were introduced. The bills do not include key recommendations made by Report the governor’s own wildfire task force committee, including ones that place fees and building code mandates on homeowners who reside in areas where a high potential for wildfires exists. And the package does not address the creation of a state firefighting fleet. The governor’s office says the issue needs more work. But a Republican lawmaker who is sponsoring his own air tanker legislation said at the same press conference that the time for a wildfire fleet is now. “I believe that wildfire is a clear and present danger to Colorado and we need to take action,” said Sen. Steve King, RGrand Junction. The governor insists that the bipartisan pieces of wildfire legislation that were introduced on Jan. 23 will go a long way in combatting a growing threat facing the state. “I think with this year we will continue to raise the ante and try to dedicate more resources up front to try to get to these fires sooner,” Hickenlooper said. The bills deal with a variety of areas aimed at wildfire prevention. They include giving the governor the ability to provide financial assistance without a
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From left, Parker residents Nancy Steel, Calder Williams and Tonie Becker check on a burrow occupied by a lone surviving prairie dog from an exterminated colony. They are trying to move the prairie dog to Adams County. Photo by Chris Michlewicz ing up the process. An Adams County spokesman said the commissioners cannot act until a request is submitted by the landowner willing to accept the prairie dog. “While it is true that Adams County commissioners have been contacted by well-intentioned animal welfare advocates from across the country seeking to relocate an orphaned prairie dog from Douglas County to private property in Adams County, we have not received an official request from the actual property owner,” said Rich Neumann, communications manager for Adams County, in
an emailed statement. The black-tailed prairie dog village on the northeast corner of Mainstreet and Twenty Mile Road was exterminated in mid-September. Some residents questioned the action because there are no active plans to develop the property. The land is divided into numerous parcels, each owned by a private entity. The Town of Parker has no input on prairie dog control measures on private property. Relocated continues on Page 10
Wildfire continues on Page 10
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