Friday, February 3, 2012
Local News Colorado Springs is networking with the girl next door
Posted by J. Adrian Stanley on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 7:47 PM
- Nextdoor
Yeah, we know, we live in a global marketplace.
This piece of common wisdom is hard to overlook when our jobs are being shipped overseas, our kids are obsessed with every product that comes out of China, and Facebook's recent public stock offering was $5 billion.
But Colorado Springs has always moved to the beat of a different drummer, and so it's interesting to learn that a new social network, Nextdoor, has one of its biggest followings in Colorado Springs. About 120 Colorado Springs residents are members of Nextdoor.
Unlike most social networks, that try to make the world your neighbors, Nextdoor wants to make your real neighbors your neighbors. The site is designed to connect you with people in your own community.
(Take a moment to soak in the irony of needing a social network to connect with someone who lives a few yards from you.)
Read on:
Move over Facebook, Nextdoor is sweeping the nation.
Nextdoor, a brand new social network for neighborhoods, is catching on fast across the nation and in Colorado Springs.Nextdoor launched in October, 2011 and the response has been explosive. Colorado has been one of its larger adopters with well over 25 Nextdoor neighborhood websites started. In particular, Colorado Springs has one of our most active and largest Colorado neighborhood website - Nextdoor Wolf Ranch (https://wolfranch.nextdoor.com/login/)
On Nextdoor, neighbors create private websites for their neighborhoods where they can ask questions, get to know one another and exchange local advice and recommendations. Topics of discussion are as varied as local events, school activities, plumber and babysitter recommendations, recent crime activity, carpools, upcoming garage sales, and lost pets. Nextdoor allows neighbors across the US to take advantage of this new type of social networking to build happier, safer places to call home.
Eco News / Arts Notes from the Over the River county meetings
Posted by Edie Adelstein on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 5:55 PM
Both sides stated their case and felt heard. Now it's out of their hands.
- Wolfgang Volz, Christo
Wednesday and Thursday's public hearings in Cañon City and Cotopaxi were productive and filled to the hilt, according to Over the River spokesperson Miles Graham and Rags Over the Arkansas River (ROAR) vice president Ellen T. Bauder. Even though Christo and the late Jeanne-Claude's Over the River installation has received a green light from the Bureau of Land Management, it must still obtain temporary event permits from Fremont and Chaffee counties.
Graham estimates there were more than 100 people at each meeting. As far as those who spoke, Graham says in Cañon City it was 2-to-1 for the project. (Organizations who spoke in favor of the project include Action 22, as well as Blake Milteer from the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.) In Cotopaxi, it was about 50-50, but as they expected, he says.
For her part, Bauder says it would be impossible to tell how many at the meetings were for or against — beyond those wearing T-shirts OTR handed out.
Bauder was struck by the 15-some officers from the Fremont County Sheriff's Office in attendance at the Cañon City hearings. "I was kind of taken aback. It was like walking into a, I don't know, the hearing of a major criminal or something. It was just a spooky feeling."
She doesn't know why so many were there (only a handful were at the Cotopaxi hearing), but it highlighted the concern of one county resident who pointed out that with so much law enforcement in one place, the rest of the county was probably left unprotected. Same thing could crop up should the project happen.
Fremont County commissioners will continue to collect written public comment through 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9, and then table the issue, possibly working on conditions, until their end-of-the-month public meeting, Graham says.
What they will say, neither Graham nor Bauder will speculate, but it could be a flat-out "no" or a "yes, with conditions." If rejected, Graham won't say how it will affect the project, but it would mark a significant victory for Bauder and ROAR.
Should Fremont accept, OTR will then move onto Chaffee County for the same permit approval process. Chaffee will vote on its updated temporary event permit process next week, Graham says, at which point OTR will begin to apply for that county's permit.
For more information on OTR and Fremont County, visit fremontcountyotr.com. Comments may be submitted to (planning@fremontco.com and cc: bocc@fremontco.com)
Local News We have a winner
Posted by Chet Hardin on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 5:11 PM
Late Friday afternoon breaking news:
Fixer Creative Co. has been chosen by the city's Branding Task Force to re-design the logo for Colorado Springs.
Wait, Colorado Springs is getting branded, you ask? Yes.
Fixer beat out three other firms for the gig. And now that we have the design team lined up, it's on to developing the new logo. From the press release:
While Fixer Creative Co. has been chosen to develop the new logo, their concepts will go through further exploration and refinement. Christopher Schell, Vice President of Design Rangers and leader of the Curator Team seconds, “we have a solid foundation in Fixer Creative’s approach and further refinement will only strengthen the final design.” Therefore, it was decided not to post the work for public feedback until revised concepts are presented to the Curator Team. The process and timeline of public input will be determined when final options are ready to be unveiled.
The full statement after the jump.
Local News UPDATE: Local Dems to host national TV talker
Posted by Chet Hardin on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 5:02 PM
We just got word from Christy LeLait, the executive director of the El Paso County Democratic Party, that Ed Schultz will not be available for the upcoming Democratic fundraiser.
LeLait forwarded us this message from Schultz:
"I have been informed by MSNBC that I cannot speak at your dinner. This is a fund raiser and it violates NBC News Standards and Practices policy manual. I'm allowed to speak at conventions pre-approved by MSNBC but not political fund raisers. I [am] deeply sorry as this is my mistake."
So there you go.
He says that he will discuss the matter on his show Monday.
—- ORIGINAL POST, Friday, Feb. 3, 10:34 a.m. —-
On Saturday, Feb. 25, the El Paso County Democratic Party will be hosting its inaugural Will Rogers Gala at Cheyenne Mountain Resort.
The keynote speaker: liberal TV talker Ed Schultz, of The Ed Show on MSNBC.
According to the county's party chair, Kathleen Ricker: "Ed Schultz is a honest, unflinching voice of reason in these days of political insanity. He does not back down in supporting working class families and unions. Ed Schultz and Colorado Springs are a natural fit and we are excited to have him here."
He is definitely controversial ... or not.
The Peak Dems have also lined up Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia to be there, as well as environmental lawyer — and wife of Sen. Michael Bennet — Susan Daggett.
This paper's very own Rich Tosches will be the master of ceremonies.
If you wanna hang out with the county's Democrats for the evening, it will cost you $90. Visit peakdems.org or call 473-8713 to order tickets. There's also a private reception with Schultz prior to event, and tickets for that pleasure are $250 and $500. Deadline is Feb. 20.
The evening takes off at 5, with a silent auction.
Medical Marijuana Marijuana legalization falls short on signatures
Posted by Bryce Crawford on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 2:41 PM
The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol finally had its signatures counted by the Colorado Secretary of State, and wouldn't you know it, they're short.
"We now have 15 days to collect the 2,500 valid signatures we need and a strong group of paid and volunteer petitioners will be out in force to make it happen," says a release from the campaign. "Given that we collected an average of 3,000 valid signatures per week during the first six months of the petition drive, we are confident we will complete this process successfully. In fact, we intentionally started the initiative process early to ensure we would have this curing period if necessary."
If you're interested in helping out, the group's looking for signatures before Feb. 15. E-mail info@regulatemarijuana.org or call 303/861-0033, or you can just give them cash.
Media / Local News Group boycotting KKTV over Jeopardy!
Posted by Bryce Crawford on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 1:48 PM
When not running a business building high-performance racing engines, Carl Hansen likes to kick back in front of the TV. And it's not news he wants — it's the syndicated game show Jeopardy!. But recently KKTV (channels 11.1 and 11.2 over the air) changed the times on its schedule. The new evening showing was bumped up to 4 p.m. to make room for a later news broadcast. To help, the station started airing older reruns of Alex Trebek's lovely face at 6:30 on 11.2.
But it doesn't help, says Hansen.
"While there are plenty of other places for people to obtain news at 6:30pm, there is no alternative for fans of Jeopardy," writes the entrepreneur in a Facebook e-mail to the Indy. "Most people are still working at 4:00, so KKTV's new schedule has effectively eliminated the program for a large portion of the population."
To counterbalance this, Hansen and his wife "took five minutes and set up the Facebook boycott page" called Boycott KKTV News until Jeopardy returns, a small but passionate group of seven, so far.
"They attempted to pull a fast one ... but they're showing old reruns there,'" writes Hansen. "Personally, I don't need more 'news.' And I'm willing to bet there are a lot of people like me who would rather have an intellectually stimulating program to unwind with when they get home instead of over-sensationalized hysteria about the weather, etc."
The station, of course, is not without sympathy for those whose viewing schedule was changed. But "at the end of the day, I'm in the news business more than I'm in the Jeopardy! business. You know what I mean?" says KKTV general manager Nick Matesi when reached by phone. "That's really our bread and butter.
"And again, I'm not discounting the fact that it was disruptive to people who have watched that for a long time," says Matesi. "We are airing it at 4 (and in the days of DVRs they have that option). The other thing is we are airing a version of Jeopardy! at 6:30.
"Now, at least in the short term, those are what they call 'classic Jeopardy!' because we did this in the middle of the contract year — and this gets really technical with programming contracts and AFTRA and licensing issues, and all that — they won't let me just air the same episode. But once the new season starts in September, it'll be that day's episode, it'll air at 6:30. So we just got to get through, basically, until September."
Matesi continues: "And, again, the reason for a newscast at 6:30 is 'cause times have changed and commute times are longer, and there is an incredible demand for news between 5 and 7 and previously we had one option for that, and that was at 5:30. Well, now we've got two options for it."
Not mollified, Hansen says he's still moving forward with his protest plans.
"For the moment, we're going to see if we can build a social media base of like minded people," he writes. "Phase two will be to extend the boycott to advertisers of KKTV news."
City Gov UPDATE: Nancy Johnson latest to 'resign' from Bach administration
Posted by J. Adrian Stanley on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 1:36 PM
Following the announcement of Nancy Johnson's resignation, the Indy put in a call to Mayor Steve Bach for further comments. But Chief of Staff Laura Neumann got back to us by e-mail instead, explaining "it was between Nancy and me."
Neumann forwarded a letter she had sent out to other media as a way of explanation. It reads:
As with any transition in executive leadership, there are really good people…talented, high performers that may not agree with the new direction or have the right chemistry with the new regime. Nancy Johnson chose to resign to pursue other opportunities. I asked her to stay; as I believe her expertise and contributions have been invaluable to our City for 3 ½ years. She chose not to remain part of our team. As part of her resignation, I did recommend a severance package as there was no fault and no cause for separation other than what Nancy determined to be a “good fit” going forward. That package included a one month administrative leave where she is available to me and any member of our team to ensure a smooth transition and an additional three months pay and continuing benefits. Although this may seem rich for her years of service to the City of Colorado Springs, it is well in line for an executive in any organization, public or private, with 30 years of management and executive level experience. You are welcome to call her directly if you wish. I think she would have nothing to say but positive comments about her tenure here.
——-ORIGINAL POST, FRIDAY, 1:36 P.M. ——-
A press release noting her departure gave no reason for her exit.
Johnson had recently been promoted to deputy chief of staff. At a press conference, she seemed excited about her position, and gave no indication she planned on leaving. In fact, Bach stressed that having Johnson as his deputy chief of staff would help his newly hired chief of staff, Laura Neumann, whose entire career was in the private sector, adjust to her new job. (Neumann sounded excited about this herself in an Indy interview.)
Bach's administration has seen the exit of most high-level officials in the city government, be they sudden resignations, retirements or firings.
Deputy Chief of Staff leaving position at the CityCity of Colorado Springs Chief of Staff Laura Neumann announced today the resignation of Deputy Chief of Staff, Nancy Johnson effective March 2. Johnson has been with the City for three and a half years and has spent three decades working in municipal government. She was initially hired as one of two Assistant City Managers and has also worked with the Economic Development, Planning, Public Works, and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Departments as well as the Parking Enterprise.
The City will be working on a transition plan in the weeks ahead for the departments which directly report to her.
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National News Springs scores high on racial equity for African Americans
Posted by Pam Zubeck on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 12:47 PM
MetroTrends of the Urban Institute has ranked American cities for racial equity for African Americans, and guess what, Colorado Springs is 11th out of 100 cities ranked.
Click on MetroTrends above for an interactive map.
The website describes the project like this:
The MetroTrends team has graded the nation’s 100 biggest metros on five indicators of metro-wide racial equity. The rankings reflect residential segregation and gaps between blacks and whites in neighborhood income, school test scores, adult employment rates, and homeownership. The best? Albuquerque, NM. The worst? Milwaukee, WI.
Colorado Springs was given an A overall. In specific areas, its ratings were A for residential segregation and school test score gap, and B for neighborhood income gap, employment gap and home ownership gap.
Here are the definitions of those categories as provided by Urban Institute:
Residential segregation: Dissimilarity index, reported by Brown University’s US2010 project, using 2010 Census data. The dissimilarity index ranges from 0 to 100, where 100 reflects complete separation between two groups.Neighborhood Income Gap: Percent difference between the median income of the average non-Hispanic white’s neighborhood and that of the average black or Latino. Reported by Brown University’s US2010 project, using 2009 ACS data.
School Test Score Gap: Percent difference between the state test score ranking of the school attended by the average non-Hispanic white student and that of the school attended by the average black or Latino student. Reported by Brown University’s US2010 project, using 2009 ACS data.
Employment Gap: Percent difference between the share of working-age non-Hispanic whites who are employed and the corresponding share of blacks or Latinos, based on 2010 Census data.
Homeownership Gap: Percent difference between the share of non-Hispanic white households that are homeowners and the corresponding share of black or Latino households, based on 2010 Census data.
James Tucker, a 37-year resident of Colorado Springs and former local NAACP president, dismissed the results, saying, "The truth is, they're not telling the truth about African Americans in Colorado Springs. It's obvious they didn't communicate with the African Americans in the city."
He said Mayor Steve Bach has a "really white administration" and "is not connected with the African American community." Bach has named one person of color, Donna Nelson, to an administrative post so far.
Tucker, who's known for his outspoken criticism on racial issues, said the city has no laws to protect black citizens. "There's no where in this city you can turn to for help," he says. "There is no fairness in Colorado Springs when it comes to African Americans. The city of Colorado Springs has failed to invest our tax money in programs that would help prevent African American young men and women from going to prison. The whole report is a smokescreen."
Breaking News / Politics / Health Update: Komen backs down on Planned Parenthood
Posted by Bill Forman on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 10:15 AM
Well, that was pretty quick: After days of stinging criticism, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation today reversed its decision to cut off its funding to Planned Parenthood.
A statement posted on the Komen website this morning begins: "We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives."
Komen, which is the nation's highest profile and best-funded breast cancer organization, continues to insist that its previous decision was not politically motivated.
Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood has recieved a massive influx of donations to its emergency fund, which was set up to continue cancer screenings for low-income women. As of this writing, the fund had raised close to a a million dollars, considerably more than Komen's entire contribution for 2011.
————— ORIGINAL POST: THU, FEB 2, 2012 AT 11:17 AM
Could the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation's decision to cut off its Planned Parenthood contributions — see Wednesday morning's blog post here — end up costing Komen more than it does Planned Parenthood itself?
It's certainly beginning to look that way. In the 24 hours since the Komen decision was announced, Planned Parenthood says it's received $400,000 in contributions to the emergency Breast Health Fund that's been set up in order to continue its cancer screening program for low-income women. Add to that the original seed money from the Amy and Lee Fikes Foundation, and the total rises to $650,000, which is nearly equal to the entire amount that Komen contributed last year.
There's more: Jeffrey Goldberg, national correspondent for the Atlantic, posted this morning that "three sources told me the organization's top public health official, Mollie Williams, resigned in protest immediately following the Komen board's decision to cut off Planned Parenthood."
While Komen is officially saying its decision to cut off the nearly century-old reproductive health organization was not politically motivated, there's increasing evidence to suggest it was in response to pressure from anti-abortion advocates.
The controversy may also lead to increased scrutiny of how Komen spends it donations. As the pie chart below (courtesy Wikipedia) indicates, more than 60 percent of Komen donations goes to administrative costs, fundraising and education, whereas the lion's share of Planned Parenthood funding goes to direct health services. Faced with a choice between pink water bottles and essential health care services, it wouldn't be surprising if some donors end up choosing to give directly to Planned Parenthood.
Entertainment / Sports / Arts Indy Minute
Posted by Jack Ward on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 9:53 AM
Tune in to the Indy Minute — as seen on ABC affiliate KRDO NewsChannel 13 — each week for details on all the events that entertain and bring our community together. It's simulcast on KRDO News Radio 105.5 FM and 1240 AM.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
City Gov Mayor signs Utilities lines of credit
Posted by J. Adrian Stanley on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 4:48 PM
Mayor Steve Bach has signed off on lines of credit for Colorado Springs Utilities, after initially refusing to do so.
Bach's refusal to sign the documents was first reported by the Independent here. At the time, Bach said he felt uncomfortable signing the documents, which held Utilities and the city potentially liable for millions, without knowing much about them.
But his refusal to sign was tantamount to a veto, despite the fact that the City Charter specifically excludes the mayor from Utilities decisions. Lawyers consulted by the Independent said the mayor may not have had the right to refuse to sign, as reported http://www.csindy.com/colorado/mayor-may-not/Content?oid=2417024.
Mayor Bach signed Utilities line of credit documents todayIn his role as Chief Executive Officer of the City of Colorado Springs, Mayor Steve Bach has signed revised documents for Colorado Springs Utilities’ lines of credit. The Mayor requested a review of the lines of credit, while also asking that the process be competitively bid. After consultation with Colorado Springs Utilities’ management as well as a legal review and amendments, the Mayor was willing to sign the documents.
“This was a business decision made by the City Council in its capacity as the Utilities Board. I signed the documents after the language in the documents was changed to ensure that The City of Colorado Springs has no contingent liability for this indebtedness,” said Mayor Bach.
Today the documents signed renewed a $50 million line of credit and created a new $25 million line of credit. With two previous $25 million lines of credit, this brings the total line of credit for Colorado Springs Utilities to $125 million.
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National News If Colorado conservatives don't like ObamaCare...
Posted by Chet Hardin on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 4:27 PM
This is probably not a thank you that the Mitt Romney campaign wants.
Families USA, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy organization that supported the passage of President Obama's health care reform, has taken the time and energy ostensibly to thank Romney for passing legislation similar to Obama's while governor of Massachusetts.
The lawmakers who crafted ObamaCare, or the Affordable Care Act, looked to RomneyCare, also known as the Massachusetts Health Reform Law, to guide their work....
Governor Romney isn’t too proud of this fact, and the other Republican presidential candidates have been quick to point out the similarities. We believe that Governor Romney shouldn’t be ashamed of passing health reform in Massachusetts or that Congress borrowed so much of his handiwork in creating the Affordable Care Act.
Massachusetts has the lowest rate of uninsurance in the country, individuals purchasing insurance in the non-group market have enjoyed significant premium savings, and a Health Disparities Council has been created to advance equity in health outcomes—to name just a few of the gains that have come out of RomneyCare.
I say ostensibly thank, because if nothing else this is just a brilliant piece of campaign material — for Obama. Families USA has to realize that comparing Romney's health care reform to Obama's does nothing to help presidential hopeful's conservative credibility.
This coming Tuesday, Colorado Republicans will be going to their caucuses to, among other things, participate in a straw poll on the presidential candidates. It will be interesting to see how Romney — who is quickly looking like the Republican favorite nationally — fares in our anti-ObamaCare county.
The study, which provides side-by-side similarities between the two pieces of legislation can be read here.
Medical Marijuana A medicinally green news round-up
Posted by Bryce Crawford on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 3:14 PM
So we've had a few developments in the marijuana/medical cannabis fronts across Colorado — including a nice little product review for those who already partake for whatever reason — so here's a quick round-up for your late-week reading.
• Hemp bill in Colorado legislature risks more headaches with feds (Denver Post)
Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh, has introduced a bill to study using the growing of industrial hemp to clean polluted soil, a process known as phytoremediation. McKinley said there is some evidence that hemp plants can suck toxic substances out of the ground."There's not a whole lot known about it," he said. "So, this is a pilot program to study it."
• Suit aims to block medical marijuana ban (Fort Collins Coloradoan)
Owners of six Fort Collins medical marijuana businesses are going to court in an effort to derail a voter-approved ordinance that bans marijuana dispensaries and growing operations from the city.
Stoner MacGyver marijuana product review: Sean's 1000 Watt all-mesh filter bags (Westword)
The general idea behind Sean's 1000 Watt hash bags is nothing new. There's at least a half-dozen companies making similar icewater extraction bags and filter products right now. But for the Denver-based company, the all-mesh design is a major improvement over its first-generation bags.
Local News Remember that snow thing? Yeah, neither do we
Posted by J. Adrian Stanley on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 1:35 PM
- Christmas w/a K
- Even dogs have forgotten about the white stuff.
A long, long time ago, people who lived in Colorado didn't have to be told how to deal with winter weather.
We were Coloradans, for pete's sake!
We lived in a state that recalled two things to most outsiders: mountains and snow. In fact, other people talked to us when they weren't sure how to deal with winter weather. We were full of good advice in those days.
"Steer into the slide," we'd advise.
"Carry an emergency blanket in your car."
"Don't drive in a blizzard, you California idiot!"
Ah, memories. Now, of course, we can't be nearly so cocky. Today's incoming storm is an exception. Droughts have made Colorado, and particularly Southern Colorado, dry as a bone for years. Even our famous ski resorts are dry. And sadly, this means that maybe we do need to be reminded how to deal with this cold weather stuff.
If the weather guys are right, we've got a storm around the corner. Refresh your memory on the drill:
City encourages calm preparation before the storm.The City of Colorado Springs Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is encouraging citizens to prepare for winter weather, predicted for the City through Friday. According to the National Weather Service, frigid temperatures and snowy weather could affect much of Colorado Springs.
“The best advice we can give at this point is to avoid prolonged exposure to the cold,” said Bret Waters, emergency management director. “Additionally, it is never too late to prepare emergency kits for both home and car.”
Warming Shelter Open
For those who need emergency shelter, The Salvation Army opens its warming shelter (709 S. Sierra Madre St.) whenever temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The shelter will accept entry until 10 p.m. when the doors close for a head count. Once the head count is completed the doors open again (around 11 p.m.). For more information about Salvation Army Services please call, (719) 578-9190.
Winter Weather PreparationWaters said it is important to take steps to winterize homes and cars now.
“We remind citizens to always carry an emergency supply kit in the car when traveling
during winter months, and stay tuned to weather forecasts that may impact the local area. Also, dress correctly for the weather even if planning just a short drive to the grocery store. The car may be warm, but the motorist may be forced to walk for help if the car stalls or in case of an accident.”
Emergency Kits
Waters encourages all residents to prepare emergency supply kits for home and car. During a weather emergency, workers may not be able to respond right away. It may be necessary for residents to survive on their own for some time. All residents should stock enough supplies to last a minimum of three days. Additional information is available at www.springsgov.com and select Emergency Management.Here are the essential items to assemble:
Home Emergency Supply Kit
Battery or Hand-Powered Radio Baby/Infant Supplies
Extra Batteries Water (1 gallon/person/day)
Alternate heat source, if possible Water Purification Tablets
Fully stocked First Aid Kit Non-Perishable Foods
& Manual Manual Can Opener
Emergency candles Paper Cups, Plates, & Plastic Utensils
Waterproof/Windproof Matches Sleeping Bags
Flashlight Blankets (wool & thermal)
Utility Knife Extra Clothing
Class ABC Fire Extinguisher Extra Eyeglasses/Contact Lenses
Essential Medications Pliers
Personal Hygiene Needs Wrench (to turn off gas/water)
Personal Toiletries Duct Tape
Latex Gloves (at least 2 pair) Plastic Bucket with Tightly-Fitted Lid
Toilet Paper & Towelettes Plastic Bags & Ties
Paper Towels Disinfectant and Soap
Improvised Toilet Seat Pet/Animal Supplies
Car Survival Kit
Maintain at least ½ tank of gas Shovel
First Aid Kit & Manual Duct Tape
Class ABC Fire Extinguisher Flashlight & Batteries
Non-perishable food Reflectors & Flares
Waterproof Matches & Candles Bottled Water
Jumper Cables Bag of Sand
Short Rubber Hose for Siphoning Blankets or Sleeping Bags
Map & Compass Tow Rope
Tool Kit Extra Cell Phone Charger
Special Items
Pet Food and Water Kitty litter
Baby Formula, Bottles Powdered Milk
Diapers Extra Medications
Child's Toy or Stuffed Animal Denture Needs
Extra clothing/blankets for children Oxygen
A Glossary of Important Weather Terms
Frost/Freeze Warning: Below freezing temperatures are expected and may cause significant damage to plants, crops, or fruit trees. In areas unaccustomed to freezing temperatures, people who have homes without heat need to take added precautions.
Winter Weather Advisory: Winter weather conditions are expected and may be hazardous, especially for motorists.
Winter Storm Watch: Alerts the public to the possibility of a blizzard, heavy snow, heavy freezing rain, or heavy sleet. Winter Storm Watches are usually issued 12 to 48 hours before the beginning of a Winter Storm. Prepare now!
Winter Storm Warning: Issued when hazardous winter weather in the form of heavy snow, heavy freezing rain, or heavy sleet is imminent or occurring. Winter Storm Warnings are usually issued 12 to 24 hours before the event is expected to begin. Seek shelter!
Wind Advisory: Issued for average wind speeds between 31 and 39 miles an hour, or for frequent wind gusts between 46 and 57 miles an hour.
High Wind Warning: Expected winds will average 40 miles an hour or more for at least 1 hour, or wind gusts will be greater than 58 miles an hour. Trees and power lines can be blown down. A High Wind Warning may be preceded by a High Wind Watch if the strong winds are not expected to occur for at least 12 hours.
Blizzard Warning: Heavy snow and sustained or gusty winds of 35 mph or more will combine to produce a blinding snow (near zero visibility), deep drifts, and life-threatening wind chill. Seek refuge immediately! Blizzards are the most dangerous of winter storms with conditions that lead to frostbite, hypothermia, and damage to unsupported structures and homes.
Dense Fog Advisory: Issued when fog will reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less over a widespread area.
Wind chill: The wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin by combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accelerated rate, driving down the body temperature. Animals are also affected by wind chill.
# # #
Food & Drink Another (green?) burger option, Valentine's menus and more
Posted by Matthew Schniper on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 12:30 PM
• With the approach of Valentine's Day, my inbox swells with emailed menus from restaurants — special dinners laced with Champagne and chocolate.
Each year I largely ignore them because there's simply too many to do anything with, and I instead just advise readers to check with their favorite eatery directly to find out what's cookin'.
I'll break form here just for a moment, because the "aphrodisiac menu" at The Broadmoor's Charles Court looks too cool to not share. (Thanks again to them for assisting with this week's Bites cover image.)
Courtesy food and beverage marketing and Pr manager Lindsey Bradish Hafemeister, here's a look:
“champagne dreams”
mimosa liquid sphere“vodka and caviar”
rose and vodka pana cotta, oscetra, fingerling crisps, quail egg, chive oil“oysters and pearls”
crispy oysters, macadamia nuts, toasted couscous, mango, passion fruit pearls“silk and satin”
seared foie gras, diver scallop, Kobe short rib, potato puree, red wine gelee“the big moment”
butter poached lobster tail, roasted beef tenderloin, truffle gratin, grilled asparagus“chocolate and cherries”
cherry brandy filled chocolate sub-zero snow ball, white chocolate and cherry crème brulee, chocolate and cherry trufflesAphrodisiacs used: champagne, roses, caviar, eggs, oysters, macadamia nuts, mango, passion fruit, foie, scallops, red wine, lobster, truffles, asparagus, chocolate and cherries
Call the restaurant directly for pricing, reservation info and with questions.
• I'll probably have more for you in next week's Side Dish on this, but here's an early heads-up on the next burger venture to try its luck in the Springs.
Larkburger is currently under construction in the Southgate area. It is a Colorado chain with locations in Fort Collins, Boulder, Edwards and Denver.
From their website, here's a look at their eco-friendly face:
With a passing glance at their menu, I notice the prices are much lower than most gourmet burger concepts — I don't think anyone else has offered a truffle burger for as low as $6.95.
I'll also say I'm a little leery of the term "all-natural" here. I don't see mention of grass-fed, or hormone-free meat. Instead, it is just black angus beef.
We'll find out if they have more to say about that when we get them on the phone.
• Our friends at Focus on the Beer recently profiled Fieldhouse Brewing, who we first introduced you to back in October with a sneak peek tasting.
Take a moment to give the insightful Q&A a look; unfortunately Fieldhouse still hasn't pinned down a location yet.
• Back in December, I wrote a small feature on local cooking classes available to the community.
I recently saw a listing submitted for cooking classes at Memorial Healthlink, for $20.
Here's the description, as sent to our listings desk:
Cooking classes taught by a Registered Dietitian and Executive Chef from Memorial Health System, held the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Different themes each month such as heart healthy, allergy free, women's health, and sustainable cooking. See website for all monthly themes. Classes will offer cooking demonstrations, recipes, nutrition information, as well as tasty samples!
I also later realized that Thai Eats would have been a good addition to that feature, as well.
From our Dine & Dash column, here's some notes from a class I attended.
