Lafayette
Lafayette, Colorado retail shops, news and events around the town. o advertise please call 303-447-8531
EnergySmart announces Home Energy Makeover contest
Jul 5th
County residents eligible for $60,000 in energy upgrade prizes this summer
Boulder County, Colo. – All residents in Boulder County who sign up for a home energy assessment from EnergySmart before Friday, Aug. 31 will be eligible to win a Home Energy Makeover.
One Grand Prize winner will receive a whole-house makeover, valued at up to $20,000. The Grand Prize package includes a new energy efficient furnace, air sealing and insulation upgrades to the attic and crawlspace/basement, an energy efficient water heater, cooling system upgrades, and $4,000 to use for recommended energy upgrades of the homeowner’s choosing.
Four second place winners will each win prize packages worth up to $10,000. Second Place Prize packages include a new energy efficient furnace, home air sealing and insulation upgrades, and $1,500 to use toward a recommended energy upgrade of the homeowner’s choosing. One winner will be selected from each of four geographical “regions” of the county: City of Boulder, City of Longmont, East County (including Erie, Lafayette, Louisville and Superior), and mountain towns/unincorporated county (including Lyons, Nederland, Jamestown, Ward, Allenspark, Niwot, Gunbarrel, etc.).
The contest prizes are largely donated by local contractors, including Solar City, Service Experts, EcoHandyman, ThermalCraft Insulation, EcoSmart Homes, ERC Insulation, and SAC Mechanical. The remaining prizes are provided through federal grant funding.
The Home Energy Makeover contest is open to residents in all Boulder County communities. Winning homes must be owner-occupied and must need energy improvements. Residents are encouraged to register even if they live in newer homes or don’t think they need energy upgrades.
Boulder resident Megan Cuzzolino benefited from EnergySmart, even in a relatively new home. “I was surprised that my 2006 condo didn’t have much insulation,” Cuzzolino said. “After air sealing and insulating, my condo has been cozier all year round.”
EnergySmart focuses on improvements that will reduce energy waste, improve comfort, and produce cost-savings for both residential and business participants. Services include energy assessments and expert advisor assistance with finding contractors and all available rebates and financing options for energy efficiency upgrades. Since the program’s launch in January 2011, EnergySmart has helped more than 5,500 residents and 1,800 businesses throughout Boulder County.
EnergySmart is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Department of Energy’s BetterBuildings grant program and is sponsored in partnership by Boulder County, the cities of Boulder and Longmont, Xcel Energy and Platte River Power Authority. For more information, visit www.EnergySmartYES.com or call 303-544-1000 (for homes) or 303-441-1300 (for businesses).
-B
Boulder: emergency warning-signal season to begin
Mar 28th
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County and the City of Boulder will begin testing of the countywide emergency sirens at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 2. The test is the first of the annual season of monthly emergency siren tests, which take place on the first Monday of each month from April through August.
The siren tests will occur twice on each testing day, at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., on April 2, May 7, June 4, July 2 and Aug. 6.
Siren tests ensure that all systems and procedures are working properly during the season of peak flood danger. The tests also promote public awareness of the warning sirens located throughout Boulder County.
Should Boulder County experience severe weather during a one of the planned audible tests, the siren tests for that day may be cancelled. For updated information, visit www.BoulderOEM.com.
Residents are encouraged to review their own emergency preparedness plans and discuss what they would do in the event of a flash flood or other emergency. For more information about personal preparedness, visit www.readycolorado.com.
About the countywide alert system
Used to alert residents to potential danger from a flood or other immediate threat, there are more than 30 outdoor warning sirens in place across Boulder County, including in Boulder, Erie, Jamestown, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville (does not do audible testing), Lyons, Marshall, Eldorado Springs, Superior and the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Youth Corps application deadline approaching
Mar 21st
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County residents ages 14-17 have until Friday, March 30 to apply for summer jobs with the Boulder County Youth Corps. Boulder County is especially in need of female corps members.
The Youth Corps will hire up to 160 teenagers to work 30 hours per week, Monday through Thursday, from June 18 to Aug. 8 on a variety of community service projects such as forest thinning, historic preservation, construction and repair of fencing, trail maintenance, removal of Russian olive trees and noxious weeds, landscaping and replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescents. Youth Corps teams will work in unincorporated Boulder County as well as in Lafayette, Longmont and Superior.
Applications are available online at www.bouldercounty.org/youthcorps. Applications can also be picked up at counseling offices in Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley schools; city and town personnel offices; most local recreation and youth centers and libraries; and the Boulder County Human Resources Department at 2025 14th St. in Boulder.
Corps members will earn a starting wage of $7.64 per hour, with the possibility of earning a $100 bonus at the end of the program based on merit and strong attendance. Teens who have worked for the corps in past years can earn up to $8.14 an hour. In addition, corps members are eligible for reimbursement for the purchase of work boots and gloves. RTD bus passes for the purpose of traveling to and from centralized work meeting places may be subsidized.
The Youth Corps offers one of the best first job opportunities available in Boulder County. Teams have completed projects such as building the new Fourmile Trail connector at Betasso Preserve Open Space and preserving the historically significant lower barn at Walker Ranch Open Space.
For more information, visit www.bouldercounty.org/youthcorps or call the Youth Corps office at 303-678-6104.