Posts tagged Boulder County
Local residents win Home Energy Makeover with EnergySmart
Nov 1st
Reichert family will receive $20,000 worth of energy upgrades
Boulder County, Colo. – John Reichert and his family received a pleasant surprise today when the Boulder County Commissioners and EnergySmart staffers visited to award them the Grand Prize in the EnergySmart Home Energy Makeover.
The Home Energy Makeover grand prize, valued at approximately $20,000, 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.
John and Kathleen Reichert live in Boulder with their son, James, 6. They purchased their home intending to make it a more sustainable place to raise their family. “Have you ever been caught by a six-year-old for putting an aluminum can in the trash?” John said. Shortly after moving in, however, John’s position at work was eliminated and Kathleen’s hospice-care salary didn’t allow for the planned upgrades.
The Reichert family made it through three rounds of selection to win the grand prize. In round one, their home was identified as one of the top fifteen poorest performing homes having received an EnergySmart assessment.
In round two, the Reicherts submitted a short essay explaining why they needed a Home Energy Makeover, which was selected as one of three finalists by a panel of local energy expert judges. In round three, the three finalists were interviewed and the Reicherts were chosen as the best fit for the award.
Earlier this week, four homes won equal second place prizes, including 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 choice.
Contest prizes were largely donated by local contractors:
• Grand Prize package: Solar City
• Insulation/air sealing: EcoHandyman, ThermalCraft Insulation, EcoSmart Homes, ERC Insulation.
• Furnace installations: Service Experts, SAC Mechanical
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 6,600 residents and 2,200 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 City of Boulder’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) tax, the City of 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).
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Boulder County drive-by ballot drop-off sites will open early
Oct 31st
Boulder County, Colo. – Due to the large number of mail-ballot voters returning their ballots this week, the Boulder County Elections Division is opening two of its drive-by ballot drop-off sites early.
Drive-by drop-off, originally scheduled to start Saturday, will begin Thursday at the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s main office, 1750 33rd St. in Boulder, and on Terry Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues in Longmont.
The Steinbaugh Pavilion in Louisville, 824 Front St., will also serve as a drive-by drop-off site beginning Saturday. Lyons Town Hall, 432 Fifth Ave., and the Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 North, will offer drive-by drop-off on Election Day only.
Schedule for Boulder County drive-by drop-off locations:
- 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 1-2 (Boulder and Longmont only)
- 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 (Boulder, Longmont and Louisville)
- 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4 (Boulder only)
- 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5 (Boulder, Longmont and Louisville)
- 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6 (Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Lyons and Nederland)
Through Tuesday, 69,014 Boulder County voters have returned mail ballots for the Nov. 6 election.
All voters except overseas and military voters must return their ballots to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.
More election information and additional drop-off sites: 303-413-7740 or www.BoulderCountyVotes.org.
Key remaining dates for the 2012 General Election:
- Friday, Nov. 2: Last day to request a mail ballot for the General Election if the ballot is picked up at the Boulder County Clerk and Recorder’s office.
- Friday, Nov. 2: Last day for early voting.
- Tuesday, Nov. 6: Election Day. Polling locations will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All ballots must be in the hands of the Boulder County Clerk & Recorder’s Office by 7 p.m.
-BoulderCountyVotes.org-
-On Twitter: @BoCoClerk–
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Vote Polis, Proud to Be a Boulderite By Scott Hatfield
Oct 31st
By Scott Hatfield
For too long, our Rep in CD 2 has downplayed their connections to Boulder even though Boulder County might make up 55% of the voters. We now have a Congressman who is proud to be from Boulder and to represent our values. Folks here should appreciate being embraced rather than shrugged and support Polis at the polls. Jared Polis grew up in the City of Boulder and was extremely well known in town personally even before running for Congress.
Jared Polis formed his core values protesting Rocky Flats with his parents while growing up. Given his stated priority for the morality of stopping an ever escalating nuclear arms race, there is a reasonable expectation that he cares about the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) more than most Democratic Reps. The NPT has been the cornerstone of foreign policy for many nations, not just the USA and Russia. The NPT obliges its signatories to work in good faith toward a nuclear weapon free world as well as guaranteeing the right to nuclear energy and uranium enrichment. As the President has stated, that includes Iran. While knowing and publicly stating that Iran is not attempting to produce a nuclear weapon and simultaneously beating the drums of war over the guaranteed right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes, elements in the USA and Israel could be more interested in undermining the NPT. The nuclear weapons industrial complex is very powerful and wants its profits back. We need a Congressman who can stand up to these entrenched interests. A strong NPT makes the world a safer place for all nations.
Education has been a cornerstone of Jared’s priorities for a long time as well. He was on the Colorado School Board for 6 years and founded five schools. His work to get more kids headed to college should serve the University of Colorado and its role in Boulder well. He believes that education is the single most meaningful investment America can make in its economic future and in its people. Having the University here in town puts the role of the educational system into great prominence locally.
Jared Polis also prides himself on being a champion for environmental issues which has been a CD 2 legacy.
Scott Hatfield has been a member of the Central Committee of the Colorado Democratic Party and the Executive Committee of the Boulder Democratic Party since 1996.