Who:
The Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC), the City of Greeley and Neuton Lawn Mower Company

What: 
All residents of Weld County are invited to the Mow Down Pollution event at Greeley’s 33rd Annual Spring Cleanup Weekend.  Residents can trade in their old gas-guzzling mowers for big discounts on new, electric earth-friendly mowers! We’ll recycle the old mowers and send you into summer breathing clear with your new Neuton mower. Just remember to drain your old mower of fuel before you bring it for exchange!

Where:
Greeley Farmers Market
902 7th Ave.
Greeley, CO  80631

When:       
Friday, April 25 – Saturday, April 26
7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Why:
The RAQC and the City of Greeley want to help residents take care of our summer air. Quart for quart, gasoline consumed by lawn mower engines today contributes 93 times more smog-forming emissions than many cars. Models manufactured before 1997 (when lawn equipment emissions standards were revised) are particular culprits, contributing to ground-level ozone.

Ground-level ozone pollution is formed when emissions from everyday items combine with other pollutants and “cook” in heat and sunlight.

Sewall Child Development Center, an inclusive pre-school and child care center that helps children ages 0-8 reach their potential, will host its sixth annual “Champions for Children” fundraising luncheon on Friday, May 2 at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center.  

The keynote speaker at the luncheon will be Emily Rapp, author of Poster Child.  Emily was born with a congenital defect that resulted in her leg being amputated at age four. As a child, Emily traveled around Wyoming as the smiling, indefatigable “poster child” for the March of Dimes.

“We are so lucky to have a world-renowned speaker like Emily to keynote our luncheon,” notes Coleen Truax, Development Director for Sewall.“Her spirit and success embody the potential we encourage in all of our students – despite their differing needs.”  

JohnstonWells is happy to report that its client, Colorado-based HomeSphere, has been nominated for the CSIA's prestigious APEX Award, the largest annual technology awards event in the state.

HomeSphere is the nation’s largest provider of self-service solutions to the construction industry. Using a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, the company manages product and materials purchasing and rebate management – delivering increased profitability and efficiency to the full spectrum of the homebuilding industry’s supply chain.

• A Child Safety Journal, providing law enforcement officials with vital information about their child and other important facts they will need immediately after a child is reported missing.
• A Digital Photograph of their child – high quality full color.
• A Biometric 10 Digit Fingerprint Profile - the most advanced fingerprint technology available to help find a child in the event of kidnapping.
• A Home DNA Identification Kit that is easy and lasts through generations.

Recent studies show that 87 percent of parents polled indicated that their greatest single fear was that their child would be reported missing for more that 24 hours. 

Colorado’s most famous almond toffee and candy makers have sweetened the retail landscape in Arvada, Colo., by opening an Enstrom’s store featuring the World Famous Almond Toffee, among other chocolates, confections and premium ice cream made according to Chet Enstrom’s original 1929 recipe.

The location, 6770 West 52nd Ave. in Arvada, was previously a Stephany’s Chocolates factory store. Enstrom Candies purchased Stephany’s Chocolates in 2006. Because Stephany’s is a wholesale line of all-natural chocolates and confections sold via regional and national retailers, the company converted the Arvada factory store to an Enstrom’s retail location. The company also operates three other year-round Colorado retail locations – in Grand Junction, Fruita and Denver (Cherry Creek area).

Goodwill Industries of Denver celebrated 90 years of self-sufficiency through work at this year’s Power of Work Luncheon on March 13 at the Seawell Ballroom in Denver.

At the event, Goodwill recognized organizations and individuals who have helped at-risk youth and disabled and disadvantaged adults through the power of work.

A few of these outstanding individuals included:

Terri Cossel, one of Goodwill’s most recognized employees for more than 20 years, works in Goodwill’s community programs. Terri assembles products for many local companies, including the well-known Steve Spangler Science program.

She motivates others with her calm and quiet demeanor and an intense focus on her work. While working, Terri only stops long enough to bring her entire team together with a unique whistle she developed many years ago to boost team morale. Terri’s whistle is a favorite with her co-workers because it sounds so unique, and her team enjoys trying to learn how to whistle just like her.

The Institute for Altitude Medicine (IFAM) will open a second office in Mountain Village on March 27, in part due to a grant received from Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA). IFAM will be located in the Blue Mesa building at 113 Lost Creek Lane.

With 600,000 people living above 7,000 feet in Colorado and 25 million tourists to Colorado’s high-altitude communities each year, health problems related to or exaggerated by high altitude are very common. IFAM will treat these problems and produce research on the effect of high altitude on common health issues such as heart disease and pregnancy.

Goodwill Industries International is part of a national coalition that is educating the public about the transition in WHEN from analog (over-the-air) television to all-digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders.

Regenerative Sciences, Inc., creator of the Regenexx™ procedure that uses a patient’s own stem cells to regenerate bone and cartilage, has announced a new clinical study using its patent pending processes to treat tendon injuries. 

The company is recruiting patients with moderate to severe tennis elbow, partial rotator cuff tears or Achilles tendon tears, and moderate to severe plantar fasciitis.  This study has been sanctioned by an independent research review board and involves using the patient's own stem cells to repair and strengthen these tissues. 

Prestigious school announces Culinary Arts Farm to Table Externship 

Call it farm to table, seed to fork, farm to fork, or sustainable kitchen -- by any name, diners in today’s top restaurants are demanding locally grown seasonal food.

Whether in response to increasing concern for the environment or simply a desire for the delicious, restaurants around the country are finding ways to source local ingredients, even in bustling urban areas such as Manhattan, Houston, Seattle, Cleveland, Atlanta and Denver.

Quilters’ Resource Inc., a subsidiary of Bernina of America, is pleased to announce the purchase of Brewer Sewing Supplies effective January 2, 2008. Combining these two noteworthy notion, fabric, and book distributors will result in increased operational efficiencies and provide customers with an expanded assortment of products in a consistent, timely manner. Other benefits will include a proven order processing system, modern warehouses in both Aurora, IL, and Reno, NV, and a staff of truly dedicated employees.

Quilters’ Resource and Brewer will continue to operate as individual companies until the procedures of both companies are seamlessly combined. Operational consolidations are expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2008. 

D.H. Ruggles & Associates, a full-service residential and commercial architecture and interior design firm, has added Jody Yehle as director of architecture.

In this new position, created to support company growth, Yehle will lead a team of 10 architects and designers and manage new business prospects. Prior to joining D.H. Ruggles & Associates, Yehle worked extensively in the resort, mixed-use residential and entertainment fields in the United States and Asia.

“We’re thrilled to add Jody to our team at D.H. Ruggles & Associates,” said Don Ruggles, president of D.H. Ruggles & Associates. “Jody’s commitment to historic preservation and her holistic approach to building with the landscape are a perfect match for our company.”

National School Accepting Applicants to Explore Colorado’s Bounty

Culinary School of the Rockies is recruiting students nationwide to participate in its newly created “Farm to Table” Culinary Arts Program, an industry-pioneering opportunity for aspiring cooks and chefs to combine culinary know-how with a deep understanding of ways to source and use local ingredients. This innovative and environmentally sensitive program responds to the growing demand from restaurant consumers who are asking for more locally grown menu items.

Anyone interested in pursing a culinary career can apply online at www.culinaryschoolrockies.com for this six-month intensive Culinary Arts Program, which includes a five-week immersion on the farms and in the kitchens of both Colorado’s North Fork Valley and Boulder County.  Only 16 students will be accepted into the groundbreaking program, scheduled from July through December 2008.

Aurora, Colo. – Kemmons Wilson Communities' (KWC) newest lifestyle community, the Villas at Great Plains Park (The Villas), celebrated the opening of its completed clubhouse today. Aurora City Councilman Bob Broom and Aurora Chamber of Commerce President Kevin Hougen joined Kemmons Wilson Companies executives for the clubhouse ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Located in Aurora at the southeast corner of South Dunkirk Street and Jewell Avenue, the clubhouse features a great room, fitness room and adjoining outdoor pool. The 3,000-square-foot clubhouse is the centerpiece for The Villas, a community designed for active empty-nesters who no longer want the inconvenience of stairs or exterior maintenance responsibilities.
Ron Hickman, senior vice president of (KWC), addressed the group at the afternoon ceremony. “Today marks a milestone in the progress of Villas at Great Plains Park. Soon this clubhouse will be the hub of activity for an 80-home community offering a unique opportunity for peace of mind.” 

New study released to Colorado pediatricians today

BOULDER, Colo. — For children between birth and age 3, the most powerful number is 30,000 – the number of words they need to hear every day from their parents and caregivers, to ensure optimal language development and academic success, according to the Power of Talk research study, released today to healthcare professionals statewide.

Infoture, a Boulder-based company, is receiving international recognition for its Power of Talk study, which expands on the well-known benchmark study by Dr. Todd Risley, Ph.D., and confirms that young children who hear at least 30,000 words a day will thrive regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status.  That’s the same number heard in 18 and a half readings of Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat.”

National chain leads dash to dine in Denver’s resurging Theatre District

DENVER – Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., a restaurant inspired by Paramount Pictures’ movie “Forrest Gump," will open its newest location – and one of the nation's largest – at 1437 California St. in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 23.

Its location signals a growing excitement about Denver's newly designated Theatre District, designed to draw locals as well as increasing numbers of tourists and convention attendees. The 18,000-square-foot location is one of the few multi-story Bubba Gump restaurants in the nation and will employ 211 Denverites.

“Since the success of our Breckenridge restaurant, we’ve been looking for the right opportunity to open in Denver,” said Scott Barnett, president and CEO of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. “We’re excited to be a part of Denver’s up-and-coming Theatre District. Denver is an energetic and growing community, which is reflected in its status as an increasingly popular tourist destination.”