Blogs

DENVER – Roxanne Bailin was elected to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy’s Board of Directors earlier this month. Formerly the Chief Judge for the 20^th Judicial District, Bailin has devoted much of her career to improving the quality of life for at-risk and low-income families in Colorado.

Among her many accomplishments, Bailin initiated Boulder County’s Mental Health Task Force, and helped develop a groundbreaking probation program that integrates mental health services, employment assistance and housing assistance. Initially funded through a four-year federal grant, the program is now county-funded and has decreased jail bed days among its target population by 75 percent. She also was instrumental in supporting the expansion of the IMPACT program to provide more services and parole supervision for delinquent children in Boulder County which has the lowest detention and commitment rate in Colorado.  

Bailin was named to the District Court bench in 1987 after serving on the county bench since 1983. Before that, she was the Clinical Professor and Director of the Legal Aid and Defender Program at the University of Colorado School of Law and an attorney with Colorado Rural Legal Services in Trinidad.

She received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Chicago in 1971 and a law degree from New York University Law School in 1974. She currently consults for the National Center for State Courts, providing expertise on leadership, governance and court efficiency, and chairs the board of Mental Health Partners in Boulder.

“Judge Bailin’s record of leadership and public service – particularly in matters pertaining to criminal justice and mental health – will bring a fresh perspective to our mission of forging pathways from poverty for Colorado’s low-income families,” said Claire Levy, CCLP’s Executive Director. “We’re thrilled to welcome her to our talented Board of Directors.”

Bailin’s honors include the Woman of Achievement award from Zonta International; the Pacesetter Award in the category of Quality of Life from the Boulder Daily Camera; the Judicial Excellence Award from the Colorado Judicial Institute and the Outstanding Judicial Officer Award from the Colorado State Judicial Branch.

The Colorado Center on Law and Policy is a nonprofit, non-partisan research and advocacy organization that engages in legislative, administrative and legal advocacy on behalf of low-income Coloradans.

(BOULDER, Colo., June 9, 2016) – 8z Real Estate is excited to be the Presenting sponsor of the Venus de Miles bike ride, as a continued effort to support Greenhouse Scholars.   Venus de Miles is an annual non-competitive, organized women’s bike ride, held in Boulder County. The 2016 ride will take place on Saturday August 27^th at Prospect Park in Longmont Colorado. The event is a major fundraiser for the Greenhouse Scholars, a nonprofit organization that supports low-income college students with scholarships, mentorship and support to succeed in college. 

8z Realtors and staff will volunteer along the route and signage will be visible throughout the bike event.  The event sponsorship is just part of 8z’s commitment to support Greenhouse Scholars.  The company also makes a donation to Greenhouse Scholars on behalf of the client for every closing with an 8z Realtor.

After the ride, participants are welcome to stop by the 8z Shasta at the finish line festival.  8z Realtors will be serving complimentary refreshments.

8z welcomes staff, family, friends and clients who are interested in riding this year’s Venus de Miles to join  “Cycle 8z.”  The team is fundraising on their team RaceRoster.com profile for additional donations to benefit the Greenhouse Scholars.

About Venus de Miles

The Venus de Miles bike ride is a unique road ride event with a fun, non-competitive, sisterhood of female bikers. There is a crew of “men in drag” to assist with mechanical issues on the course.  This year there will be three route options: 33, 62, and 100 miles.  Registration and information about the event can be found at venusdemiles.com.

About 8z Real Estate

8z Real Estate is a residential brokerage that empowers buyers and sellers with unmatched market data and online tools, combined with the knowledge and expertise of professionals on the ground. Each Realtor specializes in a specific community, to develop expertise on everything local. 8z puts clients first with Realtors who listen to their clients’ needs, address their concerns, and deliver solutions so that each client has clarity, control and confidence in their real estate transaction. For more information call 303-563-4103 and visit http://8z.com/.

APRIL 29, 2016 -- After months of work on a collaborative project that wrapped up this week, University of Colorado civil engineering students are walking away with “real-world” experience and Flatirons Habitat has planning documents that will serve as a starting point for the eventual development of a parcel of land in Louisville.

Senior students, working as design firms (eight four- to five-member teams), submitted proposals for the land in Louisville as part of their “capstone” design experience in their final undergraduate-level class, according to professor Matthew Morris.

Flatirons Habitat intends to use the students’ solutions as bridging documents to start the approval process with the City of Louisville and to engage licensed engineers to complete the final design.

“Client’s Choice,” based on Flatirons Habitat’s review, and  “Overall Winner” were announced Thursday. Team H2MK -- consisting of members David Muench, Jacob Hebert, Scott Kilgore and Ryan Mussman -- was selected as both.

“The most challenging part of the project for me was working with the site that is to be developed. As I'm sure you know, it is not an ideal site, with unlevel terrain, said team member Hebert.

“The most fun part of the project was coming up with practical and efficient designs for Habitat. I enjoyed the challenge of designing the wet utilities for the site, especially considering the City of Louisville's request to not do construction in South Boulder Road.  It was rewarding, and I look forward to seeing how the site is actually developed in the future.

“The biggest takeaway was to be working  on a real-world project. Engineering problems in the real world are rarely cut and dry, like they are in textbooks. One must really think outside the box to come up with solutions. And we had to do exactly that for this Habitat project.

“If time provided, I would certainly do it again.”

Team member Kilgore said through feedback from Flatirons Habitat Executive Director Susan Lythgoe and Director of Construction Michael Bautista, “we ultimately decided on a design with a large central community area to bring all of the neighbors together.  We felt that this design would fit best with the existing surrounding homes and would foster a strong community among the homeowners on the property.

“There were a lot of difficult aspects to this project, but the biggest challenge was rejuvenating a piece of property that has been an eyesore for years into a functional, livable, and vibrant part of the community.  Up to this point, we had taken a lot of individual courses about many different aspects of engineering, and it was really cool to see how they all fit together to create something that will change the lives of the residents and improve the community.  It is easy to forget how engineering connects people and is vital to so many everyday things that we take for granted.  Working with Habitat opened our eyes to how much of an impact engineering can have on people's lives.  

“… I'm truly bummed that I won't get to see this development actually occur.”

Team member Mussman said the learning experience was invaluable as the concept of designing  a community grew from plans on paper to the idea of creating  plans for places people would call home.

He said it was a lot of work, but was well worth it.

“I enjoyed it more than any other class I’ve taken … being able to work on a real project,” he said.  “… The fact that Habitat is going to take our design and go out there and build it is pretty awesome.”

But unlike Kilgore, who won’t be working in Colorado, Mussman already has a construction industry job lined up in the Denver area and will get to drive by the project while its under construction and once its finished.

Maybe, he said, he’ll even get to take his kids by there on Sunday afternoons.

Hebert, Kilgore and Mussman’s takeaways on the value of the project are right in line with what their professor was hoping they would be.

“The purpose of this course is to integrate all the different civil engineering disciplines into one project,” Morris said. “Our partnership with Flatirons Habitat for Humanity has given our students an outstanding taste of real-world engineering. This experience put four years of education into perspective for our students and they will be stronger engineers going forward.”

Lythgoe, executive director of Flatirons Habitat for Humanity, said, “It is an incredible opportunity for us to work with the senior design students on this project. Building a Habitat neighborhood requires much community support and when we can include the university and its students in that support and create a learning opportunity, it is particularly special.”

Students’ proposals, among other things, were required to include site concept plans, design alternatives and cost-saving recommendations, stormwater design and analysis, irrigation design, hydraulic analysis, potable water and fire plans, grading plans, foundation and structural design for duplexes/triplexes, playground/picnic structures, housing unit design, detailed cost estimates and design and construction schedules.

CU students worked starting in January to respond to a request for proposals (RFP) for the multi-family housing project. Their engineering services include a preliminary design and construction plans to develop property at the corner of South Boulder Road and Ridgeview Drive in Louisville, which is zoned medium density residential. The new development will consist of a combination of Habitat for Humanity duplexes and triplexes designed specifically for the surrounding neighborhood by the CU students.

The students designed the foundations and structures, along with all site civil work. The site required the students to produce solutions for grading, parking, domestic water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, electrical, natural gas and communication utilities. In addition, existing structures and wells on the property were evaluated to remain and be abandoned or to be demolished. An outdoor play area also was incorporated into the design solution to foster a sense of community.

About Flatirons Habitat for Humanity:
Building strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.
Founded in 1993, Flatirons Habitat for Humanity is the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Its goal is to transform lives and communities by building simple, energy-efficient, affordable homes for families living in the Boulder Valley and Broomfield communities. Our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Our program is a hand up, not a handout. Habitat homeowners build their homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. A decent home gives them the strength, stability and independence they need to create a better life for themselves and their families.

Kim English, Quang Ho, Fritz White are first to be featured

Loveland, CO – The Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale is pleased to announce a new Legacy Artists program as part of this year’s Silver Anniversary Celebration. Each year, selected artists who have participated in the Show in years past and have works in the City of Loveland's Art In Public Places collection will be invited back to the show as part of a special exhibit and sale of their works. Quang Ho and Kim English will have work displayed and available for sale at this year’s show, along with a display from the estate of sculptor Fritz White, during the run of the Show’s 25th Exhibit at the Loveland Museum/Gallery April 24 – May 29.

“There has been an amazing wealth of talent presented over the 25 years of the Colorado Governor’s Show,” said John Kinkade, board member for the Show. “Many of our participating artists’ careers have grown beyond imagination. With that success has come busy schedules and a demand for work that is sometimes difficult for artists to fulfill. The Legacy Program was conceived to honor that success and talent, bring prestige to the Show and allow up-and-coming artists to meet and display their art with Colorado’s best. It is a winning opportunity for everyone.”

Works included in this year’s Show by these three artists are:

• English, “September Sidewalks,” 18x18
• Ho, "Western Skies," 16x24
  • "Snow in Cherry Creek," 16x24
• White, "Wyoming," 13.75h x 7.5w x 7.5d
  • "Sunday in Old Santa Fe," 20.5h x 10w x 9d
  • "Jesse Tananer Rankin – Lawman," 18h x 6.5w x 8.25d

The Show is also proud to display White’s “Grandmother’s Washday,” which will be placed by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council in the Benson Sculpture Garden this summer. It will be installed there in June, along with several other pieces, including works by Sandy Graves and Daniel Glanz, who are also part of this year’s Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale. A dedication ceremony for the new pieces will be held July 16.

“Fritz White, one of the art godfathers of the Loveland artist community, was an active Rotarian in the Thompson Valley Rotary Club,” notes Kinkade. “He was instrumental in creating the Colorado Governor’s Art Show and hosted the first two parties and his phenomenal church/studio.”

“The Show has always been a great event,” said English. “I remember doing a demonstration at one of the early shows and what a positive experience it was at that time of my art career.”

“I think that my first show was the second Governor’s Show,” recalled Ho. “I was so excited to be a part of it that I drove all the way from Mexico to participate in the Gala.”

Quang Ho is a Vietnamese-American illustrator and painter who was sponsored by a family in Denver when he emigrated to the United States with his mother and siblings. He earned a scholarship to the Colorado Institute of Art and graduated in 1985 with Best Portfolio Award. He is an educator offering painting workshops and has taught at the Denver Art Students League. His work is collected nationally and internationally, and he has been featured in Southwest Art magazine. His illustrations have also been featured in the Illustrators Annual and the Communication Arts Illustrations.

Kim English is a Colorado-based painter and educator who has taught at the Rocky Mountain School of Art, the Art Students League of Denver, and the Scottsdale Artists School. His paintings have a wide variety of subject matter but capture movement and everyday moments. He is well-known for his masterful use of light in his paintings, and he completes his paintings in one sitting, saying that immediacy is a key component of his method. His work has been widely exhibited, including the National Academy of Design, Art for the Parks, the Colorado Governor's Invitational – Loveland Museum, and the Oil Painters of America showcase. He has also won the Certificate of Merit and the Joseph Hartley Memorial Award twice.

Sculptor Fritz White helped put Loveland on the map in the sculpture community. Originally from Ohio, White took college-level art classes when he was just 12. It was not until 1961, however, that his career in sculpture began. Like the other Legacy Artists, he was an educator and taught many courses in sculpture, including classes at the Jewish Community Center in Loveland. White was also one of the founders of the Sculpture in the Park show in Loveland, a show which has become the largest juried sculpture show in the country with over 2,000 sculptures by 160 sculptors. White passed away in 2010 but continued to work on his sculptures from home in his final days. His wife hopes that his work will continue to inspire artists, and his recognition as a Legacy Artist is one example that he continues to be an influencer.

Works by each of these three artists will be exhibited in the Green Room at the south end of the Loveland Museum/Gallery. Pieces from each will be available for purchase, and proceeds from sales will be donated to foundations supported by the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs.

The 2016 Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale, presented by the Thompson Valley and the Loveland Rotary Clubs, celebrates 25 years of supporting Colorado artists and fundraising for local and international charities.

All art in this year’s show will be available for purchase beginning the evening of the Gala and during the run of the show. Purchase of Gala tickets includes an invitation to view the Show during a special VIP preview event April 22 at the Loveland Museum/Gallery. Gala tickets are available online and at the re-FINE-d Gallery, 225 E 4th Street, Loveland.

Beneficiaries of Art Sales
Funds raised through the sale of art at the Show are given to a wide variety of causes and groups, both locally and internationally, and for art scholarships for local students and Rotary Youth Leadership Camp scholarships. Local charities that received funds in the last year include Loveland Creatorspace, House of Neighborly Service, Food Bank for Larimer County, The Growing Project, Trailblazer Foundation, Loveland Youth Gardeners, and Live-Laugh-Love-Believe, Inc. International funding has been provided for shelter boxes for Haiti, medical supplies for those in need around the world, clean water projects in Nicaragua and Burma, shoes for children in Thailand, and Rotary International’s “Stamp Out Polio” project.

Further Information
For a complete list of artists in the 2016 Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale, including images of all the works for sale in this year’s show, to find more information on the Show’s slate of events, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.governorsartshow.org, call 970-670-0335 or email director@governorsartshow.org. Learn more at the event’s Facebook page.

Kim English, Quang Ho, Fritz White are first to be featured

Loveland, CO – The Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale is pleased to announce a new Legacy Artists program as part of this year’s Silver Anniversary Celebration. Each year, selected artists who have participated in the Show in years past and have works in the City of Loveland's Art In Public Places collection will be invited back to the show as part of a special exhibit and sale of their works. Quang Ho and Kim English will have work displayed and available for sale at this year’s show, along with a display from the estate of sculptor Fritz White, during the run of the Show’s 25th Exhibit at the Loveland Museum/Gallery April 24 – May 29.

“There has been an amazing wealth of talent presented over the 25 years of the Colorado Governor’s Show,” said John Kinkade, board member for the Show. “Many of our participating artists’ careers have grown beyond imagination. With that success has come busy schedules and a demand for work that is sometimes difficult for artists to fulfill. The Legacy Program was conceived to honor that success and talent, bring prestige to the Show and allow up-and-coming artists to meet and display their art with Colorado’s best. It is a winning opportunity for everyone.”

Works included in this year’s Show by these three artists are:

• English, “September Sidewalks,” 18x18
• Ho, "Western Skies," 16x24
  • "Snow in Cherry Creek," 16x24
• White, "Wyoming," 13.75h x 7.5w x 7.5d
  • "Sunday in Old Santa Fe," 20.5h x 10w x 9d
  • "Jesse Tananer Rankin – Lawman," 18h x 6.5w x 8.25d

The Show is also proud to display White’s “Grandmother’s Washday,” which will be placed by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council in the Benson Sculpture Garden this summer. It will be installed there in June, along with several other pieces, including works by Sandy Graves and Daniel Glanz, who are also part of this year’s Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale. A dedication ceremony for the new pieces will be held July 16.

“Fritz White, one of the art godfathers of the Loveland artist community, was an active Rotarian in the Thompson Valley Rotary Club,” notes Kinkade. “He was instrumental in creating the Colorado Governor’s Art Show and hosted the first two parties and his phenomenal church/studio.”

“The Show has always been a great event,” said English. “I remember doing a demonstration at one of the early shows and what a positive experience it was at that time of my art career.”

“I think that my first show was the second Governor’s Show,” recalled Ho. “I was so excited to be a part of it that I drove all the way from Mexico to participate in the Gala.”

Quang Ho is a Vietnamese-American illustrator and painter who was sponsored by a family in Denver when he emigrated to the United States with his mother and siblings. He earned a scholarship to the Colorado Institute of Art and graduated in 1985 with Best Portfolio Award. He is an educator offering painting workshops and has taught at the Denver Art Students League. His work is collected nationally and internationally, and he has been featured in Southwest Art magazine. His illustrations have also been featured in the Illustrators Annual and the Communication Arts Illustrations.

Kim English is a Colorado-based painter and educator who has taught at the Rocky Mountain School of Art, the Art Students League of Denver, and the Scottsdale Artists School. His paintings have a wide variety of subject matter but capture movement and everyday moments. He is well-known for his masterful use of light in his paintings, and he completes his paintings in one sitting, saying that immediacy is a key component of his method. His work has been widely exhibited, including the National Academy of Design, Art for the Parks, the Colorado Governor's Invitational – Loveland Museum, and the Oil Painters of America showcase. He has also won the Certificate of Merit and the Joseph Hartley Memorial Award twice.

Sculptor Fritz White helped put Loveland on the map in the sculpture community. Originally from Ohio, White took college-level art classes when he was just 12. It was not until 1961, however, that his career in sculpture began. Like the other Legacy Artists, he was an educator and taught many courses in sculpture, including classes at the Jewish Community Center in Loveland. White was also one of the founders of the Sculpture in the Park show in Loveland, a show which has become the largest juried sculpture show in the country with over 2,000 sculptures by 160 sculptors. White passed away in 2010 but continued to work on his sculptures from home in his final days. His wife hopes that his work will continue to inspire artists, and his recognition as a Legacy Artist is one example that he continues to be an influencer.

Works by each of these three artists will be exhibited in the Green Room at the south end of the Loveland Museum/Gallery. Pieces from each will be available for purchase, and proceeds from sales will be donated to foundations supported by the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary Clubs.

The 2016 Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale, presented by the Thompson Valley and the Loveland Rotary Clubs, celebrates 25 years of supporting Colorado artists and fundraising for local and international charities.

All art in this year’s show will be available for purchase beginning the evening of the Gala and during the run of the show. Purchase of Gala tickets includes an invitation to view the Show during a special VIP preview event April 22 at the Loveland Museum/Gallery. Gala tickets are available online and at the re-FINE-d Gallery, 225 E 4th Street, Loveland.

Beneficiaries of Art Sales
Funds raised through the sale of art at the Show are given to a wide variety of causes and groups, both locally and internationally, and for art scholarships for local students and Rotary Youth Leadership Camp scholarships. Local charities that received funds in the last year include Loveland Creatorspace, House of Neighborly Service, Food Bank for Larimer County, The Growing Project, Trailblazer Foundation, Loveland Youth Gardeners, and Live-Laugh-Love-Believe, Inc. International funding has been provided for shelter boxes for Haiti, medical supplies for those in need around the world, clean water projects in Nicaragua and Burma, shoes for children in Thailand, and Rotary International’s “Stamp Out Polio” project.

Further Information
For a complete list of artists in the 2016 Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale, including images of all the works for sale in this year’s show, to find more information on the Show’s slate of events, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.governorsartshow.org, call 970-670-0335 or email director@governorsartshow.org. Learn more at the event’s Facebook page.

Ladies & Gentlemen:

From time to time, a success story worthy of talking about (and repeating) comes across the desk of an interested party. I am very interested in presenting Mr. James and his 3 book memoir with apparel to you as one of those stories.

I would be very thankful if you would consider publishing the following article in your paper. Jimmy James, fighting a hard long battle of 3 years of homelessness, penned half of his 3 book memoir with a 791-page count. James has published 2 books this year with a third on its way.

Still classified homeless when he returns back to the shelter that took him in and becomes a night safety manager. James was nominated and won the Courage Award at the September 2014 Poverty Matters Conference for becoming self-sufficient and working to help others find their way out of homelessness.

The series shows what happens when you do drugs and get involved with a gang, James said. “There’s lots of death and violence, and that’s sad, but it’s the way it is when you go down that road. If my series can help just one kid make a decision not to go down that road, then I’ve succeeded.”

SNITCHES ‘N’ B*TCHES shares the tale of one man’s lifelong saga through organized crime and drugs as he learns life lessons the hard way in a cold, harsh world where no one is safe.

“I wasted 26 years of my life—I just threw them away,” he recalled. “I saw lots of my friends lying dead in the street. It’s a bad life. People see it in the movies and say, “Oh, I want to be like that! But no, you don’t. You really don’t.”

A long, rough road of drug abuse and gang activity had nearly consumed Jimmy James when he found himself facing a 60-year sentence. At 40 years old, he realized he would likely never be a free man if he received the full prison for giving a friend a line of cocaine, which claimed her life.

A LINE 2 DIE 4 brings to light the dangers of drugs and the questionable motives of the US legal system. It's a straightforward, honest account that doesn't shy away from the realities and perils of a life affected by drugs and corruption.

“It finally hit me at that moment that I might never get out of prison,” James said. “I decided then that I had to change my life. The weight of it all forced me to say I’ve had enough. I’m not going back to that, even if it means I have to live on the streets. I had been a big cocaine dealer and I was in a gang from about 14 years old,” said James, a native of Milwaukee. As a young person, I made a lot of mistakes; and they always catch up with you. I raced through my younger years with a license to kill”. I carried a heavy weapon and lived to deal drugs. The problem was there would always be someone behind you trying to get you. You always had to watch your back.”

FRACAS it is 2010 shares the compelling tale of a homeless felon’s struggle to recreate his life after prison, pursue his dreams, and overcome seemingly insurmountable challengers.

“If a kid was planning to pick up drugs or join a gang, I hope they would have a chance to read just one of my books,” James said. “If you go down that road, one of four things will happen: you’ll end up in jail, your family will fall apart, you’ll become homeless or you’ll end up dead. That’s the way it works with drugs and gangs—you’re always going to get burned one way or another. Once you get in, it’s almost impossible to get out. Many people never do—I am one of the lucky ones.”

James said he regrets the life he lived, and has begun to authoring books in hopes of helping others avoid making the tragic decisions he made.

James is now working to turn negatives of the past into positives in the present and future.

James is dedicated to continuing to write and publish more books, along with marketing and selling accompanying hooded sweatshirts, t-shirts and tanks @ snitchesandbitches.net. James is committed to donating 10% of all books profits to both the OUR Center, Longmont, CO. and The Salvation Army Project Homes, Appleton, WI.

Thank you for your generous time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Cordially,

Jimmy James

beyerbooks@yahoo.com

(920) 475-6248

For immediate release                         Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Contacts:  Bonnie Sundance, director, Our Sacred Earth. Email: delight@denver.net

Stele Ely. Email: greentopiaorg-4@yahoo.com

 

Put your Love on the Line, hang your clothes

BOULDER, Colo. — Honoring Earth, local nonprofit Our Sacred Earth is promoting Love on the Line, a local clothesline initiative encouraging everyone to give the Earth a break by air-drying their clothes. The aim is help slow down climate change by getting more people in Boulder and beyond to let air and/or sun dry their clothes - instead of using fossil fuel gas or coal-run electric dryers.

Love on the Line was inspired by a song written by Stele Ely, Boulder's own Earth Man. You can hear his song, "Love on the Clothesline," at http://xoearth.org/clothesline/

Love on the Line initiative asks people to hang their clothes, take pictures and post photos on Facebook and put their own posters in coin-operated Laundromats, laundry rooms and neighborhoods. Let's enjoy collaborating for the Earth and for us all by taking an easy action that makes a difference.  

Letting the sun and wind do the work of a clothes dryer benefits the environment and atmosphere, which is being pushed to overheat by our over-use of fossil fuels.  Stele Ely, a "Love On The Line" volunteer says, “Approximately 1.5 square meters of habitat potential is protected or recovered every time a person uses a clothesline or a drying rack - instead of a gas or electric dryer." [XOEarth.org/ecofx] 

To join "Love On The Line" and its mission to slow down climate change,get inspired by http://xoearth.org/clothesline/ or   www.Our-Sacred-Earth.org  or call 720.340.8080 or just take your clothes out of the dryer stream and put them into the air.  You can buy kite string through Boulder's IntoTheWind.com and clothespins from McGuckin Hardware.

You can hear and sing-along with the "Love On The Line" theme song by Boulder's own XOEarth Man at XOEarth.org/Clothesline

Colorado is one of the states with a "clothesline" law so HOAs cannot prevent homeowners from air drying (in a reasonable way—as with a retractable clothesline). See: The Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (“CCIOA”), which includes this info: “owners in condominium associations need to first obtain permission from the association, and renters from owners.”

“Love on the Line” Dryer facts

• About 80 percent of U.S. homes have a dryer whereas in the 1950’s we didn’t use them
• Dryers account for 10 percent of household electricity use in US
• Only 5 percent of Italian homes have a dryer.
• Cutting U.S. dryer use to that of Italy would save 180 billion pounds of greenhouse gases annually, the equivalent of taking 18 million cars off the road, and save $8 billion a year

(Source: Ning Mosberger-Tang of Boulder’s C3 Climate Culture Collaborative)

Take a look at this selection of newsletters and special offers that you can sign up to receive for free.  Select as many as you want. You can modify your subscriptions at any time by following the link at the bottom of the newsletters. 

Check it out and Sign Up Here.

Two hundred forty years ago General George Washington, the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, took to the field with his troops and spent the next eight years engaging in a military campaign to secure freedom for our patriot ancestors and their posterity. He made some of his toughest decisions in his sleeping and office tent, what we like to refer to as the “First Oval Office.”

George Washington’s tent served as his field headquarters throughout the war.  Erin Jackson, the National President of the Children of the American Revolution 2015-2016 Project is to raise funds to support the preservation of our nation’s history and create a permanent home for this iconic treasure. It is an authentic witness to our founding history and traveled on the Road to Independence that led to the fulfillment of the dream for American independence and the expansion of liberty to future states.

"First Oval Office” will be permanent exhibit at the new Museum of the American Revolution.  The museum is now under construction in Philadelphia—the city that served as the headquarters to the Revolution. A dedicated theater will house the tent, dramatically bringing its story to life through state-of-the-art multimedia techniques. Scheduled to open in 2017, the museum is located just steps from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Many places claim that George Washington spent the night, but how many people can say that they have saved, made a home for, and promoted education about the room where General George Washington spent the entire Revolutionary War?  We have the opportunity to preserve a Revolutionary War artifact for generations to come.  To learn more please visit www.amrevmuseum.org

Update 1/27: This event has been cancelled. 

Contact: Steve O'Bryan | steveobryan@msn.com | 720-917-9340

Details at a glance - Joseph Campbell: Cri de Coeur (The Heart's Cry for Meaning)
What: Full Day Workshop - Multi-media and arts workshop to gain understanding of myth and how to apply the ideas and philosophies of Joseph Campbell to your life
When: Saturday, January 30, 9:00 am – 5 pm
Where: eTown Hall, 1535 Spruce St, Boulder, Colorado 80302
Tickets: $90 in advance; $100 at the door; tickets are limited; light food and beverage services included
For tickets and more information: http://www.etown.org/events/joseph-campbell-cri-de-coeur-the-hearts-cry-for-meaning/
Online Media Kit Available: http://buildmyaudience.com/onlinemediakit/

About Steve O'Bryan Facilitator/Presenter/Photography – Boulder, CO
For the last twenty-five years has taught Ancient Greek/Roman History/Art at Metropolitan State University of Denver; most recently at the University of Denver. O'Bryan has a UCLA Graduate Degree in Ancient Greek and Roman History/Art and a UCLA Undergraduate Degree in History Art---Ancient and Renaissance. He is the Photographer/Owner, of Wild Basin Photography in Boulder, CO and recently has started Open Eye Boulder to offer programs about the life/ideas/application of Joseph Campbell, especially his interest in the arts as a vehicle for one’s personal inward journey. For more information about Steve O'Bryan, please visit wildbasinphotography.com/.

About the additional presenters:

Mary E. Martin - Toronto, Canada

Mary E. Martin is a writer, storyteller, essayist, and blogger (125+-posts on art, writing, Campbell and Jung). She is a frequent contributor to the Joseph Campbell Roundtable and has recently published The Trilogy of Remembrance. Joseph Campbell has had significant influence on her interest in the arts, creativity, and their role in understanding the “meanings” of one’s life.

Kevin Patrick McCarthy, - Rollinsville, CO

Internationally/Nationally published poet, writer, essayist, Kevin Patrick McCarthy was most recently honored as a finalist in The Poetry Society of Britain’s international competition for the poem, Enough Sky. He has studied and published articles/essays on various topics related to the ideas and interests of Joseph Campbell. McCarthy, in addition to being a part of the spoken word performances, will be presenting a separate presentation on Campbell.

A Number of Spoken Word Performers/Storytellers will dramatize several well-known mythic traditions.

TBA: Dance as a physical/psychological way expressing the inward path.

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Local teen in the spotlight for her fight against bullying is being bullied behind-the-scenes.

Maya Claridge, a freshman at Legacy High School, is no stranger to bullying.  She was bullied for over two years in middle school and says it was the “darkest and loneliest time” of her life.  With the hope of helping other kids who are experiencing bullying, Claridge began the Bullied to Bold tour, traveling to schools and youth related organizations throughout Colorado, sharing her story and message of hope.  “I don’t want anyone to feel alone,” Claridge says.  “I want them to know that they can overcome being bullied.”

Her message is one of inspiration, hope and strength as she encourages kids to put down their fear, put down the shame and rise above the pain.

Ironically, in the midst of the Bullied to Bold tour, Claridge is experiencing cyber-bullying from several teenage girls whom she has never met.  “These girls have targeted Maya via Instagram and have posted numerous negative comments about her, mainly making fun of how she looks,” said Beverly Brenner, management and booking agent for the Bullied to Bold tour. 

Claridge appears un-phased by the cyber-bullying attacks against her, stating, “I’ve dealt with bullies before and I refuse to give them the power to hurt me.”

Determined to continue reaching out to others with a message of kindness, Claridge does not respond to the negative comments she receives via social media.   “They can say what they want to say about me but they’re mean words aren’t going to change who I am or what I’m doing,” Claridge says.

Claridge will appear on Colorado & Company (9News) on January 22, 2016 to promote the Bullied to Bold tour and her song entitled, PUT IT DOWN, which was written specifically for the tour and produced by Billboard award-winning producer, Marc Williams at Indasoul Records.

For booking information please visit www.BulliedToBold.com

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             In the film “The Martian,” Matt Damon stars as a biologist who is left on Mars by his crewmembers.  Although this seems like science fiction, Brian Cooper, robotic engineer for Jet Propulsion Laboratory, says this is closer to reality than many would believe.

            As part of the team that helped build the software, which makes it possible to control the Mars Exploration Rover, Cooper is much closer to visiting Mars than most other people on planet Earth.

            Cooper first fell in love with sci-fi as a child when he watched the film “2001: A Space Odyssey.”  His love for sci-fi was cemented when at the age of eight he watched the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

            “I was inspired by the landing,” said Cooper. “I was into thinking about the future as a child and the landing was about the future.”

            Cooper’s father was stationed in Turkey at the time Cooper was born, but the family moved to California while he was still young. Right out of high school Cooper joined the Air Force for four years. He was stationed in El Segundo, California and this is how he found JPL.

            “The military paid for my education, but I was not thrilled to be there for 20 years,” Cooper said.

            Cooper attended U.C. Irvine for his Bachelor of Arts degree, and then completed his master’s degree in computer engineering at University of Southern California.

            JPL is a NASA center but it is unique because the government does not run it. Cooper is not a government employee, but rather an employee of California Institute of Technology.

            “I am actually on faculty,” Cooper said.

            Cooper has worked for JPL for over 30 years and has driven the rovers on Mars over the last 18 years. He started with Sojourner, which made him the first person to drive a rover on another planet. Sojourner was the first successful landing of a Mars rover in 1997.

            Cooper controls the day-to-day operation of the current rover Curiosity. He schedules the route which the rover will take each day.

            Cooper wrote the software to control it and according to him, it looks like a computer game graphic. It helps to see what a pretend rover would do before building the commands for the real one.

            “It is my biggest life accomplishment,” Cooper said.

            Cooper’s wife, Lynne Cooper, works with him at JPL. According to Lynne Cooper they are a multi-nerd family. It was a surrealistic time for her being “Mrs. Rover Driver” in those days of Sojourner.

            “I remember watching the news where we were talking on our phones while a camera crew was broadcasting and he was in the background waving and signaling to me at home,” Lynne Cooper said. “I am extremely proud of Brian’s accomplishments.”

            Cooper believes one day they will have a manned space station on Mars. NASA has had a plan for it in the last 20 years.

            “It is a huge endeavor and needs national support and funding,” said Cooper. “These things change every four years or so depending on the government at the time.”

            Elon Musk, the CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation and architect of Tesla Motors, has the goal of getting people on Mars according to Cooper. SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, according to their website.

            “The government could take another 20 years, but with people like Musk it could be sooner,” Cooper said.

            Another project in the works for Cooper is a rover for planned to explore Europa. It is believed that there is a liquid substance, which could be an ocean.

            “We are currently looking at Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons,” said Cooper “There is a layer of ice, which could possibly have life form.”

            His colleagues, especially Jeng Yen, a Mars rover driver, admire Cooper. According to Yen, Cooper is a good leader.

            "Brian has shielded us over the years from the negative politics found at work so we could focus on just writing great software, said Yen. “And he has a great sense of humor.”

            Cooper said that when people find out he drives the rover on Mars, they often ask him if Mars is really red.

            “We get a lot of pictures in black and white, but hopefully that will change with the next rover,” Cooper said.

            The pictures JPL receive are sometimes false color because they filter red, green and blue, but it sometimes skips a color.

            “It is pretty normal looking, except it has a tinge of orange and reddish dust everywhere,” Cooper said.

            According to Cooper, the dust is from the iron in the soil, which has rusted out. They have drilled a lot on Mars and the pattern is always grey in its unrested state. It’s the lack of oxygen that causes the red color.

            Cooper loves watching Sci-fi films in his free time. Although Sci-fi is enjoying a high at the moment with films like “The Martian” and “Star Wars” about to hit the cinema, Cooper still loves the classic film “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

            “2001 is dated now, my daughter thought it was too slow and it is a bit outdated. I like modern films Interstellar,” Cooper said.

            Cooper loves the physics concepts of travelling faster than the speed of light, which is the theme in Interstellar. He also loves novels based on dystopian futures. His favorite novel is Ender’s Game, also sci-fi. As for “The Martian,” he loves it, but it is too close to what he does at work, so it is “a bit mundane.”

            Cooper enjoys other activities outside of sci-fi. He loves building things with his hands, going on hikes with his wife and daughter and going on driving trips. According to Lynne Cooper, he never gets lost because she is his navigator at work and on the road.

            “He’s an original who has done an amazing job and has a real talent for sharing the awesomeness of his role with others,” Lynne Cooper said. “Being married to Brian has been one great adventure.”

            At this time we do not have a manned station on Mars, but one day, not far, far away in another galaxy it might be possible. Cooper is hoping to make it a reality for future generations.

Hawthorne brings us a pickup truck-driving, Ruger-packing heroine who takes to the Colorado woods for solitude, only to be attacked by a pack of mythological fae-creatures.

Look for the book at Boulder Bookstore and online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and www.KevinFury.com.

The month of November is officially Zonta Says No month in Boulder and around the world. Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County is taking this effort very seriously and working hard with local organizations to help fight sexual violence.

“Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women” is a Zonta International campaign to raise awareness of and increase actions to end violence against women and girls around the world. It begins in November and runs through December 10 ending with the culmination of the16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence which is commemorated by the United Nations. This year we are working with Boulder High School, the Fairview High School women's basketball team, Moving the End Sexual Assault (MESA), The CU Center for Gender Studies and Abby's Voice  to spread the word.

To support ZSN, which began in November, 2012, Zonta clubs and districts around the world serve and advocate against violence against women and girls in their local communities. It also highlights Zonta International’s ongoing efforts to end violence against women and girls through the Zonta International Strategies to End Violence against Women (ZISVAW) program and through Zonta’s partnerships with the United Nations and its agencies.

So with the help of the Boulder High School Pantherz Z Club we kicked off our Zonta Says NO campaign with a PantherZ TV spot that our Z Club produced to tell their students body about this campaign. The girls painted shirts, gather for the production and then entered it into the school's announcements.(Visit  https://youtu.be/O2-jHUirH94)  

This launched our next school activity at Boulder High School's last home football game against Montbello High School. We stood in the rain wearing orange to remind everyone that October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month and November is ZONTA SAYS NO TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN month. 

Our Boulder High School Pantherz Z Club also created and hung Silent Witness silhouettes. Each black felt silhouette has a victim's tragic story and they hang on the library windows off the Boulder High School central courtyard where students could see read from both inside and outside the school. There are also resources about relationships and community support on display for students who may need help. 

On Thursday, November 12 spent the day spreading the world against violence.  At our business meeting we were inspired by speakers Janine D’Anniballe and Kathy Robertson. Janine is a nationally recognized trauma expert, Director of Access, Emergency, and Community Services at Mental Health Partners and former Executive Director of Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA), the rape crisis center in Boulder, Colorado. Kathy Robertson co-founded  Abby’s Voice, after the murder of their daughter Abigail Robertson who was stalked and harassed by an ex-boyfriend for months prior to her death.  Kathy travels to college campuses and local high schools throughout Colorado talking to groups about healthy relationships.

To end the day we marched in unison with The CU Gender Justice League and MESA to spread say that Boulder Says “No” throughout the campus and surrounding neighborhoods.

The last element of our campaign will be at Fairview High School where we will be creating silhouettes with the girls of the school's four basketball teams. These will be hung outside the school gym to communicate the team’s voice against violence. These will be on display in the large front hall to be seen during the school's Fairview Festival, a large tournament sponsored for the school which is attended by teams from all over the Front Range.

We live in a world where women live in constant danger. It’s a harsh reality to learn that: 1 in 3 women around the world will experience physical/sexual violence by a partner … About 140M women suffer from female genital mutilation/cutting. Three million girls a year are at risk … Globally, 38% of all murdered women were killed by their intimate partners …  Women are 2-4 times more likely than men to become infected with HIV during intercourse. Forced sex or rape increases this risk … More than 64 million girls worldwide are child brides … Women and girls represent 55 percent of the estimated 20.9 million victims of forced labor worldwide … Women and girls represent 98 percent of the estimated 4.5 million forced into sexual exploitation.

Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County joins in fighting this problem that is ruining the lives of women and girls …  We will wear orange throughout November in support of “Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women” a Zonta International campaign to raise awareness of and increase actions to end violence against women and girls. “We believe that sustainable prevention requires an understanding of the root causes and the use of multiple complementary strategies operating on individual, relationship, and the community and society levels, starting early in life during childhood, continuing in the schools and continuing during adulthood,” explains Maria Jose, Landeira Oestergaard Zonta International President.

Sexual violence is one of the most pervasive human rights violations and a global epidemic. It knows no national or cultural barriers and affects millions of women and girls in peacetime and conflict. It includes physical and sexual violence, and harmful practices such as rape, female genital cutting and human trafficking. Violence against women and girls threatens countries, inhibits economic progress, and prevents women from contributing to their community and creating better lives for themselves and their families. In our own backyards violence against women is hidden in the most unsuspecting places, on our streets, in our schools, or maybe even in a right in your neighborhood. In Colorado 1 in 4 women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. Whether it is rape, child sexual assault, dating or domestic violence incest, human trafficking, it is in all strata of our society. But yet it is estimated that under 10% of sexual assaults are actually reported to police.

As a community, Boulder County can only reverse this trend if we advocate for programs that educate and lay the ground work for change. Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County salutes groups in our community like Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA), Abby’s Voice, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program (SANE), St. Vrain Safe Shelter and CU Women and Gender Studies Program and others who work with us to address reverse this epidemic.  Their efforts must be recognized in our community.

Together we are saying that we can no longer tolerate exploitation of women and that college campuses must not look the other way to traditions of drinking, hazing and sexual exploitation.  As a community we are reaching out to men, women and children to educate and establish an understanding the intricate web of violence. Men and boys must be empowered to speak with a unified voice making violence not just a women’s problem but broader societal issue. Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County asks you to recruit you spouse, your brother, your neighbor or your son…inform them of the facts surrounding this social tragedy urge them to be an agent for change for all of our daughters.

To learn more visit http://www.zontafoothills.org/.

Around the world there are an estimated 93 million children not in school, 48.4 million are girls. Zonta International has increased access to educational opportunities and vocational skills training for girls and young women in Africa, Asia and South America. Zonta Foothills Club is working hard to make a difference here in Boulder.

Through the Zonta EducateZ Scholarship Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County is helping women like Amber Heartz complete their education.

Meet Amber Heartz, the first-ever recipient of The Zonta EducateZ Scholarship, an endowed scholarship managed for Zonta Foothills Foundation by The Community Foundation  of Boulder County.

Amber is a hard-working single mom who is a very strong motivated person. With our support she will be attending Compass Nursing Arts in Lafayette, Colorado. We have awarded her an $1100 scholarship along with a laptop computer to support her studies. Amber is a proud mom or an adorable one year-old son and her goal is to go on to become a medical assistant. She explains that by “having a good job I can provide for my family, buy a home, have a good car… I’m very outgoing, a hard worker, and a strong person. My son is my world and my main reason to achieve and work on my education and goals in life.”

Congratulations Amber and Good luck at Compass!

How does the Zonta EducateZ Scholarship Work?

Its goal is to make returning to or staying in school a reality and we are committed to helping women who face significant financial barriers to higher education.  The Zonta EducateZ Scholarship is awarded to a woman who:

• wants to return to post secondary school,
• faces significant financial barriers to attending a college, university or any accredited institution,
• is committed to becoming self sufficient through education.

To qualify for this scholarship award the applicant must:

• be a resident of the State of Colorado
• have graduated from high school or have earned a GED
• be admitted to a two or four-year accredited college, university, or trade school
• demonstrate financial need
• complete the required essay
• participate in an interview if requested.

The funds will not exceed $1000 per semester but smaller awards are possible.  The amount awarded each recipient is determined by the selection committee according to established criteria. 

While the Walker Range Heritage Baseball game (click to see more pictures) didn't quite have as many spectators (or "cranks" as they were called 150 years ago), it was a gorgeous day for baseball in the mountains of Boulder.

The Walker Ranch Boys finally prevailed over the Central City Stars in a enjoyable game. And at the end, Honus Wagner (who had just finished his first season with the Pittsburgh Pirates and had come back to help with the Fall Harvest) was passing out Honus Wagner Rookie Baseball Cards - you should have been there!  ;-)

Join West End Salon as they honor their Founder, Deandra Trevino, in an Ovarian Cancer Awareness Fundraiser!

Through September, donations will be collected at West End Salon for the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Donors names will be displayed on teal ribbons throughout the salon!

Our Story:

Dreandra Trevino founded West End Salon in 2006. In 2010, the salon moved to its current location and became a top salon in downtown Boulder. Tragically, that same year, Deandra passed away after a 3-year fight with ovarian cancer.

In 2010 Deandra's parents took over the salon. Today, Rich and Norma keep the place running smoothly and always on a path towards betterment. As owners, they keep Deandra's vision alive. And as a team, we keep her in our thoughts everyday. 

HOME BUILDERS FOUNDATION OF METRO DENVER INSTALLS A LIFT FOR A 12-YEAR-OLD BOULDER RESIDENT

BOULDER, COLO. – August 24^th,  2015 – A two-part accessible home modification project was completed by the Home Builders Foundation (HBF) today for 12-year-old Boulder Resident, Kyla Bursiek. The retail value of this project was over $17,500, but thanks to all involved, all work was done at no cost to Kyla or her family. And, the project wrapped up on Kyla's 12th birthday.

The Bursieks initially contacted the

 HBF for assistance to modify their bathroom so Kyla, who has cerebral palsy and uses a walker to get around, could bathe and brush her teeth independently. The HBF completed the barrier-free bathroom modifications at no cost to the family, approximately a $7,500 value at the end of 2014. However, the family was still in need of a vertical platform lift to enable Kyla to enter and exit her home independently.

Due to the high cost of a vertical platform lift, the HBF spearheaded a fundraising drive to cover the costs of this portion of the project.  Over the course of 10 days in April, the (HBF) raised over $10,000 from generous individuals to purchase and install a vertical platform lift Kyla.

“Granting her these liberties (to enter and exit the home and use the bathroom independently) are a dream come true.” Paul Bursiek, Kyla’s father.

To learn more about HBF and the services they provide, or to get involved with the organization as a volunteer or partner, visit www.hbfdenver.org.

About the Home Builders Foundation

The Home Builders Foundation is a metro-Denver nonprofit that partners with the homebuilding industry to provide home modifications at no cost for individuals with physical disabilities and financial need. Since 1993, the organization has helped more than1,200 individuals with disabilities remain in their homes with dignity and independence as well as access life and their community outside of them homes. For more information, visit www.hbfdenver.org.

Show title:   D E E P  H O R I Z O N S

As you step into Rebecca’s large, rich and layered landscapes you are transformed, shaped and drawn into a time warp of past and current culture.

Show runs: JULY 10- JULY 26th 2015

OPENING RECEPTION:   FRI  7/10  6-10 pm 

Location: PIRATE Contemporary Art

3655 Navajo Street, Denver, CO • Navajo Art District

Gallery hours: Fri. 6 – 10 pm Sat. & Sun. noon to 5 pm or by appointment

“ Poppies”–addresses the use of heroin by so many, now prevalent in small town America, sadly with countless tragic outcomes for our youth.  Boldly applied red paint expresses, intensity, richness and the seduction. The radiating lines of the high horizon suggest sacred transformation via the light or the drug.

“Bedstead”– transports you back in time; our collective vast western landscape, plowed fields, a deep horizon line, the stark rich dreamlike story-land. Actual physical elements; a cloth draped over the top of the canvas and a bed frame in the foreground help the illusion of stepping into the landscape offering the promise of a new day or connecting you to a past memory.

“ Migration”–Environmental changes force new strategies for our planets survival. Layer upon layer of oil paint and washes build the huge rush of animals stampeding across an expansive land, past, present and future; their marks obscured by the wind.

“ Harvest”–Created following the flood of 2013, this work depicts the contrast of a formally dry vista, the huge brown field now alive with a foreground of water. Children affected by the flooding along the Front Range are pictured. A girl playing in the deep mud, a boy dazed, as he looks past us into an uncertain future. The foreground holds hope in the life-giving force of water juxtaposed by abstracted remnants of exposed trash.

Publicity Contact:

Annette Coleman, AnnetteColeman@yahoo.com, 303-941-8887

Artist Contact Information:

Rebecca Cuming, RCumingStudio@comcast.net, RebeccaCuming.com, 303-466-5689

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