Energy Awareness, EDIE Awards Announced

As the weather cools down and heaters turn up, the Four Corners Office of Resource Efficiency is offering free home energy assessments to residents. La Plata Electric Association has opened applications for the National Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, DC to high school juniors living in the area. City of Durango, Durango Fire Protection District, and the Durango Police Department have launched a new website for the public to follow developments for the River City Hall Project. And four of this year’s Economic Development Council of Colorado Edie Awardees hail from Southwest Colorado. You’re watching the Local News Roundup, brought to you by the law firm of Downs, McDonough, Cowan, and Foley and Happy Pappy’s Pizza-N-Wings. I’m Wendy Graham Settle. La Plata Electric Association is looking for high school juniors to represent the co-op at the 2023 National Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, DC from June 12th through 18th. Students will have the opportunity to visit Denver to learn about the Colorado State government and rural electric co-ops before flying to Washington DC to attend educational leadership seminars and meet with Colorado State representatives in the House and Senate. Students will also have the opportunity to visit national and historic landmarks during the all expense paid trip. Eligible students must live in the La Plata Electric Associate Service Territory and be high school juniors. Applications are due by December 16th, and successful applicants will be notified in February, 2023. One student from Durango, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, and Ignacio will be selected to attend. Apply online at lpea.coop/lpea-youth-tour, or email youth tour@lpea.coop. As the temperatures begin to drop, it might be time to examine your home’s energy efficiency going into the winter. The Four Corners Office of Resource Efficiency is currently offering free home energy assessments for locals to learn more about how to make their homes more efficient. Assessments are offered in partnership with Energy Smart Colorado, which provides residential energy efficiency services such as information about upgrades, access to audits, rebates, and more. Energy Smart is available specifically to residents in the 80 to 100% range of area medium income. If you are below that range, you are eligible for the Colorado Affordable Residential Program. The program will send an authorized energy advisory to educate on energy usage, install energy efficient products, and assess for major efficiency opportunities. To learn which program you’re eligible for, contact Molly Morris at molly@fourcore.org. To learn more about Energy Smart Colorado, visit fourcore.org/energy-Smart-Colorado. For more information about the Colorado Affordable Residential program, at fourcore.org/care-program. In order to better educate and share information about the River City Hall Project, the Durango Fire Protection District, City of Durango, and Durango Police Department have launched a new website to make information more accessible to residents. In July, the city of Durango and the Fire Protection District entered a year-long memorandum of understanding to explore the potential of rebuilding the property at River City Hall as the fire district’s downtown property. Over the past several years, the Fire Protection District has identified over 30 potential sites downtown for expansion and development of a new station, but none have proved suitable moving forward. The police department is also interested in a new facility and is taking part in discussions about the River City Hall Project. In 2015, the police department conducted a master facility plan on its current location, and contractors noted that the department was dealing with a severe lack of space to perform its duties. The new website will list project developments, as well as upcoming meetings, such as the one on November 10th at the Powerhouse Science Center. To view the website and keep up to date with information, visit rchproject.com. The Economic Development Council of Colorado has announced this year’s Edie Awards. Edie Awards recognize economic development excellence and represent outstanding achievements by its members, organizations, communities, individuals, and legislatures. Since 1989, over 200 awardees have been recognized. This year, 11 awardees were recognized for their work and contributions to Colorado’s economic development. Four awardees hail from Southwest Colorado. The Edie for the Small Community of the Year is the town of Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County for their work in expanding broadband in rural communities and recognizing the importance of economic development. The legislature Lifetime Achievement Award went to representative Barbara McLaughlin, who was recognized for her leadership in strengthening Colorado’s economy through Public Policy achievement. The Economic Development partnership of the year went to Pueblo Community College, recognized for its leadership and support for the community through workforce preparation, retention programs, and training programs. The Chairman’s Choice Award recognized Laura Lewis Marcino from the Region Nine Development District for her multi-year commitment to the Economic Development Council of Colorado and the exceptional work she’s contributed. To learn more about the other Edie Award winners and the Economic Development Council of Colorado, visit edcconline.org. That’s it for this week’s Local News Roundup. I’m Wendy Graham Settle.

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