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08/18/2014 | by
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08/18/2014 | by
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Awsome – this gave me so much clarity
I am excited to see the Mayor and Denver City Council’s consideration of raising the age of sale on tobacco from 18 to 21. Raising the legal minimum age of sale and requiring tobacco retail licensing is an effective policy combination to eliminate a critical point of access to tobacco, reduce youth use, and prevent the potential of lifetime addiction.
Colorado is one of only a handful of states across the country that do not require a license to sell tobacco. Unlike alcohol, or recreational marijuana, we don’t know who is selling tobacco in our state, nor our city, which means we don’t know who is illegally selling these products to our kids and cannot consistently hold retailers accountable. Adopting tobacco retail licensure at the same time as raising the tobacco sale age to 21 ensures a comprehensive list of all retailers in Denver and a consistent set of practices among all businesses that choose and are privileged to sell tobacco products. Retailers that participate in a licensure process are less likely to have violations for selling to minors compared to businesses without a process.
There are twelve cities in Colorado that require a license to sell tobacco. I was part of efforts to pass retailer licensure in Lakewood and hope that Denver will follow suit. Denver can and should do better. And, that window of opportunity is now.
It’s time for Denver to raise the age of sale on tobacco and require tobacco retailers to be licensed to sell.
Re: An Appeal for Energy Efficiency
Today, most inefficient commercial buildings are small and built by smaller developers. When these buildings are constructed or renovated, it’s typically not cost effective to add high efficiency features. Because of this, these buildings tend to be drafty and of poor air quality, making the home, or work, environment uncomfortable. Did you know that inefficient buildings waste up to half of the energy that they consume? This presents an opportunity to make buildings more efficient. By doing so, owners can save energy and money, while improving the value of their building. That’s where Colorado House Bill 1236 comes into play. This measure would provide a tax credit to building owners who invest in making their buildings more efficient; the credit is larger for developers of low-income apartments. It makes economic sense to provide incentives for instituting positive change while creating jobs. Lets hope our state legislators see that too!
We need to install a disc golf course in Stapleton.
Disc golf courses provide a low cost recreation option at a low cost to install and maintain.
The average cost of installation of a 18 hole disc golf course is less than $15,000.
Disc golf is a low impact exercise that will enhance existing parks and optimize under utilized land/space.
Disc golf is a sport for all ages and will bring more local community members into the parks system.
Building a disc golf course is environmentally friendly. The installation and use does not require mowing maintenance, clear cutting or the grading of land.
Disc golfers play an active role with the upkeep of the course and the surrounding communities. Many parks with disc golf installations have noticed a reduction in crime and vandalism.
Anyone can play this sport, regardless of age, sex, religion or Creed. Disc golf courses are an active place for community engagement and awareness.
Many local community business are willing to donate to the equipment costs, especially if the have the right to advertise on the Tee signage.
A disc golf course will bring more of our local community members into the parks system. This type of attraction will also bring people from outside our area into our parks system and the surrounding local businesses.
It is time we build a disc golf course in Stapleton.
On a side note we could use some of that recycled concrete from the airport as tee pads.
An airport theme would be unique and bring people in. The course could run around Central Park through westerly Creek and along 26th. It would be nice to have a well traveled path to the Stanley from Central Park.
To have a professionally designed course that would qualify as a tournament course would cost less than $30,000. Honestly that would be a very high figure and an incredibly nice course. With local business and community donations that number could easily dwindle to nothing before parks and recreation would even have to think about using any of their funding on the project. I have read that some courses have qualified for federal/state grants because they provide access to low/no cost activity/fitness to the community.
Hope front porch does an article or at least a poll on building a disc golf course in Stapleton.
A Food (r)Evolution!
I am a Denver Native who recently moved to North Aurora. I primarily buy organic, natural and non-GMO food, and it is so frustrating to have to travel so far for healthy food. I am grateful that our local King Soopers offers some organic alternatives, but I would prefer to shop at a market that is dedicated to healthy options. I was really amazed to hear that all the health foods stores were shunning our neighborhood. This is why I was so excited to find out, by word of mouth, about the NCCM (Northeast Community Co-op Market).
I used to shop at an amazing co-op when I lived in Brooklyn, NY. I loved the community feel and the prices were more affordable than traditional grocery stores. A co-op is owned by the members, giving a voice to the wants and needs of the community, offering local options and other benefits. The NCCM makes it easy to become a member, with a $200 fee for a lifetime membership. There are several payment plans available to make it more accessible to all income levels.
I am not willing to sit idly by, wishing for something to change in regards to the lack of healthy food options for my family. That is why I joined. The sooner the membership grows, the sooner the store will open. Why wait? Be part of this amazing project, you will be glad you did! http://www.northeastco-op.org/
—Lalania Simone Carrillo, Northeast Community Co-op Market Board of Directors
I would like to comment on recent demands for more events in City Park. There are presently two weekend days each summer month during which day events are not scheduled in City Park. The Department of Parks and Recreation has been respecting this schedule for many years. This means that there are six weekend summer days when the park is unscheduled.
The advocates for more events are, in effect, demanding that these six days of passive park availability would no longer be permitted in City Park. I find this selfish, un-neighborly and a failure to recognize 100 years of City Park’s history.
Rather, I would like to see those two days of no events coordinated so that neighbors can know in advance the timing on these precious days. If the second weekend of every month would be made into a family use of the park for traditional park uses – picnics, bikes, roller skates, sun bathing, hide and seek, volley ball, etc.- we would have an opportunity to measure the need for park space as opposed to events.
Balloon releases are littering and kill wildlife
I was disappointed to see the photo of Westerly Creek Elementary kids releasing helium balloons in support of those affected by breast cancer in the November Front Porch. Though it takes longer than throwing trash directly on the ground, releasing helium filled balloons is littering plain and simple. Every balloon that rises eventually falls back to earth. And when they do fall back down, balloons pose a serious hazard to birds, fish, and mammals that eat the colorful latex pieces and become entangled in the lengths of ribbon. Let’s stop honoring important causes by littering and killing wildlife. There are great, harmless alternatives including having an indoor balloon drop, blowing bubbles, or simply donating the money that would have been spent on balloons directly to the charity.