The Broadway reconstruction project between Pine Street and Iris Avenue is halfway done, and all roadway lanes between North Street and Balsam Avenue are expected to be reopened this week. The next segment of construction, Balsam Avenue to the North Boulder Recreation Center, has begun, and the entire project is expected to be complete by late summer 2010.
In celebration of the project’s midpoint, the city of Boulder; the property owners of the Ideal Shops, Ideal Market and Community Plaza; and adjacent businesses on Broadway are partnering to sponsor a “Holiday Gift Certificate Giveaway.” More than 70 $25 gift certificates will be given away over a threeweek period. Drawings will be held on Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Entry forms are available in participating stores. For complete giveaway rules, entry forms and a list of participating merchants, see the project newsletter, available on the Broadway reconstruction website at http://tinyurl. com/y8ruxcu.
Volunteer monitors needed
The city of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks department is looking for volunteers to help monitor nest sites for rare birds of prey along the Front Range — falcons, osprey and eagles. Volunteers should be skilled at bird identification and be able to make a four-hour commitment each week. Hiking to nest sites can be strenuous, although a few sites can be observed from a car. Nests are typically occupied from February until late July. For more information and an application, visit www.bouldercolorado.gov/osmpvolunteers.
In addition, Boulder County Parks and Open Space is now accepting applications for its 2010 Volunteer Natural Resource Monitor program. Volunteers collect scientific data about wildlife, forestry, plant ecology and noxious weeds.
Ideal candidates have a background in natural resources, experience collecting field data, and familiarity with the scientific method. Knowledge of local flora and fauna is preferred.
For additional information, visit www.bouldercountyopenspace.org/volunteering or contact Michael Bauer at 303-678- 6219 or mbauer@bouldercounty.org.
RMSE to host Holiday recycOil 2009
Rocky Mountain Sustainable Enterprises is hosting its third annual Holiday recycOil event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 28. Organized to help individuals and families recycle their waste fryer oil after Thanksgiving, the event is expected to divert hundreds of gallons of used cooking oil from landfills and municipal sewer systems throughout the region. Participating municpalities include Boulder, Erie, Lafayette, Louisville and Loveland. For event locations and more information on Holiday recycOil visit www.rmse.biz.
Youth-adult art show coming
High school students on the City of Boulder’s Youth Opportunities Advisory Board (YOAB) are organizing the fifth annual juried youth-adult art exhibit. Applications are being accepted through Dec. 4. Youth artists must be high school age and must live or attend school in the city of Boulder. Adult artists must live or work in the city of Boulder. Voices V: Perspectives of the Artistic Soul will take place Jan. 8–15 at Rembrandt Yard, 1301 Spruce St., in Boulder. The application is available online at www.yoab.org. For more information, call Alice Swett at 303-441-4349.
Boulder firm launches search site
Boulder-based PublicEarth has launched a new website, www.publicearth.com, that serves as a sort of “Wiki for Places” and features up-to-date information in a personalized way. Users can search for interesting locations worldwide that aren’t associated with businesses and restaurants in web searches.
The site has information on more than 4.7 million locations, and that number is growing by the hundreds each week.
More affordable housing funding
The Boulder Housing Partners Foundation has received a $5,000 grant from the U.S. Bancorp Foundation to support affordable development projects that have significant funding gaps caused by changes in economic conditions.
“Affordable housing is one of the top priorities for the city of Boulder,” said BHP Executive Director Betsey Martens.
“This funding will go directly toward these efforts, which are very crucial right now, as the demand for affordable housing far exceeds the supply.”
For information about help with housing needs, contact BHP at 720-564-4610.
Bank gives Sister Carmen $5,000
The Sister Carmen Center recently announced that it has received a $5,000 gift from Great Western Bank to assist residents in eastern Boulder County served by the center.
The gift is a part of the bank’s Greater Than CD program and will be used to assist families in crisis with housing and utility costs.
The Sister Carmen Community Center provides families with emergency assistance through their wide offering of community support services and the center’s emergency food bank.
To date, the Greater Than CD campaign has provided more than $300,000 in support to more than 80 local nonprofit organizations in communities where Great Western Bank is located.
