Week in Review

Council contribution would help group secure $2 million grant

GARFIELD COUNTY - The Glenwood Springs City Council supports contributing $450,000 toward a regional effort to obtain $2 million in grant money for green projects.

The vote of support was taken last week. Funds will still have to be approved in the municipal budget process.

A local group called Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) has met since July and spearheaded an effort to organize and motivate local governments and other organizations to participate in securing the grant money. Up to $2 million in grant money is available through the state's Department of Local Affairs and Governor's Energy Office New Energy Communities Initiative.

So far, Garfield County has agreed to contribute at least $200,000. New Castle will pitch in a total of $59,000. Rifle will contribute $509,000. The Garfield County Library District will give $20,000, and Silt will come up with $1,000, according to Heather McGregor, CLEER's communications director.

Consultant recommends fiber-optic expansion

GLENWOOD SPRINGS - John Trustman said Glenwood Springs could make a few million per year and offer better services and lower prices than companies like Qwest and Comcast by expanding the city's fiber-optic network to connect directly to homes.

"It's about a 20 percent discount for the same product across the board," Trustman said. But he said the comparison isn't really fair since the city would offer numerous additional features and better services for free that Qwest and Comcast charge extra for.

Oil and gas rule would encourage drilling plans

GLENWOOD SPRINGS - Oil and gas companies will be encouraged to draft comprehensive drilling plans that identify future drilling locations under a new rule that earned the endorsement of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on Tuesday.

Commissioners tentatively approved a rule sketching out the requirements for the plans after several hours of lengthy debate surrounding the issue.

The plans are intended to identify areas of oil and gas development in certain places and to identify measures to minimize impacts on public health, welfare and wildlife.

Companies would have to invite the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Division of Wildlife in developing the plans, but they would also be required to invite local government and surface owners to participate.

First 10 affordable housing lottery units chosen Wednesday

GLENWOOD SPRINGS - Don Nadon, 51, left the Garfield County Administration Building with a smile on his face Wednesday afternoon.

Nadon was one of the lucky 10 people chosen in the first of a two part Garfield County Affordable Housing Lottery which is providing 20 affordable housing units located in the Ironbridge Community between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale.

"I'm real excited," Nadon said. "I grew up in Glenwood and was hoping to move back here about 10 years ago, but never made it. And housing prices have gone way up since then and it would be almost impossible for me to purchase something here today. This is a great opportunity."

Helping children of Chernobyl

SILT - While 14-year-old Nastia Tysnul of Belarus was staying with Beth Dardynski and her husband, Jim Croy, of Silt this summer, she only knew three words in English - "hungry," "music" and "TV."

Dardynski hosted the girl through a nonprofit organization called The Children of Chernobyl United States Charitable Fund Inc. The all-volunteer group seeks to help save the children from Belarus who still suffer side effects from the radiation fallout after the 1986 nuclear accident in nearby Chernobyl.