LOCAL

risks across the state. Later this year, program staffers will announce an estimated $400,000 in grants for projects that track and curb pollution in neighborhoods facing disproportionate environmental health hazards.

The employees and advisory groups spent much of the last year visiting those neighborhoods, including through an October tour that Ruiz-Parrilla led around Globeville and Elyria-Swansea.

“True community engagement with disproportionately impacted communities takes relationship building,” said state Sen. Faith Winter, a Democrat from Westminster who sponsored the legislation that started the environmental justice program. “They’re working on listening, but that’s a culture shift as well for these agencies.”

Ruiz-Parrilla said that while she appreciates state and local interest in Globeville’s issues, agencies often “pass the buck” when it comes to taking responsibility and fi nding solutions.

“We don’t want them to see us with pity, we don’t want them to see us as contaminated. Because we’re not,” she said. “What we want them to do is to fi x the problem, and it hasn’t happened yet.”

Once the environmental justice grants are available, state offi cials said they hope it invites a fl urry of proposals from local governments, tribal nations and community organizations.

The advisory groups will also

Sandra Ruiz-Parrilla, a North Denver artist and environmental justice activist, at the Museo de Las Americas on Friday, Aug. 11, 2022. Some or her students’ art hangs behind

her as part of an exhibit about Latino health and justice. PHOTO BY HART VAN DENBURG/CPR NEWS

make recommendations to the Polis administration and state lawmakers about environmental justice policy. A draft of those recommendations created in June included changing the names of power plants named after Native American tribes, such as the Comanche

Generating Station in Pueblo and the Cherokee Generating Station in Denver, both of which are operated by Xcel Energy.

The Environmental Justice Act also created an ombudsperson role within the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment who will be responsible for creating a system the public can use to fi le complaints about environmental justice problems.

The tool program offi cials developed to track environmental health hazards, called Colorado EnviroScreen, helped them rank the risk in counties and census tracts based on dozens of health and environmental factors. The Colorado tool, which has a public website, is based on a similar one run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Colorado version has more state-specifi c details and data, including asthma hospitalizations, cancer rates and proximity to traffi c or other sources of pollution.

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” said David Rojas, an environmental epidemiologist and professor at Colorado State University who helped develop the data tool. “If something is highlighted in the map, probably there are many more things happening at the same location.”

Rojas, who also sits on the new Environmental Justice Advisory Board, is already interested in adding more health data and training residents to use the tool, he said. Though it’s not a solution for areas that bear the brunt of Colorado’s pollution, he hopes the information helps residents question state offi cials about their environmental problems.

“My goal is that this tool can help trigger the demand from the community to say, ‘We need attention here,’” he said.

This story is from CPR News, a nonprofi t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

TINKLENBERG

services offi cer to oversee the city’s internal service departments, including the city clerk’s offi ce, fi nance, human resources, and information technology, in 2014.

He was then promoted to deputy city manager of community services in 2016, where he oversaw the community development, parks, recreation and golf, and public works departments along with planning for the city’s capital improvement program.

Tinklenberg took over as interim city manager in July 2020 and was offi cially appointed to the position in May 2021.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the Commerce City community for over 21 years,” said Tinklenberg. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with great people in every part of the organization, along with all our community partners and residents during a time of continuous growth and change.”

Blakeman Tinklenberg

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Acreditation hearing

The Adams 14 School District thinks a Denver district court judge will rule in about two months on the district’s appeal of an order that removed the district’s state accreditation and implemented orders to reorganize.

A district statement said its appeak was two-pronged .. a constitutional right to challenge the state board of education’s order from May and that the order “caused irreparable harm to the district.”

According to the statement, district legal counsel Joe Salazar is “fi ghting for the community, fi ghting for our students and fi ghting for our school district. We are looking forward to the judge’s ruling.”

Golf

The Curt Holland Memorial Golf Tournament is set for 7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Buffalo

CASA’s Old Hollywood evening

The Court Appointed Special Advocates program in Adams County is hosting an evening in old Hollywood from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at Balistreri Vineyards, 1946 E. 66th Ave.

Aside from red carpets, cinema, and music, there will be food and wine from the vineyards and an auction. Proceeds help CASA move closer toward providing a volulnteer for every child in need.

Visit https://cbo.io/tickets/ casa17/indulge for ticket information.

Hope Floats Water Lantern Festival

The Richard Lambert Foundation’s Hope Floats Water Lantern Festival runs from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Barr Lake

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The event includes live music from West Highway 7, a local band that plays songs from countryWestern singers Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. The Magic Food Bus and Revned BBQ Food Truck are going to handle the food. There will be local vendors and a chance to decorate lanterns with messages before they are released. Call 720-408-8417.

Gummball 5K

The fi fth annual Gummball Rally will be Saturday, Oct. 1 at Adams County Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton. The 5K walk/run is in honor of former Adams County sheriff’s deputy Heath Gumm, who died in the line of duty in 2018. The cost is $30 for racers 13 and older and $10 for 12 and younger. Those 12 and younger get in free. Each includes a shirt/swag bag guaranteed with entry by Sept. 14. Packets will be available for pickup at 4201 E. 72nd Ave. from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Proceeds benefi t a nonprofi t that supports law enforcement and fi rst responders. Questions? Email tracykilgore71@gmail.com.

Walk with a doc

Platte Valley Medical Center’s cardiac rehab team and Walk With A Doc will host monthly walks with Dr. Christopher Cannon, an interventional cardiologist at Brighton Heart and Vascular Institute.

This is a walking program for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle. After a few minutes to learn about a current health topic from the doctor, spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and fun conversation. It’s a great way to get out, get active and enjoy all the benefi ts that come from walking.

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70th

Mr. & Mrs. Estel Doss

Celebrating their 70th Anniversary

Congratulations to Estel and Lois Doss who are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary on August 24th, 2022. ey were married in a double wedding with Lois’ sister, Bonnie and her husband, in Greeley in 1952. ey have lived in Commerce City since 1954 and have 5 children: Sherlyn (Greg) Keiling, Curtis (Anita) Doss, Kelvin - deceased (Regina), Ken - deceased and Duane (Tami) Doss. ey also have 12 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.

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