Our Government/Nuestro Gobierno

White House

The U.S. unemployment rate went up to 8.2 percent for the month of May, the Labor Department reported last week. The unemployment rate is thought to be directly linked to the economy, which experts say will be a deciding factor on President Obama’s re-electability.

Casa Blanca

La tasa de desempleo en los EE.UU. subió a 8,2 por ciento para el mes de mayo, informó el Departamento de Trabajo la semana pasada. La tasa de desempleo se cree que está directamente vinculada a la economía, que los expertos dicen que será un factor decisivo en la re-elegibilidad del presidente Obama.

Colorado’s Governor

Gov. John Hickenlooper ordered flags lowered to half-staff on all public buildings statewide on Friday, June 1 in honor of Englewood Police Officer Jeremy Bitner. Bitner, 39, was fatally injured while on duty during a traffic stop on May 28. His funeral service were held Friday, June 1, at the Denver First Church of the Nazarene followed by interment at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Officer Bitner was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He became an officer with the Englewood Police Department in 2004. He is survived by his wife Christina and two children.

Gobernador de Colorado

El gobernador, John Hickenlooper, ordenó las banderas a media asta en todos los edificios públicos de todo el estado el viernes, 1 de junio en honor del oficial de policía de Englewood, Jeremy Bitner. Bitner, de 39 años, fue fatalmente herido mientras estaba de servicio durante una parada de tráfico el 28 de mayo. Su funeral tuvo lugar el viernes, 1 de junio en la iglesia Denver First Church of the Nazarene seguido por su entierro en el Cementerio Nacional Fort Logan. El oficial Bitner era un veterano del Ejército de los EE.UU. Se convirtió en un oficial con el Departamento de Policía de Englewood en 2004. Le sobreviven su esposa Christina y sus dos hijos.

Denver’s Mayor

Mayor Michael B. Hancock and local sponsors kicked-off Denver’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which will provide free meals to nearly 12,000 children daily. This year, the SFSP has been expanded to a summer-long service that will be implemented through a partnership between the City of Denver, Denver Public Schools, Food Bank of the Rockies and Hunger Free Colorado. This program is available to children under the age of 18, with more than 90 sites located at various Denver parks, recreation centers, libraries, schools, churches and non-profits through Aug. 24. Visit hungerfreecolorado.org/map.html.

Alcalde de Denver

El alcalde Michael B. Hancock y patrocinadores locales dieron inicio al Programa de Denver de Servicio Alimentos en el Verano (Denver’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP por sus siglas)), que ofrecerá comidas gratuitas a casi 12 mil niños diariamente. Este año, el SFSP se ha ampliado a un servicio durante todo el verano que se llevará a cabo a través de una colaboración entre la Ciudad de Denver, las Escuelas Públicas de Denver, el banco de comida Food Bank of the Rockies y Hunger Free Colorado. Este programa está disponible para niños menores de 18 años, con más de 90 sitios ubicados en diferentes parques de Denver, centros de recreación, bibliotecas, escuelas, iglesias y organizaciones no lucrativas hasta al 24 de agosto. Visita hungerfreecolorado.org/map.html.

Colorado Politics

2012 Capital Conference

Sen. Mark Udall, Colorado Mesa University President Tim Foster and University of Colorado President Bruce Benson announced a diverse list of speakers for the 2012 Colorado Capital Conference taking place June 5-7, in Washington, D.C.

Nearly 100 Coloradans will be greeted at a welcome reception with the entire Colorado delegation; they will also be able to hear from Sen. Michael Bennet, Rep. Scott Tipton, Rep. Cory Gardner and Rep. Ed Perlmutter during the conference.

Other scheduled speakers include: Secretary Ken L. Salazar, Department of the Interior, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Secretary Hilda L. Solis, Department of Labor.

Hispanic Chamber welcomes Martinez and Cervantes

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver announced the addition of Tammy Martinez and Mariana Cervantes as Account Executives for the Chamber.

Ogas at DPS

Jesse Ogas has been hired by the Denver Public Schools as director of Community Relations.

Congratulations to Solicia Lopez, the new Student Voice & Engagement Manager, and Ramon Bargas, the new Project Director, Office of Community Engagement.

Ogas a DPS

Jesse Ogas fue contratado por las Escuelas Públicas de Denver como director de Relaciones con la Comunidad.

Felicitaciones para Solicia López, la nueva Voz del Estudiante y Gerente de Participación, y Ramón Bargas, el nuevo Director del Proyecto de la Oficina de Participación de la Comunidad.

EMS forms in Spanish

North Metro Fire Rescue District has translated several emergency medical service (EMS) forms into Spanish. With the growing number of Spanish speaking residents in the community, North Metro recognizes the importance of providing “easy to read” forms for Spanish speaking patients.

“On many of our emergency calls, we encounter patients that feel more comfortable receiving medical information in Spanish,” stated Stacey Mulligan, Public Information Officer for North Metro Fire Rescue District. “We are thrilled that we can provide them with piece of mind in an already stressful situation by having forms now available in their native language.”

The EMS forms that North Metro provides regard our privacy notice with HIPPA, “right of refusal” for medical transports, blood draw forms and the Ambulance Membership Program applications.

Regis University welcomes new president

Colorado’s only Jesuit Catholic university welcomed a new leader June 1 as Father John P. Fitzgibbons, S.J. assumed duties as the 24th president of Regis University.

He succeeds retiring University president Father Michael Sheeran, S.J., who had served as president since 1993. The Regis University Board of Trustees announced Father Sheeran’s retirement and Father Fitzgibbons selection in summer of 2011.

An official inauguration ceremony for Father Fitzgibbons is scheduled for Sept. 25 at the University’s North Denver (Lowell) campus. Father Fitzgibbons becomes only the third Regis University president in nearly 40 years. Father Sheeran served as president for 19 years and Father David Clarke was president for 20 years.

Colorado State Capitol upgrading

The Colorado State Capitol building is being upgraded to use geothermal energy, making it the second state capitol in the country to do so. An energy performance contract finalized by the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration and Chevron Energy Solutions will upgrade the Capitol’s HVAC system to use a geothermal well that will cool the House and Senate Chambers.
In addition to the upgraded functionality of air conditioning to the building, the project will replace existing pumps and other equipment that date back to the 1940s and are well beyond their estimated useful life, avoiding approximately $904,000 in replacement costs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing a $4.1 million grant toward the overall $5.5 million project. The State will finance just under $1.5 million to complete the project.

The Colorado State Capitol is also the only state capitol to be LEED EBOM (Existing Building Operations and Maintenance) Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. It achieved that status in 2008.

Tuition for undocumented students

Metropolitan State College of Denver’s board of trustees will consider on Wednesday and vote on Thursday on a recommendation that would set a tuition rate for students who are illegal immigrants that have graduated from a Colorado high school or earned a GED and can prove that they have resided in Colorado for at least three years.

The rate is expected to give illegal immigrant students the opportunity to obtain a university level education at a reasonable price. These students would pay semester tuition of $3,358.30 compared to the $7,992.60 out-of-state tuition they now pay.