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1. The Fort Collins Chamber is accepting applications for its 2007 Environmental Business Award.

2. The Chamber is also looking for individuals to serve on its Local Legislative Affairs Committee.  There are a lot of politicians in Northern Colorado who see business only as an endless funding source for their pet government projects (see: Manvel, Ben).  The LLAC is charged with following legislation and elected officials and getting the word out about business issues.  If you're interested in local politics and want to get involved, here's a great place to start.

Charter School Fight

Parents hoping to create a new charter school in Fort Collins are up against some daunting deadlines.

What struck me, however, was this passage from the article:

Following the line of thinking of Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder,” the group wants the new K-8 school to be an environmental-based experiential school. They proposal to locate the school on the campus of the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program’s future Wildlife Center on Vine Drive in Fort Collins.

It's an interesting thought, but wasn't Louv lamenting how the only interaction children get with nature is in controlled settings?

"Riverwalk Fort Collins"

The Fort Collins Now had an interesting front-page profile on "Riverwalk Fort Collins," Jay Stoner's proposed development southwest of the I-25/Harmony intersection.

392 Interchange

Windsor is making plans to move forward with improvements to the 392 interchange.

Faculty Productivity at CSU and UNC

See what others are saying about CSU and UNC.

Faculty members at Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado are among the most productive, according to a new study.

Emerging Trends Conference

The CSU Everitt Real Estate Center is hosting a presentation and panel discussion on emerging trends in real estate on Thursday. 

In addition, Bill Reynolds will be inducted into the Real Estate Hall of Fame, and Chad McWhinney will be the first recipient of the Entrepreneurial Award.

(From NCBR)

Wellington: Basketball Magnet

A developer wants to build Hoopstown in Wellington.

Developer John Vazquez and partner Tom Merkey have proposed an $18 million summer camp for fourth- through eighth- grade basketball players that could be an economic bonanza for Wellington.

Summer basketball is big business, even for middle-school kids.

The business community says...

The Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation has released its survey of 47 primary employers.   (Full document here.)

NCEDC president and CEO Maury Dobbie outlined some of the findings in the Coloradoan op-ed linked above:

We found out excellent intelligence. Out of the 47 employers, we found:

> 70 percent plan to expand over the next three years.

> 58 percent of those are in manufacturing, 15 percent in professional, scientific and technical services.

> More than 600 jobs are projected to be created in the next three years.

> There is an estimated investment of $52 million in expansion efforts.

> This is expected to affect 319,000 square feet in new facility space to be built or leased.

> 52 percent projected the economy will be better in two years.

> 31 percent feel the economy will be the same in two years.

> 17 percent feel the economy will be worse in two years.

The New Chairman

What's new Larimer GOP chairman Kirk Brush up to?  Rebecca Boyle finds out.

Airpark of the Rockies (2)

More on Martin Lind's proposed Airpark of the Rockies.

(You'll note that some of the best Fort Collins reporting is now cross-posted on the Greeley Tribune's website due to the Trib's partnership with Fort Collins Now.)