ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers who have losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions.
Livestock – additional cost of transporting livestock feed, additional cost of transporting water because of an eligible drought.
If you’ve suffered an eligible loss during calendar year 2022, you must file:
A notice of loss within 30 calendar days after the loss is apparent.
On Labor Day we honor the achievements of America’s workers, and in 2022 we have a historic victory to celebrate. Our nation’s working people have come all the way back from the depths of a global pandemic, regaining every job lost and more.
This milestone seemed impossible to reach on Labor Day two years ago. The pandemic was out of control. Millions of Americans were out of work, and economic forecasters said unemployment could remain elevated for years to come.
Some commentators even lost faith in our national work ethic. Even today, some still say that Americans “don’t want to work anymore.”
What nonsense. This sour view of workers seems rooted in the belief that they should be happy with whatever they get. A deadly pandemic exposed the limits – and the disrespect – of that attitude.
The truth is, Americans were eager and ready to get back to work. They just needed the right opportunities, the kind President Biden’s American Rescue Plan delivered. It got vaccines to the people, relief to families, and support for schools and businesses to reopen safely. With these conditions in place, America got back to work – and in a big way.
Since President Biden took office, we’ve added 9.5 million jobs to the economy. The unemployment rate has plunged to 3.5 percent, matching a 53-year low.
Here in Colorado the unemployment rate is 3.3 percent as Coloradoans are seizing opportunities like never before.
This job growth has been broad and widely shared. Some said construction would be slow to return. As of July, there were 82,000 more construction jobs than before the pandemic.
Healthcare workers battled bravely through the pandemic and, by this summer, nearly every single job in that vital sector was recovered.
Some said thinking we could restore America’s manufacturing was naïve. Well, manufacturing has more than fully recovered – and with the new CHIPS and Science Law, we are set to lead the world in the industries, and good jobs, of the future.
Ours is a remarkable story of resilience and recovery. I must say, as a former construction worker, I’m not surprised. Working people are proud of their work and who they are. That hasn’t changed.
As I travel the country as Labor Secretary, I talk to workers and jobseekers and – everywhere I go – Americans want a fair chance to earn decent wages, support their families, make meaningful contributions, and achieve financial security.
Consider the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It’s creating thousands of good-paying jobs that don’t need a college degree. America’s workers are doing what they do best – rebuilding their communities, revitalizing our industries and securing a healthy future for our children.
We’re also reducing inequality. In this recovery, wages have gone up the fastest for workers of color and workers with less than a high school diploma. We are determined to continue this progress. To unlock the full potential in our economy, we must empower all of our nation’s workers, especially those who got shut out in the past.
We advance all our goals now from a position of strength. The Inflation Reduction Act will not only lower costs for working families; it’s also going to create good jobs for years to come. America’s workers – diverse and determined – are going to win our clean energy future.
Every recovery has a lesson to teach. Here’s one for this Labor Day: Never bet against America’s workers.
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Espanol
Día del Trabajo 2022: La fuerza laboral de Estados Unidos es más fuerte que nunca
Por Marty Walsh, Secretario de Trabajo de EE. UU.
En el Día del Trabajo honramos los logros de los trabajadores de Estados Unidos, y en 2022 tenemos una victoria histórica que celebrar. Los trabajadores de nuestra nación han regresado desde las profundidades de una pandemia global, recuperando cada empleo perdido y más.
Este hito parecía imposible de alcanzar en el Día del Trabajo hace dos años. La pandemia estaba fuera de control. Millones de estadounidenses se quedaron sin trabajo y los analistas económicos dijeron que el desempleo podría seguir siendo elevado en los próximos años.
Algunos comentaristas incluso perdieron la fe en nuestra ética de trabajo nacional. Incluso hoy en día, algunos todavía dicen que los estadounidenses “ya no quieren trabajar”.
Qué tontería. Esta visión agria de los trabajadores parece arraigada en la creencia de que deben ser felices con cualquier trabajo que obtengan. Una pandemia mortal expuso los límites – y la falta de respeto – de esa actitud.
La verdad es que los estadounidenses estaban ansiosos y listos para volver al trabajo. Solo necesitaban las oportunidades adecuadas, del tipo que entregó el Plan de Rescate Estadounidense del presidente Biden. Llevó vacunas a la gente, alivio a las familias y apoyo para que las escuelas y las empresas reabrieran de manera segura. Con estas condiciones en su lugar, Estados Unidos volvió al trabajo, y a lo grande.
Desde que el presidente Biden asumió el cargo, hemos agregado 9.5 millones de empleos a la economía. La tasa de desempleo se ha desplomado a 3.5 por ciento, igualando un mínimo de 53 años.
Aquí en Colorado, la tasa de desempleo es del 3.3 por ciento, ya que los habitantes de Colorado están aprovechando las oportunidades como nunca antes.
Este crecimiento del empleo ha sido amplio y ampliamente compartido. Algunos dijeron que la construcción tardaría en regresar. Hasta julio, había 82,000 empleos de construcción más que antes de la pandemia. Los trabajadores de la salud lucharon valientemente durante la pandemia y, para este verano, casi todos los trabajos en ese sector vital se recuperaron.
Algunos dijeron que pensar que podríamos restaurar la fabricación de Estados Unidos era ingenuo. Bueno, la fabricación se ha recuperado más que por completo, y con los nuevos CHIPS y la Ley de Ciencias, estamos listos para liderar el mundo en las industrias y buenos empleos del futuro.
La nuestra es una historia notable de resiliencia y recuperación. Debo decir que, como ex trabajador de la construcción, no me sorprende. Los trabajadores están orgullosos de su trabajo y de quiénes son. Eso no ha cambiado.
Mientras viajo por el país como Secretario de Trabajo, hablo con trabajadores y solicitantes de empleo y, dondequiera que vaya, los estadounidenses quieren una oportunidad justa de ganar salarios decentes, mantener a sus familias, hacer contribuciones significativas y lograr seguridad financiera.
La semana pasada estuve en San Antonio con el representante federal Joaquín Castro para reunirme con trabajadores, líderes sindicales, líderes de la industria local y funcionarios de la ciudad. Vi a aprendices aprendiendo habilidades avanzadas y preparándose para buenos trabajos y carreras por SA Ready to Work, uno de los programas de capacitación laboral más impresionantes del país.
Considere la Ley de Infraestructura Bipartidista. Está creando miles de empleos bien remunerados que no necesitan un título universitario. Los trabajadores de Estados Unidos están haciendo lo que mejor saben hacer: reconstruir sus comunidades, revitalizar nuestras industrias y asegurar un futuro saludable para nuestros niños. Estamos decididos a continuar este progreso.
También estamos reduciendo la desigualdad. En esta recuperación, los salarios han aumentado más rápido para los trabajadores de color y los trabajadores con menos de un diploma de escuela secundaria. Para liberar todo el potencial de nuestra economía, debemos empoderar a todos los trabajadores de nuestra nación, especialmente a aquellos que fueron excluidos en el pasado.
Avanzamos todos nuestros objetivos ahora desde una posición de fuerza. La Ley de Reducción de la Inflación no solo reducirá los costos para las familias trabajadoras; también va a crear buenos empleos en los próximos años. Los trabajadores de Estados Unidos, diversos y decididos, van a ganar nuestro futuro de energía limpia.
Cada recuperación tiene una lección que enseñar. Aquí hay uno para este Día del Trabajo: Nunca apuestes contra los trabajadores de Estados Unidos.
Photography for Social Media and Marketing | www.amandatipton.com
(LEADVILLE, COLO, Sept. 1, 2022) – The first-ever Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit, launched in spring 2022, offers fun events and tours in Colorado’s scenic mountain towns this Labor Day weekend.
The Circuit connects five historic opera houses located in Aspen (Wheeler Opera House), Central City (Central City Opera House), Leadville (Tabor Opera House), Ouray (Wright Opera House), and Telluride (Sheridan Opera House). A new website, ColoradoOperaHouses.com, includes a calendar of events and information about these historic gems.
Labor Day Weekend Events:
Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colo. – Cowboy Poetry and Boogie-Shaking Music, on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. Opens with “contemporary cowboy” from Jake Riley, who has performed in 11 states, including three times at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev. The Vail Valley Band has performed country, classic rock, pop, jazz, folk, classical, and even showtunes all over the nation and all over the world. This event is a fundraiser for the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation.
Sheridan Opera House, Telluride, Colo. – Telluride Film Festival takes place Friday, Sept. 2, through Monday, Sept. 5, at the Sheridan Opera House. Called “not just a picture show,” the Telluride Film Festival is tributes to luminaries who’ve propelled the medium forward; it is candid discussions with a film’s creator or the historian who champions it; it is meeting filmmakers; it is engaging in lively debate with every manner of film lover in the summer sun of a Colorado afternoon, always minutes away from a new exhibition.
Wright Opera House, Ouray, Colo. – The play “Time Flies” takes place Thursday, Sept. 1, through Saturday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. nightly. The Open House Theatricals returns to Ouray with this series of short comic vignettes from playwright David Ives. Ives is a contemporary American playwright whose plays are notable for their verbal dexterity, theatrical invention, and quirky humor. In the title work, two houseflies try to make the most out of their brief time on earth.
Labor Day Weekend Guided Tours:
Central City Opera House, Central City, Colo. – The Gilpin Historical Society offers daily tours of the Central City Opera House, a jewel-box opera house built in 1878 that still displays a frescoed ceiling and names of famous visitors carved on the seat backs. Also on the tour are the Teller House, Thomas House, St. James Church, and the Weekly Register-Call Print Shop, to give visitors a taste of Central City’s unique gold-mining history. Tours leave from the Gilpin Historical Society Tour Office at Washington Hall, 117 Eureka St. in Central City, open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colo. – Tours offer a full walk-through of the Tabor Opera House, built in 100 days in 1879 by mining magnate Horace Tabor. Visitors can roam the elegant performance hall with its original red velvet Andrews opera chairs and stage where John Philip Sousa and Oscar Wilde appeared and magician Harry Houdini vanished. English-language tours on Thursday, Sept. 1 – Sunday, Sept. 4, at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.; Spanish-language tours on Saturday, Sept. 3, at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; all at 308 Harrison Ave., Leadville
Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colo. – Visitors can make an even longer weekend and stay for one of the season’s last summer history tours at the Wheeler Opera House. This free guided tour is offered by Aspen Historical Society in partnership with the Wheeler Opera House. It gives an insider’s look at the iconic building as the center of Aspen’s arts and cultural scene since it was built in 1889. Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 1:30 p.m., 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen
The Farm Service Agency wishes to remind producers in Adams County that they are eligible to apply for 2022 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on native and improved pastures.
LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land.
County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought or if a federal agency prohibits producers from grazing normal permitted livestock on federally managed lands due to qualifying fire. You must complete a CCC-853 and submit the required supporting documentation no later than January 30, 2023, for 2022 losses.
For additional information about LFP, including eligible producer and eligible livestock criteria, contact the Adams County USDA Service Center at 303-659-0525, option 2 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Agricultural Land Easements protect the long-term viability of the nation’s food supply by preventing conversion of productive working lands to non-agricultural uses. Land protected by Agricultural Land Easements provide additional public benefits including environmental quality, historic preservation, wildlife habitat and protection of open space.
NRCS provides financial assistance to eligible partners for purchasing Agricultural Land Easements that protect the agricultural use and conservation values of eligible land. In the case of working farms, the program helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture. The program also protects grazing uses and related conservation values by conserving grasslands including rangeland, pastureland and shrubland. Eligible partners include Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs.
Under the Agricultural Land component, NRCS may contribute up to 50 percent of the fair market value of the Agricultural Land Easement. Where NRCS determines that grasslands of special environmental significance will be protected, NRCS may contribute up to 75 percent of the fair market value of the Agricultural Land Easement.
If you have an EQIP contract and need to install conservation practices or activities these must be implemented to remain in compliance with your contract. If you have conservation practices or activities that are behind schedule or planned items that you may not complete as scheduled, please contact your local NRCS office immediately to discuss your options for maintaining your contract compliance. If you are waiting on technical assistance or engineering designs call your local NRCS Office.
25% investment in rural paving to continue in CDOT’s updated 10 Year Plan
olorado — As CDOT finalizes an update to its 10 Year Plan that prioritizes projects for the first years of sustained funding from Senate Bill 21-260, the unprecedented levels of rural road investment will continue to remake the road network that connects smaller communities across Colorado. The updated plan is slated for consideration and adoption by the Colorado Transportation Commission at its September meeting, which will also bring the state’s transportation plans into compliance with its greenhouse gas planning standards. The first four years of the 10-Year Plan allocated approximately $382 million to rural pavement condition and have made improvements to roads in 55 counties. CDOT will maintain this focus throughout the decade, with a total of over $940 million dollars going toward rural roads over the life of the plan.
These 10-Year Plan investments are on top of an estimated $230 million spent statewide every year on road resurfacing that is performed through CDOT’s base funding programs, including its asset management program. By putting additional funds and focus through 10 Year Plan dollars, CDOT is ensuring that Colorado’s low volume roads get the attention they need to serve as quality, reliable linkages between communities. These roads serve important statewide functions by helping agricultural and other critical goods come to market and by helping tourists and recreation travelers reach Colorado’s special places.
“As we traveled the state to hear from neighbors at the very beginning of the 10 Year Plan’s development, we heard loud and clear how important it was to reinvest in our rural roads. Across the state, citizens can see completed projects that together comprise record investment in rural roads, and we look forward to the continuation of this important program with the next phase of the Ten Year Plan,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew.
“During past months, the Transportation Commission has advocated for, and ensured that asset management and maintenance of the state’s transportation infrastructure are given priority in 10-year planning and other budget discussions. We have made rural paving a key focus area, are monitoring spending closely, and are proud that more funds are being put toward this key priority program,” said Transportation Commission Chair Don Stanton.
CDOT’s Rural Paving Program comprises 25% of the amount programmed through CDOT “strategic funding”, which in the first four years was comprised largely of the proceeds from debt obtained through Certificates of Participation pursuant to Senate Bill 17-267 and is subsequently comprised largely of revenue from Senate Bill 21-260 combined with above-base federal funds provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Of note, these funds are just a portion of the significant amounts that CDOT is spending each year on rural roads. Rural roads also comprise a large share of the state’s base “asset management” program, which is separate from the Ten Year Plan and dedicated to core investments in state-of-good-repair, like fixing pavement and bridges and replacing culverts. This program has also repaired about 400 miles of rural roads each year for the last several years, with the Ten Year Plan investments resulting in about 200 miles of rural roadwork last year.
“Our rural roads are often overlooked for money over the years,” Gary Beedy, Colorado Transportation Commissioner from Genoa said. “It is nice to see the state is focusing energy on this important part of our state’s transportation system. It allows the surface treatment dollars to address other critical needs on the system that could still use increased funding for surface treatment and preventative maintenance.”
As an example of the impact of these projects, CDOT recently completed a 19-mile stretch along US Highway 50 south of Grand Junction, roughly between Whitewater and Delta. Crews completed full-depth reclamation, milling, hot mix asphalt top mat paving and lane level paving, shouldering, guardrail installation, rumble strip installation and permanent striping. In recent years the section of roadway has been referred to as the “Delta Dips” or the “Roller Coaster.” Now the repaired section of US 50 is a smoother, safer drive thanks to full-depth reclamation at multiple locations along the project.
“US Highway 50 is a lifeline for residents, businesses and commuters in Delta, Montrose and Mesa counties,” said Delta County Commissioner Don Suppes. “The smoother, safer drive on US 50 between Grand Junction and Delta benefits all of these motorists.”
Hinsdale County Commissioner Robert Hurd has been very supportive of CDOT and the CO 149 Resurfacing project. He spoke at a project milestone event earlier this summer, stating, “This process that you’re using now for paving – I look out and think, wow, this is going to last. This project overall is going to be great for our road system connecting our mountain communities along Highway 149.”
“Otero County would like to thank CDOT for spending funds in rural America and to be more to the point in Otero County. We Appreciate CDOT’s efforts to keep our rural state highways and our people safe!” said Otero County Commissioner Jim Baldwin.
1 Strategic funding represents the total capital dollars available in the 10 Year Plan after 10% is allocated off the top to transit as first established per legislative direction from Senate Bill 17-267. Because CDOT’s Denver metro region does not have sufficient rural road mileage to participate in the program, the strategic funding column shows available dollars only to the areas of the state where the 25% rural paving target applies as a percentage of the total strategic funding allocated (CDOT Regions 2, 3, 4, and 5).
All Adams County Government offices will be closed Tuesday, Sept. 6, in observance of Labor Day. This holiday is being observed on a Tuesday because county buildings are closed Mondays. Normal business hours will resume Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 7 a.m., for the Government Center and Human Services Center.
Riverdale Animal Shelter will be closed on Monday, Sept. 5, and normal business hours will resume Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m.
We looked for cities with high risk of drought, wildfire, and heatwaves, in addition to forced water cuts and extreme weather. We also weighed the water requirement for each city’s most common grass types against the average yard size.
Check out the 10 cities with the dreariest lawns (and the 10 with the greenest) below, followed by key insights from our report. (Click hereto see where your city ranks.)
Where Lawns Go to Die
Rank
City
1
Bakersfield, CA
2
Fresno, CA
3
Palmdale, CA
4
Santa Clarita, CA
5
Scottsdale, AZ
6
Pasadena, CA
7
Lancaster, CA
8
Reno, NV
9
Peoria, AZ
10
Pomona, CA
Where Lawns Thrive
Rank
City
1
Cleveland, OH
2
Akron, OH
3
Toledo, OH
4
Dayton, OH
5
New Orleans, LA
6
Norfolk, VA
7
Newport News, VA
8
Columbus, OH
9
Chesapeake, VA
10
Virginia Beach, VA
Key insights:
Heat until golden brown: Lawns are longing for a cooldown in California, where many cities are dealing with drought, heatwaves, and wildfires. In response, the Golden State has implemented some emergency water restrictions on top of federally imposed cutbacks in the Southwest.
High scores (meaning worse conditions) across the Water Restrictions and Climate Disaster Risk categories placed 36 (of 42 total) Cali cities among our worst 50. At No. 1 overall, Bakersfield lawns are most at risk of getting baked, followed by Fresno (No. 2), Palmdale (No. 3), and Santa Clarita (No. 4).
Wishing for water: You can hear the grass crunch underneath you in Southwestern cities — that is, if there’s any grass left in your neighborhood. It’s no surprise that cities in Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado took up some of the worst spots of our ranking. The Southwest has been dealing with a megadrought for the past two decades — it’s drier now than it’s been in 1,200 years.
Scottsdale, Arizona (No. 6), Reno, Nevada (No. 8), and Peoria, Arizona (No. 9) were among the 10 most scorched. With extremely hot, sunny days and little rain, Arizona is facing the most Extreme Weather (No. 1 in this category), but each of these three cities is dealing with heatwaves and water use limitations.
Sweaty and singed in the Southeast: Swampy Southeastern cities aren’t known for frequently battling wildfires, but some cities pose a higher risk of blistering after a hot summer.
In Florida, it’s been a record season for wildfires. With such dry conditions, a lightning strike or a casual bonfire could quickly go out of hand in cities like Fort Lauderdale (No. 81), Miramar (No. 89), and Hollywood (No. 90). Outside of the Sunshine State, cities like Mobile, Alabama (No. 87), and Savannah, Georgia (No. 84), are at higher risk of wildfires, too.
