The Every Kid in a Park program was put into action Tuesday by President Barack Obama as an initiative that allows fourth-graders nationwide to go to everykidinapark.gov and obtain a pass for free entry for them and their families to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters nationwide for an entire year.

By introducing fourth-graders to public lands in their backyards and beyond at an early age, the program delivers a nationwide call to action to build the next generation of outdoor stewards of our country’s spectacular and diverse federal lands and waters, according to a press release.

“Connecting our nation’s youth to the great outdoors is even more important at a time when 80 percent of American families live in cities and most children spend more time on computers and smartphones than exploring nature,” the release stated. “The initiative is slated to continue with each year’s group of fourth graders to inspire successive generations to become responsible stewards of our nation’s natural and cultural heritage.”

Passes will be available online, as well as additional educational activities, and plastic passes are also an option, all of which will be valid through Aug. 31, 2016. The Every Kid in a Park pass admits the fourth-grader and any accompanying passengers in a private, non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas or the pass owner and up to three accompanying adults at sites that charge per person.

Additional online opportunities are available for teachers and community leaders.

Every Kid in a Park is an administration-wide effort supported by the U.S. Department of the Interior (which includes the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Hickenlooper declares Workforce Development

Gov. John Hickenlooper issued a proclamation declaring September as Workforce Development Month, according to a press release.

During the next four weeks, state and county run employment offices called Workforce Centers will partner with the Department of Labor and Employment to spotlight a variety of services and resources available to the state’s 2.7 million men and women in the state’s labor force and the 170,000 Colorado businesses that hire them.

Workforce Development Month began modestly in 2004 with a handful of events.  Now in its second decade, the annual series of events has grown to include a wide array of workshops, open houses, hiring events (both in person and online), employer seminars and more.

Hiring events will take place almost every day across Colorado.  Some will be traditional, face-to-face meetings with employers; others will be virtual, online hiring events such as the one going on now and running the entire month of September, connecting job seekers with opportunities in Nebraska.

Workforce Development Month will showcase how the Department of Labor and Employment and Workforce Centers across Colorado can help businesses and workers succeed. A full calendar of events is available at coworkforce.com. Events will also be posted to Facebook (facebook.com/coloradolabor) and Twitter (twitter.com/coloradolabor).

Coffee and a Newspaper to address Colowyo

The Craig Daily Press will host Coffee and a Newspaper on Sept. 9 to discuss the Colowyo and Office of Surface Mining lawsuit. The deadline for OSM to meet the judge’s requirements is Sept. 7, therefore the topic will surround what happens on Sept. 7. Publisher Renee Campbell and Editor Noelle Leavitt Riley will lead the discussion. Free coffee and pastries will be provided. For more information, call 970-875-1790 or 970-875-1788.