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Governor Bill Ritter yesterday joined in with almost 100 children yesterday at the Andres Galarraga Field on the campus of the J. Churchill Owens branch of the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver to celebrate the addition of 100,000 children to the ranks of the insured during his administration. Ritter said that expanding eligibility for Medicaid and cultivating Colorado’s Child Health Plan Plus (or CHP+) were instrumental in bringing insurance options to so many of Colorado’s children. The 2010 Kids Count Report on Child Well-Being, which was released yesterday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, showed that the percentage of children statewide enrolled in CHP+ began at 2.9% in 2001, climbed to 6.6% in 2007 and stood at 8.6% in 2008. Medicaid enrollment has also been slowly rising among the state’s children with 24% in 2006, 25% in 2007 and 28% in 2008. Even with economic cutbacks, Ritter said he is committed to sparing the programs that keep Colorado’s kids healthy and able to see doctors, and he hopes that the legislature continues that commitment when it crafts the state budget for the fiscal year 2011-12 in his absence when he leaves office in January.

San Luis Valley residents have until 4pm today to share additional comments in the first phase of the proposed new transmission line to serve the valley. Judge Mana Jennings-Fader decided to re-open the comment period for 48 hours at the conclusion of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission evidentiary hearing in Denver on Monday. That extended comment period ends today. The PUC held public hearings on November 9th and 10th of last year, concluded evidentiary hearings on February 11th and reopened the evidentiary record for July 26th and 30th. It is hoped that the comment period will again be extended since the evidentiary hearing continues on Friday. The current step before the Colorado PUC is certification of public convenience and necessity, determining purpose and need. The process does not determine preferred routes or location of the line. The transmission line is being proposed for several reasons including for back up power to the valley’s existing electrical grid and increased capacity to deliver solar-generated power from the valley. To make comments today, email Judge Mana Jennings-Fader at [email protected].

TEFAP commodities for Alamosa County will be distributed on Thursday, August 12th, from 9am to 11am and again from 4pm to 5pm at the Alamosa County Shop at 1316 17th Street in Alamosa. You must present an I.D. with proof of residency during the distribution. Residents of Mosca and Hooper can receive commodities at the Mosca Community Center next to the Mosca United Methodist Church, also on August 12th, from 8:30 to 10:30am. For more information, contact the Alamosa Food Bank at 719-589-4567.

The Trinidad City Council is accepting letters of interest from citizens within the city limits to fill three vacancies on the parks and recreation advisory committee, three on the tourism board and one on the Carnegie Public Library board of trustees. In order to be considered to serve, individuals must be a resident of the city of Trinidad and have resided within the city for not less than one year and must be registered to vote. Letters of interest in serving on any of the boards will be accepted at the city clerk’s office at city hall in Trinidad until noon on Friday. For more information, call the city clerk’s office at 719-846-9843.

The Rio Grande Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will hold its annual fundraising banquet at the Inn of the Rio Grande in Alamosa on Saturday, August 14th. Doors will open at 4:30pm with games and the silent auction. Dinner will be served at 6pm with the live auction beginning at 7pm. Tickets are $75 per couple and $55 per single and include the price of the dinner, membership to the foundation and a subscription to Bugle Magazine. Members can purchase additional dinners at $20 per dinner. For reservations and more information, call Karen at 719-852-2760.