There are amazing things going on all over our state, and I'm honored to be able to visit and support what makes Colorado special. As I hear from people all over the state, I am inspired by the positive spirit and optimism of Coloradans. - Jared Polis A Quick Look Back RUNYON FIELD SPORTS COMPLEX  I enjoyed getting back to the Runyon Field Sports Complex, where I’ve participated in home run derbies in the past. Runyon Field is a central hub for Southeastern Colorado youth baseball; their fields are home to six baseball and softball fields. Pueblo County is completing a 10 month Master Planning process that plans to add additional ballfields and connect the complex to the trail system providing walkability from the downtown commercial center and Riverwalk. Additionally, Pueblo County is the recipient of one of our state’s Great Outdoors Colorado grant to assist with the Runyon expansion. This historic project will bolster economic development, foster increased tourism, underscore the importance of youth sports, and highlight the conservation impacts of Runyon Sports Complex. U.S. SPACE FORCE BASE I joined Senator Bennett and Congressman Crow for a tour of Schriever Space Force Base. We receive a mission briefing from U.S. Space Force Delta 8 and the National Space Defense Center. USSF Delta 8 is mission-focused on Position, Navigation, and Timing and Satellite Communications, providing the only global utility for PNT signals to both warfighters and civilian users as well as the focal point for U.S. protected and assured Military Satellite Communications to the President, Secretary of Defense, national decision makers, theater commanders, and strategic and tactical forces worldwide. COLORADO POOL + SPA SCAPES Last week, I visited Colorado Pool + Spa Scapes in Avon, a 100% employee-owned business as of April 1, 2021. Established in 2001 when Castle Creek Tubs and Aspen Pool & Spa merged, Colorado Pool + Spa Scapes builds pools and spas, and provides services and repairs in communities across western Colorado. I met with the employee-owners to highlight Employee Ownership month as well as H.B. 21-1311, a bill I signed that made Colorado a national leader among states helping build momentum for the employee ownership movement. Businesses can use funds flowing from Colorado’s Employee Ownership Office to convert to an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), an employee ownership trust, or a worker cooperative. ESOPs would qualify for a tax credit equal to 50% of the conversion costs up to $100,000, and cooperatives and employee ownership trusts could get up to $25,000 to invest in their employees’ futures. FILL & REFILL Looking for ways to keep it green in your daily life? I highly recommend stopping by Fill & Refill in Edwards, a retail company that launched about a year before the pandemic, focused on plastic-free solutions for everyday products. They are a refill store where you can refill your shampoo, liquid soap, lotion, and many other household essentials instead of buying a single-use plastic bottle when you run out. While visiting, I spoke to the owner and management team about the challenges the eco-friendly company faced during the pandemic, primarily staffing shortages, and what's next for Fill & Refill moving into recovery. EAGLE COUNTY LEADERS MEETING  In Vail, I met with Eagle County leaders to discuss housing needs in communities with a large population of season workers, saving money on early childhood education, and collaboration at the local level, for recovery efforts.. My administration looks forward to strengthening partnerships with local leaders to ensure Eagle County remains a premiere destination for great dining, arts and entertainment, ski culture, outdoor recreation, and the retail trade sector, as well as prioritize access to quality, affordable health care and health insurance, social services, opportunities to own a home and business, and financial assistance. CHILD TAX CREDIT DISCUSSION  I met with the leadership team of Another Life Foundation to discuss how quick and easy it is to apply for benefits like the Child Tax Credit. Another Life Foundation is a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance ("VITA") nonprofit that helps people with disabilities, low income earners, and households experiencing financial hardship navigate the tax system. The child tax credit is historic and quick and easy to make sure you get the benefits. The cost of child care is too high and this will help families save money and put money toward other things like a vacation or a night out. Eligible Colorado families will automatically receive up to $3,600 per child per year. Child Tax Credit payments will be distributed monthly, with families automatically receiving up to $250 per month for each child aged six to 17, and up to $300 per month for each child below six. These monthly payments will continue until December, and families or individuals can claim the other half of their Child Tax Credit when filing taxes in early 2022. LOYAL COFFEE Another successful example of the employee-ownership model in action is Loyal Coffee, a barista-owned coffee shop I visited in Colorado Springs. Loyal Coffee roasts their coffee at “The Clubhouse”, located inside the Ivywild School on the south side of downtown Colorado Springs. The iconic original location in the Springs is currently owned by six baristas and is exploring additional opportunities for employee ownership as the franchise expands. This is where their team passionately works to hand-select brews that are both exciting and approachable for all coffee drinkers. CSU PUEBLO SOLAR ARRAY  I toured the newly completed 23-acre solar array grounds on the north end of CSU Pueblo’s campus. The solar project was launched as a 25-year power purchase agreement with Johnson Controls, an international HVAC company, and allows CSU Pueblo to become a leader in the crossroad between higher education, sustainability and energy consumption. This historic milestone marked the official point that all academic buildings needed to shift to being fully solar powered, making them the first campus in Colorado to reach net zero in their renewable efficiencies. SOLAR ROAST COFFEE  I had another opportunity to see the tremendous benefits solar energy offers communities at Solar Roast Coffee, a small business in Pueblo that harnesses the power of the sun to roast their coffee and is the world's only commercial solar-powered coffee roaster. Founders Mike Harkop and David Harkop, developed their solar powered coffee roaster using their parent’s old satellite dish, one hundred plastic mirrors and a broccoli strainer, which was aptly named Helios after the Greek God of the Sun. Solar Roasts has been up and running in Pueblo, CO since 2007 and is dedicated to using 100% organic and fair trade beans and was recently certified by the USDA as 100% organic. The innovative efforts of Solar Roast Coffee parallel my administration's priorities as we set our sights on achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040. FOX WEST THEATER  I toured the historic Fox West Theater, under renovation by the City of Trinidad with support provided in part by History Colorado and in partnership with Dana Crawford and Urban Neighborhoods, Inc. of Denver, Colorado. While there, I announced their receipt of a Community Revitalization Grant of $3,450,000 from Colorado Creative Industries. The Fox West Theatre stands at the entry point to the historic district in downtown Trinidad. The building has been vacant since 2013 and now sits in a state of disrepair. Reactivating the retail spaces and rehabilitating the storefront façade and building exterior will beautify the street and allow the Theatre to serve once again as the crown jewel of the historic district. A revitalized Fox West Theatre will provide a cultural anchor and community hub that will leverage, protect, and grow that investment. WE GROW STRONGER WHEN WE GROW TOGETHER. 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