We’ve received a lot of inquiries about the 2021 ELITE Awards and want to update you on the revised time frame for submissions and judging.

Due to COVID-19, we do not anticipate being able to host an in-person awards event in March as usually planned. Therefore, we have pushed back the awards timeline and hope to host an event in May 2021.

On January 1, 2021, Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work law takes effect. You might think, “my company does not discriminate, so we’re in compliance.” But there are record-keeping requirements and other provisions of the law that should prompt your company to review processes in order to ensure compliance in the new year.

Under the law, wage discrimination based on sex is prohibited, and those who issue complaints may bring civil lawsuits against an employer for such discrimination. But the law includes additional prohibitions and requirements for employers. Those include (but are not limited to):

Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District was among the organizations named Partners of the Year in the 2020 WaterSense awards. The award winners were announced October 7 during a WaterSmart Innovations webinar held in lieu of the canceled conference. It was Northern Water's first such award recognition.

Approximately 95 professional and advanced Master Gardeners rated over 1,150 flowering and foliage plants over the week of August 3-8, 2020 as part of the Colorado State University (CSU) Annual Trials. Not able to have an official ‘evaluation day’ due to COVID-19 restrictions for large public gatherings at the university, plants were rated by professionals over the span of several days, which allowed individuals to participate in a safe, socially distanced manner.

Whether you’re a first-time advertiser, looking for additional sales fuel or need to introduce new products, services and concepts, Colorado Green is your hands-on EXPO alternative. Members will refer back to the issue for tips to maximize their online EXPO experience. Don’t miss out, reserve your space today.

This morning, the Senate Appropriations Committee released draft FY 21 spending bills on its website to aid in House-Senate discussions on a final spending package for Fiscal 2021, which began on October 1. The federal government is currently operating under a temporary spending bill, or continuing resolution, that runs through Dec. 11.

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ALCC is watching closely as Colorado’s COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise. We will keep you apprised of any changes or restrictions that may affect your landscape company. Remember that as regulations and safety protocols change, it is important that we follow the rules as an industry and show that we are doing everything for safe practices.

We hope that you and your loved ones remain healthy and that your businesses continue to serve clients while adhering to updated 2020 safety protocols.

In the face of rising cases of coronavirus and of hospitalizations, City and County of Denver and Adams County have returned to Level 3 Safer at Home restrictions.

Adams County announced the change last Friday, with the increased restrictions taking effect Wednesday, October 28 at 5:00 PM:

Seven Colorado-based landscape companies were recognized at the NALP LANDSCAPES event, held virtually this year. Most of the sixteen Awards of Excellence were earned by projects found along the Colorado Front Range. Two more Colorado companies received safety awards as well. Read on for the full list of winning work.