Steamboat Pilot & Today

The Bureau of Land Management Little Snake Field Office released Friday a preliminary environmental assessment that evaluates offering 20 parcels in Moffat, Routt and Rio Blanco counties in the February 2013 oil and gas lease sale, according to a news release.

The parcels total 12,038 acres of federal mineral estate, with 47 percent being under BLM-managed lands and 53 percent under nonfederal lands, according to the release. The state of Colorado receives 49 percent of the proceeds of each lease sale.

The environmental assessment, a list of the parcels and the attached stipulations are available at www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/lsfo.html.

Written comments must be received by Sept. 17, and may be submitted to lsfoweb@blm.gov or to the Little Snake Field Office, 455 Emerson St., Craig, CO 81625.

Part of Yampa Street to be closed for All Arts Festival

Yampa Street will be closed from Fifth to Seventh streets until 5 p.m. Sunday for the Art Stroll at the All Arts Festival, according to the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association. Call Sarah Leonard at 970-875-7006 for more information.

Church to celebrate 25th anniversary of pipe organ

The United Methodist Church of Steamboat Springs will celebrate Aug. 26 the 25th anniversary of the installation of its pipe organ, the first and only pipe organ in Routt County. To mark the occasion, the church will host a free recital by organist Kajsa Teitelbaum at 7 p.m.

Teitelbaum is a doctoral student in organ performance at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has a master’s degree from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm as well as a cantor degree. In December, Teitelbaum accompanied the Yampa Valley Singers in its performance of Handel’s "Messiah."

The recital will include J.S. Bach’s “Prelude” and “Fugue in E flat major,” an organ sonata by Paul Hindemith based on folk German love songs about New Year’s resolutions, “Sweet Sixteenths” by William Albright and variations on “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Dudley Buck.

More information is available by calling 303-817-1811.

Accepting applications for Leadership Class till Sept. 7

Applications for the Leadership Steamboat Class of 2012-13 are due Sept. 7. This year’s program runs from Sept. 27 to June 13 and costs $700, with the student asked to contribute $100 and his or her employer the remaining $600. Scholarships are available for self-employed and nonprofit employees.

Participants will learn about Steamboat’s civic and economic infrastructure and receive valuable training on leadership skills. The class meets one Friday per month, and participants will meet many community leaders, discuss some of Steamboat’s most challenging issues and take on a group project that meets a community need in some way. Past group projects include the community garden, the 2010 Bike Guide and the installation of 22 recycling containers in downtown.

For an application or more information about the program, contact Tom Kern at tom@steamboatchamber.com or 970-875-7005.

Registration still open for Freedom Conference dinner

Registration remains open for the fourth annual Steamboat Institute Freedom Conference dinner Aug. 25. The dinner at Thunderhead Lodge at the top of the gondola features keynote speaker former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton. The cost is $150. For more information, email info@steamboatinstitute.org.

Parks and Wildlife: Monitor fishing water temperature

The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife reminds anglers to monitor water temperature when they are fishing because fish can be stressed by high water temperatures, according to a news release.

“Handling fish in waters that are 68 degrees and above can put undue stress on them, causing mortalities and compromising the fishery as a whole,” Ken Kehmeier, senior aquatic biologist for the northeast region, was quoted as saying in the release. “We ask that anglers keep in mind the production opportunity of a fishery and not solely the fishing opportunity. Get out and fish, but bring along a thermometer and try to fish early in the day for the best opportunities.”

For more information about fishing in places not affected by low flows, visit www.wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Pages/Fishing.aspx.

Weigh and Win, paying you to achieve a healthy weight

Weigh and Win, a free community program that pays you to achieve a healthy weight is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at Soroco middle and high schools and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 27 to 30 at South Routt Elementary School. Visit www.weighandwin.com or visit LiveWell Northwest Colorado's Facebook page for more information. Call LiveWell Northwest Colorado Community Coordinator Barb Parnell at 970-819-4110 with questions.