News to Use

What About the Drought? How to
Access the Latest Information

Only Mother Nature knows whether the summer of 2003 will bring much-needed moisture to the parched, scorching conditions that have ravaged Colorado for the last few years. In the meantime, several websites can help you keep tabs on the status of the drought and the winter snowpack (which dictates the summer water supply in many areas).

Day-by-day snow data—The Colorado SNOTEL program is a snow hound's dream. Its website shows the daily snowfall status at nearly 100 sites—from Jackwhacker Gulch to Slumgullion—in each major river basin across the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Percentages show the snowpack's water content relative to the average for this time of year. Colorado data: ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs. usda.gov/data/snow/update/ co.txt. For other states: ww w.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel.

How hard did it rain?—Each day more than 100 volunteers across the Front Range post readings from rain and snow gauges to the Colorado Cooperative Rain and Hail Study (CoCoRaHS). They're always looking for weather watchers. Daily maps: ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/~hail/view data/maps.htm. About CoCoRaHS: ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/~hail/about/ about.htm.

The big picture—The U.S. Drought Monitor is a key tool for firefighters, farmers and other interested folks. Each Thursday an updated map shows the latest drought status nationwide. www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html.

—Robert Henson


Helping Make Travel Accessible to Everyone

Vacations are part of the American dream. But they are also part of the dream for people who use wheelchairs, walkers or canes, or for those folks who can't walk more than a block without getting winded. Is travel a realistic option for people with disabilities?

Gladly, the answer is a qualified yes, especially on the eve of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26). It does take more planning and research, but it is possible. There are 49.7 million people in America with a disability, including 2.2 million wheelchair users, 25 million slow walkers and 6.4 million people who use a cane or walker. And with the aging of baby boomers, this number is expected to increase.

Barrier Free Travel: A Nuts & Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers is a book that addresses these issues. The author, Candy Harrington, has spent the last 10 years seeking out accessible destinations and has become a leading expert on accessible travel. She writes an accessible travel column for Travel World and her syndicated column, "Candy Harrington's Barrier Free Travel," is published monthly in U.S. senior newspapers. To read a sample chapter of her book, visit www.emerginghorizons.com/book.


Special Monthly Events Worthy of Celebration

National Women's History Month, March—Throughout history fascinating women have achieved tremendous things and March is the time to celebrate their many accomplishments. For more information: National Women's History Project, 707-636-2888, www.hwhp.org.

National Nutrition Month, March—Sponsored by the American Dietetic Association, this month-long event is celebrating its 30-year anniversary in 2003. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activities. For more information: 800-366-1655, www.eatright.com.

Earth Day, April 22, and National Arbor Day, April 25 (Colorado, April 22)—A clean environment and a celebration of trees seem to fit together like a hand in a glove. Arbor Day was first established in Nebraska in 1872 as a way of encouraging prairie farmers to plant trees. Earth Day was first observed in 1970 in a massive grassroots effort to make us all more aware of our planetary environment. For more information: Earth Day Network, 202-518-0044, www.earthday.com; The National Arbor Day Foundation, 402-474-5655, www.arborday.org.


Read to Your Child; Create a Lifelong Reader

In honor of the beloved children's author, Dr. Seuss, March 2 is Read Across America Day. This event encourages every child in every school in every community in America to read a book with an adult. The National Education Association's website (www.nea.org/readacross) has a pledge form to participate, suggested fun activities and many resources for taking part in this special program.


What Color Do You Drive?

Silver reached a new three-year peak in popularity throughout the world in 2002, driven by consumers' correlation of the color with high-tech equipment, precision and performance, according to the 50th anniversary edition of the DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report.

Silver's popularity today is almost twice as high as in the late 1970s when it last dominated the color rankings trends. Silver ranked 23 percent overall in North America. Second-place white was selected by 15 percent of consumers and black was the third choice at 12 percent. Blue, the second most popular color in Europe, continues to gain strength in North America as it replaces green.

AAA Connection: "Colors can create conditions that increase stress, decrease visual perception and negatively affect safety. Optometrists note, lime yellow is highly visible." —AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety


Can Fido Come Too? Traveling with Man's Best Friend

I recently spent two weeks camping in southern Utah's national parks and realized that while I was welcome to explore the parks' trails and view their overlooks, my dog was not.

Our national parks have reasons for their restrictions. Pets could become predators or prey of park wildlife. Dogs also leave behind a scent that may disrupt the behavior of park wildlife, their feces pollute water, they may dig up fragile vegetation, and there's the possibility of the exchange of diseases between wildlife and domestic animals.

Each park has a policy unique to its situation, but general restrictions require that pets be caged or crated when not on a short lease, and many buildings and campgrounds may be off limits along with most trails and overlooks. When planning a trip to a national park with your dog, start at the National Park Service web page, www.nps.gov, or call 202-208-4747.

When you travel with your dog, being prepared with information could make all the difference for you and your dog.

-Carol Peeples


So We Never Forget

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., will commemorate its 10th anniversary from April 2003 to April 2004 through programs that underscore the resonance and urgency of the lessons of the Holocaust for today's world. Since its dedication on April 22, 1993, the museum has welcomed nearly 19 million visitors, including 5.5 million school children, 2.2 million international visitors, and 72 heads of state/government. For more information, visit www.ushmm.org.

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