DENVER—A fountain built to dazzle the delegates at the 1908 Democratic convention in Denver has been rebuilt in time for the 2008 convention.
The Electric Fountain was a tourist attraction when it was unveiled in City Park a century ago, launching 90-foot towers of water under multicolored lights.
It fell into disrepair, and a $3 million reconstruction project was begun in 2006.
City officials determined that restoring the original wasn’t feasible, so it was torn out and rebuilt to duplicate the appearance of the structure as well as the water and color displays.
The new version includes energy-saving features including LED lights.
City Park is about 3 miles east of the Pepsi Center, where the convention will be held.
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DENVER (AP)—A full-scale replica of the Air Force One fuselage arrived in Denver Tuesday as part of the traveling collection of presidential memorabilia.
The American Presidential Experience will be on display at Invesco Field at Mile High, the Broncos’ football stadium, Friday through Aug. 29.
The show has more than 2,000 pieces.
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DENVER (AP)—Supporters of a new Denver ordinance that makes small amounts of marijuana the “lowest law enforcement priority” asked a city panel Tuesday to recommend that adults not be arrested on marijuana charges during the Democratic convention.
The panel meets Wednesday to review police enforcement of the ordinance, which supporters say has been largely ignored by authorities.
Police say they have always enforced a state statute that still makes marijuana possession illegal. They say they have no plans to change that during the convention.
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DENVER (AP)—Denver International Airport’s sprawling new solar power system was dedicated Tuesday amid preparations for the Democratic National Convention.
Delegates flying into Denver can’t miss it: the 9,200 panels cover 7 1/2 acres beside the main highway to and from the airport terminal.
The photovoltaic system will generate over 3 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year. City officials say that will reduce carbon emissions by more than 6.3 million pounds a year.
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DENVER (AP)—Some Denver convention visitors may get into their hotel rooms with biodegradable wooden key cards instead of the traditional plastic versions.
Boulder-based Sustainable Cards says it has partner with card manufacturer CPI Card Group to donate more than 70,000 of the cards to Denver hotels.
Sustainable Cards says they are made from sustainably harvested wood and bear the Denver Host Committee’s logo.
The company says the cards have been used for nearly a decade in Europe hand have been shown to be as durable as the plastic version.
The company says switching to the wood cards nationwide could reduce plastic waste by 1,300 tons a year.
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DENVER (AP)—Trucks hauling hazardous materials will be barred from a north-south freeway in downtown Denver during the Democratic convention.
The State Patrol has placed about 16 miles of Interstate 25 off-limits to hazardous cargo.
Alternate routes skirt the east and west sides of the city. Trucks making local pickups and deliveries are exempt.
I-25 runs near the Pepsi Center, where the first three nights of the convention will be held, and the football stadium where Barack Obama will give his acceptance speech on the final night.
