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January 14, 2021
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 33
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 7 | VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 12
ON THE POLAR PROWL
SEE PERLMUTTER, P3
SEE KURTZ, P4
BY MICHAEL HICKS MHICKS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Heather Donnelly, left, checks the temperature of Abby Nordeen before she ran in the Polar Prowl half marathon on Saturday at the Apex Center in Arvada.
Perlmutter recounts Capitol insurrection District 7 Congressman says experience a shock, but might have been anticipated BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
On Jan. 6, U.S. legislators debated the merits of completing a perfunctory certification of
the electoral college results in the 2020 presidential election. Shortly after the House and Senate were adjourned to their respective Perlmutter chambers to deliberate, pro-Trump protesters breached the Capitol. Congressman Ed Perlmutter (DArvada) of Colorado’s 7th district, having been sworn in three days earlier after his latest reelection, was in the Capitol at the time.
BY MICHAEL HICKS MHICKS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
“My experience has been one of shock,” Perlmutter said. “I knew that there would be protests. I didn’t expect it to become riots and to have people breach the Capitol.” He said he didn’t expect to see an event like this happen, although looking back on all of the rhetoric coming from the president and others, whipping everybody up, it might have been predictable.
Runners brace wintry weather for the opportunity for some socially distanced ambiance
SEE POLAR, P4
Arvada resident sworn in last week Kathryn Kurtz always looked up to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The former Supreme Court Justice, who passed away last September, was a catalyst who paved the way for Kurtz and others to follow in her footsteps. “If not for her most of us wouldn’t be where we are,” Kurtz acknowledged. “She’s someone that as a little girl I looked up to.” Be it Ginsburg or, politics aside, Kamala Harris, who is set to become the first female U.S. vice president, the glass ceiling is being shattered for females across the board. That’s true even here in Arvada and for Kurtz, who has been appointed the city’s Presiding Municipal Judge. She is the first female to serve in that position. Kurtz “We’ve had excellent judges in the past, and Judge Kurtz will continue that tradition while creating a new tradition being the first female municipal court judge (for the city),” Mayor Marc Williams said. Kurtz was officially sworn-in by Williams on Jan. 4. A ceremonial swearingin took place on Jan. 11 during the City Council meeting. Kurtz, who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and another in sociology from the University of Colorado, received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver, College of Law in 2002. An Arvada resident, Kurtz has worked as a Relief Judge in Municipal Courts throughout the metropolitan area, including Lakewood and Golden, since 2016. She also serves on the board of directors for multiple community outlets, including Robbie’s Hope, a foundation that works to curb teen suicide rates in Colorado. “I think for me this is extra special to be able to serve my own community because I have that much more of an investment,” Kurtz said. “It is my community. … It’s my friends. It’s where my kids live.
As snow falls, Michael Steiner rounds the final corner toward the finish line Saturday morning in the parking lot of the Apex PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HICKS Center. Steiner took first place in the 10K portion of the Polar Prowl in a time of 39 minutes, 22 seconds.
Trevor Cook runs regularly, but this was his first race. The first one in a while at least. The Arvada resident happened to be walking the paths outside of the Apex Center recently when he stumbled upon a promotion for Saturday’s Polar Prowl. And, given the blustery conditions — low temperatures and early-thanexpected flurries filtering in, he was layered up for it. “Two pants, three shirts, a sweater,” the 10k
Kurtz shatters glass ceiling as presiding municipal judge