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June 10, 2021
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 15 | SPORTS: PAGE 16
ARVADA FARMERS MARKET OPEN
VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 51
Suspect in car theft dead after standoff with police BY RYAN DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Arvada Farmers Market opened for the season June 6. The market this year is back in Olde Town Square in Olde Town Arvada after spending last season socially distanced in McIlvoy Park. The market is open 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays through PHOTO BY SHANNA FORTIER MAXCY September.
Arvada begins rollout of new waste hauling program BY RYAN DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The rollout of Arvada’s new single-hauler waste and recycling partnership with Republic Services is underway, with recycling carts being delivered to residents between June 7 and June 26. The new trash hauling service will begin on July 5 and the biweekly recycling service will be July 12. Residents have been able to select their cart size — or opt out from the program — since March. The program passed narrowly through City Council with a 4-3 vote on June 20, 2020, but has received continued backlash due to its optout fee. “Why was this issue not put on a ballot?” asked Arvada resident Tom D’Agostino at a March 1 City Council meeting. “Why would you ignore such a hot button issue when you knew it mattered to people? Some of the city council members are emboldened, and during COVID-19 you passed this, and what’s next? What are you going to pass next time?”
“What arrogant scheming you four demonstrated when you refused to let this go to a vote of the people,” said resident Vicki Walbridge at the same council meeting. “You purposely devised this corrupt game plan during a pandemic because you had a majority of one and wanted to push this through to satisfy your special interest group while stifling the will of the people.” Conversely, Mayor Pro Tem Dot Miller — who voted in favor of the program — praised the service’s low cost and focus on recycling. “The City’s program provides low-cost curbside recycling to residents. I am excited that we have this opportunity to increase our community’s recycling rate,” Miller said. One goal of the program was to reduce the number of waste hauling trucks on city streets — thus reducing wear and tear on roads, reduce noise and air pollution and lower the cost of trash hauling for residents, according to Arvada’s website. To help facilitate the program,
MORE INFO Starting June 7, through Saturday June 26, the city will be delivering the waste and recycling carts to households that elected to participate in the city program. Recycling pickup will occur on a biweekly basis starting the week of July 12. More information on Arvada’s waste hauling program can be found at waste. arvada.org The waste hauling program team can be reached at 720-898-7575 or by email at wastehauling@arvada.org.
the city received a grant from The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit that works with local governments to improve their recycling programs. The new recycling program will allow residents to place only recycling materials — such as glass bottles, aluminum cans and paper goods — directly in their recycling receptacle. Recycling pickup will occur on a biweekly basis starting the week of July 12. More information on Arvada’s waste hauling program can be found at waste.arvada.org.
The suspect in an armed car theft was killed in a standoff with Arvada Police on June 2 near 81st Lane and Garland Street. Eugene Milo Matthews -- who has “a history of burglary and drug posession,” according to Arvada Police Public Relations Officer Dave Snelling -- allegedly stole a black GMC Yukon LX from a shopper at the Target located at 7899 Wadsworth Boulevard at roughly 8:35 a.m. Matthews– who was on parole and arrived at the Target in a stolen vehicle – confronted a woman who was in her vehicle after loading groceries, pointing a gun at her and asking her to open her car door. The woman was able to flee the scene. After the first confrontation, Matthews held another shopper at gunpoint, stealing the victim’s keys, phone and vehicle; the GMC Yukon. He then left the Target parking lot and drove northbound on Pomona Drive. Matthews then drove into the area of 81st Place and Garland before striking a fire hydrant and driving through church property, immobilizing the vehicle. He was then confronted by the owner of a neighboring home-based daycare, whom he also threatened with his firearm. The daycare owner was not injured in the confrontation and fled back into their garage. Roughly 10 Arvada Police Officers arrived on the scene at 8:55 a.m., engaging in a standoff with the suspect near where the car hit the fire hydrant. The suspect fired at least one shot at the responding officers, but no Arvada Police personnel were struck by gunfire. The officers returned fire at the suspect. He was declared dead at the scene. A handgun was recovered inside the stolen GMC Yukon. No other injuries were reported. The Arvada Police Department says the investigation is still ongoing. “We are incredibly grateful that no one was hurt,” Snelling said. “In particular since the suspect pointed a gun at two community members.”