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February 6, 2014

50 cents Jefferson County, Colorado | Volume 148, Issue 10

A publication of

goldentranscript.net

Effort to change mail-ballot process fails Bills allowing for challenges die in committee By Vic Vela

vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com A pair of Republican-sponsored bills aimed at making changes to the state’s mail-in ballot process died in committee hearings on Jan. 27. One bill would have given anyone the ability to challenge the validity of a mail-in ballot, while the other would have allowed voters to opt out of receiving ballots in the

mail. Both measures failed in a Democrat-led committee, following party-line votes. The bills come a year after the state enacted a Democrat-sponsored elections overReport haul bill, which in part requires that ballots be mailed to every Colorado voter. Republicans have argued that the new election law will result in voter fraud.

Capitol

Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, sponsored Senate Bill 79, which would have given anyone permission to challenge whether someone is eligible to vote in a particular election or contest the validity of their mail-in ballot signature. Under the bill, a challenge to a mail-in ballot would have required that the ballot be reviewed by two election judges from different parties. If both judges determined that the person is ineligible to vote in the election, the voter’s ballot would be tossed. “This is an evolving science, the use of mail ballots,” Harvey told the Senate State,

Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. “I think we can solve these issues, for the most part. Opponents of Harvey’s effort said that the bill would not give voters whose ballots are ruled ineligible the ability to appeal the judges’ decision. Peg Pearl of Colorado Ethics Watch, a nonprofit election watchdog organization, said that electors would have no recourse through the “vague, closed-door process that the voter would not be involved in.” Ballot continues on Page 24

Jeffco getting back to work County beating state and national employment rates By Amy Woodward

awoodward@ coloradocommunitymedia.com

Cathy McNeil, senior designer at the Boppy Company, speaks on the latest marketing and research trends for this year. The latest trend reports are released every 15 minutes, McNeil said. Scandinavian and middle eastern designs are just some of the popular patterns that are used on Boppy’s products. Photo by Amy Woodward

Boppy celebrates 25 years of ‘momkind’ By Amy Woodward

awoodward@ coloradocommunitymedia.com One of Golden’s most successful businesses celebrated its 25th anniversary on Monday, Jan. 27. The Boppy Co. known for its renowned Boppy pillow has 110 trademark registrations worldwide and has become a household name for today’s parents. “It’s a big milestone,” said Kate

Devlin, marketing director at Boppy Co. “It’s mostly a testament to the great people here, everybody gives 110 percent, and we all love what we do,” she said. “We’re proud and excited to celebrate with all of our friends who’ve helped us along the way.” The company, which was bought by Artsana (an Italian company) in 2008, has grown from a small team of three to 26 employees. Not only has the company expanded its employment but also its products.

Susan Brown, a Golden resident who founded the company, sewed what would become Boppy pillows after caregivers at her daughter’s day care inquired about support pillows that would help prop the babies while the caregivers took turns holding and feeding them. So out of necessity invention was born. Boppy continues on Page 24

Jefferson County’s unemployment rate fell to 5.5 percent, one of the lowest rates in the state next to Boulder and Douglas counties, according to findings from the Jeffco Economic Development Corporation. Numbers released by Jeffco EDC from their 2013 year-end report revealed Jeffco to be under the national average unemployment rate of 6.7 percent. But even the nation’s unemployment rate fell steadily by 1.2 percent last year, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment said. Presently the county’s labor force is at 308,008 with the health care and social services industries leading the way with 30,110 jobs, a Colorado Department of Labor and Employment quarterly report states. Primary jobs in retail, food and hospitality are on the rise and have already surpassed other industries such as education and public administration. Aerospace, aviation, bioscience and renewable energy saw figures in the negatives relating to either company or employment growth. Jeffco EDC reported a -18.8 percent employment growth rate from 2007 to 2012 in the aerospace divisions with zero company growth. The recession had a lot to do with those negatives, according to Michelle Claymore, vice president for Jeffco EDC. “I have a feeling that when the new numbers start getting published that you’re going to start seeing the recovery within these,” Claymore said. Work continues on Page 24

POSTAL ADDRESS

GOLDEN TRANSCRIPT

(ISSN 0746-6382)

OFFICE: 110 N. Rubey Dr, Unit 150, Golden, CO 80403 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Golden Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 110 N. Rubey Dr., Unit 150, Golden, CO 80403. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 110 N. Rubey Dr, Unit 150, Golden, CO 80403 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. | Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Tues. 12 p.m.

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