April 17, 2014
50 cents Jefferson County, Colorado | Volume 148, Issue 19
A publication of
goldentranscript.net
School funding measures move forward House passes bills pumping $500 million into K-12 By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com A pair of funding measures that will provide schools with nearly $500 million in new revenue passed the House with bipar-
tisan support last week. Although the bills received Republican votes, several House GOP members raised concerns that the efforts don’t go far enough in backfilling recession-era budget cuts, or giving school districts more control over financial and transparency matters. The bills passed the House on April 10, with lawmakers first giving overwhelming bipartisan support to the Student Suc-
cess Act. The bill would provide $20 million aimed at helping kids meet mandated third-grade reading standards and adds $13 million in funding for charter school facilities. The bill also incorporates $40 million in retail marijuana revenue that will go toward school construction in rural parts of the state. The legislation will also provide schools
with $110 million of the money that was stripped away by the Legislature during lean budget years. “(The bill) begins the process of rebuilding K-12 funding that was struck hard during the past five years of Colorado’s recession, within the parameters of our current School continues on Page 24
Mountaineering museum honors predecessors Famed climbers added to Hall of Excellence By Amy Woodward
awoodward@ coloradocommunitymedia.com The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum held its fifth annual Hall of Mountaineering Excellence Gala to celebrate another round of legendary mountaineers. This year’s inductees included the man the museum is named after; Bradford Washburn who is best known for his photo mapping of Denali, the Grand Canyon and Mt. Everest. Washburn and his wife Barbara were pioneers of aerial photography, cartography and claiming the first ascents of Alaskan peaks, making Barbara the first woman to climb Mt. McKinley. “I see it as the Mountaineering Plus award,” said Tom Hornbein, former inductee and chair of the selection committee. “Its people who have made significant contributions in mountaineering and by that I mean really climbing and then they’ve also done something else remarkable in their lives beyond that.” The gala which also serves as the museum’s fundraiser, kicked off on Saturday, April 5 with a formal cocktail reception and a catered dinner followed by the induction ceremony and a presentation from Gerry Roach, “Mr. 14er” who was the first man to successfully climb the 10 highest peaks in North America. “It’s a lifetime story of my climbing big mountains in North America,” Roach said. His presentation, “Northern Heights” took audiences on a trek through Roach’s lifelong climbs of North America’s highest and roughest peaks which began in 1959 and ended in 2000. But at the age of 70, Roach is still climbing. “It gets so insular in our lives; offices, our cars, we’re watching movies or playing games on a two dimensional screen,” Roach said. “I think it’s really important to focus on the planet that’s still out there, there’s still plenty of wild.” Allen Steck, the Silver Fox of Yosemite, was another Hall of Excellence inductee who made many first ascents in California’s Sierra Nevada and the Alps, to name a few. The 1600-foot north face of Sentinel
Citizens take a few moments to remember victims of crime during a moment of silence at the 21st annual Courage Walk on Saturday, April 12. Photo by Amy Woodward
Walking to remember loved ones, honor survivors
By Amy Woodward
awoodward@ coloradocommunitymedia.com Jessica Ridgeway, Fred Meyer, Cher Elder, Steve Campbell and Andre Nelson. These were some of the names read aloud during the 21st annual Courage Walk, an event that celebrates and honors survivors and victims of crime. Meeting in front of the Jefferson County courts complex on Saturday, April 12, friends and families reconnected during a continental breakfast before the one mile walk to the Courage Garden located behind the courthouse. “It’s like a massive group therapy session that meets once a year,” Earl Elder, a 20 year courage walk partici-
pant, said. Elder and his wife Claudette started walking after their daughter, Cher Elder, was murdered in 1993 at the age of 20. “We are strong, we are not going to be victims anymore; we are going to be survivors.” New participants in the walk included Jessica Ridgeway’s parents; Sarah Ridgeway and Jeremiah Bryant. This year’s walk was dedicated to children where a bird bath was added to the kid’s section in the Courage Garden, a memorial garden for victims of crime. “Nothing that you ever put into children is ever wasted,” said Vista Exline, director of Victim Outreach, Inc. and founder of the Courage Walk. A total of $3,281 was raised during this year’s remembrance walk that will go to help develop the garden and toward training for victim advocates
volunteers. “They’re angels,” Elder said about Victims Outreach, Inc. “It’s a wonderful organization, I think what people need to know is 1 in 3 people that they serve are children.” After supporters completed their walk and gathered behind the courthouse, over 15 names were read aloud followed by a dove release. “This really is to the wonder of the human spirit,” said Peter Weir, Jeffco district attorney. “These people will never be forgotten.” To help victims in the community, send donations to Victim Outreach, Inc. at P.O. Box 5173, Golden, CO 80401. To become a volunteer victim advocate, please contact Susan Sylvester, sheriff’s office victim services advocate, at 720497-724.
Museum continues on Page 8 POSTAL ADDRESS
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