Golden transcript 1205

Page 1

Transcript Golden

December 5, 2013

A Colorado Community Media Publication

ourgoldennews.com

Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 148, Issue 1

TURKEY TIME

50 cents

Witt takes the helm, addresses questions Realigned Jeffco school board meets By Vic Vela

vvela@ourcoloradonews.com

Paul Butler, line cook at the Golden Hotel, receives a frozen turkey from Karla Karstensen, training specialist, as part of the “Turkey for Team Members” giveaway on Nov. 25. Other staff members pictured include Julie Favre, human relations manager, far left, Carlyssa Scanlon, bartender and Kaylee Nelson, server. The Golden Hotel ordered 120 turkeys for the staff delivered by US Foods, a vendor for the Golden Hotel. Photo by Amy Woodward

How Christmas got so Golden New book illuminates Olde Golden Christmas By Amy Woodward

awoodward@ ourcoloradonews.com There is nothing quite like Christmas in Golden. The North Pole may be far, but Golden’s holiday celebration transforms the city into a wonderment of lights, music and tradition. The celebration is called Olde Golden Christmas, organized by Carol Ann Bowles of the Golden Chamber of Commerce and chairperson of Olde Golden Christmas. For 21 years she has devoted herself to planning the month long holiday tradition that takes a year to organize. “Olde Golden Christmas is a Golden Chamber of Commerce Christmas,” Carol Ann Bowles, chair of Olde Golden Christmas and Golden Chamber member said. “I took it to the next plateau, it’s over the top,” she said. “It’s a winter wonderland down here, it’s just awesome.”

Barb Warden, who runs Golden.com, has spent the last year committed to Olde Golden Christmas as well, but she has busied herself with putting together her latest book, “Olde Golden Christmas” which documents the city’s remarkable transition and includes all of the holiday goings-on in the city. Her 84-page book is filled with colorful photos submitted by more than a dozen local photographers and residents including Dave Powers, Andrew Terrill, and Sharon Wheatley. Warden sectioned the book into seven parts from “Winter Descends” to “Holiday Lighting” to include all of the festive events that occur within the month alongside the Olde Golden Christmas Parade and the Candlelight Walk. “I wanted to cover everything else that wasn’t covered by those two major events like all the small things that happen all the time,” Warden said. “The merchants all do wonderful little things, things you Golden continues on Page 19

POSTAL ADDRESS

Ken Witt knew there were a lot of questions and concerns going on inside the minds of attendees of a Nov. 21 Jefferson County school board meeting, a little more than two weeks removed from an election that swept conservatives like himself into power. “I want to do some rumor control,” Witt said, moments after fellow board members voted him new president of the Jeffco Board of Education. Witt then tried to assure uneasy parents and district employees that the new board had “no intention of becoming Douglas County” — referring to a school district that has received national news over controversial reform efforts put in place by conservative board members there. Witt addressed the Douglas County elephant in the room, as well as other areas of concern that were present going into his first board meeting. And it was clear that Witt needed to, based on many of the comments that were directed at the board that evening. “Let me say the new board scares me and most my colleagues to death,” said Jim Fernald, a teacher at Lakewood High School, who said he didn’t want Jeffco to go the way of either Douglas County or Denver Public Schools — two districts that also saw reform candidates win school board races earlier in the month. “We all know the fantastic things that are done in our district and we are sorely afraid that your true agenda is to dismantle those successes,” Fernald said, who received applause at the conclusion of his comments. Witt and fellow conservatives Julie Williams and John Newkirk rode a statewide pro-reform and anti-Amendment 66 wave into the win column on Nov. 5. On Nov. 21, they were sworn into their new seats on the Jeffco school board, the governing body of a district that serves more than 85,000 students. The new office holders of the five-member board were elected to leadership positions: Witt as board president, Williams as first vice president and Newkirk as secretary. Witt takes over a position that had been held by Lesley Dahlkemper, who remains a board member, but who no longer will hold the title of board president. “It’s been an absolute honor and privilege to serve as your board president,” she told the audience. The swearing in of the new board members — who replace Laura Boggs and Paula Noonan, who did not seek re-election — comes on the heels of the recent announcement by longtime district Superintendent Cindy Stevenson that she will be retiring at the end of June. Stevenson’s move was made after the new board was voted into power. “We’re saddened that our superintendent has tendered her resignation,” he said. “I’ve looked forward to working with her for a good long time. She’s provided consistent leadership.” Witt also said that the board intends to conduct a nationwide search for a new president and said members have “no intention” of choosing a superintendent who is “a former board member,” killing a rumor that Boggs — a conservative firebrand — might be considered a candidate. But Witt primarily tried to quell concerns that Jeffco was about to turn into the next Douglas County. Although

Barb Warden holds her latest book, “Olde Golden Christmas” at the Windy Saddle on Nov. 22. Photo by Amy Woodward

Witt continues on Page 19

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., Ste. 150, Golden, CO 80403. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Golden Transcript, 110 N. Rubey Dr., Unit 150, Golden, CO 80403 DEADLINES: Display advertising: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal advertising: Fri.11 a.m. Classified advertising: Mon. 5 p.m.

GET SOCIAL WITH US The Golden Transcript wants to share the news. Check out and like our page on facebook. Search for Golden Transcript. While you are there search for Colorado Community Media’s page too.

Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Golden transcript 1205 by Colorado Community Media - Issuu