HOMETOWN
November 26, 2015 VOLUME 149 | ISSUE 51 | 50¢
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GoldenTranscript.net J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Holiday tradition to light up the night 24th annual candlelight walk to occur on Dec. 4
By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com On the night of Dec. 4, Goldenites will gather at the top of the hill on 15th Street and Washington Avenue to meet up with old friends, and make new friends. At 6:30 p.m., with candles or red and green glowsticks in hand, they will walk down the hill. When they reach the bottom of the hill, they will count down to prompt Santa to turn on the lights… “…and the city of Golden becomes magical,” said Carol Ann Bowles with the Golden Visitors Center. The Olde Golden Christmas Candlelight Walk is tradition, Bowles said. “It kicks off the holidays here in Golden.” This is the 24th consecutive year the walk has taken place. And this year, a little
extra magic has been added. The Golden History Museums is adding a new dimension by lighting up Clear Creek History Park, located at 11th and Arapahoe streets, for the first time. The history museums has wanted to light up the park for a while now, said the museums’ director Nathan Richie. This year it is happening partly because of a grant that allowed the organization to have electricity throughout the park. The trees will be lit, and all the buildings, inside and out, Richie said. Plus, he added, from 6-8 p.m., people will be able to watch live blacksmithing, participate in song and enjoy warm cider served by the Golden Lion’s Club and roasted chestnuts from the Kiwanis Club of Golden. “There’s more to the walk than just the walk,” Richie said. He encourages everyone to “float around Golden.” “Be sure to see it all,” he said. The history park, along with the trees
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Volunteers — students attending the University of Colorado and the Colorado School of Mines — string lights at Clear Creek History Park for its Homestead Holidays, which will coincide with the 24th annual candlelight walk. People will be able to enjoy the lights at the park from sunset to midnight, Dec. 3 through Jan. 25 Photo courtesy of Golden History Museums
Arrest made in Wheat Ridge shooting death One suspect in custody believed to have pulled the trigger
By Glenn Wallace gwallace@colorado communitymedia.com After nearly making it through 2015 without a shooting homicide, that streak was tragically ended the night of Nov. 15 when Guled Abdullahi Ige, 24, was found in a parking lot off of 44th and Wadsworth with a fatal gunshot wound. Police say the man Begay was incoherent when they found him. Ige was transported to St. Anthony’s Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Patrol Commander Mark Cooney said witnesses at the scene reported some sort of argument taking place in the parking lot in front of the Walgreens, prior to the sound of a gunshot, and then a darkcolored Chevy Monte Carlo driving away. Local media was notified of
the crime, and police circulated a photo of a woman who was seen on Walgreens surveillance cameras with Ige, prior to the shooting, and might have been a witness. That woman was later identified as Wenona Sims Begay, 26, who presented herself to police two days after the shooting. “Turns out she wasn’t just a witness, but a suspect,” according to Cooley. Begay was arrested on charges of second degree murder. Cooley added that investigators believe her to have actually pulled the trigger, though a second suspect who was inside the Chevy remains at large. The Chevy was later recovered by police, and found to be stolen from the Glendale area. Cooley said more charges are likely for Begay, and that investigators are still looking to properly identify the other passenger in the vehicle. He said the exact motive of the crime is also still being investigated. “We’re still sorting it all out but there was definitely an altercation in the parking lot, prior to them leaving,” Cooley said. Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call the Wheat Ridge Tip Line, 303-235-2947.
“It was worth it, all worth it,” Lesley Dahlkemper, outgoing Jefferson County Board of Education member, said to several community members at the district’s farewell reception. Here she receives a “Jeffco Board of Ed Survival Kit” from Michael Clark, a community member who had voted for the majority, but switched his views in 2014 after seeing the repercussions of the majority’s decisions. Photo by Crystal Anderson
Jeffco board changes over All five school board spots change hands By Crystal Anderson canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com It was a night for the changing of the guard at the Jeffco School Board, as an entirely new board was seated, and board Attorney Brad A. Miller announced his resignation. “Tonight we swear in five new board members, who will work hard to exceed all of our expectations and most importantly continue to rebuild trust in this board,” outgoing board member Leslie Dahlkemper said during her farewell thoughts. “It’s a very tall order for a volunteer position and it impacts the lives of 86,000 children they need our support and our very best thinking, they’ve got big issues to tackle ahead.” In a packed board room, members of the board of education — Ken Witt, Julie Williams, John Newkirk, Jill Fellman and Lesley Dahlkemper — relinquished their duties to the newly elected
directors — Ron Mitchell, Susan Harmon, Brad Rupert, Ali Lasell and Amanda Stevens. The handover gives the state’s second largest school district of 154 schools to a clean slate of individuals who promise to work together, collaboratively to restore the district to its former glory. “The campaign and election are behind us, and it’s time to begin the hard work of serving the needs of our district,” Mitchell said. “We can listen and consider diverse opinions in a respectful manner … Jeffco faces many challenges; we will listen and work collaboratively to all our stakeholders to move forward in a positive direction.” Following this, each of the directors unanimously elected directors to different positions on the board, including president (Mitchell), first vice president (Lasell), second vice president (Harmon), secretary (Stevens) and treasurer (Rupert). “The tone in this board room needs to change, and that starts with the six of us up here” Lasell said in her introductory comments, counting district superintendent Dan McMinimee. “It all
GOLDEN TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 0746-6382) OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401 | 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, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 5 p.m. | Classifieds: Tue. 8 a.m. | Obits: Tue. 12 p.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.
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