Golden Transcript 0311

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March 11, 2021

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

GoldenTranscript.net

VOLUME 155 | ISSUE 14

Cold comfort for a very cool club Immersion group finds strength, catharsis during chilly dips in Clear Creek BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

An aerial view of the existing mine.

of the first times representatives from Martin Marietta have gone in front of the public to answer questions about the plan and what it will mean for those who live nearby. “What’s going to happen here is Jeffco Open Space is going to receive four pieces of land that are valuable to Jefferson County and the open effort along with a trail easement and some cash overtime,” said Lawrence. “And Martin Marietta receives one piece of land that is not accessible to the public and to which Martin Marietta is uniquely able to ascribe value because of our desire to expand the spec-ag quarry.”

It’s 32 degrees Fahrenheit in Golden and four people have just submerged themselves in the water of Clear Creek. They take a moment to adjust to the icy wetness before huddling together in a circle and starting to scream. “Hooohaaaahoooohaaaa,” chat some of them. “Wooooo” yells another. This unusual scene is a practice called cold water immersion and while it might look (and sound) like pure lunacy, those hitting the water on this chilly Saturday say that for them it’s just a great way to start the weekend. “It’s funny, it’s such a stressful event but the whole day after doing it you are just feeling so relaxed and like almost nothing can stress you out,” said John Schlafly, moments after exiting the water. Mindfulness and yoga teacher Lorena Oblitas began organizing cold water immersion gatherings in Golden last year after first experimenting with immersing herself in the creek four years ago. “I needed to find a way to do

SEE MINING, P7

SEE CLUB, P6

Selling the land swap

Martin Marietta speaks with community about plans to expand mining area BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“Our operation at the quarry will not change as a result of this exchange and the same things that govern those operations will continue to govern those operations.” That was one of the messages Martin Marietta West Division President Abbott Lawrence had for the Jeffco residents who participated in the March 1 virtual community meeting about a proposal to rezone a 64.02 acre section of Matthews/Winters Park it is seeking to expand its aggregates mine into. Abbott defined aggregates as “all

the various sizes of rocks and sand used to make concrete asphalt as well as other products that range from base materials for building roads, large boulders for constructing dams and reservoirs.” That aggregates mine, located on 283 acres off of US 40 near its intersection with I-70, opened in 1965. Martin Marietta needs to secure permission to rezone that property for mining to complete a proposed exchange that involve giving Jeffco Open Space 130 acres of property, including the site of the former Heritage Square amusement park, in exchange for the right to mine the 64.02 acres. Under the proposal, all of the land mined would be returned to Jefferson County once it has been mined and reclaimed with the county using it to create a large reservoir. While that exchange has been on the table for months, the virtual community meeting presented one

COURTESY PHOTO

LAND EXCHANGE For full details about the proposed land exchange, visit www.jeffco. us/3810/Heritage-Square-Exchange

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 27

BEANS APART

Craft bean roasters appeal to refined tastes P16


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