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December 3, 2020
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
JeffcoTranscript.com
VOLUME 37 | ISSUE 21
Checking in on Jeffco’s Latino community Times are tough but spirits remain strong
After brutal year, retailers brace for holiday season that will be anything but regular
BY .BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
On a chilly Saturday afternoon in Arvada, lines of cars wind around the corner and out into the street as drivers wait their turn to receive a box of food and a holiday turkey. Volunteers of all ages, mostly Latina promotoras, do the heavy lifting, loading boxes into the trunks of automobiles passing through the parking lot of the Jeffco Head Start building on Allison street. Cynthia Hernandez and her teenage son Ernesto are helping out on behalf of Adelante Jeffco. Ernesto’s mane of thick, black, wavy hair combined with a blue surgical mask leaves only a pair of kind eyes exposed. When asked why he is helping, Ernesto’s answer is simple. “Just for the enjoyment of seeing people happy,” he says. “I know people are scared, but you must have hope. Things will get better.” His mother’s eyes light up when she hears his words. Standing next to her, tears fill the eyes of Paulina Erices of Jeffco Public Health and Adelante Jeffco,
BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
oral test, which minimizes in-person contact and risk of transmission
In a typical year, the Red Wagon Gift and Garden shop in Golden kicks off the holiday shopping season by putting out hot cider, cookies and other treats to welcome customers for Small Business Saturday. But, as everyone knows all too well by now, this year has been anything but typical — and holiday shopping will be no exception. “Obviously we are not doing any of that this year,” said Red Wagon owner Susan Lusk ahead of the annual local shopping event. “So, I am just hoping people will still want to come down and shop, even though we aren’t doing quite as much festivities as we did before.” Once unthinkable, such concerns about whether people will be willing to come out and shop not only on Small Business Saturday but in the weeks that follow have become commonplace around Jeffco as local retailers brace for a holiday season where even the basic act of browsing a store carries plenty of risk. “I’m a little worried to tell you the truth,” said Lusk, who said her store typically does as much in sales during the holiday season as it will in the next four or five months that follow. “December is everything and if we don’t have people in to buy stuff we are going to be in trouble.” Red Wagon and other stores did get a big boost on Nov. 17 when Gov. Jared Polis announced changes to the COVID-19 dial that would allow retailers to operate at 50% capacity even as counties like Jeffco moved to Level Red and
SEE TESTING, P10
SEE BUSINESS, P8
Ernesto and his mother, Cynthia volunteer at El Mercado Para Todos in Arvada, Colorado. PHOTO BY BOB WOOLEY who confirms being deeply moved by the boy’s sentiments. Erices, a bundle of energy moving along the distribution line, helps load boxes and directs the action. Kaizen Food Rescue Fouder, Thai Nguyen, describes Erices as “A dynamo leading amazing cultural changes in Jeffco public health with
community-centered work.” According to Erices, Adelante Jeffco is a group of people and organizations that came together about 2 years ago to offer services and assistance to Latino families in the county. Beyond just providing SEE LATINO, P10
Free COVID-19 testing site opens at Jeffco Fairgrounds Site to offer 2,000 tests a day STAFF REPORT
Golden now has its own free COVID-19 testing site. On Nov. 20, Jefferson County Public Health announced it was partnering with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to open a large-scale COVID-19
Business as unusual
community testing site at the Jeffco Fairgrounds. The testing site opened on Nov. 22. Although the site will accept walkins, those looking to get tested are encouraged to pre-register at curative.com/sites/14597. The site can perform at least 2,000 tests a day, and people can see how many tests are left before they leave home at the registration link. Results are expected to take 2-3 days to get back. According to a press release, the location will offer a self-performed
JEFFCO FAIRGROUNDS TESTING SITE HOURS Monday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday Noon-8 p.m. Wednesday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday Noon-8 p.m. Friday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 22
KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON
Many holiday attractions in the metro area carry on despite pandemic P14