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Week of June 2, 2022
ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
Northglenn-ThorntonSentinel.com
VOLUME 58 | ISSUE 43
GRADUATION DAY
Westminster council passes gun violence awareness proclamation Action comes a week after Buffalo shooting, day before Uvalde, Texas, shooting BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Holy Family graduates are greeted by Assistant Principal Mike Gabriel at the start of the parochial school’s 97th graduation ceremonies May 19 in Broomfield. For more graduation coverage, see pages PHOTO BY STEFAN BRODSKY 2, 4, 5 and 12.
Westminster City Council designated June 3 as Prevention of Gun Death Awareness Day by proclamation May 23. The vote comes a little over a week after 10 people were killed in Buffalo, New
York, in a supermarket shooting. The day after Westminister’s vote, a gunman shot and killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 213 shootings with four or more people killed or injured so far this year. “Americans support the Second Amendment Right to bear arms, to protect life and property and to protect oneself and family,” the city’s proclamation stated.
Thornton approves nature-based library in partnership with Anythink Gutierrez, Blair and Ciancio BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Thornton City Council voted unanimously May 24 to build a nature-based library on the Aylor Open Land property. Pam Smith from Anythink Libraries said her organization has been working with the city on this project for four years. “This is going to be a project centered on supporting the wellbeing of our community, encouraging people to spend time outdoors,” she said. “Over the past two years, we’ve realized this idea is one of the most important ideas that we could actually provide because we’ve all experienced the need to spend time out-
doors for our wellbeing and mental health.” Smith also hopes the nature library will help people understand their relationship to the land and their connection to stewardship of the environment. Doug Romig, programs director for Parks, Recreation and Community Programs, said the guiding principles for the library will be to blend the built environment with the natural environment, balance education with conservation and provide connectivity to the city’s trail network and neighborhoods. “I’m looking forward to having a place to get away right here in the city,” City Councilor Kathy Henson
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 7 | VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10 | SPORTS: PAGE 13
said. “We all love to get up to the mountains, but I think this will be a real asset to the city and the greater community.” The city will partner with Anythink Libraries to build the 40,000- to 50,000-squarefoot structure, which will provide nature-themed programming to the public. Romig said Anythink’s budget for the project is $50 million. According to the meeting’s agenda, Anythink will pay all capital costs for the construction, including a parking lot and exterior public restrooms. According to Todd Barnes, a spokesperson for the City of Thornton, the estimated amount the city SEE LIBRARY, P13
SEE COUNCIL, P2
survive recount, win Hyland Hills election
BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Hyland Hills released its special district election results May 21 naming Margaret Gutierrez, Warren L. Blair and incumbent Board President Donald Ciancio as directors. Voters chose from seven candidates for three positions in the at-large election. Residents waited over two weeks for the results, after a recount and a count of absentee ballots. The district released unofficial results May 4 that put
Paul Page and Ciancio within one vote of each other. That triggered a recount and made the absentee ballots critical. Gutierrez had 554 votes, Blair 505 and Ciancio 487. Page had 480 votes. Gutierrez and Blair are new to the board, while Ciancio was reelected to serve another term. Gutierrez, the top votegetter in the election, said she hopes to understand the division in the district. “I’m new to the board,” SEE ELECTION, P13
EARTHLY MASTERMINDS Young chefs create out-of-this-world creations. P10