North Jeffco
Westsider
North Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 11, Issue 45
November 16, 2012 A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
Doug Rippey and Anita Schunemann of the 40 Degrees North Appalachian string band perform at the Metzger Farm opening in Westminster Saturday. Photos by Andy Carpenean
Open space trails celebrated City opens Metzger Farm open space By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com Westminster and Broomfield residents braved the snow and cold on Saturday to check out the now open Metzger Farm open space area. Attendees enjoyed the celebration with hot cider and live music, while representatives from both cities spoke about the importance of the project. “Cities and counties by their nature are competitive, we depend upon sales tax property tax to live and to have this area become open space without any tax associated, is truly unique,” said Broomfield mayor Pat Quinn. “I doubt there are many projects like this across the county. This could be a Wal-Mart or another store, but it’s not, it’s open space.” In 2005, the city of Westminster and the city and county of Broomfield formed a foundation for the acquisition, financing, management and maintenance of Metzger Farm, which is nestled between both communities at 120th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard. The foundation purchased the farm in 2006 using funds from three grants totaling more than $1.8 million from Adams County and a grant of $500,000 from Great Outdoors Colorado.
Westminster Mayor Nancy McNally, left, talks with visitors at Saturday at the Metzger farm opening. The farm was purchased in 1943 by John Metzger and was used for cattle grazing. The farmstead includes the family home and nine buildings, which are still intact and represent a model farm in
the mid-20th century. The two main ponds on the property were originally used for irrigation, stock watering and firefighting. Now after months of renovating, the area includes a parking lot, two miles of trails, a 70-foot steel bridge that connects to the Big Dry Creek Trail system, a picnic pavilion, fishing dock, wildlife viewing deck, fencing and signage. Quinn said stabilization construction will continue on the house and the buildings and the project will be completed in full by summer 2013. Westminster Mayor Nancy McNally is thrilled with the opening of the Metzger Farm to the public. She said it will benefit both communities and also preserves an important piece of local history. During the opening celebration, Bill Metzger and Karen Keithley, son and daughter of John Metzger, spoke about their time on the farm growing up. Both agreed their father would have been pleased and proud with the farm being used as open space for the community. “Over the years I would come and check on this place from time to time and it seemed like we were kind of stuck, but what was happening was the planning wheels were turning,” Keithley said. “And now it is truly a magnificent place. We are so proud and grateful for everyone in both cities. Everyone has been tremendous.”
Man suspected of threats against Obama Kusick also suspected of intent to harm students By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com A Westminster man is in federal custody after allegedly threatening to kill the president and children at Standley Lake High School. A criminal complaint was filed Nov. 9 in Jefferson County court by Melissa Blake, special agent with the U.S. Secret Service, against 20-year-old Mitchell Kusick. In the complaint, it states that Kusick knowingly and willfully made a threat to take the life of and inflict bodily harm upon the president of the United States. The complaint also states that Kusick stole a gun from his aunt and uncle’s house and planned to kill children on Halloween at
Standley Lake High School in hopes to draw police officers into a gun fight. Court documents also revealed that Kusick said he was obsessed with the Columbine shootings, Virginia Tech shooting and the Jessica Ridgeway abduction and had been having homicidal fantasies on a daily basis for five to six years. He told his therapist he had been trying to keep track of President Barack Obama’s visits to the Denver metro area because he wanted to attempt to assassinate him and he wanted to go down in history as the “guy who killed Obama.” According to the complaint, Kusick said that he had trained on how to shoot an assault rifle at a firing range in Grand Junction, where he was a student at Mesa State. He said that he previously owned a .22 caliber rifle and an assault rifle. Kusick admitted his plans to kill the president and shoot children on Hal-
Mitchell Kusick from Westminster was arrested after threatening to kill children on Halloween at Standley Lake High School. Photo by Facebook loween to police while in the hospital on mental hold. The paperwork says he is charged with “interference for threatening to shoot children in Jeffco Schools.”
On Nov. 9, the Jefferson County School District filed a restraining order against Kusick. The district followed with a statement on Nov. 12 in regards to Kusick: “Working with law enforcement, Jeffco Schools learned of a man who was allegedly threatening students at Standley Lake High School’s Trick or Treat Street event. Police acted quickly to take the man into custody before the event. At no time were children attending the event in any danger from the suspect because he was already in police custody. We appreciate the swift response from law enforcement and Jeffco district security which helped keep our students safe.”
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