Westminster Window 042513

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Wesminster Window 4/25/13

April 25, 2013

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A Colorado Community Media Publication

ourwestminsternews.com

Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 68, Issue 27

Bowles House to celebrate 25 years Historic site saved by third-graders By Ashley Reimers

areimers@ourcoloradonews.com The Bowles House in Westminster was almost destroyed before becoming an historic site and museum. In 1981 the city of Westminster was going to destroy the Bowles House in a practiced burn, but a group of third-graders had another plan. “The students at Vista Grande Elementary School are the ones who really saved the museum,” said Linda Cherrington with the Westminster Historical Society. “Those kids wrote to the city, TV sta-

Each room in the Bowles House museum features a different theme, such as the Westminster police and fire departments room.

tions and newspapers asking to not burn down the house, but to restore it. They did a good thing.” The Bowles House property at 3924 W. 72nd Ave. was homesteaded by Edward Bruce Bowles in 1871. Edward Bowles married Mahalia Elizabeth Longan and was a horse breeder who rode in the Denver Pioneer Parade. Through the month of May, the Bowles House will celebrate its 25th Anniversary with special events and free museum tours. According to the National Register of Historic Places, the house was constructed between 1871 and 1876. The Bowles were the second permanent settlers in the Westminster area, and their family of nine children played an important role in the growth of the city. Since the restoration and official opening of the museum in 1988, the Bowles House has been a local historical landmark giving residents a glimpse into Westminster’s past. “Over the years we’ve grown a lot and now every room is filled up with furniture and other historical items from the Westminster area,” Cherrington said. “We’ve received so many donated items and now we will celebrate 25 years.” The month of events begins with a reception at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4, at the Bowles House. On Saturday, May 11, Linda Graybeal will present herself at Mahalia Bowles. “Mahalia was a tough woman, she had to be. She wasn’t cultured or refined, she even liked to smoke a pipe now and again,” Graybeal said. “She raised all of those kids in that house and her world view was survival. So I try to imagine what made this woman, who she was and what kept her going when I portray her.” On May 18, the Bowles House will display local quilts, and on May 25, the West-

The Bowles House at 3924 W. 72nd Ave. in Westminster is a local museum giving the public a glimpse into the city’s history. Next month the Westminster Historical Society will celebrate the Bowles House 25th Anniversary with special events open to the public. Photo by Photo by Ashley Reimers minster Historical Society will present the Historical Preservation Award to a home owner or business owner who had made steps to preserve their historical home or business. Also on May 18, the historical society will honor those who have served in the

County urges cities to keep cap levels Cap limit for jail inmates lifted, but capacity the same says sheriff By Darin Moriki

dmoriki@ourcoloradonews. com The municipal jail cap that restricted the number of inmates that could be sent to the Adams County jail may be lifted, but Sheriff Doug Darr said it may be at least another year before city officials can begin to send more inmates. “We have been operating in an unreasonable environment for some time now, and we have a responsibility to fix that,” Darr said. “I’m not trying to be difficult for anyone, but I do intend to make sure that it is a relatively safe environment for people who work and live there.”

The jail cap, which was repealed by the Adams County commissioners during their April 15 public meeting, previously stood at 30 and were divided among nine municipalities based upon population. The inmate cap, set by Darr, was: Thornton, eight; Westminster, five; Aurora and Commerce City, four a piece; Northglenn and Brighton, three each; and one each for Federal Heights, Arvada and Bennett. “I would say that removing the municipal cap is the fair thing to do and helps maintain the good partnership we have had with our Adams County partners,” District 3 Commissioner Erik Hansen said in a text message following the jail cap’s repeal. Darr said the repeal, however, does not necessarily solve the past budget cuts and staffing losses due to attrition and military deployments— two key factors that, he said, ultimately led to the jail cap’s cre-

ation by the sitting Board of County Commissioners more than a year ago. County Administrator Jim Robinson said the sheriff’s office has been authorized to hire 13 deputies to fill jail positions that are or will become vacant in the coming months by using vacancy savings that were built into this year’s budget. Darr, however, said the initial approval for the hires came in October 2012 after his department was required to submit its budget in August 2012. To address this issue, Darr said he submitted a $567,000 to $568,000 supplemental budget request to make the funds available for the second-half of this year, which would be used to train, outfit and compensate the hired deputies. Those positions, he said, are only intended to ensure that the two housing units open right now operate at a safe level. Darr said the sheriff’s office is currently in the process of se-

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lecting new deputies, who must then undergo 22 weeks of academy training and an additional 11 to 18 weeks of field and officer training based upon their progress and assignments. In all, Darr said it will take at least another year before newly hired deputies can begin their new assignments. “The commissioners intended to allow municipal prisoners to come into the jail, and I’m supportive of that. I don’t have a problem with that at all particularly when it comes to those more serious offenders,” Darr said. “I didn’t cause these problems out here, I didn’t cut the budget and the staffing, I didn’t create the hiring restrictions, and I didn’t create the daily per diem fee. It was all done by somebody else but I found myself having to deal with the consequences of all of it, and the consequences are going to carry on for a while until such time that we can be better staffed.” Darr said part of those consequences will be asking cities to continue sending inmates to the jail based upon prior capped levels until additional staffing is available. The jail cap, he acknowledged, has caused some ire among city officials, but Darr said he cannot and will not open any more housing units in the jail until adequate staffing is available.

military during “A Salute to the Military” event at the Westminster Grange, 3935 W. 73rd Ave. Local veterans are invited to attend and share their stories. For more information on the Bowles House 25th Anniversary call 303-4265279.

Police examine possible bomb materials By Ashley Reimers

areimers@ourcoloradonews.com Six apartment buildings were evacuated Friday after Westminster police investigated a report of pipe bomb in an apartment building located at 8290 Federal Blvd. in Westminster, but authorities determined suspected items were not a bomb, and residents were allowed back in to their homes. Tthe Adams County Sheriff’s Department was notified at about 8 a.m. At that time nearby schools — Metz Elementary and Ranum Middle School — were placed on lockout due to their proximity to the apartment building. With the assistance to the Adams County Sheriff’s bomb squad, a robot was used to determine if the suspected items were in fact a pipe bomb. “The bomb squad determined the items in the apartment were not a bomb,” said Westminster investigator Trevor Materasso. “The robot was used to check a vehicle and removed a suspicious bag from the van. A water cannon on the robot was used to make sure no explosive device was inside the bag.” Materasso said certain items found may not be illegal, but police are concerned due to the individual’s criminal history involving explosives. The person has only been detained. An investigation is ongoing and police will release a name and photograph of the individual if charges are filed.


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