Westsider Westsider 6-21-13
North Jeffco
POSTAL PATRON
June 21,2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
North Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 24
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Statewide event celebrates bicycling By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com It’s a day to leave the vehicles behind and break out the bicycles during Bike to Work Day. Residents of the north metro area and the state are encouraged to take part in this event on June 26 celebrating the benefits of bicycling. Last year more than 27,000 metro Denver bicyclists participated in Bike to Work day and 452,000 miles were traveled. Residents in Westminster who participate in this event also have the opportunity to stop by various business sponsors throughout the day offering food and beverages to keep those legs cycling. Nonprofit organization 36 Commuting Solutions is also partaking in the celebration by hosting two of the largest breakfast
stations along the U.S. 36 corridor at Paul’s Coffee & Tea in Louisville and Interlocken East Park in Broomfield. Audrey DeBarros, Executive Director of 36 Commuting Solutions, said she is excited to be part of the statewide effort to make bicycling a viable commuting option because US 36 is a significant employment corridor with over 190,000 employees. “Bike to Work Day is a fantastic way to promote bicycling as a viable commute option,” she said. Eventually commuting by bicycle along the US 36 corridor will be an even easier option after an 18-mile, 12-foot-wide multipurpose bikeway is constructed adjacent to the highway. The bikeway is part of the US 36 Express Lanes Project and will allow commuters to travel easily from Boulder to Westminster by walking or bicycling. DeBarros said the
US 36 Bikeway will connect to existing bicycle facilities. “This bikeway will make it even more safe and accessible to commute by bicycle,” she said. “We know that many people who live near US 36 also work in the corridor, so bicycling will become a very viable option once this bikeway is complete by the end of 2015.” For people interested in other bike routes in the area, a US 36 regional map called Bike 36 is now available. The map enables riders to identify local bicycle networks and information to safely travel by bike throughout the US 36 region. To request a copy of the Bike 36 map, email info@36commutingsolutions.org or call 303-997-5155 with your name and address. The map is also available in a webbased application, including a mobile app, at www.36commutingsolutions.org.
WhErE anD WhEn BikE to Work Day fooD stations in WEstminstEr: morning- 6:30-9 a.m., JunE 26 • Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 West 104th Ave. • Avaya, Inc., 1300 W. 120th Ave. • TenWest, 10155 Westmoor Drive • Advent Lutheran Church, Lowell Boulevard and Turnpike Drive • Performance Bike, 7430 West 88th Ave. • Westminster Whole Foods, 9229 Sheridan Blvd.
aftErnoon- 4-6:30 p.m., JunE 26 • The Orchard Town Center, 14697 Delaware St. • Avaya, Inc., 1300 W. 120th Ave.
EDC aims to create 7,500 new jobs New economic development initiative ‘Forward Jeffco’ launched By Glenn Wallace
gwallace@ ourcoloradonews.com Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation launched a new initiative last week — “Forward Jeffco” — with the goal of creating 7,500 new jobs in the county. To accomplish that level of economic development, the EDC is attempting to raise $3.9 million in additional revenue from government and business sponsors. In 2012, Jeffco EDC had an operating budget of about $900,000 and claimed 860 jobs created or retained. The official kick-off, which comes after months of behind-thescenes sponsorship discussions, occurred June 11 at the MillerCoors Golden Brewery.
Jeffco EDC Board Chair Fred Baker helped start the Jeffco Forward Initiative presentation, held at the MillerCoors Brewery on June 11. The presentation represented the public kick-off to the initiative, which seeks to expand Jeffco EDC’s activities in trying to bring more businesses to the county. Photo by Glenn Wallace
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Jeffco EDC board chair Fred Baker started the kick-off presentation, saying that the corporation’s last five-year-plan lacked a lot needed funding. “What we were able to do this time is take a more intelligent approach,” Baker said. Forward Jeffco has five listed strategic components: • More aggressive targeting of companies in desired industries; • Create new jobs by helping existing businesses grow; • Stimulate new business, including small and home-based businesses, by pulling together entrepreneur resources; • Identify and satisfy workforce development needs; • Aggressively advocate for business at all levels of government. According to Jeffco EDC CEO Kevin McCasky, part of the additional funds will quickly go to hiring another staff member to travel nationally, and internationally, to market the county to businesses in “identified cluster markets” that he hopes to bring in. Those cluster markets include aerospace/aviation, energy, bioscience, enabling technologies, and consumer products and creative services. More than $2 million of the Forward Jeffco monetary goal has been reached with contributions from about 25 sources, according to McCasky. Contributors include the City of Lakewood, Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, Xcel Energy, Lockheed Martin, and Jefferson County Public Schools. Arvada Mayor Marc Williams said he was proud that his city and city council had been among the first to pledge their support for the initiative, providing up to $50,000 a year, for the next five years. “It’s needed to raise the bar, so that we can attain the primary jobs and the economic development that this county needs and deserves,” Williams said. The Jeffco EDC has traditionally been funded 50/50 by government and business sources. Williams said that part of the Jeffco Forward initiative would be to shift that ratio, so that the business community would fund 70 percent, which had been accomplished for the Arvada area.
A home explosion on June 13 near 92 Avenue and Ingalls Street in Westminster left one house leveled and another extremely damaged. The cause of the explosion is suspected to be natural gas, which also left surrounding homes damaged due to the blow. Photo by Ashley Reimers
Explosion wrecks 2 homes, damages others By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews. com No one was seriously injured in a natural gas explosion in Westminster that destroyed two houses and damaged four others. The explosion occurred around 11:30 a.m. on June 13 near 92nd Avenue and Ingalls Street. Homes nearby also experienced damage and many were temporarily evacuated. The two leveled homes are complete losses. “There were two minor injuries reported,” said Westminster
Fire Department Public Information officer Diana Wilson. Xcel Energy confirmed the gas line going into the home was not compromised, so they believe the explosion may have come from inside the home — possibly from a faulty appliance. Throughout the day there were three people unaccounted for, but they were found safely the following morning. Power and gas service was also turned off in the neighborhood as a precautionary measure as authorities investigated the scene. The blast shook many buildings and homes nearby, some
even blocks away. Russ Kraus, who works at in a bank building at 92nd Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard said he could feel an intense shake when the explosion happened. “I could definitely feel something, I thought it was a car crashing into the building or something,” he said. “It almost felt like an earthquake. I lived in San Francisco, and I never felt anything this strong before.” According to the Westminster Fire Department’s Facebook page, the department is working with the families affected by the explosion on how to deal with the situation.
Bicyclist dies after June 8 hit and run incident Staff Report A bicyclist who was struck in a hit and run incident on June 8 has died. David Hernandez passed away on the morning of June 15 due to injuries sustained in the incident. Around 11 p.m. on June 8, Hernandez was found by
a passing motorist approximately 1,000 feet from his bicycle. Westminster police believe a vehicle traveling south on Westminster Boulevard near the 9900 block struck him. Police do not know the identity of the diver of the vehicle. Police do not have exact model of the vehicle but said the run vehicle may have hood damage
or right-passenger side headlight damage. There may also be damage to the windshield wipers. Anyone with information regarding this case can contact Westminster detective Dean Passarelli at 303-658-4241. People can also contact Crime Stoppers and remain anonymous at 720-913-7867.