January 14, 2016
VO LU ME 32 | ISSU E 2 9 | 50 ¢
1866
2016
See Special Anniversary Tribute on Page 32 WheatRidgeTranscript.com J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Board revisits growth issue School board decision affects Northwest Arvada corridor experiencing population boom Crystal Anderson canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Part of the beauty of Golden is there are wonderful stories all around, both old and new. Among the newer tales to tell are the ones being created by budding young scientists, conducting research for a Shelton Elementary science project along the frosty banks of Clear Creek last Saturday. Second-grader Cate Towle, on the right, was conducting a taste-test experiment, with the aid of big brother James Towle, second from right. Sam and Iris Briggs, wearing the red and pink coats, participated. Photo by Glenn Wallace
Transcript makes mark in first 150 years Newspaper is oldest in Denver metro area
By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Loyal readers of the Golden Transcript agree it’s difficult to imagine what the Golden community would be like without its local newspaper. Fortunately, it’s something the community hasn’t had to experience: The Transcript has been ingrained in Golden for 150 years. “Without a community newspaper, we would lose who we are, what we are and why we exist,” said Police Chief Bill Kilpatrick, noting that the Transcript is the one newspaper that pays attention to all things Golden, the everyday life of small-town America. Without it, “we’d lose our identity.” As the Golden Transcript begins to celebrate its legacy, history and continued longevity with a series of events this year, members from among the city’s business, government and residential sectors, along with former and present Transcript employees, talked about the importance of the newspaper and the role it plays in the daily life of its community. Only three newspapers in Colorado have made it to Volume 150, longtime Golden resident and historian Richard Gardner said. The Central City RegisterCall and the former Rocky Mountain News reached the benchmark, although the Rocky fell a few months short of reaching its actual 150th birthday. That makes the Register-Call the oldest paper in Colorado and the Transcript the oldest newspaper in the Denver metro area, Transcript continues on Page 5
IN THEIR WORDS... Former and present employees of The Golden Transcript have fond memories of their time spent working with the newspaper. Here’s what some of them have to say. What does/did working at The Golden Transcript mean to you? “Getting to be a part of the community. Being able to help with the progress and development of the city.” — John Tracy, employee for nearly 30 years “A lifetime of wonderful memories and connection to the community. It was one of the greatest teams I’ve ever worked with.” — Lynette Arguello, former employee of 12 years “It was one of the coolest jobs I’ve ever had. To work with a paper with that much history is really cool. It’s nice to be a part of that history.” — Thomas Martinez, former editor “I loved feeling that I was an important part of Golden. The community members are some of the most passionate and involved people I’ve ever met.” — Amy Woodward, former reporter
GOLDEN STORIES
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his year, as part of the Golden Transcript’s 150th anniversary year, the paper plans to head into the community to gather some of the tales that make up the city’s past, present and future. We’re calling it “Golden Stories.” Once a month, the Transcript will host a storytelling session at locations throughout the city. Anyone with a story to tell — whether it be yesterday or yesteryear, tragic or comic, monumental or memorable — is invited. We will video the storytelling session to record the stories for history and share them online with readers and the community. Our first event will take place in midFebruary in downtown Golden, featuring a special guest speaker. Stay tuned for the exact time and place. The videos will be gathered on www.GoldenTranscript.net and some of the stories will be published in the bimonthly Transcript 150 page of the Stories continues on Page 5
SOMETHING TOGolden.com. SING ABOUT “His newspaper helped Golden beWest
Gardner said. “That’s something George would be proud of,” he said.
Connecting a community Newspaperman George West came west from Boston and settled in Golden after hearing gold had been discovered. He started the Golden Transcript, at that time called the Colorado Transcript, on Dec. 19, 1866. West also signed the town charter and was a big promoter of the Golden community, said Barb Warden, webmaster of
come Golden,” Warden said. “Having Golden Transcript’s 150th our own The newspaper helps us maintain our own identity.” anniversary celebration It also continues becomes on thePAGE best32 source with for community information, from news community stories like that about neighbors, high schools sports Wing Jin (pictured) and local of events to issues andwho changes that define a community, former says the warmth several of the Golden and current employees of the Transcript community, and his music said. It becomes the recorder of history. repair histolife. by “You’rehelped just not going getPhoto that anywhere else,” saidWallace Thomas Martinez, ediGlenn tor in the mid-2000s.
At tonight’s meeting, the first of 2016, the Jefferson County Board of Education will take another look at a 1 1/2-year-old $40 million proposal to build a new school and renovate another in Northwest Arvada. “We are revisiting using COPs (Certificates of Participation) because we think this is the best solution to the challenges we are facing with Northwest Arvada,” Jeffco Superintendent Dan McMinimee said. “We’re looking to the future in terms of funding from the state of Colorado. We think this is the best use of the dollars we have.” Certificates of Participation is a form of lease agreement in which the district buys shares of the property and repays the owner with an annual amount of $3 million to $3.5 million over 20 to 25 years. This would allow the district to build a K-8 school in the Candelas development and complete classroom additions and renovations at Sierra Elementary School in Arvada. The cost of the two projects was estimated at $40 million. District facilities staff first suggested the proposal to use COPs in August 2014, but the former board majority voted against it last spring. The board then allocated a one-time amount of $15 million from unspent money in the district’s general fund, along with another $3 million from the fund, to create a K-6 elementary in Candelas. It did not address any other housing needs. The board will decide tonight whether to explore using Certificates of Participation to pay for the projects. Board president Ron Mitchell said he supports the use of COPs. “Is that a good use of general fund dollars? Is that a good way to run such a large business?” he said about the former board’s decision. “I don’t believe the critical housing issues in these areas were appropriately addressed … Yes, this proposal does address both of the concerns I have, but at this point I have not made a decision.” The area, known as the Northwest Corridor, is experiencing an economic and population boom within the Candelas, Five Parks, West Woods and Leyden Rock housing developments. Student enrollment is rising exponentially in a number of area schools: West Woods and Meiklejohn Elementary schools, and Ralston Valley and Standley Lake high schools are nearing or surpassing their capacity. The result is overcrowded classrooms and more strain on teachers, who with larger classes have less time for one-on-one instruction. “Overcrowding in the Northwest areas of the district is preventing all students and teachers from the learning opportunities they could otherwise access, and this cannot change without new construction,” Jeffco PTA president Angela Grier said. “Jeffco needs to invest in the future of our community by building the right school for the community in the long term. With this in mind, it is important that the decision to use COPs or the $15 million allocated be based on community input and the input of the Jeffco
WHEAT RIDGE TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 1089-9197) OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401 | PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Wheat Ridge Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 5 p.m. | Classifieds: Tue. 8 a.m. | Obits: Tue. 12 p.m. | Legals: Thurs. 11 a.m.
Growth continues on Page 17