December 31, 2015
VO LU ME 32 | ISSU E 27 | 50 ¢
WheatRidgeTranscript.com A publication of
J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Snow can’t stop donation-toting cyclists Wheat Ridge Cyclery brings more than 500 pounds of food to the needy
Employees of Wheat Ridge Cyclery – including two “sleigh” drivers – depart their shop to deliver more than 500 pounds of donated goods 11 miles away at the Denver Rescue Mission. Photo by Steve Acuna
By Andrea W. Doray Special to Colorado Community Media None of Wheat Ridge Cyclery’s employees are named Dasher, or Dancer, or Prancer, or Vixen. But 18 of them did load up “sleighs” full of warm clothes, food and toys, and took off — on bicycles — over snow-covered streets to deliver them to the Denver Rescue Mission warehouse. “Part of our mission here at Wheat Ridge Cyclery is to give back,” said Jeremy Jancovic, who coordinated the project, which ended with the biked-in dona-
LOOK BACK AT JEFFCO 2015
tion run on Dec. 18. “We wanted to do something for the holidays, so we began collecting donations about three weeks before Thanksgiving.” Through a combination of in-store displays, customer outreach and social media posts, employees at the store amassed more than 500 pounds of food and gifts. The idea to donate goods to the Denver Rescue Mission came from Wheat Ridge Cyclery’s marketing director, Gil McCormick, Jancovic said. “This year, just our employees built and delivered the sleighs. In the future, we hope to push this event out to the larger cycling community.” Cyclists continues on Page 6
Classical approach helps students Parents like discipline, content, expectations of Golden charter By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Jefferson County Commissioner Don Rosier at his senate race announcement on Dec. 10, in Arvada. Rosier is running against incumbent Michael Bennet. Photo by Clarke Reader By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia. com
J
efferson County produced some forward-looking news in 2015, deciding on ways to improve the county fair and approving a tax increase to support the library. As the news continues into the New Year, here are some of the hot topics that began in 2015. Changeup with county commissioners It was an unusually busy year for Jeffco commissioners. Republican Libby Szabo of Arvada was sworn in to serve as Jefferson County commissioner for District 1
on Jan. 30. The seat was left vacant when Faye Griffin, who was elected to serve a four-year term in 2012, won the 2014 election for Jeffco clerk and recorder. Szabo was serving her third term as state representative for House District 27 when she was chosen for the three-member board of county commissioners, and according to E.V. Leyendecker, chairman for the Jeffco GOP, the Jefferson County Commissioner Vacancy Committee voted for her unanimously. Lang Sias was selected to take the state representative seat previously held by Szabo on Jan. 31. In other county commissioner news this year, Donald Rosier publicly announced on Dec. 10 that he is
running for the state Senate seat held by Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet. Rosier entered local politics in 2010 after beating incumbent Democrat Kathy Hartman as county commissioner for Jeffco’s District 3 in the election. He won re-election in 2014. Banner year for Jeffco libraries The Golden library, first built in 1914, underwent a three-month remodel made possible by an $85,000 contribution from the City of Golden. The library hosted a wellattended re-opening celebration on June 14. Jeffco continues on Page 5
The Teter family of Genesee worries because their children are always the new kids in school. Michael Teter is active-duty military, so the family moves around a lot. But this school year, their children — who are in first, third and sixth grades — didn’t have to be the new kids. The Teter children attend Golden View Classical Academy. And because the school is in its first year, “everybody was going to be the new kid in the class,” Teter said. But that’s not the only reason the family chose Golden View Classical Academy, he said. Their sixth-grader has attended public schools, private schools and was even home-schooled for one year. They have seen “lots of different methods and styles,” Teter said. They “realize how wide the variances are.” The Teter family prefers their children be taught in a school that offers the classical approach. “It’s exciting to see the students rise to an expectation,” Teter said. “You see a certain amount of pride in the students.” Golden View Classical Academy opened this fall with 496 students in kindergarten through 10th grade. The school will expand to serve 11th-graders Charter continues on Page 8
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.