July 30, 2015
VOLUME 32 | ISSU E 5 | 50 ¢
THIS WEEK IN
LIFE
LOCAL
For more photos and fun from this year’s Buffalo Bill Days, go to page 5. 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
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Firefighter laid to rest in Wheat Ridge Denver firefighter and Westminster resident John Whelan was laid to rest July 21 following a procession that wound through Denver. Firefighters, police and citizens lined the memorial route to honor Whelan, 46, a 15-year veteran of the department. He suffered internal injuries in a fall through a skylight as he investigated a fire last month. He died July 15. Services for Whelan were held at Faith Bible Chapel in Arvada, followed by a procession with police escort to Mount Olivet Cemetery in Wheat Ridge. A memorial fund for Whelan has been created through the DFD Credit Union, and members can deposit or transfer funds into the Memorial Fund Account by calling 303-228-5300. Checks can be made payable to the John Whelan Memorial Fund and deposited or mailed to The DFD Credit Union at 2201 Federal Blvd. Denver, CO. 80211.
Arvada mom and Wheat Ridge teacher Sarah Lambert stands at 38th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard waving cars in to sign the final spots of the Jeffco United for Action recall petition. Photo by Crystal Anderson
Jeffco school board recall petitions ready to go
Photo by Clarke Reader
County clerk must first validate the more than 25,000 signatures By Crystal Anderson
canderson@coloradocommunitymedia.com POSTAL ADDRESS
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: 722 Washington Ave., Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legals: Fri. 11 a.m. Classifieds: Mon. 5 p.m.
PL E ASE RECYCLE T HI S C OPY
Craig and Audrey Ingram perform rope tricks July 25 during Cody’s Wild West re-enactment, part of Golden’s Buffalo Bill Days. Photo by Christy Steadman
Cowboy and Lady ropin’ ‘em in Couple performs at Cody’s Wild West By Christy Steadman
csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Joel Martin brings his family to Buffalo Bill Days every year. The Martin family now lives in Conifer, but began the yearly tradition when they lived in Golden a few years ago. His 5-year-old daughter’s favorite part at this year’s celebration was the rope tricks performed during the Cowboy and the Lady act of Cody’s Wild West reenactment, which took place July 25. “The children are fantastic,” said Audrey Ingram, who plays the lady in the act. The performance is a family act, said her husband Craig, who plays the cowboy. “We try to make a theme and tell a story with the performance.” The couple, from Longmont, has performed the act together for 12 years, although Craig has been doing it for more than 20 years. “He roped me in,” Audrey said. The two take the show across Colorado and to neighboring states. They have performed as one of the acts for Cody’s Wild West during Golden’s Buffalo Bill Days for a number of years. “We love performing here,” Craig said. “It is fun to see the returning faces.”
The organization behind the recall effort of the Jeffco School Board’s three majority members said it had collected more than 30,000 signatures for each of the three petitions — twice the required 15,000 valid voter signatures needed to place them on the November ballot. But the signatures must first be validated by the Jefferson County Clerk of Court. The recall group said it planned to turn in the petitions to the clerk’s office July 28. The clerk then has 15 business days to review and validate the signatures, with a 15-calendar day protest term following. The petitions may then be placed on the November ballot. At that time, anyone wishing to run for the seats of board President Ken Witt, John Newkirk and Julie Williams must seek 50 signatures to also be placed on the ballot. In emails to Colorado Community Media, Newkirk and Witt said priorities have been to put decision-making in the hands of parents and principals, recognize effective educators while improving accountability, ensure equitable funding for all students, improve fiscal management, and more, all with the goal of improving academic achievement. “Such priorities ... form the basis of my decisions while serving on the board,” Newkirk said. “The union-supported recall effort gives voters the opportunity to agree or disagree with these priorities. If the community prefers the old approach, I will accept their decision.” Said Witt: “Jeffco students deserve better than the old status quo —they deserve a great education.” Williams could not be reached for comment by press time Monday. Jeffco United for Action surpassed its intended signature goal of 25,000 per petition at a protest-recall petition signing event on July 22 along a 19-mile stretch of Wadsworth Boulevard. At each major intersection, groups varying in numbers from two to 20 held placards that urged community members to sign petitions. “We’ve had just over 1,000 parents carrying petitions for two weeks,” Lynea Hansen, media contact for Jeffco United for Action, said while counting signatures July 25. “I think we’ve seen an overwhelming voice from the community asking for this recall to be on the November ballot.” Parents and teachers are upset about the school board majority’s actions regarding the hiring of Superintendent Dan McMinimee, board attorney Brad Miller and what they say is an overwhelming increase in teacher turnover Petitions continues on Page 32