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October 1, 2015 VOLUM E 70 | IS S UE 47 | 50 ¢
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A DA M S C OU N T Y & J E F F E R S ON COU N T Y, COLOR A D O
HOLY FAMILY STUDENTS CELEBRATE PAPAL VISIT
WestminsterWindow.com
Council, school candidates gather Those seeking office lay out plans, concerns By Corrie Sahling csahling@coloradocommunitymedia.com
High school students and faculty show off their specially-made Pope T-shirts during Holy Family’s watch party Sept. 24 in Broomfield. Students packed the school theater to watch a live feed of Pope Francis’ congressional address and discussed the meaning of his historical visit for Americans. For more about the Colorado response to the Pope’s visit, go to page 3. Photo by The Catholic Foundation Alliance
AMERICAN INDIAN FEST ENRICHES WEEKEND The second annual Denver American Indian Festival entertained Thornton Residents on Sept. 26 and 27 with non-stop dancers and music, native vendors and authentic American Indian foods. PHOTO COURTESY OF DENVER AMERICAN INDIAN FESTIVAL
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WESTMINSTER WINDOW
(ISSN 1072-1576) (USPS 455-250) OFFICE: 8753 Yates Dr., Ste. 200 Westminster, CO 80031 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado, the Westminster Window is published weekly on Thursday by MetroNorth Newspapers, 8753 Yates Dr., Ste. 200, Westminster, CO 80031. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WESTMINSTER, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 Ridgeline Blvd., Ste. 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legals: Fri. 11 a.m. Classifieds: Mon. 5 p.m.
PL E ASE RECYCLE
A collection of wind instruments stands next to a man performing at the Denver American Indian Festival.
Dreams of year-round, indoor farmers’ market Plans are in the works to create a Local Foods Campus in Westminster By Corrie Sahling csahling@coloradocommunitymedia.com For Westminster resident Dan Borgman, shopping for locally produced food can be a challenge. “We want the best for us and our kids,” he said. “If you’re trying to go out and buy local foods right now,
you would have to drive all over. With three boys, I can’t do that.” But Borgman’s problem could be solved if the plan for a Local Foods Campus, which would create an indoor farmers’ market, becomes reality. “A local campus like this would make healthy eating a lot easier,” Borgman said. A five-member team of men and women with experience in the Market continues on Page 10
Candidates for both Westminster City Council and the Adams School District 50 Board of Education gathered on Sept. 24 in the Westminster Grange for a candidate forum. Adams School District 50: There are five candidates running for three open seats on the Adams 50 school board. Paola Urgiles: She is a two-year Westminster resident and an educator, who said that she is worried most about graduation rates in Adams 50. Ruben Pacheco: He has been the president of the Adams 50 school board for the last four year and wants to stay as president. He would like to continue the progress that the board has made over the last four years. Dino Valente: He is a lifelong Westminster resident and an Adams 50 alumnus and has been on the Adams 50 school board for the last four years. Ken Ciancio: He is a lifelong Westminster resident, attended Adams 50 schools and works in Hyland Hills. He said he wants to give back to the town where he lives and works. Max Math: His family has three generations of graduates from Adams 50 schools. He said he wants to listen to all voices and keep an open dialogue with everyone in the school district. The candidates were asked questions from the audience and were given one minute each to answer. What would you do to attract the residents who are in the district boundaries but not going to Adams 50? Math: I would try to get back to promoting ourselves. Westminster has lost our sense of community; we need to get back to that. Ciancio: I applaud the prior board’s work for bringing in other types of schooling like STEM to attract our kids back. We also need to get Adams 50’s story out there. Valente: We have been hard at work on that, on figuring out why people left in the first place. We also need to rebrand ourselves. Pacheco: We need to tell our story better, expand our programs and market ourselves better. Urgiles: We need to be improving from within, starting at the school level, like improving relationships in classrooms. What are your thoughts on losing the bond last year and financial issues within the district? Urgiles: Personally, I voted no on the bond because I wasn’t sure where the money was going — and most people didn’t seem to know either. We need to keep communication better with the community. Pacheco: I am proud of the accomplishments of Adams 50, but we need to continue to work to improve the life students have after graduation. Valente: Losing the bond sucked. The board did say where the money was going. It is time to take it to a new level; we need to change the funding for schools in Colorado. I will fight for that. Ciancio: The bond failed for many reasons. We’ve heard loud and clear that we are not ready for that as a community, so we will find other ways. The board will be smart with our spending. I don’t want to try for a bond again until we hear that the community wants it. Math: We need to advocate for money from the state. For bond issues, we need to speak to the community and explain why we are spending the money. Westminster City Council: There are 10 candidates running for council; seven will be elected. The candidates were not allowed by the forum rules to speak directly to each other, but some directed remarks were made from several candidates about others, mostly regarding the proposed Westminster downtown. Mark Clark: A lifetime Westminster resident who said he is devoted to keeping Westminster great. He has been the president of the Adams 12 Five Star School Board and
Candidates continues on Page 8