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Predictions: heated elections, new casinos & more in ‘24

By Don Ireland Senior Reporter

By any measure, 2024 could go down in the history books as one of the most memorable years yet for Gilpin County, Black Hawk and Central City. Here are some likely topics forecasted for the comimpact the county.

They include:

Potential tax changes?

When Colorado voters rejected state Proposition HH on the Nov. 7, 2023, ballot, it forced state leaders and Gov. Jared Polis to hold a special legislative property assessments that were announced in May 2023.

The late November decisions regarding the assessments and how they will impact tax millage departments, libraries and other local special taxing districts caused many governmental-oriented groups to postpone decisions on their 2024 budgets.

Colorado has given those governmental-related adopt tax rates. Most taxing entities have until Wednesday, Jan. 10, as their deadline, while county governments have until Jan. 17 to certify them.

to Gilpin County Treasurer April Nielsen. Once that happens, Nielsen will document the rates and give

the 2023 tax bills to property owners.

Meanwhile, the state is convening a new board to study the future impact of property taxes and the new assessments because the November decisions by state leaders will be only for 2024.

Three elections

Less than two months away, Gilpin and Colorado voters will have the opportunity to participate in the U.S. Presidential Primary Election on Tuesday, March. 5.

– county commissioner terms in Districts 1 and 3 – will be up for election in 2024, although they are expected to generate plenty of attention.

In District 1, which includes Black Hawk, Central City, and the southern section of Gilpin County, the seat held by Marie Mornis (R) will be available. Mornis, who also is the chair of the Gilpin County Republican Committee, was appointed as the District 1 representative in December 2022 following the unexpected passing of Web Sill (R).tion to seek election to a full term, she or any GOP nominee will face Zane Laubhan (D) for the commissioner term in 2024. Laubhan has been the

In District 3, which includes Rollinsville and themissioner Sandy Hollingsworth (D) is expected to seek re-election. She has the longest tenure of any of the three current commissioners. No potential challengers from either party have yet to announce their candidacy for District 3.

The General Election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Gilpin County issues

When the Gilpin Board of County CommissionJan. 9, they will begin to make a series of decisions for the year ahead.

member BoCC. Mornis served as chair in 2023, but

position annually. It is expected that Hollingsworth, heading into her fourth year as a county commissioner, could be approved as chair since she held the position two years ago. Another possibility is Susan Berumen (D-District 2), whosioner in 2023.

One of the largest – and most expensive – matters the BoCC will face sometime in the new year will be approving a contract to replace the Gilpin Food Pantry at 101 Norton Drive. The new pantry is expected to cost more than $1.3 million and is targeted for a location immediately across Norton from the south parking lot of the Gilpin Community Center.

While there is some community support to replace the former modular, trailer-style food pantry that has served needy Gilpin residents for decades, opponents say the county could turn over

the money for a new building. County leaders previously expressed hopes that Gilpin could receive state or federal grants to help pay for the new pantry.

In addition, the commissioners will try and resolve potential issues regarding the proposed Gilpin Senior Living housing development close to the rec

by former State Senator and ex-county commissioner Jeanne Nicholson, wants

to build several senioronly duplexes near the rec center. However, the commissioners arelations and deadlines for the senior group to follow before granting owned property nearby. Water rights, sewage and other matters have been among the sticking points that have caused the discussion of a lease between the county and postponed several times during 2023.

During the coming months, county leaders are expected to monitor the operation of the Gilpin rec center. After voters shot down a ballot question in November to permanently fund the community center, county leaders set aside additional money in the 2024 budget to keep it open. However, the new funding will mean the center will operate just four days per week this year, comparedcommunity center.

The commissioners are also expected to make decisions regarding a potential expansion of broadband services throughout the county, millions of dollars for capital repair-improvement projects, historical-renovation projects at the East Portal Cabins, and one-room Thorn Lake Schoolhouse, plus the construction of an Electric Vehicle charging station at the Gilpin County Public Library in 2024.

During the months ahead, Gilpin County plans to hire people for seven new positions, including IT manager, teen program coordinator, assistant

communication specialist. The county also will try which became vacant in November after former manager Nate Whittington announced his deparGilpin leaders also hope to continue discussions

housing. The project also has been a topic of concern by Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey, who is hoping for new workforce housing in his city with the potential of new businesses opening during 2024.

Central City

Central City leaders hope to see the number of city casinos grow during 2024. A minimum of three casinos are planned for the Main Street area. -

Main Street, plus the military-themed Bomband Lawrence Streets. In addition, partners John Cheyney and Nicholas Larson are working to reopen the former Crystal Palace Casino in the middle of the block.

However, before the new gaming establishments can open their doors, the owners await gaming license approvals from the Colorado Gaming Commission.

At the corner of Gregory and Spring Streets, Gallup Construction, a Denver-based real estate

Latham, is remodeling the long-vacant Knights of Pythias Building. It is planned to open in 2024 as

projects have been discussed around the city, although formal announcements have yet to be made for 2024.

Resources LLC plans to open its new aggregate and rock quarry in the spring. Construction crews are in hauling trucks to open the forthcoming operation.

History enthusiasts and Gilpin County leaders are working to acquire and preserve the remaining East Portal Cabins. Photo courtesy of Colorado Preservation Inc.

What’s in store for ‘24 in Gilpin

Central City last summer to expand the number of places where tourists in recreational vehicles can lodge overnight.

In 2024, two of Central City’s seats on its Board

Aiken, who has served on the Black Hawk-Central City Sanitation District and the recently-formed Central City Urban Redevelopment Authority, has served on the council since 2016. However, he cannot run for a third time due to term limits.

Alderman Kara Tinucci, elected in 2020 and has served as mayor pro-tem, is eligible to run for a second term but hasn’t announced whether she will do so. Since her original election to council, Tinucci and her husband Joe moved their part-time barbecue restaurant in Central’s Teller House to the former Crook’s Palace building along Gregory Street in Black Hawk. Their larger restaurant is open more days each week, and the couple operates a related food truck for the operation during warm-weather months.

Another potential situation could arise this year regarding CDOT’s

of its $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill

Central Council approved a law –which uses powers granted by state regulation 1041 – that would require city approval of CDOT’s proposal for the exit, which connects the interstate to the Central City Parkway.

Black Hawk

Expect lots of construction equipment in Black Hawk during the spring and summer. That’s because 2024 will likely be the scene for many projects near Gregory Plaza.

The forthcoming Copper Kitchen Pizzeria, for $6.5 million, is planned to be built on the former Lilly Bell’s casino site at the east end of Gregory Plaza and next to the Mountain Poppy Boutique. The pizzeria, expected to open by summer 2025, will have a bar with indoor and outdoor seating. Near the corner of the plaza and Church Street, the city will build a one-story elevator called the Gregory Lift to help pedestrians reach the main plaza walkway deck from the main street below. Demolition vehicles also will be on the opposite side of Church Street from the Copper Kitchen Pizzeria. The work crews plan to demolish 271 Gregory St., a vacant, city-owned building, sometime during the construction season. Once the building is leveled, the construction crews are expected to widen a sharp corner on Church Street, the primary access road to the Black Hawk Police Department.

Mine construction teams are expected to work on the Bobtail Mine across Gregory Street in 2024. The city plans to remodel sections of the for-

mer gold mine to ready it for tours during the 2025 summer season.

During the months ahead, Black Hawk will be working to determine if it will build a small reservoir north of town in the Pickle Gulch area of Gilpin County. The city wants to expand its municipalowned water system to accommodate potential future development.

Also, in 2024, four of Black Hawk’s elected leaders will be up for re-election, including Mayor David Spellman and Aldermen Paul Bennett, Benito Torres and Gregory Moates. Spellman, currently history, was elected the city’s mayor in 2006 and served as an alderman before that from 1986-2006.

Black Hawk, which has about 100 residents, doesn’t include term limits for its elected leaders because of the community’s small size. In recent years, incumbents who’ve decided to seek re-election generally faced no challengers.

The new year ahead…

Because 2024 won’t be a statewide reassessment year, determining 2025 budgets won’t likely create problems for leaders of the various taxing authorities in Gilpin County. Most of them are anticipating

One interesting note about 2024: It is a leap year. As a result, the late 2024 holiday season will be unusual because both Christmas 2024 and New Year’s Day 2025 will fall on Wednesdays.

Courtesy of PEH Architects and the City of Black Hawk

Drone photos by Don Ireland

I-70 Floyd Hill construction work resumes next week

The $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project construction will resume on Monday morning, Jan. 8, following the holiday break for workers and commuters who use the interstate to travel from the Front Range into Colorado’s mountain skiing and casino towns.

However, limited single-lane closures resumed this week along Clear Creek Canyon (Highway 6) between Golden and Black Hawk. According to CDOT, single-lane closures will occur between mile markers 267 and 271.5 and will also continue the week of Jan. the Peaks to Plans Huntsman Gulch project, part of an ongoing open-space expansion and renovation.

January Floyd Hill work

Evergreen to just east of Idaho Springs will get back into full swing next week, weather permitting. However, they have announced that rock-blasting half of the month, have been delayed until late January or early February.

Review of 2023 progress

Work on the I-70 widening project began early last U.S. Highway 40 to perform rock scaling, including eight rock blasts. CDOT reported drainage work and building new retaining walls were among the projects conducted during the past six months.

An estimated 18,000 tons of material was removed from eastbound I-70 near Floyd Hill, where rock blasting is about 90 percent complete. However, according to media reports, additional rock blasting is anticipated further west of Floyd Hill in the years ahead. CDOT said the 18,000 tons is “the equivalent of 3,600 African elephants.”

In addition, crews installed about 2,800 linear feet while building retaining walls along eastbound Floyd Hill during 2023. The retaining walls were enforced with 20,000 square feet of shotcrete, which helps

employees who have worked a total of 36,292 hours. Kraemer North America now has 51 subcontractor contracts in place, with 47 subcontractors being Colorado businesses, is supported by 45 suppliers, and partnered with 26 disadvantaged business majority-owned by socially or economically disadvantaged individuals.

The restarting of work next week will begin thestruction contemplated before the end of the project in late 2028. Some work on the stretch of I-70 between Exit 243 (Hidden Valley-Central City) and the Veterans Memorial Tunnels east of Idaho Springs, is slated to begin during 2024.

Morning sun glare closures

Due to morning sun glare, CDOT said motorists should continue to anticipate occasional eastbound closures of I-70 at Floyd Hill. The closures typically

last about an hour and occur between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. daily through February. The closures depend on weather conditions.

The closures will occur between U.S. 6 (Exit 244) and Beaver Brook (Exit 248).

I-70 will be rerouted onto Highway 6. Drivers can follow Highway 6 through Clear Creek Canyon to Golden or return to eastbound I-70 at Beaver Brook.

Truck drivers can expect height restrictions in the tunnels along Clear Creek Canyon. Vehicles over 12 feet and 7 inches cannot takecations will be posted on electric sign boards, beginning east of the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels regarding the morning closings.

Mountain tunnel work to resume

Projects at the Eisenhower Johnston Tunnels on I-70 between Loveland Pass and Dillon will resume soon, a CDOT spokesperson reported. When work resumes, there will be overnight, full-bore closures in one travel direction only Sunday through Thursday nights from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. Both directions of tunnel for about 20 minutes while one direction of travel at a time is escorted through the tunnel.

The overnight restrictions are expected to continue from Jan. 2 through February.

Projects between Floyd Hill and Denver

Meanwhile, two other CDOT projects between C-470 and Floyd Hill will also get back on track following the holiday travel season.

One project, a wildlife-underpass area, has been ongoing for months near the top of Genesse Hill. On unannounced days, the left lane, heading westbound, is closed to accommodate the work. Motorists are advised to read the orange construction signs heading up I-70 from Morrison to learn if the work

The other project includes rebuilding the eastbound emergency truck escape ramp between Mt. Vernon Road (Exit 256) and the Morrison exit (Exit 259). There will be overnight double-lane closures on eastbound I-70 in the vicinity. The emergency ramp has been closed for weeks.

The escape ramp work will include new signage, larger barriers between the ramp and the steep embankment, additional cameras, new ramp lighting, and a new design intended to allow late entry for truckers who miss the escape ramp entrance.

CDOT said some lane restrictions will take place at various times at both project locations. The escape ramp project is expected to be completed in late May or early June.

CC Greenway Trail closed

Hiking, biking or walking enthusiasts cannot use part of the Clear Creek Greenway Trail beneath the bridges at the bottom of Floyd Hill. The area is part of a long-term closure, so utility work and grading operations can continue in that section of I-70. This

work will last until spring 2024, but trail users can expect ongoing trail impacts and closures through 2026.

This portion of the trail will be an active construction zone and will be unsafe for multi-use travel.

Project overview

The $700 million I-70 Floyd Hill project will build a third westbound I-70 travel lane, which will function as an Express Lane, to improve the current two-lane bottleneck heading down Floyd Hill westbound. The new toll lane will begin near the top of Floyd Hill westVeterans Memorial Tunnels.

• Constructing a missing two-mile section of the frontage road between Evergreen and Idaho Springs.

• Building an eastbound I-70 extended on-ramp for access at interchanges and intersections within the project limits.

• Improving sight distance on roadway curves. Improving the Clear Creek Greenway trail. Implementing environmental mitigation to create safer wildlife movements and improve air and water quality and stream conditions and recreation.

Driver cautions

CDOT said motorists should expect narrower lanes and shoulders, reduced speed limits as low as 45 mph zones. All construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change. During construction, the existing I-70 travel lanes will remain open in each direction during peak daytime travel hours. Lane closure hours for the duration of construction will vary based on the season, day of the week, number of lanes being closed and travel direction.

Project sections

The Floyd Hill project is divided into three sections. The East Section is from the west of Evergreen to midway down Floyd Hill near the Black Hawk interchange (Exit 244). The West Section is from near Exit 243 (Central City Parkway) to the Veterans Memorial Tunnels near Idaho Springs. The Central Section is from the middle of Floyd Hill through Exit 243 (Central City/Hidden Valley exit). The east section began this spring and continues through June 2026. The West section is expected to start this fall and will conclude in the fall of 2027. The Central section has begun and will continue into 2028. The East part of the project Highway 40, at County Road 65 and Homestead Road. work.

For additional info

impacts and other announcements for the week ahead, sign up at You can also sign up for text alerts, sent outcase) to 21000. A hotline is available at 720-994-2368. Sign up for emails online at . For additional information, visit

For information on the Highway 6/Clear Creek www.

. Phone information is available at 720893-0403. The email address is peak2plains@gmail. com. For real-time travel information, visit www. COtrip.org.

Photos courtesy CDOT.

WR-C’s Business of the Year: KOA Campground

Continued from page 1

to the Spencers. More than 500 KOAs exist around the country, with the parent organization proclaiming it is the world’s largest system of open-tothe-public campgrounds.

“Tat

award was such a total surprise.”

—LezaSpencer

“That award was such a total surprise,” said Leza. “When we got up on stage, we were so tongue-tied when we got pulled up onto the Added Chuck with a smirk, “I didn’t know what to say - That’s not like me. We’ve had a great relationship with KOA over the past 22 years, and we’ve made a lot of friends.”

In 2019, the Spencers added four cabins and 19 RV spaces to their facility. “It took me 10 years to convince him to build me a gift shop year, Central City’s aldermen granted the Spencers a license to operate a small liquor market in the mini convenience store there.

The following year, Leza enlisted Chuck’s help when she opened the Mountain Poppy Boutique gift shop in Black Hawk’s Gregory Plaza. The business added a wine bar in 2021. Entering her third season operating a retail shop, Leza said she’s learned many lessons while buying items to stock the campground and the Mountain Poppy. “It can be a lot of fun. I have met a lot of pretty interesting people, whether they’re locals or visitors. I like being busy, so when I’m running back and forth during the summer, I just love that! I’m not the numbers person like Chuck is, but I try to make things beautiful. I wouldn’t have done Mountain Poppy if he hadn’t pushed me to do it. He’s more of a risk-taker than I am.”

When the couple purchased the LZ lot from Central City, KOA joined the Central City Business Improvement District and began paying additional property taxes. Chuck said he’s begun attending city council and BID meetings regularly and hopes to become more involved in the community.

Before meeting Leza, Chuck was an inspector with an aircraft maintenance company. When the industry changed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in 2001, “they closed down our facility in Indianapolis,” he said. While living in California several years ago, a friend set him up for a blind date with Leza, who was raised in Littleton and working at Porter Hospital. They eventually got together, had several dates and fell in love. The couple was married 33 years ago.

“He kissed me on the He didn’t kiss me on the cheek or anything,” commented Leza on the couple’s inaugural meeting. After a few years of long-distance dating, they tied the knot.

Added Chuck, “I remember that we went to a comedy club on our laughing ever since.”

The couple purchased campground in Hot Springs, South Dakota, for seven years. Leza and the couple’s oldest son, Roman, decided to go to college in Colorado, prompting the family to sell the campground and move to the Centennial State. Chuck learned about the vacant Central City KOA business on-

line, noting it hadn’t been operating for about two years.

The rest, as they say, is history. “We opened this in April 2010,” recalled Chuck, who grew up in Florida with a father who created several businesses during his career. After purchasing the Central City property, they installed new cabins, a playground, and a dog-walking area

realize that we had something good here. How-

thing I want to do there,” noted Chuck. It took several years for the Spencers to build their business. On many occapurchase additional amenities for the campground. About

pancake breakfasts and pizza and wings in the evening to customers from Mother’s Day to Labor Day.

couple plans to host a barbecue on their property and invite local businesses and residents who’ve helped them over the years.

Leza emphasized the couple has tried to support the lo-

Club, and other organizations. The Spencers and their family businesses in Central City and Black Hawk raised $12,000 in 2023 for the national KOA’s “Care Camps for Kids,” which sends children with health issues and a family member camping annually.

They also have worked with Gilpin County Human Services to provide free, temporary RV camping sites for needy residents.

Leza and Chuck have four children – Roman, Katie, Ryan and Nicolas. Following in her parents’ footsteps, Katie runs a bagel business in Parker. She is the mother of the Spencers’ four grandchildren. The couple’s youngest son, Nicolas, and his new wife, Sage, own the Peak to Peak Market in downtown Black Hawk. Nicholas and Sage also have worked at the KOA for several years.

A year ago, Chuck said he’d heard that a convenience store space in Black Hawk might become available through the city. He pursued the idea and encouraged Nicolas to apply to lease

“I remember that we went toacomedyclubonour frstdate,andwe’vebeen laughingeversince.”

—ChuckSpencer

Currently, the KOA has 64 RV sites, six tents and eight cabins on the property. However, acquiring the LZ lot will enable the Spencers to add 33 more RV sites. They are hoping to open the new RV spaces by July 1. In June, the

Chuck was required to sign the lease. “I think it was because of Nicolas’ age,” he noted. “However, Nick has done everything in that place. He incorporated himself and set up the business. He got credit with companies all months, I helped him move everything around and went shopping with him. Other than that, he has done everything else.”

“Nick was 3 when we moved to the campground in Hot Springs, so he’s grown up in the campground lifestyle,” said Leza. “Ryan is four years older than Nick, so he’s essentially grown up in one, too.”

The couple’s older children also worked at the family campground for several seasons before choosing paths.

During the key camping season, which begins in April and runs through early October, Chuck and Leza work seven days a week. “Sometimes, our only summer dates are when we’re eating a piece of pizza while shopping at Sam’s Club for supplies,” said Chuck, laughing.

Chuck and Leza Spencer hoisted a toast to celebrate a successful 2023 season.

Photo by Don Ireland

The KOA campground overlooking Central City plans to expand and add Electric Vehicle charging stations in 2024.

Photos by Don Ireland

Rec center debate, other 2023 matters in Gilpin

By Don Ireland Senior Reporter

Two new commissioners, a community debate regarding funding for the Gilpin Community Center, and numerous the Weekly Register-Call during 2023.

Here’s how last year unraveled:

January Gilpin County’s government started the new year with mostly rookie commissioners running the show. While Commissioner Sandy Hollingsworth (D-District 3) had two years of experience under her belt, the other two commissioners were brand new to their posts.

Commissioner Susan Berumen (D-District 2) was sworning elected in November 2022. Marie Mornis (R-District 1) was appointed to the Gilpin Board of County Commissioners in December 2022 following the unexpected passing of Web Sill (R), who had served as a commissioner from 19962004 and was voted back into elected in November. They included County Assessor April Nielsen, Clerk and Recorder Sahari McCormick, Treasurer Mary Lorenz, Kevin Armstrong, and Coroner Zane Laubhan. Nielsen was stepping into her role after working in the county’s community plan-

until two months later included several newbies, including Finance Directornity Planning Director Rob Gutierrez, all of whom were hired within the past seven months.

The county also lost Sharon Cate, the longtime deputy clerk for the commissioners, who retired at the start of the new year but later returned departments during 2023. The county also retained Brad Benning, who had been the county’s attorney for 16 years.

The county was forced to temporarily close its Apex Building on Apex Valley Road after problems resulted from a lack of water. It reopened several weeks later after a new cistern was installed.

Gilpin dismisses WR-C

train route that would transport waxy crude oil from the Uinta Bain Texas. The projected route included trains using the rail lines throughside Rollinsville. Later in the year, environmental groups, several Colorado counties and federal agencies successfully worked to terminate the proposed train project.

The county swearing-in ceremony also marked the departure of Linda Isenhart (D), who was term-limited after serving as the county’s mid-county representative for eight years. Also recognized for her service was Assessor Anne Schafer, who didn’t seek re-election.

When Hollingsworth, Beru-

marked a new era in Gilpin County history - with only females running the county government for an entire year. Meanwhile, at the state capital in Denver, 2023 began - for – with more ladies than men occupying the state legislature and senate.

The BoCC named Mornis the commission chair after she noted that a District 1 commissioner hadn’t held the position since 2018. Throughout the year, however, she was at the short end of many 2-1 votes during several meetings.

Entering 2023, Ray Rearsniversary as county manager

A controversy began a few weeks before the new year and continued to swirl with Gilpin County’s leaders early in 2024. At the Dec. 20, 2022, meeting, Isenhart and Hollingsworth voted to dismiss using the Weekly Register-Call to print its legal notices and named a Nederlandbased Boulder County newspaper as the counnewspaper. Weekly RegisterCall Publisher and Managing Editor Becky Osterwald argued that only their paper has a United States Post OfCounty, which is required by state statutes to carry the legal notices. Mornis sided with the WR-C, noting it’s the only newspaper registered within Gilpin County with the ColoRears claimed running the legals in the WR-C resulted in the county overspending its budget for that category, although the newspaper later showed that the claim was false. However, Hollingworth and Berumen voted to ostracize the 160-year-old WRC, claiming it was strictly a

Weeks after dumping the WR-C, the county admitted “errors” had occurred in printing notices about a proposed dog-restriction regulations in the Boulder newspaper. As a result, the vote on the matter was delayed.

Following the county’s decision, Black Hawk Mayor David Spellman and City Attorney commissioners, saying they disregarded state law by using an out-of-county newspaper to print Gilpin’s legal notices.

During the month, Black Hawk, Central City, Black Hawk-Central Sanitation

District, Gilpin RE-1 School District, Gilpin Ambulance Authority, Silver Dollar Metropolitan District, Central City Business Improvement District and the Miners Mesa Metropolitan District voted to continue using the Weekly Register-Call to publish their legal notices. Those actions resulted in Gilpin County being the only entity to do otherwise. Later in the year, Sweeney’s atleaders that he planned to violating state regulations.

February

Residents and leaders in Gilpin County and other Colorado mountain communities began complaining about issues involving the United States Posting slowed, delayed, or nonexistent deliveries caught the attention of U.S. Congressman

Hickenlooper, who requested an investigation into the various delivery problems.

Late in the year, an internal investigation by postal authorities admitted to problems with rural mail delivery and noted that a lack of competitive pay resulted in potential workers seeking employment elsewhere.

Gilpin Clerk and Recorder McCormick said technical issues with the state’s online motor vehicle services had caused numerous problems for residents who wanted to renew their vehicle registration and use other DMV services.

During his annual report

Armstrong reported that crime rose in the county during 2022 compared to the previous year.

The BoCC began debating how to spend $1.2 million in funds given to the county by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Mornis complained that the former board had given $25,000 in APRA funds to the Boulder County newspaper during 2022 and was the BoCC’s only recipient of those funds the previous year. However, Hollingsworth countered that the funding had been available to any business in Gilpin County.

Better City, a consulting group hired by Gilpin County, announced it continued to seek input from residents and business owners on what kind of development and future they would like to see in the

future. The group completed its work and submitted a report to county leaders in the summer, noting that improved broadband communications service was the most desired service around the region.

the Gilpin school complex on Highway 119. Winter weather and communications failures that impacted cellphone and internet services hampered part of the response. Later, it was learned that Gilpin was one of dozens of places around the state and nation that received similar “swatting” calls, in which the likely outof-state caller threatened to kill students or bomb schools. Armstrong and other county law-enforcement agencies worked for months to improve their response to any similar, potential that are received in connection with the local school district.

In sports, the Gilpin High School girl’s basketball team won the Colorado High School Activities Association District 7 championship but lost in in school history.

March

County leaders focused concern on the Gilpin Community Center, where it was announced millions of dollars in capital projects and repairs were needed for the 20-yearold rec center.

They also began addressing the need for funding the rec center’s operations in the future. In November 2020, residents approved a ballot measure during the pandemic to create a 2.57 mill property tax to fund the center. However, the ballot measure included a sunset to the tax on Dec. 31, 2023.

Friends of the Gilpin Comorganization, and County Commissioners Berumen and Hollingsworth said they favored creating a new ballot asking residents to fund the center permanently. At the time, the proposed tax ranged between 2.57 and 4.55 mills. Mornis, however, opposed the proposed ballot question, saying the county budget had been used for 17 years to operate the facility on a seven-dayper-week basis. The county commissioners also continued to announce their opposition to a proposed

During the month, representatives from Denver Water met with Gilpin’s commissioners to discuss progress on the $531 million Gross Dam and Reservoir expansion program that began the previous year.

The BoCC approved a redistricting plan that divided the county into three nearly equal districts, each containing 1,935 to 1.937 registered voters.

April

Gilpin Emergency Manager Nathan Whittington took local leaders on a bus trip to Superior so they could learn from

following a disaster. Superior was part of the Boulder County Marshall Fire, which destroyed nearly 1,100 homes and killed two people on Dec. 30, 2020. Whittington, who had spent several years working totection and response in Gilpin County, resigned in November to accept a similar post in County Manager Rears said Gilpin was planning to survey residents on their broadband internet speeds and work with organizations and governments in Idaho Springs and Nederland on ideas to expand broadband service regionally.

In an interview, County Assessor Nielsen said property assessment increases when announced statewide during May. The prediction came true, drawing a storm of protests throughout Colorado. During the early summer in Gilpin County, property ownassessments and had their cases heard by Supporters of the proposed mill levy tax for the rec center said about two-thirds of the money from the ballot question would be paid primarily by the larger casinos in Black Hawk. Commissioners Hollingsworth and Berumen favored placing a rec center question on the Nov. 7 ballot, while Mornis opposed it.

The “Ride the Rockies” organization announced it would travel through Gilpin County, Central City and Black Hawk the 350-mile bicycle trek through Colorado’s mountains could attract thousands when one of the cycling days ended with an overnight stop in Central City.

Gilpin County Facilities Manager Ryan Keenan told the BoCC that the county would need to spend $20 million for

Continued on next page

New Gilpin County Commissioners Marie Mornis and Susan Berumen are invested more than 40 hours per week to learn about their new roles.

Zane Laubhan

County issues in 2023

capital projects and repairs to its buildings between 2023-27.

The county announced it was seeking three volunteers to serve on the Gilpin Advertising Panel (GAP), which would determine ways to spend up to 10 percent of the county’s new two-percent lodging tax that went into effect Jan. 1 to hotels, lodging, short-term rentals and Airbnbtype rentals in unincorporated sections of Gilpin County.

Katie Peterson, Colorado Preservation Inc.’s endangered places program director, told the BoCC that the organization had been working to help save the East Portal Cabins near Rollinsville before Mother Nature or occasional vandalism destroys them. “The East Portal Cabins are one of 135 places on our list of endangered places [in the state],” she reported.

May Gilpin County voters decided to give new terms to Rick Wenzel, Mary Kate McKenna and John Bushey during an election for the Timberline Fire Protection District Board of Directors. The incumbents defeated three rivals who had hoped to take control of thecorporated sections of Gilpin County and a small section of Boulder County outside Nederland.

Following years of on-

Living organization met with the BoCC to discuss plans to build senior citizen housing on county-owned land within walking distance of the rec held between the attorneys representing both groups in the following months. In December, County Attorney Benning said an agreement between both parties could be discussed at the January 2024 BoCC meeting.

The commissioners doled out $211,040 from its remaining APRA grants to several County, including Timberline FPD, the Belvidere Foundation and Eagles’ Nest Early Childhood Learning Center.

The BoCC also granted a local historic designation to the Russell Gulch Cemetery in southwest Gilpin County. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF), Lodge No. 2 in Arvada, owns the small cemetery.

The commissioners increased Benning’s salary to $161,104 – a four-percent increase – and raised Rears’ salary to $156,000 annually. They also made permanent a four-day, 10-hour day workweek for many county employees, excluding law enforcement, public works and a few other departments that must be available 24 hours on occasion.

June Gilpin Community Center

Celebrated its 20th anniversary on June 1 while the debate continued to grow surrounding how to fund the facility’s future operation.

The BoCC granted historic status to the East Portal Cabins. At the same time, County

Attorney Benning worked on a potential restoration

road. The following month, Benning said there were issues with lead paint and arsenic in the cabin interiors and asbestos in the roof shingles.

After a lengthy debate durthe commissioners saved the from extinction. They agreed to fund the program and make it part of the services provided the BoCC voted to approve a site for a new food pantry close to the rec center, with Mornis opposing the decision. County documents showed that 1,087 property owners – including those who own vacant land, mining claims, residential and commercial buildings and local casinos assessments before the June 8 deadline.

July

The 30th annual Gilpin County Fair attracted large crowds to the three-day event at the Gilpin Community Center. The event, which had been scaled back in previous years, began with a parade that traveled from Central City into Black Hawk. Rears announced that CDOT agreed to temporarily scale back some of its roadimprovement projects along Clear Creek Canyon (Highway 6), enabling local governments time to prepare for emergency routes if they needed to transport people to the Front Range.

During a special meeting on July 18, the BoCC approved $2.17 million in transfers from its budget to fund capital repairs at the recreation center. anniversary of operating a health clinic on Golden Gate Canyon Drive (Highway 46) in Gilpin County.

Augusteral county residents blasted a proposal to move the Gilpin Dispatch Center into the response center in Lakewood. However, Rears and a few other county leaders said there was no actual plan to terminate the Gilpin Center. Instead, they wanted to visit about its operation. “We’re just exploring our options right now,” Hollingsworth said. Gilpin operates its dispatch center and uses Black Hawk for a backup. If both operations encounter problems, the county partners with the Clear Creek County dispatch center. Later in the year, however, Clear Creek announced it planned to disband its center

handle its emergency calls. The BoCC approved a plan, informing the state that it housing units in the county this year and, for each of the next two years, for a total of 18

pin could partner with Central City on the new housing con-

cept, possibly through a nonCDOT representatives attended the Aug. 8 BoCC residents to give input on the Floyd Hill project and to sign

Gilpin leaders announced that 61 percent of property owners - who appealed their new assessments - were rejected by two professional consultants, who were hired by the county to handle the process. More than 300,000 property owners statewide alsoments.

Congressman Neguse (D) told Timberline Fire Protection District leaders that he is federal grant as one of his district projects for the department. If Congress approves his request, Neguse wants the grant to assist TPFD’s plans to spend $1.6 million to renovate

Peak Observatory building.

More than three dozen Gilpin County residents attended a forum at the community center to discuss the proposed property millage tax to fund the rec center. Those who supported the tax levy spoke, while those who opposed the proposed permanent tax voiced opposition.

During a BoCC meeting on Aug. 22, Berumen and Hollingsworth approved adding the rec center property tax question to the Nov. 7 ballot, while Mornis continued her opposition. The three commissioners also held a special meeting the following evening. Berumen and Hollingworth approved some spelling and typographical errors in the document they had approved the previous day. Meanwhile, Mornis voted against the measure.

Forrest Whitman, a county commissioner from 200413, passed on Aug. 28. He was a longtime columnist for the Weekly Register-Call and several other Colorado publications for decades.

September

Gilpin Community Center hosted its inaugural “First at the fairgrounds, honoringments, ambulance personnel and others responding to county emergency calls. The event coincided with the annual Buck for the Badge event at the arena adjoining the fairgrounds.

Colorado announced Gilpin County would receive a record $16.1 million in gaming funds

year, which ended on June 30.

parents, explaining changes and improvements to his department’s response to threat calls lodged against the district.

The Weekly RegisterCall received a record seven awards at the Colorado Press Association’s annual Better Newspaper Awards contest.

-

ing, Berumen and Hollingsworth approved the creation of a new position, a “Gilpin County Community Engage-ing against the motion was Mornis.

October

A WR-C investigation showed that a public shooting range hadn’t been built in neighboring Clear Creek County, although the Gilpin County Commissioners had donated $400,000 for the project 13 months earlier. Within days of publishing the story, Clear Creek announced it had just conducted a ground-breaking for the new gun range – albeen invited.

Timberline held an open

Canyon Road, several hundred yards from Central City, and will serve Russell Gulch and southwestern sections of Gilpin County.

Rears and Allaire presented a proposed 2024 county budget that included $30.73 million in revenues and $24.58 million in expenses. Rears described the budget as “conservative” and based it on the assumption the rec-center millage levy would fail while state Prop HH, which dealt with property-assessment taxes, would be approved.

The BoCC approved a oneyear contract with Xcel Energy to install two $50,000 camera systems atop the county’s Dakota Hill Tower in mid-county. The site is at an elevation of -

telligence tower cameras and related software will increase Gilpin’s awareness of potential

County Grants Manager Jamie Boyle reported the county has continued to seek partnerships and grants for a proposed broadband expansion project. The proposal would include serving about 2,000 addresses in Gilpin and Nederland at a projected price tag of $12 million. Gilpin is working with Clear Creek County and other organizations to prepare

quarter 2024.

The BoCC gave its remaining $45,000 from its APRA funds to the Eagles’ Nest. The following month, the early childhood learning center announced it would close permanently problems.

November

Following months of public and private debates, letters to the editor, social media posts, and other comments about the proposed rec center millage levy, Election Day arrived on Nov. 7. Gilpin voters, by a rejected the proposed tax.

down Colorado Prop HH. Later in the month, county leaders said they were developing “Plan B” for the proposed county budget following the failure of Prop HH and the rec center ballot question.

Incumbents Joe Marr and -

Board RE-1. Also winning election to the school board was the school’s booster club.

told the BoCC that he and county employees are working on tourism maps for distribution in 2024. The maps will highlight more than 60

Continued on next page

During 2023, Black Hawk set stage for future attractions

By Don Ireland Senior Reporter

Black Hawk’s elected several projects move ahead during 2023 while they developed bigger plans for the future, according to a review of stories published in the Weekly Register-Call during the year.

Here are some of the stories that took place last year:

January

Black Hawk’s aldermen terminated the lease for Feeney Farms II, a convenience and liquor store opened for less than a year in the Black Hawk Commons retail center, adjoin-way 119. Owner Thomas Feeney closed the store on Jan. 13 but said “no comment” about the situation. Later, city leaders said the store failed to pay its city sales taxes behind their decision to have the store vacated.

City aldermen voted to spend $963,605 to purchase an Enforcer Fire Engine at the request of Fire Chief Christopher Woolley. The new truck replaced a 20-year-old ladder truck.

The aldermen unanimously voted to give the new Rick Thomas Distillery a free year’s worth of city water, part of an agreement Black Hawk approved with adult beverage creators who purchase a lot on the city’s Artisans’ Point neighborhood on Gregory Hill (formerly called Miners Mesa).

Distillery owner Brian Watts and his son, Declan Watts – who is the master

distiller for the operation – worked to complete the new business throughout 2023. It is named for their ancestor, Rick Thomas. The distillery began creating its Scotchstyle whiskey later in the season, but it won’t be available until 2025 after its barrel has aged for two years. However, by fall, the Rick Thomas Distillery had created and began selling vodka, part of its “1859” brand named to recognize the year the original gold rush began in the city.

February

The new Copper Kitchen Pizzeria will have copper trim and a unique interior design when it opens in Gregory Plaza in 2025. A one-story elevator called the Gregory Lift will help pedestrians reach the main plaza walkway from Gregory Street.

Brad Dallam was announced as the city’s new Water Resource Manager. Dallam previously served as the assistant city engineer for the City of Lafayette’s water

Dallam was hired to take over for Jim Ford, who retired in 2022.

The aldermen voted tocupation fees previously levied by the city to comply with newly enacted state regulations.

Council voted to approve a lease for the new Peak to Peak Market, which would replace the former Feeney Farms convenience store. The new owners are NicoSage Loftland, who married in the fall.

March

Council announced plans to build the Copper Kitchen Pizzeria on a vacant lot at the east end of Gregory Plaza. Part of the new restaurant would contain historic sections of the 271 Gregory St. building across Church Street from the plaza. In December, after construction bids arrived that far exceeded city estimates, the council approved spending $6.5 million for the pizzeria and to build the Gregory Lift. This one-story, glassenclosed elevator will help pedestrians travel from the main street to the cen-

tral walkway in the plaza. The council also voted to demolish 271 Gregory St., saying sections of the building wouldn’t be used in the pizzeria. The city spent $75,000 to purchase two former mining claims near the Briggs Lot west of Gregory Plaza, announcing it would be used to expand trails from Black Hawk’s Maryland Mountain/Quartz Valley outdoor recreation area south into the city. Maverick Gaming began demolishing the longvacant Silver Hawk and Gold Mine casinos near the

Gilpin County in ‘23

Continued from previous page

attractions around the county, including Central City and Black Hawk.

On Nov. 12, six train cars derailed in northern Gilpinment reported no injuries, and none of the oil tank cars carrying oil and magnesium had leaked.

County leaders announced they would host a town hall on Dec. 5, seeking input on potential ways to attract a new childcare provider following the demise of the Eagles’ Nest facility. Gilpin County, which owns the Eagles’ Nest building, has provided more than $410,000 since 2019 to the program, including $160,000 in 2023.

BoCC members approved creating a public health director’s position for Gilpin County in 2024 so it could end its longstanding agreement for County. The commissioners announced the 2024 budget would include salary increases for many county employees.

corner of Highway 119 and Chase Street.

The Colorado Division of Gaming announced it was investigating the theft of $500,000 from the Monarch Casino Resort Spa cage during the morning hours of March 12. Later, employee Sabrina Eddy was charged in connection with the heist – the largest heist since Colorado gaming began in the early 1990s. In the months that followed, Juan GutierrezZambrano was also arrested in connection with the case, the investigation of which was turned over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Trial dates are pending for 2024 in Gilpin County’s First District Court.

April

Council announced plans to spend millions of dollars to improve the Gregory Point (formerly called Mountain City) section of town near the Red Dolly Casino. However, higherthan-anticipated construction bids caused the city to shelve most of the project for the immediate future.

May

Mayor Spellman announced Black Hawk’s second annual Founders’ Day celebration would be expanded to include two days during the June 4th weekend at Gregory Plaza.

Police Chief Michelle Moriarty received the council’s approval to accept a $40,000 grant from the Colorado Division of Crimi-

Continued on next page

On Nov. 29, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis appointed Timothy J. Lane to the Gilpin County Court in the 1st Judicial District. The resignation of Judge David Taylor created the vacancy.

December

During a town hall about the closed Eagles’ Nest building, Gilpin leaders encouraged residents to take an online survey about childcare. They asked for volunteers to sit on a committee to develop plans for a new, potential child-care provider.

Several taxing districts around Gilpin said their budget approval process was delayed because they were awaiting new assessment and tax information from Colorado. Some school districts, districts will meet in January after receiving additional information.

Rears said that the 2024 county budget will keep the rec center open. However, reduced to four days, although the swimming pools will also remain available. Adding the

county fair will be funded next summer, although the number of days might be reduced. Several residents in the audience spoke for and against the proposed budget.

Over the objections of Mornis, Commissioners Hollingsworth and Berumen approved a $100,000 contract with design a new food pantry.

At a special meeting on Dec. 19, the BoCC approved a 2024 budget that included no tax increases. Rears said thetial property owners a onetime reduction to decrease the amount owed for their 2023 taxes. Details of the plan are expected to be approved by the of the new year, he said.

In November, Wink’s Panoramic Lodge in Lincoln Hills received a federal historic landmark designation. The lodge in northeast Gilpin County is part of a century-old neighborhood that opened in 2022 as a summer weekend getaway for African Americans from around the nation.

Architect sketches courtesy of PEH Architects

Black Hawk set the stage for its future

nal Justice. The money would be used to purchase a TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer and Ductless Fume Hood for the City’s Evidence Storage Room.

Ameristar Casino Resort Spa announced plans to build an outdoor beer garden and event space outside its unused Richman Casino building across the street. The council later approved the plan for the property, which is expected to open in 2024.

Council-approved leases for Hi-Heat & Sweets, Hearts and Legends LLC, and LitWood Creations will occupy three of the four new spaces at 221 Gregory St., across from JKQ BBQ at Crook’s Palace. The remodeled building was created by connecting the former Lucky Star and Eureka casinos and adding an elevator in the middle.

The city aldermen also approved $116,327 in annual historic house-painting program expenditures. They also approved Club Vista Properties II to build geodesic dome buildings at the forthcoming Hawk’s Landing site near Artisans’ Point. The lodging facilitystream trailers and more than two dozen geodesic domes when it potentially opens as soon as 2024. A record of more than 170 people pitched in for Black Hawk’s annual community-wide clean-up day on May 25.

June Council announced plans to annex more than 14 acres from unincorporated Gilpin County and the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) adjoining its Maryland Mountain/ Quartz Valley recreation area.

Despite two days of occasional downpours, hundreds attended Black Hawk’s second annual Founders’ Day weekend. Mayor David Spellman welcomed visitors to the event, which was created to honor Mylo Lee, Dr. Frederick Judd and William E. Lee, who arrived with thousands of other fortune-seekers during the Colorado Gold Rush era that began in 1859.

Spellman, Central City Mayor Jeremy Fey and oth-

pacts from the forthcoming I-70 Floyd Hill and Highway 6 trail-construction project would have negafor the two casino cities.

Council approved a $72,290 contract with Merrick & Company to evaluate

potential sites for a milliongallon water storage tank for the city. Initially, Black Hawk planned to build Elkhorn underground storage tank on an easement at the Young Family Ranch west of the Central City Parkway. However, city leaders changed their mind, saying building the new tank closer to the city would be better. The aldermen also authorized a revised contract with the City of Golden so Black Hawk can continue to store water in Guanella Reservoir, which Golden owns.

July

According to state reports, Black Hawk’s gaming revenues have continued to soar since the 2020 pandemic. Colorado used to collect about $120 million in revenues in 2021, but the amount soared to more than $160 million during the 2021-22 state individual betting limits and the addition of several large resort-style casinos –including the Monarch and Ameristar – helped Black Hawk realize the jump in revenues.

August

Sadie Schultz, owner of The Woodbury Collective in Gregory Plaza, announced she would close her business at the end of August. The collective was one of the original retail shops in the plaza, which opened in December 2021. Council voted to annex six lots, a total of 19.6 acres, from unincorporated Gilpin County into city limits. The land is on Bates Hill, near the 700-plusacre Maryland Mountain/ Quartz Valley area that includes multiple hiking and mountain biking trails. The council also voted to rezone the land into the same Gregory History Appreciation Recreation Destination (HARD) District along Gregory Street. City Manager Stephen Cole said the community would spend about $199,445 this year for holiday lights, ornaments and garland to decorate Black Hawk for the holidays. The money would include more holiday bows for utility poles throughout residential areas and extra decorations around Gregory Plaza.

Black Hawk approved spending $1.579 million to help rebuild a private residence in its historic district. The 878-squarefoot, single-story home is at Highway 119, in a neigh-

historic homes.

September

The Rick Thomas Distillery hosted an open house for its new operation on Sept. 7, giving visitors their the new business at Black Hawk’s Artisans’ Point neighborhood.

Black Hawk Fire Department members hosted their 15th annual Memorial Stair Climb at the Amerisresponders who were killed or injured during the terrorist attack in New York City in 2001.

International bicycle manufacturer Orbea released an online movie spotlighting the City of Black Hawk and its Maryland Mountain bike-only

Mayor Spellman walking through the Bobtail Mine and daredevil mountain bikers maneuvering down the new “Ore Chute” trail.

more than 8,600 people watched it online – exceeding the number of people who live in Gilpin County.

Black Hawk unveiled a unique tour program, inviting people to scan the QR codes at nine statues around the city. The QR codes on signs next to each statue pull up a website telling information about the artist who created the sculpture.

October

A new line of vodka, bottled under the “1859” label, was distributed to several Gilpin County bars and liquor stores by the Rick Thomas Distillery.

City Finance Director

Lance Hellis unveiled a

proposed 2024 city budget that included $57.1 million in expenses. The budget, which didn’t call for raising taxes or water rates in the city, included funds to expand tourist attractions in the Gregory Plaza area, including reopening the Bobtail Mine and building the new Copper Kitchen Pizzeria and adjoining Gregory Lift elevator.

City leaders announced a $1.58 million remodeling project is nearing completion at the dispatch center of the Black Hawk Police Department. The aldermen approved a $60,000 contract with Black Fox Mining LLC to study a design concept to reopen the Bobtail Mine as a tourist attraction. The city has owned the Bobtail Mine – across from Gregory Plaza – since 2015.

November

Black Hawk Police Chief Michele Moriarty warned of a telephone scam. She said people were posing asdents, asking them for personal information or to pay Colorado Bureau of Investigation was working on the matter, she announced.

Mayor Spellman blasted Gilpin County’s commissioners – especially incumbent Sandy Hollingsworth – after they said the county

was debt-free. “Saying you are debt-free with $20 million worth of deferred maintenance is anything but being debt-free,” he remarked.

ination in Clear Creek – the result of a construction accident near the Argo Mine in Idaho Springs – didn’t impact Black Hawk’s Hidden Valley water treatment facility along I-70 at the Central City Parkway.

December Council voted to spend up to $6.5 million to build the one-story Gregory Lift outdoor elevator and the Copper Kitchen Pizzeria at Gregory Plaza. In a related action, the aldermen voted to demolish the old building at neighboring 271 Gregory so a sharp bend on Church Street can be eliminated during 2024.

Two Gregory Plaza merchants expressed concern that the forthcoming construction might result their retail shops. However, City Engineer Matt Reed said he plans to work with them to develop additional signage or measures to help during the 14-month construction period.

the 2024 budget, which potential gaming revenues.

Casinos, Belvidere spotlight Central’s year

By Don Ireland Senior Reporter

After welcoming newlyelected city leaders early in 2023, Central City embarked

controversy - according to Weekly Register-Call

Here is a look back at some of Central City’s biggest sto-

January

Jeremy Fey was sworn into a second term as Cenaldermen, Marcia Enloe and-

erties along Main -

men also gave a weeks before

a growing, instant following by -

Night of Good Fortune

At its second meeting in

February -

wedding and event center in -

and candies in its commercial City leaders also began-

March

April Mayor Fey said city leaders -

Hawk, making it safer and -

two sides began negotiations

Central City Annie Oakley’s

and later received a state li-

Continued on next page

By

Central City in 2023

the ongoing Belvidere Theater Restoration project. The company will oversee the abatement of asbestos discovered in the historic Nevada Street building.

Mayor Fey, Black Hawk Mayor David Spellman, and

from the forthcoming I-70 Floyd Hill and Highway 6 trail construction project wouldpacts for the two casino cities.

On June 5, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis accepted Fey’s invitation to visit Central City. The mayor showed the governor several of the city’s historic buildings and the Main Street business district. A record crowd of more than 170 people turned out for the Gilpin Arts Society’s June 10th reception that marked the start of its annual juried art show.

Sunny skies greeted attendees at an outdoor picnic hosted by Central City Opera and the Belvidere Foundation at the opera’s garden area on June 26.

Central leaders began discussing a plan that would enable the city to require CDOT to obtain local approval before

of the $700 million Floyd Hill project.

Central City Council approved upgrades to the “Stairway to Heaven” trail system from Virginia Canyon Road to the Gold Mountain Village Apartments further up the hill. The aldermen approved $225,000 with Reiser Trail Craft to do the work. The trail was dedicated to fallen CenShelby Allen, who perished in December 2020.

July

Stephen Latham of Gallup Development announced his plans to convert the former Knights of Pythias building into an apartment with elevator will be added as part of the project. The building is at the corner of Gregory and Spring streets, across from the

At a special meeting on July 11, the city council approved establishing a new Urban Redevelopment Authority. The new authority board would include Mayor Fey, the four city aldermen, and several others appointed by special districts serving Central City. Council accepted a $115,351 Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for asbestos-mitigation work at the Belvidere Theater.

Central City Opera dismissed CEO Pamela Pantosmances of the season. The opera’s Shakespearian-themed season ended as something of a midsummer’s nightmare for Pantos following the bitter, scandalized negotiations that lasted nine months between the Central City Opera and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).

Mayor Fey sparked controversy when he asked the council to consider approving Highway Vehicles (OHV) to operate on Eureka Street and other local roadways. During meetings that ensued in the following months, residents and several council members argued against the proposal, which Fey said could bring additional tourism that might help improve Central’s there currently are problems with speeding, noise and reckless driving by some OHV operators who drive through Central City to the national forests north of the city.

Following months of discussion, Fey said the council would take up the subject again in 2024, while several residents insisted that voters, not city aldermen, should decide the OHV issue.

August

RCI Hospitality Holdings CEO Eric Langan said his company purchased the Hawley Merchandise building at 121-23 Main St. While the current tenants will continue to operate in the space, Langan said the building could become his company’s third Central City casino in the future.

Central’s elected leaders announced they planned to have three questions on the Nov. 7 ballot. They asked commercial property owners if they wanted the city to create a Downtown Development Au-

special district.

Black Hawk Mayor Spellman issued a stern warning to Central City, saying the city’s police department would immediately give tickets to any drove from Central onto Black Hawk’s streets.

Central City hosted the annual Great Central City Beer Festival on Aug. 29, attracting hundreds of visitors. Among the beverages featured was a new creation called “Ellie’s Version” by Dostal Alley brewmaster Buddy Schmalz. It was named after his newly arrived granddaughter, Elliott. The same day, Gilpin Historical Society hosted its 34th annual Creepy Crawl in Central City.

September

Mayor Fey held an open house for his new business, the Central City Trading Post. The retail shop sells Stetson Hats and Samsonite Luggage, both of which have roots in the city. The business is at 125 Main Street, which RCI Hospitality Holdings owns.

The council approved an agreement with the Young Ranch Resources LLC quarry.

The forthcoming operation will pay Central $360,717 for a tap-in fee, allowing the city to incorporate a new line into Central’s water-line network.

Central’s aldermen gave preliminary approval to a trial period for OHVs for 2024.

Still, they put the project on hold, saying they were working on the 2024 budget and wanted more input after the holidays.

The aldermen, with the blessing of the Belvidere Foundation, hired ZIM Consulting of Denver to seek additional grants and donations for the Belvidere restoration. The city has set aside some of its budget for the foundation to pay ZIM’s $57,000 consulting fee for the following year.

“Ellie’s Version” garnered a silver medal for Dostal Alley at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

October

At its Oct. 3 meeting, Central’s aldermen approved a new mission statement for Central City. The statement was composed by Mayor Fey – with a bit of help from the ChatGPT.

Central City Opera announced Scott Finlay was selected as the opera’s new CEO. He had been with the organization for 12 years.

proposed 2024 budget that included $9.2 million in spending against $8.7 million in income.

November

Property owners in the commercial section of Central City approved creating the new Downtown Development Authority and authorization to handle funds for the new special district. A ballot measure to allow the CCDDA to collect a was approved after a recount determined the question passed by a 17-16 margin. Initially, the vote count was reported as a 16-16 stalemate.

In addition, the Central City Business Improvement District received member approval to increase its millage rate from 85 to 90. However, several property owners who fall within the BID’s boundaries said they were unaware of the ballot measure.

Among the most critical opponents of the ballot process was businessman Chuck Spencer, who noted he had to request one, rather one being mailed one than Spencer said he was denied the opportunity to vote and called the situation “smelly.”

The recently formed Central City Urban Redevelopment Authority announced it would accept project proposals for its Map No. 1 area of the city. Later, the deadline was allowing more time for submissions.

At its Nov. 7 meeting, the to a new ordinance requiring CDOT and other developers to obtain a city permit before building or remodeling new roadways impacting Central City. The ordinance was created as the result of the state’s 1041 regulation and will force CDOT to seek Central approval for redesigning the Central

It was announced that Public Works Director Sam Hoover planned to retire before summer 2024.

December

The City council approved the 2024 budget, including $9.2 million in projected revenues, $10 million in in various fund balances. The

budget also gave the new Urban Redevelopment Authority a $300,000 “refundable grant” to help fund its initial operation.

organizations have begun discussing improvements for lighting along Main Street in 2024. During the winter, when the sun sets in late afternoon, parts of Main Street are dimly lit and may appear uninviting to visitors. There are Victorian-style lamp poles on both sides of the street. However, many complain they aren’t bright enough for pedestrians walking to and from proposal calls for installing strings of LED-powered bulbs across Main Street to give it an appearance resembling Denver’s Larimer Square area.

The 25th annual Tommyknockers holiday event was held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4. The festivities included a children’s parade, holiday tree lighting, gift bazaar and a potluck dinner.

The overpass is nearly completed from the Central City Parkway to the Young Ranch Resources Quarry, whose address will be 100 Quarry Road. File photo

Exciting first semester for new GCSD elementary principal

By Ruth Rodgers Education and Community Reporter

Gilpin school activities

This week

Holiday break —

Week of Jan 1

Saturday, Jan. 6 —

Week of Jan. 7

Monday, Jan. 8 —

Tuesday, Jan. 9 —

Wednesday, Jan. 10 —

Thursday, Jan. 11 —

Friday, Jan. 12 —

Continued on next page

Saturday, Jan. 13 —

Week of Jan. 14

Wednesday, Jan. 17 —

Friday, Jan. 19 —

Saturday, Jan. 20

principal Heather Huntoon and Patrick Lannehan.

Linneham working to make GCS a positive environment for teachers and students

noticed that they are using the strategies of this approach at home with their children, especially in avoiding power struggles and building mutual respect.

pacts already, emphasizing its “positive way to support children in the classroom.” She is “looking forward to a big shift in how discipline is handled in the school, and I’m already seeing it.”

She appreciates how, on a building-wide level, this approach is “providing more strategies to handle students are unmotivated to learn, not following directions in the class-

toward being a “Love and Logic school,” students are drawn into the community instead of being excluded. At the same time, trends and causes are examined rather than using a consequence-based approach.

Curriculum

In addition to appreciatrelated to positive behavior support for the students, Linnehan is praised for their willingness and enthusiasm to research and implement new curricula.

After an exhaustive search, Benchmark Workshop, a CDE Read Actapproved curriculum, was chosen. Broken into three modules, the program addresses reading, writing and phonics. Linnehan has observed that “the teachers are loving having something dedicated to writing” while also addressing the science of reading.

The Bridges in Mathematics curriculum is also piloted in Riehle’s all goes well, this will be implemented schoolwide next year. It is accessible and rigorous, combining time, money and fractions throughout the school year. Hands-on learning, games, pulling numbers apart, understanding how the hours of the day go around on the clock, dividing into halves and quarters, and manipulating numbers in a variety of ways are all addressed with opportunities to think independently and work in small groups, then sharing learnings with the whole class.

MacKenzie is also pleased to see this curriculum explored: “Increased student achievement and growth along with (Linnehan’s) instructional leadership are very important to me,

the school board, and the district.”

Positive leadership

Riehle remembers approaching Linnehan asking if he would support her in piloting the Bridges in Mathematics curriculum to see how it might go and then hopefully present it

Of course, he did. “I was shocked to get that kind of support from him. That kind of support, though, is there all the time. If you bring a solid idea to him, he’s willing to work with you and help you succeed,” Reihle stated.

MacKenzie has appreciated Linnehan’s abilities and contributions from the start, feeling pleased when he accepted the elementary technology position that can be pretty challenging remarkable growth and a willingness to wear many hats, common in a rural setting like Gilpin and Platte Canyon, where Linnehan’s roots are.

Another project that Riehle proposed came to the school board earlier this year. With the ADA accommodations being implemented in the school’s entrances, parking envisioned the opportunity for an outdoor learning space. She researched the possibilities and proposed a community garden space that was quickly embraced by the board. Riehle noted that again, Linnehan was “super supportive, giving

‘Yep, this is the time to do this.’”

Working with a positive, open-minded, forwardthinking administratorence for educators. Riehle also shared being “pleased beyond belief that (Linnehan) would support me doing this this year. With his support, this is my best teaching year so far. He’s just so positive. He is willing to hear what everybody else has ideas about and how to approach things. He really wants the input of everyone.”

She also sees him as “a really calming presence. There can be many busy and stressful days in education, but he always makes time to listen to teachers, parents, and students. Riehle added, “He’s always willing to help in whatever capacity is needed. With him, it doesn’t end at his

job description. I feel super supported.”

Linnehan also sees the monthly parent group meetings as a success. He is working to communicate volunteer opportunities by sharing ways they can get involved and get their feedback. Following all the changes during COVID-19, he wants parents and the community to get the message that “We want you back, we want you in the classroom, whatever you can do.” Other successes in his eyes are the huge turn out and participation in parent-teacher conferences and this year’s Halloween events.

time in classrooms learning more about how each teacher teaches and has years of interaction with them to assist his leadership and connections.

Linnehan thanks the students, parents, teachers anding him during this transition. He feels they have been incredibly supportive and that the school could not be enjoying all these successes without their

appreciates the support of MacKenzie and Secondary School Principal Alexis Donaldson, along with multiple years of mentoring by Huntoon.

Linnehan lives in Wheat Ridge but believes in the district so much that he and his wife, Kendall, bring their four-year-old up daily to attend preschool. Previously a paraprofessional at the school, Kendall now teaches in the school’s Lower Montessori program. In Linnehan’s words, “Gilpin feels like home to me.”

In Vincent’s words, “We couldn’t have picked a better person for this role.”

Successful transition

MacKenzie, Riehle

members agree that this transition in administration has gone relatively smoothly. He has spent

Eagles believe! Members of the Student Council with Patrick Linnehan Asly Kima, Finley Gregg, Olivia Albrecht, Ellen Gustafson, Blakeley Parten, and Tegon Lohman and back row: Murphy Molloy and Mr. Patrick Linnehan

Photos by Ruth Rodgers

“Looking Back” is a collection of historical newspaper reports from Gilpin County.

By Gary King Bygone Scribe

30 years ago

January 7, 1994

Annie Oakley’s is open and ready for business Emporium. According to Webster, an emporium is a large place of commerce, a trading center, a marketplace, and a large store with a wide variety of things for sale. Located at 135 Nevada St., Annie Oakley’s Emporium, formerly the casino of the same name, has all the above, with more to come. Thursday, Dec. 30, the emporium opened itsmer business manager of the Silver Slipper and Annie Oakley’s Casinos, Don Boring, and his wife Havana, who was food and beverage manager at the casinos, along with Dale Dallman, former key license at Annie’s and president of the current ownership group, have provided Central City with a place where locals can (gasp!) by food, meat, bread, milk, canned goods and even potatoes. They also feature the cheapest cigarettes in town.

Sprucing up…

St. James Methodist Church got a coat of paint on the

historic preservation funds.

The belfry restoration was funded at $7,110. Next week, roof repairs are planned at St. James, another project funded through local preservation funds provided by the state gaming tax. Projects funded this year have included repairs and restorations for private properties and other historic buildings.

Ambulance report

An elderly gentleman suffered a heart attack at one of the Central City casinos. CPR was immediately initiated, which enabled the man to resume breathing, and his heart began beating. Then everything stopped again. The once again joined the living. There was quite a crowd surrounding the patient as we prepared to transport himter. Among the crowd was a distraught lady wondering how her husband was and telling us his medical history. We loaded our patient in the ambulance and his wife up front with me. And then a funny thing happened on the way to the landing zone...the lady told me that her husband wasn’t acting like himself. He kept telling the paramedic that we had his name wrong. At the loading zone, the lady

jumped in the back of the ambulance, looked at the patient, then exclaimed, “He’s not my husband!” Poor guy! The Lady then got out of the ambulance and told a bystander that she thought she was in the Twilight Zone! Maybe we all were! Our patient was

Anthony Central and, last (hopefully with his own wife by his side)!

Following in the footsteps... of many other notable performers over the past decades, the main characters from the cast of Denver’s Miss Saigon signed a “piece of the wall” for the Signature Room of Harrah’s Central City, home of the Glory Hole Saloon. Since 1948, stars performing at the Central City Opera House used the backroom of the original Glory Hole as a retreat and a setting for impromptu performances and rehearsed skits and plays. Notables who signed the wall over the years include Mae West, Myrna Loy, Peggy Cass, Gypsy Rose Lee, Joan Van Ark, Hugh O’Brian and George Gobel. When the building was renovated in 1991 as part of the Glory Hole Saloon and Casino, many of

the signatures uncovered on the back wall were restored and put on display in the signature room.

60 years ago

January 3, 1964

Ice skating was perfect at Pactolus over the weekend. The Yampa Valley train was carrying three coaches on Sunday and four on Monday. The train stops at Pactolus for skating passengers and at Winter Park for skiers.

A New Year’s Eve party at the home of Wilhelm Lorenz was celebrated by displaying

the townspeople enjoyed at midnight.

In his book They Fought Alone, author John Keats relates the story of a group of refused to surrender to the Japanese in the Philippine Islands during WWII: “The frail house shook as Ball rattled the Morse key; he banged away as if he expected the sound of his urgent effort to carry to Australia if the message did not...” The man referred to is Robert V. Ball, who is the son of Mae Cassidy of Central City, and his and other experiences in the guerilla struggle in the Philippine jungle make exciting reading.

Eisenhower still holds Cololicense, although it is more or less an honorary one now. The former President is not getting to Colorado anymore the number two license, which is a working one, according Game Department.

District Director John T. Clingan of the Immigration and Naturalization Service stated that the annual Alien Address Report Program usually causes a sharp rise in the number of applications for naturalization. The law requires all aliens in the United States, with a few exceptions, to report their addresses each January. Throughout the United States, almost 30 percent more applications for naturalization are received during the months of January, received during other months. Mr. Clingan attributes this sudden rise to the Alien Address Report Program.

We live in an era in which records are being broken on every hand. This goes for just about every area of human activity including sports, business production, wage rates, and so on and so on. And last from Washington, D.C., points out another kind of record was broken, and it is one in which every American save a forgotten hermit in the hills must share. The federal government collected close to $106 billion in taxes, The dispatch quotes an Internal Revenue Service spokesman as saying, “This is the greatest amount ever collected by any country in history. No country before ever had so many people with so much money.”

90 years ago

January 5, 1934

Lady Blythe Martin Cook, screen and stage actress known throughout the world as “The Original Mechanical Doll,” arrived at Russell Gulch to spend the winter with her parents, Mr. and

M. Cook is a bride of a few months and a member of shown at this time in Europe. She returned to Hollywood a short time ago, after making these pictures, and then home to these beautiful mountains of Colorado, the home of her birth. We welcome her once again.

The New Year celebration, perhaps the most unique of all the nation’s, completed a

band of hardy mountaineers Monday and began the descent from Pike’s Peak. From the summit, the men members and guests of the AdAmAn club, greeted the new year at midnight with a pyrotechnic display that was visible 100 miles away. At the same hour, they broadcast by shortwave radio a New Year wish to the whole world, especially Admiral Byrd, an honorary member of the club, far away in the Antarctic Ocean.

Rewarding the patience and faith of Mrs. Elizabeth (Baby Doll) Tabor, widow of the late Colorado mining magnate, H. A. W. (Silver Dollar) Tabor, the Matchless mine at Leadville may soon be reopened. For years, the now gray-haired and dim-eyed Mrs. Tabor, a former society bell, has lived in a shack near the Matchless because her husband, on his deathbed, told her the mine would remake her a fortune in silver. Today, it was learned the Shorego Mining Company, a holding company, has leased the property to L. R. Thatcher, a Colorado mining operator. A provision in the lease will give Mrs. Tabor a general share of the production of the mine. Her percentage was not revealed.

Mr. Ed Hewes was found dead in his cabin on South Beaver on Sunday. It was presumed he died from a heart attack as he had been in Rollinsville on Sunday morning and did not yet have his pack of groceries untied. He was about 70 years of age and had been a resident of this vicinity for 25 years or more.

Tuesday three inches of new snow fell in Apex. Wednesday, the thermometer registered 5 degrees above zero and not much wind.

At a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Black Hawk, Mr. Scott of the Chain-O- Mines, Inc., made a request to build a dam across Clear Creek near Borzago & Co.’s barn and on motion of Ald. Fleiss, seconded by Fritz, the request was granted.

We had a very pleasant call Wednesday afternoon from Mr. and Mrs. E. Hamilton Lee

of Omaha, who are enjoying a trip through this section of Colorado. Mr. Lee is the senior pilot of U. S. airline service between Omaha and Cheyenne, and in a recent issue of an Omaha newspaper, in speaking of his accomplishments, stated that he had been in the service some 15 years and had pushed his plane through space more than 1,250,000 miles, which would have covered two round trips to the moon, whose mean distance from the earth is estimated at 238,000 miles, and when he got back from there he could have made 12 journeys around the earth at the equator. His former route was between Omaha and Chicago.

120 years ago

January 8, 1904

In the Sun and Moon trial in Georgetown before Judge DeFrance, damaging evidence was given on Tuesday concerning J. E. Chancellor, former secretary of the Idaho Springs Miner’s Union, who asserted within the hearing of several that if the mine resumed work with non-union men that it would be blown up and that he would see that it was done. The authorities have the right men who committed the act, and they should be given the full penalty of the law and sent to Canon City at hard labor for the balance of their lives. William Bate was on the witness stand on Wednesday and Thursday, and his evidence was anything but pleasing to the members of the Idaho Springs Union, who are on trial. He said the dynamiting of the Sun and Moon property was discussed at the Miner’s Union Hall at Idaho Springs and recounted his confession made when

jail. In the evidence

brought out, Mr. Chandler was reported to have made a threat to unionize the camp of Idaho Springs or make grass grow in the streets.

As a result of drilling into a missed hole in the Cook shaft on Thursday evening, Ernest Bishop was almost instantly killed, and James Doyle received injuries from which he died three hours later. Two other miners were working in the shaft but fortunately escaped injuries. The men, it is reported, had been informed of the missed shot, as the other shift had reported this fact after blasting. Doyle was about 45 years of age and leaves two children in the east, and also a sister, Mrs. Sam Hambly, residing in Nevadaville. Bishop was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. William J. Bishop of this city and was about 20 years of age.

The ore shipments for the month of December from the Black Hawk station of the Colorado & Southern railroad totaled 188 carloads or 3,760 tons. This was a light month’s shipment due to the fact that

a number of mines had not resumed their operations owing to the coal storage, but indications point to increased shipments for the present month.

150 years ago

January 9, 1874

building cisterns on the main and mention was made of one on Eureka Street, which barrels. (Editor’s note: This was probably the one in front of Sol. Bacharach’s store, in the bank building, which furnished water for the Golden Fire company, when they came up and did good service when the city was burned Thursday, May 21, 1874.)

New Year’s Day was characterized by clear skies, bright, warm sunshine, and a stirring atmosphere. The time-honored custom of New Year calls was observed with the customary uniformity, and the compliments of the season were exchanged for the delicacies of the day with considerable hilarity, but with strict temperance.

H. M. Teller and family returned from a visit to Salt Lake City, and Mr. Teller

stated that Bela S. Buell, of this city, was taking out more gold from his Levitt mine at Mountain City than was produced from all the mines in that territory.

Robert A. Campbell, agent of the Wells Fargo Express company, reported that the total shipments of bullion from the county for the month of December was $71,500 in gold and $80,739 in silver. The silver was in the shape of bricks from the Boston & Colorado smelter in Black Hawk and from the Caribou mine.

Gold was quoted in New York at 110 1/2. The highest quotation during 1873 was 119 1/8; The lowest was in August, at 106. The latter

time since February 1862.

The Register was advocating the establishment of a high school, free for all the youth in the county.

Mr. Bela Buell deposited in the bank on Wednesday gold retorts weighing 500 ounces from the Levitt mine. Total deposits at the bank that week of gold totaled more than 1,500 ounces.

tral City. c, 1950-1960.

Courtesy DPL Digital Collection

City of Black Hawk

The City of Black Hawk is accepting applications for a full-time Automotive HEAVY DUTY MECHANIC TO FILL OUR FLEET TECHNICIAN II position. Salary Range: $59,703 - $83,584 / Annual (paid hourly) DOQ/E. Under the direction of the Fleet Supervisor, Skilled work in the maintenance and repair of City equipment, including light, medium, and heavyduty automobiles, trucks, and equipment. Work includes maintenance and repair of emergency equipment, ambulance, as well as transit include Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in automotive or heavy equipment repair, preferably in a municipal setting. ALL REQUIRED TOOLS ARE PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF BLACK HAWK. High School diploma or GED. Class B CDL with air brakes and P Endorsement, and good driving record. Formal training in either automotive or heavy equipment. Must have current ASE Ambulance Technician Level employees cost-share 10% of the medical premium with the City’s cost-share of 90%, and the City provides 100% coverage cost for dental, vision, group life, and short/long term disability. The City offers an excellent retirement package with a guaranteed 8% match of base earnings and up to

a 12% match based on an employee’s retirement election. Newly hired employees enjoy over seven weeks of combined annual leave (PTO and Sick), which increases with tenure. Apply Now: visit www.cityofblackhawk.org and click the Job Openings link to apply online. Please upload a cover letter and resume with your application. EOE _____________________

WATER SYSTEM

SUPERINTENDENT City of Black Hawk Salary Range: $105,747 – $148,046 / ANNUAL DOQ/E. Unbelievabletional opportunity to serve in Colorado’s premier gaming community 18 miles west of Golden. High school diploma or GED and a minimum of eight (8) years’ experience operating a water treatment facility in an ORC or Lead position. Formal vocational training in water treatment is desired. Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience may be considered. CERTIFI-

CATES and LICENSES: Colorado Class A Water Operatortion Systems, Colorado Cross Connection or Central Techni-rado Driver’s License with a safe driving record, Flagger air brake or ability to obtain

Employees cost-share 10% of the medical premium with the City’s cost-share of 90%, and the City provides 100% coverage cost for dental, vision, group life, and short/long term disability. The City offers an excellent retirement package with a guaranteed 8% match of base earnings and up to

Contact:

a 12% match based on an employee’s retirement election. Newly hired employees enjoy over seven weeks of combined annual leave (PTO and Sick), which increases with tenure. Apply Now: visit www.cityofblackhawk.org and click the Job Openings link to apply online. Please upload a cover letter and resume with your application. EOE

______________________ POLICE SERGEANT,

City of Black Hawk Salary

Range: $109,248 - $152,947/ Annual (paid hourly), DOQ/E. Unbelievable ben-tional opportunity to serve in Colorado’s premier gaming community located 18 miles west of Golden. RequireApplicants must have law enforcement experience, and must be Colorado Post The City’s available to full-time employees and eligible dependents and includes medical/dental/ vision coverage. Employees cost-share 10% of the medical premium with the City’s cost-share of 90%, and the City provides 100% of coverage cost for dental, vision, group life, and short/long term disability. The City provides an excellent retirement package with guaranteed 8% match of base earnings and up to a 12% match based on employee’s retirement election. Newly hired employees enjoy over seven weeks combined annual leave (PTO and Sick), which increases with tenure. Apply Now: visit https://www. cityofblackhawk.org/police and click on the Job Openings link to apply online. Please upload a cover letter and resume with your application. EOE

Phone — 303.906.9902

email — news@weeklyregistercall.com

Deadline: Friday at 5 p.m. for publication the following Thursday

Maintenance Worker

City of Central FT Hourly range from $19.91+ per hour DOQ/E High School diploma/ GED + 1 year experience as a construction laborer, Class B Colorado Driver’s License or be capable of obtaining one within three months of the date of hire. The position is required to perform a wide variety of unskilled and semi-skilled work in maintenance, construction and repair of the City’s infrastructure and facilities including but not limited to highways, roads, bridges, streets, curbs, sidewalks, buildings and other city-owned properties; operates trucks and light equipment incidental to the work. The City provides a comprehensiveage that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage. 100% of the employee’s premiums are paid by the City and approximately 98% of dependent premiums -

days annually. City paid long term disability and Life Insurance. Apply now: A detailed job description can be found on the City’s website www.centralcity.colorado.gov. Qualiwhich can be found at www.centralcity.colorado.gov to the Finance/Human Resources Director at arobbins@ cityofcentral.cotions will be reviewed on a weekly basis. EOE.

City of Central FTE Hourly Range from $20.40 - $23.98 per hour DOQ/DOE

High School diploma and associate degree

two (2) years of progressively responsible work experience -

lated administrative support experience for a high-ranking of education, training, and experience. Under administrative direction, the administrative assistant performs a variety of working level, para-professional duties as needed to expedite various day-to-day functions of the Finance/HR department, including customer service, handling correspondence, maintaining records while adhering to the City’s records retention policy, and assisting with procurement of supplies. This position will assist with other department duties, such as accounts payable, cash receipting, utility billing, and coordination of meetings, trainings, interviews, etc. The City provides a comprehensive that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage; 100% of the employee’s premiums are paid by the City and approximately 98% of dependent premiums are paid

annually. City paid Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance. Apply now: A detailed job description can be found on the City’s website www.centralcity.colorado.govplicants should submit a resume, a list of three job references and a cover letter to the Finance/Human Resources Director at arobbins@cityofcentral.co

‘Twas (frst-and-10) the Night Before Christmas

“Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse . . .”

—Clement Clarke Moore

On Christmas Eve in 1969, I was fve years into my newspaper career and halfway through my ffth month at Te Cincinnati Enquirer.

Dick Forbes was well into his 43-year run as a sportswriter.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I was about to hear something profound that he sagely observed, year after year, on December 24.

“Christmas Eve,” he mused. “It’s the only time all year when all the wire machines fall silent.”

What he was noting was that, for a few hours, no story was transmitted on the teletypes that news services used back then. It was as if the whole world paused.

(Since the dawn of the computer age, everything has arrived via wire transmission—soundlessly.)

I thought of Dick this Christmas Eve and wondered what he’d say about the Broncos taking on the Patriots a few hours before candlelight services and Midnight Mass—before Santa started coming down chimneys around here.

Just last year, the National Football League decided that the evening of Christmas Eve no longer needed to be a time for the world to pause.

“Te days where families come together across the country,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president for media distribution, “we really believe there are opportunities for us to use in a way to help build and celebrate football.”

Last year, the NFL scheduled the Steelers to play the Raiders on Christmas Eve night—the game commemorating the 50th anniversary of Te Immaculate Reception.

Tat’s the historic catch by Franco Harris of a defected pass, which he carried 44 yards for the decisive touchdown in the fnal seconds of a divisional playof game between the two teams at Tree Rivers Stadium.

Chosen by NFL Films as the greatest play in pro football history, that score made Pittsburgh the winner, 13-7.

On December 24, 2022, the Steelers fttingly did it to the Raiders again, scoring with 46 seconds left to win, this time 13-10.

It was one of the coldest home games in Steelers history (8 degrees at kickof ), which helps explain why, 50th anniversary notwithstanding, the game attracted the smallest attendance of the season—a crowd of 64,761.

Some 3,639 tickets went unused, presumably because those folks had better things to do on Christmas Eve and couldn’t fnd others who didn’t.

Te second Christmas Eve night game was played 11 days ago right here in Denver when those 3-11 New England Patriots dashed the Broncos’ faint playof hopes with a 26-23 defeat.

Game attendance at Empower Field at Mile High was lower than in Pittsburgh the year before—60,186— which is the lowest for a Broncos game since December 1, 2019.

Tat one, a 23-20 victory over San Diego, drew only 55,544. No-shows then were 19,094; this time, 16,015.

Te Broncos were 3-8 back then. It was a couple days after Tanksgiving, and the region was reeling from a snowstorm.

Denver would fnish 7-9 in Vic Fangio’s frst season as head coach.

Perhaps this year’s game would have drawn better if it had been billed as the 46th anniversary of the Broncos’ frst Christmas Eve contest, albeit a day afair, back in 1977.

On that occasion, the Broncos beat none other than those Steelers, 34-21, en route to their frst Super Bowl appearance.

Touting this year’s Christmas Eve night game as the commemoration of Denver’s frst-ever playof victory—with guest appearances by Craig Morton, Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson—would have added to the hype and, surely, the turnout.

Dick Forbes covered the Cincinnati Bengals in their early years, but he was retired by the time they played their frst of (so far) seven Christmas Eve games (all during the day) in 1995. He died in 2010 at 93.

It’s a blessing that Dick wasn’t around to see the NFL decide that the Eve after dark was “a great opportunity to serve our fans and create a new window that we think they’ll enjoy.”

In his absence, what a caller to the sports editor of the Kansas City Star said back in 1971 when the NFL announced its frst intrusion on the holiday seems applicable still:

“I enjoy football, but is it really necessary to play on Christmas? Tis is a religious day, a family day.

“But apparently, it makes no diference to the people who run professional football.”

How to close social media accounts of a deceased loved one

Dear Savvy Senior,

How do I go about canceling a person’s social media accounts when they die? My wife passed away a few months ago and her social media accounts are still active.

Sad Spouse

Dear Sad,

I’m very sorry for your loss, but this is a smart move on your behalf and one that often gets overlooked. Social media is part of many people’s daily lives, but when a person passes away their dormant accounts can become vulnerable to scammers who can hack into them and even steal your deceased loved one’s identity.

BY JIM MILLER

Here’s a run-down of how you can

media accounts after a loved one dies.

Facebook: If your wife used Facebook, you can either “memorialize” or “delete” her account.

A memorialized account serves as a place where family and friends can share memories to celebrate the deceased person’s life, with the word “Remembering” shown next to the deceased person’s name. Once an account is memorialized, content the person shared is still visible on Facebook to the audience it was originally shared with, however, the user’s such as people you may know, ads or birthday reminders.

simply go to Facebook.com/help/ contact/234739086860192. Or, if you’d rather have her account removed, go to Facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480.

To memorialize her account requires

obituary or memorial card), but if you wish to delete the account, you’ll also need to verify that you’re an immediate family member, legal representative or executor, unless you’re the legacy contact on her account.

Instagram: The policy on a deceased users’ Instagram account is the similar to Facebook’s, which owns Instagram.

You can either memorialize or remove the account at Help.Instagram. com/264154560391256. But just like with Facebook, you’ll need to provide proof of death and relationship to the deceased.

X (formally Twitter): To deactivate an X account, go to Help.Twitter.com and type in “How to contact X about a deceased family member’s account” in the search bar and follow the prompts. After you submit your request, X will email you with instructions for providing more details, including information about the deceased, a copy of your ID, and a copy of the deceased’s

YouTube and/or Google: To close these accounts, simply go to Support. Google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590

your ID.

Pinterest: To remove a Pinterest account, email Care@pinterest.com with the deceased user’s account username, proof of death and proof of relationship to the deceased.

LinkedIn: To remove a deceased perat LinkedIn.com/help/linkedin/ask/tsrdmlp. You’ll need to provide the name

obituary.

Snapchat: To delete this account, simply login to the account and click “Delete My Account” and follow the prompts.

Tumblr: Send an email to Support@ tumblr.com requesting to remove the account of the deceased person with their Tumblr username, proof of their death, and proof of your relationship to the deceased.

If your wife had social media through a company not listed here, go to that company’s website for information on how to delete the account.

munication Success

This book is currently being used by hearing care providers around the world.

Continued from page 1

from the Arizona School of Health Sciences. She is a past president of the Colorado Academy of Audiology and a member of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. The doctor is a founding member of Hearing the Call-Colorado.tion provides hearing aids and hearing healthcare to under-served people in her Colorado community, which is now Littletonbased. She also wrote and published a patient handbook, Frustrated by Hearing Loss? 5 Keys to Com-

The most gracious and warmspirited Dr. Dusty was attentive to me, examining my ears for wax, a hearing test to gauge my hearing level, and a tune-up of my Windex hearing aids. I felt relieved when she told me, “Bob, these are good hearing aids.” The original provider was far from her level of expertise, closing a few months after my purchase. Hearing patrons need to know they need support to learn how to use and adjust hearing aids. The TV ads may look good, but where does one go for service and support?

I paid Dr. Dusty a modest fee for my testing and felt privileged to meet a highly trained doctor with a caring attitude to assist my hearing.

I arranged for Ambassador Zakhem to return

Kona wins for quality & value

It seems that every car that is delivered to review seems to be better than the last. The keen competition in the auto world drives U.S. car manufacturers to compete with the incredible Japanese, Korean and German vehicles. The recent U.S. Union bargaining has given wage increases to U.S. auto workers, ultimately resulting in higher prices for U.S. cars. Europe and Asia will also have labor challenges in the future, driving up their pricing.

The latest Hyundai product is one of the best of the year in the 2024 Hyundai Kona Limited all-wheel drive sleek 19” alloy polished metallic wheels. The front hood sports a unique light across the entire hood of the Kona, giving a new design concept in lighting. An excellent front-end design that is very modern in design.

The rubber meets the road with the 1.6L turbo-charged four-cylinder engine linked to the eight-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters. With the powerful turbo engine, I rarely shifted out of the drive mode that handled the acceleration perfectly in freeway and mountain drives. Fuel economy was excellent, with 32 mpg on open roads and an overall city/freeway mileage of 28 mpg.

-

cal knob to dial drive and reverse, with park in betweenjust after a few drives. I used the “sport” mode dial for my drives, which is slightly faster than the normal drive mode.

One of the great safety features on most Hyundai vehicles is the “Blind Sport View Monitor,” which shows spot area. The Kona has safety features, including front, side, and side-curtain safety airbags. The Kona has all the

aids. We both wanted to thank Dr. Dusty for taking excellent care of our hearing needs. The Ambassador coming to her new practice was a win-win for both parties, and I wanted to share this experience in print. During the visit, Sam told us that his new hearing aids had already changed his life. “My wife Merilynn talks to me now,” he said. “Also, my sons and I can have good conversations again.” Sam Zakhem was a new man with a broad smile on his face. Now 88, with a birthday on Nov. 25, 2023, he is enjoying a better lifestyle with his new hearing aids. “Sam explains, “It is not just about hearing, but understanding what one hears, it is so much better now.”

The excellent doctor resides in Centennial and is married with two sons, one high school age, and an older brother attending the University of Utah. Her husband works in the medical profession.

We invited her to go with us for lobster and crab, but she declined an exciting trip with two old soldiers. We could both hear her say, NO!

If you want to visit a fantastic, highly trained audiologist, give Dr. Dusty a call at 720-689-7989 or email support@colubinecares.com

latest safety features that are advanced today’s driving.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Gilpin County Residents:

As the calendar turns to another year, an important opportunity arises for Colorado’s senior citizens – the Senior Property Tax Exemption. tribute to the enduring contributions of our senior community. To be eligible for the 2024 exemption, seniors must have celebrated their 65th birthday on or before Dec. 31, 2023. Eligible seniors or their spouses must have owned and lived in their property as a primary residence for at least 10 consecutive years. It’s important to note that this exemption is exclusive to one property per married couple or individual, emphasizing the importance of choosing the place you truly call ‘home.’ -

ing spouses who have not remarried, provided their late partner met the eligibility criteria. Recognizing life’s unpredictably, the exemption includes provisions for those in nursing homes or for individuals who have lost homes to unforeseen events like natural disasters. When it comes to applying, there are two forms – Short and Long –and applicants are advised to submit these by July 15 for a standard process.

Applicants must tread carefully, as claiming exemptions on multiple properties or providing false information in the application attracts legal penalties. Once applications are submitted, they undergo a thorough review by the county assessor’s communicated with clear explanations, and there is an opportunity for appeal to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.

For those who need assistance or prefer to pick help. You are welcome to stop by at 203 Eureka St, Central City, where we can provide the forms and answer any questions you may have. Alternatively, you can reach out to us at 303-582-5451 or email assessor@gilpincounty.org for more information.

By H. Throttle

a 10-year 100,000 powertrain warranty that is important with the turbo engine. The Hyundai parts are made in excel in their auto skills.

Driving the Kona is exceptional in steering, acceleration and comfort. It is somewhat amazing that this four-door all-wheel drive is on the market for $33,645, loaded with many safety, navigation, and comfort features, including Bose premium audio. The heated seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors were appreciated this past week in

To say, “I like this vehicle, is an understatement, I love this Kona.”

This is the best vehicle I’ve driven in 2023 for value.

degree in audiology from Arizona State University and Doctorate in Audiology from the Arizona School of Health Sciences.

COMBA marks 2023

The Colorado Mountain Bike Association, which helped create the Ore Chute and other trails at Black Hawk’s Maryland Mountain/Quartz Hill recreation area, issued its 2023 year-end report last week.

The group conducted 11,186 hours of trail maintenance, built and maintained 98.5 miles of trail, constructed one new “bike only” trail and had 250 individual volunteers at projects around the state. For information on the organization, visit comba. org.

surely,” reported co-own-

In the meantime, the original Very Nice Brewing location remains open on Lakeview Drive in Nederland.

Dems social

GamingNews

BRIEFS Gaming $$$ bounces back

Gilpin County’s Democratic Committee will hold a special edition of its “Liberal Drinking” event on Jan 10. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Augustina’s Winery in Nederland. Those who prefer beer are invited to bring their own.

The organization’s regular monthly meeting is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25.

Coal Creek Canyon Improvement Association will hold its 25th annual Chili Fest from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the CCCIA hall on Highway 72. Among chili, green chili, and a new Texas chili (no beans allowed). There will be prizes for the best chilis, as voted upon by participants.

United Power is sponsoring the event, which invites CCCIA members and friends to participate. Contest entry fee is $20. Members can eat and judge for $10, while non-members can eat and judge for $15. Tickets are $5 for children. There will be music at the event. For information, visit coalcreekcanyon.org or email cccia80403@gmail.com.

Arriving in 2024

The mid-county location for Very Nice Brewing is expected to open in February or March. The brewery planned for Highway 119 near Taggert’s store, had hoped to open during Fall 2023 but encountered construction-related delays. “We are moving forward slowly but

Pine beetle workshop

The Colorado State University’s Gilpin Extension Service will host a workshop about mountain pine beetles at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 at the Gilpin County Public Library. The speakers will include Ben Pfohl of the Colorado State Forest Service and Jennifer Cook, CSU extension agent for Gilpin County. Mountain pine beetles are killing ponderosa and lodgepole pines in Gilpin County. Aspects of the beetles’ life cycles and learning how to detect them will be part of the program. The seminar is also available online for those who pre-register. For information, call the local extension service at (303) 582-9106.

News items welcome

If your club, church or organization is holding a special event, we’d like to share the news in the Weekly RegisterCall. Please send us the who, what, where, when, why and how much details no later than Sunday for the upcoming edition. Our email address is: news@ weeklyregistercall.com.

Clear Creek County Community Event Calendar

Clear Creek County Library District

Friyays —Friday, Jan. 5, 10 a.m. to noon, John Tomay Memorial Library/Georgetown or Idaho Springs Library. An adult should accompany children under 8. For more information, visit cccld.org

Youth Ballet at CCMRD — Clear Creek Recreation Center, 98 12th Ave., Idaho Springs on Thursdays. Session 1-Jan. 11 – Feb. 8. Session 2 Feb. 15 to March 14. K-2nd Grade is from 4:45 – 5:35 p.m.; 3rd to 6th Grade is from 5:45 – 6:35 p.m. $60 per session. Contact caitlin@ccmrd.com for questions or go to clearcreekrecreation.com to register online

Clear Creek County Library District

Holiday Closure — Monday, Jan. 15 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Clear Creek County Library District

Family Movie Matinee — Georgetown Old School, 809 Taos St., Friday, Jan. 19, 3 - 5 p.m., Information at cccld.org.

Kids Night Out with CCMRD — Clear Creek Recreation Center, 98 12 th Avenue, Idaho Springs, Fridays – Jan. 19, Feb. 9, March 8, April 12 and May 10, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Kids will enjoy a pool party, dinner and a movie in their jammies. Bring kids dressed in bathing suits, a towel, a wet swimsuit bag, a water bottle, pajamas, and a blanket/pillow if desired. $27 per child, ages 5 to 15 years old. For more info, call 303-567-4822 or email caitlin@ccmrd.org

Clear Creek County Library District

Senior Foot Care Clinic — Clear Creek Recreation Center, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 1 – 3 p.m. Call Heather at 303-567-2020 to make a free reservation. More info at cccld.org.

Columbine Garden Club — The Columbine Garden Club will meet at the Idaho Springs Elks Club on Thursday, Jan. 11 at 12 noon. New members are always welcome. RSVP to Linda Yowell at

303-898-8017 by Friday, Jan. 5. Lunch is served for $10 per person. Info at columbinegardenclub.com.

CCMRD Pickleball —Clear Creek Recreation Center. Skills and Drills for Intermediates on Tuesdays, 8 - 10 a.m. $10 per class covering a variety of topics to improve your game. Pickleball Basics for Beginners on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 12 noon, $10 per class is for anyone who wants to learn the basics of the game – forehand, backhand, serve, volley and scoring. Saturday Open Play, 10 a.m. to noon, for Intermediate players. All equipment is provided or bring your own. Advance registration is required for classes and open play. Check out the Open Play schedule and register for classes at clearcreekrecreation.com,

CCMRD Couch to Slacker Half Marathon Training Program —March 30 until the Slacker Race! Saturdays 9 - 11 a.m. and Tuesdays 6 - 7:00 p.m. Join the Slacker 4-Mile or Half-Marathon training program and experience a journey that’s as laid-back or intense as you want it to be. We’re here to turn your aspirations into accomplishments, so lace up those shoes, hit the road, and let’s make running a joyful adventure! Our 12-week program is designed to make your journey enjoyable and rewarding. The program includes race registration and race swag, a training plan, organized group training runs, hydration and nutrition education, and tips on injury prevention and recovery. Register for the Couch to Slacker Half-Marathon program and get 13.1 percent off your CCMRD Membership! Offer only valid from Jan. 1 - 31. For ages 16+. $150 per person. clearcreekrecreation.com

Wreaths Across America Wreath Pick-up Day — Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. Help is needed to pick up the wreaths laid on the graves of veterans prior to the holidays. Check back here for more details!

If you have regularly scheduled meetings or upcoming special events that are open to the public, we want to add them to the CCC Community Calendar. Please email the who, what, when, where, why and how in 75 words or less, exactly as you would want it printed, to amy@weeklyregistercall.com Please send information at least two weeks in advance of your event.

By Don Ireland Senior Reporter

Despite concerns about discretionary income, Colorado gaming revenues bounced back like a child on a trampoline in November, according to results released last week.

The City of Black Hawk led the comeback charge, seeing its Adjusted Gross Proceeds rise by 4.78 percent during the month. Cripple Creek also rose, by 4.94 percent in November, while Central City’s results barely slid by negative 0.19 percent. Adjusted Gross Proceeds (AGP) is the amount of money wagered by players less the amount paid to players.

Black Hawk’s AGP for November represented a $3.05 million increase over the same month in 2022. So far this gaming year, which began on July 1, Black Hawk saw AGP increase in September and November, while declines occurred in July, August and October. For

Black Hawk’s AGP has seen a collective decrease of -1.15 percent, or $4.12 million. Despite the stumble, the city’s AGP has been solidly ahead of the years up to and during the coronavirus pandemic.

Central City has seen decline, -1.15 percent, or $1.987 million, in AGP in Colorado since July 1, while Cripple Creek in Teller County slipped -2.57 percent in AGP, or $1.868 million during the same period.

Industry observers will learn in late January of the impact of gaming during December when the outcome of corporate parties and holiday weekends in Black Hawk is expected to buoy the city’s results, the same as in the past. In late February, those same observers will learn the results of potentially higher AGP in Cripple Creek, following the opening of the 300-room Chamonix resort-casino in late December.

So far during the 2022-

Hawk’s share of statecollected gaming taxes has been 90.8 percent of those collected in Colorado, while Cripple Creek has contributed 6.25 percent and Central City 2.95 percent. During November, Black Hawk represented 86 percent of state-collected gaming revenues, while Cripple Creek contributed 9.12 percent and Central City 4.88 percent.

Sports betting sets record

Colorado’s Division of Gaming reported sports betting established a new record in November. A total of $608.488 million was wagered during the month. It is the highest amount of handle in any month since the inception of sports betting in May the monthly handle has exceeded $600 million.

The amount wagered

9.67 percent increase over the amount bet during October. In November, the state collected $1.489 million (55.43 percent decrease from October 2023). Of all bets placed, about 4.7 percent proved to be winning, according

Since the state’s 202324 gaming year began on July 1, a total of $2.263 billion has been wagered in Colorado, most of which – 98 percent - are placed via phone apps

the state’s three gaming cities. The three Colorado gaming cities do not receive any tax revenues from sports betting, compared to the collective millions they take in from slots, cards, table games and other in-casino forms of gaming.

During November, bets on NFL games attracted the most action, with 24.3 percent of wagers placed, followed by NBA, where 23.6 percent of bettors put money on games.

Parlays and combinations attracted 22.3 percent of money wagered. NCAA football (8.6 percent) and NCAA basketball (8.2 percent) also were among the favorite sports that garnered attention from adult gamers.

DESPERADOS Black Hawk Police Report

December 11

Damaged property — A Black Hawk ofcer responded to a call of damaged property on the 5th foor of the Ameristar Parking garage. On arrival, the ofcer observed a victim’s tires had been slashed and defated. Upon investigation, a male suspect driving a vehicle with stolen plates was observed stopping in front of the victim’s vehicle earlier in the morning, getting out, and walking around the victim’s vehicle before entering his car and leaving the parking garage. The investigation is pending.

December 12

Public intoxication — BHPD was notifed of a possible intoxicated driver entering his vehicle and leaving the Ameristar parking garage at approximately 2 a.m. After ofcers were unable to locate the vehicle on the roadway, the vehicle was discovered parked with the engine of at the Hidden Treasure Trail Head parking lot. Because of the lack of evidence of driving actions, ofcers agreed to do a courtesy ride for the gentleman to his apartment in Central City. The party’s vehicle remained parked at the Hidden Treasure Trailhead.

December 13

Hit/run — A Black Hawk police ofcer responded to the Ameristar Casino on the report of a hit-and-run accident on the 9th foor of the parking garage between two employees who were both still on the scene. Upon investigation, both parties agreed to handle to event civilly.

Possession of a controlled substance — BHPD O fcers responded to the Lodge Casino on the report of found drugs. A female party was later located and identifed and was issued a summons before going to the hospital due to a possible drug overdose.

Ordinance violation — Offcers responded to Highway 119 and Main Street to clean up a camp.

Found property — An ofcer arrived at the Horseshoe Casino to take custody of a frearm recovered from a hotel room. The frearm was booked into the property for safekeeping, and the owner was contacted.

Criminal trafc violation — An ofcer conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle for expired registration on the 200 block of Main Street. The driver was given a verbal warning, and a feld interview report was completed.

Criminal trafc violation — An ofcer conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle for no plates attached at Highway 119 and Richman Street. The driver was issued a citation for no insurance and a feld interview report was completed.

Criminal trafc violation — An ofcer conducted a trafc

stop on a vehicle for the display of an expired temporary tag at Main Street and Richman Street. The driver was given a verbal warning, and a feld interview report was completed.

Damaged property — Offcers were dispatched to the Lodge Casinore regarding a property damage incident. A report was taken.

Trespassing — O fcers were dispatched to the Wild Card Casino in reference to a trespass. O fcers arrived on the scene and contacted the party. The Wild Card manager served the male a trespass notice, and he signed the form and left without incident.

Theft, fraud (illegal use credit cards) — An ofcer responded to the Ameristar Casino on a report of a theft and an investigation to identify the suspects is ongoing.

December 14

Criminal trafc violation — Black Hawk O fcers conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle at mile marker 5.8 Hwy 119. O fcers contacted the driver and released them on verbal warning for being unable to maintain the lane.

Criminal trafc violation — Black Hawk O fcers conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle in the 500 block of Gregory Street. O fcers contacted the driver, who was called in as a Report Every Drunk Driver Imminently (REDDI). O fcers conducted an investigation; the driver was not intoxicated but had no driver’s license. O fcers issued a summons for driving without a license.

December 15

Assist Gilpin County So — An ofcer observed a vehicle matching the description of a burglary call occurring in Gilpin County. The vehicle was stopped, and the occupants were identifed. Nothing criminal was determined to have occurred, and a feld interview report was completed

Criminal trafc violation

O fcers conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle for improper use of a horn at Richman Street and Highway 119. The driver was given a verbal warning, and a feld interview report was completed.

Criminal trafc violation — Black Hawk O fcers conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle in the Monarch Casino Parking Garage. O fcers contacted the driver and released them on a warning for failure to maintain the lane.

Domestic problem (neglect child) —O fcers were dispatched to a welfare check at the Horseshoe Hotel regarding a child screaming in a room. The child’s welfare was checked on, a report was taken, and a summons was issued.

December 16

Hit/run — BHPD responded to the Crooks Palace parking lot

on a report of a hit-and-run. A report was completed, and an investigation is ongoing.

Cleared adult exception

O fcers contacted a vehicle after receiving a REDDI report from the Lodge Casino. The driver was issued a warning, the suspect vehicle was parked by the valet, and ofcers cleared with a feld interview report.

Trespassing — Black Hawk

O fcers responded to the Lodge Casino on a report of a trespass. O fcers contacted the male and issued a summons for trespass.

Miscellaneous incidents — A welfare check was requested on a possible suicidal party. The party was contacted at the Lady Luck Casino in room 1250. The suspect was not having thoughts of harming self. The Suspect’s girlfriend picked him up from the hotel.

Theft — O fcer B. Davis completed a phone report of a stolen cell phone. Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) — BHPD responded to the Wild Card Casino to investigate a report of found drugs. A male suspect was identifed but was not located on the scene. The drugs were seized and booked into evidence.

Damaged property —O fcer

B. Davis responded to the Lodge Casino on a report of a vehicle that was keyed. A suspect was later identifed.

Counterfeit bill — O fcers responded to the Monarch Casino on a report of a counterfeit bill. The bill was seized, and a report was completed.

Criminal trafc violation — An ofcer conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle for a red light violation occurring at Main Street and Richman Street. The driver was given a verbal warning, and a feld interview report was completed. Trafc accident — O fcers responded to a non-injury accident at the intersection of Main Street and Miners Street. A report and accident form was completed. The at-fault party was not issued a warning.

Criminal trafc violation — O fcers conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle in the 200 block of Main Street. O fcers contacted the driver and released them with a verbal warning for driving without lights.

Damaged property — O fcers were dispatched to the Ameristar Casino Parking Garage level Eight regarding a property damage incident. A report was taken.

Miscellaneous — Black Hawk O fcers responded to the Lodge Casino on a report of a theft. O fcers contacted the owner, who reported the missing wallet. O fcers pulled a report and later recovered the wallet and all the contents. Offcers returned the wallet with all the contents.

Criminal trafc violation —

An ofcer conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle for an improper turn occurring at Highway 119 and Miners Road. The driver was given a verbal warning, and a feld interview report was completed.

December 17

Assist Division of Gaming

O fcers were called to the Lodge Casino on a request for an ID check. O fcers contacted a suspect and completed a report to be forwarded to the Colorado Division of Gaming.

Criminal trafc violation — BHPD was dispatched to the Monarch Casino on a report of an intoxicated male. O fcers contacted the male inside a vehicle in the 400 block of Main Street. O fcers informed the male not to drive, and he was given a ride to the Horseshoe Casino.

Stolen vehicle — O fcer Adler located a stolen vehicle in the 100 block of Miners Mesa Road. The driver was contacted and taken into custody.

Harassment — An ofcer responded to the Monarch Valet on threats toward valet attendants. A suspect was identifed and will be contacted.

Miscellaneous incidents

A Black Hawk O fcer responded to the Lodge Casino for an identifcation check on a party who was on the gaming foor without physical ID. While clearing the party, it was also advised that the male party had also taken money from a slot

machine that was not hit. After verifying the male’s identity, he was notifed that a Division of Gaming ofcer would contact him in the next day or two.

Trespassing — O fcers responded to the Horseshoe Casino for a trespassing party. The suspect was issued a municipal summons and walked of the property.

Criminal trafc violation

A Black Hawk Police ofcer conducted a trafc stop on southbound Hwy 119 with a red 1998 Toyota Camry after observing the driver run a red light when turning from Main Street onto Richman Street. Upon conducting the stop, the ofcer let the driver of with a verbal warning.

Criminal trafc violation

A Black Hawk Police O fcer conducted a trafc stop on a vehicle that was speeding. The O fcer later released the driver with a verbal warning.

Gilpin County Parks & Recreation

Gilpin County Community Center 250 Norton Drive 303-582-1453

www.gilpincounty.org

www.facebook.com/gilpincounty.org/

Pool Hours – WINTER

*please call to confirm prior to coming

*Now Closed on Sundays, Tuesdays & Thursdays*

Mon/Wed: 8 a.m.-12 p.m., closed 12-4 p.m., 4-7:30 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Building Hours:

Mon/Wed/Thur: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Tues/Sun: CLOSED

Youth Basketball Camp Fri., Jan. 5 and Sat Jan. 6, 9 a.m.12 p.m., Ages 5-13, $40/child. Learn basic basketball skills and how to play the game!

Zoombonis Ice Skating Camp — Session 1: January 12 through 26, Fri 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., $60 total, Session 2: Feb. 2 through 23, Fri 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., $80 total, Ages 8-12. Learn to skate with Gilpin Parks and Rec and Ned Rink!

Adult CO-ED Volleyball Wednesday Nights, Jan 10 - Feb 28, 6 -8 p.m., Tournament Sat., March 2, 4v4 Games | Up to six people on a team, Ages 16 and up | $165/eight-week session. Register by Fri Jan 5, 2024, at 5 p.m. | Six teams max.

Youth Basketball League — Ages 5-14, Resident $60, NonRes $72, six-week session. Practice starts Jan. 15; Games start Jan. 20.

Outdoor gear rentals are NOW AVAILABLE at the Community Center, made possible by our partnership with ACA! — Outdoor gear can be rented Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Prices vary for gear rentals. For more information, visit alwayschooseadventures.org/gearlibrary.

Eagles Teen Program — Mon-Thu 4:15 p.m.-7:15 p.m.

Pilates Mat Class — Saturdays 9:15 – 10:15 a.m.

Hatha Yoga — Mondays & Fridays 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Senior Fit — Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Taekwondo — Mondays & Wednesdays 6 – 7 p.m.

Pickleball — (First 30 minutes is for instruction/practiceno games at this time), Mon., Wed., Thur.: 8:30-11:30 a.m., Fri: 1 -4 p.m., Sat: 9:30 -11:30 a.m. (family time, all ages can play).

Mon/Wed/Fri 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Family Gym Time — Thursdays 12:30 – 3 p.m.

Gilpin Stitchers Club — More info coming soon

Master Swim — Mondays and Wednesdays 6 -7:30 p.m.

Lap Swim — Mon., Wed., Thur., Fri., 8 -9:30 a.m.

Friends of the Gilpin County Community Center’s “Heart of the Community Fund”

Supports residents in need with Family or individual 10-punch cards for access to the pool, gym, and exercise facilities, as well as scholarships for youth who need help to cover fees and equipment for Taekwondo and youth sports (apply on-line) www. gilpincommunitycenter.org