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‘Benign’ Rare Earth Extraction Pilot Program To Open In Wheat Ridge n By
Mike McKibbin
A
“pretty benign process” will be used in a Wheat Ridge pilot plant to extract and purify rare earth minerals crucial to things like cell phones, wind power generation and magnets. If the process is proven, it could help break China’s domination in rare earth minerals, a relatively abundant group of 17 elements. The plant will be operated by Resource Development Inc. (RDi), part of a USA Rare Earth and Texas Mineral Resources Corp. project in that state. Dan Gorski, director of operations for USA Rare Earth, said in an interview the company has worked with RDi on other projects since 2011. Locating the pilot plant at RDi’s 11475 W. I-70 Frontage Road North site in Wheat Ridge was also attractive due to the nearby Colorado School of Mines and its engineering expertise. The plant will be the first such processing facility outside China and is expected to be operational in the first quarter of Continued on page 12
RED SKY AT MORNING, DRIVERS TAKE WARNING – a gorgeous sunrise photo taken by a Wheat Ridge police officer the weekend of Feb. 8-9 preceded a storm putting the city on accident alert the following Monday evening. COURTESY WHEAT RIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Point-In-Time Survey Identifies, Helps The Homeless n By
Nancy Hahn
W
heat Ridge is a vibrant, growing, successful community. Its parks have been renovated, the Recreation Center adds new classes and activities often, the unemployment rate is below the U.S. average, and the income is above average. But there are numbers of homeless people in Wheat Ridge. We see them with their signs by underpasses or at stop lights by shopping centers. Churches open their doors to them on especially cold nights. To help estimate the number of people experiencing homelessness in the Wheat Ridge area in order to plan and provide needed services, an annual Point-in-Time survey was conducted from sundown on Jan. 27 until sundown the next day. The survey was conducted by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, Wheat Ridge volunteers, the Wheat Ridge Police Department, and Family Tree. The Wheat Ridge community donated items for the homeless that were passed out at the Point in Time survey, including sleeping bags and warm clothing. Volunteers created packages with snacks, warm hats and gloves, and Vaseline to prevent frostbite. Gift cards for King Soopers, McDonalds, and for thrift stores were included, too. While the Point-in-Time survey provided information on the number of homeless in the Wheat Ridge community, it also provided ideas about other services that people experiencing homeless could benefit from. While warm clothing and healthy snacks are nice, the goal is to find ways for the homeless to no longer have to live on the streets or in shelters. One step Wheat Ridge is taking is to create a new position within the police
department called the Homeless Navigator. The Homeless Navigator will visit the homeless in their camps or cars and share information about services and resources available to them. The Navigator can make referrals for those in need of specific services. As with all members of the Wheat Ridge community, the Homeless Navigator is expected to follow the Wheat Ridge values of ACTION - Accountability, Change,
Teamwork, Integrity, Opportunity, Now! Coordinating the interaction between local and state government employees, community-based professionals, community residents, families and support systems to provide services and resources to adults and juveniles experiencing homelessness is also a job of the navigator. There are programs of many kinds out there that can provide support for the homeless, but homeless individuals often
don’t know about them. The Homeless Navigator can not only provide information on existing programs, but develop supportive programs, as needed. The individual in this position will also represent Wheat Ridge's commitment to a collaborative, regional approach to addressing homelessness in Jefferson County. More information on the position of Homeless Navigator is available online on the City of Wheat Ridge website.
PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Bud Starker’s Youthful Travels Informed His Leadership Style n By
Laurie Dunklee
B
ud Starker, mayor of Wheat Ridge, has lived in the same house in Wheat Ridge since 1975. But he spent his growing-up years living all over the U.S. and overseas, including in Germany and Iran. The son of an Air Force officer, he graduated from high school in Tehran. “I was a 6-foot-tall, blonde, blue-eyed guy who stuck out in Iran – I was the only person around who looked like that. Kids would follow me around and stare at me,” Starker said. His father was born in Denver and grew up in Rifle. “Dad was a navigator and instructor in World War II, then he came home to run a flower shop and that’s when I was born,” Starker said. “In 1950, he was recalled into the Korean War and decided to make the Air Force his career.” While Bud was growing up, the family lived in Alabama, Germany, Maine, Virginia and Iran. His travels allowed him to experience different parts of the country and the world, often during interesting times. Continued on page 2
‘LIVING OVERSEAS MADE ME WILLING TO LISTEN to others’ opinions and views. People have different ways to solve problems,’ says Mayor Bud Starker. PHOTO COURTESY BUD STARKER
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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – ngazette.com
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Shame On RTD For Neglecting Our Future Dear RTD, When you wanted to bring your light rail stations into our city, we invested and supported you. It was good for our future. When you wanted to experiment running light rail cars on heavy rail tracks, it was risky but we supported you. It was good for our future. When your experiment was two years and millions behind schedule. We supported you. It was good for our future. When you kept us awake at all hours of the night with bells, horns and whistles, we were patient and supported you. It was good for our future. Now you want to cancel the 32nd Avenue bus route that brings our high school students in and out every day? Shame on you. That’s our future! –Guy Nahmiach, Wheat Ridge
Operation Christmas Child Thanks Wheat Ridge Residents Dear Editor, I am writing to thank Wheat Ridge residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season.
Bud Starker Continued from page 1
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They lived in Alabama in the mid-1950s, when African Americans boycotted city buses to protest segregated seating. “I was a small child, but I remember my parents driving Gertrude our babysitter home because she couldn’t ride the bus. I also remember seeing lots of poverty in the South,” Starker said. During his family’s residency in Germany in the late ‘50s, Starker’s dad was a pilot and navigation instructor. “He flew over the Middle East and Europe. It was 10 years after the war and the U.S. was keeping an eye on those parts of the world, to see what was happening. We had a good time skiing in Germany and Switzerland.” Returning to the States in the early ‘60s, the family settled in Maine for five years, where Starker’s father taught ROTC. “It was like a Norman Rockwell painting. Kennedy was elected in 1960. We went to church and I was big into the Boy Scouts [Starker attained the Eagle Scout status].” Then two years in northern Virginia, near Washington, D.C., where his father trained as a military attaché before going to Iran. “I was 12 or 13 and it was not my best time. I just couldn’t wait to go to Iran.” Tehran was the family’s home between 1966 and ‘68. “There was a large international community there. The Shah was a stabilizing influence, especially as the Vietnam War was heating up. He was Westernizing the country socially. That of course changed in ’79 with the Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Shah. “The people were warm and hospitable. It’s a shame that our governments are now adversaries.” Starker attended the American school, where he was elected student body president, and mostly kept company with the other American students in Tehran. “Our parents attended social events on most nights, so we had a reign of freedom. Americans weren’t allowed to drive, but taxis were very cheap, so we went all over the city. “We also went skiing. Tehran is kind of like Denver because it sits on the edge of the mountains. But the mountains are much higher; they are the dramatic start of the Himalayas. Also, they are treeless.”
Because of the generosity of donors in Wheat Ridge and across the United States, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, collected more than 8.9 million shoebox gifts in 2019. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2019, the ministry is now sending 10,569,405 shoebox gifts to children worldwide. Through shoeboxes – packed with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items – Wheat Ridge volunteers brought joy to children in need around the world. Each gift-filled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love, and it is often the first gift these children have ever received. Thanks to the generosity of donors, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 178 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories since 1993. It’s not too late for people to make a difference. Though drop-off locations serving Wheat Ridge are closed until Nov. 16 through 23 of this year, information about year-round volunteer opportunities can also be found at samaritanspurse.org/ occ or by calling (303) 745-9179. Thank you again to everyone who participated in this global project – many who do so year after year. These simple gifts, packed with love, send a message to children worldwide that they are loved and not forgotten. –Dana Williams, Operation Christmas Child, Boone, N.C. Starker traveled to basketball tournaments along with Iranian student teams, including an overnight trip to Mashhad, a place of religious pilgrimage in northeast Iran. He learned a bit of Farsi, the Persian language, “just enough to get by,” he says. But he says he’s forgotten it now. Young Starker had the opportunity to experience several eye-opening aspects of Middle Eastern culture. He spent the summer between his junior and senior years on the Iranian border with Turkmenistan, then part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), helping to build radar scanners to scan for Russian jets. “We were overlooking a valley and we saw a bunch of black tents and camels. It was a nomadic tribe driving their camel herd south for the winter. We went down and the men came out to meet us. We could see the women and children in their tents.” Another day in the remote, hilly desert, they met a French missionary who kept a leper colony. They did not see the lepers, Starker said. What did Starker learn from his experiences with other cultures? “I learned to engage with other cultures and to see my own culture from a different vantage point,” he said. “It made me value our good things and question why we do other things.” In 1968 Starker came back to the U.S. to attend college at the University of Colorado. He majored in political science and planned to go to law school. But he began working as a carpenter during school and wound up in construction instead. He worked his way up and founded Starker Construction in 1983. He married in 1985 and had two sons, now 28 and 30. Starker edged back into politics as president and legislative liaison for AGC, a professional association of builders. “I had my hands in policy-making. In 2008-9, when the economy was down and I wasn’t making any money, I decided to run for city council and then mayor.” In addition to his mayoral duties, Starker owns and manages West 29th Restaurant, a former general store that he transformed into a European-style eatery. Starker attributes his ability to work with disparate groups to his growing-up experiences. “My life experiences, including living overseas, have made me willing to listen to others’ opinions and views,” Starker said. “People have different ways to solve problems, so we’re better off becoming informed about what everyone has to say.”
ngazette.com – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE
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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – ngazette.com
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WHEAT RIDGE MAYOR Make Wheat Ridge Count In The 2020 Census schools and hospitals. • Real estate developers and city very 10 years, America comes together to planners use the census to plan new homes count every resident in the United States. and improve neighborhoods. This year marks the 24th United Stated Counting an increasingly diverse Census. The first census was conducted and growing population is a massive in 1790, as mandated by the Constitution. undertaking and began earlier this year. It It counts our population and households, requires years of planning and the support of thousands of people. There is providing the basis for a committee formed in Jefferson reapportioning congressional County to help build awareness seats, redistricting, and for the census, answer questions distributing more than $675 and help people understand the billion in federal funds annually. importance of participating. The money goes to support states, In addition, Wheat Ridge has counties, and vital programs for an awareness campaign called communities like Wheat Ridge Make Wheat Ridge Count, that impact housing, education, hosted by a community-based transportation, employment, committee. They are helping health care, and public policy. get the word out to neighbors Federal funds, grants, and and businesses about how the support are contributed to Bud Starker census will help city staff plan for states, counties and communities based on population totals and breakdowns the future. by gender, age, race and other factors. That The Census Bureau is recruiting to is why gathering accurate information fill hundreds of thousands of temporary on census surveys is so important. Our positions across the country to assist with the community will benefit the most by making 2020 Census count. Temporary positions sure everyone is counted. It only takes 10 offer flexible hours and competitive wages minutes to shape the next 10 years. Federal that are paid weekly. You also get to be a law protects your census responses and they part of history as we undergo this important task of counting our population. are only used to produce statistics. Census data is used in a wide variety of Ultimately, the success of the Census depends on having everyone participate. ways: • Residents use the census to support The 2020 Census is important for Wheat community initiatives involving legislation, Ridge, so please take the time to complete the survey when it arrives in March of 2020, quality of life and consumer advocacy. • Businesses use Census Bureau data to and Make Wheat Ridge Count. decide where to build factories, offices and Contact Wheat Ridge mayor Bud Starker at bstarker@ci.wheatridge.co.us stores, which in turn creates jobs. • Local government officials use the or 303-235-2800. census to ensure public safety and plan new
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Spring Equinox Tall Tale Contest At Next Second Saturday n By
Marta Hedde-Wood
T
he Spring Equinox, known as the Vernal Equinox, is right around the corner, and change is afoot. The two yearly equinoxes signify a change in the seasons. On those days there’s a balance of light and dark as the sun begins to tip the scale; in spring the days grow longer, signaling the return of warmer weather and new growth. It’s appropriate to take some time to celebrate new life that surrounds us in nature. Come to the Second Saturday Social and celebrate the Vernal Equinox a little early with the Wheat Ridge Historical Society. Join the festivities at the Baugh House, 11361 W. 44th Ave., between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., March 14. Since this equinox signals the arrival of planting season, we will plant seeds in starter pots for your garden plot. Also, we will hold Tall Tale contests at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and award prizes for the best tales. For those interested, we will offer free tours of the Baugh house and have locally made crafts, historical books and other memorabilia for sale. Snacks, door prizes and music are always included in our Second Saturday Socials. Our March Historical Society meeting is set for Tuesday, March 10 at the Red
Learn more at our website: WheatRidgeHistoricalSociety.org. Email us at WRHistorical@gmail.com Like us on Facebook: The Wheat Ridge Historical Society.
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Brick Museum, starting at 6:30 p.m. with the Board of Directors meeting, followed at 7:30 by a program for members. Snacks, socializing and society talk will be part of the evening. Feeling crafty? Join our Quilt Circle or Knit-One/Crochet-Too group on the third Wednesday, March 18, at the Red Brick cottage. The Quilt group meets 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the Knit-One/CrochetToo group meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Bring a snack/lunch if you like. Cost is just $2 for either group. Take a tour of the Wheat Ridge Historical Park at 4610 Robb St. It is open Tuesday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. With five buildings to tour, come see what life was like back in the old days. Tours take from 30 minutes to more than an hour, so make sure to save lots of time to explore. Donations are appreciated. Groups of 10 or more, please call 303-421-9111 to schedule a time to tour. Future monthly Second Saturday Socials include Earth Day celebration (April 11), May Festival (May 9) and Yard Sale with Chili Cook-off (June 13).
Contact Tim Berland 303-995-2806 tim@ngazette.com
ngazette.com – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE
UNDER THE DOME Raising Teacher Pay critical educators who interact with our kids each and every day who are also facing extremely low wages. olorado educators are painfully Treating educators with dignity and underpaid. Thousands of respect starts with paying them work second or third jobs them a decent wage. This is a just to make ends meet. Many common-sense investment in struggle to keep a roof over our students’ futures. Helping their head and are saddled with students achieve success and crushing debt. While countless prosperity in life means a others are driven out of the stronger Colorado and a brighter profession permanently. In future for every Coloradan. fact, Colorado public schools When the school districts are facing a crisis as increasing apply for this fund to raise turnover rates cause instability teacher salaries or hourly worker for districts while other states pay, the Educator Pay Raise out-compete us for talented Jessie Danielson Fund will help those districts pay educators. That’s why I am educators a living wage. The bill running legislation to create the Educator is written to make sure that this is dedicated Pay Raise Fund. This dedicated fund will – money going directly to educators – not without raising taxes – incentivize school bureaucracy. districts that are committed to increasing Stronger public schools start with teacher pay but need support getting there. showing teachers and school employees Parents are outraged at the the respect they deserve – by paying them embarrassingly low wages our teachers earn, a living wage. Let’s keep more educators in and our community is demanding action. the profession that we need them to be in Too many teachers are facing homelessness, and they want to stay in. Let’s start with the many need the free and reduced lunch Educator Pay Raise Fund. program to help feed their own kids, even Senator Jessie Danielson represents while they still pay out of pocket for school State Senate District 20 in Jefferson Counsupplies for their classrooms. And it’s not ty. You can reach Sen. Danielson’s office just the teachers. It is the transportation by phone at 303-866-4856 or by email at workers, the classroom support staff, food jessie.danielson.senate@state.co.us. service workers, custodians, and other n By
Jessie Danielson
C
Fresh house-crafted recipes Friendly service Comfortable atmosphere
West 29th Ave. @ Depew St. 303-233-3377 • west29th.com Wheat Ridge Historical Society’s
SECOND SATURDAY SOCIAL 10 am to 2 pm at the Baugh House – 44th & Robb St.
LOCALWORKS UPDATE Living Locally In Wheat Ridge are planning for this summer and fall! We’ll have bike rides, a community sing along, free fitness opportunities and much more. ow lucky are we to live, work and play in Stay tuned for more information on these Wheat Ridge? We have such an amazing events. collection of parks, trails, restaurants, bars, If you are interested in more information shops and other fun locales on our upcoming Live Local right outside our doors. One events, visit our website at moment you could be enjoying WeAreLocalworks.org/liveIrish fiddle music at Clancy’s, local. and the next enjoying some local Our Live Local events cider at Clear Fork. Whether are always low cost or free, but you love urban agriculture, because of their popularity, personal wellness or midcentury many events sell out quickly. and modern design, there is Please purchase your ticket(s) adventure around every corner early to guarantee your spot. in our fair city. If you would like to have This diversity of local your business featured at one businesses and personal Jenny Snell of our events or you would like passions is what drives to join our committee, please email me at Localworks’ Live Local program. Live Local jsnell@wearelocalworks.org. thrives on bringing Wheat Ridge’s best, I look forward to seeing you at our events most fun places and activities directly to its around Wheat Ridge! community members. Through engaging, Jenny Snell is the Community Promonthly events, participants can experience grams Manager at Localworks. some unique local fun. The Live Local Committee is made up of passionate volunteers who love to showcase all that Wheat Ridge has to offer. The main idea behind our programming is to highlight Wheat Ridge businesses and connect The dental clinic residents to those businesses through meaningful activity. Committee members where everybody is welcome. come up with event ideas, and work with our great local businesses to plan events. Our past events have included an archery class at Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear, succulent planting with Al’s Pine Garden and tours of both Roost Farm and 5 Fridges Farm. Our events are all different, but no matter the topic, they are always inclusive and fun. This year will be no different. We have some great things on the horizon. On March 7, we have a class at the Craft Box where we will make aprons out of repurposed materials. On April 18, we’ll gather at Dr. Janda and Dr. Garrison Ornamental Bead Shop to create unique bead bracelets. In May, we will help Four 4433 W. 29th Ave., Suite 206 Seasons Farmers and Artisans Market cityrootsdental.com celebrate spring with the Bee and Honey 720-428-8916 Festival. That’s not to mention all the fun we n By
Jenny Snell
March 14 – Spring Equinox Planting & Tall Tale Contest
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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – ngazette.com
Sustainability In the Kitchen, Classroom And City Hall: Lilly Steirer n By
J. Patrick O’Leary
Y
ou may have heard that Edgewater resident Lilly Steirer now serves on the city’s new Sustainability Board. The idea of sustainability may be new to many of us, but for Lilly it has always been a part of life. “My life is very saturated in sustainability efforts between my work with teaching cooking, volunteering for the city and family life. “Growing up in eastern Washington, my parents raised us with a strong connection to the land as they were and still are avid composters and mulch gardeners. We also took our recyclable materials to a facility long before they had a curbside service option in my hometown. “When we camped we would go huckleberry picking and my Dad in particular was interested in foraging items such as asparagus. We ate straight from the garden in the summer and they stored food for the rest of the year. “We didn’t talk about being environmentalists or discussed concerns about climate change, they simply demonstrated joy around being in harmony with nature and the seasons.” Lilly’s road to Edgewater was a long one. She grew up in eastern Washington, and studied political science at the University of Washington in Seattle. After graduating, she moved to San Luis Obispo, Calif., where she worked as a personal chef and met Xerxes Steirer, her future husband. In 2006, they moved to Golden, where Xerxes earned his Ph.D. at Colorado School of Mines, and she continued her business as a personal chef in the Denver metro area. “As a chef, I was always trying to teach people about the seasons and the importance of sourcing food unprocessed and close by. Eventually, I wanted to share more information about how to cook with seasonal ingredients and I launched the online meal planning service Lilly’s Table
in 2010. Through that business, I honed my skills as a recipe developer and learned the importance of communication in the digital age. They moved to Tucson, Ariz., in 2011, after their first child was born. “We lived close to the downtown area, but our community included urban farmers, neighbors who shared a goat and milking duties, a weekly farmers market year round, rainwater harvesting, and most of our friends brought their own plates to every party to avoid producing trash.” Living a few blocks from the Santa Cruz River, they saw the impact of human development on the fragile, desert riparian environment. “When we lived there, it only flowed a couple days a year during the monsoon season. We would gather with crowds, in the rain or heat, to watch it. “There is a strain of living in a desert when you see how finite our natural resources really can be, but there is also this beautiful magic of witnessing nature’s determination to survive. Working as the Tucson Food Day Coordinator was Lilly’s first adventure with leading a community to take better care of the planet, animals and people through their thrice-daily food choices. “I worked to bring together farmers, chefs, food/farm focused non-profits, the University of Arizona, local governments, and more to create events ranging from classes and an online scavenger hunt to a city-wide progressive dinner and pop-up picnics.” “We loved living there, but we were eager to get back to Colorado as we truly felt it was home,” she said. They returned to Colorado in 2013, buying their first home in Edgewater, which would allow her husband a close commute to his job at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden. “We fell in love with the city before
LILLY STEIRER SPEAKS AT BEA JOHNSON’S ZERO WASTE TALK on Oct. 13, 2019. PHOTO: LEE STIFFLER-MEYER the sale was final on our house. We even discussed that if the house purchase fell through and we had to find another place, we could only look in Edgewater.” She continued gardening, mulching, storing food, fermenting and raising chickens, and did even more. “I began working with HEALthy Edgewater and helped start the Neighbor to Market program at the Edgewater Market and Music as a way to provide backyard gardeners a place to sell their excess and for our community to have more local food access,” she said.
Lilly also helped run the Jefferson High Community Garden along with Joel Newton of the Edgewater Collective. When the Animal Ordinance was being worked through, she attended city council meetings as the family have been raising chickens ever since living in Tucson. When plans for the new Civic Center came out, the couple and other community members – including Hannah and John Beltrone – raised concerns about the sustainability of the building. “We hoped it could be LEED certified or at least meet the list of LEED standards,” she said. “Although we didn’t go through the official LEED certification process, the Civic Center building is meeting the list of LEED Gold standards.” Lilly said it did was not easy to question the city’s leaders, but they all learned and became more involved with the city: her husband started the Edgewater Library Sustainability Seminar, Hannah Beltrone now leads HARP, and John Beltrone was elected to city council, where he initiated a resolution to create a sustainability committee. Lilly applied to serve on the committee, and mayor Laura Keegan appointed her as chair. “We were tasked to create a Sustainability Plan within six months, which was a fairly aggressive deadline given that surrounding communities have taken up to a couple years and often hired consultants to assist volunteer teams. “Fortunately, we had an incredible team of motivated experts on the Committee and a lot of assistance from Dan Maples, who at the time was the Deputy City Manager. Gathering community input was important to the Committee and we spent much of our time in that process including an open house and community survey that honed in on Edgewater’s unique needs and desires.” They needed another three months, Continued on page 11
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ngazette.com – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE
SCHOOL CROSSING
Have a talk with your teen about dating.
Life 101 – Class Not Available My waitress tonight at Fire and Wine shares with me that when she graduated s Dylan gets ready to graduate from from a local high school she was “super high school, the conversations now proficient in filling out forms” – college include questions such as “How do I rent an and financial assistance applications, etc. – but had no idea how to fill out a rental apartment?” and “What are tax returns?” We often are amazed at what our kids application form. are learning in class, but these days the How do we teach what was once “figured out?” Just a basic young adult focus takes more of a turn survival skills class? Budgeting, toward careers and jobs that financial aid, investments, don’t require years of college and credit building, etc.? How do we high tuition fees. As students make sure these classes aren’t get closer to graduation day, simply electives, but are part of frustration grows about what the regular curriculum and are they are learning in class and as useful as driver’s ed. what they will really need once Unless you’re planning to they’re out the door. go into science or be an English We used to have home major, there’s no reason to take economics classes, filled mostly three and four math classes or with girls learning the basics three English courses in high of cooking and sewing. Most Guy Nahmiach school. Instead we need a more boys ended up in shop class or woodworking. These days we’re intrigued varied selection of relevant options and by STEM classes that will have you build a exciting choices. small vehicle that runs on hydrogen. The Most of us can remember AmeriTown Career Explorer program will teach you in third grade. Navigating through a small to be a carpenter or drywall installer and town writing checks, going to court and learn other home-building skills. The CNA even working in a radio station. Dylan and program will train you to be a Certified his Prospect Valley friends Vinnie and Grant Nursing Assistant and Warren Tech will were so excited because they were learning teach you to cook, to farm and even build a about the city government structure and how to borrow money and even open their computer. Simply amazing. But this is where my amazement stops, own business. I believe Vinnie Pomponio and where I ask “At what grade do our kids was the town mayor while their other friend learn how to fill out a tax return?” or maybe CJ was the judge. learn what a mortgage is, how to calculate That was third grade. What do you think what kind of housing you can afford, how to happened to that knowledge by the time save money and maybe even where to invest they got to high school? it? How about the importance of credit Having some kind of a Life 101 that and its effect on finding a job, maybe even teaches you to pay your Comcast bill and how to apply for an apartment. Understanding voting? This morning I asked 10 friends how the value of organic VS regular produce and they learned some of these skills. They all answered the same: “I figured it out on my Continued on page 11 own.” n By
Dating is a normal part of the teen experience. Since teens are new to romantic relationships, it can be hard for them to understand the difference between a healthy or unhealthy relationship.
Guy Nahmiach
A
Talk to your teen about how they expect to be treated by, as well as how they will treat, partners. Ask them about their friends’ relationships.
Jeffco BRC is a 501c3 organization dedicated to providing quality services and support to small businesses within Jefferson County. We welcome the opportunity to partner with you to find solutions for any challenges, opportunities, resources, or answer questions you have about doing business in Jeffco.
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IF YOU RECOGNIZE ANY OF THESE PROSPECT VALLEY CLASS OF 2020 students, please ask them or their parents to contact Guy Nahmiach at 303-999-5789 or GuyNahmiach@Yahoo.com.
Calling All Prospect Valley Class Of 2020 Students n By
T
Guy Nahmiach
ake a good look at this picture. If this doesn’t age you, I don’t know what will. The Prospect Valley class of 2020 is graduating high school this year. It was back in 2008 that this group of students first lined up together outside their classroom. Having started out at Fruitdale, which became the award winning solar powered development, it was also this class that won the park-naming contest by submitting the name Discovery Park. With a long list of accomplishments, they are now at the end of their education here at Jeffco. Three principals are still in our Jeffco family: Brenda Carlson, Wendy Woodland and Mike Collins. Of course, the loved
Ms. Hutton that had the best hugs for her students, Mr. Doubt that made you push your body harder than you ever thought, and the ever talented Ms. Germaine that nurtured the love of music in her students. This April 25, we are gathering these classmates one more time, in front of this school before it is replaced by a new one. There will be interviews about their future and, of course, stories of friendship and mishaps, favorite teachers, lunch rooms and tinikling adventures. Maybe even a story or two about Outdoor Lab and the talent show. Spread the word, tell your friends and neighbors. If you recognize any of these students, please ask them or their parents to contact me at 303-999-5789 or GuyNahmiach@ Yahoo.com.
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Contact Tim Berland 303-995-2806 tim@ngazette.com
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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – ngazette.com
MOUNTAIN VIEWS
What’s Happening in the WRBA
Take It To Heart n By
Patricia Lilliston
F Wheat Ridge Business Association recognized for 15 year anniversary membership at West Metro Chamber. Thanks for the great partnership over the years!
Such a lovely first Biz Mix of 2020 at Tulaire on 44th last night, thank you to our Host and all who attended. $$ is up to $200 at our Feb. Biz Mix!
MARCH 2020 MEMBERSHIP BREAKFAST DATE: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 TIME: 7:00am-9:00am LOCATION: Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, 4005 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge, CO COST: $15 for WRBA Members and their guests, $18 for Non-members TOPIC: Update Your Sales Language to Improve Your Sales Results SPEAKER: Liz Wendling, Sales and Please RSVP & pay for this event by 5pm on Thursday, February 6. Business Development Consultant wheatridgebiz.com/upcoming_events/ Meeting Sponsor: TBA Member Business Spotlight: TBA
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Chelsea Bunker - Bunker Strategies Stephanie Walter - Erbe Investment Group Jeremy Laufer - Edward Jones Jamie Cornell - DIVE LLC Hunter Owen - Edward Jones Casey Murphy - Empower PT & Pilates We would love to have you join us for our next meeting. Call (720) 588-2317 or Email Membership Chair today for more information.
Don Seyfer • 303-422-5261 4501 Harlan St. • seyferauto.com
Sue Ball • 303-421-7311 sueball.com
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Challenge includes: • 16 Small Group Sessions • Simple Meal Plan • Yoga Workshop Thomas R. Ripp • Joseph H. Lusk • Coaching Calls 303-423-7131 • Party with CASH & PRIZES!
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ebruary, the month to anticipate the appearance of the groundhog, exchange Valentines, and honor past presidents, is also the month to focus on the care of our heart. February is American Heart Month. On Dec. 30, 1963, President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the first American Heart Month. The federal designation officially commenced in February 1964, with the conviction that Americans should give more attention to their hearts and encourage their families, friends and communities to make heart healthy choices. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women with one in four deaths being the result of heart disease. However, heart disease can often be prevented with mindful decisions regarding daily physical activity, food preparation and regular monitoring and management of one’s heart health. Creating heart healthy habits and establishing a heart healthy lifestyle is obtainable. Consult with a health care professional to learn your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Know your family history for heart disease and diabetes. Maintain proper dental hygiene. Research indicates that gum and tooth disease raises the risk of heart disease.
Find a physical activity to help maintain a healthy body weight. Recurrent exercise aids in lowering blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Walking briskly for 30 minutes daily is a simplistic means to start the body moving. Yoga and stretching connects the mind and body serving as a positive combination for a healthier self. Discover or exchange nutritious recipes. Pack a salad for lunch. Eating beans, oats, apples and avocados helps lower bad cholesterol levels. Reduce salt intake by using oregano, thyme, a drop of vinegar or citrus juice. Hydrate. Keeping a personal food journal often prompts direction. Know how to recognize and manage stress. Avoiding stress-related eating, drinking or smoking is essential for a heart healthy lifestyle. To minimize stress, try meditation; use a stress ball; maintain the same nightly bedtime. Finally, take it to heart. Attend a spring community health fair. Locations provide medical screenings and interpretation of results. Visit the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, 4005 Kipling St. Mountain View residents receive a discount on fees. Drop by Feed Your Soul Fitness, 5500 W. 44th Ave. FYSF advertises small classes, nutritional information and a supportive community. Walk to the Lady Bug Library, 4176 Benton St. Stewards of the LBL are providing stress balls during American Heart Month.
6 Basic Commands That Every Dog Owner Should Know n By
Olivia Harper
W
e all like to have a well-behaved dog in our home. Before we even tackle any type of obedience training, we should establish who is in charge, or the Alpha, in the home. By establishing yourself as the alpha, your dog will respect you thus making it easier to teach him some basic commands. You do not have to resort to frightening your dog in order to show him who is boss. Actually, this negative behavior can have an opposite effect and make the fearful dog harder to train. There are six basic commands that you should teach your dog in order for him to be safe around people and other pets. Each one of the following commands go hand in hand with establishing who is the Alpha in your home.
The Stay Command
Once the sit and down commands are mastered, you need to add the stay command. Without mastering this command, the sit and down commands have limited usefulness. Because this command involves selfcontrol, puppies and more energetic dogs may take a little longer to master this command. Let’s face it, puppies are not big on self-control. Regardless of size or energy level, most dogs do not want to sit and wait so patience is needed from both of you. The importance of the stay command cannot be overstated. There are so many practical reasons for your dog to learn to stay for both short and longer periods of time. Again, this command is going to tie into the overall establishment of authority.
The Come Command The Sit Command
The first and easiest command to teach your dog is the sit command. By teaching your dog this command first you enable him to be more receptive to learning other commands. This command ties into the establishing authority in that they need to master the sit command at mealtime. At feeding time your dog needs to learn to wait to be fed. While their meal is being prepared, they need to remain seated until you give them the "OK" to eat.
This command is not only crucial, but it can be life saving. As diligent as you may be, there is always the chance your dog will break out of the fenced-in yard or escape through the front door. Even when you are out walking your dog, there is no guarantee that he will not escape their leash. Escaping can put your dog in danger of being hit by a car, attacked by another dog or frightening a child or neighbor. Teaching your dog to come is invaluable for his safety as well as your peace-of-mind.
The Heel Command The Down or Lay Down Command Mark Plummer • 303-422-2018 mplummer@lfins.com
Bud Starker • 303-233-3377 29th & Depew • west29th.com
Amira Watters • 303-996-8976 awatters@jeffcobrc.org
Christine Jensen • 303-456-4403 CJensen@FairwayMC.com
Tim Berland • 303-995-2806 ngazette.com
Pam Bales • 303-233-5555 pam@westmetrochamber.org
This command is a little harder for most dogs to learn. However, it has many benefits that will make it worth the time and effort. Teaching your dog to respond to either “down” or “lay down” offers freedom for you and a more relaxed feeling for your dog. People have a tendency to be more comfortable with a dog that responds well and lays down at your command. Your dog benefits from learning this command in that it can minimize anxiety or fears that your dog may be experiencing. It’s not just that walk in the park or the meetup with your friends that will be more enjoyable by everyone when your dog responds to your down command. The added benefit is that it helps to keep your dog safe in dangerous situations.
The heel command is another one of those commands that associates itself with the establishment of the Alpha. From the time you go out the door for a walk and during the walk itself, your dog should not be ahead of you but be by your side. Teaching the dog to heel will reinforce your position as the Alpha. By training your dog to heel you will eliminate the annoyance of having him pull and tug at your arms. The dog should keep an even pace with you and should be comfortable for a person of any age to walk or even jog. Walking your dog should be fun, a bonding experience and offer exercise for both of you. Dog walking should not be a Continued on page 11
ngazette.com – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE
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MEDICALLY SPEAKING Keep Your Kids Out Of The ER This Winter you can offer kids a sip of water or electrolyte fluids every few minutes if they can keep it down. Acetaminophen or uring cold months, flu and other ibuprofen as directed can help fever and respiratory viruses run rampant, and aches. If this Doesn’t work, it’s time to call this year is no different. In fact, it may be the pediatrician. somewhat worse, as the Centers for Disease One symptom of RSV is a high fever, Control has reported more than 13 million so controlling that may help. cases of influenza, resulting Use a cool washcloth, fan, in more than 6,000 deaths popsicles or a cool bath along so far this season. Cases of with acetaminophen. Over-thebronchiolitis, a common lung counter cough and cold remedies infection, are double this year generally don’t help and may not over last. be good for babies. If your child These types of viruses can is having trouble breathing, call be especially hard on children. 911 right away. Since Lutheran opened its Snowy weather brings new pediatric nursing unit kids out for fun activities in early January, we have like sledding, skiing and cared for dozens of children snowboarding. Remember the with moderate respiratory Marcia Teague basic safety rules to prevent illnesses and transferred a few concussions, sprains and fractures. Make more serious cases to Children’s Hospital sure an adult is available to supervise, have Colorado for needed care. them wear a helmet, stay hydrated and How is a parent to know when to treat dress appropriately for the weather. Don’t their child at home, when to call the doctor forget sunscreen since even on a cloudy day, and when to head to the Emergency Room? the sun’s rays can be harmful. The main health reasons children end Having a sick child can be stressful, if up in an ER during the winter months are not scary. While many illnesses can be cared due to flu, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, for at home, get professional medical advice or RSV, bronchiolitis and accidents from or help if you think your child needs it. winter activities and sports. Marcia Teague is the manager of Lu With little ones especially, one of theran Medical Center’s recently opened the most dangerous result of respiratory unit called The Children’s Place. The new illnesses is dehydration. Kids can lose fluid pediatric unit cares for newborns and chilquickly, and sometimes need intravenous dren up to age 18 requiring low to moderfluids, especially if they are experiencing ate inpatient or observation care. vomiting or diarrhea. To avoid dehydration, n By
Marcia Teague, MS, RNC
D
FITNESS CORNER Strength Training As A Major Key To Weight Loss works harder after a strength workout to replenish itself, and boosts your metabolism come across many individuals looking for up to 36 hours after you have left the gym. direction in weight loss. Most hope I hold Besides the benefits of burning more some deep secret that they have yet come calories, strength training can increase bone across on the Internet, which will allow density, build a stronger heart, improve them to burn fat and look lean with minimal blood flow and help control blood sugar effort. There is not a secret pill, levels. but I do believe there is a key Why do people often factor many people who are skip lifting weights when trying starting out their fitness journey to lose weight and get healthy? overlook. Most often I find they do not This one key factor that is know where to start and they most overlooked in weight loss have read a lot of misleading and maintaining a healthy body information about lifting weights is strength training. Usually such as; women will get bulky, when someone wants to lose squats will hurt your knees, if weight they focus on spending you stop strength training your hours on aerobic activity such muscle will turn into fat, it takes as jogging, elliptical machines, too much time, and the list goes Amanda Vollrath or stationary biking, followed on and on. by a low-calorie diet. At the beginning this Aim to incorporate strength training approach will lower the number on the scale, three times a week as a full body routine and but later they find themselves on a plateau, focus on compound movements, which are and not as trim as they like to be; especially exercises that target more than one muscle in areas such their arms, midsections, thighs group. Feed Your Soul Fitness focuses on and buttocks. providing full body workouts in 30-minute Why is strength training the key, and sessions. Our beginner to intermediate why is it generally overlooked? approach ensures that people who are new Unlike cardio, strength training helps to exercise will be safe and successful. Visit build lean muscle tissue, which increases www.feedyoursoulfitness.com for more our base metabolic rate. Your body uses information. Challenging and changing more calories to maintain muscle than fat. your routine could change a lot more than Strength training also has a greater level just the scale. of excess post-exercise consumption than Amanda Vollrath is a trainer at Feed aerobic exercise. Simply put, your body Your Soul Fitness.
n By
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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – ngazette.com
WHAT’S HAPPENING Local Student Makes Dean’s List At South Dakota School of Mines
TEENS FROM WHEAT RIDGE AND OTHER JEFFERSON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS visited Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 5, to speak to Congressman Ed Perlmutter about the problems they face and the supports they need. The 14 youth research interns are with Jefferson County Communities That Care (CTC), an evidence-based community change process facilitated by Jefferson County Public Health. PHOTO COURTESY JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMUNITIES THAT CARE
Jeffco Teens Travel To Nation’s Capitol To Discuss Substance Misuse, Interpersonal Violence and Hopelessness and Anxiety High school students from Jefferson County visited Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 5, to speak to their Congressman, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.), about the problems they face and the supports they need. The youth are students at Wheat Ridge, Lakewood, Dakota Ridge and Jefferson Jr./ Sr. High Schools. Representatives from Jeffco Public Schools helped coordinate and chaperone the trip. The 14 youth research interns are with Jefferson County Communities That Care (CTC), an evidence-based community change process facilitated by Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) focused on preventing substance misuse, sexual/ relationship violence, and hopelessness and anxiety among young people. Earlier that week, the youth attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) National Leadership Forum’s Youth Leadership Initiative. The conference culminated with Capitol Hill Day, an opportunity for youth to visit with legislators to discuss key issues like those they have focused on during their internship. These were the first cohort of young people from Jefferson County to attend a CADCA Capitol Hill Day and to bring important topics like substance misuse, sexual/relationship violence, and hopelessness and anxiety to their legislators as a collective. In addition, these young people are the only group of youth attending from Colorado this year, joining hundreds of high schoolers from across the country. While in D.C., the youth also met with staff members from Senators Michael Bennet’s and Cory Gardner’s offices to discuss their work and their perspectives. Upon returning home to Jefferson County,
the young people will continue to lend their expertise to the Jefferson County CTC work, including by holding a youth town hall and a public forum at which they will present the findings of their research from the semester. The students have written blogs to share their experience and learnings from each day. Read about the youth’s takeaways from the CADCA Youth Leadership Initiative at https://www.jeffco.us/3909/ Blog.
Confluence Sings Songs of Hope in the Dark Winter blues got you down? Confluence can help brighten these dark times with sacred songs of hope and light. In March the choral group will perform a collection of uplifting and inspiring music to raise spirits, ranging from spirituals and gospel tunes to folk and Appalachian music, from classical to contemporary. “Whether you prefer Mozart or Bobby McFerrin, you will enjoy music that touches your spirit and warms your heart!” according to a release from the group. Locally, the concert will be St. James Episcopal Church, 8235 W. 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge, on Saturday, March 7, 2 p.m. (Snow date is March 14.) Can’t make it? The concert will also be performed at St. Philip & St. James Episcopal Church, 2797 S. Lowell Blvd., Denver, Sunday, March 8, 3:30 p.m. (Snow date March 15.) Confluence was formed in the fall of 2006 by director Allison Olsson and several singers with a similar vision. Their idea was a small choir with no more than 20 singers, which would sing an eclectic variety of challenging music truly excellently. The group performs jazz, barbershop, multicultural, Broadway show tunes, popular, rock and roll, classical, Baroque, gospel, and modern music. Tickets are $10 pre-sale; $12 at the door, with children under 11 free. For more information or to order tickets, visit www.confluencechoir.org or call 303-279-2932.
A Wheat Ridge’s Connor Gronski was among 616 South Dakota School of Mines & Technology students named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2019 semester, according to a release from the school. In order to merit a spot on the Dean’s List, students must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for the semester. Full-time students must have earned a minimum of 12 credit hours for the term, while part-time students must have earned between three and 11 credit hours that term. Founded in 1885, the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a science and engineering research university located in Rapid City, S.D., offering bachelor‘s, master‘s and doctoral degrees. The university enrolls 2,529 students with an average class size of 24.
Caucusing With the GOP? Your Local Precinct Caucus Is March 7 A local Republican Precinct Caucus will be held Saturday, March 7, 10 a.m. – a new date and time. “It is your opportunity to be involved in grassroots government,” said Liz Veeder, elaborating on the event.. “Our freedoms will never be taken from us; we will give them up through apathy. Find your location and join us. It will be fun.” The caucus location can be found online at caucuscologop.com.
Neighborhood Acting School and Community Theater Stages Spring Entertainment, Summer Classes And Camps Colorado Actor’s Company and Theater School (aka Colorado ACTS) is offering a slew of children, teen, and community theater productions this spring, featuring performers ages four through adult. “We are a non-profit theater school and community theater located in Wheat Ridge and have been in this location for almost six years,” according to Colorado ACTS’ Cindy Oury. “We feel we have so much to offer in terms of great stage experience for actors and actresses ages four through adult. We are also an inexpensive, fun place to go to take in a play performed by children, teens and/or adults.” Located at 11455 W. I-70 Frontage Road between Kipling and Ward (a third of a mile west of Medved Autoplex and directly behind Keller Williams), Colorado ACTS’ plays range from one to two performance
weekends on Friday and Saturdays, and the school is now taking registrations for summer classes and camps. Spring play admission prices range from $5 to $8, except children five and under who are always free of charge, with tickets sold at the door. A dinner theater ticket is $15 for dinner and show – please reserve by calling 303-456-6772. Upcoming spring performances include: • “Rapunzel’s Tangled Tale” by a home school class ages 7-12, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., and Feb. 22 at 2 and 7 p.m. • “Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles” by community theatre actors, Feb. 28 and 29, and March 6 and 7, at 7 p.m. Matinee and dinner theater March 7, 2 p.m. • “A Fairy Tale or Two” by special needs adult students, March 13 and 14 at 7 p.m. • “Illinois Jane and the Pyramid of Peril” by community theatre actors, March 20, 21, 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. Matinee March 28 at 2 p.m. Visit www.coloradoacts.org for more information or call 303-456-6772.
Seed Planting, Tall Tale Contest At Historical Society’s Second Saturday Social The Wheat Ridge Historical Society’s Second Saturday Social at the Baugh House, 11361 West 44th Avenue, will be on March 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will plant seeds in celebration of the upcoming gardening season, and we’ve also scheduled Tall Tale contests at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. with prizes. Snacks, tours and music complete our free family fun event! For more information, visit wheatridgehistoricalsociety.org.
Lakewood Arts Gallery Offers Opening Reception, Exhibitions, Classes And Art Supply Sale March events at the Lakewood Arts Gallery, 6731 W. Colfax Ave., include a fun First Friday Art Walk highlighting the Expression in Abstract exhibit. The opening reception on Friday, March 6, from 5 to 9 p.m., will feature a leather-tooling demo by Robert Srader, entertainers “Just Us,” Sandra and Howard Van Dam, and community artwork from the Manning School and The Arc of Jefferson, Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties. Kids Create class for the month will be soap carving. The always popular new and gently used Art Supply Sale continues through Feb. 28. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Go to lakewoodarts.org or call 303980-0625 for more information.
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ngazette.com – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE
Art Space Comes To Town
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Lilly Steirer
Dog Commands
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which the council allowed. Presented on Sept. 3 of last year, the plan mapped out detailed goals and actionable steps for four categories including: Energy, Waste & Materials, Land & Water and Social Vibrancy. “Overall, the Committee made the recommendation to create a permanent Sustainability Board that will be able to manage and take action on these goals.” And that’s what happened, and Lilly was one of six people appointed. She was elected Chair at the January meeting. “I am eager to focus on the objectives of the Sustainability Plan with a focus on the lowest hanging fruit and to bring community around the idea of the best practices for a sustainable community.” Edgewater city council will be voting on a pilot curbside composting program on Feb. 18. “At the end of this five-month experiment, we will be working to renew our waste hauler services, including potentially bringing curbside composting in as a permanent option.” With all that volunteer work, she does manage a day job. “I work for one of my favorite non-profit organizations, Slow Food Denver, teaching the series Cooking from the Garden, which is an after school program. I teach it in schools throughout Jeffco including Edgewater Elementary. I also teach cooking classes to children and adults at the Edgewater Civic Center.”
nightmare with you being dragged down the street. Teaching him to heel will turn the nightmare into a pleasant experience.
You can follow Lilly and Xerxes Steirer’s “talking the walk” of sustainability on their podcast, “Sustainable Colorado,” which launched Jan. 26.
Olivia Harper is the co-founder of Daily Dog Stuff. Read more of her guides and tips by visiting the blog or following their page @dailydogstuff.
Renting?
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Guy Nahmiach
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rt Space came to visit Wheat Ridge this week. A feasibility study to see if our town could develop an art district. That involves creating an affordable live/work space for local artists, including a common space to exhibit art, live shows and host local events. ArtSpace was conceived in 1979 and has produced 53 such projects in 38 cities and 23 states. We started with touring potential spots that could host such a project, which included spots on West 38th and 44th avenues, and more remote locations around our city. As part of the core group, we planned four public meetings to gain perspective of the overall project, discussing: project concept; creative sector must-haves; local leadership; funding and financing; potential sites; and alignment with broader community goals. Our first public meeting brought in an incredible 35 local artists. They are creating, painting, sculpting and practicing various forms of art in studios, in their garages, basements, homes and warehouses in and out of Wheat Ridge. Their “must haves” included affordable housing for artists, studio and retail space, exhibit and performance space. It was very telling to hear the majority of our group members describe the local art scene as “invisible” but “exciting.” The second group were funding-based members of our community: real estate professionals, bankers and business owners. With a main goal of promoting existing local artists and their craft, they discussed the various options of purchasing an existing building or starting from scratch, as well as using private funding matched with donations and grants. The public citizen meeting was hugely successful, bringing out about 40 people, including artists, citizens and even children. It was great to have Mayor Bud Starker and councilwoman Leah Dozeman with her two young boys, who participated with great questions. The majority of the audience did not know anything about ArtSpace, but was genuinely excited about the possibility of promoting art here in Wheat Ridge. Discussions revolved around an alignment of art and the city’s recently adopted Neighborhood Revitalization report (NRS) for our main corridors and walkability, finding ways to bring artists into community spaces.
The final meeting was Friday morning in the middle of the snow storm. City leaders joined in for an overall discussion of the many moving pieces: How to include business partners, housing grants, the focus on art and promotion of our local artists. They also discussed the estimated time in relation to other projects being managed in our city. It is absolutely crucial to not only thank Art Space for their time here this week and the various members of the city staff who dropped in and out of the meetings, bringing relevancy and reality into the conversation, but also Marianne Schilling (assistant to the city manager) who was not only the planner in charge for this project but the glue to our group, keeping us together, focused and on time. The next step for us is to wait for the report for Art Space and their recommendation. In the meantime I will be highlighting different artists living right here in Wheat Ridge. Please don’t hesitate to call me or write (303-999-5789, TheGuy@KW.com) with suggestions for anyone you’d like us to write about.
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how much you’re left with left until payday. I harp about making school more relevant and personal. Truly preparing young men and women for the real world. It’s not about writing checks, I realize that Venmo and Zele are more popular method of payment. But the fact remains that credit ratings, applications and taxes will be here for a long time in one form or another. Bruce sang about “learning more from a three-minute record then we ever did in school.” How does a teacher make the curriculum so relevant and exciting that students can’t wait to come back tomorrow for more. Not simply teaching how a dendrite is formed but getting you excited about biology itself. What is that spark that will have your child tell you all about their day and what they learned in English class? Now imagine if the subject was Life. As always thanks for reading. Contact Guy Nahmiach at TheGuy@ KW.com or 303-999-5789.
TUNDRA by Chad Carpenter
The Leave it or Don’t Touch Command
When it comes to your dog’s safety, the leave it or don’t touch command is probably one of the most important commands to teach the dog. Dogs are naturally curious and have senses that will attract them to dangerous items. The leave it command can be used both during walks as well as at home. Many times your curious dog will be attracted to both harmful items as well as household items that you don’t want to be destroyed. By using treats as a substitute your dog will get to know that what you have to offer is better than their new treasure. Whether you choose to train your dog yourself or use a professional trainer, these six commands will make owning your dog safer, more fun, and a wonderful rewarding relationship. You will be rewarded many times over for the time and effort spent. Most importantly, keep the experience positive, bullying and yelling will not result in a safe and loving relationship that you hoped for. More detailed instructions about how to go about teaching the above commands can be found through many resources. There is an abundance of information on the internet as well as books on training. Have a great time with your pup!
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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – FEBRUARY 11 – MARCH 15, 2020 – ngazette.com
History Of Jeffco: James Baugh n By
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Sally Griffith
he most recent history of Jefferson County was hugely influenced by the discovery of gold. Although, the Arvada area was the first place where gold was discovered. It was gold discovered by the Ralston party on its way to the California gold rush. What they found wasn’t enough to convince them to stay and try to find more. So, there wasn’t really much gold discovered in this area. However, the creek did become known as Ralston Creek. The Colorado “Pikes Peak or Bust” gold rush was indeed a rush of, mostly, young men who left hometowns that were still suffering from the 1857 downturn in the economy. The thought of striking it rich was too much to resist. So, when the word got out that gold had been found where Cherry Creek meets the Platte River, many rushed to see if they too could go pull gold out of the streams in the foothills of the Rockies. Many of these gold rushers had no experience with mining and most arrived thinking that they didn’t need any experience, just hard work. It is important to understand that the early gold finds in Colorado were mostly what is known as placer mining. Many of the streams coming down from the mountain, like Clear (originally Vasquez) Creek, Ralston Creek and Bear Creek, had some gold that had found its way into the stream bed and could be discovered by a process called panning for gold. It wasn’t really mining but involved standing in the cold stream for hours on end while you swished around mud and rocks from the stream bottom in your pan until the heavier gold sank to the bottom. Then you could retrieve it, put it in a pouch, and then use pinches of this gold to pay for things you might need. What most of the inexperienced miners didn’t know was this technique was limited and the gold found usually was smaller amounts that certainly didn’t qualify as
“striking it rich.” Experienced miners from California and Georgia knew that gold found in the streams could lead the panner farther into the mountains where there were lodes of gold, usually enclosed in quartz, that required much more intensive mining than simple panning for gold. Let me tell you the story of one of these young men who headed west to make his fortune. James Baugh came from a family that had settled in Missouri but had been around since before the American Revolution. He came west in one of the early wagon train that arrived in Denver on June 1, 1859. However, his mining days seemed to have been short lived. He soon became aware of the high prices being charged for food in the mining camps and the supply towns. He also saw that most miners didn’t want to get too far from their claims and wanted their supplies brought to them. On his way up Clear Creek, he passed wheat fields and open fields that lay alongside of the creeks and rivers. He stored that in his memory. Baugh soon abandoned mining, but he didn’t become one of the Go Backers, those disillusioned souls who announced that they were “Busted” on the sides of the wagons that had once read “Pikes Peak or Bust.” At one time, on the routes leading to Denver there were as many Go Backers heading east as there were gold seekers heading west. No, rather than head back with his head hung low, James Baugh quickly looked for other ways to get rich. He found a partner and started a business of storage and delivery of goods on commission. He then began making regular trips up Clear Creek Canyon to supply mining camps being established higher up the mountains. Soon other enterprising souls set about constructing toll roads that they maintained and charged tolls for goods traveling to the mining camps and gold being transported to Denver to be assayed.
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JAMES BAUGH CAME WEST IN A WAGON TRAIN IN 1859 SEEKING GOLD. His mining days were short-lived, but he made a better living by farming along Clear Creek in present-day Wheat Ridge, where his home and relics stand today. PHOTO BY SALLY GRIFFITH
Once, because of the toll roads, it became much more expensive to transport goods, it wasn’t long before he couldn’t resist the call of farming. Because of the high price that fresh fruits and vegetables could bring in the mining camps, he rightly thought that supplying that need could bring more wealth than panning in a stream and driving pack mules up Clear Creek Canyon. He remembered the open fields he had spotted on his way up the Canyon. By August of 1959, he established his own farm, midway between Denver and Golden on Clear Creek. There were some wet years around this time, which misled many prospective farmers to believe they could farm in ways that they familiar with in more eastern locations. The wet years quickly ended causing many farmers to abandon their farms and join the Go Backers. Not Baugh. He found a place that had easy access to water even though it was elevated above the creek. He immediately started digging an irrigation canal, also called a ditch, that he would use to water his land. He was also only two miles from a new bridge that was being built to cross the creek to provide easier access to the mining camps. He
would eventually irrigate his farm with four ditches. James Baugh clearly understood that his new venture required new ways of doing things. His first ditch, called the Lees and Baugh Ditch, established some of the oldest water rights in the South Platte River water basin. (By the way this ditch and these water rights are now used by the City of Wheat Ridge to water Prospect Park.) Baugh didn’t receive official title to his land until 1863. This was probably normal for the time. The Homestead Act was not established until 1862. So, most of the farms like Baugh’s along Clear Creek, used “military patents” that Congress used to reward members of the military. This process involved finding unclaimed land and registering your claim with a local land office. When Baugh established his farm, there was no functioning land office and, thus, there was no survey made. This situation would later cause James Baugh some consternation. But more about that and the role that Baugh played in the development and settling of the area known as Wheat Ridge in the next article for the Neighborhood Gazette.
Rare Earth
small footprint, the company said in a news release, significantly reducing the amounts of reagents (defined as a substance used in a chemical reaction to detect, measure, examine or produce other substances) normally used in rare earth minerals processing. The resins and extraction reagents used are “off-the-shelf” items and readily available from multiple suppliers, the release added. The process used at the Wheat Ridge plant was previously used by the Texas Minerals Resource Corp. in the separation and purification of rare earth minerals for the U.S. Department of Defense. Gorski estimated the Wheat Ridge plant — which he said will employ six people — will operate for two years or longer, then be relocated to the Texas mine site and scaled up to industrial size. Wheat Ridge Economic Development Manager Steve Art said the project does not involve any city or tax funds and the plant will operate in its existing building. Pini Althaus, CEO of USA Rare Earth, noted in the company release the Wheat Ridge plant is the second piece of the company’s plans for a 100% U.S.-based rare earth minerals supply chain. “Taken together, Round Top and our pilot plant constitute essential links in restoring a domestic U.S. rare earth (minerals) supply chain, extracting rare earths and processing them into individual (rare earth element) oxides, without the material ever leaving the United States, thereby alleviating the current dependence on China for both raw materials and mineral processing,” he said. At full production, Round Top is projected to annually produce around 600 metric tons of six rare earth minerals.
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this year. “We’re installing equipment and doing the final design of the process,” Gorski said. “We want to make it a showplace operation.” The plant will use continuous ion exchange/continuous ion chromatography to process leach solutions from ore from the Round Top mining project, located outside El Paso, Texas, into 26 different recoverable elements, including technology metals and industrial minerals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website defines rare earth minerals as those with high electrical conductivity that are often used in defense and modern consumer electronics such as cell phones, windmills that produce electricity, and magnets, among others. These minerals are processed primarily from ores that contain uranium and thorium, two naturally occurring and man-made radioactive elements. Gorski stated there are “very rigorous regulations we have to follow when we handle these minerals.” “There are no hazardous materials produced, it’s a pretty benign process,” he noted of the plant’s process. “The strength of the sulfuric acid we produce is about a quarter of what you find in a car battery.” Gorski said the plant will receive small amounts — “grams instead of tons” — of solution at a time so there will not be heavy truck traffic in and out of the facility. Ion exchange was developed by the U.S. government’s Manhattan Project to make atom bombs in the 1940s. The process has a