COVID Updates
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment: All Coloradans 12 and older are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, and all Coloradans 18 and older are eligible to receive the Moderna or Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine.
Appointments to Get the COVID Vaccine
State of Colorado’s Find Out Where You Can Get Vaccinated page.
Jefferson County Public Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center: 303-239-7000 |
State Hotline to answer questions, including location of vaccine providers: 1-877-268-2926.
Jefferson County Case Summary:
Cases in Jeffco – Tues: 47,295 | Weds: 47,395 (+100)
Deaths in Jeffco – Tues: 822 | Weds: 825 (+3)
Currently Hospitalized in Jeffco – Tues: 59 | Weds: 48 (-11)
Recovered – Tues: 45,407 | Weds: 45,542 (+135)
Known Cases in Golden – Thurs: 1963 | Mon: 1975
Golden Testing Sites
Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing
More Public Health References
School of Mines COVID-19 case page. | Sign up for exposure notifications | CDC | Colorado | Jefferson County | City of Golden
JEFFERSON COUNTY RESCINDS THE MASK ORDER – VACCINATED PEOPLE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK, UNLESS A BUSINESS REQUIRES IT. Read the full order….
Virtual Events
8:40-9:35AM Silver Sneakers Classic
10AM Mid-Morning Meditation
10:15AM Baby Time with the Library
3-5PM Hard Times Writing Workshop
7:30AM Golden Young Professionals Monthly Membership Meeting
10-11:30AM Microsoft Word – Beyond the Basics
6PM Golden Anti-Racism Collective Book and Media Group – Register
We’ll be discussing the following:
The Hate U Give (book or movie)
Just Mercy (book or movie)
6PM Qs and Brews with the Library
7PM Parks, Recreation and Museums Advisory Board Meeting
Stewards of Golden Open Space will review a biological survey of selected Golden open spaces with the PRAM board. Partially funded by the Stonebridge HOA and the Golden Civic Foundation, the survey was conducted by Colorado Natural Heritage Program and examined plant communities, rare plants, and wildlife, including birds and large mammals.
Nathan Richie, Director of the History Museum, will discuss his plan to do a “Native American Ethnography Project.” He will also inform the Board of the Museum’s plan to “deaccession” about two hundred museum artifacts. Some will be given to other museums and the rest will be sent to an auction house to be sold. The list of items to be deaccessioned is available here.
Staff will go over the City’s plans for managing the crowds along the Creek this summer.
Real World Events
2:30-3:30PM Ribbon Cutting Ceremony – Golden Game Guild
5:30-6:30PM Meat, Eat & Greet with Adrian Miller* at Roaming Buffalo BBQ
James Beard Award-winning author Adrian Miller will be joining us at our Golden location to sign copies of his new book, Black Smoke. He will do a small chat about his latest work while you enjoy some Craft BBQ, $2 beers and $3 margaritas! You won’t want to miss this opportunity to meet the “Bard of Barbecue!”
* As seen (twice!) at Golden Beer Talks!
5:30PM Garden Talk – Ready to discover the top 6 mistakes of flower container gardening? – Golden Community Garden
The Golden Community Garden is hosting a series of educational talks this summer. Afraid to invest in flowers for flowerpots because they just might not last??? Come learn the top 6 mistakes of flowerpot gardening and how you can easily avoid them, so you can spend your summer enjoying your own little flower oasis — not digging out dead plants! Led by seasoned veteran and owner of Go West Gardener, Ann will guide you through the top mistakes and get you ready to create beautiful deck & patio container gardens of flowers to enjoy all summer long. Join us at the Golden Community Garden (between 8th&10th street/next to rec center). Come take a stroll through our beautiful garden, pack a dinner and enjoy our picnic tables. Come learn and embrace your inner desire to grow things! 5:30 – 6:00 p.m – Socializing | 6:00 – 6:30 p.m. – Talk
6PM Fun Run @ Runners High – 2120 Ford Street (map)
LIVE MUSIC:
4PM Bike Night @ Avalanche Harley Davidson
4PM Bike Night at Dirty Dogs Roadhouse
2PM Josh Blackburn at Wrigley’s
6PM Mike Heuer at Golden Moon Speakeasy
6PM Open Pick Night at Over Yonder Brewing
8PM Karaoke at Rock Rest Lodge
Golden Community Food Drive
Drop off food donations
Please drop off food donations (10AM-4PM, today through Saturday) at the CAG Food Pantry & Thrift Store at 1401 Ford Street (map). Food will be distributed among the three pantries. Or visit this page to donate cash!
Golden History Moment
78 Years Ago
In the spring of 1943, Golden was consumed with the murder of two young boys, who had been pushed off of Castle Rock by 16 year old William Wymer. On April 10th of that year, three groups of boys had come separately ot Golden. The first group consisted of 8 year old Donald Matta and 11 year old Milo Flindt, children of defense workers at the Remington Arms Plant (now the Federal Center).
The two boys were climbing South Table Mountain, heading for Castle Rock, when they were overtaken by a group of three older boys from Denver. The oldest of the Denver group was 16 year old Wymer. He demanded that Milo give up his shoes and stockings and that Donald relinquish his watch and cap. Wymer gave the shoes to his younger brother, who was part of the Denver Group. He kept the watch and cap for himself. He then pushed the two youngsters over the edge of Castle Rock–a 123 foot drop.
A third group of boys–from Lakewood–came to Golden to attend a movie at the Golden Gem. They arrived early and had a malted milk at Foss Drug, then decided to climb to Castle Rock. On the mountain, they encountered Wymer and his companions. Wymer extorted 10 cents each from the younger boys, telling them that his father owned the mountain. When one of the boys refused, Wymer told him he would push him off the cliff unless he paid.
Upon returning to Golden, Wymer tried to sell the watch to jeweler Clyde Gregory, who told him he didn’t buy watches from children.
Later that evening, the Lakewood boys saw Wymer and his friends at the Golden Gem Theater. The older boys spent the night at the LaRay Hotel (now the Table Mountain Inn) and returned to Denver the following day.
The next morning, a Golden child spotted the two bodies and alerted the Sheriff. The Sheriff was able to track down Wymer and his companions. They were still in possession of the murdered boys’ shoes and watch. Wymer confessed to the killings. The younger two were put in the Industrial School and Wymer was put in the Jefferson County Jail.
The funeral for 8 year old Donald Matta was held at St. Joseph’s Church and the service for 11 year old Milo Flint was at Woods Mortuary on Washington Avenue.
At his arraignment in May, Wyman pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He was given a 15 day psychiatric evaluation and was deemed sane. A jury found him guilty at his July trial, and he was sentenced to life in prison. The verdict was upheld in subsequent appeals.
Wymer attempted to escape from the penitentiary at Canyon City in October, 1944, but was thwarted. He was successful in breaking out in June of 1960, but was caught and returned.
After this, he disappears from the news, but I found two last interesting references to him on a blog called “Kidnapping Murder and Mayhem.”
On July 31, 2011 a young woman posted:
William Wymer got out of jail, later after he finnished parol, raised his great neice Lisa Wymer (my mom), I never got to know him because he died before 1996 (my birth year). William Wymer is my great-great uncle
On February 28, 2013 another woman posted:
I am the great niece of William “Lucky” Wymer. Please feel free to contact me by email to further discuss all this. I don’t know if my uncle Lucky ever said anything to the family of the two boys, but from me, I am truly sorry for what he had done. I know no amount of apologizing will ever rewrite history.
The Golden Transcript (originally called the Colorado Transcript) has been publishing since 1866. The Golden History Museum has been working on digitizing the historic issues. You’ll find old Transcripts online at coloradohistoricnewspapers.org
