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Creek Restrictions, City Council Candidates, Possible Building Moratorium, Probable Lodging Tax, 6th and Heritage, and the Gangs of Golden

Golden Eye Candy – Chris Davell – A New Family in Golden – click to enlarge

Creek Access Restricted

Creek Access Restricted – photo by Dave Powers – click to learn more….

Announcement from the Police Chief:
Water activities prohibited by the order include all single-chambered air inflated devices such as belly boats, inner tubes and single chambered rafts, as well as “body-surfers” and swimming.  Kayaks, whitewater canoes and multi-chambered professionally guided rafts, river boards, and Stand Up Paddle Boards (SUPB) are exempt but are encouraged to observe extreme caution due to the safety concerns surrounding swift moving water and floating debris.  Learn more….


News from City Council

City Council had its first in-person meeting last night, and it was well-attended. Three members of the public urged Council to apply the proceeds of a potential lodging tax to Golden cultural organizations. Pat Madison appears in the lower photo.

Last week’s Golden Transcript stated that both Jim Dale and Rob Reed had decided not to run for a second term. Jim’s decision wasn’t a surprise–he announced when he ran that he would only serve one term. I was grateful that he was willing to do it.

I was disappointed to read that Rob wouldn’t run again: I think he’s a fair-minded, independent thinker. Fortunately, he announced at last night’s meeting that the Transcript was incorrect–he had not yet made his decision, so if you know his work and want to try to sway him, you can contact him at RReed@cityofgolden.net.

Paul Haseman will run for a second term. The two district representatives (JJ Trout and Casey Brown) as well as the Mayor are not up for reelection this year.

Council decided last night that there was enough support for a building moratorium (in R2 and R3 areas) to discuss the matter at next week’s meeting. The best explanation of the need for this moratorium appeared in one of the public comments:

At your last City Council meeting, there were two small houses on the market, each at more than $1 million, and clearly designated for scrape and rebuild. Two days after your meeting, this story appeared on ABC7 describing a third house that never came on the market, but was being sold for redevelopment as a duplex. We really need to finish the Zoning Rewrite. Calling a temporary moratorium to slow down the pace of redevelopment will allow us to complete the Rewrite in an orderly manner. –Tom Schweich–

If you want to weigh in on the possibility of a moratorium–or the Zoning Code Rewrite in general–you can send written comment to councilcomments@cityofgolden.net. Since they’re back to holding in-person meetings, you can also plan to attend next week’s meeting (Tuesday, June 15th at 6:30PM) and provide your comments live.


COVID Updates

% of Jeffco residents (12+) who have received at least one shot–source

Jefferson County Case Summary:
Cases in Jeffco
– Monday: 48,235 | Tuesday: 48,253 (+18)
Deaths in Jeffco – Monday: 841 | Tuesday: 842 (+1)
Currently Hospitalized in Jeffco – Monday: 30 | Tuesday: 33 (+3)
Recovered – Monday: 47,096 | Tuesday: 47,144 (+48)
Known Cases in Golden – May 31st: 1994 | June 7th: 2001

COVID Vaccine Appointments
State of Colorado:
Where You Can Get Vaccinated
Jeffco Public Health Vaccine Call Center: 303-239-7000
State Vaccine Hotline: 1-877-268-2926.

Golden Testing Sites
Mines COVID Testing | Jeffco Fairgrounds COVID Testing

More Public Health References
Sign up for exposure notifications | CDC | Colorado | Jefferson County | City of Golden


Virtual Events

6th and Heritage Interchange Design Meeting – photo by Patrick Klein – click to enlarge

8:30-9:30AM Virtual Power Training
8:40-9:35AM Tai Chi
10:15AM Baby Time with the Library
3-5PM Hard Times Writing Workshop
9-11:30AM Accelerate Your Career – Preparing for a Video Interview Video
12-1PM Brown Bag “Lunch & Learn” – HR Tips – What Every Manager Must Know
2-2:45PM Critterbots – Electric Animals with DaVinci Adventures
6-8PM Golden Safety Academy – Motor Vehicle Theft / Trespass Prevention
6PM Book and Media Group
6PM US 6 and Heritage Interchange Design Public MeetingMust Pre-Register to Participate
Golden, CDOT and Jefferson County are partnering to improve the US 6 and Heritage interchange. An open house was hosted Wednesday, Feb. 24, where four alternatives for the interchange were presented. Participants were given an opportunity to ask questions and provide input. 

On June 9, during a virtual public meeting, three design alternatives for bike and pedestrian improvements will be presented. After the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide input. Attendees must pre-register in order to attend. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting, the meeting video will be available to view on the Guiding Golden US6 and Heritage project page

7:30PM Miners Alley Playhouse Concert Series – Mark Collins


Real World Events

Mark Collins and Friends at Miners Alley Playhouse – tickets available for either in-person or online attendance

9AM Golden Walks – Wednesday Morning Celebrating Life
7:30PM Miners Alley Playhouse Concert Series – Mark Collins

Hear Jack Hadley tonight at the Buffalo Rose

LIVE MUSIC:
4PM
Chrispy at Mountain Toad Brewing
6PM Jack Hadley @ Buffalo Rose (Sky Bar Stage – outdoor patio)


Golden History Moment

North and South Side – excerpted from photo X-9826, Denver Public Library Western History Collection – click to enlarge

The late Bill Coors (1916-2018), who attended elementary school in Golden, used to attend Leadership Golden sessions to tell stories of growing up in Golden in the late ‘teens and early ‘twenties. He talked about the social rift between those who lived on the south side of Clear Creek and the tougher kids who live on the north side. He said it wasn’t safe for a south sider (like him) to be caught on the north side of town.

George West (seated) with son Harley and grandson Neil West Kimball – Golden History Museum collection – click to enlarge

I recently came across some reminiscences written in 1929 by Neil West Kimball. He was the grandson of Transcript founder George West, born in approximately 1894 and graduated from Golden High School in 1912. Neil, too, had a lot to say about the tough kids.

“The Tucker gulch gang, with “Tight” Smith as the leader, was the most fearsome of those organizations. ‘Tucker gulch, the farther you go the tougher you get, and we live in the last house,’ was the motto of this organization. And it made life pretty miserable for other gangs, such as the Dog Town gang, with Paul Hobsen and Fred Gow as members, the Garrison street gang with Alvah Moody, Don Baird, the Parshall boys and others in the membership.

South School, 13th and Cheyenne – Golden Landmarks Association Ronzio Collection – click to enlarge

“There was lots of class consciousness in those days. If you were a South Sider you were supposed to remain one and woe betide you if you wandered out of your own bailiwick without sufficient protection. The ‘toughest break’ in my career was when my family moved from the South Side to the North Side and as a consequence I changed schools and became a North Sider, in flesh if not in spirit. And how that flesh did suffer.

North School, 6th and Washington – Golden History Museum Collection – click to enlarge

“Regularly every evening I was chased from the school yard by the North Siders who considered me too effeminate for them. Pete Read, he with only three fingers, was, as I remember, the acknowledged leader of my tormentors. Luckily, I had a pretty fleet pair of legs in those days and they generally carried me to safety. About the only joy in my life in those days was when Pete turned his chasing activities to Earle (Bridget) Develon and gave me an opportunity to regain my wind.

“But enough of gangs or you’ll think Golden was a miniature Chicago.”

Reprinted from the November 14, 1929 Colorado Transcript


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

Highlights