Wheat Ridge Transcript 042513

Wheat Ridge 4/25/13

TranscriptWheat Ridge ourwheatridgenews.comApril 25, 2013 50 centsA Colorado Community Media Publication Jefferson County, Colorado Volume 29, Issue 44

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Bill broadens damage awards in discrimination casesRepublicans oppose plan as possible job-killerBy Vic [email protected]

A bill that would broaden dam-age awards available to Colorado employees who sue over discrimi-nation in the workplace is making its way through the state Legisla-ture.

But while Democrats are hail-ing House Bill 1136 as a victory for employee protection, Repub-licans are blasting the legislation as a job-killing bill that creates a boon for trial lawyers.

The bill passed the House on April 19 on a 35-28 vote, following debate that lasted several hours over two voting days.

All Republicans voted against the legislation, with Democratic Rep. Mike McLauchlan of Duran-

go joining them in opposition.The Job Protection and Civil

Rights Employment Act of 2013 particularly would affect small businesses that have workforces of 14 or fewer people. Under the bill, employees at companies of all sizes could collect punitive and compensatory damages in state court, as well as recoup legal fees in civil rights cases.

Right now, employees at small-sized businesses are only afforded remedies that allow them to be made whole following success-ful discrimination lawsuits, such as earning back pay, or getting their jobs back.

Republicans mocked the bills intent, even at one time offering an amendment to re-title the bill the Trial Lawyer Employment Act of 2013, arguing that the bill will end up filling the pockets of law-yers who take these kind of cases to court.

Republicans also called the legislation an anti-jobs bill that could lead to devastating ef-fects on small businesses that are forced to pay out thousands of dollars in punitive damages.

Its the difference between be-ing in business and being out of business, said House Minority Leader Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, during an April 17 House floor debate.

Republicans also said that the bill is unnecessary, arguing that Colorado discrimination lawsuits are rare and that the legislation just begs for more frivolous law-suits to end up in court.

Punitive damages are just a way to pile on a situation where there are other remedies in place, said Rep. Polly Lawrence, R-Little-ton.

But bill co-sponsor Rep. Joe Salazar, D-Thornton, said courts always have discretion in these

matters and that employees need greater protection than what cur-rent law allows.

Its not like courts are going to be handing out meal tickets on ev-ery single case, he said. This isnt an anti-jobs bill. Its a preservation of jobs bill.

Democrats amended the bill to cap damages at $25,000 per case for small businesses that have be-tween five and 14 employees, and $10,000 for companies with fewer than five workers. Republican ef-forts to amend the bill to prevent the legislation from affecting companies with 10 or fewer em-ployees were unsuccessful.

The bill now heads to the Sen-ate.

Infinitus Pie delivers pizza with a missionLocal pizzeria owner hopes to inspire creativity, values through infinite topping possibilitiesBy Sara Van [email protected]

Young entrepreneur Katie Crouse hopes to inspire more than just unique pizza com-binations through her pizza chain Infinitus Pie.

Crouse, who goes by Katie Pie at the restaurant, grew up around pizza and, after operating her own pizza business Friday Pizza during her junior year studying at the University of Denver, she opened Infini-tus Pie in 2010 in Wheat Ridge.

Infinitus Pie, 3928 Wadsworth Blvd., originally opened under the name My Pie,

but that name was changed last year.Sophomore year I thought of making a

restaurant that is the Chipotle of pizza, so thats what I did, Crouse said.

Infinitus Pie serves personal eight-inch pizzas with anything and everything avail-able as a topping. Customers choose their crust and sauce and then can pile on the toppings, such as vine-ripened black olives, natural sausage, corn and even eggs.

Well do anything people want to try on a pie if we can get the ingredients, Crouse said. Imagine it and well put it on a pie.

One of the more interesting and deli-cious ingredients Crouse said she has tried is crumbled up Goldfish crackers.

While serving custom personal pizza pies with fresh ingredients Crouses main goal for Infinitus Pie, she has another mis-sion encouraging customers to support businesses with a larger mission.

Crouses mission, which all of her em-

ployees share, is Inspiring with mouth-watering pie coupled with our passionate dedication to community, education and humor.

What we can do is inspire people, she said. Consumers have the power to shop with businesses that support values.

Crouse said she would like to someday see all businesses have their mission state-ment up front and work for more than just profit.

Having fun and humor is another key value of Infinitus Pie, Crouse said.

The best counterbalance is a joke, she said. We want to go forth and make a posi-tive difference in lives.

Infinitus Pie supports local organiza-tions and education through two main pro-grams.

The third Monday of every month is Pie 10 Day. On Pie 10 Day, Infinitus Pie donates

Bryce Bamsey, left, and Bren Stewart create custom-made, personal pizzas for customers at Infinitus Pie, 3928 Wadsworth Blvd., in Wheat Ridge. Photo by Sara Van Cleve

Civil unions begin May 1County prepared with new formsBy Glenn [email protected]

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a civil-unions bill into law March 21 opening up a new option for same-sex couples when it goes into effect on May 1.

The bill, passed by the Democrat-con-trolled state Legislature, is seen by gay mar-riage supporters as a half step to reversing a 2006 voter-approved state ban on gay mar-riage.

While the new law might represent a major cultural shift, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Pam Anderson said that for her office, the change should be easily ac-cepted.

Im currently the president of the (state) Clerks Association. And once we knew it was going to become law, we began work on an implementation plan, Anderson said.

That implementation plan is now in full effect across the state, as each county pre-pares to accept the new civil union licenses beginning on Wednesday, May 1. Anderson said most of the work involves the creation of new forms, and new computer program-ing to accommodate the new type of li-cense. She said the form, and the process, will be very similar to the standard mar-riage form.

According to Department Director Susie Swain, one of the few differences between the two licenses will be that while someone under 18 can receive a marriage license with the permission of a parent or guard-ian, no such provision will be allowed for civil unions.

In Colorado, a heterosexual couple can obtain a marriage license, self affirm their marriage, or have a common law marriage.

Once this goes into effect, a heterosex-ual couple could choose to get a civil union instead of a marriage license, Swain said.

Pizza continues on Page 22 Unions continues on Page 22

2 Wheat Ridge Transcript April 25, 20132-Color

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Democracy makes for a long, tiring slog Theres an episode of The Simpsons

where Homer ends up wandering through a desert in the middle of a hot-chile-pep-per-induced hallucination.

Homer, confused by his surroundings and the seemingly endless landscape around him, comes across a tortoise thats leaving a message behind it in the sand as it walks that reads: Follow the tortoise.

Homer does so, before becoming frus-trated by the tortoises tortoise-like pace. He then gives the reptile a gentle kick in its rear in hopes of getting it to move faster.

Get moving you stupid ..., Homer says. When Im kicking you that means hurry up!

Homer ends up losing his patience and boots the tortoise across the desert.

As a reporter who covers the Colorado General Assembly every day, I can relate to Homers anguish.

This years legislative session may be winding down, but as each day passes, it just feels like Im following a slow-moving tortoise clumsily through the sand. The days go on forever. And sometimes, in the middle of an eight-hour hearing, I get into one of those Homer-like moods where I just wanna kick the proverbial tortoise across Denvers Colfax Avenue and scream, Hurry up!

Its been controversial bill after contro-versial bill this session. And debate over each one of them seems to go on and on and on ....

And when one bill is fi nally put to bed after several hours of debate, theres an-other one right behind it to take its place.

Its like throwing a single starfi sh back into the ocean after hundreds of others have washed up on the shore. But I guess I do take some solace in knowing that my exhaustion is not unique. Lawmakers are feeling the pain, too. And theyre doing their best to get through the long days.

Im still trying to fi gure out if I came just in time or at a horribly wrong time, quipped freshman Rep. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City. The jury is still out on that one.

Moreno said he barely has time to check in with his loved ones anymore.

I get phone calls from my family say-ing, Hey, we havent seen you in a couple of weeks. Just wondering if everything is OK, he said. Thats funny because I live a block away from my parents.

Seasoned lawmakers like Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument, a former House majority leader, said the key to getting through this marathon-like session is working out whenever she can, gobbling antioxidants, and avoiding unnecessary nights out on the town.

Some people, theyre out every night, and they can get up and go to work every

day, she said. And I marvel and just go, OK, more props to you. Thats not me. You learn over time how to pace yourself, (and understand) what you can and cant do.

The daily grind affects people differ-ently. For instance, freshman Democratic Rep. Steve Lebsock of Thornton said he feels good right now, but admits to hav-ing gained about 15 pounds since the start of the session. Meanwhile, Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a freshman Democrat from Lakewood, made it sound like the long days are no big deal.

Im surprised to hear that its not usually like this, she said, adding that, compared to her previous jobs in politics, this is the most time off Ive ever had in my life.

Another thing Ive noticed during my conversations with lawmakers about the jammed calendar is that Democrats moods seems to be a heck of a lot better than Republicans.

The Dems are in charge, and their brutal bill schedule of controversial gun-control, education and elections legislation is leav-ing Republicans tired and frustrated.

This is the worst Ive ever seen, said Rep. Carole Murray, R-Castle Rock, of Democrats efforts of non-stop legislative action. Theres so many important bills being crammed through a single session. I just dont get the point. I mean, its not very smart. It ends up (that) were not passing very good laws. Its all about a particular partys agenda, rather than the peoples work.

Stephens shares in Murrays angst.

I have never seen such an overreach, she said. Were talking wholesale changes. Not just one or two, were talking bill after bill (of 50- to 100-page legislation). Its no wonder were exhausted.

Its really poor management of the calendar.

Hand it to Stephens, though. Because she was honest when I asked her if her party would do the same thing, if the roles were reversed.

You bet, she said. If we had all three chambers, Id be undoing all this (stuff). He who wins gets to decide the rules. Having been the majority leader, I get it.

So, do Democrats believe that their work will be rewarded in 2014?

You may not agree with everything were doing, but you cant say were not do-ing anything, Moreno said. These are the types of policies and laws that the people of Colorado have been waiting for, for a long time.

I fully expect that the remaining days of the session are going to be long and that theres going to be more than a few times when Ill want to pull a Homer and fi nd a tortoise to kick around.

But, I suppose this years session is just an example of democracy in action.

As Homer might say, Lousy, stupid democracy.

Vic Vela is the legislative reporter for Colo-rado Community Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Also, fol-low Vics legislative updates on Twitter: @VicVela1.

JEFFCO NEWS IN A HURRY Property revaluations coming

Notices of Valuation for 2013 will be sent to all Jeffco property owners on May 1, 2013. The values in the 2013 notice will refl ect the value of property as of June 30, 2012, as required by state law.

Countywide, the median value of an existing single family home increased from $246,220 in 2011 to $247,015 in 2013.

The median percentage value increase for single family homes in the county was 0.3 percent, Jefferson County As-sessor Jim Everson said.

Property owners who disagree with the values of the May 1 notice may appeal the with the assessors offi ce on or before June 1.

Light rail openingRTDs FasTracks W Rail, the

west line that runs from Union Station to the Jefferson County government complex, will offi cially open after a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, April 26.

To commemorate the opening, the county is part-nering with the city of Golden and RTD to host a party for the

public on Saturday, April 27.The light rail will be free to

riders all day on April 27 and the stations along the new west line will be hosting par-ties for the community.

The Jeffco/Golden station will have food vendors, music, family activities, a petting zoo, adoptable pets, Open Space hiking/trail information and much more from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

State representatives open houseOn Saturday, April 27, state

Rep. Sue Schafer (D-District 24) and Sen. Cheri Jahn (D-District 20) will participate in an open house discussion about paying for K-12 educa-tion.

The open house will be lo-cated at the Wheat Ridge City Hall, 750 West 29th Ave. Other speakers include Will Gohl, a school policy analyst, and Sara Gagliardi, Jeffco Cares Board Member.

New library board electedThe Jefferson County Public

Library Board of Trustees today announced the election of new offi cers.

They are chair, Ray Elliott;

vice chair Brian DeLaet; and secretary Julia Hill-Nichols.

New offi cers were elected at the March 21 meeting and will serve from March 2013 to April 2014.

Also, in April, the county commissioners confi rmed the reappointment of existing trustees Brian DeLaet, Buddy Douglass, and Ray Elliott, who will continue to serve as trust-ees through March 2016.

Ballot security discussionPam Anderson, Jefferson

County clerk and recorder, will address the Jefferson County League of Women Voters at its annual meeting on Tuesday, April 30, at the Lakewood Country Club, 6800 W. 10th Ave., Lakewood.

The discussion will center on the election process and ballot security.

The business meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch at 12:30 p.m.

The Clerk and Recorders talk is free. The lunch costs $25.

To RSVP for the luncheon please contact the Jeffco LWV offi ce at 303-238-0032 or www.lwvjeffco.org.

SO MUCH INSIDE THE TRANSCRIPT THIS WEEK

Sports: A roundup of prep sports. Page 23

Opinion: Columnist Michael Alcorn says line between right and wrong should be gray sometimes. Page 12

Special: Twelve Topics series looks into impacts of ADHD. Page 18

Theater: The Shadow Box premieres at the Edge Theater. Page 14

Business: Community celebrates at business ethics luncheon Page 3

Golden boy wins journalisms highest honor By Glenn Wallace [email protected]

Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times feature writer John Branch read-ily admits that his career path has not been a traditional one.

T h e G o l d e n High School g r a d u a t e (Class of 1985) ini-tially set out for a career in business.

I wasnt following my heart, just my head, the 45-year-old said.

But a career change at

12TwelveTopics

Weeks

This Week:ADHD

Wheat Ridge Transcript 3April 25, 20133-Color

Office: 110 N. Rubey Dr, Unit 120, Golden, CO 80403PhOne: 303-566-4100A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Wheat Ridge Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 110 N. Rubey Dr., Ste. 120, Golden, CO 80403. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO.POSTMASTeR: Send address change to: Wheat Ridge Transcript, 110 N. Rubey Dr., Unit 120, Golden, CO 80403DeADLineS: Display advertising: Fri. 11 a.m.Legal advertising: Fri. 11 a.m.classified advertising: Tues. 12 p.m.

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Ethics in business rewardedAnnual awards given out by the Golden RotaryBy Glenn [email protected]

The Rotary Club of Golden recently rec-ognized a Littleton handyman company and a Golden civic nonprofit as part of its annual Ethics in Business Awards.

The eighth annual Ethics in Business awards luncheon was held April 18 in the Denver West Marriott.

This years for-profit winner was A Mas-

ters Hands, owned by Jim and Michele Bartlett, while the non-profit winner was the Golden Civic Foundation.

Rotary clubs around the world seek to promote ethical behavior by asking their members to consider four questions for all of their words and deeds: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Is it beneficial to all concerned?

Every year the Rotary Club of Golden canvases the community for nominations for businesses and nonprofits.

Those applications are then given to an ethics class at the Colorado School of Mines, where the winners are chosen.

The business started after Jim Bartlett was laid off from a high paying job in high tech. Having grown up in a household of master craftsmen, Jim Bartlett had always been handy, and began doing odd jobs for friends and neighbors while looking for a new tech position. Michele Bartlett said that eventually, the odd jobs just became her husbands primary job, and eventually a thriving business.

Sometimes they have a really long hon-ey-do list, but no honey to do that list, Jim Bartlett said.

We serve every client as if we were serv-ing God, Jim Bartlett added.

Golden Civic Foundations board presi-dent Mike Cruson accepted the award on behalf of his organization, and led the room in a round of applause for the 95-year-old organization founder Heinie Foss, who was in attendance.

Longtime Civic Foundation supporter Randy Chapman gave a brief history of the organization, from its founding by Foss, through the revitalization of many of the buildings in downtown Golden, and includ-ing the foundations generous and consis-tent support to Goldens nonprofit and cul-tural organizations.

CBS Weatherman Ed Greene was the

master of ceremonies for the luncheon, which was attended by Golden City Coun-cil members, Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Former Colorado First Lady Francis Owen, and Jefferson County Commissioner Faye Griffin.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Corey Cioc-chetti, associate professor of Business Eth-ics and Legal Studies at the University of Denver.

Also in attendance were award winners from previous years, including My Pie own-er Peter Crouse from Wheat Ridge, and staff from The Action Center serving Jefferson County.

The 2013 For-Profit Winner of the Golden Rotarys Ethics in Business Award was Littleton-based handyman company A Masters Hands. Golden Rotary President Peggy Halderman, left, and, First Bank representative Emily Robinson, right, presented the award to the company founders and owners, Jim Bartlett and Michele Bartlett. Courtesy photo by Tonya Delborne

Golden Civic Foundation President Mike Cruson leads the 2013 Rotary Club of Golden 2013 Ethics in Business Awards Luncheon in a round of applause for his groups founder, 95-year-old Heinie Foss. The Golden Civic Foundation was given one of this years ethics awards, as an outstanding nonprofit organization. Photo by Glenn Wallace

Golden boy wins journalisms highest honorBy Glenn [email protected]

Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times feature writer John Branch read-ily admits that his career path has not been a traditional one.

T h e G o l d e n High School g r a d u a t e (Class of 1985) ini-tially set out for a career in business.

I wasnt following my heart, just my head, the 45-year-old said.

But a career change at

the age of 28 took him from doing marketing work for Costco, back to school for a second degree, and eventu-ally to the hallowed journal-istic halls of The New York Times.

Last week one of Branchs stories a multimedia piece about an avalanche in Washington State that claimed three lives won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for feature writing.

His family moved to Golden when he was five. His father worked for Co-ors, and his mother, Sue Branch, worked as a sub-stitute teacher for Golden High School for 25 years.

Im old enough to say that Golden was different back then, John Branch

said, describing it as a bit more folksy, not so trendy, essential Americana.

As a child, he said he loved reading about sports in both The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News sports sections.

In the back of my mind, I always thought itd be great to be a sportswriter, he said.

I think it was just a lifelong dream of his to be a journalist, Sue Branch said. She described the Branch family as being full of pride about the story winning the Pulitzer.

The story took six months of reporting, and another six months of mul-timedia design to complete. It blends together Branchs

story text with animated graphics, maps, pictures, audio, and video to tell the tale of that fatal avalanche.

In all, Branch said 25 people at The New York Times helped craft the fin-

ished product. The story also won a Peabody award, which is normally reserved for television or documen-taries.

Branch said he thinks the blending of so many media elements is the future of long-form journalism.

But who knows, in a few years they may look back at my story and call it quaint. Things just move so fast, he said.

His mother has her own theory about what made her sons storywriting award-winning.

Hes a very kind and empathetic person, which I think has helped him get to know about the peo-ple he wrote about, she said.

Branch

detailsJohn Branchs award-winning feature story is available online at:www.nytimes.com/proj-ects/2012/snow-fallA short video documentary of the story is available at:http://nyti.ms/TaHf9tBranch was also a 2012 Pulitzer finalist for this story:www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/sports/hockey/derek-boogaard-a-boy-learns-to-brawl.html


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Bill to OK bene ts during lockouts advances Workers could get payments during union labor disputes By Vic Vela [email protected]

Unemployment benefi ts for workers who are locked out from their jobs during labor dis-putes would be expanded under a bill that is moving through the Legislature.

House Bill 1304 allows workers the ability to collect jobless benefi ts when they are involved in so-called defensive lockouts where com-panies lock out employees who are

part of a union that is already strik-ing against another business entity in the same industry.

The last time a defensive lock-out occurred was in 1996, when Safeway workers were locked out after their union decided to strike against King Soopers.

Unemployment benefi ts already are available to workers who are in-volved in an offensive lockout, a tactic that can be used by a compa-ny to gain leverage against a union when contract negotiations break down.

Former Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter vetoed similar legislation in 2009.

The bill passed the Democrat-controlled House on April 22 on a

party-line vote of 37-27, with one Republican member excused.

Democratic Rep. Dominick Moreno of Commerce City, the bills sponsor, argued during a re-cent debate on the House fl oor that companies are the ones mak-ing the decision to lock out their employees, and that its only fair that their workers receive security when theyre not allowed to come to work.

What were saying is if you lock out your workers, if its not the fault of your employees, than theyre en-titled to unemployment benefi ts, Moreno said.

Democrats also argued that Colorado is behind the rest of the nation on this issue, saying that 38

other states allow unemployment benefi ts for locked-out workers.

But Republicans argue that by allowing workers in these situations to receive jobless benefi ts, labor unions would have the upper hand in negotiations.

Rep. Spencer Swalm, R-Centen-nial, said the bill would create an-other burden for the states Unem-ployment Insurance Trust Fund. He also said that the bill adversely af-fects businesses that must pay into that fund.

This is just another example of overreach that puts a target on businesses, when we should be en-couraging business growth, Swalm said.

The bill now heads to the Senate.

WHEAT RIDGE NEWS IN A HURRY City issuing mandatory permits for garage sales

As garage sale season begins, the city is issuing permits for ga-rage sales. All garage sales require a permit.

Permits are free and are avail-able at city hall, 7500 W. 29th Ave., or residents can make a request on-line and receive a permit via email.

Residents are allowed to have four garage sales per year with a limit of three days per sale; resi-dents are permitted one rain date.

Signs advertising garage sales can only be posted on private property away from public right-

of-ways and cannot be placed on public utility devices. All signs must be removed after the sale.

Permits must be displayed at the garage sale location for review by code enforcement or police offi cers.

Residents wishing to run large sales, fundraising sales or more than four sales per year should phone 303-235-2820.

For questions regarding the per-mit process, contact Carly Lorentz at 303-234-5900 or the Community Service Offi cer Team at 303-235-2926.

Permit applications are avail-

able online at www.ci.wheatridge.co.us.

Brothers Redevelopment to paint 100 seniors homes for free

Wheat Ridge Police Depart-ment is looking for nominations of seniors for the annual Brother Redevelopment Paint-A-Thon.

Brothers Redevelopment is celebrating its 35th anniversary in Wheat Ridge by offering to paint 100 seniors homes for free. The average cost to paint a home can be over $5,000.

Anyone can nominate a resident for the Paint-A-Thon.

To qualify as a nominee, resi-dents must be 60 years old or older, own and occupy their own home and plan to live in at least one more year. Senior nominees must have a limited income and be fi nancially unable to hire a professional house painter.

The home cannot be taller than 1.5 stories and is in need of paint-ing.

Applications are due by May 31.Applications are available at

www.BrothersRedevelopment.org or by calling Paint-A-Thon coordi-nator Chad Nibbelink at 720-339-5864.


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Hot dog deli serves messy meal with new twist Ji ys begins serving variations of sloppy joes in addition to specialty dogs By Sara Van Cleve [email protected]

The menu at Jiffys Hot Dog Deli recently got a whole lot messier.

Jiffys, 10370 Ralston Road., which has focused on hot dogs, sausages and brats since it opened three and a half years ago, recent-ly added a customer favor-ite to their regular menu sloppy joes.

We would put sloppy joes as a daily special and it would be our most popular daily special every time, said co-owner Bob Minot.

Minot said their target market is the people who havent had a sloppy joe in years and miss the simple sandwich.

Its a classic cafeteria food that people probably havent had since they were in school and they really like, Minot said.

Like many of Jiffys spe-cialty hot dogs, the recipe for the restaurants new sloppy joes came from talk-ing to customers and exper-imentation.

Co-owner Brian Rog-ers came up with the origi-nal sloppy joe recipe and various add-ons to create unique sandwiches.

We experimented, Rogers said. We expanded to create a vegetarian ver-sion, a sloppy Jose, which has jalapenos and is a little spicier and a sloppy south-erner, which is topped with coleslaw and served on a sesame seed bun.

And more unique com-binations including a possible sloppy joe with macaroni and cheese on it are to come, based on

feedback and ideas Rogers and Minot hear from cus-tomers. Jiffys began serving sloppy joes April 16. Jiffys is now one of the few places in the area that serve sloppy joes, Rogers said.

Besides their new menu items, Jiffys also sells a vari-ety of specialty hot dogs, in-cluding the one that started it all the Jiffy Dog, Jiffys take on a chili dog.

The chili is from a recipe Rogers father passed down to him from a family friend, he said.

It started with a home-made hot dog chili recipe from the east, Rogers said.

Its a Coney-style chili.Another menu item Jif-

fys has become known for starts being served at 6:30 a.m.

Another thing were known for is our break-fast burritos, Rogers said. When we opened we got a lot of requests for breakfast burritos, so we just started making them and now serve them all day.

Customers come in throughout the day asking for Jiffys style of traditional breakfast burritos, which can include eggs, potatoes, chicken, homemade green chili, sausage, bacon, beef and bean anything the customer wants Rogers said.

We sell as many bur-ritos as we do items on our regular menus, he said.

Jiffys is open from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and is closed on Sundays.

To see a full Jiffys menu, visit www.jiffyshotdogdeli.com.

Ji ys Hot Dog Deli co-owner Bob Minot makes a traditional sloppy joe with cheese at Ji ys April 16. Ji ys added a variety of sloppy joes to the regular menu of specialty hot dogs, breakfast burritos and more on April 16. Photo by Sara Van Cleve

We experimented. We expanded to create a vegetarian version, a sloppy

Jose, which has jalapenos and is a little spicier.

Brian Rogers, co-owner


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Fire ghter labor bill heads back to Senate House amendments may not be enough to avoid veto By Vic Vela [email protected]

A bill that seeks to expand labor rights for fi refi ghters has passed the Colorado House, and has headed back to the Senate where it passed earlier for approval of amendments.

But the ultimate question is wheth-er the amendments will be enough to please Gov. John Hickenlooper, who threatened to veto the bill earlier this session.

Senate Bill 25 passed the House on April 19, following a party-line vote of 35-28. Democratic Rep. Claire Levy of Boulder joined all Republicans in op-posing the bill.

The current version of the bill which was amended after Hicken-looper expressed concerns in Febru-ary would allow fi refi ghters across the state to be able to have discus-sions on job safety issues, regardless of whether municipalities prohibit collective bargaining.

Thats a change from the original bill that passed the Senate earlier this legislative session, which would have guaranteed bargaining rights on com-pensatory matters, such as salary.

The bill also requires any county or municipality to put labor rights issues on the ballot, so long as an employee group receives approval from 75 per-cent of its workers to form a union that seeks collective bargaining rights on matters such as salary.

The bills sponsors argue that the legislation does not mandate collec-

tive bargaining. They say the bill pro-hibits strikes and provides a ballot process for local control.

Republicans argue that the bill usurps the authority of local govern-ments to make bargaining rights deci-sions on their own.

Its an overreach of power, said Rep. Kathleen Conti, R-Littleton. If youre a city out there and you have a moratorium against collective bar-gaining, guess what? You wont after this bill passes.

Rep. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, said the bill is designed to promote unions.

This is not a public safety bill. This is a union bill. Plain and simple, Scott said.

But Democrats say the bill does not take away local control, and that vot-ers in those areas simply will have a chance to determine what is best for their communities.

And they argue that fi refi ghters should be able to negotiate matters pertaining to their own safety.

What are we afraid of here? said Rep. Cherylin Peniston, D-Westmin-ster. Are we afraid of the professionals

we hire to come and have a chance to say what it is they think will make their jobs better?

The bill also allows fi refi ghters to participate more openly in the politi-cal process, which are either limited or prohibited by some municipalities.

Off duty and out of uniform, they are denied the right to participate in the political process, said Rep. Domi-nick Moreno, D-Commerce City. You cant even put a yard sign in your front yard for your favorite candidate. Thats not fair.

Democratic Sen. Lois Tochtrop of Thornton, the bills Senate spon-sor, told Colorado Community Media that she doesnt know whether Hick-enlooper will sign her bill. But she believes that the current version is a good piece of legislation.

Theres been a lot of negotiations going on and we think this is one that will suit many peoples needs, she said.

This bill concerns safety and this is going to go a long way to helping fi refi ghters, so that they have a place at the table when it comes to safety is-sues.

Hospitals are grounds for hope Over the past 17-plus years I have

either been treated personally at local hospitals or have had family mem-bers and friends end up in the clinic, emergency room or hospital.

And, over these past 17 years, I have talked to members of our com-munity and many of you about our experiences at the different hospitals. Many of you have even sent me an email over the past few years sharing your experiences.

Based on my own fi rsthand experi-ences with family and friends and all of the unsolicited feedback I have received, I am happy to report that the teams at our local hospitals are doing an incredible job in caring for patients. With some bad press sur-rounding hospitals and doctors and the recognized brokenness with some of the elements of the health-care system, we have been truly blessed with some of the most talented, caring, and compassionate doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff in health care. And as a resident, their performance gives me hope for health care.

Even the volunteers at our hos-pitals seem to go out of their way to make sure patients and family are tak-en care of. And that is awesome and speaks to the culture of the hospitals and vision of the leadership teams.

Having had to deal with a very signifi cant health-care issue in my life recently, unfortunately I have found myself spending more and more time in hospitals, doctors offi ces and

clinics as the primary caregiver for my wife. I am reminded each day and during each visit just how hard our health-care professionals work and how their amazing gifts of caring and compassion are tested multiple times per day.

Sometimes they deal with simple illnesses, broken bones or sprains, and sometimes trauma and much more serious situations, including life-threatening conditions or inju-ries.

And as I watch everyone from the EMTs bringing patients in, or the staff caring for the patient, I am simply in awe of the level of sincerity, love and technical ability of those I observe.

Conversely, just as in any service-oriented business, I see the patients or family members of the patients become disruptive, abusive, belliger-ent and impatient as they bark out demands and treat their potential caregivers with complete disregard for the genuine effort of care being given.

These same patients and family members do not understand how others observe their behavior and

how damaging it is for the health and well-being of the patients who are there to get better. Not to men-tion how it impacts the morale of the clinic, the staff, or the other patients and families.

If we are to have hope for health care, I would ask that instead of pointing the fi nger of blame at how broken health care is regarding insurance, access to information, and patient care, that we begin by building a winning and positive relationship with the people who are immediately in front of us, our nurses, doctors, technicians and sup-port staff. Together we can focus on the patient, focus on the care needed, and work towards the best outcome possible.

Kudos to these hospitals for being such a great place for all of those who fi nd themselves needing care. They are wonderful institutions with amazing patients and families from our community and incredible staff and leadership, working together and providing hope for healthcare.

I know some will have their stories of success and others will share their challenges, I would love to hear both at [email protected], and when we work collectively with our health-care providers it is always a better than good week.

Michael Norton, a resident of High-lands Ranch, is the former president of the Zig Ziglar organization and CEO and founder of www.candogo.com.

What are we afraid of here? Are we afraid of the professionals we hire to come and have a chance to say what it is they think will make their jobs

better.Rep. Cherylin Peniston, D-Westminster


Firefighter labor bill heads back to Senate

we hire to come and have a chance to say what it is they think will make their jobs better?

The bill also allows firefighters to participate more openly in the politi-cal process, which are either limited or prohibited by some municipalities.

Off duty and out of uniform, they are denied the right to participate in the political process, said Rep. Domi-nick Moreno, D-Commerce City. You cant even put a yard sign in your front yard for your favorite candidate. Thats not fair.

Democratic Sen. Lois Tochtrop of Thornton, the bills Senate spon-sor, told Colorado Community Media that she doesnt know whether Hick-enlooper will sign her bill. But she believes that the current version is a good piece of legislation.

Theres been a lot of negotiations going on and we think this is one that will suit many peoples needs, she said.

This bill concerns safety and this is going to go a long way to helping firefighters, so that they have a place at the table when it comes to safety is-sues.


Welcome NeW members

of Serving Business Education CommunityCelebrating our 93rd YearPaid Advertisement

G R E A T E R G O L D E N C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

"The Golden Road to Success" Visitor Information: 1.800.590.3113 Phone: 303.279.3113 Fax: 303.279.0332 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.goldencochamber.org

UpcomiNg chamber FUNctioNs

LADIES ONLY SAMPLE TOUR LADIES ONLY SAMPLE TOUR (LOST) is on Thursday, May 2 from 4:00 to 8:00pm at 40 plus Historic Downtown Golden Businesses. Women will flock to downtown Golden for this event, where a $12.50 wrist band entitles participants to a bagful of free samples, snacks and a cou-pon book that includes three of the ORIGINAL SHOPPING DISTRICTS; Olde Town Arvada, Historic Downtown Littleton and Historic Downtown Golden. An open house, neighbor-

hood stroll and gentle evening out all rolled up into one big night. Bring your mother, daughter or girl friends, have a girls night out or just do something you have always wanted to do, shop. Ladies must purchase a wristband at the Golden Chamber of Commerce or various merchants, and its suggested to purchase in advance, as they will go fast. There is a limited number available. Vis-it WWW.LadiesOnlySampleTour.com for more information or call the Chamber at 303-279-3113

GOLDENS FIRST FRIDAY GOLDENS FIRST FRIDAY on Friday, May 3 is from 5:00 to 8:00pm in Historic Downtown Golden. There will be many shops, stores and restaurants open for you to get in some serious shopping, dining, entertainment, etc. Several of the shops will have treats and specials along with entertainment for you to enjoy while you

are shopping and enjoying the great atmosphere in Historic Downtown Golden. There will be free horse drawn carriage rides (weather permit-ting) through Historic Downtown. SO come on down to the main streets of Golden on the first Friday of every month and have a great meal, an adventure into shopping and special enjoyment.

GOLDEN SUPER CRUISE GOLDEN SUPER CRUISE officially begins on Saturday, May 6 at 4:00pm in South Golden with the South Golden Road businesses. Clas-sic cars gather in business parking lots of South Golden beginning late in the afternoon. They are parked in a way the public can gather and admire

these classic cars and network with their owners. At about 6:30pm or so, some of the cars cruise through Historic Downtown Golden on Wash-ington Avenue. The Golden Super Cruise in the first Saturday of the month May thru October.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS BUSINESS AFTER HOURS/SUNDOWNERS on Wednesday, May 8 is from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the GOLDEN VISITORS CENTER/CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 1010 Washington Ave. in Historic Downtown Golden. The May Sundown-ers at the Visitors Center will be celebrating the 16th ANNIVERSARY of the Center and show-casing the value of TOURISM IN GOLDEN. The Visitors Center/Chamber of Commerce has received thousands of pieces of information to give to our visitors. Come on down to check it

out while you enjoy festive outdoor music by DAVID POTTER, food by TABLE MOUN-TAIN INN, beer by MILLERCOORS, wine from CLEAR CREEK WINE & SPIRITS and good old fashion networking. This event will take place on the terrace and patio of the Center as well as inside. There is NO cost to attend but we request you RSVP for proper planning 303-279-3113. The public is invited as well as all Chamber members to help celebrate 16 years of success and kick off this years summer season.

LUNCH & LEARN LUNCH & LEARN will be Thursday, May 14 from 11:30am to 1:00pm at the Chamber and Visitors Center Board Room, 1010 Washington Avenue in Historic Downtown Golden. AL-PHAGRAPHICS GOLDEN presents FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MARKETING DOLLARS. This presenta-tion will include new ideas to make your small business stand out and succeed. Find ways

you can maximize your marketing return on investment, and follow how a small busi-ness grew up. Lunch will be available during the presentation and a question and answer forum will follow. RSVP to [email protected]. Upon reservation, you will receive a lunch order form. Lunch provided by Copa Caf & Sponsored by AlphaGraphics.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS BUSINESS AFTER HOURS on Thursday, May 16 is from 5:00 to 7:00pm at COUNTRY FAIR GARDEN CENTER, 17201 W. 64th Avenue at the end of Easly Road. Appetizers and beverages will provided as you network and shop for your favorite bedding plants, houseplants, perennials, trees, shrubs, roses and the list goes on. Coun-try Fair has everything you need to make your gardening experience a great success. Customer

service, quality, knowledge & customer satisfac-tion is guaranteed. Discount coupons will be given to all attendees and doors prizes will be awarded. Oh yes, there is no charge to attend. Now how can you beat this offer??? Country Fair will have several basket of flowers on display and for sale at the Visitors Center May 8 Sundowners.

GOLDEN FARMERS MARKET GOLDEN FARMERS MARKET OPENS Saturday, June 1 and is from 8:00am to 1:00pm in Historic Golden at Illinois Street on 10th Street next to the Golden Library. You will find fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, fresh jams, sweets & snacks, potted plants, beef, pork, salmon, buf-falo, and the list goes on. This years market will again have more vendors and will prove to be the best yet, so you must come to it. The Golden Farmers Market is approved to partici-pate in the Food Stamp program (SNAP) and accepts debit and credit cards through the EBT

program. There is Cultural Alliance (Golden Museums) representation, Golden businesses showcased, free horse drawn carriage rides, Puppet Show, etc. Its not only a place to shop for your needs but also a place to get to know your Golden neighbors. A good place to park is on 11th Street at Illinois Street and take the Clear Creek walk over bridge to the market. The Golden Farmers Market will be Saturdays thru Oct. 5, except for July 27, Buffalo Bill Days.

Dentistry at Golden RidgeDr. Jamie Irwin Richard755 Heritage Rd., Suite 120Golden, CO 80401(303) 204-6339Dr.richard@dentistrygoldenridge.comwww.dentistrygoldenridge.comDENTISTS

Golden Coach Works Auto Body and PaintJana Miller16015 W 4th Ave. #7Golden, CO 80401(303) 279-9777Fax: (303) [email protected]://www.goldencoachworks.comAUTO BODY REPAIR AND DETAIL

Golden Music CenterMary Brainerd2430 East St.Golden, CO 80401303-279-1111Fax: 303-278-1963mary@goldenmusiccenter.comwww.goldenmusiccenter.comMUSIC RETAIL

Lakewood Dentists and OrthodontistsDr. Eric Williams14710 W. Colfax Ave.Suite 150Golden, CO 80401(303) [email protected]

AlphaGraphics - GoldenAvenue Gifts Bach, Joel & Jeanne Collopy BachBody in Balance ChiropracticBrain Balance Center of GoldenBrand Evolutions WestBusiness Futures, Inc. Property ManagementCanyon Point OrthodonticsCanyon Point Implant and Oral SurgeryColumbia Sanitary Service, Inc.Dove Inn Bed & BreakfastGardner History and Preservation, LLCGolden Marketing, LLCGoldenview Veterinary HospitalGreenComm OrganicH & R BlockMaison Pomme PhotographyMcDonalds RestaurantMountain Lifestyles Chiropractic & Acupuncture CenterMountain MufflerMutual of OmahaOlde Towne Golden Realty, LLCPanorama Orthopedics and Spine CenterPlaza ConstructionRed Rocks Community CollegeRoberts, DoyleThe Silk PincushionSnarfsSourceGasTable Mountain InnTable Mountain Web Design/Golden.comThree Tomatoes Steakhouse and ClubTall Pines PaintingVital OutdoorsWagner, Vicki

We thank them for their ongoing commitment

to the Golden Chamber!

thaNK YoU reNeWiNg members

Saturday-April 27 West Rail Line Grand Opening Big Party and Start Up at Golden End of Line Station at the Jefferson County Government Complex

Tuesday-April 30 Golden Bike Cruise, 10th & Ill. Street 5:30pm

Wednesday-May 1 New Business Ribbon Cutting at Weiss Chiropractic & Acupuncture

Thursday-May 2 LOST (Ladies Only Sample Tour) at Historic Downtown Businesses

Friday-May 3 Goldens First Friday in Historic Downtown Golden

Saturday-May 4 Golden Super Cruise at South Golden Road Businesses and Historic Downtown Golden

Wednesday-May 8 Business After Hours/Sundowners at The Golden Visitors Center

Tuesday-May 14 Lunch & Learn Learn About New Ideas to Make Your Small Business Stand Out and Succeed

Wednesday-May 15 Acquisition Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Sirona Physical Therapy

Thursday-May 16 Business After Hours at Country Fair Garden Center

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE UPCOMING CHAMBER FUNCTIONS


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SWEAT YOURSELF HEALTHY! A roundup of good spring reads

Spring cleaning is always a good thing. You fi nd a lot of dirt when youre scrubbing the corners of your house. You fi nd a better mood when every-things clean and tidy. And you fi nd things you thought youd lost and things you never remembered you even had. Like gift certifi cates left over from December.

So you got a bookstore gift certifi -cate and you dont know how to use it. Why not check out these great books:

KIDS BOOKSIf the gift certifi cate belongs to your

youngun, then look for The Art of Clean Up: Life Made Neat and Tidy by Ursus Wehrli. This is a cute (but unusual) book in which a messy situ-ation is made neat by lining up all the things that made it a mess. Its very dif-ferent, and could be used as a count-ing book for kids who need practice with higher numbers.

If your 9-to-12-year-old is con-cerned about being kind to the Earth, then introduce him (or her!) to Darius Bell and the Crystal Bees by Odo Hirsch. This is a book about a boy who learns that some-thing bad is hap-pening to bees and it wont just mean no more honey. What he does in this honey of a book is for your child to fi nd out

For a great read-aloud that grade-schoolers will love, look for the Dep-uty Dorkface books by Kevin D. Jani-son, illustrated by Eldon Doty. These books teach kids manners, hygiene, and eating right, but not in a preachy way that kids hate. Nope, these books are laugh-out-loud, and kids will love them.

And there you are. You found a gift certifi cate, and thats a good thing. If these books dont sound very appetiz-ing to you, be sure to ask your book-seller for even more ideas. They like to talk about books. Really, they do.

FICTIONIf a good romping romance with

a dose of drama sounds good to you today, then look for Close Quarters by Shamara Ray. This is a book about two roommates shes engaged and hes a jerk and what happens when they realize that they really cant live without one another.

The Underground Railroad is the setting for The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier. When a young Quaker girl moves to Ohio for a new life, she is drawn into helping the ef-fort to spirit former slaves to freedom. And speaking of running away, check

out My One Square Inch of Alaska by Sharon Short. Its the story of a young girl who runs away from a life shes yearned to escape, packs up her brother and his dog, and heads to a long-time dream way up North.

Fans of quirky mysteries will love The Man Who Turned Both Cheeks: A Novel by Gillian Royes. This sequel to Royes fi rst book picks up with Shad Myers, unoffi cial lawman and bar-tender for Largo Bay. Shad is in the midst of turmoil that may or may not save his little community. Youll fi nd more turmoil in The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne. Its a novel of sus-pense, in which a London solicitor takes on a crime thats possibly been committed by a child. Can he keep his own bad memories from tainting the solving of this case?

One of my favorite authors has a new book out: Live by Night by Den-nis Lehane. Set in the Roaring Twen-ties, this is a book about gangsters, Prohibition, and one mans life in the underworld. Coming from Lehane, you know itll be good.

If youre more of a short-story fan, then look for Could You Be With Her Now by Jen Michalski. This book contains two novellas: the fi rst, a sort of mystery-thriller; the second, a story set within a relationship that raises eyebrows.

NON-FICTIONIf you love a good step back in time,

then look for Successful Farming: Traditional Methods and Techniques for Every Farm by Frank D. Gardner. This thick book takes a good look at all kinds of farming and gardening, the way it was done in Grandpas day which makes this book perfect for reminiscing.

Ever wonder what youre made of? The Violinists Thumb by Sam Kean takes readers on a ride inside. Youll learn fascinating things about genet-ics, DNA, and how it shapes each indi-vidual who ever lived including you! Pair it up with The End of Men by Hanna Rosin, a book about how the stronger sex is slowly being domi-nated by the worlds women.

How do you keep your family safe? In Dangerous Instincts by Mary Ellen OToole, PhD and Alisa Bow-man, youll learn a few tips straight from an FBI Profi ler. This is a book for parents, businesspeople and single folks. It doesnt just touch upon physi-cal safety, but decision-making and risk-taking, too. In this weird world, isnt that info you need? Also look for TwentySomething: Why Do Young Adults Seem Stuck? by Robin Ma-rantz Henig and Samantha Henig. Reading this, for parents, is just a dif-

ferent way of keeping your (grown) kids and your sanity safe.

So you say you love classic litera-ture. But did you know that some fi c-tion is actually non-fi ction? In the book Black Fire by Robert Gray-smith, youll read about Samuel Cle-mens, the real Mark Twain, and a 150-year-old mystery. And speaking of mysteries, how about a medical one? Look for Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan, a book about one womans scary illness and the doctor-sleuths who diagnosed it.

If a memoir is your thing this spring, look for Memoir of the Sun-day Brunch by Julia Pandl, a book about growing up in a family restau-rant and the life lessons learned. Or try Diary of a Stage Mothers Daughter by Melissa Francis who, you might re-member, was one of the kids on Little House on the Prairie all those years ago.

One of the things you want to do this year is to strengthen the relation-ship you have with your honey-bunny. That means youll want to fi nd What Makes Love Last? by John Gottman, PhD and Nan Silver. This is a book fi lled with hints, science-based tips, quizzes and more. Youll, um, love it, especially if you team it up with Love 2.0 by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D., which is a book about our emotions in amour and how being twitterpated changes who we are.

If you love biographies, look for Hello, Gorgeous by William J. Mann. Its a big, solid, thick book about Barbra Streisand, her life, and her career. Youll love this book. Also look for Skirt Steak by Charlotte Druckman. Its an anthology of mem-ories and brief memoirs written by women chefs. No recipes, but it sim-mers nonetheless.

Every now and then, you like to read something that sends shivers up your spine, which is a good time to fi nd Restless in Peace by Mariah De La Croix. The author is a mortician. Shes also a psychic. You can well imag-ine how interesting that can be, right? And when youre done, read The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini by Bruce MacNab for a magical afternoons reading.

What would you do without your pals? In Friend-keeping by Julie Klam, youll read about good friends, better friends and the best friends of all. And for a friend of a different sort, read Swoon: Great Seducers and Why Women Love Them by Betsy Priouleau.

Books continues on Page 10


If youre in the mood for some-thing a little on the spiritual side, then look for Imperfect Spiritual-ity by Polly Campbell. This is a book that teaches you to find and get in touch with the inner you by learn-ing new techniques and methods to increase personal growth and spiri-tuality. Team it up with Nurturing the Soul of Your Family by Renee Peterson Trudeau and wont you feel better?

So youve vowed this year to stay green, and Eco Thrifty by Debo-rah Niemann is going to help you do that. This is a book that will take you around your home and vehicle to show you how to save the earth while youre sav-ing money. W h a t s not to love about that? Team it up with The American Dream by Lawrence R. Samuel, a pop-culture book about the history of Having It All.

If youve got a stack of books on your shelf that you havent read since high school, Practical Clas-sics by Kevin Smokler will give you a good reason to change that. This book looks at those old classics, how theyre relevant, and how youll prob-ably enjoy them more now than you ever did back in class.

Loss is never easy and if you faced one last year, then Happily Even Af-ter by Carole Brody Fleet may need to be next to your easy-chair. This is a book specifically for widows and widowers, written to help you get beyond grief and back to a new nor-mal whatever that is. Another book

to find is Moms List by St. John Greene. Its a memoir written by his wife, who was dying and wanted to be sure that her family remembered certain life lessons. Buy them and a box of tissues to go.

Finally, you saw the movie, so you know Lincoln was assassinated. But did you know that there was an at-tempt on his life years before that? In The Hour of Peril by Daniel Stashower, youll read about that al-most-crime and the man who saved Lincolns life by foiling a plot that most certainly wouldve changed his-tory.

PetsIf youre a cat person, youll want

to find Another Insane Devotion by Peter Trachtenberg. This is a book about a mans search for his lost kitty, and the cool things he found while looking for her.

You already probably know that American soldiers often rely on dogs while at war.

You might even know a former working dog or you may have one yourself. In Dogs of Courage by Lisa Rogak, youll read about more of them: police dogs, therapy pups, ser-vice dogs, and more.

Your dog or cat has the best life. So have you ever wondered about the lives of farm animals? In the new book The Lucky Ones by Jenny Brown, youll read about one wom-ans fight for better lives for those critters. Be aware that this book could be very controversial but thats never stopped any animal lover I know You also might like Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man by Brian McGrory. Thats a story of a man who marries a woman and gets kids and a fowl-mood fowl in the package.

And if your pets run a little big and its wild around your house, look for Of Moose and Men by Dr. Jerry Haigh. Thats a book by a Canadian veterinarian who cares for wildlife; in particular, moose. Or would that be mooses?

Happy reading!

Continued from Page 11

Books twenty years walking the walkVictims of crime, and victim advocates gatherBy Glenn [email protected]

The 20th annual Jefferson County Courage Walk held April 20 drew more than 200 partici-pants and among them were survivors of violent crime and family members of murder vic-tims.

Also participating were vic-tim advocates volunteers, pro-fessionals, and organizations that support them.

I always like to start this with recognition of the victims. And theres been a lot of them in this country this year, Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said at the start of the walk.

Participants walked from the Jeffco district attorneys of-fice to the Courage Garden that is located beside the countys courthouse and administrative building in Golden.

Among the walkers were Jean and Bert Stahl, the grand-parents of Heather DeWild, who was killed by her husband in Edgewater 10 years ago.

Earlier this year, the hus-band, Daniel DeWild, was sen-tenced in a Jeffco court to 74 years in prison for her murder.

We wanted to honor Heath-er, and the other victims. Ev-erybody here has something in common, Jean Stahl said. Vic-tim advocates are absolutely on the beam about everything. They were there for us with any-thing we ever needed.

At the garden, County Dis-trict Attorney Pete Weir ad-

dressed the crowd, asking for a moment of silence in honor of the many community rattling events of recent months, as well as older incidents.

The day marked the 14th anniversary of the Columbine shooting in south Jefferson County.

The ceremony also includ-ed words by the Rev. Charles Adone, chaplain at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, and Jane Pemberton, former executive director of Family Tree.

Pemberton shared her per-sonal story about getting herself and her children away from an abusive husband.

I know that many of the brave survivors here can also say that in the midst of your pain and trauma, a few kind words really can make all the difference, Pemberton said.

The event raised $3,548, which will be used to help fund victim advocacy programs in the county, and as direct monetary assistance through the district attorneys Victims in Need Fund.

Courage Walk Co-Chairs Bette Gomez and Courtney Hill both said they were thankful for the ongoing support of the county, law enforcement, and the victim families to keep the event going for so many years.

Its huge for Jefferson Coun-ty victims to know that there are people out there who will show up, who care, Hill said.

To become a volunteer vic-tim advocate, contact the sher-iffs office at 303-271-5339.

If you are suffering from do-mestic abuse, call the national hotline number 1-800-799-7233.

More than 200 participants made the half-mile walk up to the Jefferson County Courage Garden on April 20, raising thousands for crime victims and victim advocates. Photo by Glenn Wallace


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Featured perennialBotanic name: Agastache species including A. rup-estris, A. cana, A. Corona-do, A. Tutti Frutti A. Sin-ningCommon name: Hyssop, Hummingbird MintHeight: 1 to 5 feet, de-pending on varietyWidth: 1 - 2 feetLight: Full sunWater: Slightly dry to drySoil: Well-drainedGrowth Habit: Upright and bushyHow to use: Use in a mixed Xeric perennial bed or bor-der or containers

Agastache species are an excellent addition to the Xeric perennial garden for mid to late summer color

and fragrance. Foliage and flowers are

highly fragrant such as anise and double bubble bubblegum. They need full sun, well-drained soil, and keep them slightly dry to

dry or they will become weak, leggy and possibly rot.

Submitted by Colorado Nurs-ery and Greenhouse Associa-tion

Photo by Harriet McMillan

All about aerificationBy Tony Koski, CSU Extension Turf Specialist

A few thoughts on lawn aerification (core cultiva-tion) from now through the fall.

If lawns arent being regularly watered (as is the case in many communi-ties), the lawns will likely be so hard that aerification will not be terribly effec-tive. That is, plugs will not likely be pulled from such hard lawns without the benefit of a good soaking rain or a couple of days of intensive irrigation.

Lawns that are stressed due to some of the more extreme watering restric-tions will not likely bene-fit from fall aerification (or earlier beat the fall rush aerification being promot-ed by some companies right now).

These stressed lawns may actually suffer addi-tional stress (traffic stress from the equipment, in-creased drying because of open holes).

Aerification holes will promote drying of the soil

if they do not heal over quickly. On actively grow-ing, regularly watered lawns the holes heal quick-ly.

On stressed, infrequent-ly irrigated lawns the holes will stay open longer and thus promote drying of the soil something we dont need at this point. Plus, drought stressed and (espe-cially) non irrigated lawns will not produce much in the way of new roots this fall even if they are aeri-fied.

In fact, they may pro-duce more roots if left un-disturbed (not aerified) than if they are aerified.

Those lawns that are being watered enough to get good penetration/plug pulling would probably benefit because they are growing normally (new roots will form, holes will heal over).

So, lawns that do not appear to be under stress and are irrigated regularly enough to allow effective pulling of cores can benefit from fall aerification.

Where watering re-strictions have resulted in stressed lawns and hard soil, aerification may not be effective and may actu-ally cause more harm than good.

Courtesy photo

Twenty years walking the walk

The event raised $3,548, which will be used to help fund victim advocacy programs in the county, and as direct monetary assistance through the district attorneys Victims in Need Fund.

Courage Walk Co-Chairs Bette Gomez and Courtney Hill both said they were thankful for the ongoing support of the county, law enforcement, and the victim families to keep the event going for so many years.

Its huge for Jefferson Coun-ty victims to know that there are people out there who will show up, who care, Hill said.

To become a volunteer vic-tim advocate, contact the sher-iffs office at 303-271-5339.

If you are suffering from do-mestic abuse, call the national hotline number 1-800-799-7233.

12 Wheat Ridge Transcript April 25, 201312-Color-Opinion

opinions / yours and ours

Keep jobs at home, businesses at easeThe Keep Jobs in Colorado Act appears

to have considerable support as it passed the House Monday at the Statehouse.

We appreciate suggested improve-ments touted by the act, House Bill 1292, co-sponsored by state Sen. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, but give pause to some of its measures long-term.

We agree with Kerr that changes are needed in penalties for companies that do not meet a threshold of requiring 80 percent of all taxpayer-backed state project labor be conducted by Colorado workers.

Kerr noted the 80 percent requirement has been on the books since 1933 but a jail penalty for non-complying company owners has not been enforced.

We agree virtually every law should have teeth, so it makes sense to amend the law by replacing jail time with civil fees for violations and retooling the com-pliance process.

The Keep Jobs in Colorado Act also aims to:

Clamp down on outsourcing of jobs overseas in state contracts with beefed up disclosures on state contractors who use second-party vendors;

Provide stricter enforcement of out-of-state bid preferences to make sure Colorado companies have all legal advantages available;

Expand the so-called best value metrics related to in-state employment and domestically produced materials for contracts that are not co-mingled with federal funds;

Create a central tracking system for

state projects in practice tracking the most costly materials in public works projects, such as items made from iron, steel and related manufactured goods.

In light of these values, we recognize the arguments of some Republicans and others that it can be a difficult process ensuring that projects involve Colorado-based materials.

In one of our stories earlier this month, Rep. Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, stated flatly there is no way in this free market system that everyone is going to be truthful.

Sad but true.Further we acknowledge it is highly

problematic for contractors to know and document the sources of all materials. As for tracking payroll, that is not as much of a challenge, but more paperwork means increasing staff time and cost for contractors.

Overall, the acts key measures can in

some ways strengthen the state in the current challenging economic climate. The measures match the times, although its surely dicey work because making laws to regulate business whether its incentives or tariffs or common taxes, and so on will always be complicated and questionable to free market purists.

For now, we support the general ideas, but long-term, we harbor reserva-tions because the effort to stay local and secure jobs works against the pressing global marketplace and its competitive realities of comparative advantage when one country can produce products or provide labor more efficiently than another.

Given that the state employment rate decreased from about 8.2 percent a year ago to 7.1 percent last month, wed like to see Colorado in a trend to entertain fewer laws that mean increased government protocols and processes for business.

our view

Look for best ideas over right, wrong

One of the things that drives me crazy about our current political environment is the idea that if one guy is right, then the other guy has to be wrong, and vice versa.

Political battles are no longer oppor-tunities to take the good out of both ideas and enact them, but, rather, a baby-or-the-bathwater approach in which one side wins 100 percent, and the other side loses 100 percent.

This was oddly evident last weekend on the editorial pages of the Denver Post.

Jefferson County Schools Superinten-dent Cindy Stevenson co-authored an editorial in favor of Sen. Mike Johnstons, D-Denver, school funding bill (SB 213), while right next to it the founder of End the Education Plantation, John Conlin of Littleton, penned an editorial against it.

One side yes, one side no, very little gray area. The problem is both arguments have merit, which the other side is loath to acknowledge. No points out that the state spends more than $10,000 per student currently about the price of a good private education and that SB 213 would increase that funding to nearly $12,000 without changing the design of the system.

Yes, on the other hand, points out that Colorado schools have had funding cut by $1.1 billion in the last four years, that the recent Lobato ruling held that Colorado school funding is irrational, arbitrary, and severely underfunded, and that, in spite of those cuts, the state has undertaken some pretty ambitious reforms.

Or why not come from the view that public schools should be just as effective as private schools, but that its going to cost some money to make it happen.

What if we did this: Start with Sen. Michael Johnstons, D-Denver, $100 million Innovation Fund, and take two years with that money to start to figure out what new ideas make the most difference then use them and fund them?

Id even start with a few thousand spent studying Twin Peaks Charter School and DEvelyn Jr./Sr. High School both identified as top schools in the country by national publications and identify what those schools do best, and how those ideas can be spread to every school in the state. Study the best schools in the country that serve at-risk populations, and steal their ideas. Study the best early-education pro-grams in the world, and steal their ideas.

Dont just fund the system fund the smartest system.

Making every school in this state a high performing school may cost $1 billion, and we should commit to that price tag up front, should it be necessary. But we should also be open to the idea that it might not cost $1 billion, or that what it really re-quires is more commitment from families and communities, not wallets.

Im happy to commit to a billion-dollar tax hike if I have confidence that every school and every child will be educated at a higher level. But that confidence is only going to come at the other end of a win-win process, not at the other end of whats shaping up to be a typical, partisan political fight.

Michael Alcorn is a music teacher and fitness instructor who lives in Arvada with his wife and three children. He graduated from Alameda High School and the Univer-sity of Colorado-Boulder.

I think they give too much. Theyre not just giving us information, but theyre giving terrorists information. Everything you see goes up online and can be seen by anyone.

Kam Halcomb, Arvada

There is too much because there are things that need to be kept secret and not let out for safety. Patty Petrozelli, Arvada

As a society, we demand more informa-tion, and because we demand more, people are put in harms way. I think weve lost sight of the No. 1 purpose of government and thats to protect people, even

in secrecy. Karen Levine, Arvada

I do think the govern-ment has things they have to keep secret for the safety of our military and CIA and things like that. You have to still trust the government to be wise with the citizens

interest at heart with what they keep secret and what they release. Robin Alexander, Arvada

Does government provide enough info on terrorism?

The United States and its allies have been fighting the War on Terror since 2001 fol-lowing the attacks on Sept. 11. The ongoing battle has been fought both on foreign and domestic soil. We asked local residents at Steamers Coffeehouse, 13771 W. 85th Drive in Arvada, if they think the information released by the government is beneficial.

question of the week

gerard healey President

mikkel kelly Publisher and Editor

Tammy kranz Assistant Editor

erin addenbrooke Advertising Director

audrey brooks Business Manager

scoTT andrews Creative Services Manager

sandra arellano Circulation Director

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