Serving the community since 1866
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20, 2025
VOLUME 159 | ISSUE 8
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Third-graders make case to update playground DOCS EMBRACE AI TECH
Letter-writing project asks businesses to help add fun, safe, accessible features
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BY CORINNE WESTMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Traffic was diverted through downtown, the city stated in a Feb. 8 email, contributing to the gridlock. Additionally, Golden police officers were responding to other emergencies, “which hampered their ability to assist with traffic management,” the email explained. With these factors combined, downtown Golden devolved into “a total disaster,” as resident David Johnson described, saying it took him 45 minutes to drive two miles.
There is no slide on the playground at Golden’s Shelton Elementary School. The monkey bars are too tall for many younger students to reach; the rocks from the playground surface get into students’ shoes; and beyond swinging and climbing, there’s not much to do. As Shelton PTSA President Maya Chain said, the playground looks like something designed for people to work on their upper-body strength. “It doesn’t seem to be designed for children,” she continued. But, Shelton students, parents and staff are working to change all that. The school community is raising funds for its new playground, which will be installed sometime this summer. To that end, Shelton third-graders are sending letters to local businesses, asking for their financial support for the final $50,000. The community has been fundraising for this playground for more than five years and has collected about $147,000, including a recent $65,000 Thriving Communities grant from the city. Chain and Shelton PTSA member Sarah Hawkins said the group hopes to reach its $200,000 goal by March. Chain and Hawkins said the current $147,000 is enough to guarantee a new playground, but the more funds the community raises, the more features Shelton can add.
SEE GRIDLOCKED, P12
SEE PLAYGROUND, P17
CHILDREN THRIVE IN HIGH LIFE P10 A Goldens in Golden attendee and their dog walk along the train tracks at the city’s east edge to get to the Feb. 8 event. With unprecedented numbers at this year’s Goldens in Golden, many people had to park far out and find ways PHOTO BY SARA HERTWIG to get downtown.
Adjustments suggested after gridlocked Goldens in Golden
Organizers, city officials game-planning after record attendance causes issues BY CORINNE WESTMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
STITT ERA IS BACK AT MINES P16
A large-scale downtown event with record attendance. A highway closure. Multiple emergencies. On Feb. 8, Golden — particularly in and around the downtown area — was in complete gridlock. Now, city officials and event organizers are working to make sure it doesn’t happen again. As of Feb. 12, no plans had been finalized but are expected in the coming weeks. Much of the problem on Feb. 8
was due to the annual Goldens in Golden event. Visit Golden, which hosts the event, has estimated about 7,500 people and 3,000 dogs were downtown celebrating National Golden Retriever Day. Attendees were trying to find parking, with many forced to park a mile or more away. Some even walked along the train tracks from the eastern edge of town. Another problem was that U.S. Highway 6 was closed for several hours between mid-morning and mid-afternoon due to a seriously injured rock-climber.
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