Serving the community since 1866
WEEK OF JULY 10, 2025
VOLUME 159 | ISSUE 28
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FESTIVAL FOR THE FOURTH Golden celebrates American independence P4
Polis signs muffler equirement into law Clear Creek residents fought for new state law to reduce truck noise BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CORINNE@COTLN.ORG
Families can find applications online — at www.cde.state.co.us./nutrition/determine-program-eligibility — or through their local school. Families only need to complete one application per household. The state says the form is confidential and doesn’t ask about immigration or citizenship status. It typically requires household income information, the last four digits of a Social Security number (or a note if none is available) and a signature.
Exactly two years from now, the highways around Golden and all over Colorado should be much quieter, improving residents’ quality of life. The Colorado legislature passed and Gov. Jared Polis recently signed into law a bill that gives law enforcement officers new methods to ensure all commercial vehicles have mufflers, as already required by law. The law, which was introduced as HB25-1039, will take effect July 1, 2027. Organizers said they’ve been working on the bill for two years and were excited to see it become law, adding how it wouldn’t have been possible without all the partners’ collaboration. During its time in the legislature, HB251039 had bipartisan and bicameral support. It was also backed by the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, the Golden City Council, and residents in Jefferson and Clear Creek counties, among others. Rep. Brianna Titone, who represents the Golden area and was one of the bill’s sponsors, said she knows many people around Golden and across Colorado whose lives are impacted by continual truck noise. She’d hoped to bring them relief sooner, but she said the two-year wait period was a necessary compromise due to budgetary reasons. Under HB25-1039, the Colorado Department of Revenue’s computer systems would have to be upgraded to keep records of all muffler violations, she and former Golden City Councilor Casey Brown explained. The DOR’s systems were already set to be upgraded by 2027. Thus, proponents could make the bill little to no cost by “piggybacking” on those scheduled upgrades, Brown said, which was advantageous in the legislature’s “tight budget environment.” Brown, who has been championing HB25-1039 on behalf of the Golden City Council, hoped the Colorado Department of Transportation and Colorado State Patrol would start education efforts in the coming months. Not only would it help truck drivers learn about the new law before it takes effect, but it might also help reduce truck noise in the intervening 24 months, he said.
SEE NEW RULES, P5
SEE MUFFLER, P2
New rules for free and reduced-price school meals Colorado updates rules for eligibility before the 2025-26 year begins BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
The household income form helps determine how much state and federal funding a school district receives for programs that support low-income students, including Title I services, fee waivers and grant eligibility. State education officials encourage all families to complete the application, regardless of whether their child attends a school that offers universal free meals. “When families fill out this application, they help unlock essential funding that supports students and schools across Colorado,” said Education Commissioner Susana Córdova. “Strong participation from families makes a real difference.” Families should apply if they have experienced a recent drop in income, receive SNAP, TANF or Medicaid, have children in foster care or Head Start or face hous-
ing instability. Submitting the form can have a significant impact, even in schools that provide meals to all students. How to apply
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Starting July 1, families in Jefferson, Adams and Weld counties can apply for free and reduced-price school meals for the upcoming 2025–26 school year. While many schools in the area now offer free meals through Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program, the state still requires all families to complete the household income form. And it’s not just about meals.
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