Serving Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and beyond
WEEK OF MARCH 20, 2025
VOLUME 41 | ISSUE 33
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Jeffco schools approves actions on 3 closed schools, 1 vacant land site BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
SHERIDAN BOULEVARD STUDY SEEKS TO IMPROVE SAFETY P5
CHECK OUT NEW BUSINESSES IN GOLDEN P6
WINDOW Paint-A-Thon helps WESTMINSTER
Volunteers participating in Keller Williams RED Day paint two houses for low-income, older adults through the Brothers Redevelopment Paint-A-Thon program in Lakewood, CO. COURTESY OF BROTHERS REDEVELOPMENT
keep homes looking bright BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
MMA FIGHTERS TRAIN FOR GLORY IN BOULDER P12
2025
MINSTER VOTING STARTS
NOW!
The Jeffco board of education approved the district’s recommendation to surplus three former school sites and one vacant land site at its March 13 meeting. As a result, the district will move forward with its property disposition process to determine the future of the sites. According to the district’swebsite, “the board must vote to classify a facility as ‘surplus’ in order to move forward with the process of selling or leasing it to an outside entity.” District leaders say the move is part of a broader effort to optimize the use of district resources, following years of declining enrollment and school closures. The sites the board voted to surplus are: • Bergen Meadow Primary: Located at 1892 Bergen Parkway, this former primary school closed in 2023 as part of the district’s regional consolidation plan. • Evergreen Meadows Tracts 6 & 8: A vacant land site with no school building, originally set aside for future district use. • Colorow Elementary School: Located at 6317 S. Estes St., Colorow closed in 2023 due to declining enrollment. • Peiffer Elementary School: Located at 4997 S. Miller Way, Peiffer closed in 2023, with students redirected to Kendallvue Elementary. Why these properties? Jeffco Operations and Strategy Project Manager Greg Avedikian said the district identified these four sites for surplus based on a combination of factors, including student accommodations, nearby school capacity and long-term enrollment projections.
For nearly 50 years, a fresh coat of paint has meant more than just a home makeover for thousands of Colorado seniors and people with disabilities. It has meant independence, dignity and a renewed sense of pride in their homes. Jason Stutzman, who manages the volunteer department at Brothers Redevelopment, a Denver-based nonprofit that provides affordable housing solutions, said many elderly and disabled residents cannot repaint their homes. According to Stutzman, a professional paint job costs several thousand dollars. Those on a fixed income often need that money for essentials like groceries or medical bills. That is where the Paint-A-Thon steps in. “The real heart of our program is that folks who either physically or financially can’t take care of this work scope on their own and can’t afford to hire a contractor can apply for the program,”
WINDOW
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12 | CALENDAR: 15 | SPORTS: 18
Stutzman said. Each year, teams of volunteers spend their weekends scraping, priming and painting houses across the Denver metro area and beyond, ensuring that older adults and people with disabilities can remain in their homes without the financial burden of costly maintenance. To qualify, homeowners must be at least 60 years old, living with a disability or on a fixed income. The home must be a single-story or eligible split-level house that meets the program’s height restrictions, and the applicant must own and reside in the home as their primary residence. Each summer, Stutzman said between 110 and 125 homes get a fresh coat of paint, thanks to the efforts of around 2,500 volunteers. “Sponsors provide all of the paint materials, tools, brushes, rollers, ladders, caulk and primer,” Stutzman said. SEE PAINTING, P4
SEE LAND SITE, P31
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