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Week of September 15, 2022
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 24 | SPORTS: PAGE 26
VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 13
Arvada Police Officer Dillon Michael Vakoff killed in line of duty
Harvest Festival returns to renewed fanfare 97th Arvada Harvest Festival featured dreary weather and a new parade route after twoyear layoff BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arvada Police Department Public Information Officer Dave Snelling addresses the media while backed by APD officers and Arvada’s City Council.
Officer Vakoff killed while responding to disturbance on 51st Ave; suspect in custody BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
An Arvada police officer was killed while responding to a disturbance on the 6700 block of West 51st Avenue around 1:41 a.m. on Sept. 11. Dillon Michael Vakoff, 27, was identified as the victim of a shooting that took place in the early hours. Vakoff and another APD officer arrived at the 6700 block of West 51st Avenue in response to reports of a large family disturbance involving two minors. They found a “chaotic” scene with multiple people in the street, said Arvada Police Chief Link Strate during a morning SEE SHOOTING, P4
A squad car turned memorial for Vakoff.
PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN
A new parade route and foreboding clouds didn’t disrupt the 97th Annual Arvada Harvest Festival, which returned Sept. 9 to 11 after a two-year absence. The festivities kicked off with a petting zoo and live music headlined by Hazel Miller and the Collective on Sept. 9, followed by the Grand parade and Garden Harvest Fair the following day. A car show and community potluck were some of the events that concluded the festival on Sept. 11. Moved from Olde Town, the new parade route along 58th Avenue was met with a warm reception among festivalgoers, who lined the sidewalks hours in advance in anticipation of the parade, which featured performances from local high school marching bands and cheerleading troupes along with floats and other entries. The Arvada Harvest Festival had been on hiatus since 2019 after the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2021 due to a permit issue. The festival, organized by the Arvada Junior Chamber Foundation, dates back to 1925. SEE HARVEST FESTIVAL PHOTOS ON P2