Week of December 8, 2022
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
GoldenTranscript.net
VOLUME 156 | ISSUE 51
Olde Golden Candlelight Walk brightens spirits, warms hearts
Golden adopts 5-year Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion action plan Officials see plan as “call to action” for whole community BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
In what has become a beloved annual tradition, more than 6,000 happy hearts joined Santa, the official holiday ambassador, for the Olde Golden Candlelight Walk. Along with warm drinks and holiday music, the evening wrapped up with an official lighting ceremony. BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY DGRIGSBY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Downtown Golden took on a festive glow as more than 6,000 people —and a few festively dressed dogs — gathered downtown for the annual Olde Golden Candlelight Walk. Usually held on the first Friday in December, the time-honored tradition marks the beginning of the holiday season with a beautiful candlelit walk down historic Washington Avenue. Friends, families and neighbors bundled up to sing carols and enjoy the small-town holiday vibe. Local merchants and outdoor cafes offered SEE WALK, P3
Susanna Martinez, (foreground) her son Oscar Martinez, (center), and friend Azzan Booker, (left) were part of an estimated 6,000 people who were on hand for the annual Olde Golden Candlelight Walk, on Dec. 2, in downtown Golden. The beloved annual PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY event is the city’s official kick-off for the holiday season.
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
Over the next five years, Golden will take definitive, tangible steps toward making both the city organization and the whole community more welcoming and inclusive. More public documents will be available to those who don’t speak English or have different abilities; city boards and commissions’ recruiting process will be more inclusive; and the city will contract more with diverse small businesses, to name a few examples. The Golden City Council recently adopted a five-year Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan. The plan, which has been compiled by consultant group MIG over the past 16 months, outlines four goals: • Create a culture of inclusion and belonging throughout the community of Golden; • Increase access to services and resources for diverse community members; • Foster an organizational culture and environment within the City of Golden that’s committed to racial equity, diversity and inclusion; and • Expand economic opportunities SEE ACTION PLAN, P4
WARM SPOT FOR WINTER PRODUCE
Packing container to bring farming downtown
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