Serving the community since 1866
WEEK OF JUNE 22, 2023
VOLUME 157 | ISSUE 27
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Golden Day 2023: Celebrating one of Colorado’s oldest cities
Suspect in Applewood car shooting has bond set at $1 million BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Mother Nature provides a beautiful Golden Day sunset, seen from South Table Mountain, on June 16, 2022. PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Golden’s looking pretty good for 164 years old. This month, City Council declared June 16, 2023 as Golden Day — commemorating the anniversary of its founding. In 1859, George West and other members of the Boston Company established Golden City. “City” was dropped from the town’s title in January 1872. When the city was founded, members of the Boston Company and others camping in the valley met and agreed to begin
the formation of a new city. They took steps to form a town company and to survey and lay out a town site. Famous miner George Andrew Jackson requested the city be named after his most trusted friend and partner, Thomas L. Golden. Jackson and Golden had been caught in a flash flood in Clear Creek, west of the city’s current boundaries. The flood nearly took Jackson’s life, but Golden stayed by his side. George West, president of the Boston Company, recorded these events and the city’s founding. He later served as
a city councilor and started two newspapers, and wanted citizens to establish June 16 as “Golden Day” to commemorate the anniversary of Golden’s founding. Goldenites throughout the years have shared how much they love the area’s natural beauty, recreational activities, community events, and historical preservation. With that in mind, the Transcript offers this photo gallery displaying Golden’s many charms over the past year. SEE GOLDEN DAY PHOTOS, P2
VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | CALENDAR: 19 | SPORTS: 30
The Lakewood man accused of shooting at a car last month in Applewood has had his bond set at $1 million cash only. Paul Behme, 31, was arrested June 13 for attempted first-degree murder. He appeared in court virtually from the Jefferson County jail for his June 16 advisement of charges. The judge agreed with the prosecutor that Behme was “an extraordinary risk to public safety,” which necessitated a very high bond. If he does post it, the judge ruled that Behme can’t possess any firearms, consume drugs or alcohol or contact the victims in the case. His next court appearance is scheduled for 10 a.m. June 23 at the Jefferson County Courthouse. According to the arrest affidavit, around 9:30 p.m. May 23, a car with two occupants was driving westbound along West 32nd Avenue in the Applewood area, which is unincorporated Jefferson County between Golden and Lakewood. Near the Eldridge Street intersection, the car was struck seven times by gunfire, with one bullet piercing the windshield and nearly missing the occupants. The driver — a Golden resident — only sustained minor injuries from the shattered glass, and the passenger was uninjured, the Jeffco SEE BOND, P3
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