Serving the community since 1866
WEEK OF JANUARY 9, 2025
VOLUME 159 | ISSUE 2
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Authorities investigating death of fired Jefferson County Schools executive BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
On Dec. 30, customers browse the merchandise inside the Buffalo Bill Museum gift shop. The Pahaska Tepee building, PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN where the gift shop and cafe are, was set to close indefinitely at end of day Dec. 31.
So long to the shop atop the mountain Customers, concessionaires bid farewell to gift shop at the Buffalo Bill Museum BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Over the decades, the gift shop and café at the Buffalo Bill Museum & Gravesite has been a haven for tourists and locals alike. It was a quiet spot to relax and reflect, to sip coffee or hot chocolate while enjoying the views of Denver and the nearby foothills. It was a welcome relief for those who desperately needed some food or indoor bathrooms. It was also a fun spot to grab souvenirs so visitors could fondly remember their trip to Lookout Mountain. It was, ultimately, a place of memories — good and bad, big and small, significant and fleeting. Now, that haven is closed indefinitely. The Pahaska Tepee building, which housed the gift shop and café, closed at end of day Dec. 31. It was built in 1921 and has been
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run by the same family of concessionaires since 1956. Denver Mountain Parks, which owns the site, plans to assess Pahaska Tepee’s condition and explore future programming opportunities for it. Denver Parks & Recreation officials have not said what those opportunities might be or when the building will reopen, whether on an interim basis or a permanent one, but encouraged people to check its website for updates. In the meantime, the museum and gravesite will remain open with its usual hours. Bill Carle and his nephew Dustin Day said their family has been running the Buffalo Bill Museum gift shop for five generations, since Carle’s grandma answered Denver Mountain Parks’ request for proposals in 1956. By 2024, their family members had met about 80,000 people a
year from all over the world. As Carle said, he and his family are leaving Lookout Mountain “with great memories but a bad feeling.” Carle and Day said their family — the H.W. Stewart Company — wanted to continue its partnership with Denver Mountain Parks. However, the agency decided not to renew the agreement into 2025. Day said the family would’ve been open to “an opportunity to adapt, overcome or step aside,” but there “wasn’t even a conversation” as Denver Mountain Parks seemed to make the decision unilaterally. Now, Day and Carle said, they felt like they were letting the locals and the tourists down. They expected Dec. 31 was going to be a difficult and busy day, with Carle adding, “I’ve had a wonderful life on Lookout Mountain. … It’s hard to leave.”
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VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12 | CALENDAR: 15
The Washington County Sheriff ’s Office in Maryland is conducting a death investigation involving former Jefferson County Schools Chief of Staff David Weiss, 47, of Morrison, Colorado. A Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office spokesperson confirmed that JSCO was notified of Weiss’ death on Jan. 1 and that the sheriff ’s office is investigating Weiss regarding possession of child pornography materials. The office confirmed that it will continue the investigation despite Weiss’ death and that no further information will be released until it is concluded. Weiss was abruptly terminated from his role with the Jefferson County School District on Dec. 19 following a school board meeting. The school district did not disclose the reasons for Weiss’s dismissal, citing an ongoing criminal investigation and law enforcement guidance. In a statement, the district said, “At the direction of Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Department, we cannot share any further details at this time due to their open investigation.” In an email sent to families and staff after learning of Weiss’ death, Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Tracey Dorland and school board president Mary Parker addressed the situation, emphasizing their commitment to student safety. “We want to assure you that the safety of all children, especially our Jeffco students, is our top priority, and we will continue to fully support the JCSO in their ongoing investigation,” Dor-
David Weiss PHOTO FROM JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
land and Parker said. “We have a zero-tolerance policy for any employee behavior that threatens the health and safety of our students, and we use and regularly update cybersecurity software and firewalls that prevent staff and students from accessing inappropriate or harmful material on Jeffco networks and devices. We believe that as it pertains to the investigation, the district’s network was not used,” the statement continued. The district acknowledged the emotional toll of the situation and encouraged the community to seek support if needed. “This situation is unsettling and challenging for all of us, especially as we await the outcome of the investigation,” the statement said. “If you or your loved one needs support during this time, you can access resources through Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Hazel Health, and the Colorado Crisis Services.” Maryland authorities have released no additional details about the circumstances of Weiss’s death. The investigation remains ongoing.
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