$1.00
Week of October 20, 2022
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
JeffcoTranscript.com
VOLUME 39 | ISSUE 13
Remember Me, Recuérdame
Jeffco Board of Education hears updates on possible school closures BY ANDREW FRAIELI AFRAIELI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Hudson Kazimir, 8, holds up his painted sugar skull during the Golden Library’s Día de los Muertos sugar skull activity on Oct. 12. The activity, presented by Museo de las Americas, will be traveling to various Jeffco library branches through Oct. 30. PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN
Golden Library patrons prepare sweet offerings for Día de los Muertos BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As people in Mexico and other countries prepare to celebrate and honor their dead Nov. 1-2, Jackeline Ruiz hopes to offer a taste of that tradition for Jeffco Library patrons. On Oct. 12, Jeffco Library and the Denver-based Museo de las Americas cohosted a Día de los Muertos sugar skull activity at the Golden
Library. The activity will be at other Jeffco Library branches through Oct. 30. Ruiz described how Día de los Muertos originated in Mexico thousands of years ago and has evolved and spread to other countries over the centuries. While celebrations look a little different from place to place, Ruiz emphasized how it’s about taking time to honor deceased loved ones. Sometimes that involves feasting, singing, dancing and creating sugar skulls called Calaveras. Ruiz told the 20 participants at the Golden Library that each sugar skull is meant to represent someone who’s died, and is painted with designs specific to that person. For
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20
instance, she described making one for her grandma with red lipstick and yellow flowers, which were her grandma’s favorite. Ruiz, who’s from Venezuela, said she didn’t grow up with the holiday, but has started celebrating it since moving to the United States four years ago. It’s become a healthy way to talk about death without feeling sad or intimidated, she described, adding helps start conversations with children “about what passing away means.” “It feels super weird at first,” she said of celebrating the holiday, “ … but you connect with other people SEE OFFERINGS, P2
With the Jeffco Board of Education vote on whether to consolidate elementary schools approaching on Nov. 10, the board heard another update on how closures would affect enrollment, students, staff and transportation. Lisa Relou, chief of communications and strategy for Jefferson County Public Schools, highlighted specific questions she said had come up at multiple community meetings. One is parents feeling that a decision has already been made, a sentiment made at the first Emory Elementary community meeting. “While the district’s recommendation to the board won’t be changing between now and Nov. 10, of course, every board member has a vote in this process,” said Relou. Other questions were why there was one vote rather than 16 — one for each school — which Relou said was to make the process as equitable as possible. She also said community members can make their feelings known to the board by writing to individual board members, and speaking at public comments, including on the day of the vote. On enrollment, Relou stressed SEE CLOSURES, P5
PATHS TO ART
Artists putting murals underfoot across recreation paths P14