Happy Tuesday, Goldenites! Hope you’re enjoying all the blooming flowers and budding trees! 🌷 And if you’re suffering from springtime allergies, I hope you feel better soon!

Even though last week was Spring Break for many folks, it was still a very busy week around Golden.

City officials are gearing up for a strange tubing season. Downtown Golden was the site of a third “No Kings” protest, which didn’t draw as many people as organizers were expecting but still had about 1,800 attendees. And the Mines softball team defended its homefield from crosstown rival Regis.

Be sure to stick around until the end for an “Easter egg”-themed “Blast from the Past” section, and read until the very, very end for a special surprise!

But first, the return of High-Low-Buffalo! (My week’s high point, low point and a random thing that happened)

🦬 This week’s High-Low-Buffalo

High: Several assignments this week took me down to the Clear Creek corridor last week, and I enjoyed seeing all the flowers and trees. I even saw a few people tubing. I know it’s almost April, but it’s really feeling like it’s a month earlier than it already is. 🌸

Low: Sunday evenings can be a little chaotic as we send the Transcript to the printers on Monday mornings, but this Sunday evening was especially so. I had two stories to write and another one to update. We got it all done, but still … My poor editor. 🥲

Buffalo: While I mostly work from home, I sometimes stop by libraries to work remotely when necessary. I’ve now visited most of the Jeffco library branches, and even went to Douglas County a few times. On Wednesday, because of various meetings and wanting to avoid crosstown traffic, I stopped by an Arapahoe library branch for the first time. 📚

With a historically low snowpack on the Front Range and no major storms on the horizon, tubing in Golden could look very different this summer.

Usually, Clear Creek’s water levels and speeds start rising significantly in May, with red-flag conditions continuing into late June or early July. Once water levels reach 700 cubic feet per second or lower, that’s when the creek opens for tubing.

However, city officials said they’re preparing for an earlier and shorter run-off season, meaning Clear Creek could open to tubing earlier than normal, but ideal conditions may not last long.

City Manager Scott Vargo told the Transcript March 25 that people “may still tube despite lower water levels, (as) we experience that each year in the later stages of the summer season.” However, the city will be communicating with the public about water conditions, warning flag status and other safety information, he said.

He recommended any water recreationalists keep an eye on the warning flag status via VisitGolden.com and Clear Creek’s flow via the USGS website. For instance, as of March 27, the creek was discharging about 80 cfs.

On March 24, as two families were crossing the intersection of 10th and Ford streets, a truck made a left-hand turn and struck a 7-year-old boy, injuring him and leaving both families traumatized.

Golden Police Department have cited a 79-year-old man with careless driving causing serious bodily injury.

The injured boy, Ezra was later hospitalized with several broken bones in his left hand and arm that required surgery. By March 29, though, he was back home and recovering with his family.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe for Ezra, his mom April Cardinali, and their family raised more than $3,500.

Commerce City’s Harumy Arellano, who was with the Cardinalis March 24 and started the GoFundMe for them, thanked everyone who donated, supported and prayed for Ezra and his family. Arellano extended Cardinali’s thanks as well.

“It’s looking better; they’re optimistic,” Arellano said of Ezra and his family’s recovery. “ … It’s a miracle that Ezra’s OK, given what happened to him.”

Protests can be loud, crowded and chaotic.

But, as people who packed downtown Golden this weekend said, they can also be joyful.

About 1,800 protesters lined Washington Avenue March 28 during the third iteration of the nationwide “No Kings” protest, local organizers estimated.

National organizing groups said “No Kings 3” drew 8 million participants across 3,300 events in all 50 states, including a flagship protest in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“There’s a lot of joy and solidarity here today,” Lakewood’s Freyja Arnold said, looking at her fellow protesters along Golden’s Washington Avenue. “But there’s also a lot of anger. You don’t take your Saturday to do this unless you’re really pissed off.”

🥎 The Colorado School of Mines softball team went 2-2 in a weekend series with crosstown rival Regis. The Orediggers are now 13-21 for the season and 9-15 in conference play, with five weekends and 20 games left in 2026. Check out coverage of the weekend’s doubleheaders.

🏀 Three Golden View girls basketball players made this year’s CHSAA All-State Teams. Check out the full list of All-State teams here.

🔥 To help mitigate the threat and in keeping with state requirements, the Jefferson County Commissioners recently approved its own Wildfire Resiliency Code. This includes updated requirements on creating areas around structures to slow the spread of fire and using building materials with the same intent, which take effect July 1. Read the full story here.

⚖ The trial for a Golden-area child sexual assault case has been pushed from late April to September. The defendant’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 13. Read the story here.

🏫 Jeffco Public Schools Superintendent Tracy Dorland has defended her comments about a mill levy override after JESPA officials alleged Dorland expected the mill levy override ballot measure would fail this November. A school district spokesperson said the comments “were intended to provide historical context regarding the difficulties of school funding measures in Jeffco, and the impact if failure occurs.” Read the full story here.

Wednesday:

Saturday:

Monday:

Next Tuesday:

Next Saturday:

This week’s keyword search: “Easter egg”

The results: “Personal Notes” from April 1957 recommended Goldenites make Easter egg cookies. 🍪

All archive clippings are available through The Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection