Howdy, Goldenites! Hope you’re all having a great Tuesday.
It was another busy week around town, with the State of the City event, a snowstorm and the final week of the Golden Comfort and Comedy Festival! Be sure to check out all the news stories below.
This week, in lieu of a High-Low-Buffalo, here are a few things I asked city officials about at the March 5 State of the City event:
Interim Police Chief Mike Hendershot told me there’s no update on the sexual assault cases from mid-January.
Hendershot also confirmed the city is hosting a retirement celebration for outgoing Chief Joe Harvey the week of March 30, but the venue has limited space so it’s NOT being advertised publicly. (I previously reported Golden might host something public, but officials said at the time that was TBD.) However, Hendershot did invite the Transcript to cover the event, so look out for that story in early April.
City Manager Scott Vargo said the search for Harvey’s replacement is just now getting started. But he anticipated there would be some kind of public engagement component, like a meet-and-greet, with the finalists in May. (Golden did something similar for city manager candidates in 2022, after which Vargo was hired.) Details for a GPD chief candidate meet-and-greet are still TBD, but keep that on your radar for later this spring.
Vargo also said the new police headquarters and municipal center remains on budget and mostly on time. It’s maybe a week or two behind schedule right now, but crews could catch up later in the process. Vargo said the project will start vertical construction soon. Crews have already installed elevator shafts and stairwells, but they’ll start on the mass timber part later this month.
I didn’t get a chance to talk to Fire Chief Kasey Beal at the March 5 event, but he’s previously told me GFD is giving a major presentation on its response times and similar data at the April 14 City Council work session. So put that on your calendars! Sounds like it’ll be interesting presentation.
🌄 ATOP THE FOOTHILLS: The week’s top story
Golden taking a conservative, adaptive approach for 2026
Right now, there’s major economic and political uncertainty due to the new war with Iran, another round of tariffs, continual layoffs across the country, and more.
Even so, Golden officials are moving forward with their plans and goals for 2026, albeit with a very conservative and adaptive approach, they explained.
“We remain in a strong financial position,” City Manager Scott Vargo said at the March 5 State of the City event. “ … We can withstand some of the more uncertain times and fluctuations.”
Mayor Laura Weinberg described how all this uncertainty at the state and federal levels has “created challenges and fears for our community,” among residents, businesses and institutions alike. However, she said Golden city councilors and staff would continue to monitor the changes, adapt to what comes, and advocate “to protect our community and keep Golden’s needs at the heart of everything.”
⛰ BETWEEN THE MESAS ⛰ Other highlights from the week
Golden comedy festival ‘a win for everybody’
Although the inaugural Golden Comfort and Comedy Festival is now over, organizers and participants believe it was a great success.
In fact, organizers are confident the festival will return next winter.
“It’s a no-brainer,” Len Matheo of the Miners Alley Performing Arts Center said. “The (festival’s) scope is up in the air, but we will do it again next year.”
Organizers said beforehand the goal was “liven up what tends to be a slow time of year,” by bolstering downtown Golden businesses through the late-winter offseason, and providing laughs and entertainment when people need it most.
Attendees and volunteers were thrilled with this year’s Golden Comfort and Comedy Festival, saying they’d come back next year.
“Absolutely,” longtime MAPAC volunteer Cathy Taylor said. “I really hope they do (another one).”
Mines students invited to solve one of forestry’s toughest issues
Some of the brightest young minds in Colorado are taking on one of forest management’s biggest, unsolved issues. And they have just a few weeks to solve it.
The Biomass Challenge kicked off Feb. 20 at the Colorado School of Mines and will end April 3.
The challenge was issued by Evergreen Fire/Rescue’s Wildland Division Chief Jason Puffet, whose everyday job is impacted by biomass — like leaves, pine needles, branches and pinecones.
But a solution to the issue could help agencies worldwide.
“This just isn’t an idea to give you a passing grade,” Puffett told the students. “We have a need, a challenge we need your help with. We’re looking for your thoughts and ideas we can put into practice and maybe actually bring to market.”
🤠 AROUND THE VALLEY: Education, sports, arts & more
☀ Colorado State Patrol confirms what we all feel every spring: Daylight Saving Time can be fatal. Read the story here.
⚒ Both Colorado School of Mines basketball teams fell in their respective RMAC tourney quarterfinal games. Read the story here.
🏀 Although the Golden High School teams have been knocked out, Green Mountain and Standley Lake are dancing their way to the Final Four. Read the latest here.
🎭 William Shakespeare’s famous “Romeo & Juliet” is now playing at the Arvada Center. Read the story here.
🏊 COMING DOWN THE CREEK: Upcoming meetings & events
Today:
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s Housing Resource Fair — 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in south Lakewood. This event will connect Jeffco residents with both government and nonprofit resources to help them find the type of housing that fits their needs. The event is free, but RSVPs were required. 🏡
City Council work session and regular meeting — 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively, at City Hall. Read tonight’s agenda here. 🧑⚖️
Monday:
“Navigating the Political Divide: A Non-Partisan Panel Discussion” — 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Golden Community Center’s Coal Creek Room. The panel discussion, hosted by the Rotary Club of Golden, is free to attend. Click here for more information. 🧭
Next Tuesday:
City Council work session and regular meeting — 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively, at City Hall. See the full list of city meetings here. 🧑⚖️ (NOTE: Yes, the City Council is having its meetings back-to-back weeks because of Spring Break the week of March 23.)
🦖 A BLAST FROM THE PAST: Searching the Transcript archives
This week’s keyword search: “State of the City”
The results: Based on what I found, Golden’s first “State of the City” event was in 1977. Then-City Manager Chuck Goudge was scheduled to give an address at an Aug. 18 Golden Chamber of Commerce luncheon. But Goudge also wrote his own summary, which the Transcript published two months later. I won’t quote the entire thing here — just the bit I found the most interesting. 🏙
Manager reports state of the city
During the month of September, our building department issued eight building permits with an assessed valuation of $138,900. The valuation of all building permits issued since Jan. 1 totals $5,546,336.00. This compares to $7,448,810 for the same period last year. These figures indicate that there has been a considerable amount of new construction taking place in our city during the past two years.
All archive clippings are available through The Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
🔍 HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR NEXT WEEK’S KEYWORD SEARCH? REPLY TO THIS NEWSLETTER AND LET ME KNOW!
