Happy Tuesday, Goldenites! Hope you all had a fun E-Days weekend! Did anyone watch the cardboard boat races or the fireworks? 🎆
Speaking of E-Days, we’ve got a few Mines stories in this week’s Tintype, as well as prep sports news and the latest from Golden City Council, plus a few other fun items.
This coming weekend is also wicked busy, so be sure to check out the calendar and read to the very end for a “Blast from the Past” section on E-Days!
🌄 ATOP THE FOOTHILLS: The week’s top story
Goldenites ask city for safer roads after 2 major collisions
File photo by Sara Hertwig / Story by Corinne Westeman
In the wake of two major injury collisions on March 24-25, a group of Goldenites has asked City Councilors and staff to improve well-known dangerous intersections and roadways across the city.
At the April 14 City Council meeting, Bike Walk Golden members described how these two collisions — a truck hitting a 7-year-old pedestrian, and a car hitting local cyclist Kristyn Wade — were not random “accidents.” Instead, they were predictable and preventable outcomes based on Golden’s current infrastructure or lack thereof, they described.
The advocacy group submitted a long list of recommendations to the city, which includes but isn’t limited to:
Converting the intersection at 10th and Ford streets to a left turn on green arrow only, as this was the scene of the recent truck-versus-pedestrian collision;
Implementing hit sticks — flexible posts put in between traffic lanes — at 12th and Ford streets to reduce “right hooks”;
Removing parking spaces on 10th Street between Washington and Ford streets, or otherwise repainting the road as shared lanes, as the current bike lane is never rideable due to vehicle presence; and
Hosting a “crosswalk-a-palooza” to install crosswalks in high-traffic areas, such as in front of Bonfire Burritos along Ford Street.
Bike Walk Golden members described how the city’s various master plans acknowledge and outline how dangerous many of these intersections and roadways are, and outline improvement plans for them. However, the group wanted the city to make these projects a higher priority and complete low-effort improvements as soon as possible.
“We cannot educate, we cannot sign, we cannot paint our way out of this,” BWG member Andrea DeFrates said. “ … We must engineer our way out of it with physical barriers that stop a car before it stops a heart.”
City officials, both at the meeting and afterward, encouraged BWG members and other interested Goldenites to engage with city staff and the Mobility & Transportation Advisory Board. They said some items the group recommended are already on the city’s list of upcoming projects. Others will take longer to plan and complete.
⛰ BETWEEN THE MESAS ⛰ Other highlights from the week
Photo Gallery: Orediggers enjoy a SnowE-Day at annual cardboard boat races
Photo by Sara Hertwig / Brief by Corinne Westeman
Despite Clear Creek being pretty shallow for April 18’s cardboard boat races, the Orediggers decided to give it the ol’ college try.
Colorado School of Mines hosted its 92nd annual Engineering Days, or E-Days, April 15-18, and Saturday morning’s cardboard boat races along Clear Creek remained a community-favorite event.
Hundreds of students, staff, parents, alumni and community members packed the rocks and sidewalks along both sides of the creek. Meanwhile, the competing students climbed into their boats — made solely of cardboard and duct tape — to see whether they’d sail or sink.
For the first time, Mines livestreamed the event this year, and hundreds of alumni and students’ family members tuned in from across the country. By 2 p.m. Sunday, the 3-hour YouTube video had more than 5,000 views.
Golden school’s 5K on track to be its largest fundraiser
Courtesy photo / Story by Corinne Westeman
When Golden-area Welchester Elementary School started the Soar 5K fundraiser in 2024, the goal was simply to break even.
Instead, the event raised about $5,000 — more than expected — and the 2025 one did similar numbers.
Now, thanks to generous sponsors, participants and donors, Principal Jennine Tarpley said in mid-April this year’s event on April 25 is on track to double that amount. If so, it’ll be the biggest fundraiser in school history.
Welchester’s third annual Soar 5K/Fun Run will be at 8 a.m. April 25 at the school. 5K registration is $25 per person, with a discount for families.
All the children’s activities will be free, including a mile-long fun run through nearby Welchester Tree Grant Park, complete with a free race-day shirt.
Because Welchester Elementary School is closer to Lakewood — at 13000 W. 10th Ave., behind the Colorado Mills mall — Tarpley said many Goldenites don’t realize that Welchester is part of the local school system. Welchester graduates typically move on to Bell Middle School and Golden High School.
However, she hoped Goldenites and other locals would stop by the school on April 25 and enjoy a fun morning running, walking and “soaring” with the Eagles.
🤠 AROUND THE VALLEY: Education, sports, arts & more
💲 Colorado School of Mines recently purchased a 50,000-square-foot R&D facility in northeastern Golden for $5.85 million. Mines plans to use it to research critical minerals and their supply chains with industry and government partners. Read the latest here.
🎫 Someone in or around Golden is $1 million richer after Wednesday’s Powerball drawing. Read the rest of the story here.
⚾ The Golden baseball team was on a hot streak going into Jeffco League play. Check out the latest on the team’s 2026 season here.
⚽ The Evergreen girls soccer team had the comeback win over Golden Tuesday, fighting back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to a 4-3 win. Click here for more.
🏫 Jeffco Public Schools is running out of money to fix its aging buildings. The district’s repairs fund peaked at $131.9 million in June 2024. Yet according to the district's budget documents, it's projected to reach $4.1 million by June 2028. Read the full story here.
⚖ The defendant in the Golden-area child sexual assault case has reiterated that he’s not taking a plea deal and is preparing for trial Sept. 8-11. Read about the case here.
🏊 COMING DOWN THE CREEK: Upcoming meetings & events
Tonight:
Golden Beer Talks — Speaker Fred Mosqueda discusses the past and future of the Arapaho people in present-day Colorado. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the talk begins at 6:35 p.m. Click here for more details. 🍺
Friday:
Colorado School of Mines baseball team’s Senior Day weekend — The first game will be 6 p.m. at Mines’ Jim Darden Field. Play continues with a doubleheader Saturday and a final game at noon Sunday. Schedule is subject to change due to weather. Click here for updates. 🧢
Saturday:
Marv Kay Day — The Golden Community Center will have free admission all day, along with free classes, information tables, presentations and more. All community members are invited to stop by. More info here. 🏋
Welchester Elementary School’s Soar 5K fundraiser — The 5K run/walk starts at 8 a.m. at the school. The children’s fun run is slated for 9:30 at the nearby Welchester Tree Grant Park. There will be more activities for families and participants afterward. Click here to sign up or donate. 🏃
The 33rd annual Courage Walk — Registration and breakfast begin at 10 a.m. outside the Jefferson County Courthouse. The walk will start at 11 a.m., going around the main Jeffco building and ending in the Courage Garden. The event is scheduled to go on, rain or shine. More info here. 🕊
Colorado School of Mines softball team’s Senior Day weekend — Games are slated for noon and 2 p.m. Saturday, with another doubleheader on Sunday. Schedule is subject to change due to weather. Click here for updates. ⚾
Sunday:
Golden High School’s third annual “Battle of the Bands” — Doors at the Buffalo Rose open at 4 p.m., with the show starting at 5 p.m. Tickets are $29 for adults and $19 for students. Buy tickets or get more info here. 🎸
Next Tuesday:
Golden City Council meeting — Starts at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Click here for a full list of city meetings. 🏙
Next Wednesday:
Golden Women in Business’ annual Impact Awards Banquet — From 5-8:30 p.m. at the Buffalo Rose. The event is open to any woman living and/or working in Golden. The event will feature live entertainment, a curated buffet dinner and cash bar, a keynote speaker and various giveaways. The evening will culminate with the awards presentation, including debuting a brand-new award. Click here for more info or to buy tickets. 🏆
Next Thursday:
“The Reality of Homelessness in Jeffco” presentation and panel discussion — From 6-8 p.m. at Jefferson Unitarian Church. The event is free and open to the public. More info here. 🗣
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🦖 A BLAST FROM THE PAST: Searching the Transcript archives
This week’s keyword search: “Engineering Days” ⚒
The results: As a 1971 photo caption describes, E-Days was once an excuse for Oredigger men to grow out their facial hair! 🧔♂
“Not beardless youths for long”
Beer consumption at the Ace High Tavern increased considerably Friday afternoon to kick off preparations for Engineering Days at the School of Mines. These men officially gathered together Friday to begin the “beard growing” contest. The traditional contest is for seniors only and will be judged by the Golden barbers during the engineering days [sic] festivities on April 16 and 17. Beard categories are: most unique, beardiest beard, work, Lincoln, Van Dyke, Charlie Chan, and most colorful. So if you see a lot of beards running around, don’t get excited. It’s only the Mines students.
All archive clippings are available through The Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
The recent spring snow melts along the Clear Creek trail on Friday afternoon. Photo by Corinne Westeman