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The source of Boyd Rothman’s interest in swimming depends on who’s answering the question. “I don’t know. I just did,” said the 8-year-old Arvada resident. His …
RICHMOND, Va.— Colorado Mesa University's Ben Sampson is this year’s College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association NCAA Division II Men's Swimmer of the …
Arvada skaters of all varieties now have a new spot for all their gear, maintenance and training needs. Denver Skates Shop in Olde Town opened its doors for a soft opening on March 6 and will host a grand opening on April 1.  
DENVER – Faith Christian Academy began the season atop the rankings in class 3A boys basketball. Faith Christian Academy ended the season with a state basketball title, its seventh in school …
As a bill moves through the Colorado Legislature that would allow local governments to implement rent control, two representatives from North Metro Denver don’t see eye to eye. According to …
Fort Lupton’s Scotty Sanders can talk about baseball with just about anyone. He can play it, too, from club ball in the summer to high-school ball in the spring. But what may not be visible …
Arvada West and Brighton high schools opened the girls soccer season March 9 in Brighton, and the Wildcats came out on top by a score of 8-0. No stats were available for either team. BHS hosts …
In a second round of American Rescue Plan Act funding, Adams County will distribute $48.5 million to address housing and homelessness prevention, mental health, domestic violence and public health …
MORE LOCAL NEWS
More Local News

Arvada Library reopens pickup lane; cleaning of meth contamination underway

Arvadans can now begin placing holds on books for curbside pickup at the Arvada Library. The Olde Town Arvada branch of the Jefferson County Public Library was closed on Jan. 28 following testing which showed methamphetamine contamination at the library.

Students to take computer-based SAT next year

Colorado high school students will continue to take the SAT and PSAT as the state’s way of measuring school and district academic performance, but they’ll switch to the computerized version in …

Communities try design to improve public safety

Mike Burns bought a home right on the river near Delta, Colorado, with plans to spend the summers fishing outdoors with his grandkids. But those kinds of excursions haven’t always felt safe, since …

Colorado lawmakers want to offer scholarships to help fill workforce gaps

As Colorado hurts for more early childhood educators, nurses, firefighters and workers across other industries, state legislators are attempting to fill critical workforce gaps with a pair of bills …

Some Coloradans could save big on electric vehicles

State officials are putting finishing touches on an electric vehicle rebate for income-qualified buyers willing to trade in an older gas-fueled vehicle, adding up to $6,000 in price cuts on a new …

Hopes for designation for colleges serving first-gen students ends

On the surface, the bill had a simple premise — to recognize Colorado universities and colleges that enroll a high number of students who are the first in their family to go to college and …

Xcel Energy will cut Colorado bills again in April

Xcel Energy is again cutting natural gas costs passed through to consumers starting with April bills, the third price decrease announced in two months, even as a special legislative committee pursues …

Metro-area arcade bars build local gaming communities

After more than 20 years of collecting pinball machines, Dan Nikolich’s basement had run out of space to store them all. So Nikolich opened the Colorado Pinball Pub in Littleton to share his collection.
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OUR FEATURED CULTURE STORY

Bringing Music to Life returns for 13th year

Anyone who has seen a child fall in love with music knows the lasting impact the art can have on a life. But if children never have access to those instruments, all the love of music in the world …

Make-A-Wish Colorado alumni, volunteers celebrate its 40th anniversary

Make-A-Wish Colorado celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and is hosting an anniversary celebration and fundraiser in April in Denver. Since it started, the organization has granted more than 6,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses as a way of giving them hope and something to look forward to during their treatment.

Stewards of improving aquatic life

When walking the path next to the South Platte River, you don't think about how the environment impacts the microspecies and fish in the water. Metro Water Recovery scientists, through testing, …

A whole new immersive Disney world

Anyone who has fallen in love with a Disney animated film knows one of the great joys of the studio’s work is getting lost in the astounding worlds that have been created.
Life
Thousands flock to Olde Town for St. Patrick's Day
Olde Town Arvada was awash with green on  March  11, as folks flocked to the historic district to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. 
In Sierra Leone, local journalism is a lifeboat for women in rural communities
In the rural communities of Sierra Leone, women who are experiencing sexual abuse, gender-based violence and restricted bodily autonomy often have just one hope when seeking justice; the intrepid journalists at Media Matters for Women Sierra Leone.
Arvada festival season kicks off with Winterfest
The ice is starting to thaw, the birds are returning and the Arvada festival season is already underway. Winterfest — the Arvada Festivals Commission’s annual celebration of diverse culture — was held in McIlvoy Park on Feb. 25, with over 3,000 people coming to celebrate.
Arvada Art Drop featuring all new artists throughout 2023
As Olde Town Arvada grows and changes, so does the district’s art scene. Art Drop Arvada has been a First Friday favorite for years, but since returning from a COVID-19-induced hiatus, the local artist showcase has seen renewed interest from the community.
Lakewood swooned by the music of Nat King Cole
"L" is for the way they look at you, "O" is for the orchestra you can still see, "V" is a band so very extraordinary and "E" is even more than you could ever have seen before.
Sister, Sister: Arvada’s Van Sickles reunite at Mines for final year of basketball
After five years apart, sisters Ashley and Sammy Van Sickle have reunited on the basketball court. The Ralston Valley High School alumni are closing out their collegiate basketball careers together at Colorado School of Mines.
Arts, Culture, Music

Northglenn celebrates Betty grace Gibson

For the late Betty grace Gibson, being a self-taught artist didn’t mean never taking an art class or workshop. As her daughter, Linda Drumm, recalls, being self-taught meant was taking things she …

A musical reflection of 2022

I don’t know about y’all, but I’m extremely glad this year is over. 2022 may well go down as the most challenging of my life, and since we’re still living through the aftershocks of a global …

Denver doughs: 2 young pastry chefs create out-of-this-world culinary experience

Space dinosaurs. Project 626. Murder by the Campfire.   This is not a list of the internet’s latest conspiracy theories, but rather the creations of Black Box Bakery, a space-themed …
SPORTS

Ralston Valley girls hoops get defensive in playoff opener

ARVADA — Ralston Valley’s girls basketball team seemed to put a lid on whichever basket Horizon was shooting at Feb. 21.

Arvada West boys end losing skid before playoffs

Arvada West’s boys basketball team had to wait and see if its 16-7 record is good enough to grab a top-16 seed to host a first-round game in 32-team Class 6A state tournament that begins Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Columbine girls hoops has 4th quarter run to down A-West

ARVADA — Columbine senior Araya Ogden looked as comfortable on the basketball court Feb. 17 as she does on the softball diamond.

Pomona captures 5th straight team title in record-setting form

DENVER — Pomona’s wrestling machine steamrolled to its fifth straight Class 5A boys state team championship Feb. 19 at Ball Arena. 

State 6A boys basketball tournament gets underway Feb. 22

The state 6A boys basketball tournament starts Wednesday, Feb. 22, at the home of the higher seed. Mountain Vista is the top seed and faces Bear Creek. Ralston Valley, the No. 10 seed, hosts …

State 6A girls tournament begins Feb. 21

The state 6A girls basketball tournament starts Tuesday, Feb. 21. CHSAA released the brackets, and here's what they look like .. Valor Christian has the top seed and hosts Mountain Vista in the …

Arvada West boys basketball escapes with win over Chatfield

LITTLETON — The race for the Class 6A Jeffco League boys basketball title turned into a three-team race.
VOICES

Letter: The Arvada Chamber should have a little more class

Once again the Arvada Chamber of Commerce wants citizens to nominate women for the “badass” award as they have had for the past three years.

Letter: The numbers behind electricity and gas

Take a look at your utility bill. You probably have a section for electricity and for gas.

Letter: We need these programs

Some elected officials have signaled they want to eliminate so-called “entitlement” programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Veteran’s Benefits.

Letter: In response to Feb. 16 letter on homelessness in Olde Town

I have too have encountered uncomfortable experience at the Olde Town Light Rail Station. However, the majority of my use has been mostly pleasant and certainly very utile.

Letter: Homelessness in Olde Town

I believe the problem with the addicts and the homeless can be directed directly at the RTD G Line. 
Columnists
Column: Let’s tell the truth about those big, bad wolves
The return of wolves to the West has always been contentious, and the deaths last fall of more than 40 cattle really in western Colorado alarmed ranchers. But here’s the true story: Wolves did not kill those cattle found dead near Meeker.
Column: More housing options can help small businesses succeed and Colorado’s economy thrive
As housing prices and cost of rent continues to soar throughout Colorado, so does the strain on our small businesses.
Column: Understanding the Long Bill
The fiscal year for Colorado state government begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year.
Column: Phubbing is a social disease
Phubbing is a portmanteau, a word formed by combining elements of two different words, like smog or brunch. In this case, the words combined are phone and snubbing.
Column: Chronicle of an abandoned oil and gas well — one of millions
Even from a distance it’s clear that an oil and gas well called “State Senate #2” in New Mexico has seen better days. The pumpjack sits idle, tumbleweeds surround the once-moving parts and the earth smells of crude saturating the soil.
Column: Colorado conflicted about cutting its water use
In Colorado, farmers had to enroll in a four-state program by March 1 if they wanted to get paid for fallowing their fields, perhaps the best option to plump up the Colorado River’s giant reservoirs, Mead and Powell.
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