November 22 Weekly Digest
City of Golden /  911 10th Street  /  Golden, CO 
(303) 384-8000

Happy Thanksgiving from the City of Golden

A very happy Thanksgiving from your friends at the City of Golden
Current Projects
Linking Lookout Logo
Linking Lookout (US 6 & 19th St. Interchange)
 
Work continues on bridge deck rebar placement. The first of 5 deck pours is scheduled for Monday November 21. With the first pour, the monuments on the southwest and east corner will also be poured. The final 24 bridge girders will be placed on Tuesday, November 22. Single lane closures will occur both days as a result.
Earth work for the pond, next to the glider landing field and the Chimney Gulch trail, will start early this week. Watch for heavy equipment in that area.

There will be no construction (and no lane closures!) on Thanksgiving or Friday, November 25.
 
Watch the Linking Lookout web page for closure information and detour maps.
 
There is a construction viewing in the northwest corner that can be accessed from Parfet Estates Drive, and will be an excellent location to view the girder placement. Please park legally. 

Follow us on Twitter!
Follow us on Twitter for real-time updates! You can also get lots of project information, including maps and long-term plans at LinkingLookout.com.

New Water Meter
Water Meter Replacement project

Replacements continue citywide with approximately 3,600 meters replaced to date. Almost 600 residents have signed up for the Aquahawk water meter customer portal.
 
Contact Les Major at 303-384-8170 or Keith Mehls at 303-384-8171 with questions regarding this project.
Upcoming Events
Small Business Saturday
 
Shop and dine in Golden on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26! New this year is Golden's Shop Small Welcome Station. Pick up this year's Shop Small tote bag filled with local merchants' coupons, sip a hot drink and enjoy the festivities before experiencing all of Golden's five shopping areas. The welcome station will be located on the East side of the Golden Visitors Center at 1010 Washington Ave., and will be marked by balloons.

Find unique and meaningful gifts for the holidays at our one-of-a-kind shops. Be sure to snap some pictures and tag both @visitgoldenco and the business you're supporting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #shopsmall for the chance to win $100. Five winners will be randomly selected. Learn more at  Visitgolden.com.

Be a Tool 5K Elf Run
 
The 3nd annual Be A Tool 5k Run is happening on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26, and the proceeds will help support the growth of the Neighborhood Rehab Project (NRP). In September of this year approximately 750 volunteers came together in Golden, Arvada and Englewood to help work on projects for folks in need of warm, safe and dry conditions. Proceeds from this race will go directly toward future projects in 2016 and 2017.

The 5K will start at 8:30 a.m. under the Welcome to Golden Arch with check-in starting at 7:30 a.m. Runners will finish on 12th Street where they can enjoy a free pancake breakfast and win prizes from Golden's local businesses. Prizes will be awarded for the best elf costumes! Categories include adult, child, group and pet. Race participants will also receive a reusable goodie bag with discount coupons to Golden businesses and an event t-shirt. The first 200 registrants will also receive a free elf hat.

Register at  www.beatool.org. Adults are $35 and youth (under 12) are $15 for the 5K Run through Nov. 26. Walk-up registration for the 5K Run will be $39.
Crystal Christmas Ornaments at the Golden History Museum
 
Learn to make lovely wire-wrapped Christmas tree ornaments. Sculpt colored wire around shimmering crystals to make a gift of handmade Christmas décor. Make these easy ornaments with expert Paula Roberge.

Though this is a beginner's class, experienced jewelry makers may enjoy learning this particular pattern for gifts or resale. If you have them, bring your own jewelry tools; extra shared tools are available at the class.

Learn more and purchase tickets at GoldenHistory.org.
Golden Sustainability Night
Golden Sustainability Night


Don't miss Golden Sustainability Night from 5 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at the American Mountaineering Center.

The event will kick off with a sustainability expo in the AMC Conference Center, and will feature refreshments from area food trucks and beer from local breweries. During the expo, attendees can browse a variety of sustainability vendor booths, learn about local green resources and chat with industry experts. Featuring drawings, giveaways, and hands-on learning activities, Golden's Sustainability Night is the perfect event for families to learn about the City's green initiatives.
Jefferson County Public Library
Golden Library Events - Nov. 22-29
 
To learn more about or register for these and other events happening at the Golden Library, visit JeffcoLibrary.org.
  • Lego Play and Build - Nov. 22 & 29, 4 p.m.
  • Build It! Candy Construction - Nov. 23, 2 p.m.
  • Public Meeting- Supporting Equality & Gun Violence Prevention - Nov. 27, 2:30 p.m.
  • Teen Advisory Board Book Drive - Nov. 28 through Dec. 23
  • STEM Girls - Nov. 28, 4 p.m.
  • Teen Advisory Board Meeting - Nov. 29, 4 p.m.
For more information or to register for programs that require pre-registration, please visit the Golden Library website .
Around Town
Fire Safety for a Happy Thanksgiving

Did you know Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires? The number of home fires double on Thanksgiving each year, so let's add a pinch of fire safety to the menu.

Keep these safety tips in mind as you prepare your meal.

Turkey:
If you are roasting your turkey, make sure you set a timer. This way, you won't forget about the bird as you watch the parade or football.

If you are frying your turkey:
  • Use a fryer with thermostat controls. This will ensure the oil does not become overheated.
  • Thaw your turkey completely. Ice on the bird will cause the oil to splatter.
  • Don't overfill the pot with oil. If you do, the oil will overflow when you add the turkey causing a fire hazard.
  • Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the fryer.
  • Also, always use the fryer outdoors.

Stuffing and Potatoes:
Stand by your stove when you are boiling your potatoes or frying onions for stuffing. It is best to stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling or broiling. If you are in the kitchen, it is easier to catch spills or hazardous conditions before they become a fire.

Vegetables:
 

  • Keep the area around the stove clear of packaging, paper towels, and dish cloths; anything that can burn.
  • Be sure to clean up any spills as they happen.
  • Be prepared. Keep a large pan lid or baking sheet handy in case you need to smother a pan fire.
  • Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove so you don't bump them.

By following these safety tips, you will have a delicious and fire-safe Thanksgiving. Let the firefighters have dinner with their families, not yours.

Turn a Fine into Philanthropy

Whether it's a traffic violation, parking ticket or something else, it's no fun to pay fines. However, during this holiday season, if you have to pay court costs in the City of Golden, you have the opportunity to turn it into something good. Each year Golden's Municipal Court gives defendants the option to donate court costs to charity rather than paying them to the City. The Holiday Charity Drive begins the week before Thanksgiving and runs for four weeks.

For those who opt in, the standard $30 court costs you pay will go to the  Golden Backpack Program (GBP). The GBP helps children from low income families in Golden enjoy free, balanced meals on weekends and during the summer when school is not in session. Last year voluntary donations totaled $2,160. "I think the idea is incredibly creative," said GBP President Peggy Halderman. "This gives an individual an opportunity to feel really good about a difficult situation." Additionally, Halderman said the donations help the GBP tremendously. "Food donations are great, but money allows us to better leverage the types of food we give out, and use it where we really need it."
Participation in this drive is completely voluntary and is not a factor in the judge's sentence. The judge does not solicit these donations, but defendants make the choice once they exit the courtroom to pay their fines.