Outdoor graduation ceremony
By Curt Halsted
Friends and family shared in a joyous celebration of the accomplishments of Gilpin Seniors. The event was staged outdoors with a majestic expanse of mountains cradled in rolling clouds, and for Gilpin County a warm day. An air of freedom and yet caution filled the atmosphere for what was the first public gathering for many in a long time. (more…)
School Board Meeting May 4th
By Curt Halsted
Teacher Appreciation Week
The week of May 3rd was teacher appreciation week. At the Gilpin County School Board Meeting on May 4th, Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie (Dr. Dave) shared that the teachers were provided individual packaged Bundt cakes, along with cupcakes made by local baker and school staff alum Ardetta Robinson. Teachers were also given gift buckets. (more…)
Age of Drones
By Don Ireland
Without the proverbial crystal ball, no one can predict what kind of summer wildfire season lies ahead for Colorado. Factors, including ongoing drought and below- (more…)
Caught near woman’s body in Durango
by Jason Clay
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) pathologist found human remains inside the stomachs of a sow and her yearling bear that CPW wildlife officers suspect of killing and eating a 39-year-old woman Friday north of (more…)
Gilpin County School Board April 20th Meeting
By Curt Halsted
Praise Shared for Meet and Confer Process
At the April 20th meeting of the Gilpin County School Board, board members honored Board Secretary, Joni Schmidt. Among other things, Joni takes the board minutes and updates the policies that can be found on the school website. Many staff (more…)
Water and you: Final of a five-part series
By Don Ireland
“If your water system fails, life in paradise is over.” – Gilpin County Guide (2016)
At face value, water and gambling might not appear to have much in common – except in Colorado, where there is a growing connection between the two. (more…)
Water and you: Part 4 of 5
By Don Ireland
“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” – W.H. Auden, poet (1957)
Most fifth graders know that about 71 percent of the Earth is covered by water and up to 60 percent of the human body also is water. What many people don’t realize if that only about 2.5 percent of the planet’s water is freshwater, suitable for drinking. The rest is ocean-based, mostly saltwater. (more…)
Gilpin School Board extends mask mandate for final 30 days
By Curt Halsted
Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie opened the April 6th Gilpin County School Board meeting by sharing that school has been in session 96 days. With 82% of students back for in-person learning, Gilpin Schools will continue to require masks for the last 30 days of school. This decision followed the executive order from the state extending the mask mandate, as well as a continuation order from the Gilpin County Commissioners. (more…)
Water and you: Part 3
By Don Ireland
“Here is a land where life is written in water.” – inscribed in the Colorado state capital
It’d be a safe bet to presume thousands of Denver and the Front Range residents don’t realize that a Gilpin County engineering marvel is the reason they have water for their homes, schools and businesses. (more…)
Gilpin School Interact Club
By Curt Halsted
Interact is what Gilpin kids call the Gilpin County School Interact club, a Rotary sponsored youth organization. The Interact Club has been a part of the Gilpin School community since 2003. The club focuses on service projects and fundraising for charity. This year has been a little more challenging to come up with projects due to the pandemic and concerns over social distancing. (more…)
Water and you: Part 2 of 5
By Don Ireland
The old adage, “whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over,” is frequently attributed to Mark Twain. If the American author and humorist actually uttered those (more…)
Water and you: Part 1 of 5
By Don Ireland
“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1746
Despite snowfall measuring several feet locally last month, Gilpin County and 62 other Colorado Counties were declared disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in March because of the overall statewide (more…)
March 16th Gilpin County School Board Meeting
By Curt Halsted
With Spring Break right around the corner, the Gilpin County School Board met for a quick meeting. To start things off, Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie celebrated teacher vaccinations, a good review of the district’s transportation (more…)
Gilpin Historical Society
By David Forsyth, PhD
In late 1871, J.C. Fisher opened the new Black Hawk Roller Skating Rink on the corner of Gregory and Church Streets. The location was, perhaps conveniently, one door east of Dr. W.H. Rice’s office. Admission to the rink was initially twenty-five cents while the use of roller skates was an additional quarter, but this was eventually dropped in favor of a fifty-cent admission fee that included the use of skates. Tickets for (more…)
Plant Select offers new choices for plant lovers – part 1 of 2
By Don Ireland
Ross Shrigley doesn’t mind if you call him a plant geek. Actually, it’d be something of a compliment for Shrigley, the executive director of Plant Select. Although he doesn’t live in Gilpin County, Shrigley is familiar with high-altitude plants and the challenges of growing in the mountains, whether it’s around 8,500 feet in Gilpin County or other, higher (more…)
Returning to a more normal 6-day open schedule
By Michael Carlson
Starting March 20th the Gilpin County Public Library will be expanding operating hours. In order to better serve our patrons, (more…)