Approximately 3.7 mil-
lion of Colorado’s nearly six
million current residents
are under age 45, i.e. born
in 1978 or after.
man has participated in
our athletic program,” said
OSU athletics director Ed
Weaver back then.
He’s also tied for seventh
all-time in fumble recover-
ies with 13. Two of the six
ahead of him are quarter-
backs, who were preventing
turnovers when they fell on
loose balls.
Heisman, a Super Bowl,
and a collegiate national
championship, and be
inducted into both the
College and Pro Football
Halls of Fame. In the book,
he relates a game against
Gradishar in 1980:
“Trainers and doctors
came running onto the
field. They thought I was
dead. Hey, I thought I was
dead, too.”
Sixth in Heisman Trophy
voting after his senior sea-
son (and the only defensive
player among the top six),
Gradishar was drafted 14th
by the Broncos. Only two
That means about two-
thirds of today’s Colora-
dans were either too young
to appreciate Randy Grad-
ishar’s play for the Broncos
or weren’t born
yet when his
10-year career
ended in 1983.
A year later, SPORT
magazine named Gradishar
one of the five hardest hit-
ters in the NFL.
Gradishar set the NFL re-
cord for tackles with 2,049
and was renowned as one
of the league’s hardest hit-
ters. No better testimony to
that exists than an account
from Tony Dorsett in the
book The Truly Great.
“I ran a pass pattern and
was wide open, but Danny
White did not see me. I go
back to the huddle and tell
Danny that I am wide open.
His Hall-ness is a mem-
ber of the College Football
Hall of Fame, the Ohio
State Varsity O Hall of
Fame, the Broncos Ring of
Fame, the Colorado Sports
Hall of Fame and the GTE
Academic Hall of Fame,
among countless honors.
players cho-
sen ahead of
him—No. 1,
defensive end
Ed “Too Tall”
Jones, and
fifth pick John
Dutton, a de-
fensive tackle,
played more
NFL games
than his 145.
“I ran the same route
again, but this time, I
was almost decapitated.
My eyes were only par-
tially open when I hit the
ground.
In addi-
tion, an un-
determined
number of the
remaining two
million-plus
state residents
over the age of
45 were living
somewhere else
when Gradishar
terrorized op-
ponents in the
National Foot-
ball League.
Dorsett rushed for more
than 1,000 yards in a
season eight times in his
12-year career and is one of
two players ever to win the
“Too Tall”
played the
most—224,
all for Dal-
las—and was
named to three
Pro Bowls (to
Gradishar’s
seven). He played for the
Cowboys when they beat
Gradishar and the Bron-
cos in Super Bowl XII.
Nonetheless, he hasn’t
been voted into the Hall of
Fame.
in a Health Insur-
ance Marketplace
plan, you’ll need to
file.
Dear Savvy Senior,
What are the IRS income tax filing re-
quirements for retirees this tax season?
I didn’t file a tax return the past two
years because my income was below the
filing threshold, but I got a part-time
job late last year, so I’m wondering if
I’m required to file this year.
SAVVY SENIOR
And so, for
all who didn’t get to see
him lead Denver to its
first Super Bowl appear-
ance after the 1977 regular
season (including infants
who grew up to be ardent
Broncos fans and, presum-
ably, Gradishar admirers),
let me acquaint you with
the city’s newest member
of the Pro Football Hall of
Fame.
You’ll also need
to file if you’re
receiving Social
Security benefits,
and one-half of
your benefits plus
your other gross
income and any
tax-exempt interest
exceeds $25,000,
or $32,000 if you’re married and filing
jointly.
Retired Worker
Dear Retired,
Whether or not you are required to file
a federal income tax return this year will
depend on how much you earned last
year (in 2023), as well as the source of
the income, your age and filing status.
Five players from that ’74
draft preceded Gradishar
to Canton: Steelers Lynn
Swann, Jack Lambert,
John Stallworth and Mike
Webster (four HOFers in
one draft!), and Raiders
tormentor Dave Casper. All
were chosen after him.
BY JIM MILLER
Here’s a rundown of this tax season’s
IRS tax filing requirement thresholds.
Gradishar was a three-
year starter at linebacker
for the Ohio State Buckeyes
of coach Woody Hayes,
whose own gilded legacy
was tarnished by an unfor-
tunate sideline incident late
in his illustrious, if some-
times bombastic, career.
To figure all this out, the IRS offers
an online tax tool that asks a series of
questions that will help you determine
if you’re required to file or if you should
file because you’re due a refund. It takes
less than 15 minutes to complete.
For most people, this is pretty straight-
forward. If your 2023 gross income –
which includes all taxable income, not
counting your Social Security benefits,
unless you are married and filing sepa-
rately – was below the threshold for your
filing status and age, you probably won’t
have to file. But if it’s over, you will.
Gradishar joined the
Broncos following their
first winning season in his-
tory—7-5-2, good for third
place in their division, in
1973.
You can access this tool at IRS.gov/
Help/ITA – click on “Do I Need to File a
Tax Return?” Or you can get assistance
over the phone by calling the IRS
helpline at 800-829-1040.
“The best linebacker I
ever coached,” Hayes once
said of his consensus first-
team All-America in 1972
and unanimous first-team
All-America in 1973. “No
more outstanding young
Single: $13,850 ($15,700 if you’re 65
or older by Jan. 1, 2023).
He became a starter mid-
way through his rookie sea-
son and, by 1976, was the
centerpiece of what came
to be known as Denver’s
“Orange Crush” defense.
Married filing jointly: $27,700
($29,200 if you or your spouse is 65 or
older; or $30,700 if you’re both over 65).
Check your state
Even if you’re not required to file a
federal tax return this year, don’t as-
sume that you’re also excused from filing
state income taxes. The rules for your
state might be very different. Check with
your state tax agency before concluding
that you’re entirely in the clear. For links
to state tax agencies, see Taxadmin.org/
fta-members .
Married filing separately: $5 at
any age.
During his
10 years in
orange and
blue, Den-
ver won 83,
lost 55 and
tied one,
and went to
the playoffs
four times.
Head of household: $20,800
($22,650 if 65 or older).
Qualifying surviving
spouse: $27,700 ($29,200 if 65 or
older).
To get a detailed breakdown on fed-
eral filing requirements, along with
information on taxable and nontaxable
income, call the IRS at 800-829-3676
and ask them to mail you a free copy of
the “1040 and 1040-SR Instructions for
Tax Year 2023,” or you can see it online
at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf .
Tax preparation help
If you find that you do need to file a tax
return this year, you can free file through
the IRS at IRS.gov/FreeFile if your
2023 adjusted gross income was below
$79,000.
Forty
years later
he remains
tied for 11th
in pass in-
terceptions,
all-time,
with 20. Of
note, the
10 players
ahead of
him all got
theirs as
either safe-
ties or cor-
nerbacks,
who are
expected to
rack up PIs.
Or, if you need some help, contact
the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (or
TCE) program. Sponsored by the IRS,
TCE provides free tax preparation and
counseling to middle and low-income
taxpayers, age 60 and older. Call 800-
906-9887 or visit IRS.treasury.gov/
freetaxprep to locate services near you.
Check here too
Be aware that there are other financial
situations that can require you to file
a tax return, even if your gross income
falls below the IRS filing requirements.
For example, if you earned more than
$400 from self-employment in 2023,
owe any taxes on an IRA, Health Savings
Account or an alternative minimum tax,
or get premium tax credits because you,
your spouse or a dependent is enrolled
You can also get tax preparation as-
sistance through the AARP Foundation
Tax-Aide service. Call 888-227-7669 or
visit AARP.org/findtaxhelp for more
information. You don’t have to be an
AARP member to use this service.
Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
n 1859, Jules Beni,
a French trader,
established Jules-
burg as a trading
post along the South
Platte River in the
northeastern corner
of Colorado. From the
beginning, this was an
important stop along
the Overland Trail,
although the trail only
crossed this small
section of what would
become Colorado. Yet
the north/south fork
of the Overland trail
occurred at Julesburg,
making it a strategic
supply point. The north
trail followed the North
Platte River through
Wyoming to South
Pass, on into Califor-
nia and Oregon. The
southern trail followed
the South Platte River
to the early settlement
of Denver City. As
traffic increased along the route Fort
Rankin was constructed nearby
to protect the travelers from the
often roaming Indian raids.
Warring Indians sacking Julesberg settlement.
Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library
at their leave to plunder the area. Barrels of flour,
sugar, and molasses were taken, as well as sacks of
cornmeal, beans, sides of bacon and canned goods.
Both Charles and George Bent, members of the
Cheyenne Dog Soldiers, and sons of the famed fort
owner, William Bent, participated in the raid.
George later recalled the plundering, saying
the Indians did not understand things in a can,
and were disgusted when George opened a can
of oysters and slurped down the contents. Bent
also recounted the discovery of green paper by
the Indians. Not knowing it was federal cur-
rency, they threw it aside, at which point Bent,
who knew all too well the value of the money,
scurried to scoop it up. George Bent also found
a new soldier’s uniform, which he took and
proudly wore in future Indian raids.
And for a time, the U.S. Army prevailed in raids
of their own, such as Summit Springs, and Beecher
Island. This did not end the Indian wars in Colo-
rado or the West until 1876, in Montana, at a place
known as the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Following the brutal massa-
cre of innocent Cheyenne and
Arapaho Indians at the peaceful
Indian camp in southeastern Colorado known as
Sand Creek, in November 1864, the Plains Indians
formed an alliance for war and revenge, the likes of
which the western settlers had never experienced,
culminating with the 1876 massacre known as the
Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Following the Sand Creek massacre, Indian war
councils were held and concluded, preparations for
raids along the Platte River were made, including
a massive raid at the town of Julesburg, Colo. The
immediate concern was fortification of supplies.
A short time later the women, led by Mo-chi,
entered the fray with packhorses and began
loading the goods onto the animals. As the war-
riors began to leave the scene, Mo-chi busied
herself with herding the captured horses.
“The tradition of the war pipe, when necessary,
was sent out in the spring, but after the slaughter
at Sand Creek, the war pipe went out in the winter,
this was early December. To my knowledge, from
the old ones, never before had the war pipe been
sent in the time of winter until after Sand Creek,”
said John L. Sipes, Cheyenne Nation historian.
Meanwhile, with the plundering of Jules-
burg in progress, the pursuing soldiers who
had followed the decoys, amazingly (perhaps
in confusion,) had dismounted and staged a
counter fight. The warriors pounced on the
soldiers, killing 15, including a bugler, who
many warriors first counted coup on. When Old
Crow made the final attack of death, Cheyenne
warrior Medicine Water took the bugler’s horse
as his prize. The victorious warriors made their
way to the retreating group, where Medicine
Water turned his prize horse loose with Mo-
chi’s horse herd.
Following several small raids along the Platte
River, the massive Julesburg raid occurred in Jan-
uary 1865. More than 1,000 warriors of Cheyenne,
Sioux and Arapaho made the attack. Included in
this war party were the many women who traveled
with the group, herding the extra horses needed
to carry the supplies obtained back to their camp.
Among these women was Mo-chi, a survivor of
Sand Creek, who insisted on helping her people in
whatever way she could. She would prove herself
worthy.
The Indians retreated from Julesburg for a
time, and the U.S. Army responded. Within
30 days of the Julesburg attack, the U.S. Army
sent added troops to guard stage stops and
various trails, including the Overland Trail. The
Indians responded by simply changing tactics
and destinations; the raids continued. Jules-
burg was raided again, burned to the ground,
and the town relocated, two miles north of the
army post. The town of Julesburg would move
two more times, unprecedented in Colorado
history.
It was an incredible attack; thoughtfully planned
and executed brilliantly. The collective warriors,
led by the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers, approached the
bluff above Julesburg, hiding in the sand hills. It
was a crisp cold night, yet it mattered not. Most of
the warriors were deep in thought and prepara-
tion. The warriors readied their lances, shields,
bows and arrows. Only a few had firearms. At sun-
rise on Jan. 7, 1865, a separate group of warriors,
led by Big Crow, quietly approached Fort Rankin
and rushed the guards outside the fort walls. The
soldiers returned fire and then the gates of the
compound opened with over 40 mounted soldiers
in pursuit of the Indian war party. The decoy
worked perfectly.
The Indian raids continued along the vari-
ous overland stage routes, eventually forcing
famed overland stage owner, Ben Holladay to
near bankruptcy. By 1868, the U.S. government
became convinced that peace negotiations were
needed once again. Successful at first, Jules-
burg and most of Colorado Territory were spared
from further Indian raids.
Soon the Indian scouts sent the signal and the
hidden warriors converged upon the fort and
nearby settler quarters. With the soldiers away in
pursuit of the decoys, the remaining warriors were
This historical marker, highlighting the
history of Julesberg, was
erected in 1931.
On the evening of Feb. 8,
the Idaho Springs Police
Department (ISPD) dealt
with two significant crimi-
nal incidents in the city.
Boulevard. As it
turned out, the plate
was associated with
a male wanted for
first-degree kidnap-
ping.
The first incident started
with a routine traffic stop
in the 1300 block of Miner
Street for an obscured li-
cense plate. The passenger,
Doug Jump, 41, of Empire,
was wanted on a Denver
felony warrant for posses-
sion of drugs to distribute a
controlled substance, first-
degree vehicle theft and
reckless driving.
When the officer
tried to pull the
vehicle over, the
driver attempted to
flee, speeding and
swerving eastbound
on I-70 to escape
capture. This also
caused the driver,
Julius Tapia, 33, of
Thornton, to lose
control and crash
into a light pole near
mile marker 243.
Tapia was treated
for minor injuries
and then taken into
custody on his war-
rant and charged
with vehicular
eluding and driving
while his license was
suspended by ISPD.
TOP: Items found in the vehicle after
Doug Jump was arrested.
BOTTOM: The crashed car after a chase
on I-70. ISPD was able to arrest Julius
Tapia on a warrant for kidnapping.
As ISPD searched the
vehicle after the arrest, they
found several bags of blue
pills believed to be fentanyl,
drug paraphernalia, and a
loaded weapon. Jump was
also charged with unlawful
distribution and manufac-
turing of drugs, possession
of a firearm by a previous
offender, and possession of
drug paraphernalia.
Later, an ISPD officer
ran the license plate on
a vehicle observed in the
2900 block of Colorado
“Fentanyl overdoses are
impacting the entire state
of Colorado. ISPD con-
tinues to work diligently
to put a stop to the sale
of illegal narcotics in our
community,” said Sgt. Ryan
Frost.
Friday Adventures with CCMRD — No
school on Fridays? Put your child in our Friday
Adventures Program. We will be exploring all
around Clear Creek County and going on several
field trips! Drop off at the Clear Creek Rec Center
between 7:30 and 9 a.m., pick up between 4 and
5:30 p.m. For ages 5-15. $45 per child. Friday,
Feb. 9 – Ice Skating at Evergreen Lake; Friday, Feb.
16 – Denver Zoo; Friday, Feb. 23 – Hammonds
Candy Tour; Friday, March 1 – Colorado History
Museum; Friday, March 8 – Denver Museum of
Nature & Science Planetarium – Black Holes. Con-
tact caitlin@ccmrd.com or call 303-567-4822 for
more information.
26. Format Changes Monthly. Bring your own bags
or bags provided at the Lodge! Entry fee is $10 per
person. Minimum 8 – maximum 20 players with
20 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the
Elks Club Building Preservation Fund. 10 or less
– Payout for 1st place is 50 percent and 2nd place
is 30 percent; 12 or more – Payout for 1st place is
40 percent, 2nd 25 percent, 3rd 15 percent. Mini
Pizzas available for purchase – Free Popcorn. Text
303-349-2052 for sign-up and more info.
CCMRD Adult Pickleball — Clear Creek
Recreation Center. Skills and Drills for Intermedi-
ates on Tuesdays, 8 – 10 a.m. $10 per class covering
a variety of topics to improve your game. Pickleball
Basics for Beginners on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 12 noon,
$10 per class is for anyone who wants to learn the
basics of the game – forehand, backhand, serve,
volley and scoring. Saturday Open Play, 10 a.m. to
noon, for Intermediate players. All equipment is
provided or bring your own. Advance registration
is required for classes and open play. Check out
the Open Play schedule and register for classes at
clearcreekrecreation.com.
Clear Creek Library District — The libraries
will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19. Monster Mash
Party for kids and teens, Idaho Springs Library,
Thursday, Feb. 22, 5-7 p.m. Get ready to rock your
best monster mash costume and show off your
dance moves. Don’t miss the fun! Food, face paint-
ing, dancing, and games. Call 303-567-2020 for
more info.
Devil’s Gate History Club — Georgetown
Community Center, 613 6th St., Friday, Feb. 16, 7
p.m. “Louis Dupuy – Farm to Table” presented by
Kevin Kuharik.
XCEL Energy Dam Warning Siren Test-
ing Program — Wednesday, March 6, 10 a.m.,
then on the first Wednesday of every month. Xcel
Energy has installed four early warning sirens to
notify people in the town of Georgetown of po-
tential flooding due to the unlikely event of a dam
failure at Xcel Energy’s Cabin Creek or Georgetown
hydroelectric plants. The warning system installa-
tion is a federal requirement. In collaboration with
the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of
Georgetown, and Xcel Energy, Clear Creek County
will provide notice to the residents of Georgetown
ahead of the tests, so they know what to expect
and when. Learn more at www.clearcreekcounty.
us/1486/Georgetown-Monthly-Siren-Testing.
Quill & Spill with Local Author Lisa
Manifold — Wednesday, Feb. 21, 6 – 7:30 p.m.,
Idaho Springs Public Library; Saturday, Feb. 24,
9:30 – 11 a.m. Need some help plotting? Stuck in
the middle? Join us for any or all six Quill & Spill
sessions at the Idaho Springs Public Library to
discuss your project, share ideas, and connect with
other local authors! Hosted by local author Lisa
Manifold. Light refreshments will be provided. To
register, email chris@cccld.org by the day before
the event.
Corn Hole at the Idaho Springs Elks Club
— 1600 Colorado Blvd., 6 p.m. monthly on the last
Friday of each month – Feb. 23, March 29, April
If you have regularly scheduled meetings or upcoming special events that are open to the pub-
lic, we want to add them to the CCC Community Calendar. Please email the who, what, when,
where, why and how in 75 words or less, exactly as you would want it printed, to amy@week-
lyregistercall.com . Please send information at least two weeks in advance of your event.
$250K, not love, in cozy Black Hawk leter to Central
By Don Ireland
Senior Reporter
While Valentine’s Day cards and roses have been
abundant lately, City of Black Hawk leaders are hand-
delivering a “warm and friendly letter” to neighboring
Central City officials this week.
It is expected to convey some goodwill toward
Central and include what some call a generous “sweet-
heart offer” of $250,000 and some free land from the
neighboring city.
For years, Black Hawk has owned and maintained
the Briggs Lot across Gregory Street from Gregory
Point (formerly Mountain City) and very close to
Gregory Plaza. The 3.49-acre lot and surrounding
cliff-rock wall, however, lie within the official bound-
ary line of Central City.
Black Hawk leaders are hoping to spruce up the
mostly unused parking lot this year and use it to ex-
tend its recreational trail system from the Maryland
Mountain/Quartz Valley area into the Briggs Lot. To
avoid having the plans going back and forth between
the two neighboring cities, Black Hawk has an idea:
Ask Central City to formally allow Black Hawk to an-
nex the little parking lot.
Black Hawk wants to give Central City $250,000 to annex the Briggs Lot (at left) into Black
Hawk’s city limits. The lot, which Black Hawk owns, adjoins High Street. It is across from the
Gregory Point Victorian historic homes and a dozen yards uphill from the west end of Gregory
Plaza.
Black Hawk Council and Mayor David Spellman
were scheduled to vote at yesterday’s (Feb. 14) meet-
ing to formally request Central’s okay to annex the lot
Drone photo by Don Ireland
into its jurisdiction. All six aldermen and the
mayor were scheduled to sign the request letter,
hoping Central City leaders would accept it as a
friendship request.
Economic development discusions atract capacity audience from Clear Crek-Gilpin counties
By Don Ireland
the Clear Creek Economic Development Corp.’s
first “Rural Resilience” economic development
mixer at the new Club Hotel in Idaho Springs
last Thursday and Friday.
The nearly three-hour meeting discussed the
demographic trends and the state of the econo-
mies in both Gilpin and Clear Creek, presented
by Greg Totten, an economist from the State of
Colorado Demography Office.
Senior Reporter
Despite cold weather and an anticipated
snowstorm, about 100 local business owners
and elected officials turned out to hear about
the present and future forecasts for business at
From Rollinsville in northern Gilpin to Du-
mont in Clear Creek, the assembled community
Gilpin County Manager Ray Rears and
Ryan Englund, president of the Better City
consulting organization, discussed resilience
and diversification in Gilpin County. Rears
was appointed to the CCEDC board last year
to inform Gilpin business owners and lead-
ers of how the non-profit organization serves
them.
members were given
an optimistic forecast
about how more busi-
ness could be attract-
ed to the neighboring
counties, with CCEDC
leaders offering as-
sistance to help turn
business dreams into
reality. (See related
story on how the
CCEDC helped the
Club Hotel launch its
new operation.)
Speaking on resilience and diversification
were Brian Bosshart, manager for Clear Creek
County, and Willie Wilkins, Colorado State
University’s Mountain regional specialist for
expanded rural engagement.
Continued on page 11
in this century. The history of Gilpin and nearby Clear Creek counties
add immense history to the launching of Colorado statehood in 1876.
Portions of the early day constitution and statehood documents are said
to have been partially written in today’s Weekly Register building that
escaped the Central City fires.
Being in the newspaper business, we must go with the news flow of the news.
Each week, we monitor events and follow governmental, social, and club
events and political happenings, including candidate announcements and obitu-
aries of local folks who have read this newspaper for the last time.
Portions of the building were purchased from the newspaper owner in
1865 to become Central Masonic Lodge No. 6 A.F.& A.M., sharing the building
with the newspaper to this day.
So, with a small staff of dedicated professionals, we do our best to lasso and
corral the week’s news. If we don’t know about it, likely it won’t make this
week’s newspaper.
Add to the mixture unplanned events, fires, auto accidents, avalanches, floods,
and crimes. And remember sports … where are the girl’s and boy’s teams play-
ing this week? What about the school board meetings and events like the new
million-dollar sewer line? (It seems like state and federal agencies should be
chipping in on that project.)
The old joke told before, “Everyone in town knows what happened. They just
read the newspaper to see if we found out about it.”
We’re here to stay, enjoying the communities and learning something new
every week. Your suggestions, praise, and criticism only make us work harder
to keep this grand old historic newspaper growing older and living longer. It is a
challenging task.
If you don’t know, you will find out eventually that we’re a great cheerleader
for Gilpin County. We can and will make a difference to improve life for every-
one, visitors and residents.
Thank you for the subscriptions that fill Post Office Box 93 every week. We
take this as a ticket to the performance as the curtain goes up and the melodra-
ma continues. Take advantage of the performances and help keep the marque
lights shining brightly.
We continue to bind each issue into yearly books stored with the other historic
bound volumes for future generations to see how we live, play, work, and govern
county commissioners offered
them in January. He made the
statement during the Gilpin
commissioners’ meeting on
Tuesday, Feb. 13.
build multiple duplex housing
units within walking distance
of the rec center for several
years.
rights within the next four
years and verifying the com-
plex wouldn’t have an outdoor
irrigation system. The proposal
required a professional to cre-
ate the water plan and for the
water rights to be conveyed
over to the county.
ing for over a decade, told the
commissioners last month that
Gilpin needs affordable hous-
ing for its elderly residents. She
said she anticipated a “wait-
ing list” for seniors wanting to
move into the new complex.
According to Nicholson, Gilpin
County has “a disproportional
number of senior citizens”
compared to other Colorado
counties and has many resi-
dents who have lived into their
90s and beyond. “The folks
around here are pretty hardy
and stick around for a long
time. I think there will be a
number of residents who will
benefit from senior housing.”
By the WR-C staff
The Gilpin Senior Liv ing
organization has abandoned
plans to build duplexes on
county-owned land adjoining
the Gilpin Recreation Center.
In approving the 16-page
lease last month, the commis-
sioners required Gilpin Senior
Living to attain several “bench-
marks” within the next several
years for the lease to continue.
They included securing water
Gilpin Senior Living, a non-
profit group, is led by Jeanne
Nicholson, a former county
commissioner and Colorado
state senator. She and others
have tried to secure a lease to
Gilpin County Attorney
Brad Benning announced the
non-profit senior living group
isn’t interested in a $1 lease the
The proposed lease also
required Senior Living to pres-
ent a plan to finance the new
duplexes within the next year.
Details on the facility’s profes-
sional management, including
how it would handle billings,
collections, evictions, and other
situations, were also included
in the lease. The project owner
also was given a 10-year dead-
line to provide details on how
roads, utilities and related work
would occur on the property.
Black Hawk ofers $$ to Central City for parking lot
Continued from previous page
all the council members, a
symbolic expression we do
not often do. After the Black
Hawk Council meeting on
February 14, City Manager
Cole and I will hand-deliver
the letter to Mayor Fey and
City Manager Miera.”
from the City Council of
Central.”
(Editor’s note: The Weekly
Register-Call was unable to
reach Sen. Nicholson for ad-
ditional information regarding
the future of Gilpin Senior Liv-
ing at our deadline on Tues-
day. There was no information
regarding the decision on the
organization’s website.)
Black Hawk also said it
will give a Quit Claim deed
for a 5.75-acre mining claim
near the KOA Campground
and Gold Mountain Vil-
lage Apartments in Central
City. According to the Black
Hawk letter, the lot could
be a potential site for a one
million-gallon water stor-
age tank for Central City’s
municipal water system.
“Based on Black Hawk’s
acquisition of these and
other mining claims, we
believe this land convey-
ance to Central is valued at
approximately $115,000,”
the offer said.
According to the offer,
Black Hawk would relieve
Central from cleaning and
maintaining the grizzly
screen and flume running
for the stream beneath the
Briggs lot. The city also
would agree to Central’s
architectural and light-
ing guidelines should city
leaders allow Black Hawk to
annex the property.
In addition, the lease re-
quired Senior Living to provide
proof that the buildings and the
property were insured and that
no explosive items would be
kept there.
When contacted, Fey said
he was aware of the forth-
coming offer but declined
to comment. “I can’t talk
about it. They haven’t
presented anything to [the]
council yet. Until [the]
council sees it and con-
solidates an opinion, I can’t
talk about it,” according to
Fey. “If I were going to give
an opinion on this [today],
it would disqualify me from
giving one later.”
Nicholson, who has been
pursuing senior citizen hous-
Black Hawk also said it
wouldn’t excavate any of the
land adjoining the Briggs
lot beyond the 8,200-foot
elevation contour line on
the property. The city said
the conversion of the lot to
a trailhead for its Maryland
Mountain/Quartz Valley
would require Black Hawk
to install a 28-foot-long
footbridge and set of stairs
over part of the property to
connect with the forthcom-
ing trail system.
Spellman and City Man-
ager Stephen Cole were
scheduled to present the
letter to Central City Man-
ager Daniel Miera and May-
or Jeremy Fey at a meeting
this morning (Feb. 15).
The Central mayor said he
will know more after receiv-
ing the offer letter from
Black Hawk. “It’s better
than getting a lawsuit,” he
said, with a chuckle in his
voice.
Noted Spellman, “We
have had on-again-off-again
conversations with the City
of Central over the last
several years regarding this
request by the City of Black
Hawk. The Black Hawk
City Council now wants to
advance the proposal in a
meaningful and impactful
fashion, benefiting both
cities and their respective
projects. We firmly believe
we are offering the right
ingredients to make this
a win-win for both cities,
and we look forward to the
City of Central’s thoughtful
response. As a demonstra-
tion of the sincerity of the
Black Hawk Council, we will
include the signatures of
Central City’s aldermen
could consider the Black
Hawk letter, the potential
$250,000 donation, and
the offer to give Central the
5.75 parcel near Lake Gulch
Road as early as their meet-
ing on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
“In the longer term, Black
Hawk may consider con-
structing a parking garage
and, if feasible, a boutique
hotel on the property,”
according to the letter. “In
doing so, as part of any for-
malized agreement between
Central and Black Hawk,
Black Hawk is willing to
enter into a binding agree-
ment and recorded height
limitation of 75 feet on any
building constructed on the
property.”
Call for appointment
LETTERS & COLUMNS
Send Letters to the Editor via email with all contact information in-
cluded to news@weeklyregistercall.com. The Weekly Register-Call
does not guarantee publication or pay for submissions and reserves
the right to edit for length and content. Letters should be short (less
than 350 words) and of local content. Anonymous letters will not be
published. Deadline is noon Friday prior to the week of publication.
In Black Hawk’s council
packet for its Feb. 14 meet-
ing, the proposed letter
said, “The Black Hawk City
Council believes this is
truly a ‘win-win’ for both
Central and Black Hawk,
both in the short-term and
the long-term, and hopes to
receive a positive response
and acceptance of this offer
(Editor’s note: A story re-
garding Central’s response
to the Black Hawk offer
is planned for next week’s
edition.)
By Peter Droge
President, Belvidere
The active restora-
tion of the Belvidere
Theater has taken a
mid-winter break to
avoid construction
in snowy weather.
However, planning
is underway for con-
struction to begin in
the early spring, focus-
ing on completing
exterior brickwork and
beginning structural
improvements on the
interior.
The big accomplish-
ment over the last few
months has been the
removal of all asbestos
from the interior. It
was a bigger job than
anticipated but has
been completed ac-
cording to the rigorous
standards required for
this type of project by
the state.
Recent progress at the Belvidere Theater includes removing asbestos in the Nevada Street building.
Drone photo by Don Ireland
The restoration of the exterior has so far
required replacing thousands of bricks. When
complete, the exterior brickwork will be sealed
but not painted to maintain the historic charac-
ter of the building.
The Foundation is grateful to the City of
Central and the many community members
who have supported the restoration efforts.
The primary responsibility of the Foundation is
to restore the Belvidere for future generations
of Gilpin County residents. Once the renova-
tion nears completion, the Foundation looks
forward to exploring possible ways to use the
building.
County wil increase recenter fes begining on March 1
By Don Ireland
$9 and $10, depending on
the user’s age and whether
they live in the county.
The cost for one-month,
three-month and annual
passes also will increase for
the remainder of the year,
depending on the user’s age
and residency status.
the rec center’s website and
newsletter.
director said she sought rate
increases to help offset the
reduced income and make
the facility more “self-sus-
tainable.”
For 2024, Chisholm said
the center had eliminated
$100,00 in line-item pur-
chases, reduced its part-
time staff, and made other
cuts. She noted that utilities
for the building are estimat-
ed at $230,000 this year.
“It’s been really hard on us,”
she commented. “We’ve
been through a lot of ups
and downs. I don’t know
about the future.”
Senior Reporter
Originally, Chisholm
planned to discontinue sell-
ing annual passes. However,
she said she would follow
the commissioners’ recom-
mendations to continue the
program after they sug-
gested the passes should
contain a line, “hours and
days subject to change.”
The fees for some Gilpin
Community Center pro-
grams will rise by $1 or
more starting on March 1.
She noted that many
insurance providers sup-
port Silver Sneakers and
other programs that pay for
seniors to use the rec center.
In addition, the non-profit
Friends of Gilpin Com-
munity Center offers Heart
Fund “scholarships” to help
residents who can’t afford
to pay for rec center passes
and sports equipment.
By a 2-1 vote, the Gilpin
Board of County Commis-
sioners approved several
increases for the community
center at their meeting on
Tuesday, Feb. 13. The dis-
cussion brought on a larger
topic – the future of the rec
center in 2025 and beyond
– into the spotlight during
the meeting, too.
Prices for childcare for
kids graded K-5 also will
rise, depending on whether
the children are attending
full-day or after-school pro-
grams. The registration fee
for the program will be $30,
a $5 increase. Those partici-
pating in field trips will be
charged $66, compared to
the current $55. Parks and
Recreation Director Gabri-
elle Chisholm said the new
rates will be available on
Commissioner Marie
Mornis voted against the
increases after her motion
– to freeze the fees this year
– failed to get a second.
Hollingsworth said the old
mill levy means that casinos
will pay about $700,000
less this year than if the
property tax had remained
in effect. Currently, the cen-
ter will continue operating
for the remainder of 2024.
“I don’t have a crystal ball
[to predict the future],” said
the commissioner, who gave
Chisholm kudos for seeking
sponsorships and additional
funding for the facility.
Chisholm said Gilpin’s
rates continue to be lower
than those in other counties.
After county voters rejected
a special millage levy in
November to finance some
of the rec center’s costs, the
Mornis said county lead-
ers should discuss the rec
center beyond the current
year, noting the county’s
budget paid for the facil-
ity from when it opened in
2002 until the pandemic
struck in 2020. At that time,
the voters passed a three-
year 2.56\ mill levy to fund
the rec center. The money
comes from the county gen-
eral fund and user fees.
Commissioners Susan
Berumen and Sandy Hol-
lingsworth voted to increase
daily drop-in fees by $1 for
residents and non-residents.
Punch cards for 10 admis-
sions will increase between
Replied Mornis, “I’m a lot
more optimistic about the
future.” She recommended
that county leaders meet
to discuss the rec center
operations for its long-term
future.
Jefferson Academy
enrollment
With Jefferson County
Schools closing the Coal
Creek Canyon building
this year, parents have
organized a group that
will run the school as part
of the Jefferson Academy
system, a private academy
for preschool children and
those in grades kindergar-
ten through eighth.
This year, Gilpin County’s
budget has allocated ap-
proximately $2.7 million for
the rec center, including $1
million for capital repairs.
The recently ended mill levy
resulted in the center receiv-
ing $1.1 million less in 2024
compared to 2023. County
leaders said approximately
$600,000 remaining from
the rec center’s budget last
year will help defray the
costs this year. When ap-
proving the 2024 budget,
the county commissioners
reduced the operating days
for the rec center from five
to four days.
BRIEFS
BRIEFS
Berumen said the rec
center fees hadn’t increased
for more than three years,
adding many senior citizens
don’t have to pay for meals
and programs there. “I don’t
think there’s anything that’s
free,” she remarked.
The school is accept-
ing information from
parents who are interested
in enrolling children for
the upcoming year. It will
serve families in the Coal
Creek Canyon area and
beyond in Gilpin, Jefferson
and Boulder counties.
U.S. Forest Service continues pile burns
Seeing smoke in Gilpin County? The USFS is asking residents not to report it to
authorities because most of the smoke is coming from piles being burned north of
Central City and in the vicinity of the Gross Reservoir near Pinecliffe.
For information on the
rec center and Heart Fund
grants available through
the Friends of Gilpin Com-
munity Center, visit www.
gilpincommunitycenter.
org.
The Forest Service said there has been an uptick in 911 calls to the Gilpin County
Sheriff’s Department. During burning, USFS partners from The Nature Conser-
vancy, Timberline Fire Protection District and Lefthand Fire Protection District
have been observing the burns. The service reports that the area has adequate snow
cover, and there are no holding concerns. Resources remain on scene until the piles
have burned down.
Senior Reporter
Some residents still don’t believe the iconic Albert Frei & Sons Wal-
strum quarry has been sold. To many of those residents and business
people around Clear Creek and Gilpin counties, they are still shaking
their heads in disbelief.
For them and others, the news surrounding the unexpected sale was
the equivalent of an unexpected heavy snowstorm or rainstorm arriving.
However, as the adage about clouds goes, there is something of a silver
lining to the story: Neither Albert Frei Jr. nor the people at the Wal-
strum Quarry along Highway 6 are going anywhere – at least, not for a
while.
Frei Jr., whose grandfather, Albert, started the aggregate and rock-
mining business more than 60 years ago in Commerce City. He said he
would continue to serve as a consultant to Martin Marietta Materials
for at least one year to ensure the local business has a smooth transition
as it becomes part of the vast MMM Inc. empire stretching across the
U.S., Canada, and the Bahamas. Martin Marietta, listed on the New York
Stock Exchange, is a U.S.-based supplier of building materials, includ-
ing aggregates, cement, mixed concrete, and asphalt, that operates in 28
states.
Al Frei Jr. said he plans to continue to be involved with burro races and the
Clear Creek Rotary Club in the future.
structure along Church Street that offers some
of the city’s best views.
school, there are state-of-the-art technologies
and a dedicated staff who works to serve and
protect people 24/7/365.
Senior Reporter
However, what’s inside the stately building
is vital to the 100 residents and thousands of
visitors who arrive in town daily. What many
people don’t realize is that inside the old
From the valley below, the old school build-
ing on the hill in Black Hawk has been standing
for generations. It’s a serene-looking historic
Recently completed renovations inside the
Black Hawk Police Department encompassed
three-fourths of the first floor and the detec-
tives’ area upstairs, according to City Manager
Stephen Cole. He estimated the remodeling
cost $1.081 million plus another $435,136 for
additional equipment and furniture.
I was at Dostal Alley last week when
a well-informed source told me that Al
Frei had sold AFS to Martin Marietta.
We rushed to get a short story in last
week’s WR-C . This week, we have the
interview; it is somewhat bittersweet for
residents of both Clear Creek and Gilpin
counties. We named AFS “Business of the
Year” in 2022 because of their community
generosity for church and school dona-
tions of aggregate.
While he is thanking all of us, we need to
be thanking him.
EDITORIAL ………………………………………………… 303-906-9902
For the past 30 years I’ve been driving
up and down Clear Creek Canyon and
watching the gravel trucks thunder by
down the canyon. I always looked at those
trucks with pride in American industry.
ADVERTISING …………………… 303-906-9902 or 303-773-8313
LEGALS/PUBLIC NOTICES ………………………… 303-906-9902
SUBSCRIPTIONS ………………. 303-906-9902 or 303-773-8313
They were hauling badly needed ag-
gregate for new home and office buildings
along the front range.
Colorado has been booming for the past
50 years but has always been known as a
“boom and bust” state. The Rocky Moun-
tains were cold with granite mountains
that gave up their minerals grudgingly
with hard rock miners tearing at their
hillside souls. A few made fortunes, and
sweat was lost by many. The mountain
towns came alive with tourism when the
ski boom began.
Along with their strong environmen-
tal efforts of running a clean operation,
they buy millions of gallons of water
from Central City. When you drive in
front of the quarry, they constantly spray
U.S. Highway 6 for dust and dirt. They
have reclaimed acres of quarry digs with
new topsoil, planted grass, and returned
hillsides to a natural state. The mountain
sheep love the place.
Horace Tabor made his money by selling
shovels and mining supplies in Leadville.
AFS has turned gravel into gold, but it
took 60 years of hard labor to produce a
fortune for the well-deserving family.
Along with the quarry, the Frei family
owns additional trails in both counties,
allowing open trails and public use on pri-
vate lands. They have been good citizens
for 60 years. It is a happy ending for them
from a “rocky start,” so to speak.
Al Frei is a very humble man; I’ve never
seen him, but on one occasion, wear-
ing anything but blue jeans, a vest, and a
flannel shirt, with soiled work boots, and
he always drove his white pickup. I saw
him at the Idaho Springs Elks Lodge in
December, volunteering with his daughter
and dog at the non-profit holiday market.
He always seems to be in a cordial mood
and very down to earth. I hope he can stay
friendly, always looking out for others.
With new wealth, he will have many new
friends.
I have become a friend of Al, who has
sponsored our “Looking Back” history
column, undoubtedly the most popular
feature in the 162-year-old newspaper, the
oldest newspaper left standing in Colo-
rado. When it became time to renew his
ad for 2024 last month, Al hung his head
in his office and said, “I have some disap-
pointing news for you, Bob; I won’t be
renewing my ad because I’m selling the
company,” at the end of the month after I
quickly asked, When?
Wherever life leads him, he can be proud
of his years of toil in the gravel pits of the
Rocky Mountains for himself and his great
family. Founder father Albert Frei can be
very proud of his sons.
He did buy a “Thank You” ad in the
newspaper with the exclusive interview
that begins on the front page and jumps to
the center pages of this week’s WR-C .
NEWSROOM
If you have questions, comments or a news tip, contact
news@ weeklyregistercall.com. Please send information and listings for
potential publishing to this email address.
LETTERS & COLUMNS
Send Letters to the Editor via email with all contact information in-
cluded to news@weeklyregistercall.com. The Weekly Register-Call
does not guarantee publication or pay for submissions and reserves
the right to edit for length and content. Letters should be short (less
than 350 words) and of local content. Anonymous letters will not be
published. Deadline is noon Friday prior to the week of publication.
nation’s
most
notable
opera
profes-
sionals,
including
fellow
inductees
Cynthia
Lawrence
and Keith
Miller.
Senior Reporter
When the Colorado Music Hall of
Fame conducts its first-ever “Opera
in the High County” this summer,
the spotlight won’t solely shine
on the historic Central City Opera
(CCO). The HOF will also induct
several of the opera’s singer-pro-
fessionals and its late conductor/
music director during the June 29
ceremonies.
The Hall event, at its first “des-
tination” induction, will celebrate
the CCO’s history and three indi-
viduals who have helped contribute
to the organization’s success over
the years. They include Cynthia
Lawrence, Keith Miller and the late
John Moriarty.
Moriar-
ty passed
on Jan.
5, 2022,
at the
age of 91.
“While
much of
his pro-
fessional
career
was spent
at Cen-
tral City
Opera, his
impact on
the opera
industry is
far-reach-
ing,” said General/Artistic Direc-
tor Pelham “Pat” Pearce. “He was
an exceptional teacher and helped
develop the careers of some of the
most renowned opera performers.”
This winter Central City Opera House in tranquil, but come June 29 it will be the
place to be, because the Opera will be inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of
bachelor’s degree and an honorary
doctor of music from the New Eng-
land Conservatory of Music, Mori-
arty has two named opera scholar-
ships at the Conservancy: The John
Moriarty Presidential Scholarship
and the John Moriarty Encourage-
ment Award. In his adopted town
of Central City, the John Moriarty
Award of the Central City Opera is
named after him. He was also the
recipient of the National Opera
Association Lifetime Achievement
Award.
Moriarty’s first professional
opera position was with Santa Fe
Opera, where he also founded an
artist training program. He also
worked as the training director and
conductor at Wolf Trap Opera, in
addition to several other notable
opera companies. He led the opera
departments at the Boston Con-
servatory of Music and the New
England Conservatory. Among his
publications is the widely assigned
education instruction manual Dic-
tion . According to the CCO, train-
ing future opera stars was always
at the core of his work. Holding a
John Moriarty
Inductee photos courtesy CCO
John Moriarity
The late conductor/artistic direc-
tor for the CCO, Moriarty, created
the CCO’s Bonfils-Stanton Founda-
tion Artists Training Program in
1978. The program is considered a
national model for the professional
development of young singers. With
only 30 artists selected from 1,000
applicants yearly, the competitive
program has trained many of the
To honor his 30th anniversary
with Central City Opera, a street
next to the opera house in Central
City was renamed Moriarty Lane.
Keith Miller
Keith Miller
Miller is from one of Colorado’s
smallest towns, Ovid, with a
population of less than 300. A star
football player at the University of
Colorado Boulder, Miller went on
to play professional football before
shifting his career to opera. Once
an Apprentice Artist at Central City
Opera, Miller has had an impressive
musical career across the U.S., from
Colorado, where he served as the
Crested Butte Music Festival Opera
Director for six years to the iconic
Metropolitan Opera in New York
City. He performed in New York as
a principal artist for 18 years.
Cynthia Lawrence
Karen Radman, executive direc-
tor of the Hall, said, “Colorado
Music Hall of Fame is honored to
be presenting an opera-themed
induction class for the first time,
recognizing the important contribu-
tions that opera has made in music
while expanding to a new musical
genre for our inductees. Opera in
the High Country , focused around
the impressive and historic Central
City Opera and those whose careers
were influenced by it, also expands
The Hall of Fame’s reach into the
Colorado mountains and out of the
metro area. This June 29 event in
Central City will be the first of many
destination inductions that The Hall
plans to host statewide. With all
it has to offer, we really hope that
folks from across the state and out-
of-state tourists come out and cel-
ebrate opera with us in Central City
for a summer weekend this year.”
Cynthia Lawrence
Lawrence serves as the Endowed
Chair for Voice and Opera at the
University of Kentucky School of
Music. An alumna of the University
of Colorado Boulder, the soprano
became a principal artist with doz-
ens of opera companies across the
globe and in Colorado, including
Central City Opera, Colorado Opera
Festival and the Fort Collins Opera.
Boasting over 70 performances with
Maestro Luciano Pavarotti, Law-
rence has taken on some of opera’s
most iconic parts. As a dedicated
music educator, Lawrence con-
ducts Master Classes and serves as
a judge for the Metropolitan Opera
National Council Auditions.
Central City to co-host Opera into Hal of Fame induction
By Don Ireland
tured to Central
City to find gold.
Traditionally, the induc-
tion was held at the Hall’s
location at the Red Rocks
Trading Post, part of the
City of Denver’s Red Rocks
Amphitheater near Mor-
rison. However, the Hall
is expected to move into a
yet-unannounced location
in downtown Denver in the
next several weeks. Rad-
man said the Hall may hold
additional inductions that
aren’t related to the Opera
induction ceremony later in
the year.
Senior Reporter
Karen Rad-
man, executive
director of the
Colorado Music
Hall of Fame,
said, “Colorado
Music Hall of
Fame is honored
to be presenting
an opera-themed
induction class
for the first time,
recognizing the
important con-
tributions that
Opera has made
in music while ex-
panding to a new
musical genre
for our induct-
ees. Opera in the
High Country ,
focused around
the impressive
and historic Cen-
tral City Opera
and those whose
careers were influenced by
it, also expands The Hall
of Fame’s reach into the
Colorado mountains and
out of the metro area. This
June 29, event in Central
City will be the first of
many destination induc-
tions that The Hall plans to
host statewide. With all it
has to offer, we really hope
that folks from across the
state and out-of-state tour-
ists come out and celebrate
Opera with us in Central
City for a summer weekend
this year.”
Not only will the Central
City Opera become induct-
ed into the Colorado Music
Hall of Fame this summer,
but the Opera will also host
the associated festivities
along Eureka Street on
Saturday, July 29.
According to the non-
profit music organization,
this is the first time the
Hall will hold its first “des-
tination” induction.
Scott Finlay, Central
City Opera’s president and
CEO, said, “We are deeply
honored to be receiving
this recognition. Central
City Opera’s 92 years of
rich musical heritage is a
testament to the dedication
of our supporters, volun-
teers, artists and staff who
have made this milestone
possible. This distinction is
a tribute to their commit-
ment.”
The mayor is the son of
the late Barry Fey, a 2012
Hall inductee whose pro-
motion of Denver brought
big-name music acts to the
Mile High City from the
late 1960s through his re-
tirement in 2004. For three
consecutive years, Barry
Fey was Billboard Maga-
zine’s «Concert Promoter
of the Year.»
and dinner at the Teller
House. The audience will
head next door to the main
opera house, where the
Hall induction will occur
at 5 p.m., followed by the
inaugural performance of
the Opera’s first show of its
summer music festival, The
Pirates of Penzance. Cen-
tral City Opera is the
fifth-oldest opera company
in the U.S., originating in
1932. It is listed as a Na-
tional Historic Landmark,
built in 1878 by Welsh and
Cornish miners who ven-
Commented Central City
Mayor Jeremy Fey: “It is
a great honor for Central
City to host the Colorado
Music Hall of Fame. We
are especially proud as
Central City Opera, a pillar
of Colorado’s cultural land-
scape for 92 years, leads
the 2024 class of inductees.
June 29 will be a landmark
day, celebrating both the
Opera’s venerable history
and Central City’s ongoing
revitalization. I have liter-
ally been working on this
[induction] for six years.”
Visitors who plan to at-
tend the Hall and opening
night of the Opera are of-
fered special room rates for
June 28-29 at the Grand
Z Casino and Hotel on
Gregory Street in Central
City and at the Monarch
Casino Resort Spa in Black
Hawk. (The promo code is
Opera24.)
The Central City induc-
tion will be hosted in a
partnership between the
Opera and Central City.
The event will include a
pre-ceremony reception
Continued from page 1 Remodeling of the BHPD station
system was built out across the state, police
and fire transitioned to the state’s radio sys-
tem. The department’s radio system tran-
sitioned from a stand-alone single antenna
attached to a shed to an integrated 800 MHZ
radio system with multiple talk groups. Our
technology in records management, video re-
tention, and dispatch, that is the envy of much
larger police departments. My off-the-cuff
conclusion is the overall project has arresting
features and is
now a source of
immense pride
for the dedicated
and steadfast
members of the
Black Hawk Po-
lice Department.”
radios were
upgraded to
be interop-
erable with
other agencies
during emer-
gencies.”
“Unlike the woke whack-job government officials and
activists in parts of Colorado and the country calling for
defunding the police, in the City of Black Hawk we say
fund the police and fund them well.
— Mayor David Spellman
In addition,
Cole noted,
“We were the first in the county to issue body
cameras to our officers. We updated our
Chief Moriarty
said the renovations and upgrades will help her
department. “A newly remodeled station means
a more efficient and up-to-date police depart-
ment. We remodeled records,
dispatch, booking and inves-
tigations. We removed walls,
utilized space better and im-
proved the workflow. It took
months.”
records manage-
ment system
and began using
tablets instead
of tradition-
ally higher-priced
Panasonic Tough-
books. Now, most
of the records
held by the de-
partment are in
electronic files. The
dispatch center used
the latest equipment
to provide public ser-
vice. Over the years,
the Black Hawk Po-
lice Department has
upgraded dispatching
equipment, comput-
ers, radio equipment,
recording equipment,
and 911 equipment in
the dispatch center.
The evidence col-
lection system was
upgraded to include
modern storage
equipment and
procedures. Video
collected from of-
ficers’ body cameras
can now uploaded to
the district attorney’s
office in criminal cases. The city also has added
cameras at several locations in the city that
dispatchers can now monitor. In general, old-
fashioned paper has been replaced by electronic
Black Hawk Police Chief Michelle Moriarty stands near
the booking area, which has a bulletproof glass window
and (behind her) a prisoner cell, where suspects are
held until they are transported to the Gilpin County Jail
or other locations. Previously, there was just a single
restroom on the first floor that prisoners and employees
shared. Another staff-only restroom was added as part
of the recent renovation project.
The new dispatch area
includes several workstations,
each of which has multiple
TV-style monitors that can
help several dispatchers pull
up reports, view videos, go
online, and communicate with
others.
Photos courtesy of Black Hawk Police Department
clearances for officers, hospital-status informa-
tion and rapid SOS response.”
The Black Hawk Police Department includes
41 full-time members, 29 sworn-in officers and
12 non-sworn staffers. That includes Moriarty,
two commanders, five sergeants, 18 patrol
officers and three detectives. The non-sworn
department members include eight dispatchers,
two records officers, one property and evidence
worker and one chief administrative assistant/
court clerk.
Moriarty noted that technol-
ogy in law enforcement has
significantly changed since
she first began working with
the Arvada Police Department
in 1995 before moving to the
Black Hawk Police Depart-
ment a little more than three
years ago.
Spellman said the city has a history of law
enforcement. “When the City of Black Hawk was
incorporated in 1864, the City Charter stated the
fledgling city would have a Marshal who would be
the ex-officio Chief of Police. In August of 1991,
the city retired the designation of City Marshal
and organized the Black Hawk Police Department,
with the Chief of Police as the top law enforce-
ment officer. The office for the new department
was located on the first floor of City Hall on Selak
Street. In 1994, after the renovation of Black
Hawk’s 1869 schoolhouse on Church Street, the
department was relocated to this iconic building.
The recently completed project marks the third
renovation for the schoolhouse turned police
department and is the most extensive and expen-
sive. The schoolhouse may be an imposing edifice
on Church Street, but for a police department, the
square footage makes for tight quarters.”
“When I started in 1995, we
wrote everything down and
had to memorize maps. When
we were sent to a call, we had
a notepad rubber-banded to
a clipboard. Now, there are
computers in the cars with
mapping, dispatched calls,
pending calls, etc. We had no
cell phones; now we have cell
phones or iPads with all the call information.
Chief Moriarty shows off the department’s
high-tech Mavic 3T drone with zoom and
infrared cameras that can assist police
and fire department members. Several
city employees are expected to participate
in a drone pilot training program later this
spring.
Photo courtesy of Black Hawk Police
“Cameras and photos were different. Now,
we can download by a click of a button versus
sending a roll of film or a memory card off.
Dispatched calls
used to be writ-
ten on dispatch
cards; now, they
type everything
into a Computer
Aided Dispatch
(CAD) system.
All the CAD systems get better and better with
every passing year. The officers wear body cam-
eras and can now download in minutes versus
hours. Records Management is electronic, and
all officers now do data entry,” the chief said.
files, too.”
Moriarty said
one of the depart-
ment’s
ongo-
ing
goals
is to
work closely with the Gilpin County
Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Division
of Gaming, Colorado State Patrol,
Gilpin Dispatch, Black Hawk Fire
Department and the Gilpin Ambu-
lance Authority.
“One of the things Black Hawk has done has been
to continue to update technologies in the police depart-
ment,”
— City Manager Stephen Cole
Cole, who was Black Hawk’s police chief
from October 2005 until he became city man-
ager in March 2019, said the department has
grown from 34 positions in 2014 to 41. “When
I arrived in October of 2005, the police depart-
ment had good equipment, but we looked for
opportunities to improve our operation every
year. We leveraged grant funding to purchase
new radios and other equipment. Technology is
changing so fast it’s easy to fall behind. I would
say that every piece of technology has been re-
placed and upgraded over the years, making the
police department more efficient and effective,”
he commented.
“We dispatch for BHPD, BHFD,
and Gilpin Ambulance (for city calls,
not county),” said Moriarty. “Gilpin
County Dispatch Center is our back-
up dispatch center, and they are our
backup center (we work closely with
them). Dispatchers handle many
things during a shift, including 911
calls, non-emergency calls, police/
fire/ambulance radio traffic, Emer-
gency radio traffic, several criminal
justice systems to aid the officers
on calls, Computer Aided Dispatch
(CAD), towing calls and calls for
medical helicopters, assisting other
agencies with 911 rollover calls,
administration duties, searches and
“One of the things Black Hawk has done has
been to continue to update technologies in the
police department,” according to Cole. “The
Black Hawk Police Department played a cru-
cial role in building new radio towers in Black
Hawk and Gilpin County. Once the 800 MHz
“That didn’t go very well. We
heard a lot about Sasquatch
(also called Bigfoot) and, if
you look today, it’s still well
advertised, So we decided to
go with Sasquatch. They’re
still looking for the sasquatch
on the internet and TV. The
sasquatch’s name sets up apart
from the other casinos.”
A Michigan artist designed
the gi-
ant, hairy
Sasquatch
creature that
welcomes
visitors who
walk in the
door. “The
artist said he
saw a Sas-
quatch run
up the hill
when he was
12 years old.
He got many
books about
it and later
designed
and built our
Sasquatch.
There is no
question in
his mind that
these are real.
He also built
another one
that is in our
Squatch gas
station,” said
Ed.
Many peo-
ple stop to snap a selfie with
the beast. They also venture
a few feet away to a small,
hairy sculpture that includes
a sign, “Rub the Sasquatch
butt for good luck.” Nearby, a
series of photos show how the
statue was built.
The present-day Sasquatch
operation is larger than when
it originally opened. The
Smiths purchased two smaller
spaces at the west end of their
place and made them part of
their casino. One section in-
cludes a small arcade section,
so children can play various
video games because state
law prohibits those under the
PART TWO
By Don Ireland
Senior Reporter
Ed and Shirley Smith are
considered casino legends
in Colorado. Married for 61
years, they never imagined
where their future would lead
when they exchanged vows.
Before gaming arrived, they
also operated a convenience
store and laundromat in Black
Hawk.
More than 60 years ago, Ed
had a friend in Fort Collins.
The man was dating a woman
from Wyoming and wanted
his lady friend to get someone
to go on a double date. That
woman convinced Shirley to
go along. That night, Ed met
Shirley… the rest became
history.
“She was from New Castle,
and I was from Rifle,” said
Ed. “Both of us had been in
4-H in our areas but never
really met. It was on that
double-date, a blind date for
Shirley and I, that we met,”
he added. “She and I had very
similar backgrounds with
farming and ranching. We
thought about things in the
same way.”
Ed and Shirley were mar-
ried in 1961.
Today, their family includes
four children (three sons and
one daughter), 14 grandchil-
dren and nine great-grandchil-
dren. The office walls at both
casinos are plastered with
family photos.
Shirley ran a laundromat
and convenience store in the
current Sasquatch space on
Gregory Street when gaming
arrived. “We rented the place
and had an option to buy,”
recalled Smith. “There were
quite a few shysters who came
and made promises, wanting
to take over. Shirley and I
decided to hold out because
we didn’t want to give away
our future for nothing.”
* * *
Selecting the appropriate
name for a casino can be chal-
lenging.
Picking the name for
the Wild Card Casino was
relatively simple because the
second floor of the historic
125 Gregory St. building (the
Sasquatch casino) contained
a stage and dance hall named
the Wild Card. The Wild Card
was established in a building
on Black Hawk’s Main Street
in 1995. The two casinos are
a stone’s throw away from
one another – especially if a
Bigfoot is hurling the stone.
On the other hand, it wasn’t
easy to choose the name for
the Smiths’ Sasquatch Casino.
Ed and Shirley were seeking
a new name for their Gregory
Street operation when they
went to dinner at a Chinese
restaurant in Idaho Springs.
“We talked to the Chinese
girl who worked there, and
she said, ‘This is the year
of the red rat.’ We thought
about the name ‘The Red Rat’
and laughed,” Ed recounted.
Drone light shows
replacing traditional fireworks
PART ONE
(Editor’s note: Senior
Reporter Don Ireland
sat down with Ed Smith,
who, along with his wife
Shirley, have been casino
and business owners for
more than three decades
in Black Hawk. This story
chronicles some of the
highs, lows and experienc-
es of the couple, who are
considered casino legends
in Colorado.)
Age of Drones
By Don Ireland
recalled,
members of
the state leg-
islature went
to the Brown
Palace to
smoke after
their session
concluded
for the day.
“When they
wrote the
[anti-smok-
ing] law,
they decided
if a certain
percentage
of your sales
was at a cer-
tain level or
over $50,000
per year in
[tobacco]
sales, you
could con-
sider your-
self a ‘cigar
bar’ and
continue to
allow smoking. So, we, and
about 40 or 50 other places
in Colorado, declared our-
selves as cigar bars. Our sales
exceeded $50,000, so we met
the criteria of becoming a
cigar bar.”
A few years later, other leg-
islators tried to pass a bill that
would’ve prevented smok-
ing from continuing inside
the Wild Card. “They were
trying to specifically get rid
of me.” However, the effort
failed. “We were very lucky,”
recalled Ed. “There was a
state house member who was
very knowledgeable, so it
ended up that they killed the
Hire UAV is scheduled to
conduct about 30 drone light
fireworks dis-
plays this year,
compared to
three in 2021.
While tradi-
tional fireworks
can be spotted
many miles
away, drone
light shows
can be seen
from about
two miles. The
drones, howev-
er, do some-
thing “cool.”
They can
change colors
and move in different direc-
tions and patterns – something
traditional fireworks cannot.
As reported last year in this
column, singer Dolly Parton’s
Dollywood amusement park
in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., has
If you were in Denver or
Aurora for the Fourth of July,
you probably watched tra-
ditional fireworks displays
lighting up the night skies.
Lakewood canceled its orig-
inally-planned display, citing
concerns over the recent dry
conditions that have firefight-
ers statewide on edge.
However, when Parker
and Castle Pines residents
looked to the skies in recent
nights, they didn’t see fire-
works – they saw drone light
shows. In Durango, officials
canceled the annual town July
4th fireworks show for a third
consecutive year. The town’s
residents and visitors still got
to see a sky show filled with
colorful drones flying and
forming unique patterns and
shapes.
As drone technologies con-
tinue to expand and improve,
we should expect to see drone
light shoes replacing tradi-
tional fireworks in the years
to come. Sure, the regular
fireworks surprise us with
bursts of light and ear-cover-
ing booms. There are several
reasons why drone displays
may take over the skies in
future years.
Fire is the primary reason
fueling the change. What
town council wants to spend
$30,000 to $100,000 (or
more) for fireworks, then face
lawsuits if the display hits the
earth and starts a blaze?
Holiday fireworks touched
off small brush fires in Doug-
las County in December 2021,
only days before the destruc-
tive Marshall Fire ignited in
Boulder on Dec. 30, burning
1,084 homes. With drones,
nothing burns…unless a rare
equipment failure causes the
drone to fall from the skies
and crash.
Another reason is the envi-
ronment. In today’s eco-sensi-
tive world, people are con-
cerned about things that burn
and spew dust and smoke
into the atmosphere- not to
mention ashes strewn on the
ground near the fireworks
launching site. Drones don’t
cause such pollution; they
can be recharged and used for
years.
Graham Hill, owner of Den-
ver-based Hire UAV Pro, said
fire concerns about traditional
fireworks displays have led to
many inquiries for his compa-
ny. (UAV is the acronym for
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,
commonly called drones.)
“We had hundreds of calls
following the Marshall Fire,”
Hill told 9News recently.
He noted that his company’s
drone displays are typi-
cally flown above paved or
manicured lawn areas, further
reducing potential fire danger.
the Wall Street Jour-
nal reported that drone
package
deliveries
began in
the Texas
community
of Little
Elm. Wing, a
subdivision
of Google,
teamed with
Walgreen to
fly packages
in an
experimental
program
that has
been under
discussion for
several years.
Using Wing’s drone-deliv-
ery app, customers can select
from 100 items, including
over-the-counter medicines
and household essentials, a
Walgreens spokesperson told
the WSJ. Products delivered
through other Wing custom-
ers, including ice cream from
Blue Bell Creameries, first-aid
kits from Texas Health Re-
sources and pet prescriptions,
will be handled from a mixed-
use development in Frisco,
Texas, by Wing employees.
Wing said deliveries will be
limited to “tens of thousands
of suburban homes” in Frisco
and Little Elm for now.
Please note: It could be
many years before anyone
considers using drones to
make deliveries in Gilpin
County, where maneuvering a
delivery drone could be chal-
lenging because of trees near
homes, not to mention sudden
wind gusts.
Drones
Drones
St. James Methodist celebrating more than 160 years as a church,
gathering place and historical icon in Central City
bill. Every year, something
new comes up. I’m surprised
I don’t have ulcers because
things can get very stressful
at times.”
Today, the Smiths continue
to operate the only casino in
Colorado where smoking is
permitted.
It wasn’t the first time Ed
and Shirley encountered is-
sues with politicians. “Before
the casino could open, we
were required to pay the City
of Black Hawk for parking
and transportation,” recalled
Smith. He said they paid $6
million to Black Hawk to par-
ticipate in a parking program,
which called for casino pa-
trons to park in lots up Grego-
ry Hill and use shuttle buses
to get back and forth during
the early days of gaming. The
Smiths didn’t get their money
back when the plan eventu-
ally fizzled. “The city fathers
seem to have forgotten about
that,” he commented.
HAWK AND CENTRAL CITY
SINCE 18
SINCE 18
Last of two
parts
festivals annually.
Chinn is the director of historic
properties for the Central City Op-
era, a nearly century-old organiza-
tion that has brought thousands to
Central City. The opera also owns
more than two dozen historic prop-
erties in the city.
Phil Headrick has helped with the
maintenance of the church for many
years and helps at Emerl’s. He is a
volunteer fire captain for Central
City Fire Department, Jefferson
County Incident Management Team
(IMT), Rocky Mountain Blue IMG,
instructs firefighters on wildland fire
control and helps with the Colo-
rado Wildfire Incident Management
Academy.
Church Member Dorothy Sweet is
another congregation member who
impacts the Gilpin County com-
munity. She serves as a cashier at
Emerl’s and has many friends who
volunteer there, including Sharon
Bell, Sharon Perea, Robbie Zmuda,
Diane Martin, Jan Crego, Willy
Lickey (until she moved away) and
others. Sweet also volunteers at the
library, Timberline Fire Auxiliary
and the local Meals on Wheels pro-
gram. “This keeps me active and I
have met so many wonderful Gilpin
County people,” she noted.
Not only is Wes Broderius the
musical director at St. James, but
he is one of the few people who
know how to play the giant, historic
Steere pipe organ installed in 1899 in
the sanctuary. Previously, he was the
conductor for 34 years of the Lu-
theran Chorale and Orchestra, which
made seven concert trips to Europe
and Scandinavia. He was a music
professor at Concordia University in
Nebraska and an organist and choir
director at churches in Colorado,
Florida and Nebraska for a total of
67 years. Joked Broderius, “I’m older
than dirt, 89.”
Another well-known member is
Jeanne Key, whose husband, John,
was a descendant of Francis Scott
Key, who wrote the lyrics for the
American national anthem “The Star-
Spangled Banner,” in 1814.
Gail and Mike Keeler are also
highly involved with the church
and community. Mike works at the
Visitor’s Center on Eureka Street and
is a Central City Wild Bunch mem-
ber. He’s also been the emcee at the
Madam Lou Bunch bed races annu-
ally. On occasion, he acts with local
theater groups. He is a church board
member, changes the sign outside
the building weekly and performs
maintenance. Gail is on the church
council board as treasurer, secretary
and events coordinator. She compiles
the weekly church bulletin, handles
the landscaping and coordinates wed-
dings and funerals. The couple cleans
the church weekly and helps prepare
the building for the weekly service on
Sunday, which begins at 10 a.m. and
is followed by fellowship.
The couple also helps to coordinate
guest pastors and speakers while the
board is trying to find a new pastor.
The previous pastor, Rev. Dr. Scott J.
Schiesswohl, retired in May.
RCI planning
growth beyond
2 local casinos
drone fireworks shows nightly
during parts of its summer
season.
* * * *
About two weeks ago,
By Don Ireland
Senior Reporter
The scriptures
say, “You are the light
of the world. A city
built on a hill can-
not be hid” (Matthew
5:14). In many ways,
that Bible quote speaks
about St. James Meth-
odist Church. Not only
is the towering stone
building visible from
its hillside location on
Eureka Street, but also
congregation members
have shone brightly
in Central City with
decades of community
service and involvement
for more than 160 years.
That tradition contin-
ues today.
Since 1999, the
church has operated
Emerl’s Thrift Shop,
which is open from 10
a.m. until 2 p.m. on
Fridays and Saturdays
at 111 Eureka St., a few
Ed Smith hangs out with his Bigfoot buddy at the Sasquatch
Casino.
Photo by Don Ireland
age of 21 from loitering in a
casino.
When the Wild Card
opened in 1995, it included
space for a small convenience
store that continues today. It
also sells a lot of cigarettes
and cigars. About two de-
cades ago, the anti-smoking
movement began gaining
momentum in Colorado. In
2008, smoking was banned in
the state’s casinos.
The Smiths resisted the new
law, claiming their operation
fell under the state’s permit-
ted exemptions.
When the smoking bans
were being considered, Smith
Continued on next page
By Don Ireland
Senior Reporter
All dressed up for the church’s 164th homecoming this year were (seated) Wes Broderius, (bot-
tom row, l-r) Jonas and Jaclyn Schrock, Robbie Zmuda, Gary and Alynn Huffman, Chuck Fullen,
Sharon Wieland, Gail and Mike Keeler, Deborah Wray, John and Diane Martin, Kim and Greg
Graham, Eric Chinn, Ed Lewandowski, (top row) Colleen and Jim Stewart, Jeanne Key, Barbara
Thielemann, Glenda Allen, Sharon
Perea, Mary Pateigo, Tessa McQueen,
Matteo Adams, Karen Blaise, JoAnn
Kerr, Jody Losaw and Chris Duis.
Photo courtesy
St. James Methodist Church
DON’T JUST KINDA TV
DIRECTV
RCI Hospitality Holdings closed a $2.4 million
deal with Central City earlier this month to purchase
the former Scarlet’s Casino building at 130 Main St.
However, that acquisition is only the first of several
planned in Colorado by the adult-entertainment
company.
Eric Langan, RCI CEO and president, previously
announced plans to purchase three former casino
properties at the other end of Main Street, the former
Coyote Creek Casino at 101 Eureka Street and 98
and 102 Lawrence Street. The sale closing for those
properties is expected to occur before March 2023.
He estimated that RCI will spend approximately $24
million to purchase and remodel the two casinos,
which will open as new casinos – one featuring a
Rick’s Cabaret Steakhouse & Casino and the other
featuring a casino with a sportsbook/nightclub.
Central City isn’t the only metro Denver loca-
tion that RCI is eyeing for expanding its nationwide
collection of businesses, which includes strip clubs/
cabarets, restaurants and casinos. Last week, RCI
announced a $1.875 million deal to purchase the
Grange Food Hall on Arapahoe Road in Greenwood
Village. The Grange facility includes several restau-
rants, including the Crack Shack, Menya Ramen,
Seoul Mandoo, Tilford’s Wood Fired Pizza and Up-
town & Humbolt. The current property also has Little
Dry Creek Brewing, which would supply microbrews
to its other metro operations, according to RCI.
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doors down from St. James. Emerl’s
(also called Emerl’s Emporium) of-
fers a variety of items, ranging from
clothing, household goods, furniture,
toys, coffee makers, vases, electron-
ics and much more. All are donated.
You never know what you will
find at Emerl’s because the lineup
of offerings changes almost weekly.
There are items priced from $1 and
up. The store is staffed by volun-
teers, including people from differ-
ent faiths. It’s also a gathering place
where neighbors and friends meet
and chat about what’s happening
around town. Many people purchase
items but pay more than the listed
price, their way of contributing even
more to help the shop’s purpose.
Money collected at Emerl’s is
donated to people who need help
and worthwhile community causes,
ranging from fire victims to the
unemployed and struggling fami-
lies and individuals who could use
a helping hand. The shop gives
money to local groups, including
the local Gilpin County Food Pan-
try and the school prom.
Other congregation members are
driving forces in local organiza-
tions. The board of trustees for
Gilpin Historical Society includes
Mike Keeler (vice president), Col-
leen Stewart (secretary), Eric Chinn
and Deb Wray from the church.
Wray, a member of Central City’s
Historical Preservation Commis-
sion, also plays a part in helping
to run the church. Other church
members involved with the Gilpin
County Arts Association are Bar-
bara Thielemann, a member of the
Central City Planning Commission
and the chairman of the Central
City Main Street Commission,
which sponsors several community
Expect to see more drone light shows in the future, like the ones at Dollywood.
Photo courtesy of Dollywood
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Volunteers staff Emerl’s Thrift Shop. Linda Lehrer has
been helping for three years at the shop, which gets
many visitors and residents who come to check out
the bargains.
Photos by Don Ireland
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